Speaker and lamp combination

• US 5,995,634 A
• Filed: 05/27/1998
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scott A. Zwolski
• Original Assignee: Scott A. Zwolski
• Inventors: Zwolski, Scott A.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HUYEN D
• Application Number:
  US09/086,009
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 381/160, 381/337, 381/339, 381/352, 381/87, 381/388, 381/301, 381/333, 381/398, 381/182, 381/186, 381/89, 181/155, 181/199, 181/148, 181/153, 181/145, 181/144, 181/147, 362/89
• US Class Current: 381/160
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles

Abstract

Attractive furniture which encloses a speaker system for improved functionality of both the furniture and speaker system. The furniture is hollow and can be lamps, tables or other pieces, allowing placement of a speaker system unobtrusively and attractively within a room. The speakers are arranged vertically within the hollow furniture, emitting sound vertically upwards and or downwards. Sound directing devices having parabolic surfaces are placed adjacent the speakers to redirect the sound horizontally over a 360 degree range. The furniture may enclose a single speaker and sound directing device or multiples of the same so as to achieve the desired sound output and aesthetic appearance.

Claims

1. A combination article of furniture and speaker system comprising a article of furniture and a speaker system housed within said article of furniture,

said piece of furniture comprising a base member,

said base member being tubular and having a closed cross section, a top, a bottom, a central axis which is oriented vertically, an interior and an exterior,

said base member having a first opening in said bottom wherein said first opening is centered on said central axis,

said speaker system comprising at least one speaker,

wherein said speaker is mounted within said first opening such that it is centered on said central axis and positioned facing exteriorly so as to emit sound in the direction of the central axis,

said speaker system further comprising a sound directing device,

wherein said sound directing device is comprised of a surface having a parabolic shape, said parabolic shape having an apex and a base, said sound directing device being mounted such that the apex is aligned with the central axis and adjacent said speaker to redirect sound emitted from the speaker from a vertical direction to a horizontal direction,

wherein said base member has a second opening in said top, wherein said second opening is centered on said central axis, and wherein said speaker system is comprised of a second speaker wherein said second speaker is mounted within said second opening such that it is centered on said central axis and positioned facing exteriorly so as to emit sound in the direction of the central axis, and further wherein said second opening has a ledge portion extending therefrom, and wherein said second speaker is attached to said ledge portion such that it is maintained lifted above said ledge in a spaced apart relationship to said ledge using mounting means, wherein said mounting means comprises a plurality of spacers placed between said ledge and said speaker, and

wherein a second sound directing device which is comprised of a surface having a parabolic shape, said parabolic shape having an apex and a base, said second sound directing device being mounted adjacent said second speaker such that the apex is aligned with the central axis and lies adjacent said second speaker to redirect sound emitted from the second speaker from a vertical direction to a horizontal direction.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the second sound directing device is mounted to the top of said base member,

said second sound directing device having a flat surface opposed to its parabolic surface,

said flat surface having an opening therein, and

wherein the speaker system is comprised of a third speaker,

said third speaker being housed within said opening within said flat surface of the second sound directing device.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the flat surface of the second sound directing device provides a mounting base for a third sound directing device, said third sound directing device is comprised of a surface having a parabolic shape, said parabolic shape having an apex and a base, said third sound directing device being mounted adjacent said third speaker such that the apex is aligned with the central axis and lies adjacent said third speaker to redirect sound emitted from the third speaker from a vertical direction to a horizontal direction.

4. The combination of claim 3 further comprising a lamp device affixed to said top.

5. A combination furniture and speaker system comprising a piece of furniture and a speaker system housed within said piece of furniture,

said combination comprising a base member,

said base member being tubular and having a closed cross section, a top, a bottom, a central axis which is oriented vertically, an interior and an exterior,

said base member having a first opening in said bottom wherein said first opening is centered on said central axis, and having a second opening in said top wherein said second opening is centered on said central axis,

said speaker system comprising at least one speaker,

wherein a first speaker is mounted within said first opening such that it is centered on said central axis and positioned facing downward exteriorly so as to emit sound in the direction of the central axis,

wherein a second speaker is mounted within said second opening such that it is centered on said central axis and positioned facing upward exteriorly so as to emit sound in the direction of the central axis,

said speaker system further comprising at least one sound directing device,

wherein said sound directing device is comprised of a surface having a parabolic shape, said parabolic shape having an apex and a base, a first and second sound directing device being mounted adjacent each of said first and second speakers, respectively, such that the apexes are aligned with the central axis and lie adjacent said speakers to redirect sound emitted from the speakers from a vertical direction to a horizontal direction, and

wherein the second sound directing device is mounted to the top of said base member,

said second sound directing device having a flat surface opposed to its parabolic surface,

said flat surface having an opening therein, and

a third speaker being housed within said opening wit said flat surface of the second sound directing device, and

wherein the flat surface of the second sound directing device provides a mounting base for a third sound directing device, said third sound directing device being mounted adjacent said third speaker such that the apex is aligned with the central axis and lies adjacent said third speaker to redirect sound emitted from the third speaker from a vertical direction to a horizontal direction, and

wherein the base member is further comprised of a horizontal dividing wall within its interior, said dividing wall forming a first upper compartment and a second lower compartment, said first upper compartment enclosing said second speaker, said second lower compartment enclosing said first speaker, and wherein said second lower compartment is much larger than said first upper compartment.

6. The combination of claim 5 further comprising a lamp device affixed to said top.

7. An attractive article of furniture, said article of furniture comprising a cabinet portion, a lamp portion, and a speaker system portion, wherein the cabinet portion is comprised of an elongate hollow tubular chamber having a longitudinal axis which is oriented vertically, said chamber having a top end and a bottom end, and

wherein the speaker system portion is mounted within said cabinet portion such that sound is emitted externally of the cabinet portion and in a direction which is parallel with the longitudinal axis, and wherein the lamp portion is mounted to the top end of said chamber using lamp mounting means, and

wherein the lamp mounting means is comprised of at least three cylindrical posts which maintain the lamp portion in a spaced relationship to said chamber, and wherein said lamp mounting means is comprised of a first platform having first and second sides which are opposed, said second side comprising a first shaped surface,

wherein the lamp mounting means is oriented relative to said chamber such that the second side lies adjacent to said speaker system portion,

wherein said first shaped surface is comprised of disk shaped base portion and of a center portion that extends from the perimeter of the base portion in a smooth continuous curve which terminates in a sharp, pointed, concentric apex, and wherein said shaped surface redirects the sound emitted from said speaker system portion from a vertical direction to a horizontal direction, and further wherein the redirected sound is directed throughout 360 degrees in the horizontal direction.

8. The article of furniture of claim 7 wherein said top end and said bottom end have openings therein which are sized to receive speakers,

and wherein the speaker system portion is comprised of at least two speakers, said two speakers comprising an upper speaker and a lower speaker,

wherein said lower speaker is mounted in said opening in said bottom end so that said lower speaker completely fills said opening in said bottom and lies in a close nonspaced relationship to said opening in said bottom, and

wherein said upper speaker has an upper portion and a lower portion, and said upper speaker is mounted in said opening in said top end so that the upper portion of the upper speaker lies suspended above said opening in a spaced relationship to said opening and so that said lower portion of said upper speaker extends into said opening in said top end.

9. The article of furniture of claim 8 further comprising a second shaped surface which is identical in shape to the first shaped surface, said second shaped surface being mounted to said bottom end in a spaced apart relationship therefrom, and being mounted so that the apex of said second shaped surface lies adjacent to said lower speaker and so that the disk shaped base portion forms a base of support for the article of furniture and wherein said second shaped surface is maintained relative to said bottom end by means of at least three cylindrical posts.

10. The article of furniture of claim 9 wherein said first and second shaped surfaces are parabolic.

11. The article of furniture of claim 10 wherein the speaker system portion is comprised of a third speaker, and wherein the disk shaped base portion of said first shaped surface has an opening therein, and wherein said third speaker is received within said opening in said disk shaped base portion, and wherein said lamp mounting means is comprised of a second platform having first and second sides which are opposed, said second side comprising a third shaped surface which is identical in shape to the first shaped surface but being smaller in size, wherein said second platform is oriented relative to said third speaker such that the second side lies adjacent to said third speaker, and wherein said first side of said second platform has means for supporting a light source.

12. A combination furniture and speaker system comprising a piece of furniture and a speaker system housed within said piece of furniture,

said combination comprising a base member,

said base member being tubular and having a closed cross section, a top, a bottom, a central axis which is oriented vertically, an interior and an exterior,

said base member having a first opening in said bottom wherein said first opening is centered on said central axis,

said speaker system comprising at least one speaker,

wherein said speaker is mounted within said first opening such that it is centered on said central axis and positioned facing exteriorly so as to emit sound in the direction of the central axis,

said speaker system further comprising a sound directing device,

wherein said sound directing device is comprised of a surface having a parabolic shape, said parabolic shape having an apex and a base, said sound directing device being mounted such that the apex is aligned with the central axis and lies adjacent said speaker to redirect sound emitted from the speaker from a vertical direction to a horizontal direction, and

wherein said base member has a second opening in said top, wherein said second opening is centered on said central axis, and wherein said speaker system is comprised of a second speaker wherein said second speaker is mounted within said second opening such that it is centered on said central axis and positioned facing exteriorly so as to emit sound in the direction of the central axis, and farther wherein said second opening has a ledge portion extending therefrom, and wherein said second speaker is attached to said ledge portion such that it is maintained lifted above said ledge in a spaced apart relationship to said ledge using mounting means, wherein said mounting means comprises a plurality of spacers placed between said ledge and said speaker.

13. The combination of claim 12 further comprising a lamp device affixed to said top.

14. The combination of claim 12 wherein said speaker system is comprised of a second sound directing device which is comprised of a surface having a parabolic shape, said parabolic shape having an apex and a base, said second sound directing device being mounted adjacent said second speaker such that the apex is aligned with the central axis and lies adjacent said second speaker to redirect sound emitted from the second speaker from a vertical direction to a horizontal direction.

15. An attractive article of furniture, said article of furniture comprising a cabinet portion, a lamp portion, and a speaker system portion, wherein the cabinet portion is comprised of an elongate hollow tubular chamber having a longitudinal axis which is oriented vertically, said chamber having a top end and a bottom end, and

wherein the speaker system portion is mounted within said cabinet portion such that sound is emitted externally of the cabinet portion and in a direction which is parallel with the longitudinal axis, and wherein the lamp portion is mounted to the top end of said chamber using lamp mounting means, and

wherein the lamp mounting means is comprised of at least three cylindrical posts which maintain the lamp portion in a spaced relationship to said chamber, and wherein said lamp mounting means is comprised of a first platform having first and second sides which are opposed, said second side comprising a first shaped surface,

wherein the lamp mounting means is oriented relative to said chamber such that the second side lies adjacent to said speaker system portion,

wherein said first shaped surface is comprised of disk shaped base portion and of a center portion that extends from the perimeter of the base portion in a smooth continuous curve which terminates in a sharp, pointed, concentric apex, and wherein said shaped surface redirects the sound emitted from said speaker system portion from a vertical direction to a horizontal direction, and fisher wherein the redirected sound is directed throughout 360 degrees in the horizontal direction, and

wherein said top end and said bottom cud have openings therein which are sized to receive speakers,

and wherein the speaker system portion is comprised of at least two speakers, said two speakers comprising an upper speaker and a lower speaker,

wherein said lower speaker is mounted in said opening in said bottom end so that said lower speaker completely fills said opening in said bottom and lies in a close non-spaced relationship to said opening in said bottom, and

wherein said upper speaker has an upper portion and a lower portion, and said upper speaker is mounted in said opening in said top end so that the upper portion of the upper speaker lies suspended above said opening in a spaced relationship to said opening and so that said lower portion of said upper speaker extends into said opening in said top end.

16. The article of furniture of claim 15 further comprising a second shaped surface which is identical in shape to the first shaped surface, said second shaped surface being mounted to said bottom end in a spaced apart relationship therefrom, and being mounted so that the apex of said second shaped surface lies adjacent to said lower speaker and so that the disk shaped base portion forms a base of support for the article of furniture and wherein said second shaped surface is maintained relative to said bottom end by means of at least three cylindrical posts.

17. The article of furniture of claim 16 wherein said first and second shaped surfaces are parabolic.

18. The article of furniture of claim 17 wherein the speaker system portion is comprised of a third speaker, and wherein the disk shaped base portion of said first shaped surface has an opening therein, and wherein said third speaker is received within said opening in said disk shaped base portion, and wherein said lamp mounting means is comprised of a second platform having first and second sides which are opposed, said second side comprising a third shaped surface which is identical in shape to the first shaped surface but being smaller in size, wherein said second platform is oriented relative to said third speaker such that the second side lies adjacent to said third speaker, and wherein said first side of said second platform has means for supporting a light source.