Electrical audio signal processing systems and devices – Electro-acoustic audio transducer – Having acoustic wave modifying structure
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-13
2001-03-06
Kuntz, Curtis A. (Department: 2743)
Electrical audio signal processing systems and devices
Electro-acoustic audio transducer
Having acoustic wave modifying structure
C381S191000, C381S398000, C381S423000, C381S431000, C381S161000, C381S162000, C181S172000, C181S287000, C181S288000, C181S292000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06198831
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to loudspeakers and more particularly to loudspeakers comprising panel-form acoustic radiating elements.
BACKGROUND ART
It is known from GB-A-2262861 to suggest a panel-form loudspeaker comprising:
a resonant multi-mode radiator element being a unitary sandwich panel formed of two skins of material with a spacing core of transverse cellular construction, wherein the panel is such as to have ratio of bending stiffness (B), in all orientations, to the cube power of panel mass per unit surface area (&mgr;) of at least 10;
a mounting means which supports the panel or attaches to it a supporting body, in a free undamped manner;
and an electro-mechanical drive means coupled to the panel which serves to excite a multi-modal resonance in the radiator panel in response to an electrical input within a
5
working frequency band for the loudspeaker.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention use members of nature, structure and configuration achievable generally and/or specifically by implementing teachings of our co-pending application Ser. No. 08/707,018. Such members thus have capability to sustain and propagate input vibrational energy by bending waves in operative area(s) extending transversely of thickness often but not necessarily to edges of the member(s); are configured with or without anisotropy of bending stiffness to have resonant mode vibration components distributed over said area(s) beneficially for acoustic coupling with ambient air; and have predetermined preferential locations or sites within said area for transducer means, particularly operationally active or moving part(s) thereof effective in relation to acoustic vibrational activity in said area(s) and signals, usually electrical, corresponding to acoustic content of such vibrational activity. Uses are envisaged in co-pending application Ser. No. 08/707,012 for such members as or in “passive” acoustic devices without transducer means, such as for reverberation or for acoustic filtering or for acoustically “voicing” a space or room; and as or in “active” acoustic devices with transducer means, such as in a remarkably wide range of sources of sound or loudspeakers when supplied with input signals to be converted to said sound, or in such as microphones when exposed to sound to be converted into other signals.
This invention is particularly concerned with active acoustic devices in the form of loudspeakers. Members as above are herein called distributed mode acoustic radiators and are intended to be characterised as in the above co-pending patent application and/or otherwise as specifically provided herein.
The invention is a panel-form loudspeaker having a distributed mode acoustic radiator and a transducer coupled to vibrate the radiator to cause it to resonate, characterised by a second transducer coupled to the radiator to produce a signal in response to resonance of the radiator due to incident acoustic energy. The distributed mode acoustic radiator may be mounted in a surrounding frame by means of an interposed resilient suspension.
The panel-form loudspeaker may be characterised by at least two said second transducers at spaced locations on the radiator.
The panel-form loudspeaker may be characterised by a further transducer on the radiator to produce a signal in response to resonance of the radiator due to incident acoustic energy, and by means for comparing the signal generated by the said further transducer with that of those a stiff lightweight panel having a cellular core sandwiched between skins. The suspension may be attached to the edge of the panel. The first and second transducers may be mounted wholly and exclusively on the radiator. At least two said second transducers may be provided at predetermined preferential locations or sites on the radiator. A further transducer may be provided on the radiator at a predetermined location or site to produce a signal in response to resonance of the radiator due to incident acoustic energy, and means may be provided for comparing the signal generated by the said further transducer with that of those generated by the said second transducer(s). The comparison means may comprise a signal receiver and conditioner and signal output means.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4467235 (1984-08-01), De Wames et al.
patent: 2010637 (1978-11-01), None
patent: 2 161 672 (1986-01-01), None
Azima Henry
Colloms Martin
Harris Neil
Foley & Lardner
Harvey Dionne
Kuntz Curtis A.
New Transducers Limited
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