Audio system for multipurpose automotive vehicles having a rear opening panel

• US 6,389,147 B1
• Filed: 12/18/2000
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Bordo, Robert Anthony, Rush, Scott Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HUYEN D
• Application Number:
  US09/740,571
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 381/300, 381/302, 381/304, 381/334, 381/86, 381/87, 381/71.4, 381/386, 381/389, 381/182, 381/FOR.151, 381/FOR.165
• US Class Current: 381/389
• 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

An audio system for projecting sound toward a rear opening of an automotive vehicle is disclosed. Each side of the vehicle includes a speaker assembly mounted to a side interior wall between a side door and the rear opening of the vehicle. The assemblies each include a speaker housing containing a forwardly disposed speaker cone with an axis generally perpendicular to the vehicle side and a rearwardly disposed speaker cone with an axis disposed toward the rear opening at an angle of about 15 degrees relative to the forwardly disposed speaker cone axis. An audio transmitter is in signaling communication with each of the speaker cones for driving the speaker cones.

Claims

1. An audio system for projecting sound toward a rear portion of an automotive vehicle, comprising:

an automotive vehicle body having a first side and a second side, each being spaced opposite the other about a longitudinal axis of said body, and a rear opening;

at least one side door on each side of said body;

at least one panel hingedly connected to said body for permitting passage through and sealing said rear opening;

a first speaker assembly mounted to an interior wall of said first side between said side door on said first side and said rear opening and including a first speaker housing containing a first forwardly disposed speaker cone with an axis generally perpendicular to said first side and a first rearwardly disposed speaker cone with an axis disposed toward said rear opening at an angle of about 15 degrees relative to said first forwardly disposed speaker cone axis; and

a second speaker assembly mounted to an interior wall of said second side between said side door on said second side and said rear opening, and opposite said first speaker assembly, including a second speaker housing containing a second forwardly disposed speaker cone with an axis generally perpendicular to said second side and a second rearwardly disposed speaker cone with an axis disposed toward said rear opening at an angle of about 15 degrees relative to said second forwardly disposed speaker cone axis; and

an audio transmitter in signaling communication with each of said speaker cones for driving said speaker cones.

2. An audio system as in claim 1, further comprising a second panel hingedly connected to said body for cooperatively permitting passage through and sealing said rear opening together with said at least one panel.

3. An audio system as in claim 1, wherein said first housing includes a first enclosure physically separated from a second enclosure, said first enclosure for receiving said first forwardly disposed speaker cone, said second enclosure for receiving said first rearwardly disposed speaker cone and said second housing includes a third enclosure physically separated from a fourth enclosure, said third enclosure for receiving said second forwardly disposed speaker cone, said fourth enclosure for receiving said second rearwardly disposed speaker cone.

4. An audio system as in claim 1, wherein said first housing and said second housing each include an acoustical port including a first annular portion received within and spaced apart from a second annular portion.

5. An audio system as in claim 1, wherein said cones are capable of delivering direct sound waves through all of said rear opening when said rear opening is in an open position.

6. An audio system for projecting sound toward a rear portion of an automotive vehicle, comprising:

an automotive vehicle body having a first side and a second side, each being spaced opposite the other about a longitudinal axis of said body, and a rear opening;

a front and a rear side door on each side of said body;

a first rear door hingedly connected at an upper edge to said body;

a second rear door hingedly connected at a lower edge to said body;

said first and second rear doors each having a free end that sealingly engages the free end of the other door when said first and second rear doors are in their closed positions;

a first speaker assembly mounted to said first side between said rear side door on said first side and said rear opening and including a first speaker housing having a first wall, said first wall having a first forward aperture and a first sloping wall portion with a first rearward aperture, said first assembly further including a first forwardly disposed speaker cone opening about an axis generally perpendicular to said first side and disposed in said first forward aperture, and a first rearwardly disposed speaker cone disposed about an axis at angle of about 15 degrees relative to said first forwardly disposed speaker cone axis and disposed in said first rearwardly disposed aperture; and

a second speaker assembly mounted to said second side between said rear side door on said second side and said rear opening and including a second speaker housing having a second wall, said second wall having a second forward aperture and a second sloping wall portion with a second rearward aperture, said second assembly further including a second forwardly disposed speaker cone opening about an axis generally perpendicular to said second side and disposed in said second forward aperture, and a second rearwardly disposed speaker cone disposed about an axis at angle of about 15 degrees relative to said second forwardly disposed speaker cone axis and disposed in said second rearwardly disposed aperture; and

an audio transmitter in signaling communication with each of said speaker cones for driving said speaker cones.

7. An audio system as in claim 6, wherein said first housing includes a first enclosure physically separated from a second enclosure, said first enclosure for receiving said first forwardly disposed speaker cone, said second enclosure for receiving said first rearwardly disposed speaker cone and said second housing includes a third enclosure physically separated from a fourth enclosure, said third enclosure for receiving said second forwardly disposed speaker cone, said fourth enclosure for receiving said second rearwardly disposed speaker cone.

8. An audio system as in claim 6, wherein said first housing and said second housing each include an acoustical port including a first annular portion received within and spaced apart from a second annular portion.

9. An audio system as in claim 6, wherein said cones are capable of delivering direct sound waves through all of said rear opening when said rear opening is in an open position.

10. An audio system for projecting sound toward a rear portion of an automotive vehicle, comprising:

an automotive vehicle body defining a passenger portion and a contiguous cargo portion, said vehicle body having a first side and a second side, each being spaced opposite the other about a longitudinal axis of said body and a rear opening;

a front and a rear side door on each side of said body;

a first rear door hingedly connected at an upper edge to said body;

a second rear door hingedly connected at a lower edge to said body;

said first and second rear doors each having a free end that sealingly engages the free end of the other door when said first and second rear doors are in their closed positions;

a first speaker assembly mounted to said first side between said rear side door on said first side and said rear opening, in said cargo portion and adjacent a wheel well of said vehicle, said first speaker assembly including a first molded plastic speaker housing having a first shell portion and an opposing second shell portion, said first shell portion having a first planar wall with a first forward aperture and a first sloping wall portion with a first rearward disposed aperture, said first assembly further including a first forwardly disposed speaker cone opening about an axis generally perpendicular to said first side and disposed in said first forward aperture, and a first rearwardly disposed speaker cone disposed about an axis at angle of about 15 degrees relative to said first forwardly disposed speaker cone axis and disposed in said first rearwardly disposed aperture; and

a second speaker assembly mounted to said second side between said rear side door on said second side and said rear opening, in said cargo portion and adjacent another wheel well of said vehicle, said second speaker assembly including a second molded plastic speaker housing having a third shell portion opposing a fourth shell portion, said third shell portion having a second planar wall with a second forward aperture and a second sloping wall portion with a second rearward disposed aperture, said second assembly further including a second forwardly disposed speaker cone opening about an axis generally perpendicular to said second side and disposed in said second forward aperture, and a second rearwardly disposed speaker cone disposed about an axis at angle of about 15 degrees relative to said second forwardly disposed speaker cone axis and disposed in said second rearwardly disposed aperture; and

an audio transmitter in signaling communication with each of said speaker cones for driving said speaker cones.

11. An audio system as in claim 10, further comprising a first gasket disposed between said first and second shell portions and a second gasket disposed between said third and fourth shell portions.