Micromechanical Diaphragm Spring Spacer Reduces Flexural Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
Micromechanical diaphragm systems with double diaphragms face challenges in achieving a balance between sensitivity and flexural strength due to the high flexural strength caused by support columns, leading to either large diaphragms for sensitivity or low sensitivity microphones with stiffening issues.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of spacer elements with spring elements between the diaphragms, allowing lateral mobility and reducing flexural strength, enables the design of more sensitive microphones with the same area or smaller microphones with the same sensitivity by compensating for bending-induced movements, while maintaining structural stability through specific arrangements and materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If support columns are used to maintain structural stability between diaphragms, then the diaphragm system becomes robust to external pressure, but the flexural strength increases excessively, reducing sensitivity
Solution Approach 1:
The support columns are transformed into spring elements that can laterally displace, changing the mechanical parameters from rigid to compliant. This allows the support structure to maintain stability while reducing flexural strength and preventing force transmission between diaphragms
Solution Approach 2:
The support elements are made dynamically compliant through the spring mechanism, allowing lateral displacement in response to bending forces. This dynamic capability enables the structure to absorb bending-induced movements rather than resisting them rigidly
2Strength
If the thickness of individual diaphragms is reduced to decrease flexural strength, then the diaphragms become softer and more sensitive, but they become more prone to collapse under external pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The spring elements change the mechanical parameter of the support structure from rigid to compliant, allowing lateral displacement that accommodates diaphragm bending without transmitting destabilizing forces, thereby enabling thinner diaphragms to maintain reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The spring elements act as intermediary components between the diaphragms and support structure, mediating the interaction by absorbing bending-induced movements and preventing direct force transmission that would cause collapse
3Reliability
If more support elements are added to prevent collapse of thinner diaphragms, then structural reliability improves, but the overall diaphragm system becomes stiffened
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the parameter of the support elements from rigid to spring-based compliant structures, the system can incorporate multiple support elements for reliability while each element independently absorbs bending forces through lateral displacement, preventing cumulative stiffening
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
This configuration results in a micromechanical diaphragm system with reduced flexural strength, enabling more sensitive microphones or smaller sensitive microphones, and prevents collapse by distributing pressure effectively, thus improving the overall performance and sensitivity of the system.
Implementation Method 1
The first supporting element and the second supporting element are connected via a spring element
Data Source
AI summary
A micromechanical diaphragm system including a first diaphragm and a second diaphragm and spacer elements which are arranged between the first diaphragm and the second diaphragm. At least one spacer element has a first supporting element and a second supporting element. The first supporting element faces the first diaphragm. The second supporting element faces the second diaphragm. The first supporting element and the second supporting element are connected via a spring element.