IP Library Granted Patent US 10,117,027
Granted Patent B2
US 10,117,027 · App. 15/307,814 · Granted Oct 30, 2018

Microphone and method for producing a microphone

Inventor: Wolfgang Pahl (München, DE)
Assignee: TDK Corporation
H04R19/04B81B7/0048B81C1/00134H04R1/2892H04R19/005H04R31/00B81B2201/0257H04R2410/03H04R2499/11
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,117,027
App. No.
15/307,814
Granted
Oct 30, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A microphone and a method for producing a microphone are disclosed. The microphone includes a substrate, a spring element plastically elongated in a direction perpendicular to the substrate, a transducer element in electrical contact with the substrate by way of the spring element and a cover to which the transducer element is fastened, the cover is arranged in such a way that the transducer element is arranged between the cover and the substrate.

Claims (34)

1. A microphone comprising:

a substrate;

a spring element plastically elongated in a direction perpendicular to the substrate;

a transducer element in electrical contact with the substrate by way of the spring element; and

a cover to which the transducer element is fastened, wherein the transducer element is arranged between the cover and the substrate, and

wherein the spring element has a clear height of at least 30 μm.

2. The microphone according to claim 1 , wherein the transducer element is mechanically connected to the spring element, and wherein a fastening of the transducer element to the cover is more rigid than a mechanical connection of the transducer element to the spring element.

3. The microphone according to claim 1 , wherein the spring element has a clear height in a range of 30 μm to 250 μm.

4. The microphone according to claim 1 , wherein the spring element has an upper side that faces the transducer element, and wherein a spacer is arranged between the spring element and the transducer element in such a way that a gap of a height that corresponds at least to the height of the spacer is formed between the transducer element and the upper side of the spring element.

5. The microphone according to claim 4 , wherein a contact between the transducer element and the upper side of the spring element comprises a soldered connection, and wherein a material of the spacer comprises a higher melting point than the soldered connection.

6. The microphone according to claim 1 , wherein the spring element has a first region, in which it is plastically elongated, and a second region, which is largely free of any plastic elongation.

7. The microphone according to claim 1 , wherein the spring element has a local constriction of a cross section, and/or wherein the spring element has a meandering region, a folded region or an arcuate region.

8. The microphone according to claim 1 , wherein a fastening of the transducer element to the cover is designed such that a front volume of the transducer element is acoustically sealed off from a rear volume of the transducer element.

9. A method for producing a microphone, the method comprising:

producing a spring element on a substrate;

providing electrical contact between a transducer element and the spring element;

pulling the transducer element in a direction away from the substrate, the spring element being elongated in this direction; and

fastening the transducer element to a cover that is located on the substrate.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the spring element is plastically elongated by pulling on the transducer element.

11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the spring element is produced as follows:

applying a structured sacrificial layer to the substrate;

applying a structured layer to the sacrificial layer; and

removing the sacrificial layer, whereby the structured layer is formed into the spring element.

12. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the spring element, after the elongation, provides a clear height of at least 1.5 times a clear height of the spring element before the elongation.

13. The method according to claim 9 , wherein pulling the transducer element comprises:

fastening a pulling device to a rear side of the transducer element that is facing away from the substrate by a releasable adhesive;

pulling on the pulling device in a direction away from the substrate; and

detaching the pulling device from the transducer element by releasing the releasable adhesive.

14. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the transducer element is pulled in a direction away from the substrate over a length that is established on a basis of measuring a displacement or force.

15. A microphone comprising:

a substrate;

a spring element plastically elongated in a direction perpendicular to the substrate;

a transducer element in electrical contact with the substrate by way of the spring element; and

a cover to which the transducer element is fastened, wherein the transducer element is arranged between the cover and the substrate, wherein the spring element has an upper side that faces the transducer element, and wherein a spacer is arranged between the spring element and the transducer element in such a way that a gap of a height that corresponds at least to the height of the spacer is formed between the transducer element and the upper side of the spring element.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 13, 2025
From: TDK CORPORATION
To: INVENSENSE, INC.
Reel/Frame 073080/0824 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 1, 2018
From: EPCOS AG
To: TDK CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 045966/0036 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 15, 2017
From: EPCOS AG
To: TDK CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 041263/0032 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 23, 2017
From: PAHL, WOLFGANG
To: EPCOS AG
Reel/Frame 041044/0763 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2014 106 503 · May 8, 2014 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170070825A1 · Mar 9, 2017
Cited By (1)
US 12,677,086