Mobile terminal and arrangement to generate a bending force on a display

• US 9,363,342 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2014
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Han, Jaeyoung, Choi, Dongjun, Shin, Minchul, Han, Dongyoup, Park, Jongseok
• Primary Examiner(s): Rivero, Alejandro
• Application Number:
  US14/581,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20150256658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/575.1, 455/128, 455/145, 455/90.3, 379/330
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133305 Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133314 Back frames
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/28 Adhesive materials or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0277 for a printed circuit board assembly

Abstract

A mobile terminal is provided that includes a display configured to output visual information, a frame covering a rear surface of the display, and an adhesive member that provided between the rear surface of the display and the frame and configured to couple the display to the frame, the frame formed in a curved shape to generate a bending force causing the display to curve when the display is coupled to the frame using the adhesive member.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a display configured to output visual information;

a frame that covers a rear surface of the display; and

a coupling member between the rear surface of the display and the frame via which the display is coupled to the frame, wherein the frame has a curved shape that generates a bending force that causes the display to curve;

a window that covers an upper surface of the display such that one surface of a terminal body is formed, the window having a curved shape that corresponds to the curved display; and

a case configured to accommodate the frame and comprising a window mounting portion to which the window is coupled, and a hollow portion that is surrounded by the window mounting portion to form a space to accommodate the frame, wherein the case is coupled to a printed circuit board (PCB), having a curved shape that corresponds to the curved shape of the frame, that covers the hollow portion and reinforces rigidity of the case such that a bending force that causes the window to curve is maintained.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the frame is curved along a specific direction of the terminal body such that the display has a curved shape along the specific direction.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the frame comprises a protruding bead to reinforce rigidity of the frame such that the generated bending force is maintained.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein the bead extends along the specific direction.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein a portion of the coupling member that corresponds to a central region of the display is affected by a force applied in a direction that the display is separated from the frame.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 5, wherein the coupling member comprises adhesive or adhesive tape.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the display comprises:

a display panel to which an image is output; and

a backlight unit that covers a rear surface of the display panel and is configured to emit light toward the display panel,

wherein the coupling member is located between the backlight unit and the frame.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the frame comprises:

an accommodating portion configured to accommodate the backlight unit, wherein the accommodating portion has a curved shape to generate a bending force that causes the backlight unit to curve; and

first and second mounting portions,

wherein a first end portion of the display panel is mounted on the first mounting portion and a second end portion of the display panel is mounted on the second mounting portion, and

wherein a distance between the first and second mounting portions is shorter than a distance between the first and second end portions of the display panel such that the display panel is curved.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein the first and second mounting portions are inclined toward the accommodating portion such that the display panel is curved toward the accommodating portion.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein a mounting surface of the window mounting portion has a curved shape such that a bending force is generated that causes the window to curve.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the case further comprises a frame mounting portion having curved shape that corresponds to the curved frame and extending from the window mounting portion to cover a rear surface of the frame.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11, further comprising an adhesive or adhesive tape between the frame and the frame mounting portion via which the frame is coupled to the frame mounting portion.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 11, further comprising:

a boss protruding from the rear surface of the frame and inserted into a through hole of the frame mounting portion; and

a coupling member inserted into the boss such that the frame is coupled to the case.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising an elastic pad between the frame and the PCB such that at least part of the frame is elastically supported.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 14, wherein the elastic pad surrounds a central region of the frame.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the window is coupled to the display.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising an air gap between the window and the display.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 1,

wherein the frame is curved along a specific direction of a terminal body such that the display has a curved shape along the specific direction, and

wherein the frame comprises a protruding bead to reinforce rigidity of the frame such that the generated bending force is maintained.