IP Library Granted Patent US 8,855,356
Granted Patent B1
US 8,855,356 · App. 13/719,000 · Granted Oct 7, 2014

Dual ring magnet apparatus

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,855,356
App. No.
13/719,000
Granted
Oct 7, 2014
Kind
B1
Abstract

An apparatus related to a magnetic circuit design is disclosed. The apparatus includes a magnetic assembly and an electrically-conductive mobile member. The magnetic assembly includes an inner magnet, an outer magnet, an inner cap, an outer cap and a washer. The magnetic assembly is configured to produce a magnetic field having a zone of operation between the inner cap and the outer cap. The zone of operation has substantially uniform magnetic field strength. The zone of operation has magnetic field directions substantially perpendicular to an ideal motion direction. The electrically-conductive mobile member is disposed in the zone of operation of the magnetic field and electrically coupled to a diaphragm of a driver. The electrically-conductive mobile member is configured to move within the zone of operation of the magnetic field in response to the magnetic field when an alternating current is passed through the electrically-conductive mobile member.

Claims (34)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a magnetic assembly including a ring-shaped inner magnet, a ring-shaped outer magnet, a ring-shaped inner cap, a ring-shaped outer cap and a ring-shaped washer, the inner magnet and the outer magnet concentrically mounted on top of the washer with opposite magnetic polarities, the inner cap mounted on top of the inner magnet, the outer cap mounted on top of the outer magnet, the magnetic assembly configured to produce a magnetic field having a zone of operation between the inner cap and the outer cap, the zone of operation having magnetic field lines substantially perpendicular to an ideal motion direction, the zone of operation having substantially uniform magnetic field strength, the zone of operation having a width of 0.90 millimeters and a height of 3.00 millimeters, the inner magnet and the outer magnet each having a width of 2.00 millimeters and a height of 2.00 millimeters, the inner cap and the outer cap each having a width of 2.00 millimeters and a height of 3.80 millimeters, the washer having a width of 5.10 millimeters and a height of 1.00 millimeter; and

a voice coil disposed in the zone of operation of the magnetic field and mechanically coupled to a diaphragm of a driver, the voice coil being a four-layer coil with each layer having twenty turns of wire, the voice coil having a maximal width of 0.2032 millimeters and a height of 1.016 millimeters, the voice coil configured to move within the zone of operation of the magnetic field when an alternating current passes through the voice coil, the ideal motion direction axially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the voice coil.

2. An apparatus comprising:

a magnetic assembly including an inner magnet, an outer magnet, an inner cap, an outer cap and a washer, the magnetic assembly configured to produce a magnetic field having a zone of operation between the inner cap and the outer cap, the zone of operation having substantially uniform magnetic field strength, the zone of operation having magnetic field directions substantially perpendicular to an ideal motion direction, a first distance between the inner cap and the zone of operation configured to be 0.10 millimeters, a second distance between a bottom of the inner cap and a bottom of the zone of operation configured to be 0.40 millimeters; and

an electrically-conductive mobile member disposed in the zone of operation of the magnetic field and mechanically coupled to a diaphragm of a driver, the electrically-conductive mobile member configured to move within the zone of operation of the magnetic field in response to the magnetic field when an alternating current is passed through the electrically-conductive mobile member.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:

the inner magnet and the outer magnet are mounted on top of the washer with opposite magnetic polarities;

the inner cap is mounted on top of the inner magnet; and

the outer cap is mounted on top of the outer magnet.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein:

the washer, the inner magnet, the outer magnet, the inner cap and the outer cap are ring-shaped;

an inner diameter of the outer magnet is greater than an outer diameter of the inner magnet; and

the inner magnet and the outer magnet are concentrically mounted on top of the washer.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein magnetic field lines in the zone of operation intersect the ideal motion direction at 90 degrees within a deviation range between −3 degrees and +3 degrees.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the ideal motion direction is axially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the electrically-conductive mobile member.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein at least 99.44% of the zone of operation has magnetic field lines intersecting the ideal motion direction at 90 degrees within a deviation range between −3 degrees and +3 degrees.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein at least 97% of the zone of operation has magnetic field lines intersecting the ideal motion direction at 90 degrees within a deviation range between −2 degrees and +2 degrees.

9. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein magnitude of the magnetic field in the zone of operation varies by less than 16.5% from a nominal value of the magnetic field.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the nominal value of the magnetic field is a magnitude value of the magnetic field at a center point of the electrically-conductive mobile member when the electrically-conductive mobile member is at a rest position.

11. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the zone of operation includes an excursion range of the electrically-conductive mobile member.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein magnitude of the magnetic field within the excursion range varies by less than 6% from a nominal value of the magnetic field.

13. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the electrically-conductive mobile member is a voice coil.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the voice coil is a four layer coil.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the voice coil has an impedance of 16 ohm.

16. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the zone of operation has a width of 0.90 millimeter and a height of 3.00 millimeters.

17. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:

the inner magnet and the outer magnet have a width of 2.00 millimeters and a height of 2.00 millimeters;

the inner cap and the outer cap have a width of 2.00 millimeters and a height of 3.8 millimeters; and

the washer has a width of 5.10 millimeters and a height of 1.00 millimeter.

18. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein one or more forces that are applied to the electrically-conductive mobile member when the alternating current passes through the electrically-conductive mobile member are substantially axially aligned with the ideal motion direction.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a magnetic assembly including a disc-shaped inner magnet, a ring-shaped outer magnet, a disc-shaped inner cap, a ring-shaped outer cap and a disc-shaped washer, the inner magnet and the outer magnet concentrically mounted on top of the washer with opposite magnetic polarities, the inner cap mounted on top of the inner magnet, the outer cap mounted on top of the outer magnet, the magnetic assembly configured to produce a magnetic field having a zone of operation between the inner cap and the outer cap, the zone of operation having magnetic field lines substantially perpendicular to an ideal motion direction, the zone of operation having substantially uniform magnetic field strength, the zone of operation having a width of 0.90 millimeters and a height of 3.00 millimeters, the inner magnet having a height of 2.00 millimeters, the outer magnet having a width of 2.00 millimeters and a height of 2.00 millimeters, the inner cap having a height of 3.80 millimeters, the outer cap having a width of 2.00 millimeters and a height of 3.80 millimeters; and

a voice coil disposed in the zone of operation of the magnetic field and mechanically coupled to a diaphragm of a driver, the voice coil being a four-layer coil with each layer having twenty turns of wire, the voice coil having a maximal width of 0.2032 millimeters and a height of 1.016 millimeters, the voice coil configured to move within the zone of operation of the magnetic field when an alternating current passes through the voice coil, the ideal motion direction axially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the voice coil.

Assignments (11)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 26, 2024
From: CRYSTAL FINANCIAL LLC (D/B/A SLR CREDIT SOLUTIONS
To: SKULLCANDY, INC.
Reel/Frame 067867/0318 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2023
From: SKULLCANDY, INC.
To: CRYSTAL FINANCIAL LLC (D/B/A SLR CREDIT SOLUTIONS)
Reel/Frame 063501/0918 →
TERMINATION OF ASSIGNMENT Recorded May 1, 2023
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: SKULLCANDY, INC.
Reel/Frame 063502/0910 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 28, 2023
From: SKULLCANDY, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 063489/0869 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE PATENT INFORMATION PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 055997 FRAME: 0710. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Mar 14, 2022
From: SKULLCANDY, INC.
To: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 059451/0760 →
ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 21, 2021
From: SKULLCANDY, INC.
To: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 055997/0703 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Apr 15, 2021
From: CERBERUS BUSINESS FINANCE, LLC
To: SKULLCANDY, INC.; AG ACQUISITION CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 057210/0748 →
ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST -- PATENTS Recorded Oct 7, 2016
From: SKULLCANDY, INC.; AG ACQUISITION CORPORATION
To: CERBERUS BUSINESS FINANCE, LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040285/0027 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 4, 2016
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: SKULLCANDY, INC.
Reel/Frame 039934/0967 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 9, 2013
From: SKULLCANDY, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 031394/0534 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 20, 2013
From: PRICE, REX
To: SKULLCANDY, INC.
Reel/Frame 029661/0842 →