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Battery doorRelated Patent Categories: Electrical Audio Signal Processing Systems And Devices, Electro-acoustic Audio Transducer, Plural Or Compound Reproducers, Headphone, Particular CupBattery door description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080069391, Battery door. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to an earcup assembly for a headset and a headset incorporating such an assembly. More particularly, the invention relates to a battery door for an earcup assembly. The invention may be applied to both ear muffs or hearing protectors and headphones, especially to those provided with active noise reduction functionality. BACKGROUND [0002] Active noise reduction has been developed for use in ear muffs and headphones. Active noise reduction involves sensing background noise and playing a copy of the background noise substantially simultaneously to the original background noise. The copy of the noise is rotated to be 1800 out of phase with respect to the original background noise so that, when combined, the two signals destructively interfere. Ideally, the two signals cancel each other out. Incorporation of active noise reduction in headsets requires the addition of a power supply, which must be built in, or electrically coupled to, the headset. To maintain the portable nature of headsets, some prior art arrangements have included a battery compartment in an earcup of the headset. [0003] United States patent application Publication No. 2005/0213774 discloses one such arrangement for a noise reducing headset. The headset has a pair of earcups, each earcup being attached to a corresponding yoke assembly. One of the earcups is provided with a battery door that may be opened to allow insertion and removal of a battery from a recess in the earcup. To prevent a battery from inadvertently falling from the recess in the earcup, the battery door is positioned so as to be covered by the yoke assembly when the headset is worn by a user, thereby blocking the battery door from opening. Whilst headsets configured according to the aforementioned publication may perform the generally desired function of active noise reduction, they are not without shortfalls. For example, the yoke may obstruct access to the battery door and/or obstruct access to the battery compartment after the battery door has been opened, thereby making it awkward for a user to replace a battery. Additionally, users must remove such headsets and place them in a particular configuration to be able to access the battery, which may be difficult in particular environments where it is not possible to place the headset down, for example, on a table. Also, where the battery door is not properly closed by a user, movement of the earcup in the yoke may be restricted and may ultimately lead to damaging of the door and/or the yoke. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0004] It is an object of the invention to provide an improved earcup assembly for a headset, preferably an active noise reducing headset. [0005] Alternatively, is an object of the invention to provide an improved headset, preferably an improved active noise reducing headset. [0006] Alternatively, it is an object to at least provide the public with a useful choice. [0007] According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an earcup assembly for a headset. The earcup assembly comprises a housing having a first side adapted to engage the head of a user when in use and a second side opposite thereto. A recess is provided in the second side of the housing for receiving and storing a battery. A battery door is also provided, together with means for slidably engaging the battery door with the second side of the housing. The means for slidably engaging is adapted to enable positioning of the battery door in a first, open position in which the recess is accessible to a user and a second, closed position in which the recess is covered by the battery door. [0008] Preferably, the earcup assembly includes means for actively reducing background noise. [0009] Preferably, the earcup assembly includes means for selectively retaining the battery door in the second, closed position to prevent unintentional escape of a battery from the recess. [0010] Additionally or alternatively, means may be provided for selectively retaining the battery door in the first, open position to provide for easier removal and insertion of batteries into the recess. [0011] Preferably, the first side of the housing is substantially planar and the means for slidably engaging the battery door is adapted to slide the battery door in a plane substantially parallel to the first side of the housing. [0012] Preferably, the means for slidably engaging the battery door is adapted to rotatably slide the battery door across the surface of the second side of the housing. [0013] Additionally or alternatively, the means for slidably engaging the battery door may be adapted to linearly slide the battery door across the surface of the second side of the housing. [0014] Preferably, the battery door is adapted to cover substantially the entire second side of the housing when in the second, closed position, but may alternatively be dimensioned to cover only a portion of the second side of the housing, said portion including at least a portion of the recess. As a further alternative, the battery door may be proportioned to protrude over one or more edges of the second side of the housing when in the closed position. Such embodiments may enable a user to more easily initiate sliding of the battery door over the surface of the second side of the housing. [0015] Preferably, the earcup assembly includes a loud speaker located inside the housing. [0016] According to a second aspect, there is provided a headset including a first earcup assembly, the first earcup assembly being in accordance with an earcup assembly of the first aspect. [0017] Preferably, the headset includes a headband coupled to a first yoke assembly and means for coupling the first earcup assembly to the first yoke assembly. [0018] Preferably, the headset includes a second earcup assembly, a second yoke assembly coupled to the headband and means for coupling the second earcup assembly to the second yoke assembly. The second earcup assembly may be configured in accordance with the first aspect of the invention. Alternatively, the second earcup assembly may omit one or more features of the first earcup assembly. In particular, a recess for a battery and or a battery door may be omitted from the second earcup assembly. In this case, where power is required to be supplied to both earcup assemblies (such as in most applications of active noise reduction), means are preferably provided for electrically coupling circuitry in the first earcup assembly to circuitry in the second earcup assembly. This electrical coupling may be effected by way of a conductor provided or formed in the headband of the headset. [0019] The positioning of the battery door on the second side of the housing, away from the yoke, may help to reduce obstruction of the door by the yoke and also the likelihood of damage being caused to the door by the yoke (or vice versa) when the battery door is open, particularly in embodiments in which means are provided to limit the extent of rotation of an earcup assembly in a respective yoke assembly. This arrangement of the battery door may also enable access by a user to the recess via the battery door when the headset is being worn. Such embodiments may enable a user to more easily change batteries because it is not necessary to hold the headset at the same time as performing the other functions of opening the battery door and holding the batteries. [0020] Further aspects of the invention, which should be considered in all its novel aspects, will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following description which provides at least one example of a practical application of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Continue reading about Battery door... Full patent description for Battery door Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Battery door patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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