# US 2016/0366501 A1 · Flip out dog leg mountable ceiling speaker enclosure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0366501 A1 - Document ID: US20160366501A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/737,352 - Filed: 2015-06-11 - Published: 2016-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-11 - Assignees: Mitek Corp., Inc. - Applicants: Mitek Corp., Inc. - Inventors: Johnathan Ivey; Michael Schomisch; Kevin Sykes; Michael Douglass Howell - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160366501A1 ## CPC - H04R 1/026: {Supports for loudspeaker casings} - F16M 13/027: {Ceiling supports} - H04R 1/025: {Arrangements for fixing loudspeaker transducers, e.g. in a box, furniture} - H04R 2201/021: Transducers or their casings adapted for mounting in or to a wall or ceiling - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) - F16M: FRAMES, CASINGS OR BEDS OF ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS, NOT SPECIFIC TO ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; STANDS; SUPPORTS ## Abstract An improved manually operated flip dog mountable ceiling speaker enclosure, for ceiling or other panel installation, has a biased sliding ratchet block that can be latched in place by an extension from a T-handle of an integral actuator rod. The ratchet block is controlled in its sliding motion by alignment rods extending from a vertical portion of a base and slidingly received in alignment bores of the ratchet block. A face of the ratchet block has downward pointing ratchet teeth that engage upward pointing ratchet teeth on a barrel of a flip dog to hold the flip dog in a clamped position. Over time, the biasing springs may lose their strength, but the latching of the ratchet block obviates this problem. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An improved manually mountable ceiling speaker enclosure, the improvement comprising a plurality of flip dog assemblies, each comprising a. three openings aligned to three openings in an inner annular support panel; b. a flip dog having a plurality of arcuate upward pointing teeth extending from a barrel of said flip dog; c. an arcuate chamber operable to slidingly receive said barrel and having an opening for receiving an end of a biased slidable ratchet block. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The improvement of claim 1, wherein said arcuate chamber comprises at least one arcuate wall that extends from said inner annular support panel. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The improvement of claim 1, wherein said flip dog comprises said barrel, a neck connecting said barrel to a flip dog foot, and a resilient portion attached to said flip dog foot. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The improvement of claim 1, comprising an integral actuator further comprising: a. a rod extending slidably through a first opening of said three openings and slidably through said barrel and configured to both pull said flip dog downward in said chamber and to travel upward without restriction from said barrel; b. a T-handle extending across a bottom end of said rod; and c. a latch extending upward from said T-handle and configured to fit slidingly into a second opening of said three openings. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The improvement of claim 4, comprising an end piece distal said T-handle, comprising a clip receiver and a clip, wherein said clip is configured to prevent said rod from being withdrawn through a barrel of a flip dog of said plurality of said flip dogs. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The improvement of claim 4, comprising a ratchet spring assembly further comprising: a. said slidable ratchet block having a plurality of alignment bores in a proximal side; b. an L-shaped base comprising vertical and horizontal portions; c. a plurality of alignment rods, each extending horizontally from said vertical portion and each slidingly received in an alignment bore of said plurality of alignment bores; d. a plurality of coil springs, each surrounding one alignment rod of said plurality of alignment rods and configured to bias said ratchet block towards said chamber. e. a hole in said horizontal portion aligned with said second opening of said three openings and configured to admit the passage of said latch when said T-handle is stowed; and f. a plurality of arcuate downwardly pointing teeth on a distal side of said slidable ratchet block, wherein said downwardly pointed teeth are configured to ratchet with said upwardly pointed teeth. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The improvement of claim 6, comprising a rigid cover for said ratchet spring assembly. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The improvement of claim 6, comprising a disengagement opening in a bottom surface of said slidable ratchet block aligned to said third opening when said slidable ratchet block is not latched, and further aligned to a sloped wall inside said slidable ratchet block. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The improvement of claim 1, comprising a rim assembly comprising: a. an annular rim operable as a jaw of a clamp; b. an annular wall extending inside said annular rim; and c. said inner annular support panel extending inside said annular wall. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The improvement of claim 1, comprising a speaker can: a. coupled to said inner annular support panel; b. operable to retain a speaker; and c. having a plurality of indentations, each configured to accommodate one flip dog assembly of said plurality of flip dog assemblies. ### Claim 11 An improved manually mountable ceiling speaker enclosure, the improvement comprising a. a rim assembly comprising: i. an annular rim operable as a jaw of a clamp; ii. an annular wall extending inside said annular rim; and iii. an inner annular support panel extending inside said annular wall; and b. a plurality of flip dog assemblies, each comprising i. three openings aligned to three openings in said inner annular support panel; ii. a flip dog having a plurality of arcuate upward pointing teeth extending from a barrel of said flip dog; iii. an arcuate chamber operable to slidingly receive said barrel and having an opening for receiving an end of a biased slidable ratchet block; and iv. an integral actuator comprising: 1. a rod extending slidably through a first opening of said three openings and slidably through said barrel and configured to both pull said flip dog downward in said chamber and to travel upward without restriction from said barrel; 2. a T-handle extending across a bottom end of said rod; 3. a latch extending upward from said T-handle and configured to fit slidingly into a second opening of said three openings. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The improvement of claim 11, wherein said arcuate chamber comprises at least one arcuate wall that extends from said inner annular support panel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The improvement of claim 11, wherein said flip dog comprises said barrel, a neck connecting said barrel to a flip dog foot, and a resilient portion attached to said flip dog foot. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The improvement of claim 11, comprising an end piece distal said T-handle, comprising a clip receiver and a clip, wherein said clip is configured to prevent said rod from being withdrawn through a barrel of a flip dog of said plurality of said flip dogs. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The improvement of claim 11, comprising a ratchet spring assembly comprising: a. said slidable ratchet block having a plurality of alignment bores in a proximal side; b. an L-shaped base comprising vertical and horizontal portions; c. a plurality of alignment rods. each extending horizontally from said vertical portion and slidingly received in an alignment bore of said plurality of alignment bores; d. a plurality of coil springs, each surrounding one alignment rod of said plurality of alignment rods and configured to bias said ratchet block towards said chamber. e. a hole in said horizontal portion aligned with said second opening of said three openings and configured to admit the passage of said latch when said T-handle is stowed; and f. a plurality of arcuate downwardly pointing teeth on a distal side of said slidable ratchet block, wherein said downwardly pointed teeth are configured to ratchet with said upwardly pointed teeth. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The improvement of claim 15, comprising a rigid cover for said ratchet spring assembly. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The improvement of claim 15, comprising a disengagement opening in a bottom surface of said slidable ratchet block aligned to said third opening when said slidable ratchet block is not latched, and further aligned to a sloped wall inside said slidable ratchet block. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The improvement of claim 11, comprising a rim assembly comprising: a. an annular rim operable as a jaw of a clamp; b. an annular wall extending inside said annular rim; and c. said inner annular support panel extending inside said annular wall. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The improvement of claim 11, comprising a speaker can: a. coupled to said inner annular support panel; b. operable to retain a speaker; and c. having a plurality of indentations, each configured to accommodate one flip dog assembly of said plurality of flip dog assemblies. ### Claim 20 An improved manually mountable ceiling speaker enclosure, the improvement comprising: a. a rim assembly comprising: i. an annular rim operable as a jaw of a clamp; ii. an annular wall extending inside said annular rim; and iii. an inner annular support panel extending inside said annular wall; b. a speaker can: i. supported on said inner annular support panel; ii. operable to retain a speaker; and iii. having a plurality of indentations, each configured to accommodate a flip dog assembly. c. a plurality of flip dog assemblies, each comprising i. three openings aligned to three openings in said inner annular support panel; ii. a flip dog having a plurality of arcuate upward pointing teeth extending from a barrel of said flip dog; iii. an arcuate chamber operable to slidingly receive said barrel and having an opening for receiving an end of a biased slidable ratchet block; iv. an integral actuator comprising: 1. a rod extending slidably through a first opening of said three openings and slidably through said barrel and configured to both pull said flip dog downward in said chamber and to travel upward without restriction from said barrel; 2. a T-handle extending across a bottom end of said rod; 3. a latch extending upward from said T-handle and configured to fit slidingly into a second opening of said three openings; v. a ratchet spring assembly comprising: 1. said slidable ratchet block having a plurality of alignment bores in a proximal side; 2. an L-shaped base comprising vertical and horizontal portions; 3. a plurality of alignment rods. each extending horizontally from said vertical portion and slidingly received in an alignment bore of said plurality of alignment bores; 4. a plurality of coil springs, each surrounding one alignment rod of said plurality of alignment rods and configured to bias said ratchet block towards said chamber. 5. a hole in said horizontal portion aligned with said second opening of said three openings and configured to admit the passage of said latch when said T-handle is stowed; 6. a plurality of arcuate downwardly pointing teeth on a distal side of said slidable ratchet block, wherein said downwardly pointed teeth are configured to ratchet with said upwardly pointed teeth; and 7. a disengagement opening in a bottom surface of said slidable ratchet block aligned to said third opening when said slidable ratchet block is not latched, and further aligned to a sloped wall inside said slidable ratchet block.