Abstract:
A mobile terminal incorporates a card removal unit having an elastic member in a battery mounting part formed on a rear surface of the terminal. A card is inserted into a card receiving part formed on one side of the battery mounting part contacting the elastic member. When the battery is inserted into the battery mounting part, one edge of the battery contacts the card and the card compresses the elastic member. The battery retains the card in the card receiving part when the battery is secured. When the battery is removed, the elastic member urges the card partially from the card receiving part thereby easing manual removal of the card. A locking rod may be provided to retain the card in the card receiving part when the battery is removed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) on Patent Application Nos. 10-2006-0044723 and 10-2006-0103168 filed in Korea on May 18, 2006 and Oct. 23, 2006 respectively, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a mobile terminal with a detachable external card and, more particularly, to a mobile terminal with an external card which can be easily separated from a terminal body. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
       [0003]    Currently, mobile terminals provide diverse functions such as receiving a satellite broadcast, capturing images and playing games, etc. In order to operate such functions smoothly, mobile terminals have a detachable external memory in addition to a fixed internal memory, and terminals with a detachable external memory increasingly are being used. 
         [0004]    Besides an external memory, the use of a Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) card storing personal banking settlement information for use as a credit card, a traffic card and a pre-paid card is also increasing. 
         [0005]    In the related art, a card mounting part is formed in a terminal body into which the card is detachably inserted. The card mounting part is commonly formed in a battery receiving part where a battery is mounted. When the card is mounted in the card mounting part, the SIM card is connected with the terminal body and transmits and receives data to and from the terminal body. 
         [0006]    However, the card mounting structure of the mobile terminal according to the related art has the following problems. The card is difficult to separate from the terminal body, and to insert into or to remove the card from the terminal body may require sufficient force to damage the card. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    Therefore, in order to address the above matters the various features described herein have been conceived. One aspect of the invention is to provide a mobile terminal adapted to facilitate removing a card such that the card is drawn out of a card receiving part when a battery is separated from a battery mounting part. 
         [0008]    This invention provides a mobile terminal that includes a battery mounting part formed on a rear surface of a terminal body receiving a battery, a card receiving part formed on one side of the battery mounting part receiving a card, and a card removal unit installed on one side of the card receiving part wherein the card removal unit urges the card from the receiving unit when the battery is removed from the battery mounting part. 
         [0009]    Another aspect of the invention is to provide locking unit installed on one side of the terminal body securing the card in the card receiving part. The locking unit has a locking rod slidably mounted on one wall surface of the battery mounting part wherein the locking rod is in one of a closed position and an open position; and a spring urging the locking rod in a closed position. The locking rod has a slope portion for urging the locking rod into the open position when the card is inserted into the card receiving unit, and a protrusion for manually moving the locking rod into the open position. 
         [0010]    Still another aspect of the invention provides a battery mounting part formed on a rear surface of a terminal body receiving a battery, a card receiving part formed on one side of the battery mounting part receiving a card, and a button unit mounted on one side of the battery mounting part urging the card from the card receiving part. One end of a withdrawing member contacts with a rear surface of the button unit, the other end of the withdrawing member contacts with the rear surface of the card, and a central portion of the withdrawing member is hinge-connected to an inner surface of the terminal body. 
         [0011]    The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a mobile terminal according to one aspect of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a card receiving part of the mobile terminal according to one aspect of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing a state in which a card is inserted into a card receiving part according to one aspect of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view of a mobile terminal according to a second aspect of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  shows an operational state of the mobile terminal according to the second aspect of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view of a mobile terminal according to a third aspect of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  shows an operational state of the mobile terminal according to the third aspect of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]    The mobile terminal according one aspect of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a terminal, and  FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a card receiving part. 
         [0022]    The terminal includes: a terminal body  10 , a keypad (not shown) installed on a front surface of the terminal body  10 ; a battery  20  mounted on a rear surface of the terminal body  10 ; and a display unit (not shown). 
         [0023]    The terminal body  10  includes an antenna and a printed circuit board (PCB) in which a communication module is electrically connected with the antenna to transmit and receive signals. 
         [0024]    The display unit can be mounted on the front surface of the terminal body  10  or mounted on a different body mounted at the terminal body such that it can be opened and closed. 
         [0025]    On the rear surface of the terminal  10 , a battery mounting part  22  is formed into which the battery  20  is detachably mounted. A card receiving part  32  is formed on one side of the battery mounting part  22 , into which a card  30  is detachably received. 
         [0026]    A portion of the rear surface of the terminal body  10  is opened to allow the battery  20  to be mounted. The other remaining portion of the rear surface of the terminal body  10  is covered by a rear cover  12 . The PCB  16  on which various components are mounted is installed in the portion covered by the rear cover  12 , and the card receiving part  32  for receiving the card  30  is formed on one side of the PCB  16 . 
         [0027]    The battery  20  is slidably mounted on the battery mounting part  22 ; the battery  20  is mounted on the battery mounting part  22  and then pushed in the upward direction and locked in place. 
         [0028]    The card receiving part  32  forms a receiving space when covered by the rear cover  12 . An entrance  34  ( FIG. 3 ) of the card receiving part  32  through which the card  30  is inserted and removed is formed at an upper side wall of the battery mounting part  32 . 
         [0029]    The card receiving part  32  is formed in the lengthwise direction of the terminal body, so the card is drawn out or inserted in the lengthwise direction of the terminal body. Accordingly, the card  30  is drawn out toward the battery mounting part  22  from the card receiving part  32 . 
         [0030]    A card removal unit  50  is mounted at the card receiving part  32  so that when the battery  20  is separated from the battery mounting part  22 , the card  30  in the card receiving part  32  is drawn out of the card receiving part  32 . The card  30  may store a user&#39;s personal banking settlement information and can be a SIM card used as, for example, a non-contact type electronic credit card, a traffic card, or a pre-paid card. The card  30  may also be an external memory card or a game card 
         [0031]    In one aspect of the invention, the card removal unit  50  is formed as an elastic member mounted within the card receiving part  32  and provides an elastic force in the direction that the card  30  is withdrawn. Namely, when the battery  20  is separated from the battery mounting part  22 , the elastic member  50  urges the card  30  out of the card receiving part  32 . 
         [0032]    In this case, the card  30  is urged from the entrance  34  of the card receiving part  32  a distance that allows the user to easily remove the card  30 , and but does not allow the card to be released completely from the card mounting part when the battery is separated. 
         [0033]    Preferably, the elastic member is a plate spring. 
         [0034]    The card removal unit  50  includes a fixed part  52  fixed on one side of the terminal body  10  and an elastic member  54  formed in a plate type spring integrally extending from the fixed part  52  and having a concavely protruded central portion to generate an elastic force when contacting with the side of the card  30 . 
         [0035]    The card removal unit  50  is formed as the elastic member as described above, but without being so limited; it may have any structure so long as it can urge the card  30  from the card receiving part  32  when the battery  20  is removed from the battery mounting part  22 . 
         [0036]    The card removal operation of the mobile terminal according to a first aspect of the present invention will now be described.  FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a card  30  received in a card receiving part  32  according to the first aspect of the present invention. 
         [0037]    First, when the card  30  is inserted into the card receiving part  32 , it can be inserted until the card  30  contacts the elastic member  54 . Next, the battery  20  is inserted into the battery mounting part  22 . The upper surface of the battery  20  pushes the rear surface of the card  30 , and accordingly, the card  30  is inserted further into the card receiving part  32  thereby compressing the elastic member  54 . 
         [0038]    When the card  30  is to be removed, the battery  20  is removed from the battery mounting part  22 . With the battery  20  removed, the compressed elastic member  54  urges the card  30  a certain distance from the entrance  34  of the card receiving part. Then the user can conveniently withdraw the card from the card receiving part  32 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view of a mobile terminal according to a second aspect of the present invention, and  FIG. 5  shows an operational state of the mobile terminal according to the second aspect. 
         [0040]    The mobile terminal according to the second aspect includes a terminal body  10  having a battery mounting part  22  into which the battery  20  is detachably mounted, a card receiving part  32  formed on one side of the battery mounting part  22  for receiving a card, an elastic member  60  that provides an elastic force to urge the card from the receiving part  32 , and a locking unit  62  for securing the card  30  in the card receiving part  32 . 
         [0041]    The card  30 , the card receiving part  32  and the elastic member  60  of the mobile terminal according to the second aspect of the present invention are located at the same positions as the first aspect. The locking unit  62  secures the card  30  when the card  30  is fully inserted into the card receiving part  32 . 
         [0042]    The locking unit  62  includes a locking rod  64  slidably mounted to in a widthwise direction of the terminal  10  in one wall surface of the battery mounting part  22  and opening and closing an entrance  68  of the card receiving part  32 , and a spring  66  providing an urging force to the locking rod  64  and closing the entrance  68  of the card receiving part  32 . A guide groove  70  in which the locking rod  64  is inserted is formed on one wall surface of the battery mounting part  22 . The locking rod  64  is linearly moved at a right angle to a direction in which the card  30  is received. 
         [0043]    A protrusion is formed on one surface of the locking rod  64  to allow the user to move the locking rod  64 , and a slope face  72  is formed at an end portion of the locking rod  64  so that when the card  30  is inserted in the card receiving part  32 , the locking rod  64  is moved against the force of spring  66 . 
         [0044]    The operation of the mobile terminal according to the second aspect of the present invention will now be described. The card  30  is inserted into the card receiving part  32  and contacts slope face  72  of locking rod  64 . The locking rod  64  is forced by the contact of the card  30  against the force of the spring  66 . As the card  30  is fully inserted into the card receiving part  32 , the locking rod  64  is disengaged from the card  30 . The urging force of the spring  66  then forces the locking rod  64  across the entrance  68  thereby securing the card  30  in the card receiving part  32 . 
         [0045]    When the card  30  is to be removed from the card receiving part  32 , the battery  20  first is separated from the battery mounting part  22  exposing the entrance  68  of the card receiving part  32 . The locking rod  64  is moved to the retract position against the compressive force of the spring  66  thereby freeing the card  30  from the card receiving part  32 . The card  30  is urged from the card receiving part  32  by the elastic member  60  to a distance where the use can easily complete removing the card  30 . 
         [0046]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view of a mobile terminal according to a third aspect, and  FIG. 7  shows an operational state of the mobile terminal according to the third aspect. The terminal according to the third aspect includes the terminal body  10  having the battery mounting part  22  on which the battery  20  is detachably mounted, the card receiving part  32  formed on one side of the battery mounting part  22  for receiving the card  30 , and a button unit  70  for removing the card  30  from the card receiving part  32 . 
         [0047]    The card  30  and the card receiving part  32  of the mobile terminal according to the third are the same as those of the mobile terminal according to the first aspect, so its description will be omitted. 
         [0048]    The button unit  70  includes a button  72  installed on one inner surface of the battery mounting part  22  and a withdrawing member  74  connected with a lower surface of the button  72 . Pressing the button  72  moves the withdrawing member  74  and urges the card  30  from the card receiving part  32 . 
         [0049]    One end of the withdrawing member  74  is disposed at the lower surface of the button  72 , the other end thereof is disposed at a rear side of the card receiving part  32 , and a central portion is hinge-connected with the terminal body  10 . When the button  72  is pressed, one end of the withdrawing member  74  is pressed, and accordingly, the other end of the withdrawing member  74  is rotated to push the rear surface of the card  30 . The card  30  is urged from the card receiving part  32 . 
         [0050]    As so far described, the mobile terminal according to the present invention has the advantages that the card may be removed easily after the battery is removed from the terminal. The card is urged from the card receiving part by either an elastic member or a withdrawing member so that the user easily may remove the card completely. The card is held securely in the card receiving part by either the battery or by a locking rod. 
         [0051]    As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalents of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.