The present invention relates generally to acoustic loudspeakers and, more particularly, to an acoustic horn including geometric shapes operable to provide smoother frequency coverage patterns.
A horn speaker is a form of a loudspeaker that uses a horn to increase the overall efficiency of a driver of the horn speaker. The driver is typically a diaphragm that is driven by an electromagnet. Horns can be viewed as an acoustic impedance transformer that provides impedance matching between the relatively dense diaphragm medium of the driver and the air. In a speaker system, the diaphragm is the high impedance source and the air is the low impedance receiver. The horn assists the solid-air impedance transformation by acting as an impedance transformer.
One embodiment of the present application discloses a horn that includes internally raised geometric shapes. Other embodiments include unique apparatus, devices, systems, and methods of providing a horn speaker that includes a horn having internally raised geometric shapes that increase the sound quality of the horn speaker by way of providing improved coverage area. Further embodiments, forms, objects, features, advantages, aspects, and benefits of the present application shall become apparent from the detailed description and figures included herewith.
The figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, in the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention is illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
Referring to
As illustrated, throat portion 16 of horn 14 transitions or expands outwardly towards a mouth portion or segment 18 of horn 14. In the form illustrated in
Referring collectively to
As illustrated in
In one representative form, surface areas 60 have a generally elliptical or ovate shape, but other geometric shapes are envisioned and may be utilized. For example, surface areas 60 can be shaped in an acuminate shape, an orbicular or circular shape, a triangular shape, a spatulate shape, a aristate shape, a lanceolate shape, and so forth. In one form, surface areas 60 extend generally from throat portion 16 to mouth portion 18 on the interior surface 58 of horn 14, however, surface areas 60 may extend shorter lengths along the length of horn 14 as well. The shape of horn 14 is determined by an equation or set of equations that describe the expanding area.
In yet another form, horn 14 includes a predetermined number of raised areas 60. In particular, horn 14 includes four raised areas 60 spaced an equal radial distance from one another on the interior surface 58 of horn 14. In the illustrated form, surface areas 60 are spaced 90° apart from one another with respect to a central axis of horn 14. The height of surface areas 60 in relation to interior surface 58 is dependent upon the size or area of throat portion 16, the size or area of mouth portion 18, and the length of horn 14.
Referring to
Referring to
As illustrated, the upper and lower side walls 104,106 define a first set of vertical side walls. Right and left side walls 108,110 define a second set of horizontal side walls. Walls 104, 106 run substantially perpendicular with walls 108,110. Walls 104-110 define an expanding generally rectangular shaped hollow interior that has a larger cross-sectional area at the mouth portion 18 of horn 100 than at the throat portion 16 of horn 100. As set forth in detail below, outside edges of walls 104-110 are connected with respective surfaces of raised surfaces areas 60a-d. Raised surface areas 60a-d increase the overall surface area of the hollow interior defined by walls 104-110 and raised areas 60a-d thereby altering the expansion rate of horn 100.
In one form, instead of the right side wall 108 being connected with upper side wall 104 and lower side wall 106, an upper portion 112 of right side wall 108 is connected with an outside edge 114 of a first raised surface area 60a. In addition, a lower portion 116 of right side wall 108 is connected with an outside edge 118 of a second raised surface area 60b. Likewise, an upper portion 120 of left side wall 110 is connected with an outside edge 122 of a third raised surface area 60c and a lower portion 124 of left side wall 110 is connected with an outside edge 126 of a fourth raised surface area 60d.
As further illustrated, a right side 128 of upper side wall 104 is connected with an outside edge 130 of raised surface area 60a. A left side 132 of upper side wall 104 is connected with an outside edge 134 of raised surface area 60c. A right side edge 136 of lower wall 106 is connected with an outside edge 138 of raised surface area 60b. In addition, a left side edge 140 of lower wall 106 is connected with an outside edge 142 of raised surface area 60d. As illustrated in
Referring to
As set forth above, one aspect of the present invention discloses a horn for a loudspeaker. The horn includes a body having a throat extending outwardly to a mouth such that an expansion contour is defined between the throat and mouth. The body includes an interior surface and an exterior surface. An interior surface of the body includes a surface area that extends away from the interior surface of the body.
In one form, the surface area extends upwardly from the interior surface of the body into a hollow interior area defined by the expansion contour. The surface area has a generally elliptical shape. The surface area extends from approximately the mouth to approximately the throat of the body. A height associated with the surface area is calculated as a function of a size of the horn as defined by the expansion contour between the throat and the mouth. In another form, a plurality of surface areas are included that are equally radially spaced about a center axis of the body.
Another form of the present invention discloses a horn for a loudspeaker, comprising: a body including a throat that expands outwardly to a mouth such that a first interior area defined by the throat is smaller than a second interior area defined by the mouth; and a plurality of raised surface areas located on an interior surface of the body.
In one form, the body has a generally rectangular shape having a first set of side walls that run generally perpendicular to a second set of side walls. At least a portion of the plurality of raised surfaces areas are positioned between the first set of side walls and the second set of side walls. The plurality of raised surface areas may have a generally acuminate shape.
Yet another form of the present invention discloses a loudspeaker capable of generating sound waves. The loudspeaker comprises a horn having a body that expands horizontally and vertically from a throat portion to a mouth portion to define a generally hollow interior area, wherein the body includes an interior surface and an exterior surface; a raised surface area on the interior surface of the body extending into the generally hollow interior area of the body; and a driver connected with the throat portion of the body such that at least a portion of a sound producing area of the driver is exposed through an aperture located in the throat portion.
In one form, he body includes a first set of vertical side walls and a second set of horizontal side walls that define an expanding generally rectangular shaped hollow interior. A first end of the raised surface area is located on a first side of a respective one of the vertical side walls and a second end of the raised surface area is located on a second side of a respective one of the horizontal side walls that is located adjacent the first side. In another form, a plurality of raised surface areas is located on the interior surface of the body that extend into the generally hollow interior area of the body, wherein the plurality of raised surface areas are positioned such that the vertical and horizontal side walls do not intersect one another but are connected with respective sides of the plurality of raised surface areas.
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the inventions are desired to be protected. It should be understood that while the use of words such as preferable, preferably, preferred or more preferred utilized in the description above indicate that the feature so described may be more desirable, it nonetheless may not be necessary and embodiments lacking the same may be contemplated as within the scope of the invention, the scope being defined by the claims that follow. In reading the claims, it is intended that when words such as “a,” “an,” “at least one,” or “at least one portion” are used there is no intention to limit the claim to only one item unless specifically stated to the contrary in the claim. When the language “at least a portion” and/or “a portion” is used the item can include a portion and/or the entire item unless specifically stated to the contrary.