Patent · US Expired

Earpiece for insertion in an ear canal, and an earphone, microphone, and earphone/microphone combination comprising the same

US5298692A · kind A · utility

396Cited by
5References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 4, 1991
Grant dateMar 29, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 4, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04R2201/107
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An earpiece for insertion in an ear canal as a part of an earphone, an ear mounted microphone, an earphone/microphone combination or the like. The earpiece comprises a body part suitable for housing an earphone transducer and/or a solid vibration pickup, and a canal insert joined to the body part. Having a generally elongate shape, the canal insert has a rear portion joined directly to the body part, a front portion away from the body part, and a midportion through which the rear and the front portions are joined together. The front portion and midportion of the canal insert have their cross sectional dimensions determined in a predefined relationship to fit as closely as feasible in the ear canals of a majority of people. The earpiece may be provided with a stabilizer, as in the form of a contact piece or pieces projecting laterally therefrom, for greater stability against dislodgement from the ear canal or rotational displacement therein. There are also disclosed herein earphones, microphones, and earphone/microphone combinations including the earpiece.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.