electronic devices

Abstract

Embodiments of this disclosure provide an electronic device, relating to the field of electronic devices. The electronic device includes a first circuit board having at least one through-hole or notch formed at its edge, and a first solder joint located at the edge of the through-hole or the notch; and a second circuit board having a second electronic device and a second solder joint located on the same side of the second circuit board, with the second solder joint located at the edge of the second circuit board. The first solder joint and the second solder joint are electrically connected, and at least a portion of the second electronic device is located within the through-hole or the notch. This design reduces the thickness of the electronic device and further improves its heat dissipation performance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of this disclosure primarily relate to the field of electronic devices. More specifically, the embodiments of this disclosure relate to an electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] Electronic devices such as mobile phones and tablets have gradually become indispensable products in users' lives and work. The increasing integration of electronic devices has led to a continuous expansion of their functionalities. To facilitate user portability and / or operation, miniaturizing electronic devices or simply reducing their thickness has become a challenge in electronic device design. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In order to achieve miniaturization of electronic devices while enhancing heat dissipation performance, embodiments of this disclosure provide an electronic device.

[0004] In a first aspect of this disclosure, an electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a first circuit board having at least one through-hole or a notch formed at the edge of the first circuit board, and a first solder joint disposed at the edge of the through-hole or the edge of the notch; and a second circuit board having a second electronic device and a second solder joint disposed on the same side of the second circuit board, the second solder joint disposed at the edge of the second circuit board, the first solder joint and the second solder joint being electrically connected, and at least a portion of the second electronic device being located within the through-hole or the notch.

[0005] This disclosure utilizes a second circuit board combined with a first circuit board to mount a second electronic device on the side of the second circuit board facing the first circuit board. Compared to conventional mounting methods, this reduces the distance between the circuit board and adjacent components (e.g., a display), thereby reducing the thickness of the electronic device. Furthermore, when fewer electronic devices are mounted on the second circuit board, the thickness of the electronic device can be further reduced by decreasing the thickness of the second circuit board. Additionally, the second electronic device mounted on the side of the second circuit board facing the first circuit board can have a heat-conducting medium between it and a frame or protective plate after passing through a through-hole or notch, further improving the heat dissipation performance of the second electronic device.

[0006] In one implementation, a first circuit board is provided with a first electronic device, a first solder joint and a second solder joint are electrically connected, and the first electronic device and the second electronic device are electrically connected. In this way, the thickness of the electronic device can be reduced and heat dissipation enhanced without affecting the electrical connections between the electronic devices.

[0007] In one implementation, the electronic device further includes: a second electronic component comprising a system-on-a-chip (SoC); a first solder joint and a second solder joint are electrically connected, and at least a portion of the second electronic component is located in a through-hole or notch, including: the first solder joint and the second solder joint are electrically connected, and at least a portion of the SoC is located in the through-hole. Since SoCs typically have a large thickness, placing the SoC on the side of the second circuit board facing the first circuit board can effectively reduce the thickness of the electronic device. Furthermore, when a SoC is placed, the thickness of the second circuit board can be set to be smaller than the thickness of the first circuit board, thereby further reducing the thickness of the electronic device.

[0008] In one implementation, the second electronic device includes a subscriber identity module (SIM) socket; a first solder joint and a second solder joint are electrically connected, and at least a portion of the second electronic device is located in a through-hole or notch, including: the first solder joint and the second solder joint are electrically connected, and at least a portion of the SIM socket is located in the notch. By placing a SIM socket with a relatively large thickness on the side of the second circuit board facing the first circuit board, the thickness of the electronic device can be effectively reduced, and thus the circuit layout of the circuit board can be optimized.

[0009] In one implementation, a first circuit board has through-holes and a notch formed at the edge of the first circuit board; a first solder joint is disposed at the edge of the through-hole; the first circuit board also has a fourth solder joint, which is disposed at the edge of the notch; a second electronic device includes a system-on-a-chip (SoC); the first solder joint and the second solder joint are electrically connected, and at least a portion of the second electronic device is located in the through-hole or the notch, including: the first solder joint and the second solder joint are electrically connected, and at least a portion of the SoC is located in the through-hole; the electronic device also includes a third circuit board, the third circuit board having a third electronic device and a third solder joint, the third solder joint and the third electronic device being disposed on the same side of the third circuit board, the third electronic device including a subscriber identity module (SIM) card holder; the third solder joint and the fourth solder joint are electrically connected, and at least a portion of the third electronic device is located in the notch. By oriented the relatively thick SoC and SIM card holder onto the second circuit board, the distance between the first circuit board and its upward-facing components (e.g., a display, etc.) can be effectively reduced, thereby reducing the thickness of the electronic device.

[0010] In one implementation, the electronic device further includes a first frame, and the first frame and a first circuit board are stacked in the thickness direction of the electronic device; the first frame includes a first recess; at least a portion of the second electronic device is located in the first recess. By locating at least a portion of the second electronic device in the first recess of the first frame, the thickness of the electronic device can be further reduced.

[0011] In one implementation, the through-hole includes a stepped portion, a first solder joint is disposed on a first surface of the stepped portion, and a second solder joint is disposed on a second surface of the second circuit board. When the first solder joint and the second solder joint are electrically connected, the first surface and the second surface are in contact. In this way, the thickness of the electronic device can be further reduced.

[0012] In one implementation, the electronic device is a foldable electronic device and includes: a first folding portion, a second folding portion, and a hinge portion, wherein at least one of the first and second folding portions is configured to rotate relative to the hinge portion so that the electronic device can switch between an unfolded state and a folded state. A first circuit board and a second circuit board are arranged in a circuit board receiving portion of the first folding portion, and the first folding portion does not include a battery. A battery is arranged in a battery receiving portion of the second folding portion and is adapted to power the electronic device. That is, the aforementioned method of separately arranging electronic components on two circuit boards can be applied to the foldable electronic device, thereby further reducing the thickness of the foldable electronic device and improving its heat dissipation performance. Furthermore, by separately arranging the battery and the circuit board housing the system chip in different folding portions, the thickness of the folding portion housing the system chip can be effectively reduced, and its heat dissipation performance can be optimized.

[0013] In one implementation, the first thickness of the circuit board receiving portion of the first fold is less than or equal to the second thickness of at least the battery receiving portion of the second fold. By making the fold where the battery is housed thicker and the other fold thinner, space utilization can be effectively improved.

[0014] In one implementation, in the unfolded state, the thickness of the electronic device gradually increases along the direction from the first fold to the second fold. This gradually varying thickness structure not only improves space utilization but also enhances the visual appeal of the electronic device and improves the user experience.

[0015] In one implementation, the electronic device further includes a first display unit, comprising a first display disposed outside the first fold and the second fold; and a second display unit disposed on the side of the first fold opposite to the first display unit. By providing two display units, the user experience of using the electronic device can be optimized.

[0016] In one implementation, the electronic device further includes a camera assembly arranged in the second fold, comprising at least one rear camera adapted to view at least in a direction away from the first display unit; and a front inner camera adapted to view at least in a direction facing the first display unit. By providing multiple cameras viewing in different directions, the user's flexibility in using the electronic device can be improved, thereby optimizing the user experience.

[0017] In one implementation, the front external camera of the electronic device is arranged in the first fold and is adapted to frame a view at least towards the second display unit. This approach further optimizes the user experience of using the electronic device.

[0018] In one implementation, the second display unit includes a second display; and display electronics arranged on the side of the second display facing the circuit board, wherein the display electronics and a portion of a plurality of electronic devices at least partially overlap in a direction perpendicular to the second display. In this manner, the thickness of the electronic device can be further reduced.

[0019] In one implementation, the first frame is arranged within the first fold and positioned between the first display unit and the circuit board. This arrangement facilitates the assembly of the electronic device, thereby improving assembly efficiency.

[0020] In one implementation, the electronic device further includes an antenna element, which is at least partially arranged outside the first fold. By arranging the antenna element at least partially outside the first fold, the performance of the antenna element in receiving and transmitting signals can be improved.

[0021] These and other aspects of the invention will become more apparent from the following description of several embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The above and other features, advantages, and aspects of the embodiments of this disclosure will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. In the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements, wherein:

[0023] Figure 1 A top view of an electronic device in an unfolded state according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0024] Figure 2 A side view of an electronic device in a folded state according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0025] Figure 3 A side view of an electronic device in an unfolded state according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown, wherein an enlarged schematic diagram of the dashed portion is shown;

[0026] Figure 4 A simplified top view schematic diagram of the internal structure of an electronic device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0027] Figure 5 It shows Figure 4 A simplified cross-sectional schematic diagram of the AA section of an electronic device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0028] Figure 6 A simplified top view schematic diagram of a first circuit board of an electronic device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0029] Figure 7 A simplified top view schematic diagram of a second circuit board, an electrical connector, and a third circuit board of an electronic device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0030] Figure 8 A simplified top view schematic diagram of the first frame of an electronic device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0031] Figure 9 and Figure 10 They are shown respectively Figure 4 A simplified cross-sectional schematic diagram of the AA section of an electronic device according to some different embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0032] Figure 11 It shows Figure 4 A simplified cross-sectional schematic diagram of the BB section of an electronic device according to other embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0033] Figure 12 A simplified side sectional view of an electronic device in an unfolded state, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, is shown;

[0034] Figure 13 A simplified side sectional view of the second frame of an electronic device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown; and

[0035] Figure 14 A top sectional view of an electronic device in an unfolded state, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0036] Embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While some embodiments of this disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that this disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of this disclosure. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings and embodiments of this disclosure are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0037] In the description of embodiments of this disclosure, the term "comprising" and similar terms should be understood as open-ended inclusion, i.e., "including but not limited to". The term "based on" should be understood as "at least partially based on". The term "one embodiment" or "the embodiment" should be understood as "at least one embodiment". The terms "first", "second", etc., may refer to different or the same objects. Other explicit and implicit definitions may also be included below.

[0038] Electronic devices such as smartphones and tablets have gradually become indispensable products in people's lives and work. When choosing electronic devices, people generally prefer more compact and thinner products for ease of carrying and operation. This makes making electronic devices thinner a crucial aspect that many manufacturers need to consider during the design process. Some traditional electronic device manufacturers have introduced expensive heat dissipation methods to make their devices smaller or thinner, thus increasing the cost of the devices. Other manufacturers have had to sacrifice performance and heat dissipation to reduce the thickness of their devices, thereby affecting the user experience. Furthermore, with the increasing prevalence of foldable electronic devices, further miniaturizing foldable devices or simply reducing their thickness has become a challenge in the field of foldable electronic devices.

[0039] To address, or at least partially address, the aforementioned problems and other potential problems existing in the field of conventional electronic devices, embodiments of this disclosure provide an electronic device. The electronic device referred to herein is a device composed of electronic devices such as integrated circuits, transistors, and vacuum tubes, and that functions using electronic technology (including) software. The electronic device described herein includes, but is not limited to, portable electronic devices such as mobile phones or tablets, electronic computers, and robots, numerically controlled or programmable control systems controlled by electronic computers. The concepts of this disclosure are described below using examples of foldable electronic devices where the main thickness reduction is most challenging. The same applies to non-foldable electronic devices such as phablets, tablets, or other devices with similar structures, and will not be described separately below.

[0040] Figure 1 and Figure 2 A top view of the electronic device 100 in its unfolded state and a side view of it in its folded state are shown. Generally, the foldable electronic device 100 according to embodiments of the present disclosure includes two folding portions and a hinge portion 103. For ease of description below, the two folding portions will be referred to hereinafter as the first folding portion 101 and the second folding portion 102, respectively. It should be understood that this embodiment of the electronic device 100 having two folding portions is merely illustrative and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present disclosure; any other suitable structure or arrangement is possible. For example, in some embodiments, the foldable electronic device 100 may also include more than two folding portions. The embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below primarily using the example of the electronic device 100 having two folding portions 101 and 102; the cases with more than two folding portions are similar and will not be described in detail below.

[0041] In addition to the first folding portion 101, the second folding portion 102, and the pivot portion 103, the electronic device 100 may also include at least one display unit, a circuit board, and multiple electronic devices such as a system-on-chip (SoC) 1043 mounted on the circuit board. At least one of the folding portions 101 and 102 is rotatable relative to the pivot portion 103, thereby allowing the electronic device 100 to rotate as shown in the image. Figure 1 The unfolded state shown and as Figure 2 The folding states shown are switched. The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below primarily using the example that both the first folding portion 101 and the second folding portion 102 can rotate relative to the pivot portion 103. The case where only one of the first folding portion 101 and the second folding portion 102 can rotate relative to the pivot portion 103 is similar and will not be described in detail below.

[0042] In the unfolded state, the first fold 101 and the second fold 102 are at approximately a 180° angle relative to the pivot 103, which is located between the first fold 101 and the second fold 102. A display unit (hereinafter referred to as the first display unit 106 for ease of description) covers the exterior of both the first fold 101 and the second fold 102, thereby providing a large display area to optimize the user experience. In the folded state, the two folds 101 and 102 overlap each other in the thickness direction, and the pivot 103 is located on one side of the first fold 101 and the second fold 102, as shown below. Figure 2 As shown. In some embodiments, when the electronic device 100 is in a folded state, the first display unit 106 can be configured to cover the first fold portion 101 and the second fold portion 102. That is, the first fold portion 101 and the second fold portion 102 are located between the first display unit 106 in the folded state, so that the first display unit 106 or at least a portion thereof can be used to realize the display function regardless of whether the electronic device 100 is in a folded or unfolded state, thereby reducing costs.

[0043] In some alternative embodiments, when the electronic device 100 is in a folded state, the first display unit 106 can also be folded between the first fold portion 101 or the second fold portion 102. That is, the first fold portion 101, the second fold portion 102, and the hinge portion 103 cover the first display unit 106, thereby making it easier to protect the first display unit 106. The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below mainly using this case as an example. The case where the first display unit 106 covers the first fold portion 101 and the second fold portion 102 in the folded state is similar and will not be described in detail below.

[0044] In some embodiments, the first display unit 106 may include only a flexible display, in addition to the necessary display electronics. This flexible display can be bent when the electronic device 100 is in a folded state and restored to a flat display when the electronic device 100 is in an unfolded state. In some alternative embodiments, the first display unit 106 may include multiple flexible or non-flexible displays. For example, when the electronic device 100 is in an unfolded state, two displays are respectively arranged on the same side of the first fold 101 and the second fold 102, and are substantially aligned to form a substantially complete display interface. When the electronic device 100 is in a folded state, the two displays are also switched to be located on opposite sides of the first fold 101 and the second fold 102, to provide the same or different display content.

[0045] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, in addition to the first display unit 106, the electronic device 100 may also include another display unit (hereinafter referred to as the second display unit 107 for ease of description). When the electronic device 100 is in a folded state, the second display unit 107 is located outside the first fold portion 101 or the second fold portion 102. For example, in some embodiments, the second display unit 107 may be arranged on the side of the first fold portion 101 or the second fold portion 102 opposite to the first display unit 106, thereby providing a display for the electronic device 100 in the folded state.

[0046] Similarly, the second display unit 107 may include one or more displays in addition to the necessary display electronics 1072. The concept of this disclosure will be described below primarily using the example of the first display unit 106 including a flexible first display and the second display unit 107 including a second display 1071. The cases where the first display unit 106 and the second display unit 107 have other numbers of displays are similar and will not be described in detail below.

[0047] In addition to being able to remain in an unfolded state and a folded state, in some embodiments, the electronic device 100 can also be held in any position between the unfolded state and the folded state. As used herein, "held" means that the electronic device 100 can be in a certain state (which can be a folded state, an unfolded state, or any intermediate state between the two states), and can only switch from one state to another when a force exceeding a predetermined threshold is applied to the first fold portion 101 and / or the second fold portion 102. That is, the angle between the first fold portion 101 and the second fold portion 102 can be held not only at 0° (i.e., folded state) and 180° (i.e., unfolded state), but also at any angle between these two angles to meet various user needs. For example, in some embodiments, the user can hold the first fold portion 101 and the second fold portion 102 at an angle of 90° or 120°, so that in this intermediate state, the portions of the first display unit 106 located at the first fold portion 101 and the second fold portion 102 can display different content respectively. For example, one portion displays a virtual keyboard, while the other portion displays an interface for input via the virtual keyboard, etc. Therefore, electronic device 100 can meet various user needs, thereby improving the user experience.

[0048] In some embodiments, the circuit board carrying the system chip 1043 can be arranged in the circuit board receiving portion of the first fold 101. Unlike the design of conventional foldable electronic devices 100, the electronic device 100 according to embodiments of the present disclosure does not include a battery 105 in the fold portion where the system chip 1043 is arranged. That is, the battery that powers the electronic device is not included in the first fold portion 101. This arrangement can further reduce the thickness of the first fold portion 101 and even the entire electronic device 100, and also facilitates heat dissipation of the system chip 1043 or other electronic devices. The electronic device 100 may include a battery 105, which can be arranged in a fold portion other than the first fold portion 101, for example, in a battery receiving portion in the second fold portion 102, such as... Figure 4 As shown.

[0049] Battery 105 powers electronic device 100, such as electronic components, display units, and sensor assemblies on a circuit board. For ease of electrical connection, battery 105 can be electrically connected to the circuit board via a flexible flat cable (FCC), flexible printed circuit board (FPC), or any other suitable means, passing from the second fold 102 through the pivot 103 to the first fold 101. The flexible flat cable or flexible printed circuit board can withstand the folding and unfolding operations of electronic device 100 without damage, thereby improving the user experience.

[0050] The battery 105 can have any suitable shape to accommodate the arrangement of other components in the second fold 102. For example, in some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the battery 105 can be square, which facilitates its manufacture and production. In some alternative embodiments, the battery 105 can have an irregular shape to accommodate the arrangement of other components in the second fold 102. That is, the shape of the battery 105 varies depending on the position, shape, and size of the components arranged in the second fold 102, thereby making more efficient use of space and providing the highest possible battery capacity within a limited size. In some embodiments, the battery 105 may also include multiple sub-batteries arranged at different locations in the second fold 102, thereby further optimizing space efficiency. The battery 105 can be charged in any suitable manner, such as wired and / or wirelessly.

[0051] Return to reference Figure 3 To further improve the space efficiency of the electronic device 100, in some embodiments, the thicknesses of the first fold 101 and the second fold 102 may be different. For example, in some embodiments, the thickness of the circuit board accommodating portion of the first fold 101 (hereinafter referred to as the first thickness W1) may be less than the thickness of at least the battery accommodating portion of the second fold 102 (hereinafter referred to as the second thickness W2), such as... Figure 3 As shown. The thickness of the first fold 101, excluding the circuit board receiving portion, can be the same as the first thickness W1. Similarly, the thickness of the second fold 102, excluding the battery receiving portion, can be the same as or greater than the second thickness W2, as will be further explained below.

[0052] Another improvement of the electronic device 100 according to the embodiments of this disclosure, which differs from the design of conventional electronic devices, is that the camera assembly 1022, located at the rear (i.e., rear-mounted), is arranged in a fold portion different from that of the system chip 1043, that is, in the second fold portion 102, as shown below. Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown. In this document, "rear" or "rear portion" refers to the side of the electronic device 100 opposite the outer display (e.g., the second display 1071 of the second display unit 107) when the electronic device 100 is in a folded state. When the electronic device 100 is in an unfolded state, "rear" or "rear portion" refers to the side of the electronic device 100 opposite the first display unit 106. Similarly, "front" or "front portion" refers to the side of the electronic device 100 opposite the outer display (e.g., the second display 1071 of the second display unit 107) when the electronic device 100 is in a folded state. When the electronic device 100 is in an unfolded state, "front" or "front portion" refers to the side of the electronic device 100 where the first display unit 106 is located, such as... Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown. Accordingly, the terms "forward" or "rearward" in this document are based on the above descriptions of "forward" or "rearward". The camera assembly 1022 arranged in the second fold 102 may include at least one rear camera 1026 and a front internal camera 1027. The at least one rear camera 1026 can be positioned at least rearward in the second fold 102. In some embodiments, the at least one rear camera 1026 may include multiple cameras with different depths of field, different focal length adjustment ranges, and / or different aperture sizes to meet different user needs.

[0053] The front internal camera 1027 is arranged in the second fold 102 to frame a view at least forward, that is, towards the first display unit 106, such as... Figure 4 As shown. For example, when the electronic device 100 is in the unfolded state, a selfie can be taken using the front internal camera 1027, and the selfie image can be displayed on the first display unit 106. In some embodiments, since the front internal camera 1027 is located on the rear side of the first display unit 106, the first display unit 106 may have a cutout at a position corresponding to the front internal camera 1027 to facilitate framing, thereby allowing the front internal camera 1027 to frame the image towards the first display unit 106. In some alternative embodiments, the first display unit 106 may be configured to allow at least a portion of light to pass through at least the position corresponding to the front internal camera 1027, thereby enabling framing by the front internal camera 1027 without the need for a cutout at that position.

[0054] In addition to the camera assembly 1022 disposed in the second fold 102, in some embodiments, the electronic device 100 may also include a front external camera 1017 disposed in the first fold 101, such as Figure 4As shown, the front external camera 1017 is arranged in the first fold 101 to capture a view at least towards the second display unit 107. In this way, when the electronic device 100 is in the folded state, the user can use the front external camera 1017 to take a selfie and display the selfie image on the second display 1071 of the second display unit 107, thereby improving the user experience.

[0055] In some embodiments, the thickness of the second fold 102 at the location where the camera assembly 1022 is arranged can be greater than the second thickness W2, such as... Figure 3 As shown. This arrangement allows the electronic device 100 to employ a camera assembly 1022 with higher resolution or other shooting parameters without significantly increasing the overall thickness of the second fold 102, thereby improving the performance of the electronic device 100. Of course, in some alternative embodiments, the second fold 102 may also have the same thickness, i.e., a second thickness W2.

[0056] In cases where the thicknesses of the first fold 101 and the second fold 102 are different, to facilitate the arrangement of the first display unit 106, in some embodiments, the surfaces of the first fold 101 and the second fold 102 used for arranging the first display unit 106 (hereinafter referred to as the front surface 1011) are configured to be flush when the electronic device 100 is in the unfolded state, such as... Figure 3 As shown. Due to their different thicknesses, the surfaces of the first fold 101 and the second fold 102 opposite to the front surface 1011 (hereinafter referred to as rear surfaces 1030, 1018) are not flush when the electronic device 100 is in the unfolded state. To improve user experience and aesthetics, in some embodiments, the rear surface 1018 of the first fold 101 and the rear surface 1030 of the second fold 102 are arranged to provide a smooth transition from the second fold 102 to the first fold 101. For example, in some embodiments, this can be achieved by chamfering, rounding, or employing a reduction structure on the adjacent edges of the second fold 102 to the first fold 101.

[0057] Of course, it should be understood that the above-described embodiments with different thicknesses for the circuit board receiving portion of the first fold 101 and the battery receiving portion of the second fold 102 are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure. Any other suitable structure or arrangement is possible. For example, in some alternative embodiments, the circuit board receiving portion of the first fold 101 and at least the battery receiving portion of the second fold 102 may also have the same thickness.

[0058] In some further alternative embodiments, in the unfolded state, the thickness of the electronic device 100 can gradually increase along the direction from the first fold 101 to the second fold 102. On the one hand, this arrangement allows the electronic device 100 to further reduce its minimum thickness, thereby facilitating user operation and carrying. On the other hand, when the electronic device 100 is in the folded state, this gradual thickness can compensate for each other, that is, the thicker portion of the first fold 101 overlaps with the thinner portion of the second fold 102, thereby giving the electronic device 100 a neat appearance in the folded state, thereby improving the user experience.

[0059] In some embodiments, the electronic device 100 may further include a frame that provides support and / or housing. For example, the first fold 101 may include a first frame 1012, and the second fold 102 may include a second frame 1023. The first frame 1012 and the circuit board may be stacked in the thickness direction of the electronic device 100. A portion of the first display unit 106 and the second display unit 107 are supported by the first frame 1012, such as... Figure 5 As shown. For example, in some embodiments, the first frame 1012 may include a base plate and a frame extending to one side from the bottom edge. In some embodiments, the circuit board may be surrounded by the frame and supported by the base plate. The second display unit 107 may be supported on the frame. This arrangement makes the layout of the electronic device 100 more reasonable, thereby improving the system stability of the electronic device 100. In some embodiments, the frame and the base plate may be integrally formed by means of molding or the like. Of course, it should be understood that the first frame 1012 may also adopt other structures or forming methods according to different needs. For example, in some alternative embodiments, the frame and the base plate in the first frame 1012 may also be formed separately and assembled together.

[0060] The first frame 1012 and the second frame 1023 also have some improved structures to further reduce the thickness of the electronic device 100, increase its strength and improve heat dissipation, which will be further explained later.

[0061] In addition to the components mentioned above, electronic device 100 also includes, for example, Figure 4As shown, the device may also include, but is not limited to, sensor components, speaker components, vibration motor 110, and antenna unit 111. Sensor components may include, but are not limited to, fingerprint sensor 1028 and laser sensor 1029. They may be arranged in appropriate positions within the first fold 101 and / or the second fold 102, respectively. For example, in some embodiments, fingerprint sensor 1028 may be arranged at a border position within the second fold 102 to facilitate fingerprint scanning by the user when holding the electronic device 100. Laser sensor 1029 may be arranged near camera component 1022 within the second fold 102 to at least assist camera component 1022 in framing.

[0062] Of course, it should be understood that the above embodiments regarding the type and arrangement of sensor components are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure. Any other suitable structure or arrangement is possible. For example, in some alternative embodiments, the sensor components may include, but are not limited to, light intensity sensors, temperature sensors, three-dimensional facial scanning sensors, etc. Furthermore, in some alternative embodiments, the fingerprint sensor 1028 may also be arranged on the rear side of the first display and / or the second display 1071 to achieve under-display fingerprint scanning.

[0063] In order to improve the sound playback effect of the electronic device 100, in some embodiments, a speaker assembly may be arranged in the first fold 101 and includes at least one acoustic cavity 1091 and at least one speaker 1092 arranged in the acoustic cavity 1091. Figure 4 The diagram shows an electronic device 100 including two acoustic cavities 1091 and two speakers 1092. Each acoustic cavity 1091 may include an acoustic cavity through-hole 1093 external to the electronic device 100. Sound emitted from the speakers 1092 can pass through the acoustic cavities 1091 and then be emitted through the acoustic cavity through-hole 1093. In this way, the sound playback effect of the electronic device 100 can be improved, thereby enhancing the user experience. In some embodiments, the circuit board may have a clearance structure to avoid the acoustic cavities 1091. Furthermore, a recess may be formed in the first frame 1012 at the location where the acoustic cavities 1091 are disposed, thereby further increasing the size of the acoustic cavities 1091 to further improve the sound playback effect.

[0064] In some embodiments, the vibration motor 110 may be arranged in a suitable position within the second fold 102. The vibration motor 110, as the name suggests, is a mechanism that provides vibration to the electronic device 100 at appropriate times. The vibration motor 110 may include a linear motor and a rotor motor.

[0065] In addition to receiving 2G, 3G, 4G, and even 5G mobile communication signals, antenna unit 111 can also serve as a carrier for receiving and transmitting signals for functions such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and NFC. Antenna unit 111 can be arranged in multiple directions on the outer side of the first frame 1012 of the first folding portion 101, such as... Figure 4 As shown, this provides an antenna with a wider receiving and transmitting range.

[0066] In addition to employing a design that arranges the system chip 1043 and battery 105 in different folding sections to reduce the thickness of the electronic device 100, embodiments of this disclosure also provide various design concepts that can reduce the thickness of the electronic device 100, improve heat dissipation, and increase strength, which will be further elaborated below. It should be understood that any one or more of these design concepts mentioned below can be combined or used individually to achieve the corresponding functions, and these design concepts can also be applied to non-foldable electronic devices 100, such as candybar phones, to achieve the corresponding functions and effects. The following description will primarily use foldable electronic devices 100 as an example to illustrate these design concepts; the situation is similar for non-foldable electronic devices, and will not be elaborated upon further below.

[0067] Specifically, in some embodiments, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the circuit board mentioned above may include at least two separate parts. For ease of description, these two parts will be referred to as a first circuit board 104 and a second circuit board 1042. In some embodiments, the first circuit board 104 may substantially have the general shape of a circuit board, which is provided with through holes 1041 and / or notches 1047 formed at the edges of the first circuit board 104. For example, as Figure 6 The first circuit board 104 shown includes both a through-hole 1041 and a notch 1047. In some alternative embodiments, the first circuit board 104 may include only one of the notch 1047 or the through-hole 1041. It should be understood that "one of the notch 1047 and the through-hole 1041" refers to only one type (through-hole 1041 or notch 1047), and the number of the same type may be one or more. That is, in some embodiments, the first circuit board 104 may have at least one through-hole 1041 and / or at least one notch 1047. The following description will primarily use the example of the first circuit board 104 having one through-hole 1041 and / or notch 1047 to illustrate the concept of this disclosure; other cases are similar and will not be described in detail below.

[0068] Multiple electronic devices (hereinafter referred to as first electronic devices 1045) are disposed on the first circuit board 104 to achieve different functions. Solder joints (hereinafter referred to as first solder joints 1051) may be formed on the edges of the through holes 1041 and / or notches 1047 of the first circuit board 104 for electrical connection between the first circuit board 104 and the second circuit board 1042, such as... Figure 6 As shown. It should be understood that, Figure 6 The locations of the through-hole 1041, notch 1047, and first solder joint 1051 shown are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Other suitable locations and arrangements are also possible. For example, in some alternative embodiments, the through-hole 1041 and notch 1047 may be arranged on the first circuit board 104 according to different needs. Figure 6 The different locations shown. In addition, the first weld point can also be arranged at a portion of the edge of the through hole 1041 or a portion of the edge of the notch 1047.

[0069] The second circuit board 1042 is provided with a second electronic device and a second solder joint 1052 located at the edge, such as Figure 7 As shown. The second solder joint 1052 and the second electronic device are disposed on the same side of the second circuit board 1042. When the second circuit board 1042 is mounted to the first circuit board 104, the first solder joint 1051 and the second solder joint 1052 are electrically connected to provide electrical connection between the first electronic device 1045 and the second electronic device. In this case, the second circuit board 1042 can cover the through hole 1041 or notch 1047 on the first circuit board 104 in the thickness direction, and at least part of the second electronic device is located in the through hole 1041 or notch 1047, as shown. Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown. In one embodiment, the electrical connection between the first solder joint 1051 and the second solder joint 1052 can be achieved by welding the first solder joint 1051 and the second solder joint 1052.

[0070] It should be understood that the electronic devices mentioned in this document (such as the first electronic device 1045 and the second electronic device) include not only electronic devices themselves in the usual sense, such as the system chip 1043, but also shielding covers placed on the outside for electromagnetic shielding and to provide protection.

[0071] On the one hand, this arrangement of the second electronic device on the second circuit board 1042 allows the first fold 101 and even the entire electronic device 100 to be designed to be thinner. The term "arrangement" here refers to the second electronic device being disposed on a different circuit board than the first electronic device 1045 (i.e., the first circuit board 104 and the second circuit board 1042 covering the through-hole 1041 or notch 1047 of the first circuit board 104), and the second electronic device being disposed on the side of the second circuit board 1042 facing the first circuit board 104 and passing through the through-hole 1041 or notch 1047, such as... Figure 5 As shown. In conventional designs, there is typically only one main circuit board for arranging the system chip 1043, and the electronic components of the electronic device 100 are arranged on this main circuit board. Since some electronic components (such as the system chip 1043) are relatively thick, in conventional designs, the distance between the main circuit board and the second display unit 107 needs to be sufficiently large to accommodate these thicker electronic components and to allow for heat dissipation. This results in a relatively large depth of the frame accommodating the main circuit board, thus making the electronic device relatively thick.

[0072] By employing the method of mounting the second electronic device on the second circuit board 1042 as described in the embodiments of this disclosure, compared to conventional solutions, the second electronic device is mounted on the second circuit board 1042 in the manner described above, and at least a portion of it can pass through the through-hole 1041 or notch 1047 of the first circuit board 104, thereby reducing the thickness of the first fold 101 and even the entire electronic device 100. Examples will now be given to illustrate how the above-described mounting method reduces the thickness of the electronic device 100. For ease of description, some exemplary dimensions of the circuit boards and electronic devices will be introduced. It should be understood that the following values ​​regarding the thickness of each circuit board and each electronic device are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0073] For example, such as Figure 5As shown, assuming the thickness of the second electronic device is A=1mm, the maximum thickness of the electronic device facing the second display unit 107 in the first electronic device is B=0.8mm, the thickness of the first circuit board 104 (or the main circuit board in the conventional scheme) is approximately C=0.5mm, the thickness of the second circuit board is approximately D=0.2mm, the maximum thickness of the electronic device facing the bottom plate of the first frame 1012 in the first electronic device is approximately E=0.2mm, and the maximum thickness of the electronic device facing the second display unit 107 on the second circuit board 1042 is F=0.1mm. To ensure an appropriate gap between the second display unit and the electronic devices on the main circuit board, the depth H of the frame accommodating the main circuit board cannot be less than the maximum thickness of the circuit board and the combined thickness of each electronic device. The depth of the frame accommodating the main circuit board determines the thickness of the electronic device. In the conventional scheme, both the second and first electronic devices are mounted on a main circuit board with a thickness of C=0.5mm, so the depth of the frame must be at least A+C+E=1.7mm, which is the maximum thickness of the circuit board and the electronic devices on both sides.

[0074] When using the arrangement disclosed herein, the depth H of the frame accommodating the circuit board (i.e., the first frame 1012) needs to consider the maximum thickness in three sections along the extension direction of the circuit board. The first section consists only of the first circuit board 104 and the electronic components on both sides in the thickness direction, with a maximum thickness of B+C+E=1.5mm. The second section consists only of the second circuit board 1042 and the electronic components on both sides in the thickness direction, with a maximum thickness of A+D+F=1.3mm. The third section consists of the first circuit board 104, the second circuit board 1042, and the electronic components on both sides in the thickness direction (this section is the overlapping area of ​​the boundaries of the first and second circuit boards 1042), with a maximum thickness of C+D+E+F=1mm. Without considering other improvements, the depth H of the first frame 1012 accommodating the circuit board only needs to be set to be greater than the maximum thickness of the first, second, and third sections. In other words, the depth H is at least the largest of the three maximum thicknesses B+C+E=1.5mm, A+D+F=1.3mm, and C+D+E+F=1mm, which is approximately 1.5mm. Therefore, it can be seen that with the arrangement of this disclosure, the distance between the first circuit board 104 and the second display unit 107 can be reduced, thereby allowing for a reduction in the thickness of the first folded portion 101 and even the entire electronic device 100.

[0075] On the other hand, the second electronic device extends on the second circuit board 1042 toward the base plate of the first frame 1012, thereby allowing for a further reduction in the thickness of the first fold 101. For example, in some embodiments, a recess (hereinafter referred to as the first recess 1013) may be provided at an appropriate location on the first frame 1012. At least a portion of the second electronic device may be located in the first recess 1013, such as... Figure 5 As shown. Compared to conventional arrangements where thicker electronic components are all arranged facing forward, this arrangement according to embodiments of the present disclosure allows a portion of the second electronic component to overlap with a portion of the base plate of the first frame 1012 in the extending direction of the base plate, thereby further reducing the thickness of the first folded portion 101 by further reducing the distance between the first circuit board 104 and the base plate of the first frame 1012. For example, by providing a portion of the second electronic component (e.g., a 0.1 mm portion in the thickness direction) in the first recess 1013, the A+D+F dimension can be reduced by 0.1 mm, i.e., A+D+F - 0.1 mm = 1.2 mm. In some embodiments, such as those where A+D+F is the largest of the three dimensions B+C+E, A+D+F, and C+D+E+F, providing a portion of the second electronic component in the first recess 1013 can reduce the thickness of the first folded portion 101.

[0076] Of course, it should be understood that the phrase "at least a portion of the second electronic device is located in the first recess 1013" mentioned herein can also include the following situation: without the first recess 1013, the top surface of the second electronic device is just in contact with the bottom plate of the first frame 1012, or the distance between them is less than the minimum permissible safety distance. In this case, by providing the first recess 1013, the minimum permissible safety distance can be maintained between the second electronic device and the bottom plate (actually the bottom plate of the first recess 1013). It should be understood that in this case, the second electronic device is not actually located in the first recess 1013.

[0077] Figure 8 A top view of an exemplary structure of a first frame 1012 having a first recess 1013 is shown. Figure 8It can also be seen that in some embodiments, in addition to the first recess 1013, the first frame 1012 also has the aforementioned cavity recess for forming part of the cavity 1091 and a second recess 1014. The second recess 1014 is used to accommodate a portion of the first electronic devices 1045 on the side of the first circuit board 104 facing the bottom plate of the first frame 1012. Although it was mentioned above that most of the first electronic devices 1045 in the first circuit board 104 are arranged on the side of the first circuit board 104 facing the second display unit 107, some of the first electronic devices 1045 may also be arranged on the side of the first circuit board 104 facing the bottom plate of the first frame 1012 to optimize the layout of the electronic devices. At least a portion of these first electronic devices 1045 can be located in the second recess 1014, thereby further reducing the thickness of the first fold 101 and facilitating the heat dissipation of these first electronic devices 1045, such as... Figure 5 and Figure 8 As shown. For example, as mentioned above, the maximum thickness of this part of the electronic components is E=0.2mm. If a portion of the thickest electronic component in this part (e.g., half the thickness, i.e., E / 2=0.1mm) is disposed in the second recess 1014, according to the exemplary embodiment mentioned above, the depth H of the frame accommodating the circuit board only needs to be greater than the largest of B+C+E / 2=1.4mm, A+D+F=1.3mm, and C+D+E / 2+F=0.9mm, i.e., 1.4mm. It can be seen that in some embodiments, by disposing at least a portion of the first electronic component 1045 in the second recess 1014, the thickness of the first folded portion 101 can be further reduced.

[0078] Of course, it should be understood that Figure 5 and Figure 8 The positions, dimensions, and shapes of the first recess 1013 and the second recess 1014 shown are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure; any other suitable positions or arrangements are possible. For example, in some embodiments, the number and position of the second recess 1014 may correspond to the number and position of the first electronic devices 1045 arranged on the base plate side of the first circuit board 104 facing the first frame 1012, so that all the first electronic devices 1045 located on that side can be located in the same or different second recesses 1014, thereby further reducing the thickness of the first fold 101.

[0079] Furthermore, this arrangement can also improve the heat dissipation of the first electronic device 1045 and the second electronic device. For example, as Figure 5As shown, a thermally conductive medium, such as thermal grease, can be provided between the second electronic device and the first frame 1012, thereby enabling the heat emitted from the second electronic device to be effectively transferred to the first frame 1012 and thus effectively dissipated to improve the heat dissipation effect of the second electronic device. Similarly, a thermally conductive medium can also be provided between the first electronic device 1045 housed in the second recess 1014 and the first frame 1012, thereby facilitating the heat dissipation of the first electronic device 1045.

[0080] Furthermore, in some embodiments, since the second circuit board 1042 does not require many circuit layers, its thickness can be smaller than that of the first circuit board 104. For example, if the second circuit board 1042 has the same thickness C=D=0.5mm as the first circuit board 104, the depth of the frame accommodating the circuit board (without considering other improvements) needs to be greater than the largest of B+C+E=1.4mm, A+D+F=1.6mm, and C+D+E+F=1.3mm, i.e., greater than 1.6mm. In contrast, when the thickness of the second circuit board 1042 is effectively reduced (as shown in the exemplary embodiment above, D=0.2mm), the depth of the frame accommodating the circuit board only needs to be around 1.5mm (as mentioned above). In this way, reducing the thickness of the second circuit board 1042 can further reduce the thickness of the first fold 101 and even the entire electronic device 100.

[0081] In some embodiments, the second electronic device may include the system chip 1043, which typically has a large thickness, as mentioned above. By electrically connecting the first solder joint 1051 and the second solder joint 1052, at least a portion of the system chip 1043 may be located in the first frame 1012 of the through-hole 1041, and at least a portion of the system chip 1043 may be located in the first recess 1013. Since the system chip 1043 typically has a large thickness (such as A=1mm mentioned in the exemplary embodiments above), it can be determined, in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments mentioned above, that placing it on the second circuit board 1042 can effectively reduce the thickness of the first fold 101 and even the entire electronic device 100, thereby improving the heat dissipation of the system chip 1043.

[0082] Near and / or on the back of the system chip 1043 on the second circuit board 1042, multiple auxiliary electronic devices, such as flash memory and back-mounted capacitors, are typically disposed. In embodiments where the second electronic device includes the system chip 1043, these auxiliary electronic devices may be disposed on the side of the second circuit board 1042 facing the second display unit 107 and / or around the system chip 1043 (i.e., the electronic device with thickness F mentioned in the exemplary embodiments above). For example, in some embodiments, these auxiliary electronic devices or any other suitable electronic devices may be disposed at least partially on the second circuit board 1042 where it overlaps with the first circuit board 104, on the same side of the second circuit board 1042 as the system chip 1043, and located in the via 1041, etc., as needed. That is, the introduction of the second circuit board 1042 does not affect the arrangement of electronic devices at the location where the second circuit board 1042 is coupled to the first circuit board 1044, thereby allowing for a more rational layout of the electronic devices.

[0083] In some embodiments, to further reduce the thickness, the first recess 1013 on the first frame 1012 can be formed as a through hole 1015, and the second electronic device can be at least partially located in the through hole 1015, such as... Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown. Figure 9 and Figure 10 The first recess 1013 is shown in the form of a through-hole 1015, using system chip 1043 as an example of a second electronic device. It should be understood that the example of system chip 1043 as a second electronic device is merely illustrative and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. The second electronic device may alternatively or additionally include any other suitable electronic device.

[0084] In embodiments where the first recess 1013 is formed as a through hole 1015, in order to provide protection for at least the second electronic device, a protective plate (hereinafter referred to as the first protective plate 1016) can be provided at a corresponding position outside the through hole 1015 of the first frame 1012 (i.e., on the side of the first frame 1012 facing the first display unit 106), such as... Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown. A similar heat-conducting medium can also be placed between the first protection plate 1016 and the second electronic device to facilitate heat dissipation of the second electronic device.

[0085] In some embodiments, to further reduce the thickness of the first fold 101 and even the entire electronic device 100, the through hole 1041 may also include a stepped portion 1046, such as... Figure 10As shown. In this case, the first solder joint 1051 is provided on the first surface of the step portion 1046, and the second solder joint 1052 is provided on the second surface of the second circuit board 1042. Thus, when the first solder joint 1051 and the second solder joint 1052 are soldered, the first surface and the second surface come into contact with each other, thereby the second circuit board 1042 is electrically connected to the first circuit board through the second solder joint 1052 and the first solder joint 1051 provided in the step portion 1046. By introducing the step portion 1046, the thickness of the electronic device 100 can be further reduced. For example, assuming the depth of the step portion 1046 is 0.1 mm, the A+D+F in the above dimensions can be reduced by 0.1 mm, that is, A+D+F-0.1 mm=1.2 mm. In some embodiments, such as embodiments where A+D+F is the largest of the three dimensions B+C+E, A+D+F, and C+D+E+F, the thickness of the first fold portion 101 can be reduced by providing the second circuit board 1042 on the step portion 1046.

[0086] In some embodiments, the first circuit board 104 and the second circuit board 1042 can be fixedly connected solely by an electrical connection between the first solder joint 1051 and the second solder joint 1052, thereby facilitating the assembly of the first circuit board 104 and the second circuit board 1042. Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, the first circuit board 104 may also have a fixing hole (hereinafter referred to as the first fixing hole 1053) at an appropriate location (e.g., a corner) on the edge of the through hole 1041 or the notch 1047. Correspondingly, the second circuit board 1052 has a second fixing hole 1054 at a corresponding location, such as... Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown. The first circuit board and the second circuit board are fixed by the first fixing hole 1053 and the second fixing hole 1054. For example, the first fixing hole 1053 and the second fixing hole 1054 can be engaged by fasteners to make the second circuit board 1042 more securely fixed to the first circuit board 104. Of course, in some embodiments, these first fixing holes 1053 and the second fixing holes 1054 for fastener engagement can be omitted. That is, the second circuit board 1042 and the first circuit board 104 can also be fixed only by the connection between the first solder point 1051 and the second solder point 1052.

[0087] Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, the second electronic device may further include a subscriber identity module (SIM) card holder 108. The SIM card holder 108 may be located at a notch 1047 at the edge of the first circuit board 104, and may also include, at appropriate locations within the first frame 1012, a frame hole 1019 corresponding to the opening of the SIM card holder 108, such as... Figure 8As shown, this allows the SIM card to be inserted into the SIM card slot 108 via the bezel hole 1019. For example, as Figure 11 As shown, in some embodiments, at least a portion of the SIM card holder 108 is located in the notch 1047 by electrically connecting a first solder joint 1051 on the first circuit board 104 and a second solder joint 1052 on the second circuit board 1042.

[0088] Because the SIM card holder 108 has a relatively large thickness, in some embodiments, the electronic device 100 may further include a shim element 1049 to accommodate the thickness of the SIM card holder 108 by making the distance between the first circuit board 104 and the second circuit board 1042 accommodate the thickness of the SIM card holder 108. The shim element 1049 may be disposed between the second circuit board 1042 and the first circuit board 104, thereby increasing the distance between the first circuit board 104 and the second circuit board 1042 to accommodate the thickness of the SIM card holder 108. The shim element 1049 may engage with the first fixing hole 1053 and the second fixing hole 1054. The shim element 1049 may be a fastening screw, which may be disposed at the corner of the second circuit board 1042 to make the applied fastening force more even and the elevation more uniform. Of course, in some alternative embodiments, the shim element 1049 may simply be a component specifically designed for the purpose of raising the height.

[0089] In cases where a padding element 1049 is used between the first circuit board 104 and the second circuit board 1042 to accommodate the SIM card slot 108, in order to provide electrical connection between the first circuit board 104 and the second circuit board 1042, in some embodiments, the electronic device 100 may further include at least one electrical connection strip 1050, such as... Figure 7 and Figure 11 As shown. Electrical connecting strips 1050 can be disposed at any one or more edges between the first circuit board 104 and the second circuit board 1042 to provide an intermediate solder joint 1055 for electrically connecting the first solder joint 1051 and the second solder joint 1052, thereby electrically connecting the SIM card slot 108 on the second circuit board 1042 and other electronic devices. When multiple electrical connecting strips 1050 are arranged at multiple edges, the multiple electrical connecting strips 1050 can be formed into a frame-like structure of an electrical connection frame to facilitate the arrangement and strength of the electrical connecting strips 1050. Of course, it should be understood that in the case of only one electrical connecting strip 1050, the electrical connecting strip 1050 can also serve as one edge of the electrical connection frame, while other edges are not provided with solder joints.

[0090] The above description, through different embodiments, illustrates some improvements to components such as the first circuit board 104 and the second circuit board 1042 when the system chip 1043 or the SIM card socket 108 is used as the second electronic device. It should be understood that two or more second circuit boards 1042 may be included to respectively house the system chip 1043, the SIM card socket 108, and other electronic devices. That is, in addition to the second circuit board 1042 used to house the system chip 1043, the electronic device 100 may also include another second circuit board (hereinafter referred to as a third circuit board for ease of description) used to house components such as the SIM card socket 108. In this case, the first circuit board 104 may include both a through-hole 1041 and a notch 1047 formed at the edge of the first circuit board 104. For ease of description, a third solder joint and a fourth solder joint will also be introduced below.

[0091] The first solder joint 1051 is located at the edge of the through-hole 1041, and the fourth solder joint is located at the edge of the notch 1047. Furthermore, the second solder joint 1052 is located on the second circuit board 1042, and the third solder joint is located on the third circuit board. By electrically contacting the first solder joint 1051 and the second solder joint 1052, the system chip 1043 is located on the second circuit board 1042, with at least a portion of the system chip 1043 located in the through-hole 1041. Similarly, by electrically contacting the third and fourth solder joints, the SIM card holder 108 is located on the third circuit board, with at least a portion of the SIM card holder located in the notch 1047. In this manner, the thickness of the first fold portion 101 and even the entire electronic device 100 can be significantly reduced. Furthermore, the second electronic device may include, in addition to the system chip 1043 and / or the SIM card holder 108, other electronic devices with greater thickness, thereby further reducing the thickness of the first fold portion 101.

[0092] Furthermore, since the first electronic devices 1045 arranged on the first circuit board 104 facing the second display unit 107 do not all have the same height, in order to further reduce the thickness of the first fold 101, in some embodiments, the display electronic devices 1072 of the second display unit 107 are arranged to overlap with a portion of the first electronic devices 1045 in the thickness direction, such as... Figure 12 As shown. In this way, the space between the thinner first electronic device 1045 and the second display 1071 of the second display unit 107 can be effectively utilized, thereby improving space utilization and further reducing the thickness of the first fold 101.

[0093] For the second fold 102, in order to further reduce the thickness of the second fold 102, in some embodiments, the second frame 1023 in the second fold 102 can be formed as a frame structure with only a border. The battery 105 is housed in the frame structure formed by the border. In order to provide shielding and protection between the battery 105 and the first display unit 106, a second protective plate 1024 can be arranged at the end of the border of the second frame 1023 facing the first display unit 106. The second protective plate 1024 can be made of a metal material such as aluminum or steel.

[0094] On one hand, the second protective plate 1024 can be arranged between the battery 105 and the first display unit 106 to provide isolation between the battery 105 and the first display unit 106. On the other hand, the second protective plate 1024 can also effectively reduce the thickness of the second fold 102. Specifically, conventional frames generally have a structure similar to the first frame 1012, that is, they have a base plate and a frame structure. Due to structural strength requirements, the thickness of the frame frame and the base plate needs to be higher than a certain predetermined threshold, resulting in a large thickness of the base plate and the frame. When the second protective plate 1024 is used to replace the base plate of the second frame 1023, the thickness of the second protective plate 1024 can be set to be smaller than the thickness of the base plate in conventional solutions, thereby effectively reducing the thickness of the second fold 102.

[0095] A cover 1025 is also provided at the end of the second frame 1023 opposite to the second protective plate 1024. The cover 1025 can be coupled to the edge of the second frame 1023 to protect the battery 105.

[0096] The above text combines Figures 1 to 13 The simplified schematic structure shown illustrates some improvements to the electronic device 100. It should be understood that the positions, dimensions, and positional relationships of the various components shown are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. In the actual design of the electronic device based on these design concepts, any suitable arrangement is possible. For example… Figure 14 A specific example of the internal structure of an electronic device 100 designed according to the concept of this disclosure mentioned above is shown.

[0097] Furthermore, it should be understood that the various components included in the electronic device 100 mentioned above are not exhaustive, and the electronic device 100 may include any other suitable components. For example, in some embodiments, in addition to the various components mentioned above, the foldable electronic device 100 may also include magnets respectively arranged in appropriate positions in the two folds. When the electronic device 100 is in the folded state, the magnet in the first fold 101 can attract each other with the magnet in the second fold 102 to keep the electronic device 100 more securely in the folded state, thereby facilitating user portability. Of course, in some alternative embodiments, one of the magnets in the first fold 101 and the second fold 102 may also be an iron sheet or iron block that can be attracted by a magnet.

[0098] Although the subject matter has been described using language specific to structural features and / or methodological logic, it should be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or actions described above. Rather, the specific features and actions described above are merely illustrative examples of implementing the claims.

Claims

1. An electronic device (100), characterized in that, The electronic device is a foldable electronic device and includes: A first circuit board (104) is provided with at least one of a through hole (1041) or a notch (1047) formed on the edge of the first circuit board, and the first circuit board is provided with a first solder joint, which is located at the edge of the through hole or the edge of the notch. The second circuit board has a second electronic device and a second solder joint. The second solder joint and the second electronic device are located on the same side of the second circuit board. The second solder joint is located at the edge of the second circuit board. The first solder joint and the second solder joint are electrically connected. At least part of the second electronic device is located in the through hole or the notch. A first frame (1012) and a first circuit board are stacked in the thickness direction of the electronic device. The first frame (1012) includes a first recess (1013), and at least a portion of the second electronic device is located in the first recess (1013). A first folding section (101), a second folding section (102), and a pivot section (103), wherein at least one of the first folding section (101) and the second folding section (102) is configured to be rotatable relative to the pivot section (103) so that the electronic device (100) can switch between an unfolded state and a folded state, the first circuit board (104) and the second circuit board are arranged in a circuit board receiving portion of the first folding section (101), and the first folding section (101) does not include a battery.

2. The electronic device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first circuit board is provided with a first electronic device, the first solder joint and the second solder joint are electrically connected, and the first electronic device and the second electronic device are electrically connected.

3. The electronic device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The second electronic device includes a system-on-chip (SoC). The first solder joint and the second solder joint are electrically connected, and at least a portion of the second electronic device is located in the through-hole or the notch, including: The first solder joint and the second solder joint are electrically connected, and at least a portion of the SoC is located in the via.

4. The electronic device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second electronic device includes a subscriber identity module (SIM) card slot; The first solder joint and the second solder joint are electrically connected, and at least a portion of the second electronic device is located in the through-hole or the notch, including: The first solder joint and the second solder joint are electrically connected, and at least part of the SIM card slot is located in the notch.

5. The electronic device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first circuit board is provided with a through hole (1041) and a notch (1047) formed on the edge of the first circuit board; the first solder joint is provided on the edge of the through hole; the first circuit board is also provided with a fourth solder joint, which is provided on the edge of the notch; The second electronic device includes a system-on-chip (SoC). The first solder joint and the second solder joint are electrically connected, and at least a portion of the second electronic device is located in the through-hole or the notch, including: The first solder joint and the second solder joint are electrically connected, and at least a portion of the SoC is located in the via. The electronic device further includes a third circuit board, which is provided with a third electronic device and a third solder joint. The third solder joint and the third electronic device are located on the same side of the third circuit board. The third electronic device includes a subscriber identity module (SIM) card holder. The third solder joint and the fourth solder joint are electrically connected, and at least a portion of the third electronic device is located in the notch.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The through hole (1041) includes a stepped portion (1046), the first solder joint is disposed on the first surface of the stepped portion (1046), and the second solder joint is disposed on the second surface of the second circuit board (1042). When the first solder joint and the second solder joint are electrically connected, the first surface and the second surface are in contact.

7. The electronic device (100) according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The electronic device (100) includes: A battery (105) is disposed in a battery housing of the second fold (102) and is adapted to power the electronic device.

8. The electronic device (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first thickness (W1) of the circuit board receiving portion of the first fold (101) is less than or equal to the second thickness (W2) of at least the battery receiving portion of the second fold (102).

9. The electronic device (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that, In the unfolded state, the thickness of the electronic device (100) gradually increases along the direction from the first fold (101) to the second fold (102).

10. The electronic device (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that, Also includes: The first display unit (106) includes a first display disposed outside the first fold (101) and the second fold (102); as well as The second display unit (107) is arranged on the side of the first fold (101) opposite to the first display unit (106).

11. The electronic device (100) according to claim 10, characterized in that, Also includes: A camera assembly (1022) is disposed in the second fold (102) and includes: At least one rear camera (1026) is adapted to frame a view at least in a direction away from the first display unit (106); as well as The front internal camera (1027) is adapted to capture a view at least in the direction of the first display unit (106).

12. The electronic device (100) according to claim 11, characterized in that, Also includes: A front external camera (1017) is arranged in the first fold (101) and is adapted to take a view at least toward the second display unit (107).

13. The electronic device (100) according to claim 12, characterized in that, The second display unit (107) includes: Second display (1071); and Display electronics (1072) are arranged on the side of the second display (1071) facing the first circuit board (104), and a portion of the display electronics (1072) and a portion of the first electronics (1045) disposed on the first circuit board overlap at least partially in a direction perpendicular to the second display (1071).

14. The electronic device (100) according to claim 10, characterized in that, The first frame (1012) is arranged in the first fold (101) and located between the first display unit (106) and the first circuit board (104).

15. The electronic device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: Antenna element (111) is at least partially arranged outside the first fold (101).

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