Electronic device including waterproof structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11528349-B2
Application number	US-201916675663-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 6, 2019
Priority date	Nov 16, 2018
Publication date	Dec 13, 2022
Grant date	Dec 13, 2022

Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a hinge structure, a first housing structure, a second housing structure that is foldable with the first housing structure, a foldable housing, a flexible display, a first mid-plate disposed on one side of the first housing structure, a second mid-plate disposed on one side of the second housing structure, a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) extending between the first mid-plate and the second mid-plate, a first sealing member that seals a first opening formed in the first mid-plate, and a second sealing member that seals a second opening formed in the second mid-plate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a foldable housing comprising:
a hinge structure, a first housing structure connected to the hinge structure and including a first surface facing a first direction, a second surface facing a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a first side member to at least partially surround a space formed between the first surface and the second surface, and
a second housing structure connected to the hinge structure and including a third surface facing a third direction, a fourth surface facing a fourth direction opposite to the third direction, and a second side member to at least partially surround a space formed between the third surface and the fourth surface, the second housing structure being folded together with the first housing structure around the hinge structure, wherein in a folded state, at least part of the first surface is opposite the third surface, and in an unfolded state, the third direction is substantially a same as the first direction;

a display extending from the first surface to the third surface to form at least part of the first surface and the third surface;
a first mid-plate disposed between the display and the second surface, the first mid-plate extending from the first side member in a direction perpendicular to the first direction and including a first opening;
a second mid-plate disposed between the display and the fourth surface, the second mid-plate extending from the second side member in a direction perpendicular to the third direction and including a second opening;
a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) extending across the hinge structure from a first space formed between the first mid-plate and the second surface to a second space formed between the second mid-plate and the fourth surface;
a first sealing member to seal the first opening; and
a second sealing member to seal the second opening.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first printed circuit board located between the first mid-plate and the second surface; and
a second printed circuit board located between the second mid-plate and the fourth surface.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the flexible printed circuit board comprises:
a first connector located in the first opening;
a first portion extending between the first printed circuit board and the first connector;
a second connector located in the second opening;
a second portion extending between the second printed circuit board and the second connector; and
a third portion extending between the first connector and the second connector.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein at least part of the first sealing member makes contact with the first connector, and at least part of the second sealing member makes contact with the second connector.

5. An electronic device including a waterproof structure, the electronic device comprising:
a first housing including a first connecting hole through one surface of the first housing;
a second housing;
a hinge structure to connect the first housing and the second housing and support a hinge motion of the first housing or the second housing;
a first printed circuit board disposed in the first housing;
a second printed circuit board disposed in the second housing;
a first connecting printed circuit board (PCB) disposed to cover at least part of an opening on one side of the first connecting hole and electrically connected to the first printed circuit board; and
a flexible PCB, at least part of which is disposed in the hinge structure, wherein one side of the flexible PCB is electrically connected with the first connecting PCB,
wherein the second housing includes a second connecting hole through one surface of the second housing,
wherein the second printed circuit board includes a waterproof structure disposed to cover at least part of an opening on an opposite side of the second connecting hole.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the first printed circuit board is disposed to cover at least part of an opening on an opposite side of the first connecting hole.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , further comprising:
a first connecting part to connect the first connecting PCB and the first printed circuit board, at least part of the first connecting part being seated in the first connecting hole.

8. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the first connecting hole comprises at least one of:
a protruding structure extending from an inner wall of the first housing by a predetermined height;
a first waterproof member disposed between the first connecting PCB and the protruding structure; or
a second waterproof member disposed between the first printed circuit board and the protruding structure.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 ,
wherein the protruding structure extending from the inner wall of the first housing by the predetermined height forms a step, and
wherein the first waterproof member and a second waterproof member are disposed on the step.

10. The electronic device of claim 5 , further comprising:
a front bracket disposed on an upper surface of the first connecting PCB; and
a coupling member fastened to the first printed circuit board, with at least part of the coupling member disposed in the first connecting hole through the front bracket.

11. The electronic device of claim 5 , further comprising:
a front bracket disposed on an upper surface of the first connecting PCB;
a rear bracket disposed on a rear surface of the first printed circuit board; and
a coupling member fastened to the rear bracket through one side of the first printed circuit board, with at least part of the coupling member disposed in the first connecting hole through the front bracket.

12. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the second housing further comprises:
a second connecting PCB disposed to cover at least part of an opening on one side of the second connecting hole, the second connecting PCB having one side electrically connected to the second printed circuit board and an opposite side connected to the flexible PCB.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 ,
further comprising a second connecting part to connect the second connecting PCB and the second printed circuit board, at least part of the second connecting part being seated in the second connecting hole.

14. An electronic device including a waterproof structure, the electronic device comprising:
a first housing including a first connecting hole through one surface of the first housing;
a second housing including a second connecting hole through one surface of the second housing;
a hinge structure to connect the first housing and the second housing and support a hinge motion of the first housing or the second housing;
a first printed circuit board disposed in the first housing;
a second printed circuit board disposed in the second housing;
a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) to connect the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board, at least part of the flexible PCB being disposed on one side of the hinge structure;
a first waterproof member to block a fluid flow into the first connecting hole; and
a second waterproof member to block a fluid flow into the second connecting hole,
wherein the flexible PCB comprises:
a first sub-FPCB, at least part of which is mounted in the first connecting hole;
a second sub-FPCB, at least part of which is mounted in the second connecting hole; and
a central FPCB to connect the first sub-FPCB and the second sub-FPCB.

15. The electronic d

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Gidae
• Baek Moohyun
• Lee Minsung
• Choi Jongchul

Classifications

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title

• G06F1/1616 Primary

  with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position · 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

• H05K1/028

  Bending or folding regions of flexible printed circuits (H05K1/0283 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F1/1683

  for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling · CPC title