Waterproof Microphone Membrane Assembly With Low Acoustic Loss
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Modern electronic devices face challenges in incorporating compact, high-quality, and durable microphones that are resistant to water and dust while maintaining acoustic performance and reducing manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A microphone assembly featuring a waterproof and air-permeable membrane, a stainless-steel mesh laser-welded to a washer, and secured with an adhesive, which protects the microphone module from water and dust while allowing sound transmission with minimal acoustic loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a waterproof membrane is added to protect the microphone from water and dust, then water and dust resistance is improved, but acoustic transmission loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a thin waterproof membrane that acts as both a protective barrier and an acoustic diaphragm. The membrane is designed to be sufficiently thin and acoustically transparent to allow sound waves to pass through while maintaining water and dust protection. This resolves the contradiction by selecting a material and thickness that balance protective function with acoustic transparency.
Solution Approach 2:
The waterproof membrane serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides water and dust protection, acts as an acoustic diaphragm for sound transmission, and serves as a mounting surface for the mesh and washer assembly. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components that would increase acoustic loss.
2Ease of manufacture
If the mesh is laser-welded to the washer separately before assembly, then manufacturing cost and complexity are reduced, but the risk of damage to the device during welding increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the assembly into separate modules: the mesh is laser-welded to the washer in a separate operation before being assembled with the membrane and microphone module. This segmentation allows the welding process to be performed on smaller, more manageable components with better heat dissipation, reducing the risk of damage while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The mesh-to-washer welding is performed as a preliminary operation before final assembly. This preliminary action allows the welding to be completed on a stable, isolated component pair, reducing the risk of damaging other sensitive components during the welding process, while still achieving the manufacturing efficiency benefits of pre-assembly.
3Volume of moving object
If a compact microphone design is used to reduce device volume, then device size is reduced, but protection against water and dust becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a nested arrangement where the mesh is positioned within the washer aperture, and the membrane is positioned within the mesh opening. This nested structure maximizes protective function within a compact volume by layering protective elements concentrically around the microphone module, providing water and dust protection without requiring excessive space.
Solution Approach 2:
The use of a thin, flexible waterproof membrane provides effective water and dust protection in a compact form factor. The membrane's flexibility allows it to conform to the compact microphone module dimensions while maintaining its protective barrier function, resolving the contradiction between compact size and protection effectiveness.
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 assembly provides effective protection against water and dust, maintains sound quality with low transmission loss, and simplifies manufacturing by reducing potential damage to the device and costs through separate welding operations.
Implementation Method 1
The membrane may act as an acoustic diaphragm that relays sound waves by vibrating when struck by sound waves
Implementation Method 2
the mesh may be laser-welded to a washer
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosed apparatus may include (1) an air-permeable membrane that is waterproof, (2) a washer adjacent to the air-permeable membrane, (3) a mesh coupled to the washer that covers an aperture defined by the washer, and (4) an adhesive coupled to a face of the washer distal from the air-permeable membrane. Various other methods, devices, and systems are also disclosed.