Electronic device comprising plurality of batteries

Abstract

An electronic device is disclosed. The device comprises: a housing including a curved portion having a predetermined curvature; a substrate disposed in the housing; and a plurality of batteries disposed on the substrate at predetermined intervals. The plurality of batteries are configured to be arranged along a curvature corresponding to the curved portion of the housing.

Description

Electronic device including multiple batteries

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device comprising a plurality of all-high-performance batteries.

[0002] Thanks to advancements in electronic technology, various types of electronic devices are being developed and distributed. One example is electronic devices that users can carry and use, such as mobile phones.

[0003] Recently, various types of wearable devices that can be linked with mobile phones are also being widely used. For example, various wearable devices such as watches, glasses, rings, and bracelets can be used. These wearable devices are powered by electrical signals supplied from batteries installed inside, and can perform various operations.

[0004] 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.

[0005] An electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a housing having a curved section having a predetermined curvature, a substrate disposed in the housing, and a plurality of batteries disposed on the substrate at a predetermined interval. The plurality of batteries may be configured to be disposed along a curvature corresponding to the curved section of the housing.

[0006] In relation to the description of the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used for identical or similar components.

[0007] FIG. 1 is a drawing for explaining the type and operation of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure,

[0008] FIG. 2 is a drawing showing an example of the external configuration of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure,

[0009] FIG. 3 is a drawing showing an example of a battery module applicable to an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure,

[0010] FIG. 4a is a cross-sectional view along the line A-A' shown in FIG. 3, illustrating an example of an all-solid-state battery structure usable in a battery module.

[0011] FIG. 4b is a drawing showing a cross-section of another example of an all-solid-state battery structure,

[0012] FIGS. 5 and 6 are drawings for explaining a method in which a battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is mounted on an electronic device,

[0013] FIG. 7 is a drawing showing battery modules corresponding to electronic devices of various sizes.

[0014] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device equipped with the battery modules of FIG. 7.

[0015] FIG. 9 is a drawing showing another example of a battery module applicable to an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure,

[0016] FIG. 10 is a drawing for explaining how the battery module of FIG. 9 is mounted on an electronic device.

[0017] FIGS. 11 and 12 are drawings showing another example of a battery module applicable to an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure,

[0018] FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure,

[0019] FIG. 14 is a drawing showing an example of a charging circuit used in an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, and

[0020] FIG. 15 is a drawing showing another example of a charging circuit usable in an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] FIG. 16 is a drawing showing another example of a charging circuit usable in an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] 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.

[0023] In relation to the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components.

[0024] The singular form of the noun corresponding to the item may include one or multiple items, unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0025] In this document, each of the phrases such as "A or B", "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B", "A, B or C", "at least one of A, B and C", and "at least one of A, B, or C" may include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase, or all possible combinations thereof.

[0026] The term "and / or" includes a combination of multiple related described components or any of the multiple related described components.

[0027] Terms such as "first," "second," or "first" or "second" may be used simply to distinguish a component from another component and do not limit the components in other aspects (e.g., importance or order).

[0028] 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.

[0029] Terms such as "include" or "have" are intended to specify the existence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in this document, and do not preclude the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0030] When it is said that a component is "connected," "combined," "supported," or "in contact" with another component, this includes not only cases where the components are directly connected, combined, supported, or in contact, but also cases where they are indirectly connected, combined, supported, or in contact through a third component.

[0031] When it is said that a component is located "on" another component, this includes not only cases where one component is in contact with the other, but also cases where another component exists between the two components.

[0032] Hereinafter, electronic devices according to various embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0033] FIG. 1 is a drawing for explaining the type and operation of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 1, a user may wear various wearable devices, such as a ring-shaped electronic device (100) or a watch-shaped electronic device (200), on the user's body (e.g., hand (10)). Hereinafter, the wearable devices are assigned the same reference numerals 100 and 200 as the electronic devices. These wearable devices (100, 200) may operate individually, but they may also communicate with a terminal device (300), such as a mobile phone, to be interconnected. For example, the ring-shaped electronic device (100) may be equipped with at least one sensor that contacts the user's hand (10) directly or indirectly, and the sensing value of each sensor may be transmitted to the terminal device (300). Based on the sensing value, the terminal device (300) may identify various information such as the user's heart rate, blood oxygen concentration, stress degree, user's activity status information, movement information, body temperature information, menstrual cycle information, etc. When a ring-shaped electronic device (100) is equipped with a display element or a vibrator, the terminal device (300) may notify the user by using the light-emitting element or vibrator of the ring-shaped electronic device (100) when the user's biometric information is identified as being at a dangerous level. For example, if an LED of a specific color (e.g., red) is installed in the electronic device (100), when the heart rate or stress level is higher than a certain value, the electronic device (100) may notify the user of an abnormal state by flashing the LED under the control of the terminal device (300).

[0035] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (200) in the form of a watch can also come into contact with the user's body, so the sensing operation described above can be performed. Since the watch form allows for a larger display area than the ring form, various information transmitted from the terminal device (300) (e.g., messenger reception notification, mail reception notification, etc.) can be displayed in addition to sensing. Alternatively, if it includes a microphone and a speaker, the user can make a phone call using the electronic device (200) in the form of a watch.

[0036] In FIG. 1, two wearable devices (100, 200) are shown communicating with a terminal device (300), but the number of wearable devices can be varied from one to three or more. Additionally, the wearable device (100) is not only implemented in the form of a ring or a watch, but can be implemented in various forms such as a bracelet, anklet, necklace, earring, glasses, clothing, headband, etc., and can also be implemented in a detachable form such as a sticker.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the wearable device (100, 200) must use a battery to perform various operations such as sensing, communication, and display as described above. However, wearable devices (100, 200) are generally made in various shapes or sizes so that they can be worn by a user. In particular, in the case of a ring-shaped electronic device (100), it is smaller than other wearable devices, and since the diameter of the ring varies depending on the thickness of the user's finger, it is difficult to manufacture a battery of an appropriate size and shape. Accordingly, various embodiments of a battery module that can be easily adapted to changes in the external shape of the electronic device, particularly in curvature, and an electronic device including the same will be described in detail below. As described above, the wearable device can be implemented as an electronic device (100, 200) of various types and shapes; however, for the convenience of explanation, the following description is based on the case implemented in the form of a ring. In addition, the term "electronic device" will be used instead of "wearable device" in the following description.

[0038] FIG. 2 is a drawing showing an example of the external configuration of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, FIG. 2 shows the external appearance of an electronic device (100) implemented in the form of a ring.

[0039] Referring to FIG. 2, the electronic device (100) may be formed in a ring shape including an opening (101) inside. The opening (101) is a part into which a user's finger is inserted. The electronic device (100) includes a housing (110) that includes a curved section having a predetermined curvature.

[0040] According to one embodiment, the housing (110) is a part that forms the exterior of the electronic device (100) and accommodates various components used in the electronic device (100). Among the components, components such as a display, sensor, button, etc., may be exposed to the outside of the housing (110), and other components may be accommodated in the internal space of the housing. The housing (110) may also be described in various ways, such as a main body, a package, etc. A curved section refers to a section that is bent along a predetermined curvature. A curved section may also be described as a bending section.

[0041] According to one embodiment, the housing (110) may be composed of an outer first housing (111) and an inner second housing (112). The first housing (111) is a portion positioned on the outside of the electronic device (100), and the second housing (112) is a portion positioned on the side of the opening (101) of the electronic device (100). The first housing (111) may also be described as an outer housing, an outer ring, etc., and the second housing (112) may also be described as an inner housing, an inner ring, etc.

[0042] According to one embodiment, the first housing (111) and the second housing (112) are combined to form a single housing (110). In FIG. 2, the housing (110) is implemented in the shape of a complete ring, and the entire area of ​​the housing (110) is shown as being curved convexly in the radial direction. Specifically, the surface formed on the opening (101) side of the second housing (112) forms a curved section having a constant curvature overall. However, this is not limited thereto, and at least one of the first housing (111) or the second housing (112) may be manufactured in a form in which a flat section and a curved section are mixed. For example, the second housing (112) that comes into direct contact with the finger may be manufactured to form a curved section overall, while a part of the first housing (111) may be manufactured in a flat form.

[0043] According to one embodiment, a display (14) may be disposed on the outer surface of the first housing (111), and at least one protrusion (120) may be formed on the outer surface of the second housing (112).

[0044] According to one embodiment, the display (14) is configured to provide various visual output information. Although FIG. 2 shows a display (14) having an area of ​​a certain size, if the electronic device (100) is a ring shape with a small and thin thickness, it may be replaced with an indicator such as an LED, or the display (14) may be omitted. Alternatively, the display (14) may be formed across the entire outer surface of the first housing (111).

[0045] According to one embodiment, a protrusion (120) protruding from the surface of the second housing (112) toward the opening (101) may be configured to contact the user's hand (10) to prevent the electronic device (100) from rotating arbitrarily on the finger. Alternatively, the protrusion (120) protruding from the surface of the second housing (112) may be configured to position a sensor so that a measurement target (e.g., blood flowing along the blood vessels in the finger) can be measured in a non-invasive manner by closely contacting the user's finger to obtain the user's biometric information. Although FIG. 2 illustrates a configuration in which three protrusions (120) are spaced apart at a certain distance and distributed, the number or position of the protrusions can be designed in various ways.

[0046] According to one embodiment, the first housing (111) and the second housing (112) accommodate a board equipped with various components such as a processor and memory, or a battery module. A battery module is a component for providing electrical energy required for the operation of an electronic device (100). In various embodiments of the present disclosure, the battery module may be manufactured in various forms suitable for being embedded in a ring-shaped electronic device (100).

[0047] FIG. 3 is a drawing showing an example of a battery module applicable to an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0048] Referring to FIG. 3, the battery module (1000) includes a substrate (1100) and a plurality of batteries (1200-1, ..., 1200-n). The plurality of batteries (1200-1, ..., 1200-n) are spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance on one side (1101) of the substrate (1100).

[0049] According to one embodiment, the substrate (1100) may have a square cross-section and be formed to be elongated in one direction. A plurality of batteries (1200-1, ..., 1200-n) may be arranged in parallel along the length direction of the substrate (1100). For convenience of explanation, the four sides of the substrate (1100) may be divided into a first side (1101), a second side (1102) opposite the first side, a first side (1103), and a second side (1104) opposite the first side. In FIG. 3, the thickness between the first side (1101) and the second side (1102) is formed to be thinner than the width between the first side (1103) and the second side (1104), and a state in which a plurality of batteries (1200-1, ..., 1200-n) are positioned on the first side (1101) is illustrated.

[0050] According to one embodiment, the substrate (1100) may include a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) having flexibility to correspond to the curvature of the electronic device (100).

[0051] According to one embodiment, a plurality of batteries (1200-1, ..., 1200-n) can be implemented in various types, such as lithium-ion batteries or flexible lithium-ion batteries. As an example, each of the plurality of batteries (1200-1, ..., 1200-n) can be implemented as a solid-state battery. A solid-state battery is a battery in which the electrolyte inside the battery is implemented as a solid.

[0052] According to one embodiment, solid electrolytes can be classified according to the material used, such as organic, inorganic, or hybrids mixing organic and inorganic materials. In the case of inorganic solid electrolytes, they can be classified into oxide-based materials such as Perovskite and Garnet, phosphate-based materials such as Nasicon, oxiniride-based materials such as LIPON, sulfide-based materials, etc. For example, an all-solid-state lithium secondary battery using lithium metal as the negative electrode along with a solid electrolyte has significantly increased safety compared to a liquid electrolyte battery using an organic solvent, and is also suitable for improving energy density.

[0053] FIG. 4a is a cross-sectional view along the line A-A' shown in FIG. 3, illustrating an example of an all-solid-state battery structure usable in a battery module. FIG. 4b is a cross-sectional view of another example of an all-solid-state battery structure.

[0054] Referring to FIG. 4a, an all-solid-state battery (1200) according to one embodiment may include a cell (1210) comprising a positive electrode, a solid electrolyte, a negative electrode, etc., a first electrode (1231) connected to the positive electrode, a second electrode (1232) connected to the negative electrode, and a package (1220) for packaging the cell (1210). At least one of the first and second electrodes (1231, 1232) may be formed in the direction of a substrate (1100). One of the first and second electrodes (1231, 1232) may be a positive terminal and the other may be a negative terminal. For example, the first electrode (1231) may be connected to a positive wiring (1105) disposed inside the substrate (1100), and the second electrode (1232) may be connected to a negative wiring (1105) disposed inside the substrate (1100). The first and second electrodes (1231, 1232) can be electrically connected to the electrodes of other batteries through positive and negative wiring (1105, 1106) formed on the substrate (1100), and depending on the voltage required by the electronic device, the entire battery can be formed in a parallel structure where identical electrodes are connected to each other, or in a structure where series and parallel connections are mixed depending on the required voltage.

[0055] For example, if the output of a single battery is 1.5V and the required voltage of an electronic device is 3V, two battery modules can be connected in series, and then the two series-connected batteries can be connected in parallel. In other words, various combinations can be configured depending on the voltage required by the electronic device and the output voltage of each battery module.

[0056] In FIG. 4a, the first and second electrodes (1231, 1232) are each shown protruding from the cell (1210) and inserted into the substrate (1100), but they are not necessarily implemented in this form. The first and second electrodes (1231, 1232) may each be provided in a form exposed to the surface of the cell (1210) and connected in a form that comes into contact with the pads and / or wiring formed on the surface of the substrate (1100).

[0057] For example, as shown in FIG. 4b, the first electrode (1231) of the all-solid-state battery (1200) is positioned extending from the left side of the cell (1210) to a portion of the lower side of the cell (1210) and can be electrically connected to the first pad (1131) of the substrate (1100). The first electrode (1231) can be electrically connected to the lead tabs of the positive layer (1211) included in the cell (1210). The second electrode (1232) of the all-solid-state battery (1200) is positioned extending from the right side of the cell (1210) to a portion of the lower side of the cell (1210) and can be electrically connected to the second pad (1132) of the substrate (1100). The second electrode (1232) can be electrically connected to the lead tabs of the negative layer (1212) included in the cell (1210). The first electrode terminal (1131) and the second electrode terminal (1132) of the substrate (1100) are positioned to face the first surface (1101) of the substrate (1100) and may be positioned inside the substrate (1100). For example, the first electrode (1131) may be connected to a positive wire (1105) positioned inside the substrate (1100), and the second electrode (1132) may be connected to a negative wire (1105) positioned inside the substrate (1100). The first and second electrodes (1131, 1132) may be electrically connected to the electrodes of other batteries through wires (1105, 1106) formed on the substrate (1100).

[0058] According to one embodiment, if lithium is used as the positive electrode material in the cell (1210), the lithium ions of the positive electrode material are stored in the negative electrode material when in a charged state, and move from the negative electrode material to the positive electrode material through the solid electrolyte when the first electrode (1231) and the second electrode (1232) are electrically connected. As electricity is generated by the movement of lithium ions, a potential difference can be formed between the first and second electrodes (1231, 1232).

[0059] According to one embodiment, the package (1220) may be provided in a form that surrounds the cell (1210). The package (1220) may be formed of an insulating material. As shown in FIG. 4, the package (1220) can fix the cell (1210) to the substrate (1100) while the first and second electrodes (1231, 1232) are in contact with the substrate (1100).

[0060] According to one embodiment, if the substrate (1100) is flexible, as shown in FIG. 3, when a plurality of batteries (1200-1, ..., 1200-n) are mounted on the first surface (1101) of the substrate, the substrate (1100) may be bent to have a curvature corresponding to the curvature of the curved section included in the housing (110). In this state, the substrate (1100) is mounted into the housing (110) in a direction in which the first surface faces the housing, so that the electronic device (100) can accommodate the battery module (1000).

[0061] FIGS. 5 and 6 are drawings for explaining a method in which a battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is mounted on an electronic device.

[0062] FIG. 5 illustrates that the substrate (1100) of the battery module (1000) shown in FIG. 3 is mounted in a housing (110) in a state where it is bent to be convex in the radial direction. That is, in the first surface of the substrate (1100) of FIG. 3 on which batteries (1200-1, ..., 1200-n) are mounted is bent convexly, each battery (1200-1, ..., 1200-n) can be mounted so as to face the outer direction of the housing (110). Accordingly, a plurality of batteries (1200-1, ..., 1200-n) can be arranged along a curvature corresponding to the curved section of the housing (110). Specifically, a plurality of batteries (1200-1, ..., 1200-n) can be arranged along the circumferential direction of the curved section of the housing (110).

[0063] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing the entire configuration of an electronic device (100) equipped with a battery module (1000). Referring to FIG. 6, the electronic device (100) may be formed in a ring shape including an opening (101) inside.

[0064] According to one embodiment, the housing (110) of the electronic device (100) includes a ring-shaped first housing (111) and a ring-shaped second housing (112) that is coupled to the first housing (111) and includes an opening (101).

[0065] According to one embodiment, an electric pad or an opening may be formed in the second housing (112) so that at least one terminal of various sensors may come into contact with the user's body. For example, openings of various sizes and shapes may be formed in the second housing (112) to expose the light-emitting part of a PPG sensor (photo-plethysmography sensor) for measuring blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), the light-receiving part of a PPG sensor, the terminal of an ECG sensor (electrocardiogram sensor), and a pair of terminals of a GSR sensor (galvanic skin response sensor).

[0066] According to one embodiment, when the battery module (1000) is implemented to be wired charged via a wired cable, an opening for a charging terminal of the battery module (1000) may also be formed in the first housing (111). The diameter of the second housing (112) to the outer surface is formed to be smaller than the inner diameter of the first housing (111), so that the second housing (112) can be coupled to the inner side of the first housing (111).

[0067] According to one embodiment, since the first housing (111) is a part that forms the exterior of the electronic device (100), it can be formed from various materials such as metal, ceramic, and plastic materials, taking into consideration the intended use or aesthetic effect. The second housing (112) can be joined to the first housing (111) through a molding process.

[0068] In FIG. 6, a structure is illustrated in which the second housing (112) includes a first molding layer (112-1) and a second molding layer (112-2). For example, the first molding layer (112-1) is configured to cover at least a portion of the battery module (1000), and the second molding layer (112-2) is configured to cover the first molding layer (112-1) and be coupled with the first housing (111).

[0069] According to one embodiment, the first molding layer (112-1) is manufactured to have the same or similar size as the battery module (1000) so as to cover the battery module (1000) entirely while at least partially contacting the inner surface of the first housing (111).

[0070] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (100) may include a printed circuit board (1500) disposed between a first housing (111) and a second housing (112). Various electrical components, such as a processor, memory, and communication chip, may be disposed on the printed circuit board (1500). The printed circuit board (1500) may be implemented as a flexible substrate having a bendability to correspond to the curvature of the electronic device (100), but is not limited thereto. For example, the printed circuit board (1500) may be implemented in a form in which substrates including a hard type area having a width and length that is not interfered with by the curvature of the first housing (111) or the second housing (112) are connected to each other by a cable or other flexible material connecting member. Accordingly, the printed circuit board (1500) may also be mounted within the housing (110) in a bent state that corresponds to the curvature of the housing (110) overall.

[0071] According to one embodiment, the battery module (1000) is positioned adjacent to the printed circuit board (1500) to provide electrical energy used by each electrical element within the printed circuit board (1500).

[0072] According to one embodiment, the battery module (1000) may be charged by wireless charging technology, or by an external power source connected through a charging terminal exposed to the side of the first housing (111) or a charging terminal exposed to the side of the second housing (112). In the case of wireless charging technology, the battery module (1000) can be charged via wireless signals in various ways, such as inductive and resonant methods, RF (radio frequency) methods, and NFC (near field communication) methods. Alternatively, wireless charging technology can charge the battery module (1000) via wireless signals using a light-based method. In the light-based method, a light source such as an LED, a laser, or sunlight may be selected as the energy source for charging, and this light source may emit light of a specific frequency. The electronic device (100) may include a light energy receiver (e.g., a photodiode) that absorbs light emitted from the light source and converts it into electrical energy. The energy received by the light energy receiver may be converted into DC power to charge the battery module (1000). When an electronic device (100) is placed on a wireless charging device, the battery module (1000) can be charged by electromagnetic waves induced by the wireless charging device.

[0073] According to one embodiment, at least one coil and electrical circuit for charging the battery module (1000) through one of various wireless charging methods may be placed together in the space between the first housing and the second housing and electrically connected to the substrate (1100) of the battery module (1000).

[0074] According to one embodiment, a circuit for wireless charging (e.g., a coil antenna) may be included on the second surface (1102) of the substrate (1100) of the battery module (1000). As the substrate (1100) of the battery module (1000) has flexibility as shown in FIG. 3, even if the curvature of the electronic device (100) changes, the curvature of the battery module (1000) can also be changed so that it can be mounted on the electronic device (100) without difficulty.

[0075] FIGS. 7 and 8 are drawings illustrating electronic devices of various sizes and battery modules applied thereto. FIG. 7 sequentially shows different diameters (a <b<c)을 가지는 복수의 반지형 전자 장치(100-a, 100-b, 100-c)를 각각 나타낸다. 이 경우, 각 전자 장치(100)의 하우징의 곡선 구간의 곡률도 달라진다. 이에 따라, 배터리 모듈(1000)의 기판(1100)을 곡률에 맞게 구부리고, 그 기판(1100)에 탑재되는 배터리들의 개수를 조정하여 각 전자 장치(100)에 최적화된 배터리 모듈(1000)을 제조할 수 있다.

[0076] Referring to FIG. 7, the present disclosure illustrates first, second, and third electronic devices (100-a, 100-b, 100-c) having different radii of curvature. The radii of curvature of the first, second, and third electronic devices (100-a, 100-b, 100-c) may have the relationship of magnitude of Equation 1 below.

[0077] [Mathematical Formula 1]

[0078] r1 < r2 <r3

[0079] Here, r1 may be the first radius of curvature of the first electronic device (100-a), r2 may be the second radius of curvature of the second electronic device (100-b), and r3 may be the third radius of curvature of the third electronic device (100-c).

[0080] According to one embodiment, the number of batteries included in the first, second, and third electronic devices (100-a, 100-b, 100-c) may differ depending on the radius of curvature (r1, r2, r3). ​​For example, the first electronic device (100-c) having a first radius of curvature (r1) may include a total of 6 batteries (1200-1, ..., 1200-6). The second electronic device (100-b) having a second radius of curvature (r2) may include a total of 7 batteries (1200-1, ..., 1200-7). The third electronic device (100-c) having a third radius of curvature (r3) may include a total of 8 batteries (1200-1, ..., 1200-8). In this way, the first, second, and third electronic devices (100-a, 100-b, 100-c) may include fewer batteries as the radius of curvature increases.

[0081] As shown in FIG. 3, a battery module (1000) having a plurality of batteries (1200-1, ..., 1200-n) mounted on a flexible substrate (1100) can be bent with the same curvature to match the degree of bending of the electronic device (100). Since the circumference of the electronic device (100) varies according to its diameter, the battery area within the housing (110) of the electronic device (100) also varies. Accordingly, the length of the substrate (1100) is determined to match the size of the battery area, and the number of batteries (1200-1, ..., 1200-n) mounted accordingly is also determined.

[0082] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device equipped with the battery modules of FIG. 7. It can be seen that the electronic device (100-a, 100-b, 100-c) of FIG. 8 is in a state where a battery module (1000) equipped with an appropriate number of batteries corresponding to its size is mounted facing the housing.

[0083] In the above description, the substrate (1100) is curved convexly in the direction of the first surface (1101), that is, in the radial direction, and a plurality of batteries (1200-1, ..., 1200-n) are arranged on the first surface (1101) and mounted at a position corresponding to the curved section within the space between the first housing and the second housing. In this case, each battery (1200-1, ..., 1200-n) faces the outer side of the first housing (111) within the internal space of the housing. However, it is not necessarily limited to this, and the battery module (1000) can be designed in various forms.

[0084] For example, when the substrate (1100) is curved convexly toward the first surface (1101), a plurality of batteries (1200-1, ..., 1200-n) may be placed on the second surface (1102), which is the opposite side from the first surface (1101). In this case, the first surface (1101) of the substrate (1100) of the battery module (1000) may face toward the first housing (111), and each battery (1200-1, ..., 1200-n) on the second surface (1102) may be mounted in a direction facing toward the second housing (112) within the internal space of the housing (110). However, if the substrate (1100) is significantly bent, adjacent batteries among the plurality of batteries (1200-1, ..., 1200-n) may come into contact with each other. Therefore, considering the curvature, the plurality of batteries (1200-1, ..., 1200-n) may be spaced apart by a distance such that they do not come into contact with each other. For example, the spacing between batteries (not shown) arranged toward the second housing (112) may be narrower than the spacing between batteries (1200-1, ..., 1200-n) arranged toward the first housing (111).

[0085] In addition, the battery module (1000) can be designed in various forms and mounted on the electronic device (100). Below, various variations of the battery module (1000) will be described in detail.

[0086] FIG. 9 is a drawing showing another example of a battery module applicable to an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Although the battery module has been described above with reference number 1000, for convenience of explanation, different reference numbers will be used for each embodiment of the battery module below.

[0087] The battery module (2000) of FIG. 9 includes a substrate (2100) and a plurality of batteries (2200-1, ..., 2200-m). FIG. 9 shows a state in which five batteries are provided, but the number of batteries (m) can be set in various ways.

[0088] Referring to FIG. 9, the substrate (2100) includes a first surface (2101), a second surface opposite to the first surface (2101), a first side (2103), and a second side opposite to the first side (2103). Reference numbers for the second surface and the second side are omitted in the illustration direction of FIG. 9.

[0089] In FIG. 9, the thickness between the first surface (2101) and the second surface is smaller than the thickness between the first side (2103) and the second side. The substrate (2100) may be formed convexly in the direction of the first side (2103) or the second side. FIG. 9 shows a state formed convexly in the direction of the first side (2103).

[0090] According to one embodiment, a plurality of batteries (2200-1, ..., 2200-m) may be arranged along a first surface (2101) or a second surface of a substrate. In FIG. 9, they are arranged sequentially along the longitudinal direction of the substrate (2100) on the first surface (2101). In this state, when the substrate (2100) is mounted inside the housing (110) of the electronic device (100), the plurality of batteries (2200-1, ..., 2200-m) may be arranged along a curvature corresponding to a curved section of the housing (110).

[0091] It can be seen that the battery module (1000) of FIG. 3 has a plurality of batteries (1200-1, ..., 1200-n) formed on the convex surface (i.e., the first surface) of the substrate (1100), whereas the battery module (2000) of FIG. 9 has a plurality of batteries (2200-1, ..., 2200-m) formed on the flat surface (i.e., the first surface) rather than the convex surface (i.e., the first side) of the substrate (2100).

[0092] When the battery module (2000) is implemented in the form of FIG. 9, the substrate (2100) may be implemented as a rigid substrate rather than a flexible substrate. However, it is not necessarily limited to this, and the battery module (2000) of FIG. 9 may also be manufactured using a flexible substrate. Alternatively, a plurality of rigid substrates in FIG. 9 may be connected to each other through a connecting member made of a flexible material so that they can be adaptedly used in electronic devices having various sizes and curvatures.

[0093] When the battery module (2000) is implemented in the form of Fig. 9, the direction in which the battery module (2000) is mounted within the housing (110) may change.

[0094] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the configuration of an electronic device in which the battery module of FIG. 9 is mounted.

[0095] Referring to FIG. 10, the electronic device (100) includes a first housing (111), a second housing (112), a battery module (2000), and a printed circuit board (1500). FIG. 3 illustrates a case where batteries (1200-1, ..., 1200-n) of the battery module (1000) are mounted in a direction toward the first molding layer (112-1) of the second housing (112).

[0096] However, when the battery module is implemented as in FIG. 9, the mounting direction of the battery module may change. Specifically, the battery module (2000) may be mounted inside the housing such that the side on which the batteries (2200-1, ..., 2200-n) are arranged faces the side direction of the housing. When the housing (110) is implemented in a structure in which the outer first housing (111) and the inner second housing (112) are joined together as in FIG. 10, the battery module (2000) may be mounted such that it faces the side direction (i.e., the x-direction in FIG. 10) of at least one of the first housing (111) and the second housing (112). In this case, the ring thickness of the ring-shaped electronic device (100) may be designed to be equal to or greater than the thickness between the first side (2103) and the second side of the substrate (2100) of the battery module (2000).

[0097] FIG. 11 is a drawing showing another example of a battery module applicable to an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0098] Referring to FIG. 11, the substrate (3100) included in the battery module (3000) is composed of a first substrate and a second substrate (3110, 3120). The first substrate and the second substrate (3110, 3120) may be formed symmetrically with respect to each other. Specifically, the first substrate and the second substrate (3110, 3120) have the same size and are arranged at a certain distance apart.

[0099] For example, a plurality of batteries (3200-1, ..., 3200-x) are arranged between a first substrate and a second substrate (3110, 3120). The plurality of batteries (3200-1, ..., 3200-x) are arranged along the circumferential direction of the first substrate and the second substrate, and the battery module (3000) is arranged such that the faces of each substrate (3110, 3120) face toward the side of the housing (110), as described in FIG. 10. Consequently, the plurality of batteries (3200-1, ..., 3200-x) can be arranged along a curvature corresponding to a curved section of the housing (110).

[0100] According to one embodiment, each of the plurality of batteries (3200-1, ..., 3200-x) may include a first terminal and a second terminal of different polarities. For example, the first terminals of the same polarity among them may all be connected to a first substrate (3110), and the second terminals of the same polarity may all be connected to a second substrate (3120). The first terminals of the plurality of batteries (3200-1, ..., 3200-x) may form a node through electrical wiring formed on the first substrate (3110), and the second terminals may form another node through electrical wiring formed on the second substrate (3120). In this case, the plurality of batteries (3200-1, ..., 3200-x) may be connected in parallel as a whole.

[0101] However, this is not limited thereto, and the batteries may be connected in series or in a mixed series and parallel configuration, taking into account the magnitude of the voltage provided by each of the multiple batteries (3200-1, ..., 3200-x) and the battery capacity. In this case, some of the batteries among the multiple batteries (3200-1, ..., 3200-x) may have their first terminals connected to the first substrate (3110) and their second terminals connected to the second substrate (3120). Additionally, the first terminals of some other batteries may be connected to the second substrate (3120) and their second terminals connected to the first substrate (3110). As described above, the electrical wiring connection structure of the first substrate and the second substrate, or the connection direction of the batteries, can be varied in various ways, taking into account the magnitude of the electrical energy required by the electronic device (100) or the battery life.

[0102] FIG. 11 illustrates a case in which a third substrate (3300) is further included to electrically connect the first substrate (3110) and the second substrate (3120). Specifically, the first end of the third substrate (3300) may be connected to the first substrate (3110), and the second end, which is the opposite side of the first end, may be connected to the second substrate (3120). Electrical wiring may be formed on the third substrate (3300) to electrically connect the electrical wiring formed on the first substrate (3110) and the electrical wiring formed on the second substrate (3120). In addition to these electrical wirings, sensors or other components necessary for the operation of the electronic device (100) may be mounted on the third substrate (3300).

[0103] In the various embodiments above, a case is illustrated in which a plurality of batteries are mounted on a substrate (1100, 2100, 3100) and mounted on an electronic device. Each battery may be arranged so as to be spaced apart by a certain distance or more so as not to come into contact with each other. Depending on the embodiment, the space between the batteries may be filled with air or with an insulating material.

[0104] Although the above description is based on the case where the printed circuit board (1500) and the battery module (1000, 2000, 3000) are manufactured separately, the battery module may also be manufactured in a combined form with the printed circuit board.

[0105] FIG. 12 is a drawing showing the configuration of a battery module according to such an embodiment.

[0106] According to FIG. 12, the battery module (4000) includes at least one printed circuit board (1500-1, 1500-2, 1500-3) disposed within a housing (110) and a plurality of boards (4110, 4120, 4130) connected thereto.

[0107] According to one embodiment, a plurality of printed circuit boards (1500-1, 1500-2, 1500-3) on which at least one electronic component is placed and a plurality of boards (4110, 4120, 4130) on which a battery is placed may be composed of a single printed circuit board (referred to as 1500 in FIG. 6). Even if the plurality of printed circuit boards (1500-1, 1500-2, 1500-3) and the plurality of boards (4110, 4120, 4130) are described as independent configurations in the following content, they may be used as an explanation to distinguish the electronic component and battery placement areas on a single printed circuit board (1500).

[0108] FIG. 12 illustrates a state in which a total of three printed circuit boards and three boards are alternately connected, but it is not necessarily limited to this, and various numbers of printed circuit boards and battery boards may be used. For example, it may be implemented with one printed circuit board and two boards connected to both sides thereof. According to one embodiment, the printed circuit boards (1500-1, 1500-2, 1500-3) are configured to support at least one electronic component used in the electronic device (100). The electronic component may include various components such as a processor, memory, communication chip, display control circuit, sensor, charging circuit, etc. When multiple printed circuit boards (1500-1, 1500-2, 1500-3) are used as in FIG. 12, the electronic component mounted on each printed circuit board may differ.

[0109] In FIG. 12, the first printed circuit board (1500-1), which is one of the printed circuit boards, is described with respect to the first printed circuit board (1500-1). The first side of the first printed circuit board (1500-1) is connected to the first board (4110), and the second side opposite the first side is connected to the second board (4120).

[0110] For example, on each of the substrates (4110, 4120, 4130), at least one battery may be mounted depending on the size of the substrate or the number or type of components mounted on the connected printed circuit board.

[0111] For convenience of explanation, the batteries (4210-1, ..., 4210-4) placed on the first substrate (4110) are referred to as the first group of batteries, and the battery (4220-1) placed on the second substrate (4120) is referred to as the second group of batteries. FIG. 12 illustrates a state in which one battery (4220-1, 4230-1) is mounted on each of the second substrate (4120) and the third substrate (4130), but as described above, the number of batteries can be determined differently.

[0112] In the case of FIG. 12, the batteries of the first group of printed circuit boards and the batteries of the second group can be connected through positive wiring and negative wiring that cross the printed circuit board (1500-1). Here, positive wiring is electrical wiring connected to the positive terminal of each battery, and negative wiring is electrical wiring connected to the negative terminal of each battery.

[0113] For example, the positive and negative wiring may be connected to a charging circuit disposed adjacent to the first substrate or the second substrate. Accordingly, the first group batteries (4210-1, ..., 4210-4) disposed on the first substrate (4110) and the second group batteries (4220-1) disposed on the second substrate (4120) can be charged at once by the electrical energy supplied from the charging circuit. In addition, if the battery (4230-1) on the third substrate (4130) is also connected by the same positive and negative wiring, it can be charged together by the charging circuit.

[0114] FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. According to FIG. 13, the electronic device (100) includes a communication module (11), a memory (12), a processor (13), a display (14), an audio output module (15), a battery module (1000), a charging circuit (1300), a haptic module (16), and a sensor module (17).

[0115] These configurations are merely examples of configurations that may be adopted when the electronic device (100) is implemented in the form of a ring, and various components may be added, omitted, or changed depending on the size or type of the electronic device. For example, if the electronic device (100) is implemented as a watch or mobile phone that is bulky enough to accommodate various components, a camera module, an antenna module, various wired interfaces, etc. may be added.

[0116] According to one embodiment, the communication module (11) is configured to perform communication with other external electronic devices. If the electronic device (100) is a ring-type electronic device of FIG. 1, the communication module (11) can perform communication with a watch-type electronic device (200) or a terminal device (300), etc. Additionally, the communication module (11) can perform communication with an external server device or various other devices.

[0117] According to one embodiment, the communication module (11) may include at least one communication processor that operates independently of the processor (13) (e.g., application processor). The communication module (11) can perform communication via wired or wireless communication methods. Specifically, the communication module (11) can transmit and receive various signals and data to and from an external device via various wired / wireless communication methods such as wired / wireless LAN (Local Area Network), WAN (Wide Area Network), Ethernet, IEEE 1394, Bluetooth, AP-based Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi, Wireless LAN Network), Zigbee, HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface), USB (Universal Serial Bus), MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link), AES / EBU (Audio Engineering Society / European Broadcasting Union), Optical, Coaxial, etc. When the electronic device (100) is implemented in the form of a ring, which is an ultra-small device, the electronic device (100) may not have a part to provide a port for wired connection. In such cases, it may be implemented only with a wireless communication module. However, in the case of a device that is sized to be equipped with a wired connection port, such as a watch or a mobile phone, it may include various wired communication modules.

[0118] According to one embodiment, when various types of communication modules are included in the communication module (11), each communication module may be integrated into a single component (e.g., a single chip) or implemented as multiple separate components (e.g., multiple chips).

[0119] According to one embodiment, the processor (13) is configured to perform various control operations based on various programs (18), data, and instructions stored in memory (12). For example, the processor (13) can control other components (e.g., hardware or software components) connected to the processor (13) and can perform various data processing or operations. According to one embodiment, as at least part of the data processing or operations, the processor (13) can store data sensed by the sensor module (17) or commands or data received through the communication module (11) in volatile memory (121), process the commands or data stored in volatile memory (121), and store the result data in non-volatile memory (122).

[0120] According to one embodiment, the processor (13) may be divided into at least one main processor and at least one auxiliary processor. The auxiliary processor is a processor capable of operating together with or independently of the main processor. The main processor may be implemented as a central processing unit or an application processor, and the auxiliary processor may be implemented as a graphics processing unit, a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor. When the processor (13) is implemented in a form including a main processor and an auxiliary processor, the auxiliary processor may be configured to use lower power than the main processor or to be specialized for a designated function.

[0121] According to one embodiment, an auxiliary processor can control at least some of the functions or states associated with at least one component (e.g., a display (14), a sensor module (17), or a communication module (11)) of the components of the electronic device (100), for example, on behalf of the main processor while the main processor is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, or together with the main processor while the main processor is in an active (e.g., application execution) state. If a neural network processing unit is provided as an auxiliary processor, the auxiliary processor may include a hardware structure specialized for processing an artificial intelligence model.

[0122] According to one embodiment, the memory (12) is configured to store various data, programs, instructions, etc. used in the electronic device (100). The memory (12) can store various data, such as data sensed by the sensor module (17), data received from the communication module (11), and data generated during the operation process of the processor (13). The memory (12) may include volatile memory (121) or non-volatile memory (122). The program (18) stored in the memory (12) may be configured in various ways, such as an operating system (193), middleware (192), or an application (191).

[0123] According to one embodiment, the display (14) is configured to display visual information to the outside of the electronic device (100) (e.g., a user). The display (14) may include a display element and a control circuit for controlling it. The display element may be configured in various forms, such as an LED panel or at least one light-emitting element (e.g., an LED). According to one embodiment, the display (14) may include a touch sensor configured to detect a touch, or a pressure sensor configured to measure the intensity of a force generated by a touch. In this case, the display (14) may also be described as a touch display or a touch-sensitive display. As shown in FIG. 2, the display (14) may be positioned so as to be exposed on the outer surface of a ring-shaped housing. If the display (14) is an LED panel having an area of ​​at least a certain size, it may display various graphic objects such as text, numbers, and symbols.

[0124] According to one embodiment, the sound output module (15) is configured to output a sound signal to the outside of the electronic device (100). The sound output module (15) 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. However, if the size of the electronic device (100) is such that it is difficult to accommodate the speaker or receiver, the sound output module (15) may be omitted.

[0125] According to one embodiment, the sensor module (17) is configured to output an electrical signal (i.e., a sensing value or sensing data) corresponding to the operating state of the electronic device (100) (e.g., power or temperature) or an external environmental state (e.g., user state). The sensor module (17) may be implemented with at least one of various sensors, such as a photo-plethysmography sensor (PPG sensor), a galvanic skin response sensor (GSR sensor), an electrocardiogram sensor (ECG sensor), an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a geomagnetic sensor, an IMU, a temperature sensor, and a fingerprint sensor. In the case where the electronic device (100) is a device of a certain size, such as a watch or a mobile phone, it may also include a wider variety of sensors, such as an image sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, a humidity sensor, and an illuminance sensor.

[0126] According to one embodiment, if one of the sensor modules (17) is implemented as a PPG sensor, the data sensed by the PPG sensor can be used to obtain various body information such as heart rate, respiration rate, and blood oxygen concentration. The PPG sensor includes a light-emitting part that emits light and a light-receiving part that receives light emitted from the light-emitting part and reflected from blood vessels inside the user's body. The light-emitting part may include a plurality of light sources that emit a plurality of light having different wavelengths. Specifically, the light-emitting part may include at least one red LED, a green LED, an infrared LED, etc. The light-receiving part may be a single photodiode. In the case of a ring-shaped electronic device (100) such as FIG. 2, at least one opening is provided on the surface of the second housing (112) so that the light-emitting part and the light-receiving part of such a sensor can be exposed.

[0127] According to one embodiment, if one of the sensor modules (17) is implemented as a GSR sensor, the processor (13) of the electronic device (100) or the processor of the terminal device (300) receiving sensing data from the electronic device (100) can detect a change in current due to moisture in the user's skin based on the sensing data. Since skin moisture changes due to the action of the sympathetic nervous system when the user is in a stressed or drowsy state, the user's condition can be sensed using the GSR sensor. The GSR sensor is configured to be electrically connected to a skin contact terminal exposed to the surface of the second housing (112), that is, the part where the electronic device (200) comes into contact with the user's body (e.g., the user's hand (10)).

[0128] Additionally, the sensor module (17) may include an ECG sensor. The ECG sensor is used not only to measure the rate and regularity of heartbeats, but also to examine the size and location of the heart and whether there is any damage to the heart. The ECG sensor can also be used to measure and diagnose abnormal heart rhythms. The ECG sensor may also be electrically connected to a skin contact terminal exposed to the surface of the second housing (112).

[0129] According to one embodiment, the haptic module (16) 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 sense. According to one embodiment, the haptic module (16) may include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electric stimulation device.

[0130] According to one embodiment, the battery module (1000) is configured to supply electrical energy to at least one component included in the electronic device (100). The battery module (1000) can be implemented in various forms as described in FIGS. 3 to 12 above. Since this has been specifically described in the above section, a redundant description is omitted.

[0131] According to one embodiment, the charging circuit (1300) is configured to charge the battery module (1000). The charging circuit (1300) may include at least one of a wired charging module that charges via a wired charging cable connected to an external power source and a wireless charging module that charges via a wireless charging method. When the electronic device (100) is implemented in the form of a small ring as shown in FIG. 2, it may be difficult to configure a port for connecting a wired charging cable, and in such cases, only a wireless charging module may be included. As for the wireless charging method, as described above, it may include an inductive and resonant method, an RF (radio frequency) method, and an NFC (near field communication) method.

[0132] FIG. 14 is a drawing showing an example of the configuration of a charging circuit (1300) usable in an electronic device according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0133] Referring to FIG. 14, the charging circuit (1300) may include a receiving coil section (1310), a rectifier circuit (1320), a regulator (1330), and a PCM (Protection Circuit Module) (1340). For example, a plurality of substrates (4110, 4120), each having a plurality of batteries, may be placed outside the PCM (1340). In this case, there may be at least one printed circuit board (1500) and a plurality of substrates (4110, 4120) connected continuously on one side of the at least one printed circuit board (1500). A first group of batteries (4210-1, ..., 4210-n) and a second group of batteries (4220-1, ..., 4220-y) disposed on a plurality of substrates (4110, 4120) can be connected in parallel by positive wiring and negative wiring formed on a printed circuit board (1500). In this case, each component (1510-1, ..., 1510-m) disposed on the printed circuit board (1500) can also be connected together to the wiring (positive wiring and negative wiring).

[0134] According to one embodiment, when an electronic device (100) is placed on an external charging device (not shown) equipped with a transmitting coil, the receiving coil (1310) generates an induced current by the magnetic field generated by the transmitting coil. The current induced by the receiving coil (1310) flows into a rectifier circuit (1320). The rectifier circuit (1320) converts the incoming AC current into a DC voltage.

[0135] According to one embodiment, the regulator (1330) may be a DC / DC converter (e.g., a low dropout regulator, LDO) that changes the voltage converted to DC by the rectifier circuit (1320) to an appropriate voltage. The regulator (1330) stabilizes the converted DC voltage and adjusts its magnitude. The DC voltage of the magnitude adjusted by the regulator (1330) is applied between the positive wiring and the negative wiring. Accordingly, a first group of batteries (4210-1,…, 4210-n) and a second group of batteries (4220-1,…, 4220-y) connected between the positive wiring and the negative wiring can be charged. Each component (1510-1,…, 1510-m) connected to the positive wiring and the negative wiring can operate by receiving the DC voltage input through the regulator (1330) while charging. When the electronic device (100) is removed from an external charging device (not shown), the DC voltage supplied by the regulator (1330) is cut off, so the electrical energy charged in the first group of batteries (4210-1,…, 4210-n) and the second group of batteries (4220-1,…, 4220-y) is released and can be supplied to each component (1510-1,…, 1510-m).

[0136] According to one embodiment, the Protection Circuit Module (PCM) (1340) is a circuit for preventing overcurrent from flowing into the battery, or preventing the battery from being overcharged or overdischarged. The PCM (1340) may include at least one PCM IC, at least one MOSFET switch, etc. The PCM IC detects the voltage of the batteries and identifies whether they are overcharged or overdischarged. When the PCM IC identifies overcharging or overdischarging, it controls the MOSFET switch to cut off the electrical connection between the battery module (1000) and the charging circuit (1300).

[0137] The receiving coil (1310), rectifier circuit (1320), regulator (1330), PCM (Protection Circuit Module) (1340) of FIG. 14 can each be designed as various types of circuits, so the illustration and description of specific detailed configurations are omitted.

[0138] FIG. 15 is a drawing showing another example of the configuration of a charging circuit (1300') usable in an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The charging circuit (1300') shown in FIG. 15 is substantially identical in most of its configuration to the charging circuit (1300) described with reference to FIG. 14, except for the configuration in which an additional printed circuit board (1500-2, see FIG. 12) disposed between a plurality of substrates (4110, 4120) is connected to a printed circuit board (1500-1, see FIG. 12). Accordingly, the same reference numerals are assigned to the configurations shown in FIG. 15 that are identical to those in FIG. 14.

[0139] According to one embodiment, when an additional printed circuit board (1500') is arranged between a plurality of substrates (4110, 4120), each component (1510-1', ..., 1510-m') of the additional printed circuit board (1500-2) can be connected in parallel with the printed circuit board (1500-1) through positive and negative wiring. Although the batteries in FIGS. 14 and 15 are described using a parallel circuit structure, they can be connected to the PCM by arranging them in a mixed series-parallel structure in which series and parallel are mixed, depending on the voltage required by the electronic device and the output voltage of each battery module.

[0140] FIG. 16 is a drawing showing another example of the configuration of a charging circuit (1300) usable in an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The charging circuit (1300) shown in FIG. 16 is substantially identical in most of its configuration to the charging circuit (1300') described with reference to FIG. 15, except that the configuration in which a plurality of batteries disposed on a plurality of substrates (4110, 4120) are arranged in a mixed series-parallel structure is different. Accordingly, the same reference numerals are assigned to the configurations shown in FIG. 16 that are identical to those in FIG. 15.

[0141] For example, if the voltage required by the electronic device and the output voltage of each battery module are higher than the case where the charging circuit (1300') described with reference to FIG. 15 is included, the electronic device may include a charging circuit (1300) having a mixed series-parallel structure as shown in FIG. 16.

[0142] For example, a first group of batteries (4210-1, ..., 4210-n) and a third group of batteries (4210-1', ..., 4210-n') may be disposed on the first substrate (4110). In this case, the first group of batteries (4210-1, ..., 4210-n) and the third group of batteries (4210-1', ..., 4220-n') may be connected in series. The fifth group of batteries may include the first group of batteries (4210-1, ..., 4210-n) and the third group of batteries (4210-1', ..., 4220-n'). A second group of batteries (4220-1, ..., 4220-y) and a fourth group of batteries (4220-1', ..., 4220-y') may be disposed on the second substrate (4120). In this case, the batteries of the second group (4220-1,…, 4220-y) and the batteries of the fourth group (4220-1',…, 4220-y') may be connected in series. In this case, the batteries of the sixth group may include the batteries of the second group (4220-1,…, 4220-y) and the batteries of the fourth group (4220-1',…, 4220-y'). In this case, the batteries of the fifth group and the batteries of the sixth group may be configured by connecting them in parallel.

[0143] In the foregoing, a battery module according to various embodiments that can be adaptively mounted to the shape of an electronic device, and an electronic device including the same, have been specifically described. According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, it is possible to easily accommodate changes in the shape of the electronic device according to the physical characteristics of the user.

[0144] According to the embodiments described above, the electronic device (100) may include a housing (110) having a curved section having a predetermined curvature, a substrate (1100) disposed in the housing, and a plurality of batteries (1200-1, ..., 1200-n) disposed on the substrate at predetermined intervals. The plurality of batteries may be configured to be disposed along a curvature corresponding to the curved section of the housing.

[0145] According to one embodiment, the housing (110) may include an outer first housing (111) and an inner second housing (112). The substrate (1100) may be positioned within the space between the first housing and the second housing.

[0146] According to one embodiment, the plurality of batteries (1200-1, ..., 1200-n) may be arranged along the circumferential direction of the curved section on the convex surface of the substrate.

[0147] According to one embodiment, the substrate (1100) may include a flexible printed circuit board.

[0148] According to one embodiment, each of the plurality of batteries (1200-1, ..., 1200-n) may include a positive terminal and a negative terminal formed toward the substrate.

[0149] According to one embodiment, the substrate (1100) includes a first surface (1101), a second surface (1102) opposite to the first surface, a first side (1103), and a second side (1104) opposite to the first side, and the thickness between the first surface and the second surface may be smaller than the thickness between the first side and the second side. The substrate may be formed convexly in the direction of the first side or the second side.

[0150] According to one embodiment, the plurality of batteries (1200-1, ..., 1200-n) may be arranged along the first surface or the second surface of the substrate.

[0151] According to one embodiment, the substrate (2100, 3100) may be mounted inside the housing such that the surface on which the plurality of batteries are arranged faces the side direction of the housing (110).

[0152] According to one embodiment, the substrate (3100) may include a first substrate (3110); and a second substrate (3120) formed symmetrically on the first substrate. The plurality of batteries (3200-1,…,3200-x) may be disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate.

[0153] According to one embodiment, the plurality of batteries (3200-1,…,3200-x) may be arranged along the circumferential direction of the first substrate and the second substrate.

[0154] According to one embodiment, the substrate (3100) may include a third substrate (3300) that interconnects the first substrate (3100) and the second substrate (3200). A first end of the third substrate may be connected to the first substrate, and a second end opposite to the first end may be connected to the second substrate.

[0155] According to one embodiment, it may include a printed circuit board (1500-1) disposed within the housing and at least one electronic component disposed on the printed circuit board.

[0156] According to one embodiment, the substrate may include a first substrate (4110) connected to a first side of the printed circuit board (1500-1); and a second substrate (4120) connected to a second side opposite to the first side of the printed circuit board.

[0157] According to one embodiment, the plurality of batteries may include a first group of batteries (4210-1, ..., 4210-4) disposed on the first substrate (4110) and a second group of batteries (4220-1) disposed on the second substrate (4120). The first group of batteries and the second group of batteries may be connected through positive and negative wiring that cross the printed circuit board (1500-1).

[0158] According to one embodiment, the positive wiring and the negative wiring may be connected to a charging circuit disposed adjacent to the first substrate (4110) or the second substrate (4120).

[0159] According to one embodiment, the housing (110) may be ring-shaped. Each of the plurality of batteries may be a solid-state battery. The substrate (1100) may be mounted inside the housing in a state where it is bent with a curvature corresponding to a curved section included within the ring-shaped housing (110).

[0160] According to one embodiment, the batteries of the first group (4210-1,…, 4210-n) and the batteries of the second group (4220-1,…, 4220-y) may be configured to be connected in parallel.

[0161] According to one embodiment, the plurality of batteries may include a first group of batteries (4210-1, ..., 4210-n) disposed on the first substrate (4110) and a third group of batteries (4210-1', ..., 4210-n') connected in series with the first group of batteries; and a second group of batteries disposed on the second substrate (4120) and a fourth group of batteries (4220-1', ..., 4220-y') connected in series with the second group of batteries (4220-1, ..., 4220-y). A fifth group of batteries, comprising the first group of batteries (4210-1,…, 4210-n) and the third group of batteries (4210-1',…, 4210-n'), may be configured to be connected in parallel with a sixth group of batteries, comprising the second group of batteries (4220-1,…, 4220-y) and the fourth group of batteries (4220-1',…, 4220-y').

[0162] According to one embodiment, the charging circuit (1300, 1300', 1300") may include a Protection Circuit Module (PCM) (1340) configured to protect the plurality of batteries from overcurrent flowing into the plurality of batteries, and from overcharging or over-discharging the plurality of batteries. The PCM may be placed between the printed circuit board (1500-1) and the first group of batteries (4110).

[0163] According to one embodiment, an additional printed circuit board (1500-2) disposed between the first substrate (4110) and the second substrate (4120) may be included. The additional printed circuit board may be connected to the printed circuit board (1500-1) through a plurality of wires.

[0164] Although various embodiments have been described above based on a ring-shaped electronic device (100), the aforementioned battery modules (1000, 2000, 3000, 4000) can be used in various types of wearable devices, such as the watch-shaped electronic device (200) of FIG. 1, glasses, or necklace-shaped electronic devices. When applied to the watch-shaped electronic device (200) of FIG. 1, the edge portion of the watch body includes a curved section. The aforementioned battery modules can be placed within this curved section.

[0165] Although various embodiments have been described above, each embodiment is not necessarily implemented individually, and may be combined with at least one other embodiment, either wholly or partially, to be implemented together in a single product.

[0166] Each component (e.g., module or program) according to the various embodiments described above may consist of a single or multiple entities, and some of the aforementioned sub-components may be omitted, or other sub-components may be further included in the various embodiments. Generally or additionally, some components (e.g., module or program) may be integrated into a single entity to perform the same or similar functions as those performed by each of the respective components prior to integration. The operations performed by the module, program, or other components according to the various embodiments may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or at least some operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or other operations added.

[0167] Although preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. It is understood that various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the essence of the present disclosure as claimed in the claims, and such modifications should not be understood individually from the technical spirit of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. In an electronic device, Housing including a curved section having a fixed curvature; A substrate disposed in the above housing; and A plurality of batteries arranged at predetermined intervals on the above substrate; including The above plurality of batteries are, An electronic device configured to be positioned along a curvature corresponding to a curved section of the housing.

2. In Paragraph 1, The above housing includes an outer first housing and an inner second housing. An electronic device wherein the substrate is positioned within the space between the first housing and the second housing.

3. In Paragraph 1 The above substrate An electronic device including a flexible printed circuit board.

4. In Paragraph 1, Each of the above plurality of batteries is, An electronic device comprising a positive terminal and a negative terminal formed on the substrate side.

5. In Paragraph 1, The above substrate is an electronic device mounted inside the housing such that the surface on which the plurality of batteries are arranged faces the side direction of the housing.

6. In Paragraph 1, The above substrate is, First substrate; and A second substrate formed symmetrically on the first substrate; comprising The above plurality of batteries are, An electronic device disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate.

7. In Paragraph 6, The above substrate is, It further includes a third substrate interconnecting the first substrate and the second substrate, An electronic device in which the first end of the third substrate is connected to the first substrate, and the second end, which is on the opposite side of the first end, is connected to the second substrate.

8. In Paragraph 1, A printed circuit board disposed within the above housing; and It further includes at least one electronic component disposed on the printed circuit board, and The above substrate is, A first substrate connected to a first side of the printed circuit board; and An electronic device comprising: a second board connected to a second side opposite to the first side of the printed circuit board.

9. In Paragraph 8, The above plurality of batteries are, It includes a first group of batteries disposed on the first substrate and a second group of batteries disposed on the second substrate, The batteries of the first group and the batteries of the second group are connected through positive and negative wiring that cross the printed circuit board. Electronic device.

10. In Paragraph 9, An electronic device in which the positive wiring and the negative wiring are connected to a charging circuit disposed adjacent to the first substrate or the second substrate.

11. In Paragraph 1, The above housing is ring-shaped, and Each of the above plurality of batteries is a solid-state battery, and An electronic device in which the above substrate is mounted inside the housing in a state where it is bent with a curvature corresponding to a curved section contained within the ring-shaped housing.

12. In Paragraph 9, An electronic device configured such that the batteries of the first group and the batteries of the second group are connected in parallel.

13. In Paragraph 8, The above plurality of batteries are, A first group of batteries disposed on the first substrate and a third group of batteries connected in series with the first group of batteries; and A second group of batteries disposed on the second substrate and a fourth group of batteries connected in series with the second group of batteries; comprising An electronic device configured such that a fifth group of batteries, including the first group of batteries and the third group of batteries, is connected in parallel with a sixth group of batteries, including the second group of batteries and the fourth group of batteries.

14. In Paragraph 10, The above charging circuit is, It includes a Protection Circuit Module (PCM) (1340) configured to protect against overcurrent flowing into the plurality of batteries and against overcharging or over-discharging of the plurality of batteries, and The above PCM is an electronic device positioned between the above printed circuit board and the first group of batteries.

15. In Paragraph 14, It further includes an additional printed circuit board disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and An electronic device in which the above additional printed circuit board is connected to the above printed circuit board through a plurality of wires.

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