Abstract: The personal wearable speaker system includes a backpack having a plurality of substantially hollow tubular ducts formed from a substantially flexible material designed to promote superior sound wave flow and anti-collapse (pinch) functionality, and a plurality of pairs of sound transducers.

Abstract: A speaker system includes a speaker driver loaded by a horn waveguide. The speaker driver reproduces sound within an extended frequency range that includes a high frequency band between 8 kHz and 11 kHz. In the preferred embodiment, the extended frequency range includes a wide frequency band between 2 kHz and 11 kHz (and most preferably including the frequency band between 800 Hz and 11 kHz). The horn waveguide has an axi-symmetrical waveguide surface that provides uniform polar dispersion at dispersion angles greater than 90 degrees for sound within the extended frequency range. The waveguide surface preferably has an annular cross section with a radial dimension that increases curvilinearly from its throat to its mouth, such as a tractroid surface.

Abstract: The personal wearable speaker system includes a garment having a plurality of substantially hollow tubular ducts formed from a substantially flexible material designed to promote superior sound wave flow and anti-collapse (pinch) functionality, and a plurality of pairs of sound transducers. The plurality of ducts each have a first end and a second end which are substantially enclosed by the garment. Each of the ducts defines a chamber within. The ducts each have a length, a width, and a height which is perpendicular to both the length and the width, and preferably have a width to height ratio of three to one or less. Alternately, the ducts may be substantially flat and have an undulating front surface. Sound transducers are adapted to fit at least partially within the chambers of the ducts. Some of the sound transducers are adapted to project sound toward an ear of a wearer. Other transducers are adapted to project soundwaves toward a body of the wearer.

Abstract: A directional speaker system includes an enclosure having an inner surface, an outer surface, an open end, and a closed end, a speaker driver directed toward the open end and mounted near the closed end of the enclosure, an in-line phase plug mounted in front of the speaker driver for manipulating the wavefront of sound waves produced by the speaker driver, and a preferably frustoconical shaped wave guide provided between the speaker driver and the open end of the speaker enclosure. A preferably annular space is provided between the enclosure and the wave guide and a plurality of openings are provided between the enclosure at the open end of the enclosure. Out-of-phase sound waves produced by the speaker driver travel into the space and exit the speaker system through the openings.

Abstract: An open back speaker module includes a speaker mounting element having a front face defining at least one sound transducer opening and a rim provided with a first set of electrical contacts, and at least one sound transducer for creating sound waves mounted to the sound transducer opening of the speaker mounting element. The open back speaker module is couplable to a structural element such that the speaker module and the structural element at least partially define a chamber behind the sound transducer. A receptacle or a gasket, couplable to the structural element and adapted to engage or be engaged by the speaker mounting element, may also be provided to help secure the open back speaker module to the structural element. The speaker module, receptacle, and the gasket are preferably flexible such that they may conform to any shaped of structural element. However, the speaker module and/or the receptacle may instead be rigidly formed and pre-shaped to conform to the shape of a specific structural element.

Abstract: A speaker assembly is provided including a rigid front speaker mounting element defining at least one speaker mounting opening, at least one speaker driver coupled to the at least one speaker mounting opening of the speaker mounting element, at least one flexible bladder at least partially forming the sides and rear of the enclosure and coupled to the speaker mounting element, and a valve coupled to the flexible bladder. The flexible bladder has a first wall portion and a second wall portion defining a substantially air-tight interior space therebetween and may take any desired shape when inflated. Together, the speaker mounting element and the bladder form at least one interior chamber at least partially surrounding the speaker driver. The valve, which provides a substantially air-tight seal when closed, is in fluid communication with the interior space of the flexible bladder and can be used for inflation and deflation of the bladder.