IP Library Granted Patent US 7,039,212
Granted Patent B2
US 7,039,212 · App. 10/660,727 · Granted May 2, 2006

Weather resistant porting

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,039,212
App. No.
10/660,727
Granted
May 2, 2006
Kind
B2
Abstract

A port for a loudspeaker is disclosed which is sufficiently weather resistant for long term outdoor use and which prevents debris, insects and other vermin from entering the loudspeaker and which is compact and efficient.

Claims (22)

1. A loudspeaker system comprising:

a transducer;

an enclosure for housing said transducer; and

a port disposed in said enclosure for tuning the low frequency performance of said loudspeaker system, said port comprising

a port tube extending at least in part outside of said enclosure, said port tube having a predetermined internal cross-sectional area,

a port cover for covering an outermost opening of said port tube, wherein said port cover is generally cup-shaped so as to fit over and overlap an outermost end of said port tube, wherein a first distance measured between an internal surface of said port cover and an exterior of said port tube is maintained therebetween to be at least approximately equal to one-half of the radius of the predetermined internal cross-section area of said port tube

wherein a second distance measured between an edge of said port cover nearest to said enclosure and a wall of said enclosure is greater than the average radius of an average cross-sectional area of said port tube such that a total cross-sectional area of an opening created between said port cover and said enclosure is substantially greater than said predetermined internal cross-sectional area of said port tube, such that any line drawn directly from a tangent point on the outer-most end of said port tube through a tangent point on an edge of said port cover nearest to said enclosure intersects with a solid part of said loudspeaker system.

2. The loudspeaker system according to claim 1 , wherein port tube has a first external cross-sectional area near the outermost end of said port tube and a second external cross-sectional area between said first external cross-sectional area and said enclosure such that said first external cross-sectional area is larger than said second external cross-sectional area.

3. The loudspeaker system according to claim 1 , wherein the opening created between said port cover and said enclosure is covered by a screen such that an open area percentage of said screen multiplied by the result of the cross-sectional area of said opening between said port cover and said enclosure divided by the predetermined internal cross-sectional area of said port tube is greater than or equal to 1.67.

4. The loudspeaker system according to claim 3 , wherein the screen has an open area greater than approximately 35% and a closed area less than approximately 65%, and the ratio of the cross-sectional area of said opening between said port cover and said enclosure divided by the predetermined internal cross-sectional area of said port tube is at least five.

5. A loudspeaker system comprising:

a transducer;

an enclosure for housing said transducer; and

a port disposed in said enclosure for tuning the low frequency performance of said loudspeaker system, said port comprising

a port tube extending at least in part outside of said enclosure, said port tube having a predetermined internal cross-sectional area, and

a port cover for covering an outermost opening of said port tube, wherein said port cover is generally cup-shaped so as to fit over and overlap an outermost end of said port tube, wherein in a distance measured between an internal surface of said port cover and an exterior of said port tube is maintained therebetween to be at least approximately equal to one-half of the radius of the predetermined internal cross-section area of said port tube,

a recessed area disposed in said enclosure for accepting said port tube and said port cover such that an outer surface of said port cover is generally flush with a surrounding surfaces of said enclosure; and

drainage channels disposed in said recessed area such that water entering said recessed area drains away from said port tube.

6. The loudspeaker system according to claim 5 , wherein an opening created between said port cover and said enclosure is covered by a screen such that an open area percentage of said screen multiplied by a result of the cross-sectional area of said opening between said port cover and said enclosure divided by the predetermined internal cross-sectional area of said port tube is greater than or equal to 1.67.

7. The loudspeaker system according to claim 6 , wherein the screen has an open area greater than approximately 35% and a closed area less than approximately 65%, and the ratio of the cross-sectional area of said opening between said port cover and said enclosure divided by the predetermined internal cross-sectional of said port tube is at least five.

8. The loudspeaker system according to claim 5 , wherein a second distance measured between an edge of said port cover nearest to said enclosure and a wall of said enclosure is greater than the average radius of an average cross-sectional area of said port tube such that a total cross-sectional area of an opening created between said port cover and said enclosure is substantially greater than said predetermined internal cross-sectional area of said port tube, such that any line drawn directly from a tangent point on an outermost end of said port tube through a tangent point on an edge of said port cover nearest to said enclosure intersects with a sold part of said loudspeaker system.

9. The loudspeaker system according to claim 5 , wherein said port tube has a first external cross-sectional area near an outermost end of said port tube and a second external cross-sectional area between said first external cross-sectional area and said enclosure such that said first external cross-sectional area is larger than said second external cross-sectional area.

Assignments (18)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL (REEL/FRAME 056193/0207) Recorded Apr 12, 2022
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DEI SALES, INC.; DEI HOLDINGS, INC.; SOUND UNITED, LLC; POLK AUDIO, LLC; DEFINITIVE TECHNOLOGY, LLC; D&M HOLDINGS U.S. INC.; THE SPEAKER COMPANY; DENEN ELECTRONICS (USA), LLC; MARANTZ AMERICA, LLC; D & M SALES & MARKETING AMERICAS LLC; D&M DIRECT, INC.; BOSTON ACOUSTICS, INC.; D&M PREMIUM SOUD SOLUTIONS, LLC; EQUITY INTERNATIONAL LLC
Reel/Frame 059988/0637 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL (REEL/FRAME 056193/0230) Recorded Apr 12, 2022
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DEI SALES, INC.; DEI HOLDINGS, INC.; SOUND UNITED, LLC; POLK AUDIO, LLC; DEFINITIVE TECHNOLOGY, LLC; D&M HOLDINGS U.S. INC.; THE SPEAKER COMPANY; DENEN ELECTRONICS (USA), LLC; MARANTZ AMERICA, LLC; D & M SALES & MARKETING AMERICAS LLC; D&M DIRECT, INC.; BOSTON ACOUSTICS, INC.; D&M PREMIUM SOUD SOLUTIONS, LLC; EQUITY INTERNATIONAL LLC
Reel/Frame 060003/0212 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Feb 14, 2022
From: CERBERUS BUSINESS FINANCE, LLC, AS AGENT
To: POLK AUDIO, LLC; DIRECTED, LLC; DEFINITIVE TECHNOLOGY, LLC; BOSTON ACOUSTICS, INC.; D&M EUROPE B.V.; B & W GROUP LTD; SOUND UNITED, LLC; B & W LOUDSPEAKERS LTD; D&M HOLDINGS INC.
Reel/Frame 059127/0278 →
ABL PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 10, 2021
From: BOSTON ACOUSTICS, INC.; DEI SALES, INC.; DEI HOLDINGS, INC.; SOUND UNITED, LLC; POLK AUDIO, LLC; DEFINITIVE TECHNOLOGY, LLC; D&M HOLDINGS U.S. INC.; THE SPEAKER COMPANY; DENON ELECTRONICS (USA), LLC; MARANTZ AMERICA LLC; D & M SALES & MARKETING AMERICAS LLC; D&M DIRECT, INC.; D&M PREMIUM SOUND SOLUTIONS, LLC; EQUITY INTERNATIONAL LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 056193/0207 →
FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 10, 2021
From: BOSTON ACOUSTICS, INC.; DEI SALES, INC.; DEI HOLDINGS, INC.; SOUND UNITED, LLC; POLK AUDIO, LLC; DEFINITIVE TECHNOLOGY, LLC; D&M HOLDINGS U.S. INC.; THE SPEAKER COMPANY; DENON ELECTRONICS (USA), LLC; MARANTZ AMERICA LLC; D & M SALES & MARKETING AMERICAS LLC; D&M DIRECT, INC.; D&M PREMIUM SOUND SOLUTIONS, LLC; EQUITY INTERNATIONAL LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 056193/0230 →
NOTICE OF SECURITY INTEREST - PATENTS Recorded Oct 9, 2020
From: DEI SALES, INC.; D&M HOLDINGS U.S. INC.; BOSTON ACOUSTICS, INC.; D&M EUROPE B.V.; POLK AUDIO, LLC; DEFINITIVE TECHNOLOGY, LLC; B & W GROUP LTD
To: CERBERUS BUSINESS FINANCE, LLC, AS THE COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 054300/0611 →
NOTICE OF SECURITY INTEREST -- PATENTS Recorded Mar 8, 2017
From: POLK AUDIO, LLC; DIRECTED, LLC; DEFINITIVE TECHNOLOGY, LLC; SOUND UNITED, LLC; D&M HOLDINGS U.S. INC.; BOSTON ACOUSTICS, INC.
To: CERBERUS BUSINESS FINANCE, LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 041909/0611 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Mar 8, 2017
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (AS SUCCESSOR AGENT TO FS INVESTMENT CORPORATION)
To: POLK AUDIO, LLC; BOOM MOVEMENT, LLC; DEFINITIVE TECHNOLOGY, LLC; DIRECTED, LLC
Reel/Frame 041912/0880 →
PATENT RELEASE AND REASSIGNMENT Recorded Mar 6, 2017
From: ANTERES CAPITAL LP (AS SUCCESSOR BY ASSIGNMENT TO GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORPORATION)
To: VIPER BORROWER CORPORATION, INC.; VIPER HOLDINGS CORPORATION; VIPER ACQUISITION CORPORATION; DEI SALES, INC.; DEI HOLDINGS, INC.; DEI INTERNATIONAL, INC.; DEI HEADQUARTERS, INC.; POLK HOLDING CORP.; POLK AUDIO, INC.; POLK AUDIO, LLC; BOOM MOVEMENT, LLC; DEFINITIVE TECHNOLOGY, LLC; DIRECTED, LLC
Reel/Frame 041895/0565 →
ASSIGNMENT OF PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 25, 2015
From: GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORPORATION
To: ANTARES CAPITAL LP
Reel/Frame 036687/0711 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 8, 2014
From: POLK AUDIO, LLC; BOOM MOVEMENT, LLC; DEFINITIVE TECHNOLOGY, LLC; DIRECTED, LLC
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 032632/0548 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 8, 2014
From: POLK AUDIO, LLC; BOOM MOVEMENT, LLC; DEFINITIVE TECHNOLOGY, LLC; DIRECTED, LLC
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORPORATION, AS US AGENT
Reel/Frame 032631/0742 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 23, 2014
From: POLK AUDIO, INC.
To: POLK AUDIO, LLC
Reel/Frame 032502/0989 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 13, 2011
From: VIPER BORROWER CORPORATION; VIPER HOLDINGS CORPORATION; VIPER ACQUISITION CORPORATION; DEI SALES, INC.; DEI HOLDINGS, INC.; DEI INTERNATIONAL, INC.; DEI HEADQUARTERS, INC.; POLK HOLDING CORPORATION; POLK AUDIO, INC.
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 026587/0386 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 23, 2011
From: CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE, ACTING THROUGH ITS NEW YORK AGENCY, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: DEI SALES, INC.; DEI HOLDINGS, INC. (F/K/A DIRECTED ELECTRONICS, INC.); DEI HEADQUARTERS, INC.; DEI INTERNATIONAL, INC.; POLK HOLDING CORP.; POLK AUDIO, INC. (AS SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO BRITANNIA INVESTMENT CORPORATION)
Reel/Frame 026481/0388 →
MERGER Recorded Aug 14, 2009
From: BRITANNIA INVESTMENT CORPORATION
To: POLK AUDIO, INC
Reel/Frame 023094/0754 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Nov 10, 2006
From: DEI HEADQUARTERS, INC.; DEI SALES, INC.; DIRECTED ELECTRONICS, INC.; BRITANNIA INVESTMENT CORPORATION; DIRECTED ELECTRONICS CANADA, INC.
To: CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE, ACTING THROUGH ITS NY AGENCY, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 018505/0205 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 4, 2004
From: POLING, JOHN B.; STAROBIN, BRADLEY M.; BARON, ALLEN S.; POLK, MATTHEW S., JR.
To: BRITANNIA INVESTMENT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 014956/0286 →