Electronic device including support structure
An electronic device comprises housings including a first housing and a second housing configured to accommodate at least a portion of the first housing and guide sliding of the first housing, a flexible display including a first display area and a second display area extending from the first display area, and a monolithic support structure configured to support at least a portion of the second display area. The support structure includes a plate part and a plurality of bar-shaped parts protruding side by side from the plate part and disposed parallel to the plate part. The plate part and the plurality of bar-shaped parts are formed from a single monolithic structure. Each of the plurality of bar-shaped parts includes a second portion extending from the plate part and a first portion extending from the second portion, and a first width of the first portion is greater than a second width of the second portion. The plate part includes a plurality of openings located between adjacent ones of the bar-shaped parts.
1. An electronic device comprising:
housings including a first housing and a second housing, the second housing accommodating at least a portion of the first housing and configured to provide mechanical guide a sliding movement of the first housing;
a flexible display including a first display area and a second display area extending from the first display area; and
a monolithic support structure configured to support at least a portion of the second display area,
wherein the support structure includes a plate part and a plurality of bar-shaped parts protruding side by side from the plate part and disposed parallel to the plate part,
wherein the plate part and the plurality of bar-shaped parts are formed from a single monolithic structure,
wherein each of the plurality of bar-shaped parts includes a second portion extending from the plate part and a first portion extending from the second portion, and a first width of the first portion is greater than a second width of the second portion, and
wherein the plate part includes a plurality of openings located between adjacent ones of the bar-shaped parts.
2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the flexible display further comprises a cover window, a display panel located under the cover window, and a cover panel located under the display panel, and
wherein the plate part further comprises a first surface configured to support the cover panel and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and the plurality of bar-shaped parts are extended on the second surface.
3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein when viewed from a direction perpendicular to first surface or the second surface of the plate part, the plurality of openings are exposed.
4. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein in each of the plurality bar-shaped parts, both side surfaces of the second portion forms an acute angle with the second surfaces of the plate part and both side surfaces of the first portion forms a substantially 90-degree angle with the second surfaces of the plate part.
5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of a first area including the plurality of openings is 0.05 mm to 0.2 mm, and
where the first width of the first portion is greater than the second width of the second portion so as to reduce the flexibility of the monolithic support structure in rolling movements.
6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a ratio between a thickness of a first area including the plurality of openings and a thickness of each of the plurality of bar-shaped parts is 1:1.5 to 1:20.
7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein when viewed from a direction perpendicular to one surface of the plate part, the first portion of each of the plurality of bar-shaped parts overlaps at least a portion of the plurality of openings.
8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein when viewed from a direction perpendicular to one surface of the plate part, the plurality of bar-shaped parts of the support structure and a first area including the plurality of openings are alternately disposed.
9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein in each of the plurality of bar-shaped parts, the second portion is extended from the plate part in an acute angle with respect to the plate part and a first portion is substantially 90-degree angle with respect to the plate part.
10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the support structure is an integral structure extending seamlessly from the plate part to the plurality of bar-shaped parts.
11. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the housings further comprise a guide plate including concave rails, and
wherein each of the plurality of bar-shaped parts further includes a protrusion extending from an edge area and operatively connected to the concave rails.
12. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a motor structure disposed in the first housing and configured to generate a driving force for the sliding movement of the first housing.
13. The electronic device of claim 12 , further comprising a gear connected to the motor structure and configured to rotate based on the driving force and a rack connected to the second housing,
wherein the housings further include a guide rail comprising concave rails, and
wherein at least a portion of the guide rail is configured to face the rack.
14. A method of manufacturing a support structure used in a device, the method comprising:
forming a plurality of bar-shaped parts by cutting at least a portion of a second surface of a support material comprising a first surface and the second surface opposite to the first surface;
forming a plurality of protrusions by cutting at least a portion of a side surface connecting the first surface and the second surface of the support material; and
forming a first area by etching at least a portion of the support material,
wherein each of the plurality of bar-shaped parts includes a first portion and a second portion, wherein the second portion extends from the second surface and the first portion extends from the second portion, wherein a width of the second portion grows as the second portion extends away from the second surface towards the first portion, and wherein a width of the first portion is greater than the width of the second portion near contact with the second surface, and
wherein the first area is located between adjacent ones the plurality of bar-shaped parts and includes a plurality of openings extending from the first surface to the second surface.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising etching a reinforcement area provided on the first surface, wherein the etching of the reinforcement area is performed after the forming of the plurality of bar-shaped parts,
wherein the reinforcement area is provided to at least a partial area of the support material having a predetermined thickness in a direction perpendicular to the first surface from the first surface.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the forming the plurality of bar-shaped parts further comprises cutting at least a portion of the second surface while leaving an auxiliary area on at least a portion of an edge area of the support material, and
wherein the method further comprises: removing the auxiliary area, and
wherein the auxiliary area is disposed in the edge area of the support material and is provided as an area where the support material can be supported within manufacturing equipment during manufacturing process.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the forming of the first area further comprises:
performing masking on the second surface between adjacent ones of the plurality of bar-shaped parts; and
etching at least a portion of the masked second surface.
18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the forming of the first area further comprises:
performing masking on the first surface; and
etching at least a portion of the masked first surface.
19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising forming an auxiliary support area in an edge area of the support material.
20. A support structure used in an electronic device including a first housing and a second housing, the second housing accommodating at least a portion of the first housing and configured to provide mechanical guide a sliding movement of the first housing; a flexible display including a first display area and a second display area extending from the first display area; and a monolithic support structure configured to support at least a portion of the second display area, the support structure comprising:
a plate part including a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; and
a plurality of bar-shaped parts extending from the second surface of the plate part and protruding in parallel thereon,
wherein each of the plurality of bar-shaped parts includes a second portion extending from the second surface and a first portion extending from the second portion, in which a width of a part of the second portion is narrower than a width of the first portion,
wherein the plate part includes a plurality of openings located between adjacent ones of the plurality of bar-shaped parts,
wherein, when viewed from above the second surface of the plate part, at least some of the plurality of openings overlap at least a portion of the first portion, and
wherein, when viewed in a view from above the first surface of the plate part, the plurality of openings is exposed to the outside.