JPH11113086A - Speaker - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a foldable speaker by providing a hollow diaphragm made of flexible material, oscillating it in the state of packing a material in a hollow part to be sounded, and taking out the material in the hollow part to change a shape. SOLUTION: This speaker 10 is provided with the diaphragm 12 and a driving unit 14. The unit 14 is installed near the lower tip part of the center part of the diaphragm 12. The diaphragm 12 is formed in the structure having plural air chambers in the state of a beach mat made of vinyl resin and is developed to be flat panel structure by filling the air chambers with air. In this state, a reproduction signal is sent to the driving unit 14 to oscillate the diaphragm 12 to function as the speaker 10. When not used, air in the air chamber is pulled out of fold or roll the part of the diaphragm 12 to deform the shape to reduce the volume. Thereby, the speaker without needing much place in storing and transporting it is obtained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a speaker.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional speaker has a cone-shaped diaphragm,
It is composed of a transducer for vibrating the diaphragm, an enclosure (speaker box) containing the diaphragm and the transducer, and a buckle (plate-like). The transducer is disposed at the center of the cone-shaped diaphragm, and vibrates the diaphragm based on a sound reproduction signal.

[0003] Flat-type speakers having a flat diaphragm are also known. Whereas the cone-shaped diaphragm is formed of a relatively hard material and generates sound generally by piston movement, the flat diaphragm is formed of a relatively soft material and generates sound by bending waves.
For example, WO 97/09842 discloses a flat-type speaker having a flat diaphragm.

[0004]

A conventional speaker is arranged on a floor, a shelf, or the like, and is maintained at a fixed position without changing an angle with respect to a listener. Generally, the speakers are located at the corners of a room or square and are not moved during use. Conventional speakers have a uniform appearance and are not foldable. Also, the shape of a speaker with higher sound quality becomes larger.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a foldable speaker.

[0006]

According to the present invention, the shape of a speaker can be changed by using a diaphragm whose shape can be changed. As a result, the speaker expands during listening to form a vibrating surface, but folds up during storage and transportation to take up little space. A loudspeaker according to the first aspect of the present invention that achieves this is provided with a diaphragm having a hollow structure made of a flexible material, and makes a sound by vibrating the hollow portion with an object filled therein, and takes out an object in the hollow portion. In this way, the shape can be changed.

A speaker according to a second aspect of the present invention that achieves this is provided with a foldable frame, and a diaphragm made of a film-like material attached to the frame, and extending the frame to extend the diaphragm. The sound is produced by vibrating the diaphragm in a stretched state, and the shape of the diaphragm can be changed by folding the frame.

A speaker according to a third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that a plurality of diaphragms are connected, the plurality of diaphragms are folded when not in use, and the plurality of diaphragms are extended when in use. And

[0009]

1 and 2 are views showing a speaker 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The speaker 10 has a diaphragm 12 and a drive unit 14. Drive unit 1
Numeral 4 is attached to the center of the diaphragm 12 near the lower end.
The lower end of the diaphragm 12 is attached to the speaker stand 16 directly or via a buffer.

The diaphragm 12 is made of a flexible material having a hollow structure, and vibrates in a state where an object (for example, air) is filled in a hollow portion (air chamber) to emit a sound, and the object (air) in the hollow portion is produced. The shape can be changed by taking out. For example, the diaphragm 12 is made of vinyl resin and has a structure having a plurality of beach mat-shaped air chambers, and is filled with air to develop a flat panel structure as shown in FIG. In this state, a reproduction signal is sent to the drive unit 14 to vibrate the diaphragm 12 so as to function as the speaker 10.

When not in use, as shown in FIG. 2, the air can be evacuated from the air chamber, whereby the diaphragm 12 can be folded or rolled up to change its shape and reduce its volume. This makes it possible to provide the speaker 10 that does not take up space during storage or transportation. Also, by applying this technology to beach mats and floats,
You can realize beach mats and floats where you can listen to music.

As a material of such a diaphragm 12, a film of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), or polypropylene (PP) can be used. A chamber is formed and a plugged air port is formed. A suitable folding line may be formed in order to fold the diaphragm 12 into a predetermined shape.

FIG. 3 is a view showing an example of the drive unit 14. As shown in FIG. The drive unit 14 is of a type having a voice coil 18 and a permanent magnet 20. Voice coil 1
8 is fixed to the vibrating body 12. The permanent magnet 20 is the yoke 2
2, and the yoke 22 is attached to a frame 26 via a cushioning material 24. The frame 26 is fixed to the diaphragm 12 via a buffer material 28 at a point different from the fixing point of the voice coil 18 to the diaphragm 12.

When a current flows from the reproduction signal generating means to the voice coil 18, a relative motion occurs between the voice coil 18 and the permanent magnet 20, and the relative motion causes the diaphragm 1 to move.
2 vibrates and produces sound. Such a drive unit 1
The operation of No. 4 is known, and any type of drive unit 14 other than the one shown can be used.

FIGS. 4 to 6 show a speaker 10 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The speaker 10 has a diaphragm 12 and a drive unit 14. The drive unit 14 is mounted near the lower end of the diaphragm 12. The lower end of the diaphragm 12 is directly or through a cushioning material.
Attached to. Also in this embodiment, the diaphragm 12 is formed of a sheet of a flexible material.

In this embodiment, the speaker stand 16 is formed in a shape corresponding to the lower half of the box, and a case 30 corresponding to the upper half of the box is pivotally connected to the speaker stand 16 at a pivot 32. . The diaphragm 12 is mounted on foldable frames 34, 36. The frames 34 and 36 are formed in a frame shape surrounding the diaphragm 12,
The vibration plates 12 are pivotally connected to each other at a pivot portion 38 located on a horizontal center line. The lower frame 36 is pivotally connected to the speaker stand 16 at the pivot 32.

The diaphragm 12 is formed of a flexible film-like material, that is, a resin sheet similar to that described in the previous embodiment, and the frames 34 and 36 are formed of metal. The drive unit 14 is attached to the diaphragm 12 below the pivot 38 so that the diaphragm 12 can be folded together with the frames 34 and 36. Although the diaphragm 12 is folded in two in this embodiment, it can be folded in three. Further, the frames 34 and 36 may be umbrella-shaped frames or frames having a flexible structure that can be inflated with air.

FIG. 4 shows the operating state of the speaker 10, in which the speaker stand 16 and the case 30 are aligned in a horizontal plane, and the frames 34, 36 are extended in a vertical plane. Then, the diaphragm 12 is moved to the frames 34 and 36.
Is extended to a flat state. As shown in FIG. 7, the diaphragm 12 closes the frame 3 near the pivot 38.
4 and 36, when the frames 34 and 36 are folded, the frames 34 and 36 can be slightly slack near the pivot 38. However, as shown in FIG. In this state, the diaphragm 12 is flattened and tension is applied to the diaphragm 12. The resin diaphragm 12 functions as a diaphragm in a state where tension is applied, and generates a sound in response to a reproduced signal. This is the same in the previous embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a view showing an intermediate state in which the frames 34 and 36 are folded. The frame 34 is bent toward the speaker stand 16 and the frame 36 is bent toward the opposite side.
At this time, as shown in FIG. 7, the diaphragm 12 can be slightly slack near the pivot portion 38, thereby preventing excessive force from being applied to the diaphragm 12. FIG. 6 is a view showing a state where the frames 34 and 36 are completely folded. The frame 34 overlaps the bottom of the speaker stand 16, and the frame 36 overlaps the frame 34. Therefore, the case 30 can be moved so as to cover the frame 36, and the speaker 10 can be closed and carried or transported in an attache case shape.

FIG. 8 is a view showing a modified example of the diaphragm 12 used in the embodiment of FIGS. Although the diaphragm described with reference to FIG. 7 was flexible and could be bent, FIG.
Is formed of a material that is not suitable for bending. In this case, the diaphragm 12 has two panels 12X, 12X.
It is formed of Y. The two panels 12X and 12Y are attached to frames 34 and 36, respectively, and
When the 2X and 12Y are stretched in a straight line, the two panels 12X and 12Y are also stretched in a straight line so that the adjacent ends come into firm contact with each other and the two panels 12X and 12Y are folded. Sometimes two panels 12
X and 12Y are also folded and the adjacent ends are not always in firm contact with each other, preventing excessive force from being applied.

In the first embodiment, the internal pressure can be changed by adjusting the air pressure fed into the air chamber of the diaphragm 12. Further, in the second embodiment, the pressure applied to the diaphragm 12 can be adjusted at the attachment portion between the diaphragm 12 and the frames 34 and 36. By performing such adjustment, the user can fine-tune the sound quality.

Further, such adjustment can be automatically performed by a motor. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, there are an input terminal for audio and an input terminal for video, which are connected to an input selector. If either the audio or video signal is input, the signal is automatically selected.If the signal is input to the video input terminal, reduce the tension and the signal is input to the audio input terminal. If so, restore the tension. When both are input at the same time, the user explicitly selects a signal by the selector.
As a result, the motor is controlled by the tension controller, and the tension of the diaphragm 12 is changed.

As described above, the sound quality can be adjusted by automatically adjusting the tension according to the input signal, and a sound that is easy for the user to hear can be output. In addition, the internal pressure of the speaker can be adjusted by combining a compressor with the speaker shown in the first embodiment and controlling the compressor. This enables automatic adjustment of sound quality. A box-shaped speaker stand 1 is provided at the bottom of the frames 34 and 36 of the speaker 10 of the second embodiment.
6 are arranged. The speaker stand 16 has a hollow structure, and can accommodate the folded frames 34 and 36, the diaphragm 12 and the drive unit 14. Thereby, the main body of the speaker 10 can be protected during storage and transportation.

Further, the frames 34 and 36 of the speaker 10 according to the second embodiment can be driven by a motor, and can be expanded and folded by controlling the motor. As an initial operation when power is supplied to the speaker 10, the diaphragm 12 of the speaker is developed. Further, the diaphragm 12 of the speaker is stored as an end operation when the power is turned off. In this manner, the speaker 10 can be automatically expanded and folded. In this example, both deployment and folding of the speaker 10 are automatically performed. However, either deployment or folding of the speaker 10 can be automated by a simple method such as using a spring force. With these techniques, portability is expected to be improved in all portable devices having a voice output function, such as portable terminals such as mobile phones and notebook computers, boombox and the like.

Also, the speaker 12 can be assembled by disassembling the structure of the diaphragm 12, the drive unit 14, and the frames 34 and 36. By providing a plurality of types of perforations of the diaphragm 12 having different materials and shapes for such a speaker, a user can select a free part and create a speaker having a desired sound quality and shape.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention,
A speaker that unfolds during listening to form a large diaphragm, but does not take up much space during storage and transportation can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a speaker according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a folded state of the speaker of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a drive unit.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a speaker according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a diagram showing an intermediate state in which the frame of the speaker of FIG. 4 is folded.

6 is a diagram showing a state in which the frame of the speaker of FIG. 4 is completely folded.

FIG. 7 shows a diaphragm 12 used in the embodiment of FIGS. 4 to 6;
It is a figure showing an example of.

FIG. 8 shows a diaphragm 12 used in the embodiment of FIGS.
It is a figure which shows the modification of.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of applying tension to a diaphragm.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Speaker 12 ... Diaphragm 14 ... Drive unit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Shigemi Nagata 4-1-1, Kamiodanaka, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside Fujitsu Limited (72) Yasuo Sato 4-1-1, Kamiodanaka, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa No. 1 Inside Fujitsu Limited

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A diaphragm having a hollow structure made of a flexible material,
A loudspeaker characterized in that sound is produced by vibrating a hollow part filled with an object, and the shape can be changed by removing the object in the hollow part. 2. A foldable frame, comprising: a diaphragm made of a film-like material attached to the frame;
A loudspeaker characterized in that sound is produced by vibrating the diaphragm with the frame extended and the diaphragm extended, and the shape of the diaphragm can be changed by folding the frame. 3. The speaker according to claim 1, wherein sound quality is changed by changing an internal pressure of the hollow portion or changing a tension of the film-shaped material. 4. The speaker according to claim 3, wherein the sound quality is automatically changed according to an input signal. 5. A speaker comprising a plurality of diaphragms connected to each other, the plurality of diaphragms folded when not in use, and the plurality of diaphragms extended when used.