Piezo Acoustic Element for Display Touch and Sound

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional display devices require separate speakers and touch sensors, which increase complexity and reduce space efficiency, while also consuming additional power and resources.

Innovation Solution

A display device design that integrates an acoustic element with a piezo material, such as PVDF or PZT, within the display panel's chassis, using protruding regions to amplify sound and sense touch through vibration, eliminating the need for separate speakers and touch panels by utilizing the acoustic element to generate sound and detect touch.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If separate speakers and touch sensors are included in display devices, then sound output and touch sensing functions are achieved, but device complexity and space requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidfunctionality

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines separate speaker and touch sensor functions into a single integrated acoustic element. The acoustic element includes electrodes and a vibration material layer that can both generate sound through electrical signals and detect touch through vibration sensing, eliminating the need for separate components while maintaining both functionalities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The acoustic element is designed to perform multiple functions: it acts as both a speaker for sound output and a touch sensor for contact detection. The vibration material layer responds to both driven vibrations (for sound) and external touch vibrations (for sensing), making the component universal and multi-functional

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Area of stationary object

If separate speakers and touch sensors are included in display devices, then sound output and touch sensing functions are achieved, but the display device occupies more space

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespace utilizationVSAvoidfunctionality

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the speaker and touch sensor into a single acoustic element structure. The acoustic element is disposed within the display device housing and integrates both sound generation and touch sensing capabilities, significantly reducing the space required compared to having separate components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The acoustic element is nested within the display device housing structure, with the vibration material layer positioned between electrodes. This nested configuration allows the acoustic element to occupy minimal space while still providing both speaker and touch sensor functions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Use of energy by moving object

If separate speakers and touch sensors are included in display devices, then sound output and touch sensing functions are achieved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidfunctionality

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The acoustic element serves dual purposes as both speaker and touch sensor, eliminating the need for separate power-consuming components. The vibration material layer can be driven by electrical signals for sound output and can passively detect touch through vibration, reducing overall power consumption while maintaining both functionalities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The acoustic element can detect touch through passive vibration sensing without requiring additional active sensing mechanisms. The vibration material layer naturally responds to external touch and can detect these vibrations, allowing the system to sense touch with minimal additional power consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design allows for a compact, power-efficient display device that can produce sound and sense touch without additional hardware, enhancing space utilization and reducing power consumption.

Implementation Method 1

an acoustic element which generates a sound or generates vibrations, and includes a piezo material, for example, materials such as poly vinylidene fluoride ('PVDF') and lead-zirconate-titanate ('PZT')

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPiezoelectric effect: Piezoelectric Effect

Implementation Method 2

sense a touch without including a separate touch panel/touch sensor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVibration sensing: Vibration

Data Source

PatentUS9398359B2Display device

Publication Date: 2016.07.19 SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO LTD

AI summary

A display device includes: a display panel which displays an image; a rear chassis which covers a rear surface of the display panel, where the rear chassis includes: a first protruding region which protrudes to a rear surface of the chassis; and a second protruding region which is disposed in the first protruding region and further protrudes from the first protruding region to the rear surface of the chassis; and an acoustic element disposed in the first protruding region and at a space defined in the second protruding region, where the acoustic element includes a plurality of electrodes, and a vibration material layer disposed between the electrodes.