KR20130081904A - Image module, mobile terminal having the same and manufacturing method of image module - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: Image module, mobile terminal having the same and manufacturing method of an image module are provided to implement an image capable of writing on a metallic background. CONSTITUTION: An image module (240) includes a base member (241), a first layer (242), a second layer (243) and an image hole (244). The base member is made with a transmissive material. A transmissive material is arranged along the image of the first layer and a transmissive image protruded from one side of the base member is formed. The second layer is configured to cover the base member and is made to be non-transmissive. The image hole passes light toward the other side by removing a part corresponding to an image in the second layer by penetrating the base member.

Description

IMAGE MODULE, MOBILE TERMINAL HAVING THE SAME AND MANUFACTURING METHOD OF IMAGE MODULE}

The present invention relates to an image module for providing an image exposed to the outside of the mobile terminal, a mobile terminal having the same and a manufacturing method of the image module.

The terminal can move And can be divided into a mobile / portable terminal and a stationary terminal depending on whether the mobile terminal is a mobile terminal or a mobile terminal. The mobile terminal can be divided into a handheld terminal and a vehicle mount terminal according to whether the user can directly carry the mobile terminal.

Such a terminal has various functions, for example, in the form of a multimedia device having multiple functions such as photographing and photographing of a moving picture, reproduction of a music or video file, reception of a game and broadcasting, etc. .

In order to support and enhance the functionality of such terminals, it may be considered to improve the structural and / or software parts of the terminal.

As an example of such an attempt, recently, researches related to implementing an image such as an icon or a logo on a terminal have been conducted. However, there is a problem that the icon of the signal input unit, the logo of the case, etc. are difficult to implement by methods other than printing.

Accordingly, the technical problem of the present invention has been conceived in this respect, and an object thereof is to provide a mobile terminal having an image of a design different from the prior art.

Another object of the present invention is to implement a new texture image in a method different from the conventional method in a mobile terminal.

The image module according to an embodiment of the present invention for realizing the above object is a transmissive material is disposed along the image to form a base member made of a translucent material and a translucent image protruding from one surface of the base member. A second layer formed to cover the other surface of the base member, the second layer formed opaquely, and light directed toward the other surface through the base member to reflect the image on the second layer; And an image hole formed to remove a portion corresponding to the.

According to an example related to the image module of the present invention, the image is three-dimensionally formed on one surface to form an icon or a logo. The three-dimensional formation of the image is performed by at least one of UV molding, non-conductive coating (NCVM), multi-deposition, and digital printing using the light-transmissive material.

According to another example related to the image module of the present invention, the image module includes a pattern of a translucent material protruding from one surface of the first layer and having a shape different from that of the image. The image is disposed within an area defined by the pattern. The pattern and the image are made of the same material.

According to another example related to the image module of the present invention, the second layer is formed of a metal material or mirror ink to reflect light incident through the one surface.

According to another example related to the image module of the present invention, the image hole is formed by etching the second layer. A print layer is formed on one surface of the second layer except for a portion corresponding to the image so that the shape of the image hole is set by the etching.

According to another example related to the image module of the present invention, the image module includes a third layer disposed to cover the second layer and configured to have the texture or color to provide a texture or color to the image. do. The third layer includes a metallic material to provide a metallic texture to the image. A protective layer is formed on one surface of the third layer to prevent peeling of the third layer.

In addition, the present invention, the terminal body having a front and rear, a transmissive region formed on at least one of the front and rear, and an image module built in the main body so that at least a portion is exposed to the outside through the translucent region And a light source for generating light shining toward the image module, wherein the image module includes: a base member made of a light-transmissive material; and at one surface of the base member to provide an image exposed to the outside through the light-transmissive area. A first layer protruding and having a translucent material formed along the image, a second layer formed to cover the other surface of the base member and being opaque, and light directed toward the other surface passing through the base member To the image in the second layer to reflect on the image. It discloses a response the mobile terminal including the image-holes formed so as to remove a portion.

According to an example related to a mobile terminal of the present invention, the mobile terminal overlaps with the image module and includes a touch sensor configured to sense a touch input. The image is lit by the light on the front surface and forms an icon related to the touch input. A window is mounted on the front surface, and the touch sensor and the image module are sequentially stacked on the window.

According to another example related to the mobile terminal of the present invention, the image forms a logo written by the light in at least one of the front side and the rear side.

In addition, the present invention, in the manufacturing method of the image module mounted on the mobile terminal to provide an image exposed to the outside of the terminal, the transmissive material is disposed along the image on one surface of the base member to form a translucent image Forming a first layer, forming a second layer opaquely formed on the other surface of the base member, and allowing the light directed toward the other surface to shine through the base member to the image The method provides a method of manufacturing an image module, the method including removing a portion corresponding to the image.

According to an example related to the manufacturing method of the image module of the present invention, the image is on one surface of the base member by at least one of UV molding, non-conductive coating (NCVM · Non-Conductive Vacuum Metallization), multi-deposition, digital printing Is formed. The forming of the first layer may include forming a pattern of a translucent material having a shape different from the image with the image by the UV molding.

According to another example related to the manufacturing method of the image module of the present invention, the forming of the second layer may include coating or depositing a metal material or applying a mirror ink on the other surface of the base member. do.

The removing may include printing a print layer formed on the second layer except for a portion corresponding to the image, and using at least one of photoetching, chemical etching, and laser etching. Etching the portion corresponding to the image.

According to another example related to the method of manufacturing the image module of the present invention, the method of manufacturing the image module may include forming a third layer covering the second layer to provide texture or color to the image; And applying a protective layer to one surface of the third layer to prevent peeling of the third layer.

According to the present invention having the above-described configuration, as the light-transmissive image is disposed on one surface of the light-transmissive material, the opaque layer etched on the other surface is formed, the image that can be written on the base of the metal material in the terminal can be implemented. In addition, as the light-transmissive material pattern is formed around the light-transmissive image, the lightable image may be disposed in the area of the metal hairline.

In addition, the present invention may impart a metallic texture to the image by a third layer disposed to cover the second layer. Through this, a touch icon or logo in which an image of the metallic texture is disposed on the metallic material may be implemented.

In addition, the present invention implements an efficient manufacturing process of an image module by forming a first layer on one surface of the base member, a second layer on the other surface, and removing a portion corresponding to the image from the second layer.

1 is a block diagram of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention;
2 is a front perspective view of a mobile terminal related to the present invention;
3 is a rear perspective view of the mobile terminal of FIG. 2;
4 is an exploded view of the mobile terminal of FIG. 2;
5 is an exploded rear view of the touch manipulation unit in the mobile terminal of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the image module of FIG. 5 taken along line VI-VI. FIG.
7A to 7I are conceptual views illustrating a manufacturing process of an image module related to the present invention.
8 and 9 are a rear view and a cross-sectional view according to another embodiment of a mobile terminal related to the present invention.

Hereinafter, an image module, a mobile terminal having the same, and a manufacturing method of the image module according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying 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), and navigation. 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 a broadcast signal 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, it may exist in the form of Electronic Program Guide (EPG) of Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) or Electronic Service Guide (ESG) 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. Wireless Internet technologies may include Wireless LAN (Wi-Fi), Wireless Broadband (Wibro), World Interoperability for Microwave Access (Wimax), High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), and the like.

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 call 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 pressure / capacitance), 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 may sense whether the slide phone is opened or closed. In addition, whether the power supply unit 190 is supplied with power, whether the interface unit 170 is coupled to the external device may be sensed. 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 the object located behind the terminal body through the area occupied by the display unit 151 of the terminal body (or the main body).

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.

When the display unit 151 and a sensor for detecting a touch operation (hereinafter, referred to as a touch sensor) form a mutual layer structure (hereinafter referred to as a touch screen), the display unit 151 may be configured in addition to an output device. 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. As a result, the controller 180 can know which area of the display unit 151 is touched.

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 photoelectric sensor, a direct reflection photoelectric sensor, a mirror reflection photoelectric sensor, a high frequency oscillation 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 allowing the pointer to be recognized without being in contact with the touch screen so that the pointer is located on the touch screen is referred to as a "proximity touch", and the touch The act of actually touching the pointer on the screen is called "contact touch." 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 sound 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, a call mode or a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, a broadcast reception mode, and the like. 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. Vibration is a representative example of the haptic effect generated by the haptic module 154. 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 be used for stimulation such as a pin array vertically moving with respect to the contact skin surface, a jetting force or suction force of air through an injection or inlet, grazing to the skin surface, contact of an electrode, and electrostatic force. Various tactile effects can be generated, such as effects by the endothermic and the reproduction of a sense of cold using the elements capable of endotherm or heat generation.

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 port for connecting a device with a wired / wireless headset port, an external charger port, a wired / wireless data port, a memory card port, an identification module, an audio I / 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 include application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and the like. It may be implemented using at least one of processors, controllers, micro-controllers, microprocessors, and electrical units for performing other functions. The described embodiments may be implemented by the controller 180 itself.

According to the software implementation, embodiments such as the procedures and functions described herein may be implemented as 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. [

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the mobile terminal shown in FIG. 2. Referring to FIG.

1, 2 and 3, the mobile terminal 100 has a terminal body in the form of a bar. 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. Furthermore, the mobile terminal described herein may be any portable electronic device having a camera, for example, a mobile phone, a smart phone, a notebook computer, a tablet computer, a digital broadcasting terminal, a PDA (Personal). Digital Assistants), Portable Multimedia Player (PMO), and the like.

The terminal body 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 201 and a rear case 202 covering a surface opposite to the front case. Various electronic components are embedded in the space formed between the front case 201 and the rear case 202. The cases may be formed by injecting synthetic resin or may be formed of a metal material, for example, a metal material such as stainless steel (STS) or titanium (Ti).

A display unit 251, a first sound output unit 211, a front camera unit 216, a signal input unit 230, and the like are formed on a front surface of the terminal body, and a sound input unit 213 and an interface unit 215 are provided on a side surface thereof. And the like can be arranged.

The display unit 251 includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) module, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) module, an e-paper, and the like, which visually express information. The display unit 251 may include a touch sensing means to be input by a touch method. If there is a touch on any part of the display unit 251, the content corresponding to the touched position is input. The content input by the touch method may be a letter or a number, an instruction in various modes, a menu item which can be designated, and the like. 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. According to FIG. 2, the display unit 251 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 an image sensor in a video call mode or a photographing mode. The processed image frame can be displayed on the display unit 251. [

Referring to FIG. 3, the rear camera unit 225 and the power supply unit 222 are disposed at the rear of the terminal body.

In addition, the rear camera 225 may be a camera having a photographing direction substantially opposite to the front camera 216 disposed on the front surface, and having different pixels from the front camera 216.

For example, the front camera unit 216 has a low pixel so that it is easy to take a picture of a user and transmit it to a counterpart in a video call, and the rear camera unit 225 photographs a general subject and transmits it immediately. In many cases, it is desirable to have a high pixel. The front and rear camera units 225 may be installed in the terminal body to be rotatable or pop-up.

The flash 224 is disposed adjacent to the rear camera 225. The flash shines toward the subject when the subject is photographed by the rear camera 225.

A mirror 226 may be disposed adjacent to the flash 224. The mirror 226 allows the user to see his / her own face or the like when the user wants to photograph himself (self-photographing) using the rear camera unit 225.

The power supply unit 222 supplies power to the mobile terminal 200. The power supply unit 222 may be built in the terminal body or directly detachable from the outside of the terminal body.

A second sound output unit (not shown) is disposed at the rear of the terminal to implement a stereo function together with the first sound output unit 211 disposed at the front of the terminal body. Can be used.

Referring back to FIG. 2, the sound input unit 213 on the side of the terminal may be implemented in the form of, for example, a microphone to receive a user's voice, other sounds, and the like.

The interface unit 215 is a channel through which the mobile terminal 200 related to the present invention can exchange data with an external device. For example, the interface unit 215 may be a wired or wireless connection terminal for connecting to an earphone, a port for short-range communication (for example, an IrDA port, a Bluetooth port, a wireless LAN port A wireless LAN port) or the like, or power supply terminals for supplying power to the mobile terminal 200. The interface unit 215 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), a memory card for storing information.

The signal input unit 230 is manipulated to receive a command for controlling the operation of the mobile terminal 200, and for example, a dome switch or touch that can receive a command or information by a user's push or touch operation. It may be implemented as a screen, a touch pad, or a wheel for rotating a key, or a method of operating like a jog or a joystick.

The contents input by the signal input unit 230 can be variously set. For example, to enter start, end, scroll, and the like. In addition, the display unit 251 configured as the touch screen may be an example of the signal input unit 230.

The signal input unit 230 may include a side manipulation unit 232 disposed on the side of the terminal. The side operation unit 232 may be adopted in any manner as long as the user is operating in a tactile manner.

Content input by the side operation unit 232 may be variously set. For example, by the side operation unit 232, such as control of the image input unit 216, 225, control of the volume of the sound output from the sound output unit 211, 223, or switching the display unit 251 to the touch recognition mode, etc. Can be input.

According to the illustration, the signal input unit 230 is disposed on one side of the display unit 251 in front of the terminal body, and includes a touch manipulation unit 231 configured to sense a touch input for a specific key. An icon corresponding to the specific key is formed in the touch manipulation unit 231, and at least one of the icons is embedded in the terminal to provide an image exposed to the outside of the terminal (240, see FIG. 5). It can be formed by. More specifically, referring to FIG. 2, at least one touch key of the touch manipulation unit 231 is configured such that a shape line of the icon 231c is disposed in an area 231d of the hairline of a metallic texture, and the shape line is It is metallic and can be formed to enable writing.

Hereinafter, the structures of the touch manipulation unit 231 and the image member 240 will be described in more detail.

4 is an exploded view of the mobile terminal of FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 is an exploded rear view of the touch manipulation unit in the mobile terminal of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawings, a middle frame 203 is formed between the front case 201 and the rear case 202. The middle frame 203 may be formed integrally with or separately from the front case 201. The display 251b and the printed circuit board 281 are formed on the middle frame 203. Alternatively, the printed circuit board 281 may be formed under the middle frame 203 and connected to the display 251 b by the flexible printed circuit board FPBC.

The window 251a is coupled to the front case 201 so as to cover one surface of the front case 201. In the window 251a, a portion corresponding to the display 251b includes a transparent region TR so that visual information output from the display 251b is externally recognized. The display 251b and the window 251a form the display unit 251 (refer to FIG. 2).

The window 251a may have an area corresponding to the display unit 251, and may be formed of a material through which light can pass. An opaque region (OR) may be formed in the window 251a, in which light is not transmitted or the light transmittance is very low. For example, the surface of the window 251a may be surface-treated to prevent light from passing through it. In addition, the portion occupied by the touch manipulation unit 231 at the lower end of the window 251a includes the opaque region OR.

The window 251a is equipped with a touch sensor 251c formed to detect a touch input. More specifically, the printed circuit board 281 is connected to the touch sensor 251c so that the electrical change generated in the window 251a generated when the user touches the window 251a, for example, the capacitance or the amount of charge You can sense the change. As such, the printed circuit board 281 may be configured as an example of a controller for operating various functions of the mobile terminal.

4 and 5, the touch manipulation unit 231 is formed in the window 251a. The touch manipulation unit 231 is disposed adjacent to one end of the window 251a. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto, and the touch manipulation unit 231 may be separately formed from the window 251a and mounted on the front case 201.

More specifically, a light transmissive region 251d is formed in the opaque region OR of the window 251a separately from the transparent region corresponding to the display unit 251 on the front surface of the terminal. Icons 231a and 231b of the touch manipulation unit 231 are disposed on both sides of the light transmissive area 251d, and the icons 231a and 231b are printed on the rear surface of the window 251a.

The writing guide film 233 is mounted on the window 251a to cover the touch manipulation unit 231, and the light source 234 is disposed to irradiate light toward the writing guide film 233. The writing guide film 233 guides the light so that the light is directed toward the icons 231a and 231b. The light source 234 may be a light emitting diode (LED) or the like, and is mounted on the middle frame 203. Through this, the icons 231a and 231b may be written.

According to the drawing, icons 231c having different forms from icons 231a and 231b on both sides are disposed in the light transmissive region 251d. In addition, the light transmissive region 251d may have a size corresponding to the region 231d of the hairline (see FIG. 2). The other type of icon 231c is exposed on the front of the window and can be an icon corresponding to a home key functionally. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the icon 231c of another form may be arranged as an icon corresponding to another key at another position.

In this embodiment, the icon 231c is implemented separately from the icons 231a and 231b on both sides by the image module 240. In this example, the image module 240 is embedded in the terminal body such that at least a portion of the image module 240 is exposed to the outside through the light transmissive region 251d. That is, the touch sensor 251c and the image module 240 are sequentially stacked on the window 251a.

More specifically, the image module 240 overlaps the touch sensor 251c and the window 251a and is mounted to the window 251a by a silicon double-sided tape T. In addition, the image module 240 is covered by the writing guide film 233. Through this, the image implemented by the image module 240 is written by the light in front of the terminal, thereby forming an icon related to the touch input.

Hereinafter, the image module will be described in more detail. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the image module of FIG. 5 taken along line VI-VI. FIG.

As illustrated, the image module 240 includes a base member 241, a first layer 242, a second layer 243, and an image hole 244.

The base member 241 may be a sheet, a film, a window, or the like of a light transmissive material. For example, the base member 241 may be formed of a material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate (PC), glass, or the like.

The first layer 242 protrudes from one surface of the base member 241 to provide an image 242a exposed to the outside through the light transmissive region 251d (see FIG. 4). More specifically, a translucent material is disposed along one side of the base member 241 along the image 242a. That is, the image 242a is three-dimensionally formed on one surface to form a shape line of the icon 231c (see FIG. 4). When the image 242a is concave or convex as a whole, the light transmitted from the bottom to the top of the image module 240 is scattered or refracted to give the image 242a a unique three-dimensional appearance.

The stereoscopic formation of the image 242a may be performed by at least one of UV molding, silicon molding, non-conductive vacuum metallization (NCVM), multi deposition, and digital printing using the light transmissive material.

For example, in the case of UV molding, the light transmitting material is a UV curing agent, and the UV curing agent may be set by a mold covering one surface of the base member 241 during molding.

According to an embodiment, the first layer 242 may protrude from one surface of the base member 241 and include a pattern 242b of a translucent material having a different shape from that of the image 242a. The pattern 242b is also three-dimensionally formed by the protrusion like the image 242a. The image 242a is disposed in an area defined by the pattern 242b. The pattern 242b may be a plurality of protruding lines, and the protruding lines are repeated in parallel to each other to form a pattern such as a hairline.

Through this, the touch manipulation unit is configured such that the shape line of the icon implemented by the image 242a is disposed in the hairline region 231d (see FIG. 2) formed by the light transmissive pattern 242b. That is, the pattern 242b is formed to fill all portions of the light transmissive region 251d except for the shape line. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto, and the inside of the shape line may not be filled by the pattern 242b. In this case, the image 242a is not represented by the shape line, but is filled in the inside.

The pattern 242b and the image 242a are made of the same material. In this example, the pattern 242b and the image 242a are simultaneously molded by UV molding with a UV curing agent. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto, and the pattern 242b may disappear as necessary. In addition, the pattern 242b and the image 242a are formed to have a height difference from each other in the thickness direction of the image module 240.

The second layer 243 covers the other surface of the base member 241 and is opaque. For example, the second layer 243 may be formed of a metal material or mirror ink to reflect light incident through one surface of the base member 241. More specifically, in the second layer 243, a tin material is deposited on the base member 241, thereby providing a metallic texture to the pattern 242b.

The image hole 244 is connected to the image 242a in the second layer 243 such that light directed toward the other surface of the base member 241 is reflected through the base member 241 to the image 242a. It is formed to remove the corresponding part. According to this structure, the light is reflected on the shape line of the icon embodied by the image 242a, the pattern 242b is to function as a background of the metallic texture is not shining light.

As shown, the image hole 244 is formed by etching the second layer 243. In addition, a print layer 245 may be formed on one surface of the second layer 243 except for a portion corresponding to the image 242a so that the shape of the image hole 244 is set by the etching. .

In addition, the image 242a may be given a texture or color. In order to implement this, a third layer 246 having the texture or color is disposed to cover the second layer 243. In addition, the image 242a may be formed to have a metallic texture and color. For example, the third layer 246 includes a metal material to provide a metallic texture to the image 242a. The metal material is light-transmissive to enable writing on the image 242a. In this example, the third layer 246 may be a tin material having a different content from that of the second layer 243.

According to an exemplary embodiment, a protective layer 247 may be formed on one surface of the third layer 246 to prevent peeling of the third layer 246. The protective layer 247 may be printed on the rear surface of the third layer 246 to enhance reliability.

According to the structure described above, the image of the metallic material that can be written on the base of the metallic material in the terminal can be implemented. In addition, in the present invention, it is possible to apply other materials than metal. For example, by combining a mirror ink, a printing ink, a metal material, etc., an icon of a design different from the conventional design may be implemented.

Hereinafter, a method of manufacturing an image module implementing the above-described structure will be described. 7A to 7I are conceptual views illustrating a manufacturing process of an image module related to the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 7A and 7B, the manufacturing method may first form a first layer in which a light-transmissive material is disposed along the image on one surface of a base member to form a light-transmissive image (S100). The image may be formed on one surface of the base member by at least one of UV molding, non-conductive vacuum metallization (NCVM), multi deposition, and digital printing.

For example, in the case of UV molding, the forming of the first layer may include forming a pattern of a translucent material having a shape different from that of the image together with the image by the UV molding. In this case, the light transmitting material is a UV curing agent, and the UV curing agent is applied to one surface of the base member at the time of molding, and cured by UV irradiation while housed in a mold covering the one surface.

In addition, the base member may be a portion to be cut in the light transmitting fabric. More specifically, the fabric is made of a wide sheet, film, etc., so that it can be divided into a plurality of base members, and the first layer is molded to repeatedly form images on the fabric.

Next, a second layer formed opaquely is formed on the other surface of the base member (see FIG. 7C). The forming of the second layer may include coating or depositing a metal material on the other surface of the base member or applying a mirror ink. The mirror ink may be applied through deposition and spraying. The metal material may be a tin material, and may be formed through non-conductive coating (NCVM, non-conductive vacuum metallization), multi deposition, or the like.

Next, a portion corresponding to the image is removed from the second layer so that light directed to the other surface passes through the base member to shine on the image. The removing step includes printing (see FIG. 7D) and etching (see FIG. 7E).

The printing may include printing a print layer formed on the second layer except for a portion corresponding to the image. The excluded part may be a picto or the like, and may be implemented by patterning.

The etching may be etching the portion of the second layer corresponding to the image using at least one of photoetching, chemical etching, and laser etching.

Next, a third layer is formed to cover the second layer to provide a texture or color to the image (see FIG. 7F). The third layer may be formed by nonconductive coating or multi-deposition, and is made of light transmissive or semi-transparent.

In addition, a second etching may be applied to the third layer (see FIG. 7G). Through this, the peripheral part of the icon may be removed from the third layer.

Referring to FIG. 7H, a protective layer is applied (printed) to one surface of the third layer to prevent peeling of the third layer. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto, and a process without secondary etching or protective layer printing is also possible.

Finally, the image module is cut from the far end (see FIG. 7I). The cutting can be made by NC machining. Before the cutting step is performed, a process of laminating the first layer may be performed to protect the image module. In addition, a perforation process for perforating the part to be cut may be added to make the cutting easier.

In the above, the case of implementing the icon in the touch operation unit has been described, but the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto. Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the image module implements a logo or the like formed on the terminal will be described.

8 and 9 are a rear view and a cross-sectional view according to another embodiment of a mobile terminal related to the present invention. In this embodiment, the description of the same or similar configuration as the above-described embodiment will be replaced with the first description.

Referring to this figure, the light transmissive region 351d is formed on the rear surface of the terminal body. In this case, the terminal may have a structure in which the battery is fixed, not removable, and the rear case 302 does not cover the battery cover. Thus, the light transmissive region 351d is formed on the outer surface of the rear case 302.

An image module 340 is mounted on an inner surface of the rear case 302, and the image module 340 is formed to expose the image 342a to the outside through the light transmissive region 351d. The pattern 342b may also be formed in the same manner as in the previous embodiment. The image 342a may be a logo disposed on the rear surface. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the logo may be formed on a front surface, for example, a front case or a window.

For example, the image 342a is three-dimensionally formed on the base member 341 of the image module 340 to form a logo. In addition, the logo is formed to be lit by light. To this end, a light source 334 is built in the terminal to shine light toward the image module 340. The light source 334 is disposed to overlap the base member 341 in the thickness direction of the terminal, thereby enabling a structure without a separate writing guide film.

The light source 334 may be controlled in conjunction with a state change of the terminal. For example, the light source 334 may be linked with a touch manipulation unit (not shown) on the front surface. In this case, the touch manipulation unit may include only icons printed on the rear surface of the window. The lighting structure around the icons may be configured in the same form as in the previous embodiment.

As an example of the interworking, the icons and the logo may be written together when the display of the terminal is activated by input of a control command in a deactivated state.

As such, when the image module is used to implement a logo, the image module does not need to overlap the touch sensor that senses touch. Further, a structure without the above lighting is also possible. In this case, only the lighting function is excluded, and the logo of the metal image is formed on the metal material.

The above-described image module, a mobile terminal having the same, and a manufacturing method of the image module are not limited to the configuration and method of the above-described embodiments, and the embodiments may be modified in various ways. All or part of the examples may be optionally combined.

Claims (22)

A base member made of a light transmitting material;
A first layer having a transmissive material disposed along the image to form a translucent image protruding from one surface of the base member;
A second layer formed to cover the other surface of the base member and formed to be opaque; And
And an image hole formed to remove a portion corresponding to the image in the second layer such that light directed toward the other surface penetrates the base member to illuminate the image. The method of claim 1,
The image module is three-dimensionally formed on the one surface to form an icon or logo. The method of claim 2,
The three-dimensional formation of the image is an image module, characterized in that formed by at least one of UV molding, non-conductive coating (NCVM · Non-Conductive Vacuum Metallization), multi-deposition, digital printing using the light-transmissive material. The method of claim 1,
The first layer may protrude from the one surface and further include a pattern of a translucent material having a shape different from that of the image. 5. The method of claim 4,
And the image is disposed in an area defined by the pattern. 5. The method of claim 4,
The image module, characterized in that the pattern and the image is made of the same material. The method of claim 1,
The second layer is an image module, characterized in that formed by a metallic material or a mirror ink (Mirror Ink) to reflect the light incident through the one surface. The method of claim 1,
And the image hole is formed by etching the second layer. 9. The method of claim 8,
And a print layer is formed on one surface of the second layer except for a portion corresponding to the image so that the shape of the image hole is set by the etching. The method of claim 1,
And a third layer disposed to cover the second layer to provide a texture or color to the image, the third layer being configured to have the texture or color. The method of claim 10,
The third layer includes a metal material to provide a metallic texture to the image. The method of claim 10,
And a protective layer applied to one surface of the third layer to prevent peeling of the third layer. A terminal body having a front side and a rear side;
A translucent region formed on at least one of the front and rear surfaces;
An image module embedded in the main body, the image module configured to expose at least a portion to the outside through the light transmissive area; And
A light source for generating light shining toward the image module,
The image module,
A base member made of a light transmitting material;
A first layer protruding from one surface of the base member and having a transmissive material formed along the image to provide an image exposed to the outside through the translucent region;
A second layer formed to cover the other surface of the base member and formed to be opaque; And
And an image hole formed to remove a portion corresponding to the image from the second layer so that light directed to the other surface penetrates the base member to illuminate the image. The method of claim 13,
A touch sensor overlapping the image module and formed to detect a touch input;
The image is written by the light on the front surface, characterized in that to form an icon associated with the touch input. The method of claim 13,
The image is a mobile terminal, characterized in that to form a logo written by the light on at least one of the front and rear. In the manufacturing method of the image module mounted on the mobile terminal to provide an image exposed to the outside of the terminal,
Forming a first layer on which one side of the base member is disposed a light transmitting material along the image to form a light transmitting image;
Forming a second layer opaquely formed on the other surface of the base member; And
Removing a portion corresponding to the image in the second layer such that light directed to the other surface penetrates the base member to illuminate the image. 17. The method of claim 16,
And the image is formed on one surface of the base member by at least one of UV molding, non-conductive vacuum metallization (NCVM), multi-deposition, and digital printing. 18. The method of claim 17,
Forming the first layer,
And forming a pattern of a translucent material having a shape different from that of the image together with the image by the UV molding. 17. The method of claim 16,
Forming the second layer,
Method of manufacturing an image module, characterized in that the step of coating or depositing a metal material on the other side of the base member or applying a mirror ink (Mirror Ink). 17. The method of claim 16,
Wherein the removing comprises:
Printing a print layer formed on the second layer except for a portion corresponding to the image; And
Etching the portion of the second layer corresponding to the image using at least one of photoetching, chemical etching, and laser etching. 17. The method of claim 16,
And forming a third layer covering the second layer to provide a texture or color to the image. The method of claim 21,
And applying a protective layer to one surface of the third layer to prevent peeling of the third layer.

Images