Electronic device including an outer housing plated with a conductive member and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

A method for manufacturing an electronic device according to various embodiments disclosed in the present document can include a trenching step of forming a trench in a plating area, wherein the plating area is at least a portion of a first surface of an outer case exposed to the outside, the outer case forming at least a portion of an appearance of the electronic device; a first plating step of forming a first plating layer including a first metal material in the plating area; a polishing step of polishing the plating area; and a coating step of forming a coating layer on the first surface of the outer case. Various other embodiments are possible.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] Various embodiments disclosed in the present document relate to an electronic device including an outer case, in which a conductive member is disposed on the outer case by plating, and a method of manufacturing the electronic device. BACKGROUND

[0002] The conductive member can be disposed on a case of an electronic device manufactured according to various methods, and can be used as an antenna pattern or as an electric wire for electrical connection between electronic components.

[0003] For this purpose, a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) attachable to the case is used, or a method of disposing a conductive member on the case by plating is used.

[0004] Laser direct structuring (LDS) and laser manufactured antenna (LMA) are representative methods among conventional technologies of forming an antenna pattern by plating using a laser.

[0005] LDS is a plating method using a polymer resin. In this method, a metal organic compound is degraded due to a photochemical reaction using a laser, and only the metal of a laser-irradiated portion remains, so that an antenna pattern is formed. In order to use the LDS method, a heavy metal as a catalyst needs to be added at the time of plating in the case molding stage.

[0006] In LMA, unlike LDS, a heavy metal is not added in the case molding stage, the case is irradiated with a laser, and then the irradiated portion is treated with a catalyst to be plated.

[0007] Various other attempts to dispose a conductive member on a case of an electronic device are still ongoing. SUMMARY

[0008] TECHNICAL PROBLEM

[0009] In the case of using an FPCB, an unfavorable reason is that defects can occur depending on the skill of an assembler, and a serious deviation can be caused. In addition, LDS has a problem in that the material of the case is limited and the case for the LDS process has low strength. Even a product manufactured in the LMA method is vulnerable to high temperature, high humidity, and delamination.

[0010] In addition, the above-described methods are limited in that the above-described methods are performed on the inner surface of the case. In the case in which the conductive member is disposed on the outer surface of the case, the conductive member can be seen from the outside due to a step between a portion in which the conductive member is disposed and a portion in which the conductive member is not disposed in the process of plating the conductive member.

[0011] Various embodiments disclosed herein can provide an electronic device including an outer case plated with a conductive member, in which the conductive member is prevented from being seen from the outside while being stably disposed on an outer surface of a case constituting an appearance of the electronic device, and a manufacturing method thereof.

[0012] Solution to the problem

[0013] A manufacturing method of an electronic device according to various embodiments disclosed herein can include a trench operation of forming a trench in an electroplating area, wherein the electroplating area is at least a partial area of a first surface of an outer case of the electronic device, the outer case at least partially constituting an appearance of the electronic device, the first surface being exposed to the outside, a first electroplating operation of forming a first plating layer including a first metal material in the electroplating area, a polishing operation of polishing the electroplating area, and a coating operation of forming a coating layer on the first surface of the outer case.

[0014] A manufacturing method of an electronic device according to various embodiments disclosed herein can include a trench operation of forming a trench in an electroplating area, wherein the electroplating area is at least a partial area of a second surface of an outer case, the outer case at least partially constituting an appearance of the electronic device, the second surface being opposite to a first surface exposed to the outside, a polishing operation of polishing the electroplating area, and a first electroplating operation of forming a first plating layer including a first metal material in the electroplating area.

[0015] An electronic device according to various embodiments disclosed herein can include an outer case constituting an appearance of the electronic device, a conductive member disposed in an electroplating area, the electroplating area being at least a partial area of a first surface of the outer case exposed to the outside, and a coating layer disposed on the first surface to cover the conductive member disposed in the electroplating area.

[0016] A manufacturing method of an electronic device according to various embodiments disclosed herein can include an operation of forming a hole portion on a housing constituting at least a portion of an outer appearance of the electronic device, a trench operation of forming a trench in a first plating area which is at least a partial area of an outer surface of the housing, forming a trench in a second plating area which is at least a partial area of an inner surface of the housing, and forming a trench in a third plating area connected to the first plating area and the second plating area and being at least a partial area of an inner surface of the hole portion formed in the electronic device, a first plating operation of forming a first plating layer including a first metal material in at least one of the first plating area, the second plating area, and the third plating area, a polishing operation of polishing the first plating area, a filling operation of filling the hole portion with a filler, an additional polishing operation of polishing the first plating area including a portion of the filler which protrudes from the outer surface of the housing due to occupying the hole portion, and an additional plating operation of plating the first plating area.

[0017] An electronic device according to various embodiments disclosed herein can include a housing constituting at least a portion of an outer appearance of the electronic device and including a hole portion, a first conductive member formed by plating in at least a partial area of an outer surface of the housing, a second conductive member formed by plating in at least a partial area of an inner surface of the housing, a third conductive member formed by plating in at least a partial area of an inner surface of the hole portion so as to connect the first conductive member with the second conductive member, and a coating layer disposed on the outer surface of the housing.

[0018] Advantages of Invention

[0019] According to various embodiments disclosed herein, even when a conductive member is disposed on an outer surface of a housing, the conductive member can be prevented from being seen from the outside. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0020] With regard to the description of the drawings, the same or similar elements can be indicated by the same or similar reference numerals.

[0021] Figure 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment according to various embodiments;

[0022] Figures 2 to 4 Various embodiments of an electronic device including an outer housing including a conductive member according to various embodiments disclosed herein are illustrated;

[0023] Figure 5 is a flowchart of a manufacturing method according to various embodiments disclosed herein;

[0024] Figure 6a is a diagram illustrating a trench formed according to various embodiments disclosed herein;

[0025] Figure 6b is a diagram illustrating a trench after a first polishing operation has been performed on the trench shown in Figure 6a ;

[0026] Figure 6c is a diagram illustrating a trench after a first plating operation has been performed on the polished trench shown in Figure 6b ;

[0027] Figure 6d is a diagram illustrating a first plated layer after a second polishing operation has been performed on the first plated layer shown in Figure 6c ;

[0028] Figure 6e is a diagram illustrating results of performing a second plating operation and a coating operation according to various embodiments disclosed herein;

[0029] Figure 7 is a graph illustrating a relationship between a thickness of a conductive member and performance;

[0030] Figure 8 is a graph of a performance comparison between an antenna provided on an FPCB and a conductive member formed according to various embodiments disclosed herein and serving as an antenna;

[0031] Figure 9 is a graph of a performance comparison depending on the presence / absence of a coating layer in a case where a conductive member formed according to various embodiments disclosed herein serves as an antenna;

[0032] Figure 10 is a diagram of a housing of an electronic device according to various embodiments disclosed herein;

[0033] Figure 11a is a diagram of a housing of an electronic device according to various embodiments disclosed herein; Figure 10 ;

[0034] Figure 11b is a diagram of a housing of an electronic device according to various embodiments disclosed herein; Figure 10 ;

[0035] Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of a partially cut hole portion according to various embodiments disclosed herein;

[0036] Figure 13a is a diagram of a hole portion when viewed in one direction according to various embodiments disclosed herein;

[0037] Figure 13b yes Figure 13a The cross-sectional view of the hole after it has been cut along line AA is shown in the figure.

[0038] Figure 14 This is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing an electronic device according to various embodiments disclosed herein; and

[0039] Figures 15a to 15c This is a diagram illustrating a conductive component formed according to a method of manufacturing an electronic device based on various embodiments disclosed herein. Detailed Implementation

[0040] It should be understood that the various embodiments of this disclosure and the terminology used therein are not intended to limit the technical features set forth herein to the particular embodiments, and include various changes, equivalents or substitutions to the corresponding embodiments.

[0041] Regarding the description of the accompanying drawings, similar reference numerals may be used to refer to similar or related elements. It should be understood that, unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular form of the noun corresponding to an item may include one or more things.

[0042] As used herein, each of the phrases such as “A or B,” “at least one of A and B,” “at least one of A or B,” “A, B or C,” “at least one of A, B and C,” and “at least one of A, B or C” can include any one or all possible combinations of the items enumerated together among the corresponding ones in these phrases. Terms such as “first” and “second” or “first” and “second” as used herein can be used simply to distinguish corresponding components from another component without otherwise limiting the components (e.g., importance or order). It should be understood that if an element (e.g., the first element) is referred to as being "coupled" to, "coupled to" another element (e.g., the second element), "connected" to, or "connected to" another element (e.g., the second element) with or without the terms "operably" or "communically", it means that the element can be coupled to the other element directly (e.g., wired), wirelessly, or via a third element.

[0043] Figure 1 This is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device 101 in a network environment 100 according to various embodiments. (Refer to...) Figure 1The electronic device 101 in the network environment 100 can communicate with an electronic device 102 via a first network 198 (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network), or an electronic device 104 or a server 108 via a second network 199 (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 can communicate with the electronic device 104 via the server 108. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 can include a processor 120, a memory 130, an input module 150, a sound output module 155, a display module 160, an audio module 170, a sensor module 176, an interface 177, a connection terminal 178, a haptic module 179, a camera module 180, a power management module 188, a battery 189, a communication module 190, a subscriber identification module (SIM) 196, or an antenna module 197. In some embodiments, at least one (e.g., the connection terminal 178) of the above components can be omitted from the electronic device 101, or one or more other components can be added in the electronic device 101. In some embodiments, some of the above components (e.g., the sensor module 176, the camera module 180, or the antenna module 197) can be implemented as a single integrated component (e.g., the display module 160).

[0044] The processor 120 can execute, for example, software (e.g., a program 140) to control at least one other component (e.g., a hardware or software component) of the electronic device 101 coupled with the processor 120 and can perform various data processing or computation. According to an embodiment, as at least part of the data processing or computation, the processor 120 can store a command or data received from another component (e.g., the sensor module 176 or the communication module 190) in the volatile memory 132, process the command or data stored in the volatile memory 132, and store processed results in the non-volatile memory 134. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 can include a main processor 121 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU) or an application processor (AP)), or an auxiliary processor 123 (e.g., a graphics processing unit (GPU), a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor (ISP), a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor (CP)) that is operable independently from, or in conjunction with, the main processor 121. For example, when the electronic device 101 includes the main processor 121 and the auxiliary processor 123, the auxiliary processor 123 can be adapted to consume less power than the main processor 121, or to be specialized for a specific function. The auxiliary processor 123 can be implemented as separate from, or as part of the main processor 121.

[0045] The auxiliary processor 123, rather than the main processor 121, can control at least some of the functions or status related to at least one component (for example, the display module 160, the sensor module 176, or the communication module 190) among the components of the electronic device 101 while the main processor 121 is in an inactive (for example, sleep) state, or the auxiliary processor 123 can control at least some of the functions or status related to at least one component (for example, the display module 160, the sensor module 176, or the communication module 190) among the components of the electronic device 101 together with the main processor 121 while the main processor 121 is in an active state (for example, executing an application). According to an embodiment, the auxiliary processor 123 (for example, an image signal processor or a communication processor) can be implemented as a part of another component (for example, the camera module 180 or the communication module 190) functionally related to the auxiliary processor 123. According to an embodiment, the auxiliary processor 123 (for example, a neural processing unit) can include a hardware structure dedicated to artificial intelligence model processing. The artificial intelligence model can be generated through machine learning. For example, such learning can be performed by the electronic device 101 where artificial intelligence is performed or via a separate server (for example, the server 108). The learning algorithm can include, but is not limited to, for example, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning. The artificial intelligence model can include multiple artificial neural network layers. The artificial neural network can be a deep neural network (DNN), a convolutional neural network (CNN), a recurrent neural network (RNN), a restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM), a deep belief network (DBN), a bidirectional recurrent deep neural network (BRDNN), or a deep Q-network, or a combination of two or more thereof, but is not limited thereto. Additionally or alternatively, the artificial intelligence model can include a software structure other than the hardware structure.

[0046] The memory 130 can store various data used by at least one component (for example, the processor 120 or the sensor module 176) of the electronic device 101. The various data can include, for example, software (for example, a program 140) and input data or output data for commands related thereto. The memory 130 can include the volatile memory 132 or the non-volatile memory 134.

[0047] The program 140 can be stored in the memory 130 as software, and can include, for example, an operating system (OS) 142, middleware 144, or an application 146.

[0048] The input module 150 can receive a command or data, which is to be used by other components (for example, the processor 120) of the electronic device 101, from the outside (for example, a user) of the electronic device 101. The input module 150 can include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, a keyboard, a key (for example, a button), or a digital pen (for example, a stylus pen).

[0049] The sound output module 155 can output sound signals to the outside of the electronic device 101. The sound output module 155 can include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker can be used for general purposes, such as playing multimedia or playing record. The receiver can be used to receive an incoming call. According to an embodiment, the receiver can be implemented as separate from the speaker, or can be implemented as part of the speaker.

[0050] The display module 160 can visually provide information to the outside (e.g., a user) of the electronic device 101. The display module 160 can include, for example, a display, a hologram device, or a projector and a control circuit for controlling a corresponding one of the display, the hologram device, and the projector. According to an embodiment, the display module 160 can include a touch sensor adapted to detect a touch, or a pressure sensor adapted to measure the intensity of force incurred by the touch.

[0051] The audio module 170 can convert a sound into an electrical signal and vice versa. According to an embodiment, the audio module 170 can obtain sound through the input module 150, or output sound through the sound output module 155 or a headphone of an external electronic device (e.g., an electronic device 102) directly (e.g., wiredly) or wirelessly coupled with the electronic device 101.

[0052] The sensor module 176 can detect an operational state (e.g., power or temperature) of the electronic device 101 or an environmental state (e.g., a state of a user) external to the electronic device 101, and then generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected state. According to an embodiment, the sensor module 176 can include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor.

[0053] The interface 177 can support one or more specified protocols to be used for the electronic device 101 to be coupled with the external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102) directly (e.g., wiredly) or wirelessly. According to an embodiment, the interface 177 can include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a secure digital (SD) card interface, or an audio interface.

[0054] The connection terminal 178 can include a connector through which the electronic device 101 can be physically connected with the external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102). According to an embodiment, the connection terminal 178 can include, for example, a HDMI connector, a USB connector, a SD card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector).

[0055] The haptic module 179 can convert electrical signal into a mechanical stimulus (e.g., a vibration or movement) or electrical stimulus that can be recognized by a user via his tactile sensation or kinesthetic sensation. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the haptic module 179 can include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimuluser.

[0056] The camera module 180 can capture still images or moving images. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the camera module 180 can include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

[0057] The power management module 188 can manage power supplied to the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the power management module 188 can be implemented as at least part of, for example, a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

[0058] The battery 189 can supply power to at least one component of the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the battery 189 can include, for example, a primary cell, a secondary cell, or a fuel cell.

[0059] The communication module 190 can support establishing a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between the electronic device 101 and an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102, the electronic device 104, or the server 108) and performing communication between the electronic devices 101 and the external electronic device via the established communication channel. The communication module 190 can include one or more communication processors that are operable independently from the processor 120 (e.g., an application processor (AP)) and supports a direct (e.g., wired) communication or wireless communication. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the communication module 190 can include 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., a local area network (LAN) communication module or a power line communication (PLC) module). A corresponding one of these communication modules can perform communication by using at least one of the first network 198 (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network, such as Bluetooth, wireless-fidelity (Wi-Fi) direct, or infrared data association (IrDA)) or the second network 199 (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network, such as a cellular network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., LAN or wide area network (WAN)). The various types of communication modules can be implemented as a single component (e.g., a single chip) or can be implemented as separate components (e.g., separate chips) from each other. The wireless communication module 192 can identify and authenticate the electronic device 101 in a communication network, such as the first network 198 or the second network 199, using subscriber information (e.g., an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module 196.

[0060] The wireless communication module 192 can support 5G networks and next-generation communication technologies (e.g., new radio (NR) access technology) after 4G networks. The NR access technology can support enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), massive machine type communications (mMTC), or ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC). The wireless communication module 192 can support a high frequency band (e.g., a millimeter wave band) to achieve, for example, high data transmission rates. The wireless communication module 192 can support various technologies for securing performance on a high frequency band, such as, for example, beamforming, massive multiple input multiple output (massive MIMO), full dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antenna, analog beamforming, or large scale antenna. The wireless communication module 192 can support various requirements designated in the electronic device 101, an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 104), or a network system (e.g., the second network 199). According to an embodiment, the wireless communication module 192 can support a peak data rate of eMBB (e.g., 20 Gbps or more) for implementation, a loss coverage (e.g., 164 dB or less) for mMTC implementation, or a U-plane latency (e.g., 0.5 ms or less for each of downlink (DL) and uplink (UL), or 1 ms or less for round trip) for URLLC implementation.

[0061] The antenna module 197 can transmit or receive a signal or power to or from the outside (e.g., an external electronic device) of the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, the antenna module 197 can include an antenna including a radiating element composed of a conductive material or a conductive pattern formed in or on a base (e.g., a printed circuit board (PCB)). According to an embodiment, the antenna module 197 can include a plurality of antennas (e.g., array antennas). In this case, at least one antenna suitable for a communication scheme used in a communication network, such as the first network 198 or the second network 199, can be selected from the plurality of antennas by, for example, the communication module 190 (e.g., the wireless communication module 192). Then, a signal or power can be transmitted or received between the communication module 190 and an external electronic device via the selected at least one antenna. According to an embodiment, in addition to the radiating element, another component (e.g., a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) can be additionally formed as part of the antenna module 197.

[0062] According to various embodiments, the antenna module 197 can form a millimeter wave antenna module. According to an embodiment, the millimeter wave antenna module can include a printed circuit board, a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC), and a plurality of antennas (e.g., array antennas), wherein the RFIC is disposed on a first surface (e.g., a bottom surface) of the printed circuit board, or adjacent to the first surface and capable of supporting a designated high frequency band (e.g., a millimeter wave band), and the plurality of antennas is disposed on a second surface (e.g., a top surface or a side surface) of the printed circuit board, or adjacent to the second surface and capable of transmitting or receiving a signal of the designated high frequency band.

[0063] At least some of the above-described components can be connected to each other by an inter-chip communication scheme (e.g., a bus, a general purpose input output (GPIO), a serial peripheral interface (SPI), or a mobile industry processor interface (MIPI)) and communicate information (e.g., commands or data) between them.

[0064] According to an embodiment, commands or data can be transmitted or received between the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device 104 via the server 108 coupled with the second network 199. Each of the electronic devices 102 and 104 can be a device of a same type as, or a different type from, the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, all or some of the operations to be performed by the electronic device 101 can be executed by one or more of the external electronic devices 102, 104, or 108. For example, if the electronic device 101 is to automatically perform a function or a service or is to execute a function or a service in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device 101, instead of, or in addition to, executing the function or the service, can request one or more of the external electronic devices to execute at least part of the function or the service. The one or more external electronic devices receiving the request can execute the at least part of the function or the service requested, or execute another function or another service related to the request, and transfer an execution result to the electronic device 101. The electronic device 101 can provide the execution result, with or without further processing of the execution result, as at least part of a reply to the request. To this end, a cloud computing technique, a distributed computing technique, a mobile edge computing (MEC) technique, or a client-server computing technique can be used, for example. The electronic device 101 can use, for example, distributed computing or mobile edge computing to provide an ultra-low latency service. In another embodiment, the external electronic device 104 can include an Internet of Things (IoT) device. The server 108 can be an intelligent server using machine learning and / or a neural network. According to an embodiment, the external electronic device 104 or the server 108 can be included in the second network 199. The electronic device 101 can be applied to a smart service (e.g., a smart home, a smart city, a smart car, or a health care) based on a 5G communication technology or an IoT-related technology.

[0065] Figures 2 to 4 Various embodiments of an electronic device including an outer housing including a conductive member are illustrated according to various embodiments disclosed herein. Figure 2 FIG. (a) of Figure 4 FIG. (a) of

[0066] According to various embodiments, the electronic device can include an outer case 201 constituting an outer appearance of the electronic device. The outer case 201 can be made of various materials. The outer case 201 can be made of, for example, materials such as metal and synthetic resin. In addition, the outer case 201 can be manufactured in various methods. For example, the outer case 201 can be manufactured in an injection molding method.

[0067] Referring to Figure 2 , the conductive member 210 can be disposed in a plating region corresponding to at least a partial region of a first surface 201A of the outer case 201. The first surface 201A can be a surface of the outer case 201 exposed to the outside. The conductive member 210 can be disposed on the first surface 201A of the outer case 201 by plating. For example, the conductive member 210 can include a first plating layer (e.g., a first plating layer 620 in Figure 5 ) formed in a first plating operation (e.g., a first plating operation 503 in Figure 6d ) described later and / or a second plating layer (e.g., a second plating layer 630 in Figure 5 ) formed in a second plating operation (e.g., a second plating operation 505 in Figure 6e ) described later.

[0068] Referring to Figure 2 (b), the coating layer 230 can be disposed on the first surface 201A of the outer case 201. The coating layer 230 is disposed on the first surface 201A of the outer case 201 including the plating region in which the conductive member 210 is disposed, whereby the conductive member 210 can not be exposed to the outside of the electronic device 200. The conductive member 210 cannot be seen from the outside, and thus damage to the aesthetic appearance of the electronic device 200 due to the external visibility of the conductive member 210 can be prevented.

[0069] According to various embodiments, the conductive member 210 can be used as an element of the electronic device 200 requiring the transmission of an electrical signal. For example, the conductive member 210 can be used as an antenna for short distance communication and long distance communication of the electronic device 200. Also, the conductive member 210 can be used as an electric wire electrically connecting various electronic components. In addition, the conductive member can be differently used as a touch sensor for recognizing a capacitive touch input, etc. The above-mentioned use of the conductive member 210 corresponds only to an example, and the conductive member 210 can be used as various elements requiring the transmission of an electrical signal.

[0070] According to various embodiments, the coated layer 230 disposed on the first surface 201A of the outer case 201 can be made of a material having various properties depending on what kind of element the conductive member 210 is used as in the electronic device. For example, in the case where the conductive member 210 is used as an antenna or an electric wire electrically connecting electronic components, the coated layer 230 can be made of an insulating material having low electrical conductivity. In contrast, in the case where the conductive member 210 is used as an element required to identify an electrical signal from the outside, the coated layer 230 can be made of a material having electrical conductivity. For example, in the case where the conductive member 210 is used as a touch sensor identifying a capacitive touch input, the coated layer 230 can be made of a material having electrical conductivity.

[0071] According to various embodiments, the plating region in which the conductive member 210 is disposed can be thicker than other regions of the outer case 201. When the plating region is thick, the plating region can have a relatively high tolerance against external impact. Thus, damage to the conductive member 210 due to external impact can be prevented. The thick plating region can enable the conductive member 210 disposed in the plating region to maintain a designated performance.

[0072] According to another embodiment, as Figure 3 indicated, the conductive member 210 can be disposed on a second surface 201B of the outer case 201. The second surface 201B is a surface opposite the first surface 201A and can be a surface facing at least some of the electronic components arranged in the electronic device 200. In this case, the plating region in which the conductive member 210 is disposed can represent at least a partial region of the second surface 201B of the outer case 201. The second surface 201B of the outer case 201 can be a surface facing the electronic components disposed in the electronic device 200. The conductive member 210 disposed on the second surface 201B can be used as an electric wire electrically connected to the electronic components or can be used as a heat dissipation member disposed in a region facing a heat radiation component (e.g., a processor (e.g., the processor 120 in Figure 1 ), a power management module (e.g., the power management module 188 in Figure 1 ), and a battery (e.g., the battery 189 in Figure 1 )) that radiates a large amount of heat in order to transfer heat. In the case where the conductive member 210 is used as a heat dissipation member, the plating region in which the conductive member 210 is disposed can be a region facing the heat radiation component. The above-mentioned uses of the conductive member 210 merely correspond to examples, and the conductive member 210 can be used as various elements that require the transfer of an electrical signal or the transfer of heat.

[0073] According to various embodiments, Figure 4The electronic device shown can be an electronic device 400 that is worn in a user's ear and connected to an external electronic device via short-range communication to reproduce sound. A conductive member 410 may be disposed in a portion of a first surface 401A of the outer casing 401 that constitutes the appearance of the electronic device 400. The first surface 401A may indicate the exposed surface of the casing 401. The conductive member 410 can serve as an antenna for connecting an external electronic device to the electronic device 400. Additionally, the conductive member 410 can serve as a touch sensor for receiving touch input from a user. Figure 4 As shown in (b), the coating layer 430 may be disposed on the first surface 401A of the housing 401. The conductive member 410 is covered by the coating layer 430, so the conductive member 410 is not visible from the outside.

[0074] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of a manufacturing method according to various embodiments disclosed herein. Figure 6a This is a diagram showing a trench formed according to various embodiments disclosed herein. Figure 6b This indicates that the first polishing operation has been performed. Figure 6a The diagram shows the trench. Figure 6c This indicates that the first electroplating operation has been performed. Figure 6b The image shows the polished groove. Figure 6d This indicates that the second polishing operation has been performed. Figure 6c The diagram shows the first coating layer. Figure 6e This is a diagram showing the results of performing a second electroplating operation and a coating operation according to various embodiments disclosed herein. Figure 7 This is a graph showing the relationship between the thickness of a conductive component and its performance.

[0075] According to various embodiments, conductive components (e.g., Figure 2 The conductive component 210 and the coating layer 670 (e.g., Figure 2 The coating layer 230 can be formed in a manufacturing method including trenching operation 501, polishing operation (first polishing operation 502 and second polishing operation 504), electroplating operation (first electroplating operation 503 and second electroplating operation 505), and coating operation 506. The conductive component may include a first plating layer 620 and / or a second plating layer 630. Since the conductive component is composed of the first plating layer 620 and / or the second plating layer 630, the conductive component can be understood as being the same as or similar to the first plating layer 620 and / or the second plating layer 630.

[0076] According to various embodiments, trench operation 501 can be an operation of forming trench 610 in the electroplated region 601A of the housing 601. Trench 610 can refer to a finely textured portion including continuous peaks 611 and valleys 612, such as... Figure 6aThe peak 611 can refer to a portion that protrudes with respect to the reference surface 602, and the valley 612 can refer to a portion that is recessed with respect to the reference surface 602. The trench operation 501 can be performed by various process techniques. For example, the plating region 601A can be irradiated with a laser to form the trench 610, and a process such as etching or film peeling by which a portion of the plating region 601A is chemically etched using a solvent can be used. In addition, it is also possible to form the trench 610 by using a computer numerical control (CNC) milling process that physically finishes the plating region 601A by calculating arithmetic. The trench 610 can also be formed according to various other processes. With respect to forming the trench 610 by using a laser, the trench 610 can be formed by emitting a single laser beam, the trench 610 can be formed by emitting at least two laser beams overlappingly, or the trench 610 can be formed by emitting at least two laser beams spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval. The laser can be emitted in other various ways to form the trench 610. According to various embodiments, the trench 610 can be formed such that the depth of the valley 612 is about 10 to 15 micrometers and the height of the peak 611 is about 8 to 10 micrometers.

[0077] According to various embodiments, after the trench operation 501, a first polishing operation 502 can be performed. The first polishing operation 502 can be an operation of partially cutting the trench 610 formed in the plating region 601A by the trench operation 501. Referring to FIG. 6, the first polishing operation 502 can be performed on the plating region 601A to partially cut the trench 610 formed in the plating region 601A by the trench operation 501. Figure 6b The peak 611 of the trench 610 can be partially cut by the first polishing operation 502.

[0078] According to various embodiments, after the first polishing operation 502, a first plating operation 503 can be performed. The first plating operation 503 can include a degreasing operation, an etching operation, a neutralizing operation, a catalyzing operation, and an activating operation. The degreasing operation can be a cleaning operation to remove foreign substances such as grease that can be included in the plating area 601A. The etching operation can be an operation to remove an oxide film formed on a surface of the plating area 601A. The neutralizing operation and the catalyzing operation can be operations to prepare for forming a first plating layer 620 including a first metal material on the plating area 601A that has undergone the degreasing operation and the etching operation by plating. The neutralizing operation and the catalyzing operation can be operations to perform a reduction reaction in the plating area 601A in order to enable the first metal material to be deposited on the plating area 601A. The activating operation can be an operation to form the first plating layer 620 in the plating area 601A. According to various embodiments, the first metal material can include at least one of metal materials including nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), and silver (Ag). For example, in the activating operation, the plating area 601A can be plated in the order of nickel-copper-silver. In this case, the first plating layer 620 can be formed in the order of a nickel layer-copper layer-silver layer. The use of silver as the first metal material can reduce the cost of the plating process. According to various embodiments, when the trench 610 is formed, the valley 612 is formed to have a small depth, so that the amount of the first metal material consumed in the first plating operation 503 can be reduced, and the time required for the plating process can be reduced.

[0079] According to various embodiments, after the first plating operation 503, a second polishing operation 504 can be performed. The second polishing operation 504 can be an operation to partially cut the first plating layer 620. The first plating layer 620 cut in the second polishing operation 504 can be the first plating layer 620 formed on the peak 611 of the trench 610 that has been partially cut by the first polishing operation 502. When a portion of the first plating layer 620 is cut by the second polishing operation 504, the step can be reduced. When the portion of the housing 601 remaining after the plating area 601A is removed is the reference area 601B, the step between the plating area 601A and the reference area 601B can be reduced by the second polishing operation 504.

[0080] According to various embodiments, the second electroplating operation 505 can be an electroplating operation to form a second plating layer 630 including a second metal material. Details of the second electroplating operation 505 are the same as those of the first electroplating operation 503, and thus detailed descriptions will be omitted. In an embodiment, the second metal material can include a metal material including nickel (Ni). In another embodiment, the second metal material can be a metal material different from the first metal material. The addition of the second electroplating operation 505 can enable a thicker conductive member and improve performance of the conductive member.

[0081] Referring to Figure 7 , the thickness of the conductive member can be related to the performance of the conductive member. The conductive member can be constituted by the first plating layer 620 formed by the first electroplating operation 503 and / or the second plating layer 630 formed by the second electroplating operation 505. As shown in Figure 7 , the greater the thickness of the conductive member, the smaller the electrical resistance of the conductive member. Thus, the conductivity of the conductive member can be improved. In addition, as the surface of the conductive member becomes flat, the performance of the conductive member can be improved. In particular, in the case where the conductive member is used as an antenna pattern, the flatter the surface of the conductive member, the lower the reflection coefficient. Thus, the efficiency of the antenna can be improved. In the manufacturing method according to various embodiments disclosed herein, the first polishing operation 502 and the second polishing operation 504 are performed after the formation of the trench 610 to obtain a flat surface. Thus, even when the same metal material is used, a conductive member having a thick and flat surface can be obtained. In addition, the step resulting from the formation of the trench is reduced by the polishing operations (e.g., the first polishing operation 502 and the second polishing operation 504), and thus the first plating layer 620 and the second plating layer 630 can have a reduced thickness. For example, the thickness of the conductive member including the first plating layer 620 and the second plating layer 630 can be about 11 to 15 micrometers. In an embodiment, the thickness of the layer including copper (Cu) and silver (Ag) in the conductive member can be about 8 micrometers. As described above, the reduction in the thickness of the conductive member can reduce the step between the reference region 601B and the electroplating region 601A in which the conductive member is disposed. Thus, the process of compensating for the step in the coating operation 506 so as to hinder the external visibility of the conductive member can be simplified.

[0082] According to various embodiments, the coating layer 670 is formed on the first surface of the outer case 601 including the plating area 601A provided with the conductive member (the first plating layer 620 and the second plating layer 630) through a coating operation 506. Accordingly, the conductive member can not be seen from the outside of the electronic device as it is covered by the coating layer 670. The coating operation 506 can include a plurality of operations. In an embodiment, the coating operation 506 can include a step compensation operation, a coloring operation, and a protection operation. Each of the above-described coating operations 506 corresponds to an example only, and some operations can be added or some operations can be omitted. According to various embodiments, the coating layer 670 can include a compensation layer 640, a coloring layer 650, and a protection layer 660.

[0083] According to various embodiments, the step compensation operation can be an operation for forming the compensation layer 640 to eliminate a step between the plating area 601A provided with the conductive member and the reference area 601B other than the plating area 601. For example, the compensation layer 640 can be made of a material such as a primer or a surface coating agent. Such a compensation layer 640 can strengthen the adhesion between the coloring layer 650 and the compensation layer 640 in order to prevent the coloring layer 650 to be laminated on the compensation layer 640 from being delaminated from the compensation layer 640. In addition, the material included in the compensation layer 640 can include an anti-rust material. According to various embodiments disclosed herein, the step between the plating area 601A and the reference area 601B has been compensated by a predetermined amount through the polishing operations (the first polishing operation 502 and the second polishing operation 504). Accordingly, a high-cost material such as putty is not required for step compensation. Therefore, the process cost can be significantly reduced. In an embodiment, the compensation layer 640 can be made of two or more different primers. For example, two primers can be used. A portion of the step has been removed through the polishing operations 502, 504, and thus the amount and the number of primers for step compensation can be reduced as needed.

[0084] According to various embodiments, the coloring operation can be an operation of forming the coloring layer 650. The coloring layer 650 can be formed of a colored paint. The thickness of the coloring layer 650 is configured to be several angstroms so that the coloring layer 650 appears to look like metal.

[0085] According to various embodiments, an operation of forming a UV coating layer (not illustrated) including a UV coating material can be further included between the step compensation operation and the coloring operation.

[0086] According to various embodiments, the protection operation can be an operation of forming the protection layer 660 on the coloring layer 650. This operation can be an operation of forming a coating film on the coloring layer 650 so that the protection layer 660 protects the coloring layer 650.

[0087] The above-described coating operation 506 can be variously changed within the understanding of those skilled in the art. For example, some of the above-described coating operation 506 can be omitted, and the materials used in each operation can be variously changed as necessary.

[0088] Through the above-described coating operation 506, the conductive member can be prevented from being seen from the outside of the electronic device. The step between the reference region 601B and the conductive member or the step between the reference region 610B and the plating region 601A in which the conductive member is provided has been compensated for by the polishing operations 502, 504, and thus the surface step of the coating layer 670 can also be reduced. The reduction of the step between the plating region 601A and the reference region 601B can solve a problem in which the conductive member is visible from the outside due to the step between the portion in which the conductive member is provided and the portion in which the conductive member is not provided.

[0089] Figure 5 The flowchart of the manufacturing method illustrated in FIG. 10 corresponds to an example only, and the manufacturing method can be variously changed within the understanding of those skilled in the art. Some of the operations of the manufacturing method illustrated in FIG. 10 can be omitted, and the order of parts thereof can be changed. Figure 5 The wording “... operation” in the above-described description does not limit the order of processes. The so-called “operation” can be understood as “... process” or “... action”.

[0090] For example, a plating operation other than the first plating operation 503 and the second plating operation 505 can be added, and the second plating operation 505 can be omitted.

[0091] In addition, in Figure 5 In the above-described description, the polishing operation is described as being performed twice because it includes the first polishing operation and the second polishing operation, but the number of times of the polishing operation is not limited thereto. For example, the polishing operation can be performed once. In this case, the polishing operation can be performed once after the trench operation, can be performed once after the first plating operation, or can be performed once after the first plating operation and the second plating operation. In addition, the order of performance of the polishing operation can be variously changed. For example, the polishing operation can be performed after the trench operation and before the first plating operation or the second plating operation, can be performed after the first plating operation, and can be performed after the first plating operation or the second plating operation.

[0092] In addition, the coating operation 506 can be omitted.

[0093] Figure 8 is a graph of a performance comparison between an antenna provided on an FPCB and a conductive member serving as an antenna and formed according to various embodiments disclosed herein.

[0094] Figure 8is a performance graph of an antenna provided on a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB), Figure 8 is a performance graph of a case where the conductive member formed in the manufacturing method provided in the disclosure is used as an antenna. Referring to Figure 8 It can be noted that the radiation efficiency of graph (b) is higher around about 700 MHz to 800 MHz. This frequency band is a frequency band corresponding to frequency band 28 in long term evolution (LTE). Accordingly, it can be noted that the conductive member formed in the manufacturing method disclosed in the disclosure has improved performance in a specific frequency band compared to a conventional antenna using an FPCB.

[0095] Referring to Figure 8 It can be noted that the performance of the antenna formed in the manufacturing method provided in the disclosure is generally higher than that of an antenna using an FPCB in a 1 GHz or less frequency band (low frequency band). The portion of the antenna from which a signal is actually radiated is advantageously spaced apart from other electronic components of the electronic device. In the manufacturing method provided in the disclosure, the conductive member is formed on a housing (e.g., an injection-molded body) constituting the appearance of the electronic device, and the conductive member is used as an antenna. The conductive member is formed on the outer surface of the electronic device and can be used as a radiator of the antenna, and thus a high antenna radiation efficiency can be obtained.

[0096] Figure 9 is a graph of a performance comparison depending on the presence / absence of a coating layer in a case where the conductive member formed according to various embodiments disclosed herein is used as an antenna.

[0097] Figure 9 Graph (a) and graph (b) are both performance graphs of a case where the conductive member formed in the manufacturing method provided in the disclosure is used as an antenna. Graph (a) shows a case where a coating layer is formed, and graph (b) indicates a case where no coating layer is formed. Referring to Figure 9 , the shapes of graph (a) and graph (b) are similar. Accordingly, it can be noted that even when a coating layer is formed in a plating region where the conductive member is provided, there is no effect on the performance of the conductive member.

[0098] Hereinafter, a manufacturing method of an electronic device according to an embodiment different from the above-described embodiments and an electronic device manufactured by the manufacturing method will be described with reference to Figures 10 to 15c

[0099] Figure 10 is a graph of a housing of an electronic device according to various embodiments disclosed herein. Figure 11a is Figure 10 is a magnified view of a P1 portion shown in Figure 11b is a magnified view of a P2 portion shown in Figure 10 is a magnified view of a P2 portion shown in​

[0100] According to various embodiments, electronic device 1000 (e.g., Figure 1 Electronic device 101 or Figure 2 The housing 1010 of the electronic device 200 in the device (e.g., Figure 2 The housing 1010 can constitute at least a part of the appearance of the electronic device 1000. The housing 1010 can be an element that houses and supports various electrical objects included in the electronic device 1000 (e.g., a general term for various devices that include electronic components and therefore conductive members), as well as structural objects other than electrical objects. The shape of the housing 1010 is not limited to... Figure 10 The shape shown. Furthermore, the housing 1010 can be manufactured using various methods. For example, multiple parts can be manufactured separately and then coupled together to manufacture the housing 1010.

[0101] In an embodiment, the housing 1010 may include an outer surface 1010A and an inner surface 1010B. The inner surface 1010B of the housing 1010 may be a surface on which various electrical objects and / or structural objects housed within the housing 1010 are housed, or supported by, the surface. The outer surface 1010A of the housing 1010 may be a surface of the housing 1010 opposite to the inner surface 1010B, and this outer surface 1010A constitutes part of the appearance of the electronic device 1000. According to various embodiments, a conductive member 1020 may be disposed on the housing 1010.

[0102] Reference Figure 10 , Figure 11a and Figure 11b The first conductive member 1021 can be positioned on the outer surface 1010A of the housing 1010. For example, the first conductive member 1021 can be at least partially formed on the outer surface 1010A of the housing 1010 by electroplating. The process for forming the first conductive member 1021 on the outer surface 1010A of the housing 1010 will be described later. For example, as Figure 10 As shown, the first conductive member 1021 may be disposed in the upper part of the outer surface 1010A of the housing 1010 (e.g., Figure 10 The P1 portion) and the lower part of the housing 1010 (e.g., Figure 10 The portion marked with P2 in the attached figure. Figure 10 The external shape of the first conductive member 1021 shown is merely an example, and the position of the first conductive member 1021 is also merely an example. The shape and position of the first conductive member 1021 can be varied depending on the design of the electronic device 1000.

[0103] Reference Figure 10 ,Figure 11a and Figure 11b The second conductive member 1022 can be positioned on the inner surface 1010B of the housing 1010. For example, the second conductive member 1022 can be formed at least partially on the inner surface 1010B of the housing 1010 by plating. The process of forming the second conductive member 1022 on the inner surface 1010B of the housing 1010 will be described later. For example, as shown in Figure 10 , the second conductive member 1022 can be disposed on portions of the outer surface 1010A located at the upper portion (e.g., the P1 portion) of the housing 1010 and the lower portion (e.g., the reference numeral P2) of the housing 1010. Figure 10 Figure 10 The outer shape of the second conductive member 1022 shown in Figure 10 corresponds to an example only, and the position of the second conductive member 1022 also corresponds to an example only. The shape and position of the second conductive member 1022 can be changed differently according to the design of the electronic device 1000.

[0104] According to various embodiments, a hole portion 1030 can be disposed on the housing 1010. The hole portion 1030 can be a hole extending through a portion of the housing 1010. The hole portion 1030 can be formed on the housing 1010 in various methods. For example, in the case where the housing 1010 is formed by injection molding, the housing 1010 can be manufactured by using a mold including a portion in which the hole portion 1030 included in the housing 1010 is to be formed. In addition, the hole portion 1030 can be formed by perforating the housing 1010 using a separate processing tool. In an embodiment, a third conductive member 1023 can be disposed on the hole portion 1030. For example, the third conductive member 1023 can be formed on the inner surface of the hole portion 1030 by plating. The third conductive member 1023 disposed on the inner surface of the hole portion 1030 can connect the first conductive member 1021 disposed on the outer surface 1010A of the housing 1010 to the second conductive member 1022 disposed on the inner surface 1010B of the housing 1010.

[0105] According to various embodiments, the third conductive member (e.g., the third conductive member 1023 in Figure 12 ) disposed on the hole portion 1030 can connect the first conductive member 1021 and the second conductive member 1022. For example, as shown in Figure 11a , the first (1-1) conductive member 1021-1 can be connected to the second (2-1) conductive member 1022-1 through the third conductive member disposed on the first hole portion 1031. The first (1-2) conductive member 1021-2 can be connected to the second (2-2) conductive member 1022-2 through the third conductive member disposed on the second hole portion 1032. In addition, referring to Figure 11b ​The first (1-3) conductive member 1021-3 can be connected to the second (2-3) conductive member 1022-3 through a third conductive member disposed on the third hole portion 1033. Although not shown in the drawings, a third conductive member disposed on the fourth hole portion 1034 can connect the first (1-3) conductive member 1021-3 disposed on the outer surface 1010A of the housing 1010 to the second conductive member 1022 disposed on the inner surface 1010B of the housing 1010. The connection of the conductive members 1020 can mean that the conductive members 1020 are physically connected (this connection includes continuous connection), and thus an electric signal can be transmitted through the conductive members 1020. For example, when the first conductive member 1021 is connected to the second conductive member 1022 through the third conductive member, an electric signal that has been transmitted to the second conductive member 1022 can be transmitted to the first conductive member 1021 through the third conductive member.

[0106] According to various embodiments, the conductive members 1020 can be used as elements in the electronic device 1000 that need to transmit an electric signal. For example, the conductive members 1020 can be used as an antenna used for short distance communication and long distance communication of the electronic device 1000. In addition, the conductive members 1020 can be used as an electric wire that electrically connects various electronic components. In addition, the conductive members can be differently used as a touch sensor for recognizing a capacitive touch input and a grip sensor (for example, the conductive member 410 in FIG. 4). Figure 4 The above-mentioned use of the conductive members 1020 corresponds only to an example, and the conductive members 1020 can be used as various elements that need to transmit an electric signal.

[0107] Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of a partially cut hole portion according to various embodiments disclosed herein. Figure 13a is a view of a hole portion when viewed in one direction according to various embodiments disclosed herein. Figure 13b is a cross-sectional view of a hole portion shown in Figure 13a after being cut along an A-A line.

[0108] According to various embodiments, a hole portion 1030 can be formed on the housing 1010. A third conductive member 1023 can be disposed in a partial area of an inner surface of the hole portion 1030. As shown in Figure 12 The third conductive member 1023 disposed on the inner surface of the hole portion 1030 can connect the first conductive member 1021 disposed on the outer surface 1010A of the housing 1010 to the second conductive member 1022 disposed on the inner surface 1010B of the housing 1010.

[0109] According to various embodiments, the hole portion 1030 can include a first portion 1031 and a second portion 1032. Referring to Figure 12 andFigure 13b The first portion 1031 is a portion that is adjacent to the inner surface 1010B of the housing 1010, and the second portion 1032 is a portion that is adjacent to the outer surface 1010A of the housing 1010.

[0110] In an embodiment, the first portion 1031 can be a portion that extends in a direction toward the outer surface 1010A of the housing 1010 from the inner surface 1010B of the housing 1010. The first portion 1031 can have a first diameter D1. For example, the first diameter D1 can be about 1.5 mm to 5.5 mm. The second portion 1032 can be a portion that extends in a direction toward the outer surface 1010A of the housing 1010 from an end of the first portion 1031. The diameter of the second portion 1032 can gradually decrease from a second diameter D2 in a direction toward the outer surface 1010A of the housing 1010. The height H2 of the second portion 1032 can be about 20% to 50% of the entire height (H1+H2) of the hole portion 1030.

[0111] In an embodiment, the height H1 of the first portion 1031 can be different from the height H2 of the second portion 1032. In another embodiment, the height H1 of the first portion 1031 can be the same as the height H2 of the second portion 1032.

[0112] In an embodiment, the second diameter D2 can be smaller than the first diameter D1. For example, the second diameter D2 can be about 1.0 mm to 3.5 mm. The first diameter D1 of the first portion 1031 and the second diameter D2 of the beginning portion of the second portion 1032 are different from each other. Thus, as shown in FIG. 10B, there can be a step between the first portion 1031 and the second portion 1032. This step can cause the filler to be fixed and accommodated in the hole portion 1030 without leaking out of the hole portion 1030 when the filler is injected into the first portion 1031. Figure 13b In an embodiment, a third diameter D3, which is the diameter of the end point of the second portion 1032, can be smaller than the second diameter D2. For example, the third diameter D3 can be about 0.4 mm to 0.8 mm.

[0113] In an embodiment, a third conductive member 1023 can be disposed in a portion of the hole portion 1030. The third conductive member 1023 can be disposed in a partial area of the inner surface of the hole portion 1030. For example, referring to FIG. 10B, the third conductive member 1023 can be disposed in the second portion 1032 on the inner surface of the hole portion 1030. Figure 13b In an embodiment, the height H3 of the portion in which the third conductive member 1023 is disposed can be about 30% to 100% of the height H2 of the second portion 1032. Referring to FIG. 10B, the third conductive member 1023 can be disposed locally or throughout the second portion 1032 on the inner surface of the hole portion 1030. Figure 12The third conductive member 1023 can be disposed on a portion of the first portion 1031 of the hole portion 1030. As described above, the third conductive member 1023 is disposed only in a portion of the hole portion 1030, whereby the filler occupying the hole portion 1030 can be in direct contact with the inner wall of the hole portion 1030 through the portion where the third conductive member 1023 is not disposed. For example, in the case where the filler and the housing 1010 are made of synthetic resin materials, the affinity between the filler and the housing 1010 can be relatively better than the affinity between the filler and the third conductive member 1023. Accordingly, when the filler is in direct contact with the inner wall of the hole portion 1030, the filler can be more stably placed on the hole portion 1030 than the contact between the filler and the third conductive member 1023.

[0114] In an embodiment, the hole portion 1060 can have a shape in which the diameter changes from the inner surface 1010B of the housing to the outer surface 1010A. For example, the hole portion 1060 can have a shape in which the diameter decreases from the inner surface 1010B of the housing to the outer surface 1010A.

[0115] The shapes and sizes of the hole portions 1030 and 1060 described above merely correspond to examples, and the shapes and sizes of the hole portion 1030 can be variously changed according to various design elements.

[0116] Next, referring to Figure 14 and Figures 15a to 15c a process of forming a conductive member on a housing will be described.

[0117] Figure 14 is a flowchart of a manufacturing method of an electronic device according to various embodiments disclosed herein. Figures 15a to 15c is a diagram illustrating a conductive member formed in accordance with a manufacturing method of an electronic device according to various embodiments disclosed herein.

[0118] In the following description, the term "plating region" is a region in which plating is performed, and can indicate a portion where the conductive member 1020 is disposed. Accordingly, the following first plating region can be understood as a portion where the above-described first conductive member 1021 is disposed, the second plating region can be understood as a portion where the above-described second conductive member 1022 is disposed, and the third plating region can be understood as a portion where the above-described third conductive member 1023 is disposed. Hereinafter, the plating region corresponding to the conductive member 1020 will be described using the same reference numeral as that of the conductive member. Referring to Figure 10 、 Figure 11a and Figure 11b to obtain examples of the position of the plating region.

[0119] In addition, the following process of forming a conductive member can be similar to the process described with reference to Figure 5The above-described processes are described. Thus, for the processes described with reference to Figure 5 The processes described with reference to Figure 5 will be omitted.

[0120] In addition, Figure 14 The flowchart illustrated in FIG. 13 is merely an example. Some operations illustrated in FIG. 13 can be omitted or different operations can be added, and the order of the operations can be changed as needed. Figure 14

[0121] According to various embodiments, a hole portion 1030 can be formed on a housing (e.g., the housing 1010 in FIG. 10) (operation 1401). The hole portion 1030 formed on the housing can be formed using various methods. For example, the housing on which the hole portion 1030 is formed can be formed by injection molding the housing using a mold that takes the hole portion 1030 into consideration, or the hole portion 1030 can be formed on the housing using a machining tool. The hole portion 1030 can be formed using various other methods. Figure 10

[0122] According to various embodiments, a groove (e.g., the groove 610 in FIG. 6) can be formed in a partial area of a housing (operation 1402). The groove can indicate a fine concavo-convex portion including a continuous peak (e.g., the peak 611 in FIG. 6) and a valley (e.g., the valley 612 in FIG. 6). In a first plating operation 1404 described later, a plated layer (e.g., the plated layer 620 in FIG. 6) can be formed on the portion on which the groove is formed. Thus, the groove can be formed in a first plating area in which the first conductive member 1021 is disposed (e.g., the area in which the first conductive member 1021 is disposed in FIG. 6), a second plating area in which the second conductive member 1022 is disposed (e.g., the area in which the second conductive member 1022 is disposed in FIG. 6), and a third plating area in which the third conductive member 1023 is disposed (e.g., the area in which the third conductive member 1023 is disposed in FIG. 6). As described with reference to Figure 6a Figure 6a Figure 6a Figure 6d Figure 10 Figure 10 Figure 12 Figure 12 Figure 5 For a more detailed description of the groove forming operation 1402, see

[0123] ​​​​​​​​​​According to various embodiments, a first polishing operation 1403 may be performed. The first polishing operation 1403 may be an operation of partially cutting trenches. For example, trenches formed in the first electroplating area, the second electroplating area, and the third electroplating area may be cut. The first polishing operation 1403 may be an operation on the coating layer formed in the coating operation 1410 (e.g., Figure 6e The quality of the coating layer 670 is taken into consideration during the operation. Therefore, the first polishing operation 1403 can be performed only in the first electroplating area where the coating layer is formed. See also Figure 5 To obtain a more detailed description of the first polishing operation 1403.

[0124] According to various embodiments, after the first polishing operation 1403, a first electroplating operation 1404 may be performed. The first electroplating operation 1404 may involve forming a first plating layer comprising a first metallic material in the first electroplating area, the second electroplating area, and the third electroplating area (e.g., Figure 6d The operation of the first plating layer (620) in the first electroplating operation. The first plating layer formed in the electroplating area by the first electroplating operation 1404 can constitute part of the conductive component. See also Figure 5 To obtain a more detailed description of the first electroplating operation 1404.

[0125] According to various embodiments, a second polishing operation 1405 can be performed after the first electroplating operation 1404. The second polishing operation 1405 may be an operation that partially cuts away the first plating layer formed in the first electroplating operation 1404. The second polishing operation 1405 may be an operation that takes into account the quality of the coating layer. Therefore, the second polishing operation 1405 can be performed only in the first electroplating area where the coating layer is formed. See also Figure 5 For a more detailed description of the second polishing operation 1405.

[0126] According to various embodiments, after the second polishing operation 1405, a second electroplating operation 1406 may be performed. The second electroplating operation 1406 may involve forming a second plating layer comprising a second metallic material in the electroplating area (e.g., Figure 6e The second electroplating operation 1406 is a similar electroplating operation to the first electroplating operation 1404. See also the description of the first electroplating operation 1404. Figure 5 To obtain a more detailed description of the second electroplating operation 1406.

[0127] According to various embodiments, after the second plating operation 1406, a hole portion filling operation 1407 can be performed. The hole portion filling operation 1407 can be an operation of filling the hole portion 1030 with a filler. The filler can be a synthetic resin material. For example, the filler can be a light-cured resin (e.g., a UV resin). The filler can occupy the hole portion 1030 in various methods. For example, the filler can occupy the hole portion 1030 using various devices such as a dispensing device capable of injecting a molten liquid into a specific space, a pumping device, or a jet pumping device. In an embodiment, the filler can be injected into a first portion (e.g., the first portion 1031 in the hole portion 1030) of the hole portion 1030. As shown in FIG. 15A, the filler injected into the first portion 1031 can partially protrude from the outer surface 1010A of the housing 1010 through a second portion (e.g., the second portion 1032 in the hole portion 1030) (as indicated by reference numeral 1510). According to various embodiments, after the filler is applied, a post-processing operation including a process of curing the filler can be performed. Various methods can be used according to the type of the filler. The post-processing operation of curing the filler can be performed using light, heat, or a catalyst. Figure 12 Figure 15a As shown in FIG. 15A, the filler injected into the first portion 1031 can partially protrude from the outer surface 1010A of the housing 1010 through a second portion (e.g., the second portion 1032 in the hole portion 1030) (as indicated by reference numeral 1510). According to various embodiments, after the filler is applied, a post-processing operation including a process of curing the filler can be performed. Various methods can be used according to the type of the filler. The post-processing operation of curing the filler can be performed using light, heat, or a catalyst. Figure 12

[0128] According to various embodiments, after the hole portion filling operation 1407, an additional polishing operation 1408 can be performed. The additional polishing operation 1408 can be an operation of removing the protrusion 1510 of the filler partially protruding from the outer surface 1010A of the housing 1010 due to the previously performed hole portion filling operation 1407. Referring to FIG. 15B, the protrusion 1510 of the filler can be removed by the additional polishing operation 1408. A crack C can be formed on a portion of the plating layer disposed in the first plating region 1021 of the outer surface 1010A of the housing 1010. This can cause unevenness of the surface of the plating layer in the first plating region 1021. Figure 15b

[0129] According to various embodiments, after the additional polishing operation 1408, an additional plating operation 1409 can be performed. The additional plating operation 1409 can be a plating operation to compensate for the crack C formed on the surface of the plating layer in the first plating region 1021 in the additional polishing operation 1408. A new plating layer can be formed on the surface of the plating layer in the first plating region 1021 by the additional plating operation 1409. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 15C, the flatness of the surface of the plating layer in the first plating region 1021 can be improved. Figure 15c

[0130] According to various embodiments, after the additional plating operation 1409, an additional coating operation 1410 can be performed. The coating operation 1410 can be an operation of forming a coating layer on at least a portion of the outer surface 1010A of the housing 1010. Referring to FIG. 15D,​​​​Figure 6e The first plating region 1021 can be covered by a coating layer disposed on the outer surface 1010A of the housing 1010. In various embodiments disclosed herein, the surface flatness of the outer surface 1010A of the housing 1010 can be improved by a polishing operation (e.g., the first polishing operation 1403, the second polishing operation 1405, and the additional polishing operation 1408) and a hole portion filling operation 1407. As described above, the coating layer is formed on the outer surface 1010A of the housing 1010 that has been flatly processed, and thus the quality of the coating layer can be improved. See Figure 5 For a more detailed description of the coating operation 1410.

[0131] A manufacturing method of an electronic device according to various embodiments disclosed herein can include a trench operation of forming a trench in a plating region, wherein the plating region is at least a partial region of a first surface of an outer housing that at least partially constitutes an appearance of the electronic device, the first surface being exposed to the outside, a first plating operation of forming a first plating layer including a first metal material in the plating region, a polishing operation of polishing the plating region, and a coating operation of forming a coating layer on the first surface of the outer housing.

[0132] In addition, the polishing operation can include a first polishing operation of polishing the plating region before the first plating operation and a second polishing operation of polishing the plating region after the first plating operation.

[0133] In addition, the operation of forming the trench can be performed by emitting laser light to form a fine concave-convex portion including continuous peaks and valleys in the plating region.

[0134] In addition, the polishing operation can be an operation of cutting at least one of a portion of the peaks of the fine concave-convex portion and a portion of the first plating layer so as to reduce a step between the plating region and a reference region other than the plating region.

[0135] In addition, the method can further include a second plating operation of forming a second plating layer including a second metal material after the second polishing operation.

[0136] In addition, the first metal material can include at least one of the following metal materials: the metal material includes nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), and silver (Ag).

[0137] In addition, the second metal material can include the following metal material: the metal material includes nickel (Ni).

[0138] In addition, the coating operation can include a step compensation operation of forming a compensation layer on the first surface to compensate for a step on the first surface of the outer case, a coloring operation of forming a colored layer having a color on the compensation layer, and a protection operation of forming a protection layer on the colored layer to protect the colored layer.

[0139] In addition, the step compensation operation of the coating operation can include forming the compensation layer by using different types of primers.

[0140] A manufacturing method of an electronic device according to various embodiments disclosed herein can include a trench operation of forming a trench in a plating area, wherein the plating area is at least a partial area of a second surface of an outer case that at least partially constitutes an appearance of the electronic device, the second surface being opposite to a first surface exposed to the outside, a polishing operation of polishing the plating area, and a first plating operation of forming a first plating layer including a first metal material in the plating area.

[0141] In addition, the polishing operation can include a first polishing operation of polishing the plating area before the first plating operation and a second polishing operation of polishing the plating area after the first plating operation.

[0142] In addition, the method can further include a second plating operation of forming a second plating layer including a second metal material after the second polishing operation.

[0143] In addition, the plating area can be an area facing a heat radiation component of the electronic device.

[0144] An electronic device according to various embodiments disclosed herein can include an outer case constituting an appearance of the electronic device, a conductive member disposed in a plating area that is at least a partial area of a first surface of the outer case exposed to the outside, and a coating layer disposed on the first surface to cover the conductive member disposed in the plating area.

[0145] In addition, the conductive member and the coating layer can be formed by a manufacturing method including a trench operation of forming a trench in a plating area, a first plating operation of forming a first plating layer including a first metal material in the plating area, a polishing operation of polishing the plating area, and a coating operation of forming a coating layer on the first surface of the outer case.

[0146] In addition, the polishing operation of the manufacturing method can include a first polishing operation of polishing the plating region before the first plating operation and a second polishing operation of polishing the plating region after the first plating operation.

[0147] In addition, the trench operation of the manufacturing method can be performed by emitting laser light to form a fine concave-convex portion including continuous peaks and valleys in the plating region.

[0148] In addition, the polishing operation of the manufacturing method can be an operation of cutting at least one of a portion of the peaks of the fine concave-convex portion and a portion of the first plating layer to reduce a step between the plating region and a reference region other than the plating region.

[0149] In addition, the manufacturing method can further include a second plating operation of forming a second plating layer including a second metal material after the second polishing operation.

[0150] In addition, the plating region can be a region thicker than other regions of the outer housing.

[0151] A manufacturing method of an electronic device according to various embodiments disclosed herein can include an operation of forming a hole portion on a housing, wherein the housing constitutes at least a portion of an outer appearance of the electronic device; a trench operation of forming a trench in a first plating region, forming a trench in a second plating region, and forming a trench in a third plating region, wherein the first plating region is at least a partial region of an outer surface of the housing, the second plating region is at least a partial region of an inner surface of the housing, the third plating region is connected to the first plating region and the second plating region, and the third plating region is at least a partial region of an inner surface of the hole portion formed in the electronic device; a first plating operation of forming a first plating layer including a first metal material in at least one of the first plating region, the second plating region, and the third plating region; a polishing operation of polishing the first plating region; a filling operation of filling the hole portion with a filler; an additional polishing operation of polishing the first plating region including a portion of the filler that protrudes from the outer surface of the housing due to occupying the hole portion; and an additional plating operation of plating the first plating region.

[0152] In addition, the polishing operation can include a first polishing operation of polishing the plating region before the first plating operation and a second polishing operation of polishing the plating region after the first plating operation.

[0153] In addition, the method can further include a second plating operation of forming a second plated layer including a second metal material after the second polishing operation.

[0154] In addition, the third plated region can correspond to a partial region of the inner surface of the hole portion, and a region remaining after excluding the third plated region from the inner surface of the hole portion can be in direct contact with the filler.

[0155] In addition, the hole portion can include a first portion extending from the inner surface of the housing in a direction toward the outer surface of the housing at a first diameter, and a second portion gradually decreasing in diameter from a second diameter toward the outer surface of the housing from an end of the first portion.

[0156] In addition, the method can further include a coating operation of forming a coating layer on the outer surface of the housing.

[0157] An electronic device according to various embodiments disclosed herein can include a housing constituting at least a portion of an outer appearance of the electronic device and including a hole portion, a first conductive member formed in at least a partial region of an outer surface of the housing by plating, a second conductive member formed in at least a partial region of an inner surface of the housing by plating, a third conductive member formed in at least a partial region of an inner surface of the hole portion by plating to connect the first conductive member and the second conductive member, and a coating layer disposed on the outer surface of the housing.

[0158] In addition, the third conductive member is disposed in a partial region of the inner surface of the hole portion, and a region remaining after excluding a portion in which the third conductive member is disposed from the inner surface of the hole portion is in direct contact with a filler occupying the hole portion.

[0159] In addition, the hole portion can include a first portion extending from the inner surface of the housing in a direction toward the outer surface of the housing at a first diameter, and a second portion gradually decreasing in diameter from a second diameter toward the outer surface of the housing from an end of the first portion.

[0160] The housing of the electronic device can refer to a structure constituting an appearance of the electronic device. The housing of the electronic device can be manufactured by the above-described method. For example, the housing of the electronic device can include an outer housing, a conductive member in which a trench formed on the outer housing is plated with the conductive member, and a coating layer.

[0161] The embodiments disclosed herein described and illustrated in the specification and drawings have been presented in order to easily explain technical content of the embodiments disclosed herein and help understanding of the embodiments disclosed herein, and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments disclosed herein. Therefore, the scope of the various embodiments disclosed herein should be interpreted as including all changes and modifications derived from the technical idea of the various embodiments disclosed herein in addition to the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An electronic device, the electronic device comprising: A housing having grooves formed on a surface of the housing, the grooves including valleys and peaks, the valleys being recessed relative to the surface of the housing and the peaks being convex relative to the surface of the housing; A first conductive component, wherein the first conductive component is plated in the trench; as well as A coating layer is laminated onto the housing to cover the first conductive component. The peak of the trench includes a first truncated portion formed by removing a portion of the peak. The first conductive member includes a second cut-off portion, which is formed by removing the electroplated portion corresponding to the first cut-off portion of the trench. The first and second cut-off portions are formed to reduce the step between the first conductive member and the reference surface of the housing, wherein the reference surface is the surface of the housing without the groove. The electronic device transmits or receives wireless signals through the first conductive component.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising: A second conductive component is disposed between the first conductive component and the coating layer.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein, The region of the first surface of the housing includes the trench, the first conductive member, and the coating layer located in the region, and The area of ​​the second surface of the housing opposite to the first surface is coated with a second conductive component.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, further comprising: A hole is provided on the housing; as well as A third conductive component is plated at the hole to connect the first conductive component and the second conductive component.

5. The electronic device according to claim 4, wherein, The third conductive component is plated onto a portion of the inner surface of the hole by electroplating, and the area of ​​the hole not plated with the third conductive component is in direct contact with the filler filling the hole.

6. The electronic device according to claim 4, wherein, The hole includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion extends from the second surface of the housing with a first diameter in a direction toward the first surface of the housing. The diameter of the second portion gradually decreases from the end of the first portion in a direction toward the first surface of the housing, and the second diameter is smaller than the first diameter.

7. A method for manufacturing an electronic device, the method comprising: A trenching operation is performed to form a trench in a first electroplating area, wherein the first electroplating area is at least a portion of the first surface of the housing; A first electroplating operation forms a first plating layer in the first electroplating area, wherein the first plating layer includes a first metallic material for transmitting or receiving wireless signals; Polishing operation, polishing the first electroplated area; and A coating operation is performed to form a coating layer on the first surface of the housing. The polishing operation includes a first polishing operation that polishes the trench before the first electroplating operation and a second polishing operation that polishes the first plating layer after the first electroplating operation. The polishing operation is performed by cutting at least one of the peak of the groove in the first electroplating area and at least one of the first plating layer to reduce the step between the first electroplating area of ​​the housing and the reference area, the reference area being the area of ​​the housing where the groove is not formed.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein, The coating operation includes: A step compensation operation is performed to form a compensation layer on the first surface to compensate for steps on the first surface of the housing; A coloring operation is performed to form a colored layer on the compensation layer; and A protective operation is performed by forming a protective layer on the colored layer to protect it. The step compensation operation of the coating process includes using different types of primers to form the compensation layer.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising: The operation of forming a hole in the housing, The trenching operation includes forming trenches in a second electroplating region and a third electroplating region, wherein the second electroplating region is at least a portion of a second surface of the housing opposite to the first surface, and the third electroplating region is at least a portion of the inner surface of the hole. The first electroplating operation includes forming a first plating layer comprising the first metal material in at least one of the first electroplating region, the second electroplating region, and the third electroplating region.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising: A filling operation is performed to fill the holes with filler. Additional polishing operation is performed on the first electroplated area, including the portion of the filler that protrudes from the first surface of the housing due to filling the holes; as well as An additional electroplating operation is performed on the first electroplated area, which has already been additionally polished.

Images