US Patent 7699139 Diaphragm surround

A surround for supporting a diaphragm used to create acoustic waves includes a rib section extending away from the diaphragm and a membrane section that is supported by the rib section. The membrane section has a thickness in a direction substantially normal to opposing top and bottom surfaces of the membrane section which is substantially thinner than a thickness of the rib section in a direction substantially normal to opposing top and bottom surfaces of the rib section. A restoring force returning the diaphragm to a home position is contributed to more due to deformation of the rib section than to deformation of the membrane section.