3M Innovative Properties Company

Bang & Olufsen Medicom A/s

Bjoern Knud Andersen

A microphone component that may be used in many types of enclosures for making contact with a living body for picking up body sounds. Piezoelectric transflexural diaphragm elements () are known; however, they are only useful as microphone elements when the manner of creating electrical contact does not influence their mechanical properties. A microphone component has been developed, which is both rugged and amenable to very inexpensive manufacture. This is obtained using a laminated construction in which a special layer is placed between the piezoelectric transflexural diaphragm element and the electrical interface element.

Microphone component and a method for its manufacture

In well-known electronic stethoscopic transducers the sensitive element is influenced by signals transmitted via the skin, and the rear side is enclosed in a housing to prevent airborne noise from reaching the sensitive element. According to the invention, an improved signal-to-noise ratio is obtained by letting the transducer be a piezoelectric transflexural diaphragm in contact with the skin, the rear side of the diaphragm communicating with the surrounding air via an acoustical network, thereby receiving airborne noise which acts to counteract the influence of noise coming from the skin.

Growing community of inventors

Struer, Denmark

Bjoern Knud Andersen