Bose Corporation

Kai Gao

Shawn J Prevoir

Binu K Oommen

Michael Andrew Zalisk

Donna Marie Sullivan

Mark R Bergeron

Raymond O England

David J Fustino

Prateek Nath

Alexander Irwin

John Leslie Benton

Brian David Beaudoin

Various implementations include in-ear wearable audio devices. In certain implementations, the in-ear audio devices include an eartip with a body having first and second ends, an inner wall extending between the first and second ends defining a hollow passage to conduct acoustic energy, and a deformable outer wall connected to the inner wall of the body at the first end and tapering away from the inner wall toward the second end, where the deformable outer wall is functionally graded from the first end to the second end to comply with an entrance of an ear canal of a user. In additional implementations, the eartip includes a retaining structure, and at least one of the inner wall or the outer wall of the body, or the retaining structure, has an integral electronic component and/or an electronic component signal trace.

In-ear wearable audio devices with functional grading and/or embedded electronics

The disclosure generally relates to compositions of a soft touch material, and methods of preparing the compositions thereof. The compositions are suitable for use in apparatuses such as wearable devices, e.g., in-ear earpieces.

Soft touch material

An ear tip includes a body configured to be mounted onto an earbud. The body includes a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a first wall extending between the first and second ends. The first wall defines and surrounds a hollow passage that is configured to conduct sound waves. The first wall is configured to engage a nozzle on the earbud. The first wall includes a ring that is formed of a rigid material and engages the nozzle. The ring includes at least one C-shaped member with at least one gap and a compliant material is molded around the ring and fills the gap.

Ear tips and related devices and methods

A wearable device including a body having one or more embedded electronic components, the body further including a thermoset material having a polymeric backbone with at least one urethane linkage and a glass transition temperature. At a first temperature that is lower than the glass transition temperature, the body has an original shape. When the body is heated to a second temperature that is higher than the glass transition temperature, the body is deformable from the original shape to a first shape and when the body is cooled to a third temperature that is lower than the glass transition temperature, the first shape is maintained. The body is further configured to transition from the first shape to the original shape when the body is heated from the third temperature to a fourth temperature that is higher than the glass transition temperature.

Wearable devices using shape memory polymers

An ear tip includes a body configured to be mounted onto an earbud. The body includes a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and an inner wall extending between the first and second ends. The inner wall defines and surrounds a hollow passage that is configured to conduct sound waves. The body also includes an outer wall that is connected to the inner wall at the first end and extends away from the inner wall toward the second end. The inner wall has an oblong cross-sectional shape that is configured to accommodate a corresponding nozzle on the earbud. The inner wall includes a ring that is formed of a rigid material and engages and conforms to the oblong shape of the nozzle, which inhibits improper mounting and rotation of the ear tip relative to the nozzle.

A method of treating a wearable device to resist sebum, the method including providing a body having an elastic material having a polymeric backbone where a portion of the polymeric backbone is unsaturated and the body has an outer surface. The method further includes forming a crosslinked matrix within an outer layer of the body surrounding an inner layer of the body such that the outer layer has less affinity to sebum than the inner layer of the body.

Sebum resistance enhancement for wearable devices

A wearable audio device includes a body configured to be worn on or abutting an outer ear of a user. The body is configured to contact at least one of the outer ear and the portion of the head that abuts the outer ear. The body comprises at least at a first portion proximate the upper region of the outer ear helix and a second portion proximate the otobasion inferius. At least one of the first and second portions of the body are configured to change shape upon application of a predetermined stimulus. An acoustic module is carried by the body and is configured to locate a sound-emitting opening proximate the user's ear when the body is worn on or abutting the ear of the user.

Audio device

Headphone ear tips are made with an outer surface that changes its coefficient of friction. The outer surface is coated with photochromic compound, hierarchical microstructures, fibers formed through electrostatic flocking, or a combination thereof.

Wearable devices with increased adhesion

A method of treating a silicone component for an electro-acoustic driver, the method including: forming a body of an elastomeric material having a polymeric backbone, where a portion of the polymeric backbone includes alternating silicon and oxygen atoms without carbon atoms, the body having a front surface and a back surface where the front surface and the back surface have a first level of surface tack; and forming an outermost layer on or within at least one part of the front surface or the back surface, the outermost layer having a second level of surface tack that is less than the first level of surface tack. The outermost layer includes a permanent silicone coating applied on the front or back surface or an altered surface chemistry within the front or back surface generated using ultraviolent/ozone treatment.

Surface treatments for silicone acoustic diaphragms

A wearable device including a body made of an elastic material having a polymeric backbone where a portion of the polymeric backbone is unsaturated. The body has an outer surface that is oxidized on at least one part with at least one functional group where the at least one part of the outer surface is more oleophobic than the body.

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Marlborough, MA, United States of America

Kai Gao