US-12621595-B2 - Acoustic transducer unit

Abstract

The invention relates to an acoustic transducer unit ( 1 ), in particular for in-ear headphones, having an electrodynamic acoustic transducer ( 2 ) comprising a first membrane ( 10 ), preferably with a membrane perforation ( 42 ), and having at least one MEMS sound transducer ( 3 ) comprising a second membrane ( 30 ). According to the invention, the acoustic transducer unit ( 1 ) comprises a sound-guiding element ( 16 ), by means of which sound waves generated by the MEMS acoustic transducer ( 3 ) can be guided past the electrodynamic acoustic transducer ( 2 ), in particular guided past the first membrane ( 10 ) of the electrodynamic acoustic transducer ( 2 ).

Inventors

• Andrea Rusconi Clerici Beltrami
• Ferruccio Bottoni
• Jakob SPOETL
• Christian Novotny

Assignees

• USound GmbH

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20231201

Priority Date

20221202

Claims (20)

1. 1 . An acoustic transducer unit ( 1 ), in particular for an in-ear headphones, wherein: the acoustic transducer unit ( 1 ) has an electrodynamic acoustic transducer ( 2 ) comprising a first membrane ( 10 ) with a membrane perforation ( 42 ), the acoustic transducer unit ( 1 ) has at least one MEMS acoustic transducer ( 3 ) comprising a second membrane ( 30 ), the acoustic transducer unit ( 1 ) comprises an acoustic-guiding element ( 16 ) by means of which the acoustic waves generated by the MEMS acoustic transducer ( 3 ) can be guided past the first membrane ( 10 ) of the electrodynamic acoustic transducer ( 2 ), the acoustic-guiding element ( 16 ) is an acoustic-guiding tube, the acoustic-guiding tube extends through the membrane perforation ( 42 ), and the acoustic-guiding tube projects beyond the first membrane ( 10 ).
2. 2 . The acoustic transducer unit according to claim 1 , characterized in that the MEMS acoustic transducer ( 3 ) is integrated into the electrodynamic acoustic transducer ( 2 ) such that the acoustic waves that can be generated by the second membrane ( 30 ) can be emitted from the acoustic transducer unit ( 1 ) through the membrane perforation ( 42 ).
3. 3 . The acoustic transducer unit according to claim 1 , characterized in that the electrodynamic transducer ( 2 ) is arranged around the at least one MEMS acoustic transducer ( 3 ).
4. 4 . The acoustic transducer unit according to claim 1 , characterized in that the first membrane ( 10 ) is annular.
5. 5 . The acoustic transducer unit according to claim 1 , characterized in that the electrodynamic acoustic transducer ( 2 ) is annular.
6. 6 . The acoustic transducer unit according to claim 1 , characterized in that the electrodynamic acoustic transducer ( 2 ) has the shape of a torus and the MEMS acoustic transducer ( 3 ) is arranged in a through-hole of the torus.
7. 7 . The acoustic transducer unit according to claim 1 , characterized in that the acoustic-guiding element ( 16 ) is straight or curved.
8. 8 . The acoustic transducer unit according to claim 1 , characterized in that at least one spacer ( 40 ) is arranged on an exterior ( 68 ) of the acoustic-guiding element ( 16 ) in order to space the acoustic-guiding element ( 16 ) at a distance from a surrounding housing part of the electronic component when the acoustic transducer unit ( 1 ) is arranged as specified in an electronic component, in particular in-ear headphones ( 34 ).
9. 9 . The acoustic transducer unit according to claim 8 , characterized in that the at least one spacer ( 40 ) is labyrinth-shaped and/or helix-shaped.
10. 10 . The acoustic transducer unit according to claim 8 , characterized in that a damping material ( 69 ) is arranged on the exterior ( 68 ) of the acoustic guiding element ( 16 ) and/or on the spacer ( 40 ).
11. 11 . The acoustic transducer unit according to claim 5 , characterized in that the acoustic transducer unit ( 1 ) comprises a transducer cavity ( 41 ), in which the MEMS acoustic transducer ( 3 ) and/or an electronics unit ( 18 ) is arranged, wherein the transducer cavity ( 41 ) is formed at least partially by a through-hole of the annular electrodynamic transducer.
12. 12 . The acoustic transducer unit according to claim 11 , characterized in that the transducer cavity ( 41 ) is surrounded by a magnet unit ( 52 ), in particular a magnet ( 7 ), of the electrodynamic acoustic transducer ( 2 ), and/or in that the MEMS acoustic transducer ( 3 ) and/or the electronics unit ( 18 ) is arranged in axial direction of the transducer unit ( 1 ) at the height of the magnet unit ( 52 ), in particular of the magnet ( 7 ).
13. 13 . The acoustic transducer unit according to claim 11 , characterized in that the MEMS acoustic transducer ( 3 ), the electronics unit ( 18 ), a holder ( 15 ), and/or the acoustic-guiding element ( 16 ) in axial direction ( 21 ) of the acoustic transducer unit ( 1 ) have an overlap region with a magnet unit ( 52 ), in particular a magnet ( 7 ), of the electrodynamic acoustic transducer ( 2 ), a coil ( 8 ) of the electrodynamic acoustic transducer ( 2 ) and/or a transducer housing ( 4 ) of the acoustic transducer unit ( 1 ).
14. 14 . The acoustic transducer unit according to claim 13 , characterized in that the MEMS acoustic transducer ( 3 ) is arranged on the holder ( 15 ) of the acoustic transducer unit ( 1 ) and/or on the magnet unit ( 52 ) of the electrodynamic acoustic transducer ( 2 ) and/or has a contact surface with these.
15. 15 . The acoustic transducer unit according to claim 11 , characterized in that the electronics unit ( 18 ) comprises an electronics feed-through ( 19 ) that adjoins a MEMS cavity ( 54 ) of the MEMS acoustic transducer ( 3 ).
16. 16 . The acoustic transducer unit according to claim 1 , characterized in that an acoustic propagation axis of the electrodynamic acoustic transducer ( 2 ) and an acoustic propagation axis of the MEMS acoustic transducer ( 3 ) are coaxially arranged in relation to one another, in particular in axial direction of the acoustic transducer unit ( 1 ).
17. 17 . The acoustic transducer unit according to claim 1 , characterized in that the transducer unit ( 1 ) comprises at least one sealing element ( 53 ), which is arranged on a contact side of the transducer unit ( 1 ).
18. 18 . The acoustic transducer unit according to claim 1 , characterized in that the acoustic transducer unit ( 1 ) comprises at least one connection ( 67 ), wherein the at least one connection ( 67 ) is adapted as a flexible connection section and/or as a plug.
19. 19 . The acoustic transducer unit according to claim 1 , characterized in that the acoustic transducer unit ( 1 ) comprises at least one microphone ( 62 ), by means of which at least the acoustic waves and/or ambient noise that can be generated by the electrodynamic acoustic transducer ( 2 ) can be detected.
20. 20 . An electronic component, in particular in-ear headphones ( 34 ), having an acoustic transducer unit ( 1 ) according to claim 1 .

Description

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to German Patent Application No. 102023104021.9 filed Feb. 17, 2023, German Patent Application No. 102022134731.1 filed Dec. 23, 2022, and German Patent Application No. 102022132092.8 filed Dec. 2, 2022, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates to an acoustic transducer unit, in particular for in-ear headphones, having an electrodynamic acoustic transducer comprising a first membrane with a membrane perforation, and comprising at least one MEMS acoustic transducer having a second membrane. BACKGROUND WO 2022/121740 A1 discloses an acoustic transducer unit with an electrodynamic and a MEMS acoustic transducer. BRIEF SUMMARY The object of the present invention is to create a compact acoustic transducer unit from an electrodynamic and MEMS acoustic transducer. The object is achieved by an acoustic transducer unit, an electronic component, and by using the acoustic transducer unit according to the independent claims. The invention proposes an acoustic transducer unit, in particular for in-ear headphones or on-ear headphones, comprising an electrodynamic acoustic transducer having a first membrane with a membrane perforation, and comprising at least one MEMS acoustic transducer having a second membrane. The acoustic transducer unit can also be used for other electronic components. An electronic component can be the already described in-ear headphones, but also a smartphone, laptop, tablet, smartwatch, etc. The acoustic transducer unit further comprises an acoustic-guiding element, by means of which acoustic waves generated by the MEMS acoustic transducer can be guided past the electrodynamic acoustic transducer. The acoustic waves generated by the MEMS acoustic transducer can also be guided past the first membrane of the electrodynamic acoustic transducer. This prevents a mutual influence on the acoustic waves generated by the MEMS acoustic transducer and the acoustic waves generated by the electrodynamic acoustic transducer. The acoustic waves of the MEMS transducer and the electrodynamic transducer remain separated from each other. As a result, resonances, flexions, and/or interferences of the acoustic waves generated by the MEMS acoustic transducer on the electrodynamic acoustic transducer, on the first membrane and/or with acoustic waves of the electrodynamic transducer can be avoided. The MEMS acoustic transducer is advantageously integrated into the electrodynamic acoustic transducer such that the acoustic waves generated by the second membrane can exit the acoustic transducer unit trough the membrane perforation. The acoustic transducer unit can thus be adapted in a compact manner. The membrane perforation permits guiding out the acoustic waves of the MEMS acoustic transducer such that these are only minimally disturbed and the audio quality remains high. It is likewise advantageous if the electrodynamic acoustic transducer is arranged about the at least one MEMS acoustic transducer. The electrodynamic acoustic transducer thus surrounds the MEMS acoustic transducer. The MEMS acoustic transducer is arranged in the interior of the electrodynamic acoustic transducer such that the acoustic transducer unit is compact. Furthermore, it is advantageous if the first membrane is annular. Acoustic waves with few distortions can thus be emitted with the first membrane of the electrodynamic acoustic transducer. In particular, the first membrane is shaped as a disc with a preferably round hole, in particular in the center. It is also advantageous if the electrodynamic acoustic transducer has an annular shape. As a result, the electrodynamic acoustic transducer has a through-hole through which at least the acoustic waves of the MEMS acoustic transducer can be at least partially guided. The electrodynamic acoustic transducer can also have the shape of a torus. It is also advantageous if the MEMS acoustic transducer is arranged in a through-hole of the annular electrodynamic acoustic transducer. As a result, the acoustic transducer unit is compact since the MEMS acoustic transducer is arranged in the interior of the electrodynamic acoustic transducer. The size of the acoustic transducer unit is thus pre-determined by the size of the electrodynamic acoustic transducer. If the electrodynamic acoustic transducer has the shape of a torus, the MEMS acoustic transducer can also be arranged in a through hole of the torus. It can then also be the case that the electrodynamic acoustic transducer is shaped similar to the shape of a torus. The electrodynamic acoustic-transducer can have a toroidal shape. The acoustic transducer unit comprises an acoustic-guiding element. The acoustic waves generated by the MEMS acoustic transducer can be guided using the acoustic-guiding element. The acoustic-guiding element can for example be an acoustic-guiding tube or an acoustic-guiding channel. Additionally or altern