Claims
- 1. A microphone for converting sound into an electrical signal, comprising:
a housing with a sound port for receiving said sound; a diaphragm undergoing movement in response to said sound; and a backplate positioned at a known position from said diaphragm, said backplate having an integral connecting wire electrically coupling said backplate to an electronic component within said housing, said integral connecting wire including a layer of material that is the same material used in said backplate.
- 2. The microphone of claim 1, wherein said electronic component is an integrated circuit.
- 3. The microphone of claim 1, wherein said electronic component is located on a printed circuit board within said housing, said integral connecting wire being attached to a contact pad on said printed circuit board.
- 4. The microphone of claim 1, wherein said backplate includes a non-conductive structure and a conductive layer positioned on said non-conductive structure.
- 5. The microphone of claim 4, wherein said conductive layer is a layer of metal.
- 6. The microphone of claim 5, wherein said integral connecting wire includes said non-conductive layer and said metal layer.
- 7. The microphone of claim 4, wherein said non-conductive layer is polyimide.
- 8. The microphone of claim 1, wherein said integral connecting wire has a rectangular cross-section.
- 9. The microphone of claim 1, wherein said integral connecting wire includes a nonconductive layer and a conductive layer.
- 10. The microphone of claim 9, wherein said conductive layer is said same material as used in said backplate.
- 11. The microphone of claim 9, wherein said nonconductive layer is said same material as used in said backplate.
- 12. The microphone of claim 1, wherein said backplate includes a nonconductive layer, an electret layer, and a conductive layer.
- 13. The microphone of claim 1, wherein said diaphragm has an electret layer.
- 14. The microphone of claim 12, wherein said nonconductive layer is polyimide.
- 15. The microphone of claim 12, wherein said electret layer is fluorinated polyethylene propylene and said conductive layer is gold.
- 16. The microphone of claim 12, wherein said nonconductive layer is substantially thicker than said conductive layer.
- 17. The microphone of claim 1, wherein said integral connecting wire has a length that is larger than a length of said housing to allow said integral connecting wire to be attached to said electronic component outside of said housing.
- 18. A method of assembling a microphone, comprising:
providing a backplate that includes an integral connecting wire; mounting said backplate within a microphone housing at a location where said backplate is opposing a diaphragm; and electrically connecting said integral connecting wire to an electrical component that is to receive a signal from said backplate.
- 19. The method of claim 18, wherein electrically connecting said integral connecting wire includes attaching said integral connecting wire to a printed circuit board on which said electrical component is mounted.
- 20. The method of claim 18, wherein said backplate includes a non-conductive layer and a conductive layer positioned on said non-conductive layer.
- 21. The method of claim 20, wherein said conductive layer is a layer of metal.
- 22. The method of claim 20, wherein said integral connecting wire includes said non-conductive layer and said conductive layer.
- 23. The method of claim 22, wherein said non-conductive layer is polyimide.
- 24. A microphone for converting sound into an electrical signal, comprising:
a housing with a sound port for receiving said sound; a diaphragm undergoing movement in response to said sound; and a backplate positioned at a known position from said diaphragm, said backplate having an integral connecting wire electrically connecting said backplate to an electronic component within said housing through contact pressure engagement.
- 25. The microphone of claim 24, wherein said electronic component is an integrated circuit.
- 26. The microphone of claim 24, wherein said electronic component is located on a printed circuit board within said housing, said integral connecting wire being in said contact pressure engagement with a contact pad on said printed circuit board.
- 27. The microphone of claim 24, wherein said integral connecting wire has a rectangular cross-section.
- 28. The microphone of claim 24, wherein said backplate includes a nonconductive layer, an electret layer, and a conductive layer.
- 29. The microphone of claim 24, wherein said diaphragm has an electret layer.
- 30. The microphone of claim 28, wherein said nonconductive layer is polyimide.
- 31. The microphone of claim 28, wherein said electret layer is fluorinated polyethylene propylene and said conductive layer is a metal.
- 32. The microphone of claim 30, wherein said integral connecting wire only includes said polyimide and said conductive layer at a terminal end where said contact pressure engagement occurs.
- 33. The microphone of claim 24, wherein said integral connecting wire is selected to have a thickness dimension that is different from said backplate to produce a desired amount of spring force for said contact pressure engagement.
- 34. The microphone of claim 33, wherein said selected thickness dimension is located at a bend region of said integral connecting wire.
- 35. A method of assembling a microphone, comprising:
providing a backplate that includes an integral connecting wire; mounting said backplate within a microphone housing; and electrically connecting said integral connecting wire to an electrical contact pad via an elastic spring force in said integral connecting wire.
- 36. The method of claim 35, wherein electrically connecting said integral connecting wire includes connecting said integral connecting wire to a contact pad on a printed circuit board.
- 37. The method of claim 35, wherein electrically connecting said integral connecting wire includes bending said integral connecting wire to create said elastic spring force.
- 38. The method of claim 35, further including the step of adding a drop of electrically conductive adhesive to said electrical contact pad.
- 39. The method of claim 35, wherein said integral connecting wire includes a polymeric layer with a metallization layer on a surface thereof.
- 40. A method of assembling a microphone, comprising:
providing an electret assembly; providing a printed circuit board; and electrically connecting said electret assembly and said printed circuit board via a contact pressure engagement that lacks a solder or adhesive bond.
- 41. The method of claim 40, wherein said electrical assembly includes an integral connecting wire having a terminal end undergoing said contact pressure engagement.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/301,736, filed Jun. 28, 2001, and 60/284,741, filed Apr. 18, 2001.
Provisional Applications (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60301736 |
Jun 2001 |
US |
|
60284741 |
Apr 2001 |
US |