RU2782376C1 - Folding electronic device that includes a protective structure for the display - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: electrical engineering.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to electrical engineering. A folding electronic device with a display contains the first housing, the second housing, the hinge housing located between the first housing and the second housing. The hinged structure connects the first housing and the second housing in a folding manner. The flexible display contains the first area corresponding to the first housing, the second area corresponding to the second housing, and the folding area corresponding to the hinged structure. The first protective cover is located on the first housing to cover the periphery of the first area. The second protective cover is located on the second housing to cover the periphery of the second area. The protective structure is located on the hinge housing in the folding area. The protective structure contains a locking element made of elastic material to cover the periphery of the flexible display in the folding and folding area. The protective cap is made of rigid material to support the locking element. At least part of the locking element is made located between the flexible display and the protective cap in the folding area.

EFFECT: prevention of deformation and damage to the display when the device is folded.

10 cl, 45 dwg

Description

Technical field

[1] The disclosure relates generally to a foldable electronic device including a protective structure for a display.

Background of the invention

[2] Electronic devices are getting thinner and are being upgraded to increase rigidity, improve design aspects, and differentiate their functional elements. Electronic devices, which often have a single rectangular shape, are gradually evolving into electronic devices having various shapes. For example, electronic devices may be of variable design which is highly portable and supports a large screen display in use. In accordance with this trend, foldable electronic devices in which at least two cases can be folded or unfolded relative to each other are constantly being developed, and various improvements are made to the foldable structure.

US 2017/0374749 A1 dated December 28, 2017 discloses a mobile terminal comprising a flexible display; a first housing located at the rear of the flexible display and connected to the flexible display; a second housing located at the rear of the flexible display, connected to the flexible display and spaced apart from the first housing, the second housing being movable relative to the first housing; a hinge assembly positioned at the rear of the flexible display and interposed between the first body and the second body, the hinge assembly connecting the first body and the second body; and a hinge cover located on the longitudinal side of the hinge assembly between the first body and the second body, wherein the hinge cover has a smaller thickness towards the central part of the hinge cover from both of its ends in the direction from the hinge cover to the hinge assembly.

Korean Patent KR2019/0001864 dated 01/07/2019 relates to a flexible display device that minimizes mechanical stress applied to a bendable area of a display panel.

Disclosure of invention

Technical problem

[3] The foldable electronic device may include a hinge structure, a first case structure, and a second case structure, where the first case structure and the second case structure are connected via the hinge structure. The foldable electronic device can be folded and unfolded by rotating the first cabinet structure from 0 to 360 degrees with respect to the second cabinet structure using the hinge structure. The foldable electronic device may include a flexible display located throughout the first housing structure and the second housing structure in a 180 degree open state.

[4] Unlike a conventional bar-type electronic device, the foldable electronic device does not include a rigid protective structure (such as a front window) for the display, since the display must be folded with the cabinet structures. Therefore, in a foldable electronic device, the display is attached to housing structures with a protective layer (eg, polyimide (PI) film) disposed on its upper surface, and its periphery can be hidden with a separate protective cover.

[5] The foldable electronic device at the portion corresponding to the hinge structure can be provided with a release space where protective covers located in the case structures are detached, providing a degree of freedom for the hinge structure according to the folding action. When the display periphery is opened through the release space, foreign matter may enter the release space.

[6] In addition, the user may lift the display periphery with a fingernail or a sharp instrument, causing the display to malfunction.

[7] In addition, flattening may occur in the separation space due to the gap between the display and the hinge structure, which may also cause the display to malfunction.

Solution

[8] The disclosure is made to address at least the disadvantages described above and provide at least the advantages described below.

[9] Accordingly, an aspect of the disclosure is to provide a foldable electronic device including a protective structure for a display.

[10] In accordance with an aspect of the disclosure, an electronic device is provided. The electronic device may include: a housing as a housing structure, which includes: a hinge structure corresponding to a folding region and including a hinge body; a first body structure corresponding to the first region connected to the hinge structure and including a first surface, a second surface facing away from the first surface, and a first side element surrounding the first space between the first surface and the second surface; and a second body structure corresponding to the second region connected to the hinge structure and including a third surface, a fourth surface facing away from the third surface, and a second side member surrounding the second space between the third surface and the fourth surface, wherein the first body structure and the second the body structure is foldable relative to the hinge structure so that the first surface and the third surface face the same direction when unfolded, and the second surface and the fourth surface face opposite directions to each other when folded; a display located extending from at least a portion of the first surface to at least a portion of the third surface through the folding region; the first protective cover located in the first area on at least some part of the periphery of the display and along its periphery; a second protective cover located in the second area on at least some of the periphery of the display and along its periphery; and at least one protective structure configured to protect the display periphery in the folding area.

Advantageous Effects of the Invention

[11] According to an embodiment, a foldable electronic device is provided that includes a display protection structure that can protect a display periphery by a hinge structure.

[12] According to an embodiment, a foldable electronic device is provided that includes a protective structure for a display that can prevent breakage of the display by offsetting the space between the display and the hinge structure in the hinge structure.

Brief description of the drawings

[13] The foregoing and other aspects, features and advantages of certain embodiments of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the same or similar reference symbols may be used to refer to the same or like parts and in which :

[14] FIG. 1 illustrates an electronic device in an unfolded state according to an embodiment;

[15] FIG. 2 illustrates an electronic device in a folded state according to an embodiment;

[16] FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded perspective view of an electronic device according to an embodiment;

[17] FIG. 4A illustrates an electronic device including a security structure according to an embodiment;

[18] FIG. 4B illustrates areas or zones configured in an electronic device according to an embodiment;

[19] FIG. 5A and 5B illustrate the first lockout area B1 including the security structure in the electronic device of FIG. 4B according to an embodiment;

[20] FIG. 6A illustrates a partial sectional view of the electronic device of FIG. 5A taken along the line C1-C1' according to an embodiment;

[21] FIG. 6B illustrates a partial sectional view of the electronic device of FIG. 5A taken along the line D-D' according to an embodiment;

[22] FIG. 6C illustrates a partial sectional view of the electronic device of FIG. 5A taken along line C2-C2' according to an embodiment;

[23] FIG. 6D illustrates a partial sectional view of an electronic device according to an embodiment;

[24] FIG. 7 illustrates the protective cap size determined based on the bending radius of the display when the electronic device is folded according to the embodiment;

[25] FIG. 8 illustrates a partial view of an electronic device including a blocking element according to an embodiment;

[26] FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view illustrating a blocking member placed on protective caps according to an embodiment;

[27] FIG. 10 illustrates a partial sectional view of the electronic device of FIG. 8 taken along the line E-E' according to the embodiment;

[28] FIG. 11 and 12 illustrate a partial view of an electronic device including a blocking element according to an embodiment;

[29] FIG. 13 illustrates a partial view of an electronic device including a protective cap according to an embodiment;

[30] FIG. 14A and 14B illustrate a partial sectional view of the electronic device in FIG. 13 taken along the line F-F' according to the embodiment;

[31] FIG. 15 illustrates the protective cap size determined based on the bending radius of the display when the electronic device is folded according to the embodiment;

[32] FIG. 16 and 17 illustrate a partial view of an electronic device including a protective structure according to an embodiment;

[33] FIG. 18 illustrates the assembly process of the protective structure in FIG. 16 according to an embodiment;

[34] FIG. 19 and 20 illustrate partial front and rear perspective views of a blocking member located on protective caps according to an embodiment;

[35] FIG. 21A illustrates a partial perspective view of a hinge body according to an embodiment;

[36] FIG. 21B illustrates a partial perspective view of a blocking member disposed in a hinge housing of an electronic device according to an embodiment;

[37] FIG. 21C illustrates a blocking member folded along a hinge body according to an embodiment;

[38] FIG. 22 illustrates a sectional view taken along line G-G' in FIG. 21C according to an embodiment;

[39] FIG. 23 illustrates a partial view of an electronic device including a protective cap and a blocking structure according to an embodiment;

[40] FIG. 24 illustrates a hinge plate according to an embodiment;

[41] FIG. 25A and 25B illustrate an electronic device including a security structure according to an embodiment;

[42] FIG. 25C illustrates a partial sectional view of the electronic device of FIG. 25B taken along the line H-H' according to an embodiment;

[43] FIG. 26A illustrates a perspective view of a blocking element according to an embodiment;

[44] FIG. 26B illustrates a rear view of a blocking member according to an embodiment;

[45] FIG. 26C illustrates a sectional view of the blocking element in FIG. 26A taken along line I-I' according to an embodiment;

[46] FIG. 27 illustrates a partial rear perspective view of a blocking member located on protective covers according to an embodiment;

[47] FIG. 28A illustrates a partial view of an electronic device including a protective structure according to an embodiment;

[48] FIG. 28B illustrates a partial view of hull structures including auxiliary blocking members according to an embodiment;

[49] FIG. 29A illustrates a partial sectional view of the electronic device of FIG. 28A taken along the line J-J' according to an embodiment;

[50] FIG. 29B illustrates a partial sectional view of the electronic device of FIG. 28A taken along the line K-K' according to the embodiment;

[51] FIG. 29C illustrates a partial sectional view of the folded state of the electronic device of FIG. 29B according to an embodiment; and

[52] FIG. 30 illustrates a functional diagram of the contact configuration between the protective cap and the auxiliary blocking members due to the folding action of the electronic device according to the embodiment.

Mode of carrying out the invention

[53] The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings is provided to assist in a thorough understanding of the various embodiments of the disclosure as defined by the claims and their equivalents. It includes various pieces of information to aid in this understanding, but they are to be regarded as merely exemplary. Accordingly, those skilled in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications may be made to the various embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. In addition, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions may be omitted for clarity and brevity.

[54] FIG. 1 illustrates the unfolded state of the electronic device according to the embodiment.

[55] Referring to FIG. 1, the electronic device 100 may include a pair of housing structures 110 and 120 rotatably coupled through a hinge structure (e.g., hinge structure 164 in FIG. structures 110 and 120, and a display 130 (e.g., a flexible display or a folding display) located in a space formed by a pair of housing structures 110 and 120. In the description, the surface on which the display 130 is located may be referred to as the front surface of the electronic device 100, and the opposite the side of the front surface may be referred to as the rear surface of the electronic device 100. The surface surrounding the space between the front surface and the rear surface may be referred to as the side surface of the electronic device 100.

[56] In one embodiment, the pair of case structures 110 and 120 may include a first case structure 110 including a sensor area 131d, a second case structure 120, a first back cover 140, and a second back cover 150. The pair of body structures 110 and 120 electronic device 100 is not limited to the shape or combination illustrated in FIG. 1 and 2 and may be implemented in various forms or combinations. For example, in another embodiment, the first body structure 110 and the first back cover 140 may be formed as a single body, and the second body structure 120 and the second back cover 150 may be formed as a single body.

[57] In one embodiment, the first hull structure 110 and the second hull structure 120 may be located on both sides of the fold axis (A) and may be substantially symmetrical about the fold axis (A). In one embodiment, the angle or distance between the first package structure 110 and the second package structure 120 may vary depending on whether the electronic device 100 is in a flat state or a closed state, a collapsed state, or an intermediate state. In one embodiment, the first body structure 110 includes a sensor area 131d where various sensors are located, but may be symmetrical in shape with the second body structure 120 in other areas. In another embodiment, the sensor area 131d may be located in a specific area of the second hull structure 120 or may be replaced.

[58] In one embodiment, with the electronic device 100 in a flat state, the first housing structure 110 may be coupled to a hinge structure (e.g., hinge structure 164 in FIG. 3) and may include a first surface 111 facing the front surface of the electronic device 100 , a second surface 112 facing away from the first surface 111, and a first side member 113 enclosing (surrounding) at least a portion of the space between the first surface 111 and the second surface 112. In one embodiment, the first side member 113 may include a first side surface 113a parallel to the folding axis (A), a second side surface 113b extending from one end of the first side surface 113a in a direction perpendicular to the folding axis, and a third side surface 113c extending from the other end of the first side surface 113a in a direction perpendicular to the axis folding.

[59] In one embodiment, with the electronic device 100 in a flat state, the first housing structure 120 may be coupled to a hinge structure (e.g., hinge structure 164 in FIG. 3) and may include a third surface 121 facing the front surface of the electronic device 100 , a fourth surface 122 facing away from the third surface 121, and a second side member 123 covering at least a portion of the space between the third surface 121 and the fourth surface 122. In one embodiment, the second side member 123 may include a fourth side surface 123a located parallel to the folding axis (A), a fifth side surface 123b extending from one end of the fourth side surface 123a in a direction perpendicular to the folding axis, and a sixth side surface 123c extending from the other end of the fourth side surface 123a in a direction perpendicular to the folding axis. In one embodiment, the third surface 121 may face the first surface 111 when folded.

[60] In one embodiment, the electronic device 100 may include a recess 101 formed to receive the display 130 by combining the shapes of the first housing structure 110 and the second housing structure 120. The recess 101 may be substantially the same size as the display 130 In one embodiment, the recess 101 may have two or more different widths in the direction perpendicular to the folding axis (A) due to the sensor area 131d. For example, the recess 101 may have a first width (W1) between the first part 120a of the second body structure 120 parallel to the folding axis (A) and the first part 110a of the first body structure 110 formed on the edge of the sensor area 131d, and have a second width (W2) between the second part 120b of the second body structure 120 and the second part 110b of the first body structure 110, which does not correspond to the sensor area 113d and is parallel to the folding axis (A). Here, the second width (W2) may be wider than the first width (W1). In other words, the recess 101 may be formed to have a first width (W1) ranging from the first portion 110a of the first body structure 110 to the first portion 120a of the second body structure 120 (asymmetric shape), and a second width (W2) ranging from the second portion 110b of the first hull structure 110 to the second part 120b of the second hull structure 120 (symmetrical shape). In one embodiment, the first part 110a and the second part 110b of the first body structure 110 may be located at different distances from the folding axis (A). The width of the recess 101 is not limited to the example shown above. In various embodiments, the recess 101 may have two or more different widths due to the shape of the sensor region 113d or the asymmetry of the first hull structure 110 or the second hull structure 120.

[61] In one embodiment, at least a portion of the first housing structure 110 and the second housing structure 120 may be made of a metallic or non-metallic material having a stiffness value selected to support the display 130.

[62] In one embodiment, the sensor area 131d may be formed to have a predetermined area near one corner of the first body structure 110. However, the layout, shape, or size of the sensor area 131d is not limited to the illustrated example. For example, in a certain embodiment, the sensor area 131d may be formed in another corner of the first body structure 110, or in any area between the top corner and the bottom corner. In another embodiment, the sensor area 131d may be placed on a portion of the second body structure 120. In another embodiment, the sensor area 131d may be formed extending between the first body structure 110 and the second body structure 120. In one embodiment, to perform various functions, the electronic the device 100 may include components exposed on the front surface of the electronic device 100 through the second area 113d or through one or more openings provided in the sensor area 131d. The components may include, for example, at least one of an anterior camera, a receiver, a proximity sensor (proximity sensor), an ambient light sensor, an iris recognition sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or an indicator.

[63] In one embodiment, the first back cover 140 may be located on the second surface 112 of the first body structure 110 and may have a substantially rectangular periphery (perimeter). In one embodiment, at least a portion of the periphery may be enclosed by the first body structure 110. Similarly, the second back cover 150 may be located on the fourth surface 122 of the second body structure 120, and at least a portion of its periphery may be covered by the second body structure 120.

[64] In the illustrated embodiment, the first back cover 140 and the second back cover 150 may be substantially symmetrical about the folding axis (A). In another embodiment, the first back cover 140 and the second back cover 150 may have a variety of different shapes. In another embodiment, the first back cover 140 may be formed as a single body with the first body structure 110, and the second back cover 150 may be formed as a single body with the second body structure 120.

[65] In one embodiment, the first back cover 140, the second back cover 150, the first package structure 110, and the second package structure 120 may be combined with each other to provide a space where various components (e.g., circuit board, antenna module) can be placed. , sensor module, and battery) of the electronic device 100. In one embodiment, one or more components may be placed on or visually exposed through the rear surface of the electronic device 100. For example, one or more components or sensors may be visually exposed through the first rear region 141 first back cover 140. The sensors may include a proximity sensor, a rear camera, and/or a flash. In another embodiment, at least a portion of the secondary display 152 may be visually exposed through the second rear region 151 of the second back cover 150.

[66] The display 130 may be positioned in a space formed by the pair of case structures 110 and 120. For example, the display 130 may be seated in a recess (e.g., recess 101 in FIG. 1) formed by the pair of case structures 110 and 120, and may be located occupying a substantially larger portion of the front surface of the electronic device 100. Therefore, the front surface of the electronic device 100 may include a display 130, a portion (e.g., edge region) of the first housing structure 110 adjacent to the display 130, and a portion (e.g., edge region) of the second of the housing structure 120 adjacent to the display 130. In one embodiment, the back surface of the electronic device 100 may include a first back cover 140, a portion (e.g., edge region) of the first housing structure 110 adjacent to the first back cover 140, a second (e.g. edge area) of the second body structure 120 adjacent to the second rear cover 150 .

[67] In one embodiment, display 130 may refer to a display in which at least a portion may be deformed into a flat or curved surface. In one embodiment, the display 130 may include a fold area 131c, a first area 131a located on one side (e.g., the right side of the fold area 131c) of the fold area 131c, and a second area 131b located on the other side (e.g., the left side of the folding area 131c). For example, the first area 131a may be located on the first surface 111 of the first cabinet structure 110, and the second area 131b may be located on the third surface 121 of the second cabinet structure 120. This delimitation of the display 130 is just an example, and the display 130 may be subdivided into a plurality of areas. (for example, four or more areas) according to the design or functionality. For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the display area 130 may be subdivided with respect to the folding area 131c or the folding axis (A) extending parallel to the y-axis. However, in another embodiment, the display area 130 may be subdivided with respect to a different folding region (eg, a folding region parallel to the x-axis) or a different folding axis (eg, a folding axis parallel to the x-axis). The aforementioned display subdivision is only a physical distinction based on a pair of cabinet structures 110 and 120 and a hinge structure (e.g., hinge structure 164 in FIG. structures (eg, articulated structure 164 in Fig. 3). In one embodiment, the first region 131a and the second region 131b may have a symmetrical shape with respect to the folding region 131c. Although the first region 131a may include a notch region (eg, notch region 133 in FIG. 3) cut according to the presence of the sensor region 131d, it may have a symmetrical shape with the second region 131b on other parts. In other words, the first region 131a and the second region 131b may include symmetrically shaped portions and asymmetrically shaped portions.

[68] FIG. 2 illustrates the folded state of the electronic device according to the embodiment.

[69] Referring to FIG. 2, a hinge cover 165 may be positioned between the first housing structure 110 and the second housing structure 120 to cover internal components (eg, the hinge structure 164 in FIG. 3). In one embodiment, the hinge cover 165 may be covered by parts of the first housing structure 110 and the second housing structure 120, or be opened outwards according to the operating state (e.g., flat state or folded state) of the electronic device 100.

[70] For example, when the electronic device 100 is in a flat state, as shown in FIG. 1, the hinge cover 165 may be covered by the first body structure 110 and the second body structure 120 so that it is not exposed. When the electronic device 100 is in a folded state (eg, fully folded state), as illustrated in FIG. 2, the hinge cover 165 can be opened outwardly between the first package structure 110 and the second package structure 120. When the electronic device 100 is in an intermediate state, when the first package structure 110 and the second package structure 120 form an angle, the hinge cover 165 can be partially opened. outwardly between the first hull structure 110 and the second hull structure 120. In this case, the open portion may be smaller than such a fully collapsed portion. In one embodiment, the hinge cover 165 may include a curved surface.

[71] The following is a description of the configurations of the first case structure 110 and the second case structure 120 and display areas 130 according to the operating state (e.g., flat state or folded state) of the electronic device 100.

[72] In one embodiment, when the electronic device 100 is in a flat state (e.g., the state of FIG. 1), the first cabinet structure 110 and the second cabinet structure 120 may create an angle of 180 degrees, and the first display area 131a and the second display area 131b can be placed facing the same direction. Moreover, the folding region 131c may be in the same plane as the first region 131a and the second region 131b.

[73] In one embodiment, when the electronic device 100 is in a collapsed state (eg, the state of FIG. 2), the first case structure 110 and the second case structure 120 may be positioned facing each other. The first area 131a and the second area 131b of the display 130 may face each other to create an acute angle (eg, between 0 degrees and 10 degrees). At least a portion of the folding region 131c may form a curved surface with a predetermined curve.

[74] In one embodiment, when the electronic device 100 is in an intermediate state, the first package structure 110 and the second package structure 120 may be positioned at an angle. The first area 131a and the second area 131b of the display 130 may form an angle larger than the angle for the folded state and smaller than the angle for the flat state. At least a portion of the folding region 131c may form a curved surface with a predetermined curve. This bend may be less than the bend for the folded state.

[75] FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded perspective view of an electronic device according to an embodiment.

[76] Referring to FIG. 3, in one embodiment, the electronic device 100 may include a display 130, a support member assembly 160, at least one printed circuit board 170, a first housing structure 110, a second housing structure 120, a first back cover 140, and a second back cover 150. In the description, the display 130 may be referred to as a display unit, a display module, or a display unit.

[77] The display 130 may include a display panel 131 (eg, a flexible display panel) and at least one plate 132 or layer on which the display panel 131 sits. In one embodiment, the plate 132 may be located between the display panel 131 and the node 160 of the supporting element. The display panel 131 may be located on at least a portion of one surface of the plate 132. The plate 132 may include a first plate 1321 and a second plate 1322 separated based on a hinge structure 164. The plate 132 may include at least one element that cannot be folded together when the first hull structure 110 and the second hull structure 120 are rotated into a folded and/or unfolded state based on the hinge structure 164. The plate 132 may include at least one auxiliary layer of material (e.g., a graphite element) and/ or a conductive plate (for example, a SUS sheet or a Cu sheet) disposed on the rear surface of the display panel 131 . In one embodiment, the plate 132 may be formed in a shape corresponding to the display panel 131. For example, a partial area of the first plate 1321 may be formed in a shape corresponding to the recess area 133 of the display panel 131 . In another embodiment, the conductive plate may be entirely formed with a foldable connection region.

[78] The support member assembly 160 may include a first support member 161, a second support member 162, a hinge structure 164 located between the first support member 161 and the second support member 162, a hinge cover 165 covering the hinge structure 164 as viewed from the outside, and a wiring element 163 (eg, a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB)) that intersects the first support element 161 and the second support element 162.

[79] In one embodiment, the support member assembly 160 may be positioned between the plate 132 and at least one circuit board 170. For example, the first support element 161 may be positioned between the first display area 131a of the display 130 and the first circuit board 171. The second support element 162 may be located between the second area 131b of the display 130 and the second circuit board 172.

[80] In one embodiment, at least a portion of the wiring member 163 and the hinge structure 164 may be located in the support member assembly 160. The wiring member 163 may be located in a direction intersecting the first support member 161 and the second support member 162 (eg, the x-axis direction). The wiring member 163 may be positioned in a direction (eg, x-axis direction) perpendicular to the folding axis (eg, y-axis or folding axis (A) in FIG. 2) of the folding area 131c.

[81] The at least one printed circuit board 170 may include, as described above, the first printed circuit board 171 located on the side of the first supporting element 161, and the second printed circuit board 172 located on the side of the second supporting element 162. The first printed circuit board 171 and the second circuit board 172 may be disposed within the space formed by the support member assembly 160, the first body structure 110, the second body structure 120, the first back cover 140, and the second back cover 150. On the first circuit board 171 and the second circuit board 172, there may be various components are installed to implement the functions of the electronic device 100.

[82] In an embodiment, the first package structure 110 may include a first circuit board 171, a battery (accumulator) 191, at least one sensor module 181, or at least one camera module 182 disposed in a space formed by the first support element 161. The first housing structure 110 may include a glass window 183 positioned to protect at least one sensor module 181 and at least one camera module 182 at a position corresponding to the recess area 133 of the display 130. In an embodiment, the second housing structure 120 may include a second printed circuit board 172 located in a space formed by the second support member 162. According to one embodiment, the first housing structure 110 and the first support member 161 may be integrally formed. According to one embodiment, the second body structure 120 and the second support member 162 may also be integrally formed.

[83] In one embodiment, the first hull structure 110 may include a first rotation bearing surface 114, and the second hull structure 120 may include a second rotation bearing surface 124 corresponding to the first rotation bearing surface 114. The first rotation bearing surface 114 and the second rotation bearing surface 124 may include a curved surface corresponding to the curved surface included in the hinge cover 165.

[84] In one embodiment, when the electronic device 100 is in a flat state (e.g., the state of FIG. 1), the first rotation bearing surface 114 and the second rotation bearing surface 124 may cover the hinge cover 165 such that the hinge cover 165 may not be open or minimally open on the rear surface of the electronic device 100. When the electronic device 100 is in the collapsed state (eg, the state of FIG. 2), the first rotation support surface 114 and the second rotation support surface 124 can rotate along a curved surface included in the the hinge cover 165 so that the hinge cover 165 can be opened as much as possible on the rear surface of the electronic device 100.

[85] Some embodiments of the disclosure may provide a package, a method of making the same, and an electronic device including the same.

[86] Some embodiments of the disclosure may provide a package, wherein a uniform processing line, a method for manufacturing the package, and an electronic device including the same can be formed in the package, which includes corners having different bending radii.

[87] Some embodiments of the disclosure may provide a package, a method for manufacturing the package, and an electronic device including the same, wherein the electronic device has an improved aesthetic appearance due to a uniform processing line in the package that includes corners having different bend radii.

[88] Some embodiments of the disclosure may provide a package, a method for manufacturing the package, and an electronic device, including one configured to transmit sound. Sound transmission can be improved because the engagement area between the acoustic module assembly and the case can be expanded regardless of the size and/or shape of the sound transmission hole formed in the outer surface of the case.

[89] FIG. 4A illustrates an exploded perspective view of an electronic device including a protective structure according to an embodiment. Fig. 4B illustrates areas or zones configured in an electronic device according to an embodiment.

[90] Referring to FIG. 4A and 4B, the electronic device 400 includes a first housing structure 410 that includes a first surface 411, a second surface 412 facing opposite the first surface 411, a first side member 413 surrounding the first space between the first surface 411 and the second surface 412. The electronic device 400 includes a second housing structure 420 that includes a third surface 421 facing in the same direction as the first surface 411, a fourth surface 422 facing in the same direction as the second surface 412, a second side member 423 surrounding the second space between the third surface 421 and the fourth surface 422. The first body structure 410 and the second body structure 420 may be rotatably mounted relative to each other by the hinge structure 464. For example, the hinge structure 464 may allow the first body structure 410 to and the second housing structure 420 is folded or unfolded relative to each other by at least one hinge module included in the hinge structure 470. When the electronic device 400 is folded, the first surface 411 and the third surface 421 face each other. When the electronic device 400 is unfolded, the first surface 411 and the third surface 421 may face the same direction.

[91] The electronic device 400 includes a display 430 (e.g., a flexible display) that at least partially intersects the first surface 411 and the third surface 421. The display 430 may be configured to be supported by at least some portions of the first housing structure 410, hinged structure 464 and the second body structure 420.

[92] The electronic device 400 includes a first region h1 facing the first body structure 410, a second region h2 facing the second body structure 420, and a folding region h3 facing the hinge structure 464. In the electronic device 400, the first body structure 410 , corresponding to the first region h1, is folded or unfolded with respect to the second body structure 420 corresponding to the second region h2, by means of the hinge structure 464 corresponding to the folding region h3.

[93] The electronic device 400 may include at least one protective cover 440 or 450 located on the display 430. The at least one protective cover 440 and 450 may be used as a decorative element. The at least one protective cap 440 or 450 may include a first protective cap 440 located in the first region h1 and a second protective cap 450 located in the second region h2. The first protective cover 440 may be located on the display 430 in the first area h1. For example, the display 430 may be placed such that the first periphery (edge) 431 corresponding to the first region h1 is not exposed to the outside between the first protective cover 440 and the first cabinet structure 410.

[94] The second protective cover 450 may be located on the display 430 in the second area h2. For example, the display 430 may be positioned such that the second periphery (edge) 432 corresponding to the second region h2 is not exposed to the outside between the second protective cover 450 and the second housing structure 420. The protective covers 440 and 450 may be made of a resin material or a metallic material. and can be placed in the housing structures 410 and 420, respectively, using at least one connection option, such as gluing, taping, fusion, or structural attachment.

[95] Alternatively, for the folding action of the first body structure 410 and the second body structure 420 relative to the hinge structure 464, the pair of protective caps 440 and 450 may be excluded from the folding region h3 corresponding to the hinge structure 464.

[96] The electronic device 400 may include protective structures 500 for protecting the third periphery (edge) 433 and the fourth periphery (edge) 434 of the display 430 exposed outward in the folding region h3. The third periphery 433 and the fourth periphery 434 of the display 430 may be at least partially blocked by the protective structures 500 so as to be invisible from the outside.

[97] The protective structures 500 may be appropriately placed to protect the third periphery 433 exposed to the first locking area B1 being one end of the hinge structure 464 in the folding region h3, and the fourth periphery 434 exposed to the second locking area B2 being the other end hinge structure 464. The protective structure 500 includes a protective cap 510 located in the hinge structure 470 of the electronic device 400, and a blocking element 520 at least partially supported by the protective cap 510 and configured to at least partially hide the third periphery 433 of the display 430 outside. The guard structures 500 located in the blocking zones B1 and B2 may have substantially the same configuration. Therefore, the protective structure 500 located in the first blocking zone B1 will be shown and described in detail below, while the description of the protective structure 500 located in the second blocking zone B2 will be omitted.

[98] FIG. 5A and 5B illustrate the first lockout zone B1 including the security structure 500 in the electronic device of FIG. 4B according to an embodiment.

[99] Referring to FIG. 5A and 5B, the electronic device 400 includes a first region h1 facing the first body structure 410, a second region h2 facing the second body structure 420, and a folding region h3 facing the hinge structure. The electronic device 400 includes, as a protective structure 500, a protective cap 510 and a blocking member 520 formed to be at least partially supported by the protective cap 510 in the first blocking area B1 of the folding region h3. The blocking element 520 includes a film element made of a polymeric material such as polyurethane (PU) or thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU).

[100] Alternatively, the blocking element 520 may include a thin metal plate. The blocking element 520 may be supported by at least a portion of the protective cap 510, cover the third periphery 433 on the display 430, and may connect the first protective cover 440 and the second protective cover 450. In particular, the blocking element 520 may connect the first protective cover 440 and the second protective cover 450 and can block the third periphery 433 of the display 430 opened into the folding region h3 from being within view from the outside, thereby preventing the display from being damaged by arbitrary manipulation of the periphery 433. In addition, at least a portion of the protective cap 510 fills the space between the hinge body and the display 430, thereby preventing the display 430 from being deformed due to pressing.

[101] The protective cap 510 includes, at the folding region h3, a base 511 attached to the hinge body 470, a projection 512 extending upward from the base 511 and having a first width w1, and a support portion 513 extending from the projection 512 to the display, supporting at least a portion of the blocking element 520 and having a second width w2 smaller than the first width w1. The support portion 513 may be formed such that its width gradually decreases as it approaches the display, or the width may be fixed. Alternatively, the supporting portion 513 may be formed such that its width gradually increases as it approaches the display. The base 511 may include a stepped portion formed below the protrusion 512 at the left and right ends. For the appearance quality of the electronic device 400 and to prevent the ingress of foreign matter, the first width w1 of the protrusion 512 may be determined to reduce the gap g1 with the protective covers 440 and 450. The second width w2 of the support portion 513 may be determined based on the bending radius formed when the display 430 is folded. The protective cap 510 may be made of polycarbonate (PC), rubber, urethane, silicone, and/or metal. Alternatively, the protective cap 510 may be formed with an insert injection molding that injects a metallic material into a polymeric material.

[102] The blocking member 520 includes, in a region corresponding to the folding region h3, a foldable portion 521 located at least partially covering the third periphery 433 of the display 430, a first extension portion 522 extending between the first body structure 410 and the first protective cover 440 from the foldable portion 521, and a second expansion portion 523 extending between the second body structure 420 and the second protective cap 450 from the foldable portion 521. The foldable portion 521 includes a seating portion 5211 for receiving a protrusion 512 of the protective cap 510. The protrusion 512 of the protective cap 510 sits onto the seating portion 5211 of the blocking member 520, and some portions of the expansion portions 522 and 523 extending to the left and right of the seating portion 5211 are supported by the stepped portion of the base 511.

[103] FIG. 6A illustrates a partial sectional view of the electronic device 400 in FIG. 5A taken along the line C1-C1' according to the embodiment.

[104] Referring to FIG. 6A, the supporting portion 513 of the protective cap 510 may be located in a position at least partially overlapping with the third periphery 433 of the display 430 when viewed from above the display 430. The blocking element 520 may be positioned on the display 430 such that at least a portion of the blocking element 520 covers the third periphery 433 of the display 430. blocking member 520 can be firmly supported.

[105] FIG. 6B illustrates a partial sectional view of the electronic device of FIG. 5A taken along the line D-D' according to the embodiment.

[106] Referring to FIG. 5B and 6B, the electronic device 400 may further include a guiding structure for reducing the concentration of mechanical stress applied to the foldable portion 521 of the blocking member 520 due to the folding action of the first housing structure 410 and the second housing structure 420, and providing smooth bending characteristics without excessive mechanical stress. on the display 430. The blocking member 520 includes a first guide hole 5221 formed in the first expansion portion 522 to receive a first guide protrusion 441 protruding from the inner surface of the first protective cover 440 to the first body structure 410, and a second guide hole 5231 formed in the second expansion portion 523, to receive the second guide 451 protruding from the inner surface of the second protective cover 450 to the second body structure 420. When the first body structure 410 and the second body structure 42 0 are in the folding action, the first extension portion 522 and the second extension portion 523 of the blocking member 520 can move in the left and right directions (for example, direction (1) or direction (2) in FIG. 6B) guided by the first guide 441 and the second guide 451 penetrating into the first guide hole 5221 and the second guide hole 5231, respectively, reducing the concentration of mechanical stress applied to the bendable portion 521. For example, to prevent separation of the first expansion portion 522 and the second extension portion 523 during folding or unfolding of the electronic device 400, the first guide 441 and the second guide 451 may protrude to the first cabinet structure 410 and the second cabinet structure 420.

[107] Alternatively, the first lug 441 and the second lug 451 may be structurally connected to the first body structure 410 and the second body structure 420, respectively, or the first lug 441 and the second lug 451 may be shaped (e.g., a hook shape) to prevent separation of the first expansion part 522 and the second expansion part 523 during folding or unfolding of the electronic device 400.

[108] The protective cap 510 includes at least one landing lug 5111 protruding downward from the base 511. a seat slot 471 formed in the hinge body 470. The seat lug 5111 of the protective cap 510 may be attached to the seat slot 471 of the hinge body 470 by at least one process, including gluing, tape bonding, or fusion.

[109] FIG. 6C illustrates a partial sectional view of the electronic device of FIG. 5A taken along line C2-C2' according to an embodiment. In particular, FIG. 6C illustrates the placement of the display 430 between the first protective cover 440 and the first body structure 410 in the first region h1. In the second region h2, the positioning of the display 430 between the second protective cover 450 and the second cabinet structure 420 is substantially the same as in the first region h1, and description thereon may be omitted.

[110] Referring to FIG. 6C, the first protective cover 440 may be positioned in the first housing structure 410 to at least partially overlap the display 430 (eg, the first peripheral 431) as viewed from the top of the display 430. The first protective cover 440 includes a first portion 4401 in contact with at least a portion of the display 430 to prevent the display 430 from buckling, and a second portion 4402 extending from the first portion 4401 and spaced from the display 430 by a predetermined vertical distance. direction. The first portion 4401 of the first protective cover 440 may support the display 430 adjacent the first peripheral 431. The second portion 4402 extending from the first portion 4401 of the first protective cover 440 may be spaced apart from the display 430, thereby preventing damage to the outer surface of the display 430.

[111] FIG. 6D illustrates a partial sectional view of an electronic device according to an embodiment.

[112] Referring to FIG. 6D, the supporting portion 513 of the protective cap 510 may be positioned not to overlap the third periphery 433 of the display 430 when looking at the display 430 from above. When the supporting portion 513 and the display 430 overlap, damage to the portion of the display 430 overlapping the protective cap 510 when the display 430 is folded may be caused. the protective cap 510 may be placed in the folding region h3 so that the supporting portion 513 maintains a predetermined gap g2 with the third periphery 433 of the display 430 when viewed from above the display 430.

[113] FIG. 7 illustrates the protective cap size determined based on the bending radius of the display when the electronic device is folded according to the embodiment.

[114] Referring to FIG. 7, when the electronic device 400 is folded, the display 430 corresponding to the fold area h3 formed by the first cabinet structure 410 and the second cabinet structure 420 can be folded having a specific bending radius R due to the folding characteristic. The blocking member 520 can also be folded to have substantially the same bending radius R along with the display 430 while surrounding the support portion 513 protruding from the protrusion 512 of the protective cap 510. As a result, the size of the support portion 513 extending from the protrusion 512 of the protective cap 510, may be determined based on the bending radius R generated by the display 430 when the electronic device 400 is folded. For example, when the bending radius is smaller, the size of the supporting portion 513 (for example, the second width w2) can be reduced.

[115] FIG. 8 illustrates a partial view of an electronic device including a blocking element according to an embodiment. Fig. 9 is a partial perspective view illustrating the blocking element of FIG. 8 placed on the protective covers according to the embodiment. Fig. 10 illustrates a partial sectional view of the electronic device of FIG. 8 taken along the line E-E' according to the embodiment.

[116] Referring to FIG. 8-10, the electronic device 400 includes, as a protective structure 600 in the folding region h3, a blocking member 620 that covers the third periphery 433 of the display 430 and is supported at both ends by the first protective cover 440 and the second protective cover 450 without opening outwards ( for access) protective cap. The blocking member 620 includes, in a region corresponding to the folding region (h3), a foldable portion 621 formed to at least partially cover a third periphery 433 of the display 430, a first extension portion 622 extending between the first body structure 410 and the first protective cover 440 from of the foldable portion 621, and a second expansion portion 623 extending between the second body structure 420 and the second protective cover 450 from the foldable portion 621.

[117] The blocking member 620 includes a first guide hole 6221 formed in the first expansion portion 622 to accommodate a first guide protrusion 441 protruding from the inner surface of the first protective cover 440 to the first body structure 410, and a second guide hole 6321 formed in of the second expansion portion 623 to accommodate the second guide 451 protruding from the inner surface of the second protective cover 450 to the second body structure 420. can move in the left and right directions guided by the first guide 441 and the second guide 451 penetrating the first guide hole 6221 and the second guide hole 6231, respectively, thereby reducing the mechanical stress concentration by applying to the foldable portion 621 and prevent damage to the display 430 due to excessive bending force of the foldable portion 621. The electronic device 400 may include a support member 610 seated in a seating slot 472 formed in the hinge structure 470 and positioned having a thickness to support the rear surface of the blocking member. 620. The support element 610 may be positioned in the hinge housing 470 at a location overlapping the blocking element 620 so as to be invisible from the outside when viewed from above the display 430. The support member 610 may be made of a resilient polymeric material such as rubber, urethane, or silicone.

[118] The blocking element 620 may be a thin film element made of a metal element such as stainless steel (SUS) or aluminum (Al). Blocking element 620 may be a thin film element including a polymer element such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), PU, or TPU.

[119] FIG. 11 and 12 illustrate a partial view of an electronic device including a blocking element according to an embodiment.

[120] Referring to FIG. 11 and 12, the electronic device 400 includes, in a folding region (h3), a blocking member 720 that covers the third periphery 433 of the display 430 and is attached at both ends to the first protective cap 440 and the second protective cap 450 without opening the protective cap outwardly. The blocking member 720 includes, in a region corresponding to the folding region (h3), a foldable portion 721 formed at least partially covering a third periphery 433 of the display 430, a first extension portion 722 extending between the first body structure 410 and the first protective cover 440 from foldable portion 721, and a second expansion portion 723 extending between the second body structure 420 and the second protective cover 450 from the foldable portion 721.

[121] Similar to the above description, the blocking member 720 may include a first guide hole 7221 formed in the first expansion portion 722 to accommodate a first guide protrusion 441 protruding from the inner surface of the first protective cover 440 to the first body structure 410, and a second guide an opening 7221 formed in the second expansion portion 723 to accommodate the second guide 451 protruding from the inner surface of the second protective cover 450 to the second body structure 420.

[122] The blocking member 720 may include a plurality of openings 7211 formed at regular or irregular intervals in the foldable portion 721. The plurality of openings 7211 may be configured to have a length in the longitudinal direction (e.g., y-axis direction) of the folding region h3. Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 12, the plurality of openings 7212 may be configured to have a length in the transverse direction (eg, x-axis direction) of the folding region h3. The bending characteristics of the bendable portion 721 may be determined according to at least one of the shape of the openings, the spacing between the openings, the density (frequency) of the openings, or the dimensions of the openings. For example, the bendable portion 721 may have improved bendability when the openings 7211 are closely spaced. Alternatively, when some of the openings 7211 are omitted, the foldable portion (721) may include a stiffening reinforcing portion with reduced bendability but increased stiffness. The foldable portion 721 may also be configured such that the central portion has improved flexibility compared to the portions adjacent to the first protective cap 440 and the second protective cap 450. Although not illustrated, a support member may additionally be included which is located between the hinge cover and the foldable portion. 721 of the blocking member 720 and supports the foldable portion 721 to compensate for the gap between the hinge body 470 and the display 430.

[123] The blocking element 720 may include a filler element that fills a plurality of openings 7121 or 7212, or a shielding element that shields a plurality of openings 7121 or 7212. With the filler element or shielding element, the blocking element 720 may add rigidity while maintaining some degree of flexibility, and can enhance the aesthetics of the design. As another example, the filler element or shielding element may prevent foreign matter from entering through the plurality of openings 7121 or 7212 from the outside. The filling element may be made of a resilient material such as rubber, urethane or silicone. The shielding element may include a film element made of a polymeric material.

[124] FIG. 13 illustrates a partial view of an electronic device including a protective cap according to an embodiment. Fig. 14A and 14B illustrate a partial sectional view of the electronic device in FIG. 13 taken along the line F-F' according to the embodiment. Fig. 15 illustrates the protective cap size determined based on the bending radius of the display when the electronic device is folded according to the embodiment.

[125] Referring to FIG. 13, the electronic device 400 includes, in the folding region h3, a protective cap 810 located at least partially covering the third periphery 433 of the display 430 without a separate blocking member. The protective cap 810 includes, in the folding region h3, a fastening portion 811 disposed in the hinge body 470 and a supporting portion 812 extending from the fastening portion 811 to the display 430. In the folded state, the fastening portion 811 may be formed to have a first width w3, which substantially occupies most of the width of the folding region h3, except for a minimum clearance to avoid interference between the first protective cover 440 and the second protective cover 450. Alternatively, the supporting portion 812 may be formed to have a second width w4 smaller than the first width w3. The support portion 812 may be positioned to overlap at least a portion of the third periphery 433 of the display 430 as viewed from above the display 430. The protective cap 810 may be made of a resilient material such as rubber, urethane, or silicone.

[126] Referring to FIG. 14A, the fastening portion 811 includes at least one locking projection 8111 that extends at least partially downward in a hook-like fashion. When the protective cap 810 is installed on the hinge body 470, the assembly can be completed by engaging said at least one locking lug 8111 with at least one locking slot 473 formed in the hinge body 470. For example, the protective cap 810, which is made of an elastic material, can be easily connected to the hinge body 470 by a connecting structure between the locking lug 8111 and the locking slot 473. Such a connecting structure can improve the assembly of the electronic device 400 and make it easier to detach the protective cap 810 for maintenance. . Alternatively, the connection structure between the protective cap 810 and the hinge body 470 may be applied to the connection between the protective cap and the hinge body described previously.

[127] Referring to FIG. 14B, the protective cap 810 can be secured by fitting a protrusion 474 formed in the hinge body 470 into a seat 8113 formed by ribs 8112 at least partially protruding from the rear side of the securing portion 811, and by an attachment process such as gluing, tying tape or fusion.

[128] Referring to FIG. 15, when the electronic device 400 is folded, the display 430 corresponding to the fold area h3 formed by the first cabinet structure 410 and the second cabinet structure 420 can be folded having a specific bending radius R due to the folding characteristic. The second width w4 of the supporting portion 812 of the protective cap 810 may be determined based on the bending radius R formed by the display 430 when the electronic device 400 is folded. For example, when the bending radius is smaller, the size of the supporting portion 513 (for example, the second width w4) can be reduced.

[129] FIG. 16 and 17 illustrate a partial view of an electronic device including a protective structure according to an embodiment.

[130] Referring to FIG. 16 and 17, the electronic device 400 includes, in the folding region h3, a protective cap 910 that is located in the hinge housing 470 and at least partially covers a portion of the third surface 433 of the display 430. The electronic device 400 may include a pair of blocking elements 920 , which are located between the first protective cover 440 and the second protective cover 450 and extend to at least some portions of the folding region h3, covering at least a portion of the third periphery 433 of the display 430. The protective cap 910 may include a base 911 attached to the housing 470 a hinge, and a support portion 912 extending from the base 911 to a position at least partially overlapping with the display 430 as viewed from above the display 430. The pair of blocking elements 920 may be attached to the first protective cover 440 and the second protective cover 450 by gluing, tying, or fusion so as to at least partially protrude into the folding region h3. The blocking element 920 may include a polymeric film element such as PET.

[131] FIG. 18 illustrates the process of assembling the protective structure of FIG. 16 according to the embodiment.

[132] Referring to FIG. 18, the assembly of the electronic device 400 can be improved since the blocking member 920 is assembled with the first housing structure 410 and the second housing structure 420, being attached to the first protective cover 440 and the second protective cover 450. The first housing structure 410 and the second housing structure 420, connected to the hinge body 470 through the hinge structure can be prepared. Thereafter, the display 430 may be positioned with the first housing structure 410 and the second housing structure 420. The adhesive may be applied through the illustrated adhesive line BL in the housing structures 410 and 420 and the hinge housing 470 where the display 430 is located. The adhesive may be replaced tying (gluing) tape or fusion. The pair of blocking elements 920 may be attached to the first protective cover 440 and the second protective cover 450 by gluing, tying, or fusion so as to at least partially protrude into the folding region h3.

[133] The assembly of the protective cap 910 can be completed by fitting the seating protrusion 9111 protruding from the base 911 of the protective cap 910 into the seating slot 475 of the hinge body 470 on which the adhesive is applied. The supporting portion 912 of the protective cap 910 may cover, in the folding region h3, at least a portion of the third periphery 433 of the display 430. Thereafter, the assembly may be completed when the first protective cap 440 and the second protective cap 450 to which the blocking member 920 is attached are located in the first cabinet structure 410 and the second cabinet structure 420, respectively, in which the display 430 is located. near the backing portion 912 of the protective cap 910, and the placement line of the pair of blocking members 920 and the placement line of the backing portion 912 may coincide on the display 430.

[134] FIG. 19 and 20 illustrate partial front and rear perspective views of a blocking member located on protective caps according to an embodiment.

[135] Referring to FIG. 19 and 20, the blocking member 1010 may be physically connected to the first protective cover 440 and the second protective cover 450. The blocking element 1010 includes a foldable portion 1011 located in an area corresponding to the folding region h3 of the display 430, a first fastening portion 1012 extending from one end of the bendable portion 1011 and attached to the first protective cover 440, and a second anchoring portion 1013 extending from the other end of the bendable portion 1011 and attached to the second protective cover 450. The blocking member 101 may be made of rubber, silicone or urethane material having an elastic restorative power. The blocking member 1010 may be attached to the first protective cap 440 and the second protective cap 450 by means of an injection insert. Alternatively, the blocking member 1010 may be attached to the first protective cap 440 and the second protective cap 450 by gluing, taping, or fusion. The blocking member 1010 can be aligned with the first protective cover 440 and the second protective cover 450 on the display 430, thereby seamlessly covering the periphery 433 of the display 430.

[136] The blocking member 1010 may include a plurality of slots 1011a formed on the back surface of the foldable portion 1011. The bending characteristics of the foldable portion 1011 may be determined by the plurality of slots 1011a. For example, the bending characteristics of the bendable portion 1011 may be determined based on the shape, size, depth, frequency (density), or spacing of the grooves 1011a.

[137] The blocking member 1010 may include an assembly structure that is located on the rear surface of the foldable portion 1011 and is assembled with the hinge body 470. Blocking element 1010 may include a pair of support ribs 1011b and 1011c that protrude at a predetermined interval from each other to form a guide slot 1011d. A pair of support ribs 1011b and 1011c may be formed in a direction from the first protective cover 440 to the second protective cover 450, such as in the longitudinal direction of the foldable portion 1011.

[138] Since the protective structure is integrally formed with the first protective cover 440 and the second protective cover 450, it can cover the periphery 433 of the display 430 exposed to the folding region h3 by mounting the protective covers 440 and 450 in the first cabinet structure 410 and the second package structure 420. Therefore, the assembly of the electronic device can be improved.

[139] FIG. 21A illustrates a partial perspective view of a hinge body according to an embodiment. Fig. 21B illustrates a partial perspective view of a blocking member located in the hinge housing of an electronic device according to an embodiment. Fig. 21C illustrates a blocking member folded along the hinge body according to an embodiment. Fig. 22 illustrates a sectional view taken along line G-G' in FIG. 21C according to an embodiment.

[140] Referring to FIG. 21A-22, the hinge body 470 includes, in the folding region h3, an element securing portion 476 that accommodates a pair of support ribs 1011b and 1011c of the blocking member 1010. The hinge body 470 includes a guide rib 4761 protruding from the element securing portion 476. When the blocking member 1010 is installed in the hinge body 470, the guide rib 4761 of the hinge body 470 is inserted into the guide slot 1011d formed by the pair of support ribs 1011b and 1011c, completing the assembly. The first protective cover 440, the blocking member 1010, and the second protective cover 450 may be integrally formed and arranged such that all lines covering the periphery of the display 430 may coincide.

[141] The member fixing portion 476 and the guide rib 4761 of the hinge body 470 include a curved groove 4762 recessed inwardly from the central portion. The curved slot 4762 can be used as a housing space to accommodate a downwardly extending portion of the elastic foldable portion 1011 of the elastic locking member 1010, which is also folded when the electronic device 400 is folded.

[142] FIG. 23 illustrates a partial view of an electronic device including a protective cap and a blocking structure according to an embodiment.

[143] Referring to FIG. 23, the electronic device 400 includes, in the folding region h3, a protective cap 1100 disposed in the hinge body. The protective cap 1100 includes a fixing part 1110 attached to the hinge body 470 and a supporting part 1120 extending from the fixing part 1110 to the third periphery 433 of the display 430.

[144] The display 430 may further include a protective film 4301 located substantially over the entire area protecting the outer surface. The protective film 4301 may include a PI film. The protective film 4301 may be formed to extend to a portion of the supporting portion 1120 in the folding region h3. In the folding region h3, the third display periphery 433 may be protected by the protective film 4301, and the periphery of the protective film 4301 may be protected by the supporting portion 1120 of the protective cap 1100.

[145] Alternatively, the display 430 may be reshaped in the folding region h3 to extend to a position supported by the supporting portion 1120 of the protective cap 1100. The extended display region 430 may extend to the folding region h3 of at least a portion of the first region h1, extending from the folding region h3, and at least part of the second region h2.

[146] FIG. 24 illustrates a hinge plate according to an embodiment.

[147] Referring to FIG. 24, the electronic device includes, in the folding region h3, a hinge plate 1300 located in the hinge body 470. The hinge plate 1300 includes a first hinge plate 1310 and a second hinge plate 1320 rotatably coupled to each other by at least one hinge module 1330. The first hinge plate 1310 may be coupled to the first hull structure. The second hinge plate 1320 may be connected to the second body structure. Therefore, the display 430 can be positioned by supporting the first cabinet structure 410, a pair of hinge plates 1300, and the second cabinet structure 420.

[148] The first hinge plate 1310 and the second hinge plate 1320 include, for supporting the third periphery 433 of the display 430 in the folding region h3, the first expansion portion (part) 1311 and the second expansion portion (part) 1321, which are formed as close as possibly to the extent that they do not interfere with each other during the folding action. The first expansion part 1311 and the second expansion part 1321 can prevent the pressing phenomenon due to the gap created between the hinge body 470 and the display 430.

[149] FIG. 25A and 25B illustrate a partial view of an electronic device including a protective structure according to an embodiment.

[150] Referring to FIG. 25A and 25B, the electronic device 400 includes a first region h1 facing the first body structure 410, a second region h2 facing the second body structure 420, and a folding region h3 facing the hinge structure. The electronic device 400 includes, as a protective structure 200, a protective cap 210 located in the folding region h3 and a blocking member 220 located at least partially supported by the protective cap 210.

[151] The protective cap 210 may have a configuration substantially the same as that of the protective cap 510 of FIG. 5A. The protective cap 210 includes, in the folding region h3, a protrusion 212 at least partially attached to the hinge body 470, and a support portion 213 extending from the protrusion 212 toward the display 430 to support at least a portion of the blocking member 220. The width of the support part 213 may be fixed or may gradually decrease as you get closer to the display. Alternatively, the width of the support portion 513 may gradually increase as it approaches the display.

[152] The blocking element 220 may be supported by at least a portion of the protective cap 210, cover the third periphery 433 on the display 430, and connect the first protective cover 440 and the second protective cover 450. In particular, the blocking element 220 may connect the first protective cover 440 and the second protective cover 450 and can block the third periphery 433 of the display 430 opened into the folding area h3 from being within view from the outside, thereby preventing the display 430 from being damaged by arbitrary manipulation of the third periphery 433. In addition, at least a portion of the protective cap 210 fills the space between the hinge body and the display 430, thereby preventing the display 430 from deforming due to pressing.

[153] The blocking element 220 may be formed by layering various materials. Blocking element 220 may be formed by attaching a first element having rigidity and a second element having flexibility or tortuosity together. The blocking member 220 may include a shock absorbing rib 2212 at least partially downwardly curved to protect the third periphery 433 of the display 430 from external impact.

[154] The blocking member 220 includes, in a region corresponding to the folding region h3, a foldable portion 221 located at least partially covering the third periphery 433 of the display 430, a first extension portion 222 extending between the first body structure 410 and the first protective cover 440 from of the foldable portion 221, and a second expansion portion 223 extending between the second body structure 420 and the second protective cover 450 from the foldable portion 221. The foldable portion 221 includes a seating portion 2211 for receiving a protrusion 212 of the protective cap 210. The blocking member 220 may be positioned so so that the protrusion 212 of the protective cap 210 is received in the seat 2211.

[155] The electronic device 400 may further include a guide structure so as to reduce the concentration of mechanical stress applied to the bendable portion 221 of the blocking member 220 due to the folding action of the first body structure 410 and the second body structure 420, and to provide smooth bending characteristics without excessive mechanical stress. voltage on the display 430. The blocking member 220 may include a first guide hole 2221 formed in the first expansion portion 222 to receive a first guide protrusion 441 protruding from the inner surface of the first protective cover 440 toward the first housing structure 410, and a second guide hole 2231 formed in the second expansion portion 223 to receive the second guide 451 protruding from the inner surface of the second protective cover 450 to the second housing structure 420. When the electronic device 400 is in operation, the storage the first expansion portion 222 and the second expansion portion 223 of the blocking member 220 can move guided by the first guide 441 and the second guide 451 penetrating the first guide hole 2221 and the second guide hole 2231, respectively, reducing the concentration of mechanical stress applied to the bendable part 221. For example, in order to prevent separation of the first extension portion 222 and the second extension portion 223 during folding or unfolding of the electronic device 400, the first lip 441 and the second lip 451 may be formed protruding to the first cabinet structure 410 and the second cabinet structure 420, respectively.

[156] Alternatively, the first ridge 441 and the second ridge 451 may be structurally connected to the first body structure 410 and the second hull structure 420, respectively, or the first guide 441 and the second guide 451 may be formed to have a locking shape (e.g., hook shape) to prevent separation of the first extension portion 222 and the second extension portion 223 during folding or unfolding of the electronic device 400.

[157] FIG. 25C illustrates a partial sectional view of the electronic device of FIG. 25B taken along the line H-H' according to the embodiment.

[158] Referring to FIG. 25C, the protective cap 210 includes a lug 2111 protruding downward from the lug 212. body 470 hinge. For example, the seat lug 2111 of the protective cap 210 may be attached to the seat slot 471 of the hinge body 470 by at least one process, including gluing, tape bonding, or fusion.

[159] The backing portion 213 of the protective cap 210 may at least partially overlap the third periphery 433 of the display 430 with a predetermined overlap amount "d" when looking at the display 430 from above. At least a portion of the blocking element 220 may be placed on the display 430, covering the third periphery 433 of the display 430. The blocking element 200 may be positioned so that the first element 220a, having a relatively increased rigidity, faces the protective cap 210, and the second element 220b , having flexibility, was facing the display 430. The damping rib 2212 may extend downward from the second element 220b facing the third periphery 433 of the display 430. Alternatively, the damping rib 2212 may extend from the first element 220a of the blocking element 220.

[160] FIG. 26A illustrates a perspective view of a blocking element according to an embodiment. Fig. 26B illustrates a rear view of a blocking member according to an embodiment. Fig. 26C illustrates a sectional view of the blocking element in FIG. 26A taken along line I-I' according to an embodiment.

[161] Referring to FIG. 26A-26C, blocking member 220 may be formed by layering various materials. The blocking element 220 may be formed by joining together the first element 220a having rigidity and the second element 220b having flexibility. The first element 220a may largely face the protective cap in order to help prevent damage to the display due to, for example, a user's fingernail. The second element 220b may include a shock absorbing rib 2212 that is at least partially downwardly folded to protect the third display periphery from external impact. The first element 220a may include a PU, a TPU, or a PC. The second element 220b may include silicone, urethane, or rubber. The first element 220a and the second element 220b may be attached to each other by gluing, taping, or fusion. The blocking element 220 may be made of the same single material as the first element 220a or the second element 220b.

[162] The cushion rib 2212, which folds away from the second member 220b and extends facing the third periphery 433 of the display 430, includes at least one fold-receiving slot 2213 at least partially formed to provide excellent bending property. When the electronic device 400 is in a folding action, the blocking member 220 can help provide improved tortuosity, thereby allowing the display 430 to fold flexibly.

[163] FIG. 27 illustrates a partial rear perspective view of a blocking member located on protective covers according to an embodiment.

[164] Referring to FIG. 27, the blocking member 220 is positioned such that the first guide protrusion 441 of the first protective cover 440 penetrates the first guide hole 2221 of the first expansion portion 222, and the second guide protrusion 451 of the second protection cover 450 penetrates the second guide hole 2231 of the second expansion portion 223. a structure in which the guide lugs 441 and 451 move along the guide holes 2221 and 2231, respectively, during the action of folding and unfolding the electronic device 400 can help release the mechanical stress concentrated on the blocking member 220. The first guide 441 protruding through the first guide hole 2221, and the second guide protrusion 451 protruding through the second guide hole 2223 may be in contact or structurally connected with the first body structure 410 and the second body structure 420, thereby preventing the locking element 220 from being separated. from the electronic device 400 during operation.

[165] The blocking member 220 may overlap at least a portion of the third periphery 433 of the display 430, thereby preventing the third periphery 433 of the display 430 from being opened outwardly from the electronic device 400. The blocking member 220 may help prevent damage to the third periphery 433 due to an external impact with an elastic a cushioning rib 2212 extending facing the third periphery 433 of the display 430.

[166] FIG. 28A illustrates a partial view of an electronic device including a protective structure according to an embodiment. Fig. 28B illustrates a partial view of the hull structures and shows auxiliary blocking elements according to an embodiment.

[167] FIG. 29A illustrates a partial sectional view of the electronic device of FIG. 28A taken along the line J-J' according to the embodiment. Fig. 29B illustrates a partial sectional view of the electronic device of FIG. 28A taken along the line K-K' according to the embodiment. Fig. 29C illustrates a partial sectional view showing the folded state of the electronic device according to the embodiment.

[168] FIG. 28A, the same or similar reference numerals are given to substantially the same elements as those of the electronic device 400 of FIG. 25B and duplicate descriptions may be omitted.

[169] Referring to FIG. 28A-29C, the third periphery 433 of the display 430 of the electronic device 400 can be placed in the folding area h3 protected by a blocking member 220, which is located on the third periphery 433, is in the form of a film and has both ends connected to the first protective cover 440 and the second protective cover. 450. For example, at least a portion of the blocking element 220 may be placed in the folding region h3 so as to be at least partially supported by the support portion 213 of the protective cap 210 located in the hinge body.

[170] The electronic device 400 further includes a pair of auxiliary blocking elements 231 and 232 located between the protective cap 210 and the first protective cap 440 and between the protective cap 210 and the second protective cap 450, respectively. The pair of auxiliary blocking members 231 and 232 can block foreign matter from entering the inside of the electronic device 400 by shielding between the projection 212 of the protective cap 210 and the first protective cap 440 and shielding between the projection 212 of the protective cap 210 and the second protective cap 450. A pair of auxiliary blocking elements 231 and 232 may be adjacent to the blocking element 220 without overlap when looking at the display 430 from above.

[171] The pair of secondary locking members 231 and 232 may include a first secondary locking member 231 located extending from a portion between the first body structure 410 and the first protective cap 440 in the first region h1 to at least a portion between the protrusion 212 of the protective cap 210 and the hinge body 470 in the folding area h3. The pair of secondary blocking elements 231 and 232 may include a second auxiliary blocking element 232 located extending from the area between the second body structure 420 and the second protective cover 450 in the second region h2 to at least the area between the protrusion 212 of the protective cap 210 and the hinge body 470 in the area h3 folding. A pair of secondary blocking elements 231 and 232 may at least partially overlap the protrusion 212 of the protective cap 210 when viewed from above the display 430.

[172] The first auxiliary blocking element 231 may be attached to the first protective cover 440. The second auxiliary blocking element 232 may be attached to the second protective cover 450. A pair of auxiliary blocking elements 231 and 232 may be placed on the first body structure 410, the hinge body 470 and the second housing structure 420 prior to the placement of the display 430. A pair of auxiliary blocking elements 231 and 232 may be attached to the protective covers 440 and 450, respectively, by tape binding, gluing or fusion. Alternatively, a pair of auxiliary blocking elements 231 and 232 may be attached to at least some of the housing structures 410 and 420. their other ends extend over the protrusion 212 of the protective cap 210 according to the folding or unfolding of the electronic device 400. For example, a pair of auxiliary blocking members 231 and 232 may be made of a material such as PET and may be formed into a thin film having resilience.

[173] FIG. 30 illustrates the contact configuration between the protective cap and the auxiliary blocking members 231 and 232 due to the folding action of the electronic device according to the embodiment.

[174] Referring to FIG. 30, the pair of auxiliary blocking members 231 and 232 have fixed ends 231a and 232a respectively attached to the protective caps 440 and 450, and free ends 231b and 232b extending over the protrusion 212 of the protective cap 210 according to the folding or unfolding of the electronic device 400. When the electronic device unfolded, the free ends 231b and 232b of the auxiliary locking elements 231 and 232 may be located under the projection 212 of the protective cap 210. While the electronic device is being folded, the free ends 231b and 232b of the auxiliary blocking elements 231 and 232 may be moved over the projection 212 after passing through the periphery of the protrusion 212 of the protective cap 210 with elastic deformation. The two ends of the protrusion 212 of the protective cap 210 can be formed to have a relatively thin thickness by a chamfering process so that the free ends 231b and 232b of the auxiliary blocking members 231 and 232 easily pass over the protrusion 212 due to elastic deformation. In addition, the two ends of the protrusion 212 of the protective cap 210 can be formed into a curved curve so that the free ends 231b and 232b of the auxiliary blocking members 231 and 232 easily pass over the protrusion 212.

[175] According to various embodiments, an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 400 in FIG. 4B) may include: a housing as a housing structure that includes: a hinge structure (e.g., hinge structure 464 in FIG. 4B) corresponding to the folding region (eg, folding region h3 in Fig. 4B) and including the hinge body (eg, hinge body 470 in Fig. 4A); a first body structure (e.g., first body structure 410 in FIG. 4B) corresponding to a first region (e.g., first region h1 in FIG. 4B) coupled to the hinge structure and including a first surface (e.g., first surface 411 in FIG. 4B), a second surface (eg, second surface 412 in FIG. 4B) facing away from the first surface, and a first side member (eg, first side member 413 in FIG. 4B) surrounding the first space between the first surface and the second surface; and a second hull structure (eg, second hull structure 420 in FIG. 4B) corresponding to a second region (eg, second region h2 in FIG. 4B) connected to the hinge structure and including a third surface (eg, third surface 421 in FIG. 4B), a fourth surface (eg, fourth surface 422 in FIG. 4B) facing away from the third surface, and a second side member (eg, second side member 423 in FIG. 4B) surrounding the second space between the third surface and the fourth surface, wherein the first hull structure and the second hull structure are foldable relative to the hinged structure so that the first surface and the third surface face in the same direction when unfolded, and the second surface and the fourth surface face in opposite directions to each other in the folded state; a display (eg, display 430 in FIG. 4B) positioned extending from at least a portion of the first surface to at least a portion of the third surface through the folding region; a first protective cover (for example, the first protective layer 440 in Fig. 4B) located on at least some part of the periphery (for example, the first periphery 431 in Fig. 4B) of the display and along its periphery in the first region; a second protective cover (for example, the second protective cover 450 in Fig. 4B) located on at least some part of the periphery (for example, the second periphery 432 in Fig. 4B) of the display and along its periphery in the second region; and at least one protective structure (eg, protective structure 500 in Fig. 4A) configured to protect a display periphery (eg, third periphery 433 and/or fourth periphery 434 in Fig. 4B) of the display in the folding region.

[176] In various embodiments, the protective structure may include, in the folding region, a protective cap (for example, protective cap 510 in Fig. 5B) located in the hinge body, and a blocking element (for example, blocking element 520 in Fig. 5B) supported by a protective cap and configured to at least partially cover the display periphery.

[177] In various embodiments, the protective cap may include, in the folding area, a base (for example, base 511 in Fig. 5B) attached to the hinge body, a protrusion (for example, protrusion 512 in Fig. 5B) protruding upward from base and formed having a first width (e.g., first width w1 in Fig. 5B) smaller than the base, and a supporting portion (e.g., supporting portion 513 in Fig. 5B) extending from the protrusion toward the display supporting at least a portion of the blocking element on the upper surface of the blocking element and having a second width (for example, the second width w2 in Fig. 5B), less than the first width. When looking at the display from above, the supporting portion may be located at least partially overlapping the display.

[178] In various embodiments, the projection and the support portion may be formed in an upwardly curved shape.

[179] In various embodiments, the size of the second width of the support portion may be determined based on the bend radius (eg, bend radius R in FIG. 7) formed by the folded display when the electronic device is folded.

[180] In various embodiments, the blocking member may include a foldable portion (e.g., foldable portion 521 in FIG. 5B) facing the folding region and covering the periphery, a first expansion portion (e.g., first expansion portion 522 in FIG. 5B) extending between the first protective cover and the first housing structure from one end of the bendable portion, and a second expansion portion (for example, the second expansion portion 523 in Fig. 5B) extending between the second protective cover and the second housing structure from the other end of the bendable portion. At least a portion of the bendable part may be positioned supported by the supporting part.

[181] In various embodiments, the first expansion portion may include a first guide hole (for example, the first guide hole 5221 in Fig. 5B) for receiving a first guide protrusion (for example, the first guide protrusion 441 in Fig. 5B) protruding from the inner surfaces of the first protective cover; the second expansion portion may include a second guide hole (for example, the second guide hole 5231 in Fig. 5B) for receiving a second guide protrusion (for example, the second guide protrusion 451 in Fig. 5B) protruding from the inner surface of the second protective cover; and the first expansion part and the second expansion part can be guided along the first guide protrusion and the second guide protrusion when the electronic device is folded or unfolded.

[182] In various embodiments, the blocking member may further include a cushioning rib extending from the foldable portion to the hinge body facing the periphery of the display.

[183] In various embodiments, the electronic device may further include a pair of secondary locking elements (e.g., secondary locking elements 231 and 232 in FIG. 28A) located between the protective cap and the first protective cap, and between the protective cap and the second protective cap, respectively. , and a pair of secondary blocking elements may be positioned adjacent to the blocking element when looking at the display from above.

[184] In various embodiments, the implementation of the protective structure may include a blocking element. The blocking element may include, in the folding region, a foldable portion located in the hinge body at least partially covering the periphery of the display, a first expansion portion extending from one end of the foldable portion and positioned between the first protective cover and the first housing structure, and a second expansion portion a part extending from the other end of the bendable part and located between the second protective cover and the second body structure. The foldable portion may include a plurality of openings (eg, openings 7211 in FIG. 11) formed at regular or irregular intervals.

[185] In various embodiments, the flexural characteristics of the foldable portion may be determined based on at least one of the size of the openings, the shape of the openings, the spacing between the openings, or the density of the openings.

[186] In various embodiments, the plurality of openings may be made having the same or different lengths in the longitudinal direction of the foldable portion or in the transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

[187] In various embodiments, the electronic device may further include at least one support member (eg, support member 610 in FIG. 10) disposed between the hinge body and the foldable portion to support the foldable portion.

[188] In various embodiments, the protective structure may include, in the folding region, as a protective cap (for example, protective cap 810 in Fig. 13) located in the hinge body, a fastening part (for example, fastening part 811 in Fig. 13) extending across the folding area and a supporting portion (eg, supporting portion 812 in FIG. 13) extending from the fixing portion toward the display. The support portion may be extended to cover at least some of the display periphery.

[189] In various embodiments, the size of the support portion may be determined based on the bend radius (eg, bend radius R in FIG. 15) formed by the folded display when the electronic device is folded.

[190] In various embodiments, the protective structure may include a first blocking element extending between the first protective cover and the first body structure in the folding region, and a second blocking element extending between the second protective cover and the second body structure in the folding region. The first blocking element and the second blocking element may be placed in the folding region at least partially covering the periphery of the display.

[191] In various embodiments, the electronic device may further include a protective cap located between the first blocking element and the second blocking element in the hinge housing of the folding region. The protective cap may include a support portion that at least partially covers the display periphery.

[192] In various embodiments, each of the first blocking element and the second blocking element may include a film element made of a polymeric material attached to the first protective cap or the second protective cap.

[193] In various embodiments, the protective structure may include a blocking element. The blocking element may include a foldable portion located at least partially covering the periphery of the display, a first securing portion extending from one end of the foldable portion and attached to the first protective cover, and a second securing portion extending from the other end of the foldable portion and attached to the second protective cover. The lines of the foldable portion, the first protective cover, and the second protective cover covering the display may be made to match.

[194] In various embodiments, the blocking member may be made of at least one of rubber, urethane, or silicone having resiliency and may be attached to the first protective cap and the second protective cap via an injection insert.

[195] Embodiments of the disclosure have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. Specific terms or words used in the description are to be construed in accordance with the spirit of the disclosure without limiting its subject matter. While the invention has been shown and described with reference to various embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure, which is defined by the appended claims and its equivalents.

Claims (29)

1. A foldable electronic device with a display, comprising: first building; second building; a hinge body located between the first body and the second body; a hinge structure connecting the first body and the second body in a collapsible manner; a flexible display that includes a first area corresponding to the first body, a second area corresponding to the second body, and a folding area corresponding to the hinge structure; a first protective cover provided on the first body to cover the periphery of the first region; a second protective cover located on the second body to cover the periphery of the second region; and a protective structure located on the hinge body in the folding area, while the protective structure comprises: a blocking member made of an elastic material for covering the periphery of the flexible display in a folding and folding area; and a protective cap made of rigid material to support the blocking element, wherein at least part of the blocking element is located between the flexible display and the protective cap in the folding area. 2. The foldable electronic display device of claim 1, wherein the flexible display has a bending radius R when the electronic device is folded, and wherein the protective cap includes a support portion extending towards the flexible display in the folding area, and the width of the support portion is less than the bending radius R. 3. The foldable electronic display device of claim 1, wherein the hinge structure includes a hinge module, and wherein the hinge body covers the hinge module. 4. The foldable electronic display device of claim 1, wherein the protective cap includes a mounting lug and is secured by fitting the lug into a mounting groove formed in the hinge body. 5. Foldable electronic device with a display according to claim 1, in which the blocking element contains: a foldable portion that at least partially covers the periphery of the flexible display; a first anchoring portion that extends from the first end of the foldable portion and is at least partially located between the first protective cover and the flexible display in the first region; and a second anchoring portion that extends from the second end of the foldable portion and is at least partially located between the second protective cover and the flexible display in the second region, wherein the bendable portion, the first protective cover, and the second protective cover covering the flexible display are aligned. 6. The foldable electronic display device of claim 1, wherein the protective cap is spaced apart from the periphery of the flexible display. 7. The foldable electronic display device of claim 1, wherein the resilient material comprises at least one of rubber, urethane, or silicone. 8. The foldable electronic display device of claim 1, wherein the folding area of the flexible display is folded in a folded manner when folded, and wherein the blocking member is resiliently deformed to conform to the folded shape of the flexible display. 9. The foldable electronic display device of claim 1, wherein the protective cap includes a lip connected to the hinge structure and a support portion extending from the lip to the flexible display, and wherein the protrusion of the protective cap is spaced apart from the periphery of the flexible display when looking at the flexible display from above. 10. The foldable electronic display device of claim 1, wherein the blocking element is spaced apart from the flexible display.

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