External attachments for speakers in seats

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9403454-B2
Application number	US-201414543704-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2014
Priority date	Nov 17, 2014
Publication date	Aug 2, 2016
Grant date	Aug 2, 2016

Abstract

The technology described in this document is embodied in a speaker grill configured to be attached to a speaker system disposed in a portion of a vehicle seat. The speaker grill includes a base that includes perforations to allow acoustic energy from the speakers to pass through the grill, a sidewall extending from the base such that the sidewall and the base define a cavity, and a structural feature configured to allow the speaker grill to be to be attached to a substantially rigid portion of the vehicle seat. The speaker grill is attached in an acoustic path of the speaker system, and is removable from the substantially rigid portion of the vehicle seat following attachment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A speaker grill configured to be attached to a speaker system disposed in a portion of a vehicle seat, the speaker grill comprising:
a base that includes perforations to allow acoustic energy from the speaker system to pass through the grill;
a sidewall extending from the base such that the sidewall and the base define a cavity; and
a structural feature configured to allow the speaker grill to be to be attached to a substantially rigid portion of the vehicle seat and in an acoustic path of the speaker system, and to be removed from the substantially rigid portion of the vehicle seat following attachment, the substantially rigid portion comprising a connector disposed in an acoustic channel of the speaker system, the connector being attached to an acoustic enclosure of the speaker system.

2. The speaker grill of claim 1 , wherein the sidewall is curved such that the sidewall forms a beveled edge.

3. The speaker grill of claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the beveled edge overlaps an external layer of the vehicle seat when the grill is attached to the substantially rigid portion.

4. The speaker grill of claim 1 , wherein the substantially rigid portion comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: expanded resin, metal, and plastic.

5. The speaker grill of claim 1 , wherein the substantially rigid portion comprises a frame of the seat.

6. The speaker grill of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the vehicle seat comprises a headrest.

7. The speaker grill of claim 1 , wherein the structural feature is disposed on the sidewall.

8. The speaker grill of claim 1 , wherein the structural feature comprises a recessed portion configured to attach in a mating configuration with a projected portion in the substantially rigid portion of the vehicle seat.

9. The speaker grill of claim 1 , wherein the structural feature comprises a projected portion configured to attach in a mating configuration with a recessed portion in the substantially rigid portion of the vehicle seat.

10. The speaker grill of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the base overlaps with an external layer of the vehicle seat when the grill is attached to the substantially rigid portion.

11. A seat headrest comprising:
a housing arranged to support at least a portion of the head of a user, the housing comprising:
at least one speaker,
an opening in an external surface of the housing, and
a cavity configured to accommodate an acoustic channel between the speaker and the opening; and

an external speaker grill configured to be attached to the housing at the opening, the speaker grill comprising:
a base that includes perforations to allow acoustic energy from the speaker to pass through the grill,
a sidewall extending from the base, and
a structural feature configured to allow the speaker grill to be to be attached to a substantially rigid portion of the housing and in an acoustic path of the speaker system, and to be removed from the substantially rigid portion of the housing following attachment, the substantially rigid portion comprising a connector disposed in an acoustic channel of the speaker system, the connector being attached to an acoustic enclosure of the speaker system.

12. The headrest of claim 11 , wherein the substantially rigid portion comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: expanded resin, metal, and plastic.

13. The headrest of claim 11 , wherein the substantially rigid portion comprises a first frame portion disposed on one side of the housing, and a second frame portion disposed on another, opposing side of the housing.

14. The headrest of claim 11 , wherein the substantially rigid portion comprises an acoustic channel disposed in the housing.

15. The headrest of claim 11 , wherein the base overlaps an external layer of the headrest when the grill is attached to the substantially rigid portion.

16. The headrest of claim 11 , wherein the structural feature is disposed on the sidewall.

17. The headrest of claim 11 , wherein the structural feature comprises a recessed portion configured to attach in a mating configuration with a projected portion in the substantially rigid portion of the housing.

18. The headrest of claim 11 , wherein the structural feature comprises a projected portion configured to attach in a mating configuration with a recessed portion in the substantially rigid portion of the headrest.

19. The headrest of claim 11 , wherein a portion of the sidewall overlaps with an external layer of the headrest when the grill is attached to the substantially rigid portion of the housing.

Assignees

• Bose Corp

Inventors

• Subat Bradford Kyle
• Oswald Charles
• Barksdale Tobe Z
• Meeker David

Classifications

• H04R5/02

  Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers · CPC title

• B60N2/879

  with additional features not related to head-rest positioning, e.g. heating or cooling devices or loudspeakers · CPC title

• B60R2011/0017

  Head-rests · CPC title

• H04R1/086

  Protective screens, e.g. all weather or wind screens · CPC title

• H04R1/023

  Screens for loudspeakers · CPC title