MOBILE TERMINAL

• US 20100112949A1
• Filed: 11/03/2009
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Jung-Ha, KIM, Hyun-Jun
• Granted Patent: US 8,380,258 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.300
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2421 using coil springs
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0274 for an electrical connector module
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0277 for a printed circuit board assembly
• 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

According to the present invention, there is disclosed a mobile terminal, comprising a case made of a metal that forms an appearance of the mobile terminal, a printed circuit board (PCB) having a wireless communication module that is mounted within the case, a connecting terminal having a conductive material that is electrically connected to the PCB and mounted on the case, and an insulation sealing member disposed between the case and the connecting terminal to insulate the connecting terminal from the case as well as to seal a space between the case and the connecting terminal.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a case made of a metal that forms an appearance of the mobile terminal;

a printed circuit board (PCB) mounted within the case and having a wireless communication module;

a connecting terminal mounted on the case and having a conductive material that is electrically connected to the PCB; and

an insulation sealing member configured to insulate the connecting terminal from the case and to seal a space between the case and the connecting terminal.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the connecting terminal comprises:

a head portion formed to make contact with an external device; and

a fixing portion that extends from the head portion and is fixed to a fixing hole formed in the case.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the insulation sealing member is inserted into the fixing hole and formed to surround the head portion and the fixing portion.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising a terminal mounting portion recessed on the case and wherein the connecting terminal is located in the terminal mounting portion.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the case comprises a front case housing the PCB and a rear case coupled to a rear surface of the front case with the terminal mounting portion formed on the rear case.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the terminal mounting portion is formed at a corner portion of the case.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the PCB is located apart from the connecting terminal by a predetermined distance and further comprising an elastic contact unit between the PCB and the connecting terminal for elastically contacting the PCB with the connecting terminal.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7, further comprising an electronic component having a predetermined size mounted in a space between the PCB and the connecting terminal.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the PCB has a connecting point formed at a vertically downward position from the connecting terminal and the elastic contact unit is a spring attached to the connecting point of the PCB.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 7, further comprising a supporting frame mounted within the case for supporting the PCB.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, further comprising a through hole formed at a corner region of the supporting frame through which the elastic contact unit penetrates.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11, further comprising a component mounting portion formed on a region of the supporting frame other than the region where the through hole is formed.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein the component mounting portion comprises at least a battery mounting portion or a vibrator mounting portion.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising a band at both ends of the case that is configured to be worn on a user'"'"'s wrist.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 14, wherein the wireless communication module comprises a short-range wireless communication module for performing short-range communication with a main terminal and further comprising a display for visually displaying information received from the main terminal.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 15, wherein the display is configured to display time information in a standby mode.

17. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a main body having a wireless communication module; and

a terminal assembly provided in the main body to connect to an external device,

wherein the terminal assembly comprises;

a first connecting terminal connected to ground;

a second connecting terminal connected a first data line;

a third connecting terminal; and

a switch configured to selectively connect the third connecting terminal to either a second data line or a battery charge line.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein either the first data line is a data transmitting line and the second data line is a data receiving line or the first data line is the data receiving line and the second data line is the data transmitting line.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 18, further comprising a battery mounted on the terminal main body to which the switch is electrically connected.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 19, further comprising:

a controller connected to the switch for operating the switch in order to switch between a data transmitting and receiving mode and a battery charge mode.

21. The mobile terminal of claim 20, wherein:

the first, second, and third connecting terminals operate as at least transmitting or receiving terminals in the data transmitting and receiving mode; and

the first and third connecting terminals operate as charging terminals in the battery charge mode.

22. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a case containing a wireless communication module that comprises an external connecting terminal;

a printed circuit board (PCB) mounted within the case such that the PCB is located apart from the connecting terminal by a predetermined distance; and

an elastic contact unit that extends from the PCB to the connecting terminal for elastically contacting the PCB with the connecting terminal.

23. The mobile terminal of claim 22, further comprising an electronic component having a predetermined size mounted in a space between the PCB and the connecting terminal.

24. The mobile terminal of claim 22, wherein the PCB has a connecting point formed at a vertically downward position from the connecting terminal and the elastic contact unit is a spring attached to the connecting point of the PCB.

25. The mobile terminal of claim 22, further comprising a supporting frame mounted within the case for supporting the PCB.

26. The mobile terminal of claim 25, further comprising a through hole formed at a corner region of the supporting frame through which the elastic contact unit penetrates.

27. The mobile terminal of claim 26, further comprising a component mounting portion formed on a region of the supporting frame other than the region where the through hole is formed.

28. The mobile terminal of claim 27, wherein the component mounting portion comprises at least a battery mounting portion or a vibrator mounting portion.