Granted Patent B2

US 12,309,548 · App. 18/321,752 · Granted May 20, 2025

Inventors: Jemm Yue Liang (Sunnyvale, CA); Jye Ren (Taipei, TW); Lei Chen (Hayward, CA)

Assignee: xMEMS Labs, Inc.

H04R23/00H04R7/04H04R2440/07

Abstract

Claims (82)

1. An air-pulse generating device, comprising:

a film structure, comprising a flap pair;

wherein the film structure is actuated such that the air-pulse generating device produces a plurality of air pulses at an ultrasonic pulse rate;

wherein a horn-shaped outlet is formed within the air-pulse generating device, and the plurality of air pulses is propagated via the horn-shaped outlet;

wherein the flap pair comprises a first flap and a second flap opposite to each other;

wherein the flap pair is configured to perform a differential mode movement and to form a virtual valve or an opening at an opening rate which is synchronous with the ultrasonic pulse rate;

wherein a slit is formed between the first flap and the second flap, and the opening is formed because of the slit;

wherein a projection of the horn-shaped outlet onto the film structure overlaps with the opening;

wherein the virtual valve is closed within a period corresponding to a first transition time of the first flap and a second transition time of the second flap.

2. The air-pulse generating device of claim 1 ,

wherein a dimension of the horn-shaped outlet is gradually widened from the film structure toward an ambient.

3. The air-pulse generating device of claim 1 , comprising:

a supporting structure;

wherein the horn-shaped outlet is formed within the supporting structure.

4. The air-pulse generating device of claim 3 ,

wherein the flap pair is anchored on the supporting structure.

5. The air-pulse generating device of claim 1 ,

wherein a conduit is formed within the air-pulse generating device;

wherein the conduit comprises a first chamber, a passageway and the horn-shaped outlet.

6. The air-pulse generating device of claim 5 ,

wherein a dimension of the first chamber is getting narrower from the film structure toward the passageway.

7. The air-pulse generating device of claim 5 ,

wherein the first chamber is formed by a first side of the film structure.

8. The air-pulse generating device of claim 7 ,

wherein a second chamber is formed by a second side of the film structure.

9. The air-pulse generating device of claim 8 ,

wherein the flap pair is actuated to perform the differential mode movement.

10. The air-pulse generating device of claim 5 ,

wherein a third chamber is formed by the film structure;

wherein the first chamber and the third chamber are connected via an orifice.

11. The air-pulse generating device of claim 5 ,

wherein the first chamber is semi-occluded.

12. The air-pulse generating device of claim 5 ,

wherein a height of the first chamber is less than a fifth of a wavelength corresponding to an operating frequency of the air-pulse generating device.

13. The air-pulse generating device of claim 5 ,

wherein a width of the first chamber is less than a half of a wavelength corresponding to an operating frequency of the air-pulse generating device.

14. The air-pulse generating device of claim 5 , comprising:

a subassembly;

wherein the passageway and the horn-shaped outlet are formed within the subassembly.

15. The air-pulse generating device of claim 14 , comprising:

wherein the first chamber is formed between the film structure and the subassembly.

16. The air-pulse generating device of claim 5 , comprising:

a cap structure;

wherein the passageway and the horn-shaped outlet are formed within the cap structure;

wherein the first chamber is formed between the film structure and the cap structure.

17. The air-pulse generating device of claim 5 ,

wherein a length of the conduit is one quarter of a wavelength corresponding to an operating frequency of the air-pulse generating device.

18. A subassembly, disposed or to be disposed within a device, comprising:

a conduit, formed within the subassembly;

wherein the conduit comprises a passageway and a horn-shaped outlet;

wherein the subassembly is assembled or to be assembled with the device comprising a film structure;

wherein the film structure comprises a flap pair;

wherein the flap pair comprises a first flap and a second flap opposite to each other;

wherein the flap pair is configured to perform a differential mode movement and to form a virtual valve or an opening at an opening rate which is synchronous with an ultrasonic carrier frequency;

wherein a slit is formed between the first flap and the second flap, and the opening is formed because of the slit;

wherein a projection of the horn-shaped outlet onto the film structure overlaps with the opening;

wherein the virtual valve is closed within a period corresponding to a first transition time of the first flap and a second transition time of the second flap.

19. The subassembly of claim 18 ,

wherein a dimension of the horn-shaped outlet is widened toward the ambient.

20. The subassembly of claim 18 ,

wherein the conduit comprises a first chamber.

21. The subassembly of claim 20 ,

wherein a dimension of the first chamber is narrowed toward the passageway.

22. The subassembly of claim 20 ,

wherein the subassembly comprises a region which has a brass mouthpiece-like cross section profile;

wherein the first chamber is formed between the region with the brass mouthpiece-like cross section profile and the film structure.

23. The subassembly of claim 20 ,

wherein the first chamber is semi-occluded.

24. The subassembly of claim 20 ,

wherein the first chamber is formed between the subassembly and the device.

25. The subassembly of claim 18 ,

where a chamfer is formed on the subassembly.

26. The subassembly of claim 18 ,

wherein the subassembly is formed via 3D printing technology or precision injection molding.

27. The subassembly of claim 18 ,

wherein the subassembly is formed by MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) fabrication process.

28. The subassembly of claim 18 ,

wherein the device is formed by MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) fabrication process.

29. The subassembly of claim 18 ,

wherein the film structure is actuated to form an ultrasonic air pressure variation;

wherein the air-pulse generating device produces a plurality of air pulses according to the ultrasonic air pressure variation;

wherein the plurality of air pulses propagates toward an ambient via the horn-shaped outlet.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (21)

References Cited (85)