Loudspeaker with a waveguide
20170311075 · 2017-10-26
Inventors
- Jussi Väisänen (Iisalmi, FI)
- Ilpo Martikainen (Iisalmi, FI)
- Jaakko Nisula (Iisalmi, FI)
- Stephen Millar (Iisalmi, FI)
Cpc classification
H04R1/025
ELECTRICITY
International classification
H04R1/34
ELECTRICITY
H04R1/28
ELECTRICITY
H04R1/02
ELECTRICITY
Abstract
The present invention relates to a loudspeaker including an enclosure having front portion, side portions and back portion defining an inner volume, the front portion is formed as a waveguide surface and includes at least one driver in the center of the waveguide surface and is capable to radiate the main acoustic power of the loudspeaker to ambient volume in direction of first acoustic axis, and an additional driver attached to the enclosure. In accordance with the invention the additional driver is attached inside the enclosure such that a sub volume is formed inside the inner volume, the sub volume limited by the driver, spacers between the driver and the front portion, and the front portion of the enclosure, and at least one port is adapted to open from the sub volume to ambient volume either to side portion or back portion of the enclosure.
Claims
1. A loudspeaker comprising: an enclosure having a front portion, side portions and a back portion defining an inner volume, the front portion being formed as a waveguide surface and including at least one driver in the center of the waveguide surface, the front portion being capable of radiating the main acoustic power of the loudspeaker to a direction of a first acoustic axis, and at least one additional driver attached to the enclosure, the additional driver being attached inside the enclosure such that a sub volume is formed inside the inner volume, the sub volume being limited by the driver, spacers between the driver and the front portion, and the front portion of the enclosure, and at least one first port adapted to open from the sub volume to ambient volume either to the side portion or back portion of the enclosure.
2. The loudspeaker in accordance with claim 1, wherein it includes a front port, opening to the front portion and covered by a selectively transparent layer.
3. The loudspeaker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the loudspeaker includes two additional drivers.
4. The loudspeaker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the additional driver is acoustically connected to the inner volume.
5. The loudspeaker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first port of the sub volume opens to the side portion as a U-shaped groove, the plane defined by the groove being essentially perpendicular to the first acoustic axis.
6. The loudspeaker in accordance with claim 1, wherein a plane of the front port and a plane of any of the first ports has an angle α greater than 0 degrees, preferably more than 45 degrees when the first port is not located on the back portion.
7. The loudspeaker in accordance with claim 1, further comprising: a first driver, which is configured to produce a first frequency band and a corresponding first acoustic axis, a second driver, which is configured to produce a second frequency band, which is different from the first frequency band but may overlap in a cross-over region, and which second frequency band has a second acoustic axis, and an enclosure having front, side and back portions attached to said drivers and comprising a three dimensional waveguide positioned on a front portion of the enclosure and around the first driver, wherein the three dimensional waveguide comprises an acoustically selectively transparent portion which is acoustically essentially reflecting to sound waves of the first frequency band propagating in a direction angled to the first acoustic axis, the selectively transparent portion is essentially transparent to sound waves of the second frequency band propagating in the direction of the second acoustic axis through the selectively transparent portion, and the second driver is positioned inside the enclosure behind the acoustically selectively transparent portion.
8. The loudspeaker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the total area of the at least one first port, is typically 5-50% of the area of the front ports, advantageously in the range of 10-20% of the area of the front ports.
9. The loudspeaker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first ports are formed by channels or conductors to the back portion of the enclosure.
10. The loudspeaker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plane of the first ports has an angle of 80-180 degrees in relation to first acoustic axis.
11. The loudspeaker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the second acoustic axis is non-coaxial with the first acoustic axis.
12. The loudspeaker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the second acoustic axis is not parallel with the first acoustic axis.
13. The loudspeaker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the selectively transparent portion is of porous material.
14. The loudspeaker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the selectively transparent portion is of porous material where the pore diameter is smaller than 1 mm.
15. The loudspeaker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the selectively transparent portion is of felt with thickness about 1-5 mm.
16. The loudspeaker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the selectively transparent portion is of open cell plastic foam with thickness about 1-20 mm.
17. The loudspeaker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the selectively transparent portion covers the complete loudspeaker front surface the tweeter excluded.
18. The loudspeaker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the selectively transparent portion covers only the openings.
19. The loudspeaker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first driver includes two coaxial drivers.
20. The loudspeaker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first driver includes only one driver.
21. The loudspeaker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the selectively transparent portion is made of metal.
22. The loudspeaker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the selectively transparent portion is made of metal mesh.
23. The loudspeaker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the selectively transparent portion is made of metal mesh of several layers.
24. The loudspeaker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the selectively transparent portion is made of metal sheets of several layers with perforations.
25. The loudspeaker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the selectively transparent portion is made of sheets spaced from each other in range of 0.2-2 mm.
26. The loudspeaker in accordance with claim 1, wherein the loudspeaker is a bass-reflex loudspeaker.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0019] In the following, certain preferred embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0020]
[0021]
[0022]
[0023]
[0024]
[0025]
[0026]
[0027]
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0028] List of used terms:
[0029] 1 loudspeaker
[0030] 2 enclosure
[0031] 3 waveguide driver, also coaxial drive or tweeter only
[0032] 4 woofer, low frequency driver, additional driver
[0033] 5 front port (opening) for the woofer, low frequency driver having an outer rim on the surface of the enclosure 2 the rim defining a plane of the rim of the front port
[0034] 6 acoustically selectively transparent layer
[0035] 7 support structure for the acoustically transparent layer
[0036] 8 three dimensional waveguide surface, also a front surface (Face) of the enclosure 2 radiating the main acoustic power having a smooth continuous surface with axially symmetrical features around the centre of the waveguide driver 3
[0037] 9 sweet spot for multiple loudspeakers
[0038] 10 first acoustic axis
[0039] 11 second acoustic axis
[0040] 12 tweeter
[0041] 13 midrange driver
[0042] 15 front portion (wall) of the enclosure, (may also be a waveguide surface 8), a frontal baffle portion, the front portion radiating the main acoustic power and including the waveguide surface 8 and having a plane 28 perpendicular to the first acoustic axis 10
[0043] B1 frequency band of the waveguide driver 3
[0044] B2 frequency band of non-coaxial driver 4
[0045] C cross over frequency band between bands B1 and B2
[0046] 20 first port, also side opening having an outer rim defining a first port plane on the enclosure surface.
[0047] 21 side portion (wall) of the enclosure
[0048] 22 sub volume, also front space of woofer, low frequency driver, part of the inner volume 27
[0049] 23 side wall of the sub volume (front space) forming a spacer between the driver 4 and the enclosure 2, the tangent in the middle of the side wall 23 having an angle different than zero to the plane 28 of the front portion 15, typically an angle around 90 degrees.
[0050] 25 back portion of the enclosure, having a plane defined by a tangent formed in the middle of the back portion 25 being typically parallel with the plane of the front portion 15. The plane of the back portion 25 may have various different angles in accordance with the invention.
[0051] 26 ambient volume
[0052] 27 inner volume of the enclosure 2
[0053] 28 plane of the front portion
[0054] 29 plane of the side portion 21, determined by the tangent of the center of this portion
[0055] 30 plane of the back portion, determined by the tangent of the center of this portion
[0056] 31 plane of the front port 5
[0057] 32 plane of the first port 20, the a plane 31 of the front port 5 and a plane 32 of any of the first ports 20 has an angle α greater than 0 degrees, preferably more than 45 degrees when the first port 20 is not located on the back portion 25
[0058] 33 spacer, a part between the woofer and the front portion 15, either integral part of the enclosure 2 or a separate element
[0059] 34 reflex port
[0060] α angle between the plane 31 of the front port 5 and the plane 32 of the first port 20
[0061] In accordance with
[0062] With reference to
[0063] Referring to
[0064] In other words the loudspeaker 1 includes a first driver 3, which is configured to produce a first frequency band B1 and a corresponding first acoustic axis 10, and a second driver 4, which is configured to produce a second frequency band B2, which is different from the first frequency band B1 but may overlap in a cross-over region, and which second frequency band B2 has a second acoustic axis 11. The enclosure 2 encloses said drivers 3, 4 and comprises a three dimensional waveguide 8 positioned on a front surface of the enclosure 2 and around the first driver 3. The three dimensional waveguide 8 comprises an acoustically selectively transparent portion 6 which is acoustically essentially reflecting to sound waves of the first frequency band B1 propagating in a direction angled to the first acoustic axis 10, the waveguide portion 6 is essentially transparent to sound waves of the second frequency band B2 propagating in the direction of the second acoustic axis through the waveguide portion 6, and the second driver 4 is positioned inside the enclosure 2 behind the acoustically selectively transparent portion 6.
[0065] As described above the second acoustic axis 11 of individual woofer drivers are non-coaxial with the first acoustic axis 10, however the resultant axis of the multiple woofers working together (equivalent woofer driver) has the same acoustic axis as the coaxial driver, waveguide driver 3. This symmetry is however not required in all embodiments of the invention. The axes 10 and 11 may be parallel or non-parallel.
[0066] Referring to
[0067] The side walls 33 of the sub volume (front space) 22 form a spacer between the driver 4 and the enclosure 2 sealing the sub volume 22 from the rest of the inner volume 27 of the enclosure 2. In more detail the inner volume 27 is limited by the enclosure 2 walls, namely front portion 15, side portions 21 and back portion 25.
[0068] In some embodiments of the invention the acoustically selectively transparent layer 6 may be replaced by a mechanically protective grid, the grid limiting in this case the sub volume, as well as the inner volume 27. Advantageously the first ports 20 are formed in the side walls 23 of the sub volume 22 and to the side portions 21 of the enclosure 2 in order to optimize the operation of the woofer 4. Without these first ports 20 the performance of the woofer 4 may be compromised. The first ports 20 may be positioned on any of the side portions 21, e.g. on the short side portions 21 as shown in the figures or alternatively to the long side portions 21.
[0069] Typically the first ports 20 are directed substantially orthogonally in relation to first 10 and second 11 axes, most preferably in the range of 60-120 degrees in relation to these axes.
[0070] However when the first ports 20 are conducted to the back portion 25 of the enclosure 2, e.g. by channels, the difference between the direction of the first ports 20 and the axes 10 and 11 may be even 180 degrees.
[0071] The area of these first ports 20 is typically 5-50% of the area of the openings 5 for the woofer 4, most advantageously in the range of 10-20% of the area of the openings 5 for the woofer 4. The total area of the first ports 20 is the critical feature, therefore the first ports 20 may be only one single first port 20 for each woofer 4 as presented in the figures or may be formed of multiple first ports 20 like a grid with an area corresponding one single port.
[0072] The first ports 20 should not disturb the three dimensional waveguide surface 8, and therefore they are advantageously positioned on the side portions 21 of the enclosure 2. Of course these first ports 20 may be conducted to the back portion 25 of the enclosure 2 by suitable tubes or channels (not shown). In other words the first ports 20 form air passages to areas outside the three dimensional waveguide 8 of the front portion 15 of the enclosure 2.
[0073] Typically the second driver 4 is positioned inside the enclosure 2 behind the acoustically selectively transparent portion 6 and spaced from it, such that a sub volume 22 is formed inside the enclosure 2 and separated from the inner volume 27 by the driver 4 and side walls 23 formed as a spacer between the driver 4 and the front portion 15 of the enclosure 2.
[0074] In alternative embodiments of the invention the selectively transparent portion 6 may be replaced by a mechanically protective grid not having complete properties of selective transparency.
[0075]
[0076]
[0077]
[0078]
[0079] Typically the loudspeaker in accordance with the invention functions in accordance with well-known bass reflex principle, where the low frequency driver 4 is tuned in resonance with help of the compliance of the air volume contained inside the enclosure 27 and the air volume contained inside the reflex port 34 of
[0080] In connection with the acoustically selectively transparent layer 6 essentially reflecting means reflection or absorption of at least 50-100% of the acoustic energy, preferably in the range of 80-100%.
[0081] In the same way essentially transparent means transparency of at least 50-100% of the acoustic energy preferably in the range of 80-100%.
[0082] In the following additional advantageous properties of the acoustically selectively transparent layer 6 are presented:
[0083] The thickness of the layer 6 is advantageously: [0084] felt, about 1 . . . 5 mm thick [0085] open cell plastic foam, about 1-20 mm thick, pore diameter less than 1 mm [0086] thin fabrics as such or as a part of the layer 6
[0087] The layer 6 should attenuate the acoustical radiation of the waveguide driver 3, meaning typically in frequencies above 600 Hz.
[0088] In other words the layer 6 should have an acoustical impedance (or absorption) as a function of frequency therefore functioning as an acoustical filter in the following way: [0089] lowpass when the sound from woofer driver 4 is going through [0090] attenuation (e.g. caused by turbulence or absorption with high losses) for high frequencies from waveguide driver 3 causing strong reflection of the acoustic waves at mid and high frequencies [0091] high reflectance for high frequencies of the driver 3
[0092] Advantageously the layer 6 is formed of holes or pores or their combination in the following way: [0093] if single layer 6 is used holes should have smaller diameter than 1 mm [0094] if multiple layers 6 are used holes with diameter smaller than 1 mm, may work [0095] also, if multiple layers 6 are used holes with diameter larger than 1 mm, may work (not tested yet) [0096] microstructure like felt and open celled plastic work
[0097] The properties for the ideal material for layer 6 are the following: [0098] gas permeable (=porous) [0099] low acoustical losses up to the crossover frequency C (woofer 4) [0100] high acoustical reflectance slightly above the crossover frequency c [0101] known materials fulfilling the above criteria: [0102] felt, about 1 . . . 5 mm thick [0103] open cell_plastic foam, about 1-20 mm thick, pore diameter less than 1 mm
[0104] The layer 6 may cover the loudspeaker front (tweeter 12 excluded) or only the holes 5.
[0105] The layer 6 may be also formed as a metal structure, like mesh or grid with on one or several layers in accordance with the above requirements for porosity and frequency properties. This kind of structure could be formed e.g. by a stack of perforated metal sheets or plates of thickness around 0.2-2 mm. The properties of this kind of stack could be adjusted by placement (distribution) of the holes or pores, percentage (openness) of the holes or pores, and the spacing of the plates from each other. The hole or aperture diameter may vary typically around 0.3-3 mm. The spacing between the sheets or plates is typically around 0.2-2 mm.
[0106] A metal structure described above is advantageous, because its propertied can be adjusted freely and the external properties like colour can be as well selected without limitations.
[0107] The crossover frequency C is typically the following: [0108] low frequency f<600 Hz (woofer output range) [0109] high frequency f>600 Hz (midrange and/or tweeter output range)
[0110] In accordance with the invention in combination with the large waveguide 8: [0111] woofer 4 is placed behind the waveguide surface 8 [0112] two or more (e.g. 4) woofers 4 can be used in order to obtain directivity
[0113] Also an embodiment with only one woofer is possible, however directivity for low frequencies will not be obtained beyond what is provided by the size of the air displacing surface of the woofer in combination with the size of the front baffle of the loudspeaker enclosure.
[0114] The invention can be also described in the following way:
[0115] The loudspeaker 1 comprises an enclosure 2 defining an inner volume 27 and including a frontal baffle portion 15 (front portion), which has a front port 5 for providing a fluid passageway between the inner volume 27 and the ambient volume 26 of the enclosure 2 and a side portion 21 extending rearward from the periphery of the baffle portion 15. The side portion 21 forms side walls or the enclosure 2. The enclosure further includes a back portion 25, which is typically essentially parallel with the frontal baffle portion 15 and forming the back side of the enclosure 2. The loudspeaker 1 further comprises a driver 4 attacked to the enclosure 2, such that the driver 4 is arranged at a distance from the baffle portion 15, forming a sub volume 22 inside the enclosure 2 such that a sub volume 22 is formed between the driver 4 and the baffle portion 15 by a spacer 33, wherein said front port 5 acts as a front port between the sub volume 22 and the ambient volume 28 of the enclosure 2. In accordance with this embodiment a first port 20 is formed to the enclosure 2 either in the side portion 21 or back portion 25 in order to connect the sub volume 22 and the ambient volume 26 with each other.
[0116] In the following paragraphs are described some embodiments of the invention:
[0117] Paragraph 1. A loudspeaker (1) including [0118] an enclosure (2) having front (15) portion, side portions (21) and back portion (25) defining an inner volume (27), [0119] the front portion (15) is formed as a waveguide surface (8) and includes at least one driver (12, 13) in the center of the waveguide surface (8) and is capable of radiating the main acoustic power of the loudspeaker (1) to direction of first acoustic axis (10), and [0120] an at least one additional driver (4) attached to the enclosure (2),
characterized in that [0121] the additional driver (4) is attached inside the enclosure (2) such that a sub volume (22) is formed inside the inner volume (27), the sub volume (22) limited by the driver (4), spacers (33) between the driver (4) and the front portion (15), and the front portion (15) of the enclosure (2), and [0122] at least one first port (20) is adapted to open from the sub volume (22) to ambient volume (26) either to side portion (21) or back portion (25) of the enclosure (2).
[0123] Paragraph 2. A loudspeaker in accordance with paragraph 1, characterized in that it includes a front port (5), opening to the front portion (15) and covered by a selectively transparent layer (6).
[0124] Paragraph 3. A loudspeaker in accordance with paragraph 1 or 2, characterized in that the loudspeaker (1) includes two additional drivers (4).
[0125] Paragraph 4. A loudspeaker in accordance with any previous paragraph, characterized in that the additional driver (4) is acoustically connected to the inner volume (27).
[0126] Paragraph 5. A loudspeaker in accordance with any previous paragraph, characterized in that the first port (20) of the sub volume (22) opens to the side portion (21) as a U-shaped groove (20), the plane defined by the groove being essentially perpendicular to the first acoustic axis (10).
[0127] Paragraph 6. A loudspeaker in accordance with any previous paragraph characterized in that a plane (31) of the front port (5) and a plane (32) of any of the first ports (20) has an angle a greater than 0 degrees, preferably more than 45 degrees when the first port (20) is not located on the back portion (25).
[0128] Paragraph 7. A loudspeaker in accordance with any previous paragraph including [0129] a first driver (3), which is configured to produce a first frequency band (B1) and a corresponding first acoustic axis (10), [0130] a second driver (4), which is configured to produce a second frequency band (B2), which is different from the first frequency band (B1) but may overlap in a cross-over region, and which second frequency band (B2) has a second acoustic axis (11), [0131] an enclosure (2) having front (15), side (21) and back portions (25) attached to said drivers (3, 4) and comprising a three dimensional waveguide (8) positioned on a front portion of the enclosure (2) and around the first driver (3),
characterized in that [0132] the three dimensional waveguide (8) comprises an acoustically selectively transparent portion (6) which is acoustically essentially reflecting to sound waves of the first frequency band (B1) propagating in a direction angled to the first acoustic axis, the selectively transparent portion (6) is essentially transparent to sound waves of the second frequency band (B2) propagating in the direction of the second acoustic axis (11) through the selectively transparent portion (6), and in that [0133] the second driver (4) is positioned inside the enclosure (2) behind the acoustically selectively transparent portion (6).
[0134] Paragraph 8. A loudspeaker (1) in accordance with any previous paragraph, characterized in that the total area of the at least one first port (20), is typically 5-50% of the area of the front ports (5), advantageously in the range of 10-20% of the area of the front ports (5).
[0135] Paragraph 9. A loudspeaker (1) in accordance with any previous paragraph, characterized in that the first ports (20) are formed by channels or conductors to the back portion (25) of the enclosure (2).
[0136] Paragraph 10. A loudspeaker (1) in accordance with any previous paragraph, characterized in that the plane (32) of the first ports (20) has an angle of 80-180 degrees in relation to first acoustic axis (10).
[0137] Paragraph 11. A loudspeaker (1) in accordance with paragraph with any previous paragraph, characterized in that the second acoustic axis (11) is non-coaxial with the first acoustic axis (10).
[0138] Paragraph 12. A loudspeaker (1) in accordance with any previous paragraph, characterized in that the [0139] second acoustic axis (11) is not parallel with the first acoustic axis (10).
[0140] Paragraph 13. A loudspeaker (1) in accordance with any previous paragraph, characterized in that the selectively transparent portion (6) is of porous material.
[0141] Paragraph 14. A loudspeaker (1) in accordance with any previous paragraph, characterized in that the selectively transparent portion (6) is of porous material where the pore diameter is smaller than 1 mm.
[0142] Paragraph 15. A loudspeaker (1) in accordance with any previous paragraph, characterized in that the selectively transparent portion (6) is of felt with thickness about 1-5 mm.
[0143] Paragraph 16. A loudspeaker (1) in accordance with any previous paragraph, characterized in that the selectively transparent portion (6) is of open cell plastic foam with thickness about 1-20 mm.
[0144] Paragraph 17. A loudspeaker (1) in accordance with any previous paragraph, characterized in that the selectively transparent portion (6) covers the complete loudspeaker front surface (8) the tweeter (12) excluded.
[0145] Paragraph 18. A loudspeaker (1) in accordance with any previous paragraph, characterized in that the selectively transparent portion (6) covers only the openings (5).
[0146] Paragraph 19. A loudspeaker (1) in accordance with any previous paragraph, characterized in that the first driver (3) includes two coaxial drivers (12, 13).
[0147] Paragraph 20. A loudspeaker (1) in accordance with any previous paragraph, characterized in that the first driver (3) includes only one driver (12, 13).
[0148] Paragraph 21. A loudspeaker (1) in accordance with any previous paragraph, characterized in that the selectively transparent portion (6) is made of metal.
[0149] Paragraph 22. A loudspeaker (1) in accordance with any previous paragraph, characterized in that the selectively transparent portion (6) is made of metal mesh.
[0150] Paragraph 23. A loudspeaker (1) in accordance with any previous paragraph, characterized in that the selectively transparent portion (6) is made of metal mesh of several layers.
[0151] Paragraph 24. A loudspeaker (1) in accordance with any previous paragraph, characterized in that the selectively transparent portion (6) is made of metal sheets of several layers with perforations.
[0152] Paragraph 25. A loudspeaker (1) in accordance with any previous paragraph, characterized in that the selectively transparent portion (6) is made of sheets spaced from each other in range of 0.2-2 mm.
[0153] Paragraph 26. A loudspeaker (1) in accordance with any previous paragraph, characterized in that the loudspeaker (1) is a bass-reflex loudspeaker.