Integrated speaker assembly for personal media device

• US 9,866,931 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2014
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Dinh, Richard Hung Minh, Tan, Tang Yew, Barrentine, Derek B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jamal, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US14/177,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20140153763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,429 Days
• Field of Search: 381345, 381337, 381338, 381339, 381357, 381366, 381340
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/03 Constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. telephone hand-sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/02 Casings; Cabinets ; Supports therefor; Mountings therein H04R1/28 takes precedence ; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2842 for loudspeaker transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for media devices including a housing, a frame disposed adjacent to the housing, and an acoustic source that is integrated with the frame for emitting sound from the media device.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

enclosure including an upper housing positioned opposite and adjacent a lower housing, and a frame positioned between the upper and the lower housing and extending around a perimeter of the upper and lower housings, wherein the upper housing, the lower housing and the frame define an exterior surface of the electronic device;

a touch sensitive user input screen forming at least a portion of the upper housing;

an acoustic output aperture formed through the upper housing;

an acoustic subassembly positioned within the enclosure and configured to emit sound out of the acoustic output aperture;

a first chamber positioned substantially on a first side of the acoustic subassembly and configured to direct acoustic energy from the acoustic subassembly to the acoustic output aperture;

a second chamber positioned at least partially on a second side of the acoustic subassembly that is opposite the first side of the acoustic subassembly;

a retaining wall separating the first chamber from the second chamber; and

a leak aperture formed through the retaining wall and coupling the first chamber to the second chamber.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the first chamber is further defined by a first and a second lateral wall and wherein the retaining wall extends between the first and the second lateral walls.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the retaining wall forms a portion of a frame, and the first and second lateral walls and the leak aperture are integrally formed as portions of the frame.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the upper and the lower housings are substantially planar, parallel to each other and are secured to the frame.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the electronic device is a phone and the acoustic output aperture forms a receiver configured to be positioned adjacent a user'"'"'s ear.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the second chamber is further defined by a third and a fourth lateral wall that are each oriented perpendicular to the retaining wall.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 further comprising an intermediate chamber coupled to the first chamber.

8. An electronic device comprising:

a device enclosure comprising a lower housing member and an upper housing member positioned opposite the lower housing member, a frame comprising a sidewall extending around a perimeter of the device enclosure positioned between the lower housing member and the upper housing member, wherein the lower housing member, the upper housing member and the frame define an exterior surface of the electronic device;

an acoustic aperture formed through the upper housing member;

a touch sensitive user input screen forming at least a portion of the upper housing member;

a retaining wall positioned inside of the enclosure and oriented parallel to the lower housing member and the upper housing member;

a front volume at least partially defined by the retaining wall and positioned on a upper side of the retaining wall that faces the upper housing member;

a back volume at least partially defined by the retaining wall and positioned on a lower side of the retaining wall that faces the lower housing member;

a leak aperture formed through the retaining wall and coupling the back volume to the front volume; and

an acoustic source positioned along the retaining wall at least partially within the back volume and oriented to direct sound through the front volume and out of the acoustic aperture.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 wherein the front volume is further defined by a first and a second lateral wall and wherein the retaining wall extends between the first and the second lateral walls.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 wherein the retaining wall forms a portion of a frame, and the first and second lateral walls and the leak aperture are integrally formed as portions of the frame.

11. The electronic device of claim 8 wherein the electronic device is a phone and the acoustic aperture forms a receiver configured to be positioned adjacent a user'"'"'s ear.

12. The electronic device of claim 8 wherein the back volume is further defined by a third and a fourth lateral wall that are each oriented perpendicular to the retaining wall.

13. The electronic device of claim 8 further comprising an intermediate chamber coupled to the front volume.

14. The electronic device of claim 8 wherein the upper and the lower housing members are substantially planar, parallel to each other and are each secured to the sidewall.

15. The electronic device of claim 8 wherein the upper and the lower housing members are substantially planar and each has a perimeter that is attached to the sidewall.