Support arrangement for a flexible sound generating diaphragm
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsRobert L. Boyles, Samuel Polonsky
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A support arrangement for readily mounting the diaphragm of a piezoelectric transducer on a desired node ring, the diaphragm having coaxially mounted thereon a circular piezoceramic element having a diameter substantially the same as that of the node ring. A substantially rigid support member and a clamping spider have annular means thereon also having the same diameter as that of the node ring such that the periphery of the piezoceramic element acts as a guide means by cooperating with one of the annular mounting means to assure coaxial alignment of the diaphragm, the support members, and the clamping spider. The support members and the clamping spider are snapped together to rapidly and accurately provide the diaphragm mounting on the desired node ring.
Claims4
A sound generating device comprising:
- a flexible diaphragm having a central axis,
- a substantially rigid support member axially located on a first side of said diaphragm, said support member having an annular ridge projecting axially therefrom into contact with said diaphragm, the diameter of said annular ridge being equal to the diameter of a node circle of vibration of said diaphragm,
- a clamping spider axially located on a second side of said diaphragm, said clamping spider having a hub portion and a plurality of resilient leg portions extending radially outwardly of said hub portion, each of said leg portions having at least one support element projecting axially therefrom into contact with said diaphragm, said support elements being disposed in a circular array having the same diameter as said annular ridge,
- means interconnecting said support members and each of said leg portions radially outwardly of said diaphragm, said interconnecting means resiliently biasing said leg portions toward said diaphragm such that said diaphragm is supported between said annular ridge and said support elements, and
- means for vibrating said diaphragm to produce sound, said means for vibrating said diaphragm comprising a piezoelectric electromechanical transducing element coaxially attached to said diaphragm and projecting axially therefrom toward a selected one of said support member and said clamping spider, said piezoelectric element having a circular periphery of a diameter to closely fit within the inner diameter of the facing one of said annular ridge and said array of support elements, whereby assembly of the sound generating device with said piezoelectric element located within the respective one of said annular ridge and said group of support elements assures that said diaphragm is clamped between said support member and said clamping spider on said node circle of vibration of said diaphragm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.