RELATED APPLICATION INFORMATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial
No. 61/780,521 , filed on March 13, 201 3, hereby incorporated by reference as if set
forth fully herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
[0002] The field of the present invention relates to sound reproduction and, more
specifically, to speaker configurations and enclosures.
Background of the Related Art
[0003] Many sound reproduction systems include a subwoofer loudspeaker for
reproducing very low frequency audio signals. Subwoofers may find use in a variety of
settings including home audio systems, automobile sound systems, cinema audio
systems, home theater systems, and live performance sound systems, among others.
[0004] Despite their popularity, conventional subwoofers suffer from a number of
potential drawbacks or disadvantages. For example, subwoofer speakers can take
up an inordinate amount of space. The size and shape of subwoofer speaker
cabinets can be difficult to place in listening areas of limited size or with structural
limitations, such as in automobiles and in many home environments. A common
subwoofer cabinet is generally cubic in shape, and can be difficult to place in speaker
cabinets or within the confines of an automobile, or in other limited spaces.
[0005] It is commonly understood that for optimal sound reproduction of very low
frequencies, a subwoofer driver should be relatively large in diameter, as compared
with other drivers (for high- and mid-range frequencies for instance), which in turn
means that the driver will generally have a relatively deep cone. It is also typical to
construct a subwoofer speaker enclosure with a large cavity to allow the driver
adequate ability to move an appropriate volume of air. Together these considerations
often lead to subwoofer cabinets of bulky design that do not fit easily in limited
spaces.
[0006] Another problem with subwoofer speakers is that they can create
undesirable vibrations of nearby objects, in part because of the relatively large and
forceful excursions made by the subwoofer driver as it reproduces very low frequency
sounds. This phenomenon may not be as noticeable with standalone subwoofer
speaker cabinets, but manifests more commonly in subwoofers that are designed as
integral components of a larger structure, such as recessed subwoofers that are built
into a wall of a home or building, or subwoofer loudspeakers that are integrated into
an automobile. Because subwoofers in these settings are directly or indirectly
physically attached to a building structure or automobile frame, their deep vibrations
can be carried through the structure or framing to other items attached thereto or to
adjoining rooms in a house or structure, causing noticeable rattling or even forcing
objects to move or causing damage. The vibrations from the very lower frequencies
reproduced by a subwoofer can be easily transmitted through a house or building
while the higher frequencies are dampened, causing deep vibrations that can disturb
other occupants or neighbors.
[0007] Standalone subwoofer speaker cabinets can also suffer from similar
problems. Standalone speaker cabinets are sometimes placed in discreet or
unobtrusive locations such as in room corners, low cabinets, and the like, but due to
their excessive vibrations they have limited ability to serve other functions. For
example, objects placed on standalone speaker enclosures may rattle noticeably,
gradually slide across the surface, or fall off, causing annoying noise or damaging the
objects.
[0008] Some subwoofer loudspeakers include two (or more) drivers, which may
be done in order to increase sound output or, in some designs, to reduce vibrations of
the cabinet or enclosure. When two drivers are oriented so that they directly face one
another, the motion of the drive units is symmetric and the opposing movements of
the two drivers may cancel out, reducing the vibration of the cabinet or enclosure.
One drawback with this type of design, however, is that the speaker cabinet or
enclosure must be deep enough to contain two face-to-face drivers, which can lead to
even larger, bulkier cabinets or enclosures that are harder to place in limited spaces.
Thus, consumers and sound system designers are often left with the choice of
tolerating some level of cabinet/enclosure vibration, or else having to find placement
for a large, bulky subwoofer loudspeaker.
[0009] It would be advantageous to provide a subwoofer or similar speaker
design that has a narrower profile, so that it can be utilized in smaller or narrower
spaces. It would further be advantageous to provide a subwoofer with reduced
vibration while maintaining a high level of sound output and fidelity. It would further
be advantageous to provide a subwoofer that is well suited for use as a recessed
speaker in a home or building, or in the confines of an automobile.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] In one aspect, a subwoofer or other speaker is provided having multiple
drivers which are oriented and driven in a manner such that the forces and/or
moments created by the driver motion substantially cancel, thereby, among other
things, reducing or eliminating undesired vibrations of the speaker housing or
enclosure.
[001 1] According to one or more embodiments, a subwoofer or other speaker
includes a number of drivers placed side by side in the same general plane, with a
first set of drivers facing one direction and second set of drivers facing the opposite
direction. The drivers are preferably oriented such that the sum of the forces from the
first set of drivers is equal to and opposite from the sum of the forces from the second
set of drivers with the total vector sum of the forces from all of the drivers equaling
zero, and such that the vector sum of the moments from all of the drivers about a
centerpoint collectively equals zero.
[0012] A subwoofer or other speaker may include any number of drivers, with a
minimum of three drivers being used in certain embodiments to ensure that the
moment created between two opposing offset drivers can be canceled through the
addition of at least one additional offset driver. A subwoofer or other speaker
according to certain principles described herein may include three, four, five, six, or
even more drivers. The subwoofer speaker need not be symmetric in shape, but can
be asymmetrical so long as the forces and moments are such that they cancel about
the centerpoint or center of mass of the speaker. Similarly, while the drivers are
preferably arranged in the same general plane, they may alternatively be arranged in
a three-dimensional pattern so long as the forces and moments are such that they
cancel about the centerpoint or center of mass of the speaker.
[0013] In some embodiments, a first set of drivers and second set of drivers lie in
the same general plane but face opposite from one another. Each set of drivers may
output sound towards a reflective surface which in turn directs the sound outward
from an adjacent slot or aperture. A speaker enclosure may be constructed with a
connected aperture so that sound from the two sets of drivers is combined and
emanates from a single aperture or set of apertures common to both sets of drivers.
[0014] In certain embodiments, a subwoofer or other speaker is constructed with
a lightweight but rigid and sturdy enclosure in which the walls are formed in part from
a frame overlaid with an acoustically opaque material. For example, the speaker
enclosure may be comprised of a series of frame supports arranged in a repeating
pattern, such as a honeycomb pattern, covered or overlaid with an acoustically
opaque material. Each driver or set of drivers may have its or their own isolated
enclosure, so as to prevent the rearward acoustic radiation of the driver(s) from
interfering with the other drivers of the speaker.
[0015] Further embodiments, alternatives and variations are also described
herein or illustrated in the accompanying figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1A is a front view diagram of one embodiment of a slim-profile subwoofer
speaker with four drivers and a common output aperture, and FIGS. 1B and
1C are top-view and side-view cross-sectional diagrams, respectively, of the speaker
of FIG. 1A.
[0017] FIG. 2 is an exploded view diagram of a slim-profile sub-woofer speaker
constructed according to the general principles of FIGS. 1A - 1C, showing additional
details.
[0018] FIGS. 3A and 3B are front and side view diagrams, respectively, of an
embodiment of a slim-profile sub-woofer speaker having three drivers.
[0019] FIGS. 4A and 4B are front and side view diagrams, respectively, of an
embodiment of a slim-profile sub-woofer speaker having four drivers.
[0020] FIGS. 5A and 5B are front and side view diagrams, respectively, of
another embodiment of a slim-profile sub-woofer speaker having four drivers.
[0021] FIGS. 6A and 6B are front and side view diagrams, respectively, of an
embodiment of a slim-profile sub-woofer speaker having five drivers.
[0022] FIGS. 7A and 7B are front and side view diagrams, respectively, of an
embodiment of a slim-profile sub-woofer speaker having six drivers.
[0023] FIG. 8 is a front diagram of another embodiment of a slim-profile subwoofer
speaker having six drivers.
[0024] FIGS. 9A and 9B are front and side view diagrams, respectively, of an
embodiment of a slim-profile sub-woofer speaker having eight drivers.
[0025] FIG. 10 is a simplified diagram illustrating the cancellation of forces and
moments for a speaker having four drivers operating in accordance with an
embodiment as disclosed herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0026] According to one or more embodiments, a subwoofer speaker system is
provided having multiple drivers which are oriented in different directions and
selectively driven in a manner such that the magnet reaction forces and moments
created by the driver motion substantially cancel out, thus reducing or eliminating
undesired vibrations of the speaker housing or enclosure.
[0027] In one embodiment, a subwoofer speaker includes a first set of drivers
facing one direction and second set of drivers facing the opposite direction, with the
first and second sets of drivers arranged in the same general plane so that the depth
of the speaker housing or enclosure is reduced. As each driver's cone or diaphragm
moves back and forth, the driver generates a first force which propels the cone or
diaphragm and an equal but opposite second force applied to the speaker housing or
enclosure that supports the driver's frame or chassis. Drivers oriented directly
opposite one another can, if balanced, create forces that cancel one another and
hence reduce vibrations. However, drivers that are located off-center from the
centerpoint or center of gravity of the speaker housing or enclosure will tend to
generate a turning effect, i.e., a moment associated with the magnet reaction force,
that can nonetheless cause undesired vibrations.
[0028] To reduce or eliminate such vibrations, the drivers are preferably oriented
and arranged such not only is the sum of the forces from the first set of drivers is
equal to and opposite from the sum of the forces from the second set of drivers, but
also so that the vector sum of the moments from all of the drivers about a centerpoint
or center of gravity collectively equals zero.
[0029] Although a subwoofer speaker according to embodiments as disclosed
herein may include any number of drivers, it is generally anticipated that a minimum
of three drivers would be used to provide cancellation of the forces and moments
among the drivers, so that, for example, the moment created between two opposing
offset drivers can be canceled through the addition of at least one additional offset
driver. A subwoofer speaker may include three or more drivers in either symmetric or
asymmetric arrangement, preferably but not necessarily aligned in the same general
plane.
[0030] In addition, in at least some embodiments the drivers output sound
towards a reflective surface which turns and directs the sound outward from a nearby
output slot or aperture. A speaker enclosure may be constructed with a connected
aperture so that sound from the two sets of drivers is combined and emanates from a
single aperture or set of apertures common to both sets of drivers.
[0031] An example of a slim-profile sub-woofer speaker 100 constructed
according to one embodiment is disclosed herein is illustrated in FIGS. 1A - 1C. FIG.
1A is a front view diagram of the slim-profile sub-woofer speaker 100 (shown without
a sound-reflective front cover, as explained later), while FIGS. 1B and 1C are topview
and side-view diagrams, respectively, of the speaker 100. As shown therein,
the speaker 100 in this example includes four drivers 105a, 105b, 110a, 110b
mounted in a main speaker enclosure 120. The speaker enclosure 120 in this
example includes a first baffle 130 containing holes for mounting two of the drivers
105a, 105b, and a second baffle 13 1 for containing holes for mounting the other two
of the drivers 110a, 110b, such that the first pair of drivers 105a, 105b are mounted in
the opposite direction from the second pair of drivers 110a, 110b, although all four
drivers 105a, 105b, 110a, 110b are mounted in the same general plane 135, i.e., the
cones of the drivers 105a, 105b, 110a, 110b all overlap even though they do not all
face the same direction. The first pair of drivers 105a, 105b are preferably
symmetrically mounted to either side of the center of the speaker enclosure 120,
while the second pair of drivers 110a, 110b are preferably symmetrically mounted to
either side of drivers 105a, 105b respectively, and thus are likewise symmetrically
mounted about the center of the speaker enclosure 120.
[0032] The first baffle 130 and second baffle 13 1 form opposing walls of the main
speaker enclosure 120, which in this example is further divided into four chambers
comprising two outer chambers 136, 137 and two inner chambers 138, 139. The four
chambers 136 - 139 preferably provide acoustical isolation such that the motion of
any of the drivers 105a, 105b, 110a, 110b during speaker operation does not
interfere with an adjacent driver, and more specifically so that the rearward acoustic
radiation from any of the drivers 105a, 105b, 110a, 110b does not interfere with any
other driver. The main speaker enclosure 120 may further comprise top wall 160 and
bottom wall 16 1 (as shown in FIG. 1C), and side walls 162, 163 (as shown in FIG.
1B), to form a complete enclosure. The size of chambers 136 - 139 is preferably
selected to allow adequate movement of the drivers 105a, 105b, 110a, 110b, and in
particular, the width of separation between the first baffle 130 and second baffle 13 1
is preferably sufficient to allow the coils 107a, 107b of drivers 110a, 110b to vibrate
without hitting the first baffle 130 and to allow the coils 106a, 106b of drivers 105a,
105b to vibrate without hitting the second baffle 131 .
[0033] Thus, the width of the speaker enclosure 120 can, if desired, be made
significantly thinner than, for example, a speaker in which two drivers are mounted
directly facing one another, in which case the thickness must account not only for the
size of two drivers but also the range of motion of the coils of both drivers.
[0034] Although not necessary in all embodiments, in the example of a speaker
100, the main speaker enclosure 120 is surrounded by an outer structure that
includes a cabinet top wall 150, cabinet bottom wall 15 1, cabinet backwall 140, and
cabinet front panel 141 , spaced apart from the main speaker enclosure 120 so as to
define various sound ducts as described below which direct the acoustic output so
that it emanates from top and bottom sound apertures 155, 156. The outer speaker
cabinet may share side walls 162, 163 with the main speaker enclosure 120, and
may be further structurally connected to the main speaker enclosure 120 via struts
157 and 158.
[0035] In operation, the drivers 105a, 105b, 110a, 110b output sound towards a
rigid sound-reflecting surface which, in each case, turns the acoustic output by ninety
degrees and directs it towards an output aperture. More specifically, the first pair of
drivers 105a, 105b output sound towards a first rigid surface constituting the speaker
cabinet backwall 140, and the second pair of drivers 110a, 110b output sound
towards a second rigid surface constituting the speaker cabinet front panel 141 . The
mounting baffle 130 and speaker cabinet backwall 140 collectively define a relatively
narrow sound duct 145 which forces the acoustic output outward at ninety degrees
relative to the first pair of drivers 105a, 105b, while mounting baffle 140 and speaker
cabinet front panel 141 collectively define another relatively narrow sound duct 146
which forces the acoustic output outward at ninety degrees relative to the second pair
of drivers 110a, 11Ob. In this particular design, the output from the first pair of drivers
105a, 105b is turned at ninety degrees a second time such that the acoustic energy
exits the rear sound duct 145 and proceeds to flow through and exit from top and
bottom sound apertures 155, 156. Similarly, the acoustic output from drivers 110a,
110b that flows through front sound duct 146 also exits via top and bottom sound
apertures 155, 156, so that the sound from all four drivers 105a, 105b, 110a, 110b
exits from top and bottom sound apertures 155, 156.
[0036] In the embodiment of FIGS. 1A - 1C, if all four drivers 105a, 105b, 110a,
110b are provided with an equal strength identical signal, then their relative motion
will cancel out the various forces and moments so that vibration can be
advantageously reduced or eliminated. This effect can be explained with reference to
FIGS. 5A and 5B, which show a simplified diagram of the basic speaker design of
FIGS. 1A - 1C, and FIG. 10, which illustrates the cancellation of opposing moments
generated by the simultaneous forces of the four drivers 105a, 105b, 110a, 110b.
FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate, among other things, the effect of providing a equal
strength identical signal to the four drivers 105a, 105b, 110a, 110b. As is well known
in the art, a typical driver includes a cone or diaphragm with a coil attached to its back
side, all mounted in a frame or chassis. A suspension system associated with the
driver allows the coil to move back and forth in a gap, like a piston. Electrical audio
signals magnetically energize the coil which in turn vibrates the cone or diaphragm
back and forth, creating an opposing force on the frame or chassis that gets
conveyed to the speaker housing or enclosure supporting the driver's frame or
chassis. The driver's suspension system provides a restoring force that returns the
cone or diaphragm to a neutral position after moving.
[0037] In the present example, the forward motion of drivers 105a, 105b creates
a "downward" motion (according to FIG. 5B) on the speaker housing or enclosure
120, while the forward motion of drivers 110a, 110b creates an "upward" motion on
the speaker housing or enclosure 120. Since each driver 105a, 105b, 110a, 110b is
driven by an identical signal, and assuming that each driver 105a, 105b, 110a, 110b
has the same physical and electrical characteristics, the downward forces on the
speaker housing or enclosure 120 cancel the upward forces, thus reducing or
eliminating vibrations. The same phenomenon occurs when the restoring force of the
suspension systems moves the driver's cones or diaphragms back towards a neutral
position, with the restoring forces of drivers 105a, 105b canceling those of drivers
110a, 110b.
[0038] Drivers 105a, 105b, 110a, 110b are further preferably arranged and
positioned so that the moments generated by the forces associated with their forward
and backward movement collectively cancel out. This phenomenon can be explained
with reference to FIG. 10 . The centerpoint (CP) or center of gravity of the speaker
enclosure 120 is shown relative to the locations of the drivers 105a, 105b, 110a,
110b. Each of drivers 105a, 105b, 110a, 110b is physically offset from the
centerpoint (CP) and so each will generate a moment as it moves. In general, the
moment of each driver is equal to the vector cross-product r x F, where r is the vector
from the centerpoint (CP) to the center of mass of the driver in question, and F is the
force created by the driver. In this example, since the drivers 105a, 105b, 110a, 110b
are substantially in the same plane 135 which traverses through the centerpoint (CP),
and since the force F is generally perpendicular to the plane of the driver, the vector
cross-product will be the product of the distance of the driver to the centerpoint (CP)
and the force F. However, where the drivers do not lie in the same plane, evaluation
of the various moments may be made using the vector cross product instead. There
is no inherent requirement that all drivers be aligned in the same plane.
[0039] In the example of FIG. 10, it is assumed that drivers 105a and 105b are
each a distance A from the centerpoint (CP), and that drivers 110a and 110b are
each a distance B from the centerpoint (CP). It can be seen from inspection given
the symmetrical arrangement of drivers that the moment M 1 generated by the motion
of driver 110a is - B x F which cancels the moment M4 = B x F generated by the
motion of driver 110b, and the moment M2 generated by the motion of driver 105a is
- A x F which cancels the moment M3 = A x F generated by the motion of driver 105b.
The moments of drivers 105a, 105b facing one direction cancel one another, and
likewise the moments of drivers 110a, 110b facing the other direction also cancel one
another.
[0040] Thus, in the arrangement of FIG. 10, not only do the upward and
downward forces generated by the drivers 105a, 105b, 110a, 110b completely cancel
out, but also the rotational moments of the drivers 105a, 105b, 110a, 110b likewise
cancel out, due in this case to the carefully selected symmetrical arrangement of the
drivers 105a, 105b, 110a, 110b. As a result, the speaker 100 experiences
significantly reduced vibration even though it has a number of drivers spaced in a
linear array, without necessarily dividing the drivers into pairs directly facing one
another.
[0041] In practice, small adjustments may be made, if necessary, to account for
the center of mass of drivers 105a, 105b, 110a, or 110b being off-center from the
central plane 135 passing through the centerpoint (CP) and/or asymmetrically
positioned with respect to one another. Such adjustments may, for example, be in
the form of altering the size or mass of the driver or coil (since the output force of a
driver is directly proportional to its moving mass), or changing the amplitude of the
electrical audio signal provided to a given driver.
[0042] FIG. 2 illustrates, from various perspectives, a slight variation of the slimprofile
subwoofer speaker shown in FIGS. 1A - 1C. In FIG. 2, elements numbered
"2xx" generally correspond to the like elements numbered "1xx" in FIGS. 1A - 1C.
Thus, the speaker 200 in FIG. 2 includes four drivers 205a, 205b, 2 10a, 210b
arranged in a linear array, with two of the drivers 205a, 205b mounted on a first baffle
230 of a main speaker enclosure 220 and the other two drivers 2 10a, 2 10b mounted
on a second baffle 231 of the main speaker enclosure 220. The first pair of drivers
205a, 205b output sound towards a first sound-reflecting surface 240 (which may be
the speaker backwall), while the second pair of drivers 2 10a, 210b output sound
towards a second sound-reflecting surface 241 (which may be a speaker front panel).
The main speaker enclosure 220 is part of a larger speaker cabinet which, in this
example, includes a speaker housing frame 290 in the general shape of a rectangular
box, connected to the main speaker enclosure 220 via sets of struts 257, 258, and
having a first lip supporting a bottom frame member 251 and a second lip on the
opposite side supporting a top frame member 250 (with top and bottom in this case
being arbitrarily defined, with the speaker 100 oriented such that the drivers are in a
lateral horizontal array). The bottom 240 of the speaker housing frame 290 is
attached to a speaker back panel 240.
[0043] In this particular example, additional speaker frame components are
provided for additional mechanical support, mounting assist, or aesthetics. For
example, top/bottom speaker frame assemblies 285 may be affixed to the top and
bottom portions of the speaker 200, and side speaker frame assemblies 280 may be
affixed to the two side portions of the speaker 200. Top/bottom speaker frame
assemblies 285 may include lengthwise supports 295, 296 connected together by
cross supports 297, while side speaker frame assemblies 280 may include
lengthwise supports 291 , 292 connected together by cross-supports 293. The
speaker housing frame 290 may be constructed of a rigid lightweight material such as
aluminum or another metal or alloy, or any other suitable material, while the
top/bottom speaker frame assemblies 285 and side speaker frame assemblies 280
may be constructed of wood, plastic, or composite materials, potentially with metal
components (such as supports 297 or 293) or reinforcement.
[0044] The same concepts as described above can be applied to speakers
having a different number and arrangement of drivers, which may be placed
symmetrically or asymmetrically so long as the forces and moments preferably cancel
about a centerpoint or center of gravity. In addition, the drivers need not all be of the
same size, but can be selected to be of different sizes with a corresponding effect on
the magnitude of the output force generated by the driver. Likewise, the same
strength signal need not be applied to each of the drivers, but some drivers may
receive an amplified or reduced strength signal which will, in turn, affect the
magnitude of the output force generated by the driver.
[0045] FIGS. 3A - 3B, 4A - 4B, 6A - 6B, 7A - 7B, 8, and 9A - 9B all illustrate
different speaker designs and driver arrangements that show the diverse variety of
implementations possible when applying the inventive concepts as disclosed herein.
For example, FIGS. 3A and 3B are front and side view diagrams, respectively, of
another embodiment of a slim-profile sub-woofer speaker 300, in this case having
three drivers 305, 3 10a, and 3 10b arranged in a linear array. In this embodiment, a
single driver 305 is mounted on a first baffle 330 of a speaker 300, while the other
two drivers 3 10a, 3 10b are mounted on a second baffle 331 . The first driver 305 is
centered on the centerpoint 309 of the speaker 300 facing one direction, while the
other two drivers 3 10a, 3 10b are spaced symmetrically to either side a distance D
from the centerpoint 309 facing the opposite direction from the first driver 305,
although all three drivers 305, 3 10a, 3 10b lie in the same general lateral plane 335
similar to the embodiment in FIGS. 1A - 1C. Although not explicitly shown, each of
the drivers 305, 3 10a, 3 10b is preferably acoustically isolated in terms of rearward
acoustic radiation from the others via separate sub-chambers within the speaker
enclosure.
[0046] The sizes (and hence moving mass) of the drivers 305, 310a, 310b and/or
the amplitudes of their respective audio signals are preferably selected so that the
force F generated by the first driver 305 is double the force F/2 generated by the pair
of drivers 3 10a, 3 10b facing the opposite direction. As a result, the forces of the first
driver 305 cancel the sum of the forces generated by the pair of drivers 3 10a, 3 10b
facing the opposite direction. To accomplish this, the mass of the coils and moving
components of drivers 3 10a, 3 10b, for example, may be selected to be half the mass
of the coil and moving components of driver 305, which will result in the generated
force of drivers 310a, 3 10b being half that of driver 305. Alternatively, the drivers
3 10a, 310b may be the same size as driver 305 but receive an audio driving signal
that is reduced in amplitude relative to that received by driver 305, thus leading to a
reduced force. Specifically, since in general the generated force F = m x A, where m
= moving mass of the coil and other components and A = acceleration thereof, an
adjustment to the acceleration of the driver through a change in the signal magnitude
will adjust the force generated of the driver. In this case, the amplitude of the signals
for drivers 3 10a, 3 10b is selected so that the displacement of the drivers 3 10a, 3 10b
when moving is half the displacement of driver 305, thus leading to half the generated
force.
[0047] Alternatively, the force generated by drivers 3 10a, 3 10b may be tailored
to be half the force of driver 305 by a combination of reduced mass of the moving coil
or components and a reduced amplitude signal, although in this case the calculations
may be slightly more involved.
[0048] Similarly, the moments generated by all of the drivers 305, 3 10a, 310b of
speaker 300 cancel so that the sum of the moments is equal to zero. Because driver
305 is located along the center axis of the speaker 300 running through centerpoint
309, driver 305 has a moment of zero. Drivers 3 10a and 3 10b each generate a
moment equal to D x F/2, but of opposite sign since they are on opposite sides of
centerpoint 309; therefore, the moments generated by drivers 3 10a and 3 10b cancel
one another, leading to a sum of all of the moments of zero.
[0049] Thus, with the speaker 300 of FIGS. 3A and 3B, the sum of the forces of
all of the drivers 305, 3 10a, 3 10b collectively cancel out to zero, and the sum of the
moments likewise cancels out to zero.
[0050] Another embodiment of a slim-profile sub-woofer speaker is illustrated in
FIGS. 4A and 4B, which show front and side view diagrams, respectively, of a
speaker 400 having four drivers. In FIGS. 4A and 4B, the speaker 400 has a first pair
of drivers 405a, 405b mounted on a first baffle 430, while the other two drivers 410a,
4 10b are mounted on a second baffle 431 of the speaker 400. The four drivers 405a,
405b, 4 10a, 410b in this example are arranged symmetrically in a substantially
square pattern, with the first pair of drivers 405a, 405b arranged across one diagonal
436 of the square, and the other pair of drivers 4 10a, 4 10b arranged across the other
diagonal 437 of the square, although all four drivers 405a, 405b, 4 10a, 4 10b lie in the
same general lateral plane 435. Although not explicitly shown, each of the drivers
405a, 405b, 410a, 4 10b is preferably acoustically isolated in terms of rearward
acoustic radiation from the others via separate sub-chambers within the speaker
enclosure.
[0051] The sizes (and hence moving mass) of the drivers 405a, 405b, 410a,
4 10b and the amplitudes of their respective audio signals may all be identical, so that
the force F generated by each driver is the same. As a result, the sum of the forces
generated by the first pair of drivers 405a, 405b cancel the sum of the forces
generated by the second pair of drivers 410a, 4 10b facing the opposite direction, for
a total net force of zero. Similarly, the moments generated by all of the drivers 405a,
405b, 4 10a, 4 10b of speaker 400 cancel so that the net sum of the moments is equal
to zero. Drivers 405a, 405b each generate a moment equal to D x F relative to the
diagonal 436, but of opposite sign since they are on opposite sides of centerpoint
409; therefore, the moments generated by drivers 405a and 405b cancel one
another. Likewise, drivers 410a, 410b each generate a moment equal to D x F
relative to the diagonal 437, but of opposite sign since they are on opposite sides of
centerpoint 409; therefore, the moments generated by drivers 4 10a and 4 10b cancel
one another, leading to a net sum of all of the moments of zero.
[0052] Thus, with the speaker 400 of FIGS. 4A and 4B, the sum of the forces of
all of the drivers 405a, 405b, 4 10a, 4 10b collectively cancel out to zero, and the sum
of the moments likewise cancels out to zero.
[0053] It may be noted that the speaker designs in FIGS. 4A - 4B and FIGS. 5A
- 5B each utilize four drivers, but have a different arrangement of the drivers.
Nonetheless, in each case, using the design principles disclosed herein, the speaker
may be constructed so that the net sum of the forces of all drivers is zero, and that
the net sum of the moments generated by all drivers is zero.
[0054] Yet another embodiment of a slim-profile sub-woofer speaker is illustrated
in FIGS. 6A and 6B, which show are front and side view diagrams, respectively, of a
speaker 600 having five drivers 605, 6 10a, 6 10b, 6 10c, 6 1Od. In the design of FIGS.
6A and 6B, the speaker 600 has a first driver 605 mounted on a first baffle 630, with a
set of four drivers 6 10a, 610b, 6 10c, 6 1Od mounted on a second baffle 631 of the
speaker 600. The single driver 605 mounted on the first baffle 630 in this example is
centrally located, while the set of four drivers 6 10a, 6 10b, 6 10c, 6 1Od are arranged
symmetrically in a substantially square pattern, with one pair of drivers 6 10a, 6 1Od
arranged across one diagonal 636 of the square, and the other pair of drivers 610b,
6 10c arranged across the other diagonal 637 of the square, although all five drivers
605, 6 10a, 610b, 6 10c, 6 1Od lie in the same general lateral plane 635. Although not
explicitly shown, each of the drivers 605, 6 10a, 6 10b, 6 10c, 6 1Od is preferably
acoustically isolated in terms of rearward acoustic radiation from the others via
separate sub-chambers within the speaker enclosure.
[0055] The sizes (and hence moving mass) of the drivers 605, 6 10a, 6 10b, 610c,
6 1Od and/or the amplitudes of their respective audio signals are preferably selected
so that the force F generated by the first driver 605 is four times the force F/4
generated by the set of four drivers 6 10a, 6 10b, 6 10c, 6 1Od facing the opposite
direction. As a result, the forces of the first driver 605 cancel the sum of the forces
generated by the set of four drivers 6 10a, 6 10b, 6 10c, 6 1Od facing the opposite
direction. To accomplish this, the mass of the coils and moving components of
drivers 6 10a - 6 1Od for example, may be selected to be one-fourth of the mass of the
coil and moving components of driver 605, which will result in the generated force of
each of drivers 6 10a, 6 10b, 610c, 6 1Od being one-quarter that of driver 605.
Alternatively, the drivers 6 10a, 610b, 6 10c, 6 1Od may be the same size as driver 605
but receive an audio driving signal that is reduced in amplitude relative to that
received by driver 605, thus leading to a reduced force. As yet another alternative,
the force generated by drivers 6 10a, 610b, 6 10c, 6 1Od may be tailored to be onequarter
the force of driver 605 by a combination of reduced mass of the moving coil
or components and a reduced amplitude signal.
[0056] Similarly, the moments generated by all of the drivers 605, 6 10a, 6 10b,
6 10c, 6 1Od of speaker 600 cancel so that the net sum of the moments is equal to
zero. Because driver 605 is located along the center axis (on the centerpoint 609) of
the speaker 600, its moment is equal to zero. Drivers 6 10a, 6 1Od each generate a
moment equal to D x F/4 relative to the diagonal 636, but of opposite sign since they
are on opposite sides of centerpoint 609; therefore, the moments generated by
drivers 6 15a and 6 1Od cancel one another. Likewise, drivers 6 10b, 6 10c each
generate a moment equal to D x F/4 relative to the diagonal 637, but of opposite sign
since they are on opposite sides of centerpoint 609; therefore, the moments
generated by drivers 610b and 6 10c cancel one another, leading to a net sum of all of
the moments of zero.
[0057] Thus, with the speaker 600 of FIGS. 6A and 6B, the sum of the forces of
all of the drivers 605, 610a, 610b, 610c, 6 1Od collectively cancel out to zero, and the
sum of the moments likewise cancels out to zero.
[0058] Another embodiment of a slim-profile sub-woofer speaker is illustrated in
FIGS. 7A and 7B, which show front and side view diagrams, respectively, of a
speaker 700 having six drivers. In the design of FIGS. 7A and 7B, the speaker 700
has a first set of drivers 705a, 705b, 705c mounted on a first baffle 730, and another
set of drivers 7 10a, 710b, 7 10c mounted on a second baffle 731 of the speaker 700.
The six drivers 705a, 705b, 705c, 7 10a, 7 10b, 7 10c in this example are arranged
symmetrically in a substantially hexagonal (or more generally a circular) pattern, with
the first set of drivers 705a, 705b, 705c arranged in a generally equilateral triangle
shape, and the other set of drivers 7 10a, 710b, 7 10c arranged in a similar equilateral
triangle shape offset from the first equilateral triangle as shown (i.e., with the apexes
of both equilateral triangles pointing the opposite directions), although all six drivers
705a, 705b, 705c, 7 10a, 7 10b, 7 10c lie in the same general lateral plane 735.
Although not explicitly shown, each of the drivers 705a, 705b, 705c, 7 10a, 7 10b,
7 10c is preferably acoustically isolated in terms of rearward acoustic radiation from
the others via separate sub-chambers within the speaker enclosure.
[0059] The sizes (and hence moving mass) of the drivers 705a, 705b, 705c,
7 10a, 7 10b, 710c and the amplitudes of their respective audio signals may all be
identical, so that the force F generated by each driver is the same. As a result, the
sum of the forces generated by the first set of three drivers 705a, 705b, 705c cancel
the sum of the forces generated by the second set of three drivers 710a, 7 10b, 7 10c
facing the opposite direction, for a total net force of zero. Similarly, the moments
generated by all of the drivers 705a, 705b, 705c, 710a, 7 10b, 710c of speaker 700
cancel so that the net sum of the moments is equal to zero. Preferably the speaker
700 is hexagonal in shape or circular, so as to avoid any residual moments that may
otherwise be created due to asymmetry of the six drivers 705a, 705b, 705c, 7 10a,
701 b, 701 c relative to the square shape of the speaker 700 as presently shown; for
purposes of simplification, such residual moments are disregarded although they may
be eliminated as noted by making the shape of the speaker 700 symmetrical relative
to each driver. In any event, taking the x-y coordinate system as shown in FIG. 7A,
and recognizing that the vector cross product of a x b = (a b - a b2, a b - a , a 2 -
a bi), driver 705b generates a moment M 1 = (-D,0,0) x F and driver 7 10a generates a
moment M4 = (D,0,0) x -F, where F = (0,0,f) summing to (0, 2D f , 0), which is
canceled by the sum of the moments:
M2 = (D cos60°, D sin60°, 0) x (0,0,f), generated by driver 705a
M3 = (D cos60°, -D sin60°, 0) x (0,0,f), generated by driver 705c
M5 = (-D cos60°, D sin60°, 0) x (0,0,-f), generated by driver 7 10b
M6 = (-D cos60°, -D sin60°, 0) x (0,0,-f), generated by driver 7 10c
where F = (0,0,f), that is, a force perpendicular to the speaker 700 with no x or y lateral
component. The four moments generated by drivers 705a, 705c, 710b and 7 10c can be
determined as follows:
M2 = (D f sin60°, -D f cos60°, 0), generated by driver 705a
M3 = (-D f sin60°, -D f cos60°, 0), generated by driver 705c
M5 = (-D f sin60°, -D f cos60°, 0), generated by driver 7 10b
M6 = (D f sin60°, -D f cos60°, 0), generated by driver 7 10c
and their vector sum is:
((2 D f sin60° - 2 D f sin60°), -4 D f cos60°, 0) = (0, -4/2 D f , 0) = (0, -2D f , 0)
which exactly counter-acts and cancels the sum of the moments generated by drivers
705b and 7 10a.
[0060] Thus, with the speaker 700 of FIGS. 7A and 7B, the sum of the forces of
all of the drivers 705a, 705b, 705c, 7 10a, 7 10b, 710c collectively cancel out to zero,
and the sum of the moments likewise cancels out to zero.
[0061] Another embodiment of a slim-profile sub-woofer speaker is illustrated in
FIG. 8, which shows a front view diagram of a speaker 800 having six drivers. In the
design of FIG. 8, the speaker 800 has a first pair of drivers 805a, 805b mounted on a
first (top) baffle, while the other four drivers 8 10a, 8 10b, 8 10c, 8 1Od are mounted on
a second (bottom) baffle of the speaker 800, which appears in side cross-section the
same as speaker 300 shown in FIG. 3B (and thus is not shown as a separate figure
in connection with FIG. 8). The first two drivers 805a, 805b in this example are
arranged symmetrically with respect to centerpoint 809, and likewise the set of four
drivers 8 10a, 810b, 8 10c, 8 1Od facing the opposite direction are arranged in a
symmetrical substantially rectangular pattern, although, as with the embodiments
before, all six drivers 805a, 805b, 8 10a, 810b, 8 10c, 8 1Od lie in the same general
lateral plane when viewed from the side (as in FIG. 3B). Although not explicitly
shown, each of the drivers 805a, 805b, 810a, 8 10b, 8 10c, 8 10c is preferably
acoustically isolated in terms of rearward acoustic radiation from the others via
separate sub-chambers within the speaker enclosure.
[0062] The sizes (and hence moving mass) of the drivers 805a, 805b, 810a,
8 10b, 8 10c, 8 1Od and/or the amplitudes of their respective audio signals are
preferably selected so that the forces F generated by the first pair of drivers 805a,
805b is double the force F/2 generated by the set of four drivers 8 10a, 8 10b, 8 10c,
8 1Od facing the opposite direction. As a result, the sum of the forces of the first pair
of drivers 805a, 805b cancel the sum of the forces generated by the second set of
drivers 8 10a, 8 10b, 8 10c, 8 1Od facing the opposite direction. To accomplish this, the
drivers may be selected so that the mass of the coils and moving components of
each of drivers 810a, 8 10b, 8 10c, 8 1Od, for example, is half the mass of the coil and
moving components of either of drivers 805a, 805b, or else the drivers may all be the
same size but drivers 8 10a, 810b, 8 10c, 8 1Od may receive an audio driving signal of
reduced amplitude relative to that received by drivers 805a, 805b, as previously
explained in connection with FIGS. 3A - 3B, or else some combination of variation in
moving mass and audio signal adjustment may be made to cause the forces to be
appropriately tailored.
[0063] Similarly, the moments generated by all of the drivers 805a, 805b, 8 10a,
8 10b, 8 10c, 8 1Od of speaker 800 cancel so that the sum of the moments is equal to
zero. Because of the symmetrical arrangement in this case, the moments generated
by drivers 805a and 805b about the centerpoint 809 cancel, and the moments
generated by drivers 8 10a, 8 1Od are canceled by the moments generated by drivers
8 10b, 8 10c, leading to a net sum of moments of zero.
[0064] Thus, with the speaker 800 of FIG. 8, the sum of the forces of all of the
drivers 305, 3 10a, 3 10b collectively cancel out to zero, and the sum of the moments
likewise cancels out to zero.
[0065] In one aspect, the speaker 800 of FIG. 8 may be viewed as two speakers
300 of FIGS. 3A - 3B placed side-by-side, and, using a similar principle, larger
speaker structures may be extrapolated to relatively larger and more complex subwoofer
speaker designs.
[0066] It may be noted that the speaker designs in FIGS. 7A - 7B and FIG. 8
each utilize six drivers, but have a different arrangement of the drivers. Nonetheless,
in each case, using the design principles disclosed herein, the speaker may be
constructed so that the net sum of the forces of all drivers is zero, and that the net
sum of the moments generated by all drivers is zero.
[0067] Another embodiment of a slim-profile sub-woofer speaker is illustrated in
FIGS. 9A and 9B, which show front and side view diagrams, respectively, of a
speaker 900 having eight drivers. In FIGS. 9A and 9B, the speaker 900 has a first
set of four drivers 905a, 905b, 905c, 905d mounted on a first baffle 930, and another
set of four drivers 9 10a, 910b, 9 10c, 9 1Od mounted on a second baffle 931 of the
speaker 900. The first set of drivers 905a, 905b, 905c, 905d are arranged in a
substantially square and symmetrical pattern relative to the centerpoint 909, and the
other set of four drivers 9 10a, 9 10b, 9 10c, 9 1Od facing the opposite direction are
likewise arranged in a substantially square and symmetrical pattern relative to the
centerpoint 909, although all eight drivers 905a - 905d, 9 10a - 9 1Od lie in the same
general lateral plane 935. Although not explicitly shown, each of the drivers 905a -
905d and 9 10a - 9 1Od is preferably acoustically isolated in terms of rearward
acoustic radiation from the others via separate sub-chambers within the speaker
enclosure. While the square patterns of four drivers in this case are rotationally offset
from one another by ninety degrees, this is not a requirement, and the square
patterns can be aligned so that they appear as an inner square of four drivers
surrounded by a conforming outer square of four drivers.
[0068] The sizes (and hence moving mass) of the drivers 905a - 905d, 9 10a -
9 1Od and the amplitudes of their respective audio signals may all be identical, so that
the force F generated by each driver is the same. As a result, the sum of the forces
generated by the first set of drivers 905a - 905d cancel the sum of the forces
generated by the second set of drivers 9 10a - 9 1Od facing the opposite direction, for
a total net force of zero.
[0069] Similarly, due to the symmetrical arrangement in this particular design,
the moments generated by all of the drivers 905a - 905d, 9 10a - 9 1Od of speaker
900 cancel so that the net sum of the moments is equal to zero. Drivers 905a and
905c each generate a moment equal to A x F but with opposite signs, thus canceling;
drivers 905b and 905d also each generate a moment equal to A x F but with opposite
signs, thus canceling; drivers 910a and 9 1Od each generate a moment equal to B x F
but with opposite signs, thus canceling; and drivers 910b and 9 10c also each
generate a moment equal to B x F but with opposite signs, thus canceling.
[0070] Thus, with the speaker 900 of FIGS. 9A and 9B, the sum of the forces of
all of the drivers 905a - 905d, 9 10a - 9 1Od collectively cancel out to zero, and the
sum of the moments likewise cancels out to zero.
[0071] According to one or more embodiments as disclosed herein, a balanced
subwoofer or other speaker is provided that may, if desired, have a relatively narrow
profile thus giving it advantages in terms of placement, as well as having reduced
vibrations, rattling, etc., thus improving listening experience. The speaker is
preferably balanced in that the forces generated by the drivers sufficiently cancel so
that vibration, rattling, etc. is eliminated or at least reduced below a tolerable level.
For example, the drivers may be arranged such that the sum of the forces associated
with the drivers is below a first threshold, and a sum of the moments associated with
the drivers is below a second threshold, where the first and second thresholds are
selected to provide a given tolerance to vibration, rattling, etc. More preferably, the
drivers are oriented such that the net sum of the forces associated with all of the
drivers substantially equals zero, and the net sum of the moments from all of the
drivers about a centerpoint or center of mass of the speaker substantially equals
zero. The net sum of the forces or moments may substantially equal zero when the
resulting net force or moment is insufficient to cause vibration, rattling, etc.
discernable to an ordinary listener or observer.
[0072] A subwoofer or other similar speaker may include, for example, in various
embodiments, a number of drivers placed side by side in the same general plane,
with a first set of drivers facing one direction and second set of drivers facing the
opposite direction. The drivers in such a case may be oriented such that the sum of
the forces from the first set of drivers is equal to and opposite from the sum of the
forces from the second set of drivers with the total vector sum of the forces from all of
the drivers equaling zero, and such that the vector sum of the moments from all of the
drivers about a centerpoint or center of mass of the speaker collectively equals zero.
[0073] A subwoofer or other speaker according to certain principles described
herein may include any number of drivers, with a minimum of three drivers being
used in certain embodiments to ensure that the moment created between two
opposing offset drivers can be canceled through the addition of at least one additional
offset driver. For example, a subwoofer or other speaker may include three, four,
five, six, or even more drivers. The speaker need not be symmetric in shape, but can
be asymmetrical so long as the forces and moments are such that they cancel about
the centerpoint or center of mass of the speaker. Similarly, while the drivers are
preferably arranged in the same general plane, they may alternatively be arranged in
a three-dimensional pattern so long as the forces and moments are such that they
cancel about the centerpoint of the speaker. The drivers may all be arranged in a
single linear array, but alternatively may be arranged in a preferably (but not
necessarily) symmetric pattern about the center of mass of the speaker. Either an
even or odd number of drivers may be used, so long as the forces and moments are
preferably balanced to reduce vibrations or rattling of the speaker.
[0074] In some embodiments, a first set of drivers and second set of drivers lie in
the same general plane but face opposite from one another. Each set of drivers may
output sound towards a reflective surface which in turn directs the sound outward
from an adjacent slot or aperture. A speaker enclosure may be constructed with a
connected aperture so that sound from the two sets of drivers is combined and
emanates from a single aperture or set of apertures common to both sets of drivers.
[0075] In certain embodiments, a subwoofer or other speaker is constructed with
a lightweight but rigid and sturdy enclosure in which the walls are formed in part from
a frame overlaid with acoustically opaque material. For example, the enclosure may
include a frame comprising a series of frame supports arranged in a repeating
pattern, such as a honeycomb pattern, overlaid with an acoustically opaque material
such as resilient foam or other such material. Within the speaker enclosure, each
driver (or set of drivers) may have its (or their) own isolated enclosure, so that the
rearward acoustic radiation of a driver does not interfere with the acoustic output of
any other driver.
[0076] Embodiments as disclosed herein may be employed in a variety of
applications, and may be particularly well suited for situations in which it is desired to
conceal speakers from view, or in which audio systems face restrictions with respect
to, for example, speaker locations or installation area. A slim-profile balanced
subwoofer speaker constructed according to embodiments disclosed herein may, for
example, be installed in a building wall, ceiling or floor, or may be employed in an
automobile, or in other locations in which it is desired to have a relatively narrow
speaker yet have reduced vibration or greater output. In certain embodiments, arrays
of oppositely facing drivers may be mounted on a pair of baffles forming part of a
speaker enclosure, yet within the same general lateral plane, with a first set of drivers
outputting sound into a first sound duct and a second set of drivers outputting sound
into a second sound duct. The sound ducts in such an embodiment may be joined at
one or more common output apertures, so that both sets of drivers output sound from
the same one or more apertures.
[0077] In any of the embodiments described herein, the speakers utilized in the
sound system may be passive or active in nature (including with built-in or on-board
amplification capability). The various audio channels may be individually amplified,
level-shifted, boosted, or otherwise conditioned appropriately for each individual
speaker or pair of speakers. In some embodiments, the audio signal(s) to the various
drivers may be processed and/or delayed to ensure, for example, that the sound
waves generated by each speaker's audio output reinforce rather than interfere with
one another, or to make other such adjustments. The subwoofer or other speaker
may be in connection with other drivers, such as tweeters, in addition to the balanced
drivers to further enhance the sound quality experienced by the listener, particularly if
such additional drivers have a negligible effect on the vibrations of the speaker
enclosure because they are very small or generate minimal forces. The speaker
configuration may be advantageously employed in applications such as houses,
buildings, automobiles, sound stages, musical instrument amplifiers, and so on, or
any application in which a low speaker profile may be advantageous or desirable.
[0078] While preferred embodiments of the invention have been described
herein, many variations are possible which remain within the concept and scope of
the invention. Such variations would become clear to one of ordinary skill in the art
after inspection of the specification and the drawings. The invention therefore is not
to be restricted except within the spirit and scope of any appended claims.

What is claimed is:
1. A loudspeaker, comprising:
a speaker assembly; and
a plurality of drivers at least three in number mounted on said speaker assembly,
each driver being associated with a magnet reaction force and with a moment based in
part on its position relative to a center of mass of said speaker assembly;
wherein said drivers are laterally mutually offset from one another, and arranged
such that the forces and moments associated with the drivers mounted on said speaker
assembly reduce or cancel vibrations of the speaker.
2 . The loudspeaker of claim 1, wherein the sum of the forces associated with
all of the drivers mounted on said speaker assembly is substantially equal to zero, and a
sum of the moments associated with all of the drivers is substantially equal to zero.
3 . The loudspeaker of claim 2, wherein each of said drivers has a cone, at
least two of said drivers radiating in opposite directions, and wherein the cones of said
at least two drivers overlap in the same lateral plane.
4 . The loudspeaker of claim 1, wherein said drivers lie in substantially the
same lateral plane.
5 . The loudspeaker of claim 1, wherein said plurality of drivers comprises a
first set of drivers facing a first direction, and a second set of drivers facing a second
direction.
6 . The loudspeaker of claim 5, wherein said first direction is opposite said
second direction.
7 . The loudspeaker of claim 6, wherein said first set of drivers are mounted
on a first mounting surface and said second set of drivers are mounted on a second
mounting surface, said first mounting surface and said second mounting surface parallel
to one another, said loudspeaker further comprising a first sound reflecting surface
disposed in front of said first set of drivers and substantially parallel with said first
mounting surface and a second sound reflective surface disposed in front of said
second set of drivers and substantially parallel with said second mounting surface.
8 . The loudspeaker of claim 7, wherein the first mounting surface and first
sound reflecting surface collectively define a first sound duct terminating in at least one
sound output aperture, and the second mounting surface and second sound reflecting
surface collectively define a second sound duct terminating in said at least one sound
output aperture, whereby the acoustic output from the first set and second set of drivers
emanates from the at least one sound output aperture.
9 . The loudspeaker of claim 5, wherein said first set of drivers are
symmetrically arranged relative to said center of mass.
10 . The loudspeaker of claim 5, wherein said first set of drivers are arranged
asymmetrically relative to said center of mass.
11. The loudspeaker of claim 5, wherein said plurality of drivers are arranged
in a single linear array.
12 . The loudspeaker of claim 1, wherein all of the drivers are substantially
identical in terms of moving mass and receive the same audio signal.
13 . The loudspeaker of claim 1, wherein at least two of said drivers are
different sizes.
14. The loudspeaker of claim 1, wherein at least two of said drivers receive
audio signals of different magnitude but having the same frequency content in order to
balance the forces or moments among all of said drivers relative to the center of mass
of the speaker assembly.
15 . The loudspeaker of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of drivers is a
subwoofer.
16 . A slim profile speaker, comprising:
a first mounting surface and a second mounting surface substantially parallel to
one another and mechanically coupled;
a first set of drivers disposed on said first mounting surface; and
a second set of drivers disposed on said second mounting surface and radiating
in an opposite direction compared to said first set of drivers, at least one of said second
set of drivers being laterally offset from all of the first set of drivers;
wherein each driver is associated with a magnet reaction force related to its
forward and rearward motion and with a moment resulting from the driver's force and
position relative to a center of mass of said speaker; and
wherein said drivers are arranged such that the aggregate forces and moments
of the first set and second set of drivers substantially cancel.
17 . The slim profile speaker of claim 16, wherein said first set and second set
of drivers are arranged such that a sum of the forces associated with all of the drivers is
substantially equal to zero, and a sum of the moments associated with all of the drivers
is substantially equal to zero.
18 . The slim profile speaker of claim 17, wherein said first mounting surface is
coextensive in size with said second mounting surface.
19 . The slim profile speaker of claim 17, wherein:
a rear side of said first set of drivers faces said second mounting surface; and
a rear side of said second set of drivers faces said first mounting surface;
whereby said first set of drivers and said second set of drivers face away from
one another.
20. The slim profile speaker of claim 19, wherein said first set of drivers and
said second set of drivers each have a cone lying in substantially the same lateral
plane.
2 1. The slim profile speaker of claim 20, wherein said first set of drivers and
said second set of drivers are arranged in a single linear array.
22. The slim profile speaker of claim 16, wherein said first set of drivers
consists of a single driver, and wherein said second set of drivers consists of a pair of
drivers facing the opposite direction from said single driver.
23. The slim profile speaker of claim 16, wherein said first set of drivers
consists of a first pair of drivers symmetrically spaced about the speaker's center of
mass, and where said second set of drivers consists of a second pair of drivers
symmetrically spaced about the speaker's center of mass.
24. The slim profile speaker of claim 23, wherein said second pair of drivers
are spaced more widely from the speaker's center of mass than said first pair of drivers
and face the opposite direction thereto, and wherein said first pair and second pair of
drivers are arranged in a single linear array.
25. The slim profile speaker of claim 23, wherein said first pair and second
pair of drivers are arranged in a substantially rectangular pattern, said first pair of
drivers positioned across a first diagonal of said rectangular pattern, and said second
pair of drivers positioned across a second diagonal of said rectangular pattern and
facing the opposite direction from said first pair of drivers.
26. The slim profile speaker of claim 25, wherein said first pair and second
pair of drivers are arranged in a substantially square pattern.
27. The slim profile speaker of claim 16, wherein said first set of drivers
consists of a single driver, and wherein said second set of drivers consists of four
drivers facing an opposite direction from said single driver and arranged in a
substantially rectangular pattern.
28. The slim profile speaker of claim 27, wherein said second set of drivers
are arranged in a substantially square pattern.
29. The slim profile speaker of claim 16, wherein said first set of drivers
consists of three drivers arranged in a first equilateral triangle, and where said second
set of drivers consists of three drivers arranged in a second equilateral triangle facing
an opposite direction from said first set of drivers.
30. The slim profile speaker of claim 16, wherein said first set of drivers
consists of four drivers arranged in a first substantially rectangular pattern, and where
said second set of drivers consists of four drivers arranged in a second substantially
rectangular pattern facing an opposite direction from said first set of drivers.
3 1. The slim profile speaker of claim 16, wherein rearward acoustic radiation
from each of the drivers in said first set and said second set of drivers is acoustically
isolated from the other drivers.
32. The slim profile speaker of claim 16, wherein all of the drivers of said first
set and second set of drivers are substantially identical in terms of moving mass and
receive the same audio signal.
33. The slim profile speaker of claim 16, wherein at least two of the drivers of
said first set and second set of drivers are different sizes.
34. The slim profile speaker of claim 16, wherein at least two of the drivers of
said first set and second set of drivers receive audio signals of different magnitude but
similar in frequency content in order to balance the forces or moments among all of said
drivers relative to the center of mass of the speaker.
35. The slim profile speaker of claim 16, wherein each of the drivers of said
first set and second set of drivers is a subwoofer.
36. The slim profile speaker of claim 16, further comprising a first sound
reflecting surface disposed in front of said first set of drivers and substantially parallel
with said first mounting surface and a second sound reflective surface disposed in front
of said second set of drivers and substantially parallel with said second mounting
surface.
37. The slim profile speaker of claim 36, wherein the first mounting surface
and first sound reflecting surface collectively define a first sound duct terminating in at
least one sound output aperture, and the second mounting surface and second sound
reflecting surface collectively define a second sound duct terminating in said at least
one sound output aperture, whereby the acoustic output from the first set and second
set of drivers emanates from the at least one sound output aperture.
38. A balanced subwoofer speaker, comprising:
a speaker assembly; and
a plurality of subwoofer drivers of at least three in number mounted on said
speaker assembly, each subwoofer driver being associated with a magnet reaction
force generated by its forward and rearward motion and with a moment resulting from
the driver's force and position relative to a center of mass of said speaker assembly;
wherein said subwoofer drivers lie in substantially the same lateral plane, and are
arranged such that an aggregate sum of the forces associated with all of the subwoofer
drivers mounted on said speaker assembly is substantially equal to zero, and an
aggregate sum of the moments associated with all of the subwoofer drivers is
substantially equal to zero.
39. The balanced subwoofer speaker of claim 38, wherein said speaker
assembly comprises a first mounting surface and a second mounting surface
substantially parallel to one another and mechanically coupled, wherein a first group of
said plurality of subwoofer drivers is disposed on said first mounting surface, and a
second group of said plurality of subwoofer drivers is disposed on said second mounting
surface and face an opposite direction from said first group of subwoofer drivers.
40. The balanced subwoofer speaker of claim 39, wherein:
said first group of subwoofer drivers faces away from second mounting surface;
and
said second group of subwoofer drivers faces away from said first mounting
surface.
4 1. The balanced subwoofer speaker of claim 40, wherein said first group of
subwoofer drivers and said second group of subwoofer drivers are arranged in a single
linear array.
42. The balanced subwoofer speaker of claim 40, further comprising a first
sound reflecting surface disposed in front of said first group of subwoofer drivers and
substantially parallel with said first mounting surface and a second sound reflective
surface disposed in front of said second group of subwoofer drivers and substantially
parallel with said second mounting surface, whereby the acoustic output from the first
group and second group of subwoofer drivers is combined and emanates from at least
one common sound output aperture.