Cork-leather-covered loudspeaker grille

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11910140-B2
Application number	US-202217742949-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2022
Priority date	May 12, 2021
Publication date	Feb 20, 2024
Grant date	Feb 20, 2024

Abstract

A loudspeaker grille comprises a carrier element, which comprises a plurality of openings through a front surface, and a cover element to be attached to the front surface, which comprises a plurality of openings corresponding to the openings of the carrier element. The cover element is attached to the carrier front surface, wherein the cover element covers at least part of the front surface of the carrier element, and wherein the openings of the carrier element and the cover element are aligned with each other. The cover element is made of a flexible organic material, in particular a compound material with an organic outer surface layer, such as cork-leather.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a loudspeaker cover, the method comprising:
providing a fixture element comprising a plurality of spikes;
providing a carrier element comprising a front surface and a plurality of openings;
providing a cover element to be attached to the carrier element, wherein the cover element has a surface of an organic material and comprises a plurality of openings corresponding to the plurality of openings of the carrier element;
providing a press element with a plurality of openings;
arranging the carrier element and the cover element and the press element onto the fixture element, wherein the spikes extend through the openings of the carrier element and the cover element and the press element, and wherein the plurality of openings in the carrier element and the cover element are mechanically aligned to each other by the spikes; and
attaching the cover element to the carrier element by applying pressure to the press element, wherein the surface of the cover element covers at least partly the front surface of the carrier element.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the spikes extend substantially perpendicular from a base surface of the fixture element; and
the spikes have a tapered cross-sectional area becoming smaller at distances further away from the base surface.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spikes have an upper side wall section, which is not tapered, and a lower side-wall section which is tapered.

4. A system for producing a loudspeaker cover, the system comprising:
a fixture element comprising a plurality of spikes;
a carrier element with a front surface and a plurality of openings;
a cover element to be attached to the carrier element wherein the cover element has a surface of an organic material and comprises a plurality of openings corresponding to the plurality of openings of the carrier element; and
a press element with a plurality of openings corresponding to the plurality of spikes of the fixture element;
wherein the openings in the carrier element and the cover element are aligned to each other by the plurality of spikes extending through the plurality of openings of the carrier element, the cover element, and the press element; and
wherein the surface of the cover element covers at least partly the front surface of the carrier element.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein:
the spikes extend substantially perpendicular from a base surface of the fixture element; and
the spikes have a tapered cross-sectional area becoming smaller at distances further away from the base surface.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the spikes have an upper side wall section, which is not tapered, and a lower side-wall section which is tapered.

7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the cover element is made of a flexible organic material comprising a compound material with an organic surface.

8. The system of claim 4 , wherein the cover element has a cork surface or a cork-leather surface.

9. The system of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of openings in the carrier element and the cover element have substantially the same dimensions.

10. The system of claim 4 , wherein the cover element extends at least partly around a side surface of the carrier element and is fixed at least partly onto the side surface of the carrier element.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the cover element extends at least partly to a back side of the carrier element.

12. The system of claim 4 , wherein in an active area defined by outer edges of outer openings of the plurality of openings arranged in a group, an open area of the plurality of openings are greater than 30% of the active area.

13. The system of claim 4 , wherein:
the plurality of openings are longitudinal openings; and
longitudinal axes of the plurality of openings are aligned to each other.

14. The system of claim 4 , wherein:
a backside of the carrier element includes a plurality of ribs protruding from a back surface of the carrier element; and
the ribs extend along the back surface at least partially between the plurality of openings.

Assignees

• Harman Becker Automotive Systems Gmbh

Inventors

• Bladt Henrik H
• Witschel Ole Kruse

Classifications

• H04R1/023 Primary

  Screens for loudspeakers · CPC title

• H04R1/025

  Arrangements for fixing loudspeaker transducers, e.g. in a box, furniture · CPC title

• H04R31/00

  Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of transducers or diaphragms therefor {(manufacture of microstructural arrangements of deformable or non-deformable structures in general B81C1/00182)} · CPC title

• B60R13/0243

  Doors · CPC title

• H04R2499/13

  Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles · CPC title