WO2023210918A1

WO2023210918A1 - Foldable electronic device

Info

Publication number: WO2023210918A1
Application number: PCT/KR2023/000255
Authority: WO
Inventors: 김윤식
Original assignee: 삼성전자 주식회사
Priority date: 2022-04-29
Filing date: 2023-01-05
Publication date: 2023-11-02

Abstract

A foldable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may comprise: a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB); a hinge structure connecting a first housing and a second housing; a hinge housing accommodating the hinge structure and at least a portion of the FPCB and including a guide protrusion protruding upward from an inner surface; and a reinforcement unit coupled to the FPCB and having a guide unit for guiding the vertical movement of the FPCB along the guide protrusion in response to the movement of the first housing and the second housing.

Description

foldable electronic devices

Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a foldable electronic device including a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB).

An electronic device can display images through a display disposed in a housing. An image displayed on a display may be composed of a plurality of pixels. The display may receive a data voltage or light emitting signal for displaying an image from a display driver IC (DDI).

The electronic device may correspond to a portable electronic device such as a smartphone, for example. Portable electronic devices can provide functions such as calls, video playback, and/or Internet search based on various types of applications. Users hope to be able to use functions provided by electronic devices through a wider screen. As the larger the screen in an electronic device, the portability may decrease, so a foldable structure was developed using a folding structure that can provide a large screen while preventing loss of portability.

In an electronic device, various electrical elements (or electronic components) or a printed circuit board (PCB) on which the electrical elements are disposed may be disposed inside a housing. In the case of foldable electronic devices, a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) that is easily bendable can be used to connect each electrical element.

Flexible printed circuit boards are highly usable in narrow spaces because at least part of them can be flexibly bent, and they can be used to store electrical elements contained within a housing (e.g. placed on the main PCB) and electrical elements contained inside other housings (e.g. placed on the sub-PCB) can be connected.

Foldable electronic devices change their shape and/or position (e.g., shape) when the unfolding or folding motion is repeatedly performed, and the flex part of the flexible printed circuit board flows within a designated area (e.g., inside a hinge housing). If it does not remain constant and deforms, its useful life (e.g. durability) may be shortened.

In addition, when unfolding or folding operations of a foldable electronic device are repeated, the flex portion (e.g., bending portion) of the flexible printed circuit board may be damaged due to accumulated stress due to friction with the housing, components, or other substrates. there is.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a foldable electronic device that can prevent asymmetric shaping of a flexible printed circuit board even when folding or unfolding operations are repeatedly performed.

A foldable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB); A hinge structure connecting the first housing and the second housing; a hinge housing that accommodates the hinge structure and at least a portion of the FPCB and includes a guide protrusion protruding upward from an inner surface; And it is coupled to the FPCB and may include a reinforcing part formed with a guide part that guides the vertical movement of the FPCB along the guide protrusion in response to the movement of the first housing and the second housing.

A foldable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB); A hinge structure connecting the first housing and the second housing; a hinge housing that accommodates the hinge structure and at least a portion of the FPCB and includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion protruding upward near the center; And it may include a fixing part that couples the FPCB to the hinge housing at the first protrusion and the second protrusion.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the flex portion of the flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) moves only in the vertical direction along the guide protrusion formed on the hinge housing, so that the flexible printed circuit board within a designated area (e.g., inside the hinge housing) Asymmetric shaping can be prevented.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the flex portion of the flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) is fixed to the first protrusion of the hinge housing through an adhesive (e.g., bond or tape), so that it is fixed to the first protrusion of the hinge housing within a designated area (e.g., inside the hinge housing). It is possible to prevent asymmetric shaping of flexible printed circuit boards.

1 is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device in a network environment according to various embodiments.

FIG. 2A is a front perspective view of the foldable electronic device 200 illustrating an unfolded state (flat state or unfolding state) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2B is a plan view illustrating the front of the foldable electronic device 200 in an unfolded state according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2C is a plan view illustrating the rear of the foldable electronic device 200 in an unfolded state according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2D is a perspective view of a foldable electronic device 200 illustrating a folding state according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a foldable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a hinge housing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 5 is an exploded view of a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) 260 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6A is a diagram showing the FPCB and the hinge housing separated in one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 6b is a diagram showing the FPCB and the hinge housing combined in one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an unfolded state of the foldable electronic device 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an unfolded state of the foldable electronic device 300 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a plan view showing an unfolded state of the foldable electronic device 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a foldable electronic device taken along line A-A' of FIG. 9 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a folded state of the foldable electronic device 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a foldable electronic device taken along line B-B' of FIG. 11 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing the operation of an FPCB between an unfolded state and a folded state of a foldable electronic device according to an embodiment.

Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of the FPCB and the hinge housing when the foldable electronic device is in an unfolded state, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of a foldable electronic device taken along line II' of FIG. 2D according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 16a is a plan view showing an embodiment (first embodiment) of a reinforcement part of an FPCB according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 16B is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C' of FIG. 16A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 17a is a plan view showing an embodiment (second embodiment) of a reinforcement part of an FPCB according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 17B is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D' of FIG. 17A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 18a is a plan view showing an embodiment (third embodiment) of a reinforcement part of an FPCB according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 18B is a cross-sectional view taken along line E-E' of FIG. 18A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 19a is a plan view showing an embodiment (fourth embodiment) of a reinforcement part of an FPCB according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 19B is a plan view of the reinforcement portion shown in FIG. 19A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view showing a structure for improving friction that occurs during asymmetric behavior of the FPCB in a foldable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 21A is a plan view showing a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) in an unfolded state of a foldable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 21B is a cross-sectional view taken along line F-F' of FIG. 21A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 22A is a plan view showing a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) in a folded state of a foldable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 22B is a cross-sectional view taken along line G-G' of FIG. 22A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 23 is a cross-sectional view showing the behavior of the FPCB during the unfolding or folding operation of the foldable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily practice them. However, the present disclosure may be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In relation to the description of the drawings, identical or similar reference numerals may be used for identical or similar components. Additionally, in the drawings and related descriptions, descriptions of well-known functions and configurations may be omitted for clarity and brevity.

1 is a block diagram of an electronic device 101 in a network environment 100, according to various embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 1, in the network environment 100, the electronic device 101 communicates with the electronic device 102 through a first network 198 (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network) or a second network 199. It is possible to communicate with at least one of the electronic device 104 or the server 108 through (e.g., a long-distance 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 includes a processor 120, a memory 130, an input module 150, an audio output module 155, a display module 160, an audio module 170, and a sensor module ( 176), interface 177, connection terminal 178, haptic module 179, camera module 180, power management module 188, battery 189, communication module 190, subscriber identification module 196 , or may include an antenna module 197. In some embodiments, at least one of these components (eg, the connection terminal 178) may be omitted or one or more other components may be added to the electronic device 101. In some embodiments, some of these components (e.g., sensor module 176, camera module 180, or antenna module 197) are integrated into one component (e.g., display module 160). It can be.

The processor 120, for example, executes software (e.g., program 140) to operate at least one other component (e.g., hardware or software component) of the electronic device 101 connected to the processor 120. It can be controlled and various data processing or calculations can be performed. According to one embodiment, as at least part of data processing or computation, the processor 120 stores commands or data received from another component (e.g., sensor module 176 or communication module 190) in volatile memory 132. The commands or data stored in the volatile memory 132 can be processed, and the resulting data can be stored in the non-volatile memory 134. According to one embodiment, the processor 120 includes a main processor 121 (e.g., a central processing unit or an application processor) or an auxiliary processor 123 that can operate independently or together (e.g., a graphics processing unit, a neural network processing unit ( It may include a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor). For example, if the electronic device 101 includes a main processor 121 and a secondary processor 123, the secondary processor 123 may be set to use lower power than the main processor 121 or be specialized for a designated function. You can. The auxiliary processor 123 may be implemented separately from the main processor 121 or as part of it.

The auxiliary processor 123 may, for example, act on behalf of the main processor 121 while the main processor 121 is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, or while the main processor 121 is in an active (e.g., application execution) state. ), together with the main processor 121, at least one of the components of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the display module 160, the sensor module 176, or the communication module 190) At least some of the functions or states related to can be controlled. According to one embodiment, co-processor 123 (e.g., image signal processor or communication processor) may be implemented as part of another functionally related component (e.g., camera module 180 or communication module 190). there is. According to one embodiment, the auxiliary processor 123 (eg, neural network processing unit) may include a hardware structure specialized for processing artificial intelligence models. Artificial intelligence models can be created through machine learning. For example, such learning may be performed in the electronic device 101 itself on which the artificial intelligence model is performed, or may be performed through a separate server (e.g., server 108). Learning algorithms may include, for example, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning, but It is not limited. An artificial intelligence model may include multiple artificial neural network layers. Artificial neural networks include deep neural network (DNN), convolutional neural network (CNN), recurrent neural network (RNN), restricted boltzmann machine (RBM), belief deep network (DBN), bidirectional recurrent deep neural network (BRDNN), It may be one of deep Q-networks or a combination of two or more of the above, but is not limited to the examples described above. In addition to hardware structures, artificial intelligence models may additionally or alternatively include software structures.

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

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

The input module 150 may receive commands or data to be used in a component of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the processor 120) from outside the electronic device 101 (e.g., a user). The input module 150 may include, for example, a microphone, mouse, keyboard, keys (eg, buttons), or digital pen (eg, stylus pen).

The sound output module 155 may output sound signals to the outside of the electronic device 101. The sound output module 155 may include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. Speakers can be used for general purposes such as multimedia playback or recording playback. The receiver can be used to receive incoming calls. According to one embodiment, the receiver may be implemented separately from the speaker or as part of it.

The display module 160 can visually provide information to the outside of the electronic device 101 (eg, a user). The display module 160 may include, for example, a display, a hologram device, or a projector, and a control circuit for controlling the device. According to one embodiment, the display module 160 may include a touch sensor configured to detect a touch, or a pressure sensor configured to measure the intensity of force generated by the touch.

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

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

The interface 177 may support one or more designated protocols that can be used to connect the electronic device 101 directly or wirelessly with an external electronic device (eg, the electronic device 102). According to 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 can be physically connected to an external electronic device (eg, 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 (eg, a headphone connector).

The haptic module 179 can convert electrical signals into mechanical stimulation (e.g., vibration or movement) or electrical stimulation that the user can perceive through tactile or kinesthetic senses. According to one embodiment, the haptic module 179 may 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 may 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 188 may be implemented as at least a part of, for example, a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

The battery 189 may supply power to at least one component of the electronic device 101. According to one embodiment, the battery 189 may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

Communication module 190 is configured to provide a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or wireless communication channel between electronic device 101 and an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device 102, electronic device 104, or server 108). It can support establishment and communication through established communication channels. Communication module 190 operates independently of processor 120 (e.g., an 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 is a wireless communication module 192 (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module 194 (e.g., : LAN (local area network) communication module, or power line communication module) may be included. Among these communication modules, the corresponding communication module is a first network 198 (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, wireless fidelity (WiFi) direct, or infrared data association (IrDA)) or a second network 199 (e.g., legacy It may communicate with an external electronic device 104 through a telecommunication network such as a cellular network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., LAN or WAN). These various types of communication modules may be integrated into one component (e.g., a single chip) or may be implemented as a plurality of separate components (e.g., multiple chips). The wireless communication module 192 uses subscriber information (e.g., International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module 196 within a communication network such as the first network 198 or the second network 199. The electronic device 101 can be confirmed or authenticated.

The wireless communication module 192 may support 5G networks after 4G networks and next-generation communication technologies, for example, NR access technology (new radio access technology). NR access technology provides high-speed transmission of high-capacity data (eMBB (enhanced mobile broadband)), minimization of terminal power and access to multiple terminals (mMTC (massive machine type communications)), or high reliability and low latency (URLLC (ultra-reliable and low latency). -latency communications)) can be supported. The wireless communication module 192 may support high frequency bands (eg, mmWave bands), for example, to achieve high data rates. The wireless communication module 192 uses various technologies to secure performance in high frequency bands, for example, beamforming, massive array multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO), and full-dimensional multiplexing. It can support technologies such as input/output (FD-MIMO: full dimensional MIMO), array antenna, analog beam-forming, or large scale antenna. The wireless communication module 192 may support various requirements specified in the electronic device 101, an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device 104), or a network system (e.g., second network 199). According to one embodiment, the wireless communication module 192 supports Peak data rate (e.g., 20 Gbps or more) for realizing eMBB, loss coverage (e.g., 164 dB or less) for realizing mmTC, or U-plane latency (e.g., 164 dB or less) for realizing URLLC. Example: Downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) each of 0.5 ms or less, or round trip 1 ms or less) can be supported.

The antenna module 197 may transmit signals or power to or receive signals or power from the outside (e.g., an external electronic device). According to one embodiment, the antenna module 197 may include an antenna including a radiator made of a conductor or a conductive pattern formed on a substrate (eg, PCB). According to one embodiment, the antenna module 197 may include a plurality of antennas (eg, an array antenna). 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 is connected to the plurality of antennas by, for example, the communication module 190. can be selected Signals or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module 190 and an external electronic device through the at least one selected antenna. According to some embodiments, in addition to the radiator, other components (eg, radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) may be additionally formed as part of the antenna module 197.

According to various embodiments, the antenna module 197 may form a mmWave antenna module. According to one embodiment, a mmWave antenna module includes: a printed circuit board, an RFIC disposed on or adjacent to a first side (e.g., bottom side) of the printed circuit board and capable of supporting a designated high frequency band (e.g., mmWave band); And a plurality of antennas (e.g., array antennas) disposed on or adjacent to the second side (e.g., top or side) of the printed circuit board and capable of transmitting or receiving signals in the designated high frequency band. can do.

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

According to one embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device 104 through the server 108 connected to the second network 199. Each of the external

electronic devices

102 or 104 may be of the same or different type as the electronic device 101. According to one embodiment, all or part of the operations performed 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 needs 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 perform the function or service instead of executing the function or service on its own. Alternatively, or additionally, one or more external electronic devices may be requested to perform at least part of the function or service. One or more external electronic devices that have received the request may execute at least 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 part of a response to the request. For this purpose, for example, cloud computing, distributed computing, mobile edge computing (MEC), or client-server computing technology can be used. The electronic device 101 may provide an ultra-low latency service using, for example, distributed computing or mobile edge computing. In one embodiment, the external electronic device 104 may include an Internet of Things (IoT) device. Server 108 may be an intelligent server using machine learning and/or neural networks. According to one embodiment, the external electronic device 104 or server 108 may be included in the second network 199. The electronic device 101 may be applied to intelligent services (e.g., smart home, smart city, smart car, or healthcare) based on 5G communication technology and IoT-related technology.

FIG. 2A is a front perspective view of the foldable electronic device 200 illustrating an unfolded state (flat state or unfolding state) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2B is a plan view illustrating the front of the foldable electronic device 200 in an unfolded state according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2C is a plan view illustrating the rear of the foldable electronic device 200 in an unfolded state according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2D is a perspective view of a foldable electronic device 200 illustrating a folding state according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

The foldable electronic device 200 of FIGS. 2A to 2D may be at least partially similar to the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1 or may further include an embodiment of the electronic device.

Referring to FIGS. 2A to 2D , in one embodiment, the foldable electronic device 200 includes a pair of housings 210 that face each other with respect to the hinge structure 240 and are rotatably coupled to be folded. 220) may be included. According to one embodiment, the hinge structure 240 may be arranged in the X-axis direction or in the Y-axis direction. According to one embodiment, two or more hinge structures 240 may be arranged to be folded in the same direction or in different directions. For example, the hinge structure 240 includes a first hinge structure (e.g., 240a in FIG. 7A) and a second hinge structure (e.g., 240b in FIG. 7A) arranged to be spaced apart from each other along the folding axis (A). can do.

According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device 200 includes a first display 270 (e.g., a flexible display, a foldable display) disposed in an area formed by a pair of housings 210 and 220. ) display or main display).

According to one embodiment, the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 are disposed on both sides about the folding axis (A) and may have a shape that is substantially symmetrical with respect to the folding axis (A). . According to one embodiment, the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 determine whether the state of the foldable electronic device 200 is a flat state or unfolding state or a folding state. Alternatively, the angle or distance between them may vary depending on whether they are in an intermediate state. For example, the unfolded state of the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 is such that the folding angle of the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 is within the first reference range (e.g., about 170 degrees ~ It may include an operating state included in about 180 degrees). For example, the folded state of the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 is such that the folding angle of the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 is within the second reference range (e.g., about 0 degrees ~ It may include an operating state included in about 20 degrees). For example, the intermediate state between the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 is an operating state corresponding to the unfolded state and the folded state of the first housing 210 and the second housing 220, It may include an operating state in which the folding angle of the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 is within a third reference range (eg, about 20 degrees to about 170 degrees). For example, the foldable electronic device 300 can maintain the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 unfolded at various angles through the hinge structure 240 in an intermediate state.

According to one embodiment, a pair of

housings

210 and 220 includes a first housing 210 coupled to the hinge structure 240 (e.g., a first housing structure) and a second housing coupled to the hinge structure 240. It may include a housing 220 (eg, a second housing structure).

According to one embodiment, the first housing 210 has a first surface 211 facing in a first direction (e.g., front direction) (z-axis direction) in the unfolded state and a first surface 211 facing in the opposite direction to the first surface 211. It may include a second surface 212 facing a second direction (eg, back direction) (-z axis direction).

According to one embodiment, the second housing 220 has a third side 221 facing the first direction (z-axis direction) and a fourth side 222 facing the second direction (-z-axis direction) in the unfolded state. ) may include. For example, in the foldable electronic device 200, in the unfolded state, the first side 211 of the first housing 210 and the third side 221 of the second housing 220 move in substantially the same first direction. (z-axis direction), and is operated in such a way that the first side 211 (or second side 212) and the third side 221 (or fourth side 222) face each other in the folded state. (e.g. in-folding method). For example, when the foldable electronic device 200 is unfolded, the second side 212 of the first housing 210 and the fourth side 222 of the second housing 220 move in substantially the same second direction. (-z axis direction), and in the folded state, the second side 212 (or first side 211) and the fourth side 222 (or third side 221) face opposite directions. It can work. For example, in the folded state, the second side 212 may face a first direction (z-axis direction), and the fourth side 222 may face a second direction (-z-axis direction).

According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device 200 is an electronic device in which the first side 211 of the first housing 210 and the third side 221 of the second housing 220 are substantially the same in the unfolded state. It faces one direction (z-axis direction), and in the folded state, the first side 211 and the third side 221 may be operated to face opposite directions (e.g., out-folding method). For example, in the folded state, the first side 211 may face a first direction (z-axis direction), and the third side 222 may face a second direction (-z-axis direction). For example, in the foldable electronic device 200, in the unfolded state, the second side 212 of the first housing 210 and the fourth side 222 of the second housing 220 move in substantially the same second direction. It may be operated in such a way that it faces (-z-axis direction) and the second side 212 and the fourth side 222 face each other in the folded state.

According to one embodiment, the first housing 210 is at least partially combined with the first side frame 213 and the first side frame 213 that forms the exterior of the foldable electronic device 200, The electronic device 200 may include a first rear cover 214 that forms at least a portion of the second surface 212.

According to one embodiment, the first side frame 213 includes a first side 213a, a second side 213b extending from one end of the first side 213a, and a second side extending from the other end of the first side 213a. It may include a third side 213c. According to one embodiment, the first side frame 213 may be formed into a rectangular (eg, square or rectangular) shape through the first side 213a, the second side 213b, and the third side 213c. there is.

According to one embodiment, the second housing 220 is at least partially coupled to the second side frame 223 and the second side frame 223 that forms the exterior of the foldable electronic device 200, The electronic device 200 may include a second rear cover 224 that forms at least a portion of the fourth side 222.

According to one embodiment, the second side frame 223 includes the fourth side 223a, the fifth side 223b extending from one end of the fourth side 223a, and the other end of the fourth side 223a. It may include a sixth side 223c. According to one embodiment, the second side frame 223 may be formed into a rectangular shape through the fourth side 223a, the fifth side 223b, and the sixth side 223c.

According to one embodiment, the pair of

housings

210 and 220 is not limited to the shape and combination shown, and may be implemented by combining and/or combining other shapes or parts. For example, the first side frame 213 may be formed integrally with the first rear cover 214, and the second side frame 223 may be formed integrally with the second rear cover 224.

According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device 200 may be connected to the second side 213b of the first side frame 213 and the fifth side 223b of the second side frame 223 in the unfolded state. there is. According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device 200 may be connected to the third side 213c of the first side frame 213 and the sixth side 223c of the second side frame 223 in the unfolded state. there is.

According to one embodiment, the first side frame 213 and/or the second side frame 223 may be formed of metal or may further include a polymer injected into the metal. According to one embodiment, the first side frame 213 and/or the second side frame 223 are electrically segmented through at least one segment portion (3161, 3162 and/or 3261, 3262) formed of polymer. It may also include at least one conductive portion 216 and/or 226. For example, the at least one conductive portion 216 and/or 226 is electrically connected to a wireless communication circuit included in the foldable electronic device 200, thereby operating in at least one designated band (e.g., frequency band). Can be used as an antenna.

According to one embodiment, the first back cover 214 and/or the second back cover 224 may be, for example, coated or colored glass, ceramic, polymer, or metal (e.g., aluminum, stainless steel (STS)). , or magnesium) or a combination of at least two.

According to one embodiment, the first display 270 extends from the first side 211 of the first housing 210 across the hinge structure 240 to the third side 221 of the second housing 220. It may be arranged to extend at least partially.

According to one embodiment, the first display 270 includes a first area 230a substantially corresponding to the first surface 211, a second area 230b corresponding to the second surface 221, and a first area 230b substantially corresponding to the first surface 211. The area 230a may be connected to the second area 230b, and may include a folding area 230c corresponding to the hinge structure 240. For example, when the foldable electronic device 200 is in an unfolded state (e.g., the state in FIG. 2A), the first area 230a, the folding area 230c, and the second area 230b of the first display 270 ) may be arranged to substantially form the same plane and face the same direction. For example, when the foldable electronic device 200 is in a folded state (e.g., the state in FIG. 2D), the first area 230a and the second area 230b of the first display 270 are the folding area ( 230c), they form a narrow angle (e.g., in the range of about 0 degrees to 10 degrees) with each other, and may be arranged to face each other. For example, at least a portion of the folding area 230c may be formed as a curved surface with a predetermined curvature. For example, when the foldable electronic device 200 is in the intermediate state, the first area 230a and the second area 230b of the first display 270 form an angle that is larger than in the folded state and smaller than in the unfolded state. The curvature of the folding area 230c may be smaller than that in the folded state. According to one embodiment, the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 may form an angle that can stop at a specified folding angle between the folded state and the unfolded state through the hinge structure 240 ( e.g. free stop function).

According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device 200 may include a first protective cover 215 (e.g., a first protective frame or a first decorative member) coupled along an edge of the first housing 210. You can. According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device 200 may include a second protective cover 225 (e.g., a second protective frame or a second decorative member) coupled along the edge of the second housing 220. You can. According to one embodiment, the first protective cover 215 and/or the second protective cover 225 may be formed of metal or polymer material. According to one embodiment, the first protective cover 215 and/or the second protective cover 225 may be used as a decoration member.

According to one embodiment, the first display 270 may be positioned so that the edge of the first area 230a is interposed between the first housing 210 and the first protective cover 215. According to one embodiment, the first display 270 may be positioned so that the edge of the second area 230b is interposed between the second housing 220 and the second protective cover 225.

According to one embodiment, the first display 270 is protected by a protective cap 235 disposed in an area corresponding to the hinge structure 240, so that the edge of the first display 270 corresponding to the protective cap is protected. can be located Accordingly, the edges of the first display 270 can be substantially protected from the outside.

According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device 200 supports the hinge structure 240, is exposed to the outside when the foldable electronic device 200 is in a folded state, and is in a first space (e.g. : Includes a hinge housing 241 (e.g., hinge cover) that is inserted into the inner space of the first housing 210) and the second space (e.g., the inner space of the second housing 220) and is disposed to be invisible from the outside. can do.

According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device 200 may include a second display 231 (eg, sub-display) disposed separately from the first display 270. According to one embodiment, the second display 231 may be arranged to fully or at least partially expose the second surface 212 of the first housing 210. According to one embodiment, when the foldable electronic device 200 is in a folded state, the second display 231 replaces the display function of the first display 270 and displays status information of the foldable electronic device 200. It can be displayed. According to one embodiment, the second display 231 may be arranged to be exposed to the outside through the entire area or at least a partial area of the first rear cover 214. In one embodiment, the second display 231 may be disposed on the fourth side 222 of the second housing 220. In this case, the second display 231 may be disposed to be exposed to the outside through the entire area or at least a partial area of the second rear cover 224.

According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device 200 includes an input device 203 (e.g., a microphone),

audio output devices

201 and 202, a sensor module 204, and

camera modules

205 and 208. 209), a key input device 206, or a connector port 207. In the illustrated embodiment, an input device 203 (e.g., a microphone),

audio output devices

201 and 202, a sensor module 204,

camera modules

205, 208 and 209, and a key input device 206 Alternatively, the connector port 207 refers to a hole or shape formed in the first housing 210 or the second housing 220, but is disposed inside the foldable electronic device 200 and operates through the hole or shape. It may be defined to include substantial electronic components (e.g., input device 203,

audio output devices

201 and 202, sensor module 204, or

camera modules

205, 208, and 209).

According to one embodiment, the

camera modules

205, 208, and 209 include a first camera device 205 disposed on the first surface 211 of the first housing 210 of the foldable electronic device 200, It may include a second camera device 208 and/or a flash 209 disposed on the second side 212 of the first housing 310. For example, the second camera device 208 may include a plurality of camera devices having different angles of view. For example, the second camera device 208 may include at least one of a wide-angle camera, an ultra-wide-angle camera, or a telephoto camera.

According to one embodiment, some of the camera modules 205 and 208 (e.g., the first camera device 205) or the sensor module 204 may be arranged to be exposed through the first display 270. there is. For example, the first camera device 205 or the sensor module 204 opens an opening (e.g., a through hole) at least partially formed in the first display 270 in the internal space of the foldable electronic device 200. It can be placed so that it can come into contact with the external environment. In one embodiment, some sensor modules 204 may be arranged to perform their functions in the internal space of the foldable electronic device 200 without being visually exposed through the first display 270. In this case, for example, the area facing the sensor module of the first display 370 may not require opening.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a partial configuration of a foldable electronic device (e.g., the foldable electronic device 200 of FIG. 2A) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 3, in one embodiment, a foldable electronic device (e.g., the foldable electronic device 200 of FIG. 2A) includes a first housing 210, a second housing 220, and a hinge housing 241. , Printed Circuit Board (PCB) 250, Flexible Printed Circuit Board (FPCB) 260,

reinforcement parts

265, 266, first display 270, display plate 280 ) or FPCB plate 290.

According to one embodiment, the printed circuit board 250 may have components for implementing various functions of the foldable electronic device 200 arranged separately. According to one embodiment, the printed circuit board (PCB) 250 may include a first printed circuit board (e.g., main PCB) 251 or a second printed circuit board (e.g., sub PCB) 252. there is. According to one embodiment, the main PCB 251 may be placed in the space formed by the first housing 210. According to one embodiment, the sub PCB 252 may be placed in the space formed by the second housing 220. According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the FPCB 253 may be disposed in the first housing 210, the second housing 220, or the hinge housing 241.

According to one embodiment, the FPCB 260 may connect the main PCB 251 and the sub PCB 252 to each other. For example, one end of the FPCB 260 may be electrically connected to the main PCB 251 and the other end may be electrically connected to the sub PCB 252. According to one embodiment, the FPCB 260 may be provided to have flexibility. For example, the FPCB 260 may operate to fold according to the folding operation of the foldable electronic device 200 and may operate to unfold according to the folding operation of the foldable electronic device 200. According to one embodiment, at least one FPCB 260 may be provided. For example, the FPCB 260 may further include a sub-FPCB (not shown), which is not shown.

According to one embodiment, the

reinforcement parts

265 and 266 prevent asymmetric shaping of the FPCB 260 when the FPCB 260 unfolds or folds according to the unfolding or folding operation of the foldable electronic device 200. It can be coupled to the FPCB 260 to do so. According to one embodiment, the

reinforcement parts

265 and 266 may include a first reinforcement part 265 or a second reinforcement part 266. For example, the first reinforcement part 265 may be coupled to the upper side of the FPCB (260). For example, the second reinforcement portion 266 may be coupled to the lower side of the FPCB (260). According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device 200 includes a first reinforcement unit 265 (e.g., the reinforcement unit 265 of FIG. 16, the reinforcement unit 565 of FIG. 18, or the reinforcement unit 665 of FIG. 19). )), or a second reinforcement part 266 (e.g., the reinforcement part 465 of FIG. 17). According to one embodiment, the

reinforcement parts

265 and 266 include

guide parts

2651, 2652, 2661, and 2662 that guide the vertical movement of the FPCB 260 when the foldable electronic device 200 is unfolded or folded. can do. For example, the first reinforcement part 265 is a first guide part 2651 formed on one end of the first reinforcement part 265, or a second guide part formed on the other end of the first reinforcement part 265 ( 2652). For example, the second reinforcement part 266 is a third guide part 2661 formed on one end of the second reinforcement part 265, or a fourth guide part formed on the other end of the second reinforcement part 266. (2662). According to one embodiment, the

guide parts

2651 and 2652 have a hole-type structure (e.g., the

holes

2651a and 2652a in FIG. 16, the

holes

4651a and 4652a in FIG. 17, or the

holes

5651a and 5652a in FIG. 18). Alternatively, it may have an open type structure (e.g., guide

ribs

6651b and 6652b in FIG. 19). Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the reinforcement portion 265 will be described later.

According to one embodiment, the display plate 280 may be provided to protect the rear surface of the first display 270. According to one embodiment, the display plate 280 may be located on the back of the first display 270. According to one embodiment, the display plate 280 is a first rear area of the first display 270 opposite to the first area of the first display 270 (e.g., the first area 230a in FIG. 2B). A first display plate 281 covering (not shown) and a first display 270 facing the second area of the first display 270 (e.g., the second area 230b in Figure 2b) It may include a second display plate 282 covering the second rear area (not shown). According to one embodiment, the first display plate 281 may extend from one end of the first display 270 to the folding area of the first display 270 (e.g., the folding area 230c in FIG. 2B). . According to one embodiment, the second display plate 282 may extend from the other end of the first display 270 to the folding area 230c of the first display 270.

According to one embodiment, the FPCB plate 290 may be provided to cover at least a portion of the FPCB 260. According to one embodiment, the FPCB plate 290 may include a first FPCB plate 291 and a second FPCB plate 292. According to one embodiment, the first FPCB plate 291 may be disposed on the upper surface of the FPCB 260. The first FPCB plate 291 may be provided so that one side of the FPCB 260 is fixed to the first housing 210. According to one embodiment, the second FPCB plate 292 may be disposed on the upper surface of the FPCB 260. The second FPCB plate 292 may be provided so that the other side of the FPCB 260 is fixed to the second housing 220 .

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a hinge housing (eg, the hinge housing 241 of FIG. 3 ) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 4 , in one embodiment, a hinge housing (e.g., hinge housing 241 of FIG. 3) may include a hinge structure (e.g., first hinge 240 of FIG. 7) and/or an FPCB (e.g., FIG. 3). The internal space (S) may be formed to accommodate at least a portion of the FPCB (260).

According to one embodiment, the internal space S of the hinge housing 241 is, when two hinge structures 240 are provided in the foldable electronic device 200, one hinge structure 240 (e.g., FIG. A first internal space (S1) in which the first hinge structure (240a) of FIG. ), and a third internal space S3 in which at least a portion of the FPCB 260 is accommodated.

According to one embodiment, the hinge housing 241 may include at least one pair of guide protrusions 242 protruding upward (eg, in the z direction) from the inner surface. The pair of guide protrusions 242 may be formed in a circular or square protrusion shape, but the shape and/or number of guide protrusions 242 are not limited thereto. The pair of guide protrusions 242 may be formed of a metal material through CNC machining, but the material and/or forming method of the guide protrusions 242 are not limited thereto. A pair of guide protrusions 242 may be formed in the central portion 241c of the hinge housing 241. The pair of guide protrusions 242 may include a first guide protrusion 242a and a second guide protrusion 242b that are spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal direction (e.g., ±x direction) of the hinge housing 241. .

According to one embodiment, the hinge housing 241 may include a pair of protrusions 243 that protrude toward the FPCB 260 from both ends of the hinge housing 241. According to one embodiment, a pair of protrusions 243 may be formed on both ends of the central portion 241c of the hinge housing 241. The pair of protrusions 243 may be formed to be symmetrical to each other with the pair of guide protrusions 242 interposed therebetween. According to one embodiment, the pair of protrusions 243 is the 2-1 protrusion (e.g., the 2-1 protrusion 243a in FIG. 10) or the 2-2 protrusion (e.g., the 2-1 protrusion in FIG. 10). 2 may include a protrusion (243b). According to one embodiment, the 2-1 protrusion 243a may be formed to protrude from one end of the hinge housing 241. According to one embodiment, the 2-2 protrusion 243b may be formed to protrude from the other end of the hinge housing 241.

Figure 5 is an exploded view of a flexible printed circuit board (eg, FPCB 260 of Figure 3) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure to which a reinforcement part (eg, reinforcement part 265 of Figure 3) is coupled.

Referring to FIG. 5, in one embodiment, an FPCB (e.g., FPCB 260 in FIG. 3) has connectors (e.g., connectors that electrically connect the PCB (e.g., PCB 250 in FIG. 3) and the FPCB 260). 261, 262). For example, the FPCB 260 is provided at one end of the FPCB 260, and has a first connector 261a that electrically connects the FPBC 260 and the main PCB (e.g., the main PCB 251 in FIG. 3). , 261b). For example, the FPCB 260 is provided at the other end of the FPCB 260 and has a second connector 262 that electrically connects the FPCB 260 and the sub-PCB (e.g., the sub-PCB 252 in FIG. 3). ) may include.

According to one embodiment, the FPCB 260 operates a hinge housing (e.g., the hinge housing 241 of FIG. 3) during a folding or unfolding operation of a foldable electronic device (e.g., the foldable electronic device 200 of FIG. 2). )) may include a flex portion 263 that is provided to be able to flow within. According to one embodiment, the flex portion 263 may include a first bending portion 263a, a second bending portion 263b, and a third bending portion 263c (or a central portion). According to one embodiment, the central portion 263c of the flex portion 263 has a corresponding shape of the guide portion (e.g., the first guide 2651 or the second guide 2652 in FIG. 3) of the reinforcement portion 265. A cutout portion 263d having a may be provided. For example, the cut portion 263d may be formed by cutting inward from the central portion 263c of the flex portion 263 so that a guide protrusion (eg, guide protrusion 242 in FIG. 4) passes therethrough. According to one embodiment, the cut portion 263d is a first cut portion 263d1 or a second guide protrusion (e.g., the first guide protrusion 242a in FIG. 4) penetrates. It may include a second cut portion 263d2 through which the second guide protrusion 242b of 4) passes. According to some embodiments, when the horizontal width (e.g., ±x direction) of the reinforcement portion 265 is greater than the horizontal width of the central portion 263c, the

guide portions

2651 and 2652 of the reinforcing portion 265 are aligned with the central portion 263c. ) may be formed outside the central portion 263c, and in this case, the cut portion 236d of the central portion 263c may be unnecessary.

According to one embodiment, the FPCB 260 may include a rigid portion 264 that secures the FPCB 260 to a housing (e.g., the first housing 210 or the second housing 220 in FIG. 3). there is. The rigid portion 264 includes a first rigid portion 264a disposed on the first bending portion 263a of the flex portion 263, and a second rigid portion disposed on the second bending portion 263b of the flex portion 263. It may include a rigid portion 264b. According to one embodiment, the first rigid part 264a may fix one end of the FPCB 260 to the first housing 210. According to one embodiment, the second rigid part 264b may fix the other end of the FPCB 260 to the second housing 220.

According to one embodiment, the reinforcement part 265 may be located between the first rigid part 264a and the second rigid part 264b. According to one embodiment, the reinforcement part 265 may be coupled to the central part 263c of the flex part 263. According to one embodiment, the reinforcement portion 265 is a guide portion that guides the vertical movement of the FPCB 260 along a pair of guide protrusions (e.g., a pair of

guide protrusions

242a and 242b in FIG. 4). Example: It may include guide

parts

2651 and 2652 in FIG. 3. According to one embodiment, the

guide parts

2651 and 2652 may be provided in a hole-type structure. For example, a first hole 2651a through which the first guide protrusion 242a penetrates may be formed in the first guide portion 2651. For example, a second hole 2652a through which the second guide protrusion 252b passes may be formed in the second guide portion 2652.

According to one embodiment, the reinforcement portion 265 moves up and down linearly during the folding or unfolding operation of the foldable electronic device 200, and repeats with the pair of guide protrusions 242 of the hinge housing 241. can be contacted. In order to cope with the friction caused by the contact, the reinforcement portion 265 may be formed of a material that is resistant to friction or a material that does not generate noise (e.g., noise) due to friction. For example, the reinforcement portion 265 may be formed of polycarbonate (PC: poly carbonate) or poly oxymethylene (POM) material.

FIG. 6A is a diagram illustrating an FPCB (eg, FPCB 260 of FIG. 3 ) and a hinge housing (eg, hinge housing 241 of FIG. 3 ) separated in an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6B is a diagram showing an FPCB (e.g., FPCB 260 in FIG. 3) and a hinge housing (e.g., hinge housing 241 in FIG. 4) combined in an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an unfolded state of a foldable electronic device (eg, the foldable electronic device 200 of FIG. 2 ) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an unfolded state of a foldable electronic device (e.g., the foldable electronic device 200 of FIG. 2 ) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIGS. 6A and 6B , in one embodiment, a pair of guide protrusions 242 formed on the hinge housing 241 when assembling a foldable electronic device (e.g., the foldable electronic device 200 of FIG. 2). Can be inserted through a pair of

holes

2651a and 2652a of the reinforcement portion 265. Accordingly, during the folding or unfolding operation of the foldable electronic device 200, the FPCB 260 and the reinforcement portion 265 move up and down along the pair of guide protrusions 242, and the asymmetry of the FPCB 260 Forming can be prevented. Specific embodiments of the behavior of the FPCB 260 according to the folding or unfolding operation of the foldable electronic device 200 will be described later.

Referring to FIG. 7 , in one embodiment, the foldable electronic device (e.g., vertical foldable electronic device) 200 is positioned in the longitudinal direction (e.g., of the housings 210 and 220) with respect to the folding axis (A). You can perform a folding or unfolding motion in the vertical direction. According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device 200 is provided with one FPCB 260, and the FPCB 260 is made foldable by a reinforcement portion 265 and a pair of

guide protrusions

242a and 242b. It is possible to prevent the FPCB 260 from being substantially asymmetrically shaped when the electronic device 200 is folded or unfolded.

Referring to FIG. 8 , in one embodiment, a foldable electronic device (e.g., a horizontal foldable electronic device) 300 includes a pair of

housings

310 and 320, a hinge structure 340, and a hinge housing 341. , may include an FPCB (360) or a reinforcement portion (365). In one embodiment, the foldable electronic device 300 may perform a folding or unfolding operation in the width direction (e.g., horizontal direction) of the

housings

310 and 320 with respect to the folding axis A'. .

In one embodiment, the pair of

housings

310 and 320 may be rotatably coupled to each other and folded while facing each other based on the hinge structure 340 . In one embodiment, two or more hinge structures 340 may be arranged to fold in the same direction or in different directions, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the hinge structure 340 includes a third hinge structure 340a and a fourth hinge structure 340b, and the first hinge structure 340a and the second hinge structure 340b have a folding axis ( They can be arranged to be spaced apart from each other along A').

In one embodiment, the hinge housing 341 is located between a pair of

housings

310 and 320 and may accommodate at least a portion of the hinge structure 340 or the FPCB 360.

The hinge housing 341 according to one embodiment includes at least one pair of protrusions 342 having the same structure as the pair of protrusions (e.g., the pair of protrusions 242 in FIG. 4) according to the above-described embodiment. It can be included. In one embodiment, the FPCB 360 may have the same structure as the FPCB (eg, FPCB 260 in FIG. 3) according to the above-described embodiment. In one embodiment, the reinforcing part 365 may have a structure that is at least partially the same as the reinforcing part (e.g., the reinforcing part 265 in FIG. 3) according to the above-described embodiment.

Accordingly, in one embodiment, during the folding or unfolding operation of the foldable electronic device 300, the FPCB 360 is asymmetrical by the reinforcement portion 365 and at least one pair of guide protrusions 342. Forming can be prevented. For example, when a plurality of FPCBs 360 are provided in the foldable electronic device 300, a plurality of FPCBs 360 and several The pair of guide protrusions 342 are spaced apart, and the plurality of FPCBs 360 perform the folding operation or folding operation of the foldable electronic device 300 by the pair of guide protrusions 342 corresponding to each reinforcement portion 365. Asymmetric shaping of the FPCB (360) can be prevented during the unfolding operation.

FIG. 9 is a plan view showing an unfolded state of a foldable electronic device (e.g., the foldable electronic device 200 of FIG. 2) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a foldable electronic device (foldable electronic device 200 of FIG. 2 ) taken along line A-A' of FIG. 9 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a folded state of a foldable electronic device (foldable electronic device 200 of FIG. 2 ) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a foldable electronic device (foldable electronic device 200 of FIG. 2 ) taken along line B-B' of FIG. 11 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing the operation of an FPCB (FPCB 260 in FIG. 3) between an unfolded state and a folded state of a foldable electronic device (foldable electronic device 200 in FIG. 2) according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10 , when a foldable electronic device (e.g., the foldable electronic device 200 of FIG. 2) according to an embodiment is in an unfolded state, the flex portion 263 of the FPCB 260 is folded. It has a shape and can be accommodated within the hinge housing 241. In one embodiment, when the foldable electronic device 200 is in an unfolded state, the flex portion 263 of the FPCB 260 has holes formed in the guide portion (e.g., 2651 and 2652 of FIG. 3) of the reinforcement portion 265. It moves downward along the

guide protrusions

242a and 242b inserted into (2651a and 2652a), and thus may be arranged to contact or be adjacent to the bottom of the hinge housing 241.

Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12 , when the foldable electronic device 200 according to an embodiment is in a folded state, the flex portion 263 of the FPCB 260 has a partially unfolded shape, and the hinge housing 241 It may be spaced a predetermined distance from. In one embodiment, when the foldable electronic device 200 is in a folded state, the flex portion 263 of the FPCB 260 has holes formed in the guide portion (e.g., 2651 and 2652 of FIG. 3) of the reinforcement portion 265. It moves upward along the

guide protrusions

242a and 242b inserted into (2651a and 2652a) and may be spaced a predetermined distance from the bottom of the hinge housing 241.

Referring to FIG. 13 , in one embodiment, the FPCB 260 may be folded or unfolded according to the unfolding or folding operation of the foldable electronic device 200. For example, at least a portion of the flex portion 263 of the FPCB 260 may be folded when the foldable electronic device 200 is unfolded. For example, at least a portion of the flex portion 263 of the FPCB 260 may be unfolded when the foldable electronic device 200 is in a folded state. In one embodiment, when the foldable electronic device 200 is unfolded or folded, the FPCB 260 or the reinforcement unit 265 may move in the vertical direction along the guide protrusion 242. Accordingly, when the foldable electronic device 200 is in an unfolded or folded state, movement of the FPCB 260 in the left and right directions is restricted, and asymmetric shaping of the FPCB 260 can be prevented.

In one embodiment, the vertical movement amount (ΔH) of the FPCB (260) or the reinforcement portion (265) increases as the inner depth of the hinge housing (241) increases, or the distance between the FPCB (260) and the first display (270) increases. It may increase as the distance increases. In one embodiment, the vertical movement amount (ΔH) of the FPCB 260 or the reinforcement portion 265 may be smaller than the height h1 of the guide protrusion 242. For example, , the height (h1) of the guide protrusion 242 may be equal to or greater than the sum of the vertical movement amount (ΔH) of the FPCB 260 or the reinforcement portion 265 and the thickness (t) of the reinforcement portion 265. .

FIG. 14 illustrates an FPCB (e.g., FPCB 260 of FIG. 3) and a hinge housing (e.g., FIG. This is a cross-sectional view of the hinge housing 241 in Figure 3.

Referring to FIG. 14 , in one embodiment, the guide protrusion 242 of the hinge housing 241 may include a body portion 2421 and a chamfer portion 2422. In one embodiment, the body portion 2421 may protrude upward from the inner surface of the hinge housing 241 and extend. In one embodiment, the chamfer portion 2422 extends upward from the body portion 2421 and may be formed to have a diameter that gradually decreases toward the top.

According to one embodiment, the height h1 of the guide protrusion 242 is set in consideration of the position (or height) of the reinforcement part 265 when the foldable electronic device 200 is folded, and the first display ( 270) can be set to secure a sufficient distance. For example, the height h1 of the guide protrusion 242 may be set to 2.5 mm or more (eg, 2.6 mm). According to one embodiment, the diameter d1 of the guide protrusion 242 is set in consideration of rigidity, and may be set to 0.8 mm or more (eg, 1.0 mm) to form the chamfer portion 2422. According to one embodiment, the diameter d2 of the chamfer portion 2422 may be set in consideration of the diameter d1 of the guide protrusion 242. For example, when the diameter d1 of the guide protrusion 242 is 1.0 mm, the diameter d2 of the chamfer portion 2422 may be set to 0.8 mm. According to one embodiment, the height h2 of the chamfer portion 2422 is set in consideration of the height h1 of the guide protrusion 242, and is approximately 1.4 to prevent jamming when the reinforcement portion 265 moves up and down. It can be set within mm to 1.8mm. According to one embodiment, the thickness (t) of the reinforcement portion 265 may be set differently depending on the material, and may be set to 0.5 mm, for example. According to various embodiments, a preferred thickness (t) of the reinforcement portion 265 may be 0.2 mm to 0.8 mm. According to one embodiment, the gap (g) between the guide part 2651 of the reinforcement part 265 and the guide protrusion 242 is such that the friction generated between the guide protrusions 242 when the reinforcement part 265 moves up and down is determined by It can be set to within approximately 0.05mm to 0.10mm to minimize.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of a foldable electronic device (e.g., the foldable electronic device 200 of FIG. 2 ) taken along line I-I' of FIG. 2D according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 15 , in one embodiment, the distance between the

display plates

281 and 282 and the hinge structure 240 in the folded state of the foldable electronic device (e.g., the foldable electronic device 200 of FIG. 2). (L2) may be set to be smaller than the gap (L3) between the first display 270 and the hinge structure 240. Accordingly, even if the amount of movement of the first display 270 due to falling or impact of the foldable electronic device 200 is greater than the gap L3 between the first display 270 and the hinge structure 240, the display plate ( 281 and 282 may contact the hinge structure 240 before the first display 270 and serve as a stopper for the movement of the first display 270. For example, in the folded state of the foldable electronic device 200, the gap L2 between the

display plates

281 and 282 and the hinge structure 240 may be set to about 0.6 mm. For example, the gap L3 between the first display 270 and the hinge structure 240 may be set to about 0.787 mm. According to various embodiments, a preferred gap L2 between the

display plates

281 and 282 and the hinge structure 240 may be 0.4 mm to 1 mm. According to various embodiments, a preferred gap L3 between the first display 270 and the hinge structure 240 may be 0.5 mm to 1 mm.

Referring to FIGS. 12 and 15 , in the folded state of the foldable electronic device 200, the gap L1 between the first display 270 and the guide protrusion 242 is equal to the distance between the hinge structure 240 and the

display plates

281 and 282. ), the spacing (L2) between them can be set to about 0.80 mm or more to ensure reliability from drops, impacts, etc. According to various embodiments, a preferred distance L1 between the first display 270 and the guide protrusion 242 may be 0.5 mm to 1 mm.

FIG. 16A shows one embodiment (first embodiment) of a reinforcing part (e.g., the first reinforcing part 265 of FIG. 3) combined with an FPCB (e.g., the FPCB 260 of FIG. 3) according to an embodiment. Figure 16b is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C' of Figure 16a according to one embodiment.

Referring to FIGS. 16A and 16B, in one embodiment, the reinforcement portion 265 of the FPCB 260 may be provided to surround at least a portion of the top or side surface of the flex portion 263 of the FPCB 260. . According to one embodiment, the reinforcement part 265 may include a first part 265a, a second part 265b, or a third part 265c.

According to one embodiment, the first part 265a is a first guide portion (e.g., FIG. 3) formed with a hole 2652a through which the first guide protrusion (e.g., the first guide protrusion 242a of FIG. 4) passes. It may include a first guide part 2651). According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the first part 265a may be fitted into the first cut portion 263d1 of the flex portion 263. For example, at least a portion of the first part 265a may be provided in a shape corresponding to the first cutout 263d1.

According to one embodiment, the second part 265b is a second guide portion (e.g., the second guide portion (e.g., the second guide portion of FIG. 3) through which the second guide protrusion (e.g., the second guide protrusion 242b of FIG. 4) passes. 2652)) may be included. According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the second part 265b may be fitted into the second cut portion 263d2 of the flex portion 263. For example, at least a portion of the second part 265b may be provided in a shape corresponding to the second cutout 263d2.

According to one embodiment, the third part 265c may be connected to the first part 265a and the second part 265b at both ends. According to one embodiment, the reinforcement portion 265 may be coupled to the FPCB 260 through an adhesive (e.g., tape or bond) B interposed between the third part 265c and the FPCB 260. .

FIG. 17A shows an embodiment (second embodiment) of a reinforcing part (e.g., the second reinforcing part 266 of FIG. 3) combined with an FPCB (e.g., the FPCB 260 of FIG. 3) according to an embodiment. This is a floor plan showing. FIG. 17B is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D' of FIG. 17A according to one embodiment.

17A and 17B, in one embodiment, the reinforcement portion 465 of the FPCB 260 (e.g., the second reinforcement portion 266 of FIG. 3) is the flex portion 263 of the FPCB 260. can be combined with For example, the reinforcement portion 465 may be disposed on the rear surface of the flex portion 263 of the FPCB 260. For another example, the reinforcement portion 465 may be disposed on the upper surface of the FPCB (263). According to one embodiment, a first hole 4651a through which a first guide protrusion (eg, first guide protrusion 242a in FIG. 4) passes may be formed at one end of the reinforcement portion 465. According to one embodiment, a second hole 4652a through which a second guide protrusion (eg, the second guide protrusion 242b in FIG. 4) passes may be formed in the other end of the reinforcement portion 465. According to one embodiment, the reinforcement portion 465 may be formed in a flat shape. According to one embodiment, the reinforcement portion 465 may be formed of stainless steel (SUS) material. According to one embodiment, the reinforcement part 465 may be coupled to the FPCB 260 through an adhesive B interposed between the reinforcement part 465 and the FPCB 260.

FIG. 18A shows another embodiment (third embodiment) of a reinforcing part (e.g., the first reinforcing part 265 of FIG. 3) combined with an FPCB (e.g., the FPCB 260 of FIG. 3) according to an embodiment. ) is a floor plan showing. FIG. 18B is a cross-sectional view taken along line E-E' of FIG. 18A according to one embodiment.

18A and 18B, in one embodiment, the reinforcement portion 565 of the FPCB 260 (e.g., the reinforcement portion 265 in FIG. 3) is open on one side, and the FPCB ( 260) and can be arranged to fit together. According to one embodiment, the reinforcement portion 565 may be formed of a rubber material (or a silicon material). According to one embodiment, the reinforcement part 565 may include a flat part 565a, a first fitting part 565b, or a second fitting part 565c. According to one embodiment, the reinforcement portion 565 is a first guide protrusion (e.g., the first guide protrusion 242a in FIG. 4) is inserted and penetrates the flat portion 565a and the first fitting portion 565b. It may include a first hole 5651a. According to one embodiment, the reinforcement portion 565 is a second guide protrusion (e.g., the first guide protrusion 242a in FIG. 4) is inserted and penetrates the flat portion 565a and the second fitting portion 565c. It may include a second hole 5652a. According to one embodiment, the flex portion 263 of the FPCB 260 may be interposed between the flat portion 565a and the first fitting portion 565b or between the flat portion 565a and the second fitting portion 565c. there is.

According to one embodiment, the flat portion 565a may be formed in a flat shape. According to one embodiment, the flat portion 565a may be located on the rear surface (eg, -z direction) of the flex portion 263 of the FPCB 260. According to one embodiment, the flat portion 565a extends from one end (e.g., first cut portion 263d1) to the other end (e.g., second cut portion 263d2) of the flex portion 260 of the FPCB 260. It may be extended.

According to one embodiment, the first fitting portion 565b may include a 1-1 part 565ba and a 1-2 part 565bb. According to one embodiment, the 1-1 part 565ba may be formed to extend upward from one end of the flat portion 565a. According to one embodiment, the 1-1 part 565ba may contact the first cut portion 263d1 of the flex portion 260. For example, the 1-1 part 565ba may be formed in a shape corresponding to the first cutout 263d1. According to one embodiment, the 1-2 part 565bb may be formed to cover at least a portion of the upper surface of the FPCB 260. According to one embodiment, the width (eg, W2) of the 1-2 part 565bb may be wider than the width (eg, W1) of the 1-1 part 565ba.

According to one embodiment, the second fitting portion 565c may include a 2-1 part 565ca and a 2-2 part 565cb. According to one embodiment, the 2-1 part 565ca may extend upward from the other end of the flat portion 565a. According to one embodiment, the 2-1 part 565cb may contact the second cut portion 263d2 of the flex portion 260. For example, the 2-1 part 565cb may be formed in a shape corresponding to the second cutout 263d2. According to one embodiment, the 2-2 part 565cb may be formed to cover at least a portion of the upper surface of the FPCB 260. According to one embodiment, the width W2 of the 2-2 part 565cb may be wider than the width W1 of the 2-1 part 565ca.

FIG. 19A is a plan view showing another embodiment (fourth embodiment) of a reinforcing part (e.g., first reinforcing part 265 of FIG. 3) combined with an FPCB (e.g., FPCB 260 of FIG. 3). . FIG. 19B is a top view of the reinforcement portion shown in FIG. 19A (eg, the first reinforcement portion 265 in FIG. 3).

Referring to FIGS. 19A and 19B , in one embodiment, a foldable electronic device (e.g., the foldable electronic device 200 of FIG. 2 ) may include an FPCB 260 or a hinge housing 641 . According to one embodiment, the hinge housing 641 may be provided to accommodate at least a portion of the FPCB 260. In one embodiment, the hinge housing 641 may include a pair of

guide protrusions

642a and 642b in the shape of a square protrusion. The pair of

guide protrusions

642a and 642b may perform the same function and/or operation except for differences in shape when compared to the pair of

guide protrusions

242a and 242b of FIG. 4 described above. .

The guide portion of the reinforcing portion 665 (e.g., the

guide portions

2651 and 2652 in FIG. 3) includes

guide ribs

6651b and 6652b that are cut inward from both ends of the reinforcing portion 665 so that one side is open. According to one embodiment, the

guide ribs

6651b and 6652b may include a first guide rib 6651b or a second guide rib 6652b.

According to one embodiment, the first guide rib 6651b may be formed by cutting inward from one end of the reinforcement portion 665 so that one side is open. According to one embodiment, the first guide protrusion 642a may penetrate one open side of the first guide rib 6651b. According to one embodiment, the first guide rib 6651b may be provided to surround at least a portion of the side surface of the first guide protrusion 642a. For example, the remaining surfaces of the first guide rib 6651b, excluding the open surface, may face the first guide protrusion 642a. According to one embodiment, the first guide rib 6651b may be formed in a shape corresponding to the first cut portion of the flex portion 263 (e.g., the first cut portion 263d1 in FIG. 5 ).

According to one embodiment, the second guide rib 6652b may be formed by cutting inward from the other end of the reinforcement portion 665 so that the other side is open. According to one embodiment, the second guide protrusion 642b (e.g., the second guide protrusion 242b in FIG. 4) may penetrate the other open side of the second guide rib 6652b. According to one embodiment, the second guide rib 6652b may be provided to surround at least a portion of the side surface of the second guide protrusion 642b. For example, the remaining surfaces of the second guide rib 6652b, excluding the opened one surface, may face the second guide protrusion 642b. According to one embodiment, the second guide rib 6652b may be formed in a shape corresponding to the second cut portion of the flex portion 263 (eg, the second cut portion 263d2 in FIG. 5).

FIG. 20 shows friction that occurs during asymmetric behavior of an FPCB (e.g., FPCB 260 of FIG. 3) in a foldable electronic device (e.g., foldable electronic device 200 of FIG. 2) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. This is a cross-sectional view showing the structure for improving.

Referring to FIG. 20, in one embodiment, the reinforcement portion 665 may include

edge portions

6651c and 6652c. According to one embodiment, the

edge portions

6651c and 6652c may be formed at one

end portions

6651b and 6652b of the reinforcement portion 665 facing the guide protrusion 642. According to one embodiment, the

edge portions

6651c and 6652c may prevent friction (e.g., noise) or wear that may occur when the reinforcement portion 665 behaves asymmetrically. For example, the

edge portions

6651c and 6652c may be chamfered toward the guide protrusion 642 to minimize friction between the guide protrusion 642 and the reinforcement portion 665. According to one embodiment, the

edge portions

6651c and 6652c may be formed on the upper surface (e.g., z direction) or the lower surface (e.g., -z direction) of the one

end portions

6651b and 6652b of the reinforcement portion 665. .

According to one embodiment, the surface of the guide protrusion 642 may be coated with a lubricant (G) to minimize friction between the guide protrusion 642 and the reinforcement portion 665. According to one embodiment, the lubricant (G) may be made of a material with strong water resistance. In this case, even if moisture penetrates into the foldable electronic device (e.g., the foldable electronic device 200 of FIG. 2 and the foldable electronic device 300 of FIG. 8), the lubricant (G) is prevented from being lost due to moisture. can do.

FIG. 21A is a plan view showing an FPCB (e.g., FPCB 260 of FIG. 3) in an unfolded state of a foldable electronic device (e.g., foldable electronic device 200 of FIG. 2) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 21B is a cross-sectional view taken along line F-F' of Figure 21A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 22A is a foldable electronic device (e.g., Figure 2) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. This is a plan view showing the appearance of the FPCB (e.g., the FPCB 260 of Figure 3) in the folded state of the foldable electronic device 200. Figure 22b is a line G-G of Figure 22a according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. '. FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view cut along '. FIG. 23 shows an FPCB (e.g., FIG. This is a cross-sectional view showing the behavior of the FPCB (260) in Fig. 3.

Referring to FIGS. 21 to 23 , in one embodiment, a foldable electronic device (e.g., the foldable electronic device 200 of FIG. 2) may include an FPCB 260 or a hinge housing 741. According to one embodiment, the hinge housing 741 may be provided to accommodate at least a portion of the FPCB 260.

In one embodiment, the hinge housing 741 may include a first protrusion 742 and a pair of second protrusions 743.

According to one embodiment, the first protrusion 742 may be formed to protrude upward from the central portion of the hinge housing 741. According to one embodiment, a pair of second protrusions 743 may be formed to protrude toward the FPCB 260 from both ends of the hinge housing 741. For example, the pair of second protrusions 743 include a 2-1 protrusion 743a protruding from one end of the hinge housing 741, and a 2-1 protrusion protruding from the other end of the hinge housing 741. 2 may include a protrusion 743b. According to one embodiment, the first protrusion 742 may be located between a pair of second protrusions 743. In one embodiment, the height of the first protrusion 742 may be formed to be lower than the height of the

second protrusions

743a and 743b. According to one embodiment, the cross section of the hinge housing 741 may be formed as an overall W shape.

According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device 200 may include a fixing part (e.g., adhesive) B that couples the FPCB 260 to the hinge housing 741 at the first protrusion 742. . For example, the fixing part B may be an adhesive such as a bond or tape. The foldable electronic device 200 may form a non-moving area (FZ) in which the FPCB 260 does not move when the foldable electronic device 200 is unfolded or folded through the fixing part B. Accordingly, when the foldable electronic device 200 is unfolded or folded, asymmetric shaping of the FPCB 260 can be prevented.

According to one embodiment, when the foldable electronic device 200 is unfolded, the central portion 263c of the FPCB 260 may be disposed adjacent to the first protrusion 742 of the hinge housing 741. According to one embodiment, when the foldable electronic device 200 is unfolded, the first bending portion 263a of the FPCB 260 may be disposed adjacent to the 2-1 protruding portion 743a. For example, during the unfolding operation of the foldable electronic device 200, the 1-1 bending part 263a1 is bent toward the inside of the hinge housing 741, and the 1-2 bending part 263a2 is bent toward the inside of the hinge housing 741. It may be bent toward the outside of 741. According to one embodiment, when the foldable electronic device 200 is unfolded, the second bending portion 263b of the FPCB 260 may be disposed adjacent to the 2-2 protruding portion 743b. For example, during the unfolding operation of the foldable electronic device 200, the 2-1 bending portion 263b1 is bent toward the inside of the hinge housing 741, and the 2-2 bending portion 263b2 is bent toward the inside of the hinge housing 741. It may be bent toward the outside of 741. According to one embodiment, in the unfolded state of the foldable electronic device 200, the 1-2 bending part 263a2 and the 2-2 bending part 263b2 are not at an acute angle to the outside of the hinge housing 741. Can be bent beyond right angles. Accordingly, the repulsive force acting between the flex portion 263 of the FPCB 260 and other components is alleviated, and the FPCB 260 (e.g., the 1-2 bending portion 263a2 or the 2-2 bending portion 263b2) ) can be reduced, thereby improving folding durability.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a foldable electronic device (e.g., the foldable electronic device 200 of FIG. 2A) includes a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) (e.g., the flexible printed circuit board 260 of FIG. 3). ; A hinge structure (e.g., hinge structure 240 in FIG. 2b) connecting a first housing (e.g., first housing 210 in FIG. 2b) and a second housing (e.g., second housing 220 in FIG. 2b). ; A hinge housing (e.g., FIG. 3) that accommodates at least a portion of the hinge structure 240 and the FPCB 260 and includes a guide protrusion (e.g., guide protrusion 242 in FIG. 4) protruding upward from the inner surface. hinge housing 241); and a guide coupled to the FPCB 260 and guiding the vertical movement of the FPCB 260 along the guide protrusion 242 in response to the movement of the first housing 210 and the second housing 220. It may include a reinforcing portion (e.g., the reinforcing

portions

265 and 266 of FIG. 3 ) formed with a portion (e.g., the

guide portions

2651 , 2652 , 2661 and 2662 of FIG. 3 ). The guide protrusion 242 protruding upward from the inner surface may support the movement of the FPCB 260 as the foldable electronic device 200 is unfolded or folded. In addition, the

guide parts

2651, 2652, 2661, and 2662 guide the vertical movement of the FPCB 260 along the guide protrusion 242 in response to the movement of the first housing 210 and the second housing 220. , even when the FPCB 260 is repeatedly folded or unfolded, asymmetrical folding or unfolding operations from the asymmetrically shaped FPCB 260 can be prevented. Accordingly, various defects caused by the asymmetric FPCB 260, such as cracks in the FPCB 260 or the flexible display 270 due to an unbalanced folding operation from the asymmetric FPCB 260, can be prevented.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the guide protrusion 242 may include a chamfer portion (eg, chamfer portion 2422 in FIG. 14 ) whose diameter gradually decreases toward the top. The chamfer portion 2422 can increase the stability of the vertical movement of the FPCB 260 along the guide protrusion 242. In addition, by gradually decreasing the diameter of the guide protrusion 242 upward, unnecessary friction occurring between the guide protrusion 242 and the reinforcement portion 256 due to repeated folding or unfolding operations can be reduced. As a result, improved durability of the foldable electronic device 200 against repeated folding or unfolding operations can be achieved.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the

guide parts

2651 and 2652 may include holes (eg,

holes

2651a and 2652a in FIG. 5) through which the guide protrusion 242 passes.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, one end of the

guide portions

2651, 2652, 2661, and 2662 may be chamfered toward the guide protrusion 242. Therefore, friction between the guide protrusion 242 and the

reinforcement portions

265 and 266 can be minimized.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the surface of the guide protrusion 242 may be coated with a highly water-resistant lubricant (eg, lubricant (G) in FIG. 20).

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the reinforcement portion 265 may be formed on the upper side of the FPCB 260 to cover the vicinity of the center of the FPCB 260. Therefore, the durability of the FPCB 260 against repetitive vertical movement can be improved.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the reinforcement portion 266 is coupled near the center of the FPCB and may have a flat plate shape. Therefore, the durability of the FPCB 260 against repetitive vertical movement can be improved. Additionally, the overall size of the foldable electronic device 200 can be minimized by effectively reducing the volume of the reinforcement portion 265.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the reinforcement portion 265 is provided with a fitting gap on one side, and a portion near the edge of the FPCB 260 may be fitted into the fitting gap. Accordingly, smooth folding and unfolding operations of the foldable electronic device 200 can be improved. In addition, the durability of the FPCB 260 and the guide projection 242 can be improved by having a fitting gap that can effectively reduce friction caused by repetitive vertical movement of the FPCB 260 and the guide projection 242.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the

guide portions

2651 and 2652 may be cut inward to allow the guide protrusion 242 to pass through. Therefore, the guide protrusion 242 can guide the vertical movement of the FPCB 260 along the guide protrusion 242 by passing through the

guide parts

2651 and 2652 for stable vertical movement.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the FPCB 260 may include a cutout (eg, cutout 263d in FIG. 5) cut inward so that the guide protrusion 242 passes. Therefore, the vertical movement of the FPCB 260 along the guide protrusion 242 can be supported by allowing the guide protrusion 242 to pass through the FPCB 260 for stable vertical movement.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the height of the guide protrusion 242 is determined by the vertical movement amount of the reinforcement portions 265 and 266 (e.g., the vertical movement amount (ΔH) of FIG. 13) and the reinforcement portion ( It may be more than the sum of the thicknesses (e.g., thickness (t) of FIG. 13) (265, 266). As the height (h1) of the guide protrusion 242 sufficiently covers the sum of the vertical movement amount (Δ) of the reinforcement portion and the thickness (t) of the

reinforcement portions

265 and 266, the guide protrusion 242 does not deviate from the guide protrusion 242. ), it is possible to ensure stable vertical movement of the FPCB (260).

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it further includes a flexible display (e.g., flexible display 270 in FIG. 3) disposed on an upper side of the FPCB 260, and the free end of the guide protrusion 242 is the In the unfolded state in which the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 are opened or in the folded state in which the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 face each other, the flexible display 270 It may be spaced apart from the flexible display 270 so as not to contact the lower surface. Accordingly, a sufficient distance between the guide protrusion 242 and the flexible display 270 for folding and unfolding operations of the foldable electronic device 200 can be secured. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent cracks in the flexible display 270 that may occur when the flexible display 270 and the guide protrusion 242 come into repeated contact through folding and unfolding operations.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the gap between the free end of the guide protrusion 242 and the lower surface of the flexible display 270 may be 0.80 mm or more.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the guide protrusion 242 may have a gap with the

guide portions

2651, 2652, 2661, and 2662 to minimize mutual friction when the FPCB 260 moves up and down. .

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the clearance between the

guide portions

2651, 2652, 2661, and 2662 and the guide protrusion 242 may be 0.05 mm to 0.10 mm.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the FPCB 260 may include a flex portion 263 connecting the FPCB 260 and the reinforcement portion 265.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a foldable electronic device 200 includes a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) 260; A hinge structure 240 connecting the first housing 210 and the second housing 220; Accommodating at least a portion of the hinge structure 240 and the FPCB 260, a first protrusion (e.g., first protrusion 742 in FIG. 22B) and a second protrusion (e.g., FIG. 22B) protrude upward near the center. A hinge housing including the

second protrusions

743a and 743b of 22b (e.g., the hinge housing 741 of FIG. 23 ; and the FPCB 260 in the first protrusions 742 and the

second protrusions

743a and 743b). ) may include a fixing part (B) that couples to the hinge housing 741.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first protrusion 742 and the

second protrusion

743a, 743b form a pair toward the FPCB 260 at both ends of the hinge housing 741. It may protrude.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 are fully folded to face each other, the bending angle of the FPCB formed at the

second protrusions

743a and 743b is It can be more than a right angle.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the free ends of the first protrusion 742 or the

second protrusion

743a, 743b are in an unfolded state in which the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 are apart. Alternatively, in a folded state where the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 face each other, they may be spaced apart from the flexible display 270 so as not to contact the lower surface of the flexible display 270.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the gap between the free end of the first protrusion 742 or the

second protrusion

743a and 743b and the lower surface of the flexible display 270 may be 0.80 mm or more.

Electronic devices according to various embodiments disclosed in this document may be of various types. 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 appliances. Electronic devices according to embodiments of this document are not limited to the above-described devices.

The various embodiments of this document and the terms used herein are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include various changes, equivalents, or replacements of the embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numbers 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 above items, unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, “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 “A Each of phrases such as “at least one of , B, or C” may include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase, or any possible combination thereof. Terms such as "first", "second", or "first" or "second" may be used simply to distinguish one component from another, and to refer to that component in other respects (e.g., importance or order) is not limited. One (e.g., first) component is said to be “coupled” or “connected” to another (e.g., second) component, with or without the terms “functionally” or “communicatively.” When mentioned, it means that any of the components can be connected to the other components directly (e.g. wired), wirelessly, or through a third component.

The term “module” used in various embodiments of this document may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and is interchangeable with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit, for example. It can be used as A module may be an integrated part or a minimum unit of the parts or a part thereof that performs one or more functions. For example, according to one embodiment, the module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

Various embodiments of the present document are one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., built-in memory 136 or external memory 138) that can be read by a machine (e.g., electronic device 101). It may be implemented as software (e.g., program 140) including these. For example, a processor (e.g., processor 120) of a device (e.g., electronic device 101) may call at least one command among one or more commands stored from a storage medium and execute it. This allows the device to be operated to perform at least one function according to the at least one instruction called. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code that can be executed by an interpreter. A storage medium that can be read by a device may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-transitory' only means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain signals (e.g. electromagnetic waves), and this term refers to cases where data is semi-permanently stored in the storage medium. There is no distinction between temporary storage cases.

According to one embodiment, methods according to various embodiments disclosed in this document may be included and provided in a computer program product. Computer program products are commodities and can be traded between sellers and buyers. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g. compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM)) or through an application store (e.g. Play StoreTM) or on two user devices (e.g. It can be distributed (e.g. downloaded or uploaded) directly between smart phones) or online. In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be at least temporarily stored or temporarily created in a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a relay server.

According to various embodiments, each component (e.g., module or program) of the above-described components may include a single or plural entity, and some of the plurality of entities may be separately placed in other components. there is. According to various embodiments, one or more of the components or operations described above may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, multiple components (eg, modules or programs) may be integrated into a single component. In this case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each component of the plurality of components in the same or similar manner as those performed by the corresponding component of the plurality of components prior to the integration. . According to various embodiments, operations performed by a module, program, or other component may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order, or omitted. Alternatively, one or more other operations may be added.

Claims

In a foldable electronic device,

Flexible Printed Circuit Board (FPCB);

A hinge structure connecting the first housing and the second housing;

a hinge housing that accommodates the hinge structure and at least a portion of the FPCB and includes a guide protrusion protruding upward from an inner surface; and

A foldable electronic device coupled to the FPCB and including a reinforcing part formed with a guide part that guides the vertical movement of the FPCB along the guide protrusion in response to movements of the first housing and the second housing.
According to paragraph 1,

The guide protrusion includes a chamfer portion whose diameter gradually decreases toward the top.
According to paragraph 1,

The guide unit is a foldable electronic device including a hole through which the guide protrusion passes.
According to paragraph 1,

A foldable electronic device, wherein one end of the guide portion is chamfered toward the guide protrusion.
According to paragraph 1,

A foldable electronic device in which the surface of the guide protrusion is coated with a highly water-resistant lubricant.
According to paragraph 1,

The reinforcement portion is formed to cover a portion near the center of the FPCB from an upper side of the FPCB.
According to paragraph 1,

The reinforcing part is coupled near the center of the FPCB and has a flat plate shape.
According to paragraph 1,

The reinforcing part is provided with an insertion gap on one side, and a portion near an edge of the FPCB is fitted into the insertion gap.
According to paragraph 1,

The guide part is a foldable electronic device that is cut inward to allow the guide protrusion to pass through.
According to paragraph 1,

The FPCB is a foldable electronic device including an incision cut inward to allow the guide protrusion to pass through.
According to paragraph 1,

The height of the guide protrusion is greater than or equal to the sum of the vertical movement amount of the reinforcement portion and the thickness of the reinforcement portion.
According to paragraph 1,

Further comprising a flexible display disposed above the FPCB,

The free end of the guide protrusion is,

Spaced apart from the flexible display so as not to contact the lower surface of the flexible display when the first housing and the second housing are unfolded or folded so that the first housing and the second housing face each other. Foldable electronic devices.
In a foldable electronic device,

Flexible Printed Circuit Board (FPCB);

A hinge structure connecting the first housing and the second housing;

a hinge housing that accommodates the hinge structure and at least a portion of the FPCB and includes a first protrusion protruding upward near the center and a pair of second protrusions protruding toward the FPCB from both ends; and

A foldable electronic device including a fixing part that couples the FPCB to the hinge housing at the first protrusion.
According to clause 13,

In a fully folded state where the first housing and the second housing face each other, the bending angle of the FPCB formed at the second protrusion is equal to or greater than a right angle.
According to clause 13,

The free end of the first protrusion or the second protrusion is,

A folder spaced apart from the flexible display so as not to contact the lower surface of the flexible display when the first housing and the second housing are in an unfolded state or a folded state in which the first housing and the second housing face each other. ble electronic device.