Disclosed are exemplary embodiments of visual and/or acoustic privacy features. For example, exemplary embodiments are disclosed that include visual and/or acoustic privacy features for furniture (e.g., office chair, desk, table, cubicle, etc.). The visual and/or acoustic privacy features are movabl
Disclosed are exemplary embodiments of visual and/or acoustic privacy features. For example, exemplary embodiments are disclosed that include visual and/or acoustic privacy features for furniture (e.g., office chair, desk, table, cubicle, etc.). The visual and/or acoustic privacy features are movable relative to the user and/or furniture between at least a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration, the visual and/or acoustic privacy features may be configured such that they do not inhibit the user from interacting with others. In the second configuration, the visual and/or acoustic privacy features may be configured to provide the user with at least some visual and/or acoustic privacy and isolation from others.
대표청구항▼
1. An apparatus comprising first and second visual and acoustic privacy features each including: a support member;an element coupled to or supported by the support member;one or more speakers coupled to or supported by the element;whereby the first and second visual and acoustic privacy features are
1. An apparatus comprising first and second visual and acoustic privacy features each including: a support member;an element coupled to or supported by the support member;one or more speakers coupled to or supported by the element;whereby the first and second visual and acoustic privacy features are reconfigurable into a plurality of different configurations, including at least: a first configuration in which the element is positioned to be spaced apart from a user's head; anda second configuration in which the element is positioned to be adjacent and alongside the user's ears and with the one or more speakers positioned to provide sound at ear level of the user;wherein: the element is not electronic; orthe element comprises plastic, vinyl, acrylic, resin, nylon, marker board, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polypropylene, thermoplastic, 3D printed material, fabric or mesh; orthe element is configured to allow the user to be at least partially visible through the element. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in the second configuration, the element provides at least some visual and acoustic privacy with the element positioned to block the user's peripheral sight and reduce peripheral visual distractions, and wherein when the apparatus is mounted to or supported by a furniture piece having a front surface: the elements are parallel to the front surface in the first configuration; andthe elements are perpendicular to the front surface in the second configuration. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is controllable by the user to provide sound masking or music at ear level of the user or to transmit sound from the user's space to produce white noise, and wherein the element is rotatable at least about 90 degrees relative to the support member between the first and second configurations such that an orientation of the element in the first configuration is generally perpendicular to an orientation of the element in the second configuration. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is controllable by the user for limiting visual and audible distractions to the user from others within an open office environment, without walling off the user from surroundings. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is retrofittably and removably attachable to a work surface of a desk, a table, or a countertop. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the element is not an electronic computer display screen or monitor, and wherein a rotatable joint is between the element and the support member such that the element is rotatable 360 degrees relative to the support member. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the element comprises a winged visual blinder made of one or more of fabric, mesh, plastic, vinyl, acrylic, resin, nylon, marker board, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polypropylene, thermoplastic, or 3D printed material. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the element is clear, transparent, or translucent such that the element is configured to allow the user to be at least partially visible even when the visual and acoustic privacy features are in the second configuration. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in the second configuration, the element is operable for blocking the user's peripheral sight and the one or more speakers are operable for transmitting sound from the user's space to scramble the user's voice and produce white noise, whereby the user and the user's actions are isolated from others, and wherein: a first rotatable joint is between the element and the support member such that the element is rotatable relative to the support member; anda second rotatable joint is between the support member and a base such that the support member is rotatable relative to the base, which is mountable to a support surface. 10. A furniture piece comprising the apparatus of claim 1. 11. An apparatus comprising first and second visual and acoustic privacy features each including: a support member;an element coupled to or supported by the support member one or more speakers coupled to or supported by the element;whereby the first and second visual and acoustic privacy features are reconfigurable into a plurality of different configurations, including at least: a first configuration in which the element is positioned to be spaced apart from a user's head; anda second configuration in which the element is positioned to be adjacent and alongside the user's head;wherein when the apparatus is mounted to or supported by a furniture piece having a front surface: the elements are parallel to the front surface when the elements are in the first configuration;the elements are perpendicular to the front surface when the elements are in the second configuration; andthe elements are reconfigurable into a third configuration in which the elements are generally upright above the furniture piece whereby the elements are configured to be operable for blocking or shielding incoming light relative to a computer monitor or for providing a visual cue to others. 12. An apparatus comprising first and second visual and acoustic privacy features each including: a support member;an element coupled to or supported by the support member one or more speakers coupled to or supported by the element;whereby the first and second visual and acoustic privacy features are reconfigurable into a plurality of different configurations, including at least: a first configuration in which the element is positioned to be spaced apart from a user's head; anda second configuration in which the element is positioned to be adjacent and alongside the user's head;wherein: the support member comprises a flexible conduit; orthe support member comprises a flexible member operable for supporting the element above a support surface, the flexible member configured to be flexed to thereby move the element relative to the support surface between at least the first and second configurations. 13. An apparatus for providing visual and acoustic privacy, the apparatus comprising: first and second screens;one or more speakers coupled to or supported by at least one of the first and second screens; andfirst and second devices for movably mounting the first and second screens to a support surface, such that the first and second screens are movable relative to the support surface into a plurality of different configurations, including at least: a first configuration in which the first and second screens are spaced apart from a user's head; anda second configuration in which the first and second screens and one or more speakers are adjacent and alongside the user's head whereby the first and second screens are configured to provide at least some visual and acoustic privacy and the one or more speakers are positioned to provide sound at ear level of the user;wherein: the first and second screens comprise non-electronic screens; orthe first and second screens comprise fabric or mesh; orthe first and second screens are configured to allow the user to be at least partially visible through the first and second screens. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein: in the second configuration, the first and second screens are positioned to block the user's peripheral sight and reduce peripheral visual distractions; andthe apparatus is controllable by the user to provide sound masking or music at ear level of the user or to transmit sound from the user's space to produce white noise; andthe apparatus is controllable by the user for limiting visual and audible distractions to the user from others within an open environment, without completely walling off the user from surroundings and without the one or more speakers being placed directly on the user's head thereby allowing the user to be aware of the surroundings. 15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein: the apparatus is retrofittably attachable furniture for limiting visual and audible distractions to a user of the furniture within an open environment; orthe apparatus is fixedly attached or integral to a support surface of a piece of furniture. 16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first and second screens are not electronic computer display screens or monitors. 17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first and second screens comprise fabric, mesh, metal, plastic, wood, vinyl, acrylic, resin, nylon, marker board, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polypropylene, thermoplastic, or 3D printed material. 18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first and second screens are clear, transparent, or translucent such that the first and second screens are configured to allow the user to be at least partially visible even when the first and second screens are in the second configuration. 19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein: the first and second devices comprise flexible members operable for supporting the first and second screens above the support surface, the flexible members are configured to be flexed to thereby move the first and second screens relative to the support surface between at least the first and second configurations; orin the second configuration, the first and second screens are operable for blocking the user's peripheral sight and the one or more speakers are operable for transmitting sound from the user's space to scramble the user's voice and produce white noise, whereby the user and the user's actions are isolated from others. 20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein: the apparatus comprises an acoustic dampening portion movable in a first direction towards the user's mouth and in an opposite, second direction away from the user's mouth; orthe first and second screens are configured to bounce the user's own voice back to the user. 21. A furniture piece comprising the apparatus of claim 13. 22. An apparatus for providing visual and acoustic privacy, the apparatus comprising: first and second privacy means for providing visual and acoustic privacy;first and second sound producing means coupled to or supported by the first and second privacy means;first and second mounting means for mounting the first and second privacy means to a support surface such that the first and second privacy means are movable relative to the support surface into a plurality of different configurations, including at least: a first configuration in which the first and second privacy means are positioned to be spaced apart from a user's head; anda second configuration in which the first and second privacy means are positioned to be adjacent and alongside the user's ears whereby the first and second privacy means are configured to provide the user with at least some visual and acoustic privacy and the first and second sound producing means are positioned to provide sound at ear level of the user;wherein: the first and second privacy means are not electronic; orthe first and second privacy means comprise plastic, vinyl, acrylic, resin, nylon, marker board, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polypropylene, thermoplastic, 3D printed material, fabric or mesh; orthe first and second privacy means are configured to allow the user to be at least partially visible through the first and second privacy means. 23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein: in the second configuration, the first and second privacy means are positioned to block the user's peripheral sight and reduce peripheral visual distractions, and the first and second sound producing means are positioned generally over and alongside the user's ears to provide sound at ear level of the user; andthe apparatus is controllable by the user to provide sound masking or music at ear level of the user or to transmit sound from the user's space to produce white noise; andwhereby the apparatus is controllable by the user for limiting visual and audible distractions to the user from others within an open environment, without completely walling off the user from surroundings and without the first and second sound producing means being placed directly on the user's head thereby allowing the user to be aware of the surroundings. 24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the apparatus is retrofittably and removably attachable to a work surface of a desk, a table, or a countertop. 25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the first and second privacy means are not electronic computer display screens or monitors, and wherein each of the first and second mounting means comprises: a support member;a base mountable to the support surface;a first rotatable joint between the support member and the corresponding one of the first and second privacy means such that the corresponding one of the first and second privacy means is supported by and rotatable relative to the support member; anda second rotatable joint is between the support member and the base such that the support member is rotatable relative to the base. 26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the first and second privacy means comprise a winged visual blinder made of one or more of fabric, mesh, plastic, vinyl, acrylic, resin, nylon, marker board, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polypropylene, thermoplastic, or 3D printed material; or wherein when the apparatus is mounted to or supported by a furniture piece having a front surface, the the first and second privacy means are parallel to the front surface in the first configuration; andthe first and second privacy means are perpendicular to the front surface in the second configuration. 27. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the first and second privacy means are clear, transparent, or translucent such that the first and second privacy means are configured to allow the user to be at least partially visible even when the first and second privacy means are in the second configuration; or wherein the first and second privacy means are rotatable at least about 90 degrees relative to the corresponding first and second mounting means between the first and second configurations such that an orientation of the first and second privacy means in the first configuration is generally perpendicular to an orientation of the first and second privacy means in the second configuration. 28. A furniture piece comprising the apparatus of claim 22. 29. An apparatus for providing visual and acoustic privacy, the apparatus comprising: first and second privacy means for providing visual and acoustic privacy one or more speakers coupled to or supported by the first and second privacy means;first and second mounting means for mounting the first and second privacy means to a support surface such that the first and second privacy means are movable relative to the support surface into a plurality of different configurations, including at least: a first configuration in which the first and second privacy means are positioned to be spaced apart from a user's head; anda second configuration in which the first and second privacy means are positioned to be adjacent and alongside the user's head whereby the first and second privacy means are configured to provide the user with at least some visual and acoustic privacy;wherein: the first and second mounting means comprise flexible members operable for supporting the first and second privacy means above the support surface, the flexible members are configured to be flexed to thereby move the first and second privacy means relative to the support surface between at least the first and second configurations; orthe first and second mounting means comprise flexible conduits.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (46)
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