Loudspeaker Rigging Linkage Self-Alignment Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing loudspeaker rigging systems face difficulties in easily assembling and adjusting splay angles, which are critical for achieving desired acoustic performance, due to limited and difficult pinning alignment and limited incremental adjustments.
Innovation Solution
A side frame structure with pivot and splay adjustment links featuring guide channels and stow channels for self-alignment and multiple pin hole options, allowing for easy assembly and precise splay angle adjustments in loudspeaker stacks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a cam plate is used to adjust splay angle by pivoting and engaging with the underneath side frame, then splay angle adjustment capability is achieved, but the assembly process becomes difficult and time-consuming due to limited pinning locations and difficult hole alignment
Solution Approach 1:
The guide channel is designed with a shape that corresponds to the base end of the link, enabling self-alignment of pin holes when the link is dropped into the channel. This self-aligning mechanism eliminates the need for difficult manual hole alignment and reduces assembly time while maintaining splay angle adjustment capability
Solution Approach 2:
The guide channel pre-establishes the correct alignment position for the pin holes before the actual pinning operation. By designing the channel geometry to match the link base end, the system prepares the alignment in advance, making the assembly process straightforward and reducing misses in hole alignment
2Adaptability or versatility
If the number of pinning locations is limited in the rigging system, then the structure remains simple, but the range and precision of splay angle adjustments are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding more pin holes in the same plane, the invention uses the vertical dimension of the guide channel to provide multiple pinning locations. The channel extends vertically with pin holes at different heights, allowing splay angle adjustment through vertical positioning rather than requiring multiple lateral pinning points, thus maintaining structural simplicity while increasing adjustment precision
Data Source
AI summary
A side frame for a loudspeaker rigging system has a frame structure mountable to the side of a loudspeaker, and links associated with the frame structure for linking together the corners of the frame structures of vertically adjacent side frames. The links associated with each side frame structure include a pivot link and splay adjustment link, each of which has a top extended end and a base end with a seating edge. Guide channels, which are located in the top corner regions of the frame structure to receive the base ends of a pivot link and splay adjustment link associated with a vertically adjacent side frame, have seating surfaces that conform to the seating edges at the base ends of the pivot and splay adjustment link. When base ends of these links seat in the guide channels, pin holes in the base end of the links self-align with pin holes in the corners of the frame structure for easy insertion locking pins. The extended end of the splay adjustment link further includes at least two, and preferably an array of pin holes which can selectively be matched with one pin hole within a row of pin holes in a bottom corner region of the side frame to permit adjustments of the splay angle over a range of angles. Suitably, two rows of pin holes are provided in the top extended end of the splay adjustment link to permit multiple and incrementally small splay angle adjustments. In the preferred embodiment, the frame structure is comprised of an assembly of parts comprised of a center core structure sandwiched between two side plates.