Patent Description:
In recent years, electronic devices including a sound system such as television, Bluetooth speakers and mobile phones are getting slimmer. At the same, there is a growing demand for good sound quality. Patent document <CIT> describes an apparatus to detect an audio module comprising a user replaceable module.

Low-range reproduction capability greatly affects sound quality. One of the methods for improving low-range reproduction capability is to provide a large enclosure of a speaker. The larger an enclosure of a speaker is, the more advantageous it is to improve low-range performance because a resonant frequency of a sound system which is determined by an interaction between air within the enclosure and a diaphragm is lowered. That is, if air within the enclosure is modeled as a vibration system with a single degree of freedom, internal volume acts like a spring (hereinafter to be also called the "sound compliance"). If the volume is large, it is modeled as a flexible spring and the resonant frequency is lowered.

As the enclosure should be large to improve the low-range reproduction capability as above, it is not easy to improve the low-range reproduction capability in a relatively small speaker.

To address limitations of the sound compliance that is dependent upon the physical volume of the enclosure, a technology using active carbon or zeolite to have an effect of increasing a bulk of sound has been developed. The foregoing technology using active carbon or zeolite improves the sound compliance by discharging, condensing and adsorbing part of air within the enclosure to thereby prevent the sound compliance from being reduced according to a rise in a pressure within the enclosure when a diaphragm moves toward an inside of the enclosure. The foregoing technology has an effect opposite to the above when the diaphragm moves toward an outside of the enclosure and internal pressure of the enclosure is lowered.

However, as active carbon and zeolite are used in the form of granules (small grains) to maximize the effect of air adsorption, they should be isolated from a driver unit exposed in the enclosure. Also, active carbon and zeolite have less effect of air adsorption in high humidity, and thus they are mainly employed in a closed-type enclosure. If active carbon and zeolite are to be employed in an open-type enclosure, additional measures should be taken to prevent humidity. Also, although the pore size, specific surface area and density of adsorption materials should be controllable to maximize the effect of air adsorption, such control is not easy for zeolite and active carbon in general.

Embodiments of the disclosure provide a display apparatus including an air adsorption member which may maximize and/or improve the effect of increasing a bulk of sound and may apply to various types of enclosures.

There is provided a speaker in accordance with claim <NUM>. Other aspects of the invention are set forth in the dependent claims.

As described above, according to the disclosure, a low-range reproduction capability of a speaker of a display apparatus may be improved and the degree of freedom may be increased in designing the speaker.

Below, various example embodiments of the disclosure will be described in greater detail with reference to accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the like reference numerals or signs may refer to elements that perform substantially the same functions, and the size of the respective elements may have been magnified for clarification and convenience of description. However, the technical ideas, configurations and effects of the disclosure are not limited to the configurations or effects described in the embodiments below. Embodiments which are described with reference to the drawings are not mutually exclusive unless otherwise specified and a plurality of embodiments may be selectively combined with each other for implementation. In the course of describing the disclosure, where any detailed description of known art or configuration relating to the disclosure is likely to unnecessarily deviate from substance of the disclosure, such detailed description may be omitted.

In the embodiments of the disclosure, terms including ordinal numbers such as first and second may be used simply for distinguishing an element from another element. The singular includes the plural unless the context explicitly otherwise requires. In the embodiments of the disclosure, terms "comprise", "include" and "have" should be understood as not excluding the possibility of existence or addition of one or more other characteristics, numbers, steps, operations, elements, parts or a combination of the same. In the embodiments of the disclosure, terms "upper", "top", "lower", "bottom", "left", "right", "above" and "below" are defined on the basis of the drawings, and the shape or location of the elements are not limited by the same. In addition, in the embodiments of the disclosure, the expression "at least one" of a plurality of elements refers to not only all of the plurality of elements but also each or a combination of the same excluding the remainder of the plurality of elements.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an example electronic device <NUM> according to an embodiment of the disclosure. The electronic device <NUM> according to the embodiment of the disclosure may be implemented as a display apparatus as illustrated in <FIG>, e.g. as television, laptop computer, tablet PC, etc. However, the electronic device <NUM> according to the embodiment of the disclosure is not limited to a display apparatus, and may vary as long as it has a speaker, e.g. Bluetooth speaker and artificial intelligence speaker, etc., and outputs sound therethrough. The electronic device <NUM> according to the embodiment of the disclosure may be a speaker itself. However, hereinafter, the case where the electronic device <NUM> is a display apparatus will be described by way of example for convenience of description.

The display apparatus <NUM> according to the embodiment of the disclosure includes a speaker <NUM>. The speaker <NUM> included in the display apparatus <NUM> of the disclosure may be a slot-type speaker. The slot-type speaker may refer, without limitation, to a speaker in which a cross-section area of an opening through which sound is output is smaller than a cross-section of a diaphragm of the speaker. The speaker <NUM> in <FIG> is provided in a lower part of the display apparatus <NUM> and thus a direction of outputting sound is also directed below the electronic device <NUM>. However, the location of the speaker in the display apparatus <NUM> or the direction of outputting sound of the speaker <NUM> is not limited to the foregoing. Also, the speaker <NUM> of the disclosure is not limited to the slot-type speaker.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view of the speaker <NUM> according to an embodiment of the disclosure. The speaker <NUM> according to the embodiment of the disclosure includes a driver unit (e.g., a driver) <NUM>, an enclosure <NUM> and an air adsorption member <NUM>.

The driver unit <NUM> may output sound according to a sound signal input to the driver unit <NUM>. The driver unit <NUM> may be provided in the enclosure <NUM> or along with the enclosure <NUM>. The driver unit <NUM> may be comprised of a single or plural drivers. The driver unit <NUM> may include a diaphragm <NUM> and a driving circuit (not shown) to output sound from a sound signal.

The enclosure <NUM> may refer, for example, to a structure forming a shape of the speaker, and accommodates the driver unit <NUM> therein. The enclosure <NUM> may surround a rear side of the driver unit <NUM>. There is no specific limitation in the shape and material of the enclosure <NUM>. The air adsorption member <NUM> is provided in the enclosure <NUM>. The air adsorption member <NUM> includes a graphene. The graphene may refer, for example, to a 2D membrane generated by a planar combination of carbon atoms and has various strengths such as high electron mobility, excellent mechanical strength and transparency. The air adsorption member <NUM> including the graphene adsorbs air in the enclosure <NUM> when the diaphragm <NUM> moves toward an inside of the enclosure <NUM>, thereby preventing and/or avoiding a situation in which a sound compliance from being reduced according to a rise in an internal pressure of the enclosure <NUM>. That is, the air adsorption member <NUM> creates the effect as if the bulk of the enclosure <NUM> has been substantially improved. On the other hand, the air adsorption member <NUM> may discharge air to an inside of the enclosure <NUM> when the diaphragm <NUM> moves toward an outside of the enclosure <NUM>, thereby preventing and/or avoiding a situation in which the sound compliance from being increased according to a drop in pressure.

Based on the above, a low-range reproduction capability of the speaker <NUM> is improved.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an example structure of the air adsorption member <NUM> of the speaker <NUM> according to the embodiment of the disclosure.

The air adsorption member <NUM> of the speaker <NUM> according to the embodiment of the disclosure may, for example, be implemented as a graphene sponge extending from a 2D graphene to a 3D structure or as a graphene platelet including several layers of graphene. <FIG> illustrates an example of the graphene sponge implementing the air adsorption member <NUM>. If the air adsorption member <NUM> of the speaker <NUM> according to the embodiment of the disclosure is implemented as a graphene sponge or graphene platelet, the air adsorption member <NUM> may have a pore size effective for improving sound compliance through air adsorption and high specific surface area.

Based on the above, the low-range reproduction capability of the speaker <NUM> is further improved.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an example structure of an air adsorption member <NUM> of a speaker <NUM> according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

The air adsorption member <NUM> of the speaker <NUM> according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes a scaffold <NUM> as a structure to which a graphene <NUM> is attached. The scaffold <NUM> may, for example, have the graphene <NUM> attached thereto so that the graphene <NUM> does not freely move within the enclosure <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the scaffold <NUM> is provided in a grid form.

A space between grids or a length of each grid may be ununiform.

The space between the grids of the scaffold <NUM> is larger than the size of the graphene <NUM>. For example, if the graphene <NUM> attached to the scaffold <NUM> is in the form of, e.g. particles or powder as in <FIG>, the space (d in <FIG>) between the grids of the scaffold <NUM> may be larger than a diameter of the particle or powder (a in <FIG>) of the graphene <NUM>.

The scaffold <NUM> may be provided, for example, as at least one of melamine foam, cellulose fiber matrix and metal mesh. However, the material of the scaffold <NUM> is not limited to the foregoing.

Based on the above, the strength or durability of the air adsorption member <NUM> of the speaker <NUM> is improved. Various methods are available for attaching the graphene <NUM> to the scaffold <NUM>.

For example, the air adsorption member <NUM> may be provided to attach the powder-type graphene <NUM> to the scaffold <NUM>. Since the graphene <NUM> may have a size having a magnitude in nanometers it may be much smaller than the scaffold <NUM>, if the scaffold <NUM> is dipped in a place where the graphene <NUM> is provided in the form of powder, the graphene <NUM> and the scaffold <NUM> may strongly adhere to each other by van der Waals force, etc. To further increase the contact between the graphene <NUM> and the scaffold <NUM> in the process of adhering the graphene <NUM> to the scaffold <NUM>, an additional process of shaking or kneading the scaffold <NUM> by hand after putting the scaffold <NUM> in the place where the graphene <NUM> is provided in the form of powder may be performed.

<FIG> are photographs illustrating an example structure seen through a microscope when the graphene <NUM> in the form of powder is attached to the scaffold <NUM>.

<FIG> relates to a first part of the air adsorption member <NUM>.

<FIG> relates to a second part of the air adsorption member <NUM>.

Based on the above, the air adsorption member <NUM> may be manufactured relatively easily without additional encapsulation process. Since the pore size, specific surface area, density, etc. of the air adsorption member <NUM> may be controlled by adjusting the space of the scaffold <NUM> or by varying the size of the powder of the graphene <NUM>, the effect of air adsorption may be maximized and/or improved.

As another example of attaching the graphene <NUM> to the scaffold <NUM>, the air adsorption member <NUM> may have the graphene <NUM> attached to the scaffold <NUM> using a volatile solution in which the graphene <NUM> is dissolved. For example, after the graphene <NUM> is dissolved in a volatile solution, the solution may be applied to the scaffold <NUM> by being sprinkled on the scaffold <NUM> or by dipping the scaffold <NUM> in the solution, and as the volatile solution is volatilized, the graphene <NUM> is attached to the scaffold <NUM>.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an example structure of the air adsorption member <NUM> that is provided by the foregoing attachment method.

<FIG> is a photograph illustrating an example structure of <FIG> seen through a microscope.

<FIG> is a photograph illustrating an example structure of <FIG> seen through a microscope. <FIG> illustrates the example structure of <FIG> seen through a microscope equipped with a higher resolution microscope than that used for <FIG>.

Based on the above, the air adsorption member <NUM> may be manufactured relatively easily. Also, the effect of air adsorption may be maximized and/or improved by controlling the pore size, specific surface area and density of the air adsorption member <NUM>.

Hereinafter, the effect of the disclosure will be described in greater detail below with reference to <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an example comparison between a graph <NUM> which shows a change to a resonant frequency when the quantity of active carbon <NUM> as an air adsorption member according to a prior art is increased within a closed-type enclosure <NUM>, and a graph <NUM> which shows a change to a resonant frequency when the quantity of the air adsorption member <NUM> including, e.g. graphene platelet (GP) according to the disclosure is increased. In the case of the air adsorption member including active carbon, the rate of increase in bulk is saturated at <NUM>% while, in the case of the air adsorption member <NUM> including GP, the resonant frequency is continuously reduced and the rate of increase in bulk is more than <NUM>%. The rate of increase in bulk may refer, for example, to the percentage of the effect of increase in bulk of the enclosure <NUM> corresponding to the amount of reduction of the resonant frequency. For example, the rate of increase in bulk may refer, for example, to the percentage of the effect of substantial increase in bulk through the air adsorption member with respect to the current volume of the enclosure <NUM>.

According to the disclosure, the rate of increase in bulk of the enclosure <NUM> is higher than that of the prior art using active carbon, and thus the low-range reproduction capability may be further improved even in the enclosure <NUM> with a limited volume.

<FIG> is a diagram including various graphs showing changes to impedance and sound pressure level (SPL) of a prior speaker <NUM> including an enclosure with a first volume, a speaker <NUM> including the air adsorption member <NUM> according to the disclosure within the enclosure with the first volume and a prior speaker <NUM> including an enclosure with a second volume larger than the first volume. Although there is no specific limitation in the first and second volumes, it will be described hereinafter that the first volume and second volume are 350cc and 500cc, respectively, for convenience of description. Also, it is assumed that the air adsorption member <NUM> has been provided by dipping melamine foam in a GP solution and then drying the same.

The left graph <NUM> in <FIG> is a graph showing a change to an impedance depending on frequency, with respect to the foregoing three speakers <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>. According to the left graph <NUM> in <FIG>, it can be shown that a peak frequency of an impedance curve with respect to the speaker <NUM> including the air adsorption member <NUM> according to the disclosure within the 350cc enclosure is lower than a peak frequency of an impedance curve with respect to the prior speaker <NUM> including the 350cc enclosure, and that the degree of reduction of the peak frequency of the impedance curve is similar to the degree of increase of the volume of the enclosure of the prior speak from 350cc to 500cc.

The right graph <NUM> in <FIG> shows changes to the SPL according to frequency, with respect to the three speakers <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>. According to the right graph <NUM> in <FIG>, it can be shown that the SPL in a low band out of SPL graphs with respect to the speaker <NUM> including the air adsorption member <NUM> according to the disclosure within the 350cc enclosure has been improved compared to the SPL in a low band of the SPL graphs with respect to the prior speaker <NUM> including the 350cc enclosure, and that the degree of improvement of the SPL in the low band is similar to the degree of increase of the volume of the enclosure of the prior speak from 350cc to 500cc.

That is, according to the embodiment of the disclosure, the bulk of the enclosure <NUM> has been increased by approximately <NUM>% compared to the prior art and therefore the low-range reproduction capability may be further improved even in the enclosure <NUM> with a limited volume.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating various example forms of the enclosure of the speaker according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

As shown therein, the enclosure of the speaker according to an embodiment of the disclosure may include at least one of openings <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> through which an inside and an outside of the enclosure communicate with each other. For example, the speaker according to the embodiment of the disclosure may be implemented as a speaker including open-type enclosures <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>. This is because the graphene included in the air adsorption member of the speaker according to the disclosure may be basically hydrophobic and may be less affected by humidity. For example, the speaker according to an embodiment of the disclosure not only applies to a closed-type enclosure but also may be implemented as a speaker including an open-type enclosure, and therefore is not subject to specific limitation of design of the enclosure.

Based on the above, the disclosure can be implemented through the speaker having an enclosure in various forms, and the degree of freedom is increased in designing the speaker.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example speaker <NUM> according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

In the speaker <NUM> according to the disclosure, there is no specific limitation in the location or direction of arrangement of the air adsorption member <NUM>. For example, the speaker <NUM> according to an embodiment of the disclosure may be arranged in parallel with, or perpendicularly to, the driver unit <NUM>. The location or direction of arrangement of the air adsorption member <NUM> may be decided based on the form or internal structure of the enclosure <NUM> or the desired degree of effect of air adsorption.

Based on the above, the effect of air adsorption is adjustable and the degree of freedom is increased in of designing the speaker <NUM> by adjusting the location of arrangement of the air adsorption member <NUM>.

Based on the above, low-range reproduction capability of the speaker is improved.

Based on the above, the strength or durability of the air adsorption member of the speaker is improved.

Based on the above, the air adsorption member may be manufactured relatively easily without an additional encapsulation process. Also, the effect of air adsorption may be maximized and/or improved by controlling a pore size, specific surface area, density, etc. of the air adsorption member.

Based on the above, the air adsorption member may be manufactured relatively easily. Also, the effect of air adsorption may be maximized and/or improved by controlling a pore size, specific surface area, density, etc. of the air adsorption member.

Based on the above, the disclosure may be implemented through various forms of speakers and thus the degree of freedom is increased in designing the speaker.

Claim 1:
A speaker (<NUM>) comprising:
a driver (<NUM>) configured to output sound based on an input sound signal;
an enclosure (<NUM>) surrounding a rear side of the driver (<NUM>); and
an air adsorption member (<NUM>) comprising graphene (<NUM>) provided in the enclosure (<NUM>),
characterized in that:
the air adsorption member (<NUM>) comprises a scaffold (<NUM>) to which the graphene (<NUM>) is attached, and
the scaffold (<NUM>) has a grid form, wherein a space between grids of the scaffold (<NUM>) have a size larger than a size of the graphene (<NUM>).