Vehicle accessory microphone assembly having a windscreen with hydrophobic properties

• US 7,136,494 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2003
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Watson, Alan R., Turnbull, Robert R., Bryson, Michael A., Knapp, Robert C., Spence, William R., Poe, G. Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Grier, Laura A.
• Application Number:
  US10/635,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20040028239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• Field of Search: 381/86, 381/92
• US Class Current: 381/86
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0247 for microphones or earphones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1284 with communication systems other than radio-receivers, e.g. keyless entry systems, navigation systems; with anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0026 Windows, e.g. windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0063 using adhesive means, e.g. hook and loop fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/08 Mouthpieces; Microphones; Attachments therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/086 Protective screens, e.g. all weather or wind screens
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/342 for microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/38 in which sound waves act upon both sides of a diaphragm and incorporating acoustic phase-shifting means, e.g. pressure-gradient microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/406 microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2410/07 Mechanical or electrical reduction of wind noise generated by wind passing a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 : for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

A microphone assembly for a vehicle accessory includes one or more transducers positioned in a microphone housing. The microphone housing has at least one acoustic port to which the transducer is acoustically coupled. The microphone assembly further includes a windscreen sealed across the acoustic port. The windscreen having hydrophobic properties to prevent water from penetrating the microphone housing through the acoustic port.

Claims

1. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a mirror subassembly including a mirror housing and adapted to be attached to the vehicle;

a mirror disposed in said mirror housing; and

a microphone assembly mounted to, on, or within said mirror housing comprising;

a microphone housing having at least one acoustic port;

a transducer disposed in said microphone housing, wherein said transducer includes a transducer housing having at least one port; and

a windscreen sealed across said acoustic port, said windscreen having hydrophobic properties to prevent water from penetrating said microphone housing through said acoustic port,

wherein said mirror is an electrochromic mirror.

2. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 and further including a circuit board having a hole sized to receive at least a portion of said transducer, wherein said transducer is mounted within the hole in the circuit board such that a portion of said transducer extends below a bottom surface of said circuit board.

3. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 and further including a second transducer disposed in said microphone housing.

4. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said transducer includes a front and a rear surface, wherein said front surface is acoustically coupled to said acoustic port in said microphone housing.

5. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said microphone housing has at least two acoustic ports and wherein said windscreen is sealed across said acoustic ports.

6. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 5, wherein said transducer includes a front and a rear surface, wherein said front surface is acoustically coupled to a first one of said acoustic ports in said microphone housing and said rear surface is acoustically coupled to a second one of said acoustic ports.

7. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said transducer is positioned in said microphone housing such that said at least one port of said transducer housing is spaced apart from said windscreen.

8. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein:

said at least one acoustic port in said microphone housing includes at least one front acoustic port and at least one rear acoustic port;

said windscreen is disposed across said front and rear acoustic ports;

said at least one port in said transducer housing includes at least one front port and at least one rear port;

said at least one front port of said transducer housing being acoustically coupled to said at least one front acoustic port of said microphone housing; and

said at least one rear port of said transducer housing being acoustically coupled to said at least one rear acoustic port of said microphone housing.

9. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein said microphone housing defines a common cavity to which both said front and rear ports of said transducer housing are acoustically coupled.

10. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one acoustic port in said microphone housing includes at least one front acoustic port and at least one rear acoustic port, and wherein said microphone housing defines a common cavity to which both said front and rear acoustic ports of said microphone housing are acoustically coupled.

11. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said windscreen is adhesively attached to the underside of said microphone housing so as to extend across said acoustic port.

12. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 and further comprising a circuit board, wherein said transducer is mounted to said circuit board and said microphone housing is tightly bonded about said circuit board to provide a water-impervious enclosure for at least a portion of said transducer.

13. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said windscreen is molded integrally across said acoustic port of said microphone housing.

14. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said windscreen is made of cloth.

15. A vehicle accessory for mounting to a vehicle, comprising:

a microphone assembly comprising;

a microphone housing having at least one acoustic port;

a transducer disposed in said microphone housing;

a windscreen sealed across said acoustic port, said windscreen having hydrophobic properties to prevent water from penetrating said microphone housing through said acoustic port; and

a circuit board having a hole sized to receive at least a portion of said transducer, wherein said transducer is mounted within the hole in the circuit board such that a portion of said transducer extends below a bottom surface of said circuit board.

16. A vehicle accessory for mounting to a vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle accessory housing adapted to be mounted to the vehicle;

a microphone assembly mounted to, on, or within said vehicle accessory housing, comprising;

a microphone housing having at least one acoustic port;

a first transducer disposed in said microphone housing;

a windscreen sealed across said acoustic port, said windscreen having hydrophobic properties to prevent water from penetrating said microphone housing through said acoustic port; and

a second transducer disposed in said microphone housing,

wherein said first and second transducers each comprise a transducer housing having at least one port.

17. A vehicle accessory for mounting to a vehicle, comprising:

a microphone assembly comprising;

a microphone housing having at least one acoustic port;

a transducer disposed in said microphone housing, wherein said

transducer includes transducer housing having at least one port; and

a windscreen sealed across said acoustic port, said windscreen having hydrophobic properties to prevent water from penetrating said microphone housing through said acoustic port,

wherein said vehicle accessory is a rearview mirror assembly having a mirror housing and said microphone housing is mounted on said mirror housing.

18. The vehicle accessory of claim 17, wherein said transducer includes a front and a rear surface, wherein said front surface is acoustically coupled to said acoustic port in said microphone housing.

19. The vehicle accessory of claim 17, wherein said microphone housing has at least two acoustic ports and wherein said windscreen is sealed across said acoustic ports.

20. The vehicle accessory of claim 19, wherein said transducer includes a front and a rear surface, wherein said front surface is acoustically coupled to a first one of said acoustic ports in said microphone housing and said rear surface is acoustically coupled to a second one of said acoustic ports.

21. The vehicle accessory of claim 17, wherein said windscreen is adhesively attached to the underside of said microphone housing so as to extend across said acoustic port.

22. The vehicle accessory of claim 17, wherein said windscreen is molded integrally across said acoustic port of said microphone housing.

23. The vehicle accessory of claim 17, wherein said windscreen is made of cloth.

24. A vehicle accessory for mounting to a vehicle, comprising:

a microphone assembly comprising;

a microphone housing having at least one acoustic port;

a transducer disposed in said microphone housing;

a windscreen sealed across said acoustic port, said windscreen having hydrophobic properties to prevent water from penetrating said microphone housing through said acoustic port; and

a circuit board, wherein said transducer is mounted to said circuit board and said microphone housing is tightly bonded about said circuit board to provide a water-impervious enclosure for at least a portion of said transducer.

25. A vehicle accessory for mounting to a vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle accessory housing adapted to be mounted to the vehicle;

a microphone assembly mounted to, on, or within said vehicle accessory housing, comprising;

a microphone housing having at least one acoustic port;

a transducer disposed in said microphone housing; and

a windscreen sealed across said acoustic port, said windscreen having hydrophobic properties to prevent water from penetrating said microphone housing through said acoustic port,

wherein said transducer includes a transducer housing having at least one port.

26. The vehicle accessory of claim 25, wherein said transducer is positioned in said microphone housing such that said at least one port of said transducer housing is spaced apart from said windscreen.

27. A vehicle accessory for mounting to a vehicle, comprising:

a microphone assembly comprising;

a microphone housing having at least one acoustic port;

a transducer disposed in said microphone housing; and

a windscreen sealed across said acoustic port, said windscreen having hydrophobic properties to prevent water from penetrating said microphone housing through said acoustic port,

wherein said transducer includes a transducer housing having at least one port, and wherein;

said at least one acoustic port in said microphone housing includes at least one front acoustic port and at least one rear acoustic port;

said windscreen is disposed across said front and rear acoustic ports;

said at least one port in said transducer housing includes at least one front port and at least one rear port;

said at least one front port of said transducer housing being acoustically coupled to said at least one front acoustic port of said microphone housing; and

said at least one rear port of said transducer housing being acoustically coupled to said at least one rear acoustic port of said microphone housing.

28. The vehicle accessory of claim 27, wherein said microphone housing defines a common cavity to which both said front and rear ports of said transducer housing are acoustically coupled.