Abstract:
A portable auxiliary speaker for a playpen or a crib comprising a housing incorporating a loudspeaker, the housing being adapted to receive at least a portion of a framework of a crib or a playpen to mount the housing to the crib or the playpen, wherein the housing includes an input adapted to be operatively coupled to at least one of a radio, a CD player, an MP3 player, a cassette player, a computer, and a DVD player.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention is directed to a portable auxiliary speaker, and more specifically to an auxiliary speaker selectively mounted to a playpen or other structure and adapted to be in communication with a CD, MP3, or cassette player to provide music for a child therein. 
   2. Background of the Invention 
   Musical devices operative to broadcast audible sounds are well known in the art. Likewise, it is known in the art to provide devices that are visually and audibly stimulating to younger children. A typical device might include an arch over a crib playing music in conjunction with rotation of objects in the form of an overhead carousel. However, there is a need for a portable and/or fixed device allowing plug-and-play capabilities that is compatible with a majority of wired and/or wireless devices to provide musical enjoyment to children within a room and/or a playpen or crib. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to a portable auxiliary speaker that is selectively mounted to a structure such as a crib or a playpen, where the speaker includes an input to receive signals from a music player, thereby translating such signals into audible sound. Exemplary music players are known to those of ordinary skill and include, without limitation, a radio, a CD player, an MP3 player, a cassette player, a computer, and a DVD player. 
   The speaker may also include a bag selectively coupled thereto that is adapted to hold the music player therein. In an exemplary embodiment, the bag is adapted to hold a portable CD player and the cable connecting the CD player and the speaker. The bag also includes a strap that selectively engages the structure to which the speaker is mounted to order to limit the range of movement of the bag. 
   BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1  is an elevated frontal perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2  is an elevated rearward exploded view of the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
     FIG. 3  is an exploded profile view of the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; and 
     FIG. 4  is an elevated frontal exploded view of the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   The exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described and illustrated below to encompass systems and methods for facilitating enjoyment of music by children. Of course, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the preferred embodiment discussed below is exemplary in nature and may be reconfigured without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. However, for clarity and precision, the exemplary embodiment includes one or more optional features that one of ordinary skill may recognize as not being a requisite to fall within the scope of the present invention. 
   Referencing  FIGS. 1-4 , an exemplary embodiment  10  of the present invention includes an auxiliary speaker  12  coupled to a satchel  14  having a repositionable strap  16 . 
   The auxiliary speaker  12  includes a front cover  18  and a rear housing  20  that sandwich a clamp  22  and a speaker  24  therebetween. The front cover  18  includes a recess  26  having a grill  28  with a plurality of holes  30  therethrough. The recess  26  is adapted to receive a front aspect  32  of the speaker  24  therein. A rearward aspect  34  of the speaker  24 , at least partially comprising the magnet  25 , is positioned adjacent to a front exterior surface  36  of the clamp  22 . Two screws (not shown) are adapted to pierce two corresponding orifices  38 ,  40  of the clamp  22  and engage two corresponding conduits  42 ,  44  of the front cover  18  to secure the front cover  18  to the clamp  22  or vice versa. Coupling the front cover  18  to the clamp  22  frictionally secures the speaker  24  therebetween. 
   The rear housing  20  is also mounted to the clamp  22 . A screw (not shown) is adapted to pierce an orifice  46  through the rear housing  20  and engage a corresponding conduit  48  of the clamp  22  to secure the rear housing  20  to the clamp  22  or vice versa. Additionally, the rear housing  20  includes a hollow projection  50  adapted to receive a screw (not shown) therein that is adapted to likewise engage a corresponding conduit (not shown) in the front housing  18  to mount the housings  18 ,  20  together. The rear housing  20  also includes an input jack  52  therein adapted to receive an audio input (not shown) from a music player such as, without limitation, a radio, a CD player, an MP3 player, a cassette player, a computer, and a DVD player to translate electrical signals from the music player into audible sound. The rear housing  20  further includes an output jack  80  adapted to receive an output conduit (not shown) to convey electrical signals to one or more further speakers (not shown). 
   The clamp  22  is adapted to be resilient and provide a variable width gap  54  to accommodate an object (not shown) having a predetermined width to secure the clamp thereto. Exemplary objects include, such as, without limitation, a railing of a playpen or a crib. Such exemplary objects are intended to pass beyond the gap  54  and into a channel  56  horizontally traversing the clamp  22 . If the object is slightly wider than the width of the gap  54 , the pliable nature of the clamp  22  will allow for a slight displacement, thereby increasing the width of the gap  54  and potentially allowing the object to pass thereby and be secured within the channel  56 . However, it is also within the scope of the invention that the gap  54  be at least partially occupied by an exemplary object, thereby wedging the object between that gap  54  such that the speaker  12  is sitting upon the object. In such an exemplary orientation, the strap  16  may likewise secure the exemplary embodiment  10  to the exemplary object. 
   The strap  16  may include two U-shaped ends  58  adapted to receive a strip  60  of the satchel  14  therein to couple the strap  16  thereto. Each end  58  includes at least one finger  61  with a tapered surface  62  that engages a leading edge  64  of the strip  60  and upon contacting the strip biases the finger  61  outward. Once the surface  62  has passed beyond a trailing edge  66  of the strip  60 , the bias force provided by the presence of the strip  60  is no longer present and allows the finger  61  to move toward the second finger  63  to secure the strip within a U-shaped cavity  68 . The strap  16  may be removed by biasing the fingers  61 ,  63  apart and introducing the strip  60  therebetween and reversing the process described above, thereby rendering the leading edge of the strip  60  the trailing edge and vice versa. 
   The satchel  14  may also include a clip  70  to mount the satchel  14  to the speaker  12 . The clip  70  includes a projection  72  extending therefrom that is adapted to be received within a cavity  74  on the backside of the rear housing  20 . The projection  72  includes a generally semicircular notch  76  therein adapted to receive a semicircular hump (not shown) within the cavity  74 . In sum, the cavity  74  includes corresponding topography to interface with the projection  72  to secure the projection therein. This corresponding interface provides for selective coupling between the satchel  14  and the rear housing  20  to facilitate engagement between the speaker  12  and satchel  14  when in use and likewise facilitate disengagement when not in use. 
   Exemplary music players may be coupled to the speaker  12  by a cable to provide electrical communication therebetween. However, it is also within the scope of the invention that the speaker incorporate a wireless receiver to receive signals from the music player to provide a cordless feature. Still further, it is also within the scope of the invention to provide an output jack for the speaker  12  to enable parallel connections between auxiliary speakers, thereby providing multiple speakers disseminating sound waves from a single music player without requiring multiple outputs from the music player. 
   Following from the above description and invention summaries, it should be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that, while the apparatus described herein constitutes an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the invention contained herein is not limited to this precise embodiment and changes may be made to the aforementioned embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims. Additionally, it is to be understood that the invention is defined by the claims and it is not intended that any limitations or elements describing the exemplary embodiment set forth herein are to be incorporated into the interpretation of any claim element unless such limitation or element is explicitly stated. Likewise, it is to be understood that it is not necessary to meet any or all of the identified advantages or objects of the invention disclosed herein in order to fall within the scope of any one of the claims, since the invention is defined by the claims and since inherent and/or unforeseen advantages of the present invention may exist even though they may not have been explicitly discussed herein.