Foldable electronic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12557227-B2
Application number	US-202318220731-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2023
Priority date	Dec 26, 2022
Publication date	Feb 17, 2026
Grant date	Feb 17, 2026

Abstract

An electronic device includes: a display including: a folding area to be folded during a folding operation; and a first area and a second area at opposite sides with respect to a folding area extending in a first direction; a protective layer above the display, and including a first edge located around the first area, and a second edge located around the second area; and a first housing decoration corresponding to the first area and covering an upper surface of the first edge, the first housing decoration having an inner side surface in which a first groove is located. An inner circumferential surface of the first groove includes a first-1 inner circumferential surface facing the upper surface of the first edge, the first-1 inner circumferential surface being upwardly inclined with respect to a direction parallel to the first area, and the first edge is located in the first groove.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electronic device comprising:
a display configured to be foldable with respect to a folding axis extending in a first direction, the display comprising:
a folding area configured to be folded during a folding operation; and
a first area and a second area at opposite sides with respect to the folding area;
a protective layer above the display, and comprising a first edge located around the first area, and a second edge located around the second area; and a first housing decoration corresponding to the first area and covering an upper surface of the first edge, the first housing decoration having an inner side surface in which a first groove is located, wherein an inner circumferential surface of the first groove comprises a first-1 inner circumferential surface facing the upper surface of the first edge, the first-1 inner circumferential surface being upwardly inclined with respect to a direction parallel to the first area, and wherein the first edge is located in the first groove.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the inner circumferential surface of the first groove comprises a first-2 inner circumferential surface facing a lower surface of the first edge, and the first-2 inner circumferential surface extends in the direction parallel to the first area.

3 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the first edge is upwardly inclined with respect to the direction parallel to the first area.

4 . The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein an angle of an upward inclination of the first-1 inner circumferential surface is greater than or equal to an angle of an upward inclination of the first edge.

5 . The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein an inner side surface of the first groove is spaced from the first edge.

6 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein, in a plan view in an unfolded state, an area of the protective layer is greater than an area of the display.

7 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first edge protrudes further than a side surface of the display.

8 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein, in a folded state, the first edge faces the second edge.

9 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a second housing decoration corresponding to the second area, the second housing decoration covering an upper surface of the second edge, and having an inner side surface in which a second groove is located,
wherein an inner circumferential surface of the second groove comprises a second-1 inner circumferential surface facing an upper surface of the second edge, the second-1 inner circumferential surface being upwardly inclined with respect to a direction parallel to the second area, and wherein the second edge is located in the second groove.

10 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein, in a plan view in an unfolded state, the first edge and the second edge are located along a second direction crossing the first direction.

11 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the second edge protrudes further than another side surface of the display.

12 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein a distance between the first edge and the second edge in an unfolded state is less than a distance between a bottom surface of the first groove and a bottom surface of the second groove in the unfolded state.

13 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first housing decoration comprises:
a first decoration body covering a side surface of the display and a side surface of the first edge; and a first decoration head extending from the first decoration body in a direction parallel to the first area, and covering the upper surface of the first edge.

14 . The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the first decoration body comprises the first groove in the inner side surface thereof, and the first-1 inner circumferential surface forms a continuous surface with a lower surface of the first decoration head.

15 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the protective layer comprises:
a glass layer over the display; and a polymer layer over the glass layer, and having a greater area than that of the glass layer in a plan view in an unfolded state.

16 . The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein, in the unfolded state, the polymer layer comprises a protrusion protruding further than the glass layer in a second direction crossing the first direction, and
wherein the protrusion comprises a first protrusion corresponding to the first area, and a second protrusion corresponding to the second area.

17 . The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the first protrusion is upwardly inclined with respect to a direction parallel to the display that is in the unfolded state.

18 . The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein a portion of the first protrusion is located in the first groove.

19 . The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the second protrusion is upwardly inclined with respect to a direction parallel to the display that is in the unfolded state.

20 . The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein a portion of the second protrusion is located in the second groove.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Han Jiwon
• Kim Sungu

Classifications

• G09F9/301 Primary

  flexible foldable or roll-able electronic displays, e.g. thin LCD, OLED · CPC title

• H10K59/87 Primary

  Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations · CPC title

• H05K5/03

  Covers · CPC title

• H10K2102/311

  Flexible OLED · CPC title

• H10K77/111

  Flexible substrates · CPC title