Mobile terminal

• US 7,656,675 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2009
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Min-Ho, Kim, Jong-Hun
• Primary Examiner(s): Levi; Dameon E
• Application Number:
  US12/350,891
• Publication Number:
  US 20090116202A1
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• Field of Search: 361/752, 361/730, 455/550.1, 455/575.1, 455/556.1, 455/90.3, 455/347, 174/50, 174/520, 345/173, 345/156
• US Class Current: 361/752
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1671 Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/236 including keys on side or rear faces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector

Abstract

A mobile terminal includes a frame having a front side and a rear side, the rear side having a first receiving space and a second receiving space located beside one another, a front cover disposed to at least partially cover the front side of the frame, the front cover having a transparent portion, a touch screen located between the front cover and the frame, the touch screen permitting transmission of a signal when the transparent portion is contacted, a camera located in one of the first and second receiving spaces, and a rear cover disposed to at least partially cover each of the first and second receiving spaces.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a terminal case partitioned into a first space and a second space, the second space having an upper portion and a lower portion disposed in a length direction;

first and second PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards) mounted in the upper portion, wherein the first and second PCBs are mounted to be partially overlapping each other;

a battery disposed to face the first and second PCBs and mounted in the lower portion;

keypads electrically connected to at least one of the first and second PCBs and mounted on at least two of four sides of the terminal case;

a touch screen installed to a front surface of the terminal;

a display module mounted in the first space and, located over the battery and the first and second PCBs and located under the touch screen and configured to display information; and

front and rear covers enclosing the terminal case,

wherein the keypads include a first keypad and a second keypad connected to at least one of the first and second PCBs,

wherein the terminal case is disposed between the front and rear covers and between the display module and the battery and first and second PCBs and includes a through hole to electrically connect the display module to at least one of the first and second PCBs, and

wherein the first and second keypads are mounted on first and second sides of the terminal case, respectively, and a third keypad is mounted on the front surface of the terminal case and electrically connected to the first keypad.

2. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the first space is formed on a front surface of the terminal case, and the second space is formed on a rear surface of the terminal case.

3. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the terminal case comprises:

a supporting portion having an outer surface that is exposed, the supporting portion defining an edge of the terminal case; and

a partitioning plate that divides the supporting portion into a front side and a rear side.

4. The terminal of claim 3, wherein the through hole is formed on the partitioning plate to allow a connector to connect the display module to at least one of the first and second PCBs.

5. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the upper portion and the lower portion of the second space are disposed horizontal to a rear side of the terminal case, and are located beside one another.

6. The terminal of claim 1, wherein a region of the front cover is at least partially transparent and the display module is visible through the region.

7. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the keypads are push type keypads that input signals according to a pressing operation.

8. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the first keypad includes a first connector, the second keypad includes a second connector, and the terminal case includes through holes to electrically connect the first and second connectors to at least one of the first and second PCBs mounted at a rear side of the terminal case.

9. The terminal of claim 1, further comprising a microphone mounted at the third keypad, the microphone electrically connected to the third keypad.

10. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the first and third keypads are connected to each other by a FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit).

11. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the display module is located over an entire of the battery and the first and second PCBs.

12. A mobile terminal comprising:

a terminal case having a front space and a rear space, the rear space having a first space and a second space disposed in a length direction;

first and second PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards) mounted in the first space, wherein the first and second PCBs are mounted to be partially overlapping each other;

a battery disposed to face the first and second PCBs and mounted in the second space;

keypads electrically connected to at least one of the first and second PCBs and mounted on at least two of four sides of the terminal case;

a touch screen installed to a front surface of the terminal;

a display module mounted in the front space, and located over the battery and the first and second PCBs and located under the touch screen and configured to display information; and

front and rear covers enclosing the terminal case,

wherein the keypads include a first keypad and a second keypad connected to at least one of the first and second PCBs,

wherein the terminal case is disposed between the front and rear covers and between the display module and the battery and first and second PCBs and includes through holes to electrically connect the display module to at least one of the first and second PCBs, and

wherein the first and second keypads are mounted on first and second sides of the terminal case, respectively, and a third keypad is mounted on the front surface of the terminal case and electrically connected to the first keypad.

13. The terminal of claim 12, wherein the terminal case comprises:

a supporting portion having an outer surface that is exposed, the supporting portion defining an edge of the terminal case; and

a partitioning plate that divides the supporting portion into a front side and a rear side.

14. The terminal of claim 13, wherein the through holes are formed on the partitioning plate to allow a connector to connect the display module to at least one of the first and second PCBs.

15. The terminal of claim 12, wherein the first space and the second space are disposed horizontal to a rear side of the terminal case, and are located beside one another.

16. A mobile terminal comprising:

a terminal case having a front space and a rear space, the rear space having a first space and a second space disposed in a length direction;

first and second PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards) mounted in the first space, wherein the first and second PCBs are mounted to be partially overlapping each other;

a battery disposed to face the first and second PCBs and mounted in the second space;

keypads electrically connected to at least one of the first and second PCBs and mounted on at least two of four sides of the terminal case;

a touch screen installed to a front surface of the terminal;

a display module mounted in the front space, and located over the battery and the first and second PCBs and located under the touch screen and configured to display information; and

front and rear covers enclosing the terminal case,

wherein the keypads include a first keypad and a second keypad connected to at least one of the first and second PCBs,

wherein the terminal case is disposed between the front and rear covers and between the display module and the battery and first and second PCBs and includes through holes to electrically connect the display module to at least one of the first and second PCBs, and

wherein the first and second keypads are mounted on first and second sides of the terminal case, respectively, and a third keypad is mounted on the front surface of the terminal case.