IP Library Granted Patent US 9,438,998
Granted Patent B2
US 9,438,998 · App. 14/196,726 · Granted Sep 6, 2016

Acoustic transducer assembly

Inventor: John B. French (Caledon East, CA)
Assignee: Harman Becker Gepkocsirendszer Gyarto Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag
H04R9/025H04R9/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,438,998
App. No.
14/196,726
Granted
Sep 6, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

Driver for an acoustic transducer having a moving coil of substantially equal length to the air gap. The air gap may itself be extended in length using an upper or lower lip, or both. A stationary coil is also provided. The moving and stationary coils can be controlled by suitable control blocks to form an electromagnet-based transducer with reduced distortion.

Claims (31)

1. A driver for an acoustic transducer comprising:

a moving diaphragm;

a driver body formed of a magnetic material, the driver body comprising:

a center post;

an outer wall coupled to the center post via a bottom portion of the driver body; and

an annular plate extending from the center post outwardly toward the outer wall;

a moving coil coupled to the diaphragm, the moving coil disposed at least partially within an air gap formed between the annular plate and the outer wall;

a stationary coil disposed within a cavity defined by the annular plate, outer wall, bottom portion and center post, the stationary coil being positioned in closer proximity to the center post than the moving coil; and

a first gap extender positioned on the annular plate and positioned between the moving coil and the stationary coil for extending an air gap length of the air gap.

2. The driver of claim 1 , wherein the moving coil has a moving coil length that is equal to an air gap length of the air gap.

3. The driver of claim 1 , wherein the moving coil has a moving coil length that is greater than an air gap length of the air gap.

4. The driver of claim 1 , wherein the moving coil has a moving coil length that is less than an air gap length of the air gap.

5. The driver of claim 1 further comprising a second gap extender disposed on the outer wall for extending the air gap length of the air gap.

6. The driver of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the first gap extender is less than the air gap length.

7. The driver of claim 1 , wherein the driver body has a tapered upper interior corner between the center post and the annular plate.

8. The driver of claim 1 , wherein the driver body has a tapered lower interior corner between the bottom portion and the center post.

9. The driver of claim 1 , wherein the driver body has a tapered upper outer corner at the outer wall.

10. The driver of claim 1 , wherein the driver body has a tapered lower outer corner between the outer wall and the bottom portion.

11. The driver of claim 1 , wherein an inward face of the annular plate is not parallel to the outer wall.

12. The driver of claim 1 , wherein the air gap is wider at an outer portion of the air gap and narrower at a central portion of the air gap.

13. The driver of claim 1 further comprising at least one additional annular plate, the at least one additional annular plate defining at least one additional air gap and at least one additional cavity.

14. The driver of claim 5 , wherein the first gap extender and the second gap extender extend in a direction parallel to a movement of the moving coil.

15. The driver of claim 5 , wherein the first gap extender includes a first upper gap extender disposed on the annular plate and the second gap extender includes a second upper gap extender disposed on the outer wall; and

wherein the first upper gap extender and the second upper gap extender each extend away from the cavity to extend the air gap.

16. The driver of claim 5 , wherein the first gap extender includes a first lower gap extender disposed on the annular plate and the second gap extender includes a second lower gap extender disposed on the outer wall; and

wherein the first lower gap extender and the second lower gap extender each extend into the cavity to extend the air gap.

17. The driver of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the first gap extender and the second gap extender is formed separately from the driver body and coupled to the driver body.

18. The driver of claim 15 , wherein the air gap has a greater width at an outward portion of the first upper gap extender than at a central portion of the annular plate.

19. The driver of claim 16 , wherein the air gap has a greater width at an outward portion of the first lower gap extender than at a central portion of the annular plate.

20. The driver of claim 13 , wherein an inward portion of the at least one additional annular plate is coupled to an upper portion of the center post, further comprising an additional stationary coil disposed within the at least one additional cavity, wherein the additional stationary coil has an additional flux path rotating in an opposite direction to a flux path of the stationary coil.

21. The driver of claim 20 , further comprising at least one additional moving coil respectively disposed within the at least one additional air gap; and at least one additional stationary coil respectively disposed within the at least one additional cavity.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 11, 2014
From: SENTIENT MAGNETICS, INC.
To: HARMAN BECKER GEPKOCSIRENDSZER GYARTO KORLATOLT FELELOSSEGU TARSASAG
Reel/Frame 033725/0022 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 30, 2014
From: FRENCH, JOHN B.
To: SENTIENT MAGNETICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 032786/0542 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61773620 · Mar 6, 2013
Related Publication 20140254860A1 · Sep 11, 2014