Speaker unit
A speaker unit with a speaker frame and two membranes arranged in the speaker frame. A first membrane radiates in a major acoustic radiation direction substantially perpendicular to a major plane of the speaker unit. A second membrane has a secondary acoustic radiation direction different from the major acoustic radiation direction. Two drive units are positioned within the speaker frame, attached to the two membranes, and positioned coaxial to each other at the same height in the speaker frame. An acoustic duct provides for a closed acoustic channel from the second membrane in the secondary acoustic radiation direction to a secondary surface of the speaker unit in a same plane as the major plane of the speaker unit.
1. A speaker unit comprising:
a speaker frame;
two membranes arranged in the speaker frame, a first membrane of the membranes having a major acoustic radiation direction substantially perpendicular to a major plane of the speaker unit, and a second membrane of the two membranes having a secondary acoustic radiation direction different from the major acoustic radiation direction;
two drive units positioned within the speaker frame and attached to the first and second membranes, respectively,
wherein the first and second membranes are arranged in opposite configuration in the speaker frame and the secondary acoustic radiation direction is opposite to the major acoustic radiation direction,
wherein the first and second membranes are coaxially aligned along the major and opposite second acoustic radiation direction, and
wherein the two drive units are positioned coaxial to each other at the same height in the speaker frame and laterally displaced from the membranes in a side-by-side arrangement therewith; and
an acoustic duct providing a closed acoustic channel from the second membrane in the secondary acoustic radiation direction to a secondary surface of the speaker unit, the secondary surface being located in a same plane as the major plane of the speaker.
2. The speaker unit according to claim 1 , wherein the secondary surface is located adjacent to a front surface of the speaker frame.
3. The speaker unit according to claim 1 , wherein the acoustic duct has a first part arranged at a predetermined distance from the second membrane along the secondary acoustic radiation direction and a second part at one or more sides of the speaker frame.
4. The speaker unit according to claim 1 , wherein the secondary surface is co-located with a front surface of the speaker frame.
5. The speaker unit according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of the two drive units have an inner bore, and part of the acoustic duct is formed by the inner bore of the one or more of the two drive units.
6. The speaker unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first membrane and second membrane are cone shaped.
7. The speaker unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first membrane and second membrane are flat.
8. The speaker unit according to claim 1 , wherein the acoustic duct has an inner surface arranged to guide acoustic waves.
9. The speaker unit according to claim 1 , wherein the speaker unit has an inner space delimited by the speaker frame and the two membranes, the two drive units being positioned in the inner space.
10. The speaker unit according to claim 1 , wherein a smallest cross section of the acoustic duct is larger than 1 cm 2 .
11. The speaker unit according to claim 1 , wherein a smallest width of the acoustic duct is larger than 5 mm.
12. The speaker unit according to claim 1 , wherein a frontal surface area the secondary surface is at least 10% of a frontal surface area of the second membrane.
13. The speaker unit according to claim 1 , wherein at least part of the acoustic duct is made from thermally conductive material.
14. The speaker unit according to claim 13 , wherein the thermally conductive material exhibits a thermal conductivity of at least 100 W/m*K.
15. The speaker unit according to claim 13 , further comprising one or more electronic components for driving the two drive units, and wherein the one or more electronic components are mounted in thermal contact with the acoustic duct.
16. The speaker unit according to claim 13 , wherein the acoustic duct further has a third part arranged opposite the second membrane at a predetermined distance therefrom, and wherein the first part, the second part and/or the third part comprise thermally conductive material.