Camera module and electronic device comprising camera module

Abstract

According to one embodiment disclosed herein, a camera module may comprise: a substrate; an image sensor; a housing accommodating the image sensor; and a lens assembly accommodated in an upper portion of the housing and including a lens. According to one embodiment, an outer area of the housing extends from one surface of the housing in the direction in which the substrate is disposed, and may be in contact with one surface of the substrate by means of a contact member. According to one embodiment, at least a portion of an inner region excluding the outer area of the housing may be formed to extend from the one surface of the housing in the direction in which the substrate is disposed. Various other embodiments other than various embodiments disclosed in the present document may also be possible.

Description

Camera module and electronic device including the camera module

[0001] The embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a camera module and an electronic device including the camera module.

[0002] Various electronic devices such as smartphones, tablet PCs, portable multimedia players (PMPs), personal digital assistants (PDAs), and laptop personal computers may include one or more camera modules. The electronic device can take photos or videos through the camera module.

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

[0004] In one embodiment, as the electronic device becomes slimmer, the components placed within the internal space of the electronic device, such as the camera module, are also required to be slimmed down. When the camera module is slimmed down, deformation of the sensor and substrate included in the camera module may occur due to external impact.

[0005] The technical tasks intended to be accomplished in this document are not limited to those mentioned above, and other technical tasks not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which this document belongs from the description below.

[0006] A camera module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a substrate, an image sensor, and a housing that accommodates the image sensor. An outer region of the housing of the camera module may extend from one surface of the housing in a direction in which the substrate is positioned and may come into contact with the substrate. At least a portion of the inner region of the housing of the camera module, excluding the outer region, may extend from one surface of the housing in a direction in which the substrate is positioned, and may be formed spaced apart from one surface of the substrate.

[0007] A camera module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a substrate, an image sensor, a housing for housing the image sensor, and a lens assembly including a lens that is housed on the upper portion of the housing. An outer region of the housing according to one embodiment may extend from one surface of the housing in a direction in which the substrate is positioned and may be in contact with one surface of the substrate by a contact member. At least a portion of an inner region excluding the outer region of the housing according to one embodiment may be formed to extend from one surface of the housing in a direction in which the substrate is positioned.

[0008] An electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a camera module. A camera module according to one embodiment may include a substrate, an image sensor, a housing that accommodates the image sensor, and a lens assembly that is accommodated on the upper part of the housing and includes a lens. An outer region of the housing of the camera module according to one embodiment may extend from one surface of the housing in a direction in which the substrate is disposed and may be in contact with one surface of the substrate by a contact member. At least a portion of an inner region of the camera module according to one embodiment, excluding the outer region of the housing, may be formed to extend from one surface of the housing in a direction in which the substrate is disposed.

[0009] A camera module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can minimize deformation (e.g., bending) that may occur in the sensor and substrate included in the camera module due to external impact, as at least a portion of the internal region, excluding the outer region of the housing of the camera module, extends from one side of the housing in the direction in which the substrate is placed, and is formed at a certain distance from one side of the substrate.

[0010] 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.

[0011] The effects obtainable in the present disclosure may not be limited to the effects mentioned above.

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

[0013] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] FIGS. 2a and 2b are drawings of an unfolded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from the front and rear.

[0015] FIGS. 3a and 3b are drawings of an electronic device in a folded state, viewed from the front and rear, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an exploded perspective view of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 5a is a front perspective view of a multi-foldable electronic device in an unfolded state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 5b is a rear perspective view of a multi-foldable electronic device in an unfolded state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 5c is a drawing showing one side of a multi-foldable electronic device in a folded state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a camera module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] FIG. 7 is a view of the housing of a camera module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, seen from one direction.

[0022] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a camera module shown along line A-A' of FIG. 7 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] FIG. 9 is a view of a filter and a housing of a camera module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, seen from one direction.

[0024] FIG. 10 is a view of a filter and a housing of a camera module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, seen from one direction.

[0025] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a camera module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG. 12 is a view of a housing of a camera module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, seen from one direction.

[0027] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a camera module shown along line B-B' of FIG. 12 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a camera module shown along line C-C' of FIG. 12 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of a camera module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] FIG. 16 is a drawing for explaining the amount of deformation of a support substrate when a camera module according to a comparative example is pressed.

[0031] FIG. 17 is a drawing for explaining the amount of deformation of a support substrate when a camera module is pressed according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail with reference to the drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily practice them. However, the present disclosure may be embodied in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In relation to the description of the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used for identical or similar components. Furthermore, in the drawings and related descriptions, descriptions of well-known functions and configurations may be omitted for clarity and brevity.

[0033] According to one embodiment, within this document, “B placed on (or above) A” may refer to “B placed over A.” For example, within this document, “B placed on (or above) A” may refer to “B facing A and spaced apart from A.” For example, it should be understood that when one element is referred to as being “on (above)” another element, it means that it is directly on said other element or that there may be intervening elements therebetween. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly” on another element, there may be no intervening elements.

[0034] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device (101) in a network environment (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] 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 at least one of 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 some embodiments, 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 some embodiments, 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)).

[0036] 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.

[0037] 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 model is executed, 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.

[0038] 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).

[0039] 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).

[0040] 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).

[0041] 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.

[0042] 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 holographic 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.

[0043] 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).

[0044] 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.

[0045] 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.

[0046] 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).

[0047] 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.

[0048] 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.

[0049] 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).

[0050] 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.

[0051] 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).

[0052] 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.

[0053] 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 printed circuit board (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 some embodiments, 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).

[0054] According to various embodiments, 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.

[0055] 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.

[0056] 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 the second network (199).The electronic device (101) can be applied to intelligent services (e.g., smart home, smart city, smart car, or healthcare) based on 5G communication technology and IoT-related technology.

[0057] FIGS. 2a and 2b are drawings of an unfolded state of an electronic device (200) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from the front and rear. FIGS. 3a and 3b are drawings of a folded state of an electronic device (200) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from the front and rear.

[0058] According to various embodiments, the embodiments disclosed in FIG. 1 may be included in the embodiments disclosed in FIG. 2a to 3b. For example, the electronic device (200) disclosed in FIG. 2a to 3b may include the 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), communication module (190), antenna module (197) and / or subscriber identification module (196) disclosed in FIG. 1.

[0059] Referring to FIGS. 2a through 3b, an electronic device (200) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may include a pair of housings (e.g., a first housing (210), a second housing (220)) which are rotatably coupled about a folding axis (A) through a hinge module (e.g., a hinge plate (320) or a hinge device of FIG. 4) so ​​as to be foldable with respect to each other, a flexible display (230) (e.g., a first display, a foldable display, or a main display) disposed through the pair of housings (210, 220), and / or a sub-display (300) (e.g., a second display) disposed through the second housing (220).

[0060] According to various embodiments, at least a portion of the hinge module (e.g., the hinge plate (320) of FIG. 4) may be positioned so as not to be visually visible from the outside through the first housing (210) and the second housing (220), and in the unfolded state, may be positioned so as not to be visually visible from the outside through a hinge cover (310) (e.g., a hinge housing) that covers a foldable portion.

[0061] In this document, the surface on which the flexible display (230) is placed may be defined as the front (e.g., z-axis direction) of the electronic device (200), and the opposite side of the front may be defined as the rear (e.g., -z-axis direction) of the electronic device (200). The surface surrounding the space between the front and rear may be defined as the side of the electronic device (200).

[0062] According to various embodiments, a pair of housings (210, 220) may include a first housing (210) and a second housing (220) that are foldably arranged relative to each other via a hinge module (e.g., a hinge plate (320) of FIG. 4). The pair of housings (210, 220) are not limited to the shapes and combinations shown in FIG. 2a through 3b and may be implemented by other shapes or combinations and / or combinations of parts. For example, the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be arranged on both sides (e.g., in the x-axis direction and the -x-axis direction) with respect to the folding axis (A) and may have a shape that is symmetrical overall with respect to the folding axis (A). According to various embodiments, the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be folded asymmetrically with respect to the folding axis (A). The first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may have different angles or distances from each other depending on whether the electronic device (200) is in an unfolded state, a folded state, or an intermediate state.

[0063] According to various embodiments, when the electronic device (200) is in an unfolded state, the first housing (210) may include a first surface (211) positioned to face the front of the electronic device (200), a second surface (212) facing in the opposite direction of the first surface (211), and / or a first side member (213) surrounding at least a portion of the first space between the first surface (211) and the second surface (212).

[0064] According to various embodiments, when the electronic device (200) is in an unfolded state, the second housing (220) may include a third side (221) positioned to face the front of the electronic device (200), a fourth side (222) facing in the opposite direction of the third side (221), and / or a second side member (223) surrounding at least a portion of the second space between the third side (221) and the fourth side (222).

[0065] According to various embodiments, the first surface (211) may face substantially the same direction as the third surface (221) in the unfolded state and at least partially face the third surface (221) in the folded state.

[0066] According to various embodiments, the electronic device (200) may include a recess (201) formed to accommodate a flexible display (230) through the structural combination of a first housing (210) and a second housing (220). The recess (201) may have substantially the same size as the flexible display (230).

[0067] According to various embodiments, the hinge cover (310) (e.g., hinge housing) may be positioned between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220). The hinge cover (310) may be positioned to cover a portion of the hinge module (e.g., the hinge plate (320) of FIG. 4). Depending on the unfolded, folded, or intermediate state of the electronic device (200), the hinge cover (310) may be covered by a portion of the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) or may be visually exposed to the outside.

[0068] According to various embodiments, when the electronic device (200) is in an unfolded state, at least a portion of the hinge cover (310) may be covered by the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) and may not be substantially visually exposed to the outside. When the electronic device (200) is in a folded state, at least a portion of the hinge cover (310) may be visually exposed to the outside between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220). When the electronic device (200) is in an intermediate state where the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) are folded with a certain angle, the hinge cover (310) may be at least partially exposed to the outside of the electronic device (200) between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220). For example, the area of ​​the hinge cover (310) exposed to the outside may be smaller than in a fully folded state. The hinge cover (310) may include at least a partially curved surface.

[0069] According to various embodiments, when the electronic device (200) is in an unfolded state (e.g., the state of FIG. 2a and FIG. 2b), the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) form an angle of about 180 degrees, and the first region (230a), the second region (230b), and the folding region (230c) of the flexible display (230) form a coplanar and may be arranged to face substantially the same direction (e.g., z-axis direction). In one embodiment, when the electronic device (200) is in an unfolded state, the first housing (210) may be rotated outward with respect to the second housing (220) so that the second surface (212) and the fourth surface (222) face each other.

[0070] According to various embodiments, when the electronic device (200) is in a folded state (e.g., the state of FIG. 3a and FIG. 3b), the first surface (211) of the first housing (210) and the third surface (221) of the second housing (220) may be arranged to face each other. In this case, the first region (230a) and the second region (230b) of the flexible display (230) may be arranged to face each other through the folding region (230c), forming a narrow angle (e.g., a range of 0 to about 10 degrees) from each other.

[0071] According to various embodiments, the folding region (230c) may be deformed into a curved shape having at least a portion of a certain curvature. When the electronic device (200) is in an intermediate state, the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be positioned at a certain angle relative to each other. In this case, the first region (230a) and the second region (230b) of the flexible display (230) may form an angle that is larger than the folded state and smaller than the unfolded state, and the curvature of the folding region (230c) may be smaller than in the folded state and larger than in the unfolded state.

[0072] According to various embodiments, the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may form an angle that can stop at a specified folding angle between a folded state and an unfolded state through a hinge module (e.g., hinge plate (320) of FIG. 4) (e.g., free stop function). In some embodiments, the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be continuously operated while being pressed in an unfolding direction or a folding direction based on a specified inflection angle through a hinge module (e.g., hinge plate (320) of FIG. 4).

[0073] According to various embodiments, the electronic device (200) may include at least one display (e.g., flexible display (230), sub-display (300)) disposed in the first housing (210) and / or the second housing (220), an input device (215), an audio output device (227, 228), a sensor module (217a, 217b, 226), a camera module (216a, 216b, 225), a key input device (219), an indicator (not shown), or a connector port (229). In some embodiments, the electronic device (200) may omit at least one of the above-described components or additionally include at least one other component.

[0074] According to various embodiments, the at least one display (e.g., flexible display (230), sub-display (300)) may include a flexible display (230) (e.g., first display) positioned to be supported by a third surface (221) of a second housing (220) through a hinge module (e.g., hinge plate (320) of FIG. 4) from a first surface (211) of a first housing (210), and a sub-display (300) (e.g., second display) positioned to be visible from the outside at least partially through a fourth surface (222) in the internal space of the second housing (220). In some embodiments, the sub-display (300) may be positioned to be visible from the outside through a second surface (212) in the internal space of the first housing (210). According to one embodiment, the flexible display (230) can be primarily used in the unfolded state of the electronic device (200), and the sub-display (300) can be primarily used in the folded state of the electronic device (200). According to one embodiment, in the case of an intermediate state, the electronic device (200) may control the flexible display (230) and / or the sub-display (300) to be usable based on the folding angle of the first housing (210) and the second housing (220).

[0075] According to various embodiments, the flexible display (230) may be placed in a receiving space formed by a pair of housings (210, 220). For example, the flexible display (230) may be placed in a recess (201) formed by a pair of housings (210, 220) and may be placed to occupy substantially most of the front surface of the electronic device (200) when unfolded. According to one embodiment, at least some area of ​​the flexible display (230) may be deformed into a flat or curved surface. The flexible display (230) may include a first area (230a) facing a first housing (210), a second area (230b) facing a second housing (220), and a folding area (230c) connecting the first area (230a) and the second area (230b) and facing a hinge module (e.g., the hinge plate (320) of FIG. 4). According to one embodiment, the division of the area of ​​the flexible display (230) is merely an exemplary physical division by a pair of housings (210, 220) and a hinge module (e.g., the hinge plate (320) of FIG. 4), and substantially, the flexible display (230) can be displayed as one seamless, whole screen through the pair of housings (210, 220) and the hinge module (e.g., the hinge plate (320) of FIG. 4). The first area (230a) and the second area (230b) may have a shape that is symmetrical overall with respect to the folding area (230c) or a partially asymmetrical shape.

[0076] According to various embodiments, the electronic device (200) may include a first rear cover (240) disposed on a second side (212) of a first housing (210) and a second rear cover (250) disposed on a fourth side (222) of a second housing (220). In some embodiments, at least a portion of the first rear cover (240) may be formed integrally with the first side member (213). In some embodiments, at least a portion of the second rear cover (250) may be formed integrally with the second side member (223). According to one embodiment, at least one of the first rear cover (240) and the second rear cover (250) may be formed as a substantially transparent plate (e.g., a glass plate including various coating layers, or a polymer plate) or an opaque plate.

[0077] According to various embodiments, the first rear cover (240) may be formed by an opaque plate, such as, for example, coated or colored glass, ceramic, polymer, metal (e.g., aluminum, stainless steel (STS), or magnesium), or a combination of at least two of the materials. The second rear cover (250) may be formed through a substantially transparent plate, such as, for example, glass or polymer. In this case, the second display (300) may be positioned within the interior space of the second housing (220) so as to be visible from the outside through the second rear cover (250).

[0078] According to various embodiments, the input module (215) may include a microphone. In some embodiments, the input module (215) may include a plurality of microphones arranged to detect the direction of sound. The input module (215) may include the input module (150) disclosed in FIG. 1.

[0079] According to various embodiments, the acoustic output module (227, 228) may include speakers. According to one embodiment, the acoustic output module (227, 228) may include a call receiver (227) disposed through a fourth side (222) of the second housing (220) and an external speaker (228) disposed through at least a portion of a second side member (223) of the second housing (220). In some embodiments, the input module (215), the acoustic output module (227, 228), and the connector (229) are disposed in the spaces of the first housing (210) and / or the second housing (220) and may be exposed to the external environment through at least one hole formed in the first housing (210) and / or the second housing (220). In some embodiments, holes formed in the first housing (210) and / or the second housing (220) may be used in common for the input module (215) and the acoustic output module (227, 228). In some embodiments, the acoustic output module (227, 228) may include a speaker (e.g., a piezo speaker) that is operated with the holes formed in the first housing (210) and / or the second housing (220) excluded. The acoustic output module (227, 228) may include the acoustic output module (155) disclosed in FIG. 1.

[0080] According to various embodiments, the camera module (216a, 216b, 225) may include a first camera module (216a) disposed on a first surface (211) of a first housing (210), a second camera module (216b) disposed on a second surface (212) of the first housing (210), and / or a third camera module (225) disposed on a fourth surface (222) of a second housing (220). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (200) may include a flash (218) disposed near the second camera module (216b). The flash (218) may include, for example, a light-emitting diode or a xenon lamp. According to one embodiment, camera modules (216a, 216b, 225) may include one or more lenses, an image sensor, and / or an image signal processor (e.g., an auxiliary processor (123) of FIG. 1). In some embodiments, at least one camera module among the camera modules (216a, 216b, 225) may include two or more lenses (e.g., wide-angle and telephoto lenses) and image sensors and may be disposed together on either side of the first housing (210) and / or the second housing (220). The camera modules (216a, 216b, 225) may include the camera module (180) disclosed in FIG. 1.

[0081] According to various embodiments, the sensor module (217a, 217b, 226) may generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to an internal operating state of the electronic device (200) or an external environmental state. According to one embodiment, the sensor module (217a, 217b, 226) may include a first sensor module (217a) disposed on a first surface (211) of a first housing (210), a second sensor module (217b) disposed on a second surface (212) of the first housing (210), and / or a third sensor module (226) disposed on a fourth surface (222) of the second housing (220). In some embodiments, the sensor module (217a, 217b, 226) may include at least one of a gesture sensor, a grip sensor, a color sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, an ambient light sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an iris recognition sensor, or a distance detection sensor (e.g., a TOF (time of flight) sensor or a LiDAR (light detection and ranging)). The sensor module (217a, 217b, 226) may include the sensor module (176) disclosed in FIG. 1.

[0082] According to various embodiments, the electronic device (200) may further include at least one sensor module not illustrated, e.g., a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, a biosensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a Hall sensor, a 6-axis sensor, an accelerometer, an angular velocity sensor, and a fingerprint recognition sensor. In some embodiments, the fingerprint recognition sensor may be positioned through at least one side member of the first side member (213) of the first housing (210) and / or the second side member (223) of the second housing (220).

[0083] According to various embodiments, the key input device (219) may be positioned so as to be visually exposed to the outside through the first side member (213) of the first housing (210). In some embodiments, the key input device (219) may be positioned so as to be visually exposed to the outside through the second side member (223) of the second housing (220). In some embodiments, the electronic device (200) may not include some or all of the key input devices (219), and the key input devices (219) that are not included may be implemented in other forms, such as soft keys, on at least one display (230, 300). In one embodiment, the key input device (219) may be implemented using a pressure sensor included in at least one display (230, 300). The key input device (219) may turn the power of the electronic device (200) on or off, or adjust the volume.

[0084] According to various embodiments, the connector port (229) may include a connector (e.g., a USB connector or an IF module (interface connector port module)) for transmitting and receiving power and / or data with an external electronic device (e.g., the external electronic device (102, 104, 108) of FIG. 1). In some embodiments, the connector port (229) may perform the function of transmitting and receiving audio signals with the external electronic device, or may further include a separate connector port (e.g., an earphone jack hole) for performing the function of transmitting and receiving audio signals. The connector port (229) may include the connection terminal (178) disclosed in FIG. 1.

[0085] According to various embodiments, at least one camera module (216a, 225) among the camera modules (216a, 216b, 225), at least one sensor module (217a, 226) among the sensor modules (217a, 217b, 226), and / or an indicator may be positioned to be visually exposed through at least one display (230, 300). For example, at least one camera module (216a, 225), at least one sensor module (217a, 226), and / or an indicator may be positioned in the internal space of at least one housing (210, 220), below the display area of ​​at least one display (230, 300), and may be positioned to come into contact with the external environment through an opening or transparent area perforated to a cover member (e.g., a window layer (not shown) of the flexible display (230) and / or a second rear cover (250)). According to one embodiment, the area where at least one display (230, 300) and at least one camera module (216a, 225) face each other may be formed as a transparent area having a certain transmittance as part of the area for displaying content. According to one embodiment, the transparent area may be formed to have a transmittance in the range of about 5% to about 20%. The transparent area may include an area that overlaps with the effective area (e.g., field of view area) of at least one camera module (216a, 225) through which light passes to form an image by an image sensor to generate an image. For example, the transparent area of ​​at least one display (230, 300) may include an area with a lower pixel density than the surrounding area. For example, the transparent area may replace an opening. For example, at least one camera module (216a, 225) may include an under display camera (UDC) or an under panel camera (UPC).In one embodiment, some camera modules or sensor modules (217a, 226) may be positioned to perform their functions without being visually exposed through a display. For example, the area facing the camera module (216a, 225) and / or sensor module (217a, 226) positioned below at least one display (230, 300) (e.g., a display panel) may be an under-display camera (UDC) structure, so a perforated opening may be unnecessary.

[0086] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an exploded perspective view of an electronic device (200) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0087] Referring to FIG. 4, the electronic device (200) may include a flexible display (230) (e.g., a first display), a sub-display (300) (e.g., a second display), a hinge plate (320) (e.g., a hinge module, a hinge device, a hinge assembly), a pair of support members (e.g., a first support member (261), a second support member (262)), at least one substrate (270) (e.g., a printed circuit board), a first housing (210), a second housing (220), a first rear cover (240), and / or a second rear cover (250).

[0088] According to various embodiments, the flexible display (230) may include a display panel (430) (e.g., a flexible display panel), a support plate (450) disposed on the lower part of the display panel (430) (e.g., in the -z-axis direction), and a pair of metal plates (461, 462) disposed on the lower part of the support plate (450) (e.g., in the -z-axis direction).

[0089] According to various embodiments, the display panel (430) may include a first panel area (430a) corresponding to a first area of ​​the flexible display (230) (e.g., the first area (230a) of FIG. 2a), a second panel area (430b) extending from the first panel area (430a) and corresponding to a second area of ​​the flexible display (230) (e.g., the second area (230b) of FIG. 2a), and a third panel area (430c) connecting the first panel area (430a) and the second panel area (430b) and corresponding to a folding area of ​​the flexible display (230) (e.g., the folding area (230c) of FIG. 2a).

[0090] According to various embodiments, a support plate (450) may be positioned between a display panel (430) and a pair of support members (261, 262). The support plate (450) may be formed to have a material and shape to provide a planar support structure for a first panel area (430a) and a second panel area (430b), and a bendable structure to aid in flexibility for a third panel area (430c). According to one embodiment, the support plate (450) may be formed of a conductive material (e.g., metal) or a non-conductive material (e.g., polymer or FRP (fiber reinforced plastics)). According to one embodiment, a pair of metal plates (461, 462) may include a first metal plate (461) positioned to correspond to at least a portion of a first panel area (430a) and a third panel area (430c) between a support plate (450) and a pair of support members (261, 262), and a second metal plate (462) positioned to correspond to at least a portion of a second panel area (430b) and a third panel area (430c). According to one embodiment, the pair of metal plates (461, 462) may be formed of a metal material (e.g., stainless steel (SUS)) to help with ground connection structures and rigidity reinforcement for a flexible display (230).

[0091] According to various embodiments, the sub-display (300) may be placed in the space between the second housing (220) and the second rear cover (250). According to one embodiment, the sub-display (300) may be placed in the space between the second housing (220) and the second rear cover (250) so as to be visually visible from the outside through substantially the entire surface area of ​​the second rear cover (250).

[0092] According to various embodiments, at least a portion of the first support member (261) may be foldably coupled to the second support member (262) via a hinge plate (320) (e.g., a hinge module). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (200) may include at least one conductive connecting member (263) (e.g., a flexible printed circuit board) disposed from at least a portion of the first support member (261) across the hinge plate (320) to a portion of the second support member (262). According to one embodiment, the first support member (261) may be disposed in such a manner that it extends from the first side member (213) or is structurally coupled to the first side member (213). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (200) may include a first space (e.g., the first space (2101) of FIG. 2a) provided through the first support member (261) and the first rear cover (240).

[0093] According to various embodiments, the first housing (210) (e.g., the first housing structure) may be formed by combining a first side member (213), a first support member (261), and a first rear cover (240).

[0094] According to one embodiment, the second support member (262) may be arranged in such a way that it extends from the second side member (223) or is structurally coupled to the second side member (223). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (200) may include a second space (e.g., the second space (2201) of FIG. 2a) provided through the second support member (262) and the second rear cover (250).

[0095] According to various embodiments, the second housing (220) (e.g., second housing structure) may be formed by combining a second side member (223), a second support member (262), and a second rear cover (250). According to one embodiment, at least one conductive connecting member (263) and / or at least part of the hinge plate (320) may be positioned to be supported by at least part of a pair of support members (261, 262). According to one embodiment, at least one conductive connecting member (263) may be positioned in a direction (e.g., x-axis direction and -x-axis direction) across the first support member (261) and the second support member (262). According to one embodiment, at least one conductive connecting member (263) may be positioned in a direction (e.g., x-axis direction) substantially perpendicular to the folding axis (e.g., y-axis or folding axis (A) in FIG. 2A).

[0096] According to various embodiments, at least one substrate (270) may include a first substrate (271) (e.g., a first printed circuit board) disposed in a first space (2101) and a second substrate (272) (e.g., a second printed circuit board) disposed in a second space (2201). According to one embodiment, the first substrate (271) and the second substrate (272) may include at least one electronic component disposed to implement various functions of the electronic device (200). According to one embodiment, the first substrate (271) (e.g., a first printed circuit board) and the second substrate (272) (e.g., a second printed circuit board) may be electrically connected through at least one conductive connecting member (263). In one embodiment, a camera module (282) (e.g., the camera module (216a) of FIG. 2a) may be disposed on the first substrate (271).

[0097] According to various embodiments, the electronic device (200) may include at least one battery (291, 292). According to one embodiment, the at least one battery (291, 292) may include a first battery (291) disposed in a first space (2101) of a first housing (210) and electrically connected to a first substrate (271), and a second battery (292) disposed in a second space (2201) of a second housing (220) and electrically connected to a second substrate (272). According to one embodiment, the first support member (261) and the second support member (262) may further include at least one swelling hole for the first battery (291) and the second battery (292).

[0098] According to various embodiments, the first housing (210) may include a first rotational support surface (214). The second housing (220) may include a second rotational support surface (224). According to one embodiment, the first rotational support surface (214) and the second rotational support surface (224) may include a curved surface corresponding to the curved outer surface of the hinge cover (310). According to one embodiment, the first rotational support surface (214) and the second rotational support surface (224) may cover the hinge cover (310) when the electronic device (200) is in an unfolded state, thereby preventing the hinge cover (310) from being exposed to the rear of the electronic device (200) or exposing only a portion of it. According to one embodiment, the first rotational support surface (214) and the second rotational support surface (224) rotate along the outer surface of the hinge cover (310) when the electronic device (200) is in a folded state, thereby allowing the hinge cover (310) to be visually exposed to at least a portion of the rear of the electronic device (200).

[0099] According to various embodiments, the electronic device (200) may include at least one antenna (276) (e.g., an antenna module) disposed in the first space (2101). According to one embodiment, at least one antenna (276) may be disposed in the first space (2101) between the first battery (291) and the first rear cover (240). According to one embodiment, at least one antenna (276) may include, for example, a near field communication (NFC) antenna, a wireless charging antenna, an ultra wide band (UWB) antenna, and / or a magnetic secure transmission (MST) antenna. According to one embodiment, at least one antenna (276) may, for example, communicate near-field with an external device or wirelessly transmit and receive power required for charging. According to various embodiments, at least one antenna (276) (e.g., antenna module) is not limited to the example described above and may include various other antennas (e.g., mmWave antennas) as long as they can perform wireless communication with other electronic devices (e.g., electronic devices (102 and / or 104) of FIG. 1). For example, an antenna structure may be formed by at least a part of the first side member (213) or the second side member (223) and / or a part of the first support member (261) and the second support member (262) or a combination thereof.

[0100] According to various embodiments, the electronic device (200) may further include at least one electronic component assembly (274, 275) and / or additional support members (273, 277) disposed in the first space (2101) and / or the second space (2201). For example, at least one electronic component assembly (274, 275) may include an interface connector port assembly (274) or a speaker assembly (275). For example, the additional support member (273) may include a speaker assembly (273).

[0101] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (200) has a foldable type appearance as described in FIGS. 1 to 4 and the embodiments disclosed below, but is not limited thereto. For example, the electronic device (200) may be part of a bar type (or plate type) electronic device, a slideable electronic device, a stretchable electronic device, and / or a rollable electronic device. The terms “sliderable electronic device,” “stretchable electronic device,” and / or “rollable electronic device” may refer to an electronic device in which a display (e.g., the flexible display (230) of FIG. 2a) can be wound or rolled, at least partially expanded, and / or housed inside a housing (e.g., the housing of FIG. 2a through 4 (e.g., the first housing (210) and / or the second housing (220)). The slideable electronic device, the stretchable electronic device, and / or the rollable electronic device may be used to expand the screen display area by unfolding the flexible display (230) or by visually exposing a larger area of ​​the flexible display (230) to the outside, depending on the user's needs.

[0102] FIG. 5a is a front perspective view of a multi-foldable electronic device (500) in an unfolded state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5b is a rear perspective view of a multi-foldable electronic device (500) in an unfolded state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5c is a drawing showing one side of a multi-foldable electronic device (500) in a folded state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0103] The multi-foldable electronic device (500) of FIGS. 5a, 5b, and 5c may be at least partially similar to the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1 or the electronic device (200) of FIGS. 2a to 4, or may further include various embodiments of the multi-foldable electronic device.

[0104] Referring to FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C, a multi-foldable electronic device (500) (e.g., a portable communication device or an electronic device) may include a first housing (510), a second housing (520) rotatably connected to the first housing (510) with respect to a first folding axis (F1) via a first hinge assembly (not shown) in the direction of one side (e.g., right) of the first housing (510) (e.g., x-axis direction), and a third housing (530) (e.g., a third housing part) rotatably connected to the first housing (510) with respect to a second folding axis (F2) via a second hinge assembly (not shown) in the direction of the other side (e.g., left) of the first housing (510) (e.g., -x-axis direction). In one embodiment, the first hinge assembly includes a first hinge housing (566) that accommodates at least one first hinge module (e.g., a first hinge device or a first hinge module) connecting the first housing (510) and the second housing (520), and the second hinge assembly may include a second hinge housing (567) that accommodates at least one second hinge module (e.g., a second hinge device or a second hinge module) connecting the first housing (510) and the third housing (530). In one embodiment, the size of at least one first hinge module (e.g., narrow hinge module) of a first hinge assembly connecting the first housing (510) and the second housing (520) may be smaller than the size of at least one second hinge module (e.g., wide hinge module) of a second hinge assembly connecting the first housing (510) and the third housing (530) and folding the flexible display (540) in a folded state. Through this configuration, the second hinge housing (567) may have a first receiving width (W1), and the first hinge housing (566) may have a second receiving width (W2) that is smaller than the first receiving width (W1).In one embodiment, the multi-foldable electronic device (500) may include a flexible display (540) (e.g., a first display) positioned to be supported by a first housing (510), a second housing (520), and a third housing (530). In one embodiment, the multi-foldable electronic device (500) may include a sub-display (550) (e.g., a second display) positioned through the third housing (530). In this document, the surface on which the flexible display (540) is positioned may be defined as the front of the multi-foldable electronic device (500), and the surface opposite to the front may be defined as the rear of the multi-foldable electronic device (500). In one embodiment, the surface surrounding the space between the front and the rear may be defined as the side of the multi-foldable electronic device (500).

[0105] According to various embodiments, the first housing (510) may include a first surface (511), a second surface (512) facing in the opposite direction to the first surface (511), and a first side member (513) surrounding a first space between the first surface (511) and the second surface (512). In one embodiment, at least a portion of the first side member (513) may form at least a portion of the side of the multi-foldable electronic device (500). In one embodiment, the first side member (513) may include a first side (5131) and a second side (5132) positioned opposite to the first side (5131). In one embodiment, the first housing (510) may include a first rear cover (514) coupled to the first side member (513). In one embodiment, the first space may be formed through a first rear cover (514) coupled with a first side member (513) on a second side (512) of the first housing (510).

[0106] According to various embodiments, the second housing (520) may include a third side (521), a fourth side (522) facing in the opposite direction to the third side (521), and a second side member (523) surrounding a second space between the third side (521) and the fourth side (522). In one embodiment, at least a portion of the second side member (523) may form at least a portion of the side of the multi-foldable electronic device (500). In one embodiment, the second side member (523) may include a third side (5231), a fourth side (5232) extending in a direction perpendicular from the third side (5231), and a fifth side (5233) extending from the fourth side (5232) and parallel to the third side (5231). In one embodiment, the second housing (520) may include a second rear cover (524) coupled to the second side member (523). In one embodiment, the second space may be formed through a second rear cover (524) combined with a second side member (523) on the fourth side (522).

[0107] According to various embodiments, the third housing (530) may include a fifth face (531), a sixth face (532) facing in the opposite direction to the fifth face (531), and a third side member (533) surrounding a third space between the fifth face (531) and the sixth face (532). In one embodiment, at least a portion of the third side member (533) may form at least a portion of the side of the multi-foldable electronic device (500). In one embodiment, the third side member (533) may include a sixth side (5331), a seventh side (5332) extending in a direction perpendicular to the sixth side (5331), and an eighth side (5333) extending from the seventh side (5332) and parallel to the sixth side (5331). In one embodiment, the third space may be formed through a third rear cover (534) combined with a third side member (533) at the sixth side (5331).

[0108] According to various embodiments, the multi-foldable electronic device (500) may be configured such that, in an unfolded state (e.g., a first state), the first housing (510), the second housing (520), and the third housing (530) are positioned side by side so that the first surface (511), the third surface (521), and the fifth surface (531) face substantially the same direction. In one embodiment, the multi-foldable electronic device (500) may be configured such that, in a folded state (e.g., a second state), the first housing (510), the second housing (520), and the third housing (530) are positioned in a stacked manner so that the first surface (511) and the third surface (521) face each other, and the fourth surface (522) and the fifth surface (531) face each other. In this case, the second side (512) and the sixth side (532) may be visually visible from the outside, and the third side (521) and the fourth side (522) may be positioned so as not to be visually visible from the outside through the first housing (510) and the third housing (530). In one embodiment, the sub-display (550) may be positioned so as to be visually visible from the outside through at least a portion of the sixth side (532) in the unfolded state and / or folded state.

[0109] According to various embodiments, the multi-foldable electronic device (500) may include a first protective cover (561) (e.g., a first decorative member) and a second protective cover (562) (e.g., a second decorative member) disposed in a first housing (510) and disposed to cover the edges of a flexible display (540). In one embodiment, the first protective cover (561) may be disposed along a first side (5131) in the first housing (510), and the second protective cover (562) may be disposed along a second side (5132). In one embodiment, the edges of the flexible display (540) corresponding to the first housing (510) may be concealed from view from the outside through the first and second protective covers (561, 562). In one embodiment, the multi-foldable electronic device (500) may include a third protective cover (563) (e.g., a third decorative member) disposed in a second housing (520) and positioned to cover the edge of the flexible display (540). In one embodiment, the third protective cover (563) may be positioned along a third side (5231), a fourth side (5232), and a fifth side (5233) in the second housing (520). In one embodiment, the edge of the flexible display (540) corresponding to the second housing (520) may be concealed so as not to be visually seen from the outside through the third protective cover (563). In one embodiment, the multi-foldable electronic device (500) may include a fourth protective cover (564) (e.g., a fourth decorative member) disposed in a third housing (530) and positioned to cover the edge of the flexible display (540). In one embodiment, the fourth protective cover (564) may be positioned along the sixth side (5331), the seventh side (5332), and the eighth side (5333) in the third housing (530).In one embodiment, the edge of the flexible display (540) corresponding to the third housing (530) may be concealed so as not to be visually seen from the outside through the fourth protective cover (564). In some embodiments, at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth protective covers (561, 562, 563, 564) may be omitted.

[0110] According to various embodiments, the multi-foldable electronic device (500) may include a first protective cap (565a) positioned between a first protective cover (561) and a third protective cover (563) and positioned to cover at least a portion of the edge of the flexible display (540), and a second protective cap (565b) positioned between a second protective cover (562) and a third protective cover (563) and positioned to cover at least a portion of the edge of the flexible display (540). In one embodiment, the multi-foldable electronic device (500) may include a third protective cap (565c) positioned between a first protective cover (561) and a fourth protective cover (564) and positioned to cover at least a portion of the edge of the flexible display (540), and a fourth protective cap (565d) positioned between a second protective cover (562) and a fourth protective cover (564) and positioned to cover at least a portion of the edge of the flexible display (540). In one embodiment, at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth protective caps (565a, 565b, 565c, 565d) may be omitted.

[0111] According to various embodiments, the multi-foldable electronic device (500) may include at least one electronic component disposed in at least one of a first housing (510), a second housing (520), and / or a third housing (530). In one embodiment, at least one electronic component may include a flexible display (540) (e.g., first display) disposed through a first housing (510), a second housing (520), and a third housing (530), a sub-display (550) (e.g., second display) disposed in the third housing (530), at least one microphone (571a, 571b) (e.g., input module or input device), at least one speaker (572a, 572c) (e.g., sound output module or sound output device), at least one camera (573a, 573b, 573c) (e.g., camera module or camera device), at least one sensor (574a, 574b, 574c) (e.g., sensor module), at least one key button (575) (e.g., input device or physical key), a connector port (576), and / or a socket device (577). In some embodiments, the multi-foldable electronic device (500) may additionally include at least one other component. In some embodiments, at least one of the components described above may be omitted.

[0112] According to various embodiments, the flexible display (540) may be placed in a receiving space formed by the housings (510, 520, 530). For example, the flexible display (540) may be placed in a recess formed by the housings (510, 520, 530) and may be placed to occupy substantially most of the front surface of the multi-foldable electronic device (500) when unfolded. In one embodiment, the sub-display (550) may be placed in the third housing (530) so as to be visually visible from the outside through the third rear cover (534).

[0113] In various embodiments, at least one microphone (571a, 571b) may include a first microphone (571a) positioned through a first side (5131) of the first housing (510) and a second microphone (571b) positioned through a second side (5132) of the first housing (510). In some embodiments, at least one microphone (571a, 571b) may be positioned on a third side (5231) and / or a fifth side (5233) of the second housing (520). In some embodiments, at least one microphone (571a, 571b) may be positioned on a sixth side (5331) and / or an eighth side (5333) of the third housing (530).

[0114] In various embodiments, at least one speaker (572a, 572c) may include a first speaker (572a) positioned to emit sound through a third side (5231) of a second housing (520), and a second speaker (572c) positioned to emit sound through a sixth side (5331) of a third housing (530). In one embodiment, at least one speaker (572a, 572c) may be symmetrically positioned to implement stereo sound (e.g., stereoscopic sound) in the unfolded or folded state of the multi-foldable electronic device (500).

[0115] According to various embodiments, at least one camera (573a, 573b, 573c) may include a first camera (573a) disposed in a third space of the third housing (530) and disposed through a fifth surface (531) of the third housing (530), a second camera (573b) disposed through a second surface (512) of the first housing (510), and / or a third camera (573c) disposed through a sixth surface (532) of the third housing (530). In one embodiment, at least one camera (573a, 573b, 573c) may include one or more lenses, an image sensor, and / or an image signal processor (e.g., an auxiliary processor (123) of FIG. 1). In some embodiments, at least one camera (573a, 573b, 573c) includes two or more lenses (e.g., wide-angle and / or telephoto lenses) and image sensors, and may be placed together on any one side of any one of the first housing (510), the second housing (520), or the third housing (530).

[0116] According to various embodiments, at least one sensor (574a, 574b, 574c) may generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to an internal operating state or an external environmental state of the multi-foldable electronic device (500). In one embodiment, at least one sensor (574a, 574b, 574c) may include a first sensor (574a) disposed on the fifth side (531) of the third housing (530), a second sensor (574b) disposed on the second side (512) of the first housing (510), and / or a third sensor (574c) disposed on the sixth side (532) of the third housing (530). In some embodiments, at least one sensor (574a, 574b, 574c) may include at least one of a gesture sensor, a grip sensor, a color sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, an ambient light sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an iris recognition sensor, or a distance detection sensor (e.g., a TOF (time of flight) sensor or a LiDAR (light detection and ranging) sensor).

[0117] According to various embodiments, at least one key button (575) may be positioned on the seventh side (5332) of the third housing (530). This can help improve usability by positioning the sixth side (532) so that it faces upward (e.g., +z-axis direction) to use the sub-display (550) when the multi-foldable electronic device (500) is in a folded state, and the at least one key button (575) is positioned on the right side. In some embodiments, at least one key button (575) may be placed on at least one side of the first side (5131) or second side (5132) of the first housing (510), the third side (5231) or fifth side (5233) of the second housing (520), and / or the sixth side (5331) or eighth side (5333) of the third housing (30), so that the multi-foldable electronic device (500) can be used in the unfolded state and / or folded state.

[0118] According to various embodiments, the connector port (576) may be positioned through the first side (5131) of the first housing (510). In one embodiment, the connector port (576) may include a connector structure (e.g., a USB connector or an IF module (interface connector port module)) for transmitting and receiving power and / or data with an external electronic device. In some embodiments, the connector port (576) may be positioned on at least one of the second side (5132) of the first housing (510), the third side (5231), the fourth side (5232), or the fifth side (5233) of the second housing (520), and / or the sixth side (5331), the seventh side (5332), or the eighth side (5333) of the third housing (530), so that the multi-foldable electronic device (500) can be used in an unfolded state and / or a folded state.

[0119] According to various embodiments, the socket device (577) may be positioned on the seventh side (5332) of the third housing (530) so that the multi-foldable electronic device (500) can be used even when folded. In one embodiment, the socket device (577) may include a tray coupled to be retractable from the seventh side (5332) to accommodate a SIM card or an external memory card.

[0120] According to various embodiments, at least one of at least one microphone (571a, 571b), at least one speaker (572a, 572c), at least one key button (575), a connector port (576), or a socket device (577) may be exposed to the external environment through at least one hole (e.g., a through hole) formed in the first housing (510), the second housing (520), and / or the third housing (530).

[0121] According to various embodiments, the multi-foldable electronic device (500) may include a conductive part (533c) which acts as an antenna (A1) through a wireless communication circuit (e.g., the wireless communication module (192) of FIG. 1) and is positioned between a pair of spaced-apart non-conductive parts (533a, 533b) on the eighth side (5333) of the third housing (530). In one embodiment, the multi-foldable electronic device (500) may include a conductive pattern (not shown) positioned between the third side member (533) and the third rear cover (534). In one embodiment, the conductive pattern may be positioned on at least a portion of the inner surface of the third rear cover (534), the third side member (533), or the edge of the sub-display (550) as described above, and at least one point may be electrically connected to the conductive part (533c) to help improve the radiation performance of the antenna (A1).

[0122] FIG. 6 is an unfolded perspective view of a camera module (600) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0123] Referring to FIG. 6, the camera module (600) may include a substrate (610), an image sensor (620), a filter (630), a housing (640), and / or a lens assembly (650). The configuration of the camera module (600) described above is an example, and at least one of the configurations described above may be omitted or at least one configuration may be added to the camera module (600).

[0124] In one embodiment, a camera module (600) is positioned on the front and / or rear of, for example, the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1 (or the electronic device (200) of FIG. 2a to 4, or the multi-foldable electronic device (500) of FIG. 5a to 5c), and can acquire an image of an object (e.g., a subject) on the front and / or rear of the electronic device (101). The camera module (600) may include, for example, the camera module (180) of FIG. 1, the camera modules (216a, 216b, 225) of FIG. 2a to 4, and / or the camera modules (573a, 573b, 573c) of FIG. 5a to 5c.

[0125] In one embodiment, the substrate (610) may be electrically connected to an image sensor (620). The substrate (610) may be configured to process an image signal output from the image sensor (620) into a digital signal.

[0126] In one embodiment, various electronic components required for driving and operating the camera module (600), such as IC chips and / or capacitors (e.g., memory (e.g., memory (130) of FIG. 1) and image signal processors (e.g., auxiliary processor (123) of FIG. 1), may be disposed on one side of the substrate (610). For example, the electronic components may be disposed around the edge of the substrate (610). The substrate (610) may include at least one of a printed circuit board (PCB), a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB), or a rigid flexible printed circuit board (RFPCB). According to one embodiment, the substrate (610) may include a connector (615) that extends a predetermined length from one side. The connector (615) may be electrically connected to the substrate (610).

[0127] In one embodiment, the camera module (600) may be placed on a support substrate (e.g., the support substrate (605) of FIG. 8). The support substrate (605) may support the camera module (600). When the camera module (600) is placed on the support substrate (605), the structural rigidity of the camera module (600) is reinforced, thereby minimizing bending of the substrate (610), image sensor (620), and / or filter (630). In one embodiment, the support substrate (605) may be made of a material that is strong in resisting external forces. For example, the support substrate (605) may include a metal substrate made of metal (e.g., stainless steel (SUS), aluminum, copper).

[0128] In one embodiment, when a camera module (600) is placed on a support substrate (605), the substrate (610) of the camera module (600) may be positioned on the upper part (e.g., in the z-axis direction) of the support substrate (605). In one embodiment, the internal region (e.g., the central region) of the substrate (610) may be open. Accordingly, when a camera module (600) is placed on a support substrate (605), the image sensor (620) of the camera module (600) may also be positioned on the upper part (e.g., in the z-axis direction) of the support substrate (605). For example, the image sensor (620) may be accommodated in the open region of the substrate (610). As another example, the substrate (610) and the image sensor (620) may be positioned substantially parallel to each other on the support substrate (605). However, this is not limited thereto. For example, the substrate (610) may be placed on the support substrate (605), and the image sensor (620) may be placed on the substrate (610).

[0129] In one embodiment, the image sensor (620) may be electrically connected to the substrate (610) by bonding (e.g., wire bonding, flip chip bonding, and / or ultrasonic bonding). The image sensor (620) may convert light incident through a lens provided in the lens assembly (650) into an electrical signal.

[0130] In one embodiment, the image sensor (620) can detect information about an object (e.g., a subject) located on the front and / or rear of the electronic device (101) and convert it into an electrical image signal. The image sensor (620) may include a CCD (charge coupled device) or a CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor). A cavity (not shown) may be formed between the image sensor (620) and a lens provided in the lens assembly (650) to allow light to pass through. The image sensor (620) may be driven under the control of, for example, an image signal processor (e.g., an auxiliary processor (123) of FIG. 1).

[0131] In one embodiment, the filter (630) may be positioned above the image sensor (620) (e.g., in the z-axis direction). For example, the filter (630) may be positioned between the image sensor (620) and the lens assembly (650). The filter (630) may include an infrared ray filter. The filter (630) may block a portion of the light incident through the lens provided in the lens assembly (650) of the camera module (600). The filter (630) may be a filter that blocks infrared rays. The filter (630) may be an infrared transmission filter that transmits only infrared rays. If the filter (630) is an infrared transmission filter, it may be utilized for user iris recognition.

[0132] In one embodiment, the lens assembly (650) can collect light emitted from a subject that is the target of image capture. The lens assembly (650) may be configured in a cylindrical shape. The lens assembly (650) may include a lens (not shown). The lens assembly (650) may be accommodated on the upper part of the housing (640).

[0133] In one embodiment, the housing (640) may accommodate a lens assembly (650) at the top. The housing (640) may accommodate an image sensor (620) and / or a filter (630) at the bottom. For example, the top of the housing (640) may be configured in a circular shape (e.g., the shape of the lens assembly (650)), and the bottom of the housing (640) may be configured in a rectangular shape (e.g., the shape of the image sensor (620) and / or the filter (630)). However, it is not limited thereto.

[0134] FIG. 7 is a view of the housing (640) of a camera module (600) from one direction according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the camera module (600) shown along line A-A' of FIG. 7 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0135] Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the camera module (600) may include a substrate (610), an image sensor (620), a filter (630), a housing (640), and / or a lens assembly (650). The camera module (600) may be placed on a support substrate (605) (e.g., a metal substrate).

[0136] In one embodiment, the housing (640) of the camera module (600) may be configured to accommodate a lens assembly (650) in the upper part (e.g., z-axis direction) and an image sensor (620) and / or a filter (630) in the lower part (e.g., -z-axis direction). For example, the upper part of the housing (640) may be configured in a circular shape, and the lower part of the housing (640) may be configured in a rectangular shape. However, it is not limited thereto.

[0137] In one embodiment, at least a portion (6401, 6403) of the housing (640) may be formed to extend from one side (640a) of the housing (640) (e.g., the side facing the -z axis) in a specific direction (e.g., the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., the -z axis direction)).

[0138] In one embodiment, the outer region (6401) of the housing (640) may extend from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction). The outer region (6401) of the housing (640), formed to extend from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction), may be in contact with one side (610a) of the substrate (610) (e.g., the side facing the z-axis) by a contact member. In one embodiment, the outer region (6401) of the housing (640) extends from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is positioned (e.g., in the -z-axis direction), and by contacting one side (610a) of the substrate (610) by a contact member, foreign matter can be prevented from penetrating into the camera module (600).

[0139] In one embodiment, at least a portion (6403) of the internal region, excluding the outer region (6401) of the housing (640), may extend from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction). At least a portion (6403) of the internal region of the housing (640), formed to extend from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction), may be spaced apart from one side (610a) of the substrate (610). For example, at least a portion (6403) of the internal region of the housing (640), formed to extend from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction), may be spaced apart from one side (610a) of the substrate (610) by a certain distance. According to one embodiment, the fixed interval may include about 0.1 mm. However, it is not limited thereto. In one embodiment, active alignment may be enabled as at least a portion (6403) of the internal area of ​​the housing (640) is spaced apart from one surface (610a) of the substrate (610) at a fixed interval. For example, active alignment may refer to the operation of aligning the optical axis of the image sensor (620) and the lens assembly (650) (e.g., the center axis of the image sensor (620)) to acquire an image.

[0140] In one embodiment, although not illustrated, electronic components necessary for driving and operating the camera module (600) (e.g., IC chips and / or capacitors such as memory (e.g., memory (130) of FIG. 1) and image signal processor (e.g., auxiliary processor (123) of FIG. 1)) may be mounted on one side (610a) of the substrate (610). For example, the electronic components may be mounted on one side (610a) of the substrate (610) in the space between the outer region (6401) of the housing (640) formed to extend in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., the -z-axis direction) and at least a portion (6403) of the inner region of the housing (640).

[0141] In one embodiment, although not illustrated, the image sensor (620) may include a plurality of pads for electrically connecting to a substrate (610) disposed in a portion of the outer region (6401) of the image sensor (620). The plurality of pads of the image sensor (620) and the substrate (610) may be electrically connected through bonding (e.g., wire bonding, flip-chip bonding, and / or ultrasonic bonding). At least a portion (6403) of the inner region of the housing (640), formed to extend in the direction in which the substrate (610) is disposed (e.g., the -z-axis direction), may be formed at the outer edge of the image sensor (620) so as not to affect the plurality of pads included in the image sensor (620). For example, when the camera module (600) is viewed from one direction (e.g., -x-axis direction), the length (810) between at least a portion (6403) of the internal area of ​​the housing (640) may be greater than the length (820) of the image sensor (620).

[0142] FIG. 9 is a view of the filter (630) and housing (640) of a camera module (600) from one direction, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0143] Referring to FIG. 9, the camera module (600) may include a substrate (e.g., substrate (610) of FIG. 6), an image sensor (e.g., image sensor (620) of FIG. 6), a filter (630), a housing (640), and / or a lens assembly (e.g., lens assembly (650) of FIG. 6).

[0144] In one embodiment, the housing (640) of the camera module (600) may be configured to accommodate a lens assembly (650) at the top and an image sensor (620) and / or a filter (630) at the bottom.

[0145] In one embodiment, at least a portion of the housing (640) may be formed to extend from one side of the housing (640) (e.g., one side (640a) of FIG. 8) (e.g., the side facing the -z axis) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., the -z axis direction).

[0146] In one embodiment, the outer region (910) of the housing (640) may extend from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction). The outer region (910) of the housing (640), formed to extend from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction), may be contacted by a contact member with one side of the substrate (610) (e.g., one side (610a) of FIG. 8) (e.g., the side facing the z-axis).

[0147] In one embodiment, at least a portion (920) of the inner region excluding the outer region (910) of the housing (640) may extend from one surface (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction). At least a portion (920) of the inner region of the housing (640) formed to extend from one surface (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction) may be formed at a certain distance from one surface (610a) of the substrate (610). The certain distance according to one embodiment may include about 0.1 mm. However, it is not limited thereto.

[0148] In one embodiment, the housing (640) of the camera module (600) may include a guide shape for guiding the placement of the filter (630). For example, the guide shape may be formed on one side of the housing (640) where the filter (630) is placed (e.g., a side facing the -z axis). In one embodiment, the guide shape may be formed to correspond to the shape of the filter (630) to guide the placement of the filter (630). For example, the guide shape may have a shape that surrounds at least a portion of the filter (630) (e.g., a shape that surrounds the corner area of ​​the filter (630)) to guide the placement of the filter (630).

[0149] In one embodiment, the guide shape may be formed at a specified distance from an image sensor (620) (or a pad included in the image sensor (620) (e.g., a pad for electrically connecting to the substrate (610)) positioned below the filter (630) (e.g., in the -z-axis direction). The specified distance according to one embodiment may include about 0.05 mm. However, it is not limited thereto.

[0150] A guide shape for guiding the placement of a filter (630) according to one embodiment may include a first guide shape (6301), a second guide shape (6303), a third guide shape (6305), and / or a fourth guide shape (6307). However, it is not limited thereto.

[0151] In one embodiment, at least a portion (920) of the inner region, excluding the outer region (910) of the housing (640) of the camera module (600), may be formed to extend from the guide shape (6301, 6303, 6305, 6307) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction). For example, a first region (9201) of the inner region of the camera module (600) may be formed to extend from the first guide shape (6301) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction). A second region (9203) of the inner region of the camera module (600) may be formed to extend from the second guide shape (6303) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction). A third region (9205) of the internal area of ​​the camera module (600) may be formed to extend from the third guide shape (6305) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is positioned (e.g., in the -z-axis direction). A fourth region (9207) of the internal area of ​​the camera module (600) may be formed to extend from the fourth guide shape (6307) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is positioned (e.g., in the -z-axis direction).

[0152] In one embodiment, the first region (9201), second region (9203), third region (9205), and fourth region (9207) extending from each of the first guide shape (6301), second guide shape (6303), third guide shape (6305), and fourth guide shape (6307) may be formed at a certain distance (e.g., about 0.1 mm) from one surface (610a) of the substrate (610).

[0153] FIG. 10 is a view of the filter (630) and housing (640) of a camera module (600) from one direction, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0154] Figure 10 <1010> and <1050> Referring to the above, the camera module (600) may include a substrate (e.g., substrate (610) of FIG. 6), an image sensor (e.g., image sensor (620) of FIG. 6), a filter (630), a housing (640), and / or a lens assembly (e.g., lens assembly (650) of FIG. 6).

[0155] In one embodiment, the housing (640) of the camera module (600) may be configured to accommodate a lens assembly (650) at the top and an image sensor (620) and / or a filter (630) at the bottom.

[0156] In one embodiment, at least a portion of the housing (640) may be formed to extend from one side of the housing (640) (e.g., one side (640a) of FIG. 8) (e.g., the side facing the -z axis) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., the -z axis direction).

[0157] In one embodiment, the outer region (1060) of the housing (640) may extend from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction). The outer region (1060) of the housing (640), formed to extend from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction), may be contacted by a contact member with one side of the substrate (610) (e.g., one side (610a) of FIG. 8) (e.g., the side facing the z-axis).

[0158] In one embodiment, at least a portion (1070) of the inner region excluding the outer region (1060) of the housing (640) may extend from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction). At least a portion (1070) of the inner region of the housing (640) formed to extend from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction) may be formed at a certain distance (e.g., about 0.1 mm) from one side (610a) of the substrate (610).

[0159] In one embodiment, at least a portion (1070) of the internal region of the housing (640) may be formed to surround at least a portion of the filter (630). For example, at least a portion (1070) of the internal region of the housing (640) may be formed to extend from at least a portion of the outer region (1060) in the direction in which the filter (630) is positioned.

[0160] At least a portion (1070) of the inner region excluding the outer region (1060) of the housing (640) of the camera module (600) according to one embodiment may include a first region (10701), a second region (10703), a third region (10705), a fourth region (10707), and a fifth region (10709). However, it is not limited thereto.

[0161] In one embodiment, a first region (10701) of the internal area of ​​the camera module (600) may be formed to extend from a first part of the outer area (1060) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the filter (630) is placed (e.g., in the y-axis direction). A second region (10703) of the internal area of ​​the camera module (600) may be formed to extend from a second part of the outer area (1060) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the filter (630) is placed (e.g., in the y-axis direction). A third region (10705) of the internal area of ​​the camera module (600) may be formed to extend from a third part of the outer area (1060) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the filter (630) is placed (e.g., in the -x-axis direction). A fourth region (10701) of the internal area of ​​the camera module (600) may be formed to extend from a fourth part of the outer area (1060) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the filter (630) is placed (e.g., in the -y-axis direction). A fifth region (10709) of the internal area of ​​the camera module (600) may be formed to extend from a fifth part of the outer area (1060) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the filter (630) is placed (e.g., in the -y-axis direction).

[0162] In one embodiment, the thickness (or width) of the first region (10701), second region (10703), third region (10705), fourth region (10707), and fifth region (10709) of the internal region of the camera module (600) may be the same or different.

[0163] In one embodiment, the first region (10701), second region (10703), third region (10705), and fourth region (10707) of the internal region of the camera module (600) may be formed symmetrically with respect to a specific axis (e.g., D). Not limited thereto, the first region (10701), second region (10703), third region (10705), and fourth region (10707) of the internal region of the camera module (600) may be formed asymmetrically with respect to a specific axis (e.g., D). In one embodiment, the first region (10701), second region (10703), third region (10705), fourth region (10707), and fifth region (10709) may be formed asymmetrically.

[0164] In one embodiment, the outer region (1060) of the housing (640) may include a first side (10601), a second side (10602) extending in a direction perpendicular from the first side (10601) (e.g., in the y-axis direction), a third side (10603) extending in a direction perpendicular from the second side (10602) (e.g., in the x-axis direction), and a fourth side (10604) extending from the third side (10603) and substantially parallel to the second side (10602).

[0165] In one embodiment, the first region (10701) and the second region (10703) of the inner region of the camera module (600) may be formed to extend from the first side (10601) of the outer region (1060) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the filter (630) is placed (e.g., the y-axis direction). In one embodiment, the third region (10705) of the inner region of the camera module (600) may be formed to extend from the fourth side (10604) of the outer region (1060) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the filter (630) is placed (e.g., the -x-axis direction). In one embodiment, the fourth region (10707) and the fifth region (10709) of the inner region of the camera module (600) may be formed to extend from the third side (10603) of the outer region (1060) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the filter (630) is positioned (e.g., -y-axis direction).

[0166] In FIG. 10 according to one embodiment, it has been described that two regions of the internal area of ​​the camera module (600) are formed to extend from the first side (10601) and the third side (10603), respectively, of the outer area (1060) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the filter (630) is placed, but this is not limited thereto. For example, one region or more than two regions of the internal area of ​​the camera module (600) may be formed to extend from the first side (10601) and the third side (10603), respectively, of the outer area (1060) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the filter (630) is placed. Additionally, it has been described that the third region (10705) of the internal area of ​​the camera module (600) is formed to extend from the fourth side (10604) of the outer area (1060) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the filter (630) is placed, but this is not limited thereto. For example, areas exceeding one of the internal areas of the camera module (600) may be formed to extend from the fourth side (10604) of the outer area (1060) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the filter (630) is placed.

[0167] In one embodiment, the first region (10701), second region (10703), third region (10705), fourth region (10707), and fifth region (10709) of the internal region of the housing (640) of the camera module (600) may be formed at a certain distance (e.g., about 0.1 mm) from one surface (610a) of the substrate (610).

[0168] In one embodiment, when a camera module (600) is placed on the front of an electronic device (101, 200, 500), the thickness of the camera module (600) may be smaller than the thickness of the electronic device (101, 200, 500). In the case of a foldable electronic device (or multi-foldable electronic device), as seen in FIGS. 2a to 4 (or FIGS. 5a to 5c), since at least two housings of the foldable electronic device (or multi-foldable electronic device) are in an overlapping form, slimming of the camera module (600) may be required.

[0169] As seen in FIGS. 6 to 10 according to various embodiments, in a structure in which the substrate (610) of the camera module (600) and the image sensor (620) are arranged substantially parallelly on a support substrate (605), at least a portion (6403, 920, 1070) of the internal region of the housing (640) of the camera module (600) extends from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is arranged (e.g., in the -z-axis direction) and can be formed at a certain distance, for example, about 0.1 mm, from one side (610a) of the substrate (610). Accordingly, for structural rigidity, the structural rigidity of the camera module (600) can be further reinforced by not only placing the camera module (600) on the support substrate (605), but also by forming at least a portion (6403, 920, 1070) of the internal area of ​​the housing (640) extending from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction) and spaced apart from one side (610a) of the substrate (610) at a certain distance. For example, reinforcing the structural rigidity of the camera module (600) may mean minimizing deformation (e.g., bending) of the substrate (610), image sensor (620), and / or filter (630) of the camera module (600). At least a portion (6403, 920, 1070) of the internal area of ​​the housing (640) extends from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is positioned (e.g., -z-axis direction) and is spaced apart from one side (610a) of the substrate (610) at a certain distance, so that as the structural rigidity is reinforced, the thickness of the support substrate (605) may be reduced (e.g., reduced to about 0.08t (thickness) (mm). The structure of the camera module (600) described above can contribute to the slimming of the electronic device (101, 200, 500).

[0170] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a camera module (1100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0171] The camera module (1100) illustrated in FIG. 11 according to various embodiments may include a lens assembly (1110) comprising at least two lenses and an AF (auto focus) actuator, compared to the camera module (600) of FIG. 6 described above.

[0172] In describing the camera module (1100) of FIG. 11 below, the same configuration as the camera module (600) of FIG. 6 (e.g., substrate (610), image sensor (620), filter (630), and housing (640)) can be replaced with the description of FIG. 6.

[0173] Referring to FIG. 11, a camera module (1100) is positioned on the front and / or rear of, for example, the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1 (or the electronic device (200) of FIG. 2a to 4, or the multi-foldable electronic device (500) of FIG. 5a to 5c), and can acquire an image of an object (e.g., a subject) on the front and / or rear of the electronic device (101). The camera module (1100) may include, for example, the camera module (180) of FIG. 1, the camera modules (216a, 216b, 225) of FIG. 2a to 4, the camera modules (573a, 573b, 573c) of FIG. 5a to 5c, and / or the camera module (600) of FIG. 6.

[0174] In one embodiment, the camera module (1100) may include a substrate (610), an image sensor (620), a filter (630), a housing (640), an AF actuator, and / or a lens assembly (1110).

[0175] In one embodiment, the substrate (610) may be electrically connected to an image sensor (620). The substrate (610) may be configured to process an image signal output from the image sensor (620) into a digital signal.

[0176] In one embodiment, the image sensor (620) can detect information about an object (e.g., a subject) on the front and / or rear of the electronic device (101) and convert it into an electrical image signal. The image sensor (620) may include a CCD or a CMOS.

[0177] In one embodiment, the lens assembly (1110) may collect light emitted from a subject that is the subject of image capture. The lens assembly (1110) may be configured in a cylindrical shape. The lens assembly (1110) may be moved for autofocus (AF) to automatically adjust the focus of the lens toward the subject. In one embodiment, one of a coil or a magnet (e.g., a magnet) may be connected to the lens assembly (1110), and the other (e.g., a coil) may be connected to a structure placed on a surface facing said one (e.g., a magnet). This is not limited to, but one of a coil or a magnet (e.g., a coil) may be connected to the lens assembly (1110), and the other (e.g., a magnet) may be connected to a structure placed on a surface facing said one (e.g., a coil). The lens assembly (1110) can be moved along the optical axis by the electromagnetic force of the AF actuator (e.g., the AF actuator applies current to the coil, and the lens assembly (1110) is moved along the optical axis by the electromagnetic force between the coil and the magnet).

[0178] In one embodiment, the filter (630) may be positioned above the image sensor (620). The filter (630) may be positioned between the image sensor (620) and the lens assembly (1110). The filter (630) may include an infrared filter. The filter (630) may block a portion of the light incident through the lens provided in the lens assembly (1110) of the camera module (1100).

[0179] In one embodiment, the AF actuator can provide the driving force required for the lens assembly (1110) to move along the optical axis. The camera module (1100) can adjust the focus of the lens as the lens assembly (1110) placed in the housing (640) moves along the optical axis.

[0180] In one embodiment, the AF actuator may be composed of a shield can (1120) and a housing (640) for protecting the internal components of the AF actuator. For example, the form excluding the lens assembly (1110) and the filter (630) may be defined as the AF actuator. Not limited thereto, and although not illustrated, the camera module (1100) may further include an optical image stabilizer (OIS) actuator disposed in the housing (640).

[0181] In one embodiment, the lens assembly (1110) may be moved for an optical image stabilizer (OIS) that corrects shaking occurring in the camera module (1100) when capturing a subject. The camera module (1100) can correct image shaking as the lens assembly (1110) moves by the driving force of an OIS actuator in a direction in which image shaking is offset (e.g., a direction substantially perpendicular to the optical axis).

[0182] In one embodiment, the housing (640) may include an AF housing. The housing (640) may accommodate a lens assembly (1110) at the top. The housing (640) may accommodate an image sensor (620) and / or a filter (630) at the bottom.

[0183] FIG. 12 is a view of the housing (640) of a camera module (1100) from one direction according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the camera module (1100) shown along line B-B' of FIG. 12 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the camera module (1100) shown along line C-C' of FIG. 12 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0184] Referring to FIGS. 12, 13, and 14, the camera module (1100) may include a substrate (610), an image sensor (620), a filter (630), a housing (640), an AF actuator, and / or a lens assembly (1110). The camera module (1100) may be placed on a support substrate (605) (e.g., a metal substrate).

[0185] In FIGS. 6 to 11 according to one embodiment, the substrate (610) and the image sensor (620) are described as being disposed substantially parallel to each other on the support substrate (605), but are not limited thereto. For example, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the substrate (610) may be disposed on the support substrate (605) and the image sensor (620) may be disposed on the substrate (610).

[0186] In one embodiment, the housing (640) of the camera module (1100) may be configured to accommodate a lens assembly (1110) at the top and an image sensor (620) and / or a filter (630) at the bottom.

[0187] In one embodiment, at least a portion (1210, 1220) of the housing (640) may be formed to extend from one side (640a) of the housing (640) (e.g., the side facing the -z axis) in a specific direction (e.g., the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., the -z axis direction).

[0188] In one embodiment, the outer region (1210) of the housing (640) may extend from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction). The outer region (1210) of the housing (640), formed to extend from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction), may be in contact with one side (610a) of the substrate (610) (e.g., the side facing the z-axis) by a contact member. In one embodiment, the outer region (1210) of the housing (640) extends from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is positioned (e.g., in the -z-axis direction), and by contacting one side (610a) of the substrate (610) by a contact member, foreign matter can be prevented from penetrating into the camera module (1100).

[0189] In one embodiment, at least a portion (1220) of the internal region excluding the outer region (1210) of the housing (640) may extend from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction). At least a portion (1220) of the internal region of the housing (640) formed to extend from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction) may be formed at a certain distance (e.g., about 0.1 mm) from one side (610a) of the substrate (610). For example, as at least a portion (1220) of the internal region of the housing (640) is spaced at a certain distance (e.g., about 0.1 mm) from one side (610a) of the substrate (610), active alignment may be enabled.

[0190] In one embodiment, at least a portion (1220) of the internal region of the housing (640) may be formed to surround at least a portion of the filter (630). For example, at least a portion (1220) of the internal region of the housing (640) may be formed to extend from at least a portion of the outer region (1210) in the direction in which the filter (630) is positioned.

[0191] In one embodiment, at least a portion (1220) of the inner region excluding the outer region (1210) of the housing (640) of the camera module (600) may include a first region (12201), a second region (12203), a third region (12205), and a fourth region (12207). The first region (12201) of the inner region of the camera module (1100) may be formed to extend from a first portion of the outer region (1210) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the filter (630) is placed (e.g., the y-axis direction). The second region (12203) of the inner region of the camera module (1100) may be formed to extend from a second portion of the outer region (1210) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the filter (630) is placed (e.g., the y-axis direction). A third region (12205) of the inner region of the camera module (1100) may be formed to extend from a third part of the outer region (1210) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the filter (630) is placed (e.g., in the -y-axis direction). A fourth region (12207) of the inner region of the camera module (1100) may be formed to extend from a fourth part of the outer region (1210) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the filter (630) is placed (e.g., in the -y-axis direction).

[0192] As seen in FIGS. 11 to 14 according to various embodiments, in a structure in which a substrate (610) of a camera module (600) is placed on a support substrate (605) and an image sensor (620) is placed on the substrate (610), at least a portion (1220) of the internal region of the housing (640) of the camera module (600) extends from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction) and can be formed at a certain distance, for example, about 0.1 mm, from one side (610a) of the substrate (610). Accordingly, as the camera module (600) is placed on the support substrate (605), at least a portion (1220) of the internal area of ​​the housing (640) is formed to extend from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction) and is spaced apart from one side (610a) of the substrate (610) at a certain distance, deformation (e.g., bending) of the substrate (610), image sensor (620), and / or filter (630) of the camera module (600) can be minimized. At least a portion (1220) of the internal area of ​​the housing (640) extends from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is positioned (e.g., -z-axis direction) and is spaced apart from one side (610a) of the substrate (610) at a certain distance, so that as the structural rigidity is reinforced, the thickness of the support substrate (605) may be reduced (e.g., reduced to about 0.08t). The structure of the camera module (600) described above can contribute to the slimming of the electronic device (101, 200, 500).

[0193] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of a camera module (1100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0194] Referring to FIG. 15, the camera module (1100) may include a substrate (610), an image sensor (620), a filter (630), a housing (640), an AF actuator, and / or a lens assembly (1110). The camera module (1100) may be placed on a support substrate (605) (e.g., a metal substrate).

[0195] In one embodiment, the outer region (1210) of the housing (640) may extend from one side of the housing (640) (e.g., one side (640a) of the housing (640) in FIG. 8) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction). The outer region (1210) of the housing (640) formed to extend from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction) may be contacted by a contact member with one side of the substrate (610) (e.g., one side (610a) of the substrate (610) in FIG. 8) (e.g., the side facing the z-axis).

[0196] In FIGS. 11 to 14 according to various embodiments, at least a portion (1220) of the inner region excluding the outer region (1210) of the housing (640) of the camera module (1100) is described as being formed so as to be extended from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction), and spaced apart from one side (610a) of the substrate (610) by a certain distance (e.g., about 0.1 mm), but is not limited thereto. For example, the substrate (610) may include an opening (6103). In one embodiment, at least a portion (1510) of the inner region excluding the outer region (1210) of the housing (640) may be extended through the opening (6103) in the direction in which the supporting substrate (605) (e.g., a metal substrate) is placed. In this case, when viewed from one side, at least a portion of the internal area of ​​the housing (640) and the substrate (610) may be in a form where at least a portion of the internal area of ​​the housing (640) and the substrate (610) overlap at least partially.

[0197] FIG. 16 is a drawing for explaining the amount of deformation of the support substrate (605) when the camera module according to a comparative example is pressed. FIG. 17 is a drawing for explaining the amount of deformation of the support substrate (605) when the camera module (600, 1100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is pressed.

[0198] Fig. 16 <1610> Referring to the example, at least a portion (1615) of the internal region of the housing (640) of the camera module according to the comparative example may not extend in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., the -z-axis direction). In this case, when the camera module is pressed by an external impact, FIG. 16 <1630> As illustrated in FIG. 16, bending (1635) of the support substrate (605) may occur. <1650> This is a drawing showing the degree of bending (1635) of the support substrate (605), and it can be seen that bending (1635) occurs in an area having a first length (1670) with respect to the central axis (1655).

[0199] Figure 17 <1710> Referring to [the image], at least a portion (6403, 920, 1070, 1220) of the internal region of the housing (640) of the camera module (600, 1100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be formed to extend in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., the -z-axis direction). In this case, when the camera module (600, 1100) is pressed by an external impact, [the image] of FIG. 17 <1730> As illustrated in FIG. 17, bending (1735) of the support substrate (605) may occur. <1750> This is a drawing showing the degree of bending (1735) of the support substrate (605), and it can be seen that bending (1755) occurs in an area having a second length (1770) with respect to the central axis (1755).

[0200] In the camera module (600, 1100) illustrated in FIG. 17 according to the present disclosure, compared with the camera module according to the comparative example illustrated in FIG. 16, at least a portion (6403, 920, 1070, 1220) of the internal region of the housing (640) is formed to extend in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., the -z-axis direction), so that bending of the support substrate (605) occurs in a region having a second length (1770) shorter than the first length (1670). In other words, compared to the camera module according to the comparative example, the camera module (600, 1100) according to the present disclosure may have a smaller degree of bending of the support substrate (605) when pressed by an external impact.

[0201] As at least a portion (6403) of the internal region of the housing (640) of the camera module (600, 1100) according to the present disclosure is formed to extend in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction), the structural rigidity of the camera module (1100) is reinforced, thereby minimizing bending of the substrate (610), image sensor (620), and / or filter (630). As at least a portion (6403) of the internal region of the housing (640) of the camera module (600, 1100) is formed to extend in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed (e.g., in the -z-axis direction), the structural rigidity of the camera module (1100) is reinforced, so that the thickness of the support substrate (605) can also be reduced (e.g., reduced to about 0.08t).

[0202] A camera module (600) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a substrate (610), an image sensor (620), a housing (640) that accommodates the image sensor (620), and a lens assembly (650) that is accommodated on the upper part of the housing (640) and includes a lens. An outer region of the housing (640) according to one embodiment may extend from one surface (640a) of the housing (640) in a direction in which the substrate (610) is placed, and may be in contact with one surface (610a) of the substrate (610) by a contact member. At least a portion of the inner region excluding the outer region of the housing (640) according to one embodiment may be formed to extend from one surface (640a) of the housing (640) in a direction in which the substrate (610) is placed.

[0203] At least a portion of the internal region of the housing (640) of the camera module (600) according to one embodiment may be formed at a certain distance from one surface (610a) of the substrate (610). At least a portion of the internal region of the housing (640) of the camera module (600) according to one embodiment may be a region spaced apart from at least a portion of the outer region of the housing (640).

[0204] At least a portion of the internal region of the housing (640) of the camera module (600) according to one embodiment may be an area extending from at least a portion of the outer region.

[0205] When a camera module (600) according to one embodiment is viewed from below, at least a portion of the internal area of ​​the housing (640) of the camera module (600) may be formed to surround at least a portion of the image sensor (620).

[0206] A camera module (600) according to one embodiment may further include a filter (630) disposed between an image sensor (620) and a lens assembly (650).

[0207] When a camera module (600) according to one embodiment is viewed from below, at least a portion of the internal area of ​​the housing (640) of the camera module (600) may be formed to surround at least a portion of the filter (630).

[0208] A housing (640) of a camera module (600) according to one embodiment may include a guide shape for guiding the placement of a filter (630). At least a portion of the internal region of the housing (640) of the camera module (600) according to one embodiment may be a region extending from the guide shape in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed.

[0209] A camera module (600) according to one embodiment may further include a support substrate (605) on which the camera module (600) is placed.

[0210] A substrate (610) of a camera module (600) according to one embodiment may include an opening. At least a portion of the internal region of the housing (640) of the camera module (600) according to one embodiment may be formed to extend in the direction in which the support substrate (605) is positioned through the opening of the substrate (610). When viewing at least a portion of the internal region of the housing (640) of the camera module (600) according to one embodiment and the substrate (610) from one side, at least a portion of the internal region of the housing (640) and the substrate (610) may overlap at least partially.

[0211] A camera module (600) according to one embodiment may include at least one of an AF (auto focus) actuator or an OIS (optical image stabilizer) actuator disposed in a housing (640).

[0212] An electronic device (101, 200, 500) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a camera module (600). A camera module (600) according to one embodiment may include a substrate (610), an image sensor (620), a housing (640) that accommodates the image sensor (620), and a lens assembly (650) that is accommodated on the upper part of the housing (640) and includes a lens. An outer region of the housing (640) of the camera module (600) according to one embodiment may extend from one surface (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed, and may be in contact with one surface (610a) of the substrate (610) by a contact member. At least a portion of the inner region excluding the outer region of the housing (640) of the camera module (600) according to one embodiment may be formed to extend from one surface (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed.

[0213] At least a portion of the internal region of the housing (640) of the camera module (600) included in the electronic device (101, 200, 500) according to one embodiment may be formed at a certain distance from one surface (610a) of the substrate (610). At least a portion of the internal region of the housing (640) of the camera module (600) included in the electronic device (101, 200, 500) according to one embodiment may be a region spaced apart from at least a portion of the outer region of the housing (640).

[0214] At least a portion of the internal region of the housing (640) of the camera module (600) included in the electronic device (101, 200, 500) according to one embodiment may be an area extended from at least a portion of the outer region.

[0215] When a camera module (600) included in an electronic device (101, 200, 500) according to one embodiment is viewed from below, at least a portion of the internal area of ​​the housing (640) of the camera module (600) may be formed to surround at least a portion of the image sensor (620).

[0216] A camera module (600) included in an electronic device (101, 200, 500) according to one embodiment may further include a filter (630) disposed between an image sensor (620) and a lens assembly (650).

[0217] When a camera module (600) included in an electronic device (101, 200, 500) according to one embodiment is viewed from below, at least a portion of the internal area of ​​the housing (640) of the camera module (600) may be formed to surround at least a portion of the filter (630).

[0218] The housing (640) of the camera module (600) included in the electronic device (101, 200, 500) according to one embodiment may include a guide shape for guiding the placement of a filter (630). At least a portion of the internal region of the housing (640) of the camera module (600) included in the electronic device (101, 200, 500) according to one embodiment may be a region extending from the guide shape in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed.

[0219] A camera module (600) included in an electronic device (101, 200, 500) according to one embodiment may further include a support substrate (605) on which the camera module (600) is placed.

[0220] A substrate (610) of a camera module (600) included in an electronic device (101, 200, 500) according to one embodiment may include an opening. At least a portion of the internal region of the housing (640) of the camera module (600) included in the electronic device (101, 200, 500) according to one embodiment may be formed to extend in the direction in which a support substrate (605) is placed through the opening of the substrate (610). When at least a portion of the internal region of the housing (640) of the camera module (600) included in the electronic device (101, 200, 500) according to one embodiment and the substrate (610) are viewed from one side, at least a portion of the internal region of the housing (640) of the camera module (600) and the substrate (610) may overlap at least partially.

[0221] A camera module (600) included in an electronic device (101, 200, 500) according to one embodiment may include at least one of an AF (auto focus) actuator or an OIS (optical image stabilizer) actuator disposed in a housing (640).

[0222] The electronic device according to the various 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.

[0223] The various 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. In this document, phrases such as “A or B,” “at least one of A and B,” “at least one of A or B,” “A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” and “at least one of A, B, or C” each 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 corresponding component and do not limit the components in any other aspect (e.g., importance or order). Where any (e.g., 1st) component is referred to as “coupled” or “connected” to another (e.g., 2nd) component, with or without the terms “functionally” or “communicationly,” it means that said any component may be connected to said other component directly (e.g., via a wire), wirelessly, or through a third component.

[0224] 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. According to one embodiment, a module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0225] Various embodiments of the present document may be implemented as software (e.g., program (140)) comprising one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., internal memory (136) or external memory (138)) readable by a machine (e.g., electronic device (101)). For example, a processor (e.g., processor (120)) of the machine (e.g., electronic device (101)) may call at least one of the one or more instructions stored in the storage medium and execute it. This enables the machine to be operated to perform at least one function according to the at least one called instruction. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code that can be executed by an interpreter. The storage medium readable by the machine may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-temporary' simply means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain a signal (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and the term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently and cases where it is stored temporarily.

[0226] According to one embodiment, the method according to the various embodiments disclosed herein may be provided by being included in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded between a seller and a buyer as a product. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a device-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)) or an application store (e.g., Play Store). TM It can be distributed online (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) through ) or directly between two user devices (e.g., smartphones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be temporarily stored or temporarily created on a device-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a relay server.

[0227] According to various embodiments, 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 various embodiments, 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 multiple components in the same or similar manner as those performed by the corresponding component among the multiple components prior to integration. According to various embodiments, operations performed by the module, program, or other components may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

Claims

1. In the camera module (600), Substrate (610); Image sensor (620); A housing (640) for housing the image sensor (620); and A lens assembly (650) including a lens is housed in the upper part of the above housing (640) and includes a lens, The outer region of the housing (640) extends from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is positioned, and is in contact with one side (610a) of the substrate (610) by a contact member, and A camera module formed such that at least a portion of the inner region, excluding the outer region of the housing (640), extends from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is positioned.

2. In Paragraph 1, At least a portion of the internal region of the housing (640) is formed at a certain distance from one surface (610a) of the substrate (610), and At least a portion of the internal region of the housing (640) is a camera module that is spaced apart from at least a portion of the outer region of the housing (640).

3. In Paragraph 1, At least a portion of the internal area of ​​the housing (640) is a camera module that is an area extending from at least a portion of the outer area.

4. In Paragraph 1, A camera module (600) that, when viewed from below, is formed such that at least a portion of the internal area of ​​the housing (640) surrounds at least a portion of the image sensor (620).

5. In Paragraph 1, It further includes a filter (630) disposed between the image sensor (620) and the lens assembly (650), and When viewing the camera module (600) from below, at least a portion of the internal area of ​​the housing (640) is formed to surround at least a portion of the filter (630), and The above housing (640) includes a guide shape for guiding the placement of the filter (630), and At least a portion of the internal area of ​​the housing (640) is a camera module that is an area extending from the guide shape in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed.

6. In Paragraph 1, It further includes a support substrate (605) on which the above camera module (600) is placed, and The above substrate (610) includes an opening, At least a portion of the internal region of the housing (640) is formed to extend in the direction in which the support substrate (605) is positioned through the opening of the substrate (610), and A camera module in which at least a portion of the internal area of ​​the housing (640) and the substrate (610) overlap at least a portion when viewed from one side.

7. In Paragraph 1, A camera module further comprising at least one of an AF (auto focus) actuator or an OIS (optical image stabilizer) actuator disposed in the housing (640).

8. In the electronic device (101, 200, 500), Includes a camera module (600), The above camera module (600) is, Substrate (610); Image sensor (620); A housing (640) for housing the image sensor (620); and A lens assembly (650) including a lens is housed in the upper part of the above housing (640) and includes a lens, The outer region of the housing (640) of the camera module (600) extends from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is disposed, and is in contact with one side (610a) of the substrate (610) by a contact member, and An electronic device in which at least a portion of the internal region of the housing (640) of the camera module (600), excluding the outer region, is formed to extend from one side (640a) of the housing (640) in the direction in which the substrate (610) is positioned.

9. In Paragraph 8, At least a portion of the internal region of the housing (640) is formed at a certain distance from one surface (610a) of the substrate (610), and An electronic device in which at least a portion of the internal region of the housing (640) of the camera module (600) is a region spaced apart from at least a portion of the outer region of the housing (640).

10. In Paragraph 8, An electronic device in which at least a portion of the internal region of the housing (640) of the camera module (600) is an area extending from at least a portion of the outer region.

11. In Paragraph 8, An electronic device formed such that, when the camera module (600) is viewed from below, at least a portion of the internal area of ​​the housing (640) of the camera module (600) surrounds at least a portion of the image sensor (620).

12. In Paragraph 8, The above camera module (600) is, An electronic device further comprising a filter (630) disposed between the image sensor (620) and the lens assembly (650).

13. In Paragraph 12, When the camera module (600) is viewed from below, at least a portion of the internal area of ​​the housing (640) of the camera module (600) is formed to surround at least a portion of the filter (630), and The housing (640) of the camera module (600) includes a guide shape for guiding the placement of the filter (630), and An electronic device in which at least a portion of the internal region of the housing (640) of the camera module (600) is an region extending from the guide shape in the direction in which the substrate (610) is placed.

14. In Paragraph 8, The above camera module (600) is, It further includes a support substrate (605) on which the above camera module (600) is placed, and The substrate (610) of the camera module (600) includes an opening, At least a portion of the internal region of the housing (640) of the camera module (600) is formed to extend in the direction in which the support substrate (605) is positioned through the opening of the substrate (610), and An electronic device in which at least a portion of the internal area of ​​the housing (640) and the substrate (610) overlap at least a portion of the internal area of ​​the housing (640) and the substrate (610) when viewed from one side.

15. In Paragraph 8, An electronic device further comprising at least one of an AF (auto focus) actuator or an OIS (optical image stabilizer) actuator disposed in the housing (640) of the camera module (600).

Images