Patent Grant
10863257
The disclosure is related to consumer goods and, more particularly, to methods, systems, products, features, services, and other elements directed to media playback or some aspect thereof.
A loudspeaker in the context of the present application is an electroacoustic transducer that produces sound in response to an electrical audio signal input. Originally, non-electrical loudspeakers were developed as accessories to telephone systems. Today, electronic amplification for applications such as audible communication and enjoyment of music has made loudspeakers ubiquitous.
A common form of loudspeaker uses a transducer diaphragm (such as, for example, a paper cone) supporting a voice coil electromagnet acting on a permanent magnet. Traditionally, the loudspeaker may contain one or more terminals to receive an audio signal input. The audio signal input may then pass from the terminal to a pair of lead wires that carry the signal to the voice coil, which drives the audio output of the loudspeaker by vibrating the transducer diaphragm.
Based on the application, different parameters may be selected for the design of the loudspeaker. For instance, the frequency response of sound produced by a loudspeaker may depend on the shape, size, and rigidity of the diaphragm, and efficiency of the voice coil electromagnet, among other factors. Accordingly, the diaphragm and voice coil electromagnet may be selected based on a desired frequency response of the loudspeaker. In some cases, for improved reproduction of sound covering a wide frequency range, multiple loudspeakers may be used collectively, each configured to optimally reproduce different frequency sub-ranges within the wide frequency range.
As applications of loudspeakers continue to broaden, different loudspeakers designed for particular applications continue to be developed.
Features, aspects, and advantages of the presently disclosed technology may be better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:
The drawings are for the purpose of illustrating example embodiments and are not necessarily to scale. It is understood that the inventions are not limited to the arrangements and instrumentalities shown in the drawings.
Examples described herein involve configurations of a loudspeaker that may allow for easier and more efficient assembly of the loudspeaker. In particular, the loudspeaker may contain a pair of lead wires extending from the voice coil that must be positioned and secured in such a way that they do not interfere with the operation of the loudspeaker. Examples herein involve a lead wire harness for use in the assembly of a loudspeaker, and methods for shaping and positioning the lead wires extending from a loudspeaker voice coil.
In traditional loudspeaker construction, as noted above, the first and second lead wires that extend from the voice coil are typically terminated at a terminal board within the loudspeaker, which is often fastened to the loudspeaker basket although other locations are possible. This termination of the first and second lead wires is traditionally accomplished after the voice coil is coupled to the spider and the transducer basket, and can be a labor-intensive process that involves feeding the lead wires into ports on the terminal board, and then soldering them into place, for instance. Terminal leads are later added to conductively connect the terminal board to an amplifier board, which provides the audio input signal.
In contrast to traditional loudspeakers, examples discussed herein include a lead wire harness that may be coupled to the voice coil prior to the voice coil being coupled to the spider and the transducer basket. In some cases, this may eliminate a need for the traditional terminal board, as the lead wires extending from the voice coil are already terminated at the lead wire harness. Further, the examples herein discuss positioning and securing the lead wires in a controlled manner to provide a desired shape and orientation of the lead wires.
Additionally, in some implementations, the lead wire harness may be compatible with other features, such as a low impedance voice coil and a transducer basket that is formed from plastic, and may be integrally formed with a portion of the outer housing of the loudspeaker. These features may be advantageous in some loudspeaker implementations, such as a portable, battery-powered loudspeaker as further discussed below.
As indicated above, the examples involve a lead wire harness for use within a loudspeaker. In one aspect, a method of assembling a loudspeaker is provided. The method includes resiliently coupling a voice coil assembly to a transducer basket, where the voice coil assembly includes a voice coil, and first and second lead wires having corresponding proximal and distal ends, where the proximal ends of the first and second lead wires are attached to the voice coil, and where the distal ends of the first and second lead wires extend away from the voice coil. The method also includes forming a first segment of the first lead wire into a first shape, where the first segment of the first lead wire has a predetermined first length between the proximal end of the first lead wire and an intermediate portion of the first lead wire. The method also includes forming a second segment of the second lead wire into a second shape, where the second segment of the second lead wire has a predetermined second length between the proximal end of the second lead wire and an intermediate portion of the second lead wire. The method also includes affixing the intermediate portion of the first lead wire to a first location on the transducer basket, and affixing the intermediate portion of the second lead wire to a second location on the transducer basket. The method also includes conductively coupling the distal ends of the first and second lead wires to a harness configured to directly connect to an amplifier board.
In another aspect, a method of assembling a loudspeaker is provided. The method includes resiliently coupling a voice coil assembly to a transducer basket, where the voice coil assembly includes a voice coil, and first and second lead wires having corresponding proximal and distal ends, where the proximal ends of the first and second lead wires are attached to the voice coil, and where the distal ends of the first and second lead wires extend away from the voice coil. The method further includes engaging a first segment of the first lead wire with a die to form the first segment into a first shape, and engaging a second segment of the second lead wire with the die to form the second segment into a second shape. The method further includes attaching an intermediate portion of the first lead wire to a first location on the transducer basket, where the intermediate portion of the first lead wire is located on the first lead wire between the first segment and the distal end of the first lead wire. The method further includes attaching an intermediate portion of the second lead wire to a second location on the transducer basket, where the intermediate portion of the second lead wire is located on the second lead wire between the first segment and the distal end of the first lead wire.
In yet another aspect, a loudspeaker is provided. The loudspeaker includes a voice coil assembly including a voice coil, a first lead wire having a proximal end and a distal end, where a proximal end of the first lead wire is conductively coupled to the voice coil, a second lead wire having a proximal end and a distal end, where a proximal end of the second lead wire is conductively coupled to the voice coil, and a lead wire harness conductively coupled to the distal end of the first lead wire and the distal end of the second lead wire. The loudspeaker also includes a transducer basket flexibly coupled to the voice coil, where the first lead wire is affixed to the transducer basket at an intermediate portion on the first lead wire, where the intermediate portion on the first lead wire is located a predetermined first length from the proximal end of the first lead wire and the distal end of the first lead wire, where the second lead wire is affixed to the transducer basket at an intermediate portion on the second lead wire, where the intermediate portion on the second lead wire is located a predetermined second length from the proximal end of the second lead wire and the distal end of the second lead wire, and where the lead wire harness extends away from the transducer basket.
One of ordinary skill in the art will understand that this disclosure includes numerous other embodiments and/or examples. While some examples described herein may refer to functions performed by given actors such as “users” and/or other entities, it should be understood that this description is for purposes of explanation only. The claims should not be interpreted to require action by any such example actor unless explicitly required by the language of the claims themselves.
a. Example Loudspeaker Configurations
As shown in
Further, the first and second harness leads 111 and 112 may be a second type of conductor that is different from the first type of conductor. For instance, the first and second harness leads 111 and 112, which may be subject to little or no movement during operation of the loudspeaker 240, may be formed from 22 gauge or heavier speaker wire. Other suitable conductors for the first and second lead wires 102 and 105 and/or the first and second harness leads 111 and 112 are also possible.
In some examples, a crimped connection attaches the first and second lead wires 102 and 105 with the respective first and second harness leads 111 and 112. In other examples, however, other suitable connections (e.g., solder) are possible. In some implementations, the connection between the first lead wire 102 and the first harness lead 111 may be surrounded by a portion of insulated, heat-shrink tubing 114. Likewise, an insulated tubing 115 may surround the connection of the second lead wire 105 with the second harness lead 112. Other suitable connection types and solutions for attaching the lead wires with the harness leads are also possible.
Unlike many traditional modes of assembling a loudspeaker, the voice coil assembly 100 may be assembled substantially as shown in
In this way, the lead wire harness 110 may eliminate the need to connect the first lead wire 102, the second lead wire 105, as well as additional terminal leads to a terminal board. Indeed, attachment of the terminal board to the transducer basket may be eliminated completely, which may reduce both time and cost of the loudspeaker assembly.
Furthermore, in a traditional loudspeaker, the connection of the lead wires and additional terminal leads at the terminal board may introduce some resistance, on the order of about 0.1 ohm, for example, which may be significant in implementations having a relatively low impedance voice coil. For instance, for a voice coil with a relatively low impedance of 1.0 ohm, the traditional connections at the terminal board may introduce a loss of approximately 10% between the amplifier board and the voice coil. Conversely, the first and second harness leads 111 and 112 of the lead wire harness 110 may be crimped directly to the first lead wire 102 and the second lead wire 105 as noted above, which may result in a substantially lossless connection between the amplifier board and the voice coil 101. Accordingly, the lead wire harness 110 may be particularly useful in relatively low voltage loudspeaker applications, such as a portable, battery-powered loudspeaker that may utilize a relatively low impedance voice coil to reduce power usage.
b. Example Implementations for Assembly of a Loudspeaker
The spider 256 may comprise a treated fabric material, flexible rubber, and/or flexible elastomer, for example, that provides a restoring force to return the vibrating voice coil 101 to a neutral position. For instance, the spider 256 may have a concentrically corrugated structure, seen most clearly in
Because the voice coil 101 and the spider 256 are subject to movement during operation of the loudspeaker 240, the disposition of the first and second lead wires 102 and 105 as they extend away from the voice coil 101 may be important. If the lead wires 102 and 105 are too taut, the movement of the voice coil 101 and spider 256 may stress the lead wires 102 and 105 and lead to a failure of the loudspeaker 240. Alternatively, if the lead wires 102 and 105 are provided too much slack between the voice coil 101 and the transducer basket 250, they may contact the spider 256 or the diaphragm during operation. Thus, the first lead wire 102 and the second lead wire 105 each may be secured in a desirable shape, with a desirable length, to reduce the chance of such outcomes.
At block 604, the method 600 includes forming a first segment 116 of the first lead wire 102 into a first shape. For instance, the first segment 116 of the first lead wire 102 may have a predetermined first length between the proximal end 103 of the first lead wire 102 and an intermediate portion 121 of the first lead wire 102. Forming the first segment 116 into the first shape may be accomplished in a number of ways. In some implementations, a die 260, as shown in
For example, the die 260 may be slidably engaged with the voice coil 101, such that the die 260 slides onto the top of the voice coil 101. Further, the die may be positioned such that a first die portion 261 is disposed between the voice coil 101 and a first location 252 on the transducer basket 250 where the first lead wire 102 will eventually be attached, as further discussed below.
As shown in
In some implementations, the die 260 may be rotatably engaged with the voice coil 101. In such an implementation, forming the first segment 116 of the first lead wire 102 into the first shape may include rotating the first die portion 261 in a first direction with respect to the voice coil 101 toward the first lead wire 102. For example, the die 260 may be rotatably engaged with the voice coil 101 such that the first die portion 261 is initially positioned in between the first lead wire 102 and the second lead wire 105. The die 260 may then be rotated in a clockwise direction, via a knob 265 located at the top of the die 260, for instance, such that the first die portion 261 is moved toward the first lead wire 102. Markings, indicia, or other features on the voice coil 101 or the spider 256 may indicate a designated position for the first die portion 261 that provides the desired length and shape for the first lead wire 102 when it is extended along the first die portion 261. For example, when the first die portion 261 is in the designated position and the first segment 116 is extended along the first die portion 261, the intermediate portion 121 of the first lead wire 102 may be aligned with the first location 252 on the transducer basket 250.
Accordingly, at block 606, the method 600 includes affixing the intermediate portion 121 of the first lead wire 102 to a first location 252 on the transducer basket 250. For example, the intermediate portion 121 of the first lead wire 102 may be affixed to the transducer basket 250 after it has been formed into the first shape using the die 260. In some embodiments, affixing the first lead wire 102 to the transducer basket 250 may include positioning the intermediate portion 121 of the first lead wire 102 within a first groove 257 in the transducer basket 250, as shown in
The attachment of the first lead wire 102 to the transducer basket 250 may take number of forms. For example, after positioning the intermediate portion 121 of the first lead wire 102 within the groove 257, a resilient adhesive 472 may be applied to maintain the first lead wire 102 within the groove 257 and in the desired orientation, as seen in
In some embodiments, the transducer basket 250 may be formed from plastic, unlike many traditional loudspeaker baskets that are formed from metal. In such an embodiment, the first lead wire 102 may be affixed to the transducer basket 250 by way of a heated die, in addition to or as an alternative to positioning the first lead wire 102 within the groove 257. For example, the heated die may press the intermediate portion 121 of the first lead wire 102 into the plastic transducer basket 250 at the first location 252 and melt a portion of the plastic, securing the first lead wire 102 in place. In this example and others, a transducer basket 250 formed from plastic, which is an insulating material, may pose fewer potential problems with shorting the connection between the amplifier board and the voice coil 101 that might otherwise be present if the first lead wire 102 were directly connected to a transducer basket formed from metal.
In still further implementations, a clip or other fastener may be provided at the first location 252 on the transducer basket 250 for the purpose of securing the intermediate portion 121 of the first lead wire 102 in place, so as to maintain the shape of the first lead wire 102 over the spider 256. The clip or fastener may be provided in addition to, or independently of, any of the other examples discussed above. Other possibilities for affixing the first lead wire 102 to the transducer basket 250 also exist.
In addition, the plastic construction of the transducer basket 250 may facilitate the transducer basket 250 being integrally formed with at least a portion of an outer enclosure 242 of the loudspeaker 240, which can be seen in
At block 608, the method 600 includes forming a second segment 117 of the second lead wire 105 into a second shape, similar to the examples discussed above with respect to the first lead wire 102. For example, the second segment 117 of the second lead wire 105 may have a predetermined second length between the proximal end 106 of the second lead wire 105 and an intermediate portion 122 of the second lead wire 105. In some implementations, the predetermined second length of the second segment 117 may be substantially the same as the predetermined first length of the first segment 116. Further, the second shape may be substantially the same as the first shape with a similar radius or radii of curvature, although in mirror image, as shown in
As above, forming the second segment 117 into the first shape may be accomplished in any of the ways discussed above with respect to the first lead wire 102. In some implementations, after being used to form the first segment 116 into the first shape, the die 260 may be repositioned with respect to the transducer basket 250 and the voice coil assembly 100 to facilitate forming the second segment 117 into the second shape.
For example, as shown in
Similar to the first die portion 261, the second die portion 362 may include a second convex shape 364. Extending the portion of the second segment 117 along and in contact with the second convex shape 364 of the second die portion 362 may form the second segment 117 into a concave shape that generally corresponds to the second convex shape 364 of the second die portion 362. Once the second lead wire 105 is secured in this position, as discussed below, the die 260 may then be removed. Thus, like the first lead wire 102, the second segment 116 of the second lead wire 105 may have a second shape that has a radius of curvature that is concave with respect to the spider 256. In some examples, as shown in
As previously discussed, the die 260 may be rotatably engaged with the voice coil 101. Accordingly, forming the second segment 117 of the second lead wire 105 into the second shape may include rotating the second die portion 362 in a second direction with respect to the voice coil 101 toward the second lead wire 105. For example, after repositioning the die 260 such that the second die portion 362 is situated between the first lead wire 102 and the second lead wire 105, the die 260 may be rotated in a counterclockwise direction via the knob 265 located at the top of the die 260. This rotation may move the second die portion 362 toward the second lead wire 105, as shown in
As mentioned above, markings, indicia, or other features on the voice coil 101 or the spider 256 may indicate a designated position for the second die portion 362 that provides the desired length and shape for the second lead wire 105 when it is extended along the second die portion 362. For example, when the second die portion 362 is in the designated position and the second segment 117 is extended along the second die portion 362, the intermediate portion 122 of the second lead wire 105 may be aligned with a second location 253 on the transducer basket 250.
At block 610, the method 600 includes affixing the intermediate portion 122 of the second lead wire 105 to the second location 253 on the transducer basket 250. For instance, the second lead wire 105 may be affixed to the transducer basket 250 after it has been formed into the second shape using the die 260. Similar to the first lead wire 102, the affixing the second lead wire 105 to the transducer basket 250 may include positioning the intermediate portion 122 of the second lead wire 105 within a second groove 258 in the transducer basket 250, as shown in
Attachment of the second lead wire 105 to the transducer basket 250 may be accomplished in any of the ways already discussed above. For example, a resilient adhesive 474 may be applied to maintain the second lead wire 105 within the groove 258, as seen in
An alternative configuration for the voice coil assembly 100 is shown in
Further, utilizing the voice coil assembly 100 show in
At block 612, the method 600 includes conductively coupling the distal end 104 of the first lead wire and the distal end 107 of the second lead wire 105 to a lead wire harness 110 configured to directly connect to an amplifier board 470, as shown in
As previously noted, coupling the lead wire harness 110 to the first lead wire 102 and the second lead wire 105 may take place before the voice coil assembly 100 is coupled to the transducer basket 250 or other components of the loudspeaker 240. In some implementations, the lengths of the first lead wire 102 and the second lead wire 105 between the voice coil 101 and the connection to the lead wire harness 110 may be established with a relatively low tolerance. Consequently, after the voice coil assembly 100 is coupled to the transducer basket 250, it may be possible to use the connections as a reference point by which to position the first lead wire 102 and second lead wire 105 with respect to the transducer basket 250.
For example, after the voice coil assembly 100 is coupled to the transducer basket 250, the insulated, heat-shrink tubing 114 that surrounds the connection between the first lead wire 102 and the first harness lead 111 may be positioned directly adjacent to the groove 257 in the transducer basket 250. This may position the intermediate portion 121 of the first lead wire 102 at the first location 252 on the transducer basket 250, without the need for either the die 260 or the spacing member 520 to establish the desired length of the first lead wire 102. The second lead wire 105 may be positioned in a similar way.
In some implementations, the method 700 may involve conductively coupling the distal ends 104 and 107 of the first and second lead wires 102 and 105 to a lead wire harness, such as the lead wire harness 110 shown in
At block 704, the method 700 includes engaging a first segment 116 of the first lead wire 102 with a die 260, as discussed above, to form the first segment 116 into a first shape. For instance, forming the first segment 116 into the first shape may include extending a portion of the first segment 116 along a first die portion 261, as shown in
Further, the die 260 may be rotatably engaged with the voice coil 101, as detailed above, and forming the first segment 116 into the first shape may include moving the first die portion 261 in a first direction, such as a clockwise direction, with respect to the voice coil 101 toward the first lead wire 102. The first die portion 261 may have a first convex shapes 263, as seen in
At block 706, the method 700 includes attaching an intermediate portion 121 of the first lead wire 102 to a first location 252 on the trans2ucer basket 250. As discussed above, the intermediate portion 121 of the first lead wire 102 may be located on the first lead wire 102 between the first segment 116 and the distal end 104 of the first lead wire 102. Further, the first lead wire 102 may be attached to the transducer basket 250 in any of the ways mentioned above, among other possibilities.
At block 708, the method 700 may include engaging a second segment 117 of the second lead wire 105 with the die 260 to form the second segment 117 into a second shape. As noted previously, forming the second segment 117 into second shape may include extending a portion of the second segment 117 along a second die portion 362, as shown in
At block 710, the method 700 may include attaching an intermediate portion 122 of the second lead wire 105 to a second location 253 on the transducer basket 250, as shown in
As discussed above, embodiments described herein may involve configurations of a loudspeaker and the assembly thereof. Methods 600 and 700 in
In addition, for the methods 600 and 700 and other processes and methods disclosed herein, the flowcharts show functionality and operation of one possible implementation of present embodiments. In this regard, each block may represent a module, a segment, or a portion of program code, which includes one or more instructions executable by one or more processors for implementing logical functions or steps in the process. For example, a processor may execute the instructions to cause one or more components of a robotic assembly system to carry out some or all of the loudspeaker assembly.
The program code may be stored on any suitable type of computer readable medium, for example, such as a storage device including a disk or hard drive. The computer readable medium may include non-transitory computer readable medium, for example, such as computer-readable media that stores data for short periods of time like register memory, processor cache and Random Access Memory (RAM). The computer readable medium may also include non-transitory media, such as secondary or persistent long term storage, like read only memory (ROM), optical or magnetic disks, compact-disc read only memory (CD-ROM), for example. The computer readable media may also be any other volatile or non-volatile storage systems. The computer readable medium may be considered a computer readable storage medium, for example, or a tangible storage device. In addition, for the methods 600 and 700 and other processes and methods disclosed herein, each block in
The description above discloses, among other things, various example systems, methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture including, among other components, firmware and/or software executed on hardware. It is understood that such examples are merely illustrative and should not be considered as limiting. For example, it is contemplated that any or all of the firmware, hardware, and/or software aspects or components can be embodied exclusively in hardware, exclusively in software, exclusively in firmware, or in any combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware. Accordingly, the examples provided are not the only way(s) to implement such systems, methods, apparatus, and/or articles of manufacture.
As indicated above, the examples involve a lead wire harness for use within a loudspeaker. In one aspect, a method of assembling a loudspeaker is provided. The method includes resiliently coupling a voice coil assembly to a transducer basket, where the voice coil assembly includes a voice coil, and first and second lead wires having corresponding proximal and distal ends, where the proximal ends of the first and second lead wires are attached to the voice coil, and where the distal ends of the first and second lead wires extend away from the voice coil. The method also includes forming a first segment of the first lead wire into a first shape, where the first segment of the first lead wire has a predetermined first length between the proximal end of the first lead wire and an intermediate portion of the first lead wire. The method also includes forming a second segment of the second lead wire into a second shape, where the second segment of the second lead wire has a predetermined second length between the proximal end of the second lead wire and an intermediate portion of the second lead wire. The method also includes affixing the intermediate portion of the first lead wire to a first location on the transducer basket, and affixing the intermediate portion of the second lead wire to a second location on the transducer basket. The method also includes conductively coupling the distal ends of the first and second lead wires to a harness configured to directly connect to an amplifier board.
In another aspect, a method of assembling a loudspeaker is provided. The method includes resiliently coupling a voice coil assembly to a transducer basket, where the voice coil assembly includes a voice coil, and first and second lead wires having corresponding proximal and distal ends, where the proximal ends of the first and second lead wires are attached to the voice coil, and where the distal ends of the first and second lead wires extend away from the voice coil. The method further includes engaging a first segment of the first lead wire with a die to form the first segment into a first shape, and engaging a second segment of the second lead wire with the die to form the second segment into a second shape. The method further includes attaching an intermediate portion of the first lead wire to a first location on the transducer basket, where the intermediate portion of the first lead wire is located on the first lead wire between the first segment and the distal end of the first lead wire. The method further includes attaching an intermediate portion of the second lead wire to a second location on the transducer basket, where the intermediate portion of the second lead wire is located on the second lead wire between the first segment and the distal end of the first lead wire.
In yet another aspect, a loudspeaker is provided. The loudspeaker includes a voice coil assembly including a voice coil, a first lead wire having a proximal end and a distal end, where a proximal end of the first lead wire is conductively coupled to the voice coil, a second lead wire having a proximal end and a distal end, where a proximal end of the second lead wire is conductively coupled to the voice coil, and a lead wire harness conductively coupled to the distal end of the first lead wire and the distal end of the second lead wire. The loudspeaker also includes a transducer basket flexibly coupled to the voice coil, where the first lead wire is affixed to the transducer basket at an intermediate portion on the first lead wire, where the intermediate portion on the first lead wire is located a predetermined first length from the proximal end of the first lead wire and the distal end of the first lead wire, where the second lead wire is affixed to the transducer basket at an intermediate portion on the second lead wire, where the intermediate portion on the second lead wire is located a predetermined second length from the proximal end of the second lead wire and the distal end of the second lead wire, and where the lead wire harness extends away from the transducer basket.
Additionally, references herein to “embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment can be included in at least one example embodiment of an invention. The appearances of this phrase in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments. As such, the embodiments described herein, explicitly and implicitly understood by one skilled in the art, can be combined with other embodiments. [71] The specification is presented largely in terms of illustrative environments, systems, procedures, steps, logic blocks, processing, and other symbolic representations that directly or indirectly resemble the operations of data processing devices coupled to networks. These process descriptions and representations are typically used by those skilled in the art to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it is understood to those skilled in the art that certain embodiments of the present disclosure can be practiced without certain, specific details. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components, and circuitry have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring aspects of the embodiments. Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims rather than the forgoing description of embodiments.
When any of the appended claims are read to cover a purely software and/or firmware implementation, at least one of the elements in at least one example is hereby expressly defined to include a tangible, non-transitory medium such as a memory, DVD, CD, Blu-ray, and so on, storing the software and/or firmware.
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