Abstract:
Provided is portable terminal. The portable terminal includes: a front housing forming a frame of the portable terminal: a rear housing disposed beneath the front housing, a shield can interposed between the front housing and the rear housing for shielding electromagnetic waves and coupled with the front housing; wherein the rear housing is coupled with the shield can, and wherein the front housing and the rear housing are coupled through the shield can.

Description:
CROSS RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to an application filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Sep. 14, 2012 and assigned Serial No. 10-2012-0102331, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present disclosure relates to a housing coupling structure for a portable terminal. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Currently, with the development of the electronic communication industry, there are rapid changes in the development of portable terminals, such as a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, and a digital TV. These devices have become necessary articles of modern life which are an important means for transmitting information. 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a structure of a conventional portable terminal. 
         [0007]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the portable terminal includes a front housing  110 , a rear housing  120 , and a rear cover  130 . 
         [0008]    The front housing  110  and the rear housing  120  are coupled to form a space accommodating the internal components of the portable terminal  100 . The rear cover  130  covers the rear housing  120 . The front housing  110  is disposed in a front side of the portable terminal  100 , and the rear cover  130  is disposed in a rear side of the portable terminal  100 . 
         [0009]    The front housing  110  and the rear housing  120  are coupled to form a container opened toward the front of the portable terminal  100 . A window  140 , a display  150 , a main board  160  and a shield can  170  are sequentially mounted in the space formed by the coupling between the front housing  110  and the rear housing  120 . A battery  180  is accommodated in the space formed by the coupling between the front housing  110  and the rear housing  120 . 
         [0010]    The window  140  is transparent and is exposed toward the front side of the portable terminal  100 . The images of the display  150  are displayed through the window  140 . The main board  160  is a substrate, in which basic circuits and a plurality of electronic components are mounted. The main board  160  sets an execution environment of the mobile terminal, maintains information thereof, allows the mobile terminal to be stably driven, and allows all units of the mobile terminal to swiftly perform data input/output exchange between the components of the mobile terminal and with other devices. The shield can  170  is mounted on the main board  160  so as to cover the circuits and electronic components of the main board  160  and provide an electromagnetic shield for the electronic components. 
         [0011]    The front housing  110  has a boss  111  for screw-coupling with the rear housing  120 . The boss  111  has a flanged screw coupling portion  1111  through which a screw hole to be coupled with a screw  190  is formed. The flanged screw coupling portion  1111  is formed of metal and is formed at the front boss  111  typically by use of insert injection molding. The rear housing  120  has a boss coupling hole  121  that is screw-coupled with the boss  111  of the front housing  110 . The screw  190  passes through the boss coupling hole  121  of the rear housing  120  and is coupled with the boss  111  of the front housing  110  such that the front housing  110  and the rear housing  120  are coupled together. 
         [0012]    The boss coupling hole  121  of the rear housing  120  must have a predetermined width (W) and a predetermined thickness (T), in order to prevent the boss coupling hole  121  from being broken during coupling by the screw  190 . 
         [0013]    The boss  111  of the front hosing  110  and the boss coupling hole  121  of the rear housing  120  are disposed in the side of the portable terminal, and it is becoming more difficult to maintain the width and thickness of the boss coupling hole  121 . The reason for this is that the thicknesses and widths of the front housing  110  and rear housing  120  have been reduced in order to reduce the thickness and width of the portable terminal. Recently, with the increasing use of a potable terminal having a touchscreen, users tend to prefer a larger touchscreen. Therefore, in order to increase the area of the touchscreen while downsizing the portable terminal, there is provided a method of reducing the thickness and width of the front housing  110  and the rear housing  120 . Also, for beauty of design, a curvature at the sides of the portable terminals is emerging as an important design factor. 
         [0014]    Accordingly, there is a need for a housing coupling structure for a portable terminal, which reduces the thickness or width of the portable terminal, increases design freedom, and provides secure rigidity. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0015]    The present invention substantially solves at least some of the above problems and/or disadvantages and to provide at least the advantages below. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a housing coupling structure that makes the rigidity of a portable terminal high. 
         [0016]    Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a housing coupling structure for a portable terminal that provides a secure strong joint by a screw fixture while reducing the thickness or width of the portable terminal. 
         [0017]    Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a housing coupling structure for a portable terminal that provides more space to make a screen larger while at the same time providing for reducing the thickness or width of the portable terminal. 
         [0018]    According to a first aspect of the present invention, a portable terminal includes: a front housing; a rear housing disposed beneath the front housing, a shield can interposed between the front housing and the rear housing and shielding electromagnetic waves and coupled with the front housing; and wherein the rear housing is coupled with the shield can, and wherein the front housing and the rear housing are coupled through the shield can. 
         [0019]    The front housing and the shield can may form a space accommodating internal components of the portable terminal. 
         [0020]    The portable terminal may further include a main board disposed on the shield can; a display disposed on the main board; and a window disposed on the display and in an opening of the front housing wherein a space is formed between the front housing and the shield can for accommodating internal components of the portable terminal. 
         [0021]    The front housing may have a boss formed at lower portions of edges of the opening with a screw coupling portion therein for receiving a coupling; the shield can may have a boss coupling hole in alignment with the boss; and wherein a screw may pass through the boss coupling hole of the shield can and may be coupled with the screw coupling portion. 
         [0022]    The boss of the front housing and the boss coupling hole of the shield can may be disposed beside the display. 
         [0023]    The front housing may have a step formed in a stair shape along an edge of the opening, the boss are formed within the step, and the window are disposed on the step. 
         [0024]    The boss of the front housing is located on a surface of the front housing and the boss coupling hole of the shield can is located on a surface of the shield can and wherein the surface of the front housing and the surface of the shield can are disposed facing each other in the portable terminal such that the boss and the boss coupling hole are in alignment with each other. 
         [0025]    The shield can may have a shield can boss, the rear housing may have a coupling hole boss in alignment with the shield can boss, and a wherein a screw may pass through the boss coupling hole of the rear housing and are coupled with the boss of the shield can. 
         [0026]    The shield can boss and the coupling hole boss are disposed under the main board. 
         [0027]    The coupling hole boss is located on a surface of the rear housing and the shield can boss is located on a surface, and wherein the surface of the rear housing and the surface of the shield can are disposed facing each other in the portable terminal such that the coupling hole boss and the shield can boss are in alignment with each other. 
         [0028]    The portable terminal may further include a rear cover disposed under the rear housing, and the rear housing and the rear cover may form a space for accommodating a battery. 
         [0029]    The rear cover may be coupled with the front housing or the rear housing by using a snap-fit coupling. 
         [0030]    The front housing and the rear housing may be formed of molded plastic. 
         [0031]    According to another aspect of the present invention, a portable terminal includes: a front housing having an opening; a rear housing disposed under the front housing and coupled with the front housing; a space formed between the front housing and the rear housing; and a window, a display, a main board and a shield can sequentially stacked in a downward direction in the space, wherein the front housing has a step formed in a stair shape at the edges of the opening, the display is disposed on a surface of the step, and a joint between the front housing and the rear housing is disposed under the display. 
         [0032]    The joint between the front housing and the rear housing may be disposed beside the main board. 
         [0033]    The front housing may have a boss formed at a lower portion of edges of the opening with a screw coupling portion therein for receiving a coupling, the rear housing may have a boss coupling hole, and a screw may pass through the boss coupling hole of the rear housing and may be coupled with the screw coupling portion. 
         [0034]    The boss of the front housing is located on a front housing surface and the boss coupling hole is located on a rear housing surface, and wherein the front housing surface and the rear housing surface are disposed facing each other in the portable terminal. 
         [0035]    The front housing may further have a second step connected to the step in an inner portion thereof, and the window is disposed on a surface of the second step. 
         [0036]    The portable terminal may further include a rear cover disposed under the rear housing, and the rear housing and the rear cover may form a space for accommodating a battery. 
         [0037]    The rear cover may be coupled with the front housing or the rear housing by using a snap-fit coupling. 
         [0038]    The front housing and the rear housing may be formed of molded plastic. 
         [0039]    The housing coupling structure of the portable terminal can increase rigidity, and can reduce the thickness or width of the portable terminal. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0040]    The above objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0041]      FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a structure of a conventional portable terminal; 
           [0042]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a portable terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0043]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a structure of a portable terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0044]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a structure of a portable terminal according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0045]    Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings to assist in a comprehensive understanding of exemplary embodiments of the invention as defined by the claims and their equivalents. For the purposes of clarity and simplicity, detailed descriptions of well-known functions or configurations will be omitted since they would unnecessarily obscure the subject matters of the present invention by a person of ordinary skill in the art with unnecessary detail of the well-known functions and structures. Also, the terms used herein are defined according to the functions of the present invention. Thus, the terms may vary depending on users′ or operators′ intentions or practices. Therefore, the terms used herein should be understood based on the descriptions made herein in view of the ordinary level of skill in the art. The terms and words used in the following description and claims are not limited to the bibliographical meanings, but, are merely used by the inventor to enable a clear and consistent understanding of the invention. Accordingly, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention are provided for illustration purpose only and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. 
         [0046]    The present invention relates to a housing coupling structure for an electronic device and the following description is directed to a portable terminal as an example of the electronic device. 
         [0047]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a portable terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0048]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the portable terminal  200  includes a speaker device  201  for outputting sound, a display device  203  disposed in the lower portion of the speaker device  201  for displaying images, a microphone device  205  disposed in the lower portion of the display device  203  for receiving sound input, and a keypad device  207  having input buttons arranged therein. 
         [0049]    The display device  203  may be a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) having several millions of pixels and may be implemented by using a touchscreen when a touch panel is further included. 
         [0050]    The portable terminal  200  accommodates the above-described elements, and includes a housing  210  that forms the external appearance and structure of the portable terminal. 
         [0051]    The portable terminal according to the present invention provides a housing coupling structure that can increase rigidity. 
         [0052]    In addition, the portable terminal according to the present invention provides a housing coupling structure that can secure strong and rigid coupling of the front and rear housings by a screw while reducing the thickness or width thereof. 
         [0053]    Furthermore, the portable terminal according to the present invention provides a housing coupling structure that can provide for an increase in a display device screen size while reducing the width of the housing. 
         [0054]    The housing coupling structure according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
         [0055]      FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view illustrating a structure of a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0056]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the portable terminal  200  includes a front housing  210 , a rear housing  220  and a rear cover  230 . 
         [0057]    The front housing  210  is coupled with the rear housing  220 , and the rear cover  230  covers the rear housing  220 . The front housing  210  is disposed at a front side of the portable terminal  200 , and the rear cover  230  is disposed at a rear side of the portable terminal  200 . 
         [0058]    The front housing  210  has an opened shape and forms a frame of the portable terminal  200  for framing other components that will be further described herein. 
         [0059]    The front housing  210  and the rear housing  220  are coupled together to form a container opened toward the front of the portable terminal  200 . 
         [0060]    A window  240 , a display  250 , a main board  260  and a shield can  270  are disposed in the space formed by the coupling between the front housing  210  and the rear housing  220 . 
         [0061]    The window  240  is disposed in the opening of the front housing  210 , and the display  250  is disposed under the window  240 . The main board  260  is disposed under the display  250 , and the shield can  270  is disposed under the main board  260 . 
         [0062]    A battery  280  is accommodated in the space  223  formed by the coupling between the rear housing  220  and the rear cover  230 . 
         [0063]    The rear cover  230  may be coupled with the front housing  210  or the rear housing  220  by using a predetermined coupling means (not illustrated), such as known screw coupling and snap-fit coupling. 
         [0064]    A step  212  is formed in a stair shape at the inner portion of the front housing  210 , and the edges of the window  240  are placed on and fixed to the step  212  of the front housing  210 . The step  212  of the front housing  210  is formed by the boss  211 , and the window  240  is disposed on the boss  211 . 
         [0065]    The window  240  is transparent and is exposed toward the front side of the portable terminal  200 . The images of the display  250  are displayed through the window  240 . 
         [0066]    The window  240  may further include a printed portion  241  covering the step  212  of the front housing  210 . 
         [0067]    The main board  260  is a substrate, in which basic circuits and a plurality of electronic components are mounted. The main board  260  sets an execution environment of the mobile terminal, maintains information thereof, allows the mobile terminal to be stably driven, and allows all units of the mobile terminal to swiftly perform data input/output exchange between the components of the mobile terminal and with other devices. 
         [0068]    The shield can  270  is formed of metal, and covers the circuits and electronic components on the main board  260  in order to shield electromagnetic waves. 
         [0069]    The shield can  270  is disposed between the front housing  210  and the rear housing  220 . The shield can  270  is coupled with the front housing  210  through a screw  291  and is coupled with the rear housing  220  through a screw  292 . 
         [0070]    The front housing  210  has a boss  211  for screw-coupling with the shield can  270 . The boss  211  of the front housing  210  has a flanged screw coupling portion  2111  in which a screw hole coupled with the screw  291  is formed. The flanged screw coupling portion  2111  is formed of metal and is formed at the boss  211  through insert injection molding. By positioning boss  211  of the front housing and screw coupling portion  2111  below window  240 , a larger window and thus display  250  may be implemented in a device with a design according to the present invention. Moreover, greater rigidity and strength for the closure of the front housing and the rear housing is provided by having both screw  291  and screw  292  for joining the two housings. In this way the clamping closure force required to maintain a rigid connection between the front housing and the rear housing may be distributed more evenly, thus minimizing the risk that the boss coupling hole  271  may be broken. Additional rigidity is provided by coupling screws  291  and  292  with shield can  270 . 
         [0071]    The shield can  270  has a boss coupling hole  271  for screw-coupling with the boss  211  of the front housing  210 . 
         [0072]    The screw  291  passes through the boss coupling hole  271  of the shield can  270  and is coupled with the boss  211  of front housing  210  such that the front housing  210  and the shield can  270  are coupled together. 
         [0073]    The boss  211  of the front housing  210  and the boss coupling hole  271  of the shield can  270  may be provided in each of the circularly defined areas ( 208  and  209  in  FIG. 2 ) of two edges facing each other in the portable terminal  200 . 
         [0074]    In addition, the shield can  270  has a boss  272  for screw-coupling with the rear housing  220 . 
         [0075]    The rear housing  220  has a boss coupling hole  222  for screw-coupling with the boss  272  of the shield can  270 . 
         [0076]    The screw  292  passes through the boss coupling hole  222  of the rear housing  220  and is coupled with the boss  272  of the shield can  270  such that the shield can  270  and the rear housing  220  are coupled together. 
         [0077]    Accordingly, the shield can  270  is coupled with the front housing  210  and the rear housing  220  such that the front housing  210 , the rear housing  220 , and the shield can  270  are integrated into one body. 
         [0078]    The boss coupling hole  222  of the rear housing  220  and the boss  272  of the shield can  270  may be provided in each of the circularly defined areas ( 208  and  209  in  FIG. 2 ) of two edges facing each other in the portable terminal  200 . 
         [0079]    In addition, the front housing  210  and the rear housing  220  may be formed of metal, or may be generally formed of molded plastic. 
         [0080]    In a case where the front housing  210  and the rear housing  220  are formed of molded plastic, and the shield can  270  is formed of metal having rigidity, the rigidity of the coupling between front housing  210  and the rear housing  220  can be secured and enhanced through the shield can  270 . 
         [0081]    The boss  211  of the front housing  210  and the boss coupling hole  271  of the shield can  270  are disposed beside the display  250 . 
         [0082]    In addition, the boss  272  of the shield can  270  and the boss coupling hole  222  of the rear housing  220  are disposed under the main board  260 . 
         [0083]    The shield can  270  is disposed under the main board  260 , and the boss coupling hole  271  of the shield can  270  extends to the boss  211  of the front housing  210 . 
         [0084]    The window  240 , the display  250 , and the main board  260  are accommodated in the space  301  formed by the coupling between the shield can  270  and the front housing  210 . 
         [0085]    When the portable terminal  200  is made slim, the rear housing  220  may be provided without the portion  303  extending to the boss coupling hole  271  of the shield can  270 . Even if the portion  303  is omitted, it is not difficult to secure a thickness for screw-coupling of the boss coupling hole  222  of the rear housing  220 . 
         [0086]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a structure of a portable terminal according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0087]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the portable terminal  200  includes a front housing  310 , a rear housing  320 , and a rear cover  330 . 
         [0088]    The front housing  310  and the rear housing  320  are coupled to form a space  401  accommodating the internal components of the portable terminal  200 . 
         [0089]    The rear cover  330  covers the rear housing  320 . The front housing  310  is disposed in a front side of the portable terminal  200 , and the rear cover  330  is disposed in a rear side of the portable terminal  200 . 
         [0090]    The front housing  310  forms the edges of the portable terminal  200  in an opened shape for framing the components therein. 
         [0091]    The front housing  310  and the rear housing  320  are coupled to form a container opened toward the front of the portable terminal  200 . 
         [0092]    A window  340 , a display  350 , a main board  360  and a shield can  370  are accommodated in a space  312  formed by the coupling between the front housing  310  and the rear housing  320 . 
         [0093]    The window  340  is disposed in the opening of the front housing  310 , and the display  350  is disposed under the window  340 . The main board  360  is disposed under the display  350 , and the shield can  370  is disposed under the main board  360 . 
         [0094]    A battery  380  is disposed in a space  323  formed by the coupling between the rear housing  320  and the rear cover  330 . 
         [0095]    A step  312  is formed in a stair shape at the inner portion of the front housing  310 , and the edges of the window  340  are placed on and fixed to the step  312  of the front housing  310 . 
         [0096]    The window  340  is transparent and is exposed toward the front side of the portable terminal  200 . The images of the display  350  are displayed through the window  340 . 
         [0097]    The main board  360  is a substrate, in which basic circuits and a plurality of electronic components are mounted. The main board  360  sets an execution environment of the mobile terminal, maintains information thereof, allows the mobile terminal to be stably driven, and allows all units of the mobile terminal to swiftly perform data input/output exchange between the components of the mobile terminal and with other devices. 
         [0098]    The shield can  370  is a metal body covering the circuits and electronic components of the main board  360  in order to shield electromagnetic waves, and is fixed to the main board  360 . 
         [0099]    The front housing  310  has a boss  311  for screw-coupling with the rear housing  320 . The boss  311  of the front housing  310  has a flanged screw coupling portion  3111  in which a screw hole coupled with the screw  390  is formed. The flanged screw coupling portion  3111  is formed of metal and is formed at the boss  311  through insert injection molding. 
         [0100]    The rear housing  320  has a boss coupling hole  321  for screw-coupling with the boss  311  of the front housing  310 . 
         [0101]    The screw  390  passes through the boss coupling hole  321  of the rear housing  320  and is coupled with the boss  311  of the front housing  310  such that the front housing  310  and the rear housing  320  are coupled together. 
         [0102]    The boss  311  of the front housing  310  and the boss coupling hole  321  of the rear housing  320  are disposed under the display  350  and beside the main board  360 . Similarly, the joint between the  311  of the front housing  310  and the boss coupling hole  321  of the rear housing  320  are disposed under the display  350   
         [0103]    A step  313  is formed in a stair from at the inner surface of the front housing  310 , and the edges of the window  350  are placed on and fixed to the step  313  of the front housing  310 . The step  313  of the front housing  310  includes the boss  311 , and the display  350  is disposed on the boss  311 . 
         [0104]    Steps  312  and  313 , which are connected in a stair shape, are formed at the inner surface of the front housing  310 . The window  340  may further include a printed portion  341  covering the steps  312  and  313  of the front housing  310 . 
         [0105]    Although the boss coupling hole  321  of the rear housing  320  needs to have a predetermined width (W) and a predetermined thickness (T), the boss coupling hole  321  is not broken during coupling by the screw  390 . By placing the boss coupling hole  321  of the rear housing  320 , adequate width (W) and thickness (T) can be maintained by placing the boss  311  and the boss coupling hole  321  below the display  350 , while still providing room for a larger display  350  and window  340 . Thus, greater strength is maintained. 
         [0106]    The boss coupling hole  321  of the rear housing  320  according to the present invention is disposed under the display  350 , not beside the display  350 . When the boss coupling hole  321  of the rear housing  320  is disposed beside the display  350 , there is a limitation in reducing the width of the rear housing  320  in order to make the portable terminal slim. However, when the boss coupling hole  321  of the rear housing  320  is disposed under the display  350  according to the present invention, the width and thickness of the boss coupling hole  321  can be sufficiently secured even though the width of the rear housing  320  is reduced in order to make the portable terminal slim. 
         [0107]    While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain exemplary 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. Therefore, the scope of the invention is defined not by the detailed description of the invention but by the appended claims, and all differences within the scope will be construed as being included in the present invention.