Multilayered Electrostatic Transducer

Abstract

An electrostatic transducer includes first and second flexible conductive membranes; and first and second conductive stators. The membranes and the stators are assembled in a layered configuration with the membranes between the stators and with an enclosed volume of air sealed between the first and second membranes. The electrostatic transducer is arranged in use to apply an electrical potential which gives rise to an electrostatic force between the membranes and the stators that causes the membranes to move relative to the stators.

Claims

1. An electrostatic transducer comprising: first and second flexible conductive membranes; and first and second conductive stators; wherein the membranes and the stators are assembled in a layered configuration with the membranes between the stators and with an enclosed volume of air sealed between the first and second membranes; wherein the electrostatic transducer is arranged in use to apply an electrical potential which gives rise to an electrostatic force between the membranes and the stators that causes the membranes to move relative to the stators.

2. The electrostatic transducer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second membrane are mounted in the transducer with a spacer or spacer structure between them, wherein the first and second membrane together with the spacer or spacer structure enclose the volume of air.

3. The electrostatic transducer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transducer comprises multiple volumes of air sealed between the membranes.

4. The electrostatic transducer as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is no intervening element between the first and second membranes.

5. The electrostatic transducer as claimed in claim 1, wherein a spacing between the first and second membranes is at least 5 ?m.

6. The electrostatic transducer as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first and second membranes are electrically coupled.

7. The electrostatic transducer as claimed in any preceding claim 1, wherein the transducer further comprises one or more further membranes between the first and second stators.

8. The electrostatic transducer as claimed in claim 1, wherein a further conductive stator is provided between the first and second membranes.

9. The electrostatic transducer as claimed in claim 8, wherein a spacing between the first and second membranes is at least 20 ?m.

10. The electrostatic transducer as claimed in claim 8, wherein the further stator comprises perforations, allowing air to pass therethrough.

11. The electrostatic transducer as claimed in claim 8, wherein the further stator is separated from each of the first and second membranes by respective first and second spacers, and wherein the first and second spacers are bonded to the further stator and the first and second membranes so that the membranes, the first and second spacers and a bonded portion of the further stator together enclose the volume of air.

12. The electrostatic transducer as claimed in claim 8, wherein the membranes are electrically insulated from each other.

13. The electrostatic transducer as claimed in claim 8, wherein the transducer comprises N stators and N?1 membranes, wherein N is at least 4, the stators and membranes are arranged in an alternating layered configuration with the first and second stators outermost.

14. The electrostatic transducer as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first stator, the second stator and a further stator comprises an insulating coating on one or more surfaces facing the membranes.

15. The electrostatic transducer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second flexible conductive membranes have respective first and second effective compliances, wherein the first effective compliance is at least 10% greater than the second effective compliance.

16. A method of manufacturing an electrostatic transducer, the method comprising: providing first and second flexible conductive membranes; and first and second conductive stators; assembling the first and second flexible conductive membranes and the first and second stators in a layered configuration with the membranes between the stators and with an enclosed volume of air sealed between the first and second membranes; and arranging the electrostatic transducer to apply in use an electrical potential which gives rise to an electrostatic force between the membranes and the stators that causes the membranes to move relative to the stators.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the transducer comprises multiple volumes of air sealed between the membranes.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, comprising mounting the first and second membranes in the transducer with a spacer or spacer structure between them, wherein the spacer or spacer structure comprises a layer of material with multiple apertures separated by walls, wherein the method comprises bonding each of the membranes to the walls between the apertures such that each aperture defines a respective one of the volumes of air that is sealed in by the membranes.

19. The electrostatic transducer as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first and second membranes are mounted in the transducer with a spacer or spacer structure between them, wherein the spacer or spacer structure comprises a layer of material with multiple apertures separated by walls and wherein the membranes are each bonded to the walls between the apertures such that each aperture defines a respective one of the volumes of air that is sealed in by the membranes.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0067] Certain preferred embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0068] FIG. 1 shows an illustrative sketch of the frequency response of a typical electrostatic transducer having a single membrane, for reference purposes;

[0069] FIG. 2a shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of electrostatic transducer in accordance with the present invention;

[0070] FIG. 2b shows a schematic perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2a;

[0071] FIG. 2c shows a plan view of the third spacer of the first embodiment;

[0072] FIG. 3a shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of electrostatic transducer in accordance with the present invention;

[0073] FIG. 3b shows a schematic perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3a;

[0074] FIG. 4a shows an illustrative sketch of the respective frequency responses of two individual transducers each manufactured with a single membrane, where the membrane in each transducer has a different effective compliance; and

[0075] FIG. 4b shows an illustrative sketch of the respective frequency responses of a prior art transducer and a transducer in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0076] FIG. 1 shows an illustrative sketch of the frequency response 100 of a typical electrostatic transducer having a single membrane, for reference purposes. It can be seen that the low frequency portion 102 of the frequency response produces relatively low SPL (sound pressure level). The SPL has a resonant peak 104 at higher frequencies, and then the highest frequency portion 106 increases with increasing frequency thereafter. This frequency response is not ideal, in particular due to the poor response at low frequencies and the disproportionately strong response at the resonant peak. A flatter frequency response profile with a stronger low frequency response is desirable to improve the fidelity of the output acoustic waves based on an input audio signal.

[0077] FIGS. 2a and 2b show a first embodiment of an electrostatic transducer 200 in accordance with the present invention. The electrostatic transducer 200 comprises a layered configuration of membranes 204, 206 and stators 208, 210, together with a biasing arrangement 212. FIG. 2a shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the layered configuration. FIG. 2b shows a schematic perspective view of the layered configuration. FIGS. 2a and 2b are not to scale.

[0078] The layered configuration comprises a first membrane 204 and a second membrane 206, which are positioned between a first stator 208 and a second stator 210. The first and second membranes 204, 206 each comprise a flexible electrically conductive layer. The first and second stators 208, 210 each comprise a rigid conductive sheet (an aluminium sheet in this example) with an array of holes 214 therein to allow the acoustic waves generated by the membranes 204, 206 to pass through the stators 208, 210 into the surrounding environment. In other embodiments, the stators 208, 210 may comprise different materials or combinations of materials.

[0079] The transducer 200 also comprises first and second spacers 216, 218. The first spacer 216 is positioned between the first membrane 204 and the first stator 208 so that the first membrane 204 and the first stator 206 are held in a spaced relationship with respect to one another. The first membrane 204 and the first stator 208 are bonded to the first spacer 216 with an adhesive. The second spacer 218 is positioned between and bonded to the second membrane 206 and the second stator 210 in a similar manner, so that the second membrane 206 and the second stator 210 are held in a spaced relationship with respect to one another.

[0080] In this example, the spacing between the first membrane 204 and the first stator 208 is 1 mm and the spacing between the second membrane 206 and the second stator 208 is also 1 mm, although other spacings are possible.

[0081] The transducer 200 further comprises third spacer 220 positioned between the first and second membranes 204, 206. FIG. 2c shows a plan view of the third spacer 220. It can be seen that in this example the third spacer 220 has a square shape (although other shapes are possible), and consists of an unbroken surround 222 that encloses a central hole 224 on four sides. The position of the third spacer 220 between the first and second membranes 204, 206 can also be seen in FIG. 2b. The third spacer 220 is bonded to the membranes 204, 206 around their entire peripheries, so that the surround 222 together with the membranes 204, 206 form a complete enclosure enclosing a volume of air 226 in the hole 224, with no gaps in the enclosure. The unbroken surround 222 may be formed from more than one piece, but such pieces are bonded or otherwise sealed together without gaps or air holes. As discussed above and further below, providing an enclosed volume of air between the two membranes improves the performance of the transducer-in particular, the frequency response.

[0082] In this example, the spacing between the membranes is 0.5 mm, although other spacings are possible.

[0083] The first and second membranes 204 each have a respective effective compliance. As mentioned above, the effective compliance may depend on a number of factors relating to the membrane structure, dimensions and/or materials and well as the manner in which it is mounted. In the example embodiment of FIGS. 2a and 2b, the membranes 204, 206 are identical in structure, material and dimensions. In this example, each membrane is 50 ?m thick and comprises a BOPP polymer sheet with an aluminium coating deposited thereon, and a further layer of BOPP adhered over the aluminium layer. In other embodiments, the membranes may comprise different materials or combinations of materials from this particular example and/or from each other, e.g. in variation on FIGS. 2a and 2b, the membranes 204, 206 may each consist of a single BOPP sheet with an aluminium coating on one side.

[0084] To provide a difference in effective compliance, the two membranes are mounted so that each membrane is under different average tensile stress across its surface. The first membrane 204 has an average tensile stress across its surface of 20 MPa, while the second membrane 206 has an average tensile stress across its surface of 24 MPa.

[0085] In a variation on the embodiment of FIGS. 2a and 2b, the first and second membranes 204, 206 are made from the same materials and are mounted in the layered configuration under the same tensile stress but have different thicknesses. In this variation, the first membrane 204 has a thickness of 50 ?m and the second membrane 206 has a thickness of 53 ?m. Owing to the difference in thickness, the effective compliance of the first membrane 204 is approximately 20% higher than the effective compliance of the second membrane 206.

[0086] In the example embodiment of FIGS. 2a and 2b, the first and second membranes 204, 206 are electrically coupled and the biasing arrangement 212 provides a D.C. bias Vb to the membranes 204, 206. The biasing arrangement 212 also provides a varying voltage to the first and second stators 208, 210. The voltage provided to each stator 208, 210 includes a bias offset (V1 for the first stator 208 and V2 for the second stator 210) and a varying component V(t) corresponding to the audio signal to be reproduced. The varying component has opposite polarity for each stator 208, 210, so that as the voltage V(t) varies, the stators 208, 210 cooperate to push and pull the biased membranes 204, 206 to generate acoustic waves corresponding to the audio signal.

[0087] FIGS. 3a and 3b show a second embodiment of an electrostatic transducer 300 in accordance with the present invention. The electrostatic transducer 300 comprises a layered configuration of membranes 304, 306 and stators 308, 309, 310 (with holes 314, 315) together with a biasing arrangement 312. FIG. 3a shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the layered configuration. FIG. 3b shows a schematic perspective view of the layered configuration. FIGS. 3a and 3b are not to scale.

[0088] The first and second membranes 304, 306 and the first and second stators 308, 310 of this embodiment have the same structure as the membranes 204, 206 and stators 208, 210 of the first embodiment, including being bonded to first and second spacers 316, 318, which hold the first and second membranes 304, 306 in a spaced relationship relative to the first and second stators 308, 310 respectively. However, in this embodiment, a third stator 309 is provided between the first and second membranes 304, 306. The third stator 309 has the same structure as the first and second stators 308, 310, i.e. it is a metal sheet with an array of holes therein.

[0089] Instead of a single third spacer between the first and second membranes 304, 306, there are third and fourth spacers 322, 324. The third and fourth spacers 322, 324 have a similar shape to that shown in FIG. 2c, including an unbroken surround and a central hole. The third spacer 322 is positioned between the first membrane 304 and the third stator 309, and is bonded to the first membrane 304 and the third stator 309 around their entire peripheries. The fourth spacer 324 is positioned between the second membrane 306 and the third stator 309, and is bonded to the second membrane 306 and the third stator 309 around their entire peripheries. The first and second membranes 304, 306 together with the third and fourth spacers 322, 324 and the periphery of the third stator 309 enclose a volume of air 326 between the first and second membranes 304, 306, i.e. so that the volume of air is surrounded on all sides without any gaps. It can be seen from FIG. 3a that the volume of air comprises two regions 328, 330 that are acoustically connected via the holes 315 in the third spacer 309.

[0090] In this example, the spacing between the membranes is 2 mm, with the third stator 309 equidistant from each membrane 304, 306, but other spacings are possible.

[0091] In the example embodiment of FIGS. 3a and 3b, the first and second membranes 304, 306 are electrically isolated from each other and a biasing arrangement 312 provides D.C. biases Va, Vb and Vc respectively to the first membrane 304, the third stator 309, and the second membrane 310. The biasing arrangement 312 also provides a varying voltage to the first and second stators 308, 310. The voltage provided to each of the first and second stators 308, 310 includes a bias offset (V1 for the first stator 308 and V2 for the second stator 310) and a varying component V(t) corresponding to the audio signal to be reproduced. The varying component has opposite polarity for each stator 308, 310, so that as the voltage V(t) varies, the three stators 308, 309, 310 cooperate to push and pull the biased membranes 304, 306 to generate acoustic waves corresponding to the audio signal.

[0092] As the membranes vibrate in response to the applied voltages, the enclosed volume of air 326 provides the advantages discussed above with reference to the first embodiment, i.e. helping to enhance the low frequencies and dampen the high frequencies in the transducer response.

[0093] In the example of FIGS. 3a and 3b, the first and second membranes 304, 306 have the same structure and configuration as the membranes 204, 206 described above with reference to FIGS. 2a and 2b, i.e. they are formed from the same materials and have the same dimensions as each other, but are mounted in the layered configuration under different tensile stresses, so that the first membrane 304 has a higher effective compliance than the second membrane 306.

[0094] As discussed above, the provision of two membranes with different effective compliances alters the frequency response of the transducer compared with two membranes having the same effective compliance. As the resonance characteristics depend on the membrane's effective compliance, providing two membranes with different effective compliances combines the resonant characteristics of both membranes into a single frequency response, which is generally flatter than the frequency response of a transducer with a single membrane or with two membranes with the same effective compliance.

[0095] In addition, as mentioned above, providing two membranes with an enclosed volume of air between them modifies the acoustic impedance of the membranes such that, as a composite vibrating element, they have a high effective mass at low frequencies and increased damping at higher frequencies. This enhances the lower frequencies while flattening the higher frequencies in the transducer frequency response, giving a flatter frequency response overall.

[0096] FIGS. 4a and 4b provide an illustrative indication of the typical changes observed in the frequency response for a transducer such as those described with reference to FIGS. 2a, 2b, 3a and 3b above, compared with known arrangements.

[0097] FIG. 4a shows an illustrative sketch of the frequency responses 400, 402 of two transducers manufactured with a single membrane, where the membrane in each transducer has a different effective compliance. It can be seen that in FIG. 4a, each transducer has a relatively low response at low frequencies, a resonant peak 404, 406 (which depends on the membrane compliance) and after the peak, a gradual increase with frequency. The frequency response 402 of the membrane with the higher effective compliance has a resonant peak 406 that is shifted downward in frequency relative to the resonant peak 404 of the frequency response 400 of the membrane with the lower effective compliance.

[0098] FIG. 4b shows an illustrative sketch of the frequency response of a two-membrane transducer without sealing to enclosure a volume of air, and wherein the membranes have the same compliance (dotted line 408) and the frequency response of a two-membrane transducer with sealing and different membrane effective compliances, such as described with reference to FIGS. 2a, 2b, 3a and 3b above (solid line 410).

[0099] It can be seen from FIG. 4b that when two such different membranes are provided in one transducer the combination of the two different resonant peaks flattens the frequency response overall. It can also be seen that further flattening is created by the enhanced lower frequencies and damped higher frequencies, which results from providing two membranes in the same transducer with an enclosed air volume between them. A flatter frequency response is desirable because the transducer will reproduce the audio signal with higher fidelity.

[0100] Although only two embodiments have been described, it will be appreciated that these embodiments are exemplary only and do not limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the claims.