Abstract:
A portable terminal has the dual display module structure in which a plurality of panels provided in the portable terminal are combined with clear conjunction to display a distortionless large screen display. The portable terminal includes a first display panel unit for displaying a first image, a second display panel unit for displaying a g the second display panel unit with the first display panel unit with supporting rotational shift, and a film connecting unit facing the hinge unit. A film is inserted in the connecting unit for connecting the first display panel unit with the second display panel unit electrically.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM  
       [0001]     This application claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 20-2005-0008008, filed Mar. 24, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference.  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a portable terminal, and more particularly, to a portable terminal having a dual display module in which a main display panel unit and a sub-display panel unit are combined with clear conjunction to display a large screen image without distortion.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     In general, a portable terminal is a device, commonly called mobile communication terminal such as digital phone, cellular phone, PCS phone, a portable digital terminal such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), or a small-sized notebook computer. Typically, it is connected with a wireless communication link to provide various digital content such as audio and image information to a user.  
         [0004]     Such a portable terminal has been improved with the aim of high sensitivity and size/weight reduction for maximizing its portability as a key function, and this trend may be found when we see how a mobile communication terminal, representative of a portable terminal, has been developed.  
         [0005]     In other words, bar-type or flip-type terminals among early mobile communication terminals are rarely used in recent years because of the difficulty in expanding a display unit of the terminal, as well as the terminal&#39;s big size and heavy weight. Recently, however, sliding folder-type or folder-type terminals have been widely used due to their small size and light weight as well as the expansion capability of the display unit in such terminals.  
         [0006]     On the other hand, wireless data services are popularized in recent years, and it is a general tendency that the multimedia content providing function of a portable terminal becomes more important than any other classical functions provided by this portable terminal, such as the speech function in the case of a mobile communication terminal and the data input function in the case of PDAs. In order to achieve the multimedia content providing function and, in particular, the effective image content providing function through a portable terminal, an important factor is how well image content that has been received from a communication network is displayed through the display unit of the terminal.  
         [0007]     As explained above, however, the size of display panel should be restricted in order to enhance the portability of the terminal. As a result, there is difficulty in displaying high quality video content on conventional display panels or units in portable terminals.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     According to one aspect of the present invention, a portable terminal has an expanded screen by combining a plurality of display panels.  
         [0009]     According to another aspect of the present invention, a hinge structure combines a plurality of display panels of a portable terminal with more clear conjunction.  
         [0010]     A portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a first display panel unit for displaying a first image; a second display panel unit for displaying a second image; a hinge unit for connecting the second display panel unit with the first display panel unit with supporting rotational shift; and a film connecting unit facing the hinge unit, wherein a film is inserted for connecting the first display panel unit with the second display panel unit electrically.  
         [0011]     According to an embodiment of the present invention, the hinge unit comprises a first hinge member mounted on the first display panel unit and having a cut piece and a connecting piece of which both sides are open; a second hinge member mounted on the second display panel unit and having one side which is open so as to communicate with one side of the first hinge member; and a hinge axis inserted into the first and the second hinge members. The hinge axis may have a first hinge piece inserted into the first hinge member and a second hinge piece inserted into the second hinge member, and the diameter of the first hinge piece is greater than the diameter of the second hinge piece.  
         [0012]     According to an embodiment of the present invention, the film connecting unit comprises a first film connecting member having a connecting piece protruded from the first display panel unit, and a supporting piece caved or recessed in the first display panel unit; and a second film connecting member mounted on the second display panel unit and rotationally supported by the supporting piece of the first film connecting member.  
         [0013]     The connecting piece of the first film connecting member may have upper portion protruding from the first display panel unit and a lower portion guided into the inside of the first display panel unit, with one side of the upper portion being closed, the other side of the upper portion being open, and the left and right sides of the lower portion being open.  
         [0014]     Moreover, the second film connecting member may have a cylindrical shape, with one side of the second film connecting member being open to communicate with one side of the lower portion of the connecting piece, and a combining portion being formed to protrude in the circumferential direction in one side of the second film connecting member, and the combining portion being rotationally combined with the connecting piece of the first film connecting member.  
         [0015]     A film for connecting the first display panel unit with the second display panel unit electrically is provided to pass through the connecting piece of the first film connecting member and the second film connecting member. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:  
         [0017]      FIG. 1  shows a dual display panel of a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention when it is folded;  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  shows the dual display panel of the portable terminal when it is unfolded and seen from the direction of the arrow  11  in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of a dual display module structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  shows a cross-sectional bottom view partially illustrating a lower portion of a connecting piece that is guided into the inside of an upper case in the main display panel unit, and the second film connecting member in the sub-display panel unit in a state where the dual display panel is folded according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  shows a cross-sectional view illustrating the first and second film connecting members taken along the line V-V in the embodiment of  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0022]     The following discussion is presented to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. Various modifications to the embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.  
         [0023]     FIGS.  1  to  3  show a dual display module for a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0024]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the dual display module according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a main display panel unit  10 , and a sub-display panel unit  20  combined with the main display panel unit  10  through a hinge.  
         [0025]     The main display panel unit  10  has upper/lower cases  11  and  12  and a main flat screen  13  formed in the upper/lower cases  11  and  12 , as shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0026]     A first film connecting member  14  and a first hinge member  15  are mounted on an edge of the upper case  11  to connect the sub-display panel unit  20 .  
         [0027]     The first film connecting member  14  has a connecting piece  14   a  of a cylindrical shape, and a supporting piece  14   b  caved or recessed in the upper case  11 .  
         [0028]     The connecting piece  14   a  is provided in such a manner that its upper portion protrudes from the edge of the upper case  11 , and its lower portion is guided into the inside of the upper case  11 , and an upper side  14   a - 1  of the connecting piece  14   a  is closed.  
         [0029]     A lower portion of the connecting piece  14   a  is guided into the upper case  11 . As left and right sides  14   a - 2  and  14   a - 3  of the lower portion are open as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the left side  14   a - 2  is communicated with an inner portion of the upper case  11  in the main display panel unit  10 , and the right side  14   a - 3  is communicated with the second film connecting member  24  in the sub-display panel unit  20  to be described later.  
         [0030]     Accordingly, a PCB film  30  can be inserted through the left and right sides  14   a - 2  and  14   a - 3  of the lower portion of the connecting piece  14   a  and guided into the upper case  11 .  
         [0031]     Moreover, the outer diameter of this connecting piece  14   a  is determined corresponding to the outer diameter of the second film connecting member  24  in the sub-display panel unit  20  to be described later.  
         [0032]     The supporting piece  14   b  is caved or recessed in the upper case  11  with a curve from the side of the connecting piece  14   a  (in a downward direction in  FIG. 5 ). And, the second film connecting member  24  in the sub-display panel unit  20  is inserted and rotationally supported by the supporting piece  14   b.    
         [0033]     The first hinge member  15  has a cut piece  15   a  and a connecting piece  15   b.    
         [0034]     The cut piece  15   a  is formed by cutting a width and in which a second hinge member  25  of the sub-display panel unit  20  is inserted.  
         [0035]     The connecting piece  15   b  has a cylindrical shape. And, one side  15   b - 1  of the connecting piece  15   b  is open, and its outer diameter is determined corresponding to the outer diameter of the second hinge member  25  in the sub-display panel unit  20 .  
         [0036]     On the other hand, the main display panel unit  10  can be connected to the main body of portable terminal in the folder or bar shape.  
         [0037]     The sub-display panel unit  20  includes upper and lower cases  21  and  22  and a sub-flat screen  23  formed in upper and lower cases  21  and  22 .  
         [0038]     The second film connecting member  24  and the second hinge member  25  are mounted on an edge of the upper case  21  to connect the sub-display panel unit  20  with the main display panel unit  10 .  
         [0039]     The second film connecting member  24  is mounted on the edge of the upper case  21  and formed with a cylindrical shape of which one side  24   a  is open, and inner surface  24   b  is open to communicate with the inside of the upper case  21 . And, the second film connecting member  24  is accommodated in the supporting piece  14   b  of the first film connecting member  14  and rotationally supported.  
         [0040]     At a rim of the one side  24   a  of the second film connecting member  24 , a combining piece  24   c  is formed protruding in the circumferential direction, and the combining piece  24   c  is rotationally combined with the connecting piece  14   a  of the first film connecting member  14 . Therefore, the second film connecting member  24  is rotationally supported while being guided by the combining piece  24   c  for its rotational operation by the combining piece  24   c.    
         [0041]     On the other hand, one side  24   a  of the second film connecting member  24  is communicated with a lower right side  14   a - 3  of the connecting piece  14   a  in the main display panel unit  10 . Therefore, a PCB film can be inserted.  
         [0042]     The second hinge member  25  has a cylindrical shape of which one side  25   a  is open. And, the second hinge member  25  is inserted into a cut piece  15   a  of the first hinge member  15  in the main display panel unit  10 .  
         [0043]     On the other hand, one side  25   a  of the second hinge member  25  and one side  15   b - 1  of the connecting piece  15   b  of the first hinge member  15  are combined to communicate each other, and a hinge axis  40  is inserted in the first hinge member  15  of the main display panel unit  10  and the second hinge member  25  of the sub-display panel unit  20  through sides  25   a  and  15   b - 1 . Accordingly, the main display panel unit  10  and the sub-display panel unit  20  are rotationally combined with each other.  
         [0044]     This hinge axis  40  includes a hinge piece  41  inserted into the second hinge member  25  in the sub-display panel unit  20  and a hinge piece  42  inserted into the hinge connecting piece  15   b  in the main display panel unit  10 .  
         [0045]     Preferably, the diameter of the hinge piece  41  is smaller than the diameter of the hinge piece  42  to facilitate a relative rotational operation between the main display panel unit  10  and the sub-display panel unit  20 .  
         [0046]     On the other hand, the main display panel unit  10  and the sub-display panel unit  20  are electrically connected through the PCB film  30 , and such a PCB film  30  is commonly called a flexible IC package, such as TCP (Tape Carrier Package), and COF (Chip on Film).  
         [0047]     One end of the PCB film is connected to a flat screen  13  of the main display panel unit  10 , and the other end is connected to a sub-flat screen  23  of the sub-display panel unit  20 . The PCB film passes through openings  14   a - 2 ,  14   a - 3 ,  24   a , and  24   b  in the connecting piece  14   a  of the first film connecting member  14  and the second film connecting member  24  of the sub-display panel unit  20 .  
         [0048]     In other words, the PCB film  30  is configured in such a manner that the flat screens  13  and  23  are connected to each other through the first and second film connecting members  14  and  24  of the main display panel unit  10  and the sub-display panel unit  20 .  
         [0049]     According to embodiments of the present invention as described above, a secured electrical and communicational structure can be embodied through the first and second film connecting members  14  and  24  in the main display panel unit  10  and the sub-display panel unit  20 . Therefore, the portable terminal can display a high-definition video content on the main display panel unit  10  and the sub-display panel unit  20 .  
         [0050]     According to embodiments of the present invention, the main display panel unit  10  and the sub-display panel unit  20  are combined with clear conjunction by the first and second hinge members  15  and  25 , thereby correctly arranging one side of the flat screen  13  in the main display panel unit  10  with the flat screen  23  of the sub-display panel unit  20  during its unfolding operation, and as a result it can provide a feature that two screens are realized in a single large screen with little seams.  
         [0051]     While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.