KR101951415B1 - Mobile terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a display panel including a display area for outputting a video signal and a print area formed to surround the display area, a flexible printed circuit board mounted to overlap with at least a part of the print area, And a switch which is mounted on the flexible printed circuit board so as to overlap with the printing area and transmits the generated input signal to the flexible printed circuit board.

Description

[0001] MOBILE TERMINAL [0002]

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal including a key disposed on the front side of the mobile terminal.

A mobile terminal is a portable electronic device that is portable and has one or more functions of voice and video call function, information input / output function, and data storing function.

As the functions of the mobile terminal are diversified, the mobile terminal is implemented in the form of a multimedia device having complicated functions such as photographing and photographing of a moving picture, reproduction of a music or video file, and reception of a game and a broadcast.

Various new attempts have been made in terms of hardware or software to implement the complex functions of multimedia devices.

In recent years, in order to enhance the appearance of the mobile terminal, the front surface is covered with a window made of a glass material. Further, a button disposed at a lower portion of the mobile terminal is formed by a touch or a button.

In recent years, an appearance of a mobile terminal has been developed that is convenient to use and has a small appearance, and the position of an operation key formed adjacent to the display unit is a problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to improve the quality of the external design of the mobile terminal and the convenience of use.

A mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention for realizing the above-mentioned problems includes a display panel, a circuit board, and a switch. The display panel includes a display area for outputting a video signal and a printing area formed to surround the display area. The flexible printed circuit board is mounted so as to overlap with at least part of the print area, and transmits the image signal. The switch is mounted on the flexible printed circuit board so as to overlap the printed area, and transmits the generated input signal to the flexible printed circuit board.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the switch includes a metal dome attached to a flexible printed circuit board, a contact terminal disposed under the metal dome and formed on the flexible printed circuit board, Includes an input key for inputting,

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the mobile terminal includes an adhesive member formed to cover the peripheral region of the metal dome and the metal dome so as to fix the metal dome to the flexible printed circuit board.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the switch includes a pressing part formed on one surface of the housing and protruding outwardly, a main body disposed on the inner surface of the housing and generating a signal by being pressed by the pressing part, And a contact protrusion protruding from the other surface of the housing to transmit a signal.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the circuit board includes a connection terminal formed in contact with the connection portion.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, an adhesive member for fixing the switch is formed between the switch and the window, including a window formed to cover the display panel.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the display panel includes a thin film transistor layer selectively applying a voltage and a color filter layer formed on the thin film transistor layer, the switch overlapping the thin film transistor layer, Respectively.

According to the present invention, since the switch is formed on the flexible printed circuit board of the display panel, no additional circuit board is required. Therefore, the internal structure of the terminal main body is simplified.

In addition,

1 is a block diagram of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention;
2A is a front perspective view of a mobile terminal according to the present invention;
FIG. 2B is a rear perspective view of the mobile terminal of FIG. 2A. FIG.
Figure 3 is an exploded view of the mobile terminal of Figure 2a according to one embodiment.
4 is a perspective view of a display panel and a signal input unit;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the mobile terminal of FIG. 3 taken along AA. FIG.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the mobile terminal of FIG. 3 taken along line BB;
Figure 7 is an exploded view of the mobile terminal of Figure 2a according to another embodiment.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the mobile terminal of FIG. 7 taken along AA. FIG.
9 is a cross-sectional view of the mobile terminal of Fig. 7 cut along BB;

Hereinafter, a mobile terminal related to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the present specification, the same or similar reference numerals are given to different embodiments in the same or similar configurations. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

The mobile terminal described in this specification may include a mobile phone, a smart phone, a laptop computer, a digital broadcasting terminal, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistants), a PMP (Portable Multimedia Player), navigation and the like. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the configuration according to the embodiments described herein may be applied to a fixed terminal such as a digital TV, a desktop computer, and the like, unless the configuration is applicable only to a mobile terminal.

The mobile terminal 100 includes a wireless communication unit 110, an audio / video input unit 120, a user input unit 130, a sensing unit 140, an output unit 150, a memory 160, A controller 170, a controller 180, a power supply 190, and the like. The components shown in FIG. 1 are not essential, and a mobile terminal having more or fewer components may be implemented. Hereinafter, the components will be described in order.

The wireless communication unit 110 may include one or more modules for enabling wireless communication between the mobile terminal 100 and the wireless communication system or between the mobile terminal 100 and the network in which the mobile terminal 100 is located. For example, the wireless communication unit 110 may include a broadcast receiving module 111, a mobile communication module 112, a wireless Internet module 113, a short range communication module 114, and a location information module 115 .

The broadcast receiving module 111 receives broadcast signals and / or broadcast-related information from an external broadcast management server through a broadcast channel.

The broadcast channel may include a satellite channel and a terrestrial channel. The broadcast management server may refer to a server for generating and transmitting broadcast signals and / or broadcast related information, or a server for receiving broadcast signals and / or broadcast related information generated by the broadcast management server and transmitting the generated broadcast signals and / or broadcast related information. The broadcast signal may include a TV broadcast signal, a radio broadcast signal, a data broadcast signal, and a broadcast signal in which a data broadcast signal is combined with a TV broadcast signal or a radio broadcast signal.

The broadcast-related information may refer to a broadcast channel, a broadcast program, or information related to a broadcast service provider. The broadcast-related information may also be provided through a mobile communication network. In this case, it may be received by the mobile communication module 112.

The broadcast-related information may exist in various forms. For example, an EPG (Electronic Program Guide) of DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) or an ESG (Electronic Service Guide) of Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld (DVB-H).

For example, the broadcast receiving module 111 may be a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting-Terrestrial (DMB-T), a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting-Satellite (DMB-S), a Media Forward Link Only Broadcast-Handheld (ISDB-T), Integrated Services Digital Broadcast-Terrestrial (ISDB-T), and the like. Of course, the broadcast receiving module 111 may be adapted to other broadcasting systems as well as the digital broadcasting system described above.

The broadcast signal and / or broadcast related information received through the broadcast receiving module 111 may be stored in the memory 160.

The mobile communication module 112 transmits and receives radio signals to at least one of a base station, an external terminal, and a server on a mobile communication network. The wireless signal may include various types of data depending on a voice call signal, a video call signal or a text / multimedia message transmission / reception.

The wireless Internet module 113 is a module for wireless Internet access, and may be built in or externally attached to the mobile terminal 100. WLAN (Wi-Fi), Wibro (Wireless broadband), Wimax (World Interoperability for Microwave Access), HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) and the like can be used as wireless Internet technologies.

The short-range communication module 114 refers to a module for short-range communication. Bluetooth, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), infrared data association (IrDA), Ultra Wideband (UWB), ZigBee, and the like can be used as a short range communication technology.

The position information module 115 is a module for obtaining the position of the mobile terminal, and a representative example thereof is a Global Position System (GPS) module.

Referring to FIG. 1, an A / V (Audio / Video) input unit 120 is for inputting an audio signal or a video signal, and may include a camera 121 and a microphone 122. The camera 121 processes image frames such as still images or moving images obtained by the image sensor in the video communication mode or the photographing mode. The processed image frame can be displayed on the display unit 151. [

The image frame processed by the camera 121 may be stored in the memory 160 or transmitted to the outside through the wireless communication unit 110. [ Two or more cameras 121 may be provided depending on the use environment.

The microphone 122 receives an external sound signal through a microphone in a communication mode, a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, or the like, and processes it as electrical voice data. The processed voice data can be converted into a form that can be transmitted to the mobile communication base station through the mobile communication module 112 when the voice data is in the call mode, and output. Various noise reduction algorithms may be implemented in the microphone 122 to remove noise generated in receiving an external sound signal.

The user input unit 130 generates input data for a user to control the operation of the terminal. The user input unit 130 may include a key pad dome switch, a touch pad (static / static), a jog wheel, a jog switch, and the like.

The sensing unit 140 senses the current state of the mobile terminal 100 such as the open / close state of the mobile terminal 100, the position of the mobile terminal 100, the presence or absence of user contact, the orientation of the mobile terminal, And generates a sensing signal for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 100. For example, when the mobile terminal 100 is in the form of a slide phone, it is possible to sense whether the slide phone is opened or closed. It is also possible to sense whether the power supply unit 190 is powered on, whether the interface unit 170 is connected to an external device, and the like. Meanwhile, the sensing unit 140 may include a proximity sensor 141.

The output unit 150 is for generating output related to the visual, auditory or tactile sense and includes a display unit 151, an audio output module 152, an alarm unit 153, and a haptic module 154 .

The display unit 151 displays (outputs) information processed by the mobile terminal 100. For example, when the mobile terminal is in the call mode, a UI (User Interface) or a GUI (Graphic User Interface) associated with a call is displayed. When the mobile terminal 100 is in the video communication mode or the photographing mode, the photographed and / or received video or UI and GUI are displayed.

The display unit 151 may be a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), a flexible display display, and a 3D display.

Some of these displays may be transparent or light transmissive so that they can be seen through. This can be referred to as a transparent display, and a typical example of the transparent display is TOLED (Transparent OLED) and the like. The rear structure of the display unit 151 may also be of a light transmission type. With this structure, the user can see an object located behind the terminal body 201 through the area occupied by the display unit 151 of the terminal body 201.

There may be two or more display units 151 according to the embodiment of the mobile terminal 100. For example, in the mobile terminal 100, a plurality of display portions may be spaced apart from one another or may be disposed integrally with each other, or may be disposed on different surfaces.

(Hereinafter, referred to as a 'touch screen') in which a display unit 151 and a sensor for sensing a touch operation (hereinafter, referred to as 'touch sensor') form a mutual layer structure, It can also be used as an input device. The touch sensor may have the form of, for example, a touch film, a touch sheet, a touch pad, or the like.

The touch sensor may be configured to convert a change in a pressure applied to a specific portion of the display unit 151 or a capacitance generated in a specific portion of the display unit 151 into an electrical input signal. The touch sensor can be configured to detect not only the position and area to be touched but also the pressure at the time of touch.

If there is a touch input to the touch sensor, the corresponding signal (s) is sent to the touch controller. The touch controller processes the signal (s) and transmits the corresponding data to the controller 180. Thus, the control unit 180 can know which area of the display unit 151 is touched or the like.

Referring to FIG. 1, a proximity sensor 141 may be disposed in an inner region of the mobile terminal or in the vicinity of the touch screen, which is surrounded by the touch screen. The proximity sensor refers to a sensor that detects the presence or absence of an object approaching a predetermined detection surface or a nearby object without mechanical contact using the force of an electromagnetic field or infrared rays. The proximity sensor has a longer life span than the contact sensor and its utilization is also high.

Examples of the proximity sensor include a transmission type photoelectric sensor, a direct reflection type photoelectric sensor, a mirror reflection type photoelectric sensor, a high frequency oscillation type proximity sensor, a capacitive proximity sensor, a magnetic proximity sensor, and an infrared proximity sensor. And to detect the proximity of the pointer by the change of the electric field along the proximity of the pointer when the touch screen is electrostatic. In this case, the touch screen (touch sensor) may be classified as a proximity sensor.

Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the act of recognizing that the pointer is positioned on the touch screen while the pointer is not in contact with the touch screen is referred to as " proximity touch & The act of actually touching the pointer on the screen is called " contact touch. &Quot; The position where the pointer is proximately touched on the touch screen means a position where the pointer is vertically corresponding to the touch screen when the pointer is touched.

The proximity sensor detects a proximity touch and a proximity touch pattern (e.g., a proximity touch distance, a proximity touch direction, a proximity touch speed, a proximity touch time, a proximity touch position, a proximity touch movement state, and the like). Information corresponding to the detected proximity touch operation and the proximity touch pattern may be output on the touch screen.

The audio output module 152 may output audio data received from the wireless communication unit 110 or stored in the memory 160 in a call signal reception mode, a call mode or a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, a broadcast reception mode, The sound output module 152 also outputs sound signals related to functions (e.g., call signal reception sound, message reception sound, etc.) performed in the mobile terminal 100. [ The audio output module 152 may include a receiver, a speaker, a buzzer, and the like.

The alarm unit 153 outputs a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event of the mobile terminal 100. Examples of events that occur in the mobile terminal include call signal reception, message reception, key signal input, touch input, and the like. The alarm unit 153 may output a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event in a form other than the video signal or the audio signal, for example, vibration. The video signal or the audio signal may be output through the display unit 151 or the audio output module 152 so that they may be classified as a part of the alarm unit 153.

The haptic module 154 generates various tactile effects that the user can feel. A typical example of the haptic effect generated by the haptic module 154 is vibration. The intensity and pattern of the vibration generated by the hit module 154 can be controlled. For example, different vibrations may be synthesized and output or sequentially output.

In addition to the vibration, the haptic module 154 may include a pin arrangement vertically moving with respect to the contact skin surface, a spraying force or suction force of the air through the injection port or the suction port, a touch on the skin surface, contact of an electrode, And various tactile effects such as an effect of reproducing a cold sensation using an endothermic or exothermic element can be generated.

The haptic module 154 can be implemented not only to transmit the tactile effect through the direct contact but also to allow the user to feel the tactile effect through the muscular sensation of the finger or arm. The haptic module 154 may include two or more haptic modules 154 according to the configuration of the portable terminal 100.

The memory 160 may store a program for the operation of the controller 180 and temporarily store input / output data (e.g., a phone book, a message, a still image, a moving picture, etc.). The memory 160 may store data on vibration and sound of various patterns outputted when a touch is input on the touch screen.

The memory 160 may be a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory (for example, SD or XD memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), PROM A disk, and / or an optical disk. The mobile terminal 100 may operate in association with a web storage that performs a storage function of the memory 160 on the Internet.

The interface unit 170 serves as a path for communication with all external devices connected to the mobile terminal 100. The interface unit 170 receives data from an external device or supplies power to each component in the mobile terminal 100 or transmits data to the external device. For example, a wired / wireless headset port, an external charger port, a wired / wireless data port, a memory card port, a port for connecting a device having an identification module, an audio I / O port, A video input / output (I / O) port, an earphone port, and the like may be included in the interface unit 170.

The identification module is a chip for storing various information for authenticating the use right of the mobile terminal 100 and includes a user identification module (UIM), a subscriber identity module (SIM), a general user authentication module A Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM), and the like. Devices with identification modules (hereinafter referred to as "identification devices") can be manufactured in a smart card format. Accordingly, the identification device can be connected to the terminal 100 through the port.

When the mobile terminal 100 is connected to an external cradle, the interface unit 170 may be a path through which power from the cradle is supplied to the mobile terminal 100, or various commands A signal may be a path through which the signal is transmitted to the mobile terminal. The various command signals or the power source input from the cradle may be operated as a signal for recognizing that the mobile terminal is correctly mounted on the cradle.

The controller 180 typically controls the overall operation of the mobile terminal. For example, voice communication, data communication, video communication, and the like. The control unit 180 may include a multimedia module 181 for multimedia playback. The multimedia module 181 may be implemented in the control unit 180 or may be implemented separately from the control unit 180. [

The controller 180 may perform a pattern recognition process for recognizing handwriting input or drawing input performed on the touch screen as characters and images, respectively.

The power supply unit 190 receives external power and internal power under the control of the controller 180 and supplies power necessary for operation of the respective components.

The various embodiments described herein may be embodied in a recording medium readable by a computer or similar device using, for example, software, hardware, or a combination thereof.

According to a hardware implementation, the embodiments described herein may be implemented as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays May be implemented using at least one of a processor, controllers, micro-controllers, microprocessors, and other electronic units for performing other functions. In some cases, The embodiments described may be implemented by the control unit 180 itself.

According to a software implementation, embodiments such as the procedures and functions described herein may be implemented with separate software modules. Each of the software modules may perform one or more of the functions and operations described herein. Software code can be implemented in a software application written in a suitable programming language. The software code is stored in the memory 160 and can be executed by the control unit 180. [

2A is a front perspective view of a mobile terminal of the present invention. 2B is a rear perspective view of the mobile terminal of FIG. 2A.

1, 2A and 2B, the mobile terminal 100 includes a terminal body 201 in a bar shape. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and can be applied to various structures such as a slide type, a folder type, and a swing type in which two or more bodies are coupled to be movable relative to each other. Further, the mobile terminal described herein may be any portable electronic device having a camera and flash, for example, a mobile phone, a smart phone, a notebook computer, a digital broadcast terminal, a Personal Digital Assistants ), A PMO (Portable Multimedia Player), and the like.

The terminal body 201 includes a case (which may be referred to as a casing, a housing, a cover, and the like) that forms an appearance. The case may be divided into a front case (202) and a rear case (203) covering a surface opposite to the front case. Various electronic components are embedded in the space formed between the front case 202 and the rear case 203. The cases may be formed by injection molding a synthetic resin, or may be formed to have a metal material such as stainless steel (STS) or titanium (Ti) or the like.

The terminal body 201 includes a display unit 210, a first sound output unit 211, a signal input unit 230, and a front camera unit 216.

The display unit 210 includes an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) module, an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes) module, and an e-paper for visually expressing information. The display unit 210 may include touch sensing means for inputting data by a touch method. Hereinafter, the display unit 210 including the touch sensing unit will be referred to as a 'touch screen'. If any one of the touches on the touch screen 210 is touched, the contents corresponding to the touched position are input. The content input by the touch method may be a character or a number, an instruction in various modes, or a menu item that can be designated. The touch sensing means is formed in a translucent manner so that the display portion can be seen, and a structure for enhancing the visibility of the touch screen in a bright place may be included. Referring to FIG. 2, the touch screen 210 occupies most of the front surface of the front case 202.

The first sound output unit 211 may be implemented as a receiver for delivering a call sound to a user's ear or a loud speaker for outputting various alarm sounds or multimedia playback sounds.

The front camera unit 216 processes an image frame such as a still image or a moving image obtained by the image sensor in the video communication mode or the photographing mode. The processed image frame can be displayed on the display unit 210. [

The image frame processed by the front camera 216 can be stored in the memory 160 or transmitted to the outside through the wireless communication unit 110. [ The front camera 216 may be provided in two or more depending on the use environment.

The signal input unit 230 is operated to receive a command for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 200 and may include a plurality of input keys. The input keys may also be referred to as a manipulating portion and may be employed in any manner as long as the user has a tactile sense and operates in a tactile manner.

The contents input by the signal input unit 230 can be variously set. For example, to enter start, end, scroll, and the like.

A power supply unit 222, a rear camera unit 221, and a second sound output unit 225 are disposed on the rear surface of the terminal body 201.

The power supply unit 222 supplies power to the mobile terminal 200. The power supply unit 222 may be embedded in the terminal body 201 or may be detached from the terminal body 201 directly.

A flash 223 is disposed adjacent to the rear camera unit 221. The flash 223 may be disposed adjacent to the rear camera unit 221. The flash 223 illuminates the subject toward the subject when the subject is photographed by the rear camera 230.

A mirror 224 may be disposed adjacent the flash 224. The mirror allows the user to illuminate the user's own face or the like in the case where the user intends to photograph (self-photograph) himself / herself by using the rear camera unit 221. [

The second sound output unit 225 may implement a stereo function together with the first sound output unit 211 disposed on the front surface of the terminal body 201 and may be used for implementing a speakerphone mode during a call .

The rear camera unit 221 may have a photographing direction substantially opposite to that of the front camera unit 216 disposed on the front side and may be a camera having different pixels from the front camera unit 216. [

For example, the front camera unit 216 has low pixels so that it is easy to capture a face of a user in the case of a video call or the like and transmit the face to the other party. The rear camera unit 221 photographs a general subject and immediately transmits It is preferable to have a high pixel. The front and rear camera units 216 and 221 may be installed on the terminal body 201 to be rotatable or pop-upable.

A side key 214, interface units 212 and 225, and an acoustic input unit 213 are disposed on the side surface of the front case 202.

The side key 214 may be collectively referred to as an operation unit and is capable of receiving a command for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 200. The side key 214 may be employed in any manner as long as the user is operating in a tactile manner with a tactile impression. The content input by the side key 214 can be variously set. For example, by the side key 214, a command such as control of the image input units 216 and 221, size adjustment of the sound output from the sound output units 211 and 225, or switching to the touch recognition mode of the display unit 210, Input can be received.

The sound input unit 213 may be implemented, for example, in the form of a microphone to receive a user's voice, other sounds, and the like.

The interface units 215 and 225 are paths for enabling the mobile terminal 200 related to the present invention to exchange data with an external device. For example, the interface units 215 and 225 may include a connection terminal for connecting to an earphone by wire or wireless, a port for short-range communication (for example, an infrared port (IrDA Port), a Bluetooth port, A wireless LAN port, etc.), or power supply terminals for supplying power to the mobile terminal 200. The interface units 215 and 225 may be implemented in the form of a socket for receiving an external card such as a Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) or a User Identity Module (UIM) or a memory card for storing information.

3 is an exploded view of the mobile terminal of FIG. 2A according to one embodiment. 4 is a perspective view of a display panel and a signal input unit.

3 and 4, the mobile terminal includes a window 210 'and a display panel 220 coupled to one surface of the front case 202 and constituting the display unit 210, A support member 204 disposed between the middle case 202, the battery 222, and a rear case 203.

The window 210 'is coupled to one surface of the front case 201. A touch sensor (not shown) may be mounted on the window 210 '. The touch sensor is formed to sense a touch input and is made of light transmissive. The touch sensor is mounted on the front surface of the window 210 'and may be configured to convert a change in voltage or the like occurring in a specific portion of the window 210' into an electrical input signal.

The display panel 220 is mounted on the rear surface of the window 210 '. In this embodiment, a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT LCD) is disclosed as an example of the display panel 220, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

For example, the display panel 220 may be a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), a flexible display, a 3D display, .

The display unit 210 includes a display area DA for outputting time information and a printing area PA surrounding the display area DA.

And light of the display panel 220 is emitted to the display area DA. The printing area PA may be formed by applying a printing layer to the lower portion of the window 210 'so that the inside of the terminal body is not visible. That is, the light emitted from the backlight unit that illuminates the display panel 220 can not be emitted to the outside.

The signal input unit 230 is formed in the printing area PA. The signal input unit 230 includes an input key 231 and a switch 232. When the input key 231 protruding outside the terminal body is pressed, the switch 232 is switched and a signal is input.

Hereinafter, the specific structure of the signal input unit 230 will be described.

4 is a perspective view of a display panel and a signal input unit. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the mobile terminal of FIG. 3 taken along line A-A. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the mobile terminal of FIG. 3 taken along line B-B.

Referring to FIG. 4, the display panel 220 includes a base member 221, a thin film transistor layer 222, and a color filter layer 223. The thin film transistor layer 222 is formed on the base member 221 and the color filter layer 223 is formed on the thin film transistor layer 222. The color filter layer 223 may be formed to be smaller than the thin film transistor layer 222.

A flexible printed circuit board 230 for transmitting a signal to the display panel 220 may be attached. The flexible printed circuit board 230 is electrically connected to the thin film transistor layer 222 and is supported by the base portion 221. That is, not overlapped with the color filter layer 223. The flexible printed circuit board 230 may extend from the front surface of the display panel 220 to the rear surface.

The switch 232 is formed on the flexible circuit board 230 so as to overlap with the thin film transistor layer 222. That is, the switch 232 is disposed in the printing area PA.

The switch 233 may be formed of a metal dome. The switch 233 is fixed by an adhesive member 240 covering the switch 233 and adhering to the flexible printed circuit board 230.

A contact terminal 233 is formed on the flexible printed circuit board 230 and the switch 232 is pressed to input a signal to the flexible printed circuit board 230 via the contact terminal 233. [ That is, a signal is inputted to the flexible printed circuit board 230 by the switch 233, and the output signal of the time information can be transmitted and received.

That is, the signal on the signal input unit 230 and the signal on the time information output by the display panel 220 are simultaneously received by the single flexible printed circuit board 230 to simplify the internal structure of the terminal body, The weight of the mobile terminal can be reduced.

The switch 232 may be disposed on the display panel 220 and the signal input unit 230 may be disposed adjacent to the display unit DA of the display panel 220. Accordingly, the input key 231 is formed adjacent to the display unit DA, and the front surface of the mobile terminal can be visually shortened. In addition, since the touch of the display unit DA on which a user can touch and input a signal is close to the input key 231, the use is facilitated.

The input key 231 is disposed on the switch 232. An actuator 231 ', which is smaller than the switch 232 and is formed to press the switch 233, is attached to the lower portion of the input key 231. That is, when the input key 231 is pressed, a signal is inputted to the switch 232 by the actuator 231 '.

Therefore, it is possible to prevent the flexible printed circuit board 230 from being pressed by the input key 231, thereby preventing the flexible printed circuit board 230 from being damaged. Further, since the shape and shape of the input key 231 exposed to the outside of the terminal main body are not limited, a high-quality appearance and ease of use can be improved.

An elastic portion 250 is formed under the input key 231 and the actuator 231 'to elastically support the input key 231' and the actuator 231 '. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the problem that the flexible printed circuit board 230 is damaged by pressing the input key 231 and pressing the flexible printed circuit board 230.

Figure 7 is an exploded view of the mobile terminal of Figure 2a according to another embodiment. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the mobile terminal of FIG. 7 cut along C-C. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the mobile terminal of FIG. 7 cut along D-D.

7 to 9, the mobile terminal includes a window 210 'and a display panel 220 coupled to one surface of the front case 202 to form the display unit 210, a middle case 202 A rear case 203 and a tact switch 500 disposed between the rear case 203 and the rear case 204. The rear case 203 and the tact switch 500 are connected to each other. 3 to 6, except for the text position 550, and similar elements are designated with like reference numerals, and the description thereof will be made with reference to Figs. 3 to 6 I'll give you the explanation.

The text position 550 is disposed on the flexible printed circuit board 230 and overlapped with the printing area PA of the display panel 220. The tex position 550 is formed such that a key to be pressed, a dome switch, and a contact terminal are housed in the housing.

Referring to FIG. 7, the text position 550 passes through the window 210 'and is electrically contacted with the input key 501, which is pressed by the user, and the flexible printed circuit board 230, The contact protrusions 502 are formed.

A connection terminal 503 is formed on the flexible printed circuit board 230. The connection terminal 503 is formed to correspond to the contact protrusion 502. When the input key 501 is pressed, a signal is transmitted to the contact protrusion 502, which contacts the connection terminal 503 and transmits a signal to the flexible printed circuit board 230.

According to the present embodiment, since only the contact protrusions 502 are formed on the flexible printed circuit board 230, the required area is reduced compared to forming the dome switches on the flexible printed circuit board 230 directly. Therefore, the use of the flexible printed circuit board 230 is efficient.

Since the tex position 500 and the flexible printed circuit board 230 are coupled by the protruding contact protrusion 502 and the connection terminal 503, the tex position 500 is pressed, The possibility of damaging other parts of the substrate 230 is reduced.

The text position 500 may be fixed to the printing area PA of the window 210 '. That is, an adhesive member 504 is formed between the tex position 500 and the window 210 '.

Therefore, a separate circuit board is not required to form the signal input unit 230, so that the internal structure can be simplified. In addition, the signal input unit is disposed closer to the display area of the display unit, the appearance of the mobile terminal is reduced, and the user is more convenient to use.

The mobile terminal described above can be applied to not only the configuration and method of the embodiments described above but also all or some of the embodiments may be selectively combined so that various modifications may be made to the embodiments It is possible.

Claims (7)

A display panel including a display area for outputting a video signal and a print area formed so as to surround the display area;
A flexible printed circuit board mounted to overlap with at least a part of the printing area and transmitting the video signal; And
And a switch which is mounted on the flexible printed circuit board so as to overlap with the printing area and transmits the generated input signal to the flexible printed circuit board,
Wherein the display panel includes a thin film transistor layer selectively applying a voltage and a color filter layer formed on the thin film transistor layer,
Wherein the switch is disposed on the flexible printed circuit board so as to overlap with the thin film transistor layer and is disposed adjacent to a display portion of the display panel. The apparatus of claim 1,
A metal dome attached to the flexible printed circuit board;
A contact terminal disposed under the metal dome and formed on the flexible printed circuit board; And
And an input key for pressing the metal dome to input a signal,
Wherein an actuator for signal input is attached to a lower portion of the input key, and a signal is directly transmitted to the flexible printed circuit board by the input key. 3. The method of claim 2,
And an adhesive member formed to cover the peripheral region of the metal dome and the metal dome so as to fix the metal dome to the flexible printed circuit board. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the switch comprises:
A pressing part formed on one surface of the window formed to cover the display panel and protruding outward and pressed;
A main body disposed on an inner surface of the window and generating a signal by being pressed by the pressing portion; And
And a contact protrusion protruding from the other surface of the window to transmit the signal. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the flexible printed circuit board includes a connection terminal for transmitting a signal in contact with the contact protrusion. 5. The method of claim 4,
And an adhesive member for fixing the switch is formed between the switch and the window. delete

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