Electronic device including waterproof structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11930127-B2
Application number	US-202217983917-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2022
Priority date	Nov 16, 2018
Publication date	Mar 12, 2024
Grant date	Mar 12, 2024

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. A portable communication device comprising:
a housing including:
a first housing including a first inner conductive plate having an opening formed therein,
a second housing including a second inner conductive plate, and
a hinge connected between the first housing and the second housing such that the first and second housings are rotatable with respect to the hinge to allow the portable communication device to transition between a folded state and an unfolded state;

a flexible display disposed over the first inner conductive plate and the second inner conductive plate;
a first printed circuit board (PCB) disposed at least partially under the first inner conductive plate;
a second PCB disposed at least partially under the second inner conductive plate;
a flexible PCB disposed at least partially overlapped with the hinge such that a first ending portion of the flexible PCB passes through the opening formed in the first inner conductive plate to be connected to the first PCB, and such that a second ending portion of the flexible PCB is connected to the second PCB; and
a cover member covering at least one portion of the opening, the cover member including an elastic member in contact with the flexible PCB, and a support member more rigid than the elastic member and in contact with the elastic member.

2. The portable communication device of claim 1 , wherein the elastic member is in contact with at least one portion of the support member via an adhesive member.

3. The portable communication device of claim 1 ,
wherein the second inner conductive plate includes another opening formed therein, and
wherein the second ending portion of the flexible PCB passes through the other opening.

4. The portable communication device of claim 3 , further comprising:
another cover member covering at least one portion of the other opening, the other cover member including another elastic member in contact with the flexible PCB, and another support member more rigid than the other elastic member and in contact with the other elastic member.

5. The portable communication device of claim 4 , wherein the other elastic member is in contact with at least one portion of the other support member via an adhesive member.

6. The portable communication device of claim 4 , wherein the flexible PCB comprises:
a first connector located in the opening, and
a second connector located in the other opening.

7. The portable communication device of claim 6 , wherein at least part of the elastic member makes contact with the first connector, and at least part of the other elastic member makes contact with the second connector.

8. The portable communication device of claim 4 , wherein the flexible PCB comprises:
a first sub-FPCB, at least part of which is mounted in the opening,
a second sub-FPCB, at least part of which is mounted in the other opening, and
a central FPCB to connect the first sub-FPCB and the second sub-FPCB.

9. The portable communication device of claim 8 , further comprising:
a first waterproof packing structure, at least part of which is disposed in the opening, the first waterproof packing structure including, on one side thereof, an opening area in which at least part of the first sub-FPCB is placed.

10. The portable communication device of claim 9 , further comprising:
a first waterproof member to block a fluid flow into the opening, wherein the first waterproof member is disposed in the first waterproof packing structure.

11. The portable communication device of claim 10 ,
wherein the first waterproof packing structure comprises:
a first support bracket seated in the opening,
a first adhesive layer bonded to an inside of the opening,
a first sub-bracket formed on the first support bracket and including an opening area on one side of the first sub-bracket, and
a first mounting part disposed to block one side of the first sub-bracket, and

wherein the first waterproof member is disposed in the first support bracket and the first sub-bracket to prevent an inflow of fluid, a portion of the first sub-FPCB being disposed in a middle of the first waterproof member.

12. The portable communication device of claim 10 , further comprising:
a second waterproof packing structure, at least part of which is disposed in the other opening, the second waterproof packing structure including, on one side thereof, an opening area in which at least part of the second sub-FPCB is placed.

13. The portable communication device of claim 12 , further comprising:
a second waterproof member to block a fluid flow into the other opening, wherein the second waterproof member is disposed in the second waterproof packing structure.

14. The portable communication device of claim 13 ,
wherein the second waterproof packing structure comprises:
a second support bracket seated in the other opening,
a second adhesive layer bonded to an inside of the other opening,
a second sub-bracket formed on the second support bracket and including an opening area on one side of the second sub-bracket, and
a second mounting part disposed to block one side of the second sub-bracket, and

wherein the second waterproof member is disposed in the second support bracket and the second sub-bracket to prevent an inflow of fluid, a portion of the second sub-FPCB being disposed in a middle of the second waterproof member.

15. The portable communication device of claim 13 , further comprising:
a first packing structure to surround at least part of one side of the first waterproof member.

16. The portable communication device of claim 15 , further comprising:
a second packing structure to surround at least part of an opposite side of the first waterproof member and disposed to be symmetric to the first packing structure.

17. The portable communication device of claim 16 , further comprising:
a first water-infiltration preventing part disposed between the first packing structure and the opening, and
a second water-infiltration preventing part disposed between the second packing structure and the other opening.

18. The portable communication device of claim 16 , further comprising:
at least one PCB fixing part to fix the flexible PCB to one side of the first housing or the second housing.

19. The portable communication device of claim 1 , wherein the first inner conductive plate includes a recessed area in which the opening is formed.

20. The portable communication device of claim 19 , wherein the support member is disposed at least partially in the recessed area.

21. The portable communication device of claim 1 , wherein the support member includes a protruding portion disposed at least partially in the opening.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

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

Classifications

• H05K2201/10189

  Non-printed connector · CPC title

• H05K2201/05

  Flexible printed circuits [FPCs] · CPC title

• H05K3/361

  Assembling flexible printed circuits with other printed circuits · CPC title

• H05K1/148

  Arrangements of two or more hingeably connected rigid printed circuit boards, i.e. connected by flexible means · CPC title

• H05K1/0393

  Flexible materials (H05K1/038 takes precedence; specific organic compositions are classified in H05K1/0313 and subgroups) · CPC title