Electronic device including supplementary structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11516323-B2
Application number	US-202017114903-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2020
Priority date	Jan 2, 2020
Publication date	Nov 29, 2022
Grant date	Nov 29, 2022

Abstract

An electronic device includes: a first housing and second housing connected via a hinge, all of which are overlaid by a flexible display; a hinge housing in which the hinge is seated, and a supplementary structure coupled to an edge of the hinge housing to hide at least part of a peripheral edge of the flexible display, wherein the supplementary structure includes a fixing bracket coupled to the hinge housing, a first wing part coupled to the fixing bracket and disposed between the first member and the first housing, a second wing part coupled to the fixing bracket and disposed between the second member and the second housing, and a coupling part coupling the first wing part and the second wing part to the fixing bracket.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a first housing;
a second housing;
a hinge structure foldably coupling at least part of the first housing with at least part of the second housing, to support folding and unfolding operations;
a flexible display disposed over the first housing, the second housing, and the hinge structure;
a hinge housing in which at least part of the hinge structure is seated;
a first member disposed on at least part of a periphery of the first housing that is adjacent to at least part of the second housing when the first housing and the second are set in a flat unfolded state;
a second member disposed on at least part of a periphery of the second housing that at least part of the first housing faces when the first housing and the second housing are set in the flat unfolded state; and
a supplementary structure at least partially fastened to an edge portion of the hinge housing to hide at least part of a peripheral edge of the flexible display,
wherein the supplementary structure includes:
a fixing bracket coupled to the hinge housing;
a first wing part coupled to the fixing bracket, and disposed between the first member and the first housing;
a second wing part coupled to the fixing bracket, and disposed between the second member and the second housing; and
a coupling part coupling the first wing part and the second wing part to the fixing bracket.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a protrusion extending from an edge of the hinge housing by a predetermined height in an upwards direction corresponding to a direction in which the display is exposed, the protrusion having a recess formed in a center thereof.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the fixing bracket includes:
a bracket extension at least partially inserted into the recess formed in the center of the protrusion;
a bracket central-portion formed on the bracket extension;
a bracket hole body formed on the bracket central-portion; and
a first bracket hole and a second bracket hole formed in the bracket hole body, wherein the coupling part is inserted into the first bracket hole and the second bracket hole and passes through the first wing part and the second wing part.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , further comprising:
an adhesive member disposed between the bracket extension and a bottom surface of the recess.

5. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein a bottom surface of the recess includes a step.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the bracket extension and the bracket central-portion are seated in the recess.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , further comprising:
an adhesive member disposed between the bracket extension and the bottom surface of the recess, or disposed between part of the bracket central-portion and the bottom surface of the recess.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a protective member disposed between the supplementary structure and the hinge housing.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the protective member is formed of at least one of a rubber material, a flexible plastic material, and a polymer material.

10. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the protective member includes:
a cover body that closes a gap formed between the hinge housing and the display; and
a barrier extending as to form a predetermined angle with the cover body, the barrier facing the first housing and the second housing.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the protective member further includes:
a cover hole formed on one side of the cover body, wherein at least part of a protrusion formed on the hinge housing is mounted in the cover hole.

12. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the protective member further includes:
at least one slit formed in the barrier.

13. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the cover body includes:
a first portion configured to cover at least part of the peripheral edge of the display; and
s second portion configured to cover at least part of an upper opening area of the hinge housing.

14. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the fixing bracket includes:
a first protrusion extending from a surface of the first wing part; and
a second protrusion extending from a surface of the second wing part.

15. The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein the protective member further includes:
a first sliding hole coupled with the first protrusion; and
a second sliding hole coupled with the second protrusion.

16. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first member includes a first sliding recess in which at least part of the first wing part is mounted, and wherein the second member includes a second sliding recess in which at least part of the second wing part is mounted.

17. The electronic device of claim 2 , further comprising:
an adhesive member disposed in the recess formed on the protrusion.

18. An electronic device, comprising:
a first housing;
a second housing;
a hinge structure connecting the first housing with the second housing and supporting folding and unfolding operations of the first housing and the second housing;
a hinge housing disposed under the first housing and the second housing when the electronic device is set in a flat unfolded state, wherein at least part of the hinge structure is seated in the hinge housing;
a flexible display disposed on the first housing, the second housing, and the hinge structure; and
a supplementary structure coupled to an edge portion of the hinge housing,
wherein at least part of the supplementary structure is disposed between an edge of the first housing, and an edge of the second housing when the electronic device is set in a folded state, and
wherein a part of the supplementary structure extends beyond an upper surface of the display when the electronic device is set in the unfolded state.

19. The electronic device of claim 18 , further comprising:
a protective member disposed between the hinge housing and the supplementary structure.

20. An electronic device, comprising:
a first housing;
a second housing;
a hinge structure connecting at least part of the first housing with at least part of the second housing and support folding and unfolding operations;
a flexible display disposed over the first housing, the second housing, and the hinge structure;
a hinge housing in which at least part of the hinge structure is seated;
a first member disposed on at least part of a periphery of the first housing, such that at least part of the second housing faces the first member when the electronic device is set in a flat unfolded state;
a second member disposed on at least part of a periphery of the second housing, such that at least part of the first housing faces the second member when the electronic device is set in the flat unfolded state; and
a supplementary structure coupled to at least part of an edge portion of the hinge housing, the supplementary structure hiding at least part of a peripheral edge of the flexible display,
wherein at least part of the supplementary structure is slidable on rear surfaces of the first member and the second member, when the electronic device transitions from a folded state to the flat unfolded state, or from the flat unfolded state to the folded state.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jung Minsu
• Seo Changyong
• Lee Yongseok
• Choi Jongchul

Classifications

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title

• H05K5/0086

  portable, e.g. battery operated apparatus (casings for switching devices H01H9/02) · CPC title

• H04M1/0216 Primary

  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

• G06F1/1681

  Details related solely to hinges (hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683) · CPC title