U.S. patent application number 11/976576 was filed with the patent office on 2008-03-06 for electron device.
This patent application is currently assigned to NEC CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Ukyo Mori.
Application Number | 20080058002 11/976576 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18832679 |
Filed Date | 2008-03-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080058002 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mori; Ukyo |
March 6, 2008 |
Electron device
Abstract
A driving unit for an electronic device including a planar voice
coil, a resilient member, a support section moveably attached to a
plate member of the electronic device by the resilient member, and
a first magnet disposed inside the planar voice coil and a second
magnet disposed outside the planar voice coil, wherein the first
and second magnets are fixedly attached to the support section,
wherein the plate member comprises a transparent central section
and another section adjacent to the transparent central section,
the plate member being moveably attached to the another section by
the resilient member.
Inventors: |
Mori; Ukyo; (Tokyo,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MCGINN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW GROUP, PLLC
8321 OLD COURTHOUSE ROAD
SUITE 200
VIENNA
VA
22182-3817
US
|
Assignee: |
NEC CORPORATION
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
18832679 |
Appl. No.: |
11/976576 |
Filed: |
October 25, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
09988681 |
Nov 20, 2001 |
7305248 |
|
|
11976576 |
Oct 25, 2007 |
|
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
455/550.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04M 1/0266 20130101;
H04R 7/045 20130101; H04R 2440/05 20130101; H04R 2499/11 20130101;
H04M 1/03 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
455/550.1 |
International
Class: |
H04M 1/00 20060101
H04M001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 28, 2000 |
JP |
361211/2000 |
Claims
1. A driving unit for an electronic device, comprising: a planar
voice coil; a resilient member; a support section moveably attached
to a plate member of said electronic device by said resilient
member; and a first magnet disposed inside said planar voice coil
and a second magnet disposed outside said planar voice coil,
wherein the first and second magnets are fixedly attached to said
support section, wherein said plate member comprises a transparent
central section and another section adjacent to the transparent
central section, said plate member being moveably attached to said
another section by said resilient member.
2. A driving unit for an electronic device according to claim 1,
wherein said planar voice coil comprises a shape of a quadrilateral
frame and said first and said second magnets are quadrilateral
shaped complementary to said shape of said planar voice coil.
3. A driving unit for an electronic device according to claim 1,
further comprising a second planar voice coil adjacent said planar
voice coil in a direction orthogonal to a surface on which said
planar voice coil is installed.
Description
[0001] The present Application is a Continuation Application of
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/988,681, filed on Nov. 20,
2001. With respect to the prior co-pending U.S. application Ser.
No. 09/988,681, this Continuation Application incorporates the
claim of priority from Japanese Application No. 2000-361211, filed
on Nov. 28, 2000, and claimed under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119. The
present Application is assigned of record to NEC Corporation at
Reel 012316 and Frame 0484.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to an electronic device that
is relatively small such as a portable radio terminal, and in
particular, to an electronic device comprising a speaker for audio
output and a display for displaying information visually.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Relatively small sized electronic devices, for example, a
portable terminal etc. as typified by a cellular phone and a PHS
(Personal Handyphone System) are widely used. Such electronic
device is generally provided with a speaker for conversation or for
giving various instructions to the device by voice, and a display
for displaying visual information such as characters and
images.
[0006] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI5-191335
discloses a card-sized electronic device. FIG. 1 illustrates the
device as an example of a conventional electronic device. The
electronic device 101 is provided with a liquid crystal display
(LCD) 102 at the approximate center of the front surface, and keys
103 and a flat speaker 104 thereunder.
[0007] In addition, in Japanese Patent No. 2642530, there is
disclosed a portable terminal that outputs audio information or
image information corresponding to an ID cord from its speaker or
display.
[0008] In the meanwhile, the more the device is downsized, the
larger proportion of its front surface is occupied by the display
part.
[0009] FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate examples of electronic devices,
which are portable terminals. The all-in-one portable terminal 111
shown in FIG. 2 is provided with a display 113 and operation keys
114 on the front surface of its main body 112. In addition, a
miniature speaker 115 and a microphone 116 are disposed
respectively on each end. Besides, the folding portable terminal
121 shown in FIG. 3 is provided with a display 123 and a speaker
124 at the upper side, and operation keys 125 and a microphone 126
at the lower side with a hinge connection 122 at the center.
[0010] In both examples of FIGS. 2 and 3, the data displayed by the
portable terminals 111 and 121 have been changing to the higher
resolution images or larger volumes of text information.
Consequently, it comes into question that how the portion of spaces
occupied with the displays 113 and 123 is set for the relatively
small-sized electronic devices under the limitation on sizes. In
the actual situation, spaces for the speakers 115 and 124 are
largely restricted in order to reserve the wider spaces for the
displays 113 and 123.
[0011] On the other hand, in the electronic device provided with
communication facilities such as the portable terminals 111 or 121,
there are increasing occasions of downloading music and other
various data from a server on the Internet, and accordingly,
occasions of reproducing sound such as music etc. at its built-in
speaker is also on the increase. In these circumstances, it is
necessary to improve the sound quality of the speakers 115 and 124.
Therefore, there is a limit to the miniaturization of the speakers
1 15 and 124, which is required to widen the displays 113 and
123.
[0012] As above, problems have been concretely pointed out with
respect to the conventional portable terminal. These are commonly
observed in a small-sized electronic device having a speaker and a
display.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide an electronic device in which accommodation space of a
display can be widened to the space where a speaker is
disposed.
[0014] In accordance with the first aspect of the present
invention, there is provided an electronic device comprising: a
main body, a display disposed at a prescribed position on the e
main body for showing information visually, a transparent plate
member provided on the surface of the display, and a driving means
installed at a prescribed position on the plate member for
vibrating the plate member in response to an audio signal.
[0015] That is, in the first aspect of the present invention, the
transparent plate member provided on the surface of the display
vibrates in response to an audio signal to output sound.
Consequently, the display can be situated even over the space where
a speaker is supposed to be disposed, and thus obtaining a
relatively large display.
[0016] In accordance with the second aspect of the present
invention, an electronic device comprises: a main body being
slender in shape as a hand set, which has a microphone near the end
of its front surface; a display disposed in a prescribed space,
which includes a space where a speaker is disposed, near the end
opposite to the microphone on the main body for showing information
visually; a transparent plate member provided on the surface of the
display, and a driving means installed at a prescribed position on
the plate member for vibrating the plate member in response to an
audio signal.
[0017] That is, in the second aspect of the present invention, the
display is situated even over the space where the speaker is
supposed to be disposed on the slender shape hand set, and the
transparent plate member provided on the surface of the display
vibrates in response to an audio signal to output sound.
Consequently, a relatively large display can be obtained.
[0018] In accordance with the third aspect of the present
invention, in the first or the second aspect, the driving means
includes magnets and a voice coil where an audio signal is
inputted, either of which is installed on the transparent plate
member.
[0019] That is, in the third aspect of the present invention, the
driving means for outputting sound is provided with the magnets and
the voice coil. The magnets or the voice coil is installed on the
transparent plate member to vibrate it, and thus enabling sound
output.
[0020] In accordance with the fourth aspect of the present
invention, in the first or the second aspect, the driving means are
installed at plural places on the transparent plate member.
[0021] That is, in the fourth aspect of the present invention,
there may be one or more driving means installed on the plate
member. By installing the driving means at plural places, it is
possible to uprate sound output and reduce accommodation space per
a driving means.
[0022] In accordance with the fifth aspect of the present
invention, in the first or the second aspect, the voice coil is a
planar coil having a shape of a square frame. The magnets are
disposed at places corresponding to both inside and outside of the
frame of the voice coil on an opposite spaced surface to the
surface where the voice coil is installed.
[0023] That is, in the fifth aspect of the present invention, a
planar coil having a shape of a quadrilateral frame is used as the
voice coil. The magnets are disposed at places corresponding to
both inside and outside of the frame of the voice coil on an
opposite spaced surface to the surface where the voice coil is
installed, and thereby an audio signal is converted to vibrations
of either/both of the surfaces.
[0024] In accordance with the sixth aspect of the present
invention, in the fifth aspect, plural planar coils are built up in
the direction orthogonal to the surface where the coils are
installed.
[0025] That is, in the sixth aspect of the present invention,
plural planar coils are built up in the direction orthogonal to the
surface where the coils are installed, and thus allowing enough
volume of sound to be outputted.
[0026] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
a driving unit for an electronic device includes a planar voice
coil, a resilient member, a support section moveably attached to a
plate member of the electronic device by the resilient member, and
a first magnet disposed inside the planar voice coil and a second
magnet disposed outside the planar voice coil, wherein the first
and second magnets are fixedly attached to the support section,
wherein the plate member comprises a transparent central section
and another section adjacent to the transparent central section,
the plate member being moveably attached to the another section by
the resilient member.
[0027] The present invention further comprises the planar voice
coil comprising a shape of a quadrilateral frame and the first and
the second magnets are quadrilateral shaped complementary to the
shape of the planar voice coil.
[0028] The present invention further comprises a second planar
voice coil adjacent the planar voice coil in a direction orthogonal
to a surface on which the planar voice coil is installed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0029] The objects and features of the present invention will
become more apparent from the consideration of the following
detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings in which:
[0030] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a conventional electronic
device;
[0031] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of a conventional
portable terminal;
[0032] FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a conventional folding
portable terminal having a hinge connection in its open state;
[0033] FIG. 4 is a front view of a portable terminal as an
electronic device according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0034] FIG. 5 is a back view of a display cover of the embodiment
of FIG. 4;
[0035] FIG. 6 is a cross section view of a drive taken along the
line A-A' in FIG. 5;
[0036] FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a shape of a planar coil of
the embodiment;
[0037] FIG. 8 is a cross section view taken along the line B-B' in
FIG. 6 showing a physical relationship among the planar coil, the
first magnet and the second magnet; and
[0038] FIG. 9 is a cross section view of a drive taken along the
line A-A' in FIG. 5 according to another embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0039] Referring now to the drawings, a description of preferred
embodiments of the present invention will be given in detail.
[0040] FIG. 4 is a front view of a portable terminal as an
electronic device according to an embodiment of the present
invention. A portable terminal 201 comprises a main body 202, a
display/speaker section 203, an operating section 204, and a
microphone 205. The display/speaker section 203 is located at the
upper part of the front surface of the main body 202. The operating
section 204 is disposed beneath the display/speaker section 203,
similarly to the conventional portable terminal shown in FIG. 2,
and further, the microphone 205 is disposed thereunder. According
to this embodiment, as is described above, a display and a speaker
are united and form the display/speaker section 203. The
display/speaker section 203 is provided with a display cover 206 in
front thereof for protecting the surface of its LCD (liquid crystal
display).
[0041] FIG. 5 is a back view of the display cover. The display
cover 206 comprises a transparent part 211 and a colored part 212
that is arranged so as to surround the transparent part 21 1. The
transparent part 211 corresponds to a liquid crystal panel (not
shown), and protects the panel from external damages while
retaining the display on the panel. The colored part 212 may be
made of the same flat sheet material as the transparent part 211,
however, it is colored in order to visually distinguish between a
display area and other areas on the liquid crystal panel.
[0042] The colored part 212 is provided with a drive 213 that
vibrates the display cover 206 to output sound. A pair of driving
signal wires 214 and 215 extends from the drive 213.
[0043] FIG. 6 is a section of the drive 213 taken along the line
A-A' in FIG. 5. The drive 213 includes first and second supporting
sections 221 and 223, absorbers 222, a planar coil 226, and first
and second magnets 231 and 232. The plate supporting section 221 is
fixed on the colored part 212, and supports the second supporting
section 223 with the absorbers 222. There is a small space left
between the first and second supporting sections 221 and 223. The
absorbers 222 are made of elastic material, and thereby the second
supporting section 223 can reciprocate with respect to the first
supporting section 221 in the directions indicated by arrow 225. On
the first supporting section 221, the planar coil 226 winding in a
spiral is installed.
[0044] FIG. 7 illustrates the shape of the planar coil. The planar
coil 226 is wound to form a rectangular frame so as to be
efficiently disposed on the colored part 212 shown in FIG. 5. Each
end of the planar coil 226 is electrically connected to one end of
the respective driving signal wires 214 and 215.
[0045] FIG. 8 is a section taken along the line B-B' in FIG. 6
showing a physical relationship among the planar coil, the first
magnet and the second magnet. The first magnet 231 and the second
magnet 232 are located at positions opposed to, but avoiding the
planar coil 226 on the second supporting section 223 shown in FIG.
6. The first magnet 231 is located so that its tip fits in a space
235 within the frame of the planar coil 226. The second magnet 232
is arranged a little outside the outmost circumference of the
planar coil 226.
[0046] Consequently, when an audio signal is applied via a pair of
the driving signal wires 214 and 215, a magnetic field is generated
in the planar coil 226. Subsequently, the first and second
supporting sections 221 and 223 repeatedly come close to and away
from each other under the interaction between the magnetic field
and magnetic fields of the first and second magnets 231 and 232
according to Fleming's law. Thus the display cover 206 vibrates
while resonating.
[0047] As is described above, an audio signal outputted from an
amplifier (not shown) is applied to the planar coil 226 via the
driving signal wires 214 and 215, and thereby sound is outputted
from the whole display cover 206. Namely, a portable terminal
according to the present invention does not need to have sound
output holes for a speaker as well as a speaker provided on the
front surface differently from a conventional one.
[0048] Incidentally, in the description of this embodiment, the
second supporting section 223 is supported by the first supporting
section 221. Instead, the second supporting section 223 may be
fixed on an immobile member (not shown), and the first supporting
section 221 may be elastically supported by the absorbers 222.
[0049] FIG. 9 illustrates another embodiment of the present
invention, and corresponds to FIG. 6 in the above embodiment. In
FIG. 9, the like components are designated by the like reference
numerals as in FIG. 6, and explanation thereof will be omitted. In
this embodiment, a planar coil 301 having the same shape as the
planar coil 226 shown in FIG. 7 is directly fixed on the colored
part 212 as a substitute for the first supporting section 221 shown
in FIG. 6.
[0050] The planar coil 301 is provided with a plate insulation 302
having a frame shape equal in size to the coil 301 on the surface
facing to the second supporting section 223. In addition, the same
planar coil 226 in the previous embodiment is installed on the
insulation 302 to the surface facing the second supporting section
223. In this manner, two planar coils 301 and 226, and the
insulation 302 are installed so as to form the tri-layer structure,
and have a space in the center similarly to the previous
embodiment. Each end of the planar coil 226 is electrically
connected to each end of the planar coil 301 through the insulation
302 by conducting wires 303 and 304. Accordingly, electric current
is passed through in the same direction at both planar coils 226
and 301.
[0051] As is the case with the previous embodiment, the first and
second magnets 231 and 232 are disposed on the second supporting
section 223. The structure is identical to that of the previous
embodiment. Therefore, in a portable terminal of this embodiment, a
stronger magnetic field is produced due to the addition of the
planar coil 301 to the planar coil 226. As a result, the display
cover 206 vibrates by driving force stronger than that applied in
the previous embodiment in relation to the magnets 231 and 232.
Thus larger volume of sound is outputted.
[0052] While planar coils have three layers with an insulation
between them in this embodiment, more coils may be added to the
layers with interstratifing insulations. Moreover, the coil may be
wound around a bobbin disposed perpendicular to the display cover
206. Besides, although the drive part 213 is located at a side of
the display cover 206 in the above embodiments, it is a matter of
course that a drive may be installed at any position on a display
cover. Furthermore, while a description has been given about a
portable terminal in the above embodiments, the present invention
is naturally applicable to other electronic devices.
[0053] As set forth hereinabove, in accordance with the present
invention, a transparent plate member provided on the surface of a
display vibrates in response to an audio signal to output sound.
Consequently, the display can be situated even over the space where
a speaker is supposed to be disposed, and thus permitting a
relatively large display. In addition, there is no need to provide
a portable terminal with sound output holes for a speaker, and
therefore it is possible to improve the damp proof effect.
[0054] Moreover, in accordance with an aspect of the present
invention, driving means are installed at plural places on the
plate member, and therefore it is possible to uprate sound output
and reduce accommodation space per a driving means.
[0055] Furthermore, in accordance with another aspect of the
present invention, plural planar coils are built up in the
direction orthogonal to the surface where the coils are installed,
and thus enough volume of sound can be outputted.
[0056] While the preferred embodiments of the present invention
have been described using specific terms, such description is for
illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes
and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or the
scope of the following claims.
* * * * *