Electronic device comprising key input device

Abstract

According to an embodiment, an electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701) may comprise: a housing structure (210; 240) which includes a first support structure (241) having an opening (241a) and forms a side surface of the electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701), and a second support structure (242) positioned inside the first support structure (241) and providing a space in which an electronic component is accommodated; a circuit board (251) accommodated in a board slot (242a) formed in the second support structure (242); a key button (510; 610; 710) arranged to be at least partially exposed to the outside through the opening (241a); a flexible board (520; 620; 720) having one end attached to the key button (510; 610; 710) and the other end connected to the circuit board (251); a first bracket (530; 630; 730) which is accommodated in a bracket slot (242c) formed in the second support structure (242), and is arranged parallel to a portion of the first support structure (241), in which the opening (241a) is formed; a second bracket (540; 640; 740) which is arranged parallel to a portion of the first support structure (241), in which the opening (241a) is formed, and which is arranged on the opposite side of the first bracket (530; 630; 730) with respect to the flexible board (520; 620; 720); and an internal waterproofing body (550; 650) which is positioned between the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740) and at least partially seals a portion of the bracket slot (242c), which is open toward the inner space of the electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701).

Description

Electronic device including a key input device

[0001] The following disclosure relates to an electronic device including a key input device.

[0002] The electronic device may include at least one key button (e.g., a volume control key button and / or a power key button). For example, the key button may be positioned on the side of the housing of the electronic device. A sensor capable of detecting an electrical signal (e.g., a fingerprint sensor) may be positioned on the key button, and in this case, a flexible substrate may be positioned to transmit the electrical signal from the key button to a circuit board inside the electronic device. In such a structure, a waterproof structure may be applied to reduce moisture or foreign matter entering the interior of the electronic device from the outside through the key button.

[0003] The aforementioned related art is possessed or acquired during the process of deriving the present disclosure and cannot be considered prior art disclosed to the general public prior to the filing of the present disclosure.

[0004] According to one embodiment, an electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701) comprises: a housing structure (210; 240) including a first support structure (241) that includes an opening (241a) and forms a side of the electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701), and a second support structure (242) that is located inside the first support structure (241) and provides a space for receiving electronic components; a circuit board (251) received in a substrate slot (242a) formed in the second support structure (242); a key button (510; 610; 710) arranged to be exposed at least partially to the outside through the opening (241a); and a flexible substrate (520) having one end attached to the key button (510; 610; 710) and the other end connected to the circuit board (251). 620; 720), a first bracket (530; 630; 730) which is received in a bracket slot (242c) formed in the second support structure (242) and is arranged parallel to the part of the first support structure (241) where the opening (241a) is formed, a second bracket (540; 640; 740) which is arranged parallel to the part of the first support structure (241) where the opening (241a) is formed and is arranged on the opposite side of the first bracket (530; 630; 730) with the flexible substrate (520; 620; 720) as the center, and an electronic device (101; 201) which is located between the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740) and is in the bracket slot (242c); It may include an inner waterproof body (550; 650) that seals at least a portion of the part open toward the internal space of 501; 601; 701).

[0005] According to one embodiment, an electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701) comprises: a housing structure (210; 240) including a first support structure (241) that includes an opening (241a) and forms a side of the electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701), and a second support structure (242) that is located inside the first support structure (241) and provides a space for receiving electronic components; a circuit board (251) received in a substrate slot (242a) formed in the second support structure (242); a key button (510; 610; 710) arranged to be exposed at least partially to the outside through the opening (241a); and a flexible substrate (520) having one end attached to the key button (510; 610; 710) and the other end connected to the circuit board (251). 620; 720), a first bracket (530; 630; 730) which is received in a bracket slot (242c) formed in the second support structure (242) and is arranged parallel to the part of the first support structure (241) where the opening (241a) is formed, a second bracket (540; 640; 740) which is arranged parallel to the part of the first support structure (241) where the opening (241a) is formed and is arranged on the opposite side of the first bracket (530; 630; 730) with the flexible substrate (520; 620; 720) as the center, a waterproof tape (552; 652) which is installed between the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740), the first bracket (530; An inner bonding waterproof body (551; 651) formed by a bonding material injected between the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740), sealing a portion of the cross-sectional perimeter of the flexible substrate (520; 620; 720) that is not covered by the waterproof tape (552; 652), and the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640);740) may include an outer waterproof member (560; 660) that seals the space between the perimeter (P) of the mutually coupled bracket assembly (BA) and the inner wall of the bracket slot (242c).;

[0006] According to one embodiment, an electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701) comprises: a housing structure (210; 240) including a first support structure (241) that includes an opening (241a) and forms a side of the electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701), and a second support structure (242) that is located inside the first support structure (241) and provides a space for receiving electronic components; a circuit board (251) received in a substrate slot (242a) formed in the second support structure (242); a key button (510; 610; 710) arranged to be exposed at least partially to the outside through the opening (241a); and a flexible substrate (520) having one end attached to the key button (510; 610; 710) and the other end connected to the circuit board (251). 620; 720), a first bracket (530; 630; 730) which is received in a bracket slot (242c) formed in the second support structure (242) and is arranged parallel to the part of the first support structure (241) where the opening (241a) is formed, a second bracket (540; 640; 740) which is arranged parallel to the part of the first support structure (241) where the opening (241a) is formed and is arranged on the opposite side of the first bracket (530; 630; 730) with the flexible substrate (520; 620; 720) as the center, and formed by a bonding material injected between the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740), and the flexible substrate (520; 620; It may include an inner bonding waterproofing body (551; 651) that seals the perimeter of the cross section of the bracket assembly (BA), and an outer bonding waterproofing body formed by a bonding material injected into the perimeter (P) of the bracket assembly (BA) in which the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740) are joined together, and sealing the space between the inner wall of the bracket assembly (BA) and the bracket slot (242c).

[0007] According to one embodiment, a method for manufacturing an electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701) comprising a housing structure (210; 240) having a first support structure (241) that includes an opening (241a) and forms a side of the electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701), and a second support structure (242) located inside the first support structure (241) and providing a space for accommodating electronic components, comprises the operation of connecting a key button (510; 610; 710) to one end of a flexible substrate (520; 620; 720), the operation of mutually coupling a pair of brackets with the flexible substrate (520; 620; 720) in between, the key button (510; 610; 710), and the flexible substrate (520; 620; 720). With a key input device (250; 500; 600; 700) including the above pair of brackets provided, the operation of inserting the key button (510; 610; 710) through a bracket slot (242c) formed in the second support structure (242) such that the key button (510; 610; 710) is at least partially exposed to the outside through the opening (241a), and the operation of inserting a bracket assembly (BA) in which the above pair of brackets are mutually coupled into the bracket slot (242c) may be included.

[0008] The above and other aspects, features, and advantages according to specific embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the detailed description below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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

[0010] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0011] FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

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

[0013] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a key input device of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0014] FIG. 6 is a plan view of the front frame of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0015] FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a key input device installed on the front frame of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0016] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device including a key input device according to one embodiment.

[0017] FIGS. 9 to 12 are drawings illustrating the process of assembling a key input device according to one embodiment.

[0018] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along the incision line II-II of FIG. 12.

[0019] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along the incision line III-III of FIG. 12.

[0020] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device including a key input device according to one embodiment.

[0021] FIG. 16 is a plan view showing a key input device installed on the front frame of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0022] FIG. 17 is a drawing showing a first bracket according to one embodiment.

[0023] FIG. 18 is a drawing showing a second bracket according to one embodiment.

[0024] FIG. 19 is a plan view showing a key input device installed on the front frame of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0025] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. In the description with reference to the attached drawings, identical components are given the same reference numeral regardless of the drawing number, and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0026]

[0027] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment according to one embodiment.

[0028] 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)).

[0029] The processor (120) can control at least one other component (e.g., a hardware or software component) of the electronic device (101) connected to the processor (120) by executing software (e.g., a program (140)), and can perform various data processing or operations. According to one embodiment, as at least part of the data processing or operations, the processor (120) can store commands or data received from other components (e.g., a sensor module (176) or a communication module (190)) in volatile memory (132), process the commands or data stored in volatile memory (132), and store the resulting data in non-volatile memory (134). According to one embodiment, the processor (120) may include a main processor (121) (e.g., a central processing unit or an application processor) or an auxiliary processor (123) that can operate independently or together with it (e.g., a graphics processing unit, a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor). For example, if the electronic device (101) includes a main processor (121) and an auxiliary processor (123), the auxiliary processor (123) may be configured to use lower power than the main processor (121) or to be specialized for a designated function. The auxiliary processor (123) may be implemented separately from the main processor (121) or as part thereof.

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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).

[0032] 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).

[0033] 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).

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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.

[0036] 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).

[0037] 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.

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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).

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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.

[0042] The power management module (188) can manage power supplied to the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, the power management module (188) can be implemented, for example, as at least part of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

[0043] 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.

[0044] 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).

[0045] 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 for eMBB realization (e.g., 20 Gbps or more), loss coverage for mMTC realization (e.g., 164 eB or less), or U-plane latency for URLLC realization (e.g., downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) each 0.5 ms or less, or round trip 1 ms or less).

[0046] An antenna module (197) can transmit a signal or power to an external source (e.g., an external electronic device) or receive it from an external source. According to one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may include an antenna comprising a radiator made of a conductor or a conductive pattern formed on a substrate (e.g., a PCB). According to one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may include a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna). In this case, at least one antenna suitable for a communication method used in a communication network, such as a first network (198) or a second network (199), may be selected from the plurality of antennas, for example, by a communication module (190). A signal or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module (190) and an external electronic device through the selected at least one antenna. According to 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).

[0047] According to one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may form a mmWave antenna module. According to one embodiment, the mmWave antenna module may include a printed circuit board, an RFIC disposed on or adjacent to a first surface (e.g., bottom surface) of the printed circuit board and capable of supporting a specified high frequency band (e.g., mmWave band), and a plurality of antennas (e.g., array antennas) disposed on or adjacent to a second surface (e.g., top surface or side surface) of the printed circuit board and capable of transmitting or receiving a signal of the specified high frequency band.

[0048] 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.

[0049] 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 one embodiment, the external electronic device (104) may include an Internet of Things (IoT) device. The server (108) may be an intelligent server using machine learning and / or neural networks. According to one embodiment, the external electronic device (104) or the server (108) may be included within the second network (199).The electronic device (101) can be applied to intelligent services (e.g., smart home, smart city, smart car, or healthcare) based on 5G communication technology and IoT-related technology.

[0050] The electronic device according to the embodiments 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 home appliance. The electronic device according to the embodiments of this document is not limited to the aforementioned devices.

[0051] The embodiments and the terms used therein are not intended to limit the technical features described herein 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 any combination 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.

[0052] The term "module" as used in the embodiments 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).

[0053] According to 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 embodiments, one or more of the components or operations among the aforementioned components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Generally or additionally, multiple components (e.g., module or program) may be integrated into a single component. In this case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the multiple components in the same or similar manner as those performed by the corresponding component among the multiple components prior to integration. According to 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.

[0054]

[0055] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of an electronic device according to one embodiment. FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of an electronic device according to one embodiment. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0056] Referring to FIGS. 2 through 4, an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1) may include a housing structure forming a first surface (or front), a second surface (or rear), and a side that surrounds the space between the first surface and the second surface. It should be noted that the shape of the housing structure shown in the drawings is exemplary.

[0057] An electronic device (201) according to one embodiment may include a housing structure (210) that forms an exterior and accommodates a component inside. The housing structure (210) may form a front side (210a) (e.g., a side facing the + Z direction), a rear side (210b) (e.g., a side facing the - Z direction), and a side (211c) that surrounds the internal space between the front side (210a) and the rear side (210b). In one embodiment, the housing structure (210) may form the side (211c) through a first side (211c-1) (e.g., a side facing the - Y direction) connecting the front side (210a) and the rear side (210b), a second side (211c-2) (e.g., a side facing the + Y direction), a third side (211c-3) (e.g., a side facing the + X direction), and a fourth side (211c-4) (e.g., a side facing the - X direction).

[0058] In one embodiment, the front (210a) may be formed by a front plate (211a) in which at least a portion is substantially transparent. For example, the front plate (211a) may comprise a glass plate or a polymer plate comprising at least one coating layer. In one embodiment, the rear (210b) may be formed by a rear plate (211b) that is substantially opaque. For example, the rear plate (211b) may be formed by coated or colored glass, ceramic, polymer, metal (e.g., aluminum, stainless steel, magnesium, or a combination thereof), or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, the side (211c) may be formed by a front frame (240) comprising metal and / or polymer, which is coupled to the front plate (211a) and the rear plate (211b). In one embodiment, the rear plate (211b) and the front frame (240) may be formed integrally and seamlessly. In one embodiment, the rear plate (211b) and the front frame (240) may be formed of substantially the same material (e.g., aluminum).

[0059] In one embodiment, the front plate (211a) may include a plurality of first edge regions (212a-1) that are oriented in one direction (e.g., + / - X direction) and extend from at least a portion of the front plate (210a) to the rear plate (211b) and have rounded surfaces, a plurality of second edge regions (212a-2) that are oriented in the other direction (e.g., + / - Y direction) and extend from at least a portion of the front plate (210a) to the rear plate (211b) and have rounded surfaces, and a plurality of third edge regions (212a-3) that are oriented and extend from at least a portion of the front plate (210a) to the rear plate (211b) and are located between the plurality of first edge regions (212a-1) and the plurality of second edge regions (212a-2).

[0060] In one embodiment, the rear plate (211b) may include a plurality of fourth edge regions (212b-1) that are oriented in one direction (e.g., + / - X direction) and extend from at least a portion of the rear plate (210b) to the front plate (211a) and have rounded surfaces, a plurality of fifth edge regions (212b-2) that are oriented in the other direction (e.g., + / - Y direction) and extend from at least a portion of the rear plate (210b) to the front plate (211a) and have rounded surfaces, and a plurality of sixth edge regions (212b-3) that are oriented from at least a portion of the rear plate (210b) to the front plate (211a) and are located between the plurality of fourth edge regions (212b-1) and the plurality of fifth edge regions (212b-2).

[0061] In one embodiment, the front frame (240) may surround at least a portion of the internal space between the front (210a) and the rear (210b). In one embodiment, a display (261) may be located on one side (e.g., +Z direction) of the front frame (240), and a rear plate (211b) may be placed on the other side (e.g., -Z direction) of the front frame (240). In one embodiment, the front frame (240) may include a conductive portion. For example, at least a portion of the front frame (240) may be formed of a conductive material. In one embodiment, the front frame (240) may include a first support structure (241) placed on at least a portion of the side (211c) and a second support structure (242) connected to the first support structure (241) and forming a placement space for the components of the electronic device (201).

[0062] In one embodiment, the first support structure (241) may form a side (211c) of the housing structure (210) by connecting the edges of the front plate (211a) and the rear plate (211b) and surrounding the space between the front plate (211a) and the rear plate (211b). For example, the first support structure (241) may include an opening (241a) into which a part of the key input device of the input module (250) (e.g., the input module (150) of FIG. 1) may be inserted. In one embodiment, the second support structure (242) may be placed inside (or in the body part) of the electronic device (201). For example, the second support structure (242) may be located inside the first support structure (241) and provide a space in which an electronic component is accommodated. For example, the second support structure (242) may be formed with a first substrate slot (242a) for receiving a first circuit board (251), a second substrate slot (242b) for receiving a second circuit board (252), a bracket slot (242c) for receiving at least a part of a key input device, and a battery slot (245) for receiving a battery (289). The first support structure (241) and the second support structure (242) may be formed integrally or formed separately and connected to each other. In one embodiment, the first support structure (241) and the second support structure (242) may include a conductive portion. For example, the first support structure (241) may be formed of a metal and / or a conductive polymer material. In one embodiment, the second support structure (242) may be formed of a metal and / or a conductive polymer material, similar to the first support structure (241).

[0063] In one embodiment, the electronic device (201) may include a display (261) (e.g., the display module (160) of FIG. 1). In one embodiment, the display (261) may be located on the front (210a) of the electronic device (201). In one embodiment, the display (261) may be exposed through at least a portion of the front plate (211a) (e.g., first edge regions (212a-1), second edge regions (212a-2), and third edge region (212a-3)). In one embodiment, the display (261) may have a shape substantially identical to the external contour shape of the front plate (211a). Although not shown in the drawings, the display (261) according to one embodiment may include a touch screen panel (TSP), a pressure sensor, and / or a digitizer (not shown) for detecting a stylus pen.

[0064] In one embodiment, the display (261) may include a screen display area (261a) that is visually exposed to the outside of the electronic device (201) and displays content through pixels or a plurality of cells. In one embodiment, the screen display area (261a) may include a sensing area (261a-1) and a camera area (261a-2). The sensing area (261a-1) may overlap with at least a portion of the screen display area (261a). The sensing area (261a-1) may allow the transmission of an input signal associated with a sensor module (e.g., sensor module (176) of FIG. 1). The sensing area (261a-1) may display content together with the screen display area (261a) that does not overlap with the sensing area (261a-1).

[0065] In one embodiment, the camera area (261a-2) may overlap with at least a portion of the screen display area (261a). The camera area (261a-2) may expose the lens of a first camera module (280a) (e.g., camera module (180) of FIG. 1) positioned to face the front of the electronic device (201). For example, the camera area (261a-2) may allow the transmission of an optical signal (e.g., light) associated with the camera module (280a). In one embodiment, the camera area (261a-2) may display content in the same way as the screen display area (261a) that does not overlap with the camera area (261a-2). For example, the camera area (261a-2) may display content while the first camera module (280a) is not in operation.

[0066] In one embodiment, the electronic device (201) may include a sensor module (276). The sensor module (276) may sense a signal applied to the electronic device (201). The sensor module (276) may be located, for example, on the front (210a) of the electronic device (201). The sensor module (276) may be positioned in the electronic device (201) to correspond to a sensing area (261a-1) of a screen display area (261a). For example, the sensor module (276) may be positioned in the internal space of the electronic device (201) to perform its function without being visually exposed through the display (261). The sensor module (276) may receive an input signal passing through the sensing area (261a-1) and generate an electrical signal based on the received input signal. For example, the input signal may have a specified physical quantity (e.g., heat, light, temperature, sound, pressure, ultrasound). As another example, the input signal may include a signal related to the user's biometric information (e.g., the user's fingerprint, or voice).

[0067] In one embodiment, the electronic device (201) may include camera modules (280a, 280b) (e.g., camera module (180) of FIG. 1). In one embodiment, the camera modules (280a, 280b) may include a first camera module (280a) and a second camera module (280b). In one embodiment, the electronic device (201) may include a flash (280c) positioned near the first camera module (280a) and the second camera module (280b).

[0068] In one embodiment, the first camera module (280a) is positioned so that a lens is exposed on the front (210a) of the housing structure (210) and can receive an optical signal from the front (e.g., + Z direction) of the electronic device (201). The second camera module (280b) is positioned so that a lens is exposed on the rear (210b) of the housing structure (210) and can receive an optical signal from the rear (e.g., - Z direction) of the electronic device (201). In one embodiment, at least a portion of the first camera module (280a) may be positioned in the housing structure (210) so as to be covered by a display (261). For example, the first camera module (280a) may include an under-display camera (UDC). In one embodiment, the first camera module (280a) can receive an optical signal that passes through a camera area (261a-2). In one embodiment, the second camera module (280b) may include a plurality of cameras (e.g., dual camera, triple camera, or quad camera). In one embodiment, the flash (280c) may include a light-emitting diode or a xenon lamp.

[0069] In one embodiment, the electronic device (201) may include an input module (250) (e.g., the input module (150) of FIG. 1). The input module (250) may receive an operation signal from a user. For example, the input module (250) may include at least one key input device disposed to be exposed on the side (211c) of the housing structure (210).

[0070] In one embodiment, the electronic device (201) may include a connection terminal (278) (e.g., the connection terminal (178) of FIG. 1). In one embodiment, the connection terminal (278) may be disposed on the outer surface of the housing structure (210). The electronic device (201) may be wired to an external device (e.g., another electronic device or an external power source) through the connection terminal (278).

[0071] In one embodiment, the electronic device (201) may include one or more printed circuit boards. For example, the electronic device (201) may include a first circuit board (251) (or, main circuit board) and a second circuit board (252) (or, sub-circuit board). The first circuit board (251) and the second circuit board (252) may be placed inside the electronic device (201), for example, in a second support structure (242). At least one circuit board (251, 252) may be connected to the second support structure (242) through ground. In one embodiment, the first circuit board (251) may be received in a first board slot (242a) of the second support structure (242). In one embodiment, the second circuit board (252) may be received in a second board slot (242b) of the second support structure (242). In one embodiment, the circuit board (251, 252) may be a rigid printed circuit board (PCB) or at least a partially bendable flexible printed circuit board (FPCB).

[0072] In one embodiment, the electronic device (201) may include a battery (289) disposed inside. The battery (289) may be disposed in a battery slot (245) formed in the second support structure (242).

[0073] Meanwhile, the embodiments can be applied to electronic devices of various shapes / forms (e.g., foldable electronic devices, sliderable electronic devices, rollable electronic devices, digital cameras, digital video cameras, tablets, notebook-shaped electronic devices, and other electronic devices) in addition to the electronic devices shown in FIGS. 2 to 4.

[0074]

[0075] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a key input device of an electronic device according to one embodiment. FIG. 6 is a plan view of a front frame of an electronic device according to one embodiment. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a key input device installed on a front frame of an electronic device according to one embodiment. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device including a key input device according to one embodiment.

[0076] Referring to FIGS. 5 to 8, an electronic device (501) according to one embodiment (e.g., the electronic device (201) of FIG. 2) may include a housing structure (e.g., a front frame (240)) comprising a first support structure (241) and a second support structure (242), and a key input device (500) installed in the housing structure (e.g., the key input device of the input module (250) of FIG. 2).

[0077] According to a key input device (500) according to one embodiment, additional mounting space (e.g., space in the + / - X direction) of an electronic device (501) can be secured while reducing manufacturing time and cost. In one embodiment, the key input device (500) may include a key button (510), a flexible substrate (520), a first bracket (530), a second bracket (540), an inner waterproof body (550), and an outer waterproof body (560). For example, a structure in which the first bracket (530) and the second bracket (540) are joined together may be called a "bracket assembly (BA)". Here, the bracket assembly (BA) may be formed by bonding the first bracket (530) and the second bracket (540) using an adhesive means (e.g., waterproof tape (552)), but is not limited thereto.

[0078] In one embodiment, the first support structure (241) may form a side of the electronic device (501) (e.g., the side (211) of FIG. 2). The first support structure (241) may include an opening (241a) and an operating space (241b).

[0079] In one embodiment, a key button (510) may be inserted into the opening (241a). For example, the opening (241a) may be formed to be elongated in the longitudinal direction (e.g., + / - Y direction) of the electronic device (501). A user of the electronic device (501) may input commands or information related to an operation performed on the electronic device (501) into the electronic device (501) by touching or pressing the key button (510) exposed through the opening (241a).

[0080] In one embodiment, the operating space (241b) may be formed between the opening (241a) and the bracket slot (242c). The key button (510) may move within the operating space (241b) in a direction perpendicular to the first support structure (241) (e.g., + / - X direction).

[0081] In one embodiment, the second support structure (242) may be located inside the first support structure (241) and provide a space for receiving electronic components. For example, the second support structure (242) may have a board slot (242a) for receiving a circuit board (e.g., the first circuit board (251) of FIG. 4), a bracket slot (242c) for receiving a bracket assembly (BA), and a battery slot (245) for receiving a battery (e.g., the battery (289) of FIG. 4) formed therein.

[0082] In one embodiment, the bracket slot (242c) may be formed to communicate with the opening (241a). For example, the key button (510) may be installed so as to be exposed to the opening through the bracket slot (242c). In this manner, the bracket slot (242c) may be formed with a length greater than or equal to the length of the key button (510) (e.g., length in the + / - Y direction) and with a depth greater than or equal to the height of the key button (510) (e.g., height in the + / - Z direction). In other words, the minimum length and minimum depth of the bracket slot (242c) may be determined by taking into account the shape of the key button (510). Meanwhile, the width (W) of the bracket slot (242c) (e.g., width in the + / - X direction) may be determined according to the width of the bracket assembly (BA). In other words, by reducing the width of the bracket assembly (BA), the width (W) of the bracket slot (242c) can be reduced, and additional mounting space can be secured inside the electronic device (501).

[0083] In one embodiment, the bracket slot (242c) may be formed between the first support structure (241) and the battery slot (245). For example, considering that a conventional battery (battery (289) in FIG. 4) has a rectangular cross-section, the battery slot (245) may be formed to have a rectangular cross-section. In this case, the width of the battery slot (245) (e.g., width in the + / - direction) decreases as the width (W) of the bracket slot (242c) increases within the electronic device (501), and as shown in FIG. 4, the portion of the structure between the first support structure (241) and the battery slot (245) excluding the bracket slot (242c) remains as a dead space. Since the volume of the aforementioned dead space can be reduced by the amount of the width (W) of the bracket slot (242c), reducing the width (W) of the bracket slot (242c) can have an effect greater than simply reducing the volume of the bracket slot (242c).

[0084] In one embodiment, the key button (510) may be positioned so as to be exposed to the outside at least partially through the opening (241a). For example, at least a portion of the key button (510) may be formed of a conductive material to transmit an electrical signal input from the outside to a flexible substrate (520) connected to the key button (510). For example, the key button (510) may be installed so as to be movable relative to the first support structure (241) by an external force (e.g., force applied by a user). In this case, a gap may exist between the key button (510) and the opening (241a), and foreign matter introduced through such a gap may enter the internal space of the electronic device (501) (e.g., substrate slot (242a) and / or battery slot (245)) by sequentially passing through the operating space (241b) and the bracket slot (242c). In order to reduce the ingress of such foreign substances, the bracket assembly (BA) may be waterproofed according to various embodiments as described below. For example, the key button (510) may include a power key button or a volume control key button, but is not limited thereto. For example, the key button (510) may be a power key button equipped with a fingerprint sensor.

[0085] In one embodiment, one end of the flexible substrate (520) may be attached to the key button (510), and the other end may be connected to the circuit board. The flexible substrate (520) can transmit an electrical signal (e.g., a biosignal) input through the key button (510) to the circuit board (e.g., the first circuit board (251) of FIG. 4). The flexible substrate (520) may have a shape along a path that is bent several times from the key button (510) to the circuit board (251) by being formed of a flexible material. For example, the middle portion of the flexible substrate (520) may be fixed between the first bracket (530) and the second bracket (540). The middle portion of the flexible substrate (520) located between the first bracket (530) and the second bracket (540) may be referred to as the "receiving portion." In other words, the receiving portion can be understood as the portion covered by the first bracket (530) and / or the second bracket (540) of the flexible substrate (520).

[0086] In one embodiment, the first bracket (530) may be received in the bracket slot (242c) and arranged parallel to the portion where the opening (241a) of the first support structure (241) is formed (e.g., the third side (211c-3) of FIG. 2). For example, the length of the first bracket (530) may be formed to be longer than the width of the receiving portion described above, with respect to the width direction (e.g., + / - Y direction) of the receiving portion of the flexible substrate (520). The thickness of the first bracket (530) with respect to the thickness direction (e.g., + / - X direction) of the receiving portion described above may be smaller than the height of the first bracket (530) with respect to the height direction (e.g., + / - Z direction) of the receiving portion. For example, the first bracket (530) may have a thin plate shape parallel to the portion where the opening (241a) is formed in the first support structure (241). With such a structure, the length in the width direction (e.g., + / - X direction) of the bracket slot (242c) can be reduced, thereby reducing the aforementioned dead space within the electronic device (501). For example, the first bracket (530) may include a first plate (531), a first seal groove (532), and a guide projection (533).

[0087] In one embodiment, the first plate (531) may be a plate-shaped member. For example, a first seal groove (532) may be formed on the side of the first plate (531) facing the inner wall of the bracket slot (242c). For example, the side of the first plate (531) facing the second plate (541) may be flat. With such a flat shape, the waterproof tape (552) can be stably attached.

[0088] In one embodiment, the first seal groove (532) may be formed in the first plate (531) along the outer circumference direction of the bracket assembly (BA). By forming the first seal groove (532) as a recess in the first plate (531), the outer waterproof body (560) can be stably accommodated in the first seal groove (532).

[0089] In one embodiment, the guide projection (533) may protrude toward the second bracket (540) and guide the flexible substrate (520) to maintain a bent state. For example, the guide projection (533) may be formed to protrude toward the second bracket (540) from one end of the first plate (531) (e.g., the end in the -Z direction).

[0090] In one embodiment, the second bracket (540) may be positioned parallel to the portion where the opening (241a) of the first support structure (241) is formed (e.g., the third side (211c-3) of FIG. 2) and may be positioned opposite the first bracket (530) with respect to the flexible substrate (520). Unless otherwise stated, the description of the shape of the first bracket (530) may also apply to the second bracket (540). For example, the second bracket (540) may include a second plate (541), a second seal groove (542), a guide groove (543), a bond injection hole (544), and a receiving groove (545).

[0091] In one embodiment, the second plate (541) may be a plate-shaped member. For example, a second seal groove (542) may be formed on the side (e.g., outer surface) of the second plate (541) facing the inner wall of the bracket slot (242c). For example, a receiving groove (545) may be formed on the side (e.g., inner surface) of the second plate (541) facing the first plate (531).

[0092] In one embodiment, the second seal groove (542) may be formed in the second plate (541) along the outer circumference direction of the bracket assembly (BA). By forming the second seal groove (542) as a recess in the second plate (541), the outer waterproof body (560) can be stably accommodated in the second seal groove (542).

[0093] In one embodiment, the guide groove (543) can accommodate the guide projection (533) of the first bracket (530). For example, the guide groove (543) can wrap around a portion of the perimeter of the flexible substrate (520) by being formed by being recessed from one end of the second plate (541) (e.g., the end in the -Z direction).

[0094] In one embodiment, the bond injection hole (544) is formed to penetrate the second plate (541), thereby allowing at least a portion of the flexible substrate (520) to be exposed to the outside. For example, with the flexible substrate (520) positioned between the first bracket (530) and the second bracket (540), a bonding material can be injected through the bond injection hole (544). Through this structure, the bonding material is filled into the area around the cross-section of the flexible substrate (520) that is not sealed by the waterproof tape (552), so that the space between the first bracket (530) and the second bracket (540) can be waterproofed.

[0095] In one embodiment, the middle portion of the flexible substrate (520) may be inserted into the receiving groove (545). For example, the depth of the receiving groove (545) (e.g., depth in the + / - X direction) may be formed to be greater than the thickness of the flexible substrate (520). According to such a structure, the waterproof tape (552) can be stably adhered to the portion of the inner surface of the second plate (541) excluding the receiving groove (545). For example, if the receiving groove (545) is not provided, a problem may occur where the waterproof tape (552) separates in the area adjacent to the flexible substrate (520) on the inner surface of the second plate (541) due to the thickness of the flexible substrate (520); however, if the receiving groove (545) is used, the aforementioned problem can be reduced. Meanwhile, it should be noted that unless there is a contrary description, the receiving groove (545) is not necessarily required to be provided, and the receiving groove (545) may be omitted in the embodiment.

[0096] For example, the receiving groove (545) and the bond injection hole (544) can be interconnected. With this configuration, the bonding material injected through the bond injection hole (544) can be filled up to a portion of the receiving groove (545), thereby improving waterproofing performance.

[0097] According to the first bracket (530) and the second bracket (540) in one embodiment, the width of the bracket assembly (BA) (e.g., width in the + / - X direction) may be reduced. For example, the width (W) (e.g., length in the X direction) of the bracket slot (242c) may be smaller than the depth (D) (e.g., length in the Z direction) of the bracket slot (242c). Unlike the above-described embodiment, if the bracket assembly (BA) is formed as a single part having a hole for passing through a flexible substrate that penetrates in the + / - Z direction, the bracket assembly must be formed to have a large width in the + / - X direction compared to the embodiment. First, the hole for passing through must have a sufficient width in the + / - X direction, taking into account not only the thickness of the flexible substrate (520) but also the thickness of the connector connected to the end of the flexible substrate (520). Second, in order to waterproof the through hole, it is necessary to install multiple waterproof tapes in the -Z direction of the bracket assembly. In this case, a sufficient adhesive area is required to ensure the adhesive strength of the multiple waterproof tapes. As a result, the width in the + / - X direction of the structure around the through hole described above must be sufficiently secured in the bracket assembly. On the other hand, according to one embodiment, since the bracket assembly (BA) can be formed using a pair of brackets (530, 540) with thin thickness in the + / - X direction, the width in the + / - X direction of the bracket assembly (BA) and the bracket slot (242c) can be significantly reduced to less than 60% (e.g., less than 50%) compared to the other structure described above. For example, the width (W) of the bracket slot (242c) may be less than 2mm (e.g., less than 1.7mm).

[0098] In addition, according to the first bracket (530) and the second bracket (540) of one embodiment, the height of the bracket assembly (BA) (e.g., height in the + / - Z direction) can also be reduced. Unlike the above-described embodiment, if the bracket assembly (BA) is formed as a single component having a hole for passing through a flexible substrate that penetrates in the + / - Z direction, a plurality of waterproof tapes can be laminated in the - Z direction of the bracket assembly to waterproof the flexible substrate (520) as described above. When the flexible substrate (520) is positioned between the plurality of waterproof tapes, the waterproof tapes may spread apart due to the thickness of the flexible substrate (520). To prevent this, a pressure structure for applying pressure can be added on top of the plurality of waterproof tapes. On the other hand, according to one embodiment, the waterproof function can be achieved without installing the waterproof tape (552) and the pressure structure in the - Z direction of the bracket assembly (BA). In other words, based on the bracket assembly (BA), a structure that presses the bracket assembly (BA) may not be provided in the direction in which the bracket slot (242c) is open (e.g., -Z direction). Accordingly, according to one embodiment, compared to the other structure described above, an additional mounting space of about 0.5 mm (e.g., 0.8 mm) in the + / - Z direction can be secured, or the thickness of the entire electronic device (501) can be reduced.

[0099] Meanwhile, regarding the bracket assembly (BA), it should be noted that the bond injection hole (544) may be formed in the first bracket (530) instead of the second bracket (540). In this case, the waterproof tape (552) may be positioned between the bracket opposite to the bracket where the bond injection hole (544) is formed and the flexible substrate (520). In other words, either the first bracket (530) or the second bracket (540) includes the bond injection hole (544), and the waterproof tape (552) may be positioned between the other bracket of the first bracket (530) and the second bracket (540) and the flexible substrate (520).

[0100] In one embodiment, the inner waterproofing body (550) may be positioned between the first bracket (530) and the second bracket (540). The inner waterproofing body (550) may seal at least a portion of the bracket slot (242c) that is open toward the internal space of the electronic device (501) (e.g., a portion open in the -Z direction). For example, the inner waterproofing body (550) may include an inner bonding waterproofing body (551) and a waterproofing tape (552).

[0101] In one embodiment, the inner bonding waterproof body (551) may be formed by a bonding material injected between the first bracket (530) and the second bracket (540). For example, the inner bonding waterproof body (551) may seal the portion of the perimeter of the cross-section of the flexible substrate (520) that is not covered by the waterproof tape (552). For example, the inner bonding waterproof body (551) may be formed by a bonding material injected through a bond injection hole (544). The bonding material injected through the bond injection hole fills the remaining portion of the perimeter of the cross-section of the flexible substrate (520) that is not covered by the waterproof tape (552), thereby waterproofing the perimeter of the flexible substrate (520).

[0102] In one embodiment, the waterproof tape (552) may be installed between the first bracket (530) and the second bracket (540). For example, if a bond injection hole (544) is formed in the second bracket (540), the waterproof tape (552) may be located between the first bracket (530) and the flexible substrate (520). In other words, a bond injection hole (544) may be formed in either the first bracket (530) or the second bracket (540), and the waterproof tape (552) may be formed between the other bracket and the flexible substrate (520). According to such a structure, as shown in FIG. 13 or FIG. 14, the remaining three sides of the cross-sectional perimeter of the flexible substrate (520), excluding the one side sealed by the waterproof tape (552), can be reliably sealed using the inner bonding waterproof body (551).

[0103] In one embodiment, the outer waterproofing member (560) may be positioned between the perimeter of the bracket assembly (BA) and the inner wall of the bracket slot (242c). For example, the outer waterproofing member (560) may seal the space between the perimeter of the bracket assembly (BA) and the inner wall of the bracket slot (242c). For example, the outer waterproofing member (560) may seal at least a portion of the bracket slot (242c) that is open toward the internal space of the electronic device (501) (e.g., a portion open in the -Z direction) (e.g., the remaining portion not sealed by the inner waterproofing member (550)). For example, the outer waterproofing member (560) may include an O-ring installed along the perimeter of the bracket assembly (BA), but is not limited thereto. For example, it should be noted that the outer waterproofing body (560) may be formed by a bonding material injected along the perimeter of the bracket assembly (BA) as described below.

[0104]

[0105] FIGS. 9 to 12 are drawings illustrating the process of assembling a key input device according to one embodiment.

[0106] FIG. 9 is a view of the inner surface of a second bracket (540) according to one embodiment, wherein the second bracket (540) may include a second plate (541), a second seal groove (542), a guide groove (543), a bond injection hole (544), and a receiving groove (545).

[0107] As shown in FIG. 10, a flexible substrate (520) may be placed in a receiving groove (545) according to one embodiment, and a waterproof tape (552) may be attached between a first bracket (e.g., the first bracket (530) of FIG. 5) and a second bracket (540) as shown in FIG. 11. FIG. 11 shows the waterproof tape (552) attached first to the inner surface of the second bracket (540), but it should be noted that, alternatively, the waterproof tape (552) may be attached first to the inner surface of the first bracket (530).

[0108] Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, a waterproof tape (552) according to one embodiment may be exposed to a seal groove (e.g., a first seal groove (532) or a second seal groove (542)). With such a structure, the outer waterproof body (e.g., the outer waterproof body (560) of FIG. 8) and the waterproof tape (552) may overlap each other, so that the inner waterproof body (550) (e.g., the inner waterproof body (550) of FIG. 8) and the outer waterproof body (560) are interconnected, and both the inner space and the outer space of the bracket assembly (BA) (e.g., the bracket assembly (BA) of FIG. 5) can be waterproofed without interruption. For example, the waterproof tape (552) can be adhered to the first bracket (530), the second bracket (540), and the outer waterproof member (560) (e.g., O-ring) by being installed so as to be exposed to the outside from the bracket assembly (BA).

[0109] As illustrated in FIG. 12, according to one embodiment, the width of the bond injection hole (544) may be greater than the width of the portion of the flexible substrate (520) that is exposed to the outside through the bond injection hole (544). With such a structure, as illustrated in FIG. 13 or FIG. 14, the remaining three sides of the perimeter of the cross-section of the flexible substrate (520), excluding one side sealed by the waterproof tape (552), can be reliably sealed using the bonding material injected through the bond injection hole (544). Additionally, it is possible to visually check whether the bonding material has been properly filled around the perimeter of the cross-section of the flexible substrate (520).

[0110] According to one embodiment, a key input device (e.g., the key input device of the input module (250) of FIG. 2 or the key input device (500) of FIG. 5) may be assembled to a housing structure while being manufactured separately from the housing structure (e.g., the housing structure (210) of FIG. 2).

[0111] Referring to FIGS. 5, 9 to 12, in a method for manufacturing an electronic device according to one embodiment, a key input device (500) comprising a key button (510), a flexible substrate (520), and a pair of brackets (530, 540) can be provided by connecting a key button (510) to one end of a flexible substrate (520) and mutually coupling a pair of brackets (530, 540) with the flexible substrate (520) in between.

[0112] With the key input device (500) provided, the key button (510) can be inserted through the bracket slot (242c) so that the key button (510) is exposed to the outside at least partially through the opening (241a). With the key button (510) mounted on the housing structure (210), the bracket assembly (BA) can be inserted into the bracket slot (242c). According to this method, the process time can be shortened compared to the case where each component is sequentially assembled and inspected in the housing structure (210). Meanwhile, unless otherwise stated, it should be noted that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the key input device (500) being separately provided and assembled in the housing structure.

[0113] Meanwhile, for example, if an O-ring is used as the outer waterproofing body (560), the O-ring may be installed on the bracket assembly (BA) before the bracket assembly (BA) is installed in the bracket slot (242c). As another example, if a bonding material is used as the outer waterproofing body (560), it should be noted that the outer waterproofing body (560) may be formed by injecting the bonding material while the bracket assembly (BA) is inserted into the bracket slot (242c).

[0114]

[0115] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along the incision line II-II of FIG. 12.

[0116] Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, in one embodiment, the width of the bond injection hole (544) is formed to be larger than the width of the portion of the flexible substrate (520) exposed to the outside through the bond injection hole (544), so that the remaining three sides of the perimeter of the cross-section of the flexible substrate (520), excluding one side sealed by the waterproof tape (552), can be stably sealed using the inner bonding waterproof body (551). Meanwhile, this is merely one embodiment, and it should be noted that the width of the bond injection hole (544) may be narrower than the width of the flexible substrate (520).

[0117]

[0118] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along the incision line III-III of FIG. 12.

[0119] Referring to FIGS. 10 and FIGS. 14, in one embodiment, the width of the receiving groove (545) is formed to be greater than the width of the flexible substrate (520), and the depth of the receiving groove (545) is formed to be greater than the thickness of the flexible substrate (520), so that the remaining three sides of the perimeter of the cross-section of the flexible substrate (520), excluding one side sealed by the waterproof tape (552), can be stably sealed using an inner bonding waterproof body (551). Meanwhile, this is merely one embodiment, and it should be noted that the width and depth of the receiving groove (545) may be formed to be equal to the width and thickness of the flexible substrate (520).

[0120] In one embodiment, a portion of the outer waterproofing body (560) may be inserted into a seal groove (the first seal groove (532) or the second seal groove (542) in FIG. 5) and positioned inward from the perimeter (P) of the bracket assembly (BA). For example, the waterproofing tape (552) of the inner waterproofing body (550) may be exposed to the seal groove (532, 542) and bonded to the portion of the outer waterproofing body (560) inserted into the seal groove (532, 542).

[0121]

[0122] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device including a key input device according to one embodiment. FIG. 16 is a plan view showing the key input device installed on the front frame of an electronic device according to one embodiment. Meanwhile, it should be noted that for ease of understanding, the illustration of the inner bonding waterproof body (651) and the outer waterproof body (660) in FIG. 16 has been omitted.

[0123] Referring to FIGS. 15 and 16, an electronic device (601) according to one embodiment (e.g., the electronic device (201) of FIG. 2 or the electronic device (501) of FIG. 5) may include a housing structure (e.g., a front frame (240)) comprising a first support structure (241) and a second support structure (242), and a key input device (600) installed in the housing structure (e.g., the key input device of the input module (250) of FIG. 2 or the key input device (500) of FIG. 5).

[0124] In one embodiment, the key input device (600) may include a key button (610) (e.g., 510 in FIG. 5), a flexible substrate (620) (e.g., 520 in FIG. 5), a first bracket (630) (e.g., 530 in FIG. 5), a second bracket (640) (e.g., 540 in FIG. 5), an inner waterproof body (650) (e.g., 550 in FIG. 5), and an outer waterproof body (660) (e.g., 560 in FIG. 5). For example, a structure in which the first bracket (630) and the second bracket (640) are joined together may be referred to as a "bracket assembly (BA)". Here, the bracket assembly (BA) may be formed by bonding the first bracket (630) and the second bracket (640) using an adhesive means (e.g., waterproof tape (652)), but is not limited thereto.

[0125] In one embodiment, the first bracket (630) may include a first plate (631) (e.g., 531 in FIG. 5), a first inner bonding groove (636), and a first outer bonding groove (637).

[0126] In one embodiment, the first inner bonding groove (636) may have a shape that becomes increasingly recessed toward the second bracket (640). For example, the first inner bonding groove (636) may be located on the inner edge of the end in the direction (e.g., -Z direction) where the entrance of the bracket slot (242c) of the first plate (631) is located.

[0127] In one embodiment, the first outer bonding groove (637) may have a shape that becomes increasingly recessed toward the inner wall of the bracket slot (242c). For example, the first outer bonding groove (637) may be located on the outer edge of the end of the first plate (631) in the direction (e.g., -Z direction) where the entrance of the bracket slot (242c) is located.

[0128] In one embodiment, the second bracket (640) may include a second plate (641) (e.g., 641 in FIG. 5), a second inner bonding groove (646), and a second outer bonding groove (647). Unless otherwise noted, the description of the first inner bonding groove (636) and the first outer bonding groove (637) may be applied to the second inner bonding groove (646) and the second outer bonding groove (647), respectively.

[0129] In one embodiment, the first bracket (630) and the second bracket (640) may each include an inner bonding groove (636, 646) formed at an angle toward a mutually facing direction, and an outer bonding groove (637, 647) formed at an angle toward the inner wall of the bracket slot (242c).

[0130] Meanwhile, it should be noted that only one of the first inner bonding groove (636) and the second inner bonding groove (646) may be provided. In other words, at least one of the first bracket (630) and the second bracket (640) may include an inner bonding groove (636, 646) having a shape that becomes increasingly sunken toward the other bracket.

[0131] In one embodiment, the inner waterproofing body (650) may include an inner bonding waterproofing body (651) (e.g., 551 in FIG. 8) and a waterproofing tape (652) (e.g., 552 in FIG. 8). In one embodiment, the inner bonding waterproofing body (651) is formed by a bonding material injected between the first bracket (630) and the second bracket (640) and can seal the perimeter of the cross section of the flexible substrate (620). For example, the inner bonding waterproofing body (651) may be formed by a bonding material injected into an inner bonding groove (e.g., the first inner bonding groove (636) and / or the second inner bonding groove (646)).

[0132] In one embodiment, the waterproof tape (652) may be placed in a position where the flexible substrate (620) is not placed in the space between the first bracket (630) and the second bracket (640). For example, the waterproof tape (652) may include a first waterproof tape (652-1) placed on one side of the flexible substrate (620) and a second waterproof tape (652-2) placed on the other side of the flexible substrate (620). The space between the flexible substrate (620) and the waterproof tape (652) may be filled by a bonding material injected through an inner bonding groove. With such a configuration, the problem of the waterproof tape (652) and the bracket attached thereto (e.g., the first bracket (630) or the second bracket (640)) separating due to the thickness of the flexible substrate (620) can be reduced, thereby improving waterproof performance. In addition, since the flexible substrate (620) can be freely moved between the first bracket (630) and the second bracket (640) before the bonding material is injected, the assemblability of the key input device (600) can be improved.

[0133] In one embodiment, the outer waterproofing body (660) is formed by a bonding material injected along the perimeter of the bracket assembly (BA) and can seal the outer perimeter of the bracket assembly (BA) (e.g., the space between the inner wall of the bracket assembly (BA) and the bracket slot (242c)). The outer waterproofing body (660) may also be referred to as an "outer bonding waterproofing body." For example, the outer waterproofing body (660) may be formed by a bonding material injected through an outer bonding groove (e.g., a first outer bonding groove (637) and / or a second outer bonding groove (647)).

[0134] In one embodiment, the inner bonding grooves (636, 646) and the outer bonding grooves (637, 647) may be interconnected. According to this structure, by injecting a bonding material into one or more of the inner bonding grooves and the outer bonding grooves, the inner bonding waterproof body (651) and the outer bonding waterproof body can be formed integrally.

[0135]

[0136] FIG. 17 is a drawing showing a first bracket according to one embodiment. FIG. 18 is a drawing showing a second bracket according to one embodiment. FIG. 19 is a plan view showing a key input device installed on the front frame of an electronic device according to one embodiment. Meanwhile, it should be noted that for convenience of understanding, the illustration of the inner waterproof body and the outer waterproof body in FIG. 19 has been omitted.

[0137] Referring to FIGS. 17 through 19, an electronic device (701) according to one embodiment (e.g., electronic device (201) of FIG. 2, electronic device (501) of FIG. 5, or electronic device (601) of FIG. 15) may include a housing structure (e.g., front frame (240)) comprising a first support structure (241) and a second support structure (242), and a key input device (700) installed in the housing structure (e.g., key input device of the input module (250) of FIG. 2, key input device (500) of FIG. 5, or key input device (600) of FIG. 15).

[0138] In one embodiment, the key input device (700) may include a key button (710) (e.g., 510 in FIG. 5 or 610 in FIG. 15), a flexible substrate (720) (e.g., 520 in FIG. 5 or 620 in FIG. 15), a first bracket (730) (e.g., 530 in FIG. 5 or 630 in FIG. 15), a second bracket (740) (e.g., 540 in FIG. 5 or 640 in FIG. 15), an inner waterproof body (750) (e.g., 550 in FIG. 5 or 650 in FIG. 15) and an outer waterproof body (760) (e.g., 560 in FIG. 5 or 660 in FIG. 15). For example, a structure in which the first bracket (730) and the second bracket (740) are joined together may be referred to as a "bracket assembly (BA)." Here, the bracket assembly (BA) may be formed by assembling the first bracket (730) and the second bracket (740) using an uneven structure (e.g., an alignment groove (738) and / or an alignment projection (748)), but is not limited thereto.

[0139] In one embodiment, the first bracket (730) may include a first plate (731) (e.g., 531 in FIG. 5, or 631 in FIG. 16), a first receiving groove (735) (e.g., the receiving groove (545) in FIG. 9), a first inner bonding groove (736) (e.g., 636 in FIG. 16), a first outer bonding groove (737) (e.g., 637 in FIG. 16), and an alignment groove (738).

[0140] In one embodiment, the second bracket (740) may include a second plate (741) (e.g., 541 in FIG. 5, or 641 in FIG. 16), a second receiving groove (745) (e.g., the receiving groove (545) in FIG. 9), a second inner bonding groove (746) (e.g., 646 in FIG. 16), a first outer bonding groove (747) (e.g., 647 in FIG. 16), and an alignment projection (748).

[0141] In one embodiment, the first bracket (730) and the second bracket (740) may each include an interlockable uneven structure (e.g., an alignment groove (738) and / or an alignment projection (748)). For example, the alignment groove (738) and the alignment projection (748) may be provided on the first bracket (730) and the second bracket (740), respectively, at mutually corresponding positions and shapes. With such a structure, the first bracket (730) and the second bracket (740) can be maintained in a mutually aligned state without bonding the first bracket (730) and the second bracket (740) using an adhesive material. The first bracket (730) and the second bracket (740), aligned in this manner, can be mutually fixed through a bonding material inserted into an inner bonding groove (e.g., the first inner bonding groove (736) and / or the second inner bonding groove (746)) and / or an outer bonding groove (e.g., the first outer bonding groove (737) and / or the second outer bonding groove (747)) while inserted into the bracket slot (242c). Meanwhile, although the case in which an alignment groove (738) is formed on the first bracket (730) and an alignment projection (748) is formed on the second bracket (740) has been described as an example, it should be noted that they may be formed in the opposite way.

[0142] In one embodiment, a receiving groove (e.g., a first receiving groove (735) and / or a second receiving groove (745)) for receiving a flexible substrate (720) may be formed in at least one of the first bracket (730) and the second bracket (740). For example, the total depth of the receiving grooves (735, 745) in the direction in which the first bracket (730) and the second bracket (740) are joined (e.g., + / - X direction) may be greater than the thickness of the flexible substrate (720). According to such a structure, the problem of the first bracket (730) and the second bracket (740) separating from each other due to the thickness of the flexible substrate (720) can be reduced.

[0143] As shown in FIG. 19, with the first bracket (730), the second bracket (740), and the flexible substrate (720) placed in the bracket slot (242c), a waterproof body (e.g., the inner bonding waterproof body (651) and the outer waterproof body (660) of FIG. 15) can be formed by injecting a bonding material into the inner bonding grooves (736, 746) and / or the outer bonding grooves (737, 747). For example, a waterproof body formed by the bonding material injected into the inner bonding grooves (736, 746) and the receiving grooves (735, 745) can be referred to as an inner waterproof body or an inner bonding waterproof body. For example, a waterproof body formed by the bonding material injected into the outer bonding grooves (737, 747) can be referred to as an outer waterproof body or an outer bonding waterproof body. For example, the perimeter of the cross-section of the flexible substrate (720), the space between the first bracket (730) and the second bracket (740), and the space between the inner wall of the bracket assembly (BA) and the bracket slot (242c) can be sealed by a single waterproof body formed by a bonding material.

[0144]

[0145] According to one embodiment, an electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701) comprises: a housing structure (210; 240) including a first support structure (241) that includes an opening (241a) and forms a side of the electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701), and a second support structure (242) that is located inside the first support structure (241) and provides a space for receiving electronic components; a circuit board (251) received in a substrate slot (242a) formed in the second support structure (242); a key button (510; 610; 710) arranged to be exposed at least partially to the outside through the opening (241a); and a flexible substrate (520) having one end attached to the key button (510; 610; 710) and the other end connected to the circuit board (251). 620; 720), a first bracket (530; 630; 730) which is received in a bracket slot (242c) formed in the second support structure (242) and is arranged parallel to the part of the first support structure (241) where the opening (241a) is formed, a second bracket (540; 640; 740) which is arranged parallel to the part of the first support structure (241) where the opening (241a) is formed and is arranged on the opposite side of the first bracket (530; 630; 730) with the flexible substrate (520; 620; 720) as the center, and an electronic device (101; 201) which is located between the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740) and is in the bracket slot (242c); It may include an inner waterproof body (550; 650) that seals at least a portion of the part open toward the internal space of 501; 601; 701).

[0146] In one embodiment, the inner waterproof body (550; 650) may include an inner bonding waterproof body (551; 651) formed by a bonding material injected between the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740).

[0147] In one embodiment, the electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701) may further include an outer waterproof body (560; 660) located between the perimeter (P) of a bracket assembly (BA) in which the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740) are mutually coupled and the inner wall of the bracket slot (242c), and sealing the remainder of the portion of the bracket slot (242c) that is open toward the internal space of the electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701).

[0148] In one embodiment, the outer waterproofing body (560; 660) may include an outer bonding waterproofing body formed by a bonding material injected along the perimeter (P) of the bracket assembly (BA).

[0149] In one embodiment, the outer waterproofing body (560; 660) may include an O-ring installed along the circumference (P) of the bracket assembly (BA).

[0150] In one embodiment, the width of the bracket slot (242c) may be smaller than the depth of the bracket slot (242c).

[0151] In one embodiment, the length of the first bracket (530; 630; 730) may be formed to be longer than the width of the receiving portion covered by the first bracket (530; 630; 730) in the width direction of the receiving portion among the flexible substrates (520; 620; 720). For example, the thickness of the first bracket (530; 630; 730) in the thickness direction of the receiving portion may be smaller than the height of the first bracket (530; 630; 730) in the height direction of the receiving portion.

[0152] In one embodiment, the inner waterproof body (550; 650) may include a waterproof tape (552; 652) installed between the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740).

[0153] In one embodiment, the electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701) may further include an O-ring installed along the circumference (P) of a bracket assembly (BA) in which the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740) are joined together. For example, the waterproof tape (552; 652) may be installed so as to be exposed to the outside from the bracket assembly (BA), thereby adhering to the first bracket (530; 630; 730), the second bracket (540; 640; 740), and the O-ring.

[0154] In one embodiment, any one of the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740) may include a bond injection hole (544) that causes at least a portion of the flexible substrate (520; 620; 720) to be exposed to the outside.

[0155] In one embodiment, the waterproof tape (552; 652) may be positioned between the remaining bracket among the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740) and the flexible substrate (520; 620; 720).

[0156] In one embodiment, the width of the bond injection hole (544) may be larger than the width of the portion of the flexible substrate (520; 620; 720) that is exposed to the outside through the bond injection hole (544).

[0157] In one embodiment, the bracket among the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740) having the bond injection hole (544) formed therein may include a receiving groove (545; 735; 745) into which an intermediate portion of the flexible substrate (520; 620; 720) can be inserted. For example, the receiving groove (545; 735; 745) and the bond injection hole (544) may be in communication with each other.

[0158] In one embodiment, any one of the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740) may include a guide projection (533) that protrudes toward the other bracket and maintains the flexible substrate (520; 620; 720) in a bent state.

[0159] In one embodiment, the remaining bracket may include a guide groove (543) that accommodates the guide projection (533).

[0160] In one embodiment, at least one of the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740) may include an inner bonding groove (636; 646; 736; 746) having a shape that becomes increasingly recessed toward the other bracket. For example, the inner waterproof body (550; 650) may be formed so that the perimeter of the cross-section of the flexible substrate (520; 620; 720) is sealed by a bonding material injected into the inner bonding groove (636; 646; 736; 746).

[0161] In one embodiment, the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740) may each include an outer bonding groove (637; 647; 737; 747) having a shape that becomes increasingly recessed toward the inner wall of the bracket slot (242c). For example, the outer perimeter (P) of a bracket assembly (BA) in which the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740) are joined together may be sealed by a bonding material injected into the outer bonding groove (637; 647; 737; 747).

[0162] In one embodiment, the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740) may each include an interlocking structure (738; 748). For example, a receiving groove (545; 735; 745) for receiving the flexible substrate (520; 620; 720) may be formed in at least one of the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740).

[0163] According to one embodiment, an electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701) comprises: a housing structure (210; 240) including a first support structure (241) that includes an opening (241a) and forms a side of the electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701), and a second support structure (242) that is located inside the first support structure (241) and provides a space for receiving electronic components; a circuit board (251) received in a substrate slot (242a) formed in the second support structure (242); a key button (510; 610; 710) arranged to be exposed at least partially to the outside through the opening (241a); and a flexible substrate (520) having one end attached to the key button (510; 610; 710) and the other end connected to the circuit board (251). 620; 720), a first bracket (530; 630; 730) which is received in a bracket slot (242c) formed in the second support structure (242) and is arranged parallel to the part of the first support structure (241) where the opening (241a) is formed, a second bracket (540; 640; 740) which is arranged parallel to the part of the first support structure (241) where the opening (241a) is formed and is arranged on the opposite side of the first bracket (530; 630; 730) with the flexible substrate (520; 620; 720) as the center, a waterproof tape (552; 652) which is installed between the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740), the first bracket (530; An inner bonding waterproof body (551; 651) formed by a bonding material injected between the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740), sealing a portion of the cross-sectional perimeter of the flexible substrate (520; 620; 720) that is not covered by the waterproof tape (552; 652), and the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640);740) may include an outer waterproof member (560; 660) that seals the space between the perimeter (P) of the mutually coupled bracket assembly (BA) and the inner wall of the bracket slot (242c).;

[0164] According to one embodiment, an electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701) comprises: a housing structure (210; 240) including a first support structure (241) that includes an opening (241a) and forms a side of the electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701), and a second support structure (242) that is located inside the first support structure (241) and provides a space for receiving electronic components; a circuit board (251) received in a substrate slot (242a) formed in the second support structure (242); a key button (510; 610; 710) arranged to be exposed at least partially to the outside through the opening (241a); and a flexible substrate (520) having one end attached to the key button (510; 610; 710) and the other end connected to the circuit board (251). 620; 720), a first bracket (530; 630; 730) which is received in a bracket slot (242c) formed in the second support structure (242) and is arranged parallel to the part of the first support structure (241) where the opening (241a) is formed, a second bracket (540; 640; 740) which is arranged parallel to the part of the first support structure (241) where the opening (241a) is formed and is arranged on the opposite side of the first bracket (530; 630; 730) with the flexible substrate (520; 620; 720) as the center, and formed by a bonding material injected between the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740), and the flexible substrate (520; 620; It may include an inner bonding waterproofing body (551; 651) that seals the perimeter of the cross section of the bracket assembly (BA), and an outer bonding waterproofing body formed by a bonding material injected into the perimeter (P) of the bracket assembly (BA) in which the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740) are joined together, and sealing the space between the inner wall of the bracket assembly (BA) and the bracket slot (242c).

[0165] In one embodiment, the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740) may each include an inner bonding groove (636; 646; 736; 746) formed inclined toward a mutually facing direction, and an outer bonding groove (637; 647; 737; 747) formed inclined toward the inner wall of the bracket slot (242c). For example, the inner bonding groove (636; 646; 736; 746) and the outer bonding groove (637; 647; 737; 747) may be interconnected. For example, the inner bonding waterproof body (551; 651) and the outer bonding waterproof body may be integrally formed by a bonding material injected into one or more of the inner bonding grooves (636; 646; 736; 746) and the outer bonding grooves (637; 647; 737; 747).

[0166] In one embodiment, with respect to the bracket assembly (BA), a structure for pressing the bracket assembly (BA) may not be provided in the direction in which the bracket slot (242c) is open.

[0167] In one embodiment, the width of the bracket slot (242c) may be less than 2 mm.

[0168] According to one embodiment, a method for manufacturing an electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701) comprising a housing structure (210; 240) having a first support structure (241) that includes an opening (241a) and forms a side of the electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701), and a second support structure (242) located inside the first support structure (241) and providing a space for accommodating electronic components, comprises the operation of connecting a key button (510; 610; 710) to one end of a flexible substrate (520; 620; 720), the operation of mutually coupling a pair of brackets with the flexible substrate (520; 620; 720) in between, the key button (510; 610; 710), and the flexible substrate (520; 620; 720). With a key input device (250; 500; 600; 700) including the above pair of brackets provided, the operation of inserting the key button (510; 610; 710) through a bracket slot (242c) formed in the second support structure (242) such that the key button (510; 610; 710) is at least partially exposed to the outside through the opening (241a), and the operation of inserting a bracket assembly (BA) in which the above pair of brackets are mutually coupled into the bracket slot (242c) may be included.

[0169] The embodiments of this document are illustrative and are not intended to be limiting. Various modifications to the details of the disclosure may be made, including to the appended claims and their equivalents. Any of the embodiment(s) described herein may be used in combination with the embodiment(s) described herein.

Claims

1. In an electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701), A housing structure (210; 240) comprising a first support structure (241) that includes an opening (241a) and forms a side of the electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701), and a second support structure (242) located inside the first support structure (241) and providing a space for accommodating electronic components; A circuit board (251) accommodated in a substrate slot (242a) formed in the second support structure (242); Key buttons (510; 610; 710) positioned to be exposed at least partially to the outside through the opening (241a); A flexible substrate (520; 620; 720) that is attached to the key button (510; 610; 710) at one end and connected to the circuit board (251) at the other end; A first bracket (530; 630; 730) that is received in a bracket slot (242c) formed in the second support structure (242) and arranged parallel to the portion of the first support structure (241) where the opening (241a) is formed; A second bracket (540; 640; 740) disposed parallel to the portion of the first support structure (241) where the opening (241a) is formed, and disposed on the opposite side of the first bracket (530; 630; 730) with the flexible substrate (520; 620; 720) at the center; and A sealing inner waterproof body (550; 650) positioned between the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740), sealing at least a portion of the bracket slot (242c) that is open toward the internal space of the electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701). Electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701).

2. In Paragraph 1, The above inner waterproof body (550; 650) is, Including an inner bonding waterproof body (551; 651) formed by a bonding material injected between the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740), Electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701).

3. In Paragraph 1 or 2, The above electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701) is, It further includes an outer waterproof body (560; 660) located between the perimeter (P) of a bracket assembly (BA) in which the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740) are mutually joined and the inner wall of the bracket slot (242c), and sealing the remainder of the portion of the bracket slot (242c) that is open toward the internal space of the electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701). The above outer waterproof body (560; 660) is, An outer bonding waterproofing body formed by a bonding material injected along the perimeter (P) of the bracket assembly (BA), or comprising an O-ring installed along the perimeter (P) of the bracket assembly (BA). Electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701).

4. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 3, The width of the bracket slot (242c) is smaller than the depth of the bracket slot (242c). Electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701).

5. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 4, Based on the width direction of the receiving portion covered by the first bracket (530; 630; 730) among the flexible substrates (520; 620; 720), the length of the first bracket (530; 630; 730) is formed to be longer than the width of the receiving portion, and The thickness of the first bracket (530; 630; 730) based on the thickness direction of the receiving portion is smaller than the height of the first bracket (530; 630; 730) based on the height direction of the receiving portion, Electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701).

6. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 5, The above inner waterproof body (550; 650) is, A waterproof tape (552; 652) installed between the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740), Electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701).

7. In Paragraph 6, The above electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701) is, The bracket assembly (BA) in which the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740) are mutually joined further includes an O-ring installed along the circumference (P) of the bracket assembly. The waterproof tape (552; 652) is installed so as to be exposed to the outside from the bracket assembly (BA), thereby adhering to the first bracket (530; 630; 730), the second bracket (540; 640; 740), and the O-ring. Electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701).

8. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 7, Any one of the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740) comprises a bond injection hole (544) that causes at least a portion of the flexible substrate (520; 620; 720) to be exposed to the outside. Electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701).

9. In Paragraph 8, The above waterproof tape (552; 652) is located between the remaining one of the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740) and the flexible substrate (520; 620; 720). Electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701).

10. In Paragraph 8 or 9, The width of the bond injection hole (544) is greater than the width of the portion of the flexible substrate (520; 620; 720) that is exposed to the outside through the bond injection hole (544). Electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701).

11. In any one of paragraphs 8 through 10, Among the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740), the bracket having the bond injection hole (544) formed therein is The middle portion of the flexible substrate (520; 620; 720) includes a receiving groove (545; 735; 745) into which the middle portion can be inserted, and The above receiving grooves (545; 735; 745) and the bond injection hole (544) are interconnected, Electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701).

12. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 11, Any one of the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740) includes a guide projection (533) that protrudes toward the other bracket and maintains the flexible substrate (520; 620; 720) in a bent state. Electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701).

13. In Paragraph 12, The remaining bracket above includes a guide groove (543) that accommodates the guide projection (533). Electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701).

14. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 13, At least one of the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740) includes an inner bonding groove (636; 646; 736; 746) having a shape that becomes increasingly recessed toward the other bracket, and The inner waterproof body (550; 650) is formed such that the perimeter of the cross-section of the flexible substrate (520; 620; 720) is sealed by a bonding material injected into the inner bonding groove (636; 646; 736; 746). Electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701).

15. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 14, The first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740) each include an outer bonding groove (637; 647; 737; 747) having a shape that becomes increasingly recessed toward the inner wall of the bracket slot (242c), and The outer perimeter (P) of a bracket assembly (BA) in which the first bracket (530; 630; 730) and the second bracket (540; 640; 740) are mutually joined is sealed by a bonding material injected into the outer bonding groove (637; 647; 737; 747). Electronic device (101; 201; 501; 601; 701).

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