Abstract:
A vibration dampening speaker mounting assembly includes a flush-mountable frame for mounting to a wall or ceiling, at least one vibration dampening member, and a baffle for supporting a single or multi-driver transducer array. The at least one vibration dampening member is disposed between the baffle and the frame to reduce acoustic distortions coupled to the wall/ceiling from the baffle. Fasteners are provided that permit installation of the baffle to the frame without tools while avoiding significant acoustic coupling between the baffle and the frame through the fasteners.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   Not Applicable 
   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
   Not Applicable 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to techniques for mounting speakers and more specifically to a vibration reducing assembly that is flush mountable within a wall or ceiling. 
   The architectural or custom installed loudspeaker industry continues to gain popularity each year. The shortcomings of the standard recessed, flush-mount loudspeaker product have likewise become more generally known. More specifically, sound quality is often far from ideal due to physical limitations regarding the standard gypsum-based wall/ceiling board material to which custom loudspeaker assemblies are most commonly installed. Problems arise when vibration from the installed speaker is coupled to the wall/ceiling to which the speaker mounting assembly is mounted. The wall/ceiling, excited by the loudspeaker&#39;s vibration, begins to vibrate and emit unwanted acoustic information. This acoustic information is essentially a distortion of the original signal, degrading the originally intended output signal. Generally speaking, a limiting factor to accurate sound reproduction of a custom installed loudspeaker system is the vibration induced acoustic output of the material in which the loudspeaker system is installed. One approach to reducing wall/ceiling vibration is by means of decoupling the vibration producing elements of the loudspeaker system from the wall/ceiling material in which they become installed. 
   Ease of installation has and continues to be a significant topic in the industry since custom installation costs are directly related to the amount of time it takes an installer to complete the mounting of the loudspeaker system. Since more and more homes and commercial establishments are seeking the space saving and aesthetic improvements offered through custom installed loudspeaker systems, the ease of installation, the cost reductions associated therewith and the reduction in the risk of damage to the speaker system and the wall/ceiling mounting area during the final installation of the loudspeaker are important factors within the industry. 
   Previous attempts have been made to provide decoupled, suspended, or damped loudspeaker assemblies where unwanted vibration is either absorbed or the transmission of this vibration is in some way reduced, and a number of patents describe methods of absorbing unwanted vibration, reducing the transmission of unwanted vibration, or canceling vibration energies. Other patents describe methods for simplifying the installation of loudspeaker assemblies in walls/ceilings using various fastening methods that do not require tools or special equipment. 
   None of the loudspeaker mounting systems known in the art describe a loudspeaker assembly in which a simple means for securing the loudspeaker mounting assembly to the wall/ceiling that does not require the use of tools also provides the means of decoupling vibrations to the wall/ceiling surrounding the loudspeaker mounting assembly. It would therefore be desirable to have a loudspeaker mounting assembly that could be readily mounted within a wall/ceiling without the use of tools and which also effectively decouples vibrations to the surrounding wall/ceiling so as to reduce distortion of the acoustic signals. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with the present invention, a vibration dampening loudspeaker assembly is disclosed that is easily mountable within a wall or ceiling. The assembly includes a frame that is mountable to the wall/ceiling, a baffle and at least one vibration dampening member, such as a vibration dampening gasket that is disposed between the baffle and the frame when the assembly is fully assembled. The vibration dampening member serves to suspend the baffle and the vibrating loudspeakers affixed thereto from the frame portion that is in contact with the wall/ceiling and acoustically isolates the baffle from the frame to reduce acoustic distortion. 
   The baffle, the vibration dampening member(s) and speakers are assembled as a baffle sub-assembly. Quarter turn fastener(s) are used by an installer to attach the baffle sub-assembly to the installation frame that is mounted in the wall/ceiling. The quarter turn fasteners only contact one of the baffle or the frame and the vibration dampening member so as to reduce coupling of vibration from the baffle to the frame via the fasteners. In the illustrated embodiment, the fasteners can be used to quickly and securely attach the baffle to the frame without the use of tools. By eliminating the need for tools during the final installation of the baffle to the frame, the opportunity for damage to the loudspeaker or end user homes is significantly reduced. 
   Other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the Detailed Description of the Invention that follows. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following Detailed Description of the Invention in conjunction with the Drawing of which: 
       FIG. 1  is a first exploded perspective view of a speaker mounting assembly in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a second exploded perspective view of the speaker mounting assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective exploded partial cut-a-way view of a fastener used in the mounting assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective partial cut-away view of an assembled speaker mounting system depicting the fastener in its seated position within the assembly; and 
       FIG. 5  is an alternative vibration dampening member for use in the speaker mounting assembly. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with the present invention an improved mounting assembly for at least one loudspeaker is disclosed. The mounting assembly provides for rapid installation of a speaker baffle to a frame that is mountable to a wall or ceiling. The installation of the baffle to the frame is accomplished without tools via fasteners. A vibration dampening member is disposed between the baffle and the frame to reduce undesired acoustic distortion. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1–4 , the mounting assembly  10  includes a baffle  12 , at least one vibration dampening member  14 , such as a vibration dampening gasket or insert, a frame member  16  and fasteners  34 . The baffle  12  includes a front surface  12   a  that faces the interior of the room when the assembly is installed and a rear surface  12   b  on the opposing side of the baffle  12 . 
   Stepped openings  18  are provided in respective corners of the baffle  12 . The openings  18  have a larger diameter generally circular recess  18   a  adjacent the front surface  12   a  of the baffle  12  and a smaller diameter opening  18   b  adjacent the rear surface  12   b  of the baffle  12 . The recess  18   a  and the opening  18   b  are generally coaxially aligned and define a shoulder  18   c  at the bottom of the recess  18   a . The baffle  12  also includes openings  20  and  22 . A low frequency driver (not shown) is mountable to the baffle  12  behind the opening  20  and a high frequency driver (not shown) is mountable to the baffle  12  behind the opening  22 . The openings  20  and  22  permit the projection of sound through the openings and into the intended listening area. 
   The frame  16  is mountable to a wall/ceiling via any technique known in the art. Typically, a cutout is made in the wall/ceiling and the frame  16  is mounted to the respective surface via the use of swing out clamps that engage the back surface of the wall/ceiling via fasteners or any other suitable technique for mounting the frame  16  to the mounting surface. 
   The vibration dampening member in the first illustrated embodiment comprises a vibration dampening gasket  14  that is integrally formed of a thermo plastic rubber (TPR) suitable for providing dampening of anacoustic signal. A TPR of 20–30 durometer may be employed although it should be recognized that any suitable material that serves to provide the desired vibration dampening may be substituted for the TPR. The vibration dampening gasket  14  includes a plurality of grommet-like projections  28  that are integrally formed with the vibration dampening gasket  14 . The projections  28  include a forward lip  28   a , a cylindrical portion  28   b  having an outer diameter that is smaller than the outer diamter of the lip  28   a , and a rear portion  28   c  which is an integral part of the vibration dampening gasket  14 . An opening extends through each projection  28 . The projections  28  further include ridges  28   d  aligned axially within the openings through the projections on the opening surface. The ridges  28   d  serve to center the fastener  34  within the opening when the fastener is inserted through the projection  28 . The openings through the projections  28  are located so as to coaxially align with the openings  18  of the baffle  12 . Additionally, an integrally formed flange  30  is provided around the peripheral edge of the vibration dampening gasket  14  to form a generally airtight seal between the frame  16  and the baffle  12  when the baffle  12  is mounted to the frame  16  with the vibration dampening gasket  14  mounted therebetween. 
   Keyhole slots  32  are provided in respective corners of the frame  16 . The keyhole slots  32  are oriented so as to coaxially align with the openings through the projections  28  of the vibration dampening gasket  14  and the openings  18  of the baffle  12  when the speaker mounting assembly  10  is fully assembled. 
   The fasteners  34  are employed to fasten the baffle  12  to the frame  16  and are cooperative with the projections  28  of the vibration dampening gasket  14  to acoustically isolate the baffle  12  from the frame  16 . More specifically, the vibration dampening gasket  14  is first mounted to the baffle  12  by forcing the forward lips  28   a  of the projections  28  through the openings  18   b  from the rear surface  12   b  of the baffle  12 . The forward lips  28   a  of the projections  28  have a greater diameter than the diameter of the opening  18   b  through the baffle and the vibration dampening gasket  14  is thereby secured to the baffle  12  after urging the lips of the projections  28  through the openings  18  of the baffle  12  with the rear surface of the forward lips  28   a  abutting the shoulder  18   c  within the opening  18 . The rear portion  28   c  of the projection  28  abuts the rear portion  12   b  of th baffle. 
   After securing the vibration dampening gasket  14  to the baffle  12  a fastener  34  is inserted into each of the openings  18  of the baffle  12  and through the openings of the respective projections  28 . The fastener includes a knob portion  34   a  and a shaft portion  34   b . An opening  34   c  is provided through the shaft portion  34   b  that is sized to receive a roll pin  36  via an interference fit. The shaft portion  34   b  of the fastener is inserted into the opening  18  and through the projection  28  prior to installation of the roll pin  36  within the shaft portion  34   b  of the fastener  34 . After the fasteners  34  are inserted through the projections  28  the roll pins  36  are inserted through openings in the shaft portion of the respective fasteners  34 . The speakers may then be mounted to the rear surface of the baffle  12  via any conventional mounting technique. The baffle, vibration dampening gasket  14 , speakers, and fasteners  34  are assembled as a sub-assembly which may then easily be installed within the frame  16  that has previously been mounted in a wall/ceiling. 
   In a typical installation, the frame  16  is mounted to a wall or ceiling via swing out clamps that engage the rear surface of the wall or ceiling to which the frame is mounted or via any other suitable mounting technique. 
   Ramps  40  are integrally formed with the frame  16  on the rear surface  16   a  thereof and are located around the center of the keyhole slots  32 . Detents  42  are also formed around the keyhole slots  32  and are integrally formed with the frame  16 . The ramps  40  and detents  42  are oriented such that when the shaft portion  34   b  and the roll pin  36  are inserted through the keyhole slot  32  and the knob portion  34   a  of the fastener  34  is rotated, the roll pin  36  rides on the cooperative ramps  40  and slides in to respective detents  42  to secure the baffle  12  to the frame  16  while slightly compressing the vibration dampening gasket therebetween. Preferably, opposing ends of the roll pin  36  slide on ramps and engage opposing detents  42 . When so installed, the flange  30  of the vibration dampening gasket  14  forms a air seal between the baffle  12  and the frame  16 . 
   It should be noted that when the fasteners  34  are secured, in the illustrated embodiment, they make direct contact only with the rear surface  16   a  of the frame  16  and the forward lip  28   a  of the projection  28  and therefore do not couple significant acoustic vibrations from the baffle  12  to the frame  16  and the supporting wall or ceiling. 
   While in the illustrated embodiment, the fasteners  34  directly contact the rear surface  16   a  of the frame  16  and the projection  28  in the form of a portion of the vibration dampening gasket or a grommet, the mounting assembly may alternatively be constructed with the vibration dampening gasket secured to the frame  16  and with the fasteners  34  directly contacting the baffle  12  and the rear surface of the vibration dampening gasket  28 . 
   Additionally, in another embodiment of the invention, rather than providing an integrally formed vibration dampening gasket  14  as shown in  FIGS. 1–4 , as depicted in  FIG. 5 , individual grommets  46  may be fabricated of TPR or any other suitable acoustic signal dampening material and installed within the openings  18  of the baffle or alternatively within openings provided in the frame (not shown), as discussed above. In such an embodiment, vibration dampening is improved although dampening provided in this manner is not as effective as the above-described system employing an integrally formed vibration dampening gasket  14  that forms an acoustic dampening seal between the baffle  12  and the frame  16 . 
   It will be appreciated that modifications of and variations to the above-described vibration dampening speaker mounting assembly may be made without departing from the invention concepts disclosed herein. Accordingly, the invention should not be viewed as limited except by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.