IP Library Granted Patent US 12,262,187
Granted Patent B2
US 12,262,187 · App. 17/999,404 · Granted Mar 25, 2025

Speaker apparatus and chair

Inventors: Atsushi Homma (Tokyo, JP); Takahiro Hayasaka (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
H04R5/023A47C1/12A47C7/727B60N2/90H04R1/2826H04R1/345H04S1/007H04R2499/13
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,262,187
App. No.
17/999,404
Granted
Mar 25, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A speaker apparatus includes a pair of left and right speaker blocks that respectively have acoustic output sections and that are arranged inside a backrest. The pair of speaker blocks are arranged horizontally side by side relative to a headrest located on a front surface side of the backrest, and at least part of the headrest is located within a range of a nominal directivity angle of acoustics output from the acoustic output sections. This ensures that, of the acoustics output from the acoustic output section of the speaker block on the left side, at least some acoustics that head for the right ear are blocked by the headrest and that, of the acoustics output from the acoustic output section of the speaker block on the right side, at least some acoustics that head for the left ear are blocked by the headrest.

Claims (42)

1. A speaker apparatus, comprising:

a casing; and

a pair of a left speaker block and a right speaker block, wherein each of the left speaker block and the right speaker block includes:

a main body section inside and outside of the casing; and

an acoustic output section inside a backrest associated with the speaker apparatus, wherein

the acoustic output section comprises a vibration plate attached to a front surface section of the casing,

the acoustic output section is configured to have an orientation of a specific angle based on a vertical movement of a headrest associated with the speaker apparatus, and

the headrest is on a front surface side of the backrest,

the pair of the left speaker block and the right speaker block is horizontally side by side relative to the headrest,

at least a part of the headrest is within a range of a nominal directivity angle of an acoustics output from the acoustic output section of the left speaker block and the acoustic output section of the right speaker block,

the nominal directivity angle is an angle smaller than 180 degrees,

the nominal directivity angle is based on a measurement of a sound pressure level on a 360 degrees circumference around an output position of the speaker apparatus, and

the sound pressure level on the 360 degrees circumference is measured based on an application of an electrical input on the pair of the left speaker block and the right speaker block.

2. The speaker apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

at least part of the pair of the left speaker block and the right speaker block is backward and downward of the headrest.

3. The speaker apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

a direction of a central axis of the nominal directivity angle of the acoustics output from the acoustic output section of the left speaker block and the acoustic output section of the right speaker block is oriented upward relative to a horizontal direction.

4. The speaker apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the orientation of the acoustic output section is changed based on the vertical movement of the headrest.

5. The speaker apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the orientation of the acoustic output section of the left speaker block and the acoustic output section of the right speaker block is changed to an upward orientation based on an upward movement of the headrest, and

the orientation of the acoustic output section of the left speaker block and the acoustic output section of the right speaker block is changed to a downward orientation based on a downward movement of the headrest.

6. The speaker apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

each of the left speaker block and the right speaker block further includes a duct that has a sound guiding space therein,

low-pitched acoustics are output to the acoustic output section from an output port of the duct, and

the acoustic output section and the output port are located at a same vertical height.

7. A chair, comprising:

a backrest adapted to function as a support for a back;

a headrest on a front surface side of the backrest; and

a speaker apparatus, wherein the speaker apparatus comprises:

a casing; and

a pair of a left speaker block and a right speaker block, wherein

each of the left speaker block and the right speaker block includes:

a main body section inside and outside of the casing; and

an acoustic output section inside the backrest, wherein

the acoustic output section comprises a vibration plate attached to a front surface section of the casing, and

the acoustic output section is configured to have an orientation of a specific angle based on a vertical movement of the headrest,

the pair of the left speaker block and the right speaker block is horizontally side by side relative to the headrest,

at least part of the headrest is within a range of a nominal directivity angle of an acoustics output from the acoustic output section of the left speaker block and the acoustic output section of the right speaker block,

the nominal directivity angle is an angle smaller than 180 degrees,

the nominal directivity angle is based on a measurement of a sound pressure level on a 360 degrees circumference around an output position of the speaker apparatus, and

the sound pressure level on the 360 degrees circumference is measured based on an application of an electrical input on the pair of the left speaker block and right speaker block.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 25, 2023
From: HOMMA, ATSUSHI; HAYASAKA, TAKAHIRO
To: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 062478/0762 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-095562 · Jun 1, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230209261A1 · Jun 29, 2023
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