Flexible display and electronic device comprising same

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device may comprise a first housing, a second housing, a first hinge assembly, or a flexible display. The first housing can include a first sub-housing portion or a second sub-housing portion. The second sub-housing portion can move relative to the first sub-housing portion. At least a part of the first hinge assembly can be connected to the first housing and the second housing. The flexible display can be arranged on the first housing and the second housing. The first hinge assembly can include a hinge cover, a first pin gear, or a first link structure. The first pin gear can be rotatably coupled to the hinge cover. The first link structure can be drivingly connected to the first pin gear. The first link structure can provide, on the basis of the rotation of the first pin gear, force for moving the second sub-housing portion toward or away from the first sub-housing portion.

Description

Flexible display and electronic device including the same

[0001] Various embodiments disclosed in this document relate to electronic devices, for example, flexible displays and electronic devices including the same.

[0002] Thanks to remarkable advancements in information and communication technology and semiconductor technology, the proliferation and use of various electronic devices is rapidly increasing. In particular, recent electronic devices are being developed to enable portability and communication.

[0003] An electronic device can refer to any device that performs a specific function based on the program installed on it, 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 communications become widespread, a single electronic device, such as a mobile communication terminal, can now be equipped with a variety of 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, and functions such as schedule management and electronic wallets are being integrated into a single electronic device. These electronic devices are becoming smaller so that users can conveniently carry them.

[0004] As mobile communication services expand into the realm of multimedia services, the display size of electronic devices may increase to enable users to fully utilize multimedia services, in addition to voice calls and text messages (i.e., the display area or display area provided to the user or through which the user can view and interact with materials displayed on the display area may increase in size). Accordingly, a foldable flexible display may be positioned throughout the entire area of ​​a housing structure that is separated to enable folding.

[0005] 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 related to the present disclosure.

[0006] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device may include a first housing, a second housing, a first hinge (which may be described as a first hinge module, assembly, structure, system, unit, or mechanism), and / or a flexible display. The first housing may include a first sub-housing portion, and / or a second sub-housing portion. The second sub-housing portion may be configured to move relative to the first sub-housing portion (e.g., to translate, extend, separate, or slide in a linear or radial direction about a rotation axis). That is, in certain embodiments, the second housing portion may be movably coupled to the first housing portion. At least a portion of the first hinge (e.g., the first hinge assembly) may be connected to the first housing and the second housing. That is, the first hinge may couple the first housing to the second housing. The flexible display may be arranged to be disposed on the first housing and the second housing, and / or supported by the first and second housings. The first hinge assembly may include a hinge cover, a first pin gear (which may be interpreted as a first pinion gear), and / or a first link structure or mechanism. The first pin gear may be rotatably coupled to the hinge cover. The first link structure may be dynamically connected to the first pin gear. The first link structure may be configured to provide a force to move the second sub-housing portion away from or toward the first sub-housing portion based on rotation of the first pin gear.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device may include a first housing, a second housing, a first hinge assembly, and / or a flexible display. The first housing may include a first sub-housing portion and / or a second sub-housing portion. The second sub-housing portion may be configured to move relative to the first sub-housing portion. The second housing may include a third sub-housing portion and / or a fourth sub-housing portion. The fourth sub-housing portion may be configured to move relative to the third sub-housing portion. The first hinge assembly may be connected to the first housing and the second housing. The flexible display may be disposed on the first housing and the second housing. The first hinge assembly may include a hinge cover, a hinge bracket, a first hinge structure, and / or a second hinge structure. The hinge bracket may be disposed on the hinge cover. The first hinge structure may be at least partially disposed on the hinge cover. The first hinge structure may be connected to the first housing. The second hinge structure may be at least partially disposed on the hinge cover. The second hinge structure may be connected to the second housing.

[0008] According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a first housing, a second housing, a display supported by the first and second housings, and a first hinge (or a first hinge module, assembly, structure, system, unit, or mechanism) connecting the first housing to the second housing such that the configuration of the first and second housings can be changed between a folded state (e.g., a state in which the first and second housings face each other) and an unfolded state (e.g., a state in which the first and second housings are arranged side by side and facing the same direction). In one embodiment, the first housing may include a first housing portion (e.g., a first sub-housing portion) adjacent to (and / or proximate to) the first hinge and a second housing portion (e.g., a second sub-housing portion) movably coupled to the first housing portion and distal to the first hinge. Accordingly, the first hinge may be located on one side of the first housing portion, and the second housing portion may be located on the opposite side of the first housing portion. The electronic device may include a first mechanism (e.g., a first extension mechanism or a first extension / retraction mechanism) that extends (e.g., translates, moves, displaces) the second housing portion away from the first housing portion (e.g., to increase the display area or increase the display support area) when the configuration of the first and second housings changes from a folded state to an unfolded state, and retracts (e.g., translates, moves, displaces) the second housing portion toward the first housing portion (e.g., to reduce the display area or decrease the display support area) when the configuration of the first and second housings changes from an unfolded state to a folded state (e.g., to reduce the display area).The direction away from the first housing portion, when the device is unfolded, may be a radially outward direction from the rotational axis of the first housing, and the direction toward the first housing portion, when the device is folded, may be a radially inward direction toward the axis.

[0009] In one embodiment, a foldable electronic device includes a first housing, a second housing, a hinge connecting the first and second housings, a display supported by the first and second housings, and an extension mechanism arranged to expand a display area provided by at least one of the first and second housings and / or expand a viewable area of ​​a display supported by at least one of the first and second housings when the configuration of the device changes from a folded state to an unfolded state. For example, the extension mechanism may be arranged to move a second housing portion of the first housing relative to a first housing portion of the first housing when the configuration of the device changes between a folded state and an unfolded state. The extension mechanism may also be arranged to reduce a display support area provided by at least one of the first and second housings and / or reduce a viewable area of ​​a display supported by at least one of the first and second housings when the configuration of the device changes from an unfolded state to a folded state. The expansion mechanism may be arranged to expand the display area of ​​(or be supported thereon) one or both of the first and second housings when the configuration of the device changes from a folded state to an unfolded state, and may be arranged to reduce the display area of ​​(or be supported thereon) one or both of the first and second housings when the configuration of the device changes from an unfolded state to a folded state.This can be accomplished by extending and then retracting the radially outermost housing portions (or sub-portions) distal to the hinge relative to the radially innermost housing portions (or sub-portions) when the device is unfolded and then folded.

[0010] The expansion mechanism of any of the embodiments mentioned above may be part of the hinge mechanism or separate from the hinge mechanism and may include at least one rotatable gear having a helical groove, a sliding member engaging the helical groove, and a linkage mechanism operated by the sliding member.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device within a network environment according to various embodiments.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a drawing showing a folded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 3 is a drawing showing an unfolded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a folded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 5 is a side view showing a folded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 6 is a plan view showing an unfolded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 7 is a side view showing an unfolded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a hinge structure of an electronic device in a folded state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a hinge structure of an electronic device in an unfolded state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a hinge structure of an electronic device in a folded state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a hinge structure of an electronic device in an unfolded state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] FIG. 12 is a plan view showing an unfolded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] FIG. 13 is a side view illustrating a flexible display and a display support member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view showing a flexible display and a display support member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] FIG. 15 is a side view showing a flexible display in an unfolded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device (101) within a network environment (100) according to various embodiments.

[0027] Referring to FIG. 1, in a network environment (100), an electronic device (101) may communicate with an electronic device (102) via a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network), or may communicate with at least one of an electronic device (104) or a 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 some embodiments, the electronic device (101) may omit at least one of these components (e.g., the connection terminal (178)), or may have one or more other components added. In some embodiments, 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)).

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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).

[0031] 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).

[0032] 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).

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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).

[0036] 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.

[0037] The interface (177) may support one or more designated protocols that may be used to directly or wirelessly connect the electronic device (101) with 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.

[0038] 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).

[0039] 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.

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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).

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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 (104) 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).

[0044] 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.

[0045] 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 (197) 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 selected at least one antenna. In some embodiments, 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).

[0046] According to various embodiments, 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 side) of the printed circuit board and capable of transmitting or receiving signals in the designated high-frequency band.

[0047] 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)).

[0048] 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 another 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.

[0049] Electronic devices according to the various embodiments disclosed in this document 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 the embodiments of this document are not limited to the aforementioned devices.

[0050] The various embodiments of this document 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 include 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 indicates otherwise. In this document, each of the phrases "A or B", "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B", "A, B, or C", "at least one of A, B, and C", and "at least one of A, B, or C" can include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase among those phrases, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as "first," "second," or "first" or "second" may be used merely to distinguish one component from another, and do not limit the components in any other respect (e.g., importance or order). When a component (e.g., a first component) is referred to as "coupled" or "connected" to another (e.g., a second component), with or without the terms "functionally" or "communicatively," it means that the component can be connected to the other component directly (e.g., wired), wirelessly, or through a third component.

[0051] The term "module" used in various embodiments of this document 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).

[0052] Various embodiments of the present document may be implemented as software (e.g., a program (140)) including one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., an internal memory (136) or an external memory (138)) readable by a machine (e.g., an electronic device (101)). For example, a processor (e.g., a processor (120)) of the machine (e.g., an electronic device (101)) 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 called instruction. 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' simply means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and the term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently or temporarily on the storage medium.

[0053] According to one embodiment, the method according to various embodiments disclosed in this document may be provided as included in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded as a product 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) through an application store (e.g., Play Store™) or directly between two user devices (e.g., smart phones). 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.

[0054] According to various embodiments, 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 various embodiments, 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 various embodiments, 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.

[0055] Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, a spatial coordinate system (or an orthogonal coordinate system) including an X-axis, a Y-axis, or a Z-axis is illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 15. The X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, or the Z-axis direction is defined or described based on the first housing (210), but is not limited thereto.

[0056] FIG. 2 is a drawing showing a folded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0057] FIG. 3 is a drawing showing an unfolded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0058] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a folded state of an electronic device (101) (or a foldable electronic device (101)) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an unfolded state of an electronic device (101) (or a foldable electronic device (101)) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The electronic device (101) of FIGS. 2 and 3 is an example of the electronic device (101) illustrated in FIG. 1 and may be a foldable or bendable electronic device (101).

[0059] The embodiments of FIGS. 2 to 3 may be combined with the embodiments of FIG. 1 or the embodiments of FIGS. 4 to 15.

[0060] The configuration of the electronic device (101) of FIGS. 2 and 3 may be partially or entirely identical to the configuration of the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1.

[0061] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, in one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a housing (201) and a flexible or foldable display (hereinafter, simply “flexible display (240)”) disposed within a space formed by the housing (201) (e.g., the display module (160) of FIG. 1). According to one embodiment, a surface on which the flexible display (240) is disposed (or a surface on which the flexible display (240) is visible from the outside of the electronic device (101)) may be defined as a front surface of the electronic device (101). And, a surface opposite to the front surface may be defined as a back surface of the electronic device (101). In addition, a surface surrounding the space between the front surface and the back surface may be defined as a side surface of the electronic device (101).

[0062] According to one embodiment, the housing (201) may be defined and / or referred to as a deformable housing (201) or a foldable housing (201).

[0063] According to one embodiment, the housing (201) may include a first housing (210), a second housing (220), and / or a first hinge assembly (300). According to one embodiment, the first hinge assembly (300) may include a hinge cover (301) covering a foldable portion of the housing (201) (e.g., the hinge cover (301) of FIGS. 4 and 5). The foldable housing (201) of the electronic device (101) is not limited to the shape and combination illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, and may be implemented in other shapes.

[0064] According to one embodiment, the first housing (210) is connected to the first hinge assembly (300) and may include a first front surface facing a first direction and a first rear surface facing in a direction opposite to the first direction. The second housing (220) is connected to the first hinge assembly (300) and may include a second front surface facing a second direction and a second rear surface facing in a direction opposite to the second direction. The first housing (210) may rotate relative to the second housing (220) about the hinge assembly. The second housing (220) may rotate relative to the first housing (210) about the hinge assembly. The electronic device (101) may be variable (i.e., change state or configuration) between a folded state and an unfolded state.

[0065] According to one embodiment, the first housing (210) may include a first sub-housing portion (211), or a second sub-housing portion (213) configured to be movable relative to the first sub-housing portion (211). The first sub-housing portion (211) may be connected to a first hinge assembly (300). The second sub-housing portion (213) may be moved away from the first sub-housing portion (211) or toward (toward) the second sub-housing portion (213) based on a force provided from the first hinge assembly (300) (e.g., an extension mechanism). For example, the movement of the second sub-housing portion (213) away from the first sub-housing portion (211) may be defined and / or interpreted as the movement of the second sub-housing portion (213) away from the first hinge assembly (300), which may also be described as the movement of the first housing in a radially outwards direction relative to the first rotational axis of the hinge assembly when the device is opened from a folded (closed) state to an unfolded (open) state. The movement of the second sub-housing portion (213) toward (toward) the first sub-housing portion (211) It can be defined and / or interpreted that the second sub-housing portion (213) moves in a direction approaching (toward) the first hinge assembly (300), i.e., in a radially inwards direction. The movement of the second sub-housing portion with respect to the first sub-housing portion can be described as translational movements (or relative translations).

[0066] According to one embodiment, the second housing (220) may include a third sub-housing portion (221), or a fourth sub-housing portion (223) configured to be relatively movable with respect to the third sub-housing portion (221). The third sub-housing portion (221) may be connected to the first hinge assembly (300). The fourth sub-housing portion (223) may be moved away from the third sub-housing portion (221) or toward (toward) the fourth sub-housing portion (223) based on a force provided from the first hinge assembly (300) (e.g., an extension mechanism). For example, the movement of the fourth sub-housing portion (223) away from the third sub-housing portion (221) can be defined and / or interpreted as the movement of the fourth sub-housing portion (223) away from the first hinge assembly (300), which can also be described as the movement in a radially outwards direction relative to the second rotational axis of the hinge assembly about which the first housing rotates when the device is opened from a folded (closed) state to an unfolded (open) state. The movement of the fourth sub-housing portion (223) toward (toward) the third sub-housing portion (221), i.e., in a radially inwards direction, can be defined and / or interpreted as the movement of the fourth sub-housing portion (223) toward the first hinge assembly (300). Movement of the second sub-housing portion relative to the third sub-housing portion may be described as translational movements (or relative translations). In certain embodiments, the first and second axes of rotation may be different (e.g., parallel to each other), and in alternative embodiments, they may be identical to each other.

[0067] According to one embodiment, the first sub-housing portion (211) can rotate about the third sub-housing portion (221) about the first hinge assembly (300). When the first sub-housing portion (211) is folded about the third sub-housing portion (221) about the first hinge assembly (300) (e.g., FIG. 2), the front surface of the first housing (210) can face the front surface of the second housing (220). When the first sub-housing portion (211) is unfolded about the third sub-housing portion (221) about the first hinge assembly (300) (e.g., FIG. 3), the front surface of the first housing (210) can form a substantially flat surface with the front surface of the second housing (220).

[0068] According to one embodiment, when the state of the electronic device (101) changes from a folded state (e.g., FIG. 2) to an unfolded state (e.g., FIG. 3), the second sub-housing portion (213) may be moved away from the first sub-housing portion (211) and / or the first hinge assembly (300) (or, in other words, displaced, translated, translated, moved radially outwards, slid, or extended) based on a force provided from the first hinge assembly (300). For example, as the second sub-housing portion (213) is moved away from the first sub-housing portion (211), the first front surface of the first housing (210) may be relatively extended (or, in other words, made larger or increased in area).

[0069] According to one embodiment, when the state of the electronic device (101) changes from an unfolded state (e.g., FIG. 3) to a folded state (e.g., FIG. 2), the second sub-housing portion (213) may be moved toward (i.e., toward and radially inwards relative to) the first sub-housing portion (211) and / or the first hinge assembly (300) based on a force provided from the first hinge assembly (300). For example, as the second sub-housing portion (213) is moved toward (toward) the first sub-housing portion (211), the first front surface of the first housing (210) may be relatively reduced (or, in other words, made smaller or reduced in area).

[0070] According to one embodiment, when the state of the electronic device (101) changes from a folded state (e.g., FIG. 2) to an unfolded state (e.g., FIG. 3), the fourth sub-housing portion (223) may move away from the third sub-housing portion (221) and / or the first hinge assembly (300) based on a force provided from the first hinge assembly (300). For example, as the fourth sub-housing portion (223) moves away from the third sub-housing portion (221), the second front surface of the second housing (220) may be relatively expanded.

[0071] According to one embodiment, when the state of the electronic device (101) changes from an unfolded state (e.g., FIG. 3) to a folded state (e.g., FIG. 2), the fourth sub-housing portion (223) may be moved in a direction closer to the third sub-housing portion (221) and / or the first hinge assembly (300) based on a force provided from the first hinge assembly (300). For example, as the fourth sub-housing portion (223) is moved in a direction relatively closer to the third sub-housing portion (221), the second front surface of the second housing (220) may be relatively reduced.

[0072] According to one embodiment, the first housing (210) may further include a fifth sub-housing portion (212). The fifth sub-housing portion (212) may be coupled to the first sub-housing portion (211). The second sub-housing portion (213) may be slidably coupled or positioned relative to the fifth sub-housing portion (212). The fifth sub-housing portion (212) may be sealed (or enclosed) by the first sub-housing portion (211) and the second sub-housing portion (213) when the first front surface of the first housing (210) is shrunken (or contracted, reduced, or minimized) (e.g., FIG. 2). The fifth sub-housing portion (212) may be at least partially exposed to the outside of the first sub-housing portion (211) and the second sub-housing portion (213) when the first front surface of the first housing (210) is extended (or expanded, increased, or maximized) (e.g., FIG. 3). The fifth sub-housing portion (212) may provide a guide structure (or rail structure) for the second sub-housing portion (213) to slide.

[0073] According to one embodiment, the second housing (220) may further include a sixth sub-housing portion (222). The sixth sub-housing portion (222) may be coupled to the third sub-housing portion (221). The fourth sub-housing portion (223) may be coupled or arranged to be slidably movable relative to the sixth sub-housing portion (222). The sixth sub-housing portion (222) may be sealed by the third sub-housing portion (221) and the fourth sub-housing portion (223) when the second front surface of the second housing (220) is in a contracted state (e.g., FIG. 2). The sixth sub-housing portion (222) may be at least partially exposed to the outside of the third sub-housing portion (221) and the fourth sub-housing portion (223) when the second front surface of the second housing (220) is in an expanded state (e.g., FIG. 3). The sixth sub-housing part (222) can provide a guide structure (or rail structure) for the fourth sub-housing part (223) to slide.

[0074] In one embodiment, the first hinge assembly (300) may be connected to the first housing (210) and the second housing (220). For example, at least a portion of the first hinge assembly (300) may be connected to the first housing (210) and the second housing (220). For example, the first hinge assembly (300) may be connected to the first sub-housing portion (211) and the third sub-housing portion (221). The first hinge assembly (300) may be connected to the first sub-housing portion (211) and the second sub-housing portion (213) such that the first sub-housing portion (211) and the third sub-housing portion (221) are rotatable relative to each other. According to one embodiment, the first hinge assembly (300) may include a folding axis, and the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may rotate relative to each other about the folding axis.

[0075] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may have a first front surface of the first housing (210) and a second front surface of the second housing (220) facing each other when in a fully folded state. When in a fully unfolded state, the electronic device (101) may have a first front surface of the first housing (210) and a second front surface of the second housing (220) forming a substantially flat surface. For example, when in a fully unfolded state, the electronic device (101) may have a first front surface of the first housing (210) and a second front surface of the second housing (220) facing substantially the same direction (e.g., the +Z direction of FIG. 3).

[0076] According to one embodiment, the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be arranged on both sides with respect to the folding axis of the first hinge assembly (300) as the center, and may have a shape that is overall symmetrical with respect to the folding axis of the first hinge assembly (300). 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 an unfolded state, a folded state, or a partially unfolded (or partially folded) intermediate state.

[0077] According to one embodiment, the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may together form a recess for accommodating the flexible display (240). According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be formed of a metallic material or a non-metallic material having a rigidity of a selected size for supporting the flexible display (240). 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 disposed inside the housing (201).

[0078] According to one embodiment, various components of the electronic device (101) can be placed in the internal space of the electronic device (101) formed by the first housing (210) and the second housing (220). Various components of the electronic device (101) include a printed circuit board, a processor (e.g., a processor (120) of FIG. 1), a memory (e.g., a memory (130) of FIG. 1), an input module (e.g., an input module (150) of FIG. 1), an audio output module (e.g., an audio output module (155) of FIG. 1), an audio module (e.g., an audio module (170) of FIG. 1), a sensor module (e.g., a sensor module (176) of FIG. 1), an interface (e.g., an interface (177) of FIG. 1), a connection terminal (e.g., a connection terminal (178) of FIG. 1), a haptic module (e.g., a haptic module (179) of FIG. 1), a camera module (e.g., a camera module (180) of FIG. 1), a battery (e.g., a battery (189) of FIG. 1), a communication module (e.g., a communication module (190) of FIG. 1), a subscriber identification module (e.g., a subscriber identification module (196) of FIG. 1), or an antenna module (e.g., It may include the antenna module (197) of FIG. 1, but is not limited thereto, and some of the above-described configurations may be omitted or additional configurations may be included.

[0079] According to one embodiment, a hinge cover (301) included in a first hinge assembly (300) (e.g., hinge cover (301) of FIG. 5) may be configured to be disposed between a first housing (210) and a second housing (220) so as to cover an internal component (e.g., a first hinge structure (310) or a second hinge structure (320) of FIG. 5). According to one embodiment, the first hinge assembly (300) may be covered by a portion of the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) or exposed to the outside depending on a state of the electronic device (101) (an unfolded state, an intermediate state, or a folded state).

[0080] According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state (e.g., a fully unfolded state) (e.g., FIG. 3), the first hinge assembly (300) may be covered by the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) and not exposed. According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is in a folded state (e.g., a fully folded state) (e.g., FIG. 2), the first hinge assembly (300) may be exposed to the outside between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220). In one embodiment, when the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) are in an intermediate state where they are folded with a certain angle, the first hinge assembly (300) 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 in a fully folded state. In one embodiment, the first hinge assembly (300) may include a curved surface.

[0081] According to one embodiment, the flexible display (240) may be placed on a space formed by the housing (201). For example, the flexible display (240) may be mounted on a recess formed by the housing (201) and may be viewed from the outside through the front surface (e.g., the first front surface and / or the second front surface) of the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, the flexible display (240) may constitute a majority of the front surface (e.g., the first front surface and / or the second front surface) of the electronic device (101). Accordingly, the front surface (e.g., the first front surface and / or the second front surface) of the electronic device (101) may include the flexible display (240) and a portion of the first housing (210) adjacent to the flexible display (240) and a portion of the second housing (220).

[0082] According to one embodiment, the flexible display (240) may refer to a display in which at least a portion of the display can be transformed into a flat or curved surface. According to one embodiment, the flexible display (240) may include a first folding area (244), a first display area (241) arranged on one side (e.g., the left side of the first folding area (244) illustrated in FIG. 3) with respect to the first folding area (244), and a second display area (242) arranged on the other side (e.g., the right side of the first folding area (244) illustrated in FIG. 3). In addition, the flexible display (240) may further include a first extension area (246) extending from the first display area (241), and a second extension area (247) extending from the second display area (242).

[0083] According to one embodiment, the first display area (241) may be disposed on the first housing (210), and the second display area (242) may be disposed on the second housing (220). According to one embodiment, the first folding area (244) may connect the first display area (241) and the second display area (242) and may be disposed on the first hinge assembly (300).

[0084] According to one embodiment, the first extension region (246) can extend from the first display region (241). The first extension region (246) can be accommodated inside the second sub-housing portion (213) when the electronic device (101) is in a folded state (e.g., FIG. 2). The first extension region (246) can be at least partially exposed to the outside of the second sub-housing portion (213) when the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state (e.g., FIG. 3) and can form a substantially flat surface with the first display region (241). For example, when the second sub-housing portion (213) moves away from the first sub-housing portion (211), at least a portion of the first extension region (246) can be configured to move from the inside of the second sub-housing portion (213) to the outside of the second sub-housing portion (213).

[0085] According to one embodiment, the second extension region (247) can extend from the second display region (242). The second extension region (247) can be accommodated inside the fourth sub-housing portion (223) when the electronic device (101) is in a folded state (e.g., FIG. 2). The second extension region (247) can be at least partially exposed to the outside of the fourth sub-housing portion (223) when the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state (e.g., FIG. 3) and can form a substantially flat surface with the second display region (242). For example, when the fourth sub-housing portion (223) moves away from the third sub-housing portion (221), at least a portion of the second extension region (247) can be configured to move from the inside of the fourth sub-housing portion (223) to the outside of the fourth sub-housing portion (223).

[0086] The division of regions of the flexible display (240) illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 is exemplary, and the flexible display (240) may be divided into multiple regions (e.g., 2 to 4, or 6 or more) depending on the structure or function.

[0087] According to one embodiment, the flexible display (240) may be coupled with or disposed adjacent to a touch panel having a touch detection circuit and a pressure sensor capable of measuring the intensity (pressure) of a touch. For example, the flexible display (240) may be coupled with or disposed adjacent to an electromagnetic induction panel that detects an electromagnetic resonance (EMR) type digital pen or stylus pen (e.g., the input module (150) of FIG. 1), as an example of a touch panel.

[0088] According to one embodiment, the first display area (241) and the second display area (242) may have an overall symmetrical shape centered around the first folding area (244).

[0089] Hereinafter, the operation of the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) and each area of ​​the flexible display (240) according to the state of the electronic device (101) (e.g., folded state, unfolded state, or intermediate state) will be described.

[0090] According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is in a folded state (e.g., FIG. 2), the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be arranged to face each other. When the electronic device (101) is in a folded state, the second sub-housing portion (213) may be positioned relatively close to the first sub-housing portion (211), so that the fifth sub-housing portion (212) may not be exposed to the outside. When the electronic device (101) is in a folded state, the fourth sub-housing portion (223) may be positioned relatively close to the third sub-housing portion (221), so that the sixth sub-housing portion (222) may not be exposed to the outside. The surface of the first display area (241) and the surface of the second display area (242) of the flexible display (240) may form a narrow angle (e.g., between 0 and 10 degrees) with each other and may face each other. When the electronic device (101) is in a folded state, the first folding area (244) may be formed as a curved surface having at least a portion of a predetermined curvature. When the electronic device (101) is in a folded state, the first extension area (246) may be accommodated inside the second sub-housing portion (213), and the second extension area (247) may be accommodated inside the fourth sub-housing portion (223).

[0091] According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state (e.g., FIG. 3), the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be arranged to face the same direction at an angle of 180 degrees. When the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state, the second sub-housing portion (213) may be slidably moved in a direction relatively away from the first sub-housing portion (211) (e.g., in the -X direction of FIG. 3), and the fifth sub-housing portion (212) may be at least partially exposed to the outside. When the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state, the fourth sub-housing portion (223) may be slidably moved in a direction relatively away from the third sub-housing portion (221) (e.g., in the +X direction of FIG. 3), and the sixth sub-housing portion (222) may be at least partially exposed to the outside. When the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state, the surface of the first display area (241) and the surface of the second display area (242) of the flexible display (240) form an angle of 180 degrees to each other and may face the same direction (e.g., toward the front of the electronic device (101)). At this time, the first folding area (244) may form the same plane as the first display area (241) and the second display area (242). When the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state, the first extension area (246) may be exposed on the front surface of the second sub-housing portion (213). At least a portion of the first extension area (246) exposed to the outside of the second sub-housing portion (213) may form the same plane as the first display area (241). When the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state, the second extension area (247) can be exposed on the front surface of the fourth sub-housing portion (223). At least a portion of the second extension area (247) exposed to the outside of the fourth sub-housing portion (223) can form the same plane as the second display area (242).

[0092] According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is unfolded, the first front surface of the first housing (210) and the second front surface of the second housing (220) may be expanded as the second sub-housing portion (213) and the fifth sub-housing portion (212) slide. At this time, as the first extension region (246) and the second extension region (247) are exposed on the front surfaces of the second sub-housing portion (213) and the fourth sub-housing portion (223), respectively, a surface of a large-area flexible display (240) may be provided.

[0093] According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is in an intermediate state, 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 (241) and the surface of the second display area (242) of the flexible display (240) may form an angle that is greater than the angle in the folded state and less than the angle in the unfolded state. The first folding area (244) may be formed as a curved surface having at least a portion of a certain curvature, and the curvature at this time may be less than the angle in the folded state. In addition, the size (or area) of the first extension area (246) exposed to the outside of the second sub-housing portion (213) may be less than the angle in the unfolded state. The size (or area) of the second extension area (247) exposed to the outside of the fourth sub-housing portion (223) may be less than the angle in the unfolded state.

[0094] According to one embodiment, the first housing (210) may further include a first curved surface (215). The first curved surface (215) may be disposed inside the second sub-housing portion (213). When the state of the electronic device (101) changes from a folded state to an unfolded state, the first extension region (246) may move while being guided by the first curved surface (215) and be exposed to the outside of the second sub-housing portion (213). When the state of the electronic device (101) changes from an unfolded state, the first extension region (246) may move while being guided by the first curved surface (215) and be accommodated inside the second sub-housing portion (213). For example, while the second sub-housing portion (213) slides relative to the first sub-housing portion (211), a portion of the first extension region (246) may be deformed into a curved shape at a position corresponding to the first curved surface (215).

[0095] According to one embodiment, the second housing (220) may further include a second curved surface (225). The second curved surface (225) may be disposed inside the fourth sub-housing portion (223). When the state of the electronic device (101) changes from a folded state to an unfolded state, the second extension region (247) may move while being guided by the second curved surface (225) and be exposed to the outside of the fourth sub-housing portion (223). When the state of the electronic device (101) changes from an unfolded state, the second extension region (247) may move while being guided by the second curved surface (225) and be accommodated inside the fourth sub-housing portion (223). For example, while the fourth sub-housing portion (223) slides relative to the third sub-housing portion (221), a portion of the second extension region (247) may be deformed into a curved shape at a position corresponding to the second curved surface (225).

[0096] According to one embodiment, the first hinge assembly (300) may be connected to the first sub-housing portion (211) and the second sub-housing portion (213). The first hinge assembly (300) may provide a structure that allows the first sub-housing portion (211) and the second sub-housing portion (213) to rotate relative to each other.

[0097] According to one embodiment, the first hinge assembly (300) can provide a force allowing (or, in other words, urging) the second sub-housing portion (213) to move away from the first sub-housing portion (211) and a force allowing (urging) the fourth sub-housing portion (223) to move away from the third sub-housing portion (221) when the state of the electronic device (101) changes from a folded state to an unfolded state. For example, when the electronic device (101) is unfolded, the second sub-housing portion (213) can slide away from the first sub-housing portion (211) based on the force provided from the first hinge assembly (300). When the electronic device (101) is unfolded, the fourth sub-housing portion (223) can slide away from the third sub-housing portion (221) based on the force provided from the first hinge assembly (300).

[0098] According to one embodiment, the first hinge assembly (300) can provide a force allowing (urging) the second sub-housing portion (213) to move in a direction closer to the first sub-housing portion (211) and a force allowing (urging) the fourth sub-housing portion (223) to move in a direction closer to the third sub-housing portion (221) when the state of the electronic device (101) changes from an unfolded state to a folded state. For example, when the electronic device (101) is folded, the second sub-housing portion (213) can slide in a direction closer to the first sub-housing portion (211) based on the force provided from the first hinge assembly (300). When the electronic device (101) is folded, the fourth sub-housing portion (223) can slide in a direction closer to the third sub-housing portion (221) based on the force provided from the first hinge assembly (300).

[0099] In one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is unfolded, the surface of the first housing (210) may expand as the second sub-housing portion (213) moves away from the first sub-housing portion (211). For example, the size of the first housing (210) may expand. Additionally, as the first extension region (246) is exposed to the outside of the second sub-housing portion (213), the area of ​​the flexible display (240) exposed to the outside of the first housing (210) may expand.

[0100] According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is unfolded, the surface of the second housing (220) may expand as the fourth sub-housing portion (223) moves away from the third sub-housing portion (221). For example, the size of the second housing (220) may expand. Additionally, as the second extension region (247) is exposed to the outside of the fourth sub-housing portion (223), the area of ​​the flexible display (240) exposed to the outside of the second housing (220) may expand.

[0101] In one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is folded, the surface of the first housing (210) may be reduced as the second sub-housing portion (213) approaches the first sub-housing portion (211). For example, the size of the first housing (210) may be reduced. Additionally, as the first extension region (246) is accommodated into the interior of the second sub-housing portion (213), the area of ​​the flexible display (240) exposed to the exterior of the first housing (210) may be reduced.

[0102] In one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is folded, the surface of the second housing (220) may be reduced as the fourth sub-housing portion (223) approaches the third sub-housing portion (221). For example, the size of the second housing (220) may be reduced. Additionally, as the second extension region (247) is accommodated into the interior of the fourth sub-housing portion (223), the area of ​​the flexible display (240) exposed to the exterior of the second housing (220) may be reduced.

[0103] According to one embodiment, the folded state of the electronic device (101) (e.g., FIG. 2) may be defined and / or referred to as a first state of the electronic device (101), a closed state of the electronic device (101), or a state in which the flexible display (240) of the electronic device (101) is collapsed. Additionally, the folded state of the electronic device (101) may be defined and / or referred to as a folded state of the housing (201).

[0104] According to one embodiment, the unfolded state of the electronic device (101) (e.g., FIG. 3) may be defined and / or referred to as a second state of the electronic device (101), an open state of the electronic device (101), or an expanded state of the flexible display (240) of the electronic device (101). Additionally, the unfolded state of the electronic device (101) may be defined and / or referred to as an unfolded state of the housing (201).

[0105] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a folded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0106] FIG. 5 is a side view showing a folded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0107] FIG. 6 is a plan view showing an unfolded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0108] FIG. 7 is a side view showing an unfolded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0109] The embodiments of FIGS. 4 to 7 may be combined with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 3, or the embodiments of FIGS. 8 to 15.

[0110] Referring to FIGS. 4 to 7, an electronic device (101) (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1 or the electronic device (101) of FIGS. 2 to 3) may include a housing (201), a first housing (210), a second housing (220), and / or a first hinge assembly (300).

[0111] The configuration of the housing (201), the first housing (210), the second housing (220), and / or the first hinge assembly (300) of FIGS. 4 to 7 may be partially and / or entirely the same as the configuration of the housing (201), the first housing (210), the second housing (220), or the first hinge assembly (300) of FIGS. 2 to 3.

[0112] According to one embodiment, the first housing (210) may include a first sub-housing portion (211) (e.g., the first sub-housing portion (211) of FIGS. 2 to 3), a second sub-housing portion (213) (e.g., the second sub-housing portion (213) of FIGS. 2 to 3), a fifth sub-housing portion (212) (e.g., the fifth sub-housing portion (212) of FIGS. 2 to 3), and / or a first curved surface (215) (e.g., the first curved surface (215) of FIGS. 2 to 3).

[0113] According to one embodiment, the second housing (220) may include a third sub-housing portion (221) (e.g., the third sub-housing portion (221) of FIGS. 2-3), a fourth sub-housing portion (223) (e.g., the fourth sub-housing portion (223) of FIGS. 2-3), a sixth sub-housing portion (222) (e.g., the sixth sub-housing portion (222) of FIGS. 2-3), and / or a second curved surface (225) (e.g., the second curved surface (225) of FIGS. 2-3).

[0114] According to one embodiment, the first hinge assembly (300) may include a hinge cover (301), a first hinge structure (310), and / or a second hinge structure (320). According to one embodiment, the hinge cover (301) may be coupled to the first hinge structure (310) or the second hinge structure (320), and may cover the first hinge structure (310) and the second hinge structure (320) so that the first hinge structure (310) and the second hinge structure (320) are not exposed to the outside.

[0115] According to one embodiment, the first hinge structure (310) may be connected to the hinge cover (301) and the first housing (210) (e.g., the first sub-housing portion (211)). The second hinge structure (320) may be connected to the hinge cover (301) and the second housing (220) (e.g., the third sub-housing portion (221)).

[0116] According to one embodiment, the first hinge structure (310) may be provided as a pair spaced apart from each other, but is not limited thereto. The second hinge structure (320) may be provided as a pair spaced apart from each other, but is not limited thereto. Hereinafter, each of the first hinge structure (310) and the second hinge structure (320) will be described as an example, but the description thereof may be equally applied and / or mutatis mutandis to the remaining first hinge structure (310) and the second hinge structure (320).

[0117] In one embodiment, a first hinge (310) (e.g., a first hinge structure) may include a first gear (313) (e.g., a first pin gear), a first guide (315) (e.g., a first guide), and / or a first link structure or mechanism (317). It will be appreciated that the first gear, the first guide, and the first link structure are arranged together to form an expansion / contraction system that automatically expands and then contracts the first and second housings as the device is unfolded and collapsed (by separating and then re-closing the respective sub-housing portions). In certain embodiments, this expansion (or extension) and retraction system forms part of the hinge mechanism, but in alternative embodiments it may be separate from the hinge mechanism (or other hinge configuration).

[0118] In one embodiment, the first pin gear (313) may have a pin shape. For example, it may include an elongated shaft portion, a toothed gear, or a gear wheel portion. The first pin gear (313) may rotate about an axis of the first pin gear (313) when the first sub-housing portion (211) rotates relative to the hinge cover (301) (or the second sub-housing portion (213)) (e.g., when rotating about a rotational axis parallel to the Y-axis direction of FIGS. 4 to 7). The first pin gear (313) may be defined and / or referred to as a first helical gear (313). In other words, the shaft portion may include a helical groove extending along at least a portion of its length. The first pin gear (313) may be rotatably coupled to the hinge cover (301).

[0119] According to one embodiment, the first guide gear (315) can be dynamically connected to the first pin gear (313), for example, by at least one member (3151) slidably engaged in a helical groove (3131) of the pin gear. The first guide gear (315) can be slidably moved up and down (e.g., in the Y-axis direction of FIGS. 4 to 7) within the first housing (210) based on the rotation of the first pin gear (313). In other words, when the device is unfolded, the pin gear rotates relative to the first housing and the first guide (315) moves linearly (by engaging the member (3151) in the helical groove) parallel to the rotational axis of the pin gear. This linear or sliding motion of the first guide operates a link structure or connecting mechanism (described below) to linearly move the second sub-housing portion (213) away from the first sub-housing portion (211), thereby expanding the first housing.

[0120] In one embodiment, the first link structure (317) may include a plurality of links. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of links is illustrated as four, but is not limited thereto. The first link structure (317) may be kinetically connected to the first guide gear (315). The first link structure (317) may be kinetically connected to the first pin gear (313). For example, the first link structure (317) may be kinetically connected to the first pin gear (313) via the first guide gear (315). The first link structure (317) may press the second sub-housing portion (213) so that the second sub-housing portion (213) moves away from the first sub-housing portion (211) based on the sliding movement of the first guide gear (315). Additionally, the first link structure (317) can pull the second sub-housing portion (213) so that the second sub-housing portion (213) moves in a direction closer to the first sub-housing portion (211) based on the sliding movement of the first guide gear (315). The first link structure (317) can be configured to provide a force to move the second sub-housing portion (213) in a direction away from or closer to the first sub-housing portion (211) based on the rotation of the first pin gear (313).

[0121] According to one embodiment, the second hinge structure (320) may include a second pin gear (323), a second guide gear (325), or a second link structure (327).

[0122] According to one embodiment, the second pin gear (323) may have a pin shape. The second pin gear (323) may be rotated about an axis of the second pin gear (323) when the third sub-housing portion (221) rotates relative to the hinge cover (301) (or the fourth sub-housing portion (223)) (e.g., when rotated about a rotation axis parallel to the Y-axis direction of FIGS. 4 to 7). The second pin gear (323) may be defined and / or referred to as a second helical gear (323). The second pin gear (323) may be rotatably coupled to the hinge cover (301).

[0123] According to one embodiment, the second guide gear (325) can be dynamically connected to the second pin gear (323). The second guide gear (325) can slide upward and downward (e.g., in the Y-axis direction of FIGS. 4 to 7) within the second housing (220) based on the rotation of the second pin gear (323).

[0124] In one embodiment, the second link structure (327) may include a plurality of links. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of links is illustrated as four, but is not limited thereto. The second link structure (327) may be kinetically connected to the second guide gear (325). The second link structure (327) may be kinetically connected to the second pin gear (323). For example, the second link structure (327) may be kinetically connected to the second pin gear (323) via the second guide gear (325). The second link structure (327) may press the fourth sub-housing portion (223) so that the fourth sub-housing portion (223) moves away from the third sub-housing portion (221) based on the sliding movement of the second guide gear (325). Additionally, the second link structure (327) can pull the fourth sub-housing portion (223) so that the fourth sub-housing portion (223) moves in a direction closer to the third sub-housing portion (221) based on the sliding movement of the second guide gear (325). The second link structure (327) can be configured to provide a force that moves the fourth sub-housing portion (223) in a direction away from or closer to the third sub-housing portion (221) based on the rotation of the second pin gear (323).

[0125] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may further include a first support structure (251) and / or a second support structure (252). The first support structure (251) may be disposed inside the second sub-housing portion (213). The first support structure (251) may be configured to support a first extension region (246) (e.g., the first extension region (246) of FIGS. 2 to 3) of a flexible display (240) (e.g., the flexible display (240) of FIGS. 2 to 3). For example, the first support structure (251) may stably support movement of the first extension region (246) whose shape is deformed. The first support structure (251) may be provided as a multi-bar structure including a plurality of bars or as a single elastic plate. At least a portion of the first support structure (251) may have a curved shape corresponding to the first curved surface (215) on the first curved surface (215). The second support structure (252) may be arranged inside the fourth sub-housing portion (223). The second support structure (252) may be configured to support the second extension region (247) (e.g., the second extension region (247) of FIGS. 2 to 3) of the flexible display (240) (e.g., the flexible display (240) of FIGS. 2 to 3). For example, the second support structure (252) may stably support the movement of the second extension region (247) whose shape is deformed. The second support structure (252) may be provided as a multi-bar structure including a plurality of bars or as a single elastic plate. At least a portion of the second support structure (252) may have a curved shape corresponding to the second curved surface (225) on the second curved surface (225).

[0126] According to one embodiment, the first hinge structure (310) can provide the first housing (210) with a structure that allows (urges) the first sub-housing portion (211) to stably rotate relative to the hinge cover (301) when the state of the electronic device (101) changes from a folded state to an unfolded state, and can provide a force to the second sub-housing portion (213) that allows (urges) the second sub-housing portion (213) to slide away from the first sub-housing portion (211).

[0127] According to one embodiment, the first hinge structure (310) can provide the first housing (210) with a structure that allows (urges) the first sub-housing portion (211) to stably rotate relative to the hinge cover (301) when the state of the electronic device (101) changes from an unfolded state to a folded state, and can provide a force to the second sub-housing portion (213) that allows (urges) the second sub-housing portion (213) to slide in a direction closer to the first sub-housing portion (211).

[0128] According to one embodiment, the second hinge structure (320) can provide the second housing (220) with a structure that allows (urges) the third sub-housing portion (221) to stably rotate relative to the hinge cover (301) when the state of the electronic device (101) changes from a folded state to an unfolded state, and can provide a force to the fourth sub-housing portion (223) that allows (urges) the fourth sub-housing portion (223) to slide away from the third sub-housing portion (221).

[0129] According to one embodiment, the second hinge structure (320) can provide the second housing (220) with a structure that allows (urges) the third sub-housing portion (221) to stably rotate relative to the hinge cover (301) when the state of the electronic device (101) changes from an unfolded state to a folded state, and can provide (urges) a force to the fourth sub-housing portion (223) to slide in a direction closer to the third sub-housing portion (221).

[0130] According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is in a folded state (e.g., FIG. 2, FIG. 4, or FIG. 5), the first housing (210) and / or the second housing (220) may have a first width (W1) (e.g., the width in the X-axis direction of FIG. 4). For example, the first width (W1) may be smaller than the second width (W2) of the first housing (210) (e.g., the width in the X-axis direction of FIG. 6) or the third width (W3) of the second housing (220) (e.g., the width in the X-axis direction of FIG. 6) when the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state (e.g., FIG. 3, FIG. 6, or FIG. 7).

[0131] According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state (e.g., FIG. 3, FIG. 6, or FIG. 7), the first housing (210) may have a second width (W2) (e.g., the width in the X-axis direction of FIG. 6). The second housing (220) may have a third width (W3) (e.g., the width in the X-axis direction of FIG. 6). The second width (W2) may be substantially the same as the third width (W3), but is not limited thereto. The second width (W2) and / or the third width (W3) may be greater than the first width (W1). For example, when the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state, the first housing (210) may expand as the second sub-housing portion (213) moves away from the first sub-housing portion (211). The second width (W2) of the expanded first housing (210) may be greater than the first width (W1) of the reduced first housing (210). For example, when the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state, the second housing (220) may be expanded as the fourth sub-housing portion (223) moves away from the third sub-housing portion (221). The third width (W3) of the expanded second housing (220) may be greater than the first width (W2) of the reduced second housing (220).

[0132] According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state, as the width of the housing (201) (e.g., the first housing (210) and / or the second housing (220)) expands, the size (or area) of the flexible display (240) (e.g., the flexible display (240) of FIGS. 2 and 3) exposed to the outside of the housing (201) may expand.

[0133] FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a hinge structure of an electronic device in a folded state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0134] FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a hinge structure of an electronic device in an unfolded state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0135] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a hinge structure of an electronic device in a folded state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0136] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a hinge structure of an electronic device in an unfolded state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0137] The embodiments of FIGS. 8 to 11 may be combined with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 7, or the embodiments of FIGS. 9 to 15.

[0138] Referring to FIGS. 8 to 11, the electronic device (101) may include a housing (201), a first housing (210), a second housing (220), and / or a first hinge assembly (300).

[0139] The configuration of the housing (201), the first housing (210), the second housing (220), or the first hinge assembly (300) of FIGS. 8 to 11 may be partially or entirely identical to the configuration of the housing (201), the first housing (210), the second housing (220), or the first hinge assembly (300) of FIGS. 4 to 7.

[0140] According to one embodiment, the first housing (210) may include a first sub-housing portion (211) (e.g., the first sub-housing portion (211) of FIGS. 2 to 7), a second sub-housing portion (213) (e.g., the second sub-housing portion (213) of FIGS. 2 to 7), a fifth sub-housing portion (212) (e.g., the fifth sub-housing portion (212) of FIGS. 2 to 7), or a first curved surface (215) (e.g., the first curved surface (215) of FIGS. 2 to 7).

[0141] According to one embodiment, the second housing (220) may include a third sub-housing portion (221) (e.g., the third sub-housing portion (221) of FIGS. 2 to 7), a fourth sub-housing portion (223) (e.g., the fourth sub-housing portion (223) of FIGS. 2 to 7), a sixth sub-housing portion (222) (e.g., the sixth sub-housing portion (222) of FIGS. 2 to 7), or a second curved surface (225) (e.g., the second curved surface (225) of FIGS. 2 to 7).

[0142] According to one embodiment, the first hinge assembly (300) may include a hinge cover (301) (e.g., the hinge cover (301) of FIGS. 4 to 7), a hinge bracket (303), a first hinge structure (310) (e.g., the first hinge structure (310) of FIGS. 4 to 7), or a second hinge structure (320) (e.g., the second hinge structure (320) of FIGS. 4 to 7).

[0143] According to one embodiment, the hinge bracket (303) may be coupled to the hinge cover (301). For example, the hinge bracket (303) may be disposed on the hinge cover (301). The hinge bracket (303) may provide a rotatable structure relative to the first rotation gear (311) of the first hinge structure (310) and / or the second rotation gear (321) of the second hinge structure (320). In addition, the hinge bracket (303) may receive and rotatably support at least a portion of the first connection gear (312) of the first hinge structure (310) and / or at least a portion of the second connection gear (322) of the second hinge structure (320).

[0144] According to one embodiment, the first hinge structure (310) may be provided as a pair spaced apart from each other, but is not limited thereto. The second hinge structure (320) may be provided as a pair spaced apart from each other, but is not limited thereto. Hereinafter, each of the first hinge structure (310) and the second hinge structure (320) will be described as an example, but the description thereof may be equally applied and / or mutatis mutandis to the remaining first hinge structure (310) and the second hinge structure (320).

[0145] According to one embodiment, the first hinge structure (310) may include a first rotation gear (311), a first connection gear (312), a first pin gear (313) (e.g., the first pin gear (313) of FIGS. 4 to 7), a first guide gear (315) (e.g., the first guide gear (315) of FIGS. 4 to 7), and / or a first link structure (317).

[0146] According to one embodiment, the first rotation gear (311) may be coupled to the first sub-housing portion (211). In addition, the first rotation gear (311) may be arranged on the hinge bracket (303) so as to be rotatable relative to the hinge bracket (303). For example, when the first sub-housing portion (211) is rotated relative to the hinge cover (301), the first rotation gear (311) coupled to the first sub-housing portion (211) may be rotated on the hinge bracket (303). The hinge bracket (303) may be configured to stably guide the rotation of the first rotation gear (311).

[0147] In one embodiment, the first connecting gear (312) may be at least partially accommodated in the hinge bracket (303). The first connecting gear (312) may be fixed in position by the hinge bracket (303) and configured to rotate on the hinge bracket (303). At least a portion of the first connecting gear (312) may be connected to at least a portion of the first rotating gear (311). Accordingly, when the first rotating gear (311) rotates, the first connecting gear (312) connected to the first rotating gear (311) may rotate together. For example, when the first rotating gear (311) rotates, the first connecting gear (312) that is dynamically and / or physically connected to the first rotating gear (311) may rotate.

[0148] According to one embodiment, the first connecting gear (312) may be connected to the first pin gear (313). Accordingly, when the first connecting gear (312) rotates, the first pin gear (313) connected to the first connecting gear (312) may rotate together. For example, when the first connecting gear (312) rotates, the first pin gear (313) that is dynamically and / or physically connected to the first connecting gear (312) may rotate.

[0149] According to one embodiment, the first pin gear (313) may be disposed at least partially on the hinge cover (301). The first pin gear (313) may be relatively rotatably coupled to at least a portion of the hinge cover (301). For example, the hinge cover (301) may include a first-first coupling portion (3011) and / or a first-second coupling portion (3012) configured to limit or prevent disengagement of the first pin gear (313) and support rotation of the first pin gear (313). Each of the first-first coupling portion (3011) and the first-second coupling portion (3012) may be disposed on each of both sides of the first pin gear (313) and may rotatably support the first pin gear (313).

[0150] According to one embodiment, the axis of the first pin gear (313) may be arranged parallel to the axis of the first connection gear (312). According to one embodiment (not shown), the first hinge structure (310) may further include an auxiliary connection gear connecting the first pin gear (313) and the first connection gear (312), in which case the axis of the first pin gear (313) and the axis of the first connection gear (312) may be arranged coaxially.

[0151] According to one embodiment, the first pin gear (313) may include a first slit (3131) formed recessed in the outer surface of the first pin gear (313). The first slit (3131) may extend in a spiral direction from the outer surface of the first pin gear (313). A first protruding portion (3151) of the first guide gear (315) may be inserted or received in the first slit (3131). The first slit (3131) may be defined and / or referred to as a first groove or a first recess.

[0152] According to one embodiment, the first slit (3131) of the first pin gear (313) may be connected to the first protruding portion (3151) of the first guide gear (315). When the first pin gear (313) rotates, the first guide gear (315), which includes the first protruding portion (3151) that is dynamically and / or physically connected to the first slit (3131), may slide in the up-and-down direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction of FIGS. 8 to 11) within the first housing (210). For example, the first guide gear (315) may be configured to move in a linear direction.

[0153] According to one embodiment, the first guide gear (315) may be configured to slide in an up-and-down direction (e.g., in the Y-axis direction of FIGS. 8 to 11) within the first housing (210). The first guide gear (315) may be seated in a first guide recess (2121) formed in the second sub-housing portion (213). For example, the first guide gear (315) may be configured to slide in an up-and-down direction (e.g., in the Y-axis direction of FIGS. 8 to 11) on the first guide recess (2121). The first guide recess (2121) may be configured to guide the movement of the first guide gear (315) in a linear direction.

[0154] According to one embodiment, the first guide gear (315) may include a first protruding portion (or member or element) (3151). The first protruding portion (3151) may be formed to protrude from at least a portion of the first guide gear (315). The first protruding portion (3151) may be inserted or received into a first slit (3131), which may also be described as a spiral groove that extends along a shaft portion of the first gear (315). As the first protruding portion (3151) is inserted into the spiral first slit (3131), when the first pin gear (313) is rotated, the first protruding portion (3151) that is at least partially pressed by the first slit (3131) and the first guide gear (315) that includes the first protruding portion (3151) may slide up and down within the first housing (210). For example, when the first pin gear (313) rotates in one direction, the first guide gear (315) can move upward, and when the first pin gear (313) rotates in another direction opposite to the one direction, the first guide gear (315) can move downward.

[0155] According to one embodiment, the first guide gear (315) may further include a first guide opening (3152). The first guide opening (3152) may include a hole formed through at least a portion of the first guide gear (315). The first guide opening (3152) may accommodate a first insertion portion (3172) of the first link structure (317). The first guide opening (3152) may extend in the width direction of the first housing (210) (e.g., the X-axis direction of FIGS. 8 to 11). The first insertion portion (3172) may slide in the width direction of the first housing (210) (e.g., the X-axis direction of FIGS. 8 to 11) within the first guide opening (3152). According to one embodiment, the first guide opening (3152) of the first guide gear (315) can be connected to the first insertion portion (3172) of the first link structure (317). When the first guide gear (315) slides in the vertical direction (e.g., in the Y-axis direction of FIGS. 8 to 11) within the first housing (210), the first insertion portion (3172) that is dynamically and / or physically connected to the first guide gear (315) can slide in the width direction (e.g., in the X-axis direction of FIGS. 8 to 11) of the first housing (210) within the first guide opening (3152).

[0156] In one embodiment, the first link structure (317) may include a plurality of links. The first link structure may include, for example, an array of four connected (or hinged) arms arranged in a diamond (or square, rhombus, or parallelogram) shape, as illustrated in FIG. 8. This arrangement converts, in the drawing, a vertical (Y-direction) displacement of the bottom hinge or link into a horizontal or lateral (X-axis) displacement of the leftmost hinge or link. It will be appreciated that other connection mechanisms, such as scissor mechanisms, may be employed in alternative embodiments.

[0157] The first link structure (317) may include a first-first fixing portion (3171) and a first-second fixing portion (3173). The first-first fixing portion (3171) may fix or couple one area (or one point) of the plurality of links to at least one area of ​​the first sub-housing portion (211). The first-second fixing portion (3173) may fix or couple another area (or another point) of the plurality of links to at least one area of ​​the second sub-housing portion (213). The first link structure (317) may further include a first insertion portion (3172). The first insertion portion (3172) may be configured to slide in the width direction (e.g., the X-axis direction of FIGS. 8 to 11) of the first housing (210) in the first guide opening (3152) of the first guide gear (315).

[0158] According to one embodiment, as the first guide gear (315) slides up and down inside the first housing (210) (e.g., in the Y-axis direction of FIGS. 8 to 11), a first insertion portion (3172) that is dynamically and / or physically connected to the first guide opening (3152) of the first guide gear (315) may be pressed by the first guide opening (3152). The first insertion portion (3172) may slide up and down inside the first housing (210) together with the first guide gear (315) (e.g., in the Y-axis direction of FIGS. 8 to 11). Additionally, the first insertion portion (3172) may slide in the width direction of the first housing (210) (e.g., in the X-axis direction of FIGS. 8 to 11) inside the first guide opening (3152). Additionally, as the first insertion portion (3172) slides or the position of the first insertion portion (3172) changes, the plurality of links of the first link structure (317) can be unfolded so that the first-second fixing portion (3173) moves away from the first-first fixing portion (3171) or folded so that the first-second fixing portion (3173) moves toward the first-first fixing portion (3171). For example, when the first-second fixing portion (3173) moves away from the first-first fixing portion (3171), the first-second fixing portion (3173) can press the second sub-housing portion (213) so that the second sub-housing portion (213) coupled to the first-second fixing portion (3173) moves away from the first sub-housing portion (211). When the first-second fixed portion (3173) moves in a direction closer to the first-first fixed portion (3171), the first-second fixed portion (3173) can pull the second sub-housing portion (213) so that the second sub-housing portion (213) coupled to the first-second fixed portion (3173) moves in a direction closer to the first sub-housing portion (211).For example, the second sub-housing portion (213) that is dynamically and / or physically connected to the first-second fixed portion (3173) of the first link structure (317) can move away from the first sub-housing portion (211) or move toward the first sub-housing portion (211) based on the force provided from the first link structure (317).

[0159] According to one embodiment, the second hinge structure (320) may include a second rotation gear (321), a second connection gear (322), a second pin gear (323) (e.g., the second pin gear (323) of FIGS. 4 to 7), a second guide gear (325) (e.g., the second guide gear (325) of FIGS. 4 to 7), or a second link structure (327).

[0160] According to one embodiment, the second rotation gear (321) may be coupled to the third sub-housing portion (221). In addition, the second rotation gear (321) may be arranged on the hinge bracket (303) so as to be rotatable relative to the hinge bracket (303). For example, when the third sub-housing portion (221) is rotated relative to the hinge cover (301), the second rotation gear (321) coupled to the third sub-housing portion (221) may be rotated on the hinge bracket (303). The hinge bracket (303) may be configured to stably guide the rotation of the second rotation gear (321).

[0161] In one embodiment, the second connecting gear (322) may be at least partially accommodated in the hinge bracket (303). The second connecting gear (322) may be fixed in position by the hinge bracket (303) and configured to rotate on the hinge bracket (303). At least a portion of the second connecting gear (322) may be connected to at least a portion of the second rotating gear (321). Accordingly, when the second rotating gear (321) rotates, the second connecting gear (322) connected to the second rotating gear (321) may rotate together. For example, when the second rotating gear (321) rotates, the second connecting gear (322) that is dynamically and / or physically connected to the second rotating gear (321) may rotate.

[0162] In one embodiment, the second connecting gear (322) may be connected to the second pin gear (323). Accordingly, when the second connecting gear (322) rotates, the second pin gear (323) connected to the second connecting gear (322) may rotate together. For example, when the second connecting gear (322) rotates, the second pin gear (323) that is dynamically and / or physically connected to the second connecting gear (322) may rotate.

[0163] According to one embodiment, the second pin gear (323) may be disposed at least partially on the hinge cover (301). The second pin gear (323) may be relatively rotatably coupled to at least a portion of the hinge cover (301). For example, the hinge cover (301) may include a second-first coupling portion (3021) and / or a second-second coupling portion (3022) configured to limit or prevent disengagement of the second pin gear (323) and support rotation of the second pin gear (323). Each of the second-first coupling portion (3021) and the second-second coupling portion (3022) may be disposed on each of the two sides of the second pin gear (323) and may rotatably support the second pin gear (323).

[0164] According to one embodiment, the axis of the second pin gear (323) may be arranged parallel to the axis of the second connection gear (322). According to one embodiment (not shown), the second hinge structure (320) may further include an auxiliary connection gear connecting the second pin gear (323) and the second connection gear (322), in which case the axis of the second pin gear (323) and the axis of the second connection gear (322) may be arranged coaxially.

[0165] According to one embodiment, the second pin gear (323) may include a second slit (3241) formed recessed in the outer surface of the second pin gear (323). The second slit (3241) may extend in a spiral direction from the outer surface of the second pin gear (323). A second protruding portion (3251) of the second guide gear (325) may be inserted or received in the second slit (3241). The second slit (3241) may be defined and / or referred to as a second groove or a second recess.

[0166] According to one embodiment, the second slit (3241) of the second pin gear (323) may be connected to the second protruding portion (3251) of the second guide gear (325). When the second pin gear (323) rotates, the second guide gear (325), which includes the second protruding portion (3251) that is dynamically and / or physically connected to the second slit (3241), may slide in the up-and-down direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction of FIGS. 8 to 11) within the second housing (220). For example, the second guide gear (325) may be configured to move in a linear direction.

[0167] According to one embodiment, the second guide gear (325) may be configured to slide in an up-and-down direction (e.g., in the Y-axis direction of FIGS. 8 to 11) within the second housing (220). The second guide gear (325) may be seated in a second guide recess (2221) formed in the fourth sub-housing portion (223). For example, the second guide gear (325) may be configured to slide in an up-and-down direction (e.g., in the Y-axis direction of FIGS. 8 to 11) on the second guide recess (2221). The second guide recess (2221) may be configured to guide the movement of the second guide gear (325) in a linear direction.

[0168] According to one embodiment, the second guide gear (325) may include a second protruding portion (3251). The second protruding portion (3251) may be formed to protrude from at least a portion of the second guide gear (325). The second protruding portion (3251) may be inserted or accommodated in a second slit (3241). As the second protruding portion (3251) is inserted into the spiral second slit (3241), when the second pin gear (323) is rotated, the second protruding portion (3251) that is at least partially pressed by the second slit (3241) and the second guide gear (325) that includes the second protruding portion (3251) may slide up and down within the second housing (220). For example, when the second pin gear (323) rotates in one direction, the second guide gear (325) can move upward, and when the second pin gear (323) rotates in the other direction opposite to the one direction, the second guide gear (325) can move downward.

[0169] According to one embodiment, the second guide gear (325) may further include a second guide opening (3252). The second guide opening (3252) may include a hole formed through at least a portion of the second guide gear (325). The second guide opening (3252) may accommodate a second insertion portion (3272) of the second link structure (327). The second guide opening (3252) may extend in the width direction of the second housing (220) (e.g., the X-axis direction of FIGS. 8 to 11). The second insertion portion (3272) may slide in the width direction of the second housing (220) (e.g., the X-axis direction of FIGS. 8 to 11) within the second guide opening (3252). According to one embodiment, the second guide opening (3252) of the second guide gear (325) can be connected to the second insertion portion (3272) of the second link structure (327). When the second guide gear (325) slides in the vertical direction (e.g., in the Y-axis direction of FIGS. 8 to 11) within the second housing (220), the second insertion portion (3272) that is dynamically and / or physically connected to the second guide gear (325) can slide in the width direction (e.g., in the X-axis direction of FIGS. 8 to 11) of the second housing (220) within the second guide opening (3252).

[0170] According to one embodiment, the second link structure (327) may include a plurality of links. The second link structure (327) may include a second-first fixing portion (3271) and a second-second fixing portion (3273). The second-first fixing portion (3271) may fix or couple one area (or one point) of the plurality of links to at least one area of ​​the third sub-housing portion (221). The second-second fixing portion (3273) may fix or couple another area (or another point) of the plurality of links to at least one area of ​​the fourth sub-housing portion (223). The second link structure (327) may further include a second insertion portion (3272). The second insertion portion (3272) may be configured to slide in the width direction (e.g., the X-axis direction of FIGS. 8 to 11) of the second housing (220) in the second guide opening (3252) of the second guide gear (325).

[0171] According to one embodiment, as the second guide gear (325) slides vertically (e.g., in the Y-axis direction of FIGS. 8 to 11) within the second housing (220), a second insertion portion (3272) that is dynamically and / or physically connected to the second guide opening (3252) of the second guide gear (325) may be pressed by the second guide opening (3252). The second insertion portion (3272) may slide vertically (e.g., in the Y-axis direction of FIGS. 8 to 11) within the second housing (220) together with the second guide gear (325). Additionally, the second insertion portion (3272) may slide in the width direction (e.g., in the X-axis direction of FIGS. 8 to 11) of the second housing (220) within the second guide opening (3252). Additionally, as the second insertion portion (3272) slides or the position of the second insertion portion (3272) changes, the plurality of links of the second link structure (327) can be unfolded so that the second-second fixing portion (3273) moves away from the second-first fixing portion (3271) or folded so that the second-second fixing portion (3273) moves toward the second-first fixing portion (3271). For example, when the second-second fixing portion (3273) moves away from the second-first fixing portion (3271), the second-second fixing portion (3273) can press the fourth sub-housing portion (223) so that the fourth sub-housing portion (223) coupled to the second-second fixing portion (3273) moves away from the third sub-housing portion (221). When the 2-2 fixed portion (3273) moves in a direction closer to the 2-1 fixed portion (3271), the 2-2 fixed portion (3273) can pull the 4th sub-housing portion (223) so that the 4th sub-housing portion (223) coupled to the 2-2 fixed portion (3273) moves in a direction closer to the 3rd sub-housing portion (221).For example, the fourth sub-housing portion (223) that is dynamically and / or physically connected to the second-second fixed portion (3273) of the second link structure (327) can move away from the third sub-housing portion (221) or move toward the third sub-housing portion (221) based on the force provided from the second link structure (327).

[0172] According to one embodiment, the second sub-housing portion (213) may include a first guide recess (2121) configured to guide movement of the first guide gear (315). The first guide recess (2121) may be formed by being recessed into the second sub-housing portion (213). The first guide gear (315) may be seated in the first guide recess (2121) and may slide on the first guide recess (2121). The second sub-housing portion (213) may include a first rail portion (2122) configured to guide movement of the first-second fixing portion (3173). The first rail portion (2122) may be formed by being recessed into the second sub-housing portion (213). The first-second fixed portion (3173) can be at least partially accommodated in the first rail portion (2122) and can slide on the first rail portion (2122).

[0173] According to one embodiment, the fourth sub-housing portion (223) may include a second guide recess (2221) configured to guide movement of the second guide gear (325). The second guide recess (2221) may be recessed into the fourth sub-housing portion (223). The second guide gear (325) may be seated in the second guide recess (2221) and may slide on the second guide recess (2221). The fourth sub-housing portion (223) may include a second rail portion (2222) configured to guide movement of the second-2 fixing portion (3273). The second rail portion (2222) may be recessed into the fourth sub-housing portion (223). The second-second fixed portion (3273) can be at least partially accommodated in the second rail portion (2222) and can slide on the second rail portion (2222).

[0174] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11, the arrangement or operation of the components of the first hinge structure (310) when the state of the electronic device (101) changes from a folded state to an unfolded state will be described. The first hinge structure (310) illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 may be the first hinge structure (310) arranged on the -Y direction side of FIG. 6, and the first hinge structure (310) illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11 may be the first hinge structure (310) arranged on the +Y direction side of FIG. 6. The description of the first hinge structure (310) described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11 as an example may be equally applicable and / or understood to the first hinge structure (310) arranged on the -Y direction side of FIG. 6. The description of the second hinge structure (320) explained with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11 as examples can be equally applied and / or understood to the second hinge structure (320).

[0175] Fig. 10 shows the arrangement of the components of the first hinge structure (310) when the electronic device (101) is in a folded state. Fig. 11 shows the arrangement of the components of the first hinge structure (310) when the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state.

[0176] According to one embodiment, when the state of the electronic device (101) changes from a folded state to an unfolded state, the first rotation gear (311) can rotate on the hinge bracket (303) together with the first sub-housing portion (211). When the first rotation gear (311) rotates, the first connection gear (312) connected to the first rotation gear (311) can rotate. When the first connection gear (312) rotates, the first pin gear (313) connected to the first connection gear (312) can rotate. When the first pin gear (313) rotates, the first guide gear (315) connected to the first pin gear (313) can slide in a direction away from the first rotation gear (311) (e.g., the +Y direction of FIGS. 10 to 11). When the first guide gear (315) is slidably moved, the first insertion portion (3172) connected to the first guide gear (315) can be pressed by the first guide opening (3152). The first insertion portion (3172) can be slidably moved in a direction away from the first rotation gear (311) (e.g., +Y direction in FIGS. 10 and 11) together with the first guide gear (315) by the first guide opening (3152). Accordingly, the first insertion portion (3172) can be slidably moved in a direction away from the first pin gear (313) (e.g., -X direction in FIGS. 10 and 11) on the first guide opening (3152). As the position of the first insertion portion (3172) changes, the plurality of links of the first link structure (317) can be spread out so that the first-second fixed portion (3173) moves away from the first-first fixed portion (3171) in a direction (e.g., the -X direction in FIGS. 10 to 11).As the first-second fixed portion (3173) moves away from the first-first fixed portion (3171) fixed to the first sub-housing portion (211) in a direction away from the first-second fixed portion (3171) (e.g., in the -X direction of FIGS. 10 to 11), the second sub-housing portion (213) coupled with the first-second fixed portion (3173) can move away from the first sub-housing portion (211) in a direction away from the first sub-housing portion (211) (e.g., in the -X direction of FIGS. 10 to 11). As the second sub-housing portion (213) moves away from the first sub-housing portion (211), the first sub-housing portion (211) and the second sub-housing portion (213) can be spaced apart from each other by a specified distance (e.g., the distance (L) of FIG. 11). Accordingly, when the state of the electronic device (101) changes from a folded state to an unfolded state, the first housing (210) can be expanded as the second sub-housing portion (213) moves away from the first sub-housing portion (211) in a direction (e.g., the -X direction of FIGS. 10 to 11). In addition, at least a portion of the first extension area (246) (e.g., the first extension area (246) of FIGS. 2 to 3) housed inside the second sub-housing portion (213) is exposed to the outside of the second sub-housing portion (213), thereby expanding the surface of the flexible display (240) (e.g., the flexible display (240) of FIGS. 2 to 3).

[0177] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11, the arrangement or operation of the components of the first hinge structure (310) when the state of the electronic device (101) changes from an unfolded state to a folded state will be described. The first hinge structure (310) illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 may be the first hinge structure (310) arranged on the -Y direction side of FIG. 6, and the first hinge structure (310) illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11 may be the first hinge structure (310) arranged on the +Y direction side of FIG. 6. The description of the first hinge structure (310) described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11 as an example may be equally applicable and / or understood to the first hinge structure (310) arranged on the -Y direction side of FIG. 6. The description of the second hinge structure (320) explained with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11 as examples can be equally applied and / or understood to the second hinge structure (320).

[0178] Fig. 10 shows the arrangement of the components of the first hinge structure (310) in the unfolded state of the electronic device (101). Fig. 11 shows the arrangement of the components of the first hinge structure (310) in the folded state of the electronic device (101).

[0179] According to one embodiment, when the state of the electronic device (101) changes from an unfolded state to a folded state, the first rotation gear (311) can be rotated on the hinge bracket (303) together with the first sub-housing portion (211). The rotation direction of the first rotation gear (311) when the state of the electronic device (101) changes to a folded state can be the opposite direction to the rotation direction of the first rotation gear (311) when the state of the electronic device (101) changes to an unfolded state. When the first rotation gear (311) rotates, the first connection gear (312) connected to the first rotation gear (311) can rotate. When the first connection gear (312) rotates, the first pin gear (313) connected to the first connection gear (312) can rotate. When the first pin gear (313) rotates, the first guide gear (315) connected to the first pin gear (313) can be slidably moved in a direction approaching the first rotation gear (311) (e.g., the -Y direction in FIGS. 10 to 11). When the first guide gear (315) is slidably moved, the first insertion portion (3172) connected to the first guide gear (315) can be pressed by the first guide opening (3152). The first insertion portion (3172) can be slidably moved in a direction approaching the first rotation gear (311) together with the first guide gear (315) by the first guide opening (3152). Accordingly, the first insertion portion (3172) can be slidably moved in a direction approaching the first pin gear (313) on the first guide opening (3152) (e.g., +X direction in FIGS. 10 to 11). As the position of the first insertion portion (3172) changes, the plurality of links of the first link structure (317) can be folded to move in a direction approaching the first-second fixing portion (3173) with respect to the first-first fixing portion (3171) (e.g., +X direction in FIGS. 10 to 11).As the first-second fixed portion (3173) moves in a direction approaching the first-first fixed portion (3171) fixed to the first sub-housing portion (211) (e.g., the +X direction in FIGS. 10 to 11), the second sub-housing portion (213) coupled with the first-second fixed portion (3173) can move in a direction approaching the first sub-housing portion (211) (e.g., the +X direction in FIGS. 10 to 11). As the second sub-housing portion (213) approaches the first sub-housing portion (211), the second sub-housing portion (213) can come into contact with the first sub-housing portion (211). Accordingly, when the state of the electronic device (101) changes from an unfolded state to a folded state, the first housing (210) can be reduced as the second sub-housing portion (213) moves in a direction approaching the first sub-housing portion (211) (e.g., the +X direction of FIGS. 10 to 11). In addition, at least a portion of the first extension area (246) exposed to the outside of the second sub-housing portion (213) (e.g., the first extension area (246) of FIGS. 2 to 3) is accommodated into the inside of the second sub-housing portion (213), thereby reducing the surface of the flexible display (240) (e.g., the flexible display (240) of FIGS. 2 to 3).

[0180] FIG. 12 is a plan view showing an unfolded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0181] FIG. 13 is a side view illustrating a flexible display and a display support member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0182] FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view showing a flexible display and a display support member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0183] FIG. 15 is a side view illustrating an electronic device and a flexible display according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0184] The embodiments of FIGS. 12 to 15 may be combined with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 11.

[0185] Referring to FIGS. 12 to 15, an electronic device (101) (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1 or the electronic device (101) of FIGS. 2 to 11) may include a housing (201), a flexible display (240), or a display support member (250).

[0186] The configuration of the housing (201) of FIGS. 12 to 15 may be partially or entirely identical to the configuration of the housing (201) of FIGS. 1 to 10. The configuration of the flexible display (240) of FIGS. 12 to 15 may be partially or entirely identical to the configuration of the flexible display (240) of FIGS. 2 to 3.

[0187] According to one embodiment (e.g., see FIG. 12 or FIG. 15), the housing (201) may include a first housing (210) (e.g., the first housing (210) of FIGS. 2 to 11), a second housing (220) (e.g., the second housing (220) of FIGS. 2 to 11), a third housing (230), a first hinge assembly (300) (e.g., the first hinge assembly (300) of FIGS. 2 to 11), or a second hinge assembly (400).

[0188] According to one embodiment, the first housing (210) may include a first sub-housing portion (211) (e.g., the first sub-housing portion (211) of FIGS. 2 to 11), a second sub-housing portion (213) (e.g., the second sub-housing portion (213) of FIGS. 2 to 11), a fifth sub-housing portion (212) (e.g., the fifth sub-housing portion (212) of FIGS. 2 to 11), or a first curved surface (215) (e.g., the first curved surface (215) of FIGS. 2 to 7).

[0189] According to one embodiment, the second housing (220) may include a third sub-housing portion (221) (e.g., the third sub-housing portion (221) of FIGS. 2 to 11), a fourth sub-housing portion (223) (e.g., the fourth sub-housing portion (223) of FIGS. 2 to 11), or a sixth sub-housing portion (222) (e.g., the sixth sub-housing portion (222) of FIGS. 2 to 11).

[0190] According to one embodiment, the first hinge assembly (300) may include a hinge cover (301) (e.g., the hinge cover (301) of FIGS. 4 to 11), a hinge bracket (303) (e.g., the hinge bracket (303) of FIGS. 8 to 11), a first hinge structure (310) (e.g., the first hinge structure (310) of FIGS. 4 to 11), or a second hinge structure (320) (e.g., the second hinge structure (320) of FIGS. 4 to 11).

[0191] In one embodiment, the second hinge assembly (400) can be connected to the second housing (220) (e.g., the fourth sub-housing portion (223)) and the third housing (230). For example, at least a portion of the second hinge assembly (400) can be connected to the second housing (220) and the third housing (230). For example, the second hinge assembly (400) can rotatably connect the second housing (220) and the third housing (230) with respect to each other. For example, the second housing (220) can rotate about the second hinge assembly (400) with respect to the third housing (230), and the third housing (230) can rotate about the second hinge assembly (400) with respect to the second housing (220). For example, the second housing (220) and the third housing (230) may be arranged in a folded state with respect to each other or in an unfolded state with respect to each other. In a folded state of the second housing (220) and the third housing (230), the front surface of the second housing (220) (e.g., the second front surface) and the front surface of the third housing (230) (e.g., the third front surface) may face opposite directions. For example, in a folded state of the second housing (220) and the third housing (230), the rear surface of the second housing (220) may face the rear surface of the third housing (230). In an unfolded state of the second housing (220) and the third housing (230), the second front surface of the second housing (220) and the third front surface of the third housing (230) may face substantially the same direction and form a substantially flat surface.

[0192] Referring to FIG. 13, the flexible display (240) includes a first display area (241) disposed on a first housing (210) (e.g., the first display area (241) of FIGS. 2 to 3), a second display area (242) disposed on a second housing (220) (e.g., the second display area (242) of FIGS. 2 to 3), a third display area (243) disposed on a third housing (230), a first folding area (244) connecting the first display area (241) and the second display area (242) (e.g., the first folding area (244) of FIGS. 2 to 3), a second folding area (245) connecting the second display area (242) and the third display area (243), or a first extension area (246) extending from the first display area (241) (e.g., the first extension area (246) of FIGS. 2 to 3). It may include an area (246)).

[0193] According to one embodiment, the second folding area (245) may be disposed on the second hinge assembly (400). The second folding area (245) may be at least partially folded or unfolded. For example, when the second housing (220) and the third housing (230) are folded, the second folding area (245) may form a curved surface. When the second housing (220) and the third housing (230) are unfolded, the surface of the second folding area (245) may form a substantially flat surface with the surface of the second display area (242) and the surface of the third display area (243). When the second housing (220) and the third housing (230) are folded, at least a portion of the second folding area (245) positioned on the second hinge assembly (400) may be visually exposed to the outside of the electronic device (101) and / or the housing (201). For example, when the second housing (220) and the third housing (230) are folded, the second hinge assembly (400) may be at least partially covered or sealed by the second folding area (245).

[0194] According to one embodiment, the third display area (243) may be fixed to the third housing (230).

[0195] According to one embodiment, a display support member (250) may be positioned between the housing (201) and the flexible display (240). The display support member (250) may be defined and / or referred to as a display bracket.

[0196] According to one embodiment, the display support member (250) may be configured to support the flexible display (240).

[0197] According to one embodiment, the display support member (250) may include a lattice pattern (251). The lattice pattern (251) may be formed on at least a portion of the display support member (250). The lattice pattern (251) may have a position corresponding to the first folding area (244). The lattice pattern (251) may include at least one slit or at least one opening formed on at least a portion of the display support member (250). The lattice pattern (251) may provide flexibility for at least a portion of the display support member (250) corresponding to the first folding area (244).

[0198] According to one embodiment, the display support member (250) may further include an opening (e.g., the opening (252) of FIG. 14). The opening (252) may be formed in at least a portion of the display support member (250) that has a position corresponding to a portion of the first extension region (246), the first display region (241), or the first folding region (244). The opening (252) may be a hole formed through the display support member (250).

[0199] Referring to FIG. 15, the electronic device (101) may further include a first support structure (251) (e.g., the first support structure (251) of FIG. 5 or FIG. 7) disposed in the second sub-housing portion (213).

[0200] According to one embodiment, when the state of the electronic device (101) changes from a folded state to an unfolded state, the second sub-housing portion (213) can slide away from the first sub-housing portion (211), and the fourth sub-housing portion (223) can slide away from the third sub-housing portion (221). At this time, as the second sub-housing portion (213) moves away from the first sub-housing portion (211), at least a portion of the first extension area (246) housed inside the second sub-housing portion (213) can be exposed to the outside of the second sub-housing portion (213). As the third display area (243) is fixed to the third housing (230), the first hinge assembly (300) can move relative to the first folding area (244) due to the expansion of the first housing (210) and the expansion of the third housing (230). For example, although not shown, when the state of the electronic device (101) is a variable state, the center of the first folding area (244) can be positioned to substantially correspond to the center of the first hinge assembly (300). When the state of the electronic device (101) is an unfolded state, the first hinge assembly (300) can be relatively slidably moved away from the first folding area (244) in a direction (e.g., the -X direction of FIG. 15) by the expansion of the first housing (210) and the expansion of the third housing (230). Accordingly, when the state of the electronic device (101) is an unfolded state, the center (281) of the first folding area (244) can be spaced apart from the center (282) of the first hinge assembly (300) in the width direction of the electronic device (101) (e.g., the X-axis direction of FIG. 15).

[0201] According to one embodiment (not shown), the first link structure (317) of the first hinge structure (310) (e.g., the first link structure (317) of FIGS. 4 to 11) and / or the second link structure (327) of the second hinge structure (320) (e.g., the second link structure (327) of FIGS. 4 to 11) may be replaced with a driving structure including a motor and a rack including a pinion. For example, when the state of the electronic device (101) changes from a folded state to an unfolded state or from an unfolded state to a folded state, the motor may be operated according to the folding angles of the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) to provide a driving force for sliding movement of the second sub-housing part (213) with respect to the first sub-housing part (211) or sliding movement of the fourth sub-housing part (223) with respect to the third sub-housing part (221). For example, the processor of the electronic device (101) (e.g., the processor (120) of FIG. 1) may be provided with information about the folding angles of the first housing (210) and the second housing (220), and may be set to control the motor to provide a driving force for expanding and / or contracting the first housing (210) and / or the second housing (220) based on the information about the folding angles.

[0202] Electronic devices (e.g., mobile terminals) include displays that are either flat or have both flat and curved surfaces. Electronic devices with conventional displays may require additional devices to implement screens larger than the size of the electronic device due to the fixed display structure. Therefore, electronic devices with foldable or rollable displays are being studied.

[0203] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a flexible display configured such that the size of a first housing and / or a second housing can be expanded or reduced and an electronic device including the same can be provided.

[0204] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a flexible display and an electronic device including the same can be provided, wherein at least a portion of the housing is expandable as the state of the electronic device unfolds.

[0205] However, the problem to be solved in this disclosure is not limited to the problem mentioned above, and may be determined in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

[0206] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a flexible display and an electronic device including the same can be provided, wherein at least a portion of the housing can provide an expandable structure when the state of the housing changes from a folded state to an unfolded state.

[0207] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a flexible display and an electronic device including the same can be provided, wherein an area of ​​a display exposed to the outside of the electronic device is expandable as at least a portion of the housing is expanded.

[0208] 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 belongs from the description below.

[0209] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device (101) may include a first housing (210), a second housing (220), a first hinge assembly (300), or a flexible display (240). The first housing (210) may include a first sub-housing portion (211) or a second sub-housing portion (213). The second sub-housing portion (213) may be configured to move relative to the first sub-housing portion (211). At least a portion of the first hinge assembly (300) may be connected to the first housing (210) and the second housing (220). The flexible display (240) may be disposed on the first housing (210) and the second housing (220). The first hinge assembly (300) may include a hinge cover (301), a first pin gear (313), or a first link structure (317). The first pin gear (313) may be rotatably coupled to the hinge cover (301). The first link structure (317) may be dynamically connected to the first pin gear (313). The first link structure (317) may be configured to provide a force to move the second sub-housing portion (213) in a direction away from or toward the first sub-housing portion (211) based on the rotation of the first pin gear (313).

[0210] According to one embodiment, the first hinge assembly (300) may further include a hinge bracket (303), a first rotation gear (311), a first connection gear (312), or a first guide gear (315). The hinge bracket (303) may be disposed on the hinge cover (301). The first rotation gear (311) may be rotatably coupled to the hinge bracket (303). The first rotation gear (311) may be coupled to the first sub-housing portion (211). The first connection gear (312) may be connected to the first rotation gear (311) and the first pin gear (313). The first guide gear (315) may be connected to the first pin gear (313) and the first link structure (317).

[0211] According to one embodiment, the first pin gear (313) may include a first slit (3131). The first slit (3131) may be formed recessed in an outer surface of the first pin gear (313). The first guide gear (315) may include a first protruding portion (3151). The first protruding portion (3151) may be formed to protrude from at least a portion of the first guide gear (315). The first protruding portion (3151) may be inserted into the first slit (3131).

[0212] According to one embodiment, the first slit (3131) may extend in a spiral direction. When the first pin gear (313) rotates, the first guide gear (315) may be configured to move in a linear direction.

[0213] According to one embodiment, the first guide gear (315) may further include a first guide opening (3152). The first guide opening (3152) may be formed to penetrate another portion of the first guide gear (315). The first link structure (317) may include a first insertion portion (3172). The first insertion portion (3172) may be disposed in the first guide opening (3152).

[0214] According to one embodiment, the first link structure (317) may include a first-first fixing portion (3171) or a first-second fixing portion (3173). The first-first fixing portion (3171) may be coupled to the first sub-housing portion (211). The first-second fixing portion (3173) may be coupled to the second sub-housing portion (213).

[0215] According to one embodiment, the second housing (220) may include a third sub-housing portion (221) or a fourth sub-housing portion (223). The fourth sub-housing portion (223) may be configured to move relative to the third sub-housing portion (221).

[0216] According to one embodiment, the first hinge assembly (300) may further include a second pin gear (323) or a second link structure (327). The second pin gear (323) may be rotatably coupled to the hinge cover (301). The second link structure (327) may be dynamically connected to the second pin gear (323). The second link structure (327) may be configured to provide a force to move the fourth sub-housing portion (223) away from or toward the third sub-housing portion (221) based on the rotation of the second pin gear (323).

[0217] According to one embodiment, the first hinge assembly (300) may further include a second rotation gear (321), a second connection gear (322), or a second guide gear (325). The second rotation gear (321) may be rotatably coupled to the hinge bracket (303). The second rotation gear (321) may be coupled to the third sub-housing portion (221). The second connection gear (322) may be connected to the second rotation gear (321) and the second pin gear (323). The second guide gear (325) may be connected to the second pin gear (323) and the second link structure (327).

[0218] According to one embodiment, the flexible display (240) may include a first folding area (244), a first display area (241), or a second display area (242). The first folding area (244) may be disposed on the first hinge assembly (300). The first display area (241) may be connected to the first folding area (244). The first display area (241) may be disposed on the first housing (210). The second display area (242) may be connected to the first folding area (244). The second display area (242) may be disposed on the second housing (220).

[0219] According to one embodiment, the flexible display (240) may further include a first extension region (246). The first extension region (246) may extend from the first display region (241). When the second sub-housing portion (213) moves away from the first sub-housing portion (211), at least a portion of the first extension region (246) may be configured to move from the inside of the second sub-housing portion (213) to the outside of the second sub-housing portion (213).

[0220] According to one embodiment, the flexible display (240) may further include a second extension region (247). The second extension region (247) may extend from the second display region (242). When the fourth sub-housing portion (223) moves away from the third sub-housing portion (221), at least a portion of the second extension region (247) may be configured to move from the inside of the fourth sub-housing portion (223) to the outside of the third sub-housing portion (223).

[0221] According to one embodiment, the electronic device may further include a third housing (230) or a second hinge assembly (400). At least a portion of the second hinge assembly (400) may be connected to the second housing (220) and the third housing (230).

[0222] According to one embodiment, the flexible display (240) may further include a third display area (243) or a second folding area (245). The third display area (243) may be disposed on the third housing (230). The second folding area (245) may be disposed on the second hinge assembly (400). The second folding area (245) may be connected to the second display area (242) and the third display area (243).

[0223] According to one embodiment, the electronic device may further include a display support member (250). The display support member (250) may be configured to support the flexible display (240).

[0224] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device (101) may include a first housing (210), a second housing (220), a first hinge assembly (300), or a flexible display (240). The first housing (210) may include a first sub-housing portion (211) or a second sub-housing portion (213). The second sub-housing portion (213) may be configured to move relative to the first sub-housing portion (211). The second housing (220) may include a third sub-housing portion (221) or a fourth sub-housing portion (223). The fourth sub-housing portion (223) may be configured to move relative to the third sub-housing portion (221). The first hinge assembly (300) may be connected to the first housing (210) and the second housing (220). The flexible display (240) may be disposed on the first housing (210) and the second housing (220). The first hinge assembly (300) may include a hinge cover (301), a hinge bracket (303), a first hinge structure (310), or a second hinge structure (320). The hinge bracket (303) may be disposed on the hinge cover (301). The first hinge structure (310) may be at least partially disposed on the hinge cover (301). The first hinge structure (310) may be connected to the first housing (210). The second hinge structure (320) may be at least partially disposed on the hinge cover (301). The above second hinge structure (320) can be connected to the second housing (220).

[0225] According to one embodiment, the first hinge structure (310) may include a first pin gear (313) or a first link structure (317). The first pin gear (313) may be rotatably coupled to the hinge cover (301). The first link structure (317) may be dynamically connected to the first pin gear (313). The first link structure (317) may be configured to provide a force to move the second sub-housing portion (213) in a direction away from or toward the first sub-housing portion (211) based on the rotation of the first pin gear (313).

[0226] According to one embodiment, the first hinge structure (310) may further include a first rotation gear (311), a first connection gear (312), or a first guide gear (315). The first rotation gear (311) may be rotatably coupled to the hinge bracket (303). The first rotation gear (311) may be coupled to the first sub-housing portion (211). The first connection gear (312) may be connected to the first rotation gear (311) and the first pin gear (313). The first guide gear (315) may be connected to the first pin gear (313) and the first link structure (317).

[0227] According to one embodiment, the second hinge structure (320) may include a second pin gear (323) or a second link structure (327). The second pin gear (323) may be rotatably coupled to the hinge cover (301). The second link structure (327) may be dynamically connected to the second pin gear (323). The second link structure (327) may be configured to provide a force to move the fourth sub-housing portion (223) away from or toward the third sub-housing portion (221) based on the rotation of the second pin gear (323).

[0228] According to one embodiment, the second hinge structure (320) may further include a second rotation gear (321), a second connection gear (322), or a second guide gear (325). The second rotation gear (321) may be rotatably coupled to the hinge bracket (303). The second rotation gear (321) may be coupled to the third sub-housing portion (221). The second connection gear (322) may be connected to the second rotation gear (321) and the second pin gear (323). The second guide gear (325) may be connected to the second pin gear (323) and the second link structure (327).

[0229] Although the detailed description of this document has described specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of this document.

Claims

1. In an electronic device (101), A first housing (210) including a first sub-housing portion (211) and a second sub-housing portion (213) configured to move relative to the first sub-housing portion (211); Second housing (220); As a first hinge assembly (300), at least a part of the first hinge assembly (300) is connected to the first housing (210) and the second housing (220); and It includes a flexible display (240) arranged on the first housing (210) and the second housing (220), The above first hinge assembly (300) is Hinge cover (301); A first pin gear (313) rotatably coupled to the above hinge cover (301); and An electronic device including a first link structure (317) dynamically connected to the first pin gear (313), the first link structure (317) configured to provide force to move the second sub-housing portion (213) in a direction away from or closer to the first sub-housing portion (211) based on rotation of the first pin gear (313).

2. In paragraph 1, The above first hinge assembly (300) is A hinge bracket (303) arranged on the above hinge cover (301); A first rotation gear (311) rotatably coupled to the hinge bracket (303), the first rotation gear (311) coupled to the first sub-housing portion (211); A first connecting gear (312) connected to the first rotary gear (311) and the first pin gear (313); and An electronic device further comprising a first guide gear (315) connected to the first pin gear (313) and the first link structure (317).

3. In any one of paragraphs 1 and 2, The first pin gear (313) includes a first slit (3131) formed sunken into the outer surface of the first pin gear (313). The first guide gear (315) is an electronic device including a first protruding portion (3151) that is formed by protruding from at least a portion of the first guide gear (315), and a first protruding portion (3151) that is inserted into the first slit (3131).

4. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 3, The above first slit (3131) extends in a spiral direction, An electronic device configured such that when the first pin gear (313) rotates, the first guide gear (315) moves in a linear direction.

5. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 4, The above first guide gear (315) further includes a first guide opening (3152) formed penetrating another part of the above first guide gear (315), The first link structure (317) is an electronic device including a first insertion portion (3172) arranged in the first guide opening (3152).

6. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 5, The above first link structure (317) is A first-first fixed part (3171) coupled to the first sub-housing part (211); and An electronic device further comprising a first-second fixing portion (3173) coupled to the second sub-housing portion (213).

7. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 6, An electronic device in which the second housing (220) includes a third sub-housing portion (221) and a fourth sub-housing portion (223) configured to move relative to the third sub-housing portion (221).

8. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 7, The above first hinge assembly (300) is A second pin gear (323) rotatably coupled to the above hinge cover (301); and An electronic device further comprising a second link structure (327) dynamically connected to the second pin gear (323), the second link structure (327) configured to provide force to move the fourth sub-housing portion (223) in a direction away from or closer to the third sub-housing portion (221) based on rotation of the second pin gear (323).

9. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 8, The above first hinge assembly (300) is A second rotation gear (321) rotatably coupled to the above hinge bracket (303), the second rotation gear (321) coupled to the third sub-housing part (221); A second connecting gear (322) connected to the second rotating gear (321) and the second pin gear (323); and An electronic device further comprising a second guide gear (325) connected to the second pin gear (323) and the second link structure (327).

10. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 9, The above flexible display (240) is A first folding area (244) disposed on the first hinge assembly (300); A first display area (241) connected to the first folding area (244) and arranged on the first housing (210); and An electronic device including a second display area (242) connected to the first folding area (244) and arranged on the second housing (220).

11. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 10, The above flexible display (240) further includes a first extension area (246) extending from the first display area (241), An electronic device wherein when the second sub-housing portion (213) moves away from the first sub-housing portion (211), at least a portion of the first extension region (246) is configured to move from the inside of the second sub-housing portion (213) to the outside of the second sub-housing portion (213).

12. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 11, The above flexible display (240) further includes a second extension area (247) extending from the second display area (242), An electronic device wherein when the fourth sub-housing portion (223) moves away from the third sub-housing portion (221), at least a portion of the second extension region (247) is configured to move from the inside of the fourth sub-housing portion (223) to the outside of the third sub-housing portion (223).

13. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 12, 3rd housing (230); and An electronic device further comprising a second hinge assembly (400), wherein at least a portion of the second hinge assembly (400) is connected to the second housing (220) and the third housing (230).

14. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 13, The above flexible display (240) is A third display area (243) arranged on the third housing (230); and An electronic device further comprising a second folding area (245) disposed on the second hinge assembly (400), the second folding area (245) connected to the second display area (242) and the third display area (243).

15. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 14, An electronic device further comprising a display support member (250) configured to support the flexible display (240).

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