Electronic device

• US 9,740,288 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2012
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Hiraoka, Michiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosario, Nelson
• Application Number:
  US14/000,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20130321321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,013 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-179, 36167901, 36167902, 36167921, 36167926
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1633 Constructional details or arrangements of portable computers not specific to the type of enclosures covered by groups G06F1/1615 - G06F1/1626
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2400/03 Transducers capable of generating both sound as well as tactile vibration, e.g. as used in cellular phones
• 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 7/045 using the distributed mode principle, i.e. whereby the acoustic radiation is emanated from uniformly distributed free bending wave vibration induced in a stiff panel and not from pistonic motion

Abstract

The electronic device 1 is provided with a touch panel 3, vibration units 15 and 16 that vibrate the touch panel 3, and a display unit 18 disposed adjacent to the backside of the touch panel 3. The display unit 18 is held suspended from the touch panel 3 via a flexible member 24 disposed along the entire periphery of the display unit 18, improves dust resistance and water resistance, as an electronic device that includes and vibrates a panel forming the external appearance of the electronic device, while making it difficult to inhibit vibration of the panel.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

an upper housing;

a lower housing;

a touch panel, a plane thereof being exposed to an outside of the upper housing with a periphery of the touch panel attached to the upper housing;

a vibration unit configured to vibrate the touch panel; and

a display unit adjacent to a back side of the touch panel, wherein

the display unit is attached to an opposite plane to the exposed plane of the touch panel via a flexible member disposed along an entire periphery of the display unit,

a periphery of the opposite plane of the touch panel is held suspended from neither the upper housing nor the lower housing directly or indirectly, and

the touch panel is connected to the upper housing only through the plane of the touch panel exposed to the outside and side planes of the touch panel that intersect with the plane as seen in a side cross-sectional view.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the touch panel is large enough to cover an entire ear of a user.

3. An electronic device comprising:

a touch panel;

a vibration unit configured to vibrate the touch panel; and

a display unit adjacent to a back side of the touch panel, wherein

the display unit is held suspended from the touch panel with a first gap therefrom via a flexible member disposed along an entire periphery of the display unit,

the display unit has a second gap from an inside of a housing which holds the display unit,

the vibration unit comprises a piezoelectric element that expands and contracts in a longitudinal direction upon application of voltage,

the electronic device has long sides and short sides,

the longitudinal direction of the vibration unit is parallel with the short sides of the electronic device, and

the touch panel is connected to the upper housing only through the plane of the touch panel exposed to the outside and side planes of the touch panel that intersect with the plane as seen in a side cross-sectional view.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the housing has an upper housing, wherein the upper housing supports a front side of the touch panel, the front side of the touch panel being opposite to the back side of the touch panel.

5. An electronic device comprising:

an upper housing;

a lower housing;

a touch panel, a plane thereof being exposed to an outside of the upper housing with a periphery of the touch panel attached to the upper housing;

a vibration unit configured to vibrate the touch panel; and

a display unit adjacent to a back side of the touch panel, wherein

the display unit is attached to an opposite plane to the exposed plane of the touch panel via a flexible member disposed along an entire periphery of the display unit,

a periphery of the opposite plane of the touch panel is held suspended from neither the upper housing nor the lower housing directly or indirectly, and

the vibration unit is connected to a surface of the touch panel opposite the plane of the touch panel exposed to the outside, and the vibration unit is peripherally outside a portion of the touch panel that overlaps with the display unit, as seen in a side cross-sectional view.