Sound device, and acoustic vehicle alerting system

Abstract

A sound device, and an acoustic vehicle alerting system having same. The sound device comprises a speaker and a protective cover arranged above the speaker, wherein the speaker is provided with a diaphragm which vibrates in a reciprocating manner along a vertically extending axis of motion. The protective cover is provided with a sound-transmitting grille, which directly faces the upper surface of the diaphragm and allows air flow to pass therethrough. The sound device further comprises a windproof ring, which is connected to the protective cover, is arranged around the sound-transmitting grille, and protrudes upward relative to the sound-transmitting grille. The sound device is adapted for use in an outdoor environment, has a relatively high sound pressure level, and is suitable for use in an acoustic vehicle alerting system.

Description

Sounding device and vehicle pedestrian warning device Related applications

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. CN 2023232775713, filed on December 1, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure belongs to the field of sound devices, in particular to the field of vehicle-mounted sound devices, and specifically relates to a sound device and an acoustic vehicle alerting system having the same. Background Art

[0003] Currently, the new energy vehicle industry is developing rapidly. New energy vehicles typically include electric vehicles, which are powered by batteries. Because new energy vehicles lack the engines of traditional fuel vehicles, they produce relatively low noise levels at low speeds, making them difficult for pedestrians to detect. This poses a safety hazard and can easily lead to traffic accidents in crowded and complex environments. Therefore, a pedestrian warning device for electric vehicles has been proposed. This device can alert pedestrians by emitting simulated sounds when an electric vehicle is driving at low speeds, thereby avoiding the risk of traffic accidents. This device also provides drivers with an intuitive driving experience, increasing the enjoyment of driving an electric vehicle while also preventing the risk of driver fatigue.

[0004] For example, patent CN208585167U discloses a pedestrian warning device for automobiles, which includes a warning device body having a cavity with one end open. Components are installed in the cavity, such as a sound-generating device for emitting pedestrian warning sounds. The sound-generating device is specifically a speaker, which has a basin frame, a vibration system composed of a paper basin, and a magnetic circuit system composed of a U iron. The paper basin is connected to the upper end of the basin frame through a folding ring. However, the pedestrian warning device is mounted on the outside of the vehicle (such as the front bumper), and the external airflow and noise will affect the sound-generating device of the pedestrian warning device, resulting in a low sound pressure level of the pedestrian warning device.

[0005] The disclosure of the above background technology content is only used to assist in understanding the inventive concept and technical solution of the present disclosure. It does not necessarily belong to the prior art of the present disclosure, nor does it necessarily provide technical guidance. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present disclosure relates to an improved sound-generating device suitable for use in outdoor environments and having a high sound pressure level. Another object of the present disclosure relates to a vehicle pedestrian warning device having the above-mentioned sound-generating device, which can reduce or avoid the influence of external airflow and has a high sound pressure level.

[0007] The first aspect of the present disclosure provides a sound-producing device, comprising a speaker and a protective cover arranged above the speaker, the speaker having a sound diaphragm that vibrates back and forth along a motion axis extending in an up-down direction, the protective cover having a sound-transmitting grille that allows airflow to pass through and is opposite to the upper surface of the sound diaphragm; the sound-producing device also includes a windproof ring, which is connected to the protective cover, is arranged around the sound-transmitting grille, and protrudes upward relative to the sound-transmitting grille.

[0008] In one embodiment, the windproof ring is in the shape of a hollow cylinder and has an open upper end and a lower end. The windproof ring is located above the protective cover.

[0009] In one embodiment, the lower end of the windproof ring is fixedly connected to or integrated with the protective cover.

[0010] In one embodiment, the orthographic projection of the windproof ring on the horizontal plane and the orthographic projection of the sound membrane on the horizontal plane are similar figures, and the centers or circle centers of the two coincide with each other.

[0011] In one embodiment, the area of ​​the orthographic projection of the upper end of the windproof ring on the horizontal plane is smaller than the area of ​​the orthographic projection of the lower end on the horizontal plane.

[0012] In one embodiment, the windproof ring has a side wall in a closed ring shape, and the side wall has a contraction section in the shape of a truncated cone.

[0013] In one embodiment, the contraction section is adjacent to the upper end of the windproof ring, and the cone angle of the truncated cone is 10-20 degrees.

[0014] In one embodiment, the area enclosed by the upper end of the windproof ring is smaller than the area enclosed by the lower end of the windproof ring.

[0015] In one embodiment, the windproof ring has a plurality of notches, and the notches extend downward from the upper end of the windproof ring to a predetermined depth, and the predetermined depth is less than half the height of the windproof ring.

[0016] In one embodiment, the height of the windproof ring is 12-30 mm, more preferably 15-20 mm.

[0017] In one embodiment, the material of the windproof ring and the protective cover are both plastic, and the windproof ring and the protective cover are integrally injection molded. Specifically, the material of the windproof ring is TPE (thermoplastic polyurethane), and it and the protective cover are obtained through a 2K injection molding process (two-color injection molding). The material of the protective cover can be PP (polypropylene) and other materials. The integrated setting of the windproof ring and the protective cover can avoid increasing the complexity of assembly, effectively avoid reducing assembly efficiency, and is conducive to unifying process standards. More importantly, the integrated design of the two can have a high bonding strength, effectively avoiding resonance with the speaker and causing noise.

[0018] In one embodiment, the protective cover has an annular supporting ring, the sound-transmitting grille includes a plurality of mutually intersecting ribs enclosed in the supporting ring, sound-transmitting holes allowing airflow to pass through are formed between the ribs, and the windproof ring is formed on the supporting ring.

[0019] A second aspect of the present disclosure further provides a vehicle pedestrian warning device, comprising a housing, the vehicle pedestrian warning device further comprising the aforementioned sounding device, the sounding device being disposed within the housing, the protective cover being mounted on the housing and covering the sounding device. In one embodiment, the windproof ring protrudes from an outer surface of the housing.

[0020] The sound-emitting device disclosed herein is provided with a windproof ring protruding outward on the protective cover. The windproof ring blocks the influence of external airflow and external noise on the sound performance of the speaker. The acoustic performance of the sound-emitting device is significantly improved. The sound pressure level (SPL) in the frequency range of 500-1700Hz is increased by an average of about 5dB, and it has higher sensitivity. It is suitable for use in outdoor sound-emitting equipment such as vehicle pedestrian warning devices.

[0021] In the preferred solution, the windproof ring and the protective cover are integrated. When the above advantages are achieved, there is good fastening and sealing between the windproof ring and other assembly parts and the speaker, which effectively reduces the resonance between the components and helps to reduce the generation of noise; and it does not increase the difficulty of assembly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present disclosure, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present disclosure. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0023] FIG1 is an exploded view of a vehicle pedestrian warning device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] FIG2 is a structural diagram of a windproof ring and protective cover assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] FIG3 is a top view of a vehicle pedestrian warning device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0026] FIG4 is a front view of a vehicle pedestrian warning device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] FIG5 is a side view of a vehicle pedestrian warning device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] FIG6 is a cross-sectional view of a windproof ring according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] FIG7 is an exploded view of the vehicle pedestrian warning device of Comparative Example 1;

[0030] Figure 8 is a comparison of the sound pressure curves of three types of vehicle pedestrian warning devices;

[0031] in,

[0032] 100 - Sound generating device; 200 - Box;

[0033] 1 - Speaker; 11 - Diaphragm; 12 - Bracket; 13 - Magnetic Circuit;

[0034] 2 - protective cover; 21 - sound-transmitting grille; 211 - ribs; 212 - sound-transmitting hole; 22 - support ring;

[0035] 3 - Windbreak; 3a - Upper end; 3b - Lower end; 31 - Contraction section; 32 - Notch. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] The preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings to make the advantages and features of the present disclosure more easily understood by those skilled in the art. It should be noted that the descriptions of these embodiments are intended to facilitate understanding of the present disclosure and do not constitute a limitation of the present disclosure. In addition, the technical features involved in the various embodiments of the present disclosure described below may be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0037] In this disclosure, the terms "inside" and "outside" are defined relative to the centerline of the speaker's voice coil, with the direction closer to the voice coil centerline being considered inside, and the direction farther from the centerline being considered outside. The directional terms "upper," "lower," and "horizontal" are intended to facilitate understanding of the structure of the sound-emitting device and the vehicle pedestrian warning device by those skilled in the art, and are not intended to limit the state of the speaker or vehicle pedestrian warning device after installation in a specific application scenario. For example, the device may be installed on the upper, lower, upright, or inclined surface of a vehicle component. Example

[0038] The present embodiment provides a sound-emitting device, which is suitable for use in outdoor environments, for example, in a pedestrian warning device of a vehicle (specifically, a battery-driven new energy vehicle, typically an electric car). Figures 1 and 3 to 5 illustrate a vehicle pedestrian warning device provided by the present embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle pedestrian warning device includes a housing 200 and the above-mentioned sound-emitting device 100. The sound-emitting device 100 is arranged in the housing 200 to emit a pedestrian warning sound, simulating the sound of the engine of a traditional vehicle to inform pedestrians that the vehicle is approaching, or to improve the driver's driving experience. The sound-emitting device 100 includes a speaker 1, a protective cover 2, and a windproof ring 3. The various components of the sound-emitting device 100 are described in detail below.

[0039] As shown in Figures 1 and 3 to 5 , a loudspeaker 1 includes a diaphragm 11 that reciprocates along a vertically extending axis. The diaphragm 11 is mounted within a bracket 12 of the loudspeaker 1, which is secured to the enclosure 200 by this rigid bracket 12. Specifically, the enclosure 200 has a cavity within which the magnetic circuit 13, voice coil (not shown), and other components of the loudspeaker 1 are located. In some embodiments, the diaphragm 11 may also be located within the cavity; or the bracket 12 may be entirely within the cavity, or only partially exposed. When the voice coil is energized, the magnetic circuit 13 provides an external magnetic field, driving the voice coil to reciprocate along the axis of motion, thereby driving the diaphragm 11 to vibrate and produce sound. It should be understood that for ease of description and understanding, the axis of motion in the figures extends vertically; however, the axis of motion can be oriented in any direction, including but not limited to vertical, horizontal, or at an angle to the horizontal, depending on the vehicle's installation space and design requirements.

[0040] The protective cover 2 is provided above the loudspeaker 1. Specifically, the protective cover 2 is mounted on the housing 200 and covers the sound-generating device 100, and is used to provide protection for the loudspeaker 1, and to protect the more fragile components inside the loudspeaker 1, such as the sound diaphragm 11. The protective cover 2 has a sound-transmitting grille 21 that allows sound to pass through, which is opposite to the upper surface of the sound diaphragm 11. Specifically, the protective cover 2 has an annular rigid support ring 22, which is fixedly connected to the housing 200, for example, by screws. The sound-transmitting grille 21 includes a plurality of mutually intersecting ribs 211, which are enclosed in the support ring 22, and sound-transmitting holes 212 that allow sound to pass through are formed between the ribs 211. Furthermore, the ribs 211 include ribs 211 extending linearly in both radial and latitudinal directions. Both ends of each rib 211 are fixedly connected to the support ring 22. The sound holes 212 formed between the ribs 211 have staggered upper and lower ends, meaning the middle section of the sound holes 212 bends or curves, rather than extending linearly along the aforementioned axis of motion. When viewed along the axis of motion, the sound holes 212 appear slit-like.

[0041] As shown in Figure 2 , the windshield 3 and protective cover 2 are fixedly connected or integrally formed. The windshield 3 surrounds the sound-transmitting grille 21 and projects upward relative to the sound-transmitting grille 21. It should be understood that in the example shown in the figure, the motion axis extends vertically and the front surface (i.e., the sound-radiating surface) of the diaphragm 2 faces upward, so the windshield 3 projects upward. In practice, if the motion axis is oriented in other directions, the projecting direction of the windshield 3 will vary accordingly, for example, it can project downward or laterally.

[0042] Furthermore, the windshield 3 protrudes outward from the outer surface of the housing 200. Specifically, the windshield 3 is formed on the support ring 22. As shown in Figures 2 and 6 , the windshield 3 is generally hollow and cylindrical, with an open upper end 3a and a lower end 3b. The lower end 3b of the windshield 3 is fixedly connected to or integral with the protective cover 2 (specifically, the support ring 22 of the protective cover 2). The orthographic projection of the windshield 3 on a horizontal plane is similar to the orthographic projection of the diaphragm 11 on a horizontal plane, and their centers or circles coincide, for example, forming two concentric circles of different sizes. The windshield 3 has a closed annular sidewall with a tapered section 31 in the shape of a truncated cone. Consequently, the orthographic projection of the upper end 3a of the windshield 3 on a horizontal plane is smaller than the orthographic projection of the lower end 3b on a horizontal plane. The tapered section 31 is adjacent to the upper end 3a of the windshield 3, and the angle of the truncated cone is between 10 and 20 degrees. That is to say, the angle between the contraction section 31 and the vertical plane is 5 to 10 degrees.

[0043] The windproof ring 3 has a plurality of notches 32, which extend downward from the upper end 3a of the windproof ring 3 to a predetermined depth, and the predetermined depth is less than half the height of the windproof ring 3. The plurality of notches 32 are evenly distributed along the circumference of the windproof ring 3 to prevent the windproof ring 3 from deforming. It should also be noted that the windproof ring 3 is a continuous closed ring to enclose the sound-transmitting grille 21; except for the notches 32, the windproof ring 3 is not provided with through holes or through grooves. The height of the windproof ring 3 is 12~30mm, preferably 15~20mm; the thickness is 1.5~3mm.

[0044] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the windproof ring 3 and the protective cover 2 are integrally injection molded, and the windproof ring 3 and the supporting ring 22 of the protective cover 2 are integral. Both are made of plastic. For example, the material of the windproof ring 3 is TPE (thermoplastic polyurethane), and it and the protective cover 2 are obtained through a 2K injection molding process (two-color injection molding). The material of the protective cover 2 can be PP (polypropylene) and other materials. The integral setting of the windproof ring 3 and the protective cover 2 can avoid increasing the complexity of assembly, effectively avoid reducing assembly efficiency, and is conducive to unifying process standards. More importantly, the integrated design of the two can have a high bonding strength, effectively avoiding resonance with the speaker 1 and causing noise.

[0045] The sound-generating device 100 is specifically used as a mid-low frequency sound-generating unit of an audio system, or as a vehicle pedestrian warning device having a high sound pressure level advantage in the mid-low frequency band.

[0046] Comparative Example 1

[0047] 7 , the difference between the vehicle pedestrian warning device provided in Comparative Example 1 and the embodiment is that the vehicle pedestrian warning device in Comparative Example 1 does not include a windproof ring 3 , and other parts are exactly the same as those in the embodiment.

[0048] Comparative Example 2

[0049] The difference between the vehicle pedestrian warning device provided in Comparative Example 2 and the embodiment is that the vehicle pedestrian warning device in Comparative Example 2 does not include the protective cover 2 and the windproof ring 3, and the other parts are exactly the same as those in the embodiment.

[0050] Sound evaluation:

[0051] Three pedestrian warning devices of the same specifications, from the embodiment, comparative example 1, and comparative example 3, were selected as test subjects. Their sound radiation areas were equal, and their sound pressure curves are shown in Figure 8 . The three sound pressure curves in Figure 8 show that within the frequency range of 500-1700 Hz, the average sensitivity (SPL) of the vehicle pedestrian warning device of the embodiment is 5 dB higher than that of the pedestrian warning devices of comparative examples 1 and 2, indicating that the vehicle pedestrian warning device of the embodiment exhibits a higher sound pressure level.

[0052] The sound-generating device 100 and the pedestrian warning device of the embodiment have the following advantages:

[0053] A protruding windshield 3 is provided on the protective cover 2. This windshield 3 blocks the effects of external airflow and noise on the sound performance of the speaker 1. This significantly improves the acoustic performance of the sound-generating device 100, significantly increasing the sound pressure level (SPL) by approximately 5dB on average within the 500-1700Hz frequency range, resulting in higher sensitivity and suitability for use in outdoor sound-generating devices such as pedestrian warning devices. In particular, the windshield 3 is integrally formed with the protective cover 2. This achieves the aforementioned advantages by ensuring a secure and airtight seal between the windshield 3 and other components and the speaker 1, effectively reducing resonance between components and noise generation, while also minimizing assembly complexity.

[0054] Features of embodiments of the present disclosure are set forth in the following clauses:

[0055] Item 1. A sound-emitting device, comprising a speaker and a protective cover arranged above the speaker, the speaker having a sound diaphragm that vibrates back and forth along a motion axis extending in an up-down direction, the protective cover having a sound-transmitting portion that allows sound to pass through and is opposite to the upper surface of the sound diaphragm, wherein the sound-emitting device further comprises a windproof ring, the windproof ring and the protective cover are fixedly connected or integrally arranged, the windproof ring is arranged around the sound-transmitting portion, and the windproof ring protrudes upward relative to the sound-transmitting portion.

[0056] Clause 2. The sound-generating device according to Clause 1, wherein the windproof ring is in the shape of a hollow cylinder as a whole and has an open upper end and a lower end.

[0057] Clause 3. The sound-generating device according to Clause 2, wherein the lower end of the windproof ring is fixedly connected to or integrated with the protective cover.

[0058] Clause 4. The sound-emitting device according to Clause 2, wherein the orthographic projection of the windproof ring on the horizontal plane and the orthographic projection of the sound membrane on the horizontal plane are similar figures, and the centers or circle centers of the two coincide with each other.

[0059] Clause 5. The sound-emitting device according to Clause 4, wherein the area of ​​the orthographic projection of the upper end of the windproof ring on the horizontal plane is smaller than the area of ​​the orthographic projection of the lower end on the horizontal plane.

[0060] Clause 6. The sound-generating device according to Clause 5, wherein the windproof ring has a side wall enclosing a closed ring, and the side wall has a contraction section that is overall in the shape of a truncated cone.

[0061] Clause 7. The sound-emitting device according to Clause 6, wherein the contraction section is adjacent to the upper end of the windproof ring, and the cone angle of the truncated cone is 10 to 20 degrees.

[0062] Clause 8. The sound-emitting device according to Clause 2, wherein the windproof ring has a plurality of notches, the notches extending downward from the upper end of the windproof ring to a predetermined depth, the predetermined depth being less than half the height of the windproof ring, and the height of the windproof ring being 12 to 30 mm.

[0063] Clause 9. A sound-emitting device according to any one of clauses 1 to 8, wherein the materials of the windproof ring and the protective cover are both plastic, the windproof ring and the protective cover are integrally injection-molded, the protective cover has a circle of supporting ring, the sound-transmitting part includes a plurality of mutually intersecting ribs enclosed in the supporting ring, sound-transmitting holes that allow sound to pass through are formed between the ribs, and the windproof ring is formed on the supporting ring.

[0064] Item 10. A vehicle pedestrian warning device, comprising a housing, wherein the vehicle pedestrian warning device further comprises a sound-emitting device as described in any one of Items 1 to 9, the sound-emitting device is arranged in the housing, the protective cover is mounted on the housing and covers the sound-emitting device, and the windproof ring protrudes from the outer surface of the housing.

[0065] As shown in this specification and claims, the terms "comprise" and "include" only indicate the inclusion of the steps and elements that have been explicitly identified, and these steps and elements do not constitute an exclusive list. The method or apparatus may also include other steps or elements.

[0066] Those skilled in the art will understand that, unless otherwise stated, the singular forms "a", "the" and "the" used herein may also include plural forms. It is further understood that "a plurality" in this disclosure refers to two or more, and other quantifiers are similar thereto.

[0067] It will be further understood that the terms "first," "second," and the like are used to describe various types of information, but such information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are used solely to distinguish information of the same type from one another and do not indicate a particular order or level of importance. In fact, the terms "first," "second," and the like are fully interchangeable. For example, first information could be referred to as second information, and similarly, second information could be referred to as first information without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0068] In the present disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include the first and second features being in direct contact, or may include the first and second features being in contact not directly but through another feature between them. Moreover, a first feature being "above," "above," and "above" a second feature includes the first feature being directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below," "below," and "below" a second feature includes the first feature being directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0069] The above embodiment is only for illustrating the technical concept and features of the present disclosure and is a preferred embodiment. Its purpose is to enable people familiar with this technology to understand the content of the present disclosure and implement it accordingly, and it cannot be used to limit the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A sound-generating device, comprising: A loudspeaker having a sound diaphragm that reciprocates along a motion axis extending in an up-and-down direction; A protective cover is arranged above the speaker, the protective cover comprises a sound-transmitting grille, the sound-transmitting grille faces the upper surface of the sound membrane and allows airflow to pass through; and A windproof ring is connected to the protective cover, the windproof ring is arranged around the sound-transmitting grille, and the windproof ring protrudes upward relative to the sound-transmitting grille.

2. The sound generating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The windproof ring is in the shape of a hollow cylinder as a whole and has an open upper end and a lower end. The windproof ring is located above the protective cover.

3. The sound-generating device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The lower end of the windproof ring is fixedly connected to or integrated with the protective cover.

4. The sound generating device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The orthographic projection of the windproof ring on the horizontal plane and the orthographic projection of the sound membrane on the horizontal plane are similar figures, and the centers or circle centers of the two coincide with each other.

5. The sound generating device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The area of ​​the orthographic projection of the upper end of the windproof ring on the horizontal plane is smaller than the area of ​​the orthographic projection of the lower end on the horizontal plane.

6. The sound generating device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The windproof ring has a side wall in a closed ring shape, and the side wall has a contraction section in a truncated cone shape as a whole.

7. The sound generating device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The contraction section is adjacent to the upper end of the windproof ring, and the cone angle of the truncated cone is 10 to 20 degrees.

8. The sound generating device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The area enclosed by the upper end of the windproof ring is smaller than the area enclosed by the lower end of the windproof ring.

9. The sound generating device according to any one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that: The windproof ring has a plurality of notches, and the notches extend downward from the upper end of the windproof ring to a predetermined depth, and the predetermined depth is less than half of the height of the windproof ring.

10. The sound generating device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The height of the windproof ring is 12-30 mm.

11. The sound generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: The windproof ring and the protective cover are both made of plastic, and the windproof ring and the protective cover are integrally injection-molded.

12. A sound generating device according to any preceding claim, characterised in that The protective cover has an annular supporting ring, and the sound-transmitting grille includes a plurality of mutually intersecting ribs enclosed in the supporting ring, and sound-transmitting holes for allowing airflow to pass through are formed between the ribs.

13. The sound generating device according to claim 12, characterized in that: The windproof ring is connected to the supporting ring, and the windproof ring is located above the supporting ring.

14. A vehicle pedestrian warning device, comprising a box, characterized in that: The vehicle pedestrian warning device also includes a sound-generating device as described in any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the sound-generating device is disposed in the box body, and the protective cover is mounted on the box body and covers the sound-generating device.

15. The vehicle pedestrian warning device according to claim 14, characterized in that: The windproof ring protrudes from the outer surface of the box body.

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