Vented Acoustic Enclosure Radially Expanding Waveguide
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional acoustic enclosures for headphones struggle to provide strong bass response with high fidelity over desired audible frequencies while maintaining passive noise attenuation, and are often bulky or aesthetically unsuitable for small or thin applications.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a vented enclosure with a rear chamber and a radially expanding waveguide that acoustically couples with the chamber, featuring a port that extends at least 90 degrees circumferentially, allowing for continuous cross-sectional area expansion and improved acoustic performance, including passive noise attenuation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional vented enclosure is used, then passive noise attenuation is provided, but low-frequency response and fidelity are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The waveguide transitions the acoustic path from a conventional linear arrangement to a three-dimensional radially expanding structure. The channel extends circumferentially around the longitudinal axis and expands radially outward, creating a volumetric acoustic pathway that improves low-frequency response while maintaining compact external dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The waveguide employs radial expansion geometry where the channel cross-sectional area increases continuously as it extends outward from the port. This curved, radially symmetric configuration optimizes acoustic wave propagation for enhanced bass response and fidelity compared to linear or planar waveguide designs.
2Shape
If the enclosure is made thin for aesthetic purposes, then aesthetic appeal is improved, but acoustic performance particularly in low frequencies deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The acoustic performance is achieved by utilizing circumferential and radial dimensions rather than increasing the longitudinal thickness. The waveguide channel extends around the longitudinal axis and expands radially, allowing excellent bass response within a thin overall enclosure profile that meets aesthetic requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The waveguide structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the acoustic pathway for improved bass response, maintains the thin external profile for aesthetics, and the radially expanding geometry optimizes acoustic performance. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction between thin profile and acoustic performance.
3Manufacturing precision
If a radially expanding waveguide is implemented, then low-frequency response is enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The waveguide is integrated directly into the enclosure housing structure, merging the acoustic pathway with the enclosure walls. The channel is formed by the spacing between housing components, eliminating the need for separate waveguide assemblies and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining the radially expanding geometry for enhanced bass response.
Solution Approach 2:
The enclosure housing components serve dual purposes: they provide structural support and define the radially expanding waveguide channel. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate parts and simplifies manufacturing while achieving superior low-frequency response through the radial expansion geometry.
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
This configuration enhances low-frequency response and fidelity while maintaining a thin, aesthetically pleasing enclosure suitable for headphones, effectively addressing the limitations of conventional designs.
Implementation Method 1
Some disclosed waveguides are further configured to passively attenuate environmental noise without substantially interfering with passive noise attenuation for headphones
Implementation Method 2
A given speaker combined with a vented chamber can provide different acoustic characteristics as compared to the same speaker combined with a sealed chamber
Data Source
AI summary
An enclosure for a speaker transducer can have a front housing member and a rear housing member. Some enclosures position the speaker transducer between the front housing member and the rear housing member, and spaced apart from the rear housing member to define a rear chamber positioned between the speaker transducer and the rear housing member. The rear housing member can define a longitudinal axis. A first waveguide member and a second waveguide member can be longitudinally spaced apart from each other to define an acoustic waveguide therebetween oriented transversely relative to the longitudinal axis. A port can acoustically couple the acoustic waveguide with the rear chamber. A cross-sectional area of the waveguide can expand radially outward of the port. And, the acoustic waveguide can extend circumferentially around the longitudinal axis more than 90-degrees. Some embodiments include a speaker transducer and are suitable as a headphone.