Mobile terminal

• US 20020128053A1
• Filed: 03/07/2002
• Published: 09/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jung, Kwang Shin
• Granted Patent: US 6,999,803 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/575.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/18 Telephone sets specially adapted for use in ships, mines, or other places exposed to adverse environment H04M1/19 takes precedence

Abstract

In a mobile terminal capable of preventing its breakage or damage by absorbing a shock of a contact between a folder and a main body in unfolding or folding of the folder by installing a buffer member to contact portions of the folder and the main body, a mobile terminal includes a main body housing a circuit substrate inside and having an operational button on the front surface, a folder rotatively connected to the main body and having a liquid screen, a hinge connecting unit for rotatively connecting the main body and the folder, and a buffer means for absorbing a shock of a contact between the main body and the folder when the folder is unfolded.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a main body housing a circuit substrate inside and having an operational button on the front surface;

a folder rotatively connected to the main body and having a liquid screen;

a hinge connecting unit for rotatively connecting the main body and the folder; and

a buffer means for absorbing a shock of a contact between the main body and the folder when the folder is unfolded.

2. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the buffer means is a buffer member installed to a certain portion of the main body so as to contact to a certain portion of the folder contacted to the main body when the folder is unfolded.

3. The mobile terminal according to claim 2, wherein the buffer member is constructed with a first buffer member installed to the upper centrical portion of the main body so as to contact to the lower centrical portion of the folder when the folder is unfolded and a second buffer member respectively installed to the both sides of the upper end of the main body so as to contact to the both sides of the lower end of the folder.

4. The mobile terminal according to claim 3, wherein a first installation groove is formed at the upper internal corner of the main body in order to insert the first buffer member into, and a second installation groove is formed at the upper both side portions projected from the main body in order to insert the second buffer member into.

5. The mobile terminal according to claim 4, wherein the first buffer member has the same shape as the first installation groove so as to be inserted into the first installation groove formed at the main body, and a bridging hook is formed at the internal surface of the first buffer member so as to be inserted into a fixation hole formed at the first installation groove in order to prevent the first buffer member from being detached from the first installation groove.

6. The mobile terminal according to claim 4, wherein the second buffer member has the same shape as the second installation groove so as to be inserted into the second installation groove, and a bridging hook is formed at the internal surface of the second buffer member so as to be inserted into a fixation hole formed at the second installation groove in order to prevent the second buffer member from being detached from the second installation groove.

7. The mobile terminal according to claim 4, wherein the first buffer member having a certain width is projected from the first installation groove, and the second buffer member having a certain width is projected from the second installation groove.

8. The mobile terminal according to claim 3, wherein the first buffer member and the second buffer member are made of rubber materials.

9. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a main body housing a circuit substrate inside and an operational button;

a folder rotatively connected to the main body and having a liquid screen;

a hinge connecting unit for rotatively connecting the main body and the folder; and

a buffer means for absorbing a shock of a contact between the main body and the folder when the folder is folded.

10. The mobile terminal according to claim 9, wherein the buffer means is a third buffer member installed to the upper front surface of the folder in order to absorb a shock by contacting to a certain side of the main body when the folder is folded.

11. The mobile terminal according to claim 9, wherein the buffer means is a fourth buffer member formed at the lower front surface of the main body in order to absorb a shock by contacting to a certain side of the folder when the folder is folded.

12. The mobile terminal according to claim 9, wherein the buffer means is constructed with a third buffer member installed to the folder and a fourth buffer member installed to the main body which are contacted each other in folding of the folder.

13. The mobile terminal according to claim 9, wherein the buffer means is made of rubber materials.

16. The mobile terminal according to claim 15, wherein the buffer means is a buffer member installed to the internal surface of the flip.

17. The mobile terminal according to claim 15, wherein the buffer means is a buffer member installed to the front surface of the main body.

18. The mobile terminal according to claim 15, wherein the buffer means is a buffer member respectively installed to the internal surface of the flip and the front surface of the main body.

19. The mobile terminal according to claim 15, wherein the buffer means is made of rubber materials.

14. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a main body housing a circuit substrate inside and having an operational button;

a folder rotatively connected to the main body and having a liquid screen;

a hinge connecting unit for rotatively connecting the main body and the folder;

a first buffer means for absorbing a shock of a contact between the main body and the folder when the folder is unfolded; and

a second buffer means for absorbing a shock of a contact between the main body and the folder when the folder is folded.

15. In a mobile terminal including a main body housing a circuit substrate inside and having an operational button and a liquid screen on the front surface and a flip rotatively connected to the main body and covering the operational button of the main body, a mobile terminal, comprising:

a buffer means installed to contact portions of the flip and the main body.