Foldable device comprising antenna

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10833397-B2
Application number	US-201916562179-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2019
Priority date	Sep 5, 2018
Publication date	Nov 10, 2020
Grant date	Nov 10, 2020

Abstract

Disclosed is an electronic device. The electronic device may comprise a first structure and a second structure mutually foldably connected with the first structure about a first axis extending in a first direction. A wireless communication circuit of the electronic device is electrically connected with a first radiator and a second radiator and is electrically separated from the second radiator in a folded state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a first housing including a first metal region;
a second housing foldably connected with the first housing about a first axis and including a second metal region;
a flexible display disposed over at least a part of the first housing and at least a part of the second housing;
a first radiator forming at least a portion of the first metal region;
a second radiator forming at least a portion of the second metal region and disposed to face at least a portion of the first radiator in a folded state; and
at least one wireless communication circuit,
wherein the at least one wireless communication circuit is configured to be electrically connected with the first radiator and the second radiator in an unfolded state and to be electrically separated from the second radiator in the folded state,
wherein the at least one wireless communication circuit is electrically connected with the second radiator through a switch, and
wherein the switch is configured to be open in the folded state.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a hinge foldably connecting the first housing and the second housing to enable the first housing and the second housing to be folded or unfolded about the first axis.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the hinge includes a metal material.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the at least one wireless communication circuit is disposed in the first housing and is electrically connected with the second radiator through a wiring structure of the hinge.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first printed circuit board (PCB) disposed in the first housing; and
a second PCB disposed in the second housing,
wherein the at least one wireless communication circuit is disposed on the first PCB, is electrically connected with the first radiator through a first feed line disposed on the first PCB, and is electrically connected with the second radiator through a second feed line disposed on the first PCB and the second PCB.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the second feed line comprises a switch.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one wireless communication circuit is disposed in the first housing.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the flexible display comprises a first region disposed in the first housing and a second region disposed in the structure housing, and
wherein the first region and the second region face each other in the folded state.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first conductive pattern disposed in the first housing; and
a second conductive pattern disposed in the second housing and disposed to face at least a portion of the first conductive pattern in the folded state.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein:
the at least one wireless communication circuit is electrically connected with the second conductive pattern through a switch; and
the switch is configured to be open in the folded state.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the flexible display includes a first surface facing a first direction in the unfolded state,
the first housing and the second housing include a second surface facing a direction opposite to the first direction, and a side surface surrounding a space between the first surface and the second surface;
the first radiator is at least a portion of the side surface in the first housing; and
the second radiator is at least a portion of the side surface in the second housing.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein:
the first radiator; and
the second radiator are electrically separated from each other in the unfolded state.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the first radiator and the second radiator contact each other in the folded state.

14. The electronic device of claim 11 ,
wherein the flexible display is visually exposed to the first direction in the unfolded state.

15. An electronic device comprising:
a first housing including a first metal region corresponding to a first radiator;
a hinge foldably connecting the first housing and a second housing;
the second housing including a second metal region corresponding to a second radiator;
a flexible display disposed over at least a part of the first housing and at least a part of the second housing;
at least one wireless communication circuit; and
a switch connected between the at least one communication circuit and the second radiator,
wherein the at least one wireless communication circuit is configured to:
close the switch to be electrically connected to the second radiator in an unfolded state, and
open the switch to be electrically separated from the second radiator in a folded state, and

wherein the first radiator and the second radiator are disposed to face each other in the folded state.

16. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the hinge includes a metal material.

17. The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the at least one wireless communication circuit is disposed in the first housing and is electrically connected with the second radiator through a wiring structure of the hinge.

18. The electronic device of claim 15 ,
wherein the flexible display comprises a first region disposed in the first housing and a second region disposed in the second housing, and
wherein the first region and the second region face each other in the folded state.

19. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein:
the flexible display includes a first surface facing a first direction in the unfolded state,
the first housing and the second housing include a second surface facing a direction opposite to the first direction, and a side surface surrounding a space between the first surface and the second surface;
the first radiator is at least a portion of the side surface included in the first housing; and
the second radiator is at least a portion of the side surface included in the second housing.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Woosup
• Kim Yongyoun
• Park Jungsik
• Choi Sehwan

Classifications

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title

• H04M1/0216 Primary

  Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge · CPC title

• H01Q1/521

  reducing the coupling between adjacent antennas · CPC title

• H04M1/0277

  for a printed circuit board assembly · CPC title

• H04M1/0291

  Door telephones · CPC title