Waterproof speaker module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9820038-B2
Application number	US-201315025328-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2013
Priority date	Sep 30, 2013
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

A waterproof speaker module may include a membrane formed from at least one waterproof and elastic material and a supporting structure. The membrane may include an outer surface, an inner surface, and at least one concave region that is indented toward the inner surface. The supporting structure may be coupled to the membrane and include a support structure that mates with the concave region of the membrane when the speaker is subjected to a hydrostatic load. When the speaker is not subjected to a hydrostatic load, the support structure may contact the concave region. In this way, the membrane may be resistant to tearing or rupture due to hydrostatic load.

First claim

We claim:

1. A waterproof speaker module, comprising:
a membrane formed from a waterproof and elastic material and including:
a main region that is generally planar;
a coupling region; and
an indented region connecting the main region and the coupling region; and

a support coupled to the coupling region of the membrane such that the indented region projects toward the support; wherein:
the support supports the membrane by contacting the indented region when the speaker module is subjected to a hydrostatic load; and
the support slopes away from the membrane.

2. The speaker module of claim 1 , wherein the support is shaped to correspond to a shape of the indented region.

3. The speaker module of claim 1 , wherein the membrane is formed from at least one of silicone or an elastomer.

4. The speaker module of claim 1 , wherein the support is formed from steel.

5. The speaker module of claim 1 , wherein the support is operable to direct at least one magnetic flux utilized in operation of the speaker module.

6. The speaker module of claim 1 , further comprising a stiffening structure coupled to at least a portion of the membrane that assists in vibration of the at least one membrane.

7. The speaker module of claim 6 , wherein the stiffening structure comprises at least one of aluminum, a polymer, or polyethylene terephthalate.

8. The speaker module of claim 6 , wherein the stiffening structure comprises a rigid material.

9. The speaker module of claim 6 , wherein the stiffening structure is dome shaped.

10. The speaker module of claim 1 , further comprising a voice coil mechanically bonded to at least a portion of the membrane.

11. The speaker module of claim 10 , further comprising:
a center magnet that is operable to direct magnetic flux toward the membrane; and
a side magnet that is operable to direct the magnetic flux away from the membrane;
wherein at least a portion of the voice coil is positioned around the center magnet, the voice coil is separated from the center magnet by a first gap, and the voice coil is separated from the side magnet by a second gap.

12. The speaker module of claim 11 , further comprising a yoke that is coupled to at least one of the center magnet or the side magnet.

13. The speaker module of claim 11 , further comprising a lid member coupled to the center magnet that resists downward motion of the membrane.

14. The speaker module of claim 1 , further comprising a sealing ring coupled to at least a portion of the membrane.

15. The speaker module of claim 1 , wherein the membrane is chemically bonded to at least one component of the speaker module.

16. The speaker module of claim 1 , further comprising a catch mechanism that restrains an amount that the membrane can move.

17. The speaker module of claim 1 , further comprising a pressure release mechanism that is operable to release internal pressure of the speaker module.

18. The speaker module of claim 1 , wherein the speaker module comprises a piezoelectric speaker module.

19. The speaker module of claim 1 , wherein the speaker module is hermetically sealed.

20. The speaker module of claim 1 , wherein the support does not contact the indented region when the speaker module is not subjected to the hydrostatic load.

21. A system, comprising: a waterproof speaker module, comprising:
a membrane formed from a waterproof and elastic material and including: at least one outer surface, at least one inner surface,
a primary region that is generally planar;
a coupling region; and
an indented region connecting the primary region and the coupling region; and

that a support coupled to the coupling region of the membrane such that the indented region projects toward the support; wherein:
the support structure supports the membrane by mating with the indented region when the speaker module is subjected to a hydrostatic load; and
the support slopes away from the coupling region.

22. A method of operating a speaker module, comprising:
when a speaker module is subject to a hydrostatic load, supporting an indented region of a membrane of the speaker module by sealing against a support that slopes away from the membrane, the membrane including:
a primary region that is generally planar; and
an indented region that projects toward the support portion;
and
when the speaker module is not subject to the hydrostatic load, not contacting the indented region with the support.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising subjecting the speaker module to the hydrostatic load.

24. The method of claim 22 , further comprising vibrating the membrane utilizing a voice coil.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein said operation of vibrating the membrane utilizing the voice coil vibrates a stiffening structure coupled to the membrane.

26. The method of claim 22 , further comprising releasing internal pressure of the speaker module when the speaker module is subjected to the hydrostatic load.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Salvatti Alexander V
• Bright Andrew
• Wilk Christopher
• Crosby Justin D
• Vitt Nikolas T
• Vieites Pablo Seoane
• Dave Ruchir M
• Weiss Samuel Bruce
• Sipila Teemu P

Classifications

• H04R1/44 Primary

  Special adaptations for subaqueous use, e.g. for hydrophone · CPC title

• H04R9/06

  Loudspeakers · CPC title

• H04R1/026

  Supports for loudspeaker casings · CPC title