Deployable Waveguide Vanes for Loudspeaker Directionality
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Acoustic Hailing Devices (AHDs) face challenges in achieving a balance between acoustic efficiency and portability, as increasing the size of the horn to enhance directionality and reduce beamwidth complicates transportation and deployment.
Innovation Solution
A directional loudspeaker with a self-contained deployable waveguide system, featuring a primary waveguide and secondary vanes that can be extended or retracted to adjust the mouth size, enhancing acoustic efficiency and beam control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the horn mouth size is increased to enhance acoustic efficiency and reduce beamwidth, then the acoustic performance is improved, but the device size and weight increase, making transportation and deployment more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The waveguide system employs deployable vanes that can be extended or retracted to dynamically adjust the horn mouth size. When deployed, the vanes increase the effective horn aperture to improve acoustic efficiency and reduce beamwidth. When retracted, the system maintains a compact form factor for easy transportation and storage, thus resolving the contradiction between acoustic performance and portability.
Solution Approach 2:
The waveguide system is divided into a fixed primary waveguide component and movable secondary vane components. This segmentation allows the horn mouth size to be adjusted by deploying or retracting the secondary vanes, enabling the system to optimize acoustic performance only when needed while maintaining portability during transportation.
2Shape
If the horn mouth size is increased to reduce acoustic beam width, then the directionality is improved, but the device complexity and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The waveguide system uses deployable vanes that can be extended or retracted to dynamically adjust the horn mouth size. When deployed, the vanes increase the effective horn aperture to improve acoustic efficiency and reduce beamwidth. When retracted, the system maintains a compact form factor for easy transportation and storage, thus resolving the contradiction between acoustic performance and portability.
Solution Approach 2:
The waveguide system is divided into a fixed primary waveguide component and movable secondary vane components. This segmentation allows the horn mouth size to be adjusted by deploying or retracting the secondary vanes, enabling the system to optimize acoustic performance only when needed while maintaining portability during transportation.
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 solution allows for improved acoustic efficiency and narrower beamwidth, enabling clearer sound transmission over long distances while maintaining a compact form for easy transportation and deployment.
Implementation Method 1
AHDs achieve this narrowly focused acoustic beam using acoustic waveguides, or horns.
Implementation Method 2
The directional loudspeaker in an AHD system produces audible acoustic sound waves that propagate from the loudspeaker in a narrowly focused generally cone-shaped acoustic beam.
Data Source
AI summary
A directional loudspeaker with one or more electroacoustic transducers incorporated into an acoustic waveguide system. The acoustic waveguide system is comprised of a primary, fixed waveguide that is incorporated into the body of the loudspeaker, and a secondary set of one or more acoustic waveguide vanes that can be deployed to extend the size of the primary acoustic waveguide's mouth. When operating with the secondary waveguide vanes deployed, the increased mouth size results in improved acoustic efficiency and a narrower acoustic beam width compared to operation with the secondary waveguides retracted.