Car Seat Backrest Speaker Mounting for Low-Frequency Vibration Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrating speakers in vehicles is challenging due to issues like unwanted noise and vibrations, which affect the listening experience and require careful positioning to optimize acoustic performance and structure-borne sound.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle with a car seat that includes a low frequency speaker positioned in the backrest, attached to a flexible suspension system, and covered by upholstery, allowing the speaker to emit sound between 20 Hz and 200 Hz without protruding significantly, thus minimizing space usage and enhancing the listening experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a speaker is integrated into the vehicle seat, then structure-borne sound can be provided to enhance listening experience, but unwanted vibrations and noise are generated that adversely affect the listening experience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary damping element between the speaker and the seat frame to decouple the harmful vibrations from the speaker while maintaining the structure-borne sound transmission path. This mediator absorbs and dampens unwanted vibrations before they propagate through the seat structure, thereby resolving the contradiction between providing structure-borne sound and eliminating harmful vibrations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful vibrations generated by the speaker into beneficial structure-borne sound by carefully designing the mounting structure and damping elements. The vibrations that would normally be considered harmful are redirected and optimized to enhance the listening experience through the seat, transforming the harmful factor into a beneficial one.
2Reliability
If a speaker is positioned to provide enhanced acoustic performance and structure-borne sound, then listening experience is improved, but a certain amount of space is required which is critical in a vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the speaker integration with the existing seat structure by mounting the speaker directly to the seat frame and utilizing the seat's structural components as part of the acoustic system. This merging eliminates the need for separate speaker enclosures and mounting structures, thereby achieving enhanced acoustic performance within the limited space available in the vehicle seat.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the seat structure serve multiple functions: it provides structural support, transmits structure-borne sound, and acts as part of the acoustic system itself. By making the seat structure multi-functional, the patent achieves enhanced acoustic performance without requiring additional dedicated space for acoustic components.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a speaker is integrated into the vehicle seat, then space is saved, but the speaker may cause other elements of the vehicle to vibrate generating unwanted noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces damping elements and isolation structures as intermediaries between the speaker and the vehicle's structural elements. These intermediaries prevent the direct transmission of vibrations from the speaker to other vehicle components, thereby maintaining the integration benefits while eliminating harmful vibrations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates damping and vibration isolation elements in advance during the speaker integration process. By pre-installing these cushioning elements, the patent prevents harmful vibrations from propagating to other vehicle elements before they can cause unwanted noise or discomfort.
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 an enhanced listening experience by optimizing low frequency sound output, bandwidth, and localization while minimizing unwanted vibrations and space usage, thus addressing the challenges of integrating speakers in vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
a low frequency speaker (30) configured to emit sound at frequencies of between 20 Hz and 200 Hz
Implementation Method 2
the speaker may cause other elements of the vehicle to vibrate, thereby generating unwanted noise
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle comprises a car seat comprising a seating area and a backrest, wherein the seating area is arranged at a lower end of the backrest, and a low frequency speaker configured to emit sound at frequencies of between 20 Hz and 200 Hz, wherein the backrest comprises a rigid frame, a flexible suspension system, and upholstery, wherein the suspension system is suspended in the frame and covered by the upholstery such that, when an occupant of the vehicle is seated on the car seat, at least a portion of the upholstery is arranged between the suspension system and the occupant. The low frequency speaker is arranged in the backrest and attached to the suspension system, wherein the low frequency speaker is arranged on a backside of the suspension system that faces away from the seating area.