Sonic emitter with foam stator

• US 6,304,662 B1
• Filed: 01/07/1998
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Turtle Beach Corporation
• Original Assignee: American Technology Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Croft, James J. III, Norris, Elwood G.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HUYEN D
• Application Number:
  US09/004,090
• Time in Patent Office: 1,378 Days
• Field of Search: 381/190, 381/191, 381/174, 381/111, 381/113, 381/116, 367/170, 367/181
• US Class Current: 381/191
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 19/00 Electrostatic transducers

Abstract

A speaker device comprising an electrostatic emitter film which is responsive to an applied variable voltage to emit sonic output based on a desired sonic signal, used in combination with at least a first foam member having a forward face, an intermediate core section and a rear face. The forward face is composed of a composition having sufficient stiffness to support the electrostatic film and includes conductive properties which enable application of a variable voltage to supply the desired sonic signal. The surface of the forward face includes small cavities having surrounding wall structure defining each cavity which terminates at contacting edges approximately coincident with the forward face of the foam member. The film is applied to the forward face of the foam member and biased in direct contact with the contacting edges of the forward face.

Claims

1. A speaker device comprising:

an electrostatic emitter film which is responsive to an applied variable voltage to emit sonic output based on a desired sonic signal;

a first foam member having a forward face, an intermediate core section, and a rear face which includes a nonporous member for blocking unimpeded sound transmission;

at least said forward face being composed of a composition having sufficient stiffness to support the electrostatic film and including conductive properties which enable application of a variable voltage to the forward face to supply the desired sonic signal;

said forward face comprising a surface including small cavities having surrounding wall structure defining each cavity, said surrounding wall structure terminating at contacting edges approximately coincident with the forward face of the foam member;

film application means for applying the electrostatic film to the forward face of the foam member;

biasing means for biasing the film in direct contact with the contacting edges of the forward face such that the film is directly supported by the forward face; and

coupling means for coupling a signal source to the speaker device for supplying the variable voltage which includes a sonic signal.

2. A speaker device comprising:

an electrostatic emitter film which is responsive to an applied variable voltage to emit sonic output based on a desired sonic signal;

a first foam member having a forward face, an intermediate core section, and a rear face;

at least said forward face being composed of a composition having sufficient stiffness to support the electrostatic film and including conductive properties which enable application of a variable voltage to the forward face to supply the desired sonic signal;

said forward face comprising a surface including small cavities having surrounding wall structure defining each cavity, said surrounding wall structure terminating at contacting edges approximately coincident with the forward face of the foam member;

film application means for applying the electrostatic film to the forward face of the foam member;

biasing means for biasing the film in direct contact with the contacting edges of the forward face such that the film is directly supported by the forward face;

coupling means for coupling a signal source to the speaker device for supplying the variable voltage which includes a sonic signal;

a second foam member having a forward face, an intermediate core section and a rear face, said forward face of the second foam member (referred to as the second forward face) being positioned on an opposing side of the electrostatic emitter film from the first foam member;

said second forward face being composed of a composition having sufficient stiffness to support the electrostatic film and including conductive properties which enable application of the variable voltage to the second forward face to supply the desired sonic signal;

said second forward face comprising a surface including small cavities having surrounding wall structure defining each cavity, said surrounding wall structure terminating at contacting edges approximately coincident with the forward face of the foam member;

film application means for applying the electrostatic film to the forward face of the second foam member;

said biasing means being coupled to the second foam member for biasing the film in direct contact with the contacting edges of the second forward face such that the film is directly supported by the second forward face;

said coupling means including means for coupling the signal source to the second forward face with the variable voltage which includes the sonic signal; and

said electrostatic emitter film including a conductive layer in non-contacting relationship with the respective first and second foam members for enabling the film to capacitively respond with the first and second forward faces to the variable voltage in a push-pull relationship.

3. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein the second foam member comprises a single foam composition forming the respective second forward face, intermediate core section and rear face.

4. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein the foam composition is selected from the group of materials consisting of foamable polymers.

5. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein the foam member comprises an open cell structure.

6. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein the open cell structure extends from the second forward face to the rear face, allowing air to pass between the respective faces for transmitting sonic output from the emitter film in forward and rearward directions.

7. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said film is composed of a substantially nonconductive polymer composition.

8. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said emitter film comprises a conductive intermediate layer having nonconductive exposed layers on opposing sides of the intermediate layer.

9. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein the conductive intermediate layer comprises a thin metallic film coated with nonconductive exposed layers on opposing sides of the intermediate layer.

10. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein the electrostatic emitter film comprises at least two sheets of nonconductive emitter film which respectively include a conductive surface, said respective conductive surfaces being in contact to form the conductive layer, said nonconductive emitter film providing insulation between the conductive layer and the respective first and second forward faces.

11. A device as defined in claim 10, wherein the respective conductive surfaces are bonded together to form an integral conductive layer.

12. A speaker device comprising:

an electrostatic emitter film which is responsive to an applied variable voltage to emit sonic output based on a desired sonic signal;

a first foam member having a forward face, an intermediate core section and a rear face;

said first foam member including a composition having sufficient stiffness to support the electrostatic film and including conductive properties which enable application of a variable voltage to supply the desired sonic signal;

said forward face comprising a surface including small cavities having surrounding wall structure defining each cavity, said surrounding wall structure terminating at contacting edges approximately coincident with the forward face of the foam member;

film application means for applying the electrostatic film to the forward face of the foam member;

insulating means comprises the forward face and the intermediate core section which includes conductive properties;

biasing means for biasing the film in direct contact with the contacting edges of the forward face such that the film is directly supported by the forward face; and

coupling means for coupling a signal source to the speaker device for supplying the variable voltage which includes a sonic signal.

13. A device as defined in claim 12, further comprising:

a second foam member having a forward face, an intermediate core section and a rear face, said forward face of the second foam member (referred to as the second forward face) being positioned on an opposing side of the electrostatic emitter film from the first foam member;

said second foam member being composed of a composition having sufficient stiffness to support the electrostatic film and including conductive properties which enable application of the variable voltage to supply the desired sonic signal;

said second forward face comprising a surface including small cavities having surrounding wall structure defining each cavity, said surrounding wall structure terminating at contacting edges approximately coincident with the forward face of the foam member;

film application means for applying the electrostatic film to the forward face of the second foam member;

said biasing means being coupled to the second foam member for biasing the film in direct contact with the contacting edges of the second forward face such that the film is directly supported by the second forward face;

said coupling means including means for coupling the signal source to the second foam member with the variable voltage which includes the sonic signal.

14. A device as defined in claim 13, wherein the electrostatic emitter film comprises a conductive layer biased in contacting relationship with the respective first and second foam members for enabling the film to capacitively respond with the first and second forward faces to the variable voltage in a push-pull relationship.

15. An ultrasonic speaker device, comprising:

an electrostatic emitter film which is responsive to an applied variable voltage to emit ultrasonic output;

a first foam member having a forward face, an intermediate core section and a rear face including a nonporous member for blocking unimpeded ultrasonic wave transmission;

at least said forward face being composed of a composition having sufficient stiffness to support the electrostatic film and including conductive properties which enable application of a variable voltage to the forward face to supply the desired ultrasonic signal;

said forward face comprising a surface including small cavities having surrounding wall structure defining each cavity, said surrounding wall structure terminating at contacting edges approximately coincident with the forward face of the foam member;

film application means for applying the electrostatic film to the forward face of the foam member;

biasing means for biasing the film in direct contact with the contacting edges of the forward face such that the film is directly supported by the forward face; and

coupling means for coupling an ultrasonic signal source to the speaker device for supplying the variable voltage which includes a sonic signal.

16. An ultrasonic speaker device, comprising:

an electrostatic emitter film which is responsive to an applied variable voltage to emit ultrasonic output;

a first foam member having a forward face, an intermediate core section and a rear face;

at least said forward face being composed of a composition having sufficient stiffness to support the electrostatic film and including conductive properties which enable application of a variable voltage to the forward face to supply the desired ultrasonic signal;

said forward face comprising a surface including small cavities having surrounding wall structure defining each cavity, said surrounding wall structure terminating at contacting edges approximately coincident with the forward face of the foam member;

film application means for applying the electrostatic film to the forward face of the foam member;

biasing means for biasing the film in direct contact with the contacting edges of the forward face such that the film is directly supported by the forward face; and

coupling means for coupling an ultrasonic signal source to the speaker device for supplying the variable voltage which includes a sonic signal;

a second foam member having a forward face, an intermediate core section and a rear face, said forward face of the second foam member (referred to as the second forward face) being positioned on an opposing side of the electrostatic emitter film from the first foam member;

said second forward face being composed of a composition having sufficient stiffness to support the electrostatic film and including conductive properties which enable application of the variable voltage to the second forward face to supply the desired ultrasonic signal;

said second forward face comprising a surface including small cavities having surrounding wall structure defining each cavity, said surrounding wall structure terminating at contacting edges approximately coincident with the forward face of the foam member;

film application means for applying the electrostatic film to the forward face of the second foam member;

said biasing means being coupled to the second foam member for biasing the film in direct contact with the contacting edges of the second forward face such that the film is directly supported by the second forward face;

said coupling means including means for coupling the ultrasonic signal source to the second forward face with the variable voltage which includes the ultrasonic signal mixed with the sideband audio signal;

said electrostatic emitter film including a conductive layer in non-contacting relationship with the respective first and second foam members for enabling the film to capacitively respond with the first and second forward faces to the variable voltage in a push-pull relationship.

17. A device as defined in claim 16, wherein said emitter film comprises a conductive intermediate layer having nonconductive exposed layers on opposing sides of the intermediate layer.

18. A device as defined in claim 16, wherein the electrostatic emitter film comprises at least two sheets of nonconductive emitter film which respectively include a conductive surface, said respective conductive surfaces being in contact to form the conductive layer, said nonconductive emitter film providing insulation between the conductive layer and the respective first and second forward faces.

19. A device as defined in claim 16, wherein the respective conductive surfaces are bonded together to form an integral conductive layer.

20. A speaker device comprising:

an electrostatic emitter film which is responsive to an applied variable voltage to emit ultrasonic output based on an audio signal sideband signal mixed with an ultrasonic carrier;

a first foam member having a forward face, an intermediate core section and a rear face;

said first foam member including a composition having sufficient stiffness to support the electrostatic film and including conductive properties which enable application of a variable voltage to supply a desired ultrasonic signal;

said forward face comprising a surface including small cavities having surrounding wall structure defining each cavity, said surrounding wall structure terminating at contacting edges approximately coincident with the forward face of the foam member;

film application means for applying the electrostatic film to the forward face of the foam member;

insulating means positioned between the electrostatic emitter film and the conductive composition of the first foam member which has the conductive properties;

biasing means for biasing the film in direct contact with the contacting edges of the forward face such that the film is directly supported by the forward face; and

coupling means for coupling an ultrasonic signal source to the speaker device for supplying the variable voltage which includes an audio signal mixed with an ultrasonic carrier;

a second foam member having a forward face, an intermediate core section and a rear face, said forward face of the second foam member (referred to as the second forward face) being positioned on an opposing side of the electrostatic emitter film from the first foam member;

said second foam member being composed of a composition having sufficient stiffness to support the electrostatic film and including conductive properties which enable application of the variable voltage to supply the desired ultrasonic signal;

said second forward face comprising a surface including small cavities having surrounding wall structure defining each cavity, said surrounding wall structure terminating at contacting edges approximately coincident with the forward face of the foam member;

film application means for applying the electrostatic film to the forward face of the second foam member;

said biasing means being coupled to the second foam member for biasing the film in direct contact with the contacting edges of the second forward face such that the film is directly supported by the second forward face;

said coupling means including means for coupling the ultrasonic signal source to the second foam member with the variable voltage which includes an ultrasonic carrier signal modulated with audio sideband signals.

21. A speaker device, comprising:

a first support member having a forward face, an intermediate core section and a rear face;

said first support member including a composition having sufficient stiffness to support the electrostatic film and including conductive properties which enable application of a variable voltage to supply an ultrasonic;

said forward face comprising a surface including small cavities having surrounding wall structure defining each cavity, said surrounding wall structure terminating at contacting edges approximately coincident with the forward face of the first support member;

film application means for applying the electrostatic film to the forward face of the first support member;

insulating means positioned between the electrostatic emitter film and the conductive composition of the first support member which has the conductive properties;

biasing means for biasing the film in direct contact with the contacting edges of the forward face such that the film is directly supported by the forward face;

a second support member having a forward face, an intermediate core section and a rear face, said forward face of the second support member (referred to as the second forward face) being positioned on an opposing side of the electrostatic emitter film from the first support member;

said second support member being composed of a composition having sufficient stiffness to support the electrostatic film and including conductive properties which enable application of the variable voltage to supply a desired ultrasonic output;

said second forward face comprising a surface including small cavities having surrounding wall structure defining each cavity, said surrounding wall structure terminating at contacting edges approximately coincident with the forward face of the second support member;

film application means for applying the electrostatic film to the forward face of the second support member;

said biasing means being coupled to the second support member for biasing the film in direct contact with the contacting edges of the second forward face such that the film is directly supported by the second forward face;

coupling means for coupling an ultrasonic signal source to the first and second support members with the variable voltage which includes an audio sideband signal mixed with an ultrasonic carrier signal to be decoupled in surrounding air according to acoustic heterodyning principles.

22. A device as defined in claim 21, wherein the electrostatic emitter film comprises a conductive layer biased in contacting relationship with the respective first and second support members for enabling the film to capacitively respond with the first and second forward faces to the variable voltage in a push-pull relationship.