GB2204760A

GB2204760A - Improvements relating to microphone windshields

Info

Publication number: GB2204760A
Application number: GB08810920A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Arthur John Gozzard
Original assignee: Rycote Microphone Windshields Ltd
Current assignee: Rycote Microphone Windshields Ltd
Priority date: 1987-05-09
Filing date: 1988-05-09
Publication date: 1988-11-16
Anticipated expiration: 2008-05-09
Also published as: DE3815847C2; GB8711030D0; DE3815847A1; GB8810920D0; GB2204760B

Description

5_ 2204760 Improvements Relating to Microphone Windshields This invention

relates to microphone windshields and is an alternative to or complements those described in our co-pending Application Publication No. 2,184,916A and Appli'bation No. 8804897.

-It has the same general object, namely to protect a microphone from the effects of wind, which can considerably distort and interfere with the output, while also being a lightweight and easy to handle cover.

According to the present invention there is provideda microphone windshield comprising an outer layer or jacket of artificial fur supported by an intermediate body of open cell foam which provides a central mounting for a microphone.

Thus the substantially rigid plastics case is eliminated, and the outer layer or jacket is a permanent feature of the windshielding arrangement. The jacket will preferably be an artificial fur such as that described in the two earlier applications referred to above. 20 Conveniently, the intermediate body will have a generally cylindrical envelope, preferably domed at SL/MP least at the forward end, and will provide a co-axial passage which firmly but slightly resiliently supports the microphone.

The intermediate body may be ribbed or finned, the ribs or fins extending parallel to the cylindrical axis. They may be external, and the jacket will then be supported on their tips. Alternatively, they may be internal, and the microphone will then be supported on their tips. The intermediate body will preferably be resiliently flexible and may be formed from an initially flat piece of foam and then rolled into its generally cylindrical form. There may be no need to have any special means for holding the body in its rolled condition; the jacket itself when encasing it can perform this function.

Allied to this windshield, there is also preferably a shock-mount for the microphone comprising a hollow, generally cylindrical member with closed ends apart from apertures to receive the base of the microphone, the member being of soft rubber or plastics material and there being means for attaching the cylindrical portion, to a rigid mounting.

The member may comprise a cup-like part forming one end and the cylindrical portion, and a disc to close the mouth of the cup and provide the other end.

Alternatively, the member may comprise a cylinder and 5, SL/HGL .1 it t -3discs closing opposite ends. Preferably, the material will have a Shore hardness of 30-40.

The windshield outlined above would be fitted to this shock-mount with the foam body encasing the forward end of the microphone, and the artificial fur jacket sleeved over the body and secured to the shock-mount. The exterior of the cylindrical member may be annularly grooved near its forward end to facilitate this.

For a better understanding of the invention, some embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a cross section of a microphone windshield, Figure 2 is a cross section of another microphone windshield, Figure 3 is a perspective view of amicrophone windshield, showing a shock-mount, Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the windshield of Figure 3, and Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of a modified shock-mount.

The windshield of Figure 1 has a cylindrical jacket 1 comprising a tubular base 2 of stiff fabric with outwardly projecting fibres 3 forming a fur-like covering similar to those described in the previous Applications referred to above.

SL/HGL 0 Within this, there is a body 4 of star-shaped crosssection with a longitudinal central cylindrical passage 5. This body is of resiliently flexible open-cell foam and a microphone 6 fits snugly within this passage while the jacket 1 is supported by the points of the star, or rather the outer longitudinal edges of the ribs or fins 7 on the body.

Figure 2 shows a windshield with a similar jacket 1 but with a differently formed supporting body 8, not requiring the fabric base to span large gaps. The fabric can therefore be lighter and more pliable. The body 8 is again of open-cell foam, but when within the jacket its outer surface is completely cylindrical, while ribs or fins 9 project inwardly to form a starshaped void 10. A microphone 11 can be supported coaxially within this, being engaged by the inner edges of the ribs 9.

The body 4 or 8 may be formed as a "cylinder" in the first instance, or the non-ribbed surface may initially be flat, the body being curled around.into a "cylinder" with the ribs 7 outermost or the ribs 9 innermost, asthe case may be, before insertion into the jacket. This is indicated by the meeting line 12 in Figure 2.

In each case the forward end (not shown) at least of the completed foam body is preferably domed.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, these show another SL/HGL ( e z, windshield in which a microphone 13 is supported coaxially in a passage in an open-cell foam body 14 with an artificial fur jacket 15 sleeved over it. The microphone 13 is supported at its rear end in a shock- -mount rubber material 16 consisting of a soft rubber or artificial cup 17 and a closure disc 18 of thesame the Shore hardness preferably being in the range of 30-40. The base of the cup 17 is centrally apertured to receive and support the rear end of the microphone 13, connections 19 leading from the latter as shown in Figure 3. The disc 18 closes the mouth of the cup 17, with the microphone 13 passing through and being further supported by a central aperture in that disc.

- -The jacket 15 sleeved over the foam body 14 overlaps the forward end of the shock-mount 16. It can be secured to that by adhesive, press studs or other convenient means, but the preferred way is to use an external annular groove 20 in the forward end of the shock-mount- 16 into which the rear of the jacket can be nipped by a strap. There is no need positively to attach the foam body 14, which will be held captive bythis arrangement.

The shock-mount 16 is carried on a bracket 21 and is secured to it by bolts 22 before the cup 17 is closed by the disc 18.

It may be more convenient to construct the shock- SL/HGL d' mount as a tube 23 closed by discs 24 at each end, as shown in Figure 5.

The shock-mount could also be used separately from this embodiment, for example in other forms of windshield or by itself when windshielding is not required, particularly indoors.

SL/WL r j, k

Claims

1. A microphone windshield comprising an outer layer or jacket of artificial fur supported by an intermediate body of open cell foam which provides a central mounting for a microphone.

2. A windshield as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the intermediate body has a generally cylindrical envelope and provides a co-axial passage which firmly but slightly resiliently supports a microphone.

3. A windshield as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the intermediate body is domed at least at the forward end.

4. A windshield as claimed in Claim 2 or 3, wherein the intermediate body is ribbed or finned, the ribs or fins extending parallel to the cylindrical axis.

5. A windshield as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the fins or ribs are external and the jacket is supported on their tips.

6. A windshield as claimed in Claim 4, wherein thefins or ribs are internal and the microphone is supported on their tips.

7. A windshield as claimed in Claim 4,5 or 6, wherein the intermediate body is formed from an initially flat piece of foam and then rolled into its SL/WL (A / generally cylindrical form.

8. A windshield as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the intermediate body is held in its rolled form solely by encasement by the jacket.

9. A microphone windshield substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 or 2 of the accompanying drawings.

10. An assembly for mounting and windshielding a microphone comprising a windshield as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 9 and a shock-mount co-axially to the rear of the intermediate body and comprising a hollow, generally cylindrical member with closed ends apart from to receive the base of a microphone, the member being of soft rubber or plastics material and there being means for attaching the cylindrical portion to a rigid mounting.

11. An assembly as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the member comprises a cup-like part forming one end and the cylindrical portion, and a disc to close the mouth of the cup and provide the other end.

12. An assembly as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the member comprises a cylinder and discs closing opposite ends.

13. An assembly as claimed in Claim 10, 11 or 12, wherein the material has a Shore hardness of 30-40.

14. An assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 10 anertures SL/HGL 4 -9to 13, wherein the exterior of the cylindrical member is annularly grooved near one end to locate a rear edge portion of said outer layer or jacket.

15. An assembly for mounting and windshielding a -microphone substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 with either Figure 4 or Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.

SL/HGL Published 1988 at The Patent Office, State House, 66-171 High Holborn, London WC111 4TP. Further copies may be obtained from The Patent Office, Sale--- Branch, St Mary Cray. Orpington, Kent BR5 3RD. Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd, St Mary Cray, Kent. Con. 1/87.