Ceiling speaker assembly

• US 8,297,402 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2011
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RGB Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RGB Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Edwards, Andrew C, Hudson, Michael, Evans, Andrew, Stewart, William Cameron
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Forrest M
• Application Number:
  US13/314,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20120080260A1
• Time in Patent Office: 327 Days
• Field of Search: 181/148, 181/150, 181/152
• US Class Current: 181/152
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/023 Screens for loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/026 Supports for loudspeaker casings
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2865 for loudspeaker transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/021 Transducers or their casings adapted for mounting in or to a wall or ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• 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: Y10T 29/49005 Acoustic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49575 including diaphragm or support therefor

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing a loudspeaker assembly is provided. In accordance with at least one embodiment, a method is provided which comprises forming a loudspeaker frame so as to define a driver housing portion, a horn portion, and a conformal portion. A driver aperture is defined for the driver housing portion, and a port aperture is defined for the horn portion. A driver is attached to the loudspeaker frame proximate to the driver aperture. A rear baffle is applied to a first conformal portion surface of the conformal portion of the loudspeaker frame. The rear baffle defines a horn cavity wall of a horn cavity of the horn portion. The horn cavity has an increasing cross sectional area as the distance from the driver housing portion increases. A grille is applied to a second conformal portion surface of the conformal portion of the loudspeaker frame.

Claims

1. A ceiling speaker assembly comprising:

a backbox comprising a first planar perimeter portion and an interior;

a three-dimensional speaker frame comprising a second planar perimeter portion disposed adjacent said first planar perimeter portion of said backbox and an elevated portion, said elevated portion comprising a speaker cavity, said speaker cavity comprising a speaker aperture;

a speaker mounted to said speaker frame adjacent said speaker aperture such that said speaker cavity and said backbox provide a controlled volume around said speaker, said controlled volume comprising a first portion of an interior volume of said interior of said backbox smaller than said interior volume of said backbox;

a grille comprising a crimping edge crimped about said first planar perimeter portion of said backbox such that said crimping edge secures said grille and said speaker frame to said backbox;

said speaker frame supporting and maintaining said speaker spaced apart from said grille.

2. The ceiling speaker assembly of claim 1 wherein said speaker cavity comprises a driver cavity in communication with a horn cavity at a first end of said horn cavity.

3. The ceiling speaker assembly of claim 2 wherein said speaker cavity comprises a port aperture at a second end of said horn cavity.

4. The ceiling speaker assembly of claim 3 wherein said port aperture has an area greater than an area of said speaker aperture.

5. The ceiling speaker assembly of claim 1 wherein said speaker frame is vacuum formed.

6. The ceiling speaker assembly of claim 1 wherein said speaker frame is molded.

7. The ceiling speaker assembly of claim 1 wherein said speaker frame is cast.

8. The ceiling speaker assembly of claim 1 wherein said speaker frame is stamped.

9. The ceiling speaker assembly of claim 1 wherein said grille is configured to have at least one dimension approximately equal to a dimension of a standard ceiling tile such that said ceiling speaker assembly is configured to replace half of a standard ceiling tile in a suspended ceiling.

10. The ceiling speaker assembly of claim 1 wherein said grille is configured to have two dimensions approximately equal to dimensions of a standard ceiling tile such that said ceiling speaker assembly is configured to replace a standard ceiling tile in a suspended ceiling.

11. The ceiling speaker assembly of claim 1 wherein said grille, backbox and speaker frame are configured such that no portion of said grille is in contact with any surface other than said first planar perimeter portion of said backbox and said second planar perimeter portion of said speaker frame.

12. The ceiling speaker assembly of claim 4 wherein said horn cavity has a first cross sectional area at said first end smaller than a second cross sectional area at said second end.

13. The ceiling speaker assembly of claim 1 wherein said grille comprises an HVAC grille.

14. The ceiling speaker assembly of claim 1 wherein said backbox comprises an HVAC backbox.

15. A ceiling speaker assembly comprising:

an HVAC backbox;

a three-dimensional speaker frame configured to support and maintain a speaker in an interior of said HVAC backbox;

a speaker mounted to said speaker frame;

an HVAC grille configured to attach to said HVAC backbox and to secure said speaker frame to said HVAC backbox;

said speaker frame supporting and maintaining said speaker spaced apart from said grille.

16. The ceiling speaker assembly of claim 15 wherein said speaker frame is vacuum formed.

17. The ceiling speaker assembly of claim 15 wherein said speaker frame is molded.

18. The ceiling speaker assembly of claim 15 wherein said speaker frame is cast.

19. The ceiling speaker assembly of claim 15 wherein said speaker frame is stamped.

20. The ceiling speaker assembly of claim 15 wherein said HVAC grille is crimped about an edge of said HVAC backbox.