Patents by Inventor Chad A. Kautz

Chad A. Kautz has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10595106
    Abstract: A strap clamp style speaker bracket with a fastener base that can be used for straps of many different sizes. The invention also includes the previously mentioned speaker bracket with a similarly shaped fastener base with a dual pivoting linkage to a second strap clamp style speaker bracket for a unique cylindrical speaker. The clamp base has semi-cylindrical grooves on opposing sides and the strap ends have conformal semi-cylindrical protrusions that fit in the grooves. A bolt through the protrusions and grooves and the clamp block secures the clamp. A cylindrical speaker is illustrated. Another embodiment has legs extending from the clamp block to receive a pivot block which provides a dual articulatible speaker support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Inventors: Alan Cross, Kevin J. Sykes, Chad A Kautz
  • Patent number: 10405090
    Abstract: A water resistant speaker having a water-impermeable spider and an acoustic chamber in air flow communication with the underside of the spider via vents in a spider support and in a bottom panel of a basket of the speaker. The acoustic chamber is attached and sealed to the bottom of the basket. At least one hydrophobic vent is supported in the wall of the acoustic chamber or in the basket behind the spider to limit air pressure in the acoustic chamber. The acoustic chamber may have a passive radiator. The combination of a water impermeable spider and diaphragm, adjacently attached and sealed to the former, assist in preventing water from reaching the magnet assembly and voice coil. A vent in the pole piece, leading to the acoustic chamber, reduces drag on motion of the former, dust cap, and diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Inventors: Alan Robert Cross, Chad A. Kautz, Brad Michael Diedrich
  • Patent number: 10368159
    Abstract: A water resistant speaker having a water-impermeable spider and an acoustic chamber in air flow communication with the underside of the spider via vents in a spider support and vents in a bottom panel of a basket of the speaker. The acoustic chamber is attached and sealed to the bottom of the basket and is watertight. The acoustic chamber may have a passive radiator. The combination of a water impermeable spider and a water impermeable diaphragm, adjacently attached and sealed to the former, assist in preventing water from reaching the magnet assembly and voice coil. A water impermeable dust cap is attached and sealed to the diaphragm to prevent water from entering around the former. A vent in the pole piece, leading to the acoustic chamber, reduces drag on motion of the former, dust cap, and diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Inventors: Alan Robert Cross, Chad A. Kautz, Brad Michael Diedrich
  • Publication number: 20180206030
    Abstract: A water resistant speaker having a water-impermeable spider and an acoustic chamber in air flow communication with the underside of the spider via vents in a spider support and in a bottom panel of a basket of the speaker. The acoustic chamber is attached and sealed to the bottom of the basket. At least one hydrophobic vent is supported in the wall of the acoustic chamber or in the basket behind the spider to limit air pressure in the acoustic chamber. The acoustic chamber may have a passive radiator. The combination of a water impermeable spider and diaphragm, adjacently attached and sealed to the former, assist in preventing water from reaching the magnet assembly and voice coil. A vent in the pole piece, leading to the acoustic chamber, reduces drag on motion of the former, dust cap, and diaphragm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventors: Alan Robert Cross, Chad .A. Kautz, Brad Michael Diedrich
  • Publication number: 20180184198
    Abstract: A water resistant speaker having a water-impermeable spider and an acoustic chamber in air flow communication with the underside of the spider via vents in a spider support and vents in a bottom panel of a basket of the speaker. The acoustic chamber is attached and sealed to the bottom of the basket and is watertight. The acoustic chamber may have a passive radiator. The combination of a water impermeable spider and a water impermeable diaphragm, adjacently attached and sealed to the former, assist in preventing water from reaching the magnet assembly and voice coil. A water impermeable dust cap is attached and sealed to the diaphragm to prevent water from entering around the former. A vent in the pole piece, leading to the acoustic chamber, reduces drag on motion of the former, dust cap, and diaphragm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Alan Robert Cross, Chad A. Kautz, Brad Michael Diedrich
  • Publication number: 20170223439
    Abstract: A strap clamp style speaker bracket with a fastener base that can be used for straps of many different sizes. The invention also includes the previously mentioned speaker bracket with a similarly shaped fastener base with a dual pivoting linkage to a second strap clamp style speaker bracket for a unique cylindrical speaker. The clamp base has semi-cylindrical grooves on opposing sides and the strap ends have conformal semi-cylindrical protrusions that fit in the grooves. A bolt through the protrusions and grooves and the clamp block secures the clamp. A cylindrical speaker is illustrated. Another embodiment has legs extending from the clamp block to receive a pivot block which provides a dual articulatible speaker support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Alan Cross, Kevin J. Sykes, Chad A. Kautz
  • Patent number: 7764807
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Mitek Corp., Inc
    Inventors: Daniel Frank Roemer, Chad A. Kautz, Jason A Planck
  • Patent number: 7566226
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: Mitek Corp., Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Frank Roemer, Brad Michael Diedrich, Chad A. Kautz, Jason A Planck
  • Publication number: 20080280501
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicant: MITEK CORP., INC.
    Inventors: Daniel Frank Roemer, Brad Michael Diedrich, Chad A. Kautz, Jason A. Planck
  • Publication number: 20080279413
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicant: MITEK CORP., INC.
    Inventors: Daniel Frank Roemer, Chad A. Kautz, Jason A. Planck
  • Publication number: 20080279415
    Abstract: A speaker cone and dust cap assembly for a speaker is disclosed having an acoustic web for a dust cap that has a lower surface with a convex shape; a speaker cone with an end web, sized and arranged to close the first end of the former distal the magnet assembly of the speaker, the end web comprising a concave surface shaped conformally with a central portion of the lower surface of the acoustic web; and having the end surface of the end web fixed to the central portion of the lower surface of the acoustic web over substantially the entire surface of the end surface of the end web. The speaker cone may have a cylindrical extension wrapping the first end of the former. The cylindrical extension and the first end of the former may have aligned vents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicant: MITEK CORP., INC.
    Inventors: Daniel Frank Roemer, Brad Michael Diedrich, Chad A. Kautz
  • Patent number: 7433485
    Abstract: A novel shallow speaker has a novel spidercone coaxial with and optionally having a radially inner spidercone flange suspended in a circumferential adhesive well affixed to the former. An inner rearward flange of the flat annular diaphragm is suspended in the circumferential adhesive well and the well is filled with epoxy. The spidercone has a frustroconical portion having a minimum radius smaller than the maximum magnet assembly radius and a maximum radius greater than the maximum magnet assembly radius. The spidercone has a spider portion integral with the larger end of the frustroconical portion and attachable to the basket by a tangential flange. The tinsel is interwoven with the spidercone in a way that reduces the risk of breaking and shorting. The diaphragm is substantially flat and coplanar with the top edge of the narrow surround when at rest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Mitek Corp., Inc.
    Inventors: Brad Michael Diedrich, Chad A. Kautz
  • Patent number: 7275620
    Abstract: A square speaker is disclosed having a novel surround with a novel rounded corner design and with a magnet assembly and former sized, shaped, and arranged to exploit the increased excursions enabled by the novel surround. The arcuate portion of the rounded corner features smoothed trapezoidal circumferential undulations of the radially outer portion and an extension pad forms the arcuate portion of the radially inner portion of the rounded corner. An apex groove separates the inner portion from the outer portion. Tapered protrusions of the outer portion flank the smoothed trapezoidal circumferential undulations. The rounded corner is bounded by edges making angles of between 20 degrees and 40 degrees (preferably about 35 degrees) with straight sides of the square surround. Most of the outer perimeter of the entire inner flange adjoins the inner portions of the rounded corners. Significant increases in volume displacement per speaker size are achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Mitek Corp., Inc.
    Inventors: Brad Michael Diedrich, Chad A. Kautz, Daniel Frank Roemer