Control and audio systems for a boat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10922045-B2
Application number	US-201916360246-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 21, 2019
Priority date	May 1, 2017
Publication date	Feb 16, 2021
Grant date	Feb 16, 2021

Abstract

A boat includes a dash positioned proximate a windshield at a first non-zero angle. A speaker is mounted under a top surface of the dash at a second non-zero angle. The speaker is positioned to direct sound emanating from the speaker through an opening in the dash and the windshield is configured to reflect the sound emanating from the speaker as reflected sound in an aft direction. The boat may also include an enclosure having a reflective surface positioned within a cavity formed between the deck and hull of the boat. A speaker, mounted within the enclosure, and the reflective surface are configured to reflect sound emanating from the speaker off of the reflective surface and through an opening of the enclosure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A boat comprising:
a hull including a bow, a transom, and port and starboard sides;
a deck including a floor;
a windshield mounted at a first non-zero angle with respect to the floor;
a dash positioned proximate the windshield, the dash including a top surface and an opening; and
a speaker mounted under the top surface of the dash at a second non-zero angle with respect to the floor, the speaker being positioned to direct sound emanating from the speaker through the opening in the dash.

2. The boat according to claim 1 , further comprising a centerline, the dash being positioned on the starboard side of the centerline of the boat.

3. The boat according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a second dash positioned proximate the windshield on the port side of the centerline of the boat, the second dash including a top surface and an opening; and
a second speaker mounted under the top surface of the second dash at a third non-zero angle with respect to the floor, the second speaker being positioned to direct sound emanating from the speaker through the opening in the second dash.

4. The boat according to claim 1 , further comprising a grille covering the opening in the dash.

5. A boat comprising:
a hull including a bow, a transom, and port and starboard sides;
a deck including a floor;
a windshield mounted at a first non-zero angle with respect to the floor; and
a speaker positioned proximate the windshield at a second non-zero angle with respect to the floor, the speaker being positioned at the second non-zero angle to form an acute angle with the windshield.

6. The boat according to claim 5 , further comprising a dash, the dash being positioned proximate the windshield, the speaker being mounted to the dash.

7. The boat according to claim 5 , further comprising a dash, the dash being positioned proximate the windshield, the dash including a top surface and an opening, the speaker being mounted under the dash and positioned to direct sound emanating from the speaker through the opening in the dash.

8. The boat according to claim 7 , further comprising a grille covering the opening in the dash.

9. The boat according to claim 5 , wherein the speaker is a first speaker and the boat further comprises a second speaker positioned proximate the windshield at a third non-zero angle with respect to the floor, the second speaker being positioned at the third non-zero angle to form an acute angle with the windshield.

10. The boat according to claim 9 , further comprising a centerline, the first speaker being positioned on the starboard side of the centerline of the boat and the second speaker being positioned on the port side of the centerline of the boat.

11. A boat comprising:
a hull including a bow, a transom, and port and starboard sides;
a deck including a floor;
a windshield mounted at a first non-zero angle with respect to the floor;
a dash positioned proximate the windshield, the dash including a top surface; and
a plurality of speakers mounted under the top surface of the dash, each speaker mounted at a non-zero angle with respect to the floor and positioned to direct sound emanating from the respective speaker through an opening in the dash.

12. The boat according to claim 11 , wherein the plurality of speakers includes a first speaker and a second speaker.

13. The boat according to claim 12 , wherein the first speaker is mounted at a second non-zero angle with respect to the floor and the second speaker is mounted at a third non-zero angle with respect to the floor.

14. The boat according to claim 13 , wherein the second non-zero angle and the third non-zero angle are the same.

15. The boat according to claim 12 , further comprising:
a first enclosure mounted under the dash and including a lower portion and an upper portion, the upper portion of the first enclosure having an opening, wherein the first speaker is mounted in the lower portion of the first enclosure and positioned to direct sound emanating from the first speaker through the opening in the first enclosure; and
a second enclosure mounted under the dash and including a lower portion and an upper portion, the upper portion of the second enclosure having an opening, wherein the second speaker is mounted in the lower portion of the second enclosure and positioned to direct sound emanating from the second speaker through the opening in the second enclosure.

16. The boat according to claim 15 , wherein each of the first enclosure and second enclosure further includes a bottom wall located in the lower portion of the respective enclosure, and the first speaker and the second speaker are mounted to the bottom wall of the corresponding enclosure.

17. The boat according to claim 11 , further comprising:
an enclosure mounted under the dash and including a lower portion and an upper portion, the upper portion of the enclosure having an opening,
wherein each of the plurality of speakers is mounted in the lower portion of the enclosure and positioned to direct sound emanating from the speaker through the opening in the enclosure.

18. The boat according to claim 17 , wherein the enclosure further includes a bottom wall located in the lower portion of the enclosure, and each of the plurality of speakers is mounted to the bottom wall of the enclosure.

Assignees

• Mastercraft Boat Co Llc

Inventors

• Sheedy Darren S
• Ekern David F

Classifications

• H04R3/04

  for correcting frequency response · CPC title

• H04R5/04

  Circuit arrangements, {e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments (combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S)} · CPC title

• H04R1/345

  for loudspeakers · CPC title

• B63B49/00

  Arrangements of nautical instruments or navigational aids (nautical measuring instruments G01C; radio navigation, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) · CPC title

• B63B45/08

  the devices being acoustic · CPC title