Flat Patents (Class 381/431)
  • Publication number: 20140334657
    Abstract: The invention provides, in some aspects, an audio headphone suitable for conversion to a loudspeaker. The device includes one or more earcups, each having a concavity that includes first and second volumetric regions and a wall that seals the regions from one another. The first volumetric region defines a space that receives a pinnea when the headphone is worn by a user, and the second volumetric region has one or more active drivers (a/k/a “speakers”). The wall includes one or more active diaphragms of those one or more active drivers. Those diaphragms generate front waves directed into the first volumetric region and back waves directed (back) into the second volumetric region. A passive radiator that is elastically mounted in the wall passes to the first volume from the second volume at least a portion of back waves generated by one or more of the active diaphragms. The invention provides, in other aspects, portable loudspeakers constructed in a manner of the earcups described above.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: DR. G LICENSING, LLC
    Inventor: Godehard A. Guenther
  • Patent number: 8885853
    Abstract: An electrostatic loudspeaker includes: a vibrating member; an electrode disposed so as to be opposed to the vibrating member; a spacer member disposed on an opposite side of a face of the electrode, which is opposed to the vibrating member, and having acoustic transmission property; and a cover member disposed on an opposite side of a face of the spacer member, which is opposed to the electrode, and having waterproof property and insulation property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Masayoshi Yamashita, Yasuaki Takano
  • Patent number: 8879756
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a voice film having a multi-layered structure for a flat panel speaker, including a PCB configured to have permanent magnets disposed on the left and right sides thereof, to have a voice coil patterned therein and disposed between the permanent magnets on the left and right sides so that the voice coil is vibrated up and down, and to have a PCB structure of a stack structure and coil patterns formed on surfaces of the highest PCB, one or more intermediate layer PCBs, and the lowest PCB in the form of a consecutive spiral track, wherein the start points of coil patterns of adjacent PCBs formed in layers, from among the coil patterns, are shorted through a via hole and are bonded to the respective end points of the coil patterns of the adjacent PCBs at the end points of the coil patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Exelway Inc.
    Inventor: Dongman Kim
  • Patent number: 8861752
    Abstract: Techniques described herein generally relate to generating an audio signal with a speaker. In some examples, a speaker device is described that includes a membrane and a shutter. The membrane can be configured to oscillate along a first directional path and at a first frequency effective to generate an ultrasonic acoustic signal. The shutter can be positioned about the membrane and configured to modulate the ultrasonic acoustic signal such that an audio signal can be generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC
    Inventor: Mordehai Margalit
  • Patent number: 8818014
    Abstract: A sound production component that includes a vibration element, a support member, and a connection part. The vibration element includes a polygonal vibration plate and an electromechanical conversion element attached to the vibration plate. The connection part connects an entire periphery of the vibration plate to the support member. At least a portion of the connection part has a curved shape. The length of a portion of the connection part which connects each corner of the vibration plate and the support member is shorter than the length of a portion of the connection part which connects a central portion of each side edge of the vibration plate and the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Imanishi, Yoshihiro Sonoda
  • Patent number: 8811636
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for microspeaker devices. In one aspect, a microspeaker element may include a deformable dielectric membrane that spans a speaker cavity. The deformable dielectric membrane can include a piezoactuator and a dielectric layer. Upon application of a driving signal to the piezoactuator, the dielectric layer can deflect, producing sound. In some implementations, an array of microspeaker elements can be encapsulated between a glass substrate and a cover glass. Sound generated by the microspeaker elements can be emitted through a speaker grill formed in the cover glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip Jason Stephanou, David William Burns, Ravindra V. Shenoy
  • Patent number: 8804995
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a co-axial speaker system for generating quality hi-fidelity sound with reduced distortion of wave propagation using a generally flat diaphragm and generally flat suspension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: GGEC America, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald J. North
  • Patent number: 8798310
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a diaphragm that may be used with a mechanical-to-acoustical transducer. The diaphragm may include a layer of optically clear film, a damping layer and another layer of optically clear film. The damping layer may be an adhesive. The diaphragm may also comprise two optically clear films, optionally including a damping layer, wherein the films indicate a desired coefficient of linear thermal expansion in one or both of the machine and transverse directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Emo Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Davis Booth, Stefan Bokaemper, Robert H. White, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8750555
    Abstract: A speaker apparatus includes: an actuator serving as a source of vibration; a vibration transmitting member connected to the actuator; and two sheet-like diaphragms provided opposite to each other in the thickness direction thereof with the vibration transmitting member and disposed in contact with the vibration transmitting member, wherein vibration generated at the actuator is transmitted to each of the two diaphragms through the vibration transmitting member to output sounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Nobukazu Suzuki, Yoshio Ohashi
  • Patent number: 8718317
    Abstract: An electromagnetic device includes a housing, a planar coil disposed inside the housing, and a magnetic diaphragm disposed inside the housing, wherein the plane of the planar coil is substantially in parallel with the plane of the magnetic diaphragm, wherein the planar coil is separated from the magnetic diaphragm, and wherein the magnetic diaphragm is moveable in the presence of an exterior pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Inventor: Zonghan Wu
  • Patent number: 8705774
    Abstract: Acoustic transducer means are provided. A monolithic semiconductor layer defines a plate, a pair of oppositely disposed torsional hinges, a flexible extension and at least a portion of a support structure. Acoustic pressure communicated to the plate results in tensile strain of the flexible extension. The flexible extension provides a varying electrical characteristic responsive to the tensile strain. An electric signal corresponding to the acoustic pressure can be derived from the varying electrical characteristic of the flexible extension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Adel Jilani, James McKinnell, Brian Homeijer, Jennifer Wu, Melinda Valencia
  • Publication number: 20140105445
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a flat-panel speaker, and more particularly, to a flat-panel speaker having a multilayer PCB pattern voice coil film, which enables induced electromotive force to be increased by controlling the impedance of the multilayer voice coil film. The flat panel speaker having the multilayer PCB pattern voice coil film according to the present invention is characterized in that the voice coil comprises: a PCB (printed circuit board) pattern printed thereon and voice coil films stacked in an even number of 4 layers or more. Two layers each of said voice coil films are mutually connected in series, and the serially-connected voice coil films are connected to each other in parallel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Inventor: Dong-Man Kim
  • Patent number: 8699729
    Abstract: An audio speaker assembly including a housing defining an internal compartment, and a glass membrane having a first portion supported in the housing and a second portion extending externally from the housing. The second portion having a length greater than its width, the length of the second portion extending orthogonal to the width of the housing, the second portion defining at least one aperture and a curved section formed along an edge of the glass membrane. A driver is mounted to the membrane that is responsive to an electrical signal causing the membrane to vibrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Inventor: Nausser Fathollahi
  • Patent number: 8682021
    Abstract: A speaker unit adaptable to limited mounting space, allowing reduction in the lowest resonance frequency, and realizing higher sound pressure and smaller distortion is provided. A diaphragm includes a trunk portion 43 to which a coil 5 is attached, and an edge portion 42 surrounding an outer circumference 43a of trunk portion 43 in plan view. A reinforcement sheet is attached to the trunk portion. An outer circumference 42a of edge portion 42 includes first and second edge straight sections LE1 and LE2, and an edge curve section CE. Each of the first and second edge straight sections LE1 and LE2 extend in the major axis direction and minor axis direction of edge portion 42. An edge curve section CE joins the first and second edge straight sections LE1 and LE2 together. Each of trunk portion 43 of the diaphragm and reinforcement sheet is transparent to light having a wavelength in the visible light region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Kosuda, Yuki Hatanaka
  • Publication number: 20140037128
    Abstract: A device for emitting an acoustic wave includes a flared structural piece bearing at its base an electromechanical transducer and defining at its flared end an output surface. A mechano-acoustic coupler made of one piece is a solid piece and exhibits: a first portion for mounting on the transducer, a second portion extending from the first portion up to the level of the output surface, the coupler being suspended on the structural piece at the level of the second portion and the second portion having a cross-sectional area at the level of the output surface which is strictly greater than its cross-sectional area at the level of the first portion, and a third portion extending from the second portion, where the third portion has a cross-sectional area which is smaller than the output surface, the third portion including a cross-section of greater area than the output surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: NEXO
    Inventor: Francois Deffarges
  • Patent number: 8611576
    Abstract: An acoustic adaptive noise generating device in the form of a flat panel loudspeaker is suitable for increasing people's powers of concentration in acoustically difficult surroundings. The adaptive noise generating device includes a carrier panel, an actuator arranged on the carrier panel. A control device is connected to the actuator and permits adjustment of noise signals emitted by the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Preform GmbH
    Inventors: Udo Borgmann, Hans-Rudolf Germann
  • Patent number: 8594362
    Abstract: A speaker includes a base having a groove, a tube received in the groove, a magnet disposed in the tube, a first ring-shaped body and a washer mounted, from top to bottom, on an outer side of the tube sequentially, and a second ring-shaped body connected to an edge of the first ring-shaped body and installed around a wall surface of a rim of the groove. The second ring-shaped body has an inner ring-shaped plate, an outer ring-shaped plate, and a connection segment connected between the inner ring-shaped plate and the outer ring-shaped plate. Therefore, a low-frequency effect thus generated is greatly improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Reui Men Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yu-Tsao Liu
  • Patent number: 8588438
    Abstract: A driving interface device adaptive to a flat speaker is introduced herein. The driving interface device is coupled with an external sound source for receiving sound signals, and boosts voltage levels of the sound signals to drive the thin flat speaker without using an external power source. In one embodiment, an impedance component is provided in the driving interface device for coupling to the external sound source, so as to drive the flat speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Kuo-Hua Tseng, Chang-Ho Liou, Ming-Daw Chen, Kuan-Wei Chen, Che-Yuan Sun
  • Patent number: 8548187
    Abstract: A sound producing structure for headphones comprises an enclosure composed of a box and a perforated cover for sealing the box, the box defining a compartment for accommodating a low-frequency ceramic speaker therein, the low-frequency ceramic speaker being suspended between two opposing interior surfaces of the box respectively via a spring means, two ceramic speakers respectively mounted to a top interior surface and a bottom interior surface of the box respectively via a mounting means, the two ceramic speakers being slantingly mounted and facing toward the perforated cover. The low-frequency ceramic speaker and the two ceramic speakers can work together to deliver sounds of different frequency bands to produce a multi-channel sound effect. In addition, the sound producing structure can be employed to design a thinner headphone for increasing portability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignees: Abatech Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hsiang-Chih Yu
  • Patent number: 8542862
    Abstract: A flat acoustic transducer (100) includes a permanent magnet (10) and a magnetic member (20), which are arranged adjacent to each other with a predetermined interval, a flat vibrating membrane (30), provided facing the permanent magnet (10) and the magnetic member (20), and at least one coil (40), fixed to the vibrating membrane (30). In the flat acoustic transducer (100), an electrical signal is applied to the coil (40), to obtain vibration force (F) on the vibrating membrane (30) by way of a magnetic flux ? generated between a magnetic pole face (12) of the permanent magnet (10) and the magnetic member (20), a step (50) is provided between the magnetic pole face (12) and the upper face (22) of the magnetic member (20), while at least part of a winding (42) of the coil (40) at the time of no application of an electrical signal is arranged inside the step (50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: FPS Inc.
    Inventors: Fumihito Meguro, Tomomi Nakatsuka, Masashi Hori, Hiromi Sotome, Masahiro Iwata, Kuniyuki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8538047
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a digital sound projector including a first flat speaker, a second flat speaker, a connecting device and a signal input device. The connecting device pivotally connects the first flat speaker and the second flat speaker to form an angle between a surface of the first flat speaker and a surface of the second flat speaker. The angle is larger than 0 degrees and smaller than 180 degrees. The signal input device inputs electrical signals to each of the first and the second flat speakers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Beijing FUNATE Innovation Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Li Qian, Yu-Quan Wang
  • Patent number: 8520887
    Abstract: Contemplated planar magnetic transducers include a magnet and diaphragm arrangement such that substantially homogenous vertical and high horizontal magnetic flux density is realized in the inter-magnet space. Most preferably, the diaphragm is a tensioned polymer membrane in which the voice coil covers a significant portion of the active portion of the membrane, and the magnets are rare-earth metal-type magnets of ultra-high strength. Particularly preferred planar magnetic transducers allow for exceptionally large excursion of the diaphragm in a substantially homogenous magnetic field at virtually no distortion, thereby providing heretofore unachieved sound pressure levels. Arrays of such and other transducers are disclosed that provide a full-range speaker with acoustic plane source characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: HPV Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Vahan Simidian, II, Dragoslav Colich
  • Patent number: 8509462
    Abstract: A piezoelectric micro speaker and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The piezoelectric micro speaker includes a substrate having a cavity formed therein and a diaphragm that is disposed on the substrate that overlaps the cavity. A plurality of first vibrating membranes having concentric annular ring shapes are disposed in a first region of the diaphragm corresponding to a center of the cavity. A second vibrating membrane including a different material from that of the first vibrating membranes is formed in the second region of the diaphragm corresponding to an edge of the cavity. A piezoelectric actuator for vibrating the first vibrating membranes is formed on and between the concentric annular rings of the first vibrating membranes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Byung-gil Jeong, Dong-kyun Kim, Seok-whan Chung, Jun-sik Hwang
  • Patent number: 8447063
    Abstract: A flat thin dynamic speaker which includes a motor unit, a suspension unit, a radiating unit and a frame arranged in such a manner that the motor unit and the suspension unit are at the same plane while the radiating unit is on top of the motor unit such that the thickness of the speaker assembly is reduced while the performance of the speaker assembly is maintained or even improved. Also, the speaker can be made into a quadrangular, polygon or a spherical structure. The speaker further has a surround at a level lower than the radiating unit without utilizing the radiating surface of the radiating unit such as a maximized radiating surface is provided, and includes a dual side voice-coil actuation to the radiator unit, thereby providing a slim and flat speaker assembly with high power output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Inventor: Walter Ka Wai Chu
  • Patent number: 8447053
    Abstract: A flat speaker apparatus including a driving circuit module, a flat speaker and a thermally conductive connector, and with a heat dissipating structure is introduced. The flat speaker includes a porous electrode and a vibrating film. The porous electrode causes the vibrating film to vibrate according to an audio signal output from the driving circuit module for generating sound. The thermally conductive connector connects the driving circuit module and the flat speaker to conduct heat from the driving module to the flat speaker for dissipation. A method for heat dissipation of the flat speaker is also introduced herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Kuo-Hua Tseng, Chang-Ho Liou, Ming-Daw Chen, Kuan-Wei Chen
  • Patent number: 8442260
    Abstract: A ribbon transducer (101) is disclosed, comprising: a ribbon made of conductive material (2), a damping system (4) arranged at least at one end of the conductive ribbon (2), and two rigid supports (103) where the ends of the ribbon (2) are fixed. The damping system (104) comprises a suspension composed of at least one wire (105), anchoring means (107) to connect said ribbon (2) to said wire (105), and elastic means (150) operatively connected to said wire to generate mechanical stress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Ask Industries Societa' per Azioni
    Inventor: Màurizio Servadio
  • Patent number: 8433091
    Abstract: An ultra-thin loudspeaker structure comprises an upper drum paper, a lower drum paper, and a steel sheet. The lower drum paper defines an opening at a center thereof and is integrally formed with a surrounding raised paper section near a periphery thereof. The upper drum paper defines an opening, corresponding to the opening of the lower drum paper, at a center thereof. The upper drum paper is located within the surrounding raised paper section and adhered to the lower drum paper by its periphery. The steel sheet is provided with a sound-making member stacked by a plurality of ceramic material layer, and is sandwiched between the drum papers. Accordingly, the steel sheet can facilitate spreading sound of high and medium frequency whereas the drum papers can facilitate spreading sound of low frequency, to achieve a better reproduction of sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignees: Abatech Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Cheng-Hsiung Chen, Hsiang-Chih Yu, Chu-You Hsieh, Chin-Chou Yang
  • Patent number: 8422728
    Abstract: An electromagnetic converter includes a magnetic circuit having permanent magnets, a lower frame for fixing magnetic pole faces of these permanent magnets thereto, an upper frame having an opening formed therein on a side of the other magnetic pole faces of the permanent magnets and plates fixed to the other magnetic pole faces, and a diaphragm having a voice coil pattern arranged on side portions thereof in a direction of the length thereof and on a top portion thereof in a direction of the width thereof. Protruding portions join between these side portions. The periphery of the top portion is joined to the periphery of the opening of the upper frame via an upper gasket. A flange at the edges of the four side portions is joined to an inner surface of the upper frame, i.e., an inner portion of the magnetic circuit via a lower gasket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubhishi Electric Engineering Company, Limited
    Inventor: Shunji Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20130089232
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a voice film having a multi-layered structure for a flat panel speaker, including a PCB configured to have permanent magnets disposed on the left and right sides thereof, to have a voice coil patterned therein and disposed between the permanent magnets on the left and right sides so that the voice coil is vibrated up and down, and to have a PCB structure of a stack structure and coil patterns formed on surfaces of the highest PCB, one or more intermediate layer PCBs, and the lowest PCB in the form of a consecutive spiral track, wherein the start points of coil patterns of adjacent PCBs formed in layers, from among the coil patterns, are shorted through a via hole and are bonded to the respective end points of the coil patterns of the adjacent PCBs at the end points of the coil patterns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: Exelway Inc.
    Inventor: Dongman Kim
  • Patent number: 8416980
    Abstract: A sensory signal output apparatus is provided. The sensory signal output apparatus, includes: a magnetic circuit vibrating in response to an alternating signal flowing through a coil; and an elastic support means elastically supporting the magnetic circuit to surround the circumferential outer surface of the magnetic circuit from one side direction thereof, in which coupling recesses are formed at the circumferential outer surface of the magnetic circuit to be spaced apart from each other, and a coupling piece is provided at a periphery of the elastic support means to be coupled to the coupling recess, the coupling piece is attached to and inserted into the coupling recess. In the sensory signal output apparatus, an elastic support means is inserted into and coupled to a magnetic circuit without using a curling operation to provide easy coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Yea Il Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yun Gyu Kang
  • Patent number: 8389120
    Abstract: A glazing comprising a sheet of glass, a film of damping material, and a rigid sheet, the assembly being laminated and comprising one or more exciters fastened to the glazing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: AGC Glass Europe
    Inventor: Yves Delatte
  • Patent number: 8391540
    Abstract: An acoustic device and method of making said acoustic device. The acoustic device comprises a diaphragm having resonant bending wave modes in the operating frequency range, and a plurality of electromechanical transducers coupled to the diaphragm. The positioning and mechanical impedance of the transducers are such that at least a selected number of the resonant bending wave modes are balanced so that the net transverse modal velocity over the area of the diaphragm tends to zero with the balancing of the resonant bending wave modes being achieved substantially by the positioning and mechanical impedance of the transducers. The parameters of the diaphragm may be such that there are a plurality of nodal grouped locations at or around which the nodal lines of a selected number of resonant modes are clustered. Each transducer may be mounted at one of the plurality of nodal grouped locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: New Transducers Limited
    Inventors: David Keith Berriman, Christien Ellis, Martin Colloms, Graham Bank, Neil John Harris, Douglas Andrew Marchant
  • Patent number: 8385586
    Abstract: A flat loudspeaker structure is provided. A conductive electrode of a vibrating membrane of a flat speaker unit is disposed on both utmost sides of the flat speaker unit, so as to improve reliability of the flat speaker unit. The utmost conductive electrodes of the flat speaker unit are further grounded to achieve the EMI preventing function and/or thereby prevent a user from a risk of contacting high voltages. The flat speaker unit at least includes a pair of vibrating membranes each having the conductive electrode, a plurality of supporting members, a perforated electrode structure with a plurality of holes, and an insulator layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Chang-Ho Liou, Ming-Daw Chen, Kuo-Hua Tseng
  • Patent number: 8363880
    Abstract: A speaker includes a diaphragm 11, edges 12, at least one voice coil bobbin 14, a voice coil 15, and a magnetic circuit 21. The diaphragm 11 is a long flat plate. The edges 12 at ends of the diaphragm 11 in a longer-side direction support the diaphragm 11 to vibrate. The voice coil bobbin 14 has a substantially square pillar shape with a height more than twice as vibrational amplitude of the diaphragm 11, includes an opening having a periphery connected directly to the diaphragm 11, and supports the diaphragm 11 to transmit vibration to it. The voice coil 15 is wound around an outer periphery of the voice coil bobbin 14 substantially at center in a height direction. The magnetic circuit 12 drives the voice coil 15. The long speaker is unlikely to cause breakeup resonance, and has smooth frequency characteristics to offer good sound quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Takewa
  • Patent number: 8345897
    Abstract: There is provided: first to fourth magnetic pole yokes 13-16 magnetized by the magnets 11, 12 having both poles on these opposite faces to establish a magnetic pole; and a vibrating membrane 17 disposed between the magnets 11, 12 and electromagnetically coupled to the yokes 13-16 by energizing a meandering coil pattern 17b thereon to vibrate in a predetermined direction. The yokes 13-16 include: abutting sections 13a-16a to be magnetized with abutting against the magnets 11, 12, and magnetic pole sections 13b-16b establishing the magnetic pole in a band shape. The sections 13b-16b each are disposed on the upper and lower sides of the vibrating membrane 17, and disposed with a gap (sound emitting hole 19) such that the magnetic poles different in magnetic polarity are positioned alternately in the lateral direction of the membrane 17 to form magnetic pole faces on the upper and lower sides thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Engineering Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Masanori Takahashi, Kiyofumi Mori
  • Patent number: 8335340
    Abstract: A loudspeaker comprising a housing provided with a magnet unit that generates a magnetic field, and a membrane which is mounted in a frame and which is provided with an electrical conductor arranged in a pattern on the membrane, which membrane is positioned in the magnetic field in such a manner that a force is exerted when current is fed through the conductor pattern on the membrane, which force is capable of setting at least part of the membrane in motion so as to produce sound, wherein a part of the conductor pattern extends beyond the plane of the aforesaid movable part of the membrane near at least one end of the membrane. Preferably, the aforesaid part of the conductor pattern makes an angle of about 90 degrees with the aforesaid movable part of the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Alcons Audio B.V.
    Inventor: Philip Derek Eduard de Haan
  • Patent number: 8335338
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a loudspeaker in the acoustic field and the information communication field. The invention provides a loudspeaker that can realize a thinner size. To achieve this, the loudspeaker of the present invention is structured so that a part of a diaphragm is inserted to a dent or an opening formed at the center poles of a lower plate of a magnetic circuit. This structure allows the diaphragm to be stored within the height of the magnetic circuit, thus allowing the loudspeaker to have a thinner size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kouzi Sano, Masahide Sumiyama, Takanori Fukuyama, Takeshi Shimokawatoko, Kazutaka Kubo, Satoshi Itoh, Kazuki Honda
  • Patent number: 8320604
    Abstract: Composite loudspeaker cones that include an interstitial layer of material having a core density below 600 kg/m3 and a Young's modulus greater than 0.2 GPa, such as balsa wood, interposed between a first carbon fiber layer and a second carbon fiber layer and method of making same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Inventors: Richard Vandersteen, Michael P. Latvis, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8311264
    Abstract: An ultra-thin speaker includes a metal upper casing, and a metal lower casing corresponding to the metal upper casing and capable of covering a vibrating membrane, a support frame, a magnet and a yoke between two corresponding internal surfaces of the metal upper and lower casings and forming a contact surface with the yoke, such that after the yoke conducts heat of a heat source to the metal lower casing, the heat is conducted to the metal upper casing through a connection and a contact of the metal upper and lower casings to increase a heat dissipating area, so as to overcome the heat dissipation problem and minimize the overall thickness of the speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Fortune Grand Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Ping-Yu Lee
  • Patent number: 8301188
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a substrate and an acoustic actuator mounted on a surface of the substrate. More particularly, the acoustic actuator may be configured to generate displacements along a direction parallel with respect to the surface of the substrate in response to an electrical signal applied thereto. A speaker box may define an acoustic volume, and the speaker box may include a speaker box wall with a speaker box opening therethrough adjacent the acoustic actuator. A speaker membrane may be provided across the speaker box opening adjacent the acoustic actuator, and the speaker membrane may be mechanically coupled to the acoustic actuator so that the speaker membrane is configured to deflect responsive to displacements generated by the acoustic actuator. Related methods are also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB
    Inventors: Randolph Cary Demuynck, William Chris Eaton
  • Patent number: 8300876
    Abstract: A method of soldering terminals of a micro-speaker on a circuit board comprises the following steps. Firstly, providing a circuit board having a pair of through holes passing therethrough, and two soldering sections defined surrounding the pair of through holes. Secondly, the soldering sections are plated with soldering tin. Thirdly, providing a pair of columned terminals, the terminal includes an upper portion, a low portion and a body connecting between the upper portion and the low portion. Fourthly, the low portion of the terminal is inserted into the corresponding through hole and the body is resisted on the soldering section. Fifthly, the soldering tin is heated to solder the body on the soldering tin. Finally, the upper portion of the terminal is soldered onto the corresponding end of the voice coil. As a result, soldering defective can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignees: AAC Acoustic Technologies (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., AAC Technologies Pte. Ltd
    Inventor: Tong-Ming Xu
  • Patent number: 8276254
    Abstract: A method of forming a miniature, surface micromachined, differential microphone, comprising depositing a sacrificial layer on a surface of a silicon wafer; depositing a diaphragm material on a surface of the sacrificial layer; etching the diaphragm material layer to isolate a diaphragm; and removing a portion of the sacrificial layer beneath the defined diaphragm. A diaphragm formed in the diaphragm material layer is supported by a hinge and otherwise isolated from a remaining portion of the diaphragm material layer by a slit adjacent a perimeter of the diaphragm. An enclosed back volume beneath the diaphragm has a depth defined by a thickness of the sacrificial layer, and communicates with an external region via the slit. A transducer may be provided for producing an electrical signal responsive to a displacement of the diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: The Research Foundation of State University of New York
    Inventor: Ronald N. Miles
  • Patent number: 8259987
    Abstract: A slender-type diaphragm longer in a longitudinal direction and shorter in a transversal direction in relation to the longitudinal direction, has a base member and a slant member. The base member has a pair of extending members provided in parallel in the longitudinal direction as facing each other, and a curved section that protrudes toward a first side of the diaphragm in a vibration direction of the diaphragm from a first plane that includes the extending members, the vibration direction being perpendicular to the longitudinal and transversal directions. The slant member has a slant surface in relation to the first plane and connected to the base member in a manner that the slant member surrounds the base member in a second plane parallel to the first plane, the slant member having a curved surface in a cross section thereof in relation to a cross section of the base member in the transversal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventor: Manabu Omoda
  • Patent number: 8260343
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a printed circuit board and a speaker box defining an acoustic volume between spaced apart first and second speaker box walls with the first speaker box wall being between the second speaker box wall and the printed circuit board. A loudspeaker may be coupled to the first speaker box wall, and the loudspeaker may include an acoustic actuator that is configured to generate displacements in response to an electrical signal applied thereto. The loudspeaker may further include a speaker membrane that is mechanically coupled to the acoustic actuator and that is configured to deflect in directions toward and away from the second speaker box wall responsive to displacements of the acoustic actuator. Related assemblies and methods are also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB
    Inventors: William Chris Eaton, Randolph Cary Demuynck, Kok Eng Looi
  • Patent number: 8254603
    Abstract: A speaker apparatus includes an acoustic vibration plate, and an actuator mounted to the acoustic vibration plate such that one end and the other end thereof, in a driving axis direction, exist in a plate surface of the acoustic vibration plate. The actuator applies vibration to the acoustic vibration plate to play back sound. The speaker apparatus enables a sound image to uniformly spread over the entire plate surface of the acoustic vibration plate. In addition, the entire speaker apparatus can be made compact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Nobukazu Suzuki, Yoshio Ohashi
  • Patent number: 8224016
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an electroacoustic transducer having a multi-channel diaphragm, and a hearing aid using the electroacoustic transducer, in which a plurality of channels having different resonant frequencies is formed in the diaphragm using MEMS technology, thus more closely approximating the different audible frequency characteristics of respective persons. The present invention provides an electroacoustic transducer provided with a multi-channel diaphragm. The electroacoustic transducer includes a diaphragm (110) and signal conversion units (120). The diaphragm is provided with respective channels having different resonant frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Inventor: Ci-Moo Song
  • Patent number: 8194894
    Abstract: An assembly (38) comprises a vibration transducer (50) coupled to a substrate (58) which incorporates a circuit (62) electrically connected to the transducer (50). The substrate (58) is adapted to be coupled to a bending wave member (30) for converting actuator vibration into acoustic radiation or vice versa and has sufficient flexibility to allow bending wave coupling between the substrate (58) and the member (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: New Transducers Limited
    Inventors: Paul Burton, Matthew Dore, Neil Firth
  • Patent number: 8189851
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a diaphragm that may be used with a mechanical-to-acoustical transducer. The diaphragm may include a layer of optically clear film, a damping layer and another layer of optically clear film. The damping layer may be an adhesive. The diaphragm may also comprise two optically clear films, optionally including a damping layer, wherein the films indicate a desired coefficient of linear thermal expansion in one or both of the machine and transverse directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: EMO Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Davis Booth, Stefan Bokaemper, Robert H. White, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20120106761
    Abstract: A driving interface device adaptive to a flat speaker is introduced herein. The driving interface device is coupled with an external sound source for receiving sound signals, and boosts voltage levels of the sound signals to drive the thin flat speaker without using an external power source. In one embodiment, an impedance component is provided in the driving interface device for coupling to the external sound source, so as to drive the flat speaker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Kuo-Hua Tseng, Chang-Ho Liou, Ming-Daw Chen, Kuan-Wei Chen, Che-Yuan Sun
  • Patent number: 8170267
    Abstract: A speaker is disclosed. A speaker includes a fixing part (500) fastened to a base frame; a motion part moved (400) with respect to the fixing part by an electromagnetic force; a vibration plate (200) that vibrates in communication with the motion part; and a guide member (800) provided between the motion part (400) and the vibration plate (200). Therefore, according to the present invention, a speaker capable of reproducing a high quality sound and high power with a slim design may be embodied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hee Jin Kim, Young In Ko