Sound output apparatus and hub for communication network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10111345-B2
Application number	US-201715604902-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 25, 2017
Priority date	May 25, 2016
Publication date	Oct 23, 2018
Grant date	Oct 23, 2018

Abstract

A hub comprises a main body with a speaker; a communication module included in the main body; a window formed of a transparent material; a display panel for displaying a screen based on information exchanged via the communication module; and a cover housing coupled to a top of the main body and having a display panel and an opening at an upper surface thereof. The window is provided on an upper surface of the display panel, wherein a normal vector with respect to a predetermined plane in which the opening falls is at an acute angle relative to a horizontal plane, and a vector acquired by orthogonally projecting the normal vector with respect to the horizontal plane faces forward. A portion of the inner surface of the cover housing is parallel with the normal vector, and the window is provided so that an upper surface faces the direction of the normal vector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hub comprising: a main body including a speaker configured to output sound; communication circuitry provided in the main body and configured to wirelessly communicate with another device; and a cover housing having a lower surface coupled to an upper surface of the main body and having an upper surface defining an opening, wherein a display panel to output a display and a window formed of a transparent material and positioned over the display are provided in the cover housing, wherein the opening is inclined at a prescribed angle relative to a horizontal plane, wherein an inner surface of the cover housing within the opening extends orthogonally to the prescribed angle at the opening, wherein the window is positioned within the opening and inclined at the prescribed angle relative to the horizontal plane, wherein a prescribed gap is formed between a side surface of the window and the inner surface of the cover housing, and the side surface of the window is parallel to the inner surface of the cover housing, and wherein the hub further comprises a window support provided below the window to support the window, wherein the window support includes: a window support plate provided above the display panel to support the window and having an opening to expose the display panel; and at least one support boss extending downward and away from the window support plate and coupled to the cover housing.

2. The hub according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a grille having a vertically elongated cylindrical shape and provided with a plurality of through-holes therein, the main body being provided within the grille, and the grille being coupled at an upper end thereof to the cover housing,
wherein the cover housing comprises:
a cylindrical sidewall extending vertically and provided above the grille; and
an upper-end holding surface extending from the cylindrical sidewall to be inserted into the grille to contact an inner surface of the grille.

3. The hub according to claim 2 , wherein an outer side surface of the cylindrical sidewall extends vertically down from the opening.

4. The hub according to claim 2 , wherein an outer side surface of the cylindrical sidewall gradually increases is diameter farther downward from the opening.

5. The hub according to claim 1 , wherein the window is formed in a circular shape.

6. A hub comprising:
a main body including a speaker configured to output sound;
communication circuitry provided in the main body and configured to wirelessly communicate with another device; and
a cover housing having a lower surface coupled to an upper surface of the main body and having an upper surface defining an opening,
wherein a display panel to output a display and a window formed of a transparent material and positioned over the display are provided in the cover housing,
wherein the opening is inclined at a prescribed angle relative to a horizontal plane,
wherein an inner surface of the cover housing within the opening extends orthogonally to the prescribed angle at the opening,
wherein the inner surface of the cover housing within the opening positions the window to be inclined at the prescribed angle relative to the horizontal plan,
wherein the hub further comprises:
a grille having a vertically elongated cylindrical shape and provided with a plurality of through-holes therein, the main body being provided within the grille, and the grille being coupled at an upper end thereof to the cover housing,

wherein the cover housing comprises:
a cylindrical sidewall extending vertically and provided above the grille; and
an upper-end holding surface extending from the cylindrical sidewall to be inserted into the grille to contact an inner surface of the grille,

wherein the window is formed in a circular shape,
wherein the upper-end holding surface of the cover housing has an elliptical shape in a horizontal plane, and
wherein the upper-end holding surface of the cover housing causes the grille, when inserted over the upper-end holding surface to be deformed into the elliptical shape.

7. A hub comprising:
a main body including a speaker configured to output sound;
communication circuitry provided in the main body and configured to wirelessly communicate with another device; and
a cover housing having a lower surface coupled to an upper surface of the main body and having an upper surface defining an opening,
wherein a display panel to output a display and a window formed of a transparent material and positioned over the display are provided in the cover housing,
wherein the opening is inclined at a prescribed angle relative to a horizontal plane,
wherein an inner surface of the cover housing within the opening extends orthogonally to the prescribed angle at the opening,
wherein the inner surface of the cover housing within the opening positions the window to be inclined at the prescribed angle relative to the horizontal plane, and
wherein the hub further comprises:
a display Printed Circuit Board (PCB) provided in the cover housing and having an upper surface on which the display panel is installed; and
a window support provided below the window to support the window, wherein the window support includes:
a window support plate provided above the display panel to support the window and having an opening to expose the display panel; and
at least one support boss extending downward and away from the window support plate and coupled to the cover housing.

8. The hub according to claim 7 , wherein the cover housing further includes:
a partition extending from the inner surface of the cover housing, the partition dividing an inside of the cover housing into upper and lower regions,
wherein the display PCB is provided in an upper surface of the partition within the upper region, and
wherein the partition includes at least one insertion boss to receive the at least one support boss, respectively.

9. The hub according to claim 8 , wherein the window support plate and the partition extend parallel to a lower surface of the inclined window.

10. A hub comprising: a main body including a speaker configured to output sound; communication circuitry provided in the main body and configured to wirelessly communicate with another device; a window formed of a transparent material; a display panel configured to output visual content associate with based on information exchanged via the communication circuitry; and a cover housing coupled to a top surface of the main body and defining a cavity to receive the display panel, wherein an opening of the cavity is provided on an upper surface of the cover housing, and wherein the window is provided above the display panel, wherein an inner surface of the cover housing extends orthogonally to a prescribed angle relative to a horizontal plane, wherein the window is positioned within the opening and an upper surface of the window is inclined at the prescribed angle relative to the horizontal plane, wherein a gap of a prescribed width is provided between a side surface of the window and the inner surface of the cover housing, and the side surface of the window is parallel to the inner surface of the cover housing, and wherein the hub further comprises a window support provided below the window to support the window, wherein the window support includes: a window support plate provided above the display panel to support the window and having an opening to expose the display panel; and at least one support boss extending downward and away from the window support plate and coupled to the cover housing.

11. The hub according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a grille having a vertically elongated cylindrical shape and

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Sangin

Classifications

• H04R1/023

  Screens for loudspeakers · CPC title

• G06F1/181

  Enclosures (for portable computers G06F1/1613) · CPC title

• G06F1/1671

  Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop (G06F1/1666 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• G07F17/3202

  Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof · CPC title