Electro-acoustic transducer with diaphragm and blank therefor

#1. Technical Field

#The present invention relates in general to an electro-acoustic transducer with a diaphragm and a blank therefor, and it more particularly relates to such a transducer with a substantially planar diaphragm and a blank therefor, for greatly increased performance.

#2. Background Art

#The above-mentioned and other objects and features of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become apparent, and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein;

#FIG. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of an electro-acoustic transducer in the form of a loudspeaker, which is constructed in accordance with the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary detail sectional view of one portion of the diaphragm of the loudspeaker of FIG. 1, illustrating it in position in a gap of the driver magnet assembly;

#Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 thereof, there is shown an electro-acoustic transducer in the form of an electro-dynamic loudspeaker 10, which is constructed in accordance with the present invention.

#The loudspeaker 10 generally comprises a rectangular diaphragm or membrane 12, which coacts electromagnetically with a series of pole piece gaps 13 of a magnet assembly 14 (FIG. 1). A housing or baffle frame 16 supports the diaphragm 12 movably across an opening 17 therein, in front of the magnet assembly 14. In this regard, a pair of flexible surround (suspension) strips 18 and 20 extend transversely longitudinally from, and are connected to, the opposite side marginal edges of the diaphragm 12 and a pair of elongated gasket strips 22 and 24 are connected at their side marginal edges to the respective surround strips 18 and 20 for connection to the frame 16. Each one of the gasket strips 22 and 24 includes a series of integral spaced-apart finger tabs 22a and 24a, respectively, to facilitate the positioning of the gasket strips, and therefore the diaphragm and projections P, relative to the magnet assembly gaps 13 mounted behind an opening 17 within the driver frame 16, during the assembly of the loudspeaker. As shown in FIG. 3, a pair of flexible spider connector strips 26 and 28 extend transversely from the end marginal edges of the diaphragm 12 and interconnect them to the respective ones of a pair of generally rectangular end mounting blocks 31 and 33, which, in turn, are adapted to be attached to the frame 16 at the opening 17 therein.

#As best seen in FIG. 1, a front surface 29 of a folded sheet 34A is formed by a series of substantially flat portions 30 interconnecting integrally a series of parallel spaced-apart rearwardly extending conductor carrying projections P and being arranged generally in a common plane. The conductor carrying projections P interact magnetically with the permanent magnet assembly 14 to move the diaphragm 12 for producing the desired sound waves.