Hinge assembly and electronic device comprising same

Abstract

A foldable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may comprise: a first housing; a second housing; a flexible display formed to be supported by the first housing and the second housing; a hinge assembly rotatably connecting the first housing and the second housing; and a flexible circuit board arranged from the inside of the first housing to the inside of the second housing across the hinge assembly. The hinge assembly may comprise: a hinge module; a hinge cover which covers a folding area of the hinge module and the flexible circuit board and includes a conductive portion configured to be exposed to the outside in a state in which the foldable electronic device is folded; and a key which is disposed on the folding portion of the flexible circuit board and includes a non-conductive portion configured to be partially exposed to the outside through an opening of the hinge cover.

Description

Hinge assembly and electronic device including the same

[0001] The various embodiments disclosed in this document relate to a hinge assembly and a foldable electronic device comprising it.

[0002] With the advancement of electronic, information, and communication technologies, various functions are being integrated into a single portable communication or electronic device. For example, smartphones include communication functions as well as audio playback, camera, or electronic notebook capabilities, and even more diverse functions can be implemented through the additional installation of applications.

[0003] With the widespread use of personal or portable communication devices such as smartphones, user demand for portability and ease of use is increasing. For example, touchscreen displays serve as output devices that display visual information, and can also provide a virtual keypad that replaces mechanical input devices (e.g., button inputs). Consequently, portable communication devices or electronic devices can be miniaturized while providing the same or even enhanced usability (e.g., larger screens). On the other hand, with the commercialization of flexible displays—such as foldable or rollable ones—the portability and ease of use of electronic devices are expected to improve even further.

[0004] In a foldable communication device, the hinge module can facilitate the movement of the flexible display from a folded state to an unfolded state. The hinge cover can protect the hinge module and provide an aesthetic appeal to the appearance of the foldable communication device.

[0005] 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.

[0006] A foldable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a first housing, a second housing, a flexible display configured to be supported by the first housing and the second housing, a hinge assembly rotatably connecting the first housing and the second housing, and a flexible circuit board arranged from the inside of the first housing across the hinge assembly to the inside of the second housing. The hinge assembly may include a hinge module, a hinge cover covering a folding area of ​​the hinge module and the flexible circuit board, the hinge cover comprising a conductive portion configured to be exposed to the outside when the foldable electronic device is folded, and a key disposed on the folding portion of the flexible circuit board, the key comprising a non-conductive portion configured to be exposed to the outside by penetrating an opening of the hinge cover.

[0007] A foldable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a first housing, a second housing, a flexible display configured to be supported by the first housing and the second housing, a hinge assembly rotatably connecting the first housing and the second housing, and a flexible circuit board arranged from the inside of the first housing across the hinge assembly to the inside of the second housing, on which a sensor module is disposed. The hinge assembly may include a hinge module, a hinge cover covering the hinge module and comprising a conductive portion, and a key comprising a non-conductive portion. The sensor module may include a conductive pad disposed on a first surface of the flexible circuit board and configured to face the non-conductive portion of the key, and a pattern element disposed on a second surface of the flexible circuit board opposite to the first surface and configured to be adjacent to the conductive portion of the hinge cover.

[0008] However, the problems to be solved in this disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and may be determined in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0010] FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating an unfolded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0011] FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating a folded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 5 is a view of a hinge assembly in a folded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a hinge assembly and a flexible circuit board separated, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a stacked structure between a hinge assembly and a flexible circuit board according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 8 is a projection view of a flexible circuit board disposed on an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 9 is a projection view showing the associated configuration of a flexible circuit board and a hinge module disposed on an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIGS. 10 to 15 are perspective views sequentially illustrating the assembly process of a hinge assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating the performance of a key operation using a hinge assembly and a sensor module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] FIG. 17 is a graph showing the result of performing a key operation using a hinge assembly and a sensor module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing a hinge assembly and a flexible circuit board separated, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] FIG. 19 is a drawing showing the front of a display device in an unfolded state of a multi-foldable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] FIG. 20 is a drawing showing a folded state of a multi-foldable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] FIG. 21 is a drawing showing a side view of a multi-foldable electronic device in a folded state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] In the following description, the attached drawings are referenced, and specific examples of implementation are illustrated within the drawings. Additionally, other examples may be used and structural modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the various examples.

[0026] The electronic device according to the embodiments disclosed in this document 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 devices described above.

[0027] The embodiments of this document and the terms used therein are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutions of said embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of said items unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0028] In this document, each of the 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 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 a component from another component and do not limit the components in any other aspect (e.g., importance or order). Where any (e.g., first) component is referred to as “coupled” or “connected” to another (e.g., second) component, with or without the terms “functionally” or “communicationly,” it means that said component may be connected to said other component directly (e.g., wired), wirelessly, or through a third component.

[0029] The term “module” as used in the various embodiments of this document may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit, 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).

[0030] 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 of 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 components of the multiple components in the same or similar manner as those performed by the corresponding components 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.

[0031] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment according to one embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0032] 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)).

[0033] The processor (120) can control at least one other component (e.g., a hardware or software component) of the electronic device (101) connected to the processor (120) by executing software (e.g., a program (140)), 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., a sensor module (176) or a 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., a central processing unit or an application processor) or an auxiliary processor (123) that can operate independently or together with it (e.g., a graphics processing unit, a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, or a 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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).

[0036] 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).

[0037] 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).

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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.

[0040] 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).

[0041] 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.

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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).

[0044] 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.

[0045] 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.

[0046] 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).

[0047] 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.

[0048] 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).

[0049] 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.

[0050] An antenna module (197) can transmit a signal or power to or from an external source (e.g., an external electronic device). 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).

[0051] 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.

[0052] 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.

[0053] According to one embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted or received between an 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 a 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.

[0054] FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating an unfolded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0055] FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating a folded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0056] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0057] The electronic devices illustrated in FIGS. 2 through 4 are for illustrative purposes only, and the present disclosure is not limited by the drawings. The XYZ coordinate system illustrated in FIGS. 2 through 4 is for illustrative purposes only to explain the arrangement of each component and does not limit the scope of the claims.

[0058] According to one embodiment, an electronic device (101) (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1) may include at least one pair of housings (210, 220). The pair of housings (210, 220) may be rotatably joined so as to be folded facing each other with respect to a hinge (e.g., the hinge (240) of FIG. 4).

[0059] According to one embodiment, a pair of housings (210, 220) may include a first housing (210) and a second housing (220). The first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be arranged on both sides of a folding axis (F). One end region of the first housing (210) and one end region of the second housing (220) may be arranged side by side with a hinge (240) in between. The first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may have a shape symmetrical with respect to a plane that includes the folding axis (F) and extends in the Z-axis direction. The folding axis (F) may be an axis that extends in the X direction formed by the hinge (240).

[0060] According to one embodiment, the first housing (210) may have substantially the same length (e.g., length in the Y-axis direction) as the second housing (220), but is not limited thereto. The first housing (210) may have substantially the same width (e.g., width in the X-axis direction) as the second housing (220), but is not limited thereto.

[0061] In the following, 'unfolded state (or flat state)' or 'unfolding state' may refer to a state in which the angle formed by the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) is substantially 180 degrees. 'Folded state' or 'folding state' may refer to a state in which the angle formed by the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) is substantially 0 degrees. 'Intermediate state' may refer to any state between the unfolded state and the folded state. According to one embodiment, in the electronic device (101), the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may rotate around a hinge (240) such that the angle is between 0 degrees and 180 degrees. In an electronic device (101), according to one embodiment, the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may rotate around a hinge (240) such that they are between 180 and 360 degrees.

[0062] According to one embodiment, the first housing (210) may include a first surface (210a) and a second surface (210b). The first surface (210a) may be arranged to face, for example, a first direction (e.g., +Z-axis direction). The first surface (210a) may be, for example, a surface on which at least a portion of the flexible display (230) is placed. The first surface (210a) may refer to, for example, a virtual surface that overlaps with at least a portion of the flexible display (230). The second surface (210b) may be arranged to face, for example, a second direction (e.g., -Z-axis direction). The second surface (210b) may be, for example, a surface on which the display (280) is placed. The second surface (210b) may be, for example, a surface on which the first rear cover (212) is placed. The second surface (210b) may be parallel to the first surface (210a). The second surface (210b) may refer to a plane defined by, for example, the first rear cover (212).

[0063] According to one embodiment, the second housing (220) may include a third surface (220a) and a fourth surface (220b). The third surface (220a) may be arranged to face, for example, a first direction (e.g., +Z-axis direction). The third surface (220a) may be, for example, a surface on which at least a portion of the flexible display (230) is placed. The third surface (220a) may refer to, for example, a virtual surface that overlaps with at least a portion of the flexible display (230). The fourth surface (220b) may be arranged to face, for example, a second direction (e.g., -Z-axis direction). The fourth surface (220b) may be, for example, a surface on which the second rear cover (222) is placed. The fourth surface (220b) may be parallel to the third surface (220a). The fourth surface (220b) may refer to a plane defined, for example, by the second rear cover (222).

[0064] According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is unfolded, the first surface (210a) and the third surface (220a) may be located within one arbitrary virtual plane (e.g., the XY plane). For example, the first surface (210a) and the third surface (220a) may form the same plane when the electronic device (101) is unfolded. For example, the first surface (210a) and the third surface (220a) may be positioned to form 180 degrees with respect to the XY plane when the electronic device (101) is unfolded. When the electronic device (101) is unfolded, the second surface (210b) and the fourth surface (220b) may be located within another arbitrary virtual plane (e.g., the XY plane). For example, the second surface (210b) and the fourth surface (220b) may form the same plane when the electronic device (101) is unfolded. For example, the second surface (210b) and the fourth surface (220b) can be arranged to form 180 degrees with respect to the XY plane when unfolded.

[0065] According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is in a folded state, at least a portion of the first surface (210a) and at least a portion of the third surface (220a) may face each other. For example, when the electronic device (101) is in a folded state, the angle formed by the first surface (210a) and the third surface (220a) with respect to the XY plane may be 0 degrees. As the electronic device (101) is folded from an unfolded state, the angle formed by the first surface (210a) and the third surface (220a) with respect to the XY plane may gradually decrease. For example, in an intermediate state, the angle formed by the first surface (210a) and the third surface (220a) with respect to the XY plane may be determined to be between approximately 0 degrees and approximately 180 degrees. When the electronic device (101) is in a folded state, the second surface (210b) and the fourth surface (220b) may be parallel to each other. For example, the second side (210b) and the fourth side (220b) may face opposite directions when the electronic device (101) is folded.

[0066] According to one embodiment, a pair of housings (210, 220) included in the electronic device (101) are not limited to the illustrated form and combination, and may be implemented by other shapes or combinations and / or combinations of parts.

[0067] According to one embodiment, the first housing (210) may include a first side frame (211). The first side frame (211) may form a side of the first housing (210). The first side frame (211) may form part of the exterior of the first housing (210). The first side frame (211) may be provided to protect components housed inside the electronic device (101) from the outside.

[0068] According to one embodiment, the first side frame (211) may include a first side member (211a), a second side member (211b), and / or a third side member (211c). The first side member (211a) may have a first length along a first length direction (e.g., Y-axis direction). The second side member (211b) may extend from the first side member (211a) in a direction substantially perpendicular (e.g., X-axis direction). The second side member (211b) may be extended to have a second length equal to or different from the first length. The third side member (211c) may extend from the second side member (211b) in a direction substantially perpendicular (e.g., Y-axis direction). The third side member (211c) may extend in a direction substantially parallel to the first side member (211a). The third side member (211c) may have a first length along the first length direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction).

[0069] According to one embodiment, the first side member (211a), the second side member (211b), and the third side member (211c) may be arranged to be visible from the outside. At least a portion of the first side member (211a), the second side member (211b), and / or the third side member (211c) may be formed as a curved surface. The first side frame (211) may be formed in a rectangular shape (e.g., square or rectangular) by the first side member (211a), the second side member (211b), and the third side member (211c). The first side member (211a), the second side member (211b), and the third side member (211c) may be formed integrally, but are not limited thereto.

[0070] According to one embodiment, the second housing (220) may include a second side frame (221). The second side frame (221) may form a side of the second housing (220). The second side frame (221) may form part of the exterior of the first housing (210). The second side frame (221) may be provided to protect components housed inside the electronic device (101) from the outside.

[0071] According to one embodiment, the second side frame (221) may include a fourth side member (221a), a fifth side member (221b), and / or a sixth side member (221c). The fourth side member (221a) may have a third length along a first length direction (e.g., Y-axis direction). The fifth side member (221b) may extend from the fourth side member (221a) in a direction substantially perpendicular (e.g., X-axis direction). The fifth side member (221b) may extend to have a fourth length equal to or different from the third length. The sixth side member (221c) may extend from the fifth side member (221b) in a direction substantially perpendicular (e.g., Y-axis direction). The sixth side member (221c) may extend in a direction substantially parallel to the fourth side member (221a). The sixth side member (221c) may have a third length along the first length direction (e.g., Y-axis direction).

[0072] According to one embodiment, the fourth side member (221a), the fifth side member (221b), and the sixth side member (221c) may be arranged to be visible from the outside. At least a portion of the fourth side member (221a), the fifth side member (221b), and / or the sixth side member (221c) may be formed as a curved surface. The second side frame (221) may be formed into a rectangular shape (e.g., square or rectangular) by the fourth side member (221a), the fifth side member (221b), and the sixth side member (221c). The first length may be substantially equal to the third length. The second length may be substantially equal to the fourth length. The fourth side member (221a), the fifth side member (221b), and the sixth side member (221c) may be formed integrally, but are not limited thereto.

[0073] According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is unfolded, the first side member (211a) and the fourth side member (221a) may be positioned substantially in a straight line. When the electronic device (101) is unfolded, the second side member (211b) and the fifth side member (221b) may be parallel to each other. When the electronic device (101) is unfolded, the third side member (211c) and the sixth side member (221c) may be positioned substantially in a straight line.

[0074] According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is in a folded state, the first side member (211a) and the fourth side member (221a) may be positioned to overlap. When the electronic device (101) is in a folded state, the second side member (211b) and the fifth side member (221b) may be positioned to overlap. When the electronic device (101) is in a folded state, the third side member (211c) and the sixth side member (221c) may be positioned to overlap.

[0075] According to one embodiment, the first housing (210) may include a first rear cover (212). The first rear cover (212) may form at least a portion of the second surface (210b) of the first housing (210). The first rear cover (212) may be coupled with a first side frame (211). The first rear cover (212) may be formed integrally with, for example, the first side frame (211).

[0076] According to one embodiment, the second housing (220) may include a second rear cover (222). The second rear cover (222) may form at least a portion of the fourth side (220b) of the second housing (220). The second rear cover (222) may be coupled with the second side frame (221). The second rear cover (222) may be formed integrally with the second side frame (221), for example.

[0077] According to one embodiment, the first rear cover (212) and / or the second rear cover (222) may be formed by at least one of coated or colored glass, ceramic, glasstic, polymer, or metal (e.g., aluminum, stainless steel (STS), or magnesium) or a combination thereof.

[0078] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a flexible display (230) (e.g., a foldable display or a display). The flexible display (230) may be positioned across a first housing (210), a hinge (240), and a second housing (220). The flexible display (230) may be positioned to extend from a first surface (210a) of the first housing (210) across the hinge (240) to at least a portion of a third surface (220a) of the second housing (220). The flexible display (230) may be positioned to overlap with the first surface (210a) of the first housing (210) and / or the third surface (220a) of the second housing (220). The flexible display (230) can be bent at a portion corresponding to the hinge (240) according to the rotation of the hinge (240).

[0079] According to one embodiment, the flexible display (230) may be positioned so as to be visible from the outside when unfolded. The flexible display (230) may be positioned so as not to be visible from the outside when folded.

[0080] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a protective cover (231). The protective cover (231) may be positioned to protect the edge portion of the flexible display (230). The protective cover (231) may constitute part of the exterior of the electronic device (101).

[0081] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include at least one of an input device (e.g., a microphone (203)), an acoustic output device (e.g., a call receiver (201) or a speaker (202)), a sensor module (204), a camera module (a first camera module (205) or a second camera module (208)), a connector port (207), a key input device (not shown), or an indicator (not shown) disposed in a first internal space (214) of a first housing (210) or a second internal space (224) of a second housing (220). The electronic device (101) may be configured such that at least one of the above-described components is omitted, or other components are additionally included.

[0082] According to one embodiment, the input device may include a plurality of microphones arranged to detect the direction of sound. The acoustic output device may include, for example, a call receiver (201) and a speaker (202). The acoustic output device (201, 202) may be arranged to face the outside through at least one speaker hole formed in the first housing (210) or the second housing (220). A connector port (207) may be arranged to face the outside through a connector port hole formed in the first housing (210) or the second housing (220).

[0083] According to one embodiment, the sensor module (204) can generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to an internal operating state of the electronic device (101) or an external environmental state. The sensor module (204) may include at least one of a proximity sensor, an illuminance sensor, a time of flight (TOF) sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a fingerprint recognition sensor, a gesture sensor, a gyroscope sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an accelerometer sensor, a grip sensor, a color sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, a biosensor, a temperature sensor, or a humidity sensor.

[0084] According to one embodiment, the camera module may include a first camera module (205) positioned on the front (e.g., +Z-axis direction plane) of the electronic device (101) or a second camera module (208) positioned on the rear (e.g., -Z-axis direction plane). The first camera module (205) and / or the second camera module (208) may include one or more lenses, an image sensor, and / or an image signal processor. For example, the first camera module (205) may be positioned below a flexible display (230) and configured to photograph a subject through a portion of the active area of ​​the flexible display (230). A flash (209) may be positioned on the second camera module (208). The flash (209) may include, for example, a light-emitting diode or a xenon lamp.

[0085] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include an antenna. The antenna may include, for example, an ultra-wide band (UWB) antenna, a near field communication (NFC) antenna, a wireless charging antenna, and / or a magnetic secure transmission (MST) antenna. The antenna may, for example, communicate near-field with an external device or wirelessly transmit and receive power required for charging.

[0086] In one embodiment, an antenna structure may be formed by a part or a combination thereof of the housings (210, 220). For example, the antenna may include a communication antenna that is exposed to the outside of the electronic device (101) and forms at least a part of the outside of the electronic device (101). The communication antenna may be used for communication with an external electronic device (e.g., Wi-Fi).

[0087] In the following detailed description, a configuration in which a pair of housings (or, referred to as “housings”) are rotatably joined by a hinge structure (or, referred to as “hinge structure”) may be illustrated. However, it should be noted that such embodiments do not limit the electronic device according to the various embodiments disclosed herein. For example, the electronic device according to the various embodiments disclosed herein may include three or more housings, and “a pair of housings” in the embodiments disclosed below may mean “two housings among three or more housings that are rotatably joined to each other.”

[0088] FIG. 5 is a view of a hinge assembly in a folded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0089] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a hinge assembly and a flexible circuit board separated, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0090] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the electronic device (101) may include a first housing (210), a second housing (220), a flexible display (e.g., the flexible display (230) of FIGS. 2 and 3), a flexible circuit board (400), and a hinge assembly (300). The hinge assembly (300) may include a hinge module (330) (e.g., the hinge (240) of FIG. 4), a hinge cover (310), and a key (320).

[0091] The configuration of the electronic device (101) of FIGS. 5 and 6 may be partially or entirely identical to the configuration of the electronic device (101) of FIGS. 1 to 4. The embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6 may be optionally combined with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 4 and the embodiments of FIGS. 7 to 21.

[0092] According to one embodiment, the housing (201) may form the overall appearance of the electronic device (101). The housing (201) may include a first housing (210) and a second housing (220). The configuration of the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) disclosed in FIGS. 5 and 6 may be based on the configuration of the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) of FIGS. 2 to 4.

[0093] According to one embodiment, the hinge assembly (300) may include a hinge module (330), a hinge cover (310) including a conductive portion (311), and a key (320) including a non-conductive portion (321). The hinge module (330) may rotatably connect the first housing (210) and the second housing (220). The hinge module (330) may be composed of a plurality of units and may be spaced apart from each other. For example, a pair of hinge modules (330) may be arranged side by side on both sides of a folding axis (e.g., the folding axis (F) of FIG. 4).

[0094] According to one embodiment, the hinge assembly (300) may provide a structure that performs a key operation. For example, the hinge assembly (300) may configure an input structure capable of performing a key operation by contact with a user (e.g., touch and / or pressure), and the hinge assembly (300) may be electrically connected to a flexible circuit board (400) to perform a designated operation of the electronic device (101) by the input structure. The flexible circuit board (400) may be electrically connected to a main circuit board or a sub-circuit board mounted within the first housing (210) or the second housing (220).

[0095] According to one embodiment, the hinge cover (310) of the hinge assembly (300) covers the hinge module (330) and can be exposed to the outside when the electronic device (101) is folded. For example, when the electronic device is unfolded, the hinge cover (310) is covered by the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) and is not exposed to the outside, and when the electronic device (101) is folded, the hinge cover (310) is exposed to the outside to provide the input structure.

[0096] According to one embodiment, the hinge cover (310) is an exterior material positioned to enclose internal components (e.g., a key (320), and a hinge module (330)) constituting the hinge assembly (300) and an internal element of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a sensor module (410) of a flexible circuit board (400)), and may be formed of a material having rigidity to reliably protect said internal components and / or internal element. The hinge cover (310) may be formed of a material capable of providing aesthetic appeal as an exterior material exposed to the outside of the electronic device (101). The hinge cover (310) may be formed of a material capable of providing an input structure.

[0097] According to one embodiment, the hinge cover (310) may include a conductive portion (311). The conductive portion (311) may be formed of a metal material and may provide rigidity, aesthetics, and an electrically conductive structure. The conductive portion (311) may be utilized as part of a sensor structure (e.g., a force sensor, or an inductive sensor) through inductance recognition.

[0098] According to one embodiment, the conductive portion (311) of the hinge cover (310) may be named at least one of a metal portion, an electrical contact portion, a conductive portion, or an electrical flow portion, and the expression of the portion may be replaced with at least one of an element, a part, a member, or an area.

[0099] According to one embodiment, the hinge cover (310) may have a shape that is symmetrical on both sides with respect to the folding axis (e.g., the folding axis (F) of FIG. 4). The hinge cover (310) may include a conductive portion (311) that is parallel to the folding axis (F) and forms a central area, and edge portions (313, 315) that extend to both sides of the conductive portion (311). The conductive portion (311) provides a flat area and may be provided as a user contact area (e.g., a touch area and / or a pressure area) for substantially input structures. The edge portions (313, 315) include a first edge portion (313) and a second edge portion (315), wherein the first edge portion (313) is an area extending from one side of the conductive portion (311) toward the first housing (210), and the second edge portion (315) may be an area extending from the other side of the conductive portion (311) toward the second housing (220). The first edge portion (313) and the second edge portion (315) may have a shape symmetrical with respect to the conductive portion (311) and may be provided in a curved shape for aesthetic purposes. The first edge portion (313) and the second edge portion (315) may be formed of the same material (e.g., metal) as the conductive portion (311) for aesthetic purposes and / or rigidity.

[0100] According to one embodiment, the conductive portion (311) of the hinge cover (310) may include an opening (311a). The opening (311a) may be designed in a shape that penetrates the conductive portion (311). For example, the opening (311a) is a space for the non-conductive portion (321) of the key (320) to be placed, and the non-conductive portion (321) of the key (320) exposed through the opening (311a) may be provided as a user contact area (e.g., a touch area and / or a pressure area) for an input structure. According to one embodiment, the opening (311a) may be formed at a location within the conductive portion (311) that is easy for the user to contact. For example, the opening (311a) may be formed near the center of the conductive portion (311).

[0101] According to one embodiment, the opening (311a) formed in the conductive portion (311) may be arranged in a plurality of spaced-apart shapes corresponding to the non-conductive portion (321). The opening (311a) disclosed in FIGS. 5 and 6 is formed in a square shape with curved corners, but is not limited thereto and can be designed to be changed into various shapes that a user can easily contact, such as a triangular shape, a circle, or a product logo.

[0102] According to one embodiment, a key (320) of a hinge assembly (300) is positioned between a flexible circuit board (400) and a hinge cover (310), and a portion (e.g., a non-conductive portion (321)) may be exposed to the outside when the electronic device (101) is folded. For example, when the electronic device is unfolded, the non-conductive portion (321) of the key (320) is covered by the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) and is not exposed to the outside, and when the electronic device (101) is folded, the non-conductive portion (321) of the key (320) may be exposed to the outside to provide the input structure.

[0103] According to one embodiment, the key (320) may be placed on a flexible circuit board (400) as part of an input structure for performing a key operation together with a hinge cover (310). The key (320) may include a non-conductive portion (321). The non-conductive portion (321) may be formed through an injection molding process, and the non-conductive portion (321) may be utilized as part of a sensor structure (e.g., a position sensor, or a capacitive sensor) through capacitance recognition.

[0104] According to one embodiment, the non-conductive portion (321) of the key (320) may be named at least one of an insulating portion, an injection portion, a non-conductive portion, a plastic portion, or a plastic portion, and the expression of the portion may be replaced with at least one of an element, a part, a member, or an area.

[0105] According to one embodiment, the key (320) may include a support portion (323) positioned facing the inner side of the hinge cover (310), a non-conductive portion (321) configured to protrude from the support portion (323) and penetrate the opening (311a) of the hinge cover (310) to be exposed to the outside, and a connection portion (325) located on a flexible circuit board (400). The non-conductive portion (321) may have a shape corresponding to the opening (311a) of the hinge cover (310), be located within the opening (311a), and substantially provide a user contact area (e.g., a touch area and / or a pressure area) for an input structure. A non-conductive portion (321) may be extended to one side of the support portion (323) (e.g., toward the hinge cover (310)), and a connecting portion (325) may be extended to the other side of the support portion (323) (e.g., toward the flexible circuit board (400)).

[0106] According to one embodiment, the non-conductive portion (321) of the key (320) is exposed to the outside through the opening (311a) of the hinge cover (310) and may not protrude outward as it forms a thickness extending from the support portion (323) to the outer surface of the conductive portion (311) of the hinge cover (310). For example, the non-conductive portion (321) of the key (320) may form a single flat surface together with the conductive portion (311) of the hinge cover (310).

[0107] According to one embodiment, the non-conductive portion (321) of the key (320) may be arranged in a plurality of spaced-apart shapes corresponding to the opening (311a) of the hinge cover (310). The non-conductive portion (321) disclosed in FIGS. 5 and 6 is formed in a square shape with curved corners, but is not limited thereto and can be designed to be changed into various shapes that a user can easily contact, such as a triangular shape, a circle, or a product logo.

[0108] According to one embodiment, the support portion (323) of the key (320) is a region that supports the non-conductive portion (321) and may be positioned to correspond to a portion of the concave shape of the inner surface of the hinge cover (310). Accordingly, the support portion (323) may be seated in the concave shape of the hinge cover (310) together with the non-conductive portion (321) which is fitted into the opening (311a), and may be coupled to the hinge cover (310). The support portion (323) may be formed of a non-conductive material together with the non-conductive portion (321) to be utilized as an input structure.

[0109] According to one embodiment, the connecting portion (325) of the key (320) is a portion connected to the flexible circuit board (400) and may include a recess (e.g., the recess (325a) of FIG. 10) and a hole (e.g., the hole (325b) of FIG. 10) for coupling with a portion of the flexible circuit board (400) (e.g., the folding area (S3)). The recess (325a) of the connecting portion (325) may be formed concavely by the width of the folding area (S3) so that the folding area (S3) of the flexible circuit board (400) does not shake or move and remains stably connected to the key (320). The hole (325b) of the connecting portion (325) may be structured to be fastened with a fixing member (e.g., the fixing member (500) of FIG. 15 and FIG. 16) while the folding area (S3) of the flexible circuit board (400) is seated inside the recess (325a) of the key (320). For example, the hole (325b) of the connecting portion (325) may be a screw hole for coupling with a fastening member such as a screw. The connecting portion (325) may be formed of a non-conductive material together with the non-conductive portion (321) to be utilized as an input structure.

[0110] According to one embodiment, the flexible circuit board (400) extends from the first housing (210) across the hinge cover (310) to the second housing (220), and can electrically connect the circuit board (e.g., main circuit board) placed in the first housing (210) and the circuit board (e.g., sub circuit board) placed in the second housing (220). A sensor module (410) placed on a folding area (S3) placed on the hinge cover (310) of the flexible circuit board (400) can be electrically connected to the non-conductive part (321) of the key (320) and the conductive part (311) of the hinge cover (310) to provide a key input structure. The sensor module (410) may be a combination of parts connected to the non-conductive part (321) of the key (320) to provide a sensing function, and / or parts connected to the conductive part (311) of the hinge cover (310) to provide a sensing function.

[0111] According to one embodiment, the flexible circuit board (400) may include a first surface (401) facing the hinge cover (310) and a second surface (402) opposite to the first surface (401). A connecting portion (325) of the key (320) may be placed on the first surface (401) of the folding area (S3) of the hinge cover (310). A sensor module (410) may be located on the first surface (401) and the second surface (402) of the folding area (S3) of the hinge cover (310). Specific details of the components forming the sensor module (410) will be described later.

[0112] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a stacked structure between a hinge assembly and a flexible circuit board according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0113] Referring to FIG. 7, the electronic device (101) may include a first housing (e.g., the first housing (210) of FIG. 2 to 4), a second housing (e.g., the second housing (220) of FIG. 2 to 4), a flexible display (e.g., the flexible display (230) of FIG. 2 and 3), a flexible circuit board (400), and a hinge assembly (300). The hinge assembly (300) may include a hinge module (310) (e.g., the hinge (240) of FIG. 4), a hinge cover (310), and a key (320).

[0114] The configuration of the hinge assembly (300) and the flexible circuit board (400) of FIG. 7 may be partially or entirely identical to the configuration of the hinge assembly (300) and the flexible circuit board (400) of FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. The embodiment of FIG. 7 may be optionally combined with the embodiments of FIG. 1 to 6 and the embodiments of FIG. 8 to 21.

[0115] According to one embodiment, the flexible circuit board (400) and the hinge assembly (300) can serve as an input structure. The input structure may be a touch or pressure structure rather than a physical input structure (e.g., a dome type). The input structure may be formed with two sensor structures to provide a user input experience.

[0116] According to one embodiment, the first sensor structure among the input structures may be composed of a flexible circuit board (400), a conductive pad (411) disposed on the flexible circuit board (400), and a non-conductive portion (321) of a key (320). The first sensor structure may be a position sensor or a capacitive sensor that detects a capacitance component by the non-conductive portion (321) when a user (U) contacts the non-conductive portion (321) of the key (320) and processes information through recognition thereof.

[0117] According to one embodiment, the second sensor structure among the input structures may be composed of a flexible circuit board (400), a pattern element (413) disposed on the flexible circuit board (400), and a conductive portion (311) of a hinge cover (310). The second sensor structure may be a force sensor or an inductive sensor that detects an inductance component by the conductive portion (311) of the hinge cover (310) when a user (U) comes into contact with the conductive portion (311) of the hinge cover (310) and processes information through recognition thereof.

[0118] According to one embodiment, a conductive pad (411) disposed on a flexible circuit board (400) of the first sensor structure and a pattern element (413) disposed on a flexible circuit board (400) of the second sensor structure may be a conductive element (e.g., an electronic component) mounted on the flexible circuit board (400) as a part component of the sensing module (410).

[0119] According to one embodiment, to form the sensor structure (e.g., a first sensor structure and a second sensor structure), a plurality of conductive elements (e.g., a conductive pad (411), a pattern element (413), and / or a reference element (415)) may be disposed on a flexible circuit board (400). The flexible circuit board (400) may include a first surface (401) facing the hinge cover (310) and a second surface (402) facing in the opposite direction of the first surface (401). A conductive pad (411) facing the non-conductive portion (321) of the key (320) may be disposed on the first surface (401) of the flexible circuit board (400). A pattern element (413) adjacent to the conductive portion (311) of the hinge cover (310) may be disposed on the second surface (402) of the flexible circuit board (400).

[0120] According to one embodiment, the conductive pads (411) may be formed in a plurality and spaced apart from each other. For example, the conductive pads (411) may be formed in a number corresponding to the non-conductive parts (321) of the key (320) (or the openings (311a) of the hinge cover (310).

[0121] According to one embodiment, a plurality of conductive pads (411) may be paired with a plurality of non-conductive parts (321) of a key (320). When a user (U)'s finger contacts the non-conductive parts (321), the plurality of conductive pads (411) are positioned to face the finger with the plurality of non-conductive parts (321) in between, thereby providing various user experiences as a first sensor structure. For example, in the first sensor structure, if two conductive pads (411) are formed, the electronic device (101) can provide an input experience as an interface, such as volume control or video movement. For example, in the first sensor structure, if three conductive pads (411) are formed, the electronic device (101) can provide an input experience as an interface, such as video size adjustment via swipe.

[0122] According to one embodiment, the conductive pad (411) may use a copper pad or a plated pad for easy electrical connection.

[0123] According to one embodiment, the pattern element (413) may be formed as at least one and placed in an area covering the conductive portion (311). For example, the pattern element may be formed as a single coil-shaped element or a plurality of conductive elements. For example, at least one pattern element (413) may be positioned adjacent to the conductive portion (311) of the hinge cover (310) so that the user (U) can perceive (e.g., affect the magnetic field) that the conductive portion (311) is pressed (e.g., pressed).

[0124] According to one embodiment, the pattern element (413) may be coil-shaped and located in the folding area (S3) of the flexible circuit board (400). The coil-shaped pattern element (413) may be at least one of a circular coil, a spiral coil, or a flat coil. When viewed from above the hinge cover (310), the coil-shaped pattern element (413) may be positioned to overlap the conductive portion (311) of the hinge cover (310) on the second surface (402) of the flexible circuit board (400) (e.g., one surface opposite to the hinge cover (310). For example, the coil-shaped pattern element (413) may be positioned to face at least a portion of the conductive portion (311) of the hinge cover (310) with the flexible circuit board (400) (or the non-conductive portion (321) of the key (320)) in between.

[0125] According to one embodiment, the pattern elements (413) may be formed in a pad shape and spaced apart in a plurality of locations in the folding area (S3) of the flexible circuit board (400). The pad-shaped pattern elements (413) may be at least one of a grid pattern or a track pattern. When viewed from above the hinge cover (310), each of the pad-shaped pattern elements (413) may be positioned to overlap with the conductive portion (311) of the hinge cover (310) on the second surface (402) of the flexible circuit board (400) (e.g., a surface opposite to the hinge cover (310). For example, each of the pad-shaped pattern elements (413) may be positioned to face at least a portion of the conductive portion (311) of the hinge cover (310) with the flexible circuit board (400) (or the non-conductive portion (321) of the key (320)) in between.

[0126] According to one embodiment, the pattern element (413) may face a plurality of conductive pads (411) (or non-conductive portions (321) of the key (320). For example, the coil-shaped pattern element (413) may be configured such that a single coil is placed on the second surface (402) of the flexible circuit board (400), and when viewed from above the hinge cover (310), parts of the coil-shaped pattern element may be placed overlappingly with a plurality of conductive pads (411). For example, the plurality of pattern elements (413) may be configured such that they are placed separately on the second surface (402) of the flexible circuit board (400), and when viewed from above the hinge cover (310), the plurality of pattern elements (413) may be placed overlappingly with a plurality of conductive pads (411). Referring to FIG. 7, a configuration is disclosed in which pattern elements (413)(s) are positioned facing a plurality of conductive pads (411) (or non-conductive parts (321) of the key (320), but is not limited thereto, and the pattern elements (413) can be positioned in various locations where a change in the magnetic field can be reliably recognized by the touch of the user (U).

[0127] According to one embodiment, the sensor module (410) may be disposed on a flexible circuit board (400) and may include a reference element (415) adjacent to a pattern element (413). The second sensor structure utilizes an inductance recognition difference based on the distance between the reference element (415) and the pattern element (413), and the reference element (415) may be located on a first surface (401) or a second surface (402) of the flexible circuit board (400). Since the reference element (415) and the pattern element (413) must be located at a recognizable distance, the reference element (415) may be located in a folding area (S3) of the flexible circuit board (400).

[0128] According to one embodiment, at least one pattern element (413) may be positioned adjacent to the conductive portion (311) of the hinge cover (310). The second sensor structure can provide various user experiences by comparing the recognition rate between the point of the pressed conductive portion (311) and the pattern element (413) and the recognition rate between the point of the pressed conductive portion (311) and the reference element (415) when the finger of the user (U) is pressed on the conductive portion (311), and depending on the difference in the recognition rates. For example, in the second sensor structure, if one pattern element (413) recognizes the degree of pressure of the user (U) differently in two parts (or if the degree of pressure of the user (U) is recognized differently by two pattern elements (413), the electronic device (101) can provide an input experience as an interface, such as volume control or video movement. For example, in the second sensor structure above, if one pattern element (413) recognizes the degree of pressure applied by the user (U) differently in three parts (or if the degree of pressure applied by the user (U) is recognized differently by three pattern elements (413), the electronic device (101) can provide an input experience as an interface, such as video resizing via swipe.

[0129] FIG. 8 is a projection view of a flexible circuit board disposed on an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0130] FIG. 9 is a projection view showing the associated configuration of a flexible circuit board and a hinge module disposed on an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0131] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the electronic device (101) may include a first housing (210), a second housing (220), a flexible display (e.g., the flexible display (230) of FIGS. 2 and 3), a flexible circuit board (400), and a hinge assembly (300). The hinge assembly (300) may include a hinge module (330) (e.g., the hinge (240) of FIG. 4), a hinge cover (310), and a key (320).

[0132] The configuration of the hinge assembly (300) and the flexible circuit board (400) of the electronic device (101) of FIGS. 8 and 9 may be partially or entirely identical to the configuration of the hinge assembly (300) and the flexible circuit board (400) of the electronic device (101) of FIGS. 5 to 7. The embodiments of FIGS. 8 and 9 may be optionally combined with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 7 and the embodiments of FIGS. 10 to 21.

[0133] According to one embodiment, the flexible circuit board (400) and the hinge assembly (300) can serve as an input structure. The input structure may be a touch or pressure method. The input structure may be formed with a plurality of sensor structures to provide a user input experience.

[0134] According to one embodiment, the flexible circuit board (400) may extend from the first housing (210) across the hinge cover (310) to the second housing (220). The flexible circuit board (400) may be electrically connected to a main circuit board (261) placed in the first housing (210) and a sub-circuit board (262) placed in the second housing (220). For example, the flexible circuit board (400) may electrically connect the main circuit board (261) and the sub-circuit board (262). Electronic components for implementing various functions of the electronic device (101) may be placed (or mounted) on the main circuit board (261) and the sub-circuit board (262). The flexible circuit board (400) may be a connector-type CTC FPCB (flexible printed circuit board).

[0135] According to one embodiment, the flexible circuit board (400) may include a first region (S1) disposed on a first housing (210), a second region (S2) disposed on a second housing (220), and a folding region (S3) located within a hinge assembly (300). The first region (S1) of the flexible circuit board (400) may extend from the folding region (S3) to one side of the main circuit board (261) of the first housing (210) and may be coupled to the main circuit board (261) by a connecting member (e.g., a connector) disposed at the end. The second region (S2) of the flexible circuit board (400) may extend from the folding region (S3) to one side of the sub circuit board (262) of the second housing (220) and may be coupled to the sub circuit board (262) by a connecting member (e.g., a connector) disposed at the end. The first region (S1) or second region (S2) of the flexible circuit board (400) may include an extended region (S4) that is extended to be electrically connected to the hinge module (330). The extended region (S4) may transmit a signal transmitted from the main circuit board (261) or sub-circuit board (262) to the hinge module (330) to control the operation of the hinge module (330). The folding region (S3) of the flexible circuit board (400) may be a part that bends according to the folding when the foldable electronic device (101) operates from an unfolded state to a folded state (or from a folded state to an unfolded state).

[0136] According to one embodiment, the hinge assembly (300) may be positioned to overlap with or not overlap with the flexible circuit board (400) depending on the component. For example, a key (320) of the hinge assembly (300) may be positioned on the folding area (S3) of the flexible circuit board (400), and a part of the hinge cover (310) may overlap to form a sensor structure. For example, the folding area (S3) of the flexible circuit board (400) and the hinge module (330) of the hinge assembly (300) may be positioned spaced apart from each other so as not to overlap. When the flexible circuit board (400) is positioned across the hinge cover (310), it may be positioned through an area where the hinge module (330) is not positioned, taking into account the mounting space. If the electronic device (101) includes a pair of hinge modules (330), each hinge module (330) is located on the upper and lower sides of the electronic device (101) (or on the upper and lower sides of the hinge cover (310)), and the folding area (S3) of the flexible circuit board (400) may be located along the center part of the electronic device (101) (or the center part of the hinge cover (310)).

[0137] FIGS. 10 to 15 are perspective views sequentially illustrating the assembly process of a hinge assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0138] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a first housing (e.g., the first housing (210) of FIGS. 2 to 4), a second housing (e.g., the second housing (220) of FIGS. 2 to 4), a flexible circuit board (400), and a hinge assembly (300). The hinge assembly (300) may include a hinge module (330), a hinge cover (310) including a conductive portion (311), and a key (320) including a non-conductive portion (321).

[0139] The configuration of the hinge assembly (300) and the flexible circuit board (400) of FIGS. 10 to 15 may be partially or entirely identical to the configuration of the hinge assembly (300) and the flexible circuit board (400) of FIGS. 5 and 9. The embodiments of FIGS. 10 to 15 may be optionally combined with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 14 and the embodiments of FIGS. 16 to 21.

[0140] According to one embodiment, the flexible circuit board (400) and the hinge assembly (300) can serve as an input structure. The input structure may be a touch or pressure type. The input structure may be formed with two sensor structures to provide a user input experience.

[0141] According to one embodiment, the first sensor structure among the input structures may be composed of a flexible circuit board (400), a conductive pad (411) disposed on the flexible circuit board (400), and a non-conductive portion (321) of a key (320). The first sensor structure may be a position sensor or a capacitive sensor capable of detecting a capacitance component by the non-conductive portion (321) when a user contacts the non-conductive portion (321) of the key (320) and processing information through recognition thereof.

[0142] According to one embodiment, the second sensor structure among the input structures may be composed of a flexible circuit board (400), a pattern element (413) disposed on the flexible circuit board (400), and a conductive portion (311) of a hinge cover (310). The second sensor structure may be a force sensor or an inductive sensor that detects an inductance component by the conductive portion (311) and processes information through recognition when a user contacts or presses the conductive portion (311) of the hinge cover (310).

[0143] Hereinafter, a process of assembling a hinge assembly (300) and a flexible circuit board (400) to form a first sensor structure and a second sensor structure is described.

[0144] According to process 100 (e.g., referring to FIG. 10 and FIG. 11), with a pair of hinge modules (330) positioned on both sides of the hinge cover (310), a process of seating a key (320) on the center of the hinge cover (310) can be performed.

[0145] According to one embodiment, the hinge cover (310) may include a conductive portion (311) that is parallel to the folding axis (e.g., the folding axis (F) of FIG. 4) and forms a central area, and edge portions (313, 315) that extend to both sides of the conductive portion (311). The conductive portion (311) provides a flat area and may be provided as a user contact area (e.g., a touch area and / or a pressure area) for a substantially key input structure. The edge portions (313, 315) may include a first edge portion (313) and a second edge portion (315), wherein the first edge portion (313) is an area extending from one side of the conductive portion (311) toward the first housing (210), and the second edge portion (315) is an area extending from the other side of the conductive portion (311) toward the second housing (220).

[0146] According to one embodiment, the conductive portion (311) of the hinge cover (310) may include an opening (311a). The opening (311a) may be designed in a shape that penetrates the conductive portion (e.g., the non-conductive portion (311) of FIG. 5 and FIG. 6). For example, the opening (311a) is a space for the non-conductive portion (321) of the key (320) to be placed, and the non-conductive portion (321) of the key (320) exposed through the opening (311a) may be provided as a user contact area (e.g., a touch area and / or a pressure area) for an input structure.

[0147] According to one embodiment, the key (320) may include a support portion (323) positioned facing the inner side of the hinge cover (310), a non-conductive portion (321) configured to protrude from the support portion (323) and penetrate the opening (311a) of the hinge cover (310) to be exposed to the outside, and a connection portion (325) located on a flexible circuit board (400).

[0148] According to process 100 (e.g., with reference to FIG. 10 and FIG. 11), a non-conductive portion (321) may be inserted to be positioned within the opening (311a) of the hinge cover (310) in a shape corresponding to the opening (311a). A support portion (323) may be positioned to be seated on the inner side of the hinge cover (310).

[0149] According to process 200 (e.g., referring to FIG. 12 and FIG. 13), a process of placing a flexible circuit board (400) can be performed while the key (320) is positioned inside the hinge cover (310). By process 200, the flexible circuit board (400) is positioned to extend vertically with respect to the hinge cover (310), and the folding area (S3) of the flexible circuit board (400) can be positioned to wrap around the central part of the hinge cover (310) and one side of the key (320).

[0150] According to one embodiment, the connecting portion (325) of the key (320) includes a recess (325a), and the folding area (S3) of the flexible circuit board (400) can be seated inside the recess (325a). A conductive pad (e.g., the conductive pad (411) of FIG. 7) and a pattern element (e.g., the pattern element (413) of FIG. 7) disposed on the folding area (S3) of the flexible circuit board (400) can be linked (or coupled) with the non-conductive portion (321) of the key (320) and the conductive portion (311) of the hinge cover (310) to form a sensor structure.

[0151] According to one embodiment, the flexible circuit board (400) may have a first region (S1) that extends to a first housing (210) and is electrically connected to the main circuit board of the first housing (210), and the flexible circuit board (400) may have a second region (S2) that extends to a second housing (220) and is electrically connected to the sub circuit board of the second housing (220). The extended regions (S4) extending from the first region (S1) or the second region (S2) of the flexible circuit board (400) may each be electrically connected to a pair of hinge modules (330).

[0152] According to process 300 (e.g., with reference to FIG. 14 and FIG. 15), a process can be performed to prevent the flexible circuit board (400) from moving through a fixing member (500) while the folding region (S3) of the flexible circuit board (400) is seated on the hinge cover (310) and positioned in contact with the key (320). By the above process 300, when the foldable electronic device (101) operates from an unfolded state to a folded state (or from a folded state to an unfolded state), the folding region (S3) of the flexible circuit board (400) can be easily folded or unfolded without moving or friction occurring with surrounding parts.

[0153] According to one embodiment, the connecting portion (325) of the key (320) includes a hole (325b), and the hole (325b) may be exposed adjacent to both ends of the folding area (S3) of the flexible circuit board (400). When a fixing member (500) is placed, it may be positioned parallel to the hole (500a) of the fixing member (500). According to process 300 (e.g., referring to FIG. 14 and FIG. 15), the key (320), the flexible circuit board (400), and the fixing member (500) may be joined together by a fastening member (501), such as a screw, while the hole (325b) of the connecting portion (325) and the hole (500a) of the fixing member (500) are positioned parallel to each other.

[0154] FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating the performance of a key operation using a hinge assembly and a sensor module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0155] FIG. 17 is a graph showing the result of performing a key operation using a hinge assembly and a sensor module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0156] Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, the electronic device (101) may include a first housing (e.g., the first housing (210) of FIGS. 2 to 4), a second housing (e.g., the second housing (220) of FIGS. 2 to 4), a flexible circuit board (e.g., the flexible circuit board (400) of FIGS. 5 to 15), and a hinge assembly (e.g., the hinge assembly (300) of FIGS. 5 to 15). The hinge assembly (300) may include a hinge module (330), a hinge cover (310) including a conductive portion (311), and a key (320) including a non-conductive portion (321).

[0157] The configuration of the electronic device (101) of FIGS. 16 and FIGS. 17 may be partially or entirely identical to the configuration of the electronic device (101) of FIGS. 1 to 15. In the following description of FIGS. 16 and FIGS. 17, the disclosed components can be understood by referring to the components of FIGS. 1 to 15.

[0158] The embodiments of FIGS. 16 and 17 can be optionally combined with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 15 and the embodiments of FIGS. 18 to 21.

[0159] According to one embodiment, the flexible circuit board (400) and the hinge assembly (300) can serve as an input structure. The input structure may be a touch or pressure type. The input structure may be formed with two sensor structures to provide a user input experience.

[0160] According to one embodiment, the first sensor structure among the input structures may be composed of a flexible circuit board (400), a conductive pad (411) disposed on the flexible circuit board (400), and a non-conductive portion (321) of a key (320). The first sensor structure may be a position sensor or a capacitive sensor capable of detecting a capacitance component by the non-conductive portion (321) when a user contacts the non-conductive portion (321) of the key (320) and processing information through recognition thereof.

[0161] According to one embodiment, the second sensor structure among the input structures may be composed of a flexible circuit board (400), a pattern element (413) disposed on the flexible circuit board (400), and a conductive portion (311) of a hinge cover (310). The second sensor structure may be a force sensor or an inductive sensor that detects an inductance component by the conductive portion (311) and processes information through recognition when a user contacts or presses the conductive portion (311) of the hinge cover (310).

[0162] According to one embodiment, the first sensor structure and the second sensor structure may operate sequentially. For example, when an electronic device is touched by a user, it may detect a capacitance component according to the first sensor structure to determine the location, and detect an inductance component according to the second sensor structure to perform a key operation.

[0163] According to one embodiment, a processor (120) (e.g., processor (120) of FIG. 1), memory (130) (e.g., memory (130) of FIG. 1), or communication module (290) (e.g., communication module (190) of FIG. 1) may be placed and / or mounted on a circuit board (e.g., flexible circuit board (400), main circuit board (261), or sub circuit board (262).

[0164] According to one embodiment, the processor (120) may include an application processor (AP), a supplementary processor (SP, e.g., a sensor hub), a central processor unit (CPU), a neural processor unit (NPU), a graphic processor unit (GPU), or an Internet of Things (IoT) processor (e.g., a processor configured in integration with a communication module (190). For example, the processor (120) may control the operation of the electronic device (101). For example, the electronic device (101) and / or components of the electronic device (101) performing a specific operation may be defined as being controlled by the processor (120). The processor (120) may be defined and / or referred to as a controller.

[0165] According to one embodiment, the memory (130) can store data (e.g., sensing data, or communication data). The memory (130) may be integrated with the processor (120).

[0166] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 16 and FIGS. 17, a flowchart related to key operation recognition through the sensor structure of the electronic device (101) will be described in detail.

[0167] At least some of the operations of FIG. 16 may be omitted. The order of the operations of FIG. 16 may be changed. At least two of the operations of FIG. 16 may be performed in parallel. Operations other than those of FIG. 34 may be performed before, during, or after the execution of the operations of FIG. 16. The operations of FIG. 16 may be defined as being controlled by an electronic device (101) or a processor (120). In the operations of FIG. 16, memory (130) may store instructions that cause the electronic device (101) to perform various operations when each operation is executed by the processor (120).

[0168] According to one embodiment, a key operation of the electronic device (101) can be performed when the power of the electronic device (101) is turned on (e.g., power on). A key operation of the electronic device (101) can be performed when the electronic device (101) is folded and the conductive portion (311) of the hinge cover (310) is exposed. A key operation of the electronic device (101) can be performed when the electronic device (101) is folded and the non-conductive portion (321) of the key (320) is exposed through the opening (311a) of the hinge cover (310).

[0169] According to one embodiment, in operation 1001, a user may perform a key action (e.g., a first touch input) on the hinge cover (310) (or key (320)). The key action provided by the user to the hinge cover (310) (or key (320)) may be defined by a preset user intent to be conveyed to the electronic device (101). The key action provided by the user to the hinge cover (310) (or key (320)) may include, for example, at least one of touch, swipe, tap, double tap, long press, pinch, drag, flick, or rotate.

[0170] According to one embodiment, in operation 1002, the processor (120) can prepare a second touch input when a capacitance component is recognized (or detected) based on a first touch input applied to a non-conductive portion (321) of the key (320). The processor (120) can utilize the first touch input as position information by recognizing (or detecting) the capacitance component (e.g., capacitance recognition).

[0171] According to one embodiment, in operation 1003, if the processor (120) does not detect a capacitance component in the non-conductive part (321) of the key (320), it recognizes that the first touch input has not occurred and can wait (e.g., electronic device (101) does not operate).

[0172] According to one embodiment, in operation 1002, the memory (130) includes at least one storage medium for storing instructions, and when the instructions are executed (individually or collectively) by the processor (120), the electronic device (101) can prepare a second touch input using the first touch input as location information when a capacitance component is recognized (or detected) based on a first touch input of the non-conductive part (321) of the key (320).

[0173] According to one embodiment, in operation 1002, the first sensor structure can detect a capacitance component. For example, when a user touches a non-conductive portion (321) of a key (320), the processor (120) detects a change in capacitance between the user (e.g., finger) and a conductive pad (411) arranged between the non-conductive portion (321), thereby recognizing (or detecting) the user's touch position.

[0174] In the graph with reference to FIG. 17, the first touch input can be understood as the Touch Output graph (e.g., the upper solid line of the step graph). For example, through the Touch Output graph, it can be seen that when a user touches the non-conductive part (321) of the key (320), an output value (Output) occurs stepwise due to an event at a specific time interval. For example, through the Touch Output graph, it can be seen that when the touch of the non-conductive part (321) of the user's key (320) disappears, an output value (Output) is not detected due to an event at a specific time interval.

[0175] In the graph with reference to FIG. 17, the first touch input can be understood as a capacitive graph (e.g., the lower solid line of the continuous graph). The second touch input can be understood as an inductive graph (e.g., the upper solid line of the continuous graph). For example, through the capacitive graph, when a user touches the non-conductive part (321) of the key (320), it can be seen that the solid line corresponding to Touch On changes continuously (Output occurs downward) due to an event at a specific time period. At the same time, it can be seen that the solid line corresponding to Touch On at the same time period in the inductive graph remains unchanged (Force Zero Baseline).

[0176] According to one embodiment, in operation 1004, the processor (120) can generate a data value corresponding to the second touch input when an inductance component is recognized (or detected) based on a second touch input (e.g., long touch, pressure) applied to a conductive part (311) of the hinge cover (310). For example, the processor (120) can utilize the second touch input as force information by recognizing (or detecting) the capacitance component (e.g., capacitance recognition). The processor (120) can generate a data value corresponding to a key operation based on the force information.

[0177] According to one embodiment, in operation 1005, if the processor (120) does not recognize (or detect) an inductance component in the conductive part (311) of the hinge cover (310), it recognizes that the second touch input has not occurred and can wait (e.g., electronic device (101) does not operate).

[0178] According to one embodiment, in operation 1004, the memory (130) includes at least one storage medium for storing instructions, and when the instructions are executed by the processor (120) (individually or collectively), the electronic device (101) can generate a data value corresponding to a key operation by using the second touch input as force information when an inductance component is recognized (or detected) based on the second touch input of the conductive part (311) of the hinge cover (310).

[0179] According to one embodiment, in operation 1004, the second sensor structure can recognize (or detect) an inductance component. For example, when a user presses (e.g., presses) the conductive part (311) of the hinge cover (310), the processor (120) can detect a change in the magnetic field (and a change in the current or inductance value induced therein) between the conductive part (311) and the adjacent pattern element (413) and reference element (415), thereby recognizing (or detecting) the user's force information. The processor (120) can generate a preset data value based on the force information.

[0180] In the graph with reference to FIG. 17, the second touch input can be understood as the Force Output graph (e.g., the lower solid line of the step graph). For example, through the Force Output graph, it can be confirmed that when the user presses the conductive part (311) of the hinge cover (310), an output value (Output) is generated stepwise by an event at a specific time interval. For example, through the Force Output graph, it can be confirmed that when the pressure on the conductive part (311) of the hinge cover (310) is removed, an output value (Output) is not detected by an event at a specific time interval. The Force Output graph can be confirmed that an output value (Output) is generated after the Touch Output graph and that an output value (Output) disappears before the Touch Output graph.

[0181] In the graph with reference to FIG. 17, the second touch input can be understood as an inductance graph (e.g., the upper solid line of the continuous graph). For example, through the inductance graph, when a user touches the conductive part (311) of the hinge cover (310), the solid line corresponding to Force On can be seen to continuously change its output value due to an event at a specific time period. For example, the solid line corresponding to Force On can form a curve that rises above the Force Zero Baseline.

[0182] According to one embodiment, in operation 1006, the processor (120) can drive the electronic device (101) based on the fact that the generated data value corresponds to the set key operation data value.

[0183] According to one embodiment, in operation 1006, the memory (130) includes at least one storage medium for storing instructions, and when the instructions are executed by the processor (120) (individually or collectively), the electronic device (101) can be driven based on the fact that the generated data value corresponds to a set key operation data value.

[0184] According to one embodiment, in operation 1006, in order for the processor (120) to determine that the generated data value corresponds to a set key operation data value, the memory (130) may store various data value patterns (e.g., first and second operation modes) corresponding to the user's key operation (e.g., operations such as tap, double tap) as instructions. The processor (120) may execute the instructions stored in the memory (130).

[0185] According to one embodiment, the key operation data value processed by the processor (120) can be set by an operation (e.g., touch or swipe) transmitted by the user to the hinge cover (310) and the key (320) of the electronic device (100). For example, if the user simply touches the conductive part (311) of the hinge cover (310) with their finger during the user's operation, the corresponding key operation data value may be Key 1, and the processor (120) may execute a "first operation mode" stored in memory. If the user sequentially touches the conductive part (311) of the hinge cover (310) with their finger (e.g., sequentially providing a change in magnetic field to the pattern element (413) corresponding to the conductive part (311) during the user's operation, the corresponding key operation data value may be Key 2, and the processor (120) may execute a "second operation mode" stored in memory.

[0186] According to one embodiment, the processor (120) may perform a first operation mode (key touch mode) or a second operation mode (swipe mode). The key touch mode or swipe mode of the electronic device (101) may be set or defined by the user in advance in various ways and may be, for example, at least one of volume control, screen on / off control, screen capture, camera operation, power off, finding another electronic device, SOS function execution, or performing a specific operation of another electronic device.

[0187] According to one embodiment, the operation of the electronic device (101) can be set in various ways. Regarding the volume control function, the volume can be increased or decreased by touching one side or the other side of the conductive part (311) of the hinge cover (310). For example, when the electronic device (101) is in a folded state, the volume control function can be performed when listening to music or making a call. For example, when the electronic device (101) is in a folded state, the volume control function can be performed when watching a video on a display placed on the rear cover.

[0188] According to one embodiment, the operation of the electronic device (101) can be set in various ways. In relation to the screen on / off control function, the display can be activated or the activated display can be deactivated by touching one side or the other side of the conductive part (311) of the hinge cover (310). For example, when the electronic device (101) is in a folded state, the user can touch and press the conductive part (311) of the hinge cover (310) to activate the display placed on the rear cover.

[0189] According to one embodiment, the operation of the electronic device (101) can be set in various ways. In relation to the screen capture function, the active screen of the display can be captured by performing a specific action, such as a swipe action or a double tap, on the conductive part (311) of the hinge cover (310).

[0190] According to one embodiment, the operation of the electronic device (101) can be set in various ways. With respect to the camera operation function, a specific action, such as a swipe action or a double tap, can be performed on the conductive part (311) of the hinge cover (310) to activate the camera application or to take a picture through the activated camera application.

[0191] According to one embodiment, the operation of the electronic device (101) can be configured in various ways. Regarding the SOS function, in an emergency situation, if the user maintains touch on the conductive part (311) of the hinge cover (310) for several seconds (approximately 3-5 seconds) or more, an emergency rescue message can be transmitted to a preset number. When the message is transmitted, location information can be transmitted together through the electronic device. When the message is transmitted, location information can be transmitted together through another user's electronic device (e.g., a smart tag).

[0192] FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing a hinge assembly and a flexible circuit board separated, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0193] Referring to FIG. 18, the electronic device (101) may include a first housing (e.g., the first housing (210) of FIG. 2 to 4), a second housing (e.g., the second housing (220) of FIG. 2 to 4), a flexible circuit board (400), and a hinge assembly (300). The hinge assembly (300) may include a hinge module (e.g., the hinge (240) of FIG. 4), a hinge cover (310), and a light-emitting part (370).

[0194] The configuration of the hinge assembly (300) and the flexible circuit board (400) of FIG. 18 may be partially or entirely identical to the configuration of the hinge assembly (300) and the flexible circuit board (400) of FIG. 5 to 17. The embodiment of FIG. 18 may be optionally combined with the embodiments of FIG. 1 to 17 and the embodiments of FIG. 19 and FIG. 21.

[0195] Hereinafter, a light-emitting part (370) and a light module (600) different from the embodiments of FIGS. 5 to 7 will be described in detail.

[0196] According to one embodiment, the hinge cover (310) of the hinge assembly (300) covers the hinge module (330) and can be exposed to the outside when the electronic device (101) is folded. The hinge cover (310) may include a conductive portion (311) that is parallel to the folding axis (F) and forms a central region, and edge portions that extend to both sides of the conductive portion (311).

[0197] According to one embodiment, the conductive portion (311) of the hinge cover (310) may include an opening (311a). The opening (311a) may be designed in a shape that penetrates the conductive portion (311). For example, the opening (311a) is a space for the non-conductive portion (321) of the light-emitting portion (370) to be placed, and the non-conductive portion (321) of the light-emitting portion (370) exposed through the opening (311a) allows light emitted from the light module (600) to be seen by the user.

[0198] According to one embodiment, the light-emitting portion (370) of the hinge assembly (300) is positioned between the flexible circuit board (400) and the hinge cover (310), and a portion (e.g., a non-conductive portion (321)) may be exposed to the outside when the electronic device (101) is folded. According to one embodiment, the light-emitting portion (370) may be positioned on the flexible circuit board (400) so as to be adjacent to the light module (600) and provide a passage for light emitted from the light module (600) to travel. The light-emitting portion (370) may include a non-conductive portion (321). The non-conductive portion (321) may be formed through an injection molding process.

[0199] According to one embodiment, the light-transmitting portion (370) of the hinge assembly (300) may be formed of a transparent or translucent material through which light can pass. For example, the light-transmitting portion (370) may be formed of a material through which light passes so that light emitted from a light module (600) (e.g., an LED module) passes through the light-transmitting portion (370) and can be seen from an external view.

[0200] According to one embodiment, the flexible circuit board (400) extends from the first housing (210) across the hinge cover (310) to the second housing (220), and can electrically connect the circuit board (e.g., main circuit board) placed in the first housing (210) and the circuit board (e.g., sub circuit board) placed in the second housing (220). A folding area (S3) placed on the hinge cover (310) of the flexible circuit board (400) may have a light module (600) placed parallel to the non-conductive portion (321) of the light-emitting portion (370) and the conductive portion (311) of the hinge cover (310).

[0201] According to one embodiment, the light module (600) may be placed on the folding area (S3) of the flexible circuit board (400). The light module (600) may be placed between the flexible circuit board (400) and the light-emitting part (370). The light module (600) may include a light source formed to emit light toward the light-emitting part (370). The light emitted from the light source may pass through the light-emitting part (370) and pass through the opening (311a) of the hinge cover (310) to be emitted to the outside. The light module (600) may be coupled with the processor (120) to provide a plurality of output patterns, thereby providing a variety of experiences to the user.

[0202] FIG. 19 is a drawing showing the front of a display device in an unfolded state of a multi-foldable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0203] FIG. 20 is a drawing showing a folded state of a multi-foldable electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0204] FIG. 21 is a drawing showing a side view of a multi-foldable electronic device in a folded state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0205] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a first housing (710), a second housing (720), a third housing (730), a first hinge assembly (740), a second hinge assembly (750), and a display device (230) (or a display assembly).

[0206] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may be a foldable or bendable electronic device, as an example of the electronic device (101) shown in FIG. 1.

[0207] According to one embodiment, the first hinge assembly (740) may be defined and / or referred to as a first hinge structure or a first in-folding hinge. The second hinge assembly (750) may be defined and / or referred to as a second hinge structure or a second in-folding hinge.

[0208] According to one embodiment, the first hinge assembly (740) may be connected to the first housing (710) or the second housing (720). The second housing (720) may be rotatably connected to the first housing (710) through the first hinge assembly (740). According to one embodiment, the second hinge assembly (750) may be connected to the second housing (720) or the third housing (730). The third housing (730) may be rotatably connected to the second housing (720) through the second hinge assembly (750).

[0209] According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is unfolded, the side on which the flexible display (230) is placed (or the side on which the flexible display (230) is seen from the outside of the electronic device (101)) may be defined as the front of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a first front, a second front, a third front). When the electronic device (101) is unfolded, the side opposite to the front may be defined as the rear of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a first rear, a second rear, a third rear).

[0210] According to one embodiment, the first housing (710) may be connected to the first hinge assembly (740). The first housing (710) may rotate relative to the second housing (720) around the first hinge assembly (740). When the first housing (710) and the second housing (720) are in a folded state, the first front of the first housing (710) may face the second front of the second housing (720). When the first housing (710) and the second housing (720) are in a folded state, the first rear of the first housing (710) may face in the opposite direction to the second rear of the second housing (720). When the first housing (710) and the second housing (720) are in an unfolded state, the first front of the first housing (710) may face in the same direction as the second front of the second housing (720). When the first housing (710) and the second housing (720) are in an unfolded state, the first rear surface of the first housing (710) may face the same direction as the second rear surface of the second housing (720).

[0211] According to one embodiment, the second housing (720) may be connected to the second hinge assembly (750). The second housing (720) may rotate about the third housing (730) around the second hinge assembly (750). A folded state of the second housing (720) and the third housing (730) can be defined as a state in which the first and second housings (710, 720) are additionally folded to the third housing (730) (e.g., secondary folding) based on the folded state of the first housing (710) and the second housing (720) (e.g., primary folding). (e.g., G-type multi-folding)

[0212] According to one embodiment, when the second housing (720) and the third housing (730) are in a folded state, the second front surface of the second housing (720) may face the third front surface of the third housing (730). For example, when the second housing (720) and the third housing (730) are in a folded state, the second front surface of the second housing (720) may face the third front surface of the third housing (730) with the first housing (710) in between. When the second housing (720) and the third housing (730) are in a folded state, the second rear surface of the second housing (720) may face in the opposite direction to the third rear surface of the third housing (730). When the second housing (720) and the third housing (730) are in an unfolded state, the second front of the second housing (720) may face the same direction as the third front of the third housing (730). When the second housing (720) and the third housing (730) are in an unfolded state, the second rear of the second housing (720) may face the same direction as the third rear of the third housing (730).

[0213] According to one embodiment, the first hinge assembly (740) or the second hinge assembly (750) may be covered by a part of the first housing (710), the second housing (720), or the third housing (730) or exposed to the outside depending on the state of the electronic device (101) (unfolded status, intermediate status, or folded status).

[0214] According to one embodiment, the folded state of the electronic device (101) (e.g., secondary folding) may be a state in which the first housing (710) and the second housing (720) are folded with respect to the third housing (730) after the first housing (710) and the second housing (720) are folded. Accordingly, the second hinge assembly (750) may have a structure with a wider width than the first hinge assembly (740). (e.g., G-type multi-folding)

[0215] According to one embodiment, the flexible display (230) may be disposed on the front of each of the first housing (710), the second housing (720), and the third housing (730). According to one embodiment, the flexible display (230) may mean a display in which at least a portion of the flexible display (230) can be deformed into a flat or curved surface. For example, the flexible display (230) may be configured to be at least partially folded or at least partially unfolded.

[0216] According to one embodiment, the flexible display (230) may include a first display area (A1), a second display area (A2), a third display area (A3), a first folding area (A4), or a second folding area (A5).

[0217] According to one embodiment, a first display area (A1) may be placed on a first housing (710), a second display area (A2) may be placed on a second housing (720), and a third display area (A3) may be placed on a third housing (730). According to one embodiment, the first display area (A1) may be supported by the first housing (710), the second display area (A2) may be supported by the second housing (720), and the third display area (A3) may be supported by the third housing (730). According to one embodiment, a first folding area (A4) may be placed on a first hinge assembly (740) and connect the first display area (A1) and the second display area (A2). The second folding area (A5) connects the second display area (A2) and the third display area (A3) and can be placed on the second hinge assembly (750).

[0218] Referring to FIGS. 20 and 21, the electronic device (101) may include a flexible circuit board (e.g., the flexible circuit board (400) of FIGS. 5 to 7), a first hinge assembly (740), and a second hinge assembly (750). The first hinge assembly (740) or the second hinge assembly (750) may include a hinge module (e.g., the hinge module (330) of FIGS. 5 to 7), a hinge cover (e.g., the hinge cover (310) of FIGS. 5 to 7) comprising a conductive portion (e.g., the conductive portion (311) of FIGS. 5 to 7), and a key (e.g., the key (320) of FIGS. 5 to 7) comprising a non-conductive portion (e.g., the non-conductive portion (321) of FIGS. 5 to 7).

[0219] The configuration of the first hinge assembly (740) and the second hinge assembly (750) providing the sensor structure of FIGS. 20 and 21, and the configuration of the sensor module of the flexible circuit board (400), may be based on the configuration of the hinge assembly (300) and the configuration of the sensor module (410) of the flexible circuit board (400) of FIGS. 5 to 7.

[0220] According to one embodiment, the second hinge assembly (750) (or the first hinge assembly (740)) of the flexible circuit board (400) can serve as an input structure. The input structure may be a touch or pressure method. The input structure may be formed with two sensor structures to provide a user input experience.

[0221] According to one embodiment, the first sensor structure among the input structures may be composed of a flexible circuit board (400), a conductive pad disposed on the flexible circuit board (400), and a non-conductive part of a key (320). The first sensor structure may be a position sensor or a capacitive sensor capable of detecting a capacitance component by the non-conductive part when a user contacts the non-conductive part of the key (320) and processing information through recognition thereof.

[0222] According to one embodiment, the second sensor structure among the input structures may be composed of a flexible circuit board (400), a pattern element disposed on the flexible circuit board (400), and a conductive part of a hinge cover (310). The second sensor structure may be a force sensor or an inductive sensor that detects an inductance component by the conductive part when a user contacts or presses the conductive part of the hinge cover (310) and processes information through recognition thereof.

[0223] Referring to FIGS. 19 to 21, the input structure is disclosed to be applied to a first hinge assembly (740) or a second hinge assembly (750) of a multi-foldable electronic device that is folded in a G-type and in-folding manner, but is not limited thereto and can be designed in various ways for a hinge assembly of a multi-foldable electronic device that is folded in various ways, such as being folded in a Z-type or in an out-folding manner.

[0224] According to one embodiment, in a multi-foldable electronic device (101), an input structure through a first hinge assembly (740) or a second hinge assembly (750) can be formed in multiple numbers on the first hinge assembly (740) or the second hinge assembly (750) or formed to be constantly exposed so as to replace a conventional physical key button (e.g., a dome type).

[0225] Generally, an electronic device including a flexible display (e.g., a foldable electronic device) may include a hinge module for easily folding the flexible display. The hinge module may be protected by a hinge cover so as not to be exposed to the outside and damaged. As the hinge cover is exposed to the outside when the electronic device is folded, a material that can provide aesthetic appeal as an exterior material for the electronic device may be used.

[0226] An electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may configure an input structure using a hinge assembly. The input structure is implemented through a touch or pressure method and can provide various user experiences that cannot be implemented by physical keys (e.g., touch, swipe, double tap, gesture functions).

[0227] An electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may configure an input structure using a hinge assembly and a flexible circuit board disposed adjacent to the hinge assembly. The input structure may be composed of a combination of a capacitive sensor (or position sensor) and an inductive sensor (or force sensor) to provide various experiences to the user.

[0228] An electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a hinge cover comprising a conductive portion to form an input structure, and a key comprising a non-conductive portion exposed through an opening of the hinge cover. An input structure that sequentially utilizes the recognition of a capacitance component through the non-conductive portion and the recognition of an inductance through the conductive portion can provide an interface that offers a stable and diverse experience to the user.

[0229] An electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure provides a touch and / or pressure type key through a hinge assembly, which may require relatively less mounting space compared to a conventional physical key. Accordingly, the usability of the electronic device can be improved.

[0230] The effects obtainable from the present disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs from the description below.

[0231] A foldable electronic device (101) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a first housing (210), a second housing (220), a flexible display (230) formed to be supported by the first housing and the second housing, a hinge assembly (300) rotatably connecting the first housing and the second housing, and a flexible circuit board (400) arranged from the inside of the first housing across the hinge assembly to the inside of the second housing. The hinge assembly (300) may include a hinge module (330), a hinge cover (310) comprising a conductive portion (311) configured to cover the hinge module and the folding area (S3) of the flexible circuit board and to be exposed to the outside when the foldable electronic device is folded, and a key (320) comprising a non-conductive portion (321) configured to be disposed on the folding area of ​​the flexible circuit board and to be exposed to the outside by a portion penetrating the opening (311a) of the hinge cover.

[0232] According to one embodiment, the flexible circuit board (400), the conductive pad (411) disposed on the flexible circuit board, and the non-conductive portion (321) of the key can form a first sensor structure through capacitance recognition.

[0233] According to one embodiment, the flexible circuit board (400), the pattern element (413) disposed on the flexible circuit board, and the conductive portion (311) of the hinge cover can form a second sensor structure through inductance recognition.

[0234] According to one embodiment, the key may include a support portion (323) disposed between the hinge cover and the flexible circuit board, and a non-conductive portion (311) formed to protrude from the support portion and configured to penetrate the opening of the hinge cover.

[0235] According to one embodiment, the hinge module may be spaced apart from the flexible circuit board.

[0236] According to one embodiment, the flexible circuit board may include a first surface (401) facing the hinge cover and a second surface (402) opposite to the first surface. A conductive pad (411) facing the non-conductive portion of the key may be disposed on the first surface, and a pattern element (413) adjacent to the conductive portion of the hinge cover may be disposed on the second surface.

[0237] According to one embodiment, the pattern element may be formed in a coil shape.

[0238] According to one embodiment, the pattern elements may be formed as a plurality of spaced-apart elements on the second surface (402) of the flexible circuit board (400). The plurality of pattern elements may be arranged to face the conductive portion of the hinge cover with the flexible circuit board in between.

[0239] According to one embodiment, a reference element (415) is disposed on either the first surface or the second surface of the flexible circuit board, and the reference element may be configured to utilize an inductance recognition difference based on the distance between the pattern elements.

[0240] According to one embodiment, the conductive pads may be formed in a plurality of spaced-apart pieces on the first surface.

[0241] According to one embodiment, the non-conductive portion of the key and the conductive portion of the hinge cover can form flat surfaces relative to each other.

[0242] According to one embodiment, when the foldable electronic device is in a folded state, the hinge cover is exposed to the outside, and when the foldable electronic device is unfolded, the hinge cover may be configured to be covered by the first housing and the second housing.

[0243] According to one embodiment, the non-conductive portion of the key may be positioned at the center of the conductive portion of the hinge cover.

[0244] According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device may further include a fixing member (500) configured to cover the folding area of ​​the flexible circuit board located on one side of the hinge cover and to be fixed to the hinge cover so that the folding area of ​​the flexible circuit board located on one side of the hinge cover does not move.

[0245] According to one embodiment, the foldable electronic device may further include at least one processor including a processing circuit and a memory including at least one storage medium for storing instructions. When the instructions are executed individually or collectively by the processor, the foldable electronic device may be caused to prepare a second touch input using the first touch input as position information when a capacitance component is detected based on a first touch input of a non-conductive part of the key while the foldable electronic device is in a folded state, and when an inductance component is detected based on the second touch input of a conductive part of the hinge cover, generate a data value corresponding to a key operation based on the force information of the second touch input, and cause the electronic device to be driven based on the fact that the generated data value corresponds to a preset key operation data value.

[0246] A foldable electronic device (101) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a first housing (210), a second housing (220), a flexible display (230) formed to be supported by the first housing and the second housing, a hinge assembly (300) rotatably connecting the first housing and the second housing, and a flexible circuit board (400) arranged from the inside of the first housing across the hinge assembly to the inside of the second housing, on which a sensor module is disposed. The hinge assembly (300) may include a hinge module (330), a hinge cover (310) covering the hinge module and including a conductive portion (311), and a key (320) including a non-conductive portion (321). The sensor module may include a conductive pad (411) disposed on a first surface of the flexible circuit board and configured to face a non-conductive portion of the key, and a pattern element (413) disposed on a second surface of the flexible circuit board opposite to the first surface and configured to be adjacent to a conductive portion of the hinge cover.

[0247] According to one embodiment, the conductive portion of the hinge cover may be configured to be exposed to the outside when the foldable electronic device is folded.

[0248] According to one embodiment, the non-conductive portion of the key may be configured such that a portion of it penetrates the opening (311a) of the hinge cover and is exposed to the outside.

[0249] According to one embodiment, the flexible circuit board (400), the conductive pad (411) disposed on the folding area of ​​the flexible circuit board, and the non-conductive portion (321) of the key can form a first sensor structure through capacitance recognition.

[0250] According to one embodiment, the flexible circuit board (400), the pattern element (413) disposed on the folding area of ​​the flexible circuit board, and the conductive portion (311) of the hinge cover can form a second sensor structure through inductance recognition.

Claims

1. In a foldable electronic device (101), First housing (210); Second housing (220); A flexible display (230) configured to be supported by the first housing and the second housing; A hinge assembly (300) rotatably connecting the first housing and the second housing; and It includes a flexible circuit board (400) arranged from the inside of the first housing across the hinge assembly to the inside of the second housing, and The above hinge assembly (300) is, Hinge module (330); A hinge cover (310) comprising a conductive portion (311) that covers the folding area (S3) of the hinge module and the flexible circuit board and is configured to be exposed to the outside when the foldable electronic device is folded; and A foldable electronic device comprising a key (320) having a non-conductive portion (321) disposed on the folding area of ​​the flexible circuit board and configured to have a portion of it exposed to the outside by penetrating the opening (311a) of the hinge cover.

2. In Paragraph 1, A foldable electronic device comprising a flexible circuit board (400), a conductive pad (411) disposed on the flexible circuit board, and a non-conductive portion (321) of the key, which constitutes a first sensor structure through capacitance recognition.

3. In Paragraph 1 or 2, A foldable electronic device comprising a flexible circuit board (400), a pattern element (413) disposed on the flexible circuit board, and a conductive portion (311) of the hinge cover, which are configured to form a second sensor structure through inductance recognition.

4. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 3, A foldable electronic device comprising a key, a support portion (323) disposed between the hinge cover and the flexible circuit board, and a non-conductive portion (311) formed to protrude from the support portion and configured to penetrate the opening of the hinge cover.

5. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 4, The above hinge module is a foldable electronic device spaced apart from the above flexible circuit board.

6. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 5, The flexible circuit board includes a first surface (401) facing the hinge cover and a second surface (402) opposite to the first surface, and A foldable electronic device having a conductive pad (411) facing a non-conductive portion of the key disposed on the first surface, and a pattern element (413) adjacent to a conductive portion of the hinge cover disposed on the second surface.

7. In Paragraph 6, The above pattern element is formed in a coil shape, a foldable electronic device.

8. In Paragraph 6, The above pattern elements are arranged in a plurality of spaced-apart numbers on the second surface (402) of the flexible circuit board (400), and A foldable electronic device in which the plurality of pattern elements are arranged to face the conductive portion of the hinge cover with the flexible circuit board in between.

9. In Paragraph 8, A foldable electronic device having a reference element (415) disposed on the first surface or the second surface of the flexible circuit board, wherein the reference element is configured to utilize an inductance recognition difference according to the distance between the pattern elements.

10. In any one of paragraphs 6 through 9, A foldable electronic device in which the conductive pads are formed as a plurality of spaced-apart pads on the first surface of the flexible circuit board.

11. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 10, A foldable electronic device in which a non-conductive portion of the key and a conductive portion of the hinge cover form flat surfaces relative to each other.

12. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 11, When the above-mentioned foldable electronic device is in a folded state, the hinge cover is exposed to the outside, and A foldable electronic device configured such that, when the foldable electronic device is unfolded, the hinge cover is covered by the first housing and the second housing.

13. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 12, A foldable electronic device, wherein the non-conductive portion of the above key is positioned at the center of the conductive portion of the above hinge cover.

14. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 13, A foldable electronic device further comprising a fixing member (500) configured to cover the folding area of ​​the flexible circuit board located on one side of the hinge cover and to be fixed to the hinge cover so as not to move the folding area of ​​the flexible circuit board.

15. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 14, At least one processor including a processing circuit; and It further includes memory comprising at least one storage medium for storing instructions, and When the above instructions are executed individually or collectively by the processor, the foldable electronic device: When the above-mentioned foldable electronic device is in a folded state, if a capacitance component is detected based on a first touch input of a non-conductive portion of the key, a second touch input is prepared using the first touch input as location information. When an inductance component is detected based on the second touch input of the conductive part of the hinge cover, a data value corresponding to a key operation is generated based on the force information of the second touch input, and A foldable electronic device that causes the electronic device to be driven based on the fact that the generated data value corresponds to a preset key operation data value.

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