Planar speaker for multimedia laptop PCs

A portable computer system, including a base for holding electronic components that generate electrical signals and a lid for housing a monitor, comprising:

• a plurality of panels;
• a plurality of electromagnetic speaker elements mounted coplanar to each other on each of the plurality of panels;
• a plurality of planar speakers coupled to the lid for housing the monitor, each planar speaker configured to house one of the plurality of panels, each planar speaker having a thin configuration and a flat surface fully enclosing one of the plurality of panels and the electromagnetic speaker elements mounted on the panel;
• means for mechanically mounting each planar speaker to opposite side edges of the lid;
• and
• means for electrically connecting the plurality of speaker elements to the base;
• wherein the lid for housing the monitor has an interior region for slidably receiving each of the planar speakers.

An apparatus for rendering audio signals from electrical signals produced by a signal generator, comprising:

• a panel;
• a plurality of electromagnetic speaker elements mounted coplanar to each other on the panel;
• a planar speaker coupled to the signal generator and configured to house the panel, the planar speaker having a thin configuration and a flat surface fully enclosing the panel and the electromagnetic speaker elements mounted on the panel;
• a connector mechanically mounting the planar speaker on the signal generator;
• a connector electrically connecting the electromagnetic speaker elements to the signal generator;
• and
• a lid coupled to the planar speaker and including a front surface for supporting a monitor and a rear surface for receiving an outer surface of each of the plurality of planar speakers to secure the planar speakers to the rear surface.

A portable computer system, comprising:

• a base for holding electronic components that generate electrical signals;
• a lid coupled to the base and adapted for housing a monitor;
• a plurality of panels;
• a plurality of electromagnetic speaker elements mounted coplanar to each other on each of the plurality of panels;
• a plurality of planar speakers coupled to the lid for housing the monitor, the lid having an interior region for slidably receiving each of the planar speakers, each planar speaker configured to house one of the plurality of panels, each planar speaker having a thin configuration and a flat surface fully enclosing one of the plurality of panels and the electromagnetic speaker elements mounted on the panel;
• a connector mechanically mounting each planar speaker to opposite side edges of the lid;
• and
• a connector electrically connecting the plurality of speaker elements to the base.

A portable computer system, comprising:

• a base for holding electronic components that generate electrical signals;
• a lid coupled to the base and adapted for housing a monitor;
• a plurality of panels;
• a plurality of electromagnetic speaker elements mounted coplanar to each other on each of the plurality of panels;
• a plurality of planar speakers coupled to the lid for housing the monitor, each planar speaker configured to house one of the plurality of panels, each planar speaker having a thin configuration and a flat surface fully enclosing one of the plurality of panels and the electromagnetic speaker elements mounted on the panel, the lid having a front surface for supporting a monitor and a rear surface for receiving an outer surface of each of the plurality of planar speakers to secure the planar speakers to the rear surface;
• a connector mechanically mounting each planar speaker to opposite side edges of the lid;
• and
• a connector electrically connecting the plurality of speaker elements to the base.