Arrangement for mounting a microphone to an interior surface of a vehicle

• US 8,331,601 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2009
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company), GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Gratke, Jesse T., Fornatoro, Darryl T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROBINSON, RYAN C
• Application Number:
  US12/548,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20110051972A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• Field of Search: 381/86, 381355-356, 381/359, 381/361, 381/365, 381/375, 381/91
• US Class Current: 381/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/021 incorporating only one transducer
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2410/00 Microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles

Abstract

A housing sub-assembly for mounting a microphone sub-assembly to a vehicle includes, but is not limited to a main body portion that is adapted to be mounted to an interior surface of the vehicle. The main body portion is configured to connect to the microphone sub-assembly and to support the microphone sub-assembly in a position such that a portion of the microphone sub-assembly protrudes beyond an end of the main body portion when the main body portion is connected to the microphone sub-assembly.

Claims

1. A housing sub-assembly for mounting a microphone sub-assembly to a vehicle, the housing sub-assembly comprising:

a main body portion adapted to be mounted to an interior surface of the vehicle, the main body portion being configured to connect to the microphone sub-assembly and to support the microphone sub-assembly in a position such that a portion of the microphone sub-assembly protrudes beyond an end of the main body portion when the main body portion is connected to the microphone sub-assembly; and

an acoustically transparent grill disposed adjacent the main body portion and positioned to cover the microphone sub-assembly when the main body portion is connected to the microphone sub-assembly,

wherein the housing sub-assembly is substantially free of any structure positioned between the portion of the microphone sub-assembly and the acoustically transparent grill when the main body portion is connected to the microphone sub-assembly, and

wherein the main body portion includes a pair of structures, each structure being configured to connect to the microphone sub-assembly and to support the microphone sub-assembly, the pair of structures unilaterally connecting the main body portion to the microphone sub-assembly and unilaterally supporting the microphone sub-assembly in the position.

2. The housing sub-assembly of claim 1 wherein the main body portion includes a means for connecting to the microphone sub-assembly and for supporting the microphone sub-assembly in the position.

3. The housing sub-assembly of claim 1 wherein the acoustically transparent grill is configured to be spaced apart from the microphone sub-assembly when the main body portion is connected to the microphone sub-assembly.

4. The housing sub-assembly of claim 1 wherein the acoustically transparent grill is configured as a dome.

5. A microphone assembly for use with a vehicle, the microphone assembly comprising:

a microphone sub-assembly including a microphone and a preamplifier electrically connected to the microphone; and

a housing sub-assembly adapted to be mounted to an interior surface of the vehicle, the housing sub-assembly including a main body portion connected to the microphone sub-assembly, the main body portion being configured to support the microphone sub-assembly in a position such that a portion of the microphone sub-assembly protrudes beyond an end of the main body portion and an acoustically transparent grill disposed adjacent the main body portion and positioned to cover the microphone sub-assembly,

wherein the housing sub-assembly is substantially free of any structure positioned between the portion of the microphone sub-assembly and the acoustically transparent grill and

wherein the main body portion includes a pair of structures unilaterally connecting the main body portion to the microphone sub-assembly and unilaterally supporting the microphone sub-assembly in the position.

6. The microphone assembly of claim 5 wherein the microphone is a wideband microphone.

7. The microphone assembly of claim 5 wherein the main body portion is connected to the preamplifier.

8. The microphone assembly of claim 5 wherein the microphone sub-assembly further includes a back plate connected to the preamplifier and wherein the main body portion is connected to the back plate.

9. The microphone assembly of claim 5 wherein the microphone includes a sound receiving portion and wherein the main body portion is configured to support the microphone sub-assembly in a position such that the sound receiving portion protrudes beyond an end of the main body portion.

10. The microphone assembly of claim 5 wherein the microphone includes a sound receiving portion and wherein the sound receiving portion faces a driver of the vehicle when the housing sub-assembly is mounted to the interior surface of the vehicle.

11. The microphone assembly of claim 5 wherein the acoustically transparent grill is configured to be spaced apart from the microphone sub-assembly to avoid direct contact with the microphone.

12. A headliner assembly for a vehicle, the headliner assembly comprising:

a headliner configured for attachment to the vehicle, the headliner having a recess; and

a microphone assembly disposed within the recess and connected to the headliner, the microphone assembly including;

a microphone sub-assembly including a microphone and a preamplifier electrically connected to the microphone; and

a housing sub-assembly including a main body portion connected to the microphone sub-assembly, the main body portion being configured to support the microphone sub-assembly in a position such that a portion of the microphone sub-assembly protrudes beyond an end of the main body portion and an acoustically transparent grill disposed adjacent the main body portion and positioned to cover the microphone sub-assembly,

wherein the housing sub-assembly is substantially free of any structure positioned between the portion of the microphone sub-assembly and the acoustically transparent grill and

wherein the recess is configured as a keyway and wherein the main body portion is configured to conform to the keyway such that the recess obstructs insertion of the housing sub-assembly when the main body portion and the recess are out of alignment and wherein the recess permits insertion of the housing sub-assembly when the main body portion and the recess are aligned.

13. The headliner assembly of claim 12 wherein the microphone comprises a wideband microphone including a sound receiving portion and wherein the main body portion is configured to support the microphone sub-assembly in a position such that the sound receiving portion protrudes out of the recess.

14. The headliner assembly of claim 12 wherein the acoustically transparent grill is configured to be spaced apart from the microphone sub-assembly to avoid direct contact with the microphone.