Audio system including electrostatic loudspeaker

Claim 2

An audio system including an audio frequency voltage output source and an electro-mechanical transducer means electrically connected thereto and having an audible power output: wherein a substantially balanced, center-tapped voltage divider means is connected across said voltage output source, and said center-tap is connected through a DC source and a high resistance electrical input to thin, pliant and movable diaphragm means in said electro-mechanical transducer means; said diaphragm means having two major surfaces and being electrically conductive with high resistivity over at least one major portion of at least one of said major surfaces; said diaphragm being mechanically suspended between substantially parallel, mechanically rigid, electrically conductive and acoustically substantially transparent plate means; said plate means being electrically connected across said audio frequency voltage output source; each said At least one major portion of said at least one major surface of said diaphragm means being bounded at its periphery by a portion of said diaphragm surface which is substantially electrically nonconductive.

Claim 3

The audio system of claim 1 where each of said plate means is dished so that each said at least one major portion of said at least one major surface of said diaphragm means substantially underlies a dished portion of each said plate means.

Claim 4

The audio system of claim 2 where said DC source provides a substantially constant charge to the high resistivity electrically conductive portion of said at least one major surface of said diaphragm means.

Claim 5

The audio system of claim 3 where said audio frequency voltage output source has a negative feedback input therefrom, and where said electro-mechanical transducer means is electrically connected to said negative feedback input

Claim 6

The audio system of claim 3 where said audio frequency voltage output source is capable of producing a complex audio output signal having a signal voltage providing a field gradient of up to 40 Kv per inch; and where said DC source provides a DC field having a field gradient of from 10 to 40 Kv per inch.

Claim 7

The audio system of claim 3 where said electro-mechanical transducer means includes at least one pair of aligned, highly insulative spacer blocks, one on each side of said diaphragm and compressively held between the diaphragm surface and the respective plate means spaced therefrom.

Claim 8

The audio system of claim 6 further comprising electrically conductive means extending through a pair of aligned spacer blocks and electrically connecting the plate means on a first side of said electro-mechanical transducer means with electrical connector means projecting above the plate means on the second side thereof, so that said electrical connector means is electrically insulated from the plate means on said second side of said electro-mechanical transducer.

Claim 9

The audio system of claim 4 where said audio frequency voltage output source is capable of producing a complex audio output signal having a voltage providing a field gradient of up to 40 Kv per inch; and where said DC source provides a DC field having a field gradient of from 10 to 40 Kv per inch.

Claim 10

The audio system of claim 6 where the resistance of said high resistance input to said movable diaphragm means is at least 10 megohms; and the resistivity of said at least one high resistivity electrically conductive surface of said diaphragm is at least 100 megohms per unit square.

Claim 11

The audio system of claim 8 where the resistance of said high resistance input to said movable diaphragm means is at least 10 megohms; and the resistivity of said at least one high resistivity electrically conductive surface of said diaphragm is at least 100 megohms per unit square.

Claim 12

The audio system of claim 2 including a further, sealed, enclosure, therefor, outside said plate means, said enclosure having a gaseous medium other than air therein with a dielectric strength at least equal to that of air.

Claim 13

The audio system of claim 11 where said gaseous medium is sulphur hexafluoride.

Claim 14

An audio system including an audio frequency voltage output source and an electro-mechanical transducer means electrically connected thereto and having an audible power output: a high output impedance DC source having positive and negative sides and a grounded center-tap so that said positive side is positive with respect to ground and said negative side is negative with respect to ground; said electro-mechanical transducer means comprising thin, pliant and movable diaphragm means mechanically suspended between a pair of substantially parallel, mechanically rigid, electrically conductive and acoustically substantially transparent plate means; said diaphragm means having two major surfaces and being electrically conductive over at leasT one major portion of at least one of said major surfaces; each said at least one major portion of said at least one major surface of said diaphragm means being bounded at its periphery by a portion of said diaphragm surface which is substantially electrically non-conductive. said negative and positive sides of said DC source being connected through high resistance electrical input means to one each of said plates, respectively, said plates each having two major surfaces, and having high resistivity;

Claim 15

An audio system including an audio frequency voltage output source and an electro-mechanical transducer means electrically connected thereto and having an audible power output: a high output impedance DC source having positive and negative sides and a grounded center-tap so that said positive side is positive with respect to ground and said negative side is negative with respect to ground; said electro-mechanical transducer means comprising thin, pliant and movable diaphragm means mechanically suspended between a pair of substantially parallel, mechanically rigid, electrically conductive and acoustically substantially transparent plate means; said diaphragm means having two major surfaces and being electrically conductive over at leasT one major portion of at least one of said major surfaces; each said at least one major portion of said at least one major surface of said diaphragm means being bounded at its periphery by a portion of said diaphragm surface which is substantially electrically non-conductive. said negative and positive sides of said DC source being connected through high resistance electrical input means to one each of said plates, respectively, said plates each having two major surfaces, and having high resistivity;

Claim 16

The audio system of claim 13 where said DC source provides a substantially constant charge to said plate means.

Claim 17

The audio system of claim 14 where said electro-mechanical transducer means includes at least one pair of aligned, highly insulative spacer blocks, one on each side of said diaphragm and compressively held between the diaphragm surface and the respective plate means spaced therefrom.

Claim 18

The audio system of claim 15 further comprising electrically conductive means extending through a pair of aligned spacer blocks and electrically connecting the plate means on a first side of said electro-mechanical transducer means with electrical connector means projecting above the plate means on the second side thereof, so that said electrical connector means is electrically insulated from the plate means on said second side of said electro-mechanical transducer.

Claim 19

The audio system of claim 16 where the resistance of said high resistance input to said plate means is at least 10 megohms; and the resistivity of said plates is at least 100 megohms per unit square.