TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a set of headphones according to the introductory portion of claim 1 . BACKGROUND

Today headphones are commonly used together with different types of sound generating devices, for instance portable sound generating devices or audio equipment such as radio, mobile phones, CD players and/or MP3-players, or a player using some other digital file format. The headphones comprise a small sound emitting device, such as a speaker, that can be placed adjacent the ear of a user in order to reproduce the sound from the sound generating device. Speakers can be connected to an associated sound generating device by means of wires or cables, or by means of a wireless connection.

In order to permit adaptation of the headphones to different users, they are often provided with different kinds of adjustment devices. These adjustment devices have often meant that the headphone designs has become complicated as they have been provided with multiple and sometimes complicated adjustment devices. In this way the assembly process has become complicated and the manufacturing cost has increased. A further problem has arisen in connection with storage of the headphones when not in use, as the complicated design has made them bulky. Hence there is a need for headphones having a simple design with maintained adjustability. There is also a need for a set of headphones that can be stored in a space saving manner. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A purpose of the invention is to solve, or at least significantly reduce the problems associated with prior art headphones. The purpose of the invention is to achieve a set of headphones having a simple design at the same time as a satisfactory adjustment of the headphones is made possible. A further purpose is to provide a set of headphones that takes up very little space when it is not in use. These purposes are achieved by means of a set of headphones as define in the general portion exhibiting the features stated in the characterizing portion of claim 1 .

The invention relates to a set of headphones with a least one headphone cover, preferably two. The headphone cover comprises a speaker unit which can reproduce sound from a sound generating device such as a digital CD- or MP3-player or a mobile phone. The headphone cover comprises a through slot, through which an extended carrier element made from a flexible material for supporting the headphone cover is arranged. The carrier element comprises a longitudinal row of recesses and the headphone cover comprises a spring loaded locking element for cooperation with the recesses in the supporting element for adjustment of the position of the carrier element in relation to the headphone cover. The headphones according to the invention is simple to adjust and has a minimal number of parts, making it simple and economic to manufacture and requires little space when not in use. Because the support element is manufactured from a flexible material, satisfactory ergonomics is achieved with a small number of parts. Further, the headphones can be bent so that it requires little space when it is not in use.

The flexible material can for instance be a resilient material, for instance metal, such as spring steel, or plastic or a combination of these. The resilient material has the ability to be deformed to a relatively high degree without causing residual shape change or fracture. A certain resilience is present in the flexible material in order to make the headphones fit well. The material is preferably spring steel, which retains its pretensile ability during use. In this way it is possible to adjust the headphones again and again without loss of the pretensile ability and/or elasticity and the headphones are held against the ear in a very effective and ergonomic manner.

The carrier element is preferably made in one piece. This further reduces the number or parts and simplifies the design of the headphones. The locking element of the headphones is spring actuated. The spring actuation is achieved by a spring device connected to the locking element. Alternatively the locking element itself can comprise a spring device. By arranging the locking element so that it is spring actuated, the number of parts making up the design can be kept low, at the same time as a simple adjustability of the headphones in maintained.

The locking element can comprise a sphere. The locking element cooperates with the recesses in the carrier element in order to lock the carrier element in a desired position. The sphere can be rotatably journalled on the spring device inside the headphone cover, for instance in a cavity. The spring device can also advantageously be journalled in the cavity. In this way the spring actuation on the locking element is achieved with a desired force in a simple manner.

Because the sphere has a small contact surface on the carrier element the friction between the carrier element and the sphere is small. When the sphere is rotatably journalled in the cavity the friction is reduced further. The sphere is retained positioned at least partially inside the cavity by means of the inner walls of the cavity.

The headphone cover can comprise an outer portion, an intermediate portion and an inner portion. These portions can be separate parts which are assembled, or they can be integrated.

The outer portion, which is located outermost in the direction from the ear of the user, preferably comprises the through slot. In this way the carrier element does not pass between the speaker unit and the ear and the sound quality can be maximized.

The intermediate portion is preferably bowl shaped to receive the speaker unit. By arranging the speaker unit in the intermediate portion it can be protected from shocks and dirt. The carrier element of the headphones can comprise a stop element, which prevents the carrier element from sliding out of the slot in the headphone cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the attached drawing figures.

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1 shows a schematic pair of headphones according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows the embodiment of Figure 1 with an exploded view of the headphone cover;

Figure 3 shows a frontal, partially cross-sectioned view of a part of the headphones according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMODIMENTS

Figure 1 shows one embodiment of a pair of headphones 1 according to the invention. The headphones 1 comprise two headphone covers 2 and a carrier element 4. Hereafter only one headphone cover 2 will be referred to, but for the skilled person it is obvious that each of the headphone covers are shaped in a corresponding manner albeit mirrored in order to be placed against both ears of a user. The headphone cover 2 shown in Figure 1 has a shape corresponding approximately to a partial sphere. The headphone cover 2 comprises a through slot 3, through which an extended carrier element 4 is passed for supporting the headphone cover 2.

5 As best shown in Figure 2, the headphone cover 2 of the embodiment shown in the figures comprises an outer portion 10, an intermediate portion 1 1 and an inner portion 12 that is placed against the outer ear of the user. The parts of the headphone cover 2 can be integrated dependent on, for instance, the choice of material for the headphone cover 2 and the requirements placed on

10 the headphone cover in order to ensure a good sound reproduction. If the headphone cover is made from a plastic, the outer portion 10 and the intermediate portion 1 1 can for example be integrated. The headphone cover can also comprise multiple parts; the intermediate portion 1 1 can for instance be divided into two or more parts, for instance to allow it to be fitted better to i s the speaker unit.

As best shown in Figure 2, the outer portion 10 has the shape of a substantially spherical disc. The outer portion 10 comprises a longitudinal recess, which forms the through slot 3 of the headphone cover 2 and through which slot 3 the carrier element is passed as shown in Figures 1 and 3. The 20 carrier element 4 is made from a flexible material and comprises an extended row of recesses 5 for adjustment of the position of the carrier element in relation to the headphone cover 2.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 -3 the outer portion 10 is attached to an intermediate portion 1 1 , which is shaped as a spherical shell segment. For 25 the attachment a suitable method can be used; the portions can for instance be screwed, glued or welded together, or a combination of these methods can be used.

In the embodiment shown the intermediate portion 1 1 comprises screw holes for screws, which are used for assembling portions 10 and 1 1 . A speaker unit, which is not shown in the figures, can be placed inside the shell segment of the intermediate portion 1 1 . The speaker unit, which can be any speaker unit, can be chosen freely from the models available on the market. The design of the speaker unit is not a part of the invention per se and will 5 not be described in further detail. However, the speaker unit can be protected further against dirt, moisture and shocks by the use of an insulating material, such as an O-ring, around the speaker unit. The intermediate portion 1 1 can further comprise a hole, through which cables to a sound generating device can be passed. Alternatively a wireless connection can be arranged in a 10 suitable location in the headphone cover 2.

The headphone cover 2 also comprises an inner portion 12, which is advantageously placed against the outer ear of the user. The inner portion 12 comprises a cushion 16 for improved ergonomics for the user. The cushion 16 is preferably annular. In this way the sound from the speaker unit can i s pass to the ear of the user without being dampened by the cushion. The cushion 16 can be covered by textiles, plastics, leather or some other suitable material or combinations of these in order to improve the ergonomics for the user further.

The carrier element 4 is preferably made from a material that is also resilient.

20 The carrier element 4 made from a resilient material has a certain ability to be pre-tensioned. Through this ability to be pre-tensioned the carrier element 4 can exert a pressure against the ears of a user and the headphones are held in position in a simple and effective manner. No additional resilient means are required exert a pressure against the ears of the user and a

25 simple design is thereby achieved for the headphones 1 .

The resilient material can be any kind of resilient material that has the ability to be deformed to a relatively high degree without experiencing a residual change of shape or a fracture. The material can be spring steel, plastic or a combination of these. The carrier element is preferably made from spring 30 steel. The recesses 5 of the carrier element 4 cooperates with a spring loaded locking element 5 inside the headphone cover 2. Figures 2 and 3 show an exploded view and a cross-section of the headphone cover according to the invention. The locking element comprises a substantially spherical ball 6. The locking element can have a different shape and design than that shown in the figures, and may for instance be a pointed pin or some other element which can cooperate with the recesses 5 of the carrier element 4.

The spring device 7 is preferably mechanical, but can also be pneumatic or hydraulic. The mechanical spring can be made from metal or rubber, and can for instance be a coil spring. The spring device acts on the locking element with a force corresponding to the spring force of the spring device.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 2 and 3 the spring device 7 is a coil spring. The spring device is arranged inside a cavity 8, which cavity 8 is comprised in the outer portion 10 in the embodiment shown in the figures. A suitable casing 9 can be placed in the cavity 8, as shown in Figure 2, for instance for size fitting and/or for preventing wear between the spring and the cavity. The casing 9 can for instance be made from plastics or metal.

The ball 6 is preferably rotatably journalled on the spring device 7. The ball 6 is located partially inside the cavity 8 to enable it to contact the recesses 5 but also to prevent it from sliding out of the cavity 8 when acted upon by the carrier element 4. As the spring device 7 is compressible and acts on the ball 6, the ball 6 can be pushed in towards the bottom of the cavity 8 when the ball 6 is acted on by a force greater than the spring force generated by the spring device 7. Because the ball 6 is pushed downwards against the spring device 7 and towards the bottom of the cavity 8 when actuated, the ball 6 will brought out of contact with the recesses 5 and will thereby not lock the carrier element 4 in a certain position. In this way the carrier element 4 can pass through the slot 3 during external action, for instance during adjustment by pulling on the carrier element 4. Through spring action the ball 6 is forced to return into contact with one of the recesses 5 once the external action has ceased, that is, when the carrier element 4 is no longer pulled with a force exceeding the spring force. In this adjusted position the ball 6 is in contact with one of the recesses 5 and thereby locks the carrier element 4 in a desired position.

5 Each end portion 13 of the carrier element 4 comprises a stop element 15 to prevent the carrier element from sliding out of the slot 3 in the headphone cover 2.

The parts making up the headphone cover can be made from different materials, for instance, plastics or metal, such as aluminium, copper, 10 stainless steel, etc. The carrier element 2 and the headphone cover 2 are preferably made from metal or a metal-like material.

When using the headphones 1 , the headphone covers 2 are placed against the outer ears of the user. Then the length of the carrier element 4 is adjusted so that the headphone covers are pressed against the ear and the i s carrier element is pulled so that is comes into contact with the head of the user in a comfortable manner. The pulling force must be greater than the spring force of the spring device on the locking element 6 which cooperates with the recesses 5 of the carrier element 4. When the pulling action ceases, the ball slides back into contact with recesses and the carrier element is

20 locked in a desired position.

When the headphones 1 are not in use it can be stored in a rolled up position so that the outer portion 10 of a first headphone cover 2 is in contact with the cushion 16 of the inner portion 12 of a second headphone cover 2. The headphones 1 can be stored in for instance a matching box, the size of which 25 is adapted to the headphones 1 .

By means of the invention a pair of headphones having a simple design with few parts is achieved. The described embodiment can of course be modified within the scope of the invention. For instance, the ball can be attached to the spring in order to facilitate assembly of the headphones. Further, the carrier element can comprise multiple parts, for example a central part made from a resilient material and two end parts made from a stiff material and comprising recesses. The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but is defined by the scope of the appended claims.