Mid-range loudspeaker

#2. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates to cinema sound systems and more particularly to mid-frequency range loudspeaker systems.

#3. Related Art

#The invention can be better understood with reference to the following figures. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.

#FIG. 1 is a front view of the mid-range array loudspeaker of the invention.

#FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of a four-element vertical stack mid-range array loudspeaker taken along line a-a of FIG. 1.

#FIG. 1 is front view of an example implementation of a mid-range array loudspeaker 100 of the invention. The mid-range array loudspeaker 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 is designed for use in cinema and theater loudspeaker array systems; however, the mid-range array loudspeaker may also be utilized for other applications.

#As illustrated in FIG. 1, the mid-range array loudspeaker 100 is an acoustic waveguide unit 102 having foul transducer drivers 104, 106, 108 and 110. The four transducer drivers 104, 106, 108 and 110, commonly referred to as drivers, are typically round units ranging from approximately 6.5 to 12 inches in diameter and are mounted on the rear of the acoustic waveguide unit 102. The cone of each driver 104, 106, 108 and 110 provides a separate waveguide for each driver 104, 106, 108 and 110. The cones of each driver are then integrated into common waveguides 112, 114 and 116. The waveguides 112, 114 and 116 together form part of the overall waveguide unit 102, which functions to uniformly radiate the energy of the acoustical sources with the plurality of drivers 104, 106, 108 and 110 and generate a frequency response from approximately 250 Hz to approximately 1.5 kHz.

#FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the mid-range array loudspeaker taken along line a-a of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 illustrates the integration of the cones and drivers into the waveguide unit 102. For the upper and lower drivers 104 and 110, respectively, the exterior walls 203 of waveguide unit 102 form the exterior surfaces of the waveguide for drivers 104 and 110, respectively. Vanes 112 and 114 are defined by a rounded nose shape and form the opposing walls of the waveguide unit 102 for the drivers 104 and 110, respectively. Drivers 106 and 108 are separated from one another by a central vane 116 that is also defined by a rounded nose shape. As seen in FIG. 2, the central vane 116 is slightly larger than the vanes 112 and 114. Vanes 112 and 114 form the waveguide walls opposing the central vane 116 for the waveguide drivers 106 and 108, respectively, and the walls opposing the exterior walls 203 for waveguide drivers 104 and 110, respectively.