Mobile terminal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024080383-A1
Application number	US-202118272924-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 25, 2021
Priority date	Jan 25, 2021
Publication date	Mar 7, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed is a mobile terminal including: a first frame; a second frame slidable in the first direction with respect to the first frame; a flexible display unit that is bent to surround a portion of the mobile terminal, wherein the flexible display unit includes a front surface whose area size is variable based on the slide movement of the second frame and a rear surface; a slide frame slidable on a rear surface of the second frame in the first direction or a second direction, wherein an end of the rear surface of the display unit is coupled to a rear surface of the slide frame; and a stopper that restricts a movement range of the slide frame in the first direction. The mobile terminal provides a flat screen even in an extended state by minimizing a lift phenomenon of a variable portion of the display unit.

First claim

1 . A mobile terminal whose size is variable in a first direction, the mobile terminal comprising:
a first frame; a second frame slidable in the first direction or in a second direction opposite to the first direction with respect to the first frame; a flexible display unit configured to be bent to surround a portion of the mobile terminal, wherein the flexible display unit includes a front surface located at a front surface of the mobile terminal and a rear surface located at a rear surface of the mobile terminal; a slide frame slidable on a rear surface of the second frame in the first direction or the second direction corresponding to the slide movement of the second frame, wherein an end of the rear surface of the display unit is coupled to a rear surface of the slide frame; and a stopper configured to restrict a movement range of the slide frame in the first direction, wherein a size of the front surface of the flexible display unit is variable based on the slide movement of the second frame.

2 . The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the stopper includes:
a first slide stopper protruding from an end of the slide frame in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction; and a first fixed stopper positioned adjacent to the second frame in the first direction, wherein when the first slide stopper and the first fixed stopper come into contact with each other, the movement of the slide frame in the first direction is restricted.

3 . The mobile terminal of claim 2 , wherein the second frame includes a side portion positioned at an end thereof in the third direction and a slide rail formed on the side portion and extending in the first direction,
wherein the slide frame includes a first slide hook inserted into the slide rail and moving along the slide rail, wherein the first slide stopper is located rearwardly of the first slide hook.

4 . The mobile terminal of claim 3 , further comprising a rolling hinge configured to support the display unit and bendable in the first direction corresponding to the bending of the display unit,
wherein the rolling hinge includes, at an end thereof, a second slide hook inserted into the slide rail and moving along the slide rail.

5 . The mobile terminal of claim 4 , wherein the slide rail includes a pair of straight rails disposed so as to be spaced apart from each other in a thickness direction of the mobile terminal and a curved rail configured to connect the pair of straight rails to each other,
wherein the first fixed stopper is more biased in the second direction than an end of the straight rail in the first direction.

6 . The mobile terminal of claim 2 , wherein the second frame further includes a side frame covering a curved surface of the flexible display unit and positioned at an end in the first direction of the second frame,
wherein the first fixed stopper is an end of the side frame in the second direction.

7 . The mobile terminal of claim 1 , further comprising:
a rivet rail formed on the second frame and extending in the first direction; and a guide rivet protruding from a front surface of the slide frame and moving along the rivet rail when the slide frame slides, wherein the stopper includes a second slide stopper more biased in the first direction than the guide rivet, wherein the second slide stopper restricts the movement of the slide frame in the first direction when in contact with an end of the rivet rail in the first direction.

8 . The mobile terminal of claim 7 , wherein the guide rivet includes:
a body having a diameter smaller than a width of the rivet rail; and a wing extended from an end of the body and having a diameter greater than the width of the rivet rail.

9 . The mobile terminal of claim 8 , wherein the second slide stopper protrudes in the first direction more than the wing, and further includes a second fixed stopper protruding in a forward direction of the mobile terminal at the end of the rivet rail in the first direction.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Song Insu
• Jo Hyeonung
• Lee Jaewook
• Lee Hyoyeol

Classifications

• H04M1/0237 Primary

  Sliding mechanism with one degree of freedom · CPC title

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title

• G06F1/1652

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

• G06F1/1624

  with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display · CPC title

• H04M1/0249

  Details of the mechanical connection between the housing parts or relating to the method of assembly · CPC title