Input and output hall structure for sound device in a portable terminal

• US 9,924,004 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2016
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Jung-Sik
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THANH C
• Application Number:
  US15/361,868
• Publication Number:
  US 20170078462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3827 Portable transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/035 Improving the acoustic characteristics by means of constructional features of the housing, e.g. ribs, walls, resonating chambers or cavities

Abstract

An input/output hall structure for a sound device in a portable terminal includes a main hole and a plurality of sub-holes. The main hole is provided in a case frame forming the exterior of the portable terminal to be exposed to the exterior, and inputs/outputs sound. The plurality of sub-holes is branched from the main hole and communicates with the main hole. The sub-hole and a corresponding sound device communicate sound. The structure reduces the number of holes for inputting/outputting sound of a sound device and provides a more elegant appearance with improved function. A plurality of sound devices can input/output through the main hole and branched configuration of sub-holes.

Claims

1. A portable communication device comprising:

a case frame forming at least part of an outer surface of the portable communication device and including a set of holes formed thereon;

an output sound device housed at least partially in the case frame, the output sound device to output a first sound to an outside of the portable communication device via a first subset of the set of holes; and

an input sound device housed at least partially in the case frame and positioned in proximity of the output sound device, the input sound device to receive a second sound from the outside of the portable communication device via a second subset of the set of holes.

2. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the set of holes are exposed to the outer surface.

3. The portable communication device of claim 1, further comprising:

a plate including a first opening and a second opening formed thereon, the first opening overlapping with at least one hole of the first subset of the set of holes, and the second opening overlapping with at least one hole of the second subset of the set of holes.

4. The portable communication device of claim 3, wherein the first opening is aligned with the output sound device such that the first sound is outputted via the first opening, and the second opening is aligned with the input sound device such that the second sound is received via the second opening.

5. The portable communication device of claim 1, further comprising:

a duct placed between the set of holes and each of the output sound device and the input sound device.

6. The portable communication device of claim 5, wherein the duct includes a first opening and a second opening, the first opening aligned with the output sound device and the second opening aligned with the input sound device.

7. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein a respective hole of the set of holes is spaced apart substantially equally from one or more other holes of the set of holes neighboring to the respective hole.

8. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the output sound device or the input sound device is at least partially covered by a cover housed in the portable communication device.

9. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the output sound device comprises a speaker or a receiver, and the input sound device comprises a microphone.

10. A portable communication device comprising:

a case frame forming at least part of an outer surface of the portable communication device and including a set of holes formed thereon;

an output sound device housed at least partially in the case frame and aligned with a first subset of the set of holes via a first passage; and

an input sound device housed at least partially in the case frame and aligned with a second subset of the set of holes via a second passage, wherein the input sound device is positioned in proximity of the output sound device.

11. The portable communication device of claim 10, wherein the first subset or the second subset is exposed to the outer surface.

12. The portable communication device of claim 10, wherein the first passage forms a first path between the output sound device and the first subset, and the second passage forms a second path between the input sound device and the second subset.

13. The portable communication device of claim 10, further comprising:

a plate on which at least one portion of the first passage and at least one portion of the second passage are formed.

14. The portable communication device of claim 10, wherein the first passage or the second passage comprises a duct, a void space, a fence, a shield, or any combination thereof.

15. The portable communication device of claim 10, further comprising a circuit board housed in the portable communication device, at least one portion of the circuit board electrically coupled with the output sound device or the input sound device.

16. The portable communication device of claim 10, wherein the output sound device comprises a speaker or a receiver, and the input sound device comprises a microphone.

17. A portable communication device comprising:

a case frame forming at least part of an outer surface of the portable communication device and including a set of holes formed thereon;

an output sound device housed at least partially in the case frame;

an input sound device housed at least partially in the case frame and positioned in proximity of the output sound device; and

a duct placed between the set of holes and each of the output sound device and the input sound device.

18. The portable communication device of claim 17, wherein the output sound device is aligned with a first subset of the set of holes via a first passage, and the input sound device is aligned with a second subset of the set of holes via a second passage.

19. The portable communication device of claim 18, wherein the output sound device is to output a first sound to an outside of the portable communication device via the first subset of the set of holes, and the input sound device is to receive a second sound from the outside of the portable communication device via the second subset of the set of holes.

20. The portable communication device of claim 17, wherein the output sound device comprises a speaker or a receiver, and the input sound device comprises a microphone.