Abstract:
Disclosed is a mobile communication terminal capable of easily photographing with a digital camera equipped therein. More specifically, the invention relates to a mobile communication terminal having two longitudinal pivoting parts provided by dividing a terminal cover into two covers. One of the pivoting parts has a limited pivoting range within an angle of about 90° relative to a terminal main body. The mobile communication terminal of the invention comprises a terminal main body provided with various input keys; a first terminal cover hinge-connected to the terminal main body and pivoting longitudinally relative to the terminal main body; a connecting shaft hinge-connected to the first terminal cover and pivoting longitudinally relative to the first terminal cover; and a second terminal cover connected to the connecting shaft so as to horizontally rotate relative to the connecting shaft and provided with a terminal screen on a surface facing the terminal main body.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     The present application is claiming priority of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2004-0025347, filed on Apr. 13, 2004, the content of which is herein incorporated by reference.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a mobile communication terminal capable of easily photographing with a digital camera equipped therein. More specifically, the invention relates to a mobile communication terminal having two longitudinal pivoting parts provided by dividing a terminal cover into two covers. One of the pivoting parts has a limited pivoting range within an angle of about 90° relative to a terminal main body.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Mobile communication terminals according to the prior art, like a cellular phone, a wireless communication terminal and a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), etc. comprise a folder-type mobile communication terminal wherein a cover hinge-connected to a main body thereof can be pivoted longitudinally, and a folder-rotating type (which is also referred to as “rotary type”) mobile communication terminal wherein a cover hinge-connected to a main body thereof can be pivoted longitudinally and, simultaneously, rotated horizontally.  
         [0006]     Meanwhile, many of mobile communication terminals that are recently released have camera functions in addition to their inherent communication functions according to a multi-function tendency of the mobile communication terminal.  
         [0007]     In a folder-rotating type mobile communication terminal having a digital camera function, a camera lens of the digital camera may be fixed to a side surface of the mobile communication terminal. In the folder-rotating type mobile communication terminal, since a terminal cover loading a terminal screen can be horizontally rotated relative to a terminal main body, a user can take a photograph while looking at an image of a subject for photography displayed on the terminal screen even though a camera lens of the digital camera is positioned to a side surface of the terminal.  
         [0008]      FIG. 1  shows a folder-rotating type mobile communication terminal with a digital camera equipped to a side surface thereof according to the prior art. And  FIG. 2  shows a state that a cover of the mobile communication terminal shown in  FIG. 1  is pivoted longitudinally and thus opened, and then again horizontally rotated.  
         [0009]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the prior folder-rotating type mobile communication terminal is constructed such that a terminal cover  20  covering a terminal main body  10  can be folded by pivoting longitudinally relative to the terminal main body  10  with a pivoting hinge shaft  30 , and at the same time can be horizontally rotated relative to the terminal main body  10  with a rotating-hinge shaft  40 . A digital camera  50  is equipped to a side surface of a hinge part  12  of the terminal main body.  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  shows a state that a cover of the mobile communication terminal is pivoted longitudinally and thus opened, and then again horizontally rotated. The longitudinal pivoting of the terminal cover  20  is achieved through the pivoting-hinge shaft  30  and the horizontal rotating is made through the rotating-hinge shaft  40 . Meanwhile, in  FIG. 2 , a camera lens of the digital camera  50  is positioned to take a photograph of a subject facing a paper surface and, therefore, it cannot be seen from the  FIG. 2 .  
         [0011]     As shown in  FIG. 2 , a user can take a photograph while identifying an image of a subject for photography through a terminal screen  22  by rotating the terminal screen  22  horizontally to be faced in a direction opposite to the lens of the camera lens.  
         [0012]     In this case, the pivoting-hinge shaft  30  is connected to the terminal main body  10  by a first hinge body  32  to be pivoted longitudinally. And the terminal cover  20  is connected to the pivoting-hinge shaft  30  by a second hinge body  42  to be rotated horizontally.  
         [0013]     Meanwhile, the mobile communication terminal of the prior folder-rotating type as shown in  FIG. 2  has a large angle between the terminal cover  20  and the terminal main body  10  enough to a telephone call.  
         [0014]     Like this, when the terminal cover  20  is horizontally rotated under state that the terminal cover  20  is opened to the large angle, the terminal screen  22  is inclined at a certain angle, rather than being horizontal or vertical relative to the terminal main body  10 . Accordingly, it is difficult for a user to capture an erect image of the subject for photography.  
         [0015]     Needless to say, the terminal cover  20  and the terminal main body  10  may be adjusted to be vertical when the terminal cover  20  is pivoted relative to the terminal main body  10  in the prior mobile communication terminal. However, the attentiveness is required to set the vertical state. In addition, the vertical state is apt to be inclined since there is no a constituting element supporting the vertical state, even after setting the vertical state.  
         [0016]     Accordingly, if a user wishes to take a photograph by using the prior folder-rotating mobile communication terminal having a digital camera to a side surface thereof, a user should perform the photography while putting up with the situation in which the image displayed on the screen is seen to be inclined, otherwise paying attention to adjust the cover to the vertical state and to maintain the vertical state relative to the terminal main body.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]     Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art. The object of the present invention is to provide a folder-rotating type mobile communication terminal having two longitudinal pivoting parts provided by separating a terminal cover into two covers and thus being capable of easily capturing an erect image of a subject for photography even though a digital camera is equipped to a side surface of a terminal main body.  
         [0018]     In order to accomplish the objects, there is provided a mobile communication terminal comprising a terminal main body; a first terminal cover hinge-connected to the terminal main body and pivoting longitudinally relative to the terminal main body; a connecting shaft hinge-connected to the first terminal cover and pivoting longitudinally relative to the first terminal cover; and a second terminal cover connected to the connecting shaft so as to horizontally rotate relative to the connecting shaft and provided with a terminal screen on a surface facing the terminal main body.  
         [0019]     Preferably, if the first terminal cover is pivoted to an angle of about 90° relative to the terminal main body, it is prevented from being further pivoted.  
         [0020]     Meanwhile, it is preferred that a limiting protrusion, which is contacts with an upper end of the terminal main body when the first terminal cover is pivoted to the angle of about 90° relative to the terminal main body, is formed on a rear surface of the first terminal cover as the means for limiting the pivoting of the first terminal cover.  
         [0021]     According to the invention, it is preferred that the digital camera is mounted to one of a side surface of the first terminal cover, a side surface of the terminal main body and a front surface of the second terminal cover.  
         [0022]     According to the invention, it is preferred that if the digital camera is provided to the side surface of the first terminal cover, an extension part for mounting the digital camera is formed protrudingly on a top of the first terminal cover. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0023]     The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0024]      FIG. 1  shows a folder-rotating type mobile communication terminal having a digital camera equipped to a side surface thereof according to the prior art;  
         [0025]      FIG. 2  shows a state that a cover of the mobile communication terminal shown in  FIG. 1  is pivoted longitudinally and thus opened, and then again horizontally rotated;  
         [0026]      FIG. 3  shows a state that components of a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the invention are disassembled;  
         [0027]      FIG. 4  shows two side views of a state that a mobile communication terminal of which cover is closed according to an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0028]      FIG. 5  shows a state that a first terminal cover is firstly pivoted upwardly relative to a main body in a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0029]      FIG. 6  shows that a second terminal cover is horizontally rotated relative to a connecting shaft in the mobile communication terminal shown in  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0030]      FIG. 7  shows that the connecting shaft and the second terminal cover are secondarily pivoted upwardly relative to the first terminal cover in the mobile communication terminal shown in  FIG. 5 ; and  
         [0031]      FIG. 8  shows that the second terminal cover is horizontally rotated relative to the connecting shaft in the mobile communication terminal shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0032]     Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description of the present invention, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may make the subject matter of the present invention rather unclear.  
         [0033]      FIG. 3  shows a state that components of a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the invention are disassembled, and  FIG. 4  shows two side views of a state that a mobile communication terminal of which cover is closed according to an embodiment of the invention.  
         [0034]     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the invention comprises a terminal main body  100 , a first terminal cover  200 , a connecting shaft  300  and a second terminal cover  400 .  
         [0035]     The first terminal cover  200  is connected to the terminal main body  100  to be pivoted longitudinally relative to the terminal main body  100 . The connecting shaft  300  is connected to the first terminal cover  200  so that it can be pivoted longitudinally. The second terminal cover  400  is connected to the connecting shaft  300  so that it can be horizontally rotated.  
         [0036]     Hereinafter, each of the components will be described specifically.  
         [0037]     The terminal main body  100  is provided with various input keys typically. Hinge parts  120  for connecting to the first terminal cover  200  are formed at both upper sides of the terminal main body  100 .  
         [0038]     The first terminal cover  200  is provided with a protrusion part  210  on a rear surface thereof to be connected to both the hinge parts  120  of the terminal main body  100 . The protrusion part  210  is provided with a first pivoting hinge shaft  220 . The first pivoting hinge shaft  220  is inserted into a recess  121  formed in the hinge part  120  of the terminal main body  100 , so that the first terminal cover  200  can be pivoted relative to the terminal main body  100 .  
         [0039]     In addition, the first terminal cover  200  is provided with hinge parts  230  at both lower sides thereof in which a recess  231  is formed.  
         [0040]     It is preferred that the first terminal cover  200  can be opened up to an angle of about 90° relative to the terminal main body  100 . To this end, the first terminal cover  200  is provided with a limiting protrusion  201  on the rear surface thereof, which contacts with an upper surface  101  of the terminal main body  100  when the first terminal cover  200  is pivoted to an angle of about 90°, and thus prevents the first terminal cover  200  from being further pivoted.  
         [0041]     The connecting shaft  300  is connected to the both hinge parts  230  formed in the first terminal cover  200  so as to be pivoted relative to the first terminal cover  200 . To this end, the connecting shaft  300  is provided a second pivoting hinge shaft  310 . The second pivoting hinge shaft  310  is inserted into the recess  231  formed in the hinge part  230  and thus performs a hinge-function.  
         [0042]     In addition, a rotating hinge shaft  320  is formed in a middle of the connecting shaft  300 .  
         [0043]     A terminal screen  410  is mounted to an inner surface of the second terminal cover  400 , which faces the terminal main body  100  during the state that the mobile communication terminal is not used. The second terminal cover  400  may be rotated horizontally relative to the connecting shaft  300  owing to be connected to the rotating hinge shaft  320  formed in the middle of the connecting shaft  300 .  
         [0044]     A digital camera  50  may be mounted to one of a side surface of the terminal main body  100 , a side surface of the first terminal cover  200  and a front surface of the second terminal cover  400  (i.e., an opposite surface of the terminal screen  410 ). The embodiments shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4  are the cases in point that the digital camera  50  is provided to the side surface of the first terminal cover  200 . To this end, an extension part  240  for mounting the digital camera  50  is formed on a top of the first terminal cover  200 . In case that the digital camera  50  is mounted to a side surface of the terminal main body  100  or a front surface of the second terminal cover  400 , it does not need to form the extension part  240 .  
         [0045]     Meanwhile, we consider the case that the digital camera  50  is mounted to the front surface (an opposite surface of the terminal screen  410 ) of the second terminal cover  400 . In this case, if a user maintains the horizontal state of the terminal main body  100  after pivoting the first terminal cover  400  to an angle of about 90° relative to the terminal main body  100 , the user may be easily capture an erect image of a shape of a subject for photography through the terminal screen  410 .  
         [0046]     In this case, the terminal screen  410  faces straightly (vertically) to a user, and the digital camera  50  captures a subject for photography which is in a same direction as the user looks at.  
         [0047]     FIGS.  5  to  8  show using states of the mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the invention in case that the digital camera  50  is mounted to the side surface of the first terminal cover  200 . The using states of the mobile communication terminal shown in FIGS.  5  to  8  may also be applicable to the case that the digital camera  50  is mounted to the side surface of the terminal main body  100 .  
         [0048]     An operation of the mobile communication terminal will be described with reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6 .  
         [0049]     When it is taken a photograph using the digital camera  50  mounted to the side surface of the terminal main body  100 , the first and second terminal covers  200 ,  400  may be pivoted upwardly relative to the terminal main body  100  firstly. In this case, when the first terminal cover  200  is pivoted to an angle of about 90° relative to the terminal main body  100 , the limiting protrusion  201  (see  FIG. 3 ) formed on the rear surface of the first terminal cover  200  contacts with the upper end  101  of the terminal main body  100 . As a result, the first terminal cover  200  cannot be further pivoted, so that it stops pivoting under a state of being opened to the angle of about 90°.  
         [0050]     Under these conditions, as shown in  FIG. 6 , if a user rotates the second terminal cover  400  horizontally relative to the connecting shaft  300 , the terminal screen  410  of the second terminal cover  400  faces to the user.  
         [0051]     Thus, the second terminal cover  400  maintains its vertical state relative to the terminal main body  100  and the terminal screen  400  faces toward the exact opposite to a camera lens of the digital camera  50  and, therefore, the user may take a photograph with capturing an erect image of a subject for photography easily. In addition, the user may precisely perform a zooming or composing operation for the subject.  
         [0052]     Meanwhile, if a user wishes to make a telephone call with the mobile communication terminal of the invention, it just needs pivoting the second terminal cover  400  to a further upward position to be suitable for the call from the state as shown in  FIG. 5 . That is, by pivoting the second terminal cover  400  and the connecting shaft  300  upwardly relative to the first terminal cover  200  secondarily, the second terminal cover  400  achieves a suitable angle for the telephone call relative to the terminal main body  100  as shown in  FIG. 7 .  
         [0053]     A technical composition which limits pivot angle between a terminal cover and a terminal main body in the prior folder-rotating type mobile communication terminal may also be applicable to the mobile communication terminal of the invention in order to achieve the suitable angle for the telephone call between the second terminal cover  400  and the terminal main body  100 .  
         [0054]      FIG. 7  shows that the connecting shaft and the second terminal cover of the mobile communication terminal shown in  FIG. 5  are pivoted upwardly relative to the first terminal cover secondarily, and  FIG. 8  shows that the second terminal cover of the mobile communication terminal shown in  FIG. 7  is horizontally rotated.  
         [0055]     As shown in  FIG. 8 , the mobile communication terminal of the invention may also take a photograph even if the second terminal cover  400  is completely pivoted relative to the terminal main body  100 . In this case, since the second terminal cover  400  has an inclined angle instead of vertical angle relative to the terminal main body  100 , the mobile communication terminal takes a photograph under a state that the terminal screen  410  is inclined like the prior art.  
         [0056]     The mobile communication terminal may reach to a state shown in  FIG. 8  by either pivoting the connecting shaft  300  upwardly relative to the first terminal cover  200  secondarily from the mobile communication terminal shown in  FIG. 6  or rotating the second terminal cover  400  horizontally relative to the connecting shaft  300  from the mobile communication terminal shown in  FIG. 7 .  
         [0057]     As described above, the folder-rotating type mobile communication terminal of the invention has two longitudinal pivoting parts by dividing the terminal cover into two covers. A pivot angle of one of the pivoting parts may be limited to less than about 90° relative to the terminal main body.  
         [0058]     Thus, according to the invention, since it is possible to easily control and maintain the terminal screen to the angle of about 90° relative to the main body, a user can easily capture an erect image of a subject for photography even if the digital camera is provided to the side surface of the terminal main body.  
         [0059]     While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.