Resonant tuned, ultrasonic electrostatic emitter

• US 6,044,160 A
• Filed: 01/13/1998
• Issued: 03/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Turtle Beach Corporation
• Original Assignee: American Technology Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Norris, Elwood G.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HUYEN D
• Application Number:
  US09/006,133
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 381/312, 381/320, 381/321, 381/113, 381/116, 381/345, 381/174, 381/190, 381/191, 381/173, 381/98, 381/61, 381/79, 310/324, 310/327, 310/334, 310/800, 455/91, 455/108, 367/140, 29/594, 29/25.35
• US Class Current: 381/191
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0292 Electrostatic transducers, e.g. electret-type

Abstract

An ultrasonic emitter device for converting electrical signals to audio output by acoustic heterodyning of ultrasonic emissions. The device comprises a rigid core member having a top surface which includes an array of cavities of predetermined size and means for enhancement of at least one resonant frequency operable as a carrier frequency within an ultrasonic frequency range. An electrostatic field is generated at the top surface of the core member, and operates with respect to a resilient, dielectric diaphragm disposed in tension along the top surface and across the cavities to allow an intended range of orthogonal displacement of emitting sectors of the diaphragm positioned over the cavities and within a strong portion of the electrostatic field. A conductive medium is applied to one face of the diaphragm and is electrically isolated from the core member. A modulating circuit coupled to the conductive medium develops a variable electrostatic field to be applied to the diaphragm which interacts with the electrostatic field of the core member to develop a series of ultrasonic compression waves emanating from the emitting sectors of the diaphragm within the desired ultrasonic resonant frequency range and which propagate the series of ultrasonic compression waves which are demoduled within a nonlinear air medium to generate audio output.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic emitter device for converting electrical signals to audio output by acoustic heterodyning of ultrasonic emissions, said device comprising:

a rigid core member having a top surface which includes an array of cavities of predetermined size and including means for enhancement of at least one resonant frequency operable as a carrier frequency within an ultrasonic frequency range;

means for developing an electrostatic field at the top surface of the core member;

a resilient, dielectric diaphragm disposed in tension along the top surface and across the cavities of the core member to allow an intended range of orthogonal displacement of emitting sectors of the diaphragm which are positioned over the cavities of the core member and within a strong portion of the electrostatic field;

a conductive medium applied to one face of the diaphragm and being electrically isolated from the core member; and

modulating means coupled to the conductive medium for enabling a variable electrostatic field to be applied to the diaphragm which interacts with the electrostatic field of the core member to develop a series of ultrasonic compression waves emanating from the emitting sectors of the diaphragm within a desired ultrasonic resonant frequency range which propagate the series of ultrasonic compression waves which are demoduled within a nonlinear air medium to generate audio output.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the core member includes the array of cavities having uniform concave configurations which are generally tuned to a common resonant frequency corresponding to the carrier frequency.

3. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein the common resonant frequency comprises a carrier frequency within the ultrasonic frequency range operable with a second ultrasonic frequency emitted from the same emitter device to interact in air to develop a new compression wave having a frequency equal to the difference between the carrier and the second ultrasonic frequencies.

4. A device as defined in claim 3, wherein the core member comprises a rigid plate having a flat surface with a uniform electrostatic field along the surface of the plate most adjacent the movable diaphragm.

5. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the cavities are tooled to common dimensions.

6. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the cavities are aligned in uniform rows.

7. A device as defined in claim 6, wherein the rows of cavities are equally spaced from adjacent rows.

8. A device as defined in claim 1, further comprising means for supplying a variable voltage to the conductive medium of the diaphragm to develop the variable electrostatic field for enabling attraction and repulsion with respect to the electrostatic field of the core member.

9. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the diaphragm comprises a thin film having a conductive layer deposited on one side of the film proximate to the core member.

10. A device as defined in claim 9, wherein the film comprises a polymer having isotropic resilient properties across its surface to provide a uniform response to applied tension.

11. A device as defined in claim 10, wherein the polymer comprises Mylar.

12. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the cavities have a spherical concave surface.

13. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the core member includes air passages communicating from the cavities to a backside of the core member.

14. A device as defined in claim 13, further comprising an air chamber formed at a backside of the core member in communication with the air passages.

15. A device as defined in claim 14, further comprising negative pressure means for developing a negative pressure within the air chamber as a biasing force to pull the emitting sectors of the diaphragm into a noncontacting, concave configuration at the cavities.

16. A device as defined in claim 15, further comprising an electrical signal source electrically coupled to the conductive medium and being capable of supplying at least two ultrasonic signals for propagation from the emitting sectors of the diaphragm.

17. A device as defined in claim 16, wherein the electrical signal source includes a mixing device for mixing an ultrasonic signal with an audio signal to form a composite waveform comprising an ultrasonic carrier wave with at least one sideband within the ultrasonic frequency range.

18. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the core member includes means for generating a biasing electrostatic field having a continuously oscillating strength selected to provide a biasing force on the diaphragm responsive to the electrostatic field at the top surface of the core member to recess the emitting sectors of the diaphragm to a baseline displacement and tension within the cavities and out of contact with the cavity.

19. A method for emitting audio output from interfering ultrasonic frequencies which include a carrier frequency and modulated side bands corresponding to mixed audio signals within the ultrasonic frequencies, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a uniform array of cavities across a surface of a supporting core member wherein the array of cavities are configured to generate a predetermined ultrasonic frequency operable as the carrier frequency;

(b) maintaining a movable diaphragm in stretched configuration across the cavities and along the core member to allow an intended range of orthogonal displacement of the diaphragm with respect to the cavities and within a strong portion of a variable electrostatic field; and

(c) inductively coupling a variable current flow having the modulated ultrasonic frequencies to the movable diaphragm for developing a second electrostatic field which variably interacts with the first electrostatic field to displace the diaphragm in response to the carrier frequency and modulated side bands.

20. A method as defined in claim 19, further comprising the step of fine tuning the array of cavities to a common resonant frequency.

21. A method as defined in claim 19, further comprising the step of maintaining a substantially uniform back pressure within the array of cavities.