Hands-free microphone with wind guard

• US 7,369,664 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2004
• Issued: 05/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Moss, Kevin T., Kargus, Walter A. IV
• Primary Examiner(s): Ensey; Brian
• Application Number:
  US10/893,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20060013425A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 381/86, 381/359, 381/364, 381/365, 381/372, 181/205
• US Class Current: 381/86
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/086 Protective screens, e.g. all weather or wind screens

Abstract

An airflow guard for a microphone includes a shell having an airflow diverter and a flow separation edge. The airflow diverter partially surrounds the microphone to redirect a flow of air away from the microphone. The flow of air separates from one of the airflow diverter or the flow separation edge. An acoustic reception system for a mobile vehicle and a hands-free communication device are also disclosed.

Claims

1. An airflow guard for a microphone, the airflow guard comprising:

a shell having a mating surface, an airflow diverter and a flow separation edge, said flow separation edge being positioned downstream of the airflow diverter, and said shell being adapted for installation in a vehicle such that said mating surface is positionable adjacent a vehicle surface with the microphone being located under said shell; and

an acoustic entry port located in said shell between the flow separation edge and the mating surface and at least partially bordered by the flow separation edge to allow entry of acoustic sound into the microphone;

wherein the airflow diverter partially surrounds the microphone to redirect a flow of air away from the microphone, and wherein the flow of air separates from the flow separation edge to generate a recirculating flow downstream of the acoustic entry port to thereby reduce the level of pressure fluctuations in front of the microphone.

2. The airflow guard of claim 1, wherein pressure fluctuations experienced by the microphone from the flow of air are minimized.

3. The airflow guard of claim 1, wherein the airflow diverter includes a contoured outer surface to redirect the flow of air away from the microphone.

4. The airflow guard of claim 1, wherein the acoustic entry port comprises at least one aperture.

5. The airflow guard of claim 1, wherein the acoustic entry port is positioned downstream of the flow of air.

6. The airflow guard of claim 1 further comprising:

a microphone grille positioned in the acoustic entry port.

7. The airflow guard of claim 1 further comprising:

an acoustic foam positioned within the shell to isolate the microphone.

8. An acoustic reception system for a mobile vehicle, the system comprising:

a microphone connected to an in-vehicle communication device; and

an airflow guard for the microphone including;

a shell having a mating surface, an airflow diverter and a flow separation edge, said flow separation edge being positioned downstream of the airflow diverter, and said shell being adapted for installation in a vehicle such that said mating surface is positionable adjacent a vehicle surface with the microphone being located under said shell; and

an acoustic entry port located in said shell between the flow separation edge and the mating surface and at least partially bordered by the flow separation edge to allow entry of acoustic sound into the microphone;

wherein the airflow diverter partially surrounds the microphone to redirect a flow of air away from the microphone, and wherein the flow of air separates from the flow separation edge to generate a recirculating flow downstream of an acoustic entry port to thereby reduce the level of pressure fluctuations in front of the microphone.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein pressure fluctuations experienced by the microphone from the flow of air are minimized.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the in-vehicle communication device includes one of a cell phone, a telematics unit, an entertainment system, or a voice-recognition system.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the microphone and the shell are connected to one of a group consisting of a rearview mirror, a steering wheel, a steering column, a dash, an entertainment console, an overhead console, a vehicle ceiling, and an in-vehicle location.

12. The system of claim 8 further comprising:

a microphone grille positioned in the acoustic entry port.

13. The system of claim 8 further comprising:

an acoustic foam positioned within the shell to isolate the microphone.