# US 11,310,576 B2 · Display apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,310,576 B2 - Document ID: US11310576B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/217,480 - Filed: 2018-12-12 - Published: 2019-04-18 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2014-05-20 - Assignees: Samsung Display Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Display Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Yi Joon Ahn; Yongchang Park; WonSang Park; Jongin Baek; Yong-Suk Yeo; Taehee Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11310576B2 ## CPC - H04R 1/028: {associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles} - G06F 1/1688: {the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers} - H04M 1/03: Constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. telephone hand-sets - H04R 7/045: {using the distributed mode principle, i.e. whereby the acoustic radiation is emanated from uniformly distributed free bending wave vibration induced in a stiff panel and not from pistonic motion} - G06F 1/1652: {the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable} - H04R 17/00: Piezoelectric transducers; Electrostrictive transducers (piezoelectric or electrostrictive elements in general H10N30/00; details of piezoelectric or electrostrictive motors, generators or positioners {H10N30/00}) - H04R 2400/03: Transducers capable of generating both sound as well as tactile vibration, e.g. as used in cellular phones - H04R 2499/11: Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's - H04R 2499/15: Transducers incorporated in visual displaying devices, e.g. televisions, computer displays, laptops - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract A display apparatus includes a display panel which displays an image and a vibration member attached to a surface of the display panel, where the vibration member receives a sound signal, generates a vibration in response to the sound signal, and transfers the vibration to the display panel to allow the display panel to output a sound. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A display device comprising: a display panel which displays an image; a vibration control plate which includes a first surface contacting the display panel; a vibration member directly disposed on a second surface of the vibration control plate which is opposite to the first surface of the vibration control plate; a damper directly disposed on the second surface of the vibration control plate and spaced apart to the vibration member such that a contact portion of the damper and the vibration control plate is spaced apart from a side surface of the vibration control plate with a predetermined distance in a main plane extension direction of the vibration control plate; and a cover part covering the display panel, the vibration member and the damper, wherein the vibration member receives a sound signal, generates a vibration in response to the sound signal, and transfers the vibration to the display panel to allow the display panel to vibrate and to output a sound, wherein the damper includes a first contact surface and a second contact surface which respectively have planes parallel to the main plane extension direction of the vibration control plate and face each other in a first direction perpendicular to the main plane extension direction of the vibration control plate such that the first contact surface of the damper is coupled to the vibration control plate, and the second contact surface of the damper is coupled to a portion of the cover part which is parallel to the main plane extension direction of the vibration control plate and overlaps the vibration control plate in the first direction, the damper has a thickness between the first contact surface and the second contact surface in a first direction perpendicular to the main plane extension direction of the vibration control plate, and the thickness of the damper is greater than a thickness of the vibration member in the first direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The display device of claim 1, wherein the vibration control plate controls a vibration frequency of the vibration transferred to the display panel from the vibration member. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The display device of claim 2, wherein wherein the first contact surface of the damper and the vibration member attached to the second surface of the vibration control plate are spaced apart to each other. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The display device of claim 1, wherein the cover part comprises a bottom portion and a sidewall extending from the bottom portion, the display device further comprises an edge attached to the sidewall, and the display panel is coupled to the sidewall by the edge such that the display panel vibrates in directions substantially perpendicular to a surface thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The display device of claim 1, wherein the damper comprises: a first damper disposed at a first side of the display panel; and a second damper disposed at a second side of the display panel, wherein the vibration member is disposed between the first and second dampers. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The display device of claim 1, wherein the damper comprises: a first damper disposed at a first side of the display panel; and a second damper disposed at a second side of the display panel, and the vibration member comprises: a first vibration member disposed at the first side of the display panel; and a second vibration member disposed at the second side of the display panel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The display device of claim 1, wherein the display panel has a display area which displays the image and includes a first sub display area which has a curved shape. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The display device of claim 1, wherein the display panel is a flexible display panel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The display device of claim 1, wherein the vibration member comprises a piezoelectric element, a polyvinylidene fluoride, an electro active polymer or a combination thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The display device of claim 1, further comprising: a signal generator which generates the sound signal in response to a sound data and applies the sound signal to the vibration member. ### Claim 11 A display device comprising: a display panel which displays an image; a cover part which disposed at a lower side of the display panel; a vibration control plate including a first surface attached to a surface of the display panel, and a second surface which is opposite to the first surface; a vibration member which includes a contact surface directly attached to the second surface of the vibration control plate; a damper which includes a first contact surface directly disposed on the second surface of the vibration control plate and a second contact surface coupled to the cover part, the first contact surface and the second contact surface respectively having planes parallel to a main plane extension direction of the vibration control plate and facing each other in a first direction perpendicular to the main plane extension direction of the vibration control plate; wherein the first contact surface of the damper is spaced apart from the contact surface of the vibration member with a predetermined distance in the main plane extension direction of the vibration control plate, wherein the cover part covers the display panel, the vibration member and the damper, wherein the vibration member receives a sound signal, generates a vibration in response to the sound signal, and transfers the vibration through the vibration control plate to the display panel to allow the display panel to vibrate and to output a sound, and wherein the second contact surface of the damper is coupled to a portion of the cover part which is parallel to the main plane extension direction of the vibration control plate and overlaps the vibration control plate in the first direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The display device of claim 11, wherein the display panel comprises: a first surface which displays the image thereon; and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and the vibration control plate is attached to the second surface of the display panel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The display device of claim 11, wherein the vibration control plate controls a vibration frequency of the vibration transferred to the display panel from the vibration member. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The display device of claim 11, wherein the damper has a thickness between the first contact surface and the second contact surface in the first direction, and the thickness of the damper greater than a thickness of the vibration member in the first direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The display device of claim 11, wherein the cover part comprises a sidewall extending from a bottom portion, the display device further comprises an edge attached to the sidewall, and the display panel is coupled to the sidewall by the edge such that the display panel vibrates in directions substantially perpendicular to a surface thereof. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The display device of claim 11, wherein the damper comprises: a first damper disposed at a first side of the display panel; and a second damper disposed at a second side of the display panel, wherein the vibration member is disposed between the first and second dampers. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The display device of claim 11, wherein the damper comprises: a first damper disposed at a first side of the display panel; and a second damper disposed at a second side of the display panel, and the vibration member comprises: a first vibration member disposed at the first side of the display panel and spaced apart from the first damper; and a second vibration member disposed at the second side of the display panel and spaced apart from the second damper. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The display device of claim 11, wherein the display panel has a display area which displays the image and includes a first sub display area which has a curved shape. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The display device of claim 18, wherein the display area includes a second sub display area which is not curved, and the vibration control plate and the vibration member are disposed in the second sub display area. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The display device of claim 11, wherein the display panel is a flexible display panel. ### Claim 21 (depends on 11) The display device of claim 11, further comprising: a signal generator which generates the sound signal in response to a sound data and applies the sound signal to the vibration member. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The display device of claim 21, wherein the display panel comprises a first area and a second area, the vibration member comprises a first vibration member disposed in the first area and a second vibration member disposed in the second area, the sound signal comprises a first sound signal and a second sound signal, the signal generator applies the first and second sound signals to the first and second vibration members, respectively, and the first and second vibration members vibrate the first and second areas, respectively, such that sounds output from the first and second areas are different from each other. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The display device of claim 20, wherein the signal generator generates the first and second sound signals based on vibration characteristics of the first and second areas.