US20070287344A1

US20070287344A1 - Fabric Construction Specifically For Damper

Info

Publication number: US20070287344A1
Application number: US11/423,453
Authority: US
Inventors: Hiroshi Ohara
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-06-12
Filing date: 2006-06-12
Publication date: 2007-12-13

Abstract

The present invention provides a fabric structure specifically for dampers. Its major feature is to weave metal yarns with non-metal yarns into a fabric body, which, after proper production steps, is then molded into dampers. Such a damper structure incorporating metal yarns may greatly enhance the mechanical properties of dampers, as well as improve the manufacturing yield and tear-resistance performance of the product. The metal yarns and non-metal yarns may be woven in various ways of arrangement, depending on the objective design requirement of the damper, so as to obtain the same or different strength and mechanical properties.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to loudspeakers, and more particularly to a fabric construction for dampers of loudspeakers.
2. The Prior Arts
FIG. 1 depicts a typical moving-coil loudspeaker construction which comprises a driving system, a diaphragm, and a suspension system. The driving system further includes a permanent magnet A, an upper pole piece B, a gap C and a voice coil D. Aforementioned diaphragm E is a vibrating lamina for moving air, normally shaped like a cone or dome basket. The suspension system includes a damper F and a lateral suspension construction, and is responsible for the traction of directional movement of diaphragm E.
The driving mechanism of aforementioned loudspeaker is as below. When the electric current flows through the voice coil D, an electromagnetic field is induced. The electromagnetic field is at right angle with the magnetic field of the permanent magnet A of the speaker such that the voice coil D experiences forces and thus moves within gap C (the gap between the voice coil D and the magnet A). The mechanic force of the movement causes the diaphragm E attached to the voice coil D to move (vibrate) perpendicularly upward and downward, which in turn vibrates the air and produces acoustic frequency to human ears. In this way, sound is reproduced for hearing.
Though other types of loudspeakers may be structured differently, they have the same driving mechanism, and include at least dampers for suspending diaphragms and voice coils.
Please refer to FIG. 2 for illustration. Because dampers are mainly used for suspending voice coils and diaphragms, they are generally structured with a plurality of alternating concentric peaks and valleys. That is, their cross section exhibits a wave contour, which enables the dampers to act like shock-absorbent springs while suspending voice coils and diaphragms at the same time. Hence, the elasticity and strength of dampers may directly influence the amplitude of diaphragm vibration, and accordingly influence the acoustic effect.
Conventional dampers utilize a fabric body woven with non-metal yarns (such as nylon, silk, etc.) The fabric body is resinated, dried, and then integrally molded into dampers. Accordingly, dampers manufactured in this way have lower strength and low tear-resistance performance, which renders the dampers susceptible to be deformed and consequently influences the acoustic output quality of speakers. In another aspect, the structure of conventional damper fabric makes it difficult to improve the stretch and water-proof performance of dampers. Also, heat generated after prolonged operation of the speaker can not be conducted and dissipated rapidly as well.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To improve such mechanical disadvantages as low strength, low tear-resistant performance, low heat conduction, low stretch and waterproof performance of dampers manufactured with fabric woven exclusively with non-metal yarns, a fabric structure which obviates aforementioned disadvantages without sacrificing the elasticity required for dampers is provided herein.
The main feature of the present invention is to add metal yarns properly into the fabric for manufacturing dampers in a way such that said metal yarns are incorporated as part of the fabric body, so that when the fabric is molded into dampers, the metal yarns may enhance the various mechanical properties of dampers.
The major technical means of the present invention is to weave non-metal yarns with metal yarn into a fabric body. The woven fabric is processed further and then molded into a desired damper form.
A further technical means of the present invention is to arrange the metal yarns woven into the fabric body in a grid, with a plurality of non-metal yarns positioned between two metal yarns and parallel thereto.
A still further technical means of the present invention is to arrange metal yarns woven in a non-metal yarns fabric body radially such that when the damper is molded, said metal yarns may radiate from the center of the damper.
An even further technical means of the present invention is to arrange non-metal yarns woven in the fabric body in a grid, with metal yarns interlacing with said non-metal yarns non-perpendicularly.
In sum, the present invention provides a fabric structure specifically for dampers. Its major feature is to weave metal yarns with non-metal yarns into a fabric body, which, after proper production steps, is then molded into dampers. Such a damper structure incorporating metal yarns may greatly enhance many mechanical properties of dampers, as well as improve the manufacturing yield and tear-resistance performance of the product. Said metal yarns and non-metal yarns may be woven with various ways of arrangement, depending on the objective design requirement of the damper, to obtain the same or different strength and mechanical properties.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following detailed description with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional plan view of a conventional moving-coil loudspeaker construction;

FIG. 2 is a perspective cutaway view of a damper construction in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of a fabric body in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, wherein metal yarns are arranged in a grid, with a number of non-metal yarns positioned between two metal yarns and parallel thereto;

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of a fabric body in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, wherein metal yarns are woven radially into a non-metal yarn fabric body;

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of a fabric body in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention, wherein non-metal yarns are arranged in a grid, with metal yarns arranged diagonally and interlacing with said non-metal yarns;

FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of a fabric body in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention, wherein non-metal yarns are arranged in a grid, with metal yarns intersecting each other and interlacing with said non-metal yarns non-perpendicularly; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a damper molded with the fabric body illustrated in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 3 depicts a fabric body 1 manufactured specifically for loudspeaker dampers in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. The fabric body 1 may be woven with any applicable non-metal yarns, and is manufactured into a damper F as illustrated in FIG. 2 through such production steps as resination, drying, press-molding and trimming. The fabric body 1 in accordance with the present invention has a structure similar to that of a common fabric, and allows patterns or designs to be formed thereon.
FIG. 3 also illustrates the structure of the fabric body in accordance with the present invention, wherein metal yarns 10 are interwoven with non-metal yarns 11. The number of the non-metal yarns 11 is greater than the number of metal yarns 10 so as to retain proper softness and elasticity required for dampers. If the number of metal yarns 10 is greater than the number of non-metal yarns 11, the damper manufactured accordingly may be too stiff. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the metal yarns 10 are arranged in a grid, with a number of non-metal yarns 11 positioned between two metal yarns 10 and parallel thereto.
FIG. 4 illustrates the fabric body 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention, wherein metal yarns 10 are interwoven with non-metal yarns 11 in a way so that the metal yarns 10 are arranged radially in the non-metal yarn fabric. Such a structure allows damper F to be molded with metal yarns 10 radiating from the center thereof as illustrated in FIG. 7, which enhances not only the strength but also the exquisiteness of the damper.
FIG. 5 illustrates the fabric body according to a third embodiment of the present invention, wherein metal yarns 10 are interwoven with non-metal yarns 11 in a way so that non-metal yarns 11 are arranged in a grid, whereas metal yarns 10 are arranged unidirectionally and diagonally, and interlace with said non-metal yarns 11.
FIG. 6 illustrates the fabric body according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, wherein metal yarns 10 are interwoven with non-metal yarns 11 in a way so that non-metal yarns 11 are arranged in a grid, whereas metal yarns 10 are arranged diagonally in two directions and interlace with the non-metal yarns 11.
The aforementioned fabric structure incorporating both metal-yarns and non-metal yarns in accordance with the present invention has the following advantages.
Firstly, it may enhance the strength of dampers and thus prevents the damper from being deformed by great force and consequently influencing sound quality when the speaker is energized with great power.
Secondly, it may enhance the anti-fatigue performance of dampers and lengthens the operation life accordingly.
Thirdly, interweaving non-metal yarns with metal-yarns may enhance damper strength without sacrificing the softness and elasticity required for dampers.
Additionally, interweaving non-metal yarns with metal yarns may enhance the stretch and waterproof performance of dampers.
Furthermore, interweaving non-metal yarns with metal yarns may enhance the heat-dissipating efficiency of dampers, so that the heat produced during speaker operation may be dissipated rapidly.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A fabric structure specifically for dampers, comprising a plurality of metal yarns and a plurality of non-metal yarns, wherein said metal yarns are interwoven with said non-metal yarns into a fabric body.

2. The fabric structure specifically for dampers as claimed in claim 1, wherein the number of said non-metal yarns is greater than the number of said metal-yarns in said fabric body.

3. The fabric structure specifically for dampers as claimed in claim 1, wherein said metal yarns are arranged in a grid, and an appropriate number of said non-metal yarns are positioned between two of said metal yarns and parallel thereto.

4. The fabric structure specifically for dampers as claimed in claim 1, wherein said metal yarns are woven radially into said non-metal yarns.

5. The fabric structure specifically for dampers as claimed in claim 4, wherein dampers manufactured with said fabric body having said metal yarns radiate from the center of the damper.

6. The fabric structure specifically for dampers as claimed in claim 1, wherein said non-metal yarns are arranged in a grid, while said metal yarns interlace with said non-metal yarns diagonally.