The present invention relates to an acoustic transmitter.

An acoustic transmitter is a transducer or a group of transducers that convert an electrical signal, originating from an audio amplifier, to sound waves.

Conventional acoustic diffusers take advantage of the ability to convert an electrical signal (by way of an adapted electromagnet) to vibrations.

Traditional diffusers have a vibrating membrane adapted to produce and diffuse sound waves: among these are loudspeakers and traditional sound diffusers.

A further type of diffuser exists which instead operates on the principle of transferring the vibrations produced by the electromagnet to architectural components (walls, windows, structural elements etc.) and furnishings (furniture, furnishing accessories and the like), using them to generate and diffuse sound waves.

This last type of diffuser, in order to meet the current needs of architects, designers and interior designers, generally has very small dimensions so as to make each individual diffuser inconspicuous or concealable in walls, ceilings, shop windows and the like, in order to not interfere aesthetically with the surrounding environment.

Such devices are constituted by the assembly of numerous components of small dimensions which must be coupled in rapid succession and inserted into the enclosure, generally cylindrical, that contains them.

The need to manually assemble the individual components and execute a rather complex sequence of operations (which also requires the advance assembly of subassemblies) inevitably raises the costs of labor for manufacturing the product, as well as raises the risk of defects and therefore the potential risk of making and selling, defective acoustic diffusers.

Furthermore, the complexity of construction constitutes a limitation, not only during the step of production, where perfect alignment in predefined positions of one component with respect to the next is required, but also, and in particular, in the maintenance operations on the device.

The main aim of the present invention is to solve the above mentioned drawbacks, by providing an acoustic transmitter that is easy and economic to provide.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide an acoustic transmitter that entails a minimal number of steps for its provision.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an acoustic transmitter that is of low cost, easily and practically implemented and safe in use.

This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by an acoustic transmitter intended to be coupled to a rigid surface, which is characterized in that it comprises an enclosure constituted by a base plate surmounted by a tubular body and a cover, the following components being accommodated in said enclosure:

- at least one first elastic membrane;

- at least one electromagnet;

- at least one permanent magnet;

- at least one second elastic membrane; said components having a through central hole which is coaxial with the axis of said tubular body, a fastening pin is configured to be arranged in said holes, in the assembled configuration said pin being engaged in a threaded cavity of said plate for the mutual and stable compaction of said components inside said enclosure.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the detailed description that follows of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the acoustic transmitter, according to the invention, which is illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view from above of the acoustic transmitter according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view from below of the acoustic transmitter according to the invention;

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view from above of the acoustic transmitter, according to the invention;

Figure 4 is an exploded front elevation view of the acoustic transmitter, according to the invention.

With reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1 generally designates an acoustic transmitter meant to be coupled to rigid surface.

Such surfaces can be of the type of walls, ceilings, windows, sideboards, tables and the like.

The transmitter 1 according to the invention converts the audio signals to vibrations which, transferred to the rigid surface to which the transmitter is meant to be coupled, makes it possible to diffuse the sound in a uniform manner.

According to the invention, the transmitter 1 comprises an enclosure 2 constituted by a base plate 3 surmounted by a tubular body 4 and a cover 5.

Accommodated in the enclosure 2 are:

- at least one first elastic membrane 6;

- at least one electromagnet 7 ;

- at least one permanent magnet 8;

- at least one second elastic membrane 9.

Such components have a through central hole 10 which is coaxial with the axis of the tubular body 4.

A fastening pin 11 is configured to be arranged in the holes 10.

In the assembled configuration the pin 11 is engaged in a threaded cavity 12 of the plate 3 for mutually and stably compacting the components inside the enclosure 2.

In order to assemble the transmitter, according to the invention, the operator will simply need to take the pin 11, with its head directed downward, and thread it, in rapid succession, through the respective holes 10 of all the components, starting from the first membrane 6 up to the second membrane 9.

Once all the components have been inserted, it will then be sufficient to screw the pin 11, at the end part thereof, into the cavity 12 of the plate 3.

Finally, the assembly thus constituted is to be turned over, the tubular body 4 is to be fitted on the plate 3, and the cover 5 is to be screwed onto the body 4.

It is evident that such transmitter 1, although being constituted by the assembly of numerous components of small dimensions, requires few and simple assembly operations, thereby effectively reducing times and costs of producing the transmitter 1.

In fact, no pre-assembly of subsets of components is required, which would complicate the activities of the operators, inevitably increasing the risks of error.

According to a solution of particular effectiveness and efficiency, the components can be mutually coupled by interlocking by way of respective mating seats and projections that are defined on their surfaces.

In fact such couplings prevent the accidental rotation, about the pin 11 , of one component with respect to the other.

It is therefore evident that not only the steps of assembly have been considerably simplified, but also the risk of errors during these steps has been considerably reduced.

In fact, the operator is no longer required to pay particular attention while mutually aligning and arranging the various different components with respect to each other along predefined positions.

In fact, the particular structure of every single component, as shown in the following description, enables a coupling that is restricted to only one possible configuration, thus effectively not making possible an incorrect assembly. It should be noted that the first elastic membrane 6 can be substantially circular in shape and can comprise an outer crown 13 connected to an inner crown 14 by respective undulating elastic elements 15 which are substantially radial.

Such outer crown 13 can have a ridge 16 above, along all of its rim, and a tooth 17 below.

Meanwhile the inner crown 14 can protrude downward, with respect to the outer crown 13, and be provided with two lateral bevels 18.

It should be noted that the electromagnet 7 can be surmounted by a first spacer disk 19, for spacing apart from a terminal board 20 which is provided with respective electrical contacts, and by a second spacer disk 21.

Below such electromagnet 7 and above the first spacer disk 19 there can be elastic elements 22.

Furthermore, the electromagnet 7, the first disk 19, the terminal board 20 and the elastic elements 22 can all be accommodated within a ring 23 with seats for terminals 24, which faces toward and is proximate to the second disk 21.

From a construction point of view the permanent magnet 8 can be accommodated inside a respective annular seat 25, which is surmounted by a covering pad 26.

In the assembled configuration, a bushing 27 which has an appendage 28 in the upper part can be accommodated inside the hole 10 respectively of the magnet 8, of the seat 25 and of the pad 26.

More specifically, the second elastic membrane 9 can be substantially circular in shape and comprise an outer crown 29 connected to an inner crown 30 by respective undulating elastic elements 31 which are substantially radial.

Such outer crown 30 can have two projections 32 on the upper face, and a protuberance 33 on the lower face.

With particular reference to an embodiment of undoubted practical and applicative interest, the cover 5 can have, along its lower rim, a slot for the stable accommodation, in the assembled configuration, of the ridge 16 of the first membrane 6.

According to a solution of particular utility and practicality, the ring 23 and the second disk 21 can be provided, along their rim, respectively with a recess 34 and with an indentation 35.

In the assembled configuration, therefore, the recess 34 and the indentation 35 can be mutually aligned and stably accommodate the tooth 17 of the first membrane 6.

Furthermore, the first disk 19 can be provided, at the central hole 10, with four protrusions 36, two on the upper face and two on the lower face.

In the assembled configuration, such upper protrusions 36 can be coupled stably with the bevels 18 of the first membrane, while the lower protrusions 36 can be coupled with the appendage 28 of the bushing 27.

Positively, the annular seat 25 will be provided, on its lateral surface, with a recess 37.

Such recess 37 can therefore stably accommodate, in the assembled configuration, part of the terminals 24 of the ring 23 and the projections 32 of the second membrane 9.

The possibility is not ruled out that the tubular body 4 can have a cavity on the inner lateral surface.

In the assembled configuration, such cavity can stably accommodate the protuberance 33 of the second membrane 9.

It should be noted that independently of the position of installation of the acoustic transmitter (with the axis of the pin parallel to or perpendicular to the ground), no component will be in motion with respect to the next and this will consequently reduce the risk of breakage or rapid deterioration of the components of the transmitter 1.

Advantageously, the acoustic transmitter 1 according to the invention is easy and economic to provide. Conveniently, the acoustic transmitter 1 entails a minimal number of steps for its provision.

Positively, the acoustic transmitter 1 has an original structure.

Positively, the acoustic transmitter 1 is of low cost, easily and practically implemented and safe in use.

The invention, thus conceived, is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, all the details may be substituted by other, technically equivalent elements. In the embodiments illustrated, individual characteristics shown in relation to specific examples may in reality be interchanged with other, different characteristics, existing in other embodiments.

In practice, the materials employed, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art. Where the technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference numerals and/or signs, those reference numerals and/or signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference numerals and/or signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference numerals and/or signs