Antenna and electronic device comprising same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10879589-B2
Application number	US-201716095618-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2017
Priority date	Apr 22, 2016
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

Provided is an electronic device that includes first and second housings, a display, a connecting member connecting the first and second housings, first and second conductive members, and a wireless communication circuit. The first housing includes a first side facing a first direction, a second side facing a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a first lateral side surrounding at least part of a space between the first side and the second side. The second housing includes a third side facing a third direction, a fourth side facing a fourth direction opposite to the third direction, and a second lateral side surrounding at least part of a space between the third side and the fourth side. The connecting member connects the first and second housings such that folding of the first and second housings results in the first and second lateral sides abutting against each other.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a first housing including a first side facing a first direction, a second side facing a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a first lateral side surrounding at least part of a space between the first side and the second side;
a second housing including a third side facing a third direction, a fourth side facing a fourth direction opposite to the third direction, and a second lateral side surrounding at least part of a space between the third side and the fourth side;
a flexible display including a first display portion and a second display portion, the first display portion located in the first housing and exposed through the first housing, the second display portion located in the second housing and exposed through the second housing;
a connecting member which connects the first housing and the second housing such that the first housing and the second housing are folded to face each other, wherein when the first housing and the second housing are folded, the first lateral side and the second lateral side abut against each other;
a first conductive member disposed to at least part of the first lateral side, wherein the first conductive member includes at least one first non-conductive slit extended in the first direction or the second direction such that the first conductive member is divided into a plurality of conductive segments;
a second conductive member disposed to at least part of the second lateral side, wherein the second conductive member includes at least one second non-nonconductive slit extended in the third direction or the fourth direction such that the second conductive member is divided into a plurality of conductive segments, and when the first housing and the second housing are folded, the at least one first non-conductive slit and the at least one second non-conductive slit abut against each other;
at least one wireless communication circuit electrically connected with one of the plurality of conductive segments of the first conductive member, and electrically connected with another of the plurality of conductive segments of the first conductive member; and
at least one of a stub pattern or a switching circuit, the stub pattern connected with at least one of the conductive segments of the second conductive member, the switching circuit configured to electrically connect at least one of the plurality of conductive segments of the second conductive member with a ground member.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , the ground member inside the second housing, wherein at least one of the conductive segments of the second conductive member is electrically connected with the ground member.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 ,
wherein at least one of the conductive segments of the second conductive member is electrically connected with the ground member at a point abutting against the at least one second non-conductive slit.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the switching circuit operates in an on-state to electrically connect the at least one conductive segment with the ground member when the first housing and the second housing are folded, and operates in on off-state to cut off the connection between the at least one conductive segment and the ground member when the first housing and the second housing are unfolded.

5. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the switching circuit electrically connects one of the plurality of conductive segments with the ground member when the first housing and the second housing are folded, and electrically connects another of the plurality of conductive segments with the ground member when the first housing and the second housing are unfolded.

6. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the switching circuit electrically connects at least one of the plurality of conductive segment of the second conductive member with the ground member via an inductor.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the switching circuit operates in an on-state to electrically connect the at least one conductive segment with the ground member via the inductor when the first housing and the second housing are folded, and operates in on off-state to cut off the connection between the at least one conductive segment and the ground member when the first housing and the second housing are unfolded.

8. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the switching circuit electrically connects one of the plurality of conductive segments with the ground member via the inductor when the first housing and the second housing are folded, and electrically connects another of the plurality of conductive segments with the ground member via the inductor when the first housing and the second housing are unfolded.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the stub pattern is connected at a point abutting against the at least one second non-conductive slit and thus is extended towards one side of the second housing.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the stub pattern is electrically connected with the ground member.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the switching circuit is further configured to connect at least one of the plurality of conductive segments of the second conductive member with the stub pattern.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the switching circuit electrically connects at least one of the plurality of conductive segments of the second conductive member with the stub pattern via an inductor.

13. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first housing and the second housing are connected in any one of a foldable type, a slide type, a bendable type, and a detachable type.

14. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one wireless communication circuit electrically connected with the one of the plurality of conductive segments of the first conductive member at a first point abutting against a first slit of the at least one first non-conductive slits, and electrically connected with the another of the plurality of conductive segments of the first conductive member at a second point abutting against a second slit of the at least one first non-conductive slits.

15. The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein, when the first housing and the second housing are folded, the first slit and a third slit of the at least one second non-conductive slit abut against each other and the second slit and a fourth slit of the at least one second non-conductive slit abut against each other, and
wherein the second slit is located closer to the connecting member than the first slit.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lim Jae-Ho
• Lee Kyung-Jong
• Kim Hosaeng
• Kim Seunghwan

Classifications

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title

• H04M1/0235

  Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts · CPC title

• H01Q5/335

  at the feed, e.g. for impedance matching · CPC title

• H01Q1/48

  Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises · CPC title

• H01Q1/243 Primary

  with built-in antennas · CPC title