Balanced Armature Receiver with Liquid-Resistant Pressure Relief Vent

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023217153-A1
Application number	US-202117561691-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 23, 2021
Priority date	Dec 23, 2021
Publication date	Jul 6, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A balanced armature receiver includes a gas permeable barrier located on a portion of the receiver defining a back volume to provide barometric relief. The barrier can be located in a wall portion or diaphragm of the receiver to vent the back volume to an exterior of the receiver directly, via a front volume, or via a nozzle. The gas permeable barrier is impermeable to liquid infiltration and can be configured to influence the low frequency response of the receiver.

First claim

1 . A balanced armature receiver comprising:
a housing; a diaphragm disposed in the housing and separating an interior of the housing into a front volume and a back volume; a sound port between the front volume and an exterior of the housing; a motor disposed in the housing and comprising a coil located proximate an armature having a free-end portion movably located between permanent magnets retained by a yoke, the free-end portion of the armature coupled to a movable portion of the diaphragm; a gas permeable barrier located on a portion of the receiver defining the back volume, the gas permeable barrier substantially impermeable to liquid infiltration, wherein the gas permeable barrier provides barometric relief for the back volume of the housing.

2 . The balanced armature receiver of claim 1 , wherein the gas permeable barrier has a specific acoustic impedance of 5,000 MKS Rayl or greater and the gas permeable barrier forms a barometric relief vent in the back volume.

3 . The balanced armature receiver of claim 2 , wherein the barometric relief vent has an acoustic resistance of between 5E9 Pa-s/m^3 and 1E13 Pa-s/m^3.

4 . The balanced armature receiver of claim 3 , wherein the barometric relief vent comprises an aperture having a diameter between 0.1 mm and 1.0 mm.

5 . The balanced armature receiver of claim 1 , wherein the gas permeable barrier comprises an oleophobic coating.

6 . The balanced armature receiver of claim 1 , the housing comprises a nozzle including a sound tube portion and a base portion, the base portion coupled to a wall portion defining the back volume, the nozzle acoustically coupled to the sound port, wherein the gas permeable barrier is disposed on the wall portion defining the back volume.

7 . The balanced armature receiver of claim 6 , wherein the gas permeable barrier is located within the nozzle.

8 . The balanced armature receiver of claim 7 , wherein the gas permeable barrier is retained between the wall portion defining the back volume and the base portion of the nozzle.

9 . The balanced armature receiver of claim 1 , wherein the gas permeable barrier is located within the housing and provides barometric relief directly to the exterior of the housing.

10 . The balanced armature receiver of claim 9 , wherein the gas permeable barrier is mechanically clamped to an inner surface of the housing.

11 . The balanced armature receiver of claim 1 , wherein the gas permeable barrier is disposed on a portion of the diaphragm.

12 . The balanced armature receiver of claim 11 , wherein the gas permeable barrier is clamped between a portion of the diaphragm and the housing.

13 . The balanced armature receiver of claim 11 , wherein the diaphragm comprises a paddle movably coupled to a frame by a flexible membrane, the flexible membrane comprising the gas permeable barrier.

14 . The balanced armature receiver of claim 11 , wherein the diaphragm comprises a paddle movably coupled to a frame by a flexible membrane, the paddle comprising the gas permeable barrier.

15 . The balanced armature receiver of claim 1 further comprising a terminal fastened to the housing, the terminal including contacts electrically coupled to the coil, wherein the terminal is co-located with the gas permeable barrier.

16 . The balanced armature receiver of claim 1 , wherein the barometric relief causes a deviation in a frequency response of the balanced armature receiver of 3 dB at a frequency less than 200 Hz compared to a characteristic frequency response of the balanced armature receiver in the absence of the barometric relief.

17 . The balanced armature receiver of claim 1 , wherein the barometric relief causes a deviation in a frequency response of the balanced armature receiver of 3 dB at a frequency less than 100 Hz compared to a characteristic frequency response of the balanced armature receiver in the absence of the barometric relief.

18 . The balanced armature receiver of claim 1 , wherein the barometric relief causes a deviation in a frequency response of the balanced armature receiver of 3 dB at a frequency less than 50 Hz compared to a characteristic frequency response of the balanced armature receiver in the absence of the barometric relief.

19 . The balanced armature receiver of claim 1 , wherein the gas permeable barrier forms a barometric relief vent with an acoustic resistance of 5E9 Pa-s/m^3 or greater. and comprising a material with a specific acoustic impedance of at least 5,000 MKS Rayl.

20 . The balanced armature receiver of claim 9 , wherein the gas permeable barrier is secured to an inner surface of the housing with a glue.

Assignees

• Knowles Electronics Llc

Inventors

• Varanda Brenno
• Monti Chris
• Kearey Steve
• Jacob Donald Verghese
• Wickstrom Tim
• Salazar Jose
• Grossman Alex
• Manley Matt

Classifications

• H04R11/02 Primary

  Loudspeakers · CPC title

• H04R2460/11

  Aspects relating to vents, e.g. shape, orientation, acoustic properties in ear tips of hearing devices to prevent occlusion · CPC title

• H04R1/2823 Primary

  Vents, i.e. ports, e.g. shape thereof or tuning thereof with damping material · CPC title

• H04R9/06 Primary

  Loudspeakers · CPC title

• H04R9/025

  Magnetic circuit · CPC title