Pole speaker

• US 6,769,509 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2002
• Issued: 08/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ronald Paul Harwood
• Original Assignee: Ronald Paul Harwood
• Inventors: Harwood, Ronald Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): LOCKETT, KIMBERLY R
• Application Number:
  US10/324,563
• Publication Number:
  US 20040118630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 181/198, 181/199, 181/203, 181/205, 181/207, 181/208, 181/209
• US Class Current: 181/199
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/323 for loudspeakers H04R1/34 and H04R1/40 take precedence

Abstract

A speaker assembly is provided for enclosure within a structural pole. The speaker assembly includes a sub-plate adapted to be affixed adjacent to an internal cavity formed in a fixed end of the structural pole. A speaker is mounted to the sub-plate and oriented such that acoustical vibrations provided by the speaker are directed toward an underlying support surface of the structural pole. A resonating chamber member is oriented within the structural pole internal cavity and has an open end mounted adjacent to the speaker. The resonating chamber member is sized to match the speaker.

Claims

1. A speaker assembly for enclosure within a structural pole, the speaker assembly comprising:

a sub-plate adapted to be affixed to a structural pole adjacent to an internal cavity formed in a fixed end of the structural pole;

a speaker mounted to the sub-plate and oriented such that acoustical vibrations provided by the speaker are directed toward an underlying support surface of the structural pole; and

a resonating chamber member having a wall defining an elongated internal cavity oriented within the structural pole internal cavity, the resonating chamber member having an open end mounted adjacent to the speaker, and the resonating chamber member internal cavity being sized to match the speaker.

2. The speaker assembly of claim 1, wherein the speaker is sealingly engaged with the resonating chamber member open end to prevent a vibrational overdrive to the speaker.

3. The speaker assembly of claim 1, further comprising a tubular port connected to the resonating chamber member in communication with the resonating chamber member internal cavity, the port being sized to provide fluid resistance to air entering and exiting the resonating chamber member internal cavity in response to acoustical vibrations provided by the speaker.

4. The speaker assembly of claim 1, wherein the speaker is directed towards the underlying support surface for transmitting the acoustical vibrations omnidirectionally.

5. The speaker assembly of claim 1, wherein the speaker assembly is tuned by adjusting the distance between the speaker and the underlying support surface.

6. The speaker assembly of claim 1, wherein the structural pole is further defined as a light pole.

7. The speaker assembly of claim 1, wherein the structural pole is further defined as a bollard.

8. The speaker assembly of claim 1, wherein the speaker is further defined as a cone speaker.

9. The speaker assembly of claim 1, wherein the sub-plate defines a sound baffle between the speaker assembly and the structural pole internal cavity.

10. The speaker assembly of claim 1, wherein the sub-plate includes an aperture sized to permit a wire harness to pass therethrough.

11. The speaker assembly of claim 1, wherein the speaker and resonating chamber member are oriented generally off-center within the structural pole.

12. The speaker assembly of claim 1, wherein the resonating chamber member is generally tubular.

13. The speaker assembly of claim 1, wherein the resonating chamber member wall is formed of rigid polyvinyl-chloride pipe having a wall thickness of 0.100 to 0.300 inches.

14. The speaker assembly of claim 1, wherein the resonating chamber member includes a sound dampening material.

15. The speaker assembly of claim 1, wherein the resonating chamber is defined as a plurality of components adapted to be assembled together within the structural pole.

16. The speaker assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second speaker disposed within the structural pole internal cavity, spaced apart from the fixed end, wherein the structural pole includes an acoustically transparent region oriented about the second speaker.

17. The speaker assembly of claim 1, wherein the fixed end of the structural pole is spaced apart from the underlying support surface.

18. The speaker assembly of claim 17, further comprising an acoustically transparent skirt having a first circumferential end cooperating with the fixed end of the structural pole, and a second circumferential end cooperating with the underlying support surface.

23. The speaker assembly of claim 1, wherein the resonating chamber member is structurally isolated from the structural pole and the resonating chamber internal cavity is substantially enclosed within and separated from the structural pole internal cavity by the resonating chamber member wall so that backward acoustical vibrations created by the speaker are prevented from exiting the resonating chamber member internal cavity into the structural pole internal cavity.

24. The speaker assembly of claim 1, wherein the speaker assembly is at least partially concealed within the structural pole to avoid disrupting an aesthetic appearance of the structural pole.

25. The speaker assembly of claim 1, wherein the speaker assembly is at least partially concealed within the structural pole thereby reducing exposure to vandalism and elements of nature.

26. The speaker assembly of claim 1, wherein the structural pole supports another assembly at an elevated orientation relative to the speaker assembly.

19. A speaker assembly and a structural pole, in combination, comprising:

a structural pole having an internal cavity and a fixed end mounted to an underlying support surface, the fixed end having an acoustical outlet region for permitting acoustical vibrations to pass therethrough;

a speaker mounted to the structural pole adjacent to the internal cavity formed in the fixed end of the structural pole and oriented such that acoustical vibrations provided by the speaker are directed toward the underlying support surface of the structural pole; and

a resonating chamber member having a wall defining an elongated internal cavity oriented within the structural pole internal cavity, the resonating chamber member having an open end mounted adjacent to the speaker, and the resonating chamber member internal cavity being sized to match the speaker.

20. A speaker system comprising:

a series of spaced apart structural poles, each having an internal cavity and a fixed end mounted to an underlying support surface, the fixed end having an acoustical outlet region for permitting acoustical vibrations to pass therethrough, each structural pole having a speaker assembly enclosed at least partially therein; and

each speaker assembly including;

a speaker mounted to the structural pole adjacent to the internal cavity formed in the fixed end of the structural pole, the speaker being oriented such that acoustical vibrations provided by the speaker are directed toward the underlying support surface of the structural pole, and

a resonating chamber member having a wall defining an elongated internal cavity oriented within the structural pole internal cavity, the resonating chamber member having an open end mounted adjacent to the speaker, the resonating chamber member internal cavity be sized to match the speaker.

21. The speaker system of claim 20, wherein each speaker assembly has an acoustical range greater than half of the incremental distance between the structural poles.

22. A method for mounting a speaker assembly within a structural pole, the method comprising:

installing a speaker and resonating chamber member within an internal cavity formed in a fixed end of a structural pole, the speaker being oriented such that acoustical vibrations provided by the speaker are directed toward an underlying support surface of the structural pole; and

adjusting the pole and speaker a distance above the underlying support surface to provide an annular opening from which acoustical vibrations are omnidirectionally dissipated.