IP Library Granted Patent US 9,031,265
Granted Patent B2
US 9,031,265 · App. 13/142,003 · Granted May 12, 2015

Piezoelectric speaker, piezoelectric audio device employing piezoelectric speaker, and sensor with alert device attached

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,031,265
App. No.
13/142,003
Granted
May 12, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A piezoelectric speaker includes: a piezoelectric vibrator including a piezoelectric body formed of a piezoelectric element and a plate-shaped body which has a larger diameter than the piezoelectric body and which is attached to a surface of the piezoelectric body in a concentric form; and a film-shaped body that is provided around the piezoelectric vibrator so as to elastically hold the piezoelectric vibrator. The film-shaped body includes a coarse and dense portion in a circumferential direction thereof, which has a physically coarse portion which can become a mountain portion or a valley portion or both, and which is disposed so as to correspond to a natural frequency of an in-phase mode in which antinodes and nodes are formed in a concentric form. The piezoelectric vibrator and the film-shaped body form a sound producing body.

Claims (29)

1. A piezoelectric speaker comprising:

a piezoelectric vibrator comprising:

a piezoelectric body formed of a piezoelectric element; and

a plate-shaped body which has a larger diameter than the piezoelectric body and which is attached to a surface of the piezoelectric body in a concentric form; and

a film-shaped body that has a bellows structure which is provided around the piezoelectric vibrator so as to elastically hold the piezoelectric vibrator,

wherein the piezoelectric vibrator has at least one of a mountain portion and a valley portion in the circumferential direction thereof,

wherein an antinode of the bellows structure is identical to an apex of an antinode of a vibration mode which is an in-phase mode of a natural frequency corresponding to a disposition of the film-shaped body, and

wherein the piezoelectric vibrator and the film-shaped body form a sound producing body.

2. The piezoelectric speaker according to claim 1 ,

wherein no bellows (a mountain portion and a valley portion) is present at a position of the node of the vibration mode.

3. The piezoelectric speaker according to claim 1 ,

wherein in the bellows structure of the film-shaped body, the bellows and the antinodes of the vibration mode correspond to each other in a one-to-one correspondence, and the apex of the antinode of the bellows is identical to the apex of the antinode of the vibration mode.

4. The piezoelectric speaker according to claim 1 ,

wherein the natural frequency is a resonance point between 2 kHz and 4 kHz.

5. The piezoelectric speaker according to claim 1 ,

wherein an edge of the film-shaped body is held by an elastic body.

6. The piezoelectric speaker according to claim 5 ,

wherein the elastic body comprises polyurethane foam or thermoplastic elastomer.

7. The piezoelectric speaker according to claim 1 ,

wherein the plate-shaped body comprises a metal plate.

8. The piezoelectric speaker according to claim 7 ,

wherein the metal plate and the piezoelectric body have an approximately disc shape, and

wherein a ratio of a radius of the metal plate to that of the piezoelectric body is 10:4.

9. The piezoelectric speaker according to claim 1 ,

wherein the film-shaped body may be a resin film.

10. A sensor with an alert device attached, comprising:

the piezoelectric speaker according to claim 1 ;

a sensor element configured to detect an event; and

a driver configured to drive the piezoelectric speaker in accordance with an output of the sensor element.

Assignments (2)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ERRONEOUSLY FILED APPLICATION NUMBERS 13/384239, 13/498734, 14/116681 AND 14/301144 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 034194 FRAME 0143. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 056788/0362 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 10, 2014
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 034194/0143 →