Patent Publication Number: US-2005130029-A1

Title: Battery pack mounting apparatus for mobile communication terminals

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a battery pack mounting apparatus for mobile communication terminals, and more particularly to a battery pack mounting apparatus for mobile communication terminals that is capable of easily and conveniently separating a battery pack from a main body of a mobile communication terminal by simply pressing a push button formed at the main body of the mobile communication terminal.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      A conventional battery pack mounting apparatus for mobile communication terminals is shown in  FIG. 5 . The conventional battery pack mounting apparatus comprises: a battery pack fitting space  301  formed at the rear part of a main body  300  of a mobile communication terminal; and a locking part  400  formed at the rear part of the main body  300  while being adjacent to the battery pack fitting space for detachably locking a battery pack  200  in the battery pack fitting space  301 . When the battery pack  200  is to be separated from the main body  300 , the locking part  400  is lifted upward using one hand of a user, especially a fingernail, so that the battery pack  200  is released from the main body  300 , and then the battery pack is slid using the other hand of the user so that the battery pack  200  is separated from the main body  300 . Consequently, the conventional battery pack mounting apparatus has a drawback in that the fingernail of the user may be injured. The conventional battery pack mounting apparatus also has a drawback in that both hands of the user are used at the same time to separate the battery pack from the main body of the mobile communication terminal.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      It is an object of the present invention to provide a battery pack mounting apparatus for mobile communication terminals that is capable of separating a battery pack from a main body of a mobile communication terminal with only one hand of a user by simply pressing a push button formed at the main body of the mobile communication terminal.  
      It is another object of the present invention to provide battery pack mounting apparatus for mobile communication terminals having an actuating part that can be rotated when the push button is pressed so that the battery pack is released and at the same time separated from the main body of the mobile communication terminal, whereby separation of the battery pack is more easily and conveniently achieved.  
      In accordance with the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a battery pack mounting apparatus for mobile communication. terminals, comprising: a push button; and a rotary locking unit rotatable by an operation of the push button for locking a battery pack to a battery pack fitting space or unlocking the battery pack from the battery pack fitting space.  
      Preferably, the push button is slidably mounted to the main body, and the apparatus further comprises: means for guiding a sliding movement of the push button.  
      Preferably, the guiding means comprises: a guide protrusion provided at a lateral part of the push button; and a guide groove provided at an inside surface of the main body to receive the guide protrusion.  
      Preferably, the rotary locking unit comprises: an actuating member for locking the battery pack to the battery pack fitting space or unlocking the battery pack from the battery pack fitting space according to a movement of the push button; a rotary member for rotating the actuating member between a locking position and an unlocking position on the basis of the movement of the push button; and a resilient member disposed at the rear of the push button for resiliently supporting the push button and returning the actuating member to its original position.  
      Preferably, the resilient member is fitted on the front outer circumference of the actuating member, the resilient member having one end supporting the inside surface of the main body and the other end fixed to the actuating member. In an embodiment, the resilient member is a torsion spring.  
      Preferably, the rotary member has a reciprocating inclined surface formed at the rear part of the push button and a rotating inclined surface formed at the front part of the actuating member such that the rotating inclined surface corresponds to the reciprocating inclined surface.  
      Preferably, the actuating member has a rotary shaft formed at the rear part thereof such that the rotary shaft can be rotatably inserted in the main body, a guide shaft formed at the front part thereof, the guide shaft being inserted in the push button for preventing separation of the push button from the actuating member, and an engagement protrusion formed at a prescribed position of the outer circumference thereof such that the engagement protrusion can be engaged in an engagement groove formed at the battery pack.  
      Preferably, the actuating member is provided at a prescribed position of the rear part thereof with a separation protrusion such that the separation protrusion extends outward while being spaced apart from the engagement protrusion by a prescribed angle, the separation protrusion being moved toward the battery pack fitting space as the actuating member is rotated so that the battery pack is separated from the battery pack fitting space. 
    
    
     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:  
       FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view showing a battery pack mounting apparatus for mobile communication terminals according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged side view of the battery pack mounting apparatus for mobile communication terminals shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  shows how a battery pack according to the present invention is mounted to a mobile communication terminal, wherein  
       FIG. 3   a  is a rear view of the mobile communication terminal with the battery pack mounted thereto, and  
       FIG. 3   b  is a side view, in cross section, of the mobile communication terminal shown in  FIG. 3   a;    
       FIG. 4  shows how the battery pack according to the present invention is separated from the mobile communication terminal, wherein  
       FIG. 4   a  is a rear view of the mobile communication terminal with the battery pack separated therefrom, and  
       FIG. 4   b  is a side view, in cross section, of the mobile communication terminal shown in  FIG. 4   a ; and  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective rear view showing a mobile communication terminal with a conventional battery pack mounted thereto. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Now, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
       FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view showing a battery pack mounting apparatus for mobile communication terminals according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 2  is an enlarged side view of the battery pack mounting apparatus for mobile communication terminals shown in  FIG. 1 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a battery pack fitting space  10  is formed at a main body  1  of a mobile communication terminal. In the battery pack fitting space  10  is fitted a battery pack  100 , which is fixed to the main body  1  by means of an engagement groove  101  formed at the upper end of the battery pack  100 . The battery pack  100  is detachably mounted to the main body  1  of the mobile communication terminal by means of a battery pack mounting apparatus according to the present invention, which is provided at the main body  1  above the battery pack fitting space.  
      The battery pack mounting apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a push button  21  formed at the main body  1  such that the push button  21  can be pressed in a direction perpendicular to the main body  1 ; and a rotary locking unit  20  rotatable by an operation of the push button  21  for locking the battery pack  100  to the battery pack fitting space  10  or unlocking the battery pack  100  from the battery pack fitting space  10 .  
      The rotary locking unit  20  comprises: a resilient member  22  for resiliently supporting the push button  21  so that the push button  21  can be repeatedly operated; an actuating member  23  for locking the battery pack  100  to the battery pack fitting space  10  or unlocking the battery pack  100  from the battery pack fitting space  10  according to a forward/backward movement of the push button  21 ; and a rotary member  24  for rotating the actuating member  23  on the basis of the forward/backward movement of the push button  21 .  
      The push button  21  has a front part protruded from the outside of the main body  1  such that a user can easily and conveniently press the push button  21 . The push button  21  is provided at a prescribed position of the lateral part thereof with a guide protrusion  211 , which extends in the direction in which the push button  21  is pressed. At the inside surface of the main body  1 , to which the push button  21  is attached, is formed a guide groove (not shown), in which the guide protrusion  211  of the push button  21  is slidably inserted so that the push button  21  can be stably and securely moved forward and backward.  
      The push button  21  is preferably provided at the outer circumference thereof with a stopper  212  for preventing the push button  21  from being separated out of the main body  1  after the push button  21  is fitted in the main body  1 .  
      The resilient member  22  has one end fixed to the push button  21  and the other end fixed to the actuating member  23 , which will be described below. Preferably, the resilient member  22  may be a torsion spring. The actuating member  23  is rotated in the direction in which the battery pack is unlocked by means of the resilient member  22  when the push button  21  is pressed. The actuating member  23  is returned to its original position by means of the resilient member  22  when the push button  21  is released.  
      The actuating member  23  has a rotary shaft  233  formed at the rear part thereof such that the rotary shaft  233  can be rotatably inserted in the main body  1 , and an engagement protrusion  231  formed at a prescribed position of the outer circumference thereof such that the engagement protrusion  231  can be engaged in the engagement groove  101  of the battery pack  100  through a rotating movement of the actuating member  23  to mount the battery pack  100  to the main body  1  or separate the battery pack  100  from the main body  1 . The actuating member  23  is rotated in a locking or unlocking direction according to the forward or backward movement of the push button  21 , whereby the battery pack  100  is mounted to the main body  1  or is separated from the main body  1 .  
      At the actuating member  23  between the engagement protrusion  231  and the rotary shaft  233  is formed a separation protrusion  232 , which extends outward while being spaced apart by a prescribed angle. The separation protrusion  232  is accommodated in the inside of the main body  1  while the push button  21  is not pressed. When the push button  21  is pressed, the separation protrusion  232  is rotated along with the actuating member  23 . As a result, the separation protrusion  232  is moved toward the battery pack fitting space  10  to push the battery pack  100  forward. Consequently, the battery pack  100  is separated from the main body  1 .  
      At the front part of the actuating member  23  is formed a guide shaft  234 , on which the push button  21  is fitted. Separation of the push button  21  from the actuating member  23  is effectively prevented by means of the guide shaft  234  when the push button is moved forward/backward and the actuating member is rotated.  
      The rotary member  24 , which is provided between the front part of the actuating member  23  and the rear part of the push button  21 , has a reciprocating inclined surface  241  formed at the rear part of the push button  21  and a rotating inclined surface  242  formed at the front part of the actuating member  23  such that the rotating inclined surface  242  corresponds to the reciprocating inclined surface  241 .  
      When the push button  21  is pressed against the resilient force of the resilient member  22 , the reciprocating inclined surface  241  is moved backward to push the rotating inclined surface  242  so that the actuating member  23  can be rotated against the resilient force of the resilient member  22 . In this way, the linear movement can be easily converted to rotary movement.  
      Preferably, the reciprocating inclined surface  241  comprises a plurality of reciprocating inclined surface parts, and the rotating inclined surface  242  also comprises a plurality of rotating inclined surface parts. In this case, the rotation of the actuating member  23 , which is accomplished when the push button  21  is pressed once, can be controlled on the basis of the number of the reciprocating inclined surface parts  241  and the rotating inclined surface parts  242 . The angle at which the engagement protrusion  231  and the separation protrusion  232  are spaced apart from each other can also be controlled on the basis of the number of the reciprocating inclined surface parts  241  and the rotating inclined surface parts  242 .  
       FIG. 3  shows how the battery pack according to the present invention is mounted to the mobile communication terminal. Specifically,  FIG. 3   a  is a rear view of the mobile communication terminal with the battery pack mounted thereto, and  FIG. 3   b  is a side view, in cross section, of the mobile communication terminal shown in  FIG. 3   a.    
      When the battery pack is fitted in the battery pack fitting space  10  while the resilient member  22  is disposed in the direction in which the engagement protrusion  231  formed at the actuating member  23  is constantly engaged in the engagement groove  101  of the battery pack  100  as shown in  FIG. 3 , the actuating member  23  is rotated by means of an inclined surface formed at the engagement protrusion  231  so that the engagement protrusion  231  is moved toward the inside of the main body  1 . As the battery pack  100  is completely fitted in the battery pack fitting space  10 , the actuating member  23  is resiliently rotated, whereby the battery pack  100  is securely mounted to the main body  1 .  
      Preferably, the battery pack fitting space is provided with a plurality of grooves, and the battery pack is provided at one side thereof opposite to the battery pack fitting space with a plurality of protrusions such that the protrusions correspond to the grooves, respectively. The battery pack  100  can be securely mounted to the main body  1  by means of the protrusions and the corresponding grooves, whereby the battery pack  100  is easily separated from the main body  1  when an external force is applied to the battery pack  100 .  
       FIG. 4  shows how the battery pack according to the present invention is separated from the mobile communication terminal. Specifically,  FIG. 4   a  is a rear view of the mobile communication terminal with the battery pack separated therefrom, and  FIG. 4   b  is a side view, in cross section, of the mobile communication terminal shown in  FIG. 4   a.    
      When the push button  21  is pressed to separate the battery pack  100  from the main body  1 , the actuating member  23  is rotated by means of the rotary member  24 , and the engagement protrusion  231  is rotated toward the inside of the main body  1 . As a result, the battery pack  100  is released.  
      When the battery pack  100  is released, the actuating member  23  is continuously rotated against the resilient force of the resilient member  22  so that the separation protrusion  232  is moved into the battery pack fitting space  10 . Simultaneously, the battery pack  100  is pushed forward by means of the resilient force of the resilient member  22 , and therefore the battery pack  100  is separated from the main body  1 .  
      When an external force applied to the push button  21  is removed after the battery pack  100  is completely separated from the battery pack fitting space  10 , the actuating member  23  is rotated to its original position by means of a resilient force of the resilient member  22 . In this way, the separation of the battery pack  100  from the main body  1  is accomplished.  
      As described above, the battery pack  100  can be easily separated from the main body  1  by simply pressing the push button  21 . Consequently, the separating operation of the battery pack  100  from the main body  1  can be carried out using only one hand of a user, whereby more convenient replacement of the battery pack  100  is accomplished.  
      As apparent from the above description, the present invention provides a battery pack mounting apparatus for mobile communication terminals that is capable of separating a battery pack from a main body of a mobile communication terminal by simply pressing a push button formed at the main body of the mobile communication terminal. Consequently, the present invention has an effect that separation of the battery pack can be more easily and conveniently achieved.  
      Furthermore, the battery pack mounting apparatus has a separation protrusion, by which the battery pack is separated from the main body simultaneously when the battery pack is released. Consequently, separation of the battery pack is more easily accomplished. In addition, the battery pack can be easily separated from the main body with only one hand of a user.  
      Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.