PORT COVER OPENING/CLOSING DEVICE FOR PORTABLE TERMINAL

• US 20080139258A1
• Filed: 12/10/2007
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Park, Jun-Sang, Lee, Chang-Soo, Kim, Joon-Suh
• Granted Patent: US 8,060,155 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/575.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/447 Shutter or cover plate
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/453 Shutter or cover plate opened by engagement of counterpart
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone

Abstract

A port cover opening/closing device for a portable terminal to open or close a plurality of port covers using a single cover dummy is disclosed. The device includes a cover opening; a first sliding cover and a second sliding cover slidably combined along the longitudinal direction of the cover opening to selectively open or close a first opening/closing space, and a second opening/closing space of the cover opening; a cover dummy provided between the first and second sliding covers, overlapping the first and second sliding covers when the first and second opening/closing spaces are opened respectively, and positioned parallel with the first and second sliding covers when the first and second opening/closing spaces are closed respectively; and an elastic member in the cover opening, providing an elastic force to the cover dummy.

Claims

1. A port cover opening/closing device for a portable terminal, the device comprising:

a cover opening provided in a main body of the portable terminal;

a first sliding cover and a second sliding cover, the sliding covers slidably provided in the cover opening along a longitudinal direction of the cover opening in order to selectively open or close a first opening/closing space and a second opening/closing space;

a cover dummy provided between the first sliding cover and the second sliding cover; and

an elastic member disposed in the cover opening, the elastic member providing an elastic force to the cover dummy so that the cover dummy overlaps the first sliding cover and the second sliding cover when the first opening/closing space and the second opening/closing space are opened respectively, and the cover dummy is disposed in parallel with the first sliding cover and the second sliding cover when the first opening/closing space and the second opening/closing space are closed respectively.

2. The port cover opening/closing device of claim 1, wherein the first opening/closing space provides an earphone space including an earphone jack, and the second opening/closing space provides a memory space including a memory combining unit.

3. The port cover opening/closing device of claim 1, wherein a mounting groove is formed in the cover opening for mounting the first sliding cover, the second sliding cover, the cover dummy, and the elastic member.

4. The port cover opening/closing device of claim 3, wherein a guide rail is formed in the mounting groove to guide a sliding of the first sliding cover and the second sliding cover, and a moving space is formed in the mounting groove to move the cover dummy from a home position towards an inner side of the cover opening and to return the cover dummy to the home position.

5. The port cover opening/closing device of claim 4, wherein guide members are formed in outer edges of the first sliding cover and of the second sliding cover for guiding the first and second sliding covers while being combined with the guide rail, and cover guide slopes are formed at a first end of the first sliding cover and at a second end of the second sliding cover, the first and second ends facing the cover dummy.

6. The port cover opening/closing device of claim 5, wherein a guide rib is formed in the cover dummy for guiding the cover dummy so that the cover dummy overlaps the first sliding cover and the second sliding cover respectively according to a sliding of the first sliding cover and of the second sliding cover in the moving space, and a dummy guide slope is formed at both ends of the cover dummy, the both ends facing the first and second ends respectively.

7. The port cover opening/closing device of claim 1, wherein the first sliding cover is provided at one end of the cover dummy, the second sliding cover is provided at an other end of the cover dummy.

8. The port cover opening/closing device of claim 1, wherein the elastic member is made of one of a pan spring and a coil spring.

9. A port cover opening/closing device for a portable terminal, the device comprising:

a cover opening;

a plurality of sliding covers provided in the cover opening, the sliding covers slidably disposed along a longitudinal direction of the cover opening in order to selectively open or close a plurality of opening/closing spaces of the cover opening; and

a cover dummy provided in the cover opening, the cover dummy overlapping the sliding covers when the opening/closing spaces are opened and the cover dummy positioned parallel with the sliding covers when the opening/closing spaces are closed.

10. A port cover opening/closing device for a portable terminal, the device comprising:

a cover dummy provided in a cover opening; and

a plurality of sliding covers disposed at both sides of the cover dummy, the sliding covers overlapping or positioned parallel with the cover dummy according to a sliding in order to selectively open or close respectively a plurality of opening/closing spaces provided in the cover opening.