Microphone and connector unit therefor

Claim 2

A microphone unit adapted to engage a connector unit disposed on the opposite side of a part of the clothing of a person using the microphone comprising a housing provided with a front perforated side, a back side opposite the front perforated side having an opening confronting the front perforated side, and a continuous peripheral wall acoustically sealed at the perimeter of the front side and the back side to define an inner chamber acoustically coupled to the exterior of the housing through the front perforated side, an electrically conducting plate dispoSed within the chamber and having a flat surface confronting the front perforated side, said plate being acoustically sealed on the peripheral wall to form a first cavity between the said surface of the plate and the front perforated side of the housing and a second cavity between the plate and the back side of the housing, a plastic diaphragm disposed in the first cavity spaced from and parallel to the flat surface of the plate, said diaphragm having an electrically conducting film on the surface thereof and carrying an electrical charge with respect to the plate, an electrical connector assembly mounted on the back side of the housing and extending through the opening thereof, said assembly having a unitary rigid elongated central pin of electrically conducting material in abutment with and electrically connected at one end on the plate and extending from the chamber of the housing to the exterior thereof, said electrical connector assembly having a rigid electrically conductive sleeve disposed about the pin and spaced therefrom, said sleeve being electrically connected to the film of the diaphragm.

Claim 3

A microphone unit comprising the combination of claim 1 wherein the housing is constructed of electrically conducting material, and the electrically conducting plate is electrically insulated from the housing, the sleeve of the connector assembly being electrically connected to the film of the diaphragm through the housing.

Claim 4

A microphone unit comprising the combination of claim 1 wherein the pin of the electrical connector assembly extends further from the plate of the housing and terminates in a pointed surface, said connector assembly having a layer of insulating material between the pin and the sleeve.

Claim 5

A microphone adapted to be affixed on a part of the clothing of a person using the microphone comprising a microphone unit according to claim 3 in combination with a connector unit, said connector unit comprising a casing having a cavity therein and an opening adapted to accommodate the electrical connector assembly of the microphone unit, and electrical contact means disposed within the cavity adapted to engage the pin and the sleeve of the microphone unit and provide electrical connection thereto, said contact means including a block of electrically conducting material mounted within the casing confronting the opening therein, said block having a seat adapted to engage the end of the pin of the microphone unit when inserted through the opening in the casing of the connector unit.

Claim 6

A microphone unit comprising the combination of claim 1 wherein a first acoustically sealed chamber is disposed between the electrically conducting plate and the diaphragm and a second acoustically sealed chamber is disposed on the opposite side of the electrically conducting plate, said first and second chambers being acoustically coupled through apertures in the electrically conducting plate.

Claim 7

A microphone unit comprising the combination of claim 5 in combination with a hollow open tube extending between the exterior of the housing and the second chamber to roll off the low frequency response of the microphone.

Claim 8

A microphone unit comprising the combination of claim 6 wherein the tube extends through an aperture in the back side of the housing, said back side of the housing being provided with a recess extending about the aperture therein and the tube terminating in said recess.

Claim 9

A microphone adapted to be affixed on a part of the clothing of a person using the microphone comprising a microphone unit according to claim 1 in combination with a connector unit, said connector unit comprising a casing having a cavity therein and an opening adapted to accomodate the electrical connector assembly of the microphone unit, and first and second electrical contact means disposed within the casing adapted to engage the pin and the sleeve respectively of the microphone unit and provide electrical connection thereto.

Claim 10

A microphone comprising the combination of claim 8 wHerein the second electrical contact means includes a plate of electrically conducting material mounted within the casing confronting the opening thereof for translation in a single path normal to the axis of the opening, said plate having an opening adapted to accommodate the sleeve of the microphone unit, and spring bias means operatively engaging the translatable plate urging the plate to move in one direction along its path.

Claim 11

A microphone and clip adapted to be affixed on a part of the clothing of a person using the combination in accordance with claim 8 in combination with a clip, said clip having a back adapted to accommodate one surface of the connector unit and a clamp portion extending from the back and being bent to confront the back and abut the connector unit, said clamp portion being adapted to hold securely a piece of clothing disposed between it and the connector unit, and said clamp portion having an opening therein confronting the opening in the connector portion and accommodating the pin and sleeve of the microphone unit.

Claim 12

A microphone comprising the combination of claim 8 in combination with a cable extending from the casing and having a first conductor and a second conductor, and a field effect transistor amplifier electrically connected between the first and second conductors and the first and second electrical contact means.

Claim 13

A microphone comprising the combination of claim 11 wherein the field effect transistor amplifier includes a transformer and a battery located in a separate power unit remote from the connector unit and connected thereto through the cable.

Claim 14

A microphone comprising the combination of claim 12 wherein the power unit has a housing provided with a clip adapted to mount the power unit on the belt of a person using the microphone.

Claim 15

A microphone unit adapted to engage a connector unit disposed on the opposite side of a part of the clothing of a person using the microphone, comprising a housing constructed of electrically conducting material having a cylindrical shell with a perforated wall at one end, the other end of the shell being open and being provided with inwardly facing threads, said housing also having a disc with a cylindrical perimeter provided with threads engaging the threads of the shell, said disc having an axial channel extending therethrough and a bore extending therethrough from a recess disposed on the side of the disc opposite the wall of the shell, a cylindrical spacer constructed of electrically insulating material disposed within the housing in abutment with the disc, said spacer having a circular peripheral flange extending toward the disc and mating in a circular peripheral recess of the disc, said spacer also having an aperture in alignment with the aperture of the disc and a protruding circular flange extending outwardly from the periphery thereof remote from the disc, a circular electrically conducting plate disposed within the housing in abutment with the side of the spacer remote from the disc, said plate having a peripheral groove mating and engaging the peripheral flange of the spacer, said plate also being provided with a plurality of apertures extending therethrough and a depending stem aligned with the axis of the channel of the disc and provided with an inwardly extending axial bore confronting the channel of the disc, an electrically insulating circular washer disposed about the periphery of the plate on the side opposite the spacer, a thin plastic diaphragm extending over the washer on the side opposite the plate and confronting the plate, said diaphragm being provided with a thin electrically conducting film on the surface thereof remote from the plate, an electrically conducting washer mounted between the perforated wall of the shell and the diaphragm in alignment with the electrically insulating washer, the diaphragm, insulating washer, and plate forming a diaphragm chamber which is in acoustical communication with a back chamber disposed between the plate and sPacer, a hollow tube extending through the apertures in the spacer and disc and acoustically sealed thereon, said tube acoustically coupling the back chamber to the ambient atmosphere, an elongated pin having one end secured within the bore of the plate and electrically connected to the plate, said pin extending through the channel of the disc to the exterior thereof and being provided with a protruding flange remote from the plate and terminating in a conical end, an electrically conducting sleeve sealed within and electrically connected to the channel of the disc and extending toward the flange of the pin, a layer of electrical insulating material disposed between the pin and the sleeve and the flange and the flange and the sleeve, the diaphragm being permanently charged electrically with respect to the plate.

Claim 16

A microphone unit adapted to engage a connector unit disposed on the opposite side of a part of the clothing of a person using the microphone, comprising a housing constructed of electrically conducting material having a cylindrical shell with a perforated wall at one end, the other end of the shell being open and being provided with inwardly facing threads, said housing also having a disc with a cylindrical perimeter provided with threads engaging the threads of the shell, said disc having an axial channel extending therethrough and a bore extending therethrough from a recess disposed on the side of the disc opposite the wall of the shell, a cylindrical spacer constructed of electrically insulating material disposed within the housing in abutment with the disc, said spacer having a circular peripheral flange extending toward the disc and mating in a circular peripheral recess of the disc, said spacer also having an aperture in alignment with the aperture of the disc and a protruding circular flange extending outwardly from the periphery thereof remote from the disc, a circular electrically conducting plate disposed within the housing in abutment with the side of the spacer remote from the disc, said plate having a peripheral groove mating and engaging the peripheral flange of the spacer, said plate also being provided with a plurality of apertures extending therethrough and a depending stem aligned with the axis of the channel of the disc and provided with an inwardly extending axial bore confronting the channel of the disc, an electrically insulating circular washer disposed about the periphery of the plate on the side opposite the spacer, a thin plastic diaphragm extending over the washer on the side opposite the plate and confronting the plate, said diaphragm being provided with a thin electrically conducting film on the surface thereof remote from the plate, an electrically conducting washer mounted between the perforated wall of the shell and the diaphragm in alignment with the electrically insulating washer, the diaphragm, insulating washer, and plate forming a diaphragm chamber which is in acoustical communication with a back chamber disposed between the plate and sPacer, a hollow tube extending through the apertures in the spacer and disc and acoustically sealed thereon, said tube acoustically coupling the back chamber to the ambient atmosphere, an elongated pin having one end secured within the bore of the plate and electrically connected to the plate, said pin extending through the channel of the disc to the exterior thereof and being provided with a protruding flange remote from the plate and terminating in a conical end, an electrically conducting sleeve sealed within and electrically connected to the channel of the disc and extending toward the flange of the pin, a layer of electrical insulating material disposed between the pin and the sleeve and the flange and the flange and the sleeve, the diaphragm being permanently charged electrically with respect to the plate.