1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a subwoofer assembly. More particularly, the present invention relates to a low profile subwoofer assembly shaped and dimensioned for mounting adjacent the floor under an aircraft seat, behind a divan, below a drink rail or between adjacent windows.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The current global community has made it possible for people from around the country, and around the world, to interact for both business and personal reasons. For many people, this requires that they spend considerable time traveling from one location to another location. More often than not, these people travel in aircrafts.
Whether these people travel in private or commercial aircrafts, they desire high quality entertainment during the many hours they spend within the confines of an aircraft. However, while high quality entertainment, for example, digital video with CD quality sound, is readily available for theater and home use, the weight and size requirements for use in aircrafts make it very difficult to incorporate high fidelity systems within an aircraft. This problem is especially pronounced for audio speaker assemblies when one attempts to meet the size, weight and shape requirements for use in aircrafts.
In the aircraft industry great priority is placed upon component weight and size reduction. In addition, spacing and positioning of the speaker assemblies is a great priority to those optimizing the operation of aircrafts. The size, weight and shape of conventional terrestrial speaker assembly designs adversely affect range and payload. These concerns are notable when one attempts to make changes within smaller private jets. For example, a small increase in the weight carried by an aircraft results in a substantial increase in the fuel consumption of the aircraft. In addition, the limited space available within an aircraft dictates the use of any space within the aircraft be carefully considered by those responsible for ensuring the comfort of passengers.
Lightweight and compact audio speakers are currently available. These speakers, however, substantially compromise sound quality for reductions in size and weight. An individual wishing to add an audio system to an aircraft must make a choice between high fidelity speakers not suiting the size and weight requirements of the aircraft and lower quality speakers providing desirable size and weight characteristics.
The weight and size problems associated with the use of loudspeaker systems within aircraft is very evident when one attempts to incorporate woofers into an aircraft design. Conventional woofers employ substantial housings designed to control the manner in which sound is transmitted from the woofer. The controlled porting of sound employed in conventional woofers necessitates the construction of rather substantial housings. These housings, while controlling the transmission of sound as desired, are commonly beyond the size and weight constraints required for use within an aircraft.
A need, therefore, exists for a speaker assembly providing high fidelity sound, while also meeting the size and weight requirements of an aircraft. The present invention provides such a speaker assembly.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a loudspeaker assembly including a housing having a central driver mounting plate upon which a driver is mounted. The central driver mounting plate and the driver divide the housing into an upper compartment and a lower compartment, wherein the lower compartment includes at least one slot providing fluid communication between an interior of the lower compartment and an external environment.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a loudspeaker assembly wherein the housing is made of a material which will resonate to transmit sound from within the housing.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a loudspeaker assembly wherein the housing is made of aluminum.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a loudspeaker assembly wherein the housing is made of aluminum honeycomb sheet material.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a loudspeaker assembly wherein the aluminum honeycomb sheet material has a thickness of approximately xc2xc inch.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a loudspeaker assembly wherein the housing is composed of a cover plate with a plurality of side walls extending therefrom to form an enclosure with an open end. The central driver mounting plate and the driver are secured within the enclosure to divide the housing into an upper compartment and a lower compartment wherein the lower compartment is defined by the plurality of side walls and the open end of the enclosure.
It is also another object of the present invention to provide a loudspeaker assembly wherein the at least one slot is formed in the plurality of side walls providing fluid communication between an interior of the lower compartment and an external environment when the loudspeaker is mounted to cover the open end of the enclosure.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a loudspeaker assembly wherein the driver is a low frequency driver.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a loudspeaker assembly wherein the driver is positioned to fire into the lower compartment of the housing with a convex portion of the driver extending into the upper compartment of the housing.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when viewed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which set forth certain embodiments of the invention.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds