Sound transducer unit for generating and/or detecting sound waves in the audible wavelength spectrum and/or in the ultrasonic range

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11303993-B2
Application number	US-202017030685-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2020
Priority date	Sep 25, 2019
Publication date	Apr 12, 2022
Grant date	Apr 12, 2022

Abstract

A sound transducer unit for an in-ear headphone, for generating and/or detecting sound waves in the audible wavelength spectrum and/or in the ultrasonic range, includes at least one MEMS sound transducer arranged on a circuit board. At least one connector element of the circuit board is electrically conductively connected to at least one contact element of the MEMS sound transducer. The MEMS sound transducer is designed as a surface-mount device, which is connected to the circuit board with the aid of surface-mount technology. The sound transducer unit can form a component of a sound-generating unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sound transducer unit for an in-ear headphone, for generating and/or detecting sound waves in the audible wavelength spectrum and/or in the ultrasonic range, the sound transducer unit comprising:
a printed wiring board;
a circuit board arranged above the printed wiring board and electrically connected on the printed wiring board and including a MEMS sound transducer and a connector element;
wherein the MEMS sound transducer is supported by a transducer support;
wherein the MEMS sound transducer is designed as a surface-mount device and includes a contact element electrically conductively connected to the connector element of the circuit board via the transducer support; and
wherein the MEMS sound transducer is arranged on the circuit board and is connected to the circuit board with the aid of surface-mount technology.

2. The sound transducer unit as in claim 1 , wherein the connector element and the contact element are electrically conductively connected to one another with the aid of an integral connection, in particular a soldered connection.

3. The sound transducer unit as in claim 1 , wherein the MEMS sound transducer comprises a transducer element and a diaphragm unit, which is coupled to the transducer element of the M EMS sound transducer and which is made of a heat-resistant diaphragm material.

4. The sound transducer unit as in claim 1 , wherein the transducer support comprises a first through-channel.

5. The sound transducer unit as in claim 1 , wherein the at least one contact element is designed as a contact surface and/or that the at least one contact element is arranged at the transducer support and/or that the transducer support comprises electrical lines for the transducer element.

6. The sound transducer unit as in claim 1 , wherein:
the transducer support is formed as part of the MEMS sound transducer and includes a first through-channel; and
wherein the circuit board comprises a second through-channel, which is preferably coaxial and/or congruent with the first through-channel.

7. The sound transducer unit as in claim 1 , wherein the circuit board comprises a component side facing the MEMS sound transducer, onto which the MEMS sound transducer is placed in a contact region, so that the contact element contacts the connector element.

8. The sound transducer unit as in claim 1 , wherein at least one electrical plug connection is arranged between the circuit board and the printed wiring board, and/or that at least one spacer electrically connects the circuit board and the printed wiring board for exchanging electrical signals.

9. The sound transducer unit as in claim 1 , wherein the sound transducer unit comprises a transducer housing, in which at least the MEMS sound transducer and/or the circuit board are/is arranged.

10. The sound transducer unit as in claim 9 , wherein the transducer housing comprises a first coupling region for coupling an ear element to the transducer housing, and/or that the transducer housing comprises a second coupling region for coupling a headphone unit to the transducer housing.

11. The sound transducer unit as in claim 9 , wherein the transducer housing comprises an exit opening for sound waves, and/or that the transducer housing comprises a front volume, which is arranged between the exit opening and the MEMS sound transducer.

12. The sound transducer unit as in claim 9 , wherein the transducer housing comprises a dust barrier and/or a moisture barrier, wherein the dust barrier is preferably arranged in the area of the exit opening and/or the moisture barrier is arranged in the area between the front volume and the MEMS sound transducer.

13. The sound transducer unit as in claim 9 , further comprising:
a dust barrier adhered to the transducer housing; and/or a moisture barrier adhered to the transducer housing.

14. The sound transducer unit as in claim 1 , further comprising a second MEMS sound transducer, wherein one of the two MEMS sound transducers is operable as a loudspeaker and the other MEMS sound transducer is operable as a microphone.

15. The sound transducer unit as in claim 14 , wherein the two MEMS sound transducers are arranged next to one another on the circuit board, or that one of the two MEMS sound transducers is arranged on the other MEMS sound transducer.

16. The sound transducer unit as in claim 1 , wherein the circuit board comprises a pressure compensation opening, wherein a dam arrangement is arranged around the pressure compensation opening.

17. A method for manufacturing a sound transducer unit for an in-ear headphone, for generating and/or detecting sound waves in the audible wavelength spectrum and/or in the ultrasonic range, wherein the sound transducer includes a printed wiring board, a circuit board that includes a connector element and a MEMS sound transducer supported by a transducer support and including a contact element, the method comprising the steps of:
placing the MEMS sound transducer having the contact element onto the circuit board having the connector element;
electrically connecting the MEMS sound transducer to the connector element of the circuit board via the transducer support; and
wherein the MEMS sound transducer is arranged on the circuit board with the aid of surface-mount technology; and
electrically connecting the printed wiring board to the circuit board.

18. A sound-generating unit in an in-ear headphone, the sound-generating unit comprising:
a sound transducer unit for generating and/or detecting sound waves in the audible wavelength spectrum and/or in the ultrasonic range, the sound transducer unit including:
a printed wiring board;
a circuit board arranged above the printed wiring board and electrically connected on the printed wiring board and including a MEMS sound transducer and a connector element;
wherein the MEMS sound transducer is supported by a transducer support;
wherein the MEMS sound transducer is designed as a surface-mount device and includes a contact element electrically conductively connected to the connector element of the circuit board via the transducer support; and
wherein the MEMS sound transducer is arranged on the circuit board and is connected to the circuit board with the aid of surface-mount technology.

19. The sound-generating unit as in claim 18 , further comprising:
an ear element; and
a headphone unit;
wherein the sound transducer unit includes a first coupling region in which the ear element is arranged, and wherein the sound transducer unit includes a second coupling region in which the headphone unit is arranged.

Assignees

• USound GmbH

Inventors

• Rusconi Clerici Beltrami Andrea
• Bottoni Ferruccio

Classifications

• H04R1/1091 Primary

  Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083 · CPC title

• H04R1/1016 Primary

  Earpieces of the intra-aural type · CPC title

• H04R1/1058

  Manufacture or assembly · CPC title

• H04R2217/03

  Parametric transducers where sound is generated or captured by the acoustic demodulation of amplitude modulated ultrasonic waves · CPC title

• H04R19/005 Primary

  using semiconductor materials · CPC title