Patent Application
20220127442
The present invention relates to a composition for manufacturing acoustic members, such as a speaker edge or an insulator for a handheld microphone, and to an acoustic member that uses said composition.
Various types of rubber elastic materials are used for members that absorb the excess vibration of a diaphragm, thereby improving the quality of the generated sound, such as an edge member that supports the outer peripheral end of the diaphragm of a speaker (referred to as a speaker edge). In addition, similar rubber elastic materials are used for insulators that cut handling noise from the grip portion and that enhance the sound collecting performance of the microphone capsule included in a handheld microphone, or the like.
These elastic materials are required to have a moderately high internal loss, as well as flexibility, and durability.
For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H5-168090 discloses a free edge material of a speaker that includes prescribed amounts of a thermoplastic resin having good vibration absorption and a crosslinked rubber having good vibration absorption, and in which rubber in the form of particles is uniformly dispersed inside the thermoplastic resin. In the embodiment, polypropylene and brominated butyl rubber are kneaded, resin vulcanizer as a crosslinking agent and low-molecular-weight polybutene as a softening agent are added thereto to thereby prepare a material, and the molded product is said to be not hard like plastic but rather flexible and elastic like crosslinked rubber.
A method in which process oil is blended with rubber to soften the rubber is also known.
The material disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H5-168090 seems to have achieved a certain degree of flexibility and elasticity, but in terms of a specific evaluation, the hardness of the free edge made from this material is only 65 (JIS A). It is said therein that by using a material having good vibration absorption, a free edge having the same or higher level than that of the conventional free edge can be obtained, but the vibration absorption performance is unknown.
In addition, components such as the process oil remain liquid even after crosslinking, which leads to the problem that bleed-out tends to occur.
Although attempts have been made to modify rubber compositions in this manner to thereby provide a material suitable for use in acoustic members, a material that is satisfactory in terms of sound quality has yet to be provided.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a composition for an acoustic member that is suitable as an acoustic member, which secures flexibility and a moderately high internal loss, has excellent durability in which bleed-out of the internal additive, etc., does not occur, and that can maintain design hardness, and an acoustic member with excellent sound quality using said composition.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a composition for an acoustic member is provided, composed of a non-diene butyl rubber and a liquid polymer having a molecular weight of 1,000 to 120,000, wherein the difference in the SP values of the liquid polymer and of the butyl rubber is within ±0.5.
In addition, according to another aspect of the present invention, a composition for an acoustic member is provided, composed of a non-diene butyl rubber and a liquid polymer, wherein the internal loss (tan δ) in a dynamic viscoelasticity measurement of a first crosslinked product of said composition, when measured under the conditions of 20° C., 0.1% dynamic strain, and 1 Hz frequency, is increased by 120% or more as compared with a second crosslinked product formed by removing the liquid polymer from said composition, and the A hardness of the first crosslinked product according to JIS K6253 is 60% or more and 90% or less of the A hardness of the second crosslinked product.
Selected embodiments will now be explained in detail below, with reference to the drawings as appropriate. It will be apparent to those skilled from this disclosure that the following descriptions of the embodiments are provided for illustration only and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
An embodiment of the present invention is described below.
A composition for an acoustic member according to the present invention includes a non-diene butyl rubber and a liquid polymer. A preferred embodiment will be described in detail below.
Non-Diene Butyl Rubber
Butyl rubber is a synthetic rubber having a low degree of unsaturation in which a small amount of isoprene is copolymerized with isobutylene, and is a rubber material having excellent environmental resistance. Types thereof include regular butyl rubber and halogenated butyl rubber. Butyl rubber is graded in accordance with the degree of unsaturation and halogen content. Typical halogenated butyl rubbers include chlorinated butyl rubber and brominated butyl rubber.
One type or grade of butyl rubber can be used alone, or a plurality of types or grades thereof may be used in combination.
Liquid Polymer
The present invention contains liquid polymer in order to modify the butyl rubber composition. The liquid polymer may be referred to as a modifier. Liquid polymer is also called liquid rubber, and is a polymer that is liquid (including a semi-solid state) at room temperature. There are various grades from low molecular weight to high molecular weight, but in the present invention, those having a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of 1,000 or more and 120,000 or less are used. If the Mw is 1,000 or more, the crosslinked product (sometimes referred to as the first crosslinked product) obtained from the composition for an acoustic member according to the present invention does not become softer than necessary, and does not become sticky. If the Mw is 120,000 or less, the liquid polymer can be uniformly dispersed in the composition, and a homogeneous first crosslinked product can be obtained. The Mw of the liquid polymer is preferably 2,000 or more.
Examples of the liquid polymer include polybutene, polyisobutylene, polyisoprene, and polybutadiene. In particular, in the present invention, the liquid polymer is preferably polyisobutylene having an isobutylene unit, which is a structural unit of butyl rubber. In addition, even liquid polymers having different structural units can be used as long as they have excellent compatibility with butyl rubber and do not form a sea-island structure in the molded crosslinked rubber product. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, the molded crosslinked rubber product (e.g., the crosslinked product) is free of a sea-island structure made of a resin material. A solubility parameter (SP value) can be used as an index at this time, and if it is within ±0.5 with respect to the SP value (7.3 to 8.1) of butyl rubber, it can be said that the compatibility is excellent. Polyisobutylene is also within this SP value range. Even if the SP value described above is not satisfied when used alone, if the above-described SP value can be satisfied by mixing, it could be used. Therefore, one type of liquid polymer can be used alone or two or more types may be used in combination. When a plurality of liquid polymers are mixed, the molecular weight (Mw) as a mixture is employed as the molecular weight, but it is preferable to combine those having a similar Mw.
The “SP value” in the present invention is a value as a Hildebrand solubility parameter. Values disclosed as theoretical values may be employed as the SP value. It can also be obtained by means of a known calculation method. Furthermore, it can actually be measured by means of the cloud-point titration method.
In addition, the weight-average molecular weight (Mw) is a standard polystyrene-equivalent value measured by means of gel permeation chromatography (GPC).
Compounding Ratio
An optimal compounding ratio of the non-diene butyl rubber and the liquid polymer in the composition for an acoustic member according to the present invention can be appropriately selected within a range satisfying characteristics suitable for the acoustic member. For example, relative to 100 parts by mass of the butyl rubber, preferably 1 to 100 parts by mass, and more preferably 10 to 60 parts by mass of the liquid polymer can be blended.
Other Components
Other than the non-diene butyl rubber and liquid polymer, a vulcanizing agent for crosslinking the rubber composition, a vulcanization accelerator (vulcanization aid), a filler, or a known additive in the art, such as a processing aid, can be appropriately added to the composition for an acoustic member according to the present invention as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Additionally, other rubber (elastomer) components and resin components may be added as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. However, it is preferable that any of such rubber or resin components be applied within a range that does not form a sea-island structure.
Among the foregoing, the hardness of the obtained crosslinked product can be increased by adding a filler. The filler is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include carbon black, silica, calcium carbonate, talc, clay, and titanium white. These may be used individually, or two or more types may be used in combination.
The vulcanizing agent (including a vulcanization accelerator) is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include sulfur, a sulfur-based vulcanizing agent such as tetraalkylthiuram disulfide, a metal oxide, an organic peroxide, and a resin compound, which may be used alone or in combination of two or more. In particular, a metal oxide is preferably included together with sulfur. The metal oxide is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include zinc oxide and magnesium oxide, of which zinc oxide is preferable.
The amount of vulcanizing agent to he blended is preferably 1 part by mass or more and 30 parts by mass or less, and more preferably 5 parts by mass or more and 15 parts by mass or less with respect to 100 parts by mass of butyl rubber.
The processing aid is not particularly limited as long as it is a material for improving processability, and examples thereof include compounds having a fatty acid skeleton such as stearic acid and amines. These may be used individually, or two or more types may be used in combination.
Method of Preparing the Composition for an Acoustic Member
The method of preparing the composition for an acoustic member according to the present invention is not particularly limited, and a conventionally well-known method can be employed; first, each material component is kneaded with a known kneader until sufficiently uniform to obtain an unvulcanized composition. Next, the unvulcanized composition can be molded into a desired shape while being heated and vulcanized by means of compression press molding, transfer molding, or the like.
Physical Characteristics of the Crosslinked Product
The crosslinked product (first crosslinked product) of the composition for an acoustic member according to the present invention has an internal loss (tan δ) in a dynamic viscoelasticity measurement, when measured under the conditions of 20° C., 0.1% dynamic strain, and 1 Hz frequency, which is increased by 120% or more as compared with a second crosslinked product formed by removing the liquid polymer from said composition, and the A hardness of the first crosslinked product according to JIS K6253 is 60% or more and 90% or less of the A hardness of the second crosslinked product.
The second crosslinked product, which is a crosslinked product of a rubber composition that does not contain a liquid polymer, is a crosslinked product formed from a composition obtained by removing the liquid polymer from the composition for an acoustic member according to the present invention, and is a crosslinked product of a so-called non-modified butyl rubber composition, which does not contain any softening agent, such as process oil, or a liquid polymer within or outside the specified range of the present invention. Assuming that the tan δ value of the second crosslinked product measured under the above-described conditions is 100%, vibration absorption suitable for an acoustic member can be obtained if the tan δ value of the crosslinked product according to the present invention is 120% or more.
The tan δ value is measured in accordance with, for example, JIS K6394 (Dynamic Property Test Method for Vulcanized Rubber and Thermoplastic Rubber/Small Test Apparatus), and is the ration (E″/E′) of the loss modulus of longitudinal elasticity (E″: Pa) and the storage modulus of longitudinal elasticity (E′: Pa). The effect of reducing vibration increases as the value of tan δ increases.
In addition, if the A hardness of the first crosslinked product is 60% or more of the A hardness of the second crosslinked product, the product will not become too soft and the obtained product will not be sticky (tackiness), thereby facilitating handling. If the A hardness of the first crosslinked product is 90% or less of the A hardness of the second crosslinked product, the effect of adding the liquid polymer is sufficiently exhibited, and an appropriate softness can be imparted to the product. Specifically, it is preferable to adjust the components and amounts of the composition such that the A hardness is around 50 (about 45 to 55, more preferably 47 to 52). The A hardness here indicates the initial hardness measured immediately after production.
Additionally, it is preferable that the rate of change (absolute value) of the A hardness of the first crosslinked product before and after holding at 110° C. for 300 hours is less than 10%. If the rate of change is less than 10%, there is almost no change in the usage environment of the actual product, and excellent performance can be maintained for a long period of time. The rate of change is more preferably 5% or less, and optimally 2% or less. It is particularly preferred that it does not change substantially (0%).
Acoustic Member
The composition for an acoustic member according to the present invention is used, particularly in an acoustic member having a vibrating member, as a vibration damping material for controlling the vibration of the vibrating member, A typical example is a speaker member such as an edge that connects the diaphragm of the speaker to the frame. Other than a speaker member, the composition can also be used for an acoustic member (for example, a microphone insulator) in which it is desirable to absorb/eliminate unnecessary vibration.
The size of the edge (thickness, length, etc.) is not particularly limited, and can be appropriately formed into an optimum size in accordance with the size and output power of the speaker.
By applying the composition for an acoustic member according to the present invention to the edge of a speaker, it is possible to realize excellent impulse response behavior, and to thereby provide a speaker that reproduces sounds having good resolution from high to low tones. In addition, since there is no oil bleed and the durability is excellent, it can be used for a long period of time without replacing the edge. Additionally, since butyl rubber has good temperature characteristics, it is not easily affected by the ambient temperature, and it is thereby possible to form a speaker capable of providing stable sound in various environments from cold regions to extremely hot regions.
Since there are differences in the required performance, material thickness, and the like, between a speaker edge and a handheld microphone insulator, it is preferable that the elastic characteristics and hardness are also respectively optimized.
According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a composition for an acoustic member that is suitable as an acoustic member, which secures flexibility and a moderately high internal loss, has excellent durability in which bleed-out of the internal additive, etc., does not occur, and that can maintain design hardness.
Additionally, by using the composition for an acoustic member according to the present invention, it becomes possible to provide an acoustic member having excellent durability and sound quality.
The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples, and may be appropriately modified by a person skilled in the art within the scope of the Claims.
100 parts by mass of butyl rubber (manufactured by JSR, trade name “Butyl 268”), 50 parts by mass of carbon black (manufactured by Tokai Carbon Co., Ltd., trade name “SEAST SO (FEF)”), 5 parts by mass of zinc oxide (manufactured by Seido Chemical Industry CO., LTD, grade 2 zinc oxide), 2 parts by mass of stearic acid (manufactured by Nichiyu Co., Ltd.) as a processing aid, 1.5 parts by mass of sulfur (manufactured by Hosoi Chemical Co., Ltd.) as a vulcanizing agent, 1 part by mass of tetramethylthiuram disulfide (acronym TMTD, manufactured by Ouchi Shinko Kagaku Kogyo Co., Ltd., trade name NOCCELER-TT-P (TT)″) as a vulcanization accelerator, and 1 part by mass of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (acronym MBT, manufactured by Ouchi Shinko Kagaku Kogyo Co., Ltd., trade name NOCCELER-M-P (M)″) were blended to prepare a control composition for manufacturing the second crosslinked product.
Each composition was prepared in accordance with the formulation shown in Table 1. As for the common rubber composition, the same materials as those in the control example were blended at the same composition ratio, and I to VII of Table I were used as modifiers. Details of I to VII are as follows.
I: Polybutene (manufactured by JXTG Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, trade name “Nisseki Polybutene”, grade LV-7, Mn=300)
II: Polybutene (manufactured by JXTG Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, trade name “Nisseki Polybutene”, grade HV-35, Mn=750)
III: Polybutene (manufactured by DEALIM Industrial, trade name “PB-2400”)
IV: Polyisobutylene (manufactured by JXTG Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, trade name “Tetrax”, grade 6T)
V: Polyisobutylene (manufactured by Shandong Hongrui Petrochemical Co., Ltd., trade name “HDR-950J)”
VI: Polybutadiene (manufactured by Nippon Soda Corporation, trade name “NISSO I-PB” brand B-3000. Mn=3200)
VII: Process oil (manufactured by Japan Sun Oil Company, Ltd, trade name “SUNTHENE 410”)
The weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of the modifier was measured in accordance with GPC. Values in the literature were employed for the SP values.
The characteristics of each example were measured by means of the following methods. The results are shown in Table 2.
Manufacturing of Measurement Samples
The compositions having the formulations shown in Table 1 were kneaded at room temperature for about 15 minutes using a kneading roll for rubber, and vulcanized by heating at 160° C. for 30 minutes to thereby mold measurement samples (20 mm length, 5 mm width, and 2 mm thickness).
Measurement Conditions
In compliance with BS K6394, using a dynamic viscoelasticity measuring device (model number RSA-G2) manufactured by TA Instruments, elastic modulus E′ (MPa) and tan δ were measured under the conditions of 20° C., dynamic strain of 0.1%, and frequency of 1 Hz, and the relative ratios when the control example was set to 100% are shown.
Measured in accordance with JIS K6253.
In addition, a durability test was conducted in which the temperature was kept at 110° C. for 300 hours in a constant temperature bath for heat resistance testing. Table 2 shows the A hardness before the start of the test (initial), the relative ratio when the control example is 100%, the A hardness after the test, and the rate of change from the initial value.
Using a speaker box of about 10 L in size, an edge molded by means of the following method was attached to the diaphragm of a 6.5-inch size speaker unit, and 10 panelists made subjective evaluations on a 10-point scale from −5 to +5, where the control example is assumed to be 0. The results are shown in Table 2. The evaluation criteria are as follows.
Using the attack of the sound in the speaker having the control example edge as a reference, the sound was evaluated in accordance with the point-addition/deduction method, in which 1 is added for a tight sound with a fast attack and 1 is subtracted for a loose sound with a slow attack.
Based on the clarity of the speaker having the control example edge, 1 is added if the sound has a sense of depth and even soft sound can be recognized, and 1 is subtracted if the sound has no sense of depth and soft sounds are buried and cannot be recognized, in accordance with the point-addition/deduction method.
A kneaded product, kneaded in the same manner as in the production of the measurement sample, was placed in a mold for an edge and molded at the same temperature and for the same amount of time. The obtained edge was attached to the diaphragm 11 of the speaker shown in
In Comparative Examples 1 and 2, by using a low molecular weight polybutene having a Mw of less than 1,000, tan δ was improved but the A hardness was greatly reduced to around 35, and the surface of the molded rubber was sticky. Furthermore, in the acoustic panel test, in Comparative Examples 1 and 2, the result was inferior in clarity due to the decrease in the hardness of the rubber.
In Comparative Example 3, the molecular weight was within the specified range, but the difference in the SP values between polybutadiene and butyl rubber was larger than 0.5, and compatibility with butyl rubber was poor. Although tan δ was greatly improved with the introduction of a diene structure, the A hardness was higher than that of the control example, thus making it harder, and the hardness was further increased after the environmental test, with a rate of change exceeding 10%. Therefore, it can be determined that the long-term durability is inferior.
In Comparative Example 4, neither tan δ nor the initial A hardness was different from that of the control example, and the effect of the additive was not confirmed. The hardness increased slightly after the test, and the durability was inferior to that of the control example. in Comparative Examples 3 and 4, there was no improvement in flexibility, and in the acoustic panel test, the result for the attack was inferior.
On the other hand, in Examples 1 to 4, tan δ was improved while the initial hardness was significantly decreased, and in the acoustic panel test, in Examples 1 to 4, excellent results were obtained for both attack and clarity. In addition, the rate of change in the A hardness was equal to or better than that of the control example.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-127198 | Jul 2019 | JP | national |
This application is a continuation application of International Application No. PCT/JP2019/037801, filed on Sep. 21, 2019, which claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-127198 filed in Japan on Jul. 8, 2019. The entire disclosures of International Application No. PCT/JP2019/037801 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-127198 are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/JP2019/037801 | Sep 2019 | US |
| Child | 17569449 | US |
