EP0847668B1 - Loudspeakers with panel-form acoustic radiating elements - Google Patents

Loudspeakers with panel-form acoustic radiating elements Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0847668B1
EP0847668B1 EP96929407A EP96929407A EP0847668B1 EP 0847668 B1 EP0847668 B1 EP 0847668B1 EP 96929407 A EP96929407 A EP 96929407A EP 96929407 A EP96929407 A EP 96929407A EP 0847668 B1 EP0847668 B1 EP 0847668B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
enclosure
radiator
panel
acoustic
loudspeaker
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP96929407A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0847668A1 (en
Inventor
Henry Azima
Martin Colloms
Neil Harris
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
NVF Tech Ltd
Original Assignee
New Transducers Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from GBGB9517918.0A external-priority patent/GB9517918D0/en
Priority claimed from GBGB9522281.6A external-priority patent/GB9522281D0/en
Priority claimed from GBGB9606836.6A external-priority patent/GB9606836D0/en
Application filed by New Transducers Ltd filed Critical New Transducers Ltd
Publication of EP0847668A1 publication Critical patent/EP0847668A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0847668B1 publication Critical patent/EP0847668B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R7/00—Diaphragms for electromechanical transducers; Cones
    • H04R7/02—Diaphragms for electromechanical transducers; Cones characterised by the construction
    • H04R7/04—Plane diaphragms
    • H04R7/045—Plane diaphragms using the distributed mode principle, i.e. whereby the acoustic radiation is emanated from uniformly distributed free bending wave vibration induced in a stiff panel and not from pistonic motion
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R1/00—Details of transducers, loudspeakers or microphones
    • H04R1/20—Arrangements for obtaining desired frequency or directional characteristics
    • H04R1/22—Arrangements for obtaining desired frequency or directional characteristics for obtaining desired frequency characteristic only 
    • H04R1/26—Spatial arrangements of separate transducers responsive to two or more frequency ranges
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R1/00—Details of transducers, loudspeakers or microphones
    • H04R1/20—Arrangements for obtaining desired frequency or directional characteristics
    • H04R1/22—Arrangements for obtaining desired frequency or directional characteristics for obtaining desired frequency characteristic only 
    • H04R1/28—Transducer mountings or enclosures modified by provision of mechanical or acoustic impedances, e.g. resonator, damping means
    • H04R1/2807—Enclosures comprising vibrating or resonating arrangements
    • H04R1/2838—Enclosures comprising vibrating or resonating arrangements of the bandpass type
    • H04R1/2842—Enclosures comprising vibrating or resonating arrangements of the bandpass type for loudspeaker transducers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2440/00—Bending wave transducers covered by H04R, not provided for in its groups
    • H04R2440/07—Loudspeakers using bending wave resonance and pistonic motion to generate sound

Definitions

  • the invention relates to loudspeakers and more particularly to loudspeakers comprising panel-form acoustic radiating elements.
  • US-A-3,164,221 of RICH discloses a low frequency loudspeaker comprising an enclosure, an acoustic radiator in the enclosure, a compliant suspension mounting the radiator in the enclosure for pistonic movement, and pistonic drive means for varying the air pressure in the enclosure to cause the radiator to move pistonically.
  • This invention is particularly concerned with active acoustic devices in the form of loudspeakers.
  • the air pressure varying means may comprise an air pump.
  • the air pump may comprise a subsidiary enclosure, a pistonic driver mounted in the subsidiary enclosure and means coupling the interiors of the respective enclosures such that air pressure waves produced by motion of the pistonic driver are transmitted to the said enclosure.
  • Acoustically absorbent means may be provided in the said enclosure and/or in the subsidiary enclosure.
  • the radiator may comprise a lightweight cellular core sandwiching a pair of high modulus lightweight skins.
  • a panel-form loudspeaker (81) of the kind described and claimed in our co-pending International publication No. W097/09842 of even date herewith comprising a rectangular frame (1) carrying a resilient suspension (3) round its inner periphery which supports a distributed mode sound radiating panel (2).
  • a transducer (9) e.g as described in detail with reference to our co-pending International publication Nos. WO97/09859, WO97/09861, W097/09858 of even date herewith, is mounted wholly and exclusively on or in the panel (2) at a predetermined location defined by dimensions x and y , the position of which location is calculated as described in our co-pending International publication No. W097/09842 of even date herewith, to launch bending waves into the panel to cause the panel to resonate to radiate an acoustic output.
  • the transducer (9) is driven by a signal amplifier (10), e.g. an audio amplifier, connected to the transducer by conductors (28).
  • a signal amplifier (10) e.g. an audio amplifier
  • Amplifier loading and power requirements can be entirely normal, similar to conventional cone type speakers, sensitivity being of the order of 86 - 88dB/watt under room loaded conditions.
  • Amplifier load impedance is largely resistive at 6 ohms, power handling 20-80 watts. Where the panel core and/or skins are of metal, they may be made to act as a heat sink for the transducer to remove heat from the motor coil of the transducer and thus improve power handling.
  • Envisaged skin layer materials and reinforcements thus include carbon, glass, Kevlar (RTM), Nomex (RTM) i.e. aramid etc. fibres in various lays and weaves, as well as paper, bonded paper laminates, melamine, and various synthetic plastics films of high modulus, such as Mylar (RTM), Kaptan (RTM), polycarbonate, phenolic, polyester or related plastics, and fibre reinforced plastics, etc. and metal sheet or foil.
  • Investigation of the Vectra grade of liquid crystal polymer thermoplastics shows that they may be useful for the injection moulding of ultra thin skins or shells of smaller size, say up to around 30cm diameter. This material self forms an orientated crystal structure in the direction of injection, a preferred orientation for the good propagation of treble energy from the driving point to the panel perimeter.
  • Envisaged core layer materials include fabricated honeycombs or corrugations of aluminium alloy sheet or foil, or Kevlar (RTM), Nomex (RTM), plain or bonded papers, and various synthetic plastics films, as well as expanded or foamed plastics or pulp materials, even aerogel metals if of suitably low density.
  • Some suitable core layer materials effectively exhibit usable self-skinning in their manufacture and/or otherwise have enough inherent stiffness for use without lamination between skin layers.
  • a high performance cellular core material is known under the trade name 'Rohacell' which may be suitable as a radiator panel and which is without skins. In practical terms, the aim is for an overall lightness and stiffness suited to a particular purpose, specifically including optimising contributions from core and skin layers and transitions between them.
  • piezo and electro dynamic transducers have negligible electromagnetic radiation or stray magnet fields.
  • Conventional speakers have a large magnetic field, up to 1 metre distant unless specific compensation counter measures are taken.
  • electrical connection can be made to the conductive parts of an appropriate DML panel or an electrically conductive foam or similar interface may be used for the edge mounting.
  • the suspension (3) may damp the edges of the panel (2) to prevent excessive edge movement of the panel. Additionally or alternatively, further damping may be applied, e.g. as patches, bonded to the panel in selected positions to damp excessive movement to distribute resonance equally over the panel.
  • the patches may be of bitumen-based material, as commonly used in conventional loudspeaker enclosures or may be of a resilient or rigid polymeric sheet material. Some materials, notably paper and card, and some cores may be self-damping. Where desired, the damping may be increased in the construction of the panels by employing resiliently setting, rather than rigid setting adhesives.
  • An acoustic panel as described above is bidirectional.
  • the sound energy from the back is not strongly phase related to that from the front. Consequently there is the benefit of overall summation of acoustic power in the room, sound energy of uniform frequency distribution, reduced reflective and standing wave effects and with the advantage of superior reproduction of the natural space and ambience in the reproduced sound recordings.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Otolaryngology (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Diaphragms For Electromechanical Transducers (AREA)
  • Details Of Audible-Bandwidth Transducers (AREA)
  • Audible-Bandwidth Dynamoelectric Transducers Other Than Pickups (AREA)
  • Electrostatic, Electromagnetic, Magneto- Strictive, And Variable-Resistance Transducers (AREA)
  • Obtaining Desirable Characteristics In Audible-Bandwidth Transducers (AREA)
  • Piezo-Electric Transducers For Audible Bands (AREA)
EP96929407A 1995-09-02 1996-09-02 Loudspeakers with panel-form acoustic radiating elements Expired - Lifetime EP0847668B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (7)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9517918 1995-09-02
GBGB9517918.0A GB9517918D0 (en) 1995-09-02 1995-09-02 Acoustic device
GBGB9522281.6A GB9522281D0 (en) 1995-10-31 1995-10-31 Acoustic device
GB9522281 1995-10-31
GBGB9606836.6A GB9606836D0 (en) 1996-03-30 1996-03-30 Acoustic device
GB9606836 1996-03-30
PCT/GB1996/002166 WO1997009849A1 (en) 1995-09-02 1996-09-02 Loudspeakers with panel-form acoustic radiating elements

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0847668A1 EP0847668A1 (en) 1998-06-17
EP0847668B1 true EP0847668B1 (en) 1999-04-14

Family

ID=34865252

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP96929407A Expired - Lifetime EP0847668B1 (en) 1995-09-02 1996-09-02 Loudspeakers with panel-form acoustic radiating elements

Country Status (13)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0847668B1 (ro)
JP (1) JPH11512261A (ro)
CN (1) CN1195457A (ro)
AT (1) ATE179043T1 (ro)
AU (1) AU704299B2 (ro)
CA (1) CA2230438A1 (ro)
DE (1) DE69602100T2 (ro)
DK (1) DK0847668T3 (ro)
EA (1) EA002097B1 (ro)
ES (1) ES2132954T3 (ro)
HK (1) HK1008648A1 (ro)
RO (1) RO119048B1 (ro)
WO (1) WO1997009849A1 (ro)

Families Citing this family (26)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AU756783B2 (en) 1998-06-22 2003-01-23 Slab Technology Limited Loudspeakers
DE19955867A1 (de) * 1999-11-22 2001-06-21 Harman Audio Electronic Sys Flachlautsprecheranordnung für Tieftonwiedergabe
US10158337B2 (en) 2004-08-10 2018-12-18 Bongiovi Acoustics Llc System and method for digital signal processing
US11431312B2 (en) 2004-08-10 2022-08-30 Bongiovi Acoustics Llc System and method for digital signal processing
US8284955B2 (en) 2006-02-07 2012-10-09 Bongiovi Acoustics Llc System and method for digital signal processing
US10848118B2 (en) 2004-08-10 2020-11-24 Bongiovi Acoustics Llc System and method for digital signal processing
ITMI20041972A1 (it) 2004-10-18 2005-01-18 Daniele Ramenzoni Dispositivo elettroacustico, con risonatore a cavita', che fornisce caratteristiche tridimensionali estreme per controllare, concentrare e diffondere infrasuoni, suoni e ultrasuoni.
US10069471B2 (en) 2006-02-07 2018-09-04 Bongiovi Acoustics Llc System and method for digital signal processing
US11202161B2 (en) 2006-02-07 2021-12-14 Bongiovi Acoustics Llc System, method, and apparatus for generating and digitally processing a head related audio transfer function
US9615189B2 (en) 2014-08-08 2017-04-04 Bongiovi Acoustics Llc Artificial ear apparatus and associated methods for generating a head related audio transfer function
US10848867B2 (en) 2006-02-07 2020-11-24 Bongiovi Acoustics Llc System and method for digital signal processing
US10701505B2 (en) 2006-02-07 2020-06-30 Bongiovi Acoustics Llc. System, method, and apparatus for generating and digitally processing a head related audio transfer function
FR2968881B1 (fr) * 2010-12-10 2013-01-04 Zedel Transducteur acoustique bi-mode
US9883318B2 (en) 2013-06-12 2018-01-30 Bongiovi Acoustics Llc System and method for stereo field enhancement in two-channel audio systems
US9264004B2 (en) 2013-06-12 2016-02-16 Bongiovi Acoustics Llc System and method for narrow bandwidth digital signal processing
GB2517721A (en) * 2013-08-29 2015-03-04 Nokia Corp Speaker apparatus
US9906858B2 (en) 2013-10-22 2018-02-27 Bongiovi Acoustics Llc System and method for digital signal processing
US10820883B2 (en) 2014-04-16 2020-11-03 Bongiovi Acoustics Llc Noise reduction assembly for auscultation of a body
US9615813B2 (en) 2014-04-16 2017-04-11 Bongiovi Acoustics Llc. Device for wide-band auscultation
US10639000B2 (en) 2014-04-16 2020-05-05 Bongiovi Acoustics Llc Device for wide-band auscultation
US9564146B2 (en) 2014-08-01 2017-02-07 Bongiovi Acoustics Llc System and method for digital signal processing in deep diving environment
US9638672B2 (en) 2015-03-06 2017-05-02 Bongiovi Acoustics Llc System and method for acquiring acoustic information from a resonating body
JP2018537910A (ja) 2015-11-16 2018-12-20 ボンジョビ アコースティックス リミテッド ライアビリティー カンパニー 表面音響変換器
US9621994B1 (en) 2015-11-16 2017-04-11 Bongiovi Acoustics Llc Surface acoustic transducer
CN112236812A (zh) 2018-04-11 2021-01-15 邦吉欧维声学有限公司 音频增强听力保护系统
US10959035B2 (en) 2018-08-02 2021-03-23 Bongiovi Acoustics Llc System, method, and apparatus for generating and digitally processing a head related audio transfer function

Family Cites Families (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3164221A (en) * 1961-06-06 1965-01-05 Rosen Alfred H Low frequency loudspeaker system
US3247925A (en) * 1962-03-08 1966-04-26 Lord Corp Loudspeaker
US4379951A (en) * 1977-04-20 1983-04-12 Gabr Saad Z M Electro-acoustic transducer means
EP0340435A3 (en) * 1988-04-01 1991-04-24 Yamaha Corporation Acoustic apparatus
WO1992003024A1 (en) * 1990-08-04 1992-02-20 The Secretary Of State For Defence In Her Britannic Majesty's Government Of The United Kingdom Of Great Britain And Northern Ireland Panel-form loudspeaker
WO1993007729A1 (en) * 1991-10-02 1993-04-15 Noise Cancellation Technologies, Inc. Vacuum speaker
EP0548836B1 (en) * 1991-12-20 1997-06-11 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. A bass reproduction speaker apparatus

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DK0847668T3 (da) 1999-10-25
HK1008648A1 (en) 1999-05-14
CA2230438A1 (en) 1997-03-13
WO1997009849A1 (en) 1997-03-13
DE69602100T2 (de) 1999-09-16
EP0847668A1 (en) 1998-06-17
RO119048B1 (ro) 2004-02-27
EA002097B1 (ru) 2001-12-24
ATE179043T1 (de) 1999-04-15
CN1195457A (zh) 1998-10-07
ES2132954T3 (es) 1999-08-16
JPH11512261A (ja) 1999-10-19
AU6882296A (en) 1997-03-27
AU704299B2 (en) 1999-04-22
EA199800250A1 (ru) 1998-10-29
DE69602100D1 (de) 1999-05-20

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