COMMUNICATION TERMINALS

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates, in general, to sterilizing and charging apparatuses for mobile communication terminals and, more particularly, to a sterilizing and charging apparatus for mobile communication terminals which improves on an apparatus disclosed in Korean Patent Application No. 2004-77695, and which sterilizes a mobile communication terminal on which bacteria live, and which has a structure in which a universal charging terminal may easily replaced with a different kind of universal charging terminal, and in which a cable to which the universal charging terminal is coupled can be extracted from the terminal mount to a predetermined distance and retracted into the terminal mount so that the universal charging terminal can be easily coupled to a USB (universal serial bus) terminal of the mobile communication terminal for charging and data transfer, and in which an adhesive sheet or a suction unit is provided on the seating surface of the terminal mount so that the mobile communication terminal can be stably seated on the terminal mount without moving.

Background Art

[2] Generally, mobile communication terminals, such as cellular phones and personal digital assistants (PDA), have a communication function to receive the voice of a user and transfer it to another person through a mobile radio communication network. Due to this feature, the mobile communication terminals are easily sprayed with saliva from the mouth of a user. As well, because the mobile communication terminals are in close contact with the faces of users, sweat or cosmetics from the users easily pollute the mobile communication terminals.

[3] As such, a polluted mobile communication terminal provides an environment suitable for the propagation of various germs. Thus, the polluted mobile communication terminal is harmful to the respiratory system of a user and the skin of the user which is in direct contact with the polluted mobile communication terminal. Typically, users hold mobile communication terminals with their hands while using the mobile communication terminals. Therefore, various harmful germs, which live on the mobile communication terminals, infect other persons through the hands of the users. In particular, babies may be easily infected with harmful bacteria by coming into contact with users having used the polluted mobile communication terminal.

[4] Furthermore, a universal charging terminal corresponding to a USB (universal serial bus) terminal of a mobile communication terminal for charging and data

switching is fastened to a lower end of a terminal mount. Accordingly, there is difficulty in setting the mobile communication terminal on the terminal mount.

[5] Moreover, the number of pins of universal charging terminals for charging and data switching differs according to country, for example, eight, sixteen or twenty-four pins. Therefore, the conventional art is problematic in that intercompatibility is low.

[6] In addition, smaller mobile communication terminals having various sizes may undesirably move in a terminal mount. That is, stability is low while the mobile communication terminal is set on the terminal mount. Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[7] Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a sterilizing and charging apparatus for mobile communication terminals which sterilizes a mobile communication terminal on which bacteria live, and which has a structure in which a universal charging terminal may easily be replaced with a different kind of universal charging terminal, and in which a cable to which the universal charging terminal is coupled can be extracted from the terminal mount to a predetermined distance and retracted into the terminal mount so that the universal charging terminal can easily be coupled to a USB (universal serial bus) terminal of the mobile communication terminal for charging and data switching, and in which an adhesive sheet or a suction unit is provided on the seating surface of the terminal mount so that the mobile communication terminal can be stably seated on the terminal mount without moving.

Technical Solution

[8] In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a sterilizing and charging apparatus for a mobile communication terminal, including: a terminal mount provided in a case in which an ultraviolet lamp to be operated by a control switch is installed; and an openable lid mounted on the case. The sterilizing and charging apparatus further includes: a universal charging terminal seat depression having a predetermined size and provided in the front of the terminal mount, with a through hole formed at a central portion in the universal charging terminal seat depression; a cable guide roller vertically and rotatably provided below the through hole of the universal charging terminal seat depression, with a winding groove formed around a circumferential outer surface of the cable guide roller; a stopper guide rod spaced apart from a lower surface of the case and supported at opposite ends thereof by a support unit while extending a predetermined length forwards and backwards; a stopper fitted over the stopper guide rod such that the stopper guide rod passes through

front and rear surfaces of the stopper, with a cable holding hole formed through the stopper and communicating with the front surface and with a first sidewall of the stopper, and a latch provided on a second sidewall of the stopper; a spiral spring coupled at a first end thereof to the rear surface of the stopper and coupled at a second end thereof to the support unit to which a rear end of the stopper guide rod is coupled; a cable removal preventing plate coupled to the lower surface of the case at a predetermined position spaced apart from the lower surface of the case, so that a space having a predetermined size is defined between the lower surface of the case and the cable removal preventing plate around the first sidewall of the stopper through which the cable holding hole communicates; a latch guide groove formed in the lower surface of the case to guide the latch of the stopper forwards and backwards, the latch guide groove being parallel with the stopper guide rod; a cable held at a predetermined portion thereof by the cable holding hole of the stopper and supported by the winding groove of the cable guide roller, the cable being extracted to an upper surface of the case through the through hole while a length of the cable is located in the space between the cable removal preventing plate and the lower surface of the case; and a universal charging terminal coupled to an end of the cable extracted to the upper surface of the case.

[9] The sterilizing and charging apparatus may further include a terminal socket coupled to the end of the cable and provided with a grip provided on an outer surface of the terminal socket, an external thread, and a terminal; and an internal thread provided in a rear part of the universal charging terminal, so that the terminal socket of the cable removably engages with the internal thread of the universal charging terminal. Alternatively, the sterilizing and charging apparatus may further include an internal socket extending a predetermined length from the universal charging terminal; and an external socket provided on the end of the cable extracted through the through hole of the case, so that the universal charging terminal is removably coupled to the cable by inserting the internal socket into the external socket.

[10] The stopper may include: an upper stopper, having an upper cable holding groove formed on a lower surface of the upper stopper and communicating with a front surface and with a first sidewall of the upper stopper, and a latch removal preventing piece extending a predetermined length downwards from a second sidewall opposite the first sidewall of the upper stopper; and a lower stopper, having a lower cable holding groove formed on an upper surface of the lower stopper to correspond to the upper cable holding groove of the upper stopper, so that the upper and lower cable holding grooves form the cable holding hole of the stopper, a spring support protrusion provided on a rear part of the lower stopper, the latch extending a predetermined length outwards from a front portion of a sidewall of the lower stopper corresponding to the

latch removal preventing piece, extending a predetermined length backwards, and bent downwards at an end thereof, and a guide rod passing hole passing from a front surface to a rear surface of the lower stopper.

[11] The latch guide groove 16 may extend a predetermined length in a straight line to form a first straight part, and be curved at a front end of the first straight part in an arc shape having a predetermined curvature, and extend a predetermined length from a front end of the curved part in a straight line coaxial to the first straight part to form a second straight part. The case may include: a hook provided in the curved part of the latch guide groove; and a release part, having a predetermined inclination, provided in the curved part of the latch guide groove at a predetermined position corresponding to the hook.

[12] The sterilizing and charging apparatus may further include a sheet, having a predetermined adhesive force, provided on a seating surface of the terminal mount. Alternatively, the sterilizing and charging apparatus may further include at least one suction unit coupled at a lower end thereof to a seating surface of the terminal mount such that a suction opening of the suction unit faces upwards.

Advantageous Effects

[13] The present invention provides a sterilizing and charging apparatus for mobile communication terminals which sterilizes a mobile communication terminal on which bacteria live, and which has a structure capable of replacing a universal charging terminal with a different kind of universal charging terminal, and in which a cable to which the universal charging terminal is coupled can be extracted from the terminal mount to a predetermined distance and retracted into the terminal mount so that the universal charging terminal is easily coupled to a USB (universal serial bus) terminal of the mobile communication terminal, and in which an adhesive sheet or a suction unit is provided on a seating surface of the terminal mount so that the mobile communication terminal can be stably seated on the terminal mount without moving.

Description of Drawings

[14] FlG. 1 is a bottom perspective view of a sterilizing and charging apparatus for mobile communication terminals, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[15] FlG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a stopper of the sterilizing and charging apparatus of FlG. 1 ;

[16] FIGS. 3 and 4 are bottom views of the sterilizing and charging apparatus to show the operation of the stopper of FlG. 2;

[17] FIGS. 5 and 6 are detailed views showing representative methods of coupling a universal charging terminal to a cable of the sterilizing and charging apparatus

according to the present invention;

[18] FIGS. 7 and 8 respectively show an adhesive sheet and suction cups which are provided on terminal mounts of the sterilizing and charging apparatuses according to the present invention; and

[19] FlG. 9 is a perspective view showing use of the sterilizing and charging apparatus according to the present invention.

Best Mode

[20] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[21] FlG. 1 is a bottom perspective view of a sterilizing and charging apparatus 1 for mobile communication terminals, according to the present invention. FlG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a stopper 10 of the sterilizing and charging apparatus 1 of FlG. 1. FIGS. 3 and 4 are bottom views of the sterilizing and charging apparatus 1 to show the operation of the stopper 10 of FlG. 2. FIGS. 5 and 6 are detailed views showing representative methods of coupling a universal charging terminal 41 to a cable 40 of the sterilizing and charging apparatus 1 according to the present invention. FIGS. 7 and 8 respectively show an adhesive sheet 70 and suction cups 71 which are provided on terminal mounts 5 of the sterilizing and charging apparatuses 1 according to the present invention. FlG. 9 is a perspective view showing use of the sterilizing and charging apparatus 1 according to the present invention.

[22] As shown in the drawings, the sterilizing and charging apparatus 1 of the present invention includes the terminal mount 5 which is provided in a case 3 in which an ultraviolet lamp 4 that is operated by a control switch 8 is installed, and an openable lid 2 is mounted on the case 3. The sterilizing and charging apparatus 1 further includes a seat depression 7, a cable guide roller 30, a stopper guide rod 32, the stopper 10, a spiral spring 14, a cable removal preventing plate 15, a latch guide groove 16, the cable 40 and the universal charging terminal 41.

[23] As shown in FlG. 1, the seat depression 7 has a predetermined size and is provided in the front of the terminal mount 5, with a through hole 6 formed at a central portion in the seat depression 7. Thus, the seat depression 7 forms a space to seat the universal charging terminal 41 therein.

[24] The cable guide roller 30 has a circular shape and is vertically and rotatably mounted to a lower surface of the case 3 below the through hole 6 of the seat depression 7. A winding groove 31 is formed around a circumferential outer surface of the cable guide roller 30. The cable guide roller 30 serves to guide the cable 40 such that the cable 40 easily moves forwards and backwards in the winding groove 31.

[25] The stopper guide rod 32 is spaced apart from the lower surface of the case 3 and extends a predetermined length forwards and backwards such that the opposite ends of

the stopper guide rod 32 are supported by two support units 33. The stopper guide rod 32 passes through the stopper 10 so as to guide the forward and backward movement of the stopper 10.

[26] The stopper 10 is fitted over the stopper guide rod 32 such that the stopper guide rod 32 passes through front and rear surfaces of the stopper 10. A cable holding hole is formed through the stopper 10 and communicates with the front surface and with a first sidewall of the stopper 10. A latch 13 is provided on a second sidewall opposite the first sidewall of the stopper 10. The cable 40 is held by the cable holding hole of the stopper 10 so that the cable 40 moves forwards and backwards along with the stopper 10 while the stopper 10 is guided by the stopper guide rod 32.

[27] Preferably, as shown in Fig. 2, the stopper 10 includes an upper stopper 17 and a lower stopper 20. The upper stopper 17 has an upper cable holding groove 11 which is formed on a lower surface of the upper stopper 17 and communicate with a front surface and with a first sidewall of the upper stopper 17. The upper stopper 17 further has a latch removal preventing piece 18 which extends a predetermined length downwards from a second sidewall opposite the first sidewall of the upper stopper 17. The lower stopper 20 has a lower cable holding groove 12 which is formed on an upper surface of the lower stopper 20 to correspond to the upper cable holding groove 11 of the upper stopper 17. The upper and lower cable holding grooves 11 and 12 form the cable holding hole in the stopper 10. The lower stopper 20 further has a spring support protrusion 19 which has a cylindrical shape and is provided on a rear part of the lower stopper 20. The latch 13 extends a predetermined length outwards from a front portion of a sidewall of the lower stopper 20 corresponding to the latch removal preventing piece 18, and extends a predetermined length backwards, and is bent downwards at an end thereof. The lower stopper 20 further has a guide rod passing hole 21 which passes from a front surface to a rear surface of the lower stopper 20.

[28] The upper and lower cable holding grooves 11 and 12 preferably have L shapes, but they may have shapes which are bent several times. In other words, the shapes of the upper and lower cable holding grooves 11 and 12 are not limited to the L shape.

[29] The spiral spring 14 is coupled at a first end thereof to the rear surface of the stopper 10 and coupled at a second end thereof to the support unit 33 to which a rear end of the stopper guide rod 32 is coupled. The spiral spring 14 has appropriate tension force to return the stopper 10 to its original position when the stopper 10 moves forwards.

[30] The cable removal preventing plate 15 is coupled to the lower surface of the case 3 at a position spaced apart from the lower surface of the case 3 by a predetermined distance, so that a space having a predetermined size is defined between the lower surface of the case 3 and the cable removal preventing plate around the first sidewall of

the stopper 20 through which the cable holding hole communicates. Extra length of the cable 40 is placed in the space between the lower surface of the case 3 and the cable removal preventing plate 15 so that the cable 40 can move forwards and backwards along with the stopper 10 without being stretched.

[31] As shown in FIG. 3, the latch guide groove 16 is formed in the lower surface of the case 3 parallel to the stopper guide rod 32 so as to guide the latch 13 of the stopper 10 forwards and backwards.

[32] Furthermore, the latch guide groove 16, which is formed parallel to the stopper guide rod 32 under the lower surface of the case 3 to guide the longitudinal movement of the latch of the stopper 10, extends a predetermined length in a straight line to form a first straight part, and is curved at a front end of the first straight part in an arc shape having a predetermined curvature, and extends a predetermined length from a front end of the curved part in a straight line coaxial to the first straight part to form a second straight part. Furthermore, a hook 22 is provided in the curved part of the latch guide groove 16. A release part 23 having a predetermined inclination is provided in the curved part of the latch guide groove 16 at a position corresponding to the hook 22. Therefore, the latch 13 of the stopper 10 moves forwards along the latch guide groove 16 while the stopper 10 moves forwards. When the stopper 10 releases after passing over the hook 22, the latch 13 of the stopper 10 is hooked to the hook 22. When the stopper 10 moves forwards again and reaches the release part 23 of the curved part of the latch guide groove 16, the latch 13 moves along the inclination of the release part 23 and, finally, the latch 13 is freed from the curved part of the latch guide groove 16. Then, the latch 13 is not hooked to the hook 22 until the stopper 10 moves backwards to its original position.

[33] The cable 40 is held at a predetermined portion thereof by the cable holding hole of the stopper 10, is supported by the winding groove 31 of the cable guide roller 30, and is extracted to an upper surface of the case 3 through the through hole 6 while extra cable 40 is located in the space between the cable removal preventing plate 15 and the lower surface of the case 3.

[34] The universal charging terminal 41 is coupled to an end of the cable 40 extracted to the upper surface of the case 3. The removable coupling of the universal charging terminal 41 to the cable 40 may be conducted by engaging a terminal socket 50 coupled to the end of the cable 40 with an internal thread 54 provided in a rear part of the universal charging terminal 41. Here, the terminal socket 50 has a grip 51 which is provided on an outer surface of the terminal socket 50, an external thread 52 and a terminal 53. Alternatively, an internal socket 60 is provided on an end of a separate cable which extends a predetermined length from the universal charging terminal 41, and an external socket 61 is provided on the end of the cable 40 extracted through the

through hole 6 of the case 3, so that the universal charging terminal 41 may be removably coupled to the cable 40 by inserting the internal socket 60 into the external socket 61. Because the number of pins of the universal charging terminal 41 is still not standardized internationally, the universal charging terminal 41 may be not suitable for a user's mobile communication terminal. To solve this problem, the present invention has a structure such that the universal charging terminal 41 may easily be replaced with another.

[35] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, to prevent a mobile communication terminal mounted on the terminal mount 5 from undesirably moving, a sheet 70 having a predetermined adhesive force may be provided on the seating surface of the terminal mount 5. Alternatively, at least one suction cup 71 may be coupled at a lower end thereof to the seating surface of the terminal mount 5 such that a suction opening 72 of the suction cup 71 faces upwards.

[36] The assembly of the sterilizing and charging apparatus of the present invention will be explained herein below.

[37] The seat depression 7 having a predetermined size is provided in the front of the terminal mount 5 of the case 3. The through hole 6 is formed at the central portion in the seat depression 7. The cable guide roller 30 having the winding groove 31 is vertically and rotatably mounted to the case 3 below the through hole 6 of the seat depression 7.

[38] Thereafter, the cable 40 is held at a predetermined position thereof by the cable holding hole of the stopper 10 which is formed by the upper and lower cable holding grooves 11 and 12. Here, the stopper 10 includes the upper stopper 17 and the lower stopper 20. The upper stopper 17 has the upper cable holding groove 11 which is formed on the lower surface of the upper stopper 17 and communicates with the front surface and with the first sidewall of the upper stopper 17, and the latch removal preventing piece 18 which extends a predetermined length downwards from the second sidewall opposite the first sidewall of the upper stopper 17. The lower stopper 20 has the lower cable holding groove 12 which is formed on the upper surface of the lower stopper 20 to correspond to the upper cable holding groove 11 of the upper stopper 17, and the spring support protrusion 19 which has a cylindrical shape and is provided on the rear part of the lower stopper 20. The lower stopper 20 further has the latch 13 which extends a predetermined length outwards from the front portion of the sidewall of the lower stopper 20 corresponding to the latch removal preventing piece 18, extends a predetermined length backwards, and is bent downwards at the end thereof. The lower stopper 20 further has the guide rod passing hole 21 which passes from the front surface to the rear surface of the lower stopper 20. After a predetermined part of the cable 40 is seated in the upper or lower cable holding groove 11 or 12 of the

stopper 10 having the above-mentioned construction, the front end of the spiral spring 14 is supported by the spring support protrusion 19 of the lower stopper 20. Subsequently, the upper and lower stoppers 17 and 20 are coupled to each other.

[39] Thereafter, the stopper guide rod 32 having a predetermined length is inserted into the guide rod passing hole 21 which is longitudinally formed through the lower stopper 20. The latch 13 of the stopper 10 is placed in the latch guide groove 16 which is longitudinally formed under the lower surface of the case 3 to guide the latch 13. Simultaneously, the opposite ends of the stopper guide rod 32 are supported by the pair of support units 33 such that the stopper guide rod 32 is spaced apart from the lower surface of the case 3. At this time, the second end of the spiral spring 14 is supported along with the stopper guide rod 32 by the rear support unit 33.

[40] Thereafter, the cable removal preventing plate 15 is mounted at a position spaced apart from the lower surface of the case 3 such that a space having a predetermined size is defined between the lower surface of the case 3 and the cable removal preventing plate 15 around the first sidewall of the stopper 10 through which the cable holding hole passes. Extra length of the cable 40 held by the stopper 10 is located in the space between the lower surface of the case 3 and the cable removal preventing plate 15. Thus, the cable 40 does not become tense while the stopper 10 moves forwards and backwards. As well, the cable removal preventing plate 15 prevents the cable 40 from interfering with a substrate or an electric component (not shown) placed below the case 3.

[41] Thereafter, the cable 40 to which the stopper 10 is coupled at a predetermined position is extracted to the upper surface of the case 3 after passing through the winding groove 31 of the cable guide roller 30. The universal charging terminal 41 is coupled to the extracted end of the cable 40.

[42] At this time, the universal charging terminal 41 is coupled to the cable 40 by either of the two coupling structures, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Of course, the universal charging terminal 41 may be coupled to the cable 40 by modifications of the above- mentioned coupling structures, and these modifications fall within the bounds of the present invention.

[43] As shown in FIG. 5, in the first coupling structure, the terminal socket 50, which has the grip 51, the external thread 52 and the terminal 53 and is coupled to the end of the cable 40, engages with the internal thread 54 provided in the rear part of the universal charging terminal 41. As shown in FIG. 6, in the second coupling structure, the internal socket 60 is provided on the end of the separate cable which extends a predetermined length from the universal charging terminal 41, and the external socket 61 is provided on the end of the cable 40 extracted through the through hole 6 of the case 3, so that the universal charging terminal 41 may be removably coupled to the cable 40

by inserting the internal socket 60 into the external socket 61.

[44] Meanwhile, the assembly of other components such as the lid 2, the ultraviolet lamp 4 and the substrate can be conducted with reference to the structure shown in the drawings and using conventional techniques, therefore further explanation is deemed unnecessary. Hereby, the assembly process of the present invention is completed.

[45] The operation of the sterilizing and charging apparatus 1 of the present invention assembled through the above-mentioned assembly process will be explained herein below.

[46] First, a plug (not shown), which is coupled to the sterilizing and charging apparatus

1 through an electric wire extracted from a lower end of a rear part of the sterilizing and charging apparatus 1, is inserted into a typical plug socket (not shown), so as to apply power to the sterilizing and charging apparatus 1.

[47] Thereafter, a user lifts the lid 2 from the case 3 to open the terminal mount 5. The user pulls the universal charging terminal 41, placed in front of the terminal mount 5, to a predetermined distance, and inserts the universal charging terminal 41 into a USB terminal (not shown) of a mobile communication terminal for charging and data switching. Here, to easily couple the universal charging terminal 41 to the USB terminal, the cable 40 is stopped when extracted to a predetermined length. In this state, if the cable 40 is further pulled and released, both the cable 40 and the universal charging terminal 41 are retracted into the case 3.

[48] The operation of the cable 40 being hooked and unhooked will be explained in detail herein below.

[49] When the cable 40 is pulled out along with the universal charging terminal 41, the stopper 10 gradually moves forwards from the initial position, as shown in FIG. 3. At this time, the latch 13 of the stopper 10 moves forwards along the latch guide groove 16. The latch guide groove 16 extends a predetermined length in a straight line to form the first straight part, and is curved at the front end of the first straight part in an arc shape having a predetermined curvature, and extends a predetermined length from the front end of the curved part in a straight line coaxial to the first straight part to form the second straight part. Furthermore, the hook 22 is placed in the curved part of the latch guide groove 16. Therefore, when the stopper 10 passes through the curved part of the latch guide groove 16, the latch 13 of the stopper 10 passes over the hook 22.

[50] In this state, if the cable 40, which has been pulled out, is released, the stopper 10 moves backwards due to the tension force of the spiral spring 14 which is coupled to the rear part of the stopper 10. When the stopper 10, which is moving backwards, reaches the hook 22 of the curved part of the latch guide groove 16, the latch 13 of the stopper 10 is hooked to the hook 22. Thus, as shown in FIG. 4, the stopper 10 is stopped, and the cable 10 maintains its state of being extracted to a predetermined

length.

[51] To retract the cable 40 into the case 3, the user again pulls the cable 40. Then, the stopper 10 moves forwards, and the latch 13 of the stopper 10 moves away from the hook 22 and reaches the release part 23. Continuously, the latch 13 moves along the inclination of the release part 23 and, finally, the latch 13 is free from the curved part of the latch guide groove 16. Thus, the stopper 10 is released from the hooked state. At this time, if the user releases the cable 40, the stopper 10 moves backwards due to the tension force of the spiral spring 14. Furthermore, the latch 13 of the stopper 13, which was free from the curved part of the latch guide groove 16, is not hooked to the hook 22 while the stopper 10 moves backwards. The stopper 10 is finally returned to the original position thereof. The cable is retracted into the case 3, and the universal charging terminal 41 is seated into the seat depression 7 of the case 3. Furthermore, the latch removal preventing piece 18 of the upper stopper 17 prevents the latch 13 from being excessively bent in a lateral direction. Accordingly, even if excessive lateral force due to interaction with the hook 22 or the release part 23 is applied to the latch 13 of the stopper 10, the latch 13 is prevented from being broken or deformed.

[52] Meanwhile, because the number of pins (eight pins, sixteen pins or twenty four pins) of mobile communication terminals differs according to countries, if the number of pins of the universal charging terminal 41 does not correspond to that of a mobile communication terminal, the universal charging terminal 41 may be replaced with a different kind of universal charging terminal. There are two methods of replacing the universal charging terminal 41 with another.

[53] The first method of replacing the universal charging terminal 41 is illustrated in

FIG. 5. The user grips the grip 51, which is placed at a junction between the universal charging terminal 41 and the cable 40, with one hand, and the user grips the universal charging terminal 41 with the other hand and rotates it counterclockwise. Then, the universal charging terminal 41 is removed from the cable 40, and the terminal 53, which extends a predetermined length outwards from the grip 51, is exposed to the outside. To couple another universal charging terminal 41 to the cable 40, the user rotates the new universal charging terminal 41 clockwise, but the rest of the operation is the same as that when the universal charging terminal 41 is removed from the cable 40.

[54] The second method of replacing the universal charging terminal 41 is illustrated in

FIG. 6. The user pulls the internal socket 60, which extends a predetermined length from the universal charging terminal 41, from the external socket 61 which is provided on the end of the cable 40 extracted from the case 3 through the through hole 6. Then, the universal charging terminal 41 having the internal socket 60 is removed from the cable 40 having the external socket 60. To couple another universal charging terminal

41 to the cable 40, an internal socket 60 of the new universal charging terminal 41 is forcibly fitted over the external socket 61 of the cable. Then, the internal socket 60 is hooked to the external socket 61, thus the internal socket 60 is not undesirably removed from the external socket 61.

[55] After the USB terminal of the mobile communication terminal for charging and data switching is coupled to the universal charging terminal 41 which is connected to the cable 40 through either of the two above-mentioned coupling structures, if the user further pulls the cable 40, which has been in the hooked state, and releases it, the cable

40 is freed from the hooked state. Thus, the cable 40 is retracted into the case 3 by the tension of the spiral spring 14, and the universal charging terminal 41 is seated in the seat depression 7. Simultaneously, the mobile communication terminal coupled to the universal charging terminal 41 is seated on the terminal mount 5, as shown in FlG. 9. In the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the sheet 70 having a predetermined adhesive force may be attached to the seating surface of the terminal mount 5, or, alternatively, at least one suction cup 71 may be coupled at the lower end thereof to the seating surface of the terminal mount 5 such that the suction opening 72 of the suction cup 71 faces upwards. Therefore, the mobile communication terminal, which is seated on the terminal mount 5, is prevented from undesirably moving.

[56] After the mobile communication terminal is seated on the terminal mount 5, the case 3 is covered with the lid 2 to close the terminal mount 5. Thereafter, the control switch 8 is turned on. Then, the mobile communication terminal is sterilized for a desired time while being charged. After the desired time has passed, power, which has been applied to the ultraviolet lamp 4, is interrupted. Then, the sterilization is stopped, but the charging of the mobile communication terminal continues uninterrupted. After the charging is completed, an LED lamp (not shown) emits, for example, green light, or information is displayed on a display, thus indicating the completion of the charging of the mobile communication terminal to the user.

[57] Next, the user opens the lid 2 and pulls the mobile communication terminal from the terminal mount 5 by a predetermined distance. Then, the cable 40, which is coupled to the mobile communication terminal through the universal charging terminal 41, is extracted to the predetermined length and maintains the extracted state.

[58] Thereafter, the user removes the universal charging terminal 41 from the mobile communication terminal. Subsequently, when the user further pulls the cable 40 and releases it, the cable 40 is retracted into the case 3 and the universal charging terminal

41 is seated in the seat depression 7. Then, the sterilizing and charging apparatus of the present invention is returned to its original state for subsequent charging and sterilization.

Industrial Applicability

[59] As described above, the present invention provides a sterilizing and charging apparatus for mobile communication terminals which sterilizes a mobile com munication terminal on which bacteria live, and which has a structure capable of replacing a universal charging terminal with a different kind of universal charging terminal, and in which a cable to which the universal charging terminal is coupled can be extracted from the terminal mount to a predetermined distance and retracted into the terminal mount so that the universal charging terminal is easily coupled to a USB (universal serial bus) terminal of the mobile communication terminal, and in which an adhesive sheet or a suction unit is provided on a seating surface of the terminal mount so that the mobile communication terminal can be stably seated on the terminal mount without moving.

[60] Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.