Mobile terminal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10623537-B2
Application number	US-201616065366-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 29, 2016
Priority date	Dec 10, 2015
Publication date	Apr 14, 2020
Grant date	Apr 14, 2020

Abstract

Disclosed is a mobile terminal. A mobile terminal of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a body configured as a plurality of bodies, the plurality of bodies disposed in a certain state between a first state in which the plurality of bodies are flat and a second state in which the plurality of bodies are folded; a flexible display disposed on one surface of the bodies; a back cover disposed on the other surface of the bodies; and a hinge assembly having a guide shaft coupled to the plurality of bodies, wherein the guide shaft has at least one curvature that is different from at least another curvature thereof. According to the present invention, inherent curved portions of the present invention can be introduced to the guide shaft so as to be capable of guiding the movement of a flexible display.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:
a body comprising a plurality of bodies, positioned in a specific state between a first state in which the plurality of bodies are flat and a second state in which the plurality of bodies are folded;
a flexible display positioned on one side of the body;
a back cover positioned on the other side of the body;
a hinge assembly having a guide shaft coupled to the plurality of bodies,
wherein the guide shaft comprises a plurality of curved portions in which at least one curvature is different from at least another curvature;
a bezel in an outer region of the flexible display; and
a plurality of magnet assemblies,
wherein the bezel comprises a first bezel on one side of the flexible display and a second bezel at a position opposite to the first bezel about the flexible display,
wherein a width of the second bezel is larger than that of the first bezel and at least a partial region of the second bezel is a transparent or translucent region, and
wherein the plurality of magnet assemblies comprise at least one of:
a first magnet assembly disposed on an opposite side of each of the plurality of bodies to be close to each other in the first state, and
a second magnet assembly disposed in an outer circumferential region of the flexible display to be close to each other in the second state.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the hinge assembly comprises at least one head positioned between the plurality of bodies, and
at least a partial region of the curved portion is formed at a position overlapping with at least a partial region of the head in a width direction of the mobile terminal.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of curved portions comprise first, second, and third curved portions, and
the second curved portion is positioned between the first and third curved portions, and
a curvature of the second curved portion is larger than that of the first and third curved portions.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of curved portions comprise first, second, and third curved portions, and
the first curved portion is positioned farther from the center region of the mobile terminal than the second and third curved portions, and
when changed from the first state to the second state, the flexible display is brought into contact with the first curved portion and then brought into contact with the second and third curved portions.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of curved portions form an escape region in which the guide shaft is recessed in a thickness direction of the mobile terminal.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 5 , wherein at least part of the flexible display is changed from the first state to the second state, and the position thereof is moved to the escape region.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein when the position of the body is changed from the first state to the second state,
at least a partial region of the body covered by the back cover is uncovered.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7 , wherein at least a partial region of the flexible display is uncovered to the outside by the exposure of at least a partial region of the body.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 7 , wherein when the position of the body is changed from the first state to the second state, at least a partial region of the body that has been covered by the back cover is uncovered and a partial region of the flexible display is observed through the second bezel.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of bodies further comprises at least one slider coupled to at least one region of the back cover to allow the back cover to move along a rear surface of the plurality of bodies according to a state change of the plurality of bodies.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of bodies further comprises at least one sliding magnet magnetically attached to a contact region positioned in at least another region of the back cover.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plate positioned between the flexible display and the body to support the flexible display in the first state,
wherein the plate comprises:
a plurality of rigid regions configured to support the flexible display, and
a flexible region between the plurality of rigid regions.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , further comprising:
a flexible cable configured to electrically connect an electronic part integrated in any one of the plurality of bodies to an electronic part integrated in another one of the plurality of bodies,
wherein the flexible cable comprises:
a coil region in which the flexible cable is unfolded in the first state and overlapped in the second state.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lee Haklim
• Han Jongbeom

Classifications

• H04M1/0216

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

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

• G06F1/1641 Primary

  the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components (G06F1/1647 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title