The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 09, 2002
Filed:
Jan. 31, 2000
David Wiener, Park City, UT (US);
SoundTube Entertainment, Inc., Park City, UT (US);
Abstract
A speaker assembly is provided including a rigid front speaker mounting element defining at least one speaker mounting opening, at least one speaker driver coupled to the at least one speaker mounting opening of the speaker mounting element, at least one flexible bladder at least partially forming the sides and rear of the enclosure and coupled to the speaker mounting element, and a valve coupled to the flexible bladder. The flexible bladder has a first wall portion and a second wall portion defining a substantially air-tight interior space therebetween and may take any desired shape when inflated. Together, the speaker mounting element and the bladder form at least one interior chamber at least partially surrounding the speaker driver. The valve, which provides a substantially air-tight seal when closed, is in fluid communication with the interior space of the flexible bladder and can be used for inflation and deflation of the bladder. The bladder is inflatable by providing either pressurized gas or expandable foam within the interior space. Alternately, the bladder may be formed as a plurality of independently inflatable cells, or may be evacuatably-formed from a material having shape retaining memory properties. After use, the bladder enclosure may be removed from the speaker mounting element, and deflated for reuse, or disposed of.