Mobile terminal

• US 9,720,458 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2014
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kang, Jaehyuk, Kim, Hyunseok, Jang, Jinho
• Primary Examiner(s): Levi, Dameon E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dawkins, Collin
• Application Number:
  US14/464,167
• Publication Number:
  US 20150109170A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 343702, 343872, 343878
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• 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: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1658 related to the mounting of internal components, e.g. disc drive or any other functional module
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/182 with special features, e.g. for use in industrial environments; grounding or shielding against radio frequency interference [RFI] or electromagnetical interference [EMI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/44 using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna , e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspectH01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3894 Waterproofing of transmission device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0249 Details of the mechanical connection between the housing parts or relating to the method of assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0277 for a printed circuit board assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/18 Telephone sets specially adapted for use in ships, mines, or other places exposed to adverse environment H04M1/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0008 assembled by screws
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/03 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/04 Metal casings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/069 Other details of the casing, e.g. wall structure, passage for a connector, a cable, a shaft
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20436 : Inner thermal coupling elements in heat dissipating housings, e.g. protrusions or depressions integrally formed in the housing

Abstract

A mobile terminal comprises: a metallic frame; a first cover and a second cover coupled to a front surface and a rear surface of the metallic frame, respectively; and a first waterproof layer and a second waterproof layer formed between the first cover and the metallic frame, and between the second cover and the metallic frame, respectively, wherein the metallic frame includes: a base portion configured to support a display unit formed on the front surface of the metallic frame; and an edge portion formed along an outer periphery of the base portion so as to radiate heat generated from the base portion, and exposed to outside of the mobile terminal between the first cover and the second cover.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a display unit;

a metallic frame having a front side and a rear side, and forming at least part of appearance of the terminal body;

comprising;

a base portion thermally coupled to the display unit, and

an edge portion formed along an outer periphery of the base portion;

a first cover and a second cover disposed at the front and rear sides of the metallic frame, respectively;

a first waterproof layer and a second waterproof layer arranged between the first cover and the metallic frame, and between the second cover and the metallic frame, respectively;

a main printed circuit board (PCB) disposed at the rear side of the metallic frame; and

a non-metallic coupling formed between the edge portion and the base portion,

wherein the edge portion is configured to emit heat generated by an electronic device on the main printed circuit board,

wherein the edge portion includes a plurality of radiation portions configured to radiate wireless signals at different frequency bands,

wherein the metallic frame is provided with ribs disposed at the rear side of the metallic frame, so as to divide a first region where the main printed circuit board is mounted from a second region where a battery is mounted,

wherein the non-metallic coupling is formed as a single structure at the front and rear sides of the metallic frame,

wherein the metallic frame is provided with a hole penetrating between the front side and the rear side, and

wherein a portion of the non-metallic coupling passes through the hole and joins the non-metallic coupling on the front side with the non-metallic coupling on the rear side.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the metallic frame is thermally coupled to the electronic device by arranging a thermal member between the electronic device and the metallic frame.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the first waterproof layer is disposed to fill a gap between the first cover and the metallic frame, and

wherein the first waterproof layer is implemented as a waterproof member having opposing surfaces that are attached to the first cover and the metallic frame, respectively.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising a conductive pattern formed on one surface of a carrier, the conductive pattern is electrically connected to the main printed circuit board,

wherein the radiation portion and the conductive pattern are connected to each other by a coupling portion penetratingly-formed at the carrier, and operate as a radiator of an antenna.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the metallic frame includes:

a through hole configured to insert the coupling portion thereinto; and

a conductive connection portion which extends from an inner circumference of the through hole to the radiation portion, and

wherein the through hole and the conductive connection portion are formed at an upper end or a lower end of the mobile terminal.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising a sub printed circuit board disposed at a third region divided from the second region by the ribs,

wherein the metallic frame is provided with a first through portion for passing a first flexible printed circuit board therethrough, the first flexible printed circuit board configured to connect the display unit and the sub printed circuit board with each other.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6, further comprising a coaxial cable configured to electrically-connect the main printed circuit board with the sub printed circuit board spaced apart from the main printed circuit board.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the first waterproof layer is a double-sided tape.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the non-metallic coupling is provided with a socket mounting portion for mounting a socket thereto, and an external device is electrically-connected to the socket.

10. A mobile terminal, comprising:

an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display unit;

a metallic frame having a front side and a rear side, and forming at least part of appearance of the terminal body;

comprising;

a base portion thermally coupled to the display unit, and

an edge portion formed along an outer periphery of the base portion;

a first cover and a second cover disposed at the front and rear sides of the metallic frame, respectively;

a first waterproof layer and a second waterproof layer arranged between the first cover and the metallic frame, and between the second cover and the metallic frame, respectively;

a main printed circuit board (PCB) disposed at the rear side of the metallic frame; and

a non-metallic coupling formed between the edge portion and the base portion, wherein the edge portion is configured to emit heat generated by an electronic device on the main printed circuit,

wherein the metallic frame is provided with ribs disposed at the rear side of the metallic frame, so as to divide a first region where the main printed circuit board is mounted from a second region where a battery is mounted,

wherein the non-metallic coupling is formed as a single structure at the front and rear sides of the metallic frame,

wherein the metallic frame is provided with a hole penetrating between the front side and the rear side, and

wherein a portion of the non-metallic coupling passes through the hole and joins the non-metallic coupling on the front side with the non-metallic coupling on the rear side.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the metallic frame is thermally coupled to the electronic device by arranging a thermal member between the electronic device and the metallic frame.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 10, further comprising a sub printed circuit board disposed at a third region divided from the second region by the ribs,

wherein the metallic frame is provided with a first through portion for passing a first flexible printed circuit board therethrough, the first flexible printed circuit board configured to connect the display unit and the sub printed circuit board with each other.

13. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a display unit;

a metallic frame having a front side and a rear side, and forming at least part of appearance of the terminal body;

comprising;

a base portion thermally coupled to the display unit, and

an edge portion formed along an outer periphery of the base portion;

a first cover and a second cover disposed at the front and rear sides of the metallic frame, respectively;

a first waterproof layer and a second waterproof layer arranged between the first cover and the metallic frame, and between the second cover and the metallic frame, respectively; and

a non-metallic coupling formed between the edge portion and the base portion,

wherein the edge portion is configured to emit heat generated by an electronic device on the main printed circuit board,

wherein the edge portion includes a plurality of radiation portions configured to radiate wireless signals at different frequency bands,

wherein the non-metallic coupling is formed as a single structure at the front and rear sides of the metallic frame,

wherein the metallic frame is provided with a hole penetrating between the front side and the rear side, and

wherein a portion of the non-metallic coupling passes through the hole and joins the non-metallic coupling on the front side with the non-metallic coupling on the rear side.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the metallic frame is thermally coupled to the electronic device by arranging a thermal member between the electronic device and the metallic frame.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 13, further comprising a sub printed circuit board disposed at a third region divided from the second region by a rib,

wherein the metallic frame is provided with a first through portion for passing a first flexible printed circuit board therethrough, the first flexible printed circuit board configured to connect the display unit and the sub printed circuit board with each other.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the plurality of radiation portions operates as an antenna module, and the main printed circuit board or the antenna module is ground-connected to the metallic frame such that the metallic frame operates as a ground of the main printed circuit board or the antenna module.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the plurality of radiation portions includes a first radiation portion and a second radiation portion, and are configured such that the respective radiation portions operate at different frequency bands, and

wherein the radiation portions form radiators together with first and second conductive patterns consecutive to the first and second radiation portions respectively, and the conductive patterns are formed at a carrier disposed between the first cover and the second cover.

18. A mobile terminal, comprising:

an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display unit;

a metallic frame having a front side and a rear side, and forming at least part of appearance of the terminal body comprising;

a base portion thermally coupled to the display unit, and

an edge portion formed along an outer periphery of the base portion;

a first waterproof layer that is a double-sided tape;

a non-metallic coupling formed between the edge portion and the base portion; and

a wireless communication unit including one or more components which permit wireless communications between the mobile terminal and a wireless communication system or between the mobile terminal and a network within which the mobile terminal is located,

wherein the edge portion is configured to emit heat generated,

wherein the edge portion includes a plurality of radiation portions configured to radiate wireless signals at different frequency bands,

wherein the plurality of radiation portions operate as a radiator of the wireless communication unit, and the wireless communication unit transceives signals corresponding to voice service of the mobile terminal, or transceives data signals corresponding to LTE service of the mobile terminal,

wherein the metallic frame is provided with ribs disposed at the rear side of the metallic frame, so as to divide a first region where the main printed circuit board is mounted from a second region where a battery is mounted,

wherein the non-metallic coupling is formed as a single structure at the front and rear sides of the metallic frame,

wherein the metallic frame is provided with a hole penetrating between the front side and the rear side, and

wherein a portion of the non-metallic coupling passes through the hole and joins the non-metallic coupling on the front side with the non-metallic coupling on the rear side.

19. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a window coupled to a display module;

a wireless communication unit including one or more components which permit wireless communications between the mobile terminal and a wireless communication system or between the mobile terminal and a network within which the mobile terminal is located;

a metallic frame having a front side and a rear side, and including a base portion and an edge portion, wherein the display module is arranged on the base portion of the metallic frame and the edge portion is exposed to outside of the mobile terminal;

a cover covering the rear side of the metallic frame;

a first waterproof layer disposed between the window and the metallic frame;

a second waterproof layer disposed between the cover and the metallic frame, and

a non-metallic coupling formed between the edge portion and the base portion,

wherein the edge portion is configured to emit heat generated by electronic devices of the mobile terminal and includes a plurality of radiation portions to radiate wireless signals at different frequency bands,

wherein the non-metallic coupling is formed as a single structure at the front and rear sides of the metallic frame,

wherein the metallic frame is provided with a hole penetrating between the front side and the rear side, and

wherein a portion of the non-metallic coupling passes through the hole and joins the non-metallic coupling on the front side with the non-metallic coupling on the rear side.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 19, further comprising a main printed circuit board (PCB) disposed at the rear side of the metallic frame, the electronic devices are mounted on the main printed circuit board.

21. The mobile terminal of claim 20, wherein a plurality of regions are formed on a rear side of the base portion, and the respective regions are partitioned from each other by ribs disposed at the rear side of the base portion.

22. The mobile terminal of claim 21, wherein the plurality of regions includes a first region where the main printed circuit board is mounted and a second region where a battery is mounted.

23. The mobile terminal of claim 20, wherein the plurality of radiation portions operates as an antenna module, and the main printed circuit board or the antenna module is ground-connected to the metallic frame such that the metallic frame operates as a ground of the main printed circuit board or the antenna module.

24. The mobile terminal of claim 23, wherein the plurality of radiation portions includes a first radiation portion and a second radiation portion, and are configured such that the respective radiation portions operate at different frequency bands, and

wherein the radiation portions form radiators together with first and second conductive patterns consecutive to the first and second radiation portions respectively, and the conductive patterns are formed at a carrier disposed between the window and the cover.