Foldable Corrugated Plastic Loudspeaker Enclosure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional loudspeaker enclosures are heavy due to their wooden construction, making them undesirable for lightweight alternatives.
Innovation Solution
Development of foldable self-adhesive corrugated plastic loudspeaker enclosures that can be shipped flat and assembled without tools, featuring a sheet of corrugated plastic with fold lines, a speaker opening, and additional panels that integrate to form a durable and lightweight enclosure with acoustic dampening materials and an optional audio amplifier.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional wooden construction is used for loudspeaker enclosures, then structural strength and durability are improved, but weight increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from traditional wood to corrugated plastic, fundamentally altering the density and weight characteristics while maintaining structural integrity through the corrugated geometry. This material substitution directly addresses the weight reduction goal while preserving necessary strength properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite construction by combining corrugated plastic material with acoustic dampening materials applied to internal surfaces. This composite approach allows the lightweight plastic structure to achieve the acoustic performance and structural characteristics traditionally associated with heavier wooden enclosures.
2Weight of moving object
If corrugated plastic material is used for enclosure construction, then weight is reduced and portability is improved, but structural durability and acoustic performance may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the inherent corrugated geometry of the plastic material to provide structural rigidity and durability. The corrugated structure changes the mechanical properties of the plastic, giving it increased strength-to-weight ratio and resistance to deformation, thereby maintaining reliability while achieving weight reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enhances the durability and acoustic performance of corrugated plastic by applying acoustic dampening materials to internal surfaces. This composite construction compensates for any potential weaknesses in the plastic material, ensuring structural integrity and proper acoustic performance.
3Strength
If traditional wooden enclosures are manufactured and shipped assembled, then structural integrity is maintained, but shipping costs and storage space increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the enclosure into flat-foldable panels that can be shipped in a compact, space-efficient manner. These segmented panels are designed to be assembled by the end user, reducing shipping volume and storage requirements while maintaining the structural integrity of the final assembled enclosure.
Solution Approach 2:
The enclosure panels are pre-cut and pre-formed with fold lines and attachment features during manufacturing, allowing for easy user assembly. This preliminary preparation maintains structural integrity while enabling compact shipping and storage configurations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a lightweight, durable, and cost-effective loudspeaker enclosure that reduces shipping costs and improves portability, while maintaining acoustic compatibility and resistance to environmental factors.
Implementation Method 1
an adhesive strip adapted to secure the sheet of corrugated plastic in a folded configuration
Implementation Method 2
acoustic dampening material applied to: the V-shaped groove; a portion of the sheet of corrugated plastic; and/or a channel in the sheet of corrugated plastic
Data Source
AI summary
A corrugated plastic sheet with fold lines, as centerlines of V-shaped grooves, that can be folded by hand into a plastic acoustic enclosure, with or without additional corrugated plastic panels. A speaker opening is provided in the sheet, and a speaker support fixture, ring, or panel may assist in supporting the speaker on the enclosure. Foldable flanges and foldable narrow panels with adhesive strips, preferably with release layers, enable assembly of the enclosure without tools, other than for speaker installation. An amplifier attached to a panel of the enclosure, preferably on an external surface, is presented. An enclosure that supports more than one speaker is presented. The plastic acoustic enclosure that can be shipped flat and unassembled and then assembled by a user. The enclosure is lightweight, and so ships economically and does not significantly burden automobiles in which such enclosures may be installed.