Patents by Inventor Christopher Combest
Christopher Combest 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).
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Patent number: 8774420Abstract: A headphone set includes a head band and a pair of speaker assemblies supplied on opposite ends of the headband. Each of the speaker assemblies comprises an earphone speaker for reproducing sound to be directed toward one of the wearer's ears, a relatively larger and more powerful broadcast speaker for reproducing sound to be broadcast in the vicinity of the headphone set; and an expandable speaker enclosure for supporting the earphone speaker and the broadcast speaker. Each speaker enclosure defines a sound chamber having an enclosed air volume for improving the acoustical characteristics of the headphone set and each speaker enclosure is shiftable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration. When the speaker enclosures are shifted to their expanded configurations, the sound chambers have a relatively larger enclosed air volume. When they are shifted to their collapsed configurations relatively smaller enclosed air volumes.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2011Date of Patent: July 8, 2014Assignee: Get Connected LLCInventors: Stephen Belafonte, Christopher Combest, Chris Witham, David Staley
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Publication number: 20130003984Abstract: A headphone set includes a head band and a pair of speaker assemblies supplied on opposite ends of the headband. Each of the speaker assemblies comprises an earphone speaker for reproducing sound to be directed toward one of the wearer's ears, a relatively larger and more powerful broadcast speaker for reproducing sound to be broadcast in the vicinity of the headphone set; and an expandable speaker enclosure for supporting the earphone speaker and the broadcast speaker. Each speaker enclosure defines a sound chamber having an enclosed air volume for improving the acoustical characteristics of the headphone set and each speaker enclosure is shiftable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration. When the speaker enclosures are shifted to their expanded configurations, the sound chambers have a relatively larger enclosed air volume. When they are shifted to their collapsed configurations relatively smaller enclosed air volumes.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2011Publication date: January 3, 2013Applicant: MS Electronics LLCInventors: Stephen Belafonte, Christopher Combest, Chris Witham, David Staley
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Patent number: 7654361Abstract: A bracket for retaining a sound transducer against a soundboard. The bracket is mountable to architectural frame members and is operable to balance the load of the transducer in the bracket. The bracket includes a spring element that is operable to hold the sound transducer against the soundboard with a specified force.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2006Date of Patent: February 2, 2010Assignee: Induction Dynamics LLCInventor: Christopher Combest
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Patent number: 7503422Abstract: An in-wall or ceiling speaker enclosure (10) having a predetermined air volume is provided, and includes a housing (22) designed to support a speaker assembly (18) between a pair of adjacent wall studs (12,14). The enclosure (10) also has an expandable air chamber (24) of predetermined volume operably coupled and in communication with housing (22). The enclosure (10) can be easily mounted within a pre-cut wall opening (32) of minimal size.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2005Date of Patent: March 17, 2009Assignee: Induction Dynamics LLCInventors: Christopher Combest, Ken Hecht
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Patent number: 7386137Abstract: A sound transducer (10) for imparting acoustical energy directly to a solid surface (12) while achieving the sound quality and frequency response found only in conventional diaphragm speakers. The sound transducer (10) comprises a pair of symmetrical magnet assemblies (16, 18), a pair of symmetrical voice coils (66, 68), and an actuator (22). The magnet assemblies (16, 18) each present an area of concentrated magnetic flux (60, 62). The symmetrical voice coils (66, 68) are positioned in the vicinity of the areas of concentrated magnetic flux and are operable to receive an alternating audio signal which causes the voice coils to move relative to the magnet assemblies. The actuator (22) moves with the voice coils and includes a foot (70) for coupling with a solid surface to impart movement to the solid surface and thereby produce sound when the voice coils receive the audio signal. The actuator (22) is coupled to the voice coils (66, 68) by an elongated shaft (24).Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2005Date of Patent: June 10, 2008Assignee: Multi Service CorporationInventor: Christopher Combest
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Publication number: 20080035417Abstract: A bracket for retaining a sound transducer against a soundboard. The bracket is mountable to architectural frame members and is operable to balance the load of the transducer in the bracket. The bracket includes a spring element that is operable to hold the sound transducer against the soundboard with a specified force.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2006Publication date: February 14, 2008Inventor: Christopher Combest
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Patent number: 7274793Abstract: An excursion limiter (10) broadly comprises a voltage controlled filter (40) to suppress an audio signal according to a selected threshold at a selected frequency using a control voltage. The voltage controlled filter (40) preferably produces an inversion signal at the frequency, amplifies the inversion signal according to the control voltage to produce a suppression signal, and combines the audio signal with the suppression signal, thus suppressing the audio signal at the frequency and creating a resultant signal. A control voltage generator (42) preferably generates the control voltage using a frequency compensation filter (58), a full-wave rectifier (60), a precision half-wave rectifier (61) and a non-linear compensator (62). The frequency compensation filter (58) isolates an initial component which is rectified by the full-wave rectifier (60), shifted, and rectified again at the precision rectifier (61) before being essentially flattened in a non-linear manner by the non-linear compensator (62).Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2002Date of Patent: September 25, 2007Assignee: Multi Service CorporationInventors: Christopher Combest, John Koval
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Publication number: 20070131477Abstract: An in-wall or ceiling speaker enclosure (10) having a predetermined air volume is provided, and includes a housing (22) designed to support a speaker assembly (18) between a pair of adjacent wall studs (12,14). The enclosure (10) also has an expandable air chamber (24) of predetermined volume operably coupled and in communication with housing (22). The enclosure (10) can be easily mounted within a pre-cut wall opening (32) of minimal size.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2005Publication date: June 14, 2007Inventors: Christopher Combest, Ken Hecht
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Publication number: 20070127766Abstract: A speaker that utilizes a dual voice coil speaker element to generate sound corresponding to more than one sound channel is disclosed. The speaker may be paired with a substantially identical speaker to generate stereo sound corresponding to left and right channel signals and monaural sound corresponding to a center channel signal. Such a configuration enables the speakers to generate sound corresponding to side and center channel signals without requiring the use of discrete speaker elements for each channel.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2005Publication date: June 7, 2007Inventor: Christopher Combest
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Publication number: 20060126885Abstract: A sound transducer (10) for imparting acoustical energy directly to a solid surface (12) while achieving the sound quality and frequency response found only in conventional diaphragm speakers. The sound transducer (10) comprises a pair of symmetrical magnet assemblies (16, 18), a pair of symmetrical voice coils (66, 68), and an actuator (22). The magnet assemblies (16, 18) each present an area of concentrated magnetic flux (60, 62). The symmetrical voice coils (66, 68) are positioned in the vicinity of the areas of concentrated magnetic flux and are operable to receive an alternating audio signal which causes the voice coils to move relative to the magnet assemblies. The actuator (22) moves with the voice coils and includes a foot (70) for coupling with a solid surface to impart movement to the solid surface and thereby produce sound when the voice coils receive the audio signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2004Publication date: June 15, 2006Inventor: Christopher Combest
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Publication number: 20060126886Abstract: A sound transducer (10) for imparting acoustical energy directly to a solid surface (12) while achieving the sound quality and frequency response found only in conventional diaphragm speakers. The sound transducer (10) comprises a pair of symmetrical magnet assemblies (16, 18), a pair of symmetrical voice coils (66, 68), and an actuator (22). The magnet assemblies (16, 18) each present an area of concentrated magnetic flux (60, 62). The symmetrical voice coils (66, 68) are positioned in the vicinity of the areas of concentrated magnetic flux and are operable to receive an alternating audio signal which causes the voice coils to move relative to the magnet assemblies. The actuator (22) moves with the voice coils and includes a foot (70) for coupling with a solid surface to impart movement to the solid surface and thereby produce sound when the voice coils receive the audio signal. The actuator (22) is coupled to the voice coils (66, 68) by an elongated shaft (24).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2005Publication date: June 15, 2006Inventor: Christopher Combest
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Patent number: 6993145Abstract: A speaker grille (10) comprises a cloth (18) and a frame (20) to support the cloth (18). The cloth (18) is preferably stretched taunt over the frame (20) for minimal movement in response to speaker excursion. The frame (20) includes a plurality of sidewalls (29) defining a plurality of slots (30) through which sound waves may travel between a smooth surface (26) supporting the cloth (18) and a mounting surface (28) with which the frame (12) mounts to a speaker box (12). The slots (30) preferably penetrate all four sides of the frame (20) and may also penetrate all four corners of the frame (20). The slots (30) form channels that act as waveguides and allow sound waves to travel from speakers (16) through the frame (20). The frame (20) and the channels may be configured to direct the sound waves at various angles to the speaker box (12).Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2003Date of Patent: January 31, 2006Assignee: Multi-Service CorporationInventor: Christopher Combest
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Patent number: 6963650Abstract: A coaxial speaker assembly (10) with reduced sound distortion, sound time delay, and polar response distortion. The coaxial speaker assembly (10) includes a high-frequency speaker system (16) mounted coaxially with and fitting within a lower-frequency speaker system (14). A baffle (50) is secured to a diaphragm (48) of the high-frequency speaker system (16). A step-down ledge (52) is circumferentially positioned adjacent to the baffle (50) and extends outwardly therefrom. A portion of the sound waves emanating from the high-frequency diaphragm (48) are reflected off the step-down ledge (52).Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2002Date of Patent: November 8, 2005Assignee: Multi Service CorporationInventor: Christopher Combest
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Publication number: 20050201571Abstract: An acoustic bracket system comprising a bracket section containing an insert holder; coupling means connectable to the bracket section; and an insert securable to the insert holder and adapted to hold one or more acoustic transducers is provided. In one embodiment the coupling means comprises two flanges. In one embodiment the coupling means comprises a plurality of hooks. The acoustic bracket system is tunable and securable to framing members which are designed to support a sounding board. In one embodiment, the insert is a conformable foam insert with an opening into which each of the one or more acoustic transducers is securable. The acoustic bracket system is acoustically tunable with mass, stiffness and damping to enhance the audio performance of the one or more acoustic transducers.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2005Publication date: September 15, 2005Inventors: Stephen Saint-Vincent, John Koval, Christopher Combest
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Publication number: 20040264730Abstract: A speaker grille (10) comprises a cloth (18) and a frame (20) to support the cloth (18). The cloth (18) is preferably stretched taunt over the frame (20) for minimal movement in response to speaker excursion. The frame (20) includes a plurality of sidewalls (29) defining a plurality of slots (30) through which sound waves may travel between a smooth surface (26) supporting the cloth (18) and a mounting surface (28) with which the frame (12) mounts to a speaker box (12). The slots (30) preferably penetrate all four sides of the frame (20) and may also penetrate all four corners of the frame (20). The slots (30) form channels that act as waveguides and allow sound waves to travel from speakers (16) through the frame (20). The frame (20) and the channels may be configured to direct the sound waves at various angles to the speaker box (12).Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2003Publication date: December 30, 2004Inventor: Christopher Combest
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Publication number: 20040047478Abstract: A coaxial speaker assembly (10) with reduced sound distortion, sound time delay, and polar response distortion. The coaxial speaker assembly (10) includes a high-frequency speaker system (16) mounted coaxially with and fitting within a lower-frequency speaker system (14). A baffle (50) is secured to a diaphragm (48) of the high-frequency speaker system (16). A step-down ledge (52) is circumferentially positioned adjacent to the baffle (50) and extends outwardly therefrom. A portion of the sound waves emanating from the high-frequency diaphragm (48) are reflected off the step-down ledge (52).Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2002Publication date: March 11, 2004Inventor: Christopher Combest
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Publication number: 20040022399Abstract: An excursion limiter (10) broadly comprises a voltage controlled filter (40) to suppress an audio signal according to a selected threshold at a selected frequency using a control voltage. The voltage controlled filter (40) preferably produces an inversion signal at the frequency, amplifies the inversion signal according to the control voltage to produce a suppression signal, and combines the audio signal with the suppression signal, thus suppressing the audio signal at the frequency and creating a resultant signal. A control voltage generator (42) preferably generates the control voltage using a frequency compensation filter (58), a full-wave rectifier (60), a precision half-wave rectifier (61) and a non-linear compensator (62). The frequency compensation filter (58) isolates an initial component which is rectified by the full-wave rectifier (60), shifted, and rectified again at the precision rectifier (61) before being essentially flattened in a non-linear manner by the non-linear compensator (62).Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2002Publication date: February 5, 2004Inventors: Christopher Combest, John Koval