Protective member and electronic device comprising same

Abstract

A foldable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: a housing including a first housing component and a second housing component; a hinge rotatably connecting the first housing component and the second housing component; a flexible display disposed to be supported by the first housing component and the second housing component; a first protective member disposed on the first housing component to cover a first edge portion of the flexible display; and a second protective member disposed on the second housing component to cover a second edge portion of the flexible display. The first protective member includes a plurality of first fiber layers laminated to each other. Each of the first fiber layers includes a first fiber-reinforced portion having a first thickness and a plurality of second fiber layers extending from the first fiber-reinforced portion and laminated to each other. Each of the second fiber layers includes a second fiber-reinforced portion having a second thickness smaller than the first thickness. The second protective member includes: a third fiber-reinforced portion including a plurality of third fiber layers laminated to each other; and a fourth fiber-reinforced portion (320) extending from the third fiber-reinforced portion and including a plurality of fourth fiber layers laminated to each other. When the foldable electronic device is in a folded state, the second fiber-reinforced portion of the first protective member and the fourth fiber-reinforced portion of the second protective member may be formed to contact each other.

Description

Protective member and electronic device including same

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a protective member and an electronic device including the same.

[0002] With the advancement of electronics, information, and communication technologies, a single portable communication device or electronic device is incorporating diverse functions. For example, smartphones incorporate functions such as audio playback, photography, and electronic notebooks in addition to communication functions. Furthermore, the installation of additional applications can enable even more diverse functions.

[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, while functioning as an output device that displays visual information, can also provide 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., larger screens). On the other hand, the commercialization of flexible displays, such as foldable or rollable displays, is expected to further enhance the portability and ease of use of electronic devices.

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

[0005] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a foldable electronic device includes a housing including a first housing component and a second housing component, a hinge rotatably connecting the first housing component and the second housing component, a flexible display supported by the first housing component and the second housing component, a first protective member disposed on the first housing component to cover a first edge portion of the flexible display, and a second protective member disposed on the second housing component to cover a second edge portion of the flexible display. The first protective member includes a plurality of first fiber layers laminated to each other, each of the first fiber layers including a first fiber-reinforced portion having a first thickness, and a plurality of second fiber layers extending from the first fiber-reinforced portion and laminated to each other, each of the second fiber layers including a second fiber-reinforced part having a second thickness smaller than the first thickness. The second protective member includes a third fiber-reinforced portion including a plurality of third fiber layers laminated to each other, and a fourth fiber-reinforced portion (320) extending from the third fiber-reinforced portion and including a plurality of fourth fiber layers laminated to each other. When the foldable electronic device is in a folded state, the second fiber-reinforced portion of the first protective member and the fourth fiber-reinforced portion of the second protective member may be formed to contact each other.

[0006] According to one embodiment, a foldable electronic device may include a housing including a first housing component and a second housing component, a hinge rotatably connecting the second housing component to the first housing component, a flexible display supported by the first housing component and the second housing component, a first protective member disposed on the first housing component to cover a first edge portion of the flexible display, and a second protective member disposed on the second housing component to cover a second edge portion of the flexible display. At least one of the first protective member or the second protective member may include a first portion positioned inside the housing and including a first material, and a second portion extending from one end of the first portion, forming an exterior of the electronic device, and including a second material different from the first material.

[0007] However, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications or variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device within a network environment according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

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

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

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

[0012] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a housing, a flexible display, and a protective member of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a portion of a protective member of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device taken along line A-A' of FIG. 2 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the protective member of FIG. 7 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 9 is a drawing showing the laminated layers forming the protective member, enlarged from a portion (S) of the protective member of FIG. 8, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of a protective member having a portion of an inner side bent according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of a protective member having a blocking layer disposed thereon according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 12 is a flowchart schematically illustrating a process for manufacturing a protective member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] FIG. 13 is a flowchart specifically illustrating a process of the second fiber-reinforced portion of the protective member in the flowchart of FIG. 12 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] FIG. 14 is a flowchart specifically illustrating a process of the second fiber-reinforced portion of the protective member in the flowchart of FIG. 12 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] FIG. 15 is a flowchart schematically illustrating a process of a protective member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] FIG. 16 is a flowchart schematically illustrating a process of a protective member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] The accompanying drawings are referenced in the following description, and specific examples of implementations are illustrated within the drawings. Furthermore, other examples may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the various examples.

[0025] Electronic devices according to the 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 disclosed in this document are not limited to the aforementioned devices.

[0026] The embodiments and terminology used in this document are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, but should be understood to encompass various modifications, equivalents, or alternatives of the embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used to refer to 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.

[0027] In this document, phrases such as "A or B", "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B", "A, B, or C", "at least one of A, B, and C", and "at least one of A, B, or C" can each include any one of the items listed together in that phrase, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as "first", "second", or "first" or "second" may be used merely to distinguish the corresponding component from other corresponding components and do not limit the corresponding components in any other respect (e.g., importance or order). When a component (e.g., a first) is referred to as "coupled" or "connected" to another component (e.g., a second) 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.

[0028] 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).

[0029] According to one embodiment, each component (e.g., a module or a program) of the above-described components may include one or more entities, and some of the entities may be separated and arranged in other components. According to one embodiment, one or more components or operations of the aforementioned components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of components (e.g., a module or a program) may be integrated into a single component. In this case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the plurality of components identically or similarly to those performed by the corresponding component among the plurality of components prior to the integration. According to one embodiment, the operations performed by a module, program, or other component may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

[0030] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device within a network environment according to one embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0031] 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 an electronic device (104) or a server (108) via a second network (199) (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may communicate with the electronic device (104) via the server (108). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a processor (120), a memory (130), an input module (150), an audio output module (155), a display module (160), an audio module (170), a sensor module (176), an interface (177), a connection terminal (178), a haptic module (179), a camera module (180), a power management module (188), a battery (189), a communication module (190), a subscriber identification module (196), or an antenna module (197). In one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may have at least one of these components (e.g., the connection terminal (178)) omitted, or one or more other components added. In one embodiment, some of these components (e.g., the sensor module (176), the camera module (180), or the antenna module (197)) may be integrated into one component (e.g., the display module (160)).

[0032] 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 calculations. According to one embodiment, as at least a part of the data processing or calculations, 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 a secondary 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 therewith. For example, if the electronic device (101) includes a main processor (121) and a secondary processor (123), the secondary processor (123) may be configured to use less power than the main processor (121) or to be specialized for a specified function. The secondary processor (123) may be implemented separately from the main processor (121) or as a part thereof.

[0033] 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, in the electronic device (101) itself where artificial intelligence is performed, 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.

[0034] 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).

[0035] 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).

[0036] 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).

[0037] 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.

[0038] The display module (160) can visually provide information to an external device (e.g., a user) of the electronic device (101). The display module (160) may include, for example, a display, a hall area program device, or a projector and a control circuit for controlling the device. In 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.

[0039] 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).

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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.

[0042] 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).

[0043] A 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. In one embodiment, the haptic module (179) can include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

[0044] 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.

[0045] 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, for example, as at least a part of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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).

[0048] 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.

[0049] 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 one embodiment, in addition to the radiator, another component (e.g., a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) may be additionally formed as a part of the antenna module (197).

[0050] In one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may form a mmWave antenna module. In one embodiment, the mmWave antenna module may include a printed circuit board, an RFIC disposed on or adjacent a first side (e.g., a bottom side) of the printed circuit board and capable of supporting a designated high-frequency band (e.g., a mmWave band), and a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna) disposed on or adjacent a second side (e.g., a top side or a side side) of the printed circuit board and capable of transmitting or receiving signals in the designated high-frequency band.

[0051] 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)).

[0052] According to one embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (104) via a server (108) connected to a second network (199). Each of the external electronic devices (102 or 104) may be the same or a different type of device as the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, all or part of the operations executed in the electronic device (101) may be executed in one or more of the external electronic devices (102, 104, or 108). For example, when the electronic device (101) is to perform a certain function or service automatically or in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device (101) may, instead of or in addition to executing the function or service itself, request one or more external electronic devices to perform the function or at least a part of the service. One or more external electronic devices that receive the request may execute at least a portion of the requested function or service, or an additional function or service related to the request, and transmit the result of the execution to the electronic device (101). The electronic device (101) may process the result as is or additionally and provide it as at least a portion of a response to the request. For this purpose, cloud computing, distributed computing, mobile edge computing (MEC), or client-server computing technology may be used, for example. The electronic device (101) may provide an ultra-low latency service by using distributed computing or mobile edge computing, for example. In one embodiment, the external electronic device (104) may include an Internet of Things (IoT) device. The server (108) may be an intelligent server using 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.

[0053] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an unfolded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0054] FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating a folded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0055] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the electronic device (101) may include a housing (201), a hinge cover (240) covering a foldable portion of the housing (201), and a display (230) disposed within a space formed by the housing (201). According to one embodiment, a surface on which a screen output from the display (230) is exposed is defined as a front surface of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a first front surface (210a) and a second front surface (220a)). A surface opposite to the front surface is defined as a back surface of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a first back surface (210b) and a second back surface (220b)). In addition, a surface surrounding a space between the front surface and the back surface is defined as a side surface of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a first side surface (210c) and a second side surface (220c)). The side of the electronic device (101) may be a side of at least one of the first housing (210) or the second housing (220).

[0056] The electronic device (101) of FIGS. 2 and 3 may be referred to as a foldable electronic device, a portable electronic device, or a portable foldable electronic device. In one embodiment, the housing (201) may be referred to as a foldable housing. The display (230) may be referred to as a "flexible display."

[0057] In one embodiment, the housing (201) may include a first housing (210), a second housing (220) rotatable with respect to the first housing (210), a first rear cover (280), and a second rear cover (290). The housing (201) of the electronic device (101) is not limited to the shape and combination illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, and may be implemented by other shapes or combinations and / or combinations of parts. For example, in one embodiment, the first housing (210) and the first rear cover (280) may be formed integrally, and the second housing (220) and the second rear cover (290) may be formed integrally. In one embodiment, the first housing (210) may be referred to as a first housing component, and the second housing (220) may be referred to as a second housing component.

[0058] According to one embodiment, the first housing (210) is connected to a hinge structure (e.g., hinge (202) of FIG. 4) and may include a first front side (210a) facing a first direction and a first rear side (210b) facing a second direction opposite to the first direction. The second housing (220) is connected to a hinge (or hinge assembly) (202) and includes a second front side (220a) facing a third direction and a second rear side (220b) facing a fourth direction opposite to the third direction, and may rotate about the hinge (202) with respect to the first housing (210). Accordingly, the electronic device (101) may be variable between a folded state and an unfolded (or flat) state. The electronic device (101) may have the first front side (210a) facing the second front side (220a) in a folded state, and the third direction may be the same as the first direction in an unfolded state. In the following, unless otherwise stated, the directions are described based on the unfolded state of the electronic device (101).

[0059] According to one embodiment, the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) are arranged on both sides with respect to the folding axis (A) as the center, and may have an overall symmetrical shape with respect to the folding axis (A). As described below, the angle or distance between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may vary depending on whether the state of the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state, a folded state, or an intermediate state. According to one embodiment, the second housing (220) additionally includes a sensor area (224) in which sensors (e.g., a front camera) are arranged, but may have a mutually symmetrical shape in other areas (e.g., an area without sensors).

[0060] According to one embodiment, the folding axis (A) may be a plurality of parallel folding axes (e.g., two). In the present disclosure, the folding axis (A) is provided along the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) of the electronic device (101), but the direction of the folding axis (A) is not limited thereto. For example (not shown), the electronic device (101) may include a folding axis (A) extending along the width direction (e.g., X-axis direction).

[0061] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a structure into which a digital pen can be attached. For example, the electronic device (101) may include a magnetic body configured to attach the digital pen to a side of the first housing (210) or a side of the second housing (220). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a structure into which a digital pen can be inserted. For example, a hole (not shown) into which the digital pen can be inserted may be formed in a side of the first housing (210) or a side of the second housing (220) of the electronic device (101).

[0062] According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be formed of a metallic or non-metallic material having a rigidity of a size selected to support the display (230). At least a portion formed of the metallic material may provide a ground plane of the electronic device (101) and may be electrically connected to a ground line formed on a printed circuit board (e.g., the board portion (260) of FIG. 4).

[0063] According to one embodiment, the sensor area (224) may be formed to have a predetermined area adjacent to one edge or one corner of the second housing (220). However, the arrangement, shape, and size of the sensor area (224) are not limited to the illustrated example. According to one embodiment, the sensor area (224) may be provided in another corner of the second housing (220) or any area between the upper and lower corners or in the first housing (210). In one embodiment, components for performing various functions built into the electronic device (101) may be exposed to the front of the electronic device (101) through the sensor area (224) or through one or more openings provided in the sensor area (224). In 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, the first rear cover (280) is disposed on one side of the folding axis (A) on the rear surface of the electronic device (101) and may have, for example, a substantially rectangular periphery, the periphery of which may be wrapped by the first housing (210). Similarly, the second rear cover (290) is disposed on the other side of the folding axis (A) on the rear surface of the electronic device (101) and the periphery of which may be wrapped by the second housing (220).

[0065] According to one embodiment, the first rear cover (280) and the second rear cover (290) may have substantially symmetrical shapes with respect to the folding axis (A axis). However, the first rear cover (280) and the second rear cover (290) do not necessarily have mutually symmetrical shapes, and according to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include the first rear cover (280) and the second rear cover (290) of various shapes.

[0066] According to one embodiment, 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 electronic device (101) may be placed. According to one embodiment, one or more components may be placed or visually exposed on the rear surface of the electronic device (101). For example, at least a portion of a sub-display (e.g., the sub-display (244) of FIG. 4) may be visually exposed through at least a portion of the first rear cover (280). According to one embodiment, one or more components or sensors may be visually exposed through at least a portion of the second rear cover (290). In various embodiments, the sensor may include a proximity sensor and / or a camera module (206) (e.g., a rear camera).

[0067] According to one embodiment, a front camera exposed to the front of the electronic device (101) through one or more openings provided in the sensor area (224) or a camera module (206) exposed through at least a portion of the second rear cover (290) may include one or more lenses, image sensors, and / or image signal processors. In some embodiments, two or more lenses (infrared camera, wide-angle and telephoto lenses) and image sensors may be arranged on one side of the electronic device (101).

[0068] According to one embodiment, the hinge cover (240) may be disposed between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) to cover internal components (e.g., the hinge (202) of FIG. 4). According to one embodiment, the hinge cover (240) may be covered by a portion of the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) or exposed to the outside, depending on the state of the electronic device (101) (unfolded, or flat state, or folded state).

[0069] According to one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2, when the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state, the hinge cover (240) may be covered by the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) and may not be exposed. According to one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 3, when the electronic device (101) is in a folded state (e.g., a fully folded state), the hinge cover (240) may be exposed to the outside between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220). According to one embodiment, when the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) are in an intermediate state where they are folded at a certain angle, the hinge cover (240) may be partially exposed to the outside between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220). However, in this case, the exposed area may be less than the area in the fully folded state. In one embodiment, the hinge cover (240) may include a curved surface.

[0070] According to one embodiment, the display (230) may be disposed on a space formed by the housing (201). For example, the display (230) may be mounted on a recess formed by the housing (201) and may constitute most of the front surface of the electronic device (101). Accordingly, the front surface of the electronic device (101) may include the display (230), a portion of the first housing (210) adjacent to the display (230) and a portion of the second housing (220). The rear surface of the electronic device (101) 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] In one embodiment, the display (230) may include a plurality of displays spaced apart from each other. For example, the display (230) may include a first display area (231) disposed on a first housing (210) and a second display area (232) disposed on a second housing (220). In one embodiment, the first display area (231) and the second display area (232) may rotate about a folding axis (A).

[0072] According to one embodiment, the display (230) may refer to a display in which at least a portion of the display can be transformed into a flat or curved surface. For example, the display (230) may be a foldable or flexible display. According to one embodiment, the display (230) may include a folding area (233), a first display area (231) arranged on one side (e.g., the left side of the folding area (233) illustrated in FIG. 2) with respect to the folding area (233), and a second display area (232) arranged on the other side (e.g., the right side of the folding area (233) illustrated in FIG. 2). However, the division of the areas of the display (230) is exemplary, and the display (230) may be divided into a plurality of areas (e.g., four or more or two) depending on the structure or function. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the display (230) may be divided into regions by a folding region (233) extending parallel to the Y-axis or a folding axis (e.g., the A-axis). In one embodiment, the display (230) may also be divided into regions based on another folding region (e.g., a folding region parallel to the X-axis) or another folding axis (e.g., a folding axis parallel to the X-axis). In one embodiment, the display (230) may be coupled to or disposed adjacent to a touch detection circuit, a pressure sensor capable of measuring the intensity (pressure) of a touch, and / or a digitizer (not shown) configured to detect a magnetic field-type stylus pen.

[0073] According to one embodiment, the first display area (231) and the second display area (232) may have an overall symmetrical shape centered on the folding area (233). According to one embodiment (not shown), the second display area (232), unlike the first display area (231), may include a cut notch depending on the presence of the sensor area (224), but may have a shape symmetrical with respect to the first display area (231) in other areas. In other words, the first display area (231) and the second display area (232) 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 (230) according to the state of the electronic device (101) (e.g., unfolded state (or flat state) and folded state) will be described.

[0075] According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state (or flat state) (e.g., FIG. 2), the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be arranged to face the same direction at a substantially 180-degree angle. The surface of the first display area (231) of the display (230) and the surface of the second display area (232) may form a 180-degree angle with each other and face the same direction (e.g., toward the front of the electronic device). The folding area (233) may form the same plane as the first display area (231) and the second display area (232).

[0076] According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is in a folded state (e.g., FIG. 3), the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be arranged to face each other. The surface of the first display area (231) of the display (230) and the surface of the second display area (232) may form a narrow angle (e.g., between 0 and 10 degrees) with each other and may face each other. The folding area (233) may be formed as a curved surface having at least a portion of a predetermined curvature.

[0077] According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is in an intermediate state (not shown), the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be arranged at a certain angle with respect to each other. The surface of the first display area (231) of the display (230) and the surface of the second display area (232) may form an angle that is greater than the angle in the folded state and less than the angle in the unfolded state. The folding area (233) may be formed as a curved surface having at least a certain curvature, and the curvature at this time may be less than that in the folded state.

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

[0079] Referring to FIG. 4, the electronic device (101) may include a housing (201), a display (230), a hinge (or hinge assembly) (202), a battery (250), and a substrate (260). The housing (201) may include a first housing (210), a second housing (220), a first rear cover (280), and a second rear cover (290). The configurations of the first housing (210), the second housing (220), the hinge cover (240), the first rear cover (280), and the second rear cover (290) of FIG. 4 may be all or part of the configurations of the first housing (210), the second housing (220), the hinge cover (240), the first rear cover (280), and the second rear cover (290) of FIG. 2 and / or FIG. 3. In one embodiment, the first housing (210) may be named a first housing component, and the second housing (220) may be named a second housing component.

[0080] According to one embodiment, 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 (202). According to one embodiment, the first housing (210) can include a first support area (212) capable of supporting a component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., the first circuit board (262) and / or the 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 electronic device (101) (e.g., the first side surface (210c) of FIG. 2). According to one embodiment, the second housing (220) may include a second support area (222) capable of supporting a component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a second circuit board (264) and / or a second battery (254)) and a second side wall (221) surrounding at least a portion of the second support area (222). The second side wall (221) may include a second side surface of the electronic device (101) (e.g., the second side surface (220c) of FIG. 2).

[0081] According to one embodiment, the display (230) may include a first display area (231), a second display area (232), a folding area (233), and a sub-display (244). The configuration of the first display area (231), the second display area (232), and the folding area (233) of FIG. 3 may be all or part of the same as the configuration of the first display area (231), the second display area (232), and the folding area (233) of FIG. 1 and / or FIG. 2.

[0082] According to one embodiment, the sub-display (244) can display a screen in a different direction from the display areas (231, 232). For example, the sub-display (244) (e.g., 234 of FIGS. 2 and 3) can output a screen in a direction opposite to the first display area (231). According to one embodiment, the sub-display (244) can be disposed on the first rear cover (280).

[0083] In one embodiment, the battery (250) may include a first battery (252) disposed within the first housing (210) and a second battery (254) disposed within the second housing (220). In one embodiment, the first battery (252) may be connected to the first circuit board (262), and the second battery (254) may be connected to the second circuit board (264). In one embodiment, the battery (250) may supply power to at least one component of the electronic device (101). In one embodiment, the battery (250) may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

[0084] In one embodiment, the substrate (260) may include a first circuit board (262) disposed within a first housing (210) and a second circuit board (264) disposed within a second housing (220). In one embodiment, the first circuit board (262) and the second circuit board (264) may be electrically connected by at least one flexible circuit board (266). In one embodiment, at least a portion of the flexible circuit board (266) may be disposed across the hinge (202). In one embodiment, the first circuit board (262) and the second circuit board (264) may be disposed within a space formed by the first housing (210), the second housing (220), the first rear cover (280), and the second rear cover (290). Components for implementing various functions of the electronic device (101) can be placed on the first circuit board (262) and the second circuit board (264).

[0085] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include speakers (208a, 208b). According to one embodiment, the speakers (208a, 208b) may convert electrical signals into sound. According to one embodiment, the speakers (208a, 208b) may be disposed within a space formed by the first housing (210), the second housing (220), the first rear cover (280), and the second rear cover (290). According to one embodiment, the speakers (208a, 208b) may include an upper speaker (208a) positioned at the top (+Y direction) of the electronic device (101) and a lower speaker (208b) positioned at the bottom (-Y direction) of the electronic device (101). In the present disclosure, the speakers (208a, 208b) are illustrated as being positioned within one housing (e.g., the first housing (210) of FIG. 4), but this is an optional structure. For example, the speakers (208a, 208b) may be located within at least one of the first housing (210) or the second housing (220). The configuration of the speakers (208a, 208b) of FIG. 4 may be all or part of the same as the configuration of the sound output module (155) of FIG. 1.

[0086] In one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a rear member (270) (or rear case). In one embodiment, the rear member (270) may be disposed within a housing (201) (e.g., a second housing (220)). In one embodiment, the rear member (270) may accommodate at least one antenna (275).

[0087] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include an antenna (275). The antennas (275a, 275b) may include, for example, an ultra wide band (UWB) antenna (275a), a near field communication (NFC) antenna, a wireless charging antenna, and / or a magnetic secure transmission (MST) antenna (275b). The antenna (275) may, for example, perform short-range communication with an external device or wirelessly transmit and receive power required for charging.

[0088] In one embodiment, an antenna structure may be formed by a portion or a combination of the housing (201). For example, the antenna (275) may include a communication antenna (275c) that is at least partially exposed to the exterior of the electronic device (101) and forms at least a portion of the exterior of the electronic device (101). The communication antenna (275c) may be used for communication with an external electronic device (e.g., Wi-Fi). The communication antenna (275c) may be connected to the upper portion (271a) or the lower portion (271b) of the rear member (270).

[0089] In the detailed description below, a configuration in which a pair of housings (or, "housings") are rotatably coupled by a hinge structure (or, "hinge structure") may be exemplified. However, it should be noted that this embodiment does not limit the electronic device according to various embodiments disclosed in the present document. For example, the electronic device according to various embodiments disclosed in the present document 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."

[0090] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a housing, a flexible display, and a protective member of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0091] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a portion of a protective member of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0092] The configuration of the electronic device (101) of FIGS. 5 and 6 may be partially or entirely identical to the configuration of the electronic device (101) of FIGS. 1 to 4. The protective member (300) of FIG. 6 is a part of the protective member (300) of FIG. 5, and is illustrated facing in the opposite direction to the protective member (300) of FIG. 5.

[0093] The embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6 can be optionally combined with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 4 and the embodiments of FIGS. 7 to 16.

[0094] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the electronic device (101) may include a housing (201), a display (230), and a protective member (300) that protects the edge of the display (230).

[0095] According to one embodiment, the housing (201) may form the overall appearance of the electronic device (101). The housing (201) may include a first housing (210) and a second housing (220).

[0096] In one embodiment, the housing (201) may be referred to as a housing component, considering that it is manufactured in component units. For example, the first housing (210) may be referred to as a first housing component, and the second housing (220) may be referred to as a second housing component.

[0097] According to one embodiment, the display (230) may include a first display area (231), a second display area (232), and a folding area (233). The display (230) may be arranged across the first housing (210) and the second housing (220). For example, a portion of the first display area (231) and the folding area (233) of the display (230) (e.g., a portion adjacent to the first display area (231)) may be arranged over the first housing (210), and at least a portion thereof may be supported by the first housing (210). For example, a portion of the second display area (232) and the folding area (233) of the display (230) (e.g., a portion adjacent to the second display area (232)) may be arranged over the second housing (220), and at least a portion thereof may be supported by the second housing (220).

[0098] According to one embodiment, the protective member (300) may be positioned along the edge portion of the display (230) to protect the edge portion of the display (230). The protective member (300) may be formed in the shape of a single closed loop, or may be formed in multiple pieces that are separately positioned on the first and second housings (210, 220).

[0099] In one embodiment, the protective member (300) may cover an edge of the display (230). For example, a first protective member (300a) may be disposed in the first housing (210) to cover a first edge portion of the display (230) (e.g., an edge portion of the display (230) arranged along the side of the first housing (210). For example, a second protective member (300b) may be disposed in the second housing (220) to cover a second edge portion of the display (230) (e.g., an edge portion of the display (230) arranged along the side of the second housing (220).

[0100] According to one embodiment, the protective member (300) may include a first protective member (300a) disposed over the first housing (210), and a second protective member (300b) disposed over the second housing (220). For example, the first protective member (300a) may be disposed along an edge of the first housing (210), and the second protective member (300b) may be disposed along an edge of the second housing (220).

[0101] According to one embodiment, the first protective member (300a) may be arranged along the edge of a portion of the first display area (231) and the folding area (233) (e.g., a portion adjacent to the first display area (231)) to protect one side of the display (230) that is vulnerable to damage due to impact. For example, the first protective member (300a) may be arranged along the left wall (e.g., a side wall in the -X-axis direction) and the upper and lower side walls of the first housing (210). According to one embodiment, the second protective member (300b) may be arranged along the edge of a portion of the second display area (232) and the folding area (233) of the display (230) (e.g., a portion adjacent to the second display area (232)) to protect one side of the display (230) that is vulnerable to damage due to impact. For example, the second protective member (300b) may be arranged along the right wall (e.g., the side wall in the +X-axis direction) and the upper and lower side walls of the second housing (220).

[0102] According to one embodiment, the protective member (300) may be named at least one of a deco, a decorative member, an edge member, a shield member, a cover member, an exterior member, or a guide member, and the expression of the member may be replaced with at least one of an element, a part, a portion, or a component.

[0103] According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is unfolded, the first protective member (300a) and the second protective member (300b) may be spaced apart and arranged in parallel. The first protective member (300a) may be positioned along the upper side (e.g., in the +Y-axis direction), the lower side (e.g., in the -Y-axis direction), and the left side (e.g., in the -X-axis direction) of the edge of the display (230), and may have a shape in which the side facing the second protective member (300b) is open. For example, when viewed from the front of the display (230), the first protective member (300a) may have a '[' shape. The second protective member (300b) may be positioned along the upper side (e.g., in the +Y-axis direction), the lower side (e.g., in the -Y-axis direction), and the right side (e.g., in the +X-axis direction) of the edge of the display (230), and may have a shape in which the side facing the first protective member (300a) is open. For example, when viewed from the front of the display (230), the second protective member (300b) may have a ']' shape. The distance between the first protective member (300a) and the second protective member (300b) may be designed to facilitate bending of the folding area (233) of the display (230). For example, when the electronic device (101) is folded, the first protective member (300a) and the second protective member (300b) may be spaced apart by the amount of space that the display (230) bends. However, the shape of the first protective member (300a) and / or the second protective member (300b) is not limited to the shape disclosed in FIGS. 5 and 6, and may be variously designed and changed to correspond to the shapes of the housing (201) and the display (230). For example, the protective member (300) may be formed to completely wrap around the edge of the display (230) in a closed loop shape, and may include a flexible material that can be easily bent when the electronic device (101) is folded.

[0104] According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is folded, the first protective member (300a) and the second protective member (300b) are arranged to face each other, and at least some of them may be in contact with each other. For example, when the electronic device (101) is folded, the first protective member (300a) and the second protective member (300b) may be in full contact with each other. For example, when the electronic device (101) is folded, the first protective member (300a) and the second protective member (300b) may be arranged to contact only the opposite side portions of the hinge, and the separation distance may gradually increase as they get closer to the hinge.

[0105] According to one embodiment, the protective member (300) (e.g., the first protective member (300a) and / or the second protective member (300b)) may include a first portion (301) inserted into the housing (201), and a second portion (302) extending outwardly (e.g., in the front direction (+Z-axis direction)) from the first portion (301) and formed to substantially cover an edge of the front surface of the display (230). A portion of the first portion (301) may be formed to surround a side surface of the display (230), and a portion of the second portion (302) may be formed to surround an edge of the front surface of the display (230). The second part (302) of the protective member (300) has a shape that protrudes in the +Z-axis direction from the front surface of the display (230), and can prevent contact between the first display area (231) and the second display area (232) of the display (230) when the electronic device (101) is folded. For example, when the electronic device (101) is folded, the first display area (231) and the second display area (232) can be maintained in a spaced state due to contact between the first protective member (300a) and the second protective member (300b).

[0106] According to one embodiment, the first protective member (300a) and the second protective member (300b) may be exposed to the front side of the electronic device (101) to form an outermost layer. Accordingly, when the electronic device (101) is operated in a folded state from an unfolded state, the first protective member (300a) and the second protective member (300b) may experience an impact (e.g., friction) due to contact between them. Accordingly, an improved protective member (300) will be described in detail below so as to limit (e.g., reduce or prevent) damage to the outer surface of the first protective member (300a) and / or the second protective member (300b) and noise (squeak noise) due to the impact.

[0107] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A' of the electronic device of FIG. 2 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0108] FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the protective member of FIG. 7 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0109] FIG. 9 is a drawing showing the laminated layers forming the protective member, enlarged from a portion (S) of the protective member of FIG. 8, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0110] The configuration of the electronic device (101) of FIGS. 7 to 9 may be partially or entirely identical to the configuration of the electronic device (101) of FIGS. 1 to 4.

[0111] The embodiments of FIGS. 7 to 9 can be optionally combined with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 6 and the embodiments of FIGS. 10 to 16.

[0112] Referring to FIGS. 7 to 9, an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIGS. 1 to 5) may include a housing (201), a hinge (e.g., the hinge (202) of FIG. 4), a display (230), and a protective member (300) that protects an edge of the display (230).

[0113] In one embodiment, the housing (201) may form the overall appearance of the electronic device (101). The housing (201) includes a first housing (e.g., the first housing (210) of FIG. 5) and a second housing (e.g., the second housing (220) of FIG. 5), and the hinge may rotatably connect the second housing (220) to the first housing (210).

[0114] In one embodiment, the display (230) includes a flexible display and can be easily bent correspondingly when the electronic device (101) is operated from an unfolded state to a folded state.

[0115] According to one embodiment, the protective member (300) may include a first protective member corresponding to the first housing (210) (e.g., the first protective member (300a) of FIG. 5) and a second protective member corresponding to the second housing (220) (e.g., the second protective member (300b) of FIG. 5). According to one embodiment, each of the first protective member (300a) and / or the second protective member (300b) may include at least one of a first portion (e.g., the first portion (301) of FIG. 6), a second portion (e.g., the second portion (302) of FIG. 6), or a coating layer (330). The first portion (301) may include a first fiber-reinforced portion (310). The second portion (302) may include a second fiber-reinforced portion (320). The first fiber-reinforced portion of the second protective member (300b) may also be referred to as the third fiber-reinforced portion. The second fiber-reinforced portion of the second protective member (300b) may also be referred to as the fourth fiber-reinforced portion. The coating layer (330) of the first protective member (300a) may also be referred to as the first coating layer (330), and the coating layer (330) of the second protective member (300b) may also be referred to as the second coating layer.

[0116] Hereinafter, the first protective member (300a) placed on the first housing (210) and the related configuration will be described, and the second protective member (300b) and the related configuration can be applied thereto.

[0117] Referring to FIG. 7, the first protective member (300a) may be arranged along the edge of the first housing (210) and may be arranged to surround the edge of the display (230) (e.g., the front surface (e.g., the side facing the +Z-axis direction) and / or the side (e.g., the side facing the +X-axis, -X-axis direction) of the edge). Hereinafter, one side facing the +Z-axis is defined as at least one of the front surface, the front side, or the front end, and the other side facing the -Z-axis is defined as at least one of the rear surface, the rear side, or the rear end.

[0118] According to one embodiment, the first protective member (300a) may include a first fiber-reinforced portion (310), a second fiber-reinforced portion (320), and a coating layer (330). The first fiber-reinforced portion (310) may be positioned inside the first housing (210) and may have a shape in which fibers (e.g., the first fiber layer (317) or the first fiber sheet) having a first thickness (d1) are laminated. The second fiber-reinforced portion (320) may extend from one end of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310), form an outer appearance of the first housing (210), and may have a shape in which fibers (e.g., the second fiber layer (327) or the second fiber sheet) having a second thickness (d2) smaller than the first thickness (d1) are laminated. The coating layer (330) is arranged to surround the second fiber-reinforced portion (320), thereby protecting the first protective member (300a) and providing aesthetic appeal. The first fiber layer(s) of the third fiber-reinforced portion may also be referred to as the third fiber layer(s). The second fiber layer(s) of the fourth fiber-reinforced portion may also be referred to as the fourth fiber layer(s).

[0119] According to one embodiment, the first thickness (d1) and / or the second thickness (d2) are defined based on the cross-sectional view of FIG. 9, and may be named in various expressions such as the diameter (or diameter), height, or length of the fibers, depending on the direction in which the fibers (e.g., fiber sheets) forming the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) and / or the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) are viewed.

[0120] According to one embodiment, the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) of the first protective member (300a) has a first length (L1), and a rear region (e.g., a rear end facing the -Z-axis direction and an adjacent portion of the rear end) can be inserted into a recess (290a) of the first housing (210) to couple the first protective member (300a) to the first housing (210). For example, the rear region of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) can be fitted into the recess (290a) of the first housing (210), and the rear end of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) can be fixed to the first housing (210) via an adhesive member (350). The adhesive member (350) can be various materials, such as a tape or bonding, for fixing or attaching the first protective member (300a) to the first housing (210). The front end of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) can be connected to the second fiber-reinforced portion (320).

[0121] According to one embodiment, the outer side (311) of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) (e.g., the side facing the outside of the electronic device (101)) may be formed to be surrounded by a side wall (209b) forming an edge of the first housing (210). The inner side (312) of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) (e.g., the side facing the inside of the electronic device (101)) may be arranged to face the side of the display (230). The inner side (312) of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) may be arranged to be spaced apart from the side of the display (230) and may be arranged to entirely surround the side of the display (230), thereby protecting the display (230).

[0122] According to one embodiment, the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300a) has a second length (L2) that is smaller than the first length (L1), and a rear end thereof is connected to the first fiber-reinforced portion (310), and may include an outer region (321) facing an outer side (e.g., in the X-axis direction) of the electronic device (101) and an inner region (322) facing the display (230). The outer region (321) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) may be disposed on a side wall (209b) of the first housing (210). A portion of the inner region (322) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) may extend toward the display (230), and a portion thereof may be disposed to face the front surface of the display (230). The inner region (322) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) may be spaced apart from the front surface of the display (230) and may be positioned to completely surround the edge of the front surface of the display (230), thereby protecting the display (230). When viewed toward the display (230), a portion of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) (e.g., the inner region (322)) may overlap a portion of the front surface of the display (230).

[0123] According to one embodiment, the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) may be substantially perpendicular to the first fiber-reinforced portion (310). For example, the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) may be a portion that has a long length in the thickness direction (e.g., Z-axis direction) of the electronic device (101), and the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) may be a portion that has a long length in the length direction (e.g., Y-axis direction) or width direction (e.g., X-axis direction) of the electronic device (101).

[0124] According to one embodiment, the first length (L1) and / or the second length (L2) are defined based on the cross-sectional views of FIGS. 7 and 8, and may be named in various expressions, such as thickness, height, or width (depth), in addition to the length, depending on the direction in which the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) and / or the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) is viewed.

[0125] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the first protective member (300a) may include a first fiber-reinforced portion (310) having a first length (L1) and a second fiber-reinforced portion (320) having a second length (L2). The first length (L1) of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) may be greater than the second length (L2) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320). The first length (L1) and the second length (L2) may be defined as lengths in the thickness direction (e.g., +Z-axis / -Z-axis direction) of the electronic device (101). For example, the first length (L1) may be approximately 2 to 5 times greater than the second length (L2). For example, the first length (L1) may be approximately 1.0 to 2.0 mm. For example, the first length (L1) may be approximately 1.2 to 1.5 mm. For example, the second length (L2) may be approximately 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm. For example, the second length (L2) may be approximately 0.3 mm to 0.6 mm.

[0126] According to one embodiment, the fiber-reinforced portion (e.g., the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) and / or the second fiber-reinforced portion (320)) may be formed by laminating a plurality of fibers. The first fiber-reinforced portion (310) may be formed by laminating fibers having a first thickness (d1). The second fiber-reinforced portion (320) may be formed by laminating fibers having a second thickness (d2).

[0127] According to one embodiment, the first protective member (300a) (e.g., the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) and / or the second fiber-reinforced portion (320)) may include at least one of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP), carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP), aramid fiber reinforced polymer (AFRP), basalt fiber reinforced polymer (BFRP), natural fiber reinforced polymer (NFRP), and hybrid composites. According to one embodiment, the first protective member (300a) may include at least one of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polybutylene terephthalate (PBT).

[0128] According to one embodiment, the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) and the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300a) may be formed of the same material. For example, the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) and the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) may be GFRP.

[0129] In one embodiment, the first portion (301) and the second portion (302) of the first protective member (300a) may be formed of different materials. For example, the first portion (301) may be one of the fiber-reinforced portions (e.g., GFRP), and the second portion (302) may be PET.

[0130] According to one embodiment, a process for manufacturing a fiber sheet formed of GFRP may include a process in which GFRP fiber strands wound around a plurality of fiber frames are each discharged, a process in which the discharged fiber strands are placed in an impregnation container (e.g., an epoxy impregnation container) in a state in which they are laminated or bundled (e.g., GFRP after weaving) and impregnated with epoxy, and a process in which the impregnated fiber strands are formed into a single fiber sheet (e.g., GFRP after impregnation).

[0131] According to one embodiment, the fiber-reinforced portion (e.g., the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) and / or the second fiber-reinforced portion (320)) can be manufactured by laminating a plurality of the fiber sheets (e.g., GFRP after impregnation). For example, the fiber-reinforced portion lamination process can be performed by laminating the fiber sheets formed of GFRP (e.g., GFRP after impregnation) and applying heat, so that the impregnated epoxy can be used for interlayer adhesion and form a single laminated fiber-reinforced portion. Hereinafter, the processes of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) and the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) will be described in detail.

[0132] According to one embodiment, the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) may be formed by laminating first fiber layers (317) having a first thickness (d1). Each of the first fiber layers (317) may be the “impregnated GFRP” described above. For example, the first thickness (d1) of each of the first fiber layers (317) may be approximately 0.07 mm to 0.13 mm. For example, the first thickness (d1) of each of the first fiber layers (317) may be approximately 0.08 mm to 0.12 mm. For example, the first thickness (d1) of each of the first fiber layers (317) may be approximately 0.09 mm to 0.11 mm. For example, the first thickness (d1) of each of the first fiber layers (317) may be approximately 0.1 mm. For example, when the first length (L1) of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) is approximately 1.2 mm, the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) may have a structure in which 12 first fiber layers (317) having a thickness of 0.1 mm are laminated.

[0133] In one embodiment, before laminating, one first fiber sheet may have a thickness of approximately 0.11 mm. For example, the thickness of the GFRP sheet may be approximately 0.1 mm, and the thickness of the impregnated epoxy may be approximately 0.01 mm. At least a portion of the impregnated epoxy may be coated to completely surround the outer surface of the GFRP sheet. In one embodiment, in the laminating process of the first fiber reinforced portion (310), one first fiber reinforced portion (310) in the form of a lamination may be manufactured by laminating the first fiber sheets and applying heat. The impregnated epoxy may be used for interlayer adhesion and may be excluded from the overall lamination thickness.

[0134] According to one embodiment, the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) may be formed by laminating second fiber layers (327) having a second thickness (d2). Each of the second fiber layers (327) may be the “impregnated GFRP” described above. For example, the second thickness (d2) of each of the second fiber layers (327) may be approximately 0.01 mm to 0.05 mm. For example, the second thickness (d2) of each of the second fiber layers (327) may be approximately 0.02 mm to 0.04 mm. For example, the second thickness (d2) of each of the second fiber sheets may be approximately 0.03 mm. For example, when the second length (L2) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) is approximately 0.3 mm, the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) may have a structure in which 10 second fiber layers (327) having a thickness of 0.03 mm are laminated.

[0135] In one embodiment, before laminating, one of the second fiber sheets may have a thickness of approximately 0.04 mm. For example, the thickness of the GFRP sheet may be approximately 0.03 mm, and the thickness of the impregnated epoxy may be approximately 0.01 mm. At least a portion of the impregnated epoxy may be coated to completely surround the outer surface of the GFRP sheet. In one embodiment, in the laminating process of the second fiber reinforced portion (320), one second fiber reinforced portion (320) in the form of a lamination may be manufactured by laminating the second fiber sheets and applying heat. The impregnated epoxy may be used for interlayer adhesion and may be excluded from the overall lamination thickness.

[0136] According to one embodiment, a first fiber-reinforced portion (310) in which first fiber layers (317) having a first thickness (d1) are laminated can provide a structure having relatively greater rigidity than a second fiber-reinforced portion (320) in which second fiber layers (327) having a second thickness (d2) smaller than the first thickness (d1) are laminated. Accordingly, the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) can support the protective member (300) as a whole while being inserted into the inside of the housing (201).

[0137] According to one embodiment, the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) in which the second fiber layers (327) having the second thickness (d2) are laminated can provide a relatively softer surface than the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) in which the first fiber layers (317) having the first thickness (d1) greater than the second thickness (d2) are laminated. Accordingly, the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) can form the exterior of the housing (201) and provide a soft surface that directly contacts the user's skin. The second fiber-reinforced portion (e.g., each of the second fiber-reinforced portions forming the first protective member (300a) and the second protective member (300b)) can limit or reduce strong impact and / or noise generated upon contact when the electronic device (101) is operated in an unfolded state or a folded state.

[0138] In one embodiment, the protective member (300) may be an integral structure. The first fiber-reinforced portion (310) and the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) may form an integral structure. The first fiber-reinforced portion (310) and the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) may be a composite structure made of the same material (e.g., GFRP).

[0139] According to one embodiment, the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) and the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) may be formed as a monolithic support body or a single piece (or one body). A portion of the monolithic support body (e.g., the second fiber-reinforced portion (320)) may be exposed to the outside of the first housing (210) and may be structured to seamlessly extend from the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) to the second fiber-reinforced portion (320).

[0140] According to one embodiment, when the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) and the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) are manufactured by including GFRP, a structure having relatively superior specific strength and improved strength can be provided compared to PC (polycarbonate) used as a general protective member.

[0141] PCGRFP Specific strength 76623 (Mpa / g·㎤) Strength 90.441121.4Mpa

[0142] Referring to the above [Table 1], it can be confirmed that the specific strength of GFRP is approximately 8 times greater and the strength is approximately 12 times greater compared to PC.

[0143] According to one embodiment, the first protective member (300a) may include a first fiber-reinforced portion (310) having a first width (w1) and a second fiber-reinforced portion (320) having a second width (w2). The first width (w1) of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) may be smaller than the second width (w2) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320). The first width (w1) and the second width (w2) may be defined as a smaller length among the lengths in the width direction (e.g., X-axis / Y-axis direction) of the electronic device (101). The second fiber-reinforced portion (320) may be substantially perpendicular to the first fiber-reinforced portion (310). For example, the second width (w2) may be approximately two to four times longer than the first width (w1). For example, the first width (w1) may be a size that can be fitted into the recess (290a) of the housing (201). For example, the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) having the second width (w2) may extend outward and inward of the electronic device (101) longer than the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) having the first width (w1), and the outwardly extended portion (e.g., the outer region (321)) may be arranged to surround a portion of the housing (201). The inwardly extended second fiber-reinforced portion (320) (e.g., the inner region (322)) may be arranged to surround a portion of the display (230).

[0144] According to one embodiment, the coating layer (330) of the first protective member (300a) may be formed to surround the front surface (e.g., the surface facing the +Z-axis direction) and / or the side surface (e.g., the surface facing the X-axis / Y-axis direction) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320). For example, the coating layer (330) may be disposed along the front surface of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320), excluding the side surface. For example, the coating layer (330) may be disposed along a flat surface of the front surface of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320), excluding the inclined surface. For example, the coating layer (330) may be disposed as layers having different glosses along the flat surface and the inclined surface of the front surface of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320).

[0145] According to one embodiment, the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) includes a front surface (323) facing the front direction (e.g., +Z-axis direction) of the electronic device (101), and the front surface (323) may include a flat surface (323a) parallel to the display (230), and a surface (323b, 323c) inclined toward the display (230) or the housing (201) with respect to the flat surface (323a).

[0146] According to one embodiment, when the coating layer (330) is disposed on the front surface (323) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320), the front surface of the coating layer (330) may be exposed to the outside of the electronic device (101). The coating layer (330) may be formed to a thin thickness corresponding to the shape of the front surface (323) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320), and thus may include a flat surface and an inclined surface. According to one embodiment, when the coating layer (330) is excluded, the front surface (323) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) may be directly exposed to the outside of the electronic device (101).

[0147] According to one embodiment, the inclined surface (323b) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) may be formed by a process of cutting the edge of a fiber composite layer laminated in a rectangular shape, or by a process of cutting the edge after a coating layer (330) is placed on the fiber composite layer.

[0148] According to one embodiment, in the front surface (323) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320), an inclined surface (323b) may be formed at an edge of the outer region (321) and / or the inner region (322) of the electronic device (101). For example, the front surface (323) may include a flat surface (323a) and a first inclined surface (323b) inclined toward the display (230). For example, the front surface (323) may include a flat surface (323a), a first inclined surface (323b) inclined toward the display (230), and a second inclined surface (323c) inclined toward the side wall (209b) of the housing (201). The second inclined surface (323c) and the side wall (209b) of the housing (201) may extend seamlessly.

[0149] According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the coating layer (330) (or the second fiber-reinforced portion (320)) on the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) disposed along the edge of the display (230) and exposed to the outside can form a high-gloss surface corresponding to the display (230). For example, the high-gloss surface of the protective member (300) can visually reduce the boundary between the display (230) and the surrounding frame (e.g., the protective member (300)), thereby making the display (230) appear wider to the user when the display is off. In addition, the high-gloss surface can make the display screen appear brighter and clearer due to the surrounding reflection effect when the display is on, and can provide an overall unified design. In addition, the high-gloss surface can make the electronic device have a luxurious and modern feel, and can provide a user experience such as a good tactile sensation.

[0150] In one embodiment, glossy and matte can be compared based on at least one value of glossiness (gloss level), reflectance, or haze. For example, if the gloss is about 70 GU or higher, it can be understood as glossy, if it is about 10 to 70 GU, it can be understood as semi-matte, and if it is about 10 GU or lower, it can be understood as matte. For example, if the reflectance (e.g., using a spectrophotometer and / or reflectance meter) is about 70% or higher, it can be understood as matte with high reflectance, and if it is about 30% or lower, it can be understood as matte with low reflectance. For example, if the haze is about 5% or lower, it can be understood as glossy with low haze value, and if it is about 10% or higher, it can be understood as matte with high haze value.

[0151] According to one embodiment, on the front surface of the coating layer (330) (or the second fiber-reinforced portion (320)), a flat surface may form a high-gloss surface, and an inclined surface (e.g., corresponding to the first inclined surface (323b)) facing the display (230) may form a matte surface. Since the flat surface and the inclined surface facing the front surface (e.g., in the +Z-axis direction) parallel to the display (230) have different glosses, the flat surface forming the high-gloss surface may be visually more prominent (e.g., more visible).

[0152] According to one embodiment, on the front surface of the coating layer (330) (or the second fiber-reinforced portion (320)), the flat surface may form a high-gloss surface, and the inclined surface facing the display (230) side (e.g., corresponding to the first inclined surface (323b)) and the inclined surface facing the side wall (209b) of the housing (201) (e.g., corresponding to the second inclined surface (323c)) may form a matte surface. On the front surface of the coating layer (330) (or the second fiber-reinforced portion (320)), the side facing the display (230) side (e.g., corresponding to the first side (323d)) and the side facing the outside of the housing (201) (e.g., corresponding to the second side (323e)) may form a matte surface. The flat surface facing the front (e.g., +Z-axis direction) parallel to the display (230) has a difference in gloss compared to the inclined surface (or side), so that the flat surface forming the glossy surface may be visually more prominent (e.g., more visible).

[0153] According to one embodiment, the inclined surface structure of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) and the arrangement of the glossy / matte layers can provide aesthetic appeal to the first protective member (300a). For example, when the inclined surface and / or side surface of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) is formed as a glossy surface (arrangement of a glossy coating layer), the fibers constituting the laminated fiber layer can be visible from the outside, but when formed as a matte surface (arrangement of a matte coating layer), they may not be visible from the outside. Accordingly, when viewed by a user, the first protective member (300a) can provide a visually excellent surface quality improvement effect.

[0154] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of a protective member having a portion of an inner side bent according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0155] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of a protective member having a blocking layer disposed thereon according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0156] The configuration of the electronic device (101) of FIGS. 10 and 11 may be partially or entirely identical to the configuration of the electronic device (101) of FIGS. 1 to 9. The configuration of the protective member (300) of FIGS. 10 and 11 may be applied to the configuration of the protective member (300) of FIGS. 5 to 9, and may be an embodiment of the electronic device of FIG. 2 cut along line A-A'. Hereinafter, in the description of FIG. 10, the curved shape related to B of FIG. 6 is also disclosed.

[0157] The embodiments of FIGS. 10 and 11 can be optionally combined with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 9 and the embodiments of FIGS. 12 to 16.

[0158] Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, the electronic device (101) may include a housing (201) (e.g., a first housing (210)), a display (230), and a protective member (300) that protects the edge of the display (230).

[0159] According to one embodiment, the protective member (300) may include a first protective member (300a) corresponding to the first housing (210) and a second protective member (e.g., the second protective member (300b) of FIG. 5) corresponding to the second housing (220). Hereinafter, a configuration related to the first protective member (300a) disposed on the first housing (210) will be described, and a configuration related to the second protective member (300b) may be applied thereto.

[0160] According to one embodiment, the first protective member (300a) may include a first fiber-reinforced portion (310) and a second fiber-reinforced portion (320). According to one embodiment, the first protective member (300a) may include a first fiber-reinforced portion (310), a second fiber-reinforced portion (320), and a coating layer (e.g., the coating layer (330) of FIG. 7).

[0161] According to one embodiment, the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) may be positioned inside the first housing (210) and may have a shape in which fibers having a first thickness are laminated. The second fiber-reinforced portion (320) may extend from one end of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310), form the exterior of the first housing (210), and may have a shape in which fibers having a second thickness smaller than the first thickness are laminated. The coating layer (330) may be arranged to surround the first fiber-reinforced portion (310), thereby protecting the first protective member (300a) and providing an aesthetic feel.

[0162] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 10, the first protective member (300a) may include a first fiber-reinforced portion (310) extending in a longitudinal direction (e.g., X-axis direction / Y-axis direction) along a side surface of the display (230), and a second fiber-reinforced portion (320) substantially perpendicular to the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) and extending in a direction lateral to the display (230) and in an opposite direction thereto. The first portion (301) and the second portion (302) of FIG. 6 may be understood as the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) and the second fiber-reinforced portion (320).

[0163] According to one embodiment, the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) is arranged to have substantially the same length (e.g., length in the Z-axis direction) along the edge of the display (230), and the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) may be formed to have partially different lengths (e.g., length in the Z-axis direction) depending on the design of the electronic device (101). Depending on the difference in length, a portion (e.g., B of FIG. 6) of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) may be separated or spaced apart. For example, a portion (e.g., B of FIG. 6) of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) may provide a stepped shape (e.g., a stepwise formed shape). The stepped shape may provide a stepped shape including a curved surface. For example, when a corner portion having a right angle shape is formed in one area of ​​the first fiber-reinforced portion (310), damage may easily occur due to the characteristics of the protective member, which is subject to a high frequency of impact. Accordingly, the length-changing boundary region corresponding to a portion of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) (e.g., B in FIG. 6) can be formed as a curved surface rather than a vertical surface to limit (e.g., prevent or reduce) breakage (e.g., crack).

[0164] According to one embodiment, the first protective member (300a) may include a first fiber-reinforced portion (310) extending in a thickness direction corresponding to a side surface of the display (230) (e.g., in the Z-axis direction), and a second fiber-reinforced portion (320) substantially perpendicular to the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) and extending in the side surface of the display (230) and the opposite direction. As the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) extends in the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction, a portion of the boundary surface of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) and the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) may be formed to have a curvature or a curved shape (e.g., bent and not straight). For example, if the boundary surface of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) and the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) is formed in a right-angled shape, the protective member may be easily damaged due to the characteristics of the protective member, which is subject to a high frequency of impact. Accordingly, the boundary area of ​​the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) and the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) can be formed as a curved surface (401) rather than a vertical surface, thereby limiting (e.g., preventing or reducing) breakage (e.g., cracks).

[0165] Referring to FIG. 11, the inner side of the protective member (300) is positioned to surround the front (e.g., one side facing the +Z axis direction) and the side (e.g., one side facing the X / Y axis) of the display (230), and may be spaced apart from the display (230). The electronic device (101) may include a blocking layer (402) disposed along the inner side of the protective member (300) to limit (e.g., prevent or reduce) electrostatic discharge (ESD) of the display (230) that is sensitive to electrostatic discharge.

[0166] According to one embodiment, the blocking layer (402) may be disposed adjacent to the display (230). The blocking layer (402) may include a first blocking portion (402a) disposed on one side of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) of the protective member (300), and a second blocking portion (402b) substantially perpendicular to the first blocking portion (402a) and extending to one side of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320). A portion of the first blocking portion (402a) and / or a portion of the second blocking portion (402b) corresponding to a boundary portion between the first blocking portion (402a) and the second blocking portion (402b) may be formed as a curved surface corresponding to the shape of the curved surface (401) of the protective member (300).

[0167] In one embodiment, the barrier layer (402) may be a conductive adhesive member directly bonded (e.g., adhered) to the inside of a protective member (300) injection-molded with a general resin. For example, the general resin for molding the protective member (300) may be at least one of an epoxy resin, a polyester resin, an acrylic resin, a polyurethane resin, or a polycarbonate resin.

[0168] According to one embodiment, the barrier layer (402) can be formed by activating an area inside a protective member (300) injection-molded with a laser direct structuring (LDS) resin with a laser, and then subjecting the activated area to a plating (or deposition) process. For example, the LDS resin for molding the protective member (330) can be at least one of a polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) resin and a liquid crystal polymer (LCP) resin.

[0169] FIG. 12 is a flowchart schematically illustrating a process for manufacturing a protective member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0170] FIG. 13 is a flowchart specifically illustrating a process of the second fiber-reinforced portion of the protective member in the flowchart of FIG. 12 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0171] FIG. 14 is a flowchart specifically illustrating a process of the second fiber-reinforced portion of the protective member in the flowchart of FIG. 12 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0172] The configuration of the protective member (300) of FIGS. 12 to 14 may be partially or entirely identical to the configuration of the protective member (300) of FIGS. 5 to 11.

[0173] The embodiments of FIGS. 12 to 14 can be optionally combined with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 11 and the embodiments of FIGS. 15 and 16.

[0174] Referring to FIGS. 12 to 14, the electronic device (101) may include a housing (e.g., housing (201) of FIG. 5), a display (e.g., display (230) of FIG. 5), and a protective member (300) that protects the edge of the display (230).

[0175] In one embodiment, the protective member (300) may include a first fiber-reinforced portion (310) and a second fiber-reinforced portion (320). In one embodiment, the protective member (300) may include a first fiber-reinforced portion (310), a second fiber-reinforced portion (320) disposed on the first fiber-reinforced portion (310), and a coating layer (330) disposed on the second fiber-reinforced portion (320).

[0176] According to one embodiment, the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) may be positioned inside the first housing (210) and may be formed by laminating fibers having a first thickness. The second fiber-reinforced portion (320) may extend from one end of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310), form the exterior of the first housing (210), and may be formed by laminating fibers having a second thickness smaller than the first thickness.

[0177] According to one embodiment, in the manufacturing process of the protective member (300), before being formed into the first fiber-reinforced portion (310), a material in the shape of a sheet or plate may be referred to as a first fiber-reinforced primer (or base) (410). In the forming process of the protective member (300), before being formed into the second fiber-reinforced portion (320), a material in the shape of a sheet or plate may be referred to as a second fiber-reinforced primer (or base) (420).

[0178] Referring to FIG. 12, in process 1010, after preparing a first fiber-reinforced primer (or base) (410) and a second fiber-reinforced primer (420) (or base), respectively, the second fiber-reinforced primer (420) can be bonded onto the first fiber-reinforced primer (410). For example, the first fiber-reinforced primer (410) and the second fiber-reinforced primer (420) are each made of the same material, and after placing the second fiber-reinforced primer (420) onto the first fiber-reinforced primer (410), they can be bonded using a heat-assisted lamination method.

[0179] According to one embodiment, the first fiber-reinforced primer (410) and the second fiber-reinforced primer (420) may be at least one of GFRP, CFRP, AFRP, BFRP, or NFRP. The first fiber-reinforced primer (410) may be manufactured by laminating first fiber layers (317) (or first fiber sheets) having a first thickness (e.g., the first thickness (d1) of FIG. 9). The second fiber-reinforced primer (420) may be manufactured by laminating second fiber layers (327) (or second fiber sheets) having a second thickness (e.g., the second thickness (d2) of FIG. 9). The first thickness (d1) of the first fiber layer (317) may be greater than the second thickness (d2) of the second fiber layer (327). For example, the first thickness (d1) of the first fiber layer (317) may be approximately 0.1 mm. For example, the second thickness (d2) of the second fiber layer (327) may be approximately 0.03 mm.

[0180] In process 1020, the second fiber-reinforced primer (420) can be processed (e.g., cut) to form a second fiber-reinforced portion (320).

[0181] According to one embodiment, the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) is inserted into the inside of the housing (201) and is a portion that supports the entire protective member (300), and the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) may be a portion that forms the exterior of the electronic device (101) and is formed to wrap the edge of the display (230), and for convenience of the process, the second fiber-reinforced primer (420) may be pre-processed and then the first fiber-reinforced primer (410) may be processed.

[0182] When viewed from the front of the electronic device (101), the second fiber-reinforced primer (420) can be processed to have a shape that extends along the edge of the display (230) and a portion of which covers the front of the display (230).

[0183] As shown in Fig. 12, when the protective member (300) is viewed from the cross-section, the second fiber-reinforced primer (420) in the shape of a plate may be processed into an extended shape in the X-axis direction and / or the Y-axis direction, taking into consideration the overall length within the electronic device (101), such that one end covers the edge of the display (230) and the other end is positioned on the side wall of the housing (201).

[0184] Thereafter, the second fiber-reinforced primer (420) can be processed into a second fiber-reinforced portion (320) having a front surface including a flat surface and an inclined surface through a cutting process. The inclined surface of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) can form a surface that is inclined from the flat surface toward the display (230) side and / or the side wall of the housing (201).

[0185] In process 1030, a coating layer (330) may be placed on the front and / or side of the second fiber reinforced portion (320).

[0186] The coating layer (330) is arranged to surround the outer surface of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320), thereby providing a glossy surface corresponding to the display (230) and providing enhanced durability, corrosion prevention, and waterproof / moisture-proofing effects. The coating layer (330) may be formed by at least one of painting, deposition, transfer, or lamination.

[0187] According to one embodiment, a coating layer (330) may be formed on the outer surface of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) through a film heat transfer process. The film heat transfer process may be a heat transfer method utilizing film CMF (color, material, finish) technology, and may be a process of transferring an image or pattern (e.g., a coating sheet (430)) to a material (e.g., the second fiber-reinforced portion (320)) using heat. For example, after the coating sheet (430) to be transferred is printed on a heat transfer film (431), the heat transfer film (431) may be placed on one surface (e.g., the front and / or side) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320). Thereafter, a process of transferring the coating sheet (430) to one surface of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) through heat and pressure, and removing the heat transfer film (431) may be performed.

[0188] According to one embodiment, a coating layer (330) can be formed on the outer surface of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) through a paint process. First, one surface (e.g., the front and / or side) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) is prepared by cleaning or polishing, and a desired paint (433) is prepared. Then, a coating layer (330) can be uniformly formed on one surface of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) according to one of various paint methods (e.g., brush paint, roller paint, spray paint, or a fully automatic paint system).

[0189] In process 1040, the first fiber-reinforced primer (410) can be processed. The first fiber-reinforced portion (310) formed by processing the first fiber-reinforced primer (410) can be manufactured into a shape that can be fitted into a recess formed in a side wall (209b) of the housing (201). Thereafter, an adhesive member can be placed between one side of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) and the recess so as to be strongly coupled with the recess formed in the side wall (209b) of the housing (201).

[0190] Referring to FIG. 13, the protective member (300) can be manufactured to cover the edge of the display (230) and include a glossy surface corresponding to the display (230). The process of FIG. 13 can replace at least one of process 1010 and / or process 1020 of FIG. 12.

[0191] In process 2010, a second fiber-reinforced primer (420) may be prepared. Process 2010 may be a part of process 1010 that shows only the second fiber-reinforced primer (420) in process 1010.

[0192] In process 2020, a glossy coating layer (510) may be applied on the second fiber-reinforced primer (420). The glossy coating layer (510) may be formed through the thermal transfer or painting process described above in process 1030.

[0193] In process 2030, an ultraviolet (UV) coating layer (520) may be applied on the glossy coating layer (510). The UV coating layer (520) may be a coating layer applied to the surface of an object using a paint that is cured by ultraviolet rays. The UV coating layer (520) may be arranged as the outermost layer of the protective member (300) to prevent scratches and maintain a high gloss.

[0194] In process 2040, a masking (530) can be attached over the UV coating layer (520).

[0195] In process 2050, while the masking (530) is attached, a cutting process may be performed. The cutting process may form an inclined surface with respect to the entire surface of the second fiber-reinforced primer (420). The cutting process may form an inclined surface on at least a portion of the second fiber-reinforced primer (420), the glossy coating layer (510), or the UV coating layer (520) together with a portion of the masking. For example, in a structure in which the second fiber-reinforced primer (420), the glossy coating layer (510), the UV coating layer (520), and the masking (530) are laminated from below, edge areas of the second fiber-reinforced primer (420), the glossy coating layer (510), the UV coating layer (520), and the masking (530) may be cut according to a specified slope. By the cutting process, a larger area may be removed as it is located on an upper side of the laminated structure. For example, the largest area of ​​the UV coating layer (520) can be removed, and the smallest area of ​​the second fiber-reinforced primer (420) can be removed.

[0196] In process 2060, a matte coating layer (540) may be applied on the cut surface (e.g., an inclined surface). The matte coating layer (540) may be formed through the thermal transfer or painting process described in process 1030.

[0197] In process 2070, as the masking (530) is removed, a protective member (300) can be formed in which a front surface provides a glossy surface and a side surface (e.g., an inclined surface) provides a matte surface. For example, on the front surface of the protective member (300), a flat surface can form a high-gloss surface, and an inclined surface facing the display side or facing the side wall (209b) of the housing (201) can form a matte surface. On the side surfaces of the protective member (300), a side surface facing the display side and a side surface facing the outside of the housing (201) can form a matte surface. As the inclined surface (or side surface) has a difference in glossiness compared to a flat surface facing the front surface (e.g., in the +Z-axis direction) parallel to the display (230), the flat surface forming the glossy surface can be visually more visible.

[0198] According to one embodiment, when the inclined surface and / or side surface is formed as a glossy surface, the fibers constituting the laminated fiber layer can be seen from the outside, but when formed as a matte surface, they are not seen from the outside, thereby providing an effect of improving the surface quality when viewed by a user.

[0199] Referring to FIG. 14, the protective member (300) can be manufactured to cover the edge of the display (230) and include a thin fiber sheet layer whose fiber shape is not visible from the outside. The process of FIG. 14 can replace at least one of process 1010 and / or process 1020 of FIG. 12.

[0200] In process 3010, a first fiber-reinforced primer (410) and a second fiber-reinforced primer (420) may be prepared, and a thermal transfer film (512) combined with a glossy coating sheet (511) disposed on the second fiber-reinforced primer (420) may be prepared. Process 3010 may be a part of process 1010. The first fiber-reinforced primer (410) may be a laminated configuration of first fiber sheets, and the thickness of each first fiber sheet may be approximately 0.07 mm to 0.13 mm. The second fiber-reinforced primer (420) may be a laminated configuration of second fiber sheets, and the thickness of each second fiber sheet may be approximately 0.01 mm to 0.05 mm.

[0201] In process 3020, a thermal transfer film (512) combined with a glossy coating sheet (511) may be placed on a second fiber-reinforced primer (420). Process 3020 may be performed through the thermal transfer process described above. For example, a coating sheet (511) for transfer and a thermal transfer film (512) laminated therewith may be placed on a second fiber-reinforced primer (420), and the thermal transfer film (512) may be transferred onto the second fiber-reinforced primer (420) through heat and pressure.

[0202] However, the process of forming a coating layer on the second fiber-reinforced primer (420) can be designed and changed to various manufacturing methods, such as a painting process other than thermal transfer.

[0203] In process 3030, a cutting process can be performed. The cutting process can form an inclined surface with respect to the front surface of the second fiber-reinforced primer (420). Unlike process 2050 of FIG. 13, process 3030 can be performed without masking. The cutting process can cut together the second fiber-reinforced primer (420) and the thermal transfer film (512) combined with the glossy coating sheet (511) disposed on the second fiber-reinforced primer (420). For example, in a structure in which the second fiber-reinforced primer (420), the glossy coating sheet (511), and the thermal transfer film (512) are laminated from below, the edge areas of the second fiber-reinforced primer (420), the glossy coating sheet (511), and the thermal transfer film (512) can be cut according to a designated (e.g., preset) inclination (e.g., angle).

[0204] In step 3050, when the thermal transfer film (512) is removed, a protective member (300) may be formed in which a front surface provides a glossy surface and a side surface (e.g., an inclined surface) provides a matte surface. For example, on the front surface of the protective member (300), a flat surface may form a high-gloss surface, and an inclined surface facing the display side or the side wall of the housing (201) may form a matte surface. On the side surfaces of the protective member (300), the side surface facing the display side and the side surface facing the outside of the housing (201) may form a matte surface. Since the inclined surface (or the side surface) has a difference in glossiness compared to the flat surface facing the front surface (e.g., in the +Z-axis direction) parallel to the display (230), the flat surface forming the glossy surface may be visually more visible. The inclined surface forming the matte surface may be a inclined surface of a structure in which the aforementioned thin-thickness (e.g., approximately 0.01 mm to 0.05 mm) second fiber sheets are laminated. Even when directly exposed to the outside, the inclined surface can provide improved surface quality without an additional coating layer, since the presence of the fibers cannot be recognized from the outside due to the thin-thickness fiber structure.

[0205] FIG. 15 is a flowchart schematically illustrating a process of a protective member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0206] The configuration of the protective member (300) of Fig. 15 may be partially or entirely identical to the configuration of the protective member (300) of Figs. 5 to 14.

[0207] The embodiments of FIG. 15 can be optionally combined with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 14 and the embodiment of FIG. 16.

[0208] Referring to FIG. 15, the electronic device (101) may include a housing (e.g., housing (201) of FIG. 5), a display (e.g., display (230) of FIG. 5), and a protective member (300) that protects the edge of the display (230).

[0209] According to one embodiment, the protective member (300) may include a first fiber-reinforced portion (310) and an injection-molded portion (610). The first fiber-reinforced portion (310) may be disposed inside the housing (201), and the injection-molded portion (610) may extend from the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) such that a portion thereof may be disposed along the front edge of the display (230).

[0210] According to one embodiment, in the manufacturing process of the protective member (300), before being formed into the first fiber-reinforced portion (310), a sheet or plate-shaped material may be referred to as a first fiber-reinforced primer (or base) (410). In the manufacturing process of the protective member (300), before being formed into the injection-molded portion (610), a sheet or plate-shaped material may be referred to as an injection-molded primer (or base) (450).

[0211] In process 4010, after preparing the first fiber-reinforced primer (or base) (410) and the injection primer (450), the injection primer (450) can be bonded onto the first fiber-reinforced primer (410). For example, the first fiber-reinforced primer (410) and the injection primer (450) are made of different materials, and after placing the injection primer (450) onto the first fiber-reinforced primer (410), they can be bonded using a heat-assisted compression method.

[0212] According to one embodiment, the first fiber-reinforced primer (410) may be at least one of GFRP, CFRP, AFRP, BFRP, or NFRP. The first fiber-reinforced primer (410) may be manufactured by laminating first fiber sheets having a first thickness. The first thickness may be approximately 0.07 mm to 0.13 mm. The first fiber-reinforced primer (410) may be manufactured by laminating a plurality of first fiber sheets to have a first length (L1). The first length (L1) may be approximately 1.2 mm to 1.5 mm.

[0213] In one embodiment, the injection primer (450) may include at least one of PET, PC, or PBT. The injection primer (450) has a second length (L2) that is smaller than the first length (L1) and may be formed through injection molding. The second length (L2) may be approximately 0.3 mm to 0.6 mm.

[0214] In process 4020, the injection primer (450) can be processed (e.g., cut) to form an injection part (610).

[0215] According to one embodiment, the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) is inserted into the inside of the housing (201) and is a portion that supports the entire protective member (300), and the injection-molded portion (610) may be a portion that forms the exterior of the electronic device (101) and is formed to wrap the edge of the display (230), and for convenience of the process, the first fiber-reinforced primer (410) may be processed after the injection-molded portion (610) is pre-processed.

[0216] When viewed from the front of the electronic device (101), the injection primer (450) can be processed to have a shape that extends along the edge of the display (230) and a portion of which covers the front of the display (230).

[0217] As shown in Fig. 15, when the protective member (300) is viewed from the cross-section, the plate-shaped injection primer (450) can be processed into an extended shape in the X-axis direction and / or the Y-axis direction, taking into consideration the overall length within the electronic device (101), such that one end covers the edge of the display (230) and the other end is positioned on the side wall of the housing (201).

[0218] Thereafter, the injection primer (450) can be processed into an injection portion (610) having a front surface including a flat surface and an inclined surface through a cutting process. The inclined surface of the injection portion (610) can form a surface that is inclined from the flat surface toward the display (230) side and / or the side wall of the housing (201).

[0219] In process 4030, a coating layer (330) can be placed on the front and / or side of the injection part (610).

[0220] The coating layer (330) is arranged to cover the outer surface of the injection part (610), thereby providing a glossy surface corresponding to the display (230), and can provide improved durability, corrosion prevention, and waterproof / moisture-proof effects. The coating layer (330) can be formed by at least one of painting, deposition, transfer, or lamination.

[0221] According to one embodiment, a coating layer (330) may be formed on the outer surface of the injection part (610) through a film heat transfer process. The film heat transfer process may be a heat transfer method utilizing film CMF (color, material, finish) technology, and may be a process of transferring an image or pattern (e.g., a coating sheet (430)) to a material (e.g., an injection part (610)) using heat. For example, after the coating sheet (430) to be transferred is printed on a heat transfer film (431), the heat transfer film (431) may be placed on one surface (e.g., the front and / or side) of the injection part (610). Thereafter, a process of transferring the coating sheet (430) to one surface of the injection part (610) through heat and pressure, and removing the heat transfer film (431) may be performed.

[0222] According to one embodiment, a coating layer (330) can be formed on the outer surface of the injection part (610) through a paint process. First, one surface (e.g., the front and / or side) of the injection part (610) is prepared by cleaning or polishing, and a desired paint (433) is prepared. Then, a coating layer (330) can be uniformly formed on one surface of the injection part (610) according to one of various paint methods (e.g., brush paint, roller paint, spray paint, or a fully automatic paint system).

[0223] In process 4040, the first fiber-reinforced primer (410) can be processed. The first fiber-reinforced portion (310) formed by processing the first fiber-reinforced primer (410) can be manufactured into a shape that can be fitted into a recess formed in a side wall (209b) of the housing (201). Thereafter, an adhesive member can be placed between one side of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) and the recess so as to be strongly coupled with the recess formed in the side wall (209b) of the housing (201).

[0224] FIG. 16 is a flowchart schematically illustrating a process of a protective member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0225] The configuration of the protective member (300) of Fig. 16 may be partially or entirely identical to the configuration of the protective member (300) of Figs. 5 to 11.

[0226] The embodiments of FIG. 16 can be optionally combined with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 14.

[0227] Referring to FIG. 16, the electronic device (101) may include a housing (e.g., housing (201) of FIG. 5), a display (e.g., display (230) of FIG. 5), and a protective member (300) that protects the edge of the display (230).

[0228] In one embodiment, the protective member (300) may include a cover portion (710) and an injection portion (720). A portion of the injection portion (720) may be disposed inside the housing (201), and another portion may be disposed along the front edge of the edge of the display (230). The cover portion (710) may be disposed above the injection portion, thereby forming a portion of the exterior of the electronic device (101).

[0229] According to one embodiment, in the process of forming the protective member (300), before being formed into the cover portion (710), a sheet or plate-shaped material may be referred to as a cover primer (or base) (710a). In the process of forming the protective member (300), before being formed into the injection portion (720), a sheet or plate-shaped material may be referred to as an injection primer (or base) (720a).

[0230] In process 5010, a first mold (P1) may be prepared. The first mold (P1) may include a first cavity (C1) for forming an upper portion of a protective member (300). The shape of the first cavity (C1) may provide a space considering the overall length within the electronic device (101) such that one end covers the display (230) and the other end is positioned on a side wall of the housing (201).

[0231] In process 5020, a cover primer (710a) may be placed in the first cavity (C1) of the first mold (P1). The cover primer (710a) may be combined with a resin to be later injected into the mold and form the front surface of the protective member (300). The cover primer (710a) may be at least one of GFRP, CFRP, AFRP, BFRP, NFRP, PET, PC, or PBT.

[0232] In process 5030, a first mold (P1) and a second mold (P2) can be combined. The second mold (P2) can include a second cavity (C2) for forming a lower portion of the protective member (300). The shape of the second cavity (C2) can include a protruding shape for combining with a side wall of the housing (201). While the first mold (P1) and the second mold (P2) are combined, a resin can be injected into the first and second cavities (C1, C2). The resin injected into the first and second cavities (C1, C2) can be a material for general injection-molded products (epoxy resin, polyester resin, acrylic resin, polyurethane resin, or polycarbonate resin) or an LDS (laser direct structuring) resin (e.g., polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) resin, liquid crystal polymer (LCP) resin).

[0233] In process 5040, after the cooling and hardening process, the injection molded product is separated from the first mold (P1) and the second mold (P2), and then final processing is performed to complete the protective member (300). The protective member (300) is a structure in which a cover part (710) is combined with the upper side of an injection part (720). The injection part (720) supported by being combined with the housing (201) has rigidity, and the cover part (710) that the user comes into contact with can provide a smooth surface quality.

[0234] Typically, an electronic device including a flexible display (e.g., a foldable electronic device) may include a plurality of housings and a decoration (e.g., a protective member) disposed on an edge of the housings. The decorations may collide with each other during the folding operation of the foldable electronic device, which may generate a squeak noise or easily damage the surface of the decoration. In addition, if a structure made of an elastic material, such as a rubber damper, is disposed on one side of the protective member to prevent the squeak noise, the rubber damper may increase the overall thickness of the electronic device or cause a design defect.

[0235] An electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may provide a protective member comprising a plurality of laminated fiber sheets. The protective member can reliably protect a display and provide aesthetic design by reducing squeak noise without requiring a separate elastic material structure. Furthermore, the elimination of a separate elastic material structure can reduce the thickness of the electronic device.

[0236] An electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may provide a protective member comprising a plurality of fiber composites. The protective member may provide greater specific strength and greater strength compared to commonly used materials (e.g., PC), thereby reducing surface damage.

[0237] In an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a protective member provides a glossy surface corresponding to a display, thereby visually reducing the boundary between the display and a surrounding frame (e.g., the protective member), thereby allowing the display to appear wider to the user when the display is off. In addition, the glossy surface can make the display screen appear brighter and clearer due to a surrounding reflection effect when the display is on, and can provide an overall unified design. In addition, the glossy surface can give the electronic device a luxurious and modern feel, and can provide a user experience such as a good tactile sensation.

[0238] In an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a protective member may include a first fiber-reinforced portion laminated with fibers having a first thickness, and a second fiber-reinforced part laminated with fibers having a second thickness smaller than the first thickness. The first fiber-reinforced portion coupled to the housing may support the protective member as a whole through strong strength, and the second fiber-reinforced portion having a thin thickness may provide a soft surface quality that a user makes contact with.

[0239] In an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the protective member includes a glossy flat surface and a matte inclined surface, and the flat surface has a difference in gloss compared to the inclined surface, so that the flat surface forming the glossy surface can be visually more prominent (e.g., more visible).

[0240] The effects that can be obtained from the present disclosure are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects that are not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure belongs from the description below.

[0241] A foldable electronic device (101) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a housing (201) including a first housing component (210) and a second housing component (220), a hinge (202) rotatably connecting the first housing component (210) and the second housing component (220), a flexible display (230) supported by the first housing component (210) and the second housing component (220), a first protective member (300a) disposed on the first housing component (210) to cover a first edge portion of the flexible display (230), and a second protective member (300b) disposed on the second housing component (220) to cover a second edge portion of the flexible display (230). The first protective member (300a) may include a first fiber-reinforced portion (310) including a plurality of first fiber layers (317) laminated to each other, each of the first fiber layers (317) having a first thickness (d1), and a second fiber-reinforced part (320) extending from the first fiber-reinforced part and including a plurality of second fiber layers (327) laminated to each other, each of the second fiber layers (327) having a second thickness (d2) smaller than the first thickness (d1). The second protective member (300b) may include a third fiber-reinforced part including a plurality of third fiber layers laminated to each other, and a fourth fiber-reinforced part including a plurality of fourth fiber layers extending from the third fiber-reinforced part and laminated to each other. This configuration allows the noise damper to be omitted, reducing the thickness of the electronic device.

[0242] According to one embodiment, when the foldable electronic device (101) is in a folded state, the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300a) and the fourth fiber-reinforced portion of the second protective member (300b) may be formed to contact each other.

[0243] Any claims describing features relating to the first protective member (300a) may be redefined to apply equally to the second protective member (300b).

[0244] According to one embodiment, the first thickness (d1) of each of the first fiber layers (317) of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) of the first protective member (300a) may be two to four times greater than the second thickness (d2) of each of the second fiber layers (327) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300b). Accordingly, it may be possible to use materials having different ductility or hardness for the first fiber-reinforced portion and the second fiber-reinforced portion. In addition, the surface quality of the second fiber-reinforced portion exposed to the outside may be improved.

[0245] According to one embodiment, the first protective member (300a) may further include a first coating layer (330) formed to surround the outer surface of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300a). The coating layer protects the surface of the first protective member and may be formed to be aesthetically pleasing.

[0246] According to one embodiment, the second protective member (300b) may further include a second coating layer formed to surround the outer surface of the fourth fiber-reinforced portion of the second protective member (300b). The coating layer may protect the surface of the second protective member.

[0247] According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the first coating layer (330) of the first protective member (300a) or the second coating layer of the second protective member (300b) may form a high-gloss surface corresponding to the flexible display (230).

[0248] According to one embodiment, the front surface (323) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300a) may include a flat surface (323a) parallel to the flexible display (230), and surfaces (323b, 323c) inclined toward the flexible display (230) with respect to the flat surface (323a). This reduces inclination or sharp edges, and reduces dust or contaminants from accumulating at corners during long-term use.

[0249] According to one embodiment, the first coating layer (330) of the first protective member (300a) may include a glossy layer disposed on the flat surface (323a) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300a), and a matte layer disposed on the inclined surfaces (323b, 323c) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300a). By this configuration, glare at the edge of the flexible display can be reduced, while vivid and clear picture quality can be maintained at the center of the flexible display.

[0250] According to one embodiment, the first fiber layers (317) of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) of the first protective member (300a) and / or the second fiber layers (327) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300a) may include at least one of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP), carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP), aramid fiber reinforced polymer (AFRP), basalt fiber reinforced polymer (BFRP), or natural fiber reinforced polymer (NFRP).

[0251] According to one embodiment, the first thickness (d1) of each of the first fiber layers (317) of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) may be 0.07 mm to 0.13 mm, and the second thickness (d2) of each of the second fiber layers (327) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) may be 0.01 mm to 0.05 mm. When the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) has the second thickness (d2), the shape of the fiber may not be visible when viewed from the outside.

[0252] According to one embodiment, the first length (L1) of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) in which the first fiber layers (317) of the first thickness (d1) are laminated may be greater than the second length (L2) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) in which the second fiber layers (327) of the second thickness (d2) are laminated.

[0253] According to one embodiment, a first width (w1) substantially perpendicular to the first length (L1) of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) may be smaller than a second width (w2) substantially perpendicular to the second length (L2) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320).

[0254] According to one embodiment, the first length (L1) of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) of the first protective member (300a) may be two to five times the second length (L2) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300a). Accordingly, the protective member can be stably coupled to the housing while its thickness can be reduced as much as possible.

[0255] According to one embodiment, the boundary portion formed between the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) and the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300a) may be a curved surface. The boundary portion may be formed of a blocking layer (402). The blocking layer may prevent or reduce electrostatic discharge of the flexible display. The blocking layer may protect the flexible display from electrostatic discharge.

[0256] According to one embodiment, when viewed from above the flexible display (320), a portion of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300a) may overlap an edge of the front surface of the flexible display (230). This configuration may provide protection by the edge of the flexible display.

[0257] According to one embodiment, one end (322) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300a) may extend toward the flexible display (230), and the other end (321) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300a) may extend toward the side wall (209b) of the housing (201).

[0258] According to one embodiment, one end of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) of the first protective member (300a) may be spaced apart from the flexible display (230), and the other end of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) of the first protective member (300a) may be coupled to the housing (201).

[0259] In one embodiment, a rear region of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) of the first protective member (300a) may be inserted into and fixed in a recess (209a) adjacent to a side wall (209b) of the housing (201). In one embodiment, the recess (209a) may be adjacent to a side wall (209b) of the first housing (210).

[0260] According to one embodiment, the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) and the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300a) may be formed as a monolithic body joined to each other. This configuration may increase the stability of the resulting structure.

[0261] According to one embodiment, when the foldable electronic device is unfolded, the first protective member (300a) and the second protective member (300b) are arranged in parallel and spaced apart from each other, and when the foldable electronic device is folded, the first protective member (300a) and the second protective member (300b) are arranged to face each other, and can be formed so that at least some of them are in contact with each other.

[0262] A foldable electronic device (101) according to one embodiment may include a housing (201) including a first housing (210) component and a second housing (220) component, a hinge (202) rotatably connecting the second housing component (220) to the first housing component (210), a flexible display (230) supported by the first housing component (210) and the second housing component (220), a first protective member (300a) disposed on the first housing component (210) to cover a first edge portion of the flexible display (230), and a second protective member (300b) disposed on the second housing component (220) to cover a second edge portion of the flexible display (230). At least one of the first protective member (300a) or the second protective member (300b) may include a first portion (301) located inside the housing and including a first material, and a second portion (302) extending from one end of the first portion (301), forming an outer appearance of the electronic device, and including a second material different from the first material.

[0263] According to one embodiment, the first portion (301) may include a fiber-reinforced portion in which first fiber layers (317) each having a first thickness (d1) are laminated, and the second portion (302) may include an injection-molded material.

[0264] According to one embodiment, the first fiber layers (317) of the first portion (301) may include at least one of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP), carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP), aramid fiber reinforced polymer (AFRP), basalt fiber reinforced polymer (BFRP), or natural fiber reinforced polymer (NFRP), and the second portion may include at least one of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate (PC), or polybutylene terephthalate (PBT).

[0265] According to one embodiment, at least one of the first protective member (300a) or the second protective member (300b) may further include a coating layer (330) formed to surround an outer surface of the second portion (302). At least a portion of the coating layer may form a high-gloss surface corresponding to the flexible display (230).

[0266] According to one embodiment, one end (322) of the second portion (302) may extend toward the flexible display (230), and the other end (321) of the second portion (302) may extend toward the side wall of the housing (201).

[0267] According to one embodiment, one end of the first part (301) may be spaced apart from the display (230), and the other end of the first part may be coupled to the housing (201).

Claims

1. In a foldable electronic device (101), A housing (201) comprising a first housing component (210) and a second housing component (220); A hinge (202) that rotatably connects the first housing component (210) and the second housing component (220); A flexible display (230) supported by the first housing component (210) and the second housing component (220); A first protective member (300a) disposed on the first housing component (210) to cover a first edge portion of the flexible display (230); and A second protective member (300b) disposed on the second housing component (220) to cover the second edge portion of the flexible display (230), The above first protective member (300a) is A first fiber-reinforced portion (310) comprising a plurality of first fiber layers (317) laminated to each other, each of the first fiber layers (317) having a first thickness (d1); and A second fiber-reinforced part (320) including a plurality of second fiber layers (327) extending from the first fiber-reinforced part and laminated to each other, each of the second fiber layers (327) having a second thickness (d2) smaller than the first thickness, The above second protective member (300b) is a third fiber-reinforced portion (310) comprising a plurality of third fiber layers laminated to each other; and A fourth fiber-reinforced portion (320) extending from the third fiber-reinforced portion and including a plurality of fourth fiber layers laminated to each other, A foldable electronic device, wherein when the foldable electronic device (101) is in a folded state, the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300a) and the fourth fiber-reinforced portion of the second protective member (300b) are formed to contact each other.

2. In paragraph 1, A foldable electronic device, wherein each of the first fiber layers (317) of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) of the first protective member (300a) has a first thickness that is 2 to 4 times greater than the second thickness of each of the second fiber layers (327) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300a).

3. In paragraph 1 or 2, The first protective member (300a) further includes a first coating layer (330) formed to surround the outer surface of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300a), A foldable electronic device, wherein the second protective member (300b) further includes a second coating layer formed to surround the outer surface of the fourth fiber-reinforced portion of the second protective member (300b).

4. In paragraph 3, A foldable electronic device, wherein at least a portion of the first coating layer (330) of the first protective member (300a) or the second coating layer of the second protective member (300b) forms a high-gloss surface corresponding to the flexible display (230).

5. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 4, A foldable electronic device, wherein the front surface (323) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300a) includes a flat surface (323a) parallel to the flexible display (230), and a surface (323b, 323c) inclined toward the flexible display (230) with respect to the flat surface.

6. In the fifth paragraph, the first coating layer (330) of the first protective member (300a) is A glossy layer disposed on the flat surface (323a) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300a), and A foldable electronic device comprising a matte layer disposed on the inclined surface (323b, 323c) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300a).

7. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 6, A foldable electronic device, wherein the first fiber layers (317) of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) of the first protective member (300a) and / or the second fiber layers (327) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300a) include at least one of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP), carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP), aramid fiber reinforced polymer (AFRP), basalt fiber reinforced polymer (BFRP), or natural fiber reinforced polymer (NFRP).

8. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 7, The first thickness (d1) of each of the first fiber layers (317) of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) is 0.07 mm to 0.13 mm, and the second thickness of each of the second fiber layers (327) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) is 0.01 mm to 0.05 mm. A foldable electronic device, wherein the second fiber-reinforced portion having the second thickness is formed so that the shape of the fiber is not visible when viewed from the outside.

9. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 8, The first length (L1) of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) in which the first fiber layers (317) of the first thickness (d1) are laminated is greater than the second length (L2) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) in which the second fiber layers (327) of the second thickness (d2) are laminated. A foldable electronic device, wherein a first width (w1) substantially perpendicular to the first length (L1) of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) is smaller than a second width (w2) substantially perpendicular to the second length (L2) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320).

10. In paragraph 9, A foldable electronic device, wherein the first length (L1) of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) of the first protective member (300a) is 2 to 5 times longer than the second length (L2) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300a).

11. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 10, A foldable electronic device, wherein the boundary portion formed between the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) and the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300a) is formed as a curved surface (401).

12. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 11, A foldable electronic device, wherein, when viewed from above the flexible display (230), a portion of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300a) overlaps with an edge of the front surface of the flexible display (230).

13. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 12, One end (322) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300a) extends toward the flexible display (230), and the other end (321) of the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300a) extends toward the side wall (209b) of the housing (201). A foldable electronic device, wherein one end of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) of the first protective member (300a) is spaced apart from the flexible display (230), and the other end of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) of the first protective member (300a) is coupled to the housing (201).

14. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 13, A foldable electronic device in which the rear region of the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) of the first protective member (300a) is inserted and fixed into a recess (209a) adjacent to the side wall (209b) of the housing (201).

15. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 14, A foldable electronic device, wherein the first fiber-reinforced portion (310) and the second fiber-reinforced portion (320) of the first protective member (300a) are formed as a monolithic body joined to each other.

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