Mobile terminal

• US 9,451,063 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2013
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Seongcheol, Lee, Jeongwoo
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisen, Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sarma, Abhishek
• Application Number:
  US14/080,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20140135071A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials

Abstract

A mobile terminal having a terminal body and a display unit for outputting an image to a first surface of the terminal body is provided. The display unit includes a liquid crystal (LC) panel configured to form the image by receiving an electric signal, the LC panel being disposed to face the first surface of the terminal body, a driver integrated circuit (IC) configured to apply the electric signal to the LC panel, the driver IC being mounted to a first surface of the LC panel adjacent to a first edge of the LC panel and a light source portion configured to provide light to the LC panel, the light source portion being disposed close to a second edge of the LC panel opposite to the first edge.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a terminal body;

a display unit for outputting an image to a first surface of the terminal body, the display unit including;

a liquid crystal (LC) panel configured to form the image by receiving an electric signal, the LC panel being disposed to face the first surface of the terminal body;

a driver integrated circuit (IC) configured to apply the electric signal to the LC panel, the driver IC being mounted to a first surface of the LC panel adjacent to a first edge of the LC panel; and

a light source portion configured to provide light to the LC panel, the light source portion being disposed close to a second edge of the LC panel opposite to the first edge;

an input key partially overlapping the display unit, the input key being configured to input signals when pressed;

a main circuit board disposed in the terminal body, the main circuit board having at least one electronic component mounted thereto;

a first flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) configured to connect the driver IC to the main circuit board, the first FPCB extending from the LC panel so as to enclose the first edge of the LC panel; and

a second FPCB configured to connect the light source portion to the main circuit board, the second FPCB extending from the light source portion so as to enclose the second edge of the LC panel.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the input key is disposed close to the second edge of the LC panel.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the display unit further includes:

a light guiding portion disposed close to the light source portion, the light guiding portion being arranged to overlap the LC panel, and the light guiding portion being configured to guide light emitted from the light source portion to the LC panel;

a diffusion portion disposed between the light guiding portion and the LC panel, the diffusion portion being configured to diffuse the light guided by the light guiding portion; and

a mold portion configured to support at least an edge of the light guiding portion and at least an edge of the diffusion portion, at least part of the mold portion being arranged below the input key to support the input key.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein the light guiding portion includes a first portion disposed below the LC panel, a second portion disposed between the first portion and the light source portion, and the second portion having a sloped upper surface.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising a third FPCB configured to connect the input key to the main circuit board, the third FPCB being supported by the mold portion.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising a frame disposed in the terminal body to support the display unit, the frame including first and second openings through which the first and second FPCBs pass, respectively.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6, further comprising a bent supporting portion that protrudes from the frame to support a lower part of the input key.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the mold portion is disposed between the frame and the supporting portion.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 7, further comprising a third FPCB configured to connect the input key to the main circuit board, the third FPCB being supported by the supporting portion,

wherein the frame includes a third opening through which the third FPCB passes.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising a light guiding portion disposed close to the light source portion, the light guiding portion being arranged to overlap the LC panel, and the light guiding portion being configured to guide light emitted from the light source portion to the LC panel,

wherein the input key is disposed so as to be supported by a region of the light guiding portion.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising a camera module arranged at the one surface of the terminal body so as to be close to the input key.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the camera portion includes a camera module disposed close to the light source portion such that the camera module partially overlaps the input key, the camera module being configured to support the input key.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein the one surface of the terminal body is a front surface,

wherein the terminal body further includes a rear surface facing the front surface and a side surface which connects the front surface to the rear surface, and

wherein the camera module is mounted to one of the front surface of the terminal body and the side surface of the terminal body.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the camera module includes a camera lens that faces towards the side surface of the terminal body.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 14, wherein, when the camera module is mounted to the front surface, the mobile terminal further includes:

a camera hole configured to pass light therethrough so as to be incident on the camera module from the outside; and

a reflection portion configured to reflect the light passing through the camera hole to the camera lens.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the input key partially overlaps the camera module so as to be supported by the camera module.

17. A mobile terminal comprising:

a terminal body;

a display unit for outputting an image to a first surface of the terminal body, the display unit including;

a liquid crystal (LC) panel configured to form the image by receiving an electric signal, the LC panel being disposed to face the first surface of the terminal body;

a driver integrated circuit (IC) configured to apply the electric signal to the LC panel, the driver IC being mounted to a first surface of the LC panel adjacent to a first edge of the LC panel; and

a light source portion configured to provide light to the LC panel, the light source portion being disposed close to a second edge of the LC panel opposite to the first edge;

a main circuit board disposed in the terminal body, the main circuit board having at least one electronic component mounted thereto;

a first flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) configured to connect the driver IC to the main circuit board, the first FPCB extending from the LC panel so as to enclose the first edge of the LC panel; and

a second FPCB configured to connect the light source portion to the main circuit board, the second FPCB extending from the light source portion so as to enclose the second edge of the LC panel.

18. A mobile terminal comprising:

a terminal body;

a display unit for outputting an image to a first surface of the terminal body, the display unit including;

a liquid crystal (LC) panel configured to form the image by receiving an electric signal, the LC panel being disposed to face the first surface of the terminal body;

a driver integrated circuit (IC) configured to apply the electric signal to the LC panel, the driver IC being mounted to a first surface of the LC panel adjacent to a first edge of the LC panel; and

a light source portion configured to provide light to the LC panel, the light source portion being disposed close to a second edge of the LC panel opposite to the first edge; and

a camera module arranged at the one surface of the terminal body so as to be close to an input key,

wherein the camera portion includes a camera module disposed close to the light source portion such that the camera module partially overlaps the input key, the camera module being configured to support the input key.