Automobile Speaker Cover

This invention relates to audio speakers, and more particularly, to an automobile speaker cover for the rear basket hub of an automobile speaker which covers the hub and illuminates when the automobile speaker is operating.

Accessories for automobiles are extensive. Some accessories involve connecting light sources to automobiles. For instance, some automobile owners have attached neon light devices to the bottom of their automobiles which create a glow underneath the car during driving. The general use of lights for automobile speakers is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,143, which discloses a relatively complex rotating light circuit and speaker cover for attachment over the front cone of the speaker inside the interior of an automobile.

United Kingdom patent application GB 2155 797 discloses a loudspeaker with light emitting bulbs which are arranged around the circumference of the speaker and which are driven by the audio signal utilizing transistors. The lighting portion is integral with the loudspeaker and designed as a single unit.

Both U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,143 and United Kingdom Patent Application No. GB 2155 797 are intended to surround the front portion of the speaker cone. Additionally, both of these prior devices are fragile and would not withstand the air pressure created by larger speakers including woofers which range in diameter from six to eighteen inches.

With the advent of intricate and large automotive speaker assemblies, many audiophiles invert the speakers to display the large baskets and hubs associated with the speakers. Also, during automotive audio shows, the trunk of the automobile is raised to display the large baskets. Furthermore, at recreational areas, it is common to raise the trunk of an automobile so the music from the rear speakers may be heard. The prior art lighting devices for speakers are not suitable for illuminating and/or protecting the basket hub of an automotive speaker.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cover for the rear basket hub which may be illuminated when the speaker is operating;

Also, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cover which is easily attached to the rear basket hub of an automobile speaker which will illuminate when the speaker is operating;

Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a decorative and protective cover for the rear basket hub which protects the rear basket hub from scaring and which will illuminate when the speaker is operating.

The above objectives are accomplished according to the present invention by providing a speaker device for attachment to a rear hub of the speaker basket of an automobile speaker. The rear hub includes a housing having a magnet carried about the hub housing. Lead and ground wires are operatively connected to the speaker for operating the speaker.

The device includes a cover member for being placed over the outer periphery of the rear hub at least along a general length of the rear hub. A peripheral attachment is included in the cover member and terminates at an outer edge for defining an open cap end which is designed to receive an outer periphery of the rear hub. An engaging element is carried by the peripheral attachment which is designed for engaging the rear hub for retaining the cover member with the rear hub. A light source is carried by the cover member for illuminating when the speaker is operating. Electrical leads electrically connect the light source with the lead and ground wires of the speaker enabling the light source to illuminate when the automobile speaker is operating.

The cover member and peripheral attachment frame support are constructed and arranged to attach to the hub for supporting the light source with respect to the hub so that the light source projects an illumination generally near the hub when the speaker is operating.

The construction designed to carry out the invention will hereinafter be described, together with other features thereof.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pair of speaker covers attached to a pair of rear automobile speakers according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a speaker cover aligned for attachment to the rear hub of an automobile speaker according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a cut away view of the speaker cover exposing the LED and printed circuit board and serrated ridges according to the invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a speaker cover attached over the rear hub of an automobile speaker according to the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the speaker cover taken generally through line 4--4 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a second embodiment of the invention whereby a speaker cover abuts the rear hub of the automobile speaker according to the invention.

Referring now in more detail to the drawings, the invention will now be described in more detail. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4,5, and 6 speaker cover A is attached to automobile speaker B. Automobile speaker B is a standard automobile speaker or woofer which includes basket 10, speaker cone 12 which is housed within basket 10 and rear hub 14. Rear hub 14 is comprised of a first hub member 15 and second hub member 17 forming a housing. A voice coil (not shown) is carried within hub housing. Annular magnet 16 encircles the hub housing. Speaker B may range in diameter from six to eighteen inches having magnets of various sizes. For instance, a speaker having a twelve inch diameter may have a magnet five inches in diameter. Quality speakers permit air to flow into the speaker cone. Accordingly rear hub 14 includes an air passage (not shown) which communicates with ventricle 18 providing air flow to be breathed and exhaled into speaker cone 12 enabling the speaker cone to vibrate resonating sound. Positive and negative terminals 20 and 22, are also attached to speaker B for connecting with a lead and ground wire 24, 26 from a power source (not shown). Speaker cover A is designed to attach over rear hub 14 and preferably magnet 16.

Generally, rear hub 14 and magnet 16 are circular. Accordingly, in the preferred embodiment, speaker cover A is circular and references will be made to an annular structure. Of course different size covers may be manufactured to fit hubs of other configurations.

Speaker cover A includes cover member 30 which in the preferred embodiment is a hollow cap having an interior for being placed over the outer periphery of rear hub 14 at least along a general length of rear hub 14. Peripheral attachment 32 which is included in cover member 30 extends outward from the rear of cover member 30 and terminates at an outer edge 34 which defines an open cap end for receiving an outer periphery of outer hub 14. In the preferred embodiment, when cover member 30 is a cap, peripheral attachment 32 is an annular sidewall. In the preferred embodiment, cover plate 36 defines base of the hollow cap and peripheral attachment 32 is a peripheral side wall which is integral with and extends from cover plate 36. The peripheral side wall terminates at outer edge 34 for defining open cap end 40 for receiving the outer periphery of rear hub 14 into the interior of cap 30. Engaging element 42 is carried by peripheral attachment 32 for engaging rear hub 14 retaining cover member 30 over rear hub 14. Speaker cover A includes light source 44 for illuminating when speaker B is operating. Electrical lead 46 and ground 47 extends from light source 44 and electrically connects light source 44 with lead and ground wire 24,26 for illuminating light source 44 when speaker B is operating. In the preferred embodiment, light source 44 is comprised of light emitting diodes attached to a printed circuit board 48 from which electrical lead 46 and ground 47 are electrically connected.

As shown in FIG. 3, annular sidewall includes annular chamber wall 49 which defines annular chamber 50 of a given diameter. Annular chamber 50 is adjacent cover plate 36. Annular sidewall further defines annular skirt 52 which is of a diameter larger than annular chamber 46. Annular flange 54 defined by annular sidewall extends outward from annular chamber wall 49 to adjoin chamber wall 49 with annular skirt 52.

As shown in FIG. 3, light source 44 which is preferably a light emitting diode is carried by cover member 30. In the preferred embodiment, light source 44 is carried within annular chamber 50 to prevent accidental breakage from objects located in the trunk. Light source 44 utilizes lead wire 46 and ground wire 47 for electrical connection with lead and ground wires 24, 26 of automobile speaker B. When current is supplied to speaker B for powering speaker B, the same current is supplied to light source 44 so that light source 44 is illuminated when speaker B is operating. Peripheral sidewall defines wire channel 53 for passing lead wire 46 and ground wire 47 through cover member 30 for connecting with speaker lead wire 24 and ground wire 26.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, light source 44 is carried by printed circuit board 48 within annular chamber 50. Annular skirt 52 is of a size to correspond with the size of rear hub 14 and magnet 16. As shown in FIG. 6, annular flange 54 defines an abutting surface which prevents rearward movement of rear hub thereby protecting printed circuit board 48 and light source 44 from inadvertent contact with rear hub 14 resulting in possible damage.

As shown in FIG. 5, in a separate embodiment, outer edge 34 of peripheral attachment 32 may define a speaker abutment surface for abutting the speaker thereby limiting outward movement of the rear hub within cover member 30 preventing the rear hub from making contact with light source 44 and printed circuit board 48. Accordingly, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, there may be various designs for preventing the movement of the rear hub into annular chamber 50 for protecting the light source and printed circuit board.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5 view port 60 is defined by cover member 30 enabling the outward illumination of light source 44 to be viewed by a person when speaker B is operating. Film sheet 62 may be dispersed across view port 60 for presenting illumination of different colors.

In the preferred embodiment, ventricle opening 64 is defined within cover member 30 permitting air flow to pass into ventricle 18 of the automobile speaker. The passing of air is required in order to enable the automobile speaker to function optimally.

In the preferred embodiment, cover member 30 is made of unitary construction molded from plastic. The exterior of annular skirt 52 includes a gripping surface for easy grasping of cover member 30 for positioning on hub 14 and over magnet 16. In the preferred embodiment, the gripping surface includes a lip 38 extending from the surface of skirt 52. Engaging element 42 is carried by peripheral sidewall for engaging rear hub 14. In the preferred embodiment, engaging element 42 includes resilient projecting ribs extending from the interior of annular skirt 52 towards the interior of cover member 30 for engaging magnet 16. The resilient projecting ribs are inclined downward in a serrated manner from the interior of annular skirt 52 towards cover plate 36. In operation, the resilient projecting ribs deform backwardly as skirt 52 is passed over magnet 16 and resume their original angled position after passing magnet 16 until a respective of the ribs contacts magnet 16 thereby retaining cover member 30 over magnet 16.

Thus, it can be seen that an advantageous construction can be had for an automobile speaker cover according to the invention where it can be readily attached to rear hub of an automobile speaker and illuminated when the automobile speaker is operating. The speaker cover is easily attached by positioning the cap over the outer periphery of the rear hub and applying force on the cap so that the engaging element may deform over the magnet and subsequently return to their original position for maintaining the speaker cover onto the rear hub. Furthermore, by providing an abutment surface accidental positioning of the cap whereby the rear hub engages the light source for damaging the light source is prevented. Such combination of a speaker cover with the rear automobile provides a novel approach for displaying a standard automobile speaker.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.