KR20110035673A - Mobile terminal and manufacturing method of casing applied to the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A mobile terminal and a manufacturing method of casing applied to the same are provided to respectively form a color film and a color layer which implement a specific color on a rear plane of a light-transmissive base layer. CONSTITUTION: A base layer(230) made of a light-transmissive material includes a body unit and an edge unit. The front and rear planes of casing are formed by the body unit. The edge unit enables the formation of the lateral plane of the casing. A color film is formed on the body unit, and implements the color of the body unit. A color layer(250) is applied to the edge unit.

Description

MOBILE TERMINAL AND MANUFACTURING METHOD OF CASING APPLIED TO THE SAME}

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal having a casing and a manufacturing method of the casing.

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

Such a terminal has various functions, for example, in the form of a multimedia device having multiple functions such as photographing and photographing of a moving picture, reproduction of a music or video file, reception of a game and broadcasting, etc. .

In order to support and increase the function of such a terminal, it may be considered to improve the structural part and / or the software part of the terminal.

Recently, various colors have been implemented in the casing of a mobile terminal, and various attempts have been made to implement a casing structure having an advanced appearance and improved reliability.

The present invention is to provide a casing structure that can implement a sense of transparent depth in the casing forming the appearance of the mobile terminal, and to provide a method of manufacturing a casing that can be more simply manufactured in the implementation and improved reliability.

The present invention for realizing the above object includes a casing for forming the appearance of the terminal, and an electronic component mounted in the inner space of the casing, the casing body and the casing forming the front or rear of the casing And a base layer of a light-transmissive material having an edge portion forming a side surface thereof, a color film formed on the body portion to implement the color of the body portion, and a color layer formed on the edge portion. Initiate a mobile terminal.

The edge portion may be bent and extended at the outside of the body portion to form a side wall defining an inner space of the casing.

The base layer may be formed of a synthetic resin material, and may be formed by insert injection molding the color film while being inserted into the injection mold.

The color film and the color layer may be formed to form the same plane on the rear surface of the base layer.

The color film may include a light-transmissive base film, a light-transmissive layer deposited on the back of the base film, and at least one print layer printed on the back of the deposition layer. Here, a reinforcement layer may be additionally formed on the rear surface of the printing layer to flatten the rear surface of the color film.

The color layer may be formed by a spray method, and may include a plurality of light transmitting layers having different colors.

On the other hand, the present invention in the manufacturing method of the casing comprising a body portion forming the front or rear of the mobile terminal, and the edge portion forming the side of the mobile terminal, providing a color film for implementing the color of the body portion And forming a translucent base layer on one surface of the color film to form the body portion and the edge portion, and applying a color paint to form a color layer on the edge portion to implement the color of the edge portion. The manufacturing method of the casing characterized by the above-mentioned.

The present invention configured as described above can implement a sense of transparency in the casing by forming a color film and a color layer, respectively, to implement a specific color on the back of the translucent base layer having a body portion and an edge portion.

In addition, the present invention can realize a more advanced color by forming a casing by insert injection molding and can simplify the manufacturing process compared to the printing method. In addition, it is possible to strengthen the bonding force between the color film and the base layer and at the same time make the overall thickness of the casing relatively slim.

In addition, the present invention provides the improved reliability in the manufacturing process by preventing the folding or damage of the color film by the body portion to implement its color through the color film, the edge portion to implement the color through the spray.

Hereinafter, a mobile terminal according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The suffixes "module" and "unit" for components used in the following description are given or used in consideration of ease of specification, and do not have distinct meanings or roles from each other.

The mobile terminal described herein may include a mobile phone, a smart phone, a laptop computer, a digital broadcasting terminal, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable multimedia player (PMP), navigation, and the like.

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 A / V input unit 120, a user input unit 130, a sensing unit 140, an output unit 150, a memory 160, and an interface. The unit 170, the controller 180, and the power supply unit 190 may be included. The components shown in FIG. 1 are not essential, so that 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 that enable wireless communication between the mobile terminal 100 and the wireless communication system or between the mobile terminal 100 and a 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 a broadcast signal 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 mean a server that generates and transmits a broadcast signal and / or broadcast related information or a server that receives a previously generated broadcast signal and / or broadcast related information and transmits the same to a terminal. The broadcast signal may include not only a TV broadcast signal, a radio broadcast signal, and a data broadcast signal, but also a broadcast signal having a data broadcast signal combined with a TV broadcast signal or a radio broadcast signal.

The broadcast related information may mean information related to a broadcast channel, a broadcast program, or 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, it may exist in the form of Electronic Program Guide (EPG) of Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) or Electronic Service Guide (ESG) of Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld (DVB-H).

The broadcast receiving module 111 may include, for example, Digital Multimedia Broadcasting-Terrestrial (DMB-T), Digital Multimedia Broadcasting-Satellite (DMB-S), Media Forward Link Only (MediaFLO), and Digital Video Broadcast (DVB-H). Digital broadcast signals can be received using digital broadcasting systems such as Handheld and Integrated Services Digital Broadcast-Terrestrial (ISDB-T). Of course, the broadcast receiving module 111 may be configured to be suitable for not only the above-described digital broadcasting system but also other broadcasting systems.

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

The mobile communication module 112 transmits and receives a wireless signal with 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 according to transmission and reception of a voice call signal, a video call call signal, or a text / multimedia message.

The wireless internet module 113 refers to a module for wireless internet access and may be embedded or external to the mobile terminal 100. Wireless Internet technologies may include Wireless LAN (Wi-Fi), Wireless Broadband (Wibro), World Interoperability for Microwave Access (Wimax), High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), and the like.

The short range communication module 114 refers to a module for short range communication. As a short range communication technology, Bluetooth, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Ultra Wideband (UWB), ZigBee, and the like may be used.

The location information module 115 is a module for obtaining a location of a mobile terminal, and a representative example thereof is a GPS (Global Position System) module.

Referring to FIG. 1, the A / V 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 call mode or the photographing mode. The processed image frame may be displayed on the display unit 151.

The image frame processed by the camera 121 may be stored in the memory 160 or transmitted to the outside through the wireless communication unit 110. Two or more cameras 121 may be provided according to the use environment.

The microphone 122 receives an external sound signal by a microphone in a call mode, a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, etc., and processes the external sound signal into 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. The microphone 122 may implement various noise removing algorithms for removing noise generated in the process of receiving an external sound signal.

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

The sensing unit 140 detects a current state of the mobile terminal 100 such as an open / closed state of the mobile terminal 100, a location of the mobile terminal 100, presence or absence of a user contact, orientation of the mobile terminal, acceleration / deceleration of the mobile terminal, and the like. To generate 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 may sense whether the slide phone is opened or closed. In addition, whether the power supply unit 190 is supplied with power, whether the interface unit 170 is coupled to the external device may be sensed. The sensing unit 140 may include a proximity sensor 141.

The output unit 150 is used to generate an output related to sight, hearing, or tactile sense, and includes a display unit 151, an audio output module 152, an alarm unit 153, and a haptic module 154. Can be.

The display unit 151 displays (outputs) information processed by the mobile terminal 100. For example, when the mobile terminal is in a call mode, the mobile terminal displays a user interface (UI) or a graphic user interface (GUI) related to the call. When the mobile terminal 100 is in a video call mode or a photographing mode, the mobile terminal 100 displays photographed and / or received images, a UI, and a GUI.

The display unit 151 includes a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), and a flexible display (flexible). and at least one of a 3D display.

Some of these displays can be configured to be transparent or light transmissive so that they can be seen from the outside. This may be referred to as a transparent display. A representative example of the transparent display is TOLED (Transparant OLED). The rear structure of the display unit 151 may also be configured as a light transmissive structure. With this structure, the user can see the 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 implementation form 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 one another, and may be disposed on different surfaces, respectively.

When the display unit 151 and a sensor for detecting a touch operation (hereinafter, referred to as a touch sensor) form a mutual layer structure (hereinafter referred to as a touch screen), the display unit 151 may be configured in addition to an output device. Can also be used as an input device. The touch sensor may have, for example, a form of a touch film, a touch sheet, a touch pad, or the like.

The touch sensor may be configured to convert a change in pressure applied to a specific portion of the display unit 151 or capacitance generated in a specific portion of the display unit 151 into an electrical input signal. The touch sensor may be configured to detect not only the position and area of the touch but also the pressure at the 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 then transmits the corresponding data to the controller 180. As a result, the controller 180 can know which area of the display unit 151 is touched.

Referring to FIG. 1, a proximity sensor 141 may be disposed in an inner region of the mobile terminal or in the vicinity of the touch screen, which is surrounded 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 an object present in the vicinity without using a mechanical contact by using an electromagnetic force or infrared rays. Proximity sensors have a longer life and higher utilization than touch sensors.

Examples of the proximity sensor include a transmission photoelectric sensor, a direct reflection photoelectric sensor, a mirror reflection photoelectric sensor, a high frequency oscillation proximity sensor, a capacitive proximity sensor, a magnetic proximity sensor, and an infrared proximity sensor. When the touch screen is capacitive, the touch screen is configured to detect the proximity of the pointer by the change of the electric field according to the proximity of the pointer. In this case, the touch screen (touch sensor) may be classified as a proximity sensor.

Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the act of allowing the pointer to be recognized without being in contact with the touch screen so that the pointer is located on the touch screen is referred to as a "proximity touch", and the touch The act of actually touching the pointer on the screen is called "contact touch." The position where the proximity touch is performed by the pointer on the touch screen refers to a position where the pointer is perpendicular to the touch screen when the pointer is in proximity proximity.

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

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

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

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

In addition to vibration, the haptic module 154 may be configured to provide a pin array that vertically moves with respect to the contact skin surface, a jetting force or suction force of air through the jetting or suction port, grazing to the skin surface, contact of the electrode, electrostatic force, and the like. Various tactile effects can be generated, such as effects by the endothermic and the reproduction of a sense of cold using the elements capable of endotherm or heat generation.

The haptic module 154 may not only deliver the haptic effect through direct contact, but also may implement the user to feel the haptic effect through a muscle sense such as a finger or an arm. Two or more haptic modules 154 may be provided according to a configuration aspect of the mobile terminal 100.

The memory 160 may store a program for the operation of the controller 180 and may temporarily store input / output data (for example, a phone book, a message, a still image, a video, etc.). The memory 160 may store data regarding vibration and sound of various patterns output when a touch input on the touch screen is performed.

The memory 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), RAM (Random Access Memory, RAM), Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), Read-Only Memory (ROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM), Magnetic Memory, Magnetic It may include a storage medium of at least one type of disk, optical disk. The mobile terminal 100 may operate in connection with a web storage that performs a storage function of the memory 160 on the Internet.

The interface unit 170 serves as a path with all external devices connected to the mobile terminal 100. The interface unit 170 receives data from an external device, receives power, transfers the power to each component inside the mobile terminal 100, or transmits data inside 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 that stores various types of information for authenticating the usage rights of the mobile terminal 100, and includes a user identification module (UIM), a subscriber identify module (SIM), and a universal user authentication module ( 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.

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

The controller 180 typically controls the overall operation of the mobile terminal. For example, it performs related control and processing for voice calls, data communications, video calls, etc. The controller 180 may include a multimedia module 181 for playing multimedia. The multimedia module 181 may be implemented in the controller 180 or may be implemented separately from the controller 180.

The controller 180 may perform a pattern recognition process for recognizing a writing input or a drawing input performed on the touch screen as text and an image, respectively.

The power supply unit 190 receives an external power source and an internal power source under the control of the controller 180 to supply power for operation of each component.

Various embodiments described herein may be implemented 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, embodiments described herein include application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and the like. It may be implemented using at least one of processors, controllers, micro-controllers, microprocessors, and electrical units for performing other functions. The described embodiments may be implemented by the controller 180 itself.

According to the software implementation, embodiments such as the procedures and functions described herein may be implemented as separate software modules. Each of the software modules may perform one or more functions and operations described herein. Software code may be implemented in software applications written in a suitable programming language. The software code may be stored in the memory 160 and executed by the controller 180.

2A and 2B are front perspective views of an example of a mobile terminal or a mobile terminal according to the present invention.

2A and 2B, the disclosed portable terminal 100 includes two bodies 210 and 220 slidably coupled to each other. However, the present invention is not limited thereto and may be applied to various structures such as a slide type, a folder type, a swing type, a swivel type, and two or more bodies are coupled to be relatively movable.

The terminal body forming the exterior of the portable terminal according to the present embodiment includes a main body 210 and a slider 220 slidably connected to each other.

A state in which a part of the slider 220 is exposed to the front may be referred to as an open state (see FIG. 2B), and a state in which the exposed part of the slider 220 is covered by the main body 210 is closed. configuration (see FIG. 2A).

The main body 210 and the slider 220 may be formed in a bar shape and overlap each other. In addition, as shown in FIG. 4 to be described later, the main body 210 and the slider 220 are formed in a cross-sectional shape of a '⊂' and are disposed to face each other, and thus, between the main body 210 and the front surface of the slider 220 in an open state. It is possible to implement a form factor that can minimize the generation of a step or a step between the rear of the main body 210 and the rear of the slider 220.

Although the mobile terminal 100 operates mainly in the standby mode in the closed state, the standby mode may be released by a user's operation. In the open state, the device operates in the call mode, the edit mode, and the like, but may be switched to the standby mode by the user's operation or the passage of a certain time.

A casing (which may be called a case, a housing, a cover, etc.) constituting the exterior of the main body 210 may be formed in plural, and various electronic components are embedded in the inner space of the casing. The casings may be formed by injecting synthetic resin.

According to the present exemplary embodiment, the display unit 151, the audio output unit 152, the camera 121, the user input units 130/131 and 132, and the interface 170 may be disposed in the main body 210.

The display unit 151 may be implemented in the form of a touch screen to enable input of information by touch. In this case, the display unit 151 may be formed in a size corresponding to the front surface of the main body 210, and may be configured to perform both input and output through the display unit 151 in a closed state. As an example, the display unit 151 may output a soft key to execute an input or iconic function of numbers or letters, and the user may input by touching a soft key.

The user input unit 130 is operated to receive a command for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 100, and includes a touch key 131 that receives a command by a touch operation, and a push that receives a command by a pressing operation. It may be implemented in various forms such as the white (132).

The content input through the user input unit 130 may be variously set. For example, the touch key 131 receives a command such as start, end, scroll, and the like, and the push key 132 adjusts the volume of the sound output from the sound output unit 152 or touch recognition of the display unit 151. Commands such as switching to the mode may be input.

The slider 220 may be formed of a light transmissive material, and a touch keypad 133 may be provided on the front surface of the slider 220 that is exposed to the outside in an open state. The touch keypad 133 may include a plurality of numbers, letters, or symbols 135 (hereinafter, referred to as "numbers"). Such numbers and the like may be formed by printing, imprinting, or the like, and may be configured to be identified by illumination.

The push key 132 may be mounted on the side of the slider 220. In this case, the side of the slider 220 may be opaque so that the internal dome switch is not visible from the outside.

3 is a rear perspective view of the mobile terminal shown in FIG. 2B.

Referring to FIG. 3, a camera 121 ′ may be additionally mounted on the rear surface of the main body 210. The camera 121 'may have a photographing direction substantially opposite to the camera 121 (see FIG. 2A), and may be a camera having different pixels from the camera 121.

For example, the camera 121 has a low pixel so that the user's face is photographed and transmitted to the counterpart in a video call or the like, and the camera 121 'photographs a general subject and does not transmit it immediately. It is desirable to have a high pixel because there are many. The cameras 121 and 121 'may be installed in the terminal body so as to be rotatable or pop-upable.

A flash 123 and a mirror 124 are further disposed adjacent to the camera 121 '. The flash 123 shines light toward the subject when the subject is photographed by the camera 121 '. The mirror 124 allows the user to see his / her own face or the like when photographing (self-photographing) the user using the camera 121 '.

The main body 210 is equipped with a power supply unit 190 for supplying power to the portable terminal 100. The power supply unit 190 may be embedded in the terminal body as a form of a battery or may be directly detachable from the outside of the main body 210. When the battery 190 is configured to be detachable from the main body 210, the cover part 222 constituting the slider 220 may be configured to be opened to attach or detach the battery 190.

4 is a cross-sectional view showing an open state of a mobile terminal according to the present invention.

The slider 220 is a slide portion 221 slidably coupled to the main body 210 and a cover portion 222 coupled to the slide portion 221 to be slidably moved along the rear surface of the main body 210. It includes.

The main body 210 may include a front casing 211 and a rear casing 212 coupled to each other, and the slide hole 207 in the longitudinal direction to accommodate the slide portion 221 inside the main body 210. Is formed. Therefore, the slide unit 221 is accommodated in the slide hole 207 when it is closed, so that the slide unit 221 is not visible from the outside.

The display module 151, the main board 215, a printed circuit board, a battery 190, and the like are mounted in the main body 210. The display module 151 and the battery 190, the display module 151, and the main board 215 may be arranged to overlap at least a portion. For example, the display module 151 may be disposed on one side of the slide hole 207, and the battery 190 and the main board 215 may be mounted on the other side. Herein, the battery 190 and the main board 215 may be arranged along the length direction of the main body 210, and the main board 215 may be implemented in a form in which two substrates overlap each other.

A transmissive area 213 is formed in the front casing 211, and a display module 151 is disposed behind the transmissive area 213. The touch film 215 for sensing a touch may be attached to the rear surface of the light transmission area 213. The touch film 216 is electrically connected to the touch film 216 and the main board 215, and a flexible circuit board 216 (FPCB) having a touch sensor for sensing a touch applied to the touch key 231 is connected. .

The touch keypad 133 is coupled to the slide unit 221, and the touch keypad 133 is configured to be accommodated in the main body 210 or to be drawn out from the main body 210. The touch panel 133 may be provided with the numbers 135 described above. The number 135 may be formed through a method such as stamping on the surface of the touch keypad 133. Further, the numeral 135 may be one of output contents of a transmissive display device, for example, liquid crystal, transparent organic LED, and e-paper.

The touch sensing unit 223 for detecting a touch applied to the touch keypad 133 may be disposed on the rear surface of the touch keypad 133. The touch sensing unit 223 may be formed in the form of a conductive film having a light transmissive material, for example, an indium tin oxide (ITO) film.

An accommodation space 208 is formed between the touch keypad 133 and the cover 222, and a portion of the main body 210, for example, a battery 190, is accommodated in the accommodation space 208 in a closed state. As shown in FIG. 4, since the accommodation hole 208 becomes empty in the open state, the object on the opposite side can be seen through the translucent touch keypad 133 and the cover 222. Here 'translucent' includes 'completely transmissive' or 'semitransparent'.

The shape and arrangement of the main body 210 and the slider 220 as described above minimize the difference between the thickness of the main body 210 and the overall thickness of the mobile terminal 100, and in the open state, the main body 210 and the slider ( It is possible to reduce the step difference between the 220).

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the front casing of the main body viewed from the rear side, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along the VI-VI line of FIG. 5.

Referring to FIG. 5, a light transmitting region 213 is formed in the front casing 211, and an opaque region 214 is formed outside the light transmitting region. The opaque area 214 may be implemented to have a specific color, and the sound output hole 152a, the touch key 131, and the like may be disposed in the opaque area 214.

According to the present embodiment, the color of the opaque region 214 may be implemented such that a metallic texture or a sense of brightness is realized. In other words, the opaque region 214 may be implemented to look like a material similar to metal.

The front casing 211 is formed in the form of a plate with sidewalls formed at the corners. In the present specification, a balanced portion of the front casing 211 is referred to as a 'body portion', and a portion (side wall portion) forming a side surface of the front casing 211 is referred to as an 'edge portion'.

The front casing 211 includes a base layer 230, a color film 240 and a color layer 250 for forming the opaque region 214.

The base layer 230 is formed of a translucent material, and includes a body portion 231 forming a front surface of the front casing 211 and an edge portion 232 forming a side surface of the front casing 212. do. Body portion 231 and the edge portion 232 is formed integrally, the base layer 230 of this configuration is formed of a synthetic resin material.

The body portion 231 has a flat plate shape, and the edge portion 232 is bent and extended at the outside of the body portion 231 to form a side wall defining an inner space of the front casing 211.

The color film 240 is formed in the body portion 231 and implements the color of the body portion 231. According to the present embodiment, the color film 240 is formed on the rear surface of the body portion 231.

The color layer 250 is formed by applying a paint such as color ink to the edge portion 232. According to the present embodiment, the color layer 250 may be formed on the rear surface of the edge portion 232 and positioned to form the same plane as the color film 240. The color layer 250 embodies the color of the edge portion 232 and may have the same color or substantially the same color or similar color to that of the color film 240.

According to the present embodiment, the color of the color film 240 and the color layer 250 may be implemented to implement a metallic texture or a sense of brightness as described above. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the color film 240 and the color layer 250 may be implemented in various colors.

As such, the front casing 211 is formed by forming the color film 240 and the color layer 250 implementing a specific color on the back of the translucent base layer 230 having the body 231 and the edge 232. ), You can implement a sense of "transparency depth". Here, "transparency depth" refers to the effect that the color is implemented at a position as low as a certain depth from the outer surface of the transparent casing.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of part V of FIG. 6, and FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of part V of FIG. 6. 7 and 8 show the detailed structure of the color film and the color layer.

Referring to FIG. 7, the color film 240 includes a base film 241, a deposition layer 242, a printing layer 243, and the like.

The base film 241 is formed of a transparent synthetic resin material and supports the deposition layer 242, the printing layer 243, and the like.

The deposition layer 242 may be formed on the base film 241, and may be formed to transmit light with tin or tin oxide. The deposition layer 242 may be formed on the rear surface of the base film 241 by vacuum deposition. Here, vacuum deposition refers to depositing the base film 241 and the material to be attached to the surface in a vacuum furnace, and then evaporating the material to condense and attach it to the surface of the base film 241.

The deposition layer 242 according to the present embodiment may be formed by physical vapor deposition (PVD), and the deposition method using physical vapor deposition (PVD) may include sputtering, electron beam evaporation, and thermal evaporation. Thermal evaporation, etc., and the deposition layer 242 may be formed using one of these methods.

The printing layer 243 is formed by printing a coating material such as ink. The print layer 243 may form a single layer, but may be formed by a plurality of layers as in the present embodiment. In this case, the layers may be formed of a translucent material having different colors. According to this embodiment, the layers of the printed layer 243 have gray and black colors, respectively.

According to such a configuration, the colors of the deposition layer 242 and the printing layer 243 are mixed so that the color of the color film 240 may be a metallic texture or a sense of brightness.

A reinforcement layer 244 may be further formed on the rear surface of the printing layer 243 to flatten the rear surface of the color film 240. The configuration in which the reinforcing layer 244 is added will be described later in detail.

A protective coating layer 260 may be formed on the front surface of the base film 230, and the protective coating layer 260 physically and chemically protects the outer surface of the front casing 211. The reinforcing layer 244 and the protective coating layer 260 may be formed by coating an ultraviolet curable resin on the front casing 211.

Referring to FIG. 8, the color layer 250 may include a plurality of light transmitting layers 251 and 252 having different colors. However, the color layer may also be formed as a single layer.

According to the present embodiment, the color layer 250 is formed of two layers 251 and 252, each having a gray and a black material. That is, the colors of the layers 251 and 252 constituting the color layer 250 are the colors of the layers constituting the print layer 243 so that the color of the color layer 250 may be substantially the same as the color of the color film 240. To correspond to. The color layer 250 may be formed by applying a paint such as color ink by a spray method.

Although the above description has been based on the configuration of the front casing 211 having a body portion and an edge portion, the above configuration is equally applicable to the rear casing 212. That is, the rear casing 212 may include a 'body portion' forming a rear surface of the terminal and an 'edge portion' forming a side surface of the terminal, and in this case, the color film 240 and the color layer described above. 250 will implement the color of the body portion and the edge portion.

9A to 9C are views illustrating a method of manufacturing a casing according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, as shown in FIG. 9A, a color film 240 for realizing the color of the body portion 231 is provided. Here, the outer portion of the color film 240 is slightly bent to correspond to the shape of the edge portion 232. This is to maximize the area occupied by the color film 240.

As shown in FIG. 9B, the base layer 230 may be formed by insert injection molding the color film 240 while being inserted into the injection mold 270. The color film 240 is inserted into the injection mold 270, the liquid synthetic resin is injected, and heat and pressure are applied thereto. Accordingly, the base layer 230 having the body portion 231 and the edge portion 232 is formed on one surface of the color film 240. Here, the body portion 232 is formed on the front of the color film 240, the color film 240 is bent to correspond to the shape of the edge portion 232 at the end of the body portion 231.

As shown in FIG. 9C, when the base layer 230 to which the color film 240 is attached is separated from the injection mold 270, and the paint is applied to the back surface of the edge portion 232 through a spray method, the edge portion 232 is applied to the edge layer 232. The color layer 250 is formed.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a cut portion for explaining the configuration of the reinforcing layer shown in FIG. 7.

Referring to FIG. 10, printing irregularities due to the characteristics of the printing process are formed on the outer surface (back side) of the printing layer 243. In the case of insert injection molding, such printing irregularities may be transferred to the synthetic resin forming the base layer 230 by the injection pressure. This is a factor that inhibits the appearance of the casing 211 because the uneven shape is seen to the outside of the casing 211 when the manufacturing process of the casing 211 is completed.

In the present invention, the reinforcement layer 244 is additionally formed on the rear surface of the print layer 243 to flatten the rear surface of the color film 240. Accordingly, the back surface of the color film 240 smoothly contacts the surface of the injection mold, thereby preventing the printing irregularities from being transferred to the base layer 230.

As described above, in the present invention, the casing 211 is formed by insert injection molding, thereby realizing more advanced colors and simplifying the manufacturing process as compared with printing. In addition, the overall thickness of the casing 212 may be relatively slim while strengthening the bonding force between the color film 240 and the base layer 230.

However, when the casing 211 has a three-dimensional structure having a body portion 231 and an edge portion 232, the color film 240 must be formed in the three-dimensional structure during the insert injection molding, so that the color film 240 in the molding process ) May be folded or damaged. In the present invention, the body portion 231 implements the color through the color film 240, the edge portion 232 solves this problem by implementing the color through the spray.

The above-described mobile terminal is not limited to the configuration and method of the above-described embodiments, but the embodiments may be configured by selectively combining all or some of the embodiments so that various modifications can be made. have.

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

2A and 2B are front perspective views of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a rear perspective view of a mobile terminal according to one embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a cross-sectional view showing an open state of a mobile terminal according to one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the front casing of the main body from the rear.

6 is a cross-sectional view along the VI-VI line of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of part VII of FIG. 6. FIG.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of part VII of FIG. 6. FIG.

9A-9C illustrate a method of manufacturing a casing in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a cut portion for explaining the structure of the reinforcing layer shown in FIG. 7. FIG.

Claims (14)

A casing forming the exterior of the terminal and an electronic component mounted in an inner space of the casing; The casing is, A base layer of a translucent material having a body portion forming a front side or a rear side of the casing, and an edge portion forming a side surface of the casing; A color film formed on the body part and implementing a color of the body part; And And a color layer formed by being applied to the edge portion. The method of claim 1, And the edge portion is bent and extended at an outer portion of the body portion to form a side wall defining an inner space of the casing. The method of claim 1, The base layer is formed of a synthetic resin material, characterized in that formed by insert injection molding the color film while being inserted into the injection mold. The method of claim 1, The color film and the color layer is a mobile terminal, characterized in that formed in the same plane on the back of the base layer. The method of claim 1, wherein the color film, Light-transmissive base film; A vapor deposition layer of a light-transmissive material deposited on a rear surface of the base film; And A mobile terminal, characterized in that it comprises at least one printed layer printed on the back of the deposition layer. The method of claim 5, The print layer is a mobile terminal, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of translucent layers having different colors. The method of claim 5, And a reinforcing layer formed on the rear surface of the printed layer and flattening the rear surface of the color film. The method of claim 1, And the color film is bent to correspond to the shape of the edge portion at the end of the body portion. The method of claim 1, The color layer is a mobile terminal, characterized in that applied by the spray method. The method of claim 1, The color layer comprises a plurality of translucent layers having different colors. The method of claim 1, The inside of the casing is equipped with a display for outputting visual information, And the casing includes a transmissive area where the color film is not formed so that output information of the display is visible. In the manufacturing method of the casing comprising a body portion forming the front or rear of the mobile terminal, and an edge portion forming the side of the mobile terminal, Providing a color film for embodying the color of the body portion; Forming a body portion and an edge portion by forming a light-transmissive base layer on one surface of the color film; And And applying a color paint such that a color layer is formed on the edge part to implement the color of the edge part. The method of claim 12, The base layer is formed of a synthetic resin material, the manufacturing method of the casing, characterized in that formed by insert injection molding the color film while being inserted into the injection mold. The method of claim 12, The method of manufacturing a casing, characterized in that the color layer is applied by a spray method.

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