Audio speaker

Details Audio speaker Audio speaker

1997-06-26

2001-04-10

Le, Huyen (Department: 2743)

Electrical audio signal processing systems and devices

Electro-acoustic audio transducer

Mounting or support feature of housed loudspeaker

C381S345000, C381S391000, C181S224000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06215885

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed generally to acoustic devices, and more particularly to an audio speaker such as an audio speaker to be incorporated in an air handling system as an element of an audio speaker system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Acoustic devices such as audio speakers, also known as loudspeakers, are well known and widely used for transmitting audio output to and within a designated listening environment within earshot of an audience to be accommodated within that environment. However, walls and partitions, doors, windows, furniture, and fixtures often present structural and aesthetic challenges when selecting a preferred placement of conventional audio speakers which are typically housed in box-like structures. It is a widely acknowledged problem in the relevant art that such conventional box speakers, which are typically provided in single or plural pairings, are undesirably large and bulky and thus hinder unobtrusive yet acoustically correct placement in any of the various rooms of a residential dwelling, such as a bedroom, study, or playroom. Moreover, desired, optimal placement of box speakers in a living room or other typically larger area of the residential dwelling to effect a desired stereo effect is often compromised when placement of furniture within the room is strongly suggested by various features of the room itself, including window and door installations within the room. Accordingly, the conventional approach to placement of audio speakers is generally compromised by the very features often provided in a selected room for the comfort and convenience of a listener.
Another well-known approach that has been only partially successful in addressing and overcoming these prior art problems is the installation of audio speakers within the walls of a room, generally between adjacent walls studs of the room, such that the exterior surface of the mounted speaker appears to be flush with or minimally protruding from the wall. In-wall mounted speakers include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,113,968; 5,082,083; 4,903,300; 4,640,381; and 4,296,280. Such installations require exact measurements, leveling, framing and costly drywall repairs, which must generally be provided as custom work in view of the generally non-standard, large variety of available speaker sizes and arrangements within the wall-based enclosure. Another fundamental problem with this approach is that, in order to achieve optimal listening positions within the room in which such speakers are installed, furniture placement is essentially limited to a region within a defined listening area, which is generally considered to be the phase-matched cone-shaped region defined by overlapping audio distributions of each of the pair of stereo audio speakers facing the listener. As a result, yet another fundamental problem with this approach is essentially total inflexibility of such system to be positionally adjusted without an additional, costly custom reinstallation of one or both of each pair of in-wall mounted speakers to accommodate a changed floor plan of furniture, whereby placement of couches, chairs and the like will be dictated by the fixed placement of the in-wall mounted speakers. Such inflexibility may also negatively impact desired decoration of the room.
Furthermore, whether the speakers are independently box-mounted or wall-mounted, they must be powered and operated at sufficiently high volume levels to be heard clearly by a listener who is often located a distance from the speakers and often on the opposite side of the room. As will be appreciated, such sound volume requirements may result in undesired disturbances in adjacent rooms or levels of the building. Moreover, speaker wires often present logistical and aesthetic problems in the overall positioning of the speakers and furniture in the room.
Accordingly, there is a need for an audio speaker which is particularly suitable for flexible installation in a low-visibility profile, yet which provides enhanced listening characteristics at relatively low volume and power levels.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The audio speaker of the present invention overcomes these and other disadvantages of the related art by providing an audio speaker which is supported by, and concealed within, a ventilation register common to most forced air ventilation systems. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the audio speaker is secured to a ventilation register having a front grill through which sound generated by the audio speaker is projected, a back plate spaced apart from the front grill by side plates to form an enclosure adapted to be received in registration with the ventilation duct, and means for conducting a signal to the audio speaker. According to one embodiment of the invention, the audio speaker is secured by an outermost flange of the speaker cone in registration with a recess formed in the back plate, to direct sound generated by the audio speaker through the recess in the general direction of the front grill. In addition, a front trim plate extending from the front grill and secured by the side plates, supportingly engages in overlapping relationship the speaker arrangement with a facing structure through which the speaker arrangement extends, such facing structures including floors, baseboards, walls and ceilings.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the back plate includes at least one and preferably a plurality of ventilation slots offset from and surrounding the audio speaker for communicating an air flow between the environment to be conditioned and the ventilation duct through the front grill and the back plate of the speaker arrangement, thereby allowing for the unimpeded operation of the ventilation system. Accordingly, the ventilation register functions as a conditioned air distribution vent and/or an air return vent. So as to provide thermal protection for sensitive components of the audio speaker especially when operating in the air distribution mode, an insulating means such as a cup-shaped or cone-shaped thermal barrier is installed over and encloses the rearward extending speaker components extending from the rear surface of the back plate to thermally isolate those components from conditioned, heated and cooled air either being flowed into or out of the room through the ventilation slots formed in the back plate.
In addition, a speaker signal may be transmitted to the speaker either by a wired connection with a remotely located signal source, or by a remote transmitter transmitting audio signals to be received by a radio receiver positioned adjacent the audio speaker for receiving a signal from a remotely located signal source. In the latter embodiment, the radio receiver and a d.c. power source are contained either within the forward-opening cavity of the ventilation register or secured to the back plate of the register to maintain a compact assembly configured to be installed without alteration to the supporting structure or the ductwork thereby also effectively eliminating unsightly speaker wires, while providing additional speaker positioning opportunities. In addition, a volume control and/or power control may be positioned adjacent the audio speaker, either within the forward-opening cavity of the ventilation register or separately installed through the trim plate of the register. Furthermore, so as to achieve the desired low visibility profile of the present invention and/or to maintain a consistent or distributed appearance, the audio speaker of the present invention may be installed in a ductless recess formed in a ventilation register-supporting structure, such as a floor, baseboard, wall, or ceiling to replicate a pseudo ventilation duct, in the absence of an air flow duct, whether operational or not. Alternatively, the apparatus of the invention may be installed in a plurality of such pseudo duct recesses where no true ducted system is present. According to the invention, a single or plural numbers of audio speakers, including tweeters and mid-range speakers are contemplated for use within th

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