US-20260129113-A1 - FOLDABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE

US20260129113A1US 20260129113 A1US20260129113 A1US 20260129113A1US-20260129113-A1

Abstract

An electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a foldable display, a first hinge assembly for folding the foldable display along a folding axis, and a housing for accommodating at least a portion of the first hinge assembly, wherein the first hinge assembly includes a protrusion protruding from a terminal surface of the first hinge assembly toward a first inner surface of the housing, and the terminal surface of the first hinge assembly and the first inner surface of the housing may be formed in a direction perpendicular to the folding axis direction.

Inventors

Changhee Park
Yeonhun RYU
Seonwoo HA

Assignees

SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251229
Priority Date: 20230630

Claims (12)

1 . An electronic device comprising: a foldable housing comprising a first housing and a second housing rotatably connected to each other about a folding axis; a flexible display comprising a first display portion on a first side of the folding axis and a second display portion on a second side opposite to the first side of the folding axis; a hinge housing disposed between the first housing and the second housing, the hinge housing including a first sidewall disposed at a first longitudinal end of the hinge housing; and a first hinge assembly connected to the hinge housing and configured to connect the first housing and the second housing such that the first housing and the second housing are foldable in an in-folding direction in which the first display portion of the flexible display and the second display portion of the flexible display face each other, wherein the first hinge assembly comprises a plurality of protrusions formed at an end part of the first hinge assembly, the plurality of protrusions protruding in a direction toward the first sidewall of the hinge housing.
2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of protrusions comprises a first portion, the first portion of each of the plurality of protrusions facing toward the first sidewall.
3 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the hinge housing comprises a surface extending in the longitudinal direction of the hinge housing, the surface of the hinge housing being at least partially perpendicular to the first sidewall, and wherein each of the plurality of protrusions comprises a second portion, the second portion of each of the plurality of protrusions at least partially contacting with the surface ( 441 ) of the hinge housing.
4 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of protrusions has a shape corresponding to a shape of the hinge housing.
5 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of protrusions is disposed at a partial area of the first hinge assembly, the partial area being spaced a predetermined distance apart from one end surface of the end part of the first hinge assembly relative to a longitudinal direction of the first hinge assembly.
6 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a connection part connecting the plurality of protrusions to each other and formed to have a height lower than each of the plurality of protrusions in a direction perpendicular to a surface extending in the longitudinal direction of the hinge housing, the surface of the hinge housing being at least partially perpendicular to the first sidewall.
7 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of protrusions comprise a first protrusion and a second protrusion spaced apart from each other, and wherein in a state where the first housing and the second housing are unfolded around the folding axis, the first protrusion is under the first display portion of the flexible display and the second protrusion is under the second display portion of the flexible display.
8 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device further comprises a filling member disposed in the hinge housing.
9 . The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of protrusions comprise a first protrusion and a second protrusion spaced apart from each other, and wherein at least a part of the filling member is disposed between the first protrusion and the second protrusion.
10 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of protrusions has a yield strength greater than a yield strength of the first sidewall of the hinge housing.
11 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the hinge housing includes a second sidewall disposed at a second longitudinal end of the hinge housing opposite the first longitudinal end.
12 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the foldable housing comprises the first housing, the second housing, and a third housing rotatably connected to each other about a plurality of folding axes, wherein the flexible display comprises the first display portion on the first side of one of the plurality of folding axes, the second display portion on the second side opposite to the first side of the one of the plurality of folding axes and on a first side of another one of the plurality of folding axes, and a third display portion on a second side of another one of the plurality of folding axes, wherein the electronic device further comprises a second hinge assembly configured to connect the second housing and the third housing such that the second housing and the third housing are foldable in an out-folding direction in which the second display portion of the flexible display and the third display portion of the flexible display do not face each other, and wherein the second hinge assembly does not comprise a plurality of protrusions at the end part of the second hinge assembly.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation application, claiming priority under 35 U.S.C. § 365(c), of an International application No. PCT/KR2024/008986, filed on June 27, 2024, which is based on and claims the benefit of a Korean patent application number 10-2023-0085185, filed on June 30, 2023, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, and of a Korean patent application number 10-2023-0109186, filed on August 21, 2023, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of each of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The disclosure relates to an electronic device, for example, to a foldable electronic device including a hinge. BACKGROUND ART An electronic device (e.g., foldable electronic device) may include at least one hinge. The electronic device may include a pair of housings (e.g., first housing and second housing) foldably coupled to each other through the hinge. A portion of the housing may be disposed to receive at least a portion of the hinge. For example, the hinge may be disposed to cover at least a portion of the housing when viewed from the outside of the electronic device. The hinge and the housing may include different materials. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Technical Problem In the case that an external impact is applied to a housing of the electronic device, an appearance of the housing may be deformed. In the case that rigidity of the housing itself is the only way to withstand an external impact, it may be difficult to prevent deformation of the appearance of the housing. When the appearance of the housing is deformed due to an external impact, the sense of movement provided to a user during folding and unfolding operations of a foldable electronic device may be reduced. In the case that both sides of the housing are deformed due to an external impact, engaging may occur during folding and unfolding operations of the foldable electronic device. Further, as the appearance of the housing is deformed and a portion of the housing comes into contact with a display, the display may be damaged. Therefore, a structure that supports the housing may be needed to prevent the appearance of the housing from being deformed by an external impact. Solution to Problem According to an embodiment of the disclosure, an electronic device may include a foldable display, a housing including a first housing, a second housing, and a third housing positioned between the first housing and the second housing, and configured to receive at least a portion of the foldable display, a fixing member fixed to the third housing, a driving member connected to the fixing member and driven by a user manipulation, and a filling member disposed in the third housing, wherein the fixing member may include a protruding part protruded from a distal end surface thereof in a length direction thereof, the protruding part may be disposed to face a first surface of the third housing, which is a surface perpendicular to a length direction of the third housing, and the filling member may be disposed between the distal end surface of the fixing member and the first surface of the third housing. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, an electronic device may include a foldable display, hinge assemblies configured to convert a state of the foldable display to a folded state or an unfolded state, and a housing configured to receive at least a portion of the hinge assemblies, wherein the hinge assemblies may include a plurality of protruding parts formed from the distal end surface thereof in a length direction thereof and having a size smaller than that of a distal end surface thereof, and an inner side surface of the housing, which is a surface perpendicular to a length direction of the housing, may be configured to face the plurality of protruding parts. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, an electronic device may include a foldable display, a first housing, a second housing, a hinge housing disposed between the first housing and the second housing, and hinge assemblies including a hinge bracket fixed to the hinge housing and a driving member connected to the hinge bracket, wherein the first housing and the second housing may be rotatably coupled to each other through the hinge assemblies, the hinge bracket may include a protruding part protruded from a distal end surface thereof in a length direction thereof, and the protruding part may be fixed to the hinge housing so as to provide structural strength to a longitudinal distal end portion of the hinge housing. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, an electronic device may comprise a foldable display, a first hinge assembly configured to enable folding of the foldable display along a folding axis, and a housing configured to receive at least a portion of the first hinge assembly, wherein the first hinge assembly comprises a protruding part protruding from a distal end surface of the first hi