Speaker

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12513440-B2
Application number	US-202418643261-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 23, 2024
Priority date	Apr 27, 2023
Publication date	Dec 30, 2025
Grant date	Dec 30, 2025

Abstract

A speaker that is configured to emit ultrasonic waves includes an ultrasonic emission unit, a reflector, and a louver unit. The ultrasonic emission unit is configured to emit ultrasonic waves in an emission direction. The reflector is disposed at a side of the ultrasonic emission unit from which the ultrasonic waves are emitted. The reflector is configured to reflect the ultrasonic waves emitted from the ultrasonic emission unit in a predetermined direction. The louver unit is disposed between the ultrasonic emission unit and the reflector. The louver unit includes slits formed therein in a manner such that the slits do not change a direction of the ultrasonic waves between the ultrasonic emission unit and the reflector, and do not change a direction of the ultrasonic waves reflected by the reflector. The louver unit is configured to inhibit entry of foreign matter into the ultrasonic emission unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A speaker configured to emit ultrasonic waves, the speaker comprising:
an ultrasonic emission unit configured to emit ultrasonic waves in an emission direction; a reflector disposed at a side of the ultrasonic emission unit from which the ultrasonic waves are emitted, the reflector being configured to reflect the ultrasonic waves emitted from the ultrasonic emission unit in a predetermined direction; and a louver unit disposed between the ultrasonic emission unit and the reflector, the louver unit including slits formed therein in a manner such that the slits do not change a direction of the ultrasonic waves between the ultrasonic emission unit and the reflector, and do not change a direction of the ultrasonic waves reflected by the reflector, and the louver unit being configured to inhibit entry of foreign matter into the ultrasonic emission unit.

2 . The speaker according to claim 1 , wherein the louver unit includes:
a reflection louver disposed on a path of the ultrasonic waves reflected by the reflector, the reflection louver including slats disposed to form the slits that are parallel to the emission direction and the predetermined direction; and an emission louver disposed on a path of the ultrasonic waves emitted from the ultrasonic emission unit and in a position avoiding the reflection louver, the emission louver including slats extending parallel to the slats of the reflection louver, and slats extending to cross the slats of reflection louver.

3 . The speaker according to claim 2 , wherein each of the slats of the reflection louver constitutes an integrated member with each of the slats of the emission louver, which extend parallel to the slats of the reflection louver.

4 . The speaker according to claim 1 , wherein the louver unit includes:
a reflection louver disposed on a path of the ultrasonic waves reflected by the reflector, the reflection louver including slats disposed to form the slits parallel to the emission direction and the predetermined direction; and an emission louver disposed on a path of the ultrasonic waves emitted from the ultrasonic emission unit and in a position avoiding the reflection louver, the emission louver including slats extending to cross the slats of the reflection louver.

5 . The speaker according to claim 1 , wherein the louver unit includes:
a reflection louver disposed on a path of the ultrasonic waves reflected by the reflector, the reflection louver including slats disposed to form the slits parallel to the emission direction and the predetermined direction; and an emission louver disposed on a path of the ultrasonic waves emitted from the ultrasonic emission unit and in a position avoiding the reflection louver, the emission louver including slats extending parallel to the slats of the reflection louver.

6 . The speaker according to claim 5 , wherein each of the slats of the reflection louver constitutes an integrated member with each of the slats of the emission louver, which extend parallel to the slats of the reflection louver.

7 . The speaker according to claim 1 , wherein the louver unit includes an emission louver disposed on a path of the ultrasonic waves emitted from the ultrasonic emission unit and in a position avoiding a path of the ultrasonic waves reflected by the reflector, and
a louver is absent on the path of the ultrasonic waves reflected by the reflector.

8 . The speaker according to claim 7 , wherein a space is formed by the absence of the louver on the path of the ultrasonic waves reflected by the reflector, and the reflector is configured to use the space so that an arrangement of the reflector is changeable to change the predetermined direction.

Assignees

• Alps Alpine Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tachi Ryosuke
• Ito Ryo

Classifications

• H04R2499/13

  Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles · CPC title

• H04R2217/03

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

• H04R1/345

  for loudspeakers · CPC title

• H04R1/023 Primary

  Screens for loudspeakers · CPC title

• G10K11/28 Primary

  using reflection, e.g. parabolic reflectors · CPC title