Pouch and mobile terminal having the same

• US 8,965,466 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2012
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Oh, Seokhwan, Kang, Dongguk, Choo, Zhimin, Park, Jongseok, Kim, Minsoo, Han, Jongbeom
• Primary Examiner(s): WEST, LEWIS G
• Application Number:
  US13/656,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20130102365A1
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 455/575.8, 455/90.3, 455/575.4, 361/814
• US Class Current: 455/575.8
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0237 Sliding mechanism with one degree of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0241 using relative motion of the body parts to change the operational status of the telephone set, e.g. switching on/off, answering incoming call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a pouch for a mobile terminal and a mobile terminal having the same. The pouch includes a base defining a space for receiving at least part of a terminal body therein, a slide unit disposed within the base, and relatively slidable with respect to the base along a lengthwise direction of the terminal body, the slide unit supporting the terminal body, an elastic unit disposed between the base and the slide unit to apply an elastic force, a guide unit configured to guide the relative sliding of the slide unit, and a locking unit configured to lock and unlock the slide unit at and from a preset position of the base.

Claims

1. A pouch for a mobile terminal, the pouch comprising:

a base shaped to define an opening configured to receive at least a portion of the mobile terminal wherein the mobile terminal is removable from the pouch through the opening;

a slide unit located within the base and configured to support the mobile terminal and be slidable with respect to the base along a lengthwise direction;

an elastic unit located between the base and the slide unit and configured to apply an elastic force;

a guide unit configured to guide sliding of the slide unit; and

a locking unit configured to lock the slide unit in a preset position with respect to the base, wherein the locking unit comprises a push button configured to release the locking unit from the preset position.

2. The pouch of claim 1, wherein the slide unit is further configured to be slidable between a first state in which the mobile terminal is fully received in the base and a second state in which the mobile terminal is partially received in the base.

3. The pouch of claim 1, wherein the base comprises:

a frame configured to obscure a first side surface and a second side surface of the mobile terminal; and

a fixed plate connected to the frame and configured to obscure a rear surface of the mobile terminal.

4. The pouch of claim 1, wherein the slide unit comprises:

a moving plate adjacent to a fixed plate of the base, the moving plate configured to be slidable with respect to the fixed plate; and

a support plate extending from the moving plate and configured to support the mobile terminal.

5. The pouch of claim 4, wherein the guide unit comprises:

a first guide rail formed through the fixed plate and extending in a first direction;

a second guide rail formed through the moving plate and extending in a second direction that intersects the first direction; and

a guide member inserted into the first and second guide rails and configured to be movable along the first and second guide rails in response to sliding movement of the slide unit.

6. The pouch of claim 5, wherein the guide member comprises:

a body inserted into the first and second guide rails; and

securing portions at a first end and second end of the guide member to secure the body of the guide member in the first and second guide rails.

7. The pouch of claim 5, wherein the first guide rail is angled with respect to a sliding direction of the slide unit.

8. The pouch of claim 5, wherein the locking unit comprises:

a first guide rail extending portion extending from the first guide rail at an angled direction from the first direction and configured to receive the guide member such that the slide unit is fixed into the preset position; and

a manipulation portion mounted to the fixed plate and configured to press the guide member into the first guide rail in response to an external force applied to the push button.

9. The pouch of claim 8, wherein the manipulation portion is located adjacent to the first guide rail extending portion and configured to be movable to press the guide member into the first guide rail.

10. The pouch of claim 8, wherein the elastic unit comprises:

a first elastic member configured to apply an elastic force to the slide unit along the lengthwise direction; and

a second elastic member configured to apply an elastic force to bias the guide member towards the angled direction such that the guide member is received in the first guide rail extending portion.

11. The pouch of claim 10, wherein the second elastic member comprises a spring having a first end fixed to the moving plate and a second end fixed to the guide member.

12. A mobile terminal comprising:

a terminal body having a display disposed on a front side of the terminal body; and

a pouch configured to receive the terminal body,

wherein the pouch comprises;

a base shaped to define a first opening configured to receive at least a portion of the terminal body, wherein the terminal body is removable from the pouch through the first opening;

a slide unit located within the base and configured to support the terminal body and be slidable with respect to the base along a lengthwise direction;

an elastic unit located between the base and the slide unit and configured to apply an elastic force;

a guide unit configured to guide sliding of the slide unit; and

a locking unit configured to lock the slide unit in a preset position with respect to the base, wherein the locking unit comprises a push button configured to release the locking unit from the preset position,

wherein the slide unit is slidable between a first state in which the terminal body is fully received in the base and a second state in which the terminal body is partially received in the base.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein the terminal body comprises a first connection port configured to be electrically connected to a second connection port mounted on the base.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the display is configured to output visual information based on:

when the terminal body is in a separated state where the terminal body is separated from the pouch; and

when terminal body is in a connected state where the first connection port is electrically connected to the second connection port.

15. The terminal of claim 13, wherein:

the terminal body further comprises a proximity sensor configured to sense whether the terminal body is fully received in the base or partially received in the base; and

the display unit is further configured to output visual information based on whether the terminal body is fully received or partially received in the base.

16. The terminal of claim 15, wherein the display unit is further configured to:

output a main menu when the terminal body is fully received in the base; and

output sub menus of the main menu when the terminal body is partially received in the base.

17. The terminal of claim 15, the terminal body further comprising a first camera disposed on the front side of the terminal body and a second camera disposed on a rear side of the terminal body,

wherein the mobile terminal is configured to:

activate the first camera when the terminal body is partially received in the base; and

activate the second camera when the terminal is fully received in the base.

18. The terminal of claim 15, wherein the mobile terminal is further configured to:

activate a handheld phone mode when the terminal body is fully received in the base; and

activate a speakerphone mode when the terminal body is partially received in the base.

19. The terminal of claim 12, wherein:

the mobile terminal further comprises a main antenna configured to transmit and receive a wireless signal; and

the pouch comprises sub antennas configured to extend a wireless communication function of the mobile terminal.

20. The terminal of claim 19, wherein the sub antennas are disposed adjacent to locations corresponding to the main antenna at preset intervals in order to form coupling with the main antenna.