Acoustic Lens Redirects Soundwaves Off-Axis for Vehicle Audio
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Solution Overview
Problem
In vehicle environments, soundwaves from tweeters often do not directly reach passengers seated off-axis, leading to adverse listening experiences due to reflections, resulting in noticeable resonances, subdued high frequencies, and unstable sound images.
Innovation Solution
An acoustic lens is positioned in front of the transducer to redirect soundwaves from a straight axis to an off-axis direction, providing a nearly 360° line-of-sight and improving sound distribution by allowing direct and indirect off-axis soundwave paths to reach passengers, thereby enhancing the listening experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the tweeter aligns on an axis perpendicular to the dashboard surface, then the transducer structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the soundwave cannot directly reach off-axis seats, causing adverse listening experiences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an acoustic lens as an intermediary component between the tweeter and the off-axis seats. The lens redirects soundwaves that would otherwise travel only along the axis to also reach off-axis positions, thereby mediating the sound transmission path without requiring complex repositioning of the tweeter itself
Solution Approach 2:
The acoustic lens expands the soundwave propagation from a one-dimensional axial path to a two-dimensional coverage area including off-axis directions. By adding this dimensional aspect to sound distribution, the system maintains simple transducer mounting while achieving broader spatial coverage
2Object-affected harmful factors
If soundwave reflects off surfaces to reach the seat, then the soundwave can reach off-axis positions, but the listening experience deteriorates with noticeable resonances and subdued high frequencies
Solution Approach 1:
The acoustic lens performs preliminary redirection of soundwaves before they would otherwise reflect off surfaces. By pre-adjusting the soundwave paths through the lens, the system achieves direct off-axis sound transmission, eliminating the need for problematic surface reflections that cause resonances and frequency degradation
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the acoustic lens redirects soundwave to off-axis direction, then the listening experience improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The acoustic lens is designed as a separate, modular component that can be independently manufactured and installed. This segmentation allows the complex sound redirection function to be isolated in a dedicated element without complicating the tweeter assembly itself, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while achieving improved sound distribution
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The acoustic lens achieves clean high-frequency reproduction, unobtrusive resonances, and a stable center sound image by effectively directing soundwaves to passengers, improving the overall listening experience.
Implementation Method 1
The acoustic lens is configured to direct the soundwave from the transducer from traveling in the direction along the axis to traveling in an off-axis direction
Implementation Method 2
The bottom surface is configured to direct the soundwave from the transducer to travel through the opening
Data Source
AI summary
An acoustic lens for a transducer. In at least one embodiment, the acoustic lens includes a body aligned on an axis. The body includes a top surface, a sidewall that extends from the top surface, and a bottom surface that is generally opposite the top surface. The sidewall includes an opening for a soundwave from the transducer to travel through in an off-axis direction.