EP4376440A1 - Speaker arrangement - Google Patents

Abstract

Loudspeaker arrangement comprising at least one pair of horn loudspeakers (2), each of the horn loudspeakers (2) having a first horn mouth (10) and a triangular base surface (4) and top surface (6), thereby forming a contour of a prism, one of the side surfaces (8) having the first horn mouth (10). According to the invention, the at least one pair of horn loudspeakers (2) in a first installation arrangement rests with one of the side surfaces (8) on the other horn loudspeaker (2) and in a second installation arrangement rests with a contact side edge (12) on the contact side edge (12) of the opposite horn loudspeaker (2) belonging to the pair in such a way that the side surfaces (8) with the first horn mouth (10) face each other and a second horn mouth (16) that is larger than the first horn mouth (10) is formed between two opposite outer side edges (13) and at least one cover (14) that extends the cover surfaces (6) of the upper pair of horn loudspeakers (2) to the opposite horn loudspeaker (2).

Description

The invention relates to a loudspeaker arrangement comprising at least one pair of horn loudspeakers, wherein each of the horn loudspeakers has a first horn mouth and a triangular base surface and top surface and thereby forms a contour of a prism, wherein one of the side surfaces has the first horn mouth.

The horn loudspeaker comprises a driver, also known as a sound transducer or loudspeaker, and a housing in which a horn is formed. Important parameters for a loudspeaker arrangement are high efficiency, reproduction of a wide frequency band, low transport volume and weight, high maximum power and low distortion.

These properties, especially the low transport volume and weight, are crucial because for many events such as festivals or tours, the music system is set up and dismantled by event technology companies. This means that high personnel and transport costs arise for the system alone. A higher efficiency and a higher maximum output of a loudspeaker mean that fewer loudspeakers are needed for an event, which can reduce costs. A wide frequency band and low distortion also describe the acoustic quality of a loudspeaker.

There are different designs of loudspeakers, especially bass loudspeakers with their required large housing volume, which have decisive advantages and disadvantages. In sound reinforcement technology, a horn is a type of loudspeaker in which one or more drivers (often also referred to as loudspeakers) are coupled to the environment via a precisely defined sound channel with a constantly increasing cross-section. The aim is to adapt the wave impedance of the loudspeaker to the sound characteristic impedance of the surrounding air.

The driver is the actual loudspeaker chassis that is built into the loudspeaker construction. The horn is the sound channel from the neck opening (starting at the driver, hereinafter referred to as the horn neck) to the mouth opening (end of the sound channel, acoustic connection to the environment, hereinafter referred to as the horn mouth). Geometrically and acoustically, the horn is determined by the course of the cross-sectional area over the length of the horn. The horn neck is thus the smaller end surface of the horn to which the driver is mounted, the Horn mouth the larger end surface of the horn, which emits the acoustic power to the environment.

The housing is the structure in which both the driver and the horn are installed, whereby parts of the housing are usually also components of the horn. The loudspeaker is ultimately the entire structure, hereinafter referred to as the horn loudspeaker for the purpose of describing the invention.

The horn, for example a front-loaded horn (FLH for short), which is also the basis for a preferred embodiment of the present invention as a design of the horn, has a high level of efficiency, a high maximum power and good impulse fidelity. The horn contour is crucial for the reproduction of a wide frequency band. In order to achieve optimum efficiency in low frequencies (e.g. 30 Hz), the horn path must be at least 4 m long, the horn mouth must have an area of 1.2 m ² and the cross-sectional change of the horn must follow an essentially exponential course. For this reason, FLHs are larger and heavier than comparable loudspeakers with a different operating principle.

The aim of using loudspeakers in a space-saving manner is also reflected in the state of the art. The publication DE 299 19 329 U1 a bass speaker that is built into a bench seat. This means that only bench seats need to be stored and transported, not a separate bass speaker. However, the bass speaker converted in this way is limited in its size and performance.

From the publication EN 10 2004 007 022 A1 An inflatable loudspeaker is known that is stored in a small space and is only made to the required size for use by filling the air chambers and placing them under air pressure. However, with such a loudspeaker, losses in acoustic quality must be expected, since despite the high air pressure in the chambers, sound absorption reduces performance.

A modular construction of a loudspeaker is revealed in the publication EP 2 628 310 B1 , a structural module for constructing a loudspeaker arrangement element. The individual modules can also be stored in a space-saving manner. However, the assembly and disassembly required each time from numerous individual parts is very complex.

From the publication US 2310243 A is a horn for loudspeakers, whereby the enlargement of the horn is achieved by the walls of a room extending at right angles from a corner. Similar solutions are described in the publications US 2008/0099273 A1 , DE 195 37 582 A1 , WO 2004/082326 A2 and US 2005/0276431 A1 described. However, the application is naturally limited to indoor spaces and cannot be used outdoors in the same way. Building walls outdoors involves additional effort and does not offer sufficient stability, e.g. when exposed to wind.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a loudspeaker arrangement in which a high efficiency, the reproduction of a wide frequency band, a low transport volume and weight, a high maximum power and low distortion can be achieved with little effort.

The object is achieved by a loudspeaker arrangement comprising at least one pair of horn loudspeakers, each of the horn loudspeakers having a first horn mouth and a triangular base surface and cover surface and thereby forming a spatial contour of a prism, one of the side surfaces having the first horn mouth. According to the invention, the at least one pair of horn loudspeakers rests against the other horn loudspeaker in a first installation arrangement with one of the side surfaces.

The embodiment with a triangular base and top surface also includes an embodiment in which one corner is "cut off" from a triangle, so that despite the triangular basic shape, an irregular quadrilateral is formed, or with further "cut off" corners, an irregular polygon is formed.

In this first setup, which is intended for storage and transport, at least one pair of horn loudspeakers rests with one of their side surfaces against the other horn loudspeaker, so that the space required for both horn loudspeakers together is minimized, because two triangles folded together form a square at the diagonal. When folded together, the resulting square forms an easily manageable contour of the base area for transporting the loudspeaker housings. With two triangles, this corresponds to a reduction in the Transport volume by half. This creates a great advantage over other loudspeakers, especially large bass loudspeakers, as the volume required for transport is significantly reduced and the weight is usually lower. This saves storage and transport capacity.

In a second installation arrangement, the at least one pair of horn loudspeakers each have a contact side edge on the contact side edge of the opposite horn loudspeaker belonging to the pair in such a way that the side surfaces with the first horn mouth face each other and a second horn mouth is formed between two opposite outer side edges and at least one cover that extends the cover surfaces of the upper pair of horn loudspeakers to the opposite horn loudspeaker. This second horn mouth is larger than the first horn mouth.

The outline of the second horn mouth is formed by the respective outer edges, the outside edges of the at least one horn loudspeaker and the at least one further object. The further object can also be a horn loudspeaker. However, omitting a boundary surface (e.g. a lid or cover) has a negative influence on the bass response of the horn loudspeaker. The negative influence on the bass response decreases as the number of modules increases.

The areas that extend between the first horn mouth and the second horn mouth are essentially closed. There may be gaps between the individual objects and horn loudspeakers. Smaller gaps have little influence on the acoustics of the horn. In practical terms, it is easier to use a design in which not all gaps in the horn path have to be sealed.

The second horn mouth is larger than the first horn mouth, in the required ratio of the lengthening of the horn to the change in the opening area of the horn mouth. The ratio is in particular an exponential cross-sectional change of the horn over its length, with the corresponding resulting acoustic effect, as described at the beginning. This achieves an acoustic effect that would otherwise only be possible with a very large loudspeaker that is difficult to store and transport. The at least one Horn loudspeakers and at least one other object can be stored and transported in a space-saving manner.

In the second installation arrangement, the at least one pair of horn loudspeakers rests with one of the side edges, a contact side edge, on the other horn loudspeaker in such a way that the side surfaces with the first horn mouth face each other and a second horn mouth is formed between two opposite outer side edges and at least one cover that extends the cover surfaces to the opposite horn loudspeaker. The horn mouth has a surface that is delimited by an outer side edge of a horn loudspeaker and an edge of the at least one cover. The two horn loudspeakers are preferably folded out of the first installation arrangement by 90° to the second installation arrangement via a corner point where the side edges of the two horn loudspeakers lie against each other in the form of prisms. They could also be brought in individually and placed next to each other in the same way. Alternatively, a pair of loudspeakers is stored on a transport trolley. The loudspeakers are then individually placed in the intended position when the loudspeaker system is set up.

In this way, the last part of the horn path unfolds between the two horn loudspeakers as a lateral boundary and, in the form of the second horn mouth, the end of the horn path with a linear increase in the cross-sectional area up to the area of the second horn mouth. The lateral boundary forms the second horn mouth alongside the horizontal boundaries, for example the cover at the top and the installation area at the bottom, as specified below. The second horn mouth thus achieves a cross-sectional area that would result in significantly greater transport and storage costs for a single loudspeaker with such a large horn mouth. However, the more compact horn loudspeakers still achieve the same, very good acoustic properties.

It has proven to be advantageous if the triangular base surface and the triangular top surface of the horn loudspeaker are designed as a right-angled triangle, or according to an alternative embodiment as an isosceles triangle. For example, the edge lengths, the legs of the triangular base surface and the triangular top surface, of the horn loudspeaker can be 1.2 m and 1.4 m and the base surface results in a right-angled triangle.

The horn loudspeakers to be set up together preferably have an identical size at least in terms of their base and top surfaces. The side surface that rises above the hypotenuse has the first horn mouth. The pair of horn loudspeakers therefore also has a square or rectangular base with larger dimensions in the first setup arrangement, which in particular simplifies transport and storage, and in the second setup arrangement when used acoustically as a loudspeaker. One of the long sides of the rectangle, above which one of the outer body surfaces of the loudspeaker arrangement according to the invention rises, forms the second horn mouth.

In an advantageous embodiment, the at least one cover forms an upper cover and upper boundary of the second horn mouth in the area of the cover surfaces of the prisms. The upper cover is formed in a particularly advantageous manner by one or more attached cover loudspeakers, for example a horn loudspeaker with a suitable, in particular rectangular or square base area. In this case, no additional cover is required, but the attached cover loudspeaker connects both prisms of the horn loudspeakers in such a way that the second horn mouth is formed. It is also advantageous if the lower boundary of the second horn mouth is formed by the installation surface, for example the floor of a festival site, and no additional lower cover is required.

According to an alternative embodiment, the upper cover is designed as a flap that is folded out of the contour of at least one of the horn loudspeakers to form the second horn mouth. Then neither an additional cover needs to be carried nor is the use of an attached cover loudspeaker necessary.

An additional lower cover is used when the horn speakers are not placed on the floor but are placed higher up. This type of installation is known as flown bass speakers. The lower cover is designed in the same way as the upper cover, as described above.

Preferably, each of the horn loudspeakers houses a folded horn and parts of a housing also form sections of the folded horn. This winds through the housing in order to achieve the desired length and at the same time the desired, almost exponential cross-sectional change.

Advantageously, a stack of several pairs of horn loudspeakers is formed and provided with a cover. The resulting second horn mouth then has a total area that is formed by the edge contour of the entire stack.

In the present invention, the last section of the horn contour is thus formed between the outer wall of at least two loudspeaker housings. This means that a larger and longer horn can be formed from, for example, two triangles, because not only is the horn mouth enlarged to an area whose size is larger than the areas of the two first horn mouths of the individual horn loudspeakers forming the pair, but the length of the horn is also increased.

• Fig. 1: schematisch eine perspektivische Ansicht einer Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemäßen Lautsprecheranordnung mit einer gesonderten Abdeckung;
• Fig. 2: schematisch eine perspektivische Ansicht einer Ausführungsform eines Hornlautsprechers einer erfindungsgemäßen Lautsprecheranordnung;
• Fig. 3: schematisch eine perspektivische Ansicht einer Ausführungsform eines Paars von Hornlautsprechern einer erfindungsgemäßen Lautsprecheranordnung in erster Aufstellanordnung;
• Fig. 4: schematisch eine perspektivische Ansicht einer Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemäßen Lautsprecheranordnung mit einem Abdecklautsprecher als Abdeckung;
• Fig. 5: schematisch eine Vorderansicht einer Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemäßen Lautsprecheranordnung mit einem Abdecklautsprecher als Abdeckung;
• Fig. 6: schematisch eine geschnittene Ansicht von oben eines Abdecklautsprechers, der als Abdeckung einer erfindungsgemäßen Lautsprecheranordnung dient;
• Fig. 7: schematisch eine geschnittene Ansicht von oben einer erfindungsgemäßen Lautsprecheranordnung in zweiter Aufstellanordnung;
• Fig. 8: schematisch eine Vorderansicht einer Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemäßen Lautsprecheranordnung mit einer gesonderten Abdeckung.

The invention is explained in more detail below based on the description of embodiments and their representation in the accompanying drawings. They show:

• Fig.1 : schematically a perspective view of an embodiment of a loudspeaker arrangement according to the invention with a separate cover;
• Fig.2 : schematically a perspective view of an embodiment of a horn loudspeaker of a loudspeaker arrangement according to the invention;
• Fig.3 : schematically a perspective view of an embodiment of a pair of horn loudspeakers of a loudspeaker arrangement according to the invention in a first installation arrangement;
• Fig.4 : schematically a perspective view of an embodiment of a loudspeaker arrangement according to the invention with a cover loudspeaker as a cover;
• Fig.5 : schematically a front view of an embodiment of a loudspeaker arrangement according to the invention with a cover loudspeaker as a cover;
• Fig.6 : schematically a sectional view from above of a cover loudspeaker which serves as a cover of a loudspeaker arrangement according to the invention;
• Fig.7 : schematically a sectional view from above of a loudspeaker arrangement according to the invention in a second installation arrangement;
• Fig.8 : schematically a front view of an embodiment of a loudspeaker arrangement according to the invention with a separate cover.

Fig.1 shows schematically a perspective view of an embodiment of a loudspeaker arrangement 1 according to the invention, comprising horn loudspeakers 2, which are set up in the second setup arrangement for the radiation of sound and are stacked on top of each other in several pairs with a separate cover 14. The perspective view shows how the individual components are set up together.

Each of the horn speakers 2 has, as shown in Fig.2 shown in more detail, a base surface 4, a cover surface 6, side surfaces 8 and side edges 12, 13 (contact side edge 12 and outer side edge 13). In one of the side surfaces 8 there is an opening which forms the first horn mouth 10 from which the sound initially emerges.

In the second installation arrangement shown, the arrangement when used for sound emission, two horn loudspeakers 2, which form a pair, are arranged in such a way that they abut one another at a contact side edge 12. They are arranged in such a way that two side surfaces 8 are aligned at an acute or obtuse angle, in any case less than 180°, to one another. These side surfaces 8 have an opening for the sound to exit, the first horn mouth 10.

The side edges that delimit the side surfaces 8 with the first horn mouth 10 are the outer side edges 13 and at the same time form the lateral frame for the second horn mouth 16, which results from the second installation arrangement of the horn loudspeakers 2. In addition to the lateral limitation, an upper and lower limitation is also required. The lower limitation results from the installation surface 18 on which the loudspeaker arrangement 1 is installed. The upper limitation is achieved by a cover 14, which is placed on the cover surface 6 of the upper horn loudspeakers 2 and whose edge connects the outer side edge 13. This results in the Fig.1 The frame shown in dashed lines represents the second horn mouth 16 and from which its surface results. The extension of the horn achieved according to the invention extends between this surface, which is spanned between the outer side edges 13 as lateral boundary lines and the cover 14, and the contact side edges 12, where both horn loudspeakers 2 abut one another.

Fig.2 shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a horn loudspeaker 2 of a loudspeaker arrangement 1 according to the invention. Shown are the base surface 4, the cover surface 6 and the two side edges, the contact side edge 12 and the outer side edge 13. One of the side surfaces 8 has an opening, the first horn mouth 10. The preferred embodiment shown shows a right-angled isosceles triangle for the base surface 4 and the cover surface 6. This results in a setup according to Fig.1 a right angle between the two side surfaces 8 or the first horn mouths 10 of the pair of horn loudspeakers 2. The depth of the horn extension therefore corresponds to one of the other side surfaces, a leg of the isosceles triangle.

Fig.3 shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a pair of horn loudspeakers 2 of a loudspeaker arrangement 1 according to the invention in a first installation arrangement, as is used for storage and transport and practically halves the space requirement. The two side surfaces 8 of the prism, here with base surfaces 4 and cover surfaces 6 in the form of a right-angled triangle, are also the hypotenuses of the triangle, lie against each other. Since the base surfaces 4 and cover surfaces 6 are right-angled triangles, the first installation arrangement results in a square or rectangular base area of this installation arrangement.

Fig.4 shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a loudspeaker arrangement 1 according to the invention, with two cover loudspeakers 3, designed as two cuboid-shaped housings, which serve as a cover for the stack of five pairs of horn loudspeakers 2. The perspective view also shows how these are set up together. The stack of horn loudspeakers 2 corresponds to the set-up arrangement as shown in Fig.1 described. Instead of a separate cover 14, however, a pair of cover loudspeakers 3 is placed on the upper layer of horn loudspeakers 2. The cover loudspeakers 3 thus limit the area of the first horn mouth 16 at the top and serve as a cover 14.

Fig.5 shows schematically a front view of an embodiment of a loudspeaker arrangement according to the invention with a cover loudspeaker 3 as cover 14, as shown in Fig.4 The first two horn mouths 10 of the two adjacent horn loudspeakers 2 are located centrally. The second Horn mouth 16 is defined by the outer boundaries, namely the outer side edges 13, limited at the top by the attached cover loudspeaker 3, which forms the cover 14, and at the bottom by the mounting surface 18.

Fig.6 shows schematically Fig.5 a sectional view AA of a cover loudspeaker 3, which serves as a cover 14 of a loudspeaker arrangement 1 according to the invention. In the section, the contour of the folded horn 22 can still be seen in the cuboid cover loudspeakers 3, as it is installed in the housing 28. The driver 24 is shown at the beginning of the horn 22, the horn neck 26.

Fig.7 shows a schematic sectional view of a pair of horn loudspeakers 2 of a loudspeaker arrangement 1 according to the invention, which abut one another in the area of a side edge 12. The horn contour of the folded horn 22 in the housing 28 and the driver 24, arranged in the area of the horn neck 26, can be seen in the sections. The surface of the second horn mouth 16 extends between the two outer side edges, the outside edges 13. The sound from the first horn mouth 10 of both horn loudspeakers 2 emerges into the horn mouth 16. At the beginning of the horn 22, the horn neck 26, the driver 24 is also shown here with radiation from the motor side of the membrane into the horn 22.

Fig.8 shows schematically a front view of an embodiment of a loudspeaker arrangement 1 according to the invention with a separate cover 14, as already Fig.1 in perspective view. The contour of the second horn mouth 16 is formed by the outer side edges 13 in addition to the cover 14 and the support surface 18. The side surfaces 8, the cover 14 and the support surface 18 form closed surfaces between the first horn mouth 10 and the second horn mouth 16. From the front, the side surfaces 8 with the first horn mouth 16 of the two horn loudspeakers 2 arranged next to each other can be seen. A covered stack of five pairs of horn loudspeakers 2 is formed.

List of reference symbols

1

Speaker arrangement

2

Horn loudspeaker

3

Cover speaker, additional object

4

Floor space

6

Cover area

8th

Side surface

10

first horn mouth

12

Contact side edge

13

Outside edge

14

Cover, additional object

16

second horn mouth

18

Installation area

22

folded horn

24

driver

26

Horn neck

28

Housing

Claims (7)

Loudspeaker arrangement comprising at least one pair of horn loudspeakers (2), each of the horn loudspeakers (2) having a first horn mouth (10) and a triangular base surface (4) and cover surface (6) and thereby forming a contour of a prism, one of the side surfaces (8) having the first horn mouth (10), characterized in that the at least one pair of horn loudspeakers (2) in a first installation arrangement rests with one of the side surfaces (8) on the other horn loudspeaker (2) and in a second installation arrangement rests with a contact side edge (12) on the contact side edge (12) of the opposite horn loudspeaker (2) belonging to the pair in such a way that the side surfaces (8) with the first horn mouth (10) face each other and a second horn mouth (16) is formed between two opposite outer side edges (13) and at least one cover (14) which extends the cover surfaces (6) of the upper pair of horn loudspeakers (2) to the opposite horn loudspeaker (2), which second horn mouth (16) is larger than the first horn mouth. (10) is. Loudspeaker arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the triangular base surface (4) and the triangular top surface (6) of the horn loudspeaker (2) are formed as a right-angled, isosceles triangle, wherein the side surface (8) rising above the hypotenuse has the first horn mouth (10), and wherein the at least one pair of horn loudspeakers (2) forms a first rectangular or square base surface in the first installation arrangement and a second rectangular or square base surface in the second installation arrangement, wherein the first base surface is smaller than the second base surface. Loudspeaker arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one cover (14) is formed by an attached cover loudspeaker (3). Loudspeaker arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one cover (14) is designed as a flap which is folded out of the uppermost horn loudspeaker (2) in a stack to form the second horn mouth (16). Loudspeaker arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lower boundary of the second horn mouth (16) is formed by a mounting surface (18) or a lower cover. Loudspeaker arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each of the horn loudspeakers (2) has a folded horn (22) and parts of a housing (28) also form components of the folded horn (22). Loudspeaker arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a stack of several pairs of horn loudspeakers (2) is formed and provided with a cover (14).

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