Supports: cabinet structure – Sectional-unit type – Connectors
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-15
2003-11-25
Wilkens, Janet M. (Department: 3637)
Supports: cabinet structure
Sectional-unit type
Connectors
Reexamination Certificate
active
06652046
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a loudspeaker box arrangement having a plurality of loudspeaker boxes, which are actively connected to one another by means of connecting elements in a positionally adjustable manner. The invention further relates to a method for positionally adjusting individual loudspeaker boxes within a loudspeaker box arrangement, wherein the boxes are actively connected to one another by means of connecting elements.
Loudspeaker box arrangements and methods for the positional adjustment of individual loudspeaker boxes therein are known. In such arrangements, the loudspeaker boxes can be actively connected to one another in such a way that they jointly form a loudspeaker box column, in which a plurality of loudspeaker boxes are disposed substantially vertically one above the other. The loudspeaker boxes are actively connected to one another by mechanical, but hand operated connecting elements, particularly in the form of chains, belts and hooks. This connection is done in a preassembly operation. As a result, the speaker boxes assume a particular orientation relative to one another in their operating positions. The orientation of the individual loudspeaker boxes relative to one another within a box column is set before assumption of their operating positions using a suitable lengthwise setting of the connecting chains or the connecting belts, which are especially located at the rear side of the box column. For example, loudspeaker boxes of trapezoidal lengthwise section can be preassembled at their rear sides between neighboring loudspeaker boxes, by determining a suitable connecting length of the respective connecting chains and/or connecting belts. After subsequent fixing of the boxes to a stationary suspension device or retaining device to form a substantially vertical loudspeaker box column (operating position), the boxes are oriented at particular angles of incidence relative to one another. The orientation of the loudspeaker boxes relative to one another is thus defined during the preassembly of the corresponding loudspeaker box column and, disadvantageously, can be changed again only with a large expenditure of time and assembly effort.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a loudspeaker box arrangement and a method of the type specified above which, in a rapid, reliable and precise manner, permit orientation of the loudspeaker boxes relative to one another even when they are already in their operating positions.
To achieve this object, a loudspeaker box arrangement is proposed, wherein the connecting elements are automatically adjustable as to their angle and/or length by a control unit for providing individual positional adjustment of each particular loudspeaker box. Such connecting elements make it advantageously possible to orient the loudspeaker boxes relative to one another even when they are in their operating positions. That is, after a loudspeaker box column has been fixed to a stationary suspension or a retaining device. Automatic adjustment of the connecting elements guarantees a rapid, reliable and precise positional adjustment of the orientations of the loudspeaker boxes relative to one another. With this arrangement, after complete preassembly and final assembly of the loudspeaker boxes, optimized acoustic effects can be achieved in the operating positions of the loudspeaker box arrangement. The acoustic effects can be influenced, in a substantially vertical loudspeaker box column, by the radiation characteristic of the loudspeaker box arrangement, which can be manipulated by means of the individual loudspeaker box orientations.
A control unit, in a particularly operator friendly manner, permits an appropriate, correct and reproducible automatic adjustment as to angle and/or length of the connecting elements that actively connect the respective loudspeaker boxes.
Advantageously, the control unit is a remote control unit. A remote control unit makes it possible, in a particularly operator friendly manner, even in the operating position, to provide a positional adjustment and hence an orientation relative to one another of the respective loudspeaker boxes in a loudspeaker box arrangement, for example, a substantially vertical loudspeaker box column, that is optimized in relation to its acoustic effect. An appropriate remote control unit further permits rapid and direct and empirically ascertainable verification, by personnel responsible for the control of the loudspeaker box orientation, of the acoustic improvement achieved by positional adjustments of the connecting elements. The remote control unit may be of either the cable-connection or the cable-free type.
In a preferred embodiment, the loudspeaker boxes are arranged in a row or a column. Each pair of adjacent loudspeaker boxes are actively connected at their front sides by pivot means and are connected at their rear sides by connecting elements that are adjustable as to their angle and/or length. For example, for a plurality of loudspeaker boxes that are arranged in a substantially horizontal row or in a substantially vertical column, because the angular disposition of the individual loudspeaker boxes relative to one another is important in order to improve the acoustic effect which is achievable in the operating position, it is particularly advantageous to provide pivot means at the front sides in the connecting region between two neighboring loudspeaker boxes and to provide connecting elements that are adjustable as to angle and/or length at the rear sides of the boxes. As the pivot means permit free rotation and hence angular adjustment relative to one another of the loudspeaker boxes that are actively connected to one another, the monitored and automatic control of the positional adjustment of the loudspeaker boxes is provided exclusively by the connecting elements disposed on the rear sides of the boxes because the connecting elements are adjustable as to angle and/or length. As a result, it is possible to dispose loudspeaker boxes of trapezoidal lengthwise section in bearing contact with one another at the front side of the loudspeaker box arrangement, while they are spaced apart from one another at the rear side according to the angular adjustment or orientation of the boxes. Such a loudspeaker box arrangement may thus present a closed, substantially continuous visual impression at its front side in the operating position, while gaplike interruptions are present at the rear side.
Preferably, the connecting element comprises a linear drive unit. A linear drive unit is relatively simple to control and allows precise, rapid and automatic positional adjustment or angular adjustment of loudspeaker boxes relative to one another.
Advantageously, the control unit contains setting and measurement means, which are actively connected to a control computer, for the positional adjustment and for the direct and/or indirect measurement of the positional adjustment of the loudspeaker boxes. In this case, the measurement means used may, for example, be an angle measuring device, especially in the form of an acceleration sensor, which measures an angle of gap arising in a particular case between two neighboring loudspeaker boxes and transmits a corresponding measured value to the control unit for further processing. The setting means may, for example, be an electric motor actively connected to a linear drive. The electric motor can be actively connected in a relatively simple manner to a control computer and be controlled thereby. By means of a closed control circuit between control computer, setting means and measurement means, it is possible to obtain an automatic and controlled positional adjustment of loudspeaker boxes in a loudspeaker box arrangement.
Advantageously, the active connection between the loudspeaker boxes by the connecting elements can be interrupted using a hand-operated unlocking mechanism. This makes it possible to also effect a desired positional adjustment of the loudspeaker boxes manually, if desired, for example if th
d & b Audiotechnik AG
Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen, LLP
Wilkens Janet M.
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