Display device

• US 10,386,967 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2014
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lee, Tae Hee, Park, Yong Chang, Ahn, Yi Joon
• Primary Examiner(s): Faragalla, Michael A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bibbee, Chayce R
• Application Number:
  US14/504,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20150185963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,783 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0433 in which the acoustic waves are either generated by a movable member and propagated within a surface layer or propagated within a surface layer and captured by a movable member
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 17/005 using a piezoelectric polymer
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/15 Transducers incorporated in visual displaying devices, e.g. televisions, computer displays, laptops
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/00 Stereophonic arrangements stereophonic pick-ups H04R9/16, H04R11/12, H04R17/08, H04R19/10

Abstract

A display device is provided. The display device includes a display panel, a backlight unit, and a rear chassis. The display panel is configured to display an image. The backlight unit is provided on a rear surface of the display panel. The rear chassis includes a protruding region, a vibration plate, and at least one acoustic element. The protruding region is protruded in a rear direction. The at least one acoustic element is provided in the vibration plate and includes a pair of electrodes and a vibration material layer provided therebetween. The protruding region and the vibration plate are made of different materials.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising:

a display panel configured to display an image;

a backlight unit disposed on a rear surface of the display panel; and

a rear chassis including a first protruding portion protruded in a rear direction;

a non-metallic first vibration plate including leather, an artificial leather, or a polyetherimide (PEI) film; and

at least one first acoustic element disposed on the first vibration plate,

wherein;

the at least one first acoustic element includes a first electrode, a second electrode facing the first electrode, and a vibration material layer provided between the first and second electrodes,

the at least one first acoustic element overlaps a central area of the first vibration plate and does not overlap any portion of the rear chassis in a plan view,

a planar area of the first acoustic element is enclosed by an outer boundary of the first vibration plate in the plan view, and

the first protruding portion and the first vibration plate are made of different materials from each other.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein

the vibration material layer is separated from the vibration plate by the first electrode or the second electrode.

3. The display device of claim 1, wherein the first protruding portion has a dual protruding structure including a first sub protruding portion and a second sub protruding portion protruded from a bottom surface of the first sub protruding portion, and the first vibration plate is provided in the second sub protruding portion.

4. The display device of claim 3, further comprising:

a first fixing member configured to connect a portion of the second sub protruding portion to an outer edge of the first vibration plate.

5. The display device of claim 1, wherein the rear chassis further includes:

a second protruding portion protruded in the rear direction, the second protruding portion has a third sub protruding portion and a fourth sub protruding portion protruded from a bottom surface of the third sub protruding portion;

a second vibration plate provided in a portion of the fourth sub protruding portion; and

at least one second acoustic element disposed inside the second vibration plate,

wherein the second protruding portion is spaced apart from the first protruding portion.

6. The display device of claim 1, wherein the rear chassis further includes at least one opening configured to discharge a sound.

7. The display device of claim 1, wherein the rear chassis further includes a wiring connection member including an acoustic signal wire which receives an acoustic signal from an amplifier, and the wiring connection member is formed at the first protruding portion.

8. The display device of claim 1, wherein the at least one first acoustic element is attached to a portion of the first vibration plate by an adhesive, and the adhesive includes a non-conductive epoxy.

9. The display device of claim 8, wherein the first electrode through which the at least one first acoustic element is attached to the first vibration plate is extended to be connected to an electrode pad through a side of the vibration material layer, and

the electrode pad is disposed on a top surface of the vibration material layer, and is spaced apart from the second electrode disposed on the top surface of the vibration material layer.

10. The display device of claim 9, wherein an electric field is applied to the vibration material layer through the second electrode and the electrode pad.

11. The display device of claim 1, wherein the at least one first acoustic element includes three vibration material layers and four electrodes,

the three vibration material layers are arranged in a three-layered structure, and

the four electrodes are disposed at outermost surfaces of the three vibration material layers and between the three vibration material layers.

12. The display device of claim 11, wherein among the four electrodes, the electrode disposed at a lowermost surface of the three vibration material layers is extended to be connected to an electrode pad through a side of the three vibration material layers, and

the electrode pad is disposed on an uppermost surface of the three vibration material layers, and is spaced apart from the second electrode disposed at the uppermost surface of the three vibration material layers.

13. The display device of claim 12, wherein the four electrodes are electrically connected to each other two by two, and adjacent electrodes among the four electrodes are not electrically connected to each other.

14. The display device of claim 1, further comprising:

an amplifier configured to amplify an acoustic signal; and

an acoustic signal wire configured to transfer the acoustic signal from the amplifier to the at least one first acoustic element.

15. The display device of claim 14, wherein the display panel includes a printed circuit board and a flexible printed circuit board,

wherein a substrate of the display panel is connected with the printed circuit board through the flexible printed circuit board, and

wherein the amplifier is formed on the printed circuit board.

16. The display device of claim 1, wherein the vibration material layer is configured to generate vibration having a first frequency other than an audible frequency, and

a touch to the display device is detected by using a change of vibration in the first frequency.

17. The display device of claim 1, wherein a pressure to the display device is sensed by using a voltage in the vibrating material layer generated when an electric field is not applied to the vibrating material layer.

18. The display device of claim 1, further comprising:

a microphone configured to sense a motion generated around the display device by using an acoustic pressure of a sound wave generated according to the motion.

19. The display device of claim 1, further comprising:

a battery configured to supply power to the display device,

wherein the battery is charged by a voltage generated when the at least one first acoustic element vibrates.

20. The display device of claim 1, wherein a bottom surface of the first vibration plate is lower than the bottom surface of the first protruding portion in the rear direction.

21. A rear chassis in a display device, comprising:

a non-metallic vibration plate comprising leather, an artificial leather, or a polyetherimide (PEI) film;

a protruding portion having a first sub protruding portion protruded in a rear direction, and a second sub protruding portion protruded from a bottom surface of the first sub protruding portion; and

at least one acoustic element disposed on the vibration plate,

wherein the at least one acoustic element includes;

a first electrode including a first electrode pad;

a vibration material layer; and

a second electrode, wherein the vibration material layer is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode,

wherein the first electrode pad is disposed on a same surface of the vibration material layer as the second electrode, wherein the first electrode pad is spaced apart from the second electrode,

wherein the first electrode pad is electrically connected to the first electrode through a conductive material disposed on a side surface of the vibration material layer.