KR102693907B1 - Electronic device including a plurality of battery cells - Google Patents

Abstract

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, an electronic device may include a first housing structure, a second housing structure disposed adjacent to the first housing structure, a hinge assembly disposed between the first housing structure and the second housing structure and providing a rotational movement between the first housing structure and the second housing structure, a first battery cell mounted in the first housing, a second battery cell mounted in the second housing, a flexible circuit board (FPCB) disposed to extend from the first battery cell across the hinge assembly to the second battery cell, at least a portion of which forms a curved surface according to a folding motion of the hinge assembly, and a protection circuit module (PCM) disposed within the hinge assembly or adjacent to the hinge assembly and including a first portion electrically connected to the first battery cell and a second portion electrically connected to the second battery cell.

Description

ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF BATTERY CELLS

Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an electronic device including a plurality of batteries.

Thanks to the remarkable development of information and communication technology and semiconductor technology, the distribution and use of various electronic devices are rapidly increasing. In particular, recent electronic devices are being developed to be portable and communicate.

An electronic device may refer to a device that performs a specific function according to the program installed on it, such as home appliances, electronic notebooks, portable multimedia players, mobile communication terminals, tablet PCs, audio/video devices, desktop/laptop computers, and car navigation systems. For example, these electronic devices can output stored information as audio or video. As the integration of electronic devices increases and ultra-high-speed, large-capacity wireless communications become widespread, recently, a single electronic device such as a mobile communication terminal can be installed with various functions. For example, in addition to communication functions, entertainment functions such as games, multimedia functions such as music/video playback, communication and security functions for mobile banking, and functions such as schedule management and electronic wallets are being integrated into a single electronic device. These electronic devices are being miniaturized so that users can conveniently carry them.

As mobile communication services expand to the multimedia service area, the size of the display of electronic devices may increase in order for users to fully utilize multimedia services in addition to voice calls and short messages. Accordingly, a flexible display that can be folded may be placed over the entire area of a housing structure that is separated to enable folding.

A foldable electronic device includes a plurality of housing structures that are rotatable relative to each other about a folding axis. Typically, a battery cell may be arranged in each of the plurality of housing structures of the electronic device. The electronic device may be implemented to have two battery cells and two protection circuit modules (PCMs) for high capacity.

The two battery cells of the above electronic device are physically and electrically separated from each other, so that the power management integrated circuit (PMIC) cannot accurately monitor the voltage of each battery cell and can only perform an operation of recognizing the average value of the two battery cells. Accordingly, rapid charging may be limited. In addition, depending on the structure of the protection circuit module (PCM) connected to each battery cell, it may be disadvantageous to secure the capacity of the battery cell within the same volume.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a single protection circuit module (PCM) electrically connected to a plurality of battery cells arranged in a foldable electronic device is implemented, and a structure capable of efficient rapid charging is provided by reducing voltage loss due to path impedance between the protection circuit module (PCM) and the plurality of battery cells. In addition, the capacity of the battery cell can be secured as much as the area of the single protection circuit module (PCM).

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, an electronic device may include a first housing structure, a second housing structure disposed adjacent to the first housing structure, a hinge assembly disposed between the first housing structure and the second housing structure and providing a rotational movement between the first housing structure and the second housing structure, a first battery cell mounted in the first housing, a second battery cell mounted in the second housing, a flexible circuit board (FPCB) disposed to extend from the first battery cell across the hinge assembly to the second battery cell, at least a portion of which forms a curved surface according to a folding motion of the hinge assembly, and a protection circuit module (PCM) disposed within the hinge assembly or adjacent to the hinge assembly and including a first portion electrically connected to the first battery cell through the flexible circuit board, and a second portion electrically connected to the second battery cell.

An electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may include a first housing structure covering at least a portion of a first bracket assembly, a second housing structure covering at least a portion of a second bracket assembly and rotatably coupled to the first housing structure by a hinge assembly, a first battery cell disposed on a rear surface of the first bracket assembly, a second battery cell disposed on a rear surface of the second bracket assembly, a first region extending from the first battery cell toward a front surface of the first bracket assembly and a second region extending from the second battery cell toward a front surface of the second bracket assembly, and a flexible circuit board (FPCB) that forms a curved surface according to a folding operation of the hinge assembly, and a protection circuit module (PCM) disposed inside or adjacent to the hinge assembly and including a first portion electrically connected to the first battery cell through the flexible circuit board, and a second portion electrically connected to the second battery cell. there is.

An electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a single protection circuit module (PCM) structure electrically connected to a plurality of battery cells.

Electronic devices according to various embodiments of the present disclosure can increase the capacity of battery cells, facilitate the implementation of internal circuits, improve rapid charging, and improve battery life by implementing a battery structure suitable for foldable electronic devices.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device within a network environment, according to various embodiments.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an unfolded state of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a folded state of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a folded or unfolded state of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 6a is a drawing showing an internal structure facing the front side of an electronic device in an unfolded state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6b is a drawing showing an internal structure facing the rear side of an electronic device in an unfolded state. FIG. 6c is a perspective view of an electronic device in an unfolded state.
FIG. 7a is a diagram illustrating an internal structure facing forward in an unfolded state of an electronic device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7b is a diagram illustrating an internal structure facing rearward in an unfolded state of the electronic device. FIG. 7c is a perspective view of the electronic device in an unfolded state. FIG. 7d is a perspective view of a hinge assembly inside an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 8a is a drawing showing an internal structure facing forward in an unfolded state of an electronic device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8b is a drawing showing an internal structure facing backward in an unfolded state of an electronic device. FIG. 8c is a perspective view of an unfolded state of an electronic device.
FIG. 9A is a drawing showing an internal structure facing forward in an unfolded state of an electronic device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 9B is a drawing showing an internal structure facing backward in an unfolded state of an electronic device. FIG. 9C is a perspective view of an unfolded state of an electronic device.
FIG. 10a is a graph showing a charging time by a sensing method according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 10b is a graph showing a charging time by one of the general sensing methods.
FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure of an electronic device facing forward in an unfolded state according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure of an electronic device facing forward in an unfolded state according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

According to various embodiments of FIG. 1, this is a block diagram of an electronic device (101) within a network environment (100).

Referring to FIG. 1, in a network environment (100), an electronic device (101) may communicate with an electronic device (102) through a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network), or may communicate with an electronic device (104) or a server (108) through a second network (199) (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may communicate with the electronic device (104) through the server (108). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a processor (120), a memory (130), an input device (150), an audio output device (155), a display device (160), an audio module (170), a sensor module (176), an interface (177), a haptic module (179), a camera module (180), a power management module (188), a battery (189), a communication module (190), a subscriber identification module (196), or an antenna module (197). In some embodiments, the electronic device (101) may omit at least one of these components (e.g., the display device (160) or the camera module (180)), or may include one or more other components. In some embodiments, some of these components may be implemented as a single integrated circuit. For example, a sensor module (176) (e.g., a fingerprint sensor, an iris sensor, or a light sensor) may be implemented embedded in a display device (160) (e.g., a display).

The processor (120) may control at least one other component (e.g., a hardware or software component) of the electronic device (101) connected to the processor (120) by executing, for example, software (e.g., a program (140)), and may perform various data processing or calculations. According to one embodiment, as at least a part of the data processing or calculations, the processor (120) may load a command or data received from another component (e.g., a sensor module (176) or a communication module (190)) into the volatile memory (132), process the command or data stored in the volatile memory (132), and store the resulting data in the nonvolatile memory (134). According to one embodiment, the processor (120) may include a main processor (121) (e.g., a central processing unit or an application processor), and a secondary processor (123) (e.g., a graphic processing unit, an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor) that may operate independently or together therewith. Additionally or alternatively, the auxiliary processor (123) may be configured to use less power than the main processor (121), or to be specialized for a given function. The auxiliary processor (123) may be implemented separately from the main processor (121), or as a part thereof.

The auxiliary processor (123) may control at least a portion of functions or states associated with at least one of the components of the electronic device (101) (e.g., the display device (160), the sensor module (176), or the communication module (190)), for example, on behalf of the main processor (121) while the main processor (121) is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, or together with the main processor (121) while the main processor (121) is in an active (e.g., application execution) state. In one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., an image signal processor or a communication processor) may be implemented as a part of another functionally related component (e.g., a camera module (180) or a communication module (190)).

The memory (130) can store various data used by at least one component (e.g., processor (120) or sensor module (176)) of the electronic device (101). The data can include, for example, software (e.g., program (140)) and input data or output data for commands related thereto. The memory (130) can include volatile memory (132) or nonvolatile memory (134).

The program (140) may be stored as software in memory (130) and may include, for example, an operating system (142), middleware (144), or an application (146).

The input device (150) can receive commands or data to be used in a component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a processor (120)) from an external source (e.g., a user) of the electronic device (101). The input device (150) can include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, a keyboard, or a digital pen (e.g., a stylus pen).

The audio output device (155) can output an audio signal to the outside of the electronic device (101). The audio output device (155) can include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker can be used for general purposes such as multimedia playback or recording playback, and the receiver can be used to receive an incoming call. According to one embodiment, the receiver can be implemented separately from the speaker or as a part thereof.

The display device (160) can visually provide information to an external party (e.g., a user) of the electronic device (101). The display device (160) can include, for example, a display, a holographic device, or a projector and a control circuit for controlling the device. According to one embodiment, the display device (160) can include touch circuitry configured to detect a touch, or a sensor circuitry configured to measure a strength of a force generated by the touch (e.g., a pressure sensor).

The audio module (170) can convert sound into an electrical signal, or vice versa, convert an electrical signal into sound. According to one embodiment, the audio module (170) can obtain sound through an input device (150), or output sound through an audio output device (155), or an external electronic device (e.g., an electronic device (102)) (e.g., a speaker or a headphone) directly or wirelessly connected to the electronic device (101).

The sensor module (176) can detect an operating state (e.g., power or temperature) of the electronic device (101) or an external environmental state (e.g., user state) and generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected state. According to one embodiment, the sensor module (176) can include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor.

The interface (177) may support one or more designated protocols that may be used to directly or wirelessly connect the electronic device (101) to an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (102)). In one embodiment, the interface (177) may include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an SD card interface, or an audio interface.

The connection terminal (178) may include a connector through which the electronic device (101) may be physically connected to an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (102)). According to one embodiment, the connection terminal (178) may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector).

The haptic module (179) can convert an electrical signal into a mechanical stimulus (e.g., vibration or movement) or an electrical stimulus that a user can perceive through a tactile or kinesthetic sense. According to one embodiment, the haptic module (179) can include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

The camera module (180) can capture still images and moving images. According to one embodiment, the camera module (180) can include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

The power management module (188) can manage power supplied to the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, the power management module (388) can be implemented as, for example, at least a part of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

A battery (189) may power at least one component of the electronic device (101). In one embodiment, the battery (189) may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

The communication module (190) may support establishment of a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between the electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (102), the electronic device (104), or the server (108)), and performance of communication through the established communication channel. The communication module (190) may operate independently from the processor (120) (e.g., the application processor) and may include one or more communication processors that support direct (e.g., wired) communication or wireless communication. According to one embodiment, the communication module (190) may include a wireless communication module (192) (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a GNSS (global navigation satellite system) communication module) or a wired communication module (194) (e.g., a local area network (LAN) communication module or a power line communication module). A corresponding communication module among these communication modules can communicate with an external electronic device via a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, WiFi direct, or IrDA (infrared data association)) or a second network (199) (e.g., a long-range communication network such as a cellular network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., a LAN or WAN)). These various types of communication modules can be integrated into a single component (e.g., a single chip) or implemented as multiple separate components (e.g., multiple chips). The wireless communication module (192) can identify and authenticate the electronic device (101) within a communication network such as the first network (198) or the second network (199) by using subscriber information (e.g., an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module (196).

The antenna module (197) can transmit or receive signals or power to or from an external device (e.g., an external electronic device). According to one embodiment, the antenna module can include one antenna including a radiator formed of a conductor or a conductive pattern formed on a substrate (e.g., a PCB). According to one embodiment, the antenna module (197) can include a plurality of antennas. In this case, at least one antenna suitable for a communication method used in a communication network, such as the first network (198) or the second network (199), can be selected from the plurality of antennas by, for example, the communication module (190). A signal or power can be transmitted or received between the communication module (190) and the external electronic device through the selected at least one antenna. According to some embodiments, in addition to the radiator, another component (e.g., an RFIC) can be additionally formed as a part of the antenna module (197).

At least some of the above components may be connected to each other and exchange signals (e.g., commands or data) with each other via a communication method between peripheral devices (e.g., a bus, GPIO (general purpose input and output), SPI (serial peripheral interface), or MIPI (mobile industry processor interface)).

According to one embodiment, a command or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (104) via a server (108) connected to a second network (199). Each of the electronic devices (102, 104) may be the same or a different type of device as the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, all or part of the operations executed in the electronic device (101) may be executed in one or more of the external electronic devices (102, 104, or 108). For example, when the electronic device (101) is to perform a certain function or service automatically or in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device (101) may, instead of executing the function or service itself or in addition, request one or more external electronic devices to perform at least a part of the function or service. One or more external electronic devices that have received the request may execute at least a part of the requested function or service, or an additional function or service related to the request, and transmit the result of the execution to the electronic device (101). The electronic device (101) may process the result as is or additionally and provide it as at least a part of a response to the request. For this purpose, for example, cloud computing, distributed computing, or client-server computing technology may be used.

The electronic devices according to various embodiments disclosed in this document may be devices of various forms. The electronic devices may include, for example, portable communication devices (e.g., smartphones), computer devices, portable multimedia devices, portable medical devices, cameras, wearable devices, or home appliance devices. The electronic devices according to embodiments of this document are not limited to the above-described devices.

The various embodiments of this document and the terminology used herein are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, but should be understood to encompass various modifications, equivalents, or substitutes of the embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of the items, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this document, each of the phrases "A or B," "at least one of A and B," "at least one of A or B," "A, B, or C," "at least one of A, B, and C," and "at least one of A, B, or C" may include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as "first," "second," or "first" or "second" may be used merely to distinguish the corresponding component from other corresponding components, and do not limit the corresponding components in any other respect (e.g., importance or order). When a component (e.g., a first component) is referred to as being “coupled” or “connected” to another component (e.g., a second component), with or without the terms “functionally” or “communicatively,” it means that the component can be connected to the other component directly (e.g., wired), wirelessly, or through a third component.

The term "module" as used in this document may include a unit implemented in hardware, software or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit. A module may be an integrally configured component or a minimum unit of the component or a portion thereof that performs one or more functions. For example, according to one embodiment, a module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

Various embodiments of the present document may be implemented as software (e.g., a program (140)) including one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., an internal memory (136) or an external memory (138)) readable by a machine (e.g., an electronic device (101)). For example, a processor (e.g., a processor (120)) of the machine (e.g., an electronic device (101)) may call at least one instruction among the one or more instructions stored from the storage medium and execute it. This enables the machine to operate to perform at least one function according to the called at least one instruction. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code executable by an interpreter. The machine-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-transitory' simply means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain signals (e.g. electromagnetic waves), and the term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently or temporarily on the storage medium.

According to one embodiment, the method according to various embodiments disclosed in the present document may be provided as included in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded between a seller and a buyer as a commodity. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., a compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM)), or may be distributed online (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) via an application store (e.g., Play Store ^TM ) or directly between two user devices (e.g., smartphones). In the case of online distribution, at least a part of the computer program product may be at least temporarily stored or temporarily generated in a machine-readable storage medium, such as a memory of a manufacturer's server, a server of an application store, or an intermediary server.

According to various embodiments, each component (e.g., a module or a program) of the above-described components may include a single or multiple entities. According to various embodiments, one or more of the components or operations of the above-described components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of components (e.g., a module or a program) may be integrated into a single component. In such a case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the components of the plurality of components identically or similarly to those performed by the corresponding component of the plurality of components prior to the integration. According to various embodiments, the operations performed by the module, program or other component may be executed sequentially, in parallel, repeatedly, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an unfolded state of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a folded state of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, in one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a foldable housing (300), a hinge cover (e.g., hinge cover (330) of FIG. 3) covering a foldable portion of the foldable housing (300), and a flexible or foldable display (200) (hereinafter, simply referred to as “display” (200)) (e.g., display device (160) of FIG. 1) disposed within a space formed by the foldable housing (300). According to one embodiment, a surface on which the display (200) is disposed is defined as a front surface of the electronic device (101). And, a surface opposite to the front surface is defined as a rear surface of the electronic device (101). In addition, a surface surrounding the space between the front surface and the rear surface is defined as a side surface of the electronic device (101).

According to various embodiments, the foldable housing (300) may include a first housing structure (310), a second housing structure (320) including a sensor area (324), a first rear cover (380), a second rear cover (390), and a hinge assembly (e.g., the hinge assembly (510) of FIG. 4). The foldable housing (300) of the electronic device (101) is not limited to the shape and combination illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, and may be implemented by a combination and/or combination of other shapes or parts. For example, in another embodiment, the first housing structure (310) and the first rear cover (380) may be formed integrally, and the second housing structure (320) and the second rear cover (390) may be formed integrally.

According to various embodiments, the first housing structure (310) is connected to a hinge assembly (e.g., the hinge assembly (510) of FIG. 4) and may include a first face facing in a first direction and a second face facing in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The second housing structure (320) is connected to the hinge assembly (510) and includes a third face facing in a third direction and a fourth face facing in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction, and may rotate about the hinge assembly (510) with respect to the first housing structure (310). Accordingly, the electronic device (101) may be variable between a folded state and an unfolded state. The electronic device (101) may have the first side facing the third side in a folded state, and the third direction may be the same as the first direction in an unfolded state.

According to various embodiments, the first housing structure (310) and the second housing structure (320) are arranged on both sides with respect to the folding axis (axis A) as the center, and may have an overall symmetrical shape with respect to the folding axis A. As described below, the angle or distance between the first housing structure (310) and the second housing structure (320) may vary depending on whether the state of the electronic device (101) is an unfolded state, a folded state, or a partially unfolded intermediate state. According to one embodiment, unlike the first housing structure (310), the second housing structure (320) additionally includes a sensor area (324) in which various sensors are arranged, but may have a mutually symmetrical shape in other areas.

According to various embodiments, the first housing structure (310) and the second housing structure (320) may together form a recess (e.g., recess (315, 325) of FIG. 4) for accommodating the display (200). In one embodiment, due to the sensor area (324), the recess may have two or more different widths in a direction perpendicular to the folding axis A.

According to one embodiment, the recess may have a first width (w1) between a first portion (310a) of the first housing structure (310) that is parallel to the folding axis A and a first portion (320a) formed at an edge of the sensor area (324) of the second housing structure (320), and the recess may have a second width (w2) formed by a second portion (310b) of the first housing structure (310) and a second portion (320b) of the second housing structure (320) that is parallel to the folding axis A and does not correspond to the sensor area (324). In this case, the second width (w2) may be formed longer than the first width (w1). As another example, the first part (310a) of the first housing structure (310) and the first part (320a) of the second housing structure (320) having mutually asymmetrical shapes may form a first width (w1) of the recess, and the second part (310b) of the first housing structure (310) and the second part (320b) of the second housing structure (320) having mutually symmetrical shapes may form a second width (w2) of the recess. According to one embodiment, the first part (320a) and the second part (320b) of the second housing structure (320) may have different distances from the folding axis A. The width of the recess is not limited to the illustrated example. In another embodiment, the recess may have multiple widths due to the shape of the sensor area (324) or the asymmetrical shape of the first housing structure (310) and the second housing structure (320). In another embodiment, a display (200) corresponding to the size of the recess may be arranged without the sensor area.

According to various embodiments, at least a portion of the first housing structure (310) and the second housing structure (320) may be formed of a metallic material or a non-metallic material having a rigidity of a selected size to support the display (200). At least a portion formed of the metallic material may provide a ground plane of the electronic device (101) and may be electrically connected to a ground line formed on a printed circuit board (e.g., the board portion (520) of FIG. 4).

According to various embodiments, the sensor area (324) may be formed to have a predetermined area adjacent to one corner of the second housing structure (320). However, the arrangement, shape, and size of the sensor area (324) are not limited to the illustrated example. For example, in another embodiment, the sensor area (324) may be provided at another corner of the second housing structure (320) or any area between the upper corner and the lower corner. In one embodiment, components for performing various functions built into the electronic device (101) may be exposed to the front of the electronic device (101) through the sensor area (324) or through one or more openings provided in the sensor area (324). In various embodiments, the components may include various types of sensors. The sensor may include, for example, at least one of a front camera, a proximity sensor, a light sensor, or a receiver.

According to various embodiments, the first rear cover (380) is disposed on one side of the folding axis on the rear surface of the electronic device (101) and may have, for example, a substantially rectangular periphery, the periphery of which may be wrapped by the first housing structure (310). Similarly, the second rear cover (390) is disposed on the other side of the folding axis on the rear surface of the electronic device (101) and may have its periphery wrapped by the second housing structure (320).

According to various embodiments, the first rear cover (380) and the second rear cover (390) may have substantially symmetrical shapes with respect to the folding axis (A axis). However, the first rear cover (380) and the second rear cover (390) do not necessarily have mutually symmetrical shapes, and in other embodiments, the electronic device (101) may include the first rear cover (380) and the second rear cover (390) of various shapes. In yet other embodiments, the first rear cover (380) may be formed integrally with the first housing structure (310), and the second rear cover (390) may be formed integrally with the second housing structure (320).

According to various embodiments, the first rear cover (380), the second rear cover (390), the first housing structure (310), and the second housing structure (320) may form a space in which various components (e.g., a printed circuit board or a battery) of the electronic device (101) may be placed. According to one embodiment, one or more components may be placed or visually exposed on the rear surface of the electronic device (101). For example, at least a portion of the sub-display may be visually exposed through the first rear area (382) of the first rear cover (380). In another embodiment, one or more components or sensors may be visually exposed through the second rear area (392) of the second rear cover (390). In various embodiments, the sensors may include a proximity sensor and/or a rear camera.

According to various embodiments, the front camera exposed on the front side of the electronic device (101) through one or more openings provided in the sensor area (324) or the rear camera exposed through the second rear area (392) of the second rear cover (390) may include one or more lenses, image sensors, and/or image signal processors. The flash may include, for example, a light emitting diode or a xenon lamp. In some embodiments, two or more lenses (infrared camera, wide-angle and telephoto lenses) and image sensors may be arranged on one side of the electronic device (101).

Referring to FIG. 3, the hinge cover (330) may be configured to be positioned between the first housing structure (310) and the second housing structure (320) so as to cover an internal component (e.g., the hinge assembly (510) of FIG. 4). According to one embodiment, the hinge cover (330) may be covered by a portion of the first housing structure (310) and the second housing structure (320) or exposed to the outside depending on the state of the electronic device (101) (flat state, intermediate state, or folded state).

According to one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2, when the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state, the hinge cover (330) may not be exposed because it is covered by the first housing structure (310) and the second housing structure (320). As another example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, when the electronic device (101) is in a folded state (e.g., a fully folded state), the hinge cover (330) may be exposed to the outside between the first housing structure (310) and the second housing structure (320). As another example, when the first housing structure (310) and the second housing structure (320) are in an intermediate state where they are folded with a certain angle, the hinge cover (330) may be partially exposed to the outside between the first housing structure (310) and the second housing structure (320). However, in this case, the exposed area may be less than in the fully folded state. In one embodiment, the hinge cover (330) may include a curved surface.

According to various embodiments, the display (200) may be placed on a space formed by the foldable housing (300). For example, the display (200) may be placed on a recess formed by the foldable housing (300) and may constitute most of the front surface of the electronic device (101). Accordingly, the front surface of the electronic device (101) may include the display (200), a portion of the first housing structure (310) adjacent to the display (200), and a portion of the second housing structure (320). And, the rear surface of the electronic device (101) may include a first rear cover (380), a portion of the first housing structure (310) adjacent to the first rear cover (380), a second rear cover (390), and a portion of the second housing structure (320) adjacent to the second rear cover (390).

According to various embodiments, the display (200) may mean a display in which at least a portion of the display may be transformed into a flat or curved surface. According to one embodiment, the display (200) may include a folding area (203), a first area (201) positioned on one side (e.g., the left side of the folding area (203) illustrated in FIG. 2) with respect to the folding area (203), and a second area (202) positioned on the other side (e.g., the right side of the folding area (203) illustrated in FIG. 2).

However, the division of regions of the display (200) illustrated in FIG. 2 is exemplary, and the display (200) may be divided into a plurality of regions (for example, four or more or two) depending on the structure or function. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the regions of the display (200) may be divided by a folding region (203) extending parallel to the y-axis or a folding axis (A-axis), but in other embodiments, the display (200) may be divided into regions based on another folding region (for example, a folding region parallel to the x-axis) or another folding axis (for example, a folding axis parallel to the x-axis). According to one embodiment, the display (200) may be combined with or arranged adjacent to a touch detection circuit, a pressure sensor capable of measuring the intensity (pressure) of a touch, and/or a digitizer detecting a magnetic field-type stylus pen.

According to various embodiments, the first region (201) and the second region (202) may have an overall symmetrical shape centered on the folding region (203). However, unlike the first region (201), the second region (202) may include a cut notch depending on the presence of the sensor region (324), but may have a shape symmetrical with respect to the first region (201) in other regions. In other words, the first region (201) and the second region (202) may include a portion having a symmetrical shape and a portion having an asymmetrical shape.

Hereinafter, the operation of the first housing structure (310) and the second housing structure (320) and each area of the display (200) according to the state of the electronic device (101) (e.g., folded state, unfolded state, or intermediate state) will be described.

According to various embodiments, when the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state (e.g., FIG. 2), the first housing structure (310) and the second housing structure (320) may be arranged to form an angle of 180 degrees and face the same direction. The surface of the first region (201) and the surface of the second region (202) of the display (200) may form an angle of 180 degrees with each other and face the same direction (e.g., toward the front of the electronic device). The folding region (203) may form the same plane as the first region (201) and the second region (202).

According to various embodiments, when the electronic device (101) is in a folded state (e.g., FIG. 3), the first housing structure (310) and the second housing structure (320) may be arranged to face each other. The surface of the first region (201) and the surface of the second region (202) of the display (200) may form a narrow angle (e.g., between 0 and 10 degrees) with each other and may face each other. The folding region (203) may be formed as a curved surface having at least a portion of a predetermined curvature.

According to various embodiments, when the electronic device (101) is in an intermediate state, the first housing structure (310) and the second housing structure (320) may be arranged at a certain angle with respect to each other. The surface of the first region (201) and the surface of the second region (202) of the display (200) may form an angle that is larger than that in the folded state and smaller than that in the unfolded state. The folding region (203) may be formed as a curved surface having at least a portion of a certain curvature, and the curvature at this time may have an intermediate curvature between the unfolded state and the folded state.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 4, in various embodiments, the electronic device (101) may include a foldable housing, a display (200), and a substrate (520). The foldable housing may include a first housing structure (310), a second housing structure (320), a bracket assembly (40), a first rear cover (380), a second rear cover (390), and a hinge assembly (510).

According to various embodiments, the display (200) may include a display panel (200b) (e.g., a flexible display panel) and one or more plates or layers (e.g., a support plate (240)) on which the display panel (200b) is mounted. In one embodiment, the support plate (240) may be disposed between the display panel (200b) and the bracket assembly (40). An adhesive structure (not shown) may be positioned between the support plate (240) and the bracket assembly (40) to adhere the support plate (240) and the bracket assembly (40).

According to various embodiments, the bracket assembly (40) may include a first bracket assembly (40a) and a second bracket assembly (40b). A hinge assembly (510) may be disposed between the bracket assembly (40a) and the second bracket assembly (40b), and a hinge cover (330) may be disposed to cover the hinge assembly (510) when the hinge assembly (510) is viewed from the outside. As another example, a printed circuit board (e.g., a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB)) may be disposed to cross the first bracket assembly (40a) and the second bracket assembly (40b).

According to various embodiments, the substrate portion (520) may include a first main circuit board (521) disposed on the first bracket assembly (40a) side and a second main circuit board (522) disposed on the second bracket assembly (40b) side. The first main circuit board (521) and the second main circuit board (522) may be disposed inside a space formed by the bracket assembly (40), the first housing structure (310), the second housing structure (320), the first rear cover (380), and the second rear cover (390). Components for implementing various functions of the electronic device (101) may be mounted on the first main circuit board (521) and the second main circuit board (522).

According to various embodiments, the first housing structure (310) and the second housing structure (320) may be assembled to each other so as to be coupled to both sides of the bracket assembly (40) while the display (200) is coupled to the bracket assembly (40). For example, the first housing structure (310) and the second housing structure (320) may be coupled to the bracket assembly (40) by sliding on both sides of the bracket assembly (40).

According to one embodiment, the first housing structure (310) may include a first rotational support surface (311), and the second housing structure (220) may include a second rotational support surface (321) corresponding to the first rotational support surface (311). The first rotational support surface (311) and the second rotational support surface (321) may include curved surfaces corresponding to curved surfaces included in the hinge cover (330).

According to one embodiment, the first rotational support surface (311) and the second rotational support surface (321) may cover the hinge cover (330) so that the hinge cover (330) is not exposed or is minimally exposed to the rear surface of the electronic device (101) when the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state (e.g., the electronic device of FIG. 2). As another example, the first rotational support surface (311) and the second rotational support surface (321) may rotate along a curve included in the hinge cover (330) so that the hinge cover (330) is maximally exposed to the rear surface of the electronic device (101) when the electronic device (101) is in a folded state (e.g., the electronic device of FIG. 3).

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a folded or unfolded state of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 5, the electronic device (101) may include a foldable housing (300) and a flexible display (200). The foldable housing (300) may include a first housing structure (310) and a second housing structure (320) that rotate relative to each other by a hinge assembly. The flexible display (200) may be arranged to extend from the first housing structure (310) to the second housing structure (320) and may form a curved surface corresponding to a folded state or an unfolded state of the electronic device (101). The flexible display (200) may include a front side facing the outside and a back side facing the inside of the electronic device (101).

According to various embodiments, the electronic device (101) may include an in folding type or an out folding type. The in folding type may mean a state in which the flexible display (200) is not exposed to the outside in a fully folded state. As another example, it may mean a state in which the flexible display (200) is folded in a front direction. The out folding type may mean a state in which the flexible display (200) is exposed to the outside in a fully folded state. As another example, it may mean a state in which the flexible display (200) is folded in a rear direction.

According to various embodiments, the electronic device (101) may include a multi-foldable device configured as an in-out folding type. FIG. 5 shows an out-folding state. As another example, the flexible display (200) may have a square shape with rounded corners and a narrow bezel area. The flexible display (200) includes a first region (201) arranged in a first housing structure (310) and a second region (202) arranged in a second housing structure (320), and the first region (201) and the second region (202) may be implemented with the same shape. According to one embodiment, the folding axis of the electronic device (101) may be arranged in the horizontal axis direction of the electronic device or in the vertical axis direction. The configurations of the electronic device (101) of FIG. 5 may apply to the configurations of the electronic devices (101) of FIGS. 1 to 4.

FIG. 6a is a drawing showing an internal structure facing the front side of an electronic device in an unfolded state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6b is a drawing showing an internal structure facing the rear side of an electronic device in an unfolded state. FIG. 6c is a perspective view of an electronic device in an unfolded state.

According to various embodiments, the electronic device (101) may include a foldable housing, a bracket assembly (40), a hinge assembly (510), a protect circuit module (PCM) (630), a flexible circuit board (650), and a battery cell (610, 620). The configuration of the bracket assembly (40) and the hinge assembly (510) of FIGS. 6A to 6C may be partially or entirely identical to the configuration of the bracket assembly (40) and the hinge assembly (510) of FIG. 4.

According to various embodiments, a foldable housing (e.g., a foldable housing (300) of FIG. 5) may include a first housing structure (e.g., a first housing structure (310) of FIG. 5) and a second housing structure (e.g., a second housing structure (320) of FIG. 5).

According to various embodiments, the bracket assembly (40) may include a first bracket assembly (40a) and a second bracket assembly (40b). A hinge assembly (510) may be arranged between the bracket assembly (40a) and the second bracket assembly (40b). At least a portion of the first bracket assembly (40a) is formed to be surrounded by the first housing structure (310) and may move in response to a movement of the first housing structure (310). At least a portion of the second bracket assembly (40b) is formed to be surrounded by the second housing structure (320) and may move in response to a movement of the second housing structure (320).

According to one embodiment, the bracket assembly (40) may be configured such that the second bracket assembly (40b) can rotate with respect to the first bracket assembly (40a). As another example, the bracket assembly (40) may be configured such that the first bracket assembly (40a) can rotate with respect to the second bracket assembly (40b). Depending on the rotational motion, the first bracket assembly (40a) and the second bracket assembly (40b) may be in a folded state in which they face each other, an unfolded state in which the first bracket assembly (40a) and the second bracket assembly (40b) are arranged in parallel, or an intermediate state in which they maintain a specified angle. FIGS. 6A to 6C illustrate a flexible circuit board (650) and a battery cell (610, 620), and a protection circuit module (630) arranged inside a first bracket assembly (40a) and a second bracket assembly (40b) in the unfolded state (e.g., flat state).

According to one embodiment, the first bracket assembly (40a) may include a first face (41a) facing a first direction (P1), a second face (42a) facing a second direction (P2) opposite to the first direction (P1). The second bracket assembly (40b) may include a third face (41b) facing a third direction (P3), and a fourth face (42b) facing a fourth direction (P4) opposite to the third direction (P3). According to one embodiment, the first direction (P1) and the third direction (P3) may be arranged in a direction facing each other from the same direction by the rotation of the hinge assembly (510). As another example, the second direction (P2) and the fourth direction (P2) may be arranged from the same direction to the opposite directions by the rotation of the hinge assembly (510). For example, in the bracket assembly (40), in the folded state, the first side (311) may face the third side (321), and in the unfolded state, the third direction (P3) may be identical to the first direction (P1). As another example, in the foldable housing (300), in the folded state, the second side (312) may face the fourth side (322), and in the unfolded state, the fourth direction (P4) may be identical to the second direction (P2).

According to various embodiments, battery cells (610, 620) may be mounted on one side (e.g., the second side (42a) and the fourth side (42b)) facing the rear of the bracket assembly (40). For example, the first battery cell (610) may be placed on the second side (42a) of the first bracket assembly (40a). As another example, the second battery cell (620) may be placed on the fourth side (42b) of the second bracket assembly (40b).

According to one embodiment, the first battery cell (610) and the second battery cell (620) may be arranged parallel to each other. The first battery cell (610) may be arranged in an upper region of the first bracket assembly (40a), and the second battery cell (620) may be arranged in an upper region of the second bracket assembly (40b), such that at least some of the side surfaces may face each other. According to one embodiment, the first battery cell (610) and the second battery cell (620) may be implemented in a 1S2P (1 series 2 parallel) structure or a 2S1P (2 series 1 parallel) structure. As another example, a power management integrated circuit (PMIC) within an electronic device can monitor the voltages of the first battery cell (610) and the second battery cell (620) through a sensing method in which one protection circuit module (630) is connected to each of the first battery cell (610) and the second battery cell (620). Accordingly, sensing effective for rapid charging (e.g., cell sensing) can be applied.

According to various embodiments, the flexible circuit board (650) (FPCB, flexible printed circuit board) may be disposed on the first bracket assembly (40a) and the second bracket assembly (40b). For example, the first region (651) of the flexible circuit board (650) may be disposed on a first surface (41a) facing the first direction (P1) of the first bracket assembly (40a), and the second region (652) of the flexible circuit board (650) may be disposed on a third surface (41b) facing the third direction (P3) of the second bracket assembly (40b). As another example, the first region (651) of the flexible circuit board (650) (FPCB) may be a region extending from the first battery cell (610) toward the first face (41a) of the first bracket assembly (41a), and the second region (652) of the flexible circuit board (650) (FPCB) may be a region extending from the second battery cell (620) toward the third face (41b) of the second bracket assembly (40b).

According to one embodiment, the flexible circuit board (650) is arranged to extend from the first battery cell (610) across the hinge assembly (510) to the second battery cell (620), and at least a portion of the flexible circuit board can form a curved surface according to the folding motion of the hinge assembly (510).

According to one embodiment, the flexible circuit board (650) may be arranged to penetrate through the first opening (45) formed in the first bracket assembly (40a) and the second opening (46) formed in the second bracket assembly (40b). For example, one end of the flexible circuit board (650) may be electrically connected to the first battery cell (610) arranged on the second surface (42a), and a portion extended from the one end may be structured to penetrate the first opening (45) and protrude onto the first surface (41a) and extend across the hinge assembly (510). The other end of the flexible circuit board (650) may be electrically connected to a second battery cell (620) arranged on the fourth surface (42b), and a portion extended from the other end may be configured to protrude through the second opening (46) onto the third surface (41b) and be formed across the hinge assembly (510).

According to various embodiments, a protection circuit module (630) may be positioned between the first battery cell (610) and the second battery cell (620). The protection circuit module (630) may be a circuit for protecting an overvoltage/overcurrent state of the first battery cell (610) or the second battery cell (620).

In one embodiment, the protection circuit module (630) may be arranged adjacent to the hinge assembly (510). For example, the protection circuit module (630) may be positioned on the fourth surface (42b) of the second bracket assembly (40b) and may be arranged between the second battery cell (620) and the hinge assembly (510). As another example, one side of the protection circuit module (630) may be arranged in parallel contact with one side of the second battery cell (620).

According to one embodiment, the protection circuit module (630) may include a first portion (631) electrically connected to the first battery cell (610), and a second portion (632) electrically connected to the second battery cell (620).

For example, in the first part (631) of the protection circuit module (630), electrode tabs (e.g., positive electrode tabs (610a) and negative electrode tabs (610b)) protruding from the first battery cell (610) toward the hinge assembly (510) may be soldered, so as to electrically connect the protection circuit module (630) and the first battery cell (610). In the second part (632) of the protection circuit module (630), electrode tabs (e.g., positive electrode tabs (620a) and negative electrode tabs (620b)) protruding from the second battery cell (620) toward the hinge assembly (510) may be soldered, so as to electrically connect the protection circuit module (630) and the second battery cell (620). However, the connection between the protection circuit module (630) and the battery cells is not limited thereto, and can be designed in various ways using a connection structure such as a connector or a flexible circuit board.

According to one embodiment, the protection circuit module (630) may be formed to be connected to one area of the flexible circuit board (650). The flexible circuit board (650) is configured to electrically connect the first battery cell (610) and the second battery cell (620) to each other, and the protection circuit module (630) arranged in one area of the flexible circuit board (650) may transmit or receive a transmission/reception signal for controlling overvoltage/overcurrent to the first battery cell (610) and the second battery cell (620) through the flexible circuit board (650).

According to one embodiment, the one protection circuit module (630) is structured to be electrically connected to each of the first battery cell (610) and the second battery cell (620), thereby securing a mounting space of the electronic device compared to when a protection circuit module is included for each battery cell, and the secured space can be applied to securing the capacity of the battery cell.

FIG. 7a is a diagram illustrating an internal structure facing forward in an unfolded state of an electronic device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7b is a diagram illustrating an internal structure facing rearward in an unfolded state of the electronic device. FIG. 7c is a perspective view of an unfolded state of the electronic device. FIG. 7d is a perspective view of a hinge assembly inside an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

According to various embodiments, the electronic device (101) may include a bracket assembly (40), a hinge assembly (510), a protect circuit module (PCM) (630), a flexible circuit board (650), and a battery cell (610, 620). The configuration of the bracket assembly (40) and the hinge assembly (510) of FIGS. 7a to 7d may be partially or entirely identical to the configuration of the bracket assembly (40) and the hinge assembly (510) of FIG. 4. The configuration of the protection circuit module (PCM) (630), the flexible circuit board (650), and the battery cell (610, 620) of FIGS. 7a to 7c may be partially or entirely identical to the configuration of the protection circuit module (PCM) (630), the flexible circuit board (650), and the battery cell (610, 620) of FIGS. 6a to 6c.

Below, a description will be given focusing on the structure of a protection circuit module (630) different from that of FIGS. 6a to 6c.

According to various embodiments, the bracket assembly (40) may include a first bracket assembly (40a) and a second bracket assembly (40b). A hinge assembly (510) may be arranged between the bracket assembly (40a) and the second bracket assembly (40b).

According to various embodiments, battery cells (610, 620) may be mounted on one side (e.g., the second side (42a) and the fourth side (42b)) facing the rear of the bracket assembly (40). For example, the first battery cell (610) may be placed on the second side (42a) of the first bracket assembly (40a). As another example, the second battery cell (620) may be placed on the fourth side (42b) of the second bracket assembly (40b).

According to various embodiments, the flexible circuit board (650) (FPCB, flexible printed circuit board) may be disposed on the first bracket assembly (40a) and the second bracket assembly (40b). For example, the flexible circuit board (650) may be disposed to extend from the first battery cell (610) across the hinge assembly (510) to the second battery cell (620), and at least a portion thereof may form a curved surface according to a folding operation of the hinge assembly (510).

According to various embodiments, a protection circuit module (630) may be positioned between the first battery cell (610) and the second battery cell (620). For example, the protection circuit module (630) may be positioned inside the hinge assembly (510).

According to one embodiment, the protection circuit module (630) may include a first portion (631) electrically connected to the first battery cell (610), and a second portion (632) electrically connected to the second battery cell (620).

For example, in the first part (631) of the protection circuit module (630), electrode tabs (e.g., positive electrode tabs (610a) and negative electrode tabs (610b)) protruding from the first battery cell (610) toward the hinge assembly (510) may be soldered, so as to electrically connect the protection circuit module (630) and the first battery cell (610). In the second part (632) of the protection circuit module (630), electrode tabs (e.g., positive electrode tabs (620a) and negative electrode tabs (620b)) protruding from the second battery cell (620) toward the hinge assembly (510) may be soldered, so as to electrically connect the protection circuit module (630) and the second battery cell (620). However, the connection between the protection circuit module (630) and the battery cells is not limited thereto, and can be designed in various ways using a connection structure such as a connector or a flexible circuit board.

According to one embodiment, the protection circuit module (630) is arranged to face the rear side of the bracket assembly (40), and the first portion (631) may be electrically connected to the first battery cell (610) through the flexible circuit board (650) at one side area facing the first bracket assembly (40a). The second portion (632) may be electrically connected to the second battery cell (620) through the flexible circuit board (650) at the other side area facing the second bracket assembly (40b).

According to one embodiment, at least a part of the protection circuit module (630) may be mounted in a space formed inside a hinge cover (511) of the hinge assembly (510). The hinge cover (511) may have a plurality of hinges (513) and elastic members mounted thereon, and the protection circuit module (630) may be positioned between the plurality of hinges (513). For example, three hinges (513) may be arranged along a folding axis direction in the hinge assembly (510), and each of the hinges (513) may be coupled to and fixed to a connecting member (511a) formed inside the hinge cover (511). When the inside of the hinge cover (511) is viewed from the front or rear of the electronic device, at least a part of the protection circuit module (630) may be arranged to overlap at least a part of the flexible circuit board (650). For example, the longitudinal direction (e.g., vertical direction) of the protection circuit module (630) and the longitudinal direction (e.g., horizontal direction) of the flexible circuit board (650) may be perpendicular to each other. However, this is not limited thereto, and the arrangement structure of the protection circuit module (630) and the flexible circuit board (650) may be arranged parallel or in various forms by design changes.

As another example, the flexible circuit board (650) may manufacture separate wiring members to connect battery cells in addition to a plurality of wiring members (e.g., flexible printed circuit boards) that connect internal components (e.g., first printed circuit board (171) of FIG. 3) of the first housing structure (e.g., first housing structure (310) of FIG. 5) and internal components (e.g., second printed circuit board (172) of FIG. 3) of the second housing structure (e.g., second housing structure (320) of FIG. 5).

According to one embodiment, the one protection circuit module (630) is structured to be electrically connected to each of the first battery cell (610) and the second battery cell (620), thereby securing a mounting space of the electronic device compared to when a protection circuit module is included for each battery cell, and the secured space can be applied to securing the capacity of the battery cell.

FIG. 8a is a drawing showing an internal structure facing forward in an unfolded state of an electronic device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8b is a drawing showing an internal structure facing backward in an unfolded state of an electronic device. FIG. 8c is a perspective view of an unfolded state of an electronic device.

According to various embodiments, the electronic device (101) may include a bracket assembly (40), a hinge assembly (510), a protect circuit module (PCM) (630), a flexible circuit board (650), and a battery cell (610, 620). The configuration of the bracket assembly (40) and the hinge assembly (510) of FIGS. 8A to 8C may be partially or entirely identical to the configuration of the bracket assembly (40) and the hinge assembly (510) of FIG. 4. The configuration of the protection circuit module (PCM) (630), the flexible circuit board (650), and the battery cell (610, 620) of FIGS. 8a to 8c may be partially or entirely identical to the configuration of the protection circuit module (PCM) (630), the flexible circuit board (650), and the battery cell (610, 620) of FIGS. 6a to 6c.

Below, the structure of battery cells (610, 620) that are different from those in FIGS. 6a to 6c will be described.

According to various embodiments, the bracket assembly (40) may include a first bracket assembly (40a) and a second bracket assembly (40b). A hinge assembly (510) may be arranged between the first bracket assembly (40a) and the second bracket assembly (40b).

According to various embodiments, battery cells (610, 620) may be mounted on one side (e.g., the second side (42a) and the fourth side (42b)) facing the rear of the bracket assembly (40). For example, the first battery cell (610) may be placed on the second side (42a) of the first bracket assembly (40a). As another example, the second battery cell (620) may be placed on the fourth side (42b) of the second bracket assembly (40b).

According to one embodiment, the first battery cell (610) and the second battery cell (620) may be arranged diagonally relative to each other on the bracket assembly (40) in an unfolded state. For example, the first battery cell (610) may be arranged in an upper region of the first bracket assembly (40a), and the second battery cell (620) may be arranged in a lower region of the second bracket assembly (40b). As another example, the first battery cell (610) may be arranged in a lower region of the first bracket assembly (40a), and the second battery cell (620) may be arranged in an upper region of the second bracket assembly (40b).

According to one embodiment, when the electronic device is in an unfolded state, the first battery cell (610) and the second battery cell (620) may be arranged adjacent to opposite corners of the electronic device, respectively. When the electronic device is in a folded state, the first battery cell (610) and the second battery cell (620) may be arranged such that a non-overlapping area is larger than an overlapping area.

According to various embodiments, the flexible circuit board (650) (FPCB, flexible printed circuit board) may be disposed on the first bracket assembly (40a) and the second bracket assembly (40b). For example, the flexible circuit board (650) may be disposed to extend from the first bracket assembly (40a) across the hinge assembly (510) to the second bracket assembly (40b), and at least a portion thereof may form a curved surface according to a folding motion of the hinge assembly (510).

According to one embodiment, the protection circuit module (630) may be spaced apart from the hinge assembly (510). For example, the protection circuit module (630) may be positioned on the fourth surface (42b) of the second bracket assembly (40b) and may be positioned between the second battery cell (610) and the hinge assembly (510). As another example, one side of the protection circuit module (630) may be arranged in parallel contact with one side of the second battery cell (620). According to one embodiment, the protection circuit module (630) may include a first part (631) electrically connected to the first battery cell (610) through the flexible circuit board (650), and a second part (632) electrically connected to the second battery cell (620). For example, in the first part (631) of the protection circuit module (630), electrode tabs (e.g., positive electrode tabs (610a) and negative electrode tabs (610b)) protruding from the first battery cell (610) toward the hinge assembly (510) may be soldered, so as to electrically connect the protection circuit module (630) and the first battery cell (610). In the second part (632) of the protection circuit module (630), electrode tabs (e.g., positive electrode tabs (620a) and negative electrode tabs (620b)) protruding from the second battery cell (620) toward the hinge assembly (510) may be soldered, so as to electrically connect the protection circuit module (630) and the second battery cell (620). However, the connection between the protection circuit module (630) and the battery cells is not limited thereto, and can be designed in various ways using a connection structure such as a connector or a flexible circuit board.

FIG. 9A is a drawing showing an internal structure facing forward in an unfolded state of an electronic device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 9B is a drawing showing an internal structure facing backward in an unfolded state of an electronic device. FIG. 9C is a perspective view of an unfolded state of an electronic device.

According to various embodiments, the electronic device (101) may include a bracket assembly (40), a hinge assembly (510), a protect circuit module (PCM) (630), a flexible circuit board (650), and a battery cell (610, 620). The configuration of the bracket assembly (40) and the hinge assembly (510) of FIGS. 9A to 9C may be partially or entirely identical to the configuration of the bracket assembly (40) and the hinge assembly (510) of FIG. 4. The configuration of the protection circuit module (PCM) (630), the flexible circuit board (650), and the battery cell (610, 620) of FIGS. 9a to 9c may be partially or entirely identical to the configuration of the protection circuit module (PCM) (630), the flexible circuit board (650), and the battery cell (610, 620) of FIGS. 8a to 8c.

Below, a description will be given focusing on the structure of a protection circuit module (630) different from that of FIGS. 8a to 8c.

According to various embodiments, a protection circuit module (630) may be positioned between the first battery cell (610) and the second battery cell (620). For example, the protection circuit module (630) may be positioned inside the hinge assembly (510).

According to one embodiment, the protection circuit module (630) may include a first portion (631) electrically connected to the first battery cell (610), and a second portion (632) electrically connected to the second battery cell (620). For example, the first portion (631) of the protection circuit module (630) may be electrically connected to the first battery cell (610) through the flexible circuit board (650) at one side facing the first bracket assembly (40a). The second portion (632) of the protection circuit module (630) may be electrically connected to the second battery cell (620) through the flexible circuit board (650) at the other side facing the second bracket assembly (40b).

According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the lengthwise (e.g., vertical) direction of the protection circuit module (630) may be mounted in a space formed inside the hinge cover of the hinge assembly (510). The hinge cover may have a plurality of hinges and elastic members mounted thereon, and the protection circuit module (630) may be positioned between the plurality of hinges.

According to one embodiment, the longitudinal direction (e.g., vertical direction) of the protection circuit module (630) and the longitudinal direction (e.g., vertical direction) of the flexible circuit board (650) may be perpendicular to each other. The protection circuit module (630) may be arranged so as not to overlap the flexible circuit board (650). In addition to a plurality of wiring members (e.g., flexible printed circuit boards) that connect an internal component (e.g., a first printed circuit board (171) of FIG. 3) of a first housing structure (e.g., a foldable housing (300) of FIG. 5) and an internal component (e.g., a second printed circuit board (172) of FIG. 3) of a second housing structure (e.g., a second housing structure (320) of FIG. 5), the flexible circuit board (650) may manufacture a separate wiring member to connect the battery cells.

According to one embodiment, the protection circuit module (630) may include a first portion (631) electrically connected to the first battery cell (610), and a second portion (632) electrically connected to the second battery cell (620).

For example, in the first part (631) of the protection circuit module (630), electrode tabs (e.g., positive electrode tabs (610a) and negative electrode tabs (610b)) protruding from the first battery cell (610) toward the hinge assembly (510) may be soldered, so as to electrically connect the protection circuit module (630) and the first battery cell (610). In the second part (632) of the protection circuit module (630), electrode tabs (e.g., positive electrode tabs (620a) and negative electrode tabs (620b)) protruding from the second battery cell (620) toward the hinge assembly (510) may be soldered, so as to electrically connect the protection circuit module (630) and the second battery cell (620). However, the connection between the protection circuit module (630) and the battery cells is not limited thereto, and can be designed in various ways using a connection structure such as a connector or a flexible circuit board.

According to one embodiment, the one protection circuit module (630) is structured to be electrically connected to each of the first battery cell (610) and the second battery cell (620), thereby securing a mounting space of the electronic device compared to when a protection circuit module is included for each battery cell, and the secured space can be applied to securing the capacity of the battery cell.

FIG. 10a is a graph showing a charging time by a sensing method according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 10b is a graph showing a charging time by one of the general sensing methods.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a cell sensing structure for sensing the voltage of one protection circuit module and each battery cell can be implemented. The horizontal axis of FIG. 10A represents the time taken for charging, and the vertical axis represents the battery cell voltage. Referring to FIG. 10A, the cell sensing structure can be implemented so that the voltage sensor can sense only the voltage of the battery cell through a direct electrical connection between the voltage sensor and the battery cell. An electronic device applying the cell sensing structure can sense the voltage of the battery cell that does not include the impedance of the protection circuit module when sensing the voltage of the battery cell during charging. Accordingly, the initial charging CC (constant current) section (701) is relatively long and the CV (constant voltage) section (702) is short, thereby providing an effect of reducing the full charge (e.g., 100% charge) time. For example, it can be confirmed from the graph of FIG. 10A that the full charge time is approximately 89 minutes.

As a charging method according to a comparative example, there is pack sensing, which is a structure for recognizing the average value of the voltage of battery cells, and the sensing position of the voltage requires longer wiring than the cell sensing method. The horizontal axis of Fig. 10b represents the time taken for charging, and the vertical axis represents the voltage. An electronic device applying the pack sensing structure of Fig. 10b includes the impedance of the protection circuit module, so that even with the same settings, the electronic device recognizes a high voltage, and the initial charging CC (constant current) section is relatively short and the CV (constant voltage) is long, so that the charging time is relatively long compared to the cell sensing structure, which may be disadvantageous for rapid charging. For example, it can be confirmed that the full charge time is approximately 98 minutes on the graph of Fig. 10b.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing an internal structure facing the front side of an electronic device in an unfolded state according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing an internal structure facing the front side of an electronic device in an unfolded state according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

According to various embodiments, the electronic device (101) may include a foldable housing (300), a hinge assembly (510), a protect circuit module (PCM) (630), a flexible circuit board (650), a battery cell (610, 620), and a substrate (670, 680). The configurations of the foldable housing (300), the hinge assembly (510), and the substrate (670, 680) of FIGS. 11 and 12 may be partially or entirely identical to the configurations of the first housing structure (310), the second housing structure (320), the hinge assembly (510), and the substrate (520) of FIG. 4. The configuration of the protection circuit module (PCM) (630), the flexible circuit board (650), and the battery cell (610, 620) of FIGS. 11 to 12 may be partially or entirely identical to the configuration of the protection circuit module (PCM) (630), the flexible circuit board (650), and the battery cell (610, 620) of FIGS. 6a to 6c.

Below, the arrangement relationship between the substrate portion (670, 680) and the battery cells (610, 620) will be described with reference to FIGS. 6a to 6c.

Referring to FIG. 11, the foldable housing (300) includes a first housing structure (310) and a second housing structure (320), and the angle or distance between the first housing structure (310) and the second housing structure (320) may vary depending on whether the state of the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state, a folded state, or a partially unfolded intermediate state.

According to various embodiments, a first printed circuit board (670) and a first battery cell (610) may be arranged inside the first housing structure (310). The first printed circuit board (670) may be a main circuit board and may be arranged adjacent to the outside of the first housing structure (310). The first battery cell (610) may be arranged parallel to the first printed circuit board (670) and adjacent to the inside of the first housing structure (310) adjacent to the second housing structure (320). A second printed circuit board (680) and a second battery cell (620) may be arranged inside the second housing structure (320). The second printed circuit board (680) may be a sub-circuit board and may be arranged adjacent to the outside of the second housing structure (320). The second battery cell (620) may be positioned parallel to the second printed circuit board (680) and may be arranged adjacent to the inside of the second housing structure (320) adjacent to the first housing structure (310).

According to various embodiments, the hinge assembly (510) is disposed at least partially between the first housing structure (310) and the second housing structure (320), and is coupled to at least a portion of the first housing structure (310) and at least a portion of the second housing structure (320) to provide rotational movement between the first housing structure (310) and the second housing structure (320). A protection circuit module (630) may be mounted inside the hinge assembly and electrically connected to each of the battery cells (610, 620).

According to various embodiments, the flexible circuit board (650) can be positioned from the first housing structure (310) across the hinge assembly (510) toward the second housing structure (320). One end of the flexible circuit board (650) can be connected to the first printed circuit board (670), and the other end can be connected to the second printed circuit board (680). The protection circuit module (630) can be electrically connected to a portion of the flexible circuit board (650) that crosses the hinge assembly (510). The above protection circuit module (630) can sense each signal provided from the first battery cell (610) and the second battery cell (620), and then directly transmit the signals to the first printed circuit board (670) and the second printed circuit board (680) through the flexible circuit board (650).

Referring to FIG. 12, the foldable housing (300) includes a first housing structure (310) and a second housing structure (320), and the angle or distance between the first housing structure (310) and the second housing structure (320) may vary depending on whether the state of the electronic device (101) is an unfolded state, a folded state, or a partially unfolded intermediate state.

According to various embodiments, a first printed circuit board (670) and a first battery cell (610) may be arranged inside the first housing structure (310). The first printed circuit board (670) may be a main circuit board and may be arranged in an upper region of the first housing structure (310). The first battery cell (610) may be positioned parallel to the first printed circuit board (670) and may be arranged in a lower region of the first housing structure (310). A second printed circuit board (680) and a second battery cell (620) may be arranged inside the second housing structure (320). The second printed circuit board (680) may be a sub-circuit board and may be arranged adjacent to an upper region of the second housing structure (320). The second battery cell (620) may be positioned parallel to the second printed circuit board (680) and may be arranged in the lower region of the second housing structure (320). The first printed circuit board (670) and the second printed circuit board (680) may be arranged so that one side faces the other with the hinge assembly (510) interposed therebetween.

According to various embodiments, the hinge assembly (510) may be disposed at least partially between the first housing structure (310) and the second housing structure (320), and may be coupled with at least a portion of the first housing structure (310) and at least a portion of the second housing structure (320) to provide rotational movement between the first housing structure (310) and the second housing structure (320). A protection circuit module (630) may be mounted between the hinge assembly (510) and the first battery cell (610), and may be electrically connected to each of the battery cells (610, 620).

According to various embodiments, the flexible circuit board (651) may be arranged from the first housing structure (310) across the hinge assembly (510) toward the second housing structure (320). One end of the flexible circuit board (651) may be connected to the first printed circuit board (670), and the other end may be directly connected to the second printed circuit board (680). The protection circuit module (630) may be electrically connected to a portion of the first printed circuit board (670). For example, a connecting member (691) (e.g., a connector, a coaxial cable, or an FPCB) connected to the first printed circuit board (670) may be arranged on an upper area of the protection circuit module (630). The protection circuit module (630) may include a first connection portion (692) and a second connection portion (693) for electrically connecting the first battery cell (610) and the second battery cell (620). The protection circuit module (630) may sense each signal provided from the first battery cell (610) and the second battery cell (620), and then transmit the sensed signals to the first printed circuit board (670) through the connection member (691). The first printed circuit board (670) may transmit the provided information to the second printed circuit board (680) through the flexible circuit board (651).

An electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIGS. 1 to 4) comprises: a first housing structure (e.g., 310 of FIG. 5), a second housing structure (e.g., 320 of FIG. 5) disposed adjacent to the first housing structure, a hinge assembly (e.g., 510 of FIG. 6b) disposed between the first housing structure and the second housing structure and providing a rotational movement between the first housing structure and the second housing structure, a first battery cell (e.g., 610 of FIG. 6b) mounted in the first housing, a second battery cell (e.g., 620 of FIG. 6b) mounted in the second housing, a flexible circuit board (FPCB) (e.g., FPCB of FIG. 6b) extended from the first battery cell to the second battery cell across the hinge assembly and at least a portion of which forms a curved surface according to a folding motion of the hinge assembly 650), and a protection circuit module (PCM) (e.g., 630 of FIG. 6b) disposed within or adjacent to the hinge assembly and including a first portion (e.g., 631 of FIG. 6b) electrically connected to the first battery cell, and a second portion (e.g., 632 of FIG. 6b) electrically connected to the second battery cell.

According to various embodiments, the first portion of the protection circuit module (PCM) may be electrically connected by an electrode tab (e.g., 610a, 610b of FIG. 6b) protruding from the first battery cell in the direction of the hinge assembly, and the second portion of the protection circuit module (PCM) may be electrically connected by an electrode tab (e.g., 620a, 620b of FIG. 6b) protruding from the second battery cell in the direction of the hinge assembly.

According to various embodiments, the protection circuit module (PCM) can be electrically connected to the flexible circuit board.

According to various embodiments, at least a portion of the protection circuit module may be arranged to overlap at least a portion of the flexible circuit board.

According to various embodiments, the protection circuit module (PCM) is positioned between the second battery cell and the hinge assembly, and one side of the protection circuit module can be arranged in parallel contact with one side of the second battery cell.

According to various embodiments, the hinge assembly includes a hinge cover (e.g., 511 of FIG. 6c), a plurality of hinges (e.g., 513 of FIG. 6c) arranged inside the hinge cover, and elastic members, and the protection circuit module (PCM) can be positioned between the plurality of hinges inside the hinge cover.

According to various embodiments, the electronic device may further include a bracket assembly (e.g., 40 of FIG. 6b) that supports internal components. The bracket assembly may include a first bracket assembly (e.g., 40a of FIG. 6b) at least partially covered by the first housing structure and rotatably coupled with one side of the hinge assembly, and a second bracket assembly (e.g., 40b of FIG. 6b) at least partially covered by the second housing structure and rotatably coupled with the other side of the hinge assembly.

According to various embodiments, the first region (651) of the flexible circuit board may be disposed on a first surface (e.g., 41a of FIG. 6b) facing a first direction (e.g., P1 of FIG. 6c) of the first bracket assembly, and the first battery cell may be disposed on a second surface (e.g., 42a of FIG. 6b) facing a second direction (e.g., P2 of FIG. 6c) opposite to the first direction of the first bracket assembly.

According to various embodiments, the second region (652) of the flexible circuit board may be disposed on a third surface (e.g., 41b in FIG. 6c) facing a third direction (e.g., P3 in FIG. 6c) of the second bracket assembly, and the second battery cell may be disposed on a fourth surface (e.g., 42b in FIG. 6b) facing a fourth direction (e.g., P4 in FIG. 6c) opposite to the third direction of the second bracket assembly.

According to various embodiments, the first battery cell and the second battery cell are arranged parallel to each other, and when the electronic device is unfolded, at least a portion of a side surface of the first battery cell and a side surface of the second battery cell may be arranged to face each other.

According to various embodiments, when the electronic device is in an unfolded state, the first battery cell and the second battery cell are respectively disposed adjacent to opposite edges of the electronic device, and when the electronic device is in a folded state, the first battery cell and the second battery cell may have a non-overlapping area larger than the overlapping area.

According to various embodiments, one end of the flexible circuit board may be positioned to penetrate a first opening (e.g., 45 in FIG. 6a) formed in the first bracket assembly, and the other end may be positioned to penetrate a second opening (e.g., 46 in FIG. 6a) formed in the second bracket assembly.

According to various embodiments, the electronic device may further include a first printed circuit board (e.g., 670 of FIG. 11) mounted within the first housing structure and electrically connected to the protection circuit module, and a second printed circuit board (e.g., 680 of FIG. 11) mounted within the second housing structure and electrically connected to the protection circuit module.

According to various embodiments, the first printed circuit board may be spaced apart from the hinge assembly, with the first battery cell therebetween, and the second printed circuit board may be spaced apart from the hinge assembly, with the second battery cell therebetween. The flexible circuit board may be extended across the first printed circuit board, the first battery cell, and the second battery cell to the second printed circuit board.

According to various embodiments, the first printed circuit board and the first battery cell may be arranged along the longitudinal direction of the first housing structure, and the second printed circuit board and the second battery cell may be arranged along the longitudinal direction of the second housing structure. An electronic device further comprising a third flexible circuit board (e.g., 651 of FIG. 12) directly connecting the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board.

An electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIGS. 1 to 4) includes a first housing structure (e.g., 310 of FIG. 5) covering at least a portion of a first bracket assembly, a second housing structure (e.g., 320 of FIG. 5) covering at least a portion of a second bracket assembly and rotatably coupled to the first housing structure by a hinge assembly, a first battery cell (e.g., 610 of FIG. 6b) disposed on a rear surface of the first bracket assembly, a second battery cell (e.g., 620 of FIG. 6b) disposed on a rear surface of the second bracket assembly, a first region (e.g., 651 of FIG. 6a) extending from the first battery cell toward a front surface of the first bracket assembly, and a second region (e.g., 652 of FIG. 6a) extending from the second battery cell toward a front surface of the second bracket assembly. The hinge assembly may include a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) (e.g., 650 of FIG. 6b) that forms a curved surface according to a folding motion of the hinge assembly, and a protection circuit module (PCM) (e.g., 630 of FIG. 6b) that is positioned inside or adjacent to the hinge assembly and includes a first portion electrically connected to the first battery cell and a second portion electrically connected to the second battery cell.

According to various embodiments, the first portion of the protection circuit module (PCM) may be electrically connected by an electrode tab (e.g., 610a, 610b of FIG. 6b) protruding from the first battery cell in the direction of the hinge assembly, and the second portion of the protection circuit module (PCM) may be electrically connected by an electrode tab (e.g., 620a, 620b of FIG. 6b) protruding from the second battery cell in the direction of the hinge assembly.

According to various embodiments, at least a portion of the protection circuit module may be arranged to overlap at least a portion of the flexible circuit board.

According to various embodiments, the protection circuit module (PCM) is positioned between the second battery cell and the hinge assembly, and one side of the protection circuit module can be arranged in parallel contact with one side of the second battery cell.

According to various embodiments, the hinge assembly includes a hinge cover, a plurality of hinges disposed inside the hinge cover, and elastic members, and the protection circuit module (PCM) can be positioned between the plurality of hinges inside the hinge cover.

The electronic device including a plurality of batteries of the various embodiments of the present disclosure described above is not limited to the above-described embodiments and drawings, and it will be apparent to a person skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains that various substitutions, modifications, and changes are possible within the technical scope of the present disclosure.

Electronic devices: 101
1st housing structure: 310
Second housing structure: 320
Hinge Assembly: 510
1st battery cell: 610
Second battery cell: 620
Flexible Circuit Board: 650
Protection circuit module: 630

Claims (20)

In electronic devices,
1st housing structure;
A second housing structure positioned adjacent to the first housing structure;
A bracket assembly supporting internal components of the above electronic device;
A hinge assembly disposed between the first housing structure and the second housing structure and providing rotational movement between the first housing structure and the second housing structure;
A first battery cell mounted within the first housing;
A second battery cell mounted within the second housing;
A flexible circuit board (FPCB) extending from the first battery cell across the hinge assembly to the second battery cell, at least a portion of which forms a curved surface according to a folding motion of the hinge assembly;
A protection circuit module (PCM) disposed within or adjacent to the hinge assembly and including a first connection portion electrically connected to the first battery cell and a second connection portion electrically connected to the second battery cell; and
An electronic device comprising at least one of the first connecting portion or the second connecting portion of the protection circuit module (PCM) penetrating the bracket assembly and electrically connected to the first battery cell or the second battery cell.
In paragraph 1,
The first connecting portion of the above protection circuit module (PCM) is electrically connected by an electrode tab protruding from the first battery cell toward the hinge assembly,
An electronic device in which the second connecting portion of the above protection circuit module (PCM) is electrically connected by an electrode tab protruding from the second battery cell toward the hinge assembly.
delete In paragraph 1,
The above protection circuit module (PCM) is electrically connected to the flexible circuit board,
An electronic device wherein at least a portion of the above protection circuit module is arranged to overlap at least a portion of the above flexible circuit board.
In paragraph 1,
The protection circuit module (PCM) is electrically connected to the flexible circuit board and is positioned between the second battery cell and the hinge assembly, and one side of the protection circuit module is arranged in parallel contact with one side of the second battery cell, or
An electronic device in which the hinge assembly includes a hinge cover and a plurality of hinges arranged inside the hinge cover, and the protection circuit module (PCM) is positioned between the plurality of hinges and electrically connected to the flexible circuit board.
delete delete In paragraph 1,
The above bracket assembly,
A first bracket assembly, at least partly covered by the first housing structure and rotatably coupled to one side of the hinge assembly, and
A second bracket assembly, at least partially covered by the second housing structure and rotatably coupled to the other side of the hinge assembly;
The first region of the flexible circuit board is arranged on a first surface facing a first direction of the first bracket assembly, and the first battery cell is arranged on a second surface facing a second direction opposite to the first direction of the first bracket assembly.
An electronic device wherein the second region of the flexible circuit board is disposed on a third surface facing a third direction of the second bracket assembly, and the second battery cell is disposed on a fourth surface facing a fourth direction opposite to the third direction of the second bracket assembly.
delete delete In paragraph 1,
The above protection circuit module (PCM) is electrically connected to the flexible circuit board,
In the unfolded state of the electronic device, the first battery cell and the second battery cell are respectively arranged adjacent to opposite corners of the electronic device,
An electronic device wherein, when the electronic device is in a folded state, the first battery cell and the second battery cell have a non-overlapping area larger than the overlapping area.
In paragraph 1,
The above bracket assembly,
A first bracket assembly, at least partly covered by the first housing structure and rotatably coupled to one side of the hinge assembly, and
A second bracket assembly, at least partially covered by the second housing structure and rotatably coupled to the other side of the hinge assembly;
An electronic device in which one end of the flexible circuit board is positioned to penetrate a first opening formed in the first bracket assembly, and the other end is positioned to penetrate a second opening formed in the second bracket assembly.
In paragraph 1,
A first printed circuit board mounted within the first housing structure and electrically connected to the protection circuit module; and
An electronic device further comprising a second printed circuit board mounted within the second housing structure and electrically connected to the protection circuit module.
In Article 13,
The first printed circuit board is spaced apart from the hinge assembly, with the first battery cell interposed therebetween,
The second printed circuit board is spaced apart from the hinge assembly, with the second battery cell interposed therebetween;
An electronic device in which the flexible circuit board is extended across the first printed circuit board, the first battery cell, and the second battery cell to the second printed circuit board.
In Article 13,
The first printed circuit board and the first battery cell are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the first housing structure,
The second printed circuit board and the second battery cell are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the second housing structure,
An electronic device further comprising a third flexible circuit board directly connecting the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board.



delete delete delete delete delete

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