# US 6,296,926 B1 · Embossed sound track > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,296,926 B1 - Document ID: US6296926B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 09/284,722 - Filed: 1999-06-01 - Granted: 2001-10-02 - Earliest claimed: 1997-08-18 - Inventors: Stefan Huebner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6296926B1 ## CPC - G11B 3/68: Record carriers - G11B 3/00: Recording by mechanical cutting, deforming or pressing, e.g. of grooves or pits; Reproducing by mechanical sensing; Record carriers therefor (G11B11/00, {G11B13/00} take precedence) - G11B 33/06: combined with other apparatus having a different main function - Y10S 428/908: Impression retention layer, e.g. print matrix, sound record - Y10T 428/24537: Parallel ribs and/or grooves - Y10T 428/24612: Composite web or sheet - G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract The invention relates to a device for manual, mechanical reproduction of short audio information, consisting of a flat, multilayered material (1) in which a longitudinal profile (2) is embossed. The embossing die is produced by means of a milling process. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for reproducing recorded sound, said device comprising: a membrane capable of mechanical oscillation; an elongated substrate formed from compressible material, said substrate being integrally bonded to said membrane so that said membrane and said substrate move in unison wherein the material forming said substrate is selectively compressed so as to define a sequential series of peaks and valleys, the peaks and valleys collectively defining a varying height surface relief that extends along a longitudinal length of said substrate; and a contact layer disposed over and bonded to said elongated substrate, said contact layer being formed from one from the group consisting of: lacquer; plastic; metal; and ceramic and said contact layer is shaped to have an outer surface that is shaped to have a surface relief that corresponds to the surface relief of said elongated substrate and is further shaped so that the application of a scanning object along the length of said contact section results in the oscillation of said substrate and said membrane that generates a recorded sound. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein said contact layer is further formed so that the surface relief is defined by a plurality of spaced apart contact lines that extend perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of said contact layer and have a density along said contact layer of at least 15,000 lines per second of time the scanning object is moved along said contact layer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein said elongated substrate and said contact layer have a width of at least 8 mm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein said contact layer is shaped so that the surface relief has a depth between 20 and 100 microns. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein said contact layer is shaped so that the surface relief has a maximum slope in a longitudinal orientation of said contact layer of 45°. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein said contact layer is shaped so that the surface relief has a leading section with a constant slope. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein said contact layer is shaped so that the surface relief has a trailing section with a constant slope. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein said membrane and said elongated substrate are formed from a unitary piece of compressible material. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, wherein the compressible material forming said membrane and said elongated substrate is compressed at least 20% in vicinity of said elongated substrate relative to the compressible material forming membrane. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, wherein: the compressible material forming said membrane has a thickness of at least 300 microns and the membrane has an outer surface; and said elongated substrate is compressed and said contact layer has a thickness so that the surface relief of said contact layer is located below the outer surface of said membrane. ### Claim 11 A device for reproducing recorded sound, said device comprising: a substrate formed from compressible material, said substrate having: an elongated section that is compressed so as to define a sequential series of peaks and valleys, the peaks and valleys collectively define a varying height surface relief that extends along a longitudinal length of said elongated section; and a membrane section that is contiguous with said elongated section, said membrane section having an outer surface; and a contact layer disposed over and bonded to said substrate elongated section, said contact layer being formed from one from the grouping consisting of: lacquer; plastic; metal; and ceramic and said contact layer is shaped to have a contact surface that is shaped to have a surface relief that corresponds to the surface relief of said substrate elongated section and that is further shaped so that the application of a scanning object along the length of said contact section results in the generation of a recorded sound by said substrate and said outer layer; and wherein, said substrate elongated section is compressed to such an extent and said contact layer has a thickness so that the contact surface of said contact layer is located below the outer surface of said substrate membrane section. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein said substrate elongated section and said contact layer collectively have a thickness of less than 300 microns. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein said substrate is formed from fibrous material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The device of claim 13, wherein the fibrous material from which said substrate is formed is one selected from the group consisting of: paper; paperboard; cardboard; and fabric. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein said substrate has a back surface that is opposite the surface relief of said elongated section and the outer surface of said membrane section and said back surface is planar opposite the surface relief of said elongated section. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein said substrate is formed so that the compressible material that forms said elongated section is compressed at least 20% relative to the compressible material that forms said membrane section. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein: said contact layer is a section of an outer layer that extends over both said substrate elongated section and said substrate membrane section and said outer layer has a top surface that extends over the outer surface of said substrate membrane section; and said substrate elongated section is compressed to such an extent and said outer layer has a thickness so that the contact surface of said contact layer is located below the top surface of said outer layer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The device of claim 17, wherein said substrate membrane section and said outer layer collectively have a thickness of at least 300 microns. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The device of claim 18, wherein said substrate is formed so that the compressible material that forms said elongated section is compressed at least 20% relative to the compressible material that forms said membrane section. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein said substrate and said contact layer have a width of at least 8 mm.