Patent Grant
8229152
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to speaker connectors, and more particularly, to a speaker connector for connecting a first speaker to a second speaker.
2. Related Art
Home entertainment systems typically include one or more speakers connected to an audio playback device, such as a receiver, television, compact disk player, etc. The speakers may be used simply to play audio files (e.g., mp3, compact disc, etc.), or to provide audio associated with programming on a television. Consequently, one or more speakers may be positioned near the television to provide optimum audio quality. For instance, a left speaker may be disposed on the left side of the television, while a right speaker may be disposed on the right side of the television.
Older models of televisions and speakers are big and bulky. As a result, the older models of televisions and speakers are commonly placed on the floor. The cumbersome nature of the television and speakers inhibit placing the speakers and/or television in a more aesthetically pleasing position. For instance, the speakers could not easily be hidden from view.
However, recent advances in technology have enabled audio and video equipment to become more compact, and sleeker, while at the same time becoming more powerful. For instance, flat-panel televisions and speakers having smaller physical form factors are available for use with home entertainment systems. Such televisions and speakers are much more compact than their predecessors and are capable of producing images and sounds having a quality that is equal to or greater than their predecessors.
With the advent of smaller, more compact televisions and speakers, it is desirable to place the equipment in more aesthetically pleasing positions. For instance, speakers may be “hidden” in the corners of the room, while flat-panel televisions may be hung on a wall. Although speakers tend to be smaller than their predecessors, it may still be advantageous to place one or more speakers adjacent the television to more easily associate the audio played by the speakers with the video displayed by the television. As such, it may be desirable to align the speakers with television or other furniture. In particular, it may be desirable to place the speakers along one of the edges of the television. Alignment of the speakers with the television may be facilitated by connecting one or more speakers together to alleviate disposal of the speakers adjacent the television or other reference point.
Therefore, it is apparent that there is a need in the art for a device to facilitate connection of a first speaker to a second speaker. The present invention address this particular need, as will be discussed in more detail below.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a speaker connector for use with a first speaker and a second speaker, each speaker having a speaker housing including an internally threaded housing recess. The speaker connector includes a first speaker element having a first inward face, an opposing first outward face, and a first engagement wall extending between the first inward face and the first outward face along a first speaker element axis. The first speaker element is connectable to the first speaker to dispose the first inward face in a direction facing the first speaker. The speaker connector also includes a second speaker element having a second inward face, an opposing second outward face, and a second engagement wall extending between the second inward face and the second outward face along a second speaker element axis. The second speaker element is connectable to the second speaker to dispose the second inward face in a direction facing the second speaker. The speaker connector further includes a connector housing having a first end face and an opposing second end face. The first and second end faces are disposed on opposing sides of a housing medial portion. A first inner wall extends inwardly from the first end face towards the housing medial portion along a first housing axis to define a first housing recess. The first inner wall is sized and configured to engage with the first engagement wall with the first speaker element being received within the first housing recess to align the first speaker element axis with the first housing axis and to dispose the first inward face of the first speaker element in a direction facing away from the housing medial portion. The connector housing also includes a second inner wall extending inwardly from the second end face towards the housing medial portion along a second housing axis to define a second housing recess. The second inner wall is sized and configured to engage with the second engagement wall with the second speaker element being received within the second housing recess to align the second speaker element axis with the second housing axis and to dispose the second inward face of the second speaker element in a direction facing away from the housing medial portion.
The speaker connector may enable a user to connect a plurality of speakers to each other. For instance, the speakers may be connected to form a “speaker bar.” Once the speaker bar is formed, the speakers may be more easily mounted or disposed in an acoustically desirable position, as well as an aesthetically desirable position. For example, it may be desirable to mount the speakers on a wall adjacent a flat panel television. In this manner, the speaker bar may provide audio feedback associated with the programming displayed on the television, while at the same time creating a more aesthetically pleasing appearance as a result of the alignment with the edges of the flat panel television.
The present invention will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout, and in which:
Common reference numerals are used throughout the drawings and the detailed description to indicate the same elements.
The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, and is not intended to represent the only form in which the present invention may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth the functions of the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiment. It is to be understood, however, that the same or equivalent functions and may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the scope of the invention. It is further understood that the use of relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, and the like are used solely to distinguish one from another entity without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities.
Referring now specifically to
The first and second speakers 12, 14 may be joined by the speaker connector 24. The connected speakers 12, 14 may form a “speaker bar” to facilitate placement of the speakers 12, 14 in an acoustically desirable configuration as well as an aesthetically pleasing position. The first and second speakers 12, 14 may be left and right speakers connected to an audio playback device. The speaker connector 24 includes a first speaker element 26 that is connectable to the first speaker 12 and a second speaker element 36 that is connectable to the second speaker 14. The first speaker element 26 includes a first inward face 28, an opposing first outward face 30 and a first engagement wall 32 extending between the first inward face 28 and the first outward face 30 along a first speaker element axis 34. Likewise, the second speaker element 36 includes a second inward face 38, an opposing second outward face 40, and a second engagement wall 42 extending between the second inward face 38 and the second outward face 40 along a second speaker element axis 44.
Referring now to
In one embodiment, the speaker connector 24 includes a threaded post 66 for connecting a respective one of the first and second speaker elements 26, 36 to a respective one of the first and second speakers 12, 14. As shown, the threaded post 66 is included in the fastener 68. The fastener 68 includes a head portion 67 and a shank portion 69. The shank portion 69 is threaded to form the threaded post 66. The threaded post 66 engages with the housing recess 18 formed on the speaker housing 16. In one implementation, the housing recess 18 is internally threaded to facilitate engagement with the threaded post 66. For instance, the housing recess 18 may include an internally threaded nut connected to the speaker housing 16. The fastener 68 is inserted into the through-hole 25 and engages with the internally threaded housing recess 18 to secure the respective speaker element 26, 36 to the respective speaker 12, 14.
The through-hole 25 may include a primary outer diameter at the first outward face 30 that is larger than a secondary outer diameter at the first inward face 28. The fastener 68 may be configured to have a head portion 67 having a diameter that is smaller than the primary outer diameter but larger than the secondary outer diameter to enable the fastener 68 to be recessed within the first speaker element 26 when the fastener 68 is disposed within the through-hole 25.
According to another embodiment, the threaded post 66 is integrally formed with the respective speaker element 26, 36. In this manner, the threaded post 66 may extend from the respective inward face 28, 38 to engage with the respective speaker 12, 14. Furthermore, other fastening means known by those skilled in the art, such as double-sided adhesive tape, may be used to secure the speaker elements 26, 36 to the speakers 12, 14, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
The first and second speaker elements 26, 36 are configured to engage with a connector housing 46 to facilitate connection of the first and second speakers 12, 14. Referring now to the embodiment shown in
The connector housing 46 includes a first inner wall 54 extending inwardly from the first housing end face 48 along a first housing axis 56 to define a first housing recess 58. Likewise, a second inner wall 60 extends inwardly from the second housing end face 50 towards the housing medial portion 52 along a second housing axis 56 to define a second housing recess 64. In the connector housing 46 illustrated in
The first inner wall 54 of the connector housing 46 is sized and configured to engage with the first engagement wall 32 of the first speaker element 26. In this manner, the first speaker element 26 is received within the first housing recess 58 to connect the first speaker 12 to the connector housing. In one particular implementation, when the first speaker element 26 is received within the first housing recess 58 to align the first speaker element axis 34 with the first housing axis 56. When the first speaker element 26 is received within the first housing recess 58, the first inward face 28 of the first speaker element 26 is disposed in a direction facing away from the housing medial portion 52.
Similarly, the second inner wall 60 is sized and configured to engage with the second engagement wall 42 of the second speaker element 36 to receive the second speaker element 36 within the second housing recess 64. When the second speaker element 36 is received within the second housing recess 64, the second housing axis 62 is aligned with the second speaker element axis 44. Furthermore, the second inward face 38 of the second speaker element is disposed in a direction facing away from the housing medial portion 52 when the second speaker element 36 is received within the second housing recess 64.
In the embodiments shown in
It is contemplated that the first housing recess 58 may be configured to engage specifically with the first speaker element 26. Likewise, the second housing recess 64 may be configured to engage specifically with the second speaker element 36. In this manner, the first and second speaker elements 26, 36 may be sized and configured to have different dimensions that correspond with the first and second housing recesses 58, 64, respectively. It may be desirable to configure the first and second speaker elements 26, 36 to have different dimensions to ensure specific speaker configurations. For instance, the first speaker element 26 may be connected to a left speaker while the second speaker element 36 may be connected to a right speaker. Therefore, the left and right speakers may be disposed on specific sides or the connector housing 46. However, it is also contemplated that the first and second speaker elements 26, 36 may have substantially identical sizes and configurations and may be received within either one of the first and second housing recesses 58, 64.
Referring now to
The first intermediate member 72 includes a first intermediate end portion 74 and a first intermediate engagement portion 76 including a first intermediate inner wall 78 extending from the first intermediate end portion 74 to define a first intermediate recess 82. The first intermediate engagement portion 76 also includes a first intermediate outer wall 80. The first intermediate inner wall 78 is sized and configured to engage with the first engagement wall 32 of the first speaker element 26. In this manner, the first intermediate recess 82 is sized and configured to receive the first speaker element 26. The first speaker element 26 may be received within the first intermediate recess 82 to dispose the first outward face 30 in a direction facing away from the first intermediate recess 82.
Similarly, the second intermediate member 84 includes a second intermediate end portion 86 and a second intermediate engagement portion 88 having a second intermediate inner wall 90 extending from the second intermediate end portion 86 to define a second intermediate recess 94. The second intermediate inner wall 90 is sized and configured to engage with the second engagement wall 42 of the second speaker element 36. Consequently, the second intermediate recess 94 is sized and configured to receive the second speaker element 36. The second speaker element 36 may be received within the second intermediate recess 94 to dispose the second outward face 40 in a direction facing away from the second intermediate recess 94.
The first intermediate member 72 may be sized and configured to specifically engage with the first speaker element 26, while the second intermediate member 84 may be configured to specifically engage with the second speaker element 36. Conversely, the first and second intermediate members 72, 84 may be engage with either one of the first and second speaker elements 26, 36.
The first and second intermediate members 72, 84 are engagable with the connector housing 46. In particular, the first inner wall 54 of the connector housing 46 may be sized and configured to engage with the first intermediate engagement portion 76 of the first intermediate member 72. In this manner, the first intermediate outer wall 80 may be disposable in contact with the first inner wall 54 to dispose the first intermediate engagement portion 76 within the first housing recess 58. Likewise, the second inner wall 60 of the connector housing 46 may be sized and configured to engage with the second intermediate engagement portion 88 with the second intermediate member 84 being received within the second intermediate recess 94.
The first and second intermediate members 72, 84 may include one or more apertures 96 formed within the respective intermediate end portions 74, 86 to facilitate connection between the respective intermediate member 72, 84 and the connector housing 46. For example, nails, screws, rivets, or other fastening elements known by those skilled in the art may be used to connect the intermediate members 72, 84 to the connector housing 46.
According to various aspects of the present invention, the speaker connector 24 may include a securing member 70 configured to secure the first and second speaker elements 26, 36 to the connector housing 46. As best shown in
In embodiments having first and second intermediate members 72, 84, each intermediate member 72, 84 may include an intermediate securing opening 75 through which the securing member 70 extends to securely connect the speaker elements 26, 36 to the respective intermediate members 72, 84 within the connector housing 46.
Referring now to
Referring now specifically to the embodiment shown in
The particulars shown herein are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the embodiments of the present invention only and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the present invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the present invention in more detail than is necessary for the fundamental understanding of the present invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the present invention may be embodied in practice.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3976162 | Cummings | Aug 1976 | A |
| 5758852 | Martin | Jun 1998 | A |
| 5833186 | Kosmoski et al. | Nov 1998 | A |
| 5947434 | Kosmoski et al. | Sep 1999 | A |
| 6600827 | Lu | Jul 2003 | B2 |
| 6721434 | Polk et al. | Apr 2004 | B2 |
| 20050190935 | Sakamoto | Sep 2005 | A1 |
| 20090196450 | Hughes | Aug 2009 | A1 |
| 20100202647 | Kuan | Aug 2010 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20100008522 A1 | Jan 2010 | US |
