Abstract

A portable radio receiver including a pair of loudspeakers for reproducing stereo signal sources is provided with a unitary, generally U-shaped, substantially rigid, component enclosing and supporting structure adapted to be carried on the shoulders of a user thereof, with one speaker disposed on each shoulder adjacent to and directed toward the corresponding ear of the user, whereby to provide the user with stereophonic sound reception even during movement from place to place. The structure includes a pair of spaced apart hollow enclosure sections, each having a lower contoured surface suitable for resting naturally upon the respective shoulders of the user, interconnected by a tubular element extending around the rear of the user's neck. Although a frontal strap may optionally be employed, the contouring of the shoulder-engaging sections with the aid of the neck-engageable element when needed, are normally sufficient to assure the receiver remaining in place during ordinary physical activity. The hollow sections conveniently house the electronic portions of the receiver and the batteries for the latter and provide suitable mounting surfaces for maintaining the speakers in the desired relative orientation; the tubular element permits a fully enclosed antenna assembly of unusual length for a portable receiver to extend between the sections for optimum sensitivity and minimization of directional effects upon reception from changes of orientation of the user.BACKGROUND AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to portable radio receivers, especially of the stereophonic broadcast type, and deals more particularly with unique apparatus for housing and supporting such a radio receiver, the batteries for powering it, and the associated pair of spaced speakers, all upon the shoulders of a user thereof, and in such manner that the components are neatly enclosed while the speakers are oriented relative to each other and the ears of the user for optimum stereo-type reception.Various types of apparatus have been devised in the past for mounting radio equipment on various parts of the user's anatomy, in order to avoid the need to hand-carry the same. Prior art typified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,114,105 and 2,571,514 has suggested mounting a single loudspeaker and a microphone in a single or dual assemblies secureable atop a user's shoulders and electrically interconnected with radio and battery equipment separately carried on a lower area of the body of the user by means of belts or straps. Another known technique used in the past for radio voice communication has involved a small radio receiver and one or more earphones within a football-type helmet. Similarly, miniaturized radio receivers have been integrally mounted within the structure of ordinary headset-type earphones. Each of these prior art devices, however, has been less than wholly satisfactory in one or more ways. For example, mounting of loudspeakers and receiver components on different parts of the body is rather cumbersome and presents obvious inconvenience for the user, as well as having not, to my knowledge, been heretofore extended to provide stereo-type reception. On the other hand, supporting a receiver and associated earphones on the head of the user usually results in fatigue or discomfort for the user after a relatively short period of use, as well as interfering with his ability to hear sounds from other sources such as someone addressing him. In any event, none of the known prior art apparatus has provided or suggested means for positioning a loudspeaker adjacent each ear of the user to achieve stereophonic sound effect and semiprivate listening while neatly enclosing and comfortably mounting such speakers and all of the associated radio and powering equipment on the user's shoulders by means of unitary apparatus that may essentially be "worn as a garment", without the need for harnesses, tight binding straps or the like.It is, therefore, an important object of the invention to provide apparatus for mounting all of the component parts of portable stereophonic radio receiving equipment within a unitary assembly to be carried upon the shoulders of a user thereof.Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the type described above in which the loudspeakers are automatically oriented relative to each other and to the ears of a user having his head in its normal position, to provide true stereophonic reception.A still further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the type described above which permits semi-private radio listening by the user yet which allows the user to discern sounds directed to him from other sources or surrounding environmental background sounds of which he would desire to remain aware.Another object of the invention is to provide shoulder supported radio receiver apparatus which includes an internally communicating space of unusual length and width for a portable radio receiver for receiving and enclosing a two dimensional antenna, such as a bent dipole, for minimizing antenna directivity while improving the sensitivity and reliability of signal reception.