Mounting Or Suspension Means Patents (Class 181/171)
  • Patent number: 7225895
    Abstract: A speaker that is designed to substantially eliminate wobble of the voice coil during operation, and thus remove that source of distortion and early failure of the speaker. This is accomplished with the creation of triangular ring that extends upward from the top edge of the voice coil bobbin with that ring mating with a flat diaphragm at a right angle directly above the top edge of the bobbin. The outer edge of the diaphragm connects to the inner edge of the surround at the point where a sloping side of the “triangle” is also connected and slopes down to the top edge of the bobbin where the opposite end is connected. The outer portion of the diaphragm provides the third side of the triangle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Inventor: Joseph Yaacoub Sahyoun
  • Patent number: 7219873
    Abstract: A support base for supporting a structural pole is provided. The support base includes a frame having an internal cavity for housing hardware, such as a speaker assembly, that is associated with the corresponding structural pole. The frame is generally open laterally thereabout for permitting access to the internal cavity. A footing region of the support base secures the frame to an underlying support surface and a platform atop the frame receives the structural pole thereon. The frame is sized to receive an ornamental protective cover thereabout for enhancing the aesthetic perspective of the base and for protecting the hardware within the frame internal cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Inventor: Ronald Paul Harwood
  • Patent number: 7219763
    Abstract: A microphone assembly fitted to a panel of a vehicle-mounted control module, provided with a housing for housing a microphone and having an opening section on a surface facing the panel, and a holding case for holding the housing so as to be capable of pivoting, and when inserted into a receptacle provided in the panel the housing pivots so as to seal the opening section to the panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Kojima Press Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichiro Mizoguchi, Yoshitaka Uchida
  • Patent number: 7204009
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a semiconductor electret condenser microphone capable of being reduced in size and including an acoustic sensor 100 and a case 200 for accommodating the acoustic sensor 100, the acoustic sensor 100 has a semiconductor chip 110 forming necessary electronic circuits 111A to 111C, and opening a through hole 112 away from the electronic circuits 111A to 111C, an electrode layer 120 formed on the surface of the semiconductor chip 110 away from the through hole 112, an electret member 130 laminated away from part of the electrode layer 120 and through hole 112, and a diaphragm 140 provided with a spacing 160 to the electret member 130, in which the electrode layer 120 exposed from the electret member 130 is connected to the electrode 111a of the electronic circuit 111A through the case 200 (FIG. 6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Hosiden Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Kawamura, Yoshiaki Ohbayashi, Mamoru Yasuda
  • Patent number: 7185735
    Abstract: A speaker that is designed to substantially eliminate wobble of the voice coil during operation, and thus remove that source of distortion and early failure of the speaker. This is accomplished with the creation of triangular ring that extends upward from the top edge of the voice coil bobbin with that ring mating with a flat diaphragm at a right angle directly above the top edge of the bobbin. The outer edge of the diaphragm connects to the inner edge of the surround at the point where a sloping side of the “triangle” is also connected and slopes down to the top edge of the bobbin where the opposite end is connected. The outer portion of the diaphragm provides the third side of the triangle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Inventor: Joseph Yaacoub Sahyoun
  • Patent number: 7174990
    Abstract: The invention is a suspension element having an outer edge and an inner edge. The suspension element, such as a spider or surround, varies in shape along at least a portion of the suspension element to help relieve both the radial and tangential stress placed on the suspension element when it is stretched. The shape employed in the suspension element allows the suspension element to stretch more easily, creating a higher performance speaker of the same size by increasing the diaphragm excursion and voice coil movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventors: Brendon Stead, Clayton Williamson, Mark Trainer
  • Patent number: 7164776
    Abstract: A balanced receiver providing significantly reduced vibration is disclosed. The balanced receiver comprises a closed loop operably attached between an armature and a diaphragm. The effective moving mass of the diaphragm is designed to match the effective moving mass of the armature. The closed loop facilitates the balancing of the motion of the diaphragm and the motion of the armature, thus reducing the vibration of the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC.
    Inventors: Thomas Miller, August Mostardo, Elmer Carlson, David E. Schafer
  • Patent number: 7120269
    Abstract: A lay-in tile type system is disclosed for supporting speakers in a new or existing suspended ceiling includes a perforated base section providing maximum free air space. A perforated surface also helps the lay-in tile system blend in with the overall suspended ceiling in which the system is installed. The system further provides integral flanges that form a T-shaped member to support at least a portion of an adjacent ceiling tile, obviating the need to purchase, cut and install a replacement grid member. The base and the flanges are constructed from a single sheet of material that is folded to form the flanges. The base is sized to fit within a portion of a conventional ceiling tile grid opening, and has substantially ninety degree comers so that the ceiling grid opening is completed by a ceiling tile sized with a simple straight cut, simplifying installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Lowell Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Wilhelm R. Lowell, Carey C. Porter, Jeffrey R. Garstick
  • Patent number: 7103948
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of manufacturing piezoelectric wafers of surface acoustic wave (SAW) identification tags. In one embodiment, the method includes: (1) using a master reticle to form, on each of the piezoelectric wafers, wafer-independent patterns that encode digits of a first significance for SAW identification tags; and (2) using different ones of a library of coding reticles to form, on each of the piezoelectric wafers, wafer-dependent patterns that encode digits of a second significance for SAW identification tags.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: RF Saw Components, Inc.
    Inventors: Clinton S. Hartmann, Paul S. Brown
  • Patent number: 7103960
    Abstract: A method is provided for making a backing layer for an ultrasonic matrix array transducer useful in medical imaging and the like. A conductive grid is provided which includes a plurality of micro-contacts each joined together by a common base so that spaces are provided between the free ends of the contacts. A mold for the grid is filled with an acoustically absorbent material such that the absorbent material fills the spaces between the contacts, so as to produce a block when cured. The common base is removed so as to separate the contacts from one another within the block. Further machining exposes the opposite ends of micro-contacts so that a like number of contact faces or pads are provided at opposed surfaces of the backing layer. Improved transducer constructions are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Vermon
    Inventor: Flesch Aimé
  • Patent number: 7093343
    Abstract: An acoustic transducer design having a slotted oval-shaped shell and active transducer elements located on the inner surface of the shell is disclosed. The design provides a high power, ultra-low frequency oval projector having a number of applications, including underwater seismic prospecting and fish mitigation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration, INC
    Inventor: Jason W Osborn
  • Patent number: 7080442
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a semiconductor electret condenser microphone capable of being reduced in size and including an acoustic sensor 100 and a case 200 for accommodating the acoustic sensor 100, the acoustic sensor 100 has a semiconductor chip 110 forming necessary electronic circuits 111A to 111C, and opening a through hole 112 away from the electronic circuits 111A to 111C, an electrode layer 120 formed on the surface of the semiconductor chip 110 away from the through hole 112, an electret member 130 laminated away from part of the electrode layer 120 and through hole 112, and a diaphragm 140 provided with a spacing 160 to the electret member 130, in which the electrode layer 120 exposed from the electret member 130 is connected to the electrode 111a of the electronic circuit 111A through the case 200 (FIG. 6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Hosiden Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Kawamura, Yoshiaki Ohbayashi, Mamoru Yasuda
  • Patent number: 7043046
    Abstract: In an electroacoustic transducer (21) with a stationary transducer part (23) and with a membrane configuration (17) comprising a membrane (15) and a handling ring (1) for the membrane (15) connected with the membrane (15), the membrane configuration (17) is connected with the stationary transducer part (23) via the handling ring (1), and the handling ring (1) and membrane (15) are connected together via an interlocking connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Ewald Frasl
  • Patent number: 7025170
    Abstract: A speaker in which the basket holding the voice coil, cone and damper has a ribbed top flange and a ribbed bottom flange, a gasket is capped on the suspension of the cone at the ribbed top flange and fastened thereto with screws without the use of glue, and a holder frame is pressed on the periphery of the damper at the ribbed bottom flange and fastened thereto with screws.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Inventor: Steff Lin
  • Patent number: 6988584
    Abstract: A speaker diaphragm edge obtained by hot-forming into a desired edge shape, a resin-treated base material, which was prepared by using a silkscreen printing technique to apply a shaping agent layer only to the necessary portion of a base material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Takahashi, Shinya Tabata, Shinya Mizone, Toshihiro Shimizu, Yukio Sone
  • Patent number: 6978861
    Abstract: A connection of the sound bowl and connecting portion of a loudspeaker is disclosed. The connection area is adhered with the elastic materials similar to the materials of sound bowl and connecting portion in order to beautify the appearance of loudspeaker and enhance the adhesion. Thereby the tolerance of the loudspeaker is enhanced. Thus, the loudspeaker is tolerable to vibration and produces sound with precise tunes, and stabilizes the quality of sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Inventor: A Wen Yu
  • Patent number: 6957714
    Abstract: The speaker has a diaphragm main body 30 supported resiliently on a frame 23 via an edge portion 31 around its outer circumference, and the groove ribs 35 integrally formed in the edge portion 31, wherein a regulation member 37 for partially improving a flexural strength of the edge portion 31 is provided on a part of the front or back face of the edge portion 31.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignees: Pioneer Corporation, Tohoku Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Osamu Takahashi, Ryo Ishiyama
  • Patent number: 6956957
    Abstract: A loudspeaker drive unit comprising a resonant acoustic radiator, an exciter on the radiator to apply bending wave energy to the radiator to cause it to resonate, a support for the loudspeaker drive unit, and means resiliently coupling the exciter to the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: New Transducers Limited
    Inventors: Henry Azima, Martin Colloms, Martin Roberts, Graham Bank, Neil Harris, Bijan Djahansouzi
  • Patent number: 6954971
    Abstract: A fetal heart monitoring system preferably comprising a backing plate having a generally concave front surface and a generally convex back surface, and at least one sensor element attached to the concave front surface for acquiring acoustic fetal heart signals produced by a fetus within a body. The sensor element has a shape that conforms to the generally concave back surface of the backing plate. In one embodiment, the at least one sensor element comprises an inner sensor, and a plurality of outer sensors surrounding the inner sensor. The fetal heart monitoring system can further comprise a web belt, and a web belt guide movably attached to the web belt. The web belt guide being is to the convex back surface of the backing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Timothy D. Bryant, Mark W. Wynkoop, Nancy M. H. Holloway, Allan J. Zuckerwar
  • Patent number: 6944310
    Abstract: A speaker apparatus includes an elliptical-shaped or a round-edged rectangular-shaped vibration plate; an edge damper portion disposed on an outer peripheral edge portion of the vibration plate; a recessed portion formed between said vibration plate and said edge damper portion, having a caliber of a shape corresponding to the shape of said vibration plate; and an air core voice coil fitted into an interior of said recessed portion. The speaker apparatus further includes a frame for mounting said edge damper portion to support said vibration plate, having a stepped portion and a vertical wall portion; and an edge damper frame arranged on an outer periphery of said edge damper portion, having a support portion placed on the stepped portion and a rising portion being in contact with the vertical wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignees: Pioneer Corporation, Tohoku Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Masanori Ito, Kunio Mitobe, Osamu Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6938726
    Abstract: A rebuildable low frequency loudspeaker driver has a replaceable diaphragm assembly. In a first embodiment, the peripheral edge of a loudspeaker driver diaphragm comprises a flexible surround and is releaseably supported within a matching basket having a peripheral mounting flange clamping surface to which a rigid ring-shaped clamping member or gasket is releaseably attached. A parts kit includes a replacement cone assembly with a frustoconical cone having an attached annular surround at the large cone end and a flexible spider attached near the small cone end, adjacent the attachment point for the cylindrical voice coil former. The spider includes a rigid ring mounted at the spider peripheral edge and dimensioned to be removably fastened to the driver basket. The driver basket includes a spider plateau region including a valley with sidewalls adapted to receive and center the spider rigid ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Mitek Corporation
    Inventors: Richard S. Roark, Daniel F Roemer
  • Patent number: 6928720
    Abstract: A surface acoustic wave device includes a piezoelectric substrate and at least one interdigital electrode disposed on the piezoelectric substrate. The interdigital electrode is made of ?-tantalum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Kobayashi, Masatoshi Nakagawa, Makoto Tose, Toshio Hagi, Toshimaro Yoneda
  • Patent number: 6920957
    Abstract: A loudspeaker diaphragm affixed with a coil includes an edge portion located outside of a portion affixed with the coil and a center portion located inside of the portion affixed with the coil. The center portion is provided thereon with ribs. With these ribs, the height of the center portion can be limited to the height of the ribs. Therefore, it is possible to save a space of a loudspeaker where the loudspeaker diaphragm is placed, thereby slimming down the loudspeaker. Furthermore, with these ribs, the rigidity of the center portion can be improved without using a conventional solution of forming, for example, a dome shape on the center portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sawako Usuki, Shuji Saiki
  • Patent number: 6912288
    Abstract: A piezoelectric electroacoustic transducer, including a plurality of piezoelectric layers deposited to define a deposited product, flexurally vibrates the deposited product by polarizing the entire piezoelectric ceramic layers in the same thickness direction and also by applying an alternating signal between external electrodes disposed on the front/rear major surfaces of the deposited product and an internal electrode disposed between the ceramic layers. A dummy electrode is provided between the ceramic layers outside the internal electrode via a gap, and a portion of the internal electrode is exposed at at least one side surface of the piezoelectric ceramic layers, while the dummy electrode is exposed at the other side surface of the piezoelectric ceramic layers. The external electrodes extend to the side surfaces other than the side surface at which the internal electrode is exposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikio Nakashima, Sachihito Nakafuku, Kiyoshi Iyama
  • Patent number: 6895097
    Abstract: A planar type speaker keeps its diaphragm (2) free from any distortion in operation, thus providing high fidelity sound reproduction. The diaphragm (2) is of a planar type and surrounded by a flexible edge member (3). This member (3) is constructed of an inner edge piece (3a) and an outer edge piece (3b) each of which has a semicircular shape in cross section to provide a convex surface and a concave surface. These edge pieces (3a, 3b) are the same in construction, but are inverted in arrangement to have the concave surfaces thereof face to each other to sandwich the diaphragm (2) between the concave surfaces of the edge pieces (3a, 3b); and, the outer edge piece (3b) is provided with a plurality of notched holes (7) which are symmetrically arranged in the outer edge piece (3b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: Fal Company Limited
    Inventor: Iwao Furuyama
  • Patent number: 6892850
    Abstract: A speaker's surround to be attached to an edge of a diaphragm in a speaker system is provided, which is capable of keeping its predetermined shape while repeating elastic deformation for accommodating large amplitude vibration of the diaphragm. Further, the surround is highly durable to withstand the repeated large amplitude vibration, and which can achieve high sound pressure levels. The surround for a speaker system includes a surround piece made of a rubber mold and a base member embedded in the surround piece. The base member is obtained by soaking a cloth material made of cotton or aramid fiber with a thermosetting resin such as phenol resin, and press-formed with heat into a predetermined shape. The surround thus has enhanced its shape maintaining capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignees: Pioneer Corporation, Tohoku Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Suzuki, Masatoshi Sato
  • Patent number: 6889796
    Abstract: An annular surround for a loudspeaker cone wherein a radial cross-section of the surround varies around the circumferential extent of the surround, so as to accommodate peripheral expansion or contraction of the surround by bending. Thus a trough shaped cross-section of the surround may vary sinusoidally with angle around the polar axis of the surround between a semicircular and semielliptical cross-section. The trough section may bland to an adjacent portion of the surround by a fillet which also varies sinusoidally in cross-section in phase with the variation of the trough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Goodmans Loudspeakers Limited
    Inventors: Nicholas Pocock, Simon Yorick Pettman
  • Patent number: 6888946
    Abstract: A tweeter with a light, thin sandwich plate which can be excited into multiple reflected bending waves, and a driver which makes a vibrating contact and excites the sandwich plate, where the driver is designed for higher sound frequencies and the sandwich plate for propagating bending waves with low damping. The sandwich plate is freely carried with low damping by holding elements, where the latter are designed to be low damping at higher sound frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Harman Audio Electronic Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Bachmann, Gerhard Krump, Hans-Juergen Regl, Andreas Zinganki
  • Patent number: 6874220
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for mounting an acoustic emitter or detector of other sensor apparatus with respect to mounting structure therefor and so as to be isolated at least partially with respect thereto from the transmission of acoustic and/or electrical energy. The mounting provides a non-elastomeric snap-together bushing formed of a plastics material which accurately positionally locates the sensor or emitter with respect to its mounting while providing an unexpectedly high degree of isolation with respect to transmission of acoustic and other energy forms through the mounting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Snap-on Equipment Limited
    Inventor: Barbara L. Jones
  • Patent number: 6876753
    Abstract: A coupling structure of a signal converting apparatus comprises: a frame having at least two coupling protrusions horizontally formed at an outer circumference thereof; a coupling member for coupling the signal converting apparatus; and a cylindrical coupling body being formed at an upper face of the coupling member and having horizontal and vertical cuts in a certain shape to correspond to the coupling protrusions wherein the coupling protrusions are inserted into a cylindrical coupling body of the coupling member, is rotated by a selected angle and is latched on the vertical and horizontal coupling grooves of the cylindrical coupling body such that the coupling member is integrally coupled to the signal converting apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Sambu Communics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Nak Hyun Kim
  • Patent number: 6876752
    Abstract: A loud speaker according to the invention is mountable within a receptacle. The loudspeaker includes a magnetic driver and a diagragm mounted to a frame. The froame includes a mounting member extending from a surface of the frame behind the flange plane. The mounting member is engagable in a notch formed in the receptacle for securing the speaker within the receptacle. The loudspeaker enclosure has perforated layer shaped to define its inner volume. A honeycomb layer surrounds that perforated layer; and semi-rigid layer surrounds the honeycomb layer and forms the exterior wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Inventor: Godehard A. Guenther
  • Patent number: 6862361
    Abstract: An audio speaker including a chassis and a diaphragm defining an axis. A suspension movably interconnects the diaphragm and the chassis for reciprocating movement of the diaphragm along the axis. A motor is operably connected to the diaphragm for powered movement thereof. The diaphragm includes a cylindrical flange extending from its peripheral edges axially in the direction of the motor. The termination of said cylindrical flange provides an attachment for an annular rear flexible suspension member that, in turn, attaches to the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Inventors: Floyd John James, David Lewis Clark
  • Patent number: 6851513
    Abstract: The invention is a suspension element having an outer edge and an inner edge. The suspension element, such as a spider or surround, varies in shape along at least a portion of the suspension element to help relieve both the radial and tangential stress placed on the suspension element when it is stretched. The shape employed in the suspension element allows the suspension element to stretch more easily, creating a higher performance speaker of the same size by increasing the diaphragm excursion and voice coil movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Harvard International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventors: Brendon Stead, Clayton C. Williamson, Mark Trainer
  • Patent number: 6839445
    Abstract: A piezoelectric speaker includes a piezoelectric vibrator and a metal reflection plate. The piezoelectric vibrator includes a piezoelectric element which has a dome shape with a hollow portion and which is polarized in the thickness direction, a first electrode disposed on the inner surface of the piezoelectric element, a second electrode disposed on the outer surface of the piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric vibrator further includes a hole provided in the top thereof. The reflection plate is arranged to cover the hollow portion of the piezoelectric vibrator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takaei Kihara
  • Patent number: 6834744
    Abstract: This invention has been made to provide a speaker system capable of miniaturization and presenting a good sound quality. A speaker 15 is mounted on a printed circuit board 21 arranged inside a telephone body enclosure 12. Acoustic waves of positive phase produced by vibration of a diaphragm 23 of the speaker 15 are output through front acoustic apertures 28 and a front air chamber 37 to the exterior from an enclosure acoustic aperture 13. On the other hand, the acoustic waves of opposite phase enter a rear air chamber 35 through rear acoustic apertures 29, reach an enclosure internal space 36 through an opposite-phase opening 34 provided by cutting away a part of a rear sealing member 32, and transmit to a card slot 14, then being output to the exterior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Nozomi Toki
  • Patent number: 6810988
    Abstract: A speaker's damper is comprised of a main body and lead wires, in which the damper's main body is essentially a piece of woven cloth pressed in the form of an annular disk with a corrugated cutaway section while the lead wire is a metallic wire in texture properly interwoven in the damper's main body so that the jumping-rope phenomenon of the lead wire can be avoided when the damper's main body is in vibration. The lead wire is securely attached to the main body on the woven cloth and beneath a plurality of lifted-up cloth segments. Also, by means of a guide sleeve, two lead wires can be prevented from being short-circuited during vibration of the dampers main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Inventor: Yen-Chen Chan
  • Patent number: 6801634
    Abstract: The invention provides a continuous layer of polymer that is shaped to act as the suspension, the former, and an attachment to the diaphragm. The coil may be located within the pocket providing insulation to the coil thus preventing electrical short circuiting of the voice coil as the voice coil expands or contracts based on its operating temperature. The invention also provides an inner flange area of a suspension that may act as a spring generating additional acoustic energy from the compression driver. The inner flange area may also be tuned to vibrate at a predetermined high frequency. Thus, in certain applications, where more acoustic energy is desired at high frequency, the inner flange area may be tuned to provide that extra acoustic energy. To further increase the high frequency energy generated by the compression driver, the diaphragm may be coupled to the bottom side of the inner flange area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas J. Button
  • Patent number: 6799361
    Abstract: In an electroacoustic transducer (21) with a stationary transducer part (23) and with a membrane configuration (17) comprising a membrane (15) and a handling ring (1) for the membrane (15) connected with the membrane (15), the membrane configuration (17) is connected with the stationary transducer part (23) via the handling ring (1), and the handling ring (1) and membrane (15) are connected together via an interlocking connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Ewald Frasl
  • Publication number: 20040168852
    Abstract: A linkage assembly (140) is used for mechanically coupling an armature (124) and a diaphragm (118) of a balanced receiver (100), the linkage assembly (140) formed from a first linkage member (822) displaced from a strip of stock material (800) relative to the plane of the stock material (800) and a second linkage member (826) displaced from the strip (800) relative to the plane. The first and second linkage members (822, 826) are then joined while secured to the strip (800). At least one severable connecting member (870a-c) securing the linkage member to the strip (800) is severed to release the linkage member from the strip for assembly of the linkage member into the receiver. A method of forming a three-dimensional structure from flat stock is used to form the linkage assembly (140).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Inventors: Mekell Jiles, David Earl Schafer
  • Publication number: 20040163883
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an electroacoustic transducer, which is capable of controlling a particular vibration mode having large amplitude generated in a diaphragm and reproducing and outputting with fidelity a sound signal transmitted to the diaphragm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2004
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Applicant: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsutoshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6782114
    Abstract: An outer end portion 21A of an edge 21, which is formed at an interior of an outer periphery thereof, is mounted on an attaching surface 10b which is formed inside an outer peripheral rim 10a of a speaker frame 10. An outer peripheral surface 21a of the outer end portion 21A is allowed to abut on the outer peripheral rim 10a of the speaker frame 10. Also, an attaching screw section 14 of the speaker frame is provided on the attaching surface 10b. The outer end portion 21A has a wall thickness thicker than the thickness of a screw head of the attaching screw section, and is provided with a notch 21b to avoid the attaching screw section 14. Therefore, the inside area of the speaker frame can be effectively utilized to obtain enough level of outputted sound pressure. Further, since a gasket is unnecessary for positioning and attaching the edge, the number of parts can be reduced to lead cost-down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignees: Pioneer Corporation, Tohoku Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Tomiaki Ando, Takashi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6758451
    Abstract: A folding speaker bracket comprising a first half and a second half, wherein the first half is rotably connected to the second half, so as to define an axis about which the first and second halves may rotate. By this rotable attachment of the two halves, the speaker may be folded and then inserted through a hole in a mounting surface that is smaller than it would have been if the bracket did not fold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: KSC Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean M. Rivera, Tim L. Simpson
  • Patent number: 6751332
    Abstract: A speaker has a case having a peripheral projection, a yoke made of magnetic material and secured to the case, and a permanent magnet provided in the case. A vibrating plate having a peripheral projection is secured to an outside wall of the case at the peripheral projection. A protector plate is secured to the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Citizen Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Kobayashi, Yoshizumi Ohta, Kazumi Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 6748090
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system with multi-mode radiator panels used to reproduce sound. The multi-mode radiator panels include at least one driver, a core layer and two cover layers connected to the core layer. The panels are typically mounted in a frame with attachments providing a connection between the frame and the unit formed of the core layer and the cover layers. To protect the system against overload and damage, the entire driver electronics is housed in a hermetically sealed air space located between the frame, the core layer and the attachments. The driver electronics includes a power amplifier powered by low-voltage power supply. The voltage supply may be buffered by a battery to keep the average power supplied to the electronics small, while still being able to reproduce infrequently occurring peak power events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Harman Audio Electronic Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Bachmann, Gerhard Krump, Hans-Juergen Regl
  • Patent number: 6745867
    Abstract: A mid-frequency loudspeaker drive unit includes a substantially conical diaphragm having a forward periphery and a surround connected to and extending from the forward periphery of the diaphragm to form a substantially smooth transition from the diaphragm to the surround, the diaphragm and the surround presenting a substantially smoothly continuous outwardly facing surface. The drive unit can be part of a compound loudspeaker drive unit including a high-frequency drive unit coaxially disposed within the diaphragm and a chassis encompassing the mid-frequency drive unit with the surround being secured to the chassis to form the smooth transition from the diaphragm to the surround.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: KH Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Philip Jeffrey Anthony, Stephen Halsall
  • Patent number: 6739425
    Abstract: This invention presents a novel means to passively achieve a compact moving-coil actuator with a very low natural frequency. The diaphragm and voice coil are mounted in a sealed enclosure from which the air is partially or completely evacuated. This reduces the air spring effect. The diaphragm is supported by a non-linear, buckling, or collapsible support apparatus. By taking advantage of the non-linear stiffness properties of such structures, the stiffness of the actuator can be designed to be small at the operating point, which when combined with the moving mass, yields a low natural frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Steven Griffin, Benjamin K. Henderson, Joel Gussy, Steven A. Lane
  • Patent number: 6725967
    Abstract: A cone suspension is for mounting a speaker cone to a housing. The cone suspension has an inner periphery supporting the speaker cone, an outer periphery mounted to the housing, and a resilient central portion extending between the inner periphery and the outer periphery. In cross section, the resilient central portion is separated from a base plane extending between the inner periphery and the outer periphery, and has a central apex spaced from the inner periphery and the outer periphery and spaced from the base plane by a selected height. The inner periphery and the outer periphery are separated by a selected width. The selected height is substantially greater than ½ of the selected width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Audio Products International Corp.
    Inventor: Stefan R. Hlibowicki
  • Patent number: 6728389
    Abstract: A system for tensioning a membrane within a frame for a loudspeaker or a microphone is characterized by a frame containing an opening, a membrane connected to an exterior surface of the frame and spanning the frame opening, and a tensioning device connected with the frame for deflecting a portion of the membrane within the frame opening. The tensioning device is compliant thereby allowing the membrane to exhibit a high degree of flexure both within and beyond a plane containing the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Inventor: Paul F. Bruney
  • Patent number: 6707925
    Abstract: A bracket for mounting a speaker in a vehicle. The bracket includes a speaker receiving portion for supporting the speaker, and two diametrically opposed arms extending from the speaker receiving portion. Each of the arms includes a plurality of apertures for receiving fasteners capable of fastening the bracket over a mounting hole of varying size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas Dean Breithaupt
  • Patent number: 6700988
    Abstract: A speaker spider arrangement includes a speaker spider and an integral lead wire arrangement which includes at least a pair of lead wires and an attachment member for attaching attachment portions of the lead wires on one side surface of the speaker spider so as to ensure the attachment portions of the lead wires being spacedly extended between an inner rim and an outer rim of the speaker spider and to integrate with the speaker spider to move simultaneously. Thereby, the integral lead wire arrangement provides the speaker spider with an enhanced durability, higher sound quality and improved safety, so as to enable a speaker to be manufactured by less steps in a lower cost while achieving a higher quality in comparison with the conventional speaker structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Inventor: George K. Wu