General loudspeaker enclosure

Abstract

A universal loudspeaker cabinet comprising: • a cabinet (23) comprising an internal partition (40) defining a plurality of sealed acoustic chambers (41, 42) which are distinct from one another and separated from one another by said internal partition, each acoustic chamber comprising an orifice (43, 44, 45) opening out to the exterior of the cabinet in a respective distinct direction; • a plurality of loudspeakers (47, 49) each comprising a respective diaphragm, each loudspeaker being contained in a respective one of the acoustic chambers; • at least one first connector (60) mounted in a sealed manner on the cabinet, the first connector having contacts electrically connected to the loudspeakers, the first connector thus being arranged to electrically connect the loudspeakers to an electronic card of an electronic additional module via a second connector mounted on the electronic additional module and complementary to the first connector.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of loudspeaker enclosures, and in particular to the field of enclosures containing multiple loudspeakers and comprised in electronic devices of the decoder or "set-up" box type. BACKGROUND

[0002] There are many loudspeaker enclosures on the market, each containing multiple loudspeakers. By way of example, the multiple loudspeakers can include a tweeter, a woofer also known as a subwoofer, a midrange (or "mid") speaker, etc. The play can be active when the loudspeakers are fitted with an electric motor, or passive otherwise. Certain loudspeaker enclosures are called "full-range" in that they cover all (or almost all) audible frequencies by using these loudspeakers.

[0003] Nowadays, decoder boxes are marketed, such decoder boxes not only housing an electronic module for performing the functions of a digital television decoder, but also comprising multiple loudspeakers. The decoder uses the loudspeakers to play back an audio stream. Other functions can be performed in the decoder box, such as voice recognition and voice assistance functions.

[0004] This integration poses many difficulties which have not been solved in the products currently available on the market. Decoder boxes are generally bulky. Therefore, certain decoder boxes containing loudspeakers are too voluminous to be placed in the vicinity of a television set. The audio play performance is generally disappointing. The price of decoder boxes is generally high.

[0005] OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention sets out to reduce the bulk and the cost, and to improve the acoustic performance of a device containing a loudspeaker enclosure and at least one electronic additional module such as a digital television decoder. SUMMARY

[0007] To achieve this object, a universal loudspeaker enclosure is provided, which is adapted to be contained in a modular device comprising, in addition to the loudspeaker enclosure, at least one electronic additional module comprising at least one electronic card, the universal loudspeaker enclosure comprising:

[0008] • a cabinet comprising an internal partition defining a plurality of sealed acoustic cavities which are distinct from one another and separated from one another by said internal partition, each acoustic cavity comprising an orifice opening into the outside of the cabinet in a respective distinct direction;

[0009] • a plurality of loudspeakers, each loudspeaker comprising a respective diaphragm, each loudspeaker being contained in a respective one of the acoustic chambers, such that the diaphragm of said loudspeaker extends over the aperture;

[0010] • at least one first connector, which is mounted in a sealed manner on the cabinet, the first connector having contacts electrically connected to the loudspeakers, so that the first connector is arranged to electrically connect the loudspeakers to the electronic card of the electronic additional module via a second connector mounted on the electronic additional module and complementary to the first connector.

[0011] Thus, a plurality of distinct and sealed acoustic chambers are defined in the cabinet of the loudspeaker enclosure of the application. These distinct chambers avoid interference between the audio channels and obtain excellent audio reproduction.

[0012] By containing the tweeter and / or the midrange loudspeaker in a small volume chamber positioned on a side and the woofer in a larger volume central chamber, the overall size of the cabinet and the performance of the loudspeaker enclosure can thus be optimized.

[0013] By means of the first connector mounted on the loudspeaker enclosure, the enclosure can be very easily connected to various different types of electronic additional module, thus forming various different types of modular device. Thus, the loudspeaker enclosure can be used in various different types of device without change, can be easily incorporated in such devices, thus reducing the cost of such devices.

[0014] There is also provided a universal loudspeaker enclosure as described above, comprising a plurality of first loudspeakers, each first loudspeaker being contained in a respective first acoustic chamber comprising a first aperture opening outwards through a respective distinct side of the cabinet, and at least one second loudspeaker contained in a second acoustic chamber comprising a second aperture opening outwards through a non-side, which is a top or bottom face of the cabinet.

[0015] There is also provided a universal loudspeaker enclosure as described above, wherein the second aperture is positioned in a central portion of the cabinet.

[0016] There is also provided a universal loudspeaker enclosure as described above, wherein the second acoustic chamber has a second volume comprising all the internal volume of the cabinet other than the first volume of the first acoustic chamber.

[0017] There is also provided a universal loudspeaker enclosure as described above, wherein the first loudspeakers comprise: a front first loudspeaker contained in a front first acoustic chamber having a front first aperture outwardly open through a front face of the cabinet; a left first loudspeaker contained in a left first acoustic chamber comprising a left first aperture outwardly open through a left face of the cabinet; and a right first loudspeaker contained in a right first acoustic chamber comprising a right first aperture outwardly open through a right face of the cabinet.

[0018] There is also provided a universal loudspeaker enclosure as described above, wherein the first loudspeakers are identical.

[0019] There is also provided a universal loudspeaker enclosure as described above, wherein the second loudspeaker is a subwoofer.

[0020] There is also provided a universal loudspeaker enclosure as described above, wherein the second aperture is located in a first indentation formed in an outer wall of the non-side face.

[0021] There is also provided a universal loudspeaker enclosure as described above, further comprising a third loudspeaker contained in a second acoustic chamber of the cabinet, the second acoustic chamber comprising a third aperture outwardly open through a face opposite the non-side face, the third loudspeaker being a passive radiator.

[0022] There is also provided a universal loudspeaker enclosure as described above, wherein the second aperture and the third aperture of the second acoustic chamber are offset relative to each other with respect to a length or a width of the cabinet.

[0023] There is also provided a universal loudspeaker enclosure as described above, wherein the third aperture is positioned in a second indentation formed in an outer wall of the face opposite the non-side face.

[0024] There is also provided a universal loudspeaker enclosure as described above, wherein the first indentation or the second indentation is defined between feet of an apparatus containing the loudspeaker enclosure.

[0025] There is also provided a universal loudspeaker enclosure as described above, wherein a stiffening rib is formed in an inner wall of a top face and / or a bottom face of the cabinet.

[0026] There is also provided a universal loudspeaker enclosure as described above, wherein the first connector or the second connector complementary to the first connector comprises a pogo pin.

[0027] There is also provided a modular apparatus comprising a universal loudspeaker enclosure as described above and an electronic additional module, the first connector of the universal loudspeaker enclosure and the second connector of the electronic additional module being connected to each other.

[0028] There is also provided a modular device as described above, further comprising a housing at least partially surrounding the cabinet sides, and comprising at least one hole group having at least one hole, the modular device further comprising at least one acoustic horn mounted between the cabinet and the housing, the acoustic horn (acoustic trumpet, acoustic cone) assuming a shape and / or size dependent on the shape and / or size of the housing, the acoustic horn being arranged to surround the diaphragm of the loudspeaker and to be in contact with both the cabinet and the housing, thereby causing the acoustic horn to direct the sound produced by said loudspeaker to the outside via the hole group having at least one hole.

[0029] There is also provided a modular device as described above, the modular device being a decoder box, and the electronic additional module being a digital television decoder.

[0030] There is also provided a modular device as described above, the general loudspeaker box being a box as described above, wherein the first or second indentations are defined between the feet of the modular device.

[0031] The present application can be better understood from the following description of specific, non-limiting embodiments thereof. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0032] With reference to the drawings, in which:

[0033] [ Figure 1 ] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the back of a decoder box comprising a loudspeaker box;

[0034] [ Figure 2 ] Figure 2 is an exploded view of a decoder box;

[0035] [ Figure 3 ] Figure 3 is a perspective view from above of a digital television decoder and a loudspeaker box;

[0036] [ Figure 4 ] Figure 4 is a perspective view from above of a loudspeaker box;

[0037] [ Figure 5 ] Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 , the box being observed from the front and slightly from above;

[0038] [ Figure 6 ] Figure 6 is a view from below of the main part of the cabinet;

[0039] [ Figure 7 ] Figure 7 shows the first and second connectors;

[0040] [ Figure 8 ] Figure 8 is a perspective view of a decoder box without decorative surround;

[0041] [ Figure 9 ] Figure 9 is a view from above of a speaker box and housing;

[0042] [ Figure 10 ] Figure 10 shows different "styles" for the device;

[0043] [ Figure 11 ] Figure 11 is a horizontal sectional view showing the first acoustic chamber and the housing;

[0044] [ Figure 12 ] Figure 12 is a detailed perspective view from above of a speaker box, acoustic horn and housing;

[0045] [ Figure 13 ] Figure 13 is a perspective view of an acoustic horn;

[0046] [ Figure 14 ] Figure 14 includes a plan view of the outside of the acoustic horn and sectional views on plane PI and plane P2;

[0047] [ Figure 15 ] Figure 15 shows screws on the cabinet and the speaker membrane;

[0048] [ Figure 16 ] Figure 16 is a view similar to Figure 15 , in which the horn is also shown;

[0049] [ Figure 17 ] Figure 17 is a view similar to Figure 13 , the horn comprising a rubber lip;

[0050] [ Figure 18 ] Figure 18 is a view similar to Figure 14 , but with the horn shown in Figure 17 .DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] With reference to Figures 1 to 3 , the invention is implemented in a modular device 1 comprising a generic speaker box 2.

[0052] The term "modular" is used to indicate that the device 1 comprises not only the acoustic box 2, but also one or more different other additional modules, including at least one electronic module, which is associated with the speaker box 2, thus constituting the device 1. Therefore, by using different additional modules, it is possible to obtain different types of devices having different functions and / or "styles", but all containing the same acoustic box 2.

[0053] The term "universal" is used to indicate that the speaker box 2 can be associated with one or more additional modules, without the need to modify the speaker box 2, thus obtaining different types of devices.

[0054] In particular, the device 1 comprises, in addition to the speaker box 2, a first additional module 3 and a second additional module 4.

[0055] The first additional module 3 corresponds to the top of the device 1, the second additional module 4 corresponds to the bottom of the device 1, and the speaker box 2 is positioned between the first additional module 3 and the second additional module 4.

[0056] The overall shape of the device 1 is that of a cuboid with rounded corners, with a top face 5, a bottom face 6 and four side faces: a front face 7, a back face 8, a left face 9 and a right face 10.

[0057] The first additional module 3 comprises a top cover 12 and an electronic additional module which is a digital television decoder 14.

[0058] The top cover 12 forms the top face 5 of the device 1. Tapped studs 15 are formed near the corners of the top cover 12 and they extend perpendicularly from the inner wall of the top cover 12.

[0059] The first additional module 3 also comprises an electronic insert (electronic card) and electronic components mounted on the electronic card and performing various functions, in particular the usual functions of a digital television decoder: acquisition of audio / video streams, processing of the streams, etc.

[0060] The electronic components also perform a voice recognition function and a voice assistance function in the decoding function. The voice assistance function uses the speaker box 2.

[0061] Naturally, some of these electronic components (microcontrollers, processes (processors), programmable logic circuits, etc.) are able to execute programs to enable the performance of the above-mentioned functions.

[0062] In particular, the electronic components comprise connectors 16, in particular for connecting the decoder 14 of the first additional module 3 to a television set, to a network, to a power supply (mains), etc. The electronic components also comprise a microphone for performing voice recognition, a user interface with display lights and buttons, an infrared module enabling the device 1 to be controlled by a remote control, etc.

[0063] The electronic card comprises at the same time a main card 17 mounted under and parallel to the top cover 12 and in the vicinity of the inner wall of the top cover 12, and a secondary card 18 positioned flush with the top of the front face 7 of the device 1. The secondary card 18 comprises in particular electronic components for implementing user interactions.

[0064] The second additional module 4 has a support plate 20 forming the bottom face 6 of the device 1 and comprising a foot on which the device 1 stands when it is put down.

[0065] With reference to Figures 4 to 6 The loudspeaker cabinet 2 first comprises a cabinet 23 which is also of a generally parallelepiped shape, either a cuboid or a slightly trapezoidal parallelepiped, with rounded corners and presenting a top face 24, a bottom face 25 and four lateral faces: a front face 26, a back face 27, a left face 28 and a right face 29 (the faces corresponding to the equivalent faces of the device 1).

[0066] A front recess 30 is formed in the top of the front face 26 of the cabinet 23 so as to receive the secondary card 18. A rear recess 31 is formed in the back of the top face 24 of the cabinet 23 so as to receive the connector 16.

[0067] Tongues 33 each comprising a hole extend horizontally from the lateral faces of the cabinet 23 to the vicinity of the corners of the cabinet 23. When the first additional module 3 and the loudspeaker cabinet 2 are assembled together, the tapped studs 15 projecting downwards from the top cover 12 of the first additional module 3 are placed on the tongues 33 and screws are screwed upwards through the tongues 33 into the tapped studs 15 so as to fasten the first additional module 3 to the loudspeaker cabinet 2.

[0068] The cabinet 23 has a main portion 34 comprising the top face 24 and the lateral faces of the cabinet 23 and it has a bottom cover 35 which closes the cabinet 23 and forms the bottom face 25 of the cabinet 23. Thus, as long as the bottom cover 35 is not in place on the main portion 34 of the cabinet 23, the cabinet 23 is open via its bottom face 25.

[0069] The cabinet 23 comprises a groove 36 extending along the bottom surface of its lateral faces against which the bottom cover 35 is placed so as to close the cabinet 23. The groove 36 also extends along the bottom surface of the internal partitions described below. A seal is provided between the main portion 34 of the cabinet 23 and the bottom cover 35 of the cabinet 23 by means of a gasket 37 placed in the groove 36.

[0070] The main portion 34 of the cabinet 23 has a plurality of tapped studs 38 extending perpendicularly from the top of the main portion 35, i.e. from the inner wall of the top face 24 of the cabinet 23. Screws 39 extend through the bottom cover 35 and they are screwed into the tapped studs 38, thereby fastening the bottom cover 35 to the cabinet 23 to close the cabinet 23 and compress the gasket 37 to provide a seal between the main portion 34 of the cabinet 23 and the bottom cover 35. It should be observed that the seal between the main portion 34 of the cabinet 23 and the bottom cover 35 can be provided by other means, for example by welding or adhesive assembling the main portion 34 of the cabinet 23 and the bottom cover 35 together.

[0071] The cabinet 23 also comprises internal partitions 40 extending perpendicularly from the top of the main portion 34, i.e. from the inner wall of the top face 24 of the cabinet 23. The internal partitions 40 define a plurality of sealed acoustic chambers, which are distinct from each other and separated from each other by said internal partitions 40, each acoustic chamber comprising an orifice opening into the outside of the cabinet in a different direction. The chambers are sealed by the internal partitions 40 and the gasket 37 provided in the recesses 36 described above.

[0072] In this example, four acoustic chambers are defined in the cabinet 23.

[0073] The four acoustic chambers comprise three first acoustic chambers 41 and one second acoustic chamber 42. Each first acoustic chamber 41 occupies a first volume. The second acoustic chamber 42 occupies a second volume, which is greater than any first volume. The second acoustic chamber is a central chamber, i.e. it comprises a central portion of the cabinet. The second volume of the second acoustic chamber 42 corresponds to the entire internal volume of the cabinet 23, in addition to the first volumes of the first acoustic chambers 41.

[0074] Each first acoustic chamber 41 comprises a first orifice 43 opening out through a different side face of the cabinet 23. The three first acoustic chambers 41 comprise: a front first acoustic chamber 41a having a front first orifice 43a opening out through the front face 26 of the cabinet 23; a left first acoustic chamber 41b comprising a left first orifice 43b opening out through the left face 28 of the cabinet 23; and a right first acoustic chamber 41c comprising a right first orifice 43c opening out through the right face 29 of the cabinet 23.

[0075] The second acoustic chamber 42 comprises a second orifice 44 positioned in the central portion of the cabinet 23 and opening out through a face which is not a side face, said face can be the top face 24 or the bottom face 25 of the cabinet 23. In particular, in this example, the face which is not a side face is the top face 24 of the cabinet 23.

[0076] The second acoustic chamber 42 comprises a third aperture 45 which opens out through the face opposite the non-lateral face, i.e. in this example through the bottom face 25 of the cabinet body 23. The third aperture 45 is made through the bottom cover 35 of the cabinet body 23.

[0077] It can be seen that the second aperture 44 and the third aperture 45 of the second acoustic chamber 42 are offset relative to each other with respect to the length or width of the cabinet body 23, and in this example are offset with respect to the length of the cabinet body 23 (where the term "length" is used to mean the dimension of the cabinet body 23 between its front face 26 and its back face 27).

[0078] The preferred way of manufacturing the cabinet body 23 is by injection moulding a plastics material, which makes it possible to obtain complex shapes in an inexpensive manner.

[0079] The speaker cabinet 2 comprises a plurality of loudspeakers, each comprising a diaphragm, each loudspeaker being contained in a respective one of the acoustic chambers, such that the diaphragm of the loudspeaker extends across the aperture of the acoustic chamber.

[0080] Thus, the cabinet has a plurality of first loudspeakers 47, each contained in a respective first acoustic chamber 41 of the cabinet body 23, a second loudspeaker contained in the second acoustic chamber 42, and a third loudspeaker also contained in the second acoustic chamber 42.

[0081] The first loudspeakers 47 comprise a front first loudspeaker 47a contained in the front first acoustic chamber 41a, a left first loudspeaker 47b contained in the left first acoustic chamber 41b, and a right first loudspeaker 47c contained in the right first acoustic chamber 41c. The diaphragm 48 of each first loudspeaker 47 extends across the first aperture 43 of the associated first acoustic chamber 41.

[0082] The three first loudspeakers 47 described above are identical.

[0083] The second loudspeaker, whose diaphragm 50 extends across the second aperture 44 of the second acoustic chamber 42, is a bass loudspeaker 49, also known as a low-frequency loudspeaker, i.e. a "woofer". The third loudspeaker (visible in Figure 2 ) is a passive radiator 51, whose diaphragm 52 extends across the third aperture 45 of the second acoustic chamber 42.

[0084] It should be observed that the periphery of the diaphragm of each loudspeaker coincides with, or at least extends immediately adjacent to, the edge of the aperture of the associated acoustic chamber. The interface between the diaphragm and the aperture is sealed, such that the acoustic chamber is completely sealed when the associated loudspeaker is in place.

[0085] In this example, the audio sources, i.e. the first loudspeakers 47, which need to operate with a smaller audio volume, are contained in the first acoustic chamber 41 and, therefore, they are separated from the main volume, i.e. from the second acoustic chamber 42, by the internal partition 40, thus forming separate acoustic chambers. This configuration serves to avoid interference between the channels, which would occur if the channels were to share the same volume of air within a single acoustic chamber. In particular, the three first loudspeakers 47 (front, left and right loudspeakers) are identical, thus they reproduce the same frequency range (unlike the configuration of multiple loudspeakers reproducing only one sound channel in a "regular" box), which makes them particularly sensitive to mutual interference.

[0086] It should be observed that the position and orientation of the acoustic chambers correspond to the acoustic optimization for the customer. Thus, the left and right apertures are slightly oriented forward (towards the user), so that these apertures are as close as possible to the outside of the device 1, which applies regardless of the "style" of the device 1. The front first acoustic chamber 41a corresponds to the central channel.

[0087] The bass occupies the rest of the volume, i.e. the second acoustic chamber 42.

[0088] Thus, the second acoustic chamber 42 contains the bass loudspeaker ("woofer") 49 and the passive radiator 51. The passive radiator 51 serves to further enhance the bass. The bass loudspeaker 49 abuts against the top face 24 of the cabinet 23 and the passive radiator abuts against the bottom face 25 of the cabinet 23. The opposite configuration is naturally also possible, with the bass loudspeaker 49 abutting against the bottom face 25 of the cabinet 23 and the passive radiator abutting against the top face 24 of the cabinet 23. Thus, the bass loudspeaker 49 and the passive radiator 51 are opposite each other, one upwards and the other downwards. This configuration makes it possible to limit the mechanical pumping effect that can be caused by the presence of the combination of the bass loudspeaker 49 and the passive radiator 51 and, therefore, to limit the vibrations of the device 1.

[0089] As mentioned above, the second aperture 44 and the third aperture 45 of the second acoustic chamber 42 are offset with respect to each other along the length of the cabinet 23. Thus, the position of the passive radiator 51 is not perfectly aligned with the position of the bass loudspeaker 49, i.e. they are not perfectly one above the other in the cabinet 23. This offset makes it possible to limit the height of the cabinet 23 and, therefore, the height of the device 1. In particular, since the passive radiator 51 moves inwards and outwards, if the passive radiator 51 and the bass loudspeaker 49 were aligned, an additional thickness would be required to accommodate the movement of the passive radiator 51.

[0090] The use of the passive radiator 51 is optional. If it is decided not to include the passive radiator 51 in the device 1, the third aperture 45 made through the bottom cover 35 of the cabinet 23 is closed. Thus, two versions of the tool are used for injection molding the plastic sheet constituting the bottom cover 35: a first tool for the exploration of the hole without passive radiator 51, and a second tool for the covering of the passive radiator 51.

[0091] In this example, the second aperture 44 is located in a first recess 54 formed in the outer wall of the top face 24 of the cabinet 23. Likewise, the third aperture 45 is located in a second recess 55 formed in the outer wall of the bottom face 25. This makes it possible for the diaphragm 50 of the woofer 49 and the diaphragm 52 of the passive radiator 51 to move outward without coming into contact with the parts located above and below.

[0092] It should be observed that the first recess 54 or the second recess 55 can be defined between the feet of the device 1, which in the present example applies to the second recess 55. Such a configuration makes it possible to obtain a "style" in which at least one of the diaphragms of the woofer 49 and of the passive radiator 51 is visible from the outside.

[0093] The reinforcement ribs 57 are formed on the inner wall of the top face and / or of the bottom face of the cabinet, and in particular in this example on the inner wall of the top face 24 of the cabinet 23. In particular, the low-frequency vibrations generated mainly by the woofer 49 and by the passive radiator 51 can cause a deformation of the plastic parts constituting the cabinet 23, which can lead to a loss of sealing of the speaker box 2. The reinforcement ribs 57 serve to mitigate this problem by stiffening the assembly. The positioning of the reinforcement ribs 57 is based on the results of a numerical simulation of the deformation of the parts, obtained with the aid of a material strength software performing finite element calculations.

[0094] The arrangement of the speakers and the way in which they are housed in the speaker box 2 serve to obtain spatial audio, which, in combination with an algorithm, serves to obtain an audio rendering comparable to more complex and expensive systems. The speaker box 2 is thus compatible with the Dolby Atmos specification.

[0095] The speakers of the speaker box 2 are electrically connected to the main card 17 of the first additional module 3, i.e. to the digital television decoder 14.

[0096] This electrical connection is provided as follows.

[0097] With reference to Figure 7 , a first connector 60 is mounted on the cabinet 23, in this example on the top face 24 of the cabinet 23. The first connector 60 is a female connector with contacts, the connector having receiving pads 61 for cooperation with pogo pins. The term "pogo pin" is used to denote a pin of a spring-loaded piston.

[0098] Wires 62 (visible in Figure 6 Figure 1) extend inside the cabinet 23 so as to connect the loudspeakers to the first connector 60. Each of these wires 62 has one end connected to a loudspeaker and the other end welded to a receiving pad 61 of the first connector 60.

[0099] The second connector 63 is mounted on the bottom face of the main card 17 of the decoder 14. The second connector 63 is a male connector having spring pins 64.

[0100] When the device 1 is assembled, the main card 17 of the decoder 14 is mounted on the top face 24 of the cabinet 23 and the first connector 60 is connected to the second connector 63. Thus, the spring pins 64 of the second connector 63 come into contact with the receiving pads 61 of the first connector 60, thereby establishing an electrical connection between the main card 17 of the decoder 14 and the loudspeakers.

[0101] A gasket 66 is applied around the entire periphery of the first connector 60 so that the first connector 60 is mounted on the cabinet 23 in a sealed manner.

[0102] This solution is very advantageous. In particular, it makes it possible to avoid using an electrical cable to connect the loudspeaker box 2 to the decoder. In particular, the use of an electrical cable has several drawbacks. Installing an electrical cable complicates assembly. An electrical cable increases the risk of sound leakage from the loudspeaker box through the cable outlet(s).

[0103] It should be observed that it is naturally possible to provide the loudspeaker box with a plurality of first connectors which can be located on different faces of the cabinet and in particular to do so in the case where the device has not only one electronic additional module but also a plurality of electronic additional modules.

[0104] With reference to Figure 8 and 9 , the device 1 has a housing 70 which at least partially covers the cabinet 23. In this example, the housing 70 surrounds and covers the lateral faces of the cabinet 23. The housing 70 is made of rigid plastic material, but it can be made of any type of material, whether rigid or not. The housing 70 is covered in acoustic fabric. The housing 70 itself is covered by a decorative surround 73 (visible in Figure 1 Figure 1).

[0105] The housing 70 comprises a plurality of hole groups 71, each hole group 71 comprising one or more holes and, in this example, each hole group comprising a plurality of holes. Each hole group 71 is intended to register with the diaphragm of a respective first loudspeaker 47 when the housing 70 is mounted around the lateral faces of the cabinet 23. The hole groups 71 are intended to allow the sound produced by the first loudspeakers to escape to the outside.

[0106] In this example, there is one hole group 71 in register with each first speaker 47. The holes of the hole group 71 are arranged in a honeycomb-like arrangement, maximizing the number of holes in the hole group 71 while increasing the volume of the enclosure 70 in the area of the hole group 71.

[0107] Thus, there is one hole group 71 in register with the front first speaker 47a, one hole group 71 in register with the left first speaker 47b, and one hole group 71 in register with the right first speaker 47c. The enclosure 70 also comprises a hole group 71 positioned in register with the back face 27 of the cabinet 23.

[0108] The sound produced by the woofer 49 is directed between the first additional module 3 and the cabinet 23 towards the back face 27 of the cabinet 23 and towards the hole group 71 positioned in register with the back face 27 of the cabinet 23. Likewise, the sound produced by the passive radiator 51 is directed between the second additional module 4 and the cabinet 23 towards the back face 27 of the cabinet 23 and towards the hole group 71 positioned in register with the back face 27 of the cabinet 23.

[0109] This direction is not uniform over the entire surface of the cabinet, thanks to the front recess 30 and the rear recess 31.

[0110] Unlike the speaker box 2 and the cabinet 23, which are generic and can be included in different devices having different "styles", the enclosure 70 can present different shapes and / or dimensions to give a particular device a particular "style". Thus, Figure 10 The multi-piece devices la, lb and lc are shown, all of which (contain) the same speaker box 2, but have an external shape and appearance imparted by their respective enclosure 70 at least on the sides of the device.

[0111] Thus, the speaker box 2, and in particular its cabinet 23, has dimensions compatible with different shapes and sizes of the device 1. The profile of the cabinet 23 is therefore designed to fit within the smallest "style" or within the "style" with the largest radius of curvature.

[0112] Thus, it is possible to obtain a device 1 that is particularly compact and that contains a speaker box 2 with five speakers and a decoder 14, with a total volume of less than 200 mm x 200 mm x 70 mm (while the thickness of the decoder itself is typically close to 25 mm).

[0113] However, with reference to Figure 11, particularly when the outer dimensions of the enclosure 70 are large, or when the radius of curvature of the enclosure 70 is small, it is possible that the distance between the first aperture 43 of the first acoustic chamber 41 (and thus the diaphragm 48 of the first loudspeaker 47) and the hole group 71 of the enclosure 70 is relatively large. These distances cause cavities 74 which impair the audio performance perceived by the user, as sound can propagate between the cabinet 23 and the enclosure 70.

[0114] With reference to Figure 12 , these gaps are compensated by adding optional additional parts between the diaphragm 48 of each first loudspeaker 47 and the enclosure 70. These additional parts are acoustic horns 75 which serve to avoid the cavities described above and to direct the sound outside the device.

[0115] With reference to Figure 13 and Figure 14 , each acoustic horn 75 has a shape and / or dimensions which depend on the shape and / or dimensions of the enclosure 70. By way of example, the thickness of the acoustic horn depends on the shape and / or dimensions of the enclosure e .

[0116] The acoustic horn 75 to be mounted between the left first loudspeaker 47b or the right first loudspeaker 47c and the enclosure 70 is described below.

[0117] The acoustic horn 75 has an outer face 76, an inner face 77 and an inner peripheral surface 78 which defines a through cavity 79 formed in the thickness of the horn 75, having an outer edge 80 defined by the outer face 76 and an inner edge 81 defined by the inner face 77. The outer edge 80 is elliptical, the inner edge 81 is circular. e

[0118] When the acoustic horn 75 and the enclosure 70 are in place on the cabinet 23, the inner face 77 of the acoustic horn 75 is in contact with the cabinet 23 so that the inner edge 81 of the through cavity 79 surrounds the diaphragm 48 of the first loudspeaker 47. The outer face 76 of the acoustic horn 75 is in contact with the enclosure 70 so that the hole group 71 of the enclosure 70 which is positioned in register with the diaphragm 48 of the first loudspeaker 47 is inside the area defined by the outer edge 80 of the through cavity 79. The hole group 71 which is inside the area defined by the outer edge 80 can have only one hole.

[0119] The inner edge 81 of the through cavity 79 is tangent to the periphery of the diaphragm 48 of the first loudspeaker 47 at all points thereof.

[0120] The inner peripheral surface 78 of the acoustic horn 75 thus directs the sound produced by the first loudspeaker 47 to the outside via the hole group 71 in the enclosure 70.

[0121] ​The cavity 79 flares out from the inner edge 81 toward the outer edge 80 along the first direction D1. The flare of the cavity 79 is larger in the front part of the angular portion 75 than in its rear part.

[0122] Therefore, the cavity 79 is configured to guide sound in at least one direction, specifically in this example along the first direction D1. In this example, the cavity 79 is also configured to guide sound unidirectionally along the first direction D1.

[0123] When the acoustic horn 75 is in place on the cabinet 23, the first direction D1 corresponds to the horizontal direction; sound is guided forward. Therefore, when the horn 75 is in place on the cabinet 23, sound is preferably guided horizontally and forward.

[0124] It should be observed that the cavity can be flared, thereby guiding sound bidirectionally in a given direction or even bidirectionally in multiple directions.

[0125] When the thickness is parallel to the acoustic angle 75 e Furthermore, when viewed in a cross-section on the first plane P1 including the first direction D1, at least a first portion of the inner circumferential surface 78 traversed by the first direction D1 exhibits a hyperbolic shape. In this example, and specifically, the inner circumferential surface has two first portions 82 exhibiting this hyperbolic shape: one first portion 82 faces forward horizontally, and the other first portion 82 faces backward horizontally. The shape of the first portions 82 allows the sound signal to diffuse over 180°.

[0126] Similarly, a second direction D2 perpendicular to the first direction D1 passes through at least one second portion 82 of the inner peripheral surface 78, when the thickness is parallel to the acoustic angle portion 75. e When viewed in a cross-section on the second plane P2, including the second direction D2, the at least one second portion presents a (flat) straight shape and slopes towards the outer edge. In this example, and specifically, the two second portions 83 of the inner circumferential surface 78 present this flat and sloped shape: one second portion 83 faces upward vertically, and the other second portion 83 faces downward vertically. The shape of the second portions 83 is designed to guide sound to the aperture group 71 of the housing 70, which is aligned with the first speaker 47. Each second portion 83 is sloped at an angle α ranging from 1° to 10°, and in this example, equal to 5°.

[0127] It can be seen that the thickness of the front part of the acoustic angular portion 75 is... e The thickness is greater than that of its rear portion. Therefore, the acoustic corner portion 75 is asymmetrical about the second plane P2. However, apart from the means for fastening the acoustic corner portion 75, the acoustic corner portion 75 is symmetrical about the first plane P1, although in this example, the means for fastening the acoustic corner portion 75 are not symmetrical about the first plane (although they can be symmetrical).

[0128] Thus, the same acoustic horn 75 can be used on the left side and on the right side of the cabinet 23, so that a single mold can be used to manufacture the acoustic horn 75 mounted on the left side and the acoustic horn 75 mounted on the right side (then the two identical horns 75 direct the sound in the horizontal direction). This reduces the manufacturing cost of the device 1.

[0129] With reference to Figure 15 and Figure 16 , the keying means are used to avoid assembling the left acoustic horn and the right acoustic horn 75 in the wrong way, these means making it impossible to assemble the loudspeaker box 2 with the enclosure 70.

[0130] In this example, the keying means comprise keying ribs 85 formed on the cabinet 23, and keying recesses 86 formed in the acoustic horn 75 at its front and rear parts, at the two identical length corners of the horn 75.

[0131] On the left face 28 of the cabinet 23, the keying ribs 85 are in the form of rounded right angles facing each other, and they are located below the left first orifice 43b of the left first acoustic chamber 41b, on opposite sides of said left first orifice 43b.

[0132] On the right face 29 of the cabinet 23, the keying ribs 85 have the same shape and are located above the right first orifice 43c of the right first acoustic chamber 41c, on opposite sides of said right first orifice 43c.

[0133] The keying means can present different configurations. However, it is advantageous that the configuration of the keying means formed by the right face 29 matches the configuration of the keying means formed on the left face 28 after a rotation of 180°.

[0134] The means of fastening the acoustic horn to the cabinet are described below.

[0135] The horn 75 comprises at least one fastening recess 88, and in particular two fastening recesses 88, each formed in the inner peripheral surface 78 of the horn, so as to open in the outer face 76 of the horn 75. As Figure 14 illustrated, when the outer face of the horn 75 for engaging the enclosure is observed, the two fastening recesses 88 are diametrically opposite with respect to the circular inner edge 81 of the through cavity 79.

[0136] The horn 75 further comprises at least one cover recess 89, and in particular two cover recesses 89 which are open on the inner face 77. The two cover recesses 88 are diametrically opposite with respect to the inner edge 81 of the through cavity 79 when viewing the outer face of the horn 75 for engaging the speaker box. The two fastening recesses 88 and the two cover recesses 89 are positioned at respective corners of an imaginary rectangle (which can be a square) in which the inner edge 81 extends.

[0137] Each cover recess 89 is for covering the head of a respective first screw 91 which is only used for fastening the speaker to the cabinet.

[0138] Each fastening recess 88 is for receiving the head of a respective second screw 90 which is used for fastening both the acoustic horn and the speaker to the cabinet.

[0139] The first speaker 47 and the horn 75 are fastened as follows. The first speaker 47 is placed into position on the cabinet 23. Initially two first screws 91 are used to fasten the first speaker 47 to the cabinet 23. The horn 75 is then placed against the cabinet 23. The two cover recesses 89 cover the two first screws 91. Both the acoustic horn 75 and the first speaker 47 are then fastened to the cabinet 23 using two second screws 90. Each of the two second screws 90 extends in a respective one of the fastener recesses 88, each fastener recess receiving the head of a corresponding second screw 90 when the first speaker 47 and the acoustic horn 75 are fastened to the cabinet 23.

[0140] The above fastening scheme has the advantage that if the acoustic horn 75 were fastened with the same four screws as the first speaker 47, it would be difficult to remove the acoustic horn 75 without dropping the first speaker 47 inside the cabinet 23 after the device 1 has been fully assembled. Therefore, each first speaker 47 is first fastened with only two first screws 91 so that the acoustic horn 75 can be subsequently fastened using the remaining two second screws 90. The two first screws 91 which initially hold the first speaker 47 in place are concealed underneath the acoustic horn 75 (by being positioned in the cover recesses 89). Therefore, if all the screws fastening the first speaker 47 are used, there are only two visible recesses (i.e. fastener recesses 88) in the acoustic horn 75 once the acoustic horn 75 has been fastened, rather than four visible recesses, which allows for better audio performance.

[0141] Visual indicators 94 present on the cabinet 23 show the locations of the two first screws 91 for initial use.

[0142] In order to save the maximum guiding area for the inner peripheral surface 78, an additional plug member can optionally be inserted into the fastener recess 88 for threaded fastening.

[0143] In this case, it is advantageous to provide at least one guide notch in each fastening recess 88 of the acoustic horn 75 to assist in correctly aligning the plug. The plug then comprises a guide (or conversely, the notch can be in the plug and the guide on the horn 75). Since the surface of the horn 75 has a different shape at the two fastening recesses 88, two different plugs are provided to match the shape of the horn 75. It is therefore advantageous to provide two notches / guides for each plug, since the notches / guides are not placed at 180° but at different angles in the two fastening recesses, thereby preventing the plug from being inserted into the unwanted fastening recess 88.

[0144] The acoustic horn 75 can be made of a more or less rigid plastic.

[0145] The acoustic horn 75 can also be made of rubber to optimize its audio and vibration performance. The horn 75 then comprises a deformable lip 93 which serves both to provide an acoustic seal between the outlet of the first loudspeaker 47 and the surrounding medium and to attenuate any vibrations of the enclosure 70.

[0146] This construction requires a specific horn (horn, trumpet) to be made for each "model" of device having a different profile, so as to match the enclosure as closely as possible.

[0147] The use of a rigid material is recommended to improve the robustness of the device structure. It is therefore advantageous for the horn 75 to comprise both a rigid portion, made for example of a rigid plastic material, and a flexible portion, made for example of rubber, at the interface with the enclosure.

[0148] It can be provided to use a rubber portion which is an additional portion attached to an existing rigid horn, thus making it possible to retain the universal nature of said rigid horn.

[0149] It can also be provided to use a horn composed of two distinct parts which overlap in the thickness of the horn: a first thinner part made of rigid plastic, and a second thicker part made of rubber. The first part is a universal part, while the second part depends on the shape and / or size of the enclosure. The first part and the second part can optionally be fastened together by the same screw, with the first part being clamped between the loudspeaker box and the second part.

[0150] Of course, the application is not limited to the embodiments described, but covers any variants falling within the scope of the application as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A modular device comprising a generic loudspeaker cabinet (2) and, in addition to said generic loudspeaker cabinet, at least one electronic additional module comprising at least one electronic card, said generic loudspeaker cabinet comprising: • a cabinet body (23) comprising an internal partition (40) defining a plurality of sealed acoustic chambers (41, 42) distinct from one another and separated from one another by said internal partition, each of said acoustic chambers comprising an aperture (43, 44, 45) opening out to the outside of said cabinet body in a respective distinct direction; • a plurality of loudspeakers each comprising a respective diaphragm, each of said loudspeakers being contained in a respective one of said acoustic chambers so that the diaphragm of said loudspeaker extends over said aperture; • at least one first connector (60) mounted in a sealed manner on said cabinet body, said first connector having contacts electrically connected to said loudspeakers, said first connector thus being arranged to electrically connect said loudspeakers to the electronic card of said electronic additional module via a second connector (63) mounted on said electronic additional module and complementary to said first connector; said modular device further comprising a shell (70) at least partially surrounding the lateral faces of said cabinet body and comprising at least one hole group having at least one hole, said modular device further comprising at least one acoustic horn (75) mounted between said cabinet body and said shell, said acoustic horn assuming a shape and / or dimensions dependent on the shape and / or dimensions of said shell, said acoustic horn being arranged to surround the diaphragm of a loudspeaker and to be in contact with both said cabinet body and said shell, so that said acoustic horn directs the sound produced by said loudspeaker to the outside via said hole group having said at least one hole.

2. The modular apparatus of claim 1, wherein, said first connector (60) of said generic loudspeaker cabinet and said second connector of said electronic additional module are connected to one another.

3. The modular apparatus of claim 1, wherein, said generic loudspeaker cabinet comprises a plurality of first loudspeakers (47) each contained in a respective first acoustic chamber (41) comprising a first aperture (43) opening out through a respective distinct lateral face of said cabinet body, and at least one second loudspeaker contained in a second acoustic chamber comprising a second aperture (44) opening out through a non-lateral face, said non-lateral face being a top face (24) or a bottom face (25) of said cabinet body.

4. The modular apparatus of claim 3, wherein, said second aperture (44) is positioned in a central portion of said cabinet body.

5. The modular apparatus of claim 3, wherein, said second acoustic chamber has a second volume comprising all of the internal volume of said cabinet body other than a first volume of said first acoustic chamber (41). said second acoustic chamber has a second volume comprising all of the internal volume of said cabinet body other than a first volume of said first acoustic chamber (41).

6. The modular apparatus of claim 3, wherein, The first loudspeakers comprise a front first loudspeaker (47a) contained in a front first acoustic chamber (41a) having a front first aperture (43a) opening out through a front face of the cabinet, a left first loudspeaker (47b) contained in a left first acoustic chamber (41b) comprising a left first aperture (43b) opening out through a left face of the cabinet, and a right first loudspeaker (47c) contained in a right first acoustic chamber (41c) comprising a right first aperture (43c) opening out through a right face of the cabinet.

7. The modular apparatus of claim 3, wherein, Each of the first loudspeakers is identical.

8. The modular apparatus of claim 3, wherein, The second loudspeaker is a bass loudspeaker.

9. The modular apparatus of claim 3, wherein, The second aperture is located in a first recess (54) formed in the outer wall of the non-side face.

10. The modular device of claim 9, wherein A third loudspeaker is also included, contained in the second acoustic chamber of the cabinet, the second acoustic chamber comprising a third aperture (45) opening out through the face opposite the non-side face, the third loudspeaker being a passive radiator.

11. The modular apparatus of claim 10, wherein, The second aperture (44) and the third aperture (45) of the second acoustic chamber are offset relative to each other with respect to the length or width of the cabinet.

12. The modular apparatus of claim 10, wherein, The third aperture is positioned in a second recess (55) formed in the outer wall of the face opposite the non-side face.

13. The modular apparatus of claim 12, wherein, The first recess or the second recess is defined between the feet of the modular device.

14. The modular apparatus of claim 1, wherein, Stiffening ribs (57) are formed in the inner wall of the top face (24) and / or the bottom face (25) of the cabinet.

15. The modular apparatus of claim 2, wherein, The first connector (60) or the second connector (63) complementary to the first connector comprises a spring needle (64).

16. The modular apparatus of claim 2, wherein, The modular device is a decoder box and the electronic additional module is a digital television decoder.

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