Abstract:
A device and method for coupling a battery to a mobile terminal. The device comprises a main body having a main board on which circuit components are mounted, a battery receiving portion disposed on the main body for receiving the battery, and an input/output connector mounted on a side of the battery receiving portion for supplying electrical power to the main body. A power terminal is disposed on a first side face of the battery for detachably coupling to the input/output connector. The power terminal being arranged to electrically connect to the input/output connector as the power terminal is moved in a longitudinal direction toward the input/output connector. The input/output connector provides an elastic restorative force to the first side face of the battery for maintaining electrical contact between the power terminal and the input/output connector upon a shift in position of the battery within the battery receiving portion.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 119(a), this application claims the benefit of earlier filing date and right of priority to Korean Application No. 10-2004-0014405, filed on March  3 ,  2004 , the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a device and method for coupling a battery to a mobile terminal capable of maintaining a reliable contact even upon an external impact or deformation of a case of the mobile terminal utilizing an improved connection structure between a main body of a mobile terminal and a battery connected to the main body.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     A mobile terminal provides multimedia and internet access, and voice and data transmission. The mobile terminal may have a camera for transmitting and/or receiving image shots from other mobile terminals.  
         [0006]     In general, a mobile terminal is a communication device a user conveniently carries to make voice transmission/reception to and from another party anywhere. With the rapid development of information communication technologies, a mobile terminal may provide internet connectivity, TV reception, still image or video photographic capability, and image or video transmission/reception capability. Mobile terminals with such functionality are used in a wide variety of applications.  
         [0007]     The mobile terminal is provided with a battery. The battery is detachably attached to the mobile terminal and is rechargeable.  
         [0008]     A contact terminal is electrically connected to a power terminal of the battery. The contact terminal is coupled to a battery mounting portion of the mobile terminal coupled to the battery.  
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a conventional mobile terminal.  
         [0010]     As shown therein, the conventional mobile terminal includes a main body  10 . A battery  20  which is detachably attached to the main body  10  supplies power to the conventional mobile terminal.  
         [0011]     The main body  10  is provided with a main body case  15  forming an exterior and a main board, not shown, in which a circuit component, not shown, is mounted within the main body case  15 . A battery receiving portion  50  formed on an inner side of the main body case  15  receives the battery  20 .  
         [0012]     A lock  25  is provided along one side of the battery receiving portion  50  to prevent detachment of the battery  20  from the main body  10 . A recessed portion  45  couples to a coupling block  60  of the battery  20  on another side of the battery receiving portion  50 . An input/output connector  30  exchanging power and data with the battery  20  is provided on the main body  10 .  
         [0013]     Contact terminals  35  protrude from the input/output connector  30  within the main body  10  contacting the battery  20 . The contact terminals  35  are positioned on the input/output connector  30  and coupled to a surface of the main board, not shown, by surface mount technology (SMT).  
         [0014]     SMT is also used to connect an electronic component to a conductive pattern on a printed circuit board (PCB) by soldering without connecting through an opening in the PCB.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a sectional view illustrating a detachment/attachment structure of a battery in a conventional mobile terminal.  
         [0016]     A power terminal  40  is provided at a terminal block  22  and is coupled to the battery  20 . The power terminal  40  provides power exchange between the battery  20  and the main body  10 .  
         [0017]     An attachment/detachment process of the battery of the conventional mobile terminal is described below.  
         [0018]     A user aligns the battery  20  along the battery receiving portion  50  formed on the main body  10 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . The user inserts coupling blocks  60  positioned on a first side of the battery  20  into the recessed portion, not shown, of the battery receiving portion  50 . The user positions a lock  25  upon one portion of a second side of the battery  20  by engaging the lock  25 . The lock  25  prevents detachment of the battery  20  from the main body  10 .  
         [0019]     The power terminal  40  of the battery  20  contacts with the contact terminal  35  of the input/output connector  30  from its upper portion to the lower portion. A mobile terminal, such as a folder type handset (not shown), which has a battery connected in an up/down direction as described above, may experience several problems.  
         [0020]     For example, when a user handles the mobile terminal, or if the mobile terminal is dropped, the power terminal  40  may lose contact with the contact terminal  35  because of a gap formed between coupling blocks  60  and the recessed portion, not shown, of the battery  20 . This loss in contact may result in power to the mobile terminal being undesirably turned-off.  
         [0021]     The power terminal  40  of the conventional mobile terminal requires for proper operation additional structures such as a separate terminal block, a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB), or the like in the battery  20 .  
         [0022]     In the conventional mobile terminal, the contact terminal  35  of the input/output connector  30  is restricted in height, typically  1  mm or less, which creates a small contact force. If an exterior of a conventional mobile terminal is deformed, the contact terminals  35  may lose contact with the power terminal  40 .  
         [0023]     Therefore, there is a need for an apparatus that overcomes the above problems and provides advantages over other mobile terminal battery coupling structures.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0024]     Features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.  
         [0025]     In one embodiment, a device is disclosed for coupling a battery to a mobile terminal. The device comprises a main body having a main board in which circuit components are mounted, a battery receiving portion disposed on the main body for receiving the battery, and an input/output connector mounted on a side of the battery receiving portion for supplying electrical power to the main body.  
         [0026]     A power terminal is disposed on a first side face of the battery for detachably coupling to the input/output connector. The power terminal is arranged to electrically connect to the input/output connector as the power terminal is moved in a longitudinal direction toward the input/output connector.  
         [0027]     The input/output connector preferably provides an elastic restorative force to the first side face of the battery for maintaining electrical contact between the power terminal and the input/output connector upon a shift in position of the battery within the battery receiving portion.  
         [0028]     The input/output connector may comprise a body portion forming a receiving space therein, a first terminal support proximally located to a first end of the battery receiving portion, and a second terminal support proximally located to a second end of the battery receiving portion.  
         [0029]     The input/output connector may further comprise a first contact terminal mounted on the first terminal support. A portion of the first contact terminal may protrude outside the first terminal support for contacting with a specified elastic force to the power terminal. A second contact terminal may be mounted on the second terminal support. A portion of the second contact terminal may protrude outside the second support terminal for contacting the power terminal with the specified elastic force.  
         [0030]     The first terminal support may have a first fixing groove therein, and the first terminal support is mounted at the first fixing groove. The second terminal support may have a second fixing groove therein, and the second terminal support is mounted at the second fixing groove.  
         [0031]     The main body preferably comprises a battery stop which protrudes from the face of the battery receiving portion toward the first side face of the battery. The battery stop is preferably bent toward the input/output connector. The battery stop, for example, has a height that is greater than the height of the battery. The battery may have a height that gradually decreases from a second side face of the battery positioned opposite to that of the first side face of the battery.  
         [0032]     The device may further comprise grooves that are provided along opposing side surfaces of the battery for slidably attaching the battery within the main body. The device may further comprise guide protrusions for mating with the grooves.  
         [0033]     Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.  
         [0034]     These and other embodiments will also become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the embodiments having reference to the attached figures, the invention not being limited to any particular embodiments disclosed. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0035]     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.  
         [0036]     Features, elements, and aspects of the invention that are referenced by the same numerals in different figures represent the same, equivalent, or similar features, elements, or aspects in accordance with one or more embodiments.  
         [0037]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating construction of a conventional mobile terminal.  
         [0038]      FIG. 2  is a sectional view illustrating a structure for detachment/attachment of a battery of a conventional mobile terminal.  
         [0039]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of the battery coupling structure of the present invention.  
         [0040]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view illustrating the input/output connector for one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0041]      FIG. 5  is a plan view illustrating the input/output connector for an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0042]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view illustrating the input/output connector for an embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0043]     The present invention relates to a device and a method for coupling a battery to a mobile terminal capable of reliably maintaining a contact despite an external impact or deformation of a case of the mobile terminal. An improved connection structure is disclosed between an input/output connector positioned on a main body of a mobile terminal and a battery connected thereto.  
         [0044]     Although the invention is illustrated with respect to a mobile terminal, it is contemplated that the invention may be utilized anywhere it is desired for maintaining electronic conductivity in a mobile communication system when the mobile system is displaced or dropped. Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.  
         [0045]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0046]     As shown therein, a mobile terminal according to the present invention includes a main body  100  provided with a battery receiving portion  110  where a battery  200  is received and having therein a main board, not shown. The main board, not shown, is mounted with a circuit component, not shown, to provide transmission/reception of information. A battery  200  is detachably coupled to the main body  100  for supplying power to the main body  100 . An input/output connector  300  is mounted on a side face of the battery receiving portion  110  of the main body  100 . A power terminal  400  is positioned on a side face of the battery  200 . The power terminal  400  is connected to the input/output connector  300  by moving the battery  200  along a longitudinal direction.  
         [0047]     The main body  100  may take on various configurations. Some configurations of the main body  1   00  may include a folder type mobile terminal having a folder part including a display, and a flip type mobile terminal having a flip portion including a microphone. Other configurations for the main body  100  may include a sliding type mobile terminal having a sliding folder part having a display at a certain distance, and a separating type mobile terminal for detachment of a speaker in a main body from a display in the main body, or the like.  
         [0048]     A battery stop  120  protrudes, for example, a specified height from a side face opposite to the side face where the input/output connector  300  of the battery receiving portion  110  is mounted. The battery stop  120  is preferably bent toward the input/output connector  300 .  
         [0049]     The battery  200 , for example, has a height step discontinuity along a second side face which is opposite to the side face, i.e., the first side face, located at the power terminal  400 . The height of the step discontinuity is preferably smaller than a height of the battery stop  120 .  
         [0050]     In yet another example, the battery  200  may have no step discontinuity. In this example, the battery stop  120  has a height greater than that of the battery  200 . In one variation of this example, a height of the battery may be tapered to gradually decrease from a first side face of the battery at the power terminal  400 , to an opposite side face, i.e., a second side face of the battery  200 . The height of the battery is smaller than the height of the battery stop  120 .  
         [0051]     Grooves  230 , for example, are formed along opposite side faces of the battery  200 . Guide protrusions  130  protrude, mate with the grooves  230 , and formed respectively on the side faces of a battery receiving portion  110 . Each of the guide protrusions  130  have a width that is narrower than a corresponding width of the grooves  230 . Consequently, when the battery  200  is coupled to the battery receiving portion  110 , a small gap is created between the grooves  230  and the guide protrusions  130 .  
         [0052]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view illustrating the input/output connector of an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 5  is a plan view illustrating the input/output connector of the present invention.  
         [0053]     The input/output connector  300  includes a body portion  310  having a plurality of pins  315  which are exposed to form a data port. A first terminal support  320 A is provided at one end of a body portion  310  and a second terminal support  320 B is provided at the other end of the body portion  310 . The first and second terminal supports  320 A,  320 B have fixing grooves  322 A,  322 B therein. Contact terminals  325 A,  325 B positioned at the fixing grooves  322 A,  322 B protrude from the first and the second terminal supports  320 A,  320 B to outside the mobile terminal and contact the power terminal  400 .  
         [0054]     An elastic restoration force of contact terminals  325 A,  325 B becomes stronger as a protruding length of the contact terminals  325 A,  325 B become longer. If the elastic restoration force, in one example, between the power terminal  400  and the contact terminals  325 A,  325 B becomes too great, or, in another example, if the protruding length of the contact terminals  325 A,  325 B becomes too long, a user will be required to exert a large force to attach the battery  200  to the main body  100 , shown in  FIG. 3 . The contact terminals  325 A,  325 B preferably have a moderate protruding length. In the present invention, the protruding length preferably is set to approximately 2 mm.  
         [0055]     A pogo pin preferably is used as the contact terminals  325 A,  325 B to secure conductivity and maintain integrity of the contact terminals  325 A,  325 B with repeatable tension settings.  
         [0056]     The power terminal  400 , in this example, has a terminal pattern formed on a protection circuit  215 . The protection circuit  215  is positioned on the battery  200 . The protection circuit  215  prevents an over-current condition of the battery  200  and prevents exposure of the battery  200  to the surroundings. In this example, the protection circuit  215  is mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB)  210 . The PCB  210  is connected at one end of the battery  200  on which a circuit component, not shown, is mounted for protecting the battery  200 . The power terminal  400 , in this example, directly contacts the contact terminals  325 A,  325 B of the input/output connector  300  without the requirement of a special structure, such as a terminal block, for connecting to the battery  200 .  
         [0057]     The contact terminals  325 A,  325 B are mounted on a main board, not shown, of a mobile terminal by standard surface mounting techniques (SMTs). The contact terminals  325 A,  325 B provide added rigidity to the mobile terminal during construction of the mobile terminal, for example, when adding a hole to the main board, not shown, of the mobile terminal. In another example, the contact terminal  325 A,  325 B provide added rigidity to the mobile terminal structure when lower ends of the contact terminals  325 A,  325 B are soldered to the main board, not shown.  
         [0058]     The operation of an embodiment of the present invention will now be described. For the following explanation, please refer to  FIGS. 3-6 .  
         [0059]     The guide protrusions  130  of the battery receiving portion  110  pass through the grooves  230  formed on opposite side faces of the battery  200  upon the battery  200  being moved in a longitudinal direction. When the battery  200  is received in the battery receiving portion  110 , the battery  200  comprising a power terminal  400  contacts the contact terminals  325 A,  325 B of the input/output connector  300 . The power terminal  400  push against the contact terminals  325 A,  325 B with an elastic force for maintaining contact with contact terminals  325 A,  325 B. If a user removes his or her hands from the battery  200 , the battery  200  is pushed backward a specified distance by the elastic force of the contact terminals  325 A,  325 B. A side face opposite to the side face of the power terminal  400  is stopped by the battery stop  120 . Detachment of the battery  200  is prevented by the battery stop  120  and the guide protrusions  130 .  
         [0060]     Upon the battery  200  being moved by a user in a longitudinal direction for contacting the input/output connector  300 , the contact terminals  325 A.  325 B protrude a relatively long length along a longitudinal direction of the main body  100 . As the elastic force between the power terminal  400  and the contact terminals  325 A,  325 B increases, the reliability of the connection is improved. The present invention achieves a reliable contact preventing the power terminal  400  of the battery  200  from losing contact with the contact terminals  325 A,  325 B, even upon application of an external force to the main body  100 .  
         [0061]     The power terminal  400  of the present invention preferably forms a terminal pattern on a protection circuit of the battery. The present invention does not require a special structure for connecting the power terminal  400  to the input/output connector  300 . The present invention, constructed as above, contributes to stabilization, and results in an improvement in reliability and miniaturization of a mobile terminal.  
         [0062]     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 equivalence of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.  
         [0063]     Although the present invention is described in the context of a mobile terminal, the present invention may also be used in any wired or wireless communication systems using mobile devices, such as PDAs and laptop computers equipped with wired and wireless communication capabilities. Moreover, the use of certain terms to describe the present invention should not limit the scope of the present invention to certain type of wireless communication system, such as UMTS. The present invention is also applicable to other wireless communication systems using different air interfaces and/or physical layers, for example, TDMA, CDMA, FDMA, WCDMA, etc.