Inner folding flexible screen support device and foldable electronic device

Abstract

The present application provides an inner folding flexible screen support device and a foldable electronic device, the inner folding flexible screen support device comprises a first shell, a second shell and a folding mechanism, the folding mechanism comprises a screen support assembly and a follower support assembly, the first side portion of the screen support assembly is slidably connected to the first shell, and the second side portion is slidably connected to the second shell; the follower support assembly comprises a first support plate and a second support plate, the first support plate is connected to the first side portion and extends toward the second side portion, and the second support plate is connected to the second side portion and extends toward the first side portion; the screen support assembly is in a bent state when the first shell and the second shell are relatively folded, and is in a flattened state when the first shell and the second shell are relatively flattened. The screen support assembly provided in the present application can completely cover the bent section of the flexible screen, and the screen support assembly is supported by the follower support assembly, so as to provide effective and stable comprehensive support for the flexible screen.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of electronic devices, and in particular to an inwardly folding flexible screen support device and a foldable electronic device. Background Art

[0002] As an important application technology of OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode), flexible screens have made significant progress in recent years. Compared with traditional screens, flexible screens have significant advantages, such as being thinner and lighter, and having lower power consumption. In addition, due to their bendability and flexibility, the application scenarios of flexible screens are becoming more and more extensive.

[0003] The related technology provides some folding mobile terminals based on flexible screens, which mainly include two solutions: the screen folds inward and the screen folds outward. The advantage of the inward folding is that the casing can effectively protect the screen and reduce the impact of external impacts, wear and tear. The advantage of the outward folding is that the bending R angle of the flexible screen does not need to be too small, and the screen does not need to be unfolded when half of the screen is used. The disadvantage is that the screen is exposed. Since the technology of flexible wear-resistant materials is not yet mature, the screen has weak scratch resistance and is prone to scratches or bumps. The inward folding flexible screen mainly includes two solutions: U-shaped and water drop-shaped. However, the flexible screen is not fully supported in the U-shaped and water drop-shaped bending sections, which reduces the reliability of the flexible screen. When the mobile terminal falls or the bending section is hit, the unprotected part of the bending section is easily damaged, resulting in screen lines, black spots and other undesirable phenomena. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to propose an inner folding flexible screen support device and a foldable electronic device to solve the above problems. This application achieves the above purpose through the following technical solutions.

[0005] In the first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an internal folding flexible screen support device, comprising a first shell, a second shell and a folding mechanism, the folding mechanism comprising a screen support assembly and a follow-up support assembly, the screen support assembly comprising a first side portion and a second side portion relative to each other, the first side portion being slidably connected to the first shell, and the second side portion being slidably connected to the second shell; the follow-up support assembly comprising a first support plate and a second support plate, the first support plate being connected to the first side portion and extending toward the second side portion; the second support plate being connected to the second side portion and extending toward the first side portion; the first shell and the second shell being foldable or flattenable relative to each other, the screen support assembly being in a bent state when the first shell and the second shell are folded relative to each other, and being in a flattened state when the first shell and the second shell are flattened relative to each other.

[0006] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a foldable electronic device, comprising a flexible screen and an inner-folding flexible screen supporting device, the inner-folding flexible screen supporting device comprising a first shell, a second shell and a folding mechanism; the folding mechanism comprises a screen supporting assembly and a follow-up supporting assembly, the screen supporting assembly comprising a first side portion and a second side portion relative to each other, the first side portion being slidably connected to the first shell, and the second side portion being slidably connected to the second shell; the follow-up supporting assembly comprises a first supporting plate and a second supporting plate, the first supporting plate being connected to the first side portion and extending toward the second side portion; the second supporting plate being connected to the second side portion and extending toward the first side portion; the flexible screen comprises a first fixed section, a second fixed section and a bending section connected between the first fixed section and the second fixed section, the first fixed section being connected to the first shell, the second fixed section being connected to the second shell, and the bending section being connected to the screen supporting assembly; the first shell and the second shell can be folded or flattened relative to each other, and the screen supporting assembly drives the bending section to be in a bent state when the first shell and the second shell are folded relative to each other, and to be in a flattened state when the first shell and the second shell are flattened relative to each other.

[0007] The embodiments of the present application provide an internally folding flexible screen support device and a foldable electronic device. The screen support assembly is slidably connected between a first shell and a second shell, thereby completely covering the bending section of the flexible screen. The screen support assembly is supported by a first support plate and a second support plate, thereby improving the horizontal support stiffness and flatness of the screen support assembly, thereby providing effective and stable comprehensive support for the flexible screen. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without creative work.

[0009] Figure 1 It is a partial side view of the flexible screen with a U-shaped inward folding solution provided by the related technology.

[0010] Figure 2 It is a partial side view of a flexible screen with a water drop-shaped inward folding solution provided by the related technology.

[0011] Figure 3 It is a partial side view of the foldable electronic device provided by an embodiment of the present application in a flattened state.

[0012] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A partial side view of the flexible screen in a bent state in the illustrated embodiment.

[0013] Figure 5 yes Figure 3 A partial side view of the foldable electronic device in a bent state in the illustrated embodiment.

[0014] Figure 6 yes Figure 3 A partial side view of the foldable electronic device in the illustrated embodiment in a relatively folded state.

[0015] Figure 7 yes Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the local structure of the flexible screen and the folding mechanism in the embodiment shown is in a bent state.

[0016] Figure 8 yes Figure 3 A partial side view of the flexible screen and the folding mechanism in the illustrated embodiment in a folded state.

[0017] Fig. 9 yes Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the support sheet in the illustrated embodiment.

[0018] Fig.10 yes Figure 3 A partial side view of the support sheet and the connecting rod in a bent state in the illustrated embodiment.

[0019] Fig.11 yes Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a connecting rod in the illustrated embodiment.

[0020] Fig.12 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of a support sheet in a foldable electronic device provided in another embodiment of the present application.

[0021] Fig.13 yes Fig.12 A schematic structural diagram of a connecting rod in the illustrated embodiment.

[0022] Fig.14 yes Figure 3 A partial side view of the foldable electronic device in a bent state in the illustrated embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The embodiments of the present application are described in detail below, and examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present application, and cannot be understood as limiting the present application.

[0024] Please also read Figure 1 and Figure 2 The inner folding scheme of the flexible screen 100 mainly includes a U-shaped (see Figure 1 ) and teardrop type (see Figure 2) There are two types of folding screens. The U-shaped solution can have a smaller bending R angle, but the disadvantage is that the crease is deeper after unfolding. The water drop-shaped solution has a more complex hinge design, requires a more precise motion trajectory, and has a relatively shallow crease. However, no matter which form, if the screen is subjected to excessive force locally during the bending process, it is prone to damage, delamination and other adverse phenomena. Therefore, the screen trajectory design in the bending area is one of the important technologies for folding screens.

[0025] In the related art, the flexible screen 100 is not fully supported at the bending section, and is generally supported only at a local position of the bending section by a flat plate. This support method reduces the reliability of the flexible screen 100. When the flexible screen 100 falls or is hit, the unprotected area of ​​the bending section is easily damaged, resulting in screen lines, black spots and other undesirable phenomena.

[0026] In view of this, after conducting a lot of research, the inventor proposed an internal folding flexible screen support device and a foldable electronic device. The screen support assembly is slidably connected between the first shell and the second shell, which can be completely laid on the bending section of the flexible screen. The screen support assembly is supported by the first support plate and the second support plate, which can improve the horizontal support stiffness and flatness of the screen support assembly, thereby providing effective and stable comprehensive support for the flexible screen.

[0027] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0028] In order to facilitate a better understanding of the inner folding flexible screen support device and the foldable electronic device provided in the embodiment of the present application, the foldable electronic device provided in the embodiment of the present application is described below, and the foldable electronic device includes an inner folding flexible screen support device. The foldable electronic device can specifically be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, an e-book, etc. The embodiment of the present application takes the foldable electronic device as a mobile phone as an example for explanation.

[0029] Please also read Figure 3 and Figure 4An embodiment of the present application provides a foldable electronic device 300, including a flexible screen 100 and an inner-folding flexible screen supporting device 200. The flexible screen 100 is covered on the inner-folding flexible screen supporting device 200. The inner-folding flexible screen supporting device 200 can drive the flexible screen 100 to fold or flatten relatively. When the flexible screen 100 is relatively folded, the flexible screen 100 is located in the inner-folding flexible screen supporting device 200. The inner-folding flexible screen supporting device 200 is used to provide protection for the flexible screen 100.

[0030] The internal folding flexible screen support device 200 includes a first shell 210, a second shell 220 and a folding mechanism 230; the folding mechanism 230 includes a screen support assembly 240 and a follow-up support assembly 250, the screen support assembly 240 includes a first side portion 261 and a second side portion 262 relative to each other, the first side portion 261 is slidably connected to the first shell 210, and the second side portion 262 is slidably connected to the second shell 220; the follow-up support assembly 250 includes a first support plate 251 and a second support plate 252, the first support plate 251 is connected to the first side portion 261, and extends toward the second side portion 262; the second support plate 252 is connected to the second side portion 262, and extends toward the first side portion 261.

[0031] The flexible screen 100 includes a first fixed section 110, a second fixed section 120 and a bending section 130 connected between the first fixed section 110 and the second fixed section 120. The first fixed section 110 is connected to the first shell 210, the second fixed section 120 is connected to the second shell 220, and the bending section 130 is connected to the screen support assembly 240.

[0032] The first shell 210 and the second shell 220 can be folded or flattened relative to each other. The first fixing section 110 and the second fixing section 120 are opposite to each other when the first shell 210 and the second shell 220 are folded relative to each other. The screen support assembly 240 drives the bending section 130 to be in a bent state when the first shell 210 and the second shell 220 are folded relative to each other (see Figure 6 ), the screen support assembly 240 drives the bending section 130 to be in a flattened state when the first shell 210 and the second shell 220 are relatively flattened.

[0033] The foldable electronic device 300 provided in the embodiment of the present application can be completely laid on the bending section 130 of the flexible screen 100 through the screen support assembly 240 that is slidably connected between the first shell 210 and the second shell 220, and the screen support assembly 240 is supported by the first support plate 251 and the second support plate 252, which can improve the horizontal support stiffness and flatness of the screen support assembly 240, thereby providing effective and stable comprehensive support for the flexible screen 100.

[0034] In this embodiment, the flexible screen 100 is used as a display module of the foldable electronic device 300. The flexible screen 100 may include a screen protection layer, a screen function layer, a screen buffer layer, and a screen support layer stacked in sequence.

[0035] The screen protection layer is made of a flexible material with a certain hardness, such as ultra-thin glass, transparent PET (polyethylene terephthalate) or transparent PI (polyimide), etc., to protect the surface of the flexible screen 100 from being scratched or bruised. The screen functional layer encapsulates the circuit and the light-emitting material, and is the core laminate of the screen display. The screen buffer layer is made of a low-modulus soft material with a certain thickness, which can absorb the surface unevenness of the first shell 210 and the second shell 220 to a certain extent, thereby improving the impact resistance of the flexible screen 100. The screen support layer is used as a supporting structure between the screen buffer layer and the screen support assembly 240. In different areas of the flexible screen 100, the screen support layer is made of different materials and has different structures and functions.

[0036] The bending section 130 may include two inner bending sections 131, two straight sections 132 and two outer bending sections 133, one side of the two inner bending sections 131 are connected to each other, and the other side is connected to a straight section 132; the side of the straight section 132 away from the inner bending section 131 is connected to the outer bending section 133; one side of the outer bending section 133 away from the straight section 132 is connected to the first fixed section 110, the outer bending end 133 is partially located on the first shell 210 and is not directly connected to the first shell 210, and is partially located on the screen support assembly 240; the other outer bending section 133 is connected to the second fixed section 120 on the side away from the straight section 132, the outer bending section 133 is partially located on the second shell 220 and is not directly connected to the second shell 220, and is partially located on the screen support assembly 240. When the first fixing section 110 and the second fixing section 120 are relatively folded, the two inner curved sections 131 are relatively symmetrical, the two straight sections 132 are mutually symmetrical, and the two outer curved sections 133 are mutually symmetrical.

[0037] In the first fixed section 110 and the second fixed section 120, the purpose of the screen support layer is to be flat and reliable, and it can be made of a complete steel sheet, a carbon fiber sheet or a hard plastic material with a certain thickness. The two outer curved sections 133 are a unique structure of the teardrop-shaped bending form. The flexible screen 100 is bent outward, and the stress between the film layers is opposite to the inner bending. Therefore, in the two outer curved sections 133, the screen support layer needs to be made of a material with lower rigidity so that the screen support layer in this area has a lower bending modulus. The straight section 132 is the transition area between the outer curved section 133 and the inner curved section 131. If the outer curved section 133 and the inner curved section 131 are directly connected, there will be sudden changes in tensile stress and compressive stress between the various film layers of the flexible screen 100, and stratification is likely to occur. Therefore, the teardrop-shaped bending form requires a straight section 132 for buffering and transition. The inner bending section 131 is a necessary structure for both the U-shaped and teardrop-shaped bending schemes. Compared with the U-shaped bending scheme, the inner bending section 131 of the teardrop-shaped bending scheme has a larger radius and generally has a shallower crease and better flatness after unfolding.

[0038] The flexible screen 100 is a thin flexible structure, and the bending of the flexible screen 100 needs to rely on the first shell 210, the second shell 220 and the screen support assembly 240. The first shell 210 and the second shell 220 are connected by the screen support assembly 240, and the first shell 210, the second shell 220 and the screen support assembly 240 are used to lay the flexible screen 100. Driven by the first shell 210 and the second shell 220, the screen support assembly 240 can change between a bent state and a flattened state, and has a relatively smooth motion trajectory. The bending section 130 deforms synchronously with the screen support assembly 240 to achieve switching between a bent state and a flattened state.

[0039] When the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 are folded relative to each other (see Figure 6 ), the first fixed section 110 and the second fixed section 120 can fit each other or fit with a slight gap, the cross-sections of the screen support assembly 240 and the bending section 130 are U-shaped or teardrop-shaped, and the U-shaped bending R angle can be made smaller. The disadvantage is that the crease is deeper after unfolding, and the teardrop-shaped crease is relatively shallow. The embodiment of the present application takes the example that the cross-sections of the screen support assembly 240 and the bending section 130 are teardrop-shaped when the first shell 210 and the second shell 220 are relatively folded. The bending section 130 has an optimal teardrop shape when the first shell 210 and the second shell 220 are relatively folded, and the bending stress on the bending section 130 is minimal.

[0040] The first shell 210 and the second shell 220 can also be used to accommodate other functional modules of the foldable electronic device 300, such as a camera module, a fingerprint recognition module, an iris recognition module, a data connection module, a receiver module, a speaker module, etc.

[0041] Still see Figure 3 and Figure 4 The first shell 210 and the second shell 220 are both substantially rectangular parallelepiped shell structures. When the first shell 210 and the second shell 220 are folded relative to each other, the rotation axis can be consistent with the length direction of the first shell 210 and the second shell 220. A first avoidance space 211 is provided on one side of the first shell 210, and a second avoidance space 221 is provided on one side of the second shell 220. The first avoidance space 211 and the second avoidance space 221 are connected to each other, and the screen support assembly 240 is covered in the first avoidance space 211 and the second avoidance space 221.

[0042] The first side portion 261 and the second side portion 262 of the screen support assembly 240 may be located on both sides of the width direction of the screen support assembly 240. The first support plate 251 is accommodated in the first avoidance space 211, and the second support plate 252 is accommodated in the second avoidance space 221. The first support plate 251 and the second support plate 252 may both be rectangular plate structures, and the length of the first support plate 251 and the second support plate 252 may be substantially equal to the length of the screen support assembly 240, and the width of the first support plate 251 and the second support plate 252 may be equal to or slightly less than half of the width of the screen support assembly 240. The length direction of the screen support assembly 240 is consistent with the length direction of the first shell 210 and the second shell 220, and the width direction is consistent with the width direction of the first shell 210 and the second shell 220.

[0043] When the first shell 210 and the second shell 220 are relatively flattened, the screen support assembly 240 can be parallel to the first fixing section 110 and the second fixing section 120 of the flexible screen 100, and the first support plate 251 and the second support plate 252 are parallel to the screen support assembly 240, so that the first support plate 251 and the second support plate 252 are integrally fitted with the screen support assembly 240. One end of the first support plate 251 away from the first side portion 261 can be flush with the side wall of the first shell 210 or slightly protrude from the first shell 210, and one end of the second support plate 252 away from the second side portion 262 can be flush with the side wall of the second shell 220 or slightly protrude from the second shell 220. The gap between the first support plate 251 and the second support plate 252 is as small as possible to increase the width of the first support plate 251 and the second support plate 252, thereby increasing the contact area of ​​the first support plate 251, the second support plate 252 and the screen support assembly 240, and ensuring that the screen support assembly 240 is fully supported.

[0044] One side of the first support plate 251 is connected to the first side portion 261 of the screen support assembly 240, and the other side is not directly connected to the screen support assembly 240. One side of the second support plate 252 is connected to the second side portion 262 of the screen support assembly 240, and the other side is not directly connected to the screen support assembly 240. Figure 6 ), the first support plate 251 and the second support plate 252 are opposite to each other, the side of the first support plate 251 away from the first side portion 261 is separated from the screen support assembly 240, and the side of the second support plate 252 away from the second side portion 262 is separated from the screen support assembly 240, thereby avoiding interference with the bending of the screen support assembly 240. When the first shell 210 and the second shell 220 are folded relative to each other, the distance between the first support plate 251 and the second support plate 252 gradually increases from the outer bending section 133 toward the inner bending section 131.

[0045] The internal folding flexible screen support device 200 may further include an intermediate bracket 260, one side of the intermediate bracket 260 is arranged in the first avoidance space 211, and the other side is arranged in the second avoidance space 221, and the intermediate bracket 260 can be connected to the first shell 210 and the second shell 220 through a connecting rod structure to connect the first shell 210 and the second shell 220, and under the connection action of the intermediate bracket 260 and the connecting rod structure, the first shell 210 and the second shell 220 can be relatively folded or flattened.

[0046] Please also read Figure 3 and Figure 7 In some embodiments, the screen support assembly 240 may include n support sheets 241 and connecting rods 242, where n≥7. The n support sheets 241 are sequentially arranged between the first shell 210 and the second shell 220 and are all connected to the bending section 130. At least one connecting rod 242 is provided between any two adjacent support sheets 241, and the support sheet 241 is slidably connected to the connecting rod 242. When the first shell 210 and the second shell 220 are relatively flattened, the support sheet 241 and the connecting rod 242 are against each other, so that the screen support assembly 240 is in a relatively stable flattened state, thereby providing stable support for the flexible screen 100.

[0047] The number of the support sheets 241 is greater than or equal to 7, which can fully cover the various bending areas of the bending section 130, and make the screen support assembly 240 have a relatively smooth movement trajectory during the bending process, thereby ensuring effective protection of the flexible screen 100 during the entire bending process, while not adding additional squeezing or pulling to the flexible screen 100. Exemplarily, n can be equal to 7, 8, 9 or 10, etc., which can be determined according to the size of the flexible screen 100 and the support sheet 241, and is not specifically limited here.

[0048] In this embodiment, the length of the support sheet 241 is substantially equal to the length of the first shell 210 and the second shell 220. The length of the connecting rod 242 may be less than or equal to the length of the support sheet 241. As an example, the length of the connecting rod 242 is much smaller than the length of the support sheet 241, for example, the length of the connecting rod 242 is 1 / 10 to 1 / 6 of the length of the support sheet 241. Two connecting rods 242 are provided between any two adjacent support sheets 241, and the two connecting rods 242 are respectively located at both ends of the length direction of the support sheet 241. In this way, a stable connection between two adjacent support sheets 241 can be achieved, and the total volume of the connecting rod 242 can be reduced, thereby reducing the weight of the screen support assembly 240.

[0049] In some other embodiments, the screen support assembly 240 may also be a track-type structure, and the track-type structure may also bend under the drive of the first shell 210 and the second shell 220, thereby driving the bending section 130 to bend.

[0050] Please also read Figure 3 and Figure 8 In some embodiments, the two inner curved sections 131, the two straight sections 132, and the two outer curved sections 133 are all connected to at least one supporting sheet 241, and the connection between the two inner curved sections 131 is at least connected to one supporting sheet 241. Thus, the inner curved section 131, the straight section 132, the outer curved section 133, and the connection between the two inner curved sections 131 can be protected during the entire process of the flexible screen 100 being bent.

[0051] The support sheet 241 located at the connection of the two inner curved sections 131 can be arranged in the middle of the bending section 130, and the other support sheets 241 located on both sides of the support sheet 241 are arranged symmetrically. In order to facilitate the distinction of the support sheets 241 in each area, the support sheet 241 located at the connection of the two inner curved sections 131 is referred to as the first support sheet 2411, the support sheet 241 located at the two inner curved sections 131 is referred to as the second support sheet 2412, the support sheet 241 located at the two straight sections 132 is referred to as the third support sheet 2413, and the support sheet 241 located at the two outer curved sections 133 is referred to as the fourth support sheet 2414. Among them, the fourth support sheet 2414 adjacent to the first shell 210 is slidably connected to the first shell 210, and the fourth support sheet 2414 adjacent to the second shell 220 is slidably connected to the second shell 220.

[0052] As an example, the number of the first support sheet 2411 is one, the number of the second support sheet 2412 is two, the number of the third support sheet 2413 is two, the number of the fourth support sheet 2414 is two, and the number of the support sheets 241 is n=7. The two second support sheets 2412 are symmetrical about the first support sheet 2411, the two third support sheets 2413 are symmetrical about the first support sheet 2411, and the two fourth support sheets 2414 are symmetrical about the first support sheet 2411.

[0053] As another example, the number of the first support plates 2411 is one, the number of the second support plates 2412 is four, the number of the third support plates 2413 is two, and the number of the fourth support plates 2414 is two. In this case, the number n of the support plates 241 is 9.

[0054] In some embodiments, the first support plate 251 and the second support plate 252 are connected to the support sheet 241 located in the straight section 132 to prevent the first support plate 251 and the second support plate 252 from interfering with the bending of the screen support assembly 240, and the connection position of the first support plate 251 and the second support plate 252 and the support sheet 241 is approximately in the middle area of ​​the first support plate 251 and the second support plate 252, which can improve the connection stability of the first support plate 251 and the second support plate 252. Among them, the first support plate 251 and the second support plate 252 are connected to the support sheet 241 located in the straight section 132, which can mean that the first support plate 251 and the second support plate 252 are only connected to the support sheet 241 located in the straight section 132.

[0055] In this embodiment, the first support plate 251 is connected to the third support plate 2413 located in the first avoidance space 211 , and the second support plate 252 is connected to the third support plate 2413 located in the second avoidance space 221 .

[0056] In some other embodiments, the first support plate 251 and the second support plate 252 are connected to the support sheet 241 located at the straight section 132 and the outer curved section 133 to increase the connection area between the first support plate 251, the second support plate 252 and the screen support assembly 240 while avoiding the first support plate 251 and the second support plate 252 from interfering with the bending of the screen support assembly 240.

[0057] In this embodiment, the first support plate 251 is connected to the third support plate 2413 and the fourth support plate 2414 located in the first avoidance space 211 , and the second support plate 252 is connected to the third support plate 2413 and the fourth support plate 2414 located in the second avoidance space 221 .

[0058] Still see Figure 3 and Figure 8In some embodiments, when the first housing 210 and the second housing 220 are relatively flattened, each support sheet 241 at least abuts against the first support plate 251 or the second support plate 252. In this way, it is ensured that each support sheet 241 can be supported when flattened, thereby improving the horizontal support rigidity and flatness of the screen support assembly 240.

[0059] In this embodiment, when the screen support assembly 240 is in a flattened state, the support sheet 241 located in the first avoidance space 211 abuts against the first support plate 251, the support sheet 241 located in the second avoidance space 221 abuts against the second support plate 252, and the support sheet 241 located in the middle (for example, the first support sheet 2411) abuts against both the first support plate 251 and the second support plate 252.

[0060] See also Figure 8 and Fig. 9 In some embodiments, the support sheet 241 includes a support plane 2415, the support plane 2415 is provided with a flexible screen connection area 2416, and the bending section 130 can be connected to the flexible screen connection area 2416 by bonding or other means. When the screen support assembly 240 is in a flattened state, each support plane 2415 is located on the same plane, so that the bending section 130 can be flattened into a plane, and the support plane 2415 supports the bending section 130, which can increase the contact area between the support sheet 241 and the bending section 130.

[0061] When the screen support assembly 240 is not in a flattened state, that is, during the entire bending process of the screen support assembly 240 switching from a flattened state to a bent state, the support plane 2415 is always tangent to the bending section 130, ensuring effective protection of the flexible screen 100 during the entire bending process, while not adding additional squeezing or pulling to the flexible screen 100. Among them, the support plane 2415 is tangent to the bending section 130, which means that the support plane 2415 is tangent to the portion of the bending section 130 connected to the flexible screen connection area 2416. Furthermore, the support plane 2415 is always tangent to the bending section 130, which means that the support plane 2415 is always tangent to the arc of the bending section 130 in the best water drop shape. The best water drop shape refers to the bending shape when the bending stress on the screen functional layer is the smallest.

[0062] In this embodiment, there is a slight gap between two adjacent support planes 2415. For example, the gap between two adjacent support planes 2415 is less than 1 mm to ensure that the flexible screen 100 can be fully supported. The support plane 2415 can be rectangular, the length of the support plane 2415 of each support sheet 241 is equal, and the width of the support plane 2415 of each support sheet 241 can be equal or unequal, which can be determined according to the width of the inner curved section 131, the straight section 132 and the outer curved section 133.

[0063] As an example, the number of the first support sheet 2411 is one, the number of the second support sheets 2412 is two, the number of the third support sheets 2413 is two, and the number of the fourth support sheets 2414 is two. The sum of the widths of the support planes 2415 of the first support sheet 2411 and the two second support sheets 2412 is substantially equal to the sum of the widths of the two inner curved sections 131, the width of the support plane 2415 of the third support sheet 2413 is substantially equal to the width of the straight section 132, and the width of the support plane 2415 of the fourth support sheet 2414 is substantially equal to the width of the outer curved section 133.

[0064] In some implementations, the support plane 2415 may also be provided with non-connection areas 2417 located on both sides of the flexible screen connection area 2416, and the bending section 130 is only connected to the flexible screen connection area 2416, and the bending section 130 is not connected to the non-connection area 2417. Of course, not all support planes 2415 of the support sheets 241 are provided with non-connection areas 2417, and some support sheets 241 may only be provided with flexible screen connection areas 2416, that is, the entire support plane 2415 of some support sheets 241 is connected to the flexible screen 100.

[0065] For example, the support planes 2415 of the first support sheet 2411, the second support sheet 2412, and the fourth support sheet 2414 are all provided with flexible screen connection areas 2416 and non-connection areas 2417. Since the straight section 132 does not need to be bent, the support plane 2415 of the third support sheet 2413 may only be provided with a flexible screen connection area 2416, and the width of the flexible screen connection area 2416 is equal to the width of the straight section 132, that is, the entire support plane 2415 of the third support sheet 2413 can be used to support the straight section 132, so that the third support sheet 2413 can effectively support the straight section 132, ensuring that the water drop structure is formed when the bent section 130 is bent, and also improving the flatness of the flexible screen 100 in the flattened state.

[0066] Please also read Fig. 9 and Fig.10 In some implementations, for the support sheet 241 located at the inner curved section 131 and the outer curved section 133, when the screen support assembly 240 is in a non-flattened state, the normal angle between two adjacent support planes 2415 is θ, the arc length of the flexible screen 100 in two adjacent non-connected areas 2417 is l, and the bending radius of the flexible screen 100 in two adjacent non-connected areas 2417 is R.

[0067] For example, the normal angle between the supporting planes 2415 of the adjacent first supporting sheet 2411 and the second supporting sheet 2412 is θ, and the arc length of the flexible screen 100 corresponding to the adjacent non-connection area 2417 on the first supporting sheet 2411 and the second supporting sheet 2412 is l, and the bending radius corresponding to the adjacent non-connection area 2417 on the first supporting sheet 2411 and the second supporting sheet 2412 is R, where θ=R / l.

[0068] Therefore, the screen support assembly 240 can eliminate the pulling and squeezing effects on the flexible screen 100 as much as possible during the bending process, so that the stress on the screen stack of the inner bending section 131 is minimized. In addition, it can be seen from θ=R / l that the width of the non-connection area 2417 on the support plane 2415 of the support sheet 241 located at the inner bending section 131 and the outer bending section 133 is related to the bending radius R of the outer bending section 133 and the inner bending section 131. The specific size of the non-connection area 2417 can be obtained based on simulation and experiments, and is not specifically limited here.

[0069] Still see Fig. 9 In some embodiments, the cross section of the support sheet 241 is an isosceles trapezoid. The support sheet 241 also includes a first limiting surface 2418 and a second limiting surface 2419, which are respectively connected to opposite sides of the support plane 2415, and the angles between the first limiting surface 2418 and the second limiting surface 2419 and the support plane 2415 are equal and acute. When the screen support assembly 240 is in a flattened state, the connecting rod 242 abuts between the first limiting surface 2418 and the second limiting surface 2419.

[0070] Please also read Fig. 9 and Fig.11 In order to fit the support sheet 241, the cross section of the connecting rod 242 is also an isosceles trapezoid. The connecting rod 242 may include an upper surface 2421, a first side surface 2422 and a second side surface 2423. The upper surface 2421 is located on the side of the connecting rod 242 facing the support plane 2415. The first side surface 2422 and the second side surface 2423 are respectively connected to the opposite sides of the upper surface 2421. The angles between the first side surface 2422 and the second side surface 2423 and the upper surface 2421 are equal and both are obtuse angles. The angle between the first side surface 2422 and the upper surface 2421 and the angle between the first limiting surface 2418 and the support plane 2415 are complementary. Thus, when the screen support assembly 240 is in a flattened state, the first side surface 2422 can be fitted with the adjacent second limiting surface 2419, and the second side surface 2423 can be fitted with the adjacent first limiting surface 2418. Through the contact between the surfaces, the support stiffness of the screen support assembly 240 in a flattened state is improved.

[0071] In some embodiments, the support sheet 241 is provided with a first sliding portion 2431, and the connecting rod 242 is provided with a second sliding portion 2432, and the first sliding portion 2431 and the second sliding portion 2432 are slidably matched; the first sliding portion 2431 and the second sliding portion 2432 are both arc-shaped structures, and the centers of the first sliding portion 2431 and the second sliding portion 2432 are located on the side of the screen support assembly 240 away from the follow-up support assembly 250. The first sliding portion 2431 and the second sliding portion 2432 play the role of connecting the support sheet 241 and the connecting rod 242, and also play a guiding role. Through the arc-shaped structure design of the first sliding portion 2431 and the second sliding portion 2432, the movement of the support sheet 241 can be constrained during the bending of the screen support assembly 240 to form a smooth movement trajectory, thereby providing the best protection for the flexible screen 100 without generating additional extrusion stress.

[0072] Furthermore, the centers of the first sliding portion 2431 and the second sliding portion 2432 may be located on the neutral layer of the screen functional layer of the flexible screen 100 to ensure that the screen functional layer is subjected to minimal force during the bending process. The neutral layer of the screen functional layer refers to an area in the screen functional layer where the stress is zero, and the neutral layer is usually located in the middle layer area of ​​the screen functional layer. The compressive stress and tensile stress of the neutral layer offset each other, so that the stress of the neutral layer is zero.

[0073] In this embodiment, except for the two outermost support pieces 241, the first limiting surfaces 2418 and the second limiting surfaces 2419 of the remaining support pieces 241 are each provided with at least one first sliding portion 2431, which is specifically determined according to the number of connecting rods 242 between two adjacent support pieces 241. The first side surface 2422 and the second side surface 2423 of the connecting rod 242 are each provided with at least one second sliding portion 2432 to cooperate with the second sliding portions 2432 of two adjacent support pieces 241, respectively.

[0074] The first sliding part 2431 and the second sliding part 2432 are both arc-shaped structures. One of the first sliding part 2431 and the second sliding part 2432 is a slide groove, and the other is a slide rod. The slide rod is generally an arc-shaped plate-like structure. The slide groove and the slide rod have the same curvature, and the slide rod can be slidably inserted into the slide groove. As an example, the first sliding part 2431 is a slide groove, and the second sliding part 2432 is a slide rod, that is, the support sheet 241 is provided with a slide groove, and the connecting rod 242 is provided with a slide rod. The volume of the support sheet 241 is usually larger than that of the connecting rod 242, which can provide sufficient setting space for the slide groove without destroying the structural strength of the connecting rod 242 itself. Please refer to Fig.12 and Fig.13 As another example, the first sliding portion 2431 may be a sliding rod, and correspondingly, the second sliding portion 2432 may be a sliding groove.

[0075] Please also read Figure 3and Fig.14 In some embodiments, the first shell 210 is provided with a first guide portion 212, and the first side portion 261 is provided with a second guide portion 2611, that is, the support sheet 241 adjacent to the first shell 210 is provided with the second guide portion 2611, for example, the first limiting surface 2418 of the fourth support sheet 2414 adjacent to the first shell 210 is provided with the second guide portion 2611; the first guide portion 212 and the second guide portion 2611 are both arc-shaped structures, and the center of the first guide portion 212 and the second guide portion 2611 are located on the side of the screen support assembly 240 away from the follow-up support assembly 250. The first guide portion 212 and the second guide portion 2611 serve to connect the first shell 210 and the support sheet 241, and also serve as a guide. Through the arc-shaped structure design of the first guide portion 212 and the second guide portion 2611, the movement of the support sheet 241 adjacent to the first shell 210 can be constrained during the bending of the screen support assembly 240, so that the support sheet 241 can form a smooth movement trajectory, thereby providing optimal protection for the flexible screen 100 without generating additional extrusion stress.

[0076] Furthermore, the centers of the first guide portion 212 and the second guide portion 2611 may be located on the neutral layer of the screen functional layer of the flexible screen 100 to ensure that the screen functional layer is subjected to minimal force during the bending process.

[0077] In this embodiment, the first guide portion 212 and the second guide portion 2611 are both arc-shaped structures. One of the first guide portion 212 and the second guide portion 2611 is a guide groove, and the other is a guide rod, which is a roughly arc-shaped plate-shaped structure. The guide groove and the guide rod have the same curvature, and the guide rod can be slidably inserted into the guide groove.

[0078] As an example, the first guide portion 212 is a guide groove, and correspondingly, the second guide portion 2611 is a guide rod. The volume of the first housing 210 is usually larger than the support sheet 241, which can provide sufficient setting space for the guide groove without destroying the structural strength of the first housing 210 itself. As another example, the first guide portion 212 is a guide rod, and correspondingly, the second guide portion 2611 is a guide groove.

[0079] Further, the second shell 220 is provided with a third guide portion, and the second side portion 262 is provided with a fourth guide portion. The third guide portion and the fourth guide portion are slidably matched. The third guide portion and the fourth guide portion are both arc-shaped structures, and the center of the third guide portion and the fourth guide portion are located on the side of the screen support assembly 240 away from the follow-up support assembly 250. The third guide portion and the fourth guide portion play the role of connecting the second shell 220 and the support sheet 241 adjacent to the second shell 220, and also play a guiding role. Through the arc-shaped structure design of the third guide portion and the fourth guide portion, the movement of the support sheet 241 adjacent to the second shell 210 can be constrained during the bending of the screen support assembly 240, so that the support sheet 241 can form a smooth movement trajectory, thereby providing the best protection for the flexible screen 100 without generating additional extrusion stress.

[0080] The third guide portion can be symmetrical with the first guide portion 212, and the fourth guide portion can be symmetrical with the second guide portion 2611. The structures of the third guide portion and the fourth guide portion can refer to the first guide portion 212 and the second guide portion 2611, and will not be repeated here.

[0081] The flattening and folding process of the inner folding flexible screen support device 200 and the foldable electronic device 300 provided in the embodiment of the present application are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0082] See also Figure 3 When the first shell 210 and the second shell 220 are in a flattened state, the angle between the first shell 210 and the second shell 220 is equal to 180°, and the flexible screen 100 is in a flattened state. The first support plate 251 and the second support plate 252 are parallel to the flexible screen 100 and are used to provide support for the screen support assembly 240. The support plane 2415 of each support sheet 241 (see Fig. 9 ) are in a coplanar state, providing effective and stable comprehensive support for the bending section 130 of the flexible screen 100.

[0083] See also Figure 5 , during the bending process of the first shell 210 and the second shell 220, the angle between the first shell 210 and the second shell 220 is α, and the flexible screen 100 is in a bent state at a certain angle. The angle between the first support plate 251 and the first shell 210 is β, the angle between the second support plate 252 and the second shell 220 is equal to β, and the angle γ of the bending section 130 is equal to α+2β.

[0084] Please also read Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 8When the first shell 210 and the second shell 220 are folded relative to each other, the angle α between the first shell 210 and the second shell 220 is equal to 0, and the angle γ of the bending section 130 is equal to 2β. The first support plate 251 and the second support plate 252 still provide support for the support sheet 241 located in the straight section 132, and the support plane 2415 of the support sheet 241 located in the outer bending section 133 and the inner bending section 131 forms a certain angle with the bending section 130 through the set curvature of the first sliding part 2431 and the second sliding part 2432, so that the support plane 2415 of the support sheet 241 located in the outer bending section 133 and the inner bending section 131 can still provide the best support for the flexible screen 100. Furthermore, during the bending process of the first shell 210 and the second shell 220, the supporting plane 2415 of the supporting sheet 241 located at the outer bending section 133 and the inner bending section 131 is tangent to the bending trajectory of the bending section 130, thereby providing optimal protection for the flexible screen 100 without generating additional extrusion stress.

[0085] The above-mentioned embodiments only express several implementation methods of the present application, and the descriptions thereof are relatively specific and detailed, but they cannot be understood as limiting the scope of the present application. It should be pointed out that, for a person of ordinary skill in the art, several variations and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present application, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be subject to the attached claims.

Claims

1. An inward folding flexible screen support device, characterized in that: include: A first shell and a second shell; as well as A folding mechanism, comprising a screen support assembly for supporting a flexible screen and a follower support assembly for supporting the screen support assembly, wherein the screen support assembly comprises a first side portion and a second side portion opposite to each other, wherein the first side portion is slidably connected to the first shell, and the second side portion is slidably connected to the second shell; the follower support assembly comprises a first support plate and a second support plate, wherein the first support plate is connected to the first side portion and extends toward the second side portion; and the second support plate is connected to the second side portion and extends toward the first side portion; The first shell and the second shell can be folded or flattened relative to each other. The screen support assembly is in a bent state when the first shell and the second shell are folded relative to each other, and is in a flattened state when the first shell and the second shell are flattened relative to each other. When the screen support assembly is in the flattened state, the first support plate and the second support plate are integrally fitted with the screen support assembly. An end of the first support plate away from the first side portion can be flush with the side wall of the first shell or slightly protrude outside the first shell, and an end of the second support plate away from the second side portion can be flush with the side wall of the second shell or slightly protrude outside the second shell.

2. The inward folding flexible screen support device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The screen support assembly includes a connecting rod and n supporting plates, wherein n≥7; the n supporting plates are sequentially arranged between the first shell and the second shell, at least one connecting rod is provided between any two adjacent supporting plates, and the supporting plates are slidably connected to the connecting rods; when the screen support assembly is in a flattened state, the supporting plates are against the connecting rods.

3. The inward folding flexible screen support device according to claim 2, characterized in that: When the screen support assembly is in a flattened state, each of the support sheets abuts against at least one of the first support plate and the second support plate.

4. The inward folding flexible screen support device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The support sheet is provided with a first sliding part, and the connecting rod is provided with a second sliding part, and the first sliding part and the second sliding part are slidably matched; the first sliding part and the second sliding part are both arc-shaped structures, and the center of the first sliding part and the second sliding part are located on the side of the screen support component away from the follow-up support component.

5. The inward folding flexible screen support device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The first shell is provided with a first guide portion, and the first side portion is provided with a second guide portion, the first guide portion and the second guide portion are slidably matched, the first guide portion and the second guide portion are both arc-shaped structures, and the center of the first guide portion and the second guide portion are located on the side of the screen support assembly away from the follow-up support assembly.

6. The inward folding flexible screen support device according to claim 5, characterized in that: One of the first guide portion and the second guide portion is a guide groove, and the other is a guide rod, and the guide rod is slidably inserted in the guide groove.

7. A foldable electronic device, comprising a flexible screen and an inner folding flexible screen supporting device, wherein the inner folding flexible screen supporting device comprises a first shell, a second shell and a folding mechanism; The folding mechanism comprises a screen support assembly for supporting the flexible screen and a follower support assembly for supporting the screen support assembly, wherein the screen support assembly comprises a first side portion and a second side portion opposite to each other, wherein the first side portion is slidably connected to the first shell, and the second side portion is slidably connected to the second shell; the follower support assembly comprises a first support plate and a second support plate, wherein the first support plate is connected to the first side portion and extends toward the second side portion; and the second support plate is connected to the second side portion and extends toward the first side portion; The flexible screen comprises a first fixed section, a second fixed section and a bending section connected between the first fixed section and the second fixed section, the first fixed section is connected to the first shell, the second fixed section is connected to the second shell, and the bending section is connected to the screen support assembly; The first shell and the second shell can be folded or flattened relative to each other, and the screen support assembly drives the bending section to be in a bent state when the first shell and the second shell are folded relative to each other, and to be in a flat state when the first shell and the second shell are flattened relative to each other. When the screen support assembly is in the flattened state, the first support plate and the second support plate are integrally fitted with the screen support assembly, and one end of the first support plate away from the first side portion can be flush with the side wall of the first shell or slightly protrude outside the first shell, and one end of the second support plate away from the second side portion can be flush with the side wall of the second shell or slightly protrude outside the second shell.

8. The foldable electronic device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The screen support assembly includes a connecting rod and n supporting plates, wherein n≥7; the n supporting plates are sequentially arranged between the first shell and the second shell and are all connected to the bending section, at least one connecting rod is provided between any two adjacent supporting plates, and the supporting plates are slidably connected to the connecting rod; when the screen support assembly is in a flattened state, the supporting plates are against the connecting rod.

9. The foldable electronic device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The bending section includes two inner bending sections, two straight sections and two outer bending sections, one side of the two inner bending sections are connected to each other, and the other side is connected to one of the straight sections; the side of the straight section away from the inner bending section is connected to the outer bending section; the side of one of the outer bending sections away from the straight section is connected to the first fixed section, and the side of the other outer bending section away from the straight section is connected to the second fixed section; the two inner bending sections, the two straight sections and the two outer bending sections are all connected to at least one of the support sheets, and at least one of the support sheets is connected to the connection between the two inner bending sections.

10. The foldable electronic device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The first support plate and the second support plate are connected to the support sheet located in the straight section.

11. The foldable electronic device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The support sheet comprises a support plane, the support plane is provided with a flexible screen connection area, and the bending section is connected to the flexible screen connection area; When the screen support assembly is in a flattened state, each of the support planes is located on the same plane; when the screen support assembly is not in a flattened state, the support plane is tangent to the bending section.

12. The foldable electronic device according to claim 11, characterized in that: The support plane is provided with non-connection areas on both sides of the flexible screen connection area; the normal angle between two adjacent support planes is θ, the arc length of the flexible screen in the two adjacent non-connection areas is l, and the bending radius of the flexible screen in the two adjacent non-connection areas is R, wherein θ=R / l.

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