External attachments for speakers in seats

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9930433-B2
Application number	US-201615197079-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2016
Priority date	Nov 17, 2014
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

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. An apparatus configured to be attached to a speaker system disposed in a portion of a vehicle seat, the apparatus comprising:
a speaker cover comprising a perforated surface configured to pass acoustic energy radiated from the front of the speaker system, and a sidewall extending from the perforated surface; and a structural feature configured to allow the speaker cover to be attached to a substantially rigid portion of the vehicle seat, and to be removed from the substantially rigid portion of the vehicle seat following attachment, the substantially rigid portion comprising a connector piece disposed in an acoustic channel of the speaker system, the connector piece being attached to an acoustic enclosure of the speaker system, and configured to direct acoustic energy radiated from the front of the speaker system towards the speaker cover.

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

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

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

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

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

8. The speaker cover 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 cover 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 cover of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the sidewall overlaps with an external layer of the vehicle seat when the speaker cover 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 and an acoustic enclosure, and configured to support an acoustic channel for radiating acoustic energy from the front of the speaker; and
a speaker cover configured to be attached to the housing, the speaker covers comprising:
a perforated surface configured to pass the acoustic energy from the acoustic channel to an exterior of the headrest,
a sidewall extending from the perforated surface, and
a structural feature configured to allow the speaker cover to be attached to a substantially rigid portion of the housing, and to be removed from the substantially rigid portion of the housing following attachment, the substantially rigid portion comprising a connector piece disposed in the acoustic channel, the connector piece being attached to an acoustic enclosure of the speaker, and configured to pass acoustic energy radiated from the front of the speaker towards the speaker cover.

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 sidewall overlaps an external layer of the headrest when the speaker cover 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 speaker cover 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

• H04R1/025 Primary

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

• B60R11/0217 Primary

  for loud-speakers · CPC title

• H04R1/026

  Supports for loudspeaker casings · CPC title

• H04R5/023

  in a chair, pillow · CPC title

• H04R1/323

  for loudspeakers (H04R1/34 and H04R1/40 take precedence) · CPC title