AUDIO OUTPUT DEVICE

• US 20190238995A1
• Filed: 02/01/2017
• Published: 08/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation, LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: FUKUYAMA, Yutaka, HIRATSUKA, Yukio, RYU, Heeburm, HORIUCHI, Kousei
• Granted Patent: US 10,827,281 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/00 Details of transducers, loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/005 using digitally weighted transducing elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 17/00 Piezoelectric transducers; Electrostrictive transducers piezoelectric or electrostrictive elements in general H10N30/00; details of piezoelectric or electrostrictive motors, generators or positioners H10N30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 19/02 Loudspeakers H04R19/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/003 Mems transducers or their use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

In order to solve problems with an audio device that is difficult to machine and has an increased amount of wiring, the present invention provides an audio output device comprising: a first electrode layer including a plurality of rows of electrodes arranged in a first direction; a second electrode layer disposed on the back surface of the first electrode layer and including a plurality of rows of electrodes arranged in a second direction; a driving layer including a piezoelectric layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer and a support layer coupled to one of the front surface and the back surface of the piezoelectric layer; and a support plate coupled to the back surface of the driving layer and having a hollow portion formed in a region corresponding to each of intersections between the plurality of rows of electrodes in the first electrode layer and the plurality of rows of electrodes in the second electrode layer intersect.

Claims

1. An audio output device, comprising:

a first electrode layer including electrodes arranged in a plurality of columns in a first direction;

a second electrode layer provided to a backside of the first electrode layer, the second electrode layer including electrodes arranged in a plurality of columns in a second direction;

a drive layer including a piezoelectric layer provided between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer and a support layer coupled to either a front side or a backside of the piezoelectric layer; and

a support plate coupled to a backside of the drive layer, the support plate having a hollow portion formed in an area corresponding to points at which the electrodes in a plurality of the columns of the first electrode layer and the electrodes in a plurality of the columns of the second electrode layer intersect with each other, respectively.

2. The audio output device of claim 1, wherein intersections between a plurality of the electrode columns of the first electrode layer and a plurality of the electrode columns of the second electrode layer form a matrix of (n, m) (where the n and m are positive integers).

3. The audio output device of claim 1, further comprising:

a flexible PCB providing voltage to the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer; and

a driver circuit applying voltage to at least one of a plurality of the electrode columns of the first electrode layer and at least one of a plurality of the electrode columns of the second electrode layer through the flexible PCB,

wherein the piezoelectric layer and the support layer vibrate in response to an intersection between the voltage applied electrode columns of the first and second electrode layers.

4. The audio output device of claim 3, the flexible PCB comprising:

a first circuit unit selectively applying the voltage to each of the electrodes in a plurality of the columns of the first electrode layer by being connected to the electrodes in a plurality of the columns of the first electrode layer at one side of the first direction; and

a second circuit unit selectively applying the voltage to each of the electrodes in a plurality of the columns of the second electrode layer by being connected to the electrodes in a plurality of the columns of the second electrode layer at one side of the second direction.

5. The audio output device of claim 4, wherein the first circuit unit and the second circuit unit are provided to the front side and the backside of the piezoelectric layer, respectively.

6. The audio output device of claim 3, the flexible PCB comprising:

a first circuit unit selectively applying the voltage to each of the electrodes in a plurality of the columns of the first electrode layer by being connected to the electrodes in a plurality of the columns of the first electrode layer; and

a second circuit unit selectively applying the voltage to each of the electrodes in a plurality of the columns of the second electrode layer by being connected to the electrodes in a plurality of the columns of the second electrode layer.

7. The audio output device of claim 6, further comprising:

a plurality of perforated holes formed in the piezoelectric layer; and

an auxiliary connection wire connected to each of a plurality of the column electrodes of the second electrode layer on a rear side of the piezoelectric layer, the auxiliary connection wire provided across the front side of the piezoelectric layer by passing through the perforated hole,

wherein the first circuit unit and the second circuit unit are provided to the front side of the piezoelectric layer and

wherein the second circuit unit is connected to the auxiliary connection wire.

8. The audio output device of claim 7, wherein the first circuit unit and the second circuit unit are provided to one side of the first direction and wherein each of the electrode columns of the second electrode layer and each column of the auxiliary connection wire form a specific angle in-between.

9. The audio output device of claim 8, wherein the specific angle is vertical.