Mobile terminal, shell module, display module, and method of assembling display module

A display module is provided. The display module includes a cover plate, a display screen, a fixing bracket, a fingerprint module, and at least one fastener. The cover plate defines a mounting recess. The display screen is attached at a back wall of the cover plate, and the display screen defines a display region. The fixing bracket is located adjacent to the mounting recess, and a mounting groove is defined by the fixing bracket and the mounting recess. The fingerprint module is mounted in the mounting groove. The fixing bracket and the fingerprint module are detachable mounted by the at least one fastener. A mobile terminal, a shell module, and a method of assembling display module is also provided.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. § 119 from China Patent Application No. 201610600385.4, filed on Jul. 26, 2016 in the State Intellectual Property Office of China, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to the field of mobile device, and particularly relates to a mobile terminal, a shell module, a display module, and a method of assembling display module.

BACKGROUND

In the traditional mobile device, the fingerprint module is fixed to the cover plate. While it is necessary to replace or repair the fingerprint module, it is difficult to remove the fingerprint module from the cover plate. Furthermore, the cover plate is easily damaged during removing the fingerprint module from the cover plate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to be illustrative of the invention and are not to be construed as limiting the invention.

In the description of the present invention, it can be understood that, the terms “center”, “upper”, “down”, “front”, “rear”, “left”, “right”, “vertical”, “top”, “bottom”, “inside”, “outside”, “surrounding” are based on the azimuth or the positional relationship shown in the drawings. The terms are used for the purpose of facilitating the description of the invention and simplified description. Rather than indicating that the device or element must have a specific orientation, constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be construed as limiting the invention.

It should be noted that the mobile terminal may be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, or a notebook computer. The display module and the shell module may be used on the mobile terminals.

Referring toFIGS. 1-3, one embodiment of a shell module200comprises an upper cover210and a display module100. The upper cover210is located under the display module100. The display module100comprises a first edge region183, a display region181, and a second edge region184. The first edge region183is distributed at a bottom edge of the display module100, the second edge region184is distributed at a top edge of the display module100, and the display region181is located between the first edge region183and the second edge region184.

The display module100comprises a cover plate110, a fixing bracket120, a fingerprint module140, a fastener160, and a display screen180. The display screen180is attached at a back wall of the cover plate110, and the display region181corresponds to the display screen180. The fingerprint module140is located at the middle of the first edge region183. Thus, the layout of the fingerprint module140is optimized, and the appearance aesthetics of the display module100can also be improved. The earpiece, the photosensitive hole, and the camera can be arranged in the second sidebar region184.

Further referring toFIGS. 4-5, a mounting recess111is defined on the cover plate110, and the mounting recess111is configured to receive the fingerprint module140. The fingerprint module140is smaller than the mounting recess. Thus the fingerprint module140is capable of being detached from the front of the cover plate110while the fingerprint module140is separated from the fixing bracket120. The fixing bracket120is located adjacent to the mounting recess111. In addition, the fixing bracket120is located at the back of the mounting recess111, and a mounting groove121is defined between the fixing bracket120and the cover plate110. The fingerprint module140is embedded in the mounting recess111. The fingerprint module140and the fixing bracket120are detachably assembled together via the fastener160. Furthermore, the fingerprint module140is detachably mounted in the mounting groove121.

In order to fix the fixing bracket120to the cover plate110, the fixing bracket120can be bonded and connected to the cover plate110. The fixing bracket120can be mounted between the cover plate110and the upper cover210. Furthermore, an outer edge of the fixing bracket120extends toward the cover plate110and attached to the cover plate110. In one embodiment, the fixing bracket120can be attached to the cover plate110via an adhesive layer130.

In the display module100, because the fingerprint module140is detachably mounted in the mounting groove121, the fingerprint module140is easily assembled to the cover plate110and taken out from the mounting groove121by releasing the fastener160. Thus the fingerprint module140can be easily repaired or replaced.

Further referring toFIGS. 6-7, in one embodiment, there are a plurality of fasteners160in the display module100. Thus the fixing bracket120can be firmly assembled with the fingerprint module140. The fastener160can be a screw fastener. Furthermore, the screw fastener can be threaded screws, easily to get and cheap.

Further referring toFIGS. 8-9, in one embodiment, the mounting groove121has a stepped portion122, and the fingerprint module140has a fitting portion141adapted to the stepped portion122. Thus a contact area between the fingerprint module140and the fixing bracket120can be increased, and the fingerprint module140can be reliably mounted in the mounting groove121. In addition, while the fingerprint module140needs to be detached from the fixing bracket120, the stepped portion122can also guide the fingerprint module140from the fixing bracket120. Thus it is convenient to separate the fingerprint module140from the fixing bracket120.

In one embodiment, a FPC area182of the display screen180is located at the back of the display screen180, and a part of the fingerprint module140overlaps the FPC area182. Furthermore, the FPC area182can be distributed at the bottom side of the display screen180. It can be noted that, the FPC area182may be configured to place components such as flexible circuit boards. Therefore, the layout of the fingerprint module140can be optimized, and the fingerprint module140can be easily arranged at the center of the first edge region183. Furthermore, because the FPC area182is disposed below the display area181, the area of the second edge area184can be increased, so that the arrangement of the components in the second e area184can be optimized.

The fingerprint module140can comprise a fingerprint identification unit142and a fingerprint trim143. The fingerprint identification unit142is embedded in the fingerprint trim143. Furthermore, the fingerprint identification unit142can be bonded to the fingerprint trim143. The fixing bracket120is detachably connected to the fingerprint trim143by the fastener160. Thereby, it is easy to assemble or disassemble the fingerprint module140from the mounting recess111.

In one embodiment, the upper cover210is located at the back of the display module100and is bonded to the display module100. The upper cover210defines a through hole211opposed to the fastener160. The fastener160can be operated through the through hole211. For example, while the fastener160is required to be mounted to the fingerprint module140and the fixing bracket120, the fastener160fastened through the through hole. While the fastener160needs to be detached from the fingerprint module140and the fixing bracket120, it can be loosened through the through hole211. Furthermore, the fixing bracket120can be connected to the upper cover210.

In the shell module200, the fingerprint module140is detachably mounted in the mounting groove121by the fastener160, thus the fingerprint module140is easily assembled to the cover plate110. While the fingerprint module140needs to be replaced or repaired, the fastener160is released to remove the fingerprint module140from the mounting groove121. Therefore, the fingerprint module140is convenient to be repaired and maintained.

Further referring toFIG. 10, in order to improve the stability and reliability between the fingerprint module140and the fixing bracket120, an adhesive coating150is provided between the fingerprint module140and the fixing bracket120. In one embodiment, the adhesive coating150may be disposed between the fingerprint module140and the fixing bracket120in the form of dispensing. That is, the adhesive coating150is formed as a dispensing layer with a plurality of adhesive points. In order to facilitate detach the fingerprint module140from the fixing bracket120, the viscosity of the adhesive coating150can be weak.

Furthermore, a waterproofing ring170can be sandwiched between an outer peripheral wall of the fingerprint module140and an inner peripheral wall of the mounting recess111. Then the waterproofing effect of the fingerprint module140can be improved. The waterproofing ring170can be a compressible waterproof ring made of a compressible material. Thus, while the fingerprint module140is installed inside the mounting recess111, the waterproof ring170can be tightly fitted between the outer peripheral wall of the fingerprint module140and the inner peripheral wall of the mounting recess111. Then the waterproofing effect can be effectively improved. Alternatively, the waterproof ring170can be a silicone ring or a foam ring, and an inner ring wall of the waterproof ring170is closely fitted to the outer peripheral wall, and an outer ring wall of the waterproof ring170is tightly fitted to inner peripheral wall. In order to securely mount the waterproofing ring170between the fingerprint module140and the mounting recess111, the waterproof ring170is embedded in the fingerprint module140. In one embodiment, a fitting groove is formed on the outer peripheral wall of the fingerprint module140, and the waterproof ring170is fitted in the fitting groove.

Further referring toFIG. 11, one embodiment of a mobile terminal300comprises the shell module200. In the mobile terminal300, the fingerprint module140is detachably mounted in the mounting groove121by the fastener160. Thus the fingerprint module140is easily assembled to the cover plate110. While the fingerprint module140needs to be replaced or repaired, the fastening160can be released to remove the fingerprint module140from the mounting groove121, thereby the replacement of the fingerprint module140is convenient.

Referring toFIG. 12, one embodiment of a method of assembling display module comprises:

S10, attaching the display screen to the cover plate and bonding the fixing bracket with the cover plate, wherein the mounting groove is defined between the fixing bracket and the mounting recess;

S11, embedding the fingerprint module into the mounting groove; and

S12, fixing the fixing bracket and the fingerprint module from the rear with the fastener.

In the method of assembling the display module, the fingerprint module is detachably mounted in the mounting groove by the fastener. Thus the fingerprint module can be easily fixed to the cover plate. Furthermore, while the fingerprint module needs to be repaired or replaced, the fastener can be released, and the fingerprint module can be removed from the mounting groove. Thus it is easy to replace or repair the fingerprint module.

In another embodiment, the display module100comprises the cover plate110, the fixing bracket120, the fingerprint module140, and the fastener160. The cover plate110has the mounting recess111. The fixing bracket120is located at the rear side of the mounting recess111, and the mounting groove121is defined by the fixing bracket120and the mounting recess111, and at least a part of the outer peripheral edge of the fixing bracket120extends to the rear side of the cover plate110. The fingerprint module140is located in the mounting groove121, and the fastener160is detachably connected to the fingerprint module140and the fixing bracket120. Referring toFIG. 13, the method of assembling the display module100can comprise the following steps:

S20, placing the fixing bracket120on the rear side of the mounting recess111, wherein at least a part of the outer peripheral edge of the fixing bracket120extends to the rear side of the cover plate110, and is connected to the cover plate110, a mounting groove is defined by the mounting recess111and the cover plate110;

S21, locating the fingerprint module140into the mounting groove121from the front side of the cover plate110, and attaching the fingerprint module140to the fixing bracket120; and

S22, fixing the fixing bracket120and the fingerprint module140by the fastener160from the rear side direction.

In the method of assembling the display module100, the fingerprint module140is detachably mounted in the mounting groove121by the fastener160from the rearward direction, while the fingerprint module need to be replaced or repaired, the fastener can be released to remove the fingerprint module from the mounting groove. Thus it is convenient to replace and maintain the fingerprint module.

Furthermore, in one embodiment, the step S21comprises:

S211: placing the fingerprint module140in the mounting groove121from the front side of the cover plate110;

S212: bonding the fingerprint module140and the fixing bracket120via an adhesive coating150.

The adhesive of the adhesive coating150can be weak. Thus the connection stability and reliability between the fingerprint module140and the fixing bracket120can be improved, and the fingerprint module140can be easily removed from the fixing bracket120. The adhesive coating150may be disposed between the fingerprint module140and the fixing bracket120in the form of dispensing.