Abstract:
A support member includes a support member body comprising a relatively stiff composite material comprising binding material and reinforcing material drawn through the binding material having a mounting end. At least two insulatedly separated conductors are within the composite material, each conductor having a first end exiting the support member body at a first portion and a second end exiting the support member body at a second portion separate from the first portion and drawn through reinforcing material with the binding material.

Description:
[0001]    This invention relates to composite support structures. In a particular form, supporting insulatedly separated conductors are connected to terminals of a loudspeaker cantilevered from the support structure.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Composite structures carrying a single conductor have been used for antennas. An important object of the invention is to provide improved methods and means for supporting insualtedly separated conductors.  
           [0003]    Another object is to cantilever loudspeakers from a supporting structure carry conductors connected to the loudspeakers.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    According to the invention, a support member includes a support member body comprising a relatively stiff composite material comprising binding material and reinforcing material drawn through the binding material and having a mounting end. There are at least two insulatedly separated conductors within the composite material, each conductor having a first end exiting the support member body at a first portion and a second end exiting the support member body at a second portion separate from the first portion and drawn through the reinforcing material with the binding material. Typically, the first portion is located at the mounting end and the second portion is located at an end opposite the mounting end. The support member body is adapted to be cantilever-loaded when the mounting end is attached to a mounting surface. There may be a cantilevered load, such as a loudspeaker, attached to the support member body at an end opposite the mounting end. The support member body typically comprises a rod constructed and arranged to support the speaker with two of the conductors connected to the speaker at the end opposite the mounting end. The composite material typically comprises a pultruded composite material.  
           [0005]    A method of using the support member includes attaching a load to a first end of the support member, and electrically connecting a first end of each conductor to the load. The method may further comprise attaching a mounting end of the support member to a mounting surface. The method may further comprise electrically connecting a second end of each electrical conductor to a signal source and transmitting an electrical signal from the signal source to the load through the conductors.  
           [0006]    A method of making the support member may comprise combining a reinforcing material and two conductors in a binding material to generate a conductive support member body, shaping the support member body, and curing the support member body, whereby each conductor has a first end exiting the support member body at a first portion and a second end exiting the support body at a second portion separate from the first portion. The method may further comprise drawing the reinforcing material and two conductors through the binding material to generate a pultruded support member body.  
           [0007]    The apparatus may further comprise a source of an audioelectrical signal coupled to the speaker through the conductors, and a television forward of the speaker coacting therewith to form a home theater demonstration system with surround sound.  
           [0008]    Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing in which: 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a system according to the invention;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a view of an illustrative embodiment of enclosing and supporting a pair of insulatedly separated conductor support member in accordance with the invention;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a pictorial representation of another illustrative embodiment of a system with conductive support member enclosing a pair of insulatedly separated conductors connected to a loudspeaker supported thereby in accordance with the invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a view of a cross section of a support member enclosing a pair of insulatedly separated conductors in accordance with the invention; and  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is a view of a cross section of a support member enclosing a pair of insulatedly separated conductors in accordance with the invention. 
     
    
       [0014]    Like reference symbols indicate like elements throughout the drawing.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 illustrates a system  100  according to the invention that includes support members  105   a  and  105   b.  The system  100  also includes speaker elements  110   a  and  110   b,  mounting structures  115   a  and  115   b,  speaker insulatedly separated conductive pairs  120   a  and  120   b  especially useful for supporting surround speakers in a home theater system, convenient for demonstrating to one or more consumers  130 , and a speaker driver and television  125 . The cantilevered support members  105   a  and  105   b  support surround speakers  110   a  and  110   b  respectively and enclose conductive pairs  120   a  and  120   b  respectively. The mounting structures  115   a  and  115   b  can be a wall, a stand and the like.  
         [0016]    Speakers  110   a  and  110   b  are typically surround speakers in a surround-sound system. Further, the speaker driver and television  125  can include, for example, a large screen television and a DVD player. In demonstrating the home theater with surround-sound to a consumer  130 , surround speakers  110   a  and  110   b  are six to seven feet away from the speaker driver and television  125 . The support members  105   a  and  105   b  are longer than the six to seven feet to create the conductive support members  105   a  and  105   b  where, in one embodiment, each has a slight arch dependent on its stiffness (e.g., modulus of elasticity).  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment 200 of a support member  105  in more detail. The conductive support member  105  of this embodiment 200 includes a support member body  205  enclosing insulatedly separated electrical conductors  210  and  215 . The electrical conductors  210  and  215  exit at each end of the support member body  205 , allowing electrical connection at each end. The electrical conductors  210  and  215  comprise a metallic material (e.g., copper, aluminum and the like) and can be solid or stranded. Between the exit points, the electrical conductors  210  and  215  are included within the support member body  205 . The support body  205  comprises a composite material, described in more detail below.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment 300 of a conductive support member  105  in more detail. The conductive support member  105  of this embodiment 300 includes the support member body  205 , insulatedly separated electrical conductors  210  and  215  and a mounting end  320 . In this embodiment 300, a speaker  330  attaches at one end of the support member body  205  opposite the mounting end  320 . The electrical conductors  210  and  215  exit at each end of the support member body  205 , allowing electrical connection at each end. In this embodiment 300, the electrical conductors  210  and  215  exit out the side of the support member body  205  at the mounting end  320  to allow the mounting end  320  to position flush against a mounting surface. Between the exit points, the electrical conductors  210  and  215  are included within the support member body  205 .  
         [0019]    The speaker  330  includes a driver element  335 . The electrical conductors  210  and  215  are electrically connected to the driver element  335 . This allows a speaker (e.g.,  125   a  or  125   b  of FIG. 1) electrically connected to the conductors  210  and  215  at the mounting end  320  of the support member body  205  to transmit an electric signal along the two conductors  210  and  215  to drive the driver element  335  at the other end of the support member body  205 . In this embodiment 300, the dimensions of the support member body  205  are based on several factors. These factors include, for example, the weight of the speaker  330 , the desired distance of the speaker  330  from the mounting end  320  when cantilevered, the amount of desired arch when cantilevered, the composite material used to create the support member body  205  and the like.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a circular cross section  400  of a support member body  205  in more detail. The cross section  400  includes a composite material  405  and electrical conductors  210  and  215 . The electrical conductors  210  and  215  can vary in size depending on the electrical signal they carry and the desired size of the cross section  400 . In one embodiment, for example for use with a speaker (e.g.,  320  of FIG. 3), the size of the electrical conductors  210  and  215  is 16 gauge.  
         [0021]    The composite material  405  comprises a reinforced plastic. The reinforced plastic comprises a portion that is a binding material (e.g., polymer matrix) and a portion that is a reinforcing material (e.g., reinforcing fiber), providing structural strength to the binding material. Typically, in a composite material, the reinforcing material (e.g., fibers) molecularly bonds to the binding material. The binding materials can comprise, for example, polyester resins, vinyl ester resins, epoxy resins, phenolic resins, polyurethane resins, silicone resins and the like. The reinforcing materials can include, for example, glass, carbon fibers, aramid, polyester fibers and the like.  
         [0022]    In one embodiment, a method of manufacture to generate the support member body  205  is the pultrusion process. Pultrusion is a continuous process of drawing the reinforcing material (e.g., numerous glass monofilaments) through the binding material (e.g., a resin bath) and into a curing and shaping die. The process of manufacturing the support member body  205  also draws the electrical conductors  210  and  215  through the binding material along with the reinforcing material so that they are cured and shaped to become an integral part of the support member body  205 . The forms of reinforcement can include, for example, rovings (tows, for carbon fiber), stitched rovings in different orientations, woven rovings, bulk rovings and the like.  
         [0023]    The stiffness of the conductive support member  105  can depend on the dimensions of the support member body  205 , the types of binding materials and reinforcing materials used and the ratio of the reinforcing material to the binding material. For example, increasing the width (e.g., diameter of a rod) of the support member body  205  results in a stiffer support member  105 . For binding materials, polyester resin is less stiff vinyl ester resin, which is less stiff than epoxy resin. Similarly, E-glass is less stiff than S-glass, which is less stiff than carbon. Increasing the ratio of reinforcing material to the binding material also leads to an increased stiffness. For example, a conductive support member  105  designed as a rod (i.e., circular cross section) to position a speaker  110  weighing one kilogram at a distance of six to seven feet is 12 feet or 3.65 meters long and has a diameter of 0.375 inches or 9.5 mm. These dimensions correspond to a conductive support member  105  comprising continuous filament E-glass, two 16 gauge insulated stranded copper wires and catalyzed polyester resin.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a square cross section  500  of a support member body  205  in more detail. The cross section  500  includes the composite material  405 , electrical conductors  210  and  215  and wire insulation  505 . The wire insulation  505  comprises any known wire insulation. The composite material  405  can be electrically insulating. The embodiment of cross section  500  uses additional electrical insulation  505  around the electrical conductors  210  and  215 , however, so that the portion of the electrical conductors  210  and  215 , including the wire insulation  505 , that exits and exists outside of the support member body  205  (FIG. 2) can be used more safely.  
         [0025]    A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, in addition to a circle and a square, the cross-sectional shape of the support member body can be an oval, a polygon and the like. Also, manufacture of the conductive support member can include materials and processes equivalent to those mentioned. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.