KR101653258B1 - Hinge assembly and mobile terminal having it - Google Patents

Abstract

A hinge assembly and a mobile terminal are disclosed. A hinge assembly and a mobile terminal of the present invention include: a first body rotatably coupled to a first hinge axis; And a second body pivotally coupled to a second hinge axis substantially parallel to the first hinge axis, wherein the first and second hinge axes are arranged in a first state in which each one side of the first and second bodies is substantially in contact, Axis distances of the first and second hinge shafts are changed in the process of switching from the first state to the second state in which the other surfaces of the first and second bodies are substantially in contact with each other. According to the present invention, in the first state and the second state, the first and second bodies can be rotated while being brought into contact with the respective surfaces of the first and second bodies.

Description

[0001] HINGE ASSEMBLY AND MOBILE TERMINAL HAVING IT [0002]

The present invention relates to a hinge assembly and a mobile terminal including the hinge assembly. More specifically, in the first state and the second state, the first and second bodies are brought into contact with the respective surfaces of the first and second bodies, And a mobile terminal including the hinge assembly.

A terminal such as a personal computer, a notebook computer, or a mobile phone has various functions, for example, a multimedia device having a complex function such as photographing or photographing of a moving picture, reproduction of music or a moving picture file, (Multimedia player).

The terminal can move And may be divided into a mobile terminal and a stationary terminal depending on whether the mobile terminal is a mobile terminal or a mobile terminal. The mobile terminal can be divided into a handheld terminal and a vehicle mount terminal according to whether the user can directly carry the mobile terminal.

In order to support and enhance the functionality of the terminal, it is contemplated to improve the structural and / or software portion of the terminal.

The present invention relates to a hinge assembly capable of rotating the first and second bodies while contacting one surface of each of the first and second bodies in a first state and a second state, and a mobile terminal including the hinge assembly.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mobile terminal including a first body rotatably coupled to a first hinge axis; And a second body rotatably coupled to a second hinge axis substantially parallel to the first hinge axis, wherein the first and second hinge axes are arranged such that each one side of the first and second bodies is substantially in contact with The distance between the first and second hinge shafts is changed in the process of switching from the first state to the second state in which the other surfaces of the first and second bodies are substantially in contact with each other.

The distance between the first and second hinge shafts may be a minimum in a state of at least one of the first state and the second state.

The distance between the first and second hinge shafts increases and decreases in the course of changing from the first state to the second state.

The first and second hinge shafts may be provided at any one of the pivot points constituting the four-bar link.

The first and second hinge shafts may be provided in the same direction.

The first and second bodies are respectively provided with first and second displays for displaying an image, and each of the first and second bodies is a surface on which the first and second displays are provided.

And each of the other surfaces is a surface adjacent to a surface on which the first and second displays are provided.

The second state may be a state in which the first and second displays provided on the first and second bodies are positioned so as to be adjacent to each other on substantially the same plane.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mobile terminal including: a first body including a first display provided on a first surface; A second body including a second display provided on a second side; And a second state in which the first and second surfaces are in contact with each other in a closed state in which the first and second displays are stacked, and the first and second displays are substantially continuous on the same plane, The first and second surfaces of the hinge assembly may be in contact with each other.

The hinge assembly may further include first and second hinge shafts coupled to the first and second bodies such that the first and second bodies are rotatable. The first and second bodies rotate about the first and second hinge axes, And can be switched to the open state.

The first and second hinge axes may extend from any one of the pivot points constituting the four-bar link.

The first and second hinge shafts may be configured to increase and decrease in the course of switching from the closed state to the open state between the first and second hinge shafts.

The first and second hinge shafts may be oriented in the same direction.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mobile terminal including: a first body; A second body; And first and second hinge shafts that are coupled to rotate relative to the first and second bodies, wherein the first and second hinge shafts include hinge assemblies coupled to any one of the pivot points constituting the four- .

The pivot point at which the first and second hinge shafts are coupled may be a pivot point connected to rotate two of the links constituting the four-link link.

The four-link link is composed of first, second, and third links, and the two links of the first, second, and third links may not be coupled to each other.

The four-bar link may be configured to be mutually symmetric.

The first and second hinge shafts may be arranged substantially in the same direction.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hinge assembly including: a first hinge shaft coupled to a first body so as to be rotatable relative to the first body; A second hinge shaft disposed substantially parallel to the first hinge axis and coupled to the second body so as to be pivotally moved relative to the second hinge axis; And first and second 4-link links coupled to the first and second hinge axes, respectively.

The first and second hinge shafts may be provided at a pivot point connected to rotate two of the links constituting the first and second 4-link links.

The hinge assembly and the mobile terminal including the hinge assembly according to the present invention have an effect that the first and second bodies can be rotated while being in contact with the respective surfaces of the first and second bodies in the first state and the second state.

1 is a block diagram of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 2A to 3B are diagrams showing the external appearance of the mobile terminal of FIG.
4A and 4B are diagrams showing an appearance of a mobile terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention.
5A to 5F are views showing the opening and closing processes of the mobile terminal of FIG.
Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the hinge assembly of Figure 1;
Figure 7 is an assembled perspective view of the hinge assembly of Figure 6;
8A to 8D are views showing the opening and closing process of the mobile terminal of FIG.
Figure 9 is a mounting view of the hinge assembly of Figure 6;
10 is an exploded perspective view of a hinge assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 11 is an assembled perspective view of the hinge assembly of Figure 10;

The above objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and similarities. Like reference numerals designate like elements throughout the specification. In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the invention in unnecessary detail. Further, numerals (e.g., first, second, etc.) used in the description process of this specification are only an identifier for distinguishing one component from another component

Hereinafter, a mobile terminal related to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The suffix "module" and " part "for the components used in the following description are given or mixed in consideration of ease of specification, and do not have their own meaning or role.

The mobile terminal described in this specification may include a mobile phone, a smart phone, a laptop computer, a digital broadcasting terminal, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistants), a PMP (Portable Multimedia Player), navigation and the like. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the configuration according to the embodiments described herein may be applied to a fixed terminal such as a digital TV, a desktop computer, and the like, unless the configuration is applicable only to a mobile terminal.

1 is a block diagram of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The mobile terminal 100 includes a wireless communication unit 110, an audio / video input unit 120, a user input unit 130, a sensing unit 140, an output unit 150, a memory unit 160, An interface unit 170, a control unit 180, a power supply unit 190, and the like. The components shown in Fig. 1 are not essential, and a mobile terminal having more or fewer components may be implemented.

Hereinafter, the components will be described in order.

The wireless communication unit 110 may include one or more modules for enabling wireless communication between the mobile terminal 100 and the wireless communication system or between the mobile terminal 100 and the network in which the mobile terminal 100 is located. For example, the wireless communication unit 110 may include a broadcast receiving module 111, a mobile communication module 112, a wireless Internet module 113, a short range communication module 114, and a location information module 115 .

The broadcast receiving module 111 receives broadcast signals and / or broadcast-related information from an external broadcast management server through a broadcast channel.

The broadcast channel may include a satellite channel and a terrestrial channel. The broadcast management server may refer to a server for generating and transmitting broadcast signals and / or broadcast related information, or a server for receiving broadcast signals and / or broadcast related information generated by the broadcast management server and transmitting the generated broadcast signals and / or broadcast related information. The broadcast signal may include a TV broadcast signal, a radio broadcast signal, a data broadcast signal, and a broadcast signal in which a data broadcast signal is combined with a TV broadcast signal or a radio broadcast signal.

The broadcast-related information may refer to a broadcast channel, a broadcast program, or information related to a broadcast service provider. The broadcast-related information may also be provided through a mobile communication network. In this case, it may be received by the mobile communication module 112.

The broadcast-related information may exist in various forms. For example, an EPG (Electronic Program Guide) of a DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) or an ESG (Electronic Service Guide) of a DVBH (Digital Video BroadcastHandheld).

The broadcast receiving module 111 receives broadcast signals using various broadcasting systems. In particular, the broadcast receiving module 111 may be a digital multimedia broadcasting broadcasting (DMBT), a digital multimedia broadcasting satellite (DMBS), a media forward link only (MediaFLO), a digital video broadcasting ), And ISDBT (Integrated Services Digital Broadcast Terrestrial). Of course, the broadcast receiving module 111 may be adapted to other broadcasting systems that provide broadcast signals as well as the digital broadcasting system described above.

The broadcast signal and / or broadcast related information received through the broadcast receiving module 111 may be stored in the memory unit 160.

The mobile communication module 112 transmits and receives radio signals to at least one of a base station, an external terminal, and a server on a mobile communication network. The wireless signal may include various types of data depending on a voice call signal, a video call signal or a text / multimedia message transmission / reception.

The wireless Internet module 113 refers to a module for wireless Internet access, and the wireless Internet module 113 can be embedded in the mobile terminal 100 or externally. WLAN (WiFi), Wibro (Wireless broadband), Wimax (World Interoperability for Microwave Access), HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) and the like can be used as wireless Internet technologies.

The short-range communication module 114 refers to a module for short-range communication. Bluetooth, radio frequency identification (RFID), infrared data association (IrDA), ultra wideband (UWB), ZigBee, and the like can be used as the short distance communication technology.

The location information module 115 is a module for confirming or obtaining the location of the mobile terminal. A typical example of the location information module is a GPS (Global Position System) module. According to the current technology, the GPS module 115 calculates information on a distance (distance) from three or more satellites to one point (entity), information on the time when the distance information is measured, , Three-dimensional position information according to latitude, longitude, and altitude of one point (individual) in one hour can be calculated. Further, a method of calculating position and time information using three satellites and correcting the error of the calculated position and time information using another satellite is also used. The GPS module 115 continues to calculate the current position in real time and uses it to calculate speed information.

Referring to FIG. 1, an A / V (Audio / Video) input unit 120 is for inputting an audio signal or a video signal, and may include a camera 121 and a microphone 122. The camera 121 processes image frames such as still images or moving images obtained by the image sensor in the video communication mode or the photographing mode. The processed image frame can be displayed on the display unit 151. [

The image frame processed by the camera 121 may be stored in the memory unit 160 or may be transmitted to the outside through the wireless communication unit 110. [ The camera 121 may be equipped with two or more cameras according to the configuration of the terminal.

The microphone 122 receives an external sound signal through a microphone in a communication mode, a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, or the like, and processes it as electrical voice data. The processed voice data can be converted into a form that can be transmitted to the mobile communication base station through the mobile communication module 112 when the voice data is in the call mode, and output. Various noise reduction algorithms may be implemented in the microphone 122 to remove noise generated in receiving an external sound signal.

The user input unit 130 generates input data for a user to control the operation of the terminal. The user input unit 130 may include a key pad dome switch, a touch pad (static / static), a jog wheel, a jog switch, and the like.

The sensing unit 140 senses the current state of the mobile terminal 100 such as the open / close state of the mobile terminal 100, the position of the mobile terminal 100, the presence or absence of user contact, the orientation of the mobile terminal, And generates a sensing signal for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 100. For example, when the mobile terminal 100 is in the form of a slide phone, it is possible to sense whether the slide phone is opened or closed. In addition, it may be responsible for a sensing function related to whether the power supply unit 190 is powered on, whether the interface unit 170 is connected to an external device, and the like. Meanwhile, the sensing unit 140 may include a proximity sensor.

The output unit 150 is for generating output related to the visual, auditory or tactile sense and includes a display unit 151, an audio output module 152, an alarm unit 153, and a haptic module 154 .

The display unit 151 displays and outputs information processed by the mobile terminal 100. For example, when the mobile terminal is in the call mode, a UI (User Interface) or a GUI (Graphic User Interface) associated with a call is displayed. When the mobile terminal 100 is in the video communication mode or the photographing mode, the photographed and / or received video or UI and GUI are displayed.

The display unit 151 may be a liquid crystal display, a thin film transistor liquid crystal display, an organic light emitting diode, a flexible display, a 3D display And may include at least one.

Some of these displays may be transparent or light transmissive so that they can be seen through. This may be referred to as a transparent display. A typical example of the transparent display is a transparent LCD or the like. The rear structure of the display unit 151 may also be of a light transmission type. With this structure, the user can see an object located behind the terminal body through the area occupied by the display unit 151 of the terminal body.

There may be two or more display units 151 according to the embodiment of the mobile terminal 100. For example, in the mobile terminal 100, a plurality of display portions may be spaced apart from one another or may be disposed integrally with each other, or may be disposed on different surfaces.

The display unit 151 is connected to a display unit 151 and a sensor for sensing a touch operation (hereinafter, referred to as 'touch sensor') having a mutual layer structure It can also be used as an input device. The touch sensor may have the form of, for example, a touch film, a touch sheet, a touch pad, or the like.

The touch sensor may be configured to convert a change in a pressure applied to a specific portion of the display unit 151 or a capacitance generated in a specific portion of the display unit 151 into an electrical input signal. The touch sensor can be configured to detect not only the position and area to be touched but also the pressure at the time of touch.

If there is a touch input to the touch sensor, the corresponding signal (s) is sent to the touch controller. The touch controller processes the signal (s) and transmits the corresponding data to the controller 180. Thus, the control unit 180 can know which area of the display unit 151 is touched or the like.

Referring to FIG. 1, a proximity sensor may be disposed in an inner region of the mobile terminal or in the vicinity of the touch screen, which is enclosed by the touch screen. The proximity sensor refers to a sensor that detects the presence or absence of an object approaching a predetermined detection surface or a nearby object without mechanical contact using the force of an electromagnetic field or infrared rays. The proximity sensor has a longer life span than the contact sensor and its utilization is also high.

Examples of the proximity sensor include a transmission type photoelectric sensor, a direct reflection type photoelectric sensor, a mirror reflection type photoelectric sensor, a high frequency oscillation type proximity sensor, a capacitive proximity sensor, a magnetic proximity sensor, and an infrared proximity sensor.

And to detect the proximity of the pointer by the change of the electric field along the proximity of the pointer when the touch screen is electrostatic. In this case, the touch screen (touch sensor) may be classified as a proximity sensor.

Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the act of recognizing that the pointer is positioned on the touch screen while the pointer is not in contact with the touch screen is referred to as "proximity touch & The act of actually touching the pointer on the screen is called "contact touch. &Quot; The position where the pointer is proximately touched on the touch screen means a position where the pointer is vertically corresponding to the touch screen when the pointer is touched.

The proximity sensor detects a proximity touch and a proximity touch pattern (e.g., a proximity touch distance, a proximity touch direction, a proximity touch speed, a proximity touch time, a proximity touch position, a proximity touch movement state, and the like). Information corresponding to the detected proximity touch operation and the proximity touch pattern may be output on the touch screen.

The audio output module 152 may output audio data received from the wireless communication unit 110 or stored in the memory unit 160 in a call signal reception mode, a call mode or a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, a broadcast reception mode, The sound output module 152 outputs an acoustic signal related to a function (e.g., a call signal reception sound, a message reception sound, etc.) performed in the mobile terminal 100. The audio output module 152 may include a receiver, a speaker, a buzzer, and the like.

The alarm unit 153 outputs a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event of the mobile terminal 100. Examples of events that occur in the mobile terminal include call signal reception, message reception, key signal input, touch input, and the like. The alarm unit 153 may output a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event in a form other than the video signal or the audio signal, for example, vibration. The video signal or the audio signal can also be output through the display unit 151 or the audio output module 152.

The haptic module 154 generates various tactile effects that the user can feel. A typical example of the haptic effect generated by the haptic module 154 is vibration. The intensity and pattern of the vibration generated by the hit module 154 can be controlled. For example, different vibrations may be synthesized and output or sequentially output.

In addition to the vibration, the haptic module 154 may be configured to perform various functions such as an effect of stimulation by a pin arrangement vertically moving with respect to a contact skin surface, an effect of stimulation by air spraying force or suction force through a jet opening or a suction opening, A variety of tactile effects such as an effect of stimulation through contact of an electrode, an effect of stimulation by an electrostatic force, and an effect of reproducing a cold sensation using a heat absorbing or exothermic element can be generated.

The haptic module 154 can be implemented not only to transmit the tactile effect through the direct contact but also to feel the tactile effect through the muscles of the user's finger or arm. The haptic module 154 may include two or more haptic modules 154 according to the configuration of the portable terminal 100.

The memory unit 160 may store a program for the operation of the controller 180 and temporarily store input / output data (e.g., a phone book, a message, a still image, a moving picture, etc.). The memory unit 160 may store data related to vibration and sound of various patterns outputted when a touch is input on the touch screen.

The memory unit 160 may be a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory (for example, SD or XD memory) At least one of a random access memory (RAM), a static random access memory (SRAM), a read only memory (ROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM) Lt; / RTI > type of storage medium. The mobile terminal 100 may operate in association with a web storage that performs a storage function of the memory unit 160 on the Internet.

The interface unit 170 serves as a path for communication with all external devices connected to the mobile terminal 100. The interface unit 170 receives data from an external device or receives power from the external device to transfer the data to each component in the mobile terminal 100 or to transmit data in the mobile terminal 100 to an external device. For example, a wired / wireless headset port, an external charger port, a wired / wireless data port, a memory card port, a port for connecting a device having an identification module, an audio I / O port, A video input / output (I / O) port, an earphone port, and the like may be included in the interface unit 170.

The identification module is a chip for storing various information for authenticating the use right of the mobile terminal 100 and includes a user identification module (UIM), a subscriber identity module (SIM), a general user authentication module A Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM), and the like. Devices with identification modules (hereinafter referred to as "identification devices") can be manufactured in a smart card format. Accordingly, the identification device can be connected to the terminal 100 through the port.

When the mobile terminal 100 is connected to an external cradle, the interface unit may be a path through which power from the cradle is supplied to the mobile terminal 100, or various command signals input by the user to the cradle may be transmitted It can be a passage to be transmitted to the terminal. The various command signals or the power source input from the cradle may be operated as a signal for recognizing that the mobile terminal is correctly mounted on the cradle.

The control unit 180 typically controls the overall operation of the mobile terminal. For example, voice communication, data communication, video communication, and the like. The control unit 180 may include a multimedia module 181 for multimedia playback. The multimedia module 181 may be implemented in the control unit 180 or may be implemented separately from the control unit 180. [

The controller 180 may perform a pattern recognition process for recognizing handwriting input or drawing input performed on the touch screen as characters and images, respectively.

The power supply unit 190 receives external power and internal power under the control of the controller 180 and supplies power necessary for operation of the respective components.

The various embodiments described herein may be embodied in a recording medium readable by a computer or similar device using, for example, software, hardware, or a combination thereof.

According to a hardware implementation, the embodiments described herein may be implemented as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays May be implemented using at least one of processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, and electrical units for performing functions. In some cases such embodiments may be implemented using a controller 180 < / RTI >

According to a software implementation, embodiments such as procedures or functions may be implemented with separate software modules that perform at least one function or operation. The software code may be implemented by a software application written in a suitable programming language. Also, the software codes may be stored in the memory unit 160 and executed by the control unit 180. [

FIGS. 2A to 3 are views showing the appearance of the mobile terminal of FIG.

The mobile terminal 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first body 101 having a first display 151a and a second body 102 having a second display 151b May be connected to the hinge assembly 210.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the first body 101 and the second body 102 may be provided independently of each other. The first body 101 and the second body 102 may have a first display 151a and a second display 151b, respectively. That is, the first display 151a and the second display 151b may be physically divided displays. The control unit 180 may display one image on the first and second displays 151a and 151b or separate images on the first and second displays 151a and 151b. Further, the control unit 180 of FIG. 1 may logically divide any one of the first display 151a and the second display 151b to display an image. For example, it means that the first display 151a is logically divided into two areas, and different images can be displayed in each area.

The hinge assembly 210 may physically connect the first body 101 and the second body 102 to each other. The first body 101 and the second body 102 may be pivoted about the hinge assembly 210. The first and second bodies rotate about the hinge assembly 210 and can be converted from an open status to a closed status. That is, the mobile terminal 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an open status in which the sides thereof are in contact with each other, a closed status in which the first and second displays 151a and 151b are in contact with each other closed status). It may also be in a state intermediate between the open state and the closed state. The hinge assembly 210 may include first and second hinge assemblies 210a and 210b disposed on one side and the other side of the first and second bodies 101 and 102, respectively. The first and second bodies 101 and 102 can be stably rotated because the first and second bodies 101 and 102 are connected at one side and the other side of the first and second hinge assemblies 210a and 210b .

As shown in FIG. 2B, when the first and second bodies 101 and 102 are in the open status, the first and second bodies 101 and 102 may be spread along the A-A 'plane. When the first and second bodies 101 and 102 are smoothly spread on the A-A 'plane, the first and second displays 151a and 151b are also spread out in parallel. If the first and second displays 151a and 151b are unfolded in parallel, the user can enjoy an image on a wider screen. Furthermore, if the distance d between the first and second displays 101 and 102 is narrowed, the degree of discontinuity between the first and second displays 151a and 151b may be reduced. If the degree of discontinuity between the first and second displays 151a and 151b is reduced, the user can recognize that the first and second displays 151a and 151b are one display. Therefore, the convenience for the mobile terminal 100 can be expected to be increased.

As shown in Figs. 3A and 3B, the first body 101 and the second body 102 may be in an intermediate position between the open state and the closed state. The first body 101 and the second body 102 can be rotated around the hinge assembly 210 to reach a specific opening angle a. When the specific opening angle a is reached and the external force is removed, the first and second bodies 101 and 102 can stop at that position. In addition, if the specific opening angle a is less than the critical angle, the first and second bodies 101 and 102 can automatically move to the closed state even if the external force is removed. The same effect can be obtained when the first and second bodies 101 and 102 are rotated to the vicinity of the open state. That is, when the first and second bodies 101 and 102 are rotated at a predetermined angle or more, the first and second bodies 101 and 102 are completely moved to the open state at the moment when the user removes the external force, . 3A shows a case where the first and second displays 151a and 151b are located inside the mobile terminal 100 when the mobile terminal 100 is in the closed state. However, the positions of the first and second displays 151a and 151b are not limited thereto. For example, the first and second displays 151a and 151b may be located outside the mobile terminal 100 when the first and second displays 151a and 151b are in the closed state, or one of the first and second displays 151a and 151b may be located outside, Lt; / RTI > Furthermore, the number of displays is not limited to two. For example, three displays may be provided, or four displays may be provided on each side. The first body 101 may be provided with an operation button 132 for operating the mobile terminal 100.

4A and 4B are diagrams showing an appearance of a mobile terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in these figures, in the mobile terminal 100 according to another embodiment of the present invention, when the first and second bodies 101 and 102 are opened or closed, the first and second displays 151a and 151b are substantially As shown in Fig.

4A, in the mobile terminal 100 according to another embodiment of the present invention, the first and second displays 151a and 151b are disposed in the first and second bodies 101 and 102, Can be biased in a direction close to each other when the center lines (C1, C2) are taken as a reference. That is, when in the open state, it means that the first and second displays 151a and 151b can form a substantially continuous screen. Therefore, even if the size of the display itself is not enlarged, a wide screen can be provided.

As shown in FIG. 4B, the first and second displays 151a and 151b may form substantially continuous display surfaces along the A-A 'plane.

In order to form a substantially continuous display surface, it is necessary to satisfy the following three requirements. First, the first and second displays 151a and 151b should be positioned adjacent to each other. This requirement can be satisfied by positioning the first and second displays 151a and 151b adjacent to each other in the direction of approaching the first and second center lines C1 and C2. Second, one of the first and second bodies 101 and 102 must be in contact with each other in an open state. If the first and second bodies 101 and 102 are not in contact with each other in the open state, a gap is generated between the first and second bodies 101 and 102, It is impossible to expect the same effect as that provided continuously. Any one of the surfaces contacting in the open state may be the side of the surface provided with the first and second displays 151a and 151b. Third, the other surfaces of the first and second bodies 101 and 102 must be in contact with each other even in the closed state. The other surface contacting with each other in the closed state may be a surface provided with the first and second displays 151a and 151b. The surfaces of the first and second bodies 101 and 102 are brought into contact with each other even in the closed state as well as the opened state, so that the mobile terminal 100 can be more portable.

The operation of the hinge assembly 210 connecting the first and second bodies 101 and 102 is performed so that the specific surfaces of the first and second bodies 101 and 102 are brought into contact with each other not only in the opened state but also in the closed state. Can be important. The distance between the rotation axis of the first body 101 and the rotation axis of the second body 102 is larger than the distance between the first body 101 and the second body 102, There may be a need to vary during rotation of the two bodies 101, 102. This need becomes clearer when considering the following points. For example, when the rotation axis is installed along the corners of the first and second bodies 101 and 102, the rotation axis between the first and second displays 151a and 151b causes the mobile terminal 100 to be in the open state The display can not be positioned on the boundary line between the first and second bodies 101 and 102. [ On the other hand, in the case where the rotation axis is installed at the sides of the first and second bodies 101 and 102, the edges of the first and second bodies 101 and 102 may interfere with each other, The hinge assembly 210 of the mobile terminal 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be configured such that the distance between the rotation axis of the first body 101 and the rotation axis of the second body 102 may vary . That is, in the closed state or the open state, the distance between the rotation shafts is minimized and the distance between the rotation shafts is increased during the opening or closing, so that the first and second bodies 101, The first and second bodies 101 and 102 can be brought into close contact with each other. Hereinafter, the hinge assembly 210 capable of operating in this manner will be described in more detail.

5A to 5F are views showing the opening and closing processes of the mobile terminal of FIG.

As shown in these drawings, in the mobile terminal 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the distance between the first and second hinge axes AX1 and AX2 is changed by the operation of the hinge assembly 210, The first and second bodies 101 and 102 can be changed from the closed state to the open state.

As shown in FIG. 5A, when the first and second displays 151a and 151b are positioned, the mobile terminal 100 may be in a closed state in which the surfaces thereof are in contact with each other. The fact that the first and second displays 151a and 151b are in contact with each other may include a case where the two surfaces are in complete contact with each other and a case where they are close to each other and substantially abutted.

The first link group 230 connected to the first hinge axis AX1 of the first body 101 and the second link group 230 connected to the second hinge axis AX2 of the second body 102 220 may be positioned as shown. The first and second link groups 230 and 220 may be four-link links. The four-section link means that there are four rotation points of each link group. That is, in the case of the first link group 230, there are two pivot points on the first link 214, two pivot points on the third link 216, It can be seen that the first and third links 214 and 216 are connected. Therefore, since there are four pivot points in the first link group 230, the first link group 230 is a four-link link. This is also true for the second link group 220, which is the same only in directions opposite to each other. Since the first and second link groups 230 and 220 are configured identically and the positions thereof are opposite to each other, description of the first link group 210 will be omitted as a description of the second link group 220 .

L1: L2: L3 = 1: √2 (root 2): √2 (root)) of the first link 211, the second link 212 and the third link 213 of the second link group 220 2). As the length ratio is determined as described above, it is possible to perform a desired operation without leaving the first and second bodies 101 and 102.

The first distance A1, which is the distance between the first and second hinge axes AX1 and AX2 in the closed state, may be smaller than the other cases. That is, shorter than the second to fifth distances A2 to A5, and may be the same as or similar to the sixth distance A6. The distance between the first and second hinge axes AX1 and AX2 in the case where the first distance A1 is different from the first distance A1 in the closed state becomes long. Therefore, when the first and second bodies 101 and 102 do not interfere with each other The first and second bodies 101 and 102 may be in close contact with each other.

5B, when the user rotates the first and second bodies 101 and 102, the second distance (the distance between the first and second hinge axes AX1 and AX2) by the operation of the hinge assembly 210, The first and second bodies 101 and 102 may be spaced apart from each other. In this case, the angle of the first and second links 211 and 212 with respect to the second link 212 can be increased without changing the position of the first and second links 211 and 212 in FIG. 5A. The second distance A2 may be larger than the first distance A1 by increasing the angle formed by the third link 213 and the second link 212. [

As shown in FIGS. 5C and 5D, when the user further rotates the first and second bodies 101 and 102, the angle formed by the second link 212 and the third link 213 may be larger. In this case, the third distance A3 or the fourth distance A4, which is the distance between the first and second hinge axes AX1 and AX2, can be the maximum.

As shown in FIG. 5E, the first and second bodies 101 and 102 can be further rotated. In this case, the angle formed by the second link 212 and the third link 213 may be an obtuse angle with respect to the first angle. In addition, the angle formed by the first link 211 and the second link 212 may vary. That is, the angle formed by the first link 211 and the second link 212 can be increased. Furthermore, the fifth distance A5, which is the distance between the first and second hinge axes AX1 and AX2, can be reduced compared to the third distance A3 and the fourth distance A4.

As shown in FIG. 5F, the first and second bodies 101 and 102 may rotate until the first and second displays 151a and 151b are in an open state. That is, the side provided with the first and second displays 151a and 151b and the adjacent side face each other. When the side surfaces of the first and second displays 151a and 151b are brought into contact with each other, the rotation of the first and second bodies 101 and 102 is stopped. In this case, the sixth distance A6, which is the distance between the first and second hinge axes AX1 and AX2, may be the same as or similar to the first distance A1. Whether the first distance A1 or the sixth distance A6 is shorter may vary depending on practical design requirements. The reason why the first and sixth distances A1 and A6 are shorter than the second to fifth distances A2 to A5 is that when the first and sixth distances A1 and A6 are the first and second bodies A1 and A6, 101, 102 are brought into contact with each other. This can be understood more clearly when considering that the first and second bodies 101 and 102 are spaced apart from each other in the second to fifth distances (A2 and A5). In the open state shown in FIG. 5F, the first and second displays 151a and 151b may be positioned to be substantially continuous.

Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the hinge assembly of Figure 1;

As shown in the figure, the hinge assembly 210 according to the embodiment of the present invention may be positioned such that the first hinge axis AX1 and the second hinge axis AX2 are oriented in the same direction.

The first link group 230 and the second link group 220 may be rotatably coupled to the fixing plate 217. That is, the first link group 230 and the second link group 220 are positioned on both sides of the fixing plate 217. The first hinge axis AX1 and the second hinge axis AX2 may be oriented in the same direction although the first and second link groups 230 and 220 are positioned on both sides of the fixed plate 217. [ have.

Figure 7 is an assembled perspective view of the hinge assembly of Figure 6;

As shown in the figure, the hinge assembly 210 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes the first and second link groups 230 and 220 on both sides of the fixing plate 217. However, the first and second hinge axes AX1 and AX2 may be positioned toward the left side of the fixing plate 217. [ The hinge assembly 210 may be provided on either side or both sides of both sides of the mobile terminal 100 to support the first and second bodies 101 and 102.

8A to 8D are views showing the opening and closing process of the mobile terminal of FIG.

8A, in the mobile terminal 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the first and second link groups 230 and 220 may be positioned on both sides of the fixing plate 217, The two link groups 230 and 220 and the fixing plate 217 may be positioned in the accommodation space 218 provided at one side of the first and second bodies 101 and 102.

8B, when an external force is applied to the first and second bodies 101 and 102, the first hinge axis AX1 and the second body 102, which are rotatably coupled to the first body 101, The distance of the second hinge axis AX2 rotatably coupled to the first hinge axis AX2 can be increased.

As shown in FIG. 8C, if the external force applied to the first and second bodies 101 and 102 continues, the distance between the first and second hinge axes AX1 and AX2 can be reduced at the maximum point.

As shown in FIG. 8D, the side surfaces of the first and second displays 151a and 151b are brought into contact with each other, so that the rotation of the first and second bodies 101 and 102 can be stopped.

Figure 9 is a mounting view of the hinge assembly of Figure 6;

The first body 101 is coupled to the first hinge axis AX1 extending from the first link group 230 and the second body 102 is coupled to the second link group 220 The second hinge axis AX2 may be defective. 9, the hinge assembly 210 may be provided on one end side of the first and second bodies 101 and 102, and on the other end side of the first and second bodies 101 and 102, Other hinge assemblies 210 may be located. When the hinge assemblies 210 are positioned at one end side and the other end side of the first and second bodies 101 and 102, the rotation of the first and second bodies 101 and 102 can be more stably supported.

10 is an exploded perspective view of a hinge assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the figure, the hinge assembly 210 according to another embodiment of the present invention may be positioned such that the first hinge axis AX1 and the second hinge axis AX2 face each other. That is, it means that the first hinge axis AX1 and the second hinge axis AX2 are arranged side-by-side in opposite directions.

The first, second and third links 214, 215 and 216 constituting the first hinge axis AX1 and the first, second and third links 211, 212 and 213 constituting the second hinge axis AX2, Can be positioned on opposite sides of the fixing plate 217 as a center. In addition, the first and second hinge axes AX1 and AX2 may be provided so as to be opposite to each other.

Figure 11 is an assembled perspective view of the hinge assembly of Figure 10;

As shown in the figure, the hinge assembly 210 according to another embodiment of the present invention includes the first and second link groups 230 and 220 on both sides of the fixing plate 217. The first and second hinge axes AX1 and AX2 may be positioned opposite to each other with the fixed plate 217 as a center. The hinge assembly 210 may support the first and second bodies 101 and 102 at the center of the first and second bodies 101 and 102.

In the above-described embodiments, the hinge assembly is shown as a link, but the hinge assembly may also be composed of gears. That is, it means that similar operations can be performed by configuring the first, second, and third links with the first, second, and third gears corresponding thereto. In such a case, at least one of the first, second, and third gears may be formed of an elliptical cam-shaped gear.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, such modifications or variations are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

100: mobile terminal 110: wireless communication unit
120: A / V input unit 130: user input unit
140: sensing unit 150: output unit
160: memory 170: interface section
180: control unit 190: power supply unit
210: hinge assembly

Claims (20)

A first body rotatably coupled to the first hinge axis; a second body pivotally coupled to the second hinge axis substantially parallel to the first hinge axis; And
And a hinge assembly for converting a first state in which each one side of the first and second bodies is substantially in contact with a second state in which each of the other sides of the first and second bodies are substantially in contact;
The hinge assembly includes:
A first link group including three links including four pivot points including the first hinge axis of the first body; And
And a second link group including three links including four pivot points including the second hinge axis of the second body,
In the process of switching from the first state in which the first surfaces of the first and second bodies are substantially in contact to the second state in which the surfaces of the first and second bodies are substantially in contact with each other, Is changed.
The method according to claim 1,
The distance between the first and second hinge shafts,
And the second state is the minimum in the state of at least one of the first state and the second state. 3. The method of claim 2,
The distance between the first and second hinge shafts,
Wherein the mobile terminal is increased and decreased in a process of changing from the first state to the second state. delete The method according to claim 1,
The first and second hinge shafts
And is provided to face the same direction. The method according to claim 1,
The first and second bodies are respectively provided with first and second displays for displaying an image,
Each of the above-
Wherein the second display is a surface on which the first and second displays are provided. The method according to claim 6,
Each of the above-
Wherein the second display is a surface adjacent to a surface on which the first and second displays are provided. The method according to claim 1,
The second state may comprise:
Wherein the first and second displays provided on the first and second bodies are positioned adjacent to each other on substantially the same plane. A first body including a first display provided on a first side;
A second body including a second display provided on a second side; And
Wherein the first and second hinge shafts are disposed so that the first and second hinge shafts are in contact with the first body and the second body, The first and second bodies rotate relative to each other such that the first and second surfaces are substantially continuous on the same plane, A hinge assembly,
The hinge assembly includes:
A first link group including three links including four pivot points including the first hinge axis of the first body and a third link group including three pivot points including the second hinge axis of the second body, Wherein when the first link group and the second link group rotate about the first and second hinge axes, the distance between the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis is increased Of the mobile terminal.
delete 10. The method of claim 9,
The first and second hinge shafts
Wherein the mobile terminal is extended from any one of the pivot points constituting the four-bar link.
delete 10. The method of claim 9,
The first and second hinge shafts
And is provided to face the same direction.
A first body;
A second body; And
The first and second hinge shafts include first and second hinge shafts that are coupled to one of the first and second hinge shafts.
Wherein the distance between the first and second hinge axes increases and decreases when the first body and the second body rotate relative to each other.
15. The method of claim 14,
The pivot point at which the first and second hinge shafts are coupled,
Wherein the link is a pivot point connected so that two of the links constituting the four-bar link are rotatable. 15. The method of claim 14,
The four-bar link is composed of first, second, and third links,
Wherein the first link, the second link, and the second link are not coupled to each other. 15. The method of claim 14,
Wherein each of the four-
Wherein the mobile terminal is configured to be symmetrically symmetrical. 15. The method of claim 14,
The first and second hinge shafts
And are arranged substantially in the same direction. delete delete

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