U.S. patent number 3,919,499 [Application Number 05/434,214] was granted by the patent office on 1975-11-11 for planar speaker.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Magnepan, Incorporated. Invention is credited to James M. Winey.
United States Patent |
3,919,499 |
Winey |
November 11, 1975 |
Planar speaker
Abstract
A sound generating transducer or speaker including a vibratable
diaphragm on a frame and in spaced and confronting relation with a
polarity defining backing, preferably magnetic in nature,
conductive means on the diaphragm to receive an audio frequency
electric signal to cause attraction and repulsion between the
diaphragm and the backing, the diaphragm being divided into
definite vibratable areas by divider strips bearing against the
diaphragm such that each diaphragm area has a fundamental resonant
frequency different than other adjacent areas. The ends of the
divider strips are spaced from one edge of the diaphragm to define
a long strip-like edge portion of the diaphragm which transcends
the several vibratable areas of the diaphragm. The conductive means
are separate bass and mid-range audio frequency signal conductors
and high range audio frequency signal conductors on the diaphragm
and separated in distinct zones, the high range audio frequency
signal conductors located in a zone extending along the strip-like
edge portion and defining a long, narrow tweeter transcending the
several vibratable areas and through the edge areas of the several
vibratable areas or woofers which are excited by the signal current
in the bass and mid-range audio frequency signal conductors. The
mid-range audio frequency signals may be separately applied along
another edge portion or zone of the diaphragm in a separate
conductor on the diaphragm.
Inventors: |
Winey; James M. (White Bear
Lake, MN) |
Assignee: |
Magnepan, Incorporated (White
Bear Lake, MN)
|
Family
ID: |
23723304 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/434,214 |
Filed: |
January 11, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
381/408; 381/300;
381/402 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04R
9/047 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04R
9/00 (20060101); H04R 9/04 (20060101); H04R
009/06 () |
Field of
Search: |
;179/115.5PV |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Cooper; William C.
Assistant Examiner: Stellar; George G.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Palmatier; H. Dale Haller; James
R.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A sound generating transducer comprising:
a stiff and acoustically transparent backing having a broad and
substantially flat shape,
an audio sound-producing flexible diaphragm secured to the backing
in confronting relation therewith and defining a vibratable area,
the edges of the vibratable area being stationary against vibration
with respect to the backing, the vibratable area of the diaphragm
having a central portion with low frequency signal carrying
conductive means thereon for vibrating the entire vibratable area
generating low frequency sounds,
said vibratable area also having an elongate and narrow strip
portion with high frequency signal carrying conductive means
affixed thereon and substantially throughout said strip portion for
vibrating the narrow strip portion of the diaphragm and generating
high frequency sounds, and the mass of the high frequency signal
carrying conductor means per square inch of diaphragm area on said
strip portion being substantially less than the mass of the low
frequency signal carrying conductive means per sqare inch of area
of the diaphragm, and
said backing having means defining polarity characteristics to
alternately attract and repel the diaphragm and cause diaphragm
vibrations for sound production upon application of audio frequency
electric signals to the conductive means.
2. The transducer according to claim 1 and the backing being spaced
significantly closer to the diaphragm at said narrow strip portions
than at said central portion of the vibratable area.
3. The transducer according to claim 1 and both of the conductive
means including current carrying conductors on the diaphragm, the
high frequency signal conductors on the narrow strip portion having
significantly less mass per unit of lenth than the low frequency
conductors on the central portion of the vibratable area, and the
polarity characteristics defining means of the backing being
magnetic.
4. A sound generating transducer comprising:
a stiff and acoustically transparent backing having a broad and
substantially flat shape,
an audio sound-producing flexible diaphragm having its edges
secured to the backing, the diaphragm being disposed in confronting
and spaced relation with the backing and having a pair of adjacent
vibratable areas, each of said vibratable areas having a central
portion with conductive means thereon to receive bass audio
frequency signals for vibrating the diaphragm area as a woofer,
divider means between said adjacent vibratable areas and engaging
and retaining the diaphragm against vibrating at the edge of the
vibratable areas,
the diaphragm having an elongate and narrow edge portion extending
into both vibratable areas, said elongate and narrow edge portion
of the diaphragm having conductive means thereon to receive high
audio frequency signals for vibrating the narrow edge portion of
the diaphragm as a tweeter, the tweeter forming a portion of and
transcending adjacent woofers, and
said backing having means defining polarity characteristics to
alternatively attract and repel the diaphragm and cause diaphragm
vibrations for sound production upon application of audio frequency
electric signals to the conductive means.
5. The sound generating transducer according to claim 4 and said
pair of adjacent vibratable areas of the diaphragm having different
fundamental resonant frequencies separated significantly from each
other.
6. The sound generating transducer according to claim 4 wherein
both ends of the divider means are respectively spaced from
opposite edges of the diaphragm, and
the diaphragm also having an elongate edge portion located along
the edge of the diaphragm opposite the tweeter and also extending
across the adjoining end of the divider means and into both
vibratable areas and carrying conductive means to receive midrange
audio frequency signals for vibrating the diaphragm.
7. The sound generating transducer according to claim 4 and the
divider means having one end in spaced relation with one edge of
the diaphragm, said one end being disposed adjacent the
tweeter.
8. The sound generating transducer according to claim 4 and said
acoustically transparent backing including a magnetic means,
the woofer and tweeter conductive means including current-carrying
conductors cooperating with the magnetic means of the backing in
vibrating the diaphram.
9. The sound generating transducer according to claim 8 and the
conductors of the tweeter extending the full length of the tweeter
and into both adjacent vibrating areas of the diaphragm.
10. The sound generating transducer according to claim 9 and the
conductors of the tweeter extending longitudinally of the tweeter
throughout substantially the full length of the diaphragm and to
the edges thereof.
11. A sound generating transducer comprising:
a stiff and acoustically transparent backing having a broad and
substantially flat shape and including a magnetic means producing
magnetic fields adjacent the backing,
an audio sound-producing flexible diaphragm secured to the backing
in confronting relation therewith and defining a vibratable area,
the edges of the vibratable are being stationary against vibration
with respect to the backing, the vibratable area of the diaphragm
having a central portion with current-carrying conductors thereon
to receive low audio frequency signals for vibrating the entire
vibratable area,
said vibratable area also having an elongate and narrow edge
portion with current-carrying conductors thereon to receive high
audio frequency signals for vibrating the narrow edge portion of
the diaphragm, and the magnetic means of said backing having pole
faces confronting the diaphragm and lying parallel to the diaphragm
adjacent said elongate narrow edge portion and the pole faces also
being spaced significantly closer to the diaphragm adjacent said
elongate narrow edge portion than at said central portion.
12. The sound generating transducer according to claim 11, and said
magnetic means including a plate-like armature of magnetic
material, and field generating means on the armature adjacent the
central and along the narrow edge portions of the vibratable
area.
13. The sound generating transducer according to claim 12 and the
field generating means including thin flexible magnets magnetically
adhered to the armature and variously spaced from the diaphragm
adjacent the edge portion and central portion of the vibratable
area.
14. The sound generating transducer according to claim 11, and the
conductors of the central and edge portions being separated from
each other without overlap or commingling.
15. The sound generating transducer according to claim 11 and
including a blocking coil connected in series with the
current-carrying conductors on the central portion to exclude the
high audio frequency signals therefrom.
16. A sound generating transducer comprising:
a stiff and acoustically transparent backing having a broad and
substantially flat shape, the backing including magnetic means
defining elongate zones to form magnetic pole faces, adjacent pole
faces being of opposite polarity to define a plurality of elongate
magnetic fields adjoining the magnetic means,
an audio sound-producing flexible diaphragm having edges secured to
the backing in confronting and spaced relation therewith and
defining a vibratable area, the edges of the vibratable area being
stationary against vibration with respect to the backing, the
vibratable area of the diaphragm having a central portion with
current-carrying conductors thereon and extending along the
elongate zones of the magnetic means to receive low audio frequency
signals and causing vibration of the entire vibratable area and
generating low frequency sounds,
said vibratable area also having an elongate and narrow edge
portion with current-carrying conductors thereon and extending
along the elongate zones of the magnetic means to receive high
audio frequency signals for vibrating the narrow edge portion of
the diaphragm, and
the conductors in the elongate and narrow edge portion having a
spacing from each other significantly less than the spacing between
adjacent conductors at the central portion of the vibratable area,
and the elongate zones and magnetic pole faces of the magnetic
means being spaced from adjacent zones and faces in accordance with
the spacing between adjacent conductors on the diaphragm.
17. The sound generating transducer according to claim 16, and the
pole faces of the magnetic means being uniformly spaced from the
diaphragm adjacent the elongate narrow edge portion of the
vibratable area, and also being positioned significantly closer to
the diaphragm and conductors thereon adjacent the elongate narrow
edge portion of said area than adjacent the conductors on the
central portion of the vibratable area.
18. The sound generating transducer according to claim 16 and the
field generating means having a generally concavely shaped surface
confronting and facing the diaphragm and being spaced significantly
closer to the elongate and narrow edge portion of the vibratable
area than from the central portion of the vibratable area of the
diaphragm.
19. A sound generating transducer comprising:
a stiff and acoustically transparent backing having a broad and
substantially flat shape, the backing including magnetic means
defining a plurality of elongate and parallel magnetic zones
forming magnetic pole faces, adjacent pole faces being of opposite
polarity to define a plurality of elongate magnetic fields
adjoining such faces,
an audio sound producing flexible diaphragm having edges secured to
the backing and defining a vibratable area in confronting and
spaced relation with said pole faces, the diaphragm being
permanently stretched in excess of its natural size, but within the
elastic limits of the diaphragm,
the vibratable area of the diaphragm having adjoining portions with
current carrying conductors thereon and extending along the
elongate zones of the magnetic means, one of said portions of the
vibratable area being broad with low frequency carrying conductors
thereon and extending along the elongate zones of the magnetic
means to receive low audio frequency signals and causing vibration
of the entire vibratable area and generating sounds of comparable
low frequencies,
another of said portions of the vibratable area being in the form
of an elongate and narrow strip with high frequency conductors
thereon and extending along the elongate zones of the magnetic
means to receive high audio frequency signals for vibrating the
elongate and narrow strip at such high audio frequencies, the
spacing between said high frequency current carrying conductors in
said strip being significantly less than the spacing between the
low frequency carrying conductors on the diaphragm, the width of
said elongate magnetic zones adjacent said high frequency current
carrying conductors being substantially less than the width of the
elongate magnetic zones adjacent said low frequency carrying
conductors, and the spacing between adjacent elongate mangetic
zones conforming to the corresponding spacing between the adjacent
low frequency and high frequency current carrying conductors on the
diaphragm, respectively.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Loudspeakers employing vibrating planar diaphragms to produce the
sounds have been previously known, and certain advantages have been
obtained as compared to cone speakers with wound signal coils. As
described in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,674,946, diaphragm areas having
various resonant frequencies, and being stretched beyond a mere
taut condition, contribute materially to high level of output from
such speakers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has been discovered that in a diaphragm type transducer or
speaker, it is very desirable that high audio frequency sounds be
produced and emanate from a narrow and long strip-like zone or area
of the diaphragm. If such a strip-like tweeter zone is oriented in
upright position, the high audio frequency sounds will emanate
horizontally in substantially all directions, that is to say, will
emanate directly out in front of the diaphragm and the strip-like
zone and also to the left and to the right at all various angles.
Similarly, because the generally rigid backing for the transducer
is acoustically transparent, such high audio frequency sounds will
also emanate horizontally to the rear of the diaphragm in
substantially all directions.
The actual magnitude of vibration or excursion of diaphragm areas
producing such high audio frequency sounds is extremely small,
amounting to only a few thousandths of an inch. Because of this
incremental diaphragm excursion in the tweeter zones, the magnet or
source of magnetic field may be located very close to the
diaphragm. It has been found that the diaphragm and the conductors
thereon in the strip-like tweeter zone should be quite close to the
magnet so the magnetic field will have maximum intensity at the
diaphragm. The sound output of the tweeter zone will thereby be
maximized for any level of signal current in such conductors.
It has been discovered that in broad diaphragm areas from which
bass and mid-range audio frequency sounds emanate, almost edge
areas of the diaphragm have a minimum and alomost negligible
vibratory movement or excursion, principally because the extreme
edge is clamped or physically retained against movement by the
frame. However, such edge areas are extremely important and
significant to the transducer because they contribute materially to
the establishment of a desired low resonant frequency of the
diaphragm area of which the edge areas are a part.
Although such edge areas are needed for establishment and
maintenance of desired resonant frequencies, such edge areas may be
simultaneously utilized for such strip-like tweeter zones for
generating and radiating the higher audio frequency sounds. Whereas
such edge areas may vibrate slightly with the diaphragm as a whole,
such edge areas may be separately driven or vibrated with higher
audio frequency signals to generate sounds of corresponding
frequency.
Such strip-like tweeter zones may transcent diaphragm areas which
are otherwise independent of each other. The edge areas of adjacent
large and independent diaphragm areas may be connected together
into such a unitary, elongate strip-like tweeter zone.
For such a transducer wherein high audio frequency signal carrying
conductors are arranged in strip-like tweeter zones along the edge
of the diaphragm area, and bass and mid-range audio frequency
signal carrying conductors are located predominately in the central
or woofer zone of the diaphragm area, the magnet or magnetic system
producing the magnetic field at the diaphragm may be advantageously
arranged. The magnet may be spaced sufficiently from the woofer
zone of the diaphragm area as to avoid interference with the
vibration of the diaphragm. Adjacent the tweeter zone, the magnet
may be located extremely close to the diaphragm.
Other edge areas of the vibrating diaphragm may carry conductors
into which only mid-range audio frequency signals are supplied. The
magnet will be spaced somewhat farther from such edge areas than
from the high frequency tweeter zones.
Audio frequency signals from the amplifier may be separated for
application to the energizing conductive means of the diaphragm
areas. For instance, in a magnetic transducer (speakers or
transducers may also be of the electrostatic type) a simple
frequency separating network or crossover circuit may be used. The
single output from the amplifier may be connected directly to the
conductors of the tweeter section of the transducer diaphragm, and
the woofer section conductors in series with a blocking coil may be
connected in shunt with the conductors of the tweeter section. The
blocking coil will be of such a size as to block the high audio
frequency signals from the woofer section conductors. If separate
mid-range audio frequency signal carrying conductors are utilized
on the diaphragm, either in a separate zone of the diaphragm or in
juxtaposed or clustered relation with the bass signal conductors on
the diaphragm, a separate blocking coil may be series-connected
with the bass signal conductors to also block the mid-range audio
frequency signals from the bass signal conductors.
Because many, or most, amplifiers currently utilize predominately
solid state components, the use of one or more coils to block high
and mid-range audio frequency signals from the bass frequency
signal conductors takes advantage of the fact that solid state
amplifiers put out their maximum power into low impedance loads.
The bass signal conductors, which need the most power to produce
bass sounds, present the lowest impedance to the amplifier and are
therefore supplied with a maximum of power.
The favorable heat dissipation characteristics of the transducer
should be noted. The several signal conductors on the diaphragm, in
the tweeter, woofer and mid-range zones are spread out over a
substantial area. Any heating produced by the substantial current
carried by the conductors is rapidly dissipated without any adverse
effect. Heating is therefore not a limiting factor in the amount of
power that may be supplied to the transducer. The high energy bass
and mid-range frequency signals need not be blocked from the high
frequency tweeter section conductors because of the adequate heat
dissipation.
One extremely important aspect of this speaker is that the speaker
is complete with one diaphragm. Sounds across the entire audio
frequency range are accurately reproduced by the speaker. Because
the speaker is complete in the use of one diaphragm, numerous and
substantial economies are effected, without any significant change
in sound reproduction.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a small scale perspective view illustrating such
transducers in use in a room.
FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the transducer with the decorative
fabric cover removed.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail section view taken approximately at
3--3 in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail section view taken approximately at
4--4 in FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is a greatly enlarged detail section view taken
approximately at 5--5 in FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a schematic circuit diagram of the transducer for
connection to an amplifier.
FIG. 7 is a slightly modified schematic circuit diagram of the
transducer for connection to the output of an amplifier.
FIG. 8 is an enlarged detail section view somewhat similar to a
portion of FIG. 3 and showing a modified form of a portion of the
magnetic system.
FIG. 9 is a detail elevation view illustrating a modified form of
the invention.
FIG. 10 is an enlarged detail section view taken at 10--10 of FIG.
9 and having portions thereof broken away facilitating use of a
large scale.
FIG. 11 is a schematic circuit diagram including the transducer of
FIG. 9 and adapted for connection to the output of an audio
amplifier.
FIG. 12 is an enlarged detail section view showing a modified form
of conductor arrangement on the diaphragm.
FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic section view showing a modified form of
the invention.
FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 13 and showing another modified
form of the invention.
FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 13 and showing still another
modified form of the invention.
DETAILED SPECIFICATION
The transducers hereof are indicated in general by numeral 10 and
are generally panel shaped. The transducers are shown in a typical
arrangement in FIG. 1 wherein two such transducers are used as a
part of a stereophonic system to generate sound in accordance with
the electric signals provided.
These panel shaped transducers may be approximately 5 feet high by
12 to 15 inches wide and approximately an inch in overall
thickness, principally due to the thickness of the frame.
In FIG. 1, the transducers are illustrated with plain fabric covers
which give a desired decorative effect and provide some degree of
protection for the transducer from physical damage.
The transducer is shown in FIG. 2 and is set into a frame 11.1
extending about the entire periphery of the transducer to produce a
rigid structure and resist warpage. The frame 11.1 may be
considered a part of the rigid backing which is indicated in
general by numeral 12 which provides the functions of mounting a
flexible diaphragm 13 along its edges and defining fields adjacent
the diaphragm. Accordingly, the backing 12 includes a rigid spacer
11 extending around the entire periphery of the transducer, and a
stiff and generally rigid panel-shaped armature 14 constructed of
magnetic material, specifically a ferrous metal or soft iron
material and suitably glavanized to resist corrosion. Armature 14
is concavely bowed slightly adjacent each diaphragm area to
accommodate diaphragm excursion. The armature panel is affixed
adhesively and, in some cases, mechanically, to the spacer 11 which
may be constructed of wood, pressed fiber, rigid plastic, aluminum,
iron or other rigid materials, and the panel may be approximately
18 to 24 gauge galvanized sheet metal, or approximately 0.050
inches thickness. The field-generating backing 12 also includes a
plurality of elongate thin flexible strips or magnets 15 formed of
any suitable material, but it has been found that a plastic rubber
bonded barium ferrite magnetic material known by its trademark
PLASTIFORM sold by Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company of
St. Paul, Minnesota, has proven satisfactory. It should be
recognized that, instead of the strips, the magnets may be formed
in broad sheets of the same material; in any event, the strips or
magnets are magnetized in a direction transversely of the armature
plate 14 and of diaphragm 13 so that elongate magnetic zones are
defined which extend all along the length of the diaphragm 13. The
strips 15 are arranged so that pole faces of adjoining magnetic
zones are of opposite polarity as indicated in FIG. 3.
The magnetic fields, in elongate zones, are of maximum strength at
locations just between adjacent strips 15, and, accordingly, the
conductors 16 are secured on the diaphragm 13 at locations
approximately between adjacent magnetic strips 15.
The backing 12 is acoustically transparent to the sounds produced
by the vibrating diaphragm 13, and, accordingly, the plate-like
armature 14 has a plurality of apertures 17 therethrough. The
apertures 17 are aligned with the spaces 18 between the strips or
elongate magnets 15.
The top surfaces or pole faces 19 of the strips or magnets 15 are
spaced substantially from the diaphragm 13 so as to allow the
diaphragm to have a significant excursion from its normal position
without engaging or impinging the strips 15.
The diaphragm 13 is divided into a number of substantially
independent vibratable areas 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d and 13e, each of
which is a different size than the areas adjacent thereto.
Accordingly, each of the separate vibratable areas 13a - 13e has a
fundamental resonant frequency which is significantly different
than the fundamental resonant frequencies of the other areas. In
this version of the transducer, the diaphragm may be uniformly
stretched on the spacer 11 so that it has a permanent stretch of
approximately one percent or more over its natural size.
Ordinarily, the diaphragm 13 will be stretched in a transverse
direction, but may also, if the need arises, be stretched in a
longitudinal direction. In order to produce the various fundamental
resonant frequencies at the various areas, the areas may under
certain circumstances all be the same and the mass of the diaphragm
in each of the areas may be varied slightly so as to produce a
different fundamental resonant frequency.
The areas 13a - 13e of the diaphragm are defined by divider strips
20 which underlie and are secured as by adhesive to the diaphragm
13. The divider strips 20 overlie and bear upon the magnet strips
15, and may be adhesively secured to the magnet strips. The effect
of the divider strips 20 is to immobilize the diaphragm 13 at each
of the strips so as to require that the diaphragm, in each of the
vibratable areas 13a - 13e, will vibrate independently of
vibrations of the diaphragm in each of the other areas.
It will be seen that one end 20a of each of the divider strips is
located in spaced relation with the edge of the diaphragm and the
adjacent portions of spacer 11. As a result, there is an elongate
narrow strip or edge portion 13.1 of the diaphragm extending
longitudinally of the transducer and along one side of the spacer
11. This elongate edge portion of the diaphragm is not anchored by
the strips 20 and transcends all of the several vibratable areas
13a - 13e. Conducters 16.1 are secured on and extend longitudinally
along the full length of the narrow edge portion 13.1 of the
diaphragm.
As depicted in FIG. 5, the conductors 16.1, and also conductors 16,
are secured to the diaphragm 13 by an adhesive 21. The backing 12,
adjacent the edge portion 13.1 of the diaphragm includes the
elongate strip magnets 15.1, which are essentially identical to
strips 15, but of somewhat different dimensions, being somewhat
narrower, but somewhat deeper or thicker. The spacing between the
magnet strips 15.1 and the edge portion 13.1 of the diaphragm is
significantly less than the spacing between the diaphragm and the
strips 15. This smaller spacing adjacent the edge portion 13.1 of
the diaphragm is permissible because the edge portion of the
diaphragm is retained against vibration by the spacer 11 and there
is no significant excursion of the diaphragm in the edge portion
13.1.
The divider strips 20 may extend entirely across the diaphragm and
to the opposite spacers 11; however, the strips would have to be
thinner adjacent magnets 15.1 to correspond to the reduced spacing
between the magnets 15.1 and the diaphragm 13. Such full width
strips 20 produce no hearable change as compared to the operation
of the construction illustrated.
Vibration of this portion 13.1 of the diaphragm is caused by
vibration of the adjacent vibratable areas 13a - 13e, caused by the
application of an audio frequency signal or current in the
conductors 16. Ordinarily, the signal applied to conductors 16 will
be of bass audio frequency, or midrange audio frequency, and,
accordingly, the diaphragm areas 13a - 13e will be vibrated with a
corresponding bass audio frequency. This vibration of the diaphragm
induced by the signal in conductors 16 is produced in the edge
portion 13.1 as well as in the central portions of the areas 13a -
13e. However, because the actual movement of the edge portion 13.1
of the diaphragm is minimal, there is no significant sound
generated by the vibration of the edge portion 13.1 under influence
of the bass frequency vibrations. The fact that the edge portion
13.1 is a portion of each of the adjacent vibratable areas 13a -
13e of the diaphragm, and is free to vibrate therewith, is
extremely significant in defining the fundamental resonant
frequency for each particular vibratable area 13a - 13e. The
effective diaphragm area for establishing the fundamental resonant
frequency for any of the particular diaphragm areas 13a - 13e is
somewhat larger because the edge portion 13.1 is included, and
therefore the fundamental resonant frequencies of the areas are as
low as possible.
The conductors 16.1 which extend along the narrow edge portion 13.1
of the diaphragm will ordinarily be high audio frequency signals so
as to generate the corresponding high audio frequency sounds. This
edge area of the transducer including the narrow edge portion 13.1
of the diaphragm is considered a tweeter. As required to produce a
significant sound output from this tweeter section, the pole faces
of the magnetic strips 15.1 are located in close proximity to the
diaphragm. The approximate spacing between the diaphragm and the
pole faces of the magnetic strips 15.1 may be 0.020 inches.
In one example the impedance of the conductors 16 may cumulatively
amount to approximately cumualtive 12 ohms; and, similarly, the
conductors 16.1 have cumulative impedance of 12 ohms. A blocking
coil 21 is connected in series with the conductors 16 to block the
high audio frequency signals from the conductors 16, thus
preventing any significant generation of high audio frequency
sounds thereby, which sounds would be highly directional. The coil
21 may have an impedance of 398 microhenrys. Typically, the
conductors 16 are arranged in side by side runs on the diaphragm
and are regularly spaced from each other at a spacing of about four
conductors per inch. The tweeter conductors 16.1 are spaced equally
from each other, and approximately eight conductors per inch. The
effective width of the long strip-like tweeter may be approximately
1/2 to 1 inch, and the width of the diaphragm area to which
conductors 16 are applied may be approximately seven inches. The
rigid divider strips 20 are approximately 7 inches long. With the
transducer conductors connected as indicated in FIG. 6, and
connected to the output of an audio amplifier at the terminals 22,
the high audio frequency signals are effectively blocked from the
low audio frequency signal-carrying conductors 16 on the diaphragm
so that the amplifier, if a solid state amplifier, will put out its
maximum power into the low impedance load, the conductor 16.
Whereas each of the diaphragm areas 13a - 13e includes the adjacent
edge portion 13.1 as a part of it for defining its fundamental
resonant frequency, and driven by bass frequency signals applied in
conductors 16.1, the edge portion 13.1 also acts separately as a
tweeter for independently and separately generating the high range
audio frequency sounds.
In another form conductors 16 may be 22 gauge copper wire in runs
approximately 0.310 in. apart, and conductors 16.1 may be 32 gauge
aluminum wire spaced 0.210 in. apart. The mass of the conductors
16.1 will be considerably less than the mass of conductors 16.
Magnet strips 15 may be 0.085 in. thick by 0.260 in. wide and
minimally spaced 0.040 in. from the half mil diaphragm; and the
magnet strips 15.1 may be 0.105 in. thick by 0.150 in. wide and
spaced 0.020 in. from the diaphragm. Strips 20, with thicknesses of
approximately 0.020 to 0.040 in., and spacers 11 maintain the
minimum edge spacing in each area 13a - 13e, and the center of each
areas has the magnets 15 spaced up to 0.100 inches from the
diaphragm by concavely bulging or dishing the metal armature plate
14 away from the diaphragm.
Published wire conductor data tables indicate that 22 gauge copper
wire weights 1.94 pounds per 1,000 feet of wire; and that 32 gauge
aluminum wire weighs 0.0589 pounds per 1,000 feet of wire. Simple
computation indicates that 22 gauge copper wire therefore weighs
16.2 .times. 10.sup.-.sup.5 pounds per lineal inch; and 32 gauge
aluminum weighs 0.491 .times. 10.sup.-.sup.5 pounds per lineal
inch. In the foregoing example wherein the 22 gauge copper wires
are in runs approximately 0.310 inches apart, there are
approximately 3.23 inches of 22 gauge copper conductors 16 per
square inch of diaphragm area, and therefore the weight of the 22
gauge copper conductor 16 amounts to 52.2 .times. 10.sup.-.sup.5
pounds of copper wire per square inch of diaphragm area.
The high frequency signal carrying 32 gauge aluminum wire, in the
aforesaid example, is in runs 0.210 inches apart, therefore
requiring 4.76 lineal inches of aluminum wire per square inch of
diaphragm area which weighs 2.34 .times. 10.sup.-.sup.5 pounds per
square inch of diaphragm area. The mass or weight of the aluminum
wire per square inch of diaphragm area will therefore be seen to be
significantly less than the mass or weight of the 22 gauge copper
wire per square inch of diaphragm area, by a ratio of approximately
1 to 22.3. In comparing the relative weights of the 32 gauge
aluminum and 22 gauge copper wire per square inch of diaphragm
area, the aluminum wire weighs only 4.5 percent of the weight of
the copper wire, or otherwise stated, the mass of the aluminum
conductor 16.1 is 95.4 percent less per unit of area of the
diaphragm than the mass of the copper conductor 16.
Low range or bass audio frequency sounds will therefore emanate
from each of the several vibratable areas 13a - 13e in both forward
and rearward directions and at all the various angles from side to
side. The high range audio frequency sounds are generated at the
tweeter strip or edge portion 13.1, and, because of the narrow
configuration, these high range audio frequency sounds will emanate
horizontally outwardly in substantially all directions, both
forward and rear.
Although the conductors 16 and 16.1 may carry a significant
current, there is little concern for heating because the conductors
are spread out widely on the diaphragm with the effect of
dispersing large amounts of heat without damage to any of the
components.
In the circuit arrangement of FIG. 7, the several conductors 16 and
16.1 are typically designed with an impedance of 6 ohms each. The
blocking coil 21 is connected in series with the bass audio
frequency signal-receiving conductor 16, and a condenser 22 of
approximately 10 microfarads is connected in series with the
tweeter conductor 16.1. This arrangement is a conventional L-C
crossover circuit. In addition to blocking the high audio frequency
signals from the conductor 16, it also blocks the low or bass range
audio frequency signals from the high frequency tweeter section or
conductors 16.1. The impedance is the same at any frequency. It can
handle larger amplifiers and does not shift maximum power to the
low frequency end. A more accurate sound is thereby produced.
The form of the transducer 10.1 illustrated in FIG. 8 is
substantially identical to that illustrated in FIGS. 1 - 5 with the
exception that the magnetic strips 15.1' beneath the narrow edge
portion or tweeter section 13.1 of the transducer are of thin
construction and are supported upon an acoustically transparent
spacer plate 25 which is a portion of the magnetic armature. The
spacer plate 25 is also constructed of a ferrous metal and
preferably a soft iron so as to form a low reluctance path for the
magnetic field, together with the magnet strips 15.1' and the
armature plate 14.
The transducer 10.2 illustrated in FIGS. 9 - 11 is substantially
the same as that illustrated in FIGS. 1 - 5. In this form of
transducer, the diaphragm 13 is similarly divided into a number of
separate vibratable areas, each with a different fundamental
resonant frequency, the separate vibratable areas illustrated in
FIG. 9 being designated 13d and 13e. Of course, additional separate
vibratable areas with different fundamental resonant frequencies
will be utilized as illustrated in connection with FIG. 2. In this
form of the invention, the bass audio frequency signal-carrying
conductors 16 traverse the central portion of each of the separate
vibratable areas of the diaphragm; and in a manner similar to that
described in connection with FIGS. 1 - 5, the high audio frequency
signal-carrying conductor 16.1 extends the full length of the
narrow edge portion of tweeter strip 13.1 to generate and emanate
high audio frequency range sounds.
In this form of the invention of FIGS. 9 - 11, an additional edge
portion 13.2 of the diaphragm remains free of the divider strips
20, both ends of which are in spaced relation with the adjacent
frames and the edges of the diaphragm. However, as in the form of
FIGS. 1 - 5, strips 20 may extend entirely across the diaphragm to
opposite sides of the frame, making provision for varying magnet to
diaphragm spacings. The elongate and narrow diaphragm area 13.2
carries additional conductors 16.2 for receiving midrange audio
frequency signals and producing vibration of the diaphragm area
13.2 in accordance with these frequencies. As seen in FIG. 11, in
addition to the blocking coil 21 which blocks the midrange and high
audio frequency signals from the conductor 16.1, and additional
blocking coil 21.1 is connected in series with the midrange
frequency signal-carrying conductor 16.2 so as to block all of the
high range audio frequency signals. Whereas the impedance to high
audio frequency signals remains high at about 12 ohms, the
impedance of the transducer to signals in the approximate range of
2 KHz may be approximately 6 ohms, while the impedance to signals
of approximately 12 Hz may be approximately 4 ohms. Of course, this
provides an advantageous balancing effect for producing a well
balanced sound. Of course, conventional L-C crossovers for three
way systems may also be used.
Under certain circumstances it may be desirable to produce multiple
runs of conductors 16' as illustrated in FIG. 12 over certain of
the portions of the diaphragm for increasing the cooperative effect
between the current and the magnetic field for vibrating the
conductor and obtaining the desired excursion.
It will be observed that in FIG. 10, the magnet strips 15.2
adjacent the edge portion 13.2 of the diaphragm are somewhat higher
than the strips 15 beneath conductors 16 and somewhat lower than
the magnet strips 15.1 beneath the edge portion 13.1 of the
diaphragm. This spacing between magnet strips 15.2 and the
diaphragm allows some additional excursion of the diaphragm in
producing the midrange frequency signals as is required for such
signals.
FIGS. 13, 14 and 15 show various modes of producing the variance in
the spacing between the diaphragm and the face of the magnet in the
backing. In FIG. 13, the armature 14.1, as well as the magnets or
strips thereon, are arcuately curved so that the edge portions of
the backing including the magnet are closer to the diaphragm than
the middle portion. In FIG. 14, the same armature 14 is utilized as
in FIGS. 1 - 5, but the upper faces of the magnets or strips 15' on
the armature are comulatively concavely curved to vary the spacing
across the width of the transducer.
The form of the transducer illustrated in FIG. 15 employs
acoustically transparent spacers beneath the magnets at the edge
portions of the transducer, both beneath the tweeter section, but
also beneath the midrange audio frequency section of the
transducer.
* * * * *