A terminal

Abstract

This application provides a terminal including a flexible screen and a folding mechanism. The folding mechanism includes: a fixed base; a rotating assembly including: a rotating shaft rotatably connected to the fixed base; a rotating member connected to the rotating shaft and driving the rotating shaft to rotate relative to the fixed base, the rotating member being fixedly connected to a first fixed part or a second fixed part, and the rotating member driving the flexible screen to rotate between a folded state and a flattened state; a conversion member connected to the rotating shaft; and a moving assembly fixedly connected to the conversion member. The conversion member converts the rotation of the rotating shaft into linear movement of the moving assembly along a first axis. When the flexible screen changes from a flattened state to a folded state, the moving assembly moves along the first axis away from the flexible screen to expand the space above the moving assembly. When the flexible screen changes from a folded state to a flattened state, the moving assembly moves along the first axis towards the flexible screen.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of foldable flexible screen application technology, and in particular to a terminal. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing popularity of full-screen displays, mobile devices are pursuing a larger screen visual experience while also balancing better portability. The physical limit of a single screen is to achieve a 100% screen-to-body ratio within a holdable size. To achieve even larger screens while maintaining portability, foldable mobile devices have been developed. Current foldable mobile devices use dual screens, but when unfolded, there is a noticeable disconnect between the two independent screens, failing to achieve a perfect visual experience.

[0003] Flexible screen technology is developing rapidly. Besides bendable flexible screens, foldable flexible screens have also emerged. Foldable flexible screens, being a single unit, offer a more perfect overall visual effect when unfolded. Flexible foldable mobile terminals can be categorized into inward-folding and outward-folding types based on the screen's position after folding. For inward-folding mobile terminals, the screen is located on the inside of the terminal after folding, protected by the casing, providing better impact resistance.

[0004] One development direction for existing flexible screen mobile terminals with inward bending is the fixed screen type. The fixed screen type means that the flexible screen and the rotating components of the device are relatively fixed. During the folding process, the rotating components move in sync with the changes in the flexible screen, and there is no displacement or misalignment between the flexible screen and the rotating components. However, in the above-mentioned existing technologies, the space in the mobile terminal to accommodate the flexible screen is limited when folding, which can cause the flexible screen to arch at the fold. This can affect the appearance of the flexible screen or even damage it.

[0005] Application content

[0006] This application provides a terminal that can reduce the probability of the flexible screen arching in the bendable part of the flexible screen when it is folded, thus preventing damage to the flexible screen.

[0007] One embodiment of this application provides a terminal including a flexible screen and a folding mechanism. The flexible screen is fixed to the folding mechanism. The flexible screen includes a first fixed portion, a second fixed portion, and a bendable portion located between the two. The folding mechanism includes: a fixed base; a rotating assembly including: a rotating shaft rotatably connected to the fixed base; a rotating member connected to the rotating shaft and driving the rotating shaft to rotate relative to the fixed base, the rotating member being fixedly connected to the first fixed portion or the second fixed portion, and the rotating member driving the flexible screen to rotate between a folded state and a flattened state; a conversion member connected to the rotating shaft; and a moving assembly fixedly connected to the conversion member. The conversion member converts the rotation of the rotating shaft into linear movement of the moving assembly along a first axis. When the flexible screen changes from a flattened state to a folded state, the moving assembly moves along the first axis away from the flexible screen to expand the space above the moving assembly. When the flexible screen changes from a folded state to a flattened state, the moving assembly moves along the first axis towards the flexible screen. When the flexible screen is in a folded state, the first axis is parallel to the display surface of the first fixed portion or the second fixed portion and perpendicular to the central axis of the rotating shaft.

[0008] The folding mechanism provided in this application embodiment allows the moving component to move away from the flexible screen along the first axis when the flexible screen changes from a flat state to a folded state, thereby expanding the space above the moving component. As a result, the space for the flexible screen to bend is increased and expanded, which can reduce the probability that the flexible screen will arch upwards due to the small space when folding, and reduce the probability of damage to the flexible screen due to folding.

[0009] In one embodiment of this application, the folding mechanism includes a first bottom shell and a second bottom shell. The first bottom shell is disposed opposite to a first fixed portion, and the second bottom shell is disposed opposite to a second fixed portion. The rotating component of the rotating assembly is fixedly connected to either the first or second bottom shell. The first and second bottom shells are disposed adjacent to each other. When the flexible screen is in a flattened state, the moving component is located on the same side of the first and second bottom shells. When the flexible screen is in a folded state, a first gap exists between adjacent ends of the first and second bottom shells, and part of the moving component extends out from the first gap. This arrangement reduces the width of the first gap, thereby reducing the probability of external components being inserted into the terminal through the first gap, preventing damage to components inside the terminal, and also preventing users from suffering electric shock or other injuries.

[0010] In one embodiment of this application, the movable component includes a metal housing. The outer surface of the metal housing away from the flexible screen is arc-shaped. During the process of the flexible screen changing from a flattened state to a folded state, at least one of the first bottom shell and the second bottom shell rotates. When the first bottom shell or the second bottom shell rotates, the inner surface of the first bottom shell near the end of the second bottom shell or the inner surface of the second bottom shell near the end of the first bottom shell rotates close to the arc-shaped outer surface of the metal housing, and at each moment during the rotation process, the second gap between the inner surface of the first bottom shell near the end of the second bottom shell and the inner surface of the second bottom shell near the end of the first bottom shell and the metal housing is less than or equal to 0.2 mm. Alternatively, when both the first bottom shell and the second bottom shell rotate, the inner surface of the first bottom shell near the end of the second bottom shell and the inner surface of the second bottom shell near the end of the first bottom shell rotates close to the arc-shaped outer surface of the metal housing, and at each moment during the rotation process, the second gap between the inner surface of the first bottom shell near the end of the second bottom shell and the inner surface of the second bottom shell near the end of the first bottom shell and the metal housing is less than or equal to 0.2 mm. With this configuration, at every moment during rotation, the second gap between the inner surface of the first bottom shell adjacent to the end of the second bottom shell and the inner surface of the second bottom shell adjacent to the end of the first bottom shell, and the metal casing is less than or equal to 0.2mm. From the outside, the user can hardly perceive the second gap between the first bottom shell, the second bottom shell, and the metal casing, thus enhancing the aesthetics of the terminal. Furthermore, the metal casing provides added stability to the terminal.

[0011] In one embodiment of this application, the rotating assembly further includes a support plate located on one side of the moving assembly. The side of the support plate adjacent to the moving assembly is rotatably connected to the fixed base, and the side of the support plate away from the moving assembly can slide on the rotating member belonging to the same rotating assembly. When the flexible screen is in a flattened state, the support plate is parallel to the display surface of the flexible screen and is located below and against the bendable portion. Since the first and second fixed portions can be supported by the rotating member, the first and second fixed portions will not dent or deform during user operation. The bendable portion is free and unsupported. Here, due to the support plate, when the flexible screen is in a flattened state, the support plate supports the bendable portion of the flexible screen, preventing the flexible screen from denting during user operation and improving the user experience.

[0012] In one embodiment of this application, the folding mechanism further includes a first damping element and a second damping element. The first damping element and the second damping element are respectively located on the moving component and the fixed base. The first damping element and the second damping element cooperate to apply resistance to the rotation of the rotating component when the flexible screen rotates from a flattened state to a folded state or from a folded state to a flattened state. Due to the provision of the first damping element and the second damping element, accidental triggering of the flexible screen to rotate to a folded state or to a flattened state can be prevented, thus improving the user experience.

[0013] In one embodiment of this application, the conversion component includes a gear and a rack. The gear is mounted on a rotating shaft and rotates with the rotating shaft. The rack is fixed to a moving component. The gear and the rack mesh. The rotation of the gear drives the rack to move linearly along a first axis. The linear movement of the rack causes the moving component to move linearly along the first axis as well. The conversion from rotation to linear motion along the first axis is achieved through a gear and rack, which is easy to implement and has low cost.

[0014] In one embodiment of this application, there are two rotating components. The rotating parts of the two rotating components are fixedly connected to a first fixed portion and a second fixed portion, respectively. The rotating parts of the two rotating components rotate synchronously but in opposite directions. The rotating parts of the two rotating components are arranged side-by-side on the central axis of the rotation shaft and on the first axis. The surfaces of the rotating parts of one rotating component adjacent to the flexible screen and the surfaces of the rotating parts of the other rotating component have rounded corners at their intersections to prevent interference between the two rotating parts during rotation.

[0015] In one embodiment of this application, there are two rotating assemblies. The rotating parts of the two rotating assemblies are respectively fixedly connected to the same first fixed part or the same second fixed part. The rotating parts of the two rotating assemblies rotate synchronously and in the same direction. The fixed base includes a first fixed part, a second fixed part, and a connecting part. The first fixed part and the second fixed part are respectively fixed to opposite ends of the connecting part. One rotating shaft of the two rotating assemblies is mounted on the first fixed part, and the other rotating shaft is mounted on the second fixed part.

[0016] In one embodiment of this application, the number of rotating components is four; wherein the rotating parts of two of the rotating components are fixedly connected to the first fixed part and the rotating parts of the two rotating components rotate synchronously and in the same direction; the rotating parts of the other two rotating components are fixedly connected to the second fixed part and the rotating parts of the two rotating components rotate synchronously and in the same direction; the rotating parts of the two rotating components fixedly connected to the first fixed part and the rotating parts of the two rotating components fixedly connected to the second fixed part have the same rotation speed and opposite rotation directions. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1a This is a schematic diagram of a terminal in a flattened state according to an embodiment of this application;

[0019] Figure 1b This is a schematic diagram of a terminal in a folded state according to an embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the folding mechanism according to the first embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the folding mechanism of the first embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the fixed base, the moving component, and a portion of the rotating component according to the first embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the fixing base according to the first embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 6 This is an exploded view of the moving component and part of the rotating component of the first embodiment of this application;

[0025] Figure 7a yes Figure 1a Cross-sectional view along line AA (flexible screen in folded state);

[0026] Figure 7b yes Figure 7a Enlarged view of the rectangular area;

[0027] Figure 8a yes Figure 1a Cross-sectional view along line BB (flexible screen in folded state);

[0028] Figure 8b yes Figure 8a Enlarged view of the rectangular area;

[0029] Figure 9a yes Figure 1a A cross-sectional view along line AA (the flexible screen is in a flattened state);

[0030] Figure 9b yes Figure 9a Enlarged view of the rectangular area;

[0031] Figure 10a yes Figure 1a A cross-sectional view along line BB (the flexible screen is in a flattened state);

[0032] Figure 10b yes Figure 10a Enlarged view of the rectangular area;

[0033] Figure 11 This is a cross-sectional view of the first damping element and the second damping element in the first embodiment of this application.

[0034] Figure 12 This is a cross-sectional view of the first and second damping components in cooperation according to another embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 13 This is a perspective view of the folding mechanism according to the second embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 14 This is an exploded view of the folding mechanism of the second embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 15 This is a perspective view of the folding mechanism according to the third embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 16 This is an exploded view of the folding mechanism according to the third embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 17 This is a perspective view of the folding mechanism according to the fourth embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 18 This is an exploded view of the folding mechanism of the fourth embodiment of this application;

[0041] Drawing number explanation:

[0042] 110 - Flexible screen; 111 - First fixed part; 112 - Second fixed part; 113 - Bendable part; 120 - Fixing base; 121 - First fixing member; 122 - Second fixing member; 123 - Connecting member; 1241 - First transverse part; 1242 - Longitudinal part; 1243 - Second transverse part; 1244 - First through hole; 1245 - Fixing shaft;

[0043] 200-Rotating assembly; 201-First rotating assembly; 202-Second rotating assembly; 203-Third rotating assembly; 204-Fourth rotating assembly; 210-Rotating shaft; 220-Rotating component; 221-Inclined groove; 230-Converting component; 231-Gear; 232-Rack; 240-Support plate; 241-Groove; 242-Sliding shaft;

[0044] 300 - Moving component; 310 - Metal housing; 311 - Bottom wall; 312 - Left side wall; 313 - Right side wall; 314 - U-shaped hole; 315 - Mounting post; 320 - Cover plate; 321 - Mounting hole;

[0045] 410 - First bottom shell; 420 - Second bottom shell; d1 - First gap; d2 - Second gap; 430 - First damping element; 440 - Second damping element; 451 - Damping rod; 4511 - First rod portion; 4512 - Second rod portion; 4513 - Protrusion; 452 - Spring; 453 - Cam; 4531 - First cam portion; 4532 - Second cam portion; 454 - Recessed groove; 455 - Connecting rod. Detailed Implementation

[0046] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0047] This application provides a terminal, such as a mobile phone, tablet computer, or monitor. In this application, a mobile phone terminal is used as an example for description. Please refer to... Figure 1a and Figure 1b In this application, the terminal includes a folding mechanism and a flexible screen 110. The flexible screen 110 is fixed on or above the folding mechanism. The flexible screen 110 includes a first fixed portion 111, a second fixed portion 112, and a bendable portion 113. The bendable portion 113 is located between the first fixed portion 111 and the second fixed portion 112, and the display surfaces of the first fixed portion 111 and the second fixed portion 112 are always flat, while the bendable portion 113 can be bent. The folding mechanism can fold the flexible screen 110. When the flexible screen 110 is folded, the bendable portion 113 of the flexible screen is bent, while the first fixed portion 111 and the second fixed portion 112 are not bent and remain flat. The display areas of the first fixed portion 111 and the second fixed portion 112 can be equal or unequal. The flexible screen 110 has two extreme positions: a folded state and a flattened state. The "flattened state" refers to the state where the display surfaces of the flexible screen 110 are on the same plane. In this state, the display surfaces of the first fixed portion 111, the second fixed portion 112, and the bendable portion 113 are on the same plane, and the angle between the first fixed portion 111 and the second fixed portion 112 is 180 degrees (see [link]). Figure 10a , 10b Flexible screen 110 is used for large-screen displays; please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 1aThe folded state refers to the bending portion 113 being bent, with the two ends of the bending portion 113 connected to the first fixed portion 111 and the second fixed portion 112 respectively folded into contact (see [link]). Figure 8a , 8b At this point, the bendable portion 113 is teardrop-shaped, and the first fixing portion 111 and the second fixing portion 112 are in contact with each other at an angle of 0 degrees. This facilitates the storage of the terminal. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 1b Of course, when the user is using the terminal, the flexible screen 110 can also be in a state between folded and flattened.

[0048] After the folding mechanism of this application is connected to the flexible screen 110, the user applies force to the folding mechanism to make the flexible screen 110 rotate between a flattened state and a folded state. When the flexible screen 110 is in the folded state, the folded flexible screen 110 is inside the terminal, and the folding mechanism can protect the flexible screen 110. The first fixed part 111 and the second fixed part 112 are arranged facing each other, and the bendable part 113 is bent. This type of terminal is called an inwardly folding flexible screen terminal. Please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 1b .

[0049] For the sake of clarity in the following description, let's use... Figure 1a When the flexible screen 110 is in a flattened state, the orientation is defined as follows: the display surface of the flexible screen 110 is defined as "up," the unused back surface of the flexible screen 110 is defined as "down," and the display surface of the flexible screen 110 is parallel to the horizontal plane. Figure 1a The side of the flexible screen 110 closest to the user is defined as the front, and the side opposite the front is defined as the back. Figure 1a The side located to the left of the flexible screen 110 is defined as left, and the side opposite to left is defined as right. The orientations of other components are the same as... Figure 1a The definition direction of the flexible screen 110 is consistent.

[0050] First Embodiment

[0051] Please see Figures 1a-12 In this embodiment, the folding mechanism includes a fixed base 120, a rotating component 200, and a moving component 300.

[0052] Please see Figures 3-5In this embodiment, the fixing base 120 includes a first fixing member 121, a second fixing member 122, and a connecting member 123. The first fixing member 121 and the second fixing member 122 are respectively fixedly connected to opposite ends of the connecting member 123, specifically to the left and right ends of the connecting member 123. That is, the connecting member 123 is located between the first fixing member 121 and the second fixing member 122, thereby connecting the first fixing member 121, the second fixing member 122, and the connecting member 123 into a whole, which is beneficial to the overall stability of the fixing base 120. In this embodiment, the connecting member 123 is flat, and the first fixing member 121 and the second fixing member 122 are approximately Z-shaped. Both the first fixing member 121 and the second fixing member 122 include a first transverse portion 1241, a longitudinal portion 1242, and a second transverse portion 1243. The first transverse portion 1241 and the second transverse portion 1243 extend in the left-right direction, and the longitudinal portion 1242 extends in the up-down direction. The first transverse portion 1241 and the second transverse portion 1243 are fixedly connected to the upper and lower ends of the longitudinal portion 1242, respectively. The longitudinal portion 1242 is located between the first transverse portion 1241 and the second transverse portion 1243. The second transverse portion 1243 of the first fixing member 121 and the second transverse portion 1243 of the second fixing member 122 are fixedly connected to both ends of the connecting member 123. In this embodiment, both the first fixing member 121 and the second fixing member 122 have a first through hole 1244, which penetrates the longitudinal portion 1242 of the first fixing member 121 and the second fixing member 122 in the left-right direction, respectively. In this embodiment, the first fixing member 121 has two first through holes 1244, and the two first through holes 1244 on the first fixing member 121 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction. The second fixing member 122 also has two first through holes 1244, and the two first through holes 1244 on the second fixing member 122 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction. When the flexible screen 110 rotates from a flat state to a folded state or from a folded state to a flat state, the fixed base 120 remains stationary.

[0053] Please see Figure 2In this embodiment, there are four rotating components 200, which are used to drive the flexible screen 110 to fold. However, this application is not limited to this. In other embodiments of this application, the number of rotating components 200 is not limited to four, but can also be one, two, three, five, six, etc. In this embodiment, two of the four rotating components 200 are rotatably connected to the first fixing member 121, and these two rotating components 200 are respectively fixedly connected to the first fixing part 111 and the second fixing part 112. The fixed connection mentioned in this application includes both direct fixed connection and indirect fixed connection. The other two rotating components 200 are rotatably connected to the second fixing member 122, and these other two rotating components 200 are respectively fixedly connected to the first fixing part 111 and the second fixing part 112. For ease of description and distinction, the two rotating components 200 rotatably connected to the first fixing member 121 are referred to as the first rotating component 201 and the second rotating component 202, respectively, and the two rotating components 200 rotatably connected to the second fixing member 122 are referred to as the third rotating component 203 and the fourth rotating component 204, respectively. Please refer to [reference needed]. Figures 3-6 In this embodiment, each rotating assembly 200 includes a rotating shaft 210, a rotating element 220, and a conversion element 230. The connection relationship between the rotating shaft 210, the rotating element 220, and the conversion element 230 is described in detail below using the first rotating assembly 201 as an example. The connection relationship between the second rotating assembly 202 to the fourth rotating assembly 204 is similar and will not be described again.

[0054] In this embodiment, the rotating shaft 210 of the first rotating assembly 201 is rotatably connected to the fixed base 120, that is, it is mounted on the fixed base 120 and can rotate relative to the fixed base 120. Specifically, the rotating shaft 210 is inserted into the first through hole 1244 on the front side of the first fixing member 121. The rotating shaft 210 can rotate in the first through hole 1244 of the first fixing member 121. In this embodiment, the rotating shaft 210 is cylindrical, and it is inserted from the left end of the first through hole 1244 and exits from the right end. The left and right ends of the rotating shaft 210 are located on the left and right sides of the longitudinal portion 1242 of the first fixing member 121, respectively. In other embodiments of this application, the rotating shaft 210 may not exit from the right end of the first through hole 1244. In this embodiment, the rotation shaft 210 of the second rotating assembly 202 is inserted into the first through hole 1244 on the rear side of the first fixing member 121, the rotation shaft 210 of the third rotating assembly 203 is inserted into the first through hole 1244 on the front side of the second fixing member 122, and the rotation shaft 210 of the fourth rotating assembly 204 is inserted into the first through hole 1244 on the rear side of the second fixing member 122.

[0055] In this embodiment, the central axes of the rotation axes 210 of the first rotating assembly 201 and the third rotating assembly 203 are located on the same straight line, as are the central axes of the rotation axes 210 of the second rotating assembly 202 and the fourth rotating assembly 204. In this embodiment, the central axes of the rotation axes 210 of the first rotating assembly 201 and the second rotating assembly 202 are parallel to each other, and the central axes of the rotation axes 210 of the third rotating assembly 203 and the fourth rotating assembly 204 are also parallel to each other, all in the left-right direction.

[0056] In this embodiment, the rotating component 220 of the first rotating assembly 201 is connected to the rotating shaft 210 of the first rotating assembly 201, and the rotating component 220 drives the rotating shaft 210 to rotate together with the fixed base 120. That is, when the rotating component 220 rotates, it drives the rotating shaft 210 to rotate on the fixed base 120. One way to connect the rotating component 220 and the rotating shaft 210 is that the rotating component 220 has a hexagonal through hole or other polygonal through hole, and the left end of the rotating shaft 210 is hexagonal or other corresponding polygonal. The left end of the rotating shaft 210 is aligned and inserted into the hexagonal through hole, so that the rotating component 220 and the rotating shaft 210 rotate together. In addition, the rotating component 220 and the rotating shaft 210 can also be fixedly connected, or other conventional non-relative rotational connection methods. In this embodiment, the rotating member 220 is connected to the left end of the rotating shaft 210, that is, the rotating member 220 is located on the left side of the longitudinal portion 1242 of the first fixing member 121. The rotating member 220 is directly or indirectly fixedly connected to the lower surface of the flexible screen 110. Here, the rotating member 220 and the first fixing portion 111 are glued together to achieve the fixed connection between the two. Of course, the two can also be fixedly connected by other conventional methods. The rotating member 220 drives the flexible screen 110 to rotate between the folded state and the flattened state. Specifically, when the rotating member 220 rotates, the rotating member 220 will drive the first fixing portion 111 or the second fixing portion 112 fixedly connected to it to rotate together. The rotating member 220 and the first fixing portion 111 or the second fixing portion 112 fixedly connected to it will not move relative to each other. In this embodiment, the rotating component 220 of the first rotating assembly 201-the fourth rotating assembly 204 is part of the terminal's mid-frame. Specifically, the rotating component 220 of the first rotating assembly 201 and the rotating component 220 of the third rotating assembly 203 are connected as a whole, and the rotating component 220 of the second rotating assembly 202 and the rotating component 220 of the fourth rotating assembly 204 are connected as a whole. The terminal's mid-frame is fixedly connected to the terminal's bottom shell. However, this application is not limited to this. In other embodiments of this application, the rotating component 220 of the first rotating assembly 201-the fourth rotating assembly 204 can also be part of the bottom shell. In other embodiments of this application, the rotating component 220 of the first rotating assembly 201-the fourth rotating assembly 204 can also be both the mid-frame and the bottom shell. In other embodiments of this application, the rotating component 220 of the first rotating assembly 201-the fourth rotating assembly 204 can also be independent of the terminal's mid-frame or bottom shell, as a newly added structure. In this case, the rotating component 220 is fixedly connected to the mid-frame or the bottom shell. In this embodiment, when the flexible screen 110 is in a flattened state, please refer to... Figure 2 , Figures 9a-10bThe angle between the rotating member 220 of the first rotating assembly 201 and the rotating member 220 of the second rotating assembly 202 is 180°, and the angle between the rotating member 220 of the third rotating assembly 203 and the rotating member 220 of the fourth rotating assembly 204 is 180°; when the flexible screen 110 is in a folded state, please refer to... Figure 2 , Figures 7a-8b The angle between the rotating component 220 of the first rotating assembly 201 and the rotating component 220 of the second rotating assembly 202 is 0°, the angle between the rotating component 220 of the third rotating assembly 203 and the rotating component 220 of the fourth rotating assembly 204 is 0°, and the four rotating components 220 rotate approximately 90 degrees relative to each other in a flattened state.

[0057] In this embodiment, please refer to Figure 1a , Figures 2-4Two of the four rotating components 200 have their rotating parts 220 fixedly connected to the first fixed part 111, and the rotating parts 220 of the two rotating components 200 are respectively distributed at the left and right ends of the first fixed part 111. The rotating parts 220 of the other two rotating components 200 are fixedly connected to the second fixed part 112, and the rotating parts 220 of the two rotating components 200 are respectively distributed at the left and right ends of the second fixed part 112. This arrangement is beneficial to ensure that the rotation speed of the first fixed part 111 and the second fixed part 112 is relatively consistent when the flexible screen 110 is transformed from a flat state to a folded state or vice versa, so as not to cause the first fixed part 111 and the second fixed part 112 to twist due to inconsistent rotation speed, which is beneficial to protecting the flexible screen 110. Moreover, the bendable portion 113 of the flexible screen 110 is in a free and unrestrained state, that is, it is not connected to the rotating component 200. When the rotating component 200 drives the flexible screen 110 to change from a flat state to a folded state, the bendable portion 113 is bent and folded due to the driving of the first fixed portion 111 and the second fixed portion 112. At this time, the display surfaces of the first fixed portion 111 and the second fixed portion 112 are both flat. During this process, the first fixed portion 111 and the two rotating components 220 fixedly connected to it will not move relative to each other, and the second fixed portion 112 and the two rotating components 220 fixedly connected to it will not move relative to each other. When the rotating assembly 200 drives the flexible screen 110 from a folded state to a flattened state, the bendable portion 113 is flattened due to the movement of the first fixed portion 111 and the second fixed portion 112. At this time, the display surfaces of the first fixed portion 111 and the second fixed portion 112 are still flat, and during this process, the first fixed portion 111 and the two rotating members 220 fixedly connected to it will not move relative to each other, nor will the second fixed portion 112 and the two rotating members 220 fixedly connected to it move relative to each other. In this embodiment, when the flexible screen 110 changes from a flattened state to a folded state, the rotating members 220 of the first rotating assembly 201, the second rotating assembly 202, the third rotating assembly 203, and the fourth rotating assembly 204 rotate at the same angle, generally 90 degrees.

[0058] Please continue reading Figures 2-4In this embodiment, the conversion member 230 of the first rotating assembly 201 is connected to the rotating shaft 210 of the first rotating assembly 201. The conversion member 230 is located between the rotating member 220 and the longitudinal portion 1242 of the first fixing member 121. That is, both the conversion member 230 and the rotating member 220 of the first rotating assembly 201 are located on the left side of the longitudinal portion 1242 of the first fixing member 121. For example, the conversion member 230 is connected to the middle of the rotating shaft 210. In other embodiments of this application, the conversion member 230 and the rotating member 220 may also be located on opposite sides of the first fixing member 121. In this embodiment, the conversion member 230 converts the rotation of the rotating shaft 210 into linear movement of the moving assembly 300. In this embodiment, linear movement is movement along the first axis. When the flexible screen 110 is in a folded state, the first axis is parallel to the display surface of the first fixing portion 111 or the second fixing portion 112, and the first axis is perpendicular to the central axis of the rotating shaft 210. In this embodiment, the first axis is in the up-down direction.

[0059] Optionally, in this embodiment, the conversion element 230 includes a gear 231 and a rack 232. The gear 231 is connected to the rotating shaft 210. When the rotating shaft 210 rotates, it drives the gear 231 to rotate. The rack 232 meshes with the gear 231, and the teeth on the rack 232 are distributed along the direction of the first axis. When the rotating shaft 210 drives the gear 231 to rotate, the rotation of the gear 231 causes the rack 232 to move upwards or downwards along the first axis. The rack 232 then drives the moving component 300 to move linearly along the first axis, thereby converting the rotation of the rotating shaft 210 into linear movement of the rack 232 on the first axis. In this embodiment, the conversion element 230 includes a gear 231 and a rack 232, which is relatively easy to implement, has a mature solution, and low cost. Furthermore, in other embodiments of this application, the conversion element 230 can also be other means of converting rotation into linear movement, such as a combination of pulleys and a transmission belt, which will not be elaborated here.

[0060] Optional, please see Figure 9a and Figure 10b In order to prevent the rotating component 220 from over-rotating when the flexible screen 110 changes from a folded state to a flattened state, that is, to prevent the rotating component 220 from continuing to rotate when the flexible screen 110 is in a flattened state and causing the display surface of the first fixed part 111 or the second fixed part 112 to tilt downward, in this embodiment, when the flexible screen is in a flattened state, the gear 231 meshes with the lowest tooth of the rack 232, and the gear 231 can no longer rotate, which can prevent the rotating component 220 connected to the gear 231 from over-rotating.

[0061] Please see Figures 3-6In this example, the moving component 300 is fixedly connected to the conversion components 230 of the first rotating component 201, the second rotating component 202, the third rotating component 203, and the fourth rotating component 204, respectively. The four conversion components 230 together drive the moving component 300 to move linearly along the first axis, which in this embodiment also means driving the moving component 300 to move up and down. When the four rotating components 200 drive the flexible screen 110 to change from a flattened state to a folded state, the moving component 300 moves along the first axis in a direction away from the flexible screen 110 to expand the space above the moving component. This expands the space to accommodate the bendable portion 113 of the flexible screen 110 for bending. Specifically, the moving component 300 moves along the first axis in a direction away from the bendable portion 113 of the flexible screen 110, that is, the moving component 300 moves downward, thereby freeing up space and reducing the probability that the bendable portion 113 will arch due to insufficient space when the flexible screen 110 is folded. The flexible screen 110 will not be damaged due to folding. When the four rotating components 200 work together to drive the flexible screen 110 from a folded state to a flattened state, the moving component 300 moves along the first axis toward the flexible screen 110. Specifically, it moves along the first axis toward the bendable part 113 of the flexible screen 110, that is, the moving component 300 moves upward and then returns to its original position. This setting facilitates the subsequent folding of the flexible screen 110.

[0062] In this embodiment, the movable component 300 includes a metal housing 310 and a cover plate 320, which are fixedly connected to form a cavity. However, this application is not limited to this; in other embodiments of this application, the housing 310 may also be made of a non-metallic material. Specifically, the metal casing 310 includes a bottom wall 311, a left side wall 312, and a right side wall 313. The lower ends of the left side wall 312 and the right side wall 313 are fixed to the bottom wall 311. A cover plate 320 is provided above the left side wall 312, the right side wall 313, and the bottom wall 311. The surface area of ​​the cover plate 320 is smaller than the area of ​​the upward opening of the metal casing 310. The cover plate 320 is fixedly connected to the metal casing 310. Specifically, a mounting post 315 is fixed on the bottom wall 311 of the metal casing 310, and a mounting hole 321 is provided on the cover plate 320. The cover plate 320 is fixed to the mounting post 315 by screws passing through the mounting hole 321. There is a gap between the cover plate 320 and the upper ends of the left side wall 312, the right side wall 313, and the bottom wall 311. In this embodiment, the fixing base 120 is located in the cavity of the moving component 300. Specifically, the first fixing member 121, the second fixing member 122, and the connecting member 123 are all located in the cavity. The first fixing member 121 is disposed adjacent to the left side wall 312 of the metal housing 310, the second fixing member 122 is disposed adjacent to the right side wall 313 of the metal housing 310, and the connecting member 123 has a clearance hole corresponding to the mounting post 315. In order to connect the first fixing member 121 and the second fixing member 122 with the rotating member 220 on the outside of the cavity, in this embodiment, the left side wall 312 and the right side wall 313 of the metal shell 310 are provided with two U-shaped holes 314. The U-shaped holes 314 extend along the first axis direction and the upper end of the U-shaped holes 314 is open. The rotating shafts 210 of the first rotating assembly 201 and the second rotating assembly 202 pass through the two U-shaped holes 314 of the left side wall 312, and the rotating shafts 210 of the third rotating assembly 203 and the fourth rotating assembly 204 pass through the two U-shaped holes 314 of the right side wall 313, so that when the rotating shaft 210 rotates, due to the presence of the U-shaped holes 314, the rack 232 can drive the moving assembly 300 to move up and down along the first axis direction. In addition, in this embodiment, the lower end of the rack 232 is fixedly connected to the bottom wall 311 of the metal housing 310 to realize the fixed connection between the conversion component 230 and the metal housing 310. The racks 232 of the first rotating component 201 and the second rotating component 202 are located between the left side wall 312 of the metal housing 310 and the longitudinal portion 1242 of the first fixing member 121, and are located below the first transverse portion 1241 of the first fixing member 121. The racks 232 of the third rotating component 203 and the fourth rotating component 204 are located between the right side wall 313 of the metal housing 310 and the longitudinal portion 1242 of the second fixing member 122, and are located below the first transverse portion 1241 of the second fixing member 122.In this embodiment, the racks 232 of the first rotating assembly 201 and the second rotating assembly 202 are connected as a whole, and the two racks 232 are not separately provided. Furthermore, the racks 232 of the first rotating assembly 201 and the second rotating assembly 202 are also connected to the left side wall 312 of the metal housing 310, which helps to increase the robustness of the left side wall 312 and the two racks 232. Similarly, the racks 232 of the third rotating assembly 203 and the fourth rotating assembly 204 are connected as a whole, and the two racks 232 are not separately provided. Furthermore, the racks 232 of the third rotating assembly 203 and the fourth rotating assembly 204 are also connected to the right side wall 313, which helps to increase the robustness of the right side wall 313 and the two racks 232. In other embodiments of this application, the racks 232 of the first rotating assembly 201 and the second rotating assembly 202 may also have a gap between them and the left side wall 312, and the racks 232 of the third rotating assembly 203 and the fourth rotating assembly 204 may have a gap between them and the right side wall 313. In other embodiments of this application, the racks 232 of the first rotating component 201 and the second rotating component 202 can also be arranged separately, that is, there is a gap between them. Similarly, the racks 232 of the third rotating component 203 and the fourth rotating component 204 can also be arranged separately, that is, there is a gap between them.

[0063] Optionally, in this embodiment, the folding mechanism further includes a first bottom shell 410 and a second bottom shell 420, which together constitute the bottom shell of the terminal. The first bottom shell 410 and the second bottom shell 420 are separately disposed. The first bottom shell 410 is disposed opposite to the first fixing part 111, specifically located below the first fixing part 111. The second bottom shell 420 is disposed opposite to the second fixing part 112, specifically located below the second fixing part 112. Furthermore, the left and right ends of the first bottom shell 410 are fixedly connected to the rotating parts 220 of the first rotating assembly 201 and the third rotating assembly 203, respectively, and the three are connected as a whole. The left and right ends of the second bottom shell 420 are fixedly connected to the rotating parts 220 of the second rotating assembly 202 and the fourth rotating assembly 204, respectively, and the three are connected as a whole. The rear end of the first bottom shell 410 and the front end of the second bottom shell 420 are adjacent to each other. When the flexible screen 110 is in a flattened state, the moving components 300 are all located on the same side of the first bottom shell 410 and the second bottom shell 420, specifically on the upper side of the first bottom shell 410 and the second bottom shell 420. At this time, the rear end of the first bottom shell 410 and the front end of the second bottom shell 420 are in contact or have a small gap. When the flexible screen 110 is in a folded state, since both the first bottom shell 410 and the second bottom shell 420 will rotate with the rotating component 220, a first gap d1 will exist between the adjacent ends of the first bottom shell 410 and the second bottom shell 420 (see [link to relevant documentation]). Figure 7bThere is a first gap d1 between the rear end of the first bottom shell 410 and the front end of the second bottom shell 420, which leads directly into the interior of the terminal. To prevent other components from entering through this gap d1 and causing damage to internal components or electric shock to the user, in this embodiment, when the flexible screen 110 is in a folded state, a portion of the moving component 300 extends out from the first gap d1. The moving component 300 partially fills the first gap d1, thereby reducing the probability of other components entering the terminal through the first gap d1, preventing damage to internal components or harm to the user, and also making the terminal look more aesthetically pleasing. Specifically, the metal casing 310 of the moving component 300 extends out from the first gap d1. Since the metal casing 310 is made of metal, it is both aesthetically pleasing and robust.

[0064] In this embodiment, the outer surface of the metal shell 310 is arc-shaped. Specifically, the outer surface of the bottom wall 311 of the metal shell 310 is arc-shaped, that is, the outer surface of the metal shell 310 away from the flexible screen 110 is arc-shaped, that is, the longitudinal section of the metal shell 310 along the front-back direction is arc-shaped, and the left side wall 312 and right side wall 313 of the metal shell 310 are flat. When the flexible screen 110 transitions from a flattened state to a folded state, the inner surface of the first bottom shell 410 near the end of the second bottom shell 420, and the inner surface of the second bottom shell 420 near the end of the first bottom shell 410, rotate near the arc-shaped outer surface of the metal shell 310. Here, the inner surface of the first bottom shell 410 refers to its upper surface (flattened state), and the inner surface of the second bottom shell 420 refers to its upper surface (flattened state). At each moment during the rotation, the second gap d2 between the inner surface of the first bottom shell 410 near the end of the second bottom shell 420 and the inner surface of the second bottom shell 420 near the end of the first bottom shell 410 and the metal shell 310 is less than or equal to 0.2 mm (see [link to relevant documentation]). Figure 7b For example, the gaps can be 0.2mm, 0.15mm, 0.1mm, 0.05mm, 0.04mm, 0.03mm, 0.02mm, 0.01mm, etc. Therefore, during rotation, the second gaps d2 between the first bottom shell 410 and the second bottom shell 420 and the metal shell 310 will be relatively small. This is beneficial to the aesthetics of the terminal itself, and makes it less likely to cause damage to internal components or harm to the user.

[0065] Optional, please see Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figures 8a-10bIn this embodiment, each rotating component 200 further includes a support plate 240. The support plate 240 of the first rotating component 201 and the support plate 240 of the third rotating component 203 are connected as a whole, and the support plate 240 of the second rotating component 202 and the support plate 240 of the fourth rotating component 204 are connected as a whole. The support plate 240 of the first rotating component 201 and the third rotating component 203 connected as a whole and the support plate 240 of the second rotating component 202 and the fourth rotating component 204 connected as a whole are respectively located on opposite sides of the moving component 300. Specifically, the support plate 240 of the first rotating component 201 and the third rotating component 203 connected as a whole is located on the front side of the moving component 300, and the support plate 240 of the second rotating component 202 and the fourth rotating component 204 connected as a whole is located on the rear side of the moving component 300. In other embodiments of this application, the support plate 240 of the first rotating assembly 201 and the support plate 240 of the third rotating assembly 203 may not be connected as a whole, and the support plate 240 of the second rotating assembly 202 and the support plate 240 of the fourth rotating assembly 204 may not be connected as a whole, in which case there are four independent support plates 240. In this embodiment, the support plate 240 is connected to the fixing base 120 at one end adjacent to the metal housing 310. Specifically, two fixing shafts 1245 extend from the right side of the longitudinal portion 1242 of the first fixing member 121 of the fixing base 120, and two fixing shafts 1245 extend from the left side of the longitudinal portion 1242 of the second fixing member 122 of the fixing base 120. The two fixing shafts 1245 on the first fixing member 121 are located at the front and rear sides of the longitudinal portion 1242, respectively, and the two fixing shafts 1245 on the second fixing member 122 are located at the front and rear sides of the longitudinal portion 1242, respectively. The support plate 240 has a groove 241 at the position of the fixing shaft 1245 on the front side of the first fixing member 121. The fixing shaft 1245 is inserted into the groove 241, and the fixing shaft 1245 and the groove 241 cooperate to enable the support plate 240 to rotate around the fixing shaft 1245. Moreover, the cover plate 320 of the moving assembly 300 does not cover the support plate 240 and the fixing shaft 1245, that is, the cover plate 320 avoids the support plate 240 and the fixing shaft 1245. The width of the cover plate 320 in the front-rear direction is relatively small. Similarly, the support plates 240 of the second rotating assembly 202 and the fourth rotating assembly 204 also have corresponding grooves 241. In addition, in other embodiments of this application, the positions of the groove 241 of the support plate 240 and the fixing shaft 1245 on the fixing seat 120 can be interchanged, that is, the support plate 240 has the fixing shaft 1245 and the fixing seat 120 has the groove 241.In this embodiment, the support plate 240 of the first rotating assembly 201 has a sliding shaft 242 at the end away from the moving assembly 300. The sliding shaft 242 is located on the left side wall of the support plate 240. The rotating component 220 of the first rotating assembly 201 has a groove 221 corresponding to the sliding shaft 242. The groove 221 extends from the rear lower to the front upper, and the sliding shaft 242 is located in the groove 221. Specifically, the grooves 221 on the rotating components 220 of the first rotating assembly 201 and the third rotating assembly 203 extend from the rear lower to the front upper, and the grooves 221 on the rotating components 220 of the second rotating assembly 202 and the fourth rotating assembly 204 extend from the front lower to the rear upper. The support plate 240 of the second rotating assembly 202 has a sliding shaft 242 on the left side wall at the end away from the moving assembly 300, and the support plate 240 of the third rotating assembly 203 and the fourth rotating assembly 204 has a sliding shaft 242 on the right side wall at the end away from the moving assembly 300. During the process of the flexible screen 110 changing from a folded state to a flattened state or vice versa, the groove 241 of the support plate 240 rotates on the fixed shaft 1245, and the sliding shaft 242 of the support plate 240 slides in the inclined groove 221, thereby enabling the support plate 240 to rotate together with the rotating component 220. Moreover, in this embodiment, the bendable portion 113 of the flexible screen is located above the cover plate 320 and the four support plates 240, and the area of ​​the display surface of the bendable portion 113 is approximately equal to the area of ​​the upper surface of the cover plate 320 and the four support plates 240. When the flexible screen 110 is in the flattened state, the repositioned cover plate 320 and support plate 240 are both on the same horizontal plane. At this time, the cover plate 320 and support plate 240 are parallel to the display surface of the flexible screen 110, and both the cover plate 320 and support plate 240 are located below and attached to the bendable portion 113. The advantage of this arrangement is that the cover plate 320 and support plate 240 work together to support the flexible screen 110, specifically to support the bendable portion 113 of the flexible screen 110. This prevents the bendable portion 113 of the flexible screen 110 from collapsing downwards due to lack of support when the user presses it, thus improving the user experience. When the flexible screen 110 is in the folded state, the support plate 240 is approximately parallel to the first axis, and the cover plate 320 moves downwards along the first axis. The space formed by the four support plates 240 and the cover plate 320 is expanded relative to the flattened state, increasing the space for accommodating the bendable portion 113.

[0066] Optionally, in this embodiment, the rotating members 220 of the first rotating assembly 201 and the rotating members 220 of the second rotating assembly 202 are arranged side by side on the central axis of the rotation shaft 210 and on the first axis, that is, side by side in the left-right and up-down directions, and staggered in the front-back direction; the surfaces of any one of the rotating members 220 of the first rotating assembly 201 and the rotating members 220 of the second rotating assembly 202 adjacent to the flexible screen 110 and adjacent to the rotating member 220 of the other rotating assembly 200 are rounded at the intersection, that is, the rotation of the first rotating assembly 201... The upper and rear surfaces of component 220 are rounded at their intersection, and the upper and front surfaces of the rotating component 220 of the second rotating assembly 202 are rounded at their intersection. The advantage of this arrangement is that when the first rotating component 220 and the second rotating component 220 rotate, since the first rotating component 220 rotates backward and the second rotating component 220 rotates forward, the rear end of the first rotating component 220 and the front end of the second rotating component 220 will not abut against each other and interfere with the rotation of the other rotating component 220, so that the rotating component 220 of the first rotating assembly 201 and the rotating component 220 of the second rotating assembly 202 can rotate smoothly. Similarly, the rotating members 220 of the third rotating assembly 203 and the fourth rotating assembly 204 are arranged side-by-side on the central axis of the rotation shaft 210 and on the first axis, that is, side-by-side in the left-right and up-down directions, and staggered in the front-back direction. The surfaces of any one of the rotating members 220 of the third rotating assembly 203 and the fourth rotating assembly 204 adjacent to the flexible screen 110 and the surfaces adjacent to the rotating member 220 of the other rotating assembly 200 are rounded at their intersections to prevent interference between the rotating members 220 of the third rotating assembly 203 and the fourth rotating assembly 204 during rotation. Furthermore, in other embodiments of this application, the rotating members 220 of the first rotating assembly 201 and the second rotating assembly 202 may not be arranged side-by-side on the central axis of the rotation shaft 210, and the rotating members 220 of the third rotating assembly 203 and the fourth rotating assembly 204 may also not be arranged side-by-side on the central axis of the rotation shaft 210.

[0067] Optional, please see Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 11In this embodiment, the folding mechanism further includes a first damping element 430 and a second damping element 440, with two of each. The first damping elements 430 and 440 are arranged in pairs. The first damping element 430 is located on the moving assembly 300, specifically mounted on the bottom wall 311 of the metal housing 310. The two first damping elements 430 are located on the left and right sides of the bottom wall 311 of the metal housing 310, respectively. The second damping element 440 is located on the fixed base 120, specifically on the connecting member 123 of the fixed base 120. The two second damping elements 440 are respectively arranged corresponding to the two first damping elements 430, that is, the two second damping elements 440 are located on the left and right sides of the connecting member 123. The first damping element 430 and the second damping element 440 work together to apply resistance to the rotation of the rotating element 220 when the four rotating elements 220 drive the flexible screen 110 from a flattened state to a folded state or from a folded state to a flattened state. This design prevents user misoperation, that is, prevents the user from accidentally folding or unfolding the flexible screen 110, thus improving the user experience. Since the first damping element 430 and the second damping element 440 on the left and right sides are structurally identical, only corresponding changes are needed. For simplicity, the following description uses the first damping element 430 and the second damping element 440 on the right side as an example.

[0068] In this embodiment, the first damping element 430 and the second damping element 440 are implemented in, but are not limited to, the following two forms:

[0069] 1. Please refer to the following: Figure 11The first damping element 430 includes a damping rod 451, a spring 452, and a cam 453. The damping rod 451 includes a first rod portion 4511 and a second rod portion 4512. The first rod portion 4511 is fixed to the bottom wall 311 of the metal housing 310. The left end of the second rod portion 4512 is fixedly connected to the right end of the first rod portion 4511. The diameter of the first rod portion 4511 is larger than the diameter of the second rod portion 4512, and both are cylindrical, with their central axes on the same straight line. The left end of the first rod portion 4511 has a protrusion 4513, which is fixed to the periphery of the first rod portion 4511 and surrounds it. In this embodiment, the cam 453 is limited in the vertical and horizontal directions and the front-back direction. The left end of the cam 453 has a recessed groove 454 that curves to the right. The right end of the second rod portion 4512 is inserted into the recessed groove 454, allowing the cam 453 to move left and right on the second rod portion 4512. The cam 453 includes a first cam portion 4531 and a second cam portion 4532. The first cam portion 4531 is a cube or cuboid, and the second cam portion 4532 is a frustum or semi-cylinder, etc. The right end of the frustum or semi-cylinder has a smaller surface area, and the left end has a larger surface area. The groove 241 can extend from the left end of the first cam portion 4531 to the interior of the second cam 453, or it may not extend into the interior of the second cam 453. The spring 452 is sleeved on the damping rod 451 and located between the protrusion 4513 and the left end of the first cam portion 4531, with both ends of the spring 452 abutting against the protrusion 4513 and the first cam portion 4531, respectively. The second damping element 440 is a damping hole formed on the connecting rod, with the right end surface of the damping hole being a concave arc surface. As the flexible screen 110 rotates from a flattened state to a folded state, the first damping member 430 moves downward while the second damping member 440 remains stationary. This causes the right end surface of the damping hole to contact the lower surface of the second cam portion 4532. Since the lower surface of the second cam portion 4532 is a slope or arc, continued rotation will drive the second cam portion 4532 to move to the left, thereby compressing the spring 452. The spring 452 will apply elastic force, thus damping the rotation of the flexible screen 110. When the rotating member 220 has rotated to an angle of about 40°, the entire second cam portion 4532 is located in the damping hole. Continuing to rotate, when the rotating member 220 has rotated to an angle of 50°, the right end surface of the damping hole will contact the upper surface of the second cam portion 4532. Since the upper surface of the second cam portion 4532 is also a slope or arc, continued rotation will gradually release the spring 452, and rotation will be easy at this point. The process of the flexible screen 110 rotating from a folded state to a flattened state is the reverse of the above process, which will not be described in detail here.

[0070] 2. Please refer to the above. Figure 12The second damping element 440 includes a damping rod 451, a spring 452, and a connecting rod 455. The damping rod 451 includes a first rod portion 4511 and a second rod portion 4512. The first rod portion 4511 is fixedly connected to the fixed base 120. The left end of the second rod portion 4512 is fixedly connected to the right end of the first rod portion 4511. The diameter of the first rod portion 4511 is larger than the diameter of the second rod portion 4512, and both are cylindrical, with their central axes on the same straight line. The left end of the first rod portion 4511 has a protrusion 4513, which is fixed to the periphery of the first rod portion 4511 and surrounds it. In this embodiment, the left end of the connecting rod 455 has a recessed groove 454 that curves to the right. The right end of the second rod portion 4512 is inserted into the recessed groove 454, allowing the connecting rod 455 to move left and right on the second rod portion 4512. Spring 452 is sleeved on damping rod 451 and located between the protrusion 4513 and the left end of connecting rod 455, with both ends of spring 452 abutting against the protrusion 4513 and connecting rod 455 respectively. The first damping element 430 is a movable rod, with its left end rotatably connected to the right end of connecting rod 455 and its right end rotatably connected to metal housing 310. As the flexible screen 110 rotates from a flattened state to a folded state, the movable rod is initially tilted. The movable rod extends from the lower left corner (the junction of the movable rod and connecting rod 455) to the upper right corner (the junction of the movable rod and metal housing 310). During rotation, the right end of the first damping element 430 moves downwards, while the fixed base 120 remains stationary. Consequently, the left end of the connecting rod 455 slowly moves to the left, compressing the spring 452. The spring 452 then applies elastic force, damping the rotation of the flexible screen 110. When the rotating element 220 has rotated to approximately 45°, the movable rod is horizontal. At this point, the left end of the movable rod reaches its maximum leftward distance, and the elastic force of the spring 452 is at its maximum. Continuing to rotate, the right end of the first damping element 430 continues to move downwards, and the left end of the movable rod gradually moves to the right. At this point, the spring 452 is gradually released, and rotation becomes easy. The process of the flexible screen 110 rotating from a folded state to a flattened state is the reverse of the above process, which will not be described in detail here.

[0071] Second Embodiment

[0072] Figure 13 This is a perspective view of the folding mechanism according to the second embodiment of this application. This embodiment is similar to the first embodiment. The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that the number of rotating components 200 is one.

[0073] Please see Figure 13 and Figure 14In this embodiment, there is one rotating component 200. For example, one rotating component 200 can be any one of the first rotating component 201, the second rotating component 202, the third rotating component 203, and the fourth rotating component 204 in the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the first rotating component 201 is used as an example for illustration.

[0074] In this embodiment, the composition and connection relationship of the rotating component 200 are similar to those in the first embodiment, and will not be repeated here. The first axis in this embodiment has a different direction than the first axis in the first embodiment. In this embodiment, when the flexible screen 110 is in a flattened state, the first axis is parallel to the display surface of the flexible screen 110 and perpendicular to the central axis of the rotating axis 210. Specifically, the first axis extends in the front-back direction.

[0075] In this embodiment, since there is only one rotating component 200, the rotating part 220 of the rotating component 200 needs to rotate 180 degrees in order to achieve folding. In this embodiment, there is no support plate at the rear of the moving component 300; only a support plate 240 is provided at the front of the moving component 300.

[0076] In this embodiment, the fixing base 120 includes a first fixing member 121, a second fixing member 122, and a connecting member 123. However, this application is not limited to this. In other embodiments of this application, the fixing base 120 may only include the first fixing member 121, without including the second fixing member 122 and the connecting member 123.

[0077] Optionally, in this embodiment, the folding mechanism further includes a first bottom shell 410 and a second bottom shell 420, which together constitute the bottom shell of the terminal. The first bottom shell 410 is disposed opposite to the first fixing part 111, and the second bottom shell 420 is disposed opposite to the second fixing part 112. Furthermore, the left end of the first bottom shell 410 is fixedly connected to the rotating member 220 of the first rotating assembly 201, and the rear end of the first bottom shell 410 and the front end of the second bottom shell 420 are disposed adjacent to each other. When the flexible screen is in a flattened state, the moving components 300 are all located on the same side of the first bottom shell 410 and the second bottom shell 420, specifically on the upper side of the first bottom shell 410 and the second bottom shell 420. At this time, the rear end of the first bottom shell 410 and the front end of the second bottom shell 420 are in contact or have a small gap. When the flexible screen 110 is in a folded state, the first bottom shell 410 will rotate with the rotating component 220, while the second bottom shell 420 remains stationary. A first gap d1 will exist between the adjacent ends of the first bottom shell 410 and the second bottom shell 420, that is, there is a first gap d1 between the rear end of the first bottom shell 410 and the front end of the second bottom shell 420. This first gap d1 leads directly to the interior of the terminal. In order to prevent other components from extending into the first gap d1 and causing damage to the internal components or harm to the user, in this embodiment, when the flexible screen is in a folded state, part of the moving components 300 extends out from the first gap d1.

[0078] In this embodiment, the outer surface of the metal shell 310 is arc-shaped, specifically, the outer surface of the bottom wall 311 of the metal shell 310 is arc-shaped. During the process of the flexible screen changing from a flattened state to a folded state, the inner surface of the first bottom shell 410 near the end of the second bottom shell 420 rotates close to the arc-shaped outer surface of the metal shell 310. Here, the inner surface of the first bottom shell 410 refers to the upper surface of the first bottom shell 410. At each moment during the rotation process, the second gap d2 between the inner surface of the first bottom shell 410 near the end of the second bottom shell 420 and the inner surface of the second bottom shell 420 near the end of the first bottom shell 410 and the metal shell 310 is less than or equal to 0.2 mm, for example, 0.2 mm, 0.15 mm, 0.1 mm, 0.05 mm, 0.04 mm, 0.03 mm, 0.02 mm, 0.01 mm, etc.

[0079] Third Embodiment

[0080] Figure 15 This is a perspective view of the folding mechanism according to the third embodiment of this application. This embodiment is similar to the second embodiment. The difference between this embodiment and the second embodiment is that the number of rotating components 200 is two.

[0081] Please see Figure 15 , Figure 16In this embodiment, there are two rotating components 200, located on the same side of the moving component 300, such as both on the front or rear side, and arranged in a left-right direction. The two rotating components 200 can be, for example, the first rotating component 201 and the third rotating component 203, or the second rotating component 202 and the fourth rotating component 204 in the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the first rotating component 201 and the third rotating component 203 are used as examples for illustration.

[0082] In this embodiment, the two rotating components 200 are located on the same side of the moving component 300, and both rotating components 200 are fixedly connected to the first fixed portion 111 or both are fixedly connected to the second fixed portion 112. To achieve folding, the rotating parts 220 of the two rotating components 200 need to rotate 180 degrees. Alternatively, in other embodiments of this application, the number of rotating components 200 may be greater than two. In this case, all rotating components 200 are located on the same side of the moving component 300, and the rotating parts 220 of all rotating components 200 are fixedly connected to the first fixed portion 111 or both are fixedly connected to the second fixed portion 112.

[0083] In this embodiment, the first axis is aligned with the first axis in the second embodiment. The central axes of the rotation shafts 210 of the two rotating components 200 are on the same straight line, and the rotating parts 220 of the two rotating components 200 rotate synchronously and in the same direction.

[0084] Fourth embodiment

[0085] Figure 17 This is a perspective view of the folding mechanism according to the fourth embodiment of this application. This embodiment is similar to the first embodiment. The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that the number of rotating components 200 is two.

[0086] Please see Figure 17 , Figure 18 In this embodiment, there are two rotating components 200. The two rotating components 200 are located on opposite sides of the moving component 300. For example, one is located on the front side of the moving component 300 and the other is located on the rear side of the moving component 300. The two rotating components 200 in this embodiment can be, for example, the first rotating component 201, the second rotating component 202, or the third rotating component 203 and the fourth rotating component 204 in the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the two rotating components 200 are described as the third rotating component 203 and the fourth rotating component 204.

[0087] In this embodiment, the composition and connection relationship of the third rotating component 203 and the fourth rotating component 204 are the same as in the first embodiment. The first axis in this embodiment is in the same direction as the first axis in the first embodiment, and will not be described again here. Furthermore, in other embodiments of this application, the rotating members 220 of the third rotating component 203 and the fourth rotating component 204 are fixedly connected to the center of the flexible screen 110 in the left-right direction, which facilitates more consistent rotation of the flexible screen 110. In this embodiment, the rotating members 220 of the two rotating components 200 rotate synchronously but in opposite directions.

[0088] In this embodiment, since there are only two rotating components 200, and the two rotating components 200 are located on opposite sides of the moving component 300, that is, the two rotating components 200 are fixedly connected to the first fixed part 111 and the second fixed part 112 respectively, in order to achieve folding, the rotating parts 220 of the two rotating components 200 need to rotate nearly 90 degrees, just like in the first embodiment. In other embodiments of this application, the number of rotating components 200 can be greater than two. In this case, the additional rotating components 200 can be located on the same side of the moving component 300, or they can be evenly distributed on opposite sides of the moving component 300.

[0089] In this embodiment, the rotating members 220 of the third rotating assembly 203 and the fourth rotating assembly 204 are arranged side by side on the central axis of the rotating shaft 210 and on the first axis, that is, they are arranged side by side in the left-right direction and the up-down direction, and staggered in the front-back direction. The surfaces of any one of the rotating members 220 of the third rotating assembly 203 and the fourth rotating assembly 204 adjacent to the flexible screen 110 and the surfaces of the other rotating assembly 200 adjacent to the rotating member 220 are rounded at the intersection to prevent the rotating members 220 of the third rotating assembly 203 and the fourth rotating assembly 204 from interfering with each other when rotating, so that the rotating members 220 of the third rotating assembly 203 and the fourth rotating assembly 204 can rotate smoothly.

[0090] The embodiments of this application have been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this application. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of this application. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

Claims

1. A terminal, characterized in that, The device includes a flexible screen and a folding mechanism. The flexible screen is fixed to the folding mechanism. The flexible screen includes a first fixed portion, a second fixed portion, and a bendable portion located between the two. The folding mechanism includes: The fixing base includes a first fixing member and a second fixing member located at opposite ends of a connector; Four rotating components are included, comprising a first rotating component, a second rotating component, a third rotating component, and a fourth rotating component. The first and second rotating components are rotatably connected to a first fixing member of the fixed base, and the third and fourth rotating components are rotatably connected to a second fixing member of the fixed base. Each rotating component includes: The rotating shaft is rotatably connected to the fixed base; A rotating component is connected to the rotating shaft and drives the rotating shaft to rotate together with the fixed seat. The rotating component is fixedly connected to the first fixed part or the second fixed part, and the rotating component drives the flexible screen to rotate between a folded state and a flattened state. A conversion component that connects to the rotating shaft; A first bottom shell and a second bottom shell, wherein the first bottom shell is disposed opposite to the first fixed part, and the second bottom shell is disposed opposite to the second fixed part; A support plate is located on one side of the movable component. The side of the support plate adjacent to the movable component is rotatably connected to the fixed base, and the side of the support plate away from the movable component slides on the rotating member belonging to the same rotating component. Two fixing shafts extend from the right side of the longitudinal portion of the first fixing member, and two fixing shafts extend from the left side of the longitudinal portion of the second fixing member. The two fixing shafts on the first fixing member are located at the front and rear sides of the longitudinal portion, respectively. The two fixing shafts on the second fixing member are located at the front and rear sides of the longitudinal portion, respectively. The support plate of the first rotating assembly has a groove relative to the fixing shaft on the front side of the first fixing member. The support plate of the second rotating assembly has a groove relative to the fixing shaft on the rear side of the first fixing member. The support plate of the third rotating assembly has a groove relative to the fixing shaft on the front side of the second fixing member. The support plate of the fourth rotating assembly has a groove relative to the fixing shaft on the rear side of the second fixing member. The fixing shaft is inserted into the groove. The fixing shaft cooperates with the groove to realize the rotation of the support plate around the fixing shaft. The cover plate of the moving assembly avoids the support plate and the fixing shaft. The moving component is fixedly connected to the conversion member. The conversion member converts the rotation of the rotating shaft into linear movement of the moving component along the first axis. When the flexible screen changes from a flattened state to a folded state, the moving component moves away from the flexible screen along the first axis to expand the space above the moving component. When the flexible screen changes from a folded state to a flattened state, the moving component moves closer to the flexible screen along the first axis. When the flexible screen is in a folded state, the first axis is parallel to the display surface of the first fixed part or the second fixed part and perpendicular to the central axis of the rotating shaft. The moving component includes a housing and a cover plate. The housing and the cover plate are fixedly connected to form a cavity. The fixed seat is located in the cavity of the moving component. When the flexible screen is in a folded state, the housing is exposed on the terminal surface. When the flexible screen is in a flattened state, the first bottom shell and the second bottom shell are adjacent to each other, and the housing is housed in the first bottom shell and the second bottom shell and is completely covered by the first bottom shell and the second bottom shell. The inclined grooves on the rotating parts of the first and third rotating components extend from the rear lower to the front upper, and the inclined grooves on the rotating parts of the second and fourth rotating components extend from the front lower to the rear upper. The support plates of the first and second rotating components have a sliding shaft on the left side wall of the end away from the moving component, and the support plates of the third and fourth rotating components have a sliding shaft on the right side wall of the end away from the moving component. When the flexible screen changes from a folded state to a flattened state or from a flattened state to a folded state, the groove of the support plate rotates on the fixed shaft, and the sliding shaft of the support plate slides in the inclined groove and rotates together with the rotating part.

2. The terminal as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating component of the rotating assembly is fixedly connected to the first bottom shell or the second bottom shell. When the flexible screen is in a flattened state, the moving component is located on the same side of the first bottom shell and the second bottom shell. When the flexible screen is in a folded state, there is a first gap between the adjacent ends of the first bottom shell and the second bottom shell, and the moving component extends out from the first gap.

3. The terminal as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The housing is a metal housing, and the outer surface of the metal housing away from the flexible screen is arc-shaped. During the process of the flexible screen changing from a flat state to a folded state, at least one of the first bottom shell and the second bottom shell rotates. When the first bottom shell or the second bottom shell rotates, the inner surface of the first bottom shell near the end of the second bottom shell, or the inner surface of the second bottom shell near the end of the first bottom shell, rotates close to the arc-shaped outer surface of the metal shell, and at each moment during the rotation, the second gap between the inner surface of the first bottom shell near the end of the second bottom shell and the inner surface of the second bottom shell near the end of the first bottom shell and the metal shell is less than or equal to 0.2 mm; or, When both the first bottom shell and the second bottom shell rotate, the inner surface of the first bottom shell near the end of the second bottom shell and the inner surface of the second bottom shell near the end of the first bottom shell rotate close to the arc-shaped outer surface of the metal shell, and at each moment during the rotation process, the second gap between the inner surface of the first bottom shell near the end of the second bottom shell and the end of the second bottom shell and the metal shell is less than or equal to 0.2 mm.

4. The terminal as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating component also includes a support plate. When the flexible screen is in a flattened state, the support plate is parallel to the display surface of the flexible screen and is located below and against the bendable portion.

5. The folding structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The folding mechanism further includes a first damping element and a second damping element, which are located on the moving component and the fixed base, respectively. The first damping element and the second damping element cooperate to apply resistance to the rotation of the rotating component when the flexible screen rotates from the flattened state to the folded state or from the folded state to the flattened state.

6. The terminal as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The conversion component includes a gear and a rack. The gear is mounted on a rotating shaft and rotates with the rotating shaft. The rack is fixed on a moving component. The gear and the rack mesh. The rotation of the gear drives the rack to move linearly along a first axis. The linear movement of the rack drives the moving component to move linearly along the first axis together.

7. The terminal as described in claim 1, characterized in that... The rotating components of the first and third rotating components are fixedly connected to the first fixed part, and the rotating components of the two rotating components rotate synchronously and in the same direction. The rotating components of the second and fourth rotating components are fixedly connected to the second fixed part, and the rotating components of the two rotating components rotate synchronously and in the same direction. The rotating components of the two rotating components fixedly connected to the first fixed part and the two rotating components fixedly connected to the second fixed part have the same rotation speed and opposite rotation directions.

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