Abstract:
A speaker system may be mounted on the back of a user&#39;s chair, and includes flexibly positionable speakers that may be positioned relatively close to the user&#39;s ears. The speaker system thereby permits listening to audio material at a low volume, without disturbing others, without the disadvantage of headphones. The speaker system further provides for the interconnection of multiple speaker systems for use with the same audio source.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/963,707, filed Sep. 27, 2001. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a portable speaker system. More specifically, the invention provides a speaker system that may be removably secured to a supporting object, and provides for flexible positioning of the speakers.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Many speakers are presently available. Such speakers include large speakers intended to be used in a fixed location, smaller, portable speakers, and headphones.  
         [0006]     Headphones or portable speakers are often utilized when a portable speaker system is needed. Headphones have the disadvantage of blocking out sound except that delivered through the headphones. Speakers require the use of higher volume levels for comfortable listening, resulting in possible annoyance to others who are nearby. Many portable speaker systems provide little flexibility as to how and where they are positioned during use.  
         [0007]     Accordingly, there is a need for a portable speaker system providing enhanced flexibility in the positioning and securing of the speakers and which permits the speakers to be positioned close to a listener&#39;s ears to permit the listener to utilize sufficiently low volume levels so that others are not subjected to unwanted noise. There is a further need for a speaker system that permits interconnecting additional speaker systems.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The present invention is a portable speaker system structured to be removably secured to a fixed object such as a chair, and to provide flexible positioning of the speakers.  
         [0009]     For the purpose of this description, “flexibly positionable” means capable of being moved into a desired position by merely grabbing the flexibly positionable object, and moving the object to a desired location, after which the object will remain substantially in the desired location until moved again.  
         [0010]     The speaker system includes a main housing having a pair of flexibly positionable speakers secured thereto. In some preferred embodiments, the speakers are connected to the main housing by flexible tubing containing the necessary electrical wiring therein. The housing includes means for securing the housing to a fixed object, which in some preferred embodiments may include one or more extendible hangers structured to fit over the back of a chair. Alternatively, flexible straps may be provided for securing the housing to a fixed object.  
         [0011]     The housing further includes appropriate electrical connections to connect the wiring within the housing to an audio source such as a stereo, radio, DVD player, cassette player, or similar device. A second connector may be provided for transmitting signals from the wiring within the housing to the wiring within the housing of a second portable speaker system. Multiple portable speaker systems may thereby be interconnected.  
         [0012]     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a portable speaker system suitable for use with a wide variety of audio sources.  
         [0013]     It is another object of the invention to provide a portable speaker system providing for flexible positioning of the speakers.  
         [0014]     It is a further object of the invention to provide a portable speaker system that may be removably secured to a variety of fixed objects such as chairs.  
         [0015]     It is another object of the invention to provide a portable speaker system that may be interconnected with other portable speaker systems, so that multiple speaker systems may be used with a single audio source.  
         [0016]     It is a further object of the invention to provide a portable speaker system permitting the speakers to be positioned close to a listener&#39;s ears, thereby permitting the use of sufficiently low volume levels to resist exposing others to unwanted noise.  
         [0017]     It is another object of the invention to provide a portable speaker system permitting the safe use of sufficient volume to permit others to listen to sound produced by the speakers when desired.  
         [0018]     These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent through the following description and drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a portable speaker system according to the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 2  is a back view of a portable speaker system according to the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of a speaker system according to the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 4  is a side view of a portable speaker system according to the present invention.  
         [0023]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view of the wiring within the main housing of a speaker system according to the present invention.  
         [0024]      FIG. 6  is a schematic view of the wiring within each speaker. 
     
    
       [0025]     Like reference numbers denote like elements throughout the drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0026]     The present invention provides a portable speaker system providing the ability to be removably secured to another object, and to provide flexible positioning of the speakers.  
         [0027]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , the speaker system  10  includes a main housing  12  having a front  14 , back  16 , pair of sides  18 ,  20 , top  22 , and bottom  24 . The system further includes a pair of speakers  26 ,  28  are connected to the main housing  12 . In the illustrated embodiment, flexible tubing  30 ,  32 , which may be made from metal or other suitable materials known in the art, extends from each of the speakers  26 ,  28 , respectively through the connectors  34 ,  36 . The opposite end of the flexible tubing  30 ,  32  is connected to compression stem connectors  38 ,  40 , which are in turn connected to holes defined within the sides  18 ,  20  within the main housing  12 . The main housing  12  further includes means for removably securing the main housing  12  to an object, which in the illustrated example, includes the extendable hooks  42 , which extend upward from the front  14 , and are dimensioned and configured to fit over the top of a chair.  
         [0028]     Referring to  FIGS. 5-6 , the wiring of the speaker system  10  is illustrated. Although only the speaker  26  is illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the speaker  28  is identical. Electrical connection to an audio source such as a stereo system is provided by the cord  44 , which is preferably a three wire cord having a male connector  46  at its free end. In the illustrated embodiment, the cord  44  passes into the main housing  12  through a hole defined within the bottom  24 , and is secured in place with a rubber bushing  48 . The cord  44  contains a pair of positive wires  50 ,  52  and a negative wire  54  therein. The negative wire  54  is electrically connected to the negative wire  56  extending between the speakers  26 ,  28 , through the connectors  38 ,  40  and flexible tubes  30 ,  32 . Referring briefly to  FIG. 6 , the negative wire  56  is electrically connected to the speaker element  58  within the speaker housing  60  of the speaker  26 . The negative wire  56  is likewise connected to the speaker  28  in a manner that is not shown, but is identical to its connection to the speaker  26 .  
         [0029]     The positive wire  50  is connected to the positive wire  62 , which passes through the connector  38 , flexible tubing  30 , and is electrically connected with the speaker element  58 . A complete electrical circuit for the signal to speaker  26  is thereby formed from the cord  44  through the negative wire  54 , negative wire  56 , speaker element  58 , positive wire  62 , and positive wire  50 .  
         [0030]     The positive wire  52  is connected to the positive wire  64 , which runs through the connector  40 , flexible tubing  32 , to the speaker  28 , where it is electrically connected within the speaker  28  in the same manner as the wire  62  is electrically connected to the speaker  26 . A complete circuit for the signal directed towards the speaker  28  is thereby provided from the cord  44  through the negative wire  54 , negative wire  56 , the speaker element of the speaker  28 , the positive wire  64 , and the positive wire  52 .  
         [0031]     An electrical connector  66  may be provided on the housing  12 , and in the illustrated example is a standard female connector  66 . The connector  66  includes a positive wire  68  that is electrically connected to the positive wire  62 , so that the wire  68  will carry the signal within the wire  50  through the connector  66 . Likewise, the positive wire  70  is electrically connected to the positive wire  64 , and will therefore carry the signal from the wire  52  through the connector  66 . In the same manner, the negative wire  72  is electrically connected to the negative wire  56 , and will therefore carry the signal from the negative wire  54  through the connector  66 . If the use of more than one speaker system  10  is desired, the male connector  46  may be plugged into the female connector  66 , so that the signal&#39;s input into the first speaker system  10  through the first cord  44  will then be input into the second speaker system  10 . Multiple speaker systems  10  may thereby be connected.  
         [0032]     In use, the hook  42  of the speaker system  10  will be used to position the speaker system  10  in a desired location, for example, the back of a chair. The plug  46  will be plugged into a stereo system or other audio source. The flexible tubes  30 ,  32  will be bent to position the speakers  26 ,  28  in a desired location, for example, relatively close to the user&#39;s ears to facilitate listening to music or other audio material at a low volume. The same speakers may be utilized if a sufficient volume to allow others to listen to the audio material is desired, by merely repositioning the speakers so they are farther from a listener&#39;s ears. The speakers  26 ,  28  will thereby transmit the desired sounds upon actuation of the audio source.  
         [0033]     While specific embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any and all equivalents thereof.