Loudspeaker diaphragm

• US 9,681,233 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2015
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Little, Richard Warren
• Primary Examiner(s): Eason, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCCARTY, TAUNYA A
• Application Number:
  US14/885,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20160044418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2207/00 Details of diaphragms or cones for electromechanical transducers or their suspension covered by H04R7/00 but not provided for in H04R7/00 or in H04R2307/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2231/003 Manufacturing aspects of the outer suspension of loudspeaker or microphone diaphragms or of their connecting aspects to said diaphragms
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2307/207 Shape aspects of the outer suspension of loudspeaker diaphragms
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 31/003 for diaphragms or their outer suspension
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 7/12 Non-planar diaphragms or cones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 7/127 dome-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 7/16 Mounting or tensioning of diaphragms or cones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/043 Inner suspension or damper, e.g. spider outer suspension or surround H04R7/16

Abstract

Embodiments are provided for configurations of a loudspeaker. The loudspeaker may include a frame, a magnetic structure having a magnetic gap, a voice coil suspended within the magnetic gap, a first suspension element, a diaphragm, and a second suspension element. The first suspension element may have an inner rim and an outer rim attached to the frame. The diaphragm may have an outer portion and a continuous central portion attached to the voice coil via a first coupler. The outer portion of the diaphragm may be attached to the inner rim of the first suspension element. The second suspension element may have an inner rim and an outer rim attached to the frame. The inner rim of the second suspension element may be attached to the diaphragm via a second coupler along a circumferential middle section of the diaphragm between the continuous central portion and outer portion of the diaphragm.

Claims

1. A loudspeaker comprising:

an assembly having a magnetic structure;

a diaphragm comprising an inner portion and an outer portion, the inner portion formed into a single portion of material having a dome-shaped surface and the outer portion having a cone-shaped surface, wherein the diaphragm extends from a center axis of the loudspeaker to the assembly, and wherein the dome-shaped surface and cone-shaped surface form a lower surface of the diaphragm;

a spider comprising an inner rim coupled to the lower surface of the diaphragm and an outer rim coupled to the assembly; and

a voice coil coupled to the lower surface of the diaphragm such that the voice coil is at least partially suspended axially along the center axis within a gap of the magnetic structure, wherein the voice coil is attached to the inner portion of the diaphragm via a coupler.

2. The loudspeaker of claim 1, wherein the spider has a concentrically corrugated structure.

3. The loudspeaker of claim 1, wherein the inner portion of the diaphragm is coupled to the outer portion of the diaphragm at a circumferential middle section, and wherein the spider is coupled to the circumferential middle section.

4. The loudspeaker of claim 1, wherein the spider is constructed of one or more of the following:

(a) a treated fabric material, (b) flexible rubber, and (c) flexible elastomer.

5. The loudspeaker of claim 1, wherein the coupler surrounds a portion of the voice coil.

6. The loudspeaker of claim 1, wherein the spider is coupled to the lower surface of the diaphragm via an adhesive substance configured to bind the spider to the diaphragm.

7. The loudspeaker of claim 1, further comprising a surround coupling the diaphragm to the assembly.

8. A method of assembling a loudspeaker, the method comprising:

providing an assembly comprising a magnetic structure;

providing a diaphragm comprising an inner portion and an outer portion, the inner portion formed into a single portion of material having a dome-shaped surface and the outer portion having a cone-shaped surface, wherein the dome-shaped surface and the cone-shaped surface form a lower surface of the diaphragm;

coupling a voice coil to the lower surface of the diaphragm wherein the voice coil is attached to the inner portion of the diaphragm via a coupler; and

coupling the diaphragm to the assembly such that (i) the diaphragm extends from a center axis of the loudspeaker to the assembly, (ii) the voice coil is at least partially suspended axially along a center axis of the assembly and within a gap of the magnetic structure.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein coupling the diaphragm to the assembly comprises:

coupling a spider between the lower surface of the diaphragm and the assembly.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the inner portion of the diaphragm is coupled to the outer portion of the diaphragm at a circumferential middle section, and wherein the spider is coupled to the circumferential middle section.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein

the coupler surrounds a portion of the voice coil.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein coupling the diaphragm to the assembly comprises:

coupling the diaphragm to the assembly via a surround.

13. A diaphragm of a loudspeaker, the diaphragm comprising:

an inner portion formed from a single portion of material having a dome-shaped surface; and

an outer portion having a cone-shaped surface, wherein the diaphragm extends from a center axis of the loudspeaker to a first suspension element coupling the cone-shaped surface to an assembly, wherein a lower surface of the diaphragm formed by the dome-shaped surface and the cone-shaped surface is attached to a voice coil axially suspended along the center axis and at least partially within a gap of a magnetic structure of the assembly, wherein the voice coil is attached to the inner portion of the diaphragm via a coupler.

14. The diaphragm of claim 13, wherein the lower surface of the diaphragm is further coupled to the assembly via a second suspension element.

15. The diaphragm of claim 14, wherein the inner portion of the diaphragm is coupled to the outer portion of the diaphragm at a circumferential middle section, and wherein the second suspension element is coupled to the circumferential middle section.

16. The diaphragm of claim 14, wherein the second suspension element is a spider comprising an inner rim coupled to the diaphragm and an outer rim coupled to the assembly.

17. The diaphragm of claim 13, wherein the coupler surrounds a portion of the voice coil.