Patent Description:
A display device is a device equipped with functions of receiving, processing and displaying user-viewable images. The display device, for example, receives broadcasting selected by a user from broadcast signals broadcasted by a broadcasting station, splits video signals from the received signals, and displays the split video signals on a display.

Recently, owing to the developments of broadcast and network technologies, functions of a display device have been considerably diversified and performance of the device has been improved correspondingly. Namely, the display device has been developed so as to provide a user with various contents as well as simply broadcasted contents. For example, the display device can provide game play, listening to music, Internet shopping, user-customized information and the like using various applications as well as programs received from broadcasting stations. In order to perform such extended functions, the display device is basically connected to other devices or a network using various communication protocols and is able to provide ubiquitous computing environments to a user. Namely, the display device has been evolved into a smart device that enables connectivity to a network and ubiquitous computing.

Recently, a flexible display having sufficient elasticity to enable big deformation has been developed. The flexible display may be deformed to be rolled. A mobile terminal receives the rolled flexible display and may protrude the display to the outside of its body at a desired size. Therefore, the mobile terminal may have a more compact size in accordance with a use of the flexible display. Also, as the mobile terminal comprises such a rollable display, the mobile terminal may be referred to as a rollable mobile terminal.

In order to use the rollable mobile terminal, a user may eject the display from a body of the mobile terminal and at the same time the display may be extended to a size desired by the user. However, the display may be extended to various directions by the user, and relative alignment or arrangement of the display for the user may be varied depending on the extended direction. Therefore, in order to allow the user to view intended contents or screen, the mobile terminal needs to align contents or screen on the display in consideration of the varied display or relative alignment of the user. Moreover, the mobile terminal additionally needs to adjust the aligned contents in consideration of the extended direction and alignment.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to address the above-noted and other problems and provide a roll-slide mobile terminal capable of improving durability of a.

flexible display unit as a point where the flexible display unit is folded is limited to a specific position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a roll-slide mobile terminal comprising a support structure of a flexible display unit, in which the flexible display unit may stably be supported when it is extended.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a roll-slide mobile terminal including a side unit configured to protect a folded area of a flexible display unit so as to prevent the damage of the flexible display unit caused by an external shock.

The invention is specified by the independent claim.

Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a mobile terminal comprising a first frame comprising a plurality of first support portions, each of the plurality of first support portions extended in a horizontal direction and vertically spaced a preset distance apart from another one of the plurality of first support portions; a second frame comprising a plurality of second support portions, each of the plurality of second support portions provided between respectively corresponding first support portions, wherein the plurality of second support portions are configured to slidingly move relative to the first frame in the horizontal direction, causing a change from a first state to a second state in which the mobile terminal is expanded; and a flexible display comprising a first area provided on a front surface of the plurality of first support portions and a second area provided on a rear side of the first area by being folded to surround the second frame.

The first frame may further comprise a front portion in which the plurality of first support portions are provided and a rear portion configured to cover a rear surface of the second frame, the plurality of first support portions may be projected from the front portion towards the front surface by a height corresponding to a thickness of the plurality of second support portions, and the plurality of second support portions may be provided on a front surface of the front portion.

The first frame may comprise a first side portion configured to form exterior designs of upper lower sides.

The second frame may comprise a second side portion inserted in the first side portion and configured to be exposed outside in the second state.

The second frame may comprise a curved portion coupled with the plurality of second support portions and located in a curved area of the flexible display unit.

The roll-slide mobile terminal may further comprise a third side portion configured to cover at least a predetermined area of a third area provided in the flexible display unit that surrounds the curved portion.

The second frame may further comprise a third support portion provided in a front surface of the second area of the flexible display unit and configured to support the second area of the flexible display unit, and the third support portion may be connected with the curved portion and extended in parallel with the second support portions.

The roll-slide mobile terminal may further comprise a slide slot formed in the third support portion in a horizontal direction; and a slide projection projected from one end of the flexible display unit and configured to be inserted in the slide slot and move along the slide slot when the second frame sliding-moves.

The roll-slide mobile terminal may further comprise a drive unit configured to move the third support portion in a horizontal direction, wherein the drive unit comprises a drive slot extended from the third support portion in a vertical direction; a link having one end rotatably coupled to the first frame; and a drive projection projected from the other end of the link and inserted in the drive slot.

The roll-slide mobile terminal may further comprise a pair of second frames, each of the pair of second frames coupled to a respectively corresponding horizontal side of the first frame, wherein the pair of second frames are configured to slide in the reverse directions; and a pair of links rotatably coupled to the center of the first frame and configured to be rotatable in the reverse directions.

The roll-slide mobile terminal may further comprise a pair of first saw-toothed wheels, each first saw-toothed wheel formed in ne ends of formed in one ends of a corresponding one of the pair of links; and a pair of second saw-toothed wheels, each second saw-toothed wheel configured to be rotatable by engaging with a corresponding one of the pair of first saw-toothed wheel, wherein the pair of second saw-toothed wheels are rotated in the reverse directions by engaging with each other.

The roll-slide mobile terminal may further comprise a slide slot formed in the third support portion in a horizontal direction; a slide projection projected from one end of the flexible display unit and configured to be inserted in the slide slot and move along the slide slot when the second frame sliding-moves; and an elastic member provided between the slide projection and the other end of the link.

The first frame may comprise a front portion in which the first support portions are provided; a rear portion configured to cover a rear surface of the second frame; and a first reinforcement portion provided in a position not overlapping with the second frame and having a corresponding thickness to a space formed between the front portion and the rear portion.

The first frame may further comprise a second reinforcement portion having a corresponding thickness to a space formed between the third support portion and the front portion.

The roll-slide mobile terminal may further comprise a main board and a battery that are loaded in the first frame; a fixed sensing unit extended on the main board in a horizontal direction; a movable sensing unit coupled to the second frame and configured to be movable in a state of contacting with the fixed sensing unit when the first state is changed into the second state; and a control unit configured to sense a position of the movable sensing unit on the fixed sensing unit and calculate the extent of the first area provided in the flexible display unit based on the result of the sensing, and further configured to output an image on the first area.

Since the roll-slide mobile terminal of the present invention does not limit a point where the flexible display unit is folded to a specific position, durability of the flexible display unit may be improved.

Also, since the flexible display unit may stably be supported when it is extended, it is possible to minimize difficulty in a touch input.

Also, the flexible display unit from may be prevented from being damaged by external impact at a side where the flexible display is folded by the side unit provided to protect the folded side of the flexible display.

Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings, which are given by illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:.

Description will now be given in detail according to exemplary embodiments disclosed herein, with reference to the accompanying drawings. For the sake of brief description with reference to the drawings, the same or equivalent components may be provided with the same reference numbers, and description thereof will not be repeated. In general, a suffix such as "module" and "unit" may be used to refer to elements or components. Use of such a suffix herein is merely intended to facilitate description of the specification, and the suffix itself is not intended to give any special meaning or function. In the present disclosure, that which is well-known to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art has generally been omitted for the sake of brevity. The accompanying drawings are used to help easily understand various technical features and it should be understood that the embodiments presented herein are not limited by the accompanying drawings.

It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being "connected with" another element, the element can be directly connected with the other element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly connected with" another element, there are no intervening elements present.

The mobile terminal <NUM> is shown having components such as a wireless communication unit <NUM>, an input unit <NUM>, a sensing unit <NUM>, an output unit <NUM>, an interface unit <NUM>, a memory <NUM>, a controller <NUM>, and a power supply unit <NUM>. It is understood that implementing all of the illustrated components in The Fig. 1A is not a requirement, and that greater or fewer components may alternatively be implemented.

The mobile communication module <NUM> can transmit and/or receive wireless signals to and from one or more network entities. Typical examples of a network entity include a base station, an external mobile terminal, a server, and the like. Such network entities form part of a mobile communication network, which is constructed according to technical standards or communication methods for mobile communications (for example, Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), Code Division Multi Access (CDMA), CDMA2000(Code Division Multi Access <NUM>), EV-DO(Enhanced Voice-Data Optimized or Enhanced Voice-Data Only), Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), High Speed Downlink Packet access (HSDPA), HSUPA(High Speed Uplink Packet Access), Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-A(Long Term Evolution-Advanced), and the like).

Cameras <NUM> may process image frames of still pictures or video obtained by image sensors in a video or image capture mode. The processed image frames can be displayed on the display unit <NUM> or stored in memory <NUM>. In some cases, the cameras <NUM> may be arranged in a matrix configuration to permit a plurality of images having various angles or focal points to be input to the mobile terminal <NUM>. As another example, the cameras <NUM> may be located in a stereoscopic arrangement to acquire left and right images for implementing a stereoscopic image.

The sensing unit <NUM> is typically implemented using one or more sensors configured to sense internal information of the mobile terminal, the surrounding environment of the mobile terminal, user information, and the like. For example, the sensing unit <NUM> may alternatively or additionally include other types of sensors or devices, such as a proximity sensor <NUM> and an illumination sensor <NUM>, a touch sensor, an acceleration sensor, a magnetic sensor, a G-sensor, a gyroscope sensor, a motion sensor, an RGB sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, a finger scan sensor, a ultrasonic sensor, an optical sensor (for example, camera <NUM>), a microphone <NUM>, a battery gauge, an environment sensor (for example, a barometer, a hygrometer, a thermometer, a radiation detection sensor, a thermal sensor, and a gas sensor, among others), and a chemical sensor (for example, an electronic nose, a health care sensor, a biometric sensor, and the like), to name a few. The mobile terminal <NUM> may be configured to utilize information obtained from sensing unit <NUM>, and in particular, information obtained from one or more sensors of the sensing unit <NUM>, and combinations thereof.

The controller <NUM> typically functions to control overall operation of the mobile terminal <NUM>, in addition to the operations associated with the application programs. The controller <NUM> may provide or process information or functions appropriate for a user by processing signals, data, information and the like, which are input or output, or activating application programs stored in the memory <NUM>.

To drive the application programs stored in the memory <NUM>, the controller <NUM> may be implemented to control a predetermined number of the components mentioned above in reference with FIG. Moreover, the controller <NUM> may be implemented to combinedly operate two or more of the components provided in the mobile terminal <NUM> to drive the application programs.

<FIG> is a perspective view illustrating a first state and a second state when a roll-slide mobile terminal according to the present invention is viewed at one side and <FIG> is a front view illustrating the first state and the second state without the flexible display unit <NUM> provided in the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM>. <FIG> is a front view illustrating a first state and a second state without a flexible display unit <NUM> provided in another embodiment of the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM>.

<FIG> and <FIG> illustrate the first state of the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM> according to one embodiment of the present invention. <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG> illustrate the second state of the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM> according to one embodiment of the present invention.

The roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM> of the first state has a size smaller than that of the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM> of the second state in a first direction. In the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM> of the second state, the size of the first direction is extended and a size of a display unit <NUM> arranged on a front surface becomes greater than the first state. A direction along which the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM> is extended is referred to as a first direction, a direction along which the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM> is contracted to be shifted from the second state to the first state is referred to as a second direction, and a direction vertical to the second direction is referred to as a third direction.

In a first state of the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM> according to the present invention like a bar-type mobile terminal, a screen is expanded and changed into a second state. The flexible display unit <NUM> is partially located in a rear surface in the first state and then moved in the second state such that it may cover a front surface of the frame widened in a horizontal direction in the second state. Here, the horizontal direction may be the direction in which the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM> is expanded in a horizontal direction shown in the drawings. The horizontal direction may be a vertical direction according to a direction in which the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM> stands.

For easy and convenient description sake, the area of the display unit <NUM> that is located in the front surface of the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM> may be defined as the first area and the area located in the rear surface of the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM> may be defined as the second area. The extents of the first area and the second area may be changed based on the current state of the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM>.

In this way, a flexible display unit <NUM> which is bent may be used as the display unit such that the position of the display unit may be varied. The flexible display means a display, which is manufactured on a thin and flexible substrate capable of being curved, bent, folded, twisted or rolled like a paper, lightweight and robust not to be easily broken while maintaining characteristics of the existing flat panel display.

Also, an electronic paper is based on a display technique to which a feature of a general ink is applied, and is different from the existing flat panel display in that it uses reflective light. The electronic paper may change information by using electrophoresis that uses a twist ball or capsule.

In a state that the flexible display unit <NUM> is not deformed (for example, the state that the flexible display unit <NUM> has an infinite curvature radius, hereinafter, referred to as base state), a display area of the flexible display unit <NUM> becomes a plane. In a state (for example, the state having a finite curvature radius, hereinafter, referred to as a deformation state) deformed by an external force from the base state, the display area may be a curved surface. As shown, information displayed in the deformation state may be visual information output to the curved surface. This visual information is implemented as luminescence of unit sub-pixels arranged in a matrix arrangement is controlled independently. The unit sub-pixel means a minimum unit for implementing one color.

The flexible display unit <NUM> may be arranged in a bent state (for example, the state bent in a vertical or horizontal direction) not a flat state in the base state. In this case, if an external force is applied to the flexible display unit <NUM>, the flexible display unit <NUM> may be deformed in a flat state (or less bent state) or a more bent state.

Meanwhile, the flexible display unit <NUM> may implement a flexible touch screen in combination with a touch sensor. If a touch is performed for a flexible touch screen, the controller <NUM> (see <FIG>) may perform a control corresponding to such a touch input. The flexible touch screen may be configured to sense a touch input even in the deformation state as well as the base state.

The touch sensor senses a touch (or touch input) applied to the touch screen by using at least one of various touch modes such as a resistive film mode, a capacitance mode, an infrared mode, an ultrasonic mode, and a magnetic field mode.

As an example, the touch sensor may be configured to convert a change of a pressure applied to a specific portion of the touch screen or a change of capacitance occurring in the specific portion to an electric input signal. The touch sensor may be configured to allow a touch target, which performs a touch on the touch screen, to detect a touch position, a touch area, a touch pressure and touch capacitance on the touch sensor.

The roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM> according to this modified embodiment may include a deformation sensing means capable of sensing deformation of the flexible display unit <NUM>. The deformation sensing means may be included in the sensing unit <NUM> (see <FIG>).

The deformation sensing means may be provided in the flexible display unit <NUM> or a case <NUM> to sense information related to deformation of the flexible display unit <NUM>. In this case, the information related to deformation may include a direction of the flexible display unit <NUM> which is modified, a modified level, a modified position, a modified time and restored acceleration of the deformed flexible display unit <NUM>. In addition, the information related to deformation may include various kinds of information to be sensed by bending of the flexible display unit <NUM>.

Also, the controller <NUM> may modify information displayed on the flexible display unit <NUM> or generate a control signal for controlling functions of the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM>, on the basis of the information related to deformation of the flexible display unit <NUM> sensed by the deformation sensing means.

State deformation of the flexible display unit <NUM> is not limited to deformation caused by an external force. For example, when the flexible display unit <NUM> has the first state, the first state may be modified to the second state by a command of a user or an application. In this way, in order that the flexible display unit <NUM> is modified without external force, the flexible display unit <NUM> may include a drive unit <NUM>.

The flexible display unit <NUM> may be bent <NUM> degrees. Some area of the flexible display unit <NUM> may be positioned on the front surface and the other area may be positioned on the rear surface of the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM>. The overall area of the flexible display unit <NUM> is fixed such that the extent of the area located in the rear surface (the second area) may decrease if the extent of the area located in the front surface (the first area) increases.

Referring to <FIG>, the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM> includes a first frame provided as a base frame and having a battery <NUM> and a main board <NUM> loaded therein; a second frame <NUM> that is able to slide with respect to the first frame <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, a pair of second frames <NUM> may be coupled to both horizontal sides of the first frame <NUM> to extended along both directions. As one alternative example, one second frame <NUM> may be coupled to a horizontal side of the first frame <NUM> to be extended along only one direction.

In the first state, the second frame <NUM> may partially overlap with a front surface of the first frame <NUM>, and directly contact with a rear surface of the flexible display unit <NUM> such that it may be defined as a support portion <NUM> and <NUM>. A plurality of first support portions <NUM> horizontally projected from a front portion <NUM> of the first frame <NUM> may be arranged in a vertical direction. A second support portion <NUM> of the second frame <NUM> may be arranged between the first support portions <NUM>. The second support portion <NUM> may be a bar-type member horizontally extended like the first support portion <NUM> and it may be inserted in the first frame <NUM>.

The first support portion <NUM> and the second support portion <NUM> may be alternately arranged to support the rear surface of the extended flexible display unit <NUM>. When a gap between the first and second support portions <NUM> and <NUM> is narrow, the first and second support portions <NUM> and <NUM> are able to support the expanded flexible display unit <NUM> at dense intervals and then prevent the deflection of the flexible display unit <NUM> in the second state.

When using one second frame <NUM> as shown in <FIG>, the number of the first support portions <NUM> may be equal to that of the second support portions <NUM> by <NUM> to <NUM> ratio. In the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM> including two second frames <NUM> as shown in <FIG>, two second support portions <NUM> of the second frames <NUM> may be inserted in the first frame <NUM>. Accordingly, the intervals of the first support portions <NUM> shown in <FIG> may be wider than the intervals shown in <FIG>.

<FIG> is an exploded perspective view of the roll-slide mobile terminal according to the present invention, viewed in a rear direction. The roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM> may include the first frame <NUM>, the second frame <NUM> and the flexible display unit <NUM>. It may further include a drive unit <NUM> configured to facilitate the movement of the second frame <NUM>.

In the flexible display unit <NUM> shown in <FIG>, the first area is limited as the area located on the front surfaces of the first and second support portions <NUM> and <NUM> in the first state. The other area may cover the second frame <NUM> and folded towards the rear surface of the second frame while one end of the flexible display unit <NUM> is moving from the rear surface of the second frame <NUM> in a horizontal direction.

The flexible display unit <NUM> according to the present invention may include a display panel <NUM> configured to output an image; and a back plate <NUM> configured to support a rear surface of the display panel <NUM>. The display panel <NUM> may be a flexible display device (e.g., OLED). The back plate <NUM> may be provided on the rear surface of the display panel <NUM> and a metal plate that is flexible together with the display panel <NUM>, with a predetermined rigidity strong enough to support the display panel <NUM> may be used as the back plate <NUM>.

The back plate <NUM> and the display panel <NUM> may be bonded to each other by using an adhesive material. Examples of the adhesive material may include OCA that is a double-sided tape extendible within a predetermined range (e.g., a foam material). Accordingly, the adhesive material may offset a slip phenomenon that might be caused by a difference between the curvature radius of the back plate <NUM> and that of the display panel <NUM>. The back plate <NUM> may have a predetermined rigidity so as to prevent the flexible display unit <NUM> from deflecting between the first or second support portions <NUM> or <NUM> spaced a preset distance apart from each other as shown in <FIG>.

The first frame <NUM> may include a front portion <NUM> and a rear portion <NUM> configured to form a rear surface of the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM>. Such components as the battery <NUM> and the main board <NUM> may be loaded in a predetermined space formed between the front portion <NUM> and the rear portion <NUM>. A first side portion <NUM> may be provided on a vertical side surface of the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM>. The first side portion <NUM> may define an exterior design of the vertical side surface of the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM> and form a predetermined space together with the front portion <NUM> and the rear portion <NUM> to load the components, with a corresponding thickness to the space formed between the front portion <NUM> and the rear portion <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, an uneven area is formed in the front portion <NUM> and a forwardly-projected area may be referred to as a first support portion <NUM>. In other words, the first support portion <NUM> may mean the projected area vertically spaced apart from the front portion <NUM> of the first frame <NUM>. The second support portion <NUM> of the second frame may horizontally slide on the front portion <NUM> between the first support portions <NUM>.

The second support portion <NUM> of the second frame <NUM> may include a curved portion <NUM> extended in a horizontal direction like a comb and having one end connecting the second support portions <NUM> with each other. The above-noted flexible display unit is wound around the curved portion <NUM> such that the curved portion may have a curved surface with a predetermined curvature.

The second frame <NUM> may further include a third support portion <NUM> arranged in a rear surface of the second support portion <NUM>. The third support portion may support the second area of the flexible display unit <NUM> in the first state. The flexible display unit <NUM> may include a first area supported by the first and second support portions <NUM> and <NUM>; a second area supported by the third support portion <NUM>; and a third area located in the curved portion <NUM>.

The flexible display unit <NUM> may not be fixedly coupled to the second frame <NUM>. When the second frame <NUM> horizontally slides from the first frame <NUM> to be the second state, the flexible display unit <NUM> may also slide on the second and third support portions <NUM> and <NUM> of the second frame <NUM>.

One end of the flexible display unit <NUM> located on the third support portion <NUM> may slide twice as far as the second frame <NUM> horizontally slides such that it may be sliding-movably coupled on the third support portion <NUM>.

A predetermined area of the first area that contacts with the first support portion <NUM> in the flexible display unit <NUM> may be secured by using an adhesive material. Accordingly, even when the state of the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM> is changed, the flexible display unit <NUM> is able to sliding-move on the third support portion <NUM> of the second frame <NUM>, without being pushed.

A second side portion <NUM> may be further provided in a vertical area of the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM> and configured to cover an expanded vertical side area in an expanded state after the second frame <NUM> sliding-moves. The second side portion <NUM> may vertically move in the second state as one part of the second frame <NUM> and cover a vertical side surface of the second frame <NUM> to prevent an internal structure from being exposed outside.

The second side portion <NUM> is insertedly fitted in the first side portion <NUM> in the first state and exposed outside in the second state as shown in <FIG>. The second side portion <NUM> may have a similar shape with the first side portion <NUM> so as to form a continuous exterior design of the mobile terminal. In other words, when the first side portion <NUM> has a gently curved surface, the second side portion <NUM> may have a corresponding curved surface as well. Here, the second side portion <NUM> may be insertedly located in the first portion <NUM> such that it may be smaller than the first side portion <NUM>.

The second frame <NUM> may further include a third side portion <NUM> configured to protect the third area of the flexible display unit <NUM>. The third side portion <NUM> may cover all of the third area or some of the third area, so as to use even the third area expanded from the first area as the output area of the screen.

The third side portion <NUM> may include an opaque material or a transparent material or mixture of the two materials. In case it includes the transparent material, the transparent portion may be formed and the user is able to see an image output on the third area of the flexible display unit <NUM>. The user is able to input a control signal via a touch sensor provided in the flexible display unit <NUM>. For such touch input, the third side portion <NUM> may include a conductive material partially provided therein. A projection may be formed in the area having the conductive material to allow the user to touch the projection so as to input a user command.

The first frame <NUM> may include a first reinforcement portion <NUM> provided between the front portion <NUM> and the rear portion <NUM> and configured to support the front portion so as to some internal space. The first reinforcement portion <NUM> may be arranged in an area where the third support portion of the second frame <NUM> is not located. As shown in <FIG>, the first reinforcement portion may be located in a central area of the second frame. No third support portion <NUM> may be provided in the area of the first reinforcement portion to prevent the overlapping of the third support portion <NUM> with the first reinforcement portion <NUM>. It is preferred that the first reinforcement portion is located in the central area as shown in <FIG>, even considering the loaded area of the main board <NUM> and the battery <NUM> and the second area of the flexible display unit <NUM>.

Since the curved portion <NUM> or the third side portion support the area between the front surface and the rear surface of the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM> in the first state, the internal space of the roll-slide mobile terminal may be stably supported. However, in the second state, the third side portion and the curved portion <NUM> are spaced apart from the first reinforcement portion <NUM> in the second state such that deflection might occur between the first reinforcement portion <NUM> and the curved portion <NUM>.

To solve the problem of deflection, the first frame <NUM> may further include a second reinforcement portion <NUM> provided between the front portion <NUM> and the third support portion <NUM> of the first frame <NUM>. The second reinforcement portion <NUM> may be projected towards the rear surface from both horizontal sides of the front portion <NUM> as shown in <FIG>.

The drive unit <NUM> may be provided to drive the horizontal-direction sliding movement of the second frame <NUM>. <FIG> is a diagram illustrating the third support portion <NUM> of the second frame <NUM> and the drive unit <NUM>. <FIG> shows the third support portion <NUM> of the second frame <NUM> and the drive unit <NUM> in the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM>. The drawing shows the internal space of the rear surface where the components including the battery <NUM> are loaded, omitting the front portion <NUM> and the first support portion <NUM> of the first frame <NUM>.

To arrange the pair of the third support portions <NUM> not to overlap with each other, the horizontal width of the third support portion <NUM> may be a half or less of the horizontal side of the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates the first state and <FIG> illustrates the second state. The drive unit <NUM> include a link <NUM> having one end rotatably coupled to the first frame <NUM>; and a drive slot <NUM> vertically extended from the third support portion <NUM> of the second frame. A drive projection <NUM> may be projected from the other end of the link <NUM> to be inserted in the drive slot <NUM>. When the link <NUM> is rotated, the drive projection may vertically move on the drive slot <NUM>.

Specifically, the link <NUM> may be rotatable on a rotation coupling portion <NUM> provided in one side. The drive projection <NUM> rotatable together with the rotation of the link <NUM> may transfer only the horizontal movement to the second frame <NUM>, not the vertical movement. The drive projection <NUM> may vertically move on the drive slot <NUM> and the vertical movement of the drive projection <NUM> may be offset.

When further including a motor configured to rotate the rotation coupling portion <NUM> of the link <NUM>, the second frame <NUM> may automatically move in a horizontal direction. When the user moves the second frame <NUM> in the horizontal direction, the link <NUM> arranged in a vertical direction as shown in (a) may be arranged in a horizontal direction as shown in (b). When the user changes the second state into the first state, the position of the link <NUM> may be changed from the horizontal direction into the vertical direction.

When including the pair of the second frames <NUM>, a gear structure shown in <FIG> may be further provided to facilitate symmetric movement of the second frames <NUM>. The gear structure may include a first saw-toothed wheel formed in each one side of the two links <NUM>; and a second saw-toothed wheel rotatably coupled to the rear portion <NUM> of the first frame by rotatably engaging with the first saw-toothed wheel. A pair of two second saw-toothed wheels may be provided to rotate while engaging with each other in the reverse directions, respectively.

While the second saw-toothed wheel <NUM> is rotatably engaging with the first saw-toothed wheel, the link <NUM> is rotated in the reverse direction as shown in <FIG> and the pair of the second frames <NUM> is able to slide in the horizontally symmetric directions, respectively.

A slide slot <NUM> may be formed in the third support portion to sliding-move the other end of the flexible display unit <NUM> from the third support portion <NUM> of the second frame <NUM>. The slide slot <NUM> may be extended in a horizontal direction and configured to sliding-move in a state where the slide projection <NUM> coupled to the flexible display unit <NUM> is inserted in the slide slot.

The slide projection <NUM> may be directly formed in the back plate of the flexible display unit <NUM> mentioned above or in an auxiliary frame (a third frame) configured to be coupled to the back plate of the flexible display unit <NUM>, only to guide the sliding-movement of the flexible display unit <NUM>.

When the first state is changed into the second state, the movement of the second area of the flexible display unit <NUM> towards the front surface of the second support portion <NUM> may be performed in communication with the sliding movement of the second frame <NUM>. However, when the second state is changed into the first state, a display wrinkle or a lift defect from the second support portion <NUM> might occur on the flexible display unit <NUM>.

When the slide projection <NUM> moves in a state of being inserted in the slide slot <NUM>, such a lift defect may be prevented. To easily change the second state into the first state more smoothly or effectively prevent the lift defect, an elastic member <NUM> may be further provided as shown in <FIG>. The elastic member <NUM> may be provided between the slide projection and the drive projection <NUM> of the link <NUM> and configured to provide a force for moving the flexible display unit <NUM> located on the second support portion <NUM> towards the third support portion <NUM> of the rear surface, when the user pulls the drive projection <NUM> to change the second state into the first state.

More specifically, when the second frame <NUM> sliding-moves towards the first frame <NUM> to change the second state into the first state of the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM>, the link <NUM> horizontally arranged as shown in <FIG> may be vertically rotated as shown in <FIG>. At this time, the elastic member <NUM> may provide elasticity for pulling the slide projection <NUM> to move the flexible display unit <NUM> towards the rear surface. When the user pushes the second frame <NUM> towards the first frame <NUM> with a weak strength, the second state is able to be switched into the first state more easily by the elasticity of the elastic member <NUM>.

In the drawing, the elastic member <NUM> has a coil spring shape but embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto. The drive force for moving the flexible display unit <NUM> towards the rear surface in changing the second state into the first state by using diverse types of the elastic member <NUM>.

A pair of drive units <NUM> may be provided in upper and lower areas symmetrically as shown in <FIG>. If the force is applied only to one are, torsion might occur in changing first state into the second state or vice versa. The drive units <NUM> provided in both upper and lower sides may guide the movements of the second frame <NUM> and the flexible display unit <NUM>.

illustrates another embodiment of the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM>. <FIG> illustrates a front surface of the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM> and <FIG> illustrates the front surface, with omitting the components including the battery <NUM> and the main board <NUM> loaded therein like <FIG>.

In the drive unit <NUM> mentioned above in reference to <FIG>, the pair of the links <NUM> are rotatable while engaging with the second saw-toothed wheel <NUM> such that the pair of the links <NUM> may be synchronized and rotated at the same time. However, in this embodiment, the pair of the links <NUM> may be movable independently. Only when the user pulls only one second frame 102a located in one side, the other second frame 102b located in the other side may fixed and only the second frame 102a may slide.

<FIG> illustrates a further embodiment of the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM>. In this embodiment, only second frame <NUM> may be provided. Similar to the embodiment including the pair of the second frames <NUM>, the second frame <NUM> of this embodiment may include a slide slot <NUM> and a drive slot <NUM>. A slide projection <NUM> that is movable along the slide slot <NUM> may guide the sliding movement of the flexible display unit <NUM>. A drive projection <NUM> movable along the drive slot <NUM> may guide the sliding movement of the second frame <NUM>. An elastic member <NUM> for connecting the drive projection <NUM> and the slide projection <NUM> with each other may assist the movement of the slide projection.

When one first frame <NUM> is provided as shown in <FIG>, one link <NUM> may be also provided. At this time, the moving distance of the second frame <NUM> has to be longer in this embodiment than the above-noted embodiment such that the link <NUM> has to be longer. When one second frame <NUM> is provided as shown in <FIG>, the third support portion <NUM> may be larger than the third support portion when two second frames <NUM> are provided.

<FIG> is a diagram to describe the sensing unit of the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM>. In the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM>, the size of the first area of the flexible display unit <NUM> may be changeable in several steps or serially. Except the first state shown in <FIG> and the second state that is a completely expanded state shown in <FIG>, the first area may be expanded in a middle size between the sizes in the two states.

<FIG> is an A-A sectional diagram of <FIG> and <FIG> is a B-B sectional diagram of <FIG>. <FIG> is a sectional diagram in the second state that is a middle state between <FIG>.

As shown in <FIG>, the flexible display unit <NUM> may include a fixed sensing unit <NUM> extended in a horizontal direction; and a movable sensing unit <NUM> coupled to the second frame <NUM> and movable on the fixed sensing unit <NUM> in the horizontal direction. The moving distance of the second frame <NUM> may be sensed according to the position of the movable sensing unit <NUM> on the fixed sensing unit <NUM> and the size of the first area of the flexible display unit <NUM> may be calculated based on the result of the moving distance.

The control unit may be implemented to sense the position of the movable sensing unit <NUM> by using the fixed sensing unit <NUM> and determine the size of the first area. After that, the control unit may control the flexible display unit <NUM> and output a screen on a larger area in the state shown in <FIG> than the state shown in <FIG>.

When the movable sensing unit <NUM> is provided in the rear surface of the second support portion <NUM>, the front portion <NUM> of the first frame may be located between the second support portion <NUM> and the first support portion. Accordingly, an open portion <NUM> may be provided in the front portion <NUM> and the open portion <NUM> may be extended in the horizontal direction. The movable sensing unit <NUM> may be projected towards the rear surface via the opening portion <NUM> and then contact with the fixed sensing unit <NUM>. When the movable sensing unit <NUM> is provided in the front surface of the third support portion <NUM> and the fixed sensing unit <NUM> is provided in the rear surface of the main board <NUM>, the opening portion <NUM> may be omitted.

<FIG> illustrates that the pair of the second frames <NUM> are moving in symmetry. However, when the pair of the second frames can move independently as shown in <FIG>, two fixed sensing units <NUM> and two movable sensing units <NUM> may be provided to figure out the movements of the two second frames <NUM>, respectively.

<FIG> is a diagram to describe the control of the output screen based on the result of the sensing performed by the sensing units <NUM> and <NUM> and illustrates the pair of the second frames <NUM> that are movable independently as one embodiment. A longitudinal direction becomes a horizontal direction and the horizontal direction mentioned above becomes the vertical direction shown in the drawing. For the identical description, the direction in which the second frames <NUM> are moving is defined as the horizontal direction.

The size of the horizontal direction first area is 'a' in the state shown in <FIG>. In the state shown in <FIG>, the second frames <NUM> are moving and the first area of the flexible display unit <NUM> is partially expanded. When the first area of the flexible display unit <NUM> is expanded, the screen output in the first state may be output as a larger screen or an auxiliary screen 151b may be additionally provided as shown in <FIG>. A menu of a playing list, a thumbnail of an important scene, an image taken at a different angle or an image of another channel may be displayed on the screen 151b.

A different screen may be provided on a moved one of second frames <NUM> or a direction in which the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM> is arranged. For example, when one second frame <NUM> located in the other side of the roll-slide mobile terminal <NUM> is moved as shown in <FIG>, the image taken at a different angle may be provided. When the other second frame <NUM> located in one side is moved, the image of another channel may be displayed. When the second frame is arranged in the vertical direction along the longitudinal direction, the screen provided on the expanded second frame <NUM> may be controlled to be enlarged and output.

As described above, since the roll-slide mobile terminal of the present invention does not limit a point where the flexible display unit <NUM> is folded to a specific position, durability of the flexible display unit <NUM> may be improved.

Also, since the flexible display unit <NUM> may stably be supported when it is extended, it is possible to minimize difficulty in a touch input.

Also, the flexible display unit <NUM> may be prevented from being damaged by external impact at the side where the flexible display unit <NUM> is folded.

Claim 1:
A mobile terminal comprising:
a body comprising a first frame (<NUM>) and a second frame (<NUM>) configured to slidingly move relative to the first frame in the horizontal direction, causing a change from a first state to a second state in which the body is expanded, and
a flexible display (<NUM>) comprising a first area provided on a front surface of the body, a second area provided on a rear surface of the body and a third area between the first area and the second area and surrounding a curved side portion of the second frame,
wherein the first frame (<NUM>) comprises a plurality of first support portions (<NUM>), each of the plurality of first support portions (<NUM>) extended in a horizontal direction and vertically spaced a preset distance apart from another one of the plurality of first support portions (<NUM>), and
wherein the second frame (<NUM>) comprises:
a plurality of second support portions (<NUM>), each of the plurality of second support portions (<NUM>) provided between respectively corresponding first support portions (<NUM>),
a third support portion (<NUM>) provided in a front side of the second area of the flexible display (<NUM>), and extended in parallel with the plurality of second support portions (<NUM>), and the curved side portion (<NUM>) provided between a first end of the plurality of second support portions (<NUM>) and a first end of the third support portion (<NUM>),
wherein the second area of the flexible display (<NUM>) is configured to slidingly move on the third support portion (<NUM>) when the second frame (<NUM>) slidingly moves