Response tracer audio equalizer amplifier unit having graphic response display

• US 4,173,941 A
• Filed: 06/08/1978
• Issued: 11/13/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canadian Patents and Development Limited/Societe Canadienne des Brevets et d'Exploitation Limitee
• Original Assignee: Sparkomatic Corporation (Infinity Group Holding Co. LLC)
• Inventors: Castagna, John F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swisher, S. Clement
• Assistant Examiner(s): Corr, Denis E.
• Application Number:
  US05/914,064
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 116/135, 116/136, 116/124 R, 333/28 T, 33/1 C, 33/174 PA, 33/176, 33/177, 33/1 G, 33/1 AA
• US Class Current: 116/307
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 5/025 Equalizers; Volume or gain control in limited frequency bands
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0018 having an electronic display

Abstract

A response tracer audio equalizer booster amplifier unit having graphic display of frequency response characteristics for variably boosting the power of output signals from an audio frequency signal source to speakers of a stereo sound system or the like, having a cabinet enclosing audio amplifier circuitry for variably boosting the audio signal at plural frequency bands in the audio spectrum, a manually adjustable slide control for each band adjustable along horizontal fore-and-aft paths for varying the signal boosting at the frequency bands, and a graphic display window having markings for the frequency bands and a continuous flexible curve indicator wire variably shaped to simulate a frequency response curve. Motion translating flexible coupling members are moved by the slide to shape the wire to indicate the frequency response curve.

Claims

1. A response tracer amplifier unit having graphic display of frequency response characteristics of output signals from an audio frequency source, comprising an amplifier cabinet housing audio amplifier circuitry for variably amplifying the audio signals at plural predetermined frequency bands in the audio spectrum, a manually adjustable tone control for each of the respective frequency bands for varying the signal amplification at each associated band, a graphic display window panel in a front wall of the cabinet having laterally spaced markings identifying graph-like positions for selected frequencies over most of the audio frequency spectrum, means supporting a continuous flexible curve indicator wire transversely spanning a face of said window panel for vertical movement of portions of the wire corresponding to locations of said frequency bands in a frequency response curve for the amplifier, and flexible motion translating means between each of said adjustable tone controls and said portions of the curve indicator wire for moving said portions of the wire vertically up and down responsive to manual adjustment of the tone controls for the associated frequency bands in a manner to shape the wire to indicate generally a frequency response curve for the audio spectrum including said frequency bands.

2. A response tracer amplifier having graphic display of frequency response characteristics of output signals from an audio frequency source, comprising an amplifier cabinet housing audio amplifier circuitry for variably amplifying the audio signals at plural predetermined frequency bands in the audio spectrum, a manually adjustable tone control for each of the respective frequency bands for varying the signal amplification at each associated band, a graphic display window panel in a front wall of the cabinet having laterally spaced markings identifying graph-like positions for selected frequencies over most of the audio frequency spectrum, means supporting a continuous flexible curve indicator wire transversely spanning a face of said window panel for vertical movement of portions of the wire corresponding to locations of said frequency bands in a frequency response curve for the amplifier, motion translating means between each of said adjustable tone controls and said portions of the curve indicator wire for moving said portions of the wire vertically up and down responsive to manual adjustment of the tone controls for the associated frequency bands in a manner to shape the wire to indicate generally a frequency response curve for the audio spectrum including said frequency bands, the plurality of frequency band tone controls being push-knob members, said cabinet having guideway formations supporting the push-knob members for rectilinear front-to-rear movement to adjust the amplifier response for the associated frequency bands, and said motion translating means having a horizontally movable portion coupled to the associated push-knob members and a vertically movable portion coupled to the associated band signifying portions of said wire.

3. A response tracer amplifier as defined in claim 2, wherein the translating means comprises an elongated flexible slider strap for each tone control and means defining a guideway for the strap member capturing the strap for a longitudinal sliding movement therein and shaping the strap to a changeable substantially right angle profile.

4. A response tracer amplifier unit as defined in claim 3, wherein said means forming the guideway for said slider strap comprises a front substantially right angular front cover member having front and bottom flange walls to capture and guide said slider straps and a companion right angular backing plate member nested rearwardly against confronting rear and upper faces of said flange walls, the front cover member having slider channel recesses in said rear and upper faces at the positions for the flexible slider straps for shaping the slider straps in right angular configurations providing an upwardly extending front vertical portion and rearwardly extending lower horizontal portion joined by a cylindrically curved midportion and coacting with the confronting surfaces of said backing plate member to maintain the strap captured in said channel recesses.

5. A response tracer amplifier having graphic display of frequency response characteristics of output signals from an audio frequency source, comprising an amplifier cabinet housing audio amplifier circuitry for variably amplifying the audio signals at plural predetermined frequency bands in the audio spectrum, a manually adjustable tone control for each of the respective frequency bands for varying the signal amplification at each associated band, a graphic display window panel in a front wall of the cabinet having laterally spaced markings identifying graph-like positions for selected frequencies over most of the audio frequency spectrum, means supporting a continuous flexible curve indicator wire transversely spanning a face of said window panel for vertical movement of portions of the wire corresponding to locations of said frequency bands in a frequency response curve for the amplifier, motion translating means between each of said adjustable tone controls and said portions of the curve indicator wire for moving said portions of the wire vertically up and down responsive to manual adjustment of the tone controls for the associated frequency bands in a manner to shape the wire to indicate generally a frequency response curve for the audio spectrum including said frequency bands, the plurality of frequency band tone controls being push-knob members, said cabinet having guideway formations supporting the push-knob members for rectilinear front-to-rear movement to adjust the amplifier response for the associated frequency bands, and said motion translating means comprising an elongated flexible slider strap for each tone control and means defining a guideway for the strap member capturing the strap for longitudinal sliding movement therein and shaping the strap to a changeable substantially right angle profile defining a drive end portion coupled to the associated tone control for horizontal sliding movement therewith and a driven opposite end portion captured for vertical sliding movement and coupled to the indicator wire to vertically position the associated wire portion and having a curved intermediate portion between said end portions of the strap.

6. A response tracer amplifier unit as defined in claim 5, wherein said means forming the guideway for said slider strap comprises a front substantially right angular front cover member having front and bottom flange walls to capture and guide said slider straps and a companion right angular backing plate member nested rearwardly against confronting rear and upper faces of said flange walls, the front cover member having slider channel recesses in said rear and upper faces at the positions for the flexible slider straps for shaping the slider straps in right angular configurations providing an upwardly extending front vertical portion and rearwardly extending lower horizontal portion joined by a cylindrically curved midportion and coacting with the confronting surfaces of said backing plate member to maintain the strap captured in said channel recesses.

7. A response tracer amplifier unit as defined in claim 5, wherein said means forming the guideway for said slider strap comprises a front substantially right angular front cover member having front and bottom flange walls to capture and guide said slider straps and a companion right angular backing plate member nested rearwardly against confronting rear and upper faces of said flange walls, and the front cover member having slider channel recesses in said rear and upper faces at the positions for the flexible slider straps for shaping the slider straps in right angular configurations providing an upwardly extending front vertical portion and rearwardly extending lower horizontal portion joined by a cylindrically curved midportion and coacting with the confronting surfaces of said backing plate member to maintain the strap captured in said channel recesses and the front wall portion of said front cover member having a vertical slot therethrough at each of said channel recesses for passage of a forwardly extending projection from the driven portion of the associated strap members therethrough to engage and position the adjoining indicator wire portions.

8. A response tracer audio equalizer booster amplifier unit having graphic display of frequency response characteristics for variably boosting the power of output signals from an audio frequency signal source to speakers of a stereo sound system or the like, comprising an amplifier cabinet for housing audio amplifier circuitry for variably boosting the audio signal at a plurality of predetermined frequency bands in the audio spectrum, a plurality of independently manually adjustable slide controls movable along parallel horizontal front-to-rear paths and corresponding to the number of said frequency bands for varying the boosting of the signal at the frequency bands associated with each of the controls, a graphic display window panel in a front wall of the cabinet having markings for identification of the locations of the frequency bands in a frequency response graph-like display, means supporting a continuous flexible curve indicator wire transversely spanning the rear of said window panel for vertical movement of portions of the wires corresponding to the frequency band locations in the graph display, and motion translating flexible coupling members coupled between each of said adjustable controls and said portions of the curve indicator wire for moving said portions of the curve indicator wire vertically up and down responsive to manual adjustment of the controls in a manner to shape the wire to indicate generally the frequency response curve for an audio frequency spectrum including said frequency bands.

9. A response tracer amplifier as defined in claim 8, wherein said cabinet has guideway formations supporting the slide controls for rectilinear front-to-rear movement to adjust the amplifier response for the associated frequency bands, and said flexible coupling members each comprising an elongated flexible slider strap for the associated slide control, and means defining a guideway for the strap member capturing the strap for a longitudinal sliding movement therein and shaping the strap member to a changeable substantially right angle profile having a vertical leg and horizontal leg joined by an arcuate curve portion.

10. A response tracer amplifier as defined in claim 8, wherein said cabinet has guideway formations supporting the slide controls for rectilinear front-to-rear movement to adjust the amplifier response for the associated frequency bands, and said flexible coupling members each comprising and elongated flexible slider strap for the associated slide control, and means defining a guideway for the strap member capturing the strap for a longitudinal sliding movement therein and shaping the strap member to a changeable substantially right angle profile defining a drive end portion coupled to the associated slide control and to an associated potentiometer for its frequency band for normally horizontal sliding movement therewith and a driven opposite end portion captured for vertical sliding movement adjacent the window panel and coupled to the indicator wire to vertical position the associated wire portion and having a curved intermediate portion between said end portions of the strap.

11. A response tracer amplifier unit as defined in claim 9, wherein said means forming the guideway for said slider strap comprises a front substantially right angular front cover member having joined vertical and horizontal flange walls to capture and guide said slider straps and a companion right angular backing plate member rearwardly nested against confronting faces of said flange walls, the cover member having slider channel recesses in the faces of the flange walls confronting the backing plate member at the positions for the flexible slider straps for shaping the slider straps in right angular configurations providing an upwardly extending front vertical portion and rearwardly extending lower horizontal portion joined by a cylindrically curved midportion and coacting with the confronting surfaces of said backing plate member to maintain the strap captured in said channel recesses.