Sound isolation cabinet using two sound sources to generate complimentary sound waves

Abstract

Two or more speakers are used to generate complimentary sound waves within a soundproof cabinet. The sounds generated inside the cabinet are detected by a microphone and sent to an external device for recording or listening purposes. In one embodiment, two speakers are arranged side-by-side and mounted on a panel. The panel serves to section off two chambers within the cabinet. The primary chamber is the chamber toward which the speakers are facing. The secondary chamber is the chamber within which the backs of the speakers are positioned. The speakers are connected to the input signal in reverse polarity of each other. Thus, during operation one speaker is pushing air outward while the other is pulling air inward. This complimentary generation of sound waves alleviates the muffling effect of the small isolated space and allows the speakers to generate sound as though they were in a much larger open area. Thus, the sound picked up by the microphone is very close to the desired “live” sound.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An isolation cabinet for producing sound, the isolation cabinet comprising: 
 a cabinet enclosure;    an input for receiving an external electrical signal;    first and second speakers positioned in the isolation cabinet, wherein the speakers are responsive to the electrical signal to produce sound by moving air within the cabinet; and    a coupling between the input and the first and second speakers so that the air in the cabinet is moved in a complimentary fashion to produce sound within the cabinet in response to the electrical signal.    
     
     
         2 . The isolation cabinet of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a microphone within the cabinet for detecting the sound produced in the cabinet; and    an output for transmitting signals from the microphone to a device external to the cabinet.    
     
     
         3 . The isolation cabinet of  claim 1 , wherein the cabinet enclosure is substantially rectangular, the isolation cabinet further comprising: 
 a mounting support for fixedly securing the two speakers within the cabinet, wherein the speakers are mounted side-by-side in the same facing direction; and    the coupling including means to apply the electrical signal in a first polarity to the first speaker, and in a second, opposite, polarity to the second speaker, so that when the first speaker moves in a first direction in response to the electrical signal, the second speaker moves in a second, opposite direction, in response to the same electrical signal.    
     
     
         4 . The isolation cabinet of  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 the mounting support serving to divide the cabinet enclosure into first and second chambers, wherein the fronts of the speakers form one side of the first chamber and wherein the backs of the speakers form one side of the second chamber.    
     
     
         5 . The isolation cabinet of  claim 4 , wherein the microphone is located in the first chamber, wherein the microphone is positioned above one of the speakers.  
     
     
         6 . The isolation cabinet of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 sound insulation material lining part of the walls of the interior of the cabinet enclosure.    
     
     
         7 . The isolation cabinet of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 support means for the microphone for fixing the microphone position relative to the speakers.    
     
     
         8 . The isolation cabinet of  claim 7 , wherein the support means is a cable attached to the microphone and passed through an opening at the top of the cabinet.  
     
     
         9 . The isolation cabinet of  claim 8 , wherein the cable is adjustable to change the distance of the microphone from the speakers.  
     
     
         10 . An isolation cabinet for producing sound comprising: 
 an enclosure;    means for producing two or more complimentary sound waves within the enclosure in response to a sound signal source; and    means for detecting the sound waves within the enclosure.    
     
     
         11 . The isolation cabinet of  claim 10 , wherein the means for producing two or more complimentary sound waves includes a speaker.  
     
     
         12 . The isolation cabinet of  claim 10 , wherein the means for producing two or more complimentary sound waves includes a piezoceramic bender.  
     
     
         13 . The isolation cabinet of  claim 10 , wherein the means for producing two or more complimentary sound waves includes a vibrating surface.  
     
     
         14 . The isolation cabinet of  claim 10 , wherein the means for detecting the sound waves includes a microphone.  
     
     
         15 . The isolation cabinet of  claim 10 , wherein the means for producing two or more complimentary sound waves includes two speakers fixed in a side-by-side orientation within the enclosure.  
     
     
         16 . The isolation cabinet of  claim 10 , wherein the means for producing two or more complimentary sound waves includes two speakers in a face-to-face orientation within the enclosure.  
     
     
         17 . The isolation cabinet of  claim 10 , wherein the means for producing two or more complimentary sound waves includes two speakers in an in-line orientation within the enclosure.  
     
     
         18 . The isolation cabinet of  claim 10 , wherein the means for producing two or more complimentary sound waves includes two sound sources, wherein the means for detecting the sound waves includes a microphone near one of the sound sources.  
     
     
         19 . The isolation cabinet of  claim 10 , wherein the means for producing two or more complimentary sound waves includes two sound sources, wherein the means for detecting the sound waves includes a microphone between the sound sources.  
     
     
         20 . An isolation cabinet for producing sound, the isolation cabinet comprising: 
 a cabinet enclosure;    a panel dividing the enclosure into two chambers;    first and second speakers mounted to the panel in a side-by-side arrangement so that the fronts of the speakers face into a first of the chambers while the rears of the speakers protrude into the second of the chambers; and    a microphone fixed within the first chamber above one of the speakers with an output providing the signal generated by the microphone to an external device.