CN107454512B

CN107454512B - Panel vibration type sound display device

Info

Publication number: CN107454512B
Application number: CN201710368161.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: 崔荣洛; 李成泰
Original assignee: LG Display Co Ltd
Current assignee: LG Display Co Ltd
Priority date: 2016-05-31
Filing date: 2017-05-23
Publication date: 2020-07-07
Anticipated expiration: 2037-05-23
Also published as: KR20170135465A; CN107454512A; KR20230095899A; KR102546842B1

Abstract

A panel vibration type sound display device is provided. A display device, comprising: a display panel configured to display an image; a bottom cover configured to cover the display panel; a sound generator supported by the bottom cover, the sound generator configured to vibrate the display panel to generate sound; and a sealing member located between the outer peripheral portion of the sound-generating actuator and the outer surface of the bottom cover.

Description

Panel vibration type sound display device

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a display device, and more particularly, to a display device that generates sound by vibrating a display panel.

Background

With the development of various portable electronic devices, such as mobile communication terminals and notebook computers, the demand for flat panel display devices applicable thereto is gradually increasing. The flat panel display devices include Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) devices, electroluminescent display devices, Light Emitting Diode (LED) display devices, and Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) display devices.

Among these display devices, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) device includes: an array substrate having a thin film transistor array; an upper substrate having a color filter and/or a black matrix, etc.; and a layer of liquid crystal material formed therebetween. The alignment state of the liquid crystal layer is controlled according to an electric field applied between the two electrodes of the pixel region, thereby adjusting the transmittance of light to display an image.

In the display panel of such a liquid crystal display device, an effective area (AA) configured to provide an image to a user and an ineffective area (NA) which is a peripheral area of the effective area are defined. The display panel is generally manufactured by attaching a first substrate, which is an array substrate in which thin film transistors are formed to define pixel regions, and a second substrate, which is an upper substrate on which a black matrix and/or a color filter layer are formed, to each other. The array substrate or the first substrate on which the thin film transistor is formed includes a plurality of gate lines extending in a first direction and a plurality of data lines extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. One pixel region is defined by each gate line and each data line. One or more thin film transistors are formed in one pixel region, and a gate electrode and a source electrode of each thin film transistor may be connected to a gate line and a data line, respectively.

Among these display devices, the liquid crystal display device does not have a self-light emitting element, and thus requires a separate light source. Accordingly, the liquid crystal display device includes a backlight unit having a light source such as an LED, which is disposed at a rear surface of the liquid crystal display device and irradiates light toward a front surface of a liquid crystal panel thereof, thereby implementing a recognizable image.

Recently, an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) display device, which is attracting attention as a display device, has advantages of a fast response time, high light emitting efficiency, high luminance, and a wide viewing angle by using an OLED that emits light by itself, i.e., "self-luminescence". In the OLED display device, subpixels including organic light emitting diodes are arranged in a matrix form, and the luminance of the subpixels selected by a scan signal is controlled according to the gray level of data. In addition, the OLED display device as a light emitting element consumes a small amount of power and has a high response speed, high light emitting efficiency, high luminance, and a wide viewing angle.

Meanwhile, a set device or an end product including such a display device as described above may include, for example, a Television (TV), a computer monitor, or an advertisement board. Such display means or assembly means may comprise sound output means such as a loudspeaker for generating and outputting sound in relation to the displayed image.

Generally, a company that manufactures a display portion of a device such as a liquid crystal display device or an organic light emitting diode display device manufactures only a display panel or a display device, and another company manufactures a speaker and assembles the speaker with the manufactured display portion to complete an set device capable of outputting images and sounds. Reverse assembly is also possible, but is still performed in two parts and is usually in a different production facility.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a speaker included in a related art display device.

As shown in fig. 1, a related art display device 1 or set device includes a speaker 2 disposed on a rear or lower portion of a display panel thereof. In this structure, the sound generated by the speaker 2 is not directly propagated toward a viewer who views an image from the front side of the display device 1, but is propagated toward the rear, lower portion, or edge of the display panel other than the front portion of the display panel on which the image is displayed. Therefore, mismatched directivity of sound may hinder the impression of the viewer. Further, when the sound generated from the speaker 2 propagates toward the rear, lower portion, or edge of the display panel, the sound quality deteriorates due to interference of the sound reflected by a wall, floor, or other surface located behind or below the display panel.

Further, the sound generated by the speaker included in the related art display device is not directed toward the viewer of the display device, and thus may undergo diffraction, which further deteriorates sound localization (localization). Moreover, when an aggregate unit such as a TV is constructed, the speaker may occupy an undesirably large amount of space, which imposes restrictions on the design and spatial arrangement of the aggregate unit. For example, in mobile devices, the speakers occupy space, which forces the thickness and/or bezel area to have a large size.

Therefore, there is an increasing need for a technique capable of improving the quality of sound output from a display device and reducing the hindrance to the feeling of input of a viewer. In accordance with such a demand, a technology for generating sound by directly vibrating a display panel of a display device has been recently developed.

Such a panel vibration type sound emitting device may have a configuration in which a sound emitting actuator is fixedly inserted into a support hole formed in a bottom cover or the like, which is a rear support structure of the display device. In this case, the generated sound leaks through the support hole formed in the bottom cover, which may deteriorate sound emission characteristics, and the leaked sound may be reflected from the rear wall so that the reflected sound is output to the front side where the viewer is located, which may cause deterioration in sound quality due to sound interference.

Disclosure of Invention

Accordingly, the present disclosure is directed to a panel vibration type sound emitting display device that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.

An aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a panel vibration type sound emitting display device capable of emitting sound by vibrating a display panel constituting the display device.

Another aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a display device capable of reducing the thickness of the display device while enabling the display device to have improved sound emission performance.

Another aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a display device capable of reducing sound leakage through a support hole so that sound output characteristics can be improved.

Another aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a display device capable of reducing noise generated when a sealing member is in contact with a bottom cover while reducing sound leakage.

Additional advantages and features will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the inventive concepts presented herein. The features and aspects of the present inventive concept may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.

To achieve these and other aspects of the inventive concept, as embodied and broadly described herein, a display apparatus may include: a display panel configured to display an image; a bottom cover configured to cover the display panel; a sound generator supported by the bottom cover, the sound generator configured to vibrate the display panel to generate sound; and a sealing member located between the outer peripheral portion of the sound-generating actuator and the outer surface of the bottom cover.

Further, a display device may include: a display panel configured to display an image; a bottom cover configured to cover the display panel; and a sound generator supported by the bottom cover, the sound generator having a tip configured to vibrate the display panel to generate sound.

Other systems, methods, features and advantages will be, or will become, apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present disclosure, and be protected by the accompanying claims. Nothing in this section should be construed as a limitation on the claims. Further aspects and advantages are discussed below in connection with the embodiments of the disclosure. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present disclosure are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the disclosure as claimed.

Drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiments of the disclosure and together with the description serve to explain various principles.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a speaker included in a related art display device.

Fig. 2A and 2B are diagrams of a display device including a panel vibration type sound emission device applicable to an embodiment. Fig. 2A is a plan view. FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 2A taken along line I-I'.

Fig. 3A and 3B are cross-sectional views of two types of acoustic actuators each of which can be used in the embodiment.

Fig. 4A and 4B illustrate a state in which a sound-generating actuator that can be used in an embodiment vibrates a display panel to generate sound.

Fig. 5A and 5B are diagrams of various forms of coupling the sound actuators to the bottom cover, which may be a support structure of the display device.

Fig. 6A is a perspective view of the acoustic actuator with an extension formed to secure the acoustic actuator to the bottom cap.

Fig. 6B is a rear view illustrating a state in which the sound-generating actuator is fixedly inserted into a support hole formed in the bottom cover, which is the display device support structure.

Fig. 7A and 7B are sectional views taken along the line II-II 'and the line III-III' in fig. 6B, respectively, illustrating the gap S between the side surface of the sound-generating actuator and the support hole in the bottom cover and the sound leakage phenomenon through the gap S.

Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating a reflected sound generated due to the leakage sound in fig. 7B being reflected from the rear wall and directed forward and a sound characteristic degradation phenomenon caused thereby.

Fig. 9A is a cross-sectional view of a display device including an acoustic activator and a sealing member according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 9B is a perspective view of a sound-producing actuator having a peripheral portion formed using a molded cover.

Fig. 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a detailed configuration of a sealing member used in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 11A is a cross-sectional view of a display device including an acoustic activator and a sealing member according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 11B is a perspective view illustrating a sound-generating actuator having a peripheral portion formed by an expanded portion formed by expanding a lower plate (or a conjugate) of the actuator.

Fig. 12A to 12C illustrate several examples of a noise insulation part formed between a display panel and an intermediate chassis to form a space for sound transmission between the display panel as a vibration plate and a bottom cover, the chassis being one of support structures of the display panel.

Fig. 13 is a graph illustrating sound output characteristics when a sealing member according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is used.

Throughout the drawings and detailed description, unless described to the contrary, like reference numerals should be understood to refer to like elements, features and structures. The relative sizes and drawings of these elements may be exaggerated for clarity, illustration, and convenience.

Detailed Description

Reference will now be made in detail to some embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, a detailed description of known functions or configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may be determined that such detailed description does not unnecessarily obscure the inventive concept. The described process steps and/or progression of operations are only examples; however, the order of steps and/or operations is not limited to the order listed herein, which may be varied as is known in the art, except for steps and/or operations that must occur in a particular order. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. The names of the respective elements used in the following explanation are selected only for convenience of writing the present application, and thus may be different from those used in an actual product.

In the description of the embodiments, when a structure is described as being located "on or above" or "under or below" another structure, the description should be construed as including a case where the structures are in contact with each other and a case where a third structure is disposed therebetween.

The term "display device" used in the present application refers not only to display devices such as a display panel (or a display module) including a driving unit for driving the display panel, a Liquid Crystal Module (LCM), and an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) module, but also to a set of electronic devices or a set of devices as final products that may include the LCM, the OLED module, and the like, such as a notebook computer, a television, a computer display, an equipment display (e.g., a display device in an automobile display or other type of vehicle display), or a mobile electronic device such as a smart phone or an electronic pad, and the like. That is, in the present application, the term "display device" may be used as a display device such as an LCM and an OLED module, and a so-called "set device" as an application product or an end consumer device in which the display device is applied.

However, in some cases, the "display apparatus" including the LCM of the display panel and its driving unit and the OLED module is distinguished from the "set apparatus" or the "set device". For example, the meaning of the "display device" may include a liquid crystal display panel (LCD) or an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) display panel and a source Printed Circuit Board (PCB) as a controller for driving the same, and the set device or the set apparatus may further include a set PCB as a set controller, the set PCB being electrically connected to the source PCB to control the entire set device or the entire set apparatus.

The display panel used in embodiments of the present disclosure may include any type of display panel, such as a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) panel, an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) display panel, and the like, which is not limited to a particular display panel technology capable of generating sound waves or audio output due to vibrations generated by direct vibrations by an acoustic exciter.

When the display panel is a liquid crystal display panel, the display panel may include: pixels defined by a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of data lines, and crossing regions thereof; an array substrate including a thin film transistor corresponding to a switching element for adjusting a degree of light transmission at each pixel; an upper substrate including a color filter and/or a black matrix, etc.; and a liquid crystal material layer formed between the array substrate and the upper substrate.

Further, when the display panel is an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) display panel, the display panel may be configured by including: pixels defined by a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of data lines, and crossing regions thereof; an array substrate including a thin film transistor, which is an element for selectively applying a voltage to each pixel; an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) layer on the array substrate; and a package substrate disposed on the array substrate to cover the organic light emitting diode layer, and the like. The encapsulation substrate may protect the thin film transistor, the organic light emitting diode layer, and the like from external impact, and may prevent moisture and/or oxygen from penetrating into the organic light emitting diode layer. The OLED layer on the array substrate may include an inorganic light emitting layer, such as a quantum dot light emitting layer, a nano-sized material layer, etc., which may improve the quality of an output image. The display panel used in the display device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited in shape, size, type, and the like.

In the case of any display type, the display panel may further include a backing (backing) such as a metal plate attached thereto. Other configurations may also be included. The display panel with actuators in the present application may implement a user interface module in a vehicle, such as a center console area in an automobile. For example, such a display panel may be disposed between two front passenger seats so that sound generated due to vibration of the display panel propagates toward the interior of the vehicle. As such, the audio experience within the vehicle can be improved when compared to having speakers only at the interior sides in the vehicle.

In the case of a liquid crystal display panel, an indirect light source type backlight in which a plurality of layers are stacked and a separate light source is disposed should be provided. On the other hand, since the organic light emitting element of the OLED display panel corresponds to a self-luminous element, a separate light source is not required, and since several layers such as a polarizing layer (POL), a glass layer, and an encapsulation layer are laminated into one panel, even if the organic light emitting element is directly vibrated by a sound-emitting actuator, there is almost no influence on the light emitting characteristics of the organic light emitting layer, so that image distortion does not occur. However, it is not necessary to use a self-light emitting display panel such as an organic light emitting diode display panel or an inorganic light emitting display panel. Meanwhile, since the display panel used in the display device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure has a general structure, a detailed description of the display panel will be omitted.

As shown in fig. 2, the display device applicable to the embodiment may include a display panel 100 configured to display an image, and a sound-generating exciter 200 configured to contact one surface of the display panel and vibrate the display panel to thereby generate a sound.

For example, as described in more detail below with reference to the examples of fig. 4A and 4B, the sound generating actuator 200 may include a magnet, plates for supporting the magnet, a center pole (center pole) protruding from a central area between the plates, and a bobbin (bobbin) surrounding an outer circumference of the center pole and wound with a coil, which may be applied with a current for sound generation. The end of the bobbin may contact one surface of the display panel.

Further, as shown in the example of fig. 2B, the display device may include a support structure that supports at least one of the rear surface and the side surface of the display panel, and the lower plate or the like of the sound-generating actuator may be fixed to the support structure. The support structure may include a bottom cover 300 disposed on the rear surface of the display panel 100. The support structure may further include a middle chassis (500), and the middle chassis 500 is coupled to the bottom cover 300 while surrounding the side surface of the display panel 100 and receiving and supporting one side edge of the display panel 100. The support structure may be a bottom cover, such as bottom cover 300, and may include other structures. The support structure, which may be a bottom cover, may include additional portions, may include multiple portions, and may not need to cover the entire rear of the display panel. The support structure may comprise other elements (almost as in the actual product) to directly or indirectly support the actuator.

The bottom cover 300 constituting the support structure may be a plate-shaped member formed of metal or plastic extending over the entire rear surface of the display device. The bottom cover 300 used herein is not limited to the term "bottom cover," but may be referred to by other terms, such as a bottom plate, a rear cover, a base frame, a metal chassis, a chassis, an m-chassis (m-chassis), and the like. The term "bottom cover" should be understood to include all forms of frames or plate-like structures provided on the rear base of the display device for supporting the display panel. The support structure may be a bottom cover, such as bottom cover 300, and may include other structures. The support structure, which may be a bottom cover, may include additional portions, may include multiple portions, and may not need to cover the entire rear of the display panel. The support structure may comprise other elements (almost as in the actual product) to directly or indirectly support the actuator.

In addition, the display device according to the embodiment may further include a noise insulation part (baffle part)400, the noise insulation part 400 being disposed between the bottom cover 300 or the middle chassis 500 as a support structure and the display panel 100 to form an air gap space 600(a/G), the air gap space 600(a/G) being a space for transmitting generated sound waves. That is, by hermetically bonding the display panel 100 to the bottom cover 300 at the edge of the air gap space 600(a/G), the air gap space 600 may be defined as an area sealed in four sides, and such a sealed air gap space may be referred to as a "soundproof" structure.

The soundproof portion 400 may include one or both of: an adhesive member 412, the adhesive member 412 may be located at an edge of the bottom cover 300 or the middle chassis 500 to be bonded to a lower surface of the display panel; and a sealing portion 414, the sealing portion 414 being located outside the adhesive member 412 to further provide sealing characteristics of the air gap space 600 (a/G). In one example, the adhesive member 412 may be a double-sided tape. As described in more detail below with reference to fig. 12A through 12C, the height of the sealing portion 414 may be greater than the height of the adhesive member 412.

The acoustic actuator 200 used in an embodiment may include: a magnet 220 as a permanent magnet,

plates

210 and 210' configured to support the magnet 220, a center pole 230 protruding from a central region of the plate 210, a bobbin 250 surrounding the center pole 230, and a coil 260 wound on an outer circumference of the bobbin 250 and applied with current for sound emission. The sound-generating actuator 200 used in the embodiment may have, for example, a first structure in which a magnet is disposed outside a coil or a second structure in which a magnet is disposed inside a coil.

Fig. 3A illustrates a first configuration in which the magnet is disposed outside the coil. The first structure may be referred to as a "dynamic" type or an "external" magnet type. In the sound producing actuator according to the first structure, the lower plate 210 may be fixed to the support hole 310 formed in the bottom cover 300. The magnet 220, which may be a ring-shaped permanent magnet, may be disposed around the outside of the lower plate 210.

The upper plate 210' may be disposed above the magnet 220. An outer frame 240 formed to protrude from the upper plate 210 'may be disposed on the outer circumference of the upper plate 210'.

The center pole 230 may protrude from a center region of the lower plate 210. Bobbin 250 may surround center pole 230. The coil 260 may be wound around the lower portion of the bobbin 250, and a current for generating sound may be applied to the coil 260. A damper 270 may be disposed between a portion of the upper portion of the bobbin 250 and the outer frame 240.

The lower plate 210 and the upper plate 210' may be configured to fix the sound-generating actuator 200 to the bottom cover 300 while supporting the magnet 220. As shown in the example of fig. 3A, the lower plate 210 may be provided in a circular shape, a ring-shaped magnet 220 may be located on the lower plate 210, and an upper plate 210' may be located on the magnet 220.

In addition, since the lower plate 210 and the upper plate 210 'may be coupled to the bottom cover 300, the magnet 220 located between the lower plate 210 and the upper plate 210' may be fixedly supported.

Plates

210 and 210' may be formed of a magnetic material, such as iron (Fe).

Plates

210 and 210' are not limited to the term "plate," but may be represented by other terms, such as "conjugate" (yoke). The center pole 230 and the lower plate 210 may be integrally formed.

The bobbin 250 may be, for example, a ring-shaped structure formed from paper, aluminum sheet, or the like. The coil 260 may be wound on a specific region of the lower portion of the bobbin 250. The bobbin 250 and coil 260 may be collectively referred to as a "voice" coil.

When a current is applied to the coil 260, a magnetic field is generated around the coil 260. Because there is an external magnetic field formed by the magnet 220, the entire bobbin 250 moves upward while being guided by the center pole 230 according to the fleming's right-hand rule. Since the end of the bobbin 250 may contact the rear surface of the display panel 100, the display panel 100 may vibrate according to a state whether current is applied or not, and sound waves may be generated due to the vibration. As the magnet 220, for example, sintered magnet (sintermagnet) such as barium ferrite or the like can be used, and as a material thereof, iron oxide (F) can be used₂O₃) Barium carbonate (BaCO)₃) Cast magnet of an alloy of strontium ferrite, aluminum (Al), nickel (Ni), and cobalt (Co) having an improved magnetic component, or the like, but the material is not limited thereto.

Meanwhile, a damper 270 may be disposed between a portion of the upper portion of the bobbin 250 and the outer frame 240. The damper 270 may be provided in a corrugated structure to be contracted and relaxed according to the vertical movement of the bobbin 250 to adjust the vertical (up and down) vibration of the bobbin 250. That is, since the damper 270 may be connected to each of the bobbin 250 and the outer frame 240, the vertical vibration of the bobbin 250 is restricted by the restoring force of the damper 270. When the bobbin 250 vibrates upward to a certain height or more, or downward to a certain height or less, the bobbin 250 can return to its original position due to the restoring force of the damper 270. The damper 270 may be represented by other terms, such as "edge".

Fig. 3B illustrates a second configuration in which the magnet is disposed inside the coil. The second structure may be referred to as a "micro" or "internal" magnet type.

In the sound generating actuator according to the second structure, the lower plate 210 may be fixed to the support hole 310 formed in the bottom cover 300. The magnet 220 may be disposed in a central region of the lower plate 210. The center pole 230 may be formed to extend to an upper portion of the magnet 220. The upper plate 210' may protrude from the outer circumference of the lower plate 210. The outer frame 240 may be disposed on the outer circumference of the upper plate 201'.

The bobbin 250 may surround the outer circumference of the magnet 220 and the center pole 230. The coil 260 may be wound around the outer circumference of the bobbin 250. Further, a damper 270 may be disposed between the outer frame 240 and the bobbin 250.

The second type of acoustic actuator is characterized in that less leakage magnetic flux can be generated and the overall size can be made smaller, as compared with the first type of acoustic actuator in which the magnet is disposed outside. However, inputting a large current in the second type of acoustic actuator may cause a magnetic flux reduction phenomenon. In addition, the second acoustic actuator is more difficult to manufacture.

In an embodiment, both the first and second acoustic actuators can be used. For convenience of description, the first type of acoustic exciter will be described in the following examples.

Further, the sound-emitting actuator used in the display device according to the embodiment is not limited to the kind shown in fig. 3A and 3B. Any other kind of sound-generating actuator may be used as long as the sound-generating actuator can vibrate the display panel to generate sound according to the application of current. The vibration may be in the up-down direction, for example.

Referring to fig. 4A, in a state in which a current is applied, the central pole 230 connected to the lower surface of the magnet 220 may become an N pole, and the upper plate 210 'connected to the upper surface of the magnet 220 may become an S pole, so that an external magnetic field may be formed between the central pole 230 and the upper plate 210'. In this case, when a current for sound generation is applied to the coil 260, an applied magnetic field is generated around the coil 260, and a force to move the bobbin 250 upward is generated due to the applied magnetic field and an external magnetic field.

Accordingly, as shown in the example of fig. 4A, the bobbin 250 may move upward, and the display panel 100 in contact with the end of the bobbin 250 vibrates upward (see the arrow direction of fig. 4A). When the application of current ceases or current in the opposite direction is applied, as shown in the example of fig. 4B, a force is generated to move the spool 250 downward according to a similar principle. As a result, the display panel 100 vibrates downward (see the arrow direction of fig. 4B). As such, the display panel may vibrate upward and downward according to the direction of current applied to the coil and the magnitude of the current, and sound waves may be generated by the vibration.

The display device applied to the embodiment uses a principle in which the sound-generating exciter 200 directly vibrates the display panel and thus generates sound. Therefore, since the sound exciter should vibrate the display panel combined therewith by moving the bobbin or the voice coil, the body of the sound exciter should be fixed to the bottom cover, which is a rear support structure of the display device.

Fig. 5A and 5B illustrate various methods of securing the acoustic actuator to the bottom cover. Fig. 5A illustrates a method of attaching the acoustic exciter directly to the inner surface of the bottom cover. Fig. 5B illustrates a method of forming a support hole in the bottom cover and fixedly inserting the sound-generating actuator into the support hole.

Fig. 5A illustrates a method of fixedly bonding the rear surface of the sound-emitting exciter 200 to the inner surface of the bottom cover 300 using the adhesive member 290 without changing the structure of the bottom cover 300. Meanwhile, fig. 5B illustrates a method of forming the support hole 310 in the bottom cover 300 and fixedly inserting a portion of the side surface of the sound-generating actuator 200 into the support hole 310.

In both examples of fig. 5A and 5B, a soundproof portion 400 may be disposed between the upper surface of the middle chassis 500 or the bottom cover 300 and the display panel 100 in an edge region of the display device to form an air gap space as a sealing region. In the example of fig. 5A, the distance of the air gap space, i.e., the space between the display panel 100 and the bottom cover 300, becomes relatively large G1, which is equal to or greater than the height "h" of the sound exciter 200. In the example of fig. 5B, since a portion of the sound exciter 200 is inserted into the support hole 310 of the bottom cover 300, the distance of the air gap space between the display panel 100 and the bottom cover 300 becomes G2, which is smaller than the height of the sound exciter 200.

Therefore, the example of fig. 5B enables the thickness of the display device to be smaller than the example of fig. 5A, for example, T1> T2, and thus is more suitable for the recent trend of thinning to reduce the thickness of the display device. Accordingly, the embodiment of the present invention includes the support hole formed in the bottom cover, which may be a rear support structure of the display panel, and the sound-generating actuator may be fixedly inserted into the support hole, as shown in fig. 5B.

Meanwhile, in the example in which the support hole is provided in the bottom cover of the display device and the sound exciter is fixedly inserted into the support hole as described above, the diameter of the support hole may be larger than that of the sound exciter, which may cause a sound leakage phenomenon via a gap between the sound exciter and the bottom cover. This will be described below with reference to fig. 6A to 8.

Fig. 6A is a perspective view of the acoustic actuator with an extension formed to secure the acoustic actuator to the bottom cap. Fig. 6B is a rear view illustrating a state in which the sound-generating actuator is fixedly inserted into a support hole formed in the bottom cover, which is the display device support structure. Fig. 7A and 7B are sectional views taken along the line II-II 'and the line III-III' in fig. 6B, respectively, illustrating the gap S between the side surface of the sound-generating actuator and the support hole in the bottom cover and the sound leakage phenomenon through the gap S.

As shown in the example of fig. 6A and 6B, the support hole 310 may be formed through the bottom cover 300. At least one of the lower plate 210, the magnet 220 and the upper plate 210' of the sound-generating actuator 200 can be inserted and received in the support hole 310. The extension 212 may be further formed on the lower surface of the lower plate 210 of the acoustic exciter 200 to extend outside the lower plate 210. The extension 212 may be fixed to the lower surface of the bottom cover 300 to mount the sound exciter 200 thereon.

That is, in fixing the sound-generating exciter 200 to the bottom cover 300 as shown in fig. 6B, a screw hole may be formed in the rear surface of the bottom cover 300, and a screw 320 or a screw may be fastened via a through hole formed in the extension 212 of the lower plate 210, thereby fixing the sound-generating exciter 200 to the bottom cover 300. Because the sound-generating actuator 200 should be inserted into the support hole 310 of the bottom cover 300, the diameter D2 of the support hole 310 should be larger than the diameter D1 of the sound-generating actuator 200, as shown in the example of fig. 6A.

The acoustic actuator 200 should strongly vibrate at a frequency of several tens kHz or more, for example. However, in this process, the sound-generating actuator 200 may collide against the inside of the support hole 310, and unnecessary noise may be generated. Further, in order to connect the coil 260 wound on the bobbin of the sound generating actuator 200 to the external sound generation control unit, a space is required to allow the connection wiring (see reference numeral 262 of fig. 7) to be introduced from the outside.

Therefore, the diameter D2 of the support hole 310 of the bottom cover 300 should be larger than the diameter D1 of the sound generator actuator 200 by a certain size. Therefore, as shown in the example of fig. 6B and 7B, there is a gap S between the side surface of the sound-generating actuator 200 and the support hole 310 of the bottom cover 300. That is, as shown in the example of fig. 7A, since the extension part 212 of the lower plate 210 may be formed to extend only left and right or up and down, the gap S between the sound generating actuator 200 and the support hole 310 of the bottom cover 300 may be formed in all directions in which the extension part 212 is not formed.

As described above, the improved sealing characteristics of the air gap spaces a/G provide improved sound generation and transmission characteristics through vibration of the display panel. However, the gap S between the side surface of the sound-generating actuator and the support hole of the bottom cover may deteriorate the sealing property of the air gap space a/G.

That is, as shown in the example of fig. 7B, the sound generated in the air gap space may partially leak through the gap S between the side surface of the sound-generating exciter 200 and the support hole 310 of the bottom cover 300. Based on the sound leakage as described above, the sound pressure in the air gap space decreases, so that the sound output decreases. Further, sound quality may be deteriorated due to interference caused by reflected sound generated by leaked sound.

As shown in the example of fig. 8, sound leaking through the gap S between the side surface of the sound-generating actuator and the support hole of the bottom cover may be reflected from the rear wall on which the display device (TV or the like) is mounted to be directed toward the front viewer. This sound may be referred to as "reflected sound 'a'. The reflected sound "a" may have a different phase from the normal sound "b" originally generated, or the reflected sound "a" may interfere with the normal sound "b", thereby causing the entire sound output characteristic to be deteriorated.

The method of fixedly inserting the sound-emitting actuator 200 into the support hole formed in the bottom cover 300 is advantageous for reducing the thickness of the display device. However, in this case, there is a problem that the sound output characteristic is deteriorated due to the gap S between the side surface of the sound generator actuator and the support hole of the bottom cover.

Therefore, in the embodiment described below with reference to the example of fig. 9A and 9B, the peripheral portion having a larger diameter may be formed in the rear portion of the acoustic actuator, and the seal member for reducing leakage of the reflected sound may be formed between the inner surface of the peripheral portion of the acoustic actuator and the outer surface (rear surface) of the bottom cover, thereby providing a structure that improves the above-described drawbacks.

Fig. 9A is a cross-sectional view of a display device including an acoustic activator and a sealing member according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 9B is a perspective view of a sound-producing actuator having a peripheral portion formed using a molded cover.

The panel vibration type sound display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a display panel 100 for displaying an image; a bottom cover 300, the bottom cover 300 serving as a support structure for covering and supporting at least a rear surface of the display panel; a sound-emitting exciter 600 which is inserted into the support hole 310 provided in the bottom cover 300 and is disposed such that the tip thereof is in contact with one surface of the display panel 100 to vibrate the display panel to emit sound; and a sealing member 700, the sealing member 700 being disposed between an outer circumferential portion of the sound-generating actuator 600 and an outer surface of the bottom cover 300.

The display panel 100, the bottom cover 300, and the support holes 310 formed in the bottom cover 300 in the example of fig. 9A and 9B are the same as the structure described above with reference to the example of fig. 2A to 8. Thus, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The sound generating actuator 600 may include a lower plate 610 inserted into the support hole 310, a magnet 620 located on the lower plate 610, a center pole 630 located in the center of the lower plate 610, a bobbin 650, the bobbin 650 surrounding the outer circumference of the center pole 630 and having an end contacting the display panel 110, and a coil 660 wound on the outer circumference of the bobbin 650. In this case, the bobbin 650 and the coil 660 may be referred to as a "tone" coil. However, this detailed structure is merely an example, as actuators for embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented using various other equivalent components.

Further, the acoustic actuator 600 used in the example of fig. 9A and 9B is not limited to the external magnet type shown in fig. 9A and 9B, but may also be applied to an internal magnet type or a micro type in which a magnet is disposed at the center of the actuator, as described above, for example, with reference to fig. 3B. The more detailed construction and operating principle of the sound-generating actuator 600 correspond to those described above with reference to fig. 3A and 3B and fig. 4A and 4B. Thus, detailed description thereof will be omitted to avoid repetitive description.

An adhesive member 680 for bonding the bobbin 650 to the display panel 100 may be provided at the end of the bobbin 650. The adhesive member 680 may be constituted by, for example, a double-sided tape or the like.

Further, at least one plate may be provided on the end of the bobbin 650 in addition to the adhesive member 680. The plate may be integrally formed with the adhesive member 680. The vibration transmission plate may transmit a vibration force to the display panel 100 according to the movement of the bobbin 650. The vibration transmission plate may be formed of, for example, a plastic material, metal, or the like. In one example, the vibration transmission plate may be made of a metal material to release heat generated from the bobbin 650 and the sound-generating exciter 600. The damper 670 may be disposed between a portion of the upper portion of the bobbin 650 and the adhesive member 680.

The rear portion of the acoustic actuator 600 may further include a peripheral portion defined as an area expanded more than the diameter of the lower plate 610. The peripheral portion of the sound-generating actuator 600 may be configured as an integrally formed extension extending from the lower plate, or may be a separate molded cover 690 that is injection molded to surround the side surface of the lower plate, for example, by insert molding or the like. In the example of fig. 9A and 9B, a separate molded cover 690 that can be injection molded to enclose the side structure of the actuator 600, such as the lower plate 610, is used as the peripheral portion of the acoustic actuator 600.

As shown in the fig. 9B example, the molded cover 690 can be formed to surround at least the side surface of the lower plate 610 or the conjugate, which lower plate 610 or conjugate is the rearmost structure of the acoustic actuator 600. The mold cover 690 may be manufactured by inserting the lower plate 610 or the conjugate into a specific mold, and then pouring plastic or resin in the mold to perform injection molding.

In one example, the molded cover 690 may be manufactured to cover side surfaces of the lower plate 610 and the magnet 620, etc. In some cases, the molded cover 690 may cover the rear surface of the lower plate 610. The mold cover 690 is not limited to the term "mold cover" as long as it is a structure surrounding a portion of the actuator as described above, and it may be represented by other terms such as an actuator support, a mold plate, or a mold structure.

The molded cover 690 may be formed of a material such as plastic, and the molded cover 690 may include an expanded portion 694 radially expanded from a side surface of the lower plate 610 of the acoustic exciter 600, and extensions 692 integrally extending from both sides of the expanded portion 694. A through hole 696 may be formed in each of the extensions 692 to pass the fixing screw 320 therethrough.

That is, in the example of fig. 9A and 9B, the molded cover 690 may form the peripheral portion of the sound generating actuator 600. For example, the sealing member 700 may be disposed between an inner surface of the expanded portion 694 of the mold cover 690 and a rear surface of the bottom cover 300. The molded cover 690 may be coupled to the bottom cover 300 by fixing screws 320 passing through-holes 696 formed in the extension 692 of the molded cover 690.

The method of securing the acoustical actuator 600 including the molded cover 690 according to the example of fig. 9A and 9B will be described in more detail below. First, a self-clinching nut 330, for example

One end of the nut is press-fitted into a self-fastening nut fixing hole formed in the bottom cover 300. Then, an end portion of the self-fastening nut 330 may be coated to be fixed to the bottom cover 330.

Because the through-hole 696 may also be formed in the extension 692 of the molded cover 690 of the actuator 600, the through-hole may be aligned with the screw hole of the self-clinching nut 330. Then, the fixing screw 320 may be tightened so that the sound-generating exciter 600 is fixedly coupled to the bottom cover 300.

Nut 330 is a "self-clinching" nut. When using such as

The self-fastening nut 330, such as a nut, has an advantage of being able to reduce the length of the set screw 320. In addition, there is a problem that a fixing force is insufficient when the fixing screw 320 is directly screwed to the bottom cover 300 because the bottom cover is thin.

That is, in the absence of the self-fastening nut 330, it is necessary to screw the fixing screw 320 passing through the through hole of the molded cover 690, which is the outer peripheral portion of the acoustic actuator 600, directly to the screw hole formed in the base cover 300. In this case, there is no problem of engagement when the thickness of the bottom cover is large. However, when the bottom cover is relatively thin, there is a problem in that the bonding force is insufficient. Therefore, when the self-clinching nut 330 is fixed to the bottom cover 300 by a press-fitting/packing (calking) method as described above and then the outer circumferential portion of the exciter 600 is tightened to the self-clinching nut 330, a sufficient coupling force can be ensured even if the bottom cover is relatively thin.

Meanwhile, in the example of fig. 9A and 9B, the sealing member 700 may be provided between an inner surface of the molded cover 690 constituting the outer peripheral portion of the sound exciter 600, for example, an inner surface of the expanded portion 694 of the molded cover 690 and the rear surface of the bottom cover 300.

The sealing member 700 may be a sealing member in the form of an annular O-ring. One side of the sealing member 700 may contact or may be attached to the outer circumferential portion of the acoustic actuator 600 (i.e., the inner surface of the expanded portion 694 of the molded cover 690 in the embodiment of fig. 9A and 9B), and the other side may contact the outer surface of the bottom cover 300, thereby sealing the actuator space inside the sealing member 700. Accordingly, as described with reference to fig. 6A to 8, the sound leakage through the gap S between the sound-generating actuator and the support hole of the bottom cover and the generation of reflected sound resulting therefrom can be reduced.

For this reason, the selection of the material of the sealing member 700 becomes important. When the sealing member 700 is formed of only a soft material having a low elastic modulus, the sealing member 700 may be deformed by the sound pressure of the sound leaked through the gap S between the sound-generating exciter and the support hole of the bottom cover. As a result, there is some possibility of sound leakage.

That is, when the sealing member 700 is formed of only a single soft material and the sound pressure of the generated sound is increased, the sealing member may be deformed and the sound may leak through a gap between the sealing member and the surface of the bottom cover. As a result, abnormal sounds such as howling noise and judder sounds may be generated.

In contrast, when a hard material having a high elastic modulus is used as the material of the sealing member 700, it is possible to reduce deformation due to the above-described sound pressure, and thus to reduce sound leakage. However, when the sound-generating actuator vibrates to generate sound, intermittent contact may be made between the tip of the sealing member 700 and the rear surface of the bottom cover 300. Because both members are formed of solid material, noise may be generated due to such contact.

Accordingly, as shown in the example of fig. 10A and 10B, the sealing member 700 according to an embodiment may be configured to include a first sealing unit 710 and a second sealing unit 720, which may be formed of two different materials.

As shown in fig. 10A and 10B, the sealing member 700 may be an annular member having a certain height L. The overall height L of the sealing member 700 may be substantially equal to the distance between the outer peripheral portion of the sound exciter in fig. 9A, i.e., the expanded portion 694 of the molded cover 690, and the rear surface of the bottom cover 300.

As shown in fig. 10A, the sealing member 700 may include: a first sealing unit 710, the first sealing unit 710 being in contact with an inner surface of the outer circumferential portion of the sounding actuator and having a first elastic modulus; and a second sealing unit 720, the second sealing unit 720 extending from the first sealing unit and having a second elastic modulus lower than the first elastic modulus. The first sealing unit 710 may contact or may be bonded to an inner surface of the peripheral portion of the acoustic actuator. The second sealing unit 720 may contact the rear surface of the bottom cover.

The first elastic modulus of the first sealing unit 710 may be about 2Mpa or more. The first sealing unit 710 may be formed of a relatively hard material, such as metal or plastic. In contrast, the second elastic modulus of the second sealing unit 720 may be about 0.5Mpa or less. The second sealing unit 720 may be formed of a soft material such as silicone, rubber, or non-woven fabric. When the sealing member is formed of two materials having different elastic moduli as described above, the above-described problems that may occur when the sealing member is formed of a single material, that is, noise generation in the case of using a rigid material and a sound leakage phenomenon due to deformation in the case of using a soft material, can be reduced.

When the sealing member 700 having the above-described double structure is used, since the first sealing unit 710 located on the outer peripheral portion of the acoustic exciter is a rigid material, deformation due to sound pressure can be reduced. Further, the second sealing unit 720 formed of a soft material and contacting the rear surface of the bottom cover acts as a damper that absorbs impact due to contact with the rear surface of the bottom cover generated during vibration, thereby reducing the occurrence of noise. To maximize this effect, the height of each of the first sealing unit 710 and the second sealing unit 720 may be optimized, which will be described below.

First, as shown in fig. 10B, the height L2 of the second sealing unit 720 formed of a soft material may be determined according to the material of the second sealing unit, but the height L2 may be set to, for example, about 3mm or less. That is, the height L2 of the second sealing unit 720 may be set to a specific value according to the material as long as it can block the occurrence of noise due to contact with the bottom cover.

Meanwhile, the height L1 of the first sealing unit 710 formed of a hard material may be differently set according to the height L of the entire sealing member, which may be determined by subtracting the height L2 of the second sealing unit 720, which has been determined to be a specific value, from the height L of the entire sealing member.

For example, when the distance between the inner surface of the outer circumferential portion of the sound exciter and the rear surface of the bottom cover is, for example, 10mm, when the total height L of the sealing member 700 is about 10mm and the height L2 of the second sealing unit 720 in the form of a non-woven fabric may be 1mm, the height L1 of the first sealing unit 710 may be about 9 mm. When the height L2 of the second sealing unit 720 formed of silicone resin is 2mm, the height L1 of the first sealing unit 710 may be about 8 mm.

Thus, by disposing the seal member between the outer peripheral portion of the sound exciter and the rear surface of the bottom cover, sound leakage through the gap S between the sound exciter and the support hole of the bottom cover can be reduced. Further, by forming the sealing member as a double sealing unit having different elastic moduli and optimizing the material (elastic modulus) and height of the double sealing unit, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of noise due to contact of the sealing member with the bottom cover while reducing sound leakage.

Meanwhile, when the molded cover 690 that can be additionally formed on the outer periphery of the acoustic actuator 600 as shown in the example of fig. 9A and 9B is used in configuring the outer peripheral portion of the acoustic actuator 600 for providing the sealing member 700, there is an advantage of mounting the sealing member 700 according to the present disclosure without changing the basic structure of the acoustic actuator 600 including the lower plate 610 (conjugate piece).

Fig. 11A is a cross-sectional view of a display device including an acoustic activator and a sealing member according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 11B is a perspective view illustrating a sound-generating actuator having a peripheral portion formed by an expanded portion formed by expanding a lower plate (or a conjugate) of the actuator.

As described above, to arrange the sealing member 700, the outer circumferential portion expanded to have a larger diameter than the support hole of the bottom cover may be formed on the sound-generating actuator. To form the outer periphery of the sound generating actuator, two examples can be considered.

Fig. 11A and 11B illustrate an example in which the expanded portion 614 may be formed integrally extending from the lower plate 610 or the conjugate among the components of the acoustic actuator 600 without using the molded cover 690 of the example in fig. 9A and 9B. That is, when the lower plate 610 of the acoustic exciter 600 is manufactured, an annular protrusion having a diameter larger than that of the remaining portion may be formed on one side, instead of forming a generally cylindrical or cylindrical shape, wherein an annular protrusion area having an increased diameter may be referred to as an "expanded portion 614".

The extension 614 may form the outer periphery of the acoustic actuator 600 as defined herein. The sealing member 700 may be disposed between the expanded portion 614 and the rear surface of the bottom cover 300.

As shown in the example of fig. 11B, when it is assumed that the diameter of the sounding actuator 600 is D1, the diameter of the expanded portion 614 may be formed to be D3 larger than D1, and an extended portion 612 for fixing the actuator 600 by a screw may be formed extending over a portion of the expanded portion 614.

Fig. 11A is a sectional view of the acoustic actuator in a case where the acoustic actuator is fixed to the bottom cover. The sound-generating actuator 600 having the structure shown in fig. 11A can be mounted on the bottom cover by fixing screws 320 by using self-fastening nuts 330 fixed to the bottom cover as shown in the example of fig. 9A and 9B.

A sealing member 700 having a ring shape may be disposed between an inner surface of the expanded portion 614 and a rear surface of the bottom cover 300, the expanded portion 614 forming an outer circumferential portion of the sound generating actuator 600. The sealing member 700 may have a double-wall structure. Since the detailed configuration of the sealing member 700 used in the example of fig. 11A and 11B is the same as that described above with reference to the example of fig. 10A and 10B, the detailed description will be omitted to avoid the duplicate description.

When the lower plate 610 (or the conjugate) of the exciter 600 is directly expanded to constitute the expanded portion 614 as shown in the example of fig. 11A and 11B in configuring the outer peripheral portion of the acoustic exciter 600 for arranging the sealing member 700, there is an advantage that the rigidity of the acoustic exciter 600 can be secured as compared with using a molded cover structure.

Fig. 12A to 12C illustrate several examples of a noise insulation part formed between a display panel and an intermediate chassis to form an air gap space for sound transmission between the display panel as a vibration plate and a bottom cover, the chassis being one of support structures of the display panel.

As shown in the example of fig. 2B, in the panel vibration type sound emission display device according to the present embodiment, there should be an air gap space a/G between the display panel 100 and the support structure (e.g., the bottom cover 300) that allows the panel to vibrate therein due to the sound exciter 200. In addition, one side of the display panel should be bonded or attached to a support structure of the display panel so that sound waves can be generated when the display panel vibrates. In particular, the generated sound should not leak to the outside through the side surface of the display device.

As such, in the display device according to the embodiment, the specific soundproof portion 400 may be formed between the lower surface of the display panel and the support structure. For example, a particular portion (e.g., an air gap space) may be defined around the acoustic actuator. At the edge of this portion, a noise insulation portion may be provided between the lower surface of the display panel and the upper surface of the middle chassis or the bottom cover. The soundproof portion 400 may include an adhesive portion 412, such as a double-sided tape, coupled between a lower surface of the display panel and an upper surface of a support structure of the display device. A sealing portion 414 may be further provided on the outer circumference of the bonding portion 412.

In one example, the portion forming the noise insulation portion may be the entire display panel area bounded by four outer peripheries of the display panel, for example. However, without being limited thereto, the portion may be defined to be an area other than an area where the source PCB is disposed. Further, when two or more sound-generating exciters are provided for realizing stereo sound or the like, the portion forming the sound insulating section may be divided into two or more portions.

As shown in fig. 2B, in addition to the bottom cover 300 that may cover the entire rear surface of the display panel, the support structure of the display device may further include an intermediate chassis 500 coupled to the bottom cover and configured to seat a portion of the display panel therein. The middle chassis 500 may be a frame-shaped member formed along the periphery of the display panel 100. The middle chassis 500 may include: a horizontal support 502 on which a portion of the display panel 100 is seated; and a vertical support portion 504, the vertical support portion 504 being bendable from the horizontal support portion 502 to both sides to cover the side surface of the bottom cover 300 and the side surface of the display panel 100. The middle chassis 500 may have a generally T-shaped cross-section. The middle chassis 500 may constitute a side appearance portion of the display device or the set device. In some cases, the intermediate chassis 500 may not be used or the intermediate chassis 500 may be integrally formed with the bottom cover 300.

According to the example of fig. 12A, the bonding portion 412 constituting the soundproof portion 400 may be a double-sided tape provided between the upper surface of the horizontal support portion 502 of the middle chassis 500 and the display panel 100. The adhesive portion 412 may fixedly bond the lower surface of the display panel 100 to the middle chassis 500.

In one example, a sealing portion 414 constituting a soundproof portion may be further provided on an outer circumference of the bonding portion 412, and the sealing portion 414 may have an uncompressed thickness or height greater than that of the bonding portion 412. The sealing part 414 may be formed of a material having high elasticity, such as rubber, and may have an uncompressed thickness t2 greater than the uncompressed thickness t1 of the bonding part 412, as shown in fig. 12A.

That is, as shown in the example of fig. 12A, one side of the adhesive part 412 may be coupled to an inner portion of the upper surface of the horizontal support part 502 of the middle chassis 500, and the adhesive part 412 may be a double-sided adhesive tape having an uncompressed thickness t 1. A seal 414, for example formed of an elastic material and having an uncompressed thickness greater than t1, may be disposed outside the outer periphery of bond 412.

In this case, when the display panel 100 is attached to the other bonding surface of the bonding portion 412, the sealing portion 414 having a greater uncompressed thickness may be pressed to a certain extent so that the display panel 100 and the middle chassis 500 may be bonded to each other (see fig. 12B). Therefore, the sealing property of the air gap region around the sound-generating exciter can be further improved.

By joining the display panel 100 and the bottom cover 300 to each other while forming the air gap space a/G by the thicknesses of the horizontal support portion 502 and the bonding portion 412 of the middle chassis as shown in the example of fig. 12B, a vibration space in which the display panel can emit sound can be secured and a flow of sound waves generated in the vibration space to the outside along the side surface of the display device can be reduced. By forming the soundproof portion 400 provided at the edge of the air gap space a/G in a double structure of the adhesive portion 412 and the sealing portion 414, and by forming the sealing portion 414 having a greater uncompressed thickness, the sealing property of the air gap space a/G can be further improved, so that the leakage of sound can be further blocked.

It should be understood that the middle chassis 500 herein may be represented by other terms such as a guide panel, a plastic base, a p-base, a support body, a main support body, and a mold frame, and the middle chassis 500 may include any type of components, for example, including a square frame-like structure, which is a sectional shape having a plurality of bent portions and is connected to a bottom cover for supporting a display panel and a soundproof portion. The middle chassis 500 may be formed of a molding material, for example, synthetic resin such as polycarbonate, and may be manufactured by an injection molding method, but the embodiment is not limited to these examples.

As described above, although the middle chassis may be used to support the gap between the bottom cover and the display panel, the middle chassis is not a necessary structure, i.e., it may be optional. That is, as shown in the example of fig. 12C, without using an intermediate chassis, a structure may be formed in which the bottom cover 300 is formed as a structure for supporting one side of the display panel 100 and simultaneously forming a side appearance of the display device. In this case, the bottom cover 300 may be provided in which a step portion 360 protruding upward from the base surface is formed on one side of the bottom cover 300, and a side support 362 may be extendably formed in a vertical direction outside the step portion 360.

A portion of an edge of the display panel 100 may be seated on the stepped part 360 of the bottom cover 300 and coupled to the stepped part 360, and the side supporting part 362 of the bottom cover 300 may surround and protect a side surface of the display panel 100. As a result, the bottom cover 300 may form an exterior portion of the entire side and rear surfaces of the display device. In this structure, in order to arrange the soundproof portion 400 for sound emission or the like in this configuration, an adhesive portion 412, for example, in the form of a double-sided tape, may be provided inside the step portion 360 of the bottom cover 300. A sealing portion 414 having an uncompressed thickness greater than that of the bonding portion 412 may be disposed outside the bonding portion 412.

In this case, the display panel 100 may be seated on the step part 360 of the bottom cover 300 and may be bonded to one surface of the adhesive part 412, thereby being bonded to the bottom cover 300. Then, the sealing portion 414 may be pressed so that sealing of the air gap space G3 for sound transmission is ensured.

In the case of the example of fig. 12C, an intermediate support structure, such as an intermediate frame, may be omitted, thereby simplifying the structure. By forming the soundproof portion 400 provided at the edge of the air gap space to have a double structure of the adhesive portion 412 and the sealing portion 414, and by forming the sealing portion 414 to have a larger uncompressed thickness, a vibration space in which the display panel can emit sound can be secured and leakage of sound waves generated in the vibration space to the outside along the side surface of the display panel 100 can be reduced.

In the embodiment, the thickness of the air gap space, i.e., the distance G3 between the display panel 100 and the bottom cover 300 in the air gap space, may be adjusted to, for example, about 1.0mm to 3.0mm, but is not limited thereto, and may be set to a different range according to the degree of vibration of the display panel. However, since there is a demand for reducing the thickness of the display device, it is desirable to minimize the thickness G3 of the air gap space in consideration of the amount of vibration of the display panel caused by the sound exciter, the range of sound to be output, the amount of output, and the like. In an embodiment, experimental results confirm that it is optimal to set the thickness G3 of the air gap space to about 2.0 mm.

In fig. 13, a broken line represents the amount of sound output for each frequency when the sealing member according to the present disclosure is not used as shown in the examples of fig. 6A and 6B and fig. 7A and 7B. The solid lines represent the situation when a sealing member according to the present disclosure, such as sealing member 700, is used.

As shown by a dotted line in fig. 13, it can be seen that when the sealing member according to the present disclosure is not used, a Dip phenomenon (a circle of a dotted line) in which a sound output (sound pressure) is significantly reduced at a specific sound range (for example, about 500Hz to 1000Hz) is generated due to a sound leakage through the gap S between the sound-generating exciter and the support hole of the bottom cover and a reflected sound thereof. In contrast, as shown by the solid line of fig. 13, it can be seen that when the sealing member according to the present disclosure is used, the sound pressure reduction at a specific frequency (Dip phenomenon) can be reduced. As a result, uniform sound quality can be achieved in the entire sound range.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when configuring a display device including a panel vibration type sound emission device, by fixedly inserting a sound generation actuator into a support hole formed in a support structure of the display device and providing a seal member for reducing reflected sound between an inner surface of an outer peripheral portion of the sound generation actuator and an outer surface of the support structure, sound leakage via a gap S between the sound generation actuator and the support hole of the support structure can be reduced.

By forming the sealing member for reducing the reflected sound as the dual sealing unit having different elastic moduli and optimizing the material (elastic modulus) and height of the dual sealing unit, the occurrence of noise due to the contact of the sealing member with the bottom cover can be reduced.

According to one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure, a display device includes: a display panel configured to display an image; a bottom cover configured to cover the display panel; a sound generator supported by the bottom cover, the sound generator configured to vibrate the display panel to generate sound; and a sealing member located between the outer peripheral portion of the sound-generating actuator and the outer surface of the bottom cover.

According to one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure, the acoustic actuator may include: a lower plate connected to the bottom cover; a magnet located on the lower plate; a center pole located at the center of the lower plate; a bobbin surrounding an outer periphery of the center pole, the bobbin having a tip configured to vibrate the display panel; and a coil wound on an outer circumference of the bobbin.

According to one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure, the peripheral portion of the sound-generating exciter may include an expanded portion that extends radially integrally with the lower plate, and the seal member may be located between the expanded portion and a rear surface of the bottom cover.

According to one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure, the outer circumferential portion of the sound-generating actuator may include a molded cover surrounding at least a side surface of the lower plate, and the sealing member may be located between a portion of an inner surface of the molded cover and a rear surface of the bottom cover.

According to one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure, the sealing member may include: a first sealing unit that is in contact with an inner surface of the outer peripheral portion of the sound-generating exciter, the first sealing unit having a first elastic modulus; and a second sealing unit extending from the first sealing unit, the second sealing unit being located on a rear surface side of the bottom cover, the second sealing unit having a second elastic modulus lower than the first elastic modulus.

According to one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure, the first elastic modulus may be about 2Mpa or more, and the second elastic modulus may be about 0.5Mpa or less.

According to one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure, the display device may further include a self-fastening nut fixed to the bottom cover, and the outer circumferential portion of the sound-generating exciter may be fixed to the self-fastening nut by a fixing screw.

According to one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure, at least one of the following may be provided on the end of the bobbin: a bonding member configured to bond the bobbin to the display panel; and a vibration transmission plate integrally provided with the adhesive member.

According to one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure, the display device may further include a soundproof portion between the display panel and the bottom cover.

According to one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure, the soundproof portion may include one or both of: a bonding part located at an edge of the space and bonded to the display panel; and a sealing portion.

According to one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure, an uncompressed thickness of the sealing portion is greater than an uncompressed thickness of the bonding portion.

According to one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure, the display device may further include: an upper plate located above the lower plate; an outer frame on the upper plate; and a damper located between the bobbin and the outer frame.

According to one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure, the magnet may be located outside the bobbin and outside the coil.

According to one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure, the magnet may be located inside the bobbin and inside the coil.

According to one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure, a display device includes: a display panel configured to display an image; a bottom cover configured to cover the display panel; and a sound generator supported by the bottom cover, the sound generator having a tip configured to vibrate the display panel to generate sound.

According to one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure, the display device may further include a sealing member between a peripheral portion of the sound-generating exciter and an outer surface of the bottom cover.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present disclosure without departing from the technical spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, it is intended that the embodiments of the present disclosure cover the modifications and variations of this disclosure provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising:

a display panel configured to display an image;

a bottom cover configured to cover the display panel;

a sound generator supported by the bottom cover, the sound generator configured to vibrate the display panel to generate sound; and

a seal member located between a peripheral portion of the sound exciter and an outer surface of the bottom cover, the outer surface of the bottom cover being a surface in a direction opposite to a direction in which the display panel is located with respect to the bottom cover.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein the acoustic driver comprises:

a lower plate connected to the bottom cover;

a magnet located on the lower plate;

a center pole located at the center of the lower plate;

a bobbin surrounding an outer periphery of the center pole, the bobbin having a tip configured to vibrate the display panel; and

a coil wound on an outer circumference of the bobbin.

3. The display device according to claim 2, wherein:

the outer peripheral portion of the sound-generating exciter includes an expanded portion extending radially integrally with the lower plate; and is

The sealing member is located between the expanded portion and the rear surface of the bottom cover.

4. The display device according to claim 2, wherein:

said peripheral portion of said sound-generating actuator comprises a molded cover surrounding at least a side surface of said lower plate; and is

The sealing member is located between a portion of an inner surface of the mold cover and a rear surface of the bottom cover.

5. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the sealing member comprises:

a first sealing unit that is in contact with an inner surface of the outer peripheral portion of the sound-generating exciter, the first sealing unit having a first elastic modulus; and

a second sealing unit extending from the first sealing unit, the second sealing unit being located on a rear surface side of the bottom cover, the second sealing unit having a second elastic modulus lower than the first elastic modulus.

6. The display device according to claim 5, wherein:

the first elastic modulus is 2Mpa or greater; and is

The second elastic modulus is 0.5Mpa or less.

7. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a self-clinching nut secured to the bottom cap,

wherein the outer peripheral portion of the sound-producing exciter is fixed to the self-clinching nut by a fixing screw.

8. A display device according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the following is provided on the end of the bobbin: a bonding member configured to bond the bobbin to the display panel; and a vibration transmission plate integrally provided with the adhesive member.

9. The display device of claim 1, further comprising a sound insulation portion between the display panel and the bottom cover, the sound insulation portion forming a space between the display panel and the bottom cover.

10. The display device according to claim 9, wherein the noise isolation portion includes one or both of:

a bonding part located at an edge of the space and bonded to the display panel; and

and a sealing part.

11. The display device according to claim 10, wherein an uncompressed thickness of the sealing portion is larger than an uncompressed thickness of the bonding portion.

12. The display device according to claim 2, further comprising:

an upper plate located above the lower plate;

an outer frame on the upper plate; and

a damper located between the spool and the outer frame.

13. The display device of claim 2, wherein the magnet is located outside the bobbin and outside the coil.

14. The display device according to claim 2, wherein the magnet is located inside the bobbin and inside the coil.

15. A display device, comprising:

a display panel configured to display an image;

a bottom cover configured to cover the display panel;

a sound producing actuator supported by the bottom cover, the sound producing actuator having a tip configured to vibrate the display panel to produce sound; and

16. The display device of claim 15, wherein the acoustic driver comprises:

a lower plate connected to the bottom cover;

a magnet located on the lower plate;

a center pole located at the center of the lower plate;

a coil wound on an outer circumference of the bobbin.

17. The display device according to claim 16, wherein:

18. The display device according to claim 16, wherein:

19. The display device of claim 16, wherein the magnet is located outside of the bobbin and outside of the coil.

20. The display device of claim 16, wherein the magnet is located inside the bobbin and inside the coil.