Attachment for loudspeaker

#The invention relates to an attachment for a loudspeaker, and more particularly, to such an attachment which may be utilized to mount a loudspeaker on a loudspeaker mounting surface of a loudspeaker cabinet or of a casing of an electroacoustic instrument.

#A variety of attachments or mounts for loudspeakers have been provided and known. However, in a compact or miniature size electroacoustic instrument such as a radio set or tape recorder, the casing comprises either plastic material or light metal such as aluminium having a reduced wall thickness on the order of 1 millimeter for the convenience of its portable use, so that a loudspeaker incorporated into the casing cannot be directly mounted on the casing wall by means of set screws. Though a spot welding is available for a metal wall casing to anchor mounting studs for the loudspeaker, marks are left on the outer surface of the casings to degrade the appearance.

#For mounting a loudspeaker on a casing having a reduced wall thickness, the following means are usually employed:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional attachment for a loudspeaker;

#FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the attachment for a loudspeaker according to one embodiment of the invention;

#FIG. 3 is a cross section of the resilient frame used in the attachment;

#Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown an exploded perspective view of the attachment for loudspeaker constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. A generally circular loudspeaker 12 is intended to be mounted on the inner surface 11a of a casing 11, with its opening facing such surface. The surface 11a is formed with a multiplicity of air vent apertures 11b in its region which is in registry with the opening of the loudspeaker. A resilient mounting frame 13 is adhesively bonded to the surface in alignment with the loudspeaker mounting position. The frame 13 is molded from synthetic resin material or is formed of rubber into a configuration conforming to the outer periphery of the loudspeaker opening, which is annular in the example shown. The inner diameter of the annular configuration is chosen slightly less than the diameter of a peripheral flange 12a of the loudspeaker. The inner circumferential surface of the frame 13 is formed with a groove 13a adapted to receive the peripheral flange 12a in a tightly fit manner. As shown in the cross section of FIG. 3, the groove 13a has a varying width, which increases as further removed radially from the axis of the annular configuration. It will be also noted in FIG. 3 that at least one of lateral surfaces which define the groove is inclined as the width increases. In the example shown, the lower edge 13b of the groove has an inclined surface. The width of the groove at the bottom thereof is chosen equal to the thickness of the peripheral flange 12a.

#In use, the frame 13 is initially adhesively bonded to the inner surface 11a of the casing at a position where the loudspeaker should be located, and then the peripheral flange 12a is fitted into the groove 13a as indicated in FIG. 4, thus completing the mounting of the loudspeaker 12 on the wall of the casing 11. The tapered surface on the lower edge 13b serves to resiliently clamp the peripheral flange 12a, thus providing a firm support for and avoiding the rattling of the loudspeaker 12.

#Instead of extending around the full perimeter of the flange 12a, the frame may extend through an angle which is intermediate 180.degree. and 360.degree.. Alternatively, the frame may comprise a plurality of circumferentially spaced, sector-shaped portions. In this instance, the flange of the loudspeaker may be laterally inserted into the grooves formed in the inner circumferential surface of the respective portions.