Voice coil wire configurations

• US 10,021,488 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2015
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Stolz, Petr, Little, Richard Warren
• Primary Examiner(s): Ojo, Oyesola C
• Application Number:
  US14/804,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20170026757A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,086 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/06 Arranging circuit leads; Relieving strain on circuit leads
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 31/006 Interconnection of transducer parts of diaphragm and outer suspension by moulding H04R31/003
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/043 Inner suspension or damper, e.g. spider outer suspension or surround H04R7/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/045 Mounting H04R9/043 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/046 Construction

Abstract

Embodiments for voice coil wire configurations are provided. In one example, a voice coil wire configuration may involve a wire that is flexible in a first plane and substantially inflexible in a second plane. The wire may be a flat wire configured to be flexible in the first plane and substantially inflexible in the second plane. The wire may be coupled to the voice coil in an orientation such that the first plane of the wire is aligned with an axial direction of the voice coil such that wire flex caused by axial movement of the voice coil during operation of the loudspeaker may be substantially in the first plane, and minimally in the second plane. In some examples, the wire may be intermediately adhered to one or more other components of the loudspeaker between the input terminal and the voice coil.

Claims

1. A loudspeaker, comprising:

a magnetic structure;

a voice coil magnetically suspended about the magnetic structure and configured to move axially about the magnetic structure in response to an electric signal provided to the voice coil;

a speaker cone having a central portion coupled to the voice coil;

a spider configured to maintain a position of the voice coil about the magnetic structure when no electric current is provided to the voice coil, wherein the spider has a first portion opposite a second portion such that the first portion faces toward the speaker cone, and the second portion faces away from the speaker cone; and

a wire flexible in a first plane that is parallel to axial movement of the voice coil and substantially inflexible in a second plane that is orthogonal to the first plane such that, during axial movement of the voice coil, the wire flexes in the first plane and does not substantially flex in the second plane, wherein the wire conductively couples an input terminal to the voice coil, and wherein the wire is at least partially adhered to a surface of the second portion of the spider.

2. The loudspeaker of claim 1, wherein the wire is laminated within a non-conductive substance.

3. The loudspeaker of claim 1,

wherein the wire is at least partially adhered to a surface of the speaker cone.

4. The loudspeaker of claim 1, wherein an inner rim of the spider is structurally coupled to the voice coil.

5. The loudspeaker of claim 1, wherein an inner rim of the spider is structurally coupled to a lower surface of a speaker cone.

6. The loudspeaker of claim 1, wherein the wire is at least partially adhered to a surface of the speaker cone.

7. The loudspeaker of claim 1, wherein the wire comprises a flat wire.

8. The loudspeaker of claim 7, wherein the axial movement of the voice coil is within the first plane.

9. A method of constructing a loudspeaker, the method comprising:

providing a speaker basket structurally coupled to an input terminal and a magnetic structure;

suspending a voice coil about the magnetic structure;

attaching a central portion of a speaker cone to the voice coil;

structurally coupling an inner rim of a spider to the voice coil, wherein the spider is configured to maintain a position of the voice coil about the magnetic structure when no electric current is provided to the voice coil, and wherein the spider has a first portion opposite a second portion such that the first portion faces toward the speaker cone, and the second portion faces away from the speaker cone;

conductively coupling the voice coil and the input terminal using a wire that is flexible in a first plane that is parallel to axial movement of the voice coil and substantially inflexible in a second plane that is orthogonal to the first plane, such that the wire flexes in the first plane and does not substantially flex in the second plane when an electrical signal at the input terminal causes the voice coil to move in an axial direction about the magnetic structure; and

adhering at least a portion of the wire to a surface of the second portion of the spider.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

laminating the wire in a non-conductive substance.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

adhering at least a portion of the wire to a surface of a speaker cone; and

structurally coupling an outer rim of the speaker cone to the speaker basket via a surround.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

structurally coupling an outer rim of the spider to the speaker basket.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

structurally coupling an inner rim of the spider to a lower surface of a speaker cone; and

structurally coupling an outer rim of the speaker cone to the speaker basket via a surround.

14. An loudspeaker comprising:

an input terminal;

a speaker basket structurally coupled to the input terminal;

a magnetic structure structurally coupled to the speaker basket;

a voice coil magnetically suspended about the magnetic structure and configured to move axially about the magnetic structure in response to an electric signal received via the input terminal;

a speaker cone having a central portion coupled to the voice coil;

a spider configured to maintain a position of the voice coil about the magnetic structure when no electric current is provided to the voice coil, wherein the spider has a first portion opposite a second portion such that the first portion faces toward the speaker cone, and the second portion faces away from the speaker cone; and

a wire flexible in a first plane that is parallel to axial movement of the voice coil, and substantially inflexible in a second plane that is orthogonal to the first plane such that, during axial movement of the voice coil, the wire flexes in the first plane and does not substantially flex in the second plane, wherein the wire conductively couples the input terminal to the voice coil, and wherein the wire is at least partially adhered to a surface of the second portion of the spider.

15. The loudspeaker of claim 14, wherein the wire is laminated within a non-conductive substance.

16. The loudspeaker of claim 14, wherein the speaker cone further comprises:

an outer rim coupled to the speaker basket via a surround, wherein the wire is at least partially adhered to a surface of the speaker cone.

17. The loudspeaker of claim 14, wherein the axial movement of the voice coil is within the first plane.

18. The loudspeaker of claim 14, wherein the wire is a first wire, the loudspeaker further comprising:

an output terminal structurally coupled to the speaker basket; and

a second wire flexible in the first plane, and substantially inflexible in the second plane, wherein the wire conductively couples the output terminal to the voice coil such that the wire flexes in the first plane during axial movement of the voice coil.

19. The loudspeaker of claim 18, wherein the input terminal and the output terminal are separated by an azimuthal angle less than 180 degrees.

20. The loudspeaker of claim 18, wherein the first wire and the second wire are substantially parallel.