Electromagnetic transducer

Claim 2

An electromagnetic transducer comprising: a flexible diaphragm having a vibratable area with a conductor affixed thereto and arranged in a certain configuration, a perforate and stiff panel of magnetic material secured to the diaphragm at the periphery of the vibratable area and in confronting and spaced relation with the vibratable area, and a perforate flexible sheet magnet lying against said panel in closely spaced relation with the diaphragm and being magnetized in a direction through its thinnest dimension and in elongate zones to form magnetic pole faces at the surface of the flexible sheet magnet, the pole faces conforming to the configuration of the conductors on the diaphragm, the flexible sheet magnet being magnetically drawn toward and held against the stiff magnetic panel regardless of non-uniform shapes of the stiff panel to minimize magnetic gap considerations adjacent said elongate magnetized zones.

Claim 3

The electromagnetic transducer according to claim 1 wherein the stiff panel is constructed of sheet metal of sufficiently light gauge as to be yieldable, the flexible sheet magnet maintaining a constant relationship with the metal panel regardless of flexing or yielding of the panel.

Claim 4

The electromagnetic transducer according to claim 1 wherein said panel has a preformed, non-planar shape.

Claim 5

The electromagnetic transducer according to claim 3 wherein said panel has a preformed dished shape, the flexible sheet magnet substantially conforming to the dished shape of the panel whereby the spacing between the conductor-carrying diaphragm and the sheet magnet varies from one portion to another of the vibratable area.

Claim 6

The electromagnetic transducer according to claim 1 wherein the perforations in the sheet magnet are oriented in rows, the elongate magnetized zones of the sheet magnet being spaced from each other by a distance not equal to center to center spacing between the rows of perforations.

Claim 7

The electromagnetic transducer according to claim 1 and including a plurality of conductors on the diaphragm, all of the conductors being clustered together and arranged in the configuration of the elongate zones and pole faces in the flexible sheet magnet and within the magnetic fields of said elongate pole faces.

Claim 8

An electromagnetic transducer comprising: a flexible diaphragm having a vibratable area; a plurality of conductors affixed to the diaphragm and arranged in closely spaced and juxtaposed runs in a predetermined configuration, certain of said runs extending in one direction and other of the runs extending transversely of said first direction; first and second perforate magnetic panel means secured to the diaphragm in confronting and spaced relation with the vibratable area, and said first and second magnetic panel means being respectively disposed on opposite sides of the diaphragm, said magnetic panel means being magnetized in a direction through the thinnest dimension and in elongate zones to form magnetic pole faces at the surfaces of said magnetic panel means, the shape of the elongate zones and pole faces conforming to the configuration of the conductors on the diaphragm, and the elongate zones of the first and second magnetic panel means respectively extending transversely of each other, the conductors which extend transversely of each other extend parallel to the respective elongate magnetized zones in the first and second magnetic panel means.

Claim 9

An electromagnetic transducer comprising: a flexible diaphragm having a vibratable area; a plurality of conductors affixed to the diaphragm and arranged in closely spaced and juxtaposed runs in a predetermined configuration, certain of said runs extending in one direction and other of the runs extending transversely of said first direction; first and second perforate magnetic panel means secured to the diaphragm in confronting and spaced relation with the vibratable area, and said first and second magnetic panel means being respectively disposed on opposite sides of the diaphragm, said magnetic panel means being magnetized in a direction through the thinnest dimension and in elongate zones to form magnetic pole faces at the surfaces of said magnetic panel means, the shape of the elongate zones and pole faces conforming to the configuration of the conductors on the diaphragm, and the elongate zones of the first and second magnetic panel means respectively extending transversely of each other, the conductors which extend transversely of each other extend parallel to the respective elongate magnetized zones in the first and second magnetic panel means.

Claim 10

A sound generating transducer comprising: a pair of flexible diaphragms each having a vibratable area, conductor means affixed on each of the diaphragms to receive audio frequency electric signals, a stiff and acoustically transparent backing secured to and lying between said diaphragms and in closely spaced relation therewith, said backing confronting botH diaphragms and having means defining polarity characteristics to alternately attract and repel the diaphragms to cause vibration of said vibratable areas upon application of audio frequency electric signals to said conductor means.

Claim 11

A sound generating transducer comprising: a pair of flexible diaphragms each having a vibratable area, conductor means affixed on each of the diaphragms to receive audio frequency electric signals, a stiff and acoustically transparent backing secured to and lying between said diaphragms and in closely spaced relation therewith, said backing confronting botH diaphragms and having means defining polarity characteristics to alternately attract and repel the diaphragms to cause vibration of said vibratable areas upon application of audio frequency electric signals to said conductor means.

Claim 12

The sound generating transducer according to claim 8 and said backing including a perforate stiff panel of ferromagnetic material, and also including a pair of perforate flexible sheet magnets, each lying against the stiff panel in closely spaced relation with the diaphragm.

Claim 13

The sound generating transducer according to claim 8 and each of said diaphragms having a plurality of insulated conductors clustered together and arranged in said closely spaced juxtaposed runs of the predetermined configuration.

Claim 14

A sound generating transducer comprising: a stiff and acoustically transparent backing having a broad and substantially flat shape, a audio sound producing flexible diaphragm secured to the backing in confronting relation therewith and having a vibratable area spaced from the backing, the diaphragm having conductor means on the vibratable area, and said diaphragm being tensioned and stretched to dimensions in excess of corresponding dimensions while relaxed, but within the elastic limit of the diaphragm, and said backing having means defining polarity characteristics to alternately attract and repel the diaphragm to cause vibration of said area upon application of an audio frequency electric signal to the conductor means.

Claim 15

A sound generating transducer comprising: a stiff and acoustically transparent backing having a broad and substantially flat shape, a audio sound producing flexible diaphragm secured to the backing in confronting relation therewith and having a vibratable area spaced from the backing, the diaphragm having conductor means on the vibratable area, and said diaphragm being tensioned and stretched to dimensions in excess of corresponding dimensions while relaxed, but within the elastic limit of the diaphragm, and said backing having means defining polarity characteristics to alternately attract and repel the diaphragm to cause vibration of said area upon application of an audio frequency electric signal to the conductor means.

Claim 16

The transducer according to claim 11 wherein the diaphragm is stretched in directions transversely of each other.

Claim 17

The transducer according to claim 11 wherein said diaphragm is stretched by approximately 1 percent in excess of its original dimensions.

Claim 18

The transducer according to claim 11 wherein the diaphragm is stretched to an extent wherein the resonant frequency of the vibratable area of the diaphragm is below the audible range.

Claim 19

The transducer according to claim 11 wherein the diaphragm is stretched to an extent wherein the resonant frequency of the vibratable area of the diaphragm is within the audible range.

Claim 20

The transducer according to claim 11 wherein said diaphragm has a plurality of vibratable areas, the diaphragm being substantially uniformly tensioned and stretched throughout said vibratable areas, and each of said vibratable areas having a size different than another vibratable area, the different sizes of the uniformly tensioned vibratable areas of the diaphragm causing the various vibratable areas to have varying resonant frequencies.

Claim 21

The transducer according to claim 11 wherein said diaphragm means is variously tensioned at various portions thereof causing such portions to have various sets of resonant frequencies.

Claim 22

The transducer according to claim 11 wherein the tension applied and stretching effected in the diaphragm means progressively varies between adjacent portions of the diaphragm whereby to accordingly vary the frequencies at which adjacent portions of the diaphragm resonate.

Claim 23

A sound generating transducer comprising: diaphragm means including a plurality of vibratable diaphragm areas formed, respectively, to have various fundamental resonant frequencies distributed across the range of frequencies in the audio range, each of the vibratable areas having a fundamental resonant frequency separated significantly from the fundamental resonant frequencies of other vibratable areas, the vibratable areas carrying conductor means to receive audio frequency electric signals, and an acoustically transparent backing secured to the diaphragm means in confronting and spaced relation with the vibratable diaphragm areas, said backing having means defining polarity characteristics to alternately attract and repel the diaphragm to cause vibration of the vibratable diaphragm areas upon application of an audio signal to the conductor means.

Claim 24

A sound generating transducer comprising: diaphragm means including a plurality of vibratable diaphragm areas formed, respectively, to have various fundamental resonant frequencies distributed across the range of frequencies in the audio range, each of the vibratable areas having a fundamental resonant frequency separated significantly from the fundamental resonant frequencies of other vibratable areas, the vibratable areas carrying conductor means to receive audio frequency electric signals, and an acoustically transparent backing secured to the diaphragm means in confronting and spaced relation with the vibratable diaphragm areas, said backing having means defining polarity characteristics to alternately attract and repel the diaphragm to cause vibration of the vibratable diaphragm areas upon application of an audio signal to the conductor means.

Claim 25

The sound generating transducer according to claim 19 and the vibratable diaphragm areas being variously tensioned and stretched in various amounts to have various resonant frequencies.

Claim 26

The sound generating transducer according to claim 19 wherein the sizes of said vibratable areas vary relative to each other whereby to vary the resonant frequencies thereof.

Claim 27

The sound generating transducer according to claim 19 wherein the several vibratable areas of the diaphragm including the conductor means thereon have various masses relative to each other to effect various resonant frequencies.

Claim 28

The sound generating transducer according to claim 19 and including means between said vibratable areas restraining the vibrating movement of the diaphragm means relative to the backing.

Claim 29

The sound generating transducer according to claim 19 wherein the conductor means on the several vibratable areas are isolated from each other for connection to sources of various electric signals.

Claim 30

The transducer according to claim 19, wherein said diaphragm means is formed of a plurality of different weights of diaphragm film material to have various resonant frequencies at the several areas thereof.

Claim 31

An electric signal-sound transducer, comprising: a flexible diaphragm having a vibratable area, an acoustically transparent backing confronting the diaphragm and connected to the edges of the diaphragm, the diaphragm and backing having interacting means including an electric signal-carrying conductor means inducing coordination between vibration of the diaphragm and modulation of the electric signal, one of said vibration and modulation being the cause of the other of said vibration and modulation, and the diaphragm-confronting face of the backing having concavity to permit full vibration or excursions of the diaphragm without interference from the backing.

Claim 32

An electric signal-sound transducer, comprising: a flexible diaphragm having a vibratable area, an acoustically transparent backing confronting the diaphragm and connected to the edges of the diaphragm, the diaphragm and backing having interacting means including an electric signal-carrying conductor means inducing coordination between vibration of the diaphragm and modulation of the electric signal, one of said vibration and modulation being the cause of the other of said vibration and modulation, and the diaphragm-confronting face of the backing having concavity to permit full vibration or excursions of the diaphragm without interference from the backing.

Claim 33

The transducer according to claim 26 wherein said conductor means are on the diaphragm.

Claim 34

The transducer according to claim 27 wherein said conductor means are elongate and are arranged in juxtaposed runs on the diaphragm to carry an electric current, and said panel means having magnetic zones conforming to the arrangement of conductors on the diaphragm, the direction of magnetization being through the thinnest dimension of the panel means to coact with the current in the conductors for producing vibration of the diaphragm.

Claim 35

A sound generating transducer comprising: diaphragm means including a plurality of vibratable diaphragm areas, the size of each vibratable area being different than the size of another of the vibratable areas to have a resonant frequency different than the resonant frequencies of the other areas which frequencies are distributed across the audio range, each of the vibratable areas of the diaphragm means carrying conductor means to receive audio frequency electric signals, frame means with openings corresponding to the sizes of the various vibratable diaphragm areas and being secured to the diaphragm means at the peripheries of such vibratable areas, and a stiff and acoustically transparent backing secured to the frame means in confronting and spaced relation with the vibratable diaphragm areas and having means defining polarity characteristics to alternately attract and repel the diaphragm to cause vibration of said vibratable areas upon application of audio frequency electric signals to the conductor means.

Claim 36

A sound generating transducer comprising: diaphragm means including a plurality of vibratable diaphragm areas, the size of each vibratable area being different than the size of another of the vibratable areas to have a resonant frequency different than the resonant frequencies of the other areas which frequencies are distributed across the audio range, each of the vibratable areas of the diaphragm means carrying conductor means to receive audio frequency electric signals, frame means with openings corresponding to the sizes of the various vibratable diaphragm areas and being secured to the diaphragm means at the peripheries of such vibratable areas, and a stiff and acoustically transparent backing secured to the frame means in confronting and spaced relation with the vibratable diaphragm areas and having means defining polarity characteristics to alternately attract and repel the diaphragm to cause vibration of said vibratable areas upon application of audio frequency electric signals to the conductor means.

Claim 37

The sound generating transducer according to claim 29 and the diaphragm means having reduced thickness at the smaller vibratable areas to produce high energy output at high range audio frequencies.

Claim 38

The sound generating transducer according to claim 29 and the spacing between the diaphragm and the backing being less at the small vibratable areas of the diaphragm than at the larger vibratable areas of the diaphragm means.

Claim 39

The sound generating transducer according to claim 29 and the acoustically transparent backing having a lesser percentage of open area adjacent the smaller vibraTable areas than at the larger vibratable areas of diaphragm means.

Claim 40

The transducer according to claim 29 and said diaphragm means being in an elongate shape and being formed in a one piece integral and unitary construction, the elongate diaphragm means having a plurality of vibratable areas spaced from each other in a direction longitudinally of the elongate diaphragm means, each such vibratable area having a size different than other vibratable areas, the frame means also having an elongate shape and being secured to the diaphragm means, the frame means having a panel defining separate openings each confronting a respective vibratable area of the diaphragm means and corresponding to the size thereof.

Claim 41

The transducer according to claim 29 and the diaphragm means being elongate in shape and being formed in a one piece, integral and unitary construction, the elongate diaphragm means having a plurality of vibratable areas spaced from each other in a direction longitudinally of the elongate diaphragm means, each such area having a size different than other vibratable areas, the frame means also having an elongate shape and being secured to the diaphragm, and rigid spacer strips affixed to the diaphragm between adjacent vibratable areas to secure the edge of the vibratable areas against vibrating.

Claim 42

The transducer according to claim 29, and the diaphragm means being elongate and being formed in a one piece integral and unitary construction, the elongate diaphragm having a plurality of vibratable areas of equal size spaced from each other, the frame means also having an elongate shape and being secured to the diaphragm, the frame means having a panel defining separate openings of equal size, each confronting a respective vibratable area of the diaphragm means, and a rigid strip traversing each opening in the frame and affixed to the diaphragm means to divide the diaphragm into areas of non-uniform size within each of the openings.

Claim 43

An electromagnetic transducer comprising: a perforate flexible sheet magnet magnetized in a direction through its thinnest dimension and in elongate narrow zones spaced from each other to form magnetic pole faces at the surface of the flexible sheet magnet, said zones and faces being arranged in a reproducable configuration, a diaphragm overlying the sheet magnet in spaced relation, the diaphragm being constructed of light weight film material having a mass many times less than the mass of the sheet magnet so as to be vibratable at audio frequencies while the sheet magnet remains substantially stationary, conductor means on the vibratable areas of the diaphragm and arranged in the configuration of the zones and pole faces of the flexible sheet magnet, and spacer means between the sheet magnet and diaphragm and secured thereto to maintain the vibrating diaphragm in spaced relation from the sheet magnet.

Claim 44

An electromagnetic transducer comprising: a perforate flexible sheet magnet magnetized in a direction through its thinnest dimension and in elongate narrow zones spaced from each other to form magnetic pole faces at the surface of the flexible sheet magnet, said zones and faces being arranged in a reproducable configuration, a diaphragm overlying the sheet magnet in spaced relation, the diaphragm being constructed of light weight film material having a mass many times less than the mass of the sheet magnet so as to be vibratable at audio frequencies while the sheet magnet remains substantially stationary, conductor means on the vibratable areas of the diaphragm and arranged in the configuration of the zones and pole faces of the flexible sheet magnet, and spacer means between the sheet magnet and diaphragm and secured thereto to maintain the vibrating diaphragm in spaced relation from the sheet magnet.

Claim 45

The electromagnetic transducer according to claim 36 and the spacer means including a plurality of spacing elements disposed between and engaging the sheet magnet and the diaphragm and being distributed over the face of the sheet magnet.

Claim 46

The electromagnetic transducer according to claim 36 and also including means exerting tension on the flexible sheet magnet in multiple transverse directions.

Claim 47

An electromagnetic transducer comprising: a flexible diaphragm with a vibratable area and formed into a shape which is at least partially cylindrical, conductors on the diaphragm and arranged in closely spaced juxtaposed runs in a predetermined configuration, and perforate magnetic panel means also formed into a shape which is at least partially cylindrical to follow the contour of the flexible diaphragm and being spaced from the diaphragm, said magnetic panel means being magnetized in a direction through its thinnest dimension and in elongate zones to form magnetic pole faces at the surface of the magnetic panel means, the elongate zones and pole faces being aRranged in the configuration of the conductors on the diaphragm, and means maintaining the magnetic panel means in spaced relation with the vibratable area of the diaphragm.

Claim 48

An electromagnetic transducer comprising: a flexible diaphragm with a vibratable area and formed into a shape which is at least partially cylindrical, conductors on the diaphragm and arranged in closely spaced juxtaposed runs in a predetermined configuration, and perforate magnetic panel means also formed into a shape which is at least partially cylindrical to follow the contour of the flexible diaphragm and being spaced from the diaphragm, said magnetic panel means being magnetized in a direction through its thinnest dimension and in elongate zones to form magnetic pole faces at the surface of the magnetic panel means, the elongate zones and pole faces being aRranged in the configuration of the conductors on the diaphragm, and means maintaining the magnetic panel means in spaced relation with the vibratable area of the diaphragm.

Claim 49

An electromagnetic transducer comprising: a flexible diaphragm having a vibratable area with a conductor affixed thereto and arranged in closely spaced and juxtaposed runs in a predetermined configuration, and an acoustically transparent backing secured to the diaphragm in confronting and spaced relation with the vibratable diaphragm areas, said backing having a plurality of spaced and juxtaposed strips of flexible material magnetized in a direction transversely of the strip to define elongate magnetic pole faces confronting the diaphragm and causing alternate attracting and repelling of the diaphragm as audio frequency signals are applied to the conductors, and said backing also including means of stiff magnetic material underlying said strips and against which said strips are magnetically drawn.

Claim 50

An electromagnetic transducer comprising: a flexible diaphragm having a vibratable area with a conductor affixed thereto and arranged in closely spaced and juxtaposed runs in a predetermined configuration, and an acoustically transparent backing secured to the diaphragm in confronting and spaced relation with the vibratable diaphragm areas, said backing having a plurality of spaced and juxtaposed strips of flexible material magnetized in a direction transversely of the strip to define elongate magnetic pole faces confronting the diaphragm and causing alternate attracting and repelling of the diaphragm as audio frequency signals are applied to the conductors, and said backing also including means of stiff magnetic material underlying said strips and against which said strips are magnetically drawn.

Claim 51

The electromagnetic transducer according to claim 40 and said acoustically transparent backing having a preformed dished shape to permit substantial excursions of the diaphragm during vibration without interfering with the backing.

Claim 52

A sound generating transducer comprising: a diaphragm including a plurality of adjacent vibratable areas formed to vibrate independently of each other, each of said vibratable areas having conductor means thereon to receive audio frequency electric signals, the conductor means of each respective vibratable area being electrically isolated from the conductor means of the other vibratable area for connection with one channel of a stereophonic amplifier system as a source of audio frequency electric signals, and an acoustically transparent backing secured to the diaphragm means in confronting and spaced relation with the vibratable diaphragm areas, said backing defining polarity characteristics to alternately attract and repel the diaphragm to cause vibration of the vibratable diaphragm areas upon application of the audio signals of different stereophonic signal channels to the conductor means of the several areas.

Claim 53

A sound generating transducer comprising: a diaphragm including a plurality of adjacent vibratable areas formed to vibrate independently of each other, each of said vibratable areas having conductor means thereon to receive audio frequency electric signals, the conductor means of each respective vibratable area being electrically isolated from the conductor means of the other vibratable area for connection with one channel of a stereophonic amplifier system as a source of audio frequency electric signals, and an acoustically transparent backing secured to the diaphragm means in confronting and spaced relation with the vibratable diaphragm areas, said backing defining polarity characteristics to alternately attract and repel the diaphragm to cause vibration of the vibratable diaphragm areas upon application of the audio signals of different stereophonic signal channels to the conductor means of the several areas.