Planar Flexible Voice Coil Suspension
AssigneeAdvanced Bionics AG
InventorsRichard L. Weisman, Claude A. Vidal, Russ J. Redmond, Michael Collinson, Paul Kaluzniak
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A voice coil suspension system comprising a spider formed of flexible dielectric material defining a flexure portion configured to suspend a voice coil for axial displacement and an elongate connector portion for carrying flat electrical conductors for electrically connecting terminals of said voice coil to stationary electric contacts.
Claims16
An acoustic transducer comprising:
- a housing defining at least one stationary electrical contact;
- a magnet assembly fixedly mounted in said housing and defining an air gap extending around a central axis;
- a voice coil having at least one electric terminal;
- spider means for suspending said voice coil for axial movement in said air gap, said spider means comprising:
- a sheet of flexible dielectric material formed to define a circular flexure portion and having an elongate connector portion extending therefrom to an outer end;
- and
- at least one flat electrically conductive path formed on said dielectric sheet extending from said outer end adapted for connection to said stationary contact to a connection location on said flexure portion adapted for connecting to said electric terminal.
A spider for supporting a voice coil for linear axial motion comprising:
- a sheet of flexible dielectric material shaped to form a circular flexure portion and an elongate connector portion extending radially from said flexure portion to an outer end;
- and
- a flat electrically conductive path formed on said dielectric sheet extending from said outer end to a connection location on said flexure portion and wherein said outer end is adapted for connection to a stationary electric contact and said connection location is adapted for connection to a movable electric terminal.
A method of suspending a voice coil for axial movement in an air gap extending around a central axis including the steps of:
- forming a sheet of dielectric material to define a circular flexure portion and an elongate connector portion extending therefrom to an outer end;
- forming at least one flat electrically conductive path on said dielectric sheet extending from said outer end to a connection location on said flexure portion;
- fastening a voice coil to said flexure portion;
- and
- connecting a terminal of said voice coil to said flat electrically conductive path proximate to said connection location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.