Elastic Valve Plate Air Valve for Micro Speaker

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing air valves are too large and complex, making them unsuitable for micro speakers with limited space, which restricts their application in smaller electronic products.

Innovation Solution

A compact air valve design featuring an elastic valve plate that deforms to open and close without the need for additional space or components like springs, allowing for thinner and smaller size, enabling adjustment of air pressure in micro speakers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a traditional air valve with valve plate, spring and movement space is used, then the air pressure adjustment function is achieved, but the size and complexity of the speaker increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair pressure adjustment functionVSAvoidvalve structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the spring component from the traditional air valve structure. The valve plate is designed to be elastically deformable itself, serving both as the closing element and the spring, thereby simplifying the overall structure while maintaining the air pressure adjustment function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention merges the valve plate and spring functions into a single integrated component. The elastic valve plate combines the sealing function of a traditional valve plate with the restoring force function of a spring, reducing the number of parts and simplifying the valve structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of operation

If a traditional air valve with sufficient movement space is used, then the valve plate can open and close properly, but the speaker size increases and cannot be made thin

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevalve plate movementVSAvoidspeaker thickness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses a thin, elastically deformable valve plate that can bend and deform to open the air inlet. This flexible membrane structure replaces the traditional rigid valve plate requiring large movement space, enabling the air valve to function within a thin profile suitable for modern portable devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Volume of stationary object

If the valve plate movement space is reduced for smaller speaker size, then the speaker becomes more compact, but the valve plate cannot achieve sufficient lift for proper opening

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespeaker volumeVSAvoidvalve plate lift capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the physical parameters of the valve plate by selecting materials with appropriate elastic modulus and designing optimized thickness and geometry. This allows the valve plate to achieve sufficient deformation and lift capability within a compact space, maintaining proper opening function while reducing overall speaker volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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

Enables easy adjustment of micro speakers in limited spaces, improving performance by allowing adaptation to various audio frequency bands without increasing size or complexity.

Implementation Method 1

an elastic valve plate, an air inlet penetrating through an inner surface and an outer surface of the valve body, and an air outlet penetrating through the inner and outer surfaces of the valve plate, wherein the valve plate is connected with the valve body in a sealing manner

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3228909B1Air valve and loudspeaker
Publication Date: 2019.12.04 GOERTEK INC
  • EP3228909B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3228909B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3228909B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The present invention discloses an air valve and a speaker. The air valve comprises a valve body (11), an elastic valve plate (12), an air inlet (13) penetrating through an inner surface (11b) and an outer surface (11a) of the valve body (11), and an air outlet (14) penetrating through an inner surface (12b) and an outer surface (12a) of the valve plate (12), wherein the valve plate (12) is connected with the valve body (11) in a sealing manner to form an annular sealing area encircling the air outlet (14) and the air inlet (13), and wherein the inner surface (11b) of the valve body (11) covers the air outlet (14), and/or the inner surface (12b) of the valve plate (12) covers the air inlet (13). The speaker is provided with the air valve provided by the present invention. The air valve provided by the present invention can be opened or closed via elastic deformation of the valve plate of the air valve, so that the air valve can be thinner. Therefore, the air valve can be perfectly matched with products smaller in size, such as a micro speaker, significantly reducing the difficulty in adjusting the micro speaker in a limited space.