Abstract: An LED light ring for ceiling mounted speakers having flanged enclosures with flip dogs is presented. The LED light ring is a flat annular transparent or translucent piece that is clamped between the enclosure flange and the ceiling tile and emits RGB LED light radially outward through the LED light ring. The LED light emits from LEDs mounted on a circular electronic circuit board (flexible or not) on the inner circumference of the LED light ring. The circular electronic circuit is coupled to a controller that controls the color, blink rate, and intensity and has firmware for interpreting simple controller commands into complex LED light patterns and sequences. A plurality of light ring equipped loudspeakers may be in communication with a common controller that can create patterns and sequences among the plurality of light ring equipped loudspeakers.

Abstract: A small speaker for panel mounting in a hole as small as seventy five millimeters diameter in which access to the rear of the panel is not required. The small speaker uses spring-loaded flip dogs that are actuated by rotating a sound disperser that is connected to a hollow cylindrical mechanism having gear teeth on its external surface which engage flip dog gears on the top surfaces of the flip dogs. Internally, the hollow cylindrical mechanism has an indentation that supports a speaker baffle which, in turn supports a speaker bushing. A loudspeaker is attached to the speaker bushing near the speaker baffle. Two housing sections attach, spaced apart, to an annular frame on opposing sides and receive the hollow cylindrical mechanism rotationally therein. The flip dogs operate in the spaces between the housing sections. Methods of mounting and dismounting are described.

Abstract: A sleek ceiling speaker having an annular magnetic assembly and annular dust cap through which extends an elongated actuator, which may also be a light pipe. The elongated actuator supports a variable transformer tap which is manually operated by rotating a bottom end of the elongated actuator which is expanded into a sound disperser plug. Changing the transformer tap changes the volume produced by the speaker. The elongated actuator may also support an LED board that provides light to the light pipe and to the transparent or translucent sound disperser plug. Rotating the elongated actuator may also be used to change the lighting. The housing is secured to a ceiling tile by attaching a releasably attachable outwardly extending circumferential flange to a sound funnel that supports the sound disperser.

Abstract: An improved manually operated flip dog mountable ceiling speaker enclosure, for ceiling or other panel installation, has a biased sliding ratchet block that can be latched in place by an extension from a T-handle of an integral actuator rod. The ratchet block is controlled in its sliding motion by alignment rods extending from a vertical portion of a base and slidingly received in alignment bores of the ratchet block. A face of the ratchet block has downward pointing ratchet teeth that engage upward pointing ratchet teeth on a barrel of a flip dog to hold the flip dog in a clamped position. Over time, the biasing springs may lose their strength, but the latching of the ratchet block obviates this problem.

Abstract: Narrow ceiling speaker panels designed to be compatible with Armstrong® TECHZONE™ suspended ceiling systems that include an end-flanged grill box nested in a baffle that supports a loudspeaker and associated electronics and which is nested in a flanged grill that is sized for compatibility. Attachments are though the grill box end flanges and baffle panel and through grill edge flanges and baffle edge flanges. The loudspeaker and associated electronics are fastened to the top side of the baffle through pre-drilled or punched holes. The grill may have a decorative appearance by virtue of edge style, pattern of holes, color, or finish.

Abstract: An end-of-branch (EOB) module system for an audio signal distribution system having a wired trunk and a plurality of wired branches extending communicatively from such trunk, the EOB module system including: a plurality of EOB modules including one EOB module electronically coupled at each distal end of each branch and trunk of the audio signal distribution system, where each EOB module of the plurality of EOB modules has a unique address together forming a plurality of unique addresses; a test system able to send a test carrier signal encoded with any one unique address of the plurality of unique addresses at a time onto the trunk; and a switch within each EOB module, responsive to its unique address to place an end-of-line (EOL) load on its respective branch or trunk, and where power for operation of each EOB module is provided by rectification of the test signal.

Abstract: A manually operated flip dog mountable ceiling speaker enclosure, for ceiling or other panel installation, provides a plurality of flip dogs mounted tangentially on an annular flange around an opening of a speaker can and operated by either pulling on an actuator to create a cam-driven rotation to a radial alignment and a downward dog movement to a ratcheted clamping position, or by first rotating the manual actuator to rotate the dog and then pulling the actuator to pull the dog down into a ratcheted clamping position. Ratchet points on the dog are urged into ratchet points on a wall by a releasable biasing member. Three embodiments are illustrated.

Abstract: A lighting and communication system with a horn enclosure for recessed ceiling panel or wall mounting, including a speaker with a horn expansion area to direct sound waves from the speaker to a horn enclosure front, at least one light enclosure located within the horn enclosure, the light enclosure defining a light cavity which is separated from said horn expansion area, with a light source inside the light cavity. The light source can be an LED array, which is capable of displaying text, colors or patterns in response to a control system signal.

Abstract: An end-of-branch (EOB) module system for an audio signal distribution system having a wired trunk and a plurality of wired branches extending communicatively from such trunk, the EOB module system including: a plurality of EOB modules including one EOB module electronically coupled at each distal end of each branch and trunk of the audio signal distribution system, where each EOB module of the plurality of EOB modules has a unique address together forming a plurality of unique addresses; a test system able to send a test carrier signal encoded with any one unique address of the plurality of unique addresses at a time onto the trunk; and a switch within each EOB module, responsive to its unique address to place an end-of-line (EOL) load on its respective branch or trunk, and where power for operation of each EOB module is provided by rectification of the test signal.

Abstract: A lighting and communication system with a horn enclosure for recessed ceiling panel or wall mounting, including a speaker with a horn expansion area to direct sound waves from the speaker to a horn enclosure front, at least one light enclosure located within the horn enclosure, the light enclosure defining a light cavity which is separated from said horn expansion area, with a light source inside the light cavity. The light source can be an LED array, which is capable of displaying text, colors or patterns in response to a control system signal.

Abstract: A lighting and communication system with a horn enclosure for recessed ceiling panel or wall mounting, including a speaker with a horn expansion area to direct sound waves from the speaker to a horn enclosure front, at least one light enclosure located within the horn enclosure, the light enclosure defining a light cavity which is separated from said horn expansion area, with a light source inside the light cavity. The light source can be an LED array, which is capable of displaying text, colors or patterns in response to a control system signal.

Abstract: An improved shallow speaker is disclosed having a molded diaphragm with an outer, depending, annular cylindrical subcone that connects to a channel formed in the outer perimeter of the spider. Embodiments for round and cornered (polygonal, etc.) speakers are provided. The top plate has a raised outer annular portion for receiving an annular spider flange with or without screw holes for clamping the inner spider flange with a spider ring. In the cornered speaker embodiments, flanges extend from the cylindrical portions to the cornered portions including from a diaphragm inner glue flange over the depressed central portion and from the annular cylindrical subcone both outwardly and inwardly to top diaphragm portions. Routing of the tinsel may be through one or more openings in the annular cylindrical subcone and along the diaphragm inner surfaces, with channels in or on those surfaces for securely routing the tinsel.

Abstract: A courtesy announcement system and method for broadcasting messages audially and visually having a central database server connected to operator workstation computers. Announcements stored and maintained in the database server can be accessed, viewed, modified, and replayed by any of a plurality of operators located at the workstation computers. Operators receive and construct announcements to be broadcast using announcement templates and the broadcasts can be multi-lingual even if the operator is not multi-lingual. Announcement templates includes pre-translated variables, and optional announcement delivery settings permit the operator to conduct the destination of the announcements, when the announcement should be broadcast, and start times for broadcast, among other settings.

Abstract: A presentation audio system with two dual-mode, dual-channel, wireless IR microphone/controllers that concurrently transmit multiplexed audio and command IR signals to IR sensors communicating to an amplifier that sends amplified audio to one or more speakers, responsive to the received commands. Each wireless IR microphone/controller includes a microphone and controller in a housing with manual controls and separate redundant groups of transmitting IR LEDs. The amplifier is controlled as to volume, audio sources selected, and control closure operation. First mode controls the audio of the IR microphone/controller that is set in the first mode and second mode controls all audio sources in the system. One manual control is a control closure that may be used to initiate a building alarm or for other purposes. A headset microphone jack enables use of the IR microphone/controller as an IR transmitter. A dual recharger usable vertically or horizontally is included.

Abstract: A speaker support system, adapted to prevent destructive resonance between a speaker and a speaker cabinet, comprising a vibration damper, a vibration transferer, and a connector. The speaker support prevents primary-mode resonance from building up to damaging levels in a speaker cabinet. The vibration damper damps sound vibrations that are passing from a speaker into a speaker cabinet. The vibration damper is tuned to not resonate at any resonant frequency of the speaker cabinet. The vibration transferer transfers sound vibrations from the vibration damper to a vibration sink, which is preferably a portion of the speaker cabinet that is remote from the vibration damper. Preferably, the vibration transferer comprises a metal rod. The connector fixedly connects the vibration transferer to the vibration sink. The vibration transferer is tuned to not resonate at any resonant frequency of the speaker cabinet.

Abstract: A speaker, having a diaphragm with a central opening and further having a pole piece, including a first sound dispersion element extending from the pole piece through the central opening of the diaphragm and further extending beyond the diaphragm wherein the first sound dispersion element has a larger transverse perimeter distal the pole piece than proximal the pole piece; and no support structures for the first sound dispersion element are located radially external to said first sound dispersion element. The speaker may be integrated with a lamp using a support structure. A second sound dispersion element may be used. A rod, used as a conduit, coupling, and/or support, may extend coaxially with the first sound dispersion element, interior thereto, and to a point beyond the diaphragm. The audio signal for the speaker may be supplied by a wireless link. The speaker and lamp may be configured for a ceiling fan.

Abstract: An adjustable terminal is disclosed having a plurality of electrical contacts electrically coupled between a corresponding number of pair-wise electrically-coupled input terminals and output terminals. A plurality of mechanically coupled jumpers are operable to pair-wise jump the electrical contacts to reconfigure the adjustable terminal variously for bi-amplifier output, parallel output, and series output at said output terminals. A housing is disclosed having support for the electrical contacts and for the jumpers, as well as labels for inputs, outputs, and current configuration. The jumpers may be mounted to a slider card that is movable between three positions to provide terminal reconfiguration.

Abstract: A speaker, having a diaphragm with a central opening and further having a pole piece, including a first sound dispersion element extending from the pole piece through the central opening of the diaphragm and further extending beyond the diaphragm wherein the first sound dispersion element has a larger transverse perimeter distal the pole piece than proximal the pole piece; and no support structures for the first sound dispersion element are located radially external to said first sound dispersion element. The speaker may be integrated with a lamp using a support structure. A second sound dispersion element may be used. A rod, used as a conduit, coupling, and/or support, may extend coaxially with the first sound dispersion element, interior thereto, and to a point beyond the diaphragm. The audio signal for the speaker may be supplied by a wireless link. The speaker and lamp may be configured for a ceiling fan.

Abstract: A fuse block which provides for holding a plurality of fuses in parallel in order to reduce fuse block size and to maximize the surface area of electrical contact in order to reduce electrical resistance in the electrical contact. The block holds the fuse electrical contacts clamped in trapezoidal cavities in terminals. A fuse block, comprising a first multi-fuse coupler to electrically and mechanically couple with one first electrical contact of each of a plurality of fuses, in a first single tightening operation; a second multi-fuse coupler to electrically and mechanically couple with one second electrical contact of each of such plurality of fuses, in a second single tightening operation; and a base sized, shaped, and arranged to maintain said a first multi-fuse coupler and said a second multi-fuse coupler in opposing, aligned, and spaced-apart relationship.