IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,926,712
Granted Patent B2
US 10,926,712 · App. 16/412,716 · Granted Feb 23, 2021

Mounting solutions for mounting audio actuators inside vehicle body components

Inventors: Joshua Wheeler (Trenton, MI); John Wayne Jaranson (Dearborn, MI); Michael Musa Azzouz (Dearborn Heights, MI); Ireneusz Trybula (South Lyon, MI); Scott Andrew Amman (Milford, MI)
Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
B60R11/02B60Q5/00B60Q9/00H04R1/025B60J5/042B60R2011/0021B60R2011/0077H04R2499/13
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 10,926,712
App. No.
16/412,716
Granted
Feb 23, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

This disclosure is directed to audio actuator assemblies that include bridging brackets for mounting audio actuators inside vehicle body components. In some embodiments, the vehicle body component is a door that includes a reinforcement beam. The bridging bracket is mountable to the reinforcement beam in order to secure the audio actuator in place inside the vehicle body component in a manner that allows the audio actuator to vibrate adjacent surfaces of the vehicle body component for radiating sound signals.

Claims (26)

1. An audio actuator assembly, comprising:

a bridging bracket; and

an audio actuator mounted within an opening of the bridging bracket,

wherein the bridging bracket includes a mounting platform, a first leg, and a second leg,

wherein each of the first leg and the second leg includes an opening, and a mounting stud is received within each of the openings,

wherein the mounting studs extend from mounting tabs of a reinforcement beam of a vehicle body component.

2. The assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the bridging bracket is mounted to the reinforcement beam of the vehicle body component.

3. The assembly as recited in claim 2 , wherein the vehicle body component is a door.

4. The assembly as recited in claim 1 , comprising a nut secured to each of the mounting studs.

5. The assembly as recited in claim 1 , comprising a polymeric bushing received within the opening and disposed between the opening and the audio actuator.

6. The assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the bridging bracket is triangular shaped.

7. The assembly as recited in claim 1 , comprising an adhesive attached to a surface of the audio actuator.

8. A vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle body component;

a bridging bracket secured within the vehicle body component; and

an audio actuator mounted to the bridging bracket,

wherein the vehicle body component is a door,

wherein the door includes a reinforcement beam, and the bridging bracket is secured to the reinforcement beam,

wherein the reinforcement beam includes a mounting tab, and a mounting stud extends from the mounting tab, wherein the bridging bracket is received over the mounting stud.

9. The vehicle as recited in claim 8 , wherein the door includes an exterior panel that includes an interior surface and an exterior surface, and the audio actuator is mounted to the interior surface.

10. The vehicle as recited in claim 9 , comprising an adhesive applied between the audio actuator and the interior surface.

11. The vehicle as recited in claim 10 , wherein the adhesive is a two-sided adhesive tape.

12. The vehicle as recited in claim 8 , wherein the audio actuator is a vibration exciter.

13. The vehicle as recited in claim 8 , wherein the audio actuator is received within a central opening of a mounting platform of the bridging bracket.

14. The vehicle as recited in claim 13 , comprising a polymeric bearing positioned between the central opening and the audio actuator.

15. The vehicle as recited in claim 8 , wherein the bridging bracket includes a mounting platform, a first leg, a second leg, a first reinforcement rib on the first leg, and a second reinforcement rib on the second leg.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 15, 2019
From: WHEELER, JOSHUA; JARANSON, JOHN WAYNE; AZZOUZ, MICHAEL MUSA; TRYBULA, IRENEUSZ; AMMAN, SCOTT ANDREW
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 049183/0670 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200361395A1 · Nov 19, 2020