The present invention relates to a non-circular diaphragm and a speaker including the same.
Generally, an electronic device such as a mobile phone includes a speaker, which is an acoustic device. The speaker includes a diaphragm on which a coil is arranged and a magnet, which faces toward the diaphragm spaced by a predetermined interval and which generates a magnetic field near the coil. When electric current flows through the coil, the diaphragm vibrates in a direction orthogonal to both the direction of the electric current and the direction of the magnetic field.
Further, since electronic devices such as mobile phones have become smaller in size, the space available for mounting components in an electronic device has decreased. A known speaker includes a non-circular diaphragm, which has a major axis and a minor axis that are different from each other, so that it may be mounted in the limited component mounting space (e.g., elongated space). The non-circular diaphragm, the major axis and the minor axis of which are different from each other, may include a diaphragm segment 104a having a partially-arched, oblong shape as shown in
Generally, in compact electronic devices such as mobile phones, a diaphragm is molded from a thin film material having a predetermined strength such as engineering plastic (for example, refer to patent publication 2).
However, in the non-circular diaphragm 104, of which major axis α and minor axis β are different from each other, as the ratio of the major axis α relative to the minor axis β (major axis α/minor axis β) increases, formation of a depression H tends to occur in the diaphragm segment 104a at an end region in the major axis direction X. This may easily distort the sound produced by the speaker.
More specifically, for example, residual stress generated when molding the diaphragm 104 from a thin film material may form an unnecessary depression H in the diaphragm segment 104a at an end region 104c in the major axis direction X as shown in
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a diaphragm and a speaker including the diaphragm that prevents an unnecessary depression from being formed in a diaphragm segment at an end region in the major axis direction to reduce the distortion components in the sound produced by the speaker.
The invention recited in claim 1 is a diaphragm, which is non-circular and has a major axis and a minor axis that are different from each other, including a diaphragm segment. When the diaphragm segment has a length in a major axis direction represented by 2a, the diaphragm segment has a length in a minor axis direction represented by 2b, a length from a center of the diaphragm to a boundary of the diaphragm segment in the major axis direction is represented by x, and a length from the center of the diaphragm to the boundary of the diaphragm segment in the minor axis direction is represented by y, the boundary of the diaphragm segment is shaped to satisfy the following equation 1:
In this structure, when the diaphragm segment has a length in the major axis direction represented by 2a, the diaphragm segment has a length in the minor axis direction represented by 2b, the length from a center of the diaphragm to a boundary of the diaphragm segment in the major axis direction is represented by x, and the length from the center of the diaphragm to the boundary of the diaphragm segment in the minor axis direction is represented by y, the shape of the boundary of the diaphragm segment satisfies equation 1. Thus, the curved shape of the boundary of the diaphragm segment at the end region of the diaphragm segment in the major axis direction is flatter than the prior art (i.e., the curvature is smaller). Accordingly, the residual stress generated when the diaphragm is molded and the stress generated when the diaphragm vibrates are less concentrated at the end region of the diaphragm segment in the major axis direction. This prevents the formation of unnecessary depressions in the end region of the diaphragm segment in the major axis direction. As a result, the speaker including the diaphragm reduces distortion components in the sound produced by the speaker.
The invention recited in claim 2 is a speaker including the diaphragm according to claim 1.
This structure obtains the same advantages as the invention recited in claim 1.
The prevent invention prevents the formation of unnecessary depressions at the end region of the diaphragm segment in the major axis direction and reduces distortion components in the sound produced by the speaker.
An embodiment of the present invention will now be discussed with reference to the drawings. The arrow Q in the drawings indicates the vibration direction of a diaphragm. Further, the arrow X indicates the major axis direction that is the longer direction of the diaphragm, and the arrow Y indicates the minor axis direction that is the shorter direction of the diaphragm.
Referring to
The frame F supports a diaphragm 4, which has a generally planar shape and is arranged above the outer magnets 2 and the inner magnet 3 spaced by a predetermined interval. As shown in
The rim 41 is formed to be planar so that it may be placed on a support surface 12, which is formed in an upper portion of the frame F to support the diaphragm 4. The peripheral portion 42 is formed to be convex in the vibration direction Q so as to support and allow vibration of the coil mounting portion 43 and the dome portion 44, which define the central diaphragm segment. The coil mounting portion 43 is formed to be planar so that a coil 5 may be mounted to its lower surface 43a. The dome portion 44 is formed to be convex in the vibration direction Q.
A flattened coil 5 formed from a conductive wire that is wound about an axis parallel to the vibration direction Q is fixed to the lower surface 43a of the coil mounting portion 43. Since the direction of a magnetic field near the coil 5 is the minor axis direction Y, when electric current flows through the coil 5, the diaphragm 4 may be vibrated in a direction (i.e., vibration direction Q) perpendicular to the direction of the electric current (major axis direction X) and the direction of the magnetic field (minor axis direction Y).
A cover 6 including sound holes 61 is arranged above the diaphragm 4. The cover 6 has an end portion 62, which holds the rim 41 of the diaphragm 4 in cooperation with the support surface 12 of the frame F.
The feature of the present embodiment is in that the diaphragm segment 4a has a boundary 42a forming a cubic curve as shown in
The diaphragm 4 of the present embodiment is a non-circular diaphragm 4 having a major axis α (i.e., the length of the diaphragm 4 in the major axis direction X) and a minor axis β (i.e., the length of the diaphragm 4 in the minor axis direction Y). The ratio of the major axis a relative to the minor axis β (major axis α/minor axis β) is, for example, 1.985. Further, the ratio of the length γ of the diaphragm segment 4a in the major axis direction X relative to the length δ of the diaphragm segment 4a is 2.18.
In the present embodiment, when the length γ of the diaphragm segment 4a in the major axis direction X is 2a and the length δ of the diaphragm segment 4a in the short axis direction Y is 2b, the boundary 42a of the diaphragm segment 4a is shaped to satisfy equation (1), which is shown below.
In equation (1), x represents the length s from the center O of the diaphragm 4 to the boundary 42a of the diaphragm segment 4a in the major axis direction X, and y represents the length t from the center O of the diaphragm 4 to the boundary 42a of the diaphragm segment 4a in the minor axis direction Y. Further, in equation (1), a represents a length that is half the length γ of the diaphragm segment 4a in the major axis direction X, and b represents a length that is half the length δ of the diaphragm segment 4a in the minor axis direction Y.
In contrast with a diaphragm segment of which boundary is partially arched, the diaphragm 4 of the present embodiment prevents its center of gravity from moving away from the center O of the diaphragm 4 and thereby decreases distortion components in the sound produced by the speaker. That is, when the boundary of a diaphragm segment is partially arched, the position of the center of the arch moves the center of gravity. Thus, when molding the diaphragm, if part of the periphery of the diaphragm cannot be formed to have the appropriate arched shape, the center of gravity of the diaphragm is deviated from the center of the diaphragm. In a speaker including such a diaphragm, the diaphragm vibrates inclined relative to the vibration direction. This easily increases distortion components in the sound produced by the speaker. In the diaphragm 4 of the present embodiment, as shown in
Further, in the present embodiment, when the length of the rim 41 in the major axis direction X (i.e., major axis a) is 2c, and the length of the rim 41 in the minor axis direction Y (i.e., minor axis β) is 2d, a periphery 41a of the rim 41 is shaped to satisfy equation (2), which is shown below.
In equation (2), z represents the length u from the center O of the diaphragm 4 to the periphery 41a of the rim 41 in the major axis direction X, and w represents the length v from the center O of the diaphragm 4 to the periphery 41a of the rim 41 in the minor axis direction Y. Further, in equation (2), c represents a length that is half the length of the major axis α, and b represents a length that is half the length of the minor axis β.
The diaphragm 4 of the above-described embodiment has the advantages described below.
(1) The diaphragm 4 includes the non-circular diaphragm segment 4a of which the major axis α differs from the minor axis R. As described above, when the length γ is 2a, the length δ is 2b, the length s is x, and the length t is y, the boundary 42a of the diaphragm segment 4a is shaped to satisfy equation (1). Thus, as shown in
(2) The diaphragm 4 further includes the rim 41. As described above, when the length of the rim 41 in the major axis direction X (i.e., major axis α) is 2c, the length of the rim 41 in the minor axis direction Y (i.e., minor axis β) is 2d, the length u is z, and the length v is w, the periphery 41a of the rim 41 is shaped to satisfy equation (2). Thus, the residual stress generated during molding of the diaphragm 4 is less concentrated at the end region of the rim 41 in the major axis direction X, and the same effects as advantage (1) are obtained.
Further, the speaker of the present embodiment includes the diaphragm 4. Thus, the speaker obviously has the above-described advantages (1) and (2).
In the above-described embodiment, the rim 41 and the diaphragm segment 4a are formed integrally. However, they do not have to be formed integrally. In the same manner, the peripheral portion 42, which defines the peripheral diaphragm segment, and the coil mounting portion 43 and the dome portion 44, which define the central diaphragm segment, may be formed to be either integral or not integral.
In the above-described embodiment, the audio device including the diaphragm is a speaker. However, the audio device may be a telephone receiver.
a) is a cross-sectional view and
a) is a cross-sectional view and
α . . . major axis, β . . . minor axis, γ, δ, s, t, u, v . . . lengths, O . . . center, X . . . major axis direction, Y . . . minor axis direction, F . . . frame, 1 . . . bottom plate, 2 . . . outer magnets, 3 . . . inner magnet, 4 . . . diaphragm, 4a . . . diaphragm segment, 4c . . . end region, 5 . . . coil, 6 . . . cover, 42 . . . peripheral portion (peripheral diaphragm segment), 42a . . . boundary.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2007-246073 | Sep 2007 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/JP2008/066760 | 9/17/2009 | WO | 00 | 7/12/2010 |