Wireless bath fan speaker

• US 9,414,142 B1
• Filed: 09/05/2014
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chien Luen Industries Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Chien Luen Industries Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Zauhar, Zachary, Passauer, Willard, Rivera, Eliezer, Lowe, Tien S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Edun, Muhammad N
• Application Number:
  US14/478,300
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/025 Arrangements for fixing loudspeaker transducers, e.g. in a box, furniture
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/021 Transducers or their casings adapted for mounting in or to a wall or ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• 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

Abstract

Apparatus, devices, housings, systems and methods for providing wireless speakers in bathroom ventilation exhaust fans mounted in ceilings and walls. A main housing can house both the ventilation fan and the speaker separately from one another. The wireless speaker can use the same power source as the fan, and can be separately controlled. Wireless technologies such as Bluetooth, Wi Fi and Zigbee can be used.

Claims

1. A ceiling mounted ventilation fan with speaker system comprising:

a single housing having sides, top and an open bottom;

a fan inside of the housing for drawing air through the open bottom into the housing and exhausting air from the housing;

a motor for operating the fan;

a speaker inside of the housing in front of the fan;

a main rectangular grill having four sides covering the open bottom of the housing;

the main rectangular grill having four corners between each of the four sides, the main grill having parallel louvers running up to substantially three of the four corners of the main grill;

a separate rectangular speaker grill having four sides being directly mounted in one corner of the main rectangular grill without the louvers, each of the four sides of the rectangular speaker grill being parallel to each of the four sides of the main speaker grill;

a speaker mount and enclosure for mounting the speaker behind the separate rectangular speaker grill; and

a single power source for providing power to both the motor and the wireless speaker, wherein the mount, the enclosure and location of the speaker prevents incoming air through the main rectangular grill from passing about the speaker.

2. The ceiling mounted ventilation fan of claim 1, further comprising:

an enclosure for the speaker.

3. The ceiling mounted ventilation fan of claim 1, wherein the wireless speaker includes a transmitter and receiver operating with a wireless technology, selected from the group consisting of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Zigbee.

4. The ceiling mounted ventilation fan of claim 1, further comprising:

a control for operating the wireless speaker separately from the fan.

5. The ventilation fan of claim 1, further comprising:

a remote control for operating the wireless speaker separately from the fan.

6. The ventilation fan of claim 1, further comprising:

a home entertainment system remotely supplying music to the speaker.

7. The ventilation fan of claim 1, further comprising:

a public address (PA) system remotely providing messages to the wireless speaker.

8. The ventilation fan of claim 1, further comprising:

a single power supply for supplying power to both the fan and wireless speaker inside the single housing.

9. The ventilation fan of claim 8, further comprising:

an enclosure inside the single housing for enclosing both a wireless receiver module and a power converter.

10. The ventilation fan of claim 9, further comprising:

a junction box for connecting the supplied power to both the fan and the wireless speaker.

11. The ventilation fan of claim 10, further comprising:

male and female plugs for attaching and detaching the supplied power to both the fan and the wireless speaker.

12. The ventilation fan of claim 1, wherein the housing includes:

a top chassis and a bottom chassis attached to one another.

13. The ventilation fan of claim 12, wherein the top chassis includes:

a first side wall;

a second side wall spaced opposite to and parallel to the first side wall; and

a top wall for attaching the first side wall to the second side wall.

14. The ventilation fan of claim 13, wherein the bottom chassis includes:

a first side wall;

a second side wall spaced opposite to and parallel to the first side wall;

a first support beam for attaching one side edge of the first side wall to one side edge of the second side wall; and

a second support beam for attaching another side edge of the first side wall to another side edge of the second side wall.

15. The ventilation fan of claim 1, wherein the ventilation fan is a bath fan.

16. The ventilation fan of claim 15, wherein the bath fan includes a blower wheel.

17. The ventilation fan of claim 1, wherein the parallel louvers include:

a first set of parallel louvers having a first end and a second end; and

a second set of parallel louvers having a first end and a second end being perpendicular to the first set of parallel louvers, the second set of parallel louvers starting adjacent to the second end of the first set of parallel louvers.

18. The ventilation fan of claim 1, wherein the speaker grill includes:

a frame about the speaker grill for separating the speaker grill from the louvers.

19. A ceiling ventilation fan and speaker, comprising:

a housing with sides, top and an open bottom;

a fan inside the housing for drawing air through the open bottom into the housing and exhausting air therefrom;

a motor for operating the fan;

a speaker inside the housing;

a main rectangular grill having four sides covering the open bottom of the housing;

the main rectangular grill having four corners between each of the four sides, the main grill having parallel louvers running up to substantially three of the four corners of the main grill, the parallel louvers including a first set of parallel louvers having a first end and a second end, and a second set of parallel louvers having a first end and a second end being perpendicular to the first set of parallel louvers, the second set of parallel louvers starting adjacent to the second end of the first set of parallel louvers;

a rectangular speaker grill having four sides being mounted in one corner of the main rectangular grill without the louvers, each of the four sides of the rectangular speaker grill being parallel to each of the four sides of the main speaker grill, the speaker grill including an outer frame separating the speaker grill from the louvers in the main grill;

a speaker mount and enclosure for mounting the speaker behind the separate rectangular speaker grill; and

a power source for providing power to the motor and the wireless speaker, wherein the mount, the enclosure and location of the speaker prevents incoming air through the main rectangular grill from passing about the speaker.