Parametric transducers and related methods

• US 8,958,580 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 02/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Turtle Beach Corporation
• Original Assignee: Turtle Beach Corporation
• Inventors: Norris, Elwood G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alsomiri, Isam
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baghdasaryan, Hovhannes
• Application Number:
  US13/837,237
• Publication Number:
  US 20140104988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 367/172, 367/174, 381/77, 381/79, 381/189, 381/391
• US Class Current: 381/189
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 11/00 Transmission systems employing sonic, ultrasonic or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/023 Screens for loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 17/00 Piezoelectric transducers; Electrostrictive transducers piezoelectric or electrostrictive elements in general H10N30/00; details of piezoelectric or electrostrictive motors, generators or positioners H10N30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 17/10 Resonant transducers, i.e. adapted to produce maximum output at a predetermined frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2217/03 Parametric transducers where sound is generated or captured by the acoustic demodulation of amplitude modulated ultrasonic waves

Abstract

An ultrasonic emitter comprises a support member operable to support an ultrasonic emittive material. The support member includes a plurality of support ribs. The ultrasonic emittive material is coupled to upper portions of the support ribs so as to be carried by the support member. A protective screen has a plurality of apertures formed therein, the protective screen being in contact with the ultrasonic emittive material atop the support ribs such that the spacing between the ultrasonic emittive material and the protective screen is substantially zero atop the support ribs.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic emitter, comprising:

a support member operable to support an ultrasonic emittive material, the support member including a plurality of support ribs;

an ultrasonic emittive material coupled to upper portions of the support ribs so as to be carried by the support member, the ultrasonic emittive material being free to move in airspaces defined between the support ribs; and

a protective screen having a plurality of apertures formed therein and has a flat bottom surface through which the plurality of apertures extend, the protective screen being in direct contact with the ultrasonic emittive material atop the support ribs such that the spacing between the ultrasonic emittive material and the flat bottom surface of the protective screen is substantially zero atop the support ribs;

the protective screen being unattached to the ultrasonic emittive material between each of the plurality of support ribs such that the ultrasonic emittive material is free to move in airspaces defined between each of the plurality of support ribs.

2. The emitter of claim 1, wherein each support rib is spaced from adjacent support ribs and extends longitudinally along the support member.

3. The emitter of claim 1, wherein the upper portions of the support ribs collectively define a support matrix having a relative degree of flatness, and wherein a bottom plane of the protective screen in contact with the upper portions of the support ribs has a relative degree of flatness that is the same as or more flat than the support matrix.

4. The emitter of claim 1, wherein the protective screen is bonded to the ultrasonic emittive material atop the support ribs.

5. The emitter of claim 1, wherein the protective screen is mechanically held in contact with the ultrasonic emittive material atop the supports.

6. The emitter of claim 1, wherein at least some of the apertures of the protective screen include a diameter of a fractional wavelength of a resonant frequency of the emitter.

7. The emitter of claim 1, wherein the protective screen is formed from an electrically non-conductive material.

8. The emitter of claim 1, wherein a flatness of a bottom plane of the protective screen is substantially matched to a flatness of a support matrix collectively defined by upper portions of the support ribs as a result of coupling the upper portions of the support ribs to the bottom plane of the protective screen.

9. The emitter of claim 1, wherein the apertures extend through the bottom surface of the protective screen substantially perpendicularly to the bottom surface of the protective screen.

10. A method of increasing output of an ultrasonic emitter, the emitter including a support member having a plurality of support ribs with an ultrasonic emittive material coupled to upper portions of each of the plurality of support ribs such that the support member carries the ultrasonic emittive material, the ultrasonic emittive material being free to move in airspaces defined between each of the plurality of support ribs;

the method including;

positioning a protective screen atop the support ribs, the protective screen having a plurality of apertures formed therein and has a flat bottom surface through which the plurality of apertures extend, the spacing between the ultrasonic emittive material and the flat bottom surface of the protective screen being substantially zero atop the support ribs, the protective screen being unattached to the ultrasonic emittive material between each of the plurality of support ribs such that the ultrasonic emittive material is free to move in airspaces defined between each of the plurality of support ribs; and

fixing a position of the protective screen atop the support ribs to limit or prevent the protective screen from moving during operation of the emitter.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein each support rib is spaced from adjacent support ribs and extends longitudinally along the support member.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the upper portions of the support ribs collectively define a support matrix having a relative degree of flatness, and wherein a bottom plane of the protective screen in contact with the upper portions of the support ribs has a relative degree of flatness that is the same as or more flat than the support matrix.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein fixing the protective screen atop the support ribs includes bonding the protective screen atop the emittive material atop the support ribs.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein fixing the protective screen atop the support ribs includes mechanically fixing the protective screen atop the emittive material atop the supports.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein at least some of the apertures of the protective screen include a diameter of a fractional wavelength of a resonant frequency of the emitter.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the protective screen is formed from an electrically non-conductive material.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein a flatness of a bottom plane of the protective screen is substantially matched to a flatness of a support matrix collectively defined by upper portions of the support ribs by coupling the upper portions of the support ribs to the bottom plane of the protective screen.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the apertures extend through the bottom surface of the protective screen substantially perpendicularly to the bottom surface of the protective screen.