SK26598A3 - Greetings or the like card - Google Patents

Abstract

A greetings or the like card (144), characterised by a board (2) forming at least part of the card and in that the board is a distributed mode acoustic radiator having a transducer (9) mounted wholly and exclusively on the radiator to vibrate the radiator to cause it to resonate.

Description

Technical field

The invention relates to greeting cards or the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

From GB-A-2262861 panel loudspeaker application, which consists of a radiating element forming a unit, it is known to design a multifunctional sandwich panel formed from two surface layers of material with a spatially core of transverse lightweight construction, arranged so that its bending strength ratio (b) ) in all directions to the square of the mass of the panel per unit surface area (μ) is at least 10, and which further comprises a fastener which supports the panel or attaches it to the carrier loosely and without damping, and further comprises an electromechanical excitation means connected to a panel that serves to drive resonance in the radiation panel in response to an electrical input in the range of the operational loudspeaker.

US-A-3,247,925 discloses the importance of the low frequency frequency band in the name of WARNAKA is a resonant panel loudspeaker mounted on a frame and excited by an electromagnetic transducer mounted on this frame.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention uses members whose species, structure and arrangement are general and / or specific from the description of related PCT application WO97 / 09842, with the same priority. Such members have the ability to maintain and propagate the input vibration energy by bending waves in the operating area or in the operating areas extending transversely to their thickness, often but not necessarily to their edges, the members being arranged with anisotropy or without anisotropy of bending strength, with resonant mode vibration components distributed in this region, preferably for acoustic communication with the environment and predetermined priority locations in the region for locating the transducer, in particular for operating or moving parts thereof, which are effective with respect to acoustic vibration activities in this region and signals , usually electrical, corresponding to the acoustic content of this vibration action. The use is envisaged in the related PCT application WO97 / 09842, with the same priority, for these members as or in passive acoustic devices without converters, such as reverberation or acoustic filtering or acoustic sounding of a room or room, and as or in active acoustic devices with converters, as in a remarkably wide range of sound or speaker sources when powered by input signals to convert to said sound or as microphones when exposed to sound to convert it to other signals.

In particular, the invention relates to greeting cards or the like with built-in acoustic devices, for example in the form of speakers. The term greeting card is intended to include analogous letters such as advent calendars and the like.

The above elements in these devices are referred to as distributed mode acoustic radiators and have the characteristics described in the related PCT application, or other characteristics described in this patent application.

The present invention consists of a greeting card or the like having at least one sheet comprising a loudspeaker consisting of a carton forming a sheet of said card, the carton being a member capable of maintaining and expanding the input vibration energy by bending waves in at least one an operating area extending transversely to its thickness, with resonant mode vibration components distributed at least in this area, and with predetermined priority locations in this area for positioning the transducer. The transducer is mounted on this member at one of these locations, to cause the member to vibrate, to derive its resonance, forming an acoustic radiating panel, producing an acoustic output during resonance. This member may have a lightweight core sandwiched between two cover layers. This member may be provided with a foamed plastic core arranged sandwiched between the cardboard cover layers. The transducer may be a piezoelectric bending member. The piezoelectric member may be crystalline. The ticket may comprise a pair of sheets and an actuating means coupled thereto to trigger the drive control when the sheet is moved relative to the other. The card can be equipped with a signal generator, amplifier and electric cell on one sheet to power the inverter. Said member may be adapted for printing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 schematically shows an exploded loudspeaker as described and claimed in published application WO97 / 09842, which is related to this application in FIG. 2a is a partial sectional view of the loudspeaker along line A-A of FIG. 1, FIG. 2b is an enlarged and cross-sectional view of the loudspeaker of FIG. 2a showing two alternative constructions, FIG. 3 is a schematic and perspective view of an embodiment of a greeting card according to the present invention; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a transducer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In FIG. 1 shows a panel loudspeaker 81 of the type described and claimed in the international application WO97 / 09842, with the same priority, provided with a rectangular support frame 1 surrounding its inner periphery with a flexible frame 3 supporting the distributed sound radiating panel 2. which is shown in FIG. 4 is mounted wholly and exclusively on this or this panel 2 in a predetermined position defined by x and y coordinates, the position of which is calculated as described in related international application WO97 / 09842 with the same priority, to send bending wines to the sound emitting panel to induce resonance panel, to produce an acoustic output. The transducer 9 is driven by a signal amplifier 10, for example a low-frequency amplifier, connected to the transducer 9 by means of conductors 28.

In FIG. 2a and 2b show typical cross-sections of the loudspeaker 81 of FIG. 1. FIG. 2a, it is shown that the support frame 1 surrounding the flexible frame 8 and the panel 2 are joined together by respective glued joints 20. Suitable materials for the support frame are lightweight frame structures, for example frames for extruded metal images, e.g. aluminum alloys or plastics. Suitable materials for the resilient frame are resilient materials such as foam rubber and foam plastics. Suitable adhesives for bonding joints 20 are epoxy, acrylic and cyanoacrylic adhesives, and the like.

In FIG. 2b is shown to an enlarged extent that the panel 2 is a rigid, lightweight panel consisting of a core 22, for example a rigid plastic foam 97 of cross-linked polyvinyl chloride or a lightweight structure 98, i.e., a lightweight structure. of a honeycomb structure of metal foil, plastics or the like, with chambers extending transversely to the plane of the panel 2, the core 22 being enclosed between opposing cover layers 21, for example of paper, cardboard, plastic or metal foil or sheet. If the cover layers 21 are plastic, they may be reinforced with fibers, for example carbon, glass, Kevlar (RTM) or the like, in a known manner, to increase their modulus.

The envisaged liner and reinforcement materials thus include carbon, glass, Kevlar (RTM), Nomex (RTM), i. aramid and similar fibers in different layers and weaves, as well as paper, laminated paper, melamine and various high modulus synthetic plastic films such as Mylar (RTM), Kaptan (RTM), polycarbonates, phenolic plastics, polyesters or related plastics, and fiber reinforced plastics, etc. and metal foils or sheets. Research on the Vectra grade of liquid crystal polymer thermoplastics shows that they may be useful for producing very thin coating layers or coatings of smaller dimensions, up to about 30 cm in diameter, by injection molding technology. This material itself forms an oriented crystalline structure in the injection direction, which is an advantageous orientation for propagating energy with high sound frequencies from the excitation point to the panel perimeter.

The envisaged core layer materials include industrially manufactured honeycomb or corrugated structures of aluminum alloy or Kevlar (RTM), Nomex (RTM) sheet or foil or non-paint paper or paperboard and various synthetic plastic foils, as well as cellular or foam plastic or fibrous materials , even aerogel metals, as long as they have a suitable low density. Some suitable layer materials for usable self-retraction, having sufficient intrinsic strength to the cores, are effective in manufacturing and / or otherwise have applications without the need for lamination between layers. The high-performance lightweight core material is known under the trade name Rohacell, which is suitable as a radiant panel and which is free of covering layers. In practical terms, the aim is an overall lightweight and rigid material suitable for special purposes, in particular including the best possible contribution of the layer to the cores and cover layers and the transition between them.

The resilient frame 3 can damp the edges of the panel 2 to prevent excessive movement of these edges. Further or alternatively, further damping may be used, for example by means of damping pads glued to the panel at selected locations, to damp excessive movements of the panel, to ensure a uniform distribution of resonance across the panel. The pads may be of bitumen-based material typically used in a loudspeaker housing, or may be of a resilient or rigid polymeric sheet material. Some materials, especially paper and board, and some cores may be self-limiting. On request, damping can be increased by the construction of the panel using flexible rather than rigid fixation adhesives.

This effective selective damping involves specifically attaching the damping means to the panel, including its layers, which permanently bond to it. The edges and corners can be particularly important for the predominant and less dispersed types of panel vibration at low frequency. Attaching the damping means to the edges may result in a panel whose layers are fully framed, although its corners can often be relatively loose, for the desired extension in low frequency operation. The attachment can be by adhesive or self-adhesive materials. Other types of useful damping means, in particular with respect to finer effects and / or mid and high frequencies, may be attached to the layers at predetermined intermediate positions in the region in the form of suitable materials.

The described acoustic panel is two-dimensional. The sound energy from his rear face is not strongly phase related to the energy from his front face. This implies the advantage of the total sum of the sound power in the room, the distribution of sound energy at a uniform frequency, the reduced effects of reflected and still wines, together with the advantage of excellent reproduction of the natural space and environment in the reproduced sound recording.

Although radiation from the acoustic panel is very non-directional, the percentage of phase information increases off-axis. For enhanced focus on the artificial stereo signal, the announcer's position, and images, at the usual height of a standing person, the advantage of a slight offset for a normal seated listener contributes to optimizing the stereo effect. Also, the triangular left / right geometry creates an additional angular component relative to the listener. This provides good stereo reception.

Compared to the reproduction of a conventional loudspeaker, there is another advantage for one group of listeners. The intrinsically dispersed nature of the sound emitted by the acoustic panel gives it a sound volume that is not governed by the law of indirect dependence on the square of the distance for an equivalent point source. Since the intensity decreasing with the distance is much lower than the law of indirect dependence on the square of the distance, then, as a result, for off-center or poorly positioned listeners, the magnetic field strength of the panel speaker increases the stereo effect compared to conventional speakers. This is because the off-center listener does not suffer from the double problems caused by the proximity of the proximal speaker, first by increasing the volume from the proximal speaker excessively, and then by correspondingly reducing the volume from the distal speaker.

Another advantage of the flat light panel speaker is that it is visually attractive, has good sound quality and requires only a transducer and not a speaker crossover for the full range of sound from each panel membrane.

In FIG. 3 shows a greeting card or the like 144 with a built-in loudspeaker 81 of FIG. 1 and 2. The tab has the shape of a folded member having a front sheet 145 and a back sheet 146. The back sheet 146 is made of laminated cardboard, consisting of a foamed plastic core 22 sandwiched between two cardboard cover layers 21 to form a solid, lightly distributed acoustic a radiation panel 2 of the type described in FIG. 1 a

2. Such laminated board is known as KAPPABOARD. A panel shaped according to the European standard series A has been found suitable.

The transducer 9 shown in FIG. 4 is attached to the back sheet 146 to cause the panel 2 to vibrate, to generate its resonance, to produce an acoustic output. The transducer 9 is powered by the battery generator 112 of the signal generator or amplifier, wherein the battery unit 112 is controlled by a switch 53 concealed in the bend of the greeting card, so that it activates the signal generator when the greeting card is opened.

It should be noted that no supporting frame or elastic frame is required in this arrangement 2. Sufficient attenuation of the greeting card is provided by the material from which the greeting card is made, or by holding the ticket or placing it on an area.

In FIG. 4 shows an inverter 9 for an exploded panel 2 in the form of a crystalline bending piezoelectric member 27 attached to a disc 118, for example of brass, which is attached to the face of the panel 2, for example by means of an adhesive joint

20. The acoustic signal applied to the transducer 9 by means of conductors 28 during operation causes the piezoelectric member 27 to bend, thereby causing local elastic deformation of the panel 2, for sending bending waves to the panel 2.

Claims (8)

PATENT CLAIMS A greeting card or similar card having at least one sheet, characterized in that it comprises a loudspeaker consisting of a carton forming a sheet of said card, said carton comprising a member (2) capable of maintaining and propagating the input vibration energy by bending waves at least in one operating area extending transversely to its thickness, with resonant mode vibration components distributed at least in this area, and with predetermined priority locations in this area for accommodating the transducer, the transducer (9) being mounted entirely and exclusively on this member in one from these locations to cause the member to vibrate, to derive its resonance, forming an acoustic radiating panel (2), producing an acoustic output during resonance. 2. A congratulation card according to claim 1, characterized in that the radiating panel (2) is characterized by a lightweight core (22) arranged in a sedentary manner between two cover layers (21). A congratulation card according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the radiation panel (2) is provided with a foam plastic core (22) arranged in a sandwiched manner between two cardboard cover layers (21). A congratulation card according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the converter (9) is formed by a piezoelectric bending member. A congratulation card according to claim 4, characterized in that the piezoelectric element (9) is crystalline. A congratulation card according to claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises a pair of sheets (145, 146) and a control means (53) connected to these sheets for actuating the converter control (9) relative to one sheet relative to the other. A congratulation card according to claim 6, characterized in that it is provided with a signal generator, an amplifier and an electric cell (112) on one sheet for supplying the converter. A congratulation card according to claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the panel (2) is adapted for printing.