Patent Abstract:
A reflector for use with an electronic device having a loudspeaker for enhancing the sound emitted from the loudspeaker, said reflector comprising components for attaching said reflector to an edge of the electronic device, at the location of the loudspeaker, a flat portion located to be adjacent a surface of the electronic device, and a concave portion adjacent to the flat portion and presenting a concave surface to the loudspeaker.

Full Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates a sound reflector and to the combination of an electronic device, such as, by way of nonlimiting example, the first, second, third, or fourth generation iPad®, also known as iPad® 1, 2, 3, 4, etc., containing a loudspeaker in the side of its case, in combination with the sound reflector to enhance the volume and quality of the sound from the speaker. 
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    Many electronic devices, such as the iPad®, contain a loudspeaker, hereinafter “speaker”, in the side of its case for providing the user with audio associated, with information displayed to the viewer by the electronic device. Although sound reflectors of various types are known, no such sound reflector suitable for enhancing the sound from an electronic device speaker is known. 
         [0003]    Table or book-sized video devices having an audio component, such as an iPad® and a Kindle®, employ a magnet in conjunction with their speakers. Magnets attract magnetic metals like iron, nickel and cobalt, and are used in computers for various purposes including hard drives, RAM and BIOS ROM. Exterior magnets adversely affect computers, but modern computers are well protected against most magnetism. 
         [0004]    A preliminary patentability or novelty search has revealed the following potentially material prior art documents: U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,469,254; 6,237,714; 6,571,907; 7,778,431; D545,812 and D552,085. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention provides a novel reflector that acts to enhance sound emanating from an electronic device containing a speaker in the side, or edge, of its case. 
         [0006]    The reflector according to the present invention achieves the improved result when coupled together of a small electronic device, such as an iPad®, a Kindle®, iPad® 2, iPad® 3, iPad® 4, iPad® mini, iPhone®, other smart phones with embedded speakers, Nook®, BlackBerry Playback®, Sony® tablet, Samsung® tablet, Asia EEE Pad Transformer Prime®, Toshiba® drive, AZED Iconia® tab, mobile phones, other tablets and similar devices, and more generally all mobile devices, as well as flat screen TV&#39;s having side speakers, to enhance the sound emitted from the loudspeaker of the device, the reflector comprising components for attaching the reflector to an edge of the electronic device, at the location of the loudspeaker, a flat portion located to be adjacent a surface of the electronic device, and a concave portion adjacent to the flat portion and presenting a concave surface to the loudspeaker for reflecting, or redirecting, sound from the speaker. 
         [0007]    The coupling may be done entirely or partially mechanically, such as by legs included in the components for attaching the reflector to an edge-of the electronic device, with the sound reflector located adjacent the speaker of the electronic device. 
         [0008]    The performance of the sound reflector may be enhanced by constructing the reflector so that a substantially air-tight seal, or a seal that is made as air-tight as reasonably possible by existing technology, between at least the free end of the flat portion, or a region near the free end, and the case of the electronic device. 
         [0009]    It is presently preferred to achieve this by providing a magnet, most preferably a strong magnet, at the free end of the flat portion of the sound reflector to achieve the desired seal when the reflector is coupled to the speaker of the electronic device, as the seal provided by the magnetic coupling has been found to enhance the sound reflection and thus the apparent amplification of sound from the speaker of the electronic device. It is also preferable that the edges of the side members of the reflector be configured to achieve a close fit with the electronic device case. Thus, it is desired to confine the sound energy, to the-extent possible, within the reflector and thus guide the sound energy so that it emerges at the open end of the reflector. 
         [0010]    The desired seal could also be achieved by making the reflector in whole or in part of a suitably resilient, flexible, e.g., rubbery, or elastomeric, material that will mate with the electronic device case to cause the free end of the flat portion, and possibly also the edges of the sides, to achieve the desired sealed relation with the case, and particularly the bottom and side edge of the case, or by providing a compressible layer or layers to achieve a comparable result. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a sound reflector according to the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a top view thereof; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a bottom view thereof; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a left side view thereof; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a right side view thereof; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a front view thereof; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a rear view thereof; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the sound reflector of the present invention attached to a tablet at the location of its speaker to reflect sound from the speaker to the user. 
           [0019]      FIG. 9A  is a side view of one embodiment of a magnet to be used in a reflector according to the invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 9B  is an end view of the magnet, of  FIG. 9A . 
           [0021]      FIG. 9C  is a detail plan view showing the magnet of  FIGS. 9A and 9B  installed in the bottom of the reflector. 
           [0022]      FIGS. 10A , B, C, D and E are, respectively, a bottom plan view, a side cross sectional view, a top plan view, a top perspective view and a bottom perspective view of one alternative embodiment of the invention. 
           [0023]      FIGS. 11A , B, C, D and E are, respectively, a bottom plan view, a side cross-sectional view, a top plan view, a top perspective view and a bottom perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the invention. 
           [0024]      FIGS. 12A , B, C, D and E are, respectively, a bottom plan view, a side cross-sectional view, a top plan view, a top perspective view and a bottom perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the invention. 
           [0025]      FIGS. 13A , B, C, D and E are, respectively, a bottom plan view, a side cross-sectional view, a top plan view, a top perspective view and a bottom perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0026]      FIGS. 1-7  illustrate a preferred embodiment of a reflector  10  according to the invention. This reflector is made essentially of one piece of plastic, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, or PVC, although other plastic materials, such as polycarbonate compounds, or more resilient, flexible materials, such as rubber or silicone rubber, may be used. 
         [0027]    Reflector  10  has an interior part that includes a flat portion  12  and an arcuate concave portion  14 , located between two side members  18 . Two tabs, or legs,  20  extend in a direction that is parallel to the plane of flat portion  12  and are spaced from flat portion  12  in a direction perpendicular to the plane of flat portion  12 . 
         [0028]    Side members  18  have concave edges  24  that cooperate with tabs  20  to create recesses  25  that allow reflector  10  to be mounted on an electronic device  30  such as an iPad 2®, as shown in  FIG. 8 . Side members  18  form solid walls that each extend from a respective edge  24  to bottom portion  12  and concave portion  14 . 
         [0029]    Reflector  10  will be installed at the location of the speaker, or one of the speakers, of electronic device  30  and will be held in place by gripping the edge of device  30  between edges  24  and tabs, or legs,  20 . In the installed state, concave surface  14  will face toward the speaker and reflector  10  will present an open sound outlet area that is bounded by sides  18  and the free end of concave portion  14 , i.e. the end of concave portion  14  that is remote from the free end of flat portion  12 . Thus, reflector  10  will direct the sound produced by the electronic device toward the user, generally perpendicular to the plane of the electronic device display screen. 
         [0030]    According to a particular novel feature of the invention, reflector  20  is preferably provided with a magnet  28 , shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , locate to be attracted to a magnet forming a component of, or associated with, the speaker in the electronic device. If the magnet is sufficiently strong, it may be able to hold the reflector in place on the electronic device without requiring the provision of legs  20 . However, it is preferred to provide legs  20  in order to improve the integrity of the-coupling between the reflector and the electronic device and to prevent, the reflector from being inadvertently detached from the electronic device. 
         [0031]    Preferably, the major surfaces of magnet  28  are parallel to the surfaces of flat portion  12  and the length dimension of magnet  28  extends between side members  18 . 
         [0032]    Preferably, magnet  28  will be made of neodymium, or a neodymium alloy or compound such as a NdFeB alloy or compound, and may according to one exemplary embodiment, measure ¾″×¼′× 1/16″. Other dimensions and other magnetic materials can of course be employed. 
         [0033]    The direction of polarization of magnet  28  is, according to an exemplary embodiment, perpendicular to its major faces, i.e., parallel to its thickness dimension. However, the magnet may have a different polarization, depending on the magnetic structure in the electronic device with which the reflector is to be used. 
         [0034]    Magnet  28  may be housed in a recess in the upper surface of flat portion  12 , in retained in place by a tab  32  integral with the body of reflector  10 . 
         [0035]    Magnet  28  is located and oriented to be magnetically attracted to a magnet in the speaker of device  30  in order to provide the secure connection, and effective seal, between reflector  10  and device  30  and in particular to provide a more secure contact between flat portion  12  and the associated surface of device  30 . It has been found that this helps to enhance the sound coupling between the speaker and reflector  10 , with respect to both sound volume and quality. 
         [0036]    Since the polarity of the magnet in the electronic device may be unknown, it would be desirable to be able to reverse the polarity of magnet  28 . This can easily be achieved, in the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-8 , by pushing the magnet out of its recess through an opening  34  provided in the bottom of flat portion  12 , which can be seen in  FIG. 3 , then turning the magnet over and reinstalling it in the recess. 
         [0037]    According to a further embodiment of the invention, shown in  FIGS. 9A to 9C , the reflector may be provided with a cylindrical magnet  40  that is transversely polarized, as shown in  FIG. 9B . Although a magnet that has a circular cross section and is diametrically polarized is shown, the magnet could also have a non-circular cross section. As shown in  FIG. 9C , this magnet may be housed in a recess  44  in bottom portion  12  and retained between abutments  46  at the axial ends of magnet  40 . Magnet  40  is retained in such a way as to be easily and automatically rotatable about its axis in response to the magnetic field being produced by an adjacent magnet in the speaker of an electronic device. Thus, regardless of the polarity of the latter magnet, magnet  40  will be automatically oriented to be attracted by that magnet. 
         [0038]    As shown in the drawings, several ribs  29  may be provided on concave portion  14  on the surface facing the speaker. The ribs help to enhance the sound quality and volume improvement provided by the reflector according to the present invention. 
         [0039]    A reflector according to the present invention may be manufactured from polycarbonate compounds that incorporate metal and/or rare-earth magnetic powder, such as Neodymium into the plastic in place of magnet  28 , followed by magnetization of the powder, in order to further improve sound reflection and quality enhancement. 
         [0040]    The reflector according to the invention does not require any electrical connection or battery power. In use, it is simply clipped onto a mobile device, as shown in  FIG. 8 , at the location of the speaker of that device, whereupon it immediately produces a noticeable improvement in sound volume and quality. Applicant makes no claim to actual amplification of the sound energy; however, by redirecting the sound toward the listener, the listener will hear a much louder sound and a clearer sound quality. 
         [0041]    According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the reflector measures 2¼″in length by 1¼″in width and ½″ in height and concave portion  14  may have the form of a segment of a circular cylinder with a radius of curvature of 0.625″. Of course, other dimensions and shapes may be suitable for use with various electronic devices. 
         [0042]      FIGS. 10-13  show various alternative embodiments of the invention. For each group of figures, A shows a bottom plan view, F, shows a side cross-sectional view across the section lines shown in the corresponding A view, the other side being mirror symmetrical thereto, C shows a top plan view, D shows a top perspective view, and E shows a bottom perspective view. 
         [0043]    All of these embodiments correspond structurally to the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-8 , except that the embodiments of  FIGS. 10-13  are provided with circularly cylindrical magnets.  FIGS. 11 , the magnet has rounded axial ends provided with shallow depressions centered on the longitudinal axis of t e magnet and the recess is provided with small diameter pins engaging in those depressions. In  FIGS. 10C  and D and  11 C and D, the magnets are omitted to expose the recesses. In the embodiments of  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the recess for receiving the magnet forms a protrusion that projects from the bottom portion, as shown in  FIGS. 10B  and E and  11 B and E. 
         [0044]    Different materials may be used for the sound reflector, such as metallic, metallic thermoplastic compounds and/or magnetic thermoplastic compounds. 
         [0045]    Different materials may affect and enhance sound reflection in different ways, such as metals, materials with magnetic or metallic properties that may create enhanced natural tones of sound when directed to one&#39;s ears. 
         [0046]    The reflector may be provided with dimensions, including the radius of curvature of concave portion  14 , specific to the electronic for which it is designed, in order to maximize the natural tone heard when directed toward the user&#39;s ears so the most sound is reflected toward the ears to enable the user to hear the sound more clearly in relation to the specific device the reflector is being applied to. 
         [0047]    Specific materials may be used for the magnetic sound reflector to enhance its ability to grip onto the specific electronic device it is being applied to. For example, the sound reflector may be made of rubberized (tacky) material to add grip on to the surface of the electronic device to keep the reflector from moving around and to keep the reflection pocket secured around the speaker area to reflect and redirect the most sound energy emitted from the speaker area. 
         [0048]    The sound reflector may be provided with additional attachments to allow customized sound reflection according to the user&#39;s distance and position to the device such as an adjustable window that can be angled in the direction of the specific user&#39;s ears in order to maximize the amount of sound directed toward the specific user&#39;s ears. 
         [0049]    The precise shape and dimensions of the sound reflector can be customized to fit to any device that has an existing speaker. 
         [0050]    The sound reflector can also be customized to be used with any device that also incorporates a case, and or cover, since all cases and covers must have an exposed speaker area in order to allow sound to be emitted from the device. 
         [0051]    Reflectors according to the invention can be produced in any pantone color, include customized logos, etc.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7