# US 2017/0289699 A1 · Piezoelectric force actuator audio system

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2017/0289699 A1
- Document ID: US20170289699A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/083,991
- Filed: 2016-03-29
- Published: 2017-10-05
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-29
- Assignees: Dell Products L.P.
- Applicants: Dell Products L.P.
- Inventors: Prakhar Srivastava; Mitchell Anthony Markow; Douglas Jarrett Peeler; Andrew Thomas Sultenfuss
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170289699A1

## CPC

- 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 5/02: Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers
- H04R 7/06: comprising a plurality of sections or layers
- H04R 2307/023: Diaphragms comprising ceramic-like materials, e.g. pure ceramic, glass, boride, nitride, carbide, mica and carbon materials
- H04R 2307/025: Diaphragms comprising polymeric materials
- H04R 2307/027: Diaphragms comprising metallic materials
- H04R 2440/05: Aspects relating to the positioning and way or means of mounting of exciters to resonant bending wave panels
- 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)

## Abstract

An audio system includes an audio panel. The audio panel includes a first face plate, a second face plate, and a core that includes a plurality of structural members that extend between the first face plate and the second face plate. The plurality of structural members define a plurality of cavities in the core. The audio system also includes a first piezoelectric actuator mounted to at least one of the first face plate, the second face plate, and the core. The first piezoelectric actuator is configured to convert electrical signals into mechanical energy to cause the audio panel to generate sound.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An audio system, comprising:
an audio panel including:
a first face plate;
a second face plate; and
a core that includes a plurality of structural members that extend between the first face plate and the second face plate, wherein the plurality of structural members define a plurality of cavities in the core; and
a first piezoelectric actuator mounted to at least one of the plurality of structural members in the core, wherein the first piezoelectric actuator is configured to convert electrical signals into mechanical energy to cause the audio panel to generate sound.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a display device mounted to the audio panel.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of cavities include substantially similar dimensions.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the audio panel provides an outer surface of a computing device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the first piezoelectric actuator has a thickness that is less than the thickness of the core that extends between the first face plate and the second face plate.

### Claim 6

(canceled)

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a second piezoelectric actuator mounted to the audio panel in a spaced-apart orientation from the first piezoelectric actuator, wherein the first piezoelectric actuator and the second piezoelectric actuator are configured to convert the electrical signals to mechanical energy to cause the audio panel to generate stereophonic sound.

### Claim 8

An Information Handling System (IHS), comprising:
a chassis housing a processing system and a memory system that is coupled to the processing system and that includes instructions that, when executed by the processing system, cause the processing system to provide a sound engine;
an audio panel provided in the chassis and including:
a first face plate;
a second face plate; and
a core that includes a plurality of structural members that extend between the first face plate and the second face plate, wherein the plurality of structural members define a plurality of cavities in the core; and
a first piezoelectric actuator mounted to at least one of the plurality of structural members in the core, wherein the first piezoelectric actuator is coupled to the processing system and configured to convert electrical signals provided by the sound engine into mechanical energy that causes the audio panel to generate sound.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The IHS of claim 8, wherein the chassis includes a display chassis portion that includes the audio panel.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The IHS of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of cavities include substantially similar dimensions.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The IHS of claim 8, wherein the audio panel provides an outer surface of the chassis.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The IHS of claim 8, wherein the first piezoelectric actuator has a thickness that is less than the thickness of the core that extends between the first faceplate and the second face plate.

### Claim 13

(canceled)

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The IHS of claim 8, further comprising:
a second piezoelectric actuator mounted to the audio panel in a spaced-apart orientation from the first piezoelectric actuator, wherein the first piezoelectric actuator and the second piezoelectric actuator are configured to convert the electrical signals provided by the sound engine into mechanical energy that causes the audio panel to generate stereophonic sound.

### Claim 15

A method of sound generation, comprising:
providing, by a sound engine, electrical signals to a first piezoelectric actuator;
converting, by the first piezoelectric actuator, the electrical signals into mechanical energy;
transmitting, by the first piezoelectric actuator, the mechanical energy to an audio panel that includes:
a first face plate;
a second face plate; and
a core that includes a plurality of structural members that extend between the first face plate and the second face plate and that define a plurality of cavities in the core, wherein the first piezoeletric actuator is mounted to at least one structural member of the plurality of structural members in the core; and
generating, by the audio panel, sound from the mechanical energy.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising:
transmitting, by the audio panel, the mechanical energy to a display device; and
generating, by a display device, sound from the mechanical energy.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising:
providing, by the sound engine, the electrical signals to a second piezoelectric actuator that is mounted to the audio panel in a spaced-apart orientation from the first piezoelectric actuator;
converting, by the second piezoelectric actuator, the electrical signals into the mechanical energy;
transmitting, by the second piezoelectric actuator, the mechanical energy to the audio panel; and
generating, by the audio panel, stereophonic sound from the mechanical energy transmitted from the first piezoelectric actuator and the first piezoelectric actuator.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of cavities include substantially similar dimensions.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the first piezoelectric actuator has a thickness that is less than the thickness of the core that extends between the first faceplate and the second face plate.

### Claim 20

(canceled)