Mobile terminal

• US 9,930,152 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2017
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Woojin, Kim, Sungpil
• Primary Examiner(s): Vuong, Quochien B
• Application Number:
  US15/404,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20170208157A1
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 455 903, 455566, 4555751, 4555753
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0206 Portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts, e.g. hinged housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• 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 1/0268 including a flexible display panel

Abstract

A mobile terminal includes first and second bodies, and a folding unit connecting the first and second bodies and disposed to be foldable, wherein the folding unit includes a plurality of sequentially disposed blocks; and a plurality of magnets installed in the plurality of blocks respectively, to generate a magnetic force when the folding unit is folded or unfolded.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a first body;

a second body; and

a folding unit coupling the first body and the second body and configured to be foldable,

wherein the folding unit comprises a plurality of blocks that are sequentially arranged, each of the plurality of blocks including a magnet for generating magnetic force when the folding unit is folded or unfolded,

wherein each of the plurality of blocks has a first portion and a second portion arranged in a thickness direction of the block such that the first portion is positioned at an inner side and the second portion is positioned at an outer side when the folding unit is folded, and

wherein spaces between second portions are narrowed or eliminated due to magnetic attraction caused by a plurality of magnets when the folding unit is unfolded, and the spaces between the second portions are widened when the folding unit is folded.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second portions has a side surface having a different slope with respect to a corresponding surface of each of the first and second bodies.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the plurality of magnets are disposed to be slanted toward the second portion within the plurality of blocks.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the plurality of magnets comprise:

first magnets installed in first portions to apply attraction in a direction in which spaces between the first portions are narrowed when the folding unit is folded; and

second magnets installed in the second portions to apply attraction in a direction in which the spaces between the second portions are narrowed when the folding unit is unfolded.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 4, further comprising:

a sensing unit sensing whether the folding unit is folded,

wherein the first and second magnets are configured as electromagnets, and

wherein when the sensing unit senses that the folding unit is folded or unfolded, current flows in any one of the first and second magnets and current does not flow in the other one of the first and second magnets.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein:

at least some of the plurality of blocks include a plurality of auxiliary magnets; and

the plurality of auxiliary magnets are disposed to be aligned in an intermediate state in which the folding unit is not completely folded or unfolded such that the first body and the second body are maintained at a preset angle in the intermediate state by the plurality of auxiliary magnets.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the plurality of auxiliary magnets and the plurality of magnets are arranged in different directions.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 6, further comprising:

a sensing unit sensing a posture of the first and second bodies,

wherein the plurality of auxiliary magnets are configured as electromagnets, and

wherein when the sensing unit senses that the first and second bodies are placed in the intermediate state, current flows in the plurality of auxiliary magnets.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein a magnitude of magnetic force formed between the plurality of auxiliary magnets is greater than a magnitude of magnetic force formed between the plurality of magnets.

10. A mobile terminal comprising:

a main body having at least a portion formed to be flexible such that the main body is switched between an unfolded first state and a folded second state;

a folding unit included in the main body and configured to fold or unfold the main body,

wherein the folding unit comprises;

an elastic unit having a plate form and configured to be folded with the main body to generate a restoring force when the main body is folded;

a first magnetic force member located at one end of the elastic unit; and

a second magnetic force member configured to generate magnetic force with the first magnetic force member when the main body is switched from the first state to the second state,

wherein the second magnetic force member is configured to move between a first position and a second position, and

wherein a first distance between the first position and one end of the main body is less than a second distance between the second position and the one end of the main body;

a linear motor including the second magnetic force member that is linearly movable; and

a controller configured to control the linear motor such that the second magnetic force member is moved to the second position in response to a first user request for maintaining the main body at a preset angle, the first user request received in a state in which the second magnetic force member is placed at a first position.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein:

one end of the elastic unit is configured as a free end such that a position of the free end with respect to the main body is changed when the main body is switched between the first state and the second state; and

the other end of the elastic unit is located at an opposite side of the one end with respect to a folded portion of the main body and the other end is fixed to a specific position of the main body.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein:

the main body includes a plurality of blocks forming a folded region of the main body;

each of the plurality of blocks has a first portion and a second portion disposed in a thickness direction of the main body; and

any one of the first and second portions is formed such that a space therebetween is narrowed when the main body is switched from the first state to the second state, and the other one of the first and second portions is formed such that a space therebetween is narrowed when the main body is switched from the second state to the first state.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein the elastic unit is disposed on the main body to penetrate through first portions of the plurality of blocks.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to control the linear motor such that the second magnetic force member is moved to the first position in response to a second user request for switching the main body to the second state.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 10, further comprising at least a pair of magnets applying magnetic attraction to the main body to maintain the main body in the second state, the at least a pair of magnets located at both ends of one surface of the main body.