Electronic device

• US 10,355,059 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2017
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Byunghwa, Jeon, Sehyung
• Primary Examiner(s): Blancha, Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US15/673,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20180286924A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 345174
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/84 Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/40 OLEDs integrated with touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/871 Self-supporting sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8721 Metallic sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/874 including getter material or desiccant
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8794 Arrangements for heating and cooling

Abstract

The present invention provides an electronic device, including a window defining an outer surface of a main body, and having a pressure touch receiving area for receiving a pressure touch input, a metal case supporting the window and defining the outer surface of the main body, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display module disposed beneath the window and configured to output visual information through the window, a metal support frame supporting the OLED display module, a guide frame supporting the OLED display module, and coupled to the window, and a pressure touch sensing unit disposed beneath the window and configured to detect a touch input applied to the window.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a window defining an outer surface of a main body, and having a pressure touch receiving area for receiving a pressure touch input;

a metal case supporting the window and defining the outer surface of the main body;

an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display module disposed beneath the window and configured to output visual information through the window;

a metal support frame supporting the OLED display module;

a guide frame supporting the OLED display module, and coupled to the window;

a pressure touch sensing unit disposed beneath the window and configured to detect a touch input applied to the window; and

a first graphite sheet and a second graphite sheet,

wherein the pressure touch sensing unit comprises;

a first base substrate having a first electrode layer provided with a plurality of electrode lines on one surface thereof;

a second base substrate having a second electrode layer provided with a plurality of electrode lines on one surface thereof;

a deformation layer disposed on the first and second electrode layers; and

a circuit board electrically connected to the first and second electrode layers to detect a change in capacitance between the electrode lines of one of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer,

wherein the first base substrate is deformed with respect to the second based substrate, in response to a pressure touch applied to the window,

wherein the OLED display module, the first graphite sheet, the metal support frame, the second graphite sheet, and the pressure touch sensing unit are sequentially laminated on one another,

wherein the first graphite sheet is disposed between the OLED display module and the metal support frame, and

wherein the second graphite sheet is disposed between the first base substrate and the metal support frame.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a touch sensing unit disposed beneath the pressure touch receiving area and configured to detect a touch input.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the guide frame comprises:

a mold portion fixed to the window; and

a metal portion fixed to the mold portion, and having a first area for fixing the OLED display module, and a second area mounted on the metal case.

4. The device of claim 3, further comprising a coupling portion protruding from the mold portion to be coupled to the metal support frame, and having a hole through which a coupling member is inserted.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the first and second base substrates are made of a glass material.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second base substrates are made of a transparent material, and the deformation layer is made of optical fiber corresponding to the first and second base substrates.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the deformation layer is made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrode lines of the first electrode layer extend in a first direction, and

wherein the plurality of electrode lines of the second electrode layer extend in a second direction intersecting with the first direction.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising a first heat dissipation member disposed on another surface of the first base substrate and configured to diffuse heat generated, wherein the first heat dissipation member is implemented as at least one of a graphite layer and a copper layer.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising a metal layer disposed between the metal support frame and the OLED display module, and configured to discharge generated heat through the metal case.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising a flexible circuit board electrically connecting the circuit board to the first and second electrode layers, and

wherein the flexible circuit board comprises a first connection portion connected to a first metal layer, a second connection portion connected to a second metal layer, and an extension portion integrally formed with the first and second connection portions and extending up to the circuit board.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the second base substrate is fixed only to the deformation layer and the first base substrate, and

wherein the first base substrate is attached only on the OLED display module.