Electronic device

Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes: a hinge housing extending in a direction of a rotation axis; a first housing connected to one side of the hinge housing in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis to rotate about the rotation axis with respect to the hinge housing; a second housing connected to an opposite side of the hinge housing in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis to rotate about the rotation axis with respect to the hinge housing; and a flexible display including a bending region at least partially disposed in the hinge housing and formed as a flat surface or a curved surface, a first region extending from the bending region in one direction perpendicular to the rotation axis, and a second region extending from the bending region in an opposite direction perpendicular to the rotation axis.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application is a divisional application of patent application No. 2020103699140 (invention title: electronic device) filed on April 30, 2020. The application is based on and claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0052458 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on May 3, 2019, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to an electronic device including a display. Background Art

[0004] The foldable electronic device may include a flexible display including a curved area of ​​which a portion can be deformed into a curved surface or a flat surface. The foldable electronic device may include a flat state for providing a large screen to a user and a folded state for providing mobility to a user.

[0005] The flexible display may include a plurality of layers. In a folded state, shear stress depending on the difference in curvature radius between the layers may be formed in the curved region of the flexible display. Therefore, the curved region may be susceptible to external impact compared to other regions.

[0006] The above information is provided as background information only to assist with understanding the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above may be used as prior art with respect to the present disclosure. Summary of the invention

[0007] A foldable electronic device may include a flexible display and a housing structure in which the flexible display is mounted. When an external impact (e.g., a drop impact) is applied to the foldable electronic device, shear stress may be generated between the housing structure and the flexible display. This shear stress may reduce the surface quality of the flexible display. In order to alleviate the shear stress, the flexible display may be attached to the housing structure in a movable manner within a certain range.

[0008] In the case where an external impact (e.g., a drop impact) is applied to the foldable electronic device, the flexible display movably attached to the housing structure may collide with the internal structure of the housing structure. The housing structure formed of a rigid material may damage the flexible display. In particular, the bending area that is relatively susceptible to impact may be damaged.

[0009] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, in order to at least solve the above problems and / or disadvantages, an electronic device is provided. The above problems include at least the following advantages. Therefore, one aspect of the present disclosure provides an electronic device for preventing a flexible display from colliding with a rigid structure in a housing structure and absorbing external impact.

[0010] Additional aspects will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description which follows, or may be learned by practice of the presented embodiments.

[0011] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes: a hinge housing extending in the direction of a rotation axis; a first housing connected to one side of the hinge housing in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis to rotate relative to the hinge housing around the rotation axis; a second housing connected to the opposite side of the hinge housing in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis to rotate relative to the hinge housing around the rotation axis; and a flexible display including a curved area at least partially disposed in the hinge housing and formed as a flat surface or a curved surface, a first area extending from the curved area in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis, and a second area extending from the curved area in an opposite direction perpendicular to the rotation axis. The hinge housing includes: a protruding portion formed on opposite ends of the hinge housing in the direction of the rotation axis and adjacent to the periphery of the flexible display; and a buffer member disposed between the protruding portion and the periphery of the flexible display and spaced apart from the periphery of the flexible display by a certain gap.

[0012] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes: a housing structure including a first housing, a second housing, and a hinge housing disposed between the first housing and the second housing, wherein the first housing and the second housing are configured to fold with each other around a folding axis aligned with the hinge housing; a flexible display including a curved area at least partially disposed in the hinge housing and formed as a flat surface or a curved surface, a first area extending from the curved area and disposed in the first housing, and a second area extending from the curved area and disposed in the second housing; and a shock absorbing structure that absorbs impact applied to the flexible display. The hinge housing includes a side wall, at least a portion of which faces the direction of the folding axis. The shock absorbing structure includes a shock absorbing member formed between the side wall and the periphery of the flexible display.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes: a flexible display including a first area formed as a flat surface, a second area formed as a flat surface, and a curved area formed between the first area and the second area and formed as a flat surface or a curved surface; a housing structure surrounding the periphery of the flexible display and including a frame structure spaced apart from the periphery by a first gap; and a shock absorbing structure including a shock absorbing member formed between the frame structure and the periphery of the flexible display and spaced apart from the periphery by a second gap smaller than the first gap.

[0014] Other aspects, advantages, and salient features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which discloses various embodiments of the present disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of certain embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent through the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0016] Figure 1 is a view showing a flat state of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0017] Figure 2 The present invention is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 A view of a folded state of the electronic device;

[0018] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 4A and Figure 4B are views showing a folded state and a flat state of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0020] Figure 5A and Figure 5B is a cross-sectional view showing a folded state and a flat state of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 6 is a view showing a hinge housing of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] Fig. 7A and Figure 7B is a view showing a buffer member and a protruding portion of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 8 is a view showing a flexible display and a hinge housing of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Fig.9A , Fig. 9B and Fig. 9C is a view showing a hinge housing and a flexible display of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0025] Fig. 10A , Fig. 10B and Fig. 10C is a view showing a flexible display and a buffer member in a case where an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure falls;

[0026] Fig.11 is a view showing a drop impact applied to a flexible display of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] Fig. 12A , Fig. 12B and Fig. 12C is a view showing assembly of a buffer member and a hinge housing of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0028] Fig.13A , Fig. 13B and Fig. 13C is a view showing a buffer member and a hinge housing of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0029] Fig.14 is a view showing a buffer member and a hinge housing of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] Fig.15A , Fig. 15B and Fig. 15C is a view showing a shock absorbing structure of a foldable electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure; and

[0031] Fig.16 2 is a view illustrating a buffer member and a hinge housing of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] Throughout the drawings, it should be noted that like reference numbers are used to depict the same or similar elements, features, and structures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings is provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of the various embodiments of the present disclosure as defined by the claims and their equivalents. It includes various specific details to assist in understanding, but these details are considered to be exemplary only. Therefore, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and modifications may be made to the various embodiments described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. In addition, descriptions of well-known functions and configurations may be omitted for clarity and brevity.

[0034] The terms and words used in the following description and claims are not limited to the bibliographical meanings, but are merely used by the inventor to enable a clear and consistent understanding of the present disclosure. Therefore, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of various embodiments of the present disclosure is provided for illustrative purposes only and not for the purpose of limiting the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0035] It should be understood that the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to "a component surface" includes reference to one or more of those surfaces.

[0036] Figure 1 is a view illustrating a flat state of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] Figure 2 The present invention is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 A view of a folded state of an electronic device.

[0038] refer to Figure 1 , the electronic device 100 may include: a pair of housing structures 110 and 120 (eg, foldable housing structures) attached to surround a hinge structure (eg, Figure 3 The hinge structure 164 of the hinge structure 164) pivots to fold relative to each other; the hinge cover (e.g., Figure 4A The electronic device 100 includes a hinge cover 165 (hinged cover 165) covering the foldable portion of the pair of housing structures 110 and 120; and a display 130 (e.g., a flexible display or a foldable display) disposed in a space formed by the pair of housing structures 110 and 120. In the present disclosure, a surface provided with the display 130 may be defined as a front surface of the electronic device 100, and a surface opposite to the front surface may be defined as a rear surface of the electronic device 100. In addition, a surface surrounding the space between the front surface and the rear surface may be defined as a side surface of the electronic device 100.

[0039] The pair of housing structures 110 and 120 may include a first housing structure 110 having a sensor region 131d, a second housing structure 120, a first rear cover 140, and a second rear cover 150. The pair of housing structures 110 and 120 of the electronic device 100 are not limited to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The forms and attachments shown in the drawings may be realized by combining and / or attaching other shapes or components. For example, the first housing structure 110 and the first rear cover 140 may be integrated with each other, and the second housing structure 120 and the second rear cover 150 may be integrated with each other.

[0040] The first shell structure 110 and the second shell structure 120 can be arranged on opposite sides of the folding axis (axis F), and can have shapes that are completely symmetrical to each other relative to the folding axis (axis F). The angle or distance formed by the first shell structure 110 and the second shell structure 120 can vary depending on whether the electronic device 100 is in a flat state or a closed state, a folded state, or an intermediate state. Unlike the second shell structure 120, the first shell structure 110 can additionally include a sensor area 131d provided with various sensors, but can have a mutually symmetrical shape in other areas. The sensor area 131d can be additionally arranged in at least a portion of the second shell structure 120, or replaced by at least a portion of the second shell structure 120.

[0041] The first housing structure 110 may be connected to the hinge structure (eg, Figure 3 The hinge structure 164 of the electronic device 100 may include a first surface 111 disposed to face the front surface of the electronic device 100, a second surface 112 facing away from the first surface 111, and a first side member 113 surrounding at least a portion of a space between the first surface 111 and the second surface 112. The first side member 113 may include a first side surface 113a disposed parallel to the folding axis (axis F), a second side surface 113b extending from one end of the first side surface 113a in a direction perpendicular to the folding axis, and a third side surface 113c extending from the other end of the first side surface 113a in a direction perpendicular to the folding axis (axis F).

[0042] The second housing structure 120 may be connected to the hinge structure (eg, Figure 3 The hinge structure 164 of the electronic device 100 may include a third surface 121 disposed to face the front surface of the electronic device 100, a fourth surface 122 facing away from the third surface 121, and a second side member 123 surrounding at least a portion of the space between the third surface 121 and the fourth surface 122. The second side member 123 may include a fourth side surface 123a disposed parallel to the folding axis (axis F), a fifth side surface 123b extending from one end of the fourth side surface 123a in a direction perpendicular to the folding axis (axis F), and a sixth side surface 123c extending from the other end of the fourth side surface 123a in a direction perpendicular to the folding axis (axis F). In an embodiment, the third surface 121 may face the first surface 111 in a folded state.

[0043] The electronic device 100 may include a recess 101 formed to accommodate a display 130 by coupling with the structural shapes of the first housing structure 110 and the second housing structure 120. The recess 101 may have substantially the same size as the display 130. Due to the sensor area 131d, the recess 101 may have two or more different widths in a direction perpendicular to the folding axis (axis F). For example, the recess 101 may have a first width W1 between a first portion 120a of the second housing structure 120 parallel to the folding axis (axis F) and a first portion 110a of the first housing structure 110 formed on the periphery of the sensor area 131d and a second width W2 between a second portion 120b of the second housing structure 120 and a second portion 110b of the first housing structure 110 that does not correspond to the sensor area 131d and is parallel to the folding axis (axis F). In this case, the second width W2 may be formed to be greater than the first width W1. For example, the recess 101 may be formed to have a first width W1 between the first portion 110a of the first shell structure 110 and the first portion 120a of the second shell structure 120 which are asymmetrical in shape, and a second width W2 between the second portion 110b of the first shell structure 110 and the second portion 120b of the second shell structure 120 which are symmetrical in shape.

[0044] The first part 110a and the second part 110b of the first housing structure 110 may be formed to have different distances from the folding axis (axis F). The width of the recess 101 is not limited to the illustrated example. Due to the shape of the sensor region 131d or the asymmetrical shape of the first housing structure 110 and the second housing structure 120, the recess 101 may have two or more different widths.

[0045] At least a portion of the first housing structure 110 and at least a portion of the second housing structure 120 may be formed of a metallic material or a non-metallic material having rigidity selected to support the display 130 .

[0046] The sensor area 131d may be formed to have a specific area adjacent to one corner of the first housing structure 110. However, the arrangement, shape or size of the sensor area 131d is not limited to the example shown. For example, the sensor area 131d may be arranged in another corner of the first housing structure 110 or in any area between the upper and lower corners of the first housing structure 110. In another embodiment, the sensor area 131d may be arranged in at least a portion of the second housing structure 120. The sensor area 131d may be arranged to extend to the first housing structure 110 and the second housing structure 120. The electronic device 100 may include components that perform various functions and are arranged to be exposed on the front surface of the electronic device 100 through the sensor area 131d or through one or more openings formed in the sensor area 131d. In various embodiments, these components may include, for example, at least one of a front camera device, a receiver, a proximity sensor, an illumination sensor, an iris recognition sensor, an ultrasonic sensor or an indicator.

[0047] The first back cover 140 may be disposed on the second surface 112 of the first housing structure 110 and may have a substantially rectangular periphery. At least a portion of the periphery may be surrounded by the first housing structure 110. Similarly, the second back cover 150 may be disposed on the fourth surface 122 of the second housing structure 120, and at least a portion of the periphery of the second back cover 150 may be surrounded by the second housing structure 120.

[0048] In the illustrated embodiment, the first back cover 140 and the second back cover 150 may have a substantially symmetrical shape relative to the folding axis (axis F). In other embodiments, the first back cover 140 and the second back cover 150 may include a variety of different shapes. The first back cover 140 may be integrated with the first housing structure 110, and the second back cover 150 may be integrated with the second housing structure 120.

[0049] The first back cover 140, the second back cover 150, the first housing structure 110, and the second housing structure 120 can provide a space in which various components (e.g., a printed circuit board, an antenna module, a sensor module, or a battery) of the electronic device 100 are arranged by a mutually attached structure. One or more components can be arranged on the rear surface of the electronic device 100, or one or more components can be visually exposed. For example, one or more components or sensors can be visually exposed by the first rear area 141 of the first back cover 140. The sensor can include a proximity sensor, a rear camera device, and / or a flash. At least a portion of the sub-display 152 can be visually exposed by the second rear area 151 of the second back cover 150. The electronic device 100 may include a speaker module 153 arranged through at least a portion of the second back cover 150.

[0050] The display 130 may be disposed in a space formed by a pair of housing structures 110 and 120. For example, the display 130 may be installed in a recess 101 formed by a pair of housing structures 110 and 120 and may be disposed to substantially occupy the entire front surface of the electronic device 100. Therefore, the front surface of the electronic device 100 may include the display 130, a partial area of ​​the first housing structure 110 adjacent to the display 130 (e.g., a peripheral area), and a partial area of ​​the second housing structure 120 adjacent to the display 130 (e.g., a peripheral area). The rear surface of the electronic device 100 may include a first back cover 140, a partial area of ​​the first housing structure 110 adjacent to the first back cover 140 (e.g., a peripheral area), a second back cover 150, and a partial area of ​​the second housing structure 120 adjacent to the second back cover 150 (e.g., a peripheral area).

[0051] The display 130 may refer to a display whose at least a portion of the area can be deformed into a flat surface or a curved surface. In an embodiment, the display 130 may include a folding area 131c, a first area 131a disposed on one side of the folding area 131c (e.g., the right side of the folding area 131c), and a second area 131b disposed on the opposite side of the folding area 131c (e.g., the left side of the folding area 131c). For example, the first area 131a may be disposed on the first surface 111 of the first shell structure 110, and the second area 131b may be disposed on the third surface 121 of the second shell structure 120. In an embodiment, the area division of the display 130 is exemplary, and the display 130 may be divided into a plurality of areas (e.g., four or more areas, or two areas) according to the structure or function of the display 130. For example, in Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the various regions of the display 130 may be divided by the folding region 131c or the folding axis (axis F) extending parallel to the y-axis. However, in another embodiment, the display 130 may be divided into a plurality of regions with respect to different folding regions (e.g., folding regions parallel to the x-axis) or different folding axes (e.g., folding axes parallel to the x-axis). The above-mentioned region division of the display 130 may be simply a pair of housing structures 110 and 120 and a hinge structure (e.g., Figure 3 The hinge structure 164) is physically divided and can be formed by a pair of housing structures 110 and 120 and a hinge structure (for example, Figure 3 The hinge structure 164) displays essentially a full screen on the display 130.

[0052] The first region 131a and the second region 131b may have shapes that are completely symmetrical to each other with respect to the folding region 131c. However, unlike the second region 131b, the first region 131a may include a recessed region (e.g., Figure 3 However, in another region, the first region 131a may have a shape symmetrical to the second region 131b. For example, the first region 131a and the second region 131b may include a portion having a symmetrical shape and a portion having an asymmetrical shape.

[0053] refer to Figure 2 The hinge cover 165 may be disposed between the first housing structure 110 and the second housing structure 120 and may be configured to conceal internal components (eg, Figure 3 In an embodiment, the hinge cover 165 may be hidden by a portion of the first housing structure 110 and a portion of the second housing structure 120, or may be exposed to the outside, depending on the operating state (flat state or folded state) of the electronic device 100.

[0054] For example, when the electronic device 100 is in a state such as Figure 1 In the case of the flat state shown, Figure 1 As shown, the hinge cover 165 may be hidden by the first housing structure 110 and the second housing structure 120 without being exposed. In another example, when the electronic device 100 is in a folded state (eg, a fully folded state), as shown in FIG. Figure 2 As shown, the hinge cover 165 can be exposed to the outside from between the first housing structure 110 and the second housing structure 120. In another example, when the electronic device 100 is in an intermediate state where the first housing structure 110 and the second housing structure 120 are folded at a certain angle, the hinge cover 165 can be at least partially exposed to the outside of the electronic device 100 from between the first housing structure 110 and the second housing structure 120. In this case, the exposed area can be smaller than the exposed area in the fully folded state. In an embodiment, the hinge cover 165 can include a curved surface.

[0055] Hereinafter, operations of the first case structure 110 and the second case structure 120 and an area of ​​the display 130 depending on an operation state (eg, a flat state or a folded state) of the electronic device 100 will be described.

[0056] When the electronic device 100 is in a flat state (eg, Figure 1In the case of the electronic device 100 being in a flat state, the first shell structure 110 and the second shell structure 120 can form an angle of 180 degrees, and the first area 131a and the second area 131b of the display 130 can be set to face the same direction. In addition, the folding area 131c can form the same plane together with the first area 131a and the second area 131b. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, when the electronic device 100 is in a flat state, the first shell structure 110 and the second shell structure 120 can be rotated 360 degrees relative to each other and can be folded in the opposite direction so that the second surface 112 and the fourth surface 122 face each other.

[0057] When the electronic device 100 is in the folded state (eg, Figure 2 In the case of a state of being folded, the first housing structure 110 and the second housing structure 120 may be arranged to face each other. The first area 131a and the second area 131b of the display 130 may face each other while forming a narrow angle (e.g., an angle between 0 degrees and 10 degrees). At least a portion of the folding area 131c may be formed as a curved surface having a certain curvature.

[0058] When the electronic device 100 is in the intermediate state, the first housing structure 110 and the second housing structure 120 may be arranged at a certain angle. The first area 131a and the second area 131b of the display 130 may form an angle greater than the angle in the folded state and less than the angle in the flat state. At least a portion of the folded area 131c may be formed as a curved surface with a certain curvature, and in this case, the curvature may be less than the curvature in the folded state.

[0059] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of an electronic device 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0060] refer to Figure 3 In an embodiment, the electronic device 100 may include a display 130, a support member assembly 160, at least one printed circuit board 170, a first housing structure 110, a second housing structure 120, a first back cover 140, and a second back cover 150. In the present disclosure, the display 130 may be referred to as a display module or a display assembly.

[0061] The display 130 may include a display panel 131 (e.g., a flexible display panel) and one or more plates 132 or layers on which the display panel 131 is mounted. In an embodiment, the plate 132 may be disposed between the display panel 131 and the support member assembly 160. The display panel 131 may be disposed on at least a portion of one surface of the plate 132. The plate 132 may include a first plate 1321 and a second plate 1322 separated from each other relative to the hinge structure 164. When the first housing structure 110 and the second housing structure 120 are rotated into a folded and / or flat state relative to the hinge structure 164, the plate 132 may include at least one member that cannot be folded together. The plate 132 may include at least one auxiliary material layer (e.g., a graphite member) and / or a conductive plate (e.g., a copper sheet) disposed on the rear surface of the display panel 131. The plate 132 may be formed into a shape corresponding to the display panel 131. For example, a partial area of ​​the first plate 1321 may be formed into a shape corresponding to the recessed area 133 of the display panel 131.

[0062] The support member assembly 160 may include a first support member 161, a second support member 162, a hinge structure 164 arranged between the first support member 161 and the second support member 162, a hinge cover 165 covering the hinge structure 164 when the hinge structure 164 is observed from the outside, and at least one wiring member 163 (for example, a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB)) spanning the first support member 161 and the second support member 162.

[0063] The support member assembly 160 may be disposed between the board 132 and at least one printed circuit board 170. For example, the first support member 161 may be disposed between the first area 131a of the display 130 and the first printed circuit board 171. The second support member 162 may be disposed between the second area 131b of the display 130 and the second printed circuit board 172.

[0064] At least a portion of the wiring member 163 and the hinge structure 164 may be disposed within the support member assembly 160. The wiring member 163 may be disposed in a direction (e.g., an x-axis direction) spanning the first support member 161 and the second support member 162. The wiring member 163 may be disposed in a direction (e.g., an x-axis direction) perpendicular to the folding axis (e.g., Figure 1 It is set in the direction of the y-axis or folding axis F) (for example, the x-axis direction).

[0065] As described above, at least one printed circuit board 170 may include a first printed circuit board 171 disposed on one side of the first support member 161 and a second printed circuit board 172 disposed on one side of the second support member 162. The first printed circuit board 171 and the second printed circuit board 172 may be disposed in a space formed by the support member assembly 160, the first housing structure 110, the second housing structure 120, the first back cover 140, and the second back cover 150. Components for implementing various functions of the electronic device 100 may be mounted on the first printed circuit board 171 and the second printed circuit board 172.

[0066] The first housing structure 110 may include a first printed circuit board 171, a battery 119, at least one sensor module 181, or at least one camera module 182 disposed in a space formed by the first support member 161. The first housing structure 110 may include a window glass 183 disposed in a position corresponding to the recessed area 133 of the display 130 and used to protect the at least one sensor module 181 and the at least one camera module 182. The second housing structure 120 may include a second printed circuit board 172 disposed in a space formed by the second support member 162. The first housing structure 110 and the first support member 161 may be integrated with each other. The second housing structure 120 and the second support member 162 may also be integrated with each other.

[0067] The first housing structure 110 may include a first rotation support surface 114, and the second housing structure 120 may include a second rotation support surface 124 corresponding to the first rotation support surface 114. The first and second rotation support surfaces 114 and 124 may include curved surfaces corresponding to the curved surfaces included in the hinge cover 165.

[0068] When the electronic device 100 is in a flat state (eg, Figure 1 In the case of the electronic device 100 being in a folded state (e.g., the first rotation support surface 114 and the second rotation support surface 124 may cover the hinge cover 165 so that the hinge cover 165 is not exposed through the rear surface of the electronic device 100 or the hinge cover 165 is exposed to a minimum extent. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, when the electronic device 100 is in a folded state (e.g., Figure 2 In a state where the first rotation support surface 114 and the second rotation support surface 124 may rotate along a curved surface included in the hinge cover 165 to maximally expose the hinge cover 165 through the rear surface of the electronic device 100.

[0069] Figure 4A and Figure 4B are views illustrating a folded state and a flat state of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0070] refer to Figure 4A and Figure 4B , the electronic device 100 disclosed herein may include a folded state ( Figure 4A ) and flat state ( Figure 4B ). Collapsed state( Figure 4A ) and flat state ( Figure 4B ) can be based on whether the hinge cover 165 forms the exterior of the electronic device 100, the flexible display (eg, Figure 3 The folding area of ​​the flexible display 130 (eg, Figure 3 The folding area 131c) is defined by whether it is bent, or the positional relationship between the first shell structure 110 and the second shell structure 120.

[0071] In the illustrated embodiment, the folded state (e.g., Figure 4A ) may include a state in which the hinge cover 165 of the electronic device 100 is exposed from between the first case structure 110 and the second case structure 120. In this case, the hinge cover 165 may form a portion of the exterior (eg, rear surface) of the electronic device 100.

[0072] In the embodiment shown, the flat state ( Figure 4B ) may include a state in which the hinge cover 165 of the electronic device 100 is completely hidden by the first housing structure 110 and the second housing structure 120. In this case, the hinge cover 165 may be accommodated in the first housing structure 110 and the second housing structure 120, and may not form the exterior of the electronic device 100.

[0073] In the illustrated embodiment, each of the first housing structure 110 and the second housing structure 120 can be rotated at a certain angle around the hinge cover 165. The folding axis (axis F) of the first housing structure 110 and the second housing structure 120 can extend parallel to the direction in which the hinge cover 165 extends. The folding axis (axis F) can be formed by the above-mentioned hinge structure (e.g., Figure 3 The folding axis (axis F) may refer to a virtual axis about which the first housing structure 110 and the second housing structure 120 rotate. In the folded state, the folding axis (axis F) may be formed between the first housing structure 110 and the second housing structure 120. The folding axis (axis F) may be formed in a position spaced apart from the hinge cover 165 by a certain interval d in a direction toward the front surface of the electronic device 100.

[0074] The electronic device 100 disclosed herein may include one or more folding axes (axis F). For example, the folding axis (axis F) may include a first folding axis (axis Fa) about which the first housing structure 110 rotates and a second folding axis (axis Fb) about which the second housing structure 120 rotates. In this case, the first folding axis (axis Fa) and the second folding axis (axis Fb) may extend parallel to each other.

[0075] The first housing structure 110 can rotate along an arc path around the first folding axis Fa. The second housing structure 120 can rotate along an arc path around the second folding axis Fb. The first housing structure 110 and the second housing structure 120 can rotate in opposite directions.

[0076] The folding axis F disclosed herein may refer to the central axis around which the first shell structure 110 and the second shell structure 120 fold or unfold (folded state or flat state), rather than a transmission axis (e.g., a pivot) that can be physically driven. For example, the first shell structure 110 and the second shell structure 120 can rotate around the first folding axis Fa and the second folding axis Fb along arc paths in opposite directions, respectively. Therefore, the first shell structure 110 and the second shell structure 120 can be folded around the folding axis F.

[0077] In the illustrated embodiment, the first housing structure 110 may include a first rear cover 140 forming a rear surface of the electronic device 100 and a rear region 141 formed on the first rear cover 140. The first housing structure 110 may be connected to one side of the hinge cover 165 in a direction perpendicular to the folding axis (axis F). The first housing structure 110 may rotate relative to the hinge cover 165 about the illustrated folding axis (axis F).

[0078] In the illustrated embodiment, the second housing structure 120 may include a second rear cover 150 forming the rear surface of the electronic device 100 and a rear display area 152 and / or a rear sensor area 154 formed on the second rear cover 150. The second housing structure 120 may be connected to opposite sides of the hinge cover 165 in a direction perpendicular to the folding axis (axis F). The second housing structure 120 may rotate relative to the hinge cover 165 about the illustrated folding axis (axis F).

[0079] In the illustrated embodiment, the hinge cover 165 may extend in the direction of the folding axis (axis F). The hinge cover 165 may include a curved surface having a curvature corresponding to the rotational curvature of the first housing structure 110 or the second housing structure 120 .

[0080] Figure 5A and Figure 5B are cross-sectional views illustrating a folded state and a flat state of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 5A is along Figure 4AA cross-sectional view taken along line AA'. Figure 5B is along Figure 4B A cross-sectional view taken along line BB'.

[0081] refer to Figure 5A and Figure 5B , the electronic device 200 may include a folded state ( Figure 5A ) and flat state ( Figure 5B ). Collapsed state( Figure 5A ) may include a state in which the folding area 253 of the flexible display 250 is formed into a curved surface. Flat state ( Figure 5B ) may include a state in which the folding area 253 of the flexible display 250 is formed as a flat surface.

[0082] In the illustrated embodiment, the flexible display 250 may include a first region 251 formed as a flat surface, a second region 252 formed as a flat surface, and a folding region 253 capable of being deformed into a flat surface or a curved surface.

[0083] The folded state of the electronic device 200 may include a state in which the folded region 253 forms a curved surface having a certain curvature. In this case, the first region 251 and the second region 252 may be arranged so that their normal vectors form a certain angle other than 0 degrees.

[0084] The flat state of the electronic device 200 may include a state in which the folding area 253 forms substantially the same plane with the first area 251 and the second area 252. For example, in the flat state, the first area 251 and the second area 252 may face the same direction (e.g., a direction toward the front surface of the electronic device). In the flat state, the first area 251 and the second area 252 may be arranged so that their normal vectors form 0 degrees.

[0085] In the illustrated embodiment, the flexible display 250 may further include metal layers 254 and 255. The metal layers 254 and 255 may support the rear surface of the flexible display 250 to allow the flexible display 250 to remain flat in a flat state. The metal layers 254 and 255 may include a first metal layer 254 attached to the rear surface of the first region 251 and having a portion extending to the folding region 253 and a second metal layer 255 attached to the rear surface of the second region 252 and having a portion extending to the folding region 253. The first metal layer 254 and the second metal layer 255 may be separated from the rear surface of the folding region 253. Therefore, in the folded state, the first metal layer 254 and the second metal layer 255 may be formed as a flat surface extending from the first region 251 and the second region 252 and facing each other. In the folded state, the first metal layer 254 and the second metal layer 255 may extend in a tangential direction of the folding region 253. At least a portion of the first metal layer 254 and at least a portion of the second metal layer 255 may be received in a third recess 2331 formed on the hinge housing 230 .

[0086] In the illustrated embodiment, in the folded state, the flexible display 250 may be arranged such that at least a portion of the folding region 253 is accommodated in the hinge housing 230. When viewed in the direction of the folding axis F, at least a portion of the folding region 253 may overlap with the protruding portion 234 of the hinge housing 230.

[0087] In the illustrated embodiment, the first housing 210 may include a first rear cover 218 that forms a rear surface of the electronic device 200 in a flat state ( Figure 5B ). In a flat state, the first back cover 218 may be opposite to the first area 251 of the flexible display 250. A first recess 219 may be formed between the first back cover 218 and the first area 251.

[0088] In the illustrated embodiment, the first housing 210 may include a first recess 219 in which at least a portion of the hinge housing 230 is accommodated. The first recess 219 may be formed in a shape that is open toward the hinge housing 230. In this case, the first recess 219 may include a first rotation support surface 217 including a curved surface having a curvature corresponding to the rotation curvature of the first housing 210.

[0089] In the illustrated embodiment, the second housing 220 may include a second rear cover 228 that forms a rear surface of the electronic device 200 in a flat state ( Figure 5B). In a flat state, the second back cover 228 may be opposite to the second area 252 of the flexible display 250. A second recess 229 may be formed between the second back cover 228 and the second area 252.

[0090] In the illustrated embodiment, the second housing 220 may include a second recess 229 in which at least a portion of the hinge housing 230 is accommodated. The second recess 229 may be formed in a shape that is open toward the hinge housing 230. In this case, the second recess 229 may include a second rotation support surface 227 including a curved surface having a curvature corresponding to the rotation curvature of the second housing 220.

[0091] In the illustrated embodiment, in the flat state, a portion of the hinge housing 230 may be disposed in the first recess 219, and the remaining portion of the hinge housing 230 may be disposed in the second recess 229. Therefore, the hinge housing 230 may not be exposed to the outside of the electronic device 200. In the folded state, the hinge housing 230 together with the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 may form a portion of the exterior of the electronic device 200.

[0092] In the illustrated embodiment, the hinge housing 230 may include a first surface 231 facing the rear surface of the flexible display 250 in a flat state, a second surface 232 opposite to the first surface 231 and having at least a portion formed as a curved surface, and an inner surface 233 forming a third recess 2331. The third recess 2331 accommodating a portion of the first metal layer 254 and a portion of the second metal layer 255 in a folded state may be formed on the first surface 231. A protruding portion 234 facing the periphery of the flexible display 250 may be formed on the first surface 231 of the hinge housing 230. The protruding portion 234 may protrude from the first surface 231 of the hinge housing 230 in a direction facing the flexible display 250 (e.g., a direction toward the front surface) relative to the flat state. When viewed in the direction of the folding axis F, the protruding portion 234 may be formed to overlap at least a portion of the folding region 253 of the flexible display 250. In a flat state, when viewed in the direction of the folding axis F, the protruding portion 234 may be formed to overlap the folding region 253 , a portion of the first region 251 , and a portion of the second region 252 .

[0093] Figure 6 is a view showing a hinge housing 230 of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0094] refer to Figure 6The hinge housing 230 may be formed in a shape extending in the folding axis direction F. The hinge housing 230 may include a side wall 235 extending from the second surface 232 and including a protrusion 234 . The side wall 235 together with the inner surface 233 may form an inner space 2332 of the hinge housing 230 .

[0095] Hinge structures (e.g. Figure 3 A portion of the hinge structure 164) and / or a connecting member (e.g., Figure 3 A portion of the wiring member 163) can be set in the internal space 2332.

[0096] In the illustrated embodiment, the side wall 235 may include a first side wall 235-1 and a second side wall 235-2 facing the first side wall 235-1. A portion of the flexible display 250 may be disposed between the first side wall 235-1 and the second side wall 235-2. For example, the folding area 253 may be disposed between the first side wall 235-1 and the second side wall 235-2.

[0097] The first side wall 235-1 may include a first protruding portion 234-1 protruding toward the front surface of the electronic device 200. The first protruding portion 234-1 may include a surface facing the folding axis direction F. The first protruding portion 234-1 may include a first edge 250-1 facing the flexible display 250. The first edge 250-1 may include an edge extending in a direction perpendicular to the folding axis direction F among the edges of the flexible display 250.

[0098] The second side wall 235-2 may include a second protruding portion 234-2 that protrudes toward the front surface of the electronic device 200. The second protruding portion 234-2 may include a surface facing the folding axis direction F. The second protruding portion 234-2 may face a second edge 250-2 of the flexible display 250. The second edge 250-2 may include an edge extending in a direction perpendicular to the folding axis direction F among the edges of the flexible display 250. The second edge 250-2 may be opposite to the first edge 250-1 and may be parallel to the first edge 250-1.

[0099] In the illustrated embodiment, the protrusion 234 may further include a buffer member 240 formed toward the flexible display 250. The buffer member 240 may be disposed between the edges 250-1 and 250-2 of the flexible display 250 and the protrusion 234 to prevent the flexible display 250 from directly colliding with the protrusion 234.

[0100] In the illustrated embodiment, the buffer member 240 may include a first buffer member 240-1 disposed between a first edge 250-1 of the flexible display 250 and the first protruding portion 234-1 and a second buffer member 240-2 disposed between a second edge 250-2 of the flexible display 250 and the second protruding portion 234-2. The first buffer member 240-1 and the second buffer member 240-2 may absorb a portion of the impact applied to the flexible display 250.

[0101] Fig. 7A and Figure 7B 2 is a view illustrating a buffer member and a protruding portion of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0102] refer to Fig. 7A and Figure 7B , the buffer member 240 may include a first portion 241 and a second portion 242 extending from the first portion 241. The first portion 241 may include a bonding surface 245 attached to the bottom surface of the first recess 237 of the protruding portion 234 and an opposite surface 243 opposite to the bonding surface 245 and facing the inner space 2332 of the hinge housing 230. The bonding surface 245 may include an adhesive member 244 on at least a partial area thereof. The bonding surface 245 may be attached to the bottom surface of the first recess 237 of the protruding portion 234 by the adhesive member 244. The second portion 242 may be accommodated in a second recess 239 formed on the inner surface 233 of the hinge housing 230. The second portion 242 may include a seating surface 246 seated on a bottom surface 2391 of the second recess 239.

[0103] In the illustrated embodiment, the opposing surface 243 may include a first region 243-1 facing the folding axis direction F and a second region 243-2 extending from the first region 243-1 and inclined relative to the folding axis directions F1 and F2. The first portion 241 may be formed in such a manner that the thickness of the portion forming the first region 243-1 is greater than the thickness of the portion forming the second region 243-2. ​​That is, the second region 243-2 may extend obliquely from the first region 243-1 to have a gradually decreasing distance to the bonding surface 245.

[0104] In the illustrated embodiment, the hinge housing 230 may include a first recess 237 in which the first portion 241 is accommodated and a second recess 239 in which the second portion 242 is accommodated. The bonding surface 245 of the first portion 241 may be attached to the bottom surface of the first recess 237. The second recess 239 may be formed in a shape that is open in the folding axis direction F2. For example, the second recess 239 may be formed in a shape that is open toward the inner space 2332 of the hinge housing 230. This may correspond to the sliding direction and the compression direction of the buffer member 240, as will be described below with reference to FIG. 10A to FIG. 10C Description. The seating surface 246 of the second portion 242 may be seated on the bottom surface 2391 of the second recess 239. The bottom surface 2391 of the second recess 239 may be formed at a position lower than the surrounding area. The bottom surface 2391 of the second recess 239 may be formed to be longer than the seating surface 246 of the buffer member 240 in the folding axis direction (e.g., direction F2). The bottom surface 2391 of the second recess 239 and the side walls 2392 and 2393 may be formed to have a width corresponding to the seating surface 246 of the buffer member 240 (e.g., in a direction perpendicular to the folding axis directions F1 and F2). Therefore, since the second recess 239 is open in the folding axis direction F2, the buffer member 240 may be constrained by the side walls 2392 and 2393 in the width direction and may move in the folding axis directions F1 and F2.

[0105] Figure 8 2 is a view illustrating a flexible display and a hinge housing of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 8 yes Figure 4A A sectional view of the folding axis F of the hinge housing is shown.

[0106] refer to Figure 8 In the illustrated embodiment, the electronic device 200 may include a flexible display 250 and a hinge housing 230 accommodating at least a portion of the flexible display 250. In this case, the portion of the flexible display 250 accommodated in the hinge housing 230 may be a region (e.g., a folding region 253) whose shape can be deformed according to the state of the electronic device 200.

[0107] The hinge housing 230 may include an inner surface 233 and a side wall 235 forming an inner space 2332. The side wall 235 may be formed to face the folding axis direction F2. The side wall 235 may include a protrusion 234 facing the flexible display 250. The protrusion 234 may extend from the side wall 235 in the direction facing the flexible display 250. The protrusion 234 may include a first recess 237 formed on the surface facing the flexible display 250. The first recess 237 may be formed on the surface of the protrusion 234 and / or the side wall 235 facing the inner space 2332 of the hinge housing 230. The first recess 237 may be concave in the folding axis direction F1. The hinge housing 230 may include a second recess 239 formed on a portion of the inner surface 233 adjacent to the side wall 235. The second recess 239 may be concave in a direction perpendicular to the folding axis directions F1 and F2. Some portions of the buffer member 240 may be received in the first recess 237 and the second recess 239 .

[0108] The buffer member 240 may include a first portion 241 attached to the side wall 235 of the hinge housing 230 and a second portion 242 attached to the inner surface 233 of the hinge housing 230. At least a portion of the first portion 241 may be received in the first recess 237 of the hinge housing 230. The second portion 242 may be received in the second recess 239 of the hinge housing 230.

[0109] The first recess 237 may include a first inner wall 2372 and a second inner wall 2373 facing each other, and a first bottom surface 2371 combined with the coupling surface 245 of the buffer member 240. At least a portion of the first portion 241 of the buffer member 240 may be disposed between the first inner wall 2372 and the second inner wall 2373. The coupling surface 245 of the first portion 241 of the buffer member 240 may be attached to the first bottom surface 2371 of the first recess 237. The coupling surface 245 of the buffer member 240 may be coupled to the first bottom surface 2371 by an adhesive member 244. At least a portion of the second portion 242 of the buffer member 240 may be seated on the second bottom surface 2391 of the second recess 239. When the flexible display 250 is observed from above, at least a portion of the second portion 242 of the buffer member 240 may be hidden by the flexible display 250. Whether the buffer member 240 is accurately attached to the hinge housing 230 may be determined by the seated position of the second portion 242. For example, in the case where the second portion 242 protrudes outside the second bottom surface 2391 (eg, into the inner space 2332 of the hinge housing 230), it can be seen that it is not firmly attached to the first portion 241. Therefore, defects that may occur during the assembly process of the buffer member 240 can be prevented.

[0110] The term "gap" used herein may refer to a distance in the folding axis directions F1 and F2. The protrusion 234 may be spaced apart from the folding region 253 of the flexible display 250 by at least a first gap d1. The buffer member 240 may be spaced apart from the folding region 253 of the flexible display 250 by at least a second gap d2.

[0111] The first gap d1 may be greater than the second gap d2. That is, the buffer member 240 may be disposed closer to the folding region 253 of the flexible display 250 than the protruding portion 234. In the case where an external impact is applied to the electronic device 200, the flexible display 250 may move in the folding axis direction F1 (e.g., in the direction toward the protruding portion 234), and the periphery of the flexible display 250 may collide with the opposite surface 243 of the buffer member 240.

[0112] When the flexible display 250 is viewed from above, the buffer member 240 may further protrude toward the flexible display 250 beyond the protruding portion 234. This structure may prevent the flexible display 250 from directly colliding with the protruding portion 234, thereby protecting the folding region 253 that is susceptible to impact.

[0113] A C-shaped cut structure may be formed on the surface of the protruding portion 234 facing the folding region 253. The first inner wall 2372, the second inner wall 2373, and the first bottom surface 2371 of the first recess 237 described above may form a C-shaped cut structure. The C-shaped cut structure may protect the buffer member 240 and may reduce the area of ​​the buffer member 240 exposed to the outside of the electronic device 200.

[0114] The buffer member 240 may include an opposite surface 243 facing the folding area 253 of the flexible display 250. The opposite surface 243 may include a first area 243-1 substantially facing the folding axis direction F2 and a second area 243-2 extending from the first area 243-1 and inclined to be increasingly spaced apart from the folding area 253. At least a portion of the first inner wall 235 of the protruding portion 234 may have a slope corresponding to a virtual inclined surface extending from the second area 243-2. ​​In various embodiments, the angle θ of the second area 243-2 relative to the folding axis direction F1 may be between 50 degrees and 80 degrees. The angle θ may preferably be about 66 degrees.

[0115] The buffer member 240 may be partially exposed to the outside of the electronic device 200 through the space between the flexible display 250 and the protruding portion 234. The illustrated inclined structure and C-shaped cut structure (e.g., the first recess 237) may reduce the area of ​​the buffer member 240 exposed on the outside of the electronic device 200, thereby improving the aesthetics of the electronic device 200.

[0116] The first area 243-1 of the opposing surface 243 may be spaced apart from the folding area 253 by a second gap d2, and the second area 243-2 of the opposing surface 243 may be spaced apart from the folding area 253 by a third gap d3 larger than the second gap d2. In this case, the protrusion 234 may be spaced apart from the folding area 253 by a first gap d1 larger than the second gap d2.

[0117] The minimum gap (e.g., first gap d1) between the protruding portion 234 and the folding region 253 may be greater than the maximum gap (e.g., third gap d3) between the buffer member 240 and the folding region 253. That is, the buffer member 240 may be disposed closer to the folding region 253 than the protruding portion 234. When viewed along the folding axis directions F1 and F2, the buffer member 240 may be disposed closer to the folding region 253 than the protruding portion 234.

[0118] Fig.9A is a view illustrating a buffer member of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 9B 2 is a view illustrating a buffer member and a flexible display of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 9C 2 is a view illustrating a buffer member and a flexible display of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0119] refer to 9A to 9C , the hinge housing 230 may include outer surfaces 231 and 232 forming the exterior, an inner surface 233 forming an inner space 2332, a protrusion 234 formed in the folding axis direction F, and a buffer member 240 attached to the protrusion 234. The outer surfaces 231 and 232 of the hinge housing 230 may include a first surface 231 facing the flexible display 250 in a flat state and a second surface 232 opposite to the first surface 231 and having at least a portion formed as a curved surface. When viewed in the direction of the folding axis F, the buffer member 240 may be formed to at least partially overlap the folding region 253 of the flexible display 250.

[0120] At least a portion of first portion 241 of cushioning member 240 may be attached to protruding portion 234, and at least a portion of second portion 242 of cushioning member 240 may be attached to inner surface 233. First portion 241 may further protrude beyond opposite surface 243 of protruding portion 234 toward folding region 253.

[0121] The electronic device 200 may be formed such that the folding region 253 of the flexible display 250 faces a portion of the buffer member 240 in the folded state. In the folded state, the periphery of the folding region 253 may face the first portion 241 of the buffer member 240. In the folded state, at least a portion of the first metal layer 254 and at least a portion of the second metal layer 255 may be accommodated in the third recess 2331 formed on the first surface 231 of the hinge housing 230. The third recess 2331 may be recessed from the first surface 231 to the inner surface 233.

[0122] The electronic device 200 may be formed such that the folding region 253 of the flexible display 250 faces a portion of the buffer member 240 in a flat state. In a flat state, the flexible display 250 may be disposed such that at least a portion of the periphery of the first region 251, the second region 252, the first metal layer 254, and the second metal layer 255 faces the first portion 241 of the buffer member 240.

[0123] In the illustrated embodiment, when viewed along the folding axis direction F, the flexible display 250 may be arranged so that the folding region 253 overlaps the buffer member 240. In the folded state, the folding region 253 may be arranged to overlap the first portion 241 of the buffer member 240. In the flat state, the folding region 253, the first region 251, and some portions of the second region 252 may be arranged to overlap the first portion 241 of the buffer member 240.

[0124] The protrusion portion 234 may be formed of a rigid metal material. The buffer member 240 may include a shock absorbing material capable of absorbing shock.

[0125] FIG. 10A to FIG. 10C 2 is a view illustrating a flexible display and a buffer member in case that an electronic device falls according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0126] Fig.11 is a view illustrating a drop shock applied to a flexible display of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0127] refer to FIG. 10A to FIG. 10C and Fig.11 In the illustrated embodiment, the flexible display 250 may be arranged to be movable within a certain range in the folding axis direction F inside the electronic device 200 (e.g., inside the first housing 210 and inside the second housing 210). This is intended to mitigate the possibility of the rear surface of the flexible display 250 being moved between the interior of the housing (e.g., Figure 3 The shear stress generated between the first supporting member 161 and the second supporting member 162, and the flexible display 250 can be formed inside the housing (for example, Figure 3 The first supporting member 161 and the second supporting member 162 are attached in such a manner that they can move within a predetermined range.

[0128] The center of gravity of the electronic device 200 including the flexible display 250 may be formed on the end of the hinge housing 230 located in the folding axis direction F. Therefore, in the case where the electronic device 200 falls in the folded state, a drop shock may be applied to the end (e.g., the protruding portion) of the hinge housing 230.

[0129] refer to FIG. 10A to FIG. 10C , the folding region 253 of the flexible display 250 movably attached to the housings 210 and 220 may move toward the protruding portion 234 by inertia.

[0130] refer to Fig.11, the buffer member 240 may be formed to protrude toward the folding area 253, thereby preventing the folding area 253 from directly colliding with the protruding portion 234. The buffer member 240 may absorb the impact applied to the folding area 253, thereby protecting the foldable display 250 from a drop impact.

[0131] The folding area 253 of the flexible display 250 may be more susceptible to impact than other areas (e.g., the first area 251 and the second area 252). The folding area 253 may be an area formed when the multiple layers included in the flexible display 250 are bent in a folded state. Shear stress may be formed according to the difference in the radius of curvature between the multiple layers included in the folding area 253. Therefore, the folding area 253 is more susceptible to impact than other areas (e.g., the first area 251 and the second area 251). Therefore, the electronic device 200 disclosed herein may include a buffer member 240 further protruding toward the folding area 253, and the folding area 253 may be prevented from directly colliding with the protruding portion 234.

[0132] The electronic device 200 disclosed herein may include a buffer member 240 formed between a hinge housing 230 including a metal material and a folding region 253 of a flexible display 250 .

[0133] refer to Fig.11 , the impact applied to the folded area 253 when the folded area 253 contacts the buffer member 240 may be weaker than the impact when the folded area 253 contacts the protruding portion 234. It can be understood that the buffer member 240 absorbs a portion of the impact.

[0134] The shock absorbing structure including the buffer member 240 disclosed herein is not necessarily limited to applications in Figures 1 to 10C For example, the shock absorbing structure may be applied to an electronic device including a scrollable display including a scrolling area in at least a portion thereof or a foldable electronic device (e.g., Fig.15A ). The shock absorbing structure disclosed herein may be applied to various electronic devices including a display at least a portion of which is formed as a curved surface.

[0135] FIG. 12A to FIG. 12C 2 is a view illustrating assembly of a buffer member and a hinge housing of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0136] refer to FIG. 12A to FIG. 12C, the buffer member 240 may be attached to the protruding portion 234 so that the first portion 241 is accommodated in the first recess 237 and the second portion 242 is accommodated in the second recess 239. The bonding surface 245 of the first portion 241 may be attached to the first bottom surface 2371 of the first recess 237 by the adhesive member 244. The seating surface 246 of the second portion 242 may be seated on the second bottom surface 2391 of the second recess 239. The seating surface 246 may be formed so that the length in the folding axis directions F1 and F2 corresponds to the length of the second bottom surface 2391 in the folding axis directions F1 and F2. This may be used as an indicator for determining whether the buffer member 240 is accurately attached to the protruding portion 234 during the assembly process of the buffer member 240. For example, in the case where the seating surface 246 (e.g., in a direction toward the inner space 2332) protrudes to the outside of the second bottom surface 2391 of the second recess 2391, it may be determined that the buffer member 240 is not accurately attached to the protruding portion 234.

[0137] refer to FIG. 12A to FIG. 12C , the buffer member 240 can be slidably attached to the protruding portion 234 so that the first part 241 is inserted into the first recess 237 formed on the protruding portion 234, and the second part 242 is inserted into the second recess 239. The sliding direction of the buffer member 240 can be the folding axis direction F1. Accordingly, the second recess 239 can be opened in a direction opposite to the sliding direction (e.g., F2). An additional compression process can be performed on the buffer member 240 to firmly attach the buffer member 240 to the protruding portion 234. At this time, the compression direction of the buffer member 240 can be a direction parallel to the sliding direction (e.g., F1).

[0138] FIG. 13A to FIG. 13C 2 is a view illustrating a buffer member and a hinge housing of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0139] refer to FIG. 13A to FIG. 13C , the electronic device may include a hinge housing 330 and a buffer member 340 attached to the hinge housing 330 .

[0140] In the illustrated embodiment, the hinge housing 330 may include: a side wall 331 formed at one end in the direction of the rotation axis (e.g., F1); an inner surface 332 that forms an internal space 333 together with the side wall 331; and one or more attachment protrusions 335 formed on the side wall 331.

[0141] The buffer member 340 may be attached to the attachment protrusion 335. The attachment protrusion 335 may protrude from the side wall 331 of the hinge housing 330 in the +z-axis direction. Each attachment protrusion 335 may include a first portion 335-1 extending in the +z-axis direction and a second portion 335-2 extending from the first portion 335-1 in a direction perpendicular to the z-axis. For example, the second portion 335-2 may extend from the first portion 335-1 in the folding axis direction F1 or F2, or may extend from the first portion 335-1 in the x-axis direction as shown in the figure.

[0142] The buffer member 340 may be attached to the attachment protrusion 335 formed on the hinge housing 330. The buffer member 340 may include an opposing surface 342 substantially facing the inner space 333 of the hinge housing 330. In the case where the buffer member 340 is attached to the hinge housing 330, the opposing surface 342 may be a surface extending from the side wall 331 of the hinge housing 330. The buffer member 340 may include a second recess 349 formed on the opposing surface 342. The second recess 349 may be connected to the first recess 339 formed on the hinge housing 330. The second recess 349 of the buffer member 340 may be open in a direction toward the side wall 331 of the hinge housing 330, and the first recess 339 of the hinge housing 330 may be open in a direction toward the buffer member 340. In a state where the buffer member 340 is attached to the hinge housing 330, the first recess 339 and the second recess 349 are connected to each other in the opening direction. The buffer member 340 may contain a buffer material capable of absorbing impact.

[0143] Fig.14 2 is a view illustrating a hinge housing and a buffer member of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig.14 is along Fig.13A A cross-sectional view taken along the line CC' shown in FIG.

[0144] refer to Fig.14 , the flexible display 250 may be arranged so that the edge of the folding region 253 faces the side wall 331 of the hinge housing 330 and the opposite surface 342 of the buffer member 340. The folding region 253 of the flexible display 250 may be spaced apart from the side wall 331 of the hinge housing 330 and the opposite surface 342 of the buffer member 340 by a certain gap. For example, the folding region 253 may be spaced apart from the side wall 331 of the hinge housing 330 by a first gap d1, and the folding region 253 may be spaced apart from the opposite surface 342 of the buffer member 340 by a second gap d2 that is smaller than the first gap d1.

[0145] The buffer member 340 may further protrude in a direction (e.g., direction F2) toward the inner space 333 of the hinge housing 330 beyond the side wall 331 of the hinge housing 330. Therefore, in a case where the flexible display 250 moves in the folding axis direction F1 due to an external impact, the edge of the folding region 253 may collide with the buffer member 340, and the impact applied to the flexible display 250 may be absorbed by the buffer member 340.

[0146] The first recess 339 formed on the side wall 331 of the hinge housing 330 and the second recess 349 formed on the opposite surface 342 of the buffer member 340 may be connected to form one recess.

[0147] The buffer member 340 may include a support surface 343 facing the side wall 331. An opening 347 into which the attachment protrusion 335 of the hinge housing 330 is inserted may be formed on the support surface 343. The opening 347 may be recessed from the support surface 343 of the buffer member 340 in the +z axis direction.

[0148] The opening 347 of the buffer member 340 may be formed smaller than the attachment protrusion 335 so that the attachment protrusion 335 is press-fitted into the opening 347. For example, the diameter of the opening 347 may be smaller than a portion of the attachment protrusion 335 (eg, Fig. 13B For example, the second portion of the attachment protrusion 335 (e.g., Fig. 13B The second portion 335 - 2 ) can be press-fit into the opening 347 .

[0149] FIG. 15A to FIG. 15C 2 is a view illustrating a shock absorbing structure of a foldable electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0150] Fig.15A is a view showing an outward-folding type foldable electronic device 1501 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 15B FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an inwardly foldable foldable electronic device 1502 (eg, Figures 1 to 3 100). Fig. 15C According to the embodiment of the present disclosure Fig.15A and Fig. 15B A cross-sectional view of the folding axis F of each foldable electronic device is shown.

[0151] refer to FIG. 15A to FIG. 15C , the outward-folding type foldable electronic device 1501 may include an electronic device in which the flexible display 250 in a folded state forms the exterior of the foldable electronic device.

[0152] The foldable electronic devices 1501 and 1502 may include a housing structure including a board structure 1506 on which the flexible display 250 is disposed and a frame structure 1505 surrounding at least a portion of the periphery of the flexible display 250. The frame structure 1505 may surround the board structure 1506. The frame structure 1505 and the board structure 1506 may be integrated with each other, or may be assembled as separate components.

[0153] The plate structure 1506 may be referred to as Figure 3 The support member assembly 160 shown in FIG. 1505 may be referred to as Figure 1 The first side member 113 and the second side member 123 are shown in FIG.

[0154] The flexible display 250 may be attached to the plate structure 1506 so as to be movable within a certain range. For example, the flexible display 250 may be attached to the plate structure 1506 by a double-sided tape, but may be precisely movable within a certain range in the direction of the folding axis F.

[0155] The frame structure 1505 may include: a first frame structure 1510 surrounding at least a portion of the first region 251; a second frame structure 1520 surrounding at least a portion of the second region 252; and a third frame structure 1530 surrounding at least a portion of the folding region 253. The third frame structure 1530 may include the above reference FIG. 5A to FIG. 12C Protrusion 234 is described.

[0156] The frame structure 1505 may include a shock absorbing structure on at least a portion thereof. The shock absorbing structure may be formed at a position corresponding to the folding area 253 of the flexible display 250. The shock absorbing structure may include a shock absorbing member 1550 (e.g., FIG. 5A to FIG. 12C The shock absorbing member 1550 may be formed closer to the periphery of the flexible display 250 than other portions of the frame structure 1505.

[0157] refer to Fig. 15C , the third frame structure 1530 may be spaced apart from the flexible display 250 by a first gap d1, and the shock absorbing member 1550 may be spaced apart from the flexible display 250 by a second gap d2. Therefore, the folding area 253, which is relatively susceptible to impact, may be prevented from directly colliding with the frame structure 1505 formed of a metal material. In various embodiments, the shock absorbing member 1550 may be integrally formed with the frame structure 1505. For example, the shock absorbing member 1550 may include an injection-molded portion on a portion of the frame structure 1505 formed of a metal material.

[0158] The shock-absorbing structure disclosed herein can be applied to various electronic devices including a flexible display 250 that includes an area that can be deformed (into a flat surface or a curved surface) regardless of the direction in which the flexible display 250 is folded (e.g., inward folding 1501, outward folding 1502, and bidirectional folding (not shown)).

[0159] Fig.16 2 is a view illustrating a hinge housing and a buffer member of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0160] refer to Fig.16 In the illustrated embodiment, the hinge housing 430 may include a side wall 431 to which the buffer member 440 is attached, an inner surface 432 that forms an inner space 433 of the hinge housing 430 together with the side wall 431, and an outer surface 434 that forms the exterior of the electronic device. At least a portion of the side wall 431 may face the folding axis directions F1 and F2. The buffer member 440 may be disposed inside the side wall 431.

[0161] In the illustrated embodiment, at least a portion of the buffer member 440 may be formed on the inner side of the side wall 431 to face the inner space 433 of the hinge housing 430. Fig.16 The hinge housing 430 shown in FIG. 4 may omit the protrusion structure (eg, FIG. 5A to FIG. 14 The protrusion 234 or Fig. 13B Attachment protrusion 335).

[0162] The buffer member 440 may further protrude toward the inner space 433 of the hinge housing 430 beyond the side wall 431 of the hinge housing 430 .

[0163] A portion of the buffer member 440 may be accommodated in a recess 435 formed on the side wall 431 of the hinge housing 430. The remaining portion of the buffer member 440 may further protrude toward the inner space 433 of the hinge housing 430 beyond the outer periphery of the recess 435. Thus, the flexible display (e.g., Fig.14 The folding area 253 of the flexible display 250 is damaged by direct collision with the side wall 431.

[0164] In some embodiments (not shown), at least a portion of the buffer member 440 may be located in the interior space 433 of the hinge housing 430, and the remainder of the buffer member 440 may extend outside the interior space 433 (eg, in the +z-axis direction).

[0165] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device may include: a hinge housing 230 extending in the direction of a folding axis F; a first housing 210 connected to one side of the hinge housing 230 in a direction perpendicular to the folding axis F so as to rotate around the folding axis F relative to the hinge housing 230; a second housing 220 connected to the opposite side of the hinge housing 230 in a direction perpendicular to the folding axis F so as to rotate around the folding axis F relative to the hinge housing 230; and a flexible display 250 including a folding area 253 at least partially disposed in the hinge housing 230 and formed as a flat surface or a curved surface, a first area 251 extending from the folding area 253 in a direction perpendicular to the folding axis F, and a second area 252 extending from the folding area 253 in an opposite direction perpendicular to the folding axis F. The hinge housing 230 may include: a protrusion 234 formed on the opposite end of the hinge housing in the direction of the folding axis F and adjacent to the periphery of the flexible display 250; and a buffer member 240, which is arranged between the protrusion 234 and the periphery of the flexible display 250 and is separated from the periphery of the flexible display 250 by a certain gap.

[0166] Each protrusion 234 may include a first protrusion 234-1 located on one side of the direction of the folding axis F and a second protrusion 234-2 located on the opposite side of the direction of the folding axis F, and each buffer member 240 may include a first buffer member 240-1 formed between the first protrusion 234-1 and the edge of the folding area 253 and a second buffer member 240-2 formed between the second protrusion 234-2 and the folding area 253.

[0167] Each protrusion 234 may be spaced apart from an edge of the folding region 253 of the flexible display 250 by a first gap d1 , and each buffer member 240 may be spaced apart from an edge of the folding region 253 of the flexible display 250 by a second gap d2 smaller than the first gap.

[0168] Each of the protruding portions 234 may include a first recess 237 formed on a surface facing an edge of the folding region 253 , and each of the buffer members 240 may be at least partially accommodated in the first recess 237 .

[0169] When the flexible display 250 is viewed in the direction of the folding axis F, each buffer member 240 may be formed to overlap a portion of the folding region 253 .

[0170] Each buffer member 240 may include a first portion facing an edge of the folding region 253 of the flexible display 250 and a second portion extending from the first portion toward a space between the flexible display 250 and the hinge housing 230 .

[0171] When the hinge housing 230 is viewed from above, the second portion may be formed to be at least partially hidden by the flexible display 250 .

[0172] The hinge housing 230 may include an inner surface 233 which is a rear surface of the folding area 253 facing the flexible display 250 and a side wall 235 which extends from the inner surface 233 and includes an area facing the direction of the folding axis F, each protrusion 234 may protrude from the side wall 235 toward the front surface of the flexible display 250, and a portion of each buffer member 240 may be attached to the protrusion 234, and the remainder of the buffer member extends to the inner surface.

[0173] The inner surface may include a second recess 239 in which at least a portion of the buffer member 240 is accommodated, and the second recess 239 may be open in the direction of the folding axis F.

[0174] Each buffer member 240 may include a first portion including a coupling surface 245 attached to each protruding portion 234 and an opposing surface 234 opposing the coupling surface 245 and facing the folding area 253, and a second portion including a seating surface 246 seated on the inner surface of the hinge housing 230. The buffer member 240 may be attached to the hinge housing 230 such that the coupling surface 245 is attached to a first bottom surface of the first recess formed on the protruding portion 234, and the seating surface 246 is located on a second bottom surface 2391 of the second recess 239 formed on the inner surface of the hinge housing 230.

[0175] The relative surface 243 may include a first area 251 facing the direction of the folding axis F and a second area 252 extending from the first area 251 and forming a certain angle with the folding axis F, and the second area 252 may include an inclined surface that is inclined to gradually move away from the folding area 253 as the distance from the first area 251 increases.

[0176] The certain angle may be in the range of 50 degrees to 80 degrees.

[0177] The first recess 237 may include a first bottom surface 2371 facing an edge of the folding region 235, a first side wall 2372 extending from the first bottom surface 2371 and facing an inner surface of the hinge housing 230, and a second side wall 2373 opposite to the first side wall 2372. At least a portion of the first portion of the buffer member 240 may be disposed between the first side wall 2372 and the second side wall 2373, and the first side wall 2372 may be formed to form a virtual inclined surface extending from an inclined surface of the opposite surface 243.

[0178] The electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a housing structure including: a first housing 210; a second housing 220; a hinge housing 430 disposed between the first housing 210 and the second housing 220, wherein the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 are configured to be folded toward each other around a folding axis F aligned with the hinge housing 430; a flexible display 250 including a folding area 253 at least partially disposed in the hinge housing 430 and formed as a flat surface or a curved surface, a first area 251 extending from the folding area 253 and disposed in the first housing 210, and a second area 252 extending from the folding area 253 and disposed in the second housing 220; and a shock absorbing structure absorbing an impact applied to the flexible display 250. The hinge housing 430 may include a side wall, at least a portion of which faces the direction of the folding axis F. The shock absorbing structure may include a shock absorbing member formed between the side wall and the periphery of the flexible display 250.

[0179] The hinge housing 430 may be formed such that the side wall is spaced apart from the periphery of the flexible display 250 by a first gap, and the buffer member 440 is spaced apart from the periphery of the flexible display 250 by a second gap smaller than the first gap, and the buffer member 440 may be at least partially located in the interior space 433 of the hinge housing 430.

[0180] The side wall 431 may include a first side wall 235-1 formed on one side in the direction of the folding axis F and a second side wall 235-2 formed on the opposite side in the direction of the folding axis F. The buffer member 440 may include a first buffer member 240-1 formed between the first side wall 235-1 and the periphery of the flexible display 250 and a second buffer member 240-2 formed between the second side wall 235-2 and the periphery of the flexible display 250. The folding region 235 of the flexible display 250 may be disposed between the first buffer member 240 and the second buffer member 240.

[0181] An electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a flexible display 250, which includes a first area 251 formed as a flat surface, a second area 252 formed as a flat surface, and a folding area 253 formed between the first area 251 and the second area 252 and formed as a flat surface or a curved surface; a shell structure, which surrounds the periphery of the flexible display 250 and includes a frame structure 1505 separated from the periphery by a first gap; and a shock-absorbing structure, which includes a shock-absorbing member 1550, which is formed between the frame structure 1505 and the periphery of the flexible display 250 and separated from the periphery by a second gap smaller than the first gap.

[0182] The frame structure 1505 may include: a first frame structure 1510, which surrounds at least a portion of the first area 251; a second frame structure 1520, which surrounds at least a portion of the second area 252; and a third frame structure 1530, which surrounds at least a portion of the folding area 253; and a shock-absorbing structure may be formed in the third frame structure 1530.

[0183] The housing structure may further include a plate structure 1506 on which the frame structure 1505 is formed and on which the rear surface of the flexible display 250 is placed. The shock absorbing structure may include a first shock absorbing structure disposed adjacent to a first edge of the flexible display and a second shock absorbing structure disposed adjacent to a second edge of the flexible display and facing the first edge of the flexible display in the folding axis direction. The rear surface of the first region 251 and the rear surface of the second region 252 may be attached to the plate structure 1506 so that the flexible display 250 may move within a certain range relative to the plate structure 1506 in the direction of the folding axis F, and the certain range may be greater than or equal to the second gap.

[0184] The shock absorbing structure may be formed integrally with the frame structure 1505 .

[0185] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the gap between the flexible display and the housing structure can be reduced, and foreign matter can be prevented from penetrating into the housing structure through the gap.

[0186] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the flexible display can be prevented from directly colliding with the rigid housing structure, thereby reducing the risk of deviation during the assembly process of the flexible display.

[0187] Furthermore, the present disclosure can provide various effects that are directly or indirectly recognized.

[0188] The electronic device according to various embodiments may be one of various types of electronic devices. The electronic device may include, for example, a portable communication device (e.g., a smart phone), a computer device, a portable multimedia device, a portable medical device, a camera, a wearable device, or a household appliance. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device is not limited to the above-mentioned devices.

[0189] It should be understood that the various embodiments of the present disclosure and the terms used herein are not intended to limit the technical features set forth herein to specific embodiments, but include various changes, equivalents or replacement forms for the corresponding embodiments. With regard to the description of the accompanying drawings, similar reference numerals may be used to refer to similar or related elements. 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" may include any one or all possible combinations of the items listed together with the corresponding one of the multiple phrases. As used herein, terms such as "1st" and "2nd" or "first" and "second" may be used to simply distinguish the corresponding component from another component, and do not limit the component in other aspects (e.g., importance or order). It will be understood that if an element (e.g., a first element) is referred to as being “combined with another element (e.g., the second element)”, “combined to another element (e.g., the second element)”, “connected with another element (e.g., the second element)”, or “connected to another element (e.g., the second element)” when the terms “operably” or “communicatively” are used or when the terms “operably” or “communicatively” are not used, it means that the element may be directly (e.g., wired) connected to the other element, wirelessly connected to the other element, or connected to the other element via a third element.

[0190] As used herein, the term "module" may include units implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with other terms (e.g., "logic," "logic block," "component," or "circuit"). A module may be a single integrated component adapted to perform one or more functions or a minimum unit or portion of the single integrated component. For example, according to an embodiment, a module may be implemented in the form of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0191] The various embodiments set forth herein may be implemented as software (e.g., a program) comprising one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., an internal memory or an external memory) that can be read by a machine (e.g., an electronic device). For example, under the control of a processor, a processor (e.g., a processor) of the machine (e.g., an electronic device) may call at least one of the one or more instructions stored in the storage medium and execute the at least one instruction with or without the use of one or more other components. This enables the machine to operate to perform at least one function according to at least one instruction called. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code that can be run by an interpreter. A machine-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Among them, the term "non-transitory" only means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not include a signal (e.g., an electromagnetic wave), but the term does not distinguish between data being semi-permanently stored in a storage medium and data being temporarily stored in a storage medium.

[0192] According to an embodiment, the method according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may be included and provided in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded between a seller and a buyer as a product. The computer program product may be released in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., a compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM)), or may be downloaded via an application store (e.g., Play Store TM ) The computer program product may be published (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) online, or the computer program product may be distributed (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) directly between two user devices (e.g., smart phones). If published online, at least part of the computer program product may be temporarily generated, or at least part of the computer program product may be at least temporarily stored in a machine-readable storage medium (such as a memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a forwarding server).

[0193] According to various embodiments, each component (e.g., module or program) in the above-mentioned components may include a single entity or multiple entities. According to various embodiments, one or more components in the above-mentioned components may be omitted, or one or more other components may be added. Alternatively or in addition, multiple components (e.g., module or program) may be integrated into a single component. In this case, according to various embodiments, the integrated component may still perform the one or more functions of each component in the multiple components in the same or similar manner as a corresponding component in the multiple components before integration. According to various embodiments, the operations performed by a module, program or another component may be performed sequentially, in parallel, repeatedly or in a heuristic manner, or one or more operations in the operations may be run or omitted in different orders, or one or more other operations may be added.

[0194] While the present disclosure has been shown and described with reference to various embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising: a first shell; a second shell; a hinge structure by which the first housing and the second housing are pivotally connected to be folded or unfolded relative to each other; A flexible display, comprising: a first region, the first region being disposed in the first housing, a second region, the second region being disposed in the second housing, and a folding region located between the first region and the second region and configured to deform depending on whether the first shell and the second shell are folded or unfolded; a hinge housing used for the hinge structure and disposed between the first housing and the second housing, the hinge housing having a first side wall and a second side wall at opposite ends in a length direction of the hinge housing, the hinge housing including an attachment protrusion formed on each of the first side wall and the second side wall, each attachment protrusion including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion protruding from a corresponding side wall of the first side wall and the second side wall in a first direction substantially parallel to the corresponding side wall, and the second portion protruding from the first portion in a corresponding second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction; and Respective buffer members are attached to corresponding ones of the attachment protrusions, wherein the flexible display is disposed such that a portion of each of the buffer members faces an outer periphery of the corresponding folding region.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein: Each buffer member is attached to the corresponding attachment protrusion in such a manner that at least a portion of the buffer member is exposed between the first housing and the second housing.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein: Each buffer member includes a support surface facing in a direction opposite to the first direction, wherein an opening is formed on the support surface, and the corresponding attachment protrusion is inserted into the opening.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein: A surface of each buffer member is disposed between the second portion of the corresponding attachment protrusion and the flexible display.

5. The electronic device according to claim 4, wherein: The surface of each cushioning member extends from the corresponding side wall of the hinge housing.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, in, The first housing is rotatably attached to one side of the hinge structure about a first axis, and the second housing is rotatably attached to an opposite side of the hinge structure about a second axis parallel to the first axis, and Wherein, the second direction is substantially parallel to the first axis and the second axis.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein: Each of the attachment protrusions includes another second portion protruding from the first portion in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and opposite to the corresponding second direction.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1, in, The first shell and the second shell are configured to be folded or unfolded about a folding axis, and wherein the hinge housing extends in the direction of the folding axis, and wherein the second direction is substantially parallel to the folding axis.

9. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein: At least a portion of each buffer member is disposed between the corresponding attachment protrusion and an outer periphery of the folding region facing in a direction of the folding axis.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1, in, The folding area of ​​the flexible display is disposed between the buffer members.

11. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein: At least a portion of each buffer member is positioned between a corresponding attachment protrusion and the folding region of the flexible display.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11, wherein: The portion of each buffer member is positioned between the first portion of the corresponding attachment protrusion and the folding region of the flexible display in a folded state and an unfolded state of the first housing and the second housing.

13. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein: When the first shell and the second shell are folded or unfolded, a portion of each cushioning member remains in contact with at least one of the first portion and the second portion.

14. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein: The outer periphery of the folding area is separated from the first side wall by a first gap, and is separated from the buffer member attached to the attachment protrusion formed on the first side wall by a second gap smaller than the first gap, and wherein the outer periphery of the folding area is separated from the second side wall by a third gap, and is separated from the buffer member attached to the attachment protrusion formed on the second side wall by a fourth gap smaller than the third gap.

15. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein: At least a portion of each buffer member is disposed to overlap an outer surface of a portion of the folding region between the first case and the second case.

Images