Foldable electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11245782-B2
Application number	US-201916723350-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2019
Priority date	Dec 21, 2018
Publication date	Feb 8, 2022
Grant date	Feb 8, 2022

Abstract

A foldable electronic device is provided, which includes a flexible display; a hinge assembly configured to fold and unfold a first area and a second area of the flexible display onto and away from each other; and a heat diffusion member. The hinge assembly includes a first hinge frame attached to a bottom face of the first area via a first adhesive member; a second hinge frame attached to a bottom face of the second area via a second adhesive member; a hinge pivotally connecting the first hinge frame and the second hinge frame to each other; and a hinge housing including a space, which accommodates the hinge, and connecting the first hinge frame and the second hinge frame to each other. At least a partial area of the heat diffusion member may be disposed between the flexible display and the hinge housing, in the space or at a position communicating with the space.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A foldable electronic device, comprising:
a flexible display;
a hinge assembly configured to fold and unfold a first area and a second area of the flexible display toward and away from each other, respectively,
wherein the hinge assembly includes:
a first hinge frame disposed under at least one portion of the first area and supporting the first area;
a second hinge frame disposed under at least one portion of the second area and supporting the second area;
a first hinge pivotally connecting a first portion of the first hinge frame and a second portion of the second frame with each other; and
a second hinge pivotally connecting a third portion of the first hinge frame and a fourth portion of the second frame with each other;
a heat diffusion member configured to dissipate heat generated from an electronic component included in the foldable electronic device, at least one portion of the heat diffusion member overlapped with the first hinge when viewed in a direction from a first end of a folding axis of the hinge assembly to a second end of the folding axis of the hinge assembly;
a first bracket including a first recessed seating portion on which the first hinge frame is fixedly seated, a recessed length, width, and height of the first recessed seating portion substantially corresponding to a length, width, and height of the first hinge frame, respectively; and
a second bracket including a second recessed seating portion on which the second hinge frame is fixedly seated, a recessed length, width, and height of the second recessed seating portion substantially corresponding to a length, width, and height of the second hinge frame, respectively.

2. The foldable electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one portion of the heat diffusion member is overlapped with the second hinge when viewed in the direction from the first end to the second end.

3. The foldable electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the first hinge and the second hinge are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance in the direction from the first end to the second end.

4. The foldable electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one portion of the heat diffusion member is disposed between the first hinge and the second hinge when viewed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction from the first end to the second end.

5. The foldable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a flexible printed circuit board connecting a first electronic component disposed in the first bracket and a second electronic component disposed in the second bracket,
wherein the first hinge frame includes a first opening over which a first portion of the flexible
printed circuit board is disposed when viewed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the flexible display, and
wherein the second hinge frame includes a second opening over which a second portion of the flexible printed circuit board is disposed when viewed in the direction substantially perpendicular to the flexible display.

6. The foldable electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the second hinge frame includes a groove over which at least one portion of the heat diffusion member is disposed when viewed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the flexible display.

7. The foldable electronic device of claim 6 ,
wherein the at least one portion of heat diffusion member is disposed on or adjacent to the electronic component through the groove included in the second hinge frame.

8. The foldable electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the heat diffusion member is formed of a flexible material.

9. The foldable electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein at least one portion of the first hinge frame and at least one portion of the second hinge frame are spaced apart from the first hinge when the flexible display is folded.

10. The foldable electronic device of claim 3 ,
wherein the at least one portion of the first hinge frame and the at least one portion of the second hinge frame are spaced apart from the second hinge when the flexible display is folded.

11. The foldable electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the heat diffusion member includes a first heat diffusion member and a second heat diffusion member.

12. The foldable electronic device of claim 11 ,
wherein at least one portion of the first heat diffusion member is disposed between the first hinge frame and the flexible display, and
wherein at least one portion of the second heat diffusion member is disposed between the second hinge frame and the flexible display.

13. The foldable electronic device of claim 11 ,
wherein at least one portion of the first heat diffusion member is disposed over a first groove formed in the first hinge frame when viewed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the flexible display, and
wherein at least one portion of the second heat diffusion member is disposed over a second groove formed in the second hinge frame when viewed in the direction substantially perpendicular to the flexible display.

14. The foldable electronic device of claim 13 ,
wherein the at least one portion of the first heat diffusion member is disposed on or adjacent to the electronic component through the first groove formed in the first hinge frame, and
wherein the at least one portion of the second heat diffusion member is disposed on or adjacent to the electronic component through the second groove formed in the second hinge frame.

15. The foldable electronic device of claim 13 ,
wherein the electronic component includes a first electronic component and a second electronic component,
wherein the at least one portion of the first heat diffusion member is disposed on or adjacent to the first electronic component through the first groove formed in the first hinge frame, and
wherein the at least one portion of the second heat diffusion member is disposed on or adjacent to the second electronic component through the second groove formed in the second hinge frame.

16. The foldable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a hinge housing including a space, which accommodates the first hinge and the second hinge, and connecting the first hinge frame and the second hinge frame to each other.

17. The foldable electronic device of claim 16 ,
wherein at least one portion of the heat diffusion member is disposed in the space, between the first hinge frame or the second hinge frame and the hinge housing, and is attached to a rear surface of the first hinge frame or the second hinge frame.

18. The foldable electronic device of claim 17 , further comprising a heat conductive sheet disposed between the first hinge frame or the second hinge frame, to which the at least one portion of the heat diffusion member is attached, and the flexible display.

19. The foldable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a heat dissipation sheet disposed between the first hinge frame and the second hinge frame and the flexible display, and attached to a rear surface of the flexible display.

20. The foldable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a heat conductive sheet disposed between at least one portion of the heat diffusion member and the flexible display.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hong Eunseok

Classifications

• H04M2250/16

  including more than one display unit · CPC title

• G06F1/203

  for portable computers, e.g. for laptops · CPC title

• G06F11/324

  Display of status information · CPC title

• H04M1/0216

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

• G06F1/1652

  the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable · CPC title