Abstract:
Disclosed is a mobile terminal having a hinge stylus and an sub-inputting unit. The terminal comprises: (a) a first housing having a first rim portion disposed along an edge and a first receiving portion disposed for a predetermined length in the first rim portion; (b) a hinge stylus detachably attached to the first receiving portion of the first rim portion; (c) a second housing having a second rim portion disposed along an edge and a second receiving portion disposed in the second rim portion for detachably receiving the hinge stylus; and (d) a dual hinge having with one being received in the first receiving portion and the other one being coupled to the second housing for connecting the first and second housings in a rotatable manner to provide two axes.

Description:
PRIORITY 
     This application claims priority to an application entitled “Mobile Terminal with Hinge Stylus and Sub-inputting Unit” filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Dec. 29, 2001 and assigned Serial. No. 2001-89138, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a mobile terminal, and in particular, to a mobile terminal which comprises a hinge stylus. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     As is well known in the art, “mobile terminals” are electronic devices such as a notebook, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a cellular phone, a PCS phone and so on. Such mobile terminals can execute radio communication with counterparts while essentially comprising a data input/output unit, transmitting/receiving unit and an antenna unit. The data input unit generally utilizes a keypad having alpha-numeric keys by which a user can input data, or a touch screen by which a user can input data via touch operation. The data output unit generally utilizes an LCD which displays information generated in the mobile terminal. Furthermore, the transmitting/receiving unit generally utilizes a microphone unit and a speaker unit. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art the operation of the general input/output units and transmitting/receiving units of the mobile terminal. 
     From among the above mobile terminals, the following description will adopt the touch screen by the way of example. Known touch screens use a touch sensitive panel and a “stylus” for conveniently inputting desired data. The stylus is a device shaped as a pen so that a user touches the touch screen with the stylus to input data. 
     The stylus is generally attached to a terminal body via a string or mounted to a predetermined position in the body via an additional receiving unit. 
     However, the stylus is used merely for data input, not for any other functions. Further, it is inconvenient to carry the terminal body in which the stylus is received. 
     Further, as the internet is currently changing into a multimedia-based atmosphere and various radio services such as internet chatting, internet game and internet mail transmission are provided via terminals, the terminals are required to have more functions. Accordingly, a mobile terminal needs an auxiliary data input unit as the mobile terminals gradually have more functions. However, an input unit in a conventional mobile terminal is insufficient to satisfy these needs. For example, it is inconvenient to input data with a keypad available in the conventional mobile terminals for a conventional data input unit since it has only 15 to 20 keys. In particular, data input operation is awkward in text transmission or game modes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention solves the foregoing problems and it is an object of the present invention to provide a mobile terminal having a stylus which can perform both a hinge and a stylus function. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a mobile terminal which is provided with sub-inputting means. 
     According to an aspect of the invention to obtain the above objects, provided is a mobile terminal comprising: (a) a first housing having a first rim portion disposed along an edge and a first receiving portion disposed for a predetermined length in the first rim portion; (b) a hinge stylus detachably attached to the first receiving portion of the first rim portion; (c) a second housing having a second rim portion disposed along an edge and a second receiving portion disposed in the second rim portion for detachably receiving the hinge stylus; and (d) a dual hinge having with one being received in the first receiving portion and the other one being coupled to the second housing for connecting the first and second housings in a rotatable manner to provide two axes. 
     According to another aspect of the invention to obtain the above objects, it is provided a mobile terminal comprising: (a) a first housing having a first rim portion disposed along an edge and a first receiving portion disposed for a predetermined length in the first rim portion; (b) a hinge stylus detachably attached to the first receiving portion of the first rim portion; (c) a second housing having a second rim portion disposed along an edge and a second receiving portion disposed in the second rim portion for detachably receiving the hinge stylus; and (d) a dual hinge for receiving the hinge stylus in a longitudinal direction, wherein the dual hinge is coupled to the first and second receiving portions via the hinge stylus received therein for connecting the first and second housings in a rotatable manner to provide two hinge axes. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIGS. 1 and 2  are perspective views of a terminal with the second housing being closed to the first housing according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating the underside of the terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the terminal with the second housing being opened from the first housing according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the terminal which the first housing is detached according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a hinge stylus detached from the first housing of the terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 7A to 7C  illustrate the construction of the hinge stylus adopted in the terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which  FIG. 7A  is a front elevation view thereof,  FIGS. 7B and 7C  are partially broken cross-sectional views thereof; 
         FIGS. 8A to 8B  illustrate the construction of a dual hinge stylus adopted in the terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which  FIG. 8A  is a front elevation view thereof,  FIG. 8B  is a partially broken cross-sectional view thereof; 
         FIG. 9  is a plan view of the hinge stylus mounted on the first housing of the terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a plan view of the dual hinge adopted in the terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  is a plan view of the hinge stylus mounted on the second housing of the terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 12A and 12B  illustrate another dual hinge adopted in the terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which  FIG. 12A  is a plan view thereof, and  FIG. 12B  is a partially broken cross-sectional view; and 
         FIG. 13  is a plan view of another dual hinge adopted in the terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The following detailed description will present a preferred embodiment of the invention in reference to the accompanying drawings, in which well-known functions or constructions will not be described in detail since they would unnecessarily obscure the understanding of the invention. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , a mobile terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is received in one of the first and second housings  10  and  20  while executing a data input operation with a hinge stylus  30 . The mobile terminal can also use the second housing as sub-inputting means by hingeably connecting the first and second housings via a dual hinge or a hinge stylus/dual hinge. The hinge stylus carries out two functions, i.e. a hinge function and a stylus function, and further serves to connect the second housing functioning as the sub-inputting unit to the first housing. 
     The mobile terminal of the invention comprises the first housing  10 , a hinge stylus  30  detachably mounted to the first housing  10 , the second housing  20  capable of receiving the hinge stylus  30  and a dual hinge  40  for rotatably connecting the first and second housings  10  and  20  to receive the first and second hinge shafts (now shown) along hinge lines A 1  and A 2 . That is to say, among the above two hinge shafts, the first hinge shaft along hinge line A 1  is the rotation shaft of the first housing  10 , and the second hinge shaft along hinge line A 2  is the rotation shaft of the second housing  20 . 
     The first housing  10  is provided with the first rim portion  101  along its edge. The first rim portion  101  is shaped as a cylinder and made, for example of metal. The first housing  10  comprises an upper plane  10   a , as shown in  FIG. 4 , which has a wide touch screen  110 , a lens housing  112  with a rotatable camera lens in an upper portion, and a speaker  114  in a lower portion. Speaker holes can be distributed in the entire region of the upper plane  10   a  except for the lens housing and the wide touch screen. 
     The second housing  20  is provided with the second rim portion  201  along its edge. The second rim portion is shaped as a cylinder and made, for example, of metal. The second housing  20  has a microphone unit  210  and a plurality of keys  212  in the entire region of the second housing  20 . First housing  10  is shown rotated open by  180  degrees with respect to second housing  20 . 
     The first and second rim portions  101  and  201  respectively comprise the first and second receiving portions each for detachably receiving the hinge stylus  30 . The first and second receiving portions are cylindrically shaped. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , where the first housing  10  is separated from the second housing  20  as shown in  FIG. 6 , the hinge stylus  30  is used to input data into the wide touch screen  110 . Otherwise the hinge stylus  30  is mounted on the first receiving portion  102  in the first rim portion  101  as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7A to 7C , the construction of the hinge stylus  30  according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. The hinge stylus  30  comprises a stylus body  310  having two opening  312  shaped along the longitudinal direction thereof and located on opposite sides of stylus body  310 , an attaching unit provided in the opening  312  of the stylus body  310  and a conical portion  320  in the other end of the stylus body  310 . The attaching unit comprises a hinge protrusion  314  which is movably guided in the longitudinal direction within one portion of the stylus body  310  for restraining one end of the stylus body  310 , a spring  318  received within the one end of the stylus body  310  for forcing hinge protrusion  314  out of the stylus body  310  and fitting portions  316  which are projected through the openings  312  for preventing release of the hinge protrusion  314  from the stylus body  310  and allowing movement of the same along the openings  312 . 
     The openings  312  are provided in the longitudinal direction and symmetric to each other. That is, the fitting portions  316  are symmetric to each other, respectively, in the openings  312 . When a user presses a tip of the hinge protrusion  314 , the hinge protrusion  314  is forced into the stylus body  310 . If the user releases the pressing force, the hinge protrusion  314  is projected out of the stylus body  310  by the force of spring  318 . Of course, the fitting portions  316  restrains movement of the hinge protrusion  314  within a preset range equal to the size of openings  312 . The hinge protrusion  314 , the stylus body  310  and the fitting portions  316  are each cylindrically shaped. However, it is not intended to restrict the hinge protrusion  314  or the stylus body into a cylindrical configuration. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 8A and 8B , a description will be made regarding the construction of the dual hinge  40  according to an embodiment of the present invention. The dual hinge  40  comprises first and second hinge bodies  410  and  420  having first and second cylindrical bodies which are longitudinally extended, first and second attaching units are provided in one portion of the first and second hinge bodies  410  and  420  and the first and second fixing hinge protrusions  418  and  428  are respectively provided in the other portions of the first and second hinge bodies  410  and  420 . The first hinge body  410  of the dual hinge  40  is connected to the first housing  10 , and the second hinge body  420  is connected to the second housing  20 . Therefore, the dual hinge  40  has first and second hinge axes along hinge lines A 1  and A 2  for connecting the first and second housings in a mutually rotatable manner. 
     The hinge bodies  410  and  420  are each provided with the first and second openings  412  and  422 . The first and second attaching units are received within the first and second openings  412  and  422 . The first and second attaching units have the same configuration so that the following description will present only the construction of the first attaching unit without describing that of the second attaching unit. 
     The first attaching unit has the first hinge protrusion  414  which is movably guided in the longitudinal direction within one portion of the hinge body  410  for restraining one end of the first hinge body  410 , a spring  419  received in the one end of the first hinge body  410  for forcing the first hinge protrusion  414  in a direction out of the first hinge body  410 , and a fitting portion  416  which is projected through the first opening  412  for preventing release of the hinge protrusion  414  from the first hinge body  410  and allowing movement of the same along the first opening  412 . 
     The first hinge protrusion  414  is guided in the longitudinal direction of the first hinge body  410  and restrained in movement by the first fitting portion  416 . The first hinge protrusion  414  can be attached/detached according to movement of the first hinge protrusion  416 . 
       FIG. 9  is a plan view illustrating the hinge stylus  30  mounted in the first housing  10 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , the hinge stylus  30  is mounted on the first receiving portion  103  of the first housing  10 . If the user desires to input data into the wide touch screen  110 , he/she detaches the hinge stylus  30  from the first receiving portion  103 . In order to detach the stylus body  310  from the first rim portion  101 , the fitting portion  316  of the hinge protrusion  314  is pulled downward to release the hinge protrusion  314  from the first rim portion  101  and then the stylus body  310  is separated from the first rim portion  101 . Such attached and detached positions of the hinge stylus  30  are shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . 
       FIG. 10  is a plan view illustrating the dual hinge  40  connected to the first and second housings  10  and  20 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , the first body  410  of the dual hinge  40  is connected to the first housing  10 , and the second hinge body  420  is connected to the second housing  20 . The hinge axes along hinge lines A 1  and A 2  of the first and second housings  10  and  20  are respectively positioned in the centers of the first and second hinge bodies  410  and  420 . The first hinge body  410  is inserted and coupled into the first receiving portion  103  of the first rim portion  101 , and the second hinge body  420  is inserted and coupled into the second receiving portion  203  of the second rim portion  201 . 
     In order to detach the second housing  20  from the first housing  10 , the user pulls down the first fitting portion  416  to remove the first hinge protrusion  414  from the first rim portion  101 . 
     Upon coupling the first hinge body  410  to the first receiving portion  103  of the first rim portion and the second hinge body  420  to the second receiving portion  203  of the second rim portion  201 , the hinge stylus  30  is mounted on the third receiving portion  204  provided in the second rim portion  201  of the second housing. This position is shown in  FIG. 11 . That is, the hinge stylus  30  is attached/detached to/from the first housing  10  where the first housing  10  is independently used as a mobile terminal. Where the second hinge body  420  is coupled to the second receiving portion  203  of the second rim portion  201 , the hinge stylus  30  is received in the third receiving portion  204  provided in the second rim portion  201  of the second housing. This position is shown in  FIG. 11 . That is, where the first housing  10  is independently used as a mobile terminal, the hinge stylus  30  is attached/detached to/from the first housing  10 . Where the second housing  20  is connected to the first housing  10 , the hinge stylus is mounted on the third receiving portion  204  in the second housing  20 . 
     Also as shown in  FIG. 10 , when the second housing  20  is coupled to the first housing  10  via the dual hinge  40 , the user uses the second housing  20  as a sub-inputting unit. The second housing  20  in use for the sub-inputting unit has at least thirty keys  212  arranged therein. 
     A description of the construction of the dual hinge  50  according to an embodiment of the present invention will be made with reference to  FIGS. 12A and 12B . The dual hinge  50  comprises the first and second hinge bodies  510  and  520  or dual bodies which are integrally extended in the longitudinal direction, a hinge stylus  60  received in the first hinge body  510 , an attaching unit provided in the second hinge body and a fixing hinge protrusion  528  provided in the other portion of the second hinge body  520 . The first hinge body  510  of the dual hinge  50  is connected to the first housing via the hinge stylus  60 , and the second hinge body  520  is connected to the second housing. The dual hinge  50  has the first and second hinge axes along hinge lines A 1  and A 2  for connecting the first and second housings in a mutually rotatable manner. 
     The first and second hinge bodies  510  and  520  respectively comprise the first and second openings  518  and  522  which have their own configurations. Since the hinge stylus  60  has an attaching unit constructed similar to that of the second hinge body  520 , the construction of the attaching unit of the second hinge body  520  will be provided, without a description of the attaching unit of the hinge stylus  60 . 
     The attaching unit has a hinge protrusion  524  which is movably guided in the longitudinal direction within one portion of the second hinge body  520  for restraining one end of the second hinge body  520 , a spring  528  received in one end of the second hinge body  520  for forcing the second hinge protrusion  524  in a direction out of the second hinge body  520 , and a fitting portion  526  which is projected through the opening  522  for preventing release of the hinge protrusion  524  from the second hinge body  520  and allowing movement of the same along the opening  522 . 
     The hinge protrusion  524  is guided in the longitudinal direction of the second hinge body  510  and restrained in movement by the fitting portion  526 . Also the hinge protrusion  524  can be attached/detached according to movement of the hinge protrusion  524 . 
       FIG. 13  shows that the first and second housings are connected via the dual hinge. As shown in  FIG. 13 , the dual hinge  50  has the two hinge axes along hinge lines A 1  and A 2  for connecting the first and second housings  10  and  20  in a mutually rotatable manner. Accordingly, the mobile terminal according to the present invention can advantageously couple the sub-inputting unit to the housing via the stylus. 
     According to the invention as set forth above, the stylus can be received in the housing for ensuring portability and used as a hinge as well. Further, the invention adopts the sub-inputting unit in the terminal to enhance usability. 
     Although the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.