US4776044A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Hat with audio earphones
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1987-07-30
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Granted: 1988-10-11
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Expires: 2007-07-30
Abstract
Abstract A hat is described having a set of audio earphones releasably mounted in earflaps that cover the user's ears. The earphones are disc shaped mini-speakers having a thin profile that are insertable in a pocket between an inner wall and outer wall of each flap. Each earphone is releasably held in place by a hook-loop connection. Preferably a loop fabric is formed as the inner lining of the inner wall and a hook patch is secured onto the grill face of the earphone. The user may adjust the position of the earphone with the pocket to individually fit the earphones in relation to his ears. The hook-loop connection prevents the earphones from moving within the pocket when the user is subjected to acceleration forces that are typical in vigorous activity such as skiing.
Inventors
- 👤 J. Patrick Makins
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 02:00
CPC Classifications
A; A42; A42B; A42B1/00; A42B1/24; A42B1/245; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S2/00; Y10S2/912; Y10S2/918
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
170 words
A hat and ear audiophones, comprising: a hat body adapted to fit on a person's head; said hat body having a structural headband intended to encircle the head immediately above the person's ears; ear flaps operatively connected to the hat body and intended to extend downwardly over the person's ears from the structural headband; each of said ear flaps having an inner and an outer wall that a interconnected to form a pocket therebetween with a rear opening; an earphone removably mounted in each pocket through the rear opening with the earphone facing the inner wall; adjustable securing means within each pocket for releasably securing the earphones within the pockets at various locations to enable the person to adjust the position of the earphones vertically and horizontally with respect to the person's ears to obtain the most desirable audio transmission; and an electrical pig tail cable operatively contained between the earphones and an audio plug for enabling the person to directly or indirectly connect the earphones to a signal transmitter.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
170 words
A hat and ear audiophones, comprising: a hat body adapted to fit on a person's head; said hat body having a structural headband intended to encircle the head immediately above the person's ears; ear flaps operatively connected to the hat body and intended to extend downwardly over the person's ears from the structural headband; each of said ear flaps having an inner and an outer wall that a interconnected to form a pocket therebetween with a rear opening; an earphone removably mounted in each pocket through the rear opening with the earphone facing the inner wall; adjustable securing means within each pocket for releasably securing the earphones within the pockets at various locations to enable the person to adjust the position of the earphones vertically and horizontally with respect to the person's ears to obtain the most desirable audio transmission; and an electrical pig tail cable operatively contained between the earphones and an audio plug for enabling the person to directly or indirectly connect the earphones to a signal transmitter.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The hat as defined in claim 1 wherein the hat has means for biasing the ear flaps against the person's ears.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
The hat as defined in claim 2 wherein the hat has an elastic band extending between the ear flaps along a back portion of the head to bias the ear flaps against the user's ears to improve the audio transmission between the earphones and the person's ears.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
The hat as defined in claim 3 wherein the hat includes a neck collar attached to the structural band and extending downwardly below the person's ears and interconnecting the ear flaps in which the elastic band is formed as part of the neck collar.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
The hat as defined in claim 1 wherein the adjustable securing means includes a flexible hook-loop releasable securing means having a first hook-loop member in a pocket affixed to the inner wall and a second hook-loop member affixed to a face of the earphone.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
The hat as defined in claim 5 wherein the first hook-loop member is a loop fabric lining of the inner wall of the pocket and wherein the second hook-loop member is a patch of hook material affixed to a earphone to enable the person to adjust the position of the earphone in the pocket.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
74 words
The hat as defined in claim 1 wherein each of the earphones are disk shaped having a thin body that fits in the pocket with a front face covered by a diaphragm grill and wherein securing means includes, (1) a loop fabric lining of the inner wall of the pocket, and (2) a patch flexible hook material affixed to the diaphragm grill for realeasably securing the earphone to the inner wall of the pocket.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
The hat as defined in claim 1 wherein each of the pockets are enclosed except for a rear opening through which the earphones are inserted or removed and wherein each of the earphones are disk shaped having a thin body to fit between the inner and outer wall of the ear flaps.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The hat as defined in claim 1 wherein the outer wall of each ear flap is thermally insulated to provide an acoustical dampener to reduce acoustical reflections.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
FR777946A
Cited
GB442606A
Cited
US2869134A
Cited
GB1179946A
Cited
US3518701A
Cited
US4109105A
Cited
US4523661A
Cited
US4669129A
Cited
FR2638204A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-10-11 | 1992-04-11 | 1992-10-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-10-11 | 1996-04-11 | 1996-10-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-10-11 | 2000-04-11 | 2000-10-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |