Rigid-flexible circuit board and electronic device comprising same

Abstract

A rigid-flexible printed circuit board, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, may be a rigid-flexible printed circuit board having a soft portion and a hard portion. The rigid-flexible printed circuit board may comprise a flexible substrate layer including at least one flexible conductor layer and at least one flexible insulating layer laminated on the at least one flexible conductor layer. The rigid-flexible printed circuit board may include, in the hard portion, a rigid insulating layer laminated on the flexible substrate layer and having higher rigidity than the flexible insulating layer. The rigid insulating layer may include a recessed portion formed by a side surface of the rigid insulating layer being indented at a boundary between the soft portion and the hard portion.

Description

Flexible circuit board and electronic device including same

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a printed circuit board, and more particularly, to a rigid-flexible circuit board and an electronic device including the same.

[0002] An electronic device may include a circuit board on which various electrical components are arranged. Among the components arranged on the circuit board, components such as switches, fingerprint sensors, cameras, and antennas may be arranged and oriented in various directions within the electronic device. Accordingly, the circuit board on which the components are arranged may be positioned in a bent or folded state within the electronic device. Furthermore, if the electronic device is a foldable electronic device having a plurality of foldable housings, the circuit board connecting the plurality of housings may be configured to be bendable.

[0003] Circuit boards requiring flexibility may include, for example, flexible printed circuit boards (FPCBs), which have layers of conductors laminated on a flexible base. While flexible printed circuit boards can be easily positioned along a curved path, they may lack the rigidity required to properly position electrical components. Therefore, circuit boards that can satisfy both the needs for high rigidity and flexibility, such as rigid-flexible printed circuit boards that have high rigidity in areas requiring rigidity and high flexibility in areas requiring flexibility, may be used.

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

[0005] When the flexible portion of a rigid-flex circuit board bends inside an electronic device, a bending moment may be applied to the flexible portion. When a high bending moment is applied to the flexible portion of a rigid-flex circuit board, strong stress may occur at the boundary between the soft portion and the rigid portion, which may result in breakage of the flexible portion of the rigid-flex circuit board and cracking of the conductors. To prevent such breakage and cracking, the length of the flexible portion of the rigid-flex circuit board can be increased so that the bending moment is distributed over a wide range. However, as the interior of electronic devices becomes narrower, the need for the flexible portion of the rigid-flex circuit board to bend tightly increases. Therefore, the risk of damage and cracking of the rigid-flex circuit board due to the high bending moment increases. Furthermore, increasing the length of the flexible portion of a rigid-flex circuit board within the limited internal space of an electronic device entails reducing the length of the rigid portion, which may result in a reduction in the area of ​​the rigid portion where electrical components are placed.

[0006] According to various embodiments of the present invention, a rigid-flexible circuit board and an electronic device including the same can be provided, wherein the risk of damage due to bending is reduced and the component placement space is increased.

[0007] An electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may be an electronic device including a circuit board having a soft portion and a hard portion. The circuit board may include a flexible substrate layer including at least one flexible conductor layer and at least one flexible insulating layer laminated on the at least one flexible conductor layer. The circuit board may include a rigid insulating layer laminated on the flexible substrate layer in the rigid portion of the circuit board and having higher rigidity than the flexible insulating layer. The rigid insulating layer may include a recessed portion formed by recessing a side surface of the rigid insulating layer at a boundary between the soft portion and the hard portion.

[0008] A rigid-flex printed circuit board according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may be a rigid-flex printed circuit board having a flexible portion and a rigid portion. The rigid-flex printed circuit board may include a flexible substrate layer including at least one flexible conductor layer and at least one flexible insulating layer laminated on the at least one flexible conductor layer. The rigid-flex printed circuit board may include, in the rigid portion, a rigid insulating layer laminated on the flexible substrate layer and having higher rigidity than the flexible insulating layer. The rigid insulating layer may include a recessed portion formed by recessing a side surface of the rigid insulating layer at a boundary between the soft portion and the rigid portion.

[0009] A manufacturing method according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing a rigid-flexible printed circuit board having a soft portion and a hard portion, the method including an operation of attaching a release film having a predetermined length on a flexible substrate. The manufacturing method may include an operation of laminating a prepreg on the flexible substrate to which the release film is attached. The manufacturing method may include an operation of removing the release film.

[0010] A flexible printed circuit board according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is a flexible printed circuit board having a soft portion and a rigid portion, and can be manufactured by a manufacturing method including an operation of attaching a release film having a predetermined length on a flexible substrate, an operation of laminating a prepreg on the flexible substrate to which the release film is attached, and an operation of removing the release film.

[0011] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, at the boundary between the soft portion and the hard portion, the side surface of the hard insulating layer of the hard portion is embedded, thereby enabling the soft portion to bend within the embedded portion. Accordingly, the bending moment applied to the soft portion is reduced, thereby reducing the risk of damage to the soft portion due to bending stress. In addition, the area on the surface of the hard portion where components can be mounted can be minimized or increased.

[0012] In connection with the description of the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used for the same or similar components.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary electronic device capable of performing the operations described herein.

[0014] FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, and 2E are diagrams illustrating electronic devices according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view showing an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present invention.

[0017] FIG. 4b is a cross-sectional view showing an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present invention.

[0018] FIG. 5a is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing a flexible printed circuit board according to various embodiments.

[0019] FIG. 5b is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing a flexible printed circuit board according to various embodiments.

[0020] FIG. 5c is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing a flexible printed circuit board according to various embodiments.

[0021] FIG. 5d is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing a flexible printed circuit board according to various embodiments.

[0022] FIGS. 6A to 6F are drawings showing operations for manufacturing a flexible printed circuit board according to various embodiments.

[0023] FIGS. 7A and 7B are schematic diagrams showing operations for manufacturing a flexible printed circuit board according to various embodiments.

[0024] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present disclosure. However, the present disclosure may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In connection with the description of the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used for identical or similar components. Furthermore, in the drawings and related descriptions, descriptions of well-known functions and configurations may be omitted for clarity and conciseness.

[0025] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary electronic device (100) capable of performing the operations described in this document.

[0026] Referring to FIG. 1, the electronic device (100) may be one of various forms of electronic devices, such as a notebook (190), smartphones (191) having various form factors (e.g., a bar-type smartphone (191-1), a foldable-type smartphone (191-2), or a sliderable (or rollable) type smartphone (191-3)), a tablet (192), a cellular phone (not shown), and other similar computing devices (not shown). The components, their relationships, and their functions illustrated in FIG. 1 are exemplary only and do not limit the implementations described or claimed in this document. The electronic device (100) may be referred to as a mobile device, a user device, a multi-function device, a portable device, or a server.

[0027] The electronic device (100) may include components including at least one processor (110) (hereinafter referred to as processor (110)), at least one memory (120) (hereinafter referred to as memory (120)), at least one display (140) (hereinafter referred to as display (140)), at least one image sensor (150) (hereinafter referred to as image sensor (150)), at least one communication circuit (160) (hereinafter referred to as communication circuit (160)), and / or at least one sensor (170) (hereinafter referred to as sensor (170)). The above components are merely exemplary. For example, the electronic device (100) may include other components (e.g., power management integrated circuitry (PMIC), audio processing circuitry, an antenna, a rechargeable battery, or an input / output interface). For example, some components may be omitted from the electronic device (100). For example, some components may be integrated into one component.

[0028] The processor (110) may be implemented as one or more IC (integrated circuit (or circuitry)) chips and may perform various data processing. The processor (110) may include at least one electrical circuit and may individually or collectively perform distributed processing of instructions (or programs, data) stored in the memory (120). The processor (110) may include a processor assembly including one or more processing circuits. The processor (110) may include any processing circuit operative to control the performance and operations of one or more components (e.g., the memory (120), the display (140), the image sensor (150), the communication circuit (160), and / or the sensor (170)) of the electronic device (100). For example, the processor (110) (e.g., the application processor (AP)) may be implemented as a system on chip (SoC) (e.g., a single chip or a chipset). For example, the processor (110) may be implemented with multiple cores (or at least one core circuit), multiple chips, or multiple chipsets. For example, the processor (110) may include one or more processing circuits. For example, the processor (110) may include one or more processing circuits configured to individually and / or collectively perform various functions of the present disclosure. As a non-limiting example, at least a portion of the processor (110) may be included in a first chip of the electronic device (100), and at least another portion of the processor (110) may be included in a second chip of the electronic device (100) that is different from the first chip of the electronic device (100).

[0029] For example, the processor (110) may include a central processing unit (CPU) (111), a graphics processing unit (GPU) (112), a neural processing unit (NPU) (113), an image signal processor (ISP) (114), a display controller (115), a memory controller (116), a storage controller (117), a communication processor (CP) (118), and / or a sensor interface (119). These components of the processor (110) are merely exemplary. For example, the processor (110) may further include other components. For example, some components of the processor (110) may be omitted from the processor (110). For example, some components of the processor (110) may be included as separate components of the electronic device (100) outside the processor (110). For example, some components of the processor (110) (e.g., memory controller (116)) may be included within other components (e.g., at least a portion of memory (120), an interface (e.g., available for connection to at least one component of the electronic device (100)), a display (140) and / or an image sensor (150)).

[0030] The processor (110) may cause other components of the electronic device (100) to perform various operations by executing instructions stored in the memory (120). The CPU (111) (or central processing circuit) may be configured to control components of the processor (110) based on the execution of instructions stored in the memory (120) (e.g., volatile memory (121) and / or non-volatile memory (122)). The GPU (112) (or graphics processing circuit) may be configured to execute parallel operations (e.g., rendering). The NPU (113) (or neural processing circuit, or artificial intelligence (AI) chip) may be configured to execute operations for an artificial intelligence model (e.g., convolution computation). The ISP (114) (or image signal processing circuit) may be configured to process a raw image acquired through the image sensor (150) into a format suitable for a component within the electronic device (100) or a component of the processor (110). The display controller (115) (or display control circuit, or display processing unit (DPU)) may be configured to process an image acquired from the CPU (111), the GPU (112), the ISP (114), or the memory (120) (e.g., the volatile memory (121)) into a format suitable for the display (140). The memory controller (116) (or memory control circuit) may be configured to control reading data from the volatile memory (121) and writing data to the volatile memory (121). The storage controller (117) (or storage control circuit) may be configured to control reading data from the nonvolatile memory (122) and writing data to the nonvolatile memory (122).The CP (118) (communication processing circuit) may be configured to process data acquired from a component of the processor (110) into a format suitable for transmission to another electronic device via the communication circuit (160), or to process data acquired from another electronic device via the communication circuit (160) into a format suitable for processing by the component of the processor (110). For example, the communication circuit (160) may include one or more communication circuits. The sensor interface (119) (or sensing data processing circuit, sensor hub) may be configured to process data about the state of the electronic device (100) and / or the state of the surroundings of the electronic device (100), acquired via the sensor (170), into a format suitable for the component of the processor (110).

[0031] The memory (120) may include one or more storage media (or one or more storage devices). For example, the memory (120) may include a memory assembly including one or more storage media. For example, the one or more storage media may include permanent memory (e.g., non-volatile memory (122)) such as a hard drive, flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), semi-permanent memory (e.g., volatile memory (121)) such as random access memory (RAM), any other suitable type of storage (or storage assembly), or any combination thereof. The memory (120) may include cache memory, which is one or more different types of memory used to temporarily store data for a function or feature of the electronic device (100). As a non-limiting example, the cache memory may be included within the processor (110). The memory (120) may be fixedly embedded within the electronic device (100) or incorporated into one or more suitable types of components (e.g., a subscriber identity module (SIM) card and / or a secure digital (SD) card) that may be repeatedly inserted into and removed from the electronic device (100).

[0032] For example, the memory (120) may store one or more software applications, such as an operating system (or system) software application, a firmware software application, a driver software application, a plug-in (e.g., add-in, add-on, and / or applet) software application, and / or any other suitable software applications. For example, the one or more software applications may include instructions executable by the processor (110). For example, the memory (120) may store instructions callable by an application programming interface (API). For example, the memory (120) may store instructions within a library.

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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).

[0036] 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.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the method according to various embodiments disclosed in the present 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.

[0038] 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 separately arranged 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.

[0039] FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, and 2E are diagrams illustrating an electronic device (200) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0040] FIG. 2A is a perspective view of an electronic device in a flat state (or unfolded state) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2B is a plan view illustrating a front side of an electronic device in a flat state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2C is a plan view illustrating a rear side of an electronic device in a unfolded state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2D is a perspective view of an electronic device in a folded state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2E is a perspective view of an electronic device in an intermediate state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] Referring to FIGS. 2A to 2E, the electronic device (200) may include first and second housings (210, 220) (e.g., a foldable housing structure) that are foldably coupled to each other based on a hinge device (e.g., the hinge device (240) of FIG. 2B). In one embodiment, the hinge device (e.g., the hinge device (240) of FIG. 2B) may be arranged in the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction. In one embodiment, the electronic device (200) may include a first display (230) (e.g., a flexible display, a foldable display, or a main display) arranged in a region (e.g., a recess) formed by the first and second housings (210, 220). In one embodiment, the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be arranged on both sides with respect to the folding axis (F) as the center, and may have a shape that is substantially symmetrical with respect to the folding axis (F). In one embodiment, the angle or distance between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may vary depending on the state of the electronic device (200). For example, the angle or distance between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may vary depending on whether the electronic device is in a flat state or unfolded state, a folded state, or an intermediate state.

[0042] In one embodiment, the first housing (210) may include a first surface (211) facing a first direction (e.g., a front direction) (z-axis direction) in an unfolded state of the electronic device (200) and a second surface (212) facing a second direction (e.g., a rear direction) (-z-axis direction) opposite to the first surface (211). In one embodiment, the second housing (220) may include a third surface (221) facing a first direction (z-axis direction) and a fourth surface (222) facing a second direction (-z-axis direction) in an unfolded state of the electronic device (200). In one embodiment, in the unfolded state of the electronic device (200), the first side (211) of the first housing (210) and the third side (221) of the second housing (220) may face substantially the same first direction (z-axis direction). In one embodiment, in the folded state of the electronic device (200), the first side (211) of the first housing (210) and the third side (221) of the second housing (220) may face each other. In one embodiment, in the unfolded state of the electronic device (200), the second side (212) of the first housing (210) and the fourth side (222) of the second housing (220) may face substantially the same second direction (-z-axis direction). In one embodiment, in the folded state of the electronic device (200), the second side (212) of the first housing and the fourth side (222) of the second housing (220) may face in opposite directions. For example, in the folded state of the electronic device (200), the second side (212) may face the first direction (z-axis direction) and the fourth side (222) may face the second direction (-z-axis direction). In this case, the first display (230) may not be visible from the outside (in folding mode). In one embodiment, the electronic device (200) may be folded such that the second side (112) of the first housing (210) and the fourth side (222) of the second housing (220) face each other. In this case, the first display (230) may be arranged to be visible from the outside (out folding mode).

[0043] According to one embodiment, the first housing (210) (e.g., the first housing structure) may include a first side member (213) that at least partially forms an exterior of the electronic device (200) and a first rear cover (214) that is coupled to the first side member (213) and forms at least a portion of a second side (212) of the electronic device (200). In one embodiment, the first side member (213) may include a first side surface (213a), a second side surface (213b) extending from one end of the first side surface (213a), and a third side surface (213c) extending from the other end of the first side surface (213a). In one embodiment, the first side member (213) may be formed into a rectangular (e.g., square or rectangular) shape through the first side (213a), the second side (213b), and the third side (213c).

[0044] According to one embodiment, the second housing (220) (e.g., the second housing structure) may include a second side member (223) that at least partially forms an exterior of the electronic device (200) and a second rear cover (224) that is coupled to the second side member (223) and forms at least a portion of a fourth side (222) of the electronic device (200). In one embodiment, the second side member (223) may include a fourth side (223a), a fifth side (223b) extending from one end of the fourth side (223a), and a sixth side (223c) extending from the other end of the fourth side (223a). In one embodiment, the second side member (223) may be formed into a rectangular shape through the fourth side (223a), the fifth side (223b), and the sixth side (223c).

[0045] According to one embodiment, the first and second housings (210, 220) are not limited to the shapes and combinations shown, and may be implemented by other shapes or combinations and / or combinations of parts. In one embodiment, the first side member (213) may be formed integrally with the first rear cover (214), and the second side member (223) may be formed integrally with the second rear cover (224).

[0046] According to one embodiment, in the unfolded state of the electronic device (200), the second side (213b) of the first side member (213) and the fifth side (223b) of the second side member (223) may be connected without a gap. In one embodiment, in the unfolded state of the electronic device (200), the third side (213c) of the first side member (213) and the sixth side (223c) of the second side member (223) may be connected without a gap. In one embodiment, in the unfolded state of the electronic device (200), the sum of the lengths of the second side (213b) and the fifth side (223b) may be configured to be longer than the lengths of the first side (213a) and / or the fourth side (223a). In one embodiment, in the unfolded state of the electronic device (200), the sum of the lengths of the third side (213c) and the sixth side (223c) may be configured to be longer than the lengths of the first side (213a) and / or the fourth side (223a).

[0047] Referring to FIGS. 2d and 2e, the first side member (213) and / or the second side member (223) may be formed of metal or may further include a polymer that is injected into the metal. In one embodiment, the first side member (213) and / or the second side member (223) may also include at least one conductive portion (216 and / or 226) that is electrically segmented via at least one segment (2161, 2162 and / or 2261, 2262) formed of polymer. In such a case, the at least one conductive portion (216 and / or 226) may be used as at least a portion of an antenna that operates in at least one designated band (e.g., a legacy band) by being electrically connected to a wireless communication circuit included in the electronic device (200).

[0048] According to one embodiment, the first rear cover (214) and / or the second rear cover (224) may be formed by, for example, at least one or a combination of two of coated or colored glass, ceramic, polymer, or metal (e.g., aluminum, stainless steel (STS), or magnesium).

[0049] In one embodiment, the first display (230) may be arranged to extend from a first side (211) of the first housing (210) across a hinge device (e.g., hinge device (240) of FIG. 2B) to at least a portion of a third side (221) of the second housing (220). In one embodiment, the first display (230) may include a first region (230a) substantially corresponding to the first side (211), a second region (230b) substantially corresponding to the second side (212), and a third region (230c) (e.g., a bendable region or a folding region) connecting the first region (230a) and the second region (230b). In one embodiment, the third region (230c) may be disposed at a position corresponding to a hinge device (e.g., hinge device (240) of FIG. 2B) as part of the first region (230a) and / or the second region (230b). In one embodiment, the electronic device (200) may include a hinge housing (241) (e.g., hinge cover) that supports the hinge device (e.g., hinge device (240) of FIG. 2B). In one embodiment, the hinge housing (241) may be disposed so as to be exposed to the outside when the electronic device (200) is in a folded state, and may be inserted into the internal space of the first housing (210) and the internal space of the second housing (220) when the electronic device (200) is in an unfolded state, thereby being invisible from the outside.

[0050] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (200) may include a second display (231) (e.g., a sub-display) that is arranged separately from the first display (230). In one embodiment, the second display (231) may be arranged so as to be at least partially exposed on the second side (212) of the first housing (210). In one embodiment, when the electronic device (200) is in a folded state, the second display (231) may replace at least a portion of the display function of the first display (230) to display at least a portion of status information of the electronic device (200). In one embodiment, the second display (231) may be arranged so as to be visible from the outside through at least a portion of the first rear cover (214). In one embodiment, the second display (231) may also be arranged on the fourth side (222) of the second housing (220). In this case, the second display (231) may be arranged to be visible from the outside through at least a portion of the second rear cover (224).

[0051] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (200) may include at least one of an input device (203) (e.g., a microphone), an audio output device (201, 202), a sensor module (204), a camera device (205, 208), a key input device (206), or a connector port (207). In the illustrated embodiment, the input device (203) (e.g., a microphone), an audio output device (201, 202), a sensor module (204), a camera device (205, 208), a key input device (206), or a connector port (207) is illustrated as a hole or a circular element formed in the first housing (210) or the second housing (220), but this is an exemplary illustration for description and is not limited thereto. According to one embodiment, the input device (203) may include at least one microphone (203) disposed in the second housing (220). In one embodiment, the input device (203) may include a plurality of microphones (203) arranged to detect the direction of sound. In one embodiment, the plurality of microphones (203) may be arranged at appropriate locations in the first housing (210) and / or the second housing (220). In one embodiment, the audio output device (201, 202) may include at least one speaker (201, 202). In one embodiment, the at least one speaker (201, 202) may include a call receiver (201) arranged in the first housing (210) and a speaker (202) arranged in the second housing (220). In one embodiment, the input device (203), the audio output device (201, 202), and the connector port (207) are arranged in a space provided in the first housing (210) and / or the second housing (220) of the electronic device (200), and can be exposed to the external environment through at least one hole formed in the first housing (210) and / or the second housing (220). In one embodiment, at least one connector port (207) can be used to transmit and receive power and / or data with an external electronic device.In one embodiment, at least one connector port (e.g., an ear jack hole) may accommodate a connector (e.g., an ear jack) for transmitting and receiving audio signals with an external electronic device. In one embodiment, the holes formed in the first housing (210) and / or the second housing (220) may be shared for the input device (203) and the audio output devices (201, 202). In one embodiment, the audio output devices (201, 202) may include a speaker (e.g., a piezo speaker) that is not exposed through the holes formed in the first housing (210) and / or the second housing (220).

[0052] According to one embodiment, the sensor module (204) may generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to an internal operating state of the electronic device (200) or an external environmental state. In one embodiment, the sensor module (204) may detect an external environment through a first surface (211) of the first housing (210). In one embodiment, the electronic device (200) may further include at least one sensor module arranged to detect the external environment through a second surface (212) of the first housing (210). In one embodiment, the sensor module (204) (e.g., an illuminance sensor) may be arranged under the first display (230) to detect the external environment through the first display (230). In one embodiment, the sensor module (204) may include at least one of a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, a pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a color sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an ambient light sensor, a proximity sensor, a biometric sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or an ambient light sensor (204).

[0053] According to one embodiment, the camera devices (205, 208) may include a first camera device (205) (e.g., a front camera device) disposed on a first side (211) of the first housing (210) and a second camera device (208) disposed on a second side (212) of the first housing (210). In one embodiment, the electronic device (200) may further include a flash (209) disposed near the second camera device (208). In one embodiment, the camera devices (205, 208) may include at least one lens, an image sensor, and / or an image signal processor. In one embodiment, the camera device (205, 208) may be arranged such that two or more lenses (e.g., a wide-angle lens, an ultra-wide-angle lens, or a telephoto lens) and two or more image sensors are positioned on one side (e.g., a first side (211), a second side (212), a third side (221), or a fourth side (222)) of the electronic device (200). In one embodiment, the camera device (205, 208) may also include lenses and / or image sensors for time of flight (TOF).

[0054] According to one embodiment, the key input device (206) (e.g., a key button) may be disposed on a third side (213c) of the first side member (213) of the first housing (210). In one embodiment, the key input device (206) may also be disposed on at least one of the other sides (213a, 213b) of the first housing (210) and / or the sides (223a, 223b, 223c) of the second housing (220). In one embodiment, the electronic device (200) may not include some or all of the key input devices (206), and the key input devices (206) that are not included may be implemented in another form, such as a soft key, on the first display (230). In one embodiment, the key input device (206) may be implemented using a pressure sensor included in the first display (230).

[0055] According to one embodiment, some of the camera devices (205, 208) (e.g., the first camera device (205)) or the sensor module (204) may be arranged to be exposed through the first display (230). In one embodiment, the first camera device (205) or the sensor module (204) may be optically exposed to the outside through an opening (e.g., a through hole) at least partially formed in the first display (230) in the internal space of the electronic device (200). In one embodiment, at least a portion of the sensor module (204) may be arranged so as not to be visually exposed through the first display (230) in the internal space of the electronic device (200). Referring to FIG. 2B, the electronic device (200) may be operable to maintain at least one designated folding angle in an intermediate state through a hinge device (e.g., the hinge device (240) of FIG. 2B). In this case, the electronic device (200) can control the first display (230) to display different contents in the display area corresponding to the first side (211) and the display area corresponding to the third side (221). In one embodiment, the electronic device (200) can operate in a substantially unfolded state (e.g., unfolded state of FIG. 2a) and / or a substantially folded state (e.g., folded state of FIG. 2d) based on a certain folding angle (e.g., angle between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) when the electronic device (200) is in an intermediate state) through a hinge device (e.g., hinge device (240) of FIG. 2b). In one embodiment, the electronic device (200) can be operated to transition from an unfolded state (e.g., the unfolded state of FIG. 2a) to an unfolded state (e.g., the unfolded state of FIG. 2a) when a pressure is applied in the unfolding direction (B1 direction) from an unfolded state at a constant folding angle through a hinge device (e.g., the hinge device (240) of FIG. 2b).In one embodiment, the electronic device (200) can be operated to transition to a folded state (e.g., the folded state of FIG. 2d) when a pressure is applied in the folding direction (B2 direction) from an unfolded state at a certain folding angle through a hinge device (e.g., the hinge device (240) of FIG. 2b). In one embodiment, the electronic device (200) can be operated to maintain an unfolded state (not shown) at various folding angles through a hinge device (e.g., the hinge device (240) of FIG. 2b) (free stop function).

[0056] FIG. 3 is a drawing showing an electronic device (300) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0057] Referring to FIG. 3, an electronic device (300) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1, the electronic device (200) of FIGS. 2A to 2E) may include a first housing (310), a second housing (320), a rigid-flexible printed circuit board (401) (e.g., a first rigid-flexible printed circuit board (330) and a second rigid-flexible printed circuit board (340)), a first printed circuit board (350), and / or a second printed circuit board (360). The electronic device (300) may be a foldable device. The first housing (310) and the second housing (320) may be foldably coupled to each other with respect to a folding axis (F).

[0058] In various embodiments, the electronic device (300) may include a folding area (300a) positioned between a first housing (310) and a second housing (320). A hinge that allows the first housing (310) and the second housing (320) to rotate may be positioned in the folding area (300a). The first housing (310) and the second housing (320) may be rotatably connected to each other via the hinge.

[0059] In various embodiments, the first printed circuit board (350) may be disposed in the first housing (310). The second printed circuit board (360) may be disposed in the second housing (320).

[0060] In various embodiments, a processor (110, see FIG. 1) and / or a memory (120, see FIG. 1) may be disposed on the first printed circuit board (350) and / or the second printed circuit board (360). The processor (110, see FIG. 1) may include a main processor (111, see FIG. 1) (e.g., a central processing unit or processor) or auxiliary processors (112 to 119, see FIG. 1) operable independently or in conjunction therewith (e.g., a graphics processing unit, a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor). The memory (120, see FIG. 1) may include a volatile memory (121, see FIG. 1) or a nonvolatile memory (122, see FIG. 1).

[0061] In various embodiments, the first rigid-flex printed circuit board (330) may be disposed in the first housing (310) and the second housing (320). The first rigid-flex printed circuit board (330) may extend from the first housing (310) through the folding area (300a) toward the second housing (320).

[0062] In various embodiments, one end of the first rigid-flexible printed circuit board (330) may be connected to the first printed circuit board (350), and the other end of the first rigid-flexible printed circuit board (330) may be connected to the second printed circuit board (360). The first rigid-flexible printed circuit board (330) may electrically connect the first printed circuit board (350) and the second printed circuit board (360).

[0063] In various embodiments, a second flexible printed circuit board (340) may be disposed in the first housing (310). The second flexible printed circuit board (340) may be a member that electrically connects various electrical components, such as the key member (309) and the first printed circuit board (350). In various embodiments, the second flexible printed circuit board (340) may be a member on which various electrical components are disposed to assist in transmitting an input signal of the first key member (309) to a component disposed in the first printed circuit board (350), such as the processor (110) of FIG. 1.

[0064] FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view showing an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present invention.

[0065] FIG. 4b is a cross-sectional view showing an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present invention.

[0066] Fig. 4a illustrates a cross-section along the WW direction of Fig. 3, and Fig. 4b illustrates a cross-section along the VV direction of Fig. 3. In Fig. 4a, some parts are omitted for clarity.

[0067] Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B , an electronic device according to various embodiments (e.g., an electronic device (100) of FIG. 1 , an electronic device (200) of FIGS. 2A to 2E , and an electronic device (300) of FIG. 3 ) may include a rigid-flexible printed circuit board (401). The rigid-flexible printed circuit board (401) may include a rigid portion (403) (which may also be referred to as a rigid portion) and a soft portion (402) (which may also be referred to as a flexible portion). The rigid portion (403) may be a portion having relatively high rigidity compared to the soft portion (402) described below. The rigid portion (403) may be a portion that provides a surface on which various electrical components (e.g., elements such as resistors, chip capacitors, chip inductors, PMICs, and / or analog-to-digital converters (ADCs)) are placed.

[0068] The soft portion (402) may be arranged in a curved state within the electronic device, or may be arranged to be curved by changes in the shape of the electronic device (e.g., folding and unfolding operations of a foldable electronic device).

[0069] In various embodiments, the electronic device may include a hinge housing (308) that protects the folding area (300a). A soft portion (402) of a rigid-flex printed circuit board (401) may extend from a first housing (310) to a second housing (320) through the interior of the hinge housing (308). A hard portion (403) of the rigid-flex printed circuit board (401) may be disposed in the first housing (310) and / or the second housing (320).

[0070] In various embodiments, the electronic device may include a key member (309). A housing of the electronic device (e.g., a first housing (310)) may include a side frame (311) covering a side surface of the electronic device (e.g., an x-direction surface and / or a -x-direction surface) and an interior frame (312) coupled with the side frame (311) and supporting components of the electronic device in a front direction (e.g., a z-direction) within the electronic device. The key member (309) may be exposed to the side surface of the electronic device through an opening formed in the side frame (311). In various embodiments, the key member (309) may be a fingerprint key integrated with a sensor (e.g., a fingerprint recognition sensor). In various embodiments, the key member (309) may be integrated with a haptic module configured to provide haptic feedback to a user. In various embodiments, the key member (309) may be a volume key for adjusting the volume of the electronic device, a power key for controlling the power of the electronic device and turning the screen on / off, and / or a function key for invoking various functions such as voice recognition AI (artificial intelligence). In addition, in various embodiments, the electronic device may include various components (including but not limited to an antenna module, a haptic module, a microphone, a speaker, and / or a wired connection terminal) arranged to face the side of the housing.

[0071] In various embodiments, the key member (309) may be disposed on the rigid portion (403) of the rigid-flex printed circuit board (401). The rigid portion (403) of the rigid-flex printed circuit board (401) may be oriented such that one side faces the same direction as the orientation direction of the key member (309). For example, the rigid portion (403) may be disposed substantially parallel to the side frame (311). The flexible portion (402) of the rigid-flex printed circuit board may extend from the rigid portion (403) and be curved such that one side becomes substantially parallel to the inner frame (312). In order to reduce the thickness (z-direction dimension) of the electronic device, the curve of the flexible portion (402) may need to be steeper. (For example, the soft portion (402) may need to be bent to have a narrower radius of curvature.) In various embodiments, various components (including, but not limited to, an antenna module, a haptic module, a microphone, a speaker, and / or a wired connection terminal) positioned toward the side of the housing may be positioned on the hard portion (403) of the flexible printed circuit board (401).

[0072] FIG. 5a is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing a flexible printed circuit board (401) according to various embodiments.

[0073] FIG. 5b is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing a flexible printed circuit board (401) according to various embodiments.

[0074] FIG. 5c is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing a flexible printed circuit board (401) according to various embodiments.

[0075] FIG. 5d is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing a flexible printed circuit board (401) according to various embodiments.

[0076] Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B , a flexible printed circuit board (401) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may include a flexible substrate layer (410). The flexible substrate layer (410) may be positioned on a flexible portion (402) and a rigid portion (403). The flexible substrate layer (410) may include at least one flexible conductor layer (411) and a flexible insulating layer (412) having a flexible non-conductive material (e.g., polyimide film). In various embodiments, a coverlay layer (413) and a coverlay adhesive layer (414) that adheres the coverlay layer (413) to the flexible conductor layer (411) and the flexible insulating layer (412) may be positioned on the flexible conductor layer (411). In various embodiments, the flexible substrate layer (410) may be a laminate of at least one single-sided flexible copper clad laminate (FCCL) and / or a double-sided FCCL. The flexible portion (402) of the rigid printed circuit board (401) may be a portion formed by the flexible substrate layer (410).

[0077] In various embodiments, the rigid-flex printed circuit board (401) may include a rigid insulating layer (420). The rigid insulating layer (420) may be positioned on a rigid portion (403) of the rigid-flex printed circuit board (401). The rigid insulating layer (420) may include, for example, a rigid resin matrix and a reinforcing material (e.g., inorganic particles and / or fibers) dispersed in the rigid resin matrix. In various embodiments, the rigid insulating layer (420) may be formed by curing a prepreg in which the reinforcing material and the resin are mixed.

[0078] In various embodiments, the rigid insulating layer (420) may include a recessed portion (421). The recessed portion (421) may be a portion formed by recessing a side surface of the rigid insulating layer (420) at the boundary between the soft portion (402) and the rigid portion (403).

[0079] In various embodiments, the recessed distance of the recessed portion (421) may increase as it gets closer to the flexible substrate layer (410) in the thickness direction (z-axis direction) of the rigid printed circuit board (401). For example, the recessed portion (421) may have a stepped shape in which the recessed distance increases stepwise toward the side of the rigid insulating layer (e.g., in the y-axis direction in FIGS. 5A to 5C) as it gets closer to the flexible substrate layer (410) in the thickness direction (z-axis direction), as illustrated in FIG. 5A. In addition, for example, the recessed portion (421) may have a slanted shape such that the recessed distance continuously increases as it gets closer to the flexible substrate layer (410), as illustrated in FIG. 5B. For example, at the boundary between the hard portion (403) and the soft portion (402), the side surface of the hard insulating layer (420) may form an acute angle (θ) smaller than a right angle.

[0080] In various embodiments, a conductor layer (430) and a cover layer (432) (e.g., a photo solder resist (PSR) layer) may be disposed on the rigid insulating layer (420). The conductor layer (430) may be electrically connected to various electrical components (e.g., devices such as key switches, resistors, chip capacitors, chip inductors, PMICs, and / or ADCs) disposed on the rigid insulating layer (420). In various embodiments, one or more conductor layers (430) may be laminated on the rigid insulating layer (420). In various embodiments, a substrate layer of an insulating material (e.g., polyimide) may be laminated on each conductor layer (430) on the rigid insulating layer (420).

[0081] Referring to FIG. 5C, when bending is applied to the soft portion (402) of the rigid-flexible printed circuit board (401), the bending moment can be distributed in the longitudinal direction (e.g., y direction) of the soft portion (402). According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the length of the bendable region of the flexible substrate layer (410) is increased by the distance (L) by which the recessed portion (421) is recessed, and thus the bending moment can be distributed over a wider range, thereby reducing the stress applied to the flexible substrate layer (410). Accordingly, the risk of damage to the rigid-flexible printed circuit board (401) can be reduced. In addition, the risk of cracking of the flexible conductor layer (411) caused by the concentration of stress at the boundary between the rigid portion (403) and the soft portion (402) can be reduced.

[0082] In addition, the distance (L) at which the side surface of the rigid insulating layer (420) is lateral (e.g., in the y-axis direction in FIGS. 5A to 5C) in the various recessed portions (421) decreases as it gets farther away from the flexible substrate layer (410) in the thickness direction (z-axis direction), so that the area of ​​the upper surface (the surface on which the conductor layer 430 is laminated) of the rigid insulating layer (420) can be wider than the lower surface (the surface in contact with the flexible substrate layer (410). Therefore, according to the present invention, a sufficient length for stress distribution of the flexible substrate layer is secured, and an area for laminating a conductor layer on the rigid insulating layer (420) and arranging various electrical components can be secured.

[0083] Referring to FIG. 5d, in various embodiments, the inner surface of the recessed portion (421) may have a curved shape. For example, the depth (L) of the recessed portion may be continuously changed so that the side surface of the rigid insulating layer (420) has a curvature (R). The curvature (R) of the inner surface of the recessed portion may have a constant value and / or may vary. The shape of the inner surface of the recessed portion may have a shape such as an arc, an ellipse, a parabola, and / or a hyperbola. By having a curved shape on the side surface of the rigid insulating layer (420), when the flexible substrate layer (410) is bent, stress can be effectively distributed over a wide range. In various embodiments, the shape of the recessed portion (421) may be formed such that, at a portion where the side surface of the rigid insulating layer (420) and the surface of the flexible substrate layer (410) come into contact, a tangent line of the side surface of the rigid insulating layer (420) is substantially parallel to the surface of the flexible substrate layer (410). Accordingly, the stress applied to the flexible substrate layer (410) can be dispersed at a portion where the side surface of the rigid insulating layer (420) and the surface of the flexible substrate layer (410) come into contact with each other.

[0084] FIGS. 6A to 6F are drawings showing operations for manufacturing a flexible printed circuit board (401) according to various embodiments.

[0085] Referring to FIG. 6A, in order to manufacture a flexible printed circuit board (401), an operation of laminating a release film (510) (e.g., a first release film (511)) on a flexible substrate layer (410) may be performed. The flexible substrate layer (410) may be a flexible circuit board in which a circuit is formed on an FCCL by a means such as etching and a coverlay layer (413) is laminated. The release film (510) may be a film made of a polymer material such as, for example, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyolefin, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, and / or polyvinyl alcohol.

[0086] Referring to FIG. 6B, a prepreg (520) may be laminated on a flexible substrate layer (410) on which a release film (510) is laminated. The prepreg (520) may be impregnated with a filler (e.g., inorganic particles, fibers (polymer fibers and / or glass fibers), and / or fabric) and a resin. When cured, the prepreg (520) may form a rigid insulating layer (420) of a rigid-flexible printed circuit board (401).

[0087] In various embodiments, the operation of laminating the prepreg (520) may additionally include an operation of pressing the prepreg (520) after laminating the prepreg (520). Furthermore, in various embodiments, the operation of laminating the prepreg (520) may additionally include an operation of removing the prepreg (520) on the release film (510) after laminating the prepreg (520). Removal of the prepreg (520) may be performed by means such as cutting with a blade.

[0088] Referring to FIG. 6c, a second peeling film (512) may be additionally laminated on a peeling film (510) (e.g., a first peeling film (511)). The second peeling film (512) may have a smaller longitudinal dimension (e.g., in the y-axis direction) than a peeling film (510) (e.g., a first peeling film (511)) positioned below the second peeling film (512).

[0089] After the second release film (512) is laminated, an additional process of laminating a prepreg (520) on the flexible substrate layer (410) on which the second release film (512) is laminated may be performed. After the prepreg (520) is laminated, an operation of removing the prepreg (520) on the second release film (512) by pressing the prepreg (520) or cutting the prepreg (520) may be additionally performed.

[0090] Referring to FIG. 6d, an operation of forming a conductor layer on a prepreg (520) and a release film (510) (e.g., a second release film (512)) may be performed. The conductor layer may be formed by laminating a laminate film in which a conductor layer and a substrate layer are laminated, such as a copper clad laminate (CCL) or FCCL. In various embodiments, the conductor of the laminate film may be patterned by a means such as etching.

[0091] Referring to FIG. 6e, a cutting and removal operation can be performed on the laminated conductor layer. When cutting and removing the conductor layer, the laminated substrate layer can be cut and removed together with the conductor layer. The cutting can be performed on the boundary area between the rigid portion and the flexible portion of the flexible printed circuit board (401). The cutting can be performed by a means such as a blade mold (501).

[0092] Referring to FIG. 6F, the release film (510) (e.g., the first release film (511) and the second release film (512)) can be removed. By removing the release film (510), a recessed portion (421) can be formed on the side surface of the prepreg (520). In various embodiments, the release film (510) can be removed by attaching it to an adhesive tape and then peeling it off. In addition, in various embodiments, the release film (510) can be removed by dissolving it with a solvent.

[0093] In various embodiments, the number of release films (510) and the longitudinal dimension (e.g., y-axis dimension) of each release film (510) may be determined according to the shape of the recessed portion (421). For example, when manufacturing a flexible printed circuit board (401) so that the shape of the recessed portion (421) has a single-stepped shape as illustrated in FIG. 6F, two release films (510) having different lengths may be used as illustrated in FIG. 6C. In addition, when manufacturing a flexible printed circuit board (401) so that the shape of the recessed portion (421) has a two-stepped shape as illustrated in FIG. 5A, for example, by using three release films (510) having different lengths, a flexible printed circuit board (401) having a recessed portion (421) having a two-stepped shape may be manufactured.

[0094] FIGS. 7A and 7B are schematic diagrams showing operations for manufacturing a flexible printed circuit board (401) according to various embodiments.

[0095] Referring to FIGS. 7A and 7B, the side shape (e.g., the shape of the side facing the y-axis direction) of the release film (510) laminated on the flexible substrate layer (410) may have a shape corresponding to the side shape of the recessed portion (421). For example, the release film (510) may have a length of a side facing the flexible substrate that is longer than a side positioned in the opposite direction of the flexible substrate, such that the recessed distance of the recessed portion (421) increases as it approaches the flexible substrate layer (410) in the thickness direction (z-axis direction) of the flexible circuit board, as illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B.

[0096] For example, referring to FIG. 7a, the side surface of the release film (510) may have a step shape corresponding to the step-shaped recessed portion (421). In addition, referring to FIG. 7b, for example, the side surface of the release film (510) may have an angle (θ) corresponding to the angle (e.g., θ in FIG. 5b) of the inclined recessed portion (421). Accordingly, by laminating a prepreg (520) on a flexible substrate layer (410) on which a release film (510) having the corresponding shape described above is laminated, a rigid-flexible printed circuit board (401) including a rigid insulating layer (420) having the recessed portion (421) of the shape described above can be manufactured.

[0097] In various embodiments, the operation of removing the release film (510) may be performed after the resin of the prepreg (520) has been cured. Therefore, when removing the release film (510), the shape of the recessed portion (421) formed in the uncured prepreg (520) can be prevented from collapsing during the process of detaching the release film (510).

[0098] A rigid-flex printed circuit board according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may be a rigid-flex printed circuit board having a flexible portion (402) and a rigid portion (403). The rigid-flex printed circuit board may include a flexible substrate layer (410) including at least one flexible conductor layer (411) and at least one flexible insulating layer (412) laminated on the at least one flexible conductor layer (411). The rigid-flex printed circuit board may include a rigid insulating layer (420) laminated on the flexible substrate layer (410) in the rigid portion (403) and having higher rigidity than the flexible insulating layer (412). The rigid insulating layer (420) may include a recessed portion (421) formed by recessing a side surface of the rigid insulating layer (420) at a boundary between the soft portion (402) and the rigid portion (403).

[0099] In various embodiments, the recessed portion (421) may have an increased recessed distance as it gets closer to the flexible substrate layer (410) in the thickness direction of the circuit board (401).

[0100] In various embodiments, the recessed portion (421) may have a step shape in which the recessed distance gradually increases as it gets closer to the flexible substrate layer (410) based on the thickness direction of the circuit board (401).

[0101] In various embodiments, the recessed portion (421) may have a shape forming an acute angle (θ) with respect to the surface of the flexible substrate layer (410) such that the recessed distance continuously increases as it gets closer to the flexible substrate layer (410) based on the thickness direction of the circuit board (401).

[0102] In various embodiments, the electronic device includes an inner frame having a face facing a first direction and a side frame arranged perpendicular to the face facing the first direction,

[0103] The hard portion (403) may be positioned parallel to the side frame, and the soft portion (402) may be positioned within the electronic device so as to be bent at least partially parallel to the surface facing the first direction.

[0104] In various embodiments, the rigid-flex printed circuit board may include a conductor layer positioned on the rigid insulating layer (420) in the rigid portion (403) and an electrical component disposed on the rigid portion (403) and electrically connected to the conductor layer.

[0105] In various embodiments, the flexible printed circuit board can be manufactured by a method including an operation of attaching a release film (510) on the flexible substrate layer (410), an operation of laminating a prepreg (520) on the flexible substrate layer (410) to which the release film (510) is attached, and an operation of removing the release film (510).

[0106] The manufacturing method of the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing a rigid-flexible printed circuit board (401) having a soft portion (402) and a rigid portion (403), and may include an operation of attaching a peeling film (510) having a predetermined length on a flexible substrate.

[0107] The above manufacturing method may include an operation of laminating a prepreg (520) on the flexible substrate to which the release film (510) is attached. The above manufacturing method may include an operation of removing the release film (510).

[0108] In various embodiments, the manufacturing method may further include, after the operation of laminating the prepreg (520) is performed, an operation of attaching a second release film (512) having a shorter length than the release film (510) on the release film (510) and an operation of additionally laminating the prepreg (520) on the flexible substrate to which the second release film (512) is attached.

[0109] In various embodiments, the operation of laminating the prepreg (520) may further include an operation of pressurizing the laminated prepreg (520).

[0110] In various embodiments, the release film (510) may have a length of a side facing the flexible substrate layer (410) that is longer than a length of an opposite side of the side facing the flexible substrate layer (410).

[0111] In various embodiments, the release film (510) may have a side having an acute angle (θ) less than 90 degrees from the side facing the flexible substrate layer (410).

[0112] In various embodiments, the operation of removing the release film (510) may be performed after the prepreg (520) is cured.

[0113] It will be appreciated that all of the embodiments and their technical features described above can be combined with each other in any and all combinations, as long as there is no potential conflict between the two embodiments or features. That is, any and all combinations of two or more of the embodiments described above are contemplated and encompassed within the present disclosure. One or more features of any embodiment may be incorporated into any other embodiment, providing corresponding advantages or benefits.

[0114] And the embodiments disclosed in this document disclosed in this specification and drawings are only specific examples to easily explain the technical contents according to the embodiments disclosed in this document and to help understand the embodiments disclosed in this document, and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments disclosed in this document. Therefore, the scope of the various embodiments disclosed in this document should be interpreted as including all changes or modified forms derived based on the technical ideas of the various embodiments disclosed in this document in addition to the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. In an electronic device including a circuit board having a soft portion (402) and a hard portion (403), the circuit board, A flexible substrate layer (410) comprising at least one flexible conductor layer (411) and at least one flexible insulating layer (412) laminated on the at least one flexible conductor layer (411); and In the rigid portion (403) of the circuit board, a rigid insulating layer (420) is laminated on the flexible substrate layer (410) and has higher rigidity than the flexible insulating layer (412), An electronic device in which the hard insulating layer (420) includes a recessed portion (421) formed by recessing a side surface of the hard insulating layer (420) at the boundary between the soft portion (402) and the hard portion (403).

2. In paragraph 1, An electronic device in which the recessed distance of the above-mentioned portion (421) increases as it gets closer to the flexible substrate layer (410) based on the thickness direction of the circuit board.

3. In paragraph 2, An electronic device in which the above-mentioned recessed portion (421) has a step shape in which the recessed distance gradually increases as it gets closer to the flexible substrate layer (410) based on the thickness direction of the circuit board.

4. In paragraph 2, An electronic device in which the above-mentioned recessed portion (421) has a shape forming an acute angle (θ) with respect to the surface of the flexible substrate layer (410) such that the recessed distance continuously increases as it gets closer to the flexible substrate layer (410) based on the thickness direction of the circuit board.

5. In paragraph 1, The electronic device includes an inner frame having a face facing a first direction and a side frame arranged perpendicular to the face facing the first direction, An electronic device in which the hard portion (403) is arranged parallel to the side frame, and the soft portion (402) is positioned within the electronic device so as to be bent at least partially parallel to the surface facing the first direction.

6. In paragraph 1, A conductor layer positioned on the hard insulating layer (420) in the hard portion (403); and An electronic device comprising an electrical component disposed on the above rigid portion (403) and electrically connected to the conductor layer.

7. In paragraph 1, The above circuit board, An operation of attaching a peeling film (510) on the flexible substrate layer (410); An operation of laminating a prepreg (520) on a flexible substrate layer (410) to which the above-mentioned peeling film (510) is attached; and An electronic device manufactured by a method including an operation of removing the above-mentioned peeling film (510).

8. In a rigid-flexible printed circuit board having a soft portion (402) and a hard portion (403), A flexible substrate layer (410) comprising at least one flexible conductor layer (411) and at least one flexible insulating layer (412) laminated on the at least one flexible conductor layer (411); and In the rigid portion (403) of the circuit board, a rigid insulating layer (420) is laminated on the flexible substrate layer (410) and has higher rigidity than the flexible insulating layer (412), A rigid-flexible printed circuit board including a recessed portion (421) formed by recessing a side surface of the rigid insulating layer (420) at the boundary between the soft portion (402) and the rigid portion (403).

9. In paragraph 8, A rigid printed circuit board in which the recessed distance of the above-mentioned portion (421) increases as it gets closer to the flexible substrate layer (410) based on the thickness direction of the circuit board.

10. In paragraph 9, The above-mentioned recessed portion (421) is a rigid-flexible printed circuit board having a step shape in which the recessed distance gradually increases as it gets closer to the flexible substrate layer (410) based on the thickness direction of the circuit board.

11. In paragraph 9, A rigid-flex printed circuit board having a shape in which the recessed portion (421) forms an acute angle (θ) with respect to the surface of the flexible substrate layer (410) such that the recessed distance continuously increases as it gets closer to the flexible substrate layer (410) based on the thickness direction of the circuit board.

12. In paragraph 8, The above flexible printed circuit board is arranged inside an electronic device, and the electronic device includes an inner frame having a surface facing a first direction and a side frame arranged perpendicular to the surface facing the first direction, A rigid-flex printed circuit board positioned within the electronic device such that the rigid portion (403) is arranged parallel to the side frame and the soft portion (402) is bent at least partially parallel to the surface facing the first direction.

13. In paragraph 8, A conductor layer positioned on the hard insulating layer (420) in the hard portion (403); and A rigid-flex printed circuit board comprising an electrical component disposed on the rigid portion (403) and electrically connected to the conductive layer.

14. In paragraph 8, The above circuit board, An operation of attaching a peeling film (510) on the flexible substrate layer (410); An operation of laminating a prepreg (520) on a flexible substrate layer (410) to which the above-mentioned peeling film (510) is attached; and A rigid printed circuit board manufactured by a method including an operation of removing the above-mentioned peeling film (510).

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