Variable directional microphone

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9497538-B2
Application number	US-201514795452-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2015
Priority date	Jul 15, 2014
Publication date	Nov 15, 2016
Grant date	Nov 15, 2016

Abstract

A variable directional microphone includes a unidirectional microphone unit having a front acoustic terminal and a rear acoustic terminal; an acoustic tube which accommodates the microphone unit therein and having a plurality of acoustic resistance openings in a circumferential wall thereof; a supporting member mounted within the acoustic tube to be movable along an axis of the acoustic tube and supporting the microphone unit, the supporting member having a predetermined acoustic resistance and allowing transmission of sound waves; and further includes a gap formed between an outer circumferential wall of the microphone unit and an inner circumferential wall of the acoustic tube for providing communication between the front acoustic terminal and the rear acoustic terminal. Directionality of the variable directional microphone changes depending on the position of the microphone unit in the acoustic tube.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A variable directional microphone comprising:
a unidirectional microphone unit having a front acoustic terminal and a rear acoustic terminal;
an acoustic tube accommodating the microphone unit therein and having a plurality of acoustic resistance openings in a circumferential wall thereof;
a supporting member supporting the microphone unit within the acoustic tube and moving along an axis of the acoustic tube together with the microphone unit, the supporting member having a predetermined acoustic resistance and allowing transmission of sound waves; and
a gap formed between an outer circumferential wall of the microphone unit and an inner circumferential wall of the acoustic tube for providing communication between the front acoustic terminal and the rear acoustic terminal.

2. The variable directional microphone according to claim 1 , wherein the supporting member is made of foamed material having air-permeability.

3. The variable directional microphone according to claim 2 , wherein the supporting member is elastic.

4. The variable directional microphone according to claim 3 , wherein the acoustic tube further includes a slit-like slide groove along the axial direction, and the microphone unit is movable along the slide groove.

5. The variable directional microphone according to claim 4 , wherein the microphone unit further includes a protrusion protruding from the slide groove, the protrusion is configured to be movable so as to change a position of the microphone unit.

6. The variable directional microphone according to claim 5 , wherein elastic material members are provided on both sides of the slide groove and sealed together, and the protrusion protrudes outward through the scaled portion of the elastic material members.

7. The variable directional microphone according to claim 2 , wherein the acoustic tube further includes a slit-like slide groove along the axial direction, and the microphone unit is movable along the slide groove.

8. The variable directional microphone according to claim 7 , wherein the microphone unit further includes a protrusion protruding from the slide groove, the protrusion is configured to be movable so as to change a position of the microphone unit.

9. The variable directional microphone according to claim 8 , wherein elastic material members are provided on both sides of the slide groove and sealed together, and the protrusion protrudes outward through the sealed portion of the elastic material members.

10. The variable directional microphone according to claim 1 , wherein directionality changes depending on a position of the microphone unit in the acoustic tube.

11. The variable directional microphone according to claim 1 , wherein the supporting member is arranged with the microphone unit in the acoustic tube such that a directionality of the microphone is unidirectional when the supporting member is placed at a front end of the acoustic tube with microphone unit, and the directionality of the microphone becomes narrower than that placed at the front end when the supporting member is placed at a rear end of the acoustic tube with the microphone unit.

12. A variable directional microphone comprising:
a unidirectional microphone unit having a front acoustic terminal and a rear acoustic terminal;
an acoustic tube accommodating the microphone unit therein and having a plurality of acoustic resistance openings in a circumferential wall thereof;
a supporting member mounted within the acoustic tube to be movable along an axis of the acoustic tube and supporting the microphone unit, the supporting member having a predetermined acoustic resistance and allowing transmission of sound waves; and
a gap formed between an outer circumferential wall of the microphone unit and an inner circumferential wall of the acoustic tube for providing communication between the front acoustic terminal and the rear acoustic terminal,
wherein the acoustic tube further includes a slit-like slide groove along the axial direction, and the microphone unit is movable along the slide groove.

13. The variable directional microphone according to claim 12 , wherein the microphone unit further includes a protrusion protruding from the slide groove, the protrusion is configured to be movable so as to change a position of the microphone unit.

14. The variable directional microphone according to claim 13 , wherein elastic material members are provided on both sides of the slide groove and sealed together, and the protrusion protrudes outward through the sealed portion of the elastic material members.

Assignees

• Audio Technica Kk

Inventors

• Akino Hiroshi

Classifications

• H04R1/326 Primary

  for microphones (H04R1/34 and H04R1/40 take precedence) · CPC title

• H04R1/02

  Casings; Cabinets {; Supports therefor;} Mountings therein (H04R1/28 takes precedence {; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075}) · CPC title

• H04R1/40

  by combining a number of identical transducers {(specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/405)} · CPC title