Protective cover for enclosures with curved surfaces

Abstract

Protective piece (14), arranged to be assembled with an acoustic enclosure (11) comprising a first lateral enclosure portion (20) and a first end enclosure portion (18), the first end enclosure portion (18) comprising a first convex external surface (33) and extending from the first lateral enclosure portion, the protective piece comprising: - a lateral protection portion and an end protection portion, the end protection portion comprising a first concave internal surface, complementary to the first convex external surface, and extending from the lateral protection portion; - a positioning device arranged to guide the protective piece into a predefined position on the acoustic enclosure. ABBREVIATED FIGURE: Fig. 3

Description

Title of the invention: Protective part for enclosure with curved surfaces

[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] With reference to [Fig. 1], such a capsule-shaped enclosure 1 is known, comprising two protective half-shells 2a, 2b, which are assembled on the front face of the acoustic box. The acoustic box comprises a plurality of loudspeakers 3, each having its diaphragm positioned at the front face of the The enclosure. The protective half-shells 2a, 2b include holes 4 located opposite the speaker membranes 3, and fulfill both a protective and an aesthetic function.

[0009] Generally speaking, on a capsule enclosure, the assembly and disassembly of the protective parts is quite complex, particularly due to their curved surfaces. Furthermore, each protective part is designed for a very specific acoustic configuration and cannot be adapted to other acoustic configurations, especially different loudspeaker arrangements. This forces the enclosure manufacturer to completely redesign the protective parts when changing the enclosure's acoustic configuration. Moreover, the user cannot easily customize their enclosures by replacing the protective parts with others of a different appearance.

[0010] OBJECT

[0011] The invention relates to a protective piece for an acoustic enclosure having curved external surfaces, which can be easily adapted to different acoustic configurations of the enclosure, and which can be easily mounted and dismounted.

[0012] SUMMARY

[0013] To achieve this goal, a protective piece is proposed, arranged to be assembled with an acoustic enclosure comprising a first lateral enclosure portion and a first extremity enclosure portion, the first extremity enclosure portion comprising a first convex external surface and extending from the first lateral enclosure portion,

[0014] the protective part comprising:

[0015] - a lateral protection portion and an extreme protection portion, the extremity protection portion comprising a first concave internal surface, complementary to the first convex external surface, and extending from the lateral protection portion;

[0016] - a positioning device arranged to guide the protective piece in a predefined position on the acoustic enclosure when assembling the protective part with the acoustic enclosure, and to maintain the protective part in this predefined position;

[0017] the protective piece being arranged so that when assembled with the acoustic box, the lateral protective portion and the extreme protective portion of the protective piece respectively cover the first lateral box portion and the first extreme box portion of the acoustic box.

[0018] The protective piece therefore includes a lateral protection portion which covers the first lateral box portion and an extreme protection portion which covers the first extreme box portion of the acoustic box.

[0019] The protective piece can therefore protect at least one loudspeaker whose diaphragm is located at the first lateral portion of the enclosure, and / or at least one loudspeaker whose diaphragm is located at the first extreme portion of the enclosure. The protective piece may include holes allowing sound to escape from the enclosure, which are positioned opposite the loudspeaker diaphragms.

[0020] The protective piece can therefore be adapted very easily to different acoustic configurations of the enclosure by adding holes in suitable places.

[0021] Thanks to the positioning device, the protective piece is guided to its "final" position during assembly. The protective piece can therefore be mounted and dismounted very easily.

[0022] A protective piece as previously described is further proposed, in which the extreme protective portion extends so that, when the protective piece is assembled with the acoustic box, the extreme protective portion also covers a part of a second lateral box portion of the acoustic box, opposite the first lateral box portion.

[0023] A protective piece as previously described is further proposed, in which the lateral protective portion extends so that, when the protective piece is assembled with the acoustic enclosure, the lateral protective portion also covers a part of a second extremity enclosure portion of the acoustic enclosure, opposite the first extremity enclosure portion.

[0024] A protective piece is further proposed as previously described, the first portion of the side box of the acoustic box comprising a second external convex surface, the lateral protective portion of the protective piece comprising a second internal concave surface complementary to the second external convex surface.

[0025] A protective piece as previously described is also proposed, the acoustic box comprising a central part of cylindrical shape and two ends of hemispherical shape, the first lateral box portion belonging to the central part and the first extremal box portion to one of the ends.

[0026] A protective piece as previously described is also proposed, the positioning device comprising at least one magnet which is positioned on an internal wall of the lateral protective portion and which is located near an edge of the lateral protective portion.

[0027] A protective piece as previously described is further proposed, comprising a first magnet positioned near an edge of a free end of the lateral protective portion, and two second magnets each positioned near a distinct lateral edge of the lateral protective portion and near the extremal protective portion.

[0028] A protective piece as previously described is also proposed, the positioning device further comprising at least one pin arranged to center the protective piece on the acoustic box during the assembly of the protective piece and the acoustic box, the at least one pin being positioned near an edge of a free end of the extremity portion of the protective piece, and being arranged to be assembled by elastic interlocking in a complementary hole formed on the acoustic box.

[0029] A protective piece as previously described is also proposed, further comprising a fastening device arranged to fix and lock the protective piece onto the housing, the fastening device comprising at least one tab extending from an edge of a free end of the extreme protective portion and intended to be fixed to a second lateral housing portion of the acoustic housing, opposite the first lateral housing portion.

[0030] A protective piece as previously described is also proposed, in which at least one of the lateral protective portions and the extreme protective portion includes holes intended to allow sounds generated by at least one loudspeaker of the acoustic box to exit outwards, having a diaphragm positioned opposite said holes.

[0031] An acoustic enclosure comprising an acoustic box and a protective piece as previously described is also proposed.

[0032] We further propose an acoustic enclosure as previously described, the acoustic box comprising at least a first loudspeaker having a diaphragm positioned at the level of the first portion of the side box.

[0033] We further propose an acoustic enclosure as previously described, the acoustic box comprising at least a second loudspeaker having a diaphragm positioned at the level of the first extremity portion of the box.

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

[0035] Reference will be made to the attached drawings, among which:

[0036] [Fig-1] [Fig.1] is a perspective view of an enclosure of the prior art;

[0037] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] is a perspective view of an enclosure including the protective piece;

[0038] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] is an exploded view of this enclosure;

[0039] [Fig.4] [Fig.4] is a perspective view and rear view of the protective piece;

[0040] [Fig. 5] [Fig. 5] is a perspective view of the rear of the acoustic enclosure assembled with the protective piece;

[0041] [Fig.6] [Fig.6] 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";

[0042] [Fig.7] [Fig.7] is a figure similar to [Fig.6], according to a mounting configuration known as "wall attachment";

[0043] [Fig.8] [Fig.8] represents a front view of the support in the "table leg" configuration, and a front view of the support in the "wall attachment" configuration;

[0044] [Fig.9] [Fig.9] represents views of the support according to a particular embodiment, before and after the folding of the curved part;

[0045] [Fig. 10] [Fig. 10] represents several views illustrating the support according to a particular embodiment, in which the curved part is butted onto the base. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] With reference to figures 2 and 3, the acoustic enclosure 10 comprises curved external surfaces and more precisely has the shape of a “capsule”.

[0047] The acoustic enclosure 10 comprises: an acoustic enclosure 11; a first hull 12; a second hull 13; a protective piece 14; a support 15.

[0048] 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.

[0049] The acoustic box 11 comprises a central part 16 and two ends 17a, 17b of hemispherical shape.

[0050] 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.

[0051] 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.

[0052] Two loudspeakers 25 are integrated here into the acoustic enclosure 11 (the loudspeaker diaphragms are visible in [Fig. 3]). 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.

[0053] The speaker 25b is a tweeter-type speaker. This type of speaker reproduces high frequencies, for example, between 2 kHz and 20 kHz. It is also referred to as a treble speaker. The diameter of the diaphragm of speaker 25a is larger than that of the diaphragm of speaker 25b.

[0054] The loudspeaker 25a is integrated into the acoustic enclosure 11 so that its diaphragm is positioned, for example, at a lower portion of the front face 20 of the acoustic enclosure 11. The loudspeaker 25b is integrated into the acoustic enclosure 11 so that its diaphragm is positioned, for example, at an upper portion of the front face 20 of the acoustic enclosure 11. The first shell 12 is intended to protect the left face 22 and the right face 23 of the enclosure 11. The first shell 12 is fixed to the enclosure by screws 27.

[0055] 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.

[0056] The protective piece 14 is intended in particular to protect the front face 20 and the upper face 18 of the casing 11.

[0057] Support 15 will be described further down in this description.

[0058] We are now more particularly interested in the protective piece 14 and how it is assembled with the casing 11.

[0059] The box 11 comprises a first portion of a lateral box 20 and a first portion of an extreme box 18. The first portion of the extreme box 18 extends from the first portion of a lateral box 20.

[0060] The first portion of the lateral box 20 is here the front face 20 of the box 11, and the first portion of the extremity box 18 is here the upper face 18 of the box 11 (hemispherical in shape, as previously noted). The first portion of the extremity box 18 therefore comprises a first convex external surface 33, due to the hemispherical shape of the upper end 17a of the box 11. The first portion of the lateral box 20, for its part, comprises a second convex external surface 34, because the front face 20 of the box 11 is curved forward.

[0061] With reference to Figures 4 and 5, the protective piece 14 comprises a lateral protective portion 40 and an end protective portion 41. The end protective portion 41 extends from the lateral protective portion 40. The end protective portion 41 includes a first concave internal surface 42, which is complementary to the first convex external surface 33 of the first end box portion 18 of the box 11. The lateral protective portion 40 of the protective piece 14 includes a second concave internal surface 43, which is complementary to the second convex external surface 34 of the first lateral box portion 20 of the box 11.

[0062] Thus, when the protective piece 14 is assembled with the acoustic enclosure 11, the lateral protective portion 40 and the extreme protective portion 41 of the protective piece 14 respectively cover the first lateral enclosure portion 20 and the first extreme enclosure portion 18 of the acoustic enclosure 11. The lateral protective portion 40 thus forms a front face of the acoustic enclosure 10 and the extreme protective portion 41 thus forms a top face of the acoustic enclosure 10.

[0063] Here, the extreme protective portion 41 of the protective piece 14 extends so that, when the protective piece 14 is assembled with the acoustic enclosure 11, the extreme protective portion 41 also covers part of a second side enclosure portion 21 of the enclosure 11, opposite the first side enclosure portion 20. The second side enclosure portion 21 is here the rear face 21 of the enclosure 11. As can be clearly seen in [Fig. 5], the extreme protective portion 41 also covers an upper part of this rear face 21.

[0064] Similarly, the lateral protection portion 40 of the protective piece 14 is extended so that, when the protective piece 14 is assembled with the acoustic enclosure 11, the lateral protection portion 40 is extended to also cover a part of a second end enclosure portion 19 opposite the first end enclosure portion 18. The end protection portion 40 also covers a part of the lower face 19 of the enclosure 11.

[0065] The edge 44 of the protective piece 14 includes, over the entire circumference of the protective piece 14, a bearing surface 45 and a chamfer 46 which connects the inner wall of the protective piece 14 and the bearing surface 45.

[0066] When the protective piece 14 is mounted on the casing 11, the bearing surface 45 rests on the first shell 12.

[0067] The edge 48 of the free end 49 of the lateral protection portion 40 of the protective part 14 has a semi-circular shape. The lateral edges 50 of the central part of the lateral protection portion 40 are straight. The lateral edges 51 of the extremity protection portion 41 have a semi-circular shape. The edge 52 of the free end 53 of the extreme protection portion 41 has a straight central part and rounded ends.

[0068] The protective piece 14 further includes a positioning device 55, which allows the protective piece 14 to be guided into a predefined position on the acoustic box 11 during the assembly of the protective piece 14 with the box 11, and to maintain the protective piece 14 in this predefined position.

[0069] The positioning device 55 includes at least one magnet 56 which is positioned on the inner wall 47 of the lateral protection portion 40 of the protective part 14, and which is located near an edge of the lateral protection portion 40.

[0070] The positioning device 55 here comprises a first magnet 56a positioned near the central part of the edge 48 of the free end 49 of the lateral protection portion 40, and two second magnets 56b, 56c each positioned near a lateral edge 50 distinct from the lateral protection portion 40 and near the extreme protection portion 4L. The two second magnets 56b, 56c are therefore located in an upper part of the inner wall 47 of the lateral protection portion 40.

[0071] The positioning device 55 comprises three cylindrical plastic pads 57, which extend from the inner wall 47 of the lateral protection portion 40. Each magnet 56a, 56b and 56c also has a cylindrical shape (washer shape) and is inserted into one of the pads 57.

[0072] In the central part of each stud 57, there is a plastic pin 58 which is intended to fix the associated magnet 56 by riveting.

[0073] By definition, the riveting of a plastic part is the equivalent of riveting and allows two parts to be joined together by deformation of the material. In the case of plastic, the deformation is achieved by applying heat or ultrasound.

[0074] The riveting method is advantageous because it does not require any additional parts for assembly, thus avoiding any risk of vibration and reducing the overall size compared to existing fastening techniques. Furthermore, riveting ensures a very robust connection.

[0075] Each magnet 56 could be fixed differently in its pad 57, for example by gluing.

[0076] The housing 11 also includes magnets, not visible in the figures. These magnets include two magnets positioned at the lateral edges of the front face 20 of the housing, and one magnet positioned at the lower face 18 of the housing 11. These magnets are integrated within the thickness of the housing 11.

[0077] When an individual (factory technician, after-sales service technician, customer, etc.) assembles the protective part 14 with the housing 11, he brings the portion lateral protection 40 of the protective piece 14, of the front face 18 of the box 11. The attraction between the magnets 56 and the magnets of the box 11 brings the protective piece 14 into a predefined position on the box 11. This position is the position visible in figures 2 and 5.

[0078] The magnets 56 make it possible both to facilitate the assembly of the protective part 14, and to ensure perfect positioning of the protective part 14 on the housing 11.

[0079] The positioning device 55 further includes at least a pin 61 extending from the inner wall 42 of the extreme protection portion 41, which is positioned near the edge 52 of the free end 53 of the extreme protection portion 41, and which is arranged to be inserted into a complementary hole formed on the acoustic box 11.

[0080] Here, the positioning device 55 includes two centering pins 61a, 61b positioned at the rounded ends of the edge 52 of the free end 53 of the extreme protection portion 4L. The additional holes, not visible in the figures, are formed on the upper face of the acoustic box 11.

[0081] Each pin 61 comprises a base 63, a central portion 64, and a ball-shaped end 65. The central portion 64 is thinner than the base 63 and the end 65, thus forming a groove. The groove and the end 65 allow the pin 61 to be assembled into the corresponding complementary hole in the housing 11 by means of an elastic fit.

[0082] The centering pins 61 allow the extreme protective portion 41 of the protective piece 14 to be centered on the upper face 18 of the housing 11, and therefore the protective piece 14 on the housing 11. The magnets 56 and the pins 61 thus allow the protective piece 14 to be perfectly positioned and centered, even if it is manufactured with relatively large manufacturing tolerances.

[0083] The centering pins 61 also allow the protective piece 14 to be held in position on the housing 11, but without locking it.

[0084] The centering pins 61 also prevent the protective piece 14 from vibrating when the loudspeakers 25 are operating, and thus prevent the generation of parasitic noise related to this vibration phenomenon.

[0085] The protective piece 14 further includes here a fixing device 70 arranged to fix the protective piece 14 onto the casing 11.

[0086] The fastening device 70 includes at least one fastening tab 71 which extends from the edge 52 of the free end 53 of the extreme protective portion 41, and which is intended to be fixed to the second side box portion 21 of the box 11 - that is to say to its rear face 21.

[0087] Here, the fixing device 70 comprises two tabs 71a, 71b which extend longitudinally from the central part of the edge 52 and in the mounting direction of the protective piece 14 on the acoustic box 11.

[0088] Each tab 71 has at its free end a hole 72 adapted to cooperate with a screw 73. The screws 73 therefore pass through the holes 72 and are screwed into the rear face 21 of the acoustic box 11, which makes it possible to fix and lock the protective piece 14 to the acoustic box 11. The screws 73 form two points of securing the protective piece 14 to the acoustic box 11.

[0089] The fixing tabs 71 and the rest of the fixing piece 14 form a single part obtained by molding using a single mold.

[0090] It should be noted, however, that the fixing tabs 71 are not necessary.

[0091] If the retaining tabs 71 are not present, the magnets 56 and centering pins 61 allow the protective piece 14 to be held and secured to the housing 11, but without locking it in place. The protective piece 14 can then be very easily positioned and secured to the housing 11, and also removed from the housing 11, without requiring any tools. Thus, the protective piece 14 can be easily assembled at the factory or during maintenance (for example, in after-sales service). The protective piece 14 can also be very easily replaced by the user (customization).

[0092] If the fixing tabs 71 are present, the protective piece 14 is locked onto the housing 11 and the user cannot easily replace it himself.

[0093] It is noted that the positioning device 55 and the fixing device 70 are particularly advantageous because, unlike other means of assembly, these allow the protective piece 14 to be positioned and fixed on the box 11 without impacting the usable volume of the box.

[0094] For example, assembly using a "sliding" solution could have been considered. During assembly, the protective piece is positioned, for example, above the enclosure, then slides down the enclosure in the slide until it covers the top, part of the back, the front, and part of the bottom of the enclosure. This solution is less advantageous because to allow vertical assembly by sliding the protective piece vertically onto the enclosure, it would have been necessary to "cut" a whole section of the front of the enclosure to allow the lower end of the protective piece to pass through.

[0095] The lateral protection portion 40 of the protective piece 14 here includes holes 75 which pass through said lateral protection portion 40 and which are intended to allow sounds generated by the loudspeakers 25 of the acoustic enclosure 11, each of which has its diaphragm positioned at the front, to exit the enclosure 10 before 20 of the box 11 and therefore opposite said holes 75. The holes 75 are for example arranged according to a honeycomb network, which makes it possible to maximize the number of holes 75 while stiffening the lateral protection portion 40 at the level of the holes 75.

[0096] Optionally, a fabric may cover the protective piece 14 entirely or partially, which then also serves as a support for said fabric. Preferably, the fabric covers the holes 75, thereby preventing foreign bodies from entering the enclosure 10.

[0097] The protective part 14 is very advantageous.

[0098] In the embodiment described here, the enclosure 11 includes at least one first loudspeaker 25 (two in this case) having a diaphragm positioned at the level of the first lateral enclosure portion 20. The lateral protection portion 40 therefore has holes 75 to allow sound to pass through, while the extreme protection portion 41 does not have any.

[0099] The acoustic enclosure 11 could, however, also include, for example, at least one second loudspeaker with its diaphragm positioned at the level of the first extreme portion of the enclosure (upper face 18 - up-firing configuration). In this case, the extreme protective portion of the protective piece may also have holes. Holes could also be formed across the entire protective piece.

[0100] The enclosure can of course include both one or more first speakers, and one or more second speakers.

[0101] It is therefore sufficient to add holes in the protective piece 14 to adapt it to different acoustic configurations of the enclosure.

[0102] The protective part 14 can therefore be adapted very easily to different configurations or types of enclosures, and for example to enclosures designed to reproduce:

[0103] - an audio channel on two audio channels (for example, a tweeter speaker and a Woofer speaker) in the case where the speaker has two front speakers, as is the case in the embodiment described here;

[0104] - two audio channels with one voice per channel (for example in S configuration) around and up (firing); or

[0105] - an up channel (up-firing configuration).

[0106] We are now more specifically interested in the support 15 of the enclosure 10.

[0107] 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).

[0108] 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).

[0109] 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:

[0110] - the so-called "table stand" function for positioning the speaker on a horizontal surface;

[0111] - the so-called "wall mount" function for positioning the speaker on a vertical surface.

[0112] The support must also have a shape adapted to the capsule enclosure and its curved external surfaces.

[0113] 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.

[0114] With reference to Figures 6 and 7, the support 15 of the enclosure 10 comprises:

[0115] - a base 100;

[0116] - a curved part 101.

[0117] 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).

[0118] 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.

[0119] 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.

[0120] Figure 6 illustrates the first mounting configuration of the support on the enclosure. This configuration is referred to as the "table stand".

[0121] 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.

[0122] Fig. 7 illustrates the second mounting configuration of the bracket 15 on the enclosure 10. This configuration is called "wall attachment".

[0123] 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.

[0124] Figure 8 shows front views of the support 15 in the "table leg" configuration (left drawing) and in the "wall bracket" configuration (right drawing).

[0125] Preferably, the base 100 and the curved part 101 of the support 15 are formed in a monobloc fashion (i.e. in one piece, for example in aluminium).

[0126] 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.

[0127] 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.

[0128] 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.

[0129] 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.

[0130] 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.

[0131] 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.

[0132] The flat surface 107 of the second end 106 of the curved portion 101 further includes a lug 111, visible in [Fig. 6] and [Fig. 8]. 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 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 part 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.

[0133] 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.

[0134] 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.

[0135] 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.

[0136] 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).

[0137] 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.

[0138] In a third embodiment, shown in [Fig. 9], the support 115 can be made from a folded piece of metal sheet (for example, aluminum). Advantageously, the support 115 is formed from a single piece.

[0139] The left-hand drawing of [Fig. 9] 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.

[0140] In a fourth embodiment, shown in [Fig. 10], the support 215 can be split into two separate parts. The support 215 then comprises, for example, a plastic base 216 (the base) 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.

[0141] The riveting is particularly advantageous for fixing the curved part 217 on the base 216 for the same reasons as indicated previously (i.e. no additional parts, no risk of vibration, reduced bulk, very robust connection).

[0142] Plastic pegs 222 extend vertically from the bottom 220 of the first face 221 of the base 216. The base 216 also includes a slot 223.

[0143] 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.

[0144] 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.

[0145] Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described but encompasses any variant falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

[0146] The enclosure comprising the protective piece does not necessarily have the shape of a capsule and, consequently, the curved surfaces of the protective piece may be different from those described here.

[0147] The outermost portion of the enclosure, covered by the protective piece, is not necessarily a top face of the enclosure. The outermost portion of the enclosure may be a left or right face of the enclosure. Similarly, the lateral portion of the enclosure, covered by the protective piece, could be a different face of the enclosure, for example, a rear face.

[0148] The positioning device and the fastening device could be different from those described here. In particular, the number and position of the magnets, pins, and tabs could be different. The tabs could, for example, be replaced by elastic interlocking elements, the pins could have a different shape, as could the magnets, etc.

Claims

Demands

1. Protective piece (14), arranged to be assembled with an acoustic enclosure (11) comprising a first side enclosure portion (20) and a first end enclosure portion (18), the first end enclosure portion (18) comprising a first convex external surface (33) and extending from the first side enclosure portion, the protective piece comprising: - a side protection portion (40) and an end protection portion (41), the end protection portion comprising a first concave internal surface (42), complementary to the first convex external surface, and extending from the side protection portion; - a positioning device (55) arranged to guide the protective piece into a predefined position on the acoustic enclosure during assembly of the protective piece with the acoustic enclosure, and to maintain the protective piece in this predefined position;the protective piece (14) being arranged so that when assembled with the acoustic enclosure, the lateral protective portion (40) and the extreme protective portion (41) of the protective piece respectively cover the first lateral enclosure portion (20) and the first extreme enclosure portion (18) of the acoustic enclosure.;

2. Protective piece according to claim 1, wherein the extreme protective portion (41) extends so that, when the protective piece (14) is assembled with the acoustic box (11), the extreme protective portion also covers a part of a second side box portion (21) of the acoustic box (11), opposite the first side box portion.

3. Protective piece according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lateral protective portion (40) extends so that, when the protective piece (14) is assembled with the acoustic box (11), the lateral protective portion (40) also covers a part of a second end box portion (19) of the acoustic box (11), opposite the first end box portion.

4. Protective piece according to any one of the preceding claims, the first portion of the side box (20) of the acoustic box (11) comprising a second external convex surface (34), the lateral protective portion (40) of the protective piece comprising a second internal concave surface (43) complementary to the second external convex surface.

5. Protective piece according to any one of the preceding claims, the acoustic box (11) comprising a central part (16) of cylindrical shape and two ends (17a, 17b) of hemispherical shape, the first lateral box portion (20) belonging to the central part and the first extremal box portion (18) to one of the ends.

6. Protective piece according to any one of the preceding claims, the positioning device (55) comprising at least one magnet (56) which is positioned on an internal wall (47) of the lateral protective portion (40) and which is located near an edge of the lateral protective portion (40).

7. Protective piece according to claim 6, comprising a first magnet (56a) positioned near an edge (48) of a free end (49) of the lateral protective portion, and two second magnets (56b, 56c) each positioned near a distinct lateral edge (50) of the lateral protective portion (40) and near the extremal protective portion (41).

8. Protective piece according to any one of the preceding claims, the positioning device (55) further comprising at least one pin (61) arranged to center the protective piece on the acoustic box during assembly of the protective piece and the acoustic box, the at least one pin being positioned near an edge (52) of a free end (53) of the extremity protective portion (41), and being arranged to be assembled by elastic interlocking in a complementary hole formed on the acoustic box.

9. A protective piece according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a fastening device (70) arranged to fix and lock the protective piece onto the housing, the fastening device comprising at least one tab (71) extending from an edge (52) of a free end (53) of the extremity protective portion (41) and intended to be fixed to a second portion of the side box (21) of the acoustic box (11), opposite the first portion of the side box.

10. Protective piece according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the lateral protective portions (40) and extremal protective portion (41) comprises holes (75) intended to vent outwards sounds generated by at least one loudspeaker (25) of the acoustic enclosure having a diaphragm positioned opposite said holes.

11. Acoustic enclosure (10) comprising an acoustic box (11) and a protective piece (14) according to any one of the preceding claims.

12. Acoustic enclosure according to claim 11, the acoustic enclosure comprising at least one first loudspeaker (25a, 25b) having a diaphragm positioned at the level of the first portion of the side enclosure (20).

13. Acoustic enclosure according to claim 11 or 12, the acoustic enclosure comprising at least a second loudspeaker having a diaphragm positioned at the level of the first extremal portion of the enclosure (18).

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