Playback devices having waveguides with drainage features

• US 10,499,128 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2018
• Issued: 12/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Zaba, Camille, Chamness, Michael, Flanagan, Greg, Gardner, Garrett, Holley, Brandon
• Primary Examiner(s): Eason, Matthew A
• Application Number:
  US15/958,815
• Publication Number:
  US 20190327547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/025 Arrangements for fixing loudspeaker transducers, e.g. in a box, furniture
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/26 Spatial arrangements of separate transducers responsive to two or more frequency ranges
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2857 for loudspeaker transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/345 for loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/36 by using a single aperture of dimensions not greater than the shortest operating wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 31/006 Interconnection of transducer parts of diaphragm and outer suspension by moulding H04R31/003

Abstract

A playback device comprises an acoustic waveguide having a bounding surface, the bounding surface delimiting an opening. A drainage channel extends from the opening and is arranged to direct liquid from inside the waveguide toward a drainage outlet.

Claims

1. A playback device comprising:

an acoustic waveguide having a bounding surface, the bounding surface delimiting a plurality of openings;

one or more drainage outlets; and

a drainage channel extending from each of the plurality of openings and arranged to direct liquid from inside the waveguide toward at least one of the one or more drainage outlets.

2. The playback device of claim 1, wherein a portion of the bounding surface of the waveguide extending to at least one of the plurality of openings of the waveguide is substantially horizontal when the playback device is in an upright orientation.

3. The playback device of claim 1, wherein:

the bounding surface comprises a local extremum; and

at least one of the openings delimited by the bounding surface is located at the local extremum, such that, when the playback device is in an upright orientation, the bounding surface bounds the waveguide from below and is arranged to direct liquid at least partially toward the at least one opening.

4. The playback device of claim 3, wherein a section of the waveguide has a substantially serpentine cross-section in an upright plane coplanar with the local extremum.

5. The playback device of claim 1, wherein multiple drainage channels are arranged to direct liquid from inside the waveguide toward a same drainage outlet.

6. The playback device of claim 1, wherein:

the bounding surface comprises a plurality of local extrema; and

one of the plurality of openings delimited by the bounding surface is located at each of the local extrema, such that, when the playback device is in an upright orientation, the bounding surface bounds the waveguide from below and is arranged to direct liquid at least partially toward the plurality of openings.

7. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the bounding surface is a lower bounding surface of the waveguide, and wherein the playback device comprises an electroacoustic transducer in fluid communication with the waveguide and disposed above the bounding surface.

8. The playback device of claim 7, wherein a minimum distance between the electroacoustic transducer and the lower bounding surface is less than 5 mm.

9. The playback device of claim 7, wherein the lower bounding surface comprises a local extremum located in a recess of the lower bounding surface, the recess being configured to surround a portion of the electroacoustic transducer, and wherein an opening delimited by the lower bounding surface is located at the local extremum.

10. The playback device of claim 7, wherein the electroacoustic transducer is a tweeter.

11. The playback device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the openings has a minimum dimension of at least 0.5 mm.

12. The playback device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the openings has a maximum dimension of less than 5 mm.

13. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the waveguide is arranged to direct liquid from inside the waveguide toward at least one of the openings of the waveguide when the playback device is in a tilted resting orientation.

14. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the playback device comprises an electroacoustic transducer in fluid communication with the waveguide and disposed above the bounding surface, and wherein a portion of the electroacoustic transducer is treated with a hydrophobic coating.

15. The playback device of claim 1, wherein at least one drainage channel is in fluid communication with an interior channel, the interior channel at least partially passing through a sealed acoustic volume within the playback device.

16. A method of manufacturing a playback device, comprising:

forming a first portion defining a lower bounding surface of a waveguide, the lower bounding surface delimiting a plurality of openings of a drainage channel extending from each of the plurality of openings and arranged to direct liquid from inside the waveguide toward at least one of a plurality of drainage outlets;

forming a second portion defining at least part of an interior channel; and

joining the second portion to the first portion, such that the drainage channel is in fluid communication with the interior channel.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the joining comprises bonding the first portion to the second portion.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the joining comprises welding the first portion to the second portion.

19. A playback device comprising:

an electroacoustic transducer;

an acoustic waveguide in fluid communication with the electroacoustic transducer, a lower bounding surface of the acoustic waveguide having an undulating shape, the lower bounding surface delimiting a plurality of openings located at local minima of the undulating shape;

respective drainage channels extending from each of the plurality of openings;

wherein the respective drainage channels are arranged to direct liquid from inside the waveguide toward a drainage outlet.