Sound Bar For Mounting On A Recreational Land Vehicle Or Watercraft

Patent No. US11407362 (titled "Sound Bar For Mounting On A Recreational Land Vehicle Or Watercraft") was filed by Southern Audio Services Inc on Apr 13, 2021.

What is this patent about?

’362 is related to the field of sound reproduction, specifically sound bars designed for use in recreational vehicles and watercraft. These environments present unique challenges, including exposure to dust, water, and significant mechanical stress due to rough terrain or choppy water. Existing sound bars often lack the durability and adjustable directionality needed for optimal performance in these conditions.

The underlying idea behind ’362 is to create a robust and adaptable sound bar that can withstand the harsh conditions of recreational vehicle and marine environments while providing high-quality, directional audio. This is achieved by integrating bass speakers at opposing ends of a sealed housing and using adjustable mounting assemblies that allow the entire sound bar to be rotated for optimal sound projection.

The claims of ’362 focus on a sound bar featuring an elongated housing with mid-range and tweeter speakers in the middle section, oriented to project sound outward. Crucially, the housing also contains bass speakers at each end , projecting sound along the longitudinal axis. The sound bar is secured by L-shaped mounting members that allow rotation around the central axis, enabling directional sound adjustment.

In practice, the sound bar's design addresses the problem of sound quality degradation in open-air environments with competing noises. The end-mounted bass speakers provide a strong low-frequency response, while the rotatable mounting allows users to direct the sound towards the listening area, compensating for environmental factors. The sealed housing protects the internal components from dust and water damage, ensuring reliable operation in harsh conditions.

The key differentiation from prior approaches lies in the combination of end-mounted bass speakers, rotatable mounting, and environmental protection. Prior sound bars often lacked the ability to direct sound effectively or were not sufficiently ruggedized for recreational vehicle use. By integrating these features, ’362 provides a more durable and versatile audio solution for challenging outdoor environments, improving the listening experience in recreational settings. The grill design also contributes to sound emission while providing structural support for the mounting assembly.

How does this patent fit in bigger picture?

Technical landscape at the time

In the late 2010s when ’362 was filed, sound systems for recreational vehicles often faced challenges related to durability, weather resistance, and sound projection in open environments. At a time when achieving adjustable sound directionality was typically implemented using mechanical adjustments, systems commonly relied on wired connections for control rather than wireless interfaces due to power constraints and reliability concerns in harsh conditions. Hardware or software constraints made integrating lighting features without compromising dustproof and watertight integrity non-trivial.

Novelty and Inventive Step

The examiner approved the application because the prior art does not disclose an elongated speaker housing with woofers at the end of the housing, along with L-shaped connection means connected at the ends to enable the housing to be rotatable in multiple directions. While some references disclose elongated speaker enclosures or speakers at the ends of an enclosure, the specific limitations of L-shaped holders for enabling rotation are missing. The examiner found no motivation to combine the prior art to achieve the claimed limitations.

Claims

This patent contains 10 claims, with claim 1 being independent. Independent claim 1 is directed to a sound bar for attachment to a recreational vehicle or watercraft, detailing its housing, speaker arrangement, and mounting assemblies. The dependent claims generally elaborate on the speaker arrays, control module, remote control functionality, and power source of the sound bar.

Key Claim Terms New

Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.

Term (Source)Support for SpecificationInterpretation
Array of speakers
(Claim 1)
“Accordingly, a sound bar for attachment to a recreational vehicle or watercraft comprising an elongated hollow housing having a generally circular or polygon cross-section along a central longitudinal axis, and including a first end section and an opposite second end section separated by a middle section; the sections forming an interior passageway sized to contain (i) a first array assembly of mid-range and tweeter speaker units positioned in the middle section to emit sound in a direction outward from the central longitudinal axis, (ii) a first bass speaker unit positioned in the first end section to emit sound outward from a first end opening of the first section of the housing in a first direction generally along the central longitudinal axis, and (iii) a second bass speaker unit positioned in the second end section to emit sound outward from a second end opening of the second section of the housing in a second direction generally along the central longitudinal axis and opposite the first direction”A group of speakers, including midrange speakers, tweeters, or combinations thereof, positioned in the middle section of the elongated housing to emit sound outward from the central longitudinal axis.
Elongated housing
(Claim 1)
“Accordingly, a sound bar for attachment to a recreational vehicle or watercraft comprising an elongated hollow housing having a generally circular or polygon cross-section along a central longitudinal axis, and including a first end section and an opposite second end section separated by a middle section; the sections forming an interior passageway sized to contain (i) a first array assembly of mid-range and tweeter speaker units positioned in the middle section to emit sound in a direction outward from the central longitudinal axis, (ii) a first bass speaker unit positioned in the first end section to emit sound outward from a first end opening of the first section of the housing in a first direction generally along the central longitudinal axis, and (iii) a second bass speaker unit positioned in the second end section to emit sound outward from a second end opening of the second section of the housing in a second direction generally along the central longitudinal axis and opposite the first direction”A housing with a length greater than its width or height, having a first end, a second end, and a middle section. It contains speakers and has a circular or polygonal cross-section along a central longitudinal axis.
First bass speaker
(Claim 1)
“Accordingly, a sound bar for attachment to a recreational vehicle or watercraft comprising an elongated hollow housing having a generally circular or polygon cross-section along a central longitudinal axis, and including a first end section and an opposite second end section separated by a middle section; the sections forming an interior passageway sized to contain (i) a first array assembly of mid-range and tweeter speaker units positioned in the middle section to emit sound in a direction outward from the central longitudinal axis, (ii) a first bass speaker unit positioned in the first end section to emit sound outward from a first end opening of the first section of the housing in a first direction generally along the central longitudinal axis, and (iii) a second bass speaker unit positioned in the second end section to emit sound outward from a second end opening of the second section of the housing in a second direction generally along the central longitudinal axis and opposite the first direction”A speaker positioned in the first end of the elongated housing, oriented to emit sound outward from the housing and in line with the central longitudinal axis.
Mounting assemblies
(Claim 1)
“In another preferred embodiment the sound bar includes a first generally L-shaped leg member rotatable affixed to the first center hub area and a second generally L-shaped leg member rotatable affixed to the second center hub area; each L-shaped leg member comprising an elongated plate member having a hub receiving area positioned at a top end section of the elongated plate member, shaped to affix to its corresponding center hub area and having a shorter plate member affixed generally perpendicularly to the bottom end section of the elongated plate member.”A first L-shaped member and a second L-shaped member configured to secure the sound bar to a recreational vehicle or watercraft and rotably support the sound bar on a horizontal axis aligned with the central longitudinal axis of the elongated housing.
Second bass speaker
(Claim 1)
“Accordingly, a sound bar for attachment to a recreational vehicle or watercraft comprising an elongated hollow housing having a generally circular or polygon cross-section along a central longitudinal axis, and including a first end section and an opposite second end section separated by a middle section; the sections forming an interior passageway sized to contain (i) a first array assembly of mid-range and tweeter speaker units positioned in the middle section to emit sound in a direction outward from the central longitudinal axis, (ii) a first bass speaker unit positioned in the first end section to emit sound outward from a first end opening of the first section of the housing in a first direction generally along the central longitudinal axis, and (iii) a second bass speaker unit positioned in the second end section to emit sound outward from a second end opening of the second section of the housing in a second direction generally along the central longitudinal axis and opposite the first direction”A speaker positioned in the second end of the elongated housing, oriented to emit sound outward from the housing and in line with the central longitudinal axis.

Litigation Cases New

US Latest litigation cases involving this patent.

Case NumberFiling DateTitle
4:25-cv-02723Jun 11, 2025Southern Audio Services, Inc. V. Grace Digital, Inc.

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US11407362

SOUTHERN AUDIO SERVICES INC
Application Number
US17229490
Filing Date
Apr 13, 2021
Status
Granted
Expiry Date
Jan 3, 2038
External Links
Slate, USPTO, Google Patents