Transducer having a conductive suspension member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018091902-A1
Application number	US-201615275065-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 23, 2016
Priority date	Sep 23, 2016
Publication date	Mar 29, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A speaker including a frame, and a magnet assembly coupled to the frame. The magnet assembly forms an air gap through which a magnetic flux is directed. The speaker further including a voice coil suspended in the air gap, a diaphragm coupled to the voice coil and a compliant suspension member for suspending the voice coil within the air gap. The suspension member includes an electrically conductive biphasic member for providing an electrical connection between the voice coil and a circuit coupled to the frame.

First claim

1 . A micro speaker comprising:
a frame having a terminal coupled thereto; a magnet assembly coupled to the frame, the magnet assembly forming an air gap through which a magnetic flux is directed; a voice coil suspended in the air gap; a diaphragm coupled to the voice coil; and a compliant suspension member for suspending the voice coil and the diaphragm from the frame, the compliant suspension member having a surface to which the voice coil and an electrically conductive biphasic member are attached, and the electrically conductive biphasic member electrically connects the voice coil to the terminal.

2 . The micro speaker of claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive biphasic member comprises a solid component formed on the suspension member and a liquid component formed on the solid component.

3 . The micro speaker of claim 2 wherein the solid component comprises a gold-gallium alloy.

4 . The micro speaker of claim 2 wherein the liquid component comprises liquid gallium deposits.

5 . The micro speaker of claim 1 wherein the suspension member is a solid membrane, and the electrically conductive biphasic member comprises a film of biphasic material, and the film of biphasic material is formed on the surface of the suspension member.

6 . The micro speaker of claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive biphasic member comprises a layer of gold-gallium alloy formed on the suspension member and a plurality of liquid gallium protrusions formed on the layer of gold-gallium alloy.

7 . The micro speaker of claim 1 further comprising a circuit electrically connected to the terminal, and wherein the circuit is a diaphragm displacement sensing circuit operable to detect a displacement of the diaphragm by detecting an electrical resistance resulting from a strain on the electrically conductive biphasic member as the diaphragm is displaced.

8 . An electromechanical transducer comprising:
a stationary portion having a terminal coupled thereto; a moving portion that is operable to move in response to a Lorentz force and generate a physical vibration or sound; a compliant suspension member for suspending the moving portion from the stationary portion, the moving portion is positioned on a surface of the compliant suspension member; and a biphasic electrode layer coupled to the compliant suspension member, the biphasic electrode layer is operable to provide an electrical connection between the moving portion and the terminal coupled to the stationary portion.

9 . The transducer of claim 8 wherein the biphasic electrode layer comprises a first section extending along a first side of the moving portion and a second section extending along a second side of the moving portion, wherein the first section is electrically isolated from the second section.

10 . The transducer of claim 8 wherein the stationary portion comprises a frame and the moving portion comprises a voice coil coupled to a diaphragm.

11 . The transducer of claim 8 wherein the compliant suspension member is a solid membrane that extends around an entire perimeter of the moving portion, and the biphasic electrode layer extends around less than an entire perimeter of the compliant suspension member.

12 . The transducer of claim 8 wherein the biphasic electrode layer comprises a solid layer of a conductive alloy deposited on a surface of the compliant suspension member and a liquid layer comprising conductive projections formed on the solid layer.

13 . The transducer of claim 8 further comprising a circuit electrically connected to the terminal, and wherein the circuit is operable to detect a strain on the biphasic electrode layer and determine a displacement of the moving portion.

14 . The transducer of claim 8 further comprising a circuit electrically connected to the terminal, and wherein the biphasic electrode layer is operable to modify an excursion of the moving portion depending upon a strain on the biphasic electrode layer.

15 . The transducer of claim 8 wherein the transducer is a speaker.

16 . A micro speaker suspension member, the micro speaker suspension member comprising:
a compliant membrane dimensioned to suspend a planar micro speaker diaphragm and voice coil from a micro speaker frame, the planar micro speaker diaphragm is attached to a first surface of the compliant membrane and the voice coil is attached to a second surface of the compliant membrane; and a biphasic electrode coupled to the compliant membrane, the biphasic electrode having a solid layer coupled to the second surface of the compliant membrane and a liquid layer coupled to the solid layer.

17 . The micro speaker suspension member of claim 16 wherein the solid layer comprises a gold-gallium alloy film formed directly on the compliant membrane.

18 . The micro speaker suspension member of claim 16 wherein the liquid layer comprises a plurality of discrete liquid gallium deposits formed directly on the solid layer.

19 . The micro speaker suspension member of claim 16 wherein the biphasic electrode comprises at least one conductive trace line patterned to electrically connect the voice coil to a circuit.

20 . The micro speaker suspension member of claim 16 wherein the biphasic electrode is a first biphasic electrode, and the speaker suspension member further comprises a second biphasic electrode coupled to the compliant membrane, and wherein the first biphasic electrode is spaced a distance from the second biphasic electrode.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Salvatti Alexander V

Classifications

• H04R1/06 Primary

  Arranging circuit leads; Relieving strain on circuit leads · CPC title

• H04R9/045 Primary

  Mounting (H04R9/043 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04R2307/204

  Material aspects of the outer suspension of loudspeaker diaphragms · CPC title

• H04R9/02

  Details · CPC title

• H04R7/20

  Securing diaphragm or cone resiliently to support by flexible material, springs, cords, or strands · CPC title