초록 ▼

Various embodiments are directed to earphones, earphone assemblies, and methods of using the same. Further, these embodiments provide earphones that can releasably interconnect in a compact configuration that also reduces the likelihood that the earphone wires or cords will become entangled. By way

Various embodiments are directed to earphones, earphone assemblies, and methods of using the same. Further, these embodiments provide earphones that can releasably interconnect in a compact configuration that also reduces the likelihood that the earphone wires or cords will become entangled. By way of example, in at least one embodiment, an earphone can comprise a housing including a channel defined therein and a wire stem extending from the housing. The channel may be sized and configured to releasably retain a wire stem portion from another earphone. These and other various embodiments are described herein.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An earphone assembly, comprising: a first earphone comprising: a first housing including a first speaker on a first front side of the first housing and a first groove defined in a first back side of the first housing;a first wire stem extending from the first housing;a first housing end located o

1. An earphone assembly, comprising: a first earphone comprising: a first housing including a first speaker on a first front side of the first housing and a first groove defined in a first back side of the first housing;a first wire stem extending from the first housing;a first housing end located on the first housing opposite from the first wire stem; anda first stem end located on the first wire stem opposite from the first housing;a first wire protruding from the first wire stem;a second earphone comprising: a second housing including a second speaker on a second front side of the second housing and a second groove defined in a second back side of the second housing;a second wire stem extending from the second housing;a second housing end located on the second housing opposite from the second wire stem; anda second stem end located on the second wire stem opposite from the second housing; anda second wire protruding from the second wire stem;wherein the first groove is sized and configured to releasably engage and at least partially envelop the second wire stem and the second groove is sized and configured to releasably engage and at least partially envelop the first wire stem, wherein the first groove and the second groove are configured to simultaneously engage the second wire stem and the first wire stem, respectively, to interconnect the first earphone and the second earphone;wherein the first groove and the second groove are arranged such that when the first earphone and the second earphone are interconnected the first speaker is directed away from the second wire stem, the second speaker is directed away from the first wire stem, and the first wire and the second wire are oriented away from each other; andwherein the first earphone and the second earphone are sized and configured such that when the first earphone and the second earphone are fully interconnected, the distance between the first stem end and the second stem end is less than the distance between the first housing end and the second housing end. 2. The earphone assembly of claim 1, wherein the first groove and the second groove are congruent in shape. 3. The earphone assembly of claim 2, wherein the first wire stem and the second wire stem are congruent in shape. 4. The earphone assembly of claim 3, wherein the first housing and the second housing are congruent in shape. 5. The earphone assembly of claim 4, wherein the first earphone and the second earphone are congruent in shape. 6. The earphone assembly of claim 1, wherein the first groove is configured to slideably engage the second wire stem and wherein the second groove is configured to slideably engage the first wire stem. 7. The earphone assembly of claim 1, wherein the first groove is configured to engage the second wire stem in a snap-fit fashion and wherein the second groove is configured to engage the first wire stem in a snap-fit fashion. 8. The earphone assembly of claim 1, wherein the first groove is configured to frictionally engage the second wire stem and wherein the second groove is configured to frictionally engage the first wire stem. 9. An earphone assembly, comprising: a first earphone comprising: a first housing including a first earpiece on a first front side of the first housing and a first channel defined in a first back side of the first housing; anda first wire stem extending from the first housing;a first wire protruding from the first wire stem;a second earphone comprising: a second housing including a second earpiece on a second front side of the second housing and a second channel defined in a second back side of the second housing; anda second wire stem extending from the second housing; anda second wire protruding from the second wire stem;wherein the first channel is sized and configured to releasably engage the second wire stem and the second channel is sized and configured to releasably engage the first wire stem, wherein the first channel and the second channel are configured to simultaneously engage the second wire stem and the first wire stem, respectively, to interconnect the first earphone and the second earphone; andwherein the first channel and the second channel are arranged such that when the first earphone and the second earphone are interconnected the first earpiece is directed away from the second wire stem, the second earpiece is directed away from the first wire stem, and the first wire and the second wire are oriented away from each other. 10. The earphone assembly of claim 9, wherein the first channel is sized and configured to at least partially envelop the second wire stem. 11. The earphone assembly of claim 9, further comprising a first housing end located on the first housing opposite from the first wire stem, a first stem end located on the first wire stem opposite from the first housing, a second housing end located on the second housing opposite from the second wire stem, and a second stem end located on the second wire stem opposite from the second housing, wherein the second earphone is sized and configured such that when the first channel maximally retains the second wire stem and when the second channel maximally retains the first wire stem, the distance between the first stem end and the second stem end is less than the distance between the first housing end and the second housing end. 12. The earphone assembly of claim 9, wherein the first channel and the second channel are congruent in shape. 13. The earphone assembly of claim 12, wherein the first wire stem and the second wire stem are congruent in shape. 14. The earphone assembly of claim 13, wherein the first housing and the second housing are congruent in shape. 15. The earphone assembly of claim 9, wherein the first channel is configured to slideably retain the second wire stem. 16. The earphone assembly of claim 9, wherein the first channel is configured to retain the second wire stem in a snap-fit fashion. 17. The earphone assembly of claim 9, wherein the first earpiece protrudes from the first housing, and wherein the first earpiece is located on the opposite side of the first housing from the first channel. 18. A method of using two earphones, the method comprising the step of: moving a first wire stem of a first earphone into a second groove of a second earphone, such that the first earphone is releasably connected to the second earphone, wherein the first wire stem extends from a first housing of the first earphone and wherein the second groove is defined in a second housing of the second earphone; andmoving a second wire stem of the second earphone into a first groove of the first earphone, such that the second earphone is releasably connected to the first earphone, wherein the second wire stem extends from the second housing of the second earphone and wherein the first groove is defined in the first housing of the first earphone;wherein the first groove and the second groove are arranged such that when the first earphone and the second earphone are releasably connected to each other a first earpiece of the first earphone is directed away from the second wire stem, a second earpiece of a second earphone is directed away from the first wire stem, and the first wire stem and the second wire stem are oriented away from each other. 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of separating the first earphone from the second earphone and placing the first earphone in a user's first ear and the second earphone in the user's second ear.