Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US4194157?dq=5,490,216
Timestamp: 2014-12-22 21:49:43
Document Index: 771250640

Matched Legal Cases: ['art. 2', 'arts 11', 'art 11', 'art 12', 'art 11', 'arts 11', 'art 11', 'art 12', 'art 11']

Patent US4194157 - Portable radio receiver with detachable speaker unit - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsAn audio apparatus in the form of a radio receiver is composed of a first part including electrical components constituting a tuner housed within a first cabinet for providing audio signals, a second part including at least a loud speaker housed within a second cabinet for converting the audio signals...http://www.google.com/patents/US4194157?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US4194157 - Portable radio receiver with detachable speaker unitAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS4194157 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 05/833,708Publication dateMar 18, 1980Filing dateSep 15, 1977Priority dateSep 14, 1976Also published asCA1093666A1, DE2741371A1Publication number05833708, 833708, US 4194157 A, US 4194157A, US-A-4194157, US4194157 A, US4194157AInventorsTakeshi UnoOriginal AssigneeSony CorporationExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (6), Referenced by (22), Classifications (10) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetPortable radio receiver with detachable speaker unitUS 4194157 AAbstract An audio apparatus in the form of a radio receiver is composed of a first part including electrical components constituting a tuner housed within a first cabinet for providing audio signals, a second part including at least a loud speaker housed within a second cabinet for converting the audio signals to sound, and cooperative mechanical and electrical coupling members at mating surfaces of the first and second cabinets for detachably assembling together the first and second parts of the apparatus with such mating surfaces of the respective cabinets in abutting relationship. When the first and second parts of the audio apparatus are detached from each other, the first part thereof may be used alone as a pocket radio with the audio signals produced thereby being audibly reproduced by means of an earphone engaged with a respective jack of such first part. Further, when the first part is detached from the second part, a casing or cover can be engaged with the mechanical coupling member of the first part for protecting the detached first part.
What is claimed is: 1. A portable radio receiver comprising: a first part having a radio tuner and an earphone jack and being operative for receiving a radio frequency signal and providing an electrical audio frequency signal at said jack;a second part having a speaker unit; said first and second parts having respective first and second cabinets with mating surfaces, respectively, at which said cabinets can be brought together in abutting relationship; assembling means for detachably assembling together said first and second parts with said mating surfaces of the respective cabinets in said abutting relationship, said assembling means including complementary mechanical coupling members at said mating surfaces of the first and second cabinets, respectively, and electrical coupling means separate from said mechanical coupling members at said mating surfaces; for applying said audio frequency signal from said first part to said speaker unit when said first and second parts are used together; one of said mechanical coupling members defining at least one undercut groove extending a substantial distance along the respective one of said mating surfaces and having an opening at one end of the groove, the other of said mechanical coupling members defining, for each said undercut groove, a flange extending a substantial distance along the other mating surface and having a cross-sectional shape corresponding to that of the respective undercut groove so as to be slidably insertable in the latter through said end opening upon relative displacements of said first and second cabinets in directions parallel with each said groove and flange; said electrical coupling means including cooperative terminal means at said mating surfaces, respectively, and being engaged with each other for establishing electrical connections between said first and second parts when the latter are assembled together with said mating surfaces in said abutting relationship; and detachable protective case means adapted to at least partly envelop said first part when the latter is detached from said second part said case means including a mechanical coupling member which is complementary to, and engageable with said mechanical coupling member at the mating surface of said cabinet of the first part, and by which said case means can be detachably assembled with said first part. 2. A portable radio receiver according to claim 1; in which said one mechanical coupling member defines another said groove parallel to said one groove and being undercut in the opposite direction to the latter, and said flange insertable in said one groove and the flange insertable in said other groove have edge portions directed toward each other; and in which said assembly means further includes an arcuate leaf spring retained by said flanges of the other mechanical coupling member and resiliently engaging between said mechanical coupling members for taking-up any play therebetween when said flanges engage in said grooves.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an audio apparatus comprised of a plurality of parts or components which are detachably assembled together in a manner to avoid the above described defects of the prior art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an audio apparatus according to an embodiment of this invention which comprises a tuner part and a speaker part shown assembled to each other to form a radio receiver;
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings in detail, and initially to FIG. 1 thereof, it will be noted that the present invention is there shown applied to an audio apparatus 10 in the form of a small, easily portable radio receiver comprised of first and second parts 11 and 12 which may be assembled together, as shown on FIG. 1, or detached from each other and separated as shown on FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively. The first part 11 of radio receiver 10 constitutes a tuner part having a cabinet 13 which contains suitable, conventional circuit components (not shown) for receiving a radio frequency signal and providing an electrical audio frequency signal, while the second part 12 of radio receiver 10 constitutes a speaker part having a cabinet 14 containing at least a loud speaker (not shown) by which the audio frequency signal from tuner part 11 is reproduced as audible sounds when parts 11 and 12 are assembled together as shown on FIG. 1. On the other hand, when tuner part 11 is separated from speaker part 12, as shown on FIG. 2, the audio signal from tuner part 11 may be reproduced by means of an earphone (not shown) plugged into a jack or receptacle 15 (FIG. 1) provided at an exposed surface of cabinet 13.
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