Folding mechanism and mobile terminal

Abstract

The present application provides a folding mechanism and a mobile terminal for improving the folding effect of the mobile terminal. The folding mechanism includes a rotating shaft, two shells, a flexible shielding member, and a driving assembly arranged on at least one side of the rotating shaft, wherein: the two shells are respectively hinged on both sides of the rotating shaft, and the shell includes a first surface for supporting a flexible screen, and a second surface; the driving assembly is arranged on the side of the shell on the same side close to the rotating shaft, and the driving assembly includes a swing arm and a first connecting rod, and the two ends of the swing arm are respectively hinged to the rotating shaft and the first connecting rod, and the first connecting rod is slidably arranged on the shell; when the shell rotates in the direction of folding the folding mechanism, the swing arm drives the first connecting rod to slide relative to the shell toward the side close to the rotating shaft, and when the shell rotates in the direction of unfolding the folding mechanism, the swing arm drives the first connecting rod to slide relative to the shell toward the side away from the rotating shaft; the flexible shielding member is arranged on the second surface of the two shells and covers the rotating shaft, and the flexible shielding member is connected to the first connecting rod.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of terminal technology, and in particular to a folding mechanism and a mobile terminal. Background Art

[0002] As flexible display technology matures, the display mode of terminal devices has also undergone significant changes. Foldable flexible screen mobile phones, foldable flexible screen tablets, wearable electronic devices with foldable flexible screens, etc. have become an important evolution direction of future smart terminal devices. Foldable terminal products need to have high reliability, good operating experience and appearance quality in order to be accepted by consumers. Take foldable mobile phones as an example. Unlike previous flip phones, the screen of foldable mobile phones is continuously foldable. In order to prevent the folding screen from being pulled or squeezed, the appearance of the entire product will produce a large deformation at the middle hinge bending part. The general structure cannot achieve such a large deformation. As a result, after some existing flexible foldable terminal products are folded, the hinge structure of the product is exposed or protrudes from the product shell, affecting the effect and appearance quality of the product after folding.

[0003] Application Contents

[0004] The present application provides a folding mechanism and a mobile terminal, for improving the folding effect of the mobile terminal.

[0005] In the first aspect, the present application provides a folding mechanism, which includes a rotating shaft, two shells, a flexible shielding member and a driving assembly arranged on at least one side of the rotating shaft, wherein the two shells can be respectively arranged on both sides of the rotating shaft and respectively hinged to the rotating shaft, and each shell may include a first surface for supporting a flexible screen, and a second surface opposite to the first surface; the driving assembly can be arranged on the side of the shell on the same side close to the rotating shaft, including a swing arm and a first connecting rod, one end of the swing arm is hinged to the rotating shaft, and the other end is hinged to the first connecting rod; the first connecting rod is slidably arranged on the shell, when the shell is rotated in the direction of folding the folding mechanism, the swing arm can drive the first connecting rod to slide relative to the shell toward the side close to the rotating shaft, and when the shell is rotated in the direction of unfolding the folding mechanism, the swing arm can drive the first connecting rod to slide relative to the shell toward the side away from the rotating shaft; the flexible shielding member is arranged on the second surfaces of the two shells and can cover the rotating shaft, and the flexible shielding member is connected to the first connecting rod so as to slide relative to the second surface of the shell under the drive of the first connecting rod.

[0006] In the above scheme, during the unfolding or folding process of the folding mechanism, the flexible shielding member can slide relative to the second surface of the shell under the drive of the driving assembly, and use the sliding displacement to balance the change in the outer size of the folding mechanism. Therefore, it can always match the outer contour of the rotating shaft while keeping the size unchanged, forming a better shielding effect on the appearance of the folding mechanism and improving the folding effect of the folding mechanism.

[0007] In some possible implementation schemes, the rotation axis of the swing arm relative to the rotating shaft can be coaxially arranged with the rotation axis of the shell on the same side, so that the swing arm and the shell can rotate synchronously, and the flexible shielding member can move synchronously when the shell rotates, avoiding problems such as stretching or arching during the unfolding or folding process of the folding mechanism.

[0008] In order to facilitate the installation of the drive assembly, the second surface of the shell may also be provided with a fixing plate, and the first connecting rod may be slidably provided on the fixing plate.

[0009] In addition, a slot may be provided at a position on the second surface of the housing corresponding to the fixing plate, so that the fixing plate can be fixed in the slot, thereby reducing the thickness of the housing.

[0010] In a specific embodiment, a first sliding groove is provided on a side of the fixed plate facing the flexible shielding member, and the first connecting rod can be slidably provided in the first sliding groove; in order to prevent the first connecting rod from falling out of the first sliding groove, the driving assembly may also include a second connecting rod, which is movably provided on a side of the fixed plate facing the flexible shielding member, and is respectively connected to the first connecting rod and the flexible shielding member to limit the first connecting rod in the first sliding groove, and transmit the movement of the first connecting rod to the flexible shielding member, thereby driving the flexible shielding member to move.

[0011] In a specific embodiment, the first end of the second connecting rod can be hinged to the fixed plate through the first hinge axis, and the second connecting rod is further provided with a first waist-shaped hole and a second waist-shaped hole along the direction away from its first end. When specifically set, the first waist-shaped hole and the second waist-shaped hole can respectively extend along the length direction of the second connecting rod; the first connecting rod is provided with a first sliding shaft passing through the first waist-shaped hole, and the first sliding shaft can transmit and connect the first connecting rod with the second connecting rod, so that when the first connecting rod slides in the first sliding groove, the first sliding shaft can drive the second connecting rod to rotate around the first hinge axis; the fixed plate is also provided with a sliding hole with the same extension direction as the first sliding groove, and the second sliding shaft is slidably provided in the sliding hole, and the second sliding shaft can also be passed through the above-mentioned second waist-shaped hole and connected to the flexible shielding member, so that when the second connecting rod rotates around the first hinge axis, the second sliding shaft can slide in the sliding under the drive of the second connecting rod, driving the end of the flexible shielding member to produce a displacement close to or away from the rotating shaft.

[0012] In order to reliably limit the second sliding shaft in the sliding hole and the second waist-shaped hole, the driving assembly may also include a slider, which can be slidably set on the side of the fixed plate away from the flexible shielding member and fixedly connected to one end of the second sliding shaft to prevent the second sliding shaft from axial movement, thereby improving the structural reliability of the folding mechanism.

[0013] In a specific embodiment, the folding mechanism may also include a bracket arranged on the second surface of the shell, one surface of the bracket is fixedly connected to the second sliding shaft, and the other surface is fixedly connected to the flexible shielding member, so as to transmit the driving force of the second sliding shaft to the flexible shielding member through a surface connection, thereby increasing the force area and force uniformity of the flexible shielding member.

[0014] There is no limit to the fixing method of the bracket and the second sliding shaft, for example, the two can be fixedly connected by a riveting process; there is no limit to the fixing method of the bracket and the flexible shielding member, for example, the two can be fixedly connected by bonding, riveting or welding.

[0015] In addition, a second sliding groove may be provided on one side of the fixing plate facing the flexible shielding member, and the second connecting rod may be arranged in the second sliding groove, so as to prevent the second connecting rod from protruding from the surface of the fixing plate, thereby reducing the thickness of the shell.

[0016] In one specific embodiment, when the drive assembly is located on one side of the rotating shaft, one end of the flexible shielding member can be connected to the drive assembly on the corresponding side, while the other end can be fixedly connected to the second surface of the housing on the other side of the rotating shaft. During the folding mechanism's expansion or folding, the drive assembly on one side of the rotating shaft drives the corresponding end of the flexible shielding member to move, thereby balancing the dimensional changes on the outer side of the folding mechanism. This solution provides a relatively simple structure for the folding mechanism, thereby reducing the risk of failure.

[0017] In addition, in the above solution, multiple groups of driving components can be provided on one side of the rotating shaft to improve the driving effect and the uniformity of the force applied to the flexible shielding member.

[0018] In another specific embodiment, when drive assemblies are disposed on either side of the rotating shaft, the ends of the flexible shielding member are connected to the drive assemblies on either side. During the unfolding or folding process of the folding mechanism, the drive assemblies on either side can move the corresponding ends of the flexible shielding member, and the dimensional change of the outer side of the folding mechanism can be shared by the movement of the ends of the flexible shielding member. When this solution is adopted, the stability of the folding mechanism is improved.

[0019] Similarly, in the above solution, in order to improve the driving effect, multiple sets of driving components can be set on both sides of the rotating shaft.

[0020] The specific material of the flexible shielding member is not limited. In order to ensure the structural reliability of the folding mechanism, in some possible implementation schemes, the flexible shielding member can be selected from materials with good deformation ability and high fatigue strength, such as flexible metal, plastic, rubber or leather.

[0021] In a second aspect, the present application further provides a mobile terminal comprising a flexible screen and a folding mechanism according to any of the aforementioned possible embodiments, wherein the flexible screen may be disposed on the first surfaces of two housings of the folding mechanism and cover the rotating axis of the folding mechanism. Due to the good folding effect of the folding mechanism, the appearance quality of the mobile terminal is improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the deformation of the bending part of the folding product;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the inner structure of the folding mechanism provided in this application in the unfolded state;

[0024] Figure 3 A partial exploded view of the folding mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application in an intermediate state during closing or unfolding;

[0025] Figure 4 A partial exploded view of the folding mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the partial structure of a drive assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] Figure 6 A partial side view of the folding mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application in a closed state;

[0028] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the outer structure of the folding mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application in a closed state;

[0029] Figure 8 A partial side view of the folding mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application in an intermediate state during closing or unfolding;

[0030] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the outer structure of the folding mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application in an intermediate state during closing or unfolding;

[0031] Figure 10 A partial side view of the folding mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application in an unfolded state;

[0032] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the outer structure of the folding mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application in an unfolded state;

[0033] Figure 12 A schematic diagram of the structure of a mobile terminal provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0034] Reference numerals:

[0035] 1-folding mechanism; 2-flexible screen; 10-rotating shaft; 20-housing; 30-driving assembly; 40-flexible shielding member;

[0036] 21 - first side of the housing; 22 - second side of the housing; 31 - swing arm; 32 - first connecting rod; 311 - first pin;

[0037] 312-second pin; 23-fixed plate; 231-first slide; 33-second connecting rod; 232-second slide;

[0038] 233 - first hinge axis; 331 - first waist-shaped hole; 332 - second waist-shaped hole; 321 - first sliding axis; 234 - sliding hole;

[0039] 235 - second sliding shaft; 34 - slider; 50 - bracket. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of this application clearer, this application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] In order to facilitate the understanding of the folding mechanism provided in the embodiment of the present application, its application scenario is first described below. The folding mechanism provided in the embodiment of the present application can be specifically applied to mobile terminal products, especially mobile terminals with bendable screens, such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptop computers or tablet computers. Since the screen of a foldable mobile terminal is also continuously foldable, in order to prevent the screen from being pulled or squeezed during the folding or unfolding process, the bent portion of the middle shaft of the mobile terminal will be greatly deformed. Figure 1 The figure shows a deformation diagram of the bending part of a foldable product. The shaded part is the bending area of the product. During the process of the folding product being unfolded and folded, the length of the folded outer side of the bending part changes from L1 to L2. It can be seen that the length change is very large, and general structures or materials cannot achieve such a large deformation. As a result, the hinge structure of some existing foldable terminal products will be exposed or protrude from the product shell when in the folded state, affecting the folding effect and appearance quality of the product.

[0042] Based on this, embodiments of the present application provide a folding mechanism and a mobile terminal using the folding mechanism. The folding mechanism is provided with a flexible shielding member on the outer side of the folding portion to shield the rotating shaft portion. When the entire device is folded or unfolded, the flexible shielding member can move with the rotation of the folding mechanism housing, always matching the outer contour of the rotating shaft while maintaining the same size, thereby improving the folding effect of the mobile terminal. The folding mechanism provided in the embodiments of the present application is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0043] To facilitate understanding, the concepts related to orientation in the embodiments of this application are briefly explained. In the embodiments of this application, the inner side of the folding mechanism can be understood as the side of the folding mechanism that is hidden when the folding mechanism is in the folded state, and correspondingly, the outer side of the folding mechanism can be understood as the side of the folding mechanism that is exposed when the folding mechanism is in the folded state.

[0044] For reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the inner structure of the folding mechanism provided in this application in the unfolded state. Figure 3 A partial exploded view of the intermediate state of the folding mechanism provided in the embodiment of the present application during the closing or unfolding process. The folding mechanism 1 provided in the embodiment of the present application may include a rotating shaft 10, two shells 20, a driving assembly 30 and a flexible shielding member 40, wherein the two shells 20 may be respectively arranged on both sides of the rotating shaft 10, and are respectively rotatably connected to the rotating shaft 10, so as to realize the switching of the folding mechanism 1 between the unfolded state and the folded state when rotating around the rotating shaft 10; in a specific arrangement, each shell 20 may include a first surface 21 and a second surface 22 that are positioned opposite to each other, the first surface 21 of the shell 20 being a surface located on the inner side of the folding mechanism 1, that is, a surface for carrying the flexible screen of the mobile terminal, and correspondingly, the second surface 22 of the shell 20 being a surface located on the outer side of the folding mechanism 1; the driving assembly 30 may be arranged on a side of the shell 20 close to the rotating shaft 10, and the driving assembly 30 may be respectively connected to the rotating shaft 10. The rotating shaft 10 and the shell 20 are movably connected. When the shell 20 rotates around the rotating shaft, the driving component 30 can slide relative to the shell 20 toward or away from the rotating shaft 10; the flexible shielding member 40 is arranged on the second surface 22 of the two shells 20 and can cover the rotating shaft 10. The flexible shielding member 40 is connected to the driving component 30 and can slide relative to the second surface 22 of the shell 20 under the drive of the driving component 30. Therefore, during the unfolding or folding process of the folding mechanism 1, the flexible shielding member 40 can use the sliding displacement to compensate for the dimensional change of the outside of the folding mechanism 1, and always match the outer contour of the rotating shaft 10 while keeping the size unchanged, thereby forming a better shielding effect on the rotating shaft 10 part, solving the problem of exposed or protruding rotating shaft 10, and improving the folding effect of the folding mechanism.

[0045] The specific structural form of the rotating shaft 10 is not limited, for example, it can be Figure 2 The semicircular shaft shape shown in the figure is beneficial to reducing the thickness of the folding mechanism 1; the two shells 20 can be hinged to both sides of the rotating shaft 10 through hinges such as pins.

[0046] The specific material of the flexible shielding member 40 is not limited. In order to ensure the structural reliability of the folding mechanism 1, in some embodiments of the present application, the flexible shielding member 40 can be selected from a material with good deformation ability and high fatigue strength, such as flexible metal, plastic, rubber or leather.

[0047] For reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, Figure 4 This is a partial exploded view of the folding mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a partial structure of a drive assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application. Specifically, the drive assembly 30 may include a swing arm 31 and a first connecting rod 32. One end of the swing arm 31 is hinged to the rotating shaft 10 via a first pin 311, and the other end of the swing arm 31 is hinged to the first connecting rod 32 via a second pin 312. The first connecting rod 32 is slidably mounted on the housing 20 and connected to the aforementioned flexible shielding member.

[0048] Since the shell 20 has a certain thickness, there will be a certain thickness difference between the sliding surface where the first connecting rod 32 is located and the rotation axis of the shell 20. When the shell 20 rotates in the direction of folding the folding mechanism, the swing arm 31 rotates in the same direction with the shell 20. Any point on the sliding surface where the first connecting rod 32 is located will generate a rotation arc length away from the rotation axis 10 with the thickness difference as the radius, so that the sliding surface where the first connecting rod 32 is located gradually moves away from the rotation axis 10. Since the first connecting rod 32 is connected to the rotation axis 10 through the swing arm 31, the absolute distance between the first connecting rod 32 and the rotation axis 10 will not change. Therefore, the first connecting rod 32 will slide relative to the shell 20 toward the side close to the rotation axis 10 under the drive of the swing arm 31, thereby driving the flexible shielding member to overlap the shell 2 0 moves toward the rotating shaft 10 together, and the increase in the outer size of the folding mechanism is balanced by the displacement of the flexible shielding member on the shell 20; when the shell 20 rotates toward the direction of unfolding the folding mechanism, the swing arm 31 can also rotate in the same direction with the shell 20, and any point on the sliding surface where the first connecting rod 32 is located will produce a rotation arc length close to the rotating shaft 10 with the above-mentioned thickness difference as the radius, so that the sliding surface where the first connecting rod 32 is located gradually approaches the rotating shaft 10, at this time, the first connecting rod 32 will slide relative to the shell 20 toward the side away from the rotating shaft 10 under the drive of the swing arm 31, thereby driving the part of the flexible shielding member overlapped on the shell 20 to move away from the rotating shaft 10 together, and the decrease in the outer size of the folding mechanism is balanced by the displacement of the flexible shielding member on the shell 20.

[0049] It can be seen that during the unfolding or folding process of the folding mechanism, the flexible shielding member can always provide a good shielding effect on the appearance of the folding mechanism, and its size will not change, thereby avoiding problems such as stretching or arching and improving the folding effect of the folding mechanism.

[0050] It is worth noting that in the embodiment of the present application, the rotation axis of the swing arm 31 when it rotates relative to the rotating shaft 10 and the rotation axis of the shell 20 on the same side can be the same axis, that is, the rotation axes of the two are coaxially arranged. In this way, the swing arm 31 and the shell 20 can be rotated synchronously, thereby ensuring that the flexible shielding part moves synchronously when the shell 20 rotates, thereby improving the appearance quality of the folding mechanism during the unfolding or folding process.

[0051] Please continue to refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 In some embodiments of the present application, to facilitate the installation of the drive assembly 30, the second surface 22 of the housing 20 may be further provided with a fixing plate 23. In a specific implementation, the first connecting rod 32 may be slidably disposed on the fixing plate 23, and the fixing plate 23 may be fixed to the housing 20 via fasteners. In addition, the second surface 22 of the housing 20 may be provided with a groove at a position corresponding to the fixing plate 23, so that the fixing plate 23 can be accommodated in the groove, thereby reducing the thickness of the housing 20.

[0052] When the first connecting rod 32 is slidably mounted on the fixed plate 23, a first sliding groove 231 is defined on a side of the fixed plate 23 facing the flexible shielding member, and the first connecting rod 32 can be specifically disposed within the first sliding groove 231. To prevent the first connecting rod 32 from falling out of the first sliding groove 231, the drive assembly 30 can further include a second connecting rod 33 disposed on a side of the fixed plate 23 facing the flexible shielding member. The second connecting rod 33 can be disposed outside the first connecting rod 32 and intersected with the first connecting rod 32, thereby confining the first connecting rod 32 within the first sliding groove 231.

[0053] In addition, a second slot 232 may be defined on the side of the fixed plate 23 facing the flexible shielding member. The second connecting rod 33 may be disposed within the second slot 232. This prevents the second connecting rod 33 from protruding from the surface of the fixed plate 23, thereby reducing the thickness of the housing 20. In practice, the second connecting rod 33 is movably disposed within the second slot 232 and is connected to the first connecting rod 32 and the flexible shielding member, respectively, to transmit the movement of the first connecting rod 32 to the flexible shielding member, thereby driving the movement of the flexible shielding member.

[0054] The connection method between the second connecting rod 33 and the fixed plate 23 is not limited. For example, in a specific embodiment of the present application, a first hinge axis 233 is provided in the second sliding groove 232, and the first end of the second connecting rod 33 can be hinged to the fixed plate 23 via the first hinge axis 233. When the second connecting rod 33 is connected to the first connecting rod 32, the second connecting rod 33 is further provided with a first waist-shaped hole 331, which extends along the length of the second connecting rod 33; the first connecting rod 32 is provided with a first sliding shaft 321, which is slidably disposed in the first waist-shaped hole 331, thereby connecting the first connecting rod 32 and the second connecting rod 33 in a transmission connection. When the first connecting rod 32 slides in the first sliding groove 231, the first sliding shaft 321 can drive the second connecting rod 33 to rotate about the first hinge axis 233.

[0055] It is understandable that when the second connecting rod 33 is connected to the flexible shielding member, in order to make the flexible shielding member move closer to or away from the rotation axis 10, the second connecting rod 33 can apply a driving force in the same direction as the displacement direction to the flexible shielding member. In a specific embodiment, the second connecting rod 33 may further include a second waist-shaped hole 332. The second waist-shaped hole 332 is located on a side of the first waist-shaped hole 331 away from the first end of the second connecting rod 33, and the second waist-shaped hole 332 may also extend along the length of the second connecting rod 33. Accordingly, a sliding hole 234 is defined within the second sliding groove 232. The sliding hole 234 extends in the same direction as the first sliding groove 231. A second sliding shaft 235 is slidably disposed within the sliding hole 234. The second sliding shaft 235 may also be inserted into the second waist-shaped hole 332. When the second connecting rod 33 rotates about the first hinge axis 233, the second sliding shaft 235, driven by the second connecting rod 33, can slide within the sliding hole 234, resulting in displacement toward or away from the rotating shaft 10. In this way, by connecting the second sliding shaft 235 to the flexible shielding member, the flexible shielding member can be driven to displace in the same direction and by the same distance.

[0056] In addition, in order to reliably limit the second sliding shaft 235 in the sliding hole 234 and the second waist-shaped hole 332, the driving assembly 30 may also include a slider 34, which can be slidably set on the side of the fixed plate 23 away from the flexible shielding member and fixedly connected to one end of the second sliding shaft 235, thereby preventing the second sliding shaft 235 from axially moving in the sliding hole 234 and the second waist-shaped hole 332, thereby improving the structural reliability of the folding mechanism.

[0057] It is worth noting that the sliding displacement of the second sliding shaft 235 within the sliding hole 234 is related to the distance between the first and second waist-shaped holes 331, 332. The greater the distance between the first and second waist-shaped holes 331, 332, the greater the sliding displacement of the second sliding shaft 235. Conversely, the smaller the distance between the first and second waist-shaped holes 331, 332, the smaller the sliding displacement of the second sliding shaft 235. Therefore, in practical applications, the sliding displacement of the second sliding shaft 235 can be adjusted by properly setting the distance between the first and second waist-shaped holes 331, 332, thereby adjusting the displacement of the flexible shielding member so that the displacement of the flexible shielding member matches the dimensional change of the outer side of the folding mechanism, thereby preventing stretching or arching during the unfolding or folding process of the folding mechanism and improving the structural reliability of the folding mechanism.

[0058] Continue to refer Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in order to make the movement process of the flexible shielding member smoother, in an embodiment of the present application, the folding mechanism may also include a bracket 50 arranged on the second surface 22 of the shell 20, one side of the bracket 50 is fixedly connected to the second sliding shaft 235, and the other side is fixedly connected to the flexible shielding member, so that the driving force of the second sliding shaft 235 can be transmitted to the flexible shielding member through the bracket 50, thereby increasing the force area and force uniformity of the flexible shielding member, and reducing the risk of jamming during movement.

[0059] In the above scheme, the connection method between the bracket 50 and the second sliding shaft 235 is not limited, as long as the two can be reliably fixed. For example, in a specific embodiment of the present application, the bracket 50 and the second sliding shaft 235 can be fixedly connected by a riveting process; similarly, the connection method between the bracket 50 and the flexible shielding member is also not limited. In some possible embodiments of the present application, the flexible shielding member can be fixed to the bracket 50 by processes such as bonding, riveting or welding.

[0060] It should be noted that, in actual application, the drive assembly 30 can be set on one side of the rotating shaft 10 or on both sides of the rotating shaft 10, and this application does not impose any specific restrictions on this. When the drive assembly 30 is set on one side of the rotating shaft 10, one end of the flexible shielding member can be connected to the drive assembly 30 on the corresponding side, and the other end can be fixedly connected to the second surface 22 of the shell 20 on the other side of the rotating shaft 10. During the unfolding or folding process of the folding mechanism, the drive assembly 30 on one side of the rotating shaft 10 is used to drive the corresponding end of the flexible shielding member to move, thereby compensating for the dimensional change on the outside of the folding mechanism. In order to increase the driving force on the flexible shielding member and improve the driving effect, multiple groups of the above-mentioned drive assemblies 30 can be set on the corresponding side of the rotating shaft 10. In the specific setting, the multiple groups of drive assemblies 30 can be set at equal intervals along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 10 to ensure uniform force on the flexible shielding member.

[0061] When the above solution is adopted, the structure of the folding mechanism is relatively simple, so the risk of failure is also low; in addition, since the dimensional change of the outside of the folding mechanism is compensated entirely by the movement of one end of the flexible shielding member, the driving stroke of the driving assembly 30 can be appropriately increased, that is, the sliding displacement of the second sliding shaft 235 is increased, so that the displacement of the flexible shielding member can match the dimensional change of the outside of the folding mechanism.

[0062] When the driving components 30 are respectively arranged on both sides of the rotating shaft 10, the two ends of the flexible shielding member are respectively connected to the driving components 30 on both sides. When this solution is adopted, the structural stability of the folding mechanism is better, and since the dimensional change on the outside of the folding mechanism can be shared by the movement of the two ends of the flexible shielding member, the driving stroke of the driving component 30 can be relatively reduced, that is, the sliding displacement of the second sliding shaft 235 is reduced, which is conducive to reducing the size of the driving component 30.

[0063] Similarly, in the above solution, multiple sets of driving components 30 can be respectively provided on both sides of the rotating shaft 10, and the multiple sets of driving components 30 on both sides can be respectively arranged at equal intervals along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 10 to improve the driving effect of the flexible shielding member.

[0064] The following takes the switching of the folding mechanism from the closed state to the unfolded state as an example to explain in detail the driving process of the driving assembly.

[0065] For reference Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, Figure 6 This is a partial side view of the folding mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application in a closed state. Figure 7This is a schematic diagram of the outer structure of the folding mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application in the closed state. When the folding mechanism 1 is in the closed state, the angle between the two housings 20 is 0°. At this time, the second sliding shaft 235 of the drive assembly is located in the sliding hole 234 at the end close to the rotating shaft 10, pulling the end of the flexible shielding member 40 toward the rotating shaft 10 to match the increase in the outer dimensions of the folding mechanism 1 and prevent the flexible shielding member 40 from stretching.

[0066] For reference Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, Figure 8 A partial side view of the folding mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application in an intermediate state during closing or unfolding. Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the outer structure of the folding mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application, in an intermediate state during the closing or unfolding process. When the folding mechanism 1 is switched from the closed state to the unfolded state, the two housings 20 rotate in the direction of unfolding the folding mechanism, and the swing arm 31 of the drive assembly rotates synchronously with the housing 20, thereby driving the first connecting rod 32 to slide away from the rotating shaft 10. The second connecting rod 33 can then rotate counterclockwise under the drive of the first connecting rod 32, thereby driving the second sliding shaft 235 to slide toward the side away from the rotating shaft 10, thereby pushing the end of the flexible shielding member 40 away from the rotating shaft 10.

[0067] For reference Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, Figure 10 A partial side view of the folding mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application in the unfolded state. Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the outer structure of the folding mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application in the unfolded state. When the folding mechanism 1 is unfolded, the angle between the two housings 20 is 180°. At this point, the second sliding shaft 235 of the drive assembly is located within the sliding hole 234 at the end away from the rotating shaft 10, thereby moving the end of the flexible shielding member 40 away from the rotating shaft 10 to match the reduction in the outer dimensions of the folding mechanism 1 and prevent the flexible shielding member 40 from arching.

[0068] refer to Figure 12 As shown, embodiments of the present application also provide a mobile terminal, which can be a conventional mobile phone, PDA, laptop computer, or tablet computer. The mobile terminal can include a flexible screen 2 and the folding mechanism 1 described in the aforementioned embodiment. The flexible screen 2 can be disposed on the first surfaces of the two housings of the folding mechanism and cover the rotating axis of the folding mechanism. Due to the good folding effect of the folding mechanism 1, the appearance quality of the mobile terminal is improved.

[0069] The above are only specific embodiments of the present application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included in the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A folding mechanism, characterized in that: The invention comprises a rotating shaft, two housings, a flexible shielding member, and a driving assembly arranged on at least one side of the rotating shaft, wherein: The two shells are hinged to the two sides of the rotating shaft respectively, and the shell includes a first surface for supporting the flexible screen and a second surface opposite to the first surface; The driving assembly is arranged on a side of the housing on the same side close to the rotating shaft, and the driving assembly includes a swing arm and a first connecting rod, the two ends of the swing arm are respectively hinged to the rotating shaft and the first connecting rod, and the first connecting rod is slidably arranged on the housing; when the housing is rotated in the direction of folding the folding mechanism, the swing arm drives the first connecting rod to slide relative to the housing toward the side close to the rotating shaft, and when the housing is rotated in the direction of unfolding the folding mechanism, the swing arm drives the first connecting rod to slide relative to the housing toward the side away from the rotating shaft; The flexible shielding member is provided on the second surfaces of the two shells and covers the rotating shaft, and the flexible shielding member is connected to the first connecting rod; The second surface of the housing is provided with a fixing plate, and the first connecting rod is slidably provided on the fixing plate; A first sliding groove is provided on a side of the fixed plate facing the flexible shielding member, and the first connecting rod is disposed in the first sliding groove; the driving assembly further includes a second connecting rod, which is movably disposed on a side of the fixed plate facing the flexible shielding member, and is connected to the first connecting rod and the flexible shielding member respectively, for driving the flexible shielding member to move when the first connecting rod slides; The first end of the second connecting rod is hinged to the fixed plate through a first hinge shaft, and the second connecting rod is respectively provided with a first waist-shaped hole and a second waist-shaped hole in a direction away from the first end, and the first waist-shaped hole and the second waist-shaped hole extend along the length direction of the second connecting rod respectively; the first connecting rod is provided with a first sliding shaft passing through the first waist-shaped hole; the fixed plate is provided with a sliding hole in the same extension direction as the first sliding groove, and a second sliding shaft is slidably arranged in the sliding hole, and the second sliding shaft passes through the second waist-shaped hole and is connected to the flexible shielding member.

2. The folding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The rotation axis of the swing arm rotating relative to the rotating shaft is coaxial with the rotation axis of the housing on the same side.

3. The folding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The driving assembly further includes a slider, which is arranged on a side of the fixing plate facing away from the flexible shielding member, and the slider is fixedly connected to the second sliding shaft.

4. The folding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The folding mechanism further includes a bracket connected to the second surface of the shell, one surface of the bracket is fixedly connected to the second sliding shaft, and the other surface of the bracket is fixedly connected to the flexible shielding member.

5. The folding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: A second sliding groove is provided on a side of the fixing plate facing the flexible shielding member, and the second connecting rod is arranged in the second sliding groove.

6. The folding mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: When the driving assembly is disposed on one side of the rotating shaft, one end of the flexible shielding member is connected to the first connecting rod of the driving assembly, and the other end of the flexible shielding member is fixedly connected to the second surface of the shell on the other side of the rotating shaft.

7. The folding mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: When the driving components are respectively arranged on both sides of the rotating shaft, the two ends of the flexible shielding member are respectively connected to the first connecting rods of the driving components on both sides.

8. The folding mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The flexible shielding member is made of flexible metal, plastic or leather.

9. A mobile terminal, characterized in that: It comprises a flexible screen and the folding mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the flexible screen is arranged on the first surfaces of the two shells.

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