MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20120162876A1
• Filed: 12/06/2011
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pantech Corporation (Ideahub, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pantech Corporation (Ideahub, Inc.)
• Inventors: KIM, Sung Pil
• Application Number:
  US13/312,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20120162876A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1624 with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0237 Sliding mechanism with one degree of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0268 including a flexible display panel

Abstract

A mobile device includes a body, a cover unit covering a lower face and an outer circumferential edge of the body and being openable, a flexible display unit having a center portion and opposing sides installed to be drawn into or out from an inside region of the cover unit as the cover unit is opened or closed; and a hinge unit configured to open if the cover unit slides in a direction away from the center of the body.

Claims

1. A mobile device, comprising:

a body;

a cover unit covering a lower face and an outer circumferential edge of the body, the cover unit being openable in a direction away from a center of the body;

a flexible display unit comprising a center portion and opposing sides configured to be drawn into or out from an inside region of the cover unit as the cover unit is opened or closed; and

a hinge unit configured to open if the cover unit slides in a direction away from the center of the body.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein

the cover unit comprises a first cover and a second cover, and

the hinge unit comprises:

a first plate connected to the first cover and comprising rails arranged at opposite ends of the first plate,

a second plate arranged on the first plate, the second plate comprising a curved first slit hole and configured to be slidable along the rails of the first plate,

a third plate connected to the second cover, arranged on the second plate, comprising a linear second slit hole and configured to be slidable along the rails of the first plate, and

a rotation module having a first side rotatably connected to the first plate, a center rotatably connected to the second plate, and a second side having a hooking protrusion arranged in the first slit hole and the second slit hole.

3. The mobile device of claim 2, wherein the rotation module comprises:

a first rotary unit comprising a first side rotatably connected to the first plate;

a second rotary unit comprising a first side with the hooking protrusion arranged thereat, and a center rotatably connected to the second plate; and

a compression spring connected to a second side of the first rotary unit and a second side of the second rotary unit.

4. The mobile device of claim 2, wherein the rotation module allows the second plate and the third plate to slide, and the hooking protrusion moves along the first slit hole and the second slit hole as the second plate and the third plate slide.

5. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the cover unit comprises:

a first cover and a second cover, and

an elastic member connected between the inside region of the cover unit and a first end of the flexible display unit.

6. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein the first cover further comprises a guide member having a curved surface arranged along a path through which the flexible display unit is drawn into or out from if the first cover moves in a closed direction or an open direction, respectively.

7. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein the elastic member comprises a spring.

8. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the cover unit comprises a first cover, and a first end of the flexible display unit is connected to the inside region of the cover unit using board to board (BtoB) connector soldering, zero insertion force (ZIF) connector soldering, or flexible printed circuit board (F-PCB) soldering.

9. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the first cover further comprises a guide member having a curved surface arranged along a path through which the flexible display unit is drawn into or out from if the first cover moves in a closed direction or an open direction, respectively.

10. A mobile device, comprising:

a body;

a cover unit covering a lower face and an outer circumferential edge of the body, the cover unit being openable away from a center of the body;

a first input unit and a second input unit, the first input unit and the second input unit each comprising a portion configured to be drawn into or out from an inside region of the cover unit as the cover unit is opened or closed; and

a hinge unit configured to rotate into an open position if the cover unit slides in a direction away from the center of the body.