Rounded Enclosure (e.g., Curved, Etc.) Patents (Class 181/153)
  • Patent number: 11778356
    Abstract: A speaker unit is provided with a speaker attached to an opening of a unit housing, a wire spring extending from one side of the opening to the other side and holding the speaker, a first support section for supporting one side of the wire spring in the unit housing, and a second support section for supporting the other side of the wire spring in the unit housing, and the wire spring is formed with a curved portion that is stretchable in the extending direction from one side to the other side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Yoshihito Hariba
  • Patent number: 11285885
    Abstract: A sound bar having a mounting assembly configured to pivotally secure the bar. The sound bar includes an elongated, at least partially hollow, housing. The housing has a body extending between two opposing ends. A speaker array is positioned in the body. At least one speaker is positioned in at least one end of the bar. The end speaker(s) are preferably bass speakers in fluid communication with the hollow housing. A grill is preferably positioned over at least one of the housing ends. The grill preferably has a center hub affixed to an outer rim by spokes defining open spaces in the grill to facilitate the emission of sound. A mount is attached to the sound bar to secure the bar to a structure while allowing the bar to pivot along its longitudinal axis. Preferably, the mount is secured to the center hub of the grill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: SOUTHERN AUDIO SERVICES, INC.
    Inventor: Jeff B. Jordan
  • Patent number: 11190863
    Abstract: Example embodiments provide a device that includes a housing backplate affixed to a housing which embodies one or more of a speaker and a microphone, a threaded channel affixed to the housing and extending perpendicular from the housing backplate, and a wall mount fitting with one or more securing tabs to hold the wall mount fitting to a wall mount plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Biamp Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Vincent William Ellis, William John Done
  • Patent number: 10869113
    Abstract: A speaker system broadly comprises a plurality of speaker assemblies each including a speaker housing, an input circuit, a low range speaker, and a higher-range speaker. The input circuit receives audio signals from a sound system or other controller and actively or passively sends the audio signals to the speakers. The low-range speaker is positioned in the upper section and the higher-range speaker is positioned in the lower section. Each speaker assembly is configured to be suspended from an elevated structure and spaced from the other speaker assemblies within a listening area with each speaker assembly generating low frequency soundwaves and higher-frequency soundwaves. This reduces or eliminates out-of-phase crossover frequency wave cancellation effects within the listening area. The speaker housings are compact while allowing the low-range speaker and higher-range speaker to effectively produce and project desired soundwaves from the suspended speaker housing into the listening area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: MS Electronics LLC
    Inventors: Christopher E. Combest, Lindsey K. Humphrey
  • Patent number: 10753599
    Abstract: An acoustics lamp includes a lamp body, a hanging member pivotally mounted on an end portion of the lamp body, an illuminating device mounted in the lamp body, a sound device mounted in the lamp body, and a control device mounted in the lamp body. The illuminating device is electrically connected with the control device. The sound device is electrically connected with the control device. The lamp body has a horn shape and includes a lampshade, an end cap, a connecting seat, an outer shell, a base, and a bottom cap module. The acoustics lamp is mounted on a ground insert by a positioning spring, to construct a ground insert lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Dong Guan Jia Sheng Lighting Technology Co., Ltd. China
    Inventor: Kevin Hsu
  • Patent number: 10667041
    Abstract: A playback device comprises an electroacoustic transducer; an acoustic waveguide in fluid communication with the transducer; and a housing delimiting an opening of the waveguide, the opening extending around an axis passing through the transducer. The opening may have a radial distance from the axis that varies with an azimuthal angle about the axis. An acoustic path length within the waveguide, between the transducer and the opening, is substantially constant and independent of azimuthal angle about the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Chamness, Greg Flanagan, Camille Zaba, Brandon Holley
  • Patent number: 10603527
    Abstract: A body-wearable garment having a hood activated speaker is provided. The body-wearable garment comprises a hood. The body-wearable garment further comprises a speaker integrated within the hood. The speaker is activated in response to receiving a signal from a sensor indicating that the hood is in a deployed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Joseph C. Namm
  • Patent number: 10531194
    Abstract: An audio system for a vehicle is provided with a woofer speaker having a front side for producing a required bass-range acoustic output in a passenger compartment of the vehicle and a back side having an infinite baffle. The audio system includes a bass-compatible speaker disposed in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. A controller is in communication with the woofer and the bass-compatible speaker and is programmed to distribute the required bass-range sound output to the woofer and the bass-compatible speaker based on at least one of a vehicle speed and a sound output level of the audio system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: HARMAN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Christopher Ludwig, Bradford Hamme, Riley Winton
  • Patent number: 10499129
    Abstract: The invention relates to an appliance for producing or processing sound, the appliance comprising a cabinet presenting a front face (4), a rear face (5), side faces (6, 7), a top face (8), and a bottom face (9). The appliance includes trim (15) that is removable relative to the cabinet, the trim comprising at least one generally U-shaped facing (16) for covering at least the front face (4) and the side faces (6, 7) of the cabinet, support columns (40) being mounted inside the cabinet (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: ECRI ELECTRONIC
    Inventors: Franck Borne, Catherine Borne
  • Patent number: 10471903
    Abstract: A sound bar having a mounting assembly configured to pivotally secure the bar. The sound bar includes an elongated, at least partially hollow, housing. The housing has a body extending between two opposing ends. A speaker array is positioned in the body. At least one speaker is positioned in at least one end of the bar. The end speaker(s) are preferably bass speakers in fluid communication with the hollow housing. A grill is preferably positioned over at least one of the housing ends. The grill preferably has a center hub affixed to an outer rim by spokes defining open spaces in the grill to facilitate the emission of sound. A mount is attached to the sound bar to secure the bar to a structure while allowing the bar to pivot along its longitudinal axis. Preferably, the mount is secured to the center hub of the grill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: SOUTHERN AUDIO SERVICES, INC.
    Inventor: Jeff B. Jordan
  • Patent number: 10477293
    Abstract: Headphones are provided with a rear wall that is designed to be inwardly convex, so that sound which is radiated from the rear side of the sound-generating membrane of a sound generator is advantageously distributed in the headphone housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Axel Grell, Kornelia Kaddig, Christoph Greger
  • Patent number: 10425710
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a subwoofer speaker assembly that has a housing which is convertible between a compact volume mode and an expanded volume mode. The speaker assembly includes at least one driver contained within the housing. The housing itself comprises an internal frame and an external shell, moveable relative to the internal frame. The internal frame and the external shell defining an interior volume of the housing, in the compact mode the internal volume is a first volume, in the expanded mode the internal volume is a second volume, wherein the second volume is greater than the first volume. Positioned between the overlapping and parallel walls of the internal frame and the external shell is at least one sealing member which provides an airtight seal between the internal frame and the external shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: BBY SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Kenneth Harden
  • Patent number: 10405084
    Abstract: A loudspeaker comprising an acoustic package including an acoustic enclosure that defines an acoustic cavity, a loudspeaker component supported on the acoustic enclosure, a port arranged in the acoustic package and extending from a first open end portion acoustically coupled to the acoustic cavity, to a second end portion acoustically coupled to a region external to the acoustic cavity, the second end portion being arranged for directing air flow exiting the port generally towards the loudspeaker component, and a deflector located between the second end portion of the port and the loudspeaker component, the deflector being arranged for at least partially diverting air flow exiting the port away from the loudspeaker component, towards the region external to the acoustic cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Donna Marie Sullivan, John Lawrence McGrael, Christopher Glenn Donaldson
  • Patent number: 10397694
    Abstract: A playback device comprises an electroacoustic transducer; an acoustic waveguide in fluid communication with the transducer; and a housing delimiting an opening of the waveguide, the opening extending around an axis passing through the transducer. The opening may have a radial distance from the axis that varies with an azimuthal angle about the axis. An acoustic path length within the waveguide, between the transducer and the opening, is substantially constant and independent of azimuthal angle about the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Chamness, Greg Flanagan, Camille Zaba, Brandon Holley
  • Patent number: 10327054
    Abstract: An extendable speaker system is provided with a base and lid that are connected via a plurality of concentric collapsible hollow bodies such as cylinders. A woofer speaker resides in the base. Mid range or tweeter speakers reside in the lid. The lid is displaced away from the base to expand the speaker system, where the extended cylinders provide an airtight seal between the base and lid forming a woofer speaker enclosure therein. Friction seals between the cylinders, a spring residing within the speaker enclosure, and the airtight speaker enclosure itself provide a collective force sufficient to maintain the speaker system in an extended configuration. A port is opened by depressing a button to vent the enclosure to allow for the speaker system to be collapsed. A locking system is provided to releasably maintain the speaker system in a collapsed configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Clarity Design, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Harrison Lupfer, John Meredith Fox, Roderick Arzaga Milan, Alyssa Taylor Black, Chaney Kiana Lee Countryman, Orlando Crespo, Ronald Edwards Perranoski
  • Patent number: 10311495
    Abstract: A personalized housing for a consumer product, such as a speaker, includes a customizable cover at least partially covering the product and a set of at least two end caps coupled to the product. The end caps are oriented in at least partial opposition to each other and installed using an interference fit. A vibration dampening connector or buffer couples the end caps to the product. The buffer is arranged such that urging the end caps onto the product couples the end caps in a releasable interference fit, and the cover remains coupled to the product when the end caps are pulled from the cover. The cover allows access to controls located on the product, for example volume and input controls, may be made of a front panel covering only the front of the product, and a corresponding enclosure that covers the top, rear and sides of the product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Inventor: Timothy Val Kolton
  • Patent number: 10313783
    Abstract: Loudspeaker enclosure comprising at least one loudspeaker having a convex mobile membrane, and a member surrounding the mobile membrane and comprising an external surface bounded by an internal edge (??) situated facing the mobile membrane, which comprises a peripheral edge (?) situated facing the internal edge of the member and forming a closed loop. The mobile membrane and the member have a suitable shape such that, over a continuous portion (??) of the peripheral edge (?) representing at least 25% of the length of the peripheral edge, for any first point (M) on the continuous portion and any second point (M?) situated on the internal edge at a location such that the distance between the first point (M) and second point (M?) is minimal, the mobile membrane has, at the first point, a first tangent plane, essentially coincident with a second tangent plane at the second point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Devialet
    Inventors: Emmanuel Nardin, Pierre-Emmanuel Calmel, Jean-Loup Afresne, Julien Laurent Bergere, Antoine Petroff
  • Patent number: 10264338
    Abstract: Improvements to an adjustable speaker within a frame is disclosed. The adjustment of the speaker allows for rotation or pivoting on a plurality of webs, ribs or fingers. The plurality of webs, ribs or fingers provide a plurality of bearing surfaces. The webs, ribs or fingers provide an open frame that requires less material and allows for sound transmission both in-front of the speaker and around the speaker. The frame can be scaled to be larger or smaller to accommodate different diameter and depth speakers. It is also contemplated that speakers frame can be accommodate both round and oblong shapes. The frame is a clam-shell mesh. The clam-shell captures the speaker between the two components. The two components essentially snap together to secure the speaker. The webs, ribs or fingers frame allows pivoting with a compression or tension member of a spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Inventor: Tyler Humphreys
  • Patent number: 10250991
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vibration loudspeaker, comprising a housing, a back lid matching the housing, and a vibration system and a magnetic circuit system in the housing; the housing and the back lid are both square-shaped structures; the four corners of the square-shaped structure of the housing are provided with a recess, and the four corners of the back lid corresponding to the four corners of the housing are provided with a step, such that the back lid and the housing snap together and fix to each other. The vibration loudspeaker of the present invention effectively enhances the firmness of the fitting between the back lid and the housing, thereby enhancing the overall strength of the vibration loudspeaker product of the present invention. The vibration loudspeaker of the present invention has high overall strength, good reliability, and strong shock resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: GOERTEK INC.
    Inventors: Jizong Wang, Dong Li, Chao Xu
  • Patent number: 10194223
    Abstract: Disclosed is a loudspeaker module, comprising a housing and a loudspeaker unit accommodated in the housing. A sound hole is provided on the housing, and a protective net is provided at a position of the housing corresponding to the sound hole, wherein the protective net has a non-planar structure. In the loudspeaker module of the present invention, the protective net has a non-planar structure, and cancels, via deformation thereof, stress of the housing such that the stress does not act on the protective net to cause tearing or deformation of the net holes, thus improving reliability of the protective net, preventing external foreign matter from entering the interior of the loudspeaker module, and improving reliability of the loudspeaker module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: GOERTEK INC.
    Inventors: Shuangshuang Fan, Gang Chen
  • Patent number: 10178470
    Abstract: Provided is an electronic machine including a speaker unit; a housing; and a rotating device. The rotating device rotates the speaker unit with respect to the housing, wherein the speaker unit is provided with an opening portion and a member which is supported by the housing and extends substantially in parallel to a rotational axis of the speaker unit is adapted to passing through the opening portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignees: PIONEER CORPORATION, TOHOKU PIONEER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Watanabe, Nobuyuki Sato, Takeru Miki, Toshiya Kosaka, Eitaro Unno, Takahiro Kudo, Yoshihiko Takeda
  • Patent number: 10024493
    Abstract: A speaker mount, assembly, and method of disengagement including a flange that circumscribes a perimeter of the mount. The speaker mount includes a support member coupled to the flange. The speaker mount includes a tab moveably coupled to the support member. The speaker mount includes a tab bias member functionally coupled to the tab. The speaker mount includes a path guide functionally coupled to the tab and to the support member. The path guide includes a vertical pathing and a rotational pathing that is substantially orthogonal to the vertical pathing. The speaker mount includes a blocking member functionally coupled to the tab such that in a blocking mode the blocking member obstructs free movement of the tab along the path guide and in a free mode does not obstruct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Swarm Holdings LLC
    Inventor: Jonathan Neil Hart
  • Patent number: 10019977
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for mounting a sound masking component or device to an existing electronic component, appliance, or a furnishing installed or located in a hotel room or other interior space. According to an embodiment, the existing electronic component or appliance comprises a television set. The television set includes a pre-existing mounting mechanism for attaching a television wall-mounting bracket. The sound masking component further includes a mounting bracket wherein the mounting bracket is configured to be secured to the pre-existing mounting mechanism on the television set. According to another embodiment, the sound masking component is mounted internally inside the television set and configured to receive power from the television power supply and emit a sound masking signal utilizing a television speaker or a separate sound masking speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: 777388 Ontario Limited
    Inventor: Niklas Moeller
  • Patent number: 9967675
    Abstract: An electrodynamic loudspeaker (10) including: a chassis (15), at least one magnetic circuit (20) secured to the chassis, at least one movable assembly (30) with respect to the chassis, the assembly (30) including a convex diaphragm (53) turned towards the outside of the loudspeaker, and at least one energizing coil (57) defining an axis (D) of the loudspeaker, a first suspension joint (35) connecting the assembly and the chassis, and a second suspension joint (40) of the assembly, the second joint being axially further away from the diaphragm than the first joint. The assembly further comprises at least one connecting member (59) secured to the diaphragm, the second joint including a radially inner attachment point (81) attached on the connecting member, and a radially outer attachment point (83) attached on the chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: DEVIALET
    Inventors: Pierre-Emmanuel Calmel, Antoine Petroff, Jean-Loup Afresne
  • Patent number: 9967657
    Abstract: A directional loudspeaker box with directional acoustic transmission holes includes a hollow housing and a loudspeaker. The hollow housing is provided with a front opening at the front end and has a peripheral portion adjacent to the front opening and formed with a plurality of directional acoustic transmission holes. The loudspeaker is fixed in the hollow housing and generates sound that can propagate out of the hollow housing through the front opening and the directional acoustic transmission holes. The angle at which each directional acoustic transmission hole is formed with respect to the central axis of the loudspeaker is a function of the axial distance between the directional acoustic transmission hole and the loudspeaker, wherein the smaller the axial distance, the larger the angle, and the larger the axial distance, the smaller the angle. Thus, the directional loudspeaker box effectively deals with near- and far-field sound effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: LONGINESTENO TECHNOLOGY COMPLEX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Chao-Lang Wang
  • Patent number: 9955245
    Abstract: A wireless sound-emitting device includes a housing adapted to be coupled to a wall at a source of electric power, a loudspeaker positioned at a periphery of the housing, a control module outputting an electric audio signal to the at least one loudspeaker, and a wireless communications module in electrical communication with the control module. The loudspeaker emits acoustic signals in a direction parallel to the wall, when the housing is coupled to the wall, with the acoustic signals reflecting off the wall. The device may produce a sound masking noise or play a sound recorded on an internal memory. The device may include an electric plug or be adapted to replace an electric outlet faceplate. The device may have electric pass-through outlets and may be powered by the source of electric power. The device may be controlled remotely, for example via an Internet of Things (IoT) platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Nightingale Smart Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Calisi, Gordon V. Cook, Edward Driscoll, Thomas R. Horrall
  • Patent number: 9900696
    Abstract: An air motion transformer loudspeaker driver including a plurality of diaphragm layers having electric conductors. Each of the diaphragm layers defines a surface having at least one curved portion. The curved portions have an axis of curvature being perpendicular to the surface of the diaphragm layer at the location of the curved diaphragm portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Inventor: Eugene J. Christensen
  • Patent number: 9878474
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method for making hollow foam balls and other molded objects. A mold is provided that is moveable between an open position and a closed position. A raw material is loaded into a plurality of molding cavities of the mold when the mold is in its open position, and a first alternating electric field is applied across the mold to heat the raw material in the molding cavities and thereby form a plurality of molded pieces. The mold is then moved from its open position to its closed position whereby a first group of molded pieces is aligned with a second group of molded pieces. A second alternating electric field is applied across the mold to heat bond the first group of molded pieces with the second group of molded pieces and thereby form a plurality of molded objects. Finally, the mold is moved from its closed position to its open position to enable unloading of the molded objects from the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: NOVATION IQ LLC
    Inventor: Michel Marc
  • Patent number: 9866950
    Abstract: An articulating speaker assembly includes a first member including a first driver and a second member including second driver. The first member and the second member are pivotally connected for selectively changing the profile of the speaker assembly. A central housing member is pivotally connected to each of the first member and the second member, wherein the central housing member supports a third driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Inventor: Dennis A Tracy
  • Patent number: 9621983
    Abstract: An improved 360 degree surround sound performance, 100 to 150 output wattage, low frequency driver portable wireless, Bluetooth compatible system is disclosed utilizing a sound reflective surface. In this system, a sound enclosure is formed including inner and outer half-spherical shaped, side wall enclosures, and as a bottom surface an elevated horizontal base region. A low frequency mounted driver is facing downward and mounted within a downward facing aperture of the inner half-spherical spaced, side wall enclosures and within an inner surface of the elevated horizontal base region. A pair of oppositionally mounted drivers, facing outward is mounted within oppositionally mounted, side apertures of the inner spaced apart, half-spherical shaped, side wall enclosures. Half-spherical shaped bowls couple to a back portion of the oppositionally mounted, side apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Nima Saati
    Inventor: Nima Saati
  • Patent number: 9615166
    Abstract: Provided is an electronic machine that is provided with a speaker and that enables a direction of the speaker to be appropriately and arbitrarily changed. The electronic machine includes a speaker unit, housings, and a rotating device. The speaker unit is supported by the housing. The rotating device includes a first rotating device configured to rotate the speaker unit with respect to the housings about a direction intersecting with an axis of the housings serving as a rotational axis, and a second rotating device configured to rotate the speaker unit with respect to the housings about the axis of the housings serving as a rotational axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignees: PIONEER CORPORATION, TOHOKU PIONEER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Watanabe, Nobuyuki Sato, Takeru Miki, Toshiya Kosaka, Eitaro Unno, Takahiro Kudo, Yoshihiko Takeda
  • Patent number: 9609406
    Abstract: Devices of the invention are portable speakers that provide stereophonic, surround sound. According to certain aspects, a speaker system includes a first speaker portion, a second speaker portion and a cable handle. The first speaker portion includes a first end and a second end, and the second speaker portion includes a third end and a fourth end. The cable handle couples the first end of the first speaker portion and a third end of the second speaker portion. The second end of the first speaker portion is configured to releasably couple to the fourth end of the second speaker portion, thereby forming a looped unit, when coupled, with the first speaker portion, the second speaker portion, and the cable handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: PUMA SE
    Inventors: Feng Guo, Bo Wang, Dengfeng Cao, Xueping Xiao, Xinhua He
  • Patent number: 9595914
    Abstract: An electronic component includes a wiring substrate, a heating element, a first support, a second support, and a container. The heating element, the first support, and the second support are electrically connected to the wiring substrate. Each of the first support and the second support includes a protrusion portion, and the protrusion portion of the second support is shorter than the protrusion portion of the first support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kensaku Isohata
  • Patent number: 9596539
    Abstract: A wireless sound-emitting device includes a housing adapted to be coupled to a wall at a source of electric power, a loudspeaker positioned at a periphery of the housing, a control module outputting an electric audio signal to the at least one loudspeaker, and a wireless communications module in electrical communication with the control module. The loudspeaker emits acoustic signals in a direction parallel to the wall, when the housing is coupled to the wall, with the acoustic signals reflecting off the wall. The device may produce a sound masking noise or play a sound recorded on an internal memory. The device may include an electric plug or be adapted to replace an electric outlet faceplate. The device may have electric pass-through outlets and may be powered by the source of electric power. The device may be controlled remotely, for example via an Internet of Things (IoT) platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Nightingale Smart Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Calisi, Gordon V. Cook, Edward Driscoll, Thomas R. Horrall
  • Patent number: 9485566
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for enhancing frequency response of a miniature speaker module, a miniature speaker module, and an electronic device. The method for enhancing frequency response of a miniature speaker module comprises the steps of: additionally providing an inverted tube in a rear cavity of the miniature speaker module to form a second driver in the inverted tube when an active driver works, the second driver and the active driver radiating jointly; and matching enhancement processing the input signals of the active driver according to the vibrating amplitude characteristics of the diaphragm of the active driver of the miniature speaker module additionally provided with the inverted tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Goertek Inc.
    Inventor: Kang Hou
  • Patent number: 9414152
    Abstract: A sound reproduction system includes one or more arrays of drive units, coupled with sound processing allowing improved steerability, directional control, width control, and/or beam overlay. A speaker column may comprise two arrays facing one another, the drive units being perpendicular to the speaker unit front, with the acoustic output of each line array being compressed, turned and output from an elongate slot. The drive units may be staggered with respect to those in the opposing array. The arrays may be arc-shaped else straight. Selective delays to simulate an arced pattern. Differential delays applied to the drive units in a sub-array allow beam steering. Additional drive units, such as high frequency drivers, may be added along the length of the elongate slot or elsewhere to increase the dynamic frequency range of the speaker system. A collocated sound processor and amplifier output stage may be integrated with the speaker unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: THX Ltd.
    Inventor: Lawrence R. Fincham
  • Patent number: 9407980
    Abstract: A clip-on transceiver microphone includes a first body, a second body, and a pivot shaft assembly. The first body has a circuit board therein. The second body has a battery therein. The battery supplies power to the circuit board inside the first body through a power wire. The first body further has a microphone jack for connecting with an external microphone to receive voice. The first body is pivotally connected with the second body by the pivot shaft assembly. After being assembled, two clipping ends of the first body and the second body are tied to each other. Two squeezing ends of the first body and the second body are pushed to open the two clipping ends and then clip on clothes of a user, thereby attaching the clip-on transceiver microphone on the object of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Inventor: Liang-Chih Cheng
  • Patent number: 9347756
    Abstract: The invention comprises a device and method of using said device(s) including but not limited to; Long Range Acoustical Devices (LRAD), Hyper Sonic Sound (HSS), Cascaded Linear Array Systems (Clas and BClas) and or HyperSpike devices currently and typically used for sonar, acoustic hailing, crowd control, mass notification, and sonic boom simulation—to initiate avalanche release in or in proximity to avalanche corridors and starting zone(s) as a non-explosive control alternative. The invention is an integration of technologies incorporating an infrasound generator, on board power supply and amplification, inverter, digital signal processor, GPS, and RF receiver all housed in a rugged weather resistant enclosure with necessary gantry and rigging. The combination of these technologies allows control personnel to safely operate the equipment from a remote location. The invention is deployed remotely via a cable or network of cables to predetermined avalanche starting zone(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Inventors: David Allen Sager, Gavin Wade Washburn
  • Patent number: 9277307
    Abstract: A smart tablet device holder incorporating two cup-shaped speakers. The housing of each speaker is shaped and sized as a cup and can be placed inside commonly seen cup holders. The two cup-shaped speakers are connected by a bridge member between them which is designed to hold a smart tablet device such as a tablet computer, an e-reader, etc. The bridge member is integrally connected with the two speakers or is a separate piece cooperating with the two speakers. The two cup-shaped speakers can be inserted into two cup holders of, for example, a parent tray of a baby stroller. The holder has electrical connectors for electrically connecting to the audio output of the smart tablet device. Two sound producing devices are disposed within each speaker housing and face upwards and downwards so that the sound can be heard by both the baby and the parent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: BABY TREND INC.
    Inventors: Derek Conrad, Denny Tsai
  • Patent number: 9210490
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electro-acoustic to enclosure (10) comprising walls defining two cavities (1; 2), each provided with an aperture (11; 21) shut off by a loudspeaker (12; 22), noteworthy in that it is said to be “enclosed” and in that each cavity (1; 2) has a shape for which the intersection with any plane containing the central axis (X1-X1?; X2, X2?) of said loudspeaker (12; 22) is a portion of an ellipse (E1i; E2i), the major axes (X1i-X1i?; X2i-X2i?) of said ellipses (E1i; E2i) being substantially coincident with said central axis (X1-X1?; X2, X2?) of said loudspeaker (12; 22), said aperture (11; 21) being secant to said ellipses (E1i; E2i) in such a way that the second extreme points (P1i?; P2i?) of each ellipse (E1i; E2i) are situated in said aperture (11; 21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Inventor: Guy Lemarquand
  • Patent number: 9179213
    Abstract: A speaker apparatus for producing sound comprising of a housing, a plurality of covers, a speaker driver, a radiator, a resonator and a resonator stand which in combination provide an enhanced low frequency sound output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Inventor: Long Ngoc Pham
  • Publication number: 20150136517
    Abstract: An acoustic device includes a resilient surround having a proportionately unequal distribution of half roll and inverted half roll segments. Half roll segments may be sized and located to provide additional clearance for internal components. Regions of transitional concavity may be sized and located to provide increased stiffness in one or more dimensions. Transitions between inversions of concavity may be smooth and free of localized inflexions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Weidong Zhu, Johan Isaksson, Benjamin Peterson
  • Patent number: 8925676
    Abstract: Speaker performance can be improved by routing sound from a rear side of speaker through a circuitous port formed between inner and outer surfaces of a wall of the speaker enclosure. An audio speaker enclosure comprises an enclosure housing defining an internal volume with a speaker opening at a first end thereof, the speaker opening being configured to receive a speaker therein, the enclosure housing having an inner surface facing the internal volume and an outer surface, the enclosure further defining at least one port communicating between the internal volume and the outer surface, the at least one port extending between the inner and outer surfaces along a port length that is greater than a maximum housing thickness between the inner and outer surfaces. The speaker enclosure can be made by arranging an inner speaker enclosure shell within an outer speaker enclosure shell such that the port is defined therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Inventor: Jimmy Lee Murray
  • Patent number: 8873788
    Abstract: A sub woofer for in-ground installation and a method of installation. The sub woofer has a cylindrical enclosure or housing having a driver, electronics and a band pass filter. The driver cone is coaxial with the axis of the cylindrical housing. A port tube assembly having a tuned port tube and a resilient elbow interface is attached to an end wall of the housing in an eccentric position with the port tube projecting vertically and terminating at a canopy. The installation requires placing the enclosure in an excavation and positioning the housing and port assembly so a predetermined above ground spacing exists between the upper end of the above ground port tube and grade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Inventor: Jeffery James Coombs
  • Patent number: 8757317
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a loudspeaker enclosure structure which includes a hollow housing being a barrel-shaped housing whose outer surface is concavely provided with a plurality of directional grooves each evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the hollow housing and extending from the front end to rear end of the hollow housing, and a reflective cover having a front side fixed to a rear opening of the hollow housing and concavely provided with an annular reflective groove adjacent to the periphery of the reflective cover. The hollow housing has a receiving space therein which is in communication with each directional groove through the reflective groove. Therefore, the sound generated by a loudspeaker fixed in the receiving space will not only propagate out of the front end of the hollow housing, but also be transmitted to the space surrounding the hollow housing by way of the directional grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Longinesteno Technology Complex Corporation
    Inventor: Chao-Lang Wang
  • Patent number: 8749394
    Abstract: Various inventive features are disclosed for efficiently generating regulation-compliant audible alerts, including but not limited to 520 Hz square wave alert/alarm signals, using an audio speaker. One such feature involves the use of a non-linear amplifier in combination with a voltage boost regulator to efficiently drive the audio speaker. Another feature involves speaker enclosure designs that effectively boost the output of the audio speaker, particularly at relatively low frequencies. These and other features may be used individually or combination in a given alarm-generation device or system to enable regulation-compliant audible alerts to be generated using conventional batteries, such as AA alkaline batteries. Various examples of efficiently generated regulation-compliant audible alerts and further enhancing such audible alerts by utilizing speaker enclosure designs are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: InnovAlarm Corporation
    Inventors: James J. Lewis, Landgrave T. Smith, David E. Albert
  • Patent number: 8627919
    Abstract: A speaker has a speaker unit and a box. The speaker unit has a speaker unit side terminal. The box includes a casing having an internal space, and a box side terminal arranged in the casing so as to be in close contact with the casing. Under the condition that the speaker unit is housed in the internal space, a first terminal serving as one of the speaker unit side terminal and the box side terminal has a projection, a second terminal serving as the other thereof surrounds and sandwiches an outer periphery of the projection from at least both sides, and the first terminal and the second terminal are electrically connected with soldering. Thus, it is possible to obtain the speaker which can improve workability on a connection between the speaker unit and the box and save a space, and the portable information terminal provided with the speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideki Hiwatashi
  • Patent number: 8477967
    Abstract: A speaker assembly is provided with a housing, a speaker mounted to the housing, and a reflector spaced apart from and facing the speaker. The reflector is symmetrical and has an arcuate central convex region for reflecting pressure back to the speaker for amplifying back pressure to the speaker. The reflector has a secondary region with an arcuate cross-section for reflecting acoustic vibrations past and outboard of the housing. The reflector is partially translucent, and a light source is provided adjacent the reflector for conveying light to the reflector, past and outboard of the housing for illuminating a region that receives acoustic vibrations reflected from the reflector. A media assembly is provided with a fan operably connected to a generator so that air that passes into a housing through an inlet and out of an outlet, causes the fan to rotate thereby providing a power source to a media device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Inventors: Ronald Paul Harwood, Kenneth Alan Klemmer, Larry Alan Schirmer
  • Patent number: 8422713
    Abstract: A loudspeaker system for the reproduction of acoustic waves of music, sound and speech in a substantially circular horizontal plane. The loudspeaker system includes multiple spherical enclosures, each enclosure housing a pair of transducers, each pair of transducers producing acoustic waves of a predetermined frequency range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Inventors: J. Craig Oxford, D. Michael Shields
  • Patent number: 8259980
    Abstract: An adjustable tweeter assembly is provided to allow a tweeter to be directionally oriented to a selected position. The assembly includes a base, a bowl, and a cup, which are nested together so that the bowl is sandwiched between the base and the cup for movement therebetween. The tweeter is mounted in the bowl which can be rotated and pivoted relative to the cup and to the base. A fastener extends through the cup, the bowl, and the base, and through a leaf spring so as to provide a compressive or clamping force between the base, the bowl, and the cup. The tweeter is rotatable 360° and pivotal approximately 90°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Three Amigos LLC
    Inventors: Ronald D. Maurer, Sean P. McDermott, Richard P. Apgar