These and other objects, aspects, and embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following drawings, in which:
FIG. I is a cross-sectional view showing a speaker equipped with a diaphragm in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
The present invention will be described in further detail by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are diagrammatically illustrated with sizes and dimensions not necessarily matching actual sizes and dimensions of products.
The speaker shown in
The diaphragm 1 is composed of a wooden vibrator having a cone shape, which is enlarged in diameter externally, wherein the voice coil 4 is attached to a small-diameter end of the diaphragm 1, and a large-diameter periphery of the diaphragm 1 joins the frame 6 via the collar 5.
The center cap 2 is composed of a wooden vibrator having a semi-spherical shape that projects outwardly so as to cover the cylindrical portion (or a center pole) of the magnet 7 inserted into the voice coil 4 in a non-contact manner. The center cap 2 is attached to the small-diameter end of the diaphragm 1.
A damper (not shown) is additionally arranged between the small-diameter end of the diaphragm 1 and the frame 6 so as to prevent lateral vibration. A wiring of the voice coil 4 is extended toward a terminal (not shown) formed at the small-diameter end of the diaphragm 1; hence, the wiring of the voice coil 4 is extracted onto the frame 6 via the terminal.
In the speaker of
More specifically, as shown in
It is possible to list various wooden materials for use in the formation of the thin wooden boards forming the wooden vibrator 11, such as birch, linden, beech, oak, cherry, spruce, maple, walnut, cedar, hinoki, red cedar, agatized wood, horse chestnut, elm, zelkova, and sapele. It is possible to list various resin materials impregnated into the thin wooden boards, such as an epoxy resin, urethane resin, polyester resin, and acrylic resin. Due to the resin impregnation, it is possible to improve the formability during the press working, and it is possible to avoid the degradation of the wooden vibrator 11.
It is preferable that the resin content of the wooden vibrator 11 range from 10weight-percent to 70 weight-percent. When the resin content is above 10 weight-percent, it is possible to improve the formability and to avoid the degradation of the wooden vibrator 11. When the resin content is below 70 weight-percent, it is possible to improve the acoustic characteristics without causing a reduction of the content of the wooden material in the wooden vibrator 11.
A through-hole 11a is formed at the center of the wooden vibrator 11. The center cap 2 (see
It is preferable that the high density portion 12 in a plan view be formed in a band-like shape, a wedge-like shape, or a sectorial shape, for example. It is preferable that the width of the high density portion 12 in a plan view be gradually increased in a direction from the center to the periphery of the wooden vibrator 11. All of the high density portions 12 in a plan view can be formed in the same size; alternatively, the high density portions 12 can be formed in different sizes.
In
The high density portions 12 can be easily and visually distinguished from the other portions in plan view by horizontally viewing the wooden vibrator 1I that has deep-colored portions and light-colored portions; that is, the deep-colored portions of the wooden vibrator 11 can be visually recognized as the high density portions 12.
When the wooden vibrator 11 having the high density portions 12 is exposed to visible rays of light, it is possible to recognize the distinction between the prescribed portions having a relatively low light transmission ratio and the other portions having a relatively high light transmission ratio. That is, it is possible to recognize the prescribed portions having a relatively low light transmission ratio as the high density portions 12.
The wooden vibrator 11 having the high density portions 12 has a uniformly distributed thickness. In other words, the thickness of the high density portions 12 is substantially identical to the thickness of the other portions in the wooden vibrator 11. It is preferable that the thickness of the wooden vibrator 11 range from 0.2 mm to 0.7 mm. When the thickness is above 0.2 mm, it is unlikely to cause a reduction of the strength and rigidity of the wooden vibrator 11. When the thickness is below 0.7 mm, the rigidity is not increased so much; hence, it is possible to prevent the degradation of the acoustic characteristics.
1t is possible for the wooden vibrator 11 to include coloring in addition to the resin. It is possible to use dye or pigment as the coloring.
It is preferable that the fiber directions of plural thin wooden boards laminated together be crossed with each other. For example, the fiber directions can be crossed with the same angle therebetween. Suppose that N thin wooden boards (where “N” is an integer not less than two) are laminated together. In this case, the fiber directions of the adjacently joined thin wooden boards are crossed with an angle of 360/2N degrees.
Due to the lamination of the thin wooden boards whose fiber directions cross each other, it is possible to improve the uniformity of vibration in the wooden vibrator 11; hence, it is possible to improve the acoustic characteristics. In addition, due to the mutually crossed fiber directions of the thin wooden boards, it is possible to further improve the mechanical strength of the wooden vibrator 11.
Due to the formation of the high density portions 12 in the wooden vibrator 11 adapted to the diaphragm 1, it is possible to realize fragmentarily different wooden densities in the wooden vibrator 11, which in turn realizes the distribution of natural resonance. Due to the distribution of natural resonance, it is unlikely to cause peaks in high-frequency ranges due to natural resonance; hence, it is possible to improve the acoustic characteristics.
In addition, the high density portions 12 reinforce the wooden vibrator 11, the mechanical strength of which is thus increased. Hence, it is possible to increase the degree of freedom in designing the diaphragm 1. Since the rigidity of the wooden vibrator 11 is increased by means of the high density portions 12, it is possible to reduce partial vibration, thus realizing relatively low distortion in sound. In addition, it is possible to improve the durability of the wooden vibrator 11 against high input signals.
Furthermore, since the wooden vibrator 11 has the uniformly distributed thickness irrespective of the formation of the high density portions 12, it is possible to design the speaker without consideration of detrimental effects regarding a limit to audio frequencies in the reproduction of high tone pitches.
Since the wooden vibrator 11 is composed of the thin wooden boards impregnated with the resin, it is possible to further increase the strength of the wooden vibrator 11 and to avoid degradation due to aging.
Since the fiber directions of the thin wooden boards forming the wooden vibrator 11 cross each other with prescribed angles therebetween, it is possible to further increase the strength of the wooden vibrator 11 adapted to the diaphragm 1.
Next, a first manufacturing method of the diaphragm 1 will be described with reference to
As shown in
Next, the thin wooden board 21 having the through-hole 21a is impregnated with a resin. For example, a resin is dissolved into a solvent so as to produce a resin solution, into which the thin wooden board 21 is soaked. Alternatively, the resin solution is sprayed or applied to the thin wooden board 21.
As the resin material, it is possible to list an epoxy resin, urethane resin, polyester resin, and acrylic resin. It is preferable that the resin content of the thin wooden board 21 range from 10 weight-percent to 70 weight-percent.
Next, as shown in
Incidentally, the cutouts 22 can be formed in the thin wooden board 21 after the thin wooden board 21 is impregnated with the resin solution.
Next, as shown in
There are provided three sheets of the thin wooden boards 21, each of which is produced by way of the steps shown in
Next, as shown in
By way of the thermal pressing, the three sheets of the thin wooden boards 21 are integrally laminated together so as to form a laminated structure. Then, the outer periphery of the laminated structure is partially cut out along the dashed lines in
According to the first manufacturing method of the diaphragm 1, the thin wooden boards 21 are impregnated with the resin in advance and are then laminated together and subjected to thermal pressing. This makes it possible for the prescribed portions of the thin wooden boards 21 laminated together to easily slip on each other; hence, it is possible to easily perform shaping of the thin wooden boards 21, which are tightly held between the upper mold 31 and the lower mold 32, without causing wrinkles or unwanted lines. That is, the first manufacturing method reliably improves the formability of the wooden vibrator 11.
The connected portions 22b of the thin wooden boards 11 laminated together correspond to the high density portions 12; hence, it is possible to form the high density portions 12 in a regular pattern.
Since the thin wooden boards 21 are easily subjected to shaping without forming wrinkles or lines, it is not possible to cause an irregular pattern of the high density portions 12, which may be caused due to the unwanted formation of wrinkles or lines. This makes it possible to produce the diaphragm 1 having superior acoustic characteristics.
Since the thin wooden boards 21 are subjected to thermal pressing after the opposite sides 22a of the cutouts 22 thereof are connected together, it is possible to reliably and precisely form the high density portions 12. Since the opposite sides 22a of the cutouts 22 are connected together, it is possible to form the thin wooden boards 21 having curved shapes, which in turn reduces the amount of deformation applied to the thin wooden boards 21 during the thermal pressing and which in turn prevents the occurrence of cracks.
Since the thin wooden boards 21 are subjected to thermal pressing after the opposite sides 22a of the cutouts 22 are connected together, it is possible to reduce the difference of thickness between the connected portions 22b (corresponding to the high density portions 12), at which the opposite sides 22a of the cutouts 22 of the thin wooden boards 21 are connected together, and the other portions; hence, it is possible to produce the diaphragm 1 having the uniformly distributed thickness.
Due to the formation of the plural cutouts 22 along the wooden fiber directions, it is possible to prevent the wooden fibers of the thin wooden boards 21 from being divided via the cutouts 22; hence, it is possible to improve the strength of the diaphragm 1.
Since the cutouts 22 are formed in directions from the center to the periphery of the thin wooden boards 21, it is possible to easily form the high density portions 12 extended in a radial direction.
Since the thin wooden boards 21 are laminated together in such a way that the wooden fiber directions thereof cross each other, it is possible to further improve the strength of the diaphragm 1.
In the first manufacturing method, the opposite sides 22a of the cutouts 22 are connected together; the cutouts 22 are fixed using the resin or stapler so as to form the connected portions 22b; then, the thin wooden boards 21 laminated together are subjected to thermal pressing. However, it is possible to perform thermal pressing without connecting the cutouts 22 of the thin wooden boards 21. In this case, when the thin wooden boards 21 laminated together are held between the upper mold 31 and the lower mold 32, the opposite sides 22a of the cutouts 22 are automatically connected together so as to appropriately and easily shape them without causing wrinkles or lines; hence, it is possible to form the laminated structure in which the thin wooden boards 21 are laminated together and in which the high density portions 12 are appropriately formed.
Next, a second manufacturing method of the diaphragm 1 will be described with reference to
As shown in
Next, as shown in
Next, as shown in
There are provided three sheets of the thin wooden boards 41, each of which is produced by way of the aforementioned steps shown in
Thereafter, similar to the first manufacturing method, there are provided upper and lower molds having Nichrome wires (not shown), between which the three sheets of the thin wooden boards 41 laminated together are tightly held and are then subjected to thermal pressing. By way of the thermal pressing, the three sheets of the thin wooden boards 41 are integrally laminated together to form a laminated structure. Then, the outer periphery of the laminated structure is partially cut out, thus forming the diaphragm 1 as shown in
According to the second manufacturing method of the diaphragm 1, it is possible to demonstrate the foregoing effects demonstrated by the first manufacturing method.
Specifically, due to the formation of the cutouts 42 along the directions crossing the wooden fiber directions of the thin wooden board 41, wooden fibers are partially broken by way of the cutouts 42 so that the wooden fiber length of the thin wooden board 41 is shortened so as to increase the flexibility of the thin wooden board 41. This makes it possible for the thin wooden board 41, which is tightly held between the upper and lower molds, to be easily shaped without forming wrinkles or lines during the thermal pressing. Due to the increased flexibility of the thin wooden board 41, it is possible to easily form the diaphragm 1 having a relatively small radius of curvature. Incidentally, the cutouts 42 can be formed in any directions crossing the wooden fiber directions of the thin wooden board 41. For example, as shown in
Next, a third manufacturing method of the diaphragm 1 will be described with reference to
Similar to the first and second manufacturing methods, there is provided a thin wooden board 51 having a flat rectangular shape in plan view, in which a circular through-hole 51a is formed at the center thereof. The thin wooden board 51 has grains aligned in directions indicated by dashed lines in
Next, as shown in
Next, there are provided three sheets of the thin wooden boards 51, each of which is produced by way of the aforementioned steps shown in
Thereafter, similar to the first and second manufacturing methods, there are provided upper and lower molds having Nichrome wires, between which the three sheets of the thin wooden boards 51 laminated together are tightly held and are subjected to thermal pressing. By way of the thermal pressing, the three sheets of the thin wooden boards 51 are integrally laminated together so as to form a laminated structure. Then, the outer periphery of the laminated structure is partially cut out so as to produce the diaphragm 1 as shown in
According to the third manufacturing method, it is possible to demonstrate the foregoing effects demonstrated by the first and second manufacturing methods. In addition, the third manufacturing method demonstrates the following effect.
That is, the third manufacturing method is characterized in that, instead of the cutouts, the folded portions 52b are formed in the thin wooden boards 51, which are then subjected to thermal pressing; hence, it is possible to easily form the high density portions 12. Since no cutout is formed in the thin wooden boards 51, the wooden fibers are not broken; hence, it is possible to further increase the strength of the diaphragm 1.
Incidentally, it is not necessary to form the two folded portions 52b elongated along the wooden fiber directions as shown in
Moreover, the number of thin wooden boards, which are laminated together and are subjected to thermal pressing, is not necessarily limited to three; that is, it is possible to use two thin wooden boards or to use four or more thin wooden boards. Herein, through-holes (e.g., through-holes 21a, 41a, and 51a) are not necessarily formed before the impregnation of the resin and can be formed after the thermal pressing.
Lastly, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the aforementioned embodiment and the aforementioned manufacturing methods; hence, it is possible to realize variations within the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2006-185712 | Jul 2006 | JP | national |