Plural Portions Or Sections Patents (Class 381/424)
  • Patent number: 11818559
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a speaker diaphragm and a speaker. The diaphragm includes two surface layers compounded together and at least one intermediate layer located between the two surface layers, at least one of the surface layers is a thermoplastic polyester elastomer film layer, and at least one of the intermediate layers is an adhesive layer, wherein the thermoplastic polyester elastomer film layer has a Young's module of 1-1000 MPa, a loss factor being greater than or equal to 0.015, and an elastic recovery rate after 10% strain being greater than or equal to 80%. The speaker diaphragm may be made very thin, thus reducing the weight of the speaker diaphragm, improving the space allowance for vibration, improving the sensitivity, and making the F0 of the speaker lower. Further, elastic area of the speaker diaphragm is wider and the resilience performance is excellent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Goertek Inc.
    Inventors: Ting Wang, Guodong Zhao, Jie Zhu, Chun Li, Chunfa Liu
  • Patent number: 10911868
    Abstract: A submersible sound system may include a housing, an end piece, an elastic membrane, an end cap affixed to the elastic membrane, and a subwoofer speaker system disposed within the housing and supported by a speaker support. A bubble sound source may be defined by the speaker support, the speaker diaphragm, an anterior end of the housing, the elastic membrane, and the end cap. The housing, end piece, and a posterior surface of the speaker support may form a sealed enclosure. The sound system may include a tuning pipe disposed between the sealed enclosure and the bubble sound source. A Helmholtz resonator may be disposed anteriorly of the speaker system. Multiple sound system may be assembled to form a cluster. The cluster may be defined by the vertices of regular polyhedron. The sound systems may be controlled to maintain the speaker systems within acceptable thermal limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Teledyne Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrey K. Morozov
  • Patent number: 10805733
    Abstract: A loudspeaker and a vibrating cone for a loudspeaker wherein the vibrating, cone has a vibrating diaphragm arranged to be connected with a voice coil of the loudspeaker at a connecting position, the vibrating diaphragm comprises a first portion adjacent t the connecting position and a second portion spaced a distance from the connecting position. A strength of the first portion of the vibrating diaphragm is greater than a strength of the second portion of the vibrating diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventors: Kaifeng Sun, Xipeng Ye, Na Liu, Yi Chen
  • Patent number: 10250970
    Abstract: An acoustic apparatus may include a frame having an axially-opening annular open portion; a diaphragm supported by being attached to the annular open portion via a flexible edge member so as to be capable of vibrating in the axial direction; and a driving unit connected, at a connection portion at a center portion of the diaphragm, to the diaphragm to apply an axial-direction driving force to the diaphragm. The diaphragm includes first and second diaphragms that are mutually adjacent in the axial direction and joined together. When viewed in the axial direction, the second diaphragm has an outer diameter smaller than that of the first diaphragm. Each diaphragm includes a sheet member having an orientation dispersion structure including a shape-anisotropic filler dispersed in a resin with the long axis thereof oriented in a predetermined direction. The orientation directions of the sheet members of the first and second diaphragms mutually intersect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: ALPINE ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventor: Kei Tanabe
  • Patent number: 10178477
    Abstract: A vibrating diaphragm assembly related to the technical field of electroacoustic products is provided. The vibrating diaphragm assembly comprises a vibrating diaphragm, wherein the vibrating diaphragm comprises a middle part and a folding ring part surrounding the periphery of the middle part. The vibrating diaphragm also comprises a vibrating diaphragm substrate layer and a silica gel layer; the silica gel layer being at least partially combined with the vibrating diaphragm substrate layer. The vibrating diaphragm substrate layer is also a high molecular material layer; the silica gel layer is combined on the surface of the folding ring part; and the silica gel layer and the high molecular material layer are formed through injection molding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Goertek Inc.
    Inventors: Hairong Wang, Lianwen Shan, Xinfeng Yang
  • Patent number: 9779717
    Abstract: A mobile device vibrational sound system includes a processing circuit configured to activate a selectively vibratable element based on a triggering event, and control operation of a speaker to provide a mitigation sound configured to at least partially cancel a vibrational sound resulting from activation of the vibratable element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: Alistair K. Chan, Roderick A. Hyde
  • Patent number: 9392369
    Abstract: A speaker includes a basket, a membrane system with a sandwich-like membrane that becomes thicker from the outside inwards, an oscillation coil mounted in the center and at the level of the membrane on a support. A first centering centers the membrane in the basket in a first plane, and a second centering connected with the support centers the membrane in a second plane via the support. A symmetrically designed stray field magnet system with two magnets with opposingly-oriented poles and a pole plate are centrally placed between the magnets. The stray field magnet system centrally penetrates the membrane, the oscillation coil is at the level of the pole plate in its non-deployed state, and the stray field magnet system is situated in centered fashion to the basket. A centered lip forms a closed and flexible connection between the stray field magnet system and the membrane system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Inventor: Norman Gerkinsmeyer
  • Patent number: 9351078
    Abstract: A vibrating panel device for an electromagnetic vibrator includes at least one vibrating panel device. The vibrating panel module includes a base, a vibrating panel and an upper suspension, wherein an inner edge and an outer edge of the upper suspension are respectively connected with the base and the vibrating panel, and form an integrated whole body. Furthermore, two vibrating panel modules are fixedly connected in opposite directions to form the vibrating panel device. When the voice coil drives the vibrating panel to actuate, shaking of the vibrating panels is offset due to interactions between a pair of the suspensions and a pair of the vibrating panels. As a result, the voice coil drives the vibrating panel to process vertical up-and-down stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Tang Band Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Xinmin Huang
  • Patent number: 9281764
    Abstract: An energy harvester device located into an in-ear device and harvesting energy from dynamic motion of the wall of the outer ear canal receiving the in-ear device therein, with an external sheath of the in-ear device generally assuming the contour of the ear canal wall. The energy harvester device has an energy harvesting module mounting on an inner portion of the in-ear device adjacent the external sheath, and is at least partially elastically deformable under a displacement of the ear canal wall to generate energy corresponding to the displacement of the wall. An energy storage module mounts onto the in-ear device and connects to the energy harvesting module to receive energy there from and supplying the stored energy to an electronic device of the in-ear device. The in-ear device having the energy harvester device therein is also part of the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Inventors: Aidin Delnavaz, Jérémie Voix
  • Publication number: 20150110339
    Abstract: A multi-diaphragm planar magnetic electro-acoustic transducer is provided, having a plurality of diaphragms arranged in one or more diaphragm modules. Each diaphragm comprises a substrate and at least one electrically conductive circuit on at least one surface of the substrate. Each diaphragm module comprises at least one diaphragm, each held taut by a frame. Each diaphragm module is disposed to one side or the other of at least one planar magnetic array, the diaphragm module being parallel to and aligned with the planar magnetic array to form the multi-diaphragm planar magnetic transducer. The planar magnets many have a vertical arrangement, a sideways arrangement, a staggered arrangement, and may comprise stators and/or a low reluctance backing plate or channel piece. The planar magnet arrays can be linear or circular.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventor: Dragoslav Colich
  • Patent number: 8983112
    Abstract: A planar speaker system may include a bottom frame having a cavity. Within this cavity a plurality of magnets may be arranged to form a substantially circular pattern. A diaphragm that includes a plurality of electrically conductive traces may be connected to the bottom frame and extend across the cavity of the bottom frame. When alternating current flows through the electrically conductive traces, the diaphragm may vibrate in response to the interaction between the current flowing in the electrically conductive traces and the magnetic field, thereby producing sound. The planar speaker system may include a top frame having a cavity, and a second set of magnets may be disposed in the cavity of the top frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventor: Zhijun Zhao
  • Patent number: 8942392
    Abstract: A flat panel speaker system is provided. The system includes, a modified panel having a front surface and a rear surface, wherein the modified panel acts as a diaphragm for the flat panel speaker system; a supporting member coupled to the rear surface of the modified panel; and a detachable driver operationally coupled to the supporting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Kwun-Wing W. Cheung
  • Patent number: 8929583
    Abstract: A multifunction oscillatory actuator which performs acoustic reproduction by an acoustic reproduction section includes a diaphragm having a voice coil attached thereto and performs the occurrence of somesthetic oscillation by a magnetic circuit section having a magnet attached thereto, and in which the acoustic reproduction section and the magnetic circuit section are attached to a housing having a cylindrical shape, such that the magnetic circuit section is supported on an inner wall of the housing by a frame-shaped suspension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Namiki Seimitsu Houseki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Minoru Ueda, Takayuki Kumagai, Yuuichi Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 8879776
    Abstract: A speaker (200) includes a cylindrical diaphragm (201) which has closed ends, an edge (202) which supports the diaphragm (201) in a manner which allows the diaphragm to vibrate, a voice coil bobbin (203) around which a voice coil (204) is wound and which is connected to the diaphragm (201), and a magnetic circuit for driving the voice coil (204).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Takewa, Shinya Kagawa
  • Patent number: 8842873
    Abstract: A loudspeaker includes a chassis, a diaphragm, a motor system, a first suspension and a second suspension. The chassis has an inner periphery and an outer periphery. The diaphragm has an inner periphery and an outer periphery. The motor system has a magnet assembly connected to the inner periphery of the chassis, and a voice coil assembly connected to the diaphragm. The first suspension has an inner periphery connected to the outer periphery of the diaphragm, and an outer periphery connected to the outer periphery of the chassis. The second suspension has an inner periphery connected to at least one of the magnet assembly and the inner periphery of the chassis, and an outer periphery connected to the diaphragm between the inner and outer periphery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventor: George Bullimore
  • Patent number: 8831248
    Abstract: A loudspeaker is described. The loudspeaker includes two or more segmentations of a planar radiator. Each of the segmentations has an associated frequency dependent velocity magnitude and phase with substantially uniform surface pressure. The two or more segmentations provide a substantially uniform radiation pattern across a wide range of acoustic frequencies. Apparatus, computer readable media and methods are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy J. Mellow, Leo M. J. Karkkainen
  • Patent number: 8824724
    Abstract: An audio transducer for use in a loudspeaker system. The transducer includes a pair of flexible, curved diaphragms, with each diaphragm having a distal end and a proximal end. The curved diaphragms form hemi-cylindrical lobes being substantially tangent to one another at their proximal ends and are attached to energy absorbent dampers at their distal ends. The transducers can be employed in a line array as part of the loudspeaker system as well as some of the transducers facing forward while others rearward and, in doing so, their amplitudes and phases can be adjusted for fine tailoring the geometric coverage of acoustic energy radiating from the loudspeaker system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Inventors: J. Craig Oxford, D. Michael Shields
  • Patent number: 8818006
    Abstract: A loudspeaker system includes an enclosure surrounding a plurality of loudspeakers. The plurality of loudspeakers are disposed in series along a straight line in the enclosure. The enclosure includes a front panel, a back panel and side panels. The front panel, the side panels, and the back panel are disposed parallel to the straight line on which the loudspeakers are arranged. The side panels are provided with a front slit and a back slit. The back slit is disposed at an opposite side of the front slit in the enclosure. Sounds emitted to the upper and lower sides of diaphragms of the loudspeakers are separated from each other such that the sounds are prevented from mixing with each other. This provides a loudspeaker system capable of achieving desired sound pressure-frequency characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Yamauchi, Masatoshi Okuyama, Shoji Nakajima, Satoshi Takayama, Satoshi Koura, Yachiyo Shimokawatoko, Kazuhiro Oshika, Hideaki Inoue
  • Patent number: 8792670
    Abstract: A loudspeaker for active noise cancellation is disclosed in which a measurement microphone (12) is arranged at the acoustic center. In addition, a system for active noise cancellation is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: AMS AG
    Inventor: Martin Schoerkmaier
  • Patent number: 8731231
    Abstract: There is provided a dynamic sound transducer having a diaphragm system (10) which has at least a first and second metallized surface (11) which are separated from each other by an insulating surface (12). The dynamic sound transducer further has a moving coil (20) with a coil wire (25). An end of the coil wire is electrically conductingly connected to the first metallized surface (11) and the other end of the coil wire is electrically conductingly connected to the second metallized surface (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Till Teske-Fischer, Markus Kuhr, Vladimir Gorelik, Dirk Hackbarth, Heinz Epping, Burkhard Markmann, Axel Grell, Andre Michaelis
  • Patent number: 8705790
    Abstract: A speaker diaphragm includes a body vibrating to generate a sound, an edge fusion-bonded to an outer circumference portion of the body, a projection provided on an upper surface of the edge, and a gasket provided on a lower surface of the edge. The edge is made of material different from that of the body. The projection is made of material identical to that of the edge. The gasket is made of material identical to that of the body. A speaker including the diaphragm has waterproof property by itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsukazu Kuze
  • Patent number: 8670580
    Abstract: An electronic device is provided, including a conductive substrate, an electret diaphragm, a plurality of spacers, a first electrode, and two second electrodes. The conductive substrate has a plurality of openings. The spacers are disposed between the conductive substrate and the electret diaphragm to define an acoustic projecting portion and two acoustic receiving portions on the electret diaphragm. The first electrode is disposed on the acoustic projecting portion and coupled with the conductive substrate for generating an acoustic signal. The second electrodes are disposed on the acoustic receiving portions and coupled with the conductive substrate, wherein the acoustic receiving portions receive the acoustic signal and vibrate to vary an electrical field between the second electrodes and the conductive substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: HTC Corporation
    Inventor: Fang-Ching Lee
  • Patent number: 8649550
    Abstract: Disclosed is a multi-magnet system for speaker. The multi-magnet system includes a yoke having a bottom, a pair of main magnets separated from each other and mounted on the bottom of the yoke, respectively, a mid-magnet mounted on the bottom of the yoke and located between the pair of main magnets, and a pair of auxiliary magnets attached to two ends of the yoke. Wherein, the first main magnet together with the first auxiliary magnet and the mid-magnet defines a first magnetic gap and the second main magnet together with the second auxiliary magnet and the mid-magnet defines a second magnetic gap. By virtue of place the magnets at appropriate locations, the sensitivity of the speaker is effectively enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignees: AAC Acoustic Technologies (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., American Audio Components Inc.
    Inventors: Lei Shi, Wen-tao Jiang, Xiong Zhang, San-you Wu, Lin-zhen Li
  • Patent number: 8630440
    Abstract: A loudspeaker 2 comprises a dome 16 whose edge is stiffened by a carbon fiber ring 20. The dome 16 is shaped as a catenary or parabola.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Blast Loudspeakers Ltd.
    Inventor: Laurence Dickie
  • Patent number: 8620017
    Abstract: A high performance speaker is provided and includes a simple structure magnetic circuit achieved without the need of a complicated manufacturing process, and a high performance speaker is provided and includes a simple structure diaphragm achieved without the need of a difficult process for forming a U shape of a narrow width in the diaphragm. A speaker 100 is equipped with an inner-magnet-type magnetic circuit 4 provided with a magnet 1, a plate 2 and a yoke 3, a voice coil 7, and a diaphragm 6 supporting the voice coil 7 in place close to the end of the plate 2 while allowing the voice coil to vibrate. The yoke 3 is formed in an approximately flat plate shape having a diameter equal to or larger than that of the plate 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignees: Pioneer Corporation, Tohoku Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Sinsuke Konuma, Satoshi Hachiya, Koji Maekawa
  • Patent number: 8611575
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a concealed speaker system, specifically a system that is not readily visible in a room. The speaker system is comprised of a base frame that is adapted to be mounted between support members of a wall. The concealed speaker system further has a speaker assembly mounted to the base frame and an active member formed of PVC that has an outer surface which is substantially coplanar with the surrounding wall section, and in one form extends slightly outward therefrom. The base frame, speaker assembly, and the active member cooperate to form an acoustic chamber that is positioned behind the inner surface of the active member. Acoustic energy is transferred from the speaker assembly to the active member where the sound is produced therefrom to the room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Inventor: Paul N. Hagman
  • Patent number: 8582799
    Abstract: A speaker device has a magnet, outer yokes, and inner yokes which are assembled so that a magnetic gap is formed between the outer yoke and inner yokes over which a magnetic flux which is generated from the magnet cuts across. A voice coil unit which is linked to a diaphragm is disposed within the magnetic gap, and positioning members determine the positions of the inner yokes and the outer yokes which attach magnetically to the magnet such that a magnetic gap is formed. The speaker device has a magnetic circuit of which the construction facilitates assembly, and recycling of various individual parts is relatively easy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Alpine Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Kei Tanabe
  • Patent number: 8542864
    Abstract: A speaker device includes a voice coil unit and a diaphragm linked to the voice coil unit. A first supporting unit and a second supporting unit elastically support the end portions of the voice coil unit so that the voice coil portion of the voice coil unit can vibrate within the magnetic gap in the direction of the face thereof. Each of the first supporting unit and the second supporting unit has a configuration that is in a shape bent so as to extend up and bend down from an end that is fixed to a fixing position. Thus, a speaker device in which the voice coil unit can vibrate with a greater amplitude is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Alpine Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Kei Tanabe
  • Patent number: 8532327
    Abstract: A diaphragm is provided with a plurality of thick portions radially from an inner circumferential side to an outer circumferential side. The thick portions are composed of at least two kinds having different lengths in a radiation direction and formed to be gradually thinner in the radiation direction from the inner circumferential side to the outer circumferential side. With this configuration, separate vibrations in the diaphragm can be suppressed. Further, a speaker device provided with the diaphragm having the above-described configuration can reproduce sounds faithfully in accordance with input signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuya Omori, Shuhei Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 8442259
    Abstract: Systems and apparatuses are provided for vibration confinement and stress management in a loudspeaker. In one embodiment, the loudspeaker comprises a diaphragm that extends from an inner diaphragm region (e.g., dome or cone-shaped) to an outer diaphragm region, wherein the outer diaphragm region bends at a defined angle (e.g., between about 45 degrees and about 135 degrees) relative to the inner diaphragm region. The loudspeaker also comprises a suspension member extending from an inner suspension region to an outer suspension region, the inner suspension region overlapping and attaching with the outer diaphragm region. The bend in the diaphragm isolates the inner diaphragm region from spurious vibrations in the suspension member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Beats Electronics, LLC
    Inventor: Clayton Williamson
  • Patent number: 8437496
    Abstract: A membrane 103 for an acoustic device 100 is provided, the membrane 103, wherein the membrane 103 comprises a central portion 212, an annular portion 105, and a corrugation 107, wherein the annular portion 105 is arranged around the central portion 212, wherein the annular portion 105 is adapted to be fixed to a coil 106, and wherein the corrugation 107 is arranged between the central portion 212 and the annular portion 105. Thus, the corrugation 107 may form an inner corrugation compared to an outer corrugation 104 which would be arranged farther away from the central portion 212 than the annular portion 105.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics Asia PTE. Ltd.
    Inventor: Ewald Frasl
  • Patent number: 8422724
    Abstract: The present invention provides: a loudspeaker including a frame, a drive unit, and a membrane; the membrane having an inner edge, an outer edge which is suspended from the frame, and a membrane body which is between the inner and outer edges and extends around the drive unit; the drive unit having a stationary part secured to the frame and a translatable part secured to the inner edge of the membrane; the membrane body including a dished portion which, has a depth that increases from said inner and outer edges towards a base region of the dished portion located between said edges; wherein the loudspeaker includes a stiffening element which extends around the drive unit and stiffens the membrane body at the base region of the dished portion, so as to reinforce the membrane against deformation in the base region. By including the stiffening element, it has been found that the first break-up resonance of the membrane is shifted to a higher frequency and has reduced amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: PSS Belgium N.V.
    Inventor: David Corynen
  • Patent number: 8411894
    Abstract: A transducer generates acoustic energy. The transducer is suitable for incorporation into any device that needs sound reproduction capability, including devices with generally rectangular geometries such as cell phones, PDAs, and portable gaming devices. The transducer includes a displaceable membrane with a deformable corner. The deformable corner may extend the frequency range over which the transducer generates acoustic energy without distortion. The deformable corner may be part of a membrane periphery around the displaceable membrane. The membrane periphery may be square, triangular, or may take any other polygonal shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: AKG Acoustrics GmbH
    Inventor: Martin Opitz
  • Patent number: 8351642
    Abstract: In a speaker, a first space enclosed by the surface of a second edge close to a magnetic circuit body, a suspension holder, the outer circumferential surface of a voice coil body, the magnetic circuit body, and a frame is airtight to the atmosphere outside the speaker, to make a first space function as an air suspension. The voice coil body is supported with a first edge and a second edge, and with the aid of the springiness of gas inside a first space. Hence, an equivalent, low Young's modulus can be set to the first edge and the second. Consequently, deformation of the diaphragm connected to the first edge is reduced during sound reproduction, thereby reducing disturbance in frequency response in the middle and high ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Funahashi
  • Patent number: 8290200
    Abstract: A diaphragm includes a central portion in a center of the diaphragm and an external portion surrounding the central portion. The central portion includes a central section in a center of the central portion, a peripheral section at an outer periphery of the central portion and a connecting section between the central section and the peripheral section. The peripheral section forms at least one protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Foxconn Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hwang-Miaw Chen
  • Patent number: 8290201
    Abstract: The invention provides a speaker in which a damper is effectively added without impairing the thinness of the speaker, and which, although the speaker is thin and small, exhibits high withstand input and high output power performances. A damper (14) is disposed between the lower end of a voice coil bobbin (12) and a magnet (3) of a magnetic circuit (5), and supports a vibration system (13) in a manner that the system is vibratable with respect to the magnet (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Hosiden Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiko Kamimura, Hideo Yuasa
  • 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: 8265332
    Abstract: A speaker diaphragm with a circular opening in a center zone thereof has a pattern of concave and convex sections formed on a front surface or a rear surface thereof. A plurality of concave and convex sections are formed in each of regions provided at a regular interval with a specific angle in a circumferential direction of the diaphragm. The concave and convex sections formed in each region have different sizes in a radial direction of the diaphragm. The concave and convex sections formed in adjacent regions are displaced from each other in the radial direction. The concave and convex sections formed on the diaphragm are aligned on at least a first and a second imaginary curved line, respectively, each imaginary curved line passing regions and approaching an inner periphery of the circular opening from an outer periphery of the diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: J&K Car Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kumakura, Koji Yamazawa
  • 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: 8243978
    Abstract: A transducer utilizes a sound-producing member positioned in the area of magnetic flux concentration between magnetic poles of opposite polarity. The sound-producing member is variably vibratable in a magnetic structure between the poles to generate acoustic waves, and an acoustic conduit carries the acoustic waves through the magnetic poles e to a location outside the magnetic structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Technology Properties Limited
    Inventor: Roger A. Adelman
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20120170796
    Abstract: An ultra-thin loudspeaker structure mainly includes an upper drum paper, a lower drum paper and a steel sheet. A winding semicircle-shaped protrusion is disposed in a position adjacent to an edge of the lower drum paper, and thus a frame-defining portion is formed. The lower drum paper is provided with an opening at the center. The upper drum paper has an area approximately equal to that of an inner edge of the frame-defining portion. The upper drum paper is provided with an opening at the center. The steel sheet is provided with a sound-making member stacked by a plurality of ceramic material layers. A lead wire is welded to the sound-making member. The steel sheet is sandwiched between the upper drum paper and the lower drum paper. The upper drum paper is embedded in the inner edge of the frame-defining portion of the lower drum paper, and thus a thin loudspeaker is formed. After the sound-making member receives an audio signal, a sound is guided out through the upper drum paper and the lower drum paper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Inventors: Cheng-Hsiung Chen, Hsiang-Chih Yu, Chu-You Hsieh, Chin-Chou Yang
  • Patent number: 8199962
    Abstract: A loudspeaker diaphragm having a small overall height dimension, in which a dome portion has a sufficient rigidity and which is capable of realizing a stable loudspeaker operation, wherein the loudspeaker diaphragm can realize a desirable sound reproduction without noise, or the like, with a frequency response that is flat over a wide range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Onkyo Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuya Maeda
  • Patent number: 8135164
    Abstract: A speaker of the present invention includes the following: a diaphragm that includes an inner periphery coupled to a voice coil, and a corrugation provided at the intermediate position between the inner periphery and an outer periphery; a speaker edge for supporting the outer periphery of the diaphragm; and a damping member attached to an outer peripheral part of the diaphragm outside the vicinity of an outer periphery of the corrugation. The effective vibration area of an inner peripheral part of the diaphragm inside an inner periphery of the corrugation is substantially half or less of the total effective vibration area. The damping member is configured as a damping portion by extending an overlap portion of the speaker edge overlapping with the diaphragm to the vicinity of the outer periphery of the corrugation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Shoji Tanaka, Hiroko Tsutsumi, Takafumi Yuasa
  • Patent number: 8126168
    Abstract: A capacitive sound transducer provided with a perforated attenuation disk. The invention further relates to a capacitive sound transducer and a condenser microphone having such a sound transducer. The sound transducer comprises a diaphragm and a counterelectrode which is disposed at a short distance from the diaphragm and provided with first perforations. In order to attenuate natural oscillations of the diaphragm at high frequencies, a capacitive sound transducer is proposed in which a sound-permeable attenuation disk provided with second perforations is disposed at a short distance from the diaphragm and opposite the counterelectrode. In this arrangement, the first perforations and the second perforations are also offset in relation to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Manfred Hibbing
  • Patent number: 8111868
    Abstract: A drive cone 11 and a diaphragm 14 are integrally driven by a voice coil 6 movably disposed in a magnetic gap 5. Peripheral edge portions of the drive cone 11 and the diaphragm 14 are supported by a frame 12 via different edge portions 13 and 15, respectively. The drive cone 11 is provided with a rising-up portion 11a which rises up toward an acoustic radiation direction from a inner circumferential end, and a rising-down portion 11b which rises down toward a direction reverse to the acoustic radiation direction. An inner circumferential edge of the diaphragm 14 is fixed at an annular top formed between the rising-up portion and the rising-down portion. Moreover, a first rib 11c and a second rib 11d are formed on the drive cone 11 in such a manner as to rise up toward the acoustic radiation direction integrally with the drive cone. The diaphragm 14 is supported also at the tips of the ribs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignees: Pioneer Corporation, Tohoku Pioneer Corporation
    Inventor: Teruaki Kaiya
  • Patent number: 8103044
    Abstract: A voice coil 6 is movably disposed in a magnetic gap 5. A drive cone (first diaphragm) 11 and a diaphragm (second diaphragm) 14 are integrally driven by the voice coil 6. Peripheral edge portion of the drive cone 11 and the diaphragm 14 are supported by a frame 12 through edge portions 13 and 15, respectively. An annular adhesive receiver 8 is disposed in a peripheral surface of a voice coil bobbin 7 around which the voice coil 6 is wound, and an inner peripheral edge 11a of the drive cone 11 is accommodated in the adhesive receiver 8. The drive cone 11, the adhesive receiver 8 and the voice coil bobbin 7 are connected to each other by an adhesive filled into the adhesive receiver 8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignees: Pioneer Corporation, Tohoku Pioneer Corporation
    Inventor: Teruaki Kaiya
  • Patent number: 8094868
    Abstract: A transducer for the creation of acoustic energy omni directionally in a horizontal plane. The transducer includes a base plate, the base plate supporting a centrally located voice coil motor assembly and a hemi-toroidal diaphragm having a proximal edge and a distal edge. The proximal edge is appended to the centrally located voice coil motor assembly and the distal edge is appended to the base plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Inventors: J. Craig Oxford, D. Michael Shields
  • Patent number: 8077902
    Abstract: A voice coil suspension system comprising a spider formed of flexible dielectric material defining a flexure portion configured to suspend a voice coil for axial displacement and an elongate connector portion for carrying flat electrical conductors for electrically connecting terminals of said voice coil to stationary electric contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Advanced Bionics AG
    Inventors: Richard L. Weisman, Claude A. Vidal, Russ J. Redmond, Michael Collinson, Paul Kaluzniak
  • Patent number: 8009858
    Abstract: A loudspeaker including a frame and a toroidal magnet that is affixed to the rear of the frame. The toroidal magnet has a central passageway that opens into the frame. A cap is affixed to the rear of the magnet and closes the central passageway. A guide rod is affixed to the cap and projects forwardly from the cap into the central passageway. A tubular former is slidably positioned upon the guide rod. A voice coil is wound about, and is affixed to, the tubular former. A driver plate is affixed to the front of the tubular former. A resilient surround connects the periphery of the driver plate to the front of the frame. A suspension assembly resiliently connects the tubular former to the frame and has a pair of conical diaphragms that are secured together so as to form a bellows. A spider connects the bellows to the frame and another spider connects the bellows to the tubular former.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Inventor: Jason Myles Cobb