Wearable watch type mobile terminal

• US 9,639,057 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2015
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jung, Dawoon
• Primary Examiner(s): LARSON, JUSTIN MATTHEW
• Application Number:
  US14/723,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20160132023A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 224221, 224176, 24 68 J, 24265 WS
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 5/0069 extensible
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 5/246 having size adjusting means
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2005/008 Hand articles fastened to the wrist or to the arm or to the leg
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 18/00 Winding webs
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/0008 for pocket watches and wrist watches
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 17/06 Electric connectors, e.g. conductive elastomers
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/08 Touch switches specially adapted for time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/2155 Jewelry-watch straps
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/2187 Rack and pinion and circular tighteners

Abstract

A watch type mobile terminal includes: a body having a power supply unit, a printed circuit board, and a display unit formed to implement a touch input thereon; a band unit formed to be wearable on a user'"'"'s wrist by being connected to the body, and formed such that at least part thereof is wound or unwound in the body; and a length control unit configured to implement winding or unwinding of the band unit such that a length of the band unit is controllable in accordance with a user'"'"'s wrist size.

Claims

1. A watch type mobile terminal, comprising:

a body having a power supply unit, a printed circuit board, and a display unit formed to implement a touch input thereon;

a band unit formed to be wearable on a user'"'"'s wrist by being connected to the body, and formed such that at least part thereof is wound or unwound in the body; and

a length control unit configured to implement winding or unwinding of the band unit such that a length of the band unit is controllable in accordance with a user'"'"'s wrist size.

2. The watch type mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the length control unit further includes a stopping portion formed to be pushable by being exposed to outside of the body or the band unit, and

wherein the stopping portion is configured to press the second band when pushed by an external force, to thus restrict movement of the second band.

3. The watch type mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising a bio sensor installed on a rear surface of the body or one surface of the band unit, and configured to sense a user'"'"'s bio information,

wherein the bio sensor is arranged to face a user'"'"'s body as length control of the band unit by the length control unit is completed.

4. The watch type mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the length control unit further includes a gear bar rotatably installed in the body, the gear bar connected to the second band so as to wind or unwind the second band thereon or therefrom according to a rotation direction thereof.

5. The watch type mobile terminal of claim 4, further comprising a flexible printed circuit board electrically connected to electronic components inside the body, and extending up to inside of the first band,

wherein the length control unit further includes a push switch formed to be pushable as at least part thereof is exposed to outside of the band unit, and

wherein the push switch is electrically connected to the flexible printed circuit board, and generates a signal to wind or unwind the second band according to a push input.

6. The watch type mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the length control unit further includes a motor connected to a rotational shaft of the gear bar so as to rotate the gear bar.

7. The watch type mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the motor is rotated or stopped based on a user'"'"'s input, such that a length of the band unit is controllable to a preset length.

8. The watch type mobile terminal of claim 6, further comprising a proximity illumination sensor installed on a rear surface of the body,

wherein the motor is rotated or stopped based on change of a distance between a user'"'"'s wrist and the body, the distance change sensed by the proximity illumination sensor.

9. The watch type mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the length control unit further includes a spiral spring connected to the second band and the gear bar, respectively, and

wherein for length control of the band unit, the spiral spring is unwound from the gear bar by a force to pull the second band, and is wound on the gear bar when the force to pull the second band is removed.

10. The watch type mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the length control unit includes:

a stopping gear rotated together with the gear bar;

a locking portion disposed to correspond to the stopping gear, and formed to be locked to the stopping gear such that re-winding of the spiral spring is restricted;

a push button formed at the body or the band unit so as to be pushable, and configured to move the stopping gear so as to separate the stopping gear from the locking portion, when it is pushed by an external force; and

an elastic member disposed on an opposite side to the push button on the basis of the stopping gear, for support of the stopping gear, the elastic member configured to return the stopping gear to an initial position prior to movement when the external force applied to the push button is removed.

11. The watch type mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the body includes:

a first body having the power supply unit, the printed circuit board and the display unit; and

a second body connected to the first body by the band unit, and having the length control unit.

12. The watch type mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the length control unit includes at least one spiral spring rotatably installed in the second body, and

wherein one end of the band unit is connected to the first body (801), and another end of the band unit is inserted into the second body to thus be connected to the spiral spring.

13. The watch type mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein at least part of the band unit is formed of a conductive material, such that electronic components inside the first body are electrically connected to electronic components inside the second body, and

wherein a non-conductive material is coated on a surface of the band unit.

14. The watch type mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the length control unit further includes:

a winding gear connected to a rotational shaft of the spiral spring, so as to be rotated together with the spiral spring; and

a winding motor connected to the winding gear so as to provide a rotational force to the winding gear.

15. The watch type mobile terminal of claim 14, wherein the length control unit further includes:

a supporting portion formed to contact the rotational shaft of the spiral spring, and formed of a conductive material partially or wholly; and

a cable electrically connected to the winding motor and the supporting portion, such that an electric signal transmitted from the first body through the band unit is provided to the winding motor, and

wherein the winding motor is rotated based on an electric signal transmitted through the cable.

16. The watch type mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the length control unit includes:

an unwinding gear installed at the rotational shaft of the spiral spring, so as to be rotated together with the spiral spring, and having a groove on an outer circumferential surface thereof;

a locking member formed to be rotatable, and inserted into the groove with a preset range of rotation angle, such that rotation of the spiral spring is restricted; and

an unwinding motor connected to a rotational shaft of the locking member so as to rotate the locking member.

17. The watch type mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein the length control unit further includes:

a supporting portion formed to contact the rotational shaft of the spiral spring, and formed of a conductive material partially or wholly; and

a cable electrically connected to the unwinding motor and the supporting portion, such that an electric signal transmitted from the first body through the band unit is provided to the unwinding motor, and

wherein the unwinding motor is rotated based on an electric signal transmitted through the cable.

18. The watch type mobile terminal of claim 16, wherein the second body is provided with a hole corresponding to the locking member,

wherein the locking member is separated from the groove by being pressed by an external object inserted through the hole, and

wherein the length control unit further includes an elastic member disposed at an opposite side to the hole on the basis of the locking member, for support of the locking member, the elastic member configured to restore the locking member to an initial position prior to movement when the external force by the external object is removed.