Integrated speaker assembly for personal media device

• US 8,126,138 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2007
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• 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 Boyd
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN DUC
• Application Number:
  US11/650,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20080166009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,880 Days
• Field of Search: 379/430, 379/433.01, 379/433.02, 455/575.1, 455/90.3, 455/556.1, 381332-334, 381/386
• US Class Current: 379/433.02
• 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. A media device comprising:

a housing,

a frame disposed adjacent to the housing, and

an acoustic source being integrated with the frame for emitting sound from the media device, wherein the frame supports the acoustic source by extending beyond an outer surface of an enclosure that encloses at least a portion of the acoustic source.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein integrated with includes detachably connected to.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein integrated with includes unitarily formed with.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein integrated with includes mounted to.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the frame is disposed substantially within the housing.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the frame includes a sidewall.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the sidewall includes an aperture in acoustic communication with the acoustic source.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the frame includes a backplane.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein a portion of the acoustic source is positioned substantially on a top surface of the backplane.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein a portion of the acoustic source is enclosed within an upper casing of the enclosure, the upper casing being attached to the frame.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein a portion of the acoustic source is positioned substantially on a bottom surface of the backplane.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein a portion of the acoustic source is enclosed within a lower casing of the enclosure, the lower casing being attached to the frame.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the frame is connected to the housing at least one gasket.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the enclosure comprises an upper casing and a lower casing, wherein the frame extends beyond outer surfaces of the upper and lower casings and ends with a sidewall portion adjacent to the housing.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein at least a first portion of the frame comprises a plurality of backplanes, and wherein each one of the plurality of backplanes is positioned parallel with another one of the plurality of backplanes.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the frame extends through the enclosure and beyond the outer surface of the enclosure.

17. A method for emitting sound from a media device comprising:

integrating an acoustic source with a frame of the media device, wherein the frame supports the acoustic source by extending beyond an outer surface of an enclosure that encloses at least a portion of the acoustic source, and

emitting sound from the acoustic source to an external aperture of the housing.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein integrating includes detachably connecting to.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein integrating includes unitarily forming with.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein integrating includes mounting to.

21. The method of claim 17 comprising disposing the frame substantially within the housing.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the frame includes a sidewall.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the sidewall includes an aperture in acoustic communication with the acoustic source.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the frame includes a backplane.

25. The method of claim 24 comprising positioning a portion of the acoustic source substantially on a top surface of the backplane.

26. The method of claim 25 comprising enclosing a portion of the acoustic source within an upper casing of the enclosure, the upper casing being attached to the frame.

27. The method of claim 24, comprising positioning a portion of the acoustic source substantially on a bottom surface of the backplane.

28. The method of claim 27 comprising enclosing a portion of the acoustic source within an upper casing of the enclosure, the upper casing being attached to the frame.

29. The method of claim 24 comprising connecting the frame to the housing at least one gasket.

30. The method of claim 17, wherein the enclosure comprises an upper casing and a lower casing, wherein the frame extends beyond outer surfaces of the upper and lower casings and ends with a sidewall portion adjacent to the housing.

31. The method of claim 17, wherein at least a first portion of the frame comprises a plurality of backplanes, and wherein each one of the plurality of backplanes is positioned parallel with another one of the plurality of backplanes.

32. The method of claim 17, wherein the frame extends through the enclosure and beyond the outer surface of the enclosure.

33. A device comprising:

an acoustic source;

a frame comprising a sidewall portion and a backplane portion extending from the sidewall portion; and

an enclosure that encloses at least a portion of the acoustic source, wherein the backplane portion extends through the enclosure, and wherein the sidewall portion is external to the enclosure.

34. The device of claim 33 further comprising a housing secured to the sidewall portion.

35. The device of claim 33 further comprising at least one gasket sealing the enclosure about at least a portion of the backplane portion.