U.S. patent number 3,834,486 [Application Number 05/257,527] was granted by the patent office on 1974-09-10 for vibration diaphragm and cone edge of a loudspeaker.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Matsushita Electric Industrial Company, Limited, Sekisui Kagaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha. Invention is credited to Noboru Koizumi, Yasuhiko Tsuge.
United States Patent |
3,834,486 |
Tsuge , et al. |
September 10, 1974 |
VIBRATION DIAPHRAGM AND CONE EDGE OF A LOUDSPEAKER
Abstract
Herein disclosed are an improved vibration diaphragm and an
improved cone edge of a loudspeaker, wherein the vibration
diaphragm is formed of a foamed plastics which is formed with
portions having a density or densities lower than the remaining
portion of the diaphragm and/or which has at least one coating of
resin applied to at least one surface of the foamed plastics in the
form of an aqueous emulsion and wherein the cone edge is formed of
a foamed plastics having a closed-cellular structure. The vibration
diaphragm and cone edge, which may preferably be used in
combination with each other, will contribute to improving the
acoustic characteristics of the loudspeaker to a considerable
extent.
Inventors: |
Tsuge; Yasuhiko (Osaka,
JA), Koizumi; Noboru (Osaka, JA) |
Assignee: |
Matsushita Electric Industrial
Company, Limited (Osaka, JA)
Sekisui Kagaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Osaka,
JA)
|
Family
ID: |
44583528 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/257,527 |
Filed: |
May 30, 1972 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
May 28, 1971 [JA] |
|
|
46-44319 |
Jul 5, 1971 [JA] |
|
|
46-49725 |
Jul 12, 1971 [JA] |
|
|
46-61451 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
181/165;
181/170 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04R
7/20 (20130101); H04R 31/003 (20130101); H04R
7/125 (20130101); H04R 7/122 (20130101); H04R
2307/029 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04R
7/00 (20060101); H04R 7/12 (20060101); H04R
31/00 (20060101); H04R 7/20 (20060101); G10k
013/00 (); H04r 007/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;181/32R,31B,DIG.1
;179/181R,181F |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Tomsky; Stephen J.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A conical vibrating diaphragm of a foamed thermoplastic resin
for a loudspeaker having a multiplicity of separate spaced portions
in each of which the density of said foamed thermoplastic resin is
lower than the density of the remaining portion of said
diaphragm.
2. A conical vibration diaphragm as claimed in claim 1, in which
said thermoplastic resin is an acrylic resin.
3. A conical vibration diaphragm as claimed in claim 1, in which
said spaced portions are substantially circular.
4. A conical vibration diaphragm as claimed in claim 1, in which
said spaced portions are substantially polygonal.
5. A conical vibration diaphragm as claimed in claim 1, in which at
least one surface of said diaphragm is coated with at least one
uniform layer of a resin applied as an aqueous emulsion
thereof.
6. A conical vibration diaphragm as claimed in claim 5, in which
the resin of said at least one layer is a thermoplastic resin.
7. A conical vibration diaphragm as claimed in claim 5, in which
the resin of said at least one layer is a rubber resin.
Description
The present invention is concerned generally with loudspeakers and,
more particularly, the invention relates to vibration diaphragms of
foamed plastics for use in the loudspeakers. The major goal of the
present invention is to make available stabilized acoustic
pressure-frequency characteristics of the loudspeakers.
The loudspeakers of the direct-radiator type generally use
vibration diaphragms in the form of a truncated cone and it is well
known in the art to have the vibration diaphragms formed of foamed
plastics, typical of which is the foamed polystyrene. The vibration
diaphragms of the foamed polystyrene have found broad and
successful applications in the loudspeakers of the described type
especially for their light-weight structures, pertinent Young's
moduli and satisfactory internal losses and, from the production
view points, for considerable ease of being fabricated to desired
configurations by foaming in dies or vacuum molding the particular
material.
A problem, however, arises in the vibration diaphragms of the
foamed plastics from the fact that such vibration diaphragms have
densities which are uniform throughout the total areas of the
diaphragms. The uniform densities of the vibration diaphragms of
the frusto-conical shape are often the causes of the motions of the
diaphragms shrinking in the conical direction and being circularly
warped from the centers of the diaphragms when the frequencies of
the sounds produced fall within ranges of the proper frequencies
resulting from the specific configurations and materials of the
vibration diaphragms. This takes place especially in medium to high
frequency ranges of the speaker performances, thereby causing
abrupt drops in the acoustic pressures of the air coupled to the
vibration diaphragms.
Also proposed for use in the loudspeakers is a vibration diaphragm
which is made up of a base plate of foamed polystyrene and a thin
coating of polystyrene or polyvinyl acetate or another suitable
resin which is applied to the surface of the base material
initially in the form of a solution dissolving therein the
synthetic resin such as polystyrene or polyvinyl acetate. The
vibration diaphragm of this nature has a drawback in that the
thickness of the coating formed on the base material as applied in
this manner is limited and, as a consequence, such vibration
diaphragm is not acceptable where it is desired to have a
relatively thick coating which is evenly formed throughout the base
material. This is because of the fact that the viscosity of the
solution of the resin increases as the quantity of its solid
constituents increases and, especially where an organic solvent is
used for the resin solution, the solvent evaporates only at a
limited rate. If, thus, it is desired that the vibration diaphragm
have an exceptionally thick coating in the face of the difficulty
of the above noted nature, then irregular thickness of the coating
will result throughout the total area of the vibration diaphragm
and, furthermore, the thickness of the coating will vary from one
final product to another depending upon the processes carried out
on the individual vibration diaphragms. The vibration diaphragms
produced in this manner have mechanical stiffnesses that are not
only irregular in themselves but vary from one diaphragm to another
so that fluctuations are invited in the acoustic pressures in
consequence of the split resonance of the vibration diaphragms.
Since, moreover, the foamed plastics are unstable to organic
solvents such as ethyl acetate, the base material of the foamed
plastics tends to be chemically attacked by the solvent of the
polyvinyl acetate or other organic solvent applied to the surface
of the base material. It is, thus, difficult or even impossible to
have the initial shape of the base material maintained intact in
the process of applying the resin to the base material in the
presence of the organic solvent. It is therefore important that, in
applying the resin solution to the base material of the foamed
plastics, the solvent for the resin solution be selected in such a
manner that the foamed plastics in the base material be resistant
to the attack of the solvent and that only the resin to be applied
to the base material is dissolved in the solvent. For this reason,
there could be even a case where a resin can not be used as the
material for the coating of the vibration diaphragm however
advantageous the particular resin might be from the acoustic point
of view.
The present invention contemplates elimination of the above
described drawbacks of the prior art vibration diaphragms of the
loudspeakers through appropriate selection of the foamed plastics
to form the vibration diaphragms or the base materials to form part
of the vibration diaphragms and through incorporation of an
improvement in the constructions of the diaphragms with a vew to
providing improved acoustic pressure-frequency characteristics of
the loudspeakers.
The loudspeakers usually have annular strips, customarily called
the cone edges, which are attached to outer peripheral edges of the
frusto-conical vibration diaphragms for the purpose of preventing
radial displacements of the vibration diahpragms, facilitating
calibration of the minimal frequencies availably by the vibration
diaphragms, and dampening out the propagation of the sounds
produced during performance. The cone edges are usually made of
sheetings of paper board or plastics laminated cloth and thus have
drawbacks in that objectionable sounds are produced as a result of
the split resonance and in the difficulty of exactly forming the
material to the desired configurations. To remedy these drawbacks,
cone edges formed of foamed polyurethanes are proposed. The formed
polyurethanes are of the open-cellular structures having
interconnecting voids as is well known in the art and as a
consequence permeation of air takes place across the faces of the
cone edges of the particular materials. This results in drops of
the acoustic pressures especially in the vibrations in the piston
ranges. If the foamed polyurethanes forming the cone edges are
prepared to have increased densities ranging, say, from
0.1g/cm.sup.3 to 0.2g/cm.sup.3 as usually practised for the purpose
of reducing the air-permeability of the cone edges, then increases
in the weights of the cone edges will result, thereby inviting
deterioration of the acoustic pressures of the loudspeakers. For
these reasons and on account of the still insufficient moldability
of the foamed polyurethanes, the cone edges of the particlar
materials are not fully acceptable for practical purposes.
Thus, the present invention further contemplates elimination of
these drawbacks which have thus far been inherent in the cone edges
of the prior art characters.
It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention to
provide a loudspeaker having an improved vibration diaphragm which
is adapted to achieve stabilized acoustic pressure-frequency
characteristics substantially throughout on entire frequency range
available with the loudspeaker using the vibration diaphragm.
It is another important object of the invention to provide a
loudspeaker having an improved vibration diaphragm which is capable
of maintaining the acoustic pressure at relatively high constant
levels especially in the medium to high frequency ranges operable
with the loudspeaker using the vibration diaphragm.
It is still another important object of the present invention to
provide an improved method for preparing a vibration diaphragm of a
loudspeaker for the purpose of providing stabilized acoustic
pressure-frequency characteristics throughout an overall frequency
range operable by the loudspeaker using the vibration
diaphragm.
It is still another important object of the present invention to
provide a loudspeaker having an improved vibration diaphragm having
a sufficiently thick resin coating which is uniformly applied to
the surface of a base material of foamed plastics.
It is still another important object of the invention to provide an
improved method for preparing a vibration diaphragm of a
loudspeaker whereby the base material of the foamed plastics is
prevented from being chemically attacked and thus losing its
initial shape by a process in which the base material is coated
with a resin.
Yet, it is another important object of the present invention to
provide a loudspeaker having an improved cone edge which is adapted
to preclude production of objectionable sounds due to split
responance as heretofore been experienced in the loudspeakers using
the prior art cone edges of the paper board or plastics coated
cloth.
It is further and another important object of the present invention
to provide a loudspeaker having an improved cone edge which can be
readily and accurately formed to the desired configurations by a
usual molding process during production.
It is further and another important object of the present invention
to provide a loudspeaker having a cone edge which is substantially
impermeable to air across its faces and which is accordingly
adapted to have the acoustic pressure of the loudspeaker maintained
at proper levels during performance.
Yet, it is further and another important object of the present
invention to provide a method for preparing an improved cone edge
of a loudspeaker.
Other objects, features and advantages of the vibration diaphragm
and cone edge of the loudspeaker and the method for preparing these
will become more apparent from the following description taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a loudspeaker incorporating a
vibration diaphragm proposed by the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a top end view showing, on an enlarged scale, the
vibration diaphragm forming part of the loudspeaker which is
illustrated in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a section taken on line III--III of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a graph indicating curves representative of the acoustic
pressure-frequency characteristics achieved in the loudspeaker
shown in FIG. 1 and in the loudspeakers using the prior art
vibration diaphragms of the foamed plastics;
FIG. 5 is a cut away view showing another form of vibration
diaphragm which is applicable to the loudspeaker having the general
construction shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a graph indicating curves representative of the acoustic
pressure-frequency characteristics achieved in the loudspeakers
using conventional vibration diaphragms having resin coatings and
the vibration diaphragm of the construction illustrated in FIG.
5;
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing an improved cone
edge which is proposed by the present invention;
FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing an overall construction of a
loudspeaker incorporating the cone edge which is illustrated in
FIG. 7;
FIG. 9 is a graph indicating curves representative of the acoustic
pressure-frequency characteristics achieved in the loudspeakers
using the existing cone edges and the loudspeakers using the cone
edges which are prepared in accordance with the present
invention;
FIG. 10 is a plan view similar to FIG. 2 but showing another
preferred form of the density-varied portions according to the
invention, and
FIG. 11 is a sectional view of vibration diaphragm similar to that
of FIG. 3 but having resin coatings according to the invention.
The general construction of the loudspeaker shown in FIG. 1 is
merely by way of example and, as such, the vibration diaphragm
herein disclosed may be applied to the loudspeaker of any other
constructions insofar as they use the vibration diaphragms. Thus,
the loudspeaker is shown as including a frame 10 which is generally
in the form of a truncated cone, and a yoke 12 supporting the frame
10 at its front end and having accommodated therein a magnet 14. A
voice coil 16 surrounds a pole piece 18 projecting forwardly from
the magnet 14 as customary. A vibration diaphragm 20 of a
frusto-conical configuration is positioned within the frame 10 with
its reduced inner end aligned with the voice coil 16. The vibration
diaphragm 20 is secured at its outer circumference to a
concentrically aligned outer circumferential end of the frame 10 by
means of an annular strip 22 which is usually called the cone edge
as previously noted. The cone edge 22 is bonded or otherwise
secured at its inner circumference to the vibration diaphragm 20
and at its outer perimeter to the frame 10 by means of an annular
gasket 24. The voice coil 16 is connected to a terminal plate 26
through a lead wire 28. Designated by reference numeral 30 is a
damper and by 32 is a dust cap.
As previously discussed, the vibration diaphragm formed of the
foamed plastics which is usually the foamed polystyrene has a
density which is uniform throughout its total area and is
consequently caused to shrink in its conical directions and to
circularly warp from its center when the frequency of the sound
produced falls within the range of the proper frequencies resulting
from the specific configuration and material of the vibration
diaphragm. Such tendency of the vibration diaphragm shrinking and
warping is pronounced especially in the medium to high frequency
ranges so that abrupt drops are invited in the acoustic pressure
levels during operation of the vibration diaphragm in these
particular ranges, as previously discussed.
To remove such difficulty, the present invention proposes to form
the vibration diaphragm in a manner that the diaphragm has
densities which are substantially irregularly distributed at least
partially of the area of the diaphragm. Thus, as illustrated in
FIGS. 2 and 3, the vibration diaphragm 20 has a multiplicity of
spaced sections or portions 20a each of which has a density smaller
than or otherwise differing from the density of its environment or
surrounding portion. More particularly, the vibration diaphragm 20
in its entirety is formed of a foamed plastics with a predetermined
foaming ratio and a predetermined thickness and the portions 20a
disposed therein are formed to a foaming ratio and thickness which
are suitably larger than the foaming ratio and thickness of their
environment, viz., the remaining area of the vibration diaphragm.
These spaced portions 20a of the vibration diaphragm may be sized
and configured in any desired manner. In the shown construction of
the vibration diaphragm 20, the portions 20a are shaped as
generally circular and having respective areas which differ from
each other. If preferred, however, the spaced portions 20a may have
contours which are oval, rectangular or polygonal as shown in FIG.
10.
The foamed plastics operable to form the vibration diaphragm 20
having the portions 20a thus arranged may be either a foamed
thermoplastic material selected from the group consisting of
polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polymethacrylamide, cellulose
acetate, acrylic resins, polyacrylonitrile resin, and
polyacrylamide or a foamed thermosetting material selected from the
group consisting of phenol resins, unsaturated polyester resins,
polyoxy resins and polyurethane resins. It may be noted that the
acrylic resins include a polymer or copolymer of acrylic acid,
acrylic esters, methacrylic acid or methacrylic esters and that
polymethyl methacrylate in particular will best suit the
purpose.
Where the thermoplastic material of any of the above named types is
to be used, a web of a foaming or foamed thermoplastic resin should
be first placed in a die with a prescribed configuration and then
heated under pressure to a predetermined temperature. The spaced
portions 20a having lower density or densities as above described
can be formed by locally varying the cooling rate and/or the
fractional void in the die. Where, on the other hand, the
thermosetting material is used, any of the expandable prepolymer of
the named thermosetting resin in a liquid state should be poured
into a die having a prescribed configuration and then heated under
pressure to a predetermined temperature. The spaced portions with
the smaller density or densities can also be produced by varying
the cooling rate and/or the fractional void in the die.
Experiments were conducted with the vibration diaphragm of the
above described character so as to determine the acoustic level in
decibels in terms of the frequency in Hz of the vibrations achieved
by the use of the vibration diaphragm in the loudspeaker of the
construction shown in FIG. 1. The vibration diaphragm used in the
experiments had been formed of a material foamed about 7.5 times
and to a thickness of about 1.5 mm with the spaced portions foamed
therein about 20 times and to a thickness of about 4.1 mm. The
results of these experiments are indicated by a curve A in FIG. 4.
For the purpose of comparison with these results, the acoustic
pressure-frequency characteristics were determined of a loudspeaker
using a similarly shaped vibration diaphragm which is formed, as
customary, of polymethyl methacrylate foamed about 10 times to
uniform thickness of about 2 mm, the results of which experiments
are indicated by a curve B in FIG. 4. As clearly seen from the two
characteristics curves A and B, the loudspeaker using the vibration
diaphragm prepared in accordance with the present invention is
capable of providing stabilized acoustic pressures throughout the
operable frequency range, especially in the medium to high
frequency ranges, compared to those achieved by the loudspeaker
using the prior art vibration diaphragm. Such stabilized acoustic
pressure-frequency characteristics apparently results from the
elimination of the unusual resonance of the vibration diaphragm as
would otherwise be produced within the range of the proper
frequencies which are dictated by the specific configuration and
material of the vibration diaphragm. The vibration diaphragm of
this nature, furthermore, has an increased stiffness and
accordingly an increased resistance to warpage or bending stress in
consequence of the provision of the portions having a density or
densities smaller than the density of the surrounding portions and
will thus provide prolonged service life as compared to the prior
art counterparts.
The present invention also contemplates provision of an improved
vibration diaphragm having a coating of a resin applied to a base
material of foamed plastics. As previously discussed, the vibration
diaphragm having the resin coating is prepared in such a manner
that a solution dissolving therein a resin such as polyvinyl
acetate is applied to the surface of the base material. The
thickness of the resin coating formed in this manner is limited for
the previously described reasons and, if it is desired to have a
relatively thick coating formed on the base material, then
substantial irregularity of the thickness of the coating will
result especially where an organic solvent is used to dissolve the
resin. Where the organic solvent is used, moreover, the foamed
plastics forming the base material will tend to be chemically
attacked by the solvent and, as a consequence, loses its initial
shape.
To eliminate this difficulty, the present invention hereby proposes
to have a base material of the foamed plastics coated with a resin
through application of an aqueous emulsion of the resin to the
surfaces of the base material so as to cause the particles of the
resin to be deposited on these surfaces. FIG. 5 illustrates the
configuration of the vibration diaphragm formed in this manner
wherein the base material 34 of the foamed plastics has the resin
coatings 36 and 36' on its inner and outer surfaces, respectively.
The foamed plastics thus forming the base material 34 may be any of
the thermoplastic or thermosetting materials previously named while
the resin to form the coatings 36 and 36' is selected from the
group consisting of polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride,
polystyrene and various acrylic resins or rubber resins such as for
example butadiene-styrene rubber (S.B.R.) and
butadiene-acrylonitrile rubber (N.B.R.). In accordance with the
present invention, it is important that any of these resins be used
in the form of an aqueous emulsion.
The aqueous emulsion of any of the named resins usually contains
about 30 to 50 percent by weight of solid ingredients in the form
of minute particles and thus possesses a viscosity which is
appropriate for being applied to the surfaces of the base material
of the foamed plastics. For applying the aqueous emulsion of the
resin to the surfaces of the base material, the foamed plastics as
the base material should be immersed in the aqueous emulsion of the
resin so as to cause the solid particles of the resin to be
deposited on the surfaces of the base material or, otherwise, the
aqueous emulsion of the resin should be sprayed in an atomized form
onto or brushed on the surfaces of the base material of the foamed
plastics.
For the formation of the vibration diaphragm thus made up of the
base material of the foamed plastics and the coating of the resin
in accordance with the present invention, either the base material
in the form of a sheeting should be first coated with the aqueous
emulsion of the resin and heated and then pressed to the desired
frusto-conical configuration, or the base material which has
preliminarily been formed to the desired frustoconical
configuration should be coated with the aqueous emulsion of the
resin. Of these two methods, the former will prove advantageous for
practical purposes because of the uniform thickness of the coating
as achieved by application of the aqueous emulsion of the resin to
the substantially flat surface of the base material.
FIG. 6 illustrates the results of the experiments conducted with
the loudspeakers using the vibration diaphragms prepared in
accordance with the present invention and in the method presently
in common use. Thus, curve C indicates the acoustic
pressure-frequency characteristics achieved in the loudspeaker
using a vibration diaphragm formed of polymethyl methacrylate
foamed about 7.5 times to a thickness of about 1.6 mm and having an
inside diameter of about 25 cm at its outer circumference, wherein
the coatings of a copolymer of acrylic ester were applied to the
surfaces of the base material in a manner that the base material
was immersed in an aqueous emulsion of such copolymer containing
about 46 percent by weight of solid constituents. Curve D, on the
other hand, is indicative of the acoustic pressure-frequency
characteristics achieved in the loudspeaker using a vibration
diaphragm which was made up of a base material of foamed polymethyl
methacrylate and coatings of polyvinyl acetate applied to the base
material by brushing a solution of the polyvinyl acetate dissolved
in toluene. Comparision between these curves C and D will reveal
that more stabilized acoustic pressure-frequency characteristics
can be achieved by the use of the vibration diaphragm prepared in
accordance with the present invention than in the vibration
diaphragm of the prior art character.
Since, thus, the vibration diaphragm having the coatings of the
resin is prepared with use of the aqueous emulsion of the resin in
accordance with the present invention, the viscosity of the aqueous
emulsion is maintained at relatively low values even though the
emulsion happen to contain more than 50 percent by weight of solid
resin particles and, as a consequence, the resin particles can be
applied to the surfaces of the base material readily by immersing
the base material in the aqueous emulsion or spraying or brushing
the aqueous emulsion to the surfaces of the base material as the
case may be. The vibration diaphragm can therefore be prepared by
an extremely simplified process and can be formed with the resin
coatings having sufficient thickness which is satisfactorily
uniform throughout the surfaces of the base material. During the
process of forming the coatings on the base material, moreover, the
base material is free from chemical attacks as would otherwise be
encountered where an organic solvent is used to apply the resin to
the base material, with the result that the initial configuration
of the base material is maintained in the final product.
The vibration disphragm having these outstanding features may be
placed on use as it is but, if desired, resin coating 36, 36' may
be applied to the vibration diaphragm 20 formed with the spaced
portions 20a having reduced densities as shown in FIG. 11. For this
purpose, the vibration diaphragm prepared to have the portions
having the reduced density or densities should be used as the base
material which is to be coated with the resin through application
thereto of the aqueous emulsion of the resin. The vibration
disphragm produced in this manner will provide further stabilized
acoustic pressure-frequency characteristics when incorporated in a
loudspeaker.
The vibration diaphragm is secured to the frame of the loudspeaker
by means of the cone edge extending along the outer circumferencial
ends of the frusto-conical frame and vibration diaphragm so as to
prevent radial displacements of the diaphragm, to permit
calibration of the minimal resonance frequency and to dampen out
the propagation of the sounds produced, as previously discussed.
The conventional cone edges are usually formed of the foamed
polyurethanes for the purpose of eliminating the drawbacks inherent
in the cone edges of the paper board or plastics laminated cloth.
The foamed polyurethanes having the interconnecting voids have an
airpermeable property and, as a consequence, tend to invite a drop
in the acoustic pressure especially in the vibrations in the piston
range. The insufficient adaptability of molding has also been
pointed out as one of the drawbacks of the cone edges of the foamed
polyurethane. The present invention thus further contemplates
provision of a cone edge which is free from these drawbacks
inherent in the prior art counterparts.
The cone edge herein proposed is formed of a foamed plastics of a
closed-cellular structure. The foamed plastics of this nature may
be an ethylenevinyl acetate copolymer or a mixture of polyethylene
and an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer. Where the foamed
ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer is used to form the cone edge, it
is preferable that such copolymer contains about 65 to 90 percent
by weight of ethylene and about 35 to 10 percent by weight of vinyl
acetate. Where, on the other hand, the foamed mixture of the
ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer is to be used, the mixture may
preferably contain more than 50 percent by weight of ethylene-vinyl
acetate copolymer containing about 65 to 90 percent by weight of
ethylene and 35 to 10 percent by weight of vinyl acetate and less
than 50 percent by weight of polyethylene.
For the preparation of the foamed plastics of the closed-cellular
structure, a blowing agent of the decomposing type such as for
example azodicarbonamide may be admixed to the ethylene-vinyl
acetate copolymer or to the mixture of such copolymer and
polyethylene and heated to a predetermined temperature for forming
myriads of closed foams therein or, otherwise, a blowing agent of
the volatile type such as for example dichlorodifluoromethane may
be added under pressure to the melted ethylene-vinyl acetate
copolymer or the melted mixture of the copolymer and polyethylene
and then subjected to an atmospheric pressure for forming the foams
therein.
In order that the foamed plastics produced in this manner be formed
with completely closed, uniformly sized and distributed,
sufficiently minute foams and that the resultant foamed plastics
have satisfactory heat resistance and adaptability to molding and
tooling process, the ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer or the
mixture of the copolymer and polyethylene may preferably be formed
with crosslinking bonds through addition thereto of a suitable
organic peroxide such as dicumenyl peroxide or through irradiation
with electron rays or ionizing radiations before the copolymer or
the mixture of the copolymer and polyethylene is subjected to the
foaming process.
The foamed plastics of the ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer is
advantageous especially for the purpose of providing sufficient
flexibility which is required of the cone edge but such foamed
plastics tends to be excessively soft and, at the same time, the
heat resistance is liable to diminish where such foamed plastics is
placed on a practical use. These problems will be completely solved
if the mixture of the ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer and
polyethylene is used as the material of the cone edge in accordance
with the present invention. Thus, it is herein pointed out that the
mixture of the ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer and polyethylene
will proved more advantageous than the copolymer alone for
practical applications.
FIG. 8 illustrates an example of the cone edge 22 which is prepared
in a manner above described. This cone edge 22 is herein shown as
having an annularly raised central portion 22a so as to be capable
of transferring the vibratory motions therethrough with
satisfactory quality. The cone edge 22 thus having the annularly
raised portion 22a is attached at its inner circumference to the
outer circumferential edge of the vibration diaphragm 20 and at its
inner circumference to the outer circumferential edge of the frame
10 through the gasket 24, as illustrated in FIG. 8.
Experiments were conducted with two cone edges prepared in
different manners in accordance with the present invention so as to
determine the acoustic pressure-frequence characteristics of the
cone edges. One cone edge was prepared from an ethylene-vinyl
acetate copolymer containing 20 percent by weight of vinyl acetate
and foamed about 15 times. The resultant cone edge had a thickness
of 1.5 mm and an inside diameter of 25 cm. The acoustic
pressure-frequency characteristics of the loudspeaker using this
cone edge are indicated by curve E. The other cone edge was
prepared from a mixture of 75 percent by weight of ethylene-vinyl
acetate copolymer containing 25 percent by weight of vinyl acetate
and 25 percent by weight of lowdensity polyethylene. The mixture
was foamed about 15 times and the resultant cone edge of the foamed
plastics of the closed cellular structure had a thickness of 1.5 mm
and an inside diameter of 25 mm. The acoustic pressure-frequency
characteristics of the loudspeaker using this cone edge are
indicated by curve F in FIG. 9. Both of the cone edges used in the
experiments were formed to the configuration shown in FIG. 7 by
heating and pressing the foamed plastics in the form of sheetings.
Curve G in FIG. 9 is indicative of the acoustic pressure-frequency
characteristics as achieved in the loudspeaker using a prior art
cone edge prepared from foamed polyurethane having an open-cellular
structure and foamed about 15 times, wherein the cone edge finally
produced had a thickness of 1.5mm and an inside diameter of 25cm.
Comparison between the characteristics curves E and F for the cone
edges prepared in accordance with the present invention and the
curve G for the cone edge prepared in the conventional manner will
apparently reveal that the accoustic pressure levels attained in
the loud speakers using the cone edges according to the present
invention are higher about 2 decibels on the average than that
attained in the loudspeaker using the prior art cone edge in the
piston range of about 50 to 1000 Hz.
It will now be appreciated from the foregoing description that the
cone edge hereby proposed can be prepared in an extremely
simplified manner and in a considerably shortened process and can
provide excellent acoustic performance. It is to be noted, in this
regard, that the foamed plastics prepared from the
ethylene-vinylacetate copolymer or the mixture of the copolymer and
polyethylene can be pressed to the final configuration in about 6
to 7 seconds while, for the formation of the cone edge prepared
from the foamed polyurethane, about 60 seconds are required. Since,
moreover, the foamed plastics for forming the cone edge according
to the present invention has the closed-cellular structure, the
acoustic characteristics are significantly improved from those
available by the conventional cone edge which is prepared from the
foamed plastics such as the polyurethane having the open-cellular
structure. Where the cone edge formed of the foamed plastics of the
open-cellular structure is used in the loudspeaker, the acoustic
pressure developed by the vibration diaphragm happens to be out of
phase with the vibrations caused by the electric elements as a
result of the permeation of air across the faces of the cone edge,
with the consequent reduction in the levels of the acoustic
pressure from the loudspeaker. Such drops in the acoustic pressure
levels can be avoided where cone edge according to the present
invention is incorporated in the loudspeaker because the cone edge
is of the air-impermeable property.
The cone edge formed of the foamed polyurethane displays a
considerable hygroscopic property, absorbing moisture in the
atmospheric air when placed on a prolonged use. This causes the
weight of the cone edge to gradually augment during use with the
resultant deterioration of the ability of the loudspeaker
controlling the inertia so that the damping performance of the
loudspeaker and accordingly the acoustic characteristics are
degraded. Contrary to the prior art cone edge of this nature, the
cone edge proposed by the present invention has an extremely small
hygroscopic tendency of, say, about 0.13 percent if the material
plastics is foamed 15 times, and, as a consequence, the acoustic
characteristics remain unchanged even though the loudspeaker using
the cone edge is placed where relatively high humidity prevails and
thus lasts for a satisfactorily prolonged time.
* * * * *