Thursday, December 12, 2024
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Apple patent filing involves ‘earbud stability anchor feature for AirPods, AirPods Pro

Apple wants to make its AirPods and AirPods Pro fit even better and stay in place even more securely as evidenced by a new patent filing (number 2020021903) for an “earbud stability anchor feature.”

In the patent filing, Apple notes that audio devices along the lines of in-ear headphones often have trouble achieving a size and shape that fits comfortably and stays securely in place for a large cross-section of users. Earbuds in particular often fall short of a design that fits comfortably within an ear of a user while achieving a high level of audio content delivery. 

For this reason, earbuds capable of fitting comfortably and remaining securely within the ears of a broad spectrum of ear sizes and shapes while maintaining that high level of audio content delivery are desired. Apple wants to change this.

Here’s the summary of the patent filing: “An earbud design is disclosed that is configured to sit securely within an ear of a user. The earbud can be secured within the ear by an anchoring feature formed from an elastomeric material. The anchoring feature has a size and shape in accordance with an interior geometry of an ear of a user. 

“Because the anchoring feature positions the earbud with respect to the ear, geometries of the earbud can be focused upon audio performance and/or device aesthetics. In some embodiments, the earbud housing can have a linear design which allows an audio driver within the earbud housing to be positioned close to an opening defined by the earbud housing. In this way, acoustic degradation associated with a long audio path from the audio driver to the opening can be avoided.”

Dennis Sellers
the authorDennis Sellers
Dennis Sellers is the editor/publisher of Apple World Today. He’s been an “Apple journalist” since 1995 (starting with the first big Apple news site, MacCentral). He loves to read, run, play sports, and watch movies.