Abstract
A boat includes plurality of hulls. The boat may be a pontoon boat and the plurality of hulls may be a plurality of pontoons. A channel is defined between two hulls of the plurality of hulls. The boat includes a speaker positioned to direct sound emanating from the speaker into the channel. The speaker may be a subwoofer.
Claims
1. A pontoon boat comprising: a plurality of pontoons including a port-side pontoon and a starboard-side pontoon; a deck supported by the plurality of pontoons, wherein a channel is defined between two pontoons of the plurality of pontoons and the deck; and a speaker positioned to direct sound emanating from the speaker into the channel.
2. The pontoon boat of claim 1, wherein the speaker is located in the aft third of the pontoon boat.
3. The pontoon boat of claim 1, wherein the speaker is one of a plurality of speakers, and each speaker of the plurality of speakers is positioned to direct sound emanating from the speaker into the channel.
4. The pontoon boat of claim 1, wherein the channel is defined between the port-side pontoon and the starboard-side pontoon.
5. The pontoon boat of claim 1, wherein the plurality of pontoons includes an intermediate pontoon positioned between the port-side pontoon and the starboard-side pontoon in a port and starboard direction of the pontoon boat, and wherein the channel is defined between the intermediate pontoon and one of the port-side pontoon or the starboard-side pontoon.
6. The pontoon boat of claim 5, wherein the speaker is a port-side speaker, and the channel is a port-side channel defined between the intermediate pontoon and the port-side pontoon, and wherein the pontoon boat further comprises a starboard-side speaker connected to the deck and positioned to direct sound emanating from the speaker into a starboard-side channel defined between the intermediate pontoon and the starboard-side pontoon.
7. The pontoon boat of claim 1, wherein the speaker is a subwoofer.
8. The pontoon boat of claim 7, wherein the subwoofer is a first subwoofer, and the pontoon boat further comprises: a passenger area on the deck; and a second subwoofer positioned to direct sound emanating from the second subwoofer into the passenger area.
9. The pontoon boat of claim 7, further comprising an audio system including a plurality of speakers located on the pontoon boat, the subwoofer being one of the plurality of speakers.
10. The pontoon boat of claim 9, further comprising a passenger area on the deck, the plurality of speakers including one or more outboard-facing speakers located on the pontoon boat to direct sound emanating from the one or more outboard-facing speakers away from the passenger area and outboard of the pontoon boat.
11. The pontoon boat of claim 10, wherein at least one outboard-facing speaker of the one or more outboard-facing speakers is an aft-facing speaker.
12. The pontoon boat of claim 1, wherein the speaker is directly attached to an underside of the deck.
13. The pontoon boat of claim 1, wherein deck includes an opening to the channel and the speaker is positioned to direct the sound emanating from the speaker through the opening into the channel.
14. The pontoon boat of claim 13, further comprising furniture supported by the deck, the speaker being located within the furniture.
15. The pontoon boat of claim 13, wherein the speaker is positioned without overlapping the opening by being offset from the opening in a least one of a port direction, a starboard direction, a forward direction, or an aft direction.
16. The pontoon boat of claim 13, wherein the speaker is positioned to project sound in a downward direction.
17. The pontoon boat of claim 13, further comprising a port to acoustically connect the speaker with the opening and guide the sound emanating from the speaker to the opening.
18. The pontoon boat of claim 17, wherein the port is a duct.
19. The pontoon boat of claim 18, wherein the duct has an L-shape.
20. The pontoon boat of claim 18, wherein the deck includes a flooring layer and a portion of the duct is positioned under the flooring layer.
21. The pontoon boat of claim 13, wherein the opening includes a central axis perpendicular to the opening and the speaker includes a central axis, and the speaker is positioned with the central axis of the speaker offset from the central axis of the opening.
22. The pontoon boat of claim 21, wherein the central axis of the speaker is offset from the central axis of the opening in a least one of a port direction, a starboard direction, a forward direction, or an aft direction.
23. A boat comprising: a plurality of hulls, wherein a channel is defined between two hulls of the plurality of hulls; and a speaker positioned to direct sound emanating from the speaker into the channel.
24. The boat of claim 23, wherein each hull of the plurality of hulls is a pontoon.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 shows a pontoon boat that may include one or more below deck speaker assemblies according to the embodiments discussed herein.
[0008] FIGS. 2A and 2B are bottom views of a pontoon boat, such as the pontoon boat shown in FIG. 1. The pontoon boat shown in FIG. 2A has two pontoons, and the pontoon boat shown in FIG. 2B has three pontoons.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a stern view of the pontoon boat shown in FIG. 1, with an alternate configuration of the pontoon furniture on the stern.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a stern view of the pontoon boat shown in FIG. 3 with pontoon furniture removed to show below deck speaker assemblies.
[0011] FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the stern of the pontoon boat shown in FIG. 3.
[0012] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of one of the below deck speaker assemblies shown in FIG. 4.
[0013] FIG. 7A is a stern of the pontoon boat shown in FIG. 1 with pontoon furniture removed to show another configuration of the below deck speaker assemblies. FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view of a variation of one of the below deck speaker assemblies shown in FIG. 7A.
[0014] FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C show another configuration of a below deck speaker assembly. FIG. 8A is a partial cross-sectional view of a portion of the deck of the pontoon boat and a speaker enclosure. FIG. 8B is a partial cross-sectional view of a portion of the deck with the speaker enclosure removed. FIG. 8C shows the deck with the speaker enclosure removed.
[0015] FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the stern of the pontoon boat showing an alternative mounting arrangement for the speaker.
[0016] FIGS. 10A and 10B are cross-sectional views of the deck showing the speaker directly attached to the deck. FIGS. 10A and 10B show different variations of this mounting arrangement.
[0017] FIG. 11 is schematic top view of the pontoon boat shown in FIG. 1
[0018] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of an audio system of the pontoon boat shown in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0019] As noted above, recreational boats may be used for activities that are focused within the boat as well as activities focused in the water surrounding the boat. When the boat is stationary, such as when the boat is docked, anchored, positioned on a sandbar or beach, or otherwise floating in the body of water, people may enjoy activities that are in the water including, for example, swimming, wading, sunbathing, or otherwise relaxing. Boaters may listen to music or other audio while engaged in such activities. Speakers that are positioned to direct sound outside of the boat are thus desired for these activities. In the open-air environment, however, such sound can attenuate quickly requiring powerful audio systems and speakers. Multi-hull boats, such as pontoon boats, form a channel or cavity between the hulls, such as the pontoons. On a pontoon boat, the channel is also defined between the surface of the water and an underside of the deck. In embodiments discussed herein, one or more speakers are positioned to direct sound emanating from the speaker into the channel. Preferably such speakers are subwoofers and the channel defined between the hulls may act as a port to generate more sound, such as more bass, for these activities in the water.
[0020] FIG. 1 shows a boat and, more specifically, a pontoon boat 100 equipped with a below deck speaker assembly 200 (FIGS. 3 and 4). The boat includes a plurality of hulls and, as depicted in FIG. 1, the boat is a pontoon boat 100 having two or more pontoons (a port-side pontoon 112 and a starboard-side pontoon 114 (FIGS. 2A and 2B) supporting a deck 130. Although the below deck speaker assembly 200 is described in conjunction with a pontoon boat 100, it is not so limited, and the below deck speaker assembly 200 may be used with other multi-hull boats. The pontoon boat 100 includes a bow 102 and a stern 104. A longitudinal centerline 105 runs down the middle of the pontoon boat 100 dividing the boat into a port side 106 and a starboard side 108.
[0021] FIG. 2A is a bottom view of the pontoon boat 100. As noted above, the pontoon boat 100 includes two or more pontoons, including the port-side pontoon 112 and the starboard-side pontoon 114, each oriented in a longitudinal direction of the pontoon boat 100, which extends in a fore and aft direction of the pontoon boat 100. Collectively, the pontoons may be referred to herein as a plurality of pontoons 110. The port-side pontoon 112 and the starboard-side pontoon 114 also define a channel 116 (or cavity) therebetween. The channel 116 also extends in the longitudinal direction from the bow 102 to the stern 104. The channel 116 is further defined between a bottom surface (an underside 136) of the deck 130 and, when floating in a body of water, an upper surface of the body of water in which the pontoon boat 100 is located. The channel 116 also includes openings at the bow 102 and the stern 104, which are referred to herein as a bow channel opening 118 and a stern channel opening 119, respectively.
[0022] The pontoon boat 100 may include more than two pontoons, and FIG. 2B is a bottom view of the pontoon boat 100 having more than two pontoons. The plurality of pontoons 110 of the pontoon boat 100 shown in FIG. 2B include a third pontoon (referred to herein as an intermediate pontoon 120) positioned between the port-side pontoon 112 and the starboard-side pontoon 114. In this embodiment, the intermediate pontoon 120 is positioned along the longitudinal centerline 105. With more than two pontoons, the pontoon boat 100 may also include a plurality of channels 121 each defined between two pontoons of the plurality of pontoons 110, similarly to channel 116 discussed above. More specifically in the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2B, the pontoon boat 100 includes a port-side channel 122 defined between the port-side pontoon 112 and the intermediate pontoon 120 and a starboard-side channel 123 defined between the starboard-side pontoon 114 and the intermediate pontoon 120. Each of the port-side channel 122 and the starboard-side channel 123 extends in the longitudinal direction from the bow 102 to the stern 104. Each of the port-side channel 122 and the starboard-side channel 123 also is further defined between a bottom surface (an underside 136) of the deck 130 and, when floating in a body of water, an upper surface of the body of water in which the pontoon boat 100 is located. The port-side channel 122 includes openings at the bow 102 and the stern 104, which are referred to herein as a port-side bow channel opening 124 and a port-side stern channel opening 125, respectively. Similarly, the starboard-side channel 123 includes openings at the bow 102 and the stern 104, which are referred to herein as a starboard-side bow channel opening 126 and a starboard-side stern channel opening 127, respectively.
[0023] The deck 130 is supported by the plurality of pontoons 110 and, as depicted in FIGS. 2A and 2B, includes a deck frame 131 connected to an upper side of each of the plurality of pontoons 110. The deck frame 131 may be formed from a plurality of beams connected together, including a plurality of crossbeams 133. The crossbeams 133 are connected to the upper side of each of the port-side pontoon 112 and the starboard-side pontoon 114. The crossbeams 133 can span from the port-side pontoon 112 to the starboard- side pontoon 114 in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the pontoon boat 100, which in this embodiment is a port and starboard direction of the pontoon boat 100. The crossbeams 133 may be parallel to each other. The deck frame 131 supports a flooring layer 135 formed of a suitable material such as deck boards, plywood, tiles, or the like. The deck 130 includes and underside 136 (or bottom surface). In some embodiments, the underside 136 may be the lower surface of the deck frame 131, the flooring layer 135, or both. But in other embodiments, an underskin 138 (FIG. 8B), such as aluminum panels, may be attached to the lower surface of the deck frame 131, forming the underside 136 of the deck 130.
[0024] Referring back to FIG. 1, the deck 130 and, more specifically, the flooring layer 135, includes an upper surface 137. The deck 130 includes a perimeter 139. The pontoon boat 100 also includes a fence 141 (also referred to as a barrier structure) mounted to the deck 130 around at least a portion of the perimeter 139. The fence 141 may include a frame or rail system with pliable sheets attached thereto. Other fence 141 constructions may be used, including, for example, molded structures, such as fiberglass molded structures. The fence 141 defines an interior or passenger area 140 of the pontoon boat 100. The fence 141 of this embodiment may include a plurality of gates 143. The gates 143 open and close to allow passengers to enter and exit the passenger area 140. The passenger area may include pontoon boat furniture 150 such as seating, tables, storage space, and the like. Also within the passenger area 140 is a control console 172 or helm for operating the pontoon boat 100. Here, the control console 172 is positioned on the starboard side 108 of the pontoon boat 100 in a middle section of the pontoon boat 100.
[0025] The passenger area 140 may include a plurality of passenger or seating areas. These seating areas may include, for example, a bow seating area 145 forward of the control console 172 and a stern seating area 147 aft of the control console 172. Different types or arrangements of furniture 150 may be used in each of these seating areas, including, for example, bench-style seats 151, as depicted in FIG. 1 or chaise lounge chairs 153 (see, e.g., FIG. 3). Depending upon the layout, the area immediately aft of the control console 172 may be a separate seating area from the stern seating area 147 and is referred to herein as a helm seating area 149. Within the helm seating area 149 a captain's chair 155 is located at, and aft of, the control console 172 for the operator to operate the pontoon boat 100.
[0026] The pontoon boat 100 of this embodiment includes a bow deck 162 and a stern deck 164. As depicted in FIG. 1, the bow deck 162 is a portion of the deck 130 forward of the fence 141. Likewise, the stern deck 164 may be a portion of the deck 130 aft of the fence 141. In the floorplan depicted in FIG. 1, an aft portion of the fence 141 extending transverse to the longitudinal direction of the pontoon boat 100 is omitted. In this configuration the stern deck 164 can be a portion of the deck 130 at the stern 104, aft of the furniture 150, such as an aft-facing seat. The bow deck 162 and the stern deck 164 can be used to help individuals get in and out of the water and thus may include a swim ladder 166, which in the embodiment shown is foldable so that it can be raised out of the water when not in use. The swim ladder 166 is shown in FIG. 1 as being attached to the starboard side 108 of the stern deck 164, but it can be attached at other locations as well.
[0027] The pontoon boat 100 includes a propulsion unit 170. The propulsion unit 170 depicted in FIG. 1 is an outboard, but other types of propulsion systems may be used including, for example, inboards, sterndrives, and jet drives. The propulsion unit 170 includes a motor 174 operatively coupled to a propulsor to drive the propulsor. In this embodiment, the motor 174 is a combustion engine, but other suitable motors may be used, including electric motors. The propulsor of this embodiment is a propeller (not shown), but other suitable propulsors may be used, such as, for example, impellers in jet drives. The motor 174 is configured to drive (rotate) the propeller through one or more drive shafts coupling the motor 174 to the propeller. Rotating the propeller drives the pontoon boat 100 through the water. To turn the pontoon boat 100 an operator may turn a steering wheel at the control console 172 to rotate and angle the outboard motor (both the motor 174 and the propeller) relative to the longitudinal centerline 105. The pontoon boat 100 depicted in FIG. 1 has one outboard motor (the propulsion unit 170). When the pontoon boat 100 is supported by two pontoons, the outboard motor (the propulsion unit 170) may be attached to a motor pod 176 (FIG. 2A), and when the pontoon boat 100 is supported by three pontoons, the outboard motor (the propulsion unit 170) may be positioned behind and attached to the intermediate pontoon 120 (FIG. 2B). The pontoon boat 100, however, may include more than one propulsion unit 170, such as two propulsion units 170, with one propulsion unit 170 positioned behind and attached to each of the port-side pontoon 112 and the starboard-side pontoon 114.
[0028] FIG. 3 is a stern view of the pontoon boat 100. As noted above, the pontoon boat 100 shown in FIG. 3 has a different floor plan than shown in FIG. 1. More specifically, the stern seating area 147 includes two chaise lounge chairs 153. The chaise lounge chairs 153 include a base and, more specifically, a seat base 157 supporting a seat and, more specifically, at least one cushion 159. A person can sit or lay on the cushion 159. The seat base 157 may also be referred to as a seat support structure and may be any suitable construction for supporting people on the cushion 159 including, for example modeled structures formed of plastic, fiber glass, or other suitable materials. In some embodiments, the seat base 157 may be integrally formed with the fence 141. The seat base 157 is attached to the deck 130, such as directly attached to the deck 130 using fasteners (e.g., bolts or screws). The seat base 157 may also include a cavity formed therein. The cavity of the seat base 157 allows for storage or other pontoon components to be placed within the cavity. In the embodiment discussed herein, a below deck speaker assembly 200 (shown in broken lines) may be located within the cavity of one or more seat bases 157 of the pontoon boat 100.
[0029] FIG. 4 is the stern 104 of the pontoon boat 100 shown in FIG. 3 with the furniture 150 (FIG. 3) and, more specifically, the chaise lounge chairs 153 (FIG. 3) removed to show the below deck speaker assemblies 200. In the depicted embodiment, the pontoon boat 100 includes two below deck speaker assemblies 200, one on the port side 106 of the pontoon boat 100 (a port-side below deck speaker assembly 202) and one on the starboard side 108 of the pontoon boat 100 (a starboard-side below deck speaker assembly 204). The port-side below deck speaker assembly 202 and the starboard-side below deck speaker assembly 204 are mirror images of each other in the depicted embodiment and the description of one applies to the other. Reference numeral 200 will be used to generically refer to either of the port-side below deck speaker assembly 202 or the starboard-side below deck speaker assembly 204.
[0030] The below deck speaker assembly 200 includes at least one speaker, and in preferred embodiments, the speaker is a subwoofer 210. The speaker and, more specifically the subwoofer 210, is preferably a marine grade speaker, such as a Klipsch Marine subwoofer produced by ASA Electronics of Elkhart, Indiana, USA. Reference numeral 210 is used to refer to the speaker and, more specifically, subwoofer 210 of any of the below deck speaker assemblies 200 discussed herein. In the depicted embodiment, the port-side below deck speaker assembly 202 includes a port-side subwoofer 212, and the starboard-side below deck speaker assembly 204 includes a starboard-side subwoofer 214.
[0031] The subwoofer 210 is connected to the deck 130 and, as will be discussed further below, is positioned to direction sound emanating from the subwoofer 210 into the channel 116 (or the port-side channel 122 or the starboard-side channel 123). The subwoofer 210 depicted in FIG. 4 is mounted, such as by being directly attached to a speaker enclosure 220, and the speaker enclosure 220 is mounted to the deck 130. More specifically, the speaker enclosure 220 may be mounted on the upper surface 137 of the flooring layer 135 and directly attached to the flooring layer 135, the deck frame 131 (FIG. 5), such as the crossbeams 133 (FIG. 5), or both.
[0032] FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the stern 104 of the pontoon boat 100 shown in FIG. 3. The subwoofer 210 (FIG. 4) is positioned to direct sound emanating from the subwoofer 210 into the channel 116 via an opening and more specifically a speaker opening 230, such as one of a port-side speaker opening 232 or a starboard-side speaker opening 234. The port-side speaker opening 232 and the starboard-side speaker opening 234 are also shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. Reference numeral 230 will be used to generically refer to speaker openings discussed herein including the port-side speaker opening 232 or the starboard-side speaker opening 234. In the depicted embodiment, the port-side subwoofer 212 (FIG. 4) directs sound into the channel 116 via the port-side speaker opening 232, and the starboard-side subwoofer 214 (FIG. 4) directs sound into the channel 116 via the starboard-side speaker opening 234. A plurality of speakers, the port-side subwoofer 212 and the starboard-side subwoofer 214 in the depicted embodiment, thus can be positioned to direct sound into the channel 116.
[0033] The speaker opening 230 may have any suitable shape. The port-side speaker opening 232 and the starboard-side speaker opening 234 are shown as being rectangular in FIG. 5. The speaker opening 230 is elongated in the fore and aft direction. Other shapes, such as circular openings, as shown in FIG. 2A, may be used, for example. The speaker opening 230 can be formed in the deck 130, such as in the flooring layer 135. Additionally or alternatively, the speaker opening 230 may be formed in the underskin 138 (FIG. 8B) when the pontoon boat 100 includes an underskin 138. Referring still to FIG. 2A, the sound from the subwoofer 210 is directed into the channel 116 and then directed by the channel 116 to the bow channel opening 118, the stern channel opening 119, or both. The channel 116 further enhances the bass sounds coming from the subwoofer 210, and this positioning and loading enhances the clarity and intensity of the sound. The sound thus is specifically directed to either forward of the pontoon boat 100 or aft of the pontoon boat 100, where individuals are commonly relaxing in the water, such as swimming or floating. More of the sound is directed to these individuals as compared to other speaker position where the channel 116 is not used and the sound is attenuated. Additionally, having sound move through the channel 116 and out the bow channel opening 118, the stern channel opening 119, or both, directs the sound to the ear level of individuals in the water. The ear level may be from 6 inches to 12 inches above the water. In contrast, the aft edge of the deck 130 may be about 18 inches above the water, and speakers (e.g., aft-facing speakers 312 (FIG. 1)) on the stern 104 of the pontoon boat 100 may be from 21 inches to 24 inches above the water, directing sound over the heads of individuals in the water. The sound from the subwoofer 210 also may vibrate the water increasing the feel of the sound. The water itself will vibrate in response to the sound waves from the subwoofer 210, creating a tactile sensation that may be felt by those within the vicinity of the pontoon boat 100.
[0034] Sound typically travels following a path of least resistance. In the case of the channel 116, the resistance may be a function of a cross-sectional area of the channel 116 and the distance the sound travels through the channel 116 to one of the bow channel opening 118 or the stern channel opening 119. Pontoon boats are typically more heavily weighted in the stern 104, such as by the propulsion unit 170 and thus, even when stationary, the bow 102 may be pitched upward. To account for this angle and to provide the desired sound aft of the pontoon boat 100, where much of the swimming activities occur, the below deck speaker assembly 200 and, more specifically, the subwoofer 210 and the speaker opening 230 are preferably positioned closer to the aft-most end of the deck 130 than the forward-most end of the deck 130. For example, the subwoofer 210 and the speaker opening 230 preferably may be positioned in the aft third of the pontoon boat 100 and, more preferably, in the aft quarter of the pontoon boat 100.
[0035] As discussed above and as shown in FIG. 2B, the pontoon boat 100 may include a plurality of channels 121, particularly when more than two pontoons are used. In such a case, each channel of the plurality of channels 121 may include a speaker opening 230 for sound from a subwoofer 210 to be directed thereto. For example, the port-side speaker opening 232 is positioned to direct sound from the port-side subwoofer 212 into the port-side channel 122, and the starboard-side speaker opening 234 is positioned to direct sound from the starboard-side subwoofer 214 into the starboard-side channel 123. The sound from the port-side subwoofer 212 then is directed by the port-side channel 122 to the port-side bow channel opening 124, the port-side stern channel opening 125, or both in a manner similar to the channel 116 discussed above. Similarly, the sound from the starboard-side subwoofer 214 is directed by the starboard-side channel 123 to the starboard-side bow channel opening 126, starboard-side stern channel opening 127, or both in a manner similar to the channel 116 discussed above.
[0036] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of one of the below deck speaker assemblies 200 shown in FIG. 4. As noted above, the subwoofer 210 is mounted to the speaker enclosure 220. The speaker enclosure 220 also may be referred to as a sub box or sub enclosure. The speaker enclosure 220 includes one or more sidewalls 222 defining a chamber 224. This chamber 224 can be a sealed cavity or enclosed space with the subwoofer 210 firing into this sealed cavity, which is ported to the speaker opening 230. The speaker enclosure 220 may also include one or more reflective surfaces 226. The subwoofer 210 directs sound into the chamber 224 and the chamber 224 acts, with the sidewalls 222 and the reflective surfaces 226, as a bass reflex port to direct the sound emanating from the subwoofer 210 to the speaker opening 230. The chamber 224 of the deck speaker assemblies 200 can thus be a port that acoustically connects the subwoofer 210 with the speaker opening 230 and guides the sound emanating from the subwoofer 210 to the speaker opening 230.
[0037] The subwoofer 210 may be directly attached to the underside 136 of the deck 130, as will be discussed further below. However, because the underside 136 of the deck 130 may be exposed to and sprayed with water during operation of the pontoon boat 100, other locations for the subwoofer 210 may be preferable. Advantageously, the subwoofer 210 is positioned to prevent or inhibit water ingress to avoid (or minimize) damage to the subwoofer 210. For example, the subwoofer 210 may be positioned above the deck 130 to protect the subwoofer 210 from water. The subwoofer 210 may also be positioned within the speaker enclosure 220 to help protect the subwoofer 210 from water. While the subwoofer 210 may be positioned directly above the speaker opening 230, doing so may subject the speaker opening 230 to water, and in the embodiment depicted in FIG. 6, the subwoofer 210 is offset from the speaker opening 230. More specifically, the speaker opening 230 includes a central axis 236 perpendicular to the speaker opening 230 and the subwoofer 210 includes a central axis 216. The subwoofer 210 is positioned with its central axis 216 offset from the central axis 236 of the speaker opening 230 in a least one of a port direction, a starboard direction, a forward direction, or an aft direction. Preferably, the subwoofer 210 is offset so that no part of it overlaps the speaker opening 230, and in such a case the subwoofer 210 is positioned without overlapping the speaker opening 230. The speaker opening 230 may include a grate 238 to prevent or minimize foreign objects from entering the speaker opening 230 and ports discussed herein.
[0038] The subwoofer 210 is also preferably oriented at an angle that prevents or minimizes water from pooling therein. For example, the subwoofer 210 may be positioned to direct sound downward, such as by being oriented parallel to the upper surface 137 of the deck 130. The subwoofer 210, however, may be oriented to project sound downward at other angles relative to the upper surface 137 of the deck 130, such as from parallel to the upper surface 137 of the deck 130 up to 90 degrees relative to the upper surface 137 of the deck 130 (see FIG. 7A, for example). In still other embodiments, the subwoofer 210 may be positioned to project sound upward, but in these embodiments, the subwoofer 210 is preferably angled at a non-zero angle relative to the upper surface 137 of the deck 130, such as 15 degrees or more, to minimize pooling therein.
[0039] FIG. 7A is a stern view of the pontoon boat 100 similar to FIG. 3, showing another configuration of a below deck speaker assembly 206. The below deck speaker assemblies 206 of this embodiment are similar to the below deck speaker assembly 200 discussed above, and the discussion of the below deck speaker assembly 200 also applies to the below deck speaker assembly 206 shown in FIG. 7A. The same reference numerals are used for the same and similar components and a detailed description of these features and components is omitted here. The below deck speaker assembly 206 uses an alternate port to direct the sound from the subwoofer 210 (i.e., the port-side subwoofer 212 and the starboard-side subwoofer 214) to the speaker opening 230 (i.e., the port-side speaker opening 232 and the starboard-side speaker opening 234). More specifically, in the depicted embodiment, the port is a duct 228 that directs the sound from the subwoofer 210 to the speaker opening 230. This allows the subwoofer 210 to be offset or positioned away from the speaker opening 230. Various geometries may be used for the duct 228, including but not limited to the curved duct depicted in FIG. 7A. As noted above, the subwoofer 210 may be angled 90 degrees relative to the upper surface 137 of the deck 130 and the duct 228 may be an elbow such as a 90-degree elbow. The duct 228 may have other shapes including non-right angle guides, like 45-degree ducts and 60-degree ducts.
[0040] FIG. 7B a cross-sectional view showing a duct 250 having an alternate shape. The duct 250 shown in FIG. 7B is similar to the duct 228 discussed above and the duct 250 shown in FIG. 7B and features thereof may be used with any of the speaker assemblies discussed herein. In a manner similar to that discussed above with reference to FIG. 6, the subwoofer 210 directs sound into the chamber 224 of the speaker enclosure 220 and through an opening (referred to herein as an enclosure opening 229) formed in one of the sidewalls 222 of the speaker enclosure 220. This enclosure opening 229 may be formed in any of the speaker enclosures discussed herein. In some embodiments, like that shown in FIG. 6, the enclosure opening 229 is the same shape and/or size as the speaker opening 230. The duct 230 includes a flow passage 252 through which the sound travels from the chamber 224 to the speaker opening 230. The duct 250 includes a water trap 254 to capture water that may flow into the duct 250 through the speaker opening 230. This water trap 254 can be U-shaped, having a lower portion at a position lower than the enclosure opening 229. The sound can readily flow through this U-shaped passage, but the water trap 254 forms a torturous path for any water flowing into the duct 250 and helps to capture the water. The water trap 254 can have other shapes and can include one or more curved and/or non-linear sections, with a lower portion at a position lower than the enclosure opening 229. The water trap 254 may include a weep hole 256 in the bottom of the U-shape to allow the captured water to flow out of the duct 250. The weep hole 256 may be freely open or include a cover, like a cap, or valve, such that the weep hole 256 may be selectively opened by a user. The water trap 254 may be used with any of the ducts discussed herein.
[0041] FIGS. 8A to 8C show another configuration of a below deck speaker assembly 208. The below deck speaker assembly 208 of this embodiment is similar in some respects to the below deck speaker assemblies discussed above, and the discussion of the below deck speaker assemblies above also applies to the below deck speaker assembly 208 shown in FIGS. 8A to 8C unless otherwise noted. The same reference numerals are used for the same and similar components and a detailed description of these features and components is omitted here.
[0042] As noted above, the duct 228 (FIG. 7A) may have other shapes. The below deck speaker assembly 208 of this embodiment includes an L-shaped duct 240. FIG. 8A is a partial cross-sectional view of a portion of the deck 130 and the speaker enclosure 220. FIG. 8B is a partial cross-sectional view of a portion of the deck 130 with the speaker enclosure 220 removed to show the L-shaped duct 240. FIG. 8B is taken from a different perspective than FIG. 8A. FIG. 8C shows the deck 130 with a portion of the L-shaped duct 240 extending therethrough, and the speaker enclosure 220 has been removed to show this feature.
[0043] The speaker enclosure 220 is relatively large and preferably placed within the base of a piece of furniture 150 (FIG. 3), such as the seat base 157 (FIG. 3). The speaker opening 230 (FIGS. 2A and 2B) has the preferred locations discussed above, and the L-shaped duct 240 provides flexibility in placing the furniture 150 in which the speaker enclosure 220 is located. The L-shaped duct 240 includes an elongated leg 242. The elongated leg 242 is also a horizontal leg, allowing the speaker enclosure 220 to be offset in a horizontal direction, such as a fore and aft direction, an inboard and outboard direction, or both, from the speaker opening 230 (FIG. 5).
[0044] The elongated leg 242 is sized to fit within a gap 134 in the deck 130 formed by the crossbeams 133 and defined between the flooring layer 135 and the underside 136 of the deck 130, such as the underskin 138. The elongated leg 242 is thus under the flooring layer 135, allowing the upper surface 137 of the flooring layer 135 to be, for example, a walking surface without obstructions, or for other furniture 150 that does not include the speaker enclosure 220 to be placed directly above the speaker opening 230 (FIG. 5).
[0045] The L-shaped duct 240 also includes a vertical leg 244 that projects upward through an opening formed in the flooring layer 135, as shown in FIG. 8C, and into the chamber 224 of the speaker enclosure 220, as shown in FIG. 8A. The vertical leg 244 is shown as being perpendicular to the elongated leg 242, but the vertical leg 244 can be oriented at other angles. Vertical, as used in the context of the vertical leg 244, includes angles of 45 degrees or more from horizontal and 90 degrees or less. Both of the elongated leg 242 and the vertical leg 244 have a sound passage 246 formed therein. The sound from the subwoofer 210 travels through the portion of the sound passage 246 in the vertical leg 244 from the chamber 224 and into the elongated leg 242. Then the sound from the subwoofer 210 travels through the portion of the sound passage 246 in the elongated leg 242 and out of the speaker opening 230 (FIG. 5).
[0046] FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the stern 104 of the pontoon boat 100 showing an alternate speaker arrangement. As noted above, subwoofer 210 can be directly attached to the underside 136 of the deck 130, such as by being fastened to the deck frame 131. FIG. 9 shows this arrangement. FIGS. 10A and 10B are cross-sectional views of the deck 130 showing the subwoofer 210 directly attached to the deck 130, such as the deck frame 131. In FIG. 10A the subwoofer 210 is mounted to the deck frame 131 with the cone of the subwoofer 210 projecting through the underskin 138. FIG. 10B shows an alternate arrangement with the speaker opening 230 formed in the underskin, in the manner discussed above, and the subwoofer 210 positioned above the speaker opening 230 to project sound therethrough. Although shown as being completely within the gap 134 formed by the crossbeams 133 and defined between the flooring layer 135 and the underside 136 of the deck 130, such as the underskin 138, the subwoofer 210 may project above the flooring layer 135 or below the underside 136 of the deck 130.
[0047] FIG. 11 is a schematic top view of the pontoon boat 100 shown in FIG. 1. The pontoon boat 100 may include a plurality of speakers 310, 320 and the subwoofers 210 (FIG. 4) discussed above, more specifically, the port-side subwoofer 212 (FIG. 4) and the starboard-side subwoofer 214 (FIG. 4), may be speakers of the plurality of speakers 310, 320 on the pontoon boat 100. The other speakers of the plurality of speakers 310, 320 may include speakers producing sounds in other frequency ranges such as woofers, mid-range speakers, tweeters, and the like. Each speaker of the plurality of speakers 310, 320 is preferably a marine grade speaker, such as a Klipsch Marine speakers produced by ASA Electronics of Elkhart, Indiana, USA.
[0048] The subwoofer 210 (FIG. 4) of the below deck speaker assembly 200 discussed above may be used to provide or direct sound outside (or outboard) of the pontoon boat 100, and the pontoon boat 100 may thus include a plurality of outboard speakers 310. Each of the outboard speakers 310 may be outboard-facing speakers positioned on the pontoon boat 100 to direct sound emanating from the outboard speakers 310 away from the passenger area 140 and outboard of the pontoon boat 100. For example, the plurality of outboard speakers 310 may include one or more aft-facing speakers 312 positioned on the pontoon boat 100 to direct sound in an aft direction. The aft-facing speakers 312 may be positioned at the stern deck 164. When the stern deck 164 is separated from the passenger area 140 by furniture 150, as depicted in FIG. 11 (see also FIG. 1), the aft-facing speakers 312 may be mounted to the furniture base, such as the seat base 157 (FIG. 1). Alternatively, when the stern deck 164 is separated from the passenger area 140 by a fence 141, the aft-facing speakers 312 may be mounted in the fence 141. The plurality of outboard speakers 310 may also include one or more forward-facing speakers 314 positioned on the pontoon boat 100 to direct sound in a forward direction. The forward-facing speakers 314 may be positioned at the bow deck 162. The forward-facing speakers 314 may be mounted to the fence 141. The outboard speakers 310 may include other positions and orientations of outboard-facing speakers in addition to or instead of the aft-facing speakers 312 and the forward-facing speakers 314.
[0049] Music and other audio may also be enjoyed within the pontoon boat 100 and, more specifically, within the passenger area 140. The pontoon boat 100 may thus include a plurality of inboard speakers 320. Each of the inboard speakers 320 may be inboard-facing or passenger-facing speakers positioned on the pontoon boat 100 to direct sound emanating from the inboard speakers 320 into the passenger area 140. For example, the inboard speakers 320 may include bow speakers 322 positioned on the pontoon boat 100 to project sound into the bow seating area 145, such as by being located in the bow seating area 145. The inboard speakers 320 may also include stern speakers 324 positioned on the pontoon boat 100 to project sound into the stern seating area 147, such as by being located in the stern seating area 147. The outboard speakers 310 may also include another subwoofer (referred to herein as an inboard subwoofer 326). With the subwoofer 210 of the below deck speaker assembly 200 positioned to project sound outboard of the pontoon boat 100, the inboard subwoofer 326 is positioned and used to provide base sounds within the passenger area 140. The inboard speakers 320 may be mounted to the furniture base, such as the seat base 157 (FIG. 3).
[0050] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of an audio system 300 of the pontoon boat 100 shown in FIG. 1. The audio system 300 receives audio signals from an audio source 330. The audio source may be any suitable audio source including, for example, audio received by an AM/FM radio receiver; audio received by a satellite radio receiver; digital media stored on a digital media player such as a mobile phone; digital streaming service using a streaming reciver or streaming device, such as a mobile phone, that is communicatively coupled to a wireless network; and audio stored on a compact disc (CD) and played using a CD player. The audio source 330 may be integrated into the pontoon boat 100. For example, an AM/FM radio receiver 332 may be built into the pontoon boat 100 an operated using a suitable head unit. The audio system 300 may also be configured to allow an external audio source 330 to be coupled to the audio system 300 using, for example, a cable connecting the audio source 330 to an audio input interface 334 and/or a short distance wireless receiver/transmitter 336. The audio input interface 334 may include a 3.5 mm audio port, a universal serial bus (USB) port, a high-definition multimedia interface port, or an optical interface port, and the short distance wireless receiver/transmitter 336 may use the Bluetooth protocol, for example.
[0051] The audio system 300 depicted in FIG. 12 also includes an audio controller 340. The audio controller 340 may be a standalone controller or may be another controller that is used to operate various aspects of the pontoon boat 100. The audio controller 340 is configured to operate various aspects of the audio system 300 including the audio source 330, the outboard speakers 310, and the inboard speakers 320. In this embodiment, the audio controller 340 is a computing device and, more specifically, a microprocessor-based controller that includes one or more processors 342 for performing various functions, discussed further below, and one or more memories 344 for storing various data. The audio controller 340 may also be referred to as a CPU. In one embodiment, the various methods discussed below may be implemented by way of a series of instructions stored in the memory 344 and executed by the processor 342. The processor 342 can be any suitable processing device, including, but not limited to, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, an integrated circuit, a logic device, a programmable logic controller (PLC), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and/or a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA).
[0052] The memory 344 can include one or more computer-readable media, including, but not limited to, non-transitory computer-readable media, a computer-readable non-volatile medium (e.g., a flash memory), a RAM, a ROM, hard drives, flash drives, and/or other memory devices. The memory 344 can store information accessible by the processor 342, including computer-readable instructions that can be executed by the processor 342. The instructions can be any set of instructions or a sequence of instructions that, when executed by the processor 342, causes the processor 342 and the audio controller 340 to perform operations. In some embodiments, the instructions can be executed by the processor 342 to cause the processor 342 to complete any of the operations and functions for which the audio controller 340 is configured, as will be described further below. The instructions can be software written in any suitable programming language, or can be implemented in hardware. Additionally, and/or alternatively, the instructions can be executed in logically and/or virtually separate threads on the processor 342. The memory 344 can further store data that can be accessed by the processor 342.
[0053] The technology discussed herein makes reference to computer-based systems and actions taken by, and information sent to and from, computer-based systems. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the inherent flexibility of computer-based systems allows for a great variety of possible configurations, combinations, and divisions of tasks and functionality between components and among components. For instance, processes discussed herein can be implemented using a single computing device or multiple computing devices working in combination. Databases, memory, instructions, and applications can be implemented on a single system or distributed across multiple systems. Distributed components can operate sequentially or in parallel.
[0054] The audio controller 340 may be communicatively coupled to a display screen 346. The audio controller 340 may be configured to display on the display screen 346 various audio information. Such audio information may include information about the audio being played, such as the track being played, the artist who performed or recorded the track, location within the track, and the like. When the audio source 330 is a radio station, the audio information may include the frequency of the ratio station.
[0055] The audio controller 340 is also coupled to one or more user input devices 348. In this embodiment, the user input device 348 also includes the display screen 346, but other configurations may be used including separate devices, such as buttons, switches, or knobs. The display screen 346 and user input device 348, may be located at the control console 172 (FIG. 1). In some embodiments, the display screen 346 may be a touchscreen and thus operate as the user input device 348. In such a case, the audio controller 340 is configured to display on the display screen 346 a plurality of user-selectable options and, more specifically, a plurality of user-selectable elements. The plurality of user-selectable elements may be icons displayed on the display screen 346 that may be selected by a user pressing the icon. The terms icon, virtual button, and button may be used interchangeably to describe the user-selectable elements displayed by the audio controller 340 on the display screen 346. Other user input devices 348 include, for example, static buttons, switches, reels, and the like. In general, these user-selectable elements and other inputs from the user input device 348 may be referred to as controls herein.
[0056] The audio controller 340 is configured to receive an input from the user input device 348 and operate the audio system 300 based on the input received. The controls to operate the audio system 300 may also include, for example, volume controls, controls to skip audio tracks, pause playing the audio, repeat the audio, or return to a previous audio track. Additional controls may include changing the audio source 330, such as switching from one of the AM/FM radio receiver 332, the audio input interface 334, or the short distance wireless receiver/transmitter 336 to a different one of the AM/FM radio receiver 332, the audio input interface 334, or the short distance wireless receiver/transmitter 336. Additionally, the controls may include controls to select the speakers through which the sound from the audio source is being played. More specifically, a user may select an icon to select the outboard speakers 310, the inboard speakers 320, or both. The audio controller 340 receives an input from the user input device 348 indicating the selected speakers and controls the output based on the selected speakers.
[0057] The audio system 300 also includes one or more amplifiers, more specifically in the depicted embodiment, the audio system 300 includes an outboard amplifier 352 for the outboard speakers 310 and an inboard amplifier 354 for the inboard speakers 320. In some embodiments, separate amplifiers may be used for the subwoofers discussed herein. Any suitable amplifier may be used including for example Klipsch single or multi-channel amplifiers available from Klipsch Marine through ASA Electronics of Elkhart, Indiana, USA.
[0058] The audio controller 340 receives the audio signal from the audio source 330 and transmits the audio signal, together with any audio commands, such as a master volume level or other equlaizer settings such as volume adjustments for different specakers or other adjustments for frequency bands, to the outboard amplifier 352, the inboard amplifier 354, or both depending upon the selected speakers. The speakers selected may be tramsitted to the amplfiers as an audio command. The outboard amplifier 352 or the inboard amplifier 354, drawing power from a battery 356 of the pontoon boat 100, amplifies the received signal in accordance with the audio commands to produce an amplified audio signal for the corresponding speakers. The outboard amplifier 352 is communicatively coupled to each outboard-facing speaker of the plurality of outboard speakers 310 and transmits the amplified audio signal to each outboard-facing speaker, which in turn produces the audio sound. Similarly, the inboard amplifier 354 is communicatively coupled to each inboard-facing speaker of the plurality of inboard speakers 320 and transmits the amplified audio signal to each inboard-facing speaker, which in turn produces the audio sound.
[0059] As used herein, directional terms, such as forward (fore), aft, inboard, and outboard, have their commonly understood meaning in the art. Relative to the boat, forward is a direction towards the bow, and aft is a direction towards the stern. Likewise, inboard is a direction toward the center of the boat and outboard is a direction away from it.
[0060] The terms coupled, fixed, attached, connected, and the like, refer to both direct coupling, fixing, attaching, or connecting, as well as indirect coupling, fixing, attaching, or connecting through one or more intermediate components or features, unless otherwise specified herein.
[0061] The singular forms a, an, and the include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
[0062] Although this invention has been described with respect to certain specific exemplary embodiments, many additional modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of this disclosure. It is, therefore, to be understood that this invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. Thus, the exemplary embodiments of the invention should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive, and the scope of the invention to be determined by any claims supportable by this application and the equivalents thereof, rather than by the foregoing description.
