Patent Application
20240147156
The present disclosure generally relates to information handling systems, and more particularly relates to an ultra-slim force-canceling speaker structure.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option is an information handling system. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes. Technology and information handling needs, and requirements can vary between different applications. Thus, information handling systems can also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information can be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems can include a variety of hardware and software resources that can be configured to process, store, and communicate information and can include one or more computer systems, graphics interface systems, data storage systems, networking systems, and mobile communication systems. Information handling systems can also implement various virtualized architectures. Data and voice communications among information handling systems may be via networks that are wired, wireless, or some combination.
A speaker includes a first transducer assembly and a second transducer assembly arranged in opposite to each other, wherein the first transducer assembly includes a first diaphragm, and the second transducer assembly includes a second diaphragm. A magnet assembly having a set of primary magnets and a secondary magnet that are asymmetrically arranged and disposed between the first diaphragm and the second diaphragm.
It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements illustrated in the Figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements. Embodiments incorporating teachings of the present disclosure are shown and described with respect to the drawings herein, in which:
The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates similar or identical items.
The following description in combination with the Figures is provided to assist in understanding the teachings disclosed herein. The description is focused on specific implementations and embodiments of the teachings and is provided to assist in describing the teachings. This focus should not be interpreted as a limitation on the scope or applicability of the teachings.
Some portable information handling systems, such as laptops, notebooks, or tablets, include an audio system to provide audio content to a user of the computing device. The audio system typically includes speakers, such as electromagnetic speakers with a voice coil and magnets. With these speakers, an unbalanced inertial force is the primary cause of the rattling or buzzing noise that usually leads to an unpleasant user experience. In addition to the buzzing noise, the palm rest area may also vibrate while the speaker is playing. This vibration is based on the force generated by the speaker in producing the sound which is transmitted to the speaker enclosure. If the speaker enclosure cannot resist the force, the vibration will be transmitted to the chassis of the portable information handling system through its mounting structures. As the result, the whole structure of the portable information handling system may vibrate and rattle.
Conventional force-canceling speakers include dual-sided diaphragms which can effectively reduce the force when the diaphragms vibrate. Because the speaker includes two identical transducers to achieve the force-canceling feature, these force-canceling speakers are typically twice in height or thickness as traditional speakers. However, portable information handling systems continue to shrink in size and increase in capability. Users appreciate smaller portable systems without sacrificing any functionality. The decreasing sizes of portable information handling system resulted from a confluence of factors; one driving factor is the shrinking size of display panels and their thickness. Once a user selects a display size, the user typically can select a particular portable information handling system based on processing capability and thickness. Generally, users prefer portable information handling systems that have thinner profiles which tend to have less room for various components, such as speakers. Accordingly, to address these and other concerns, the present disclosure provides a structure for an ultra-slim force-canceling speaker which provides the benefits of the conventional force-canceling speaker with less height. Thus, the ultra-slim force-canceling speaker in the present disclosure can be accommodated by the thinner profiles of the portable information handling systems.
Because of the asymmetrical structure of the magnet assembly, speaker 300 is thinner than conventional force-canceling speakers while producing symmetrical magnetic fields of equal force. In one example, a conventional force-canceling speaker may be six millimeters in height while speaker 300 maybe four and a half millimeters in height which is twenty-five percent thinner. In addition, the asymmetrically arranged magnets of the magnetic assembly form different magnetic paths that move in opposite directions which provide in-phase forces or acoustic outputs. That is, when the transducers begin to operate, each diaphragm will move in the opposite direction and produce opposite forces. Due to the symmetric magnetic fields, these two opposing forces are equal and will consequently cancel each other resulting in a zero net force.
Primary side magnet 515 is disposed between side pole piece 440 and portion of yoke 530. Side pole piece 440 may be attached to a portion of frame 310 providing support to primary side magnet 515. Similarly, primary side magnet 525 is disposed between side pole piece 430 and a portion of yoke 530. Side pole piece 430 may also be attached to another portion of frame 310. For example, side pole piece 440 may be attached to a left portion of frame 310 while side pole piece 430 may be attached to a right portion of frame 310. Secondary magnet 535 may be disposed between yoke 530 and pole piece 540, wherein yoke 530 may be coupled to frame 315. Yoke 530 may also be coupled to frame 310. Yoke 530 may be a rigid non-magnetic structure that provides support to the magnets and/or connect the magnet assembly to the frames of speaker 300.
The pole pieces, which may be rigid or semi-rigid non-magnetic structures, may be used to provide additional support by attaching the magnets to the yoke and/or the frames. For example, side pole piece 440 may be used to attach primary side magnet 515 to frame 310 while side pole piece 430 may be used to attach the primary side magnet 525 to frame 310. Center pole piece 435 may be used to attach primary center magnet 520 to voice coil 410 and/or frame 310 while pole piece 540 may be used to attach secondary magnet 535 to voice coil 420 and/or frame 315. In other words, center pole piece 435 may support primary center magnet 520 while side pole piece 440 may support primary side magnet 515, and side pole piece 430 may support primary side magnet 525. Accordingly, pole piece 540 may support secondary magnet 535.
The primary side magnets 525 and 515 may be of the same size and grade and are disposed of on each side of the primary center magnet 520. The primary side magnets are positioned such that they may increase the magnetism of primary center magnet 520 which is smaller and has less magnetism than secondary magnet 535. For example, primary side magnet 525 may be on one side or primary center magnet 520 while primary side magnet 515 may be disposed on the other side of primary center magnet 520. Each of primary side magnets 525 and 515 may be smaller than primary center magnet 520. However, when combined the primary side magnets may be of the same size as the primary center magnet.
In addition, the combined magnetism of the primary side magnets and the primary center magnet may be greater than the magnetism of the secondary magnet. To achieve equal magnetic forces, the magnetism of the secondary magnet may be increased by adjusting the length of the wire used in the voice coils. For example, the wire used for voice coil 420 which is associated with secondary magnet 535 may be longer than the wire used for voice coil 410 which is associated with primary center magnet 520. As such, voice coil 420 may be bigger or longer than voice coil 410 as depicted in
As shown, magnetic return path 705 traverses along primary center magnet 520 towards the center of the magnet assembly via primary side magnet 515. Because the polarity of primary center magnet is 530 is opposite to the polarity of secondary magnet 535, magnetic return path 720 traverses in the opposite direction along secondary magnet 535 towards the center of the magnet assembly via primary side magnet 525. The magnetic fields created by transducers 450 and 460 create symmetric magnetic fields which in turn result in equal magnetic forces to move each diaphragm. The dual forces, which are the sound waves, cancel each other out and result in “no net force” due to the two diaphragms moving in opposite directions. Here, diaphragm 605 moves in the direction of arrow 710 while diaphragm 425 moves in the direction of arrow 715.
In accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure, the methods described herein may be implemented by software programs executable by a computer system. Further, in an exemplary, non-limited embodiment, implementations can include distributed processing, component/object distributed processing, and parallel processing. Alternatively, virtual computer system processing can be constructed to implement one or more of the methods or functionalities as described herein.
When referred to as a “device,” a “module,” a “unit,” a “controller,” or the like, the embodiments described herein can be configured as hardware. Although only a few exemplary embodiments have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the embodiments of the present disclosure. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the embodiments of the present disclosure as defined in the following claims. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures.
