Sound and vibration transmission pad and system

• US 20050053252A1
• Filed: 09/16/2004
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Round River Research Corp.
• Original Assignee: Daniel E. Cohen
• Inventors: Cohen, Daniel E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,553,288 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/333
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0138 incorporated in furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2203/0425 Sitting on the buttocks
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2203/0443 substantially horizontal
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/062 Shoulders
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0236 using sonic waves, e.g. using loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/023 in a chair, pillow
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a pad and sound transmission system which is adapted to directly transmit audible sound waves into the body at high intensity levels. In one embodiment, the subject invention includes a back pad and a seat pad. Each pad includes a speaker module having an acoustic speaker disposed within the pad and surrounded by a plurality of different layers.

Claims

1. A pad comprising:

a speaker module including an acoustic speaker and a layered plurality of materials having different degrees of acoustic conductance and compressibility, said speaker being supported within and enclosed by the plurality of materials.

2. The pad of claim 1 wherein the layered plurality of materials comprises a plurality of different foam elements.

3. The pad of claim 1 wherein the speaker module is generally centrally positioned within the pad and sound insulation is provided at lateral portions of the pad.

4. The pad of claim 3 wherein the sound insulation comprises a plurality of different foam materials.

5. The pad of claim 1 adapted for use as a seat pad wherein the speaker module includes a pair of acoustic speakers, and each of the pair of speakers is associated with a thigh region of a user.

6. The pad of claim 1 adapted for use as a back pad wherein the speaker module includes a pair of acoustic speakers, and each of the pair of speakers is associated with a portion of a user'"'"'s spine.

7. The pad of claim 1 further comprising a seat module having a layered plurality of materials having different degrees of compressibility.

8. The pad of claim 7 wherein one or more layers of the seat module extend into the speaker module.

9. The pad of claim 1 wherein an air-filled resonant chamber is defined within the speaker module proximate to the speaker, said resonant chamber defined as an aperture through one or more of the plurality of layered materials.

10. A chair comprising:

a seat pad and a back pad, wherein each pad includes a speaker module having an acoustic speaker, a layered plurality of materials having different degrees of acoustic conductance and compressibility, wherein said speaker is supported within and enclosed by the plurality of materials.

11. The chair of claim 10 further comprising a sound insulation surrounding at least part of the speaker module.

12. The chair of claim 10 wherein the speaker module of the seat pad includes a pair of acoustic speakers, and each of the pair of speakers is associated with a thigh region of a user.

13. The chair of claim 10 wherein the speaker module of the back pad includes a pair of acoustic speakers, and each of the pair of speakers is associated with a different portion of a user'"'"'s spine.

14. The chair of claim 10 wherein an air-filled resonant chamber is defined within the speaker module proximate to the speaker, said resonant chamber defined as an aperture through one or more of the plurality of layered materials.

15. The chair of claim 10 further comprising volume controls for a speaker of each pad.

16. The chair of claim 10 further comprising an amplified sound source having an automatic volume control.

17. The chair of claim 16 further comprising a decibel sensor in communication with the automatic volume control.

18. The chair of claim 10 further comprising one or more activation switches located within the back pad, the seat pad, or both, the activation switch being in communication with an amplification system.

19. A chair comprising:

a seat pad; and

a speaker module having an acoustic speaker and a layered plurality of different materials, wherein said speaker is supported within and enclosed by the plurality of materials, and wherein said speaker is positioned between a user sitting on the seat pad and a frame of the chair.

20. The chair of claim 19 wherein the speaker module includes a pair of acoustic speakers, and each of the pair of speakers is associated with a thigh region of a user.

21. The chair of claim 19 wherein an air-filled resonant chamber is defined within the speaker module proximate to the speaker, said resonant chamber defined as an aperture through one or more of the plurality of layered materials.

22. The chair of claim 19 further comprising a volume control for the speaker.

23. The chair of claim 19 further comprising a sound insulation surrounding at least part of the speaker module.

25. A chair comprising:

a back pad; and

a speaker module having an acoustic speaker and a layered plurality of different foam materials, wherein said speaker is supported within and enclosed by the plurality of foam materials, and wherein said speaker is positioned between a user sitting on the seat pad and a back support portion of a frame of the chair.

26. The chair of claim 25 wherein the speaker module includes a pair of acoustic speakers, and each of the pair of speakers is associated with a different portion of the user'"'"'s spine.

27. The chair of claim 25 wherein an air-filled resonant chamber is defined within the speaker module proximate to the speaker, said resonant chamber defined as an aperture through one or more of the plurality of layered materials.

28. The chair of claim 25 further comprising a volume control for the speaker.

29. The chair of claim 25 further comprising a sound insulation surrounding at least part of the speaker module.

30. A chair comprising:

a seat pad including a layered plurality of foam materials having different acoustic transmission properties, said seat pad defining a speaker module and a seating module, wherein portions of each of the speaker module and seating module are positioned between a user and a frame of the chair, wherein said speaker module has an acoustic speaker positioned between the user and the frame, and wherein the speaker module and the seating module have different levels of resistance to compression.

31. The chair of claim 30 wherein the speaker module includes a pair of acoustic speakers, and each of the pair of speakers is associated with a thigh region of a user.

32. The chair of claim 30 wherein an air-filled resonant chamber is defined within the speaker module proximate to the speaker, said resonant chamber defined as an aperture through one or more of the plurality of layered materials.