Patent Publication Number: US-2004050617-A1

Title: Speaker enclosure and mounting method for isolating and insulating faceplate and heavy speakers from surrounding mounting surface

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
     [0001] The present application is a continuation and claims priority benefit of a copending U.S. patent application titled SPEAKER ENCLOSURE AND MOUNTING METHOD FOR ISOLATING AND INSULATING FACEPLATE AND HEAVY SPEAKERS FROM SURROUNDING MOUNTING SURFACE, Ser. No. 10/058,598, Filed Jan. 28, 2002. The identified copending patent application is hereby incorporated by reference into the present application. 
    
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0003] The present invention relates to speaker enclosures or cabinets recessedly mounted beneath a surface or within a structure. More particularly, the invention relates to a speaker enclosure adapted for in-wall mounting and having a suspending or isolating and insulating gasket, a spring, and a spacer providing an optimum or desirable degree of uniform separation between the enclosure faceplate and the wall in which the enclosure is mounted so as to prevent sound distortion and wall damage due to improper installation or vibrations.  
       [0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art  
       [0005] Those with skill in the art of home theater systems and speaker enclosures or cabinets will appreciate that a number of strategically placed speakers are often desirable in order to produce the best sound. This is true, for example, in home theater systems employing left and right main, left and right surround, center, and sub-woofer speaker groupings, with each such grouping typically comprising a variety of individual specialized speakers, such as high-range “tweeters”, mid-rangers, and low-range “woofers”. Often, it is desirable that at least some of the speakers be placed upon shelves or otherwise raised so as to minimize sound absorption and interference, tripping hazards, and aesthetic disappeal associated with floor-placed speakers. As will also be appreciated, speaker sound quality is directly related to the weight of the speaker magnet, thus many audiophiles insist on increasingly heavier speakers.  
       [0006] A well-known solution to strategic and aesthetic speaker placement is wall-or ceiling-mounting by cutting holes in drywall, wallboard, or other building material to receive and hold each individual speaker. Unfortunately, the speakers are typically mounted upon or in contact with the drywall, resulting in drywall cracks or other failure due to vibrations transmitted by the operational speakers. Furthermore, direct speaker-to-drywall contact can result in absorption, interference, or other undesirable sound distortion.  
       [0007] Another solution is to place the speakers within an enclosure and mount the enclosure to the wall or ceiling. Such enclosures are typically designed to enhance speaker performance by minimizing unwanted vibrations and optimizing air flow to the speakers. Unfortunately, an enclosure and its speakers, weighing a combined thirty or more pounds, can cause the mounting surface to bow or fail, again resulting in drywall cracks or failure and possibly allowing the enclosure to fall. This is of particular concern where relatively thin drywall or other building materials have been used to save costs. Furthermore, adjacent wall and ceiling structures can cause undesirable sound distortion or vibrations and are subject to damage when transmitted speaker-generated vibrations reach certain magnitudes or frequencies. Such vibration can also lead to a loosening and separation of the enclosure mount from the mounting surface.  
       [0008] Some of the above-described problems can be solved by mounting speaker enclosures within walls or ceilings rather than to their surfaces. That is, rear and side portions of an enclosure are recessed within the wall, and preferably coupled with one or more wall studs, so that only a flush-mounted faceplate protrudes and is seen, with the speakers being mounted to an interior surface of the faceplate. Unfortunately, though the enclosure may be mounted to wall studs, contact between the faceplate and drywall can still cause bowing, cracking or failure thereof, particularly where the faceplate is overtightened thereupon during installation. Furthermore, even though the faceplate does not depend directly from the drywall, speaker vibrations can still be transmitted from the enclosure via the mounting studs to the drywall, which, again, may cause cracking, sound distortion, or other undesirable effects.  
       [0009] Additionally, even where a compressible material, such as, for example, a tubular gasket, is used to insulate or isolate the faceplate from the drywall, a heavy or low frequency speaker, such as a bass woofer or sub-woofer, can cause some or all portions of the compressible material to over-compress or to compress unevenly. Typically, due to the substantial weight or low frequency of such speakers, a bottom portion of the compressible material compresses to a far greater degree than a top portion thereof, thereby undesirably causing the faceplate to appear unevenly mounted upon the drywall, and potentially causing the faceplate to continually or intermittently physically contact the drywall at or near the over-compressed bottom portion of the compressible material, resulting in the aforementioned damage and acoustic problems.  
       [0010] Due to the above-identified and other problems in the art, a need exists for an improved speaker enclosure and mounting method.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011] The speaker enclosure of the present invention overcomes the above-identified and other problems in the art to provide a simple and inexpensive enclosure and mounting method for suspending or isolating and insulating the faceplate and speakers from the mounting wall, thereby reducing distortion, vibration, and damage due to undesirable contact and transmission of speaker vibrations. Specifically, the present invention comprises a speaker enclosure adapted for in-wall mounting and having a heavy duty compressible rubber gasket, preferably including a collapsible tubular air chamber or pocket, interposed between faceplate and speaker box to prevent overtightening of the faceplate to the drywall and thereby provide an optimum or desirable degree of contact separation and sound insulation.  
       [0012] The preferred enclosure comprises a speaker box presenting an access opening and adapted for mounting upon one or more wall studs and dimensioned so as to fit between exterior and interior wall surfaces; an isolating and insulating gasket affixed about a perimeter of the box opening; a faceplate to which the speakers are mounted; and a plurality of independently adjustable threaded coupling mechanisms for coupling the faceplate with the box. The speaker box is mounted so that the uncompressed gasket protrudes beyond the drywall surface, and provides, when compressed, an optimum or desired degree of uniform separation between faceplate and drywall. The insulating gasket is further able to absorb speaker-generated vibrations that might otherwise be transmitted via the wall studs to cause sound distortion or damage the drywall.  
       [0013] Recognizing that heavier or low frequency speakers, such as bass woofers or subwoofers, can cause over-compression or uneven compression of the gasket, an equally preferred alternative embodiment of the enclosure adds a spring and a spacer ring to some or all of the coupling mechanisms to resist undesirable over-compression of the gasket, particularly a lower portion thereof, thereby facilitating maintaining the optimum or desired degree of uniform separation between the faceplate and the drywall.  
       [0014] These and other important aspects of the present invention are more fully described in the section entitled DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT, below. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0015] A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:  
     [0016]FIG. 1 is exploded isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the speaker enclosure of the present invention;  
     [0017]FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the preferred speaker enclosure shown in FIG. 1;  
     [0018]FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the preferred speaker enclosure of FIG. 1 wherein the faceplate is in an initial mounting position with the isolating and insulating gasket uncompressed;  
     [0019]FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the preferred speaker enclosure of FIG. 1 wherein the faceplate is in a final mounting position with the isolating and insulating gasket compressed to provide the optimum degree of separation between the faceplate and a mounting surface; and  
     [0020]FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of an equally preferred alternative embodiment of the speaker enclosure, wherein the faceplate is in a final mounting position with the isolating and insulating gasket compressed, and a spring and a spacer ring is included to resist over-compression of the gasket, thereby facilitating maintaining the optimum degree of separation between the faceplate and the mounting surface. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
     [0021] Referring to FIG. 1, a speaker enclosure  10  is shown constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and broadly comprising a speaker box  12 ; a gasket  14 ; a faceplate  16 ; and a plurality of independently adjustable coupling mechanisms  18 . As described in more detail below, the speaker enclosure  10  is operable to securely mount one or more speakers (not shown) within a wall  20 , achieve an optimum degree of separation between the faceplate  16  of the enclosure  10  and a drywall surface  26  of the mounting wall  20 , and to insulate from transmitted speaker vibrations one or more wall studs  22  from which the enclosure  10  depends. Although illustrated as being mounted within a wall, the speaker box portion  12  of the enclosure  10  may be mounted beneath any suitable surface or within any suitable structure, including ceilings or floors.  
     [0022] The speaker box  12  protectively houses the speakers within the wall  20  and provides a mounting surface and mechanism for coupling the enclosure  10  with one or more wall studs  22 . The speaker box  12  is preferably constructed of metal, having a top, bottom, sides, back, and a speaker opening  27 , and is dimensioned so as to enclose a desired number and size of speakers while fitting between adjacent wall studs  22  and between wall sheathing  24  and interior drywall surfaces  26 . The speaker box  12  may be mounted to the wall studs  22  in any conventional manner; however, a preferred manner of mounting is described in detail in pending application titled “In-Wall Speaker Mounting Apparatus”, Ser. No. 09/515,810, filed Feb. 29, 2000, hereby incorporated by reference as though set forth in the present application.  
     [0023] As is best illustrated in FIG. 2, the speaker box  12  presents a circumferential lip  28  extending about the speaker opening  27 . The speaker box  12  further includes a plurality of substantially hollow mounting pylons  30  having female receiving threads and secured to and projecting from the back portion of the box  12 . These pylons  30  form a part of the coupling mechanisms  18 , which are described in more detail below.  
     [0024] Referring also to FIGS. 3 and 4, the gasket  14  operates to suspend or isolate the faceplate  16  from the drywall  26  by ensuring optimum separation therebetween, and to insulate the studs  22  from transmitted speaker vibrations. The gasket  14  is preferably heavy duty, being made of rubber or similar material, and preferably includes a tubular portion  43 , having an outside diameter of approximately one-half inch, defining continuous and a collapsible air pocket  44  for maintaining isolative and insulative qualities even while under compression. The pocket  44  is collapsible due to a plurality of spaced apart air holes  41  for allowing air to escape the pocket  44  as the gasket  14  is compressed and to reenter the pocket  44  as compression is relieved. The gasket  14  also presents a channel  42  for receiving and clamping or crimping upon the box lip  28 . Alternatively or additionally, adhesives may be used as needed or desired to permanently or removably secure the gasket  14  to the lip  28 .  
     [0025] An exemplary gasket is used in many automobiles to seal doors or hatches. This type of gasket is suitable because of its heavy duty, wear-resistant nature and its relatively large size. A larger-sized gasket, particularly a larger tubular portion  43 , allows for both attachment to the recessed speaker box  12  and sufficient protrusion (approximately one-quarter inch) beyond the drywall surface  26  (assume standard half-inch drywall thickness) to compress under pressure of the installed faceplate  16  while leaving an optimum degree of isolating separation between drywall  26  and faceplate  16 .  
     [0026] The faceplate  16 , once installed over the speaker opening  27  of the box  12 , completes the enclosure  10 . The faceplate  16  is preferably made of an aesthetically pleasing material, such as wood, and is provided with air ports  46  and speaker holes  47  through which individual speakers (not shown), including tweeters, mid-rangers, and woofers, can be mounted. The number and size of these ports and holes  46 , 47  is design dependent. The faceplate  16  is also provided with a plurality of holes  49  for accommodating the coupling mechanisms  18 , the exact number of which depends upon the size of the faceplate  16 , as described below.  
     [0027] The coupling mechanisms  18  secure the faceplate  16  to the box  12 . Each coupling mechanism  18  is independently adjustable, comprising a sleeve  50 ; a bolt  52 ; and on of the mounting pylons  30  mentioned above. The sleeve  50  fits into the hole  49  in the faceplate  16  and slidably receives the bolt  52 , thereby aesthetically minimizing the bolt&#39;s appearance and eliminating unsightly protrusion of the bolthead above the faceplate surface. The bolt  52  is conventional and threadably received within the mounting pylon  30 . It is contemplated that in some embodiments a travel limiting stop may be provided to prevent overtightening the faceplate  16  to the box  12 .  
     [0028] Because the coupling mechanisms  18  are independently adjustable and arranged about the perimeter of the faceplate  16 , a substantially uniform degree of separation may be obtained, regardless of faceplate  16  or wall  22  irregularities, or non-flush or otherwise improper speaker box mounting. Therefore, the exact number, spacing, and location of the coupling mechanisms  18  depends upon the size and shape of the faceplate  16  as there should be a sufficient number to be spaced at reasonable distances about the perimeter of the faceplate  16  to account for warpage or other distortion or irregularity. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, there are shown six independently adjustable coupling mechanisms  18 , with one at each corner and one midway along each long side, the result being that all coupling mechanisms  18  are spaced equidistant apart, approximately eleven inches, from one another along the faceplate perimeter. In general, optimum spacing will depend upon the nature of the material, size and shape of the faceplate, and the particular application.  
     [0029] Referring primarily to FIGS. 3 and 4, in operation, a hole is cut or otherwise provided in the drywall  26  so as to receive the speaker box  12  and allow the box  12  to be mounted to one or more wall studs  22 . The speaker box  12  is mounted substantially flush with the inner surface of the drywall  26 . The gasket  14  will already have been coupled with the box  12 ; the box lip  28  being received within the gasket channel  42 . The gasket  14 , not being compressed, will protrude outward from the wall  20  approximately one-quarter inch.  
     [0030] The faceplate  16  is then fitted over the box opening  27 , such that the male bolts  52  align with the female pylons  30 . The bolts  52  are tightened and adjusted independently so as to bring the faceplate  16  into contact with the gasket  14 , compressing the gasket  14  and collapsing the air pocket  44  until a substantially uniform degree of separation between faceplate  16  and wallboard  26  is achieved, with the optimum degree of separation being preferably {fraction (1/32)} inch, or between {fraction (1/64)} inch and {fraction (3/64)} inch.  
     [0031] Referring also to FIG. 5, an equally preferred alternative embodiment of the speaker enclosure  110  is shown, being substantially similar or identical to the embodiment described above, including the speaker box  112 ; the gasket  114 ; and the faceplate  116 . Some or all of the coupling mechanisms  118 , however, have been adapted to accommodate heavier and lower frequency speakers, such as bass woofers and subwoofers. More particularly, a spring  160  and a spacer ring  162  have been added to the coupling mechanisms  118 , or, at least, to those coupling mechanisms  118  located on a lower portion of the speaker enclosure  110 . The spring  160  fits over and about the mounting pylon  130 , whereafter the coupling mechanism  118  is assembled as described above, with the bolt  152  being threadably received within the mounting pylon  130 . The spring&#39;s spring constant or rate, k, will be determined by the weight and nature of the speaker meant to be supported; a spring constant of approximately 40 lbs/in is contemplated to be suitable for most applications, though spring constants of between approximately 5 lb/in and 50 lbs/in may by used. In a preferred embodiment, the spring  160  has a deflection of 0.5 in under a load of 20 lbs.  
     [0032] The spacer ring  162  surrounds the mounting pylon  130  and operates to keep the spring  160  centered thereabout in its proper operating position. The spacer ring  162  may be constructed of foam or any other suitable material which will resist making noise due to movement of the spring  160  thereagainst.  
     [0033] Just as the gasket  114  operates to adjustably suspend or isolate the faceplate  116  above the drywall surface  126  and ensure optimum separation therebetween, the spring  160  operates to ensure that such suspension and isolation is maintained when a heavier speaker is mounted whose weight would otherwise overwhelm the gasket  114  alone. In order to further facilitate such suspension and isolation, a rubber washer-gasket  163  may be placed between the sleeve  150  and the head of the bolt  152 , thereby substantially preventing undesirable transmission of vibration therebetween.  
     [0034] When properly assembled, a first end of the spring  160  will rest against the back portion of the speaker enclosure  112 , and the other end of the spring  160  will rest against the sleeve  150 . When the speaker enclosure  110  is placed in position and the bolts  152  tightened on the rubber washer-gasket  163 , the spring  160  will resist over-compression of the lower portion of the gasket  114 , thereby facilitating maintaining an optimum degree of uniform separation between the faceplate  116  and the drywall  126 .  
     [0035] As is also shown in the alternative embodiment of FIG. 5, the mounting pylon  130  may be secured to the back portion of the speaker enclosure  112  by a countersunk bolt  153  which is screwed into a back end of the mounting pylon  130  opposite the bolt  152 .  
     [0036] From the preceding description, it can be seen that the speaker enclosure  10  and mounting method of the present invention provide a simple and inexpensive means for suspending or isolating and insulating faceplate  16  and speakers from a mounting wall  20 , thereby reducing distortion, vibration, and damage. The faceplate  16  and speakers are suspended or isolated from the wall  20  by the collapsible air pocket  44  which allows the gasket  14  to compress until the faceplate  16  appears to be flush with the wall surface but, in fact, a separation of {fraction (1/64)} to {fraction (3/64)} inch remains. Because there is no direct contact between faceplate  16  and wall  20 , sound distortion is minimized and damaging speaker vibrations are not transmitted directly to the drywall  26 . Furthermore, the faceplate  16  and speakers are insulated from the mounting wall  20  by the rubber gasket  14  which tends to reduce speaker vibrations transmitted from the faceplate  16 , to the speaker box  12 , and thereafter to the wall studs  22  or other mounting structure.  
     [0037] Although the invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment illustrated in the attached drawings, it is noted that equivalents may be employed and substitutions made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as recited in the claims. For example, as described above, the present invention is independent of any particular box-to-stud mounting method, though a preferred method is incorporated by reference. Furthermore, although shown as being mounted within a wall, the enclosure may be mounted beneath any surface or within any structure, such as a ceiling, floor, column, or other structural feature as may be desired and practical.