This application claims the priority benefit of China application serial no. 202010241975.9, filed on Mar. 31, 2020. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification.
The disclosure relates to a speaker structure and a smart robot.
With the manufacturing of smart equipment and development of R&D technology, a special type of smart robot currently emerges in daily life. The so-called smart robot is an intelligent equipment with diverse functions, which is equivalent to integrating different intelligent devices in a single intelligent equipment. For example, a smart robot may be integrated with an audio player having a speaker system and a video player having a projection system to achieve the voice dialogue function of the intelligent equipment and other various functions.
However, for a smart robot integrated with a speaker structure, there are limitations on the directionality of sound wave transmission, that is, the user and the smart robot are usually preset to be facing each other, so the conventional technology is to drive the sound wave of the speaker to be transmitted forward. When there are multiple users or when the user is behind the smart robot, the user(s) cannot clearly identify the sound emitted from the smart robot. Therefore, the broadcasting range of the smart robot is limited to the partial space in front of the smart robot, so the interaction between the user(s) and the smart robot is undeniably limited. As such, how to provide an omnidirectional structure of sound wave transmission to solve the above limitations and improve the effect of human-computer interaction is a subject to be considered and solved by persons skilled in the art.
The information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the described technology and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. Further, the information disclosed in the Background section does not mean that one or more problems to be resolved by one or more embodiments of the invention was acknowledged by a person of ordinary skill in the art.
The disclosure provides a speaker structure and a smart robot, which enables the smart robot to provide an omnidirectional transmission of sound wave.
Other objectives and advantages of the invention may be further understood from the technical features disclosed in the disclosure.
In order to achieve one, part, or all of the above objectives or other objectives, an embodiment of the disclosure provides a speaker structure, configured to be disposed in a housing. The speaker structure includes a plate, a speaker, and a conical acoustic reflector. The plate, the speaker, and the conical acoustic reflector are assembled in the housing. The speaker structure includes a speaker grille, a first stage and a second stage, wherein the first stage and the second stage extend toward an interior of the housing. The speaker grille is disposed at the housing and is formed by a plurality of openings. The speaker grille surrounds an axis and is located between the first stage and the second stage. The plate is assembled to the first stage, the speaker is assembled to the plate, and the conical acoustic reflector is disposed on the second stage. The conical acoustic reflector and the speaker are disposed along the axis and face each other. Each of the speaker and the conical acoustic reflector is symmetrical about the axis. A sound wave generated by the speaker is transmitted out of the housing from the speaker holes after being reflected via the conical acoustic reflector.
In order to achieve one, part, or all of the above objectives or other objectives, an embodiment of the disclosure provides a smart robot, including a speaker structure and a housing. The speaker structure is disposed in the housing and includes a plate, a speaker, and a conical acoustic reflector. The plate, the speaker, and the conical acoustic reflector are assembled in the housing. The speaker structure includes a speaker grille, a first stage and a second stage, wherein the first stage and the second stage extend toward an interior of the housing. The speaker grille is disposed at the housing and is formed by a plurality of openings. The speaker grille surrounds an axis and is located between the first stage and the second stage. The plate is assembled to the first stage, the speaker is assembled to the plate, and the conical acoustic reflector is disposed on the second stage. The conical acoustic reflector and the speaker are disposed along the axis and face each other. Each of the speaker and the conical acoustic reflector is symmetrical about the axis. A sound wave generated by the speaker is transmitted out of the housing from the speaker holes after being reflected via the conical acoustic reflector.
Based on the above, the speaker structure is to respectively dispose the plate and the conical acoustic reflector on the first stage and the second stage in the housing, and dispose the speaker on the plate. Also, the speaker and the conical acoustic reflector are coaxial and face each other. As such, the sound wave generated by the speaker may be transmitted out of the housing from the speaker grille disposed to surround the axis after being reflected via the conical acoustic reflector, thereby achieving an omnidirectional effect of sound wave transmission.
Furthermore, the conical acoustic reflector is symmetrical relative to the axis, in other words, the conical acoustic reflector is an axisymmetric cone and the vertex thereof is located on the axis. Therefore, the cone and the speaker grille, which are also disposed to surround the axis, may correspond to each other, thereby smoothly reflecting the sound wave from the speaker to be transmitted out of the housing via the speaker grille, such that the unidirectional sound wave (transmitted from the speaker) may be smoothly formed into an omnidirectional sound wave. As such, the smart robot applied with the speaker structure can smoothly generate whole region sound waves and the user can clearly hear the sound transmitted by the speaker regardless of the orientation of the user relative to the smart robot.
Other objectives, features and advantages of the disclosure will be further understood from the further technological features disclosed by the embodiments of the disclosure wherein there are shown and described preferred embodiments of this invention, simply by way of illustration of modes best suited to carry out the invention.
The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. In this regard, directional terminology, such as “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “back,” etc., is used with reference to the orientation of the Figure(s) being described. The components of the disclosure can be positioned in a number of different orientations. As such, the directional terminology is used for purposes of illustration and is in no way limiting. On the other hand, the drawings are only schematic and the sizes of components may be exaggerated for clarity. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless limited otherwise, the terms “connected,” “coupled,” and “mounted” and variations thereof herein are used broadly and encompass direct and indirect connections, couplings, and mountings. Similarly, the terms “facing,” “faces” and variations thereof herein are used broadly and encompass direct and indirect facing, and “adjacent to” and variations thereof herein are used broadly and encompass directly and indirectly “adjacent to”. Therefore, the description of “A” component facing “B” component herein may contain the situations that “A” component directly faces “B” component or one or more additional components are between “A” component and “B” component. Also, the description of “A” component “adjacent to” “B” component herein may contain the situations that “A” component is directly “adjacent to” “B” component or one or more additional components are between “A” component and “B” component. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
Furthermore, the housing 11 has an annular region R1. In the embodiment, the annular region R1 is located at the neck A2 of the housing 11. The annular region R1 surrounds the first stage 110, the second stage 120, the speaker 140, the plate 130, and the conical acoustic reflector 150. The speaker grille 160 is located at the annular region R1 and the orthographic projection range of each opening 161 on the axis L1 is aligned with the first stage 110 and the second stage 120. In other words, as shown in
On the other hand, if the orthographic projection range of each opening 161 along the axis L1 is lower than the references P1 and P2, phase interference of the sound waves may easily happen. In addition, as shown in
Based on the above, the conical acoustic reflector 150 is a symmetrical conical disc relative to the axis L1. A vertex C2 of the conical acoustic reflector 150 is located on the axis L1 while a diaphragm center C1 of the speaker 140 is also located on the axis L1 and corresponds to the vertex C2, which may corresponds to the openings 161 also surrounding the axis L1, thereby smoothly reflecting the sound wave transmitted from the speaker 140 through the conical reflection surface of the conical acoustic reflector 150 to be transmitted out of the housing 11 via the speaker grille 160, that is, the distribution range of the speaker grille 160 includes the sound wave transmitted out of the housing 11 from the first sound chamber N1. In this way, the unidirectional sound wave generated from the speaker 140 and transmitted toward the conical acoustic reflector 150 may be smoothly formed into an omnidirectional sound wave. The reflected sound wave is transmitted out of the housing 11 in a 360-degree radial pattern toward the surrounding (for example, the periphery of the plane with the axis L1 as the normal) with the axis L1 as the center. In the embodiment, the materials of the conical acoustic reflector 150 and the plate 130 are not limited, which may be plastic material, metal material, ceramic material, glass material, and wood material. A material with a smoother surface and a lower sound absorption coefficient provides a better reflective effect.
On the other hand, please refer to
Here, the first sound chamber N1 and the second sound chamber N2 are respectively located at two opposite sides of the plate 130 and the first stage 110. The first sound chamber N1 and the second sound chamber N2 are separated from each other without communication by the plate 130 and the first stage 110, which may effectively prevent the sound wave of the second sound chamber N2 from being transmitted to the first sound chamber N1. In addition, if the cover 180 is not used, the plate 130 and the first stage 110 form the space N3 with a portion of the housing 11. The first sound chamber N1 and the space N3 are respectively located at two opposite sides of the plate 130 and the first stage 110. The first sound chamber N1 and the space N3 are separated from each other without communication by the plate 130 and the first stage 110, so as to prevent the sound wave of the speaker 140 from being transmitted to the space N3 and affecting the projection module 170.
The speaker structure 100 of the embodiment further includes an acoustically transparent fabric 190, disposed outside the housing 11 and covering the speaker grille 160. Here, taking the acoustically transparent fabric 190 being disposed at the neck A2 of the smart robot 10 as an example, the acoustically transparent fabric 190 is configured to decorate the appearance of the smart robot 10, such that the user may not easily see the structure of the speaker grille 160 and the structure inside the housing 11 while also providing a dustproof effect.
It should also be mentioned that the appearance of the speaker grille 160 of the disclosure is not limited. The speaker grille 160 is formed by the fence openings 161 in
For example, the housing 11 is made of a metal material with a thickness of 1 mm at the annular region R1 and the aperture ratio of the speaker grille 160 at the annular region R1 is at least greater than 15% to ensure the sound quality transmitted out of the housing 11. In addition, for example, the housing 11 is made of a plastic material with a thickness of 2 mm at the annular region R1 and the aperture ratio of the speaker grille 160 at the annular region R1 is at least greater than 20%, such that the sound transmitted out of the housing 11 may have a more ideal effect.
In summary, in the above embodiments of the disclosure, the speaker structure is to respectively dispose the plate and the conical acoustic reflector on the first stage and the second stage in the housing, and dispose the speaker on the plate. Also, the speaker and the conical acoustic reflector are coaxial and face each other. As such, the sound wave generated by the speaker may be transmitted out of the housing from the speaker grille surrounding the axis after being reflected via the conical acoustic reflector, thereby achieving an omnidirectional effect of sound wave transmission. In more detail, although the above embodiments of the disclosure only show the cover, the speaker, the plate, and the conical acoustic reflector being sequentially disposed from the head of the housing toward the neck in the speaker structure, in other embodiments, for example, the conical acoustic reflector, the plate, the speaker, and the cover may also be sequentially disposed from the head of the housing toward the neck in the speaker structure, and the disclosure is not limited thereto.
Further, the conical acoustic reflector is a symmetrical conical disc relative to the axis, the vertex thereof is located on the axis, and the diaphragm center of the speaker is also located on the axis and corresponds to the vertex, which may correspond to the speaker grille surrounding the axis, thereby smoothly forming the unidirectional sound wave transmitted from the speaker toward the conical acoustic reflector into an omnidirectional sound wave. Also, the reflected sound wave is transmitted out of the housing in a 360-degree radial pattern toward the surrounding (for example, the plane with the axis as the normal) with the axis as the center.
In this way, regardless of the orientation of the user relative to the smart robot, the sound transmitted by the speaker structure may be clearly heard, such that the speaker structure is no longer limited by the directionality of sound and the interaction range with the user.
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form or to exemplary embodiments disclosed. Accordingly, the foregoing description should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in this art. The embodiments are chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its best mode practical application, thereby to enable persons skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use or implementation contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents in which all terms are meant in their broadest reasonable sense unless otherwise indicated. Therefore, the term “the invention”, “the disclosure” or the like does not necessarily limit the claim scope to a specific embodiment, and the reference to particularly preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention does not imply a limitation on the invention, and no such limitation is to be inferred. The invention is limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims. The abstract of the disclosure is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract, which will allow a searcher to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure of any patent issued from this disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Any advantages and benefits described may not apply to all embodiments of the invention. It should be appreciated that variations may be made in the embodiments described by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the disclosure as defined by the following claims. Moreover, no element and component in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element or component is explicitly recited in the following claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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202010241975.9 | Mar 2020 | CN | national |