Mobile terminal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11611641-B2
Application number	US-202117189961-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2021
Priority date	Dec 7, 2020
Publication date	Mar 21, 2023
Grant date	Mar 21, 2023

Abstract

A mobile terminal includes: a first body, a second body rotatable relative to the first body, a flexible display disposed on the first body and the second body, and a hinge assembly adjusting the first body and the second body to (i) a first state in which the first body and the second body are disposed in parallel to each other or (ii) a second state in which the first body and the second body are disposed to face each other. The hinge assembly includes body rotators spaced apart from each other in a width direction of the first body, a support bridge disposed between the body rotators to connect each of the body rotators, and a display support disposed to overlap with the support bridge in a width direction of the first body and configured to be movable in connection with a movement of the support bridge.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:
a first body;
a second body configured to be rotatable relative to the first body;
a flexible display disposed on the first body and the second body; and
a hinge assembly configured to adjust the first body and the second body to (i) a first state in which the first body and the second body are disposed in parallel to each other or (ii) a second state in which the first body and the second body are disposed to face each other,
wherein the hinge assembly comprises:
a plurality of body rotators disposed to be spaced apart from each other in a width direction of the first body and the second body,
a support bridge disposed between the plurality of body rotators to connect each of the plurality of body rotators, and
a display support that is disposed to overlap with the support bridge in the width direction of the first body and the second body and that is configured to be movable in connection with a movement of the support bridge,

wherein the display support is configured to support the flexible display in the first state and is configured to be spaced apart from the flexible display in the second state, and
wherein the display support comprises:
a first plate disposed to be elongated at a center of the display support,
a second plate that is disposed at both ends of the first plate and that extends to be adjacent to the body rotator, and
a third plate that is disposed between the first plate and the second plate and that has a width greater than a width of the second plate.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein:
the support bridge is horizontally disposed in the first state, and vertically disposed in the second state,
the support bridge includes a plurality of bridges, and
the display support is disposed between the plurality of bridges in the first state and is configured to move below the plurality of bridges in a process of switching to the second state.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 2 , wherein the display support is disposed between the first body and the second body to support the flexible display in the first state.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1 ,
wherein the second plate has a width greater than a width of the first plate.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sub-plate that is disposed below the second plate and that includes a hook groove concave,
wherein the display support further comprises a hook portion extending to a lower portion of the third plate, the hook portion including a hook that protrudes toward the hook groove, and
wherein the display support is configured such that the hook portion is inserted into the hook groove to move integrally with the sub-plate.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 5 , wherein the support bridge comprises:
a bridge portion disposed to be elongated in a width direction of the first body and the second body;
a connection portion extending toward the display support at both ends of the bridge portion; and
a support portion that is angled to extend from the connection portion to support a lower surface of the third plate in the first state and that is rotated to press an upper surface of the third plate in the second state.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6 , wherein the hinge assembly comprises:
a hinged decor disposed at a rear surface of the display support,
wherein both ends of the hinged decor are disposed below the connection portion of the support bridge in the first state, and
wherein a hook portion of the display support is supported at a central portion of the hinge decor in the second state.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 6 , wherein:
the support bridge is configured to rotate with the body rotator in a process of switching between the first state and the second state, and
the third plate defines two or more surfaces to which the upper and lower surfaces of the third plate are connected to allow the support portion to rotate in a process of switching a state of the support bridge between the first state and the second state.

9. A mobile terminal, comprising:
a first body;
a second body configured to be rotatable relative to the first body;
a flexible display integrally disposed on the first body and the second body; and
a hinge assembly configured to adjust the first body and the second body to (i) a first state in which the first body and the second body are disposed in parallel to each other or (ii) a second state in which the first body and the second body are disposed to face each other,
wherein the hinge assembly comprises:
a plurality of body rotators disposed to be spaced apart from each other in a width direction of the first body and the second body,
a plurality of slot bodies that is disposed between the plurality of body rotators and that is configured to rotate with the plurality of body rotators,
a support bridge disposed between the plurality of slot bodies to connect the plurality of slot bodies to each other, and
a display support that is disposed to overlap with the support bridge in a width direction of the first body and the second body and that is configured to be movable in connection with a movement of the support bridge,

wherein the display support is disposed to support the flexible display in the first state and is configured to be spaced apart from the flexible display in the second state,
wherein the support bridge further comprises a support bridge binding portion surrounding at least part of the body rotator and the slot body to be coupled to each other, and
wherein the support bridge binding portion comprises:
a first surface surrounding a first surface of the slot body,
a second surface that is angled from the first surface to surround (i) a second surface of the slot body adjacent to the first surface of the slot body and (ii) a first surface of the body rotator, and
a third surface that is angled from the second surface to surround a second surface of the body rotator adjacent to the first surface of the body rotator.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9 , further comprising:
a holding unit configured to control the body rotator in a process of switching a state of the hinge assembly between the first state to the second state,
wherein the holding unit comprises:
a moving cam supported by the slot body at a first end, and
a spring supported by the moving cam at a first end and supported by the support bridge at a second end,

wherein the moving cam is configured to rotate, based on the slot body being rotated from the first state to the second state, to press the spring, and
wherein the spring is configured to press, based on the spring being compressed by the moving cam, the slot body and the support bridge, respectively, to reduce additional rotation.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 9 , wherein:
the slot body has a thickness capable of being in contact with the second surface of the support bridge binding portion from an end portion of the first surface of the support bridge binding portion, and
the body rotator comprises a protruding portion protruding from a first side of the body rotator to be in contact with the second surface of the support bridge binding portion.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11 , further comprising:
a coupling pin that is disposed between the first and third surfaces of the support bridge binding portion and that is inserted through the slot body and the body rotating body.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 9 , wherein the support bridge binding portion further comprises:
a fourth surface that is angled from the first surface of the support bridge binding portion and that su

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Cha Youngdo

Classifications

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title

• H04M1/022 Primary

  The hinge comprising two parallel pivoting axes · CPC title

• H04M1/0216 Primary

  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