Flexible Electrostatic Speaker with String-Restrained Electrodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrostatic speakers with flexible electrodes and vibrators face positional deviations when bent or curved, leading to inconsistent electrostatic forces and acoustic characteristics.
Innovation Solution
An electrostatic speaker design featuring conductive fiber cloths, elastic members, and a restraint system using strings or thermoplastic resin sheets to maintain consistent positioning and distance between electrodes and the vibrator, allowing for flexible bending and curvature without positional deviations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If electrodes and vibrators are made flexible and non-restrained in shape, then the speaker can be freely bent and curved into various shapes, but electrodes and vibrators may be easily deviated in positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The restraint member is divided into multiple string portions that individually restrain different components (first electrode, first elastic member, vibrator, second elastic member, second electrode). This segmentation allows each component to maintain its flexibility while being precisely positioned by dedicated string portions, resolving the contradiction between flexibility and positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The restraint member acts as an intermediary element that connects and restrains all components (electrodes, elastic members, vibrator) without preventing their flexibility. The string portions serve as mediators that maintain precise positioning while allowing the components to bend and curve together as a unified flexible structure.
2Manufacturing precision
If a restraint member is introduced to prevent positional deviations, then positioning accuracy is improved, but the flexibility and ease of bending may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The restraint member is constructed using flexible string portions that can bend and curve while maintaining their restraining function. These flexible string portions prevent positional deviations of components while allowing the entire assembly to be bent and curved into various shapes, thus maintaining flexibility despite the presence of restraint.
3Reliability
If the area of electrodes is made larger than the vibrator, then coverage and electrostatic force distribution are improved, but the risk of short-circuiting may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The first and second elastic members serve as intermediary insulating elements positioned between the vibrator and the first and second electrodes respectively. These elastic members prevent direct contact between conductive parts, eliminating short-circuit risk while allowing the electrodes to extend beyond the vibrator area for improved electrostatic force distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic members are simple insulating components that provide a reliable barrier between conductive elements. Their straightforward design and placement effectively prevent short-circuiting without adding complex structures, allowing the electrodes to maintain larger area coverage for uniform electrostatic force.
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 design ensures uniform electrostatic force on the vibrator, maintaining desired acoustic characteristics and preventing short-circuiting, while allowing the speaker to be easily deformed and attached to various surfaces without damage.
Implementation Method 1
a first elastic member having an insulating property, elasticity, and acoustic transmittance, which is positioned between the vibrator and the first electrode, a second elastic member having an insulating property, elasticity, and acoustic transmittance, which is positioned between the vibrator and the second electrode
Implementation Method 2
a restraint member for restraining the first electrode, the first elastic member, the vibrator, the second elastic member, and the second electrode in position
Implementation Method 3
Due to variations of a voltage applied between opposite electrodes of an electrostatic speaker whose vibrator is supplied with a bias voltage, an electrostatic force exerted on the vibrator is varied so as to cause the displacement of the vibrator
Data Source
AI summary
An electrostatic speaker is constituted of a vibrator, conductive cloths, and elastic members, which are laminated together and woven together using strings. Since all the constituent elements are restrained in positioning by strings, the overall structure thereof is not substantially changed even when the electrostatic speaker is deformed in shape by bending or curving, wherein it is possible to secure the prescribed positional relationship between the constituent elements, which are not deviated in positioning. It is possible to introduce a sheet composed of a thermoplastic resin, which holds the vibrator and elastic members therein. The conductive cloths can be replaced with film electrodes, each of which is formed such that a conductive polymer layer is formed on a base film composed of a thermoplastic resin.