Abstract: A system for adapting a hearing aid to a user includes a unit generating an image of the user's ear together with a model of the hearing aid, wherein the model of the hearing aid in-situ includes a physical model of the hearing aid inserted in the user's ear prior to generating the image. The system also generates a mesh based on the image, calculates acoustic response to a simulated acoustic signal in the mesh, calculates a frequency response curve for a fixed position in the mesh, and identifies an optimal position of a microphone of the hearing aid in-situ from the acoustic response. They system also includes a comparator configured to compare the frequency response curve for the fixed position in the mesh with a maximum frequency response curve for the mesh stored by the system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a loudspeaker assembly is provided. In accordance with at least one embodiment, apparatus is provided comprising a ground plane, a loudspeaker driver mounted in a loudspeaker driver aperture of the ground plane, and a grille positioned relative to the ground plane such that a distance between the grille and the ground plane decreases with increasing distance from the loudspeaker driver. The loudspeaker assembly can be used to replace ceiling tiles having any size or configuration, and can also me mounted in other surfaces, such as ceiling walls, floors, table tops, etc. made of drywall, hard decking, wood, stone, cement, glass, or any other material or type of construction, or configured in a stand-alone loudspeaker frame or cabinet. The loudspeaker assembly of the present invention can be mounted in any orientation.

Abstract: An attenuator for attenuating acoustic waves, the attenuator comprising: a first body defining a cavity therein and an elongate open aperture extending across a substantial portion of the first body, the first body being configured to attenuate acoustic waves over a resonant frequency band.

Abstract: A faceplate of a hearing device housing with a component fitted in an opening of the faceplate and an associated method are provided. The faceplate is formed from a first material. When a predefinable distance between the support surface of the components in the opening and the surface facing away from the exterior of the faceplate is not reached, a second material is applied below the support surface to the surface of the faceplate such that the predefinable distance is produced. As a result, even with fitted components, for instance the volume controller or program selection switch, the mechanical stability of the faceplate is ensured.

Abstract: A hull-mounted sonar array is provided. The array comprises a linear arrangement of hydrophones disposed within a generally D-shaped housing. The D-shaped housing comprises a generally flat portion having a first and second end and a curved portion extending from the first end to the second end. The hydrophones are arranged along the generally flat portion of the housing, equidistant from the curved portion. The housing is mounted to the hull of a vessel by, for example, a marine adhesive.

Abstract: An acoustic structure that includes a honeycomb having cells in which septum caps are located. The septum caps are formed from sheets of flexible material that may be perforated before or after the material is inserted into the honeycomb. The flexible material is sufficiently flexible to allow folding into the shape of a septum cap. The flexible material is also sufficiently stiff to provide frictional engagement and locking of the septum cap to the honeycomb cell when the cap is inserted into the honeycomb during fabrication of the acoustic structure. An adhesive is applied to the septum caps after the caps have been inserted into the honeycomb cells to provide a permanent bond.

Abstract: An earbud (10) for carrying sound from a source (16) to a person's ear canal, includes a soft foam body (20) and a sleeve (26) of stiffer material lying within the body. The body is molded around the sleeve and is chemically bonded to the sleeve without an adhesive between them. The earbud is molded around the sleeve by placing the sleeve on a mandrel pin (42) within a mold cavity (32), placing foamable material in the mold and closing the mold. The mold has shoulders with one mold shoulder (52) that abuts one end (46) of the sleeve and another mold shoulder (60) that lies within 0.1 millimeter of the other sleeve end (62), to prevent foaming material from leaking into the space (64) between the mandrel pin and the sleeve passage.

Abstract: An earphone assembly for an in-ear listening device is disclosed. The earphone assembly has an inner housing comprising a nozzle, configured to receive a sleeve for placement into a user's ear, and a balanced armature motor assembly. The balanced armature motor assembly is mounted in the inner housing so as to form an acoustical seal between the inner housing and the balanced armature motor assembly. The earphone assembly also includes an outer housing configured to receive the inner housing. The inner housing can comprise a recess for receiving a paddle of the balanced armature motor assembly. Alternatively, the outer housing can be formed with a nozzle for receiving a sleeve for placement into a user's ear canal, and the inner housing can comprise a spout, which is received in a recess in the outer housing.

Abstract: A microphone includes: a housing that serves as a microphone grip; a microphone unit supported at one end of the housing; an air chamber provided behind the microphone unit in the housing. The air chamber is filled with a plurality of elastic particles. The individual particles are mechanically bonded to one another and part of the particles are mechanically bonded to the housing such that gaps are formed therebetween.

Abstract: A pressing apparatus is used to press a number of hooks of a speaker mesh to a shell. The pressing apparatus includes a workbench, a first pressing board located above the workbench, a number of bending members extending down from the first pressing board, a second pressing board located above the first pressing board, and a number of pressing members extending down from the second pressing board and slidably passing through the first pressing board. The number of bending members press inner sides of distal ends of the hooks to bend out in response to the first pressing board moving towards the workbench; and the number of pressing members press the distal ends of the hooks to bend further to hold the shell in response to the second pressing board moving towards the workbench.

Abstract: A high fidelity, low-profile loudspeaker assembly includes an enclosure having a rear panel which is highly thermally conductive. At least one speaker driver is mounted in the enclosure, the driver including a forwardly facing diaphragm driven by a voice coil former carrying a voice coil, and a rearwardly extending motor structure. An aperture is provided in the rear panel to receiving the driver's motor structure, and a thermally conductive gasket seals the rear panel aperture around cup to provide a thermal path from the driver motor to the rear panel for cooling the driver. On one driver embodiment, a generally dome-shaped annular spider surrounds and supports the voice coil former, the spider being connected at its inner periphery to the approximate vertical midpoint of the voice coil former.

Abstract: An electro-acoustic communications unit (20) may include an acoustic driver (22) which, when operated, emits acoustic waves in two directions. A hermetically sealed container (24) attached to the acoustic driver may include a gas other than air. The gas may transport acoustic waves generated by the acoustic driver.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for improving speaker performance with an acoustic damped port are disclosed. In accordance with various embodiments of the present invention, a damping material is placed around a vented frame of a speaker driver, and substantially covers or fills the vents of the frame. In some embodiments, the damping material results in improved impedance matching with acoustic delay, without required dimensional tuning (as with conventional ports). In some embodiments, it also reduces the air velocity gradients minimizing higher order frequency distortion components. In some embodiments, the damping material also acts as an absorber of energy by coupling to the sound wave. In some embodiments, low-frequency performance is improved in a small-scale design.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a transmitter/receiver (1) for transmitting/receiving acoustic waves, which method comprises at least the following steps: placing a transmitting and/or receiving layer (10) in or on an inner housing (2) in a manner such that a side of the inner housing is at least virtually sealed off by the transmitting and/or receiving layer, providing at least a first material (16) in a space enclosed by the inner housing, which space is adjacent to the transmitting and/or receiving layer, providing an outer housing (4) around an inner housing, which outer housing surrounds the inner housing at least partly after provision, and providing a second material (20) between the inner housing and the outer housing, characterized in that upon provision of the second material, through pouring, the second material runs in a vacuum, between the inner housing and the outer housing for the purpose of manufacturing a fixed connection between the inner housing and the outer housing.

Abstract: A lightweight radio/CD player for vehicular application is virtually “fastenerless” and includes a case and frontal interface formed of polymer based material that is molded to provide details to accept audio devices such as playback mechanisms (if desired) and radio receivers, as well as the circuit boards required for electrical control and display. The case and frontal interface are of composite structure, including an insert molded electrically conductive wire mesh screen that has been pre-formed to contour with the molding operation. The wire mesh provides EMC, RFI, BCI and ESD shielding and grounding of the circuit boards via exposed wire mesh pads and adjacent ground clips. The PCB architecture is bifurcated into a first board carrying common circuit components in a surface mount configuration suitable for high volume production, and a second board carrying application specific circuit components in a wave soldered stick mount configuration.

Abstract: An engine assembly, an acoustical liner and an associated fabrication method are provided to address fan blade flutter and fan noise control simultaneously within the same liner area. Fan blade flutter is therefore controlled without necessarily increasing the weight of the engine, impairing the structural integrity of the engine, or increasing the noise generated by the engine. The acoustical liner may have additional acoustical degrees of freedom which permit these seemingly competing concerns to be addressed in a complementary manner. The acoustical liner may include inner and outer barrels with the inner barrel having a perforated face sheet, a perforated back skin and a core disposed between the perforated face sheet and the back skin. The fluid communication between the core and the space between the inner and outer barrels provides additional acoustical degrees of freedom which may be utilized to reduce fan blade flutter while concurrently limiting fan blade noise.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved method of manufacturing constrained layer dampers with a vulcanized rubber viscoelastic core. The method includes the steps of: applying a first layer of adhesive to a first constraining layer; applying a layer of unvulcanized rubber solved in a solvent to the first layer of adhesive to form a first laminate structure; applying a second layer of adhesive to a second constraining layer to form a second laminate structure; laminating the first laminate structure with the second laminate structure; coiling the laminated first and second laminate structures; and increasing the temperature of the coiled first and second laminate structures to thereby vulcanize the layer of rubber.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fluid filter comprising a magnetic substrate configured to allow passage of fluid therethrough, with the substrate manufactured from sintered powdered metal. Preferably, the filter has a porosity of at least 10%, and a magnetic flux density of at least 5 gauss. The substrate may include iron, aluminum, barium, cerium, cobalt, chromium, molybdenum, nickel, oxygen, praseodymium, platinum, samarium, and/or strontium. The present invention also provides a method of manufacturing a fluid filter by sintering powdered metal to form a magnetic substrate configured to allow passage of fluid therethrough. The method may further include shaping the magnetic substrate for use within a desired application.

Abstract: An improved system and method for reducing standing waves and diffracted waves in speaker a driver enclosure is disclosed. The speaker driver enclosure has an interior enclosure surface, shaped such that any cross section taken of it comprises a looped, substantially continuously curved, non-rational B spline. A rear enclosure surface is provided, the rear enclosure surface being shaped substantially the same as the interior enclosure surface and offset from the interior enclosure by a wall thickness. An outer baffle surface has slightly varying curvatures such that substantially any cross section taken of it comprises a continuously curved, non-rational B spline and a flat surface shaped such that at least one loudspeaker driver may be mounted to it. A loudspeaker driver is mounted to the flat surface.

Abstract: A sound absorbing element, in one example, includes a first wall area, a second wall area as well as a plurality of spring elements. In this arrangement, the first wall area and the second wall area are arranged so as to be spaced apart by a clear space. In one example, the plurality of spring elements are arranged in the clear space and connect the first wall area and the second wall area to each other. By pre-tensioning the plurality of spring elements to a state in which their spring constant approaches zero, significant decoupling between the first and the second wall areas may occur, with accompanying sound noise reduction.

Abstract: The invention includes a method of joining edges of adjacent honeycomb core panel sections. In one embodiment, the method includes forming a first edge along a first cellular core panel section. The first edge includes a first plurality of edge cell walls along the first edge. The method further includes forming a second edge along a second cellular core panel section, wherein the second edge includes a second plurality of edge cell walls along the second edge. The first edge is positioned proximate to the second edge. At least a portion of at least one of the first plurality of edge cell walls is mechanically interlocked with at least a portion of at least one of the second plurality of edge cell walls to form a joint therebetween. The invention also includes a composite structure at least partially produced by such a method.

Abstract: This invention provides a two-stage phasing plug located within a compression driver. The two-stage phasing plug housed within the compression driver may be coupled to a horn. The two-stage phasing plug includes first and second phasing plugs. The advantages of having a two-stage phasing plug is that the first and second phasing plugs may be simpler to manufacture, cost less and the overall dimensional tolerances may be tightly controlled. The higher dimensional tolerances may be obtained because the first phasing plug may be made from a unitary work-piece, and therefore, may be tooled and cut in the same machining set up. This allows the unitary work-piece to be machined and cut very accurately when compared to assembling separate components together during the manufacturing process. Since the most dimensionally critical area is the rear side of the first phasing plug, the tolerances of the second phasing plug may not be as critical.

Abstract: A bell is described having the first at least three or more frequencies substantially in harmonic sequence. A method for designing such a bell is also disclosed. An optimization procedure is described wherein an initial bell shape is modified until the first at least three or more frequencies are substantially in an harmonic sequence. An asymmetric bell is also described wherein a meridonal cross-section of the side portion is substantially geometrically similar to a cross-section having: 1) an outer line formed by fitting an arc of a circle to the three described points of the nodes and an inner line formed by fitting a line to the described points of the nodes; or 2) having an outer line formed by joining a straight line to the two described points of the nodes and an inner line formed by fitting a line to the described points of the nodes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composite vibrator that can maintain high sensitivity even when miniaturized. The composite vibrator includes tuning bar vibrators having the same length and support members for supporting the tuning bar vibrators. The tuning bar vibrators are arranged in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction to be coupled with each other near nodes of bending vibrations occurring at both free ends of the tuning bar vibrators. In this arrangement, since the tuning bar vibrators are coupled with each other, the mass of the composite vibrator increases. Thus, even when the length of the longitudinal direction of the tuning bar vibrator is reduced, due to the increased mass, higher sensitivity for the detection of an angular velocity can be obtained.

Abstract: A method is provided for fabricating a piezoelectric vibrator without degrading vibration characteristics. The piezoelectric vibrator has a vibration plate formed with a piezoelectric vibration portion and a frame portion integrally connected with a base portion of the piezoelectric vibration portion and surrounding the piezoelectric vibration portion. Opposite surfaces of the piezoelectric vibration plate are provided with a pair of lid members bonded to hermetically seal the piezoelectric vibration portion without interfering with vibration thereof. To achieve the bonding, a metal film is coated over substantially the entire area of opposite surfaces of the piezoelectric vibration plate. The metal film is patterned to form oscillation electrode films on opposite surfaces of the piezoelectric vibration portion and to form bonding films on opposite surfaces of the frame portion for bonding the frame portion to the pair of lid members.