The invention concerns wireless headphones operated by at least one storage battery, having a connector socket to insert a charge plug of an electric connection to a power pack, having at least one miniature loudspeaker, audio electronics, and a reception part, with charging electronics for the monitoring of the charging process of the storage battery. Such headphones are more and more frequently used to increase the level of carrying comfort and to extend the range of the audio [reception] area, but also as an accessory for television sets, units for speaking in open areas, and the like.

Independent of whether the storage cell is designed as one or more parts, the application [examples] and claims sometimes use the singular and sometimes the plural for better readability, without this representing a limitation. Likewise, sometimes "at least one miniature loudspeaker" is used, since there are application cases in which only one such loudspeaker is present, even if in most cases at least two loudspeakers are present.

With headphones, the transfer of information takes place by radio or infrared; batteries or storage batteries are provided in the headphones, which operate the receiver and the miniaturized loudspeakers in the headphone earpieces, wherein storage batteries have been completely accepted in practice, and the use of [ordinary] batteries is absolutely infrequent. In order to be able to undertake the charging of the storage batteries, without having to take them out of the headphones, a corresponding socket is provided, into which the plug of a power pack can be inserted, which thus charges the storage batteries. Usually, suitable electronics are thereby provided in the headphones, which evaluate the charge state of the storage batteries and suitably control or end the charging process if the storage batteries have been charged to the limit of their capacity.

For various reasons, for example, the universal usage possibility or the use even with dead or defective storage batteries, it is desirable to be able to operate such headphones even with the usual cable, by means of which the loudspeakers are provided directly with the signals in sufficient strength.

In order to solve this problem, the invention proposes that a socket be provided for the insertion of the usual signal cable on the headphones and, furthermore, electronics or switch mechanics, which switch off the reception electronics when the plug of the signal cable is inserted into the socket and which transmit the data transmitted via the cable to the miniaturized loudspeakers in the headphone earpieces.

In a preferred variant, provision is made so that there is a combined socket for the charging process and the signal transmission, into which alternately the usual jacks from the audio cable or the jacks of the charge cable, which are designed similarly in their dimensions in accordance with the invention, but designed differently with conducting or insulating surfaces, can be inserted, wherein, as a result of the differently designed conductivities of the surface areas, the switching takes place either mechanically or electronically. With this variant, it is also conceivable to charge the storage batteries by means of a special cable, whereas, at the same time, the headphones are operated as the usual, wire-bound headphones.

The invention is explained in more detail with the aid of the attached drawings, which represents both the state of the art as well as the invention in a purely schematic manner. The figures show the following:

• Figure 1, a common plug of a charge cable, designed as a jack;
• Figure 2, such a charge plug and a common stereo jack, in immediate vicinity to one another;
• Figure 3, a socket, in accordance with a preferred variant of the invention, used for the charging process; and
• Figure 4, the same socket used for the transmission of the audio signals.

The drawings show, in a completely schematic manner, the supply device, either a power pack or an audio device, and a jack connected by means of a cable, wherein the corresponding sites of the current fed in the socket, and thus in the headphones, are also indicated in a schematic manner. The socket itself is not drawn with its contours in order to have a clearer view, but rather can be ascertained only by these contact sites.

Figure 1 shows a power pack 1, connected with a charge plug 3 by means of a cable 4, whose jack, designed with two poles, has a suitable contact in the socket of charging electronics 2, wherein the current needed to charge the (not depicted) storage batteries is removed and further conducted.

Figure 2 shows the basic execution of the invention: two sockets, one to accept a charge plug 3 (similarly designed as shown in Figure 1) and another socket to accept a common stereo jack 13, which is connected with an audio device 5 by means of a cable 14. The stereo jack 13 has three conducting surface areas, which are separated from one another by two insulating surface areas; in the usual manner, the signals for the audio electronics 6 are removed and thus the loudspeakers 7 of the headphones are supplied. Reception electronics 8, which hold the connection to a (not depicted) transmission unit with wireless operation and there receive the audio signals, are connected with the audio electronics 6, preferably integrated into it. These reception electronics 8 are shut down when a stereo jack 13 is inserted into the socket, preferably simply switched without current.

Figures 3 and 4 show a particularly preferred development of the invention, in which one single socket, not directly depicted, but ascertainable as a complement to the plugs 3', 13', can be used both for the charging process as well as for the directly cable-bound provision.

As can be seen from Figure 3, the geometric configuration of the charge plug 3' is selected in such a way that the contacts of the charging electronics 2 make contact with the two conducting surface areas of the charge plug 3', separated from one another, in the socket, whereas the three contact feelers or rods, which lead to the audio electronics 6, only have one contact, whereas the two other contact rods or springs, or the like, make contact with insulating surface areas of the charge plug 3' and switch the audio electronics 6, and thus the loudspeakers 7 in the end, without current and therefore inactively.

If a correspondingly designed stereo plug 13' is inserted into the same socket, it has a configuration and arrangement of the conducting or insulating area, such that the charging electronics 2, with at least one contact site, comes into contact with one insulating area, whereas the contact sites of the audio electronics 6 all come into contact with electrically conducting areas and thus receive the transmitted stereo signal, and can further conduct it to the loudspeakers 7. Also, in this case, provision is made so that the audio electronics 6, directly or mechanically, as a function of the contacting of a corresponding stereo plug 13', switches off or shuts down the reception part 8 of the audio electronics responsible for the reception of the wireless data transmission.

From the shown and described examples, it is clear that the design of the socket, and thus also the plug, can take place in many diverse ways, wherein it is absolutely possible that the commercial stereo jack can be used as a stereo plug 13,13', which is particularly advantageous for the compatibility of the headphones equipped in accordance with the invention. Of course, it is possible, without any problems, and something easy for the specialist with a knowledge of the invention, to conceive of developments and configurations of plugs that fulfill the different requirements, whether in a geometric sense or in a functional sense, so that with a corresponding arrangement of the contact rods or contact points in the box there is also the possibility of providing a combination plug that permits the charging of the storage batteries simultaneously with the wire-bound operation of the headphones.