# US 12,114,144 B2 · Loudspeaker > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,114,144 B2 - Document ID: US12114144B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/906,662 - Filed: 2021-03-15 - Published: 2023-04-20 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-20 - Assignees: Pss Belgium NV - Applicants: Pss Belgium NV - Inventors: Fabian Vuine - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12114144B2 ## CPC - H04R 1/2826: {for loudspeaker transducers} - H04R 7/16: Mounting or tensioning of diaphragms or cones - H04R 1/025: {Arrangements for fixing loudspeaker transducers, e.g. in a box, furniture} - H04R 13/00: Transducers having an acoustic diaphragm of magnetisable material directly co-acting with electromagnet - H04R 1/288: {for loudspeaker transducers} - H04R 2400/11: Aspects regarding the frame of loudspeaker transducers - H04R 2499/13: Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles - 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) ## Abstract A loudspeaker configured to be mounted in a seat assembly is disclosed. The loudspeaker includes: a diaphragm having a first radiating surface and a second radiating surface, wherein the first radiating surface and the second radiating surface are located on opposite faces of the diaphragm; a drive unit configured to move the diaphragm based on an electrical signal; a loudspeaker support structure, wherein the diaphragm is suspended from the loudspeaker support structure via one or more loudspeaker suspension elements. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A loudspeaker configured to be mounted in a seat assembly, the loudspeaker including: a diaphragm having a first radiating surface and a second radiating surface, wherein the first radiating surface and the second radiating surface are located on opposite faces of the diaphragm; a drive unit configured to move the diaphragm based on an electrical signal; a loudspeaker support structure, wherein the diaphragm is suspended from the loudspeaker support structure via one or more loudspeaker suspension elements; wherein the loudspeaker support structure encloses a volume configured to receive sound produced by the second radiating surface, wherein the loudspeaker support structure includes one or more regions of porous material having a specific airflow resistance in the range 300-5000 Pa·s/m, wherein the one or more regions of porous material are configured to allow sound produced by the second radiating surface to exit the volume enclosed by the loudspeaker support structure via the one or more regions of porous material; wherein the surface area of the one or more regions of porous material is at least 80% of the effective radiating area of the diaphragm SD. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A loudspeaker according to claim 1, wherein the one or more regions of porous material have a specific airflow resistance in the range 500-3000 Pa·s/m. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A loudspeaker according to claim 1, wherein the loudspeaker support structure includes a rigid frame from which the diaphragm is suspended via one or more loudspeaker suspension elements. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A loudspeaker according to claim 3, wherein the one or more regions of porous material are formed by a material having a specific airflow resistance in the range 300-5000 Pa·s/m which covers one or more openings in the rigid structure. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) A loudspeaker according to claim 3, wherein the drive unit is an electromagnetic drive unit that includes a magnet unit configured to produce a magnetic field in an air gap, and wherein the magnet unit is directly attached to, or forms at least part of, the rigid frame from which the diaphragm is suspended via one or more loudspeaker suspension elements. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) A loudspeaker according to claim 3, wherein the drive unit is an electromagnetic drive unit that includes a magnet unit configured to produce a magnetic field in an air gap, and wherein the magnet unit forms at least part of the rigid frame from which the diaphragm is suspended via one or more loudspeaker suspension elements, and the one or more regions of porous material are formed by a material having a specific airflow resistance in the range 300-5000 Pa·s/m which covers one or more openings in the magnet unit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A loudspeaker according to claim 1, wherein the volume enclosed by the loudspeaker support structure is less than 100 cm3. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A loudspeaker according to claim 1, wherein the loudspeaker is preferably a mid-high frequency loudspeaker configured to produce sound across a designated frequency band that includes at least 300 Hz-3 kHz. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A loudspeaker according to claim 1, wherein the resonance frequency of the loudspeaker is in the range 150 Hz to 500 Hz. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A loudspeaker according to claim 1, wherein the drive unit is an electromagnetic drive unit that includes a magnet unit configured to produce a magnetic field in an air gap, and a voice coil attached to the diaphragm, wherein the magnet unit has a magnetic flux density in an air gap in the range 0.1 T to 0.5 T. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A loudspeaker according to claim 1, wherein the loudspeaker has an electrical Q factor, Qes, that is 5 or more and a mechanical Q factor, Qms, that is 2 or less. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A loudspeaker according to claim 1, wherein the loudspeaker has a directivity index within a designated frequency band of 300 Hz-3 kHz that is 4 dB or more for substantially the entire designated frequency band. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A loudspeaker according to claim 1, wherein the loudspeaker has, within a designated frequency band of 300 Hz-3 kHz, a sound pressure level, SPL, measured on a principal radiating axis that is at least 6 dB higher than the SPL measured at the same listening distance at 180° to the principal radiating axis, for substantially the entire designated frequency band. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A seat assembly that includes: a first loudspeaker according to claim 1, wherein the first loudspeaker is located within the seat assembly for use with a first ear of a user located at a listening position that is 30 cm or less from the first radiating surface of the diaphragm of the first loudspeaker; a second loudspeaker according to claim 1, wherein the second loudspeaker is located within the seat assembly for use with a second ear of a user located at a listening position that is 30 cm or less from the first radiating surface of the diaphragm of the second loudspeaker. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A seat assembly according to claim 14 that further includes: a headrest; a seat portion; wherein the first loudspeaker is mounted in the headrest of the seat assembly; and wherein the second loudspeaker is mounted in the headrest of the seat assembly. ### Claim 16 A loudspeaker configured to be mounted in a seat assembly, the loudspeaker including: a diaphragm having a first radiating surface and a second radiating surface, wherein the first radiating surface and the second radiating surface are located on opposite faces of the diaphragm; a drive unit configured to move the diaphragm based on an electrical signal; a loudspeaker support structure, wherein the diaphragm is suspended from the loudspeaker support structure via one or more loudspeaker suspension elements; wherein the loudspeaker support structure encloses a volume configured to receive sound produced by the second radiating surface, wherein the loudspeaker support structure includes one or more regions of porous material having a specific airflow resistance in the range 300-5000 Pa·s/m, wherein the one or more regions of porous material are configured to allow sound produced by the second radiating surface to exit the volume enclosed by the loudspeaker support structure via the one or more regions of porous material; wherein the loudspeaker has an electrical Q factor, Qes, that is 5 or more and a mechanical Q factor, Qms, that is 2 or less. ### Claim 17 A loudspeaker configured to be mounted in a seat assembly, the loudspeaker including: a diaphragm having a first radiating surface and a second radiating surface, wherein the first radiating surface and the second radiating surface are located on opposite faces of the diaphragm; a drive unit configured to move the diaphragm based on an electrical signal; a loudspeaker support structure, wherein the diaphragm is suspended from the loudspeaker support structure via one or more loudspeaker suspension elements; wherein the loudspeaker support structure encloses a volume configured to receive sound produced by the second radiating surface, wherein the loudspeaker support structure includes one or more regions of porous material having a specific airflow resistance in the range 300-5000 Pa·s/m, wherein the one or more regions of porous material are configured to allow sound produced by the second radiating surface to exit the volume enclosed by the loudspeaker support structure via the one or more regions of porous material; wherein the loudspeaker support structure includes a rigid frame from which the diaphragm is suspended via one or more loudspeaker suspension elements; wherein the drive unit is an electromagnetic drive unit that includes a magnet unit configured to produce a magnetic field in an air gap, and wherein the magnet unit forms at least part of the rigid frame from which the diaphragm is suspended via one or more loudspeaker suspension elements, and the one or more regions of porous material are formed by a material having a specific airflow resistance in the range 300-5000 Pa·s/m which covers one or more openings in the magnet unit. ### Claim 18 A loudspeaker configured to be mounted in a seat assembly, the loudspeaker including: a diaphragm having a first radiating surface and a second radiating surface, wherein the first radiating surface and the second radiating surface are located on opposite faces of the diaphragm; a drive unit configured to move the diaphragm based on an electrical signal; a loudspeaker support structure, wherein the diaphragm is suspended from the loudspeaker support structure via one or more loudspeaker suspension elements; wherein the loudspeaker support structure encloses a volume configured to receive sound produced by the second radiating surface, wherein the loudspeaker support structure includes one or more regions of porous material having a specific airflow resistance in the range 300-5000 Pa·s/m, wherein the one or more regions of porous material are configured to allow sound produced by the second radiating surface to exit the volume enclosed by the loudspeaker support structure via the one or more regions of porous material; wherein the loudspeaker has a directivity index within a designated frequency band of 300 Hz-3 kHz that is 4 dB or more for substantially the entire designated frequency band. ### Claim 19 A loudspeaker configured to be mounted in a seat assembly, the loudspeaker including: a diaphragm having a first radiating surface and a second radiating surface, wherein the first radiating surface and the second radiating surface are located on opposite faces of the diaphragm; a drive unit configured to move the diaphragm based on an electrical signal; a loudspeaker support structure, wherein the diaphragm is suspended from the loudspeaker support structure via one or more loudspeaker suspension elements; wherein the loudspeaker support structure encloses a volume configured to receive sound produced by the second radiating surface, wherein the loudspeaker support structure includes one or more regions of porous material having a specific airflow resistance in the range 300-5000 Pa·s/m, wherein the one or more regions of porous material are configured to allow sound produced by the second radiating surface to exit the volume enclosed by the loudspeaker support structure via the one or more regions of porous material; wherein the loudspeaker has, within a designated frequency band of 300 Hz-3 kHz, a sound pressure level, SPL, measured on a principal radiating axis that is at least 6 dB higher than the SPL measured at the same listening distance at 180° to the principal radiating axis, for substantially the entire designated frequency band.