ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING PHYSICAL BUTTON STRUCTURE

• US 20200137911A1
• Filed: 10/25/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Gidae, BAEK, Moohyun, YOO, Minwoo, LEE, Minsung
• Granted Patent: US 11,202,385 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1658 related to the mounting of internal components, e.g. disc drive or any other functional module
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/06 Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof or flameproof casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/52 the contact returning to its original state immediately upon removal of operating force, e.g. bell-push switch
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/18 Telephone sets specially adapted for use in ships, mines, or other places exposed to adverse environment H04M1/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/236 including keys on side or rear faces
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/148 Arrangements of two or more hingeably connected rigid printed circuit boards, i.e. connected by flexible means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10128 Display
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10151 Sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0247 Electrical details of casings, e.g. terminals, passages for cables or wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/069 Other details of the casing, e.g. wall structure, passage for a connector, a cable, a shaft

Abstract

An electronic device includes a housing, a button hole disposed on a side of the housing, a physical button mounted in the button hole, a support bracket that supports the physical button, and a waterproof bracket that seals, on a side of the housing to which the button hole is adjacent, at least part of a specified area where the physical button and the support bracket are disposed. The waterproof bracket includes a first bracket that makes close contact inside the housing in a direction toward a first surface of the housing and a second bracket that extends from the first bracket while forming a predetermined angle with the first bracket and that makes close contact inside the housing in a direction toward a second surface of the housing that is different from the first surface of the housing.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a housing including a front plate facing a first direction, a rear plate facing a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a side surface member configured to surround at least part of an inner space between the front plate and the rear plate, wherein the side surface member includes a first portion including an opening formed through the first portion toward the inner space from the outside of the side surface member in a third direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction;

a display exposed through at least a portion of the front plate;

a mid-plate disposed between the front plate and the rear plate and configured to directly or indirectly support the display;

a button assembly disposed in the opening and including a fingerprint sensor, wherein at least part of the button assembly is exposed outside the side surface member;

a structure configured to form a space surrounding the button assembly, together with a portion of the mid-plate and the first portion of the side surface member;

a first sealing member disposed between the portion of the mid-plate and a first portion of the structure; and

a second sealing member disposed between the first portion of the side surface member and a second portion of the structure, wherein the second sealing member is disposed closer to the rear plate than the first sealing member.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first sealing member is disposed between a surface of the portion of the mid-plate that faces the second direction and a surface of the structure that faces the first direction, and

wherein the second sealing member is disposed between a surface of the first portion that faces the third direction and a surface of the structure that faces a fourth direction opposite to the third direction.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a printed circuit board disposed between the mid-plate and the rear plate.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, further comprising:

a flexible printed circuit board extending from the fingerprint sensor through between the portion of the mid-plate and the first portion of the structure and electrically connected to the printed circuit board.

5. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a button hole formed on a side of the housing;

a physical button mounted in the button hole;

a support bracket configured to support the physical button; and

a waterproof bracket configured to seal, on a side of the housing to which the button hole is adjacent, at least part of a specified area where the physical button and the support bracket are disposed,

wherein the waterproof bracket includes;

a first bracket configured to contact with at least portion of inside part of the housing in a direction toward a first surface of the housing; and

a second bracket extending from the first bracket while forming a predetermined angle with the first bracket, the second bracket being configured to contact with at least portion of inside part of the housing in a direction toward a second surface of the housing that is different from the first surface of the housing.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, further comprising:

an adhesive member disposed between the first bracket and the first surface of the housing and between the second bracket and the second surface of the housing.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the adhesive member is arranged along at least an edge of the waterproof bracket to form a closed curve.

8. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the physical button includes:

a contact portion mounted in the button hole, wherein at least part of the contact portion is exposed to the outside;

a support portion connected to the contact portion and mounted inside the housing to prevent the contact portion from being separated out of the button hole; and

a dome key disposed on a side of the support portion.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, further comprising:

a support member disposed behind the dome key and configured to disperse pressure applied to the dome key,

wherein the support bracket is disposed to be brought into contact with the support member.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, further comprising:

a sensor and a sensor substrate disposed in at least one of the contact portion and the support portion;

wiring electrically connected with the sensor substrate; and

sensor circuitry electrically connected with the wiring,

wherein the sensor circuitry is disposed outside an area sealed by the waterproof bracket inside the housing.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the housing includes:

a bottom groove in which part of the wiring is disposed, the bottom groove being concavely formed in a lower position than a surrounding area;

a first waterproof tape disposed on a bottom of the bottom groove and configured to fix the wiring; and

a second waterproof tape disposed on the wiring placed on the first waterproof tape.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, further comprising:

an adhesive member disposed between the waterproof bracket and the second waterproof tape.

13. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the waterproof bracket further includes:

a bracket support disposed on rear surfaces of the first bracket and the second bracket and configured to support the support bracket.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the bracket support includes:

a wiring groove in which the wiring is placed.

15. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the bracket support includes:

a first bracket support placed on the rear surfaces of the first bracket and the second bracket; and

a second bracket support further protruding beyond a surface of the first bracket support, wherein at least part of the second bracket support faces the support bracket.

16. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the dome key is disposed on a rear surface of the sensor substrate, and

wherein the wiring is electrically connected with the sensor substrate through the dome key.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the wiring transfers at least one of a dome key contact signal according to a push of the physical button or a sensor signal according to operation of the sensor to the sensor circuitry.

18. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the electronic device further comprises at least one of a printed circuit board electrically connected with the sensor circuitry and a display disposed on a side of the housing, and

wherein the housing includes:

a first housing configured to support one area of the display;

a second housing configured to support the remaining area of the display; and

a hinge housing configured to support a hinge operation of the first housing and the second housing.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the display includes a flexible display, at least part of a central portion of which is folded at a specified angle or more.

20. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein rear surfaces of the first bracket and the second bracket are formed to have a predetermined curvature.