Electronic device having thermal spreading through a hinge of a configurable housing that supports a back flexible display

An electronic device with a configurable housing assembly and a method enhances thermal energy spreading within the device via thermal spreader layer(s) of a flexible layer assembly extending through a channel defined in a hinge assembly of the device. The hinge assembly has a hinge body coupling first and second device housings of the configurable housing assembly. Purlin(s) of the hinge assembly support a back flexible display. A thermal spreader layer is positioned on a surface of a flexible circuit of the flexible layer assembly. The thermal spreader layer has one end thermally coupled within the first device housing and another end thermally coupled within the second device housing to transfer thermal energy between the first and the second structures. The flexible layer assembly deforms within the channel when the first and second device housings pivot about the hinge body from a closed position to an axially displaced open position.