Telecommunications – Transmitter and receiver at same station – Having particular housing or support of a transceiver
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-20
2002-11-19
Chin, Vivian (Department: 2682)
Telecommunications
Transmitter and receiver at same station
Having particular housing or support of a transceiver
C455S348000, C379S433130, C016S386000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06484016
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a folder type portable radiotelephone, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a device for connecting an LCD module installed in a folder to a main board installed in a body element.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, portable radiotelephones refer to analog type or digital type cellular phones, personal communication system (PCS) phones, etc. Such portable radiotelephones perform a communication function by conducting radio communication with a base station. In other words, portable radiotelephones have a main purpose of transmitting communication signals. In this setting, a communication system refers to a system in which communication signals are transmitted between a portable radiotelephone, a base station, a mobile telephone exchange and a public radio wave network link.
Developments in electronics have improved such portable radiotelephones by providing a high sensitivity and a reduction in size and weight. Portable radiotelephones can be classified in terms of external construction, such as a bar type construction, a flip type construction and a folder type construction. Flip type portable radiotelephones and folder type portable radiotelephones are now widely used. In the future, the use of the folder type portable radiotelephones or portable terminals having more compact construction will increase.
Use of flip type portable radiotelephones is currently increasing because a flip serves to shield the phone's keys when closed, thereby preventing erroneous operations of those keys. The flip also serves as a reflecting plate when open, thereby concentrating the user's speech into the microphone and enhancing the sound sensitivity level. In addition, when a microphone unit is installed in the flip, the body can be made more compact.
Use of folder type portable radiotelephones is currently increasing for similar reasons. A folder coupled to a body element serves to protect a keypad on the body when closed, thereby preventing erroneous operations of a multitude of keys. The folder also serves as a reflecting plate when open, thereby concentrating the user's speech into the microphone and enhancing the sound sensitivity level. In addition, a speaker unit and an LCD module can be installed in the folder, thus making the body more compact.
Referring to
FIGS. 1 and 2
, a conventional folder type portable radiotelephone is shown, wherein
FIG. 1
depicts the folder type portable radiotelephone closed and
FIG. 2
depicts the folder type portable radiotelephone open.
The conventional folder type portable radiotelephone comprises a body
10
, a folder
20
, and hinge means for rotatably connecting the body
10
with the folder
20
. The folder
20
is opened and closed about axis A. An earpiece
210
including a speaker unit
211
and an LCD module
30
are mounted in the folder
20
, and a keypad
40
including a plurality of keys and an antenna unit
110
are installed in the body
10
. Data is input using the keypad
40
, and radio communication signals are received by the antenna unit
110
. A microphone
50
is positioned at a lower end of the body
10
. The folder
20
is connected to the body
10
by the hinge means, namely a pair of side arms
101
formed at opposite sides of the upper end of the body
10
, and a hinge arm
201
formed at the lower end of the folder
20
.
FIG. 3
shows a main board
120
arranged within the body element
10
. Because the LCD module
30
is mounted to the folder
20
, an electrical connection must be provided between the main board
120
and the LCD module through the hinge.
The electrical connection for electrically connecting the LCD module
30
and the main board
120
comprises a flexible printed circuit
213
and connectors
214
and
122
. The speaker unit
211
, a vibration motor
212
and the LCD module
30
are electrically connected to the flexible printed circuit
213
. An extended part
213
a
of the flexible printed circuit
213
passes through the hinge arm and a side arm and is electrically connected to the main board
120
.
A first connector
214
is attached to the end of extended part
213
a
and is coupled to a second connector
122
on the main board
120
, thus electrically connecting the LCD module
30
and the main board
120
.
FIG. 4
shows additional details of the electrical connection between the LCD module
30
and the main board
120
. The folder
20
is rotated at the upper end of the body element
10
through the hinge means and is thereby opened at an angle for communication. The hinge arm
201
and a hinge extension
201
a
are formed at the lower end of the folder
20
, and the pair of side arms
101
are formed at the upper end of the body element
10
. The sidearms
101
and the hinge extensions
201
a
(on opposite ends of the hinge arm
201
) interface to form a hinge. Because the hinge extension
201
a
has a cylindrical cross-section, a hole
202
a
in the hinge extension
201
a
passes the extended part
213
a
of the flexible printed circuit
213
. After passing through the hinge extension
201
a
, the extended part
213
a
is electrically connected to the body element
10
by connectors
214
and
122
.
By using the flexible printed circuit
213
and the connectors
214
and
122
for electrically connecting the LCD module
30
in the folder
20
to the main board
120
of the body
10
, the conventional folder type portable radiotelephone suffers from the following problems.
When considered from a manufacturing and assembly standpoint, coupling the body element
10
with the folder
20
is difficult. Connecting the extended part
213
a
of the flexible printed circuit
213
to the main board
120
of the body element
10
must be carefully implemented. An assembler must insert the free end of the extended part
213
a
of the flexible printed circuit
213
into the side arm
101
, direct the free end of the extended part
213
a
toward the main board
120
of the body element
10
, and then couple the first and second connectors
214
and
122
. This is a complex procedure and the extended part
213
a
of the flexible printed circuit
213
can be bent, broken or damaged by this manipulation. Thus, the defect rate is increased.
Also, when the folder
20
is opened or closed, the opening force or closing force of the folder
20
can damage the extended part
213
a
of the flexible printed circuit
213
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention has been made in an effort to solve the problems occurring in the related art, and a primary object of the present invention is to provide a device for connecting an LCD module and a main board with each other in a folder type portable radiotelephone which facilitates its manufacture and assembly.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a device for connecting an LCD module and a main board with each other in a folder type portable radiotelephone, the device being disposed in a hinge shaft so that it is not damaged by the rotating movement of a folder when the folder is opened or closed to and from the body element, respectively.
In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a device for connecting a main board with an LCD module in a folder type portable radiotelephone which includes a body element having the main board, a folder having a speaker unit, the LCD module panel and a hinge arm, and a hinge interfacing with the hinge arm and the body element for mechanically coupling the body element and the folder with each other. The folder can be rotated at one end of the body element about an axis between a closed (or folded) position to an angle capable of rendering communication. The folder also includes a flexible printed circuit connected to the speaker unit and the LCD module. The device further comprises a first connector connected to the flexible printed circuit of the folder; a second connector which is connected to the first connector; a first
Chin Vivian
Dilworth & Barrese LLP
Ramos-Feliciano Eliseo
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
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