EP0663136B1 - Diffusing volume electroacoustic transducer - Google Patents

Abstract

An electroacoustic transducer includes a low density diffusing volume which supports on its periphery at least one electrically conductive circuit through which an electric signal representative of the signal to be emitted passes. Magnets are mechanically connected to the diffusing volume's periphery. The magnets provide a magnetic field whose field lines surround the conductive circuits which is positioned on the diffusing volume's periphery. Several embodiments are presented, as well as several modes of electrical connections between the circuit emitting the electrical signals and the conductive circuits.

Description

The present invention relates to an electro-acoustic transducer with diffusing volume.

Presently known loudspeakers have a generally conical acoustic membrane moved in axial movements by an electromagnet placed between conductive turns through which the audio signal passes. Because of this membrane, they have a very high directivity and a limited range of operating wavelengths. It is therefore necessary to place two or three of these speakers in an enclosure to cover the entire sensitivity range of the human ear, from 20 Hz to 20 KHz. But even when placing three speakers, the directivity is not improved. In addition, research aimed at increasing the efficiency of these loudspeakers involves a dense magnetic flux and a narrow air gap, but this also implies a high electromotive force. The relative movement of the electromagnets with respect to the conductive turns is then always symmetrical, because of the restoring force, that is to say that these loudspeakers have a resonant frequency.

Patent FR-A-2 559 332 presents a loudspeaker with two coils placed coaxially around a support of the diaphragm and does not modify the problems of directivity or of frequency selection of diaphragm speakers.

Patent FR-A-2 474 266 presents a loudspeaker with vibrating volume, the low density volume driven by a coil placed in a very narrow air gap causing an intense magnetic field is moved longitudinally by means of a connecting support the coil and the vibrating volume and has the same wavelength and resonant frequency selections as the diaphragm speakers.

The present invention intends to remedy these drawbacks by presenting a device, the moving parts of which consist of a diffusing volume traversed by vibrations of very limited amplitude. The diffusing volume is here understood to be a part whose thickness is relatively close to the other dimensions, width and length, opposite to a membrane whose thickness is much less than tenth of the other dimensions. In this way, the most diverse forms of audio signals can be rendered by propagation in the diffusing volume and by diffusion in the air on its surface. The waves propagating in the volume do it in multiple directions thus giving to the device a directivity which is very weak. Finally, the restoring force, or counter-electromotive, is, thanks to this propagation in the volume, very low.

• minimiser la force contre-électromotrice par le choix d'un flux magnétique faible, mais s'exerçant sur une grande surface et par un entrefer très ouvert, en acceptant une perte de rendement.
• minimiser l'effet capacitif que représente la suspension classique en utilisant un effet d'équilibrage magnétique.
• utiliser un effet de propagation volumique par l'utilisation d'un élément diffusant très épais de telle manière que l'entrée en régime vibratoire soit retardée.
• minimiser l'effet selfique du conducteur classique en réduisant le nombre de spires.

Since an electro-acoustic transducer can be likened to a motor having a counter-electromotive force and to an impedance comprising a resistive component, a capacitive component and a selfic component, the present invention therefore claims all at once:

• minimize the counter-electromotive force by choosing a weak magnetic flux, but exerted over a large area and by a very open air gap, accepting a loss of efficiency.
• minimize the capacitive effect represented by the conventional suspension by using a magnetic balancing effect.
• use a volume propagation effect by using a very thick diffusing element in such a way that the entry into vibratory regime is delayed.
• minimize the inductive effect of the conventional conductor by reducing the number of turns.

The impedance can then be limited to its resistive part and therefore not cause any disturbance of the electrical signals passing through it.

The device which is the subject of the present invention is therefore an electro-acoustic transducer characterized in that it comprises, on the one hand, a diffusing volume 8 of low density supporting on its periphery at least two electrically conductive circuits crossed by representative electrical signals of the sound signal to be emitted, the signals of two successive circuits circulating in opposite directions, and surrounding the periphery being mechanically integral with the diffusing volume and in that it comprises magnets providing a magnetic field whose field lines surround said circuits electrically conductors.

The description which follows, made with reference to the accompanying drawings for explanatory purposes and in no way limiting, allows a better understanding of the advantages, aims and characteristics of the invention.

In Figure 1 is shown, in a sectional view, a first embodiment of the device according to the present invention.

In FIG. 2 is shown, according to a top view, the first embodiment of the invention described in FIG. 1.

In FIG. 3 is shown, according to a perspective view, the first embodiment of the device described in FIG. 1.

In Figure 4 is shown, in a perspective view, a second embodiment of the device according to the present invention.

In Figure 5 is shown, in a sectional view, a third embodiment of the device according to the present invention.

In FIG. 6 is represented, according to a section, an element complementary to the three embodiments of the device presented in FIGS. 1 to 5.

In FIG. 7 is shown a first mode of electrical connection of the device which is the subject of the present invention to an analog electronic circuit.

In FIG. 8 is shown a first variant of the first embodiment of the device presented in FIGS. 1 to 3.

In FIG. 9 is shown a second variant of the first embodiment of the device presented in FIGS. 1 to 3.

In FIG. 10 is shown a third variant of the first embodiment of the device presented in FIGS. 1 to 3.

In Figure 11 is shown a second mode of electrical connection of the device object of the present invention to a digital electronic circuit.

• Le support 1 est de type quelconque et est adapté à tenir en position les quatre aimants 2, 3, 4 et 5. Il est constitué en fer doux. Les aimants 2 et 3 présentent leurs pôles nord l'un vers l'autre et sont situés en haut du dispositif. Les aimants 4 et 5 présentent leurs pôles sud l'un vers l'autre et sont situés en bas du dispositif. De cette manière, le champ magnétique entre les aimants 2, 3, 4 et 5 présente des lignes de champ annulaires.

In FIG. 1 are shown a support 1, four magnets 2, 3, 4 and 5, two conducting circuits 6 and 7, a diffusing volume 8, electrical connections 9 and 10 and an electronic circuit 11.

• The support 1 is of any type and is adapted to hold the four magnets 2, 3, 4 and 5 in position. It is made of soft iron. Magnets 2 and 3 show their north poles towards each other and are located at the top of the device. The magnets 4 and 5 have their south poles towards each other and are located at the bottom of the device. In this way, the magnetic field between the magnets 2, 3, 4 and 5 has annular field lines.

The diffusing volume 8 is located between the magnets 2, 3, 4 and 5. It is made of an approximately rigid material and of very low density, preferably less than 0.20 kilogram per liter, its mass preferably being greater than twenty grams . It supports the conductive circuits 6 and 7. The diffusing volume 8 is for example made of expanded polystyrene or polyurethane foam or any other material having a very low density and high rigidity. In the example of FIG. 1, the diffusing volume 8 has the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. More generally, volume is any shape whose thickness is greater than 5 millimeters.

The conductive circuits 6 and 7 are electrically conductive and are located respectively opposite the magnets 2 and 3, on the one hand, and the magnets 4 and 5, on the other hand. The conductive circuit 6 runs along the upper periphery of the diffusing volume 8. The conductive circuit 7 runs along the lower periphery of the diffusing volume 8. The current conducting circuits 6 and 7 are mechanically linked to the diffusing volume 8 and consist, for example, of conductive lines thin, mutually parallel and having a length equal to that of the permanent magnets produced by printing of conductive ink or silver glue on a flexible film support, of conductive paint, or even by serigraphy on plastic film, of the type used for the production of certain flexible connectors.

The conductive circuits 6 and 7 are crossed by an electrical signal representative of the sound signal to be emitted, but respectively in opposite directions, as described in FIGS. 2 and 3.

In this way the Laplace force which is exerted on the right part of the conducting circuit 6 has the same axial component, on the vertical axis of symmetry of the figure, as the Laplace force which is exerted on the right part of the conductive circuit 7 and a planar component, on the plane separating the upper magnets 2 and 3, on the one hand, and the lower permanent magnets 4 and 5, on the other hand, of the same intensity and the same direction but in the opposite direction to the Laplace force which is exerted on the right part of the conducting circuit 7. It is recalled that the Laplace law describes the force, called Laplace force, which is exerted on an electric conductor traversed by a current and plunged in a field magnetic.

The electrical connections 9 and 10 connect the electronic circuit 11 for transmitting an electrical signal representative of the sound signal and the conductive circuits 6 and 7. In this first example, the electrical connections 9 and 10 connect the ends of the conductive circuits 6 and 7, which are interconnected in such a way that the currents flow on the periphery of the volume diffusing 8 in the opposite direction. This arrangement is shown in Figure 3.

According to a variant of this first embodiment of the present invention, the electrical connections 9 and 10 make it possible to connect each of the two conductive circuits 6 and 7 to a fixed potential and their common terminal to a variable potential comprising a continuous component equal to the half of the two fixed potentials and an alternative component proportional to the sound signal to be emitted.

The electronic circuit 11 is of known type, for example consisting of an amplifier which amplifies a sound signal coming from any type of audio source, disc player, cassette player, radio, for example.

In FIG. 2 are shown a top view of the support 1, the magnets 2 and 3, permanent magnets 23 and 24, the conductive circuits 6, the diffusing volume 8, the electrical connections 9 and 10 and the electronic circuit 11.

The support 1 is rectangular in shape and surrounds the other components of the device with the exception of the electronic circuit 11. The magnets 2 and 3 are completed by the permanent magnets 23 and 24 to surround the periphery of the diffusing volume 8, itself rectangular . The permanent magnets 23 and 24 have, in the same way as the magnets 2 and 3, their north poles towards the diffusing volume 8.

The conductive circuit 6 goes around the rectangular periphery of the diffusing volume 8 and is connected to the electrical connection 9.

In FIG. 3 are shown in perspective view the conducting circuits 6 and 7, the diffusing volume 8 and the electrical connections 9 and 10.

Note in Figure 3 that the conductive circuits 6 and 7 are coaxial with respect to the vertical axis which is also the axis of symmetry of the magnetic field. The conductive circuits 6 and 7 are, moreover, interconnected so that the electric current flows in the conductive circuit 6 in the opposite direction to the current flowing in the conductive circuit 7, one circulating in the winding in the direction of clockwise and the other counterclockwise when viewed from above.

For the presentation of these three figures 1, 2 and 3, the electrodynamic system with permanent magnet was retained. The magnetic field in the air gap has been increased by encasing the permanent magnets in a soft iron "U" constituting the support 1, the magnetic material constituting the magnets 2, 3, 4 and 5 being, for example, oxide bars of grain-oriented iron and strontium. To indicate an example of geometry of the device which is the subject of the present invention, the diffusing volume 8 has the following dimensions: 120 millimeters in length, 60 millimeters in width, 30 millimeters in thickness, the surface of the magnetic field can be 25 millimeters multiplied by the perimeter of the diffusing volume 8 facing the permanent magnets, the conduction width then being 17 millimeters and the displacement of the entire volume diffusing 8 reaching eight millimeters between peaks at very low frequencies.

The aerial magnetic field, being crossed by an identical electric current flowing in two opposite directions in front of each of the poles, generates opposite forces allowing automatic centering of the diffusing volume 8.

The device which is the subject of the present invention presented in FIGS. 1 to 3 thus comprises a thick membrane constituting a diffusing volume 8 which ensures the emission of sound on the one hand by propagation of the high frequencies through said membrane, and on the other hand, by propagation of low frequencies in vibrational regime. In the first mode of emission of sound, by propagation inside the diffusing volume 8, the center of gravity of the diffusing volume 8 is substantially fixed in space. In the second mode of sound emission, in vibrational regime, the center of gravity of the diffusing volume 8 moves substantially at the frequency of the electrical signal coming from the electronic circuit 11.

The two conductive circuits 6 and 7 encircling said solidly diffusing volume, and the magnetic block consisting of permanent magnets 2, 3, 4 and 5 creating on the conductive circuits two opposite magnetic fields, form with said conductive circuits a magnetic motor with automatic centering.

In Figure 4 is shown in perspective view a second embodiment of the device object of the present invention, comprising the diffusing volume 8, the electrical connections 9 and 10 and conductive circuits 12 and 13 each placed separately on one of the lateral faces of the diffusing volume 8. It should be noted that two other conductive circuits are located on the two peripheral faces of the diffusing volume 8 not shown.

The conductive circuits 12 and 13 are each located integrally on one of the peripheral faces of the diffusing volume 8 and represent rectangular turns. The current conducting circuits 12 and 13 are bonded to the diffusing volume 8 and consist, for example, of a low mass printed circuit produced on an epoxy support of a few tenths of a millimeter whose design consists of fine parallel lines between them and having a length equal to that of permanent magnets. The current conducting circuits 12 and 13 can also be produced by printing conductive ink or silver glue on a support made of flexible film, or even by serigraphy on plastic film, of the type used for making certain flexible connectors. The conductive circuits 12 and 13 are electrically supplied so that the electric current flowing in their lower conductors, located near the magnets 4 and 5 flows in opposite direction to the electric current flowing in their upper conductors. The Laplace forces presented in Figure 1 are therefore preserved.

The qualities of this second embodiment of the device are identical to the qualities of the first embodiment of the device presented in Figures 1 to 3.

In FIG. 5 are represented six permanent magnets 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19, three conducting circuits 20, 21 and 22 and the volume 8. This FIG. 5 is intended to show that the numbers and the shapes of the magnets and conductive circuits are not limited to two but can on the contrary be diversified.

The permanent magnets 14, 15 and 16 are located on the left of the diffusing volume 8. The permanent magnets 17, 18 and 19 are located on the right of the diffusing volume 8. The permanent magnets 14, 16, 17 and 19 have their north pole towards the interior of the device, ie towards the diffusing volume 8. The permanent magnets 15 and 18 have their south pole towards the diffusing volume 8. The conducting circuits 20, 21 and 22 are traversed by identical currents but the conductive circuit 21 is traversed by this current in the opposite direction to conductive circuits 20 and 22, on the periphery of the diffusing volume 8.

This third embodiment of the device has qualities identical to the first two embodiments presented in FIGS. 1 to 3 and in FIG. 4.

In FIG. 6 are shown the permanent magnets 2 and 3, the diffusing volume 8, the conductive circuit 6, a support membrane 27 and two bores 25 and 26.

Figure 6 is intended to present, on the example of the first embodiment presented in Figures 1 to 3, the use of a support membrane. This use can very easily be adapted to the other embodiments of the device which is the subject of the present invention.

The support membrane 27 consists of an elastic film, for example made of polyethylene, the tension of which is preferably zero at rest. The bores 25 and 26 follow the periphery of the diffusing volume 8 and allow, for a given elongation of the membrane 27, a greater displacement of the diffusing volume 8, than if they were absent.

The support membrane 27 maintains the diffusing volume 8 between the permanent magnets 2, 3, 4 and 5 in position, even when a low frequency pulse is emitted by the electronic circuit 11.

The diffusing volume 8 is connected to the support 1 by the membrane 27 which also ensures the seal between the two faces.

In Figure 7 is shown a mode of electrical connection of the device object of the present invention to an electronic circuit. In FIG. 7 are shown the diffusing volume 8, the conducting circuits 6 and 7, the electrical connections 9 and 10, an electrical connection 28, an electrical supply 29 and amplifier circuit 30.

The electrical connection 28 connects the output of the amplifier circuit 30 to a common terminal of the two conductive circuits 6 and 7. The power supply 29 is adapted to provide two constant potentials which are connected on the one hand to the terminals of the amplifier circuit 30 and d on the other hand at the terminals of the conducting circuits 6 and 7 respectively connected to the electrical connections 9 and 10. In this way, in the absence of the electrical signal representative of the sound signal to be emitted, the electrical connection 28 is brought to a potential equal to half of the potentials supplied by the power supply 29 and the electrical signal representative of the sound signal to be emitted varies this potential and allows the generation of Laplace forces on the circuits conductors 6 and 7.

The conductive circuits are thus each connected on the one hand to a fixed electrical potential and on the other hand to a signal comprising a continuous component equal to half of said fixed electrical potentials and an alternative component equal to the electrical signal representative of the sound signal to issue.

The diffusing volume 8 is thus balanced, or lifted, by the continuous and unbalanced component, that is to say put in piston movement by the alternative component.

In FIG. 8 is shown a first variant of the first embodiment of the device presented in FIGS. 1 to 3.

In Figure 8 are shown the same elements as in Figure 1 but the conductive circuits 6 and 7 are asymmetrical to each other. Circuit 6 is further from magnets 2 and 3 than circuit 7 from magnets 4 and 5. Circuit 6 is placed on the diffusing volume 8 closer to the median plane of the diffusing volume 8 parallel to circuits 6 and 7 than circuit 7 Finally, circuit 6 has fewer turns than circuit 7.

In FIG. 9 is shown a second variant of the first embodiment of the device presented in FIGS. 1 to 3.

In Figure 9 are shown the same elements as in Figure 3, with the exception of the diffusing volume 8 which here takes the form of a rectangular parallelepiped hollowed out on one of its faces by a recess 81 of volume equal to a second parallelepiped rectangle of smaller dimensions than the first.
In FIG. 10 is shown a third variant of the first embodiment of the device presented in FIGS. 1 to 3.
In FIG. 10 are shown the same elements as in FIG. 3, with the exception of the diffusing volume 8 which here takes the form of a rectangular parallelepiped hollowed out on one of its faces with grooves 82 forming two networks of lines perpendicular to each other. .

In Figure 11 is shown a second mode of electrical connection of the device object of the present invention to a digital electronic circuit.
In FIG. 11 are shown the same elements as in FIG. 1 with the exception of the conducting circuits 6 and 7. The circuit 6 comprises several sets of turns 61, 62, 63 and 64, each of these sets of turns being connected to one of the sets of turns 71, 72, 73, 74 making up circuit 7 and to one of the binary outputs of a digital circuit 31. The sets 61 and 71 have the same number of turns equal to one and are connected to the output least significant logic. The sets 62 and 72 have the same number of turns equal to two and are connected to the logic output of double weight of the least significant. The sets 63 and 73 have the same number of turns equal to four and are connected to the logic output of half weight of the most significant. The sets 64 and 74 have the same number of turns equal to eight and are connected to the most significant logic output. In this way, the logical weights which are successively multiple of two in two correspond to forces whose values are respectively multiple of two in two. The device according to the invention in its embodiment presented in FIG. 11 can thus be connected directly to the digital output of a digital disc player, a digital cassette player, a digital radio, a synthesizer of digital sound and more generally of all systems emitting signals representative of sounds operating with digital signals. It is important to note that to obtain multiple forces between them in pairs, the device can also include different amplifiers or geometries positioning the turns in magnetic fields of different intensities.
To improve the results of the various embodiments of the invention presented in FIGS. 1 to 11, the following remarks should be made.

The diffusing volume 8 can be divided into several materials with different Young's modulus density for resolve intermodulation distortion and timbre distortion.

The ratios of the surfaces and volumes of the diffusing volume 8 as well as the numbers of magnets and their arrangements may vary depending on the qualities sought. As a preferred example, the ratio of the thickness of the diffusing volume to its largest dimension is greater than 10%.

A radiator enveloping the conducting circuits 6, 7, 12, 13, 20, 21 and 22 makes it possible to dissipate the heat generated on the said conducting circuits. This radiator can consist, for example, of a thin metal sheet covering the conductive circuits as well as the lateral faces of the diffusing volume 8, so that the heat is evacuated in the air separating the diffusing volume 8, of a hand and in permanent magnets on the other hand.

• une très grande facilité de réalisation industrielle ou artisanale;
• une variation aisée des surfaces et volumes des dispositifs réalisés, par simple variation des longueurs d'aimants permanents et des dimensions du volume diffusant 8.
• une seule voie étant suffisante pour obtenir une réponse spectrale très large et une faible directivité.
• le dispositif peut aussi bien être adapté à des enceintes de petites dimensions, à des enceintes de grandes dimensions ou encore à des écouteurs communément appelés casques.

The main advantages of the present invention are:

• a very easy industrial or artisanal realization;
• easy variation of the surfaces and volumes of the devices produced, by simple variation of the lengths of permanent magnets and of the dimensions of the diffusing volume 8.
• a single channel being sufficient to obtain a very broad spectral response and low directivity.
• the device can also be adapted to small speakers, large speakers or even headphones commonly called headsets.

The present invention also has the advantage of allowing easy production of large sound diffusing panels.

Many other embodiments of the invention remain in accordance with the spirit of the invention as it appears from the appended claims, whatever the shape of the diffusing volume 8, spherical, ellipsoidal, cubic, for example and the arrangement magnets and conductive circuits on the periphery of this diffusing volume 8.

Claims (9)

1. Electroacoustic transducer comprising a low density transduction element specific wherein it comprises, in addition, at least two electrically conductive circuits (6, 7, 12, 13, 20, 21, 22) carrying electric signals representative of the audible signal to be emitted, the signals in two successive circuits circulating in opposite directions, and laid out around the periphery being mechanically attached to the transduction element and wherein it comprises magnets (2, 3, 4, 5, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 24) providing a magnetic field whose field lines surround said electrically conductive circuits.
2. Device according to claim 1 specific wherein it comprises two conductive circuits (6, 7) asymmetrical with respect to each other.
3. Device according to any of the preceding claims specific wherein the weight of the transduction element is greater than 20 grams.
4. Device according to any of the preceding claims specific wherein the transduction element (8) comprises a recess (81).
5. Device according to any of the preceding claims specific wherein the transduction element comprises grooves (82).
6. Device according to any of the preceding claims specific wherein the volume density of the transduction element (8) is less than 0.20 kilograms per liter.
7. Device according to any of the preceding claims specific wherein it comprises a supporting membrane (27) mechanically connecting the magnetic assembly and the transduction element (8).
8. Device according to any of the preceding claims specific wherein it comprises an electronic amplifying circuit (30) capable of emitting an electric signal representative of the audible signal to be emitted, said electronic circuit being connected to all conductive circuits (6, 7, 12, 13, 20, 21, 22), each of which conductors, furthermore, being connected to a fixed potential, the electric signal emitted by the electronic amplifying circuit (30) comprising a continuous component equal to the average of the fixed potentials and an alternating component representative of the audible signal to be emitted.
9. Device according to any of the preceding claims specific wherein the conductive circuits (6), (7) comprise coil assemblies (61), (62), (63), (64), (71), (72), (73), (74) each connected to one of the binary logic outputs of a digital electronic circuit (31).

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