Patent Publication Number: US-2011051962-A1

Title: Surround sound audio chair

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/237,547, filed Aug. 27, 2009, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an audio chair and, more particularly, to an audio chair delivering surround sound to a user occupying the audio chair. 
     Conventional audio chairs have poor bass response. When watching movies, listening to music or playing video games, for example, a person may wish to hear adequate sounds, including a powerful bass response. These people watching movies, listening to music or playing video games may also wish to enjoy the movie or game at a volume that may disturb others around him or her. 
     As can be seen, there is a need for an audio chair that may provide high quality audio to an occupant of the chair without disturbing others in the vicinity of the chair. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, an audio chair comprises a hollow egg-shaped seating section; a hollow base supporting the seating section; a subwoofer positioned in the hollow base; and a plurality of speakers positioned about an inside of the hollow egg-shaped seating section. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, an audio chair comprises a enclosed seating section having an open front; an acoustic material lining the inside of the enclosed seating section; a hollow base supporting the seating section; a subwoofer positioned in the hollow base; and a plurality of speakers positioned about an inside of the seating section. 
     In a further aspect of the present invention, an audio chair comprises an egg-shaped enclosed seating section having an open front; an acoustic material lining the inside of the enclosed seating section; a hollow base supporting the seating section; a subwoofer positioned in the hollow base; and at least five speakers positioned about an inside of the seating section. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an audio chair according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the audio chair of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of the audio chair of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the audio chair of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram showing a speaker configuration for use in the audio chair, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram showing another speaker configuration for use in the audio chair, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram showing a further speaker configuration for use in the audio chair, according to a further embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 8  is an audio response curve showing the audio response from within the audio chair of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
     Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features. 
     Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides an audio chair containing a plurality of speakers and a sound absorbing material. The audio chair may be designed with an egg-shaped body resting on a pedestal. 
     The egg-shaped body may include a hollow region under the seat. A subwoofer may be mounted in this hollow region, while speakers may be mounted around the sides of the inside of the egg-shaped body. The audio chair may provide 5.1 surround sound, 7.1 surround sound, or standard stereo (2.1) sound in the space within the egg-shaped body with very little sound being delivered outside of the audio chair. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 4 , an audio chair  10  may include an egg-shaped body  12  attached to a pedestal  22 . The egg-shaped body  12  may be hollow and may include therewithin, a seat  16 , acoustical material  36 , and a plurality of speakers. The acoustical material  36  may be an acoustical foam attached to the inside of the egg-shaped body  12  adapted to reduce or eliminate noise reflections within egg-shaped body  12 . In one embodiment, the acoustical material  36  may be an open cell acoustical foam. 
     The speakers may include left and right front speakers  26 ,  30 , left and right rear speakers  28 ,  32 , a center front speaker  34  and a subwoofer  18 . The speakers  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32  may be mounted approximately at ear level of a user positioned inside the egg-shaped body  12 . The configuration shown in  FIGS. 1 through 4  may provide a 5.1 surround sound audio system. Two additional speakers (not shown) may be added inside the egg-shaped body  12  to provide a 7.1 surround sound audio system. In an alternate embodiment, either the 5.1 surround sound configuration or the 7.1 surround sound configuration may be adapted to receive a typical stereo input, resulting in a 2.1 audio configuration. 
     The subwoofer  18  may be mounted in a hollow region  20  formed from a portion of the egg-shaped body  12  and the pedestal  22 . A plurality of speaker supports  24  may be used to attach the subwoofer  18  to the egg-shaped body  12 . The hollow region  20  may be integral to a hollow region in the pedestal  22 . The hollow pedestal  22  may provide a back cavity for the subwoofer  18 . 
     The wiring (not shown) for the speakers may be mounted under the acoustical material  36  and may exit the back of the chair  10  at binding posts (not shown). The binding posts may receive input from a surround sound receiver. Alternatively, in a 2.1 audio configuration, as described below, stereo connectors (such as a ⅛ inch stereo plug, a ¼ inch stereo plug, RCA connectors, or the like) may be provided to receive a stereo audio input. 
     The audio chair  10  may provide a user the ability to experience loud high fidelity audio sounds in a small space with very little noise being heard outside of the chair  10 . 
     The egg-shaped body  12  and the pedestal  22  may be made, for example, by a process of rotational molding. In one embodiment, the audio chair  10  may be made from two halves joined together at a part line  14 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a schematic diagram is shown describing the wiring diagram for the speakers in a 5.1 surround sound system.  FIG. 6  shows a schematic diagram for wiring the speakers in a 7.1 surround sound system.  FIG. 7  shows a schematic diagram for adapting a 5.1 surround sound system into a stereo (2.1) audio system. In each of these configurations, the wiring may include components, such as crossovers and binding posts, as is known in the art. 
       FIG. 8  is a graph showing frequency response (sound pressure level (SPL), in decibels (dB) versus frequency, in Hertz (Hz)) graph of a plurality of signals. A first signal  80  is of a reference signal at 1000 Hz. A second signal  82  is a white noise signal with no subwoofer, as measured at a typical listening location within the audio chair  10 . A third signal  84  is a standard white noise signal measured from within the audio chair  10 . The fourth signal  86  is a bass-maximized white noise signal taken measured from within the audio chair  10 . As can be seen, there is an excellent bass response by using the audio chair  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention. More specifically, the addition of the subwoofer  18 , as mounded in the audio chair  10  as described above, results in a substantial improvement in the bass response. For example, the bass response achieved by using the under seat subwoofer, as described above, may be from about 50 to about 150 percent, typically about 100 percent, better than the bass response without the under seat subwoofer. As shown in  FIG. 8 , at about 60 Hz, the SPL without the subwoofer is about 47 dB. However, in the audio chair  10 , including the subwoofer  18 , the SPL at about 60 Hz is about 95 dB. 
     While the audio chair  10  has been described for use improving the sound of a user listening to music, watching television or a movie, or playing a video game, other uses are within the scope of the present invention. For example, the audio chair  10  may be used to demonstrate active noise reduction headsets, wherein a user may test a noise reduction headset while providing surround sound background noise. 
     While the audio chair  10  has been described above as egg-shaped, other shapes may be within the scope of the present invention. For example, the audio chair may include any shape enclosed seating section having an open front. For example, the seating section may have a circular, oval or ellipsoidal shape. 
     It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.