Patent Publication Number: US-2007105451-A1

Title: Home theatre connection system

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates generally to a connection system for audio/visual equipment.  
     BACKGROUND  
      Home theatre equipment such as DVD players, high resolution display devices, surround sound systems, amplifiers, and the like have been readily accessible to the general public for quite some time. Indeed, equipment such as DVD players, plasma and LCD televisions, and high quality speakers have separately found their way into many homes within the last decade. Despite the relative ease of obtaining such equipment, however, setups involving a combination of the above working in concert to create a home theatre have been comparatively few.  
      It is suggested that obstacles to the wide spread pervasion of home theatre stem at least in part from the relative complexity of the wiring connections involved, the difficulties involved in physically connecting the relevant equipment, and the lack of architectural pre-planning of living areas to facilitate easy and aesthetically pleasing wire connections. Further, accessories to facilitate installation are not readily available. These problems particularly apply to wiring for the various active and passive loudspeakers such systems typically utilize.  
      Modern home theatre systems can comprise of 5.1, 6.1, or 7.1 channels, or more. The number of wire connections in such systems can be quite significant, and if not neatly installed behind walls, or under floors, for example, can result in making the living area in which the home theatre is installed untidy and also unsafe. Further, the sheer number of wires and sockets involved often create confusion as to which sockets belongs to which wires, and to which devices they should be connected to. Such problems are compounded by the tendency for equipment such as speakers, amplifiers, television, and the like to be positioned in tight spaces of a living area, such as in comers, on overhead shelfs or mantles, and so forth.  
      Further, as home entertainment systems usually involve a number of expensive components, home users are less inclined to perform the installation thereof by themselves out of concern of damaging one or more components due to incorrect wire connections, accidental short circuits, and the like. This further increases the costs, both financially and in terms of convenience, of home entertainment systems, resulting in the intended operational configuration of home theatre systems being implemented predominantly by enthusiasts and those of substantial wealth.  
       FIG. 10  illustrates an example of a known connection panel  1000  used in audio-visual systems. Such panel  1000  includes a number of “binding post” terminals  1002 . Each binding post  1002  includes a threaded metal shaft  1004  typically including a transverse hole into which or about which a bare conductor wire (for a loudspeaker) may be secured. An insulated clamp  1006  may then be screwed onto the shaft  1004  to secure the wire. The clamp  1006  typically includes a central hole  1008  by which a “banana” plug (not illustrated) terminating the wire conductor may be plugged into the binding post  1002  as an alternate form of connection. A problem associated with the connection panel  1000  is in the ease at which accidental short circuiting may occur. The exposed threaded terminals allow for accidental short circuiting to occur from wires or objects crossed between two or more terminals, or by way of contact of a user&#39;s hand/finger. Further, the unmarked terminals make it difficult to ascertain to which terminal a wire should be connected. This further increases the chances of damaging expensive audio-visual equipment due to incorrect connection of, for example, an amplifier output to a microphone, or the like.  
      Moreover, the direct connection of speaker wires to the binding post  1002  requires some degree of skill and care, which if not exercised, can result in a wire not being fully in contact with the binding post  1002 , or short circuiting between two or more binding post  1002 . Plugs inserted into central hole  1008  increase the profile of an already high profile binding post  1002 , making the installation unsightly and an obstruction to the positioning of furniture and the like in the vicinity of the connection panel  1000 . Home theatre systems could be made more prevalent if wire connections could be realized more neatly and simply, and intuitively.  
     SUMMARY  
      According to an aspect of the invention, a panel for connecting audio/visual equipment comprises a front face provided with at least one front port, a conductor provided behind the front face and defining at least one bore, a front end of the conductor being accessible from the front port, and a housing enclosing the conductor, the housing having a rear port providing rear access to the at least one bore of the conductor. The conductor facilitates electrical communication between the front port and the rear port, the front port being configured to receive a first plug connector and the rear port being configured to receive at least one of a further plug connector and a bare wire conductor to provide electrical connection with the first plug connector.  
      According to another aspect of the invention, a single conductor plug for connecting audio/visual equipment via a single conductor socket comprises a plug housing, and a plurality of tactile indicators provided on the plug housing. A spatial arrangement of the plurality of tactile indicators indicates a wire connection corresponding to the plug.  
      According to another aspect of the invention, a system for connecting audio/visual equipment comprises a connection panel having at least one front port and one rear port adapted to effect electrical communication therebetween, the rear port adapted to further effect electrical communication with a rear port of another connection panel. The system further comprises a connection wire operable to connect an input/output of an audio/visual device to the at least one front port, at least one sound field mark attached to the connectional panel to indicate a connection of the at least one front port, and at least one plug terminating the connection wire. A housing of the at least one plug is provided with a plurality of tactile indicators indicative of a wire connection corresponding to the plug.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS  
      Some aspects of the prior art and one or more embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, in which:  
       FIG. 1  schematically illustrates a home theatre configuration in which the described arrangements may be used;  
       FIG. 2  illustrates a front view of a panel according to a preferred embodiment;  
       FIGS. 3A-3E  illustrate exemplary configurations of the panel;  
       FIGS. 4A and 4B  are cross sectional views of a panel according to a preferred embodiment;  
       FIGS. 5A-5C  illustrate sound field marks according to a preferred embodiment;  
       FIGS. 6A and 6B  illustrate exemplary sound field marks in greater detail;  
       FIG. 7  illustrates exemplary mappings of the sound field marks to corresponding wire connections;  
       FIG. 8  illustrates plug arrangements according to a preferred embodiment;  
       FIG. 9  illustrates exemplary mappings of tactile indicators to wire connections; and  
       FIG. 10  depicts a known panel for providing wire connections. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       FIG. 1  depicts in top plan view a living area  100  to which aspects of the present invention are exemplarily applied. The living area  100  is enclosed by walls or partitions  110 . Included within the living area  100  are an entertainment system  120 , speakers  140 , and a sitting area  150 . The entertainment system  120  may for example include a DVD player  160 , a television  170 , and an audio-visual receiver (AVR)  180 . The AVR  180  receives inputs from the DVD player  160  and the television  170 , and provides outputs to the speakers  140 .  
      Connection panels  190  and  1100  are provided in the wall  110 . The connection panels  190  serve as input panels for receiving, for example, speaker outputs from the AVR  180 . The connection panels  1100  serve as output panel for outputting signals to, for example, the speakers  140 . The connection panels  190  and  1100 , whilst depicted as separate physical panels in  FIG. 1 , may be integrated as a single connection panel. The connection panels  190  and  1100  are provided with a front face accessible from within the living area  100 . The connection panels  190  are electrically connected to the connection panels  1100  by one or more wires  1120 . The wires  1120  are connected to respective rear sides of the connection panels  190  and  1100  and may be run through the wall cavity, under the floor, in the ceiling, or by a combination of these.  
      The above arrangement allows the living area  100  to be free of running wires connecting the speakers  140  to the entertainment system  120 .  
       FIG. 2  illustrates the connection panel  190 ,  1100  in greater detail. The connection panel  190 ,  1100  has a front face  210  made of, for example, plastic. Input/output front ports  220  are provided in the front face  210 . The connection panel  190 ,  1100  shown in  FIG. 2  is provided with  10  input/output front ports, however, it should be understood that the number of front ports provided to a connection panel is not limited. It should further be understood that each front port  220  can serve as either an input or output port, and can be bi-directional if so required.  FIGS. 3A  to  3 E illustrate other exemplary arrangements of input/output front ports for the connection panels  190 ,  1100 . The connection panel of  FIG. 3A  would for example be more suitable for a single speaker output having two conductor connections, whereas the connection panel of  FIG. 3E  would for example be more suitable as the main input connection panel to which the AVR  180  is connected, offering 5 pairs of connections. It should be understood that any spatial arrangement, and number, of front ports may be provided on a connection panel.  
       FIG. 4A  depicts the connection panel of  FIG. 2  in cross section along line IV-IV. A rear surface of the front face  210  of the connection panel is adapted to fit flush against the wall  110  when installed, and facilitate easy insertion of “banana”-style plugs  420  into the front ports  220 . The front ports  220  provide access to a conductor  430 . The conductor  430  is made of copper, gold, platinum, steel, or other material as known to, or may be later found by, those skilled in the art as being suitable, or preferable, for use as a conductor. The conductor  430  defines a bore  480   a  passing therethrough. Alternatively, the conductor  430  may define blind bores  480   b ,  480   c  therewithin. The arrangement employing the blind bores  480   b ,  480   c  prevents plugs and/or bare wires from being inserted too far from one end, such that a plug/bare wire inserted from the other end cannot be fully inserted. The conductor  430 , and the bores  480   a ,  480   b ,  480   c  defined within the conductor  430 , are preferably tubular. The bores  480   a ,  480   b ,  480   c  are hereinafter commonly referred to with reference numeral  480  when distinction therebetween is not necessary.  
      The front port  220  is sized such that accidental contact with the conductor  430  through the front port  220  is prevented. In particularly, a diameter and a depth of the front port  220  is preferably such that insertion of unintended objects, such as for example, an child/infant&#39;s finger, a pen, a stray plug/bare wire, and the like, to contact with the conductor  430  is prevented, or at least made to require substantial purposeful effort. Similarly, contact between conductors  430  is prevented, or made to require substantial purposeful effort. Additionally, a diameter of the bore  480  is sized so as to be moderately smaller than, or preferably equal to, that of the front port, to further render accidental contact with the conductor  430  less likely.  
      A conductor housing  440  of a non-conductive electrically insulating material is provided to substantially enclose each conductor  430  except for that exposed by the front port  220  and a rear port  450  providing access to a rear end of the bore  480 . The conductor housing  440  may be integrally formed with the front face  220 , or detachably provided. The conductor housing  440  is preferably moulded to fit the conductor  430  and the front face  220 .  
      The rear port  450  is sized to prevent accidental contact with the conductor  430  through the rear port. Since, however, the connection panel  190 ,  1100  is generally installed in walls such that the rear port  450  is generally accessible only when the connection panel  190 ,  1100  is detached from the wall and then only by those looking to install or modify the connections of the rear port  450 , the sizing of the rear port  450  need not necessarily be as specific as that of the front port  220 . For example, a diameter and depth of the rear port  450  may be compromised to facilitate easier connection/installation. However, if the connection panel  190 ,  1100  is to be instead installed in, for example, a video cabinet, the sizing considerations of the rear port  450  should be similar to that of the front port  220 .  
      The bore  480  and the front and rear ports  220 ,  450  are preferably axially aligned along a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the front face  210 , unless otherwise dictated by the type of plug/termination being used. An arrangement in which the bore  480  and the front and rear ports  220 ,  450  are axially aligned along a longitudinal axis further assists in preventing accidental contact with the conductor  430 .  
      Screw holes may be provided in the conductor housing  430  to allow for the provision of an engagement screw  470 . The engagement screws  470  can be used to secure the ends of the wires  1120  in the form of bare wire conductors  490  within the conductor  430  inserted through the rear port  450 . The engagement screws  470  are provided through the conductor housing into the bore  480  in a transverse direction to the longitudinal axis of the conductor  430 . Alternatively, the ends of the wires  1120  can be provided with plugs  500  to facilitate connection of the wires  1120  with the connection panels  190 ,  1100  via the rear port  450 .  
      The conductor housing  440 , in substantially enclosing the conductor  430  and having a rear port  450  as hereinbefore described, prevents the conductor  430 , from being externally exposed. This arrangement assists in preventing accidental short-circuiting between conductors, and between each conductor and other electrical components such as wires and the like. Further, safety is enhanced by preventing accidental contact between a conductor and a user/installer. Thus, in view of the low voltages usually experienced with such equipment, installation may be safely effected by unlicensed/unskilled persons. The conductor housing  440  and the front face  210  further have the effect of retarding the onset of corrosion on the conductor  430 .  
       FIG. 4B  is a cross section of a specific implementation  210 ′ of a panel  210  of  FIG. 2 , illustrating a preferred construction of the connection panel  190 ,  1100  in detail. The connection panel  190 ,  1100  of  FIG. 4B  is provided with a front cover  515 , detachable to expose a backing face  520  and the front of the conductor  430 . A non-conductive plate  530  is detachably attached to the backing face  520 , between the front cover  515  and the backing face  520 . The front cover  515  and the non-conductive plate  530  are provided with apertures  540 ,  550  to form the front port  220 . Preferably, a diameter of the aperture  550  of the non-conductive plate  530  is equal to that of the bore  480 , or between that of the bore  480  and the front cover  515 .  
      The non-conductive plate  530  can be sized to further assist in preventing accidental contact with the conductor  430  through the front port  220 . Specifically, the non-conductive plate  530  may be provided with a thickness t to increase the effective insertion depth required to effect contact with the conductor  430  via the front port  220 . Further, as the diameter of the aperture  550  is preferably equal to or between that of the aperture  540  and the bore  480 , a portion of the non-conductive plate  530  is at least partially visible through the front port  220 . The non-conductive plate  530  can hence be coloured (e.g. red or black) to provide an indication of a connection type of the front port  220 , and to suitably contrast a colour (e.g. white) of the front cover  515 .  
      As seen in  FIG. 4B , the conductor housing  440  is integrally formed, by moulding for example, with the backing face  520 , to form a channel  444  into which the conductor  430  is insertable. The housing  440  has an annular end  442  which defines the rear port  450  and provides access to wires  490  and plugs  500  within the wall cavity. The channel  444  has an open front end permitting insertion of the conductor  430 , which is held in position within the channel  444  by the non-conductive plate  530 . The plate  530  is coupled to the backing face using tabs  532  which slidably engage in slots (not illustrated) in the back face  520 . The cover  515  fits over the plate  530  and onto the backing face  520  in a neat interference fit. Screws  550  may be used to secure the backing face  520  to the wall  110 .  
      Connection panels  190 ,  1100  are installed into walls (or partitions, etc) at positions best suited to a user&#39;s home theatre system set up. The panels  190 ,  1100  may be pre-installed by a builder, as would be preferable in the case of a new building, or may be later installed in an existing building by a user or a tradesperson. In the example of  FIG. 1 , the home theatre system includes front speakers, rear speakers, and centre speakers. Accordingly, connection panels  1100  are provided at an end of the living area  100  in front of the sitting area  150 , an end of the living area behind the sitting area  150 , and at the sides of the living area in line with the sitting area  150 . Wires from the AVR  180  are connected to the connection panel  190 . Preferably, the wires from the AVR  180  each terminate in a plug  420 , such as a banana plug. Each plug  420  is configured to be a conductor of a single signal, and the wires may be formed of a solid conductor, or a multi-strand conductor. A typical loudspeaker connection has a (+) conductor and a (−) conductor each with a corresponding plugs  420 .  
      One plug  420  is inserted through the front port  220  of the front face  210  of the connection panel  190  into the bore  480   a ,  480   b.    
      Wires connecting the connection panel  190  to another connection panel  1100  are inserted into the rear of the connection panel  190  and the connection panel  1100 . Preferably, the connection panel  190 ,  1100  is installed into the wall  110  in a manner that facilitates easy detachment of the connection panel  190 ,  1100  from the wall so that the rear of the connection panel  190 ,  1100  may be accessed. Bare wire conductors  490  are inserted into the rear of the connection panels  190 ,  1100  and each secured in a corresponding bore  480  by the corresponding engagement screw  470 . Alternatively, the wire conductor may terminate in a plug  500  each adapted to mate with the conductor  430 . The conductor  430  may be adapted to mate with different terminations for the front and rear ends. In such a case, the front port  220  and the rear port  450  are accordingly adapted to accept the respective terminations.  
      In specific implementations, as seen in  FIGS. 5A-5C , the front face  210  of the connection panel  190 ,  1100  is provided with one or more sound field marks  510 , each corresponding to one of the ports  220 . The sound field marks  510  are preferably provided around a portion of the perimeter of the port  220 , to indicate a connection used for the corresponding port. The sound field marks  510  are preferably formed with a varying tactile feel around a perimeter thereof, but may also be a visual-only indicator, for example printed or adhered to the front face  210 .  
       FIGS. 6A and 6B  illustrate two exemplary tactile sound field marks  510   p ,  510   n . The sound field marks  510   p ,  510   n  are each provided with an annular base  620 , and a segmented annular raised portion  610  provided at an elevated level with respect to the annular base  620  The raised portions  610  provide a tactile indication of the connections of the corresponding ports to which the tactile sound field marks  510   p ,  510   n  are attached. Specifically, the position of the raised portions  610  around the annular base  620  can be mapped to the position of the device within the home theatre system that the port  220  having the sound field mark  510   p ,  510   n  corresponds.  
      Further, the area of the annular base  620  taken up by the raised portions  610  can be mapped to a connection type (i.e. positive, negative, high voltage, low, voltage, etc). For example, the sound field mark  510   p  having a raised portion  610  taking up a minority area of the annular base  620  can be mapped to indicate a positive connections. Similarly, the sound field mark  510   n  having a raised portion  610  taking up a majority area of the annular base  620  can be mapped to indicate a negative connection.  
      The position of the raised portion  610 , together with the area it takes up, indicate the connection of the port  220  (front, left, right, rear, etc.) and the connection type of the port  220  (positive, negative, high voltage, low voltage, etc.). For example, the sound field mark  510   p  of  FIG. 6A  indicates a positive connection to a front-left speaker/device. Similarly, the sound field mark  510   n  indicates a negative connection to a rear right speaker/device.  
      The tactile sound field marks  510   p ,  510   n  are preferably provided as complementary pairs, with a first mark of a pair having a segmented raised portion taking up a minority area of the annular base  620 , and the second mark of the pair having a segmented raised portion taking up a majority area. The segmented raised portion of the second mark is complementarily positioned around the annular base  620  with respect to the first mark.  30  That is, the second mark of the pair appears as an inverse or relief of the first mark. The first and second sound field marks can therefore be used to indicate ports corresponding to the same device (e.g. front-left speaker), but differentiating between connection types for the device (e.g. positive/negative wires).  FIG. 7  provides an exemplary correspondence of various sound field marks to connections.  
      The sound field marks  510  may be integrally formed with the connection panels  190 ,  1100 , or preferably, detachably provided. The tactile variation of the sound field marks  510   p ,  510   n  can be provided by means other than by raised portion  610 . For example, the tactile sound field marks  510   p ,  510   n  may be formed with varying smoothness, protrusions, depressions, materials, and the like. The tactile sound field marks  510   p ,  510   n  allow the connection of a port to be ascertained without requiring a visual on the connection panels  190 ,  1100 . Such an arrangement is particularly advantageous in situations where space around the connection panels  190 ,  1100  is limited, or awkward to access.  
      As seen in  FIG. 8 , plugs  810  are provided with tactile indicators  820 . The tactile indicators  820  of each plug  810  are eight, or less, of a set of nine indicators, where the location of the missing indicators provides an indication of the wire connection of the plug  810 . It should be understood that the number of tactile indicators  820  is not limited to nine, and that the tactile indicators need not necessarily be protrusions as shown in  FIG. 6 . The tactile indicators  820  may for example be depressions in the plugs, or may also be similar in design to the sound field marks  510   p ,  510   n  previously described.  FIG. 9  shows exemplary mappings of arrangements of tactile indicators to wire connections.  
      The tactile indicators  820  allow a user/installer to determine the wire connection corresponding to a plug  810  without a direct visual on the plug  810  and without needing to trace the plug back along the wire to its origin/destination. This is particularly advantageous in situations where space around a connection panel, or port, to which the plug  810  is inserted is limited or awkward to access.  
      The foregoing describes only some embodiments of the present invention, and modifications and/or changes can be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, the embodiments being illustrative and not restrictive.