Speaker apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019020944-A1
Application number	US-201815868430-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 11, 2018
Priority date	Feb 3, 2017
Publication date	Jan 17, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A speaker apparatus according to an embodiment includes a panel, one or more vibration elements, a drive unit, and a reflection part. The one or more vibration elements vibrate the panel. The drive unit applies a driving signal to the one or more vibration elements to form a striped vibration region on the panel. The driving signal is obtained by modulating a carrier wave of an ultrasonic band by a sound signal of an audible frequency band. The reflection part reflects at least one of first and second ultrasonic waves, which are generated from the vibration region and advancing in respective different directions, so as to bring an advancing direction of the first ultrasonic wave and that of the second ultrasonic wave close to each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A speaker apparatus comprising:
a panel; one or more vibration elements that vibrate the panel; a drive unit that applies a driving signal to the one or more vibration elements to form a striped vibration region on the panel, the driving signal being obtained by modulating a carrier wave of an ultrasonic band by a sound signal of an audible frequency band; and a reflection part that reflects at least one of first and second ultrasonic waves, which are generated from the vibration region and advancing in respective different directions, so as to bring an advancing direction of the first ultrasonic wave and that of the second ultrasonic wave close to each other.

2 . The speaker apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the reflection part is arranged close to an end part of the panel, and includes a reflection plate extending in a direction intersecting with the panel.

3 . The speaker apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the reflection part is arranged in a position opposite to a surface of the panel, and includes a plurality of reflection members that extends in an extending direction of a plurality of line-shaped vibration regions forming the striped vibration region and is arrayed along an alignment direction of the plurality of line-shaped vibration regions, and each of the reflection members includes a reflection surface that reflects the at least one of the first and second ultrasonic waves.

4 . The speaker apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising
a cover member that covers an upper surface of the panel, wherein the plurality of reflection members is formed in the cover member.

5 . The speaker apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the plurality of reflection members has a heat radiating function.

6 . The speaker apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising
a load applying part that applies a load to the panel, wherein the drive unit controls the load applying part to suppress generation of the vibration region.

7 . The speaker apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the drive unit switches between (i) a first driving signal generated by modulating the carrier wave by the sound signal and (ii) a second driving signal generated by the sound signal, and applies the switched signal to the one or more vibration elements.

8 . A speaker apparatus comprising:
a panel; one or more vibration elements that vibrate the panel; a load applying part that applies a load to the panel; and a drive unit that applies a driving signal to the one or more vibration elements to form a striped vibration region on the panel, the driving signal being obtained by modulating a carrier wave of an ultrasonic band by a sound signal of an audible frequency band, wherein the drive unit controls the load applying part to suppress generation of the vibration region.

9 . The speaker apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the load applying part includes (i) a contact part that is arranged opposite to the panel and (ii) a drive unit that moves the contact part so as to cause the contact part to contact with the panel.

10 . A speaker apparatus comprising:
a panel; one or more vibration elements that vibrate the panel; an acquisition unit that acquires a sound signal of an audible frequency band; and a drive unit that applies a first driving signal to the one or more vibration elements to form a striped vibration region on the panel, the first driving signal being generated by modulating a carrier wave of an ultrasonic band by the sound signal, wherein the drive unit switches between the first driving signal and a second driving signal that is generated by the sound signal, and outputs the switched signal to the one or more vibration elements.

11 . The speaker apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein
the drive unit includes:
a carrier-wave generating unit that generates the carrier wave;
a modulation unit that generates a modulation signal obtained by modulating the carrier wave by the sound signal, the carrier wave being generated by the carrier-

Assignees

• Denso Ten Ltd

Inventors

• Kubo Masahiko
• Tanaka Keiichiro

Classifications

• H04R17/00

  Piezoelectric transducers; Electrostrictive transducers (piezoelectric or electrostrictive elements in general H10N30/00; details of piezoelectric or electrostrictive motors, generators or positioners {H10N30/00}) · CPC title

• H04R1/345

  for loudspeakers · CPC title

• H04R2217/03

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

• H04R1/2811 Primary

  for loudspeaker transducers · CPC title

• H04R9/063

  using a plurality of acoustic drivers (H04R1/24 and H04R1/403 take precedence) · CPC title