Acoustic Apparatus Using Flex PCB Circuit With Integrated I/O Fingers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016309264-A1
Application number	US-201615093025-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 7, 2016
Priority date	Apr 14, 2015
Publication date	Oct 20, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A microphone assembly includes a housing having an interior with a front volume and a back volume. The housing has an acoustic input port coupling the front volume to an exterior of the housing. An acoustic sensor is disposed at least partially within the interior of the housing. At least a portion of the acoustic sensor is disposed at an interface between the front volume and the back volume. The acoustic sensor has an electrical signal output. A circuit board is disposed at least partially within the back volume of the housing and has a conductive member and an electrical contact. The circuit board also has a first portion carrying a first portion of the conductive member, and a second portion of the conductive member extending from the first portion of the circuit board toward the acoustic sensor. The second portion of the conductive member is electrically connected to the electrical signal output of the acoustic sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A microphone assembly comprising:
a housing having an interior with a front volume and a back volume, the housing having an acoustic input port coupling the front volume to an exterior of the housing; an acoustic sensor disposed at least partially within the interior of the housing, at least a portion of the acoustic sensor disposed at an interface between the front volume and the back volume, the acoustic sensor having an electrical signal output; a circuit board disposed at least partially within the back volume of the housing, the circuit board having a conductive member and an electrical contact, the circuit board having a first portion carrying a first portion of the conductive member, a second portion of the conductive member extending from the first portion of the circuit board toward the acoustic sensor, the second portion of the conductive member being electrically connected to the electrical signal output of the acoustic sensor.

2 . The microphone assembly of claim 1 , the second portion of the conductive member is integrated with the circuit board.

3 . The microphone assembly of claim 1 , the circuit board including a second portion extending from the first portion of the circuit board, the second portion of the circuit board carrying the second portion of the conductive member.

4 . The microphone assembly of claim 3 , the second portion of the circuit board is a flexible finger extending from the first portion of the circuit board at an angle.

5 . The microphone assembly of claim 4 , the acoustic sensor is an electret microphone including a back plate and a diaphragm, the back plate and the diaphragm form a portion of the interface between the front volume and the back volume, the electrical signal output of the acoustic sensor disposed in the back volume of the housing.

6 . The microphone assembly of claim 1 , the acoustic sensor is a condenser microphone including a back plate and a diaphragm, the back plate and diaphragm constitute a portion of the interface between the front volume and the back volume.

7 . The microphone assembly of claim 1 further comprising an integrated circuit disposed within the interior of the housing, the integrated circuit coupled to the electrical contact of the circuit board and to the conductive member of the circuit board, wherein the acoustic sensor produces an electrical signal in response to acoustic energy entering the cavity via the acoustic input port, and the integrated circuit provides a processed signal at the electrical contact.

8 . The microphone assembly of claim 3 , the circuit board is a flex circuit board and the electrical contact is accessible from an exterior of the housing.

9 . The microphone assembly of claim 1 , the back volume of the housing includes an opening, and the electrical contact is disposed on a portion of the circuit board disposed in the opening, wherein the electrical contact is accessible from an exterior of the housing.

10 . A microphone comprising:
a housing defining an internal cavity; a sensor disposed in the cavity, the sensor dividing the cavity into a front volume and a back volume; a port extending through the housing and in communication with the front volume; a circuit board including a first portion and a second portion, a conductor carried by the first and second portions of the circuit board, the first portion of the circuit board at least partially enclosing the back volume, the first portion of the circuit board including a terminal pad, a portion of the conductor carried by the second portion of the circuit board contacting the sensor, wherein the sensor produces an electrical signal in response to detecting acoustic energy that enters the cavity through the port, the electrical signal representative of the acoustic energy, the electrical signal conducted from the sensor to the circuit board via the conductor.

11 . The microphone of claim 10 , wherein the terminal pad is accessible on an exterior of the housing.

12 . The microphone of claim 10 , wherein the circuit board includes an integrated circuit or at least one passive electrical component.

13 . The microphone of claim 10 , wherein the sensor includes a diaphragm and a back plate.

14 . The microphone of claim 10 , wherein the circuit board is a flex circuit or a rigid-flex circuit.

15 . The microphone of claim 10 , wherein the conductor of the circuit board is secured to the sensor by conductive glue.

16 . A microphone comprising:
a housing that defines an internal cavity; a sensor including a diaphragm and a back plate disposed in the cavity, the sensor dividing the cavity into a front volume and a back volume; a port extending through the housing and in communication with the front volume; a circuit board including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the circuit board including a first conductor coupled to a terminal pad, the second portion of the circuit board extending at an angle from the first portion of the circuit board, the second portion of the circuit board including a second conductor in electrical contact with the sensor; an integrated circuit coupled to the first conductor and to the second conductor, wherein the sensor produces an electrical signal in response to acoustic energy that enters the cavity via the port, the electrical signal conducted from the sensor to the integrated circuit via the second conductor, the electrical signal being processed by the integrated circuit to create a processed electrical signal, the processed electrical signal being conducted to the terminal pads via the first conductor.

17 . The microphone of claim 16 , wherein the terminal pad is disposed on an exterior of the housing.

18 . The microphone of claim 16 , wherein the circuit board is a flex circuit or a rigid-flex circuit.

19 . The microphone of claim 16 , wherein the second conductor is secured to the sensor by conductive glue.

20 . The microphone of claim 17 , wherein the first portion of the circuit board is disposed at least partially within the housing interior.

Assignees

• Knowles Electronics Llc

Inventors

• Murthy Usha
• Scheleski Richard
• Badillo Dean

Classifications

• H04R19/005

  using semiconductor materials · CPC title

• H04R3/00

  Circuits for transducers (arrangements for producing a reverberation or echo sound G10K15/08; amplifiers H03F) · CPC title

• H04R19/016 Primary

  for microphones · CPC title

• H04R19/04 Primary

  Microphones (H04R19/01 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04R1/04

  Structural association of microphone with electric circuitry therefor (in electric hearing aids H04R25/00) · CPC title