Water resistant microphone

• US 5,812,496 A
• Filed: 10/20/1997
• Issued: 09/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Peck/Pelissier
• Original Assignee: Peck/Pelisser Partnership
• Inventors: Peck, Jerome
• Primary Examiner(s): Lobo, Ian J.
• Application Number:
  US08/954,589
• Time in Patent Office: 337 Days
• Field of Search: 367/141, 367/174, 367/176, 367/175, 367/168, 367/173, 310/337, 381/168, 381/189
• US Class Current: 367/174
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/44 Special adaptations for subaqueous use, e.g. for hydrophone
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2307/025 Diaphragms comprising polymeric materials
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/06 Loudspeakers

Abstract

A microphone for use in underwater applications. The microphone includes a dynamic magnet and coil assembly in a housing which incorporates a hydrophobic membrane. The membrane is sufficiently porous to permit air to pass therethrough. However, water cannot pass through the membrane. The housing permits water to drain away whereby a superior underwater microphone is obtained. This invention provides the diver with a military-style noise canceling microphone that retains exceptional sound reproduction quality because it is not encapsulated. However, the new microphone can be repeatedly exposed to the marine environment without failure.

Claims

1. A microphone assembly for underwater applications comprising,

a housing,

a magnet assembly mounted in said housing,

acoustic damping means mounted in said housing adjacent to one side of said magnet assembly,

a moisture barrier mounted in said housing adjacent to said acoustic damping means,

first cover means with drain slots therethrough adapted to be coupled to said one side of said housing,

a speech diaphragm mounted in said housing adjacent to the opposite side of said magnetic assembly,

a hydrophobic membrane mounted in said housing adjacent to said speech diaphragm, and

second cover means adapted to be coupled to the opposite side of said housing with apertures therethrough to permit acoustic pressure to be applied to said speech diaphragm.

2. The assembly recited in claim 1 including,

ring means interposed between said hydrophobic membrane and said speech diaphragm for supporting said speech diaphragm.

3. The assembly recited in claim 1 wherein,

said speech diaphragm includes a small aperture therethrough to permit pressure equalization at said speech diaphragm within said housing.

4. The assembly recited in claim 1 including,

a mounting disk for supporting said moisture barrier.

5. The assembly recited in claim 4 wherein,

said mounting disk includes a plurality of apertures therethrough to pass sound vibration.

6. The assembly recited in claim 1 wherein,

said magnetic assembly includes a generally cylindrical magnet with an annular groove therein around the axis thereof.

7. The assembly recited in claim 6 including,

coil means mounted on said speech diaphragm and adapted to be movably disposed within said annular groove in said magnet.

8. The assembly recited in claim 7 including,

at least one electrically conductive contact mounted on said housing and connected to said coil means.

9. The assembly recited in claim 1 including,

at least one aperture through said housing to permit pressure equalization within said housing.

10. The assembly recited in claim 1 wherein,

said housing includes a first recess in said one side for receiving said acoustic damping means and said moisture barrier.

11. The assembly recited in claim 1 wherein,

said housing includes a second recess in said opposite side for receiving said speech diaphragm and said hydrophobic membrane.

12. The assembly recited in claim 1 wherein,

said housing includes a first recess in said one side for receiving said acoustic damping means and said moisture barrier, and

said housing includes a second recess in said opposite side for receiving said speech diaphragm and said hydrophobic membrane.

13. The assembly recited in claim 1 including,

at least one aperture passing through said housing in order to permit pressure equalization on both sides thereof.

14. The assembly recited in claim 7 wherein,

said coil means comprises a coil of copper wire.

15. The assembly recited in claim 1 wherein,

said hydrophobic membrane includes at least one aperture therethrough which will pass air therethrough but prevent the passage of water therethrough.

16. The assembly recited in claim 1 wherein,

said first cover means and said drain slots permit water to readily drain away from said assembly.

17. The assembly recited in claim 8 wherein,

said coil means is connected to said contact by the ends of said coil means passing through said housing.

18. The assembly recited in claim 1 wherein,

said acoustic damping means cancels acoustic ringing caused by said housing.

19. The assembly recited in claim 4 wherein,

said apertures are defined by Helmholtz acoustic tuning techniques such that the acoustic tuning of said assembly does not vary significantly during operation.

20. The assembly recited in claim 5 wherein,

said mounting disk and said moisture barrier are separate components.

21. The assembly recited in claim 12 wherein,

said housing includes a central support intermediate said first and second recesses.

22. A microphone assembly for underwater applications comprising,

a housing,

a magnet assembly mounted in said housing,

said magnetic assembly includes a generally cylindrical magnet with an annular groove therein around the axis thereof,

an acoustic damping device mounted in said housing adjacent to one side of said magnet assembly,

a moisture barrier mounted in said housing adjacent to said acoustic damping means,

a mounting disk for supporting said moisture barrier,

first cover means with drain slots therethrough adapted to be coupled to said one side of said housing,

a speech diaphragm mounted in said housing adjacent to the opposite side of said magnetic assembly,

a hydrophobic membrane mounted in said housing adjacent to said speech diaphragm,

a support ring interposed between said hydrophobic membrane and said speech diaphragm for supporting said speech diaphragm, and

second cover means adapted to be coupled to the opposite side of said housing with apertures therethrough to permit acoustic pressure to be applied to said speech diaphragm.