Mobile terminal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9608314-B1
Application number	US-201615240715-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 18, 2016
Priority date	Jan 11, 2016
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal, which includes a terminal body having a rear surface and side surfaces extending from each end portion of the rear surface toward a front surface, the terminal body made of a metal, a lower cap detachably coupled to a lower end of the terminal body and externally exposed to operate as a radiator of an antenna apparatus, a non-metal member interposed between the terminal body and the lower cap and forming a slot by spacing the terminal body and the lower cap apart from each other, and a dividing member crossing the non-metal member, and dividing an area where the terminal body and the lower cap are electrically connected and generate an electric field accordingly, the dividing member dividing the slot into first and second slots.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:
a terminal body having a front surface, a rear surface, and side surfaces extending from end portions of the rear surface toward the front surface, the terminal body being made of a metal;
a lower cap detachably coupled to a lower end of the terminal body and externally exposed to operate as a radiator of an antenna apparatus;
a non-metal member interposed between the terminal body and the lower cap and forming a slot by spacing the terminal body and the lower cap apart from each other; and
a dividing member crossing the non-metal member, and dividing an area where the terminal body and the lower cap are electrically connected and generate an electric field, the dividing member dividing the slot into a first slot and a second slot,
wherein the antenna apparatus comprises:
a first antenna generating an electric field by the first slot, the first slot having one side open and another side closed by the dividing member such that the first antenna resonates at a first frequency band; and
a second antenna generating an electric field by the second slot, the second slot having one side open and another side closed by the dividing member such that the second antenna resonates at a second frequency band different from the first frequency band, and

wherein the first antenna and the second antenna comprise a first feeder and a second feeder, respectively, connected to a main printed circuit board provided in the terminal body and generating the electric fields on the first slot and the second slot, respectively, and
wherein the lower cap comprises:
a first member exposed to the front surface of the terminal body;
a second member exposed to the rear surface of the terminal body; and
a connecting portion connecting end portions of the first member and the second member to each other,
wherein the second member and the connecting portion are made of a metal.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the first member is made of a metal or a non-metal.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 2 , wherein the lower cap is configured in a first state to be coupled to the terminal body, and in a second state to be separated from the terminal body.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 3 , wherein the first feeder and the second feeder are connected to an inner side of the first member or the second member.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first feeder and the second feeder is provided with a feeder extending portion disposed at a position overlapped by the non-metal member.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 5 , wherein the feeder extending portion is located at the first slot or the second slot.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 5 , wherein the lower cap is provided with a sub printed circuit board and a connector connected to the sub printed circuit board, and
wherein the connector is configured to connect to a contact terminal of the terminal body in order to connect the sub printed circuit board to the main printed circuit board.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7 , wherein the feeder extending portion, the dividing member, the connector and the lower cap are separated from the terminal body in the second state.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 8 , wherein the lower cap is provided with a bracket configured to be inserted within the terminal body, and
wherein the bracket accommodates the feeder extending portion, the dividing member and the connector.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 4 , further comprising a first stub disposed at the first slot, and comprising one side connected to the lower cap and another side forming an open end,
wherein the first stub is configured to implement a first resonant frequency of the first frequency band.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 4 , further comprising a second stub disposed on the second slot, and having one side connected to the lower cap and another side forming an open end,
wherein the second stub is configured to implement a second resonant frequency of the second frequency band.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 2 , wherein the first member, when being made of metal, is electrically connected to the connecting portion via a clip member.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the dividing member is comprised of a metal strip with a predetermined area or is comprised of a plurality of fine cables.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the terminal body comprises an intermediate frame made of a metal, and
wherein an electric field is generated between the intermediate frame and the lower cap.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein a length of the first slot extending from the dividing member to a first opening at the open side of the first slot is ¼ of a wavelength (λ) corresponding to a center frequency of the first frequency band.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein a length of the second slot extending from the dividing member to a second opening at the open side of the second slot is ¼ of a wavelength (λ) corresponding to a center frequency of the second frequency band.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , further comprising at least one switch having one side connected to the terminal body and another side connected to the lower cap.

18. A mobile terminal, comprising:
a terminal body having a front surface, a rear surface, and side surfaces extending from end portions of the rear surface toward the front surface, the terminal body being made of a metal;
a lower cap detachably coupled to a lower end of the terminal body and externally exposed to operate as a radiator of an antenna apparatus;
a non-metal member interposed between the terminal body and the lower cap and forming a slot by spacing the terminal body and the lower cap apart from each other; and
a dividing member crossing the non-metal member, and dividing an area where the terminal body and the lower cap are electrically connected and generate an electric field, the dividing member dividing the slot into a first slot and a second slot,
wherein the antenna apparatus comprises:
a first antenna generating an electric field by the first slot, the first slot having one side open and another side closed by the dividing member such that the first antenna resonates at a first frequency band; and
a second antenna generating an electric field by the second slot, the second slot having one side open and another side closed by the dividing member such that the second antenna resonates at a second frequency band different from the first frequency band, and

wherein the first antenna and the second antenna comprise a first feeder and a second feeder, respectively, connected to a main printed circuit board provided in the terminal body and generating the electric fields on the first slot and the second slot, respectively.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 18 , wherein a length of the first slot extending from the dividing member to a first opening at the open side of the first slot is ¼ of a wavelength (λ) corresponding to a center frequency of the first frequency band, and
wherein a length of the second slot extending from the dividing member to a second opening at the open side of the second slot is ¼ of a wavelength (λ) corresponding to a center frequency of the second frequency band.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 19 , further comprising:
a first stub disposed at the first slot, and comprising one side connected to the lower cap and another side forming a first open end; and
a second stub disposed on the

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kwon Youngbae
• Jung Kangjae
• Rho Sungjung
• Yun Changwon
• Kim Duckyun
• Kang Yunmo

Classifications

• H01Q1/243 Primary

  with built-in antennas · CPC title

• H01Q5/307

  Individual or coupled radiating elements, each element being fed in an unspecified way · CPC title

• H01Q9/42

  with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength · CPC title

• H04M1/026

  Details of the structure or mounting of specific components · CPC title

• H01Q1/242

  specially adapted for hand-held use · CPC title