Patent Publication Number: US-10327081-B2

Title: Announcement system with speakers attached

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/291,438 filed Feb. 4, 2016. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to mobile entertainment and announcement systems, and in particular, to entertainment and announcement systems transportable by trailer. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Many events are enhanced by music, broadcasting and other audio projections. Such events include parties, weddings, sporting events, company picnics, election campaigning, and the like. And in the case of, for example, emergencies and disasters, there is often a need for broadcasting announcements over a wide area. Often the location of these events is outdoors, for example, on a beach, at a golf course, church grounds, fair grounds, parking lots, parks, fields, disaster areas, and the like, where audio systems are not readily available. 
     Portable boom boxes, and microphones have been used, but the reach and quality of the audio projection is limited. There is a need for a mobile entertainment and announcement system that can be transported to a variety of outdoor venues where audio projection is required. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 8,269,900B2 (O&#39;Connell) describes a mobile studio for producing video and audio content. The studio includes a vehicle having a studio chamber enclosure formed by a floor, a ceiling, spaced apart outer walls and spaced apart front and rear walls. The floor provides a stage area. An LED lighting assembly is located in the studio chamber enclosure to provide sufficient illumination for image capture. An image projection apparatus is used to create a virtual image behind a partially transparent screen. A camera is used to capture an image of a person on the stage area, and a communications device is used to transmit the captured image. O&#39;Connell does not address audio projection at an outdoor venue. 
     WO2014/125364A2 (Verma) relates to a mobile stage carved from a container unit mounted on a truck. The stage has a pair of foldable wings hingedly connected to the top and bottom of the stage along the length of the rear portion of the stage. The stage also has an electric shutter pivotally connected to the top of the stage, a projector and a reflective screen. The system is aimed at theater productions, projection screens for displaying documentary and feature films, and a separate space for displaying virtual images. The mobile stage is limited to outdoor venues accessible by a tractor trailer. Verma does not address audio projection to a larger audience. 
     There is a need for a mobile entertainment and announcement system capable of being transported to a variety of outdoor venues and capable of projecting audio to a large audience, often spread over a large area at an outdoor venue. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mobile entertainment and announcement system, comprising: a trailer base having a trailer body mounted thereon, at least one pair of wheels operably connected to an underside of the trailer base, and a trailer hitch projecting from a forward end of the trailer base, the trailer base adapted to be transported to a desired venue by connecting the trailer hitch to a vehicle; a telescoping boom supported by at least one of the trailer base and the trailer body, the telescoping boom adapted to move from a transport position to a set-up position and to a broadcast position; at least one broadcast speaker adapted for mounting on the telescoping boom when the telescoping boom is in a set-up position, so that when the telescoping boom is moved from the transport position to the broadcast position, the broadcast speaker is moved to a higher elevation above the trailer base; an audio component housed in the trailer body and connected to the broadcast speaker for transmitting audio content to the broadcast speaker for broadcast; and a power supply for providing power to the at least one broadcast speaker and the at least one audio component, the trailer body adapted to provide protection to at least one of the audio component and the power supply. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The apparatus of the present invention will be better understood by referring to the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and the drawings referenced therein, in which: 
         FIG. 1A  is a front elevation view of one embodiment of the mobile entertainment and announcement system of the present invention; 
         FIG. 1B  is a side elevation view of the mobile entertainment and announcement system of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 2A  is a front elevation view of the mobile entertainment and announcement system of  FIG. 1A  with the telescoping boom in a set-up position; 
         FIG. 2B  is a front elevation view of the mobile entertainment and announcement system of  FIG. 1A  with the telescoping boom in a set-up position and a pair of broadcast speakers mounted to the telescoping boom; 
         FIG. 2C  is a front elevation view of the mobile entertainment and announcement system of  FIG. 1A  with the telescoping boom in a broadcast position with a pair of broadcast speakers mounted to the telescoping boom; and 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevation of a mobile entertainment and announcement system of the present invention, showing one embodiment of an access door to a trailer body and audio components and power supply housed in the trailer body. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a mobile entertainment and announcement system that can be transported to a variety of outdoor venues, such as beaches, golf courses, church grounds, fair grounds, parking lots, parks, and the like. The mobile entertainment and announcement system of the present invention allows audio content to be projected to a wider audience than prior art devices. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , a mobile entertainment and announcement system  10  of the present invention has a trailer base  12 . The trailer base  12  has a trailer body  14  mounted thereon and at least one pair of wheels  16  operably connected to the trailer base  12 . A trailer hitch  18  projects from a forward end of the trailer base  12 , allowing the trailer base  12  to be connected to a trailer hitching device on a vehicle for transporting the mobile entertainment and announcement system  10  to a desired venue. Those skilled in the art will understand that a variety of trailer hitches  18  can be used for the mobile entertainment and announcement system  10  of the present invention without departing from the spirit of the present invention. 
     The trailer base  12  is preferably constructed and equipped to meet local regulations for roadworthy vehicles, including, but not limited to, license plates, signal lights, brake lights, and the like. Suitable vehicles for transporting the mobile entertainment and announcement system  10  of the present invention include, without limitation, pick-up trucks, cars, buses, sport utility vehicles (SUV), utility task vehicles (UTV), also referred to as S×S or side-by-side vehicles, all-terrain vehicles (ATV), and the like. 
     The mobile entertainment and announcement system  10  of the present invention has a telescoping boom  22  supported by one or both of the trailer base  12  and the trailer body  14 . The telescoping boom  22  is shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B  in a transport position. The trailer body  14  may include a cover plate or flap (not shown) to cover the top end of the telescoping boom  22  to protect the telescoping boom  22  from weather and/or environmental elements and/or during transport. 
     The telescoping boom  22  has boom sections  22   a,    22   b,    22   c  and  22   f,  shown more clearly in  FIGS. 2A-2C , to raise broadcast speakers  24  to a desired broadcast height. For example, the telescoping boom  22  may have six boom sections  22   a,    22   b,    22   c,  through to  22   f  to raise the broadcast speakers  24  to a height of 25 feet, for example. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that fewer or more sections of telescoping boom  22  may be used without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The telescoping boom  22  may be raised and lowered hydraulically, electrically, mechanically and combinations thereof. 
       FIG. 2A  shows the mobile entertainment and announcement system  10  of the present invention with one section of the boom  22   b  retracted from the base telescoping boom section  22   a.  This height may be particularly advantageous for a set-up position, where at least one broadcast speaker  24  is mounted on the telescoping boom section  22   f,  as shown in  FIG. 2B  with two broadcast speakers  24 . Preferably, there are four broadcast speakers  24  mounted to the telescoping boom  22 . The broadcast speakers may be mounted at the same height or different heights on the telescoping boom  22 .  FIG. 2C  illustrates the telescoping boom  22  raised to one embodiment of a broadcast position, with a third section of telescoping boom  22   c  raised. 
     An audio component for transmitting audio content through the broadcast speakers  24  is housed in the trailer body  14  and accessed through access door  26 , shown in  FIG. 1B . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the access door  26  is hingedly connected to the trailer body  14  with hinge  28  and, advantageously, has an intermediate hinge  32  to fold a portion of the access door  26  back on itself. Alternatively or in combination, a piston-type lift (not shown) may be used to open and close the access door  26 . The access door  26  may be also be provided without the intermediate hinge  32 , which may advantageously shield an operator and/or components in the trailer body  14  from weather elements. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that different configurations for the access door  26  are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , three amplifiers  34  provide audio content to be transmitted through broadcast speakers  24 . The amplifiers  34  are connected to the broadcast speakers  24  in a manner known to those skilled in the art. Other audio components may be used in place of or in conjunction with one or more amplifiers  34 . Such audio components include, without limitation, BLUETOOTH wireless technology devices for exchanging data over short distances, radios, DVD players, televisions, satellite receivers, DVR recorders, microphones, and combinations thereof 
     In addition to the audio component, one or more video components (not shown) may be provided to broadcast video content. 
     In a further embodiment, one or more auxiliary entertainment modules may be added to the mobile entertainment and announcement system of the present invention. Such auxiliary entertainment module may include, without limitation, LED lights, flood lights, strobe lights, black lights, smoke machines, and combinations thereof. 
     The mobile entertainment and announcement system  10  of the present invention also has a power supply. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the power supply is a pair of batteries  36  housed in the trailer body  14 . Other power supplies for providing power to the audio components and/or broadcast speakers include energy storage devices, such as batteries and fuel cells, electromechanical systems, such as generators and alternators, and solar power converters. 
     Combinations of these power supplies may also be used. The placement of the power supply within, on or adjacent to the trailer body  14  will depend on the type of power supply used. 
     The trailer body  14  also acts as storage for the broadcast speakers  24  during transport. The mobile entertainment and announcement system  10  of the present invention is preferably provided with supplemental speakers  38  housed in the trailer body  14 . More preferably, the supplemental speakers  38  are provided on the front, rear and side faces of the trailer body  14  for further enhancing the audio content being broadcast at the outdoor venue. 
     The mobile entertainment and announcement system  10  of the present invention may be further provided with promotional indicia, including, without limitation, banners, logos, flags, static advertising displays, electronic advertising displays and combinations thereof 
     While preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it should be understood that various changes, adaptations and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention(s) as claimed below.