FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a set (or pair) of headphones. It is expected that the set of headphones will most commonly be used with a personal media device such as an MP3 player, MP4 player, mobile telephone, smart’phone, e-book reader, tablet computer, or the like.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

The manufacturers of some personal media devices require the use of headphones in order for the user to listen to voice, music etc., i.e. the personal media device is not fitted with built-in (internal) speakers.

Other devices such as mobile telephones, tablet computers, laptop computers and desktop computers have internal speakers, but nevertheless benefit greatly from the use of headphones. Such devices are often used to play music, and can also be used to display films, television programmes and games. The internal speakers which are fitted to such devices are often of low quality and whilst they may be suitable for voice communication they do not reproduce music or other media with an acceptable sound quality. Also, the user will often wish to listen without disturbing others, so that the use of headphones is necessary.

Accordingly, the manufacturers of most personal media devices will provide means for the user to connect headphones, even if the device has an internal speaker. The headphones may be connected to the personal media device by way of a suitable connector (e.g. a jack plug) and a length of flexible cable, or they may be wirelessly connected by Bluetooth™ (for example). All headphones have a pair of earpieces which are designed to fit into or over the user’s ears. Each earpiece has a speaker and a driver by which an electrical signal is converted into sound. The earpieces of some headphones are interconnected by a length of cable which is thin and flexible. The cable is designed to be thin and flexible so that it can be collected into a small volume and stored for example in a user’s pocket when not in use. The cable is chosen to have little or no resilience in order to facilitate storage, but this has the first disadvantage that the cable readily becomes tangled during storage, and the second disadvantage that the electrical wire inside the cable can easily be damaged.

Such earpieces are held in position during use by securing each earpiece into an ear of a user. This type of earpiece is often called an in-ear headphone or an ear bud. Because all user’s ears are not the same size, the suppliers of such headphones typically provide a range of ear inserts enabling the user to fit the appropriate insert to an earpiece so that the earpiece is a sufficiently tight fit in his or her ears in order to remain in position during use. Even so, the fit will often not be tight enough to enable the user to undertake exercise such as running without one or both of the earpieces falling out. If the earpiece is to remain in place in the user’s ear it must follow every movement of the user’s head; the weight of the cable and the engagement of the cable with the user’s clothing both reduce the ability of the earpiece to follow the movements of the user’s head. Other headphones have a resilient band interconnecting the earpieces. The resilient band typically comprises a resilient element and the required electrical conductor(s) located in a protective sheath. The resilient band is designed so that when not under tension the earpieces are closer together than the user’s ears; this requires the resilient band to be stretched in order to separate the earpieces to fit the user’s ears, and the resilience of the band thereafter holds the earpieces in position. Larger headphones in particular have earpieces with cups which surround the user’s ears, the cups being interconnected by a resilient band designed to pass over the user’s head. The provision of a resilient band is necessary for these larger headphones since there is no other means of securing the earpieces in position. Resilient bands are also used, however, with some in- ear headphones, and increase the ability of the earpiece to follow every movement of the user’s head whilst avoiding the requirement for the earpieces to be a tight fit in the user’s ears.

The known resilient bands used in headphones are generally of U-shape, the ends of the“U” being further apart during periods of use than during periods of non-use. During periods of use the resilient band is under tension, and during periods of non-use the resilient band is under less (or usually zero) tension.

Some headphones have an articulating joint between the resilient band and the earpieces whereby to allow some adjustment in the orientation of the earpiece and to maximise the comfort for the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The inventor seeks to provide a set of headphones which take advantage of the known benefits of the resilient band. In particular, the set of headphones avoids the requirement for the earpieces to remain in place solely by way of a tight fit in the user’s ear. This in turn enables the set of headphones to be better suited to use during exercise for example. The inventor also seeks to provide a set of headphones which can more readily be stored than the known headphones, especially those with a resilient band.

According to the invention there is provided a set of headphones comprising a pair of earpieces which are interconnected by a resilient band, the resilient band in its relaxed state (i.e. when not under tension or compression) forming at least one complete loop.

Unlike the known headphones therefore in which the resilient band is of generally U-shape both when in use and when not under tension, the resilient band of the present invention is generally of U-shape in use, but generally of O-shape when relaxed, the O-shape comprising one or more overlaying loops.

It is known that some larger headphones have earpieces with cups to surround the ears of the user, and when the resilient band is relaxed the cups are very close together, and perhaps touch each other. In such an arrangement the resilient band and the earpieces together form a general O-shape, but that is distinguished from the present invention in which the resilient band itself (i.e. without the earpieces) forms at least one complete loop.

Forming the resilient band into at least one complete loop in a relaxed state enables it to be worn around the user’s wrist for example, so that the set of headphones can readily be stored (worn) when not in use. Importantly, the resilience of the band provides the desired force to retain the earpieces in a user’s ears during use, and also provides the force to cause the band to form at least one complete loop when relaxed; the same forces are therefore utilised to hold the set of headphones in their position of use, and also to retain the headphones in their multiple-loop configuration during storage. Preferably, the resilient band when relaxed forms at least two complete loops, and ideally between two and three complete loops, most ideally around two and a half loops. A resilient band which forms around two and a half loops has been found to be long enough to enable the comfortable positioning of the earpieces in the ears of most users and also to permit the comfortable storage around a user’s wrist of average size when not in use. The resilient band allows significant tolerance in the dimensions of the user’s head and wrist so that a set of headphones can be suitable for use by many people. Even those with larger wrists can wear the set of headphones as a bracelet when not in use, since even if the loops are tight around the wrist the tension is not large enough to cause undue discomfort.

Preferably, the earpieces are in-ear headphones, i.e. they are designed to fit into rather than around the user’s ears. The set of headphones can therefore be small and lightweight and suited for wearing for extended periods, including during exercise for example. Nevertheless the earpieces are maintained in position at least partly by way of the tension in the resilient band, so that it is not necessary for the earpieces to a tight fit in the user’s ear (although some users might nevertheless prefer a tight fit). The fitment of the earpieces into the user’s ears does, however, assist their retention, so that the force exerted by the resilient band does not need to be as great as with headphones which are retained in position solely by the force of the resilient band. Alternatively stated, the location of the earpieces in the user’s ears acts to prevent the set of headphones sliding off the user’s head. The resilience of the band need therefore be sufficient only to press the earpieces into the user’s ears and is not required to prevent the set of headphones sliding off the user’s head.

The use of in-ear headphones is doubly-advantageous in that their reduced weight, and their action to at least partly retain the headphones in place, reduce the force required from the resilient band, thereby permitting the use of a thinner (and lighter) resilient band.

Preferably, the resilient band comprises a resilient element and at least one signal wire, both located within a protective sheath. In one embodiment the resilient element is made of a metallic strip having a preformed shape to which it returns when relaxed. Ideally the resilient element is made of titanium with a substantially circular cross section around 1 mm in diameter, preferably around 0.9 mm in diameter.

Preferably also, the resilient band in its relaxed state forms loops which are oval in shape. Oval loops (rather than circular loops) are better suited to fit around a user’s wrist. Also, it has been found that a resilient band which is oval in its relaxed position can adopt a form which is comfortable and convenient for the user when extended for use.

Preferably, the earpieces are permanently mounted to the resilient band. Desirably the earpieces are fixed to the resilient element. Desirably, the orientation of the earpieces is adjustable relative to the resilient band. Preferably, each earpiece is connected to an end of the resilient band (and ideally to the end of the resilient element) by a pivoting joint. Preferably each earpiece can pivot relative freely by around ±30°. Such a range of pivoting movement enables the earpieces readily to be adjusted for comfort in the ears of most users.

Preferably, the earpiece can pivot about an axis substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the end of the resilient band. Restricting the earpiece to pivot about this particular axis enables the necessary adjustment for comfort whilst maintaining control over the position of the earpiece. Thus, universal movement (or even universal rotation) of the earpieces relative to the resilient band is not desired as that would likely make the earpieces more difficult to manipulate to fit into the user’s ears. Universal movement would also be more likely to result in damage to the signal wire(s).

Desirably, the extreme ends of the resilient element are bent through a sharp angle of around 90°, the bent ends permitting a secure fitting for an earpiece and helping to ensure that the earpiece does not inadvertently become detached from the resilient element.

Preferably, the bent end of the resilient element can rotate through 360° relative to the earpiece. Permitting the earpiece to rotate through 360° relative to the resilient element reduces the point loading which might otherwise occur inside the earpiece if the relative rotation was restricted, especially in view of the small size and significant rigidity of the bent end of the resilient element. Nevertheless, as above stated it is desirable to restrict the relative rotation of the earpiece and so other means to restrict the rotation are preferably provided.

Desirably, the resilient band has a housing located between the earpieces, the housing having a wireless receiver, ideally a Bluetooth™ receiver. The personal media device can therefore communicate with the headphones wirelessly and there is no requirement for a wired connection between the set of headphones and the personal media device. The housing can also mount a microphone enabling the set of headphones to be used with a mobile telephone. The avoidance of a wired connection between the set of headphones and the personal media device avoids the requirement to store that wire when the set of headphones is not in use.

Preferably, the housing is non-movably mounted to the resilient band, so that the position and orientation of the housing relative to the resilient band (and vice versa) is fixed. Desirably, the resilient element has a deformation which facilitates non-movable mounting of the housing.

In a set of headphones having a housing, the protective sheath of the resilient band is separated into two parts, one part between the housing and one of the earpieces and the other part between the housing and the other earpiece. Desirably, each part of the sheath is securely fixed at one end to the housing, and securely fixed at the other end to its earpiece. Preferably, the sheath is not secured to the resilient element and can twist relative to the resilient element. Desirably, the sheath is resilient, and ideally is made from woven nylon.

Allowing the sheath to rotate relative to the resilient element also allows the earpiece to rotate relative to the resilient element, and such an arrangement can be utilised to permit limited rotation of the earpiece relative to the (end of the) resilient band, and to provide resilience against rotational movement. In particular, since the housing is non-rotatable relative to the resilient element, and an end of the sheath is secured to the housing, the housing end of the sheath is not rotatably fixed relative to the resilient element. The flexibility of the sheath, in particular a sheath of woven nylon, permits some twisting of the sheath along its length, and thereby some rotation of the earpiece relative to the end of the resilient element. The amount of rotation which is available at the earpiece will, however, be limited by the structure of the sheath, the length of the sheath, and the cross-sectional size of the sheath in relation to the resilient element and signal wire(s) it contains. It can, for example, be arranged that each earpiece can be rotated relatively freely (i.e. with little or no resilience) by around ±30° relative to the end of the resilient element, the sheath readily accommodating such a rotation by twisting along its length. Rotation through greater angles can be accommodated by the sheath, but with increasing resistance (and resilience) as the sheath is further twisted along its length. It has been found that permitting some limited rotation of each earpiece enables many more users to be able to fit the earpieces comfortably into their ears, despite the great natural divergence of ear shapes.

Limiting the relative rotational (or twisting) movement of the earpiece by way of the sheath will also minimise the likelihood of damage to the signal wire(s).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig.1 shows a side view of the set of headphones according to the present invention, with the resilient band in a relaxed or storage condition;

Fig.2 shows a sectional view through the resilient band of the set of headphones of Fig.1 ;

Fig.3 shows a perspective view of the resilient element of the set of headphones of Fig.1 , in a relaxed condition;

Fig.4 shows a plan view of an alternative set of headphones, with the resilient band extended for use; Fig.5 represents a first view of the embodiment of Fig.4 in use;

Fig.6 represents a second view of the embodiment of Fig.4 in use; Fig.7 represents a view of the embodiment of Fig.4 being worn around a user’s wrist;

Fig.8 shows a perspective view of the embodiment of Fig.4; and

Fig.9 shows a front view of the embodiment of Fig.4 with certain dimensions added.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The set of headphones 10 comprises a pair of earpieces 12a, 12b which are interconnected by a resilient band 14. Fig. 1 shows the resilient band in a relaxed state, i.e. when not under strain due to tension or compression, the resilient band 14 in this embodiment forming around two and a half overlying loops (the looped configuration being more clearly visible in the views of Figs. 8 and 9).

It will be understood that the set of headphones 10 in the relaxed state shown in Fig. 1 is particularly suitable for storage, for example being worn around a user’s wrist such as shown in Fig.7. The set of headphones are relatively unobtrusive in this configuration, and the resilient band can be formed, decorated and/or coloured to be aesthetically pleasing when worn as a bracelet.

The internal cross-sectional dimension D of the loops may readily be stretched to permit the user to insert his or her hand through the loops, which loops then contract back to the dimension D ideally to provide a relatively loose fit around the user’s wrist.

The shape and number of the loops is determined by the shape and length of the resilient element 20 which is shown in Fig.3. In this embodiment the resilient element 20 is a solid titanium wire with a circular cross-section 0.9 mm in diameter. Fig.3 shows the resilient element 20 in its relaxed state, so that the resilient element forms around two and a half loops as in the complete set of headphones of Fig.1.

In this embodiment the loops are approximately circular when relaxed with a diameter D of around 60 mm. In the preferred embodiment of Figs. 4-9, however, the loops when relaxed are oval with an outer dimension DL along the longer axis of around 68 mm and an outer dimension Ds along the smaller axis of around 62 mm, an oval shaping of the loops more closely matching the shape of the user’s wrist. Clearly, the loops in the relaxed state may be formed slightly smaller than a particular dimension of the user’s wrist so that the resilient band is under some tension even when worn around the user’s wrist.

In this embodiment the set of headphones 10 has a wireless receiver (for example a Bluetooth™ receiver) located in a housing 22 which is securely mounted to the resilient band 14 between the earpieces 12a,b, so that the set of headphones communicates with a personal media device (not shown) wirelessly. In known fashion, the housing 22 contains a (rechargeable) battery, a printed circuit board carrying a Bluetooth™ chipset as well as controls 24 (Fig.9) allowing one or more of power on/off, volume adjustment, track rewind, skip, pause, play etc. If desired, the housing 22 can incorporate a microphone and a transmitter so that the set of headphones can be used with a telephone for example (the microphone could alternatively be mounted to one of the earpieces 12).

In the embodiment of Figs.1 and 3 the housing 22 is not located at the mid-point of the resilient band 14, and is instead located relatively close to the earpiece 12a. In the alternative embodiment of Figs. 4-9 the housing 22 is located at the approximate mid-point of the resilient band. The embodiments are otherwise identical and since the location of the housing along the resilient band is largely incidental to the invention the same reference numerals are used for the components of each embodiment.

It will be observed from Figs. 6 in particular that in use the housing 22 is at the back of the user’s head. It might be considered that this is an unsuitable location for a microphone as would be required for telephone applications, but in practice a microphone could be mounted upon that housing. It might nevertheless be desired by some manufacturers to locate the housing 22 relatively closer to one of the user’s ears, and therefore relatively closer to the user’s mouth.

It is expected that the housing 22 could accommodate a rechargeable battery giving up to 4 hours of use for the set of headphones 10. The housing 22 has a recharging socket (seen in Fig.1 ) by which the battery can be recharged from a suitable source.

It will be seen from Figs.1 , 8 and 9 that the earpieces 12a,b in the relaxed condition are oriented in different directions. As is seen in Fig. 4 in particular, when the resilient band 14 is extended for use, the earpieces 12a,b are directed generally towards one another, ready to be positioned in the user’s ears. The orientation of the earpieces 12a,b when the resilient band is relaxed results from the winding up of the resilient band as it relaxes to form the overlaying loops, and is incidental to the invention.

It has been found that some adjustability of the orientation of the earpieces 12a,b relative to the resilient band 14 (and therefore relative to each other) is desired. In particular, a user with a large head (and with which the earpieces 12a,b are a relatively long way apart in use, will require a somewhat different orientation than a user with a small head. Also, the natural divergence between the shaping of users’ ears (even of users with similar-sized heads) requires some adjustability in the orientation of the earpieces if they are to fit comfortably into the ears of a range of users.

It will nevertheless be understood that the earpieces 12a,b should have only limited adjustability so that their relative orientation is largely controlled, and furthermore so that the likelihood of damage to the signal wires 26 is minimised.

The earpieces 12a,b are connected directly to the ends of the resilient element 20, and whilst Fig.3 shows the ends of the resilient element 20 as being undeformed, the terminal few millimetres at each of the ends will in practice be bent through a sharp angle of around 90° into an L-shape in order to enable the earpieces 12a,b to be secured thereto. In this embodiment, the earpiece has a strain relieving component, part of which surrounds the end of the resilient band 14, in known fashion. Another part of the strain relieving component lies inside the earpiece housing 28, which housing also accommodates the L-shaped end of the resilient element 20. The housing 28 cooperates with the L-shaped end of the resilient element 20 to substantially prevent longitudinal movement of the earpiece 12a,b relative to the resilient element 20 (relative longitudinal movement is undesirable as it Is likely to cause damage to the signal wires 26). The housing 28 does, however, permit relative rotation of the resilient element 20. Not limiting the rotation of the earpiece 12a,b relative to the end of the resilient element 20 reduces the point loading which can occur inside the earpiece housing 28, and therefore reduces the likelihood of damage to the earpiece housing.

Fig.2 shows a cross-section through the resilient band 14. The resilient band comprises the resilient element 20 and two signal wires within a sheath 30. Importantly, neither the resilient element 20 nor the signal wires 26 are connected to the sheath 30, so that the sheath is free to rotate (twist) relative to the resilient element 20 and to the signal wires 26.

The sheath 30 is, however, securely fixed to the housing 22, and is also securely fixed to the earpieces 12a,b. In this embodiment the sheath is in two parts, with a first part between the housing 22 and the earpiece 12a and a second part between the housing 22 and the earpiece 12b (with the ends of the sheath parts securely connected to the housing and the respective earpiece). The secure fixation of the sheath 30 to the earpiece may be achieved by over-moulding the strain relief, which has the desirable consequence also to seal the housing 28. Rotation of an earpiece 12a,b relative to the resilient band 14 therefore results directly in twisting along the length of the sheath 30.

In this embodiment the sheath 30 is made of woven nylon, but other materials would also be suitable. A woven nylon is preferred because it can accommodate limited twisting along its length with little or no resilience, but will resist (and counter) greater twisting actions. In practice, a woven nylon sheath 30 can be made to accommodate twisting along its length (i.e. between the housing 22 and the respective earpiece 12a,b) of around ±30° with a largely insignificant return force, and can accommodate greater twisting with an increasing resistance and return force. It is expected that around ±30° of substantially free rotation of the earpieces 12a,b relative to the resilient element 20 will enable most users to be able to comfortably fit the earpieces into their ears. In addition, a woven nylon sheath is very resistant to a force seeking to separate an earpiece 12a,b from the housing 22, and is also resistant to wear due to rubbing or abrasion.

It will be understood that in embodiments in which the rotation of the earpieces 12a,b is controlled by the sheath 30, the central location of the housing 22 along the resilient band 14 is preferred as that will make it easier to match the return force acting upon each earpiece.

Accordingly, it is arranged that the resilient element 20 provides the force to hold the earpieces 12a,b in the user’s ears during use, and also provides the force to cause the set of headphones to adopt a relaxed state comprising multiple overlying loops. The force to maintain the orientation of the earpieces 12a,b relative to the resilient band 14 (and therefore relative to each other) is provided by the sheath 30. Separating these two functions avoids the compromise which might occur if the resilient element 20 (for example) also controls the orientation of the earpieces, since it would likely be more difficult to achieve an acceptable balance of forces to enable a set of headphones to be comfortable for a large range of customers. It is another benefit of woven nylon that the sheath 30 can be made attractive to wear as a bracelet, for example by providing an aesthetically-pleasing form and or decoration and/or colouring of the sheath. It will be seen from Fig.3 that the resilient element 20 has a deformation 32 which is provided to enable a secure mounting of the housing 22. Thus, the deformation 32 allows the housing 22 to be secured to the resilient element 20 so as not to permit movement along the resilient element, nor twisting around the resilient element.

In the orientation of Fig.1 , the end of the resilient band 14 connected to the earpiece 12a is directed substantially perpendicular to the plane of the paper and the earpiece 12a is restricted to articulation or pivoting movement about the longitudinal axis of that end of the resilient band, i.e. in the directions shown by the arrow P. A relatively free range of pivoting movement of around 30° in both the clockwise and anti-clockwise directions is believed to allow comfortable and snug fitment into the ears of substantially all users. It will be understood that by forming around two and a half overlying loops when relaxed, the resilient band 14 is not likely to become inadvertently tangled during those periods for which it is worn as a bracelet, or otherwise stored. Furthermore, the tendency of the resilient element 20 to form the shape of Fig.3 will also resist attempts which might be made to force the set of headphones 10 into a tangle.

Also, the tendency of the resilient element 20 to form the shape of Fig.3 means that no additional clips or clasps are required to maintain the set of headphones in their relaxed state, and the set of headphones can be worn as a bracelet without additional componentry. The overlaying loops are spaced apart by a distance of around 10 mm so that the resilient band forms a somewhat loose coil as best shown in Fig.8. The resilience of the resilient element 20 is chosen to be sufficient to alone maintain the set of headphones in position around a user’s wrist. Figs. 5 and 6 represent how the set of headphones 10 is designed to be worn during use, in particular with the resilient band 14 passing over the user’s ears and around the back of his or her head. Such an arrangement has been found to be particularly stable in use, and therefore to require only a small force pressing the earpieces 12a,b into the user’s ears. In a preferred embodiment the force pressing each of the earpieces 12a,b into the user’s ears is equivalent to a weight of around 25-30 grams, which force is not expected to cause discomfort even for extended periods of use. Nevertheless, even when used during activities such as running, because there is little or no relative movement between the parts of the user’s head which are engaged by the set of headphones 10, the set of headphones can readily follow every movement of the user’s head and do not need to accommodate relative movement between the earpieces 12a and 12b, nor between an earpiece and any other part of the set of headphones 10. Furthermore, at least part of the weight of the set of headphones 10 is borne by the tops of user’s ears and so does not need to be borne by the earpieces 12a,b alone.

Fig. 4 shows a plan view of the set of headphones 10 when extended for use, i.e. similar to the condition of Figs. 5 and 6. It will be seen that in this plan view the resilient band 14 is extended into a general U-shape, with the earpieces 12a,b directed towards each other and separated by a distance approximately equal to the separation of the user’s ears. It will be seen from Figs. 4-6 that the end parts of the resilient band 14 (i.e. those parts closest to the respective earpieces 12,a,b) lie alongside the user’s head, rather than (for example) extending away from the user’s head. This has three advantages. Firstly, it makes the set of headphones 10 less obtrusive and therefore more visually acceptable for the user and less vulnerable to impacts and damage. Secondly, at least part of the force which the resilient element 20 imparts to the earphones 12a,b is generally torsional so that the set of headphones 10 is likely to be more comfortable to wear for long periods. Thirdly, it enables the resilient band to pass over the top of the user’s ears and if desired to be at least partially supported thereby.

It will be seen from Fig. 9 in particular that the housing 22 substantially follows the curved shape of the resilient band 14 when relaxed. The curvature of the housing 22 also allows it to sit more comfortably against the back of the user’s head as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

As above stated, the set of headphones 10 are particularly suitable for use during exercise, for example whilst running. In a particular application a runner might run in a location where the wearing of headphones could be dangerous, such as alongside a road where the runner will benefit from hearing traffic, cyclists and other users. The runner can nevertheless easily carry the set of headphones 10 by wearing them around his or her wrist as represented in Fig.7. If the runner subsequently moves into a park or other location where the wearing of headphones is safe, he or she can readily unwind the resilient band and wear the headphones as represented in Figs. 5 and 6.

The preferred total length of the resilient band 14 (i.e. the distance between the earpieces 12a and 12b when the resilient element 20 is stretched out, is approximately 430 mm. The resilient band preferably forms around two and a half overlaying loops in the relaxed condition. It is expected that a tolerance in total length of ± approx. 10 mm could be accommodated without affecting the benefits of the invention. Greater divergence from the preferred total length is expected to result in a reduction in effectiveness, i.e. either the effectiveness in use or during storage is likely to be adversely affected as the overall length is increased or decreased from the preferred length.

Fig. 9 shows a set of headphones in their relaxed condition, and includes several suitable dimensions. The outer dimension D _L along the major axis is approximately 68 mm, and the outer dimension Ds along the minor axis is approximately 62 mm. The dimension Ds includes the thickness T of the housing 22, which is approximately 8 mm. The housing 22 is around 57 mm long, and spans an arc of the loop of approximately 85°.

Whilst it is stated above that the spring force pressing each of the earpieces 12a,b into the user’s ears is equivalent to a weight of around 25-30 grams, a higher or lower spring force can be provided if desired by adjusting the thickness and/or resilience of the resilient element 20. In particular, it may be desirable to provide a first set of headphones suited for sports use and having a higher spring force to maintain secure fitment, and a second set of headphones suited for general use and having a lower spring force for a more comfortable fit. Also, different spring forces can be provided for adults and children, for example, the former likely to have a larger head.

The inventor is therefore able to provide a set of headphones 10 having the following benefits:

· the resilient band has a spring force allowing the set of headphones to be worn on the user’s wrist when not in use and to be secure against falling off without requiring an additional clasp or clip

• the length of the resilient band is chosen to permit the set of headphones to be used by many different users with differing head sizes and differing wrist sizes

• the resilient force provided by the resilient band can retain the set of headphones comfortably in place on the user’s head or wrist

• the earpieces are in-ear headphones, thereby reducing the force required to secure the earpieces to the user’s head

· the resilient band has a sheath of woven nylon which can twist along its length to provide adjustment in the relative position of the earpieces

• the adjustment of the earpieces allows the orientation of each earpiece to be adjusted upwardly, downwardly, forwardly or backwardly relative to the user’s head as required to match the shaping of the user’s ears

· a sheath of woven nylon can readily be formed and/or decorated and/or coloured to increase its aesthetic appeal, especially when worn as a bracelet

• the set of headphones communicate with a personal media device wirelessly

• the curvature of the wireless housing follows the shaping of the user’s head and wrist

· the set of headphones can be recharged by way of a cable from the mains or from a personal media player