Speaker assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12123587-B2
Application number	US-202218287633-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2022
Priority date	Apr 20, 2021
Publication date	Oct 22, 2024
Grant date	Oct 22, 2024

Abstract

A speaker assembly is disclosed. The speaker assembly includes: a speaker configured to provide sound in a first direction; a light-transmitting plate spaced apart from the speaker in the first direction and facing the speaker, the light-transmitting plate being configured to reflect the sound in a second direction that is different from the first direction; and an optical assembly disposed opposite the speaker with respect to the light-transmitting plate, the optical assembly being configured to provide light to the light-transmitting plate.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A speaker assembly comprising:
a speaker providing sound in a first direction;
an optical assembly providing light and spaced apart from the speaker in the first direction; and
a light-transmitting plate disposed between the speaker and the optical assembly, and including a surface facing the speaker and spaced apart from the speaker in the first direction,
wherein the sound from the speaker is reflected on the surface of the light-transmitting plate toward a second direction different from the first direction, and
wherein the light from the optical assembly is transmitting through the surface of the light-transmitting plate.

2. The speaker assembly of claim 1 , wherein the speaker provides the sound upward,
wherein the light-transmitting plate covers an upper side of the speaker, and
wherein the optical assembly is positioned above the light-transmitting plate.

3. The speaker assembly of claim 1 , wherein the light-transmitting plate is convex toward the speaker,
wherein a space between the speaker and the light-transmitting plate is formed in all directions in a horizontal direction, and
wherein the light-transmitting plate has a center at a vertex thereof.

4. The speaker assembly of claim 3 , wherein a height of the center of the light-transmitting plate with respect to a top of the speaker is ⅔ or less of a height of an opening that is an outlet of the space.

5. The speaker assembly of claim 4 , further comprising:
a first housing defining an inner space in which the speaker is installed; and
a second housing positioned above the first housing and surrounding an upper periphery of the light-transmitting plate,
wherein the opening is formed between the first housing and the second housing.

6. The speaker assembly of claim 1 , wherein the optical assembly comprises:
a substrate;
a light source mounted on a surface of the substrate that faces the light-transmitting plate; and
a diffusion plate closer to an inside of the light-transmitting plate than the light source.

7. The speaker assembly of claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of separation plates coupled to the surface of the substrate on which the light source is mounted, the plurality of separation plates being formed of a light reflective material,
wherein a center of the plurality of separation plates is aligned with a center of the light-transmitting plate in a vertical direction,
wherein the plurality of separation plates extends in different directions from the center of the plurality of separation plates, and divides a space between the substrate and the diffusion plate into a plurality of sub-spaces,
wherein the light source comprises a plurality of light sources disposed in the plurality of sub-spaces, and
wherein the plurality of light sources is operated independently of each other.

8. The speaker assembly of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of separation plates are spaced apart from an inside of the diffusion plate, and
wherein the light source comprises:
a first light source disposed in each of the plurality of sub-spaces; and
a second light source spaced apart from the first light source, the second light source being adjacent to a distal end of the separation plate in an outside of the plurality of sub-spaces.

9. The speaker assembly of claim 6 , wherein the diffusion plate is convex toward a center of the light-transmitting plate and is spaced apart from the inside of the light-transmitting plate.

10. The speaker assembly of claim 6 , wherein the light-transmitting plate further comprises grooves that extend while forming a circle parallel to a horizontal plane inside the light-transmitting plate, the grooves being sequentially arranged in a vertical direction.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Kihun
• Kim Jongwoo
• Paek Seunghark
• Seo Heuisik

Classifications

• H04R2201/34

  Directing or guiding sound by means of a phase plug · CPC title

• H04R1/345

  for loudspeakers · CPC title

• H04R1/028 Primary

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

• F21V11/16

  using sheets without apertures, e.g. fixed · CPC title

• F21V3/049

  Patterns or structured surfaces for diffusing light, e.g. frosted surfaces · CPC title