EP0847678B1 - Panel-form microphones - Google Patents

Panel-form microphones Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0847678B1
EP0847678B1 EP96929397A EP96929397A EP0847678B1 EP 0847678 B1 EP0847678 B1 EP 0847678B1 EP 96929397 A EP96929397 A EP 96929397A EP 96929397 A EP96929397 A EP 96929397A EP 0847678 B1 EP0847678 B1 EP 0847678B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
panel
transducer
form microphone
sites
area
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
EP96929397A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0847678A1 (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 EP0847678A1 publication Critical patent/EP0847678A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0847678B1 publication Critical patent/EP0847678B1/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
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B42—BOOKBINDING; ALBUMS; FILES; SPECIAL PRINTED MATTER
    • B42D—BOOKS; BOOK COVERS; LOOSE LEAVES; PRINTED MATTER CHARACTERISED BY IDENTIFICATION OR SECURITY FEATURES; PRINTED MATTER OF SPECIAL FORMAT OR STYLE NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; DEVICES FOR USE THEREWITH AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; MOVABLE-STRIP WRITING OR READING APPARATUS
    • B42D15/00—Printed matter of special format or style not otherwise provided for
    • B42D15/02—Postcards; Greeting, menu, business or like cards; Letter cards or letter-sheets
    • B42D15/022—Postcards; Greeting, menu, business or like cards; Letter cards or letter-sheets combined with permanently fastened sound-producing or light-emitting means or carrying sound records

Definitions

  • the invention relates to microphones and more particularly to microphones comprising panel-form acoustic elements.
  • Embodiments of the present invention use members of nature, structure and configuration achievable generally and/or specifically by implementing teachings of our co-pending PCT publication No. WO97/09842 of even date herewith.
  • Such members thus have capability to sustain and propagate input vibrational energy by bending waves in operative area(s) extending transversely of thickness often but not necessarily to edges of the member(s); are configured with or without anisotropy of bending stiffness to have resonant mode vibration components distributed over said area(s) beneficially for acoustic coupling with ambient air; and have predetermined preferential locations or sites within said area for transducer means, particularly operationally active or moving part(s) thereof effective in relation to acoustic vibrational activity in said area(s) and signals, usually electrical, corresponding to acoustic content of such vibrational activity.
  • This invention is particularly concerned with active acoustic devices in the form of microphones.
  • the invention is a panel-form microphone characterised by a stiff lightweight member having capability to sustain and propagate input vibrational energy by bending waves in at least one operative area extending transversely of thickness to have resonant mode vibration components distributed over said at least one area and have predetermined preferential locations or sites within said area for transducer means and having a transducer mounted wholly and exclusively on said member at one of said locations or sites to produce a signal in response to resonance of the member due to incident acoustic energy.
  • the member may be mounted in a surrounding frame by means of an interposed resilient support. Two or more of the said transducers may be positioned at the locations or sites on the member.
  • the member may have a cellular core sandwiched between skins.
  • the or each transducer may be a piezo-electric device.
  • a panel-form loudspeaker (81) of the kind described and claimed in our co-pending International publication No. WO97/09842 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) as described in detail with reference to our co-pending International publication Nos. WO97/09859, WO97/09861, WO97/09858 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Figures 2 a and 2 b are partial typical cross-sections through the loudspeaker (81) of Figure 1.
  • Figure 2 a shows that the frame (1), surround (3) and panel (2) are connected together by respective adhesive-bonded joints (20).
  • Suitable materials for the frame include lightweight framing, e.g. picture framing of extruded metal e.g. aluminium alloy or plastics.
  • Suitable surround materials include resilient materials such as foam rubber and foam plastics.
  • Suitable adhesives for the joints (20) include epoxy, acrylic and cyano-acrylate etc. adhesives.
  • Figure 2 b illustrates, to an enlarged scale, that the panel (2) is a rigid lightweight panel having a core (22) e.g. of a rigid plastics foam (97) e.g. cross linked polyvinylchloride or a cellular matrix (98) i.e. a honeycomb matrix of metal foil, plastics or the like, with the cells extending transversely to the plane of the panel, and enclosed by opposed skins (21) e.g. of paper, card, plastics or metal foil or sheet. Where the skins are of plastics, they may be reinforced with fibres e.g. of carbon, glass, Kevlar or the like in a manner known per se to increase their modulus.
  • a core e.g. of a rigid plastics foam (97) e.g. cross linked polyvinylchloride or a cellular matrix (98) i.e. a honeycomb matrix of metal foil, plastics or the like, with the cells extending transversely to the plane of the panel, and enclosed
  • 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.
  • thermoplastics allow for the mould tooling to carry location and registration features such as grooves or rings for the accurate location of transducer parts e.g. the motor coil, and the magnet suspension. Additional with some weaker core materials it is calculated that it would be advantageous to increase the skin thickness locally e.g. in an area or annulus up to 150% of the transducer diameter, to reinforce that area and beneficially couple vibration energy into the panel. High frequency response will be improved with the softer foam materials by this means.
  • 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.
  • Effective said selective damping includes specific application to the panel including its sheet material of means permanently associated therewith. Edges and corners can be particularly significant for dominant and less dispersed low frequency vibration modes of panels hereof. Edge-wise fixing of damping means can usefully lead to a panel with its said sheet material fully framed, though their corners can often be relatively free, say for desired extension to lower frequency operation. Attachment can be by adhesive or self-adhesive materials. Other forms of useful damping, particularly in terms of more subtle effects and/or mid- and higher frequencies can be by way of suitable mass or masses affixed to the sheet material at predetermined effective medial localised positions of said area.
  • a panel as described above is a good receiver of sound which appears as acoustic vibration over the panel.
  • a preferably lightweight panel structure aids sensitivity and the vibration may be sensed by one and preferably more simple bending transducers e.g. of the piezo variety as described in Figure 4 below.
  • a plurality of transducers and transducer placement positions optimises the quality of coupling from the distributed panel vibrations to the desired electrical output signal. Placement should be in position(s) of high modal density, inboard of the panel, while the panel itself should have the preferred actual or equivalent geometry for good modal distribution.
  • Sound energy incident on the panel is converted into free mode vibration.
  • This vibration may be sensed by optical or electrodynamic vibration transducers and the result is a microphone.
  • optical or electrodynamic vibration transducers For non-critical applications a single sensor is effective, placed at an equivalent, optimised driving point.
  • the panel be light to provide the best match between the radiation impedance of the air and the panel. Higher sensitivity is achieved with lower mass panels.
  • the calculations for the theoretical model indicates an optimal location at a panel corner since all vibrational modes are 'voiced' at the corners.
  • FIG 3 illustrates a distributed mode panel (2) according to the present invention e.g. of the kind shown in Figures 1 and 2, intended for use as a sound receiver or microphone.
  • the panel (2) is mounted in a surrounding frame (1) and is attached to the frame via a resilient suspension (3) in the manner shown in Figures 1 and 2.
  • the frame is suspended on a pair of wires (33), e.g. from a ceiling or on a floor standing frame (not shown).
  • the panel carries an array of four vibration transducers (63) spaced over the panel and which may be piezo-electric transducers of the kind shown in Figure 4 below which are coupled in parallel to drive a signal receiver and conditioner (65) connected to an output (66).
  • FIG 4 shows a transducer (9) for a distributed mode panel (2) in the form of a crystalline disc-like piezo bender (27) mounted on a disc (118), e.g. of brass, which is bonded to a face of the panel (2), e.g. by an adhesive bond (20).
  • a transducer (9) for a distributed mode panel (2) in the form of a crystalline disc-like piezo bender (27) mounted on a disc (118), e.g. of brass, which is bonded to a face of the panel (2), e.g. by an adhesive bond (20).
  • a transducer (9) via leads (28) will cause the piezo disc (27) to bend and thus locally resiliently deform the panel (2) to launch bending waves into the panel.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Diaphragms For Electromechanical Transducers (AREA)
  • Piezo-Electric Transducers For Audible Bands (AREA)
  • Electrostatic, Electromagnetic, Magneto- Strictive, And Variable-Resistance Transducers (AREA)
  • Details Of Audible-Bandwidth Transducers (AREA)
  • Laminated Bodies (AREA)
  • Burglar Alarm Systems (AREA)
  • Circuit For Audible Band Transducer (AREA)
EP96929397A 1995-09-02 1996-09-02 Panel-form microphones Expired - Lifetime EP0847678B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (7)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB9517918.0A GB9517918D0 (en) 1995-09-02 1995-09-02 Acoustic device
GB9517918 1995-09-02
GB9522281 1995-10-31
GBGB9522281.6A GB9522281D0 (en) 1995-10-31 1995-10-31 Acoustic device
GB9606836 1996-03-30
GBGB9606836.6A GB9606836D0 (en) 1996-03-30 1996-03-30 Acoustic device
PCT/GB1996/002155 WO1997009862A1 (en) 1995-09-02 1996-09-02 Panel-form microphones

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0847678A1 EP0847678A1 (en) 1998-06-17
EP0847678B1 true EP0847678B1 (en) 1999-04-21

Family

ID=34865243

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP96929397A Expired - Lifetime EP0847678B1 (en) 1995-09-02 1996-09-02 Panel-form microphones

Country Status (13)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0847678B1 (ro)
JP (1) JPH11512254A (ro)
CN (1) CN1195463A (ro)
AT (1) ATE179297T1 (ro)
AU (1) AU703058B2 (ro)
CA (1) CA2230449A1 (ro)
DE (1) DE69602204T2 (ro)
DK (1) DK0847678T3 (ro)
EA (1) EA000640B1 (ro)
ES (1) ES2132952T3 (ro)
HK (1) HK1008652A1 (ro)
RO (1) RO119057B1 (ro)
WO (1) WO1997009862A1 (ro)

Families Citing this family (28)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE19757097B4 (de) * 1997-12-20 2004-04-15 Harman Audio Electronic Systems Gmbh Schallwiedergabeanordnung
ATE303051T1 (de) 1998-06-22 2005-09-15 Slab Technology Ltd Lautsprecher
DE19943084A1 (de) * 1999-09-09 2001-04-05 Harman Audio Electronic Sys Schallwandler
US10158337B2 (en) 2004-08-10 2018-12-18 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
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
JP2008516509A (ja) * 2004-10-08 2008-05-15 コーニンクレッカ フィリップス エレクトロニクス エヌ ヴィ パネル音響トランスデューサを有する表示装置及び透光性パネル音響トランスデューサ
JP2007116422A (ja) 2005-10-20 2007-05-10 Sony Corp 音声出力装置および方法
US10069471B2 (en) 2006-02-07 2018-09-04 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
US10848867B2 (en) 2006-02-07 2020-11-24 Bongiovi Acoustics Llc System and method for digital signal processing
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
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
ITMI20121414A1 (it) 2012-08-08 2014-02-09 Hst Italia Sistema di allarme con oggetti operanti sia come sensori sia come attuatori
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
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
US10639000B2 (en) 2014-04-16 2020-05-05 Bongiovi Acoustics Llc Device for wide-band auscultation
US9615813B2 (en) 2014-04-16 2017-04-11 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
WO2016092471A1 (en) * 2014-12-09 2016-06-16 Imax Emea Limited Methods and systems of vibrating a screen
US9638672B2 (en) 2015-03-06 2017-05-02 Bongiovi Acoustics Llc System and method for acquiring acoustic information from a resonating body
US9621994B1 (en) 2015-11-16 2017-04-11 Bongiovi Acoustics Llc Surface acoustic transducer
WO2017087495A1 (en) 2015-11-16 2017-05-26 Bongiovi Acoustics Llc Surface acoustic transducer
US11211043B2 (en) 2018-04-11 2021-12-28 Bongiovi Acoustics Llc Audio enhanced hearing protection system
WO2020028833A1 (en) 2018-08-02 2020-02-06 Bongiovi Acoustics Llc System, method, and apparatus for generating and digitally processing a head related audio transfer function

Family Cites Families (5)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3247925A (en) * 1962-03-08 1966-04-26 Lord Corp Loudspeaker
JPS5541066A (en) * 1978-09-19 1980-03-22 Sony Corp Diaphragm for electroacoustic converter
SE443483B (sv) * 1983-01-14 1986-02-24 Gustav Georg Arne Bolin Mottagardon for ljudvagor bestaende av en resonansskiva och en for dennas av ljudvagorna framkallade svengningar reagerande piezoelektrisk mikrofon av kristalltyp
US4751419A (en) * 1986-12-10 1988-06-14 Nitto Incorporated Piezoelectric oscillation assembly including several individual piezoelectric oscillation devices having a common oscillation plate member
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

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DK0847678T3 (da) 1999-10-25
EP0847678A1 (en) 1998-06-17
JPH11512254A (ja) 1999-10-19
HK1008652A1 (en) 1999-05-14
ES2132952T3 (es) 1999-08-16
ATE179297T1 (de) 1999-05-15
EA000640B1 (ru) 1999-12-29
RO119057B1 (ro) 2004-02-27
DE69602204D1 (de) 1999-05-27
EA199800262A1 (ru) 1998-10-29
AU6881296A (en) 1997-03-27
WO1997009862A1 (en) 1997-03-13
DE69602204T2 (de) 1999-09-16
AU703058B2 (en) 1999-03-11
CN1195463A (zh) 1998-10-07
CA2230449A1 (en) 1997-03-13

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