Boundary microphone

• US 8,699,739 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2010
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-technica
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-technica
• Inventors: Matsui, Noriko
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Con P
• Application Number:
  US12/839,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20110019857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• Field of Search: 381/26, 381/91, 381/122, 381/355, 381/361, 381/366, 381/368, 381/87, 381/356, 381/357, 381/358, 379/433.02, 379/433.03, 379/436, 379/440
• US Class Current: 381/355
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/406 microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/025 Transducer mountings or cabinet supports enabling variable orientation of transducer of cabinet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/027 Spatial or constructional arrangements of microphones, e.g. in dummy heads

Abstract

A boundary microphone includes: a base made of metal; a cover that is made of metal and has a plurality of holes through which a sound wave is guided; a microphone unit that converts sound into an electric signal; and a microphone unit holder slidably provided on the base and holds the microphone unit. The microphone unit holder has a knob. The base has a hole through which the knob of the microphone unit holder penetrates the base. The knob of the microphone unit holder and the hole of the base are so provided that the microphone unit holder can be moved with the microphone unit by a movement of the knob within a range defined by the hole.

Claims

1. A boundary microphone comprising:

a base made of metal;

a cover that is made of metal and has a plurality of holes through which a sound wave is guided;

a plurality of microphone units each of which converts sound into an electric signal; and

a plurality of microphone unit holders slidably provided on the base, each of which holds a microphone unit of the plurality of microphone units, wherein

each of the microphone unit holders has a knob,

the base has a plurality of slot shaped through holes wherein a knob of a microphone unit holder penetrates the base through a through hole of said plurality of through holes, and

each knob and each through hole for each microphone unit holder form a microphone unit position changing unit with which the respective microphone unit holder is movable with the microphone unit by a movement of the knob within a range defined by the through hole, and wherein

the microphone units are radially arranged on the base,

the microphone units are disposed at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction of the base when the microphone unit holders are each positioned at a first end of a corresponding through hole, and

the microphone units are disposed at non-equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction of the base when the microphone unit holders are each positioned at a second end of the corresponding through hole.

2. The boundary microphone according to claim 1, wherein

the base has a cord insertion hole through which an internal space covered by the cover and an outside are communicated, and

the cord insertion hole is provided at an intersection point of center axis lines of the radially-arranged plurality of microphone units.

3. The boundary microphone according to claim 2, wherein

a tubular shaft is fitted in the cord insertion hole,

a cord is inserted in the tubular shaft, and

wherein said plurality of microphone unit holders includes two microphone unit holders and said two microphone unit holders are slidably provided around the tubular shaft.

4. The boundary microphone according to claim 1, wherein planar shapes of the cover and the base are circular.

5. The boundary microphone according to claim 1, wherein

said plurality of microphone units includes three microphone units,

said plurality of microphone unit holders includes two microphone unit holders, wherein each of said two microphone unit holders holds one of said three microphone units,

said three microphone units are disposed at 120 degree angular intervals as said equal angular intervals in said circumferential direction of said base when said two microphone unit holders are each positioned at said first end of the corresponding through hole, and

said two microphone units held by said two microphone unit holders are disposed at 180 degree angular intervals as said non-equal angular intervals in said circumferential direction of said base when said two microphone unit holders are each positioned at said second end of the corresponding through hole.

6. The boundary microphone according to claim 5, wherein

the base has a cord insertion hole through which an internal space covered by the cover and an outside are communicated, and

the cord insertion hole is provided at an intersection point of center axis lines of the radially-arranged three microphone units.

7. The boundary microphone according to claim 6, wherein

a tubular shaft is fitted in the cord insertion hole,

a cord is inserted in the tubular shaft, and

said two microphone unit holders are slidably provided around the tubular shaft.

8. The boundary microphone according to claim 5, wherein, in the case where the two microphone unit holders have said non-equal angular interval of 180 degrees in the circumferential direction, a remaining one microphone unit faces a direction perpendicular to a line connecting centers of the microphone units held by said two microphone unit holders.

9. The boundary microphone according to claim 8, wherein

the base has a cord insertion hole through which an internal space covered by the cover and an outside are communicated, and

the cord insertion hole is provided at an intersection point of center axis lines of the radially-arranged three microphone units.

10. The boundary microphone according to claim 9, wherein

a tubular shaft is fitted in the cord insertion hole,

a cord is inserted in the tubular shaft, and

the two microphone unit holders are slidably provided around the tubular shaft.

11. The boundary microphone according to claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of microphone units is held by one of said plurality of microphone unit holders.