Foldable electronic apparatus including flexible connection member

Abstract

A foldable electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a first housing; a second housing; a hinge assembly to which the first housing and the second housing are rotatably coupled and which provides a folding axis; a first flexible connection member extending from the first housing to the second housing across the folding axis and including a first bending portion configured to be bent or unfolded when the hinge assembly is folded or unfolded; a second flexible connection member including a second bending portion which covers the first bending portion and is configured to be bent or unfolded when the hinge assembly is folded or unfolded; and a dummy circuit having at least a portion disposed in the second bending portion.

Description

Foldable electronic device including a flexible connecting member

[0001] Embodiments disclosed in this document relate to foldable electronic devices, for example, electronic devices including flexible connecting members.

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

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

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

[0005] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a foldable electronic device may include a first housing, a second housing, a hinge assembly in which the first housing and the second housing are rotatably coupled and which provides a folding axis, a first flexible connecting member including a first bending portion extending from the first housing to the second housing across the folding axis and configured to bend or unfold when the hinge assembly is folded or unfolded, a second flexible connecting member including a second bending portion covering the first bending portion and configured to bend or unfold together with the first bending portion when the hinge assembly is folded or unfolded, and a dummy circuit at least partially disposed in the second bending portion.

[0006] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a foldable electronic device includes a first housing in which a first electronic component is disposed, a second housing in which a second electronic component is disposed, a hinge assembly in which the first housing and the second housing are rotatably coupled and which provides a folding axis, a first flexible connecting member that connects the first electronic component and the second electronic component across the folding axis and includes a first-first bending portion and a first-second bending portion that bend or unfold in different directions when the hinge assembly is folded or unfolded, a second flexible connecting member that is positioned above the first-first bending portion and includes a second bending portion that bends or unfolds like the first-first bending portion when the hinge assembly is folded or unfolded, and a third flexible connecting member that is positioned above the first-second bending portion and includes a third bending portion that bends or unfolds like the first-second bending portion when the hinge assembly is folded or unfolded, and at least partially connected to the second It may include a first dummy circuit disposed in the bending portion, and a second dummy circuit disposed at least partially in the third bending portion, wherein the first flexible connecting member may be disposed between the second flexible connecting member and the third flexible connecting member.

[0007] The above-described aspects or other aspects, configurations and / or advantages of various embodiments of the present disclosure may be further clarified by the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device within a network environment according to various embodiments.

[0009] FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating a foldable electronic device in an unfolded state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0010] FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating a foldable electronic device in a folded state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0011] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing a wiring structure of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a flexible printed circuit board of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, taken along line AA' illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0015] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, taken along line BB' illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0016] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a flexible printed circuit board according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a portion of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 11 illustrates simulation results showing stress generated in a first flexible connecting member according to a comparative example and an embodiment of the present disclosure in a folded state.

[0019] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of a flexible printed circuit board illustrating a dummy circuit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of a flexible printed circuit board illustrating a dummy circuit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, taken along line AA' illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0022] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, taken along line BB' illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0023] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a foldable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, taken along line AA' illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0024] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a foldable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, taken along line BB' illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0025] FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram of a flexible printed circuit board illustrating dummy circuits according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram of a flexible printed circuit board illustrating dummy circuits according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] Throughout the attached drawings, similar reference numbers may be assigned to similar parts, components and / or structures.

[0028] The following description of the accompanying drawings may provide an understanding of various exemplary implementations of the present disclosure, including the claims and their equivalents. While the exemplary embodiments disclosed in the following description include numerous specific details to aid understanding, they are to be considered as one example of various exemplary embodiments. Accordingly, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations of the various implementations described herein may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. Furthermore, descriptions of well-known functions and configurations may be omitted for clarity and conciseness.

[0029] The terms and words used in the following description and claims are not limited to their reference meanings and can be used to clearly and consistently describe one embodiment of the present disclosure. Therefore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of various implementations of the disclosure is provided for illustrative purposes, not for the purpose of limiting the scope of the disclosure and its equivalents.

[0030] Unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, the singular forms of "a," "an," and "the" should be understood to include plural meanings. Thus, for example, "a component surface" could be understood to include one or more of the surfaces of a component.

[0031] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device (101) within a network environment (100) according to various embodiments.

[0032] 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)).

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] The number of processors (120) may be one or more. For example, the processor (120) may have a multi-core processor structure such as a dual core, quad core, or hexa core.

[0036] The processor (120) can control the operations of the electronic device (101) by executing instructions stored in the memory (130). For example, the processor (120) can correspond to a plurality of processors that collectively perform a plurality of operations by dividing them among the processors.

[0037] 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).

[0038] 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).

[0039] 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).

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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.

[0042] 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).

[0043] 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.

[0044] 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.

[0045] 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).

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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.

[0048] 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).

[0049] 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.

[0050] 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).

[0051] 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.

[0052] 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).

[0053] 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.

[0054] 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)).

[0055] 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.

[0056] The description of the electronic device (101) described with reference to FIG. 1 can be substantially equally applied to the foldable electronic device (200) described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 19 below, to the extent that they are not arranged with each other.

[0057] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a foldable electronic device (200) in an unfolded state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a foldable electronic device (200) in a folded state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0058] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a foldable electronic device (200) may include a set housing (201), a hinge cover (230) covering a foldable portion of the set housing (201), and a flexible or foldable display (240) (hereinafter, simply referred to as “display” 240) disposed on the set housing (201). According to one embodiment, a surface on which the display (240) is disposed is defined as a front surface of the foldable electronic device (200) (e.g., a first front surface (210a) and a second front surface (220a)). And, a surface opposite to the front surface is defined as a back surface of the foldable electronic device (200) (e.g., a first back surface (210b) and a second back surface (220b)). Additionally, the surface surrounding the space between the front and the back is defined as a side surface (e.g., a first side surface (211a) and a second side surface (221a)) of the foldable electronic device (200).

[0059] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the set housing (201) may include a first housing (210), a second housing (220) rotatably or pivotally coupled to the first housing (210), a first rear cover (280), a second rear cover (290), and a hinge assembly (e.g., the hinge assembly (202) of FIG. 4). The hinge assembly (202) may provide at least one folding axis (F) that serves as a center of folding or unfolding of the foldable electronic device (200) of the first housing (210) and / or the second housing (220). The set housing (201) of the foldable electronic device (200) is not limited to the shape and combination illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, and may be implemented by a combination and / or combination of other shapes or parts. For example, in another embodiment, the first housing (210) and the first rear cover (280) may be formed integrally, and the second housing (220) and the second rear cover (290) may be formed integrally. According to various embodiments, the first housing (210) may be connected to a hinge assembly (e.g., hinge assembly (202) of FIG. 4) and may include a first front side (210a) facing a first direction and a first rear side (210b) facing a second direction opposite to the first direction. The second housing (220) may be connected to the hinge assembly (202) and may include a second front side (220a) facing a third direction and a second rear side (220b) facing a fourth direction opposite to the third direction, and may rotate about the hinge assembly (202) with respect to the first housing (210). Accordingly, the foldable electronic device (200) can be changed to a folded state or an unfolded state. In the folded state, the first front side (210a) of the foldable electronic device (200) can face the second front side (220a), and in the unfolded state, the third direction can be substantially parallel to the first direction.Below, unless otherwise stated, the direction is described based on the foldable electronic device (200) being unfolded.

[0060] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be disposed on both sides with respect to the folding axis (F). For example, the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may have a shape that is overall symmetrical with respect to the folding axis (F). As described below, the angle or distance between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may vary depending on whether the foldable electronic device (200) is in an unfolded state, a folded state, or an intermediate state. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, unlike the first housing (210), the second housing (220) additionally includes a sensor area (224) in which various sensors (e.g., a front camera) are disposed, but may have a shape symmetrical with respect to the first housing (210) in other areas. According to one embodiment, the folding axis (F) may be a plurality of parallel folding axes (e.g., two). In the present disclosure, the folding axis (F) is provided along the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) of the foldable electronic device (200), but the direction of the folding axis (F) is not limited thereto. For example, depending on the external design or the user's usage habits, the foldable electronic device (200) may be understood to include a folding axis (F) extending along the width direction (e.g., X-axis direction).

[0061] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the foldable electronic device (200) may include a structure into which a digital pen can be inserted. For example, a hole (223) into which the digital pen can be inserted may be formed on a side of the first housing (210) or a side of the second housing (220) of the foldable electronic device (200).

[0062] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, at least a portion of the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be formed of a metallic or non-metallic material having a rigidity of a size selected to support the display (240). At least a portion formed of the metallic material may provide a ground plane of the foldable electronic device (200) and may be electrically connected to a ground conductor provided on a printed circuit board (e.g., the board portion (260) of FIG. 4).

[0063] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the sensor area (224) may be formed to have a predetermined area adjacent to one corner of the second housing (220). However, the arrangement, shape, and size of the sensor area (224) are not limited to the illustrated example. For example, in another embodiment, the sensor area (224) may be provided in another corner of the second housing (220), an arbitrary area between the upper corner and the lower corner, or in the first housing (210). According to one embodiment, components for performing various functions built into the foldable electronic device (200) may be visually exposed to the front of the foldable electronic device (200) through the sensor area (224) or through one or more openings provided in the sensor area (224). In various embodiments, the components may include various types of sensors. The sensor may include, for example, at least one of a front camera, a receiver, or a proximity sensor.

[0064] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first rear cover (280) is disposed on one side of the folding axis (F) on the rear surface of the foldable electronic device (200) and may have, for example, a substantially rectangular periphery, and the periphery may be wrapped by the first housing (210). Similarly, the second rear cover (290) is disposed on the other side of the folding axis (F) on the rear surface of the foldable electronic device (200) and the periphery thereof may be wrapped by the second housing (220).

[0065] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first rear cover (280) and the second rear cover (290) may have substantially symmetrical shapes with respect to the folding axis (F). However, the first rear cover (280) and the second rear cover (290) do not necessarily have mutually symmetrical shapes, and in other embodiments, the foldable electronic device (200) may include the first rear cover (280) and the second rear cover (290) of various shapes.

[0066] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first rear cover (280), the second rear cover (290), the first housing (210), and the second housing (220) may form a space in which various components (e.g., a printed circuit board or a battery) of the foldable electronic device (200) may be placed. According to one embodiment, one or more components may be placed or visually exposed on the rear surface of the foldable electronic device (200). For example, at least a portion of a sub-display (e.g., the sub-display (244) of FIG. 4) may be visually exposed through the first rear area (282) of the first rear cover (280). In another embodiment, one or more components or sensors may be visually exposed through the second rear area (292) of the second rear cover (290). In various embodiments, the sensor may include a proximity sensor and / or a camera module (206) (e.g., a rear camera).

[0067] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a front camera visually exposed to the front of the foldable electronic device (200) through one or more openings provided in the sensor area (224) or a camera module (206) visually exposed through the second rear area (292) of the second rear cover (290) may include one or more lenses, image sensors, and / or image signal processors. In some embodiments, two or more lenses (infrared camera, wide-angle and telephoto lenses) and image sensors may be disposed on one side of the foldable electronic device (200).

[0068] Referring to FIG. 3, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the hinge cover (230) may be configured to be disposed between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) and cover an internal component (e.g., the hinge assembly (202) of FIG. 4). According to one embodiment, the hinge cover (230) may be covered by a portion of the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) or exposed to the outside, depending on the state of the foldable electronic device (200) (flat state or folded state). For example, in the unfolded state, the hinge cover (230) may be substantially covered by the first housing (210) and the second housing (220), and in the folded state, most of the outer surface of the hinge cover (230) may be exposed to the outside.

[0069] According to one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2, when the foldable electronic device (200) is in an unfolded state, the hinge cover (230) may be covered by the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) and may not be exposed. As another example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, when the foldable electronic device (200) is in a folded state (e.g., a fully folded state), the hinge cover (230) may be exposed to the outside between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220). As another example, when the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) are in an intermediate state where they are folded at a certain angle, the hinge cover (230) 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 the fully folded state. In one embodiment, the hinge cover (230) may include a curved surface.

[0070] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the display (240) may be disposed in the set housing (201). For example, the display (240) may be mounted on a recess formed by the set housing (201) and may form at least a portion of the front surface of the foldable electronic device (200). Accordingly, the front surface of the foldable electronic device (200) may include the display (240), a portion of the first housing (210) adjacent to the display (240) and a portion of the second housing (220). The rear surface of the foldable electronic device (200) may include a first rear cover (280), a portion of the first housing (210) adjacent to the first rear cover (280), a second rear cover (290), and a portion of the second housing (220) adjacent to the second rear cover (290).

[0071] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the 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 display (240) may include a folding area (243), a first display area (241) arranged on one side (e.g., the left side of the folding area (243) illustrated in FIG. 2) with respect to the folding area (243), and a second display area (242) arranged on the other side (e.g., the right side of the folding area (243) illustrated in FIG. 2). The division of the areas of the display (240) is exemplary, and the display (240) may be divided into a plurality of areas (e.g., four or more or two) depending on the structure or function. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the display (240) may be divided into regions by a folding region (243) extending parallel to the Y-axis or a folding axis (F, see FIG. 2), but in other embodiments, the display (240) may be divided into regions based on other folding regions (e.g., a folding region parallel to the X-axis) or other folding axes (e.g., a folding axis parallel to the X-axis).

[0072] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the display (240) may be coupled to or disposed adjacent to a touch sensing circuit, a pressure sensor capable of measuring the intensity (pressure) of a touch, and / or a digitizer (not shown) configured to detect a magnetic field type stylus pen.

[0073] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first display area (241) and the second display area (242) may have an overall symmetrical shape centered on the folding area (243). According to one embodiment (not shown), the second display area (242), unlike the first display area (241), may include a cut notch depending on the presence of the sensor area (224), but may have a shape symmetrical with respect to the first display area (241) in other areas. In other words, the first display area (241) and the second display area (242) may include a portion having a symmetrical shape and a portion having an asymmetrical shape.

[0074] Hereinafter, the operation of the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) and each area of ​​the display (240) according to the state of the foldable electronic device (200) (e.g., flat state (or unfolded state) and folded state) will be described.

[0075] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the foldable electronic device (200) is in a flat state (see FIG. 2), the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be arranged to form a substantially 180-degree angle with the first display area (241) and the second display area (242) facing substantially the same direction. For example, in the flat state, the surface of the first display area (241) and the surface of the second display area (242) may form a 180-degree angle with each other and face the same direction (e.g., toward the front of the electronic device). The folding area (243) may form the same plane as the first display area (241) and the second display area (242).

[0076] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the foldable electronic device (200) is in a folded state (e.g., see FIG. 3), the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be arranged to face each other. The surface of the first display area (241) of the display (240) and the surface of the second display area (242) may form a narrow angle (e.g., between 0 and 10 degrees) with each other and may substantially face each other. The folding area (243) may be formed as a curved surface having at least a portion of a predetermined curvature.

[0077] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the foldable electronic device (200) is in an intermediate state (folded state) (not shown), the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be arranged at a certain angle with respect to each other. The surface of the first display area (241) of the display (240) and the surface of the second display area (242) may form an angle that is larger than the angle in the folded state and smaller than the angle in the unfolded state. The folding area (243) may be formed as a curved surface having at least a certain curvature, and the curvature at this time may be smaller than that in the folded state.

[0078] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a foldable electronic device (200) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0079] Referring to FIG. 4, a foldable electronic device (200) may include a set housing (201), a display (240), a hinge assembly (202), a battery (250), and a substrate (260). The set housing (201) may include a first housing (210), a second housing (220), a first rear cover (280), and a second rear cover (290).

[0080] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the set housing (201) may include a first housing (210), a second housing (220), a hinge cover (230), a first rear cover (280), and a second rear cover (290). In one embodiment, a hinge assembly (202) may be arranged inside the set housing (201) to rotatably connect the first housing (210) and the second housing (220).

[0081] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) can be assembled to each other so as to be coupled to both sides of the hinge assembly (202). According to one embodiment, the first housing (210) can include a first support area (212) (e.g., a first support plate or a first support member) capable of supporting components of the foldable electronic device (200) (e.g., a first circuit board (262) and / or a first battery (252)) and a first side wall (211) surrounding at least a portion of the first support area (212). The first side wall (211) can include a first side surface of the foldable electronic device (200) (e.g., the first side surface (211a) of FIG. 2). According to one embodiment, the second housing (220) may include a second support area (222) (e.g., a second support plate or a second support member) capable of supporting components of the foldable electronic device (200) (e.g., a second circuit board (264) and / or a second battery (254)) and a second side wall (221) surrounding at least a portion of the second support area (222). The second side wall (221) may include a second side surface of the foldable electronic device (200) (e.g., the second side surface (221a) of FIG. 2).

[0082] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the display (240) may include a first display area (241), a second display area (242), a folding area (243), and a sub-display (244). The configuration of the first display area (241), the second display area (242), and the folding area (243) of FIG. 4 may be all or part of the same as the configuration of the first display area (241), the second display area (242), and the folding area (243) of FIG. 2 and / or FIG. 3.

[0083] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the sub-display (244) can display a screen in a different direction from the display areas (241, 242). For example, the sub-display (244) can output a screen in a direction opposite to the first display area (241). According to one embodiment, the sub-display (244) can be disposed on the first rear cover (280).

[0084] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the battery (250) may include a first battery (252) disposed within a first housing (210) and a second battery (254) disposed within a second housing (220). According to one embodiment, the first battery (252) may be disposed on a first circuit board (262), and the second battery (254) may be disposed on a second circuit board (264).

[0085] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the substrate portion (260) may include a first circuit board (262) disposed within a first housing (210) and a second circuit board (264) disposed within a second housing (220). According to one embodiment, the substrate portion (260) may include at least one flexible printed circuit board (266) for electrically connecting the first circuit board (262) and the second circuit board (264). The flexible printed circuit board (266) may be disposed across the hinge assembly (202). The flexible printed circuit board (266) may be disposed across the folding axis (F). According to one embodiment, the first circuit board (262) and the second circuit board (264) may be placed inside a space formed by the first housing (210), the second housing (220), the first rear cover (280), and the second rear cover (290). Components for implementing various functions of the foldable electronic device (200) may be placed on the first circuit board (262) and the second circuit board (264).

[0086] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the foldable electronic device (200) may include a speaker module (208) (e.g., the audio module (170) of FIG. 1). According to one embodiment, the speaker module (208) may convert an electrical signal into sound. According to one embodiment, the speaker module (208) may be disposed within a space formed by the first housing (210), the second housing (220), the first rear cover (280), and the second rear cover (290).

[0087] In the detailed description below, a configuration in which a first housing (210) and a second housing (220) are rotatably connected or coupled by a hinge assembly (or, referred to as a 'hinge structure') may be exemplified. However, it should be noted that this embodiment does not limit the electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, the electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may include three or more housings, and "a pair of housings" in the embodiments disclosed below may mean "two housings rotatably coupled to each other among the three or more housings."

[0088] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a wiring structure of a foldable electronic device (200) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 illustrates, by way of example, a rearward view of the first housing (210), but the description of the first housing (210) with reference to FIG. 5 can be substantially equally applied to the second housing (220).

[0089] Referring to FIG. 5, the wiring structure of the flexible printed circuit board (266) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be implemented through a through hole (213) and / or a guide member (271). The through hole (213) may be positioned adjacent to the edge of the first housing (210). This improves the degree of design freedom regarding the arrangement of internal components of the foldable electronic device (200), and makes it easy to secure battery capacity.

[0090] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the flexible printed circuit board (266) can be routed from the outside of the first housing (210) to the inside of the first housing (210) through the through hole (213) from the front side. In one embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board (266) can extend from the outside of the first housing (210) across the first side wall (211) from the through hole (213) and / or the guide member (271) to an area or space (e.g., inside the hinge cover (230) of FIG. 4) where the hinge assembly (202) is disposed. Although not shown, after crossing the area where the hinge assembly (202) is positioned, the flexible printed circuit board (266) can be routed into the interior of the second housing (220) through a through hole (e.g., through hole (213) in FIG. 5) formed in the second support area (222) on the front surface of the second housing (220) across the second side wall (e.g., second side wall (221) in FIG. 4).

[0091] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when a through hole (213) is formed in a metal portion of a first housing (210), a guide member (271) made of a synthetic resin material is arranged to at least partially surround an inner wall of the through hole (213), thereby suppressing or preventing a flexible printed circuit board (266) from directly contacting the inner wall (e.g., a metal portion) of the through hole (213).

[0092] FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a flexible printed circuit board (300) of a foldable electronic device (200) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In FIGS. 6 to 19, for convenience of explanation, the flexible printed circuit board (266) illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 is described using different reference numerals (300).

[0093] Referring to FIG. 6, a flexible printed circuit board (300) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include flexible portions (301, 302, 303), a first substrate portion (310), and a second substrate portion (320). The flexible printed circuit board (300) may have a curved shape corresponding to a wiring path within the foldable electronic device (200). For example, the flexible portions (301, 302, 303) of the flexible printed circuit board (300) may include a variable portion (301) arranged to at least partially surround or cross a hinge assembly (202, see FIG. 4), first extension portions (302)(s) extending from both ends of the variable portion (301), and / or second extension portions (303)(s) extending from the first portion (302).

[0094] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a first connector (311) may be arranged on a first substrate portion (310). A second connector (321) may be arranged on a second substrate portion (320). The flexible printed circuit board (300) may be electrically connected to a first circuit board (262, see FIG. 4) via the first connector (311). The flexible printed circuit board (300) may be electrically connected to a second circuit board (264, see FIG. 4) via the second connector (321).

[0095] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the flexible printed circuit board (300) may include at least one bending region (B1, B2). As an example, the bending region (B1, B2) may be understood as a region including a boundary between the variable portion (301) and the first extension portion (302), and may be a region that is bent or unbent together with the hinge assembly (202, see FIG. 4) when the hinge assembly is folded or unfolded. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the flexible printed circuit board (300) may include, but is not limited to, two bending regions (B1, B2). The two bending regions (B1, B2) may be located on both sides with respect to the variable portion (301). For convenience of explanation, the bending region (B1) close to the first substrate portion (310) with respect to the variable portion (301) may be named the first bending region (B1), and the bending region (B2) close to the second substrate portion (320) may be named the second bending region (B2). The description of the first bending region (B1) described below with reference to FIGS. 7 to 11 may be substantially equally applied to the second bending region (B2) to the extent that they are not mutually arranged.

[0096] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a foldable electronic device (200) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, taken along line AA' illustrated in FIG. 2. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a foldable electronic device (200) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, taken along line BB' illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0097] Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a flexible printed circuit board (300) may extend from a first housing (210) to a second housing (220). As an example, the flexible printed circuit board (300) may extend from an interior space of the first housing (210) to an interior space of the second housing (220) across a hinge cover (230). The flexible printed circuit board (300) may electrically connect an electronic component (e.g., a first circuit board (262) of FIG. 4) disposed in the first housing (210) to an electronic component (e.g., a second circuit board (264) of FIG. 4) disposed in the second housing (220).

[0098] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the hinge cover (230) may overlap with the flexible printed circuit board (300). The hinge cover (230) may partially cover the flexible printed circuit board (300). The flexible printed circuit board (300) may not be visually exposed to the outside of the foldable electronic device (200) by being covered by the hinge cover (230) during the folding and unfolding process of the foldable electronic device (200).

[0099] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a flexible printed circuit board (300) may include a plurality of flexible connection members (330, 340, 350, 360). As an example, the plurality of flexible connection members (330, 340, 350, 360) may extend substantially parallel from the interior of the first housing (210) to the interior of the second housing (220) across the folding axis (F). As an example, each of the plurality of flexible connection members (330, 340, 350, 360) may be understood as a flexible substrate having a signal line arranged thereon and including polyimide. The flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360) may include a first flexible connecting member (350), a second flexible connecting member (360), a third flexible connecting member (330), and / or a fourth flexible connecting member (340). Each of the flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360) may be referred to as a flexible layer.

[0100] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360) may include an electric circuit (e.g., a dummy circuit (370) of FIG. 9, a signal line (SL), and / or a power line (PL)). The plurality of flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360) may connect an electronic component (e.g., a first circuit board (262) of FIG. 4) within a first housing (210) and an electronic component (e.g., a second circuit board (264) of FIG. 4) within a second housing (220). The wiring included in the plurality of flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360) will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 9.

[0101] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a plurality of flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360) may overlap each other. As an example, a third flexible connecting member (330), a fourth flexible connecting member (340), a first flexible connecting member (350), and a second flexible connecting member (360) may be arranged to be sequentially stacked. The first flexible connecting member (350) may be positioned between the second flexible connecting member (360) and the fourth flexible connecting member (340). The first flexible connecting member (350) may be positioned between the second flexible connecting member (360) and the third flexible connecting member (330). The fourth flexible connecting member (340) may be positioned between the first flexible connecting member (350) and the third flexible connecting member (330). The fourth flexible connecting member (340) may be positioned between the second flexible connecting member (360) and the third flexible connecting member (330).

[0102] The members (330, 340, 350, 360) included in the flexible printed circuit board (300) are not necessarily limited to one embodiment of the present disclosure. According to another embodiment, the third flexible circuit board (330) may be omitted, and the flexible printed circuit board according to another embodiment may include a fourth flexible connecting member (340), a first flexible connecting member (350), and a second flexible connecting member (360).

[0103] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the foldable electronic device (200) is folded or unfolded by the hinge assembly (202), the flexible printed circuit board (300) can be folded or unfolded. The plurality of flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360) of the flexible printed circuit board (300) can each include bending portions (330A, 340A, 350A, 360A) positioned in the first bending area (B1). For convenience of explanation, the bending portion (350A) of the first flexible connecting member (350) may be named as the first bending portion (350A), the bending portion (360A) of the second flexible connecting member (360) may be named as the second bending portion (360A), the bending portion (330A) of the third flexible connecting member (330) may be named as the third bending portion (330A), and the bending portion (340A) of the fourth flexible connecting member (340) may be named as the fourth bending portion (340A).

[0104] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a plurality of bending portions (330A, 340A, 350A, 360A) may overlap each other. The second bending portion (360A) may cover the first bending portion (350A). The first bending portion (350A) may cover the fourth bending portion (340A). The fourth bending portion (340A) may cover the third bending portion (330A).

[0105] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the foldable electronic device (200) is folded or unfolded, the bending portions (330A, 340A, 350A, 360A) of the flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360) may be bent or unbent. As an example, the bending portions (330A, 340A, 350A, 360A) of the flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360) may be bent when the foldable electronic device (200) is folded, and may be unbent when the foldable electronic device (200) is unfolded.

[0106] The bending or unfolding of the flexible printed circuit board (300), flexible connecting member (330, 340, 350, 360), and bending portions (330A, 340A, 350A, 360A) described in this document can be understood as being relatively more bent or unfolded when the foldable electronic device (200) changes from the unfolded state of FIG. 2 to the folded state of FIG. 3. As another example, the bending or unfolding of the flexible printed circuit board (300), the flexible connecting member (330, 340, 350, 360), and the bending portions (330A, 340A, 350A, 360A) can be understood as relatively more unfolding or more bending when the foldable electronic device (200) changes from the folded state of FIG. 3 to the unfolded state of FIG. 2.

[0107] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the foldable electronic device (200) is folded or unfolded, the degree to which the plurality of sequentially stacked flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360) are bent or straightened may be different from each other. For example, the strain due to bending of the bending portion (360A) of the second flexible connecting member (360) exposed to the outside (or located at the outermost side) may be the largest, and the strain due to bending of the fourth flexible connecting member (340A) closest to the neutral axis may be the smallest. However, depending on the direction in which the flexible printed circuit board (300) is bent, the strain due to bending of the third flexible connecting member (330) may be the largest, which will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15.

[0108] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the foldable electronic device (200) is folded or unfolded, a gap space (E) may be formed between two adjacent flexible connecting members (e.g., a first flexible connecting member (350) and a second flexible connecting member (360)) due to a difference in the degree of bending of each of the flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360).

[0109] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the second bending portion (360A) can cover the first bending portion (350A) and be visually exposed to the outside of the flexible printed circuit board (300). Since the second bending portion (360A) is disposed on the outside of the first bending portion (350A) and covers the first bending portion (350A), bending stress generated in the first bending portion (350A) can be alleviated compared to a case where the second bending portion (360A) is omitted.

[0110] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the hinge assembly (202) may include a hinge cover (230) that at least partially covers the hinge assembly (202) and is positioned between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220). The second flexible connecting member (360) may be positioned between the hinge cover (230) and the first flexible connecting member (350).

[0111] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360) may be provided as separate members. As an example, when the foldable electronic device (200) is folded or unfolded by the hinge assembly (202), the bending portions (330A, 340A, 350A, 360A) of the plurality of flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360) may move relative to each other.

[0112] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the foldable electronic device (200) is folded, the second flexible connecting member (360) may be separated from the first flexible connecting member (350) due to high bending stress generated by bending, and thus, a separation space may be formed between the first flexible connecting member (350) and the second flexible connecting member (360).

[0113] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a flexible printed circuit board (300) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, schematically illustrating wiring of flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360). The wiring of the flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360) illustrated in FIG. 9 illustrates wirings that are seen from above for each of the flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360).

[0114] Referring to FIG. 9, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a flexible printed circuit board (300) may be connected to a first circuit board (262, see FIG. 4) disposed inside a first housing (210, see FIG. 4) via a first connector (310). The flexible printed circuit board (300) may be connected to a second circuit board (264, see FIG. 4) disposed inside a second housing (220, see FIG. 4) via a second connector (320). A plurality of flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360) may be connected to the first circuit board (262) via the first connector (310). A plurality of flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360) can be connected to a second circuit board (264) via a second connector (320).

[0115] FIG. 9 shows that a plurality of flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360) are connected to a circuit board (262, 264) by a single connector (310, 320), but according to another embodiment of the present disclosure (not shown), each of the plurality of flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360) may be connected to the circuit board (262, 264) by a plurality of connectors.

[0116] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first flexible connecting member (350), the third flexible connecting member (330), and / or the fourth flexible connecting member (340) may include at least one signal line (SL) and / or at least one power line (PL). FIG. 9 exemplarily illustrates a case where the first flexible connecting member (350), the third flexible connecting member (330), and the fourth flexible connecting member (340) each include a signal line (SL) and a power line (PL), but the present invention is not limited thereto, and may include a case where at least one of the signal line (SL) and the power line (PL) is arranged in some (e.g., the first flexible connecting member (350)) of the first flexible connecting member (350), the third flexible connecting member (330), and the fourth flexible connecting member (340).

[0117] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a signal line (SL) can transmit an electrical signal between an electronic component (e.g., a first circuit board (262)) disposed inside a first housing (210) and an electronic component (e.g., a second circuit board (264)) disposed inside a second housing (220). The signal line (SL) can be understood as a line that transmits an electrical signal for operation of the electronic component (e.g., RF, communication, sound output, GND (ground)).

[0118] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a power line (PL) can supply power from electronic components (e.g., the first battery (252) of FIG. 4) disposed inside a first housing (210) and electronic components (e.g., the second battery (254) of FIG. 4) disposed inside a second housing (220). The power line (PL) can be understood as a line that supplies power for the operation of the electronic components (e.g., communication, sound output).

[0119] The signal line (SL) and power line (PL) described above are only examples and may be replaced with lines through which electrical signals for the operation of the foldable electronic device (200) flow. The flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350) on which the signal line (SL) and / or the power line (PL) are arranged may be understood as wiring components for the function of the foldable electronic device (200).

[0120] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the flexible printed circuit board (300) may include dummy circuitry (370) at least partially disposed on the second flexible connecting member (360). FIG. 9 illustrates a case where a portion of the dummy circuitry (370) is disposed on the second flexible connecting member (360) and another portion is disposed on the fourth flexible connecting member (340), but the dummy circuitry (370) may be disposed entirely on the second flexible connecting member (360). This will be described in detail later with reference to FIG. 12.

[0121] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a dummy circuit (370) may include trace portions (371) arranged in a second bending portion (360A). The trace portions (371) may be understood as a portion of the dummy circuit (370) located in the bending areas (B1, B2). The trace portions (371) may extend across the folding axis (F, see FIG. 2). The trace portions (371) may extend across the hinge cover (230, see FIGS. 7 and 8). The dummy circuit (370) including the trace portions (371) may extend to reciprocate between one end and the other end of the second flexible connecting member (360). Therefore, the trace portions (371) may be bent or straightened when the foldable electronic device (200) is folded or unfolded, and bending stress may be generated. The bending stress acting on the dummy circuit (370) will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10.

[0122] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the widths of the plurality of trace portions (371) may be substantially the same. The width of the trace portions (371) may affect the degree of damage to the trace portions (371) due to repeated folding and unfolding of the foldable electronic device (200). For example, a trace portion having a large width may have a lower degree of damage due to the folding and unfolding of the foldable electronic device (200) compared to a trace portion having a small width. Accordingly, by forming the widths of the trace portions (371) to be substantially the same, the degree of damage (cracking or breaking) due to bending stress occurring when the foldable electronic device (200) is folded may be uniform across the plurality of trace portions (371).

[0123] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a dummy circuit (370) may be connected to the processor (120). The dummy circuit (370) may include a first portion extending from the processor (120) to the second flexible connection member (360) and a second portion extending from the processor (120) to the fourth flexible connection member (340). A portion (372) of the dummy circuit (370) (the second portion) may be disposed on the fourth flexible connection member (340). The first portion and the second portion may form a closed circuit. As an example, the first portion and the second portion may be connected via a connector (e.g., the second connector (320)). The operation of the processor (120) using the dummy circuit (370) will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 10.

[0124] FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a portion of a foldable electronic device (200) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The description of components (e.g., processor (120), memory (130), display module (160), sensor module (176), and / or battery (189)) described with reference to FIG. 1 may be substantially identically applied to components having the same names and reference numerals.

[0125] Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10 , a foldable electronic device (200) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include at least one processor (120) and a memory (130) storing commands. The commands, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor (120), may cause the foldable electronic device (200) to perform a predetermined operation.

[0126] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, at least one processor (120) may include an open sensor (OS). The open sensor (OS) may be connected to a dummy circuit (370). The open sensor (OS) may be configured to detect whether the dummy circuit (370) is open. FIG. 10 illustrates a case where the open sensor (OS) is included as a part of at least one processor (120), but as another example, at least one processor (120) may include circuitry that is connected to the dummy circuit (370) and configured to detect whether the dummy circuit (370) is open. According to another embodiment, the open sensor (OS) may be mounted on a circuit board (e.g., the first circuit board (262) of FIG. 9) as an electronic component independent of at least one processor (120).

[0127] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the opening of the dummy circuit (370) detected by the open detection sensor (OS) may mean that the closed circuit is opened due to the signal line (e.g., the trace portion (371) of FIG. 9) included in the dummy circuit (370) being broken or damaged due to repeated folding and unfolding of the foldable electronic device (200).

[0128] Accordingly, a dummy circuit (370) is arranged on the second bending portion (360A) of the second flexible connecting member (360) covering the first bending portion (350A) of the first flexible connecting member (350), and by detecting whether the dummy circuit (370) is open through an open detection sensor (OS), it becomes easy to take measures such as replacing a component (e.g., a flexible printed circuit board (300)) before damage (e.g., a crack) occurs in the first bending portion (350A) due to repeated folding and unfolding of the foldable electronic device (200). If the first bending portion (350A) is directly damaged, damage to the signal line (SL) or the power line (PL) may cause malfunction or loss of function of the foldable electronic device (200), which may cause a failure of the foldable electronic device (200) and at the same time, may lead to inability to use it, which may cause inconvenience to the user. Accordingly, by placing the second flexible connecting member (360) on which the dummy circuit (370) is placed on the first flexible connecting member (350), the user's inconvenience as described above can be prevented.

[0129] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a foldable electronic device (200) may include an impact detection sensor (IS). The impact detection sensor (IS) may be implemented as part of the sensor module (176) described with reference to FIG. 1. The impact detection sensor (IS) may be configured to detect whether the foldable electronic device (200) has been dropped. As an example, the impact detection sensor (IS) may include an accelerometer.

[0130] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions stored in the memory (130), when individually or collectively executed by at least one processor (120), can cause the foldable electronic device (200) to recognize (detect) whether the foldable electronic device (200) has been dropped through the impact detection sensor (IS). The optimal width of the trace portion (371) of the dummy circuit (370) can be determined by synthesizing the number of falls recognized through the impact detection sensor (IS), the intensity of the impact upon dropping, and whether the dummy circuit (370) is open recognized through the open detection sensor (OS) upon dropping.

[0131] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions stored in the memory (130), when individually or collectively executed by at least one processor (120), may cause the foldable electronic device (200) to display visual information corresponding to whether the dummy circuit (370) is open, for example, through the display module (160). As another example, the instructions stored in the memory (130), when individually or collectively executed by at least one processor (120), may cause the foldable electronic device (200) to audibly provide information corresponding to whether the dummy circuit (370) is open to the user through the audio output module (155, see FIG. 1). As another example, the instructions stored in the memory (130), when individually or collectively executed by at least one processor (120), may cause the foldable electronic device (200) to tactilely provide information corresponding to whether the dummy circuit (370) is open to the user through the haptic module (179, see FIG. 1).

[0132] FIG. 11 illustrates simulation results showing stress generated in a first flexible connecting member (350, see FIG. 8) according to a comparative example and an embodiment of the present disclosure in a folded state. Compared to the foldable electronic device according to the comparative example, the foldable electronic device (200) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a second flexible connecting member (360).

[0133] 'X' illustrated in FIG. 11 represents stress generated in the first flexible connecting member (350) in a state where the second flexible connecting member (360) is arranged to cover the first flexible connecting member (350) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, and 'Y' represents stress generated in the first flexible connecting member in a state where the second flexible connecting member (360) is omitted according to a comparative embodiment.

[0134] The stress simulation results illustrated in FIG. 11 can be understood to indicate that the darker the color, the higher the stress generated, and the lighter the color, the lower the stress generated. Referring to FIG. 11, it can be confirmed that the stress in the bending region (B1, B2) of the first flexible connecting member (350) is relieved by arranging the second flexible connecting member (360) in the flexible printed circuit board (300) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Accordingly, by arranging the second flexible connecting member (360) to cover the first flexible connecting member (350), damage due to the stress of the first flexible connecting member (350) on which the signal line (SL) and the power line (PL) are arranged can be minimized.

[0135] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of a flexible printed circuit board (1300) illustrating a dummy circuit (1370) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The description of the dummy circuit (370) described with reference to FIG. 10 can be substantially identically applied to the dummy circuit (1370) of the same name illustrated in FIG. 12, to the extent that they are not arranged together.

[0136] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a dummy circuit (1370) may be disposed on a second flexible connecting member (360). The dummy circuit (1370) may include a first trace portion (1373) positioned outside of the bending areas (B1, B2) and a second trace portion (1371) positioned in the bending areas (B1, B2). The second trace portion (1371) may extend across the folding axis (F, see FIG. 2). The second trace portion (1371) may extend across the hinge cover (230, see FIG. 4). As an example, the first trace portion (1373) may extend substantially parallel to the second trace portion (1371).

[0137] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the dummy circuit (1370) may include a third trace portion (1372). The first trace portion (1373), the second trace portion (1371), and the third trace portion (1372) may form a closed circuit. The dummy circuit (1370) may be connected to the processor (120). The dummy circuit (1370) may include a first portion (1371, 1373) and a second portion (1372) extending from the processor (120) to the second flexible connection member (360). The first portion (1371, 1373) may extend to reciprocate between one end and the other end of the second flexible connection member (360). The first portion (1371, 1373) may include a first trace portion (1373) and a second trace portion (1371). The second portion (1372) may include a third trace portion (1372). The first portion (1371, 1373) and the second portion (1372) may form a closed circuit. For example, the first portion (1371, 1373) and the second portion (1372) may be connected to the processor (120) via the first connector (310) and connected to each other via the second connector (320) to form a closed circuit.

[0138] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of a flexible printed circuit board (2300) illustrating a dummy circuit (2370) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The description of the dummy circuit (370) described with reference to FIG. 9 can be substantially equally applied to the dummy circuit (2370) of the same name illustrated in FIG. 13, to the extent that they are not arranged mutually.

[0139] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a flexible printed circuit board (2300) may include a dummy circuit (2370). The dummy circuit (2370) may be disposed on a second flexible connecting member (360). The dummy circuit (2370) may include at least one first trace portion (2373) positioned outside a bending region (B1, B2) and a plurality of second trace portions (2371) positioned in the bending region (B1, B2). The at least one first trace portion (2373) may extend across a folding axis (F, see FIG. 2). The plurality of second trace portions (2371) may extend across a folding axis (F, see FIG. 2). As an example, at least one first trace portion (2373) may be disposed on an extension portion (e.g., extension portions (302, 303) of FIG. 6) of the flexible printed circuit board (2300) extending from the bend portion (360A), and a plurality of second trace portions may be disposed on the bend portion (360A).

[0140] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, traces of the dummy circuit (2370) (e.g., second trace portions (2371)) may be densely arranged in the bending areas (B1, B2). The number of the plurality of second trace portions (2371) arranged in the bending portion (360A) may be greater than the number of at least one first trace portion (2373) arranged in the extension portion (e.g., extension portions (302, 303) of FIG. 6). Therefore, by densely arranging the trace portions (2371, 2372, 2373) forming the dummy circuit (2370) in the bending portion (360A), it is possible to easily detect whether the dummy circuit (2370) is open with minimal wiring.

[0141] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a foldable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, taken along line AA' illustrated in FIG. 2. FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a foldable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, taken along line BB' illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0142] The description of each of the flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360) described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8 can be substantially equally applied to each of the flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360) of the same reference numerals shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, to the extent that they are not arranged with each other.

[0143] According to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15, the flexible printed circuit board (300') may have a different position of the second flexible connecting member (360) compared to the flexible printed circuit board (300) according to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0144] Referring to FIGS. 14 and 15, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the second flexible connecting member (360) may be positioned to cover the third flexible connecting member (330). The fourth flexible connecting member (340) may be positioned between the hinge cover (230) and the first flexible connecting member (360). The third flexible connecting member (330) may be positioned between the second flexible connecting member (360) and the hinge cover (230). The first flexible connecting member (350) may be positioned between the fourth flexible connecting member (340) and the hinge cover (230).

[0145] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a foldable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, taken along line AA' illustrated in FIG. 2. FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a foldable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, taken along line BB' illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0146] The description of the flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360) described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8 can be substantially equally applied to the flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360) of the same reference numerals shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, to the extent that they are not arranged with each other.

[0147] According to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17, the flexible printed circuit board (300'') may further include a fifth flexible connecting member (380) compared to the flexible printed circuit board (300) according to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0148] Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, a flexible printed circuit board (300'') according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a fifth flexible connecting member (380) arranged to cover a third flexible connecting member (330). The fifth flexible connecting member (380) may include a fifth bending portion (380A) corresponding to the first bending area (B1, B2).

[0149] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a flexible printed circuit board (300'') may include second bending regions (C1, C2). The first bending regions (B1, B2) and the second bending regions (C1, C2) may refer to two regions that are bent or unfolded in different directions during the folding and unfolding processes of the foldable electronic device (200). As an example, when the foldable electronic device is folded, the first bending regions (B1, B2) may be bent, and the second bending regions (C1, C2) may be unfolded. As another example, when the foldable electronic device is unfolded, the first bending regions (B1, B2) may be unfolded, and the second bending regions (C1, C2) may be bent.

[0150] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first flexible connecting member (350) may include a first-first bending portion (350A) positioned in a first bending region (B1, B2) and a first-second bending portion (350B) positioned in a second bending region (C1, C2). The first-first bending portion (350A) and the first-second bending portion (350B) may be bent or unfolded in different directions when the hinge assembly (202) is folded or unfolded. As an example, when the hinge assembly (202, see FIG. 4) is folded, the first-first bending portion (350A) may be bent and the first-second bending portion (350B) may be unfolded. As another example, when the foldable electronic device is unfolded, the first-first bending portion (350A) may be unfolded and the first-second bending portion (350B) may be bent.

[0151] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the second flexible connecting member (360) may include a second-first bending portion (360A) positioned in the first bending region (B1, B2) and a second-second bending portion (360B) positioned in the second bending region (C1, C2). The second-first bending portion (360A) and the second-second bending portion (360B) may be bent or unfolded in different directions when the hinge assembly (202) is folded or unfolded. As an example, when the hinge assembly (202, see FIG. 4) is folded, the second-first bending portion (360A) may be bent and the second-second bending portion (360B) may be unfolded. As another example, when the foldable electronic device is unfolded, the second-first bending portion (360A) may be unfolded and the second-second bending portion (360B) may be bent.

[0152] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the third flexible connecting member (330) may include a third-first bending portion (330A) positioned in a first bending region (B1, B2) and a third-second bending portion (330B) positioned in a second bending region (C1, C2). The third-first bending portion (330A) and the third-second bending portion (330B) may be bent or unfolded in different directions when the hinge assembly (202) is folded or unfolded. As an example, when the hinge assembly (202, see FIG. 4) is folded, the third-first bending portion (330A) may be bent and the third-second bending portion (330B) may be unfolded. As another example, when the foldable electronic device is unfolded, the 3-1 bending portion (330A) may be unfolded and the 3-2 bending portion (330B) may be bent.

[0153] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the fourth flexible connecting member (340) may include a 4-1 bending portion (340A) positioned in the first bending region (B1, B2) and a 4-2 bending portion (340B) positioned in the second bending region (C1, C2). The 4-1 bending portion (340A) and the 4-2 bending portion (340B) may be bent or unfolded in different directions when the hinge assembly (202) is folded or unfolded. As an example, when the hinge assembly (202, see FIG. 4) is folded, the 4-1 bending portion (340A) may be bent and the 4-2 bending portion (340B) may be unfolded. As another example, when the foldable electronic device is unfolded, the 4-1 bending portion (340A) may be unfolded and the 4-2 bending portion (340B) may be bent.

[0154] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the fifth flexible connecting member (380) may include a fifth-first bending portion (380A) positioned in a first bending region (B1, B2) and a fifth-second bending portion (380B) positioned in a second bending region (C1, C2). The fifth-first bending portion (380A) and the fifth-second bending portion (380B) may be bent or unfolded in different directions when the hinge assembly (202) is folded or unfolded. As an example, when the hinge assembly (202, see FIG. 4) is folded, the fifth-first bending portion (380A) may be bent and the fifth-second bending portion (380B) may be unfolded. As another example, when the foldable electronic device is unfolded, the 5-1 bending portion (380A) may be unfolded and the 5-2 bending portion (380B) may be bent.

[0155] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first flexible connecting member (350) may be disposed between the second flexible connecting member (360) and the fifth flexible connecting member (380). The third flexible connecting member (330) may be disposed between the second flexible connecting member (360) and the fifth flexible connecting member (380). The fourth flexible connecting member (340) may be disposed between the second flexible connecting member (360) and the fifth flexible connecting member (380).

[0156] Accordingly, the bending portions (350A, 350B) of the first flexible connecting member (350) can be protected by the bending portions (360A, 360B) of the second flexible connecting member (360). And, the bending portions (330A, 330B) of the third flexible connecting member (330) can be protected by the bending portions (380A, 380B) of the fifth flexible connecting member (380).

[0157] FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram of a flexible printed circuit board (300'') showing dummy circuits (370, 390) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, and schematically illustrates wiring of flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360, 380). The wiring of the flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360, 380) illustrated in FIG. 18 illustrates wirings that are visible from above each of the flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360, 380). The description of the dummy circuit (370) described with reference to FIG. 9 can be substantially identically applied to the first dummy circuit (370) of the same reference numeral illustrated in FIG. 18.

[0158] Referring to FIGS. 16 to 18, a flexible printed circuit board (300'') according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a first dummy circuit (370) and a second dummy circuit (390). The first dummy circuit (370) may be at least partially disposed on the second flexible connecting member (360). The second dummy circuit (390) may be at least partially disposed on the fifth flexible connecting member (380). The fifth flexible connecting member (380) may be connected to the first circuit board (262) via the first connector (310). The fifth flexible connecting member (380) may be connected to the second circuit board (264) via the second connector (320).

[0159] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a foldable electronic device (e.g., the foldable electronic device (200) of FIG. 10) may include at least one processor (120) connected to a first dummy circuit (370) and a second dummy circuit (390), and a memory (130) that stores instructions. The instructions stored in the memory (130), when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor (120), may enable the foldable electronic device to recognize, through the at least one processor (120), whether the first dummy circuit (370) and / or the second dummy circuit (390) is open.

[0160] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first dummy circuit (370) may include a plurality of first trace portions (trace portions) 371, 373 extending across the folding axis (F, see FIG. 2). The plurality of first trace portions (371, 373) may include a first-first trace portion (371) positioned in a first bending area (B1, B2) and a first-second trace portion (373) positioned in a second bending area (C1, C2).

[0161] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the second dummy circuit (390) may include a plurality of second trace portions (trace portions) 391, 393 extending across the folding axis (F, see FIG. 2). The plurality of second trace portions (391, 393) may include a second-first trace portion (391) positioned in a first bending area (B1, B2) and a second-second trace portion (393) positioned in a second bending area (C1, C2).

[0162] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the widths of the plurality of first trace portions (371, 373) may be substantially the same. For example, the widths of the first-first trace portions (371) located in the first bending areas (B1, B2) may be substantially the same. As another example, the widths of the first-second trace portions (373) located in the second bending areas (C1, C2) may be substantially the same.

[0163] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the widths of the plurality of second trace portions (391, 393) may be substantially the same. For example, the widths of the second-first trace portions (391) located in the first bending areas (B1, B2) may be substantially the same. As another example, the widths of the second-second trace portions (393) located in the second bending areas (C1, C2) may be substantially the same.

[0164] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the hinge assembly (202, see FIG. 4) is folded and unfolded, the plurality of flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360, 380) can move relative to each other. For example, when the hinge assembly (202, see FIG. 4) is folded and unfolded, the second-first bending portion (360A) can be configured to move relative to the first-first bending portion (350A). As another example, when the hinge assembly (202, see FIG. 4) is folded and unfolded, the fifth-second bending portion (380B) can be configured to move relative to the third-second bending portion (330B).

[0165] FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram of a flexible printed circuit board (300'') showing dummy circuits (1370, 1390) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, and schematically illustrates wiring of flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360, 380). The wiring of the flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360, 380) illustrated in FIG. 19 illustrates wirings that are visible from above each of the flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360, 380). The description of the dummy circuit (1370) described with reference to FIG. 12 can be substantially identically applied to the first dummy circuit (1370) of the same reference numeral illustrated in FIG. 19.

[0166] Referring to FIGS. 16, 17, and 19, a flexible printed circuit board (300'') according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a first dummy circuit (1370) and a second dummy circuit (1390). The first dummy circuit (1370) may be disposed on the second flexible connecting member (360). The second dummy circuit (390) may be disposed on the fifth flexible connecting member (380).

[0167] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a second dummy circuit (1390) may be disposed on a fifth flexible connecting member (380). The second dummy circuit (1390) may include a first trace portion (1393) positioned in a second bending region (C1, C2) and a second trace portion (1391) positioned in a first bending region (B1, B2). The second trace portion (1391) may extend across a folding axis (F, see FIG. 2). The second trace portion (1391) may extend across a hinge cover (230, see FIG. 4). As an example, the first trace portion (1393) may extend substantially parallel to the second trace portion (1391).

[0168] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a second dummy circuit (1390) may be connected to the processor (120). The second dummy circuit (1390) may include a first portion (1391, 1393) and a second portion (1392) extending from the processor (120) to the second flexible connection member (360). The first portion (1371, 1373) may extend to reciprocate between one end and the other end of the second flexible connection member (360). The first portion (1391, 1393) may include a first trace portion (1393) and a second trace portion (1391). The second portion (1392) may include a third trace portion (1392). The first portion (1391, 1393) and the second portion (1392) may form a closed circuit. As an example, the first part (1391, 1393) and the second part (1392) can be connected to the processor (120) through the first connector (310) and connected to each other through the second connector (320) to form a closed circuit.

[0169] Foldable electronic devices may include a folding member (e.g., a hinge assembly) that folds and unfolds, and internal components (e.g., FPCB, a display) that fold and unfold together with the folding member. These internal components may be damaged (e.g., wiring damage) due to repeated folding and unfolding, which may cause the foldable electronic device to malfunction or lose some functions (power management, communication), and may cause user inconvenience. Therefore, extensive research is being conducted to improve user inconvenience caused by damage to internal components that occur when foldable electronic devices fold and unfold.

[0170] A problem to be solved in the present disclosure may be to alleviate the degree of bending of internal components of a foldable electronic device that is repeatedly folded and unfolded.

[0171] A problem to be solved in the present disclosure may be to prevent damage to internal components before malfunction or loss of function of a foldable electronic device occurs.

[0172] 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.

[0173] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, by arranging a dummy member to cover a bending area of ​​an internal component that is folded and unfolded, the degree to which the internal component is bent during the folding and unfolding process can be alleviated.

[0174] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, by placing dummy circuits for detecting damage in areas vulnerable to damage (e.g., cracks), damage to internal components of a foldable electronic device can be prevented before malfunction or loss of function occurs.

[0175] 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 above description.

[0176] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a foldable electronic device (200) may include a first housing (210), a second housing (220), and a hinge assembly (202) in which the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) are rotatably coupled and provide a folding axis (F).

[0177] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a foldable electronic device (200) may include a flexible circuit board (300) extending from the first housing (210) to the second housing (220) across the folding axis (F).

[0178] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a flexible circuit board (300) may include a plurality of flexible connecting members (330, 340, 350, 360) configured to bend or straighten when the hinge assembly (202) is folded or unfolded.

[0179] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the flexible circuit board (300) may include a first flexible connecting member (350) including a first bending portion (350A) configured to bend or straighten when the hinge assembly (202) is folded or unfolded.

[0180] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a flexible circuit board (300) may include a second flexible connecting member (360) including a second bending portion (360A) covering the first bending portion (350A).

[0181] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the second bending portion (360A) may be configured to bend or unfold together with the first bending portion (350A) as the hinge assembly (202) is folded and unfolded.

[0182] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a foldable electronic device (200) may include at least a portion (371) of dummy circuitry (370) disposed in the second bending portion (360A).

[0183] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the dummy circuit (370) may include a plurality of trace portions (371) disposed on the second bending portion (360A) and extending across the folding axis (F).

[0184] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the widths of the plurality of trace portions (371) may be substantially the same.

[0185] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a foldable electronic device (200) may include at least one processor (120) connected to the dummy circuit (370), and a memory (130) storing instructions.

[0186] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor (120), may cause the foldable electronic device (200) to recognize, through the processor (120), whether the dummy circuit (370) is open.

[0187] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a foldable electronic device (200) may include an impact detection sensor (IS).

[0188] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor (120), can cause the foldable electronic device (200) to recognize, through the impact detection sensor (IS), whether the foldable electronic device (200) has been dropped.

[0189] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the flexible circuit board (300) may extend parallel to the first flexible connecting member (350) and include a third flexible connecting member (340).

[0190] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first flexible connecting member (350) may be positioned between the second flexible connecting member (360) and the third flexible connecting member (340).

[0191] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the foldable electronic device (200) may include a hinge cover (230) that at least partially covers the hinge assembly (202) and is positioned between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220).

[0192] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the third flexible connecting member (340) may be positioned between the hinge cover (230) and the first flexible connecting member (350).

[0193] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the second bending portion (360A) can be bent when the hinge assembly (202) is folded and can be unfolded when the hinge assembly (202) is unfolded.

[0194] The second flexible connecting member (360) may be positioned between the hinge cover (230) and the first flexible connecting member (360).

[0195] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the second bending portion (360B) can be unfolded when the hinge assembly (202) is folded and can be bent when the hinge assembly (202) is unfolded.

[0196] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a portion (372) of the dummy circuit (370) may be placed on the fourth flexible connecting member (340).

[0197] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the hinge assembly (202) is folded and unfolded, the first bending portion (350A) may be configured to be able to move relative to the second bending portion (360A).

[0198] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a foldable electronic device (200) may include a first circuit board (262) disposed inside the first housing (210).

[0199] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the foldable electronic device (200) may include a second circuit board (264) disposed inside the second housing (220).

[0200] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the flexible circuit board (300) may include a first connector (311) that connects the first flexible connecting member (350) and the second flexible connecting member (360) to the first circuit board (262).

[0201] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the flexible circuit board (300) may include a second connector (321) that connects the first flexible connecting member (350) and the second flexible connecting member (360) to the second circuit board (264).

[0202] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the second flexible connecting member (360) may include an extension portion (301, 302) extending from the second bending portion (360A).

[0203] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the dummy circuit (2370) may include at least one first trace portion (2373) disposed in the extension portion (301, 302) and extending across the folding axis (F).

[0204] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the dummy circuit (2370) may include a plurality of second trace portions (2371) disposed on the second bending portion (360A) and extending across the folding axis (F).

[0205] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the number of the plurality of second trace portions (2371) may be greater than the number of the at least one first trace portion (2373).

[0206] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a separation space (E) may be formed between the first flexible connecting member (350) and the second flexible connecting member (360).

[0207] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first flexible connecting member (350) may include a first-first bending portion (350A) and a first-second bending portion (350B) that bend or unfold in different directions when the hinge assembly (202) is folded or unfolded.

[0208] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the second flexible connecting member (360) may include a second bending portion (360A) positioned above the first-first bending portion (350A) and bent or unfolded like the first-first bending portion (350A) when the hinge assembly (202) is folded or unfolded.

[0209] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the third flexible connecting member (380) may include a third bending portion (380B) positioned above the first-second bending portion (350B) and bent or unfolded like the first-second bending portion (350B) when the hinge assembly (202) is folded or unfolded.

[0210] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the foldable electronic device (200) may include a first dummy circuit (370) at least partially disposed on the second bending portion (360A).

[0211] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the foldable electronic device (200) may include a second dummy circuit (390) at least partially disposed on the third bending portion (380B).

[0212] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first flexible connecting member (350) may be disposed between the second flexible connecting member (360) and the third flexible connecting member (380).

[0213] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a foldable electronic device (200) may include at least one processor (120) connected to the first dummy circuit (370) and the second dummy circuit (390), and a memory (130) that stores instructions.

[0214] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor (120), may cause the foldable electronic device (200) to detect whether the first dummy circuit (370) or the second dummy circuit (390) is open through the at least one processor (120).

[0215] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first dummy circuit (370) may include a plurality of first trace portions (371, 373) extending across the folding axis (F).

[0216] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the second dummy circuit (390) may include a plurality of second trace portions (trace portions, 391, 393) extending across the folding axis (F).

[0217] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the widths of the plurality of first trace portions (371, 373) may be substantially the same.

[0218] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the widths of the plurality of second trace portions (391, 393) may be substantially the same.

[0219] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the hinge assembly (202) is folded or unfolded, the second bending portion (360A) may be configured to be able to move relative to the first-first bending portion (350A).

[0220] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the hinge assembly (202) is folded or unfolded, the third bending portion (380B) may be configured to be able to move relative to the first-second bending portion (350B).

[0221] 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.

[0222] 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.

[0223] 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).

[0224] 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.

[0225] 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.

[0226] 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.

[0227] While this disclosure has been described by way of example and illustration, it should be understood that these various embodiments are intended to be illustrative rather than limiting. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the overall scope of this disclosure, including the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. In a foldable electronic device (200), First housing (210); Second housing (220); A hinge assembly (202) in which the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) are rotatably coupled and which provides a folding axis (F); A first flexible connecting member (350) including a first bending portion (350A) extending from the first housing (210) to the second housing (220) across the folding axis (F) and configured to bend or straighten when the hinge assembly (202) is folded or unfolded; A second flexible connecting member (360) including a second bending portion (360A) configured to cover the first bending portion (350A) and to bend or unfold together with the first bending portion (350A) when the hinge assembly (202) is folded or unfolded; and A foldable electronic device comprising at least a portion (371) of dummy circuitry (370) disposed on the second bending portion (360A).

2. In paragraph 1, The above dummy circuit (370) is A foldable electronic device comprising a plurality of trace portions (371) disposed on the second bending portion (360A) and extending across the folding axis (F).

3. In paragraph 2, A foldable electronic device wherein the widths of the plurality of trace portions (371) are substantially the same.

4. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 3, At least one processor (120) connected to the above dummy circuit (370); and Includes a memory (130) for storing commands, The above instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor (120), cause the foldable electronic device (200) to: A foldable electronic device that recognizes whether the dummy circuit (370) is open through the processor (120).

5. In paragraph 4, It further includes an impact detection sensor (IS), The above instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor (120), cause the foldable electronic device (200) to: A foldable electronic device that recognizes whether the foldable electronic device (200) has been dropped through the above shock detection sensor (IS).

6. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 5, Extending parallel to the first flexible connecting member (350) and further including a third flexible connecting member (340), A foldable electronic device in which the first flexible connecting member (350) is positioned between the second flexible connecting member (360) and the third flexible connecting member (340).

7. In paragraph 6, Further comprising a hinge cover (230) that at least partially covers the hinge assembly (202) and is positioned between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220), The above second flexible connecting member (360) is A foldable electronic device positioned between the hinge cover (230) and the first flexible connecting member (350).

8. In paragraph 7, The above second bending portion (360A) is A foldable electronic device configured to bend when the hinge assembly (202) is folded and to unfold when the hinge assembly (202) is unfolded.

9. In paragraph 6, Further comprising a hinge cover (230) that at least partially covers the hinge assembly (202) and is positioned between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220), The above third flexible connecting member (340) is A foldable electronic device positioned between the hinge cover (230) and the first flexible connecting member (360).

10. In paragraph 9, The above second bending portion (360B): A foldable electronic device configured to unfold when the hinge assembly (202) is folded and to bend when the hinge assembly (202) is unfolded.

11. In any one of paragraphs 6 to 10, A foldable electronic device in which a portion (372) of the above dummy circuit (370) is placed on the third flexible connecting member (340).

12. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 11, A foldable electronic device in which the first bending portion (350A) is configured to move relative to the second bending portion (360A) when the hinge assembly (202) is folded or unfolded.

13. In paragraph 12, A first circuit board (262) placed inside the first housing (210); A second circuit board (264) placed inside the second housing (220); A first connector (311) connecting the first flexible connecting member (350) and the second flexible connecting member (360) to the first circuit board (262); and A foldable electronic device including a second connector (321) connecting the first flexible connecting member (350) and the second flexible connecting member (360) to the second circuit board (264).

14. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 13, The above second flexible connecting member (360) is It includes an extension portion (301, 302) extending from the second bending portion (360A), The above dummy circuit (2370) is: At least one first trace portion (2373) disposed on the above extension portion (301, 302) and extending across the folding axis (F); and A plurality of second trace portions (2371) are disposed on the second bending portion (360A) and extend across the folding axis (F), A foldable electronic device wherein the number of the plurality of second trace portions (2371) is greater than the number of the at least one first trace portion (2373).

15. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 14, A foldable electronic device in which a separation space (E) is formed between the first flexible connecting member (350) and the second flexible connecting member (360).

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