Acoustics – Geophysical or subsurface exploration – Seismic wave generation
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-31
2001-11-27
Hsieh, Shih-Yung (Department: 2837)
Acoustics
Geophysical or subsurface exploration
Seismic wave generation
C181S166000, C181S207000, C181S208000, C181S148000, C181S149000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06321868
ABSTRACT:
The present invention concerns the field of watertight apparatus or equipment capable of being immersed in a liquid, such as water, like for example a watch, said apparatus including a case in which is housed an acoustic transducer, of the microphone or loud-speaker type.
The present invention concerns a watertight apparatus capable of being immersed in a liquid, for example a watertight watch, including a case with an inner chamber communicating with the exterior, said chamber being separated from the exterior by a membrane which can be deformed, defining, on one side, a non-watertight outer zone and, on the other side, a watertight inner zone, in which is housed, in association with said membrane, an acoustic transducer, said membrane being fixed by its peripheral edge in the chamber and applied via elastic means towards its periphery, but at a distance from said edge, against a support surface arranged in the inner chamber.
Mounting acoustic transducers in apparatuses intended to be immersed is already known, and in particular in watches intended to be worn on a user's wrist for the purpose of making watches having additional functions for transmitting and receiving a sound or ultrasonic acoustic signal, for example. The depth of immersion can currently nominally reach about thirty meters or more, and making a completely watertight case, for the purpose of guaranteeing the watertightness of a watch, without any possible communication with the exterior, for all the inner watch components, is already known.
Such an assembly of course guarantees excellent watertightness for the watch. Conversely, the acoustic transducer cannot operate in an optimum manner since the acoustic power which has to be transmitted thereto or emitted thereby is attenuated because of the full, unbroken wall of the case. Such solution can thus only be envisaged if mediocre acoustic quality is accepted.
This is the reason why it has already been proposed, in particular in European Patent Application No. EP-A-0 899 635 by the same Applicant, to make an apparatus capable of being immersed, such as a watch, in which the case containing the acoustic transducer is in communication with the external surroundings of the watch case via an opening. Such an embodiment of course improves the acoustic qualities of the transducer, as regards both reception and transmission of the sound since the sound waves can propagate via the opening arranged in the case, without any significant attenuation or modification. Conversely, such a technical solution requires the assembly of a membrane which can be deformed, on which the acoustic transducer is mounted, said deformable membrane being responsible for sealing all the inner components of the case relative to the external opening.
As was stated previously, the apparatus according to European Patent Application No. EP-A-0 899 635 provides a significant improvement in the general acoustic qualities of the acoustic transducer. However, it has been able to be shown that a device of this kind cannot work in an optimum manner across the entire sound spectrum used. Thus, the appearance of signal distortions and attenuation in proximity to certain sound frequencies has been observed. The appearance of deterioration in the acoustic features of the apparatus provided with a deformable membrane in proximity to such a frequency range can result from multiple causes, such as those linked to the existence of a resonance frequency of the elastic element holding the membrane in place, or even to the existence of a vibration of the transducer against the bottom of the membrane deformation chamber. Other reasons may of course be evoked, without the origin thereof being able to be determined exactly.
The object of the invention is consequently to provide a remedy to the various drawbacks mentioned previously, and to provide a new watertight apparatus able to be immersed in a liquid and wherein the acoustic transducer associated with a sealing deformable membrane is able to assure improved reproduction of the sound waves across the entire sound spectrum used.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new watertight apparatus allowing the sound waves to be reproduced at a high level across the entire sound spectrum used, using particularly simple and tested technical means.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new watertight apparatus provided with an acoustic transducer able to reproduce optimum acoustic quality across the entire sound spectrum used while being economical to manufacture, and whose various internal components can easily be set in place.
The objects assigned to the invention are achieved using a watertight apparatus, capable of being immersed in a liquid, for example a watertight watch, with a case including an inner chamber communicating with the exterior, said chamber being separated from the exterior by a membrane which can be deformed defining, on one side, an outer non watertight zone and, on the other side, an inner watertight zone wherein an acoustic transducer is housed, in association with said membrane, said membrane being secured by its peripheral edge in the chamber to form a peripheral fixing zone elastically applied by elastic means towards the periphery thereof, but at a distance from said edge, against a support surface arranged in the inner chamber, characterised in that it includes means for blocking the vibrations transmitted by the acoustic transducer to the deformable membrane, said means being inserted between the peripheral fixing zone and the elastic means.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3577876 (1971-05-01), Spadini
patent: 3603427 (1971-09-01), Sotome
patent: 3779337 (1973-12-01), Gregory
patent: 4045954 (1977-09-01), Ganter et al.
patent: 5243150 (1993-09-01), Bank et al.
patent: 41 14 180 (1992-11-01), None
patent: 899635 (1997-08-01), None
patent: 840047 (1939-04-01), None
Dubugnon Dominique
Mignot Jean-Pierre
Asulab S.A.
Hsieh Shih-yung
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
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