Acoustic horn for enclosures with curved surfaces

Abstract

An acoustic horn (62) arranged to be integrated into an acoustic enclosure (11) by forming a recess in one face (20) of said acoustic enclosure, the acoustic horn comprising: - a base, in which are formed at least two elliptical holes, in each of which a diaphragm of a loudspeaker (25a, 25b) integrated into said acoustic enclosure can extend; - an edge comprising an upper surface defining a contour of the edge and intended to extend onto said face of said acoustic enclosure, and an internal side wall connecting the base of the acoustic horn to the upper surface of the edge, the edge partially following each elliptical hole so that its contour has curved portions conforming to the shape of said elliptical holes. FIGURE IN ABRIDGED DIAGRAM: Fig. 2

Description

Title of the invention: Acoustic horn for curved-surface enclosures

[0001] The invention relates to the field of acoustic enclosures.

[0002] BACKGROUND

[0003] It is envisaged to design an acoustic enclosure having curved external surfaces, and in particular an enclosure having a "capsule" shape. This enclosure may optionally include a support allowing it to be positioned vertically on a flat surface (of a piece of furniture, for example). The enclosure may also be placed directly in a horizontal position on this flat surface.

[0004] The speaker is, for example, a so-called "satellite" speaker intended to be connected to a device configured to play audio content, such as a set-top box (or STB). The set-top box itself may incorporate one or more speakers.

[0005] Such an enclosure typically comprises a soundproof box. This is a sealed housing in which one or more loudspeakers are integrated. The housing may be made of a single piece or may be obtained by assembling several pieces.

[0006] The acoustic enclosure, which also has a shape similar to that of a capsule, defines a technical volume necessary for implementing the technical functions of the audio section of the speaker. The enclosure delimits the acoustic volume and integrates the loudspeakers and the connections for delivering the audio signals to the loudspeakers. This technical volume can also be used to integrate components implementing "transversal" functions: control, communication (Wi-Fi interface, for example), power supply, etc.

[0007] The acoustic enclosure also includes one or more protective pieces mounted on the cabinet that cover (at least) the speaker diaphragms to protect them from external damage. These protective pieces have holes to allow the sound generated by the speakers to escape. These protective pieces also contribute to the enclosure's aesthetic appearance. A fabric sometimes covers the protective pieces entirely or partially, and in this case, the fabric also serves as a support for the fabric.

[0008] Generally, in a conventional loudspeaker enclosure, the loudspeakers are mounted directly on a flat front panel of the enclosure. However, here, the enclosure and the cabinet have curved external surfaces and their faces are therefore not flat.

[0009] It is therefore envisaged to move the loudspeakers back from the external surface of the enclosure. This distance depends on the shape of the enclosure (and the speaker), and can be relatively large, which implies, for each loudspeaker, providing a guiding device to direct the sounds produced by the loudspeaker outwards.

[0010] Enclosures are known in which the loudspeakers are set back from the external surface of the enclosure, and which are equipped, for each loudspeaker, with a "guide tube" of a general shape close to a cylindrical shape.

[0011] This solution has the following disadvantages.

[0012] When the depth of the loudspeakers is significant (for example, a few tens of millimeters), the cylindrical shape of the guide tube does not allow for good sound reproduction quality due to acoustic resonances occurring inside the guide tube along its depth. Furthermore, the homogeneity of the sound diffusion is unsatisfactory, particularly in the high frequencies.

[0013] Furthermore, the assembly of the various guide tubes is relatively complex, especially if the enclosure includes several loudspeakers whose diaphragms are positioned on the same face of the enclosure. It is then very difficult to ensure a certain level of compactness and rigidity of the speaker.

[0014] OBJECT

[0015] The invention aims to improve the acoustic performance, compactness and rigidity of a speaker enclosure having curved external surfaces and comprising several loudspeakers on the same face.

[0016] SUMMARY

[0017] To achieve this goal, an acoustic pavilion is proposed, arranged to be integrated into an acoustic enclosure by forming a recess in one face of said acoustic enclosure, the acoustic pavilion comprising:

[0018] - a base, in which at least two elliptical holes are formed in each from which a diaphragm of a loudspeaker integrated into said acoustic enclosure can extend;

[0019] - an edge comprising an upper surface defining an edge contour and intended to extend over said face of said acoustic box, and an internal side wall which connects the bottom of the acoustic pavilion to the upper surface of the edge, the edge partially running along each elliptical hole so that its contour has curved portions conforming to the shape of said elliptical holes.

[0020] The elliptical holes in the bottom of the acoustic horn allow the loudspeakers to be integrated into the enclosure so that they are positioned close to the upper surface of the edge of the pavilion and therefore of the face of the box, even if it has curved surfaces.

[0021] The shape of the horn's edge contour and the use of the same horn for at least two loudspeakers reduce resonance phenomena and result in more homogeneous sound diffusion. The acoustic performance is significantly improved.

[0022] Using the same horn for at least two loudspeakers improves the rigidity of the enclosure. The loudspeakers can be placed closer together, which improves the compactness of the enclosure.

[0023] An acoustic pavilion as previously described is further proposed, in which the bottom comprises a first elliptical hole and a second elliptical hole of smaller diameter than that of the first elliptical hole, the contour of the edge having in general the shape of a trapezoid having rounded bases and angles.

[0024] An acoustic pavilion as previously described is further proposed, in which, when the acoustic pavilion is viewed in section along a plane perpendicular to a flat surface of the bottom, the internal lateral wall of the edge has a convex shape, at least on a curved portion of the edge which runs along the second elliptical hole.

[0025] An acoustic horn as previously described is further proposed, in which a maximum distance between each elliptical hole and the inner side wall of the edge is less than or equal to half a wavelength corresponding to a maximum frequency reproduced by the loudspeaker having a diaphragm that can extend into the second elliptical hole.

[0026] An acoustic horn as previously described is further proposed, in which a maximum depth of the acoustic horn is less than or equal to half a wavelength corresponding to a maximum frequency reproduced by the loudspeaker having a diaphragm that can extend into the second elliptical hole.

[0027] A monobloc piece is further proposed, forming a portion of an acoustic box, the monobloc piece comprising a face of said acoustic box and integrating an acoustic horn as previously described, the acoustic horn forming a recess in said face.

[0028] An acoustic enclosure is also proposed comprising an acoustic horn as previously described or a monobloc piece as previously described.

[0029] An acoustic enclosure is further proposed comprising an acoustic box as previously described and at least two loudspeakers integrated into the acoustic box, a diaphragm of each loudspeaker extending into one of the elliptical holes of the acoustic horn.

[0030] An acoustic enclosure as previously described is further proposed, the bottom of the acoustic horn comprising a first elliptical hole and a second hole elliptical with a diameter smaller than that of the first elliptical hole, the acoustic enclosure comprising a first loudspeaker having a diaphragm that extends into the first elliptical hole and a second loudspeaker having a diaphragm that extends into the second elliptical hole.

[0031] An acoustic enclosure is further proposed as previously described, with a maximum distance between each elliptical hole and the inner side wall of the edge of the acoustic horn being less than or equal to half a wavelength corresponding to a maximum frequency reproduced by the second loudspeaker.

[0032] We further propose an acoustic enclosure such as previously described, a maximum depth of the acoustic horn being less than or equal to half a wavelength corresponding to a maximum frequency reproduced by the second loudspeaker.

[0033] An acoustic enclosure is also proposed as previously described, the first loudspeaker being recessed deeper into the enclosure than the second loudspeaker.

[0034] The invention will be better understood in the light of the following description of particular, non-limiting embodiments of the invention. Brief description of the drawings

[0035] [Fig-1] [Fig.1] is a perspective view of an enclosure incorporating a horn according to a first embodiment;

[0036] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] is an exploded view of an enclosure incorporating a horn according to a second embodiment;

[0037] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] represents two perspective views, one from the front and the other from three-quarters, of the acoustic box of the enclosure of [Fig.1];

[0038] [Fig.4] [Fig.4] is a detail view of the first view of [Fig.3] (without the speaker membranes);

[0039] [Fig.5] [Fig.5] represents a graph comprising curves of the horizontal directivity at 16kHz of a prior art enclosure with two guide tubes, and of an enclosure with a horn according to [Fig.1], as well as a similar graph for the vertical directivity;

[0040] [Fig.6] [Fig.6] represents four pavilions having different profiles;

[0041] [Fig.7] [Fig.7] represents a simplified model of an enclosure with a a horn having a concave profile, and a similar model of a speaker enclosure with a horn having a convex profile;

[0042] [Fig.8] [Fig.8] represents a graph comprising a curve of the frequency response at one meter from a speaker with a horn having a concave profile, and a similar curve for a speaker with a horn having a convex profile;

[0043] [Fig.9] [Fig.9] represents a graph on which the acoustic field is visible at 13.6kHz generated by a speaker with a horn having a concave profile, and a similar graph for a speaker with a horn having a convex profile;

[0044] [Fig. 10] [Fig. 10] is a figure similar to [Fig. 3], for the enclosure incorporating the horn according to the second embodiment;

[0045] [Fig. 11] [Fig. 11] shows side views of the enclosure and its support, before and after mounting the support on the enclosure, according to a mounting configuration known as "table stand";

[0046] [Fig.12] [Fig.12] is a figure similar to [Fig.11], according to a mounting configuration known as "wall attachment";

[0047] [Fig. 13] [Fig. 13] represents a front view of the support in the "table leg" configuration, and a front view of the support in the "wall attachment" configuration;

[0048] [Fig. 14] [Fig. 14] represents views of the support according to a particular embodiment, before and after the bending of the curved part;

[0049] [Fig. 15] [Fig. 15] represents several views illustrating the support according to a particular embodiment, in which the curved part is butted onto the base. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] With reference to figures 1 and 2, the acoustic enclosure 10 comprises curved external surfaces and more precisely has the shape of a “capsule”.

[0051] The acoustic enclosure 10 comprises: an acoustic enclosure according to a first embodiment 11; a first hull 12; a second hull 13; a protective piece 14; a support 15.

[0052] In its nominal operating position, the enclosure 10 is positioned vertically. All positioning terms used here must be interpreted assuming that the enclosure 10 is in this nominal operating position.

[0053] The acoustic box 11 comprises a central part 16 and two ends 17a, 17b of hemispherical shape.

[0054] The end 17a forms an upper face 18 of the box 11. The end 17b forms an lower face 19 of the box 11. The central part 16 comprises lateral faces including a front face 20, a rear face 21, a left face 22 and a right face 23 of the box 11.

[0055] The acoustic box 11 also has the general shape of a capsule, but which is flattened at the front face 20 and its rear face 21. All external surfaces of the box 11 are curved surfaces.

[0056] Two loudspeakers 25 are integrated into the acoustic enclosure 11 (the loudspeaker diaphragms are visible in [Fig. 2]). The first loudspeaker 25a is a woofer. This type of loudspeaker reproduces low frequencies, for example, between 100 Hz and 2 kHz. It is also referred to as a bass speaker.

[0057] The second speaker 25b is a tweeter. This type of speaker reproduces high frequencies, for example, between 2 kHz and 20 kHz. It is also referred to as a tweeter. The diameter of the diaphragm of the second speaker 25b is smaller than that of the diaphragm of the first speaker 25a.

[0058] The first loudspeaker 25a is integrated into the acoustic box 11 so that its diaphragm is positioned at the level of a lower portion of the front face 20 of the acoustic box 11. The second loudspeaker 25b is integrated into the acoustic box 11 so that its diaphragm is positioned at the level of an upper portion of the front face 20 of the acoustic box 11.

[0059] The first shell 12 is intended to protect the left face 22 and the right face 23 of the box 11. The first shell 12 is fixed to the box by screws 27.

[0060] The second shell 13 is intended to protect the rear face 21 and the lower face 19 of the housing 11. The second shell 13 is fixed to the housing by screws 28.

[0061] The protective piece 14 is intended in particular to protect the front face 20 and the upper face 18 of the casing 11.

[0062] Support 15 will be described further down in this description.

[0063] With reference to Figures 3 and 4, the acoustic enclosure 11 here comprises two half- shells lia, 11b and a seal 40 which extends over the edges of the half-shells 1 la, 11b. When the acoustic box 11 is assembled, the seal 40 is compressed and ensures the acoustic sealing of the box 11.

[0064] The acoustic box 11 includes an acoustic horn 4L. The acoustic horn 41 is integrated into the acoustic box 11 by forming a recess in one face of said acoustic box 11. The face in question is here the front face 20.

[0065] Here, the acoustic enclosure 11 comprises a single piece, forming a portion of the enclosure 11. The single piece comprises one face of said acoustic enclosure 11, in this case the front face 20, and incorporates the horn 4L. The horn 41 thus forms a cavity made of a hollow single piece. This single piece is the front half-shell lia.

[0066] The pavilion 41 has a base 42, comprising a flat surface forming a flat surface 43, and at least two elliptical holes 44a, 44b formed in the base 42 of the pavilion, and in each of which a diaphragm 45 of a loudspeaker 25 integrated into the acoustic box 11 can extend.

[0067] The flat surface 43 extends between the two holes 44a, 44b, in a plane perpendicular to the depth of the pavilion 41.

[0068] Here, the bottom 42 includes two elliptical holes 44a, 44b which are circular holes. A circle is thus considered to be a special case of an ellipse.

[0069] The diaphragm 45 of the first loudspeaker 25a extends into the first hole 44a. The diaphragm 45 of the first loudspeaker 25a is fixed to a contour of the first hole 44a via a toroidal suspension 46.

[0070] The diaphragm 45 of the second loudspeaker 25b extends into the second hole 44b. The diaphragm 45 of the second loudspeaker 25b is fixed to a contour of the second hole 44b via a toroidal suspension 46.

[0071] The pavilion 41 also includes an edge 47. The edge 47 comprises an upper surface 48 which defines a contour of the edge 47 and which extends over the front face 20 of the housing 11, and an internal side wall 49 which connects the bottom 42 to the upper surface 48 of the edge 47. The upper surface 48 of the edge 47 forms a ridge on the front face 20 of the housing 11.

[0072] The edge 47 partially runs along each hole 44a, 44b so that its contour has curves which follow the shape of said holes 44a, 44b.

[0073] The contour of the edge 47, that is, the edge 47 itself when the bell 41 is viewed from the front, according to a front view, as is the case in the left-hand view of [Fig. 3], has a first curved portion 50, which runs along the lower part of the first hole 44a, and a second curved portion 51, which runs along the upper part of the second hole 44b. The radius of curvature of the first curved portion 50 is close to the radius of the first hole 44a. The radius of curvature of the second curved portion 51 is close to the radius of the second hole 44b.

[0074] The contour also includes two connecting portions 52 which link the first curved portion 50 and the second curved portion 51, and which are themselves curved here towards the interior of the 4L roof

[0075] The diameter of the second hole 44b is less than that of the first hole 44a, so that the contour of the edge 47 has the general shape of a trapezoid with rounded bases and angles.

[0076] As illustrated in [Fig. 3], the sides of the trapezoid defining the contour of the edge 47 can be curved and preferably have an inflection point 55 at a central area of ​​the horn, here in an area between the two loudspeakers 25a, 25b. Thus, the contour of the edge 47 is configured so as to closely follow the loudspeaker diaphragm, which has the advantage or effect of avoiding undesirable resonance phenomena.

[0077] The pavilion 41 is therefore shaped according to a volume similar to that of half an avocado, except that the bottom 42 includes a flat surface 43.

[0078] Advantageously, the internal side wall 49 of the edge 47 is positioned very close to the first hole 44a and the second hole 44b, in particular at the level of the first curved portion 50 and the second curved portion 51 of the contour of the edge 47.

[0079] Here, a maximum distance d between each elliptical hole 44a, 44b and the internal side wall 49 of the edge 47 is less than or equal to half a wavelength corresponding to a maximum frequency reproduced by the second loudspeaker 25b.

[0080] The term "maximum reproducible frequency" here refers to the maximum frequency that the loudspeaker is capable of reproducing or the maximum frequency at which the loudspeaker is used. The maximum reproducible frequency may be a value defined by the loudspeaker manufacturer.

[0081] By bringing the internal side wall 49 of the loudspeakers 25 closer to the edge 47 of the horn 41, undesirable resonance phenomena are avoided, particularly at the level of the tweeter (second loudspeaker 25b).

[0082] Advantageously, the maximum depth h of the horn 41, defined as the maximum distance between the bottom 42 of the acoustic horn 41 and the upper surface 48 of the edge 47, is also less than or equal to half the wavelength corresponding to the maximum frequency reproduced by the second loudspeaker 25b.

[0083] This further limits undesirable resonance phenomena. An analogy can be drawn with Kundt's tube, closed at one end (which in our case corresponds to the flat surface of the bell's base) and open at the other (which in our case corresponds to the open air). Resonance modes occur in the tube according to the following formula:

[0084] f=n*C / 2L,

[0085] where n is a natural number, C is the speed of sound in air, and L is the length of the tube (in our case, the depth of the cavity of the horn 41). If the depth of the horn 41 meets these conditions, the frequencies of the tweeter 25b remain below these resonance modes.

[0086] According to a particular embodiment, the maximum frequency reproduced by the tweeter 25b is equal to 20kHz, which corresponds in air to a wavelength of 17mm, i.e. to a maximum distance d and depth h of 8.5mm.

[0087] As we have seen, part 1 incorporating both the front face 20 of the box 11 and the horn 41 is a single piece, unlike prior art speakers, in which the guide tubes associated with the different loudspeakers are separate parts from the front shell, so that the guide tubes need to be assembled to the front shell.

[0088] Thus, the pavilion 41 is directly integrated into the front face 20 of the enclosure 11, which has the main advantages of optimizing manufacturing costs, reducing the number of parts of the enclosure 10 and facilitating the assembly of the enclosure 10.

[0089] Furthermore, the trapezoidal contour with rounded bases and corners (like an "avocado") optimizes the directivity of the speaker 10, that is, its ability to diffuse sound as uniformly as possible in space.

[0090] The enclosure 10 equipped with the horn 41 therefore provides a more homogeneous diffusion of sound, particularly in the high frequencies (for example at 16 kHz).

[0091] In the upper graph of [Fig. 5] (normalized horizontal directivity of the second loudspeaker 25b at 16 kHz), it can be seen that the sound level of curve C1, which corresponds to the enclosure 10 with the horn 41, is higher than that of curve C2, which corresponds to an enclosure with two conventional guide tubes. The sound level is, for example, 10 dB higher at 60° for the enclosure with the horn 4L

[0092] Similarly, on the lower graph (vertical normalized directivity of the second loudspeaker 25b at 16kHz), we see that the sound level of curve C3, which corresponds to the speaker 10 with the horn 41, is higher than that of curve C4, which corresponds to a speaker with two conventional guide tubes.

[0093] The graphs in [Fig.5] therefore confirm the improvement in the homogeneity of the sound diffusion, clearly visible from a measurement angle of 60°.

[0094] To further improve the acoustic performance of the speaker, the surface of the horn is shaped to present convex edges, particularly around the second 25b loudspeaker reproducing high frequencies, i.e. in the upper end of the 4L enclosure

[0095] Figure 6 shows different profiles of the auricle. The inner lateral wall 47 of the edge 49 of the auricle 41a is not convex. The inner lateral wall of the edge of the auricle 41b is slightly convex. The inner lateral wall and the upper surface of the edge of the auricle 41c are convex. The inner lateral wall and the upper surface of the edge of the auricle 41d are even more convex.

[0096] It can be seen that the first speaker 25a is recessed deeper into the horn than the second speaker 25b. The second speaker 25b is therefore slightly forward, depending on the depth of the horn 41, relative to the first speaker 25a.

[0097] Thus, the distance dl between the top of the suspension of the first speaker 25a and the upper surface of the edge is greater than the distance d2 between the top of the suspension of the second speaker 25b and the upper surface of the edge.

[0098] For the pavilion 41a, the distance dl is equal to 14.16mm. The distance d2 is equal to 12.66mm.

[0099] For the 41b horn, the distance dl is equal to 16.98mm. The distance d2 is equal to 15.48mm.

[0100] For the 41c horn, the distance dl is equal to 12.08mm. The distance d2 is equal to 10.59mm.

[0101] For the 41d horn, the distance dl is equal to 9.09mm. The distance d2 is equal to 7.59mm.

[0102] It can be seen that the convexity makes it possible to compensate for the height of the wall seen by the second loudspeaker 25b, and to reduce the width of the bottom surface extending between each elliptical hole 44a, 44b and the internal side wall 49 of the edge 47.

[0103] Thus, advantageously, the internal lateral wall 49 of the edge 47 has a convex shape, at least on the second curved portion 51 of the edge 47 which runs along the second hole 44b.

[0104] Figure 7 shows a simplified model of a speaker enclosure with a concave profile horn, and a simplified model of a speaker enclosure with a convex profile horn.

[0105] The acoustic response of these speakers was simulated. The result of these simulations is shown in [Fig.8].

[0106] We see that the C5 curve of the frequency response at 1m of the speaker equipped with a horn whose edge has a concave profile shows a very marked absorption peak at 13kHz, which corresponds to a resonance frequency linked to the diameter of the horn whose edge has a concave profile.

[0107] It can be seen that this phenomenon is very strongly attenuated on curve C6, which corresponds to the enclosure equipped with a horn whose edge has a convex profile.

[0108] Thus, the convex profile makes it possible to improve the directivity of the enclosure with a more homogeneously propagated acoustic field.

[0109] Figure 9 shows the acoustic field 53 (acoustic power) generated, at the resonance frequency of the horn (here equal to 13.6 kHz), by the enclosure equipped with a horn whose edge has a concave profile. Figure 9 also shows the acoustic field 54 generated by the enclosure equipped with a horn whose edge has a convex profile. The curves illustrated in Figure 9 are the result of numerical simulations.

[0110] The overpressure / underpressure lines visible on the left-hand graph (concave horn) are not regular and indicate a perturbation related to the shape of the horn. This perturbation is not visible on the right-hand graph (convex horn). The convex profile of the horn's edge therefore allows for a homogenization of the acoustic field 54 propagated by the horn.

[0111] With reference to [Fig. 10], an acoustic box 61 according to a second embodiment again comprises a front half-shell 61a and a rear half-shell 61b.

[0112] The acoustic pavilion 62 is again integrated into the front half-shell 61a to form a single piece.

[0113] The contour of the edge 63 again has a first curved portion 64, which runs along the lower part of the first hole 65a, and a second curved portion 66, which runs along the upper part of the second hole 65b. The contour also includes two connecting portions 67 which are here generally straight in shape.

[0114] Here we see that the internal lateral wall 69 of the edge 63 has a convex shape at the level of the second curved portion 66 and the connecting portions 67. The upper surface 70 of the edge 63 is also convex.

[0115] Again, the upper surface 70 of the edge 63 forms a ridge on the front face 71 of the box 61. The width of this ridge increases progressively towards the top of the box 61 from the bottom of each connecting portion 67, and is maximum at the level of the upper part of the second curved portion 66.

[0116] The profile of the edge 63 is therefore very rounded, and the pavilion 61 and the front face form a smooth whole, with few discontinuities and without angles, which improves sound reproduction.

[0117] We are now more specifically interested in the support 15 of the enclosure 10.

[0118] It is known that, on the market, there are different types of speaker stands. Some stands allow the speaker to be placed only on a horizontal surface (for example on a table) while other stands allow the speaker to be attached only to a vertical surface (for example wall mounting).

[0119] However, the same support does not allow the speaker to be positioned on a horizontal surface (for example on a piece of furniture) or on a vertical surface (for example against a wall).

[0120] There is therefore a need to design a versatile speaker stand, that is, a single stand capable of mounting / fixing a speaker on different types of external supports (horizontal or vertical). In particular, the speaker stand must fulfill the following two functions:

[0121] - the so-called "table stand" function for positioning the speaker on a horizontal surface;

[0122] - the so-called "wall mount" function for positioning the speaker on a vertical surface.

[0123] The support must also have a shape adapted to the capsule enclosure and its curved external surfaces.

[0124] The support must ensure aesthetic consistency with the shape of the enclosure, particularly in the case of a capsule-shaped enclosure, i.e. having curved surfaces.

[0125] With reference to Figures 11 and 12, the support 15 of the enclosure 10 comprises:

[0126] - a base 100;

[0127] - a curved part 101.

[0128] The base 100 is generally flat and comprises a first face 102 and a second face 103. The first face 102 is intended to be in contact with an external support (for example a table, a wall).

[0129] The curved portion 101 extends from the second face 103. The curved portion 101 comprises a first end 105 connected to the base 100 and a second, free end 106. The curved portion 101 extends radially from the base 100 from its first end 105 to its second end 106.

[0130] Preferably, the curved part 101 includes a flat surface 107, oriented perpendicular to the base 100, and including means for fixing the flat surface 107 to a surface of the enclosure 10. Here, the flat surface 107 of the curved part 101 is located at the second end 106 of the curved part 101.

[0131] Figure 11 illustrates the first mounting configuration of the support on the enclosure. This configuration is referred to as the "table stand".

[0132] In this configuration, the first face 102 of the base 100 of the support 15 is placed on a flat horizontal surface (of a table for example), and the attachment of the curved part 101 to the enclosure 10 is done from the rear of the enclosure 10. The flat surface 107 is therefore attached to the rear face of the enclosure 10.

[0133] Fig. 12 illustrates the second mounting configuration of the bracket 15 on the enclosure 10. This configuration is called "wall attachment".

[0134] In this configuration, the first face 102 of the base 100 of the support 15 is attached to the wall and the attachment of the curved part 101 to the enclosure 10 is made below the enclosure 10. The flat surface 107 is therefore attached to the lower face of the enclosure 10.

[0135] Figure 13 shows front views of the support 15 in the "table leg" configuration (left drawing) and in the "wall bracket" configuration (right drawing).

[0136] Preferably, the base 100 and the curved part 101 of the support 15 are formed in a monobloc fashion (i.e. a single piece, for example in aluminium).

[0137] For example, the surface of the base 100 is dimensioned to ensure the stability of the enclosure 10, when it is fixed to the curved part 101 of the support 15, in particular in the "wall mount" configuration.

[0138] The base 100 includes fastening means for fixing the support to a surface of the external support (for example, by screwing the support 15 to a wall). For example, these fastening means include one or more tapped holes formed in the thickness of the base and intended to receive a screw or screw wheel. These fastening means are not shown here.

[0139] The base 100 is arranged so that, when the enclosure 10 and the support 15 are assembled, the axis of revolution X of the enclosure 10 coincides with the center of the base 100. Also, the surface of the base 100 of the support 15, in contact with the table, is dimensioned so that the projection of the center of gravity of the enclosure 10 is inscribed within said surface.

[0140] Preferably, the curved part 101 has a radius of curvature greater than the radius of curvature of the curved external surface of the capsule enclosure 10, so that the curved part 101 follows the curved shape of the enclosure 10 without, however, being as likely to come into contact with it.

[0141] The flat surface 107 of the second end 106 of the curved portion 101 includes fastening means for attaching the bracket to the enclosure, either to the rear face of the enclosure according to the first mounting configuration, or to the lower part of the enclosure according to the second mounting configuration. The fastening means include, for example, one or more holes or openings 110, each intended to receive a screw or screw knob. Here, the fastening means include a single hole 110.

[0142] Consequently, the capsule enclosure 10 includes one or more tapped hole(s) arranged opposite the hole(s) or opening(s) 110 of the flat surface 107.

[0143] The flat surface 107 of the second end 106 of the curved portion 101 further includes a lug 111, visible in [Fig. 11] and [Fig. 13]. This lug 111 is designed to fit into a hole (not shown) formed on one face of the enclosure 10, so as to secure the enclosure 10 in its vertical position when it is fixed to the support. Thus, there is no risk of the enclosure 10 pivoting around the screw passing through the opening 110 formed through the flat surface 107 of the curved portion 101. This is advantageous during the step of fixing the enclosure 10 to its support 15 (i.e., during installation), but also prevents the enclosure 10 from pivoting due to vibrations emitted during its operation.

[0144] Here, the curved part 101 has a thickness of between 3mm and 6mm, preferably 5mm. Thus, the support 15 is sufficiently robust to hold the speaker 10 vertically and prevent it from tilting under its own weight, and without causing the speaker 10 to oscillate on the support when a user handles it or due to vibrations emitted during operation.

[0145] It is possible to make the curved part 101 out of plastic. However, there is a risk that the support 15 of the enclosure 10 may not be rigid enough and may vibrate with the enclosure 10.

[0146] To improve the rigidity of the support and limit the vibrations of the enclosure / support assembly when the enclosure 10 is operating, several embodiments are advantageous.

[0147] In a first embodiment, the curved part 101 is made of metal (for example, aluminum) rather than plastic. In a particular embodiment, the entire support is made of metal, for example, the same metal as that used for the base 100 (for example, aluminum), in which case the support 15 is a single piece of metal (which has the advantage of being robust and limiting vibrations compared to plastic).

[0148] In a second embodiment, the curved portion 101 is made of plastic but further includes a rib on the back of the curved portion. In a particular embodiment, the entire part is made of plastic, preferably in one piece, in which case the rib can be easily formed in the curved portion 101.

[0149] In a third embodiment, shown in [Fig. 14], the support 115 can be made from a folded piece of metal (e.g., aluminum). Advantageously, the support 115 is formed from a single piece.

[0150] The left-hand drawing of [Fig. 14] represents the support 115 before folding, and the right-hand drawing represents the support 115 after folding. Again, the support 115 comprises a base 116 and a curved portion 117 having at its free end a flat surface 118, provided with a fixing hole 119, onto which the enclosure is fixed.

[0151] In a fourth embodiment, shown in [Fig. 15], the support 215 can be split into two separate parts. The support 215 then comprises, for example, a plastic base 216 and a curved metal part 217. The first end 218 (tab) of the curved metal part 217 (for example, aluminum) is riveted to the bottom 220 of the first face 221 of the base 216.

[0152] The riveting is particularly advantageous for fixing the curved part 217 to the base 216 for the same reasons as previously stated (i.e., no additional parts, no risk of vibration, reduced size, very robust connection). Plastic pins 222 extend vertically from the bottom 220 of the first face 221 of the base 216. The base 216 also includes a slot 223.

[0153] The first end 218 of the curved portion 217 comprises a flat surface 224, which extends orthogonally to the flat surface 225 of the second end 226 of the curved portion. The flat surface 225 is in the shape of a circular disc. The flat surface 224 comprises holes 228 and slots 229 formed in the edges of the flat surface 224. Here, the flat surface 224 is square; the holes 228 are located in the corners of the flat surface 224 and the slots 229 are located at the midpoints of the three free edges of the flat surface 224.

[0154] The flat surface 224 is inserted into the slot 223 and then applied against the bottom 220 of the first face 221 of the base 216, so that the pins 222 are inserted into the holes 228 and the slots 229. The flat surface 224 is then fixed by riveting to the bottom 220 of the first face 221 of the base 216.

[0155] Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described but encompasses any variant falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

[0156] The horn does not necessarily form a single piece with part of the enclosure. It could be an added piece, integrated into the enclosure.

[0157] The holes in the pavilion (and therefore the speaker diaphragms) could not be circular, but have the shape of an ellipse whose major axis has a different length from the minor axis.

[0158] It has been described here that the first speaker (woofer) is integrated into a lower portion of the front panel of the enclosure and that the second speaker (tweeter) is integrated into an upper portion of the front panel of the enclosure. The position of these speakers could be different. The second speaker could be located below the first speaker. This configuration is advantageous, for example, when the speaker is placed high up, because it allows the second speaker to be directed towards the listening position. Furthermore, the first and second speakers are not necessarily positioned at the lower and upper portions of the enclosure; one or both speakers could be positioned in a central portion.

[0159] The horn may include more than two holes, and thus "accommodate" the diaphragms of more than two loudspeakers. In one embodiment, the enclosure comprises, on one face, from top to bottom, a first loudspeaker comprising a diaphragm having a first diameter, a second loudspeaker comprising a diaphragm having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, and a third loudspeaker comprising a diaphragm having a third diameter equal to the first diameter. The edge of the horn runs along the lower portion of the first hole in which the diaphragm of the first loudspeaker extends, the sides of the second hole in which the diaphragm of the second loudspeaker extends, and the upper portion of the third hole in which the diaphragm of the third loudspeaker extends.

[0160] In this embodiment, the first and third loudspeakers are preferably adapted to reproduce acoustic frequencies between 100 Hz and 2 kHz. The second loudspeaker is preferably adapted to reproduce acoustic frequencies at least between 2 kHz and 20 kHz.

[0161] In another embodiment, the enclosure comprises, on one face, from top to bottom, a first loudspeaker including a diaphragm having a first diameter, a second loudspeaker including a diaphragm having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, and a third loudspeaker including a membrane having a third diameter smaller than the second diameter. As described previously, the edge of the horn runs along the lower portion of the first hole in which the membrane of the first speaker extends, the sides of the second hole in which the membrane of the second speaker extends, and the upper portion of the third hole in which the membrane of the third speaker extends.

[0162] In this alternative embodiment, the first loudspeaker is preferably adapted to reproduce acoustic frequencies between 20 Hz and 500 Hz. The second loudspeaker is preferably adapted to reproduce acoustic frequencies between 500 Hz and 5 kHz. The third loudspeaker is preferably adapted to reproduce acoustic frequencies between 5 kHz and 20 kHz.

[0163] More generally, it will be understood that other enclosure configurations can be envisaged within the framework of the present invention, provided that the elliptical holes are arranged so as to follow the edge of the horn. In practice, the profile of the horn edge will be determined according to the number of loudspeakers and the diameter of their diaphragms to be integrated into the enclosure.

[0164] In the embodiments described with reference to the figures, the edge of the pavilion, the outline of the edge, has an avocado shape and more generally a trapezoidal shape having rounded bases and angles and preferably curved sides.

[0165] The presence of an inflection point on at least one curved side of the trapezoid, as described with reference to [Fig. 3], is such that the contour of the edge of the horn exhibits a narrowing. This is, for example, the case of an enclosure comprising a central loudspeaker with a diameter smaller than the diameters of two other loudspeakers located on either side of the central loudspeaker.

[0166] It should also be noted that the trapezoidal shape with rounded bases and corners is not limited to a two-speaker configuration. It is possible to have a trapezoidal shape with more than two speakers (and therefore with at least two primary speakers and / or at least two secondary speakers).

[0167] The acoustic enclosure in which the box is integrated does not necessarily have the shape of a capsule.

Claims

Demands

1. Acoustic pavilion (41; 62), arranged to be integrated into an acoustic box (11; 61) by forming a recess in a face (20; 71) of said acoustic box, the acoustic pavilion comprising: - a base (42), in which are formed at least two elliptical holes (44a, 44b; 65a, 65b) in each of which can extend a diaphragm (45) of a loudspeaker (25a, 25b) integrated into said acoustic box; - an edge (47; 63) comprising an upper surface (48; 70) defining a contour of the edge and intended to extend over said face of said acoustic box, and an internal side wall (49; 69) which connects the bottom of the acoustic pavilion to the upper surface of the edge, the edge partially running along each elliptical hole so that its contour has curved portions (50, 51; 64, 66) conforming to the shape of said elliptical holes.

2. Acoustic pavilion according to claim 1, wherein the bottom comprises a first elliptical hole (44a; 65a) and a second elliptical hole (44b; 65b) of smaller diameter than that of the first elliptical hole, the contour of the edge having in general the shape of a trapezoid having rounded bases and angles.

3. Acoustic pavilion according to claim 2, wherein, when the acoustic pavilion is viewed in section along a plane perpendicular to a flat surface (43) of the bottom, the internal side wall (49; 69) of the edge has a convex shape, at least on a curved portion (51; 66) of the edge which runs along the second elliptical hole (44b; 65b).

4. Acoustic horn according to claim 2 or 3, wherein a maximum distance (d) between each elliptical hole (44a, 44b; 65a, 65b) and the inner side wall (49; 69) of the edge (47; 63) is less than or equal to half a wavelength corresponding to a maximum frequency reproduced by the loudspeaker (25b) having a diaphragm that can extend into the second elliptical hole.

5. Acoustic horn according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein a maximum depth (h) of the acoustic horn is less than or equal to half a wavelength corresponding to a maximum frequency reproduced by the loudspeaker (25b) having a diaphragm that can extend into the second elliptical hole.

6. A single piece (1a; 61a), forming a portion of an acoustic box (11; 61), the single piece comprising a face (20; 71) of said acoustic box and incorporating an acoustic horn according to one of the preceding claims, the acoustic horn forming a recess in said face.

7. Acoustic enclosure (11; 61) comprising an acoustic horn (41; 62) according to any one of claims 1 to 5 or a single piece according to claim 6.

8. Acoustic enclosure (10) comprising an acoustic box (11; 61) according to claim 7 and at least two loudspeakers (25a, 25b) integrated into the acoustic box, a diaphragm (45) of each loudspeaker extending into one of the elliptical holes (44a, 44b; 65a, 65b) of the acoustic horn (41; 62).

9. Acoustic enclosure (10) according to claim 8, the bottom of the acoustic horn comprising a first elliptical hole (44a; 65a) and a second elliptical hole (44b; 65b) of smaller diameter than that of the first elliptical hole, the acoustic enclosure comprising a first loudspeaker having a diaphragm extending into the first elliptical hole and a second loudspeaker having a diaphragm extending into the second elliptical hole.

10. Acoustic enclosure (10) according to claim 9, a maximum distance (d) between each elliptical hole (44a, 44b; 65a, 65b) and the inner side wall (49; 69) of the edge (47; 63) of the acoustic horn being less than or equal to half a wavelength corresponding to a maximum frequency reproduced by the second loudspeaker (25b).

11. Acoustic enclosure (10) according to claim 9 or 10, a maximum depth (h) of the acoustic horn being less than or equal to half a wavelength corresponding to a maximum frequency reproduced by the second loudspeaker (25b).

12. Acoustic enclosure (10) according to any one of claims 9 to 11, the first loudspeaker being recessed deeper into the enclosure than the second loudspeaker.

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