COVER DEVICE AND PORTABLE TERMINAL HAVING THE SAME

• US 20150018045A1
• Filed: 07/14/2014
• Published: 01/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: CHA, Kyung-Hoon, KANG, Seong-Woon, KIM, Young-Woong, PARK, Sung-Jin, LEE, Kyu-Suk, LEE, Jong-In
• Application Number:
  US14/330,430
• Publication Number:
  US 20150018045A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/185 Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A cover device is disclosed, and includes a cover member having an output unit on a surface thereof, and rotatably coupled with a touch panel; and an electrostatic capacitance generating unit which varies electrostatic capacitance at a touch position of the touch panel according to a touch on the output unit. A cover device also includes an output unit; and a transparent conductive film member provided on front and rear surfaces of the output unit, such that the transparent conductive film member is folded and provided on the front and rear surfaces of the output unit, so as to generate electrostatic capacitance at the same position.

Claims

1. A cover device comprising:

a cover member having an output unit on a surface thereof, and coupled with a touch panel; and

an electrostatic capacitance generating unit which varies electrostatic capacitance of the touch panel at a touch position according to a touch on the output unit.

2. The cover device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover member is made of a flexible film or plastic.

3. The cover device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output unit has an identical size to that of the touch panel and opposes the touch panel when the cover member overlays the touch panel.

4. The cover device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrostatic capacitance generating unit comprises:

an electrostatic pattern portion provided on an inner surface of the cover member opposite to the touch panel, and spaced at a predetermined distance from the touch panel; and

an elastic portion which supports and positions the electrostatic pattern portion to be spaced at a distance from the touch panel, and is elastically deformed according to the touch on the output unit.

5. The cover device as claimed in claim 4, wherein when a touch on a surface of the cover member occurs, the elastic portion is pressed at the touch position, and the electrostatic pattern portion contacts the touch panel at the touch position to implement an input.

6. The cover device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the electrostatic pattern portion comprises a plurality of electrostatic patterns adjacent to one another, and the elastic portion is disposed between the electrostatic patterns.

7. The cover device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrostatic capacitance generating unit comprises:

an electrostatic coating layer coated on an entire surface of the cover member; and

a supporting portion provided on a surface of the electrostatic coating layer which is divided into a plurality of regions, for supporting and spacing the electrostatic coating layer from the touch panel.

8. The cover device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the cover member is elastically deformed when being pressed.

9. The cover device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the supporting portion is provided in the form of a mesh pattern.

10. The cover device as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a conductive protective film on the output unit.

11. The cover device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrostatic capacitance generating unit comprises:

an electrostatic coating layer coated on an entire surface of the cover member;

a supporting portion provided on a surface of the cover member and supporting and spacing the electrostatic coating layer from the touch panel; and

a transfer portion provided between the supporting portion and connected to the electrostatic coating layer, and being in contact with the touch panel when the output unit is pressed.

12. The cover device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a conductive protective film on the output unit.

13. The cover device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover member further comprises a fixed guide member which fixes the cover member to the touch panel so that the electrostatic capacitance generating unit is accurately positioned opposite to the touch panel.

14. The cover device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the fixed guide member includes side protrusion portions protruding from sides of the touch panel and fixing the cover member to the touch panel.

15. The cover device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the fixed guide member comprises:

a first magnetic member provided on a side periphery of the touch panel; and

a second magnetic member provided on a side periphery of the cover member, and engaged with the first magnetic member.

16. The cover device of claim 1, wherein the output unit has substantially the same size as the touch panel and opposes the touch panel when the cover member overlays the touch panel.

17. A cover device comprising:

an output unit; and

a transparent conductive film member wherein the transparent conductive film member is a continuous film and is provided on the front and rear surfaces of the output unit, so as to generate electrostatic capacitance at a same position.

18. The cover device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the transparent conductive film member comprises:

a transparent film portion folded and coupled with the front and rear surfaces of the output unit; and

a plurality of contact patterns provided on the transparent film portion, and connected to one another to generate electrostatic capacitance at the same position when the transparent film portion is folded.

19. The cover device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the transparent film portion is folded and opposite to itself around a folding line, and comprises:

a front transparent film provided on a front surface of the output unit; and

a rear transparent film folded on the front transparent film, and provided on a rear surface of the output unit,

wherein the folding line bisects the transparent film portion so that the rear transparent film is folded on the front transparent film.

20. The cover device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the contact patterns comprise:

at least one front pattern provided on the front transparent film; and

at least one rear pattern provided on the rear transparent film and connected to the at least one front pattern, such that the rear pattern is at a position corresponding to that of the front pattern when the transparent film portion is folded.

21. The cover device as claimed in claim 20, further comprising a transparent pollution protection member between the front patterns.

22. The cover device as claimed in claim 21, further comprising a protective film on the output unit.

23. The cover device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the rear pattern includes a conductor made of an elastic material.

24. The cover device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the contact patterns include an Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) pattern.

25. The cover device as claimed in claim 18, further comprising:

a transparent pollution protection member between the contact patterns.

26. A portable terminal having a cover device, comprising:

a body including an input/output unit; and

a cover member coupled with the body for covering the body, and provided with an auxiliary output unit on a front surface thereof,

wherein the cover member comprises an electrostatic capacitance generating unit which implements an input to the input unit of the input/output unit according to a touch on the auxiliary output unit.

27. The portable terminal as claimed in claim 26, wherein the electrostatic capacitance generating unit comprises:

an electrostatic pattern provided on a rear surface of the cover member and spaced at a predetermined distance from the input/output unit; and

an elastic portion which supports and positions the electrostatic pattern portion to be spaced at a distance from the input/output unit, and is elastically deformed according to the touch on the auxiliary output unit.

28. The portable terminal as claimed in claim 26, wherein the electrostatic capacitance generating unit comprises:

an electrostatic coating layer coated on an entire surface of the cover member; and

a supporting portion provided on a surface of the electrostatic coating layer which is divided into a plurality of regions, for supporting and spacing the electrostatic coating layer opposite to the input/output unit.

29. The portable terminal as claimed in claim 26, wherein the electrostatic capacitance generating unit comprises:

an electrostatic coating layer coated on an entire surface of the cover member;

a supporting portion provided on a surface of the cover member and supporting and spacing the electrostatic coating layer from the touch panel; and

a transfer portion provided between the supporting portion and connected to the electrostatic coating layer, and being in contact with the input/output unit, when the auxiliary output unit is pressed.

30. The portable terminal as claimed in claim 26, wherein the cover unit comprises:

a rear cover coupled to the body; and

a front cover rotatably coupled with the rear cover, and covering the input/output unit,

wherein the front cover includes the auxiliary output unit and the electrostatic capacitance generating unit.

31. A portable terminal having a cover device, comprising:

a body including an input/output unit; and

a cover member coupled with the body for covering the body, and provided with an auxiliary output unit on a front surface thereof,

wherein the cover member includes a transparent conductive film member which is provided on front and rear surfaces of the auxiliary output unit and generates electrostatic capacitance at a same position.

32. The portable terminal as claimed in claim 31, wherein the transparent conductive film member comprises:

a transparent film portion folded and coupled with the front and rear surfaces of the auxiliary output unit; and

a plurality of contact patterns provided on the transparent film portion, and connected to one another to generate electrostatic capacitance at the same position when the transparent film portion is folded.

33. The portable terminal as claimed in claim 32, wherein the transparent film portion includes a front transparent film provided on a front surface of the auxiliary output unit around a folding line and a rear transparent film provided on a rear surface of the auxiliary output unit, and the contact patterns include a front pattern provided on the front transparent film and a rear pattern provided on the rear transparent film and connected to the front pattern, such that the rear pattern is at a same position as that of the front pattern when the transparent film portion is folded.