Poll
Question:
How uncomfortable are (over-ear) headphones?
Option 1: I put up with them, but I don't really like how they feel.
votes: 2
Option 2: They get uncomfortable if I leave them on for a few hours straight
votes: 7
Option 3: I put up with them, but I don't really like how they feel.
votes: 1
Option 4: I try not to wear them at all because I do not like them.
votes: 0
I came up with a new design for a pair of headphones, but I wanted to do a sanity check before I go any further to make sure that my head/ears aren't just weirdly proportioned.
I really like over the ear headphones as long as they actually go over my ear completely, Turtle beaches accomplish this pretty well. However, I like leaving one headphone off of on ear so I can still hear people talk to me if need be, and that really puts a strain on the one ear that's still being covered. I dunno if this info will help you at all. But yeah, when they're both on they do start to hurt both ears after a couple of hours.
Quote from: gameus on July 10, 2014, 07:30:17 pm
they do start to hurt both ears after a couple of hours.
Ah, so I'm not the only one! My design fixes this :D
My headphone terminology might not be correct, so I'll just say that I really, really don't like the headphones that squish my ears against my head. I like the kind with the GIGANTIC earpieces that can go completely around my ears without squishing them. :)
AHAHAHA. I just tried a clunky prototype out, and besides relieving your ears, the design also prevents the top part from making an indentation in your hair (unless you have a huge fro). Genius.
They feel great on me all the time, so long as they stay in place.
Mine have a bad habit of extending all by themselves, which pisses me off.
They need some kind of locking mechanism, or whatever.
Here it is:
(http://i387.photobucket.com/albums/oo315/winkio/dominoheadphonesconcept_zps65f03301.png)
The key idea is that the headphones anchor in front of your ears, and then the actual earphones are on hinges, allowing them to fit people with different ear angles comfortably and without applying a significant amount of pressure.
The 'Domino' brand just sort of happened when I saw the hinge.
This is amazing. I hope you can market this winkio.
Awesome. I never knew I could get a patent so easy.
Thank you, winkio.
Lol you can actually do that with the new first-to-file system in the US, even if I prove I came up with it first. Go for it if you want, I sure as hell am not going to do anything with it, besides make my own prototype for personal use.
EDIT: actually, I will submit it to Quirky, on the off-chance that something happens.
You should make some kind of prototype things and go on the shark tank :B
I think that there is a rule for patents where you're not allowed to show anything in public before you register the patent. If needed, we can delete this topic as if it never happened.
I think my ears have gotten used to it since I am required to wear them at work as I work for a recording company. But it sure does feel great when you take them off and massage your ears from time to time. You'll know when a headphone isn't good when it hurts when you take it off. So far, all the headphones I've used haven't given me any troubles.
I just built a prototype with duct-tape and some cabinet hinges I picked up from Home Depot. It definitely works, although the two sets of headphones I was using were both so big that I had to anchor the headphones up on my forehead instead of in front of my ears. On the plus side, gravity pulls the free-swinging headphones into place, so there is no need for springs. I need to find a more permanent method of attaching the hinge, and maybe some smaller headphones, and then I'll be able to make a usable pair.
Quote from: winkio on October 15, 2014, 09:02:56 pm
I just built a prototype with duct-tape and some cabinet hinges I picked up from Home Depot. It definitely works, although the two sets of headphones I was using were both so big that I had to anchor the headphones up on my forehead instead of in front of my ears. On the plus side, gravity pulls the free-swinging headphones into place, so there is no need for springs. I need to find a more permanent method of attaching the hinge, and maybe some smaller headphones, and then I'll be able to make a usable pair.
That sounds really neat. You should post some pictures once you've gotten a usable version.
Quote from: winkio on July 10, 2014, 09:13:00 pm
AHAHAHA. I just tried a clunky prototype out, and besides relieving your ears, the design also prevents the top part from making an indentation in your hair (unless you have a huge fro). Genius.
This was directed at me.