Flexible Electret Transducer with Stamped Spacers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electret transducers are not suitable for flexible and portable applications due to their thickness, high voltage requirements, and large circuit drivers, limiting their use in small-sized devices and products.
Innovation Solution
A flexible electret transducer assembly with a reduced gap between the electrical backplate and membrane, utilizing hollow protruding spacers and vent holes formed through a stamping or rolling process, allowing for low voltage operation and improved flexibility, enabling mass production and smaller sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the space between the electrical backplate and the membrane is reduced, then the thickness and size of the transducer assembly is reduced, but the electric field intensity decreases requiring higher voltage to maintain sufficient driving force
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs thin film structures for both the electrical backplate and the membrane, allowing the transducer assembly to achieve reduced thickness while maintaining functional performance. The flexible film construction enables compact design without compromising the electric field generation capability, resolving the contradiction between thinness and voltage requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes parameters such as the gap distance between backplate and membrane, the surface area of the films, and the electrical properties to achieve efficient operation at lower voltages. By carefully controlling these parameters, the system maintains sufficient electric field intensity with reduced thickness, avoiding the need for high voltage operation.
2Power
If conventional electrostatic speaker design is used with large circuit drivers, then sufficient power is provided, but the device size increases making it unsuitable for portable applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional mechanical moving coil speaker system with an electrostatic transducer system that uses electric fields rather than mechanical electromagnetic interaction. This substitution eliminates the need for large circuit drivers and heavy components, enabling compact design while maintaining adequate driving power for portable applications.
Solution Approach 2:
By using flexible thin film structures for the backplate and membrane, the patent creates a lightweight, compact transducer assembly that requires minimal driving power. The thin film design inherently reduces the volume and weight compared to conventional rigid speaker structures, making it suitable for portable devices.
3Length of moving object
If the transducer assembly is made thin and flexible, then it is suitable for portable devices, but the manufacturing precision and structural stability become more difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses flexible thin film structures that can be manufactured using roll-to-roll or other flexible manufacturing processes. These films maintain consistent thickness and uniform gaps through controlled manufacturing techniques, achieving both thinness and manufacturing precision simultaneously. The flexibility of the films also allows for tolerance compensation during assembly.
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 reduces the input voltage and size of the transducer assembly, enhancing flexibility and audio quality while being suitable for mass production and integration into small, portable devices.
Implementation Method 1
An electric field is produced by supplying a DC bias to the membrane and an AC voltage to the two electrical backplates. The conductive membrane is driven by the electrostatic force generated by the electric field to vibrate and accordingly produce audio.
Implementation Method 2
The present invention provides a flexible electret transducer assembly including a membrane and an electrical backplate. The membrane is made of an electret material.
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible electret transducer assembly including an electrical backplate and a membrane made of an electret material is disclosed. A plurality of spacers is formed on a surface of the electrical backplate in a longitudinal or latitudinal direction, and the spacers are used for supporting a vibrating room of the membrane. A working area of the membrane is formed between adjacent spacers, and in each of the working area, the space between the electrical backplate and the membrane is smaller than that in a conventional electrostatic speaker. The spacers between the electrical backplate and the membrane are mass produced through a stamping process. Thereby, an accurate space between the electrical backplate and the membrane can be maintained and accordingly the audio quality can be improved. In addition, a speaker including the flexible electret transducer assembly and a method for fabricating the flexible electret transducer assembly are also disclosed.