POUCH AND MOBILE TERMINAL HAVING THE SAME

• US 20130102365A1
• Filed: 10/19/2012
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: KANG, Dongguk, CHOO, Zhimin, PARK, Jongseok, KIM, Minsoo, HAN, Jongbeom, OH, Seokhwan
• Granted Patent: US 8,965,466 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0237 Sliding mechanism with one degree of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0241 using relative motion of the body parts to change the operational status of the telephone set, e.g. switching on/off, answering incoming call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a pouch for a mobile terminal and a mobile terminal having the same. The pouch includes a base defining a space for receiving at least part of a terminal body therein, a slide unit disposed within the base, and relatively slidable with respect to the base along a lengthwise direction of the terminal body, the slide unit supporting the terminal body, an elastic unit disposed between the base and the slide unit to apply an elastic force, a guide unit configured to guide the relative sliding of the slide unit, and a locking unit configured to lock and unlock the slide unit at and from a preset position of the base.

Claims

1. A pouch for a mobile terminal, the pouch comprising:

a base defining a space into which at least a portion of a terminal body is received;

a slide unit located within the base and configured to be slidable with respect to the base along a lengthwise direction of the terminal body such that the slide unit supports the terminal body;

an elastic unit located between the base and the slide unit and configured to apply an elastic force;

a guide unit configured to guide sliding of the slide unit; and

a locking unit configured to lock and unlock the slide unit into and out of a preset position with respect to the base.

2. The pouch of claim 1, wherein the slide unit is further configured to be slidable between a first state in which the terminal body is received in the base and a second state in which at least a portion of the terminal body is exposed.

3. The pouch of claim 1, wherein the base comprises:

a frame located such that it obscures both side surfaces of the terminal body; and

a fixed plate connected to the frame and located such that it obscures a rear surface of the terminal body.

4. The pouch of claim 3, wherein the slide unit comprises:

a moving plate located such that it obscures the rear surface of the terminal body and configured to be relatively slidable while facing the fixed plate; and

a support plate extending from the moving plate such that it protrudes from the moving plate and supports the terminal body.

5. The pouch of claim 4, wherein the guide unit comprises:

a first guide rail formed through the fixed plate and extending in a first direction;

a second guide rail formed through the moving plate and extending in a second direction that intersects the first direction; and

a guide member inserted into the first and second guide rails and configured to be movable in response to sliding movement of the slide unit.

6. The pouch of claim 5, wherein the guide member comprises a body inserted into the first and second guide rails and having portions protruding from its outer circumferential surface in order to obscure the fixed plate and the moving plate.

7. The pouch of claim 5, wherein the first guide rail is internally inclined with respect to a sliding direction of the slide unit.

8. The pouch of claim 5, wherein the locking unit comprises:

a first guide rail extending portion extending from the first guide rail in the second direction and configured to receive the guide member such that the slide unit is fixed into the preset position; and

a manipulation portion mounted to the fixed plate and configured to press the guide member onto the first guide rail.

9. The pouch of claim 8, wherein the manipulation portion is located adjacent to the first guide rail extending portion and configured to be movable in a direction such that it presses the guide member.

10. The pouch of claim 8, wherein the elastic unit comprises:

a first elastic member configured to apply an elastic force to the slide unit in a sliding direction of the slide unit; and

a second elastic member configured to apply an elastic force to the guide member in the second direction such that the guide member is received in the first guide rail extending portion.

11. The pouch of claim 10, wherein the second elastic member comprises a spring having a first end fixed to the moving plate and a second end fixed to the guide member.

12. A mobile terminal comprising:

a terminal body having a display unit on a front surface; and

a pouch configured to receive the terminal body and having an opening for exposing at least a portion of the display unit,

wherein the pouch comprises;

a base defining a space into which at least a portion of the terminal body is received;

a slide unit located within the base and configured to be slidable with respect to the base along a lengthwise direction of the terminal body such that the slide unit supports the terminal body;

an elastic unit located between the base and the slide unit and configured to apply an elastic force;

a guide unit configured to guide sliding of the slide unit; and

a locking unit configured to lock and unlock the slide unit into and out of a preset position with respect to the base.

wherein the slide unit is slidable between a first state in which the terminal body is received in the base and a second state in which at least a portion of the terminal body is exposed.

13. The terminal of claim 12, wherein the terminal body comprises a first connection port that is configured to be electrically connected to a second connection port mounted on a bottom surface of the base.

14. The terminal of claim 13, wherein the display unit is configured to

output visual information related to a first mode when the terminal body is in a first state where the terminal body is separated from the pouch;

and

output visual information related to a second mode when the first connection port is electrically connected to the second connection port.

15. The terminal of claim 14, wherein:

the terminal body further comprises a proximity sensor located such that it overlaps the pouch in the first state and is configured to sense whether an external object is proximate; and

the display unit is further configured to output visual information of a pouch mode when the proximity sensor senses that the external object is proximate and to output visual information of a half-pouch mode when the proximity sensor does not sense that the external object is proximate.

16. The terminal of claim 15, wherein the display unit is further configured to:

output a main menu in the pouch mode; and

output sub menus of the main menu in the half-pouch mode.

17. The terminal of claim 15, further comprising a first camera mounted on a front surface of the terminal body and a second camera mounted on a rear surface of the terminal body,

wherein the terminal body is converted into an operating mode of the first camera in the first state and is converted into an operating mode of the second camera in a second state.

18. The terminal of claim 15, wherein the terminal body is converted into a phone call mode in the first state and is converted into a speakerphone mode in the second state.

19. The terminal of claim 12, wherein:

the terminal body comprises a main antenna configured to transmit and receive a wireless signal; and

the pouch comprises sub antennas configured to extend a wireless communication function of the terminal body.

20. The terminal of claim 19, wherein the sub antennas are located adjacent to the main antenna at preset intervals in order to form coupling with the main antenna.