VEHICLE OUTSIDE MICROPHONE UNIT, VEHICLE ACOUSTICAL SYSTEM AND VEHICLE

Abstract

A vehicle outside microphone unit detects noises outside a vehicle and has a sound channel that has an entry opening terminating at a microphone. In an orientation in which the microphone constitutes an uppermost point of the sound channel, a sound channel makes a bend upwards, starting from the entry opening, and is generally configured as a water drain. Further, a vehicle acoustical system having such a vehicle outside microphone unit and a vehicle having a corresponding vehicle acoustical system are described.

Claims

1. A vehicle outside microphone unit for detecting noises outside a vehicle, comprising: a sound channel which has an entry opening that is at least partly vertically oriented and terminates at a microphone, wherein in an orientation of the vehicle outside microphone unit in which the microphone constitutes a vertically highest point of the sound channel, the sound channel makes a bend starting from the entry opening and extends upwards towards the microphone and forms a water drain over an entire extent of the sound channel

2. The vehicle outside microphone unit according to claim 1, wherein in a vertical section of the sound channel in front of the microphone, a sound-permeable and air-permeable protective membrane passes transversely through the sound channel.

3. The vehicle outside microphone unit according to claim 2, wherein the sound channel has a continuously decreasing cross-section from the entry opening up to the microphone and/or up to the sound-permeable and air-permeable protective membrane.

4. The vehicle outside microphone unit according to claim 1, wherein the bend extends over at least 80.

5. The vehicle outside microphone unit according to claim 1, wherein the bend forms an S-shape.

6. The vehicle outside microphone unit according to claim 1, wherein the bend has an inner side, and a curved projection on the inner side protrudes into the sound channel and narrows the sound channel

7. The vehicle outside microphone unit according to claim 1, wherein the entry opening is oriented vertically and/or the microphone is oriented horizontally when the microphone constitutes the vertically highest point of the sound channel.

8. The vehicle outside microphone unit according to claim 1, wherein a vertical extent of the sound channel after the bend is so large that there is no direct linear connection between the entry opening and the microphone.

9. The vehicle outside microphone unit according to claim 1, wherein a vertical extent of the sound channel above the entry opening corresponds to at least 75% of the diameter of the entry opening.

10. The vehicle outside microphone unit according to claim 2, wherein a lateral air supply opening leads from an external environment into the sound channel as far as adjacent to the microphone or the sound-permeable and air-permeable protective membrane.

11. The vehicle outside microphone unit according to claim 1, wherein the sound channel is manufactured by a generative manufacturing method and forms a housing part.

12. The vehicle outside microphone unit according to claim 11, wherein the sound channel is manufactured from plastics.

13. The vehicle outside microphone unit according to claim 1, wherein the entry opening is defined by a closed circumferential edge which is directed to open air and is exclusively arc-shaped in cross-section.

14. A vehicle acoustical system comprising: at least one loudspeaker; a vehicle outside microphone unit to detect noises outside a vehicle, comprising a sound channel which has an entry opening that is at least partly vertically oriented and terminates at a microphone, wherein in an orientation of the vehicle outside microphone unit in which the microphone constitutes a vertically highest point of the sound channel, the sound channel makes a bend starting from the entry opening and extends upwards towards the microphone and forms a water drain over an entire extent of the sound channel; and a controller which connects the vehicle outside microphone unit and the at least one loudspeaker and drives the at least one loudspeaker as a function of detected sound.

15. The vehicle acoustical system according to claim 14, wherein the microphone is a singular microphone and wherein the vehicle microphone unit with the singular microphone is the only vehicle outside microphone unit of the vehicle acoustical system via which sound is detected.

16. A vehicle comprising: a vehicle acoustical system, including: at least one loudspeaker, a vehicle outside microphone unit to detect noises outside the vehicle, comprising a sound channel which has an entry opening that is at least partly vertically oriented and terminates at a microphone, wherein in an orientation of the vehicle outside microphone unit in which the microphone constitutes a vertically highest point of the sound channel, the sound channel makes a bend starting from the entry opening and extends upwards towards the microphone and forms a water drain over an entire extent of the sound channel, and a controller which connects the vehicle outside microphone unit and the at least one loudspeaker and drives the at least one loudspeaker as a function of detected sound.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description below and from the accompanying drawings, to which reference is made and in which:

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a vehicle outside microphone unit according to the invention of a vehicle acoustical system according to the invention, also illustrated;

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a perspective side view of the vehicle outside microphone unit according to the invention; and

[0028] FIG. 3 shows a detailed sectional view of the vehicle outside microphone unit as shown in FIG. 1 in the area of a protective membrane.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a vehicle acoustical system including a controller 10, a loudspeaker 12 which is connected to the controller 10, and a vehicle outside microphone unit 14, which is installed in the vehicle in the position shown and projects into the open air.

[0030] The vehicle outside microphone unit 14 serves to pick up noises outside the vehicle, in particular noises emitted by the vehicle itself, in order, for example, to then emit appropriate anti-sound waves via the loudspeaker 12 or a plurality of loudspeakers via the controller, or to generate a modified background noise, whether in the interior of or outside the vehicle.

[0031] The vehicle outside microphone unit 14 has a lower housing part 16, a middle housing part 18, which rests on a top side of the housing part 16, and an upper housing part 20, all of which are coupled to each other with fasteners 22.

[0032] A microphone 26, which constitutes a prefabricated, self-contained component, is seated in a cavity 24, which is formed by the middle and upper housing parts 18, 20. The signals picked up by the microphone 26 are then routed to the controller 10 via lines 28.

[0033] A sound channel 30 having a special configuration is formed in the lower housing part 16 and partly in the middle housing part 18 as well. In the position shown, in which the vehicle outside microphone unit is installed in the vehicle, the microphone 26, which is more particularly located horizontally with its membrane, is the highest point of the sound channel 30. The entry and thus the lowest point of the sound channel 30 is an entry opening 32, which is delimited by an edge 34 which is directed into the open air, is exclusively arcuate in cross-section, is circumferentially closed and thus bead-shaped.

[0034] The sound channel 30 extends from this purely vertically oriented entry opening 32 as far as the microphone 26 and, in doing so, extends in an arc shape bent over at least 80, here bent over more than 90.

[0035] In particular, the bend, visible via the central axis of the sound channel, even runs upward in an S-shape.

[0036] A protective membrane 36, which is made from a sound-permeable and air-permeable but water-impermeable material, is provided on the top side of the lower housing part 16, between this and the middle housing part 18.

[0037] The sound channel 30 has an increasingly and, more specifically, continuously decreasing cross-section at least up to the protective membrane 36, preferably up to the microphone 26.

[0038] At most in the region of the transition between the lower housing part 16 and the middle housing part 18 there may be a slight kink in the sound channel 30 for a better clamping of the membrane 36. In addition, in an uppermost section 40, immediately adjacent to the microphone 26, a short linear, i.e. also cylindrical section may be present, the axial length of which, however, is shorter than the diameter of the sound channel in this area. All in all, this cross-sectional profile does not result in any resonances.

[0039] The curved shape of the sound channel 30 is special because it is designed such that a continuous water drain is formed through the sound channel from the protective membrane 36 to the entry opening 32, i.e. no depressions or undercuts are provided in which water could be retained. The lower, trough-shaped section 42 of the sound channel 30 also extends steadily downwards, as can be clearly seen in FIG. 1.

[0040] Moreover, there is no straight line starting from the entry opening 32 either, which would reach as far as the microphone or else the membrane and would extend exclusively in the sound channel 30.

[0041] To further protect the membrane 36 and the microphone 26, the sound channel has a curved projection 44, which is located on the inner side 46 of the bend.

[0042] The sound channel 30 has an extent A above the entry opening 32 which corresponds to at least 75% of the diameter of the entry opening.

[0043] It can be seen in FIG. 3 that the vehicle outside microphone unit 14 constitutes a very closed unit.

[0044] Since it is possible, in particular in the case of off-road vehicles, that when traveling through water, water may enter the sound channel 30 and would then be retained therein, an air supply opening 50 that leads into the open air is provided immediately below the protective membrane 36 and leads obliquely downwards into the sound channel 30 as shown in FIG. 3, preventing a negative pressure in this upper region of the sound channel 30, as a result of which the continuous drainage of water is ensured.

[0045] The vehicle acoustical system illustrated has only one single vehicle outside microphone unit having only one single microphone 26; this is all that is required to pick up the sound. In particular, one or more loudspeakers 12 is/are present in the outside area of the vehicle, in the exhaust sound system and/or in the vehicle interior area.

[0046] The lower housing part 16 is preferably manufactured using a generative manufacturing method, in particular from a plastic material. It may possibly also be an injection-molded part and may also have an elastomeric outer skin or be generally made of an elastomeric material.

[0047] Although an embodiment has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this disclosure. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this disclosure.