IP Library Granted Patent US 12,245,513
Granted Patent B2
US 12,245,513 · App. 17/625,997 · Granted Mar 4, 2025

Sound pressure-electrical signal conversion device and conversion method for same

Inventors: Manabu Yoshida (Tsukuba, JP); Naoki Shirakawa (Tsukuba, JP); Nobuko Fukuda (Tsukuba, JP)
Assignee: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
H10N30/87H04R17/005H04R19/016H10N30/30H10N30/704
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,245,513
App. No.
17/625,997
Granted
Mar 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a sheet-shape electrostatic sound pressure-electrical signal conversion device that is three-dimensionally deformable and has a low drive voltage. The sound pressure-electrical signal conversion device includes a polymer sheet sandwiched between a pair of electrodes facing each other, the polymer sheet is a dielectric film, at least one of the electrodes includes an insulating flexible substrate having a plurality of through-holes and a plurality of conductive fibers having one end fixed to the flexible substrate with a pressure sensitive adhesive, electrical conduction in an in-plane direction is formed by contact between the conductive fibers, the conductive fibers are vibrated by giving an electrical signal to the pair of electrodes or the conductive fibers are vibrated by receiving sound pressure to cause the pair of electrodes to output an electrical signal.

Claims (22)

1. A sound pressure-electrical signal conversion device including a polymer sheet sandwiched between a pair of electrodes facing each other, wherein:

the polymer sheet is an insulating dielectric film and insulates the pair of electrodes from each other,

at least one of the electrodes includes

an insulating flexible substrate having a plurality of through-holes and

a plurality of conductive fibers having a part fixed to the flexible substrate and a movable part, wherein electrical conduction in an in-plane direction is formed by contact between the conductive fibers,

the conductive fibers individually function as vibrators, and

the conductive fibers are vibrated by giving an electrical signal to the pair of electrodes to generate sound pressure, or the conductive fibers are vibrated by receiving sound pressure to cause the pair of electrodes to output an electrical signal.

2. The sound pressure-electrical signal conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein when the sound pressure-electrical signal conversion device is deformed, there is no change in a state in which each of the conductive fibers is fixed to the flexible substrate.

3. The sound pressure-electrical signal conversion device according to claim 2 , wherein the dielectric film is a piezoelectric conversion film.

4. The sound pressure-electrical signal conversion device according to claim 2 , wherein the conductive fibers are provided to one main surface of the flexible substrate and positioned to face the polymer sheet.

5. The sound pressure-electrical signal conversion device according to claim 2 , wherein the flexible substrate has stretchability.

6. The sound pressure-electrical signal conversion device according to claim 2 , wherein the flexible substrate includes a woven fabric, a fiber mesh, paper provided with the through-holes, or a resin sheet provided with the through-holes.

7. The sound pressure-electrical signal conversion device according to claim 2 , wherein the conductive fibers are fibers in which a conductive film is provided on a surface of a needle-shaped body whose rigidity is controlled.

8. The sound pressure-electrical signal conversion device according to claim 2 , wherein the conductive fibers have an average length shorter than an average opening width of the through-hole.

9. A sound pressure-electrical signal conversion method using a sound pressure-electrical signal conversion device including a polymer sheet sandwiched between a pair of electrodes facing each other, wherein:

the polymer sheet is an insulating dielectric film and insulates the pair of electrodes from each other,

at least one of the electrodes includes an insulating flexible substrate having a plurality of through-holes and a plurality of conductive fibers having a part fixed to the flexible substrate and a movable part, wherein electrical conduction in an in-plane direction is formed by contact between the conductive fibers,

the conductive fibers individually function as vibrators, and

the conductive fibers are vibrated by giving an electrical signal to the pair of electrodes to generate sound pressure, or the conductive fibers are vibrated by receiving sound pressure to cause the pair of electrodes to output an electrical signal.

10. The sound pressure-electrical signal conversion method according to claim 9 , wherein when the sound pressure-electrical signal conversion device is deformed, there is no change in a state in which each of the conductive fibers is fixed to the flexible substrate.

11. The sound pressure-electrical signal conversion method according to claim 10 , wherein the dielectric film is a piezoelectric conversion film.

12. The sound pressure-electrical signal conversion method according to claim 10 , wherein the conductive fibers are fibers in which a conductive film is provided on a surface of a needle-shaped body whose rigidity is controlled and a frequency band is controlled by the rigidity.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 14, 2022
From: YOSHIDA, MANABU; SHIRAKAWA, NAOKI; FUKUDA, NOBUKO
To: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Reel/Frame 058661/0260 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2019-130123 · Jul 12, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220278267A1 · Sep 1, 2022
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