Square Speaker With Rounded Corners To Increase Volume Displacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional square speakers face challenges in achieving larger diaphragm area with highly flexible surrounds without compromising sound quality, as uniform cross-sectional surrounds deform non-uniformly at corners, causing unwanted loads and side forces that degrade sound quality.
Innovation Solution
A square speaker design with a surround featuring rounded corners having arcuate portions, smoothed trapezoidal circumferential undulations, and an integral gasket, allowing for increased excursion and diaphragm area while maintaining high sound quality, by optimizing the corner design to reduce deformation and improve air displacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the surround is made larger to enable larger excursions, then the excursion capability is improved, but the diaphragm area gets smaller and sound quality degrades
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature to the surround cross-section, transitioning from a conventional semi-circular shape to an optimized curved profile with specific radius ratios. This curvature optimization allows the surround to achieve larger excursions while maintaining structural integrity and reducing unwanted deformations that would compromise diaphragm area and sound quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements different cross-sectional profiles at different locations of the surround. The straight sides have one curvature profile while the rounded corners have a different profile with specific radius ratios. This local differentiation allows the surround to optimize excursion capability in critical areas while preserving diaphragm area elsewhere, resolving the contradiction between excursion and diaphragm area.
2Ease of manufacture
If the surround is made with uniform cross-sectional shape, then manufacturing is simplified, but non-uniform deformation at corners causes unwanted loads and degrades sound quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces non-uniform cross-sectional profiles specifically at the rounded corners of the surround, while maintaining uniform profiles along the straight sides. This localized modification addresses the non-uniform deformation problem at corners without significantly complicating the overall manufacturing process, thereby maintaining ease of manufacture while improving sound quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the surround cross-section, specifically the radius ratios of the curved portions at corners versus the straight sides. By optimizing these parameter values, the surround achieves more uniform deformation characteristics during operation, eliminating unwanted loads and improving sound quality while remaining manufacturable.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the surround material deforms non-uniformly at corners, then flexibility is maintained, but unwanted loads on the diaphragm and side forces increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses optimized curved cross-sectional profiles with specific radius ratios at the surround corners to distribute deformation more uniformly. This curvature optimization maintains the necessary flexibility of the surround material while reducing concentration of stresses that create unwanted loads and side forces on the diaphragm.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the geometric parameters of the surround cross-section, particularly the radius ratios of curved portions, the patent achieves more uniform material deformation during operation. This parameter optimization maintains flexibility while minimizing the generation of unwanted loads and side forces, resolving the contradiction between flexibility and force stability.
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 nearly double the volume-displacement-to-speaker-size ratio compared to existing square speakers, resulting in enhanced sound quantity and quality, with improved excursion capabilities and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The voice coil, which rests in the magnetic field of a magnet assembly, receives an audio-encoded electrical signal, or 'audio signal', which causes varying current in the voice coil. By interaction of the voice coil current with the magnetic field of the magnet assembly, sound-producing movement of the former and speaker cone results.
Implementation Method 2
The speaker cone is supported at its widest perimeter by a flexible suspension, or 'surround', which, in turn, is supported by a structure called a 'basket.'
Data Source
AI summary
A square speaker is disclosed having a novel surround with a novel rounded corner design and with a magnet assembly and former sized, shaped, and arranged to exploit the increased excursions enabled by the novel surround. The arcuate portion of the rounded corner features smoothed trapezoidal circumferential undulations of the radially outer portion and an extension pad forms the arcuate portion of the radially inner portion of the rounded corner. An apex groove separates the inner portion from the outer portion. Tapered protrusions of the outer portion flank the smoothed trapezoidal circumferential undulations. The rounded corner is bounded by edges making angles of between 20 degrees and 40 degrees (preferably about 35 degrees) with straight sides of the square surround. Most of the outer perimeter of the entire inner flange adjoins the inner portions of the rounded corners. Significant increases in volume displacement per speaker size are achieved.