Vehicle audio system

• US 5,754,664 A
• Filed: 08/01/1994
• Issued: 05/19/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Clark, David L., Steuber, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, PING
• Application Number:
  US08/283,680
• Time in Patent Office: 1,387 Days
• Field of Search: 381/86, 381/188, 381/205, 381/24, 296/214, 181/199, 181/141, 181/144, 181/170, 181/171
• US Class Current: 381/86
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0217 for loud-speakers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/00 Elements for body-finishing, identifying, or decorating; Arrangements or adaptations for advertising purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0021 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0024 Rear shelves
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0028 Ceiling, e.g. roof rails
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0043 for integrated articles, i.e. not substantially protruding from the surrounding parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0047 using hidden fastening means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0288 Apparatus made of several modules independently mounted
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/025 Arrangements for fixing loudspeaker transducers, e.g. in a box, furniture
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers

Abstract

A vehicle audio system includes overhead speakers connected to an audio source through a control circuit. The control circuit effects signal delays, crossover filtering, and equalization. The overhead speakers are connected to the control circuit and are positioned such that they provide strong front staging and desired surrounding ambiance responsive to the output signals of the control circuit. According to one aspect of the invention, the speakers are mounted directly to the headliner.

Claims

1. An audio system for a vehicle including a vehicle roof structure, comprising:

a headliner made of a relatively thin flexible substrate for mounting in a generally horizontal plane to the vehicle roof structure for providing a decorative inner roof cover in the vehicle interior;

a source of audio signals;

a control circuit coupled to said audio source, said control circuit generating left, right and center channel signals;

a first magnetic speaker mounted to said headliner near one edge thereof, said first speaker coupled to said control circuit to receive said right channel signal;

a second magnetic speaker mounted to said headliner near another edge thereof, said second speaker coupled to said control circuit to receive said left channel signal;

a third magnetic speaker mounted to said headliner intermediate said first and second speakers, said third speaker connected to said control circuit to receive said center channel signal;

a fourth magnetic speaker mounted to said headliner near said one edge of said headliner and spaced from said first speaker, said fourth speaker coupled to said control circuit to receive said right channel signal;

a fifth magnetic speaker mounted to said headliner near said another edge of said headliner and spaced from said second speaker, said fifth speaker coupled to said control circuit to receive said left channel signal; and

wherein the spacing of said first, second, third, fourth, and fifth speakers on said headliner is selected such that said speakers create a front center staging for occupants of the vehicle while providing a surrounding ambience simulating a listening area substantially larger than that in the interior of a vehicle in response to said signals supplied to said speakers and wherein said first, second, third, fourth and fifth speakers have a major dimension less than about five inches and are mounted directly to said headliner and supported only by said headliner, and wherein said first, second and third speakers are substantially full range speakers reproducing signals in the frequency range between 150 Hz to 15,000 Hz.

2. The audio system as defined in claim 1 further including a low frequency speaker positioned below the headliner of the vehicle.

3. The audio system as defined in claim 1, wherein said third speaker is positioned near the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle adjacent the front edge of the headliner.

4. The audio system as defined in claim 1, further including a sixth speaker positioned near the center of the headliner, said sixth speaker coupled to said control circuit to receive said center channel signal.

5. An audio system for a vehicle including front, rear and side windows comprising:

a decorative headliner made of a relatively thin and flexible material for extending generally horizontally over the inner surface of the vehicle'"'"'s roof structure between the front, rear and side windows;

a source of audio signals, said source generating left, right and center signals;

a first magnetic speaker having a major dimension less than about five inches and mounted only to said headliner for support of said first speaker and positioned adjacent one side edge of said headliner, said first speaker coupled to said source of audio signals to receive said right signal therefrom;

a second magnetic speaker having a major dimension less than about five inches and mounted only to said headliner for support of said second speaker and positioned near another side edge of said headliner, said second speaker coupled to said source of audio signals to receive said left signal therefrom;

a third magnetic speaker having a major dimension less than about five inches and mounted only to said headliner for support of said third speaker and positioned intermediate said one and said another side edges, said intermediate speaker coupled to said audio source to receive said center signal therefrom; and

at least one fourth speaker positioned in the vehicle below the headliner wherein said first, second and third speakers are full range speakers and said at least one fourth speaker is a woofer or a sub-woofer to provide a full audio frequency range imaging system in a vehicle.

6. The audio system as defined in claim 5 wherein said headliner speakers reproduce sound in the frequency range from approximately 150 Hz to 15,000 Hz.

8. The audio system as defined in claim 5 for mounting in a vehicle including a front seat and a rear seat, and wherein said first, second and third speakers are mounted to said headliner such that they are positioned forward and above said front seat.

9. The audio system as defined in claim 5 and further including a fifth speaker having a major dimension less than about five inches and mounted only to said headliner for support of said fifth speaker and positioned at approximately the center of said headliner.

10. The audio system as defined in claim 9, and further including sixth and seventh speakers mounted only to said headliner for support of said sixth and seventh speakers and positioned laterally of said fifth speaker, said sixth and seventh speakers each having a major dimension less than about five inches.

11. The audio system as defined in claim 10, and further including eighth and ninth speakers each having a major dimension less than about five inches mounted only to said headliner for support of said eighth and ninth speakers and positioned on said headliner such that they are over and behind the rear seats of the vehicle when the headliner is mounted to the vehicle interior.

7. A vehicle headliner and speaker assembly comprising:

a headliner comprising a flexible substrate shaped for covering the interior roof area of a vehicle and an integral upholstery material on a side of said substrate which faces the interior of the vehicle when said headliner is installed in a vehicle;

a plurality of magnetic speakers mounted in spaced relationship to said substrate on a side opposite said upholstery material to be supported directly and only by said substrate; and

means for applying audio frequency signals to said speakers.

12. An audio system for a vehicle including front, rear and side windows comprising:

a decorative headliner made of a relatively thin and flexible material for extending generally horizontally over the inner surface of the vehicle'"'"'s roof structure between the front, rear and side windows;

a source of audio signals, said source generating left, right and center signals;

a first magnetic speaker having a major dimension less than about five inches and mounted only to said headliner for support of said first speaker adjacent one side edge of said headliner, said first speaker coupled to said source of audio signals to receive said right signal therefrom;

a second magnetic speaker having a major dimension less than about five inches and mounted only to said headliner for support of said second speaker near another side edge of said headliner, said second speaker coupled to said source of audio signals to receive said left signal therefrom;

a third magnetic speaker having a major dimension less than about five inches and mounted only to said headliner for support of said third speaker intermediate said one and said another side edges, said intermediate speaker coupled to said audio source to receive said center signal therefrom;

at least one fourth speaker positioned in the vehicle below the headliner wherein said first, second and third speakers are full range speakers and said at least one fourth speaker is a woofer or a sub-woofer, wherein said headliner speakers reproduce sound in the frequency range from approximately 150 Hz to 15,000 Hz whereby a full audio frequency range imaging system is implemented in a vehicle; and

a delay circuit coupled between said audio source and said third speaker, said delay circuit imparting a delay to said center signal before it is input to said third speaker.

13. The audio system as defined in claim 12 wherein said headliner includes a substrate and a fabric covering a side of said substrate which faces the interior of the vehicle when the headliner is installed in a vehicle, at least one aperture formed only through said substrate, and wherein at least one of said first, second and third speakers is mounted to said substrate to be supported only by said substrate in alignment with said aperture, and wherein said fabric extends over said aperture and conceals said at least one speaker from view.

14. The audio system as defined in claim 13 wherein said substrate includes at least three apertures formed only through said substrate and said first, second and third speakers are mounted to said substrate in alignment with a respective one of said apertures.

15. An audio system for a vehicle including front, rear and side windows comprising:

a decorative headliner made of a relatively thin and flexible material for extending generally horizontally over the inner surface of the vehicle'"'"'s roof structure between the front, rear and side windows;

a source of audio signals, said source generating left, right and center signals;

a first magnetic speaker having a major dimension less than about five inches and mounted to said headliner adjacent one side edge of said headliner, said first speaker coupled to said source of audio signals to receive said right signal therefrom;

a second magnetic speaker having a major dimension less than about five inches and mounted on said headliner near another side edge of said headliner, said second speaker coupled to said source of audio signals to receive said left signal therefrom;

a third magnetic speaker having a major dimension less than about five inches and mounted on said headliner intermediate said one and said another side edges, said intermediate speaker coupled to said audio source to receive said center signal therefrom;

at least one fourth speaker positioned in the vehicle below the headliner wherein said first, second and third speakers are full range speakers and said at least one fourth speaker is a woofer or a sub-woofer, whereby a full audio frequency range imaging system is implemented in a vehicle;

a fifth magnetic speaker having a major dimension less than about five inches and positioned at approximately the center of said headliner;

sixth and seventh magnetic speakers positioned laterally of said fifth speaker, said sixth and seventh speakers each having a major dimension less than about five inches;

eighth and ninth magnetic speakers each having a major dimension less than about five inches mounted to said headliner and positioned on said headliner such that they are over and behind the rear seats of the vehicle when the headliner is mounted to the vehicle interior; and

a time delay circuit delaying the signal applied to at least said third, fifth, sixth and seventh speakers.

16. The audio system as defined in claim 15, wherein said fourth speaker includes a woofer and a sub-woofer.

17. A vehicle headliner and speaker assembly comprising:

a substrate of relatively thin flexible material, said substrate shaped to define a headliner for substantially covering the interior roof area of a vehicle;

a decorative surface integrally formed on a side of said substrate which faces the interior of the vehicle when the headliner is installed in a vehicle;

a plurality of apertures formed at least through said substrate in spaced relationship to one another; and

a plurality of speakers mounted directly and only to said substrate with one speaker in alignment with each of said plurality of apertures, said speakers having a major dimension less than about five inches.

18. The headliner as defined in claim 17 including at least three apertures with a first one of said apertures located along the longitudinal centerline of said substrate and second and third apertures located near opposite edges of said substrate.

19. The headliner as defined in claim 18 and further including fourth and fifth apertures formed in said substrate at opposite edges of said substrate and spaced in remote relationship to said second and third apertures.

20. The headliner as defined in claim 17 wherein said decorative surface comprises a decorative material and wherein said apertures extend only through said substrate and are covered by said decorative material.

21. A vehicle headliner and speaker assembly comprising:

a substrate of relatively thin flexible material, said substrate shaped to define a headliner for substantially covering the interior roof area of a vehicle;

a decorative surface integrally formed on a side of said substrate which faces the interior of the vehicle when the headliner is installed in a vehicle;

a plurality of apertures formed at least through said substrate in spaced relationship to one another; and

a plurality of speakers mounted directly and only to said substrate with one speaker in alignment with each of said plurality of apertures, said speakers having a major dimension less than about five inches, wherein said substrate includes three apertures with a first one of said apertures located along the longitudinal centerline of said substrate and second and third apertures located near opposite edges of said substrate, and further including fourth and fifth apertures formed in said substrate at opposite edges of said substrate and spaced in remote relationship to said second and third apertures, and further including sixth, seventh and eighth apertures formed in said substrate and positioned between said first, second, and third apertures and said fourth and fifth apertures, said sixth, seventh and eighth apertures aligned in spaced relationship transversely across said substrate.

22. A vehicle headliner and speaker assembly comprising:

a relatively thin flexible substrate defining the shape of a headliner for covering the interior roof area of a vehicle;

an upholstery material integrally covering a side of said substrate which faces the interior of the vehicle when the headliner defined by said substrate and said upholstery material is installed in a vehicle;

at least one aperture formed only through said substrate; and

a speaker mounted to said substrate to be supported only by said substrate, said speaker aligned with said aperture, and wherein said upholstery material extends over said aperture and conceals said speaker from view.

23. The headliner as defined in claim 22 wherein said substrate includes a plurality of apertures formed only through said substrate and further including a plurality of speakers mounted to said substrate in alignment with each of said apertures.

24. An audio system for a vehicle comprising:

a decorative headliner for mounting to a vehicle roof, said headliner including a flexible substrate of acoustical damping material having a side integrally covered with an upholstery material and facing the interior of the vehicle for providing a decorative appearance to said headliner, said headliner including a plurality of spaced speaker apertures;

a plurality of magnetic speakers mounted directly and only to said headliner to be supported by said headliner with a speaker aligned with each aperture and mounted on a first side of said headliner to position said speakers behind said headliner when said headliner is installed; and

an electrical circuit coupled to said speakers for providing audio frequency signals for said speakers.

25. The audio system as defined in claim 24 wherein said apertures extend only through said substrate and said headliner includes a covering on a second side opposite said first side for covering said apertures and said second side.

26. The audio system as defined in claim 24 wherein said speakers have a major dimension of less than about five inches.

27. A vehicle headliner for covering the interior of a metallic roof of a vehicle, said headliner comprising:

a relatively thin flexible substrate defining the shape of a decorative headliner for a vehicle;

at least one aperture formed in said substrate; and

a speaker secured to said substrate to be supported only by said substrate, said speaker aligned with said aperture, wherein said speaker includes a magnet and said speaker is positioned on said substrate such that said magnet is magnetically attracted to the vehicle roof for assisting in attaching said headliner to the vehicle roof.

28. The headliner as defined in claim 27 including a plurality of spaced apertures and a plurality of speakers with one speaker mounted to said substrate in alignment with each of said plurality of apertures.

29. A vehicle headliner for covering the interior of a metallic roof of a vehicle, said headliner comprising:

a relatively thin flexible substrate defining the shape of a decorative headliner for a vehicle;

at least one aperture formed in said substrate; and

a speaker secured to said substrate to be supported only by said substrate, said speaker aligned with said aperture, wherein said speaker includes a magnet and said speaker is positioned on said substrate such that said magnet is magnetically attracted to the vehicle roof for assisting in attaching said headliner to the vehicle roof, and further including a spacer positioned over said magnet and extending between said magnet and the vehicle roof once said headliner is installed.

30. The headliner as defined in claim 29 wherein said spacer is made of a foam material.

31. An audio system for a vehicle including front, rear and side windows comprising:

a decorative headliner made of a relatively thin and flexible material for extending generally horizontally over the inner surface of the vehicle'"'"'s roof structure between the front, rear and side windows;

a source of audio signals, said source generating left, right and center signals;

a first speaker having a major dimension less than about five inches and mounted to said headliner adjacent one side edge of said headliner, said first speaker coupled to said source of audio signals to receive said right signal therefrom;

a second speaker having a major dimension less than about five inches and mounted on said headliner near another side edge of said headliner, said second speaker coupled to said source of audio signals to receive said left signal therefrom;

a third speaker having a major dimension less than about five inches and mounted on said headliner intermediate said one and said another side edges, said intermediate speaker coupled to said audio source to receive said center signal therefrom, wherein said headliner includes a substrate and at least one aperture formed in said substrate, and wherein at least one of said first, second and third speakers is secured to said substrate to be supported only by said substrate, said at least one speaker aligned with said aperture and including a magnet with said at least one speaker positioned on said substrate such that said magnet is magnetically attracted to the vehicle roof for assisting in attaching said headliner to the vehicle roof;

at least one fourth speaker positioned in the vehicle below the headliner wherein said first, second and third speakers are full range speakers and said at least one fourth speaker is a woofer or a sub-woofer, wherein said headliner speakers reproduce sound in the frequency range from approximately 150 Hz to 15,000 Hz whereby a full audio frequency range imaging system is implemented in a vehicle; and

a delay circuit coupled between said audio source and said third speaker, said delay circuit imparting a delay to said center signal before it is input to said third speaker.

32. The audio system as defined in claim 31 and further including a spacer positioned over said magnet and extending between said magnet and the vehicle roof once said headliner is installed.

33. The audio system as defined in claim 32 wherein said spacer is made of a foam material.

34. An audio system for a vehicle, said system including a headliner speaker assembly, said system comprising:

a decorative headliner made of a relatively thin and flexible material for extending generally horizontally over the inner surface of the vehicle'"'"'s roof structure between the front, rear and side windows;

a source of audio signals, said source providing multiple channels of signal information;

a plurality of magnetic speakers mounted directly to said headliner and supported only by said headliner at spaced locations thereon, said speakers coupled to said source;

at least one speaker positioned in the vehicle below the headliner and coupled to said source for reproducing lower frequency sound; and

a delay circuit coupled between said audio source and at least one of said plurality of speakers.

35. A vehicle headliner and speaker assembly comprising:

a headliner comprising a flexible substrate shaped for substantially covering the interior roof area of a vehicle and an integral decorative surface on a side of said substrate which faces the interior of the vehicle when said headliner is installed in a vehicle; and

a magnetic speaker mounted to said substrate on a side opposite said decorative surface to be supported only by said substrate.

36. The assembly as defined in claim 35 and further including a plurality of speakers mounted in spaced relationship to said substrate.

37. The assembly as defined in claim 35 wherein said decorative surface comprises an upholstery material.

38. The assembly as defined in claim 37 wherein said upholstery material comprises a fabric.

39. The assembly as defined in claim 35 wherein said substrate includes an aperture extending therethrough and said speaker is aligned with said aperture.

40. The assembly as defined in claim 39 wherein said decorative surface comprises an upholstery material and wherein said aperture extends only through said substrate such that said upholstery material covers said speaker.

41. The assembly as defined in claim 35 and further including a source of audio frequency signals coupled to said speaker.