Speaker systems for off-road vehicles, ATVs, UTVs, watercraft, and motorcycles

• US 9,469,254 B1
• Filed: 02/14/2014
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wet Sounds, Inc. (Patrick Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Wet Sounds, Inc. (Patrick Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: White, Timothy John, Triola, Brett A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thang
• Application Number:
  US14/180,879
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0217 for loud-speakers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0026 Windows, e.g. windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/023 by selectively switching fixed light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0056 Audio equipment, e.g. music instruments, radios or speakers
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/00 Use or application of lighting devices or systems for decorative purposes, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/026 Supports for loudspeaker casings
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/403 loud-speakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/025 Transducer mountings or cabinet supports enabling variable orientation of transducer of cabinet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/028 Structural combinations of loudspeakers with built-in power amplifiers, e.g. in the same acoustic enclosure H04R2499/10 takes precedence; Single (sub)woofer with two or more satellite loudspeakers for mid- and high-frequency band reproduction driven via the (sub)woofer H04R2205/026
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/403 Linear arrays of transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles

Abstract

Speaker systems are provided, particularly for mounting in off-road vehicles, ATVs, UTVs, watercraft and motorcycles. The speaker systems may include a linear array of speakers and a housing encasing a backside thereof. In some cases, the housing includes sliding track mounts along its top and bottom surfaces. In addition or alternatively, the speaker systems may include nut and bolt fasteners arranged on top of the housing and/or mounting brackets arranged along opposing lateral sides of the housing. In some embodiments, a speaker system may be suspended in proximity to an upper bar of a windshield frame, front roll bar, and/or front edge of a roof of a vehicle and adjustable mounting brackets may be used to direct the speakers toward the driver and passenger seats of the vehicle. In some cases, a speaker system may be operationally independent from a stereo of a vehicle in which it is mounted.

Claims

1. A speaker system, comprising:

a linear array of speakers;

a housing encasing a backside of the linear array of speakers, wherein the housing comprises sliding track mounts along its top and bottom surfaces each for receiving a mounting;

one or more nut and bolt fasteners for mounting the speaker system to a surface, wherein the one or more nut and bolt fasteners are arranged over the sliding track that is arranged along the top surface of the housing; and

mounting brackets arranged along opposing lateral sides of the housing for mounting the speaker system to a surface.

2. The speaker system of claim 1, wherein the mounting brackets are configured for flat surface mounting.

3. The speaker system of claim 1, wherein the mounting brackets are configured for pipe mounting.

4. The speaker system of claim 1, wherein the mounting brackets are configured for flat surface mounting and pipe mounting.

5. The speaker system of claim 1, wherein the mounting brackets are adjustable.

6. The speaker system of claim 1, further comprising an audio signal source within the housing and which is electrically coupled to the linear array of speakers.

7. The speaker system of claim 1, further comprising an amplifier within the housing and which is electrically coupled to the linear array of speakers.

8. The speaker system of claim 1, further comprising a battery pack within the housing and which is electrically coupled to the linear array of speakers.

9. The speaker system of claim 1, further comprising light emitting diodes arranged along a side of the speaker system comprising a front side of the linear array of speakers.

10. The speaker system of claim 6, further comprising an auxiliary input port and an auxiliary output port within an exterior of the housing, wherein the auxiliary input is electrically coupled to the linear array of speakers, and wherein the auxiliary output port is coupled to the audio signal source.

11. A speaker system, comprising:

a linear array of speakers; and

a housing encasing a backside of the linear array of speakers, wherein the housing comprises a first sliding track mount along its exterior surface above the linear array of speakers and a second sliding track mount along its exterior surface below the linear array of speakers, and wherein each of the first and second sliding track mounts are for receiving a mounting.

12. The speaker system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first and second sliding tracks extends between lateral ends of the housing.

13. The speaker system of claim 11, further comprising one or more bolt-on applications arranged over the first sliding track for mounting the speaker system to a surface.

14. The speaker system of claim 11, further comprising mounting brackets arranged along opposing lateral sides of the housing for mounting the speaker system to a surface.

15. The speaker system of claim 11, wherein the housing comprises a substantially planar exterior backside surface behind the linear array of speakers.

16. The speaker system of claim 11, wherein the housing comprises:

an upper side comprising the first sliding track mount;

a lower side comprising the second sliding track mount; and

a backside extending between the upper side and the lower side, wherein the backside is aligned in a plane substantially parallel with a front side of the linear array of speakers, and wherein the backside comprises a height of at least at one third of the height of the linear array of speakers.

17. The speaker system of claim 11, wherein the first and second sliding track mounts are spaced approximately equidistant from a plane comprising a front side of the linear array of speakers.

18. A speaker system, comprising:

a linear array of speakers;

a housing encasing a backside of the linear array of speakers, wherein the housing comprises a sliding track mount along its exterior surface for receiving a mounting; and

one or more bolt-on applications arranged over the sliding track for mounting the speaker system to a surface.

19. The speaker system of claim 18, wherein the sliding track is arranged along a top surface of the speaker system.

20. The speaker system of claim 18, further comprising mounting brackets arranged at opposing lateral sides of the housing for mounting the speaker system to a surface.