Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Structurally defined web or sheet – Including aperture
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-17
2001-07-10
Watkins, III, William P. (Department: 1772)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Structurally defined web or sheet
Including aperture
C428S156000, C428S131000, C428S138000, C428S139000, C428S140000, C296S037800, C296S037130, C296S037160, C296S037120, C181S141000, C181S150000, C181S199000, C381S386000, C381S391000, C381S389000, C381S395000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06258438
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a mounting arrangement for vehicle speakers and in particular to such an arrangement having one or more wire mesh grilles insert molded over a speaker aperture formed in a rear trim panel.
2. Description of Prior Developments
Numerous mounting arrangements have been used to secure a speaker to the rear trim panel located between the trunk and passenger compartment of a vehicle. Trim panels are typically formed of a sound deadening material in order to minimize the transmission of road noise from the trunk or rear portion of a vehicle into the vehicle interior.
This sound absorbing material presents a problem when a speaker is mounted to or adjacent the underside of the trim panel. In some cases the trim panel is perforated in the area of the speaker to allow for the transmission of sound. In other cases, a single aperture is formed through the trim panel and separate mounting hardware including perforated covers and grilles is provided to allow for sound transmission.
Although these prior designs function adequately, the perforated trim panel tends to absorb a significant amount of the speaker's output and the separate mounting hardware can be unsightly as it protrudes above the plane of the trim panel.
What is needed is a rear shelf trim panel which provides a substantially acoustically transparent surface for accommodating a vehicle speaker and which allows for a smooth planar rear shelf surface which is unbroken by any unsightly speaker mounting hardware. Another need exists for such as a trim panel which provides adequate support to a surface covering material such as a fabric or sheet covering applied over the surface of the panel facing the vehicle interior.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been developed to fulfill the needs noted above and therefore has as an object the provision of a rear shelf trim panel for an auto or truck cabin which provides a virtually acoustically transparent speaker grille structure and which supports a shelf covering fabric without any visible grille or mounting hardware.
These and other objects are met by the present invention which is directed to a rear shelf trim panel having one or more wire mesh grilles bonded, molded or insert molded into a fibrous semi-rigid fabric material. The wire grille, which can take the form of a standard metal screen have ½ inch openings, is virtually acoustically transparent. No sound absorbing panel material is present between the speaker and the vehicle cabin. In accordance with the invention, the speaker or speakers are not mounted to the trim panel, but rather are mounted to a metal shelf on the vehicle body, which supports and underlies the trim panel. The bonded or insert molded grilles are aligned directly over and slightly separated from the speakers.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4331841 (1982-05-01), Castagna
patent: 4441577 (1984-04-01), Kurihara
patent: 4451928 (1984-05-01), Murayama
patent: 4582162 (1986-04-01), Katsuno
patent: 4811406 (1989-03-01), Kawachi
patent: 4993511 (1991-02-01), Hiraki et al.
patent: 5731551 (1998-03-01), Petrucci
patent: 5754664 (1998-05-01), Clark
patent: 5919544 (1999-07-01), Terajima
Loveland Earl P.
McCloud Cody
Schoen Robert M.
Calcaterra Mark P.
DaimlerChrysler Corporation
Watkins III William P.
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