Audio speakers with integrated sealing and assembly features for “caseless” installation

• US 9,888,306 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2017
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Worrell, Devon, Rittenhouse, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Huyen D
• Application Number:
  US15/605,946
• Publication Number:
  US 20170264983A1
• Time in Patent Office: 257 Days
• Field of Search: 381 86, 381 87, 381333, 381345, 381349, 381353, 381354, 381386, 381388, 381389, 381391, 381392, 381395, 381189, 181141, 181150, 181171, 181199, 379430, 37943302, 379432
• 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 1/026 Supports for loudspeaker casings
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2807 Enclosures comprising vibrating or resonating arrangements for the reduction of undesired resonances or vibrations H04R1/2869
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2826 for loudspeaker transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2896 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 2400/11 Aspects regarding the frame of 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/15 Transducers incorporated in visual displaying devices, e.g. televisions, computer displays, laptops
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 31/006 Interconnection of transducer parts of diaphragm and outer suspension by moulding H04R31/003
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 7/02 characterised by the construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 7/14 corrugated, pleated or ribbed
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 7/20 Securing diaphragm or cone resiliently to support by flexible material, springs, cords, or strands
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/06 Loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/063 using a plurality of acoustic drivers H04R1/24 and H04R1/403 take precedence

Abstract

Small-scale audio speakers of various shapes are installed in parent devices. Inner casings, and the surrounding vibration-damping zone often required between such casings and the surrounding parent-device walls, are omitted from the assembly. During integration with the parent device, each un-encased speaker and its signal lines are sealed into a single-walled enclosure that incorporates a parent-device wall as at least one side. The entire interior of the single-walled enclosure becomes a back volume for the speaker. The single-walled enclosure may incorporate seals at the speaker'"'"'s audio-output aperture, at the pass-through for the signal lines, and at the interface between the parent-device wall(s) and the added side(s) constituting the single-walled enclosure. Optional adhesive-free sealing options include sliding tabs held by a snap-lock latch.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a parent device having a speaker placement on a parent-device wall;

an uncased audio speaker positioned at the speaker placement;

a signal line coupling the uncased audio speaker to a source of an electrical signal;

a speaker cover coupled to the parent-device wall;

a first seal between a front surface of the uncased audio speaker and an acoustic output aperture in the parent-device wall or in the speaker cover;

a second seal around the signal line in an opening by which the signal line exits the parent-device wall or the speaker cover; and

a third seal between the parent-device wall and the speaker cover;

wherein the speaker cover and the parent-device wall define a single-walled enclosure of the uncased audio speaker; and

wherein the single-walled enclosure comprises a back volume of the uncased audio speaker.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the back volume is airtight.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the back volume is ported.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first seal, the second seal, or the third seal is resilient to compression.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first seal, the second seal, or the third seal comprises an elastomer.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first seal, the second seal, or the third seal is applied as a liquid and cured.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the parent-device wall forms only one side of the single-walled enclosure.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the parent-device wall forms all but one side of the single-walled enclosure.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the parent-device wall and the speaker cover each form a plurality of sides of the single-walled enclosure.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a bracket having a notch in an edge;

wherein the second seal is positioned in the notch with the signal line held inside the second seal.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the speaker cover is retrofitted to a speaker placement arranged to fit a cased audio speaker.