# US 10,312,649 B2 · Phantom powered preamp converter > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,312,649 B2 - Document ID: US10312649B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/942,102 - Filed: 2018-03-30 - Published: 2018-10-04 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-30 - Assignees: PCB Piezotronics, Inc. - Applicants: PCB Piezotronics, Inc. - Inventors: Mark Nowak; Andrew Karkau - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10312649B2 ## CPC - H01R 31/065: {with built-in electric apparatus} - H03F 3/183: with semiconductor devices only - H04R 3/00: Circuits for transducers (arrangements for producing a reverberation or echo sound G10K15/08; amplifiers H03F) - H04R 3/06: of electrostatic transducers - H05K 5/0217: {Mechanical details of casings (covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03)} - H05K 5/04: Metal casings - H05K 7/1427: {Housings} - H01R 13/08: Resiliently-mounted rigid pins or blades - H01R 13/623: Casing or ring with helicoidal groove - H03F 2200/03: the amplifier being designed for audio applications - H04R 1/04: Structural association of microphone with electric circuitry therefor (in electric hearing aids H04R25/00) - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - H03F: AMPLIFIERS - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract A phantom powered preamp for use with a microphone cartridge having a unique mechanical interface. The unique mechanical interface allows the phantom powered preamp to function with both ¼ and ½ inch microphone cartridges. The phantom powered preamp including a housing base having a PC board assembly and a connector, the PC board assembly being electrically coupled to the connector; a preamp tip having an adapter and a guard tube, the PC board assembly extending from the housing base to the preamp tip and being electrically coupled to the adapter and the guard tube, the adapter being configured to be electrically coupled to the microphone cartridge, the guard tube being configured to surround a portion of the PC board assembly within the preamp tip; and a first converter being configured to releasably engage the preamp tip or the housing base to reduce edge diffraction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A phantom powered preamp for use with a microphone cartridge having a unique mechanical interface, the phantom powered preamp comprising: a housing base having a PC board assembly and a connector, the PC board assembly being electrically coupled to the connector; a preamp tip having an adapter and a guard tube, the PC board assembly extending from the housing base to the preamp tip and being electrically coupled to the adapter and the guard tube, the adapter being configured to be electrically coupled to the microphone cartridge, the guard tube being configured to surround a portion of the PC board assembly within the preamp tip; and a first converter being configured to releasably engage the preamp tip or the housing base to reduce edge diffraction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The phantom powered preamp of claim 1, wherein the adapter is a pogo adapter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The phantom powered preamp of claim 1, further comprising at least one support bracket connected to the PC board assembly. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The phantom powered preamp of claim 3, wherein the at least one support bracket is connected to the PC board assembly by at least one screw. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The phantom powered preamp of claim 1, wherein the guard tube is made of metal or an electrically conductive material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The phantom powered preamp of claim 1, wherein the guard tube is further configured to surround the adapter of the preamp tip. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The phantom powered preamp of claim 1, wherein the preamp tip further includes a microphone interface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The phantom powered preamp of claim 1, wherein the preamp tip further includes an inner insulator and an outer insulator, the inner insulator electrically insulating the adapter from the guard tube, the outer insulator electrically insulating the guard tube from the preamp tip. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The phantom powered preamp of claim 1, wherein the housing base further includes a spring, the spring being positioned at an opposite end of the connector of the housing base. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The phantom powered preamp of claim 9, wherein the spring is configured to carry a ground connection to the housing base. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The phantom powered preamp of claim 1, wherein the first converter is one of a ¼ inch converter and a ½ inch converter. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The phantom powered preamp of claim 11, wherein the ¼ inch converter tapers at an angle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The phantom powered preamp of claim 12, wherein the housing base includes a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end of the housing base sloping at an angle forming a tapered distal end. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The phantom powered preamp of claim 13, wherein the angle of the ¼ inch converter and the angle of the distal end of the housing base are approximately the same angle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The phantom powered preamp of claim 1, wherein a distal end of the first converter is configured to be releasably engaged to the microphone cartridge. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The phantom powered preamp of claim 1, wherein the preamp tip includes a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end of the preamp tip being proximate to the housing base, the proximal end of the preamp tip including threads for receiving the first converter. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The phantom powered preamp of claim 1, wherein the first converter has a distal end having a first diameter, further comprising a second converter having a distal end having a second diameter greater than the first diameter, wherein the first converter and the second converter are configured to interchangeably engage the preamp tip. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The phantom powered preamp converter of claim 1, wherein the housing base and the preamp tip are a unitary structure. ### Claim 19 A phantom powered preamp for use with a microphone cartridge having a unique mechanical interface, the phantom powered preamp comprising: a housing base having a PC board assembly and a connector, the PC board assembly being electrically coupled to the connector; a preamp tip having an adapter and a guard tube, the PC board assembly extending from the housing base to the preamp tip and being electrically coupled to the adapter and the guard tube, the adapter being configured to be electrically coupled to the microphone cartridge, the guard tube being configured to surround a portion of the PC board assembly within the preamp tip, wherein the housing base and the preamp tip are a unitary structure; and a mechanical converter being configured to releasably engage the preamp tip or the housing base to reduce edge diffraction. ### Claim 20 A phantom powered preamp for use with a microphone cartridge having a unique mechanical interface, the phantom powered preamp comprising: a housing base having a PC board assembly and a connector, the PC board assembly being electrically coupled to the connector; a preamp tip having an adapter and a guard tube, the PC board assembly extending from the housing base to the preamp tip and being electrically coupled to the adapter and the guard tube, the adapter being configured to be electrically coupled to the microphone cartridge, the guard tube being configured to surround a portion of the PC board assembly within the preamp tip; a first converter having a distal end having a first diameter; and a second converter having a distal end having a second diameter greater than the first diameter of the first converter, the first converter and the second converter being configured to interchangeably engage the preamp tip or the housing base.