Sound and vibration transmission pad and system

• US 7,553,288 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2004
• Issued: 06/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Round River Research Corp.
• Original Assignee: Daniel E. Cohen
• Inventors: Cohen, Daniel E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Donels; Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUKS, JEREMY AUSTIN
• Application Number:
  US10/943,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20050053252A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,748 Days
• Field of Search: 181/150, 181/144, 181/145, 181/147, 181/153, 181/160, 181/161, 181/167, 181/169, 601/46, 601/47, 601/48, 601/49, 601/56, 601/57, 601/58, 601/64, 381/301, 381/386, 381/388, 381/105, 381/106, 381/108, 381/151, 381/190, 381/351, 297/452.13, 297/452.37, 297/217.4, 297/217.3, 297/217.5
• US Class Current: 601/47
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0138 incorporated in furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2203/0425 Sitting on the buttocks
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2203/0443 substantially horizontal
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/062 Shoulders
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0236 using sonic waves, e.g. using loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/023 in a chair, pillow
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a pad and sound transmission system which is adapted to directly transmit audible sound waves into the body at high intensity levels. In one embodiment, the subject invention includes a back pad and a seat pad. Each pad includes a speaker module having an acoustic speaker disposed within the pad and surrounded by a plurality of different layers.

Claims

1. A pad comprising:

a speaker chamber comprising a resonant chamber; and

at least two acoustic speakers and a layered plurality of materials having different degrees of acoustic conductance and compressibility, at least one of the acoustic speakers being located within the speaker chamber, wherein at least a portion of the speaker chamber is defined within an aperture extending through more than one material of the layered plurality of materials,

wherein at least a portion of the resonant chamber is configured to be positioned between at least one of the acoustic speakers and a user.

2. The pad of claim 1 wherein the layered plurality of materials comprises a plurality of different foam elements.

3. The pad of claim 1, further comprising a speaker module comprising at least one of the acoustic speakers, wherein the speaker module is generally centrally positioned within the pad and sound insulation is provided at lateral portions of the pad.

4. The pad of claim 3 wherein the sound insulation comprises a plurality of different foam materials.

5. The pad of claim 3 adapted for use as a seat pad wherein the speaker module includes a pair of acoustic speakers, and each of the pair of speakers is associated with a thigh region of the user.

6. The pad of claim 3 adapted for use as a back pad wherein the speaker module includes a pair of acoustic speakers, and each of the pair of speakers is associated with a portion of the user'"'"'s spine.

7. The pad of claim 1 further comprising a seat module having a layered plurality of materials having different degrees of compressibility.

8. The pad of claim 7 further comprising a speaker module, wherein one or more layers of the seat module extend into the speaker module.

9. The pad of claim 1 further comprising a speaker module, wherein the resonant chamber is defined within the speaker module proximate to the speaker, and wherein the resonant chamber is filled with air.

10. The pad of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the resonant chamber is defined within the aperture extending through more than one material of the layered plurality of materials.

11. The pad of claim 1, wherein each speaker can be independently controlled by the user.

12. A chair comprising:

a seat pad and a back pad, wherein each pad includes a speaker module having an acoustic speaker and a layered plurality of materials having different degrees of acoustic conductance and compressibility, wherein said speaker is located within a speaker chamber comprising a resonant chamber, and wherein at least a portion of the speaker chamber is defined within an aperture extending through more than one material of the layered plurality of materials,

wherein at least a portion of the resonant chamber is configured to be positioned between the acoustic speaker and a user.

13. The chair of claim 12 further comprising a sound insulation surrounding at least part of the speaker module.

14. The chair of claim 12 wherein the speaker module of the seat pad includes a pair of acoustic speakers, and each of the pair of speakers is associated with a thigh region of the user.

15. The chair of claim 12 wherein the speaker module of the back pad includes a pair of acoustic speakers, and each of the pair of speakers is associated with a different portion of the user'"'"'s spine.

16. The chair of claim 12 wherein the resonant chamber is proximate to the speaker, and wherein the resonant chamber is filled with air.

17. The chair of claim 12 further comprising volume controls for a speaker of each pad.

18. The chair of claim 12 further comprising an amplified sound source having an automatic volume control.

19. The chair of claim 18 further comprising a decibel sensor in communication with the automatic volume control.

20. The chair of claim 12 further comprising one or more activation switches located within the back pad, the seat pad, or both, the activation switch being in communication with an amplification system.

21. A chair comprising:

a seat pad;

a speaker chamber comprising a resonant chamber; and

a pair of acoustic speakers and a layered plurality of different materials, wherein at least one of the speakers is located within the speaker chamber, wherein at least a portion of the speaker chamber is defined within an aperture extending through more than one material of the layered plurality of different materials, and wherein at least one of the speakers is adapted to be positioned between a user sifting on the seat pad and a frame of the chair,

wherein at least a portion of the resonant chamber is configured to be positioned between at least one of the acoustic speakers and the user.

22. The chair of claim 21, further comprising a speaker module, wherein the speaker module includes the pair of acoustic speakers, and each of the pair of speakers is associated with a thigh region of the user.

23. The chair of claim 21 wherein the resonant chamber is proximate to at least one of the speakers, and wherein the resonant chamber is filled with air.

24. The chair of claim 21 further comprising a volume control for each speaker.

25. The chair of claim 22 further comprising a sound insulation surrounding at least part of the speaker module.

26. A chair comprising:

a back pad;

a speaker chamber comprising a resonant chamber; and

a pair of acoustic speakers and a layered plurality of different foam materials, wherein at least one of the speakers is located within the speaker chamber, wherein at least a portion of the speaker chamber is defined within an aperture extending though more than one material of the layered plurality of foam materials, and wherein at least one of the speakers is adapted to be positioned between a user sitting in the chair and a back support portion of a frame of the chair,

wherein at least a portion of the resonant chamber is configured to be positioned between at least one of the acoustic speakers and the user.

27. The chair of claim 26, further comprising a speaker module, wherein the speaker module includes the pair of acoustic speakers, and each of the pair of speakers is associated with a different portion of the user'"'"'s spine.

28. The chair of claim 26 wherein the resonant chamber is proximate to at least one of the speakers, and wherein the resonant chamber is filled with air.

29. The chair of claim 26 further comprising a volume control for each speaker.

30. The chair of claim 27 further comprising a sound insulation surrounding at least part of the speaker module.

31. A chair comprising:

a seat pad comprising a pair of acoustic speakers and a layered plurality of foam materials having different acoustic transmission properties, wherein at least one of the speakers is located within a speaker chamber, wherein at least a portion of the speaker chamber is defined within an aperture extending through more than one material of the layered plurality of foam materials, said seat pad defining a speaker module and a seating module, wherein portions of each of the speaker module and seating module are adapted to be positioned between a user and a frame of the chair, wherein said speaker module has at least one of the acoustic speakers positioned between the user and the frame, and wherein the speaker module and the seating module have different levels of resistance to compression.

32. The chair of claim 31 wherein the speaker module includes the pair of acoustic speakers, and each of the pair of speakers is associated with a thigh region of the user.

33. The chair of claim 31 wherein a resonant chamber is defined within the speaker module, and wherein at least a portion of the resonant chamber is configured to be positioned between at least one of the acoustic speakers and the user.