Abstract:
In accordance with the present invention, an improved audio equipment is employed. The audio equipment includes a housing, audio circuitry installed within the housing, and a first protective bar flexibly connected to the housing. The audio equipment may also include a handle attached to the first protective bar, a second protective bar flexibly connected to the housing, and/or a connector assembly flexibly connecting the first protective bar to the housing. The connector assembly may include a flexible gasket preferably disposed between the first protective bar and the housing. Also disclosed herein is a method for manufacturing an audio equipment.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to audio equipment and, more particularly, to heavy-duty radios.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    It is well known that audio equipment, such as portable radios, are taken to construction sites, so that the construction workers can listen to music, talk shows, etc., while working. However, the audio equipment may be destroyed at the jobsite because tools may be dropped on them. Similarly, the equipment may fall from a table, etc., resulting in damage thereto.  
           [0003]    It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an audio equipment that can withstand the rigors of a jobsite.  
           [0004]    Furthermore, because construction workers have different cordless power tools, it would be beneficial if the audio equipment would receive the rechargeable battery packs used with the power tools in order to charge the battery packs and/or power the audio equipment.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    In accordance with the present invention, an improved audio equipment is employed. The audio equipment includes a housing, audio circuitry installed within the housing, and at least one protective covering, shell or bar flexibly connected to the housing. Preferably, a handle may be attached to the protective covering.  
           [0006]    Further disclosed is a method for charging a battery pack comprising the steps of providing an audio equipment component having a power supply, a radio circuit connected to the power supply and a charger connected to the power supply, disposing the battery pack in the charger, providing power to the battery pack for recharging, and removing the battery pack from the charger. The battery pack can then be inserted into a power tool.  
           [0007]    Additional features and benefits of the present invention are described, and will be apparent from, the accompanying drawings and the detailed description below. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    The accompanying drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention according to the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a front elevational of an audio equipment according to the present invention;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the audio equipment of FIG. 1;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the audio equipment of FIG. 1;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along line IV-IV of FIG. 3;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the circuitry of the audio equipment of FIG. 1; and  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along line VI-VI of FIG. 2. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]    The invention is now described with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein like numerals designate like parts. Referring to FIGS.  1 - 3 , an audio equipment component, such as radio  10 , of the present invention comprises a housing  11 . Housing  11  may support the radio circuitry (not shown), the speakers  12  connected to the radio circuitry, the volume, tuning and switch knobs ( 15 ,  16  and  17  respectively), antenna  14 , and auxiliary input jack  13 .  
         [0016]    Preferably speakers  12  and part of housing  11  are coated with a waterproof coating, such as a rubber coating or paint. Alternatively, other waterproofing schemes may be used for protecting the speakers  12 . For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,391,754, 2,829,728, and 2,517,138 disclose appropriate waterproofing schemes and are hereby incorporated by reference.  
         [0017]    The knobs may also comprise waterproofing means for impeding entry of water into housing  11 . Such means may include walls created on the housing  11  and/or the knobs, creating a labyrinth passage for water. Alternatively, other waterproofing schemes may be used for the knobs. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,391,754, 3,277,739, 2,502,915 and 1,162,793 disclose appropriate waterproofing schemes and are hereby incorporated by reference.  
         [0018]    Antenna  14  is preferably constructed of a flexible material, allowing antenna  14  to bend without breaking.  
         [0019]    Preferably, at least one protective covering, shield, or shell is flexibly connected to the housing  11 . An example of this protective covering is protective bar  20 . Such covering or shield, e.g., bar  20 , may be made of aluminum, or other suitable material. Preferably, covering or shield, e.g., bar  20  is made of a plastic, such as ABS or polypropylene. The covering or shield, e.g., bar  20 , may be injection-molded. Alternatively, when the covering or shield is shaped as a bar, the plastic may be injected into a mold (preferably about half the volume needed to complete fill the mold and thus filling half of the mold), then air or gas is blown therein, pushing the plastic into the other half of the mold, forming a hollow tube. This process is known as gas-assist injection molding.  
         [0020]    Preferably, the protective covering or shield is comprised of two bars  20  which are formed in respective loops and are connected to a respective side of housing  11 . The protective covering or shield may also include a handle  21 , which may be fixedly attached to the bars  20  via, e.g., screws (not shown). Preferably, the shape of bars  20  and/or handle  21  is such that the housing  11  cannot be contacted by anything wider than the handle  21  and/or bars  20 . Such construction minimizes the risk of damage to housing  11 , but still allows access to the working components of the radio and/or does not muffle the sound produced by the speakers.  
         [0021]    Persons skilled in the art will recognize that the protective shield or bar  20  are preferably are releasably attached to the housing by coacting fasteners, such as screws, bolts, etc. By adapting protective shield or bar  20  in this manner, a user can replace parts of the protective shield or one bar  20  when damaged without incurring the expense of replacing entire shield, all bars  20  or radio  10 .  
         [0022]    As mentioned above, the protective shield or bars  20  may be flexibly connected to the housing. Such connection is achieved via the connector assemblies  30 . Referring to FIG. 4, a connector assembly  30  is disposed between the bar  20  and housing  11 . The connector assembly  30  comprises a flexible gasket  31 , which is preferably made of a flexible, resilient material such as rubber or an elastometer. The gasket  31  may be connected to the bar  20  via a screw  34  threadedly engaging a nut  35 . The gasket  31  in turn may be connected to the housing  11  via a screw  32  threadedly engaging a nut  33 . Gasket  31  may be molded over screw  32  and/or nut  35 . Such construction minimizes the shock received by housing  11 , and thus by the circuitry mounted within, when radio  10  is dropped.  
         [0023]    Referring to FIGS. 2 and 6, housing  11  may also have a door  19  pivotally attached thereto, providing access to receptacle assembly  50  and allowing an operator to install a battery pack  60  within housing  11 . The door  19  may be kept in a closed position by latch  18 . Preferably, latch  18  comprises an overcenter mechanism.  
         [0024]    Door  19  may have a gasket  19 G disposed thereon to limit the ingress of water into, if not wholly waterproof, receptacle assembly  15 . Preferably gasket  19 G is made of rubber or an elastomeric material. Persons skilled in the art will recognize that the gasket  19 G may be disposed on housing  11  and perform the same function.  
         [0025]    Preferably, receptacle assembly  50  is designed to receive a battery pack  60  via a connector  56 . The connector  56  has a configuration appropriate to contact the battery terminals. Preferably the battery pack terminals and connector  56  will be arranged in the manner disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,217, which is hereby incorporated in whole by reference.  
         [0026]    The charger circuitry  43  may be fixedly connected to both connector  56  and receptacle assembly  50 . Connector  56  preferably disposed on a floating receptacle housing  55 , to minimize the shock received by the battery pack  60  and the circuitry  43  if the radio  10  is dropped. Charger circuitry  43  allows charging of battery packs having different voltages, as is well known in the art.  
         [0027]    The receptacle housing  55  may be flexibly connected to the housing  11  via a flexible gasket  51 . Preferably, gasket  51  is generally annular and made of a flexible, resilient material, such as rubber or elastometer.  
         [0028]    Retainers  52  may be installed on housing  11  to prevent the disengagement of gasket  51  and housing  11  when pushing the battery pack  60  in place. Retainers  52  may be attached to housing  11  via screws  53  and may have a generally annular form. Retainers  52  may also prevent the removal of receptacle housing  55  when removing the battery pack  60  by providing a stopping surface which would contact the charger circuitry board  43 .  
         [0029]    A spring  54  may also be provided on door  19  to bias battery pack  60  into connection with connector  56 . Preferably spring  54  will be flexible enough to bias battery packs having different sizes.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the circuitry within housing  11 . Charger circuitry  43  is connected to a power supply  40 . Power supply  40  may receive power from an alternating current source via connector  41  and/or from charger  43  when a battery pack is being used as the power source for the radio  10 . In addition, power supply  40  provides power to charger  43  in order to charge battery pack  60  even while the radio  10  is in operation.  
         [0031]    Power supply  40  also provides power to radio circuitry  44 . A switching means  42  may be connected to switch knob  17  to properly select the components receiving power. For example, the user can select if the power supply  40 : (a) provides power to both the radio circuitry  44  and to charger  43  (for charging battery pack  60 ); (b) provides power to the radio circuitry  44  from the battery pack  60 ; (c) provides no power to any component; etc. Switching means  42  may comprise relays, transistors or other switching devices as is well known in the art. Preferably power supply  40  can accept power from battery packs having different voltages.  
         [0032]    Radio circuitry  44  may comprise three main modules: (a) radio tuner  45  for receiving and demodulating the radio signal received via antenna  14 ; (b) amplifier  46  connected to tuner  45  for amplifying the demodulated radio signal; and (c) speakers  12  connected to amplifier  46  for converting the amplified signal into audible signals. Amplifier  46  may also amplify signals received from an auxiliary input  13 , allowing a user to play a separate cassette deck or compact disk player through the radio  10 .  
         [0033]    Persons skilled in the art should recognize that the specific circuitry for each component is well known in the art. For example, radio circuitry  44  may include an FM Front End integrated circuit, such as the Sanyo LA1186N used in a well-known manner, in combination with a low frequency power amplifier integrated circuit, such as the Toshiba TA8227P used in a well-known manner. Persons skilled in the art are referred to the specifications of these two integrated circuits for further information on the standard usage, capabilites, parameters, etc.  
         [0034]    Moreover, the radio circuitry  44  may be replaced with other circuitry for producing audio signals to the speakers via circuitry used with a cassette deck, compact disk or other methods to play music.  
         [0035]    Preferably charger  43  is shielded with a metal covering, such as lead, copper, gold, etc., so as to not affect the reception, processing and/or amplification of the radio signal. Similarly, charger  43  can be provided with induction coils, or other types of filters, so as to minimize the effect of the charger on the radio signal, etc.  
         [0036]    With such construction, for example, a user can charge a battery pack by disposing the battery pack  60  in the charger  43 , providing power to the battery pack  60 , and removing the battery pack  60  from the charger  43 . The battery pack  60  can then be inserted into a power tool, such as drill  100  (FIG. 5). In other words, the user can listen to the radio  10  while charging the battery pack  60 . Alternatively, the user can manually switch the power supply  40  so that the radio circuitry  43  receives the operating power from the battery pack  60 , rather than from the alternating current source.  
         [0037]    Persons skilled in the art may recognize other alternatives to the means disclosed herein. However, all these additions and/or alterations are considered to be equivalents of the present invention.