FR3097396A1 - BOX AND LOUDSPEAKER SOUND RESTITUTION DEVICE PARTLY MADE IN MID TECHNOLOGY - Google Patents

Abstract

A sound reproduction device (1) is secured to a wall (2) of a system and comprises a housing (4) comprising a first electronic circuit, and a loudspeaker (5) coupled to the housing (4) and comprising a second electronic circuit coupled to the first electronic circuit. The housing (4) comprises an internal wall (7) incorporating at least two first coupling tracks (6) of the first electronic circuit by implementing a so-called molded interconnection device technology. The loudspeaker (5) comprises an outer wall (9) integrating at least two second coupling tracks (8) of the second electronic circuit by implementing this molded interconnection device technology, these second coupling tracks (8 ) respectively contacting the first coupling tracks (6). Figure to be published with the abstract: Fig. 1

Description

SOUND RESTITUTION DEVICE WITH HOUSING AND LOUDSPEAKER PARTIALLY MADE IN MID TECHNOLOGY

Technical field of the invention

The invention relates to systems which comprise at least one wall provided with at least one through hole, and more specifically to sound reproduction devices which are intended to be fixedly attached to such walls by passing through their through hole.

State of the art

Many systems include one or more walls each provided with at least one through hole through which a sound reproduction device passes. This is particularly the case with many vehicles, possibly of the automobile type.

This sound reproduction device comprises a casing secured fixedly to the wall of the system and comprising a first electronic circuit, and a loudspeaker coupled to the casing and comprising a second electronic circuit coupled to the first electronic circuit. The box can be in the form of an open bowl or a closed box (and in this case the sound reproduction device is generally called an “enclosure”).

Currently, as described in the patent document FR-A1 2916397, the coupling of the loudspeaker to the housing is done by screwing by means of several screws (generally four), and the coupling of the second electronic circuit to the second electronic circuit is done by connection of connectors. These two couplings are done separately and therefore require two assembly operations, which turns out to be time-consuming, tedious and expensive, in particular when they are carried out repeatedly on an assembly line.

The aim of the invention is therefore in particular to improve the situation.

Presentation of the invention

It proposes in particular for this purpose a sound reproduction device, intended to be secured to a wall of a system and comprising a box comprising a first electronic circuit and a loudspeaker coupled to the box and comprising a second electronic circuit coupled to the first circuit electronic.

This sound reproduction device is characterized by the fact:

- that its case includes an internal wall integrating at least two first coupling tracks of the first electronic circuit by implementing a technology called molded interconnect device (or MID (“molded interconnect device”)), and

- that its loudspeaker comprises an outer wall incorporating at least two second coupling tracks of the second electronic circuit by implementing this same technology of molded interconnection device (or MID), these second coupling tracks respectively contacting the first coupling tracks.

Thanks to this integration of the first and second coupling tracks respectively in the internal and external walls (respectively of the housing and of the loudspeaker) it is possible to easily and automatically establish a close contact between these first and second coupling tracks and thus switch from conventional connectors requiring a plugging operation.

The sound reproduction device according to the invention may comprise other characteristics which may be taken separately or in combination, and in particular:

- the internal wall of the casing can be defined inside an internal space of the latter which houses a part of the loudspeaker comprising the external wall;

- Its housing may comprise a first front wall comprising a central through hole in the vicinity of which are erected, on a first front face, at least two tabs each comprising a sub-part located in front of the first front face and defining with the latter a housing. In this case, its loudspeaker comprises a second front wall resting on the first front face and comprising on its outer periphery protrusions in a number equal to the number of legs and housed tightly and respectively in the housings of the latter after training in rotation of the loudspeaker relative to the housing to ensure the coupling between the latter;

- the central through hole can be circular, the sub-parts 15 of the tabs can be distributed homogeneously around the periphery of the central through hole, the second front wall of the loudspeaker can be annular, and the protuberances can be distributed homogeneous at the outer periphery of the second front wall of the loudspeaker;

- the number of legs and the number of protrusions can be respectively equal to four;

- the second front wall of the loudspeaker may comprise a second front face in which are defined at least two coupling holes in which the fingers of a tool used to rotate the loudspeaker relative to the casing are respectively housed temporarily ;

- The second front face of the second front wall of the loudspeaker can comprise four coupling holes;

- each of the coupling holes can be defined close to a central part of one of the protrusions but before the latter.

The invention also proposes a system comprising at least one wall provided with at least one through hole and at least one sound reproduction device of the type presented above and fixedly secured to the wall by crossing its through hole.

For example, this system can constitute a vehicle, possibly of the automobile type.

Brief description of figures

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on examination of the detailed description below, and of the appended drawings, in which:

schematically illustrates, in a cross-sectional view, part of a wall to which an example embodiment of a sound reproduction device according to the invention is attached,

schematically illustrates, in a front view of the front side, the wall part of Figure 1 with its sound reproduction device,

schematically illustrates, in a sectional view, the external wall of the loudspeaker of FIG. 1, with its second coupling tracks, and

schematically illustrates, in a top view, an embodiment of a tool making it possible to drive the loudspeaker in rotation with respect to the casing to ensure their double coupling.

Detailed description of the invention

The object of the invention is in particular to propose a sound reproduction device 1 intended to be fixedly attached to a wall 2 of a system and whose assembly is simplified.

In what follows, it is considered, by way of illustrative example, that the system is a vehicle, possibly of the automobile type (such as a car for example). But the invention is not limited to this type of vehicle. It concerns any type of vehicle (land, sea (or river), or air) provided that it includes at least one wall to which at least one sound reproduction device must be attached.

There is schematically illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, part of a wall 2 of a system (here a vehicle), to which is secured an example of embodiment of a sound reproduction device 1 according to the invention.

In the case of a vehicle, the wall 2 can, for example, be part of a door trim or a dashboard apron or even a trunk trim. This wall 2 comprises at least one through hole 3 intended to be passed through by a sound reproduction device 1.

As illustrated, a sound reproduction device 1, according to the invention, comprises a housing 4 and a loudspeaker 5.

The box 4 is intended to be secured to the wall 2, for example by screwing. This box 4 comprises a first electronic circuit comprising at least two first coupling tracks 6 (partially visible in FIG. 1).

In addition, this casing 4 comprises an internal wall 7 which incorporates the first coupling tracks 6 by implementing a technology known as molded interconnect device (or MID (molded interconnect device)), known to those skilled in the art. art.

Note that in the example illustrated without limitation in Figure 1, the housing 4 is in the form of a closed box, and in this case its sound reproduction device 1 is called enclosure. But in a non-illustrated embodiment variant the case 4 could be in the form of an open bowl.

Loudspeaker 5 is coupled to housing 4 and includes a second electronic circuit coupled to the first electronic circuit. More precisely, this second electronic circuit comprises at least two second coupling tracks 8 which respectively contact the first coupling tracks 6 (see FIG. 1). It will be noted that the loudspeaker 5 can comprise, conventionally, a membrane and a motor coupled to the second electronic circuit.

In addition, this loudspeaker 5 comprises an outer wall 9 which integrates the second coupling tracks 8 by implementing this same technology of molded interconnection device (or MID).

This integration of the first 6 and second 8 coupling tracks respectively in the inner 7 and outer 9 walls (respectively of the case 4 and the loudspeaker 5) makes it possible to easily and automatically establish close contact between these first 6 and second 8 coupling tracks and thus to dispense with conventional connectors requiring a connection operation.

For example, the MID technology used may be that known by the acronym LDS (“Laser Direct Structuring”).

It will be noted that the number of first coupling tracks 6, like the number of second coupling tracks 8 is equal to two in the example illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3. But these numbers (equal to each other) can take any which value is greater than or equal to two. Thus, they can, for example, be equal to three or four, in particular in the case of a sound reproduction device 1 that is multi-channel and/or has integrated lighting.

In the first and second electronic circuits, only the first 6 and second 8 coupling tracks are defined by means of MID technology at the same time as their respective internal 7 and external 9 walls.

For example, and as illustrated without limitation in FIG. 1, the internal wall 7 can be defined inside an internal space 10 of the casing 4 which houses a part of the loudspeaker 5 which includes the external wall 9. In In this case, the outer wall 9 can, for example, be fixedly secured to metal rods, themselves fixedly secured to the solid (or rigid) structure of the loudspeaker 5.

Preferably, and as illustrated without limitation in Figure 1, the housing 4 comprises a first front wall 11 which comprises a central through hole 12 in the vicinity of which are erected, on a first front face 13, at least two tabs 14. Each tab 14 comprises a sub-part 15 located in front of the first front face 13 and defining with the latter (13) a housing. In this case, the loudspeaker 5 comprises a second front wall 16 which rests on the first front face 11 of the casing 4 and which comprises on its outer periphery protuberances 17 equal in number to the number of lugs 13. These protuberances 17 are housed tightly and respectively in the housings which are defined between the first front face 11 and the sub-parts 15 of the lugs 14 after driving the loudspeaker 5 in rotation with respect to the casing 4 to ensure the coupling between the latter (5 , 4).

In other words, in this exemplary embodiment, before coupling, each protrusion 17 is placed next to the sub-part 15 of the corresponding lug 14, against the first front face 13 of the first front wall 11 of the housing 4. Then, when the loudspeaker 5 is rotated with respect to the casing 4 (arrow F1 in FIG. 1), each protrusion 17 is housed in the corresponding housing defined between the first front face 11 and the sub-part 15 of the leg 14 next to which it was previously located. At the same time, this rotational drive brings each second coupling track 8 into close contact with the corresponding first coupling track 6. One thus obtains very easily and simultaneously, without any screwing and without any connection, not only a close coupling between the loudspeaker 5 and the box 4, but also a close coupling between the first 6 and second 8 coupling tracks.

Note that in the embodiment described above, as illustrated without limitation in Figure 2, the central through hole 12 of the first front wall 11 may be circular, the sub-portions 15 of the tabs 14 may be distributed homogeneously around the periphery of the central through-hole 12, the second front wall 16 of the loudspeaker 5 can be annular, and the protrusions 17 can be homogeneously distributed around the outer periphery of the second front wall 16 of the loudspeaker 5 .

In this last option, the tabs 14 (and more precisely their sub-parts 15) can, for example and as illustrated without limitation in FIG. 2, extend around the central through-hole 12 over a predefined angular sector, for example included between 10° and 40°. Likewise, the protuberances 17 can, for example and as illustrated without limitation in FIG. 2, extend over another predefined angular sector, for example between 10° and 40°. Furthermore, as illustrated without limitation in Figure 1, these protrusions 17 are preferably flat.

Also in the presence of the last option, in order to facilitate the establishment of close contact between the first 6 and second 8 coupling tracks during the rotational drive, the internal 7 and external 9 walls can each extend over a sector significant angle (for example between 30° and 200°), and can each have a face (provided with the first 6 or second 8 coupling tracks) that is curved (preferably in the form of a spiral portion). In the example illustrated without limitation in Figure 4, the outer wall 9 of the loudspeaker 5 extends with its second coupling tracks 8 over an angular sector of approximately 180°.

For example, and as illustrated without limitation in Figure 2, the number of tabs 14 and the number of protrusions 17 can be respectively equal to four. But these numbers (equal to each other) can take any value greater than or equal to two. Thus, they can also be equal to two, three or five, for example.

For example, and as illustrated without limitation in Figure 2, the legs 14 may each include an extension 18 extending opposite its sub-part, and these extensions may join to form a crown which bears against the front face of the wall 2 of the system. The parts of the tabs 14 which ensure the junction between the first front wall 11 and the sub-parts 15 can also join together to form a circular crown.

It will be noted, as illustrated without limitation in FIG. 2, that the second front wall 16 of the loudspeaker 5 can comprise a second front face 19 in which are defined at least two coupling holes 20 in which fingers 21 are respectively temporarily housed. a tool 22 which is used to drive the loudspeaker 5 in rotation with respect to the housing 4 (and illustrated in FIG. 4).

It will be understood that by introducing the fingers 21 of the tool 22 respectively into the coupling holes 20, then by driving the tool 22 in rotation along the arrow F1 of FIG. 1, the double coupling described above can be obtained. Conversely, by driving the tool 22 in rotation in the opposite direction to that of the arrow F1 in FIG. 1, a double decoupling can be obtained.

In order to facilitate rotational drive, the tool 22 can, as illustrated without limitation in FIG. 4, comprise a main body 23 comprising the fingers 21 and to which a handle 24 is fixedly attached.

For example, and as illustrated without limitation in FIG. 2, the second front face 19 of the second front wall 16 of the loudspeaker 5 can comprise four coupling holes 20. In this case, the tool 22 comprises four fingers 21 intended to be introduced respectively into the four coupling holes 20. But the number of coupling holes 20 (and therefore the number of fingers 21) can take any value greater than or equal to two. So it could also, for example, be two, three or five.

It will be noted, as illustrated without limitation in FIG. 2, that each of the coupling holes 20 can be defined close to a central part of one of the protrusions 17 but before the latter (17), in particular when the thickness of the protrusions 17 is lower than that of the remainder of the second front wall 16 (as illustrated without limitation in FIG. 1). But this is not mandatory.

For example, the casing 4 and the external wall 9 (of the loudspeaker 5) can be made of a thermoplastic material doped with an inorganic metallic compound (non-conductive). For example, this material may be copper.

Claims (10)

Sound reproduction device (1) intended to be secured to a wall (2) of a system and comprising a casing (4) comprising a first electronic circuit, and a loudspeaker (5) coupled to said casing (4) and comprising a second electronic circuit coupled to said first electronic circuit, characterized in that said casing (4) comprises an internal wall (7) integrating at least two first coupling tracks (6) of said first electronic circuit by implementing a technology called of molded interconnection device, and in that said loudspeaker (5) comprises an external wall (9) integrating at least two second coupling tracks (8) of said second electronic circuit by implementing this technology of device of molded interconnect, these second coupling tracks (8) respectively contacting said first coupling tracks (6). Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the said internal wall (7) is defined inside an internal space (10) of the said casing (4) housing a part of the said loudspeaker (5) which comprises the said external wall (9). Device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the said casing (4) comprises a first front wall (11) comprising a central through-hole (12) in the vicinity of which are erected, on a first front face (13), at least two lugs (14) each comprising a sub-part (15) located in front of said first front face (13) and defining with the latter (13) a housing, and in that said loudspeaker (5) comprises a second front wall (16) resting on said first front face (13) and comprising on its outer periphery protuberances (17) equal in number to the number of tabs (14) and housed closely and respectively in said housings of the latter (14) after driving said loudspeaker (5) in rotation with respect to said casing (4) to ensure said coupling between the latter (5, 4). Device according to Claim 3, characterized in that the said central through-hole (12) is circular, the said sub-parts (15) of the tabs (14) are distributed in a homogeneous manner at the periphery of the said central through-hole (12), the said second front wall (16) of the loudspeaker (5) is annular, and said protrusions (17) are distributed homogeneously at the outer periphery of said second front wall (16) of the loudspeaker (5). Device according to Claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the said number of legs (14) and the said number of protrusions (17) are respectively equal to four. Device according to one of Claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the said second front wall (16) of the loudspeaker (5) comprises a second front face (19) in which are defined at least two coupling holes (20) in which are temporarily housed respectively fingers (21) of a tool (22) used to rotate said loudspeaker (5) with respect to said casing (4). Device according to Claim 6, characterized in that the said second front face (19) of the second front wall (16) of the loudspeaker (5) comprises four coupling holes (20). Device according to Claim 6 or 7, characterized in that each of the said coupling holes (20) is defined close to a central part of one of the said protrusions (17) but before the latter (17). System comprising at least one wall (2) provided with at least one through hole (3), characterized in that it further comprises at least one sound reproduction device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, fixedly secured to said wall (2) passing through said through hole (3). System according to Claim 9, characterized in that it constitutes a vehicle.