Electronic device comprising conductive gasket

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device comprises: a display panel; a conductive plate configured to support a rear surface of the display panel; a conductive bracket disposed under the conductive plate; a conductive coating layer at least partially disposed between a first oxide film region and a second oxide film region forming at least a portion of a rear surface of the conductive plate; and a conductive gasket disposed between the conductive plate and the conductive bracket and in contact with the conductive coating layer to be electrically connected to the conductive plate through the conductive coating layer, wherein the conductive plate is electrically connected to the conductive bracket through the conductive coating layer and the conductive gasket, and may form at least a portion of the ground of the electronic device with the conductive bracket. Various other embodiments may be possible.

Description

Electronic device including a conductive gasket

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electronic device comprising a conductive gasket.

[0002] Driven by the remarkable advancements in information and communication technology and semiconductor technology, the distribution and use of various electronic devices are increasing rapidly. Electronic devices are being developed to enable portable communication.

[0003] The term "electronic device" refers to a device that performs specific functions according to an installed program, ranging from home appliances to electronic notebooks, portable multimedia players, mobile communication terminals, tablet PCs, video / audio devices, desktop / laptop computers, or in-vehicle navigation systems. For example, these electronic devices can output stored information as sound or video. As the integration density of electronic devices increases and ultra-high-speed, high-capacity wireless communication becomes commonplace, various functions can be integrated into a single electronic device, such as a mobile communication terminal. For instance, not only communication functions but also entertainment functions like games, multimedia functions like music / video playback, communication and security functions like mobile banking, or functions such as schedule management and electronic wallets are being integrated into a single electronic device. These electronic devices are being miniaturized to allow users to carry them conveniently.

[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] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device comprises: a display panel; a conductive plate configured to support the rear surface of the display panel; a conductive bracket disposed below the conductive plate; a conductive coating layer disposed at least partially between a first oxide film region and a second oxide film region forming at least a portion of the rear surface of the conductive plate; and a conductive gasket disposed between the conductive plate and the conductive bracket and in contact with the conductive coating layer so as to be electrically connected to the conductive plate through the conductive coating layer, wherein the conductive plate is electrically connected to the conductive bracket through the conductive coating layer and the conductive gasket and can form at least a portion of the ground of the electronic device together with the conductive bracket.

[0006] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device comprises: a display panel; a conductive plate configured to support the rear surface of the display panel; a conductive bracket disposed below the conductive plate; a conductive coating layer disposed at least partially between a first oxide film region and a second oxide film region forming at least a portion of the rear surface of the conductive plate; and a conductive gasket disposed between the conductive plate and the conductive bracket and in contact with the conductive coating layer so as to be electrically connected to the conductive plate through the conductive coating layer, wherein the conductive coating layer may comprise a polymer binder and a matrix in contact with the conductive plate and the conductive gasket; a plurality of conductive particles disposed to be dispersed within the matrix and forming a conductive path; and an organic acid contained within the matrix.

[0007] The aspects, configurations, and / or advantages described above regarding one embodiment of the present disclosure may become more apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment according to various embodiments.

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

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

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

[0012] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device cut along the line AA' of FIG. 2 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device comprising a conductive bracket and a conductive coating layer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a conductive coating layer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIGS. 8, FIGS. 9, and FIGS. 10 are schematic diagrams illustrating the state in which an oxide film is melted after a conductive coating layer is applied to the back surface of a conductive plate according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 11 is a top view of a conductive plate, a conductive gasket, and a conductive coating layer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device cut along the line BB' of FIG. 2 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device comprising a conductive bracket and a conductive coating layer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device including a conductive connecting member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] 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.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device (101) in a network environment (100) according to various embodiments.

[0022] 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)).

[0023] The processor (120) can control at least one other component (e.g., hardware or software component) of the electronic device (101) connected to the processor (120) by executing software (e.g., program (140)), for example, and can perform various data processing or operations. According to one embodiment, as at least part of the data processing or operations, the processor (120) can store commands or data received from other components (e.g., sensor module (176) or communication module (190)) in volatile memory (132), process the commands or data stored in volatile memory (132), and store the resulting data in non-volatile memory (134). According to one embodiment, the processor (120) may include a main processor (121) (e.g., central processing unit or application processor) or an auxiliary processor (123) that can operate independently or together with it (e.g., graphics processing unit, neural processing unit (NPU), image signal processor, sensor hub processor, or communication processor). For example, if the electronic device (101) includes a main processor (121) and an auxiliary processor (123), the auxiliary processor (123) may be configured to use lower power than the main processor (121) or to be specialized for a designated function. The auxiliary processor (123) may be implemented separately from the main processor (121) or as part thereof.

[0024] 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.

[0025] 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).

[0026] 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).

[0027] 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).

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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).

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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.

[0033] 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).

[0034] The haptic module (179) can convert an electrical signal into a mechanical stimulus (e.g., vibration or movement) or an electrical stimulus that the user can perceive 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.

[0035] 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.

[0036] The power management module (188) can manage the 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).

[0037] 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.

[0038] 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).

[0039] 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) can support a Peak data rate (e.g., 20 Gbps or more) for realizing eMBB, loss coverage (e.g., 164 dB or less) for realizing mMTC, 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 realizing URLLC.

[0040] An antenna module (197) can transmit a signal or power to or from an external source (e.g., an external electronic device). According to one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may include an antenna comprising a radiator made of a conductor or a conductive pattern formed on a substrate (e.g., a PCB). According to one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may include a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna). In this case, at least one antenna suitable for a communication method used in a communication network, such as a first network (198) or a second network (199), may be selected from the plurality of antennas, for example, by a communication module (190). A signal or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module (190) and an external electronic device through the selected at least one antenna. According to 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).

[0041] 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.

[0042] 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.

[0043] According to one embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (104) through a server (108) connected to a second network (199). Each of the external electronic devices (102, or 104) may be the same or 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 another embodiment, the external electronic device (104) may include an Internet of Things (IoT) device. The server (108) may be an intelligent server using machine learning and / or neural networks. According to one embodiment, the external electronic device (104) or the server (108) may be included within a second network (199).The electronic device (101) can be applied to intelligent services (e.g., smart home, smart city, smart car, or healthcare) based on 5G communication technology and IoT-related technology.

[0044] 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.

[0045] 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" may each include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as "first," "second," or "first" or "second" may be used simply to distinguish said components from other said components and do not limit said components in any other aspect (e.g., importance or order). Where any (e.g., 1st) component is referred to as “coupled” or “connected” to another (e.g., 2nd) component, with or without the terms “functionally” or “communicationly,” it means that said any component may be connected to said other component directly (e.g., via a wire), wirelessly, or through a third component.

[0046] The term “module” as used in the various embodiments of this document may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit, for example. A module may be a component formed integrally, or a minimum unit of said component or a part thereof that performs one or more functions. For example, according to one embodiment, a module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0047] 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.

[0048] 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 distributed online (e.g., download or upload) through an application store (e.g., Play Store™) 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.

[0049] 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.

[0050] FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating an unfolded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating a folded state of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0051] The embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 3 may be combined with the embodiment of FIG. 1 or the embodiments of FIGS. 4 to 14. The configurations of the embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 3 may be partially or wholly identical to the configurations of the embodiment of FIG. 1 or the configurations of FIGS. 4 to 14.

[0052] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, an electronic device (101) (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1) may include a housing (201), a hinge cover (240) covering a foldable portion of the housing (201), and a display (230) (e.g., the display module (160) of FIG. 1) disposed within the space formed by the housing (201).

[0053] According to one embodiment, the surface on which the screen output from the display (230) is exposed may be defined as the front of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a first front (210a) and a second front (220a)). The opposite side of the front may be defined as the rear of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a first rear (210b) and a second rear (220b)). In one embodiment, the surface surrounding the space between the front and the rear may be defined as the side of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a first side (210c) and a second side (220c)). The side of the electronic device (101) may be at least one side of the first housing (210) or the second housing (220). The electronic device (101) of FIGS. 2 and 3 may be referred to as a foldable electronic device, a portable electronic device, or a portable foldable electronic device. According to one embodiment, the housing (201) may be referred to as a foldable housing. The display (230) can be referred to as a "flexible display".

[0054] According to one embodiment, the housing (201) may form at least a portion of the exterior of the electronic device (101). The housing (201) may include a first housing (210), a second housing (220) rotatable relative to the first housing (210), a first rear cover (280), and a second rear cover (290). The housing (201) of the electronic device (101) is not limited to the form and combination shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and may be implemented by other shapes or combinations and / or combinations of parts. For example, in one embodiment, the first housing (210) and the first rear cover (280) may be formed integrally, and the second housing (220) and the second rear cover (290) may be formed integrally. According to one embodiment, the first rear cover (280) may be defined and / or referred to as a first rear plate (280). The second rear cover (290) may be defined and / or referred to as the second rear plate (290).

[0055] According to one embodiment, the first housing (210) is connected to a hinge structure (e.g., the hinge structure (202) of FIG. 4) and may include a first front surface (210a) facing a first direction and a first rear surface (210b) facing a second direction opposite to the first direction. The second housing (220) is connected to a hinge structure and includes a second front surface (220a) facing a third direction and a second rear surface (220b) facing a fourth direction opposite to the third direction, and may rotate relative to the first housing (210) about the hinge structure (202). Accordingly, the electronic device (101) may be variable in a folded state or an unfolded state. The folding or unfolding motion of the electronic device (101) can be understood as the rotation of the first housing (210) relative to the hinge structure or the rotation of the second housing (220) relative to the hinge structure. When the electronic device (101) is in a folded state, the first front (210a) may face the second front (220a). When the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state, the third direction may be the same as the first direction. Below, unless otherwise noted, directions are described based on the unfolded state of the electronic device (101).

[0056] According to one embodiment, the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) are positioned on both sides of a folding axis (Ax) and may have a shape that is symmetrical with respect to the folding axis (Ax). As described below, the angle or distance between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may vary depending on whether the state of the electronic device (101) is unfolded, folded, or in an intermediate state. According to one embodiment, the second housing (220) additionally includes a sensor area (224) in which sensors (e.g., a front camera) are positioned, but may have a mutually symmetrical shape in other areas.

[0057] According to one embodiment, the folding axis (Ax) may be a plurality of parallel folding axes (e.g., two). In the present disclosure, the folding axis (Ax) is provided along the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) of the electronic device (101), but the direction of the folding axis (Ax) is not limited thereto. For example (not shown), an embodiment may be implemented in which the electronic device (101) includes a folding axis extended along the width direction (e.g., X-axis direction).

[0058] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a structure to which a digital pen (not illustrated) can be attached. For example, the electronic device (101) may include a magnetic body configured to attach the digital pen to the side of the first housing (210) or the side of the second housing (220). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a structure into which a digital pen can be inserted. For example, a hole (not illustrated) into which a digital pen can be inserted may be formed on the side of the first housing (210) or the side of the second housing (220) of the electronic device (101).

[0059] According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be formed of a metal or non-metal material having a selected size of rigidity to support the display (230). At least a portion formed of a metal material may provide a ground plane of the electronic device (101) and may be electrically connected to a ground line formed on a printed circuit board (e.g., the substrate portion (260) of FIG. 4).

[0060] According to one embodiment, the sensor area (224) may be formed to have a predetermined area adjacent to one corner or one edge of the second housing (220). However, the arrangement, shape, and size of the sensor area (224) are not limited to the illustrated examples. According to one embodiment, the sensor area (224) may be provided in another corner of the second housing (220), any area between the top corner and the bottom corner, or in the first housing (210). In one embodiment, components for performing various functions embedded in the electronic device (101) may be exposed to the front of the electronic device (101) through the sensor area (224) or through one or more openings provided in the sensor area (224). In one embodiment, the components may include various types of sensors. The sensor(s) may include, for example, at least one of a front camera, a receiver, or a proximity sensor.

[0061] According to one embodiment, the first rear cover (280) is positioned on one side of the folding axis (Ax) at the rear of the electronic device (101) and may have a substantially rectangular periphery, for example, and the periphery may be wrapped by another structure of the first housing (210). Similarly, the second rear cover (290) is positioned on the other side of the folding axis (Ax) at the rear of the electronic device (101) and its periphery may be wrapped by another structure of the second housing (220).

[0062] According to one embodiment, the first rear cover (280) and / or the second rear cover (290) may have a substantially symmetrical shape with respect to the folding axis (Ax). However, the first rear cover (280) and the second rear cover (290) do not necessarily have mutually symmetrical shapes, and in one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include the first rear cover (280) and the second rear cover (290) having different shapes that are not symmetrical.

[0063] According to one embodiment, the first rear cover (280), the second rear cover (290), the first housing (210), and the second housing (220) may provide a space in which various components of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a printed circuit board or a battery) may be placed. According to one embodiment, one or more components may be placed or visually exposed on the rear of the electronic device (101). For example, at least a portion of the sub-display (234) may be visually exposed through at least a portion of the first rear cover (280). According to one embodiment, one or more components or sensors may be visually exposed through at least a portion of the second rear cover (290). In various embodiments, the sensor may include a proximity sensor and / or a camera module (206) (e.g., a rear camera).

[0064] According to one embodiment, a front camera exposed to the front of the electronic device (101) through one or more openings provided in the sensor area (224) or a camera module (206) (e.g., rear camera) exposed through at least a portion of the second rear cover (290) may include one or more lenses, an image sensor, and / or an image signal processor. In some embodiments, two or more lenses (infrared camera, wide-angle and telephoto lenses) and image sensors may be disposed on one side of the electronic device (101).

[0065] According to one embodiment, the camera module (206) exposed through at least a portion of the second rear cover (290) may face away from the second display area (232) of the display (230).

[0066] According to one embodiment, the hinge cover (240) is positioned between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) to cover an internal component (e.g., the hinge structure (202) of FIG. 4). According to one embodiment, the hinge cover (240) may be covered by a part of the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) or exposed to the outside, depending on the state of the electronic device (101) (flat state or folded state).

[0067] According to one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, when the electronic device (101) is in an unfolded state, the hinge cover (240) may be covered by the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) and not exposed. According to one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, when the electronic device (101) is in a folded state (e.g., a fully folded state), the hinge cover (240) may be exposed to the outside between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220). According to one embodiment, when the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) are in an intermediate state where they are folded with a certain angle, the hinge cover (240) may be partially exposed to the outside between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220). However, in this case, the exposed area may be smaller than in the fully folded state. In one embodiment, the hinge cover (240) may include a curved surface.

[0068] According to one embodiment, the display (230) may be placed in a space formed (or defined) by the housing (201). For example, the display (230) may be seated on a recess provided by the housing (201) and may form most of the front surface of the electronic device (101). Thus, the front surface of the electronic device (101) may include the display (230) and a portion of the first housing (210) and a portion of the second housing (220) adjacent to the display (230). The rear surface of the electronic device (101) may include a first rear cover (280), a portion of the first housing (210) adjacent to the first rear cover (280), a second rear cover (290), and a portion of the second housing (220) adjacent to the second rear cover (290).

[0069] According to one embodiment, the display (230) may include a plurality of display regions spaced apart from each other. For example, the display (230) may include a first display region (231) disposed on a first housing (210), a second display region (232) disposed on a second housing (220), and a folding region (233). According to one embodiment, the first display region (231) and the second display region (232) may rotate about a folding axis (Ax).

[0070] According to one embodiment, the display (230) may mean a display in which at least some area can be deformed into a flat or curved surface. For example, the display (230) may be a foldable or flexible display. According to one embodiment, the display (230) may include a folding area (233), a first display area (231) disposed on one side (e.g., the left side of the folding area (233) shown in FIG. 2) relative to the folding area (233), and a second display area (232) disposed on the other side (e.g., the right side of the folding area (233) shown in FIG. 2). However, the division of the areas of the display (230) is exemplary, and the display (230) may be divided into a plurality of areas (e.g., four or more or two) depending on the structure or function. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the area of ​​the display (230) may be divided by a folding area (233) extending parallel to the Y-axis or a folding axis (Ax). According to one embodiment, the area of ​​the display (230) may be divided based on another folding area (e.g., a folding area parallel to the X-axis) or another folding axis (e.g., a folding axis parallel to the X-axis). According to one embodiment, the display (230) may be combined with or placed adjacent to a touch detection circuit, a pressure sensor capable of measuring the intensity (pressure) of a touch, and / or a digitizer (not shown) configured to detect a magnetic field-type stylus pen.

[0071] According to one embodiment, the first display area (231) and the second display area (232) may have a shape that is symmetrical overall with respect to the folding area (233). According to one embodiment (not shown), the second display area (232), unlike the first display area (231), may include a notch cut according to the presence of the sensor area (224), but may have a shape that is substantially symmetrical to the first display area (231) in other areas. For example, the first display area (231) and the second display area (232) may include a portion having a shape that is symmetrical to each other and a portion having a shape that is asymmetrical to each other.

[0072] Hereinafter, the operation of the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) and each area of ​​the display (230) according to the state of the electronic device (101) (e.g., flat state, or unfolded state and folded state) will be described.

[0073] According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is in a flat state (e.g., FIG. 2), the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be positioned to face in the same direction at substantially 180 degrees. The surface of the first display area (231) and the surface of the second display area (232) of the display (230) may form 180 degrees with each other and face in the same direction (e.g., the front direction of the electronic device). The folding area (233) may form a plane with the first display area (231) and the second display area (232).

[0074] According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is in a folded state (e.g., FIG. 3), the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be positioned facing each other. The surface of the first display area (231) and the surface of the second display area (232) of the display (230) may face each other, forming a narrow angle (e.g., between about 0 and 10 degrees). When the electronic device (101) is in a folded state, the folding area (233) may be formed of a curved surface having at least a portion of a predetermined curvature.

[0075] According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) is in an intermediate state (not shown), the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be positioned at a certain angle to each other. The surface of the first display area (231) and the surface of the second display area (232) of the display (230) may form an angle that is larger than the folded state and smaller than the unfolded state. The folding area (233) may be formed of a curved surface having at least a certain curvature, and the curvature may be smaller than in the folded state.

[0076] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0077] The embodiment of FIG. 4 may be combined with the embodiments of FIG. 1 to 3, or the embodiments of FIG. 5 to 13. The configurations of the embodiment of FIG. 4 may be partially or wholly identical to the configurations of the embodiments of FIG. 1 to 3, or the configurations of the embodiments of FIG. 5 to 14.

[0078] Referring to FIG. 4, an electronic device (101) (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 2 to 3) may include a housing (201), a display (230), a hinge structure (202), a battery (250), and a circuit board (260). For example, the housing (201) may include a first housing (210), a second housing (220), a first rear cover (280), and a second rear cover (290). In one embodiment, the housing (201) may be understood to include a hinge cover (240). The configuration of the first housing (210), second housing (220), hinge cover (240), first rear cover (280), and second rear cover (290) of FIG. 4 may be all or partly the same as the configuration of the first housing (210), second housing (220), hinge cover (240), first rear cover (280), and second rear cover (290) of FIG. 2 and / or FIG. 3.

[0079] According to one embodiment, the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) may be assembled to each other so as to be joined to both sides of the hinge structure (202). For example, the hinge structure (202) may be placed in a hinge area between the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) to rotatably join the first housing (210) and the second housing (220). Here, the term 'hinge area' may refer to the space where the hinge structure (202) is placed, the area at least partially enclosed by the hinge cover (240), and / or the space between the folding area (233) of the display (230) and the hinge cover (240). In one embodiment, the hinge area may be understood as a space substantially corresponding to the folding area (233).

[0080] According to one embodiment, the hinge structure (202) can connect the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) so that the first housing (210) and the second housing (220) can be rotated relative to each other. The hinge structure (202) can be covered by a hinge cover (240). The electronic device (101) may include a hinge assembly comprising the hinge structure (202) and the hinge cover (240).

[0081] According to one embodiment, the hinge structure (202) may provide a folding axis (Ax) (e.g., the folding axis (Ax) of FIG. 2). The hinge structure (202) may be connected to a first plate (212) (e.g., a first bracket) of a first housing (210) and a second plate (222) (e.g., a second bracket) of a second housing (220). The housings (210, 220) may be coupled to the hinge structure (202) and rotate relative to the hinge structure (202) or the hinge cover (240).

[0082] According to one embodiment, the first housing (210) may include a first plate (212) (e.g., a first support member or a first support area) capable of supporting a component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a first circuit board (262) and / or a first battery (252)) and a first side wall (211) surrounding at least a portion of the first plate (212). The first side wall (211) may include a first side of the electronic device (101) (e.g., the first side (210c) of FIG. 2). According to one embodiment, the second housing (220) may include a second plate (222) (e.g., a second support member or a second support area) capable of supporting a component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a second circuit board (264) and / or a second battery (254)) and a second side wall (221) surrounding at least a portion of the second plate (222). The second side wall (221) may include a second side of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a second side (220c) of FIG. 2).

[0083] According to one embodiment, the first side wall (211) or the second side wall (221) may be understood as a frame shape that at least partially surrounds the space between the front and rear of the electronic device (101) (e.g., the first housing (210) or the second housing (220)). In one embodiment, the plates (212, 222) may be structures extending from either of the side walls (211, 221). For example, for convenience of explanation, the plates (212, 222) and the side walls (211, 221) are described separately, but the embodiment(s) of the present disclosure are not limited thereto, and the plates (212 or 222) and the side walls (211 or 221) may be implemented as a single body. In one embodiment, the plates (212 or 222) and sidewalls (211 or 221) may be implemented using a combination of an insulating material and an electrically conductive material, in which case the housings (210, 220) may be implemented as a single unit with the plates (212 or 222) and sidewalls (211 or 221) through an insert injection molding process and / or a computer numerical control machining process.

[0084] According to one embodiment, at least one part of the housings (210, 220) can function as an antenna. For example, the part functioning as an antenna of the electronic device (101) can implement at least a part of at least one side of the housings (210, 220).

[0085] According to one embodiment, a portion functioning as an antenna of the electronic device (101) may be positioned adjacent to at least one side of the housings (210, 220) and / or oriented in a direction intersecting the Z-axis (e.g., X-axis direction or Y-axis direction). For example, the portion functioning as an antenna of the electronic device (101) may be implemented by a part of the housings (210, 220) or may be manufactured as a separate part from the housings (210, 220) and positioned adjacent to the edge of the housings (210, 220). According to one embodiment, the phrase “a portion functioning as an antenna of the electronic device (101) is implemented by a part of the housings (210, 220)” may be understood to include, for example, an example in which the portion functioning as an antenna is positioned to form at least one side of the housings (210, 220).

[0086] Although not illustrated, the first housing (210) may include a first waterproof member disposed on the first plate (212), and the second housing (220) may include a second waterproof member disposed on the second plate (222). The first waterproof member and / or the second waterproof member may be disposed in the gap between the display (230) and the plates (212, 222) to prevent moisture or foreign matter from entering the interior of the first housing (210) and / or the second housing (220) from the outside.

[0087] According to one embodiment, a display (230) (e.g., a flexible display or a foldable display) may include a first display area (231), a second display area (232), and / or a folding area (233). The configuration of the first display area (231), the second display area (232), and the folding area (233) of FIG. 4 may be partially or entirely identical to the configuration of the first display area (231), the second display area (232), and the folding area (233) of FIG. 2.

[0088] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may further include a sub-display (234). The sub-display (234) may display a screen in a direction different from the display area (231, 232). For example, the sub-display (234) may output a screen in a direction opposite to the first display area (231). According to one embodiment, the sub-display (234) may be placed on the first rear cover (280). For example, the sub-display (234) may be placed between the first rear cover (280) and the first plate (212).

[0089] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a camera assembly (204) in which a plurality of cameras are combined (e.g., a camera module (206) of FIG. 2 or FIG. 3). Although not illustrated, the electronic device (101) may further include a camera that photographs a subject by passing through a part of the display (230) (e.g., a first display area (231) or a second display area (232)) or a camera that photographs a subject by passing through a part of the sub-display (234).

[0090] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) and / or the second rear cover (290) may include a cover plate (299) positioned correspondingly to the camera assembly (204). The cover plate (299) may provide an optical path (e.g., through hole) corresponding to the camera assembly (204), for example, and may make the optical path harmonize with the appearance of the electronic device (101). To provide an aesthetic appeal or to achieve a harmonious appearance in the appearance of the electronic device (101), the cover plate (299) may include a metal material. For example, the cover plate (299) may be made of a metal material or finished with a metal material (e.g., printing, deposition, coating, or plating). In one embodiment, the cover plate (299) may be understood as part of the second rear cover (290), with a portion (e.g., the edge) positioned inside the second rear cover (290) and another portion positioned exposed to the outside.

[0091] According to one embodiment, a camera assembly (204) comprising a plurality of cameras may be defined and / or referred to as a rear camera assembly (204) exposed through the rear of the electronic device (101) or the rear of the second housing (220). The camera assembly (204) may be covered by a cover plate (299) to be protected from external impact. The cover plate (299) may be defined and / or referred to as a protective member or a camera decorative member.

[0092] According to one embodiment, the camera assembly (204) may face away from the second display area (232) of the flexible display (230).

[0093] According to one embodiment, the battery (250) may include a first battery (252) disposed within a first housing (210) and a second battery (254) disposed within a second housing (220). According to one embodiment, the first battery (252) may be connected to a first circuit board (262), and the second battery (254) may be connected to a second circuit board (264). According to one embodiment, the battery (250) may supply power to at least one component of the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, the battery (250) may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

[0094] According to one embodiment, the circuit board (260) may include a first circuit board (262) disposed within a first housing (210) and a second circuit board (264) disposed within a second housing (220). According to one embodiment, the first circuit board (262) and the second circuit board (264) may be electrically connected by at least one flexible printed circuit board (266). According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the flexible printed circuit board (266) may be disposed across a hinge area or a hinge structure (e.g., a hinge structure (202)). According to one embodiment, the first circuit board (262) and the second circuit board (264) may be disposed within a space formed by the first housing (210), the second housing (220), the first rear cover (280), and the second rear cover (290). Components for implementing various functions of the electronic device (101) can be placed on the first circuit board (262) and the second circuit board (264).

[0095] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include speakers (208a, 208b). According to one embodiment, the speakers (208a, 208b) may convert electrical signals into sound. According to one embodiment, the speakers (208a, 208b) may be placed inside a space formed by a first housing (210), a second housing (220), a first rear cover (280), and a second rear cover (290). According to one embodiment, the speakers (208a, 208b) may include an upper speaker (208a) located at the top (+Y direction) of the electronic device (101) and a lower speaker (208b) located at the bottom (-Y direction) of the electronic device (101). In this disclosure, the speakers (208a, 208b) are shown as being located within a single housing (e.g., the first housing (210) of FIG. 4), but this is an optional structure. For example, the speakers (208a, 208b) may be located within at least one of the first housing (210) or the second housing (220). The configuration of the speakers (208a, 208b) of FIG. 4 may be the same as, in whole or in part, the configuration of the acoustic output module (155) of FIG. 1.

[0096] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a rear member (270) (or a rear case). According to one embodiment, the rear member (270) may be placed within a housing (201) (e.g., a second housing (220)). According to one embodiment, the rear member (270) may accommodate at least one antenna (275). In one embodiment, the rear member (270) may function as a structure for placing the antenna (275) and may function as a structure for supporting or protecting either of the circuit boards (262, 264). For example, a portion of the rear member (270) designated by reference numeral '279' may support a portion of the circuit boards (262, 264).

[0097] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include an antenna (275). The antenna (275a, 275b) may include, for example, an ultra-wide band (UWB) antenna (275a), a near field communication (NFC) antenna, a wireless charging antenna, and / or a magnetic secure transmission (MST) antenna (275b). The antenna (275) may, for example, communicate near-field with an external device or wirelessly transmit and receive power required for charging.

[0098] In one embodiment, an antenna structure may be formed by a part or a combination thereof of the housing (201). For example, the antenna (275) may include a communication antenna (275c). The communication antenna (275c) may be used for communication with an external electronic device (e.g., Wi-Fi). For example, the communication antenna (275c) may be located on the upper (271a) or lower (271b) portion of the rear member (270). In addition, the electronic device (101) may further include an additional antenna positioned adjacent to a part of the side walls (211, 221) or an electronic component such as a camera assembly (204).

[0099] According to one embodiment, the first plate (212) may be disposed between the first display area (231) and the first rear cover (280). The first display area (231) may be disposed on one side of the first plate (212) (e.g., the side facing the +Z direction in FIG. 4). The first rear cover (280) may be disposed below the other side of the first plate (212) (e.g., the side facing the -Z direction in FIG. 4).

[0100] According to one embodiment, the first battery (252) and the first circuit board (262) may be disposed on the other side of the first plate (212) (e.g., the side facing the -Z direction in FIG. 4). For example, the first battery (252) and the first circuit board (262) may be disposed between the first plate (212) and the first rear cover (280). The first plate (212) may be disposed between the first display area (231) and the first battery (252). The first plate (212) may be disposed between the first display area (231) and the first circuit board (262).

[0101] According to one embodiment, the second plate (222) may be disposed between the second display area (232) and the second rear cover (290). The second display area (232) may be disposed on one side of the second plate (222) (e.g., the side facing the +Z direction in FIG. 4). The second rear cover (290) may be disposed below the other side of the second plate (222) (e.g., the side facing the -Z direction in FIG. 4).

[0102] According to one embodiment, the second battery (254) and the second circuit board (264) may be disposed on the other side of the second plate (222) (e.g., the side facing the -Z direction in FIG. 4). For example, the second battery (254) and the second circuit board (264) may be disposed between the second plate (222) and the second rear cover (290). The second plate (222) may be disposed between the second display area (232) and the second battery (254). The second plate (222) may be disposed between the second display area (232) and the second circuit board (264).

[0103] Hereinafter, a conductive coating layer and a conductive gasket are described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 14. The conductive coating layer and conductive gasket described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 14 are described as being applied to a foldable electronic device comprising housings rotatable relative to each other and a flexible display that can be folded or unfolded at least partially, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the conductive coating layer and conductive gasket described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 14 may also be applied to a bar-type electronic device comprising a rigid front display (e.g., a non-folding front display), or to a rollable or slidable electronic device comprising housings slidable relative to each other and a display configured to be rollable or unrollable at least partially.

[0104] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device cut along the line AA' of FIG. 2 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0105] The embodiment of FIG. 5 may be combined with the embodiments of FIG. 1 to 4, or the embodiments of FIG. 6 to 14. The configurations of the embodiment of FIG. 5 may be partially or wholly identical to the configurations of the embodiments of FIG. 1 to 4, or the configurations of the embodiments of FIG. 6 to 14.

[0106] Referring to FIG. 5, an electronic device (101) (e.g., electronic device (101) of FIG. 2 to 4) may include a display panel (321), a conductive plate (310), a bracket (330), a conductive coating layer (340), a conductive gasket (350), a conductive adhesive member (370), a circuit board (364), or a sub-display (324).

[0107] According to one embodiment, a display panel (321) (e.g., a display module (160) of FIG. 1) may include one or more pixels. The display panel (321) may be configured to provide a visual image to a user as one or more pixels emit light.

[0108] According to one embodiment, the display panel (321) may form at least a portion of the front surface of the electronic device (101), but is not limited thereto. The display panel (321) may face away from the sub-display (324) (e.g., the sub-display (234) of FIG. 2). The display panel (321) may be referred to as the main display panel.

[0109] According to one embodiment, the conductive bracket (330) may be positioned between the display panel (321) and the sub-display (324). The conductive bracket (330) may be configured to support the display panel (321) and the sub-display (324).

[0110] According to one embodiment, the conductive bracket (330) may form at least a part of the housing (e.g., the housing (201) of FIG. 4). For example, the conductive bracket (330) may form at least a part of the first plate (e.g., the first plate or first bracket (212) of FIG. 4) of the first housing (e.g., the first housing (210) of FIG. 4).

[0111] According to one embodiment, the conductive bracket (330) can support a circuit board (362) (e.g., the first circuit board (262) of FIG. 4).

[0112] According to one embodiment, the conductive bracket (330) may comprise a conductive material or a metal material. For example, the conductive bracket (330) may comprise at least one of stainless steel, titanium, or aluminum, but is not limited thereto. A portion of the conductive bracket (330) may be formed from a non-metallic material (e.g., injection molding).

[0113] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (310) can support the display panel (321). For example, the conductive plate (310) may be configured to be positioned between the display panel (321) and the conductive bracket (330) to support the rear surface (e.g., the surface facing the -Z direction in FIG. 5) of the display panel (321).

[0114] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (310) may indirectly support the rear surface of the display panel (321) through at least one layer (305) disposed on the rear surface of the display panel (321), but is not limited thereto. Although not illustrated, the conductive plate (310) may directly support the rear surface of the display panel (321) by contacting the rear surface of the display panel (321).

[0115] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (310) may be the bottommost layer among one or more layers disposed between the rear surface of the display panel (321) and the conductive coating layer (340).

[0116] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (310) may be referred to as a display support plate that supports a display panel (321). The conductive plate (310) may be referred to as a flexible plate having a part of a flexible material so as to be able to respond to a folding operation (e.g., FIG. 3) of an electronic device (101). The conductive plate (310) may be referred to as a lattice plate comprising at least one lattice pattern (e.g., a groove or a hole) formed in a part corresponding to a folding area (e.g., a folding area (233) in FIG. 2). The conductive plate (310) may be referred to as a conductive sheet.

[0117] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (310) may include a conductive material or a metal material. For example, the conductive bracket (330) may include at least one of copper, stainless steel, titanium, or aluminum, but is not limited thereto. For example, the conductive plate (310) may include a metal plate. According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (310) may include an oxide layer formed on the surface of the conductive plate (310).

[0118] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (310) may include at least one of CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic) or GFRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic) having a conductive deposition layer coated on its surface. For example, the conductive plate (310) may include an oxide film formed on the surface of the conductive deposition layer.

[0119] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (310) can be electrically connected to the conductive bracket (330) through a conductive coating layer (340), a conductive gasket (350), and a conductive adhesive member (370).

[0120] According to one embodiment, the conductive coating layer (340), the conductive gasket (350), and the conductive adhesive member (370) can form an electrical path between the conductive plate (310) and the conductive bracket (330).

[0121] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (310) is electrically connected to the conductive bracket (330) to form a ground between the conductive bracket (330) and the electronic device (101). The ground area formed by the electrical connection of the conductive plate (310) and the conductive bracket (330) may be larger than a ground area formed only by the conductive plate (310) or a ground area formed only by the conductive bracket (330).

[0122] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (310) may be referred to as a heat dissipation sheet or heat dissipation sheet configured to receive heat generated from the electrical / electronic components of the electronic device (101) and distribute it in the plane direction of the conductive plate (310) (e.g., a plane direction including the X-axis and Y-axis of FIG. 5).

[0123] According to one embodiment, a conductive bracket (330) may be disposed between a conductive plate (310) and a conductive bracket (330). The conductive bracket (330) may be electrically connected to the conductive plate (310) and the conductive bracket (330) to form a conductive path or an electrical path between the conductive plate (310) and the conductive bracket (330).

[0124] According to one embodiment, the conductive bracket (330) can be coupled to the conductive coating layer (340) so as to be electrically connected to the conductive plate (310) through the conductive coating layer (340).

[0125] According to one embodiment, the conductive bracket (330) can be coupled and / or adhered to the conductive bracket (330) through a conductive adhesive member (370).

[0126] According to one embodiment, the conductive bracket (330) can be coupled and / or bonded to the conductive plate (310) through a conductive coating layer (340).

[0127] Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 6, a conductive plate (310), a conductive coating layer (340), a conductive bracket (330), a conductive adhesive member (370), and a conductive bracket (330) will be described.

[0128] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device comprising a conductive bracket and a conductive coating layer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a conductive coating layer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0129] The embodiments of FIGS. 6 and 7 may be combined with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 5, or the embodiments of FIGS. 8 to 14. The configurations of the embodiments of FIGS. 6 and 7 may be partially or wholly identical to the configurations of the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 5, or the configurations of FIGS. 8 to 14.

[0130] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, an electronic device (101) (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 5) may include a conductive gasket (350) positioned between a conductive plate (310) and a conductive bracket (330).

[0131] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a cover glass (306) disposed on the front surface of a display panel (321) and configured to protect and / or cover the display panel (321). The cover glass (306) may form at least a portion of the front surface of the electronic device (101).

[0132] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include one or more layers (305) disposed on the rear surface opposite to the front surface of the display panel (321). The one or more layers (305) may include at least one of a shielding sheet formed of a metal material and / or a cushion sheet formed of an elastically deformable sponge, but is not limited thereto. The front surface of the display panel (321) may be referred to as the outer surface of the display panel (321), and the rear surface of the display panel (321) may be referred to as the inner surface of the display panel (321).

[0133] According to one embodiment, one or more layers (305) may be disposed between the display panel (321) and the conductive plate (310).

[0134] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (310) can directly or indirectly support the rear surface of the display panel (321).

[0135] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (310) may include a front surface (311) and a rear surface (312) opposite to the front surface (311). The front surface (311) of the conductive plate (310) may be referred to as the outer surface of the conductive plate (310), and the rear surface (312) of the conductive plate (310) may be referred to as the rear surface of the conductive plate (310).

[0136] According to one embodiment, the front surface (311) of the conductive plate (310) may come into contact with one or more layers (305).

[0137] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (310) may include an oxide layer formed as at least its surface comprises a metal material. For example, an oxide layer may be formed on at least a portion of the rear surface (312) of the conductive plate (310).

[0138] According to one embodiment, when the conductive plate (310) includes a copper plate, the oxide film of the conductive plate (310) may include copper oxide (CuO), but is not limited thereto. Depending on the material of the conductive plate (310), the oxide film of the conductive plate (310) may include nickel oxide (NiO), aluminum oxide (AlO), and titanium oxide (TiO), but is not limited thereto.

[0139] According to one embodiment, the conductive coating layer (340) may be disposed on the rear surface (312) of the conductive plate (310). For example, the conductive coating layer (340) may be disposed at least partially between a first oxide layer area (3121) and a second oxide layer area (3122) that form at least a portion of the rear surface (312) of the conductive plate (310).

[0140] According to one embodiment, a conductive coating layer (340) (e.g., the conductive coating layer (340) of FIG. 7) may include a matrix (341), a plurality of conductive particles (342), and an organic acid (343).

[0141] According to one embodiment, the matrix (341) may form the body of the conductive coating layer (340). The matrix (341) may include a polymer binder. The polymer binder may include at least one of acrylate, epoxy, PU (polyurethane), PI (polyimid)-Varnish, or flexible-PI (polyimid), but is not limited thereto.

[0142] According to one embodiment, the matrix (341) may come into contact with the conductive plate (310) and the conductive gasket (350). The matrix (341) coming into contact with the conductive plate (310) and the conductive gasket (350) can be interpreted as the matrix (341) being connected to the conductive plate (310) and the conductive gasket (350). The matrix (341) coming into contact with the conductive plate (310) and the conductive gasket (350) can be interpreted as the matrix (341) being coupled to the conductive plate (310) and the conductive gasket (350).

[0143] According to one embodiment, the matrix (341) may be connected to and / or coupled to the conductive plate (310) and the conductive gasket (350).

[0144] According to one embodiment, a plurality of conductive particles (342) may be dispersed and disposed within a matrix (341). The plurality of conductive particles (342) may include at least one of copper (Cu), silver (Ag), gold (Au), nickel (Ni), graphite, or carbon fiber, but are not limited thereto. The plurality of conductive particles (342) may include particles in which copper, nickel, or silver particles are plated with gold, but are not limited thereto. The plurality of conductive particles (342) may include polymer particles, such as thermoplastic plastic, that are plated with copper, nickel, silver, or gold, but are not limited thereto.

[0145] According to one embodiment, a plurality of conductive particles (342) can form at least a portion of a conductive path or an electrical path.

[0146] According to one embodiment, the organic acid (343) may be contained within the matrix (341). The organic acid (343) may include at least one of a carboxylic acid (RCOOH) or a hydroxylic acid (OH), but is not limited thereto. The organic acid (343) may include at least one of a sulfinic acid (RSO2H), a sulfonic acid (RSO3H), or a phenol (ArOH), but is not limited thereto.

[0147] According to one embodiment, when the conductive coating layer (340) comes into contact with the conductive plate (310), the organic acid (343) may dissociate and release hydrogen ions (e.g., H+). The released hydrogen ions may react with the oxide layer of the conductive coating layer (340) to at least partially remove or reduce the oxide layer. Accordingly, the electrical contact resistance between the conductive plate (310) and the conductive coating layer (340) may be reduced and the conductivity characteristics may be improved.

[0148] According to one embodiment, the conductive coating layer (340) may be referred to as a protective coating layer that prevents and / or reduces corrosion of the pure metal surface of the conductive plate (310).

[0149] According to one embodiment, as a portion of the oxide film on the back surface (312) of the conductive plate (310) is dissolved by the organic acid (343) of the conductive coating layer (340), the conductive coating layer (340) may be at least partially located between the undissolved first oxide film region (3121) and the second oxide film region (3122), forming at least a portion of the back surface (312) of the conductive plate (310).

[0150] According to one embodiment, as a portion of the oxide film on the rear surface (312) of the conductive plate (310) is dissolved, the portion of the dissolved oxide film may form a recess (3123) that is stepped with respect to the first oxide film region (3121) and the second oxide film region (3122). A conductive coating layer (340) may be disposed at least partially in the recess (3123).

[0151] According to one embodiment, when a portion of the oxide film on the back surface (312) of the conductive plate (310) is dissolved, the pure metal surface of the conductive plate (310) (e.g., the bottom surface of the recess (3123)) may not be covered by the oxide film. The conductive coating layer (340) may come into contact with the pure metal surface of the conductive plate (310), thereby improving electrical contact resistance. Additionally, as the conductive coating layer (340) seals the pure metal surface of the conductive plate (310), oxidation of the pure metal surface of the conductive plate (310) may be limited and / or reduced. For example, the conductive coating layer (340) may be positioned to seal a portion of the pure metal surface (e.g., the active metal surface) of the conductive plate (310) located between the first oxide film region (3121) and the second oxide film region (3122). For example, the conductive coating layer (340) can passivate by covering a portion of the pure metal surface of the conductive plate (310).

[0152] Looking at the partial enlarged view of FIG. 6, the second oxide film region (3122) may include a second oxide film (3122a) formed on the pure metal surface of the conductive plate (310) and a second anti-corrosion coating layer (3122b) disposed on the second oxide film (3122a).

[0153] According to one embodiment, the second oxide film (3122a) can be interpreted as part of the remaining oxide film that is not dissolved by the organic acid (343). The second anti-corrosion coating layer (3122b) can be interpreted as part of the remaining anti-corrosion coating layer that is not dissolved by the organic acid (343). For example, the conductive plate (310) may include an oxide film formed on its surface and a plate having an anti-corrosion coating layer formed on the oxide film surface to improve anti-fingerprint properties.

[0154] According to one embodiment, a boundary (3011) may be formed between the conductive coating layer (340) and the second oxide film region (3122). For example, the conductive coating layer (340) may be bordered with the second oxide film region (3122).

[0155] According to one embodiment, the conductive gasket (350) may be disposed under the conductive plate (310).

[0156] According to one embodiment, the conductive gasket (350) may be electrically connected to the conductive plate (310) through a conductive coating layer (340). The conductive gasket (350) may be referred to as a conductive connecting member.

[0157] According to one embodiment, the conductive gasket (350) may come into contact with the conductive coating layer (340). The contact of the conductive gasket (350) with the conductive coating layer (340) can be interpreted as the conductive gasket (350) being connected to the conductive coating layer (340). The contact of the conductive gasket (350) with the conductive coating layer (340) can be interpreted as the conductive gasket (350) being bonded to the conductive coating layer (340).

[0158] According to one embodiment, the conductive gasket (350) may include a conductive fiber (351) forming the exterior of the conductive gasket (350) and a foam (352) contained within the structure formed by the conductive fiber (351). The foam (352) may include at least one of polyurethane or silicone, but is not limited thereto.

[0159] According to one embodiment, the upper end of the conductive fiber (351) may be in contact with a conductive coating layer (340). The lower end of the conductive fiber (351) may be in contact with a conductive adhesive member (370). The conductive fiber (351) may form a conductive path or an electrical path.

[0160] According to one embodiment, a conductive adhesive member (370) may be placed between a conductive gasket (350) and a conductive bracket (330).

[0161] According to one embodiment, the conductive adhesive member (370) may include a conductive tape adhered to a conductive gasket (350) and a conductive bracket (330). The conductive adhesive member (370) may include conductive particles (371) (e.g., particles including silver, gold, or copper). The conductive adhesive member (370) may form a conductive path or an electrical path.

[0162] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (310) may be electrically connected to the conductive bracket (330) through a conductive coating layer (340), a conductive gasket (350), and a conductive adhesive member (370). Through this connection, the conductive plate (310) and the conductive bracket (330) may be configured to provide ground for the electronic device (101) together.

[0163] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (310) can support the display panel (321) and thus complement the rigidity of the display panel (321). The conductive plate (310) can shield to limit and / or reduce the noise of the display panel (321) affecting the inside of the electronic device (101).

[0164] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (310) is electrically connected to the conductive bracket (330) to provide ground between the conductive bracket (330) and the electronic device (101). By electrically connecting the conductive plate (310) and the conductive bracket (330), the ground performance of the electronic device (101) can be improved, and accordingly, the antenna performance of the electronic device (101) can be improved.

[0165] FIGS. 8, FIGS. 9, and FIGS. 10 are schematic diagrams illustrating the state in which an oxide film is melted after a conductive coating layer is applied to the back surface of a conductive plate according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0166] The embodiments of FIGS. 8, 9, and 10 may be combined with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 7, or the embodiments of FIGS. 11 to 14. The configurations of the embodiments of FIGS. 8, 9, and 10 may be partially or wholly identical to the configurations of the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 7, or the configurations of FIGS. 11 to 14.

[0167] Referring to FIG. 8, the rear surface of the conductive plate (310) (e.g., the side facing the -Z direction in FIG. 8) may include an oxide film (312a) formed on the pure metal surface of the conductive plate (310) and an anti-corrosion coating layer (312b) formed by anti-corrosion treatment on the surface of the oxide film (312a). The anti-corrosion coating layer (312b) may include a water-dispersible chromium compound or water-dispersible silica, but is not limited thereto.

[0168] Referring to FIG. 9, a conductive coating layer (340a) is applied to the back surface of a conductive plate (310). The conductive coating layer (340a) may comprise a matrix (341) containing a polymer binder, conductive particles (342) dispersed and arranged within the matrix (341), and an organic acid (343) contained within the matrix (341).

[0169] According to one embodiment, the conductive coating layer (340a) may be applied to the back surface of the conductive plate (310) in a liquid state, but is not limited thereto. The conductive coating layer (340a) may be applied to the back surface of the conductive plate (310) with conductive particles (342) added to the conductive coating layer (340a), but is not limited thereto. For example, conductive particles (342) may be added to the conductive coating layer (340a) while the conductive coating layer (340a) is applied to the conductive plate (310).

[0170] According to one embodiment, when the conductive coating layer (340a) is initially applied to the back surface of the conductive plate (310), the anti-corrosion coating layer (312b) and the oxide film (312a) may not dissolve.

[0171] Referring to FIG. 10, a conductive coating layer (340) is applied to the rear surface (312) of a conductive plate (310), and after a certain period of time, a state is shown in which a part of the anti-corrosion coating layer and a part of the oxide film are dissolved.

[0172] According to one embodiment, the rear surface (312) of the conductive plate (310) may include a first oxide film region (3121), a second oxide film region (3122), and a recess (3123).

[0173] According to one embodiment, a portion of the oxide film may be dissolved by the organic acid (343) of the conductive coating layer (340). Accordingly, the pure metal surface of the conductive plate (310) may not be covered by the oxide film, thereby forming a recess (3123). The recess (3123) may be defined by the pure metal surface of the conductive plate (310), and a first oxide film region (3121) and a second oxide film region (3122).

[0174] According to one embodiment, hydrogen ions dissociated from the organic acid (343) may dissociate a portion of the oxide film and form a compound (344), but are not limited thereto. For example, the organic acid (343) may remove a portion of the anti-corrosion coating layer and a portion of the oxide film by acid pickling.

[0175] According to one embodiment, the first oxide film region (3121) may include a first oxide film (3121a) covering a pure metal surface of a conductive plate (310) and a first anti-corrosion coating layer (3121b) formed by anti-corrosion treatment on the surface of the first oxide film (3121a).

[0176] According to one embodiment, the second oxide film region (3122) may include a second oxide film (3122a) covering a pure metal surface of a conductive plate (310) and a second anti-corrosion coating layer (3122b) formed by anti-corrosion treatment on the surface of the second oxide film (3122a).

[0177] According to one embodiment, the matrix (341) of the conductive coating layer (340) may be at least partially disposed between the first oxide film region (3121) and the second oxide film region (3122).

[0178] According to one embodiment, the matrix (341) may be placed or accommodated in at least partially the recess (3123).

[0179] According to one embodiment, the conductive particles (342) may be configured to provide conductive properties to the conductive coating layer (340) as they are dispersed and arranged within the matrix (341). For example, the conductive particles (342) may be configured to provide a conductive path or an electrical path.

[0180] According to one embodiment, the organic acid (343) may be contained within the matrix (341). The hydrogen ions formed by the dissociation of the organic acid (343) may dissolve the oxide film to form a compound (344).

[0181] According to one embodiment, the conductive coating layer (340) can be cured and become relatively hard. Even when the conductive coating layer (340) is cured, organic acid (343) may remain inside the conductive coating layer (340).

[0182] FIG. 11 is a top view of a conductive plate, a conductive gasket, and a conductive coating layer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0183] The embodiment of FIG. 11 may be combined with the embodiments of FIG. 1 to 10, or the embodiments of FIG. 12 to 14. The configurations of the embodiment of FIG. 11 may be partially or wholly identical to the configurations of the embodiments of FIG. 1 to 10, or the configurations of FIG. 12 to 14.

[0184] According to one embodiment, an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 5 and 6) may include a conductive gasket (350) (e.g., the conductive gasket (350) of FIG. 5 and 6) and another conductive gasket (359).

[0185] According to one embodiment, the conductive gasket (350) may be referred to as the first conductive gasket, and the other conductive gasket (359) may be referred to as the second conductive gasket. The description of the conductive gasket (350) described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7 may be applied in the same and / or similarly to the other conductive gasket (359).

[0186] According to one embodiment, the electronic device may include a conductive coating layer (340) (e.g., the conductive coating layer (340) of FIG. 5 and FIG. 6) and another conductive coating layer (349) (another conductive coating layer).

[0187] According to one embodiment, the conductive coating layer (340) may be referred to as the first conductive coating layer, and the other conductive coating layer (349) may be referred to as the second conductive coating layer. The description of the conductive coating layer (340) described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7 may be applied in the same and / or similarly to the other conductive coating layer (349).

[0188] According to one embodiment, another conductive gasket (359) may be spaced apart from the conductive gasket (350). The other conductive gasket (359) may be electrically connected to the conductive plate (310) through another conductive coating layer (349).

[0189] According to one embodiment, a conductive plate (310) and a conductive bracket (e.g., a conductive bracket (330) of FIG. 5 and FIG. 6) can be electrically connected to each other through a conductive path through a conductive gasket (350) and another conductive path through another conductive bracket (359).

[0190] According to one embodiment, when viewed from above the conductive plate (310) (e.g., when viewed along the Z-axis of FIG. 11), the area or size of the conductive coating layer (340) may be greater than or equal to the area or size of the conductive gasket (350). According to the illustrated embodiment, the area or size of the conductive coating layer (340) may be larger than, but is not limited to, the area or size of the conductive gasket (350), and may be substantially the same as the area or size of the conductive gasket (350).

[0191] According to one embodiment, when viewed from above the conductive plate (310) (e.g., when viewed along the Z-axis of FIG. 11), the area or size of the other conductive coating layer (349) may be greater than or equal to the area or size of the other conductive gasket (359). According to the illustrated embodiment, the area or size of the other conductive coating layer (349) may be larger than, but not limited to, the area or size of the other conductive gasket (359), and may be substantially the same as the area or size of the other conductive gasket (359).

[0192] According to one embodiment, when viewed from above the conductive plate (310) (e.g., when viewed along the Z-axis of FIG. 11), the conductive coating layer (340) may be surrounded by an oxide film region. For example, when the cross-section of the conductive coating layer (340) is rectangular, the conductive coating layer (340) may be located within a rectangular region defined by a first oxide film region (3121), a second oxide film region (3122), a third oxide film region (3124), and a fourth oxide film region (3125), but is not limited thereto.

[0193] According to one embodiment, when viewed from above the conductive plate (310) (e.g., when viewed along the Z-axis of FIG. 11), another conductive coating layer (349) may be surrounded by an oxide film region.

[0194] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device cut along the line BB' of FIG. 2 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device including a conductive bracket and a conductive coating layer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0195] The embodiments of FIGS. 12 and 13 may be combined with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 11 or the embodiment of FIG. 14. The configurations of the embodiments of FIGS. 12 and 13 may be partially or entirely identical to the configurations of the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 11 or the configurations of the embodiment of FIG. 14.

[0196] Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, an electronic device (101) (e.g., electronic device (101) of FIGS. 2 to 4) may include a display panel (421) (e.g., display panel (321) of FIGS. 5 and 6), a conductive plate (410), a bracket (430), a conductive coating layer (440), a conductive gasket (450), a conductive adhesive member (470), or a sub-display panel (424).

[0197] According to one embodiment, a sub-display panel (424) (e.g., a display module (160) of FIG. 1) may include one or more pixels. The sub-display panel (424) may be configured to provide a visual image to a user as one or more pixels emit light.

[0198] According to one embodiment, the sub-display panel (424) may form at least a portion of the rear surface of the electronic device (101), but is not limited thereto. The sub-display panel (424) may face away from the display panel (421). The display panel (421) may be referred to as the main display panel.

[0199] According to one embodiment, the conductive bracket (430) may be positioned between the display panel (421) and the sub-display panel (424). The conductive bracket (430) may be configured to support the display panel (421) and the sub-display panel (424).

[0200] According to one embodiment, the conductive bracket (430) may form at least a part of the housing (e.g., the housing (201) of FIG. 4). For example, the conductive bracket (430) may form at least a part of the first plate (e.g., the first plate or first bracket (212) of FIG. 4) of the first housing (e.g., the first housing (210) of FIG. 4).

[0201] According to one embodiment, the conductive bracket (430) may comprise a conductive material or a metal material. For example, the conductive bracket (430) may comprise at least one of stainless steel, titanium, or aluminum, but is not limited thereto. A portion of the conductive bracket (430) may be formed from a non-metallic material (e.g., injection molding).

[0202] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (410) can support the sub-display panel (424). For example, the conductive plate (410) may be configured to be positioned between the sub-display panel (424) and the conductive bracket (430) to support the inner surface of the sub-display panel (424) (e.g., the surface facing the +Z direction in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13).

[0203] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (410) may indirectly support the inner surface of the sub-display panel (424) through at least one layer (407) disposed on the inner surface of the sub-display panel (424), but is not limited thereto. Although not illustrated, the conductive plate (410) may directly support the inner surface of the sub-display panel (424) by contacting the inner surface of the sub-display panel (424).

[0204] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (410) may be the lowest layer among one or more layers disposed between the inner surface of the sub-display panel (424) and the conductive coating layer (440).

[0205] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (410) may be referred to as a sub-display support plate that supports a sub-display panel (424). The conductive plate (410) may be referred to as a flexible plate having a part of a flexible material so as to be able to respond to a folding operation (e.g., FIG. 3) of the electronic device (101). The conductive plate (410) may be referred to as a lattice plate comprising at least one lattice pattern (e.g., a groove or a hole) formed in a part corresponding to a folding area (e.g., the folding area (233) in FIG. 2). The conductive plate (410) may be referred to as a conductive sheet.

[0206] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (410) may include a conductive material or a metal material. For example, the conductive bracket (430) may include at least one of copper, stainless steel, titanium, or aluminum, but is not limited thereto. For example, the conductive plate (410) may include a metal plate. According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (410) may include an oxide layer formed on the surface of the conductive plate (410).

[0207] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (410) may include at least one of CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic) or GFRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic) having a conductive deposition layer coated on its surface. For example, the conductive plate (410) may include an oxide film formed on the surface of the conductive deposition layer.

[0208] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (410) can be electrically connected to the conductive bracket (430) through a conductive coating layer (440), a conductive gasket (450), and a conductive adhesive member (470).

[0209] According to one embodiment, the conductive coating layer (440), the conductive gasket (450), and the conductive adhesive member (470) can form an electrical path between the conductive plate (410) and the conductive bracket (430).

[0210] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (410) is electrically connected to the conductive bracket (430) to form a ground between the conductive bracket (430) and the electronic device (101). The ground area formed by the electrical connection of the conductive plate (410) and the conductive bracket (430) may be larger than a ground area formed only by the conductive plate (410) or a ground area formed only by the conductive bracket (430).

[0211] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (410) may be referred to as a heat dissipation sheet or heat dissipation sheet configured to receive heat generated from an electrical / electronic component of an electronic device (101) and distribute it in the plane direction of the conductive plate (410) (e.g., a plane direction including the X-axis and Y-axis of FIG. 12 and FIG. 13).

[0212] According to one embodiment, a conductive bracket (430) may be disposed between a conductive plate (410) and a conductive bracket (430). The conductive bracket (430) may be electrically connected to the conductive plate (410) and the conductive bracket (430) to form a conductive path or an electrical path between the conductive plate (410) and the conductive bracket (430).

[0213] According to one embodiment, the conductive bracket (430) can be coupled to the conductive coating layer (440) so as to be electrically connected to the conductive plate (410) through the conductive coating layer (440).

[0214] According to one embodiment, the conductive bracket (430) can be coupled and / or adhered to the conductive bracket (430) through a conductive adhesive member (470).

[0215] According to one embodiment, the conductive bracket (430) can be coupled and / or bonded to the conductive plate (410) through a conductive coating layer (440).

[0216] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a conductive gasket (450) positioned between a conductive plate (410) and a conductive bracket (430).

[0217] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a cover glass (408) disposed on the outer surface of a sub-display panel (424) and configured to protect and / or cover the sub-display panel (424). The cover glass (408) may form at least a portion of the rear surface of the electronic device (101).

[0218] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include one or more layers (407) disposed on an inner surface opposite to the outer surface of the sub-display panel (424). The one or more layers (407) may include at least one of a shielding sheet formed of a metal material and / or a cushion sheet formed of an elastically deformable sponge, but is not limited thereto. The outer surface of the sub-display panel (424) may be referred to as the rear surface of the sub-display panel (424), and the inner surface of the sub-display panel (424) may be referred to as the front surface of the sub-display panel (424).

[0219] According to one embodiment, one or more layers (407) may be disposed between the sub-display panel (424) and the conductive plate (410).

[0220] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (410) can directly or indirectly support the inner surface of the sub-display panel (424).

[0221] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (410) may include an outer surface (411) and an inner surface (412) opposite to the outer surface (411). The outer surface (411) of the conductive plate (410) may be referred to as the rear surface of the conductive plate (410), and the inner surface (412) of the conductive plate (410) may be referred to as the front surface of the conductive plate (410).

[0222] According to one embodiment, the outer surface (411) of the conductive plate (410) may come into contact with one or more layers (407).

[0223] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (410) may include an oxide layer formed as at least its surface comprises a metal material. For example, an oxide layer may be formed on at least a portion of the inner surface (412) of the conductive plate (410).

[0224] According to one embodiment, when the conductive plate (410) includes a copper plate, the oxide film of the conductive plate (410) may include copper oxide (CuO), but is not limited thereto. Depending on the material of the conductive plate (410), the oxide film of the conductive plate (410) may include nickel oxide (NiO), aluminum oxide (AlO), and titanium oxide (TiO), but is not limited thereto.

[0225] According to one embodiment, the conductive coating layer (440) may be disposed on the inner surface (412) of the conductive plate (410). For example, the conductive coating layer (440) may be disposed at least partially between a first oxide layer area (4121) and a second oxide layer area (4122) that form at least a portion of the rear surface (412) of the conductive plate (410).

[0226] According to one embodiment, the conductive coating layer (440) (e.g., the conductive coating layer (340) of FIG. 7) may include a matrix (e.g., the matrix (341) of FIG. 8), a plurality of conductive particles (e.g., the conductive particles (342) of FIG. 8), and an organic acid (e.g., the organic acid (343) of FIG. 8).

[0227] According to one embodiment, when the conductive coating layer (440) comes into contact with the conductive plate (410), the organic acid may dissociate and release hydrogen ions (e.g., H+). The released hydrogen ions may react with the oxide layer of the conductive coating layer (440) to at least partially remove or reduce the oxide layer. Accordingly, the electrical contact resistance between the conductive plate (410) and the conductive coating layer (440) may be reduced and the conductivity characteristics may be improved.

[0228] According to one embodiment, as a portion of the oxide film on the inner surface (412) of the conductive plate (410) is dissolved, the portion of the dissolved oxide film may form a recess (4123) that is stepped with respect to the first oxide film region (4121) and the second oxide film region (4122). A conductive coating layer (440) may be disposed at least partially in the recess (4123).

[0229] According to one embodiment, when a portion of the oxide film on the back surface (412) of the conductive plate (410) is dissolved, the pure metal surface of the conductive plate (410) (e.g., the bottom surface of the recess (4123)) may not be covered by the oxide film. The conductive coating layer (440) may come into contact with the pure metal surface of the conductive plate (410), thereby improving electrical contact resistance. Additionally, as the conductive coating layer (440) seals the pure metal surface of the conductive plate (410), oxidation of the pure metal surface of the conductive plate (410) may be limited and / or reduced. For example, the conductive coating layer (440) may be positioned to seal a portion of the pure metal surface (e.g., the active metal surface) of the conductive plate (410) located between the first oxide film region (4121) and the second oxide film region (4122). For example, the conductive coating layer (440) can passivate by covering a portion of the pure metal surface of the conductive plate (410).

[0230] Looking at the partial enlarged view of FIG. 13, the second oxide film region (4122) may include a second oxide film (4122a) formed on the pure metal surface of the conductive plate (410) and a second anti-corrosion coating layer (4122b) disposed on the second oxide film (4122a).

[0231] According to one embodiment, the second oxide film (4122a) can be interpreted as part of the remaining oxide film that is not dissolved by the organic acid. The second anti-corrosion coating layer (4122b) can be interpreted as part of the remaining anti-corrosion coating layer that is not dissolved by the organic acid. For example, the conductive plate (410) may include an oxide film formed on its surface and a plate having an anti-corrosion coating layer formed on the oxide film surface that is treated to improve anti-fingerprint properties.

[0232] According to one embodiment, a boundary (4011) may be formed between the conductive coating layer (440) and the second oxide film region (4122). For example, the conductive coating layer (440) may be bordered with the second oxide film region (4122).

[0233] According to one embodiment, the conductive gasket (450) may be disposed under the conductive plate (410).

[0234] According to one embodiment, the conductive gasket (450) may be electrically connected to the conductive plate (410) through a conductive coating layer (440). The conductive gasket (450) may be referred to as a conductive connecting member.

[0235] According to one embodiment, the conductive gasket (450) may include a conductive fiber (451) forming the exterior of the conductive gasket (450) and a foam (452) contained within the structure formed by the conductive fiber (451). The foam (452) may include at least one of polyurethane or silicone, but is not limited thereto.

[0236] According to one embodiment, the upper end of the conductive fiber (451) may be in contact with a conductive coating layer (440). The lower end of the conductive fiber (451) may be in contact with a conductive adhesive member (470). The conductive fiber (451) may form a conductive path or an electrical path.

[0237] According to one embodiment, a conductive adhesive member (470) may be placed between a conductive gasket (450) and a conductive bracket (430).

[0238] According to one embodiment, the conductive adhesive member (470) may include a conductive tape adhered to a conductive gasket (450) and a conductive bracket (430). The conductive adhesive member (470) may include conductive particles (471) (e.g., particles including silver, gold, or copper). The conductive adhesive member (470) may form a conductive path or an electrical path.

[0239] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (410) may be electrically connected to the conductive bracket (430) through a conductive coating layer (440), a conductive gasket (450), and a conductive adhesive member (470). Through this connection, the conductive plate (410) and the conductive bracket (430) may be configured to provide ground together for the electronic device (101).

[0240] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (410) can support the sub-display panel (424) and thus complement the rigidity of the sub-display panel (424). The conductive plate (410) can shield to limit and / or reduce the noise of the sub-display panel (424) affecting the inside of the electronic device (101).

[0241] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (410) is electrically connected to the conductive bracket (430) to provide ground between the conductive bracket (430) and the electronic device (101). By electrically connecting the conductive plate (410) and the conductive bracket (430), the ground performance of the electronic device (101) can be improved, and accordingly, the antenna performance of the electronic device (101) can be improved.

[0242] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a conductive plate (410) configured to support a sub-display panel (424) and be electrically connected to a conductive bracket (430) (e.g., the conductive bracket (330) of FIG. 5 and 6) and a conductive plate (e.g., the conductive plate (310) of FIG. 5 and 6) configured to support a main display panel (e.g., the display panel (321) of FIG. 5 and 6) and be electrically connected to a conductive bracket (430). The conductive plates (310, 410) may each be electrically connected to a conductive bracket (330, 430) through a conductive coating layer (340, 440), a conductive bracket (350, 450), and a conductive adhesive member (370, 470).

[0243] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device including a conductive connecting member according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0244] The embodiment of FIG. 14 can be combined with the embodiments of FIG. 1 to 13. The configurations of the embodiment of FIG. 14 may be partially or entirely identical to the configurations of the embodiments of FIG. 1 to 13.

[0245] Referring to FIG. 14, an electronic device (101) (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 13) comprises a display panel (524) (e.g., the display panel (321) of FIG. 5 and 6, or the sub-display panel (424) of FIG. 12 and 13), a cover glass (508) (e.g., the cover glass (408) of FIG. 12 and 13), one or more layers (507) (e.g., one or more layers (407) of FIG. 12 and 13), a conductive coating layer (540) (e.g., the conductive coating layer (440) of FIG. 12 and 13), a conductive connecting member (550) (e.g., the conductive gasket (450) of FIG. 12 and 13), a conductive adhesive member (570) (e.g., the conductive adhesive member (470) of FIG. 12 and 13), and a conductive It may include a bracket (530) (e.g., the conductive bracket (430) of FIG. 12 and FIG. 13).

[0246] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (510) may include an outer surface (511) (e.g., the outer surface (411) of FIG. 12 and FIG. 13), and an inner surface (512) opposite to the outer surface (511) (e.g., the inner surface (412) of FIG. 12 and FIG. 13).

[0247] According to one embodiment, the inner surface (512) of the conductive plate (510) may include a first oxide film region (5121) (e.g., the first oxide film region (4121) of FIG. 13), a second oxide film region (5122) (e.g., the second oxide film region (4122) of FIG. 13), and a recess (5123) (e.g., the recess (4123) of FIG. 13).

[0248] According to one embodiment, the conductive coating layer (540) may be at least partially accommodated in the recess (5123) and disposed between the first oxide film region (5121) and the second oxide film region (5122).

[0249] According to one embodiment, the conductive adhesive member (570) may include conductive particles (571) (e.g., conductive particles (471) of FIG. 13).

[0250] According to one embodiment, the conductive connecting member (550) may be electrically connected to the conductive plate (510) through a conductive coating layer (540). The conductive connecting member (550) may be electrically connected to the conductive bracket (530) through a conductive adhesive member (570). The conductive connecting member (550) may form part of a conductive path or part of an electrical path for electrically connecting the conductive plate (510) and the conductive bracket (530).

[0251] According to one embodiment, the conductive connecting member (550) may include at least one of a C-clip or a finger-clip, but is not limited thereto. The conductive connecting member (550) may include various means or various members that are disposed between the conductive plate (510) and the conductive bracket (530) to form part of a conductive path or part of an electrical path.

[0252] The electronic device may include a metal plate for supporting a display panel of the electronic device. The metal plate for supporting the display panel may be electrically connected to a metal bracket for supporting components of the electronic device through a separate connecting member, and together with the metal bracket, provide a ground for the electronic device.

[0253] The surface of the metal plate may have an oxide film formed by oxidation or an anti-corrosion coating layer formed to improve fingerprint resistance. In such cases, the electrical connection between the metal bracket and the metal plate may not be good due to electrical contact resistance at the point where the separate connecting member contacts the metal plate.

[0254] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device may be provided in which a conductive plate and a conductive gasket are electrically connected through a conductive coating layer.

[0255] However, the problems to be solved in this disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and may be expanded in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

[0256] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an oxide film formed on the surface of a conductive plate is dissolved by an organic acid of a conductive coating layer, thereby providing an electronic device in which the conductive connection between the conductive plate and the conductive gasket is improved.

[0257] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device can be provided in which a conductive plate and a conductive bracket are electrically connected well by improving the conductive connection state through a conductive coating layer.

[0258] 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.

[0259] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device (101) may include a display panel (321).

[0260] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a conductive plate (310) configured to support the rear surface of the display panel (321).

[0261] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a conductive bracket (330) disposed below the conductive plate (310).

[0262] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a conductive coating layer (340) that is at least partially disposed between a first oxide film region (3121) and a second oxide film region (3122) that form at least a portion of the rear surface (312) of the conductive plate (310).

[0263] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a conductive gasket (350) disposed between the conductive plate (310) and the conductive bracket (330) and in contact with the conductive coating layer (340) so as to be electrically connected to the conductive plate (310) through the conductive coating layer (340).

[0264] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (310) can be electrically connected to the conductive bracket (330) through the conductive coating layer (340) and the conductive gasket (350).

[0265] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (310) can form at least a portion of the ground of the electronic device (101) together with the conductive bracket (330).

[0266] According to one embodiment, the conductive coating layer (340) may be positioned to seal a portion of the pure metal surface of the conductive plate (310) located between the first oxide film region (3121) and the second oxide film region (3122).

[0267] According to one embodiment, the conductive coating layer (340) may include a polymer binder and a matrix (341) in contact with the conductive plate (310) and the conductive gasket (350).

[0268] According to one embodiment, the conductive coating layer (340) may include a plurality of conductive particles (342) that are arranged to be dispersed within the matrix (341) and form a conductive path.

[0269] According to one embodiment, the conductive coating layer (340) may include an organic acid (343) contained within the matrix (341).

[0270] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (310) may include a recess (3123) formed between the first oxide film region (3121) and the second oxide film region (3122).

[0271] According to one embodiment, the conductive coating layer (340) may be disposed at least partially in the recess (3123).

[0272] According to one embodiment, the conductive gasket (350) may include a conductive fiber (351) that forms the exterior of the conductive gasket (350).

[0273] According to one embodiment, the conductive gasket (350) may include a foam (352) contained within the conductive fiber (351).

[0274] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may further include a conductive adhesive member (370) disposed between the conductive gasket (350) and the conductive bracket (330).

[0275] According to one embodiment, the conductive coating layer (340) may form a boundary with the first oxide film region (3121) and the second oxide film region (3122).

[0276] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (310) may include a metal plate.

[0277] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (310) may include carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) comprising a conductive deposition layer formed on the surface of the conductive plate (310).

[0278] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may further include a cover glass (306) disposed on the front surface of the display panel (321).

[0279] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may further include one or more layers (305) disposed between the rear surface of the display panel (321) and the conductive plate (310).

[0280] According to one embodiment, when viewed from above the conductive plate (310), the area of ​​the conductive coating layer (340) may be greater than the area of ​​the conductive gasket (350).

[0281] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may further include another conductive gasket (359) that is spaced apart from the conductive gasket (350) and electrically connected to the conductive plate (310) and the conductive bracket (330).

[0282] According to one embodiment, the conductive coating layer (340) may be surrounded by an oxide film comprising the first oxide film region (3121) and the second oxide film region (3122).

[0283] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may further include a sub-display panel (424) facing opposite to the display panel (321).

[0284] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may further include a circuit board (362) supported by the conductive bracket (330).

[0285] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device (101) may include a display panel (321).

[0286] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a conductive plate (310) configured to support the rear surface of the display panel (321).

[0287] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a conductive bracket (330) disposed below the conductive plate (310).

[0288] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a conductive coating layer (340) that is at least partially disposed between a first oxide film region (3121) and a second oxide film region (3122) that form at least a portion of the rear surface (312) of the conductive plate (310).

[0289] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a conductive gasket (350) that is positioned between the conductive plate (310) and the conductive bracket (330) and contacts the conductive coating layer (340) so as to be electrically connected to the conductive plate (310) through the conductive coating layer (340).

[0290] According to one embodiment, the conductive coating layer (340) may include a polymer binder and a matrix (341) in contact with the conductive plate (310) and the conductive gasket (350).

[0291] According to one embodiment, the conductive coating layer (340) may include a plurality of conductive particles (342) that are arranged to be dispersed within the matrix (341) and form a conductive path.

[0292] According to one embodiment, the conductive coating layer (340) may include an organic acid (343) contained within the matrix (341).

[0293] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (310) may include a recess (3123) formed between the first oxide film region (3121) and the second oxide film region (3122).

[0294] According to one embodiment, the conductive coating layer (340) may be disposed at least partially in the recess (3123).

[0295] According to one embodiment, the conductive gasket (350) may include a conductive fiber (351) that forms the exterior of the conductive gasket (350).

[0296] According to one embodiment, the conductive gasket (350) may include a foam (352) contained within the conductive fiber (351).

[0297] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may further include a conductive adhesive member (370) disposed between the conductive gasket (350) and the conductive bracket (330).

[0298] According to one embodiment, the conductive plate (310) may include a copper plate.

[0299] Although specific embodiments have been described in the detailed description of this document, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible within the scope of this document.

Claims

1. In an electronic device (101), Display panel (321); A conductive plate (310) configured to support the rear surface of the above-mentioned display panel (321); A conductive bracket (330) positioned below the conductive plate (310); A conductive coating layer (340) partially disposed between a first oxide film region (3121) and a second oxide film region (3122) forming at least a portion of the rear surface (312) of the conductive plate (310); and It includes a conductive gasket (350) disposed between the conductive plate (310) and the conductive bracket (330) and in contact with the conductive coating layer (340) so as to be electrically connected to the conductive plate (310) through the conductive coating layer (340). The conductive plate (310) is electrically connected to the conductive bracket (330) through the conductive coating layer (340) and the conductive gasket (350), and forms at least a part of the ground of the electronic device (101) together with the conductive bracket (330).

2. In Paragraph 1, The above conductive coating layer (340) is an electronic device (101) arranged to seal a portion of the pure metal surface of the conductive plate (310) located between the first oxide film region (3121) and the second oxide film region (3122).

3. In Paragraph 1 or 2, The conductive coating layer (340) above is, A matrix (341) comprising a polymer binder and in contact with the conductive plate (310) and the conductive gasket (350); A plurality of conductive particles (342) arranged to be dispersed within the matrix (341) and forming conductive paths; and An electronic device (101) containing an organic acid (343) contained within the above matrix (341).

4. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 3, The conductive plate (310) includes a recess (3123) formed between the first oxide film region (3121) and the second oxide film region (3122). The conductive coating layer (340) is at least partially disposed in the recess (3123) of the electronic device (101).

5. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 4, The above conductive gasket (350) is, A conductive fiber (351) forming the exterior of the conductive gasket (350); and An electronic device (101) comprising a foam (352) contained within the conductive fiber (351).

6. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 5, An electronic device (101) further comprising a conductive adhesive member (370) disposed between the conductive gasket (350) and the conductive bracket (330).

7. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 6, The conductive coating layer (340) is an electronic device (101) that forms a boundary with the first oxide film region (3121) and the second oxide film region (3122).

8. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 7, The above conductive plate (310) is an electronic device (101) including a metal plate.

9. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 8, The above conductive plate (310) is an electronic device (101) comprising CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastic) having a conductive deposition layer formed on the surface of the above conductive plate (310).

10. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 9, An electronic device further comprising a cover glass (306) disposed on the front surface of the display panel (321).

11. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 10, An electronic device (101) further comprising one or more layers (305) disposed between the rear surface of the display panel (321) and the conductive plate (310).

12. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 11, An electronic device (101) in which, when viewed from above the conductive plate (310), the area of ​​the conductive coating layer (340) is greater than the area of ​​the conductive gasket (350).

13. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 12, An electronic device (101) further comprising another conductive gasket (359) spaced apart from the conductive gasket (350) and electrically connected to the conductive plate (310) and the conductive bracket (330).

14. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 13, The conductive coating layer (340) is an electronic device (101) surrounded by an oxide film including the first oxide film region (3121) and the second oxide film region (3122).

15. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 14, A sub-display panel (424) facing opposite to the above display panel (321); and An electronic device (101) further comprising a circuit board (362) supported by the above-mentioned conductive bracket (330).

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