Speaker cover grille

• US 5,652,413 A
• Filed: 03/07/1996
• Issued: 07/29/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Oakwood Metal Fabricating Company
• Original Assignee: Oakwood Metal Fabricating Company
• Inventors: Mulera, David T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Khanh
• Application Number:
  US08/611,947
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 181/148, 181/150, 181/141, 381/188, 381/205
• US Class Current: 181/141
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/023 Screens for loudspeakers

Abstract

A pierced metal speaker cover grille has a series of tabs extending away from the turned edge of a front cover portion, an outwardly inclined cutout section formed on each tab. The inclined cutout sections cam each associated tab inwardly as it is advanced into an aligned slot in the mounting panel, and lock behind the rear edge to secure the cover grille in place.

Claims

1. In combination, a speaker cover grille and a trim piece, said speaker cover grille covering an opening in said trim piece behind which a speaker assembly is adapted to be mounted, said cover grille:

comprised of a formed sheet of pierced sheet metal completely covered with a pattern of through holes to create an open area allowing transmission of sound therethrough, said cover grille having a central generally planar front portion and an integral formed turned edge extending rearwardly about a perimeter of said generally planar front portion;

said cover grille having at least one generally planar tab integrally formed along one side from said formed turned edge of pierced metal, said tab extending away from said formed edge in a direction generally normal to said central generally planar portion of said cover grille, and having a cutout portion projecting outwardly from remaining portions of said tab, said cutout portion having a first side joined to said tab remaining portions at a location adjacent an outboard end of said tab remote from said one side of said tab;

said trim piece formed with a first surface adjacent said trim piece opening, said turned edge of said speaker cover grille abutting said surface, said trim piece also formed with a slot allowing said at least one tab to move past said trim piece first surface, and an edge of said trim piece slot engaged by a first part of said outwardly inclined cutout portion of said tab to cause said cutout portion of said tab to be cammed inwardly as said turned edge of said cover grille moves towards abutment with said trim piece first surface;

said tab cutout portion having a second part engaging said trim piece on a second surface located past said slot to retain said cover grille after said tab is inserted in said slot.

2. The speaker cover grille according to claim 1 wherein said tab cutout portion is bent along a line intermediate said first part and said second part which are thereby angled with respect to each other to form a knee feature.

3. The speaker cover grille according to claim 2 wherein said tab cutout portion is flat, and has a projecting end lying outward of said tab remaining portions, said end comprising said second part of said tab cutout portion.

4. A speaker cover grille comprising:

a sheet of pierced metal formed with a pattern of openings creating an open area to allow transmission of sound therethrough, said pattern substantially covering a full extent of said cover grille, said cover grille having a generally planar main front portion and an inwardly turned edge about a perimeter thereof;

a series of spaced apart tabs each having one side integrally formed with said turned edge and extending away from said inwardly turned edge;

said tabs each including a planar tab main portion extending rearwardly from said side integral with said turned edge generally normally to said front portion of said cover grille;

said tabs each also formed with a cutout portion formed with a series of sides, said cutout portion of each of said tabs joined to a respective tab main portion along one side thereof located away from said integrally formed side of a respective tab and projecting outward from said planar tab main portion and said speaker cover grille main front portion, said cutout portion of each tab extending back towards said cover grille main portion from said joined side.

5. The speaker cover grille according to claim 4 wherein said cutout portion of each of said tabs is bent along a line intermediate the length of said cutout portion to form a knee.