WO1998058520A1 - Loudspeakers - Google Patents
Loudspeakers Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO1998058520A1 WO1998058520A1 PCT/GB1998/001765 GB9801765W WO9858520A1 WO 1998058520 A1 WO1998058520 A1 WO 1998058520A1 GB 9801765 W GB9801765 W GB 9801765W WO 9858520 A1 WO9858520 A1 WO 9858520A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- diaphragm
- former
- loudspeaker
- coil
- bore
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
- H04R31/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of transducers or diaphragms therefor
- H04R31/006—Interconnection of transducer parts
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
- H04R31/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of transducers or diaphragms therefor
- H04R31/003—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of transducers or diaphragms therefor for diaphragms or their outer suspension
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
- H04R9/00—Transducers of moving-coil, moving-strip, or moving-wire type
- H04R9/02—Details
- H04R9/04—Construction, mounting, or centering of coil
- H04R9/045—Mounting
Definitions
- This invention relates to loudspeakers, especially small high frequency loudspeakers known as tweeters.
- Tweeters are manufactured in very large numbers (tens of millions per annum) for vehicle audio systems. Vehicle manufacturers agree on high performance and high reliability at minimum unit cost.
- the cost of the conventional product is further increased by the need to assemble a number of small parts, notably the magnet, a pole piece or field shaper, an electrical connector and a capacitor or other cross-over circuit element.
- the present invention in at least its preferred embodiment seeks to overcome or at least reduce these difficulties.
- the invention provides a loudspeaker diaphragm having a voice coil former integrally formed therewith in a single piece.
- the invention provides a loudspeaker having a diaphragm and a voice coil former integrally formed together.
- the voice coil may cooperate with a magnetic circuit which is encapsulated in a moulded structure and defines an annular gap wherein the voice coil is received.
- the magnetic circuit may comprise a magnet, a pole piece and a member surrounding the pole piece to define the annular gap.
- a connector may be encapsulated in or formed integrally with the moulded structure.
- a receptacle for a capacitor or other components may be incorporated into the encapsulated parts.
- the locating means may be a cover or grill which is attached to the moulded structure.
- the cover or grill may be acoustically transparent, or may include means (eg. reflecting surfaces) for directing the sound produced by the loudspeaker. It may also be arranged to horn-load the diaphragm.
- the invention also provides a method of manufacturing a loudspeaker comprising encapsulating a magnetic circuit of the loudspeaker is a moulded structure so as to define an annular gap, forming a diaphragm and a voice coil former as an integral unit, disposing a voice coil on the former, assembling the diaphragm and voice coil with the encapsulated structure so that the voice coil is in the annular gap and cooperates with the magnetic circuit, and mechanically locating the diaphragm in place on the moulded structure.
- the method may also include mechanically locating the diaphragm by engaging a retaining part with the moulded structure.
- the method may comprise also forming a dust cover integrally with the diaphragm.
- the diaphragm and the coil former may be hot-pressed from thermoplastic sheet material.
- the moulded structure may be produced by injection moulding.
- the method may also comprise encapsulating a connector in the moulded structure.
- the connector can be formed as part of the moulding.
- a mandrel may be inserted into the bore thereof to support the former and retained therein by a magnetic field.
- a further aspect of the invention is a method of winding a coil on a former of a loudspeaker diaphragm having a bore comprising inserting a mandrel in the bore to support the former and winding the coil on the supported former, characterised by inserting and/or retaining the mandrel in the bore by a magnetic field.
- This aspect also provides apparatus for winding a coil on a former of a loudspeaker having a bore comprising a mandrel insertable into the bore to support the former, and means for providing a magnetic field to insert and/or retain the mandrel in the bore during winding of the coil.
- the means for providing a magnetic field may be a permanent magnet.
- the support structure may be rotatable for winding the coil on the former.
- FIGURE 1 shows a section through a tweeter according to one embodiment of the invention
- FIGURE 2 shows part of the structure of Figure 1 ;
- FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of an alternative form of the tweeter of figures 1 and 2.
- FIGURE 4 shows another form of a tweeter diaphragm according to the invention
- FIGURE 5 illustrates manufacture of the diaphragm of figure 4.
- FIGURE 6 shows the winding of a voice coil on to the diaphragm of figure 5;
- FIGURE 7 is a scrap end view of part of figure 6;
- FIGURES 8 and 9 show variations on the concept of figure 6.
- the tweeter consists an annular cylindrical ferrite magnet 10 disposed upon a shaped or sintered pole piece 12 having an axial portion 14 extending through the bore of the magnet and a disc-shaped portion 16.
- An annular cover or top plate 18 preferably but not essentially similar in shape to the disc portion 16 of the pole piece is disposed on top of the magnet 10 and defines a narrow annular gap 20 with the circumference of the axial portion 14 of the pole piece.
- the magnet, pole piece and the cover plate together define a magnetic circuit which directs magnetic flux through the gap 20.
- the pole piece is recessed at 22, 24 to reduce the amount of material required; in high volume applications even small material savings are worthwhile, and the recesses also assist in concentrating the magnetic field where it is needed.
- the tweeter has a diaphragm or cone 26 (shown separately in figure 2) which has a cylindrical annular extension 28 integrally formed therewith.
- the diaphragm is thermo-formed or vacuum-formed from polycarbonate, Kapton (trade mark) or other material conventionally used for this purpose.
- the cylindrical portion 28 constitutes a former on which a voice coil 30 is wound and lacquered to fix it adhesively to the former.
- the former 28 and coil 30 are received in the annular gap 20 so that an audio signal applied to the coil causes displacement of the former and the diaphragm in a conventional manner, the outer rim of the diaphragm being restrained against axial movement by an acoustically transparent cover 32 or it may be stuck to a casing 42 of the tweeter, both described further hereafter.
- a dome-shaped dust cap 40 is adhesively fixed to close the former bore 28.
- the magnet 10, pole piece 12 and cover plate 18 are encapsulated in an injection- moulded casing 42 of polyethylene, polystyrene or other suitably tough plastics or elastomeric material.
- This casing locates the components relative to each other without the need for them to be assembled and fastened together mechanically in separate assembly operations.
- the ends of the coil 30 are routed via a channel moulded in the casing 42 extending from the joint between the casing and the cone 26 to a connector 38 having terminals 39.
- the connector 38 may be encapsulated during the moulding operation, or may be formed as an integral part of the moulding.
- a recess is provided in the external surface of the casing to accommodate a capacitor and if necessary a resistor as a cross-over network.
- the casing 42 has a circumferential recess or groove 43, and is tapered so that its outer portion 44 is of frusto-conical form.
- the cover 32 comprises an inner spider 46 and an outer decorative grille 47, both being injection mouldings.
- the spider has a number of angularly spaced-apart axially- extending legs 48 with radially inwardly-directed projections 50.
- the legs are displaceable outwardly to enable the cover to be expanded over the frustoconical surface 44 until the projections snap into the groove 43 and the cover 32 thereby is retained in place.
- the spider has an inner axially extending ring which contacts the top surface of the casing 42 and defines therewith a recess 52 in which the outer rim of the diaphragm 26 is received and restrained against axial movement.
- the cover as illustrated is acoustically neutral (transparent). If desired its grill- defining portions 33 may be angled to act as reflectors and impose some directivity and/or horn loading on the sound emitted by the diaphragm. Improved performance or conversion efficiency may result.
- part 32 may be simplified to provide just the spider 46 or other peripheral ring to retain the diaphragm in the moulded structure 42.
- Figure 3 shows a modified form of the tweeter of figures 1 and 2.
- the ends 34, 36 of the coil 30 are routed via a channel moulded in the casing 42 and soldered or wire-wrapped to tags 35 mounted externally on the casing 42. These tags are crimped to two wires 37 leading to the connector 38 (of different form to that of figure 1), one directly and the other via a capacitor 41.
- the tweeter is manufactured broadly in the following stages
- the diaphragm 26 and former 28 are vacuum-formed or thermo-formed as a single unit.
- the dust cap 40 is vacuum-formed or thermo-formed and glued around its edge to the inside of the diaphragm.
- the coil 30 is wound on to the former and a lacquer or other adhesive applied to fix it thereto.
- the coil ends 34, 36 are left of substantial length.
- the magnet, pole piece and cover plate are assembled in an injection moulding tool which serves also to jig the parts correctly.
- the casing 42 is then moulded around the jigged components.
- the top and bottom surfaces respectively of the cover plate 18 and the pole piece 12 preferably are curved as shown to facilitate the flow of the molten plastics material and to provide the effective magnetic circuit already described.
- the magnet 10 is magnetised and ferromagnetic fluid such as FERRO FLUID (trade mark) is injected to fill the gap between the magnet 10 and the pole piece 12.
- the fluid acts as a damping medium, and due to the fine iron particles dispersed therein improves the efficiency and power-handling capacity of the loudspeaker.
- the cover 32 is snap-fitted on to the casing and the unit is subjected to a functional test, and packed.
- FIG 4 shows an alternative form of the tweeter diaphragm or cone 26.
- the cone 26 and dust cap 40 are deep drawn by thermoforming (hot pressing) from sheet material such as that noted for the figure 1 embodiment so that a double-walled substantially cylindrical coil former section 28 is provided, the parts 26, 28 and 40 all being integrally formed with each other as a single component.
- the coil 30 (shown diagrammatically-it comprises many more turns than illustrated) is wound on the outer surface of the former as described hereafter.
- thermoplastic sheet material 58 for the manufacture of the composite diaphragm/former/dust cap is unwound from a spool 60 and advanced by an indexing feed apparatus 62 to a pair of heater blocks 64.
- the blocks heat and thereby soften the material 58, which then passes to a press 66 having at least one set of dies 68.
- diaphragms are pressed or drawn at intervals in the softened sheet material which then is loosely wound on to a take-up mechanism 70 prior to the diaphragms being stamped-out from the sheet. Alternatively they may be separated from the sheet immediately downstream of the press 66.
- a pair of small diametrically- opposite cut-outs 72 are made in its periphery, for purposes described hereinafter.
- the diaphragm 26 is mounted on a rotatable winding head 74 (fig. 6), the end of which is shaped to conform to the front surface of the diaphragm. Pegs 76 engage the cut-outs 72 so that the diaphragm rotates with the winding head.
- the winding head contains a powerful (eg. neodymium) magnet 78 disposed on its axis, adjacent the apex of the dust cap 40.
- a ferromagnetic mandrel or plug 80 is inserted in the bore of the former 28 and retained by the field created in the bore by the magnet 78, the mandrel being shaped to provide support for the tubular former whilst the coil is wound on to it.
- Varnish or other suitable adhesive is applied to the external surface of the former, and the coil is wound on to it by conventional equipment, the winding head being rotated for this purpose.
- the mandrel is then withdrawn and the diaphragm is removed from the winding head.
- the ends of the coil are taken out through the cut-outs 72 and led to the connector 39, as already described.
- Magnetic force can be employed to locate the diaphragm and former on the winding head even if the bore is not blind.
- a mandrel 82 can be inserted through the bore of the 84 of the former and held in place by a magnet 86 within the winding head (not shown).
- a mandrel 98 is inserted from the other side of the former and is held in place by a magnet 100 which attracts primarily a flange portion 102 of the mandrel rather than the portion thereof in the bore of the coil former.
- the magnetic field passes primarily through the diaphragm rather than through the bore.
- the major part of the mandrel may be of non-magnetic material, provided magnetic material is present in the circumferential portion to be attracted to the magnet.
- the inverse arrangement may also be utilised; the mandrel 98 may be fixed, with permanent magnetic material at least around its periphery and the diaphragm and former can be held in place by a profiled ring or annulus shaped as the part 100 in figure 9.
- the integrally formed diaphragm and voice coil former may be lighter than a fabricated part and therefore require less force from the encapsulated magnet structure, which can therefore be smaller and therefore cheaper.
- the assembly process is very much simplified and lowered in cost since the parts (diaphragm assembly and motor unit) can be clipped together instead of being glued together.
- the integrally formed diaphragm and voice former may be produced to very exact tolerances, due to its manufacturing process, as can the magnet structure by its moulding process. This allows the subsequent assembly to be effected without any jigging and without the use of skilled labour the tweeter can be manufactured with a minimum of manual operations, and a robust but inexpensive product results.
- a tweeter has its voice coil former and diaphragm integrally formed as a single unit.
- the magnet pole pieces and connector are encapsulated in an injection moulded casing. A robust, inexpensive and easy to manufacture product is achieved.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
- Signal Processing (AREA)
- Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
- Audible-Bandwidth Dynamoelectric Transducers Other Than Pickups (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP98932273A EP0997056A1 (en) | 1997-06-19 | 1998-06-17 | Loudspeakers |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB9712964.7 | 1997-06-19 | ||
GBGB9712964.7A GB9712964D0 (en) | 1997-06-19 | 1997-06-19 | Loudspeakers |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
WO1998058520A1 true WO1998058520A1 (en) | 1998-12-23 |
Family
ID=10814590
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/GB1998/001765 WO1998058520A1 (en) | 1997-06-19 | 1998-06-17 | Loudspeakers |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0997056A1 (en) |
GB (1) | GB9712964D0 (en) |
WO (1) | WO1998058520A1 (en) |
Cited By (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP1750479A3 (en) * | 2005-08-03 | 2009-09-02 | Pioneer Corporation | Speaker apparatus, method of manufacturing the same, and frame for the same |
BE1019451A3 (en) * | 2010-08-19 | 2012-07-03 | Michiels Hugo Remi | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A MEMBRANE FOR A MEASURING TRANSFORMER, SUCH A MEMBRANE, AND ALARM APPLICATION |
CN105049967A (en) * | 2014-04-30 | 2015-11-11 | 哈曼国际工业有限公司 | Speaker assembly |
US9723410B2 (en) | 2014-07-08 | 2017-08-01 | Harman International Industries, Incorporated | Speaker assembly |
EP4344244A1 (en) * | 2022-09-21 | 2024-03-27 | Harman International Industries, Inc. | Speaker assembly with mechanically-coupled magnet |
Citations (9)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4048713A (en) * | 1975-06-09 | 1977-09-20 | Mogens Hvass | Method of making compact electric coils |
EP0377171A2 (en) * | 1989-01-03 | 1990-07-11 | Nokia Unterhaltungselektronik (Deutschland) GmbH | Loudspeaker with plug-in connecting leads |
EP0480160A2 (en) * | 1990-10-06 | 1992-04-15 | Nokia (Deutschland) GmbH | Dome-shaped high-frequency loudspeaker |
US5135582A (en) * | 1990-08-02 | 1992-08-04 | Yamaha Corporation | Method for forming a diaphragm and diaphragm |
EP0552040A1 (en) * | 1992-01-15 | 1993-07-21 | Patrick Arthur Leach | Method and apparatus for making a loudspeaker cone and surround assembly |
EP0619688A1 (en) * | 1993-04-07 | 1994-10-12 | Minebea Co. Ltd. | Speaker and its manufacturing method |
EP0644706A1 (en) * | 1993-09-22 | 1995-03-22 | Sony Corporation | Horn speaker system |
JPH08163694A (en) * | 1994-11-30 | 1996-06-21 | Mitsubishi Electric Corp | Integral type loudspeaker diaphragm |
JPH08251693A (en) * | 1995-03-08 | 1996-09-27 | Meisei Sangyo:Kk | Voice coil incorporated diaphragm for speaker |
-
1997
- 1997-06-19 GB GBGB9712964.7A patent/GB9712964D0/en not_active Ceased
-
1998
- 1998-06-17 WO PCT/GB1998/001765 patent/WO1998058520A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1998-06-17 EP EP98932273A patent/EP0997056A1/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (9)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4048713A (en) * | 1975-06-09 | 1977-09-20 | Mogens Hvass | Method of making compact electric coils |
EP0377171A2 (en) * | 1989-01-03 | 1990-07-11 | Nokia Unterhaltungselektronik (Deutschland) GmbH | Loudspeaker with plug-in connecting leads |
US5135582A (en) * | 1990-08-02 | 1992-08-04 | Yamaha Corporation | Method for forming a diaphragm and diaphragm |
EP0480160A2 (en) * | 1990-10-06 | 1992-04-15 | Nokia (Deutschland) GmbH | Dome-shaped high-frequency loudspeaker |
EP0552040A1 (en) * | 1992-01-15 | 1993-07-21 | Patrick Arthur Leach | Method and apparatus for making a loudspeaker cone and surround assembly |
EP0619688A1 (en) * | 1993-04-07 | 1994-10-12 | Minebea Co. Ltd. | Speaker and its manufacturing method |
EP0644706A1 (en) * | 1993-09-22 | 1995-03-22 | Sony Corporation | Horn speaker system |
JPH08163694A (en) * | 1994-11-30 | 1996-06-21 | Mitsubishi Electric Corp | Integral type loudspeaker diaphragm |
JPH08251693A (en) * | 1995-03-08 | 1996-09-27 | Meisei Sangyo:Kk | Voice coil incorporated diaphragm for speaker |
Non-Patent Citations (2)
Title |
---|
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 96, no. 10 31 October 1996 (1996-10-31) * |
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 97, no. 1 31 January 1997 (1997-01-31) * |
Cited By (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP1750479A3 (en) * | 2005-08-03 | 2009-09-02 | Pioneer Corporation | Speaker apparatus, method of manufacturing the same, and frame for the same |
BE1019451A3 (en) * | 2010-08-19 | 2012-07-03 | Michiels Hugo Remi | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A MEMBRANE FOR A MEASURING TRANSFORMER, SUCH A MEMBRANE, AND ALARM APPLICATION |
CN105049967A (en) * | 2014-04-30 | 2015-11-11 | 哈曼国际工业有限公司 | Speaker assembly |
EP2941017A3 (en) * | 2014-04-30 | 2015-11-25 | Harman International Industries, Incorporated | Speaker assembly |
CN105049967B (en) * | 2014-04-30 | 2019-06-21 | 哈曼国际工业有限公司 | Loudspeaker assembly |
CN110248304A (en) * | 2014-04-30 | 2019-09-17 | 哈曼国际工业有限公司 | Loudspeaker assembly |
US9723410B2 (en) | 2014-07-08 | 2017-08-01 | Harman International Industries, Incorporated | Speaker assembly |
EP4344244A1 (en) * | 2022-09-21 | 2024-03-27 | Harman International Industries, Inc. | Speaker assembly with mechanically-coupled magnet |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
GB9712964D0 (en) | 1997-08-27 |
EP0997056A1 (en) | 2000-05-03 |
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