Mobile terminal

• US 8,380,258 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2009
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Hyun-Jun, Kim, Jung-Ha
• Primary Examiner(s): Wendell, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US12/611,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20100112949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,204 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/66.1, 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 455/575.1, 455/575.6, 455/90.3, 455/128, 455/344, 455/347
• US Class Current: 455/575.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2421 using coil springs
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0274 for an electrical connector module
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0277 for a printed circuit board assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/18 Telephone sets specially adapted for use in ships, mines, or other places exposed to adverse environment H04M1/19 takes precedence

Abstract

According to the present invention, there is disclosed a mobile terminal, comprising a case made of a metal that forms an appearance of the mobile terminal, a printed circuit board (PCB) having a wireless communication module that is mounted within the case, a connecting terminal having a conductive material that is electrically connected to the PCB and mounted on the case, and an insulation sealing member disposed between the case and the connecting terminal to insulate the connecting terminal from the case as well as to seal a space between the case and the connecting terminal.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a front case and a rear case that form an appearance of the mobile terminal, the rear case composed of a metal and detachably coupled to the front case;

a printed circuit board (PCB) mounted within the front case and comprising a wireless communication module;

a battery located between the PCB and the rear case;

a plurality of connecting terminals mounted in the rear case, composed of a conductive material, and configured to electrically connect to the PCB;

an elastic contact unit that extends from the PCB to the plurality of connecting terminals, is located along a side of the battery, and is configured to connect the PCB to the plurality of connecting terminals; and

an insulation sealing member configured to insulate the plurality of connecting terminals from the rear case, located between the rear case and the plurality of connecting terminals, and configured to seal a space between the rear case and the plurality of connecting terminals.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of connecting terminals comprises:

a head portion formed to make contact with an external device; and

a fixing portion that extends from the head portion and is fixed to a fixing hole formed in the rear case.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the insulation sealing member is inserted into the fixing hole and formed to surround the head portion and the fixing portion.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising a terminal mounting portion recessed in the rear case, wherein the plurality of connecting terminals are located in the terminal mounting portion.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the terminal mounting portion is formed at a corner portion of the rear case.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the PCB is located apart from the plurality of connecting terminals by a predetermined distance.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6, further comprising an electronic component having a predetermined size and mounted in a space between the PCB and the plurality of connecting terminals.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein:

the PCB further comprises a connecting point that is formed at a vertically downward position relative to the plurality of connecting terminals; and

the elastic contact unit is a spring that is attached to the connecting point.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 6, further comprising a supporting frame that is mounted within the front case and configured to support the PCB.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9, further comprising a through hole formed at a corner region of the supporting frame, the through hole penetrating the elastic contact unit.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, further comprising a component mounting portion that is formed on a region of the supporting frame other than the corner region where the through hole is formed.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the component mounting portion comprises at least a battery mounting portion or a vibrator mounting portion.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising a band connected at two end regions of the front case and configured to be worn on a user'"'"'s wrist.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the wireless communication module comprises:

a short-range wireless communication module for performing short-range communication with a main terminal; and

a display for visually displaying information received from the main terminal.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 14, wherein the display is configured to display time information in a standby mode.

16. The mobile terminal, of claim 1, wherein the plurality of connecting terminals comprise:

a first connecting terminal connected to ground;

a second connecting terminal connected to a first data line;

a third connecting terminal; and

a switch configured to selectively connect the third connecting terminal to either a second data line or a battery charge line.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein either the first data line is a data transmitting line and the second data line is a data receiving line or the first data line is the data receiving line and the second data line is the data transmitting line.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 17, further comprising:

a controller connected to the switch and configured to control the switch to switch between a data transmitting and receiving mode and a battery charge mode.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 18, wherein:

the first, second, and third connecting terminals operate as at least transmitting or receiving terminals in the data transmitting and receiving mode; and

the first and third connecting terminals operate as charging terminals in the battery charge mode.