Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6794798
-
Patent Number
6,794,798
-
Date Filed
Wednesday, March 27, 200222 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, September 21, 200419 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 310 334
- 310 324
- 310 322
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A display device and an electronic equipment having a high reproduction quality can be provided without hampering the scalability or the portability of the display device and the electronic equipment. A notebook computer includes a main body, a keyboard, a display device and a display panel. The display panel is formed of a flat type, which is made of an LCD or a PDP. The display device can be folded toward or folded away from the keyboard side of the main body. The speaker panel is completely formed as a planar shape and is movably installed with respect to a reception slit prepared at two side surfaces of the display device. The speaker panel is movably jointed to allow a relative position between the flat panel display and the speaker panel to be changed by moving the speaker panel.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a display device and an electronic equipment using same; and, more particularly, to an improved installation method of a speaker of a display device.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Flat panel displays, e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display panel (PDP) and the like do not require a large installation space since they are much thinner than a cathode ray tube (CRT) display. Accordingly, they are employed in various electronic equipments such as personal computers, televisions, digital video disc (DVD) players. Main bodies of the electronic equipments also become compact-sized for the portability thereof. Also, with the recent proliferation of multimedia equipments, there is growing demand for high quality sound. Speakers for such multimedia equipment are frequently mounted on display devices thereof. There are two types of such built-in type speaker systems; one with small speakers mounted on the outside portion of an electronic equipment at the left and the right side thereof for example, and the other type with small speakers installed inside an electronic equipment.
However, these conventional speaker installation methods have certain problems as follows:
(1) The externally mounted speakers lose much of the space-saving advantage achieved by a main body of the electronic equipment thin. Especially, the portability of notebook computer, for example, can be deteriorated or lost considerably.
(2) In case where speakers
310
are embedded in a main body
302
of a notebook computer
300
, e.g., as shown in
FIG. 13
, a large space may not be reserved for speaker installation due to the compact arrangement of components in the main body
302
. Thus, the relatively small-sized speakers
310
may have to be mounted in the main body
302
. However, it is difficult to obtain a high sound reproduction quality across a wide frequency band from a small speaker. On the other hand, securing a large speaker installation space would increase the size of the notebook computer
300
itself, hampering the portability thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a display device and an electronic equipment capable of providing a high quality reproduced sound without increasing the size and hampering the portability of the display device and the electronic equipment.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an electronic equipment comprising: a flat panel display; and a speaker panel movably jointed to the flat panel display to allow a relative position between the flat panel display and the speaker panel to be changed by moving the speaker panel.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an electronic equipment comprising: a flat panel display; and a speaker panel, the flat panel display and the speaker panel being provided in a housing, wherein the flat panel display is located in a front side of the housing and the speaker panel is positioned behind the flat panel display, and wherein sound transmitting holes are provided at least at the left and the right side of the front side of the housing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1
shows a front perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2
presents a front perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3
depicts a rear perspective view of a third preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4A
illustrates a front perspective view of a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4B
is an enlarged partial cross sectional view taken along the line A—A shown in
FIG. 4A
;
FIG. 5
offers a perspective view of a fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6
provides a perspective view of a sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 7
represents a perspective view of a seventh preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 8A and 8B
set forth an exploded view and a cross sectional view of a piezoelectric speaker in accordance with the seventh preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 9
shows a connecting structure of the piezoelectric speakers and a housing in accordance with the seventh preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 10A
presents a perspective view of an eighth preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 10B and 10C
are exemplary cross sectional views taken along the line C—C shown in
FIG. 10A
;
FIGS. 11A and 11B
depict a perspective view of an electrode extraction structure of the piezoelectric speaker in accordance with the eighth embodiment of the present invention and an exploded view thereof, respectively;
FIGS. 12A and 12B
illustrate two alternative structures in accordance with a ninth preferred embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 13
offers a perspective view of a conventional notebook computer.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Preferred embodiments will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like numerals represent the same or corresponding parts in the various drawings.
(First Embodiment)
Referring to
FIG. 1
, there is provided a perspective view of a notebook computer
10
in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.
The notebook computer
10
has a main body
12
, a keyboard
14
installed on the main body and a display device
16
. The main body
12
has a CPU (central processing unit), a memory, an HDD (hard disk drive), an FDD (floppy disk drive), etc., while the display device
16
has a display panel
18
formed by using, e.g., an LCD (liquid crystal display) or a PDP (plasma display panel) in such a manner so as to have a thin and planar shape. The display device
16
can be rotatably folded toward or folded away from the keyboard side of the main body
12
.
In this preferred embodiment, two speaker panels
20
are installed moveably along translational direction at two opposite sides of the display panel
18
. That is, prepared at the two side surfaces of the display panel
18
are reception slits
22
through which the speaker panels
20
slide into and out of the display device
16
. The speaker panels
20
have a planar shape and a size suitable for being fully accommodated in the display device
16
when they are put thereinto together. To be specific, the speaker panels
20
slide into or out of the display device through the reception slits
22
along the direction marked with arrows F
1
as shown in FIG.
1
. At least one speaker is mounted on each speaker panel
20
. Two or three speakers for the sound reproduction at different frequency bands can also be prepared for each speaker panel
20
instead. The speaker can be of a piezoelectric type or a dynamic type speaker, though the piezoelectric type speaker is more preferable due to its more scaled-down thickness.
When carrying the notebook computer
10
or the sound reproduction is not necessary, the speaker panels
20
are accommodated in the display device
16
by sliding them therein. When the sound reproduction is needed, however, the speaker panels
20
are taken out of the display device
16
through the reception slits
22
. It is also possible to install the speaker panels
20
to move slidably on the rear side of the display device
16
.
As described above, the planar type speaker panels
20
are slidably installed at the two side surfaces of the display device
16
or on the back side thereof in accordance with the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. Accordingly, the size of the speaker can become larger than that of conventional built-in type speaker, thereby allowing the sound reproduction quality to be greatly improved. Further, since the speaker panels
20
are accommodated within or at the back of the display device
16
when they are not used, the notebook computer
10
can be used without being impeded by the presence of the speaker panels
20
while preserving the scalability and the portability of the notebook computer
10
.
(Second Embodiment)
Referring to
FIG. 2
, there is provided a notebook computer
30
in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. Unlike in the first embodiment where the speaker panels
20
are slidably formed at two opposite side surfaces
16
B of the display device
16
, speaker panels
20
in this second embodiment are pivotedly installed at two opposite upper corners of a display device
16
. In other words, each speaker panel
20
is installed such that each speaker panel
20
can be taken out for use through a top surface
16
D by the pivotal motion as shown by an arrow F
2
about a pivot
32
prepared at an upper corner, from a storage position PA to a use position PC via an intermediate position PB.
(Third Embodiment)
Referring to
FIG. 3
, there is provided a notebook computer
40
in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention. Unlike in the above-described first and second preferred embodiment where speaker panels
20
are accommodated inside or rear side of a display device
16
and taken out through the side or a top surface
16
B or
16
D thereof, respectively, the speaker panels
20
in the third embodiment is rotatably installed at side surfaces
16
B of the display device
16
by using connection hinges
42
. When the speaker panels
20
are not used, they are folded onto a rear surface
16
C of the display device
16
. On the other hand, while it is being used, it is opened to thereby face the front same as a front surface
16
A thereof, as illustrated by arrows F
3
.
Though the speaker panels
20
of the present embodiment have been described as being folded onto the rear surface
16
C of the display device
16
when not used, it is also possible to configure the speaker panels
20
to be folded onto the front surface
16
A of the display device when not used, to thereby cover and protect a display panel
18
.
(Fourth Embodiment)
Referring to
FIG. 4A
, there is provided a perspective view of a notebook computer
50
in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4B
illustrates a partial cross sectional view of the notebook computer
50
taken along the line A—A of FIG.
4
A. In the previous preferred embodiments, the speaker panels
20
are permanently accommodated within the display device
16
without being taken out therefrom even while being used.
The notebook computer
50
includes a main body
12
, a keyboard
14
and a display device
16
, as in the notebook computer
10
shown in FIG.
1
. Speaker panels
52
are installed behind a display panel
18
by using supporters
54
of which only one is shown for the sake of simplicity. The speaker panels
52
are of a planar type, as in previous preferred embodiments described above.
Openings
56
are prepared at two opposite edges on a front surface
16
A of the display device
16
so that sounds produced by the speaker panels
52
can propagate toward the front side of the notebook computer
50
. Each of the openings
56
is covered with a cover
57
having plural holes. A plurality of sound transmitting holes
58
are prepared at a rear surface
16
C of the display device
16
at a predetermined interval. The sound transmitting holes can also be prepared at a side surface
16
B and/or a top surface
16
D of the display device
16
.
The sounds produced by the speaker panel
52
are outputted toward the front and the back side of the notebook computer
50
through the openings
56
and the sound transmitting holes
58
. Since a speaker unit having, e.g., one or two speaker panels with a roughly the same size as that of the display panel
18
can be provided within the display device
16
, the sound quality can be greatly improved, without increasing the size of the notebook computer
50
or sacrificing the portability thereof.
(Fifth Embodiment)
Referring to
FIG. 5
, there is provided a television set
60
in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present invention.
The television set
60
has a thin planar shape and includes a display device
64
having a display panel
62
prepared at a front surface
64
A thereof. The display panel
62
is of the type of a flat panel display, e.g., an LCD or a PDP. Further, speaker panels
68
are slidably installed at reception slits
66
formed at side surfaces
64
B of the display device
64
. The speaker panels
68
slide into or out of the display device
64
through reception slits
66
prepared at the side surfaces
64
B of the display device
64
along a direction of arrows F
5
a.
Each speaker panel
68
is connected to a connection part
68
A by a connection hinge
70
. While being used, the speaker panels
68
are slidably taken out from the display device
64
with the connection part
68
A along the direction marked with the arrows F
5
a
and then are rotatably opened about the connection hinge
70
along a direction of arrows F
5
b
. The speaker panels
68
can be properly adjusted in their angles with respect to the display panel
62
. Accordingly, a viewer
72
can adjust the auditory position of each speaker panel
68
to have an optimum angle. It is also preferable to install additional speakers on the connection parts
68
A, thereby obtaining a further improved sound quality.
(Sixth Embodiment)
Referring to
FIG. 6
, there is provided an LCD panel clock
80
in accordance with a sixth embodiment of the present invention. Speaker panels
20
are configured to slide into or out of the LCD panel clock
80
through sleeves
82
prepared at two opposing side surfaces thereof. The speaker panels
20
may be installed at the liquid panel crystal clock
80
as in the second or the third embodiments described in
FIG. 2
or
3
.
Current time information or alarming sound can be generated from the speaker panels
20
. Further, if the LCD panel clock
80
is of a clock radio type having an embedded radio function therein, a radio broadcasting can also be outputted from the speaker panels
20
. The LCD panel clock
80
can be of either a desk-top computer or a wall mounting type. Further, a remote controller can be employed to move the speaker panels
20
into or out of the LCD panel clock
80
.
(Seventh Embodiment)
A seventh preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described hereinafter with reference to
FIGS. 7
to
9
.
FIG. 7
offers a perspective view of a notebook computer
90
having a display device
16
with speaker panels
100
in accordance with the seventh embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8A
is an exploded view illustrating the structure of one of the speaker panels
100
in FIG.
7
and
FIG. 8B
sets forth a cross-sectional view thereof taken along the line #B-#B of FIG.
8
A.
FIG. 9
describes an electrical connection structure of the speaker panels
100
and the notebook computer
90
.
As shown in
FIG. 7
, the notebook computer
90
includes a main body
12
, a keyboard
14
and the display device
16
, as in the earlier-described first embodiment. The display device
16
can be folded toward or folded away from the main body
12
. Prepared at two opposing side surfaces
16
B of the display device
16
are reception slits
22
through which the speaker panels
100
are put into or taken out of the display device
16
. The speaker panels
100
are installed in such a manner that it can move slidably along the direction marked with an arrow F
1
.
At a top and a bottom portion of the inside of the display device
16
are prepared rails
92
for slidably guiding the speaker panels
100
. Formed at each of two opposite end portions of each of the top and bottom rails
92
is a blocking member
94
for determining the maximum extraction position and the fully accommodated position of the display device
16
. Further, at the center portions of the top and bottom rails
92
are installed magnets
96
by which an upper and a lower metal frame
104
of the speaker panels
100
can be maintained at their fully accommodated positions in the display device
16
.
As shown in
FIG. 8A
, the speaker panels
100
include a sheet-shaped piezoelectric acoustic device
102
held between the upper and the lower metal frame
104
made of, e.g., a stainless steel. As can be seen from
FIGS. 7
,
8
A and
9
, groves
105
are prepared at the upper and the lower side of each metal frame
104
. That is, at four corners of each metal frame
104
are provided protruded portions
106
A and
106
B. By the engagement of these protruded portions
106
A and
106
B and the blocking members
94
prepared at the top and the bottom rail
92
, the maximum sliding distance of the speaker panels
100
is determined.
When the speaker panels
100
are fully accommodated in the display device
16
, the outer protruded portions
106
B are engaged with the blocking members
94
prepared at the rails
92
and held at that position by the magnets
96
exerting attracting magnetic forces on the inner protruded portions
106
A. The speaker panels
100
can be drawn out up to a position where the inner protruded portions
106
A are brought into contact with the blocking members
94
at the rails
92
. By the engagement of the inner protruded portions
106
A and the blocking members
94
, the speaker panels
100
can be prevented from being disassembled from the display device
16
.
A semicircular cutout portion
98
is prepared around a front bottom portion of each of the reception slits
22
and a groove
107
is formed at each of the speaker panels
100
, at a position corresponding to the semicircular cutout portion
98
. A user of the notebook computer
90
can easily draw out the speaker panel
100
from the display device
16
by putting a nail into the groove
107
through the cutout portion
98
.
As shown in
FIG. 8B
, each piezoelectric acoustic device
102
has a bimorph structure, wherein two piezoelectric elements
110
and
116
are attached by a conductive adhesive on the center portions of two opposite main sides of a disk-shaped shim plate
108
composed of, e.g., a metal. The piezoelectric elements
110
and
116
have a multi-layer structure. The assembly of the shim plate
108
and the piezoelectric elements
110
and
116
are completely covered with flexible insulating sheets or films (hereinafter referred to as flexible sheets)
130
and
140
having conductive patterns formed thereon.
The flexible sheets
130
and
140
may be formed of, e.g., a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film and the conductive patterns may be formed of, e.g., a copper. The conductive patterns may be prepared by attaching a copper film of a predetermined shape to the flexible sheets
130
and
140
through the use of an adhesive or by screen-printing or depositing a carbon or a conductive paste directly on the flexible sheets
130
and
140
.
The piezoelectric element
110
has a multi-layer structure with alternately stacked piezoelectric layers
114
A and
114
B and electrode layers
112
A to
112
C. A through hole
112
E is formed through the piezoelectric layers
114
A to electrically connect the electrode layer
112
B to a connection island
112
D. Another through hole
112
F is formed through the piezoelectric layers
114
A and
114
B to couple the electrode layers
112
A and
112
C. The piezoelectric layers
114
A and
114
B may be formed of, e.g., a PZT (lead zirconate titanate) and the electrode layers
112
A to
112
C may be composed of, e.g., Ag or Ag/Pd alloy.
The piezoelectric element
116
also has a multi-layer structure with alternately stacked electrode layers
118
A to
118
C and piezoelectric layers
120
A and
120
B. A through hole
118
E is formed through the piezoelectric layers
120
A to electrically connect the electrode layer
118
B to a connection island
118
D. Another through hole
118
F is formed through the piezoelectric layers
120
A and
120
B to couple the electrode layers
118
A and
118
C.
The piezoelectric acoustic device
102
having the above-described configuration is completely covered with the flexible sheets
130
and
140
having the conductive patterns prepared at predetermined positions thereon.
As shown in
FIGS. 8A and 8B
, the conductive patterns
136
A and
136
C extend from the connecting lands
112
D and
118
D of the piezoelectric elements
110
and
116
to the receiving portions
142
projecting beyond the outer edge of the frames
104
of the speaker panel
100
. The receiving portion
142
is formed of insulating sheets. Further, the conductive pattern
136
B has a length long enough to reach a proper position of the frames
104
from a proper surface position of the shim plate
108
. Further, the conductive patterns
136
A to
136
C are respectively connected to the connecting lands
112
D, the shim plate
108
and the connecting land
118
D via conductive resin pads
134
A to
134
C. A conductive adhesive or a film coated by a conductive resin can be used as the conductive resin pads
134
A to
134
C.
Each of insulating sheets
138
A to
138
C is adhered by adhesive to parts of the conductor patterns
136
A to
136
C extending away from the connecting lands
112
D and
118
D and the shim plate
108
. The insulating sheets
138
A and
138
C are prepared only at the necessary portions in order to block the electrical contact of the conductive patterns
136
A and
136
C and the shim plate
108
. Accordingly, in positions that the conductive patterns
136
A and
136
C are not in contact with the shim plate
108
, the conductive patterns
136
A and
136
C are in contact with each other. Further, the preparation of the insulating sheet
138
B may not be necessary, since a contact between the conductive pattern
136
B and the shim plate
108
does not have to be blocked.
The electrode layers
112
A,
112
C,
118
A and
118
C have same electric potential via the through holes
112
F,
118
F and the core plate
108
and the electrical connection therefrom is extended out via the conductive resin pad
134
B and the conductive pattern
136
B prepared below the flexible sheet
130
. Further, the connection from the electrode layer
112
B is extended out via the connecting land
112
D, the conductive resin pad
134
A and the conductive pattern
136
A. The electrical connection from the electrode layer
118
B is extended out via the connecting land
118
D, the conductive resin pad
134
C and the conductor pattern
136
C.
Next, the speaker panels
100
described above and connecting portions
148
for providing a driving voltage from the notebook computer
90
are explained by referring to FIG.
9
. As illustrated in
FIG. 9
, the conductive patterns
136
A (and
136
C) and
136
B connected to the electrodes of each the piezoelectric acoustic device
102
are extended outside by the receiving portions
142
projected from sides of the frames
104
. Lead wires
150
and
152
are connected to the conductive patterns
136
A and
136
B, respectively, wherein the corresponding lead wires
150
and
152
are connected to signal terminals (not shown) of the notebook computer
90
through a hole
146
prepared inside the display device
16
.
Proximal portions of the lead wires
150
and
152
to the hole
146
and piano wires
154
are accommodated in tubes
168
. Proximal portions of the lead wires
150
and
152
to the conductive patterns
136
A and
136
B are accommodated in tubes
168
together with the piano wires
162
. Vinyl tubes having a heat-shrinkability are used as the tubes
168
. The piano wires
154
and
162
and the tubes
168
are divided such that the lead wires
150
and
152
can change their running directions in the regions between the divided tubes
168
. In other words, the piano wires
154
and
162
and the tubes
168
allow the load wires
154
and
162
to bend only in the regions between the tubes
168
.
Further, end parts
156
and
158
of the piano wires
154
are hooked toward the outer surfaces of the tubes
168
. In the same manner, ending parts
164
of the piano wires
162
are also hooked. Therefore, twisting or tangling of the lead wires
150
and
152
accompanied with the slides of the speaker panels
100
can be effectively prevented by such configuration described above.
Ending parts
166
of the piano wires
162
proximal to the frames
104
are hooked on fixing portions
144
prepared at the side parts of the frames
104
. Accordingly, when the connecting portions
148
are extended, the extending force is applied not to connection parts between the lead wires
150
and
152
and the conductive patterns
136
a
and
136
b
, but to the piano wires
162
.
Additionally, by setting the connection parts between the lead wires
150
and
152
and the conductive patterns
136
A and
136
B longer than the piano wires
162
as shown in
FIG. 9
, i.e., by preparing the lead wires
150
and
152
in surplus length, the force exerting on the lead wires
150
and
152
can be reduced, thereby preventing the breakage thereof. The tubes such as the tubes
168
may also be prepared to protect the lead wires
150
and
152
of the surplus length. An insulating sheet may also be prepared to protect the conductive patterns
136
A and
136
B exposed on the receiving portions
142
.
The connection parts
148
are expanded and contracted in a similar manner as in the accordion type by providing the proper bending points on the connection parts
148
as described above. That is, as shown in
FIG. 7
, in case where the speaker panels
100
are accommodated into the reception slits
22
, the connection parts
148
are accommodated by being folded into a gap between the speaker panels
100
. In case where the speaker panels
100
are taken out, the connection parts
148
are extended. The driving voltage is applied on the electrode of the piezoelectric acoustic device
102
via the connection parts
148
, the conductive patterns
136
A to
136
C and the conductive resin pads
134
A to
134
C.
Further, the speaker panels
100
can be taken out independently since the connection parts
148
are separately prepared thereto. Further, more than one bending point may be prepared for each of the connection parts
148
. Also, the length between the bending points may be set properly. However, it is preferable to have the number of the bending point reduced and the length therebetween increased in order to reduce the movement of the connecting portions
148
.
In accordance with the seventh preferred embodiment of the present invention, the piezoelectric acoustic device
102
including the stacked piezoelectric elements
110
and
116
are employed and the electrical connection to the electrodes thereof is made through the conductive patterns
136
A to
136
C formed in the piezoelectric acoustic device
102
. Further, since the electrical connection between the piezoelectric element
110
and
116
and the personal computer is made via the connection parts
148
that are expanded and contracted on a plane substantially identical to that of the speaker panels
20
, the whole structure can be configured to be thin and the driving voltage can be low.
(Eighth Embodiment)
Hereinafter, an eighth preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to
FIGS. 10A
to
11
B. The eighth preferred embodiment uses piezoelectric speakers as in the seventh and the following embodiment.
FIG. 10A
is a perspective view of a notebook computer
200
and
FIG. 10B
shows a cross sectional view taken along the line C—C.
FIG. 11A
depicts a structure of a speaker panel and
FIG. 11B
shows a partial exploded view thereof illustrating the connection part of a piezoelectric acoustic device.
As shown in
FIG. 10A
, the notebook computer
200
of the eighth embodiment is also configured to make speaker panels
202
be taken into and out through reception slits
22
prepared at two opposing side surfaces
16
B of a display device
16
as described in the seventh embodiment. Rails
92
and magnets
96
are also prepared in the display device
16
as in the seventh embodiment. The frame structure of the speaker panels
202
is basically the same as that in the seventh embodiment, excepting for electrode extraction structure of the piezoelectric acoustic device.
In the speaker panels
202
, a piezoelectric acoustic device
204
is disposed between frames
206
. Grooves
207
and
209
and protruded portions
208
and
210
are formed at top and bottom portion of each frame
206
, respectively. The grooves
209
at the bottom are deeper than the grooves
207
on the top, and electrode extraction parts
212
of the piezoelectric acoustic device
204
are exposed in the corresponding grooves
209
.
The structure of the piezoelectric acoustic device
204
is same as that of the piezoelectric acoustic device
102
described in the seventh embodiment. The piezoelectric acoustic device
204
has piezoelectric elements
110
,
116
attached to the top and bottom of a shim plate
108
and the shim plate and the piezoelectric elements assembly is completely covered with flexible sheets
130
and
140
. Electrical connection to the electrodes of the piezoelectric elements
110
and
116
is provided by the conductive patterns
136
A (and
136
C) and
136
B as in the previous embodiment. In the present embodiment, however, the conductive patterns
136
A and
136
B are extended up to the electrode extraction part
212
. Formed at both sides of the electrode extraction part
212
are contact patterns
214
and
216
for performing an electrical contact with a contact member
222
prepared inside housing of the display device
16
. In other words, the contact pattern
214
is formed on the flexible sheet
130
located in the electrode extraction part
212
and the contact pattern
216
is formed on the flexible sheet
140
.
As shown in
FIG. 11B
, a through hole
218
is formed in a proper position of the flexible sheet
140
covering one side of the piezoelectric acoustic device
204
. The conductive pattern
136
A is in electrical contact with the contact pattern
216
therethrough. In the same manner, a through hole
220
is also formed on the flexible sheet
130
and the conductive pattern
136
B is in electrical contact with the contact pattern
214
. That is, the electrodes of the piezoelectric elements
110
and
116
are connected to the outside via the contact patterns
214
and
216
. Further, the contact patterns
214
and
216
are also formed on the flexible sheets
130
and
140
in the same manner as for the conductive patterns
136
A and
136
C.
The speaker panels
202
, as shown in
FIG. 10A
, can be accommodated in the display device
16
. In a bottom part inside the display device
16
near the reception slits
22
, contact members
222
are prepared at reception slits
22
as shown in FIG.
10
B. Each of the contact members
222
includes two sets of a conductive spring
224
and a conductive ball
226
installed in the housing of the display device
16
. The springs
224
are connected to signal terminals (not shown) in the notebook computer
200
. Signals are provided to the piezoelectric acoustic device
204
through the balls
226
contacting to the contact patterns
214
and
216
formed at both sides of the speaker panels
202
.
As described above, in the eighth preferred embodiment of the present invention, the voltage signals are provided to the electrodes of the piezoelectric acoustic device through the contact members
222
and the contact patterns
214
and
216
formed on both surfaces of the speaker panels
202
. Accordingly, the electrical connection structure can be simplified without preparing any additional connecting wire. Further, the contact patterns
214
and
216
are configured in such a manner that each length of the contact patterns
214
and
216
is substantially equal to a maximum moving stroke of the speaker panel
202
. Accordingly, sound can be outputted regardless of the amount of extraction of the speaker panels
202
. Further, a plurality of contact members can be provided in parallel for each speaker panel
202
in order to prevent poor electrical contact.
(Ninth Embodiment)
A ninth preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to
FIGS. 12A and 12B
. In the eighth preferred embodiment, sound can be produced regardless of the positions of the speaker panels. In the present embodiment, however, sound can be produced only when the speaker panel is extracted to a certain position.
First, a notebook computer
230
described in
FIG. 12A
is basically equal to that of the eighth embodiment. Contact patterns
236
, however, are formed only at limited portions of electrode extraction parts
234
in this embodiment. Consequently, sound can be produced only when a speaker panel
232
is extracted out to a position, i.e., a position PD described in
FIG. 12A
, where a contact member
222
prepared in a display device
16
is in contact with the contact patterns
236
.
FIG. 12B
describes another example in accordance with the ninth preferred embodiment. A notebook computer
240
is configured in such a manner that each speaker panel
242
can be taken in or drawn out from a display device
16
through a reception slit
22
by rotating the speaker panels
242
about a pivot
246
. Contact patterns
248
are formed only at limited portions of electrode extracting parts
244
of the speaker panels
242
. Further, contact members
250
to be in contact with the contact patterns
248
are formed at bottom parts inside the reception slits
22
. Accordingly, sound can be produced only when a speaker panel
242
is extracted out to a position PE.
In accordance with the present embodiment, the sound output can be switched on and off depending on the amount of extraction of a speaker panel by controlling positions of the contact member and positions and sizes of the contact patterns prepared in speaker panels.
It is to be appreciated that various changes and modifications of the preferred embodiments of the invention can be made, as exemplified as follows.
(1) Although the present invention has been described with respect to a notebook computer and a television set in the preferred embodiments described above, it can be also applied to such other various electronic equipments having display devices as desktop computers, DVD players.
(2) Both size and design of a notebook computer and a television set described above in the preferred embodiments can be modified if necessary.
(3) A dynamic speaker may also be used in lieu of a piezoelectric speaker described above. Further, a plurality of speakers may be prepared in one speaker panel. For example, a dynamic speaker is mounted for low frequencies and the piezoelectric speaker can be installed as a tweeter for high frequencies. The speaker may be prepared in both sides of a speaker panel and the shape thereof can be properly modified if necessary.
(4) A piezoelectric acoustic device can be of a unimorph type although the piezoelectric acoustic device has been described as a bimorph type in the preferred embodiments described above. A piezoelectric element may have a single piezoelectric layer. Both the number of piezoelectric layers and that of electrode layers can be properly modified in case of a stacked type. Further, materials, shapes and dimensions of the piezoelectric element, a connection pattern of the internal electrode and the electrode extracting structure may be properly modified while performing an identical function. Further, although the conductive patterns have been described as being connected to the electrodes via the conductive resin pads in the preferred embodiments described above, the conductive resin pads become unnecessary if the conductive patterns are electrically connected to the electrodes directly.
(5) The connecting structure between the speaker panel and the external signal terminal may be varied as well. For example, although the contact member
222
has been described to include the ball
226
and the spring
224
in the eighth preferred embodiment, a shape and a structure of the contact member
222
may be properly modified if the contact patterns
214
and
216
can be in electrical contact therewith properly. For instance, as shown in
FIG. 10C
, a contact member
228
having a plate spring shape may be prepared at a proper position inside the display device
16
. Alternately, the planar contact member may be prepared inside the display device
16
, and a protruded electrode extracting portion for contacting therewith may be prepared at a speaker panel. Further, by providing concave-convex portions formed at proper positions of both a speaker panel and a display device, an electrical connection may be made therebetween via an engagement of such prepared concave-convex portions.
(6) Although the present invention has been described with respect to two channel sound reproduction system on each side of each speaker panel, a modification can be made if required. For example, four channel system can be implemented by preparing speakers of different channels at both sides of each of the two speaker panels.
While the present invention has been shown and described with reference to the particular embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention defined in the appended claims.
Claims
- 1. An electronic equipment comprising:a flat panel display; and a speaker panel movably jointed to the flat panel display to allow a relative position between the flat panel display and the speaker panel to be changed by moving the speaker panel, wherein the speaker panel includes a piezoelectric acoustic device having: a piezoelectric assembly incorporating a piezoelectric element formed by stacking at least one piezoelectric layer and at least one electrode layer; an electrode connection extracting means for connecting said at least one electrode layer to the outside of piezoelectric acoustic device; and a flexible sheet for covering the piezoelectric acoustic device and the electrode connection extracting means.
- 2. The electronic equipment of claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric element has a multilayer structure having alternately stacked a multiplicity of electrode layers and a number of piezoelectric layers.
- 3. The electronic equipment of claim 1, wherein the speaker panel is movable parallel to the flat panel display inside a housing accommodating the flat panel display.
- 4. The electronic equipment of claim 1, further comprising a connecting means for connecting the electrode connection extracting means to a driving means of the speaker panel, the connecting means being extended or contracted on a plane substantially identical to that of the speaker panel.
- 5. The electronic equipment of claim 4, wherein the connecting means is provided with means for reinforcing the connecting means and preventing the connecting means from being twisted.
- 6. The electronic equipment of claim 1, wherein the electrode connection extracting means is formed by a conductive pattern provided on a surface of the flexible sheet and a connecting means being in contact with the conductive pattern is positioned in a housing accommodating the flat panel display.
- 7. The electronic equipment of claim 6, wherein the electrode connection extracting means is in contact with the connecting means when the speaker panel is withdrawn from the housing.
- 8. The electronic equipment of claim 1, further comprising means for limiting a moving range of the speaker panel.
- 9. The electronic equipment of claim 1, further comprising means for holding the speaker panel when the speaker panel is accommodated in a housing and the flat panel display is provided in the housing.
- 10. An electronic equipment comprising:a flat panel display; and a speaker panel, the flat panel display and the speaker panel being provided in a housing, wherein the flat panel display is located in a front side of the housing and the speaker panel is positioned behind the flat panel display, and wherein sound transmitting holes are provided at least at the left and the right sides of the front side of the housing.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2001-101504 |
Mar 2001 |
JP |
|
US Referenced Citations (7)