Hermetically Sealed Micro Speaker With Chemically Etched Metal Insert
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Solution Overview
Problem
Micro speakers in consumer electronics face challenges in maximizing acoustic volume due to space constraints, particularly in devices requiring water resistance and reliability, where seal structures often compromise performance and increase costs.
Innovation Solution
A micro speaker design featuring a chemically etched insert molded metal plate interlocked with a plastic enclosure, utilizing nano molding technology to create a hermetic seal without additional materials like glue, enhancing volume efficiency and mechanical strength while reducing high-order harmonic distortion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a seal structure is added to ensure water resistance and reliability, then the sealing performance is improved, but the acoustic volume is reduced and the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the sealing function with the existing enclosure structure by integrating a seal groove directly into the housing. This eliminates the need for separate seal components while maintaining water resistance, thereby preserving acoustic volume and reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing structure itself provides the sealing function through the integrated seal groove, eliminating the need for additional seal components. The groove is designed to work with the speaker assembly's own structure, allowing the system to seal itself without external sealing materials.
2Reliability
If a seal structure is added to ensure water resistance, then the sealing performance is improved, but the device complexity and assembly cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is merged into the housing structure through an integrated seal groove, eliminating the need for separate seal components and reducing assembly complexity. The groove is formed as part of the housing manufacturing process, further simplifying production.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing structure itself provides the sealing function through the integrated seal groove, eliminating the need for additional seal components and complex assembly procedures. The system seals itself using its own structural features.
3Volume of stationary object
If the acoustic volume is increased to improve speaker performance, then the sound quality is improved, but the device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the acoustic volume by carefully designing the speaker chamber geometry to maximize sound quality within the available space. The seal groove is positioned to minimize volume loss while ensuring effective sealing, allowing maximum acoustic volume within the device constraints.
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 achieves improved low and midband acoustic performance, increased volume efficiency, and mechanical robustness, ensuring water resistance without additional components, thus enhancing overall speaker performance.
Implementation Method 1
a chemically etched insert molded metal plate that is mechanically interlocked and hermetically sealed to a plastic portion
Data Source
AI summary
A micro speaker assembly including a speaker enclosure having an enclosure wall separating a surrounding environment from an encased space, wherein the enclosure wall defines, in part, an acoustic channel that acoustically couples the encased space to the surrounding environment, and the enclosure wall comprises a chemically etched insert molded metal portion that is mechanically interlocked and hermetically sealed to a plastic portion. The micro speaker further including a speaker assembly positioned within the encased space, the speaker assembly having a sound radiating surface facing the metal portion of the enclosure wall, a voice coil extending from the sound radiating surface, a magnet assembly having a magnetic gap aligned with the voice coil, and an acoustic chamber formed, in part, by the metal portion of the enclosure wall and the sound radiating surface.