Patents Assigned to Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-Technica
  • Boundary microphone and boundary microphone adapter
    Patent number: 9503808
    Abstract: A boundary microphone that can reduce the change in its directional property caused by change of a sound collection axis of a microphone unit is provided. The boundary microphone includes a unidirectional microphone unit, a cylindrical unit holding member having a unit accommodating pocket in its peripheral surface to accommodate the unidirectional microphone unit, and a boundary plate to which top face the unit holding member is attached so as to rotate about its axis. When the unidirectional microphone unit is held in the unit holding member, a front acoustic terminal is positioned to face the outside of the peripheral surface of the unit holding member, the sound collection axis intersects the axis of a hollow of the unit holding member, and a rear acoustic terminal communicates with the outside at both side ends of the hollow via the hollow of the unit holding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA AUDIO-TECHNICA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Akino
  • Stereo boundary microphone and stereo boundary microphone adapter
    Patent number: 9497546
    Abstract: The stereo boundary microphone includes a boundary plate, a case body attached to the boundary plate and having an elongate shape including left and right grooves provided in opposite sides and extending along the longitudinal direction, first and second side walls covering the grooves included in the case body by predetermined distances to form left and right acoustic passages, and first and second microphones contained in tail end portions of the acoustic passages so as directional axes of the first and second microphones to be parallel. An opening communicating with the tail end portion of the case body is provided and services as a rear acoustic terminal to be used by both the first and second microphones. Front ends of the acoustic passages formed by the side walls serve as left and right front acoustic terminals of the first and second microphones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA AUDIO-TECHNICA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Akino
  • Moving-coil type stereo pickup cartridge
    Patent number: 9497548
    Abstract: Provided are a vibration unit which includes a pair of right and left coils that vibrate in response to vibration of a stylus attached to a cantilever and a magnetic circuit which includes a magnet and a pair of yokes and forms a magnetic path. The coils to be disposed in a gap between the pair of yokes are flat coils having perfect circular shapes, and V-shaped notches are formed on opposing surfaces, with the coils interposed therebetween, of the pair of yokes 4. An intersection angle of the V-shaped notch is set to be an angle to allow channel separation between right and left output signals to be obtained by the pair of coils to be equal to or larger than 20 db.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA AUDIO-TECHNICA
    Inventor: Mitsuo Miyata
  • Variable directional microphone
    Patent number: 9497538
    Abstract: A variable directional microphone includes a unidirectional microphone unit having a front acoustic terminal and a rear acoustic terminal; an acoustic tube which accommodates the microphone unit therein and having a plurality of acoustic resistance openings in a circumferential wall thereof; a supporting member mounted within the acoustic tube to be movable along an axis of the acoustic tube and supporting the microphone unit, the supporting member having a predetermined acoustic resistance and allowing transmission of sound waves; and further includes a gap formed between an outer circumferential wall of the microphone unit and an inner circumferential wall of the acoustic tube for providing communication between the front acoustic terminal and the rear acoustic terminal. Directionality of the variable directional microphone changes depending on the position of the microphone unit in the acoustic tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA AUDIO-TECHNICA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Akino
  • Variable directional microphone
    Patent number: 9497539
    Abstract: There is provided a variable directional microphone including dynamic microphone units that is small in size and has good directional frequency response. In a variable directional microphone 1A in which a unidirectional first dynamic microphone unit (front-side unit) 1F and a second dynamic microphone unit (rear-side unit) 1R, which has substantially the same configuration as that of the front-side unit 1F and is provided with an output adjusting means of sound signal, are provided as a pair; the front-side unit 1F and the rear-side unit 1R are arranged coaxially so that the directivity axes thereof are directed to the directions 180° opposite to each other; and the output signals of the front-side unit 1F and the rear-side unit 1R are generated via a signal synthesis circuit, one rear air chamber 1b is used in common by the front-side unit 1F and the rear-side unit 1R.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA AUDIO-TECHNICA
    Inventor: Shioto Okita
  • CONDENSER MICROPHONE UNIT, CONDENSER MICROPHONE, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING CONDENSER MICROPHONE UNIT
    Publication number: 20160330544
    Abstract: A condenser microphone unit is provided that can flatten a frequency response in a high frequency band. The condenser microphone unit includes a unit case having an acoustic-wave entering hole, and a diaphragm accommodated in the unit case. The diaphragm is configured to vibrate in response to acoustic waves from the acoustic-wave entering hole. In the condenser microphone unit, an acoustic resistor is disposed between the acoustic-wave entering hole and the diaphragm. The acoustic resistor includes two elastic members in pressure contact with each other. At least one of the two elastic members is curved in a convex shape before contacting the other of the two elastic members by the pressure contact. A convex surface of one of the two elastic members is a surface that comes in pressure contact with the other elastic member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA AUDIO-TECHNICA
    Inventor: Hiroshi AKINO
  • Electret condenser microphone
    Patent number: 9491540
    Abstract: The electret condenser microphone according to the present invention includes an electret condenser microphone unit including a diaphragm and a fixed pole disposed opposite to the diaphragm; and a three-pin plug including a hot terminal and a cold terminal and being capable of producing a balanced output, wherein each of the hot terminal and the cold terminal is coupled to an FET that functions as an impedance converter a gate terminal of one of the FETs is coupled to the diaphragm, a gate terminal of the other of the FETs is coupled to the fixed pole, and the gate terminal of the FET coupled to the cold terminal is AC-grounded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-Technica
    Inventor: Hiroshi Akino
  • CONNECTOR FOR MICROPHONE AND MICROPHONE
    Publication number: 20160308305
    Abstract: A connector for a microphone and a microphone are provided that can prevent loose connections to a microphone stand. The connector for the microphone is to be inserted into a connector support hole of a microphone stand. The connector includes pins to be electrically connected to the microphone stand, a connector body accommodating the pins, a sleeve disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the connector body, and an elastic member for biasing the sleeve toward the rear end of the connector body. The sleeve has an insertion portion to be inserted into a space between the connector body and the connector support hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA AUDIO-TECHNICA
    Inventor: Hiroshi AKINO
  • Dynamic headphone unit and method of producing dynamic headphone unit
    Patent number: 9473840
    Abstract: A dynamic headphone unit includes a diaphragm to which a voice coil is fixed, a permanent magnet, a pole piece disposed adjacent one of the magnetic poles of the permanent magnet, and a yoke disposed adjacent the other magnetic pole of the permanent magnet. The pole piece and the yoke define a magnetic gap therebetween, and the voice coil is vibratably supported by the diaphragm in the magnetic gap. The voice coil includes a lead line for transmitting signal current. The lead line is bonded to the inner surface of a peripheral dome of the diaphragm with a pressure-sensitive adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-Technica
    Inventor: Hiroshi Akino
  • Unidirectional condenser microphone unit
    Patent number: 9462372
    Abstract: A unidirectional condenser microphone includes a first and second condenser elements each having a diaphragm and a fixed electrode disposed opposite the diaphragm, an insulating base having an opening at the center thereof and supporting the respective fixed electrodes of the first and second condenser elements at opposite sides of the insulating base, acoustic resistance materials covering both ends of the opening, and air chambers formed respectively between each of the fixed electrodes and the insulating base, such that respective back sides of the diaphragms of the first and the second condenser elements are acoustically in communication with each other, wherein the diaphragm of the second condenser elements is formed to be an annular-shape having a central opening, and the second condenser element has a rear acoustic terminal hole communicating with the central opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA AUDIO-TECHNICA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Akino
  • STEREO MICROPHONE
    Publication number: 20160286307
    Abstract: A stereo microphone includes an omnidirectional microphone unit, a bidirectional side-channel microphone unit arranged to be perpendicular to a direction of a sound collecting axis outside the omnidirectional microphone unit, a right-channel microphone unit arranged to form a predetermined angle with respect to the side-channel microphone unit on a plane including the sound collecting axis outside the omnidirectional microphone unit, and a left-channel microphone unit arranged to forma predetermined angle with respect to the side-channel microphone unit and the right-channel microphone unit on the plane including the sound collecting axis outside the omnidirectional microphone unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-Technica
    Inventor: Hiroshi AKINO
  • BOUNDARY MICROPHONE
    Publication number: 20160286293
    Abstract: A boundary microphone is provided that does not generate spark discharge during an operation of a switch. The boundary microphone includes a microphone unit 6, and a switching unit (a button 4, a tube 9, a detector 10, a comparator, and a switching circuit) that switches turning-on or turning-off of output signals from the microphone unit 6, wherein the switching unit (the button 4, the tube 9, the detector 10, the comparator, and the switching circuit) includes an air chamber 9 and a controller that controls the turning-on or turning-off based on the air pressure inside the air chamber 9.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA AUDIO-TECHNICA
    Inventor: Hiroshi AKINO
  • MICROPHONE
    Publication number: 20160286292
    Abstract: A microphone is provided that ensures the electrical connection between a unit case and an audio-signal output circuit board. The microphone includes a unit case 10 having a shape of a hollow cylinder with a closed end and accommodating an electroacoustic transducer 20, an audio-signal output circuit board 40 connected to the electroacoustic transducer, and a microphone case accommodating the unit case and the audio-signal output circuit board, wherein the audio-signal output circuit board has a receiver 41 disposed on a portion of the peripheral edge of the audio-signal output circuit board, and an open end 11 of the unit case comes into contact with the receiver and is positioned when the unit case and the audio-signal output circuit board are accommodated in the microphone case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA AUDIO-TECHNICA
    Inventor: Hiroshi AKINO
  • Condenser microphone
    Patent number: 9445188
    Abstract: A condenser microphone that provides a balanced output of audio signals from initial steps of a diaphragm and a fixed electrode is provided. The condenser microphone includes: a condenser microphone unit including a diaphragm being arranged opposite a fixed electrode; a first impedance converter being connected to the fixed electrode of the condenser microphone unit and outputting a first electric signal generated in the fixed electrode; and a second impedance converter being connected to the diaphragm of the condenser microphone unit and outputting a second electric signal generated in the diaphragm. By this structure, balanced outputs of the audio signals having phases reverse to each other are provided by the first and second impedance converters immediately after the condenser microphone unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA AUDIO-TECHNICA
    Inventor: Shioto Okita
  • MICROPHONE AND MICROPHONE HOUSING
    Publication number: 20160261950
    Abstract: A microphone includes a microphone unit that converts a sound into an electrical signal. A tubular housing houses the microphone unit and includes a rear opening portion in a side surface. A step portion surrounds the rear opening portion in an inner surface of the housing. A plate-like shielding member is attached to the step portion from an inner surface side of the housing, and a circuit board housed in the housing in contact with the shielding member includes a ground pattern its side surface and in a contact position between the circuit board and the shielding member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-Technica
    Inventor: Hiroshi AKINO
  • Condenser microphone
    Patent number: 9432776
    Abstract: A condenser microphone includes a condenser microphone unit having a diaphragm and a fixed electrode disposed opposite to the diaphragm; a field effect transistor serving as an impedance converter; and a transistor to generate operational power for the field effect transistor; wherein the field effect transistor comprises a gate, a source and a drain, the gate is connected to the fixed electrode or the diaphragm, the diaphragm disposed opposite to the fixed electrode connected to the gate or the fixed electrode facing the diaphragm connected to the gate is grounded; the source is connected to a base of the transistor; the drain is connected to an emitter of the transistor; and a resistor establishing a base potential of the transistor is disposed between the base of the transistor and a ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-Technica
    Inventor: Hiroshi Akino
  • Condenser microphone
    Patent number: 9432765
    Abstract: A condenser microphone outputs a signal resistive to distortion caused by an excess input without a variation in signal-to-noise ratio. The microphone includes a first condenser microphone unit and a second condenser microphone unit that generate output signals having phases opposite to each other; and a twin variable resistor connected to an output terminal of each of the first and second condenser microphone units. In the microphone, the output signal of the first unit is combined with the output signal of the second unit in a first variable resistor included in the twin variable resistor and the composite signal is applied to an input of the first unit, and the output signal of the first unit is combined with the output signal of the second unit in a second variable resistor included in the twin variable resistor and the composite signal is applied to an input of the second unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-Technica
    Inventor: Hiroshi Akino
  • Microphone connector
    Patent number: 9431738
    Abstract: A connector of a microphone includes a cylindrical connector case 1 having openings at both ends and a projection 10 on an inner face thereof; two substrates 11 and 12 having shapes fittable to the inner face of the cylindrical connector case 1, the substrates 11 and 12 facing each other across the projection 10 in the cylindrical connector case 1; and a connector pin 2 extending through the substrates 11 and 12 in the cylindrical connector case 1, having a contact 21 that is electrically connected to electronic parts 16 mounted on the substrates 11 and 12, and having a caulked portion 23 fixed to one of the substrates 11 and 12 on an opposite side to the contact 21.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-Technica
    Inventor: Hiroshi Akino
  • Microphone
    Patent number: 9420376
    Abstract: A back air room of a microphone unit can be enlarged and a model with a sound signal output switch can easily be diverted to a switchless model. A reed switch 16 is used as the sound signal output switch which turns on or off the sound signal from a microphone unit 1. This reed switch is disposed at an output connector 11 portion at an rear end of a microphone case 6. It is arranged that a magnet 22 is disposed at a connector cover 21 which surrounds an output connector and relative movement of the connector cover with respect to the output connector allows on/off operation. Thus, by removing the connector cover 21, it is possible to provide the microphone as a switchless model which always outputs the sound signal from the microphone unit 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA AUDIO-TECHNICA
    Inventors: Hiroaki Furuya, Hiroshi Akino
  • MICROPHONE DEVICE
    Publication number: 20160234597
    Abstract: The present invention provides a microphone device capable of preventing a breakdown of a signal processor, which is provided in a circuit case, processing signals from a microphone unit accommodated in a unit case, and preventing production of noise in a state the unit case is detached from the circuit case. A microphone device 1 includes a unit case 3 accommodating a microphone unit 31, a circuit case 4 accommodating an input terminal receiving signals from the microphone unit, and a signal processor processing the signals input to the input terminal, the unit case 3 being detachably fixed to the circuit case 4, and a detector (38, 44) detecting the attachment or detachment between the unit case and the circuit case. The detector grounds the input terminal in response to the detection of the detachment of the unit case from the circuit case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA AUDIO-TECHNICA
    Inventor: Hiroshi AKINO