Speaker assembly for a structural pole and a method for mounting same

• US 7,607,512 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2005
• Issued: 10/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ronald Paul Harwood
• Original Assignee: Ronald Paul Harwood
• Inventors: Harwood, Ronald Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Donels; Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUKS, JEREMY AUSTIN
• Application Number:
  US11/209,794
• Publication Number:
  US 20070045040A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,526 Days
• Field of Search: 401/240.3, 404/55, 404/56, 404/57, 409/00, 406/070.4, 406/070.5, 404/27, 409/06, 381/82, 381/386, 381/388, 181/199, 181/148
• US Class Current: 181/148
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers

Abstract

A speaker assembly for a structural pole is provided, as well as a method for attaching a speaker assembly to a structural pole. The speaker assembly is provided with an elongated housing mounted to banner brackets that are fixed to the structural pole. The housing is sized to provide an aesthetic appearance that corresponds to a banner attached to the banner brackets. A speaker, or a plurality of speakers are provided within the housing for transmitting acoustic vibrations to a corresponding environment.

Claims

1. A speaker assembly for attachment to a structural pole, the speaker assembly comprising:

an elongate housing adapted to be affixed to a banner bracket of a structural pole such that the elongate housing is generally parallel with the structural pole and spaced laterally from the structural pole, and the housing being sized to retain at least one speaker therein wherein the housing provides an aesthetic appearance corresponding to a banner attached to a structural pole; and

at least one speaker retained within the housing and oriented to face generally outward from the housing for transmitting acoustic vibrations to a corresponding environment;

wherein the housing further comprises a height sized to match a height of a banner of the structural pole, and a depth oriented generally tangential of the pole, the depth being sized to match a spacing between opposed faces of the banner.

2. The speaker assembly of claim 1 further comprising an upper banner bracket mounted to a structural pole, wherein the elongate housing has an upper end affixed to the upper banner bracket of the structural pole for supporting the elongate housing upon the structural pole.

3. The speaker assembly of claim 2 further comprising a lower banner bracket mounted to the structural pole, wherein the elongate housing has a lower end affixed to the lower banner bracket of the structural pole for supporting the elongate housing upon the structural pole.

4. The speaker assembly of claim 2 wherein the height of the housing is oriented in an axial direction of the structural pole, wherein the housing farther comprises a width oriented in a direction that the upper banner bracket extends from the structural pole, and wherein the depth of the housing is oriented generally perpendicular to the height and the width, wherein the height and width of the housing are each greater than the housing depth.

5. The speaker assembly of claim 3 wherein the height of the housing is oriented in an axial direction of the structural pole, wherein the housing further comprises a width oriented in a direction that the banner brackets extend from the structural pole, and wherein the depth of the housing is oriented generally perpendicular to the height and the width, wherein the depth is less than or equal to a diameter of a region of the structural pole oriented between the banner brackets.

6. The speaker assembly of claim 2 wherein the housing further comprises a width oriented in a direction that the upper banner bracket extends from the structural pole, and the width is sized to orient the speaker assembly disposed between and laterally adjacent to both of the structural pole and a banner on the upper banner bracket.

7. The speaker assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one speaker further comprises a plurality of speakers.

8. The speaker assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one speaker further comprises a cone speaker.

9. The speaker assembly of claim 1 wherein the speaker assembly is adapted to receive a banner mounted thereto for aesthetically concealing the speaker assembly.

10. The speaker assembly of claim 2 further comprising a light source for illuminating a banner mounted to the upper banner bracket.

11. The speaker assembly of claim 1 further comprising a light source for illuminating a region of a corresponding thoroughfare.

12. The speaker assembly of claim 1 wherein the speaker assembly is wired into the structural pole for receiving a power source.

13. The speaker assembly of claim 1 further comprising a receiver mounted within one of the structural pole and the speaker assembly housing for receiving a wireless signal.

14. The speaker assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one speaker further comprises a linear array of speakers.

15. The speaker assembly of claim 14 wherein the linear array of speakers are oriented in an axial direction of the structural pole.

16. The speaker assembly of claim 14 wherein at least one speaker of the linear array of speakers is oriented facing a direction that is angularly offset from a tangential direction relative to the structural pole for directing acoustical vibrations to a targeted region in a corresponding thoroughfare.

17. The speaker assembly of claim 14 wherein at least one speaker of the linear array of speakers is oriented facing a direction that is angularly offset from a horizontal direction for even sound distribution to a corresponding thoroughfare.

18. A method for mounting a speaker assembly to a structural pole, the method comprising:

providing a speaker assembly having an elongate housing with a speaker therein;

mounting the speaker assembly to at least one banner bracket on a structural pole such that the elongate housing is supported by the at least one banner bracket without contacting the structural pole; and

orienting the speaker assembly laterally between the structural pole and a banner on the at least one banner bracket.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising mounting a banner to the at least one banner bracket.

20. A speaker assembly for attachment to a structural pole, the speaker assembly comprising:

an elongate housing adapted to be affixed to a banner bracket of a structural pole such that the elongate housing is generally parallel with the structural pole and spaced laterally from the structural pole, and the housing being sized to retain at least one speaker therein wherein the housing provides an aesthetic appearance corresponding to a banner attached to a structural pole;

at least one speaker retained within the housing and oriented to face generally outward from the housing for transmitting acoustic vibrations to a corresponding environment; and

an upper banner bracket mounted to a structural pole, wherein the elongate housing has an upper end affixed to the upper banner bracket of the structural pole for supporting the elongate housing upon the structural pole;

wherein the housing further comprises a height oriented in an axial direction of the structural pole, a width oriented in a direction that the upper banner bracket extends from the structural pole, and a depth oriented generally perpendicular to the height and the width, wherein the height and width of the housing are each greater than the housing depth.

21. A speaker assembly for attachment to a structural pole, the speaker assembly comprising:

an elongate housing adapted to be affixed to a banner bracket of a structural pole such that the elongate housing is generally parallel with the structural pole and spaced laterally from the structural pole, and the housing being sized to retain at least one speaker therein wherein the housing provides an aesthetic appearance corresponding to a banner attached to a structural pole;

at least one speaker retained within the housing and oriented to face generally outward from the housing for transmitting acoustic vibrations to a corresponding environment; and

an upper banner bracket mounted to a structural pole, wherein the elongate housing has an upper end affixed to the upper banner bracket of the structural pole for supporting the elongate housing upon the structural pole;

wherein the housing further comprises a width oriented in a direction that the upper banner bracket extends from the structural pole, and the width is sized to orient the speaker assembly disposed between and laterally adjacent to both of the structural pole and a banner on the upper banner bracket.

22. A speaker assembly for attachment to a structural pole, the speaker assembly comprising:

an elongate housing adapted to be affixed to a banner bracket of a structural pole such that the elongate housing is generally parallel with the structural pole and spaced laterally from the structural pole, and the housing being sized to retain at least one speaker therein wherein the housing provides an aesthetic appearance corresponding to a banner attached to a structural pole; and

at least one speaker retained within the housing and oriented to face generally outward from the housing for transmitting acoustic vibrations to a corresponding environment;

wherein the at least one speaker further comprises a linear array of speakers; and

wherein the linear array of speakers are oriented in an axial direction of the structural pole.

23. A speaker assembly for attachment to a structural pole, the speaker assembly comprising:

an elongate housing adapted to be affixed to a banner bracket of a structural pole such that the elongate housing is generally parallel with the structural pole and spaced laterally from the structural pole, and the housing being sized to retain at least one speaker therein wherein the housing provides an aesthetic appearance corresponding to a banner attached to a structural pole; and

at least one speaker retained within the housing and oriented to face generally outward from the housing for transmitting acoustic vibrations to a corresponding environment;

wherein the at least one speaker further comprises a linear array of speakers; and

wherein at least one speaker of the linear array of speakers is oriented facing a direction that is angularly offset from a tangential direction relative to the structural pole for directing acoustical vibrations to a targeted region in a corresponding thoroughfare.

24. A speaker assembly for attachment to a structural pole, the speaker assembly comprising:

an elongate housing adapted to be affixed to a banner bracket of a structural pole such that the elongate housing is generally parallel with the structural pole and spaced laterally from the structural pole, and the housing being sized to retain at least one speaker therein wherein the housing provides an aesthetic appearance corresponding to a banner attached to a structural pole; and

at least one speaker retained within the housing and oriented to face generally outward from the housing for transmitting acoustic vibrations to a corresponding environment;

wherein the at least one speaker further comprises a linear array of speakers; and

wherein at least one speaker of the linear array of speakers is oriented facing a direction that is angularly offset from a horizontal direction for even sound distribution to a corresponding thoroughfare.

25. A speaker assembly for attachment to a structural pole, the speaker assembly comprising:

an elongate housing adapted to be affixed to a banner bracket of a structural pole such that the elongate housing is generally parallel with the structural pole and spaced laterally from the structural pole, and the housing being sized to retain at least one speaker therein wherein the housing provides an aesthetic appearance corresponding to a banner attached to a structural pole;

at least one speaker retained within the housing and oriented to face generally outward from the housing for transmitting acoustic vibrations to a corresponding environment;

an upper banner bracket mounted to a structural pole, wherein the elongate housing has an upper end affixed to the upper banner bracket of the structural pole for supporting the elongate housing upon the structural pole; and

a lower banner bracket mounted to the structural pole, wherein the elongate housing has a lower end affixed to the lower banner bracket of the structural pole for supporting the elongate housing upon the structural pole.

26. The speaker assembly of claim 25 wherein the housing further comprises a height oriented in an axial direction of the structural pole, a width oriented in a direction that the banner brackets extend from the structural pole, and a depth oriented generally perpendicular to the height and the width, wherein the depth is less than or equal to a diameter of a region of the structural pole oriented between the banner brackets.