Loudspeaker Array Lever Mechanism for Remote Angle Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing loudspeaker systems for stadiums and concert halls face challenges in adjusting the angle of loudspeaker cabinets after installation due to weight and accessibility issues, leading to suboptimal sound dispersion and safety concerns, with prior systems requiring manual adjustments and overloading actuators, making them inefficient and economically unviable.
Innovation Solution
A loudspeaker system with a connection mechanism featuring levers and actuators that allow remote adjustment of speaker cabinet angles, with the pivot point located along the rear half of the sidewall to reduce the load on actuators and enable safe and economical operation, combined with a control system for automated 3D sound dispersion optimization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If actuators are placed at the rear of speaker cabinets to enable remote adjustment, then adjustability after hanging is improved, but the load on actuators increases excessively due to weight distribution
Solution Approach 1:
A lever mechanism is introduced as an intermediary between the actuator and the speaker cabinet connection. The lever pivots about a point on the rear sidewall and extends forward to connect to the adjacent cabinet, allowing the actuator to apply small forces at the pivot point while the lever mechanically amplifies this to produce the necessary adjustment force at the cabinet connection point.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection mechanism is segmented into distinct functional components: the pivot point on the rear sidewall, the lever arm extending forward, and the connection interface with the adjacent cabinet. This segmentation allows the actuator to operate independently with reduced load while the lever transmits and transforms the force to the cabinet connection.
2Ease of manufacture
If manual adjustment of speaker angles is performed before hanging, then initial positioning is achieved, but time and labor requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static pre-adjustment to dynamic post-installation adjustment. The actuator-controlled lever mechanism enables the speaker cabinet angles to be adjusted dynamically after the system is hung, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual adjustments during the installation phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-adjustment capability through automated actuation. The actuator can be controlled remotely or automatically to adjust speaker angles without requiring manual intervention, reducing both time and labor requirements for system setup and optimization.
3Reliability
If speaker cabinets are positioned in curved or J-shaped arrays to focus sound, then sound dispersion quality is improved, but the center of gravity shifts rearward increasing rear rigging load
Solution Approach 1:
The lever mechanism serves as a mechanical intermediary that decouples the adjustment function from the support structure. By positioning the pivot point on the rear sidewall and extending the lever forward, the system enables angle adjustment without requiring the actuator to directly support the cabinet weight, thus reducing the load on rear rigging connections while maintaining sound dispersion quality.
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
Enables remote and automated adjustment of sound dispersion fields, reducing the load on actuators, improving safety, and enhancing the efficiency and economic viability of the system while ensuring optimal sound distribution in large venues.
Implementation Method 1
a lever having a first end and a second end; and an actuator operatively connected to the first end of the lever; the lever is configured for connection to the second speaker cabinet for changing the angle of the second speaker cabinet with respect to first speaker cabinet about a horizontal axis; the second end of the lever being pivotably connected to the enclosure at a pivot point about which the lever can be pivoted by the actuator
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a loudspeaker mounting and adjustment system and method for installing and operating a professional audio system used in a stadium, concert hall or the like. The system comprises a vertical array of loudspeaker cabinets that can be suspended from a ceiling and that enables the horizontal and vertical angle of the sound dispersion field to be adjusted remotely and/or automatically while the system is suspended. Each loudspeaker cabinet is connected to a vertically adjacent loudspeaker cabinet via a pair of levers located on either side of the cabinet that control the angle between adjacent loudspeaker cabinets. A linear actuator is connected to each lever for controlling the lever position. Each loudspeaker cabinet also comprises a waveguide with at least one actuator for modifying the waveguide angle and thus the horizontal angle of the sound dispersion field.