FPCB connection mechanism

• US 7,097,479 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2003
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, In-Hwan
• Primary Examiner(s): Luebke, Renee
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHUNG TRANS, XUONG MY
• Application Number:
  US10/627,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20040038719A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: 439/165, 439/164
• US Class Current: 439/165
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 35/04 Turnable line connectors with limited rotation angle with frictional contact members
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/028 Bending or folding regions of flexible printed circuits H05K1/0283 takes precedence

Abstract

A flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) connection mechanism of the present invention includes a first connector which is connected to one end of a first FPCB and a second connector which rotatably coupled with the first connector and is connected to one end of a second FPCB. The FPCB connection mechanism of the present invention provides a mechanical and electrical connection between the main body and the cover body of the handset without twisting of two FPCBs that are respectively connected to the main PCB of the main body and the auxiliary PCB of the cover body so to avoid the physical damage of the FPCBs caused by frequent rotational movement of the cover body in relation to the main body and prevent the physical damages of FPCBs from changing the circuitry resistances or shorting the circuitry.

Claims

1. A flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) connection mechanism configured to electrically connect two bodies of a foldable type handset, the FPCB connection mechanism comprising:

a first connector installed on a first body and connected to one end of a first FPCB of the first body; and

a second connector installed on a second body and configured to connect to one end of a second FPCB of the second body, wherein the first connector is configured to rotate relative to the second connector as the first body is rotated relative to the second body, while the first and second FPCBs connected respectively thereto are configured to remain in substantially fixed positions within the first and second bodies.

2. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the first connector is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape with a connecting hole formed in the longitudinal direction thereof, and wherein the second connector comprises a connecting protrusion formed in a substantially cylindrical shape configured to correspond to the connecting hole of the first connector, wherein the connecting protrusion is configured to be rotatably inserted into the connecting hole.

3. The mechanism of claim 2, wherein the first connector further comprises a plurality of first electrodes arranged on an inner circumferential surface of the connecting hole, and wherein the second connector further comprises a plurality of second electrodes arranged on an outer circumferential surface of the connecting protrusion, and wherein the plurality of first and second electrodes are configured to contact each other when the first connector and the second connector are coupled.

4. The mechanism of claim 3, wherein the first connector further comprises a first slot formed on an outer circumferential surface thereof, said first slot configured to receive an electrode pin formed extended at one end of the first FPCB.

5. The mechanism of claim 4, wherein the first slot is configured to be electrically connected to the plurality of first electrodes.

6. The mechanism of claim 5, wherein the second connector further comprises a second slot formed on an outer circumferential surface thereof, said second slot configured to receive an electrode pin formed extended at one end of the second FPCB.

7. The mechanism of claim 6, wherein the second slot is configured to be electrically connected to the plurality of second electrodes.

8. The mechanism of claim 3, wherein the second connector further comprises a second slot formed on an outer circumferential surface thereof, said second slot configured to receive an electrode pin formed extended at one end of the second FPCB.

9. The mechanism of claim 8, wherein the second slot is configured to be electrically connected to the plurality of second electrodes.

10. A flexible printed circuit board (FPBC) connection mechanism, comprising:

a first FPCB configured to be installed on a first body;

a second FPCB configured to be installed on a second body; and

a coupler configured to couple the first FPCB and the second FPCB, wherein the coupler comprises a first connector configured to connect to one end of the first FPCB, and a second connector rotatably coupled to the first connector, wherein the second connector is configured to connect to one end of the second FPCB, and wherein the first and second FPCBs remain in substantially fixed positions within the first and second bodies as the first and second bodies, and the first and second connectors, are rotated relative to one another, respectively.

11. The mechanism of claim 10, and wherein the coupler is further configured to rotatably couple the first and second FPCBs, to provide an electrical connection between the first and second FPCBs, and to maintain an electrical connection between the first FPCB and the second FPCB when the first body and the second body are rotated relative to one another.

12. The mechanism of claim 11, wherein the first connector is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape with a connecting hole formed in the longitudinal direction thereof, and wherein the second connector comprises a connecting protrusion configured to be rotatably inserted into the connecting hole of the first connector.

13. The mechanism of claim 12, wherein the connecting protrusion is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape configured to correspond to the connecting hole of the first connector.

14. The mechanism of claim 12, wherein the first connector further comprises a plurality of first electrodes arranged on an inner circumferential surface of the connecting hole, and the second connector further comprises a plurality of second electrodes arranged on an outer circumferential surface of the connecting protrusion, and wherein the plurality of first electrodes and plurality of second electrodes are configured to contact each other when the first connector and the second connector are coupled.

15. The mechanism of claim 14, wherein the first connector further comprises a first slot formed on an outer circumferential surface thereof, said first slot configured to receive a first electrode pin formed at one end of the first FPCB.

16. The mechanism of claim 15, wherein the first slot is configured to form an electrical connection with the plurality of first electrodes.

17. The mechanism of claim 14, wherein the second connector further comprises a second slot formed on an outer circumferential surface thereof, said second slot configured to receive a second electrode pin formed at one end of the second FPCB.

18. The mechanism of claim 17, wherein the second slot is configured to form an electrical connection with the plurality of second electrodes.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

a first body having a first electronic circuitry;

a second body having a second electronic circuitry; and

a coupler that couples the first body and the second body such that at least one of the first and second bodies are rotatable around the coupler, wherein the coupler includes;

a first connector connected to one end of a first flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) installed on the first body;

a second connector rotatably coupled to the first connector, wherein the second connector is connected to one end of a second FPCB installed on the second body; and

an electrical connector unit configured to couple the first and second electronic circuitries such that a substantially constant position of the first and second electronic circuitries is maintained in the first and second bodies, respectively.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the coupler is configured to maintain an electrical connection between the first FPCB and the second FPCB when the first body and the second body are rotated relative to one another.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first connector is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape with a connecting hole formed in the longitudinal direction thereof, and the second connector comprises a connecting protrusion formed in a substantially cylindrical shape corresponding to the connecting hole of the first connector, wherein the connecting protrusion is rotatably inserted into the connecting hole.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first connector further comprises a plurality of first electrodes arranged on an inner circumferential surface of the connecting hole, and the second connector further comprises a plurality of second electrodes arranged on an outer surface of the connecting protrusion, wherein the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes contact each other when the first connector and the second connector are coupled.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the first connector further comprises a first slot formed on an outer circumferential surface thereof, said first slot configured to receive a first electrode pin formed at one end of the first FPCB, and to form an electrical connection with the plurality of first electrodes.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the second connector further comprises a second slot formed on an outer circumferential surface thereof, said second slot configured to receive a second electrode pin formed at one end of the second FPCB, and to form an electrical connection with the plurality of second electrodes.