Audio directing loudspeaker grill

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10721554-B2
Application number	US-201816235660-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2018
Priority date	Jan 12, 2018
Publication date	Jul 21, 2020
Grant date	Jul 21, 2020

Abstract

Examples are provided for a speaker system that redirects sound toward a listener, such as an occupant of a vehicle. The speaker system may be integrated into a headrest of a vehicle. An example speaker system includes a transducer adapted to generate sound waves at a first transducer output, a horn coupled to the transducer output and adapted to guide the sound waves from the transducer toward a horn output, and a grill coupled to the horn via a curved joint and adapted to redirect the sound waves from the horn output. The example speaker system may further include a pad ring or bezel positioned between the transducer and the horn.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A speaker system comprising:
a transducer adapted to generate sound waves at a transducer output;
a waveguide coupled to the transducer output and adapted to guide the sound waves from the transducer toward a waveguide output; and
a grill coupled to the waveguide via a curved joint of the grill, wherein the curved joint is a continuous surface of the grill, wherein the grill comprises a plurality of apertures, and wherein the grill is adapted to redirect the sound waves from the waveguide output.

2. The speaker system of claim 1 , further comprising a pad ring or bezel positioned between the transducer and the waveguide.

3. The speaker system of claim 1 , wherein the transducer comprises a first transducer adapted to generate sound waves at a first transducer output, wherein the waveguide comprises a first waveguide coupled to the first transducer output and adapted to guide the sound waves from the first transducer toward a first waveguide output, and wherein the grill comprises a first grill coupled to the first waveguide via a first curved joint of the first grill and adapted to redirect the sound waves from the first waveguide output, the speaker system further comprising:
a second transducer adapted to generate sound waves at a second transducer output;
a second waveguide coupled to the second transducer output and adapted to guide the sound waves from the second transducer toward a second waveguide output; and
a second grill coupled to the second waveguide via a second curved joint of the second grill and adapted to redirect the sound waves from the second waveguide output, each of the first grill and the second grill adapted to redirect the respective sound waves from the first waveguide output and the second waveguide output to a common direction.

4. The speaker system of claim 3 , wherein the speaker system is arranged in a structure, the first transducer, the first waveguide, and the first grill being positioned on an opposite side of a vertical axis of the structure from the second transducer, the second waveguide, and the second grill.

5. The speaker system of claim 4 , wherein each of the first transducer, the first waveguide, and the first grill, as positioned in the structure, is mirror symmetric to the second transducer, the second waveguide, and the second grill, respectively, about the vertical axis.

6. The speaker system of claim 5 , wherein the common direction is perpendicular to the vertical axis.

7. The speaker system of claim 4 , wherein the structure is a headrest of a vehicle, wherein a central region of the headrest is adapted to support a head of an occupant of the vehicle, and wherein the common direction extends from the first grill past an ear of the occupant when the head of the occupant is supported by the central region of the headrest.

8. The speaker system of claim 7 , wherein the common direction is perpendicular to an occupant-facing front surface of the central region of the headrest.

9. The speaker system of claim 4 , wherein the first grill and the second grill form a portion of a front surface of the structure, and wherein the common direction is perpendicular to the front surface of the structure.

10. The speaker system of claim 4 , wherein the sound waves from the first transducer are propagated through the first waveguide in a first direction, the first direction being at angled between 25 degrees and 35 degrees relative to the common direction.

11. The speaker system of claim 3 , wherein the first curved joint includes an inner surface forming an arc between the first grill and the first waveguide and an outer surface forming a right angle between the first grill and the first waveguide.

12. The speaker system of claim 3 , wherein the first grill and the second grill each include a repeating, non-linear pattern of apertures.

13. The speaker system of claim 12 , wherein the pattern of apertures in the first grill is based on a curvature of the first waveguide, and wherein the pattern of apertures in the second grill is based on a curvature of the second waveguide.

14. A speaker system comprising:
a first transducer and a second transducer positioned at opposing ends of a headrest;
a first waveguide and a second waveguide coupled to the first transducer and the second transducer, respectively,
wherein the first waveguide and the first transducer are oriented to direct sound away from a central axis of the headrest, and
wherein the second waveguide and the second transducer are oriented to direct sound away from the central axis of the headrest; and

a first grill and a second grill coupled to the first waveguide and the second waveguide, respectively, the first grill and the second grill configured to redirect sound from the first waveguide and the second waveguide to a common direction that is parallel to the central axis of the headrest.

15. The speaker system of claim 14 , wherein the first grill is coupled to the first waveguide via a first curved joint and wherein the second grill is coupled to the second waveguide via a second curved joint.

16. The speaker system of claim 14 , wherein the speaker system is included in a headrest of a vehicle, wherein a central region of the headrest is adapted to support a head of an occupant of the vehicle, and wherein the common direction extends from the first grill past an ear of the occupant when the head of the occupant is supported by the central region of the headrest.

17. A headrest for a vehicle, the headrest comprising:
a first transducer and a second transducer positioned at opposing ends of the headrest;
a first waveguide and a second waveguide coupled to the first transducer and the second transducer, respectively,
wherein the first waveguide and the first transducer are oriented to direct sound away from a central axis of the headrest, and
wherein the second waveguide and the second transducer are oriented to direct sound away from the central axis of the headrest; and

a first grill and a second grill coupled to the first waveguide and the second waveguide, respectively, the first grill and the second grill configured to redirect sound from being directed away from the central axis of the headrest via the first waveguide and the second waveguide to being directed towards a common direction that is parallel to the central axis of the headrest.

18. The headrest of claim 17 , wherein a central region of the headrest is adapted to support a head of an occupant of the vehicle, and wherein the common direction extends from the first grill past an ear of the occupant when the head of the occupant is supported by the central region of the headrest.

19. The headrest of claim 18 , wherein the common direction is perpendicular to an occupant-facing front surface of the central region of the headrest.

20. The headrest of claim 17 , wherein the first grill and the second grill form a portion of a front surface of the headrest, and wherein the common direction is perpendicular to the front surface of the headrest.

Assignees

• Harman Int Ind

Inventors

• Groleau Patrick
• Concessi Kyle

Classifications

• H04R5/023

  in a chair, pillow · CPC title

• H04R1/345

  for loudspeakers · CPC title

• H04R1/30 Primary

  Combinations of transducers with horns, e.g. with mechanical matching means {, i.e. front-loaded horns}(horns in general G10K; {transducer enclosures or mountings using a back-loaded horn H04R1/2861; application of horns as guiding means to obtain a predetermined directivity characteristic H04R1/345}) · CPC title

• H04R1/023 Primary

  Screens for loudspeakers · CPC title

• B60N2/80

  Head-rests · CPC title