Electronic device and electronic device shell structure

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an electronic device including: a housing including a front plate, a rear plate facing in a direction opposite to the front plate, and a side member surrounding a space between the front plate and the rear plate; and an antenna, in which at least a portion of the case includes a mirror ink pattern layer containing metal powder, and adjacent pattern members forming the mirror ink pattern layer are insulated from each other. Various other embodiments may also be applicable.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an electronic device and an electronic device housing structure, wherein the electronic device includes a high-brightness, high-reflection mirror ink pattern layer. Background Art

[0002] The ever-evolving information communication technology and semiconductor technology have accelerated the spread and use of various electronic devices. In particular, recent electronic devices are being developed to perform communication while being carried. In addition, the electronic device can output the stored information as voice or image. As electronic devices are highly integrated, and high-speed or high-capacity wireless communications become common, electronic devices such as mobile communication terminals are recently equipped with various functions. For example, electronic devices have integrated functions, including entertainment functions (such as playing video games), multimedia functions (such as replaying music / videos), communication and security functions for mobile banking, and scheduling and electronic wallet functions. These electronic devices have been reduced in size for the convenience of users to carry.

[0003] Research efforts are currently underway to provide electronic devices with improved aesthetic appearance by using metal to produce housings for electronic devices while protecting the various circuit components in the electronic devices.

[0004] Metal is used as an external material of an electronic device. For example, a metal texture can be realized on an external material of an electronic device by depositing a metal (such as indium) on the back cover of a smart phone. In a state where the back cover is formed of glass, an optically clear adhesive (OCA) is provided on one surface of a PET film, and a metal texture decorative layer is formed on the other surface thereof using, for example, an ultraviolet (UV) molded pattern, indium deposition, and / or shield printing. The decorative layer is laminated on the inner surface of the glass to realize a metal texture glass.

[0005] As a method for surface treatment of metal textured shells, electron beam evaporation of metal materials (e.g., indium) is generally used. However, this technology requires expensive vacuum equipment for manufacturing and may have low yield due to unfavorable vacuum processes in large-scale production. In addition, including a vacuum process in the method for surface treatment in metal textured shells may lead to various cost increase problems. Therefore, as an alternative to the electron beam deposition method, a method for achieving metal texture by mixing metal powder into ink and printing (hereinafter referred to as "mirror ink printing method") can be used.

[0006] The mirror ink printing method includes a method of printing an ink mixed with a conductive metal powder on the surface of a housing, and has the advantages of being easy to mass produce and reducing production costs compared to the electron beam deposition method. However, this method can use a high content of conductive metal pigments to achieve high brightness, similar to the metal textured housing achieved by the electron beam deposition method. However, the use of a high content of conductive metal pigments may reduce the surface resistance of the printed layer formed by printing with the metal pigment, which increases the conductivity and degrades the radiation performance of the antenna of the electronic device. If the content of the conductive metal pigment is reduced to avoid degradation of the radiation performance, the desired degree of metal texture is not shown on the surface of the housing. Summary of the invention

[0007] Technical Solution

[0008] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an electronic device can be provided, which includes a shell and an antenna, the shell including a front plate, a rear plate facing a direction opposite to the front plate, and a side member surrounding a space between the front plate and the rear plate, wherein at least a portion of the shell includes a mirror ink pattern layer of powder containing a metal component, and wherein adjacent pattern elements forming a pattern of the mirror ink pattern layer are insulated from each other.

[0009] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an accessory cover for an electronic device that is detachable from a housing of the electronic device may be provided, wherein at least a portion of the cover of the electronic device includes a mirror ink pattern layer, the mirror ink pattern layer containing a powder of a metal component and being formed so that adjacent pattern elements forming a pattern of the mirror ink pattern layer are insulated from each other.

[0010] Various other implementations are possible. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The foregoing and other aspects, configurations and / or advantages of embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0012] Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device in a network environment according to an embodiment;

[0013] Figure 2 is a front perspective view showing an electronic device according to an embodiment;

[0014] Figure 3 is a rear perspective view showing an electronic device according to an embodiment;

[0015] Figure 4 is a view showing a cross section of a mirror ink pattern layer according to an embodiment;

[0016] Figure 5 is a view showing a mirror ink pattern layer viewed from above according to an embodiment;

[0017] Figure 6 is a graph showing the brightness of an electronic device housing to which a mirror ink pattern layer according to a comparative example is applied and the brightness of an electronic device housing to which a mirror ink pattern layer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is applied;

[0018] Figure 7 is a graph showing the reflectivity of an electronic device housing to which a mirror ink pattern layer according to a comparative example is applied and the reflectivity of an electronic device housing to which a mirror ink pattern layer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is applied;

[0019] Figure 8 is a view showing a cross section of a mirror ink pattern layer according to an embodiment;

[0020] Fig. 9 is a view showing a mirror ink pattern layer viewed from above according to an embodiment;

[0021] Fig.10 is a view showing a cross section of a mirror ink pattern layer according to an embodiment;

[0022] Fig.11 is a view showing a mirror ink pattern layer viewed from above according to an embodiment;

[0023] Fig.12a is a view showing a cross section of an electronic device housing to which a mirror ink pattern layer is applied according to an embodiment;

[0024] Figure 12b 1 is a diagram showing a view from above according to an embodiment Fig.12a A view of the shell;

[0025] Fig.12c 1 is a diagram showing a view from above according to an embodiment Fig.12a A view of the shell;

[0026] Fig.12d Shows the application Fig.12a A measurement image of a shell product;

[0027] Fig.13a is a view showing a cross section of an electronic device housing to which a mirror ink pattern layer is applied according to an embodiment;

[0028] Fig.13b 1 is a diagram showing a view from above according to an embodiment Fig.13a A view of the shell;

[0029] Fig.13c 1 is a diagram showing a view from above according to an embodiment Fig.13a a view of the housing; and

[0030] Fig.13d Shows the application Fig.13a A measurement image of a housing product.

[0031] Throughout the drawings, like reference numerals may be assigned to like parts, components and / or structures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings may be presented to provide a comprehensive understanding of various implementations of the present disclosure as defined by the claims and their equivalents. The specific embodiments disclosed in the following description require various specific details to aid understanding, but are considered to be one of the various implementations. Therefore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made to the various implementations described in the present disclosure without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. In addition, for the sake of clarity and brevity, descriptions of well-known functions and configurations may be omitted.

[0033] The terms and words used in the following description and claims are not limited to the written meanings, but can be used to clearly and consistently describe various embodiments of the present disclosure. Therefore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of various implementations of the present disclosure is provided for descriptive purposes only and not for the purpose of limiting the scope of the present disclosure which is limited to the claims and their equivalents.

[0034] Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well. Thus, as an example, "a component surface" may be interpreted as including one or more of the surfaces of the component.

[0035] Figure 1 1 is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device 101 in a network environment 100 according to various embodiments. Figure 1, the electronic device 101 in the network environment 100 may communicate with the electronic device 102 via the first network 198 (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network), or communicate with the electronic device 104 or the server 108 via the second network 199 (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may communicate with the electronic device 104 via the server 108. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may include a processor 120, a memory 130, an input module 150, a sound output module 155, a display module 160, an audio module 170, a sensor module 176, an interface 177, a connection terminal 178, a haptic module 179, a camera module 180, a power management module 188, a battery 189, a communication module 190, a user identification module (SIM) 196, or an antenna module 197. In an embodiment, at least one of the components (e.g., the connection terminal 178) may be omitted from the electronic device 101, or one or more other components may be added to the electronic device 101. Depending on the implementation, some of the components (eg, the sensor module 176, the camera module 180, or the antenna module 197) may be integrated into a single component (eg, the display module 160).

[0036] The processor 120 may run, for example, software (e.g., program 140) to control at least one other component (e.g., hardware component or software component) of the electronic device 101 connected to the processor 120, and may perform various data processing or calculations. According to an embodiment, as at least part of the data processing or calculation, the processor 120 may store a command or data received from another component (e.g., sensor module 176 or communication module 190) in the volatile memory 132, process the command or data stored in the volatile memory 132, and store the resultant data in the non-volatile memory 134. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 may include a main processor 121 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU) or an application processor (AP)) or an auxiliary processor 123 (e.g., a graphics processing unit (GPU), a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor (ISP), a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor (CP)) that is operationally independent or combined with the main processor 121. For example, when the electronic device 101 includes a main processor 121 and an auxiliary processor 123, the auxiliary processor 123 may be configured to use less power than the main processor 121, or to be dedicated to a specified function. The auxiliary processor 123 may be implemented separately from the main processor 121, or as part of the main processor 121.

[0037] When the main processor 121 is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, the auxiliary processor 123 (rather than the main processor 121) may control at least some of the functions or states related to at least one component among the components of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the display module 160, the sensor module 176, or the communication module 190), or when the main processor 121 is in an active state (e.g., running an application), the auxiliary processor 123 may control at least some of the functions or states related to at least one component among the components of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the display module 160, the sensor module 176, or the communication module 190) together with the main processor 121. According to an embodiment, the auxiliary processor 123 (e.g., an image signal processor or a communication processor) may be implemented as part of another component (e.g., a camera module 180 or a communication module 190) that is functionally related to the auxiliary processor 123. According to an embodiment, the auxiliary processor 123 (e.g., a neural processing unit) may include a hardware structure dedicated to artificial intelligence model processing. The artificial intelligence model may be generated by machine learning. For example, such learning may be performed by the electronic device 101 where the artificial intelligence is executed or via a separate server (e.g., server 108). The learning algorithm may include, but is not limited to, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning, for example. The artificial intelligence model may include multiple artificial neural network layers. The artificial neural network may be a deep neural network (DNN), a convolutional neural network (CNN), a recurrent neural network (RNN), a restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM), a deep belief network (DBN), a bidirectional recurrent deep neural network (BRDNN), or a deep Q network or a combination of two or more thereof, but is not limited thereto. Additionally or alternatively, the artificial intelligence model may include a software structure in addition to a hardware structure.

[0038] The memory 130 may store various data used by at least one component of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the processor 120 or the sensor module 176). The various data may include, for example, software (e.g., the program 140) and input data or output data for commands related thereto. The memory 130 may include a volatile memory 132 or a nonvolatile memory 134.

[0039] The program 140 may be stored as software in the memory 130 , and may include, for example, an operating system (OS) 142 , middleware 144 , or applications 146 .

[0040] The input module 150 may receive commands or data to be used by other components (e.g., the processor 120) of the electronic device 101 from outside (e.g., a user) of the electronic device 101. The input module 150 may include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, a keyboard, a key (e.g., a button), or a digital pen (e.g., a stylus).

[0041] The sound output module 155 can output sound signals to the outside of the electronic device 101. The sound output module 155 may include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker can be used for general purposes such as playing multimedia or playing records. The receiver can be used to receive incoming calls. Depending on the embodiment, the receiver can be implemented as a separate part from the speaker, or as part of the speaker.

[0042] The display module 160 may visually provide information to the outside of the electronic device 101 (e.g., a user). The display 160 may include, for example, a display, a holographic device, or a projector, and a control circuit for controlling a corresponding one of the display, the holographic device, and the projector. According to an embodiment, the display 160 may include a touch sensor configured to detect a touch or a pressure sensor configured to measure the strength of a force generated by a touch.

[0043] The audio module 170 may convert sound into an electrical signal, or vice versa. According to an embodiment, the audio module 170 may obtain sound via the input module 150, or output sound via the sound output module 155 or an earphone of an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device 102) directly (e.g., wired) or wirelessly connected to the electronic device 101.

[0044] The sensor module 176 may detect an operating state (e.g., power or temperature) of the electronic device 101 or an environmental state (e.g., a user's state) outside the electronic device 101, and then generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected state. Depending on the embodiment, the sensor module 176 may include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an accelerometer, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illumination sensor.

[0045] The interface 177 may support one or more specific protocols to be used to connect the electronic device 101 directly (e.g., wired) or wirelessly to an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102). According to an embodiment, the interface 177 may include, for example, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a secure digital (SD) card interface, or an audio interface.

[0046] The connection end 178 may include a connector, wherein the electronic device 101 can be physically connected to an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102) via the connector. According to an embodiment, the connection end 178 may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector).

[0047] The haptic module 179 may convert the electrical signal into mechanical stimulation (eg, vibration or motion) or electrical stimulation that can be recognized by the user via his sense of touch or kinesthetic sense. According to an embodiment, the haptic module 179 may include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulator.

[0048] The camera module 180 may capture still images or moving images. According to an embodiment, the camera module 180 may include one or more lenses, an image sensor, an image signal processor, or a flash.

[0049] The power management module 188 may manage power supply to the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, the power management module 188 may be implemented as, for example, at least a part of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

[0050] The battery 189 may power at least one component of the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, the battery 189 may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

[0051] The communication module 190 may support establishing a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between the electronic device 101 and an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device 102, electronic device 104, or server 108), and perform communication via the established communication channel. The communication module 190 may include one or more communication processors capable of operating independently from the processor 120 (e.g., an application processor (AP)) and supporting direct (e.g., wired) communication or wireless communication. According to an embodiment, the communication module 190 may include a wireless communication module 192 (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module 194 (e.g., a local area network (LAN) communication module or a power line communication (PLC) module). A corresponding one of these communication modules can communicate with the external electronic device 104 via a first network 198 (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) Direct, or Infrared Data Association (IrDA)) or a second network 199 (e.g., a long-range communication network such as a traditional cellular network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN))). These various types of communication modules may be implemented as a single component (e.g., a single chip), or may be implemented as multiple components (e.g., multiple chips) separated from each other. The wireless communication module 192 may identify or authenticate the electronic device 101 in a communication network (such as the first network 198 or the second network 199) using user information (e.g., an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI)) stored in the user identification module 196.

[0052] The wireless communication module 192 can support 5G networks after 4G networks and next-generation communication technologies (e.g., new radio (NR) access technology). NR access technology can support enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), massive machine type communication (mMTC), or ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC). The wireless communication module 192 can support high-frequency bands (e.g., millimeter wave bands) to achieve, for example, high data transmission rates. The wireless communication module 192 can support various technologies for ensuring performance on high-frequency bands, such as, for example, beamforming, massive multiple-input multiple-output (massive MIMO), full-dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antennas, analog beamforming, or massive antennas. The wireless communication module 192 can support various requirements specified in the electronic device 101, an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device 104), or a network system (e.g., a second network 199). Depending on the embodiment, the wireless communication module 192 may support a peak data rate for implementing eMBB (e.g., 20 Gbps or greater), loss coverage for implementing mMTC (e.g., 164 dB or less), or U-plane delay for implementing URLLC (e.g., 0.5 ms or less for each of the downlink (DL) and uplink (UL), or 1 ms or less round trip).

[0053] The antenna module 197 may send a signal or power to the outside (e.g., an external electronic device) or receive a signal or power from the outside (e.g., an external electronic device). According to an embodiment, the antenna module 197 may include an antenna including a radiator formed by a conductor or a conductive pattern formed on a substrate (e.g., a printed circuit board (PCB)). According to an embodiment, the antenna module 197 may include a plurality of antennas (e.g., an antenna array). In this case, at least one antenna suitable for a communication scheme used in a communication network (such as the first network 198 or the second network 199) may be selected from the plurality of antennas by, for example, the communication module 190. A signal or power may then be sent or received between the communication module 190 and the external electronic device via the selected at least one antenna. According to an embodiment, another portion (e.g., a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) other than the radiator may be further formed as a part of the antenna module 197.

[0054] According to various embodiments, the antenna module 197 may form a millimeter wave antenna module. According to an embodiment, the millimeter wave antenna module may include a printed circuit board, a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC), and a plurality of antennas (e.g., array antennas), wherein the RFIC is disposed on a first surface (e.g., bottom surface) of the printed circuit board, or adjacent to the first surface and capable of supporting a specified high frequency band (e.g., millimeter wave band), and the plurality of antennas are disposed on a second surface (e.g., top surface or side surface) of the printed circuit board, or adjacent to the second surface and capable of transmitting or receiving signals of the specified high frequency band.

[0055] At least some of the above components may be connected to each other via an inter-peripheral communication scheme (e.g., a bus, general purpose input output (GPIO), serial peripheral interface (SPI), or mobile industry processor interface (MIPI)) and communicatively transmit signals (e.g., commands or data) therebetween.

[0056] According to an embodiment, a command or data may be sent or received between the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device 104 via the server 108 connected to the second network 199. Each of the external electronic device 102 or the electronic device 104 may be a device of the same type as the electronic device 101, or a device of a different type from the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, all or some operations to be executed in the electronic device 101 may be executed in one or more of the external electronic device 102, the external electronic device 104, or the server 108. For example, if the electronic device 101 should automatically execute a function or service or should execute a function or service in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device 101 may request the one or more external electronic devices to execute at least part of the function or service instead of executing the function or service, or the electronic device 101 may request the one or more external electronic devices to execute at least part of the function or service in addition to executing the function or service. The one or more external electronic devices receiving the request may execute at least part of the function or service requested, or execute another function or another service related to the request, and transmit the result of the execution to the electronic device 101. The electronic device 101 may provide the result as at least a partial reply to the request in the case of further processing the result or without further processing the result. To this end, cloud computing technology, distributed computing technology, mobile edge computing (MEC) technology or client-server computing technology, for example, may be used. The electronic device 101 may use, for example, distributed computing or mobile edge computing to provide ultra-low latency services. In another embodiment, the external electronic device 104 may include an Internet of Things (IoT) device. The server 108 may be an intelligent server using machine learning and / or neural networks. According to an embodiment, the external electronic device 104 or the server 108 may be included in the second network 199. The electronic device 101 may be applied to intelligent services (e.g., smart homes, smart cities, smart cars or health care) based on 5G communication technology or IoT-related technologies.

[0057] Figure 2 is a front perspective view showing an electronic device 101 according to an embodiment. Figure 3 is a rear perspective view showing the electronic device 101 according to the embodiment.

[0058] In the detailed description below, the vertical width direction of the electronic device 101 may be defined as the "Y-axis direction", the horizontal width direction may be defined as the "X-axis direction", and / or the height direction may be defined as the "Z-axis direction". When describing a direction, when "negative / positive (- / +)" is not shown, unless defined separately, it may be interpreted as including both the + direction and the - direction. In other words, the "X-axis direction" may be interpreted as including both the +X direction and the -X direction, the "Y-axis direction" may be interpreted as including both the +Y direction and the -Y direction, and the "Z-axis direction" may be interpreted as including both the +Z direction and the -Z direction. When describing a direction, any of the three axes facing an orthogonal coordinate system may include a direction facing parallel to the axis. It should be noted that in the description of the accompanying drawings, the arrangement of components is defined relative to the Cartesian coordinate system shown in the accompanying drawings, and the description of these directions or components does not limit the various embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, the following description Figure 4 The mirror ink pattern layer is shown viewed from the side, and the first mirror ink layer 510, the first transparent insulating ink layer 520, the second mirror ink layer 530, the second transparent insulating ink layer 540, and the third ink layer 550 are sequentially stacked in a direction opposite to the Z axis (which is the height direction of the electronic device 101). It should be noted that in order to help understand the multi-layer pattern structure, the first mirror ink layer 510, the first transparent insulating ink layer 520, the second mirror ink layer 530, the second transparent insulating ink layer 540, and the third ink layer 550 are not necessarily stacked in a direction opposite to the height direction of the electronic device 101. In addition, the following description Figure 5 1 is a view showing the mirror ink pattern layer observed from above, and may show the mirror ink pattern layer observed in a direction opposite to the Z axis, which is a height direction of the electronic device 101. In the following description, the X axis may be represented as a first direction, the Y axis may be represented as a second direction, and the Z axis may be represented as a third direction.

[0059] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may include a housing 310 having a front surface 310A, a rear surface 310B, and a side surface 310C surrounding a space between the front surface 310A and the rear surface 310B. According to another embodiment (not shown), the housing 310 may represent a Figure 2The structure of a portion of the front surface 310A, the rear surface 310B and the side surface 310C. According to an embodiment, at least a portion of the front surface 310A may have a substantially transparent front plate 302 (e.g., a glass plate or a polymer plate including various coatings). The rear surface 310B may be formed by a rear plate 311. The rear plate 311 may be formed by, for example, glass, ceramic, polymer, metal (e.g., aluminum, stainless steel (STS) or magnesium) or a combination of at least two thereof. The side surface 310C may be formed by a side frame structure (or "side member") 318, which is connected to the front plate 302 and the rear plate 311 and includes metal and / or polymer. According to an embodiment, the rear plate 311 and the side frame plate 318 may be integrally formed together and include the same material (e.g., glass, metal (such as aluminum) or ceramic).

[0060] In the illustrated embodiment, the front plate 302 may include two first edge regions 310D extending seamlessly and curvedly from the first surface 310A to the rear plate 311 on the two long edges of the front plate 302. Figure 3 ), the rear plate 311 may include two second edge areas 310E, which extend seamlessly and curvedly from the rear surface 310B to the front plate on two long edges. According to an embodiment, the front plate 302 (or the rear plate 311) may include only one of the first edge areas 310 (or the second edge areas 310E). Alternatively, the first edge area 310D or the second edge area 301E may be partially excluded. According to an embodiment, in a side view of the electronic device 101, for a side without the first edge area 310D or the second edge area 310E, the side frame structure 318 may have a first thickness (or width), and for a side with the first edge area 310D or the second edge area 310E, the side frame structure 318 may have a second thickness that is less than the first thickness.

[0061] According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may include a display 301, audio modules 303, 307, and 314 (eg, Figure 1 audio module 170), sensor module (e.g., Figure 1 sensor module) 176, camera modules 305, 312 and 313 (e.g., Figure 1 camera module 180), key input device 317 (eg, Figure 1 input module 150) and connector holes 308 and 309 (e.g., Figure 1 According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may not include at least one of the components (eg, the connector hole 309), or other components may be added.

[0062] According to an embodiment, the display 301 may be visually exposed through, for example, a large portion of the front plate 302. According to an embodiment, at least a portion of the display 301 may be exposed through the front plate 302 forming the front surface 310A and the first edge region 310D. According to an embodiment, the edge of the display 301 may be formed to be substantially the same shape as the adjacent outer edge of the front plate 302. According to another embodiment (not shown), the spacing between the outer edge of the display 301 and the outer edge of the front plate 302 may be kept substantially uniform to give the display 301 a larger exposed area.

[0063] According to an embodiment, the surface of the housing 310 (or the front plate 302) may include a screen display area formed when the display 301 is visually exposed. For example, the screen display area may include a front surface 310A and a first edge area 310D.

[0064] According to an embodiment, a recess or an opening may be formed in a portion of the screen display area (e.g., the front surface 310A or the first edge area 310D) of the display 301, and at least one or more of the audio module 314, the sensor module (not shown), the light emitting device (not shown), and the camera module 305 may be aligned with the recess or the opening. According to another embodiment (not shown), at least one or more of the audio module 314, the sensor module (not shown), the camera module 305, the fingerprint sensor (not shown), and the light emitting device (not shown) may be included on the rear surface of the screen display area of ​​the display 301.

[0065] According to an embodiment (not shown), the display 301 may be provided in conjunction with or adjacent to a touch detection circuit, a pressure sensor capable of measuring the intensity (pressure) of a touch, and / or a digitizer for detecting a magnetic field type stylus.

[0066] According to an embodiment, at least a portion of the key input device 317 may be disposed in the first edge region 310D and / or the second edge region 310E.

[0067] According to an embodiment, the audio modules 303, 307 and 314 may include, for example, a microphone hole 303 and speaker holes 307 and 314. A microphone for acquiring external sound may be provided in the microphone hole 303. In some embodiments, a plurality of microphones may be provided to detect the direction of the sound. The speaker holes 307 and 314 may include an external speaker hole 307 and a telephone receiver hole 314. In an embodiment, the speaker holes 307 and 314 and the microphone hole 303 may be implemented as a single hole, or a speaker may be included without the speaker holes 307 and 314 (e.g., a piezoelectric speaker). The audio modules 303, 307 and 314 are not limited to the above structure. Depending on the structure of the electronic device 101, various design changes may be made, for example, only some audio modules may be installed, or new audio modules may be added.

[0068] According to an embodiment, the sensor module (not shown) may generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to an internal operating state or an external environmental state of the electronic device 101. The sensor module (not shown) may include a first sensor module (not shown) (e.g., a proximity sensor) and / or a second sensor module (not shown) (e.g., a fingerprint sensor) disposed on the front surface 310A of the housing 310 and / or a third sensor module (not shown) (e.g., an HRM sensor) and / or a fourth sensor module (not shown) (e.g., a fingerprint sensor) disposed on the rear surface 310B of the housing 310. In an embodiment (not shown), the fingerprint sensor may be disposed on the rear surface 310B of the housing 310 and on the front surface 310A (e.g., the display 301). The electronic device 101 may further include a sensor module not shown, for example, at least one of a gesture sensor, a gyroscope sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a color sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illumination sensor (not shown). The sensor module (not shown) is not limited to the above structure. Depending on the structure of the electronic device 101, various design changes may be made, for example, only some sensor modules may be installed, or new sensor modules may be added.

[0069] According to an embodiment, the camera modules 305, 312 and 313 may include a first camera module 305 disposed on a first surface 310A of the electronic device 101 and a rear camera device 312 and / or a flash 313 disposed on a rear surface 310B. The camera modules 305 and 312 may include one or more lenses, an image sensor and / or an image signal processor. The flash 313 may include, for example, a light emitting diode (LED) or a xenon lamp. According to an embodiment, two or more lenses (an infrared (IR) camera, a wide-angle lens and a telescope lens) and an image sensor may be disposed on one surface of the electronic device 101. The camera modules 305, 312 and 313 are not limited to the above-mentioned structures. Depending on the structure of the electronic device 101, various design changes may be made, for example, only some of the camera modules may be installed, or new camera modules may be added.

[0070] According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may include a plurality of camera modules (e.g., dual cameras or triple cameras) having different properties (e.g., viewing angles) or functions. For example, a plurality of camera modules 305 and 312 including lenses having different viewing angles may be configured, and the electronic device 101 may be controlled based on a user's selection to change the viewing angles of the camera modules 305 and 312 executed by the electronic device 101. At least one of the plurality of camera modules 305 and 312 may form, for example, a wide-angle camera, and at least another of the plurality of camera modules may form a telephoto camera. Similarly, at least one of the plurality of camera modules 305 and 312 may be a front camera, and at least another of the plurality of camera modules may be a rear camera. In addition, the plurality of camera modules 305 and 312 may include at least one of a wide-angle camera, a telephoto camera, and an infrared (IR) camera (e.g., a time of flight (TOF) camera, a structured light camera). According to an embodiment, the IR camera may be operated as at least a portion of a sensor module. For example, a TOF camera may be operated as at least a portion of a sensor module (not shown) for detecting the distance of an object.

[0071] According to an embodiment, the key input device 317 may be provided on the side surface 310C of the housing 310. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may not include all or some of the above-mentioned key input devices 317, and the key input device 317 not included may be implemented in other forms (for example, as a soft key) on the display 301. According to an embodiment, the key input device may include a sensor module (not shown) provided on the rear surface 310B of the housing 310.

[0072] According to an embodiment, a light emitting device may be provided, for example, on the front surface 310A of the housing 310. The light emitting device (not shown) may provide, for example, information about the state of the electronic device 101 in the form of light. According to another embodiment, the light emitting device (not shown) may provide a light source that interacts with, for example, the front camera module 305. The light emitting device (not shown) may include, for example, a light emitting diode (LED), an infrared (IR) LED, and / or a xenon lamp.

[0073] According to an embodiment, the connector holes 308 and 309 may include, for example, a first connector hole 308 for receiving a connector (e.g., a universal serial bus (USB) connector) for transmitting power and / or data to or receiving power and / or data from an external electronic device and / or a second connector hole (e.g., a headphone jack) 309 for receiving a connector for transmitting an audio signal to or receiving an audio signal from an external electronic device. The connector holes 308 and 309 are not limited to the above structure. Depending on the structure of the electronic device 101, various design changes may be made, such as installing only some of the connector holes or adding new connector holes.

[0074] According to an embodiment, the camera module 305 and / or the sensor module (not shown) may be arranged to contact the external environment from the internal space of the electronic device 101 through the display 301 and the designated area of ​​the front plate 302. For example, the designated area may be an area in the display 301 where no pixels are set. As another example, the designated area may be an area in the display 301 where pixels are set. When viewed from above the display 301, at least a portion of the designated area may overlap with the camera module 305 and / or the sensor module. As another example, some sensor modules may be arranged to perform their functions without being visually exposed from the internal space of the electronic device through the front plate 302.

[0075] Figure 2 and Figure 3The electronic device 101 disclosed in the embodiment has a strip or plate-type appearance, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the electronic device shown may be a part of a rollable electronic device or a foldable electronic device. A "rollable electronic device" may mean an electronic device at least a portion of which may be rolled or curled or received in a housing 310 because the display is bendable and deformable. Since the display is stretched or exposed to the outside in a larger area according to the needs of the user, the rollable electronic device may use an extended second display area. A "foldable electronic device" may mean an electronic device that can be folded in directions facing two different areas of the display or in directions opposite to each other. Generally, in a portable state, a foldable electronic device may be folded so that two different areas of the display face each other, and in an actual use state, the user may unfold the display so that the two different areas form a substantially flat shape. In some embodiments, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be interpreted as including various electronic devices (such as a laptop computer or a household appliance) and portable electronic devices (such as a smart phone).

[0076] Figure 4 is a view showing a cross section of a mirror ink pattern layer according to an embodiment. Figure 5 is a view showing a mirror ink pattern layer viewed from above according to an embodiment.

[0077] Various embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a mirror ink printing method that replaces the conventional electron beam deposition method using a metal material (eg, indium) as a method for allowing electronic devices (eg, Figures 1 to 3 A method in which a housing 310 of an electronic device 101 has a metal texture.

[0078] Here, the housing 310 to which the mirror ink printing method may be applied may correspond to, for example, a rear plate (eg, Figure 3 The back plate 311 is formed of, for example, glass, ceramic, polymer, metal (e.g., aluminum, stainless steel (STS) or magnesium) or a combination of at least two of the foregoing materials. In addition, the back plate 311 may be formed of at least one of silicone, polyurethane, rubber, leather, fiber or a combination of at least two of them to protect the interior of the electronic device from external impact or prevent scratches on the outer surface. However, as an example of the housing 310, it is not necessarily limited to this. The housing 310 to which the mirror ink printing method can be applied may be the front plate 302, or may correspond to a side member portion between the front plate 302 and the back plate 311. In addition, the mirror ink printing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can be applied not only to at least a portion of the housing 310 of the electronic device as described above, but also to an accessory cover that can be removed from the housing 310 of the electronic device.

[0079] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device 101 to which the mirror ink printing method can be applied may be an electronic device including at least one antenna. Here, at least one antenna may be provided for communicating with an external electronic device (e.g., Figure 1 The invention relates to an antenna for communicating with the electronic devices 103 and 104 of the housing 310, and may correspond to at least one of an antenna (e.g., a patch antenna) disposed in the internal space of the housing 310 or an antenna (e.g., a metal antenna) using at least a portion of the housing 310 as an antenna. In the mirror ink printing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, even when the antenna is disposed inside the housing 310 and / or is provided using at least a portion of the housing 310 as described above, the antenna performance is not degraded because the antenna has a low impedance characteristic when showing its metal texture.

[0080] In the mirror ink printing method, the higher the brightness (hereinafter referred to as the "high brightness" characteristic) and the higher the reflectivity to light (hereinafter referred to as the "high reflection" characteristic), the more beautiful and colorful the metal texture can be. According to an embodiment, in order to achieve high brightness and high reflection characteristics by the mirror ink printing method, a method of simply increasing the content of metal powder contained in the printed ink can be applied. However, as described in the background art above, as the content of the metal powder increases, the conductive properties of the printed layer increase, and thus the antenna performance may deteriorate.

[0081] In order to express the metal texture and prevent the degradation of the antenna performance, the mirror ink printing method according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may include a mirror ink pattern layer of powder containing a metal component. The mirror ink pattern layer can be formed by printing the mirror ink containing powder of a metal component (e.g., a metal pigment) on an object (e.g., housing 310) to a thickness of about 1 μm or more using a patterned plate.

[0082] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the mirror ink pattern layer may include a lattice pattern. The lattice pattern may include a plurality of pattern elements formed on the same layer. The lattice pattern may be a pattern formed so that the pattern elements are spaced apart from each other and arranged at regular intervals in one direction (e.g., a first direction (X direction) or a second direction (Y direction)), but is not necessarily limited thereto. For example, the lattice pattern may be a pattern formed so that the pattern elements are spaced apart from each other at regular intervals along a fourth direction (e.g., a diagonal direction between the X direction and the Y direction) other than the first direction (X direction) and the second direction (Y direction). In this case, adjacent pattern elements forming the lattice pattern may be physically spaced apart from each other to be insulated from each other. However, in addition to the adjacent pattern elements forming the lattice pattern being physically spaced apart from each other, all metal powders are not connected to one pattern element inside the pattern element, so that a low impedance characteristic conducive to radio wave communication can be achieved.

[0083] The mirror ink pattern layer can be formed into a multilayer pattern structure. When the mirror ink pattern layer is formed into a multilayer pattern structure, it may mean that at least two patterns that are the same or different from each other are positioned on different layers, and at least two patterns positioned on different layers at least partially overlap each other. In this case, in the pattern, each of the adjacent pattern elements forming the pattern may be formed into an arrangement of islands or lines. Here, the pattern elements being formed into islands may mean that a plurality of pattern elements arranged on the same layer are arranged to be spaced apart from each other at regular intervals along the first direction and the second direction. In this case, the pattern elements may be formed into a dot, circle, semicircle or polygonal shape. In addition, the pattern elements being formed into lines may mean that a plurality of pattern elements arranged on the same layer are arranged to be spaced apart from each other at regular intervals along the first direction or the second direction. For example, the following description Figure 4 and Figure 5 The implementation method and Figure 8 and Fig. 9 The embodiment shows that each of the adjacent pattern elements forming a pattern is formed as an island arrangement, and Fig.10 and Fig.11 The embodiment shows that each of adjacent pattern elements forming a pattern is formed as a line arrangement.

[0084] The shape of the pattern is not necessarily limited to the illustrated embodiment. According to the embodiment, the pattern can be formed by a combination of two or more pattern elements having the same or different shapes. For example, in a multilayer pattern structure, among the pattern elements forming the pattern in different layers, the pattern element of any layer can be formed as a circle, and the pattern element of another layer can be formed as a polygon. Alternatively, in a multilayer pattern structure, the pattern elements forming the pattern in different layers can be formed as different arrangements, for example, one layer of the pattern element can be formed as an island arrangement, and another layer of the pattern element can be formed as a line arrangement. Alternatively, in a multilayer pattern structure, the pattern elements forming the pattern in some layers can be formed as an island arrangement or a line arrangement, and other layers can have a structure in which the pattern is omitted, such as insulating ink. Alternatively, in a multilayer pattern structure, among the pattern elements forming the pattern present in one layer, some pattern elements can be formed as a circular shape, and other pattern elements can be formed as a polygonal shape. Various other embodiments can be applied.

[0085] The above embodiments show that each of the pattern elements forming the pattern has a structured shape. However, the present disclosure is not necessarily limited thereto, and depending on the embodiment, each of the pattern elements in the pattern may have a semi-structured and / or non-structured shape.

[0086] According to an embodiment, when the pattern elements of the mirror ink pattern layer are formed as an island arrangement, the mirror ink pattern layer may be formed as a multilayer pattern structure of at least three layers. According to an embodiment, the number of layers may correspond to the number of mirror ink layers. When the mirror ink pattern layer is formed as an island arrangement, the mirror ink pattern layer should be formed as a multilayer pattern structure of at least three layers, so as to achieve the effect of printing the entire mirror ink pattern layer when the mirror ink pattern layer is observed from above.

[0087] For example, Figure 4 As shown in , when the pattern is formed by pattern elements arranged in islands, a multilayer pattern structure 500 of at least three layers may be applied. In this case, the multilayer pattern structure 500 may include a first mirror ink layer 510 containing powder of a metal component, a second mirror ink layer 530 containing powder of a metal component, and a third mirror ink layer 550 containing powder of a metal component. Here, the powder of the metal component (e.g., metal flakes, pastes, powders) included in the first mirror ink layer 510, the second mirror ink layer 530, and the third mirror ink layer 550 may be a powder of a metal component in which the type or content is set to be the same, but is not necessarily limited thereto, and it should be noted that powders of metal components of different types or contents may be used. The first mirror ink layer 510, the second mirror ink layer 530, and the third mirror ink layer 550 may not be stacked directly on each other, but may be stacked indirectly through an insulating layer. For example, in a three-layer multilayer pattern structure, as Figure 4 As shown, a first mirror ink layer 510, a first transparent insulating ink layer 520, a second mirror ink layer 530 containing a powder of a metal component, a second transparent insulating ink layer 540, and a third mirror ink layer 550 containing a powder of a metal component may be sequentially stacked. The first transparent insulating ink layer 520 and the second transparent insulating ink layer 540 are insulating layers having a high resistance value (e.g., 1 GΩ or more) and may limit current in the space between the mirror ink layers 510, 530, and 550.

[0088] Reference together Figure 4 and Figure 5, the first mirror ink layer 510 may include a plurality of first pattern elements 511, which are spaced apart from each other by a first gap g1. The second mirror ink layer 530 may include a plurality of second pattern elements 531, which are spaced apart from each other by a second gap g2 and formed at a position different from the plurality of first patterns 511. In addition, the third mirror ink layer 550 may include a plurality of third pattern elements 551, which are spaced apart from each other by a third gap g3 and formed at a position different from the plurality of first pattern elements 511 and the plurality of second pattern elements 531. Here, it should be noted that the plurality of first pattern elements 511, the plurality of second pattern elements 531, and the plurality of third pattern elements 551 may be patterns having the same size or shape, but are not limited thereto, and may be patterns having different sizes and / or shapes.

[0089] For example, refer to Figure 5 , although the sizes of the plurality of first pattern elements 511 and the sizes of the plurality of second pattern elements 531 are similar, the sizes of the plurality of third pattern elements 551 may be relatively smaller than the sizes of the plurality of first pattern elements 511 and the sizes of the plurality of second pattern elements 531. However, it should be noted that the present disclosure is not necessarily limited thereto, and other various embodiments may be applied.

[0090] As another example, refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 , when the multilayer pattern structure is viewed from above (for example, when viewed in a direction opposite to the Z-axis), the plurality of second pattern elements 531 may be positioned between the plurality of first pattern elements 511, and when the multilayer pattern structure is viewed from above (for example, when viewed in a direction opposite to the Z-axis), the plurality of third pattern elements 551 may be positioned between the plurality of first pattern elements 511 and between the plurality of second pattern elements 531. In this case, the plurality of second pattern elements 531 may at least partially overlap the plurality of first pattern elements 511, and the third pattern elements 551 may at least partially overlap the plurality of first pattern elements 511 and the plurality of second pattern elements 531.

[0091] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, various advantages can be provided by forming a multilayer pattern structure of at least three layers of powders each containing a metal component. Figure 4As shown, when the powder of the metal component is applied to the multi-layer pattern structure, the path that the user's line of sight reaches may be different depending on the position (e.g., P1 and P2), and thus a deeper and more colorful exterior design may be possible. In addition, the present disclosure may include a pattern in which the mirror ink layers forming the multi-layer pattern structure are spaced apart from each other and have a conductive island structure (or floating structure). For example, since the movement of electric charge is blocked and insulated in all directions around the top, bottom, left and right sides relative to a specific pattern (e.g., a plurality of first patterns 511), the mirror ink layer has a non-conductive property, thereby preventing the antenna performance from deteriorating regardless of the content of the metal powder. Since there is no concern about the degradation of the antenna performance, the content of the metal powder can be increased without restriction, so a shell with a high brightness, high reflective metal texture can be achieved.

[0092] Table 1 below shows the resistance value and the resulting conductivity of the mirror ink pattern layer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the lattice pattern is formed into a multilayer pattern structure and a printed layer according to a conventional and commonly used mirror ink printing method using an ohmmeter. Table 1 may show the results of testing the resistance and conductivity measurements after mixing aluminum (Al) powder with the mirror ink and printing them. As a comparison group, experiments on low Al content (less than 5%) mirror ink printing and high Al content (less than 20%) mirror ink printing were also conducted. Low Al content (less than 5%) mirror ink printing and high Al content (less than 20%) mirror ink printing can each be a continuous printing of the mirror ink instead of a lattice pattern.

[0093] [Table 1]

[0094]

[0095] As can be confirmed from Table 1 above, according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, it can be confirmed that a high content of metal powder is included to provide high brightness and high reflectivity characteristics, and to exhibit non-conductive characteristics due to high insulating characteristics. Figure 6 is a graph showing the brightness of an electronic device case to which a mirror ink pattern layer according to a comparative example is applied and the brightness of an electronic device case to which a mirror ink pattern layer according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is applied. Figure 7 is a graph showing the reflectivity of an electronic device case to which a mirror ink pattern layer according to a comparative example is applied and the reflectivity of an electronic device case to which a mirror ink pattern layer according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is applied. Figure 6 and Figure 7 Comparative Example A of relates to a mirror ink pattern layer including a continuously formed pattern produced by setting non-conductivity as a constraint and reducing the content of the powder of the metal component. Figure 6 and Figure 7In the embodiment B of the present disclosure, a mirror ink pattern layer including a multi-layer lattice structure is provided, wherein the content of the powder of the metal component is increased.

[0096] refer to Figure 6 , it can be confirmed that in Comparative Example A, the brightness value is about 77, and in Embodiment B of the present disclosure, the brightness value is about 86. Therefore, it can be confirmed that Embodiment B of the present disclosure can have high brightness characteristics due to the increased content of the powder of the metal component compared to Comparative Example A.

[0097] refer to Figure 7 , in Comparative Example A, the reflectance is about 49% to 52%, and in Embodiment B of the present disclosure, the reflectance is about 65% to 69%. Therefore, in Embodiment B of the present disclosure, since the content of the powder of the metal component is increased compared with Comparative Example A, it can be confirmed that there is a significant difference in light reflectance according to the content of the powder of the metal component.

[0098] Figure 8 is a view showing a cross section of a mirror ink pattern layer according to an embodiment. Fig. 9 is a view showing a mirror ink pattern layer viewed from above according to an embodiment. Figure 8 and Fig. 9 It can be shown that according to Figure 4 Embodiments of the present invention provide mirror ink pattern layers of different embodiments.

[0099] For example, Figure 8 As shown, when the mirror ink pattern layer includes pattern elements of island arrangement, a multilayer pattern structure 600 of at least three layers may be applied. In this case, the multilayer pattern structure 600 may include a first mirror ink layer 610, a second mirror ink layer 630, and a third mirror ink layer 550. Here, it should be noted that the powder of the metal component included in the first mirror ink layer 610, the second mirror ink layer 630, and the third mirror ink layer 650 may be a powder of the metal component whose type or content is set to the same, but is not limited thereto, and may be a powder of the metal component of different types or contents. It is also possible to use the powder of the metal component only for any one of the first mirror ink layer 610, the second mirror ink layer 630, and the third mirror ink layer 650.

[0100] Figure 8 and Fig. 9The embodiment shown in may be, for example, a three-layer multi-layer pattern structure, in which a first mirror ink layer 610, a first transparent insulating ink layer 620, a second mirror ink layer 630 containing a powder of a metal component, a second transparent insulating ink layer 640, and a third mirror ink layer 650 containing a powder of a metal component are sequentially stacked. The first mirror ink layer 610 may include a plurality of first pattern elements 611, which are spaced apart from each other by a first gap g1. The second mirror ink layer 630 may include a plurality of second pattern elements 631, which are spaced apart from each other by a second gap g2 and are formed at positions different from the plurality of first pattern elements 611. The third mirror ink layer 650 may be spaced apart from each other by a third gap g3 and may include a plurality of third pattern elements 651 formed at positions different from the plurality of first pattern elements 611 and the plurality of second pattern elements 631. In Figure 8 and Fig. 9 In the embodiment, it is shown that the plurality of first pattern elements 611, the plurality of second pattern elements 631, and the plurality of third pattern elements 651 are spaced apart from each other in the first direction and the second direction in each mirror ink layer, but the present disclosure is not necessarily limited thereto, and the plurality of first pattern elements 611, the plurality of second pattern elements 631, and the plurality of third pattern elements 651 may be spaced apart from each other in a direction different from the first direction and the second direction in each mirror ink layer.

[0101] exist Figure 8 and Fig. 9 In the embodiment shown in , the plurality of first pattern elements 611, the plurality of second pattern elements 631, and the plurality of third pattern elements 651 can be formed into the same shape using the same ink, although they are somewhat different in size. Therefore, when the plurality of first patterns 611, the plurality of second patterns 631, and the plurality of third patterns 651 included in the first mirror ink layer 610, the second mirror ink layer 630, and the third mirror ink layer 650 all use the same ink and are formed into the same shape, when viewed from a long distance, the housing 310 may appear to have one metal texture, and the pattern may be perceived only at a short distance less than or equal to the predetermined distance.

[0102] exist Figure 8In the multi-layer pattern structure, at least two of the first mirror ink layer 610, the second mirror ink layer 630, and the third mirror ink layer 650 including the pattern are stacked on each other. However, the multi-layer pattern structure of the present disclosure may also have a structure in which at least some layers are not stacked, and a structure in which at least two layers among the layers including the pattern are stacked on each other. For example, the first mirror ink layer 610 and the second mirror ink layer 630 may be stacked on each other, but the first mirror ink layer 610 and the third mirror ink layer 650 may not be stacked on each other. Alternatively, the first mirror ink layer 610 and the third mirror ink layer 650 may be stacked on each other, and the first mirror ink layer 610 and the second mirror ink layer 630 may not be stacked on each other, or the second mirror ink layer 630 and the third mirror ink layer 650 may be stacked on each other, and the first mirror ink layer 610 may not be stacked on another mirror ink layer.

[0103] When the pattern includes pattern elements arranged in islands ( Figure 4 and Figure 5 The multi-layer pattern structure 500, Figure 8 and Fig. 9 When the mirror ink pattern layer is formed as a two-layer multi-layer pattern structure instead of a three-layer multi-layer pattern structure, the gaps between the pattern elements may be exposed to the outside as they are. For example, when the mirror ink pattern layer including the pattern elements of the island arrangement is composed of the first mirror ink layer 510 or 610 and the second mirror ink layer 530 or 630, the first gap g1 between the plurality of first pattern elements 511 and 611 and the second gap g2 between the plurality of second pattern elements 531 and 631 are exposed to the outside as they are. In this case, the metal texture may not be formed on the housing (for example, Figure 2 and Figure 3 The metal content of each mirror ink layer may be set to be different in the first mirror ink layer 610, the second mirror ink layer 630 and the third mirror ink layer 650. For example, the first mirror ink layer 610 may have a higher metal content, the second mirror ink layer 630 may have a relatively lower metal content than the first mirror ink layer 610, and the third mirror ink layer 650 may have a lower metal content than the first mirror ink layer 610 and the second mirror ink layer 630. Various other embodiments may be applied. As described above, by setting the metal content of each mirror ink layer to be different, the reflectivity of each layer may be adjusted, thereby allowing the user to have a more diverse aesthetic when viewing the pattern.

[0104] Fig.10 is a view showing a cross section of a mirror ink pattern layer according to an embodiment. Fig.11 is a view showing a mirror ink pattern layer having a lattice-shaped pattern viewed from above according to an embodiment. Fig.10 and Fig.11 It can be shown that according to Figure 4 Embodiments of the present invention provide mirror ink pattern layers of different embodiments.

[0105] According to an embodiment, when the pattern elements are formed as an arrangement of lines, the pattern may be formed as a multi-layered pattern structure of at least two layers. According to an embodiment, the number of layers may correspond to the number of mirror ink layers.

[0106] For example, Fig.10 and Fig.11 As shown in , when the pattern is formed by pattern elements arranged in lines, a two-layer multilayer pattern structure 700 may be applied. In this case, the multilayer pattern structure 700 may include a first mirror ink layer 710 containing powder of a metal component and a second mirror ink layer 730 containing powder of a metal component. Here, it should be noted that the powder of the metal component included in the first mirror ink layer 710 and the second mirror ink layer 730 may be a powder of a metal component of which the type or content is set to be the same, but is not limited thereto, and may be powders of metal components of different types or contents. In addition, the first mirror ink layer 710 and the second mirror ink layer 730 may not be directly stacked on each other, but may be indirectly stacked via an insulating layer. For example, in a two-layer multilayer pattern structure, as Fig.10 As shown, a first mirror ink layer 710, a first transparent insulating ink layer 720, and a second mirror ink layer 730 including powder of a metal component may be sequentially stacked.

[0107] Reference together Fig.10 and Fig.11 , the first mirror ink layer 710 may include a plurality of first pattern elements 711 spaced apart from each other by a first gap g1. The second mirror ink layer 730 may include a plurality of second pattern elements 731 spaced apart from each other by a second gap g2 and formed at positions different from the plurality of first patterns 711. Here, it should be noted that the plurality of first pattern elements 711 and the plurality of second pattern elements 731 may be patterns having the same size or shape, but are not limited thereto, and may be patterns having different sizes and / or shapes.

[0108] Reference together Fig.10 and Fig.11 , the plurality of first pattern elements 711 and the plurality of second pattern elements 731 may be formed into a shape in which the plurality of first pattern elements 711 and the plurality of second pattern elements 731 are alternately arranged along the first direction (X-axis direction) or the second direction (Y-axis direction).

[0109] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the pattern element has a line arrangement, as long as a two-layer multi-layer pattern structure is provided, the overall metal texture can be expressed without a gap.

[0110] In the following, Figures 12a to 13c Various other embodiments of designing a housing using a mirror ink printing method are disclosed.

[0111] Fig.12a is a view showing a cross section of an electronic device housing to which a mirror ink pattern layer is applied according to an embodiment. Figure 12b 1 is a diagram showing a view from above according to an embodiment Fig.12a A view of the housing. Fig.12c It is shown that according to Figure 12b Embodiments of different embodiments viewed from above Fig.12a A view of the housing. Fig.12d Shows the application Fig.12a A measurement image of a housing product.

[0112] According to an embodiment, the housing 400 may further include an optical pattern layer 401, and the mirror ink pattern layer 500 or 700 may be formed on the rear surface of the optical pattern layer 401. Here, the optical pattern layer 401 is used to enhance the exterior design of the housing 400, and may be provided, for example, by a molding method. The pattern of the optical pattern layer 401 may be as follows: Fig.12d The measurement is achieved as shown in the image. Fig.12d A wavy pattern is shown, but is not necessarily limited to this.

[0113] When the housing 400 has an island arrangement pattern, the mirror ink pattern layer 500 may be printed in the form of islands, such as Figure 12b When the housing 400 has a line-arranged pattern, the mirror ink pattern layer 700 may have a pattern elongated in one direction (eg, the Y direction), such as Fig.12c shown.

[0114] According to an embodiment, the housing 400 may further include a second mirror ink pattern layer 402 and a color shielding printing layer 403, such as Fig.12a The second mirror ink pattern layer 402 may be a conventional mirror ink pattern layer without a pattern applied thereto. The color shielding print layer 403 is provided to prevent the interior (or internal components) of the electronic device surrounded by the housing 400 from being visible, and may be a portion including an opaque color.

[0115] According to an embodiment, the pattern design can be further diversified by additionally applying the second mirror ink pattern layer 402. When the second mirror ink pattern layer 402 is used together with the mirror ink pattern layer 500 of the present disclosure, an additional sense of depth of the design can be achieved. For example, when the second mirror ink pattern layer 402 includes matte ink, light reaching the second mirror ink pattern layer 402 is not reflected, and thus the optical pattern 401 may be visible only in the portion where the mirror ink pattern layers 500 and 700 are formed (see FIG. Fig.12d of the measurement image).

[0116] Fig.13a is a view showing a cross section of an electronic device case to which a mirror ink pattern layer having a pattern is applied according to an embodiment. Fig.13b 1 is a diagram showing a view from above according to an embodiment Fig.13a A view of the housing. Fig.13c 1 is a diagram showing a view from above according to an embodiment Fig.13a A view of the housing. Fig.13d Shows the application Fig.13a A measurement image of a housing product. Fig.13a It can be shown that the application is based on Fig.12a A cross-section of an electronic device housing of a mirror ink pattern layer of different embodiments, and Fig.13c It can be shown that according to Fig.13b Embodiments of the present invention provide a shell having different embodiments.

[0117] When the housing 400 has an island arrangement pattern, the mirror ink pattern layer 500 may be printed in an island arrangement, such as Fig.13b When the housing 400 has a line-arranged pattern, the mirror ink pattern layer 700 may have a pattern elongated in one direction (eg, the Y direction), such as Fig.13c As shown in the description Figures 13a to 13d For the sake of convenience, the implementation method of Figures 12a to 12d Same content.

[0118] According to the implementation mode, Fig.13a As shown, the housing 400 may further include a second mirror ink pattern layer 402' and a color shielding printing layer 403. Figures 13a to 13d In the embodiment of the present invention, a low-content non-conductive mirror ink may be applied as the second mirror ink pattern layer 402'.

[0119] When the second mirror ink pattern layer 402' is used together with the mirror ink pattern layer 500 of the present disclosure, the design can be configured in more ways. For example, when the second mirror ink pattern layer 402' includes a low-content non-conductive mirror ink, the optical pattern 401 can appear brighter in the portion where the second mirror ink pattern layer 402' is printed, and the optical pattern 401 can appear darker in the portion where the mirror ink pattern layer 500 or 700 is formed thereon (see, for example, FIG. 1 ). Fig.13d of the measurement image).

[0120] The electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure 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 those electronic devices described above.

[0121] It should be understood that the various embodiments of the present disclosure and the terms used therein are not intended to limit the technical features set forth herein to specific embodiments, but include various changes, equivalents or alternative forms for corresponding embodiments. For the description of the accompanying drawings, similar reference numerals may be used to refer to similar or related elements. It will be understood that the nouns in the singular form corresponding to the term may include one or more things unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, each phrase in 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 all possible combinations of 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 term “operably” or “communicatively” is used or when the term “operably” or “communicatively” is 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.

[0122] As used herein, the term "module" may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with other terms (e.g., "logic," "logic block," "portion," 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, depending on the implementation, a module may be implemented in the form of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0123] The various embodiments described herein may be implemented as software (e.g., program 140) including one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., internal memory 136 or external memory 138) that can be read by a machine (e.g., electronic device 101). For example, under the control of a processor, a processor (e.g., processor 120) of the machine (e.g., electronic device 101) 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 the 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 storage medium readable by a machine 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.

[0124] According to the implementation, the methods according to various implementations 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 commodity. 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 through 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).

[0125] According to an embodiment, each of the above-mentioned components (e.g., a module or a program) may include a single entity or multiple entities. Some of the multiple entities may be arranged in different components separately. According to an embodiment, one or more of the above-mentioned components may be omitted, or one or more other components may be added. Alternatively or additionally, multiple components (e.g., a module or a 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 of the multiple components in the same or similar manner as a corresponding one of the multiple components before integration. According to various embodiments, the operations performed by a module, a program or another component may be performed sequentially, in parallel, repeatedly or in a heuristic manner, or one or more of the operations may be run or omitted in different orders, or one or more other operations may be added.

[0126] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device (for example, Figure 1 The electronic device 101 includes a housing (eg, Figure 2 and Figure 3 12 ') and an antenna (eg, Figure 1 The housing includes a front plate, a rear plate facing in a direction opposite to the front plate, and a side member surrounding a space between the front plate and the rear plate, wherein the housing includes a mirror ink pattern layer (e.g., Figure 4 The mirror ink pattern layer 500, Figure 8 The mirror ink pattern layer 600 or Fig.10 A mirror ink pattern layer 700) having at least a portion of a powder containing a metal component, and wherein adjacent pattern elements forming a pattern of the mirror ink pattern layer are insulated from each other.

[0127] According to an embodiment, the mirror ink pattern layer may be formed in a multi-layered pattern structure.

[0128] According to an embodiment, in the mirror ink pattern layer, each of adjacent pattern elements forming a pattern may be formed in an island arrangement or a line arrangement.

[0129] According to an embodiment, when the mirror ink pattern layer is formed of island arrangement pattern elements, the mirror ink pattern layer may be formed as a multi-layer pattern structure of at least three layers (eg, Figure 4 multi-layer pattern structure).

[0130] According to an embodiment, the at least three-layered multi-layered pattern structure may include a first mirror ink layer (eg, Figure 4a first mirror ink layer 510), a first transparent insulating ink layer (eg, Figure 4 A first transparent insulating ink layer 520 of the present invention, a second mirror ink layer containing a powder of a metal component (eg, Figure 4 a second mirror ink layer 530), a second transparent insulating ink layer (eg, Figure 4 A transparent insulating ink layer 540) and a third mirror ink layer containing a powder of a metal component (e.g., Figure 4 A third mirror ink layer 550) is sequentially stacked.

[0131] According to an embodiment, the first mirror ink layer may include a plurality of first pattern elements (eg, Figure 5 The second mirror ink layer may include a plurality of second pattern elements (eg, Figure 5 The third mirror ink layer may include a plurality of third pattern elements (eg, Figure 5 Multiple third pattern elements 551).

[0132] According to an embodiment, when the multilayer pattern structure is observed from above the multilayer pattern structure, the plurality of second pattern elements may be positioned between the plurality of first pattern elements, and when the multilayer pattern structure is observed from above the multilayer pattern structure, the plurality of third pattern elements may be positioned between the plurality of first pattern elements and between the plurality of second pattern elements.

[0133] According to an embodiment, when the mirror ink pattern layer is formed of line-arranged pattern elements, the mirror ink pattern layer may be formed as a multi-layered pattern structure of at least two layers (eg, Figure 8 multi-layer pattern structure).

[0134] According to an embodiment, the at least two-layer multi-layer pattern structure may include a first mirror ink layer (eg, Figure 8 The multi-layer pattern structure 710), the first transparent insulating ink layer (eg, Figure 8 The multi-layer pattern structure 720) and the second mirror ink layer containing the powder of the metal component (for example, Figure 8 The second mirror ink layer 730) is sequentially stacked.

[0135] According to an embodiment, the first mirror ink layer may include a plurality of first pattern elements (eg, Fig. 9The second mirror ink layer may include a plurality of first pattern elements 711), and the second mirror ink layer may include a plurality of second pattern elements (eg, Fig. 9 Multiple second pattern elements 731).

[0136] According to an embodiment, when the multi-layer pattern structure is viewed from above, the plurality of second pattern elements may be positioned between the plurality of first pattern elements.

[0137] According to an embodiment, the housing may further include an optical pattern layer, and the mirror ink pattern layer may be formed on a rear surface of the optical pattern layer.

[0138] According to an embodiment, the housing may further include a second mirror ink pattern layer.

[0139] According to an embodiment, the housing may further include a color shielding printed layer.

[0140] According to an embodiment, the antenna may include an antenna provided in the case and an antenna capable of communicating with the outside using at least a portion of the case.

[0141] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an accessory cover of an electronic device that is detachable from a housing of the electronic device may be provided, the cover of the electronic device including a mirror ink pattern layer (eg, Figure 4 The mirror ink pattern layer 500, Figure 8 The mirror ink pattern layer 600 or Fig.10 The mirror ink pattern layer 700 has at least a portion of a powder containing a metal component and is formed such that adjacent pattern elements forming a pattern of the mirror ink pattern layer are insulated from each other.

[0142] Although the present invention has been shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to 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. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the general scope of the present disclosure (including the appended claims and their equivalents). Although FIG. 12 shows Figure 4 The mirror ink pattern layer 500 and Fig.10 The mirror ink pattern layer 700 is taken as an example of the mirror ink pattern layer, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and Figure 8 The mirror ink pattern layer 600 or a mirror ink pattern layer according to other embodiments may also be applied.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising: a housing including a front plate, a rear plate facing in a direction opposite to the front plate, and a side member surrounding a space between the front plate and the rear plate; as well as antenna, wherein at least a portion of the housing comprises a mirror ink pattern layer, the mirror ink pattern layer comprising a powder of a metal component, and wherein in the mirror ink pattern layer, adjacent pattern elements forming a pattern of the mirror ink pattern layer are insulated from each other. 2 . The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the mirror ink pattern layer comprises a multi-layer pattern structure.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein: In the mirror ink pattern layer, each of the adjacent pattern elements forming the pattern is formed in an island shape or a line shape.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein: When the mirror ink pattern layer is formed of island-shaped pattern elements, the mirror ink pattern layer is formed as a multi-layered pattern structure including at least three layers.

5. The electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the multi-layer pattern structure comprising at least three layers comprises: a first mirror ink layer comprising a powder of a metallic component; a first transparent insulating ink layer; a second mirror ink layer comprising a powder of a metallic component; a second transparent insulating ink layer; and A third mirror ink layer comprising powder of a metal component, which are sequentially stacked.

6. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the first mirror ink layer comprises a plurality of first pattern elements spaced apart from each other, wherein the second mirror ink layer comprises a plurality of second pattern elements, the plurality of second pattern elements are spaced apart from each other and are formed at positions different from those of the plurality of first pattern elements, and The third mirror ink layer includes a plurality of third pattern elements which are spaced apart from each other and formed at positions different from the positions of the plurality of first pattern elements and the plurality of second pattern elements.

7. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein: When the multi-layer pattern structure is viewed from above, the plurality of second pattern elements are disposed between the plurality of first pattern elements, and Wherein, when the multi-layer pattern structure is observed from above, the plurality of third pattern elements are arranged between the plurality of first pattern elements and between the plurality of second pattern elements.

8. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein: When the mirror ink pattern layer is formed of linear pattern elements, the mirror ink pattern layer is formed as a multi-layered pattern structure including at least two layers.

9. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the multi-layer pattern structure including at least two layers comprises: a first mirror ink layer comprising a powder of a metallic component; a first transparent insulating ink layer; as well as A second mirror ink layer comprising powder of a metal component, which is sequentially stacked.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the first mirror ink layer comprises a plurality of first pattern elements spaced apart from each other, and The second mirror ink layer includes a plurality of second pattern elements, which are spaced apart from each other and formed at positions different from those of the plurality of first pattern elements.

11. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein: When the multi-layer pattern structure is viewed from above, the plurality of second pattern elements are disposed between the plurality of first pattern elements. 12 . The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises an optical pattern layer, and wherein the mirror ink pattern layer is formed on a rear surface of the optical pattern layer.

13. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a second mirror ink pattern layer. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a color shielding printed layer. 15 . The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the antenna comprises an antenna provided in the housing and an antenna capable of communicating with the outside using at least a portion of the housing.

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