Electronic device including waterproof structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9872408-B2
Application number	US-201615273072-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2016
Priority date	Oct 2, 2015
Publication date	Jan 16, 2018
Grant date	Jan 16, 2018

Abstract

An electronic device including a waterproof structure is provided. The electronic device includes a housing that includes a first face, a second face that faces in a direction substantially opposite to the first face, and a side surface that at least partially encloses a space between the first face and the second face, a middle plate arranged between the first face and the second face inside the housing to be substantially parallel to the first face, extending from the side surface, and including at least one opening, a printed circuit board arranged between the middle plate and the second face, a display arranged between the middle plate and the first face, and including a face directed toward the second face, and a seal member configured to hermetically seal the at least one opening of the middle plate, and arranged between the face of the display and the middle plate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a housing comprising:
a first face,
a second face that faces in a direction substantially opposite to the first face, and
a side surface that at least partially encloses a space between the first face and the second face;

a middle plate arranged between the first face and the second face inside the housing to be substantially parallel to the first face, extending from the side surface, and including at least one opening;
a printed circuit board arranged between the middle plate and the second face;
a display arranged between the middle plate and the first face, and including a face directed toward the second face; and
a seal member configured to hermetically seal the at least one opening of the middle plate, and arranged between the face of the display and the middle plate.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a glass plate that forms at least a portion of the first face.

3. An electronic device comprising:
a housing comprising:
a first face,
a second face that faces in a direction substantially opposite to the first face, and
a side surface that at least partially encloses a space between the first face and the second face;

a middle plate arranged between the first face and the second face inside the housing to be substantially parallel to the first face, extending from the side surface, and including at least one opening;
a printed circuit board arranged between the middle plate and the second face;
a display arranged between the middle plate and the first face, and including a face directed toward the second face; and
a seal member arranged between a peripheral portion of the face of the display and the middle plate, and extending along the peripheral portion of the face of the display when viewed from above the display.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the seal member comprises a substantially annular shape.

5. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the housing further comprises a glass plate that forms at least a portion of the first face.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 ,
wherein the face of the display comprises a rectangular shape;
wherein the rectangular shape comprises:
a first side having a first length,
a second side extending subsequently perpendicular to the first side, and having a second length that is shorter than the first length,
a third side extending substantially parallel to the first side, and having a first length, and
a fourth side extending substantially parallel to the second side, and having a second length; and

wherein the seal member comprises a first seal member elongated along at least one of the first side, the second side, and the third side.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the first seal member extends along the first side, the second side, and the third side.

8. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the seal member further comprises a second seal member spaced apart from the first seal member, and elongated along at least one of the fourth side.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 ,
wherein the first seal member is in contact with the face of the display, and
wherein the second seal member is in contact with the glass plate.

10. The electronic device of claim 5 ,
wherein the display includes a side face substantially perpendicular to at least one of the first face and the second face, and
wherein the electronic device further comprises a filler in at least a portion of a gap between the middle plate and the side face of the display and the glass plate.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 ,
wherein the middle plate includes at least one through-hole, and
wherein the electronic device further comprises the filler in at least a portion of the through-hole.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 ,
wherein the face of the display comprises a rectangular shape;
wherein the rectangular shape comprises:
a first side having a first length,
a second side extending subsequently perpendicular to the first side, and having a second length that is shorter than the first length,
a third side extending substantially parallel to the first side, and having a first length, and
a fourth side extending substantially parallel to the second side, and having a second length;

wherein the gap comprises a first gap formed at a side of the second side and a second gap formed at a side of the second side; and
wherein the filler fills at least a portion of at least one of the first gap and the second gap.

13. The electronic device of claim 10 ,
wherein the gap comprises a stepped portion, and
wherein the filler covers the stepped portion.

14. The electronic device of claim 10 ,
wherein the gap comprises a reversely stepped section, and
wherein the filler covers the reversely stepped section.

15. An electronic device comprising:
a housing comprising:
a first face, and
a second face that is substantially opposite to the first face;

a window disposed on the first face of the housing and configured to form a front face of the electronic device;
a display module arranged in at least a partial region of a rear face of the window; and
at least one first seal member arranged between a rear face of the display module and the first face of the housing.

16. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the at least one first seal member is arranged to have a closed loop shape along a rim in the rear face of the display module.

17. The electronic device of claim 15 ,
wherein the housing comprises a display module arrangement region,
wherein the housing is configured to arrange the rear face of the display module therein and a black matrix (BM) region configured to directly arrange the window therein, and
wherein the first seal member extends to the BM region on the rear face of the display module to be arranged in a closed loop shape.

18. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein at least one second seal member is arranged in a boundary portion between the display module arrangement region and the BM region.

19. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein at least one third seal member is arranged in the BM region along a rim of the window.

20. The electronic device of claim 19 ,
wherein at least one fourth seal member is arranged in a boundary portion between the display module arrangement region and the BM region,
wherein the fourth seal member includes a semisolid or liquid material that is solidified by a natural or external condition, and
wherein the fourth seal member is arranged in a manner of being introduced into an introduction hole formed in a corresponding position through the second face of the housing after the window and the display module are attached to the first face of the housing by the first and third seal members.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Choi Jong-Min
• Kim Woong-Chan
• Park Daehyeong
• Cho Sung-Gun
• Cho Sung-Joo
• Choi Young-Sik
• Kim Kwang-Hwan
• Yang Soonwoong
• Lee Min-Sung
• Lee Seungjoon
• Chang Yuchul

Classifications

• G06F1/1637

  Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing · CPC title

• G06F1/1656

  Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories (mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203) · CPC title

• H04M1/0266

  for a display module assembly · CPC title

• H05K5/0217

  Mechanical details of casings (covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03) · CPC title

• H05K5/03

  Covers · CPC title