Cover for a connection terminal of a portable terminal

A connection terminal opening and closing device for a portable terminal is provided, in which a connection terminal cover is disposed movably at an inlet of the connection terminal for automatically closing, when a predetermined area of the external cover is pressed which in turn triggers an elastic member engaged with the connection terminal cover between the body and the external cover to provide an automatic closing force to the connection terminal cover.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) to a Korean Patent Application filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Dec. 24, 2010 and assigned Serial No. 10-2010-0135034, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a portable terminal, and more particularly, to a cover for semi-automatically opening and closing a connection terminal that interface with an external device.

2. Description of the Related Art

In general, the term “portable terminal” covers a broad range of devices such as a cellular phone, a smart phone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a laptop, a tablet PC, a Web hard drive, a portable storage unit, and an auxiliary hard drive. In such a portable terminal, connection terminals are disposed at predetermined positions in a body and are electrically connected to external devices via universal connectors. The external devices may include a computer, a storage unit, and an auxiliary device such as an earphone, a headphone, a mouse, and a keyboard, etc.

A portable terminal typically includes a body having a data Input/Output (I/O) unit, a transmitter, and a receiver on its top surface, a battery pack on its bottom surface, and an earphone connection terminal as well as other connection terminals on its peripheral side surface. To protect these connection terminals from an external environment, covers are used.

A conventional connection terminal cover is so configured to simply slide to open or close. If a user inadvertently keeps the cover open, foreign materials can be introduced into the body or to the connection terminal.

Another known connection terminal cover comprises a rubber connection loop that a user pulls to open the cover. Similarly, when the user inadvertently leaves the cover open from a connection terminal and carries around, the rubber loop can be damaged or may lose the cover.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of embodiments of the present invention is to address at least the problems and/or disadvantages and to provide at least the advantages described below. Accordingly, an aspect of embodiments of the present invention is to provide an opening and closing device for a connection terminal of a portable terminal, in which when a user inadvertently leaves an exposed connection terminal cover open, the connection terminal cover can be closed in response to a slight impact externally or via a simple pressing thereof, thus minimizing any introduction of foreign materials into a body of the terminal.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a cover for a portable terminal having at least one connection terminal is exposed outward from a body and an external cover coupled to the body includes a connection terminal cover is disposed movably at an inlet of the connection terminal for automatically closing, when a predetermined area of the external cover is pressed, and an elastic member is engaged with the connection terminal cover between the body and the external cover for providing an automatic closing force to the connection terminal cover.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a cover for a connection terminal for a portable terminal, in which at least one connection terminal is exposed outward from a body, a connection terminal cover is disposed movably at an inlet of the connection terminal for automatically closing when a predetermined area of the body near the connection terminal is pressed, and an elastic member is engaged between the body and the connection terminal cover, for providing an automatic closing force to the connection terminal cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. For the purposes of clarity and simplicity, the following description is given only of components and/or operations required to understand the present invention and the other background art will not be described as it may make the subject matter of the present invention obscure.

Referring toFIG. 1, according to the teachings of the present invention, when a user presses down a connection cover (hereinafter, shortly “an opening and closing device”), in an arrow direction, a connection terminal cover30automatically closes its opening to protect a terminal interface (covered by the connection terminal cover30and thus not shown) from being exposed to exterior. That is, if the user intentionally or inadvertently presses down a predetermined area of an external cover20, which is detachable from a bottom surface of the body10, the connection terminal cover30is automatically closed.

In alternate embodiment, the configuration of the opening and closing device may be modified in such a fashion that upon pressing of a predetermined area of the body10, the connection terminal is automatically closed by the connection terminal cover30. The predetermined area of the battery cover20is a planar surface near to the connection terminal cover30in a lower area of the battery cover20. Although as the predetermined area is nearer to a later-described protrusion (21inFIG. 8) of the battery cover20, the protrusion can be pressed even with a slight impact on the lower area of the battery cover20in addition to the slight force applied in the arrowed direction. This is possible because the battery cover20is formed of hard synthetic resin.

In addition, while the opening and closing device is installed on a bottom surface of a lower part of the body10, specifically a surface of a lower part of the external cover20since the interface terminal is typically disposed on a lower end surface of the body10, if the connection terminal is disposed on a top surface or side surface of the body10, the opening and closing device may also be positioned in those location. Thus, location of the inventive opening and closing device should not limit the scope of the invention.

The external cover20may be used as any cover provided on an outer surface of the body10in the present invention. For example, the external cover20may be a battery cover on the outer surface of the body10, particularly a detachable battery cover on the bottom surface of the body10.

Hereinbelow, the external cover20will be referred to as the battery cover20for illustrative purposes.

Referring toFIG. 2, the opening and closing device according to the present invention includes the connection terminal cover30and an elastic member50. The connection terminal cover30is movably disposed at a connection terminal inlet11, specifically on the lower end surface of the body10in such a fashion that when the predetermined area of the battery cover20is pressed, the connection terminal cover30automatically closes the connection terminal inlet11.

The elastic member50is interposed between the body10and the battery cover20, along a movement direction of the connection terminal cover30and then engaged with the connection terminal cover30, for providing an automatic closing force to the connection terminal cover30. In other words, both ends of the elastic member50are connected to the body10and the connection terminal cover30. The elastic member50may be formed of high elastic rubber or silicon. When the connection terminal cover30is open at the connection terminal inlet11, the elastic member50is kept connected to the body10and the connection terminal cover30, thus maintaining an elastic force (a force pulling the connection terminal cover30). Upon release of the connection terminal cover30from a locked state by pressing the predetermined area, the connection terminal cover30closes the connection terminal inlet11by the elastic member50. A detailed connection structure of the elastic member50will be described later.

Referring toFIGS. 2,3A,3B and3C, the connection terminal cover30is disposed at the connection terminal inlet11. While the connection terminal inlet11may be positioned at any place of the body10where the connection terminal is provided, the connection terminal inlet11resides preferably on the lower end surface of the body10where an interface terminal is usually positioned. The connection terminal cover30includes a vertical extension portion31, an opening and closing protrusion33, a horizontal extension portion32, a tension portion34, a fixing protrusion35, a sliding protrusion36, and an engagement protrusion37.

The vertical extension portion31is positioned at the connection terminal inlet11for opening or closing the connection terminal11depending on the movement direction by the connection terminal cover30. The opening and closing protrusion33serving as a handle formed on an outer surface of the vertical extension portion31is exposed on the outer surface of the vertical extension portion31. The horizontal extension portion32is integrally molded with the vertical extension portion31and bent into the dummy cover40at about 90 degrees from the vertical extension portion31. The tension portion34, the fixing protrusion35, and the sliding protrusion36will be described later.

Referring toFIGS. 2 and 4, the dummy cover40is installed in the body10for interworking with the connection terminal cover30. The dummy cover40includes a flat portion41, a guide opening42, a locking opening43, and an engagement portion45. The flat portion41is engaged with the body10by means of the engagement portion45. The guide opening42is formed into the flat portion41, so that the connection terminal cover30may move and glidably accommodated in the guide opening42. The guide opening42is shaped in elongated form along a width direction of the body10to correspond with the movement of the connection terminal cover30.

Referring toFIGS. 5 and 6, the opening and closing device includes a locker for locking and unlocking the connection terminal cover30and a positioner for maintaining the connection terminal cover30in an open or closed state.

The locker is responsible for maintaining the connection terminal cover30locked (opened) and unlocking the connection terminal cover30in responsive to a touch on the battery cover (20inFIG. 1). The locker includes the locking opening43provided at a predetermined position of the flat portion41, the cantilever-type tension portion34formed on the vertical extension portion, and the locking protrusion35protruding from an end portion of the tension portion34for locking or unlocking the connection terminal cover30depending on whether the locking protrusion35is inserted into the locking opening43. The locking opening43is circular, and the locking protrusion35is semi-spherical so that the locking protrusion35may be actively inserted into or removed from the locking opening43. A locking force between the locking protrusion35and the locking opening43is stronger than the elastic force of the elastic member (50inFIG. 2). Therefore, when the locking protrusion35is completely engaged with the locking opening43, the connection terminal cover30may be maintained open. On the other hand, when the locking protrusion35is gradually removed from the locking opening43, the connection terminal cover30moves in a closing direction by the force of the elastic member.

The positioner serves to position the connection terminal cover30in the open or closed state and includes a sliding protrusion36protruding inward into the body10from the horizontal extension portion, and a pair of stoppers101and102provided in the body10. The stoppers101and102serves to keep the connection terminal cover30closed and open, respectively. One stopper101is disposed at one side of the body10, while the other stopper102is disposed at the other side of the body10. The stoppers101and102protrude toward the connection terminal inlet. For making active sliding surface-contact with the locking protrusion36, the stoppers101and102preferably protrude outward in the body10in the form of curved mountains. As the connection terminal cover30moves, the locking protrusion36makes a sliding surface-contact with the stoppers101and102. The locker primarily places the connection terminal cover30in the closed and open states and the stoppers101and102secondarily keep the connection terminal cover30in the closed and open states, respectively.

Referring toFIG. 7, the elastic member50is linearly elongated. One end51of the elastic member50is engaged with the fixing protrusion37of the connection terminal cover30, and the other end52of the elastic member50is engaged with the body10of the terminal. When the connection terminal cover30opens the connection terminal inlet, the elastic member50is pulled with its maximum elastic force, providing an elastic force in a direction to close the connection terminal cover30. That is, when the connection terminal cover30is opened, the elastic member50always provides a pulling force.

Referring toFIG. 8, the protrusion21vertically protrudes downward from an inner surface202of the predetermined area of the battery cover20. When pressed, the protrusion21unlocks the connection terminal cover (30inFIG. 1). To unlock the connection terminal cover, the user may press the protrusion21or around the protrusion21by slightly pushing down the cover20in the arrow direction shown inFIG. 1. Here, a protrusion21is in contact with a locking protrusion35and if the protrusion21is pressed, the locking protrusion35is also pressed. If the locking protrusion35is pressed, the locking protrusion35is removed from a locking opening43and is opened by an elastic member50.

As is apparent from the above description of the present invention, since the connection terminal cover can be closed by experiencing a slight external impact or by a simple pressing, the portable terminal is convenient to use and introduction of foreign materials into the connection terminal or further into the body can be minimized. When a user inadvertently opens the connection terminal cover, the connection terminal cover can be automatically closed by the user's intentional or inadvertent pressing on the terminal.