IP Library Granted Patent US 11,582,557
Granted Patent B2
US 11,582,557 · App. 17/211,114 · Granted Feb 14, 2023

Speaker diaphragm, speaker, speaker diaphragm manufacturing method, electronic device, and mobile body apparatus

Inventors: Tetsuya Koyanagi (Osaka, JP); Tetsushi Itano (Osaka, JP); Kazuaki Nishimura (Okayama, JP); Makoto Kurozawa (Mie, JP); Ryouichi Uemoto (Osaka, JP); Hiroki Sano (Osaka, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
H04R7/12H04R7/20H04R31/003H04R2307/00H04R2307/204H04R2499/13
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,582,557
App. No.
17/211,114
Granted
Feb 14, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A speaker diaphragm includes an edge formed from an elastomer, and a diaphragm body that is to be joined to the edge. A joint between the edge and the diaphragm body includes a melting portion between the edge and the diaphragm body.

Claims (30)

1. A speaker diaphragm used in a speaker, the speaker diaphragm comprising:

an edge molded from an elastomer made from a mixed material of (i) an olefin-based material and (ii) a styrene-based material or an ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM)-based material; and

a diaphragm body having an uneven surface region and including polypropylene having functions of facilitating melting between the edge and the diaphragm body, and improving formability, meltability, and shape stability of the edge, wherein

the edge is molded and joined to the uneven surface region of diaphragm body such that a joint between the edge and the diaphragm body is formed and includes a melting portion of a resin between the edge and the diaphragm body, the melting portion of the resin comprising a melting portion of the resin on the edge and a melting portion of the resin on the uneven surface region of the diaphragm body which are melted together by heating and are fit into each other to generate and strengthen the joint, and improves joint strength between the edge and the diaphragm body without an adhesive to the joint,

the edge has a specific gravity in a range of 0.8 g/cm 3 to 1.1 g/cm 3 ,

the edge includes a rolled portion having a thickness in a range of 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, and

the speaker diaphragm achieves lightened weight, increased sound pressure level, satisfactory frequency characteristics with an improved range of sound reproduction, and a reduced size of a magnetic circuit included in the speaker.

2. A speaker, comprising:

the speaker diaphragm according to claim 1 ;

a magnetic circuit;

a frame joined to the magnetic circuit; and

a voice coil having one end joined to the speaker diaphragm and an other end disposed in a magnetic gap of the magnetic circuit.

3. An electronic device, comprising:

the speaker according to claim 2 ; and

an amplifier circuit that inputs an electric signal to the speaker.

4. A mobile body apparatus, comprising:

the speaker according to claim 2 ;

an amplifier circuit that inputs an electric signal to the speaker; and

a main body that is mobile and to which the speaker and the amplifier circuit are installed.

5. The speaker diaphragm according to claim 1 , wherein one of the melting portion of the resin on the edge and the melting portion of the resin on the diaphragm body is sandwiched between the other of the melting portion of the resin on the edge and the melting portion of the resin on the diaphragm body.

6. A method of manufacturing a speaker diaphragm used in a speaker, the method comprising:

positioning a diaphragm body having an uneven surface region to be joined to an edge; and

molding the edge to have an edge shape by heating a material comprising an elastomer and injection molding the heated such that a melting portion of a resin on the edge is joined to a melting portion of a resin on the uneven surface region diaphragm body to fit into each other by melting together the melting portion of the resin on the edge and the melting portion of the resin on the uneven surface region of the diaphragm body by heating, wherein:

the elastomer is made from a mixed material of (i) an olefin-based material and (ii) a styrene-based material or an ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM)-based material,

the edge has a specific gravity in a range of 0.8 g/cm 3 and to 1.1 g/cm 3 ,

the edge includes a rolled portion having a thickness in a range of 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm,

the molding of the edge to have the edge shape facilitates melting between the edge and the diaphragm body and improves formability, meltability, and shape stability of the edge, and

the fitting into each other generates and strengthens mechanically-bonded joint of the melting portion, and improves joint strength between the edge and the diaphragm body without an adhesive to the joint between the edge and the diaphragm body, and

the speaker diaphragm achieves lightened weight, increased sound pressure level, satisfactory frequency characteristics with an improved range of sound reproduction, and a reduced size of a magnetic circuit included in the speaker.

7. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising sandwiching one of the melting portion of the resin on the edge and the melting portion of the resin on the diaphragm body between the other of the melting portion of the resin on the edge and the melting portion of the resin on the diaphragm body.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2024
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 066703/0216 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 3, 2021
From: KOYANAGI, TETSUYA; ITANO, TETSUSHI; NISHIMURA, KAZUAKI; KUROZAWA, MAKOTO; UEMOTO, RYOUICHI; SANO, HIROKI
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 057680/0566 →