PLANAR SPEAKER SYSTEM

• US 20130243238A1
• Filed: 03/14/2012
• Published: 09/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zhao, Zhijun
• Granted Patent: US 8,948,441 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/430
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 7/045 using the distributed mode principle, i.e. whereby the acoustic radiation is emanated from uniformly distributed free bending wave vibration induced in a stiff panel and not from pistonic motion

Abstract

A planar speaker system may include a bottom frame having a cavity. Within this cavity a plurality of magnets may be arranged to form a substantially circular pattern. A diaphragm that includes a plurality of electrically conductive traces may be connected to the bottom frame and extend across the cavity of the bottom frame. When alternating current flows through the electrically conductive traces, the diaphragm may vibrate in response to the interaction between the current flowing in the electrically conductive traces and the magnetic field, thereby producing sound. The planar speaker system may include a top frame having a cavity, and a second set of magnets may be disposed in the cavity of the top frame.

Claims

1. A planar speaker system comprising:

a bottom frame having a cavity;

a plurality of magnets disposed in the cavity of the bottom frame, the plurality of magnets arranged to form a substantially circular pattern, the circular pattern coaxially aligned with a central axis of the planar speaker system;

a diaphragm having a plurality of electrically conductive traces formed, the diaphragm being connected to the bottom frame and extending across the cavity of the bottom frame.

2. The planar speaker system of claim 1, where the cavity of the bottom frame is substantially circular in shape.

3. The planar speaker system of claim 2,

where the bottom frame is substantially circular in shape and has an outer diameter;

where the diaphragm is substantially circular in shape and has an outer diameter; and

where the outer diameter of the diaphragm is connected to the outer diameter of the bottom frame.

4. The planar speaker system of claim 3, further comprising an annular ring connected to the outer diameter of the bottom frame and the outer diameter of the diaphragm, where the annular ring is located between the outer diameter of the bottom frame and the outer diameter of the diaphragm to couple the outer diameter of the bottom frame to the outer diameter of the diaphragm.

5. The planar speaker system of claim 1,

where the bottom frame has an inner diameter;

where the diaphragm has an inner diameter; and

the planar system further comprises a pole piece connected to the inner diameter of the bottom frame and the inner diameter of the diaphragm.

6. The planar speaker system of claim 1, where the plurality of magnets are each substantially trapezoidal in shape.

7. The planar speaker system of claim 1, where the electrically conductive traces are arranged on the diaphragm to cooperatively align with the plurality of magnets arranged to form the substantially circular pattern.

8. The planar speaker system of claim 1, where the plurality of magnets are either ferrite magnets or rare-earth magnets.

9. The planar speaker system of claim 1, where the bottom frame is formed to include a plurality of openings arranged in a substantially circular pattern.

10. The planar speaker system of claim 1, further comprising a top frame connected to the bottom frame, where the plurality of magnets are located between the bottom frame and the top frame.

11. The planar speaker system of claim 10, where the top frame is formed to include a plurality of openings arranged in a substantially circular pattern around a central axis of the top frame.

12. The planar speaker system of claim 10,

where the bottom frame is substantially circular in shape and has an outer diameter;

where the top frame is substantially circular in shape and has an outer diameter;

where the diaphragm is substantially circular in shape and has an outer diameter; and

where the outer diameter of the diaphragm is connected to the outer diameter of the bottom frame and the outer diameter of the top frame.

13. The planar speaker system of claim 12, further comprising an annular ring connected to the outer diameter of the bottom frame, the outer diameter of the diaphragm, and the outer diameter of the top frame, where the annular ring is located between the outer diameter of the bottom frame and the outer diameter of the diaphragm to connect the outer diameter of the bottom frame to the outer diameter of the diaphragm.

14. A planar speaker system comprising:

a bottom frame having a cavity, where the cavity of the bottom frame is substantially circular in shape;

a plurality of magnets disposed in the cavity of the bottom frame, the plurality of magnets arranged to form a substantially circular pattern;

a diaphragm having a plurality of electrically conductive traces formed in a substantially circular pattern to cooperatively align with the plurality of magnets, the diaphragm being connected to the frame and extending across the cavity of the bottom frame;

where the bottom frame has an inner diameter;

where the diaphragm has an inner diameter; and

a pole piece adjacent to the inner diameter of the bottom frame and the inner diameter of the diaphragm.

15. The planar speaker system of claim 14,

where the bottom frame is substantially circular in shape and has an outer diameter;

where the diaphragm is substantially circular in shape and has an outer diameter; and

where the outer diameter of the diaphragm is connected to the outer diameter of the bottom frame.

16. The planar speaker system of claim 15, further comprising an annular ring connected to the outer diameter of the bottom frame and the outer diameter of the diaphragm, where the annular ring is located adjacent to the outer diameter of the bottom frame and the outer diameter of the diaphragm to connect the outer diameter of the bottom frame to the outer diameter of the diaphragm.

17. The planar speaker system of claim 14, further comprising a top frame connected to the bottom frame, where the plurality of magnets are located between the bottom frame and the top frame.

18. The planar speaker system of claim 17, where the top frame has a plurality of openings arranged in a circular pattern around a central axis of the top frame

19. The planar speaker system of claim 17,

where the bottom frame is substantially circular in shape and has an outer diameter;

where the top frame is substantially circular in shape and has an outer diameter;

where the diaphragm is substantially circular in shape and has an outer diameter; and

where the outer diameter of the diaphragm is connected to the outer diameter of the bottom frame and the outer diameter of the top frame.

20. A planar speaker system comprising:

a substantially circular bottom frame having a cavity, an outer diameter and an inner diameter, where the cavity of the bottom frame is substantially circular in shape;

a plurality of magnets disposed in the cavity of the bottom frame, the plurality of magnets arranged to form a substantially circular pattern;

a diaphragm having a plurality of electrically conductive traces formed thereon, the diaphragm being connected to the outer diameter of the bottom frame and extending across the cavity of the bottom frame;

where the diaphragm has an inner diameter;

a pole piece connected to the inner diameter of the bottom frame and the inner diameter of the diaphragm; and

an annular ring connected to the outer diameter of the bottom frame and the outer diameter of the diaphragm, where the annular ring is located between the outer diameter of the bottom frame and the outer diameter of the diaphragm to connect the outer diameter of the bottom frame to the outer diameter of the diaphragm.

21. The planar speaker system of claim 20, further comprising a substantially circular top frame connected to the bottom frame, where the plurality of magnets are located between the bottom frame and the top frame.

22. The planar speaker system of claim 21, where the top frame has a plurality of openings arranged in a circular pattern around a central axis of the top frame.