# US 2019/0246191 A1 · Microphone device and case for microphone device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0246191 A1 - Document ID: US20190246191A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/268,907 - Filed: 2019-02-06 - Published: 2019-08-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-02-08 - Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-Technica - Applicants: Audio-Technica Corporation - Inventors: Yusuke SANO - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190246191A1 ## CPC - H04R 1/04: Structural association of microphone with electric circuitry therefor (in electric hearing aids H04R25/00) - H04R 1/08: Mouthpieces; {Microphones;} Attachments therefor - H04R 1/083: {Special constructions of mouthpieces} - H04R 1/34: by using a single transducer with sound reflecting, diffracting, directing or guiding means {(specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/402)} - H04R 1/342: {for microphones} - H04R 1/406: {microphones} - H04R 3/005: {for combining the signals of two or more microphones (specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407)} - H04R 5/027: Spatial or constructional arrangements of microphones, e.g. in dummy heads - H04R 2201/401: 2D or 3D arrays of transducers - H04R 2201/403: Linear arrays of transducers - H04R 2420/07: Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones - 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 microphone device includes a case that has a circuit board therein; a microphone capsule that is apart from the case and has a plurality of sound collecting parts arranged on a surface of a sphere at predetermined intervals; pillars that support the microphone capsule and couple the first end face of the case and the microphone capsule; pillars that support the microphone capsule, and a protrusion part that is placed between the pillars and protrudes from the first end face toward the microphone capsule. The protrusion part is formed such that its diameter becomes smaller from a root coupled to the first end face toward a tip. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A microphone device comprising: a case that has a circuit board therein; a microphone capsule that is apart from the case and has a plurality of sound collecting parts arranged on a surface of a sphere at predetermined intervals; pillars that support the microphone capsule and couple (i) an opposed face of the case facing the microphone capsule and (ii) the microphone capsule; and a protrusion part that is placed between the pillars and protrudes from the opposed face toward the microphone capsule, the protrusion part being formed such that a diameter of the protrusion part becomes smaller from a root coupled to the opposed face toward a tip. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The microphone device according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion part is formed with a conical shape at a center of the opposed face of the case. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The microphone device according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion part is formed with a hemispherical shape at the center of the opposed face of the case. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The microphone device according to claim 1, wherein an angle of taper of a tip portion of the protrusion part is steeper compared to the angle of taper of a portion nearer to the opposed face side of the protrusion part than to the tip portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The microphone device according to claim 1, wherein a protrusion height from the opposed face of the protrusion part is equal to or less than one half of a distance between the opposed face and the microphone capsule. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The microphone device according to claim 5, wherein four of the pillars are provided around the protrusion part at uniform intervals in a circumference direction, and one or more signal lines connecting the circuit board and the sound collecting parts are contained inside of each of the pillars. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The microphone device according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of signal lines are contained in the pillars, and the same number of the plurality of signal lines are contained inside of each of the plurality of pillars. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The microphone device according to claim 6, wherein a diameter of the sphere is less than a diameter of the case which is cylindrical, and each of the pillars is fixed to a portion between the sound collecting parts which are adjacent to each other on the surface of the sphere. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The microphone device according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion part is connected in a thermally conductive manner to the circuit board via a metal member. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The microphone device according to claim 9, wherein the protrusion part has a shaft part that extends from the opposed face toward the microphone capsule, and a plurality of fins that protrude from an outer peripheral surface of the shaft part and are arranged at predetermined intervals along an axial direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The microphone device according to claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of fins is formed with a circular flat plate shape, and diameters of the fins become smaller toward a tip of the protrusion part. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The microphone device according to claim 9, wherein the circuit board includes a wireless communication part that transmits audio data collected by each of the sound collecting parts to the outside. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The microphone device according claim 1, further comprising: a holding member that holds the case to cover the case and has a fixing part to be fixed to a stand; and a position adjusting member that adjusts a position of the microphone capsule by rotating the case in a circumference direction in a state where the holding member is fixed to the stand. ### Claim 14 A case for a microphone device, comprising: a housing part that has a circuit board therein; and a protrusion part that protrudes from a first end face of the housing part in a longitudinal direction, the protrusion part being formed such that a diameter of the protrusion part becomes smaller from a root coupled to the first end face toward a tip. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The case for the microphone device according to claim 14, wherein the protrusion part is formed with a conical shape at a center of the first end face of the housing part. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The case for the microphone device according to claim 14, wherein the protrusion part is connected in a manner to be thermally conductive to the circuit board via a metal member. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The case for the microphone device according to claim 16, wherein the protrusion part has a shaft part that extends from a root coupled to the first end face toward a tip, and a plurality of fins that protrude from an outer peripheral surface of the shaft part and are arranged at predetermined intervals along an axial direction.