Foldable display device and sound providing method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11054857-B2
Application number	US-202016824438-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 19, 2020
Priority date	Jun 21, 2019
Publication date	Jul 6, 2021
Grant date	Jul 6, 2021

Abstract

A foldable display device includes: a display panel including a first area and a second area that are symmetrical with respect to a folding axis; a lower member below the display panel; a first sound output unit on a lower surface of the first area; a first fixing part above the lower surface of the first area and overlapping the first sound output unit in a thickness direction; and a first vibration output unit on a lower surface of the second area, wherein the first fixing part and the first vibration output unit are symmetrical with respect to the folding axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A foldable display device comprising:
a display panel including a first area disposed on one side of a folding axis, and a second area disposed on the other side of the folding axis;
a lower member below the display panel;
a first sound output unit on a lower surface of the first area;
a first fixing part above the lower surface of the first area and overlapping the first sound output unit in a thickness direction; and
a first vibration output unit on a lower surface of the second area, wherein the first sound output unit and the first fixing part are spaced apart from each other in the thickness direction.

2. The foldable display device of claim 1 , wherein the first fixing part comprises a magnetic material having a magnetic force.

3. The foldable display device of claim 1 , wherein the lower member comprises:
a cover panel below the display panel;
a middle frame below the cover panel;
a circuit board below the middle frame; and
a bottom cover below the circuit board.

4. The foldable display device of claim 3 , wherein the first sound output unit and the first vibration output unit do not overlap the cover panel in the thickness direction and are coupled to the display panel by a first adhesive member.

5. The foldable display device of claim 3 , wherein the first fixing part does not overlap the middle frame and the circuit board.

6. The foldable display device of claim 5 , wherein the first fixing part overlaps the bottom cover, and a first surface of the first fixing part is coupled to the bottom cover by a second adhesive member.

7. The foldable display device of claim 6 , wherein a second surface of the first fixing part, which is a surface opposite to the first surface of the first fixing part, is coupled to the cover panel by a third adhesive member.

8. The foldable display device of claim 3 , wherein the first vibration output unit does not overlap the cover panel, the middle frame, and the circuit board in the thickness direction.

9. The foldable display device of claim 8 , wherein a first surface of the first vibration output unit is coupled to the display panel by a fourth adhesive member, and a second surface of the first vibration output unit, which is a surface opposite to the first surface of the first vibration output unit, is coupled to the bottom cover by a fifth adhesive member.

10. The foldable display device of claim 1 , wherein the first vibration output unit comprises a lower chassis, a flexible circuit board, a voice coil, a magnet, a spring, and an upper chassis.

11. The foldable display device of claim 1 , wherein the first sound output unit is configured to generate sound in a mid-to-high frequency band, and the first vibration output unit is configured to generate sound in a low-frequency band.

12. The foldable display device of claim 1 , further comprising a second vibration output unit on the lower surface of the first area, a second sound output unit on the lower surface of the second area, and a second fixing part above the lower surface of the second area to overlap the second sound output unit in the thickness direction.

13. The foldable display device of claim 12 , wherein the second fixing part and the second vibration output unit are symmetrical with respect to the folding axis.

14. The foldable display device of claim 12 , wherein the second fixing part comprises a magnetic material having a magnetic force, and the second vibration output unit comprises a lower chassis, a flexible circuit board, a voice coil, a magnet, a spring, and an upper chassis.

15. A foldable display device comprising:
a display panel including a first area disposed on one side of a folding axis, and a second area disposed on the other side of the folding axis;
a lower member below the display panel;
a first sound output unit on a lower surface of the first area;
a first fixing part above the lower surface of the first area to overlap the first sound output unit in a thickness direction;
a second fixing part above the lower surface of the first area;
a first vibration output unit on the lower surface of the first area at a position between the first sound output unit and the second fixing part;
a third fixing part above the lower surface of the first area at a position between the first sound output unit and the second fixing part;
a second sound output unit on a lower surface of the second area;
a fourth fixing part above the lower surface of the second area to overlap the second sound output unit in the thickness direction;
a fifth fixing part above the lower surface of the second area;
a second vibration output unit on the lower surface of the second area at a position between the second sound output unit and the fourth fixing part; and
a sixth fixing part above the lower surface of the second area at a position between the second sound output unit and the fourth fixing part.

16. The foldable display device of claim 15 , wherein each of the first to sixth fixing parts comprises a magnetic material having a magnetic force.

17. The foldable display device of claim 15 , wherein each of the first and second vibration output units comprises a lower chassis, a flexible circuit board, a voice coil, a magnet, a spring, and an upper chassis.

18. The foldable display device of claim 15 , wherein the lower member comprises:
a cover panel below the display panel;
a middle frame below the cover panel;
a circuit board below the middle frame; and
a bottom cover below the circuit board.

19. The foldable display device of claim 18 , wherein the first fixing part and the fourth fixing part do not overlap the middle frame and the circuit board.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Noh Jung Hun
• Yeon Eun Kyung
• Ahn Yi Joon

Classifications

• G06F2200/1614

  Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode · CPC title

• G06F3/0416

  Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers · CPC title

• G06F1/1694 Primary

  the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer · CPC title

• G06F1/1641

  the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components (G06F1/1647 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F3/016

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title