Portable terminal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9405325-B2
Application number	US-201414550492-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 21, 2014
Priority date	Jan 3, 2014
Publication date	Aug 2, 2016
Grant date	Aug 2, 2016

Abstract

A portable terminal having a first body, a second body and a hinge module connecting the second body to the first body such that the second body is movable relative to the first body is provided. The hinge module includes a first frame rotatably connected to the first body and a second frame connected to the first frame to support at least one portion of the second body in a supporting state, the second frame being connected to the second body such that the second frame is rotatable relative to the second body in order to allow the second body to rotate in the supporting state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable terminal comprising: a first body; a second body; and a hinge module connecting the second body to the first body such that the second body is movable relative to the first body, the hinge module including: a first frame rotatably connected to the first body; and a second frame connected to the first frame to support at least one portion of the second body in a supporting state, the second frame being connected to the second body such that the second frame is rotatable relative to the second body in order to allow the second body to rotate in the supporting state, wherein the second frame is rotatably connected to the first frame such that, when the first frame rotates relative to the first body, one end portion of the second body moves along one surface of the first body in a sliding manner, wherein the second body is configured such that the second body is rotatable about the one end portion relative to the second frame, wherein a locking recess is formed in the one end portion of the second body, wherein the first body includes a stopper, an end portion of the stopper being insertable into the locking recess when the one end portion of the second body moves in a sliding manner toward the stopper, and wherein the stopper includes a round portion such that the second body is smoothly rotatable relative to the second frame in a state when the second body is hooked onto the stopper.

2. The portable terminal of claim 1 , further comprising a fixing portion that fixes the second body to the second frame in the supporting state.

3. The portable terminal of claim 2 , wherein the fixing portion includes:
a magnet at one of the second body and the second frame; and
a metallic member at the other of the second body and the second frame such that a magnetic force of the magnet is exerted on the metallic member.

4. The portable terminal of claim 3 , wherein the metallic member is configured to be changeable in polarity to change a direction of the magnetic force.

5. The portable terminal of claim 2 , wherein the fixing portion includes:
a locking hole formed at the second frame;
a manipulating member installed in the second body such that the manipulating member is displaceable during a pushing-down operation; and
a moving member configured to be movable by the displacement of the manipulating member, the moving member having a locking hook detachably engagable with the locking hole in response to displacement of the moving member.

6. The portable terminal of claim 5 , wherein the fixing portion further includes an elastic member that exerts an elastic force on the manipulating member in order that the moving member, moved by the pushing-down operation of the manipulating member, returns to a previous position.

7. The portable terminal of claim 6 , wherein the moving member is configured to move slidably on a rear surface of a display unit provided on the second body.

8. The portable terminal of claim 2 , wherein the fixing portion includes:
a projection protruding from one of the second body and the second frame; and
an elastic member at the other one of the second body and the second frame, the elastic member including a hole into which the projection is inserted, the hole being changeable in shape when the projection is inserted into the hole.

9. The portable terminal of claim 1 , wherein a projection is formed on at least one surface of the stopper, and wherein the locking recess includes: a first accommodation portion into which the end portion of the stopper is inserted when the one end portion of the second body moves in a sliding manner; and a second accommodation portion that extends downward from the first accommodation portion, the second accommodation portion being arranged to cover the projection when the second body rotates relative to the second frame.

10. The portable terminal of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first hook at the first frame; and
a latch bar installed in the first body, the latch bar including a second hook configured to be hooked onto the first hook to fix the first frame to the first body and to move to release the first hook when a control command is applied.

11. The portable terminal of claim 10 , further comprising:
a motor configured to generate a driving force when the control command is applied;
a pinion gear configured to rotate by the driving force of the motor, the pinion gear having teeth formed at regular intervals along a circumference of one side of the pinion gear to push the latch bar;
a limit switch configured to transfer a driving-stop signal for stopping the motor; and
an elastic member configured to provide an elastic force to return the latch bar to a previous position held prior to operation of the motor.

12. The portable terminal of claim 10 , further comprising a torsion spring configured to provide an elastic force such that, when the latch bar moves to release the first hook, the first frame rotates relative to the first body.

13. The portable terminal of claim 10 , wherein, when the control command is applied while the portable terminal is in a state where the second body is arranged to cover the first body and a display unit at the second body is inactive, the second body moves with respect to the first body into a tilted position and the display unit switches to an activate state.

14. The portable terminal of claim 10 , wherein, when the portable terminal is in a state where the second body is arranged to cover the first body in an overlapping manner, screen information in a first mode is displayed on a display unit provided to the second body, and, when the second body rotates relative to the second frame, the screen information in a second mode different from the first mode is displayed on the display unit.

15. A portable terminal comprising: a first body; a second body; and a hinge module connecting the second body to the first body such that the second body is movable relative to the first body, the hinge module including: a first frame rotatably connected to the first body; a second frame connected to the first frame to support at least one portion of the second body in a supporting state, the second frame being connected to the second body such that the second frame is rotatable relative to the second body in order to allow the second body to rotate in the supporting state;
a touch sensor mounted in the second body, the touch sensor being configured to sense a predetermined touch input; a motor installed in the first body, the motor being configured to generate a driving force when the predetermined touch input is sensed;
a first gear configured to rotate by the driving force of the motor; and a second gear connected to a rotation shaft which rotatably connects the first frame to the first body, the second gear being engaged with the first gear such that the first frame rotates relative to the first body when the first gear rotates.

16. A portable terminal comprising: a first body; a second body configured to move between a first position in which the second body is arranged to cover the first body and a second position in which the second body is arranged to be inclined with respect to the first body; and a hinge module connecting the second body to the first body such that the second body is movable relative to the first body, the hinge module including: a first frame rotatably connected to the first body; and a second frame rotatably connected to the first frame, the second frame configured to support the second body when the second body moves relative to the first body, wherein the first frame is c

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Kihyun
• Sung Jaehyun
• Park Sangdon
• Ryu Inkeun
• Song Jongwon
• Kwon Ilgeun
• Lee Kidong

Classifications

• 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

• G06F1/1681 Primary

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

• G06F1/1624

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

• G06F1/162

  changing, e.g. reversing, the face orientation of the screen with a two degrees of freedom mechanism, e.g. for folding into tablet PC like position or orienting towards the direction opposite to the user to show to a second user · CPC title

• G06F1/1643

  the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads (details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615) · CPC title