Foldable electronic device including integrated ground structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022046796-A1
Application number	US-202117507907-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 22, 2021
Priority date	Feb 19, 2019
Publication date	Feb 10, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electronic device includes first and second housings rotatably coupled with each other through a hinge, thereby being in a folded state or an unfolded state. The electronic device further includes first and second printed circuit boards (PCBs) disposed in the first and second housings, respectively, and at least one wiring member electrically connecting the first and second PCBs. The electronic device further includes a window disposed over the first and second housings and the hinge, and a display disposed under the window. The display includes a display panel extending in the first housing and having a first FPCB electrically connected to a ground of the first PCB. The display includes a polymer member, a first conductive member disposed in the first housing and electrically connected to the first FPCB, and a second conductive member disposed in the second housing. The electronic device further includes a supporting member disposed between the second conductive member and the second PCB in the second housing. The second conductive member is electrically connected to the second PCB through a conductive region of the supporting member and electrically connected to the ground of the first PCB through the wiring member.

First claim

1 - 20 . (canceled)

21 . A portable communication device comprising:
a foldable housing including a first housing portion and a second housing portion; a transparent member; a flexible display panel visible via the transparent member, and including a first display portion accommodated in the first housing portion and a second display portion accommodated in the second housing portion, the first display portion accommodated in the first housing such that a first part of the first display portion is disposed under and parallel with the transparent member, that a second part of the first display portion is disposed as parallel with the first part, and that a third part is extended as bended between the first part and the second part; at least one conductive plate including a first conductive portion and a second conductive portion, the first conductive portion accommodated in the first housing portion under the first part such that at least part of the first conductive portion is disposed between the first part and the second part, and the second conductive portion accommodated in the second housing portion under the second part; a first printed circuit board (PCB) accommodated in the first housing portion and in contact with the second part, the first PCB electrically connected with the first conductive portion; a second PCB accommodated in the second housing portion under the second conductive portion, the second PCB electrically connected with the second conductive portion; a third PCB accommodated in the first housing portion and including a ground member; and a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) electrically connecting the second PCB and the third PCB, wherein the first conductive portion is electrically connected with the ground member via the first PCB, and the second conductive portion is electrically connected with the ground member of the third PCB via the second PCB and the FPCB.

22 . The portable communication device of claim 21 , further comprising:
a fourth PCB accommodated in the first housing portion and electrically connected with the first PCB and the third PCB.

23 . The portable communication device of claim 22 , wherein the first PCB or the fourth PCB is more flexible than the second PCB or the third PCB ( 421 ).

24 . The portable communication device of claim 21 , wherein the first PCB is electrically connected with the first conductive portion via a conductive tape attached therewith.

25 . The portable communication device of claim 21 , further comprising:
a supporting member disposed between the second conductive portion and the second PCB, the supporting member including a conductive portion and a non-conductive portion surrounding the conductive portion; and wherein the second PCB is electrically connected with the second conductive portion via the conductive portion of the supporting member.

26 . The portable communication device of claim 25 , wherein the second conductive portion is electrically connected with the conductive portion of the supporting member via a conductive tape attached therewith.

27 . The portable communication device of claim 21 , further comprising:
a display driver integrated circuit disposed on the second part.

28 . An electronic device comprising:
a first housing including a first space; a second housing including a second space and at least one conductive portion; a hinge configured to couple the first housing and the second housing rotatably with respect to each other a display panel including a first flexible printed circuit board (FPCB), the display panel being supported by the first housing and the second housing; a polymer member positioned under the display panel; at least one conductive member positioned under the polymer member; a first printed circuit board (PCB) positioned under the at least one conductive member in the first space of the first housing, the first PCB including a ground electrically connected to the first FPCB; a second printed circuit board (PCB) positioned under the at least one conductive member in the second space of the second housing and electrically connected to the at least one conductive portion; and at least one second FPCB electrically connecting the first PCB to the second PCB, wherein the first FPCB is electrically connected to the at least one conductive member in the first space of the first housing through a first conductive adhesive member, the at least one conductive portion is electrically connected to the at least one conductive member in the second space of the second housing through a second conductive adhesive member, and the at least one conductive portion is electrically connected to the ground of the first PCB through the second PCB and the at least one second FPCB.

29 . The electronic device of claim 28 , wherein the at least one conductive portion is electrically connected to the second PCB through a conductive connector.

30 . The electronic device of claim 28 , wherein the first FPCB includes a conductive region, and the conductive region is attached to the at least one conductive member through the first conductive adhesive member.

31 . The electronic device of claim 28 , wherein the display panel includes a bendable portion extending and bent toward the at least one conductive member in the first space of the first housing, and a control circuit mounted on the bendable portion,
wherein the first FPCB is electrically connected to an end of the bendable portion.

32 . The electronic device of claim 31 , wherein the control circuit includes a display driver IC (DDI) or a touch display driver IC (TDDI).

33 . The electronic device of claim 28 , further comprising:
a first supporting member disposed in the first space of the first housing; and a second supporting member disposed in the second space of the second housing, wherein the second supporting member comprises the at least one conductive portion.

34 . The electronic device of claim 33 , wherein the second supporting member includes:
a first conductive portion; a non-conductive portion disposed adjacent to the first conductive portion; and a second conductive portion formed in the non-conductive portion and electrically isolated from the first conductive portion, wherein the second conductive portion comprises the at least one conductive portion.

35 . The electronic device of claim 34 , wherein the first and second conductive portions comprise a same metal material.

36 . The electronic device of claim 28 , wherein the first adhesive member and the second adhesive member comprise a conductive tape.

37 . The electronic device of claim 28 , wherein the at least one conductive member includes copper (Cu), aluminum (Al) or stainless steel.

38 . The electronic device of claim 28 , further comprising:
a window supported by the first housing, the hinge and the second housing, wherein the display panel is positioned under the window and disposed to be viewable through at least a part of the window.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• An Jungchul
• Park Jaehwan
• Seo Changyong
• Choi Seungki

Classifications

• H05K5/10

  comprising several parts forming a closed casing · CPC title

• G09F9/30

  in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements (panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell controlling light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. electro-optical or magneto-optical cell, G02F1/00) · CPC title

• G06F1/203

  for portable computers, e.g. for laptops · CPC title

• G06F1/1658

  related to the mounting of internal components, e.g. disc drive or any other functional module · CPC title

• G06F1/1652

  the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable · CPC title