Laptop computer with loudspeaker(s)

Details Laptop computer with loudspeaker(s) Laptop computer with loudspeaker(s)

1998-05-13

2001-06-05

Kuntz, Curtis (Department: 2743)

Electrical audio signal processing systems and devices

Electro-acoustic audio transducer

Driven diverse static structure

C381S423000, C361S689000, C181S167000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06243473

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to personal computers and more particularly to lap-top personal computers incorporating loudspeakers.
BACKGROUND ART
It is known from GB-A-2262861 to suggest a panel-form loudspeaker comprising:
a resonant multi-mode radiator element being a unitary sandwich panel formed of two skins of material with a spacing core of transverse cellular construction, wherein the panel is such as to have ratio of bending stiffness (B), in all orientations, to the cube power of panel mass per unit surface area (&mgr;) of at least 10;
a mounting means which supports the panel or attaches to it a supporting body, in a free undamped manner;
and an electro-mechanical drive means coupled to the panel which serves to excite a multi-modal resonance in the radiator panel in response to an electrical input within a working frequency band for the loudspeaker.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention use members of nature, structure and configuration achievable generally and/or specifically by implementing teachings of our co-pending PCT publication No. WO97/09842 of even date herewith. Such members thus have capability to sustain and propagate input vibrational energy by bending waves in operative area(s) extending transversely of thickness often but not necessarily to edges of the member(s); are configured with or without anisotropy of bending stiffness to have resonant mode vibration components distributed over said area(s) beneficially for acoustic coupling with ambient air; and have predetermined preferential locations or sites within said area for transducer means, particularly operationally active or moving part(s) thereof effective in relation to acoustic vibrational activity in said area(s) and signals, usually electrical, corresponding to acoustic content of such vibrational activity. Uses are envisaged in co-pending International publication No. WO97/09842 of even date herewith for such members as or in “passive” acoustic devices without transducer means, such as for reverberation or for acoustic filtering or for acoustically “voicing” a space or room; and as or in “active” acoustic devices with transducer means, such as in a remarkably wide range of sources of sound or loudspeakers when supplied with input signals to be converted to said sound, or in such as microphones when exposed to sound to be converted into other signals.
This invention is particularly concerned with active acoustic devices e.g. in the form of loudspeakers for personal lap-top computers.
Members as above are herein called distributed mode acoustic radiators and are intended to be characterised as in the above PCT application and/or otherwise as specifically provided herein.
From one aspect the invention is a lap-top computer comprising a keyboard and a display screen, characterised in that the display screen comprises a member having capability to sustain and propagate input vibrational energy by bending waves in at least one operative area extending transversely of thickness to have resonant mode vibration components distributed over said at least one area and have predetermined preferential locations or sites within said area for transducer means and having a transducer mounted wholly and exclusively on said member at one of said locations or sites to vibrate the member to cause it to resonate forming an acoustic radiator which provides an acoustic output when resonating.
From another aspect the invention is a lap-top computer comprising a keyboard and display screen, characterised by an opposed pair of panel-form loudspeakers, and in that each loudspeaker comprises a member having capability to sustain and propagate input vibrational energy by bending waves in at least one operative area extending transversely of thickness to have resonant mode vibration components distributed over said at least one area and have predetermined preferential locations or sites within said area for transducer means and having a transducer mounted wholly and exclusively on said member at one of said locations or sites to vibrate the member to cause it to resonate forming an acoustic radiator which provides an acoustic output when resonating. The loudspeakers may be mounted to the display screen. Thus the loudspeakers may be hinged to the display screen. Alternatively the display screen may comprise a housing and the loudspeakers may each be housed in a slot in the display screen housing for sliding movement between a stored position, in which the loudspeakers are substantially wholly housed in the slot, and a use position in which the loudspeakers are positioned on opposite sides of the display screen. Each radiator may comprise a stiff lightweight panel having a cellular core sandwiched by opposed skin layers. The radiator may be supported in a surrounding frame. A resilient suspension may support the radiator in the frame.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3247925 (1966-04-01), Warnaka
patent: 3347335 (1967-10-01), Watters et al.
patent: 5025474 (1991-06-01), Tanaka et al.
patent: 5347630 (1994-09-01), Ishizawa et al.
patent: 5638456 (1997-06-01), Conley et al.
patent: 4-140999 (1992-05-01), None
patent: WO 95/31805 (1995-11-01), None

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