Foam Microphone Attachment with Intersecting Cavities
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Solution Overview
Problem
Microphones often pick up unwanted ambient noise and reflections during sound recordings, which can detract from the quality of the recording, and existing solutions for mitigating these issues are costly and complicated, especially when recording in untreated spaces.
Innovation Solution
A noise mitigating microphone attachment featuring a foam structure with sound-absorbing properties, which includes a microphone cavity and a sound cavity that intersect, allowing the microphone to be protected and positioned closer to the sound source while reducing noise entry through an elastic coupling and sound-attenuating materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a portable sound recording booth is set up within a room that is not treated for sound recording, then the amount of reflected sound picked up by a microphone is reduced, but the booth is costly, requires a complicated assembly process, and occupies a substantial amount of space within a room
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the sound treatment function into a compact attachment that can be added to existing microphones, rather than requiring a complete portable booth. The attachment includes a housing with sound-absorbing material that segments the noise mitigation function from the microphone itself, providing targeted treatment without the complexity of assembling an entire booth structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The noise mitigating attachment is designed to be attached to or integrated with an existing microphone, nesting the sound treatment function within the microphone assembly. This eliminates the need for separate portable booth structures and reduces overall system complexity while maintaining noise mitigation effectiveness.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a portable sound recording booth is set up within a room that is not treated for sound recording, then the amount of reflected sound picked up by a microphone is reduced, but the booth occupies a substantial amount of space within a room
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the essential noise mitigation function from the large portable booth structure and concentrates it into a small attachment that fits on the microphone. This extraction removes the need for substantial space while retaining the core benefit of reducing reflected sound pickup.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment uses a housing with sound-absorbing material that acts as a flexible shell around the microphone, providing noise mitigation in a thin, space-efficient form factor rather than requiring the bulky enclosed structure of a portable booth.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If interior surfaces of the room are treated with sound absorbing materials to reduce reflections of performance sound, then the quality of recording is improved, but the appearance of the room is altered
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of treating the entire room interior with sound-absorbing materials, the invention creates a localized copy of the sound treatment function at the microphone level. The attachment housing with sound-absorbing material replicates the noise mitigation effect without requiring widespread alteration of room surfaces and their appearances.
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
Effectively reduces unwanted noise and reflections, improving the quality of sound recordings by attenuating external and internal noise, and is more cost-effective and space-efficient than traditional solutions.
Implementation Method 1
A noise mitigating microphone attachment featuring a foam structure with sound-absorbing properties, which includes a microphone cavity and a sound cavity that intersect, allowing the microphone to be protected and positioned closer to the sound source while reducing noise entry through an elastic coupling and sound-attenuating materials
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods, systems and apparatus are described for mitigating noise during sound recording. A noise mitigating microphone attachment (100, 600) comprises a foam structure (102). A first cavity (108) extends from a first opening (110) at a surface of the foam structure and into the foam structure. A microphone (304, 406) is inserted into the first cavity. A second cavity (104) extending from a second opening (106) at the surface of the foam structure and into the foam structure is configured to receive sound from a sound source. The first cavity is fluidly connected to the second cavity within the foam structure so that a junction is formed between the first cavity and the second cavity. The junction, the sound cavity, and the sealing of the microphone work to shield the sound receiving elements of the microphone from sound other than received through the second opening.