Abstract:
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal having a hinge for passing a cable. The mobile terminal includes a first body, a second body, and a hinge. The second body is movably connected to the first body though the hinge. A cable for electrically connecting the second body to the first body passes through the hinge. According to the present invention, undesirable noise emission is reduced and an installation space is saved in a design of a mobile terminal because the cable for electrically connecting the second body to the first body passes through the hinge.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) AND CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority to an application entitled “MOBILE TERMINAL HAVING HINGE FOR PASSING CABLE” filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Aug. 27, 2007 and assigned Serial No. 2007-0086030, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
       TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a mobile terminal and, more particularly, to a mobile terminal having a hinge for passing a cable electrically connecting a second body to a first body of the mobile terminal. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Generally, a slide phone is configured with a first body and a second body. The second body may move by sliding on the first body. 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  is a schematic drawing showing a conventional slide phone. 
         [0005]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the slide phone  100  includes a first body  110  and a second body  120 . The first body  110  has a key input unit  111  for inputting alphanumeric keys. The second body  120  has a display unit  121  for displaying an operating status of the slide phone  100 . Function keys  122  for controlling various functions of the slide phone  100  are located on the second body  120  beneath the display unit  121 . The second body  120  moves by sliding on the first body  120 . 
         [0006]    In the conventional slide phone, an FPCB (flexible printed circuit board) is used for an electric connection between the first body  110  and the second body  120 . Generally, an FPCB is used for an electric connection between two sections in an electronic device having a rugged structure. The FPCB has characteristics making it thinner, more flexible, and lighter than an RPCB (rigid printed circuit board). 
         [0007]    However, the manufacturing process of the FPCB is complex because the FBCB requires a connector. Further, the FPCB covers a large portion of a main PCB (printed circuit board) after assembly. Accordingly, a space for installing the FPCB must be secured in a design of a mobile terminal. If the FPCB is integrated in the mobile terminal, the FPCB is folded in a complex structure, and thereby has a disadvantage of low durability. Further, noise emitted by the FPCB may induce a frequency error and may reduce the radiation efficiency of the mobile terminal. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, it is a primary object to replace a flexible printed circuit with a cable and to provide a mobile terminal having a hinge for passing the cable. 
         [0009]    A mobile terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a first body; a second body moving in contact with the first body; a cable for electrically connecting the first body to the second body; and a hinge for movably connecting the second body to the first body and having at least two holes for passing the cable. 
         [0010]    The mobile terminal may further include a length adjuster for adjusting the length of the cable. 
         [0011]    The hinge of the mobile terminal may include a locking unit for fixing the cable. 
         [0012]    A plurality of cables may pass through the hinge, and the hinge may include a plurality of locking units for fixing the plurality of cables. 
         [0013]    The second body may move by sliding on the first body, and the hinge of the mobile terminal may be a push rod type in which opposite ends of the hinge contract and extend. The cable may pass into the hinge through a first end of a first side of the hinge, and pass out of the hinge through a second end of a second side of the hinge diagonally opposite to the first end of the first side. Alternatively, the cable may pass into the hinge through the center of one end of the hinge, and pass out of the hinge through the center of the opposite end of the hinge. 
         [0014]    In the mobile terminal of the present invention, by passing a cable for electrically connecting a second body to a first body through a hinge, undesirable noise emission is reduced and an installation space is saved in the design of a mobile terminal. 
         [0015]    Further, the cable may be held by a locking unit such that the cable does not move in the hinge, and thereby damage to the cable due to repeated movement may be reduced. 
         [0016]    Before undertaking the DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION below, it may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document: the terms “include” and “comprise,” as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation; the term “or,” is inclusive, meaning and/or; the phrases “associated with” and “associated therewith,” as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, or the like. Definitions for certain words and phrases are provided throughout this patent document, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that in many, if not most instances, such definitions apply to prior, as well as future uses of such defined words and phrases. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and its advantages, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like parts: 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is a schematic drawing showing a conventional slide phone; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2A  is a drawing showing a push rod type hinge; 
           [0020]      FIG. 2B  is a drawing showing a spring link type hinge; 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a drawing showing a hinge for passing a cable according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  are drawings showing a hinge for passing a cable through a hinge according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  is a drawing showing a hinge for passing a plurality of cables according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  is a drawing showing a mobile terminal having a hinge for passing a cable according to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0025]      FIGS. 2A through 6 , discussed below, and the various embodiments used to describe the principles of the present disclosure in this patent document are by way of illustration only and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented in any suitably arranged mobile terminal. 
         [0026]    In a mobile terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a slide mobile terminal using a method in which a second body slides on a first body is disclosed; however, the present invention is not limited thereto. In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the mobile terminal may be a swing mobile terminal using a method in which a second body rotates on a first body to a predetermined angle. In the mobile terminals using the above methods, the first body and the second body are connected through a hinge. 
         [0027]      FIG. 2A  is a drawing showing a push rod type hinge, and  FIG. 2B  is a drawing showing a spring link type hinge. 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 2A , each of two connecting ends  210  of a hinge  200  moves according to the movement of a corresponding extension part  220 . Such a hinge  200  is called a push rod type hinge. Grooves for inserting the hinge  200  are formed in the first body and the second body of the mobile terminal. The connecting ends  210  of the hinge  200  are inserted into the grooves formed in the first body and the second body. When the second body moves upwards by sliding on the first body, the connecting ends  210  of the hinge  200  move according to the movement of the respective attached body, and the extension parts  220  extend to the outside of the hinge  200 . When the second body moves downwards by sliding on the first body, the connecting ends  210  of the hinge  200  move accordingly, and the extension parts  220  retract into the hinge  200 . 
         [0029]    The hinge of the mobile terminal according to the present invention is not limited to the push rod type hinge. As shown in  FIG. 2B , a hinge of the mobile terminal according to another exemplary embodiment may be a spring link type hinge  300 . The spring link type hinge  300  has connecting parts  310  for connecting the second body to the first body. In the spring link type hinge  300 , the second body moves on the first body by displacement of the connecting parts  310  within the hinge  300 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 3  is a drawing showing a hinge for passing a cable according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0031]    The first body and the second body are electrically connected to each other by using a cable  500  instead of an FPCB. An optical cable may be used as the cable  500 . In this case, an optical modulator for modulating a digital signal to an optical signal and an optical demodulator for demodulating the modulated optical signal to a digital signal may be installed in the first body and second body, respectively. 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , holes for inserting the cable  500  are formed at a first end  440  of a first side of the hinge  400  and at a second end  450  of a second side of the hinge  400 , wherein the second end  450  of the second side is diagonally opposite to the first end  440  of the first side. In another exemplary embodiment, the holes may be formed in a linear direction. The cable  500  passes inside the hinge  400  through the holes. Guide grooves  430  and  431  are formed in the hinge  400  for extension parts  420 , such that the extension parts  420  are interposed when retracted in the hinge  400 . 
         [0033]    The hinge  400  may include locking units  460  and  461  to prevent the cable  500  from moving in the hinge. In the present exemplary embodiment, the locking units  460  and  461  are formed adjacent to the first end  440  and the second end  450 , respectively, where the cable  500  is inserted. In another exemplary embodiment, only one locking unit may be formed, either at the first end  440  or at the second end  450 . 
         [0034]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  are drawings showing a hinge for passing a cable according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0035]    In this exemplary embodiment, holes for inserting the cable  500  are formed at the centers of opposite ends of a hinge  600 , as shown in  FIG. 4A . The cable  500  passes inside the hinge  600  through the holes. In this case, the cable  500  passes parallel to the guide grooves  630  and  631 , thus not limiting retraction of extension parts of the hinge  600 , and thereby the hinge  600  may be formed in a length shorter than that of the hinge  400  of  FIG. 3 . 
         [0036]    A locking unit  660  for holding the cable may be formed in the hinge  600 . The cable  500  is held by the locking unit  660  and the adjacent guide groove  631 , and thereby the cable  500  does not move in the hinge  600 . 
         [0037]    In another exemplary embodiment, holes for inserting the cable  500  may be formed in the hinge  600  such that the holes are skewed at an angle to face each other, as shown in  FIG. 4B . According to this method, the cable  500  may be guided more easily when connecting the second body to the first body. Further, the locking unit  660  and a further locking unit  661  may be formed at opposite ends to hold the cable  500  more securely. 
         [0038]      FIG. 5  is a drawing showing a hinge for passing a plurality of cables according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0039]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , two holes for inserting cables  500  and  510  are formed at each end of a hinge  700 . The two cables  500  and  510  pass inside the hinge  700  through the holes, and are connected to the first body and the second body. The cables  500  and  510  are held in the hinge  700  by locking units  760 ,  761 ,  762 , and  763 . In another exemplary embodiment, more than two cables may be installed. In this case, the number of locking units for holding the cables may be increased according to the number of installed cables. 
         [0040]      FIG. 6  is a drawing showing a mobile terminal having a hinge for passing a cable according to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0041]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , a first body  810  and a second body  820  of a mobile terminal  800  are connected through a hinge  900 . Connecting ends  910  of the hinge  900  are inserted in grooves formed in the first body  810  and the second body  820 . When the second body  820  slides on the first body  810  in contact with the first body  810 , an extension part  920  of the hinge  900  is extended, and thereby the hinge  900  rotates accordingly. 
         [0042]    The cable  500  is connected to a main PBA (printed board assembly)  813  of the first body  810  and to a sub PBA  823  of the second body  820 . Accordingly, electric signals generated by the main PBA  813  and the sub PBA  823  are transmitted through the cable  500 . Because the cable  500  passes through the hinge  900  located between the first body  810  and the second body  820 , an additional space for passing the cable  500  is not required in the mobile terminal  800 . That is, if a space for installing the hinge  900  is prepared in the design of the mobile terminal, a further space for passing the cable  500  may be unnecessary. 
         [0043]    The cable  500  passes through a length adjuster  520  installed in the second body  820  of the mobile terminal  800 . The length adjuster  520  winds or unwinds the cable  500 . Therefore, when the hinge  900  rotates, the length of the cable  500  may be adjusted accordingly. In another exemplary embodiment, the length adjuster  520  may be located in the first body  810  or may be located in the hinge  900 . 
         [0044]    The mobile terminal according to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention may be a portable electronic equipment, such as a mobile phone, PDA (personal digital assistant), PMP (portable multimedia player), navigator, and digital broadcast receiver. 
         [0045]    Although the present disclosure has been described with an exemplary embodiment, various changes and modifications may be suggested to one skilled in the art. It is intended that the present disclosure encompass such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.