EP3681172A1

EP3681172A1 - Acoustic apparatus

Info

Publication number: EP3681172A1
Application number: EP18850557.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hiroshi Yokota
Original assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co Ltd
Current assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co Ltd
Priority date: 2017-09-04
Filing date: 2018-08-22
Publication date: 2020-07-15
Also published as: WO2019044606A1; JP7038317B2; JP2019046270A; EP3681172A4

Abstract

It is an object of the present disclosure to provide an acoustic apparatus which enables the degree of design freedom of a housing to be increased. An acoustic apparatus includes: a housing (2) having a housing space (22); an operation button opening (513) formed in the housing (2); an operation button (6) disposed on an inner side of the operation button opening (513); and a sound outputter (70) provided to the housing space (22) and configured to output a sound. The operation button opening (513) is communicated with the housing space (22). Moreover, the acoustic apparatus has a gap (21) located at least part of a space between an edge of the operation button opening (513) and the operation button (6). In a front view of the operation button (6), the sound outputter (70) is disposed at a location where at least part of the sound outputter overlap the operation button (6).

Description

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to acoustic apparatuses, and specifically, to an acoustic apparatus including a housing in which a sound outputter is provided.

Background Art

Patent Literature 1 discloses a conventional acoustic apparatus. The warning device described in Patent Literature 1 includes a body, a cover to be attached to a front side of the body, and a back cover to be attached to a back side of the body. The body is provided with a piezoelectric loudspeaker. The cover has a large number of tone holes formed therein.
Here, in the cover having the large number of tone holes, design of a lower surface of the body is restricted.

Citation List

Patent Literature

Patent Literature 1: JP 2011-205613 A

Summary of Invention

It is an object of the present disclosure to provide an acoustic apparatus which enables the degree of design freedom of a housing to be increased.
An acoustic apparatus of one aspect according to the present disclosure includes: a housing having a housing space; an operation button opening communicated with the housing space and formed in the housing; an operation button disposed on an inner side of the operation button opening; a gap corresponding to at least part of a space between an edge of the operation button opening and the operation button; and a sound outputter provided in the housing space and configured to output a sound. In a front view of the operation button, the sound outputter is disposed at a location where at least part of the sound outputter overlaps the operation button.

Brief Description of Drawings

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an acoustic apparatus of one embodiment of the present disclosure;
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the acoustic apparatus;
FIG. 3 is a front view illustrating the acoustic apparatus, wherein an operation button in an illumination device is indicated by an imaginary line;
FIG. 4A is a sectional view illustrating a vicinity of the operation button, and FIG. 4B is a sectional view illustrating the operation button of FIG. 4A pushed in a rearward direction;
FIG. 5A is a perspective view illustrating an optical member of the acoustic apparatus, FIG. 5B is a back view illustrating the optical member, and FIG. 5C is a front view illustrating the optical member;
FIG. 6A is a side view illustrating the acoustic apparatus, FIG. 6B is a front view illustrating the acoustic apparatus in which a light source is emitting light, and FIG. 6C is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 6B;
FIG. 7A is a sectional view illustrating an optical path of an illuminator of the acoustic apparatus, FIG. 7B is a sectional view illustrating an optical path of an illuminator of a variation, and FIG. 7C is a sectional view illustrating an optical path of an illuminator of another variation;
FIG. 8 is a front view illustrating the acoustic apparatus, wherein an operation button in an illumination device is indicated by an imaginary line;
FIG. 9A is a partially cutaway view illustrating the acoustic apparatus with a vicinity of a sound outputter being cut away, and FIG. 9B is an enlarged sectional view of the sound outputter;
FIG. 10A is a front view illustrating a variation of the sound outputter, and FIG. 10B is a front view illustrating another variation of the sound outputter; and
FIG. 11A is a front view illustrating a variation, and FIG. 11B is a sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 11A.

Description of Embodiments

An acoustic apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the embodiment and variations described below are mere examples of various embodiments of the present disclosure. Various modifications may be made to the following embodiment depending on design and the like as long as the object of the present disclosure is achieved.

[Schema]

An acoustic apparatus of the present embodiment is an alarm 1 which is configured such that when the alarm 1 senses smoke caused by a fire or the like, the alarm 1 illuminates a path or the like, and in addition, outputs a sound such as a warning sound. The alarm 1 is attached to, for example, a ceiling surface or the like of a living room , a bedroom, a stairs, or a corridor in a dwelling house, or an office, a stairs, a corridor, or the like in a building other than the dwelling house.
The alarm 1 of the present embodiment has a function as an illumination device configured such that, for example, when the alarm 1 senses smoke, the alarm 1 illuminates a floor surface to light up an evacuation route and the like. The alarm 1 of the present embodiment further has a function as an acoustic apparatus configured such that, for example, when the alarm 1 senses smoke, the alarm 1 outputs not only the warning sound but also a sound such as a speech and the like.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the alarm 1 includes an operation button 6 provided on a surface of a housing 2. When the operation button 6 is pushed toward an inner side of the housing 2 while the alarm 1 is outputting a sound, the alarm 1 stops outputting the sound.
In the following description, in the alarm 1, the surface provided with the operation button 6 is defined as a front surface, and a surface facing the ceiling surface is defined as a back surface. A direction parallel to a direction from the back surface to the front surface of the alarm 1 is defined as a forward and rearward direction. Viewing an object from the front is defined as a "front view" of the object.

[Configuration]

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the alarm 1 includes an attachment, the housing 2, a circuit board 72, a sensor 74, an illuminator 8, a sound outputter 70, the operation button 6, and a battery 71.
The attachment is fixed to a surface (installation surface) such as the ceiling surface to which the alarm 1 is to be installed. In this state, the housing 2 is attached to the attachment. The attachment of the present embodiment includes a base plate 11. The base plate 11 has a fixing plate 111 and a rising part 112. The fixing plate 111 has a disk shape and has a back surface facing the installation surface. The rising part 112 protrudes from an outer periphery of the fixing plate 111 in the forward direction. The rising part 112 includes a plurality of holding claws 113 for holding the housing 2.
The housing 2 accommodates components such as the circuit board 72, the sensor 74, the illuminator 8, the sound outputter 70, and the battery 71 therein. The housing 2 has a housing space 22. The housing 2 includes a bottom plate 3, a side cover 4, and a top plate 5. The housing 2 is made of a synthetic resin, for example, a flame-retardant ABS resin.
The bottom plate 3 is detachably attached to the base plate 11. The bottom plate 3 is configured to be fit to an inner side of the rising part 112 of the base plate 11 and is hooked on the plurality of holding claws 113, thereby keeping a state where the bottom plate 3 is fit to the inner side of the rising part 112. The bottom plate 3 is fixed to the side cover 4 with a plurality of fixation tools 31 such as screws.
The side cover 4 is included in a side surface of the alarm 1. The side surface faces a direction orthogonal to the forward and rearward direction. The side cover 4 has a cylindrical shape whose central axis is parallel to the forward and rearward direction. The side cover 4 includes an outer periphery 41 and a partition 45.
The outer periphery 41 surrounds the base plate 11 and the bottom plate 3 (is located on an outer side of the base plate 11 and the bottom plate 3 in a direction orthogonal to the forward and rearward direction). The outer periphery 41 has a round shape in a front view thereof. The outer periphery 41 includes a front surface having a front opening 42 and a back surface having a back opening 43.
The partition 45 has a plate shape orthogonal to the forward and rearward direction and partitions an interior space surrounded by the outer periphery 41 in the forward and rearward direction. The partition 45 is disposed in front of the bottom plate 3 in a state where the bottom plate 3 is fixed to the side cover 4.
The top plate 5 is fixed to the side cover 4 in a state where the top plate 5 covers the front opening 42 of the outer periphery 41 (side cover 4). The top plate 5 has a disk shape. The top plate 5 is fixed to the bottom plate 3 and the side cover 4 with the plurality of fixation tools 31.
The housing space 22 is a space in which the components are to be accommodated. The housing space 22 is surrounded by the bottom plate 3, the side cover 4, and the top plate 5. The housing space 22 of the present embodiment has a first space and a second space.
The first space is a space surrounded by the top plate 5, the outer periphery 41, and the partition 45. In the first space, the circuit board 72, the illuminator 8, the sound outputter 70, and the battery 71 are disposed. The circuit board 72 is provided with a control circuit. The control circuit is electrically connected to the sensor 74, a light source 80 (LED) of the illuminator 8, the sound outputter 70, a push button switch 73 for stopping an output of a sound from the sound outputter 70, and the battery 71 and controls the light source 80 and the sound outputter 70. The circuit board 72 has a front surface provided with the light source 80 and the push button switch 73.
The second space is a space surrounded by the bottom plate 3, the outer periphery 41, and the partition 45. In the second space, the sensor 74 is disposed.
The sensor 74 is configured to sense the presence of smoke. The sensor 74 is provided on a back surface of the circuit board 72. The partition 45 has a through hole 46 formed at a location corresponding to the sensor 74. The sensor 74 passes through the through hole 46, thereby being disposed in the second space. That is, the sensor 74 is exposed in the second space.
The outer periphery 41 has a part (part corresponding to the second space) which is located behind the partition 45 and which has a plurality of slits 44. Each slit 44 extends along a circumferential direction of the outer periphery 41. The plurality of slits 44 are communicated with the second space and a space outside the housing 2. Thus, smoke which is present outside the housing 2 enters the second space through the plurality of slits 44.
The sensor 74 includes, for example, a photoelectric sensor. The photoelectric sensor includes a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element. When the light-emitting element outputs light with smoke being present in the second space, the light is irregularly reflected off the smoke. Thus, the light-receiving element senses the light irregularly reflected. When the light-receiving element senses a certain quantity of light, the control circuit senses the presence of the smoke. When the control circuit senses the presence of the smoke based on a signal output from the sensor 74, the control circuit outputs an electric signal to the sound outputter 70 so as to cause the sound outputter 70 to operate.
The push button switch 73 is a switch configured to stop an output of a sound from the sound outputter 70. The push button switch 73 is configured to be pushed by an operation piece 54 (FIG. 3) of the top plate 5 when a front surface of the operation button 6 is pushed in the rearward direction.
The operation button 6 receives an operation from outside the alarm 1 to be able to switch functions. When the operation button 6 of the present embodiment is operated in a state where the sound outputter 70 is outputting a sound, the operation button 6 switches the state to a state where the sound outputter 70 is not outputting the sound. The operation button 6 is provided in the opening 51 formed in a front surface of the top plate 5.
The opening 51 is a section rearwardly recessed from the front surface of the top plate 5. The opening 51 has a round shape in a front view thereof. The opening 51 includes a peripheral wall section 511 and a partition 512 (support plate) having the operation piece 54.
The peripheral wall section 511 has a cylindrical shape whose center axis is elongated in the forward and rearward direction. The peripheral wall section 511 has surfaces on both sides in a thickness direction thereof, and one of the surfaces which faces the center axis is an inner peripheral surface of the opening 51. An edge line at which a front end of the inner peripheral surface intersects with the front surface of the top plate 5 forms an opening in the top plate 5. The opening is referred to as an operation button opening 513. Note that the peripheral wall section 511 does not have to have a cylindrical shape but may have a rectangular tubular shape.
The operation button 6 is attached to the partition 512. The partition 512 includes a pair of shaft bodies 631 which will be described later and a pore (second pore 53) which supports a restriction claw 65. The pair of shaft bodies 631 are configured to support a pair of hook pieces 641. The partition 512 supports the operation button 6 in a state where the operation button 6 is attached to the partition 512. The partition 512 is provided at a rear end of the peripheral wall section 511. The partition 512 has a plate shape orthogonal to the forward and rearward direction. The partition 512 has a front surface corresponding to a bottom surface of the opening 51. The partition 512 is located between the operation button 6 and the sound outputter 70 when the top plate 5 is fixed to the side cover 4.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, the partition 512 includes a first pore 52 and a second pore 53. Here, as illustrated in FIG. 3, on a plane orthogonal to the forward and rearward direction, a straight line passing through the center of the operation button 6 is defined as a first virtual straight line 100, and a straight line passing through the center of the operation button 6 and orthogonal to the first virtual straight line 100 is defined as a second virtual straight line 200.
The first pore 52 is part of an acoustic space 520 which will be described later. The first pore 52 is formed on the second virtual straight line 200 and along an outer edge of the partition 512. In the partition 512, the second pore 53 is located on an opposite side of the first virtual straight line 100 from the first pore 52 and is on the second virtual straight line 200. That is, the second pore 53 is provided on an opposite side from the first pore 52 in the radial direction of the opening 51. The first pore 52 and the second pore 53 penetrate through the partition 512. Thus, the operation button opening 513 is communicated with the housing space 22 via the first pore 52 and the second pore 53. The first pore 52 and the second pore 53 will be described later in detail.
The operation piece 54 is provided to the partition 512. The operation piece 54 is a piece obtained by separating part of the partition 512 from the other portions by a slit having a U-shape in a front view and is configured to elasticity deform when pushed in the rearward direction. As illustrated in FIG. 4A, the operation piece 54 includes an elasticity piece 541 which is elastically deformable and an operation projection 542 facing an operation surface of the push button switch 73.
The operation button 6 includes a button body 61 included in a main body of the operation button 6 and a pressure projection 62 protruding in the rearward direction from a back surface of the button body 61. The pressure projection 62 has a tip end disposed to face a portion of the elasticity piece 541, the portion being located between the operation projection 542 and a base of the elasticity piece 541. Thus, when the operation button 6 is pushed in the rearward direction, as illustrated in FIG. 4B, the pressure projection 62 pushes the elasticity piece 541 in the rearward direction, and the elasticity piece 541 warps in the rearward direction. Then, the operation projection 542 pushes the push button switch 73.
The operation button 6 is disposed on an inner side of the operation button opening 513. Saying that the operation button 6 is disposed on an inner side of the operation button opening 513 includes not only that the front surface of the operation button 6 is flush with the front surface of the top plate 5 but also that the operation button 6 is located rearward or forward with respect to the front surface of the top plate 5. That is, the operation button 6 is, in a front view thereof, disposed at least on the inner side of the operation button opening 513. In other words, at least part of the operation button 6 is disposed in the operation button opening 513.
The housing 2 has a single-sided hinge structure for rotatably attaching the operation button 6 to the top plate 5. The single-sided hinge structure includes the pair of shaft bodies 631 provided to the housing 2 and a bearing 64 provided to the button body 61.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, the pair of shaft bodies 631 extend in a direction orthogonal to the second virtual straight line 200 in the front view of the operation button 6, and the pair of shaft bodies 631 are apart from each other with the second virtual straight line 200 at the center. Each shaft body 631 has a cylindrical shape. The first pore 52 has a line symmetric shape with respect to the second virtual straight line 200. The pair of shaft bodies 631 protrude from a pair of surfaces in a direction in which the pair of shaft bodies 631 face each other, the pair of surfaces being included in an inner peripheral surface of the first pore 52 and facing each other in a direction along the first virtual straight line 100. A straight line connecting the centers of the pair of shaft bodies 631 is a rotation axis 63 of the operation button 6.
The rotation axis 63 is a uniform straight line serving as the center of rotation of the operation button 6. In the front view of the operation button 6, the rotation axis 63 is located between the center of the operation button 6 and an outer periphery of the operation button 6. The rotation axis 63 is parallel to the first virtual straight line 100.
As illustrated in FIG. 4A, the bearing 64 protrudes from the back surface of the button body 61. The bearing 64 includes a pair of hook pieces 641 each having an L-section. The pair of hook pieces 641 are disposed to be apart from each other in the direction along the first virtual straight line 100. The pair of hook pieces 641 are hooked on the pair of shaft bodies 631 on a one-to-one basis. Thus, the operation button 6 rotates about the rotation axis 63 when the front surface of the operation button 6 is pushed toward the housing 2.
The operation button 6 includes the restriction claw 65. The restriction claw 65 restricts displacement in a direction opposite from a rotation direction (specifically, a push direction of rotation directions about the rotation axis 63) when the front surface of the operation button 6 is pushed toward the housing 2. Thus, in a state where the operation button 6 is attached to the housing 2, the operation button 6 is restricted from rotating in a direction which is one of rotation directions about the rotation axis 63 and which is opposite from the push direction.
Note that the single-sided hinge structure does not have to include the pair of shaft bodies 631 but has at least a portion serving as the rotation axis 63. The single-sided hinge structure of the present embodiment is made of a synthetic resin but may be made of other materials by two-color molding, insert molding, or the like.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the alarm 1 includes the illuminator 8. The illuminator 8 emits light such that as the light propagates in the traveling direction, the light diffuses in the radial direction. The light is emitted from the illuminator 8 in a conical shape viewed as a whole. The illuminator 8 includes the light source 80 and an optical member 9.
The light source 80 includes light-emitting diodes (LEDs) attached to the circuit board 72. That is, the light source 80 is provided in the housing 2. The color of light output from the light source 80 is white but may be red, blue, or the like.
The optical member 9 is on an optical axis of the light source 80 in the housing 2 (in the first space). The optical member 9 is made of a transparent material such as acrylic, glass, or the like. As illustrated in FIG. 5A, the optical member 9 includes: a focusing lens 91 having a first incidence plane 911; an adjacent part 92 having a second incidence plane 921; a light guide 93 having a first exit plane 94 and a second exit plane 95; and a pair of support legs 96.
The focusing lens 91 collects light emitted from the light source 80. The focusing lens 91 includes an incidence plane (first incidence plane 911) via which light output from the light source 80 enters the focusing lens 91. The first incidence plane 911 has a convex lens shape and is spherically curved to protrude toward the light source 80.
The light guide 93 guides the light collected by the focusing lens 91 to the first exit plane 94. The light guide 93 is integrally formed with the focusing lens 91. The light guide 93 extends in the forward and rearward direction. The light guide 93 has a pair of inclined surfaces 931. The pair of inclined surfaces 931 face each other in a width direction of the first exit plane 94. The pair of inclined surfaces 931 are tilted such that the distance between the pair of inclined surfaces 931 decreases toward the front. The light guide 93 has an end surface in the forward direction, and the end surface is the first exit plane 94.
The first exit plane 94 is a surface from which light passing through the first incidence plane 911 is output outside the housing 2. As illustrated in FIG. 6A, the first exit plane 94 is disposed in a hole section 66.
The hole section 66 is recessed from the surface of the housing 2. As illustrated in FIG. 6C, the hole section 66 includes a pair of inner side surfaces 661 and a bottom surface 662. The pair of inner side surfaces 661 are apart from each other in a radial direction of the opening 51. The bottom surface 662 is located on a rear side of the pair of inner side surfaces 661. In the present embodiment, one of the pair of inner side surfaces 661 is the inner peripheral surface of the opening 51 of the top plate 5, and the other is the outer periphery of the operation button 6. The bottom surface 662 is part of the front surface of the partition 512. The hole section 66 is, in a front view thereof, formed concentrically with the housing 2 and extends along a surface of the housing 2.
As illustrated in FIG. 6B, the first exit plane 94 has a shape elongated along the longitudinal direction of the hole section 66. As illustrated in FIG. 5C, the first exit plane 94 has, in a front view thereof, a length in a direction in which the hole section 66 extends, and the first exit plane 94 has a width in a direction orthogonal to the length. The length of the first exit plane 94 is larger than the width of the first exit plane 94. The first exit plane 94 has an arc-like shape in a front view of the first exit plane 94.
The area S₂ of the first exit plane 94 is smaller than the area S₁ of the first incidence plane 911. As illustrated in FIG. 7A, when light output from the light source 80 enters the focusing lens 91 through the first incidence plane 911, the light passing through the first incidence plane 911 is collected by the focusing lens 91. The focal point of light collected is located rearward of the first exit plane 94. Then, light passing through the first exit plane 94 is radiated while diverging. Thus, the area S₂ of the first exit plane 94 is smaller than the area S₁ of the first incidence plane 911, and therefore, it is possible to make the first exit plane 94 less noticeable. Moreover, since the area S₁ of the first incidence plane 911 is larger than the area S2 of the first exit plane 94, a larger quantity of light can be secured than in a case where the area of the incidence plane is equal to the area of the exit plane. In sum, while the area of first incidence plane 911 is maintained to be larger than or equal to a certain area so as to secure the quantity of light, it is possible to make the first exit plane 94 in the housing 2 less noticeable.
The first exit plane 94 is, for example, not limited to the end surface of the light guide 93 but may be a form as illustrated in FIG. 7B. An exit plane of a variation shown in FIG. 7B includes an opening plane 941 of a pore 940 formed in a partition 512. The pore 940 penetrates through the partition 512. An optical member 9 is a focusing lens 91. The incidence plane (first incidence plane 911) of the focusing lens 91 is a portion which is part of a back surface of the focusing lens 91 and which is irradiated with light. The area of the opening plane 941 is smaller than the area of the incidence plane of the focusing lens 91.
Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 7C, the incidence plane (first incidence plane 911) may be flat. When the optical member 9 is the focusing lens 91, the focusing lens 91 may be a convex lens in which the incidence plane of the focusing lens 91 is flat, and a plane from which light passing through the focusing lens 91 is output spherically protrudes in a travelling direction of the light. Moreover, the optical member 9 does not include the focusing lens 91 and may include only the light guiding member.
As illustrated in FIG. 5A, the adjacent part 92 includes the second incidence plane 921. The adjacent part 92 is adjacent to an area around the focusing lens 91 and is integrally formed with the focusing lens 91. The second incidence plane 921 is provided to a back surface of the adjacent part 92. The second incidence plane 921 is formed around the first incidence plane 911 and adjoins the first incidence plane 911.
The second exit plane 95 is a surface from which light passing through the second incidence plane 921 from the light source 80 is output into the hole section 66. In the light guide 93, the second exit plane 95 includes surfaces on both sides in the length direction of the first exit plane 94. From the second exit plane 95, light exits in a direction different from a direction in which light exits from the first exit plane 94. In the present embodiment, an optical axis of light output via the second exit plane 95 and an optical axis of light output via the first exit plane 94 intersect with each other.
As illustrated in FIG. 6B, the first exit plane 94 and the second exit plane 95 are disposed at a location where the inner peripheral surface of the opening 51 of the housing 2 intersects with the first virtual straight line 100 in plan view. From the first exit plane 94, light exits in the forward direction. That is, the first exit plane 94 allows light to go out toward a space below the ceiling surface. From the second exit plane 95, light exits along the longitudinal direction of the hole section 66. Thus, the light exiting from the second exit plane 95 is radiated downward from the entire perimeter of a gap 21 having an annular shape formed in the hole section 66.
Here, the hole section 66 has an annular shape and has the pair of inner side surfaces 661 and the bottom surface 662. The gap 21 has the annular shape and includes the pair of inner side surfaces 661. The gap 21 is included in the hole section 66.
Each inner side surface 661 of the hole section 66 has a smaller surface roughness than the roughness of the surface of the housing 2 (that is, the surface of the housing 2 is rougher than the inner side surface 661 of the hole section 66). In the alarm 1 of the present embodiment, the front surface of the top plate 5 is embossed, but both of the pair of inner side surfaces 661 of the hole section 66 are not embossed. Moreover, in the alarm 1 of the present embodiment, the bottom surface 662 is not embossed. Thus, disposing the second exit plane 95 in the hole section 66 enables light exiting from the second exit plane 95 to be reflected toward the pair of inner side surfaces 661 of the hole section 66. This enables a part between the operation button 6 and the opening 51 of the housing 2 to be illuminated, and thereby, illumination for striking up the operation button 6 is possible.
Note that only one of the pair of inner side surfaces 661 of the hole section 66 may have a lower surface roughness than the surface of the housing 2. Moreover, the inner side surfaces 661 of the hole section 66 may be mirror-finished.
The alarm 1 in the present embodiment includes a sound outputter 70. The sound outputter 70 outputs a sound (sound wave). The sound outputter 70 of the present embodiment includes a loudspeaker 700 configured to convert an electric signal into a sound. The loudspeaker 700 includes a diaphragm and mechanically vibrates the diaphragm in accordance with the electric signal to generate a sound. The loudspeaker 700 has a round shape in a front view thereof and has a disk shape. The loudspeaker 700 is smaller than the operation button 6 in the front view of the operation button 6. In other words, the operation button 6 is larger than the loudspeaker 700.
As illustrated in FIG. 8, the loudspeaker 700 overlaps the rotation axis 63 in the front view of the operation button 6, and the center 703 of the loudspeaker 700 is located between the first virtual straight line 100 and the rotation axis 63 in a direction along the second virtual straight line 200. Thus, the loudspeaker 700 at least partially overlaps the operation button 6 in the front view of the operation button 6.
The first pore 52 penetrates the partition 512. The partition 512 has a uniform thickness. The first pore 52 is within the loudspeaker 700 in the front view of the operation button 6 and is smaller than the loudspeaker 700. That is, in the front view of the operation button 6, the area of the first pore 52 is smaller than the area of the loudspeaker 700.
The loudspeaker 700 is disposed behind the partition 512. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 9, a space having a dimension greater than or equal to the thickness of the partition 512 is formed in front of the loudspeaker 700. The space forms the acoustic space 520.
The alarm 1 includes a gap 21 between an edge of the opening 51 of the top plate 5 and the operation button 6. The gap 21 extends over the entire length of the outer perimeter of the operation button 6. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the acoustic space 520 overlaps at least part of the gap 21 in the entire length of the gap 21 in a plan view of the operation button 6. In sum, the acoustic space 520 connects the loudspeaker 700 to the gap 21.
When a sound is output from a front surface of the loudspeaker 700, the sound propagates in the acoustic space 520 as illustrated in FIG. 9 and is output to the outside through the gap 21. In the present embodiment, of the gap 21 formed between an edge of the opening 51 of the top plate 5 and the operation button 6, a gap corresponding to the first pore 52 and a first recess 55 which will be described later is a tone hole. That is, in the present embodiment, the gap 21 serves as the tone hole, and therefore, the gap 21 is formed at least between the first virtual straight line 100 and the rotation axis 63.
As illustrated in FIG. 8, the partition 512 has a pair of recesses (first recesses 55) extending along the longitudinal direction (circumferential direction) of the gap 21 from the first pore 52 in the front view of the operation button 6. A space (space in front of the recess) in the first recess 55, connect the first pore 52 to the gap 21.
Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 9B, the housing 2 is provided with a sound shielding structure 57. The sound shielding structure 57 limits a sound passing range of the gap 21 in the entire length of the gap 21 to a certain range. The sound shielding structure 57 includes a first vertical surface 571, a horizontal surface 572 orthogonal to the first vertical surface 571, and a second vertical surface 573 orthogonal to the horizontal surface 572. The first vertical surface 571 and the second vertical surface 573 are parallel to the forward and rearward directions and are orthogonal to the front surface of the partition 512.
The sound shielding structure 57 suppresses a sound output to the acoustic space 520 from going out through part, other than a range corresponding to the first pore 52 and the first recess 55, of the gap 21. Thus, the sound of the alarm 1 of the present embodiment is mainly output through the gap 21 corresponding to the first pore 52 and the first recess 55. This reduces clipping noise caused due to sounds which have the same frequency but which are output from locations apart from each other.
Moreover, the loudspeaker 700 of the present embodiment is configured to output two or more types of sounds (sound waves). The loudspeaker 700 is configured to output a first sound which can be output from a first portion 701 of the loudspeaker 700 and a second sound which can be output from a second portion 702 of the loudspeaker 700 as the two or more types of sounds.
The first sound includes a voice sound and a warning sound. The first sound has a frequency within a voice band (e.g., higher than or equal to 200 Hz and lower than or equal to 4000 Hz) and a frequency within a warning sound band (e.g., higher than or equal to 500 Hz and lower than or equal to 1000 Hz). The first sound is output from the front surface (first portion 701) of a diaphragm of the loudspeaker 700.
The second sound includes a vibration sound generated when the diaphragm of the loudspeaker 700 vibrates. The second sound is different from the first sound. The phase of the second sound is a reverse phase of the phase of the first sound. The second sound is output from a back surface (second portion 702) of the diaphragm of the loudspeaker 700.
The partition 512 has a second pore 53 and a second recess 56 via which the second sound is allowed to be output to the outside. The second pore 53 and the second recess 56 are formed on an opposite side from the first pore 52 in a radial direction of the opening 51. The second recess 56 extends in a longitudinal direction (circumferential direction) of the gap 21. The space in the second recess 56 is communicated with the second pore 53 and the gap 21.
The alarm 1 of the present embodiment outputs, from the front surface (first portion 701) of the diaphragm of the loudspeaker 700, a warning sound as the first sound. Then, the alarm 1 outputs, from the front surface of the diaphragm of the loudspeaker 700, voice as the first sound. These first sounds pass through the acoustic space 520 and are output through the gap 21 to the outside.
At this time, the vibration sound as the second sound output from the back surface (second portion 702) of the diaphragm of the loudspeaker 700 passes a space (space behind the partition 512) between the partition 512 and the circuit board 72 and goes through an opening of the second pore 53 to the outside of the housing 2.
Then, the sound gone through the opening of the second pore 53 to the outside of the housing 2 is output via the space in the second recess 56 through the gap 21.
Note that since the first sound and the second sound are output from respective different locations of the gap 21, the first sound and the second sound may reinforce or cancel each other, that is, interfere with each other. In the alarm 1 of the present embodiment, the traveling distance of the first sound and the traveling distance of the second sound are determined such that no interfere of the first sound and the second sound with each other occurs, but if the interference occurs, it is possible to handle the interference by the following method.
As illustrated in FIGS. 11A and 11B, providing a separator 58 enables the occurrence of interference to be reduced. The separator 58 is provided between the loudspeaker 700 and the second pore 53. The separator 58 protrudes from a back surface of the partition 512 in the rear direction. The separator 58 has a tip end which is in contact with or in the proximity of the circuit board 72. The separator 58 extends along the first virtual straight line 100 and extends in a direction intersecting with a straight line passing through the loudspeaker 700 and the second pore 53. On both sides in a longitudinal direction of the separator 58, spaces are located.
Since the separator 58 is provided between the loudspeaker 700 and the second pore 53, the second sound output from the back surface of the diaphragm of the loudspeaker 700 passes between the partition 512 and the circuit board 72 but is transmitted to bypass the separator 58 at this time. Thus, the traveling distance of the second sound increases. That is, the separator 58 enables the traveling distance of the second sound to be adjusted, and therefore, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of interference.
In the present embodiment, the loudspeaker 700 is disposed at a location such that the loudspeaker 700 overlaps the rotation axis 63 in the front view of the operation button 6, but as illustrated in FIG. 10A, the loudspeaker 700 does not have to overlap the rotation axis 63. In this case, the center 703 of the loudspeaker 700 is located between the first virtual straight line 100 and the rotation axis 63 in the front view of the operation button 6.
Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 10B, the operation button 6 does not have to be concentric with the housing 2 in the front view of the operation button 6. In this case, the loudspeaker 700 is at least disposed at a location such that at least part of the loudspeaker 700 overlaps the operation button 6 in the front view of the operation button 6, and thereby, part of the gap 21 can be the tone hole.

[Application]

The acoustic apparatus according to the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment. Various modifications are possible depending on design and the like as long as the object of the present disclosure can be achieved.
In one variation, the sensor 74 is not limited to a sensor configured to sense smoke. For example, the sensor 74 may be configured to sense flame or heat.
In one variation, the operation button 6 does not have to be configured to stop a sound from the sound outputter 70. For example, the operation button 6 may be an operation button for switching modes of the alarm.
In one variation, the opening 51 does not have to be provided with the peripheral wall section 511 but may be a through hole for the operation button 6 formed in the top plate 5.
In one variation, the optical member 9 has to be provided with neither the second incidence plane 921 nor the second exit plane 95.
The illuminator 8 of the above-described embodiment is configured to conically emit light, but the illuminator 8 is not limited to this example. In one variation, the illuminator 8 may emit light such that a specific shape (e.g., arrow shape) is displayed by light shining on a floor surface.
In the illuminator 8 of the above-described embodiment, a focal point of light passing through the focusing lens is located rearward of the first exit plane 94, but the focal point may be located forward of the first exit plane 94.
The sound outputter 70 does not have to have a round shape in the front view of the operation button 6 but may have, for example, a quadrangular shape, or an elliptical shape. Moreover, the sound outputter 70 does not have to be the loudspeaker but may be configured to output a warning sound by using a diaphragm.
In one variation, the second pore 53 does not have to be located on an opposite side of the center of the first virtual straight line 100 from the first pore 52. The second pore 53 is at least located at a location different from the first pore 52.

[Aspect]

As described above, an acoustic apparatus of a first aspect includes: a housing (2) having a housing space (22); an operation button opening (513) formed in the housing (2); an operation button (6) disposed on an inner side of the operation button opening (513); and a sound outputter (70) provided to the housing space (22) and configured to output a sound. The operation button opening (513) is communicated with the housing space (22). Moreover, the acoustic apparatus has a gap (21) corresponding to at least part of a space between an edge of the operation button opening (513) and the operation button (6). In a front view of the operation button (6), the sound outputter (70) is disposed at a location where at least part of the sound outputter overlap the operation button (6).
This configuration enables a sound output from the sound outputter (70) to be output through the gap (21) between the edge of the operation button opening (513) and the operation button (6), and therefore, a dedicated tone hole does not have to be provided, and it is thus possible to improve the degree of design freedom of the housing.
In an acoustic apparatus of a second aspect referring to the first aspect, the operation button (6) is configured to rotate about a rotation axis (63) when a front surface of the operation button (6) is pushed into the housing (2). The rotation axis (63) is located between a center of the operation button (6) and an outer periphery of the operation button (6) in the front view of the operation button (6). At least part of the gap (21) is located at a side of the rotation axis (63) viewed from a virtual straight line (100) which is parallel to the rotation axis (63) and which runs through the center of the operation button (6) in the front view of the operation button (6). The sound outputter (70) has a center (703) located at a side of the rotation axis (63) viewed from the virtual straight line (100) in the front view of the operation button (6).
This configuration enables a sound to be output from part of the gap close to a location at which the operation button (6) is attached to the housing (2), and therefore, it is possible to reduce vibration of the operation button (6). Thus, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of clipping noise.
In an acoustic apparatus of a third aspect referring to the second aspect, the sound outputter (70) is disposed at a location such that the sound outputter (70) overlaps the rotation axis (63) in the front view of the operation button (6).
This configuration enables vibration of the operation button (6) to further be reduced.
In an acoustic apparatus of a fourth aspect referring to any one of the first to third aspects, the housing (2) includes a partition (512) located between the operation button (6) and the sound outputter (70). The partition (512) further includes an acoustic space (520) penetrating through the partition (512) and connecting the sound outputter (70) to the gap (21).
This configuration enables a sound with improved sound effect to be output.
In an acoustic apparatus of a fifth aspect referring to the fourth aspect, the partition (512) includes at least one recess (55) extending from the acoustic space (520) along the gap (21) in plan view of the operation button (6). The acoustic space (520) is communicated with the gap (21) via a space in the at least one recess (55).
This configuration enables a sound to be output through a gap having a range larger than the width of the acoustic space (520) even when the acoustic space (520) has a narrow width.
An acoustic apparatus of a sixth aspect referring to any one of the first to fifth aspects further includes a sound shielding structure (57) configured to limit to a certain range, a range in which the sound passes, of the gap (21).
This configuration enables the range in which the sound is output to be limited to the certain range even when the range of the gap (21) is wide. Therefore, it is possible to reduce clipping noise which is caused due to a difference caused in traveling distance.
In an acoustic apparatus of a seventh aspect referring to any one of the first to sixth aspects, the operation button (6) is larger than the sound outputter (70) in the front view of the operation button (6).
With this configuration, the operation button (6) occupies a large proportion of the housing (2), and therefore, the operation button (6) is easy to be operated, and in addition, the gap (21) through which a sound is output is easy to be designed.
In an acoustic apparatus of an eighth aspect referring to any one of the first to seventh aspects, the sound outputter (70) is configured to output, in addition to a first sound as the sound, a second sound different from the first sound. The housing (2) has a pore (53) formed at a location other than the gap (21), through the pore (53), the second sound is to be output to an outside of the housing (2).
This configuration enables stereoscopic characteristics to be imparted to a sound.
In an acoustic apparatus of a ninth aspect referring to any one of the first to eighth aspects, the acoustic apparatus is an alarm (1) and the sound outputter (70) is configured to output a warning sound as the sound.
With this configuration, a dedicated tone hole does not have to be provided, and it is thus possible to provide an alarm with a high degree of design freedom.
The configurations of the second to ninth aspects are not essential configurations of the acoustic apparatus and may be omitted accordingly.

Reference Signs List

1: ALARM
2: HOUSING
21: GAP
22: HOUSING SPACE
512: PARTITION
513: OPERATION BUTTON OPENING
520: ACOUSTIC SPACE
53: SECOND PORE (PORE)
55: FIRST RECESS (RECESS)
57: SOUND SHIELDING STRUCTURE
6: OPERATION BUTTON
63: ROTATION AXIS
66: HOLE SECTION
661: INNER SIDE SURFACE
70: SOUND OUTPUTTER
703: CENTER
100: FIRST VIRTUAL STRAIGHT LINE (VIRTUAL STRAIGHT LINE)

Claims

An acoustic apparatus, comprising:
a housing having a housing space;

an operation button opening communicated with the housing space and formed in the housing;

an operation button disposed on an inner side of the operation button opening;

a gap corresponding to at least part of a space between an edge of the operation button opening and the operation button; and

a sound outputter provided in the housing space and configured to output a sound,

in a front view of the operation button, the sound outputter being disposed at a location where at least part of the sound outputter overlaps the operation button.
The acoustic apparatus of claim 1, wherein
the operation button is configured to rotate about a rotation axis when a front surface of the operation button is pushed into the housing, the rotation axis being located between a center of the operation button and an outer periphery of the operation button in the front view of the operation button,
at least part of the gap is located at a side of the rotation axis viewed from a virtual straight line which is parallel to the rotation axis and which runs through the center of the operation button in the front view of the operation button, and
the sound outputter has a center located at a side of the rotation axis viewed from the virtual straight line in the front view of the operation button.
The acoustic apparatus of claim 2, wherein
the sound outputter is disposed at a location such that the sound outputter overlaps the rotation axis in the front view of the operation button.
The acoustic apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein
the housing includes a partition located between the operation button and the sound outputter, and
the partition further includes an acoustic space penetrating through the partition and connecting the sound outputter to the gap.
The acoustic apparatus of claim 4, wherein
the partition includes at least one recess extending from the acoustic space along the gap in plan view of the operation button, and
the acoustic space is communicated with the gap via a space in the at least one recess.
The acoustic apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a sound shielding structure configured to limit to a certain range, a range in which the sound passes,of the gap.
The acoustic apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein
the operation button is larger than the sound outputter in the front view of the operation button.
The acoustic apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein
the sound outputter is configured to output, in addition to a first sound as the sound, a second sound different from the first sound, and
the housing has a pore formed at a location other than the gap, and through the pore, the second sound is to be output to an outside of the housing.
The acoustic apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein
the acoustic apparatus is an alarm, and the sound outputter is configured to output a warning sound as the sound.