IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,158,648
Granted Patent B2
US 7,158,648 · App. 10/621,088 · Granted Jan 2, 2007

Loudspeaker system with extended bass response

Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
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 7,158,648
App. No.
10/621,088
Granted
Jan 2, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

A loudspeaker system has an extended bass or low frequency response. The loudspeaker system integrates a passive radiator with a transducer. The loudspeaker system also mechanically isolates the passive radiator and the transducer. A support mechanism mechanically grounds vibrations or other forces from the transducer and passive radiator that may interfere or affect the operation of the loudspeaker.

Claims (97)

1. A loudspeaker, comprising:

a passive radiator integrated with a transducer, where the passive radiator is mechanically isolated from the transducer;

where the transducer has an outside perimeter mounted on a support mechanism, where the support mechanism has three support elements; and

where the passive radiator has a rigid body with an inside perimeter connected to an inside surround, the inside surround is connected to the support mechanism, and the inside perimeter of the passive radiator encloses at least one location on the outside perimeter of the transducer.

2. The loudspeaker of claim 1 , where the inside perimeter encloses every location on the outside perimeter.

3. The loudspeaker of claim 1 ,

where the transducer is mounted on a support mechanism connected to a speaker enclosure; and

where the passive radiator is connected to the support mechanism and to a speaker enclosure.

4. The loudspeaker of claim 1 ,

where the transducer has a transducer surround connected between a cone and a transducer frame; and

where the transducer frame is mounted on the support mechanism.

5. The loudspeaker of claim 1 ,

where the transducer is mounted on a support mechanism;

where the passive radiator has a rigid body with an inside perimeter and an outside perimeter, the inside perimeter connected to an inside surround, the outside perimeter connected to an outside surround, where the inside surround is connected to the support mechanism, and where the outside surround is connected to a frame.

6. The loudspeaker of claim 5 , where the inside perimeter has a circular shape.

7. The loudspeaker of claim 6 , where the transducer has a circular shape.

8. The loudspeaker of claim 5 , where the outside perimeter has a circular shape.

9. The loudspeaker of claim 5 , where the outside perimeter has a rectangular shape.

10. The loudspeaker of claim 1 , where the transducer has a low frequency range.

11. The loudspeaker of claim 10 , where the low frequency range is below about 50 Hz.

12. The loudspeaker of claim 1 , where the transducer has a midrange frequency range.

13. The loudspeaker of claim 12 , where the midrange frequency range is in the range of about 40 Hz to about 2800 Hz.

14. The loudspeaker of claim 1 , where the passive radiator resonates at an acoustical frequency below a cutoff frequency for the transducer.

15. A loudspeaker, comprising:

a speaker enclosure having a back side and a frame;

a support mechanism connected to the back side of the speaker enclosure;

a transducer having an outside perimeter mounted to the support mechanism;

a passive radiator having an inside perimeter connected to the support mechanism, where the inside perimeter of the passive radiator encloses at least one point on the outside perimeter of the transducer and the passive radiator is connected to the frame;

where the support mechanism has at least one base connected to three support elements;

where the transducer is connect to the at least one base; and

where the three support elements are connected to the back side of the speaker enclosure.

16. The loudspeaker of claim 15 , where the speaker enclosure has a rectangular shape.

17. The loudspeaker of claim 15 , where the speaker enclosure has an oval shape.

18. The loudspeaker of claim 15 ,

where the at least one base conforms to the shape of the transducer, and

where the at least one base conforms to the shape of the passive radiator.

19. The loudspeaker of claim 15 , where the support mechanism has four support elements.

20. The loudspeaker of claim 15 , where the transducer has a transducer surround connected between a cone and a transducer frame, where the transducer frame is mounted on the support mechanism.

21. The loudspeaker of claim 15 , where the transducer has a low frequency range.

22. The loudspeaker of claim 21 , where the frequency range is less than about 50 Hz.

23. The loudspeaker of claim 15 , where the transducer has a midrange frequency range.

24. The loudspeaker of claim 23 , where the frequency range is in the range of about 40 Hz to about 2800 Hz.

25. The loudspeaker of claim 15 ,

where the passive radiator has a rigid body with an inside surround connected along the inside perimeter;

where the inside surround is connected to the support mechanism; and

where the passive radiator has an outside surround connected to an outside perimeter of the rigid body, the outside surround connected to a frame.

26. The loudspeaker of claim 15 , where the inside perimeter has a circular shape.

27. The loudspeaker of claim 26 , where the outside perimeter has a circular shape.

28. The loudspeaker of claim 26 , where the outside perimeter has a rectangular shape.

29. The loudspeaker of claim 15 , where the inside perimeter of the passive radiator encloses every point on the outside perimeter of the transducer.

30. The loudspeaker of claim 15 , where the passive radiator resonates at an acoustical frequency below a cutoff frequency for the transducer.

31. An enclosure assembly for a loudspeaker, comprising:

a speaker enclosure having a back side and a frame;

a support mechanism connected to the back side of the speaker enclosure;

a passive radiator having an inside perimeter connected to the support mechanism, where the inside perimeter of the passive radiator encloses at least one point on the outside perimeter of the support mechanism, the passive radiator connected to the frame;

where the support mechanism has at least one base connected to three support elements;

where the passive radiator is connected to the at least one base; and

where the at least one support element is connected to the back side of the speaker enclosure.

32. The enclosure assembly of claim 31 , where the speaker enclosure has a rectangular shape.

33. The enclosure assembly of claim 31 , where the speaker enclosure has an oval shape.

34. The enclosure assembly of claim 31 , where the base conforms to the of the passive radiator.

35. The enclosure assembly of claim 31 , where the support mechanism has four support elements.

36. The enclosure assembly of claim 31 , where the passive radiator has a rigid body with an inside surround connected along the inside perimeter, where the inside surround is connected to the support mechanism, and where the passive radiator has an outside surround connected to an outside perimeter of the rigid body, where the outside surround is connected to a frame.

37. The enclosure assembly of claim 36 , where the inside perimeter has a circular shape.

38. The enclosure assembly of claim 37 , where the outside perimeter has a circular shape.

39. The enclosure assembly of claim 37 , where the outside perimeter has a rectangular shape.

40. The enclosure assembly of claim 31 , where the inside perimeter of the passive radiator encloses every point on the outside perimeter of the support mechanism.

41. A speaker assembly for a loudspeaker, comprising:

a support mechanism;

a transducer having an outside perimeter mounted to the support mechanism;

a passive radiator having an inside perimeter connected to the support mechanism, where the inside perimeter of the passive radiator encloses at least one point on the outside perimeter of the transducer, the passive radiator connected to the frame;

where the support mechanism has three support elements connected to an upper base and a lower base;

where the outer perimeter of the transducer is connect to the upper base; and

where the lower base holds the transducer.

42. The speaker assembly of claim 41 , where the upper base conforms to the shape of the transducer, and where the upper base conforms to the shape of the passive radiator.

43. The speaker assembly of claim 41 , where the support mechanism has four support elements.

44. The speaker assembly of claim 41 , where the transducer has a transducer surround connected between a cone and a transducer frame, where the transducer frame is mounted on the support mechanism.

45. The speaker assembly of claim 41 , where the transducer has a low frequency range.

46. The speaker assembly of claim 45 , where the frequency range is less than about 50 Hz.

47. The speaker assembly of claim 41 , where the transducer has a midrange frequency range.

48. The speaker assembly of claim 47 , where the frequency range is in the range of about 40 Hz to about 2800 Hz.

49. The speaker assembly of claim 41 , where the passive radiator has a rigid body with an inside surround connected along the inside perimeter, where the inside surround is connected to the support mechanism, and where the passive radiator has an outside surround connected to an outside perimeter of the rigid body, where the outside surround is connected to a frame.

50. The speaker assembly of claim 49 , where the inside perimeter has a circular shape.

51. The speaker assembly of claim 50 , where the outside perimeter has a circular shape.

52. The speaker assembly of claim 50 , where the outside perimeter has a rectangular shape.

53. The speaker assembly of claim 41 , where the inside perimeter of the passive radiator encloses every point on the outside perimeter of the transducer.

54. The speaker assembly of claim 41 , where here the passive radiator resonates at an acoustical frequency below a cutoff frequency for the transducer.

55. A method for extending the bass response in a loudspeaker, comprising:

integrating a passive radiator with a transducer;

mechanically isolating the passive radiator from the transducer;

resonating the passive radiator in response to acoustical energy from the transducer; and

translating vibrations from the passive radiator and the transducer through a support mechanism, where the support mechanism has three support elements.

56. The method of claim 55 , further comprising enclosing at least one point on the outside perimeter of the transducer in an inside perimeter of the passive radiator connected to the frame.

57. The method of claim 55 , further comprising enclosing every point on the outside perimeter of the transducer in an inside perimeter of the passive radiator connected to the frame.

58. The method of claim 55 , further comprising resonating the passive radiator at an acoustical frequency below a cutoff frequency for the transducer.

59. The loudspeaker of claim 55 , where the transducer has a low frequency range.

60. The loudspeaker of claim 55 , where the transducer has a midrange frequency range.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE Recorded Nov 14, 2012
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: HARMAN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATED; HARMAN BECKER AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS GMBH
Reel/Frame 029294/0254 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 17, 2011
From: HARMAN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATED; HARMAN BECKER AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS GMBH
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 025823/0354 →
RELEASE Recorded Feb 15, 2011
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: HARMAN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATED; HARMAN BECKER AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS GMBH
Reel/Frame 025795/0143 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 8, 2009
From: HARMAN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATED; BECKER SERVICE-UND VERWALTUNG GMBH; CROWN AUDIO, INC.; HARMAN BECKER AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS (MICHIGAN), INC.; HARMAN BECKER AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS HOLDING GMBH; HARMAN BECKER AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, INC.; HARMAN CONSUMER GROUP, INC.; HARMAN DEUTSCHLAND GMBH; HARMAN FINANCIAL GROUP LLC; HARMAN HOLDING GMBH & CO. KG; HARMAN MUSIC GROUP, INCORPORATED; HARMAN SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL BETEILIGUNGS GMBH; HARMAN SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT GMBH; HBAS INTERNATIONAL GMBH; HBAS MANUFACTURING, INC.; INNOVATIVE SYSTEMS GMBH NAVIGATION-MULTIMEDIA; JBL INCORPORATED; LEXICON, INCORPORATED; MARGI SYSTEMS, INC.; QNX SOFTWARE SYSTEMS (WAVEMAKERS), INC.; QNX SOFTWARE SYSTEMS CANADA CORPORATION; QNX SOFTWARE SYSTEMS CO.; QNX SOFTWARE SYSTEMS GMBH; QNX SOFTWARE SYSTEMS GMBH & CO. KG; QNX SOFTWARE SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION; QNX SOFTWARE SYSTEMS, INC.; XS EMBEDDED GMBH (F/K/A HARMAN BECKER MEDIA DRIVE TECHNOLOGY GMBH)
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 022659/0743 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 12, 2004
From: BUTTERS, AARON L.; PATEL, SARGAM
To: HARMAN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 014878/0231 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 6040027100 · Jul 30, 2002
Related Publication 20040105565A1 · Jun 3, 2004