Slide Control System

The present invention comprises a slide control system suitable for use on a graphic equaliser, for example.

The purpose of a graphic equaliser in a high fidelity sound system is to enable adjustment of the frequency response of the sound system to match that of the room or auditorium in which the sound system is used. Typically the front face of a graphic equaliser comprises a series of adjacent slide controls, each of which controls the system gain at a particular frequency. The gain at that frequency is increased or decreased by sliding the particular control for that frequency up or down. Each slide control is moved individually to adjust the response at each individual frequency.

Similar adjacent slide controls are used for adjusting related characteristics in other systems including non-audio systems for example.

The present invention provides an improved or at least alternative slide control system.

In broad terms the invention comprises a slide control system comprising at least one slide control set comprising at least two manually operable slide controls each controlling related characteristics, bridge means mounted in one of the slide controls and extending across to releasably engage the adjacent slide control(s) so that all the slide controls of the set normally are coupled for movement together in a single operation, but temporary release of the bridge means from the adjacent slide control(s) enables separate movement of each of the slide controls of the set relative to one another,

Preferably the slide controls are adjacent slide controls of a graphic equaliser and the characteristic controlled by each slide control is the gain at a different frequency of the graphic equaliser.

Preferably the slide control system comprises multiple slide control sets, and each slide control set comprises three slide controls coupled together, and the bridge means is mounted in the middle slide control.

Preferably the bridge means coupling the adjacent slide controls of the set also comprises an integral knob or gripping portion for movement of the slide control set.

A preferred form slide control system of the invention applied to a graphic equaliser, is shown in the accompanying drawings, by way of example and without intending to be limiting. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows the front face of a graphic equaliser, the frequency adjustment slide controls of which are coupled together in sets according to the invention,

FIG. 2 shows one individual set of three slide controls of the graphic equaliser of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 shows the slide controls set of FIG. 2 with some of the individual slide controls of the set repositioned relative to one another.

Referring to the drawings, the front face of the graphic equaliser is indicated at 1. On the front face 1 are conveniently provided a series of adjacent slide controls each of which adjusts the gain at a particular frequency

In the preferred form shown in the drawings each three adjacent slide controls arm coupled together by way of a bridge piece 3a incorporating an integral knob 3b, to form a set of coupled slide controls.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show an individual set of three coupled slide controls. The centre slide control is indicated at 2 and the slide controls on either side are indicated 2a and 2b. The bridge piece 3a/knob 3b component is mounted to the centre slide control 2 and is mounted so that it can be lifted slightly in the direction of arrow A in FIGS. 2 and 3, but is spring loaded in the direction of arrow B so that the arms 3aa and 3ab of the bridge will normally engage the grooves or notches 4 of the slide controls 2a and 2b as shown so that all three slide controls of the set are coupled together.

The arrangement is such that pushing the knob 3b moves all tree slide controls 2a, 2 and 2b simultaneously, so that each does not need to be moved separately i.e. the three can normally be adjusted together. In the case of a graphic equaliser providing for adjustment at 30 specific points across an audio frequency band for example, 10 sets each of three slide controls ganged together as shown would be provided. Each of the slide controls in any set can be adjusted independently of the other by lifting the bridge part 3b via the knob 3a, so that the bridge part 3a is lifted from engagement with the grooves 4 on the slide controls 2a and 2b on either side, which then enables all of the slide controls of the set to be adjusted relative to one another. The knob 3b is then released so that the bridge part 3a will re-engage the appropriate notches in the top of the slide controls 2a and 2b.

Each notch 4 or similar may provide for .+-.2.5 dB gain adjustment for example. For example, three adjacent slide controls may control the gain at 10250 Hz, 11000 Hz, and 11750 Hz. If the same gain is desired at all of these three frequencies, then the slide controls 2a, 2 and 2b would all be similarly positioned relative to one another as shown in FIG. 2. The gain across this three frequency band could be increased or decreased by moving all three slide controls together via the knob 3b. Alternatively, if it is desired to, for example, increase the gain at 11750 Hz and decrease the gain at 10250 H, then the knob 3b/bridge part 3a is lifted and the slide control 2b shifted up one notch relative to the centre slide control 2 and the slide control 2a shifted down one notch relative to the centre slide control 2. The knob 3b/bridge part 3a is then released so that the bridge part 3b engages the appropriate notches 4 on the slide controls 2a and 2b. Once this relative adjustment has been made, again the overall gain across the three frequency bands can then be adjusted relative to other three frequency bands controlled by similar three slide sets by pushing the knob 3a to move all three slide controls together.

The number of notches 4 provided on each of the slide controls 2a and 2b will be dependant upon the amount of gain variation possible with any graphic equaliser, and the gain to be represented by each notch. Typically five notches 4 on each slide control may be provided. Also, instead of the bridge parts 3b engaging in the notches 4 on the adjacent slide controls, alternatively the bridge part could comprise short pins which enter into small holes on the top of each slide control 2a and 2b for example. It is also not essential that the knob 3a or equivalent be provided on the centre slide control.

In the preferred form shown in the drawings, each set comprises three slide controls coupled together but it is possible that each set could comprise two slide controls, or alternatively four or five or more slide controls coupled together as described as defined in the following claims.

The preferred form of the invention shown in the drawings is shown applied to the slide controls of an audio graphic equaliser, but the slide control system of the invention can be applied to other systems or units where related characteristics are adjusted together.

The foregoing describes the invention including a preferred form thereof. Alterations and modifications as will be obvious to those skilled in the art are intended to be incorporated within the scope hereof.