Abstract:
Mobile phone including a main body for fitting various operative components, a battery pack detachably fitted to the main body for supplying power, and a hook device at a side of the battery pack for decoupling the battery pack from the main body by pushing the hook device, thereby permitting an easy decoupling of the battery pack.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of the Korean Application No. P2001-39273, filed on Jul. 2, 2001, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a mobile phone, and more particularly, to a structure for fitting a battery pack to a mobile phone. 
   2. Background of the Related Art 
   A related art mobile phone will be explained with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 .  FIG. 1  illustrates a back view of a related art mobile phone. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , the related art mobile phone is provided with a main body  1 , and a battery pack  5 , wherein the main body  1  has a hook device  2  in an upper part thereof for fitting the battery pack  5  on a rear surface of the main body  1 . 
   The battery pack  5  is coupled to the main body  1  by aligning a lower end of the battery pack  5  with a lower end of the main body  1 , and pressing the battery pack  5  toward the main body  1 . When the battery pack  5  is coupled to the main body, the hook device  2  presses the battery pack  5  elastically, to prevent the battery pack  5  from falling off the main body  1 . 
     FIG. 2A  illustrates a section showing a state the hook device fastens the battery pack in the related art mobile phone in  FIG. 1 , and  FIG. 2B  illustrates a section showing a state the hook device releases the battery pack in the related art mobile phone in  FIG. 1 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 2A , the hook device  2  has an elastic member  4 , and a hook  3 , and the battery pack  5  has a hook recess  5   a  at a position opposite to the hook device  2  in an upper part of a length direction thereof. 
   The hook  3  has a fixing part  3   a  for fixing the hook  3  as the fixing part  3   a  is inserted into the elastic member  4 , a pressure application part  3   b  exposed to exterior for the user to push up the hook device by a finger, and a hook head  3   c  for coupling with the hook recess  5   a.    
   Therefore, once the hook  3  and the battery pack  4  are coupled, the hook  3  presses the battery pack  5  by a restoring force of the elastic member  4  and, on the same time with this, the hook head  3   c  is inserted into the hook recess  5   a  in the battery pack  5 . Eventually, the hook  3  fastens the battery pack  5  to the main body. 
   In the meantime, when the battery is discharged as the battery pack  5  is fitted to the main body  1  of the mobile phone, and used for a predetermined time, it is required that the discharged battery pack  5  is removed from the main body, for fitting a new battery pack  5  thereto. A process for removing the battery pack  5  will be explained, with reference to  FIG. 2B . 
   After the user holds the main body  1  of the mobile phone around the main body  1  by one hand, the user presses the pressure application part  3   b  on the hook upward by a thumb in a direction of an arrow in  FIG. 2   b , when the hook  3  presses the elastic member  4 , and moves a predetermined distance backward by an external force, until the hook head  3   c  is released from the hook recess  5   a  in the battery pack  5 . If the hook head  3   c  is released, the battery pack  5  is removed from the main body  1  by the other hand. 
   However, the related art structure for fitting the battery pack has inconvenience of requiring two hands in removal of the battery pack  5  since the user requires pushing the hook device  2  by a thumb of one hand, and removes the battery pack  5  by the other hand. 
   Moreover, the hook device  2  fitted in the upper part of the main body  1  imposes spatial restriction in fitting components inside of the main body, that in turn restricts designing the mobile phone to be smaller and thinner. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a mobile phone that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. 
   An object of the present invention is to provide a mobile phone in which a battery pack can be removed easily. 
   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. 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. 
   To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the mobile phone includes a main body for fitting various operative components, a battery pack detachably fitted to the main body for supplying power, and a hook device at a side of the battery pack for decoupling the battery pack from the main body by pushing the hook device. 
   Preferably, the hook device is provided at a side part of the battery pack a thumb or a forefinger is placed thereon when the user holds the mobile phone. 
   Preferably, the hook device is provided both to left and right sides of the battery pack, and more preferably, the hook device is provided at side parts of the battery pack a thumb and a forefinger are placed thereon when the user holds the mobile phone. 
   More preferably, the hook device includes a hook to be inserted in a side part of the battery pack for being released from the main body when the hook is pushed, and locked at the main body when the pushing force is removed, and an elastic member to be inserted in the side part of the battery pack together with the hook, for elastically supporting the hook against the side part of the battery pack. 
   The hook includes a pushing part exposed to an outside of the side part of the battery pack for being pushed by a finger, an intermediate part extended from the pushing part along the side part of the battery pack, and a locking part on the intermediate part at a position a distance away from the pushing part having a locking part to be held by the main body. The hook may further include a pin for preventing the elastic member from falling off the hook. 
   Preferably, the side part of the battery pack includes a finger tip seat formed around the pushing part. 
   The locking part is held by angles formed on left/right rims of the body, and the angle is positioned at a part a distance away from the pushing part. 
   The angle is projected from the rim of the main body and has an end part bent inward of the main body, and actually includes a vertical part extended from the rim of the main body, and a horizontal part extended from the vertical part. 
   The angle is accommodated in a slot in the side part of the battery pack. 
   Preferably, the locking part has a curved, or sloped bottom. 
   Thus, the present invention permits a user to couple/decouple the battery pack conveniently, and an optimal design of the mobile phone. 
   It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     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: 
     In the drawings: 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a back view of a related art mobile phone; 
       FIG. 2A  illustrates a section showing a state the hook device fastens the battery pack in the related art mobile phone in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 2B  illustrates a section showing a state the hook device releases the battery pack in the related art mobile phone in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a back view of a mobile phone in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of a hook catch in a main body of a mobile phone in  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a disassembled perspective view of a hook device for the mobile phone in  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 6A  illustrates a section across a line I-I in  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 6B  illustrates a section showing a process a battery pack is removed from a main body of a mobile phone; and, 
       FIG. 6C  illustrates a section showing a state just before a battery pack is fitted to a main body of a mobile phone. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.  FIG. 3  illustrates a back view of a mobile phone in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , the mobile phone includes a main body  10 , a battery pack  20  for fitting to the main body  10 , and a hook device  30  fitted to the battery pack  20 . 
   The main body  10  includes main components of the mobile phone built therein, and a key pad and the like, required for operating the mobile phone. The battery pack  20  has a battery  21  (see  FIG. 6 ) and a housing for holding the battery  21 . As known, the battery pack  20  supplies power to the mobile phone, and detachably fitted to the main body  10  for replacement. Since the body  10 , and the battery pack  20  are similar to general main body and battery pack, detailed explanation of which will be omitted, and the hook device  30  will be explained in detail. 
     FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of a hook catch in a main body of a mobile phone in  FIG. 3 , and  FIG. 5  illustrates a disassembled perspective view of a hook device for the mobile phone in  FIG. 3 . 
   The hook device  30  is provided, not to the main body  10 , but to sides of a battery pack  20 , such that the battery pack  20  is separated from the main body  10  when an external force is applied thereto. That is, though the hook device on the main body fastens the battery pack in the related art mobile phone, a hook device  30  on a battery pack  20  is fastened in a main body  10  (more specifically, at sides of the main body  10 ) of a mobile phone of the present invention. Accordingly, in the mobile phone of the present invention, since the hook device  30  is provided at sides of the battery pack  20 , a room space, the main body  10  can secure a relatively larger space. 
   Moreover, only one hook device  30  may be provided, and it is preferable that the hook device  30  is provided at a position of the sides of the battery pack  20  the thumb or the forefinger is placed when the user holds the mobile phone. Accordingly, the user can remove the battery pack  20  more conveniently. Or, the hook device  30  may be provided both on left and right sides of the battery pack  20 , to allow the user to remove the battery pack  20  regardless of the side of hand that holds the mobile phone. Furthermore, if the hook devices  30  provided to sides are at positions the thumb and the forefinger are placed when the user holds the mobile phone, the user can operate the hook devices  20  more easily. 
   The hook device  30  will be explained in more detail. 
   Referring to  FIG. 5 , the hook device  30  includes a hook  31  inserted in a side part of the battery pack  20 , and an elastic member  32  fitted to the side part of the battery pack  20  together with the hook  31 . For stable operation, the hook  31  and the elastic member  32  are fitted in a space  22  (see  FIG. 6 ) formed in the side part of the battery pack  20 , actually. 
   The hook  31  has a pushing part  31   a  for being in contact with a user&#39;s finger, an intermediate part  31   b  extended a length from the pushing part  31   a , and a locking part  31   c  on the intermediate part  31   c.    
   The pushing part  31   a , a kind of button for the user to push, is exposed to an outside of the battery pack  20  through a hole  23  in communication with the space  22 . As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , there may be a finger tip seat  25  in a side part of the battery pack  20  around the pushing part  31   a . The finger tip seat  25  is a recess, for convenient, and positive push of the pushing part  31   a  by the user. 
   As shown, the intermediate part  31   b  is fitted inside of the battery pack  20  extended along a side of the battery pack  20 . When the hook  31  has the locking part  31   c  right under the pushing part  31   a , a side part structure of the battery pack  20  becomes complicate, and may reduce strength of the side part of the battery pack  20 . Therefore, the intermediate part  31   b  is provided for positioning the locking part  31   c  away from the pushing part  31   a.    
   As explained, the locking part  31   c  is formed at an end of the intermediate part  31   b  a distance away from the pushing part  31   a  projected from the intermediate part  31   b  so as to be locked by the main body  10 . In the meantime, there are angles  11  each formed on left and right rims of the main body  10  of the mobile phone for holding the locking part  31   c . That is, the angle  11  is formed at a position a distance away from the pushing part  31   a  opposite to the locking part  31   c . The angle may be a slot of a size in the rim of the main body  10  for inserting the locking part  31   c  therein. However, as shown in  FIG. 4 , it is preferable that the angle is projected from the rim of the main body  10  and bent inward. That is, the angle  11  has a vertical part  11   a  extended from the rim  10  of the main body, and a horizontal part  11   b  extended form the vertical part  11   a , to form an angle in overall. The angle, rather than the slot, can hold the locking part  31   c  more positively, facilitating stable fastening of the battery pack  20  to the main body. Moreover, it is preferable that there is a slot  24  in the side part of the battery pack  20  for accommodating the projected angle  11 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , it is preferable that the locking part  31   c  has a curved, or sloped bottom  31   d , for sliding of the locking part  31   c  into the angle  11 , and easy insertion of the locking part  31   c  into the angle  11 . 
   On the other hand, as generally shown, the elastic member  11  in the hook device  30  is a coil spring, for pushing the hook  31  within the space  22 . Therefore, when the pushing force from the hook  31  is removed, the spring restores the hook  31  to an original position. For this elastic member  11 , as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the hook  31  may further includes a pin  31   e  extended from the pushing part  31   a . As the elastic member  32  is inserted in the pin  31   e , the elastic member  32  can be stably held, without falling off the hook  31  during operation. 
     FIGS. 6A ,  6 B, and  6 C respectively illustrate a state the battery pack  20  is coupled, and processes the battery pack  20  are decoupled/coupled. In  FIGS. 6A-6C , left sides illustrate sections inclusive of the pushing part  31   a , and right sides illustrate sections inclusive of the locking part  31   c , referring to which the operation of the present invention will be explained. 
   Referring to  FIG. 6A , the hook  31  is in a state pushed away to outside of the battery pack  20  by the elastic force of the elastic member  32 , and the locking part  31   c  is inserted in, and held by the angle  11 . In this instance, as a top surface of the locking part  31   c  and a bottom surface of the horizontal part  11   b  of the angle  11  are in contact, the battery pack  20  can be stably coupled to the main body  10 . 
   When the mobile phone is used for a predetermined time period after the battery pack is fitted, it is required that the battery pack  20  is replaced a new one. A process for removing the battery pack  20  from the main body for replacement is shown in  FIG. 6B . 
   Upon pushing the hook  31 , the elastic member  32  is compressed, and the hook  31  moves inward to an inside of the battery pack  31 . Consequently, the locking part  31   c  held by the angle  11  is released from the angle  11 , and is ready to be separated from the main body  10 . 
   Because the hook device  30  is provided in side parts of the battery pack  20 , the user can decouple the battery pack  20  only with one hand. In detail, when only one hook device  30  is provided, the user can decouple the battery pack from the main body by pushing the pushing part  31   a  with a thumb of a forefinger in a state the mobile phone is placed on a palm in a direction of an arrow  1  to release the locking part  31   a  from the angle  11 . Then, the user lifts the pushing part  31   a  in a direction of an arrow  2  while the pushing part  31   a  is pushed, to separate the battery pack  20  from the body  10 . Also, in a case the hook device  30  is provided to both sides of the battery pack  20 , the user can separate the battery pack  20  both with the thumb and the forefinger in the same method as explained before. In this instance, since the battery pack  20  is gripped by two fingers, a possibility of dropping the battery pack  20  is reduced. In conclusion, by using the thumb and/or the forefinger, the user can separate the battery pack  20 , conveniently. 
   On the other hand, referring to  FIG. 6C , when the battery pack  20  is fitted, the bottom  31   d  comes into contact with the angle  11 , i.e., the horizontal part  11   b . In this instance, when the battery pack  20  is pushed, the curved, or sloped bottom  31   d  slides on the horizontal part  11 , and inserted into the angle  11  with easy. That is, when the user places the mobile phone on a palm, and pushes down a top part of the battery pack  20  with the thumb, the hook device  30  can be locked at the angle  11 , automatically. Thus, the user can also couple the battery pack  20  only with one hand. 
   The advantages of the foregoing mobile phone of the present invention can be summarized as follows. 
   The provision of the hook device on the battery pack leaves a room space in the main body. By utilizing the room space, the mobile phone can be designed smaller. 
   The ergonomic provision of hook device at side parts of the battery pack so that the hook device can be pushed by thumb and the forefinger, the user can decouple the battery pack from the main body only with one hand. Moreover, since the bottom of the locking part is curved, or sloped, the user can couple the battery pack only with one hand. In conclusion, the present invention enhances convenience of the user, significantly. 
   It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the mobile phone of the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.