Ultra-Thin Glass Diaphragms for Compact Speakers and Microphones

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing speaker and microphone diaphragms face challenges in achieving miniaturization while maintaining high sound quality and durability, with materials often requiring complex processing and additional strengthening treatments that can compromise surface smoothness and integrity.

Innovation Solution

The use of ultra-thin glass (UTG) diaphragms with thicknesses between 0.01 to 0.1 mm, produced through non-contact fusion/pull-down processes, ensuring smooth surfaces and enhanced flexibility and durability, combined with optional coatings of aluminum, nickel, copper, diamond, resin, or polymer films to improve damping and toughness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If traditional materials and processing methods are used for diaphragms, then durability and sound quality can be maintained, but the diaphragm thickness cannot be reduced sufficiently for miniaturization

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespeaker sizeVSAvoiddiaphragm durability
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs ultra-thin glass (UTG) material for the diaphragm, reducing thickness from traditional thicker materials to 0.01-0.1mm. This thin film approach enables miniaturization while the glass material inherently provides durability and structural integrity without requiring additional strengthening treatments

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the material parameter from traditional diaphragm materials to ultra-thin glass with specific thickness parameters (0.01-0.1mm). This parameter change enables both miniaturization and maintains reliability, as the UTG material provides sufficient strength despite its thinness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional glass processing methods are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but the surface becomes rough and additional grinding/polishing is required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidsurface smoothness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical grinding and polishing processes with a chemical etching method. The glass substrate is subjected to chemical etching that selectively removes material to achieve the desired ultra-thin thickness while maintaining surface smoothness, eliminating the need for subsequent mechanical finishing operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the processing method from mechanical removal to chemical etching. This parameter change in the manufacturing process allows simultaneous achievement of thin thickness and smooth surface finish without requiring multiple processing steps

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If additional strengthening treatments are applied to thin glass, then durability improves, but surface smoothness is compromised and manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvediaphragm strengthVSAvoidprocessing steps
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The ultra-thin glass material inherently provides sufficient strength and durability through its material properties alone. The chemical etching process creates a surface structure that naturally enhances strength without requiring additional external strengthening treatments or complex processing steps

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses composite material structures where the ultra-thin glass substrate is combined with optional coating layers (aluminum, nickel, copper, diamond, resin, or polymer films) that provide both damping and toughness. This composite approach enhances durability while maintaining surface smoothness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

4Strength

If thicker materials are used for the diaphragm, then structural integrity is maintained, but the speaker size and weight increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvediaphragm structural integrityVSAvoidspeaker weight
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses ultra-thin glass films with thickness of 0.01-0.1mm that provide sufficient structural integrity despite their thinness. The material properties of UTG enable it to maintain strength while dramatically reducing weight compared to traditional thicker diaphragm materials

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs composite material structures with ultra-thin glass substrates combined with optional coating layers that provide structural support and damping. This composite approach maintains structural integrity while minimizing weight through the use of thin materials

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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 UTG diaphragms provide small, distortion-free sound reproduction with improved durability and sound quality, suitable for various electronic devices, including audio equipment and microphones, without the need for additional chemical treatments or polishing.

Implementation Method 1

The interaction between the magnetic field and the current will cause the diaphragm vibration according to the Fleming's law

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic interaction: Lorentz Force

Data Source

PatentEP4633198A1Speaker and microphone with ultra-thin-glass diaphragm
Publication Date: 2025.10.15 GLASS ACOUSTIC INNOVATIONS CO LTD
  • EP4633198A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4633198A1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2D
  • EP4633198A1 patent drawingFigure 2E

AI summary

The present invention discloses a diaphragm for a speaker including a lower surface area, a central area formed on said lower surface area, an upper surface area formed on said central area. The upper surface area, the central area and the lower surface area includes homogeneous amorphous materials. The diaphragm includes internal stress changing with a depth from the surface to the center of the diaphragm.