Electret microphone assembly

• US 4,443,666 A
• Filed: 11/24/1980
• Issued: 04/17/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Cote, Paul L.
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHREYER, STAFFORD
• Application Number:
  US06/209,519
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: 179/111 E, 179/140, 179/141, 179/111 R, 179/121 D, 179/121 R, 179/121 C, 179/107 E, 179/107 FD, 179/107 R, 179/107 S, 361/395, 361/399, 361/404
• US Class Current: 381/113
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/06 Arranging circuit leads; Relieving strain on circuit leads
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 19/016 for microphones

Abstract

An electret microphone assembly in which an insulating support disposed between the apertured front and back walls of a conductive housing has an enclosed portion contained in the housing and an exposed portion extending out of the housing through an opening formed in the side wall thereof. The support carries the back electrode of an electret microphone on the front of the enclosed portion and an FET amplifier circuit on the back of the same portion. Respective electrical contacts formed on the back of the exposed portion of the support extend inwardly through the side opening in the housing to provide external connections to the source and drain of the FET and to the amplifier common line.

Claims

1. A microphone including in combination a housing having an opening formed therein, an insulating support having a back and a front, said support having an enclosed portion contained in said housing and an exposed portion extending out of said housing through said opening, an electrode formed on the front of said enclosed portion, a conductive diaphragm spaced in front of said electrode, an electret disposed between said electrode and said diaphragm, an amplifier circuit carried on the back of said enclosed portion, said amplifier having an input and an output, means forming an electrical contact on the exposed portion of said support, means coupling said electrode to said input, and means coupling said output to said electrical contact.

2. A microphone including in combination a housing having an opening formed therein, an insulating support having a back and a front, said support having an enclosed portion contained in said housing and an exposed portion extending out of said housing through said opening, an electret transducer element carried on the front of said support, means forming an electrical contact on the exposed portion of the back of said support, an amplifier carried on the back of said enclosed portion, means coupling said transducer element to said amplifier, and means coupling said amplifier to said electrical contact.

3. A microphone including in combination a housing having an opening formed therein, an insulating support having a back and a front, said support having an enclosed portion contained in said housing and an exposed portion extending out of said housing through said opening, an electret transducer element carried on the front of said enclosed portion, means forming an electrical contact on the exposed portion of said support, an amplifier carried on the back of said enclosed portion, means coupling said transducer element to said amplifier, and means coupling said amplifier to said electrical contact.

4. A microphone including in combination a housing having apertured rear and front portions and an opening formed therein intermediate said portions, an insulating support having a back and a front respectively adjacent said rear and front portions, said support having an enclosed portion contained in said housing and an exposed portion extending out of said housing through said opening, an electret transducer element carried on the front of said enclosed portion, means forming an electrical contact on the exposed portion of said support, and means coupling said transducer element to said electrical contact.

5. A microphone including in combination a housing having an opening formed therein, an insulating support havng a back and a front, said support having an enclosed portion contained in said housing and an exposed portion extending out of said housing through said opening, an electret transducer element carried on the front of said enclosed portion, means forming an electrical contact on the exposed portion of said support, and means coupling said transducer element to said electrical contact.

6. A microphone as in claim 5 in which said housing is conductive.

7. A microphone as in claim 5 in which said enclosed portion cooperates with said housing to form a chamber adjacent the back of said support.

8. A microphone as in claim 7 in which said enclosed portion is formed with an aperture coupling said transducer element to said chamber.