Microphone with Pressure Relief
AssigneeAnalog Devices, Inc.
InventorsXin Zhang, Michael W. Judy, Kieran P. Harney, Jason W. Weigold
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A microphone has a movable diaphragm having a rest position, a stationary portion, and a set of springs movably coupling the diaphragm and the stationary portion. The diaphragm and stationary portion are spaced a first distance when the diaphragm is in the rest position. When not in the rest position, however, the diaphragm and stationary portion are capable of being spaced a second distance, which is greater than the first distance. Despite the change in distance, the diaphragm still is capable of returning the space from the second distance to the first distance when the diaphragm returns to the rest position.
Claims25
A microphone comprising:
- a stationary portion having at least one internal recess;
- a movable diaphragm having a rest position wherein at least a portion of the movable diaphragm resides within the internal recess when the movable diaphragm is in the rest position;
- and
- a set of springs movably coupling the diaphragm and the stationary portion, the diaphragm moving external to the internal recess, the set of springs being capable of returning the diaphragm from external to the internal recess to the rest position internal to the recess.
A microphone chip comprising:
- a diaphragm having a first surface and a side;
- a stationary portion having a side;
- a plurality of springs coupled to the diaphragm and the stationary portion wherein a gap having a dimension exists between the side of the stationary portion and the side of the diaphragm and wherein the springs may extend under a force presented by an audio input signal to the first surface of the diaphragm, so as to increase the dimension of the gap.
A method for operation of a microphone chip, the method comprising:
- providing a microphone having a diaphragm coupled to a stationary portion by a plurality of springs wherein a the diaphragm resides internal to a recess within the stationary portion;
- providing an input audio signal to the diaphragm of the microphone;
- and
- as a result of the input audio signal, moving the diaphragm external to the internal recess providing for pressure relief.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.