Patent Publication Number: US-2010122867-A1

Title: Prefabricated Speaker Enclosure Assembly

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/041,523, filed on Jan. 24, 2005, in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and claims the benefit thereof, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     This disclosure relates generally to speaker enclosures, and more particularly, to prefabricated speaker enclosure assemblies. 
     2. Background 
     In most loudspeaker systems, speakers are usually housed in a speaker enclosure. Speaker enclosures serve a number of functions. On their most basic level, they make it easier to set up the speakers. With an enclosure, all the speaker components can be kept in one unit and placed in their respective optimal positions so as to produce a high quality sound. 
     It is generally known that speakers transmit sound waves by translating electrical signals into physical vibrations. To reduce undesired vibrations and maximize the sound quality, enclosures are usually built with heavy wood or other solid material that can effectively absorb the speaker&#39;s vibration. Because speakers require exterior means by which to vibrate, most speaker enclosures are designed to provide hollow space within themselves. Such design occupies a large space and becomes problematic when shipping or storing speaker enclosures 
     Prefabricated speaker enclosures are designed to address the problem. However, most prefabricated speaker enclosures some in multiple pieces and/or are designed so that assembly is not intuitive to most average users. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a prefabricated speaker enclosure that can be assembled by the end user with ease and speed. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a speaker enclosure assembly includes left and right side panels, top, front, bottom, and rear panels each having an inner surface with a left channel configured to receive the left side panel and a right channel configured to receive the right side panel, and a continuous material extending along an outer surface of the top, front, bottom, and rear panels to form a living hinge at each point where two of the top, front, bottom, and rear panels meet. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a speaker enclosure assembly includes left and right side panels, and a panel strip having top, front, bottom, and rear panels attached by a continuous material that forms a living hinge at each point where two of the top, front, bottom, and rear panels meet, each of the top, front, bottom, and rear panels having an inner surface with a left channel configured to receive the left side panel and a right channel configured to receive the right side panel. 
     In a further aspect of the present invention, a method of assembling a speaker enclosure, the speaker enclosure having left and right side panels, and a panel strip, the panel strip having top, front, bottom, and rear panels attached by a continuous material that forms a living hinge at each point where two of the top, front, bottom, and rear panels meet, each of the top, front, bottom, and rear panels having an inner surface with left and right channels, the method includes inserting the left side panel into the left channel, inserting the right side panel into the right channel, and forming the speaker enclosure by folding the panel strip at the living hinges. 
     It is understood that other aspects of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein various embodiments of the invention are shown and described by way of illustration. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various other respects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the several aspects of the invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in detail in the figures, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of the prefabricated speaker enclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an assembled speaker enclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a speaker enclosure being assembled. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS 
     The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of various embodiments of the present invention and is not intended to represent the only embodiments described herein. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a comprehensive understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. 
     The present prefabricated speaker enclosure is designed to facilitate effective shipping and storage. A prefabricated speaker enclosure comes partially assembled in an unfolded manner so as to increase the surface area in a given space. It allows enclosures to stack on top of each other, increasing the surface area/volume ratios. Accordingly, the prefabricated design allows a larger number of speaker enclosures to be shipped and stored in a given space. 
     Further, the prefabricated speaker enclosure is designed so that the end user can assemble it with ease and speed. The present invention has a minimum number of parts necessary to assemble a speaker enclosure. Each part is designed so that assembly is simple and self-evident. 
     Various embodiments of a prefabricated speaker enclosure will now be described. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the speaker enclosure assembly  10  may include a left side panel  22 , a right side panel  24 , a top panel  12 , a front panel  14 , a bottom panel  16 , and a rear panel  18 . Through a continuous material  40  that extends along the outer surfaces of the panels  12   b ,  14   b ,  16   b ,  18   b , the top  12 , front  14 , bottom  16 , and rear  18  panels may come in one panel strip  100 . 
     The continuous material  40  may be designed so as to form a number of living hinges. A first living hinge  13  may be at a point where the top panel  12  and the front panel  14  meet; a second living hinge  15  may be at a point where the front panel  14  and the bottom panel  16  meet; and a third living hinge  17  may be at a point where the bottom panel  16  and the rear panel  18  meet. 
     The continuous material  40  can be made of any material that allows formation of the living hinges  13 ,  15 ,  17 . Such materials may include, but not limited to, carpet, rubber, and plastic. It may be that the end user wishes to match the material  40  of his/her speaker enclosure with the environment in which the enclosure will be placed. For example, if the speaker is to be used in an automobile trunk, the end user may wish to have a carpeted material on his/her speaker enclosure to match the carpet on the trunk of his/her car. Other users may wish to have plastic material for aesthetic reasons or rubber material for additional water resistance. 
     On the inner surface  12   a ,  14   a ,  16   a ,  18   a  of the top  12 , front  14 , bottom  16 , and rear  18  panels, a channel  20  may run longitudinally along the length of the panel strip  100  near one edge  12   e ,  14   e ,  16   e ,  18   e . The channel  20  may be designed to receive the left side panel  22 . A similar channel  30  may be constructed to receive the right side panel  24  near the opposite edge  12   f ,  14   f ,  16   f ,  18   f.    
     The left and right side panels  22 ,  24  may each have at least one tapered edge  23 ,  25 , respectively. The left channel  20  in the front panel  14  may be configured to receive the tapered edge  23  of the left side panel  22 , and the right channel  30  in the front panel  14  may be configured to receive the tapered edge  25  of the right side panel  24 . 
     Each of the top  12 , front  14 , bottom  16 , and rear  18  panels may have first and second edges. The top panel  12  may have a first edge  12   c  which may substantially be in contact with the second edge  18   d  of the rear panel  18  once the panel strip  100  is folded at the living hinges  13 ,  15 ,  17 . Similarly, the second edge  12   d  of the top panel  12  may substantially be in contact with the first edge  14   c  of the front panel  14 ; the second edge  14   d  of the front panel  14  may substantially be in contact with the first edge  16   c  of the bottom panel  16 ; and the second edge  16   d  of the bottom panel  16  may substantially be in contact with the first edge  18   c  of the rear panel  18 . 
     The first and second edges of each panel may be substantially perpendicular to their respective left  20  and right  30  channels and have an outward taper extending from its respective inner surface to its respective outer surface. For example, the first edge  12   c  of the top panel  12  may have an outward taper extending from the inner surface  12   a  of the top panel  12  to its outer surface  12   b . Similarly, the first edge  14   c  of the front panel  14  may have an outward taper extending from the inner surface  14   a  of the front panel  14  to its outer surface  14   b , and the first edge  16   c  of the bottom panel  16  may have an outward taper extending from the inner surface  16   a  of the bottom panel  16  to its outer surface  16   b  Finally, the first edge of  18   c  of the rear panel  18  may have an outward taper extending from the inner surface  18   a  of the rear panel  18  to its outer surface  18   b . Accordingly, it may be that the inner surface area of the top  12 , front  14 , bottom  16 , and rear  18  panels is smaller than the surface area of their respective outer surfaces. 
     It may be that the front panel  14  has a hole to accommodate ‘a speaker (not shown) and a grill (not shown). 
     As additional security, the channels  20 ,  30  may be pre-disposed to an adhesive material, such as a strip of adhesive tape or glue. When securing the left  22  and right  24  side panels in the left  20  and right  30  channels, the end use may apply an adhesive material in the left channel  20  and the right channel  30  before inserting the left  22  and right  24  side panels in the left  20  and right  30  channels and folding the panel  100  at the living hinges  13 ,  15 ,  17 . The adhesive material may include, but not limited to, a strip of adhesive tape or glue. 
     In an embodiment where an adhesive tape is used, such tape may be double-sided with its adhesive coating exposed only after its release liner is peeled off One side of the double-sided adhesive tape may be mounted to the channels  20 ,  30 , while the other side still has its release liner, intact. The end user may simply peel off the release liner on the other side of the double-sided adhesive tape just before assembling the speaker enclosure. 
     Double-sided adhesive tape may also be mounted inside the living hinges  13 ,  15 ,  17 . For example, a strip of double-sided adhesive tape may be mounted to the second edge  12   d  of the top panel  12  and/or to the first edge  14   c  of the front panel  14 , so that when the second edge  12   d  and the first edge  14   c  come substantially close to be in contact, the tape may provide additional security. Similarly, a strip of double-sided adhesive tape may be mounted to the second edge  14   d  of the front panel  14  and/or the first edge  16   c  of the bottom panel  16 . When the second edge  14   d  and the first edge  16   c  come substantially close to be in contact, the tape may provide additional security. Finally, a strip of double-sided adhesive tape may be mounted to the second edge  16   d  of the bottom panel  16  and/or the first edge  18   c  of the rear panel  18 . When the second edge  16   d  and the first edge  18   c  come substantially close to be in contact, the tape may provide additional security. 
     Further, a strip of double-sided adhesive tape may be mounted to the second edge  18   d  of the rear panel  18  and/or the first edge  12   c  of the top panel  12 . When the second edge  18   d  and the first edge  12   c  come substantially close to be in contact, the tape may provide additional security. 
     To provide additional security, the end user may use fastening materials, including, but not limited to, nuts and bolts, nails. 
       FIG. 2  shows the assembly in process. In  FIG. 2 , The left side panel  22  and right side panel  24  have been already inserted into the left  20  and right  30  channels of the bottom panel  16 , respectively. Further, the panel strip  100  has been folded at the second living hinge  15  where the front panel  14  and the bottom panel  16  meet, bringing the second edge  14   d  of the front panel  14  substantially in contact with the first edge  16   c  of the bottom panel  16 . 
       FIG. 2  further depicts the panel strip  100  in motion to complete the folding at the first living hinge  13 , where the top panel  12  and the front panel  14  meet. The folding at the first living hinge  13  may bring the second edge  12   d  of the top panel  12  substantially in contact with the first edge  14   c  of the front panel  14 . Further, the left  20  and right  30  channels on the inner surface  12   a  of the top panel  12  may receive the left  22  and right  24  side panels, respectively. Specifically, the left channel  20  on the inner surface  12   a  of the top panel  12  may receive the top edge  22   d  of the left side panel  22 . Similarly, the right channel  30  on the inner surface  12   a  of the top panel  12  may receive the top edge  24   d  of the right side panel  24 . 
     The assembly may be completed by folding the panel strip  100  at the third living hinge  17  where the bottom panel  16  and the rear panel  18  meet. The folding at the third living hinge  17  may bring the second edge  18   d  of the rear panel  18  substantially in contact with the first edge  12   c  of the top panel  12 . Further, the left  20  and right  30  channels on the inner surface  18   a  of the rear panel  18  may receive the left  22  and right  24  side panels, respectively. Specifically, the left channel  20  on, the inner surface  18   a  of the rear panel  18  may receive the rear edge  22   c  of the left side panel  22 . Similarly, the right channel  30  on the inner surface  18   a  of the rear panel  18  may receive the top edge  24   d  of the right side panel  24 . 
       FIG. 3  shows an speaker enclosure after the assembly, is completed. 
     The previous description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the full scope consistent with the claims, wherein reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless specifically so stated, but rather “one or more.” All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various embodiments described throughout this disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for” or, in the case of a method claim, the element is recited using the phrase “step for.”