EP-4482127-B1 - SLIDABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE

EP4482127B1EP 4482127 B1EP4482127 B1EP 4482127B1EP-4482127-B1

Inventors

LEE, WONHO
Hong, Hyunju
CHO, JOONGYEON
KIM, HYUNSUK
PARK, Sanghyuk
SEO, Soohyun
JUNG, Hojin
CHO, Baekeun
CHOI, NAKHYUN
LEE, JUNGHYEOB

Dates

Publication Date: 20260506
Application Date: 20230224

Claims (15)

An electronic device comprising: a first housing (201) including a first support member (213) and a second support member; a second housing (202) configured to slide with respect to the first housing; a flexible display (230) including a first display area (A1) and a second display area (A2) extending from the first display area, and wherein at least a portion of the second display area is configured to be exposable based on a slide movement of the second housing; a first circuit board (305) disposed on the first support member; and characterised by further comprising a second circuit board (301) disposed on the second support member, wherein the second circuit board is electrically connected to the first circuit board through a hole (214a) formed on one surface of the second support member.
The electronic device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first circuit board is disposed to face an inner surface of the second support member, and wherein at least a portion of the second circuit board is disposed on an outer surface (F2) of the second support member.
The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first housing further includes a first rear plate (215) to cover the one surface of the second support member, and wherein the second circuit board is disposed between the second support member and the first rear plate.
The electronic device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the second circuit board is seated on a recess (214) formed on the one surface of the second support member, and wherein the second circuit board is electrically connected to a conductive portion formed at one end of the first housing.
The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising an antenna module disposed on the one surface of the second support member and including a coil for wireless charging.
The electronic device of claim 5, wherein at least a portion of the antenna module is electrically connected to the second circuit board, and the antenna module is seated on a recess (214) formed on the one surface of the second support member.
The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the second circuit board and the antenna module are formed as an integrated structure, and wherein at least a portion of the antenna module extends from the second circuit board, and a signal provided from a signal line of the second circuit board is transmittable to the antenna module.
The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a battery (289) disposed in the first housing and electrically connected to the first circuit board, wherein the battery is disposed to overlap the second circuit board with the one surface of the second support member interposed therebetween.
The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a main circuit board (248) disposed in the second housing and moving according to a second slide movement of the second housing, wherein the first circuit board is electrically connected to the main circuit board.
The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second circuit board includes a first portion (301b) disposed at an edge of the one surface of the second support member, and a second portion (301a) extending from the first portion toward the hole, and wherein the second portion includes a plurality of connection portions which are bendable.
The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the second portion includes: a 2-1 connection portion (301a-1) extending from the first portion in a first direction; a 2-2 connection portion (301a-2) extending from the 2-1 connection portion in the first direction, and at least partially forming an inclined surface; and a 2-3 connection portion (301a-3) extending from the 2-2 connection portion in the first direction, inserted into the hole, and located on a different plane from the 2-1 connection portion.
The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the second portion further includes: a 2-4 connection portion (301a-4) extending from the 2-3 connection portion and bent in a second direction opposite to the first direction; a 2-5 connection portion (301a-5) extending from the 2-4 connection portion in the second direction; a 2-6 connection portion (301a-6) extending in a substantially perpendicular direction from the 2-5 connection portion; and a 2-7 connection portion (301a-7) on which a connection member for electrical connection to the first circuit board is disposed.
The electronic device of claim 1, wherein when viewed toward the one surface of the second support member, at least a portion of the first circuit board disposed in the hole is formed to be exposed.
The electronic device of claim 1, wherein in a closed state of the electronic device, one end portion of the second display area of the display is disposed adjacent to the at least portion of the second circuit board, and wherein in an opened state of the electronic device, the one end portion of the second display area of the display is disposed spaced apart from the at least portion of the second circuit board by sliding.
The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the second circuit board (303) and the antenna module are spaced apart from each other, wherein at least a portion of the antenna module is electrically connected to the first circuit board through the hole formed on the second support member, wherein the second circuit board includes a first portion (303b) disposed at an edge of the one surface of the second support member, and a second portion (303a) extending from the first portion toward the hole, and wherein the second portion includes a plurality of connection portions which are bendable.

Description

[Technical Field] The disclosure relates to a slidable electronic device, and more particularly, to an electronic device including a flexible display with a screen display area of a variable size. [Background Art] An electronic device (e.g., portable phone) may output stored information as sound or an image. As the integration level of electronic devices increases and high-speed, large-capacity wireless communication becomes more common, a single electronic device such as a mobile communication terminal may be equipped with various functions in recent years. For example, in addition to a communication function, an entertainment function such as games, a multimedia function such as music/video playback, a communication and security function such as mobile banking, or a function such as schedule management or an electronic wallet is integrated into a single electronic device. An electronic device is generally equipped with a flat display device and a battery, and has a bar-type, folder-type, or sliding-type appearance due to the shape of the display device or the battery. Recently, electronic devices with large screens have emerged so that users may comfortably watch videos. In order to conveniently carry electronic devices with such large screens, electronic devices using flexible displays (or variable displays) are commercialized. An electronic device may include a flexible display to visually provide various screens through the flexible display. The flexible display may include a display panel and a display driver integrated circuit (DDI) to drive the display panel. The DDI mounted on the electronic device may receive display data from a processor and drive the display panel. US2022/019261A1 and KR20210150178A disclose known sliding-type electronic devices. [Detailed Description of the Invention] [Technical Problem] Unlike an existing foldable structure, in an electronic device equipped with a flexible display (or variable display), the flexible display may be accommodated partially rolled inside a housing. The flexible display is accommodated rolled inside the housing, and guide structures that guide the flexible display are disposed at both width-direction ends of the flexible display. Various antennas and coils may be disposed outside of the housing, and even though these electrical components should be electrically connected to a printed circuit board disposed inside the housing, the flexible display and the guide structures may make it difficult to electrically connect the inside and outside of the housing by wire. According to various embodiments of the disclosure, an electronic device may provide a structure in which an electrical component disposed outside a housing and a printed circuit board disposed inside the housing are electrically connected by wire. [Technical Solution] An electronic device according to various embodiments includes a first housing including a first support member and a second support member, a second housing configured to slide relative to the first housing, a flexible display including a first display area and a second display area extending from the first display area, and configured to allow at least a portion of the second display area to be exposable based on the slide movement of the second housing, a first circuit board disposed on the first support member, and a second circuit board disposed on the second support member. The second circuit board is electrically connected to the first circuit board through a hole formed on one surface of the second support member. An electronic device according to various embodiments includes a first housing including a first cover member to mount electrical components thereon, a second housing configured to slide relative to the first housing, a display including a first display area and a second display area extending from the first display area, and configured to allow at least a portion of the second display area to be exposable based on the slide movement of the second housing, a first circuit board disposed inside the first cover member, a second circuit board disposed outside the first cover member, and an antenna module disposed outside the first cover member and connected to the second circuit board. At least a portion of the second circuit board is electrically connected to the first circuit board through a hole formed on the first cover member. [Advantageous Effects] According to various embodiments of the disclosure, an electronic device may provide a structure in which a hole is formed on a housing, and an electrical component disposed outside the housing is electrically connected to a printed circuit board disposed inside the housing through the hole by wire. [Brief Description of Drawings] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device in a network environment according to various embodiments of the disclosure.FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a second display area of a display is accommodat