Condensed speaker system

• US 20040136560A1
• Filed: 01/14/2003
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Casey P. Walsh
• Original Assignee: Casey P. Walsh
• Inventors: Walsh, Casey P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,068,806 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/06 Loudspeakers

Abstract

A highly miniaturized (condensed) speaker system provides the same desirable performance characteristics as a full size acoustic suspension speaker system by incorporating a combination of one or more low pressure chambers and optionally one or more high pressure gas chambers to emulate the higher internal air volume of the full size acoustic suspension speaker system. The low pressure chamber(s) include the majority of the back (enclosed) side of the speaker diaphragm to eliminate the rigid air spring normally associated with small, enclosed volumes of air at atmospheric pressure. The high pressure gas chamber(s) provide a force to the back (enclosed) side of the diaphragm to counter the atmospheric pressure force on the face (exposed) side of the diaphragm.

Claims

1. A speaker system comprising:

a speaker driver having a diaphragm;

a low pressure chamber adjoining a portion of the diaphragm operable for creating unequal pressure on either side of the diaphragm to force the diaphragm in a first direction; and

means for forcing the diaphragm in a second direction opposite of the first direction.

2. The speaker system of claim 1 wherein the means for forcing the diaphragm in a second direction opposite of the first direction comprise a high pressure chamber adjoining a portion of the diaphragm, operable for forcing the diaphragm in a second direction opposite of the first direction

3. The speaker system of claim 2 wherein a pressure in the high pressure chamber is sufficient to provide an equivalent force against the diaphragm in the second direction to a force provided by the low pressure chamber to the diaphragm in the first direction.

4. The speaker system of claim 3 wherein the high pressure chamber comprises:

a portion of a housing of the speaker system forming a wall of the high pressure chamber; and

a hollow voice coil former extending through the wall of the high pressure chamber, the high pressure chamber sealed at the exterior of the voice coil former between the wall of the high pressure chamber and the voice coil former with half-roll surrounds, the voice coil former having a first open end and a second enclosed end, the first end located within the high pressure chamber and the second end located at the diaphragm and attached to the diaphragm at the exterior of the voice coil former, operable for moving the diaphragm as the voice coil moves.

5. The speaker system of claim 3 wherein a surface area to which the force in the second direction is applied is a fraction of the surface area of the diaphragm.

6. The speaker system of claim 5 wherein the fraction of the surface area of the diaphragm is approximately {fraction (1/10)}.

7. A speaker system comprising:

a speaker driver having a diaphragm;

a low pressure chamber adjoining a portion of the diaphragm operable for forcing the diaphragm in a first direction;

a high pressure chamber adjoining a portion of the diaphragm operable for forcing the diaphragm in a second direction opposite of the first direction;

a second speaker driver having a second diaphragm, the high pressure chamber adjoining a portion of the second diaphragm operable for forcing the second diaphragm in the first direction; and

a second low pressure chamber adjoining a portion of the second diaphragm operable for forcing the diaphragm in the second direction.

8. An apparatus for a speaker comprising:

a speaker diaphragm;

a low pressure chamber adjoining a portion of the diaphragm operable for forcing the diaphragm in a first direction; and

a high pressure chamber adjoining a portion of the diaphragm operable for forcing the diaphragm in a second direction opposite of the first direction.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the diaphragm is a rigid diaphragm structure.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the diaphragm is a taut, flexible membrane.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a speaker having a sealed enclosure in which the apparatus is enclosed.