Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-06
2001-06-26
Picard, Leo P. (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S688000, C361S689000, C361S698000, C361S699000, C361S707000, C361S720000, C257S714000, C174S015100, C165S080400, C330S066000, C330S20700P
Reexamination Certificate
active
06252771
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to amplifiers, more particularly to amplifiers with removable remote controls and isocoupling systems that connect two or more amplifiers and that electrically insulate the heat sink from the mounting surface by isolating the mounting screws. The amplifier may also be liquid-cooled to dissipate heat generated by the amplifier.
2. Prior Art
Amplifiers are used in the audio industry to amplify and control the energy that passes to speakers for ultimate sound output. Amplifiers have one or more controls or potentiometers that are used to tune and adjust gain (power output level), crossover frequencies, and equalization settings. Many amplifiers position these controls along a sidewall of the amplifier such that when it is mounted flush to a wall or under a seat, access to the controls is limited. Additionally, when a plurality of amplifiers is mounted in unison or very close to one another, access to the controls is further limited. In both cases, visual access to the controls is equally limited because the identifying writing associated with each particular control is often hidden from view. Some amplifiers are constructed with jacks therein so that a control pod can be placed remotely from the amplifier. This arrangement has created problems because not all controls have been placed on the remote control pod. Further, there are two sets of controls that may conflict with each other, and the amplifier may not perform optimally because both sets of controls can often be adjusted independently. Noise can be introduced into the system through the amplifier because of the duplicity of controls and added user installation complexity. Another obvious disadvantage is that the user is required to purchase an additional set(s) of controls which adds unnecessary expense to the final system.
It is well known that during the course of operation, amplifiers generate large quantities of heat. A variety of methods are presently used to dissipate heat, including cooling fins and heat sinks, passing air over the cooling fins, and even contacting separate cooling tubing with the cooling fins. Unfortunately, these methods can be expensive and very inefficient. If the cooling tubes burst or leak, the internal circuit boards of the amplifier may be damaged by the circulating coolant. Therefore, a need exists for an amplifier that can avoid these problems.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
With the aforementioned considerations in mind, it is therefore an object of this invention to provide an amplifier that can dissipate heat without endangering the internal circuitry from coolant leaks.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a liquid-cooled amplifier that can be remotely adjusted and controlled.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an amplifier that allows easy access to and visibility of the controls.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an amplifier having a heat sink that is electrically isolated from the surface to which the amplifier is mounted.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an amplifier that can be physically linked to other similar amplifiers.
The present invention has several distinct advantages over the prior art. First, the use of removable remote controls allows the user to adjust and tune the amplifier without having to access the amplifier. Second, the use of the isocoupling system has two distinct advantages. The isocouplings electrically isolate the mounting screws from the heat sink and allow two or more amplifiers to be coupled. Finally, by using an extrudable material to construct the amplifier heat sink, the costs of manufacturing the invention are decreased. The cooling channels constructed within the heat sink are in thermal communication with the heat generating devices on the amplifier circuit board, but are offset from internal circuit boards. Thus, there is less likelihood that a coolant leak from the cooling channel will damage the internal circuit boards. The heat sink is constructed to have one or more isocoupling bores therein so that two or more amplifiers can be mounted together and a single coolant circuit can be created for a plurality of amplifiers. The coolant circuit is operatively connectable to a source of coolant.
These and other advantages and objects of this invention shall become apparent from the ensuing description of the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To achieve one or more of the above-stated objects, the invention herein comprises a circuit board having one or more controls operatively connected thereto and a control pod removably attached to the circuit board and remotely positionable relative to the amplifier. The control pod maintains communication with the circuit board when the control pod is remotely positioned. The control pod houses one or more amplifier controls. The amplifier may further comprise an isocoupling configured to electrically isolate the amplifier from a surface onto which the amplifier is mounted and to allow two or more amplifiers to be coupled to one another. The amplifier may further comprise a heat sink configured to have one or more isocoupling bores configured therein with the isocoupling bores having one or more apertures therein. The invention may also comprise at least one heat generating device and a heat sink in thermal communication with the heat generating device. The heat sink is configured to have at least one cooling channel extending therethrough, which is attachable to a source of coolant so that when the amplifier is operated, the generated heat is dissipated.
Alternatively, the invention may comprise an amplifier having a circuit board having one or more controls operatively connected thereto and a heat sink in thermal communication with the circuit board and having one or more isocoupling bores configured therein, which have one or more apertures therein. The invention can further comprise a control pod removably attached to the circuit board and remotely positionable relative to the amplifier. The control pod maintains communication with the circuit board when remotely positioned from the amplifier and houses at least one of the controls. The invention may further comprise an isocoupling configured to electrically isolate the amplifier from a surface onto which the amplifier is mounted. The amplifier may have a heat generating device in thermal communication with the circuit board and the heat sink. The heat sink is then configured to have at least one cooling channel extending therethrough and attachable to a source of coolant.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3481393 (1969-12-01), Chu
patent: 3651865 (1972-03-01), Feldmanis
patent: 4120019 (1978-10-01), Arii et al.
patent: 4860164 (1989-08-01), Kaufman
patent: 4963833 (1990-10-01), Mountz
patent: 5001601 (1991-03-01), Fuoco
patent: 5162974 (1992-11-01), Currie
patent: 5508908 (1996-04-01), Kazama et al.
patent: 5636684 (1997-06-01), Teytu et al.
patent: 5646773 (1997-07-01), Injeyan et al.
patent: 5703536 (1997-12-01), Davis et al.
patent: 5901037 (1999-05-01), Hamilton et al.
Chervinsky Boris L.
Picard Leo P.
Roy Kiesel & Tucker
Southern Audio Services
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