MOBILE TERMINAL

• US 20120115551A1
• Filed: 07/14/2010
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bluebird Soft Incorporated (Bluebird,Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bluebird Soft Incorporated (Bluebird,Inc.)
• Inventors: Cho, Sang Chul, Lee, Jang Won
• Granted Patent: US 8,798,690 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/236 including keys on side or rear faces

Abstract

Disclosed is a mobile terminal. The mobile terminal of the present invention comprises: a front case having a keypad-accommodating portion; a rear case attachably/detachably coupled to a rear surface of the front case such that a component-accommodating space, in which a main PCB is arranged, is interposed between the front case and the rear case; and a keypad which has a plurality of key buttons, and which is made of a flexible material, and which is accommodated in the keypad-accommodating portion of the front case. The keypad has an edge on which a water-resistant blade extends toward the keypad-accommodating portion. The keypad-accommodating portion has a bottom surface on which a blade insertion rain is formed to enable a portion of the water-resistant blade to be inserted into the rail. The mobile terminal of the present invention has a simple structure to enable easy manufacture and assembly, and in particular prevents water or moisture from entering a keypad area.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising

a front case comprising a keypad-accommodating portion;

a rear case detachably coupled to the front case at a rear surface of the front case with a component accommodating space, in which a main printed circuit board (PCB) is arranged, therebetween; and

a keypad of a flexible material accommodated in the keypad-accommodating portion of the front case and provided with a plurality of key buttons,

the keypad comprising a water-resistant blade placed at an edge thereof and extending toward the keypad-accommodating portion, and the keypad-accommodating portion comprising a blade-insertion rail placed on a bottom thereof and partially inserting the water-resistant blade therein.

2. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the water-resistant blade is continuously formed along a circumferential direction of the keypad, and the blade-insertion rail is shaped like a continuous closed loop corresponding to the water-resistant blade.

3. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the blade-insertion rail is formed by an outer wall of the keypad-accommodating portion and a protrusion rib protruding from the bottom of the keypad-accommodating portion at a position spaced apart from the outer wall.

4. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the outer wall of the keypad-accommodating portion is formed with a plurality of protrusions protruding toward a center area of the keypad-accommodating portion, and

the edge of the keypad is formed with a groove to be arranged corresponding to and be fit with the protrusion.

5. The mobile terminal according to claim 4, wherein the protrusion and the groove are shaped like a waveform.

6. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a keypad PCB smaller than the keypad and inserted in the keypad,

wherein the front case formed with the keypad-accommodating portion comprises a through hole through which a flexible printed circuit board passes so that the main PCB and the keypad PCB are electrically connected.

7. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a keypad cover coupled to the keypad-accommodating portion in front of the keypad so that the plurality of key buttons can be exposed to outside,

wherein the keypad cover comprises:

a keypad protective cover arranged on the keypad and coupled to the keypad-accommodating portion; and

a keypad decorative cover coupled to a top of the keypad protective cover.

8. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:

a middle case arranged between the front and rear cases, assembled together with the front and rear cases, and comprising one side to which the main PCB is assembled;

a power key unit coupled to one side of the main PCB and turning on/off operation of the main PCB; and

a reset key unit coupled to the other side of the main PCB and initializing memory.

9. The mobile terminal according to claim 8, wherein the power key unit comprises

a power-key tact switch provided at one side of the main PCB;

a first switch shield provided in the middle case and passing the power-key tact switch therethrough while supporting and surrounding the power-key tact switch;

a power-key water-resistant cap of a flexible material inserted in the first switch shield, airtightly sealing the first switch shield, and having a first protrusion shielding end portion adjacent to the power-key tact switch; and

a power key inserted in and coupled to the power-key water-resistant cap and substantially pressing the power-key tact switch.

10. The mobile terminal according to claim 9, wherein the first switch shield and the power-key water-resistant cap have a non-circular section.

11. The mobile terminal according to claim 9, wherein the power key comprises:

a first shaft to be inserted in an insertion portion of the power-key water-resistant cap;

a first head formed at an exposed end portion of the first shaft; and

a first flange provided between the first shaft and the first head, more expanded outward in a radial direction than a diameter of the first head, and serving to cover an entrance of the insertion portion stepped from the outer wall of the power-key water-resistant cap toward the first protrusion shielding end portion.

12. The mobile terminal according to claim 11, wherein one of the first shaft and the insertion portion is formed with a key block for direction-setting, and the other one is formed with a key groove to which the key block is coupled.

13. The mobile terminal according to claim 8, wherein the reset key unit comprises

a reset-key tact switch provided at the other side of the main PCB;

a second switch shield provided in the main PCB to surround the reset-key tact switch and passing the reset-key tact switch therethrough;

a reset-key water-resistant cap of a flexible material inserted in the second switch shield, airtightly sealing the second switch shield, and having a second protrusion shielding end portion adjacent to the reset-key tact switch; and

a reset key inserted in and coupled to the reset-key water-resistant cap and substantially pressing the reset-key tact switch.

14. The mobile terminal according to claim 13, wherein the second switch shield and the reset-key water-resistant cap have a non-circular section.

15. The mobile terminal according to claim 8, wherein the reset key comprises

a second shaft to be inserted in an insertion portion of the reset-key water-resistant cap;

a second head formed at an exposed end portion of the second shaft; and

a second flange provided between the second shaft and the second head, more expanded outward in a radial direction than the diameter of the second head, and serving to cover an entrance of the insertion portion stepped from the outer wall of the reset-key water-resistant cap toward the second protrusion shielding end portion.

16. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a water-resistant rubber provided integrally with side keys and airtightly sealing up the front and rear cases between the front and rear cases.

17. The mobile terminal according to claim 16, wherein the side keys are symmetrically provided in opposite sides of the water-resistant rubber while forming a pair, and the pair of side keys are partially exposed to an outside of the front and rear cases when the front and rear cases are assembled.

18. The mobile terminal according to claim 16, wherein the side key comprises

a key protrusion protruding from the outer surface of the water-resistant rubber;

and

a key rod connected to the key protrusion, extended to the inside of the front and rear cases, and contacting the main PCB, and

the side key is made of the same material as the water-resistant rubber.

19. The mobile terminal according to claim 18, further comprising a plate member to be coupled to a rear of the key protrusion as being put on the key rod.

20. The mobile terminal according to claim 16, further comprising a display window coupling portion formed at one side of the water-resistant rubber and coupling with a display window.

21. The mobile terminal according to claim 16, further comprising a boundary rib protruding to form a boundary between the front and rear cases on inner and outer surfaces of the water-resistant rubber.