Seamless Speaker Enclosure with Resilient Damping Layer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional speaker enclosures are heavy and difficult to transport due to their weight and bulk, and they often suffer from vibrations at seams and joints, which affect sound quality by causing distortion and unwanted frequency magnification, while existing solutions either improve weight and sound performance at the cost of high manufacturing complexity or fail to address vibration issues effectively.

Innovation Solution

A speaker enclosure design featuring a seamless construction with a resilient material laminated on the interior layer, a honeycomb or corrugated middle layer, and metal or carbon fiber outer layers, with slit joints and grooves for folding, which reduces vibrations and manufacturing costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If conventional wood material speaker enclosures are used, then sound performance is achieved, but weight and bulk increase making transportation difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveweightVSAvoidtransportation ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a composite panel structure consisting of an outer skin layer, middle sound absorbing layer, and inner layer bonded together. This composite construction achieves both lightweight properties and structural strength, resolving the contradiction between weight reduction and operational ease.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The outer skin is formed from flexible materials that can be molded into seamless enclosures. This allows the creation of lightweight yet durable speaker enclosures that are easy to transport while maintaining structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Ease of manufacture

If seams and joints are used in speaker enclosure construction, then manufacturing is simplified, but vibrations are induced at joints reducing sound performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing easeVSAvoidsound quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple layers (outer skin, middle sound absorbing layer, inner layer) into a single integrated panel structure that is substantially seamless. This eliminates joints and seams that would otherwise cause vibrations and degrade sound quality, while the layered composite structure remains manufacturable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The bonded layered composite structure provides both ease of manufacture through modular layering and high reliability by eliminating seams. Each layer serves a specific function while collectively forming a seamless vibration-free enclosure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Reliability

If seamless rigid outer skin with multiple layers is used, then vibrations are reduced and sound quality improves, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesound qualityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the enclosure into distinct functional layers (outer skin, middle sound absorbing layer, inner layer) that can be manufactured separately and then bonded together. This segmentation simplifies the manufacturing process while maintaining the seamless vibration-free structure required for high sound quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The middle sound absorbing layer uses porous or honeycomb materials that provide vibration damping and sound absorption. These materials are relatively easy to manufacture and bond to other layers, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while improving sound quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

4Reliability

If internal standing sound waves are prevented using panels, then sound distortion is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesound accuracyVSAvoidpanel construction complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the functions of multiple panels into a single integrated seamless enclosure structure. This prevents internal standing sound waves and reduces sound distortion while eliminating the complexity of assembling multiple separate panels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 design results in a durable, lightweight enclosure that minimizes sound distortion and enhances sound quality by reducing high-frequency pain and emphasizing mid-frequencies, while being easier and less expensive to manufacture.

Implementation Method 1

a resilient material is laminated on the first layer which faces the interior volume of the enclosure

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVibration absorption: Damping

Implementation Method 2

resilient material is laminated on the first layer which faces the interior volume of the enclosure

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectViscoelastic damping: Viscoelasticity

Implementation Method 3

a honeycomb or corrugated middle layer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAcoustic absorption: Acoustic Absorption

Implementation Method 4

the plurality of side walls are formed from a single panel for folding to form the main body of the enclosure

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSound wave scattering: Scattering

Implementation Method 5

A speaker enclosure design featuring a seamless construction with a resilient material laminated on the interior layer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVibration isolation: Damping

Data Source

PatentEP2839677B1Improved speaker enclosure
Publication Date: 2016.09.14 ELECTRO ACOUSTICS RES 1999
  • EP2839677B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2839677B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2c
  • EP2839677B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3d

AI summary

A loud speaker enclosure and a method of forming the loudspeaker enclosure comprising the following steps: combining a first layer of a sheet material, a middle layer of a cored configuration and a second layer of the sheet material by using adhesive to form a panel; laminating a sheet of resilient material on the panel; forming a plurality of grooves extending partially through the depth of the panel, each of the grooves extending transverse to the panel such that the panel can be folded at the groove to form an enclosed main body; bending the panel at the location of the grooves to form the enclosed main body; capping the enclosed main body with a top wall and a bottom wall with separate panels wherein the main body, the top wall and the bottom wall defines the interior volume of the enclosure.