Electronic device including flexible substrate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11917759-B2
Application number	US-202117433832-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 4, 2021
Priority date	Aug 4, 2020
Publication date	Feb 27, 2024
Grant date	Feb 27, 2024

Abstract

An electronic device includes: a housing including a plate and a back plate facing a second surface of the plate and including a planar area facing a first direction, a display module including a display disposed on a first surface of the plate, a battery and a circuit board disposed on the second surface of the plate, a first flexible substrate extending from the display module, and a second flexible substrate extending from the circuit board to the first flexible substrate across the battery. The first flexible substrate includes a first connector, and the second flexible substrate includes a second connector. The first flexible substrate and the second flexible substrate are configured such that the first connector and the second connector are coupled in a second direction different from the first direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a housing including a plate, a frame at least partially surrounding the plate, and a back plate facing a second surface of the plate and coupled to the frame, the back plate including a planar area facing a first direction;
a display module comprising a display disposed on a first surface of the plate;
a battery and a circuit board disposed on the second surface of the plate;
a first flexible substrate extending from the display module, the first flexible substrate extending to the second surface of the plate through an opening area of the plate; and
a second flexible substrate extending from the circuit board to the first flexible substrate across the battery,
wherein the first flexible substrate includes a first area, at least part of the first flexible substrate being located in the opening area, a second area extending from the first area toward the back plate, and a first connector disposed on the second area,
wherein the second flexible substrate includes a third area, at least part of the second flexible substrate being located between the battery and the back plate, a fourth area extending from the third area toward the second surface of the plate, and a second connector disposed on the fourth area, and
wherein the first flexible substrate and the second flexible substrate are arranged such that the first connector and the second connector are coupled in a second direction different from the first direction.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first connector is hidden by the second flexible substrate when the second surface of the plate is viewed in the first direction.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a bracket spaced apart from a battery frame by a gap and fixed to the plate, the battery frame at least partially surrounding the battery,
wherein one of the second area or the fourth area is disposed on the battery frame, and another of the second area or the fourth area is coupled to the bracket.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first area includes a layer extending from at least a part of layers included in the display module.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a display driver integrated circuit (IC) disposed on the first area of the first flexible substrate,
wherein the display driver IC is configured to drive the display module.

7. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the bracket is fixed to one side and an opposite side of the opening area.

8. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the first flexible substrate includes a first stiffener comprising a material having a specified stiffness located on the second area,
wherein the second flexible substrate includes a second stiffener comprising a material having a specified stiffness located on the fourth area, and
wherein the bracket is coupled to the first stiffener or the second stiffener.

9. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the plate includes a recess located around the opening area, and
wherein the bracket includes a fixing portion, at least part of the fixing portion being accommodated in the recess.

10. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the fixing portion is configured to provide an elastic force to a sidewall of the recess.

11. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the first flexible substrate includes a first stiffener comprising a material having a specified stiffness located on the second area,
wherein the second flexible substrate includes a second stiffener comprising a material having a specified stiffness located on the fourth area, and
wherein the bracket includes a bending portion bent to surround part of the first stiffener or part of the second stiffener.

12. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the bracket includes a first bracket having a size smaller than a size of the opening area and coupled to the second area or the fourth area and a second bracket fixed to a portion around the opening area across the opening area.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the first bracket includes a hook portion fastened with the second bracket.

14. An electronic device comprising:
a plate including a first surface, a second surface facing away from the first surface, and an opening area formed through the first surface and the second surface;
a display module including a display disposed on the first surface;
a circuit board disposed on the second surface;
a first flexible substrate extending from the display module to the second surface through the opening area and including a first connector; and
a second flexible substrate extending from the circuit board and including a second connector,
wherein the first connector and the second connector are coupled in a direction substantially perpendicular to a first direction being a thickness direction of the display module.

15. The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein the first flexible substrate and the second flexible substrate at least partially overlap each other when the second surface of the plate is viewed in the first direction.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jun Sungsoo
• Park Changho
• Kim Jinman
• Jeong Munjin
• Jeong Wooyoung
• Kim Namjun
• Kim Yonghwa
• Park Dongmyeong
• Park Youngmoon
• Kim Youngkyu
• Yoo Minwoo
• Choi Hyunsuk

Classifications

• H05K1/14 Primary

  Structural association of two or more printed circuits (providing electric connection to or between printed circuits H05K1/11, H01R12/00) · CPC title

• H04M1/0249

  Details of the mechanical connection between the housing parts or relating to the method of assembly · CPC title

• H05K1/0277

  Bendability or stretchability details (H05K1/038, H05K3/4691 take precedence) · CPC title

• H05K5/0086

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

• H05K7/1427

  Housings · CPC title