Mobile terminal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9729688-B2
Application number	US-201514844615-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 3, 2015
Priority date	Oct 30, 2014
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

A mobile terminal includes: a body in which an electronic component is installed; and a movement unit fastened to the body in at least a portion thereof, configured to output information processed in the mobile terminal, and the movement unit being flexible on the body as curvature of the body is varied, wherein the body includes a varied portion whose curvature is varied and fixed portions formed on both ends of the varied portion and having curvature which is not changed, wherein the varied portion includes a plurality of micro blocks formed in a movement direction and configured to form a predetermined curvature and an elastic member formed in the micro blocks and enabling the micro blocks to form a predetermined curvature when external force is applied or when external force is removed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile terminal comprising:
a body in which an electronic component is installed;
a movement unit fastened to the body in at least a portion thereof, configured to output information processed in the mobile terminal, and the movement unit being flexible on the body as curvature of the body is varied;
rails provided on upper and lower ends of the movement unit; and
guide grooves in which the rails are inserted,
wherein the body includes a varied portion whose curvature is varied and fixed portions formed on both ends of the varied portion and having curvature which is not changed,
wherein the varied portion includes:
a plurality of micro blocks formed in a movement direction and configured to form a predetermined curvature; and
an elastic member formed in the micro blocks and enabling the micro blocks to form a predetermined curvature when external force is applied or when external force is removed,
wherein the fixed portion includes therein a stopper having a plurality grooves formed along the movement direction and the varied portion includes therein a hook configured to fasten to one groove of the plurality grooves so as to maintain a curvature of the varied portion, and
wherein the hook is further configured to move from the one groove to another groove of the plurality grooves according to a change in the curvature of the varied portion, and a strain of the upper elastic plate,
wherein the elastic member includes an upper elastic plate member and a lower elastic plate member, and a strain of the lower elastic plate member is greater than the strain of the upper elastic plate member, and
wherein the plurality of micro blocks are disposed between the upper and lower elastic plate member,
wherein a friction reducing member is provided between the rails and the guide grooves.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein both ends of the micro blocks are connected to a side wall of the varied portion, and a side wall of the varied portion and a side wall of the movement unit have a concavo-convex shape.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 2 , wherein recesses are formed at predetermined intervals on the side wall of the varied portion, and holes are formed between the recesses.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the micro-blocks have a shape in which an upper portion thereof is narrow and a lower portion thereof is wide with respect to the center of the curvature.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lee Haklim
• Joo Wonseok
• Chae Hanseok

Classifications

• H04M1/0269

  mounted in a fixed curved configuration, e.g. display curved around the edges of the telephone housing · CPC title

• H04M1/0279 Primary

  Improving the user comfort or ergonomics · CPC title

• G06F2203/04102

  Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper · CPC title

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title

• H04M1/0208

  characterized by the relative motions of the body parts · CPC title