Patent Application
20250211666
Embodiments of the disclosure relate to a fixing member for preventing a flexible circuit board from being separated or lifted, and to an electronic device including the same.
Advancing information communication technology and semiconductor technology accelerate the spread and use of various electronic devices. In particular, recent electronic devices are being developed to carry out communication while carried on. Further, electronic devices may output stored information as voices or images. As electronic devices are highly integrated, and high-speed or high-volume wireless communication becomes commonplace, an electronic device, such as a mobile communication terminal, is recently being equipped with various functions. For example, an electronic device comes with the integrated functionality, including an entertainment function, such as playing video games, a multimedia function, such as replaying music/videos, a communication and security function for mobile banking, and a scheduling and e-wallet function. These electronic devices have been downsized to be conveniently carried by users.
The above-described information may be provided as background for the purpose of helping understanding of the disclosure. No claim or determination is made as to whether any of the foregoing is applicable as background art in relation to the disclosure.
According to an embodiment of the disclosure, an electronic device may comprise a housing, an internal structure disposed in the housing, a fixing member including a first supporting area coupled to one surface of the internal structure and a second supporting area extending from the first supporting area and/or a flexible circuit board disposed to cross the one surface of the internal structure in a first direction. A portion of the flexible circuit board may pass through a passage formed between the second supporting area and the one surface of the internal structure.
Referring to
The processor 120 may execute, for example, software (e.g., a program 140) to control at least one other component (e.g., a hardware or software component) of the electronic device 101 coupled with the processor 120, and may perform various data processing or computation. According to an embodiment, as at least part of the data processing or computation, the processor 120 may store a command or data received from another component (e.g., the sensor module 176 or the communication module 190) in volatile memory 132, process the command or the data stored in the volatile memory 132, and store resulting data in non-volatile memory 134. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 may include a main processor 121 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU) or an application processor (AP)), or an auxiliary processor 123 (e.g., a graphics processing unit (GPU), a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor (ISP), a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor (CP)) that is operable independently from, or in conjunction with, the main processor 121. For example, when the electronic device 101 includes the main processor 121 and the auxiliary processor 123, the auxiliary processor 123 may be configured to use lower power than the main processor 121 or to be specified for a designated function. The auxiliary processor 123 may be implemented as separate from, or as part of the main processor 121.
The auxiliary processor 123 may control at least some of functions or states related to at least one component (e.g., the display module 160, the sensor module 176, or the communication module 190) among the components of the electronic device 101, instead of the main processor 121 while the main processor 121 is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, or together with the main processor 121 while the main processor 121 is in an active state (e.g., executing an application). According to an embodiment, the auxiliary processor 123 (e.g., an image signal processor or a communication processor) may be implemented as part of another component (e.g., the camera module 180 or the communication module 190) functionally related to the auxiliary processor 123. According to an embodiment, the auxiliary processor 123 (e.g., the neural processing unit) may include a hardware structure specified for artificial intelligence model processing. The artificial intelligence model may be generated via machine learning. Such learning may be performed, e.g., by the electronic device 101 where the artificial intelligence is performed or via a separate server (e.g., the server 108). Learning algorithms may include, but are not limited to, e.g., supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning. The artificial intelligence model may include a plurality of artificial neural network layers. The artificial neural network may be a deep neural network (DNN), a convolutional neural network (CNN), a recurrent neural network (RNN), a restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM), a deep belief network (DBN), a bidirectional recurrent deep neural network (BRDNN), deep Q-network or a combination of two or more thereof but is not limited thereto. The artificial intelligence model may, additionally or alternatively, include a software structure other than the hardware structure.
The memory 130 may store various data used by at least one component (e.g., the processor 120 or the sensor module 176) of the electronic device 101. The various data may include, for example, software (e.g., the program 140) and input data or output data for a command related thereto. The memory 130 may include the volatile memory 132 or the non-volatile memory 134.
The program 140 may be stored in the memory 130 as software, and may include, for example, an operating system (OS) 142, middleware 144, or an application 146.
The input module 150 may receive a command or data to be used by other component (e.g., the processor 120) of the electronic device 101, from the outside (e.g., a user) of the electronic device 101. The input module 150 may include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, a keyboard, keys (e.g., buttons), or a digital pen (e.g., a stylus pen).
The sound output module 155 may output sound signals to the outside of the electronic device 101. The sound output module 155 may include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker may be used for general purposes, such as playing multimedia or playing record. The receiver may be used for receiving incoming calls. According to an embodiment, the receiver may be implemented as separate from, or as part of the speaker.
The display module 160 may visually provide information to the outside (e.g., a user) of the electronic device 101. The display 160 may include, for example, a display, a hologram device, or a projector and control circuitry to control a corresponding one of the display, hologram device, and projector. According to an embodiment, the display 160 may include a touch sensor configured to detect a touch, or a pressure sensor configured to measure the intensity of a force generated by the touch.
The audio module 170 may convert a sound into an electrical signal and vice versa. According to an embodiment, the audio module 170 may obtain the sound via the input module 150, or output the sound via the sound output module 155 or a headphone of an external electronic device (e.g., an electronic device 102) directly (e.g., wiredly) or wirelessly coupled with the electronic device 101.
The sensor module 176 may detect an operational state (e.g., power or temperature) of the electronic device 101 or an environmental state (e.g., a state of a user) external to the electronic device 101, and then generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected state. According to an embodiment, the sensor module 176 may include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an accelerometer, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor.
The interface 177 may support one or more specified protocols to be used for the electronic device 101 to be coupled with the external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102) directly (e.g., wiredly) or wirelessly. According to an embodiment, the interface 177 may include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a secure digital (SD) card interface, or an audio interface.
A connecting terminal 178 may include a connector via which the electronic device 101 may be physically connected with the external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102). According to an embodiment, the connecting terminal 178 may include, for example, a HDMI connector, a USB connector, a SD card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector).
The haptic module 179 may convert an electrical signal into a mechanical stimulus (e.g., a vibration or motion) or electrical stimulus which may be recognized by a user via his tactile sensation or kinesthetic sensation. According to an embodiment, the haptic module 179 may include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electric stimulator.
The camera module 180 may capture a still image or moving images. According to an embodiment, the camera module 180 may include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.
The power management module 188 may manage power supplied to the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, the power management module 188 may be implemented as at least part of, for example, a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).
The battery 189 may supply power to at least one component of the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, the battery 189 may include, for example, a primary cell which is not rechargeable, a secondary cell which is rechargeable, or a fuel cell.
The communication module 190 may support establishing a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102, the electronic device 104, or the server 108) and performing communication via the established communication channel. The communication module 190 may include one or more communication processors that are operable independently from the processor 120 (e.g., the application processor (AP)) and supports a direct (e.g., wired) communication or a wireless communication. According to an embodiment, the communication module 190 may include a wireless communication module 192 (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module 194 (e.g., a local area network (LAN) communication module or a power line communication (PLC) module). A corresponding one of these communication modules may communicate with the external electronic device 104 via a first network 198 (e.g., a short-range communication network, such as Bluetooth™, wireless-fidelity (Wi-Fi) direct, or infrared data association (IrDA)) or a second network 199 (e.g., a long-range communication network, such as a legacy cellular network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN)). These various types of communication modules may be implemented as a single component (e.g., a single chip), or may be implemented as multi components (e.g., multi chips) separate from each other. The wireless communication module 192 may identify or authenticate the electronic device 101 in a communication network, such as the first network 198 or the second network 199, using subscriber information (e.g., international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module 196.
The wireless communication module 192 may support a 5G network, after a 4G network, and next-generation communication technology, e.g., new radio (NR) access technology. The NR access technology may support enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), massive machine type communications (mMTC), or ultra-reliable and low-latency communications (URLLC). The wireless communication module 192 may support a high-frequency band (e.g., the mmWave band) to achieve, e.g., a high data transmission rate. The wireless communication module 192 may support various technologies for securing performance on a high-frequency band, such as, e.g., beamforming, massive multiple-input and multiple-output (massive MIMO), full dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antenna, analog beam-forming, or large scale antenna. The wireless communication module 192 may support various requirements specified in the electronic device 101, an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 104), or a network system (e.g., the second network 199). According to an embodiment, the wireless communication module 192 may support a peak data rate (e.g., 20 Gbps or more) for implementing eMBB, loss coverage (e.g., 164 dB or less) for implementing mMTC, or U-plane latency (e.g., 0.5 ms or less for each of downlink (DL) and uplink (UL), or a round trip of 1 ms or less) for implementing URLLC.
The antenna module 197 may transmit or receive a signal or power to or from the outside (e.g., the external electronic device). According to an embodiment, the antenna module 197 may include an antenna including a radiator formed of a conductor or conductive pattern formed on a substrate (e.g., a printed circuit board (PCB)). According to an embodiment, the antenna module 197 may include a plurality of antennas (e.g., an antenna array). In this case, at least one antenna appropriate for a communication scheme used in a communication network, such as the first network 198 or the second network 199, may be selected from the plurality of antennas by, e.g., the communication module 190. The signal or the power may then be transmitted or received between the communication module 190 and the external electronic device via the selected at least one antenna. According to an embodiment, other parts (e.g., radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) than the radiator may be further formed as part of the antenna module 197.
According to an embodiment, the antenna module 197 may form a mmWave antenna module. According to an embodiment, the mmWave antenna module may include a printed circuit board, a RFIC disposed on a first surface (e.g., the bottom surface) of the printed circuit board, or adjacent to the first surface and capable of supporting a designated high-frequency band (e.g., the mmWave band), and a plurality of antennas (e.g., array antennas) disposed on a second surface (e.g., the top or a side surface) of the printed circuit board, or adjacent to the second surface and capable of transmitting or receiving signals of the designated high-frequency band.
At least some of the above-described components may be coupled mutually and communicate signals (e.g., commands or data) therebetween via an inter-peripheral communication scheme (e.g., a bus, general purpose input and output (GPIO), serial peripheral interface (SPI), or mobile industry processor interface (MIPI)).
According to an embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device 104 via the server 108 coupled with the second network 199. The external electronic devices 102 or 104 each may be a device of the same or a different type from the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, all or some of operations to be executed at the electronic device 101 may be executed at one or more of the external electronic devices 102, 104, or 108. For example, if the electronic device 101 should perform a function or a service automatically, or in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device 101, instead of, or in addition to, executing the function or the service, may request the one or more external electronic devices to perform at least part of the function or the service. The one or more external electronic devices receiving the request may perform the at least part of the function or the service requested, or an additional function or an additional service related to the request, and transfer an outcome of the performing to the electronic device 101. The electronic device 101 may provide the outcome, with or without further processing of the outcome, as at least part of a reply to the request. To that end, a cloud computing, distributed computing, mobile edge computing (MEC), or client-server computing technology may be used, for example. The electronic device 101 may provide ultra low-latency services using, e.g., distributed computing or mobile edge computing. In an embodiment, the external electronic device 104 may include an internet-of-things (IoT) device. The server 108 may be an intelligent server using machine learning and/or a neural network. According to an embodiment, the external electronic device 104 or the server 108 may be included in the second network 199. The electronic device 101 may be applied to intelligent services (e.g., smart home, smart city, smart car, or health-care) based on 5G communication technology or IoT-related technology.
In the following detailed description, a length direction, a width direction, and/or a thickness direction of the electronic device may be mentioned and may be defined as a ‘Y-axis direction,’ ‘X-axis direction’, and/or ‘Z-axis direction,’ respectively. In an embodiment, ‘negative/positive (e.g., −/+)’ may be mentioned together with the Cartesian coordinate system exemplified in the drawings with respect to the direction in which the component is oriented. For example, the front surface of the electronic device or housing may be defined as a ‘surface facing in the +Z direction,’ and the rear surface may be defined as a ‘surface facing in the −Z direction’. In an embodiment, the side surface of the electronic device or housing may include an area facing in the +X direction, an area facing in the +Y direction, an area facing in the −X direction, and/or an area facing in the −Y direction. In another embodiment, the ‘X-axis direction’ may mean including both the ‘−X direction’ and the ‘+X direction’. It should be noted that the directions are so defined with respect to the Cartesian coordinate system shown in the drawings for the sake of brevity of description, and the description of these directions or components do not limit an embodiment of the disclosure. For example, the direction in which the front surface or rear surface faces may be varied depending on the unfolded state or folded state of the electronic device, and the above-mentioned directions may be interpreted as different ones depending on the user's way to grip.
The configuration of the electronic device 101 of
Referring to
Although not shown, the front plate 202 may include area(s) that bend from at least a portion of an edge toward the rear plate 211 and seamlessly extend. In an embodiment, only one of the areas of the front plate 202 (or the rear plate 211), which bend to the rear plate 211 (or front plate 202) and extend may be included in one edge of the first surface 210A. According to an embodiment, the front plate 202 or rear plate 211 may be substantially flat and, in this case, may not include an area bending and extending. When an area bending and extending is included, the thickness of the electronic device 101 at the portion including the area bending and extending may be smaller than the thickness of the rest.
According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may include at least one of a display 201, audio modules 203, 107, and 114 (e.g., the audio module 170 of
The display 201 may be visually exposed through a significant portion of the front plate 202. In an embodiment, at least a portion of the display 201 may be visually exposed through the front plate 202 forming the first surface 210A, or through a portion of the side surface 210C. In an embodiment, the edge of the display 201 may be formed to be substantially the same in shape as an adjacent outer edge of the front plate 202. In an embodiment (not shown), the interval between the outer edge of the display 201 and the outer edge of the front plate 202 may remain substantially even to give a larger area of exposure the display 201.
In an embodiment (not shown), the screen display area of the display 201 may have a recess or opening in a portion thereof, and at least one or more of the audio module 214, sensor module 204, camera module 205, and light emitting device 206 may be aligned with the recess or opening. In an embodiment (not shown), at least one or more of the audio module 214, sensor module 204, camera module 205, fingerprint sensor (not shown), and light emitting device 206 may be included on the rear surface of the screen display area of the display 201. In an embodiment (not shown), the display 201 may be disposed to be coupled with, or adjacent, a touch detecting circuit, a pressure sensor capable of measuring the strength (pressure) of touches, and/or a digitizer for detecting a magnetic field-type stylus pen. In an embodiment, at least a portion of the sensor modules 204 and 119 and/or at least a portion of the key input device 217 may be disposed on the side surface 210C.
The audio modules 203, 107, and 114 may include a microphone hole 203 and speaker holes 207 and 114. A microphone for acquiring external sounds may be disposed in the microphone hole 203. In an embodiment, a plurality of microphones may be disposed to detect the direction of the sound. The speaker holes 207 and 114 may include an external speaker hole 207 and a phone receiver hole 214. In an embodiment, the speaker holes 207 and 114 and the microphone hole 203 may be implemented as a single hole, or speakers may be rested without the speaker holes 207 and 114 (e.g., piezo speakers).
The sensor modules 204 and 119 may generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to an internal operating state or external environmental state of the electronic device 101. For example, the sensor modules 204 and 119 may include a first sensor module 204 (e.g., a proximity sensor) and/or a second sensor module (not shown) (e.g., a fingerprint sensor), which is disposed on the first surface 210A of the housing 210, and/or a third sensor module 219 and/or a fourth sensor module (e.g., a fingerprint sensor) disposed on the second surface 210B of the housing 210. The fingerprint sensor may be disposed on the second surface 210B or side surface 210C as well as the first surface 210A (e.g., the display 201) of the housing 210. The electronic device 101 may further include, e.g., at least one of a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a color sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor 204.
The camera modules 205, 112, and 113 may include a first camera device 205 disposed on the first surface 210A of the electronic device 101, and a second camera device 212 and/or a flash 213 disposed on the second surface 210B. The camera devices 205 and 112 may include one or more lenses, an image sensor, and/or an image signal processor. The flash 213 may include, e.g., a light emitting diode (LED) or a xenon lamp. In an embodiment, one or more lenses (an infrared (IR) camera, a wide-angle lens, and a telescopic lens) and image sensors may be disposed on one surface of the electronic device 101. In an embodiment, flash 213 may emit infrared light. The infrared light emitted by the flash 213 and reflected by the subject may be received through the third sensor module 219. The electronic device 101 or the processor of the electronic device 101 may detect depth information about the subject based on the time point when the infrared light is received from the third sensor module 219.
The key input device 217 may be disposed on the side surface 210C of the housing 210. In an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may exclude all or some of the above-mentioned key input devices 217 and the excluded key input devices 217 may be implemented in other forms, e.g., as soft keys, on the display 201. In an embodiment, the key input device may include the sensor module disposed on the second surface 210B of the housing 210.
The light emitting device 206 may be disposed on, e.g., the first surface 210A of the housing 210. The light emitting device 206 may provide, e.g., information about the state of the electronic device 101 in the form of light. In an embodiment, the light emitting device 206 may provide a light source that interacts with, e.g., the camera module 205. The light emitting device 206 may include, e.g., a light emitting diode (LED), an infrared (IR) LED, or a xenon lamp.
The connector holes 208 and 109 may include a first connector hole 208 for receiving a connector (e.g., a universal serial bus (USB) connector) for transmitting or receiving power and/or data to/from an external electronic device and/or a second connector hole 209 (e.g., an earphone jack) for receiving a connector for transmitting or receiving audio signals to/from the external electronic device.
Referring to
According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may exclude at least one (e.g., the first supporting member 232 or the second supporting member 260) of the components or may comprise other components in addition to those described. At least one of the components of the electronic device 101 may be the same or similar to at least one of the components of the electronic device 101 of
At least a portion of the first supporting member 232 may be provided in a flat plate shape. In an embodiment, the first supporting member 232 may be disposed inside the electronic device 101 to be connected with the side surface structure 231 or formed integrally with the side surface structure 231. The first supporting member 232 may be formed of, e.g., a metallic material and/or non-metallic material (e.g., polymer). When at least partially formed of a metallic material, a portion of the side structure 231 or the first supporting member 232 may function as an antenna. The display 221 may be joined onto one surface of the first supporting member 232, and the printed circuit boards 240a and 240b may be joined onto the opposite surface of the first supporting member 311. A processor, memory, and/or interface may be mounted on the printed circuit boards 240a and 240b. The processor may comprise, without being limited to, one or more of, e.g., a central processing unit, an application processor, a graphic processing device, an image signal processing, a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor.
According to various embodiments, the first supporting member 232 and the side structure 231 may be collectively referred to as a front case or a housing 230. According to an embodiment, the housing 230 may be generally understood as a structure for receiving, protecting, or disposing the printed circuit boards 240a and 240b or the battery 250. In an embodiment, the housing 230 may be understood as including a structure that the user may visually or tangibly recognize from the exterior of the electronic device 101, e.g., the side structure 231, the front plate 222, and/or the rear plate 280. In an embodiment, the ‘front or rear surface of the housing 230’ may refer to the first surface 210A of
The memory may include, e.g., a volatile or non-volatile memory.
The interface may include, e.g., a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a secure digital (SD) card interface, and/or an audio interface. The interface may electrically or physically connect, e.g., the electronic device 101 with an external electronic device and may include a USB connector, an SD card/multimedia card (MMC) connector, or an audio connector.
The second supporting member 260 may include, e.g., an upper supporting member 260a and a lower supporting member 260b. In an embodiment, the upper supporting member 260a, together with a portion of the first supporting member 232, may be disposed to surround the printed circuit boards 240a and/or 240b. For example, the upper supporting member 260a among the second supporting members 260 may be disposed to face the first supporting member 232 with the first circuit board 240a interposed therebetween. In an embodiment, the lower supporting member 260b among the second supporting members 260 may face the first supporting member 232 with the second circuit board 240b interposed therebetween. A circuit device (e.g., a processor, a communication module (e.g., the communication module 190 of
The battery 250 may be a device for supplying power to at least one component of the electronic device 101. The battery 450 may include, e.g., a primary cell which is not rechargeable, a secondary cell which is rechargeable, or a fuel cell. At least a portion of the battery 250 may be disposed on substantially the same plane as the printed circuit boards 240a and 240b. The battery 250 may be integrally or detachably disposed inside the electronic device 101.
Although not shown, the antenna may include a conductor pattern implemented on the surface of the second supporting member 260 through, e.g., laser direct structuring. In an embodiment, the antenna may include a printed circuit pattern formed on the surface of the thin film. The thin film-type antenna may be disposed between the rear plate 280 and the battery 250. The antenna may include, e.g., a near-field communication (NFC) antenna, a wireless charging antenna, and/or a magnetic secure transmission (MST) antenna. The antenna may perform short-range communication with, e.g., an external device or may wirelessly transmit or receive power necessary for charging. In an embodiment of the present invention, another antenna structure may be formed by a portion or combination of the side structure 231 and/or the first supporting member 232.
The camera assembly 215 may include at least one camera module, e.g., at least one of the plurality of camera modules shown in
It should be noted that in the following detailed description, reference may be made to the electronic device 101 of the foregoing embodiments, and components, which may easily be understood through the foregoing embodiments, are assigned the same reference numerals or omitted and a description thereof may be omitted.
In an embodiment, the housing 230 (e.g., the housing 210 of
According to an embodiment, the flexible circuit board 243 (e.g., the flexible printed circuit board 240c of
In an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may include a fixing member 270 connected to at least a portion of the flexible circuit board 243. Referring to
In the disclosure, the description focuses primarily on an example in which the fixing member 270 is coupled to the battery 250 that is disposed to overlap it, but the dispositional and coupling relationship between the fixing member 270 and the internal structure of the electronic device 101 are not limited thereto. The fixing member 270 may be disposed to overlap and/or coupled to another internal structure inside the electronic device 101, rather than the battery 250. In the disclosure, ‘internal structure’ may collectively refer to the bracket or first supporting member (e.g., the first supporting member 232 of
According to an embodiment, the battery 250 may include a seating surface (not shown) (e.g., a surface in the +Z direction) facing the seating recess 235, a coupling surface 251 (e.g., a surface in the −Z direction) facing the one surface and positioned adjacent to the flexible circuit board 243, and/or a side surface between the seating surface and the coupling surface 251.
In an embodiment, the fixing member 270 may include supporting areas 271 and 272 and/or an extension 278 respectively connected to the flexible circuit board 243 and the battery 250. In an embodiment, the flexible circuit board 243 may be disposed on the coupling surface 251. For example, the supporting areas 271 and 272 may be disposed in a partial area of the coupling surface 251 including an area where the coupling surface 251 and the flexible circuit board 243 overlap. For example, the flexible circuit board 243 may be disposed closer to the right side surface (e.g., a surface in the −X direction) of the battery 250 than the left side surface (e.g., a surface in the +X direction) of the battery 250. However, the position of the fixing member 270 is not limited thereto, but may be changed according to the dispositional relationship between the battery 250 and the flexible circuit board 243.
According to an embodiment, the extension 278 may overlap a portion of the coupling surface 251 of the battery 250. For example, the extension 278 may be disposed to surround at least a portion of the coupling surface 251 of the battery 250 from one side (e.g., +X direction). According to an embodiment, the extension 278 and the supporting areas 271 and 272 may be disposed on left and right side surfaces (e.g., side surfaces in the X direction), respectively, of the battery 250. That is, in an example, the extension 278 and the supporting areas 271 and 272 may be on different side surfaces of the battery 250. For example, the fixing member 270 may include a connection area (not shown) surrounding the seating surface of the battery 250. The connection area (not shown) may connect the supporting areas 271 and 272 and the extension 278.
In an embodiment, the extension 278 is a pull-tab member and may assist in removing the battery 250 from the seating recess 235. For example, the extension 278 may include a fixing portion 278a coupled to at least a portion of the battery 250 (e.g., a portion of the coupling surface 251) and a wing portion 278b connected to the fixing portion 278a. For example, at least a portion of the wing portion 278b may be disposed to overlap one surface (e.g., in the −Z direction) of the fixing portion 278a while being separated from the fixing portion 278a. For example, the battery 250 disposed in the seating recess 235 may be separated from the electronic device 101 by pulling the wing portion 278b. However, the shape, position and/or function of the extension 278 of the fixing member 270 is not limited thereto. For example, a portion (e.g., the wing portion) of the extension 278 may be omitted.
In an embodiment, some components of fixing member 270 (e.g., extension 278 and/or connection area (not shown)) may be omitted.
Referring to
In an embodiment, a portion of the supporting areas 271 and 272 may not be coupled (or adhered) to the coupling surface 251. In an embodiment, the second supporting area 272 may not be coupled to the coupling surface 251 of the battery 250. The whole or a portion of the first supporting area 271 may be at least partially coupled (or adhered) to the coupling surface 251 of the battery 250.
Referring to
In an embodiment, the fixing member 270 may include a plurality of through holes 273. According to an embodiment, the plurality of through holes 273 include a first through hole 273a and a second through hole 273b spaced apart from each other in the length direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction) of the flexible circuit board 243. For example, the through hole 273 may be a hole or a slot penetrating in the thickness direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction) of the fixing member 270. The width (e.g., width in the X-axis direction) of the through hole 273 may be larger than or equal to the width (e.g., width in the X-axis direction) of the flexible circuit board 243. For example, the through hole 273 may have an elongated hole shape having a width (e.g., the width in the X-axis direction) larger than a length (e.g., the length in the Y-axis direction). In an embodiment, the first through hole 273a and/or the second through hole 273b may be formed between the first supporting area 271 and the second supporting area 272. For example, a portion of an edge of the first through hole 273a and/or the second through hole 273b may correspond to an edge of the first supporting area 271 or the second supporting area 272. According to an embodiment, in a state in which the fixing member 270 is coupled to the battery 250, a portion of an edge of the through hole 273 may be disposed adjacent to or brought into tight contact with the coupling surface 251 of the battery 250 while another portion may be spaced apart from the coupling surface 251. For example, the edge area of the through hole 273 formed in the first supporting area 271 may be brought in tight contact with the coupling surface 251 of the battery 250 through the adhesive material 274 provided on one surface of the first supporting area 271. For example, an edge area of the through hole 273 formed in the second supporting area 272 may be spaced apart from the coupling surface 251 of the battery 250 at a predetermined gap.
However, the position, number, and/or shape of the through holes 273 are not limited to those described above. For example, the position of the through hole may be changed depending on the position of the flexible circuit board 243. For example, one or more through holes 273 may be provided. For example, the through hole 273 may have a circular, elliptical, or polygonal shape, or a combination thereof or may have an irregular shape. In an embodiment, the through hole 273 may be omitted from the fixing member 270.
According to an embodiment, the battery 250, the flexible circuit board 243 and/or the fixing member 270 may be connected to each other in various manners. For example, referring to
According to an embodiment, the one end (e.g., the end in the +Y direction) of the flexible circuit board 243 may be drawn in through the first through hole 273a in the direction from one surface (e.g., the surface in the −Z direction) of the fixing member 270 to the other surface (e.g., the surface in the +Z direction). The one end may be drawn out from the other surface (e.g., the surface in the +Z direction) of the fixing member 270 to the one surface (e.g., the surface in the −Z direction) through the second through hole 273b. The one end (e.g., the end in the +Y direction) of the flexible circuit board 243 passing through the second through hole 273b may be connected to the internal structure (e.g., the first circuit board 241) of the electronic device 101. For example, in a state where the flexible circuit board 243 passes through the through hole 273, the first supporting area 271 may be coupled (or adhered) to the coupling surface 251 of the battery 250. A portion between two opposite ends of the flexible circuit board 243 in the length direction (e.g., two opposite ends in the Y-axis direction) may be disposed between the second supporting area and the coupling surface 251 of the battery 250. For example, in a state in which the fixing member 270 is connected to the flexible circuit board 243 and the battery 250, the through hole 273 of the fixing member 270 may permit a displacement in the length direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction) of the flexible circuit board 243. For example, in a state in which the fixing member 270 is connected to the flexible circuit board 243 and the battery 250, the second supporting member may limit the displacement in the thickness direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction) of the flexible circuit board 243.
The above description of the connection between the battery 250, the flexible circuit board 243, and/or the fixed member 270 is merely an example, and the disclosure is not intended thereto. For example, for connection with the fixing member 270, as opposed thereto, the flexible circuit board 243 may have one end (e.g., end in the −Y direction) of two opposite ends in the length direction separated from the internal structure (e.g., the second circuit board 242) of the electronic device 101. The opposite end (e.g., the end in the +Y direction) of the flexible circuit board 243 may be fixed to or separated from the internal structure (e.g., the first circuit board 241) of the electronic device 101. For example, the one end (e.g., the end in the −Y direction) of the flexible circuit board 243 may be drawn in through the second through hole 273b in the direction from one surface (e.g., the surface in the −Z direction) of the fixing member 270 to the other surface (e.g., the surface in the +Z direction). The one end (e.g., the end in the −Y direction) may be drawn out from the other surface (e.g., the surface in the +Z direction) of the fixing member 270 to the one surface (e.g., the surface in the −Z direction) through the second through hole 273b.
In an embodiment, the second supporting area 272 may permit displacement of the flexible circuit board 243 in the length direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction) while limiting displacement in some directions (e.g., the Z-axis direction and/or the X-axis direction). According to an embodiment, in a state in which the fixing member 270 is coupled to the battery 250, the second supporting area 272 may be shaped such that the flexible circuit board 243 in one direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction) while surrounding at least a portion of the flexible circuit board 243.
For example, in a state in which the fixing member 270 is coupled to the battery 250, a portion (e.g., an edge in the X direction) of the second supporting area 272 extending from the first supporting area 271 may be closed by the first supporting area 271. For example, in a state in which the fixing member 270 is coupled to the battery 250, a portion (e.g., an edge in the Y-axis direction) of the second supporting area 272 corresponding to a portion of an edge of the through hole 273 may form openings G1 and G2 (e.g., openings G1 and G2 of
According to an embodiment, the second supporting area 272 may be spaced apart from the coupling surface 251 by a designated gap. For example, the designated gap may be set to allow passage of the flexible circuit board 243 into a space between the second supporting area 272 and the battery 250.
In some examples, the portion of the flexible circuit board may be accommodated in a passage (or space) formed between the second supporting area and the surface of the internal structure or battery 250 (e.g. the coupling surface 251 thereof). That is, the passage may be formed by the designated gap (or space) between the battery 250 and the second supporting area 272 (e.g. an upper side or roof of the passage is formed by the second supporting area, and a lower side or floor of the passage is formed by a surface of the battery 250), and a size of the designated gap may define a height of the passage. Herein, passage may alternatively defined as a guide, or tunnel, as formed between the internal structure and the second supporting area 272. In some examples, the passage is formed (or bounded) between at least one opening (e.g. openings G1 and G2). Whilst the above-detailed description of the passage is made here, it will be appreciated that the passage as described may also be formed with respect to the examples referred to throughout the detailed description.
The designated gap may be a minimum gap at which displacement of the flexible circuit board 243 in the length direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction) is possible. For example, the designated gap may be larger than or equal to the thickness (e.g., the thickness in the Z-axis direction) of the flexible circuit board 243. According to an embodiment, the second supporting area 272 may limit the displacement of the flexible circuit board in the thickness direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction) to the designated gap or less. However, the shape and/or number of the second supporting areas 272 is not limited thereto.
The electronic device 101 of
The fixing member 270 of
Referring to
In an embodiment, the cutting area 275 may be provided on one side (e.g., the side in the −X direction) of the first through hole 273a and the second through hole 273b. Referring to
Referring to
According to an embodiment, the battery 250, the flexible circuit board 243 and/or the fixing member 270 may be connected to each other in various manners. Referring to
According to an embodiment, the one end (e.g., the end in the +Y direction) of the flexible circuit board 243 may be drawn in through the first through hole 273a in the direction from one surface (e.g., the surface in the −Z direction) of the fixing member 270 to the other surface (e.g., the surface in the +Z direction). The one end may be drawn out from the other surface (e.g., the surface in the +Z direction) of the fixing member 270 to the one surface (e.g., the surface in the −Z direction) through the second through hole 273b. The one end (e.g., the end in the +Y direction) of the flexible circuit board 243 passing through the second through hole 273b may be connected to the internal structure (e.g., the first circuit board 241) of the electronic device 101. The left portion (e.g., the portion in the +X direction) of the first supporting area 271 lifted from the battery 250 with the cutting area 275 as a boundary may be coupled (or adhered) to the coupling surface 251 of the battery 250. For example, in a state in which the fixing member 270 is connected to the flexible circuit board 243 and the battery 250, a portion between two opposite ends of the flexible circuit board 243 in the length direction (e.g., ends in the Y-axis direction) may be disposed between the second supporting area and the coupling surface 251 of the battery 250. For example, in a state in which the fixing member 270 is connected to the flexible circuit board 243 and the battery 250, the through hole 273 of the fixing member 270 may permit a displacement in the length direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction) of the flexible circuit board 243. For example, in a state in which the fixing member 270 is connected to the flexible circuit board 243 and the battery 250, the second supporting member may limit the displacement in the thickness direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction) of the flexible circuit board 243.
The above description of the connection between the battery 250, the flexible circuit board 243, and/or the fixed member 270 is merely an example, and the disclosure is not intended thereto. For example, for connection with the fixing member 270, as opposed thereto, the flexible circuit board 243 may have one end (e.g., end in the −Y direction) of two opposite ends in the length direction separated from the internal structure (e.g., the second circuit board 242) of the electronic device 101. For example, the one end (e.g., the end in the −Y direction) of the flexible circuit board 243 may be drawn in through the second through hole 273b in the direction from one surface (e.g., the surface in the −Z direction) of the fixing member 270 to the other surface (e.g., the surface in the +Z direction). The one end (e.g., the end in the −Y direction) may be drawn out from the other surface (e.g., the surface in the +Z direction) of the fixing member 270 to the one surface (e.g., the surface in the −Z direction) through the second through hole 273b.
The electronic device 101 of
The configuration of the fixing member 270 of
Referring to
According to an embodiment, the battery 250, the flexible circuit board 243 and/or the fixing member 270 may be connected to each other in various manners. For example, for connection with the fixing member 270, the flexible circuit board 243 may have one end (e.g., the end in the Y-axis direction) of two opposite ends in the length direction separated from the internal structure (e.g., the first circuit board 241 or the second circuit board 242) of the electronic device 101. In a state in which one end of the flexible circuit board 243 is separated, the fixing member 270 may be coupled (or adhered) to the battery 250. For example, the fixing member 270 may be attached to the coupling surface 251 of the battery 250 through an adhesive material 274 (e.g., the adhesive material 274 of
The electronic device 101 of
The configuration of the fixing member 270 of
Referring to
According to an embodiment, two opposite ends of the second supporting area 272 (e.g., the ends in the Y-axis direction) may form openings G1 and G2 between them and the coupling surface 251 with the fixing member 270 attached to the coupling surface 251 of the battery 250 through the first supporting area 271. For example, the fixing member 270 may include a first opening G1 positioned at the lower end (e.g., the end in the −Y-axis direction) of the second supporting area 272 and a second opening G2 positioned at the upper end (e.g., the end in the +Y-axis direction). For example, in a state in which the fixing member 270 is attached to the battery 250, the pair of openings G1 and G2 may permit displacement of the flexible circuit board 243 in the length direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction).
According to an embodiment, the battery 250, the flexible circuit board 243 and/or the fixing member 270 may be connected to each other in various manners. For example, referring to
The embodiments regarding the fixing member 270 of
Typically, the interior of an electronic device may include a battery and a flexible circuit board that electrically connects printed circuit boards disposed above and under the battery. For example, the flexible circuit board may be connected to the printed circuit board through connectors disposed at two opposite ends in the length direction. Typically, the flexible circuit board may be in the form of a strip and may be disposed across one side of the battery. For example, if the electronic device is subjected to an external impact by being deformed or dropped, the flexible circuit board may be displaced in the length direction thereof. Therefore, when the flexible circuit board is placed in tight contact with the battery without a length margin, the connector may be pulled together with the flexible circuit board and damaged when the flexible circuit board is displaced in the length direction. On the other hand, giving a margin to the length of the flexible circuit board may inhibit damage due to flow, but may cause lift from one side of the battery. For example, the lifting of the flexible circuit board may be visually recognized through the rear surface of the electronic device. Therefore, it is necessary to fix the flexible circuit board to the battery or an electric or electronic component or an internal structure (hereinafter referred to as ‘internal structure’) to secure the flexibility of the flexible circuit board in the length direction while suppressing lift.
Typically, the flexible circuit board may be fixed to the battery by an adhesive material, such as double-sided tape. However, when the double-sided tape is used, if an external impact is applied to the electronic device (e.g., a fall), the adhesion of the double-sided tape may be deteriorated or released. Further, when the double-sided tape is released, the attachment surface of the flexible circuit board may be torn off and damaged.
Embodiments of the disclosure relate to a fixing member for connecting a flexible circuit board to an internal structure (e.g., a battery) of an electronic device in a non-adhesive way and aims to provide a fixing member that limits the displacement of the flexible circuit board in the thickness direction, and an electronic device including the same.
Effects derived from the embodiments of the disclosure are not limited to the foregoing effects, and may be expanded in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
The fixing member according to an embodiment of the disclosure may prevent or reduce damage to the connector or flexible circuit board that may occur when the flexible circuit board is displaced in the length direction due to, e.g., external impact in a case where displacement of the flexible circuit board in the length direction is allowed so that the flexible circuit board is completely fixed to the internal structure.
The fixing member according to an embodiment of the disclosure may limit displacement of the flexible circuit board in the electronic device in the thickness direction, thus suppressing lift of the flexible circuit board and its resultant poor appearance of the electronic device.
According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the flexible circuit board may be connected to an internal structure of the electronic device through the fixing member, and no adhesive material is applied to the flexible circuit board, so that it is possible to suppress damage to the flexible circuit board, such as tearing.
Effects derived from the embodiments of the disclosure are not limited to the foregoing effects, and may be expanded in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
According to an embodiment of the disclosure, an electronic device (101 of
In an embodiment, the flexible circuit board may be displaceable in the first direction through the at least one opening of the second supporting area.
In an embodiment, an adhesive material (e.g., 274 of
In an embodiment, the flexible circuit board may be displaceable in the first direction through the at least one opening of the second supporting area.
In an embodiment, the at least one opening of the second supporting area may comprise a pair of openings (G1, G2) spaced apart from each other in the first direction.
In an embodiment, a passage accommodating a portion of the flexible circuit board may be formed between the second supporting area and the one surface of the internal structure. The pair of openings may be formed at two opposite ends of the passage in the first direction.
In an embodiment, a portion of the first supporting area may be connected to an edge of the second supporting area in a second direction (e.g., the X-axis direction) crossing the first direction and coupled to the one surface of the internal structure (e.g., see
In an embodiment, the second supporting area may be spaced apart from the one surface of the internal structure by a designated distance.
In an embodiment, the designated distance may be equal to or larger than a thickness of the flexible circuit board.
In an embodiment, the first supporting area may be formed in a shape surrounding at least a portion of an edge of the second supporting area (e.g., see
In an embodiment, the fixing member may further include at least one through hole (e.g., 273 of
In an embodiment, the fixing member includes a pair of through holes (e.g., 273a and 273b of
In an embodiment, the fixing member further includes a cutout (e.g., 276 of
In an embodiment, the fixing member may further include a cutting area (e.g., 275 of
In an embodiment, the internal structure may include a battery.
According to an embodiment of the disclosure, an electronic device may comprise a housing (210 of
In an embodiment, the battery, the flexible circuit board, and the second supporting area may be arranged so as to not couple to each other in an area where they overlap each other.
In an embodiment, an adhesive material (e.g., 274 of
In an embodiment, the flexible circuit board may be displaceable in a direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction) where the flexible circuit board crosses the one surface through the at least one opening of the second supporting area.
In an embodiment, the second supporting area may be spaced apart from the one surface of the battery by a designated distance. The designated distance may be equal to or larger than a thickness of the flexible circuit board.
According to an embodiment of the disclosure, an electronic device may comprise a housing (210; 230), an internal structure disposed in the housing (210; 230), a fixing member (270) including a first supporting area (271) coupled to one surface of the internal structure and a second supporting area (272) extending from the first supporting area and/or a flexible circuit board (230c; 243) disposed to cross the one surface (251) of the internal structure in a first direction. A portion of the flexible circuit board may pass through a passage formed between the second supporting area and the one surface of the internal structure.
In an embodiment, the internal structure, the flexible circuit board, and the second supporting area may be arranged so as to not couple to each other in an area where they overlap each other.
In an embodiment, an adhesive material (274) may be disposed between at least a portion of the first supporting area (271) and the one surface (251) of the internal structure.
In an embodiment, the second supporting area (272) may comprise at least one opening (G1, G2) through which the flexible circuit board passes through; and the flexible circuit board may be displaceable in the first direction through the at least one opening of the second supporting area.
In an embodiment, the at least one opening of the second supporting area may comprise a pair of openings (G1, G2) spaced apart from each other in the first direction.
In an embodiment, the pair of openings may be formed at two opposite ends of the passage in the first direction.
In an embodiment, a portion of the first supporting area may be connected to an edge of the second supporting area in a second direction crossing the first direction and coupled to the one surface of the internal structure.
In an embodiment, the at least one opening may be formed between a portion of the second supporting area and the one surface of the internal structure.
In an embodiment, the at least one opening may include a pair of through holes (273a, 273b), spaced apart in the first direction, and wherein the second supporting area is disposed between the pair of through holes.
In an embodiment, the fixing member may further include a cutout (276) formed in the second supporting area, and the cutout may be formed between the pair of through holes (273a, 273b) in at least one direction.
In an embodiment, the fixing member may further include a cutting area (275) in a portion of the first supporting area, and the cutting area may be formed extending in the first direction in an area adjacent to an edge of the first supporting area.
In an embodiment, the second supporting area may be spaced apart from the one surface (251) of the internal structure by a predetermined distance to define a height of the passage; and the predetermined distance may be larger than or equal to a thickness of the flexible circuit board.
In an embodiment, the first supporting area may be formed to surround at least a portion of an edge of the second supporting area.
In an embodiment, the internal structure may include a battery.
In an embodiment, the housing (210; 230) may comprise a seating recess (235); and the battery (250) may be disposed in the seating recess.
The electronic device according to an embodiment of the disclosure may be one of various types of electronic devices. The electronic devices may include, for example, a portable communication device (e.g., a smartphone), a computer device, a portable multimedia device, a portable medical device, a camera, a wearable device, or a home appliance. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the electronic devices are not limited to those described above.
An embodiment of the disclosure and terms used therein are not intended to limit the technical features described in the disclosure to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutes of the embodiment. With regard to the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used to refer to similar or related elements. It is to be understood that a singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of the things, unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, each of such phrases as “A or B,” “at least one of A and B,” “at least one of A or B,” “A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” and “at least one of A, B, or C,” may include all possible combinations of the items enumerated together in a corresponding one of the phrases. As used herein, such terms as “1st” and “2nd,” or “first” and “second” may be used to simply distinguish a corresponding component from another, and does not limit the components in other aspect (e.g., importance or order). It is to be understood that if an element (e.g., a first element) is referred to, with or without the term “operatively” or “communicatively”, as “coupled with,” “coupled to,” “connected with,” or “connected to” another element (e.g., a second element), it means that the element may be coupled with the other element directly (e.g., wiredly), wirelessly, or via a third element.
As used herein, the term “module” may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may interchangeably be used with other terms, for example, “logic,” “logic block,” “part,” or “circuitry”. A module may be a single integral component, or a minimum unit or part thereof, adapted to perform one or more functions. For example, according to an embodiment, the module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).
An embodiment of the disclosure may be implemented as software (e.g., the program 140) including one or more instructions that are stored in a storage medium (e.g., internal memory 136 or external memory 138) that is readable by a machine (e.g., the electronic device 101). For example, a processor (e.g., the processor 120) of the machine (e.g., the electronic device 101) may invoke at least one of the one or more instructions stored in the storage medium, and execute it, with or without using one or more other components under the control of the processor. This allows the machine to be operated to perform at least one function according to the at least one instruction invoked. The one or more instructions may include a code generated by a compiler or a code executable by an interpreter. The storage medium readable by the machine may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Wherein, the term “non-transitory” simply means that the storage medium is a tangible device, and does not include a signal (e.g., an electromagnetic wave), but this term does not differentiate between where data is semi-permanently stored in the storage medium and where the data is temporarily stored in the storage medium.
According to an embodiment, a method according to an embodiment of the disclosure may be included and provided in a computer program product. The computer program products may be traded as commodities between sellers and buyers. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM)), or be distributed (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) online via an application store (e.g., Play Store™), or between two user devices (e.g., smartphones) directly. If distributed online, at least part of the computer program product may be temporarily generated or at least temporarily stored in the machine-readable storage medium, such as memory of the manufacturer's server, a server of the application store, or a relay server.
According to an embodiment, each component (e.g., a module or a program) of the above-described components may include a single entity or multiple entities. Some of the plurality of entities may be separately disposed in different components. According to an embodiment, one or more of the above-described components may be omitted, or one or more other components may be added. Alternatively or Further, a plurality of components (e.g., modules or programs) may be integrated into a single component. In such a case, according to various embodiments, the integrated component may still perform one or more functions of each of the plurality of components in the same or similar manner as they are performed by a corresponding one of the plurality of components before the integration. According to an embodiment, operations performed by the module, the program, or another component may be carried out sequentially, in parallel, repeatedly, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order or omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2022-0116458 | Sep 2022 | KR | national |
| 10-2022-0140892 | Oct 2022 | KR | national |
This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/KR2023/013930, designating the United States, filed on Sep. 15, 2023, in the Korean Intellectual Property Receiving Office and claiming priority to Korean Patent Application Nos. 10-2022-0116458, filed on Sep. 15, 2022, and 10-2022-0140892, filed on Oct. 28, 2022, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/KR2023/013930 | Sep 2023 | WO |
| Child | 19077654 | US |
