Sliding module and mobile terminal comprising the same

• US 8,521,241 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2012
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BYD Company Limited
• Original Assignee: BYD Company Limited
• Inventors: Zhou, Hu, Luo, Ruiqiang, Fan, Xiulan, Qin, Xia
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fahnert, Marisol
• Application Number:
  US13/456,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20120214559A1
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 455/90.3, 455/500.1, 455/575.1, 455/575.4
• US Class Current: 455/575.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1624 with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0237 Sliding mechanism with one degree of freedom

Abstract

A sliding module for a mobile terminal is provided, comprising: a support plate having a rotating mechanism on a first end thereof; a rotating plate connected with the support plate via the rotating mechanism; a sliding plate disposed on the rotating plate and configured to slide against the rotating plate; and a restricting mechanism disposed on a second end of the support plate opposite to the first end thereof to restrict a pair of first side portions at an end of the sliding plate neighboring the second end of the support plate, wherein the rotating plate may be rotated by a predetermined angle with respect to the support plate via the rotating mechanism when the first side portions slide out of the restricting mechanism. A mobile terminal comprising the same is also provided.

Claims

1. A sliding module for a mobile terminal, comprising:

a support plate comprising a rotating mechanism on a first end thereof;

a rotating plate connected with the support plate via the rotating mechanism;

a sliding plate disposed on the rotating plate and configured to slide against the rotating plate; and

a restricting mechanism disposed on a second end of the support plate opposite to the first end thereof to restrict a pair of first side portions at an end of the sliding plate neighboring the second end of the support plate,

wherein the rotating plate is rotated by a predetermined angle with respect to the support plate via the rotating mechanism when the first side portions slide out of the restricting mechanism,

the restricting mechanism comprises a pair of side walls at the second end of the support plate with each being formed with a groove facing each other, and

the first side portions comprise a pair of projecting portions from the end of the sliding plate neighboring the second end of the support plate to be mated with the grooves formed in the restricting mechanism.

2. The sliding module according to claim 1, wherein the rotating plate is formed with a pair of side walls with each formed with a sliding groove, and both sides of the sliding plate are slidably disposed in the sliding grooves of the rotating plate respectively.

3. The sliding module according to claim 2, wherein the sliding grooves are each provided with a guide formed with a groove facing each other.

4. The sliding module according to claim 3, wherein the side wall of the rotating plate is formed with a recess to be mated with a protrusion formed on the guide.

5. The sliding module according to claim 2, wherein the sliding plate comprises a pair of second side portions.

6. The sliding module according to claim 5, wherein the second side portion of the sliding plate has a stepped cross-section along a plane perpendicular to a sliding direction of the sliding plate.

7. The sliding module according to claim 5, wherein the second side portion is mated with the groove formed in the guide.

8. The sliding module according to claim 1, further comprising a slide driving structure provided between the sliding plate and the rotating plate for driving the sliding plate to slide.

9. The sliding module according to claim 8, wherein the slide driving structure is connected with the sliding plate and the rotating plate.

10. The sliding module according to claim 8, wherein the slide driving structure comprises a spring module with a first end rotatably connected with the sliding plate and a second end rotatably connected with the rotating plate.

11. The sliding module according to claim 10, wherein the first end of the spring module is rotatably connected with a first hole on the sliding plate, and the second end of the spring module is rotatably connected with a second hole on the rotating plate.

12. The sliding module according to claim 10, wherein

the spring module runs in a free state when the sliding module is closed;

and

the spring module is compressed maximally when the first side portions slide out of the restricting mechanism.

13. The sliding module according to claim 1, wherein the rotating mechanism comprises:

a first pivot support formed on the support plate;

a second pivot support formed on the rotating plate;

a pivot shaft configured to connect the first pivot support and the second pivot support; and

a rotating spring wrapped on the pivot shaft so that the rotating plate is driven to be rotated by the predetermined angle against the support plate after the sliding plate is released by the restricting mechanism.

14. The sliding module according to claim 13, wherein the rotating spring is a torsion spring.

15. The sliding module according to claim 13, wherein an upper end of the rotating spring is connected with the rotating plate, and a lower end of the rotating spring is connected with the support plate.

16. The sliding module according to claim 13, wherein the rotating spring is fixed between the rotating plate and the support plate by the pivot shaft.

17. A mobile terminal comprising the sliding module according to claim 1.