Electro-optical device and electronic apparatus

• US 7,798,284 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2005
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Wada, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Donels; Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phillips; Forrest M
• Application Number:
  US11/210,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20060051075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,855 Days
• Field of Search: 181/199, 181/171, 181/148, 381/152, 381/388, 381/345, 381/386, 381/395, 381/333, 340/384.6, 340/384.1, 455/550.1
• US Class Current: 181/199
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/03 Constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. telephone hand-sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 23/008 using optical signals for detecting or generating sound

Abstract

An electro-optical device includes an electro-optical panel, a holding frame that holds the electro-optical panel, and a sound-production frame that is attached to the holding frame, constitutes a sound-production air space at the rear of the holding frame, and holds a sound-production unit. The holding frame is provided with an internal sound-guiding path that is connected to the inside of the sound-production air space and opens to the outside.

Claims

1. An electro-optical device comprising:

an electro-optical panel;

a sound-production unit including a first surface facing toward the electro-optical panel and a second surface that is opposite the first surface and that faces away from the electro-optical panel, the sound-production unit including a piezo-electric vibrating body;

a sound-production frame that holds the sound-production unit, the sound-production frame including a flat internal surface, a through hole opening, and an air inlet that allows passage of air between the sound-production frame and the sound-production unit, the air inlet overlapping the sound-production unit in plan view;

a holding frame that holds the electro-optical panel and that is connected to the sound-production frame, the holding frame having a first surface wall facing the electro-optical panel and a second surface wall facing away from the electro-optical panel, the second surface wall also facing the flat internal surface of the sound-production frame, the second surface wall of the holding frame defining a sound-production air space with the sound-production frame, the holding frame including an internal sound-guiding path that is in fluid communication with the sound-production air space and that opens to outside of the holding frame, the holding frame including a projection that is received in the through hole opening of the sound-production frame;

a first support member that abuts the second surface of the sound production unit and the sound-production frame to be interposed between the second surface of the sound production unit and the sound-production frame; and

a second support member that abuts the flat internal surface of the sound-production frame and the second surface wall of the holding frame to be disposed between both the sound-production frame and the holding frame.

2. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the internal sound-guiding path opens at a front surface or a side surface of the holding frame.

3. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the second support member defines the sound-production air space with the holding frame and the sound-production frame.

4. The electro-optical device according to claim 3, wherein an air space between the holding frame and the sound-production unit and an air space between the sound-production frame and the sound-production unit are separated from each other by the support member and the sound-production unit.

5. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the sound-production unit overlaps the electro-optical panel in plan view.

6. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the internal sound-guiding path opens at a position where the sound-production unit and the electro-optical panel do not overlap each other.

7. An electronic apparatus comprising:

the electro-optical device according to claim 1; and

a support body that supports the electro-optical device.

8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein an external sound-guiding path is provided between the electro-optical device and the support body so as to be connected to the internal sound-guiding path, and the external sound-guiding path opens at a surface near the electro-optical panel.

9. The electronic apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the external sound-guiding path is constituted by a sound-guiding member that is disposed between the electro-optical device and the support body.