Foldable Conductive Plate Structure to Prevent Display Folding Marks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Foldable electronic devices face issues with conductive plates that cannot be folded, leading to folding marks and operational malfunctions due to separate disposition, which deteriorate reliability and increase production costs.

Innovation Solution

A foldable conductive plate with flexible and flat portions connected by a bending portion, integrated with a polymer member and adhesive, allowing it to bend with the display, and reinforced by additional plates for support.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If two separate conductive plates are disposed in each housing structure, then the conductive plate can be properly positioned in each housing, but folding marks occur on the display and operational reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational reliabilityVSAvoidfolding marks
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges two separate conductive plates into a single foldable conductive plate that spans both first and second housing structures. The foldable conductive plate includes a first conductive plate portion in the first housing, a second conductive plate portion in the second housing, and a folding portion that allows the plate to bend with the display during folding operations. This integration eliminates the boundary between separate plates, preventing folding marks from forming at the interface and ensuring continuous electromagnetic shielding across both housings.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If a single foldable conductive plate is used, then folding marks are prevented and reliability improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational reliabilityVSAvoidconductive plate structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The foldable conductive plate is segmented into distinct functional portions: a first conductive plate portion for the first housing, a second conductive plate portion for the second housing, and a folding portion with reduced thickness for the hinge area. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining the advantage of a unified structure that prevents folding marks and ensures continuous shielding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of manufacture

If separate conductive plates are used in each housing, then assembly is simpler, but production cost increases due to additional components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly simplicityVSAvoidnumber of conductive plates
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple conductive plate components into a single foldable conductive plate, reducing the total quantity of conductive material needed. Instead of requiring two separate conductive plates plus additional shielding materials in the hinge area, the invention uses one integrated plate that provides continuous electromagnetic shielding across both housings, thereby reducing component count and production costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Object-affected harmful factors

If the conductive plate is made rigid for shielding effectiveness, then noise shielding improves, but the plate cannot fold with the display

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenoise shieldingVSAvoidfolding capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The foldable conductive plate features local quality variations: the first and second conductive plate portions have sufficient thickness and rigidity to provide effective electromagnetic shielding in their respective housing areas, while the folding portion has reduced thickness to enable flexible bending. This localized differentiation allows the plate to simultaneously achieve noise shielding effectiveness in rigid areas and folding adaptability in the hinge area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4730077A2Electronic device including foldable plate
Publication Date: 2026.04.22 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP4730077A2 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4730077A2 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4730077A2 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

According to various embodiments, an electronic device may include a housing including an opening connected to an internal space; a tray socket disposed to be connected to the outside through the opening in the internal space and including a tray reception space; a tray inserted into the tray reception space, wherein the tray includes a tray body including at least one space configured to receive at least one external component; and a tray cover including a pin insertion hole configured to guide a tray ejecting pin to the opening; an eject bar movably disposed in a tray mounting direction or ejecting direction in the tray reception space and facing the pin insertion hole; and a rotation lever configured to press the tray in the ejection direction according to pressing of the eject bar in the tray reception space, wherein the eject bar is disposed at a position at least partially overlapped with the tray body when viewed from above the tray socket.