KR102344517B1 - Exterior housing, method for manufacturing thereof and electronic device therewith - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides an electronic device comprising: a first surface facing in a first direction; and an outer housing including a second surface facing in a second direction opposite to the first direction; a display in which at least a portion is exposed through the first surface; and a polymer plate forming at least a portion of the second side of the housing, the polymer plate comprising: at least one opaque layer; at least one polymer layer that is translucent or transparent and disposed on the at least one opaque layer; a coating layer disposed on the at least one polymer layer and having a hardness greater than or equal to a selected hardness, each of the at least one opaque layer, the at least one polymer layer, and the coating layer comprising: It may include a second surface extending from the first surface so that at least a portion is bent. In addition to this, other embodiments are possible.

Description

Exterior housing, manufacturing method thereof, and electronic device having same

Various embodiments of the present invention relate to an exterior housing of an electronic device, and more particularly, to an exterior surface mounting member of a related transparent material that can be used for exterior appearance in place of glass.

As communication technology develops, electronic devices having various functions are emerging. These electronic devices may have a convergence function that complexly performs one or more functions.

In recent years, as the functional gap is reduced for each manufacturer, the rigidity of electronic devices, which are gradually slimming down, in order to satisfy consumers' purchase desires, are increased and the design aspects are strengthened. According to various embodiments, at least a portion of various structures (eg, exterior) of the electronic device are implemented with glass or metal materials to pursue high-quality electronic devices and aesthetic appearance.

Various transparent materials are used in electronic devices for a beautiful texture such as a front or rear display window or a rear surface. Among them, the number of electronic devices employing a glass material is increasing due to its strong surface hardness and excellent optical performance.

Although glass material has been applied to the exterior of electronic devices due to its strong surface hardness and excellent optical performance, the production cost is increasing due to the following problems. In addition, when glass is used as a part of the exterior material of an electronic device, a high material price becomes a burden, and there is a problem in that it is easy to break and is difficult to form.

Various embodiments of the present invention are to provide an exterior housing capable of replacing a glass material while having the characteristics of a conventional glass, a manufacturing method thereof, and an electronic device having the same.

Various embodiments of the present invention provide an exterior housing capable of 3D molding using a mold, a manufacturing method thereof, and an electronic device having the same.

In addition, various embodiments of the present invention are to provide an exterior housing having a high surface hardness of 4H or more, a method of manufacturing the same, and an electronic device having the same.

In addition, various embodiments of the present invention are to provide an exterior housing capable of realizing a design effect without a separate film, a method of manufacturing the same, and an electronic device having the same.

Various embodiments of the present invention provide an electronic device, comprising: a first surface facing in a first direction; and an outer housing including a second surface facing in a second direction opposite to the first direction; a display in which at least a portion is exposed through the first surface; and a polymer plate forming at least a portion of the second side of the housing, the polymer plate comprising: at least one opaque layer; at least one polymer layer that is translucent or transparent and disposed on the at least one opaque layer; a coating layer disposed on the at least one polymer layer and having a hardness greater than or equal to a selected hardness, each of the at least one opaque layer, the at least one polymer layer, and the coating layer comprising: It may include a second surface extending from the first surface so that at least a portion is bent.

The exterior surface mounting member according to various embodiments of the present invention can form a flat polymer substrate having glass performance in a 3D shape. In the case of 10R or less, part or all of the external appearance of the electronic device may be configured in a circular shape.

The exterior surface mounting member according to various embodiments of the present invention can be 3D molded in a state in which UV molding is applied to the rear surface of the polymer substrate.

The exterior surface mounting member according to various embodiments of the present invention secures a high surface hardness of 4H or more. By securing surface hardness and scratch resistance of 4H or higher, it provides glass-level appearance quality.

The exterior surface mounting member according to various embodiments of the present invention implements a design without a separate FILM by thermoforming after applying printing/UV molding under the polymer substrate.

1A is a perspective view illustrating a front part of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;
1B is a perspective view illustrating a rear portion of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;
2 is a diagram illustrating an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure as viewed from top, bottom, left, and right sides.
3 is a perspective view illustrating a front window (front exterior surface mounting member) of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;
4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 3 , and is a partially enlarged view.
5 is an exploded perspective view of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;
6 is a perspective view illustrating a front window (front exterior surface mounting member) of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;
7 is a perspective view illustrating a rear window (a rear exterior surface mounting member) of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;
8 is a view illustrating an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure viewed from top, bottom, left, and right sides.
9 is a perspective view illustrating a rear window (a rear exterior surface mounting member) of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic device shown in FIG. 9 .
11 is an exploded perspective view of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;
12A is a perspective view illustrating a window mounted on the front, rear, or front and rear surfaces of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;
12B is a perspective view illustrating a front, upper, and side view of a window mounted on the front, rear, or front and rear surfaces of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;
13A is a perspective view illustrating a window mounted on the front, rear, or front and rear surfaces of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;
13B is a perspective view illustrating a front, upper, and side view of a window mounted on the front, rear, or front and rear surfaces of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;
14 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a polymer substrate according to various embodiments of the present invention.
15 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a flat exterior surface mounting member before molding according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;
16 is a perspective view illustrating an assembled mold for forming a flat exterior surface mounting member according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;
17 is a perspective view illustrating an upper mold (a), a sleeve (b), and a lower mold (c) of each separate mold for forming a flat exterior surface mounting member according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;
18 is a flowchart illustrating a method of manufacturing an appearance subtitle according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
19 is a flowchart illustrating an appearance subtitle molding process according to various embodiments of the present invention.
20 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a heating process is performed after a flat exterior surface mounting member is disposed in a mold according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;
21 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a compression process is performed after a flat exterior surface mounting member is disposed in a mold according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;
22 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a curved exterior surface mounting member after molding according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;
23A is a view illustrating an exterior surface mounting member before a molding process according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, and FIG. 23B is a diagram illustrating an exterior surface mounting member after a molding process according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
24A and 24B are views illustrating a state in which the protective vinyl provided on the exterior surface mounting member does not cover the exterior after molding according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;
25 is a view illustrating a state in which a protective vinyl provided on an exterior surface mounting member according to various embodiments covers the exterior after molding.

Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present disclosure are described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this is not intended to limit the present disclosure to specific embodiments, and it should be understood that various modifications, equivalents, and/or alternatives of the embodiments of the present disclosure are included. In connection with the description of the drawings, like reference numerals may be used for like components.

In this document, expressions such as “have,” “may have,” “include,” or “may include” are the presence of a corresponding characteristic (eg, a numerical value, function, operation, or component such as a part). and does not exclude the presence of additional features.

In this document, expressions such as “A or B,” “at least one of A or/and B,” or “one or more of A or/and B” may include all possible combinations of the items listed together. . For example, “A or B, “at least one of A and B,” or “at least one of A or B” means (1) includes at least one A, (2) includes at least one B, or (3) It may refer to all cases including both at least one A and at least one B.

Expressions such as “first,” “second,” “first,” or “second,” used in various embodiments may modify various components regardless of order and/or importance, and the corresponding components do not limit them The above expressions may be used to distinguish one component from another. For example, the first user equipment and the second user equipment may represent different user equipment regardless of order or importance. For example, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, a first component may be referred to as a second component, and similarly, the second component may also be renamed as a first component.

that one component (eg, a first component) is "coupled with/to (operatively or communicatively)" to another component (eg, a second component); When referring to "connected to", it should be understood that the certain element may be directly connected to the other element or may be connected through another element (eg, a third element). On the other hand, when it is said that a component (eg, a first component) is "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another component (eg, a second component), the component and the It may be understood that other components (eg, a third component) do not exist between other components.

The expression "configured to (or configured to)" as used in this document, depending on the context, for example, "suitable for," "having the capacity to; It can be used interchangeably with “designed to,” “adapted to,” “made to,” or “capable of.” The term "configured (or configured to)" may not necessarily mean only "specifically designed to" in hardware. Instead, in some circumstances, the expression "a device configured to" means that the device is may mean “capable of” in conjunction with other devices or parts. For example, “a processor configured (or configured to perform) the phrases A, B, and C” means a dedicated processor for performing that operation. (eg, embedded processor) or a generic-purpose processor (eg, CPU or application processor) capable of performing corresponding operations by executing one or more software programs stored in the memory device.

Terms used in this document are only used to describe specific embodiments, and may not be intended to limit the scope of other embodiments. The singular expression may include the plural expression unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. All terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, may have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art of the present disclosure. Terms defined in general used in the dictionary can be interpreted as having the same or similar meaning as the meaning in the context of the related art, and unless explicitly defined in this document, it is not interpreted in an ideal or excessively formal meaning. . In some cases, even terms defined in this document cannot be construed to exclude embodiments of the present disclosure.

The electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may include, for example, a smartphone, a tablet personal computer (PC), a mobile phone, a video phone, and an e-book reader (e-). book reader), desktop PC (desktop personal computer), laptop PC (laptop personal computer), netbook computer (workstation), server, PDA (personal digital assistant), PMP (portable multimedia player), MP3 Players, mobile medical devices, cameras, or wearable devices (e.g. smart glasses, head-mounted-device (HMD)), electronic garments, electronic bracelets, electronic necklaces, electronic apps accessory, electronic tattoo, smart mirror, or smart watch).

In some embodiments, the electronic device may be a smart home appliance. Smart home appliances, for example, televisions, digital video disk (DVD) players, audio, refrigerators, air conditioners, vacuum cleaners, ovens, microwave ovens, washing machines, air purifiers, set-top boxes (set-top box), home automation Home automation control panel, security control panel, TV box (e.g. Samsung HomeSync™, Apple TV™ or Google TV™, game console (e.g. Xbox™, PlayStation™), electronic dictionary, electronic key , a camcorder, and may include at least one of an electronic picture frame.

In another embodiment, the electronic device may include various medical devices (eg, various portable medical measuring devices (eg, a blood glucose monitor, a heart rate monitor, a blood pressure monitor, or a body temperature monitor), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), CT (computed tomography), imager, or ultrasound machine, etc.), navigation device, global positioning system receiver, EDR (event data recorder), FDR (flight data recorder), automotive infotainment device, marine use Electronic equipment (e.g. navigation devices for ships, gyro compasses, etc.), avionics, security devices, head units for vehicles, industrial or domestic robots, automatic teller's machines (ATMs) in financial institutions, POS in stores (point of sales), or internet of things (e.g. light bulbs, sensors, electricity or gas meters, sprinkler devices, smoke alarms, thermostats, street lights, toasters, exercise equipment, It may include at least one of a hot water tank, a heater, a boiler, etc.).

According to some embodiments, the electronic device is a piece of furniture or a building/structure, an electronic board, an electronic signature receiving device, a projector, or various measuring instruments (eg, water, electricity, gas, or a radio wave measuring device). In various embodiments, the electronic device may be a combination of one or more of the various devices described above. The electronic device according to an embodiment may be a flexible electronic device. In addition, the electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described devices, and may include a new electronic device according to technological development.

1A is a perspective view illustrating a front part of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure; 1B is a perspective view illustrating a rear portion of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure; 2 is a diagram illustrating an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure as viewed from top, bottom, left, and right sides.

1A to 2 , in the electronic device 100 according to various embodiments, a display 101 (or a touch screen) may be installed on the front part thereof. A receiver 102 for receiving the other party's voice may be disposed above the display 101 . A microphone 103 for transmitting the voice of the user of the electronic device to the other party may be disposed below the display 101 .

Components for performing various functions of the electronic device 100 may be disposed around the receiver 102 is installed. The components may include at least one sensor module 104 . The sensor module 104 may include, for example, at least one of an illuminance sensor (eg, an optical sensor), a proximity sensor (eg, an optical sensor), an infrared sensor, and an ultrasonic sensor. According to one embodiment, the component may include a front camera 105 . According to an embodiment, the component may include an indicator 106 for notifying the user of the state information of the electronic device 100 .

The display 101 may be formed to occupy most of the front surface of the electronic device 100 . The main home screen is the first screen displayed on the display 101 when the electronic device 100 is turned on. Also, when the electronic device 100 has different home screens of multiple pages, the main home screen may be a first home screen among the home screens of multiple pages. Shortcut icons for executing frequently used applications, a main menu switching key, time, weather, etc. may be displayed on the home screen. The main menu switching key displays a menu screen on the display 101 . In addition, a status bar that displays the state of the device 100 such as the battery charge state, the strength of the received signal, and the current time may be formed at the upper end of the display 101 . A home key 110a, a menu key 110b, and a back key 110c may be formed under the display 101 .

The home key 110a displays a main home screen on the display 101 . For example, when the home key 110a is touched while a home screen or menu screen different from the main home screen is displayed on the display 101 , the main home screen may be displayed on the display 101 . Also, if the home key 110a is touched while applications are being executed on the display 101 , a main home screen may be displayed on the display 101 . Also, the home key 110a may be used to display recently used applications on the display 101 or to display a task manager.

The menu key 110b provides a connection menu that can be used on the display 101 . The connection menu may include a widget addition menu, a background screen change menu, a search menu, an edit menu, an environment setting menu, and the like. The back key 110c may display a screen that was executed immediately before the currently executed screen or terminate the most recently used application.

The electronic device 100 according to various embodiments may include a metal frame 120 as a metal housing. The metal frame 120 may be disposed along the edge of the electronic device 100 , and may be disposed to extend to at least a partial area of the rear surface of the electronic device that extends from the edge. The metal frame 120 defines at least a portion of the thickness of the electronic device 100 along the edge of the electronic device, and may be formed in a closed loop shape. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the metal frame 120 may be formed in a manner that contributes to at least a portion of the thickness of the electronic device 100 .

The metal frame 120 may be disposed only on at least a partial area of the edge of the electronic device 100 . When the metal frame 120 serves as a part of the housing of the electronic device 100 , the remaining part of the housing may be replaced with a non-metal member. In this case, the housing may be formed in such a way that a non-metal member is insert-injected into the metal frame 120 . The metal frame 120 includes at least one segmented portion 125 and 126 , and the unit metal frame separated by the segmented portions 125 and 126 may be used as an antenna radiator. The upper frame 123 may be contributed as a unit frame by a pair of segment parts 125 formed at regular intervals. The lower frame 124 may be contributed as a unit frame by a pair of segment parts 126 formed at regular intervals. The segmented parts 125 and 126 may be formed together when the non-metal member is insert-injected into the metal member.

The metal frame 120 has a closed loop shape along the edge, and may be disposed in a manner that contributes to the entire thickness of the electronic device 100 . When the electronic device 100 is viewed from the front, the metal frame 120 may include a left frame 121 , a right frame 122 , an upper frame 123 , and a lower frame 124 .

Various electronic components may be disposed on the lower frame 124 of the electronic device. A speaker 108 may be disposed on one side of the microphone 103 . On the other side of the microphone 103 , an interface connector 107 for charging the electronic device 100 by receiving a data transmission/reception function and external power from an external device may be disposed. An ear jack hole 109 may be disposed on one side of the interface connector 107 . The above-described microphone 103 , speaker 108 , interface connector 107 , and ear jack hole 109 are all within the area of a unit frame formed by a pair of segment parts 126 disposed on the lower frame 124 . can be placed. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and at least one of the above-described electronic components may be disposed in the region including the segment 126 or disposed outside the unit frame.

Referring to FIG. 2 , various electronic components may also be disposed on the upper frame 123 of the electronic device 100 . A socket device 116 for inserting a card-type external device may be disposed on the upper frame 123 . The socket device 116 may accommodate at least one of a unique ID card (eg, a SIM card, a UIM card, etc.) for an electronic device and a memory card for storage space expansion. An infrared sensor module 118 may be disposed on one side of the socket device 116 , and an auxiliary microphone device 117 may be disposed on one side of the infrared sensor module 118 . The socket device 116 , the infrared sensor module 118 , and the auxiliary microphone device 117 may all be disposed within an area of a unit frame formed by a pair of segment parts 125 disposed on the upper frame 123 . . However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and at least one of the aforementioned electronic components may be disposed in the region including the segmented portion 225 or disposed outside the segmented portion.

At least one first side key button 111 may be disposed on the left frame 121 of the metal frame 120 . The at least one first side key button 111 may be partially protruded in a pair on the left frame 121 to serve to perform a volume up/down function, a scroll function, and the like. At least one second side key button 112 may be disposed on the right frame 122 of the metal frame 120 . The second side key button 112 may serve to perform a power on/off function, a wakeup/sleep function of the electronic device, and the like. At least one key button 110 may be disposed on at least some of the lower regions excluding the display of the front surface 1001 of the electronic device 100 . The key button 110 may function as a home key button. A fingerprint recognition sensor device may be disposed on the upper surface of the home key button. The home key button performs a first function (home screen return function, wake-up/sleep function, etc.) by physically pressing, and a second function (eg, fingerprint) by swiping the upper surface of the home key button. recognition function, etc.). Although not shown, a touch pad may be disposed on the left and right of the key button 110 to perform a touch function.

A rear camera 113 may be disposed on the rear surface 1002 of the electronic device 100 , and at least one electronic component 114 may be disposed on one side of the rear camera 113 . The electronic component 114 may include at least one of an illuminance sensor (eg, an optical sensor), a proximity sensor (eg, an optical sensor), an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a heart rate sensor, and a flash device.

The front surface 1001 including the display 101 may include a flat portion 1011 , and a left curved portion 1012 and a right curved portion 1013 formed on both left and right sides of the flat portion 1011 , respectively. have. The front surface 1001 of the electronic device 100 may include both the display area 101 and other areas (eg, the BM area) using one window. The left and right curved portions 1012 and 1013 may be formed to extend from the flat portion 1011 in the X-axis direction of the electronic device 100 . The left and right curved portions 1012 and 1013 may serve as a portion of the side surface of the electronic device 100 . In this case, the left and right curved portions 1012 and 1013 and the left and right frames 121 and 122 of the metal frame 120 may both contribute to the side surface of the electronic device 100 . However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the front surface 1001 including the display 101 may include at least one of the left and right curved portions 1012 and 1013 . The front surface 1001 may be configured to include only the left curved portion 1012 along the flat portion 1011 or only the right curved portion 1013 along the flat portion 1011 .

The front surface 1001 may include a window 130 (shown in FIG. 3 ) including curved portions 1012 and 1013 on left and right sides, and a flexible display module applied to at least a partial area under the window. The area including the flexible display module may serve as the display 101 . According to an embodiment, the window 130 (shown in FIG. 3 ) may be formed in a manner in which the upper surface and the rear surface are simultaneously bent (hereinafter, '3-D method'). However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the window (shown in FIG. 3 ; 130 ) may be formed in a manner in which left and right portions of the upper surface are formed in a curved shape and the rear surface is formed in a flat shape (hereinafter, '2.5D method'). The window may be formed of a transparent glass material (eg, sapphire glass) or a transparent synthetic resin material.

The electronic device 100 may selectively display information by controlling the display module. The electronic device 100 may configure a screen only on the flat unit 1011 by controlling the display module. The electronic device 100 controls the display module to configure a screen including any one of the left and right curved portions 1012 and 1013 together with the flat portion 1011 . The electronic device 100 may control the display module to configure a screen with only at least one curved portion among the left and right curved portions 1012 and 1013 excluding the flat portion 1011 .

The rear surface 1002 of the electronic device 100 may also be formed entirely by one rear exterior surface mounting member 115 . The rear surface 1002 includes a flat portion 1151 generally formed around the center, and a left curved portion 1152 and a right curved portion 1153 formed on both left and right sides of the flat portion 1151, respectively. can The window 115 may be configured in a 2.5D manner in which left and right curved portions 1152 and 1153 of the outer surface are formed in a curved shape, and the rear surface is formed in a flat shape. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and may be formed in a 3D manner like a window disposed on the front surface 1001 . The left and right curved portions 1152 and 1153 may serve as a portion of the side surface of the electronic device 100 . In this case, the left and right curved portions 1152 and 1153 and the left and right frames 121 and 122 of the metal frame 120 may both contribute to the side surface of the electronic device 100 . However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the rear surface 1002 may include at least one of the left and right curved portions 1152 and 1153 . The back surface 1002 may be configured to include only the left curved portion 1152 along the flat portion 1151 , or only the right curved portion 1153 along the flat portion 1151 .

The upper left and right corner portions and the lower left and right corner portions of the front surface 1001 may be formed to simultaneously incline in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction while the window is bent. Due to this shape, the upper left and right corner portions and the lower left and right corner portions of the metal frame 120 may be formed such that the height of the side surface is gradually lowered.

3 is a perspective view illustrating a front window (front exterior surface mounting member) of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

Referring to FIG. 3 , according to various embodiments, the front surface 1101 of the electronic device 100 may be formed of a transparent window 130 . The front surface 1101 may include the display 101 area. The front window 130 has a left bending part (curved part) 1012 and a right bending part (curved part) in which the left and right regions are bent (curved) based on the flat part 1011 and the plane part 1011. ) (1013).

4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 3 , and is a partially enlarged view.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the electronic device 100 may include a support structure, for example, a bracket 136 to support the substrate and the display. The bracket 136 may be fixed to the housing. A display may be fixed to the front surface of the bracket 136 , and the front window 130 may be disposed on the front surface of the bracket 136 . The front window 130 may be fixed in such a way that it is attached to the bracket 136 by the first adhesive member. The front window 130 may be fixed in such a way that it is attached to the bracket 136 by a first adhesive member corresponding to the shape at the end of the housing. The front window 130 may be formed in a shape having a uniform thickness and a predetermined curvature. According to an embodiment, the front window 130 may include a flat portion 1011 and left and right curved portions 1012 and 1013 , all of which may be formed to have a predetermined thickness.

The rear window (which may be used interchangeably with the rear surface mounting member) 115 mounted on the rear side of the electronic device may also be fixed to the housing by the second adhesive member. The rear window 115 may be formed in a shape (a shape formed by a 2.5D method) that becomes thinner toward the left and right edges. 132 may refer to a battery pack, and 138 may refer to a rear case. The rear window 115 may include a flat surface.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the rear window 115 (a high hardness sheet) may be attached to the rear case 138 . The rear case 138 may have one surface having a similar curvature to that of the rear window 115 (a high hardness sheet), and an adhesive layer may be additionally formed on at least a portion of the one surface. The adhesive layer may be attached by fixing the rear window 115 to the rear case 136 . According to various embodiments of the present invention, the rear window 115 (high hardness sheet) may further include an antenna module (not shown) on the rear side. The antenna module may be NFC, wireless charging antenna, or MST. The rear window 115 may further include a through hole (shown in further 5; 115a) for assembling with peripheral parts such as a camera, an HRM sensor, a flash, and the like.

5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

Referring to FIG. 5 , in the electronic device 100 , a front window 130 , eg, a transparent front exterior surface mounting member, may be stacked on the upper side of the housing surrounded by the metal frame 120 . A rear window 115, for example, a rear exterior surface mounting member, may be stacked on a lower side of the housing. In addition, the battery pack 132 and a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) 134 may be accommodated in the housing. The front window 130 and the rear window 115 may be opposed to each other around the housing. The front window 130 or the rear window 115 may be a part of an exterior surface mounting member.

The front window 130 is a transparent member and may be referred to as a window or a display window. The front window 130 may include a flat portion 1311 and a left curved portion 1312 and a right curved portion 1312 in both directions from the flat portion 1311 . Each of the left curved portion 1312 and the right curved portion 1312 may have first and second curvatures, respectively. The first and second curvatures may be the same or different. The front window 130 is located outside the electronic device 100 , forms the front part, and can display a screen displayed on the display using a transparent material, and can provide input/output windows for various sensors. Although the left and right curved portions 1312 and 1313 show a shape formed in a 3D method, not only left and right, but also upper and lower monorefringent shapes or upper, lower, left and right birefringent shapes may be applied. This will be described with reference to FIGS. 12A to 13B .

The housing may form the exterior (eg, the side including the metal frame 120) of the electronic device, and may be combined with the bracket 136 to create an internal space. The front window 130 may be disposed on the front side of the housing, and the rear window 115 may be disposed on the rear side of the housing.

The aforementioned front and/or rear windows 130 and 115 are members responsible for at least a part of the exterior of the electronic device 100 , and may be at least a part of the front part, at least part of the rear part, or at least part of the side part of the electronic device. When the window is disposed on the front portion of the electronic device, the exterior surface mounting member may be referred to as a front cover, for example, a (front) window, and when disposed on the rear portion of the electronic device, the exterior surface mounting member may be a back cover or a rear surface It may refer to a cover or (rear) window. The exterior surface mounting member disposed on the rear surface may be integrally formed with the electronic device or configured as a detachable structure. Also, the front window 130 may include a transparent member, and the rear window 115 may include a transparent, translucent exterior surface mount member.

6 is a front perspective view of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure; 7 is a rear perspective view of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure; 8 is a view viewed from various directions of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

In describing FIGS. 6 to 8 , the configuration of FIGS. 1A to 2 is generally similar to that of FIGS. 1A to 2 , and only the configuration of the front window and the rear window is different. Accordingly, descriptions of overlapping technical contents will be omitted.

Referring to FIG. 6 , in the electronic device 200 according to various embodiments, the front part 2101 may be formed as a transparent window. A front window 230 may be disposed on the front part. According to one embodiment, the front surface 2101 may include a display area 201 . The front window 230 may include a flat portion 2311 and a left curved portion 2312 and a right curved portion 2313 in which left and right regions are bent based on the flat portion 2311 . Each of the left curved portion 2312 and the right curved portion 2313 may have first and second curvatures, respectively. The first and second curvatures may be the same or different.

The electronic device 200 according to various embodiments may have a transparent window formed on the rear surface thereof. A rear window 240 may be disposed on the rear portion. The rear window 240 may include a flat portion 2411 and a left curved portion 2412 and a right curved portion 2413 in which left and right regions are bent based on the flat portion 2411 . Each of the left curved portion 2412 and the right curved portion 2412 may have first and second curvatures, respectively. The first and second curvatures may be the same or different.

In addition, according to various embodiments, the left and right curved portions 2312 and 2313 of the front window 230 and the left and right curved portions 2412 and 2413 of the rear window 240) are formed to have the same bending size. can be However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and at least one of the left and right bending portions 2312 and 2313 of the front window and the left and right bending portions 2412 and 2413 of the rear window may be formed to have different bending sizes. According to an embodiment, the front and rear windows 230 and 240 may be formed in the 3D method or the 2.5D method described above.

9 is a perspective view illustrating a rear window (a rear exterior surface mounting member) of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic device shown in FIG. 9 . 11 is an exploded perspective view of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

9 to 11 , a transparent front window 330 may be disposed on the front surface of the electronic device 300 according to various embodiments. The front window 330 may have a flat surface.

The electronic device 300 according to various embodiments may have a rear surface formed of a transparent/translucent window. A rear window 340 may be disposed on the rear portion. The rear window 340 may include a left curved portion 3412 and a right curved portion 3413 in which left and right regions are bent based on the flat portion 3411 and the flat portion 3411 . Each of the left curved portion 3412 and the right curved portion 3413 may have first and second curvatures, respectively. The first and second curvatures may be the same or different.

Also, according to various embodiments, the left and right curved portions 3412 and 3413 of the rear window 340 may be formed to have the same bending size. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and at least one of the left and right bending portions 3412 and 3413 of the rear window may be formed to have different bending sizes. According to an embodiment, the front and rear windows 330 and 340 may be formed in the 3D method or the 2.5D method described above.

In the electronic device 300 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a front window 330 may be disposed on a first surface of the rear case 338 to which a bracket for supporting a substrate assembly is coupled, and the rear case in a direction opposite to the first surface. (338) A rear window 340 may be disposed on the second surface. The front window 330 and the rear window 340 may face each other, may face each other, and may be parallel to each other. The power window 330 may be a transparent member, and the rear window 340 may be transparent or translucent. Reference numeral 332 may be a battery pack.

12A and 12B are views illustrating various shapes of a window 40 applied to an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. The window 40 may be disposed on the front, rear, or front and rear surfaces of the electronic device, respectively.

12A is a perspective view illustrating a window mounted on the front, rear, or front and rear surfaces of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure; 12B is a perspective view illustrating a front, upper, and side view of a window mounted on the front, rear, or front and rear surfaces of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

12A and 12B , the window 40 includes a flat area 41 , an upper area 42 above the flat area 41 , and a planar area 41 with respect to the display area. The lower region 43 at the lower side may include a bent curved portion. In this case, the display module corresponding thereto may also be arranged in a corresponding shape.

13A is a perspective view illustrating a window mounted on the front, rear, or front and rear surfaces of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure; 13B is a perspective view illustrating a front, upper, and side view of a window mounted on the front, rear, or front and rear surfaces of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

13A and 13B , the window 50 may be disposed on the front, rear, or front and rear surfaces of the electronic device, respectively. That is, the window 50 may be applied as a front window, a rear window, or a front and rear window. The window 50 may include a planar portion 51 , a left region 54 , a right region 55 , an upper region 52 , and a lower region 53 that are each curved. Also, in this case, a display module corresponding thereto may also be disposed in a corresponding shape.

According to various embodiments, the above-described window 50 may be formed in a 3D method having a constant thickness from the display area to the bent area, and may have the same curvature or different curvatures.

14 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a polymer base according to various embodiments of the present invention. Since the polymer substrate layer is made of a polymer material and has a plate or sheet shape, it may be referred to as a polymer plate or a polymer sheet. In addition, since a hard coating layer is formed on the polymer substrate layer, it may be described as being mixed with a high-hardness sheet. These may be some or all of the mod appearance surface mount members.

Referring to FIG. 14 , the exterior surface mounting member according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is a high-hardness sheet, and includes a polymer substrate layer 620 and a high-hardness anti-scratch hard coating layer 630 (hard coating). layer) may be included. A hard coating layer 630 may be coated on the polymer substrate layer 620 .

According to various embodiments, the polymer substrate layer 620 is a transparent layer, mainly a material obtained by laminating poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA 612) and poly carbonate (PC 610), and has excellent optical properties such as high transmittance and non-polarization properties. It may be a material including an organic plate having a performance. The polymer substrate layer 620 is, for example, a PC+PMMA laminated layer, a layer composed of a PMMA single layer, a layer composed of an optical PC sheet, a layer composed of PMMA+special PMMA copolymer, or a polyimide (PI) sheet It may be composed of a layer composed of, or any one of a layer composed of PC+PI or PMMA+PI copolymer.

According to various embodiments, the high hardness scratch-resistant hard coating layer 630 may be formed of a hard coating layer having flexibility without cracks even in bending of 10R or less. When it is 10R or less, it may be an external appearance R value that may form a part or the whole of the external appearance of the electronic device in a circular shape. The high hardness scratch-resistant hard coating layer 630 may be formed of a high hardness acrylate layer or a silica-based (SiO ₂ ) glass film coating layer.

According to various embodiments of the present invention, the high hardness hard coating layer 630 may be configured as follows. A main component of the high hardness hard coating layer 630 according to various embodiments may include acrylate or silica (SiO 2 ), and may have a high hardness of 4H or higher pencil hardness. In the above component, the acrylate component tends to be a little more flexible, and the silica-based material has a slightly higher hardness, but the silica-based material tends to have a slightly lower manufacturability due to increased crack generation due to the appearance processing conditions.

The hard coating layer 630 basically includes scratch resistance withstanding 4H or higher hardness/steel wool test and eraser abrasion resistance test, and may additionally impart various functionalities to the hard coating layer. The meaning of providing functionalities may be configured by separately additionally forming a layer having the following components on the hard coating layer, or adding the following components to the main components of the hard coating layer in an additive manner. That is, by adding the following additives to the main component of the hard coat layer, functionality can be imparted to the hard coat layer. For example, when a layer is formed by adding an anti-reflective (AR) component or an anti-fingerprint (AF) component to the main component of the hard coating layer, the hard coating layer may provide anti-reflection (AR) or anti-fingerprint (AF).

In the past, in order to add functions such as AF, IF, AG, AR, etc. to glass, it was a method of forming a layer through each coating process. have.

For example, the anti-fingerprint (AF) may be configured by adding a fluorine-based resin to the high hardness acrylate, which is the main component of the hard coating, as an additive, and adding only water and oil repellency to the properties of the hard coating layer.

Also, in the case of AG, there is a method of mixing anti-glare particles with the hard coating solution, and there may be a method of adding a layer, but the best method is to add functionality as an additive to one layer of coating solution. can

Additional possible ingredients that provide the functionality are as follows.

The AF (Anti-Fingerprint) component is an anti-fingerprint component, and may be added as a water and oil repellent coating material or applied as a water and oil repellent coating layer. The AR component mainly includes a fluorine group, and may be formed at a water contact angle of 100 degrees or more.

The IF component can be added as a hydrophobic lipophilic coating or applied as a coating layer. The IF component may be formed at a water contact angle of 80 degrees or less.

AG (Anti-Glare) component is a component that reduces light reflection through diffuse reflection by adding scattering particles, and can increase visibility in natural light.

15 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a flat exterior surface mounting member before molding according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

Referring to FIG. 15 , in the planar exterior surface mounting member according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the following layers may be additionally formed on the polymer base layer 620 .

A UV molding layer 640 may be formed under the polymer substrate layer 620 according to various embodiments. The UV molding layer 640 is a pattern layer or a decoration layer for decoration, and a plurality of patterns (decoration patterns) may be formed regularly or irregularly in various designs. The plurality of UV patterns may be formed in 2D or 3D. Since the exterior surface mounting member is located on the exterior surface of the electronic device, it may be a component that should resist scratches and the like and should contribute to the exterior design of the electronic device. Accordingly, the exterior surface mount component may be provided with various visibility patterns. In addition, the UV molding layer 640 does not need to be limited to a single layer, and may consist of a plurality of first and second molding layers for various exterior decoration.

According to various embodiments, the pattern may be a lenticular pattern. The pattern may be applied to at least one of a front surface and a rear surface of the exterior member of the electronic device. The lenticular pattern may be applied in a protruding shape in the form of a plurality of repeating stripes, and the stripe direction may be applied in a width direction, a length direction, or a possible direction of the electronic device. The protruding direction of the stripe-shaped protruding shape may protrude from the exterior member toward the inside of the electronic device.

According to various embodiments of the present invention, the UV molding liquid may be configured as follows.

For the UV molding, a soft UV molding solution for foaming may be used. In general, in the case of a UV molding liquid used for glass or a high-hardness sheet, a molding liquid having a slightly higher hardness may be used. Existing molding liquid specifications may be hardness H or higher. If the same UV molding solution as the flat material is used, UV molding cracks may occur in the bending part. The UV molding liquid specifications currently used are as follows.

In addition, a PVD layer 650 may be further formed under the UV molding layer 640 . The PVD layer 650 is a deposition layer that provides color and a sense of metal, and may serve as a color function of an exterior surface mounting member. In addition, a shielding layer 660 may be printed under the PVD layer 650 . The shielding layer 660 may have a black color, but is not limited thereto. The shielding layer 660 may be formed of heat-resistant ink by a printing method.

The flat exterior surface mounting member having the above configuration may be manufactured as an exterior surface mounting member having a three-dimensional (3D) curved surface (curvature) by a molding process using a mold to be described below. At least one curved surface may be formed on the exterior surface mounting member to occupy at least a partial area.

Hereinafter, molding equipment for thermal molding a flat exterior surface mounting member, for example, the mold 60 will be described.

16 is a perspective view illustrating an assembled mold for forming a flat exterior surface mounting member according to various embodiments of the present disclosure; 17 is a perspective view illustrating an upper mold (a), a sleeve (b), and a lower mold (c) respectively of separate molds for forming a flat exterior surface mounting member according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

16 and 17 , the mold 70 according to various embodiments may include a lower mold 710 , an upper mold 730 , and a sleeve 720 . In addition, in the mold preparation stage, CrN coating/DLC coating can be applied to the mold surface (improving mold releasability). Each of the upper mold 730 and the lower mold 710 includes flat parts 7301,7101 and curved parts 7302,7303; 7102,7103 in order to apply flat and curved surfaces to the exterior surface mount member. may be provided respectively. In the assembly sequence, the sleeve 620 is inserted into the lower mold 610 and the upper mold 630 is combined to complete the mold assembly.

First, a flat exterior surface mounting member 800 (shown in FIG. 21 ) prepared according to various embodiments of the present invention is prepared. A protective vinyl may be attached to the rear surface of the prepared exterior surface mounting member 700 . The protective vinyl is a type that melts by heat, and may be used to separate the molded exterior surface mounting member 702 (shown in FIG. 22 ) from the mold 710 in an intact state.

The manufacturing apparatus according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is a progressive type manufacturing apparatus, and various steps may be sequentially performed. For example, even if heating 1 and 2 processes are completed in 100 seconds and cooling 1 and 2 processes are completed in 100 seconds, if the compression process requires 200 seconds, the times of other processes may also have to be advanced by 200 seconds by the compression process.

According to various embodiments, the process that has the greatest impact on the appearance of the product may usually require the longest time. For example, if the compression process is divided into two processes and performed twice for 100 seconds each, the entire process is a heating 2 process, a compression 2 process, and a cooling 2 process. The time can be reduced to 100 seconds.

Hereinafter, a method of manufacturing an exterior surface mounting member according to various embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

18 is a flowchart illustrating a method of manufacturing an appearance subtitle according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 18 , an exterior surface mounting member manufacturing process according to various embodiments will be described as follows. A flat exterior surface mounting member as shown in FIG. 15 is prepared (step 1801). After the prepared exterior surface mounting member is placed on the lower mold of the mold, a molding process (step 1803) may be performed. After the molding process, the curved exterior surface mounting member may be peeled off from the mold, so that the final curved exterior surface mounting member may be manufactured (operation 1805 ).

A process for forming an exterior surface mounting member according to various embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 19 to 21 .

19 is a flowchart specifically illustrating a process of forming an exterior member according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. 20 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a heating process is performed after a flat exterior surface mounting member is disposed in a mold according to various embodiments of the present disclosure; 21 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a compression process is performed after a flat exterior surface mounting member is disposed in a mold according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

19 to 21 , the molding process of the exterior surface mounting member 800 according to various embodiments may include a heating process, a compression process, and a cooling process. Fig. 20 shows the state of the mold at the time of the heating process, and Fig. 21 shows the state of the mold at the time of the compression process. When manufacturing based on the same lead time, the more the manufacturing steps are divided, the shorter the cycle time becomes, which improves manufacturability, but there may be a disadvantage in that the number of molds increases.

[Heating process]

The heating process of the exterior surface mounting member according to various embodiments may include at least two or more heating processes. The heating process may be divided into two first and second heating processes. In the heating process, the mold in which the external surface mounting member of the state as shown in FIG. 10 is inserted may be heated at about a first temperature (75°C to 85°C). According to this first heating process, the flexibility of the material of the exterior surface mounting member may be increased.

In the second heating process, the mold in which the external surface mounting member is inserted is heated secondarily between approximately 90 degrees and 110 degrees. According to this second heating process, the external surface mounting member may alleviate the impact of the bent portion while increasing the flexibility of the material.

[Compression process]

The compression process according to various embodiments may include at least one compression process. In the compression process, the mold may be pressed at a pressure of the first pressure (approximately 2 bar to 5 bar or less) at an approximate third temperature (about 120-140 degrees Celsius). By the compression process, the exterior surface mounting member 900 can produce a desired curved portion.

Compared with the glass transition temperature, molding at a relatively low temperature and low pressure prevents nicks on the exterior, improves the impact and whitening of corner bends, improves the peeling of the high hardness hard coating layer, and the rear UV molding The transfer phenomenon to the mold can be improved.

[Cooling process]

The cooling process according to various embodiments may include at least two or more cooling processes. The cooling process may be divided into two first and second cooling processes. The first cooling step cools the exterior surface mounting member to approximately a fourth temperature (55°C to 65°C). According to this first cooling process, the exterior surface mounting member may relieve XY-axis deformation due to rapid cooling.

The second cooling process may cool the exterior surface mounting member at about a fifth temperature (room temperature). After the second cooling process is completed, after the exterior surface mounting member 900 is separated from the mold, a final exterior surface mounting member may be manufactured.

According to various embodiments, the cycle time is set to 40 to 200 sec for each size and thickness. In addition, in the molding process, productivity can be improved due to the PROGRESSIVE process, and multi-cavity can be implemented depending on the size.

22 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a curved exterior surface mounting member after molding according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

22 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the finally manufactured exterior surface mounting member 800 . The flat exterior surface mounting member shown in FIG. 15 was manufactured as an exterior surface mounting member 800 having a curved surface as shown in FIG. 22 through a molding process.

That is, the two-dimensional exterior surface mounting member has a three-dimensional shape. That is, it was changed to a curved shape. The exterior surface mounting member 800 manufactured by the molding process may be manufactured in a combination shape of a flat portion and a portion having a curvature extending from the flat portion. The exterior surface mounting member 900 may be applied to a window of a curved or bendable flexible display having a curvature. According to various embodiments, such an exterior surface mounting member may be employed in a smart phone, a flexible device, or a wearable device on which a curved or bendable flexible display having a curvature is mounted.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the manufactured window (exterior surface mounting member) may further include a flexible display module on the rear surface. The flexible display module may be configured to have the same or similar curvature to the window. The manufactured window may further include a through hole for assembling with peripheral parts such as a receiver and a home key, and the decoration layer is a part through which internal/external light sources such as a camera hole and a geunjo sensor hole must be transmitted. It may further include at least a partially transparent or translucent area.

23A is a view illustrating an exterior surface mounting member before a molding process according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, and FIG. 23B is a diagram illustrating an exterior surface mounting member after a molding process according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

The exterior surface mounting member 700 before molding and the exterior surface mounting member 702 after molding will be described in comparison with reference to FIGS. 23A and 23B . The exterior surface mounting member 700 before molding may be a flat member. The detailed configuration of the flat exterior surface mounting member 700 is shown in FIG. 15 , and the configuration of the curved exterior surface mounting member 702 having a curved surface at least a part of which has a curvature after the forming process is shown in FIG. 22 .

The flat exterior surface mounting member 700 may be manufactured into a flat portion 7021 and first and second curved portions 7021 and 7023 by a molding process. The exterior surface mounting member 702 may be employed in the front window disposed on the front side of FIG. 1 . The exterior surface mounting member 702 may be formed in a shape corresponding to that of the flexible display. That is, it is possible to manufacture various exterior surface mounting members corresponding to flexible displays of various shapes, that is, windows having various shapes. Also, the flat portion may be deformed to have a gentle curved surface, that is, a curvature.

24A and 24B are views illustrating a state in which the protective vinyl provided on the exterior surface mounting member does not cover the exterior after molding according to various embodiments of the present disclosure; 25 is a view illustrating a state in which a protective vinyl provided on an exterior surface mounting member according to various embodiments covers the exterior after molding.

24A and 24B , according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, one surface of the high hardness sheet 90 (outer surface mounting member) may further include a protective vinyl 91 . The protective vinyl 91 can protect the high-hardness sheet from scratches, etc. generated inside the mold when the high-hardness sheet 90 is manufactured in a 3D shape through a thermoforming process, and is formed in the mold after molding. Take-out can be facilitated.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the protective vinyl 91 may be of a type that melts by heat. In the case of PET, which is a general protective vinyl material, since there is almost no deformation at the molding temperature, the high-hardness sheet 90 cannot cover the exterior (P1 part) of the high-hardness sheet material after molding as much as the length is increased through thermoforming, so after molding It may leave marks on the exterior.

Referring to FIG. 25 , when the protective vinyl 91 having a glass transition temperature of 130 degrees or less, which is the molding temperature, is used, the protective vinyl 91 melts and covers the exterior to cover the dents on the exterior of the high-hardness sheet (P2 part). can

Various embodiments of the present disclosure disclosed in the present specification and drawings are merely presented as specific examples to easily explain the technical content of the present disclosure and help the understanding of the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure should be construed as including all changes or modifications derived from the technical spirit of the present disclosure in addition to the embodiments disclosed herein as being included in the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims (13)

In an electronic device,
a display disposed on a front surface of the electronic device; and
a rear cover disposed on a rear surface of the electronic device, wherein the rear cover includes:
a translucent or transparent polymer layer;
a coating layer disposed on the polymer layer and having a pencil hardness of 4H or higher;
a decoration layer formed under the polymer layer;
a deposition layer formed under the decoration layer; and
and a shielding layer formed by printing a heat-resistant ink under the deposition layer,
and the polymer layer and the coating layer include curved portions forming curved sides edges of the back cover. The method according to claim 1,
The back cover further includes a flat portion and a curved portion extending from the flat portion. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
The electronic device, wherein the coating layer comprises an acrylate. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
The coating layer is a silica-based (SiO2) glass film coating, the electronic device. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
The polymer layer comprises:
PMMA (poly methyl methacrylate) layer; and
and a poly carbonate (PC) layer disposed under the PMMA layer. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
wherein the decoration layer comprises a pattern. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the back cover includes a flat portion and the curved portion bent from the flat portion such that at least a portion of the back cover is curved. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
The electronic device, wherein the front surface of the electronic device faces a first direction, and the rear surface of the electronic device faces a second direction opposite to the first direction. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the curved portion includes a first curved portion having a first curvature and a second curved portion having a second curvature. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
and the back cover forms at least a portion of an outer housing of the electronic device. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
The coating layer is exposed to the outside of the electronic device, the electronic device. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
wherein the decoration layer comprises an ultraviolet (UV) molding layer. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
wherein the deposition layer comprises a physical vapor deposition (PVD) layer.

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