Speaker grille and speaker device

{
  "publication_number": "US2007098206A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Speaker grille and speaker device",
  "abstract": "It is an object of the invention to provide an improved speaker grille and an improved speaker device capable of preventing a deterioration of the quality of a sound propagated in an inclined direction, using only a simple structure. The speaker device has a diaphragm and a grille provided in front of the diaphragm. The grille is formed in a position in front of the diaphragm, and has an open area in which an entire diameter of the diaphragm is opened in the right ahead direction of the diaphragm, also has shield areas formed on both sides of the open area for shielding part of the diaphragm viewed in an inclined direction, thereby making it possible to prevent a sound quality deterioration in the inclined direction using a simple structure. Moreover, since the grille is formed with the open area in the right ahead direction, there is no sound quality deterioration in the right ahead direction.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A speaker grille provided on a front side of a speaker having a diaphragm, said grille comprising: an open area formed in front of the diaphragm and allowing an entire diameter of the diaphragm to be open in a right ahead direction of the diaphragm; and shield areas formed outside the open area and shielding part of the diaphragm viewed in an inclined direction of the diaphragm.",
    "2. The speaker grille according to claim 1, wherein the shield areas are formed on left and right sides of the open area, shielding part of vibration surface of the diaphragm on left or right side in an inclined direction.",
    "3. The speaker grille according to claim 2, wherein the shield areas include first and second shield areas on the left and right sides of the open area, the first shield area shields part of the vibration surface of the diaphragm on left or right side in an inclined direction, while the second shield area does not shield the vibration surface of the diaphragm in the inclined direction.",
    "4. The speaker grille according to claim 1, wherein the shield areas are provided to shield diaphragm portions near edge of the diaphragm in the right ahead direction thereof.",
    "5. The speaker grille according to claim 1, wherein said grille consists of a protection member in which a plurality of apertures are formed in the open area, with no aperture formed in the shield areas.",
    "6. A speaker device having a diaphragm and a speaker grille provided in front of the diaphragm, said speaker grille comprising: an open area formed in front of the diaphragm and allowing an entire diameter of the diaphragm to be open in a right ahead direction of the diaphragm; and shield areas formed outside the open area and shielding part of the diaphragm viewed in an inclined direction of the diaphragm.",
    "7. The speaker device according to claim 6, wherein the shield areas are formed on left and right sides of the open area, shielding part of vibration surface of the diaphragm on left or right side in an inclined direction.",
    "8. The speaker device according to claim 7, wherein the shield areas include first and second shield areas on the left and right sides of the open area, the first shield area shields part of the vibration surface of the diaphragm on left or right side in an inclined direction, while the second shield area does not shield the vibration surface of the diaphragm in the inclined direction.",
    "9. The speaker device according to claim 6, wherein the shield areas shield diaphragm portions near edge of the diaphragm in the right ahead direction thereof.",
    "10. The speaker device according to claim 6, wherein said grille consists of a protection member in which a plurality of apertures are formed in the open area, with no aperture formed in the shield areas."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to a speaker grille and a speaker device.\n\nThe present application claims priority from Japanese Application No. 2005-314514, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.\n\nA vehicle speaker or the like is usually provided with a speaker grille on its front side for protecting its diaphragm or the like. Generally, a vehicle speaker is provided such that a listener seldom listens in a right ahead direction of the speaker, but usually in an inclined direction forming an inclined angle with the right ahead direction. For this reason, there have been known various types of speaker grilles providing a directivity satisfying such an inclined direction. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-305784 has disclosed a speaker grille in which a plurality of ring-shaped members of different diameters are concentrically arranged and supported by ribs, with the members on one side arranged at a pitch narrower than on the other side. In such a speaker grille, a sound pressure distribution on one side having the narrower pitch will rise, thereby providing a directivity to a sound wave (compression wave).\n\nHowever, since the above-mentioned speaker has a complex structure in which a plurality of ring-shaped members of different diameters are concentrically arranged, such a speaker has only a low strength and requires a long time in its manufacturing. For this reason, it has been demanded that a speaker grille be made simpler in its structure.",
  "cpc": [
    "H04R 1/023",
    "H04R 1/24",
    "H04R 1/345"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "H04R 1/02"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Tohoku Pioneer Corp",
    "Pioneer Corp"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Tomiaki Ando",
    "Koji Matsumoto",
    "Kian Ohta"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2006-10-26",
  "publication_date": "2007-05-03",
  "priority_date": "2005-10-28",
  "application_number": "US-55313706-A",
  "family_id": "37546818",
  "cited_by_count": 14,
  "citations": [
    "US2138717A",
    "US4625829A",
    "US7596236B2"
  ]
}