Loudspeaker having collapsible lead wire

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022095026-A1
Application number	US-202117409485-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 23, 2021
Priority date	Sep 23, 2020
Publication date	Mar 24, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A loudspeaker having a compressible lead wire is described. The lead wire carries an electrical audio input signal to a voice coil. The electrical audio input signal drives the voice coil to oscillate in an axial direction. The compressible lead wire includes an elastic portion that stretches and compresses in the axial direction to allow the voice coil to oscillate freely. The elastic portion includes several compressible elements that are located within a cavity of the loudspeaker. The compressible elements extend through the cavity in the axial direction. Other aspects are also described and claimed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A loudspeaker, comprising:
a speaker housing; a diaphragm coupled to the speaker housing; a motor system to cause motion of the diaphragm in an axial direction, wherein the motor system includes a voice coil coupled to the diaphragm; and a lead wire connected to the voice coil, wherein the lead wire includes an elastic portion having a plurality of compressible elements configured to extend and compress in the axial direction.

2 . The loudspeaker of claim 1 , wherein the elastic portion includes a helical portion.

3 . The loudspeaker of claim 1 , wherein the motor system includes a center magnet and one or more side magnets, and wherein the voice coil and the center magnet are coaxial along a central axis.

4 . The loudspeaker of claim 3 further comprising a gap radially between one of the one or more side magnets and the speaker housing, wherein the lead wire does not extend through the gap.

5 . The loudspeaker of claim 3 further comprising a cavity defined between the speaker housing, the voice coil, and the one or more side magnets, wherein the elastic portion of the lead wire is within the cavity.

6 . The loudspeaker of claim 5 further comprising a plurality of lead wires including the lead wire, wherein the plurality of lead wires have respective elastic portions, and wherein the respective elastic portions are spaced around the voice coil.

7 . The loudspeaker of claim 6 , wherein the respective elastic portions of the plurality of lead wires are evenly spaced around the voice coil.

8 . The loudspeaker of claim 3 further comprising a hole in the center magnet along the central axis, wherein the elastic portion of the lead wire is within the hole.

9 . A loudspeaker, comprising:
a speaker housing; a diaphragm coupled to the speaker housing; a motor system to cause motion of the diaphragm in an axial direction, wherein the motor system includes a voice coil coupled to the diaphragm and one or more side magnets extending around the voice coil; and a lead wire connected to the voice coil, wherein the lead wire includes an elastic portion extending vertically within a cavity defined between the speaker housing, the voice coil, and the one or more side magnets.

10 . The loudspeaker of claim 9 , wherein the elastic portion includes a helical portion within the cavity.

11 . The loudspeaker of claim 10 , wherein the helical portion includes a conic helical portion.

12 . The loudspeaker of claim 9 further comprising a gap radially between one of the one or more side magnets and the speaker housing, wherein the lead wire does not extend through the gap.

13 . The loudspeaker of claim 9 further comprising a plurality of lead wires including the lead wire, wherein the plurality of lead wires have respective elastic portions, and wherein the respective elastic portions are spaced around the voice coil.

14 . The loudspeaker of claim 13 , wherein the respective elastic portions are evenly spaced around the voice coil.

15 . An electronic device, comprising:
a device housing; and a loudspeaker coupled to the device housing, the loudspeaker comprising:
a speaker housing,
a diaphragm coupled to the speaker housing,
a motor system to cause motion of the diaphragm in an axial direction, wherein the motor system includes a voice coil coupled to the diaphragm, and
a lead wire connected to the voice coil, wherein the lead wire includes an elastic portion having a plurality of compressible elements configured to extend and compress in the axial direction.

16 . The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the elastic portion includes a helical portion.

17 . The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the motor system includes a center magnet and one or more side magnets, and wherein the voice coil and the center magnet are coaxial along a central axis.

18 . The electronic device of claim 17 further comprising a gap radially between one of the one or more side magnets and the speaker housing, wherein the lead wire does not extend through the gap.

19 . The electronic device of claim 17 further comprising a cavity defined between the speaker housing, the voice coil, and the one or more side magnets, wherein the elastic portion of the lead wire is within the cavity.

20 . The electronic device of claim 19 further comprising a plurality of lead wires including the lead wire, wherein the plurality of lead wires have respective elastic portions, and wherein the respective elastic portions are spaced around the voice coil.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Wilk Christopher
• Rotolo Logan A
• Grazian Anthony P
• Ilkorur Onur I

Classifications

• H04R2499/11

  Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's · CPC title

• H04R1/06 Primary

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

• H04R9/025

  Magnetic circuit · CPC title

• H04R9/046

  Construction · CPC title

• H04R9/06

  Loudspeakers · CPC title