Shotgun microphone unit

Abstract

A shotgun microphone unit which includes a housing, a microphone capsule, a shotgun tube having a longitudinal axis, and a shotgun mounting for mounting the shotgun tube with the microphone capsule within the housing. The shotgun mounting has an axial and a radial mounting, wherein the axial mounting is softer than the radial mounting.

Claims

1. A shotgun microphone unit comprising: a housing; a microphone holder; a shotgun tube having a first end and a second end; and a shotgun mounting having an axial mounting and a radial mounting for mounting the shotgun tube to the housing; wherein the shotgun tube has a longitudinal axis and a microphone capsule at its second end, wherein the first end of the shotgun tube is in the form of an open end; wherein the axial mounting is softer than the radial mounting; wherein the shotgun tube has at least two mutually opposite fixing units and the microphone holder has at least two arms; wherein spring elements are respectively provided between the arms and the fixing units and the spring elements are of a cross-section which is greater in the radial direction than in the axial direction by at least the factor 1.5; and wherein the arms are L-shaped and respectively have a portion oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis for receiving the spring elements.

2. The shotgun microphone unit as set forth in claim 1; wherein the shotgun tube mounting has a first and a second mounting unit which are adapted for structure-borne sound isolation between the shotgun tube and the microphone holder respectively; wherein the first and second mounting units are arranged along the longitudinal axis of the shotgun tube; and wherein the at least two mutually opposite fixing units, the at least two arms, and the spring elements form at least one of the mounting units.

3. The shotgun microphone unit as set forth in claim 1; wherein the at least two arms of the microphone holder are of an L-shaped configuration and respectively have a free end having an angled portion oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis for receiving the spring elements.

4. The shotgun microphone unit as set forth in claim 1; wherein the microphone holder and the shotgun tube are provided within the housing and the housing completely encloses the microphone holder and the shotgun tube.

5. The shotgun microphone unit as set forth in claim 2; wherein the microphone holder has at least two second arms and the second spring elements are respectively coupled to the free ends of the second arms and the second fixing units; wherein the second fixing units are provided at opposite sides of the shotgun tube; and wherein the free ends of the second arms are provided at opposite sides of the shotgun tube; and wherein the second fixing units, the second spring elements and the second arms form the second mounting unit.

6. The shotgun microphone unit as set forth in claim 1; wherein each spring element comprises two U-shaped spring segments which are substantially arranged in a plane.

7. The shotgun microphone unit as set forth in claim 1; wherein the housing is sound-permeable.

8. The shotgun microphone unit as set forth in claim 1; wherein the spring elements are arranged substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Advantages and embodiments by way of example of the invention are described in greater detail hereinafter with reference to the drawing.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a shotgun microphone unit according to the invention.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a side view of a shotgun microphone unit without housing according to the invention.

(4) FIGS. 3 and 4 each show a perspective view of a shotgun microphone unit according to the invention.

(5) FIG. 5 shows a diagrammatic sectional view of a shotgun microphone unit according to the invention.

(6) FIG. 6 shows a further sectional view of the shotgun microphone unit according to the invention.

(7) FIG. 7 shows a further diagrammatic sectional view of a portion of the shotgun microphone unit according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(8) It is to be understood that the figures and descriptions of the present invention have been simplified to illustrate elements that are relevant for a clear understanding of the present invention, while eliminating, for purposes of clarity, many other elements which are conventional in this art. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other elements are desirable for implementing the present invention. However, because such elements are well known in the art, and because they do not facilitate a better understanding of the present invention, a discussion of such elements is not provided herein.

(9) The present invention will now be described in detail on the basis of exemplary embodiments.

(10) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the shotgun microphone unit without housing. FIG. 2 shows a side view of the shotgun microphone unit without housing.

(11) The shotgun microphone unit 1000 has a microphone holder 1300 having first and second arms 1310, 1320. The first and second arms 1310, 1320 optionally extend at a right angle to the microphone holder 1300. The first and second arms 1310, 1320 each have a first free end.

(12) The shotgun microphone unit 1000 further has a microphone unit 1100 having a microphone capsule 1110 and a shotgun tube 1120 which is in the form of an interference tube. The shotgun tube 1120 has a second end 1102 facing away from the direction of the useful sound to be recorded and an oppositely disposed first end 1101 facing in the direction of the useful sound to be recorded. The microphone capsule 1110 is fixed to the shotgun tube 1120 at the second end 1102 thereof. The shotgun tube 1120 extends along a longitudinal axis 1120a (FIG. 5). First and second fixing units 1121, 1122 are provided on the shotgun tube 1120. In that case the first fixing units 1121 are arranged spaced from the second fixing units 1122 along the longitudinal axis 1120a. Provided between the free ends of the arms 1310, 1320 of microphone holder and the first and second fixing units 1121, 1122 of the shotgun tube 1120 are first and second spring elements 1210, 1220 respectively. The first and second spring elements 1210, 1220 are respectively provided at the free ends of the two first arms 1310 and the first fixing units 1121 of the shotgun tube 1120. The spring units 1210, 1220 can be of a two-part configuration so that a first part is coupled to the free ends of the two first arms 1310 and the first fixing units 1121. The two arms 1310 lie outside the shotgun tube 1120. The spring units 1210, 1220 which can be of a two-part configuration can for example each be of a U-shaped configuration, wherein the spring units 1210, 1220 can be coupled at their free ends to the arms 1310, 1320 of the microphone holder.

(13) As can be seen from FIG. 2 the first and second arms 1310, 1320 can be of an L-shaped configuration and so arranged that the free ends for receiving the spring elements 1210, 1220 have a respective portion oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis 1120a. In that way the first and second arms 1310, 1320 can be arranged closer to the shotgun tube 1120 without impeding deflection of the spring elements 1210, 1220. That permits the shotgun microphone unit 1000 to involve a smaller assembly space.

(14) FIGS. 3 and 4 show the shotgun tube 1120, the microphone holder 1300 and the spring elements 1210, 1220 in a lower half 1410 of a housing 1400.

(15) The shotgun tube 1120 has first and second fixing units 1121, 1122 which are respectively coupled to a first and a second spring element 1210, 1220. The first and second spring elements 1210, 1220 are in turn coupled to the first and second arms 1310, 1320. Preferably the shotgun tube 1120 has two first and two second fixing units 1121, 1122 which are respectively fixed at mutually opposite sides of the shotgun tube 1120. Optionally there can be provided two first and two second spring elements 1210, 1220 in order to couple the shotgun tube 1120 to the microphone holder 1300 in such a way that this provides structure-borne sound isolation.

(16) FIG. 5 shows a longitudinal section through the shotgun microphone unit. In addition to the lower half 1410 the housing 1400 has an upper half 1420. The housing 1400 thus encloses the entire microphone unit 1100 with the shotgun tube 1120 and the microphone capsule 1110. In addition the mounting with the two spring elements 1210, 1220 is provided in the interior of the housing 1400 so that the microphone unit 1100 is mounted in structure-borne sound-isolated relationship with respect to the housing 1400.

(17) FIG. 6 shows a further cross-section of the shotgun microphone unit from a direction viewing on to the first end 1101.

(18) FIG. 7 shows a diagrammatic cross-section of the shotgun microphone unit from a direction viewing on to the second end 1102.

(19) For mounting the shotgun tube 1120 in or on the microphone holder 1300 in structure-borne sound isolated relationship the microphone holder 1300 has two first and two second arms 1310, 1320 respectively, wherein the two first arms 1310 are arranged spaced from the two second arms 1320 along the longitudinal axis 1120a. Preferably the two open ends of the two first arms 1310 are disposed on two mutually opposite sides of the shotgun tube 1120 so that a notional connecting line between the two open ends of the two first arms 1310 perpendicularly intersects the central axis 1120a of the shotgun tube. The open ends of the two second arms 1320 are preferably disposed in mutually opposite relationship in the same way at the sides of the shotgun tube 1120. The shotgun tube 1120 has two first and two second fixing units 1121, 1122, wherein the two first fixing units 1121 are arranged spaced from the two second fixing units 1122 along the longitudinal axis 1120a. Preferably the two first fixing units 1121 are arranged on two mutually opposite sides of the shotgun tube 1120 so that a notional connecting line between the two first fixing units 1121 perpendicularly intersects the central axis 1120a of the shotgun tube. The two first fixing units 1122 are preferably arranged in mutually opposite relationship in the same way at the sides of the shotgun tube 1120. The first and second arms 1310, 1320 and the first and second fixing units 1121, 1122 are respectively coupled by way of first and second spring elements 1210, 1220. In that way the shotgun tube 1120 is mounted in structure-borne sound isolated relationship at two different locations. In that way there can be provided a first mounting involving a first mounting unit 1211 having the first arms 1310 and the first fixing units 1121 and a second mounting involving a second mounting unit 1221 having the second arms 1320 and the second fixing units 1122, wherein they are respectively coupled by means of a first or a second spring element 1210, 1220. Preferably the first mounting unit 1211 is of such a configuration that the notional connecting line between the two open ends of the two first arms 1310 is oriented perpendicularly to the notional connecting line between the two first fixing units 1121 and the second mounting unit 1221 is of a configuration in the same way as the first mounting unit 1211, but arranged displaced with respect to the longitudinal direction 1120a.

(20) By virtue of the U-shaped configuration of the spring elements 1210 and 1220, that affords an increase in length of the springs and thus a higher level of flexibility. In addition the cross-section of the springs in the axial direction affords a higher level of flexibility than in the radial direction. The material thickness B (FIG. 6) in the radial direction is greater by the factor >1.5 than the material thickness A (FIG. 5) in the axial direction.

(21) According to the invention there is provided a parallel connection of four individual springs 1210, 1220. The optional four individual springs are in the form of two spring segments and permit parallel guidance so that this gives a high level of positional stability. The high positional stability and the high flexibility in the axial direction is further achieved by the above-described material arrangement.

(22) The housing 1400 is of a sound-permeable configuration and encloses a volume. The housing 1400 can serve as a wind protection, the enclosed volume serving as a calming zone for wind turbulence. At the same time a housing 1400 which is as small as possible is desired for good handlability. In addition the microphone should be insensitive in relation to structure-borne sound. According to the invention therefore provided in the interior of the housing 1400 is the structure-borne sound isolation using the two described mounting unit 1211, 1221 so that the shotgun tube 1120 jointly with the microphone capsule 1110 fixed thereto is mounted in structure-borne sound isolated relationship with respect to the surrounding housing 1400. In that respect, to reduce the assembly space required, use is made of the realization that a directional microphone is less sensitive to vibrations and shocks in the radial direction than in the axial direction. Thus there is provided a mounting arrangement which is firmer in the radial direction than in the axial direction so that less space is required in the radial direction, which would arise out of the additional required oscillation travel when involving a softer mounting. In the axial direction however this arrangement provides the softer mounting which is required because of the higher level of sensitivity of the directional microphone in that direction.

(23) While this invention has been described in conjunction with the specific embodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the preferred embodiments of the invention as set forth above are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventions as defined in the following claims.