Mobile terminal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9760126-B2
Application number	US-201514823750-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 11, 2015
Priority date	Sep 5, 2014
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 2017

Abstract

A mobile terminal includes a first case, a second case relatively rotating with respect to the first case, coupling portions respectively coupled to ends of the first and second cases, to relatively rotate the first and second cases, and a display including a first portion formed on the first case, the first portion having at least one portion fixed to the first case, and a second portion integrally formed with the first portion, the second portion being disposed on the second case. The coupling portion includes a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion, respectively having one end portions fixed to the ends of the first and second cases to integrally rotate with the first and second cases, and rotating portions respectively coupled to the other end portions of the first and second connecting portions, to rotate the first and second connecting portions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic terminal, comprising:
a first case;
a second case relatively rotating with respect to the first case;
coupling portions respectively coupled to ends of the first and second cases, to relatively rotate the first and second cases; and
a display including a first portion formed on the first case, the first portion having at least one portion fixed to the first case, and a second portion integrally formed with the first portion, the second portion being disposed on the second case,
wherein the coupling portion includes:
a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion, respectively having one end portions fixed to the ends of the first and second cases to integrally rotate with the first and second cases; and
rotating portions respectively coupled to the other end portions of the first and second connecting portions, to rotate the first and second connecting portions, and

wherein each of the first and second cases includes:
a first body and a second body, having electronic components built therein; and
a first bending portion and a second bending portion, respectively extending from the first and second bodies, the first and second bending portions bending to surround the coupling portion,
wherein each of the first and second bending portions includes a first wall portion and a second wall portion, respectively forming external appearances of upper and lower ends of the electronic terminal, and a first cover portion and a second cover portion, integrally formed with the first and second wall portions, the first and second cover portions being formed in the width direction of the electronic terminal, and

wherein the rotating portion further includes a supporting portion supporting the first rotating shaft, the second rotating shaft, and the elastic member while surrounding the first rotating shaft, the second rotating shaft, and the elastic member.

2. The electronic terminal of claim 1 , wherein the one end portions of the first and second connecting portions are respectively fixed to the first and second wall portions, so that the first and second cases rotate by relative rotation of the first and second connecting portions.

3. The electronic terminal of claim 2 , wherein the rotating portion includes:
a first rotating shaft and a second rotating shaft, respectively inserted and fixed into the first and second connecting portions, to be integrally rotatable with the first and second connecting portions; and
an elastic member is coupled to the first and second rotating shafts to rotate the first and second rotating shafts.

4. The electronic terminal of claim 3 , wherein the coupling portions are formed at the upper and lower ends of the electronic terminal, respectively.

5. The electronic terminal of claim 1 , wherein the first and second connecting portions rotate along the outer circumference of the supporting portion, and
wherein a projection is formed at each of the first and second connecting portions, and latching portions allowing rotations of the first and second connecting portions to be restricted by contacts of the first and second connecting portions with the projections are formed at the outer circumference of the supporting portion.

6. The electronic terminal of claim 5 , wherein protruding portions are formed along the width directions at inner circumferential surfaces of the first and second cover portions to restrict the rotations of the first and second connecting portions, respectively.

7. The electronic terminal of claim 1 , wherein magnetic members are respectively provided inside the first and second cover portions or in the first and second wall portions such that the first and second cover portions are adhered closely to each other when the first and second cases are opened.

8. The electronic terminal of claim 7 , wherein the first body includes magnetic members, and the second body includes at least one guide portion made of metal material.

9. The electronic terminal of claim 1 , wherein the rotating portion is a click hinge which includes a housing fixed to the first and second wall portions, and a cam portion protruding from one side of the housing to be inserted into the first or second connecting portion, the cam portion rotating the first or second connecting portion.

10. The electronic terminal of claim 9 , wherein the rotating portions are disposed at upper and lower ends of the coupling portion, respectively, and one or two cam portions are used for each rotating portion,
wherein, when one cam portion is used for each rotating portion, the cam portions are located in the diagonal direction or disposed on the same line at the upper and lower ends of the coupling portion, and
wherein a projection is formed at the other side of the housing to be inserted into the first or second connecting portion exclusively from the cam portion.

11. The electronic terminal of claim 1 , wherein the one end portions of the first and second connecting portions are fixed to the first and second wall portions, respectively, and the other end portions of the first and second connecting portions are fixed to the rotating portions, respectively.

12. The electronic terminal of claim 11 , wherein each of the first and second connecting portions is a link or a zigzag spring.

13. The electronic terminal of claim 12 , wherein, when each of the first and second connecting portions is a zigzag spring, the other end portions of the first and second connecting portions are coupled to the rotating portion, and
wherein the other ends of the first and second connecting portions are respectively fixed to a first rotating plate and a second rotating plate, which are formed at an end of the rotating portion and rotatable independently from the rotating portion.

14. The electronic terminal of claim 1 , wherein the first portion includes a first area formed on a front surface of the first case, a second area extending from the first area, the second area formed on a side surface of the first case, and a third area extending from the second area, the third area formed on an outer surface of the first case, and
wherein a fingerprint recognition module is disposed on a rear surface of the second area.

15. The electronic terminal of claim 14 , wherein the first case includes a first upper case formed to extend from the third area and a first lower case supporting the first upper case, and
wherein the second case includes:
a second upper case formed under the second portion;
a second lower case supporting the second upper case; and
an edge portion formed at ends of the second upper case and the second lower case,
wherein a supporting member fixed to the second portion to be integrally movable with the second portion is provided inside the edge portion, and the edge portion is provided with a space in which the supporting member is movable.

16. The electronic terminal of claim 15 , wherein the second lower case has a dividing portion formed to protrude toward the second upper case, an electromagnet is disposed at one side of the dividing portion, and a magnet is attached to the supporting portion, such that the supporting member is moved by the electromagnet and the magnet, and
wherein a spring moving the supporting member when the state of the electronic terminal is switched to the opened state is disposed in the space.

17. The electronic terminal of claim 1 , wherein supporting members are provided inside the first and second cases, respectively, such that the first and second cases arc adhered closely to each other wh

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Shin Choonghwan
• Byun Seongchan
• Song Sanghoon
• Song Insu

Classifications

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title

• H04M1/022

  The hinge comprising two parallel pivoting axes · CPC title

• H04M1/0216

  Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge · CPC title

• G06F1/1652 Primary

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