Rotatable Display Support With Rear Speaker for Consistent Audio

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Solution Overview

Problem

In rotatable image display devices, the change in speaker position when the device body is rotated affects sound delivery to the user, leading to inconsistent audio experience.

Innovation Solution

The image display device incorporates a support component with speakers disposed in a way that maintains a consistent sound emission direction by positioning them to emit sound towards a surface that reflects it towards the user, regardless of the device's orientation, using a rotation mechanism to restrict the rotation angle to 90 degrees.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the device body is made rotatable between horizontal and vertical orientations, then adaptability and versatility are improved, but the sound delivery consistency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice orientation adaptabilityVSAvoidsound delivery consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The device is segmented into two functional parts: the rotatable device body containing the display, and the fixed support component containing the speaker. This segmentation allows the display to rotate for adaptability while the speaker remains stationary for consistent sound delivery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The support component acts as an intermediary between the rotatable device body and the stationary speaker. By positioning the speaker in the support component rather than directly in the device body, the patent creates a stable acoustic reference point that remains consistent regardless of device orientation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If the speaker is disposed in the device body, then device complexity is reduced, but sound delivery consistency deteriorates during rotation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespeaker arrangement simplicityVSAvoidaudio experience consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the speaker housing into a separate support component that remains stationary while the device body rotates. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by placing the speaker outside the rotating portion, maintaining both structural simplicity and audio consistency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of manufacture

If the speaker emits sound directly forward, then ease of manufacture is improved, but sound delivery to user deteriorates when device is rotated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespeaker orientation simplicityVSAvoidsound delivery to user
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The support component serves as a stable intermediary platform that maintains the speaker's orientation independent of device body rotation. The speaker can be manufactured in a simple forward-facing configuration, and the support component ensures this orientation remains consistent relative to the user regardless of how the device body is positioned.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3761292B1Image display device
Publication Date: 2023.08.23 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD

AI summary

An image display device (2) includes a device body (4) having a front surface with a display surface (10) that is substantially rectangular and is for displaying an image; a stand (6) that is placed on a placement surface (12) and supports the device body (4); a support component (8) that is fixed to the stand (6), is disposed on a rear surface of the device body (4), and rotatably supports the device body (4) about a rotation shaft (80) between a horizontal orientation in which the display surface (10) is in a landscape orientation and a vertical orientation in which the display surface (10) is in a portrait orientation; and a speaker (54, 56) that is supported by the support component (8) and is disposed on the rear surface of the device body (4) via the support component (8). The speaker (54, 56) emits sound toward the placement surface (12).