Speaker clip

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9386362-B2
Application number	US-201313902966-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2013
Priority date	May 5, 2010
Publication date	Jul 5, 2016
Grant date	Jul 5, 2016

Abstract

Certain embodiments may take the form of an electronic device having a main housing encapsulating operative circuitry for the device. The electronic device includes an attachment member moveably coupled to the metal housing. The attachment member has an acoustical device located therein that is communicatively coupled to the operative circuitry in the main housing. The attachment member includes a recessed portion for positioning the acoustical device within the attachment member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a main housing holding a processor of the electronic device;
an attachment mechanism moveably coupled to the main housing via a hinge block, the attachment mechanism having a cavity;
an acoustic device located within the cavity of the attachment mechanism; and
an electrical connection that passes through the hinge block communicatively coupling the acoustic device and the processor.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein electrical connection passes through a hole in the hinge block.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the acoustic device comprises a piezoelectric speaker.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the piezoelectric speaker is positioned within the cavity of the attachment mechanism to create a space between the speaker and the attachment mechanism.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one adhesive layer and a cover plate, each located over the acoustic device.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a thin film located between the attachment member and the acoustic device.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the main housing and attachment mechanism are coupled together via a hinge block, the hinge block holding a spring member configured to maintain the attachment member in a closed position relative to the main housing.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein hinge block is positioned within a protruding portion of the attachment member, the protruding portion defining, at least in part, the distance separating the main housing and the attachment member.

9. The electronic device of claim 7 , further comprising at least one spring plate located on the attachment member in a location where the spring member contacts the attachment member.

10. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein a cover layer located on the acoustic device is shaped to at least one of direct sound output by the acoustic device or amplify the sound output by the acoustic device.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the cover layer has a dome shape.

12. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein a cover layer located on the acoustic device has at least one of a solid surface or a plurality of perforations.

13. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the cavity has at least one of a size or shape that affects sound output by the acoustic device.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the at least one of the size or the shape of the cavity influences a frequency response of the cavity.

15. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the cavity includes at least one feature that at least one of direct reflections of sound waves output by the acoustic device, increase movement of air within the cavity, or increase an amount of air moved within the cavity.

16. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the at least one feature comprises at least one of indentations or holes.

17. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a shape of the cavity is configured to resonate at a certain frequency or frequency range.

18. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a size of the cavity is configured to create a particular frequency response.

19. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the acoustic device is suspended within the cavity.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Filson John Benjamin
• Whang Eugene
• Rohrbach Matthew

Classifications

• H04R1/025 Primary

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

• Y10T29/49002

  Electrical device making · CPC title

• H04R1/021 Primary

  incorporating only one transducer · CPC title

• H04R1/026

  Supports for loudspeaker casings · CPC title

• H04R1/028 Primary

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