A positioning and retaining structure for an in-ear earpiece. An outer leg and an inner leg are attached to each other at an attachment end and attached to a body of the earpiece at the other end. The outer leg lies in a plane. The positioning and retaining structure have a stiffness that is greater when force is applied to the attachment end in a counterclockwise direction in the plane of the outer leg than when force is applied to the attachment end in a clockwise direction in the plane of the outer leg. The positioning and retaining structure position an earpiece associated with the earpiece in a users ear and retains the earpiece in its position.

Claims

33 · 5 independent · depth 3

33 granted claims

›1.independentAn earphone, comprising:nan acoustic driver that transduces applied audio signals to acoustic energy;a housing containing the acoustic driver, the hou…+10

›2.↳ 1The earphone of claim 1, whereinnthe first radius of curvature is less than 12 mm, and the second radius of curvature is greater than 12 mm.d2

›3.↳ 1The earphone of claim 1, whereinnthe second radius of curvature is at least 3 mm greater than the first radius of curvature.d2

›4.↳ 1The earphone of claim 1, whereinnthe ratio of the first radius of curvature to the second radius of curvature is within ten percent of 0.70.d2

›5.↳ 1The earphone of claim 1, whereinnthe length of the outer edge from the base to the tip is within ten percent of 2.6 times the length of the inner edge…d2

›6.↳ 1The earphone of claim 1, whereinnthe ear interface further comprises a cushion structure disposed between the outlet structure and the positioning and…d2

›7.↳ 1The earphone of claim 1, wherein the positioning and retaining structure includes a projection at the tip that fits under the base of the user's helix…d2

›8.↳ 1The earphone of claim 1, whereinnthe ear interface is removable from the earphone.d2+1

›10.↳ 1The earphone of claim 1, whereinnthe positioning and retaining structure comprises a plurality of legs, a first leg of the plurality corresponding to …d2

›11.↳ 1The earphone of claim 1, whereinnthe housing includes an opening in the front chamber, and the positioning and retaining structure positions the housi…d2

›12.independentA positioning and retaining structure for an earphone, the positioning and retaining structure comprising an outer edge and an inner edge, each extend…+7

›13.↳ 12The positioning and retaining structure of claim 12, whereinnthe first radius of curvature is less than 12 mm, and the second radius of curvature is g…d2

›14.↳ 12The positioning and retaining structure of claim 12, whereinnthe second radius of curvature is at least 3 mm greater than the first radius of curvatur…d2

›15.↳ 12The positioning and retaining structure of claim 12, whereinnthe ratio of the first radius of curvature to the second radius of curvature is within te…d2

›16.↳ 12The positioning and retaining structure of claim 12, whereinnthe length of the outer edge from the base to the tip is within ten percent of 2.6 times …d2

›17.↳ 12The positioning and retaining structure of claim 12, whereinnthe base comprises a cushion structure shaped to substantially fill the concha of a user …d2

›18.↳ 12The set of positioning and retaining structures of claim 12, whereinneach member of the set has a length ratio of the length of the outer edge from th…d2+1

›19.independentA set of positioning and retaining structures of different size for interchangeable use with an earphone, each member of the set comprising an outer e…+3

›24.independentAn earphone, comprising: an acoustic driver that transduces applied audio signals to acoustic energy; a housing containing the acoustic driver, the ho…+8

›25.↳ 24The earphone of claim 24, wherein, when the earphone is in position, a reaction force is exerted that urges the positioning and retaining structure me…d2

›26.↳ 24The earphone of claim 24, wherein the stiffness when force is applied in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the positioning and retaining struc…d2+1

›28.↳ 24The earphone of claim 24, wherein the stiffness when force is applied in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the positioning and retaining struc…d2

›29.↳ 24The earphone of claim 24 wherein when the earphone is in its intended position in the user's ear, the end of the positioning and retaining structure m…d2

›30.↳ 24The earphone of claim 24, wherein the compliant member is a first compliant member and the positioning and retaining structure further includes a seco…d2

›31.↳ 24The earphone of claim 24, wherein the compliant member of the positioning and retaining structure applies outward pressure along the length of the ant…d2+1

›33.independentAn earphone, comprising:nan acoustic driver that transduces applied audio signals to acoustic energy;a housing containing the acoustic driver, the hou…

Classifications

4 codes

IPC · International Patent Classification

Section H — Electricity

H04R25/00

USPC · US Patent Classification

381/380381/370381/374

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Pendency

2.7 y

988 days filing → grant

Office actions

after a restriction

Responses

1 RCE

Examiner

Suhan Ni

art unit 2656 · TC 2600

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Citations: 165 back · 4 forward

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Priority chain

2 priority documents

Priority

16 Aug 2010

earliest claimed

›Priority documents — 2

Type	Document	Date
provisional	US 61374107	16 Aug 2010
related publication	US 20130148838 A1	13 Jun 2013

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