Loudspeaker having an interlocking magnet structure

• US 7,894,623 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2006
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Steere, John F., Mihelich, Ryan J., Semmler, Jason M
• Primary Examiner(s): Ensey; Brian
• Application Number:
  US11/386,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20070223777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,798 Days
• Field of Search: 381/396, 381/400, 381/412, 381/414, 381/420, 381/421, 335/231
• US Class Current: 381/412
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/025 Magnetic circuit

Abstract

A magnet structure for use with a loudspeaker has an interlocking mechanism. The magnet structure can include a magnet, a shell pot and at least one core cap. The shell pot can contain the magnet in its hollow interior. The magnet can be a single magnet or double magnets. The core cap has two surfaces. For a single magnet, one surface of the core cap faces the magnet. For double magnets, the core cap can be vertically disposed between the two magnets. The magnet, the core cap and the shell pot can interlock with one another such that a position of the magnet relative to the core cap and the shell pot can be rigidly preserved. The magnet can be configured to be, for example, overlapped, inserted, staked and/or engaged with at least one of the shell pot or the core cap.

Claims

1. A loudspeaker having a magnet structure, comprising:

a magnet having a first surface and a second surface;

a core cap mounted on the first surface of the magnet;

a shell pot configured to receive the magnet and the core cap in a hollow interior, where the second surface of the magnet contacts a base surface of the shell pot;

where the magnet, the core cap and the shell pot are configured to interlock to fixedly position the magnet with respect to the core cap and the shell pot, the core cap comprising a first protrusion, and the shell pot comprising a second protrusion, the magnet formed with an aperture to accommodate and provide engagement of the first protrusion and the second protrusion with the magnet; and

a vent passageway formed to penetrate the core cap and the shell pot and extend through the aperture of the magnet.

2. The magnet structure of claim 1, where the first protrusion is spaced apart from the second protrusion in the aperture to avoid a magnetic short circuit.

3. The motor of magnet structure 1, where the aperture is a center aperture that comprises a diameter (d) and the first protrusion comprises a first width (w₁) and the second protrusion comprises a second width (w₂), the first width (w₁) and the second width (w₂) being substantially identical to, or smaller than the diameter (d).

4. The magnet structure of claim 3, where the first protrusion is spaced apart from the second protrusion by a determined gap (g).

5. A loudspeaker having a magnet structure, comprising:

a magnet having a first surface and a second surface;

a core cap mounted on the first surface of the magnet; and

a shell pot configured to receive the magnet and the core cap in a hollow interior, where the second surface of the magnet contacts a base surface of the shell pot; and

where the magnet, the core cap and the shell pot are configured to interlock to fixedly position the magnet with respect to the core cap and the shell pot, and the core cap comprises a flange that surrounds a peripheral edge of the magnet and extends toward the shell pot.

6. A loudspeaker having a magnet structure, comprising:

a magnet having a first surface and a second surface;

a core cap mounted on the first surface of the magnet; and

a shell pot configured to receive the magnet and the core cap in a hollow interior, where the second surface of the magnet contacts a base surface of the shell pot; and

where the magnet, the core cap and the shell pot are configured to interlock to fixedly position the magnet with respect to the core cap and the shell pot, the core cap comprising a first protrusion and the shell pot comprising a second protrusion, and at least a part of the magnet interlocks with the first protrusion and the second protrusion, and where the shell pot comprises a recess on the base surface of the shell pot, the recess configured to receive the second surface of the magnet.

7. A loudspeaker having a magnet structure, comprising:

a magnet having a first surface and a second surface;

a core cap mounted on the first surface of the magnet; and

a shell pot configured to receive the magnet and the core cap in a hollow interior, where the second surface of the magnet contacts a base surface of the shell

where the magnet, the core cap and the shell pot are configured to interlock to fixedly position the magnet with respect to the core cap and the shell pot, the core cap comprising a first protrusion and the shell pot comprising a second protrusion, and at least a part of the magnet interlocks with the first protrusion and the second protrusion; and

a fastener configured to engage with the magnet, the core cap and the shell pot through aligned apertures formed in each of the magnet the core cap and the shell pot.

8. A loudspeaker having a magnet structure, comprising:

a first magnet;

a second magnet positioned in parallel with the first magnet;

a core cap disposed between the first magnet and the second magnet; and

a shell pot containing at least the first magnet and the core cap;

where at least a part of the first magnet interlocks with the shell pot and the core cap, and at least a part of the second magnet interlocks with the core cap, the core cap comprising a first nub and a second nub, the first nub extending in an opposite direction to the second nub.

9. The magnet structure of claim 8, where the first magnet comprises a first aperture and the first nub is insertable in the first aperture to engage with the first magnet.

10. The magnet structure of claim 9, where the second magnet comprises a second aperture and the second nub is insertable in the second aperture to engage with the second magnet.

11. The magnet structure of claim 9, where the shell pot comprises a protrusion, and the first aperture is configured to accommodate the protrusion so that the protrusion is engaged with the first magnet.

12. The magnet structure of claim 8, where the shell pot comprises a recess that is formed to receive the first magnet.

13. A loudspeaker having a magnet structure, comprising:

a first magnet;

a second magnet positioned in parallel with the first magnet;

a core cap disposed between the first magnet and the second magnet; and

a shell pot containing at least the first magnet and the core cap;

where at least a part of the first magnet interlocks with the shell pot and the core cap, and at least a part of the second magnet interlocks with the core cap, the core cap comprising a flange at an edge of the core cap that is formed to surround a peripheral edge of at least one of the first magnet or the second magnet.

14. A loudspeaker having a magnet structure, comprising:

a first magnet;

a second magnet positioned in parallel with the first magnet;

a core cap disposed between the first magnet and the second magnet; and

a shell pot containing at least the first magnet and the core cap;

where at least a part of the first magnet interlocks with the shell pot and the core cap, and at least a part of the second magnet interlocks with the core cap, the core cap comprising a first flange and a second flange, the first flange surrounding a peripheral edge of the first magnet and extending toward the shell pot and the second flange surrounding a peripheral edge of the second magnet and extending opposite to the first flange.

15. A loudspeaker having a magnet structure, comprising:

a first magnet;

a second magnet positioned in parallel with the first magnet;

a core cap disposed between the first magnet and the second magnet; and

a shell pot containing at least the first magnet and the core cap;

where at least a part of the first magnet interlocks with the shell pot and the core cap, and at least a part of the second magnet interlocks with the core cap;

the core cap comprising a first extension member and a second extension member, the first extension member extending through a first center aperture of the first magnet, and the second extension member extending through a second center aperture of the second magnet.

16. The magnet structure of claim 15, where the core cap comprises a third extension member and a fourth extension member and where the third and fourth extension members extend perpendicular to the first and second extension members.

17. The magnet structure of claim 16, where the first and second extension members are configured to be smaller in diameters than the third and fourth extension members.

18. The magnet structure of claim 16, where the shell pot comprises an opening that is formed to receive the first extension member.

19. The magnet structure of claim 18, where the first extension member is securable to the shell pot with an extension member.

20. The magnet structure of claim 16, where the second extension member is securable to the second magnet with a restraining head, the restraining head formed at one end of the second extension member and expanding over the top surface of the second magnet.

21. The magnet structure of claim 16, where the core cap engages with the first and the second magnets vertically and horizontally.

22. A loudspeaker having a magnet structure, comprising:

a first magnet;

a second magnet positioned in parallel to the first magnet;

a core cap vertically disposed between the first magnet and the second magnet; and

a shell pot containing at least the first magnet and the core cap;

where the first magnet, the second magnet, the core cap, and the shell pot interlock with a fastener that extends through aligned apertures included in each of the first magnet, the second magnet, the core cap and the shell pot, the fastener comprising a head member, a body member, and a shop head member, the shop head member formed against a surface of the second magnet, and the head member engaged with the shell pot.

23. The loudspeaker of claim 22, where the body member is engaged at least with the first magnet, the core cap and the second magnet.

24. The loudspeaker of claim 22, where the shop-head member is larger in a diameter than the aligned apertures and the head member has a frusto-conical shape.

25. A loudspeaker having a magnet structure, comprising:

a first magnet;

a second magnet positioned adjacent to the first magnet;

a core cap disposed between the first magnet and the second magnet;

a shell pot containing at least the first magnet; and

a fastener comprising a body member having a first end and a second end, the body member engaged with the shell pot at the first end and extending through apertures formed in each of the first magnet, the second magnet and the core cap, the fastener formed to include a shop head member at the second end so that the first magnet, the second magnet and the core cap are interlocked and secured to the shell pot by the fastener.

26. The loudspeaker magnet structure of claim 25, where at least a part of the first magnet is interlocked with the core cap.

27. The loudspeaker magnet structure of claim 25, where at least a part of the second magnet is interlocked with the core cap.

28. The loudspeaker magnet structure of claim 25, where the fastener comprises a nonmagnetic material.

29. The loudspeaker magnet structure of claim 25, where the body member is cylindrical.

30. The loudspeaker magnet structure of claim 25, where the fastener is operable to be engaged with the first magnet, the second magnet, and the core cap to secure the core cap to at least one of the first magnet and the second magnet.

31. The loudspeaker magnet structure of claim 25, where the shell pot is formed to include an aperture and the first end of the fastener is disposed in the aperture of the shell pot.

32. The loudspeaker magnet structure of claim 31, where the first end of the fastener is press fit into the aperture of the shell pot.