This invention relates to loudspeakers, and, more particularly, to a loudspeaker having a number of light units each containing at least one source of light such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) which are protected from the environment external to the loudspeaker.
Loudspeakers generally comprise a frame, a motor structure, a diaphragm, a lower suspension or spider and a surround or upper suspension. In one type of speaker, the motor structure includes a permanent magnet sandwiched between a top plate and a back plate, with a pole piece having a through bore centrally mounted on the back plate so that both the top plate and magnet are concentrically disposed about the pole piece. A magnetic gap is formed between the pole piece and top plate within which a voice coil is axially movable. Preferably, the voice coil consists of a hollow, cylindrical-shaped former having an inner surface and an outer surface which mounts a winding of wire.
The voice coil in speakers of the type described above is mounted within the magnetic gap by the upper and lower suspensions and the diaphragm. One end of the diaphragm is connected to the upper suspension, which, in turn, is mounted to the upper end of the frame. The lower suspension is connected at one end to the frame at a point between its upper and lower ends. The free ends of the diaphragm and lower suspension are mounted to the outer surface of the former of the voice coil and support it for axial movement within the magnetic gap. In the course of operation of such speakers, electrical energy is supplied to the voice coil causing it to axially move within the magnetic gap. The voice coil, diaphragm, upper suspension, lower suspension, and dust cap, if present, collectively form an assembly which reciprocates as a unit with the excursion of the voice coil.
Speakers may be mounted within the interior of an enclosure having a front panel formed with an opening such that a forward-facing surface of the diaphragm aligns with the opening. Speaker enclosures may help prevent sound waves produced by the rearward-facing surface of the diaphragm from interacting with those emanating from its forward-facing surface, and help ensure that such sound waves arrive at a listener's ear at substantially the same time.
Speaker systems comprising a loudspeaker and an enclosure may be equipped with light sources such as LEDs. Typically, the LEDs are located in the area of the opening in the front panel of the enclosure, such as in or on a grill placed over such opening, or along a portion of the front panel of the enclosure. This construction may be suitable for indoor use. However, in harsher environments such as outdoor and marine applications where exposure to water, moisture, dirt and other potentially harmful elements is common, mounting LEDs as noted above can damage or render them inoperative.
This invention is directed to a loudspeaker system which is illuminated by LEDs that are protected from exposure to harmful conditions in the environment external to the loudspeaker.
The loudspeaker of this invention comprises a frame, a motor structure, a diaphragm, a lower suspension or spider and a surround or upper suspension. In the presently preferred embodiment, a spider stand-off ring is connected between the frame and motor structure. Such ring supports a circuit board upon which a number of light units are mounted and connected to a source of power. Each light unit may include a number of LEDs, such as red, green and blue, which are operative to illuminate individually or in combination to produce light of different color(s). A controller may be coupled to the circuit board and the light units causing them to illuminate in a particular flashing pattern or sequence, which may or may not correspond to the audio output of the loudspeaker.
The spider stand-off ring and circuit board it supports are located between the motor structure and diaphragm in position for the LEDs to direct their light output toward the diaphragm. Preferably, the diaphragm is formed of a transparent or translucent, substantially weather-proof material so that the LEDs may be viewed from outside of the loudspeaker. The diaphragm is connected at one end to the surround mounted to the frame, and at its opposite end to the voice coil of the motor structure. A dust cap is preferably fixed to the diaphragm in position overlying the voice coil.
In the presently preferred embodiment, the loudspeaker may be mounted within an enclosure or to a baffle that forms part of an enclosed space for the loudspeaker. In either case, the upper end of the frame is mounted to the enclosure or baffle with a gasket or other sealing member located between them. Accordingly, the upper end of the frame, the upper suspension, the diaphragm and the dust cap collectively form a substantially weather-proof barrier overlying the circuit board and light units which substantially isolates them from the environment external to the speaker. This protects the LEDs and associated circuitry from damage, especially in harsh conditions that may be experienced in marine and other outdoor applications.
The structure, operation and advantages of the presently preferred embodiment of this invention will become further apparent upon consideration of the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Referring initially to
The motor structure 14 comprises a top plate 22 and a back plate 24 which are spaced from one another and mount a permanent magnet 26 between them. A pole piece 28 having a bore 30 is integrally formed with and extends upwardly from the back plate 24 into a central opening formed in both the magnet 26 and top plate 22. A magnetic gap 34 is formed between the top plate 22 and pole piece 28 within which lines of magnetic flux (not shown) are created by the permanent magnet 26. The motor structure 14 further includes a voice coil 36 having a hollow, cylindrical-shaped former 38 whose outer surface mounts a wire winding 40. The former 38 is concentrically disposed about the pole piece 28, and the voice coil 36 is axially movable within the magnetic gap 34 during operation of the speaker 10.
The frame 12 has an upper end, s lower end and a side wall 42 extending between them. The upper end of frame 12 is formed with a flange 44, and its lower end includes an annular boss 46 and an annular shelf 48. As seen in
The voice coil 36 is held in place within the magnetic gap 34 by the diaphragm 16, spider 18 and surround 20. A lower end of the diaphragm 26 is affixed to the former 38 of the voice coil 36 by adhesive or the like, and its upper end connects to the surround 20. The surround 20, in turn, is mounted to the flange 44 at the upper end of the frame 12. The spider 18 has an inner edge 54 affixed by adhesive or the like to the former 38 and an outer edge 56 mounted to a spider stand-off ring 58. A dust cap 60 may be mounted to the inner surface of the diaphragm 16, in position above the voice coil 36, as depicted in
Referring now to
As best seen in
The circuit board 76 may be connected to a controller (not shown) programmed to illuminate the individual LEDs in light units 80 in essentially any sequence or flashing pattern that may or may not correspond to the audio output of speaker 10. In the presently preferred embodiment, the diaphragm 16 is formed of a transparent or translucent material. As seen in
An important aspect of this invention is the construction of speaker 10 in such a way as to protect the circuit board 76, and all of the electrical components thereon, from damage or destruction that may arise from exposure to the environment external to the speaker 10. With reference to
The baffle 94 diagrammatically shown in
As illustrated in
While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. For example,
Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.