WO2002063789A1

WO2002063789A1 - Mobile terminal

Info

Publication number: WO2002063789A1
Application number: PCT/KR2002/000185
Authority: WO
Inventors: Min-Kyum Kim
Original assignee: Min-Kyum Kim
Priority date: 2001-02-07
Filing date: 2002-02-07
Publication date: 2002-08-15

Abstract

Disclosed is a mobile terminal that is extendible by sliding which comprises: a body including an input button, and a PCB for converting signals input by the input button into electrical signal, having first and second walls protruded upward and bent, and having a guide groove in each inner wall of the walls; an LCD panel for displaying data input from the body, including an LCD screen exposed to one side, having a guide rail formed on each wall inserted into the guide groove of the body and slid and moved in the guide groove, and rotating at the slid end with respect to an axis; and a cable for connecting the body and the LCD panel in the circuital manner.

Description

MOBILE TERMINAL

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention Mobile terminals have been used widely, and their application fields have also been extended. Mobile terminals comprise cellular phones, PDAs (personal digital assistants), and other categories of similar information terminals. Currently, mobile terminals are being combined with mobile communication devices. Important factors for mobile terminals are to increase portability and extend usable spaces.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mobile terminal for extending through an LCD panel sliding method by enabling the user to select the exposure of the LCD screen according to the user's convenience, and enlarging the LCD screen with respect to the terminal size. It is another object of the present invention to provide a mobile terminal for extending through an LCD panel sliding method by enabling an LCD (liquid crystal display) panel including an LCD screen to move and slide on the terminal body, and enabling the terminal body to be folded when its moving is finished in the like manner of general folder-type terminals so that a user may use the mobile terminal with the LCD screen exposed or unexposed, thereby increasing the user's convenience and enlarging the LCD screen size to the maximum with respect to the terminal size.

(b) Description of the Related Art The present invention relates to a mobile terminal. More specifically, the present invention relates to a mobile terminal for enabling an LCD (liquid crystal display) panel including an LCD screen to move and slide on the terminal body, and enabling the terminal body to be folded when its moving is finished in the like manner of general folder-type terminals so that a user may use the mobile terminal with the LCD screen exposed or unexposed; thereby increasing the user's convenience and enlarging the LCD screen size with respect to the terminal size.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In general, terminals represent devices for accessing systems or network terminals, and the terminals include computers for using information networks and communication networks, televisions, monitors, telephones (e.g., cellular phones and PCS's), and PDA's. In the embodiment of the present invention, the term "cellular phone" stands for the terminal.

In one aspect of the present invention, a mobile terminal that is extendible by sliding comprises a body including: an input button, and a PCB for converting signals input by the input button into electrical signal, having first and second walls protruded upward and bent, and having a guide groove in each inner wall of the walls; an LCD panel for displaying data input from the body, including an LCD screen exposed to one side, having a guide rail formed on each wall, inserted into the guide groove of the body to slide and move in the guide groove, and rotating at the slid end with respect to an axis; and a cable for connecting the body and the LCD panel in the circuital manner.

In the following detailed description, the invention is capable of modification, and the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view where a sliding LCD panel of a mobile terminal is slid on the terminal body, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a dismantled mobile terminal that is extendible by sliding an LCD panel, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows a side view where the sliding LCD panel of the mobile terminal is slid, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4(a) shows a floor plan of the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4(b) shows another form of a stopper of the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5(a) shows a cross-sectional view of a circuit connection configuration of the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5(b) shows a dismantled cross-sectional view of a configuration of the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5(c) shows a magnified cross-sectional view of a hinge cam module provided to one side of a hinge unit of the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5(d) shows a cross-sectional view of the mobile terminal body and an LCD panel; FIG. 6(a) shows a partial perspective view of an LCD-accepting panel of the LCD panel of the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6(b) shows a partial perspective view of a hinge of the LCD panel of the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6(c) shows a floor plan of a hinge of the LCD panel of the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6(d) shows a floor plan of a dismantled hinge unit of the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6(e) shows two cases for providing a small convex unit and a concave unit to the hinge cam module of the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 shows a partially magnified cross-sectional view of a hook of the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 8 shows a floor plan where the LCD panel of the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is moved a predetermined distance; FIG. 9 shows a floor plan of an exemplified case for installing an auxiliary LCD screen on the LCD panel of the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 shows a floor plan for the process of moving and sliding the LCD panel of the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIGs. 1 1 (a) to 1 1 (c) show side views where the mobile terminal is folded after the LCD panel of the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is slid; FIG. 12 shows a floor plan of an installation of a cable of the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIGs. 13(a) and 13(b) show a floor plan of a second installation of a cable of the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIGs. 14(a) to 14(f) show a cross-sectional view of a hooking process of a hook formed on the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIGs. 14(g) to 14(k) show cases for applying the hook to a method for sliding a battery to be attached to the terminal body; FIG. 15 shows a partial perspective view of a combined configuration of the LCD panel according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

* Explanation of the core parts of the drawing 100: body 1 10: keypad

120: microphone 130: protrusion wall

131 : guide groove 132: stopper

133: round unit 140: cable

150: cable-moving path 200: LCD panel 201 : speaker 210: LCD-accepting panel

211 : hinge unit 212: guide rail 213: pipe-type (or bamboo-type) cylindrical protrusion 214: hinge cam module 220: hinge unit

221 : connector 222: hinge

223: guide 222a: connection cavity

222b: fixation cavity 222c: cable-passing cavity

300: hook unit 310: concave groove

320: flexible hook substance 330: groove

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

1. Extension of the terminal In order to achieve the objects of the present invention, the mobile terminal that is extendible by sliding comprises: a body comprising an input button, and a printed circuit board for converting input signals of the input button into electrical signals, having walls protruded upward and bent, and forming a guide groove on each inner wall; an extension being exposed to a side, comprising an LCD screen exposed to one side for displaying the data input from the body, with a guide rail formed on each wall, the guide rail being inserted into the guide groove of the body to be moved and slid, and rotating at an end to which the guide rail is slid regarding the end as an axis (since the LCD panel is in the extension, the extension will be referred to as an "LCD panel" hereinafter for ease of description); and a cable for connecting the body to the LCD panel. The body and the extension are conceptual, and are divided only for description. Essentially, the body and the extension represent that the terminal comprises two units. That is, the body and the extension may be exchanged with each other. The body does not need to include a keyboard, and the extension does not necessarily need to comprise an LCD panel, and the body and the extension may comprise predetermined input and output devices.

The body comprises: a guide groove, formed on each protrusion wall that is protruded upward and bent, into which the guide rail of the LCD panel is inserted and in which the guide rail is led; a stopper being protruded from the rear inner wall of the guide groove so as to not be contacted with the guide rail of the LCD panel; a round unit formed roundly at the guide groove provided on the front of the stopper; an arriving groove formed on the center of the round unit; a cable-moving path for locating a film cable on an edge inside the body, the film cable having a predetermined length and connecting a PCB (printed circuit board) of the body with the LCD module of the LCD panel; and a cable- moving groove formed on the top side of the body closely provided to the inner surface of the protrusion wall to be linked with the cable-moving path so that the cable for connecting the body with the LCD panel may move together with the LCD panel when the LCD panel moves.

The cable-moving groove is formed within a vertical extension line of a bent unit of the protrusion wall.

The cable positioned on the cable-moving path is located in the zigzag and superimposed manner with respect to the moving direction of the LCD panel.

The cable positioned on the cable-moving path is located to be superimposed in the widthwise direction of the LCD panel.

The LCD panel includes an LCD-accepting panel for accepting the LCD module, forming a guide rail for moving along the guide groove of the body on the bottom portion of both walls, and including a cavity hinge that comprises a hinge cam module provided at a first side of the cavity hinge for cam operation and a pipe-type cylindrical protrusion linked with a second side of the cavity hinge; and first and second cavity hinges including a cavity formed on a first side, and a guide moving along the guide groove of the body and arriving at the groove of the body, an end of the hinge cam module being fixed to a connection cavity of the first hinge, the pipe-type cylindrical protrusion being rotatably inserted into a cavity of the second hinge, and a cable-passing cavity for passing the cable being formed in the hinge.

The cable is drawn out from the cable-moving path, is passed through the cable-moving groove of the body, is passed via the cable-passing cavity of the hinge, the pipe-type cylindrical protrusion of the LCD-accepting panel, and the hinge, and it is then connected to the LCD module of the LCD-accepting panel.

The LCD panel further comprises a hook for controlling the movement of the LCD panel at a predetermined point when the LCD panel slides and moves on the body.

The hook comprises: a concave groove formed at a predetermined location of the guide groove of the body; a flexible hook substance unit having one end affixed to be exposed by a predetermined degree beyond the concave groove; and a groove that corresponds to an external shape of an exposure unit of the hook substance unit on the guide rail of the LCD panel that corresponds to the concave groove.

The concave groove shape of the guide groove of the body is formed corresponding to an external shape wherein the hook substance unit is not exposed.

The hook substance unit may comprise a sliding LCD panel made of rubber or a rubber and plastic composition, thereby having a characteristic of elasticity in the like manner of rubber. The LCD panel may further comprise a supplementary LCD screen exposed to a side opposite the side to which the LCD screen (i.e., a main LCD screen) is exposed. The supplementary LCD screen is installed in a side opposite the main LCD screen, and further in the side that is not superimposed with the main LCD screen. Also, the preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a mobile terminal that is extendible by sliding that comprises: an LCD panel that includes an LCD screen, and protrusion walls each protruded upward and bent, and with guide grooves on the inner sides of the protrusion walls; a body that includes an input button and a PCB for converting input signals of the input button into electrical signals, forms a guide rail that is provided on the walls, is inserted into the guide groove of the body, and is slid and moved, and is rotated at the slid end with respect to an axis by regarding the end as the axis; and a cable for connecting the body to the LCD panel.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail referring to drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view where a sliding LCD panel of a mobile terminal is slid on the terminal body according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a dismantled mobile terminal that is extendible by sliding an LCD panel according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 shows a side view where the sliding LCD panel of the mobile terminal is slid according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4(a) shows a floor plan of the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4(b) shows another form of a stopper of the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5(a) shows a cross- sectional view of a circuit connection configuration of the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5(b) shows a dismantled cross-sectional view of a configuration of the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5(c) shows a magnified cross-sectional view of a hinge cam module provided to one side of a hinge unit of the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6(a) shows a partial perspective view of an LCD- accepting panel of the LCD panel of the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 6(b) shows a partial perspective view of a hinge of the LCD panel of the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the mobile terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention comprises: a body 100 that includes a battery (not illustrated), a keypad 110 that includes input buttons such as number keys, a power key, and function keys, a PCB (not illustrated) provided in the body 100, for converting the input signals of the keypad 1 10 into circuit signals, and a microphone 120 provided on the lowermost of the body 100; and an LCD panel

200 (in other words, a sliding mover) including a speaker 201 provided on the uppermost of the body 100 and an LCD screen 202 for displaying data input from the keypad 1 10 of the body 100, sliding and moving on the body 100, and rotating at the slid end. A detailed configuration of the body 100 and the LCD panel 200 will now be described.

First, the body 100 has two protrusion walls 130, each of which is protruded upward by a predetermined degree, and a guide groove 131 into which a guide rail 212 of the LCD panel 200 is inserted and led is formed within the protrusion wall 130.

As shown in FIG. 4(a), a stopper 132 for controlling the movement of a guide 223 of a hinge 222 is formed and protruded within the backward inner wall of the guide groove 131. The guide 223 is formed in the lengthwise direction of a hinge unit 220, or it may be formed in the widthwise direction of the hinge unit 220.

In this instance, the stopper 132 is protruded from the wall of the guide groove 131 by a predetermined degree such that the guide rail 212 of the LCD panel 200 may be passed through the stopper 132 and the guide 223 of the hinge 222 may be hooked to the stopper 132.

A round unit 133 is formed to be protruded within the front guide groove 131 of the stopper 132, and an arriving groove 134 at which the guide 223 arrives is formed in the center of the round unit 133.

Here, as shown in FIG. 4(b), the stopper 132 may be formed to be protruded from the backward and lower end of the guide groove 131. Accordingly, the thickness H of the guide 223 of the hinge 222 is identical with H' of the guide groove 131 , and the thickness h of the guide rail 212 is defined to be less than the height W of from the top side of the guide groove 131 to the top side of the stopper 132.

In this instance, a round unit is formed to be protruded within the forward guide groove 131 of the stopper 132, and an arriving groove 134 at which the guide 223 arrives is formed in the center of the round unit. 1.1 Electrical and circuital connection using a hinge configuration and a cable

A cable-moving path 150 in which a film cable 140 (refer to FIG. 5(a)) connected to a PCB (not illustrated) within the body 100 is located is formed within a predetermined side of the body 100. Since the body 100 and the LCD panel 200 are divided for ease of description, the cable-moving path 150 may be formed on the LCD panel 200.

In this instance, as shown in FIG. 1 1 , the cable-moving path 150 may be formed to be extended to the forward of the body 100 so as to sufficiently obtain the accommodation and moving space of the cable 140.

A cable-moving groove 135 is formed on the top side of the body 100 on which the cable-moving path 150 is formed, and preferably on the top side of the body 100 located close to the wall 131 a on which the guide groove 131 is formed so that the cable 140 drawn out from the cable-moving path 150 and being circuitally connected to the LCD module (not illustrated) of the LCD panel 200 may move together with the LCD panel 200 when the LCD panel 200 moves, and therefore, the cable-moving groove 135 is formed within from a vertical extension line of a bent end of the protrusion wall 130.

In other words, it is preferable to take on a structure in which the cable 140 may not be seen but rather is concealed when it is slid, by taking on a form similar to that of FIG. 5(d). Further, as shown in FIG. 5(d), a groove 160 and a protrusion 260 for controlling movement in the right and left directions are provided to one or both sides of the body 100 and the LCD panel 200 to increase the terminal's firmness. In a like manner, thresholds 161 and 261 shown in FIG. 5(d) may also be provided to one or both sides of the body 100 and the LCD panel 200.

As shown in FIGs. 10 and 12, when the LCD panel 200 moves in the arrow direction while the cable 140 located on the cable-moving path 150 is folded in a zigzag manner, the folded cable 140 is unfolded on the cable- moving path 150, and the cable 140 moves together along the LCD panel 200. In particular, by extending the cable-moving path 150 from the side of the terminal to the bottom part of the terminal as shown in FIG. 12, space for accepting the cable may be sufficiently acquired even when the terminal is slid and folded.

Further, as shown in FIGs. 13(a) and 13(b), the cable 140 may be double-folded on the cable-moving path 150 of the body 100.

The LCD panel 200 comprises: an LCD-accepting panel 210 for accepting an LCD module (not illustrated), including a hinge 211 , and having a guide rail 212 formed on the bottom parts of both external walls, the guide rail 212 being led along the guide groove 131 of the body 100; and a hinge unit 220 for combining with both ends of the hinge 21 1 of the LCD-accepting panel 210.

The hinge 211 of the LCD-accepting panel 210 has an inner cavity, a pipe-type cylindrical protrusion 213 connectable to the cavity is formed in the center of one external side of the hinge 211 , and an end 214a of a conventional hinge cam module 214 is formed to be protruded in the center of another external side of the hinge 21 1 as shown in FIG. 5(c). The hinge cam module

214 converts the straight-line directional elastic force of a spring held by the hinge cam module into rotary directional elastic force through the cam structure.

The hinge unit 220 comprises a pair of hinges 222 each formed on an end of a connector 221 and having a cavity in the hinge unit 220, a connection cavity 222a into which the pipe-type cylindrical protrusion 213 of the hinge 21 1 is rotably inserted and combined is formed in the center of the inner side of the first hinge 222, and a fixation cavity 222b into which an end 214a of the hinge cam module 214 installed in the other side of the hinge 211 is inserted and fixed, is formed in the center of the inner side of the second hinge 222. Also, a cable-passing cavity 222c for passing the cable 140 is formed in the first hinge 222.

The cable may be passed as shown in FIG. 6(b), but in order for the cable 140 to maintain a stable state after it is slid, rotated by 180 degrees, and folded, it is desirable to provide a space 22 for accepting a cable in the hinges

220 and 222 as shown in FIG. 6(c). Referring to FIG. 6(c), the reference numeral 225 represents a rotational axis of the hinge conceptually. The drawing of the reference numeral 224a as dotted lines represents that the space 224 for accepting the cable is not seen in the front but it is hidden behind. The reference letters i, j, and k respectively have a predetermined length. It may be defined that j > I ( the letter "I" represents a radius to the rotational axis) and k > I so as to sufficiently obtain the space for accepting the cable, and these definitions may also be varied.

FIG. 6(d) shows a floor plan of the LCD panel 200 that includes an LCD-accepting panel 210 and a hinge unit 220. Referring to FIG. 6(d), the reference letters h, h', and h" have a predetermined length. When attempting to fluently rotate the hinge 222 of FIG. 6(d), it is desirable for the hinge 222 to have three cylindrical sides as shown in the first partial cross-sectional view of 222, and it is at least required for the hinge 222 to have a edge-cut structure by a length of h" as shown in the second partial cross-sectional view of 222.

In order to provide a firm hinge structure according to the embodiment of the present invention, the hinge is not provided between the body 100 and the LCD panel 200, but the hinge is structured by generally dividing the slid extension 200 into the LCD-accepting panel 210 and the hinge unit 220 as shown in FIGs. 2 and 6(a) to 6(d).

Therefore, the cable 140 drawn out from the cable-moving path 150 is passed through the cable-moving groove 135 of the body 100 to be connected through the cable-passing cavity 222c and the pipe-type cylindrical protrusion

213, and the hinge 211 of the LCD-accepting panel 210 to the LCD module accepted to the LCD-accepting panel 210.

The structure, in which the cable 140 for connecting the body 100 to the LCD panel is passed through the inside of the rotational axis of the hinge, is such that no pressure is applied to the cable when the LCD panel is rotated by 180 degrees after sliding. Thus, this structure may be applied to "all" cases for connecting two objects combined by the hinge in the electrical and circuital manners. A guide 223 for moving along the guide groove 131 of the body 100, having a section identical with that of the guide groove 131 , and having a round end, is formed to the external side of the hinge 222.

Here, the guide 223 of the hinge 222 is formed on the extension line identical with that of the guide rail 212 of the LCD-accepting panel 210 when the LCD-accepting panel 210 is combined with the guide 223.

In this instance, if the protruded degree of the guide 223 is defined as T, and that of the guide rail 212 as t, T is greater than t. Also, the stopper 132 formed on an end of the guide groove 131 of the body 100 is protruded from within the guide groove 131 so that the guide rail 212 may be passed through the stopper 132 and the guide 223 may be contacted to the stopper 132.

Below, a configuration of cable connection for connecting the body 100 to the LCD panel 200 in the circuital manner will be described in detail. As described above, while the pipe-type cylindrical protrusion 213 of the hinge 21 1 of the LCD-accepting panel 210 is inserted into the connection cavity 222a of the hinge 222 and combined with it, the cable 140 drawn out from the PCB of the body 100 is sequentially passed through the cable connection cavity 222c of the hinge 222, and the pipe-type cylindrical protrusion

213 and the hinge 211 of the LCD-accepting panel 210, and it is then connected to the LCD module.

In this instance, the cable 140 has a sufficient length so that the LCD panel 200 may slide on the body 100 without interruption. 1.2 Fixation using a flexible hook substance unit (a restoration protrusion)

When the LCD panel 200 moves and slides on the body 100, a hook uint 300 may be provided on the body 100 so that the hook unit 300 may control the movement of the LCD panel 200 when the LCD panel 200 slides on the body 100 and moves to a location where function keys are exposed or where the user desires to use a predetermined number of keys. The hook may include any kind of application devices.

FIG. 7 shows a hook of the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown, a concave groove 310 is formed on a predetermined position of the guide groove 131 of the body 100, that is, at a forward end, a backward end, or the center, and a flexible hook substance 320 made of rubber, or a rubber and plastic composition, is inserted into the concave groove 310 and fixed to it, and an exposure unit 321 protruded by a predetermined height from the surface of the concave groove 310 may be provided to the concave groove 310 and fixed to it. The flexible hook substance unit may also be referred to as a restoration protrusion.

A groove 330 that corresponds to an external shape of the exposure unit 321 of the flexible hook substance 320 is formed on the guide rail 212 of the LCD panel 200 that corresponds to the concave groove 310.

In this instance, the top and bottom portions of the groove 330 in the lengthwise direction may be formed in a slanted or round shape so as to smoothly lead the hook substance 320. Refer to FIG. 14(h). Further, as shown in FIG. 14(i), more than one half of the ball-shape flexible hook substance unit may be provided under the surface of fixing the hook substance unit. As shown in FIGs. 14(i) and 14(j), when the flexible hook substance unit is not completely fixed but it just stays within the material that includes the hook substance unit, the combining material may be easily removed or attached because of its flexibility.

Therefore, the LCD panel 200 may be interrupted on a predetermined location while the LCD panel 200 moves along the guide groove 131 of the body 100.

In this instance, the concave groove 310 of the guide groove 131 of the body 100 may be formed corresponding to the external shape where the hook substance 320 is not exposed, so that the hook substance 320 may be more firmly fixed to the concave groove 310. Here, the hook unit 300 may be formed on either portion where the body 100 and LCD panel 200 meet without being needed to be formed on the guide rail and the guide groove.

The advantages caused by using the hook substance unit made of rubber or a material similar to rubber are that the above-noted hook substance unit provides fixation effects without adopting a complex structure such as a spring, the hook substance unit is not worn out from abrasion by using rubberlike material, and it may control minute movements. On the contrary, the forcible inserting method of using the flexibility of plastic fails to control the minute movement and generates wearing problems by abrasion. This may be applied to "all" cases (including a non-sliding movement) for supplying force in the vertical direction to generate fixation force. For example, similar structures may be applied to the case of the portion marked with a circle as shown in FIG. 4(a), the case of partially extending the terminal and fixing the same as shown in FIG. 8, and the case where the terminal is not combined via the sliding method.

1 .3 Partial extension of the terminal

As shown in FIG. 8, the user may use the mobile terminal by exposing several functions while sliding the LCD panel 200 on the body 100. The above- noted method for using several needed functions (e.g. menu moving and selecting functions) while partially extending the mobile terminal provides the user with convenience in using the menu type service provided by a plurality of mobile communication service providers. This will be referred to as a "partial extension" or a "partial sliding extension." Arbitrary methods may be used for the hook that interrupts the terminal after it is partially extended.

Referring to FIG. 8, moving buttons are provided on the bottom of the number keypad, and not on the top, which provides usefulness when sliding the terminal to partially extend it.

1.4 Realization of a call angle (a reflective angle)

As shown in FIGs. 3 and 1 1 (a), it is possible to automatically form a call angle or a reflective angle (an angle similar to that of the current folder-type or flip-type terminals) after sliding the terminal with reference to the case where the flip part and the terminal body form a predetermined angle when the user opens the flip portion from the current flip type terminal, and the hinge is structured such that the concave unit 214b and the convex unit 214c of the hinge cam module 214 of FIG. 5(c) may be mated together (this state will be referred to as a "hinge cam balancing state") while the flip part and the terminal body have a predetermined angle between them.

Furthermore, in order that they may have a constant bearing power and may not be easily separated from each other, a small concave unit and a small convex unit 214d and 214e may additionally be provided to the concave unit 214b and the convex unit 214c of the hinge cam module 214 as shown in FIG. 6(e).

1.5 Installation of a supplementary LCD screen

A supplementary LCD screen 202' may be provided to another side of the LCD panel 200 on which the main LCD screen 202 is provided.

In this instance, the supplementary LCD screen 202' is provided to the rear side of the main LCD screen such that the supplementary LCD screen

202' may not be superimposed on the portion where the main LCD screen is installed as shown in FIG. 9. Hence, when the LCD panel 200 is slid to the end of the body 100 and it is folded while the main LCD screen 202 is exposed to the outside, the supplementary LCD screen 202' comes to be exposed to the outside.

Therefore, by not superimposing the main and supplementary LCD screens, the thickness of dual-folder mobile terminals (for sale in Korea and applying an LCD to the external side of the folded folder type terminal) may be greatly reduced.

1.6 Screwing to the side

As shown in FIG. 15, so as to assemble the LCD panel 200 and the body 100 according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, an arriving groove 501 having a side opened to the outside is formed on a predetermined portion of a side wall on which a guide rail 213 of an accepting case for accepting an LCD module is formed, and a screw groove cavity 501 ' for combining a screw 500 is formed on the inner wall of the arriving groove 501 facing the opened side. A combination protrusion 502 for making the arriving groove 501 of the accepting case arrive at a predetermined portion of the side wall that corresponds to the arriving groove 501 is formed on the cover for covering the accepting case, and a screw passing cavity 502' for passing through the screw 500 is formed through the combination protrusion 502. In this instance, an external side of a screw passing cavity 502' of the combination protrusion 502 includes an extension unit for receiving a head of the screw so that the external side of the screw passing cavity 502' may have a surface identical with that of the combination protrusion 502 when the screw is combined to the external side of the screw passing cavity 502'. As described, the LCD panel is assembled through the side of the LCD panel using the screws. The screw-using assembling method through the side of the LCD panel may be identically applied to the method for assembling the body, which will be referred to as a "side screw assembling method," and accordingly, the screws may not be exposed to the front of the terminal. This assembling method will be of great help in the case of installing a battery in the side of a body.

1.7 A terminal operation In reference to FIGs. 10, and 11 (a) to 11 (c), an operation of a mobile terminal having a sliding LCD panel according to the embodiment of the present invention will now be described. FIG. 10 shows a floor plan for the process of moving and sliding the LCD panel of the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIGs. 1 1 (a) to 11 (c) show side views where the mobile terminal is folded after the LCD panel of the mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is slid.

As shown, when a user presses the LCD panel 200 in the arrow direction on the body 100, the guide rail 212 of the LCD panel 200 and the guide 223 of the hinge 222 move along the guide groove 131 of the body 100.

The cable is moved through the cable-moving groove 130 of the body 140, and it is then connected to the LCD module through one hinge 222 of the LCD panel 200 and the hinge 21 1 including the pipe-type cylindrical protrusion 213, and accordingly, the cable is not externally exposed.

As shown in FIG. 11 (a), when the LCD panel 200 is moved to the backward end portion of the body 100, the guide 223 of the hinge 222 goes over the round unit 133 at the backward end of the guide groove 131 of the body 100 to arrive at the arriving groove 134. Concurrently, by the operation of the hinge cam module 214 installed in the other hinge 222 of the hinge 21 1 of the LCD panel 200, the LCD panel 200 forms a predetermined angle (a reflective angle or a call angle) from the body 100.

In this instance, the cable for connecting the body 100 and the LCD panel 200 is folded in the zigzag manner on the cable-moving path 150 before it moves along the LCD panel 200, and as the LCD panel 200 moves in the arrow direction, the cable 150 that is previously folded is gradually unfolded and moves together with the LCD panel 200.

After this, when the user finishes using the mobile terminal after sliding the LCD panel on the body and desires to draw the exposed LCD screen back to its original position, the user slides the LCD panel on the body in the counter direction of the LCD panel's extending direction. Also, when the user desires not to expose the LCD panel for the user's sake after sliding the LCD panel 200 on the body, the user may rotate the LCD panel 200 with reference to the central axis of the hinge 21 1 so that the user may fold the LCD panel 200 onto the body 100 in the like manner of the general folder-type mobile terminals as shown in FIG. 1 1 (c).

In this instance, since the hinge unit 220 is not rotated because of the top inner wall in the guide groove 131 , the LCD-accepting panel 210 only rotates, and the guide rail 212 of the LCD-accepting panel 210 is located on the top of the protrusion of the protrusion wall 130 of the body 100. Since the cable 140 drawn out from the body 100 is connected to the inner portion of the hinge 222 through the inner space of the hinge 211 , this structure does not damage the cable 140 when the LCD panel 200 is folded onto the body 100.

As shown in FIGs. 14(a) to 14(f), since the exposure unit 320a of the hook substance 320 formed in the guide groove 131 of the body 100 arrives at the groove 330 formed on the guide rail 212 of the LCD panel 200 while the LCD panel 200 slides and moves on the body 100, the sliding movement of the LCD panel 200 is temporarily controlled on a predetermined position, and when the user supplies the force to the LCD panel 200 in the current moving direction, the LCD panel starts again to move from there on.

In the above, the LCD panel where an LCD module is installed in the sliding unit is described, and on the contrary, an LCD module may be installed in the body, and number keys or function keys may be provided to the sliding unit. While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 2. Combination of an optical mouse functions in a mobile terminal

Notebook PCs have already adopted mouse functions, and optical mice are widely used for desktop PCs, and optical mice may be further applied to the notebook PCs and other kinds of mobile terminals. FIG. 16(a) shows movements of a cursor according to the movements of an optical mouse, and FIG. 16(b) shows the cursor's moving directions according to hand movements on an optical sensor when the optical mouse is reversed in the right and left directions. Namely, the hand functions as a mouse pad. The right and left directions represent the cursor movements according to the hand movements, and the up and down directions represent the cursor movements opposite the hand movements.

When the user attempts to operate the mouse after installing an optical mouse module in the terminal and exposing an optical sensor on the surface of the terminal as shown in FIG. 16(b), it is required to design the optical mouse module such that the direction of the hand movements may be matched with that of the cursor movements, and install the designed optical mouse module in the terminal as shown in FIG. 16(c). Combination of the optical mouse module with the mobile terminal that requires the mouse functions will be of help to minimize the terminal size.

3. Supplements of a previously filed application Several items will now be supplemented regarding the removal and attachment of the terminal described from the applicant's previous filed application of PCT/KR01/00075.

3.1 A method for using a C type elastic substance in the method for accessing and attaching both ends

FIG. 17(a) shows an installation of a battery in a terminal provided by the applicant from the previously filed application. The C, S, and Z type plastic substance (totally referred to as the C type elastic substance hereinafter) instead of the spring used for the elastic substance of a fixation button is provided to supply elasticity to the fixation button. Refer to FIGs. 17(b) and 17(c). Since the case of a terminal is made of the general plastic substance according to the above-noted method, the case is unified with a fixation button or a fixation protrusion to be made into a single body, thereby reducing production costs and assembling costs.

3.2 A method for using the C type elastic substance in the sliding and attaching method

FIG. 17(d) shows a method for sliding and attaching the battery to the terminal. By modifying FIG. 17(d), it is also possible to install an elastic substance (a spring) in the bottom of the fixation protrusion provided to the battery as shown in FIG. 17(e) which generates no inconvenience to the user because no protrusion is provided when the battery is not installed.

The C, S, and Z type plastic substance (totally referred to as the C type elastic substance hereinafter) instead of the spring used as the elastic substance is provided to supply elasticity. Refer to FIGs. 17(f) and 17(h). The C type elastic substance is unified into a single body with the fixation protrusion that is a part of the battery, and the battery may be removed or attached from/to the terminal by letting down the fixation protrusion as shown in FIG. 17(g). The S type elastic substance is provided to increase the elasticity as shown in FIG. 17(h). Since the case of a terminal is made of the general plastic substance according to the above-noted method, the case is unified with a fixation button or a fixation protrusion to be made into a single body, thereby reducing production costs and assembling costs.

3.3 A method for installing a first battery in the front or the rear, and a second battery in the side of the terminal using a groove and a protrusion When installing a battery in the terminal by sliding the battery to be attached to the terminal, a groove for installing the first battery in the front or the rear of the terminal as shown in FIG. 18(a) may be provided to the side of the terminal. The groove may also be formed as a dovetail groove as shown in FIG. 18(b) so that the second battery may be installed in the side of the terminal through the groove. FIG. 18(c) shows a separation state of the terminal and the battery. That is, a line of a groove is provided to the side of the terminal, and this groove is used as a groove for installing the first battery in the front or the rear of the terminal and as a groove for installing the second battery in the side of the terminal. A dovetail groove for installing the second battery in the side of the terminal may be additionally provided to the terminal as shown in FIG. 18(d). The additional dovetail groove may be used or not according to the applied second battery.

In this instance, when the first battery is slid in the right and left directions to be installed in the terminal with respect to the front view of the terminal, no battery may be installed in the bottom or the top of the terminal, but one may be installed in the right or left of the terminal. In the same manner, when the first battery is slid in the up and down directions to be installed in the terminal, no battery may be installed in the right or left of the terminal, but one may be installed in the top or the bottom of the terminal. Refer to FIGs. 18(d) and 18(e). In the case of a configuration as shown in FIG. 18(f), when the first battery is slid in the right and left directions to be installed in the terminal, the second battery may be further installed in the top or the bottom of the terminal.

When the space for installing the battery in the rear of the terminal is formed to be a square and a groove as shown in FIG. 18(f) and is provided to the top, the bottom, the right, and the left of the terminal, the user may slide the battery in the right and left directions to be installed in the rear of the terminal or in the up and down directions to be installed in the rear of the terminal. FIG. 18(g) shows that a second battery of FIG. 18(d) may be installed in the side of the terminal after the first battery is installed in the front or the rear of the terminal, since h = h', i = i', and k = k' referring to FIGs. 18(e) to 18(g).

In the case a user dislikes the increase of the terminal width in the right and left direction, the user may use the above-described method for sliding the battery in the up and down directions. Also, in the case of installing the battery in the side of the terminal after sliding the same in the right and left directions, the user may install the battery in the top, the bottom, and side of the terminal, and accordingly, the terminal's width in the right and left direction is not increased after the battery is combined to the terminal.

In order to apply the battery installed in the side of the terminal of FIG. 18 to the case of FIG. 18(g), a power supply is additionally provided to the terminal as shown in FIG. 18(h), which represents a case for installing the power supply in the dovetail groove. FIG. 18(i) shows that an available power supply is provided when the second battery to be installed in the side of the terminal as shown in FIG. 18(d) is installed in the counter direction after the first battery is installed in the front and the rear of the terminal as shown in FIG. 18(i)- The positive and negative electrodes may be configured and varied for respective cases. The external power supply and the internal power supply have the same electrode.

3. 4 Circuit configuration

In order to selectively install a plurality of batteries in a single terminal, it is necessary to configure the circuit such that the batteries for maintaining the identical voltage when a plurality of batteries is installed are connected in parallel.

According to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, since the mobile terminal enables an LCD panel that includes an LCD screen to slide on the body, and allows the user to fold the terminal after finishing sliding the LCD panel, the user may use the terminal when the LCD screen is exposed or not, thereby increasing the user's conveniences. Further, the present invention provides a maximized LCD screen when compared to the terminal size.

While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A mobile terminal that is extendible by sliding, comprising: a body including an input button, and a PCB (printed circuit board) for converting signals input by the input button into electrical signals, having first and second walls that are protruded upward and bent, and having a guide groove in each inner side of the walls; an LCD (liquid crystal display) panel for displaying data input from the body, including an LCD screen exposed to one side, having a guide rail formed on each wall, inserted into the guide groove of the body to slide and move in the guide groove, and rotating at the slid end with respect to an axis; and a cable for connecting the body and the LCD panel in a circuital manner.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises: a guide groove formed on the inner wall of the protrusion wall that is protruded upward and bent into which the guide rail of the LCD panel is inserted and in which the guide rail is led; a stopper protruded from the rear inner wall of the wall of the guide groove so as not to be contacted with the guide rail of the LCD panel; a round unit formed roundly at the guide groove provided on the front of the stopper; an arriving groove formed on the center of the round unit; a cable-moving path for locating a film cable on an edge inside the body, the film cable having a predetermined length and connecting the PCB of the body with an LCD module of the LCD panel; and a cable-moving groove formed on the top side of the body closely provided to the inner surface of the protrusion wall to be linked with the cable- moving path so that the cable for connecting the body with the LCD panel may move together with the LCD panel when the LCD panel moves.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the cable-moving groove is formed within a vertical extension line of a bent unit of the protrusion wall.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the cable is located on the cable-moving path in a zigzag and superimposed manner with respect to the moving direction of the LCD panel.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the cable is located on the cable-moving path in a superimposed manner in the widthwise direction of the LCD panel.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1 or 2, wherein the LCD panel comprises: an LCD-accepting panel for accepting the LCD module, forming a guide rail for moving along the guide groove of the body on the bottom portion of both walls, and including a cavity hinge that comprises a hinge cam module provided on a first side of the cavity hinge for cam operation and a pipe-type cylindrical protrusion linked with a second side of the cavity hinge; and first and second cavity hinges including a cavity formed on a first side, and a guide moving along the guide groove of the body and arriving at the arriving groove of the body, an end of the hinge cam module being fixed to a connection cavity of the first cavity hinge, the pipe-type cylindrical protrusion being rotably inserted into a cavity of the second cavity hinge, and a cable- passing cavity for passing the cable being formed in the cavity hinge.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the cable is drawn out from the cable-moving path, is passed through the cable-moving groove of the body, and is passed via the cable-passing cavity of the hinge, the pipe-type cylindrical protrusion of the LCD-accepting panel, and the hinge, and is then connected to the LCD module of the LCD-accepting panel.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the LCD panel further comprises a hook for controlling the movement of the LCD panel at a predetermined point when the LCD panel slides and moves on the body.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein the hook comprises: a concave groove formed at a predetermined point of the guide groove of the body; a flexible hook substance unit inserted into the concave groove to be fixed into it, a predetermined portion of the flexible hook substance unit being fixed to be exposed more than the concave groove by a predetermined degree; and a groove corresponding to an external shape of an exposure unit of the hook substance unit on the guide rail of the LCD panel corresponding to the concave groove.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the concave shape of the guide groove of the body is formed corresponding to an external shape where the hook substance unit is not exposed.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 9 or 10, wherein the hook substance unit is made of rubber or an elastic material similar to rubber.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 1 , wherein the LCD panel further comprises a supplementary LCD screen exposed to a side opposite a second side where the LCD screen is exposed.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein the supplementary LCD screen is installed on a side opposite the LCD screen (the main LCD screen), and the supplementary LCD screen is not superimposed with the main LCD screen.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the cable-moving path is located on one side of the body, and cable-moving path is connected to a bottom side (that is, another side in the vertical direction).

15. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein moving buttons (including up, down, right and left moving buttons) are provided on the bottom portion of the terminal.

16. The mobile terminal of one of claims 1 to 15, wherein a hinge cam module is installed when the LCD panel is slid in order to automatically form a predetermined reflective angle (or a call angle).

17. A mobile terminal for installing an optical mouse module.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the optical mouse module is installed so that a cursor on the screen may move in the up, down, right and left directions according to a hand's movements at an optical sensor in the up, down, right, and left directions.

19. A mobile terminal for attaching and removing a battery for wrapping the terminal, the mobile terminal applying a C type elastic substance to a fixer.

20. In a fixation method for applying a predetermined force in the direction vertical to a moving direction, controlling the movements in the moving direction to perform fixation, a fixation method for applying rubber or an elastic substance similar to the rubber as a hook substance unit.

21. In a method for sliding a battery to attach or remove the battery to/from a terminal, a battery attaching and removing method for applying a groove provided to the terminal for installing the battery in the front and rear of the terminal as a dovetail groove.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein an additional dovetail groove is provided so as to install a battery, to be installed in the side, in a surface where the groove for installing the battery to be installed in the front and the rear of the terminal is provided.

23. In a mobile terminal for selectively installing at least one battery in a terminal, a mobile terminal for installing the batteries connected in parallel.

24. A mobile terminal that is extendible by sliding, comprising: an LCD panel installing an LCD screen in the center of the LCD panel, protrusion walls each protruded upward and bent, and a guide groove on each inner wall of the protrusion wall; a body including an input button and a PCB for converting input signals of the input button into electrical signals, forming a guide rail inserted into the guide groove of the body on both walls, and rotating at a slid end with respect to an axis that is the slid end, the guide rail sliding and moving along the guide groove; and a cable for connecting the body and the LCD panel in the circuital manner.