# US 7,613,294 B2 · Hands free aural device holder > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,613,294 B2 - Document ID: US7613294B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/731,492 - Filed: 2007-03-30 - Published: 2008-10-02 - Granted: 2009-11-03 - Earliest claimed: 2007-03-30 - Assignees: Thought Development, Inc. - Inventors: Alan Amron - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7613294B2 ## CPC - H04M 1/05: specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract A hands-free aural device holder for hands-free use of an aural device that is designed to be held up to a user's ear is connectable to the device and defines at least a portion of a pocket for receiving the top of a user's ear when the holder is connected to the device. The pocket thus formed is configured to cover a top of the user's ear when the user's ear is received in the pocket such that the holder and the aural device connected to the holder are supported and retained on the user's ear, thereby allowing hands-free use of the aural device connectable to the holder. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A hands-free holder for hands-free use of a device that is designed to be held up to a user's ear, the holder being connectable to the device and defining at least a portion of a pocket for receiving the top of a user's ear when the holder is connected to the device, the pocket being configured to cover a top of the user's ear when the user's ear is received in the pocket such that the holder and the device is supported and retained on the user's ear when the holder is connected to the device, thereby allowing hands-free use of the device connectable to the holder, wherein said holder is hood-shaped and has a front section, rear section, side sections connecting the ends of the front and rear sections, a top section, and an open bottom, said holder being stretchably installable over an end of the device, the pocket being defined between the front section and the device when the holder is installed on the device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The hands-free holder of claim 1, wherein said holder is formed by a rubber material and is held onto the device by a friction fit when an end of the device is received in the open bottom. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The hands-free holder of claim 2, wherein the holder further comprises adhesive arranged at one of the front, rear, side, and top sections for connecting the holder to the device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The hands-free holder of claim 1, wherein the holder further comprises adhesive arranged at one of the front, rear, side, and top sections for connecting the holder to the device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The hands-free holder of claim 1, wherein a free edge of the front section, adjacent the open bottom forms a projection projecting away from the device when the holder is connected to the device to facilitate placement of the top of the user's ear into the pocket. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The hands-free holder of claim 1, wherein the front section bears against the handset and is elastically stretchable to form the pocket. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The hands-free holder of claim 1, wherein the holder is arranged and dimensioned so that the front section is spaced from the handset when the holder is connected to the handset to define the pocket. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The hands-free holder of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the front section is thinner than the remainder of the holder. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The hands-free holder of claim 1, wherein the holder is semi-circularly-shaped and comprises a circumferential section and front and rear side sections on opposing lateral sides of the circumferential section, the rear side section being connectable to the handset. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The hands-free holder of claim 1, wherein the holder is configured to receive a top end of one of a handset for a telephone, cell phone, or PDA. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The hands-free holder of claim 1, wherein the holder is configured to receive a top end of an ear phone. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The hands-free holder of claim 1, wherein the holder is configured to receive a top end of an ear muff. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The hands-free holder of claim 1, wherein the holder is one of rectilinearly shaped, cup-shaped, or bucket-shaped configured to receive a top end of an ear muff. ### Claim 14 A handset device designed to be held proximate a user's ear during use thereof having a device body and a holder arranged on the device body, the holder defining at least a portion of a pocket for receiving the top of a user's ear, the pocket being configured to cover the top of the user's ear when the top of the user's ear is received in the pocket such that the device connected to the holder is supported by the top of the user's ear, thereby allowing hands-free use of the device, wherein said holder has a front section, rear section, side sections connecting the ends of the front and rear sections, a top section, and an open bottom, said holder being arranged over a top of the device, the pocket being defined between the front section and the device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The handset device of claim 14, wherein a free edge of the front section, adjacent the open bottom forms a projection projecting away from the device when the holder is connected to the device to facilitate placement of the top of the user's ear into the pocket. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The handset device of claim 14, wherein a free edge of the front section, adjacent the open bottom forms a projection projecting away from the device when the holder is connected to the device to facilitate placement of the top of the user's ear into the pocket. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The handset device of claim 14, wherein the holder comprises a thin layer of material having opposing sides, a top edge, side edges, and a bottom edge, at least portions of the top edge and side edges being connected to the device, the pocket being defined between one of the opposing sides of the holder and the device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The handset device of claim 17, wherein the holder is made of an elastically stretchable material such that the holder conforms to the contours of a user's ear when the top of the ear is inserted into the pocket. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The handset device of claim 14, wherein the holder is semi-circularly-shaped and comprises a circumferential section and front and rear side sections on opposing lateral sides of the circumferential section, the rear side section being connected to the device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The handset device of claim 14, wherein the handset device is one of a telephone, cell phone, or PDA.