Electronic device comprising flexible display assembly

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a foldable electronic device may be provided. The foldable electronic device may comprise: a housing including a first housing portion and a second housing portion; a hinge assembly configured to rotatably connect the second housing portion to the first housing portion; and a flexible display assembly. The flexible display assembly may comprise: a first display area disposed in the first housing portion; a second display area disposed in the second housing portion; and a folding region disposed between the first display area and the second display area. The flexible display assembly may comprise: a display panel; a support plate for supporting the display panel; and a reinforcing layer disposed on a first surface of the support plate, which faces the display panel, and including a shear thickening fluid (STF). The support plate may include a first flat portion disposed in the first display area, a second flat portion disposed in the second display area, and a lattice pattern disposed between the first flat portion and the second flat portion in the folding region. The reinforcing layer may include a portion disposed on the lattice pattern and having a shape corresponding to the lattice pattern.

Description

Electronic device including a flexible display assembly

[0001] Examples of the present disclosure relate to electronic devices including a flexible display assembly.

[0002] Due to advancements in information and communication technology and semiconductor technology, various functions are being integrated into a single portable electronic device. For example, electronic devices can implement not only communication functions but also entertainment functions such as games, multimedia functions such as music / video playback, communication and security functions for mobile banking, or functions such as schedule management and electronic wallets. These electronic devices are being miniaturized to allow users to carry them conveniently.

[0003] The information described above may be provided as related art for the purpose of aiding understanding of the present disclosure. No claim or determination is made as to whether any of the foregoing may be applied as prior art related to the present disclosure.

[0004] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a foldable electronic device may be provided. The foldable electronic device may include a housing comprising a first housing portion and a second housing portion, a hinge assembly configured to rotatably connect the second housing portion to the first housing portion, and a flexible display assembly. The flexible display assembly may include a first display region disposed in the first housing portion, a second display region disposed in the second housing portion, and a folding region disposed between the first display region and the second display region. The flexible display assembly may include a display panel, a support plate supporting the display panel, and a reinforcing layer disposed on a first surface of the support plate facing the display panel and comprising a shear thickening fluid (STF). The support plate may include a first planar portion disposed in the first display area, a second planar portion disposed in the second display area, and a lattice pattern disposed between the first planar portion and the second planar portion in the folding area. The reinforcing layer may include a portion disposed on the lattice pattern and having a shape corresponding to the lattice pattern.

[0005] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a foldable electronic device may be provided. The foldable electronic device may include a housing in which at least a portion is deformable, and a folding region in which at least a portion is operatively connected to the housing and is deformable based on the deformation of the housing. The flexible display assembly may include a display panel, a support plate supporting the display panel, and a reinforcing layer disposed on a first surface of the support plate facing the display panel and comprising a shear thickening fluid (STF). The support plate may include a lattice pattern disposed on the folding region. The reinforcing layer may include a portion disposed on the lattice pattern and having a shape corresponding to the lattice pattern.

[0006] The aspects, configurations, and / or advantages described above regarding one embodiment of the present disclosure may become more apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0007] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0008] FIG. 2a is a drawing illustrating an unfolded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0009] FIG. 2b is a drawing 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. 5a is a rear view of a display assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 5b is an enlarged view of part B of FIG. 5a to illustrate a support plate according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of a display assembly along line C-C' of FIG. 5a according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 7a is an enlarged view of FIG. 6 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 7b is a partial cross-sectional view of a display assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 8a is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a method for manufacturing a reinforcing layer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 8b is a side cross-sectional view of a reinforcing layer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a method for manufacturing a reinforcing layer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] Throughout the attached drawings, similar parts, configurations, and / or structures may be assigned similar reference numbers.

[0021] The following description, with reference to the attached drawings, is provided to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of various embodiments of the present invention as defined by the claims and their equivalents. While the following description includes various specific details to aid understanding, they should be considered merely as examples. Accordingly, those skilled in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications to the various embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Additionally, descriptions of known functions and configurations may be omitted for the sake of clarity and brevity.

[0022] The terms and words used in the following description and claims are not limited to their bibliographic meanings and are used by the inventor merely to ensure a clear and consistent understanding of the disclosure. Accordingly, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of various embodiments of the invention is provided for illustrative purposes only and not to limit the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0023] The singular forms "a," "an," and "the" should be understood to include multiple referents unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Thus, for example, a reference to "part surfaces" includes a reference to one or more of these surfaces.

[0024] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] Referring to FIG. 1, in a network environment (100), an electronic device (101) may communicate with an electronic device (102) through a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network) or with an electronic device (104) or a server (108) through 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) through a server (108). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a processor (120), memory (130), input module (150), sound output module (155), display module (160), audio module (170), sensor module (176), interface (177), connection terminal (178), haptic module (179), camera module (180), power management module (188), battery (189), communication module (190), subscriber identification module (196), or antenna module (197). In one embodiment, at least one of these components (e.g., connection terminal (178)) may be omitted from the electronic device (101), or one or more other components may be added. In one embodiment, some of these components (e.g., sensor module (176), camera module (180), or antenna module (197)) may be integrated into a single component (e.g., display module (160)).

[0026] The processor (120) can control at least one other component (e.g., hardware or software component) of the electronic device (101) connected to the processor (120) by executing software (e.g., program (140)), for example, and can perform various data processing or operations. According to one embodiment, as at least part of the data processing or operations, the processor (120) can store commands or data received from other components (e.g., sensor module (176) or communication module (190)) in volatile memory (132), process the commands or data stored in volatile memory (132), and store the resulting data in non-volatile memory (134). According to one embodiment, the processor (120) may include a main processor (121) (e.g., central processing unit or application processor) or an auxiliary processor (123) that can operate independently or together with it (e.g., graphics processing unit, neural processing unit (NPU), image signal processor, sensor hub processor, or communication processor). For example, if the electronic device (101) includes a main processor (121) and an auxiliary processor (123), the auxiliary processor (123) may be configured to use lower power than the main processor (121) or to be specialized for a designated function. The auxiliary processor (123) may be implemented separately from the main processor (121) or as part thereof.

[0027] The auxiliary processor (123) may control at least some of the functions or states associated with at least one component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., display module (160), sensor module (176), or communication module (190)) 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. According to one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., image signal processor or communication processor) may be implemented as part of another functionally related component (e.g., camera module (180) or communication module (190)). According to one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., neural network processing unit) may include a hardware structure specialized for processing an artificial intelligence model. The artificial intelligence model may be generated through machine learning. Such learning may be performed, for example, on the electronic device (101) itself where the artificial intelligence is performed, or through a separate server (e.g., server (108)). The learning algorithm may 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 may include a plurality of artificial neural network layers.An artificial neural network may be 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 the hardware structure, the artificial intelligence model may include a software structure, either additionally or substantially.

[0028] The memory (130) can store various data used by at least one component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., processor (120) or sensor module (176)). The data may include, for example, input data or output data for software (e.g., program (140)) and related commands. The memory (130) may include volatile memory (132) or non-volatile memory (134).

[0029] The program (140) may be stored as software in memory (130) and may include, for example, an operating system (142), middleware (144), or an application (146).

[0030] The input module (150) can receive commands or data to be used for a component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., processor (120)) from outside the electronic device (101) (e.g., user). The input module (150) may include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, a keyboard, a key (e.g., a button), or a digital pen (e.g., a stylus pen).

[0031] The sound output module (155) can output a sound signal to the outside of the electronic device (101). The sound output module (155) may include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker may be used for general purposes, such as multimedia playback or recording playback. The receiver may be used to receive incoming calls. According to one embodiment, the receiver may be implemented separately from the speaker or as part thereof.

[0032] The display module (160) can visually provide information to an external (e.g., user) of the electronic device (101). The display module (160) may include, for example, a display, a hall area-gram device, or a projector and a control circuit for controlling said device. According to one embodiment, the display module (160) may include a touch sensor configured to detect a touch, or a pressure sensor configured to measure the intensity of the force generated by said touch.

[0033] The audio module (170) can convert sound into an electrical signal or, conversely, convert an electrical signal into sound. According to one embodiment, the audio module (170) can acquire sound through the input module (150) or output sound through the sound output module (155) or an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)) (e.g., speaker or headphones) connected directly or wirelessly to the electronic device (101).

[0034] The sensor module (176) can detect the operating state of the electronic device (101) (e.g., power or temperature) or the external environmental state (e.g., user state) and generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected state. According to one embodiment, the sensor module (176) may include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyroscope sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an accelerometer sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, a biosensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor.

[0035] The interface (177) may support one or more specified protocols that can be used for the electronic device (101) to be connected directly or wirelessly to an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)). According to 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.

[0036] The connection terminal (178) may include a connector through which the electronic device (101) can 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).

[0037] The haptic module (179) can convert an electrical signal into a mechanical stimulus (e.g., vibration or movement) or an electrical stimulus that can be perceived by the user through tactile or kinesthetic senses. According to one embodiment, the haptic module (179) may include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electric stimulation device.

[0038] The camera module (180) can capture still images and video. According to one embodiment, the camera module (180) may include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

[0039] 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 part of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

[0040] The battery (189) can supply power to at least one component of the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, the battery (189) may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

[0041] The communication module (190) can support the establishment of a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between an 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 include one or more communication processors that operate independently of the processor (120) (e.g., application processor) and 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., cellular communication module, short-range wireless communication module, or GNSS (global navigation satellite system) communication module) or a wired communication module (194) (e.g., LAN (local area network) communication module, or power line communication module). The corresponding communication module among these communication modules can communicate with an external electronic device (104) through a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, WiFi (wireless fidelity) direct, or IrDA (infrared data association)) or a second network (199) (e.g., 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 may 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 identify or authenticate the electronic device (101) within a communication network such as the first network (198) or the second network (199) using subscriber information (e.g., International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module (196).

[0042] The wireless communication module (192) can support 5G networks and next-generation communication technologies following 4G networks, for example, new radio access technology. NR access technology can support high-speed transmission of high-capacity data (enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB)), minimization of terminal power and connection of multiple terminals (massive machine type communications (mMTC)), or high reliability and low latency (ultra-reliable and low-latency communications (URLLC)). The wireless communication module (192) can support a high-frequency band (e.g., mmWave band) to achieve a high data transmission rate, for example. The wireless communication module (192) can support various technologies for securing performance in the high-frequency band, such as beamforming, massive MIMO (multiple-input and multiple-output), 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), external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (104)), or network system (e.g., second network (199)). According to one embodiment, the wireless communication module (192) may support a Peak data rate (e.g., 20 Gbps or more) for eMBB realization, loss coverage (e.g., 164 dB or less) for mMTC realization, or U-plane latency (e.g., downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) each 0.5 ms or less, or round trip 1 ms or less) for URLLC realization.

[0043] An antenna module (197) can transmit a signal or power to an external source (e.g., an external electronic device) or receive it from an external source. According to one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may include an antenna comprising a radiator made of a conductor or a conductive pattern formed on a substrate (e.g., a PCB). According to 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 a first network (198) or a second network (199), may be selected from the plurality of antennas, for example, by a communication module (190). A signal or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module (190) and an external electronic device through the selected at least one antenna. According to one embodiment, in addition to the radiator, other components (e.g., a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) may be additionally formed as part of the antenna module (197).

[0044] According to one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may form a mmWave antenna module. According to one embodiment, the mmWave antenna module may include a printed circuit board, an RFIC disposed on or adjacent to a first surface (e.g., bottom surface) of the printed circuit board and capable of supporting a specified high frequency band (e.g., mmWave band), and a plurality of antennas (e.g., array antennas) disposed on or adjacent to a second surface (e.g., top surface or side surface) of the printed circuit board and capable of transmitting or receiving a signal of the specified high frequency band.

[0045] At least some of the above components can be connected to each other via a communication method between peripheral devices (e.g., bus, GPIO (general purpose input and output), SPI (serial peripheral interface), or MIPI (mobile industry processor interface)) and exchange signals (e.g., commands or data) with each other.

[0046] According to one embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (104) through 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 performed on the electronic device (101) may be performed on one or more of the external electronic devices (102, 104, or 108). For example, if the electronic device (101) needs to perform a function or service automatically or in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device (101) may request one or more external electronic devices to perform at least part of the function or service instead of performing the function or service itself or additionally. One or more external electronic devices that receive the above request may execute at least part of the requested function or service, or 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 provide the result as is or additionally processed as at least part of the response to the request. For this purpose, for example, cloud computing, distributed computing, mobile edge computing (MEC), or client-server computing technology may be used. The electronic device (101) may provide ultra-low latency services using, for example, distributed computing or mobile edge computing. 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 neural networks. According to one embodiment, the external electronic device (104) or the server (108) may be included within 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.

[0047] In the following detailed description, the length direction, width direction, and / or thickness direction of the electronic device may be mentioned, and the length direction may be defined as the 'Y-axis direction', the width direction as the 'X-axis direction', and / or the thickness direction as the 'Z-axis direction'. In one embodiment, regarding the direction in which the component is oriented, 'negative / positive (- / +)' may be mentioned together with the Cartesian coordinate system illustrated in the drawings. For example, the front of the electronic device or housing may be defined as the 'face facing the +Z direction (or +Z direction face)', and the rear may be defined as the 'face facing the -Z direction (or -Z direction face)'. In one embodiment, the side of the electronic device or housing may include an area facing the +X direction, an area facing the +Y direction, an area facing the -X direction, and / or an area facing the -Y direction. Also, in one embodiment, the 'X-axis direction' may mean both the '-X direction' and the '+X direction'. It should be noted that this is based on the orthogonal coordinate system described in the drawings for the sake of brevity, and that the description of these directions or components does not limit the embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, the direction in which the aforementioned front or rear faces may vary depending on whether the electronic device is in an unfolded or folded state, and the aforementioned direction may be interpreted differently depending on the user's gripping habits.

[0048] The configuration of the electronic device (101) of FIGS. 2a to 3 may be partially or entirely identical to the configuration of the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1.

[0049] The embodiments of FIGS. 2a to 3 may be combined with the embodiment of FIG. 1, or, below, the embodiments of FIGS. 4 to 9.

[0050] In the detailed description below FIG. 2a, the length direction of the electronic device (101) may be defined as the 'Y-axis direction', the width direction as the 'X-axis direction', and / or the height direction (thickness direction) as the 'Z-axis direction'. In the detailed description below, the mention of length direction, width direction, and / or height direction (or thickness direction) may indicate the length direction, width direction, and / or height direction (or thickness direction) of the electronic device (10). In some embodiments, regarding the direction in which a component is oriented, 'negative / positive (- / +)' may be mentioned together with the Cartesian coordinate system illustrated in the drawings. In FIG. 2a through 3, the arrangement relationship of a component or another component in the height direction, i.e., the up / down reference, may follow the +Z-axis direction / -Z-axis direction.

[0051] Referring to FIGS. 2a through 3, an electronic device (101) may include a housing (201) for accommodating components of the electronic device (101) and a flexible display (hereinafter, display (240)) disposed within the space formed by the housing (201). According to one embodiment, the housing (201) may be referred to as a foldable housing. According to one embodiment, the display (240) may be referred to as a foldable display. The electronic device (101) may be referred to as a foldable electronic device. The term "foldable electronic device" may mean an electronic device that can be folded so that two different regions of the display face each other or in opposite directions. Generally, in a portable state, the display in the foldable electronic device is folded so that two different regions face each other or in opposite directions, and in actual use, the user can unfold the display so that the two different regions form a substantially flat shape.

[0052] According to one embodiment, the housing (201) may include a first housing portion (210) and a second housing portion (220) configured to rotate relative to the first housing portion (210). According to one embodiment, the first housing portion (210) and the second housing portion (220) may be formed integrally and may constitute a part of the housing (201), and according to an embodiment, may be provided as a separable configuration so as to be connected or assembled with each other.

[0053] According to one embodiment, the first housing portion (210) and / or the second housing portion (220) may form at least a portion of the exterior of the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, the side where the display (240) is visually exposed may be defined as the front of the electronic device (101) and / or housing (201) (e.g., a first front (210a) and a second front (220a)). The side opposite to the front may be defined as the rear of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a first rear (210b) and a second rear (220b)). The side surrounding at least a portion of the space between the front and the rear may be defined as the side of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a first side (210c) and a second side (220c)).

[0054] According to one embodiment, the first housing portion (210) may be rotatably connected to the second housing portion (220) using a hinge assembly (e.g., the hinge assembly (280) of FIG. 4) that includes a hinge cover (230). For example, the first housing portion (210) and the second housing portion (220) may each be rotatably connected to the hinge assembly (e.g., the hinge assembly (280) of FIG. 4). Accordingly, the electronic device (101) may be varied to a folded state (e.g., FIG. 3) or an unfolded state (e.g., FIG. 2a and FIG. 2b). In the folded state, the first front (210a) of the electronic device (101) may face the second front (220a), and in the unfolded state, the direction in which the first front (210a) faces may be substantially the same as the direction in which the second front (220a) faces. For example, in the unfolded state, the first front (210a) may be located on substantially the same plane as the second front (220a). According to one embodiment, the second housing portion (220) may provide relative movement with respect to the first housing portion (210).

[0055] According to one embodiment, the first housing portion (210) and the second housing portion (220) are arranged on both sides of the folding axis (A) and may have a shape that is symmetrical overall with respect to the folding axis (A). The angle between the first housing portion (210) and the second housing portion (220) may be changed depending on whether the state of the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state, a folded state, or an intermediate state between the unfolded state and the folded state.

[0056] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a hinge cover (230). At least a portion of the hinge cover (230) may be positioned between a first housing portion (210) and a second housing portion (220). According to one embodiment, the hinge cover (230) may be covered by a portion of the first housing portion (210) and the second housing portion (220) or exposed to the outside of the electronic device (101), depending on the state of the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, the hinge cover (230) may protect a hinge assembly (e.g., the hinge assembly (280) of FIG. 4) from external impacts of the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, the hinge cover (230) may be interpreted as a hinge housing for protecting a hinge assembly (e.g., the hinge assembly (280) of FIG. 4).

[0057] According to one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2a and FIG. 2b, when the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state, the hinge cover (230) may be covered by the first housing portion (210) and the second housing portion (220) and not exposed. As another example, as shown in FIG. 3, when the electronic device (101) is in a folded state (e.g., a fully folded state), the hinge cover (230) may be exposed to the outside between the first housing portion (210) and the second housing portion (220). As yet another example, when the first housing portion (210) and the second housing portion (220) are in an intermediate state with a certain angle, the hinge cover (230) may be partially exposed to the outside between the first housing portion (210) and the second housing portion (220). However, in this case, the exposed area may be smaller than when completely folded. In one embodiment, the hinge cover (230) may include a curved surface.

[0058] According to one embodiment, the display (240) can visually provide information to an external (e.g., user) of the electronic device (101). The display (240) may include, for example, a holographic device or a projector and a control circuit for controlling said device. According to one embodiment, the display (240) may include a touch sensor configured to detect a touch, or a pressure sensor configured to measure the intensity of the force generated by said touch.

[0059] According to one embodiment, the display (240) may mean a display in which at least some area can be deformed into a flat or curved surface. For example, the display (240) may be formed to be variable in response to the relative movement of the second housing part (220) with respect to the first housing part (210). According to one embodiment, the display (240) may include a folding area (243), a first display area (241) positioned on one side (e.g., upper (+Y direction)) with respect to the folding area (243), and a second display area (242) positioned on the other side (e.g., lower (-Y direction)). According to one embodiment, the folding area (243) may be positioned above a hinge assembly (e.g., the hinge assembly (280) of FIG. 4). For example, at least a portion of the folding area (243) may face a hinge assembly (e.g., the hinge assembly (280) of FIG. 4). According to one embodiment, the first display area (241) may be placed on the first housing portion (210), and the second display area (242) may be placed on the second housing portion (220). According to one embodiment, the display (240) may be accommodated in the first housing portion (210) and the second housing portion (220).

[0060] However, the division of the display (240) shown in FIG. 2a and FIG. 2b is exemplary, and the display (240) may be divided into multiple areas (e.g., four or more or two) depending on the structure or function.

[0061] Additionally, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2a and FIG. 2b, the area of ​​the display (240) may be divided by a folding area (243) extending parallel to the X-axis or a folding axis (A-axis), but in other embodiments, the area of ​​the display (240) may be divided based on a different folding area (e.g., a folding area parallel to the Y-axis) or a different folding axis (e.g., a folding axis parallel to the Y-axis). According to one embodiment, the display (240) may be combined with or placed adjacent to a touch detection circuit, a pressure sensor capable of measuring the intensity (pressure) of a touch, and / or a digitizer configured to detect a magnetic field type digital pen (e.g., a stylus pen).

[0062] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a rear display (244). The rear display (244) may be positioned to face in a different direction from the display (240). For example, the display (240) may be visually exposed through the front of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a first front (210a) and / or a second front (220a)), and the rear display (244) may be visually exposed through the rear of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a first rear (210b)).

[0063] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include at least one camera module (204, 206) and a flash (208). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a front camera module (204) exposed through the front (e.g., a first front (210a)) and / or a rear camera module (206) exposed through the rear (e.g., a first rear (210b)). The camera module (204, 206) may include one or more lenses, an image sensor, a flash, and / or an image signal processor. The flash (208) may include a light-emitting diode or a xenon lamp. According to one embodiment, two or more lenses (infrared camera, wide-angle and telephoto lenses) and image sensors may be disposed on one side of the electronic device (101). The configuration of the front camera module (204) and / or the rear camera module (206) may be partially or entirely the same as the configuration of the camera module (180) of FIG. 1.

[0064] The electronic device (101) disclosed in FIGS. 2a through 3 has the form of a foldable electronic device, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the illustrated electronic device may be part of a rollable electronic device or a bar-type or plate-type electronic device. The term "rollable electronic device" may mean an electronic device in which a display (e.g., the display (240) in FIGS. 2a and 2b) is capable of bending deformation so that at least a portion can be wound or rolled or housed inside a housing (e.g., the housing (210) in FIGS. 2a and 2b). Depending on the user's needs, the rollable electronic device may be used with an expanded screen display area by unfolding the display or by exposing a larger area of ​​the display to the outside.

[0065] The electronic device (101) disclosed in FIGS. 2a through 4 has the appearance of a foldable electronic device, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the illustrated electronic device may be a bar type, a plate type, or a rollable electronic device. The term "rollable electronic device" may mean an electronic device in which a display (e.g., the display (240) in FIG. 4) is capable of bending deformation so that at least a portion can be wound or rolled or stored inside a housing (e.g., the housing (201) in FIG. 2). Depending on the user's needs, the rollable electronic device can be used by expanding the screen display area by unfolding the display or by exposing a larger area of ​​the display to the outside.

[0066] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The embodiment of FIG. 4 can be combined with the embodiments of FIG. 1 to 3.

[0067] Referring to FIG. 4, the electronic device (101) may include a first housing portion (210), a second housing portion (220), a display (240), a hinge cover (230), a battery (250), a printed circuit board (260), a flexible printed circuit board (270), and a hinge assembly (280). The configuration of the first housing portion (210), the second housing portion (220), the display (240), and the hinge cover (230) of FIG. 4 may be all or partly the same as the configuration of the first housing portion (210), the second housing portion (220), the display (240), and the hinge cover (230) of FIG. 2 and / or FIG. 3.

[0068] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a first support structure (212) and a second support structure (222). For example, a first housing portion (210) may include the first support structure (212), and a second housing portion (220) may include the second support structure (222). According to one embodiment, the first support structure (212) and / or the second support structure (222) may support components of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a display (240), a battery (250), and a printed circuit board (260)).

[0069] According to one embodiment, the first support structure (212) and / or the second support structure (222) may be formed of a metal material and / or a non-metal (e.g., polymer) material. According to one embodiment, the first support structure (212) may be positioned between the display (240) and the battery (250). For example, the display (240) may be attached to one side of the first support structure (212), and the battery (250) and the printed circuit board (260) may be positioned on the other side.

[0070] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a first protective member (214) and a second protective member (224). For example, the first housing portion (210) may include the first protective member (214), and the second housing portion (220) may include the second protective member (224). According to one embodiment, the protective members (214, 224) may protect the display (240) from external impact. For example, the first protective member (214) may surround at least a portion of the display (240) (e.g., the first display area (231) of FIG. 2), and the second protective member (224) may surround at least a portion of the other portion of the display (240) (e.g., the second display area (232) of FIG. 2). According to one embodiment, the first protective member (214) may be referred to as the first fixed member, and the second protective member (214) may be referred to as the second fixed member.

[0071] According to one embodiment, the housing (210, 220) may include a first rear plate (216) and a second rear plate (226). For example, the first housing portion (210) may include a first rear plate (216) connected to a first support structure (212), and the second housing portion (220) may include a second rear plate (226) connected to a second support structure (222). According to one embodiment, the rear plates (216, 226) may form part of the exterior of the electronic device (101). For example, the first rear plate (216) may form a first rear (e.g., the first rear (210b) of FIGS. 2 to 3), and the second rear plate (226) may form a second rear (e.g., the second rear (220b) of FIGS. 2 to 3). According to one embodiment, a first battery (252) and a first printed circuit board (262) may be disposed between a first support structure (212) and a first rear plate (216), and a second battery (254) and a second printed circuit board (264) may be disposed between a second support structure (222) and a second rear plate (226).

[0072] According to one embodiment, the hinge cover (230) may accommodate at least a portion of the hinge assembly (280). For example, the hinge cover (230) may include a receiving groove (232) for accommodating the hinge assembly (280). According to one embodiment, the hinge cover (230) may be coupled to the hinge assembly (280). According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is unfolded, at least a portion of the hinge cover (230) may be located between the hinge assembly (280) and the housing (210, 220).

[0073] According to one embodiment, the battery (250) is a device for supplying power to at least one component of the electronic device (101) and may include a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell. The battery (250) may be integrally disposed inside the electronic device (101) or may be detachably disposed from the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, the battery (250) may include a first battery (252) disposed within a first housing portion (210) and a second battery (254) disposed within a second housing portion (220). For example, the first battery (252) may be disposed on a first support structure (212), and the second battery (254) may be disposed on a second support structure (222).

[0074] According to one embodiment, the printed circuit board (260) may be equipped with a processor (e.g., processor (120) of FIG. 1), memory (e.g., memory (130) of FIG. 1), and / or an interface (e.g., interface (177) of FIG. 1). According to one embodiment, the printed circuit board (260) may include a first printed circuit board (262) disposed within a first housing portion (210) and a second printed circuit board (264) disposed within a second housing portion (220).

[0075] According to one embodiment, a flexible printed circuit board (270) can electrically connect a component located in a first housing portion (210) (e.g., a first printed circuit board (262)) and a component located in a second housing portion (220) (e.g., a second printed circuit board (264)). According to one embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board (270) may be a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB). According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the flexible printed circuit board (270) may cross a hinge cover (230) and / or a hinge assembly (280). For example, a portion of the flexible printed circuit board (270) may be placed within the first housing portion (210), and another portion may be placed within the second housing portion (220). According to one embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board (270) may be connected to an antenna or to a display (240). According to one embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board (270) may be configured so that at least one part is bendable.

[0076] According to one embodiment, the hinge assembly (280) may be connected to the first housing portion (210) and the second housing portion (220). According to one embodiment, the first housing portion (210) may rotate relative to the second housing portion (220) using the hinge assembly (280). According to one embodiment, the hinge assembly (280) may rotatably connect the first housing portion (210) and the second housing portion (220) from a folded state (e.g., FIG. 3) to an unfolded state (e.g., FIG. 2).

[0077] According to one embodiment, the hinge assembly (280) may include a plurality of hinge assemblies (280-1, 280-2) arranged in parallel. For example, the hinge assembly (280) may include a first hinge assembly (280-1) and a second hinge assembly (280-2) spaced apart from the first hinge assembly (280-1). According to one embodiment, the first hinge assembly (280-1) may be symmetrical with respect to the second hinge assembly (280-2) and the longitudinal direction (e.g., Y-axis direction) of the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the hinge assembly (280) may be disposed on the hinge cover (230). For example, the hinge assembly (280) may include a first wing plate, a second wing plate, and / or a center bar. For example, the center bar may be coupled to a part of the hinge cover (230) or the hinge assembly (280). The center bar may have a fixed position relative to the hinge cover (230).

[0078] The electronic device (101) disclosed in FIGS. 2a through 4 has the appearance of a foldable electronic device, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the illustrated electronic device may be a bar type, a plate type, or a rollable electronic device. The term "rollable electronic device" may mean an electronic device in which a display (e.g., the display (240) in FIG. 4) is capable of bending deformation so that at least a portion can be wound or rolled or stored inside a housing (e.g., the housing (201) in FIG. 2). Depending on the user's needs, the rollable electronic device may be configured to expand the screen display area by unfolding the display or by exposing a larger area of ​​the display to the outside.

[0079] FIG. 5a is a rear view of a display assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5b is an enlarged view of portion B of FIG. 5a to illustrate a support plate according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of a display assembly along line C-C' of FIG. 5a according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7a is an enlarged view of FIG. 6 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7b is a partial cross-sectional view of a display assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0080] FIGS. 5 to 7b are drawings showing a display assembly in an unfolded state (e.g., FIG. 2). The embodiments of FIGS. 5 to 7b can be combined with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 4.

[0081] Referring to FIGS. 5 through 7b, an electronic device (101) (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1, and / or the electronic device (101) of FIGS. 2 through 4) may include a housing (202) in which at least a portion is deformable, and a display assembly (300) in which at least a portion of the housing (202) is operatively connected. The configuration of the display assembly (300) (or flexible display assembly) may be, in part or in whole, identical or similar to the configuration of the display (240) of FIGS. 2 through 4.

[0082] According to one embodiment, the display assembly (300) may be disposed on a housing (e.g., the housing (202) of FIGS. 2 to 4). For example, the display assembly (300) may be supported by the housing (202). In the present disclosure, the display assembly (300) may be defined and / or referred to as a display, a flexible display, a foldable display, a deformable display, or a display assembly.

[0083] According to one embodiment, the display assembly (300) may include a first display area (301) (e.g., the first display area (241) of FIG. 2 or FIG. 4), a second display area (302) (e.g., the second display area (242) of FIG. 2 to FIG. 4), and a folding area (303) (e.g., the folding area (243) of FIG. 2 to FIG. 4) (or a folding area).

[0084] According to one embodiment, a first display area (301) may be disposed in a first housing portion (e.g., the first housing portion (210) of FIGS. 2 to 4). The first display area (301) may be supported by the first housing portion (210). The first display area (301) may be connected to or extend from the folding area (303). According to one embodiment, a second display area (302) may be disposed in a second housing portion (e.g., the second housing portion (220) of FIGS. 2 to 4). The second display area (302) may be supported by the second housing portion (220). The second display area (302) may be connected to or extend from the folding area (303).

[0085] According to one embodiment, the folding region (303) may be disposed in a hinge assembly (e.g., the hinge assembly (280) of FIG. 4). The folding region (303) may be disposed between the first display region (301) and the second display region (302). The folding region (303) may be connected to the first display region (301) and the second display region (302), or may extend from the first display region (301) and the second display region (302).

[0086] According to one embodiment, the folding region (303) may be configured to be at least partially folded or unfolded. According to one embodiment, the folding region (303) may be positioned between the first display region (301) and the second display region (302) and may extend from the first display region (301) and the second display region (302). For example, the folding region (303) may be configured to be deformable based on deformation of the housing (e.g., housing (202) in FIGS. 2 to 4), such as rotation of the second housing part (e.g., second housing part (220) in FIGS. 2 to 4) relative to the first housing part (e.g., first housing part (210) in FIGS. 2 to 4). According to one embodiment, the folding region (303) may be at least partially unfolded when the state of the housing of the electronic device (101) is unfolded (e.g., FIG. 2). For example, when the housing is in an unfolded state, the folding region (303) may form a substantially flat plane with the first display region (301) and / or the second display region (302). The folding region (303) may be at least partially folded when the housing of the electronic device (101) is in a folded state (e.g., FIG. 3). For example, when the housing is in a folded state, the folding region (303) may form a curved surface.

[0087] Referring to FIG. 6, according to one embodiment, a display assembly (300) may include a display panel (330). The display panel (330) may visually provide information to an external (e.g., user) of the electronic device (101). The display panel (330) may be electrically connected to a display driver integrated circuit (DDI). The display panel (330) may be defined and / or referred to as a flexible display or a foldable display, but is not limited thereto. The display panel (330) may be placed in a housing (e.g., the housing (202) of FIG. 4).

[0088] Referring to FIG. 6, according to one embodiment, a display assembly (300) may include a protection member (310). The protection member (310) may protect the outer surface (e.g., the +Z direction surface) of a display panel (330). For example, the protection member (310) may be configured to protect the display panel (330) from external impact. The protection member (310) may be placed on a polarizing layer (320). The protection member (310) may be placed on the outer surface of the display panel (330). For example, the protection member (310) may be laminated on the polarizing layer (320) or the outer surface of the display panel (330). The protection member (310) may be defined and / or referred to as a cover window or a transparent window.

[0089] According to one embodiment, the protective member (310) may include a first protective layer (311). The first protective layer (311) may form at least a portion of the outer surface (e.g., the surface in the +Z direction) of the display assembly (300). The first protective layer (311) may be a film layer comprising a polymer material. For example, the first protective layer (311) may include, but is not limited to, a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film, a PL (protective layer) film, a polyimide (PI) film, a high-hardness protective film, or flexible thin glass (FTG). The first protective layer (311) may be defined and / or referred to as a polymer layer or a window layer. The first protective layer (311) may be laminated on a second protective layer (312).

[0090] According to one embodiment, the protective member (310) may include a second protective layer (312). The second protective layer (312) may be disposed on the outer surface of the display panel (330). The second protective layer (312) may be located between the first protective layer (311) and the polarizing layer (320). The second protective layer (312) may include a substantially transparent and flexible material. For example, the second protective layer (312) may include a glass member of a thickness that can be at least partially bent (e.g., ultra-thin glass (UTG), or flexible thin glass (FTG)). The second protective layer (312) may be defined and / or referred to as a glass layer. The second protective layer (312) may be combined with the first protective layer (311).

[0091] According to one embodiment, the display assembly (300) may include a first adhesive member (391). The first adhesive member (391) may be positioned between a first protective layer (311) and a second protective layer (312). The first adhesive member (391) may be configured to bond the first protective layer (311) and the second protective layer (312). The first adhesive member (391) may include at least one of an optical clear adhesive (OCA), a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA), a thermoreactive adhesive, a general adhesive, or a double-sided tape.

[0092] Referring to FIG. 6, according to one embodiment, a display assembly (300) may include a polarization layer (320). The polarization layer (320) may be located between a protective member (310) and a display panel (330). The polarization layer (320) may be located between a second protective layer (312) and a display panel (330). One side of the polarization layer (320) (e.g., a +Z direction side) may be coupled with the second protective layer (312). The other side of the polarization layer (320) (e.g., a -Z direction side) may be coupled with the display panel (330).

[0093] According to one embodiment, the display assembly (300) may include a second adhesive member (392). The second adhesive member (392) may be positioned between the second protective layer (312) and the polarization layer (320). The second adhesive member (392) may be configured to bond the second protective layer (312) and the polarization layer (320). The second adhesive member (392) may include at least one of an optical clear adhesive (OCA), a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA), a thermoreactive adhesive, a general adhesive, or a double-sided tape.

[0094] According to one embodiment, one side of the display panel (330) (e.g., the +Z direction side) may be bonded to the polarization layer (320). The other side of the display panel (330) (e.g., the -Z direction side) may be bonded to the film layer (340). According to one embodiment, the display assembly (300) may include a third adhesive member (393). The third adhesive member (393) may be positioned between the polarization layer (320) and the display panel (330). The third adhesive member (393) may be configured to bond the polarization layer (320) and the display panel (330). The third adhesive member (393) may include at least one of an optical clear adhesive (OCA), a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA), a thermoreactive adhesive, a general adhesive, or a double-sided tape.

[0095] Referring to FIGS. 6 through 7b, according to one embodiment, a display assembly (300) may include a film layer (340). The film layer (340) may be disposed between a display panel (330) and a support plate (350). The film layer (340) may include a polymer material. The film layer (340) may be applied with a substantially dark color (e.g., black). For example, the film layer (340) may make the display assembly (300) appear black when the display panel (330) is turned off. As the film layer (340) is configured to absorb shock from the outside of the electronic device (101), damage to the display panel (330) may be limited or reduced. One side of the film layer (340) (e.g., the side in the +Z direction) may be bonded to the display panel (330). The other side of the film layer (340) (e.g., the -Z direction side) can be bonded to the fourth adhesive member (394).

[0096] According to one embodiment, the display assembly (300) may include a fourth adhesive member (394). The fourth adhesive member (394) may include at least one of an optical clear adhesive (OCA), a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA), a heat-reactive adhesive, a general adhesive, or a double-sided tape.

[0097] Referring to FIGS. 6 and FIGS. 7a, according to one embodiment, a fourth adhesive member (394) may be disposed between a display panel (330) and a support plate (350). If the display assembly (300) further comprises a film layer (340) disposed between the display panel (330) and the fourth adhesive member (394), the fourth adhesive member (394) may be disposed between the film layer (340) and the support plate (350). The fourth adhesive member (394) may be configured to adhere or bond the film layer (340) and the support plate (350). For example, one side of the fourth adhesive member (394) (e.g., a side in the +Z direction) may be bonded to the film layer (340). For example, the other side of the fourth adhesive member (394) (e.g., a side in the -Z direction) may be bonded to the support plate (350).

[0098] Referring to FIGS. 6 and FIGS. 7a, according to one embodiment, the fourth adhesive member (394) may be positioned to form a receiving space (T) in which a reinforcing layer (360) is disposed. According to one embodiment, the reinforcing layer (360) may be spaced apart from the fourth adhesive member (394). According to one embodiment, the first thickness (t1) of the reinforcing layer (360) may be less than or equal to the second thickness (t2) of the fourth adhesive member (394). According to one embodiment, if the display assembly (300) further includes a film layer (340) disposed between the display panel (330) and the fourth adhesive member (394), the receiving space (T) may be surrounded by the film layer (340), the adhesive member (394), and the surface of the support plate (350) (e.g., the first surface or the +Z direction surface). According to one embodiment, when looking down at the display assembly (300) (or with respect to the Z-axis direction), the fourth adhesive member (394) may not overlap with the reinforcing layer (360).

[0099] Referring to FIGS. 6 and FIGS. 7b, according to one embodiment, a fourth adhesive member (394) may be disposed between a display panel (330) and a reinforcing layer (360). According to one embodiment, if the display assembly (300) further comprises a film layer (340) disposed between the display panel (330) and the fourth adhesive member (394), the fourth adhesive member (394) may be disposed between the film layer (340) and the reinforcing layer (360). The fourth adhesive member (394) may be configured to adhere or bond the film layer (340) and the reinforcing layer (360). For example, one side of the fourth adhesive member (394) (e.g., the +Z direction side) may be bonded to the film layer (340). For example, the other side of the fourth adhesive member (394) (e.g., the -Z direction side) may be bonded to the reinforcing layer (360). According to one embodiment, when looking down at the display assembly (300) (or with respect to the Z-axis direction), the fourth adhesive member (394) may overlap with the reinforcing layer (360).

[0100] Referring to FIGS. 6 to 7b, according to one embodiment, a display assembly (300) may include a support plate (350). The support plate (350) may be configured to support a display panel (330). For example, a lattice plate (350) may be configured to support another side of the display panel (330). The support plate (350) may include at least one of stainless steel, copper (Cu), or aluminum (Al). The support plate (350) may reinforce the rigidity of the electronic device (101). The support plate (350) may be configured to shield noise and dissipate heat emitted from surrounding heat-emitting components. According to one embodiment, one side of the support plate (350) (e.g., the side in the +Z direction) may be bonded to a film layer (340). According to one embodiment, another side of the support plate (350) (e.g., the -Z direction side) can be bonded to the cushion layer (370).

[0101] According to one embodiment, the support plate (350) may include a first flat portion (351) disposed in a first display area (301) of the display assembly (300), a second flat portion (352) disposed in a second display area (302) of the display assembly (300), and a bending portion (353) disposed in a folding area (303) of the display assembly (300).

[0102] According to one embodiment, the support plate (350) may include a lattice pattern (353a) disposed between a first planar portion (351) and a second planar portion (352). According to one embodiment, the lattice pattern (353a) may be formed on at least a portion of the bending portion (353). For example, the lattice pattern (353a) may be formed on at least a portion of the bending portion (353) of the support plate (350) facing the hinge assembly (e.g., the hinge assembly (280) of FIG. 4).

[0103] According to one embodiment, the lattice pattern (353a) may include a plurality of recessed and / or penetration holes (3531). For example, the recessed or penetration holes (3531) of the lattice pattern (353a) may be in the form of slits or elongated holes extending along the folding axis (e.g., the folding axis (A) of FIG. 2). For example, the recessed or penetration holes (3531) of the lattice pattern (353a) may be formed through or recessed in at least one part of the support plate (350). For example, the plurality of penetration holes (3531) of the lattice pattern (353a) may be formed through from one side of the support plate (350) (e.g., the +Z direction side) to the other side of the support plate (350) (e.g., the -Z direction side). According to one embodiment, the lattice pattern (353a) may be positioned to be aligned with the hinge assembly (e.g., the hinge assembly (280) of FIG. 4). For example, the lattice pattern (353a) may be symmetrical with respect to the folding axis (e.g., the folding axis (A) of FIG. 2). The lattice pattern (353a) may provide flexibility to the support plate (350). According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the support plate (350) may include a plurality of recesses and / or a plurality of through holes (3531), thereby reducing the repulsive force acting on the support plate (350) (e.g., the bending portion (353)) during the folding operation of the foldable electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1 to 4) compared to the case where the support plate (350) does not include a plurality of recesses and / or a plurality of through holes (3531). In the present disclosure, the number, shape, and arrangement of the recesses or through holes (3531) of the lattice pattern (353a) are not limited and can be adjusted according to various factors such as the material of the support plate (350) or the degree of flexibility required for the bending portion (353) of the support plate (350).

[0104] According to one embodiment, the display assembly (300) may further include a reinforcing layer (360). Referring to FIGS. 6 through 7b, according to one embodiment, the reinforcing layer (360) may be disposed on one side (or first side or +Z direction side) of the support plate (350) (e.g., bending part (353)) facing the display panel (330). According to one embodiment, the reinforcing layer (360) may be disposed on a lattice pattern (353a) and may include a portion (or first portion (363)) having a shape (e.g., pattern (3631)) corresponding to the lattice pattern (353a). According to one embodiment, the reinforcing layer (360) may not be disposed within a plurality of recesses and / or a plurality of through holes (3531) of the lattice pattern (353a).

[0105] According to one embodiment, the reinforcing layer (360) may comprise a shear-thickening fluid (STF). According to one embodiment, the reinforcing layer (360) may be composed of a composition comprising acrylic, polyurethane, and / or silicone. According to one embodiment, the reinforcing layer (360) may have adhesive properties. According to one embodiment, the reinforcing layer (360) may be disposed on one side (or first side or +Z direction side) of the support plate (350) and may consist only of a bonding layer (or coating layer) (e.g., 22 in FIG. 8b) made of said composition. According to one embodiment, the reinforcing layer (360) may be disposed on one side (or first side or +Z direction side) of the support plate (350) and may include a bonding layer made of said composition and a substrate layer (e.g., 21 in FIG. 8b) disposed on said bonding layer.

[0106] Referring to FIGS. 6 and FIGS. 7a, according to one embodiment, the reinforcing layer (360) may be placed in the receiving space (T) of the fourth adhesive member (394). For example, one side of the reinforcing layer (360) (e.g., the side in the +Z direction) may be spaced apart from the film layer (340). For example, the other side of the reinforcing layer (360) (e.g., the side in the -Z direction) may be bonded to the support plate (350). According to one embodiment, the reinforcing layer (360) may be spaced apart from the fourth adhesive member (394). According to one embodiment, the first thickness (t1) of the reinforcing layer (360) may be less than or equal to the second thickness (t2) of the fourth adhesive member (394). According to one embodiment, when looking down at the display assembly (300) (or with respect to the Z-axis direction), the reinforcing layer (360) may not overlap with the fourth adhesive member (394).

[0107] Referring to FIG. 7b, according to one embodiment, a reinforcing layer (360) may be positioned between a fourth adhesive member (394) and a support plate (350). For example, one side of the reinforcing layer (360) (e.g., the +Z direction side) may be bonded to the fourth adhesive member (394). For example, the other side of the reinforcing layer (360) (e.g., the -Z direction side) may be bonded to the support plate (350). According to one embodiment, when looking down at the display assembly (300) (or with respect to the Z-axis direction), the reinforcing layer (360) may overlap with the fourth adhesive member (394).

[0108] Referring to FIG. 7b, according to one embodiment, the reinforcing layer (360) may include a first portion (363) disposed on the lattice pattern (353a) of the support plate (350), a second portion (361) extending from the first portion (363) and disposed on the first planar portion (351) of the support plate (350), and / or a third portion (362) extending from the first portion (363) and disposed on the second planar portion (352) of the support plate (350).

[0109] According to one embodiment, the reinforcing layer (360) may include a plurality of recesses and / or a plurality of through holes (3631) formed in the bending portion (353). The plurality of recesses and / or a plurality of through holes (3631) of the reinforcing layer (360) may be formed to correspond to the plurality of recesses and / or a plurality of through holes (3531) of the lattice pattern (353a). According to one embodiment, when looking down at the display assembly (300) (or with respect to the Z-axis direction), the plurality of recesses and / or a plurality of through holes (3631) of the reinforcing layer (360) may overlap with the plurality of recesses or a plurality of through holes (3531) of the lattice pattern (353a). For example, the locations where a plurality of recesses and / or a plurality of through holes (3631) are formed in the reinforcing layer (360) may correspond to the locations where a plurality of recesses or a plurality of through holes (3531) are formed in the lattice pattern (353a), or may face or overlap in the thickness direction (e.g., Z-axis direction). For example, a plurality of through holes (3631) in the reinforcing layer (360) may be formed through from one side of the reinforcing layer (360) (e.g., +Z direction side) to the other side of the reinforcing layer (360) (e.g., -Z direction side).

[0110] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the reinforcing layer (360) includes a plurality of recesses and / or a plurality of through holes (3631), so that the repulsive force that may occur on the support plate (350) (e.g., bending portion (353)) during the folding operation of a foldable electronic device (e.g., electronic device (101) of FIGS. 1 to 4) can be reduced by placing the reinforcing layer (360) compared to the case where a plurality of recesses and / or a plurality of through holes (3631) are not formed in the reinforcing layer (360). According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the reinforcing layer (360) includes a plurality of recesses and / or a plurality of through holes (3631), so that flexibility and variability can be provided to the bending portion (363) of the reinforcing layer (360) compared to the case where a plurality of recesses and / or a plurality of through holes (3631) are not formed in the reinforcing layer (360).

[0111] Referring to FIG. 7a and FIG. 7b, according to one embodiment, the display assembly (300) may further include a cushion layer (370). The cushion layer (370) may be configured to cushion impacts applied to the display assembly (300). For example, the cushion layer (370) may include thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) or a porous foam material (e.g., sponge). For example, the cushion layer (370) may be disposed on one side (e.g., -Z direction side) of the first planar portion (351), the second planar portion (352), and / or the bending portion (353) of the support plate (350) located in the first display area (301).

[0112] According to one embodiment, the display assembly (300) may further include a shielding layer disposed between a cushion layer (370) and a housing (e.g., housing (202) of FIG. 4). For example, one side of the shielding layer (e.g., a side in the +Z direction) may be coupled to the cushion layer (370). For example, the other side of the shielding layer (e.g., a side in the -Z direction) may face the housing. For example, the shielding layer may limit or reduce the electric field (or magnetic field) generated from at least one electrical / electronic component disposed inside the housing from reaching the display panel (330). For example, the shielding layer may include, but is not limited to, a metal sheet. The other side of the shielding layer (380) (e.g., a side in the -Z direction) may face the housing.

[0113] FIG. 8a is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a method for manufacturing a reinforcing layer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8b is a cross-sectional view of a reinforcing layer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a method for manufacturing a reinforcing layer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0114] The embodiments of FIGS. 8a to 9 can be combined with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 7b.

[0115] The reinforcing layer (20) of the embodiments of FIGS. 8a to 9 may be referred to as the reinforcing layer (360) described above with reference to the embodiments of FIGS. 5a to 7b. The support plate (10) of the embodiments of FIGS. 8a to 9 may be referred to as the support plate (350) described above with reference to the embodiments of FIGS. 5a to 7b.

[0116] In FIG. 8a, processes for fabricating a structure in which a reinforcing layer (20) having a pattern (12) (e.g., 3631 in FIG. 7a and 7b) formed thereon is disposed on a support plate (10) having a lattice pattern (11) (e.g., 3531 in FIG. 7a and 7b) formed thereon may be illustrated sequentially from left to right.

[0117] Referring to FIG. 8a, in one embodiment, a reinforcing layer (20) may be placed, laminated, or coated on a support plate (10). For example, the material of the support plate (10) may be a metal such as stainless steel or titanium. For example, the reinforcing layer (20) may be made of a composition including acrylic, polyurethane, and silicone.

[0118] Referring to FIG. 8a, according to one embodiment, with the reinforcing layer (20) disposed on one side of the reinforcing layer (20), a pattern (12) may be formed or processed from the other side opposite to said one side of the reinforcing layer (20). For example, the pattern (12) may be formed by exposure, development, and curing processes. Referring to FIG. 8a, according to one embodiment, with the reinforcing layer (20) disposed on one side of the support plate (10), a lattice pattern (11) may be formed or processed from the other side opposite to said one side of the support plate (10). For example, the lattice pattern (11) may be formed by an etching process.

[0119] Referring to FIG. 8b, according to one embodiment, the reinforcing layer (20) may comprise a bonding layer (22) made of the composition disposed on one side of the support plate (10) and a substrate layer (21) (e.g., polyimide film) disposed on the bonding layer (22). For example, the bonding layer (22) may be made of a composition comprising acrylic, polyurethane, and silicone.

[0120] Referring to FIG. 9, in one embodiment, a reinforcing layer (20) may be placed, laminated, or coated on a support plate (10). For example, the material of the support plate (10) may be a metal such as stainless steel or titanium. For example, the reinforcing layer (20) may be made of a composition including acrylic, polyurethane, and silicone.

[0121] Referring to FIG. 9, according to one embodiment, with a reinforcing layer (20) disposed on one side of a support plate (10), a lattice pattern (11) may be formed or processed from the other side opposite to the one side of the support plate (10) in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 9. For example, the lattice pattern (11) may be formed by an ablation process such as laser or blasting. Referring to FIG. 9, according to one embodiment, with a reinforcing layer (20) disposed on one side of the reinforcing layer (20), a pattern (12) may be formed or processed from the other side opposite to the one side of the reinforcing layer (20) in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 9. For example, the pattern (12) may be formed by an exposure, development, and curing process. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 9, by processing the pattern (12) through the lattice pattern (11) while the lattice pattern (11) is formed, there is an advantage in that the lattice pattern (11) can be used as a mask to form the shape of the pattern (12).

[0122] A foldable electronic device may include a flexible display assembly. For example, the foldable electronic device may be configured to enable a folding motion that changes between a folded state and an unfolded state. For example, to implement such a folding motion, the display assembly may include a lattice pattern disposed in a folding area of ​​the display assembly adjacent to the folding axis. Generally, a support plate may include a flat portion to support the lattice pattern and the remaining area of ​​the display assembly. For example, the lattice pattern may have a pattern including multiple recesses or multiple through holes as a pattern to reduce the repulsive force acting on the support plate during the folding motion of the foldable electronic device. The lattice pattern may have relatively lower durability compared to other areas of the support plate, and accordingly, the bending portion containing the lattice pattern in such a display assembly may be particularly vulnerable to impact (e.g., impact caused by dropping the electronic device). Additionally, as the foldable electronic device and the display assembly become thinner, reinforcement of durability may also be required for the remaining area of ​​the display assembly supported by the flat portion of the support plate.

[0123] The embodiments of the present disclosure are intended to solve at least the problems and / or disadvantages described above and to provide at least the advantages described below. However, the problems to be solved by the present disclosure are not limited to the problems mentioned above and may be determined in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0124] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a foldable electronic device may be provided that includes a reinforcing layer for reinforcing the durability of a lattice pattern of a display assembly or a support plate particularly vulnerable to impact. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a foldable electronic device may be provided that includes a reinforcing layer for reinforcing the durability of a lattice pattern and a planar portion of a display assembly and a support plate. The reinforcing layer may include a shear thickening fluid (STF) having the property that its viscosity increases when the shear rate is increased. By having a shape corresponding to the lattice pattern, the reinforcing layer can reinforce the lattice pattern without increasing the repulsive force of the lattice pattern during the folding operation of the foldable electronic device.

[0125] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the reinforcing layer of a display assembly may include a shear-thickening fluid, thereby having the property that viscosity increases when the shear rate is increased, and the durability of the foldable electronic device or display assembly against dynamic impacts such as ball drops may be enhanced. The effects obtainable in the present disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and various effects that can be understood directly or indirectly through this document may be provided.

[0126] The display assembly (or flexible display assembly) and the electronic device including the same described above are not limited by the embodiments and drawings described above, and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various substitutions, modifications, and changes are possible within the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0127] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a foldable electronic device (101) may be provided. The foldable electronic device may include a housing (202) comprising a first housing portion (210) and a second housing portion (220), a hinge assembly (280) configured to rotatably connect the second housing portion to the first housing portion, and a flexible display assembly (240; 300). The flexible display assembly may include a first display area (241, 301) disposed in the first housing portion, a second display area (242, 302) disposed in the second housing portion, and a folding region (243, 303) disposed between the first display area and the second display area. The flexible display assembly may include a display panel (330), a support plate (350) that supports the display panel, and a reinforcing layer (360) disposed on a first surface of the support plate facing the display panel and comprising a shear thickening fluid (STF). The support plate may include a first planar portion (351) disposed in the first display area, a second planar portion (352) disposed in the second display area, and a lattice pattern (353a) disposed between the first planar portion and the second planar portion in the folding area. The reinforcing layer may include a portion disposed on the lattice pattern and having a shape corresponding to the lattice pattern.

[0128] According to one embodiment, the display assembly may further include an adhesive member (394) disposed between the display panel and the support plate, which is disposed to form a receiving space (T) in which the reinforcing layer is disposed.

[0129] According to one embodiment, the first thickness (t1) of the reinforcing layer may be less than or equal to the second thickness (t2) of the adhesive member.

[0130] According to one embodiment, the display assembly further includes a film layer (340) disposed between the display panel and the adhesive member, and the receiving space may be surrounded by the film layer, the adhesive member and the first surface of the support plate.

[0131] According to one embodiment, when looking down at the display assembly, the adhesive member may not overlap with the reinforcing layer.

[0132] According to one embodiment, the reinforcing layer may include a first portion (363) disposed on the lattice pattern, a second portion (361) disposed on the first planar portion, and a third portion (362) disposed on the second planar portion.

[0133] According to one embodiment, the display assembly may further include an adhesive member (394) disposed between the display panel and the reinforcing layer.

[0134] According to one embodiment, the reinforcing layer may be made of a composition including acrylic, polyurethane, and silicone.

[0135] According to one embodiment, the reinforcing layer may include a bonding layer made of the composition disposed on the first surface of the support plate and a substrate layer disposed on the bonding layer.

[0136] According to one embodiment, the lattice pattern may include at least one of a plurality of recesses or a plurality of through holes.

[0137] According to one embodiment, the reinforcing layer may not be disposed within a plurality of recesses or a plurality of through holes of the lattice pattern.

[0138] According to one embodiment, the reinforcing layer may include at least one of a plurality of recesses or a plurality of through holes (3631) formed to correspond to a plurality of recesses or a plurality of through holes of the lattice pattern.

[0139] According to one embodiment, when looking down at the display assembly, the pattern of the reinforcing layer may overlap with a plurality of recesses or a plurality of through holes of the lattice pattern.

[0140] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a foldable electronic device (101) may be provided. The foldable electronic device may include a flexible display assembly (240) comprising a housing (202) in which at least a portion is deformable, and a folding region (243, 303) in which at least a portion is operatively connected to the housing and is deformable based on the deformation of the housing. The flexible display assembly may include a display panel (330), a support plate (350) supporting the display panel, and a reinforcing layer (360) disposed on a first surface of the support plate facing the display panel and comprising a shear thickening fluid (STF). The support plate may include a lattice pattern (353a) disposed on the folding region. The reinforcing layer may include a portion disposed on the lattice pattern and having a shape corresponding to the lattice pattern.

[0141] According to one embodiment, the display assembly may further include an adhesive member (394) disposed between the display panel and the support plate, which is disposed to form a receiving space (T) in which the reinforcing layer is disposed.

[0142] According to one embodiment, the reinforcing layer is spaced apart from the adhesive member, and the first thickness (t1) of the reinforcing layer may be less than or equal to the second thickness (t2) of the adhesive member.

[0143] According to one embodiment, the housing may include a first housing portion (210) and a second housing portion (220) rotatably configured with respect to the first housing portion. The display assembly further includes a first display area (241, 301) disposed in the first housing portion and a second display area (242, 302) disposed in the second housing portion, and the folding area may be disposed between the first display area and the second display area. The support plate may further include a first planar portion (351) disposed in the first display area and a second planar portion (352) disposed in the second display area.

[0144] According to one embodiment, the reinforcing layer may include a first portion (363) disposed on the lattice pattern, a second portion (361) disposed on the first planar portion, and a third portion (362) disposed on the second planar portion.

[0145] According to one embodiment, the display assembly may further include an adhesive member (394) disposed between the display panel and the reinforcing layer.

[0146] According to one embodiment, the reinforcing layer may be made of a composition including acrylic, polyurethane, and silicone.

[0147] Although the present disclosure has been described by way of example with respect to one embodiment, it should be understood that the embodiment is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the invention. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detailed configuration may be made without departing from the whole context of the present disclosure, including the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0148] An electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be of various forms. The electronic device may include, for example, a portable communication device (e.g., a smartphone), a computer device, a portable multimedia device, a portable medical device, a camera, a wearable device, or a consumer electronics device. The electronic device according to the embodiments of this document is not limited to the aforementioned devices.

[0149] The embodiments of this document and the terms used therein are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to a specific embodiment, and should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutions of said embodiment. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of said items unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise. In this document, phrases such as "A or B," "at least one of A and B," "at least one of A or B," "A, B or C," "at least one of A, B and C," and "at least one of A, B, or C" may each include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as "first," "second," or "first" or "second" may be used simply to distinguish said components from other said components and do not limit said components in any other aspect (e.g., importance or order). Where any (e.g., 1st) component is referred to as "coupled" or "connected" to another (e.g., 2nd) component, with or without the terms "functionally" or "communicationly," it means that said any component may be connected to said other component directly (e.g., via a wire), wirelessly, or through a third component.

[0150] As used in one embodiment of this document, the term “module” 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, for example. A module may be a component formed integrally, or a minimum unit of said component or a part thereof 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).

[0151] One embodiment of the present document may be implemented as software (e.g., program (140)) comprising one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., internal memory (136) or external memory (138)) readable by a machine (e.g., electronic device (101)). For example, a processor (e.g., processor (120)) of the machine (e.g., electronic device (101)) may call at least one of the one or more instructions stored from the storage medium and execute it. This enables the machine to operate to perform at least one function according to the at least one called instruction. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code that can be executed by an interpreter. The storage medium readable by the machine may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-temporary' simply means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain a signal (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and the term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently and cases where it is stored temporarily.

[0152] According to one embodiment, the method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be provided by being included in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded between a seller and a buyer as a product. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a device-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM)) or an application store (e.g., Play Store). TM It can be distributed online (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) through ) or directly between two user devices (e.g., smartphones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be temporarily stored or temporarily created on a device-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a relay server.

[0153] According to one embodiment, each component (e.g., module or program) of the components described above may include a singular or multiple entities, and some of the multiple entities may be separated and placed in other components. According to one embodiment, one or more of the components or operations among the aforementioned components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Generally or additionally, multiple components (e.g., module or program) may be integrated into a single component. In this case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the multiple components in the same or similar manner as those performed by the corresponding component among the multiple components prior to integration. According to one embodiment, operations performed by the module, program, or other components 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.

Claims

1. In a foldable electronic device (101), Housing (202) including a first housing portion (210) and a second housing portion (220); A hinge assembly (280) configured to rotatably connect the second housing portion to the first housing portion; A flexible display assembly (240) comprising a first display area (241, 301) disposed in the first housing portion, a second display area (242, 302) disposed in the second housing portion, and a folding region (243, 303) disposed between the first display area and the second display area, wherein the flexible display assembly comprises a display panel (330), a support plate (350) supporting the display panel, and a reinforcing layer (360) disposed on a first surface of the support plate facing the display panel and comprising a shear thickening fluid (STF). The support plate comprises a first planar portion (351) disposed in the first display area, a second planar portion (352) disposed in the second display area, and a lattice pattern (353a) disposed between the first planar portion and the second planar portion in the folding area. A foldable electronic device comprising a reinforcing layer disposed on the lattice pattern and having a portion having a shape corresponding to the lattice pattern.

2. In Paragraph 1, A foldable electronic device comprising an adhesive member (394) disposed between the display panel and the support plate, and further comprising an adhesive member disposed to form a receiving space (T) in which the reinforcing layer is disposed.

3. In Paragraph 2, A foldable electronic device in which the first thickness (t1) of the reinforcing layer is less than or equal to the second thickness (t2) of the adhesive member.

4. In Paragraph 2 or 3, A foldable electronic device, wherein the display assembly further comprises a film layer (340) disposed between the display panel and the adhesive member, and the receiving space is surrounded by the film layer, the adhesive member and the first surface of the support plate.

5. In any one of paragraphs 2 through 4, A foldable electronic device in which the adhesive member does not overlap with the reinforcing layer when looking down at the display assembly.

6. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 5, A foldable electronic device comprising a reinforcing layer, the reinforcing layer comprising a first portion (363) disposed on the lattice pattern, a second portion (361) disposed on the first planar portion, and a third portion (362) disposed on the second planar portion.

7. In Paragraph 6, A foldable electronic device, wherein the display assembly further comprises an adhesive member (394) disposed between the display panel and the reinforcing layer.

8. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 7, A foldable electronic device in which the reinforcing layer is composed of a composition including acrylic, polyurethane, and silicone.

9. In Paragraph 8, A foldable electronic device comprising a reinforcing layer disposed on the first surface of the support plate and a bonding layer made of the composition and a substrate layer disposed on the bonding layer.

10. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 9, A foldable electronic device, wherein the above lattice pattern comprises at least one of a plurality of recesses or a plurality of through holes (3531).

11. In Paragraph 10, A foldable electronic device in which the reinforcing layer is not disposed within a plurality of recesses or a plurality of through holes of the lattice pattern.

12. In Article 10 or Article 11, A foldable electronic device, wherein the reinforcing layer comprises at least one of a plurality of recesses or a plurality of through holes (3631) formed to correspond to a plurality of recesses or a plurality of through holes of the lattice pattern.

13. In Paragraph 12, A foldable electronic device in which, when looking down at the display assembly, the plurality of recesses or plurality of through holes of the reinforcing layer overlap with the plurality of recesses or plurality of through holes of the lattice pattern.

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