Patent · US Expired

Ergonomically designed telephone handset

US5621791A · kind A · utility

1Cited by
4References
2Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 6, 1995
Grant dateApr 15, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 6, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04M1/03
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A telephone handset is provided, the earpiece of which is designed to couple the speaker portion to the outer ear while reducing the pressure applied across the tragus and antitragus, and to thus reduce the discomfort of the user. One preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a telephone handset, the earpiece of which includes a modified funnel shaped sound cavity located above the handset's speaker element and surrounded by a planar surface. The intersection of the sound cavity with the planar surface is defined by a pear shaped or teardrop shaped outline. The earpiece is coupled to the outer ear without undue pressure being applied across the tragus or antitragus. Rather, the tapering portion of the teardrop shaped cavity is coupled with the soft, fleshy earlobe, thus providing a good acoustical coupling between the telephone speaker element of the handset and the outer ear of the user, without allowing the planar surface to painfully cut across the tragus and antitragus of the user.

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