Earphone with controllable leakage of surrounding sound and device therefor
US8295505B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 30, 2006 |
| Grant date | Oct 23, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 16, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04R2499/11
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The invention relates to an earphone (1) with leakage control, which can be switched between states with and without leakage to adapt the earphone to different listening situations. The leakage of the earphone may be enabled and disabled automatically in dependence of the sound source and/or may be controlled manually by the user. The earphone is connectable to a device and comprises: a housing (2) substantially covering the external auditory meatus, and accommodating a loudspeaker element (3); the housing further comprising a channel (4) extending between an inner end (5) facing the external auditory meatus, and an outer end (6) facing the environment; and closure means (7) being switchable between a closed state in which said channel is substantially closed, and an open state in which said channel is admitting sound from the environment. The invention also relates to a device co-operating therewith, such as a mobile telephone.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.