External Vehicle Loudspeaker Assembly With Integral Diaphragm-Surround

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing loudspeakers for vehicle warning systems face inefficiencies due to multiple connections leading to water ingress, inefficient production, and undesirable acoustic behavior, particularly when used outdoors, with issues such as varying stiffness, increased mass, and non-piston-like diaphragm movement affecting sound quality and efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A loudspeaker assembly with a diaphragm and surround formed from a single piece of material with specific properties, including a woven fabric and thermoset resin, allowing piston-like movement and high stiffness, reducing moving mass, and maintaining acoustic performance in outdoor conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional loudspeakers use a diaphragm connected to a surround with multiple connections, then the diaphragm can move axially, but water ingress risk increases and production efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater ingress resistanceVSAvoidnumber of connections

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the diaphragm and surround into a single integral component made from one piece of material. This eliminates the need for separate connections between the diaphragm and surround, thereby reducing water ingress risk and simplifying the structure while maintaining axial movement capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of manufacture

If a flat circumferentially clamped membrane is used, then manufacturing is simplified, but acoustic behavior becomes undesirable with small effective radiating area

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidacoustic performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a conical diaphragm shape instead of a flat membrane. The conical geometry provides desirable acoustic characteristics including larger effective radiating area and improved piston-like movement, while still being manufacturable as a single integral piece with the surround.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Strength

If the diaphragm is made from rigid material with multiple connections, then structural strength is improved, but moving mass increases reducing efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidmoving mass

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses composite materials for the integral diaphragm-surround structure, combining materials with appropriate strength-to-weight ratios. This maintains the necessary structural strength while minimizing moving mass to improve acoustic efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

4Ease of operation

If traditional connections are used between diaphragm and surround, then assembly is straightforward, but production efficiency decreases due to multiple connection steps

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly simplicityVSAvoidproduction efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

By integrating the diaphragm and surround into a single molded component, the patent eliminates multiple assembly steps and connections. This significantly improves production efficiency while the integral design ensures proper alignment and reduces assembly complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 achieves high sound pressure levels and efficient sound reproduction across a broad frequency range, with low distortion and improved durability against environmental factors, meeting regulatory requirements for vehicle alert systems.

Implementation Method 1

a loudspeaker, including a drive unit and a diaphragm, wherein the drive unit is configured to move the diaphragm along a movement axis

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

the diaphragm and surround are formed of a single piece of material, the material comprising a single layer woven fabric of orthogonal, woven fibers and a thermoset resin

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectComposite materials: Composite Materials

Implementation Method 3

allowing piston-like movement and high stiffness

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 4

efficient sound reproduction across a broad frequency range, with low distortion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSound: Sound

Data Source

PatentUS12452600B2Loudspeaker assembly for use on the outside of a vehicle

Publication Date: 2025.10.21 PSS BELGIUM

AI summary

The present invention provides a loudspeaker assembly for use on the outside of a vehicle. The diaphragm and surround are formed of a single piece of material, the material comprising a single layer woven fabric of orthogonal, woven fibers and a thermoset resin.