Integrated sound system

• US 9,756,408 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2016
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ferretti, Daniel, Line, Johnathan Andrew, Kondrad, Marcos Silva, Preuss, Kevin, Godin, Keith Allen, Lyons, David Frederick
• Primary Examiner(s): BERNARDI, BRENDA C
• Application Number:
  US15/005,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20170214988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/6009 covering more than only the seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/62 Thigh-rests B60N2/914 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/68 Seat frames
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/829 characterised by their adjusting mechanisms, e.g. electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/847 with stepwise positioning
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/879 with additional features not related to head-rest positioning, e.g. heating or cooling devices or loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/023 Screens for loudspeakers
• 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 1/2811 for loudspeaker transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2834 for loudspeaker transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle seating assembly comprises a seat having a lower seat and a seatback extending upwardly from the lower seat. The seatback comprises a forward facing surface, a rearward facing surface, a headrest mounted on an upper portion of the seatback and received within a headrest cup disposed on the forward facing surface of the seatback, a speaker assembly mounted in the headrest cup, and a resonance cavity formed proximate the headrest cup within which the speaker assembly is received.

Claims

1. A vehicle seating assembly for a motor vehicle having a lower seat and a seatback extending upwardly from the lower seat,

the seatback comprising a forward facing surface, a rearward facing surface, a headrest mounted on an upper portion of the seatback and received within a headrest cup disposed on the forward facing surface of the seatback, a speaker assembly mounted in the headrest cup, and a resonance cavity formed proximate the headrest cup within which the speaker assembly is received, the resonance cavity further comprising an upper opening that opens into the headrest cup disposed on a lower portion of the headrest cup, the upper opening receiving the speaker assembly, and a passive radiator disposed on a rearward side of the resonance cavity.

2. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the upper opening comprises a pair of speaker openings arranged in side-by-side relation on the lower portion of the headrest cup and the speaker assembly comprises a pair of speakers each received within one of the pair of speaker openings.

3. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 2, wherein a headrest cup speaker grill is disposed above the speaker openings and below the headrest, and a forward facing gap is provided between the headrest cup speaker grill and a lower portion of the headrest.

4. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 3, wherein the headrest cup speaker grill is comprised of a thin gauge perforated metal mesh.

5. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 4, wherein the perforated metal mesh is comprised of aluminum mesh having a thickness of 0.005 inch.

6. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the resonance cavity further comprises a rearward facing opening in which the passive radiator disposed on a rearward side of the resonance cavity is received.

7. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 6, wherein the upper opening comprises a pair of speaker openings arranged in side-by-side relation on the lower portion of the headrest cup and the speaker assembly comprises a pair of speakers each received within one of the pair of speaker openings, and the rearward facing opening comprises a pair of passive radiator openings arranged in side-by-side relation within which each one of a pair of the passive radiators is received.

8. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 7, wherein each of the pair of passive radiators comprise a circular elastomeric diaphragm.

9. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the resonance cavity is completely enclosed.

10. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, further comprising a forward facing gap between the speaker assembly and a lower portion of the headrest.

11. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the headrest cup is formed as a polymeric shell mounted within and on the forward facing surface of the seatback and the headrest is removably mounted within the headrest cup.

16. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein a headrest cup speaker grill comprised of a thin gauge perforated metal mesh is disposed above the speaker opening and below the headrest.

18. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the headrest cup is formed as a polymeric shell mounted within and on the forward facing surface of the seatback and the headrest is removably mounted within the headrest cup.

12. A seatback for a motor vehicle comprising a forward facing surface, a rearward facing surface, a headrest disposed on an upper portion of the seatback and received within a headrest cup formed on the forward facing surface of the seatback, a speaker assembly mounted in the headrest cup, and a resonance cavity formed proximate the headrest cup within which the speaker assembly is received.

13. The seatback of claim 12, wherein a forward facing gap is provided between the speaker assembly and a lower portion of the headrest.

14. The seatback of claim 13, wherein the resonance cavity is enclosed and comprises a pair of speaker openings arranged in side-by-side relation on the lower portion of the headrest cup and the speaker assembly comprises a pair of speakers each received within one of the pair of speaker openings, the resonance cavity further comprising a pair of passive radiator openings arranged in side-by-side relation within which each one of a pair of the passive radiators is received.

15. The seatback of claim 14, wherein each of the pair of passive radiators comprise a circular elastomeric diaphragm.

17. A vehicle seating assembly for a motor vehicle having a lower seat and a seatback extending upwardly from the lower seat,

the seatback comprising a forward facing surface, a rearward facing surface, a headrest mounted on an upper portion of the seatback and received within a headrest cup disposed on the forward facing surface of the seatback, a pair of speakers mounted in the headrest cup, and a resonance cavity formed proximate the headrest cup within which the pair of speakers is received,

the resonance cavity forming an enclosed volume and comprising a pair of speaker openings arranged in side-by-side relation on a lower portion of the headrest cup, wherein one each of the pair of speakers is received within one of the pair of speaker openings, the resonance cavity further comprising a pair of rearward facing passive radiator openings arranged in side-by-side relation within which each receive one of a pair of passive radiators.

19. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 17, wherein a forward facing gap is provided between the speaker openings and a lower portion of the headrest.