IP Library Granted Patent US 8,139,810
Granted Patent B2
US 8,139,810 · App. 12/844,634 · Granted Mar 20, 2012

Motorcycle speaker system

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 8,139,810
App. No.
12/844,634
Granted
Mar 20, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A motorcycle having an open-air cockpit area and a seat configured to receive a rider and position the rider within the open-air cockpit area. A luggage container defines a substantially enclosed cargo volume, and the luggage container is configured to open to provide selective access to the cargo volume. A speaker is configured to output sound in response to signals from a source. A speaker enclosure at least partially encloses the speaker. A bass-reflex passage couples an interior space of the sparker enclosure and the cargo volume of the luggage container.

Claims (41)

1. A motorcycle comprising:

an open-air cockpit area;

a seat configured to receive a rider and position the rider within the open-air cockpit area;

a luggage container defining a substantially enclosed cargo volume, the luggage container being configured to open to provide selective access to the cargo volume;

a speaker configured to output sound in response to signals from a source;

a speaker enclosure at least partially enclosing the speaker; and

a bass-reflex passage directly coupling an interior space of the speaker enclosure and the cargo volume of the luggage container.

2. The motorcycle of claim 1 , wherein the luggage container is a trunk positioned rearward of the open-air cockpit area along a longitudinal centerline of the motorcycle above a rear fender.

3. The motorcycle of claim 1 , wherein the luggage container has rigid walls.

4. The motorcycle of claim 1 , wherein the speaker enclosure is positioned on an external surface of the luggage container, the motorcycle further comprising a gasket compressed between the speaker enclosure and the external surface of the luggage container at the bass-reflex passage.

5. The motorcycle of claim 1 , further comprising a gasket compressed between an outer flange of the speaker and a speaker-receiving opening of the speaker enclosure.

6. The motorcycle of claim 1 , further comprising a wrapped wire bundle coupled to the speaker and extending through an aperture in the speaker enclosure, the aperture receiving a form-fitting grommet having an aperture that receives the wrapped wire bundle in a form-fitting manner.

7. The motorcycle of claim 1 , wherein the bass-reflex passage is established by a hollow port extending through and being snap-fit into a pair of apertures, one of the pair of apertures being provided in each of the speaker enclosure and the luggage container.

8. The motorcycle of claim 7 , further comprising a screen positioned in the hollow port.

9. The motorcycle of claim 7 , further comprising a resilient ring mounted on an outside of the hollow port to create the interference for the snap-fit, the resilient ring being movable between two axially-spaced channels in the hollow port to accommodate a thickness variation presented by different liner configurations inside the luggage container.

10. The motorcycle of claim 1 , wherein the speaker enclosure, the speaker, and the bass-reflex passage are provided on one lateral side of the luggage container, and a second speaker enclosure, a second speaker, and second bass-reflex passage are provided in substantially identical arrangement on an opposite lateral side of the luggage container.

11. A motorcycle comprising:

a rigid trunk having a substantially enclosed cargo volume;

a speaker configured to output sound in response to signals from a source;

a speaker enclosure at least partially enclosing the speaker, the speaker enclosure being positioned on an external surface of the trunk; and

a bass-reflex passage coupling an interior space of the speaker enclosure and the cargo volume of the trunk.

12. The motorcycle of claim 11 , wherein the trunk includes a hinged lid for selectively providing access to the cargo volume.

13. The motorcycle of claim 11 , further comprising a wrapped wire bundle coupled to the speaker and extending through an aperture in the speaker enclosure, the aperture receiving a form-fitting grommet having an aperture that receives the wrapped wire bundle in a form-fitting manner.

14. The motorcycle of claim 11 , wherein the bass-reflex passage is established by a hollow port extending through and being snap-fit into a pair of apertures, one of the pair of apertures being provided in each of the speaker enclosure and the trunk.

15. The motorcycle of claim 14 , further comprising a screen positioned in the hollow port.

16. The motorcycle of claim 14 , further comprising a resilient ring mounted on an outside of the hollow port to create the interference for the snap-fit, the resilient ring being movable between two axially-spaced channels in the hollow port to accommodate a thickness variation presented by different liner configurations inside the trunk.

17. The motorcycle of claim 11 , wherein the speaker enclosure, the speaker, and the bass-reflex port are provided on one lateral side of the trunk, and a second speaker enclosure, a second speaker, and second bass-reflex passage are provided in substantially identical arrangement on an opposite lateral side of the trunk.

18. The motorcycle of claim 11 , further comprising a gasket compressed between the speaker enclosure and the external surface of the trunk at the bass-reflex passage.

19. The motorcycle of claim 11 , further comprising a gasket compressed between an outer flange of the speaker and a speaker-receiving opening of the speaker enclosure.

20. A motorcycle comprising:

an open-air cockpit area;

a seat configured to receive a rider and position the rider within the open-air cockpit area;

a rigid trunk positioned rearward of the open-air cockpit area and defining a substantially enclosed cargo volume, the trunk having a hinged lid configured to open to provide selective access to the cargo volume;

a pair of speakers configured to output sound in response to signals from a source;

a left speaker enclosure positioned on a left external side of the trunk and at least partially enclosing a first one of the pair of speakers;

a right speaker enclosure positioned on a right external side of the trunk and at least partially enclosing a second one of the pair of speakers;

a first bass-reflex passage providing direct communication between an interior space of the left speaker enclosure and the cargo volume of the trunk; and

a second bass-reflex passage providing direct communication between an interior space of the right speaker enclosure and the cargo volume of the trunk.

21. The motorcycle of claim 20 , wherein each of the first and second bass-reflex passages is established by a corresponding hollow port extending through and being snap-fit into a pair of apertures, one of the pair of apertures being provided in each of the speaker enclosure and the trunk.

22. The motorcycle of claim 21 , further comprising a resilient ring mounted on an outside of each of the hollow ports to create the interference for the snap-fit, the resilient ring being movable between two axially-spaced channels in the hollow port to accommodate a thickness variation presented by different liner configurations inside the trunk.

23. The motorcycle of claim 20 , wherein each of the left and right speaker enclosures includes a speaker-receiving aperture and a wiring aperture, and both the speaker-receiving aperture and the wiring aperture of each speaker enclosure is sealed with a gasket to direct substantially all airflow in and out of the speaker enclosure through the bass-reflex passage.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 7, 2023
From: HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY GROUP, LLC
To: HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 063013/0868 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 5, 2011
From: ARMITAGE, MARK J.; HOUSE, WILLIAM N.; HARRIS, JONATHAN C.; HEIN, SCOTT; STRUNSEE, THOMAS E.; HAZELWOOD, ROBERT; HODGE, BENJAMIN H.
To: HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY GROUP, LLC; RADIO SOUND, INC.
Reel/Frame 027021/0353 →