Narrow profile speaker configurations and systems
AssigneeSlot Speaker Technologies, Inc.
InventorLawrence R. Fincham
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A narrow profile speaker unit comprises at least one speaker outputting sound towards an internal surface and through a duct with an output terminus, such as a slot, having a narrow dimension, effectively changing the cross-section of the speaker's audio output wave. A pair of speakers may face one another, outputting sound towards a common output slot. Multiple pairs of speakers may be used to form an inline speaker unit for increased sound output. A slotted speaker unit may include multiple speakers facing the same direction, towards a groundplane or reflecting surface, and having parallel apertures for allowing sound radiation. The speaker units may be integral with or attached to electronic appliances such as desktop computers or flatscreen devices, or may be used in automobiles or other contexts.
Claims12
A narrow profile sound system, comprising:
- a drive unit disposed on a mounting surface, said mounting surface forming a barrier acoustically isolating the drive unit's forward radiation from its rearward radiation;
- a sound reflecting surface facing the drive unit;
- and
- a narrow sound duct terminating in an output slot, the sound duct being defined by the sound reflecting surface, the mounting surface, and at least one interior sidewall disposed between the sound reflecting surface and the mounting surface such that the narrow sound duct provides a substantially straight path from the drive unit to the output slot and forward radiation from the drive unit is turned at a substantially right angle and channeled through the narrow sound duct directly towards the output slot.
A narrow profile sound system, comprising:
- a drive unit disposed on a mounting surface, said mounting surface forming a barrier acoustically isolating the drive unit's forward radiation from its rearward radiation;
- a sound reflecting surface facing the drive unit;
- and
- a narrow sound duct terminating in an output slot, the sound duct being defined by the sound reflecting surface, the mounting surface, and at least one interior sidewall disposed between the sound reflecting surface and the mounting surface such that the narrow sound duct provides a substantially straight path from the drive unit to the output slot and forward radiation from the drive unit is turned and channeled through the narrow sound duct in a linear path directly towards the output slot.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.