US4550428A — Driver unit for automotive audio speaker

Claim 1

Independent Claim 204 words

A speaker for an automotive audio system, comprising: a housing; a first component received within said housing and associated with a sound-producing medium for driving the latter, said first component responsive to an audio signal to be energized and deenergized at a frequency corresponding to the audio sound to be reproduced, and said first component being movable along an axis of the speaker depending upon energization and deenergization thereof; a second component resiliently suspended within said housing and positioned in a given relationship to said first component, said second component producing a permanent magnetic field therearound through which said first component moves depending upon energization and deenergization thereof, said second component being movable relative to said first component while the latter moves with respect to said magnetic field; and means, associated with said second component, for guiding movement of said second component and restricting movement of said second component in a lateral direction relative to said axis, said guiding means comprising a guide member cooperative with said second component and coaxial with said first component, and a bearing associated with said guide member and said second component for allowing axial movement of said guide member while preventing movement thereof perpendicular to the axis thereof.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 204 words

A speaker for an automotive audio system, comprising: a housing; a first component received within said housing and associated with a sound-producing medium for driving the latter, said first component responsive to an audio signal to be energized and deenergized at a frequency corresponding to the audio sound to be reproduced, and said first component being movable along an axis of the speaker depending upon energization and deenergization thereof; a second component resiliently suspended within said housing and positioned in a given relationship to said first component, said second component producing a permanent magnetic field therearound through which said first component moves depending upon energization and deenergization thereof, said second component being movable relative to said first component while the latter moves with respect to said magnetic field; and means, associated with said second component, for guiding movement of said second component and restricting movement of said second component in a lateral direction relative to said axis, said guiding means comprising a guide member cooperative with said second component and coaxial with said first component, and a bearing associated with said guide member and said second component for allowing axial movement of said guide member while preventing movement thereof perpendicular to the axis thereof.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 24 words

The driver unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sound-producing medium comprises a vehicle panel constituting part of a vehicle body assembly.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 51 words

The driver unit as set forth in claim 2, wherein said guiding means comprises a guide member cooperative with said first component and coaxial with said second component and a bearing associated with said guiding member and said first component allowing relative axial movement thereof while preventing relative lateral movement thereof.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 36 words

The driver unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said guide member is of cylindrical shape and secured to the vehicle panel and adapted to establish sliding contact with said bearing along its inner periphery.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 69 words

The driver unit as set forth in claim 2, wherein said second component comprises the assembly of a yoke plate, a pole piece, a yoke ring and an annular permanent magnet and said guiding means comprises a bearing coaxial with said first component and fixed to said housing so as to guide the movement of said magnet, and thus of said second component, to be solely along said axis.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 174 words

An automotive audio speaker comprising: a vehicle panel constituting a part of a vehicle body and at least having a part adapted to oscillate at audio frequencies; a driver unit including: a housing secured to said part of said vehicle panel; a driver assembly generating a permanent magnetic field and resiliently suspended within said housing; a voice coil assembly associated with said vehicle panel for driving the latter at audio frequencies in response to an audio signal; said driver assembly and said voice coil assembly adapted to oscillate at audio frequencies along an axis of said voice coil assembly; and means, associated with said driver assembly for guiding movement of said driver assembly in order to prevent relative displacement of said driver assembly relative to said voice coil assembly in a direction perpendicular to said axis, said guiding means comprising a cylindrical guide member cooperative with said voice coil assembly and having a common axis to said driver assembly and a bearing contacting said guide member for allowing axial movement of said guide member.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 174 words

An automotive audio speaker comprising: a vehicle panel constituting a part of a vehicle body and at least having a part adapted to oscillate at audio frequencies; a driver unit including: a housing secured to said part of said vehicle panel; a driver assembly generating a permanent magnetic field and resiliently suspended within said housing; a voice coil assembly associated with said vehicle panel for driving the latter at audio frequencies in response to an audio signal; said driver assembly and said voice coil assembly adapted to oscillate at audio frequencies along an axis of said voice coil assembly; and means, associated with said driver assembly for guiding movement of said driver assembly in order to prevent relative displacement of said driver assembly relative to said voice coil assembly in a direction perpendicular to said axis, said guiding means comprising a cylindrical guide member cooperative with said voice coil assembly and having a common axis to said driver assembly and a bearing contacting said guide member for allowing axial movement of said guide member.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 174 words

An automotive audio speaker comprising: a vehicle panel constituting a part of a vehicle body and at least having a part adapted to oscillate at audio frequencies: a driver unit including: a housing secured to said part of said vehicle panel; a driver assembly generating a permanent magnetic field and resiliently suspended within said housing, a voice coil assembly associated with said vehicle panel for driving the latter at audio frequencies in response to an audio signal; said driver assembly and said voice coil assembly adapted to oscillate at audio frequencies along an axis of said voice coil assembly; and means associated with said driver assembly for guiding movement of said driver assembly in order to prevent relative displacement of said driver assembly relative to said voice coil assembly in a direction perpendicular to said axis, wherein said guiding means comprises a guide member cooperative with said driver assembly and having the common axis with said voice coil assembly for movement therealong, and a bearing associated with said guiding member for axial movement thereof.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 174 words

An automotive audio speaker comprising: a vehicle panel constituting a part of a vehicle body and at least having a part adapted to oscillate at audio frequencies: a driver unit including: a housing secured to said part of said vehicle panel; a driver assembly generating a permanent magnetic field and resiliently suspended within said housing, a voice coil assembly associated with said vehicle panel for driving the latter at audio frequencies in response to an audio signal; said driver assembly and said voice coil assembly adapted to oscillate at audio frequencies along an axis of said voice coil assembly; and means associated with said driver assembly for guiding movement of said driver assembly in order to prevent relative displacement of said driver assembly relative to said voice coil assembly in a direction perpendicular to said axis, wherein said guiding means comprises a guide member cooperative with said driver assembly and having the common axis with said voice coil assembly for movement therealong, and a bearing associated with said guiding member for axial movement thereof.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 29 words

The speaker as set forth in claim 6, wherein said guide member is adapted to establish sliding contact with said bearing on the inner periphery of said guide member.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 48 words

The speaker as set forth in claim 7, wherein said driving assembly comprises an assembly of yoke plates, a pole piece and a permanent magnet which is in contact with said bearing at the outer periphery of said permanent magnet for restricting relative deflection of the driver assembly.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1988-10-28	1989-04-29	1989-10-29	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1992-10-28	1993-04-29	1993-10-29	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1996-10-28	1997-04-29	1997-10-29	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Driver unit for automotive audio speaker

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag