Patent Description:
An electronic device may include a flexible display to expand a display area of the flexible display. For example, the flexible display may be mounted on the electronic device in a curved, foldable, or rollable manner.

For example, the flexible display may be mounted with a rolling type inside the electronic device to provide an expanded display area when the flexible display is withdrawn. The expanded display area may provide a new user interfacing environment. <CIT> discloses an expandable mobile device. <CIT> discloses a display screen assembly and mobile terminal.

However, the electronic device including the flexible display may not have good smoothness of the expanded display area.

In particular, the electronic device including the conventional flexible display may be scratched on a surface due to interference in a process of expanding the display area.

Various embodiments of the disclosure may provide a device capable of maintaining smoothness of an expanded display area of a flexible display.

The invention as claimed provides an electronic device capable of preventing a surface scratch of a flexible display.

Various embodiments of the disclosure may provide an electronic device capable of sufficiently ensuring a space for mounting a component inside a main body.

Various embodiments of the disclosure may provide a new interfacing environment to a user by providing various screen ratios of a display area.

An electronic device outside the scope of the invention as claimed but useful to understand the invention may include: a housing including a first cover disposed to face a first direction, a second cover disposed to face a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a side member enclosing at least part of a space between the first and second covers; a slider to be inserted or withdrawn by being disposed to at least part of an area of the first cover of the housing; a flexible display disposed in the slider such that at least part thereof is exposed, and disposed to allow a display area to be expanded according to the withdrawing of the slider and allow the expanded display area to be hidden inside the housing; and a support body mounted closely in contact on a bottom face of the flexible display, supporting the expanded display area as a prop when the slider is withdrawn, and disposed to be housed inside the housing together with the expanded display area when the slider is inserted.

An electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure can maintain smoothness of an expanded display area, and can prevent a surface scratch of the expanded display area when inserted/withdrawn.

In addition, an electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure can provide various screen ratios of a display area to provide a new user interfacing environment.

Hereinafter, various embodiments of the disclosure are described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it should be appreciated that this is not intended to limit the technological features set forth herein to particular embodiments and include various changes or replacements for an embodiment of the disclosure.

An electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure may include at least one of, for example, a smart phone, a tablet Personal Computer (PC), a mobile phone, a video phone, an e-book reader, a desktop PC, a laptop PC, a netbook computer, a workstation, a server, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a Portable Multimedia Player (PMP), a MPEG-<NUM> Audio Layer <NUM> (MP3) player, a mobile medical device, a camera, and a wearable device (e.g., smart glasses, a Head-Mounted Display (HMD), electronic clothes, an electronic bracelet, an electronic necklace, an electronic appcessory, an electronic tattoo, a smart mirror, or a smart watch).

<FIG> is a perspective view illustrating an electronic device in which a slider is inserted according to various embodiments of the disclosure. <FIG> is a perspective view illustrating an electronic device in which a slider is withdrawn to expand a display area according to various embodiments of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, an electronic device <NUM> according to various embodiments includes a main body <NUM>, a slider <NUM>, and a flexible display <NUM>. The slider <NUM> can be inserted to or withdrawn from the main body <NUM>. <FIG> illustrates a state where the slider <NUM> is inserted to the main body <NUM>, and <FIG> illustrates a state where the slider <NUM> is withdrawn from the main body <NUM>. A Cartesian coordinate system is used, where an X-axis may be a horizontal direction of the electronic device <NUM>, a Y-axis may be a vertical direction of the electronic device <NUM>, and a Z-axis may be a thickness direction of the electronic device <NUM>. A Y(+)-axis may mean a direction of withdrawing the slider <NUM>. A Y(-)-axis may mean a direction of inserting the slider <NUM>. An X-axis may mean a direction of a rotation axis of first and second rollers, and a direction of disposing a protrusion portion.

The main body <NUM> according to various embodiments includes a housing <NUM>. The housing <NUM> according to various embodiments includes a first face (a first cover or a front face) facing a first direction, a second face (a second cover or a bottom face) facing a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a side member <NUM> enclosing at least part of a space surrounded by the first and second faces. The first direction may refer to a vertical upward direction of the flexible display <NUM>, and the second direction may refer to a vertical downward direction of the flexible display <NUM>. For example, the slider <NUM> may be disposed to be exposed in a first direction of the housing <NUM>, and the flexible display <NUM> may be disposed to be exposed in a first direction of the slider <NUM>.

The housing <NUM> according to various embodiments may include a printed circuit board, a battery, an antenna, a connector hole, and at least one key input device, or the like (not shown).

The key input device according to various embodiments may include a home key (not shown) disposed to the housing <NUM> and/or a side key button <NUM> disposed to the side member <NUM> of the housing <NUM>. In another embodiment, the electronic device <NUM> may not include all or some of the aforementioned key input devices, and the key input device not included may be implemented on the flexible display <NUM> in other forms such as soft keys.

A connector hole (not shown) according to various embodiments may include a first connector hole (not shown) capable of housing a connector (e.g., a USB connector) for transmitting and receiving power and/or data with respect to an external electronic device, and/or a second connector hole (e.g., an earphone jack) (not shown) capable of housing a connector for transmitting and receiving an audio signal with respect to the external electronic device.

The slider <NUM> according to various embodiments may be withdrawn from the housing <NUM> while maintaining a horizontal state, and may be inserted to the housing <NUM> while maintaining the horizontal state. For example, a driving source for inserting or withdrawing the slider <NUM> may be implemented to be manual, semi-automatic, or automatic. When the driving source for inserting/withdrawing the slider <NUM> is semi-automatic, the semi-automatic driving source may be constructed of an elastic body or the like. When the driving force for inserting/withdrawing the slider <NUM> is automatic, it may be constructed of a gear mechanism, a driving motor, or the like (see <FIG>).

In the electronic device <NUM> according to various embodiments, a display area of the flexible display <NUM> may be expanded when the slider <NUM> is withdrawn from the housing <NUM>. For example, the flexible display <NUM> may include a display area <NUM> exposed always and an expanded display area <NUM> expanded when the slider <NUM> is withdrawn.

The flexible display <NUM> according to various embodiments may be mounted to be exposed at least in part on an upper face of the slider <NUM>, and one end thereof may be fixed to the slider <NUM>. Thus, when the slider <NUM> is withdrawn, one end of the flexible display <NUM> is pulled in a withdrawing direction, thereby expanding the display area. When the slider <NUM> is inserted, the expanded display area <NUM> may be housed inside the housing <NUM>. For example, a receiver <NUM>, a camera module <NUM>, an indicator <NUM>, and at least one sensor <NUM> may be disposed to the upper face of the slider <NUM>. The camera module <NUM> may be disposed to one side with respect to the receiver <NUM>, and the indicator <NUM> and the sensor <NUM> may be disposed to the other side.

The camera <NUM> according to various embodiments may include one or more lenses, an image sensor, and/or an image signal processor. A rear camera and a flash (not shown) may be disposed to a second cover, i.e., a rear face, of the housing. The flash may include, for example, a Light Emitting Diode (LED) or a xenon lamp. In some embodiments, two or more lenses (wide angle and telephoto lenses) and image sensors may be disposed to one face of the electronic device <NUM>.

At least one or more sensors <NUM> according to various embodiments may generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to an internal operational state of the electronic device <NUM> or an external environmental state. The sensor <NUM> may include an optical sensor, e.g., a proximity sensor, and may include a fingerprint sensor, a biosensor, or the like (not shown). For example, the fingerprint sensor may be disposed to the first face (front face) or second face (rear face) of the housing <NUM>. In addition, the electronic device <NUM> may further include at least one of senor modules (not shown), for example, 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 temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and an illuminance sensor.

The indicator <NUM> according to various embodiments may be disposed, for example, on a first face of the slider <NUM>. The indicator <NUM> may provide state information of the electronic device <NUM> in a form of light, and may include an LED.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view illustrating an electronic device in which a slider is inserted according to various embodiments of the disclosure. <FIG> is a cross-sectional view illustrating an electronic device in which a slider is withdrawn to expand a display area according to various embodiments of the disclosure. <FIG> is an exemplary view illustrating a structure of a smoothness maintaining device mounted on an electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, an electronic device <NUM> according to various embodiments of the disclosure may be the same electronic device as the electronic device <NUM> of <FIG> and <FIG>. The electronic device <NUM> according to various embodiments includes a support body <NUM> and a smoothness maintaining device to maintain smoothness of an expanded display area of the flexible display <NUM> when a slider <NUM> is withdrawn from a housing <NUM>.

The support body <NUM> according to various embodiments is disposed closely in contact with a bottom face of the expanded display area (<NUM> of <FIG>), and thus, when the expanded display area is exposed to the outside, may serve for a function of supporting the expanded display area, as a support base playing a role of a prop of the expanded display area. The support body <NUM> may be configured integrally in the expanded display area. For example, a detailed configuration for the support body <NUM> will be described with reference to <FIG>.

The smoothness maintaining device according to various embodiments serves for a function of maintaining smoothness of the support body <NUM> to maintain smoothness of the expanded display area of a flexible display <NUM>.

The flexible display <NUM> according to various embodiments may have one end 330a fixed to the slider <NUM> and the other end 330b fixed to the support body <NUM>. Therefore, according to an operation of inserting or withdrawing the slider <NUM>, the support body <NUM> and the expanded display area of the flexible display <NUM> may be withdrawn to the outside from the housing <NUM> or may be inserted into the housing <NUM>.

The smoothness maintaining device of the expanded display area according to various embodiments includes first and second rollers <NUM> and <NUM> and may include a wire <NUM>.

The smoothness maintaining device may be disposed between the flexible display <NUM> exposed to the outside and a bottom face 311b of the housing <NUM>. The first roller <NUM> may be constructed in pair, and the second roller <NUM> may be constructed in pair. The first and second rollers <NUM> and <NUM> may be disposed to face each other. Each of the first and second rollers <NUM> and <NUM> may be disposed in the housing <NUM> in a rotatable manner, and may include a bearing (not shown).

The smoothness maintaining device according to various embodiments may include the first roller <NUM> disposed at a first position of the housing <NUM>, the second roller <NUM> disposed at a second position of the housing <NUM>, and the wire <NUM> configured such that one end 343a and the other end 343b move in opposite directions from each other by means of the first roller <NUM>.

The one end 343a of the wire according to various embodiments may be coupled to one end 340a of the support body <NUM>, and the other end 343b of the wire may be coupled to the other end 340b of the support body. Thus, tension force is provided to pull both ends of the support body <NUM>, thereby providing force for maintaining smoothness of the support body <NUM>. Since the expanded display area of the flexible display <NUM> is disposed closely in contact with the support body <NUM>, a structure of maintaining the smoothness of the support body <NUM> may maintain the smoothness of the expanded display area. The support body <NUM> is pulled in a direction in which both ends thereof are away from each other, thereby maintaining a taut state. The taut state (tight state) is a state where the support body retains tension, and may be referred to as a smoothness maintaining state.

The electronic device <NUM> according to various embodiments may have various components disposed to a mounting space between the support body <NUM> and the wire <NUM>. For example, the component disposed to the space in the housing <NUM> may include a printed circuit board, a battery, an antenna, or the like.

In the wire <NUM> according to various embodiments, one end 343a and the other end 343b may move in opposite directions from each other by means of the first roller <NUM>. For example, when the one end 343a of the wire moves toward the second roller <NUM>, the other end 343b of the wire may move from a position around the second roller <NUM> to a position close to the second roller <NUM>. Each of the one end 343a and the other end 343b of the wire may move in a direction parallel to the flexible display <NUM> while maintaining a specific interval. As will be described below, the first roller <NUM> is provided with elastic force in a direction away from the second roller <NUM>, so that the wire <NUM> and the support body <NUM> always retain tension (tension force).

The first roller <NUM> according to various embodiments may be constructed in pair, and may be disposed substantially to an intermediate area of the housing <NUM> in a rotatable manner along a first rotation axis in a direction perpendicular to an inserting/withdrawing direction. The second roller <NUM> according to various embodiments may be disposed substantially to a lower end area of the housing <NUM> in a rotatable manner along a second rotation axis in a direction perpendicular to the inserting/withdrawing direction. The first and second rollers <NUM> and <NUM> may be disposed to be symmetric with each other, and may face each other. The first roller <NUM> may interwork with the wire <NUM>, and the second roller <NUM> may be disposed to interwork with the support body <NUM>. In addition, the first roller <NUM> may rotate in a state of being in contact with the wire <NUM>, and the second roller <NUM> may rotate in a state of being in contact with the support body <NUM>.

For example, when the slider <NUM> is inserted or withdrawn, each of the first and second rollers <NUM> and <NUM> may rotate. At the same time, the wire <NUM> and the support body <NUM> may also move.

In a state where the slider <NUM> is inserted to the housing <NUM> (e.g., <FIG>), part of the support body <NUM> may be in a state of being in contact with an outer circumferential face of the second roller <NUM>, and the rest of it may be disposed adjacent to the second cover 311b of the housing <NUM>. In a state where the slider <NUM> is withdrawn from the housing <NUM> (e.g., <FIG>), part of the support body <NUM> may be in a state of being in contact with the outer circumferential face of the second roller <NUM>, and the rest of it may be disposed as a prop of the expanded display area.

In addition, in a state where the slider <NUM> is inserted to the housing <NUM>, part of the wire <NUM> may be in a state of being in contact with an outer circumferential face of the first roller <NUM>, and the rest of it may be in a state of being disposed to have a gap at a bottom face of the expanded display area. In a state where the slider <NUM> is withdrawn from the housing <NUM>, part of the wire <NUM> may be in a state of being in contact with the outer circumferential face of the first roller <NUM>, and the rest of it may be adjacent to face the second cover 311b of the housing.

<FIG> is an exemplary view briefly illustrating a state where a first roller of a smoothness maintaining device is supported by an elastic body according to various embodiments of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, a smoothness maintaining device according to various embodiments may further include an elastic body <NUM>. The elastic body <NUM> is a compression coil spring, and may provide force for pulling the first roller <NUM> in a direction away from the second roller <NUM>. Since the first roller <NUM> is always provided with the force away from the second roller <NUM>, a support body can always retain force for smoothness, and an expanded display area can maintain the smoothness. For example, the elastic body <NUM> is not limited to the spring. In the elastic body <NUM> according to various embodiments, one end may be fixed to part of the housing <NUM>, and the other end may be fixed to a shaft 's' of the first roller.

<FIG> are cross-sectional views illustrating various examples of support bodies according to various embodiments of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, a support body <NUM> according to various embodiments may be configured in the same manner as the support body <NUM> of <FIG>. The support body <NUM> according to various embodiments may include a flexible film <NUM>, and a plurality of protrusions <NUM> attached to one face of the flexible film <NUM>. The flexible film <NUM> may include a first face 741a closely in contact with one face of the flexible display, and a second face 741b facing away from the first face 741a.

The protrusions <NUM> according to various embodiments may be disposed with an equal interval on the second face <NUM> of a flexible film along a direction (an X-axis direction) perpendicular to an inserting/withdrawing direction. However, the protrusions <NUM> are not necessarily limited to being disposed with the equal interval, and may be disposed to be coupled with each other.

For example, a cross-section of the protrusion <NUM> may be configured in an isosceles trapezoidal shape. However, the cross-section of the protrusion <NUM> is not limited to the isosceles trapezoidal shape, and may be configured in a shape of quadrangle, square, rectangle, semicircle, or the like. For example, each of the protrusions <NUM> may be constructed of a Poly Oxy Methylene (POM) material.

The flexible film <NUM> according to various embodiments may be configured to have substantially the same area as the expanded display area. In addition, an area in which the plurality of protrusions <NUM> are disposed may be substantially similar to a size of the flexible film <NUM>, and may be substantially similar to the expanded display area.

Referring to <FIG>, a support body <NUM> according to various embodiments may include a film portion <NUM> and a plurality of protrusions <NUM> which are integrally injection molded to the film portion <NUM>. For example, the film portion <NUM> and the protrusion <NUM> may be produced integrally. Each of the protrusions <NUM> may be disposed on one face of the film portion <NUM> with an equal interval in a direction perpendicular to an inserting/withdrawing direction of a slider.

For example, a cross-section of the protrusion <NUM> may be configured in an isosceles trapezoidal shape. However, the cross-section of the protrusion <NUM> is not limited to the isosceles trapezoidal shape, and may be configured in a shape of quadrangle, square, rectangle, semicircle, or the like.

Referring to <FIG>, a support body <NUM> according to various embodiments may include a film portion <NUM> and a plurality of protrusions <NUM> which are integrally molded to the film portion <NUM>. For example, the film portion <NUM> and the protrusion <NUM> may be produced integrally. The protrusions <NUM> may be disposed on one side face of the film portion <NUM> so as to be in contact with each other in a direction perpendicular to an inserting/withdrawing direction of a slider.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view illustrating an anti-scratch device of an expanded display area according to various embodiments of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, an electronic device <NUM> according to the claimed invention is the same electronic device as the electronic device <NUM> of <FIG> and <FIG>. A housing <NUM> of the electronic device <NUM> according to the claimed invention further includes an anti-scratch device <NUM> of an expanded display area <NUM>, in proximity to a second roller <NUM>. When the slider is inserted or withdrawn, the expanded display area <NUM> may be scratched in some lower end portions of the housing <NUM> while being inserted or withdrawn. Thus, the anti-scratch device <NUM> may be disposed in a portion of the housing <NUM> which may interfere with the expanded display area <NUM>.

The anti-scratch device <NUM> according to the claimed invention is disposed to a lower end of the housing <NUM>, and is configured as at least one anti-friction member disposed to face at least part of an outer circumferential face of the second roller <NUM>.

<FIG> is an exemplary view briefly illustrating an automatic inserting/withdrawing device included in an electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, an electronic device <NUM> according to various embodiments may be the same electronic device as the electronic device <NUM> of <FIG> and <FIG>. The electronic device according to various embodiments may automatically configure a driving source for performing an operation of inserting or withdrawing a slider in a main body.

For example, a device for automatically inserting/withdrawing the slider may include a gear G provided coaxially with a first roller <NUM>, a driving motor M, and a gear box B disposed between the gear G and the driving motor M to decrease a rotation count of the driving motor M. The gear box B may be configured as an array of at least one gear.

In addition, a rack <NUM> to be engaged with the gear may be further included in the slider. The rack <NUM> is illustrated in <FIG>.

When the driving motor M is driven, rotation force is transferred to the gear box B, and the transferred rotation force is transferred to the gear G. According to the rotation of the gear B, the first roller <NUM> also rotates simultaneously. The slider may be inserted or withdrawn due to the rack <NUM> engaged with the gear G. According to inserting or withdrawing of the slider, the flexible display may also be inserted or withdrawn.

Claim 1:
An electronic device (<NUM>) comprising:
a housing (<NUM>) including a first cover disposed to face a first direction, a second cover disposed to face a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a side member enclosing at least part of a space between the first and second covers;
a slider to be inserted or withdrawn by being disposed to at least part of an area of the first cover of the housing (<NUM>);
a flexible display disposed in the slider such that at least part thereof is exposed, and disposed to allow a display area to be expanded according to the withdrawing of the slider and allow the expanded display area (<NUM>) to be hidden inside the housing (<NUM>); and
a support body mounted closely in contact on a bottom face of the flexible display; and
a smoothness maintaining device of the expanded display area (<NUM>) when the slider is withdrawn,
wherein the smoothness maintaining device comprises:
at least one first roller rotatably disposed at a first position of the housing (<NUM>); and
a second roller (<NUM>) facing away from the first roller, and rotatably disposed at a second position of the housing (<NUM>);
characterised in that the housing (<NUM>) comprises an anti-scratch device (<NUM>) of the expanded display area (<NUM>), in proximity to the second roller (<NUM>); and
wherein the anti-scratch device (<NUM>) is disposed to a lower end of the housing (<NUM>), and is configured as at least one anti-friction member disposed to face at least part of an outer circumferential face of the second roller (<NUM>).