Structure having antenna module applied in foldable electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12438964-B2
Application number	US-202318310096-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 1, 2023
Priority date	Oct 30, 2020
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

An electronic device may include: a first housing; a second housing coupled to the first housing through a hinge; an antenna module; and at least one processor electrically coupled to the antenna module, wherein the hinge is arranged about a first axis in an area having a first width in a third direction which is perpendicular to each of a first direction and to a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction and is faced by the rear side of the first housing, and the first housing has a first structure, and an arrangement portion is provided in the first structure, and the at least one processor may be configured to transmit and/or receive a signal having a frequency between 3 GHz and 100 GHz in the first direction or in a direction between the second direction and the third direction, by using the antenna module.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a first housing;
a second housing coupled to the first housing via a hinge to be rotatable to the first housing about a first axis that oriented in a first direction;
an antenna module comprising at least one antenna; and
at least one processor electrically connected to the antenna module,
wherein, about the first axis, the hinge is disposed in an area having a first width in a third direction perpendicular to each of the first direction and a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction and is faced by a rear surface of the first housing,
wherein the first housing comprises a first structure, comprising a cover, that covers the hinge at least within the first width,
wherein the first structure comprises a placement portion in which the antenna module is accommodated to form a predetermined angle with the rear surface of the first housing, and
wherein the at least one processor is configured to transmit and/or receive a signal having a frequency between 3 GHz and 100 GHz in the first direction and/or in a direction between the second direction and the third direction by using the antenna module.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a battery,
wherein the first housing comprises a second structure, comprising at least a housing part, in which the battery is accommodated, and
wherein the antenna module is located at least partially in the placement portion between the battery and the first axis.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the antenna module is a first antenna module,
wherein the electronic device further comprises a second antenna module comprising at least one antenna,
wherein the second antenna module is accommodated in a third structure, comprising at least a housing part, provided along a side surface of the first housing, and
wherein the at least one processor is configured to transmit and/or receive a mmWave signal corresponding to the first direction and/or the second direction by using the second antenna module.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the antenna module comprises a patch array antenna.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the antenna module is accommodated while being fixed to the placement portion by a fastener and an adhesive.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the fastener is configured with a hook and/or a screw.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first axis corresponds to an axis of a shorter one among a width and a length of the electronic device.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the placement portion is configured such that the antenna module forms a predetermined angle with respect to the rear surface of the electronic device and the first direction.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the placement portion in which the antenna module is accommodated comprises a metallic material.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a heat dissipation structure, comprising heat dissipation material, inside the electronic device.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a printed circuit board (PCB).

12. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein an area that a beam of the antenna module forms is formed of air or a conductive material.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the conductive material comprises a curved surface and/or an oblique line.

14. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the antenna module comprises a cut surface.

15. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the signal having the frequency between 3 GHz and 100 GHz comprises a signal in a frequency band of 24.25 GHz or 40 GHz.

16. An electronic device comprising:
a first housing,
a second housing coupled to the first housing via a hinge to be rotatable to the first housing about a first axis that oriented in a first direction,
an antenna module comprising at least one antenna,
a flexible display forming a front surface of the electronic device and disposed over the first housing and the second housing, and
at least one processor electrically connected to the antenna module,
wherein the hinge is disposed in an area centered on the first axis and having a first width in a third direction perpendicular to each of the first direction and a second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction and being faced by a rear surface of the first housing,
wherein the first housing comprises a first structure that covers the hinge within the first width,
wherein the first structure comprises a placement portion in which the antenna module is accommodated to form a predetermined angle with the rear surface of the first housing, and
wherein the at least one processor is configured to transmit and/or receive a signal having a frequency between 3 GHz and 100 GHz in the first direction or in a direction between the second direction and the third direction by using the antenna module.

17. The electronic device of claim 16 , further comprising:
a battery,
wherein the first housing comprises a second structure in which the battery is accommodated, and
wherein the antenna module is disposed in the placement portion between the battery and the first axis.

18. The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the antenna module is a first antenna module,
wherein the electronic device further comprises a second antenna module,
wherein the second antenna module is accommodated in a third structure formed along a side surface of the first housing, and
wherein the at least one processor is configured to transmit and/or receive a mmWave signal corresponding to the first direction or the second direction by using the second antenna module.

19. The electronic device of claim 16 , the antenna module comprises a patch array antenna.

20. The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the flexible display is formed to be at least partially bent in case that the second housing rotates relative to the first housing about the first axis.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Sangha
• Hwang Soonho
• Park Seongjin
• Kang Hyeonuk
• Lim Youngjoon

Classifications

• H01Q1/2266

  disposed inside the computer · CPC title

• H01Q1/2283

  mounted in or on the surface of a semiconductor substrate as a chip-type antenna or integrated with other components into an IC package · 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

• H04M1/026 Primary

  Details of the structure or mounting of specific components · CPC title