ELECTRONIC DEVICES WITH FLEXIBLE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS

Abstract

According to the scheme described in this invention, the electronic device may include: a housing structure with a first and second housing; a hinged structure for connecting the first and second housings so that it is rotatable and configured to create at least one folding axis serving as the center of rotation of the first or second housing; and a flexible printed circuit board extending from inside the first housing through the hinged structure and to inside the second housing. According to the invention scheme, a region, within the flexible printed circuit board, passing through the hinged structure may include a substrate, a shielding layer, and a signal path layer created between the substrate and the shielding layer. According to the invention scheme, the signal path layer may have signal and ground lines extending along an almost perpendicular direction to at least one folding axis and arranged adjacent to each other.According to the implementation of the invention, the shielding layer may include: a conductive shielding layer located away from the signal line and electrically connected to the ground line; and an insulating shielding layer created on top of the conductive shielding layer. According to the implementation of the invention, the flexible printed circuit board may include a layer of elastic material lines, at least in part aligned with the ground line, in the extension passing through the region where the hinge structure is located. This invention may also have several other implementations.

Description

Electronic devices including flexible printed circuit boards

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to electronic devices, for example, electronic devices including flexible printed circuit boards.

[0002] Electronic devices can refer to devices that perform specific functions based on the programs installed on them, such as home appliances, electronic notebooks, portable multimedia players, mobile communication terminals, tablet PCs, audio / video devices, desktop / laptop computers, or car navigation systems. For example, these electronic devices can output stored information as audio or video. As the integration of electronic devices increases and ultra-high-speed, high-capacity wireless communication becomes more widespread, a single electronic device, such as a mobile communication terminal, can be equipped with various functions. For example, in addition to communication functions, entertainment functions such as games, multimedia functions such as music / video playback, communication and security functions for mobile banking, or functions such as schedule management and electronic wallets are being integrated into a single electronic device.

[0003] As the use of personal or portable communication devices, such as smartphones, becomes more widespread, user demand for portability and ease of use is increasing. For example, a touchscreen display can serve as an output device, such as a screen that outputs visual information, while also providing a virtual keypad that replaces mechanical input devices (e.g., button-type input devices). This allows portable communication devices or electronic devices to be miniaturized while still offering the same or improved usability (e.g., a larger screen). On the other hand, the commercialization of flexible displays, such as those that can be folded or rolled, is expected to further enhance the portability and usability of electronic devices. Electronic devices including flexible displays can be carried in a folded or rolled state with multiple different structures (e.g., housings) and can provide a large screen when unfolded, thereby enhancing portability and usability.

[0004] The above information may be provided as background art to aid in understanding the present disclosure. No claim or determination is made as to whether any of the above is applicable as prior art in connection with the present disclosure.

[0005] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device may include a housing structure including a first housing and a second housing, a hinge structure configured to rotatably couple the first housing and the second housing and provide at least one folding axis that serves as a center of rotation of the first housing or the second housing, and a flexible printed circuit board disposed from an interior of the first housing across the hinge structure into an interior of the second housing. In one embodiment, a region of the flexible printed circuit board passing through the hinge structure may include a substrate layer, a shielding layer, and a signal line layer formed between the substrate layer and the shielding layer. In one embodiment, the signal line layer may include a signal line and a ground line that extend substantially perpendicular to the at least one folding axis and are disposed adjacent to each other. In one embodiment, the shielding layer may include a shielding conductive layer spaced apart from the signal line and electrically connected to the ground line, and a shielding insulating layer formed on the shielding conductive layer. In one embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board may include an elastomeric line layer formed at least partially aligned with the ground line across the area where the hinge structure is disposed.

[0006] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device may include a housing structure including a first housing and a second housing, a hinge structure configured to rotatably couple the first housing and the second housing and provide at least one folding axis that serves as a center of rotation of the first housing or the second housing, a flexible printed circuit board disposed from an interior of the first housing across an area where the hinge structure is disposed and into an interior of the second housing, and a processor or a communication module configured to transmit a communication signal using the flexible printed circuit board. In one embodiment, a portion of the flexible printed circuit board that crosses the area where the hinge structure is disposed may include a substrate layer, a shielding layer, and a signal line layer formed between the substrate layer and the shielding layer, wherein the signal line layer may include a signal line and a ground line that extend along a direction substantially perpendicular to the at least one folding axis and are disposed adjacent to each other. In one embodiment, the shielding layer may include a shielding conductive layer spaced apart from the signal line and electrically connected to the ground line, and a shielding insulating layer formed on the shielding conductive layer. In one embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board may include an elastic line layer formed to be at least partially aligned with the ground line in a portion crossing an area where the hinge structure is arranged.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device may include a first housing, a second housing configured to rotate about at least one folding axis between a first position facing the first housing and a second position unfolded by a specified angle from the first position, a hinge structure disposed in a hinge area between the first housing and the second housing and rotatably connecting the first housing and the second housing, and a flexible printed circuit board disposed from an interior of the first housing across the hinge area into an interior of the second housing. In one embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board may include a first layer, a second layer disposed on the first layer and including signal lines and ground lines arranged alternately along the at least one folding axis direction, a third layer disposed on the second layer and electrically connected to at least one of the ground lines to provide an electromagnetic shielding environment to each of the first signal line and the second signal line adjacent to the first signal line among the signal lines, and at least one elastomeric line disposed on the third layer or between the second layer and the third layer corresponding to at least one of the ground lines.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device may include a first housing, a second housing configured to rotate about a folding axis, a hinge structure disposed in a hinge area between the first housing and the second housing and rotatably connecting the first housing and the second housing, a flexible printed circuit board disposed from an interior of the first housing across the hinge area into an interior of the second housing, and a processor or communication module configured to transmit a communication signal using the flexible printed circuit board. In one embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board may include a first layer, a second layer disposed on the first layer and including signal lines and ground lines arranged alternately along the at least one folding axis direction, a third layer disposed on the second layer and electrically connected to at least one of the ground lines to provide an electromagnetic shielding environment to each of the first signal line and the second signal line adjacent to the first signal line among the signal lines, and at least one elastomeric line disposed on the third layer or between the second layer and the third layer corresponding to at least one of the ground lines.

[0009] The above-described aspects or other aspects, configurations and / or advantages of one embodiment of the present disclosure may be further clarified by the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device within a network environment according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0011] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an unfolded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating a folded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 5 is a drawing showing a flexible printed circuit board of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 6 is a drawing showing an unfolded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 7 is a drawing showing a flexible printed circuit board of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a portion E1 of FIG. 7 in a flexible printed circuit board of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 9 is a drawing showing a cut along line A-A' of FIG. 8 in a flexible printed circuit board of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a portion E2 of FIG. 7 in a flexible printed circuit board of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] FIG. 11 is a drawing showing a flexible printed circuit board of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] FIG. 12 is a drawing showing a flexible printed circuit board of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] FIG. 13 is a drawing showing a flexible printed circuit board of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] Throughout the attached drawings, similar reference numbers may be assigned to similar parts, components and / or structures.

[0024] In an electronic device comprising a plurality of housings, wiring may be provided to connect electrical / electronic components disposed in different housings. Such wiring may, for example, supply power or transmit data signals, control signals, and / or communication signals. When the housings are configured to move relative to each other, a flexible printed circuit board may be useful for electrically connecting the different housings (or the electrical / electronic components embedded in each of the housings). For example, the flexible printed circuit board may be flexible enough to be deformable between a flat plate shape and a curved plate or curved surface shape depending on the relative positions of the housings. As the performance of electronic devices improves, for example, as the picture quality of displays, the number of pixels in image sensors for cameras, and / or the sound quality improve, and / or as the communication bandwidth expands, more wiring may be required within the electronic device.

[0025] When transmitting communication signals through a flexible printed circuit board within an electronic device, an electromagnetic shielding structure may be provided on the signal line. For example, in order to ensure stability in the transmission of communication signals and / or to suppress electromagnetic interference with surrounding signal lines, an electromagnetic shielding structure or a waveguide structure may be provided on the signal line for transmitting the communication signal. In a flexible printed circuit board, such an electromagnetic shielding structure (or waveguide structure) may be implemented by an arrangement of via conductors arranged around the signal line. The higher the frequency of the communication signal, the smaller the spacing between the via conductors may be. For example, in wireless communications using millimeter waves (mmWave), an electromagnetic shielding structure may be implemented on the signal line for transmitting the communication signal using via conductors arranged at a relatively dense spacing in a flexible printed circuit board. However, when the flexible printed circuit board has a structure that deforms between a flat shape and a curved shape, relative displacement may occur between the via conductors, and / or cracks may occur in the via conductors due to repeated deformation operations. For example, deformation of the flexible printed circuit board may cause distortion of the electromagnetic shielding structure, or electromagnetic coupling may be generated between the signal line and the via conductor, which may deteriorate the stability of communication signal transmission. Moreover, when the via conductors are arranged at a close interval, the flexibility of the flexible printed circuit board may be reduced, which may limit deformation into a curved shape.

[0026] One embodiment of the present disclosure is intended to at least resolve the above-described problems and / or disadvantages and provide at least the advantages described below, and can provide an electronic device including a flexible printed circuit board that implements stable signal transmission between housings.

[0027] One embodiment of the present disclosure can provide an electronic device including a flexible printed circuit board having a stable electromagnetic shielding structure for transmitting a communication signal.

[0028] One embodiment of the present disclosure can provide an electronic device including a flexible printed circuit board having flexibility and durability that can be deformed between a flat shape and a curved shape while implementing stable signal transmission.

[0029] The technical problems to be achieved in this document are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs from the description below.

[0030] The following description of the accompanying drawings may provide an understanding of various exemplary implementations of the present disclosure, including the claims and their equivalents. While the exemplary embodiments disclosed in the following description include numerous specific details to aid understanding, they are to be considered as one example of various exemplary embodiments. Accordingly, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations of the various implementations described herein may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. Furthermore, descriptions of well-known functions and configurations may be omitted for clarity and conciseness.

[0031] The terms and words used in the following description and claims are not limited to their reference meanings and can be used to clearly and consistently describe one embodiment of the present disclosure. Therefore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of various implementations of the disclosure is provided for illustrative purposes, not for the purpose of limiting the scope of the disclosure and its equivalents.

[0032] Unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, the singular forms of "a," "an," and "the" should be understood to include plural meanings. Thus, for example, "a component surface" could be understood to include one or more of the surfaces of the component.

[0033] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device (101) within a network environment (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 1 , in the network environment (100), the electronic device (101) may communicate with the electronic device (102) via a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network), or may communicate with at least one of the electronic device (104) or the server (108) via a second network (199) (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). In one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may communicate with the electronic device (104) via the server (108). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a processor (120), a memory (130), an input module (150), an audio output module (155), a display module (160), an audio module (170), a sensor module (176), an interface (177), a connection terminal (178), a haptic module (179), a camera module (180), a power management module (188), a battery (189), a communication module (190), a subscriber identification module (196), or an antenna module (197). In one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may have at least one of these components (e.g., the connection terminal (178)) omitted, or one or more other components added. In one embodiment, some of these components (e.g., the sensor module (176), the camera module (180), or the antenna module (197)) may be integrated into one component (e.g., the display module (160)).

[0034] The processor (120) may, for example, execute software (e.g., a program (140)) to control at least one other component (e.g., a hardware or software component) of the electronic device (101) connected to the processor (120) and perform various data processing or operations. According to one embodiment, as at least a part of the data processing or operations, the processor (120) may store commands or data received from other components (e.g., a sensor module (176) or a communication module (190)) in a volatile memory (132), process the commands or data stored in the volatile memory (132), and store result data in a non-volatile memory (134). According to one embodiment, the processor (120) may include a main processor (121) (e.g., a central processing unit or an application processor), or an auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., a graphics processing unit, a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor) that can operate independently or together with the main processor (121). For example, when the electronic device (101) includes the main processor (121) and the auxiliary processor (123), the auxiliary processor (123) may be configured to use less power than the main processor (121) or to be specialized for a given function. The auxiliary processor (123) may be implemented separately from the main processor (121) or as a part thereof.

[0035] The auxiliary processor (123) may control at least a portion of functions or states associated with at least one component (e.g., a display module (160), a sensor module (176), or a communication module (190)) of the electronic device (101), for example, on behalf of the main processor (121) while the main processor (121) is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, or together with the main processor (121) while the main processor (121) is in an active (e.g., application execution) state. In one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., an image signal processor or a communication processor) may be implemented as a part of another functionally related component (e.g., a camera module (180) or a communication module (190)). In one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., a neural network processing unit) may include a hardware structure specialized for processing artificial intelligence models. The artificial intelligence models may be generated through machine learning. This learning can be performed, for example, on the electronic device (101) itself where the artificial intelligence model is executed, or can be performed through a separate server (e.g., server (108)). The learning algorithm can include, for example, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning, but is not limited to the examples described above. The artificial intelligence model can include multiple artificial neural network layers.The artificial neural network may be one of 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), a deep Q-network, or a combination of two or more of the above, but is not limited to the examples described above. In addition to, or alternatively to, a hardware structure, an artificial intelligence model may include a software structure.

[0036] The memory (130) can store various data used by at least one component (e.g., processor (120) or sensor module (176)) of the electronic device (101). The data can include, for example, software (e.g., program (140)) and input data or output data for commands related thereto. The memory (130) can include volatile memory (132) or non-volatile memory (134).

[0037] The program (140) may be stored as software in the memory (130) and may include, for example, an operating system (142), middleware (144), or an application (146).

[0038] The input module (150) can receive commands or data to be used in a component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a processor (120)) from an external source (e.g., a user) of the electronic device (101). The input module (150) can include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, a keyboard, a key (e.g., a button), or a digital pen (e.g., a stylus pen).

[0039] The audio output module (155) can output audio signals to the outside of the electronic device (101). The audio output module (155) can include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker can be used for general purposes, such as multimedia playback or recording playback. The receiver can be used to receive incoming calls. In one embodiment, the receiver can be implemented separately from the speaker or as part of the speaker.

[0040] The display module (160) can visually provide information to an external party (e.g., a user) of the electronic device (101). The display module (160) may include, for example, a display, a holographic device, or a projector and a control circuit for controlling the device. According to one embodiment, the display module (160) may include a touch sensor configured to detect a touch, or a pressure sensor configured to measure the intensity of a force generated by the touch.

[0041] The audio module (170) can convert sound into an electrical signal, or vice versa, convert an electrical signal into sound. According to one embodiment, the audio module (170) can acquire sound through the input module (150), output sound through the sound output module (155), or an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)) (e.g., speaker or headphone) directly or wirelessly connected to the electronic device (101).

[0042] The sensor module (176) can detect the operating status (e.g., power or temperature) of the electronic device (101) or the external environmental status (e.g., user status) and generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected status. According to one embodiment, the sensor module (176) can include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor.

[0043] The interface (177) may support one or more designated protocols that may be used to directly or wirelessly connect the electronic device (101) to an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (102)). In one embodiment, the interface (177) may include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an SD card interface, or an audio interface.

[0044] The connection terminal (178) may include a connector through which the electronic device (101) may be physically connected to an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)). According to one embodiment, the connection terminal (178) may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector).

[0045] The haptic module (179) can convert electrical signals into mechanical stimuli (e.g., vibration or movement) or electrical stimuli that a user can perceive through tactile or kinesthetic sensations. According to one embodiment, the haptic module (179) can include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

[0046] The camera module (180) can capture still images and videos. According to one embodiment, the camera module (180) may include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

[0047] The power management module (188) can manage power supplied to the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, the power management module (188) can be implemented as, for example, at least a part of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

[0048] A battery (189) may power at least one component of the electronic device (101). In one embodiment, the battery (189) may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

[0049] The communication module (190) may support the establishment of 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 the performance of communication through the established communication channel. The communication module (190) may operate independently from the processor (120) (e.g., application processor) and may include one or more communication processors that support direct (e.g., wired) communication or wireless communication. According to one embodiment, the communication module (190) 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 module). Among these communication modules, the corresponding communication module can communicate with an external electronic device via a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, wireless fidelity (WiFi) direct, or infrared data association (IrDA)) or a second network (199) (e.g., a long-range communication network such as a legacy cellular network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., a LAN or WAN)). These various types of communication modules can be integrated into a single component (e.g., a single chip) or implemented as multiple separate components (e.g., multiple chips). The wireless communication module (192) can verify or authenticate the electronic device (101) within a communication network such as the first network (198) or the second network (199) by using subscriber information (e.g., an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module (196).

[0050] The wireless communication module (192) can support 5G networks and next-generation communication technologies following the 4G network, such as NR access technology (new radio access technology). The NR access technology can support high-speed transmission of high-capacity data (eMBB (enhanced mobile broadband)), minimization of terminal power and connection of multiple terminals (mMTC (massive machine type communications)), or high reliability and low latency (URLLC (ultra-reliable and low-latency communications)). The wireless communication module (192) can support, for example, a high-frequency band (e.g., mmWave band) to achieve a high data transmission rate. The wireless communication module (192) can support various technologies for securing performance in a high-frequency band, such as beamforming, massive multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO), full dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antenna, analog beam-forming, or large scale antenna. The wireless communication module (192) can support various requirements specified in the electronic device (101), an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (104)), or a network system (e.g., the second network (199)). According to one embodiment, the wireless communication module (192) can support a peak data rate (e.g., 20 Gbps or more) for eMBB realization, a loss coverage (e.g., 164 dB or less) for mMTC realization, or a U-plane latency (e.g., 0.5 ms or less for downlink (DL) and uplink (UL), or 1 ms or less for round trip) for URLLC realization.

[0051] The antenna module (197) can transmit or receive signals or power to or from an external device (e.g., an external electronic device). In one embodiment, the antenna module may include an antenna including a radiator formed of a conductor or a conductive pattern formed on a substrate (e.g., a PCB). In one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may include a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna). In this case, at least one antenna suitable for a communication method used in a communication network, such as the first network (198) or the second network (199), may be selected from the plurality of antennas, for example, by the communication module (190). A signal or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module (190) and an external electronic device via the at least one selected antenna. In one embodiment, in addition to the radiator, another component (e.g., a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) may be additionally formed as a part of the antenna module (197).

[0052] In one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may form a mmWave antenna module. In one embodiment, the mmWave antenna module may include a printed circuit board, an RFIC disposed on or adjacent a first side (e.g., a bottom side) of the printed circuit board and capable of supporting a designated high-frequency band (e.g., a mmWave band), and a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna) disposed on or adjacent a second side (e.g., a top side or a side) of the printed circuit board and capable of transmitting or receiving signals in the designated high-frequency band.

[0053] At least some of the above components can be interconnected and exchange signals (e.g., commands or data) with each other via a communication method between peripheral devices (e.g., a bus, GPIO (general purpose input and output), SPI (serial peripheral interface), or MIPI (mobile industry processor interface)).

[0054] According to one embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (104) via a server (108) connected to a second network (199). Each of the external electronic devices (102 or 104) may be the same or a different type of device as the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, all or part of the operations executed in the electronic device (101) may be executed in one or more of the external electronic devices (102, 104, or 108). For example, when the electronic device (101) is to perform a certain function or service automatically or in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device (101) may, instead of or in addition to executing the function or service itself, request one or more external electronic devices to perform the function or at least a part of the service. One or more external electronic devices that receive the request may execute at least a portion of the requested function or service, or an additional function or service related to the request, and transmit the result of the execution to the electronic device (101). The electronic device (101) may process the result as is or additionally and provide it as at least a portion of a response to the request. For this purpose, cloud computing, distributed computing, mobile edge computing (MEC), or client-server computing technology may be used, for example. The electronic device (101) may provide an ultra-low latency service by using distributed computing or mobile edge computing, for example. In one embodiment, the external electronic device (104) may include an Internet of Things (IoT) device. The server (108) may be an intelligent server utilizing machine learning and / or a neural network. According to one embodiment, the external electronic device (104) or the server (108) may be included in the second network (199).The electronic device (101) can be applied to intelligent services (e.g., smart home, smart city, smart car, or healthcare) based on 5G communication technology and IoT-related technology.

[0055] Electronic devices according to embodiments of the present disclosure may take various forms. Electronic devices may include, for example, portable communication devices (e.g., smartphones), computer devices, portable multimedia devices, portable medical devices, cameras, wearable devices, or home appliances. Electronic devices according to embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the aforementioned devices.

[0056] The embodiments of the present disclosure and the terminology used therein are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, but should be understood to encompass various modifications, equivalents, or substitutes of the embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of the items, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this document, phrases such as "A or B," "at least one of A and B," "at least one of A or B," "A, B, or C," "at least one of A, B, and C," and "at least one of A, B, or C" can each include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as "first," "second," or "first" or "second" may be used simply to distinguish the corresponding component from other corresponding components, and do not limit the corresponding components in any other respect (e.g., importance or order). When a component (e.g., a first component) is referred to as being “coupled” or “connected” to another component (e.g., a second component), with or without the terms “functionally” or “communicatively,” it is understood that the component can be connected to the other component directly (e.g., wired), wirelessly, or via a third component.

[0057] The term "module" used in the embodiments of the present disclosure may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit. A module may be an integral component, or a minimum unit or part of such a component that performs one or more functions. For example, according to one embodiment, a module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0058] Embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented as software (e.g., a program) including one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., built-in memory or external memory) readable by a machine (e.g., an electronic device). For example, a processor (e.g., a processor) of the machine (e.g., an electronic device) may call at least one instruction among the one or more instructions stored from the storage medium and execute it. 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 executable by an interpreter. The machine-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, "non-transitory" only means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain a signal (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and this term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently and cases where it is stored temporarily in the storage medium.

[0059] According to one embodiment, a method according to an embodiment(s) of the present disclosure may be provided as a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded as a commodity between a seller and a buyer. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM)), or may be distributed online (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) via an application store (e.g., Play Store™) or directly between two user devices (e.g., smartphones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be temporarily stored or temporarily generated in a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or an intermediary server.

[0060] According to one embodiment, each component (e.g., a module or a program) of the above-described components may include one or more entities, and some of the entities may be separated and placed in other components. According to one embodiment, one or more components or operations of the aforementioned components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of components (e.g., a module or a program) may be integrated into a single component. In such a case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the plurality of components identically or similarly to those performed by the corresponding component among the plurality of components prior to the integration. According to one embodiment, the operations performed by a module, program, or other component may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

[0061] In the detailed description below, the longitudinal direction, the width direction, and / or the thickness direction of the electronic device may be mentioned, and the longitudinal direction may be defined as the 'Y-axis direction', the width direction as the 'X-axis direction', and / or the thickness direction as the 'Z-axis direction'. In one embodiment, with respect to the direction that a component is oriented, 'negative / positive (- / +)' may be mentioned together with the rectangular coordinate system illustrated in the drawings. For example, the front of the electronic device and / or the housing may be defined as the 'side facing the +Z direction', and the back side may be defined as the 'side facing the -Z direction'. In one embodiment, the side of the electronic device and / or the housing may include a region facing the +X direction, a region facing the +Y direction, a region facing the -X direction, and / or a region facing the -Y direction. In one embodiment, the 'X-axis direction' may mean both the '-X direction' and the '+X direction'. It should be noted that this is based on the rectangular coordinate system illustrated in the drawings for the sake of brevity of description, and that the description of these directions or components does not limit the embodiment(s) of the present disclosure. For example, depending on the design specifications of the electronic device or the user's usage habits, the orthogonal coordinate system may be defined differently from that in the present disclosure.

[0062] In the embodiments described below, a plurality of housings are rotatably coupled so that the housings can rotate relative to each other between a first position in which they are folded facing each other and a second position in which they are unfolded parallel to one side of each other. When referring to the embodiment(s) of the electronic device in the embodiments described below, the description referring to the Cartesian coordinate system may be generally described based on the unfolded state. It may be understood that the folding axis(es) in the electronic device of the embodiments described below are substantially parallel to the Y-axis direction. However, the embodiment(s) of the present disclosure are not limited thereto, and the embodiment(s) of the present disclosure may be understood to include an electronic device having a structure in which the folding axis(es) are parallel to the X-axis direction.

[0063] In the embodiments described below, the electronic device depicted in the drawings has a substantially rectangular shape. However, the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto, and it may be understood that the electronic device may have a shape other than a rectangular shape.

[0064] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an unfolded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a folded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 may illustrate the same electronic device, but may differ in their unfolded or folded states.

[0065] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the electronic device (101) may include a housing (201), a hinge cover (240) covering a foldable portion of the housing (201), and a display (230) disposed within a space formed by the housing (201). In FIG. 2, the displays may be indicated by reference numerals '231', '232', and '233'. According to one embodiment, a surface on which a screen output from the display (230) is exposed may be defined as a front surface of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a first front surface (210a) and a second front surface (220a)). A surface opposite to the front surface may be defined as a back surface of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a first back surface (210b) and a second back surface (220b)). In one embodiment, the surface surrounding the space between the front and the back may be defined as a side surface of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a first side surface (210c) and a second side surface (220c)). The side surface of the electronic device (101) may be a side surface of at least one of the first housing (210) and the second housing (220). The electronic device (101) of FIGS. 2 and 3 may be referred to as a foldable electronic device, a portable electronic device, or a portable foldable electronic device. According to one embodiment, the housing (201) may be referred to as a foldable housing. The display (230) may be referred to as a “flexible display.”

[0066] According to one embodiment, the housing (201) may include a first housing (210), a second housing (220) rotatable with respect to the first housing (210), a first rear cover (280), and a second rear cover (290). The housing (201) of the electronic device (101) is not limited to the shape and combination shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and may be implemented by other shapes or combinations and / or combinations of parts. For example, in one embodiment, the first housing (210) and the first rear cover (280) may be formed integrally, and the second housing (220) and the second rear cover (290) may be formed integrally.

[0067] According to one embodiment, the first housing (210) is connected to a hinge structure (e.g., the hinge assembly (202) of FIG. 4) and may include a first front side (210a) facing a first direction and a first rear side (210b) facing a second direction opposite to the first direction. The second housing (220) is connected to the hinge assembly (202) and includes a second front side (220a) facing a third direction and a second rear side (220b) facing a fourth direction opposite to the third direction, and may rotate with respect to the first housing (210) about the hinge assembly (202). Accordingly, the electronic device (101) may be variable between a folded state and an unfolded state. The electronic device (101) may have the first front side (210a) facing the second front side (220a) in a folded state, and the third direction may be the same as the first direction in an unfolded state. In the following, unless otherwise stated, the directions are described based on the unfolded state of the electronic device (101).

[0068] According to one embodiment, the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) are arranged on both sides with respect to the folding axis (A) as the center, and may have an overall symmetrical shape with respect to the folding axis (A). As described below, the angle or distance between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may vary depending on whether the state of the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state, a folded state, or an intermediate state. According to one embodiment, the second housing (220) additionally includes a sensor area (224) in which sensors (e.g., a front camera) are arranged, but may have a mutually symmetrical shape in other areas.

[0069] According to one embodiment, a plurality (e.g., two) of folding axes (A) that are parallel to each other may be provided. In the present disclosure, the folding axes (A) are provided along the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) of the electronic device (101), but the direction of the folding axes (A) is not limited thereto. For example (not shown), the electronic device (101) may include a folding axle that extends along the width direction (e.g., X-axis direction).

[0070] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a structure into which a digital pen (not shown) can be attached. For example, the electronic device (101) may include a magnetic body configured to attach the digital pen to a side of the first housing (210) or a side of the second housing (220). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a structure into which a digital pen can be inserted. For example, a hole (not shown) into which a digital pen can be inserted may be formed in a side of the first housing (210) or a side of the second housing (220) of the electronic device (101).

[0071] According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be formed of a metallic or non-metallic material having a rigidity of a size selected to support the display (230). At least a portion formed of the metallic material may provide a ground plane of the electronic device (101) and may be electrically connected to a ground line formed on a printed circuit board (e.g., the board portion (260) of FIG. 4).

[0072] According to one embodiment, the sensor area (224) may be formed to have a predetermined area adjacent to one edge or one corner of the second housing (220). However, the arrangement, shape, and size of the sensor area (224) are not limited to the illustrated example. For example, in another embodiment, the sensor area (224) may be provided in another corner of the second housing (220) or any area between the upper and lower corners or in the first housing (210). In one embodiment, components for performing various functions built into the electronic device (101) may be exposed to the front of the electronic device (101) through the sensor area (224) or through one or more openings provided in the sensor area (224). In one embodiment, the components may include various types of sensors. The sensor(s) may include, for example, at least one of a front camera, a receiver, or a proximity sensor.

[0073] According to one embodiment, the first rear cover (280) is disposed on one side of the folding axis (A) at the rear of the electronic device (101) and may have, for example, a substantially rectangular periphery, the periphery of which may be wrapped by another structure of the first housing (210). Similarly, the second rear cover (290) is disposed on the other side of the folding axis (A) at the rear of the electronic device (101) and the periphery of which may be wrapped by another structure of the second housing (220).

[0074] According to one embodiment, the first rear cover (280) and / or the second rear cover (290) may have a shape that is substantially symmetrical about the folding axis (A axis). However, the first rear cover (280) and the second rear cover (290) do not necessarily have mutually symmetrical shapes, and in one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include the first rear cover (280) and the second rear cover (290) that have different shapes that are not symmetrical.

[0075] In one embodiment, the first rear cover (280), the second rear cover (290), the first housing (210), and the second housing (220) may provide spaces in which various components of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a printed circuit board or a battery) may be placed. In one embodiment, one or more components may be placed or visually exposed on the rear surface of the electronic device (101). For example, at least a portion of the sub-display (234) may be visually exposed through at least a portion of the first rear cover (280). In another embodiment, one or more components or sensors may be visually exposed through at least a portion of the second rear cover (290). In various embodiments, the sensors may include a proximity sensor and / or a camera module (206) (e.g., a rear camera).

[0076] According to one embodiment, a front camera exposed to the front of the electronic device (101) through one or more openings provided in the sensor area (224) or a camera module (206) exposed through at least a portion of the second rear cover (290) may include one or more lenses, image sensors, and / or image signal processors. In one embodiment, two or more lenses (infrared camera, wide-angle and telephoto lenses) and image sensors may be arranged on one side of the electronic device (101).

[0077] According to one embodiment, the hinge cover (240) may be disposed between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) to cover internal components (e.g., the hinge assembly (202) of FIG. 4). According to one embodiment, the hinge cover (240) may be covered by a portion of the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) or exposed to the outside, depending on the state of the electronic device (101) (flat state or folded state).

[0078] According to one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2, when the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state, the hinge cover (240) may be covered by the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) and may not be exposed. As another example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, when the electronic device (101) is in a folded state (e.g., a fully folded state), the hinge cover (240) may be exposed to the outside between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220). As another example, when the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) are in an intermediate state where they are folded at a certain angle, the hinge cover (240) may be partially exposed to the outside between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220). However, in this case, the exposed area may be less than that in the fully folded state. In one embodiment, the hinge cover (240) may include a curved surface.

[0079] According to one embodiment, the display (230) may be positioned on a space formed (or defined) by the housing (201). For example, the display (230) may be seated on a recess provided by the housing (201) and may form a majority of the front surface of the electronic device (101). Accordingly, the front surface of the electronic device (101) may include the display (230), a portion of the first housing (210) adjacent to the display (230) and a portion of the second housing (220). The back surface of the electronic device (101) may include a first back cover (280), a portion of the first housing (210) adjacent to the first back cover (280), a second back cover (290), and a portion of the second housing (220) adjacent to the second back cover (290).

[0080] In one embodiment, the display (230) may include a plurality of display areas spaced apart from each other. For example, the display (230) may include a first display area (231) disposed on a first housing (210), a second display area (232) disposed on a second housing (220), and a folding area (233). In one embodiment, the first display area (231) and the second display area (232) may rotate about a folding axis (A).

[0081] According to one embodiment, the display (230) may refer to a display in which at least a portion of the display can be transformed into a flat or curved surface. For example, the display (230) may be a foldable or flexible display. According to one embodiment, the display (230) may include a folding area (233), a first display area (231) arranged on one side (e.g., the left side of the folding area (233) illustrated in FIG. 2) with respect to the folding area (233), and a second display area (232) arranged on the other side (e.g., the right side of the folding area (233) illustrated in FIG. 2). However, the division of the areas of the display (230) is exemplary, and the display (230) may be divided into a plurality of areas (e.g., four or more or two) depending on the structure or function. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the display (230) may be divided into regions by a folding region (233) extending parallel to the Y-axis or a folding axis (A), but in other embodiments, the display (230) may be divided into regions based on other folding regions (e.g., a folding region parallel to the X-axis) or other folding axes (e.g., a folding axis parallel to the X-axis). According to one embodiment, the display (230) may be coupled to or disposed adjacent to a touch detection circuit, a pressure sensor capable of measuring the intensity (pressure) of a touch, and / or a digitizer (not shown) configured to detect a magnetic field-type stylus pen.

[0082] According to one embodiment, the first display area (231) and the second display area (232) may have an overall symmetrical shape centered on the folding area (233). According to one embodiment (not shown), the second display area (232), unlike the first display area (231), may include a cut notch depending on the presence of the sensor area (224), but may have a shape that is substantially symmetrical with respect to the first display area (231) in other areas. For example, the first display area (231) and the second display area (232) may include a portion having a symmetrical shape with respect to each other and a portion having an asymmetrical shape with respect to each other.

[0083] Hereinafter, the operation of the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) and each area of ​​the display (230) according to the state of the electronic device (101) (e.g., flat state or unfolded state and folded state) will be described.

[0084] According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is in a flat state (e.g., FIG. 2), the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be arranged to face the same direction at a substantially 180-degree angle. The surface of the first display area (231) of the display (230) and the surface of the second display area (232) may form a 180-degree angle with each other and face the same direction (e.g., toward the front of the electronic device). The folding area (233) may form the same plane as the first display area (231) and the second display area (232).

[0085] According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is in a folded state (e.g., FIG. 3), the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be arranged to face each other. The surface of the first display area (231) of the display (230) and the surface of the second display area (232) may form a narrow angle (e.g., between about 0 and 10 degrees) with each other and may face each other. When the electronic device (101) is in a folded state, at least a portion of the folding area (233) may be formed as a curved surface having a predetermined curvature.

[0086] According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is in an intermediate state (not shown), the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be arranged at a certain angle with respect to each other. The surface of the first display area (231) of the display (230) and the surface of the second display area (232) may form an angle that is greater than the angle in the folded state and less than the angle in the unfolded state. The folding area (233) may be formed as a curved surface having at least a certain curvature, and the curvature at this time may be less than that in the folded state.

[0087] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0088] Referring to FIG. 4, an electronic device (200) (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIGS. 1 to 3) may include a housing (201), a display (230), a hinge assembly (202), a battery (250), and a substrate (260). For example, the housing (201) may include a first housing (210), a second housing (220), a first rear cover (280), and a second rear cover (290). The configurations of the first housing (210), the second housing (220), the hinge cover (240), the first rear cover (280), and the second rear cover (290) of FIG. 4 may be all or part of the configurations of the first housing (210), the second housing (220), the hinge cover (240), the first rear cover (280), and the second rear cover (290) of FIGS. 2 and / or 3.

[0089] According to one embodiment, the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be assembled to each other so as to be coupled to both sides of the hinge assembly (202). For example, the hinge assembly (202) may be disposed in a hinge area between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) to rotatably couple the first housing (210) and the second housing (220). Here, the 'hinge area' may refer to a space in which the hinge assembly (202) is disposed, an area at least partially surrounded by the hinge cover (240), and / or a space between the folding area (233) of the display (230) and the hinge cover (240). In one embodiment, the hinge area may be understood as a space disposed substantially corresponding to the folding area (233).

[0090] According to one embodiment, the first housing (210) may include a first support area (212) (e.g., a first support member) capable of supporting a component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a first circuit board (262) and / or a first battery (252)) and a first side wall (211) surrounding at least a portion of the first support area (212). The first side wall (211) may include a first side surface of the electronic device (101) (e.g., the first side surface (210c) of FIG. 2). According to one embodiment, the second housing (220) may include a second support area (222) capable of supporting a component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a second circuit board (264) and / or a second battery (254)) and a second side wall (221) surrounding at least a portion of the second support area (222). The second side wall (221) may include a second side of the electronic device (101) (e.g., the second side (220c) of FIG. 2).

[0091] In one embodiment, although not shown, the first housing (210) may include a first waterproof member disposed in the first support area (212), and / or the second housing (220) may include a second waterproof member disposed in the second support area (222). The first waterproof member and / or the second waterproof member may be disposed in a gap between the display (230) and the support area (212, 222)(s) to prevent moisture or foreign substances from entering the interior of the first housing (210) and / or the second housing (220).

[0092] According to one embodiment, the display (230) may include a first display area (231), a second display area (232), and / or a folding area (233). The configuration of the first display area (231), the second display area (232), and the folding area (233) of FIG. 4 may be all or part of the same as the configuration of the first display area (231), the second display area (232), and the folding area (233) of FIG. 2 and / or FIG. 3.

[0093] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (200) may further include a sub-display (234). In one embodiment, the sub-display (234) may display a screen in a different direction from the display areas (231, 232). For example, the sub-display (234) may output a screen in a direction opposite to the first display area (231). According to one embodiment, the sub-display (234) may be disposed on the first rear cover (280).

[0094] In one embodiment, the battery (250) may include a first battery (252) disposed within the first housing (210) and a second battery (254) disposed within the second housing (220). In one embodiment, the first battery (252) may be connected to the first circuit board (262), and the second battery (254) may be connected to the second circuit board (264). In one embodiment, the battery (250) may supply power to at least one component of the electronic device (101). In one embodiment, the battery (250) may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

[0095] In one embodiment, the substrate (260) may include a first circuit board (262) disposed within a first housing (210) and a second circuit board (264) disposed within a second housing (220). In one embodiment, the first circuit board (262) and the second circuit board (264) may be electrically connected by at least one flexible printed circuit board (266). In one embodiment, at least a portion of the flexible printed circuit board (266) may be disposed across a hinge region or a hinge structure (e.g., a hinge assembly (202)). In one embodiment, the first circuit board (262) and the second circuit board (264) may be disposed within a space formed by the first housing (210), the second housing (220), the first rear cover (280), and the second rear cover (290). Components for implementing various functions of the electronic device (101) can be placed on the first circuit board (262) and the second circuit board (264).

[0096] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include speakers (208a, 208b). According to one embodiment, the speakers (208a, 208b) may convert electrical signals into sound. According to one embodiment, the speakers (208a, 208b) may be disposed within a space formed by the first housing (210), the second housing (220), the first rear cover (280), and the second rear cover (290). According to one embodiment, the speakers (208a, 208b) may include an upper speaker (208a) positioned at the top (+Y direction) of the electronic device (101) and a lower speaker (208b) positioned at the bottom (-Y direction) of the electronic device (101). In the present disclosure, the speakers (208a, 208b) are illustrated as being positioned within one housing (e.g., the first housing (210) of FIG. 4), but this is an optional structure. For example, the speakers (208a, 208b) may be located within at least one of the first housing (210) or the second housing (220). The configuration of the speakers (208a, 208b) of FIG. 4 may be all or part of the same as the configuration of the sound output module (155) of FIG. 1.

[0097] In one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a rear member (270) (or rear case). In one embodiment, the rear member (270) may be disposed within a housing (201) (e.g., a second housing (220)). In one embodiment, the rear member (270) may accommodate at least one antenna (275).

[0098] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include an antenna (275). The antennas (275a, 275b) may include, for example, an ultra wide band (UWB) antenna (275a), a near field communication (NFC) antenna, a wireless charging antenna, and / or a magnetic secure transmission (MST) antenna (275b). The antenna (275) may, for example, perform short-range communication with an external device or wirelessly transmit and receive power required for charging.

[0099] In one embodiment, an antenna structure may be formed by a portion or a combination of the housing (201). For example, the antenna (275) may include a communication antenna (275c) that is at least partially exposed to the exterior of the electronic device (101) and forms at least a portion of the exterior of the electronic device (101). The communication antenna (275c) may be used for communication with an external electronic device (e.g., Wi-Fi). For example, the communication antenna (275c) may be positioned at the upper portion (271a) or the lower portion (271b) of the rear member (270).

[0100] In the detailed description below, a configuration in which a pair of housings (or, referred to as a 'housing structure') are rotatably coupled by a hinge structure (or, referred to as a 'hinge assembly (202)') may be exemplified. However, it should be noted that this embodiment does not limit the electronic device according to various embodiments disclosed in the present document. For example, the electronic device according to the embodiment(s) of the present disclosure may include three or more housings, and the "pair of housings" in the embodiments disclosed below may refer to "two housings rotatably coupled to each other among the three or more housings."

[0101] FIG. 5 is a drawing showing a flexible printed circuit board (266) (e.g., the flexible printed circuit board (266) of FIG. 4) of an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (101, 200) of FIGS. 1 to 4) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a drawing showing an unfolded state of an electronic device (300) (e.g., the electronic device (101, 200) of FIGS. 1 to 4) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0102] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the flexible printed circuit board (266) may include a bending portion (BA) and / or a fixing portion (FA). The bending portion (BA) may refer to a portion that is arranged, for example, corresponding to a hinge area (HA) and that is at least partially deformable between a flat shape and a curved shape. The fixing portion (FA) may be a portion arranged, for example, inside the first housing (210) or the second housing (220) and may maintain a substantially fixed shape. For example, when the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) move or rotate relative to each other between a first position (e.g., the state illustrated in FIG. 3) and a second position (e.g., the state illustrated in FIG. 2), the fixing portion (FA) may maintain its initially assembled shape. In one embodiment, the fixing portion (FA) may be manufactured in a flat shape and, after assembly, may be arranged in a shape illustrated in FIG. 6. In one embodiment, when the flexure (BA) is deformed, a portion of the fixed portion (FA) may move or deform, thereby distributing the load applied to the flexure due to the deformation. For example, although referred to as a 'fixed portion', the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto, and by moving or deforming a portion of the fixed portion (FA), deformation or load due to relative movement or rotation of the first housing (210) and the second housing (210) may be suppressed from being concentrated on the flexure (BA) in the flexible printed circuit board (266).

[0103] According to one embodiment, in the electronic device (200) of FIG. 4, a communication module (190) (e.g., a modem for millimeter wave communication) of FIG. 1 may be disposed in one of the housings (210, 220), and a millimeter wave communication antenna may be disposed in the other of the housings (210, 220). In this case, a flexible printed circuit board (266) may transmit a wireless communication signal between the communication module (190) and the millimeter wave communication antenna across the hinge area (HA). In one embodiment, the electronic device (200) may have a portion of at least one of the housings (210, 220) that functions as an antenna. In one embodiment, the portion of the electronic device (200) that functions as an antenna may embody a side surface of at least one of the housings (210, 220). In one embodiment, the portion functioning as an antenna of the electronic device (200) may be positioned adjacent to a side surface of at least one of the housings (210, 220) and / or oriented in a direction intersecting the Z-axis. For example, the portion functioning as an antenna of the electronic device (200) may be implemented by a portion of the housings (210, 220), or may be manufactured as a separate component from the housings (210, 220) and positioned adjacent to an edge of the housings (210, 220). In one embodiment, the phrase "the portion functioning as an antenna of the electronic device (200) is implemented by a portion of the housings (210, 220)" may be understood to include, for example, an example in which the portion functioning as an antenna is positioned to form a side surface of at least one of the housings (210, 220). In one embodiment, the antenna, which is manufactured as a separate component from the housings (210, 220) and positioned adjacent to the edge of the housings (210, 220), may be referred to in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2020-0132041 (published on November 25, 2020; U.S. Patent Publication No. 11,013,149 (registered on May 18, 2021)) filed by the applicant of the present invention.

[0104] According to one embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board (266) may have higher flexibility in a portion crossing the area where the hinge structure (or hinge assembly (202)) is arranged than in the remaining portion. For example, the bending portion (BA) (e.g., the portion crossing the area where the hinge structure (or hinge assembly (202)) is arranged) may be manufactured to be more flexible than the fixed portion (FA), so that the flexible printed circuit board (266) may be deformed into a corresponding shape according to the relative movement or rotation of the housings (210, 220), thereby providing stability in transmitting wireless communication signals. The configuration of this flexible printed circuit board (266) will be further examined through the embodiments described below.

[0105] According to one embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board (266) may include connectors (266a) provided at both ends. The connectors (266a) may be connected to a printed circuit board (e.g., the first circuit board (262) or the second circuit board (264) of FIG. 4) within, for example, the first housing (210) or the second housing (220). In one embodiment, when a flip-lock type connector is provided on the first circuit board (262) or the second circuit board (264), the connectors (266a) of the flexible printed circuit board (266) may be omitted, and a plurality of connecting pads provided on the surface at both ends of the flexible printed circuit board (266) may be provided.

[0106] According to one embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board (266) may include fixing pieces (266b) provided on at least one surface at a specified interval between the connectors (266a). In one embodiment, the fixing pieces (266b) may be arranged at a boundary between the bend portion (BA) and the fixing portion (FA) (e.g., one of the fixing portions (FA)). For example, the fixing pieces (266b) may be fixed to the interior of one of the first housing (210) and the second housing (220), thereby maintaining the arrangement shape of the fixing portion (FA)(s). In one embodiment, the fixing pieces (266b) may include a plate or adhesive tape made of a metal or synthetic resin material. In one embodiment, the fixing pieces (266b) may be omitted, and a portion of the flexible printed circuit board (266) may be fixed between other structures, such as side walls (e.g., the first side wall (211) or the second side wall (221) of FIG. 4) or support areas (e.g., the first support area (212) or the second support area (222) of FIG. 4). For example, it should be noted that the structure in which the fixing pieces (266b) are provided for fixing or maintaining the arrangement shape of the flexible printed circuit board (266) within the first housing (210) or the second housing (220) does not limit the embodiment(s) of the present disclosure.

[0107] According to one embodiment, a flexible printed circuit board (266) (e.g., a fixing member (FA)) may be positioned between the display (230) and the circuit board (262, 264) and / or between the battery (252, 254) and the circuit board (262, 264) within the first housing (210) or the second housing (220), and may be connected to the circuit board (262, 264) in the -Z direction. For example, the fixing member (266b)(s) may fix a portion of the flexible printed circuit board (266) within the housing (210, 220) between the circuit board (262, 264) and the display (230). In the illustrated embodiment, the connectors (266a) are illustrated as being connected to one side of the first circuit board (262) or the second circuit board (264) in the -Z direction, but the embodiment(s) of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. For example, at least one of the connectors (266a) may be connected to the other side of the first circuit board (262) or the second circuit board (264) in the +Z direction.

[0108] According to one embodiment, depending on the folded or unfolded state of the housings (210, 220), the bent portion (BA) inside the electronic device (300) (e.g., the hinge cover (240)) may be deformed into a designated shape. Although not shown, when the housings (210, 220) are in a folded state, the bent portion (BA) may substantially have a letter 'U' shape. As illustrated in FIG. 6, when the housings (210, 220) are in an unfolded state, it can be seen that a portion designated as 'BA1' among the bent portions (BA) has a substantially flat, curved shape, and a portion designated as 'BA2' has an 'S' shape. For example, in a relative movement or deformation operation of the housings (210, 220), the BA2 portion may be deformed more than the BA1 portion. In one embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board (266) may be at least partially secured to the hinge cover (240). For example, a portion of the BA1 having a relatively small change in curvature in the relative movement or deformation of the housings (210, 220) may be secured inside the hinge cover (240).

[0109] As mentioned above, when a flexible printed circuit board (266) is designed or manufactured to transmit a communication signal, via conductors may be arranged around a signal line for transmitting the communication signal to implement an electromagnetic shielding structure. As the frequency of the communication signal increases, the spacing between the via conductors may decrease, which may limit deformation of the flexible printed circuit board. In one embodiment, when an electromagnetic shielding structure (or waveguide structure) is implemented using via conductors and a communication signal is transmitted through the signal line, deformation of the flexible printed circuit board may cause performance deviation of the communication signal. The closer the spacing between the via conductors is and the higher the frequency of the transmitted communication signal, the greater the deviation in communication performance due to deformation (e.g., relative displacement of the via conductors) may be. For example, when a millimeter wave signal is transmitted through a flexible printed circuit board (266), an electromagnetic shielding structure using via conductors may hinder the flexibility of the flexible printed circuit board, and it may be difficult to secure stable communication performance. In one embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board (266) may secure the flexibility of the flexible printed circuit board (266) and implement stable communication performance by providing an electromagnetic shielding environment or waveguide structure to the signal lines using a conductive material of an electromagnetic shielding layer adjacent to a layer in which the signal lines are arranged. The electromagnetic shielding environment or waveguide structure according to the embodiment(s) of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 11. In describing the embodiments described below, reference may be made to the electronic devices (101, 200, 300) of FIGS. 1 to 4 and / or 6, and the flexible printed circuit board (266) of FIGS. 4 to 6.

[0110] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a flexible printed circuit board (406) (e.g., the flexible printed circuit board (266) of FIGS. 4 to 6) of an electronic device (e.g., the electronic devices (101, 200, 300) of FIGS. 1 to 4 and / or 6) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an enlarged portion E1 of FIG. 7 in the flexible printed circuit board (406) of the electronic device (300) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a cut along line A-A' of FIG. 8 in the flexible printed circuit board (406) of the electronic device (300) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an enlarged portion E2 of FIG. 7 in the flexible printed circuit board (406) of the electronic device (300) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0111] In FIG. 7, the portion(s) indicated as 'MA1' may be exemplified as a portion connected to, for example, one of the circuit boards (262, 264) of FIG. 4. In one embodiment, the connector (266a) of FIG. 5 may be positioned at the portion indicated as 'MA1'. In FIG. 7, the portion indicated as 'MA2' may be exemplified as a portion fixed within one of the housings (210, 220) of FIG. 4 (e.g., the support area (212, 222) of FIG. 4). In one embodiment, the fixing piece (266b) of FIG. 5 may be positioned at the portion indicated as 'MA2'. As mentioned above, it should be noted that the connector (266a) and / or the fixing piece (266b) of FIG. 5 are mentioned as examples, and the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. For example, depending on the structure of the counterpart connectors arranged on the circuit boards (262, 264), the connector (266a) of FIG. 5 may be omitted, and if a fastening structure such as a clip or plate spring is provided inside the housings (210, 220), the fixing piece (266b) may be omitted.

[0112] Referring to FIGS. 7 to 10, a flexible printed circuit board (406) (e.g., the flexible printed circuit board (266) of FIGS. 4 to 6) includes a first layer (LY1) (e.g., a substrate layer) provided as a base substrate, a second layer (LY2) (e.g., a signal line layer) including one or more signal lines (461a, 461b, 461c) and / or one or more ground lines (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d), a third layer (LY3) (e.g., a shielding layer) provided as an electromagnetic shielding layer, and / or at least one elastomeric line (465; 465a, 465b, 465c, 465d), thereby allowing the signal lines (461a, 461b, 461c) and / or ground lines to be resilient to repeated deformation. It is possible to suppress damage to lines (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d) and secure durability. In one embodiment, it may be understood that at least one elastomeric line (465; 465a, 465b, 465c, 465d) is formed in a recessed area (e.g., a groove (464) of FIG. 9) provided in either the second layer (LY2) or the third layer (LY3). In one embodiment, a configuration including at least one elastomeric line (465; 465a, 465b, 465c, 465d) may be referred to as an 'elastic line layer'. In one embodiment, the elastomeric line layer providing at least one elastomeric line (465; 465a, 465b, 465c, 465d) may be understood to be partially accommodated in one of the second layer (LY2) and the third layer (LY3). For example, a recessed region may be provided in one of the second layer (LY2) and the third layer (LY3), and a portion of the elastomeric line layer may be accommodated in the recessed region.

[0113] In one embodiment, the elastic line (465) may be positioned at a position corresponding to at least one of the ground lines (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d). For example, among the ground lines (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d), the elastic line (465)(s) may be provided corresponding to the ground line (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d)(s) positioned around the signal lines (461a, 461b, 461c) for transmitting communication signals. In one embodiment, as will be described with reference to FIG. 11, the elastomeric lines (465) can electrically connect the third layer (LY3) to signal lines (461a, 461b, 461c) for transmitting communication signals and adjacent ground lines (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d). In one embodiment, the elastomeric lines (465) can be at least partially disposed in the bend portion (BA) of the flexible printed circuit board (406). In one embodiment, the elastomeric lines (465) can extend from the bend portion (BA) (or a location corresponding to the hinge area (HA)) on one surface of the flexible printed circuit board (406) (e.g., the surface of the third layer (LY3)) in a direction substantially perpendicular to the folding axis (A). In one embodiment, a portion of the flexible printed circuit board (406) (e.g., the fasteners (FA)(s)) may be understood to be disposed within the first housing (210) or within the second housing (220).

[0114] According to one embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board (406) may include a bend portion (BA) and fixing portions (FA) extending from each end of the bend portion (BA). It has been described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 that fixing pieces (266b) may be provided between the bend portion (BA) and the fixing portions (VA). In one embodiment, the elastic line (465)(s) may be provided substantially on a surface of the flexible printed circuit board (406), for example, a surface of the third layer (LY3). However, the embodiment(s) of the present disclosure are not limited thereto, and an additional layer not shown may be provided on the surface of the elastic line (465) or the surface of the third layer (LY3).

[0115] According to one embodiment, the first layer (LY1) may be a substrate such as, for example, a polyimide film, and the second layer (LY2) (e.g., signal lines (461a, 461b, 461c) and / or ground lines (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d)) may be implemented on the first layer (LY1). For example, a printed circuit pattern designed by etching an electrically conductive thin film formed by coating, plating, or depositing an electrically conductive material (e.g., copper (Cu), silver (Ag), and / or gold (Au)) on the first layer (LY1) may be implemented. In one embodiment, signal lines (461a, 461b, 461c) among the printed circuit patterns may be allocated for transmitting communication signals, in which case, signal lines (461a, 461b, 461c) and ground lines (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d) may be arranged alternately on the first layer (LY1). In one embodiment, when the flexible printed circuit board (406) is arranged in the electronic device (300), it may be understood that the signal lines (461a, 461b, 461c) and ground lines (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d) are arranged along the direction of the folding axis (A). In one embodiment, the signal lines (461a, 461b, 461c) and the ground lines (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d) may be understood to extend along a direction intersecting the folding axis (A) (e.g., the X-axis direction).

[0116] According to one embodiment, the line designated as '462' in the printed circuit pattern may be allocated as a line for data signals, various control signals, and / or power supply. In Fig. 8, a configuration in which the signal lines (461a, 461b, 461c) and the elastic line (465) are visually exposed is illustrated, but this is for the purpose of more clearly showing the relative positions, and the signal lines (461a, 461b, 461c) may be understood as being substantially concealed. In one embodiment, it can be understood that signal lines (461a, 461b, 461c) and ground lines (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d) are arranged alternately within the second layer (LY2), and the elastic lines (465) are arranged at positions substantially corresponding to at least one of the ground lines (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d).

[0117] According to one embodiment, the third layer (LY3) is provided on the second layer (LY2) and is arranged to at least partially surround an area or space in which the signal lines (461a, 461b, 461c) are arranged, thereby providing an electromagnetic shielding environment for the signal lines (461a, 461b, 461c) and / or implementing a waveguide structure. For example, the third layer (LY3) may provide an electromagnetic shielding structure between any signal line among the signal lines (461a, 461b, 461c) and another signal line adjacent thereto. In one embodiment, when the third layer (LY3) provides an electromagnetic shielding structure to a first signal line among the signal lines (461a, 461b, 461c), the electromagnetic shielding structure may function as a waveguide structure embedding the first signal line. For example, the third layer (LY3) may contribute to improving the stability of communication signal transmission while providing an electromagnetic shielding structure. In one embodiment, by omitting via conductors and implementing an electromagnetic shielding structure and / or a waveguide structure by the third layer (LY3), the flexible printed circuit board (406) may provide a communication signal (e.g., RF signal or millimeter wave signal) transmission function. In one embodiment, by omitting via conductors, the flexible printed circuit board (406) may be flexible enough to be deformed corresponding to the deformation due to the relative movement of the housings (210, 220).

[0118] According to one embodiment, the third layer (LY3) may be arranged to contact the ground lines (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d) without contacting the signal lines (461a, 461b, 461c), thereby implementing a more stable electromagnetic shielding structure (or waveguide structure). In one embodiment, the second layer (LY2) may include an insulating material layer (469) provided to surround at least a portion of at least one of the signal lines (461a, 461b, 461c) and / or at least a portion of at least one of the ground lines (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d). For example, in arranging the third layer (LY3), the signal lines (461a, 461b, 461c) may be substantially insulated from the third layer (LY3), and the ground lines (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d) may be electrically connected to or in direct contact with the third layer (LY3). For example, the insulating material layer (469) may be arranged to substantially surround the signal lines (461a, 461b, 461c), and may be arranged to partially surround the ground lines (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d). Accordingly, the third layer (LY3) may include at least one groove (464) formed on the surface at a position in contact with the ground lines (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d). When viewed in plan view of FIG. 8 or in cross-sectional view of FIG. 9, grooves (464) may be provided on both sides of the signal lines (461a, 461b, 461c) and / or in the area between two adjacent signal lines (461a, 461b, 461c). The grooves (464)(s) may be, for example, at least partially filled with an elastomer, and the elastomer lines (465)(s) may be substantially implemented by the elastomer filled in these grooves (464)(s) or at least a portion of the grooves (464)(s).In one embodiment, the elastomer may include a rubber such as Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR rubber), Butadiene Rubber (BR synthetic rubber), High Butadiene Rubber (HBR rubber), nitrile rubber, fluoroelastomer, polychloroprene rubber, Ethylene Propylene Terpolymers (EPM rubber), and / or silicone rubber. For example, when n (where 'n' is a natural number) signal lines (461a, 461b, 461c) are arranged, n+1 ground lines (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d), n+1 grooves (464), and / or n+1 elastomer lines (465) may be provided.

[0119] According to one embodiment, the third layer (LY3) may include an insulating layer (LY3b) and a conductive layer (LY3a). The conductive layer (LY3a) may be, for example, disposed between the insulating layer (LY3b) and the second layer (LY2), such that it may be protected from an external environment by the insulating layer (LY3b) and may be in direct contact with at least one of the ground lines (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d). When the flexible printed circuit board (406) or the third layer (LY3) includes grooves (464)(s), the grooves (464)(s) may be understood to be substantially provided in the insulating layer (LY3b).

[0120] In one embodiment, when the housings (210, 220) are relatively moved or deformed, for example, when the flexible printed circuit board (406) is deformed between a flat shape and a curved shape, one side of the flexible printed circuit board (406) (e.g., the side facing the +Z direction) may be deformed concavely, and the other side of the flexible printed circuit board (406) (e.g., the side facing the -Z direction) may be deformed convexly. In this deformation, a compressive force may be applied to the side deformed concavely, and a tensile force may be applied to the side deformed convexly. In one embodiment, a plane (or region) (hereinafter, a 'neutral plane (NP)') on which substantially no compressive force or tensile force is applied may exist between the plane deformed concavely and the plane deformed convexly. Even if the flexible printed circuit board (406) is deformed, durability or reliability can be improved by suppressing compressive or tensile force from being applied to the second layer (LY2) (e.g., signal lines (461a, 461b, 461c) and / or ground lines (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d)).

[0121] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the grooves (464)(s) and / or the elastic lines (465)(s) can control the position of the neutral plane (NP). For example, by adjusting the width and thickness of the elastic lines (465)(s), the neutral plane (NP) can be moved closer to or further away from the folding axis (A). In one embodiment, the elastic lines (465)(s) can be controlled such that the neutral plane (NP) is located within the second layer (LY2). For example, the signal lines (461a, 461b, 461c) and / or the ground lines (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d) may be positioned substantially at the neutral plane (NP), such that even if the flexible printed circuit board (406) is deformed, the signal lines (461a, 461b, 461c) and / or the ground lines (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d) may not be subjected to substantially any compressive or tensile force.

[0122] According to one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 10, the grooves (464)(s) may include a first groove (464a) and a second groove (464b) arranged in one straight trajectory (TR1, TR2) or one curved trajectory. Here, the 'trajectory (TR1, TR2)' may be understood as a trajectory along which an elastic line (465) is extended or a trajectory along which elastic lines (465) are arranged. In one embodiment, the trajectories (TR1, TR2) may be straight when viewed along the Z-axis direction, and the trajectories (TR1, TR2) may be curved when viewed along the X-axis or Y-axis direction. In one embodiment, a designated gap (NC) may be provided between the first groove (464a) and the second groove (464b). The first groove (464a) may extend, for example, in a direction toward the first housing (210) within the hinge area (HA) (or from a position adjacent to the folding axis (A)), and the second groove (464b) may extend, for example, in a direction toward the second housing (220) within the hinge area (HA) (or from a position adjacent to the folding axis (A)). In one embodiment, the portion adjacent to the folding axis (A), for example, portion BA1 of FIG. 6, may be deformed between a flat shape and a curved shape, but the curvature when in the curved shape may be considerably smaller. For example, the deformation of portion BA1 may be substantially free of loads (e.g., compressive or tensile) acting on the signal lines (461a, 461b, 461c) and / or the ground lines (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d).

[0123] According to one embodiment, even if it is a part of the bending portion (BA), in an area where the deformation is small, such as in the BA1 portion, the elastic line (465) may be omitted, and at least one via conductor (467) may be arranged at a designated interval (NC) between the first groove (464a) and the second groove (464b). For example, displacement of the via conductor (467)(s) in the BA1 portion may not substantially affect the communication performance. It may be understood that the designated interval (NC) or at least one via conductor (467) is substantially arranged within the hinge area (HA). In one embodiment, the via conductor (467)(s) may be arranged to penetrate the insulating material layer (469) of the second layer (LY2) and come into contact with the ground line (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d)(s). In one embodiment, the via conductors (467)(s) may be understood to be positioned in contact with the ground lines (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d)(s) while being embedded (or buried) in the insulating material layer (469). In one embodiment, the via conductors (467)(s) are arranged along a trajectory (e.g., a trajectory designated as 'TR1' and / or 'TR2') in which the first groove (464a) and the second groove (464b) are aligned.

[0124] FIG. 11 is a drawing showing a flexible printed circuit board (506) (e.g., the flexible printed circuit board (266, 406) of FIGS. 4 to 7) of an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (101, 200, 300) of FIGS. 1 to 4 and / or 6) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0125] In the embodiment of Fig. 11, the elastic body lines (565; 565a, 565b, 565c, 565d)(s) may be arranged between the third layer (LY3) and the second layer (LY2), unlike the preceding embodiment(s). Other configurations exemplified in Fig. 11 may be similar to the configurations of the preceding embodiments exemplarily described with reference to, for example, Figs. 7 to 10. In examining the present embodiment, configurations that can be easily understood through the preceding embodiment(s) may be given the same reference numbers in the drawings or may be omitted, and detailed descriptions thereof may also be omitted.

[0126] Referring to FIG. 11, the elastic line (565)(s) may be disposed between the second layer (LY2) and the third layer (LY3) at a position corresponding to at least one of the ground lines (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d). For example, the elastic line (565)(s) may electrically connect the third layer (LY3) (e.g., the conductive layer (LY3a)) to at least one of the ground lines (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d). For example, the elastic line (565)(s) may include an elastomeric polymer to which electrically conductive particles are added. In one embodiment, the elastic line (565)(s), the third layer (LY3) (e.g., the conductive layer (LY3a)) and / or the ground line (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d)(s) may be combined to provide an electromagnetic shielding structure to the signal line (461a, 461b, 461c)(s) and / or to implement a waveguide structure. In one embodiment, the width or thickness of the elastic line (565)(s) may be adjusted to control the position of the neutral plane (e.g., the neutral plane (NP) of FIG. 9). In one embodiment, a portion of a region adjacent to a folding axis (e.g., folding axis (A) of FIG. 10) may include a discontinuous section (e.g., a designated interval (NC) of FIG. 10) in which an elastic line (465) is not provided in one trajectory (e.g., a trajectory indicated as 'TR1' and / or 'TR2' of FIG. 10). In one embodiment, when a discontinuous section of an elastic line (565) exists in a designated trajectory, the flexible printed circuit board (506) may further include at least one via conductor (e.g., a via conductor (467) of FIG. 10) disposed in the discontinuous section.

[0127] FIG. 12 is a drawing showing a flexible printed circuit board (606) (e.g., the flexible printed circuit board (266, 406) of FIGS. 4 to 7) of an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (101, 200, 300) of FIGS. 1 to 4 and / or 6) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0128] In the embodiment of Fig. 12, the elastic body lines (665; 665a, 665b, 665c)(s) may be arranged between the insulating layer (LY3b) and the conductive layer (LY3a) within the third layer (LY3), unlike the preceding embodiment(s). Other configurations exemplified in Fig. 12 may be similar to the configurations of the preceding embodiments exemplarily described with reference to, for example, Figs. 7 to 11. In examining the present embodiment, configurations that can be easily understood through the preceding embodiment(s) may be given the same reference numbers in the drawings or may be omitted, and detailed descriptions thereof may also be omitted.

[0129] Referring to FIG. 12, the elastic line (665)(s) may be disposed between the insulating layer (LY3b) and the conductive layer (LY3a) at a location corresponding to at least one of the ground lines (463a, 463b, 463c). In one embodiment, the elastic line (665)(s) may not include electrically conductive particles, and may be implemented as part of an electromagnetic shielding structure together with the conductive layer (LY3a) when implemented as an elastomeric polymer with electrically conductive particles added thereto.

[0130] In one embodiment, the width or thickness of the elastic line (665)(s) can be adjusted to control the position of the neutral plane (e.g., the neutral plane (NP) of FIG. 9). In one embodiment, a portion of a region adjacent to a folding axis (e.g., the folding axis (A) of FIG. 10) may include a discontinuous section (e.g., a designated interval (NC) of FIG. 10) in which no elastic line (665) is provided in one trajectory (e.g., a trajectory indicated as 'TR1' and / or 'TR2' of FIG. 10). In one embodiment, when a discontinuous section of the elastic line (665) exists in a designated trajectory, the flexible printed circuit board (506) may further include at least one via conductor (e.g., a via conductor (467) of FIG. 10) disposed in the discontinuous section.

[0131] FIG. 13 is a drawing showing a flexible printed circuit board (706) (e.g., the flexible printed circuit board (266, 406) of FIGS. 4 to 7) of an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (101, 200, 300) of FIGS. 1 to 4 and / or 6) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0132] The flexible printed circuit board (706) of FIG. 13, unlike the preceding embodiments, may include an elastomeric layer (765) provided over substantially the entire surface area of ​​the third layer (LY3). In one embodiment, the elastomeric layer (765) may be accommodated at least partially in a groove (e.g., the groove (464)(s) of FIG. 9) formed in the third layer (LY3), thereby implementing an elastomeric line (465)(s) that is substantially the same as the elastomeric line (465)(s) of FIG. 9.

[0133] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device (e.g., an electronic device (101, 200, 300) of FIGS. 1 to 4 and / or 6) comprises a housing structure including a first housing (e.g., a first housing (210) of FIGS. 2 to 4 and / or 6) and a second housing (e.g., a second housing (220) of FIGS. 2 to 4 and / or 6), a hinge structure (e.g., a hinge assembly (202) of FIG. 4) configured to rotatably couple the first housing and the second housing and provide at least one folding axis (e.g., a folding axis (A) of FIGS. 2, 7 and / or 9) that serves as a center of rotation of the first housing or the second housing), and a flexible printed circuit board (e.g., a flexible printed circuit board of FIGS. 4 to 11) disposed from the inside of the first housing across the hinge structure into the inside of the second housing. A printed circuit board (266, 406, 506) may be included. In one embodiment, a region of the flexible printed circuit board passing through the hinge portion may include a substrate layer (e.g., a first layer (LY1) of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11), a shielding layer (e.g., a third layer (LY3) of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11), and a signal line layer (e.g., a second layer (LY2) of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11) formed between the substrate layer and the shielding layer. In one embodiment, the signal line layer may include a signal line (e.g., one of the signal lines 461a, 461b, 461c of FIGS. 9 and / or 11) and a ground line (e.g., one of the ground lines 463a, 463b, 463c, 463d of FIGS. 9 and / or 11) extending along a direction substantially perpendicular to the at least one folding axis and arranged adjacent to each other.In one embodiment, the shielding layer may include a shielding conductive layer (e.g., conductive layer LY3a of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11) spaced apart from the signal line and electrically connected to the ground line, and a shielding insulating layer (e.g., insulating layer LY3b of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11) formed over the shielding conductive layer. In one embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board may include an elastomeric line layer (e.g., a layer providing elastomeric lines (465; 465a, 465b, 465c, 465d and / or 565; 565a, 565b, 565c, 565d) of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11) formed to be at least partially aligned with the ground line, in a portion crossing the area where the hinge structure is arranged.

[0134] In one embodiment, the elastic line layer can be formed on the shielding insulation layer.

[0135] According to one embodiment, the shielding insulating layer includes a recessed area (e.g., grooves (464; 464a, 464b) of FIGS. 8 to 11) formed at a position corresponding to the ground line, and the elastic line layer can be formed in the recessed area.

[0136] According to one embodiment, the upper surface of the elastic line layer may be formed in the recessed region so as to be aligned with the upper surface of the shielding insulation layer in a continuous plane or a continuous curved surface.

[0137] In one embodiment, the shielding conductive layer may be in contact with a surface of the ground line.

[0138] According to one embodiment, the elastic line layer can be formed between the shielding insulating layer and the shielding conductive layer.

[0139] According to one embodiment, the shielding conductive layer includes a recessed region at a position corresponding to the ground line, and the elastic line layer can be formed in the recessed region.

[0140] According to one embodiment, the upper surface of the elastic line layer may be formed in the recessed region so as to be aligned with the upper surface of the shielding insulation layer in a continuous plane or a continuous curved surface.

[0141] In one embodiment, the shielding conductive layer may be in contact with a surface of the ground line.

[0142] According to one embodiment, the elastic line layer can be formed between the shielding conductive layer and the ground line layer.

[0143] In one embodiment, the elastic line layer comprises a conductive material and can electrically connect the shielding conductive layer to the ground line.

[0144] According to one embodiment, the signal line layer may further include an insulating material layer formed at least partially between the signal line and the ground line.

[0145] According to one embodiment, the electronic device as described above may further include at least one groove formed at a position corresponding to the ground line on the surface of the insulating layer. In one embodiment, the at least one groove may include a first groove extending from the hinge area toward an inner area of ​​the first housing (e.g., the first groove (464a) of FIG. 10), and a second groove extending from the hinge area toward an inner area of ​​the second housing (e.g., the second groove (464b) of FIG. 9). In one embodiment, the first groove and the second groove may be arranged on a single straight trajectory or a single curved trajectory with a specified interval therebetween.

[0146] According to one embodiment, the signal line layer may further include an insulating material layer (e.g., an insulating material layer (469) of FIG. 9 or FIG. 11) provided to surround at least a portion of the signal line or at least a portion of the ground line, and at least one via conductor (e.g., a via conductor (467) of FIG. 10) disposed to penetrate the insulating material layer at a designated interval between the first groove and the second groove.

[0147] In one embodiment, the designated gap between the first groove and the second groove may be located within an area where the hinge structure is disposed.

[0148] According to one embodiment, as the first housing and the second housing rotate about the at least one folding axis, the flexible printed circuit board may be configured such that at least a portion of the portion where the elastic line layer is arranged is deformed.

[0149] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device (e.g., an electronic device (101, 200, 300) of FIGS. 1 to 4 and / or 6) comprises a housing structure including a first housing (e.g., a first housing (210) of FIGS. 2 to 4 and / or 6) and a second housing (e.g., a second housing (220) of FIGS. 2 to 4 and / or 6), a hinge structure (e.g., a hinge assembly (202) of FIG. 4) configured to rotatably couple the first housing and the second housing and provide at least one folding axis (e.g., a folding axis (A) of FIGS. 2, 7 and / or 9) that serves as a center of rotation of the first housing or the second housing), a flexible printed circuit board (e.g., ... A flexible printed circuit board (266, 406, 506) may be included, and a processor (e.g., processor (120) of FIG. 1) or a communication module (e.g., communication module (190) of FIG. 1) configured to transmit a communication signal using the flexible printed circuit board may be included. In one embodiment, a portion of the flexible printed circuit board that crosses the region where the hinge structure is arranged may include a substrate layer (e.g., a first layer (LY1) of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11), a shielding layer (e.g., a third layer (LY3) of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11), and a signal line layer (e.g., a second layer (LY2) of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11) formed between the substrate layer and the shielding layer, wherein the signal line layer may include a signal line (e.g., one of the signal lines 461a, 461b, 461c of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11) and a ground line (e.g., one of the ground lines 463a, 463b, 463c, 463d of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11) extending along a direction substantially perpendicular to the at least one folding axis and arranged adjacent to each other.In one embodiment, the shielding layer may include a shielding conductive layer (e.g., conductive layer LY3a of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11) spaced apart from the signal line and electrically connected to the ground line, and a shielding insulating layer (e.g., insulating layer LY3b of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11) formed over the shielding conductive layer. In one embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board may include an elastic line layer (e.g., a layer providing elastic lines (465; 465a, 465b, 465c, 465d and / or 565; 565a, 565b, 565c, 565d) of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11) formed to be at least partially aligned with the ground line, in a portion crossing the area where the hinge structure is arranged.

[0150] According to one embodiment, the electronic device as described above may further include a circuit board disposed in one of the first housing and the second housing, and a conductive pattern disposed in the other of the first housing and the second housing. In one embodiment, the communication module and the conductive pattern may be electrically connected via the signal line to transmit or receive a wireless communication signal.

[0151] In one embodiment, the conductive pattern may form a side surface of the other of the first housing and the second housing.

[0152] According to one embodiment, the electronic device may include a flexible display including a first display area disposed on the first housing, a second display area disposed on the second housing, and a folding area disposed on the hinge structure, and a hinge cover disposed between the first housing and the second housing to accommodate at least a portion of the hinge structure. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the flexible printed circuit board may be fixed to the hinge cover.

[0153] In an electronic device according to an embodiment(s) of the present disclosure (e.g., the electronic device (101, 200, 300) of FIGS. 1 to 4 and / or 6), a flexible printed circuit board (e.g., the flexible printed circuit board (266, 406, 506) of FIGS. 4 to 11) may implement an electromagnetic shielding structure and / or a waveguide structure by connecting an electromagnetic shielding layer (e.g., the third layer (LY3) of FIG. 9 or 11) to a ground (e.g., the ground lines (463a, 463b, 463c, 463d) of FIG. 9 or 11) of a signal line layer (e.g., the second layer (LY2) of FIG. 9 or 11), thereby improving stability in transmission of a communication signal. In one embodiment, an electromagnetic shielding structure implemented by an electromagnetic shielding layer on a flexible printed circuit board can provide a stable communication environment while substantially maintaining the flexibility of the flexible printed circuit board. For example, in a structure where housings (e.g., housings (210, 220) of FIGS. 2 to 4 and / or 6) are relatively movable or deformable, the flexible printed circuit board can be useful for transmitting communication signals for millimeter wave communication.

[0154] The effects that can be obtained from the present disclosure are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects that are not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains from the description of the above-described embodiment(s).

[0155] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device (e.g., an electronic device (101, 200, 300) of FIGS. 1 to 4 and / or 6) comprises: a first housing (e.g., a first housing (210) of FIGS. 2 to 4 and / or 6), a second housing (e.g., a second housing (220) of FIGS. 2 to 4 and / or 6) configured to rotate about at least one folding axis (e.g., a folding axis (A) of FIGS. 2, 7 and / or 9) between a first position facing the first housing and a second position unfolded by a specified angle from the first position; a hinge structure (e.g., a hinge assembly (202) of FIG. 4) disposed in a hinge area (e.g., a hinge area (HA) of FIGS. 5 and / or 6) between the first housing and the second housing, rotatably connecting the first housing and the second housing; and It may include a flexible printed circuit board (e.g., flexible printed circuit board (266, 406, 506) of FIGS. 4 to 11) arranged from the inside of the first housing across the hinge area into the inside of the second housing.In one embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board comprises a first layer (e.g., a first layer (LY1) of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11), a second layer (e.g., a second layer (LY2) of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11) disposed on the first layer and including signal lines (e.g., signal lines 461a, 461b, 461c of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11) and ground lines (e.g., ground lines 463a, 463b, 463c, 463d of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11) arranged alternately along at least one folding axis direction, and a third layer (e.g., a third layer (LY2) of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11) disposed on the second layer and electrically connected to at least one of the ground lines, thereby providing an electromagnetic shielding environment to each of the first signal line and the second signal line adjacent to the first signal line among the signal lines. and / or the third layer (LY3) of FIG. 11), and at least one elastomeric line (e.g., elastomeric line (465; 465a, 465b, 465c, 465d and / or 565; 565a, 565b, 565c, 565d)(s) disposed corresponding to at least one of the ground lines on the third layer or between the second layer and the third layer.

[0156] In one embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board may further include at least one groove or recess (e.g., groove 464; 464a, 464b of FIGS. 8 to 11) formed at a position corresponding to at least one of the ground lines on the surface of the third layer. In one embodiment, the at least one elastic line may include an elastomeric polymer filled in at least a portion of the at least one groove.

[0157] In one embodiment, the third layer may include an insulating layer (e.g., an insulating layer (LY3b) of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11), an electrically conductive layer (e.g., a conductive layer (LY3a) of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11) disposed between the second layer and the insulating layer and electrically connected to at least one of the grounds, and at least one groove formed at a position corresponding to at least one of the ground lines on a surface of the insulating layer. In one embodiment, the at least one elastic line may include an elastomeric polymer filled in at least a portion of the at least one groove.

[0158] In one embodiment, the at least one groove may include a first groove extending from the hinge area toward an inner area of ​​the first housing (e.g., the first groove (464a) of FIG. 10), and a second groove extending from the hinge area toward an inner area of ​​the second housing (e.g., the second groove (464b) of FIG. 9). In one embodiment, the first groove and the second groove may be arranged on a single straight trajectory (e.g., a trajectory indicated as 'TR1' or 'TR2' of FIG. 10) or a single curved trajectory with a specified interval therebetween.

[0159] According to one embodiment, the second layer may further include an insulating material (e.g., an insulating material layer (469) of FIG. 9 or FIG. 11) provided to surround at least a portion of at least one of the signal lines or at least a portion of at least one of the ground lines, and at least one via conductor (e.g., a via conductor (467) of FIG. 10) disposed to penetrate the insulating material at a designated interval between the first groove and the second groove.

[0160] In one embodiment, the designated gap between the first groove and the second groove can be located within the hinge region.

[0161] According to one embodiment, the at least one elastic line may be arranged corresponding to at least one of the ground lines between the second layer and the third layer, thereby electrically connecting the third layer to at least one of the ground lines.

[0162] According to one embodiment, the electronic device as described above may further include a flexible display (e.g., display (230) of FIG. 4) including a first display area (e.g., first display area (231) of FIG. 4) disposed in the first housing, a second display area (e.g., second display area (232) of FIG. 4) disposed in the second housing, and a folding area (e.g., folding area (233) of FIG. 4) disposed corresponding to the hinge area and connecting the first display area to the second display area.

[0163] According to one embodiment, the elastic line may be arranged at least partially corresponding to the hinge region or the folding region.

[0164] According to one embodiment, as the first housing and the second housing rotate relative to each other, the flexible printed circuit board may be configured such that at least a portion of the portion where the elastic line is arranged is deformed.

[0165] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (101, 200, 300) of FIGS. 1 to 4 and / or 6) comprises: A first housing (e.g., a first housing (210) of FIGS. 2 to 4 and / or 6), a second housing (e.g., a second housing (220) of FIGS. 2 to 4 and / or 6) configured to rotate about a folding axis (e.g., a folding axis (A) of FIGS. 2, 7 and / or 9), a hinge structure (e.g., a hinge assembly (202) of FIG. 4) disposed in a hinge area (e.g., a hinge area (HA) of FIGS. 5 and / or 6) between the first housing and the second housing and rotatably connecting the first housing and the second housing), a flexible printed circuit board (e.g., a flexible printed circuit board (266, 406, 506) of FIGS. 4 to 11) disposed from the inside of the first housing to the inside of the second housing across the hinge area, and transmitting a communication signal using the flexible printed circuit board. It may include a processor configured to transmit (e.g., processor (120) of FIG. 1) or a communication module (e.g., communication module (190) of FIG. 1).In one embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board comprises a first layer (e.g., a first layer (LY1) of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11), a second layer (e.g., a second layer (LY2) of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11) disposed on the first layer and including signal lines (e.g., signal lines 461a, 461b, 461c of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11) and ground lines (e.g., ground lines 463a, 463b, 463c, 463d of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11) arranged alternately along at least one folding axis direction, and a third layer (e.g., a third layer (LY2) of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11) disposed on the second layer and electrically connected to at least one of the ground lines, thereby providing an electromagnetic shielding environment to each of the first signal line and the second signal line adjacent to the first signal line among the signal lines. 11, a third layer (LY3), and at least one elastic line (e.g., elastic line (465; 465a, 465b, 465c, 465d and / or 565; 565a, 565b, 565c, 565d)(s)) arranged corresponding to at least one of the ground lines on the third layer or between the second layer and the third layer.

[0166] According to one embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board may be configured to deform as the first housing and the second housing rotate relative to each other by having at least a portion of the portion where the elastic line is arranged disposed in the hinge region.

[0167] In one embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board may further include at least one groove (e.g., groove (464; 464a, 464b) of FIGS. 8 to 11) formed at a position corresponding to at least one of the ground lines on the surface of the third layer. In one embodiment, the at least one elastic line may include an elastomeric polymer filled in at least a portion of the at least one groove.

[0168] In one embodiment, the third layer may include an insulating layer (e.g., an insulating layer (LY3b) of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11), a conductive layer (e.g., a conductive layer (LY3a) of FIG. 9 and / or FIG. 11) disposed between the second layer and the insulating layer and electrically connected to at least one of the grounds, and at least one groove formed at a position corresponding to at least one of the ground lines on a surface of the insulating layer. In one embodiment, the at least one elastic line may include an elastomeric polymer filled in at least a portion of the at least one groove.

[0169] In one embodiment, the at least one groove may include a first groove extending from the hinge area toward an inner area of ​​the first housing (e.g., the first groove (464a) of FIG. 10), and a second groove extending from the hinge area toward an inner area of ​​the second housing (e.g., the second groove (464b) of FIG. 9). In one embodiment, the first groove and the second groove may be arranged on a single straight trajectory (e.g., a trajectory indicated as 'TR1' or 'TR2' of FIG. 10) or a single curved trajectory with a specified interval therebetween.

[0170] According to one embodiment, the second layer may further include an insulating material (e.g., an insulating material layer (469) of FIG. 9 or FIG. 11) provided to surround at least a portion of at least one of the signal lines or at least a portion of at least one of the ground lines, and at least one via conductor (e.g., a via conductor (467) of FIG. 10) disposed to penetrate the insulating material at a designated interval between the first groove and the second groove.

[0171] In one embodiment, the designated gap between the first groove and the second groove can be located within the hinge region.

[0172] According to one embodiment, the at least one elastic line may be arranged corresponding to at least one of the ground lines between the second layer and the third layer, thereby electrically connecting the third layer to at least one of the ground lines.

[0173] According to one embodiment, the electronic device as described above may further include a flexible display (e.g., display (230) of FIG. 4) including a first display area (e.g., first display area (231) of FIG. 4) disposed in the first housing, a second display area (e.g., second display area (232) of FIG. 4) disposed in the second housing, and a folding area (e.g., folding area (233) of FIG. 4) disposed corresponding to the hinge area and connecting the first display area to the second display area.

[0174] According to one embodiment, the elastic line may be arranged at least partially corresponding to the hinge region or the folding region.

[0175] While the present disclosure has been described by way of example with respect to one embodiment, it should be understood that the embodiment is illustrative and not limiting of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detailed configuration may be made without departing from the overall scope of the present disclosure, including the appended claims and their equivalents. For example, while the above-described embodiment illustrates a configuration in which multiple signal lines and multiple ground lines are arranged alternately, it should be noted that the embodiment(s) of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. In one embodiment, a structure in which one signal line and one ground line are arranged adjacent to each other may be implemented. In this case, the elastic line may be arranged substantially corresponding to the ground line.

Claims

1. In an electronic device (101; 200; 300), A housing structure including a first housing (210) and a second housing (220); A hinge structure (202) configured to rotatably connect the first housing and the second housing and provide at least one folding axis (A) that serves as a center of rotation of the first housing or the second housing; and A flexible printed circuit board (266; 406; 506) is disposed from the inside of the first housing across the hinge structure (202) into the inside of the second housing, The region of the flexible printed circuit board passing through the hinge structure (202) includes a substrate layer (LY1), a shielding layer (LY3), and a signal line layer (LY2) formed between the substrate layer and the shielding layer. The above signal line layer includes a signal line (461a) and a ground line (463a) that extend along a direction substantially perpendicular to at least one folding axis and are arranged adjacent to each other, The above shielding layer includes a shielding conductive layer (LY3a) spaced apart from the signal line and electrically connected to the ground line, and a shielding insulating layer (LY3b) formed on the shielding conductive layer. An electronic device in which the flexible printed circuit board includes an elastic line layer (465) formed at least partially aligned with the ground line in a portion crossing the area where the hinge structure is arranged.

2. An electronic device in the first aspect, wherein the elastic line layer is formed on the shielding insulating layer.

3. An electronic device in the second paragraph, wherein the shielding insulating layer includes a recessed area (464) formed at a position corresponding to the ground line, and the elastic line layer is formed in the recessed area.

4. An electronic device in the first aspect, wherein the elastic line layer is formed between the shielding insulating layer and the shielding conductive layer.

5. An electronic device in accordance with claim 4, wherein the shielding conductive layer includes a recessed region formed at a position corresponding to the ground line, and the elastic line layer is formed in the recessed region.

6. An electronic device in accordance with claim 5, wherein the upper surface of the elastic line layer is formed in the recessed area so as to be aligned in a continuous plane or continuous curved surface with the upper surface of the shielding insulation layer.

7. An electronic device in accordance with claim 6, wherein the shielding conductive layer is in contact with a surface of the ground line.

8. An electronic device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the elastic line layer is formed between the shielding conductive layer and the ground line layer.

9. An electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the elastic line layer includes a conductive material and electrically connects the shielding conductive layer to the ground line.

10. An electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the signal line layer further includes an insulating material layer formed at least partially between the signal line and the ground line.

11. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 10, further comprising at least one groove formed at a position corresponding to the ground line on the surface of the insulating layer, At least one of the above homes, A first groove (464a) extending from the hinge area toward the inner area of ​​the first housing; and Including a second groove (464b) extending from the hinge area toward the inner area of ​​the second housing, An electronic device in which the first groove and the second groove are arranged on one straight trajectory (TR1, TR2) or one curved trajectory with a designated interval (NC).

12. In the 11th paragraph, the signal line layer, A layer of insulating material (469) provided to surround at least a portion of the signal line or at least a portion of the ground line; and An electronic device further comprising at least one via conductor (467) positioned to penetrate the insulating material layer at a designated interval between the first groove and the second groove.

13. An electronic device according to any one of claims 11 to 12, wherein the designated gap between the first groove and the second groove is disposed within an area where the hinge structure is disposed.

14. An electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the flexible printed circuit board is configured to deform at least a portion of a portion where the elastic line layer is arranged as the first housing and the second housing rotate around the at least one folding axis.

15. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 14, A processor or communication module configured to transmit a communication signal using the above flexible printed circuit board; A circuit board disposed in one of the first housing and the second housing; and Further comprising a conductive pattern arranged in another housing among the first housing and the second housing, The above communication module is an electronic device that is arranged on the circuit board and electrically connected to the conductive pattern through the signal line to transmit or receive a wireless communication signal.

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