Display devices

Abstract

A display device includes: a display panel configured to display an image; a membrane actuator configured to vibrate the display panel; and a partition configured to surround the membrane actuator, wherein the membrane actuator includes a plurality of vibration generating devices configured with a composite film, wherein the plurality of vibration generating devices are configured to have different expansion coefficients, and wherein the composite film includes: a plurality of vibration parts configured to have piezoelectric characteristics, and a plurality of expansion parts configured to be flexible and overlap with the plurality of vibration parts.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the original invention patent application number 202011393134.6 (application date: December 2, 2020, invention name: display device). Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a display device. Background Art

[0003] In a display device, a display panel displays an image, and a separate speaker should generally be installed to provide sound. When a speaker is provided in a display device, the speaker occupies space, and thus, the design and spatial arrangement of the display device are limited.

[0004] Speakers used in display devices can be actuators that include, for example, a magnet and a coil. However, when actuators are used in display devices, they are thick. Piezoelectric elements that can achieve thinning have attracted widespread attention.

[0005] Because piezoelectric elements are fragile, they are easily damaged by external impacts, resulting in low reliability in sound reproduction. Furthermore, when piezoelectric elements are configured as a single layer for achieving different frequencies without increasing the thickness of the piezoelectric element, there may be a problem in which it is difficult to output the desired sound. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Accordingly, embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a display device that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.

[0007] Therefore, the inventors have recognized the above-mentioned problems and have conducted various experiments to improve the quality of sound and output desired sound despite being implemented as a single layer. Through various experiments, the inventors have invented a display device having a new structure for improving the quality of sound and outputting desired sound while being implemented as a single layer.

[0008] An aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a display apparatus including a vibration generating device that is provided on a rear surface of a display panel and vibrates the display panel to generate sound, and thus, sound pressure characteristics and localization of sound are excellent.

[0009] Another aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a display apparatus including a vibration generating device for reducing heat generation.

[0010] Additional features and aspects of the present disclosure will be set forth in the following description, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practicing the inventive concepts provided herein. Other features and aspects of the inventive concepts may be realized and obtained through the structures particularly pointed out in the written description or derived from the written description, the claims thereof, and the accompanying drawings.

[0011] To achieve these and other inventive concepts, as embodied and broadly described herein, a display device includes: a display panel configured to display an image; and a plurality of vibration generating devices configured to vibrate the display panel, wherein each of the plurality of vibration generating devices includes a plurality of first portions having piezoelectric properties and a plurality of second portions disposed adjacent to the plurality of first portions to have an expansion coefficient, and the plurality of vibration generating devices have different expansion coefficients.

[0012] On the other hand, a display device includes: a display panel, which is configured to display an image; and a plurality of vibration generating devices, which are configured to vibrate the display panel, wherein each of the plurality of vibration generating devices includes a plurality of piezoelectric parts having piezoelectric characteristics and a plurality of expansion parts arranged near the plurality of piezoelectric parts, and the plurality of vibration generating devices are implemented to have different frequency characteristics.

[0013] 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.

[0014] Note 1. A display device, comprising:

[0015] a display panel configured to display an image; and

[0016] a plurality of vibration generating devices configured to vibrate the display panel,

[0017] Wherein, each of the plurality of vibration generating devices comprises:

[0018] a plurality of first portions, the plurality of first portions having piezoelectric properties; and

[0019] a plurality of second portions disposed adjacent to the plurality of first portions to have a negative expansion coefficient or a zero expansion coefficient, and

[0020] The plurality of vibration generating devices have different expansion coefficients.

[0021] Supplementary note 2. The display device according to Supplementary note 1, wherein the plurality of second portions are provided between the plurality of first portions.

[0022] Supplementary note 3. The display device according to Supplementary note 1, wherein the plurality of first portions are arranged on the same plane as the plurality of second portions.

[0023] Supplementary note 4. The display device according to Supplementary note 1, wherein the plurality of second portions are provided on an upper surface or a lower surface of the plurality of first portions.

[0024] Supplement 5. The display device according to Supplement 1, wherein:

[0025] The plurality of vibration generating devices include a first vibration generating device, a second vibration generating device, and a third vibration generating device, and

[0026] The expansion coefficient of the first vibration generating device is smaller than the expansion coefficient of the second vibration generating device, and the expansion coefficient of the second vibration generating device is smaller than the expansion coefficient of the third vibration generating device.

[0027] Note 6. The display device according to Note 5, wherein the first vibration generating device is implemented as one or more of a receiver and a tweeter, the second vibration generating device is implemented as a speaker, and the third vibration generating device is implemented as a tactile device.

[0028] Supplement 7. The display device according to Supplement 1, wherein:

[0029] The plurality of vibration generating devices include a first vibration generating device, a second vibration generating device, and a third vibration generating device, and

[0030] The width of each of the multiple second parts of the first vibration generating device is smaller than the width of each of the multiple second parts of the second vibration generating device, and the width of each of the multiple second parts of the second vibration generating device is smaller than the width of each of the multiple second parts of the third vibration generating device.

[0031] Supplement 8. The display device according to Supplement 1, wherein:

[0032] The plurality of vibration generating devices include a first vibration generating device, a second vibration generating device, and a third vibration generating device, and

[0033] The width of each of the multiple first parts of the first vibration generating device is smaller than the width of each of the multiple first parts of the second vibration generating device, and the width of each of the multiple first parts of the second vibration generating device is smaller than the width of each of the multiple first parts of the third vibration generating device.

[0034] Supplementary note 9. The display device according to Supplementary note 1, wherein an expansion and contraction direction of each of the plurality of first portions is the same as an expansion and contraction direction of each of the plurality of second portions.

[0035] Supplement 10. The display device according to Supplement 1, further comprising:

[0036] an adhesive member positioned between a rear surface of the display panel and the plurality of vibration generating devices;

[0037] a first electrode located on an upper surface of the plurality of vibration generating devices below the adhesive member; and

[0038] A second electrode is located on a lower surface of the plurality of vibration generating devices.

[0039] Supplement 11. The display device according to Supplement 10, further comprising:

[0040] a first protective layer located on an upper surface of the first electrode below the adhesive member; and

[0041] A second protective layer is located on the lower surface of the plurality of vibration generating devices.

[0042] Supplementary note 12. The display device according to Supplementary note 1, wherein each of the plurality of second portions is formed of an auxetic layer or a cork material.

[0043] Supplementary note 13. The display device according to Supplementary note 1, wherein the expansion coefficient of each of the plurality of second portions is within a range of -0.3 to 0.

[0044] Supplementary note 14. The display device according to Supplementary note 1, wherein the plurality of second portions are flexible.

[0045] Note 15. A display device, comprising:

[0046] a display panel that displays an image; and

[0047] a plurality of vibration generating devices, the plurality of vibration generating devices vibrating the display panel,

[0048] in,

[0049] Each of the plurality of vibration generating devices comprises:

[0050] a plurality of piezoelectric portions having piezoelectric characteristics; and

[0051] a plurality of expansion portions, the plurality of expansion portions being disposed adjacent to the plurality of piezoelectric portions, and

[0052] The plurality of vibration generating devices are implemented to have different frequency characteristics.

[0053] Supplementary note 16. The display device according to Supplementary note 15, wherein the plurality of piezoelectric portions are provided on the same plane as the plurality of expansion portions.

[0054] Supplementary note 17. The display device according to Supplementary note 15, wherein the plurality of piezoelectric portions are provided on an upper surface or a lower surface of the plurality of expansion portions.

[0055] Note 18. A display device according to Note 15, wherein the multiple vibration generating devices include a first vibration generating device having a frequency of a high-pitched vocal range, a second vibration generating device having a frequency of a medium-pitched vocal range, and a third vibration generating device having a frequency of a low-pitched vocal range.

[0056] Supplementary note 19. The display device according to Supplementary note 18, wherein the frequency of the high-pitched vocal band is 10 kHz to 20 kHz, the frequency of the middle-pitched vocal band is 200 Hz to 10 kHz, and the frequency of the low-pitched vocal band is 200 Hz or lower.

[0057] Note 20. The display device according to Note 18, wherein the first vibration generating device is implemented as one or more of a receiver and a tweeter, the second vibration generating device is implemented as a speaker, and the third vibration generating device is implemented as a tactile device.

[0058] Note 21. A display device according to Note 18, wherein the expansion coefficient of each of the multiple expansion parts of the first vibration generating device is smaller than the expansion coefficient of each of the multiple expansion parts of the second vibration generating device, and the expansion coefficient of each of the multiple expansion parts of the second vibration generating device is smaller than the expansion coefficient of each of the multiple expansion parts of the third vibration generating device.

[0059] Note 22. A display device according to Note 18, wherein the width of each of the multiple expansion parts of the first vibration generating device is smaller than the width of each of the multiple expansion parts of the second vibration generating device, and the width of each of the multiple expansion parts of the second vibration generating device is smaller than the width of each of the multiple expansion parts of the third vibration generating device.

[0060] Note 23. A display device according to Note 18, wherein the width of each of the multiple piezoelectric parts of the first vibration generating device is smaller than the width of each of the multiple piezoelectric parts of the second vibration generating device, and the width of each of the multiple piezoelectric parts of the second vibration generating device is smaller than the width of each of the multiple piezoelectric parts of the third vibration generating device.

[0061] Note 24. The display device according to Note 18, wherein the first vibration generating device is arranged at the upper part of the display panel, the second vibration generating device is arranged at the central part of the display panel, and the third vibration generating device is arranged at the lower part of the display panel.

[0062] Note 25. The display device according to Note 18, wherein the third vibration generating device is arranged at the upper part of the display panel, the first vibration generating device is arranged at the central part of the display panel, and the second vibration generating device is arranged at the lower part of the display panel.

[0063] Supplement 26. The display device according to Supplement 15, further comprising:

[0064] a supporting member located on a rear surface of the display panel; and

[0065] A spacer is located between the display panel and the support member.

[0066] Note 27. The display device according to Note 15, further comprising a partition surrounding the plurality of vibration generating devices.

[0067] Supplement 28. The display device according to Supplement 15, further comprising:

[0068] a supporting member, the supporting member being located on a rear surface of the display panel;

[0069] a first spacer located between the display panel and the support member; and

[0070] A second partition surrounds the plurality of vibration generating devices.

[0071] Supplementary note 29. The display device according to Supplementary note 28, wherein the first spacer is provided along a region between a rear periphery of the display panel and a front periphery of the support member.

[0072] Supplementary note 30. The display device according to Supplementary note 28, wherein a size of the expansion portion is configured to be adjusted based on characteristics of vocal cords to be reproduced by vibration of the display panel.

[0073] Supplementary note 31. The display device according to Supplementary note 15, wherein the plurality of expansion portions have flexibility.

[0074] Supplementary note 32. The display device according to Supplementary note 15, wherein each of the plurality of expansion portions has a negative expansion coefficient or a zero expansion coefficient.

[0075] Supplementary note 33. The display device according to Supplementary note 32, wherein each of the plurality of expansion parts is formed of an auxetic layer or a cork material.

[0076] Supplementary note 34. The display device according to Supplementary note 32, wherein an expansion coefficient of each of the plurality of expansion portions is within a range of -0.3 to 0. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0077] 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 the principle of the disclosure.

[0078] Figure 1 A display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0079] Figure 2 It is along Figure 1 The cross-sectional view is taken along line II'.

[0080] Figure 3A and Figure 3B A vibration generating device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0081] Figures 4A to 4C 、 Figures 5A to 5C ,as well as Figures 6A to 6C The displacement change of the vibration generating device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0082] Figure 7 A display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0083] Figure 8 A display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0084] Figure 9 A display device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0085] Figure 10 A display device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0086] Figures 11A to 11B as well as FIG. 12A to FIG. 12BA display device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0087] 13A to 13C A display device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0088] Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which may be illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

[0089] The advantages and features of the present disclosure and their implementation methods will be illustrated by the following embodiments described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure can be implemented in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, the present disclosure is limited only by the scope of the claims.

[0090] Throughout the drawings and detailed description, unless otherwise indicated, the same reference numerals should be understood to refer to the same elements, features and structures. For the sake of clarity, illustration and convenience, the relative sizes and descriptions of these elements may be exaggerated. The progress of the processing steps and / or operations described are examples; however, except for the steps and / or operations that must occur in a specific order, the order of the steps and / or operations is not limited to the order set forth herein and can be changed as known in the art. Similar reference numerals always represent similar elements. The names of the various elements used in the following description are selected only for the convenience of writing the description and may therefore differ from the names used in the actual product.

[0091] The shapes, sizes, proportions, angles, and quantities disclosed in the drawings used to describe the embodiments of the present disclosure are merely examples, and therefore, the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the details shown. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, when a detailed description of a related known function or configuration is determined to unnecessarily obscure the key points of the present disclosure, the detailed description will be omitted.

[0092] In the case where “including,” “having,” and “comprising” described in this specification are used, another component may be added unless “only” is used. Terms in the singular form may include plural forms unless otherwise specified.

[0093] When explaining an element, the element is interpreted as including an error or tolerance range although there is no explicit description of such error or tolerance range.

[0094] When describing a positional relationship, for example, when the positional relationship between two components is described as "on," "over," "under," and "next to," one or more other components may be disposed between the two components, unless more restrictive terms such as "just" or "directly" are used.

[0095] When describing temporal relationships, for example, when a temporal sequence is described as, for example, "after," "subsequently," "next," and "before," discontinuities may be included unless more restrictive terms such as "just," "immediately," or "directly" are used.

[0096] It should be understood that although the terms "first," "second," etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first element may be referred to as a second element, and similarly, a second element may be referred to as a first element, without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0097] When describing elements of the present disclosure, terms such as “first,” “second,” “A,” “B,” “(a),” “(b),” etc. may be used. These terms are intended to identify corresponding elements from other elements, and the nature, order, or number of the corresponding elements should not be limited by these terms. Unless otherwise specified, the statement that an element is “connected,” “coupled,” or “adhered” to another element or layer indicates that the element or layer can be not only directly connected or adhered to the other element or layer, but also indirectly connected or adhered to the other element or layer with one or more intermediate elements or layers “disposed” between the elements or layers.

[0098] The term "at least one" should be understood to include any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed elements. For example, the meaning of "at least one of a first element, a second element, and a third element" refers to all combinations of elements listed from two or more of the first element, the second element, or the third element, as well as the first element, the second element, or the third element.

[0099] In the description of the embodiments, when a structure is described as being located "on or over" or "under or below" another structure, the description should be interpreted as including a case where the structures are in contact with each other and a case where a third structure is provided therebetween. The size and thickness of each element shown in the drawings are given only for convenience of description, and unless otherwise specified, the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto.

[0100] The features of the various embodiments of the present disclosure may be coupled or combined with each other in part or in whole, and may interact and be driven technically differently from each other as will be fully understood by those skilled in the art. The embodiments of the present disclosure may be performed independently of each other, or may be performed together in a mutually dependent relationship.

[0101] In the present disclosure, examples of display devices may include narrowly defined display devices including a display panel and a driver for driving the display panel, such as an organic light-emitting display (OLED) module or a liquid crystal module (LCM). In addition, display devices may include complete devices (or complete sets of devices) or complete electronic devices, such as notebook computers, televisions, computer monitors, equipment including automotive equipment or other types of equipment for vehicles, or mobile electronic devices such as smartphones or electronic tablets, which are complete products (or final products) including LCM or OLED modules.

[0102] Therefore, in the present disclosure, examples of the display device may include a display device in a narrow sense such as an LCM or OLED module itself, and a complete device which is a final consumer device or application product including the LCM or OLED module.

[0103] In some embodiments, an LCM or OLED module including a display panel and a driver may be referred to as a narrow display device, and an electronic device as a final product including the LCM or OLED module may be referred to as a complete set of equipment. For example, a narrow display device may include a display panel such as an LCD or OLED, and a source printed circuit board (PCB) as a controller for driving the display panel. The complete set of equipment may also include a complete set of PCBs as a complete controller electrically connected to the source PCB to control the complete set of equipment as a whole.

[0104] The display panel applied to the embodiment of the present disclosure can use all types of display panels such as a liquid crystal display panel, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display panel, and an electroluminescent display panel, but the embodiment is not limited to the specific display panel that is vibrated by the sound generating device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure to output sound. In addition, the shape or size of the display panel applied to the display device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited.

[0105] For example, if the display panel is a liquid crystal display panel, the display panel may include a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of data lines, and a plurality of pixels respectively arranged in a plurality of pixel areas defined by intersections of the gate lines and the data lines. In addition, the display panel may include an array substrate including a thin film transistor (TFT) as a switching element for adjusting the transmittance of each of the plurality of pixels; an upper substrate including a color filter and / or a black matrix; and a liquid crystal layer between the array substrate and the upper substrate.

[0106] In addition, if the display panel is an organic light-emitting display panel, the display panel may include a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of data lines, and a plurality of pixels respectively arranged in a plurality of pixel areas defined by the intersection of the gate lines and the data lines. In addition, the display panel may include an array substrate, the array substrate including a TFT as an element for selectively applying a voltage to each of the pixels, an organic light-emitting device layer on the array substrate, and an encapsulation substrate arranged on the array substrate to cover the organic light-emitting device layer. The encapsulation substrate may protect the TFT and the organic light-emitting device layer from external impacts and may prevent water vapor or oxygen from penetrating into the organic light-emitting device layer. In addition, the layer arranged on the array substrate may include an inorganic light-emitting layer (e.g., a nano-sized material layer, quantum dots, etc.). As another example, the layer arranged on the array substrate may include a micro light-emitting diode.

[0107] The display panel may further include a backing such as a metal plate attached to the display panel. However, the embodiment is not limited to the metal plate, and the display panel may include another structure.

[0108] In embodiments of the present disclosure, a display panel can be used in a vehicle as a user interface module, such as a central control panel in an automobile. For example, the display panel can be positioned between two front-seat passengers to transmit vibrations from the display panel to the interior of the vehicle. This improves the in-vehicle audio experience compared to speakers positioned inside the vehicle.

[0109] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. When adding reference numerals to the elements of each drawing, similar reference numerals may refer to similar elements even though the same elements are shown in other drawings. In addition, for ease of description, the scale of each element shown in the drawings is different from the actual scale and is therefore not limited to the scale shown in the drawings.

[0110] To enable a display device to provide sound, a speaker can be implemented as a membrane type, thereby reducing the thickness of the display device. A membrane type vibration generator can be manufactured to have a large surface area and can be applied to large display devices. However, due to the low piezoelectric properties of the membrane type vibration module, the low vibration makes it difficult to apply a membrane type vibration generator to a large surface area. The vibration generator can be formed from a piezoelectric composite in which a polymer is disposed between ceramics to provide flexibility. When a piezoelectric composite is formed by adding a polymer, a phase difference imbalance may occur due to the hardness difference between the ceramics and the polymer. This phase difference imbalance may reduce the bending-deformation characteristics of a flexible display device, making it difficult to apply the vibration generator to a flexible display device. In addition, when multiple vibration generators with different frequencies are each provided in a display device, the thickness of the display device may increase. Therefore, the inventors conducted various experiments to develop a vibration generator with a small difference in stiffness from the ceramic, enhanced bending characteristics, and no increase in the thickness of the display device. Through various experiments, the inventors invented a vibration generator that can be applied to flexible display devices, does not increase the thickness of the display device, can have different frequency characteristics, and can be implemented as a membrane type formed from a single layer. This will be described in detail below.

[0111] Figure 1 A display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 2 It is along Figure 1 The cross-sectional view is taken along line II'.

[0112] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 , a display apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a front member 10 , a display panel 30 , and a support member 70 .

[0113] The front member 10 may cover the front surface and side surfaces of the display panel 30. Therefore, the front member 10 may protect the display panel 30 from external impact.

[0114] The front member 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a transparent plastic material, a glass material, or a tempered glass material, but the embodiment is not limited thereto. For example, the front member 10 may include one of sapphire glass and gorilla glass or a laminated structure thereof. As another example, the front member 10 may include a transparent plastic material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The front member 10 may include tempered glass in consideration of scratches and transparency, and in this case, the front member 10 may be referred to as cover glass.

[0115] The display panel 30 may be coupled or connected to the rear surface (or backside surface) of the front member 10 and may display an image or may sense a user's touch. The display panel 30 may display an image (e.g., an electronic image or a digital image) and may be implemented as a curved display panel or one of all types of display panels such as a liquid crystal display panel, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display panel, an electroluminescent display panel, etc. If the display panel 30 vibrates based on the vibration of the vibration generating device 50 to generate sound (or sound waves) or generate tactile feedback in response to a touch, the display panel 100 is not limited to a specific display panel.

[0116] For example, based on the structure of the pixel array layer including an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, and an organic compound layer, the display panel 30 can display images of a type such as a top emission type, a bottom emission type, or a double-sided emission type. In the top emission type, visible light emitted from the pixel array layer can be irradiated onto an area in front of the base substrate to allow an image to be displayed, and in the bottom emission type, visible light emitted from the pixel array layer can be irradiated onto a rear area behind the base substrate to allow an image to be displayed.

[0117] The vibration generating device 50 may be provided on the rear surface of the display panel 30. For example, by using the display panel 30 as a vibration plate, the vibration generating device 50 may generate sound or output tactile feedback in response to a user's touch. For example, the vibration generating device 50 may be an acoustic device or a tactile device that outputs sound or vibration based on an electrical signal.

[0118] The display panel 30 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate including a plurality of pixels defined by the intersection of a plurality of gate lines and / or a plurality of data lines, and a TFT disposed at each of the plurality of pixels to drive the corresponding pixel. The display panel 30 may include a light-emitting device layer disposed on the TFT array substrate and an encapsulation substrate covering the light-emitting device layer. For example, the encapsulation substrate may protect the TFT and light-emitting device layer from external impact and may prevent moisture or humidity from penetrating the light-emitting device layer.

[0119] The display panel 30 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a curved portion that is bent or curved to have a curved shape or a specific curvature radius.

[0120] The curved portion of the display panel 30 may be provided at least one of one edge or periphery and another edge or periphery of the display panel 30 that are parallel to each other. The one edge or periphery and / or the other edge or periphery of the display panel 30 provided with the curved portion may include only the non-display area, or may include the edge or periphery of the display area and the non-display area. Here, the display panel 30 including the curved portion provided by bending the non-display area may have a single-sided frame curved structure or a double-sided frame curved structure. In addition, the display panel 30 including the curved portion provided by bending the edges or peripheries of the non-display area and the display area may have a single-sided active curved structure or a double-sided active curved structure.

[0121] The display apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a support member 70 configured to support the display panel 30 , and a connection member 20 disposed between the display panel 30 and the support member 70 .

[0122] The support member 70 may be referred to as another term such as a cover bottom, a plate bottom, a back cover, a base frame, a metal frame, a metal chassis, a chassis base, or an m-chassis. Therefore, the support member 70 may be a support member that supports the display panel 30 and may be implemented as any type of frame or plate structure respectively provided on the rear surface of the display device 100.

[0123] The support member 70 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may cover the entire rear surface of the display panel 30. For example, the support member 70 may include at least one of a glass material, a metal material, and a plastic material, each having a plate shape. Here, the edges or sharp corners of the support member 70 may have an inclined shape or a curved shape by a chamfering process or a corner rounding process. For example, the glass material of the support member 70 may be sapphire glass. As another example, the support member 70 including a metal material may include one of aluminum (Al), an Al alloy, a magnesium (Mg) alloy, and an iron (Fe)-nickel (Ni) alloy.

[0124] The support member 70 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may additionally cover the side surface of the display panel 30. For example, the support member 70 may include a rear surface portion that covers the rear surface of the display panel 30 and a side surface portion that is connected to a portion or end of the rear surface portion and covers the side surface of the display panel 30. For example, the rear surface portion may cover the entire rear surface of the display panel 30 or a portion thereof. For example, the side surface portion may cover the entire side surface of the display panel 30 or a portion thereof. However, embodiments are not limited thereto, and the support member 70 may be implemented such that the rear surface portion and the side surface portion are provided as one body.

[0125] The support member 70 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be connected to the rear periphery of the display panel 30 through the connection member 20. The connection member 20 may be disposed between the rear periphery of the display panel 30 and the periphery of the support member 70, and may attach the display panel 30 to the support member 70. The connection member 20 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be implemented with a double-sided tape, a single-sided tape, a double-sided adhesive foam pad, or a single-sided adhesive foam pad, but the embodiment is not limited thereto.

[0126] The vibration generating device 50 may be provided on the rear surface (or backside surface) of the display panel 30. The vibration generating device 50 may be attached to the rear surface of the display panel 30 by an adhesive member 150.

[0127] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the adhesive member 150 can be arranged between the rear surface of the display panel 30 and the vibration generating device 50. For example, the adhesive member 150 can attach the vibration generating device 50 to the rear surface of the display panel 30, and can be an adhesive or double-sided adhesive tape including an adhesive layer with good adhesion or attachment force. For example, the adhesive layer of the adhesive member 150 can include epoxy resin, acrylic resin, silicon, polyurethane or paraffin wax, but the embodiment is not limited thereto. The adhesive layer of the adhesive member 150 can also include additives such as tackifiers, wax components or antioxidants. The additives can prevent the adhesive member 150 from separating (peeling off) from the display panel 30 due to the vibration of the vibration module 200. For example, the tackifier can be a rosin derivative, etc., and the wax component can be paraffin wax, etc., but the embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the antioxidant can be a phenol-based antioxidant, and can be, for example, a thioester, but the embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0128] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the adhesive member 150 may further include a hollow portion provided between the display panel 30 and the vibration generating device 50. The hollow portion of the adhesive member 150 may provide an air gap between the display panel 30 and the vibration generating device 50. Due to the air gap, the sound waves (or sound pressure) based on the vibration of the vibration generating device 50 may not be dispersed by the adhesive member 150 and may be concentrated on the display panel 30, and thus, the loss of the vibration caused by the adhesive member 150 may be minimized, thereby increasing the sound pressure characteristics of the sound generated based on the vibration of the display panel 30.

[0129] The vibration generating device 50 may be implemented as a membrane type. The thickness of the vibration generating device 50 may be thinner than that of the display panel 30. Therefore, despite the presence of the vibration generating device 50, the thickness of the display panel 30 does not increase. The vibration generating device 50 may be referred to as an actuator, an exciter, a transducer, a sound generating module, a sound generating device, a membrane actuator, a membrane-type piezoelectric composite actuator, a membrane speaker, a membrane-type piezoelectric speaker, or a membrane-type piezoelectric composite speaker, but these terms are not limited thereto.

[0130] The vibration generating device 50 may include a first vibration generating device 51, a second vibration generating device 53, and a third vibration generating device 55. The first vibration generating device 51, the second vibration generating device 53, and the third vibration generating device 55 may be implemented to have different frequency characteristics. Figures 3A to 6C Describe this.

[0131] The first electrode 62 may be disposed on an upper surface of the vibration generating device 50 , and the second electrode 64 may be disposed on a lower surface of the vibration generating device 50 .

[0132] The first electrode 62 may be provided on the first surface (or front surface) of the vibration generating device 50. The first electrode 62 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a transparent conductive material, a semi-transparent conductive material, or an opaque conductive material. For example, examples of transparent conductive materials or semi-transparent conductive materials may include indium tin oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO), but the embodiment is not limited thereto. Examples of opaque conductive materials may include aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), gold (Au), silver (Ag), molybdenum (Mo), and Mg, or alloys thereof, but the embodiment is not limited thereto.

[0133] The second electrode 64 may be provided on a second surface (or rear surface) of the vibration generating device 50 opposite to the first surface. The second electrode 64 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a transparent conductive material, a semi-transparent conductive material, or an opaque conductive material. For example, the second electrode 64 may include the same material as the first electrode 62, but the embodiment is not limited thereto.

[0134] The vibration generating device 50 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a first protective layer 72 and a second protective layer 74 .

[0135] The first protective layer 72 may be provided on the first electrode 62 and may protect the first electrode 62 or the first surface of the vibration generating device 50. For example, the first protective layer 72 may support the vibration generating device 50 or may protect the vibration generating device 50 from external impact. For example, the first protective layer 72 may be a polyimide (PI) film or a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, but the embodiment is not limited thereto.

[0136] The second protective layer 74 may be provided on the second electrode 64 and may protect the second electrode 64 or the second surface of the vibration generating device 50. For example, the second protective layer 74 may support the vibration generating device 50 or may protect the vibration generating device 50 from external impact. For example, the second protective layer 74 may be a PI film or a PET film, but the embodiment is not limited thereto.

[0137] Figure 3A and Figure 3B A vibration generating device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0138] Reference Figure 3A and Figure 3B The vibration generating device 50 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a plurality of first parts 210 and a plurality of second parts 220. For example, the plurality of first parts 210 may have piezoelectric characteristics, and the plurality of second parts 220 may be arranged near the first parts 210. For example, the plurality of second parts 220 may have flexibility. Each of the plurality of first parts 210 may be referred to as a piezoelectric part, a piezoelectric material part, or a vibration part, but these terms are not limited thereto.

[0139] The plurality of first portions 210 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include piezoelectric ceramics. For example, the piezoelectric ceramic may be a lead zirconate titanate (PZT)-based material, but embodiments are not limited thereto. For example, the plurality of first portions 210 may include a lead zirconate titanate (PZT)-based material containing lead (Pb), zirconium (Zr), and titanium (Ti), or may include a lead zirconate niobium nickel (PZNN)-based material containing lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), and niobium (Nb), but are not limited thereto. As another example, the plurality of first portions 210 may include at least one of CaTiO3, BaTiO3, and SrTiO3 without Pb, but embodiments are not limited thereto.

[0140] Each of the plurality of first portions 210 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be formed of a ceramic-based material for generating relatively high vibrations, or may be formed of a piezoelectric ceramic having a perovskite-based crystal structure. The perovskite crystal structure may have a piezoelectric effect and an inverse piezoelectric effect, and may be a plate-like structure with orientation. The perovskite crystal structure may be represented by the chemical formula "ABO3". Here, A may include a divalent metal element, and B may include a tetravalent metal element. For example, in the chemical formula "ABO3", A and B may be cations, and O may be an anion. For example, the chemical formula "ABO3" may include one of PbTiO3, PbZrO3, BaTiO3, and SrTiO3, but the embodiment is not limited thereto.

[0141] When the perovskite crystal structure includes a central ion (e.g., PbTiO3), the position of the Ti ion can be changed by external stress or magnetic field, and thus the polarization can be changed, thereby generating a piezoelectric effect. For example, in the perovskite crystal structure, the cubic shape corresponding to the symmetrical structure can be changed to a tetragonal, rhombic, or rhombic structure corresponding to the asymmetric structure, and thus a piezoelectric effect can be generated. In the tetragonal, rhombic, or rhombic structure corresponding to the asymmetric structure, the polarization can be high in the isomorphic phase boundary, and the realignment of the polarization can be easy, whereby the perovskite crystal structure can have higher piezoelectric properties.

[0142] Figure 3B yes Figure 3A Magnified view of area A.

[0143] Reference Figure 3B , each of the plurality of second parts 220 can be arranged between two adjacent first parts of the plurality of first parts 210. For example, the plurality of second parts 220 may include a material having an expansion coefficient. The expansion coefficient may be the ratio of the compression deformation rate in the horizontal direction to the tensile deformation rate in the vertical direction. In order for the vibration generating device 50 to include a plurality of vibration generating devices with different frequency characteristics in one layer, the expansion coefficients of the plurality of second parts 220 may be adjusted differently, or the intervals between the first part 210 and the second part 220 may be adjusted differently. For example, the second part 220 may be formed by an auxetic layer. The inventors have recognized that the auxetic layer enables matching of the phase difference or displacement relative to the ceramic serving as the first part 210, or reducing the imbalance of the phase difference. Therefore, the durability against bending deformation can be enhanced, and therefore, the inventors recognize that a vibration generating device for a flexible display device is provided. For example, the auxetic layer may have a grid structure, but the embodiment is not limited thereto. The following will refer to Figures 4A to 6C A displacement change of the vibration generating device 50 based on the expansion coefficient of the second portion 220 is described.

[0144] Figures 4A to 6C The displacement change of the vibration generating device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0145] Reference Figures 4A to 6C , the second portion 22 is disposed between adjacent first portions 21. The first portion 21 may include ceramic, and the second portion 22 may include a material having an expansion coefficient. Figures 4A to 6C In the figure, solid arrows represent expansion, and dashed arrows represent contraction.

[0146] Reference Figure 4A , a voltage may be applied to the region between the two electrodes of the first portion 21. Figure 4BWhen an electric field having a polarization direction (e.g., the same direction as the displacement generation direction) is applied to the first portion 21, the first portion 21 may expand in the horizontal direction. The second portion 22 may have a positive expansion coefficient, and thus, deformation such as contraction in the horizontal direction and expansion in the vertical direction may occur in the second portion 22 having a stiffness smaller than that of the first portion 21. Figure 4C , when an electric field having a direction opposite to the polarization direction is applied to the first part 21, the first part 21 may contract in the horizontal direction. The second part 22 may have a positive expansion coefficient, and therefore, deformation of expansion in the horizontal direction and contraction in the vertical direction may occur in the second part 22 having a stiffness less than that of the first part 21. Therefore, when the second part 22 having a positive expansion coefficient is provided, the displacement of the second part 22 may have a direction opposite to the direction of the displacement of the first part 21. For example, when the second part 22 having a positive expansion coefficient is provided, the expansion and contraction directions of the second part 22 may be opposite to the expansion and contraction directions of the first part 21. In addition, the displacement direction of the first part 21 may be opposite to the displacement direction of the second part 22, and therefore, when the vibration generating device is provided, the waveform of the generated sound or vibration may be weak and uneven.

[0147] Reference Figure 5A , a voltage may be applied to the region between the two electrodes of the first portion 21. Figure 5B When an electric field having the same direction as the polarization direction is applied to the first portion 21, the first portion 21 may expand in the horizontal direction. The second portion 22 may have a negative expansion coefficient, and thus, deformations such as expansion in the horizontal direction and expansion in the vertical direction may occur in the second portion 22 having similar stiffness to that of the first portion 21. Figure 5CWhen an electric field in a direction opposite to the polarization direction is applied to the first portion 21, the first portion 21 may contract horizontally. The second portion 22 may have a negative expansion coefficient. Therefore, the second portion 22, which has a lower stiffness than the first portion 21, may deform, contracting both horizontally and vertically. Therefore, when the second portion 22 with a negative expansion coefficient is provided, the displacement of the second portion 22 can be in the same direction as the displacement of the first portion 21. For example, when the second portion 22 with a negative expansion coefficient is provided, the expansion and contraction directions of the second portion 22 can be the same as those of the first portion 21. Therefore, the second portion 22 can be provided with a stiffness similar to that of the first portion 21, so the displacement direction of the first portion 21 can be the same as that of the second portion 22. Consequently, when the vibration generating device is provided, the waveform of the sound or vibration can be strong. For example, the second portion 22 with a negative expansion coefficient may be an auxetic layer. For example, the second portion 22 may include polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polypropylene (PP), ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) or polyurethane (PU), but the embodiment is not limited thereto. For example, the second portion 22 can expand in the horizontal direction during stretching and can shrink in the horizontal direction during compression. Therefore, when the second portion 22 is applied to a curved or folded display device, a tension corresponding to the bending deformation can be strongly applied thereto. Therefore, a flexible display device with enhanced durability can be achieved. For example, the second portion 22 may include PTFE, PP, UHMWPE or PU, and the second portion 22 may expand in the vertical direction based on the tension, thereby ensuring durability.

[0148] Reference Figure 6A , a voltage may be applied to the region between the two electrodes of the first portion 21. Figure 6B , when an electric field having the same direction as the polarization direction is applied to the first portion 21, the first portion 21 may expand in the horizontal direction. The second portion 22 may have a zero expansion coefficient, and thus, deformations such as expansion in the horizontal direction and expansion in the vertical direction may occur in the second portion 22 having a stiffness similar to that of the first portion 21. Figure 6C, when an electric field in a direction opposite to the polarization direction is applied to the first portion 21, the first portion 21 can contract in the horizontal direction. The second portion 22 can have a zero expansion coefficient, and therefore, deformations of contraction in the horizontal direction and contraction in the vertical direction can occur in the second portion 22 having a stiffness similar to that of the first portion 21. Therefore, when the second portion 22 having a zero expansion coefficient is provided, the displacement of the second portion 22 can have the same direction as the displacement of the first portion 21. For example, when the second portion 22 having a zero expansion coefficient is provided, even when the second portion 22 is stretched or expanded horizontally, the displacement direction and amplitude, in which almost no vertical contraction is performed (e.g., almost no displacement occurs), can be almost constant. For example, when the second portion 22 having a zero expansion coefficient is provided, the amplitude of the expansion and contraction displacement of the second portion 22 can be almost equal to the amplitude of the expansion and contraction displacement of the first portion 21. Therefore, a second portion 22 having a stiffness similar to that of the first portion 21 can be provided, and thus, the displacement direction of the first portion 21 can be the same as the displacement direction of the second portion 22, and therefore, when the vibration generating device is provided, the waveform of the sound or vibration generated can be strong. The second portion 22 having a zero expansion coefficient may include a cork material, but the embodiment is not limited thereto. For example, when the second portion 22 is applied to a curved or folded display device, a tension corresponding to the bending deformation can be strongly applied thereto, and thus, a flexible display device with enhanced durability can be realized.

[0149] Therefore, the second part 22 of the vibration generating device 50 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can be implemented to have a negative expansion coefficient or a zero expansion coefficient, and thus, a strong vibration or sound can be achieved. For example, the second part 22 can have an expansion coefficient of -0.3 to 0, but the embodiment is not limited thereto. A second part 22 with an expansion coefficient less than -0.3 can be provided, and thus, the expansion and contraction direction of the second part 22 can be the same as the expansion and contraction direction of the first part 21, thereby realizing a vibration generating device with enhanced vibration or sound characteristics. In addition, the second part 220 can be set to have a stiffness similar to that of the ceramic serving as the first part 210, and thus, the imbalance of the displacement or phase difference caused by the stiffness difference between the first part 210 and the ceramic can be resolved, thereby realizing a vibration generating device with enhanced vibration or sound characteristics.

[0150] Figure 7 A display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 8 A display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0151] Figure 8 Shown Figure 7The first to third vibration generating devices 51, 53 and 55 are arranged differently, and therefore, reference will be made to Figure 7 The following description can be applied equally to Figure 8 .

[0152] Reference Figure 7 According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the display device 100 may include a vibration generating device 50. The vibration generating device 50 may include a plurality of first portions 210 and a plurality of second portions 220. For example, the plurality of second portions 220 may be disposed between two adjacent first portions of the plurality of first portions 210. The plurality of first portions 210 may include ceramic having a rod-shaped shape. For example, the rod-shaped shape of each of the plurality of first portions 210 may be a shape corresponding to a cylinder or a polygonal column such as a rectangular parallelepiped, but embodiments are not limited thereto. For example, the plurality of second portions 220 may have a lattice structure having auxetic properties, but embodiments are not limited thereto. For example, the plurality of first portions 210 and the plurality of second portions 220 may be disposed (or arranged) side by side on the same plane (or the same layer). Therefore, by using the plurality of second portions 220, the vibration generating device 50 may enable matching of displacement relative to the plurality of first portions 210, or may reduce deformation due to displacement, thereby increasing vibration, thereby ensuring piezoelectric properties and flexibility. In addition, the plurality of second portions 220 and the plurality of first portions 210 may be alternately arranged on the same plane along the length direction X relative to one side of the vibration generating device 50. Therefore, the vibration generating device 50 may be configured with a composite film having a single-layer structure. In addition, the composite film may have a thin thickness, and therefore, the thickness of the display device 100 may not be increased.

[0153] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of second portions 220 can be arranged to fill the area between the corresponding first portions 210 adjacent thereto. The plurality of second portions 220 can be arranged between two adjacent first portions 210, thereby absorbing the impact applied to the first portions 210 and releasing the stress concentrated on the first portions 210, thereby enhancing the overall durability of the vibration generating device 50 and providing flexibility to the vibration generating device 50. The second portion 220 having a negative expansion coefficient or a zero expansion coefficient can have a force that expands in the vertical direction based on the tension generated in the display device, thereby realizing a durable flexible display device. Therefore, the vibration generating device 50 can be flexible and can be bent into a shape that matches the shape of the display panel 30. For example, the flexible display device can be a bendable display device or a foldable display device, but the embodiment is not limited thereto.

[0154] The plurality of vibration generating devices 50 may include a first vibration generating device 51, a second vibration generating device 53, and a third vibration generating device 55. The first vibration generating device 51, the second vibration generating device 53, and the third vibration generating device 55 may be implemented to have different frequency characteristics. For example, as described above with reference to Figures 4A to 6C As described above, the second portion 220 may be configured to have different expansion coefficients, and thus, the first vibration generating device 51 , the second vibration generating device 53 , and the third vibration generating device 55 may be implemented to have different frequency characteristics.

[0155] For example, the first vibration generating device 51 may have a frequency corresponding to a high-pitched vocal range, the second vibration generating device 53 may have a frequency corresponding to a medium-pitched vocal range, and the third vibration generating device 55 may have a frequency corresponding to a low-pitched vocal range. The second portion 220 included in each of the first, second, and third vibration generating devices 51, 53, and 55 may have a negative or zero expansion coefficient. The expansion coefficient of the second portion 220 in the first vibration generating device 51 may be smaller than the expansion coefficient of the second portion 220 in the second vibration generating device 53, the expansion coefficient of the second portion 220 in the second vibration generating device 53 may be smaller than the expansion coefficient of the second portion 220 in the third vibration generating device 55, and the expansion coefficient of the second portion 220 in the first vibration generating device 51 may be smaller than the expansion coefficient of the second portion 220 in the third vibration generating device 55. As the expansion coefficient increases, a higher-pitched vocal range frequency may be output. For example, the frequency of the high-pitched vocal range may be between 10 kHz and 20 kHz, the frequency of the medium-pitched vocal range may be between 200 Hz and 10 kHz, and the frequency of the low-pitched vocal range may be 200 Hz or lower. However, the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. For example, the first vibration generating device 51 may be a tweeter or a receiver, the second vibration generating device 53 may be a speaker or a sound generating device, and the third vibration generating device 55 may be a tactile member or a tactile device. For example, in Figure 1 In the display device 100 of FIG. 1 , the first vibration generating device 51, the second vibration generating device 53, and the third vibration generating device 55 may be arranged in a direction from the upper portion of the display device 100 to the lower portion of the display device 100, but the embodiment is not limited thereto. Figure 8 As shown, in Figure 1 In the display device 100 , the third vibration generating device 55 , the first vibration generating device 51 , and the second vibration generating device 53 may be disposed in a direction from an upper portion of the display device 100 to a lower portion of the display device 100 .

[0156] As another example, the width of the first portion 210 and the width of the second portion 220 can be set to be different from each other so that the first vibration generating device 51, the second vibration generating device 53, and the third vibration generating device 55 have different frequency characteristics. For example, the width d1 of the first portion 210 of the first vibration generating device 51 can be smaller than the width d3 of the first portion 210 of the second vibration generating device 53, the width d3 of the first portion 210 of the second vibration generating device 53 can be smaller than the width d5 ​​of the first portion 210 of the third vibration generating device 55, and the width d1 of the first portion 210 of the first vibration generating device 51 can be smaller than the width d5 ​​of the first portion 210 of the third vibration generating device 55. Thus, the first to third vibration generating devices 51, 53, and 55 having different frequencies can be realized. For example, the width d2 of the second portion 220 of the first vibration generating device 51 may be smaller than the width d4 of the second portion 220 of the second vibration generating device 53, the width d4 of the second portion 220 of the second vibration generating device 53 may be smaller than the width d6 of the second portion 220 of the third vibration generating device 55, and the width d2 of the second portion 220 of the first vibration generating device 51 may be smaller than the width d6 of the second portion 220 of the third vibration generating device 55. Thus, the first to third vibration generating devices 51, 53, and 55 having different frequencies can be implemented.

[0157] Therefore, the first to third vibration generating devices 51 , 53 , and 55 having different frequencies may be formed of one layer, and thus, the thickness of the display apparatus 100 may not be increased, thereby enhancing sound characteristics or vibration characteristics.

[0158] Figure 9 A display device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 10 A display device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0159] Figure 10 Shown Figure 9 The first to third vibration generating devices 51, 53 and 55 are arranged differently, and therefore, reference will be made to Figure 9 The following description can be applied equally to Figure 10 .

[0160] Reference Figure 9, the display device 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a vibration generating device 50. The vibration generating device 50 may include a plurality of first parts 210 and a plurality of second parts 220. For example, the plurality of second parts 220 may be arranged below or above the lower surface of the plurality of first parts 210. As another example, the plurality of second parts 220 may be arranged below or above the lower surface of the plurality of first parts 210. The plurality of first parts 210 may include ceramic having a rod shape, and the plurality of second parts 220 may have a grid structure. For example, the plurality of first parts 210 may be arranged on the entire surface of the display panel 30, and thus the vibration surface of the display panel 300 may be increased, thereby increasing the vibration characteristics. In addition, the vibration generating device 50 may be configured with a composite film having a single-layer structure, and the composite film may have a thin thickness, so that the thickness of the display device 100 may not be increased.

[0161] The plurality of second portions 220 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be provided on the upper or lower surface of the first portion 210, and thus may absorb impact applied to the first portion 210, release stress concentrated on the first portion 210, and thereby enhance the overall durability of the vibration generating device 50. Furthermore, the vibration generating device 50 may be provided with flexibility. The vibration generating device 50 may be flexible and thus bendable into a shape matching that of the display panel 30. The vibration generating device 50 may vibrate based on an electrical signal to vibrate the display panel 30.

[0162] The plurality of vibration generating devices 50 may include a first vibration generating device 51, a second vibration generating device 53, and a third vibration generating device 55. The first vibration generating device 51, the second vibration generating device 53, and the third vibration generating device 55 may be implemented to have different frequency characteristics. For example, as described above with reference to Figures 4A to 6C As described above, the second portion 220 may be configured to have different expansion coefficients, and thus, the first vibration generating device 51 , the second vibration generating device 53 , and the third vibration generating device 55 may be implemented to have different frequency characteristics.

[0163] For example, the first vibration generating device 51 may have a frequency for a high-pitched vocal range, the second vibration generating device 53 may have a frequency for a medium-pitched vocal range, and the third vibration generating device 55 may have a frequency for a low-pitched vocal range. In this case, the expansion coefficient of the second portion 220 in the first vibration generating device 51 may be smaller than the expansion coefficient of the second portion 220 in the second vibration generating device 53, the expansion coefficient of the second portion 220 in the second vibration generating device 53 may be smaller than the expansion coefficient of the second portion 220 in the third vibration generating device 55, and the expansion coefficient of the second portion 220 in the first vibration generating device 51 may be smaller than the expansion coefficient of the second portion 220 in the third vibration generating device 55. As the expansion coefficient increases, a higher-pitched vocal range frequency can be output. For example, the frequency for a high-pitched vocal range may be 10 kHz to 20 kHz, the frequency for a medium-pitched vocal range may be 200 Hz to 10 kHz, and the frequency for a low-pitched vocal range may be 200 Hz or lower. However, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to this. For example, the first vibration generating device 51 may be a tweeter or a receiver, the second vibration generating device 53 may be a speaker or a sound generating device, and the third vibration generating device 55 may be a tactile member or a tactile device. Figure 1 In the display device 100 of FIG. 1 , the first vibration generating device 51, the second vibration generating device 53, and the third vibration generating device 55 may be arranged in a direction from the upper portion of the display device 100 to the lower portion of the display device 100, but the embodiment is not limited thereto. Figure 8 As shown, in Figure 1 In the display device 100 , the third vibration generating device 55 , the first vibration generating device 51 , and the second vibration generating device 53 may be disposed in a direction from an upper portion of the display device 100 to a lower portion of the display device 100 .

[0164] Therefore, the vibration generating device 50 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can be implemented as a single film and thus can be thinned, thereby reducing or preventing an increase in the driving voltage. The vibration generating device can be implemented as a single film having different frequency characteristics, so the thickness of the display device can be maintained, thereby providing a display device with vibration characteristics and flexibility.

[0165] Figures 11A to 12B A display device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0166] Reference Figures 11A to 12B A display device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a partition near the display panel 30. The partition may be an air gap or space that generates sound when the display panel 30 is vibrated by the vibration generating device 50. The air gap or space that generates or transmits sound may be referred to as a partition. The partition may be referred to as a housing or a baffle, but the term is not limited thereto.

[0167] For example, the spacer 600 may include a first spacer 610. The first spacer 610 may be disposed between the display panel 30 and the support member 70.

[0168] The first partition 610 may be provided to surround the vibration generating device 50. For example, the first partition 610 may be provided along an area between the rear periphery of the display panel 30 and the front periphery of the support member 70. For example, the first partition 610 may be provided to surround the entire vibration generating device 50. For example, the first partition 610 may be provided along an area between the rear periphery of the display panel 30 and the front periphery of the support member 70. The first partition 610 may be referred to as an edge partition, a periphery partition, a soundproofing member, an edge casing, a periphery casing, or a baffle, but these terms are not limited thereto. For example, the first partition 610 may be provided to contact or be adjacent to Figure 2 As another example, the first partition 610 and the connecting member 20 may be implemented as one body.

[0169] Reference Figure 11A and Figure 11B , a display device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may include Figure 7 and Figure 9 The vibration generating device 50 shown. For example, the first vibration generating device 51 can be set at the upper part of the display panel 30, the second vibration generating device 53 can be set at the center of the display panel 30, and the third vibration generating device 55 can be set at the lower part of the display panel 30. For example, the first vibration generating device 51 can be a receiver and / or a tweeter, the second vibration generating device 53 can be a speaker or a sound generating device, and the third vibration generating device 55 can be a tactile member or a tactile device. For example, the first vibration generating device 51 can output a frequency of 10kHz to 20kHz, the second vibration generating device 53 can output a frequency of 200Hz to 10kHz, and the third vibration generating device 55 can output a frequency of 200Hz or lower.

[0170] Reference Figure 11B and Figure 12B , the partition 600 may include a second partition 620. The second partition 620 may surround the vibration generating device 50. The second partition 620 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may have a shape surrounding the vibration generating device 50, but the embodiment is not limited thereto. For example, the second partition 620 may have a shape that is the same as or different from the overall shape of the vibration generating device 50. For example, when the vibration generating device 50 has a rectangular shape, the second partition 620 may have a rectangular shape whose size is larger than that of the vibration generating device 50. As another example, the second partition 620 may have a circular shape surrounding the vibration generating device 50.

[0171] The second spacer 620 can limit (or define) the vibration area (or vibration zone) of the display panel 30 performed by the vibration generating device 50. For example, in the display panel 30, as the size of the second spacer 620 increases, the vibration area of ​​the display panel 30 can increase, and thus, the characteristics of the low-pitched vocal cords can be enhanced. On the other hand, in the display panel 30, as the size of the second spacer 620 decreases, the vibration area of ​​the display panel 30 can decrease, and thus, the characteristics of the high-pitched vocal cords can be enhanced. Therefore, the size of the second spacer 620 can be set based on the characteristics of the vocal cords based on the vibration of the display panel 30.

[0172] For example, the separator 600 may include polyurethane, polyolefin, and / or the like, but the embodiment is not limited thereto. As another example, the separator 600 may include single-sided tape, double-sided tape, single-sided foam pad, double-sided foam pad, single-sided foam tape, and / or double-sided foam tape, and may include, for example, a material having elastic force that enables compression to a certain extent.

[0173] The first spacer 610 may provide an air gap AG between the display panel 30 and the support member 70 together with the second spacer 620. For example, the air gap AG may be referred to as a vibration space, a sound pressure space, a sound box, a sound component, a resonance box, or a resonance component, but the term is not limited thereto.

[0174] The air gap AG may be provided in a region of the display panel 30 surrounded by the second spacer 620 provided in the display panel 30 and the first spacer 610 provided in the display panel 30 .

[0175] Therefore, the display device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may include the partition 600 , and thus, the reproduction soundtrack may be optimized. For example, the display device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may include at least one of the first partition 610 and the second partition 620 .

[0176] Reference Figure 12A and Figure 12B , a display device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may include Figure 7 and Figure 9. For example, the third vibration generating device 55 can be set at the upper portion of the display panel 30, the first vibration generating device 51 can be set at the center of the display panel 30, and the second vibration generating device 53 can be set at the lower portion of the display panel 30. For example, the third vibration generating device 55 can be a tactile member or a tactile device, the first vibration generating device 51 can be a receiver and / or a tweeter, and the second vibration generating device 53 can be a speaker or a sound generating device. For example, the third vibration generating device 55 can output a frequency of 200 Hz or lower, the first vibration generating device 51 can output a frequency of 10 kHz to 20 kHz, and the second vibration generating device 53 can output a frequency of 200 Hz to 10 kHz.

[0177] 13A to 13C A display device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0178] Reference 13A to 13C A display device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may include a vibration generating device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, and may be configured with Figures 7 to 10 One of the vibration generating devices.

[0179] Reference Figure 13A The vibration generating device 50 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can be applied to a commercial display device or a flexible display device including a display panel 30 including a plurality of concave or convex curved surface portions CSP1 to CSP5. For example, the vibration generating device 50 can be implemented to be curved in a shape having a curvature value (or curvature radius) matching the convex portion or concave portion of each of the curved surface portions CSP1 to CSP5 of the display panel 30 and can be disposed in the convex portion or concave portion of each of the curved surface portions CSP1 to CSP5 of the display panel 30. As another example, the vibration generating device 50 can be implemented to have a shape corresponding to the curvature value (or curvature radius) of each of the curved surface portions CSP1 to CSP5 of the display panel 30 and can be disposed on the entire rear surface of the display panel 30.

[0180] Reference Figure 13BThe vibration generating device 50 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can be applied to a rollable display device including a display panel 30 that is wound or unwound in a spiral shape. For example, the vibration generating device 50 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can be implemented in a shape having a curvature value (or curvature radius) of the display panel 30 that is wound or unwound in a spiral shape, and a plurality of vibration generating devices 50 can be arranged on the rear surface of the display panel 30 at specific intervals. As another example, the vibration generating device 50 can be implemented in a shape corresponding to the curvature value (or curvature radius) of the display panel 30 and can be provided on the entire rear surface of the display panel 30.

[0181] Reference Figure 13C , the vibration generating device 50 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can be applied to a wearable display device including a display panel 30 that is wrapped around the user's wrist and bent into a C-shape. For example, the vibration generating device 50 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can be implemented in a shape having a curvature value (or curvature radius) of the display panel 30 bent into a C-shape, and a plurality of vibration generating devices 50 can be arranged on the rear surface of the display panel 30 at specific intervals. As another example, the vibration generating device 50 can be implemented in a shape corresponding to the curvature value (or curvature radius) of the display panel 30 bent into a C-shape, and can be provided on the entire rear surface of the display panel 30.

[0182] The vibration generating device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can be applied as a vibration generating device provided in a display device. The display device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can be applied to a mobile device, a video phone, a smart watch, a watch phone, a wearable device, a foldable device, a rollable device, a bendable device, a flexible device, a bending device, a portable multimedia player (PMP), a personal digital assistant (PDA), an electronic organizer, a desktop personal computer (PC), a laptop PC, a netbook computer, a workstation, a navigation device, a car navigation device, a car display device, a TV, a wallpaper display device, a sign device, a game console, a notebook computer, a monitor, a camera, a camcorder, a household appliance, etc. In addition, the vibration generating device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can be applied to an organic light emitting lighting device or an inorganic light emitting lighting device. When the vibration generating device is applied to a lighting device, the vibration generating device is used as an illuminator and a speaker.

[0183] A display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below.

[0184] A display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a display panel, which is configured to display an image; and a plurality of vibration generating devices, which are configured to vibrate the display panel, wherein each of the plurality of vibration generating devices includes a plurality of first parts having piezoelectric characteristics and a plurality of second parts arranged near the plurality of first parts to have an expansion coefficient, and the plurality of vibration generating devices have different expansion coefficients.

[0185] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the plurality of second portions may be disposed between the plurality of first portions.

[0186] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the plurality of first portions may be disposed on the same plane as the plurality of second portions.

[0187] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the plurality of second portions may be disposed on an upper surface or a lower surface of the plurality of first portions.

[0188] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the plurality of vibration generating devices may include a first vibration generating device, a second vibration generating device, and a third vibration generating device, and the expansion coefficient of the first vibration generating device may be smaller than the expansion coefficient of the second vibration generating device, and the expansion coefficient of the second vibration generating device may be smaller than the expansion coefficient of the third vibration generating device.

[0189] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the first vibration generating device may be implemented as one or more of a receiver and a tweeter, the second vibration generating device may be implemented as a speaker, and the third vibration generating device may be implemented as a haptic device.

[0190] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the plurality of vibration generating devices may include a first vibration generating device, a second vibration generating device, and a third vibration generating device, and the width of each of the plurality of second parts of the first vibration generating device may be smaller than the width of each of the plurality of second parts of the second vibration generating device, and the width of each of the plurality of second parts of the second vibration generating device may be smaller than the width of each of the plurality of second parts of the third vibration generating device.

[0191] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the plurality of vibration generating devices may include a first vibration generating device, a second vibration generating device, and a third vibration generating device, and the width of each of the plurality of first parts of the first vibration generating device may be smaller than the width of each of the plurality of first parts of the second vibration generating device, and the width of each of the plurality of first parts of the second vibration generating device may be smaller than the width of each of the plurality of first parts of the third vibration generating device.

[0192] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the expansion and contraction direction of each of the plurality of first portions may be the same as the expansion and contraction direction of each of the plurality of second portions.

[0193] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the display device may further include: an adhesive member located between the rear surface of the display panel and the multiple vibration generating devices, a first electrode located on the upper surface of the multiple vibration generating devices below the adhesive member, and a second electrode located on the lower surface of the multiple vibration generating devices.

[0194] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the display device may further include: a first protective layer on an upper surface of the first electrode below the adhesive member; and a second protective layer on a lower surface of the plurality of vibration generating devices.

[0195] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, each of the plurality of second portions may be formed of an auxetic layer or a cork material.

[0196] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the expansion coefficient of each of the plurality of second portions may be in the range of -0.3 to 0.

[0197] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the plurality of second portions may be flexible.

[0198] A display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a display panel configured to display an image and a plurality of vibration generating devices configured to vibrate the display panel, wherein each of the plurality of vibration generating devices includes a plurality of piezoelectric parts having piezoelectric characteristics and a plurality of expansion parts arranged near the plurality of piezoelectric parts, and the plurality of vibration generating devices are implemented to have different frequency characteristics.

[0199] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the plurality of piezoelectric portions may be disposed on the same plane as the plurality of expansion portions.

[0200] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the plurality of piezoelectric portions may be provided on upper surfaces or lower surfaces of the plurality of expansion portions.

[0201] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the plurality of vibration generating devices may include a first vibration generating device having a frequency of a high-pitched vocal cord, a second vibration generating device having a frequency of a middle-pitched vocal cord, and a third vibration generating device having a frequency of a low-pitched vocal cord.

[0202] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the frequency of the high-pitched vocal range is 10 kHz to 20 kHz, the frequency of the middle-pitched vocal range is 200 Hz to 10 kHz, and the frequency of the low-pitched vocal range is 200 Hz or lower.

[0203] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the first vibration generating device may be implemented as one or more of a receiver and a tweeter, the second vibration generating device may be implemented as a speaker, and the third vibration generating device may be implemented as a haptic device.

[0204] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the expansion coefficient of each of the multiple expansion parts of the first vibration generating device can be smaller than the expansion coefficient of each of the multiple expansion parts of the second vibration generating device, and the expansion coefficient of each of the multiple expansion parts of the second vibration generating device can be smaller than the expansion coefficient of each of the multiple expansion parts of the third vibration generating device.

[0205] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the width of each of the multiple expansion parts of the first vibration generating device may be smaller than the width of each of the multiple expansion parts of the second vibration generating device, and the width of each of the multiple expansion parts of the second vibration generating device may be smaller than the width of each of the multiple expansion parts of the third vibration generating device.

[0206] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the width of each of the multiple piezoelectric parts of the first vibration generating device can be smaller than the width of each of the multiple piezoelectric parts of the second vibration generating device, and the width of each of the multiple piezoelectric parts of the second vibration generating device can be smaller than the width of each of the multiple piezoelectric parts of the third vibration generating device.

[0207] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the first vibration generating device may be disposed on an upper portion of the display panel, the second vibration generating device may be disposed in a center of the display panel, and the third vibration generating device may be disposed on a lower portion of the display panel.

[0208] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the third vibration generating device may be disposed on an upper portion of the display panel, the first vibration generating device may be disposed in a center of the display panel, and the second vibration generating device may be disposed on a lower portion of the display panel.

[0209] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the display device may further include: a supporting member located on a rear surface of the display panel; and a spacer located between the display panel and the supporting member.

[0210] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the display apparatus may further include a partition surrounding the plurality of vibration generating devices.

[0211] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the display device may further include: a supporting member located on the rear surface of the display panel; a first spacer located between the display panel and the supporting member; and a second spacer surrounding the plurality of vibration generating devices.

[0212] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the first spacer may be provided along a region between a rear periphery of the display panel and a front periphery of the support member.

[0213] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a size of the expansion portion may be configured to be adjusted based on characteristics of vocal cords to be reproduced by vibration of the display panel.

[0214] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the plurality of expansion portions may be flexible.

[0215] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, each of the plurality of expansion portions may have a negative expansion coefficient or a zero expansion coefficient.

[0216] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, each of the plurality of expansion portions may be formed of an auxetic layer or a cork material.

[0217] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, an expansion coefficient of each of the plurality of expansion portions may be in a range of -0.3 to 0.

[0218] A display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a vibration generating device that vibrates the display panel, and thus, can be implemented using a sound generating device that generates sound so that the direction of travel of the sound of the display device is toward the front surface of the display panel; a tactile device that outputs feedback based on the user's action; and a receiver or tweeter.

[0219] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a display device implemented with one vibration generating device for implementing a speaker, a haptic device, and a receiver or a ditherer may be provided.

[0220] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations may be made to the display device of the present disclosure without departing from the technical concept or scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the embodiments of the present disclosure are intended to cover modifications and variations of the present disclosure as long as they fall within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0221] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0222] This application claims the benefit of and priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0168074, filed on December 16, 2019, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth herein.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising: a display panel configured to display an image; a membrane actuator configured to vibrate the display panel; as well as a separator configured to surround the membrane actuator, Wherein, the membrane actuator includes a plurality of vibration generating devices configured with a composite membrane, wherein the plurality of vibration generating devices are configured to have different expansion coefficients, and Wherein, the composite film comprises: a plurality of vibration sections configured to have piezoelectric characteristics, and A plurality of expansion portions are configured to have flexibility and overlap with the plurality of vibration portions.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein Each of the plurality of expansion portions has a negative expansion coefficient or a zero expansion coefficient.

3. The display device according to claim 2, wherein An expansion coefficient of each of the plurality of expansion portions is within a range of −0.3 to 0. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein: The plurality of expansion portions are provided on upper or lower surfaces of the plurality of vibration portions.

5. A display device, comprising: a display panel configured to display an image; a membrane actuator configured to vibrate the display panel; as well as a separator configured to surround the membrane actuator, Wherein, the membrane actuator includes a plurality of vibration generating devices configured with a composite membrane, wherein the plurality of vibration generating devices are configured to have different frequency characteristics, and Wherein, the composite film comprises: a plurality of vibration sections configured to have piezoelectric characteristics, and A plurality of expansion portions are configured to have flexibility and overlap with the plurality of vibration portions. The display device according to claim 5 , wherein: The plurality of expansion portions are provided on upper or lower surfaces of the plurality of vibration portions.

7. The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The membrane actuator further comprises: a first electrode at an upper surface of the composite membrane; and A second electrode is provided at a lower surface of the composite membrane.

8. The display device according to claim 7, wherein The plurality of expansion portions are located between the plurality of vibration portions and the second electrode.

9. The display device according to claim 7, wherein The membrane actuator further comprises: a first protective layer, the first protective layer being on an upper surface of the first electrode; and A second protective layer is provided on a lower surface of the second electrode. 10 . The display device according to claim 7 , further comprising an adhesive member between a rear surface of the display panel and the film actuator.

11. The display device according to claim 7, wherein An adhesive member is located between the rear surface of the display panel and the first electrode.

12. The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: Each of the plurality of expansion portions is formed of an auxetic layer or a cork material.

13. The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: An expansion and contraction direction of each of the plurality of vibration portions is the same as an expansion and contraction direction of each of the plurality of expansion portions.

14. The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: Each of the plurality of vibration generating devices is configured to include one or more of the plurality of vibration portions and one or more of the plurality of expansion portions.

15. The display device according to claim 14, wherein The membrane actuator includes a first vibration generating device, a second vibration generating device, and a third vibration generating device.

16. The display device according to claim 15, wherein The expansion coefficient of each of the plurality of expansion parts of the first vibration generating device is smaller than the expansion coefficient of each of the plurality of expansion parts of the second vibration generating device, and An expansion coefficient of each of the plurality of expansion portions of the second vibration generating device is smaller than an expansion coefficient of each of the plurality of expansion portions of the third vibration generating device.

17. The display device according to claim 16, wherein The second vibration generating device is located between the first vibration generating device and the third vibration generating device, or the first vibration generating device is located between the second vibration generating device and the third vibration generating device.

18. The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The membrane actuator comprises: a first vibration generating means having a frequency of a high-pitched vocal cord, a second vibration generating device having a frequency of the mid-pitched vocal cords, and A third vibration generating device having a frequency of the low-pitched vocal cords.

19. The display device according to claim 18, wherein The second vibration generating device is located between the first vibration generating device and the third vibration generating device, or The first vibration generating device is located between the second vibration generating device and the third vibration generating device.

20. The display device according to claim 19, wherein The frequency of the high-pitched vocal cord is greater than 10kHz and less than or equal to 20kHz, The frequency of the mid-pitched vocal cord is greater than 200 Hz and less than or equal to 10 kHz, and The frequency of the low-pitched vocal band is less than or equal to 200 Hz.

21. The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein The membrane actuator comprises: a first vibration generating device implemented as one or more of a receiver and a tweeter, a second vibration generating device, the second vibration generating device being implemented as a speaker, and A third vibration generating device is implemented as a haptic device.

22. The display device according to claim 21, wherein The second vibration generating device is located between the first vibration generating device and the third vibration generating device, or The first vibration generating device is located between the second vibration generating device and the third vibration generating device.

23. The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a supporting member, at a rear surface of the display panel, in, The spacer is located between the rear surface of the display panel and the supporting member. 24 . The display apparatus according to claim 23 , further comprising a connection member disposed between a rear periphery of the display panel and a periphery of the support member.

25. The display device according to claim 24, wherein The spacer is disposed in contact with or adjacent to the connection member.

26. The display device according to claim 23, wherein The spacer is configured to have a shape that is the same as or different from an overall shape of the membrane actuator.

27. The display device according to claim 23, wherein The separator comprises: a first spacer positioned between a rear surface of the display panel and the support member; and A second partition is configured to surround the membrane actuator.

28. The display device according to claim 27, further comprising a connecting member disposed between a rear periphery of the display panel and a periphery of the support member, in, The first spacer is configured to surround the membrane actuator and to contact or be adjacent to the connecting member.

29. The display device according to claim 27, wherein A size of the second partition is configured to be adjusted based on characteristics of sound cords to be reproduced by vibration of the display panel.

30. The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein The partition is configured to include a material having elastic force.

31. The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The divider is configured to include single-sided tape, double-sided tape, single-sided foam pad, double-sided foam pad, single-sided foam tape, or double-sided foam tape.

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