Rigid linear diaphragm loudspeaker and mounting system
A frame has an elongate form with elongate rest shelves on lateral sides thereof to support ceiling tiles. Ends of the frame are connected to T-bars within a suspended ceiling, as one example of mounting system for the loudspeaker of this invention. A yoke is fixed within a channel of the frame. The yoke has a pair of arms supporting magnets on ends thereof. A gap is provided between the magnets. A voice strip is located within this gap between the magnets and has a piston thereon which includes a diaphragm. A voice coil associated with the voice strip interacts with a magnetic field created by the magnets to cause the piston to vibrate, and in turn to cause the diagram to emit sound waves. The diaphragm is elongate with a width less than 10% of its length. A surround supports a perimeter of the diaphragm relative to the frame.
1 . A rigid linear diaphragm loudspeaker, comprising in combination:
an elongate yoke having a plurality of magnets supported thereby, said magnets in two rows with a gap therebetween;
a voice strip of elongate form having a conductive pathway extending along a majority of a length of said voice strip;
said voice strip located within said gap and movable within said gap and perpendicular to a length of said gap;
said conductive pathway coupled to an audio signal source;
a sound wave producing piston fixed to said voice strip, said piston including a diaphragm formed of rigid material; and
wherein edges of said piston are supported by a flexible surround, said flexible surround anchored at least indirectly to said yoke.
2 . The loudspeaker of claim 1 wherein said plurality of magnets include at least two left bar magnets oriented end to end and at least two right bar magnets oriented end to end.
3 . A rigid linear diaphragm loudspeaker, comprising in combination:
an elongate yoke having a plurality of magnets supported thereby, said magnets in two rows with a gap therebetween;
a voice strip of elongate form having a conductive pathway extending along a majority of a length of said voice strip;
said voice strip located within said gap and movable within said gap and perpendicular to a length of said gap;
said conductive pathway coupled to an audio signal source;
a sound wave producing piston fixed to said voice strip, said piston including a diaphragm formed of rigid material;
wherein said plurality of magnets include at least two left bar magnets oriented end to end and at least two right bar magnets oriented end to end; and
wherein said at least two left bar magnets are oriented with a north end of a first magnet adjacent to a south end of a second magnet.
4 . The loudspeaker of claim 3 wherein said gap has a constant width between said left bar magnets and said right bar magnets.
5 . The loudspeaker of claim 1 wherein said conductive path includes said voice strip being formed of conductive material, with said conductive material making up at least a portion of said conductive path.
6 . The loudspeaker of claim 1 wherein said conductive path includes at least one wire extending along a length of said voice strip.
7 . The loudspeaker of claim 6 wherein said wire conductive path includes a coil of wire with a plurality of turns around a spine of said voice strip, said spine located within said gap.
8 . The loudspeaker of claim 1 wherein a housing includes at least two laterally spaced legs with said surround coupled on outboard edges thereof to said at least two laterally spaced legs, and wherein said at least two laterally spaced legs are spaced apart by a distance greater than a width of said yoke, and with said yoke supported between said at least two laterally spaced legs of said housing.
9 . The loudspeaker of claim 8 wherein said housing includes a pair of rest shelves outboard of said at least two laterally spaced legs, each said rest shelf positioned to support an edge of a ceiling tile when said at least two laterally space legs are oriented extending vertically downwardly with said housing adjacent to a ceiling of a building space.
10 . The loudspeaker of claim 9 wherein a grill extends between lower portions of said rest shelves and underlying said at least two laterally spaced legs and underlying said yoke and said piston.
11 . The loudspeaker of claim 10 wherein said housing includes two inner tips and two outer tips outboard of said inner tips, with two of said tips extending from each of said at least two laterally spaced legs, said yoke located inboard of said inner tips, said surround coupled to each of said inner tips at ends of said inner tips, said rest shelves coupled to said outer tips and extending outwardly in opposite directions from each other, from said outer tips.
12 . The loudspeaker of claim 1 wherein said diaphragm is formed of Rohacell.
13 . The loudspeaker of claim 1 wherein said voice strip includes a spine within said gap, said spine formed of Kapton.