Mobile terminal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10481641-B2
Application number	US-201815963009-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2018
Priority date	Feb 8, 2018
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

There is disclosed a mobile terminal comprising A mobile terminal comprising: a display unit which is deformable into a first state where the display unit is unfolded and a second state where the display unit is folded; a first body configured to support a first area of the display unit; a second body rotatably coupled to the first body and configured to support a second area of the display unit which is the other area except the first area; and a hinge configured to rotatably coupling the first body and the second body to each other, wherein the display unit comprises a flexible display; and a flexible frame coupled to a rear surface of the flexible display, and a metal member is coupled to the second body to pull the display unit toward the second body, corresponding to at least predetermined area of the second area of the display unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile terminal comprising:
a display unit comprising a flexible display and a flexible frame coupled to a rear surface of the flexible display, and deformable into a first state where the display unit is unfolded and into a second state where the display unit is folded;
a first body configured to couple and support a first area of the display unit;
a second body configured to support a second area of the display unit different from the first area, the second body comprising a first plate rotatably coupled to the first body and a second plate coupled with the display unit and slidable with respect to the first plate;
a hinge configured to rotatably couple the first body and the first plate of the second body to each other; and
a metal member coupled to the first plate of the second body,
wherein the second area of the display unit comprises a third area which winds around the hinge when the display unit is in the second state, and
wherein at least one of the flexible frame or the metal member is formed to exert a magnetic force to pull the third area of the second area of the display unit toward the second body when the display unit is in the second state.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein an installation portion recessed to install the metal member is formed in the second body.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein:
the flexible frame comprises:
a flexible portion in which a plurality of holes and a plurality of slits are formed; and
a rigid portion arranged in a preset area adjacent to the flexible portion; and
when the display unit is deformed between the first state and the second state, gaps between the holes are expanded or shrunk to apply a restitution force to the display unit.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 3 , wherein the metal member is arranged such that at least a predetermined area of the metal member overlaps with the flexible portion of the flexible frame.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 3 , wherein the second body comprises:
a lateral wall projected upwards to hide a lateral surface of the flexible portion when the display unit is in the first state.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the second plate comprises:
a stepped portion to which the display unit is coupled; and
a guide portion configured to guide a sliding of the second plate with respect to the first plate.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6 , wherein the guide portion of the second plate is stepped from the stepped portion of the second plate in a direction leading away from the display unit.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 6 , wherein the second body further comprises:
an elastic member configured to connect an end of the first plate with the second plate.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 8 , wherein the elastic member is connected with the end of the first plate and a lateral surface of the guide portion which faces the end of the first plate.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9 , wherein:
a concave portion in which a preset area of the elastic member is to be inserted is formed in the end of the first plate; and
the elastic member is connected with an inner end of the concave portion and the lateral surface of the guide portion.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 8 , wherein:
the elastic member is formed of a compression spring; and
when the display unit is in the first state, the elastic member is compressed and applies a tensile force to the second plate with respect to the first plate.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein:
a first magnet is provided in the first body; and
a second magnet is provided in a shaft of the hinge and arranged relatively closer to the first magnet when the display unit is in the first state, and relatively farther from the first magnet when the display unit is in the second state.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 12 , wherein:
the first magnet extends along a width direction of the first body; and
the second magnet extends along a width direction of the hinge.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 12 , wherein the second magnet is provided in the shaft of the hinge such that, when the display unit is in the first state, an axis of a magnetic field generated by the first magnet does not coincide with an axis of a magnetic field generated by the second magnet.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 14 , wherein, when the display unit is in the first state, the axis of the magnetic field generated by the second magnet forms a preset angle with respect to the axis of the magnetic field generated by the first magnet.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 14 , wherein:
the shaft of the hinge is coupled to the second body to be rotatable together with the second body; and
when the display unit is in the first state, the shaft of the hinge provides the second body with a rotational force in a direction counter to a direction in which the shaft of the hinge would rotate when the display unit is deformed into the second state.

17. A mobile terminal comprising:
a display unit comprising a flexible display and a flexible frame coupled to a rear surface of the flexible display;
a first body configured to support a first area of the display unit;
a second body rotatably coupled to the first body and configured to support a second area of the display unit different from the first area;
a hinge configured to rotatably couple the first body and the second body to each other;
a first magnet provided in the first body; and
a second magnet provided in a shaft of the hinge,
wherein the display unit is deformable into a first state where the display unit is unfolded and into a second state where the display unit is folded, and
wherein the second magnet is arranged relatively closer to the first magnet when the display unit is in the first state, and relatively farther from the first magnet when the display unit is in the second state.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 17 , wherein the second magnet is provided in the shaft of the hinge such that, when the display unit is in the first state, an axis of a magnetic field generated by the first magnet does not coincide with an axis of a magnetic field generated by the second magnet.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lee Minjong
• Koh Sunggyu
• Ju Jongkyu
• Im Sanghyuk

Classifications

• H04M1/0268 Primary

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title

• G06F1/1681

  Details related solely to hinges (hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683) · CPC title

• G06F1/1652 Primary

  the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable · CPC title

• G06F1/1679

  for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA (G06F1/1681 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04M1/0216

  Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge · CPC title