This disclosure relates to a surround for supporting a diaphragm that is used to create acoustic waves. The surround and diaphragm can be part of a passive radiator or acoustic driver.
Passive radiators and acoustic drivers have been traditionally designed with half roll surrounds having a circular or elliptical cross section. Such half roll surrounds are typically made of high durometer materials. This arrangement provides approximate linear force-deflection response until the surround reaches a high strain that results in a non-linear response. In many surround designs, issues of buckling and hoop stresses can result in an unstable dynamic response (like sub harmonic rocking) which is detrimental to the acoustic performance.
According to a first aspect, a surround for supporting a diaphragm used to create acoustic waves includes a rib section extending away from the diaphragm and a membrane section that is supported by the rib section. The membrane section has a thickness in a direction substantially normal to opposing top and bottom surfaces of the membrane section which is substantially thinner man a thickness of the rib section in a direction substantially normal to opposing top and bottom surfaces of the rib section. A restoring force returning the diaphragm to a home position is contributed to more due to deformation of the rib section than to deformation of the membrane section.
Further features include that the rib section is part of a first plurality of rib sections which extend away from the diaphragm. A second plurality of rib sections are included which are offset from the first plurality of rib sections. The second plurality of rib sections are offset radially from the first plurality of rib sections. The second plurality of rib sections are offset circumferentially from the first plurality of rib sections. The rib section comprises an elastomer. The rib section comprises a material having a Shore A durometer of between about 5 to about 70.
Additional features include that the second plurality of rib sections are joined to the first plurality of rib sections by a circumferential rib section. The second plurality of rib sections are connected to an attachment member. The first plurality of rib sections are connected to the diaphragm. The membrane section is between about 0.1 mm to about 5 mm thick. The rib section has a thickness of about 0.2 mm to about 25 mm. The membrane section is flat or curved. The membrane section and rib section form part of a passive radiator.
A still further feature includes a surround for supporting a diaphragm used to create acoustic waves. The surround includes a membrane section and a support section supporting the membrane section. The support section is substantially symmetric about an imaginary plane. The membrane section has a thickness in a direction substantially normal to opposing top and bottom surfaces of the membrane section which is substantially thinner than a thickness of the rib section in a direction substantially normal to opposing top and bottom surfaces of the rib section.
Additional features include that the support section is secured to at least one of the diaphragm and an attachment member. The support section includes at least two ribs. The two ribs extend in a substantially radial direction. The diaphragm is substantially planar and parallel to the imaginary plane. The imaginary plane bisects the membrane section. The support section extends above and below the membrane section. An envelope that closely encompasses the surround includes a substantially flat surface that is normal to an intended direction of travel of the diaphragm.
Another feature includes an acoustic system with a first diaphragm that creates acoustic waves when it is vibrated. A surround that supports the diaphragm includes a rib section that extends away from the first diaphragm. The surround includes a membrane section that is supported by the rib. The membrane section has a thickness in a direction substantially normal to opposing top and bottom surfaces of the membrane section which is substantially thinner than a thickness of the rib section in a direction substantially normal to opposing top and bottom surfaces of the rib section. The rib section and membrane section are made of substantially the same material.
An additional feature includes a method of creating acoustic waves. A surround is provided that is joined to a diaphragm which is used to create acoustic waves. The surround includes a membrane section and a support section connected to the membrane section. The support section is dividable into two substantially symmetrical portions by an imaginary plane. The membrane section has a thickness in a direction substantially normal to opposing top and bottom surfaces of the membrane section which is substantially thinner than a thickness of the rib section in a direction substantially normal to opposing top and bottom surfaces of the rib section. The diaphragm is caused to vibrate and create acoustic waves.
Active and passive acoustic sources (e.g. drivers and passive radiators) typically include a diaphragm that reciprocates back and forth to produce acoustic waves. This diaphragm (which may be e.g. a plate, cone, cup or dome) is usually attached to a non-moving structure using a resilient surround member.
For example, as shown
The diaphragm 22 is exposed to acoustic waves created by another source such as an acoustic driver. The acoustic waves cause the diaphragm to vibrate back and forth in an intended direction of travel that is substantially perpendicular to a plane in which the diaphragm lies. This vibration causes additional acoustic waves to be created and propagated. A group of holes 24 in diaphragm 22 is used to secure a mass (not shown) which may be added to the diaphragm to tune to a desired resonant frequency of vibration.
The surround 26 is secured to and supports diaphragm 22. In this example the diaphragm 22 has a diameter of about 132 mm. The surround may be made of a solid or foam elastomer, and in this example is a thermoset soft silicone elastomer such as Mold Max 27T sold by Smooth-On. Inc., 2000 Saint John Street, Easton, Pa. 18042. Mold Max 27T is a tin-cured silicone rubber compound. Further details on Mold Max 27T can be found at www.smooth-on.com. The thermoset elastomer used to make surround 26 preferably has (i) a Shore A durometer of between about 5 to about 70, and more preferably has a durometer of about 27; (ii) a 100% elongation static modulus of between about 0.05 MPa to about 10 MPa, and more preferably has a 100% static modulus of about 0.6 MPa; (iii) an elongation at break above about 100%, and more preferably an elongation at break of about 400%; and (iv) a static stiffness of between about 0.05 newtons/mm to about 50 newtons/mm when the diaphragm is at its neutral travel position, and more preferably a static stiffness of about 3 newtons/mm. However, these properties may change depending on the diaphragm diameter, passive radiator system tuning frequency, and air volume in the speaker box.
Generally speaking, as the size of the surround gets smaller, a lower durometer material can be used. The use of a soft durometer material gives better design control for low free air resonant frequencies of the diaphragm to keep this resonant frequency away from the tuning frequencies of the moving mass of the diaphragm/surround assembly and a speaker box in which the surround is used.
An attachment ring (member) 28 is secured to and supports surround 26. Attachment ring 28 in this example is made of the same material used for diaphragm 22. Alternatively, the attachment ring 28 and the diaphragm 22 can be made of different materials. Ring 28 includes a series of large holes 30 that are used with fasteners (not shown) to secure the passive radiator to another structure (discussed further below). The arrangement of attachment ring 28, surround 26, and diaphragm 22 provides An appropriate linear force-deflection response of the diaphragm, which can advantageously result in low harmonic distortions and better dynamic performance.
Passive radiator 20 is typically made by forming diaphragm 22 and attachment ring 28 in separate injection molding operations. The diaphragm 22 and attachment ring 28 are then placed in an insert mold and a thermoplastic or thermoset elastomer is injected into the mold. The elastomer is allowed to cure thus forming surround 26. The thermoset elastomer covers the surfaces of the diaphragm 22 and the attachment ring 28 which face the surround 26. This assists in securing (joining) the surround 26 to the diaphragm 22 and the attachment ring 28. The elastomer also covers at least part of surfaces 32 and 36 (and their opposing surfaces), thereby helping to secure surround 26 to the diaphragm 22 and attachment ring 28. A series of holes 34 and 38 are injection holes through which molten elastomer is injected to form the surround 26.
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The circumferential rib 48 extends in a circumferential direction. Elastomer 56 is secured to attachment ring 28. Elastomer 56 is secured to the diaphragm 22. Each radial rib extends away from the diaphragm along substantially the rib's entire length in a generally radial direction (a direction perpendicular to an intended direction of travel of the diaphragm 22). Although the ribs 44, 46 are shown extending away at about a 90° angle to the diaphragm 22. ribs 44, 46 can be arranged to extend at an angle less than 90° (e.g., at an angle of 60° which would result in a triangular shaped membrane section). Radial ribs 44, 46 are in an outer group of radial ribs. Membrane section 40 has a pair of edges 51 (only one edge is visible in
There are a large number of membrane sections and support sections in surround 26 arranged in two annular rings 52, 54 (
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In general, the ribs of the support section provide a linear force-deflection response and the thin membrane provides a non-linear force deflection response. The total stiffness is a summation of the ribbed and the membrane responses so it is desirable to minimize the contribution of the membrane. One example provides a linear performance of the system over a 22 mm peak-to-peak travel of the diaphragm. In one example using a soft silicone rubber the rubber goes through an elongation or strain of about 30%.
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to specific examples shown and described above, it is evident that those skilled in the art may now make numerous modifications of, departures from and uses of the specific apparatus and techniques herein disclosed. For instance, while the examples described herein are generally circular in shape, surrounds can be created in a number of other forms such as square, rectangular or race-track shaped. Additionally, there are many different ways of arranging the ribs and membranes of the surround in addition to the several that have been described herein. Consequently, the invention is to be construed as embracing each and every novel feature and novel combination of features presented in or possessed by the apparatus and techniques herein disclosed and limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
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