Apparatus for outputting virtual engine sound

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11912196-B2
Application number	US-202117397219-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 9, 2021
Priority date	Feb 22, 2021
Publication date	Feb 27, 2024
Grant date	Feb 27, 2024

Abstract

An apparatus for outputting a virtual engine sound includes: an output device that outputs the virtual engine sound; a bumper beam connected to a rear surface of the output device; and a bumper foam connected to the output device and the bumper beam while opening left and right side surfaces of the output device. The apparatus for outputting a virtual engine sound may improve a virtual engine sound output efficiency by utilizing a sound pressure radiated from a side surface of the virtual engine sound output device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for outputting a virtual engine sound, the apparatus comprising:
an output device configured to output the virtual engine sound;
a bumper beam connected to a rear surface of the output device; and
a bumper foam connected to the output device and the bumper beam while opening left and right side surfaces of the output device,
wherein each of the left and right side surfaces of the output device has a plurality of holes, and
wherein the virtual engine sound travels through the plurality of holes in a left and right direction of the output device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bumper foam surrounds the left and right side surfaces of the output device such that the plurality of holes are opened, and extends in the left and right direction of the output device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bumper foam defines an output passage of the virtual engine sound, which travels from the plurality of holes, together with the bumper beam.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein a cross-sectional shape of the output passage includes a square.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein cross-sections of the output passage have the same surface area.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein a cross-sectional shape of the bumper has a rectangular shape with one side open.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bumper foam has a length configured to be variable based on an output frequency of the virtual engine sound.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bumper foam includes a material for absorbing an impact applied from the outside of a vehicle.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bumper foam is composed of an elastic material which is connected to the bumper beam.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bumper beam is connected to the rear surface of the output device, and extends in a left and right direction of the output device.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of holes has a radius of equal to or smaller than 1 mm, and
wherein the number of the plurality of holes is variable based on a length of the bumper foam.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the output device comprises a front surface facing forward, and side surfaces respectively connected to left and right edges of the front surface, and
wherein each of the front surface and the side surfaces includes the plurality of holes for outputting the virtual engine sound in each of a frontward direction and the left and right direction of the vehicle, respectively.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein length of the bumper is calculated based on the following equation:
Length=Sound speed÷frequency÷4.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp

Inventors

• Kim Keun Jin
• Kim Young Beom

Classifications

• B60Q5/008 Primary

  for signaling silent vehicles, e.g. for warning that a hybrid or electric vehicle is approaching · CPC title

• B60R19/22

  containing {mainly} cellular material, e.g. solid foam · CPC title

• B60R19/48

  combined with, or convertible into, other devices or objects, e.g. bumpers combined with road brushes, bumpers convertible into beds · CPC title

• H04R1/028

  associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles · CPC title

• H04R1/2857

  for loudspeaker transducers · CPC title