Molded foam resin, process for forming the same and speaker diaphragm consisting of the same

• US 6,334,504 B1
• Filed: 03/06/2000
• Issued: 01/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation, Tohoku Pioneer Company Limited (Pioneer Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation, Tohoku Pioneer Company Limited (Pioneer Corporation)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Yoshitaka, Sato, Masatoshi, Nakazono, Jiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Khanh
• Application Number:
  US09/519,884
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 181/167, 181/169, 181/170, 181/171, 181/172, 181/173, 181/174
• US Class Current: 181/167
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/0415 by regulating the pressure of the material during or after filling of the mould, e.g. by local venting
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2307/029 Diaphragms comprising fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 31/003 for diaphragms or their outer suspension

Abstract

A molded foam resin, surface of which can be designed easily at low cost, a process for forming a molded foam resin, and a speaker diaphragm made of molded foam resin are provided, in which a molded foam resin is formed by injection molding of foaming agent-containing resin and has a foamed zone having a three layer-structure consisting of a foamed layer inside and a non-foamed layer outside and a non-foamed zone having a single layer-structure consisting of a non-foamed layer. The process for forming the molded foam resin according to the present invention includes the steps of injecting a foaming agent-containing resin into a mold and opening the mold after a lapse of a designated period of time after the completion of the injection, in which a cavity of the mold contains a thick space corresponding to the foamed zone and a thin space corresponding to the non-foamed zone, and the designated period of time is chosen so that a curing of the resin filled into the thin space is completed and a curing of the resin filled into the thick space is not completed. Thus, a molded foam resin and a speaker diaphragm according to the present invention can be thinned, designed with different tone of color on surfaces thereof and lightened without deteriorating stiffness thereof.

Claims

1. A molded foam resin formed by injection molding of foaming agent-containing resin, comprising:

a foamed zone having a three layer-structure consisting of a foamed layer disposed between a first non-foamed layer and a second non-foamed layer;

a non-foamed zone having-a single layer-structure consisting of a non-foamed layer,

wherein said foamed zone and said non-foamed zone are integrally molded with each other by injected molding of resin.

2. The molded foam resin according to claim 1, wherein thickness of the non-foamed zone is 0.5 mm or less.

7. The molded foam resin as claimed in claim 1, wherein a thickness of said foamed zone is thicker than a thickness of said non-foamed zone.

8. The molded foam resin as claimed in claim 1, wherein said foamed zone and said non-foamed zone form at least part of a speaker diaphragm.

3. A speaker diaphragm made of molded foam resin formed by injection molding of foaming agent-containing resin, comprising:

a foamed zone having a three layer-structure consisting of a foamed layer disposed between a first non-foamed layer and a second non-foamed layer;

a non-foamed zone having a single layer-structure consisting of a non-foamed layer,

wherein said foamed zone and said non-foamed zone are integrally molded with each other by injected molding of resin.

4. The speaker diaphragm made of molded foam resin according to claim 3, wherein thickness of the non-foamed zone is 0.5 mm or less.

5. The speaker diaphragm made of molded foam resin according to claim 3, wherein the speaker diaphragm is formed into a circular shape and the foamed zone is formed in such a dimension that is symmetrical with respect to a center of the speaker diaphragm.

6. The speaker diaphragm made of molded foam resin according to claim 4, wherein the speaker diaphragm is formed into a circular shape and the foamed zone is formed in such a dimension that is symmetrical with respect to a center of the speaker diaphragm.

9. The molded foam resin as claimed in claim 3, wherein a thickness of said foamed zone is thicker than a thickness of said non-foamed zone.

10. A speaker diaphragm, comprising:

a first zone comprising a first non-foamed layer, a second non-foamed layer, and a foamed layer, wherein said foamed layer is disposed between said first non-foamed layer and said second non-foamed layer; and

a second zone comprising a third non-foamed layer,

wherein said second zone does not include said foamed layer, and

wherein said first zone and said second zone are integrally molded with each other by injected molding of resin.

11. The speaker diaphragm as claimed in claim 10, wherein said first non-foamed layer, said second non-foamed layer, and said third non-foamed layer are substantially the same material.

12. The speaker diaphragm as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first zone is a three-layer structure consisting of said first non-foamed layer, said second non-foamed layer, and said foamed layer, and

wherein said second zone is a one-layer structure consisting of said third non-foamed layer.

13. The speaker diaphragm as claimed in claim 11, wherein a thickness of said first zone is thicker than a thickness of said second zone.

14. The speaker diaphragm as claimed in claim 12, wherein a thickness of said first zone is thicker than a thickness of said second zone.