Patent Publication Number: US-2021176559-A1

Title: Electronic device

Description:
This application claims the benefit of People&#39;s Republic of China patent application Serial No. 201911241179.9, filed Dec. 6, 2019, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates in general to an electronic device, and more particularly to an electronic device provided with a loudspeaker. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Normally, the electronic device makes sound using a loudspeaker. However, along with the advance in technology, as the consumers are getting more and more concerned of their living quality and enjoyment, their expectation of the quality of loudspeaker is also getting higher and higher. However, when the loudspeaker makes sound, the sound is always accompanied by vibration which may easily resonate with other elements of the electronic device. The generated resonation not only affects the quality of the sound and may further affect the operation of other elements. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is directed to an electronic device capable of effectively avoiding the vibration generated by the loudspeaker being transmitted to the housing through the holder. 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, an electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a holder, a first buffer element, a second buffer element and a loudspeaker. The holder includes a first section and a second section perpendicular to the first section. The first section and the second section are respectively provided with a first opening and a second opening. The first buffer element is disposed in the first opening of the first section. The second buffer element is disposed in the second opening of the second section. The loudspeaker is supported on the housing by the holder. The first buffer element is connected to the loudspeaker, and the second buffer element is connected to the housing. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, an electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a housing, a holder, a loudspeaker and a buffer element. The holder is provided with an opening. The loudspeaker is supported on the housing by the holder. The buffer element is disposed in the opening of the holder and is connected to the loudspeaker. The buffer element includes a body provided with an annular notch through which the body is disposed in the opening of the holder. In the axial direction of the opening, the length of the annular notch is greater than the length of the opening. 
     The above and other aspects of the invention will become better understood with regard to the following detailed description of the preferred but non-limiting embodiment(s). The following description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a 3D schematic diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic side view of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an explosion diagram of the electronic device of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device along the cross-sectional line  4 - 4 ′ of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device along the cross-sectional line  5 - 5 ′ of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device along the cross-sectional line  4 - 4 ′ of  FIG. 2  according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A number of embodiments of the invention are disclosed below with accompanying drawings. For the invention to be understood clearly, many details of practices are explained in the following disclosure. However, it should be understood that the details of practices are not for limiting the invention. That is, in some embodiments of the invention, the details of practices are not necessary. To simplify the drawings, some generally known structures and elements are schematically illustrated. Unless otherwise specified, element designations common to different drawings can be regarded as corresponding elements. These drawings are for describing the connection relationship between the elements of the embodiments, and the dimension scales used in the accompanying drawings are not based on actual proportion of the elements. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a 3D schematic diagram of an electronic device  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The electronic device  100 , such as personal computer, laptop, audio device, projector, or display, includes a housing  110  and a loudspeaker module SK and can make sound using the loudspeaker module SK which is disposed on the housing  110 . 
     In an embodiment, the housing  110  may include side plates  112 ,  113 ,  114  and  115  and a bottom plate  116 . The side plates  112 ,  113 ,  114  and  115  and the bottom plate  116  are connected to define an internal space. The loudspeaker module SK can be disposed in the internal space  111  of the housing  110 . In a specific embodiment, the housing  110  includes a supporting column  117  disposed on the bottom plate  116 , and the loudspeaker module SK can be fixed on the corresponding supporting column  117  and disposed in the internal space  111  of the housing  110 . 
     In the present embodiment, the electronic device  100  may include two loudspeaker modules SK respectively making sound towards the side plates  112  and  114  disposed oppositely. Generally speaking, when the loudspeaker of the loudspeaker module SK makes sound, vibration is generated more likely in the sound direction. Therefore, the electronic device  100  may further include an elastomer  160  interposed between the loudspeaker module SK and the housing  110 . For example, with respect to the loudspeaker module SK making sound towards the side plate  112 , the elastomer  160  can be interposed between the loudspeaker module SK (such as supported by the holder) and the side plate  112  of the housing  110 . To avoid the drawing being too complicated, the following descriptions are exemplified by only one loudspeaker module SK. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic side view of the electronic device  100  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3  is an explosion diagram of the electronic device  100  of  FIG. 2 . Refer to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the loudspeaker module SK includes a holder  120 , a first buffer element  130 , a second buffer element  140 , a loudspeaker  150 , a first fixing member  170  and a second fixing member  180 . 
     The loudspeaker  150  can be supported by the holder  120  and disposed in the housing  110 . The holder  120  includes a first section  121  and a second section  122  perpendicular to the first section  121 . The holder  120  is L-shaped. In the present embodiment, the electronic device  100  may include two holders  120  respectively disposed on two opposite sides of the loudspeaker  150 , but the present invention is not limited thereto. 
     The first buffer element  130  is interposed between the loudspeaker  150  and the first section  121 ; and the second buffer element  140  is interposed between the second section  122  and the housing  110  (the supporting column  117 ). The material of the first buffer element  130  and the second buffer element  140  includes but is not limited to rubber or foam. The first buffer element  130  and the second buffer element  140  are configured to absorb and avoid the vibration generated by the loudspeaker  150  being transmitted to the housing  110  through the holder  120  and resonating with other elements on the housing  110 . 
     Refer to  FIG. 3 . The first section  121  of the holder  120  is provided with an opening  121   h , the second section  122  is provided with the second opening  122   h , and the first opening  121   h  and the second opening  122   h  respectively define an axial direction. For example, the axial direction of the first opening  121   h  is parallel to the X axis, and the axial direction of the second opening  122   h  is parallel to the Z axis. Moreover, the sound direction of the loudspeaker  150  is perpendicular to the axial direction of the first opening  121   h  and the axial direction of the second opening  122   h , respectively. The first buffer element  130  is disposed in the first opening  121   h  of the first section  121  and is further connected to the loudspeaker  150 . The second buffer element  140  is disposed in the second opening  122   h  of the second section  122  and is further connected to the housing  110 . 
     Specifically, the first buffer element  130  may include a first body  131 , a first vibration damper  132  and a second vibration damper  133 , and is provided with a first through hole  134  passing through the first body  131 . The first vibration damper  132  and the second vibration damper  133  respectively are located on two opposite sides of the first body  131 . The first vibration damper  132  and the second vibration damper  133  respectively may include multiple protrusions circumferentially and symmetrically arranged around the first through hole  134 . 
     The first body  131  is provided with a first annular notch  131   a  disposed on an outer surface of the first body  131 . The first body  131  is deformed and makes a part of the body pass through the first opening  121   h , such that the first annular notch  131   a  is disposed on the first opening  121   h  of the first section  121  enables the first buffer element  130  to be disposed in the first opening  121   h  of the first section  121 . When the first buffer element  130  is disposed in the first opening  121   h  of the first section  121 , the first fixing member  170  passes through the first through hole  134  of the first buffer element  130  to be fixed on the loudspeaker  150 . 
     The second buffer element  140  may include a second body  141 , a third vibration damper  142  and a fourth vibration damper  143 , and is provided with a second through hole  144  passing through the second body  141 . The third vibration damper  142  and the fourth vibration damper  143  respectively are located on two opposite sides of the second body  141 . The third vibration damper  142  and the fourth vibration damper  143  respectively may include multiple protrusions circumferentially and symmetrically arranged around the second through hole  144 . 
     The second body  141  is provided with a second annular notch  141   a  disposed on an outer surface of the second body  141 . The second body  141  is deformed and makes a part of the body pass through the second opening  122   h , such that the second annular notch  141   a  is disposed on the second opening  122   h  of the second section  122  and enables the second buffer element  140  to be disposed in the second opening  122   h  of the second section  122 . When the second buffer element  140  is disposed in the second opening  122   h  of the second section  122 , the second fixing member  180  passes through the second through hole  144  of the second buffer element  140  to be fixed on the supporting column  117  of the housing  110 . 
     As indicated in  FIG. 3 , the first section  121  is provided with two first opening  121   h , the second section  122  is provided with a second opening  122   h , and each of the first buffer element  130 , the second buffer element  140 , the first fixing member  170  and the second fixing member  180  of the electronic device  100  has a quantity of corresponding number. However, the quantity of corresponding number is not for limiting the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a cross-sectional view of an electronic device  100  along the cross-sectional line  4 - 4 ′ of  FIG. 2  is shown.  FIG. 4  illustrated the arrangement of the first buffer element  130 . The first vibration damper  132  located on one side of the first body  131   a  is cushioned on the loudspeaker  150 , and the second vibration damper  133  located on the other side of the first body  131  is cushioned on the first fixing member  170 . When the loudspeaker  150  makes sound and generates vibration, the first vibration damper  132  and the second vibration damper  133  can be deformed to avoid vibration being directly transmitted to the first section  121  of the holder  120  through the loudspeaker  150  and/or the first fixing member  170 . 
     Besides, the diameter r 1  of the first through hole  134  of the first buffer element  130  is greater than the diameter d 170  of the part by which the first fixing member  170  passes through the first through hole  134 . That is, the first fixing member  170  is directly connected to the first buffer element  130  through the second vibration damper  133 , and when the vibration generated by the loudspeaker  150  is transmitted to the first fixing member  170 , vibration will be transmitted to the first buffer element  130  along the arrow direction to prolong the transmission path of vibration. 
     Moreover, when the first body  131  is disposed in the first opening  121   h  of the first section  121  through the first annular notch  131   a , the first body  131  does not fully lean on the first section  121 . In an example of arrangement, the first body  131  can be tightly engaged with the first opening  121   h  in the radial direction of the first opening  121   h  (the YZ plane). However, the length a 1  of the first annular notch  131   a  is greater than the length h 1  of the first opening  121   h  in the axial direction of the first opening  121   h  (parallel to the X axis), such that the first body  131  and the first section  121  form a gap in the axial direction of the first opening  121   h . Illustratively but not restrictively, the gap is in a range of 0.2-0.3 mm. 
     Through the above arrangement, the transmission path of vibration can be further prolonged, such that the vibration generated by the loudspeaker  150  will not be directly transmitted to the first section  121  of the holder  120 . Instead, most vibration will be absorbed by the first buffer element  130 , and only a partial amount of vibration will be transmitted the first section  121 . 
     Furthermore, the partial amount of vibration can further be absorbed by other buffer elements, such as another first buffer element  130  located in the first section  121  or another second buffer element  140  located in the second section  122 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a cross-sectional view of an electronic device along the cross-sectional line  5 - 5 ′ of  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 5  illustrates the arrangement of the second buffer element  140 . The third vibration damper  142  located on one side of the second body  141   a  is cushioned on the supporting column  117  of the housing  110 , and the fourth vibration damper  143  located on the other side of the second body  141  is cushioned on the second fixing member  180 . When a partial amount of vibration is transmitted to the second section  122  from the first section  121 , the third vibration damper  142  and the fourth vibration damper  143  can be deformed to avoid the partial amount of vibration being transmitted to the housing  110 . 
     Besides, the diameter r 2  of the second through hole  144  of the second buffer element  140  is greater than the diameter d 180  of the part by which the second fixing member  180  passes through the second through hole  144 . That is, the second fixing member  180  is directly connected to the second buffer element  140  through the fourth vibration damper  143 , and when a partial amount of vibration is transmitted to the second section  122 , the remaining amount of vibration will be absorbed by the second buffer element  140 , such that the probability of vibration being transmitted to the second fixing member  180  and affecting the housing  110  through the second fixing member  180  will be decreased. 
     Like the arrangement of the first buffer element  130 , when the second body  141  passes through the second opening  122   h  of the second section  122  through the second annular notch  141   a , the second body  141  does not fully lean on the second section  122 . In an example of arrangement, the second body  141  can be tightly engaged with the second opening  122   h  in the radial direction of the second opening  122   h  (the XY plane). However, the length a 2  of the second annular notch  141   a  is greater than the length h 2  of the second opening  122   h  in the axial direction of the second opening  122   h  (parallel to the Z axis), such that the second body  141  and the second section  122  form a gap in the axial direction of the second opening  122   h . Illustratively but not restrictively, the gap is in a range of 0.2-0.3 mm. Thus, the remaining amount of vibration can be absorbed by the second buffer element  140 , and vibration can be effectively prevented from being transmitted to the housing  110 . 
     In the present embodiment, a two-stage vibration reduction effect can be achieved through the arrangement of an L-shaped holder  120 . That is, most vibration generated by the loudspeaker  150  is absorbed by the first buffer element  130  located in the first section  121  and only a partial amount of vibration is transmitted to the second section  122  through the first section  121 . Then, the remaining amount of vibration is further absorbed by the second buffer element  140  located in the second section  122 . Thus, vibration can be effectively prevented from being transmitted to the housing  110 . 
     The present invention is not limited to the above arrangements. For example, in another embodiment, the first buffer element, the second buffer element, the first fixing member, the second fixing member and the holder can be arranged in different ways to avoid vibration being transmitted to the housing. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , a cross-sectional view of an electronic device  200  along the cross-sectional line  4 - 4 ′ of  FIG. 2  according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown.  FIG. 6  illustrates the arrangement of the first buffer element  230 . The first buffer element  230  includes a first body  231 , a first vibration damper  232  and a second vibration damper  233 . The first body  231  is provided with a first annular notch  231   a  through which the first body  231  is disposed in the first opening  121   h  of the first section  121 . 
     Unlike the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , when the first fixing member  170  passes through the first through hole  234  of the first buffer element  230 , the first fixing member  170  is directly connected to the second vibration damper  233  as well as the first body  231 . 
     Moreover, the first body  231  is not tightly engaged with the first opening  121   h  in the radial direction of the first opening  121   h  (the YZ plane). Conversely, the diameter R of the first opening  121   h  of the first section  121  is greater than the diameter d 231  of the part by which the first body  231  is disposed in the first opening  121   h , such that the first body  231  and the first section  121  form a gap in the radial direction of the first opening  121   h . Illustratively but not restrictively, the gap is in a range of 0.2-0.3 mm. 
     Through the above arrangement, the first buffer element  23  and the first section  121  of the holder  1200  can be separated from each other without affecting the assembly of the electronic device, hence greatly decreasing the probability of vibration being transmitted to the first section  121  of the holder  120 . Additionally, the arrangement of the second buffer element can be similar to that of the first buffer element  230 . That is, the diameter of the second opening of the second section  122  is greater than the diameter of the part by which the second body is disposed in the second opening. Although a partial amount of vibration may be transmitted to the first section  121  and the second section  122 , the partial amount of vibration still can be absorbed by another first buffer element  230  and/or another second buffer element and will not affect the housing  110 . 
     Besides, the first buffer element  130  of  FIG. 4  can be replaced by the first buffer element  230  of  FIG. 6 . That is, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and the arrangement of the present invention can be a combination of the above embodiments. 
     Through the above embodiments, the loudspeaker is supported by an L-shaped holder and disposed in the housing, and the generated vibration can be absorbed by the first buffer element and the second buffer element, such that a two-stage vibration reduction effect can be achieved and the vibration reduction performance can be greatly increased. On the other hand, the buffer element is not tightly engaged with the holder in each direction. Instead, a gap is formed between the buffer element and the holder. The gap prolongs the transmission path of vibration and decreases the probability of vibration being transmitted to the housing. 
     While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiment(s), it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures.