Aircraft headset

An aircraft headset having a headset band, including a bead element and a pair of ear cup supports slidably received in the head element, ear cups pivotally attached at one end of each ear cup support;

• and a microphone boom pivotally attached to one of the ear cups;
• comprising:
• an ear cup tensioning mechanism including a generally flat, parabolic-like shaped tongue extending laterally from each end of the headset band and a conformal tongue receiver located adjacent the other end of each ear cup support;
• wherein said tongue receiver is conformal with said tongue, and wherein said tongue and said tongue receiver are constructed and arranged to provide near-constant lateral pressure between the ear cups and a wearer's head;
• and
• an ear cup seal having an outer seal covering formed of expanded vinyl;
• an inner flexible layer formed of scythed urethane foam;
• wherein said inner flexible layer has a memory which returns said inner flexible layer to its original configuration when pressure is released therefrom, and wherein said ear cup seal has a variable configuration having its thickest region adjacent the bottom of a wearer's ear and behind thereof, and having its thinnest region in front of a wearer's ear and ahead thereof.

An aircraft headset having a headset band, including a head element and a pair of ear cup supports slidably received in the head element, ear cups pivotally attached at one end of each ear cup support;

• and a microphone boom pivotally attached to one of the ear cups;
• comprising:
• an ear cup tensioning mechanism including a generally flat, parabolic-like shaped tongue extending laterally from each end of the headset band and a conformal tongue receiver located adjacent the other end of each ear cup support;
• wherein said tongue receiver is conformal with said tongue, and wherein said tongue and said tongue receiver are constructed and arranged to provide near-constant lateral pressure between the ear cups and a wearer's head;
• and
• a microphone housing including an endcap which is received on the end of the microphone boom, and which has a cylindrical opening therein, forming an open cavity;
• a bi-directional microphone pickup element received in said cavity, wherein said pickup element includes a felt disc fixed on the front and rear sides thereof, and wherein a foam sound absorbing mechanism is located said cavity on the front side of said microphone pickup element;
• and
• a front housing element and a rear housing element secured to said endcap to form, with said endcap, a hard exterior for the microphone.