Composite structure, flexible screen assembly and foldable terminal

Abstract

The embodiment of the present application provides a composite structure, which comprises a first support, a second support arranged side by side, and a bendable connecting piece arranged between the first support and the second support and connected with the first support and the second support, the material of the first support and the second support comprises a hard rubber fiber composite material, the hard rubber fiber composite material comprises at least one fiber layer and a hard rubber material solidified on the fiber layer. The composite structure can be used for supporting a flexible screen, wherein the first support and the second support adopt the hard rubber fiber composite material, which not only has high strength, but also is light in quality, so that the product light weight can be realized while good rigid support is provided for the flexible screen, and the product competitiveness of the foldable terminal is improved. The embodiment of the present application further provides a foldable terminal comprising the composite structure.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] With the development of flexible display technology, flexible screens are increasingly being used in terminal devices. To maintain the flatness and rigidity of the flexible screen in foldable terminals, a metal layer is typically placed under the screen as a supporting structure. The main materials for this metal layer are stainless steel and titanium alloy. Stainless steel is widely used, but its heavy weight hinders the overall weight reduction of foldable terminals. Titanium alloy is relatively lighter, but its cost is much higher than stainless steel, and its rigidity and strength are lower, resulting in a higher risk of bending reliability issues. Therefore, it is not yet widely used. To address the shortcomings of stainless steel or titanium alloy under-screen supporting structures, it is necessary to provide a flexible screen support structure that can simultaneously achieve high structural strength, lightweight design, and low cost. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the present application provides a composite structure that uses hard fiber composite material as the main material. This composite structure not only has high strength, but is also lighter than metal materials such as stainless steel. This composite structure can be used to support flexible screens. It can provide good rigid support for flexible screens while having high weight reduction benefits and low cost, which is conducive to improving the product competitiveness of foldable terminals.

[0004] Specifically, a first aspect of this application provides a composite structure including a first support member and a second support member arranged side by side, and a bendable connector disposed between and connected to the first and second support members. The first and second support members are made of rigid fiber composite material, which includes at least one fiber layer and a rigid adhesive material cured on the fiber layer. The use of rigid fiber composite material, i.e., fiber-reinforced rigid adhesive material, for the first and second support members is not only lightweight but also high-strength, providing good rigid support for flexible screens while achieving significant weight reduction benefits. Furthermore, the material cost is low, which is beneficial for improving the product competitiveness of foldable terminals.

[0005] In this embodiment of the application, the fiber layer includes unidirectional fiber fabric and / or woven fiber fabric. That is, the fiber weaving method of each fiber layer can be unidirectional weaving or multidirectional weaving.

[0006] In this embodiment, the rigid adhesive material includes rigid resin and / or rigid rubber. As a support component supporting the flexible screen body, it needs to have high rigidity; selecting rigid resin and / or rigid rubber can meet this rigidity requirement.

[0007] In this embodiment of the application, the rigid adhesive material includes one or more of epoxy resin, phenolic resin, amino resin, unsaturated polyester, silicone ether resin, polyolefin, polyamide, polyoxymethylene, polycarbonate, polyphenylene ether, and polysulfone.

[0008] In this embodiment of the application, the fiber layer includes one or more of glass fiber, carbon fiber, aramid fiber, alumina fiber, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber, and poly(p-phenylenebenzodioxazole) fiber.

[0009] In this embodiment of the application, the fiber content in the hard rubber fiber composite material is 10%-80% by mass. Increasing the fiber content can improve the strength of the hard rubber fiber composite material.

[0010] In this embodiment of the application, the rigid fiber composite material includes multiple layers of the fiber layers, and the multiple layers of the fiber layers and the rigid material form a composite laminate in which fibers and rigid material are alternately stacked; or multiple layers of the fiber layers are stacked to form a fiber composite, and the rigid material is cured on the fiber composite.

[0011] In this embodiment, the flexible connector is made of one or more of the following materials: organic flexible material, soft rubber fiber composite material, and flexible metal material. All three materials can achieve the bending performance of the flexible connector to facilitate the folding and unfolding of the flexible screen. Soft rubber fiber composite material and organic flexible material can further achieve weight reduction benefits.

[0012] In this embodiment of the application, the organic flexible material includes one or more of fluororubber, silicone rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, polyvinyl chloride, polyimide, polyethylene terephthalate, cyclic olefin polymer, liquid crystal polymer, and polydimethylsiloxane.

[0013] In this embodiment of the application, the soft rubber fiber composite material includes at least one fiber layer and a soft rubber material cured on the fiber layer; the soft rubber material includes one or more of fluororubber, silicone rubber, and thermoplastic elastomer.

[0014] In this embodiment of the application, the fiber content in the soft rubber fiber composite material is 10% to 80% by mass.

[0015] In this embodiment of the application, the soft rubber fiber composite material includes multiple layers of the fiber layer, and the multiple layers of the fiber layer and the soft rubber material form a composite laminate in which fibers and soft rubber are alternately stacked; or multiple layers of the fiber layer are stacked to form a fiber composite, and the soft rubber material is cured on the fiber composite.

[0016] In this embodiment, the bendable metal material includes one or more of stainless steel, titanium alloy, and aluminum alloy. Specifically, to better achieve bendability, it can be porous stainless steel, porous titanium alloy, or porous aluminum alloy.

[0017] In this embodiment of the application, when the bendable connector is a soft fiber composite material, the composite structure includes an integrally woven fiber layer continuously present in the first support, the second support, and the bendable connector. The composite structure may include one or more integrally woven fiber layers.

[0018] In this embodiment, the thickness of the composite structure is 0.1mm-2mm. The specific thickness of the composite structure can be designed according to the material properties and the actual application requirements of the product.

[0019] In this embodiment of the application, the first support member, the bendable connector, and the second support member are joined together by means of hot pressing, adhesive bonding, welding, or fitting.

[0020] The composite structure provided in the first aspect of this application has the characteristics of high strength, high rigidity, light weight, and low cost. It also has bendability and can be applied to foldable terminal products. While meeting the requirements of strength and rigidity, it can achieve product lightweighting and enhance the competitiveness of foldable terminal products.

[0021] A second aspect of this application provides a terminal including the composite structure described in the first aspect of this application. This composite structure can serve as an under-screen support structure or as other functional components.

[0022] A third aspect of this application provides a flexible screen assembly, including a flexible screen and a flexible screen support structure. The flexible screen support structure is made using the composite structure described in the first aspect of this application. By using the above-mentioned composite structure as the flexible screen support structure, the product can be lightweight while meeting the strength, rigidity, and bendability requirements of the flexible screen support structure. The weight reduction is more than 60% compared to stainless steel flexible screen support structures, and the cost is also low.

[0023] This application also provides a foldable terminal, including the flexible screen assembly described in the third aspect of this application. The flexible screen includes a bending area and non-bending areas located on both sides of the bending area. A flexible screen support structure is disposed on the outer surface of the flexible screen. A first support member and a second support member of the flexible screen support structure correspond to the non-bending areas on both sides of the flexible screen, respectively. The bendable connector corresponds to the bending area of ​​the flexible screen. The foldable terminal provided by this application has a high-strength flexible screen support structure, providing sufficient rigid support for the flexible screen. Furthermore, it is lightweight and low-cost, which can enhance product competitiveness and improve user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the foldable terminal provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the flexible screen support structure provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0026] Figure 3 Examples of this application Figure 2 A side view of the flexible screen support structure in the Y direction;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the hard fiber composite material according to an embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the multi-directional fiber weaving structure of an embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the hard fiber composite material in another embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the hard fiber composite material in another embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing that the fiber layer in an embodiment of this application is composed of multiple layers of fiber braided layers stacked at multiple angles;

[0032] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the flexible screen support structure comprising an integrally woven fiber layer, as described in an embodiment of this application.

[0033] Figures 10A-10E This is a schematic diagram illustrating the connection method between the first support member and the bendable connector made of rigid fiber composite material in an embodiment of this application.

[0034] Figure 11 A process flow diagram for preparing the rigid fiber composite material provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0035] Figure 12 A process flow diagram for preparing a hard fiber composite material provided in another embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The embodiments of this application will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0037] This application provides a foldable terminal, which can be a mobile phone, tablet computer, laptop computer, gaming laptop, e-reader, in-vehicle computer, monitor, wearable device, or other terminal product. See also Figure 1 The foldable terminal 10 includes a flexible screen 200 and a flexible screen support structure 100 attached to the side of the flexible screen 200 facing away from the display surface. The flexible screen 200 includes a bending area 201 and non-bending areas 202 located on both sides of the bending area 201, the non-bending areas 202 being planar. The flexible screen 200 has the characteristic of being bendable, and can be bent in the bending area 201 to realize the folding and unfolding of the flexible screen 200. The flexible screen 200 can be, for example, an active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) display screen with a flexible resin material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as the substrate.

[0038] The flexible screen support structure 100 provided in this embodiment is made of a composite structure. See [link / reference] Figure 2 and Figure 3 The composite structure includes a first support member 101, a bendable connector 103, and a second support member 102 arranged side by side. The bendable connector 103 is disposed between the first support member 101 and the second support member 102, and its opposite sides are connected to the first support member 101 and the second support member 102, respectively. The first support member 101, the bendable connector 103, and the second support member 102 are arranged along a first direction ( Figure 2 The first support 101 and the second support 102 are arranged side by side in the X direction. The material of the first support 101 and the second support 102 includes rigid fiber composite material. Specifically, the first support 101 and the second support 102 are flat rigid fiber composite boards.

[0039] See Figure 1A flexible screen support structure 100 is attached to the side of the flexible screen 200 facing away from the display surface, serving to support the flexible screen 200 of the foldable terminal. The first support member 101 and the second support member 102 of the flexible screen support structure 100 correspond to the non-bending area 202 of the flexible screen 200, while the bendable connector 103 corresponds to the bending area 201 of the flexible screen 200. When the foldable terminal 10 is folded, the bending area 201 of the flexible screen 200 and the bendable connector 103 supporting the bending area 201 bend together. When the foldable terminal 10 is unfolded, the bending area 201 of the flexible screen 200 and the bendable connector 103 supporting the bending area 201 unfold together. When the angle between the first support member 101 and the second support member 102 is less than 180°, the flexible screen 200 is in a bent state; when the angle between the first support member 101 and the second support member 102 is equal to 180°, the flexible screen 200 is in an unfolded state. The flexible screen support structure 100 can support the flexible screen 200 during folding or unfolding, ensuring the flatness of the flexible screen 200, and at the same time, it can protect the non-display surface of the flexible screen 200.

[0040] In this embodiment, the flexible screen support structure 100 can be bonded to the surface of the flexible screen 200 away from the display surface using an adhesive. That is, the first support member 101, the second support member 102, and the bendable connector 103 can all be bonded to the flexible screen 200 using adhesives. Different areas of the flexible screen support structure 100 can be tightly and firmly bonded to the flexible screen 200 using the same or different adhesives. In this embodiment, the length and width dimensions of the flexible screen support structure 100 (i.e.,...) Figure 2 The dimensions in the X and Y directions are consistent with or substantially consistent with the length and width dimensions of the flexible screen 200.

[0041] The flexible screen support structure 100 provided in this application embodiment uses a first support member 101 and a second support member 102 made of hard fiber composite material. Hard fiber composite material has high strength and is relatively light in weight compared to metal materials such as stainless steel. It can provide good rigid support for the flexible screen while having a high weight reduction benefit, which is conducive to improving the product competitiveness of foldable terminals.

[0042] See Figure 4The rigid adhesive fiber composite material 110 of this application includes a fiber layer 111 and a rigid adhesive material 112 cured on the fiber layer 111. In the embodiments of this application, the rigid adhesive material 112 includes rigid resin and / or rigid rubber. In this application, there is no special limitation on the specific types of rigid resin and rigid rubber, as long as they can meet the application requirements of electronic devices and provide sufficient rigid support for the flexible screen in conjunction with the fiber. Specifically, the rigid adhesive material 112 includes, but is not limited to, one or more of epoxy resin, phenolic resin, amino resin, unsaturated polyester, silicone ether resin, polyolefin, polyamide, polyoxymethylene, polycarbonate, polyphenylene ether, and polysulfone. It is understood that in order to minimize the overall weight of the flexible screen support structure, a relatively lightweight rigid adhesive material can be selected while meeting the mechanical support requirements. The rigid adhesive material 112 can be impregnated and cured on the fiber layer 111 by solution impregnation or hot melt method, combined with hot pressing process.

[0043] In this embodiment, the fibers in the fiber layer 111 are continuous fibers, specifically including but not limited to one or more of glass fiber, carbon fiber, aramid fiber, alumina fiber, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber, and poly(p-phenylenebenzodioxazole) fiber. Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber refers to fiber spun from polyethylene with a molecular weight > 1 million. The fiber layer 111 can be woven from a single type of fiber or from a blend of two or more fibers. Blending allows for the integration of the performance advantages of multiple fibers.

[0044] In this embodiment, the fiber content in the rigid rubber fiber composite material can be 10%-80% by mass. Specifically, the fiber content in the rigid rubber fiber composite material can be, for example, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, or 80%. The fiber content in the rigid rubber fiber composite material can be adjusted according to specific rigid support requirements and the mechanical properties of the selected rigid resin or rigid rubber. Generally, the higher the fiber content, the lighter the overall weight of the rigid rubber fiber composite material, which is more conducive to weight reduction. In some embodiments, considering both rigid support performance and weight reduction requirements, the fiber content in the rigid rubber fiber composite material is 30%-70% by mass.

[0045] In this embodiment, the fiber weaving method of each fiber layer 111 can be unidirectional or multidirectional. That is, the fiber layer 111 can be a unidirectional fiber fabric or a woven fiber fabric. A unidirectional fiber fabric, also known as uniaxial fiber weaving, refers to a textile with a large number of yarns in one direction (usually the warp, but also sometimes the weft) and only a small number of, usually fine, yarns in the other direction, resulting in the fabric's strength being concentrated in one direction. A woven fiber fabric, on the other hand, refers to a textile with multiaxial fiber weaving, having a large number of yarns in multiple directions, resulting in the fabric's strength being distributed across multiple axes. For example, biaxial warp and weft weaving, i.e., 0° / 90° weaving, means that the fiber distribution of the fabric is biaxial, with the angles of the two axes being 0° and 90°, and the included angle between the fibers in the two axes being 90°. Another example is 45° weaving (i.e., +45° / -45°), which means that the fiber distribution of the fabric is biaxial, with the angles of the two axes being +45° and -45°, and the included angle between the fibers in the two axes being 90°.

[0046] In this application embodiment, the specific weaving form of multidirectional fiber weaving is not limited. Specifically, the multidirectional weaving form can be as follows: Figure 5 The plain weave shown in (a) can also be as follows: Figure 5 The twill weave shown in (b) can also be as follows: Figure 5 Satin weave, etc., as shown in (c). Figure 5 The images (a), (b), and (c) all show biaxial weaving at 0° / 90°.

[0047] In this embodiment of the application, the rigid fiber composite material may include only one fiber layer 111, or it may include multiple fiber layers 111 (two or more layers). For example, Figure 4 In the hard fiber composite material, fiber layer 111 is a single layer. Figure 6 and Figure 7In the rigid fiber composite material, the fiber layer 111 consists of three layers. When the fiber layer 111 is a single layer, it is typically a multi-directional woven fiber layer to meet strength requirements. When the fiber layer 111 is multi-layered, to better enhance the mechanical strength of the rigid fiber composite material and improve its strength in all directions, the multi-layered fiber layers 111 can be stacked at different angles (multi-angle). Each fiber layer 111 can be unidirectionally woven or multi-directionally woven. In some embodiments, the multi-layered fiber layers 111 can be multi-layered unidirectional fiber fabrics stacked at different angles, i.e., each fiber layer 111 is a unidirectional fiber fabric. In the embodiments of this application, the stacking direction of the multi-layered fiber layers 111 can be any angle within the range of 0°-90°. Stacking the multi-layered fiber layers at different angles helps to form a multi-directional fiber distribution, creating a fiber network, thereby meeting the mechanical strength requirements of the rigid fiber composite material in different directions and better providing rigid support for the flexible screen. Figure 8 As shown, Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of four layers of unidirectional fiber fabric stacked at different angles, specifically 0°, +45°, 90°, and -45°. This allows the fibers to be continuously distributed in multiple directions, improving the strength of the rigid fiber composite material in all directions and enhancing its overall mechanical properties. In this application, the 0° direction is... Figure 2 The X direction in the diagram refers to the direction in which the first support member 101, the bendable connector 103, and the second support member 103 are arranged side by side.

[0048] In some embodiments of this application, such as Figure 6 As shown, multiple fiber layers 111 form a composite laminate with alternating layers of fiber and hard adhesive material. The fiber material of each fiber layer 111 can be the same or different. The material of each hard adhesive layer can be the same or different. Due to different manufacturing processes, such as solution impregnation, each fiber layer 111 is typically impregnated with hard adhesive material on both sides. When multiple fibers are stacked, if different fiber layers are impregnated with different hard adhesive materials, the hard adhesive layer in the middle of the laminate may include two different hard adhesive materials. It is more beneficial to form a strong bond when different fiber layers are impregnated with the same hard adhesive material. Other embodiments of this application, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the multilayer fiber layers 111 can also be stacked together in contact and then impregnated with a hard adhesive material. That is, the hard adhesive fiber composite material includes a fiber composite 11 formed by stacking multiple fiber layers and a hard adhesive material impregnated and cured on the fiber composite 11.

[0049] In this embodiment, the material of the bendable connector 103 may include one or more of the following: soft fiber composite material, bendable metal material, and organic flexible material. Using the above-mentioned materials, the bendable connector 103 can have good bendability, thereby allowing the first support member 101 and the second support member 102 to be folded or unfolded relative to each other.

[0050] In one embodiment, the bendable connector 103 is a soft fiber composite material, specifically a soft fiber composite board. The two sides of the soft fiber composite board are connected to a first support 101 and a second support 102, respectively, composed of a hard fiber composite board. In this case, the flexible screen support structure 100 is a composite board structure of hard fiber composite material, soft fiber composite material, and hard fiber composite material. The middle area uses soft fiber composite material to achieve flexible bendability, while the two sides use hard fiber composite material to provide under-screen support for the flexible screen. In this embodiment, the soft fiber composite material includes at least one fiber layer and a soft material impregnated and cured on the fiber layer. In this embodiment, the selection of fibers, the specific structure of the fiber layer, the structure of the soft fiber composite material, and the preparation method can all be referred to the relevant description of the hard fiber composite material described above, and will not be repeated here. The difference between the soft rubber fiber composite material and the hard rubber fiber composite material in this application lies in the combination of soft rubber material and fiber in the soft rubber fiber composite material, and the combination of hard rubber material and fiber in the hard rubber fiber composite material. The soft rubber fiber composite material is flexible and bendable, and can be used as a bendable connector to accommodate the bending of the flexible screen. The hard rubber fiber composite material is rigid and can strongly support the non-bending area of ​​the flexible screen. The soft rubber material may include, but is not limited to, one or more of fluororubber, silicone rubber, and thermoplastic elastomers. Thermoplastic elastomers are artificial rubber or synthetic rubber, and may specifically include, but are not limited to, one or more of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE), styrene-based thermoplastic elastomers, polyolefin-based thermoplastic elastomers (POE), polyether ester-based thermoplastic elastomers, and polyamide-based thermoplastic elastomers.

[0051] In this embodiment, the fiber content in the soft rubber fiber composite material ranges from 10% to 80% by mass. Specifically, the fiber content in the soft rubber fiber composite material can be, for example, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, or 80%. The fiber content in the soft rubber fiber composite material can be adjusted according to specific bending performance requirements, rigidity support requirements, and the properties of the selected soft rubber material. Generally, the higher the fiber content, the greater the overall strength of the soft rubber fiber composite material, the lower its bendability, and the relatively lighter its weight. In some embodiments, considering both bendability, rigidity support performance, and weight reduction requirements, the fiber content in the soft rubber fiber composite material can be 10%-50% by mass.

[0052] In this embodiment of the application, in the flexible screen support structure 100, the fiber layers in the first support member 101 and the second support member 102 and the fiber layers in the bendable connector 103 can be designed to be independent of each other or integrally woven. The materials of the fiber layers can be the same or different; the number of fiber layers can be the same or different; the fiber layer stacking method can be the same or different; and the fiber content can be the same or different. The fiber content in the hard rubber fiber composite material and the soft rubber fiber composite material can be selected according to specific conditions. Generally, the fiber content in the soft rubber fiber composite material is lower than that in the hard rubber fiber composite material.

[0053] In some embodiments of this application, such as Figure 9 As shown, when the bendable connector 103 is a soft fiber composite material, the flexible screen support structure 100 can include an integrally woven fiber layer 111 continuously present in the first support member 101, the second support member 102, and the bendable connector 103. The flexible screen support structure 100 can include one or more integrally woven fiber layers. For example... Figure 9 The diagram shows two integrally woven fiber layers. The integrally woven fiber layers simplify the manufacturing process and ensure a reliable connection between the first support 101, the second support 102, and the bendable connector 103.

[0054] In the embodiments of this application, when the soft rubber fiber composite material includes multiple fiber layers, it can be a composite laminate in which multiple fiber layers and soft rubber material are alternately stacked; or it can be a fiber composite formed by stacking multiple fiber layers, and the soft rubber material is impregnated and cured on the fiber composite.

[0055] In this embodiment, the bendable connector 103 can be formed by a single layer of woven fiber fabric or by multi-layer unidirectional fiber fabric stacked at multiple angles.

[0056] In this embodiment of the application, the specific preparation method for the flexible screen support structure 100, whose structural composition is hard fiber composite material-soft fiber composite material-hard fiber composite material, is not limited. For example, it can be prepared by the following two methods:

[0057] Method 1:

[0058] Step 101: Take multiple fiber layers and stack them at multiple angles to form a fiber composite.

[0059] Among them, the multi-layer fiber layer is usually a multi-layer unidirectional fiber fabric, and the overlapping direction of the multi-layer fiber layer can be any angle within the range of 0°-90°.

[0060] Step 102: Using a solvent impregnation method or a hot-melt method, a rigid adhesive material is impregnated on both sides of the fiber composite, and a soft adhesive material is impregnated in the middle. After hot pressing, a flexible screen support structure 100 is obtained. The flexible screen support structure 100 prepared in this way includes an integrally woven fiber layer that is continuously present in the first support member 101, the second support member 102, and the bendable connector 103.

[0061] Method 2:

[0062] Step 201: Take the fiber layer and impregnate both sides of the fiber layer with a rigid rubber material using a solvent impregnation method or a hot melt method to form a rigid rubber fiber single-layer prepreg; stack the rigid rubber fiber single-layer prepreg in multiple angles to obtain a rigid rubber fiber laminated prepreg.

[0063] Step 202: Take the fiber layer and impregnate both sides of the fiber layer with a soft rubber material using a solvent impregnation method or a hot-melt method to form a soft rubber fiber single-layer prepreg; stack the soft rubber fiber single-layer prepreg in multiple angles and then hot-press it to obtain a soft rubber fiber composite board; in this step, a single fiber layer of the target thickness can also be directly selected without multi-layer stacking. The fiber layer used for multi-layer stacking is usually a unidirectional fiber fabric, while when a single fiber layer is directly selected, it is usually a woven fiber fabric.

[0064] Step 203: Arrange the rigid fiber laminated prepreg, the soft fiber composite board, and the rigid fiber laminated prepreg side by side, and then heat press them together to obtain the flexible screen support structure 100.

[0065] In this embodiment, the flexible screen support structure 100 is a composite board made of hard fiber composite material, soft fiber composite material, and hard fiber composite material. The flexible screen support structure 100 is a flat plate or sheet structure.

[0066] To achieve better bonding between rigid and soft fiber composite materials at the joints, when arranging the two materials side-by-side, the rigid fiber laminated prepregs on both sides and the soft fiber composite board in the middle can be partially cross-connected. Specifically, the width of the single-layer prepregs in the middle layers of the rigid fiber laminated prepreg can be narrowed, i.e., recessed by a certain width, leaving a fitting space. The soft fiber composite board in the middle is partially fitted into this fitting space, and after pressing, a rigid fiber composite-soft fiber composite-rigid fiber composite board without step gaps is prepared. The rigid fiber laminated prepreg forms a rigid fiber composite board, i.e., a rigid fiber composite material, after hot pressing.

[0067] In other embodiments of this application, a multi-layer soft rubber fiber prepreg may be laminated at multiple angles to obtain a multi-layer soft rubber fiber prepreg. Then, a multi-layer hard rubber fiber prepreg, a multi-layer soft rubber fiber prepreg, and a multi-layer hard rubber fiber prepreg may be arranged side-by-side and hot-pressed to obtain a flexible screen support structure. In other embodiments of this application, a multi-layer hard rubber fiber prepreg may be laminated at multiple angles to obtain a multi-layer hard rubber fiber prepreg. Then, a multi-layer hard rubber fiber composite board may be hot-pressed to obtain a hard rubber fiber composite board. Finally, a multi-layer hard rubber fiber composite board, a multi-layer soft rubber fiber composite board, and a multi-layer hard rubber fiber composite board may be arranged side-by-side and hot-pressed to obtain a flexible screen support structure.

[0068] Figure 11 This is a process flow diagram for preparing rigid fiber composite materials using the solvent impregnation method; Figure 12 This is a process flow diagram for preparing rigid fiber composite materials using the hot melt method.

[0069] In this embodiment of the application, the hard rubber fiber composite material and the soft rubber fiber composite material can be spliced ​​together by the above-mentioned hot pressing method, or they can be spliced ​​together by other methods that can achieve good bonding, such as adhesive bonding, fusion bonding, or laser welding.

[0070] In another embodiment of this application, the bendable connector 103 is a bendable metal connector, and its two sides are respectively connected to the first support member 101 and the second support member 102, which are made of rigid fiber composite board. The bendable metal connector can be made of stainless steel, titanium alloy, aluminum alloy, or other metal materials. The bendable metal connector 103 can be joined to the first support member 101 and the second support member 102 by means of hot pressing, adhesive bonding, welding, or fitting, or it can be connected by a connecting mechanism.

[0071] In this embodiment of the application, the specific preparation method of the flexible screen support structure 100, whose structural composition is rigid fiber composite material-metal material-rigid fiber composite material, is not limited. For example, it can be prepared by the following method:

[0072] Step 301: Take the fiber layer and impregnate both sides of the fiber layer with a rigid rubber material using a solvent impregnation method or a hot melt method to form a rigid rubber fiber single-layer prepreg; stack the rigid rubber fiber single-layer prepreg in multiple angles to obtain a rigid rubber fiber laminated prepreg.

[0073] Step 302: Take a metal sheet of the target thickness, arrange the rigid fiber laminated prepreg, the metal sheet, and the rigid fiber laminated prepreg side by side, and then perform hot pressing to obtain the flexible screen support structure 100.

[0074] In this embodiment, the flexible screen support structure 100 is a composite plate made of rigid fiber composite material, metal material, and rigid fiber composite material. The flexible screen support structure 100 is a flat plate or sheet structure.

[0075] To ensure a good bond between the rigid fiber composite material and the metal sheet at the joint, when arranging the two materials side-by-side, the rigid fiber laminated prepreg on both sides and the middle metal sheet can be partially cross-connected. Specifically, the width of the single-layer prepreg in the middle layers of the rigid fiber laminated prepreg can be narrowed, i.e., recessed by a certain width, leaving a fitting space. The thickness of both ends of the middle metal sheet is reduced by a certain amount to form fitting parts that match the fitting space (due to the reduced surface forming a stepped surface). The fitting parts are fitted into the fitting space of the rigid fiber laminated prepreg. After hot pressing, a rigid fiber composite material-metal material-rigid fiber composite material composite board without step difference is prepared. The fitting parts at both ends of the metal sheet can be etched to form openings, enhancing the bond between the rigid fiber composite material and the metal sheet. Before hot pressing, the surface of the metal sheet can also be treated with plasma or other methods to improve surface roughness and enhance the bond between the rigid fiber composite material and the metal sheet.

[0076] In this application embodiment, the metal sheet used as a bendable connector is required to have good bendability, and is usually a porous metal sheet with the porous holes extending longitudinally (i.e., in the Y direction).

[0077] In the embodiments of this application, the rigid fiber composite material and the metal material can be spliced ​​and combined using the above-mentioned hot pressing method, or they can be spliced ​​and combined using other methods that can achieve good bonding, such as adhesive bonding, fusion bonding, or laser welding.

[0078] In another embodiment of this application, the bendable connector 103 is an organic flexible material diaphragm. Both sides of the organic flexible material diaphragm are connected to a first support member 101 and a second support member 102, respectively, which are composed of a rigid fiber composite board. Specifically, they can be joined together by hot pressing, gluing, welding, or embedding, or they can be connected by a connecting mechanism. The organic flexible material diaphragm can achieve flexible and bendable functionality. The organic flexible material may include one or more of fluororubber, silicone rubber, thermoplastic elastomers, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyimide (PI), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), cyclic olefin polymer (COP), liquid crystal polymer (LCP), and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Thermoplastic elastomers are artificial rubber or synthetic rubber, and may specifically include one or more of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE), styrene-based thermoplastic elastomers, polyolefin-based thermoplastic elastomers (POE), polyether ester-based thermoplastic elastomers, and polyamide-based thermoplastic elastomers.

[0079] In this embodiment of the application, the specific preparation method of the flexible screen support structure 100, whose structural composition is rigid fiber composite material-organic flexible material-rigid fiber composite material, is not limited. For example, it can be prepared by the following method:

[0080] Step 301: Take the fiber layer and impregnate both sides of the fiber layer with a rigid rubber material using a solvent impregnation method or a hot melt method to form a rigid rubber fiber single-layer prepreg; stack the rigid rubber fiber single-layer prepreg in multiple angles to obtain a rigid rubber fiber laminated prepreg.

[0081] Step 302: Take an organic flexible material film of the target thickness, arrange the rigid fiber laminated prepreg, the organic flexible material film, and the rigid fiber laminated prepreg side by side, and then perform hot pressing to obtain the flexible screen support structure 100.

[0082] In this embodiment, the flexible screen support structure 100 is a composite board made of rigid fiber composite material, organic flexible material, and rigid fiber composite material. The flexible screen support structure 100 is a flat plate or sheet structure.

[0083] In this embodiment, the structure at the junction of the rigid fiber composite board 101 and the organic flexible material membrane 103 is not limited in terms of the bonding method. It can be as follows: Figure 10A The line combination shown can also be as follows: Figure 10B , Figure 10C , Figure 10D The tooth engagement shown is called mating, or interlocking, and can also be as follows: Figure 10E As shown, a connecting mechanism 104 is used to connect the two, such as a snap-fit ​​connection. The specific shape of the teeth in the toothed connection is not limited; the teeth can be formed on the rigid fiber composite board 101 or on the organic flexible material membrane 103.

[0084] In this embodiment, the thickness of the flexible screen support structure 100 is 0.1mm-2mm. Specifically, it can be designed according to the actual needs of the foldable terminal; the greater the thickness, the greater the support strength. In some embodiments, the thickness of the flexible screen support structure 100 is 0.15mm-0.2mm. In other embodiments, the thickness of the flexible screen support structure 100 is 0.25mm-0.8mm. In still other embodiments, the thickness of the flexible screen support structure 100 is 1mm-2mm. The smaller thickness of the flexible screen support structure 100 is beneficial for weight reduction and also for reducing the overall thickness of the foldable terminal, thus improving the user experience.

[0085] The embodiments of this application will be further described below through multiple examples.

[0086] Example 1

[0087] The flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is an epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber-polyurethane (TPU) continuous carbon fiber-epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board. Taking a certain model of foldable mobile phone as an example, the design scheme of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows: The external dimensions of the flexible screen support structure are 161mm*146mm, the thickness is 0.15mm, the width of the flexible bendable area (i.e., the width of the bendable connector) is 20mm, and the width of the two side support members is 63mm. The three boards—epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board, polyurethane continuous carbon fiber composite board, and epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board—are arranged side by side and combined together to form the flexible screen support structure.

[0088] The fabrication process of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows:

[0089] (1) Select a 0.02mm thick carbon fiber unidirectional cloth, impregnate both sides with epoxy resin to obtain a 0.025mm thick single-layer prepreg, and then stack it according to the stacking angle of 0° / 90° / 0° / 0° / 90° / 0° to form an epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg with a thickness of 0.15mm.

[0090] (2) A 45° woven carbon fiber cloth with a thickness of 0.1 mm and a width of 30 mm is impregnated with TPU to form a 0.15 mm thick TPU continuous carbon fiber composite board.

[0091] (3) Arrange the three materials, namely epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber laminated prepreg, polyurethane continuous carbon fiber composite board and epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber laminated prepreg, in a row. The polyurethane continuous carbon fiber composite board is cross-connected with the epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber laminated prepreg parts on both sides. Heat the hot press to 150°C, with a mold gap of 0.15mm, and press at 150°C for 30min to obtain an epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber-polyurethane (TPU) continuous carbon fiber-epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board with a thickness of 0.15mm.

[0092] (4) Trim the edges of the composite board obtained in step (3) and cut it into the required external dimensions.

[0093] The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment achieves a weight reduction of more than 75% compared to a flexible screen support structure of the same size made entirely of stainless steel. Furthermore, the flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment underwent 200,000 bending tests without cracking. Moreover, during bending, the carbon fiber in the bending area can be stretched and deformed. This is because the bending area is made of 45° woven carbon fiber, which allows deformation during bending, absorbing the displacement difference between the folded and unfolded states.

[0094] Example 2

[0095] The flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is an epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber-TPU continuous carbon fiber-epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board. Taking a certain model of foldable mobile phone as an example, the design scheme of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows: the external dimensions of the flexible screen support structure are 161mm*146mm, the thickness is 0.15mm, the width of the flexible bendable area (i.e., the width of the bendable connector) is 20mm, and the width of the two side support members is 63mm. The three boards, epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board, TPU continuous carbon fiber composite board, and epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board, are arranged side by side and combined together to form the flexible screen support structure.

[0096] The fabrication process of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows:

[0097] (1) Select a 0.02mm thick carbon fiber unidirectional cloth, impregnate both sides with epoxy resin to obtain a 0.025mm thick single-layer prepreg, and then stack it according to the stacking angle of 0° / 90° / 0° / 0° / 90° / 0° to form an epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg with a thickness of 0.15mm.

[0098] (2) A 0° / 90° woven carbon fiber cloth with a thickness of 0.1 mm and a width of 30 mm is impregnated with TPU to form a 0.15 mm thick TPU continuous carbon fiber composite board.

[0099] (3) Arrange the three sheets of epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber laminated prepreg, TPU continuous carbon fiber composite board and epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber laminated prepreg in a row, with the polyurethane continuous carbon fiber composite board cross-connected with the epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber laminated prepreg parts on both sides; heat the hot press to 150℃, with a mold gap of 0.15mm, and press at 150℃ for 30min to obtain an epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber-TPU continuous carbon fiber-epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board with a thickness of 0.15mm.

[0100] (4) Trim the edges of the composite board obtained in step (3) and cut it into the required external dimensions.

[0101] The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment achieves a weight reduction of more than 75% compared to a flexible screen support structure of the same size made entirely of stainless steel. Furthermore, the flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment underwent 200,000 bending tests without cracking and maintained good flatness after the tests. Compared to Embodiment 1, the bending area of ​​the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment has continuous carbon fibers in the 0° direction, making it relatively more difficult to absorb the displacement difference during flattening and bending.

[0102] Example 3

[0103] The flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is an epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber-polyimide (PI)-epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board. Taking a certain model of foldable mobile phone as an example, the design scheme of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows: the external dimensions of the flexible screen support structure are 161mm*146mm, the thickness is 0.15mm, the width of the flexible bendable area (i.e., the width of the bendable connector) is 20mm, and the width of the two side support members is 63mm. The epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board, the PI film, and the epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board are arranged side by side and combined together to form the flexible screen support structure.

[0104] The fabrication process of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows:

[0105] (1) Select a 0.03mm thick carbon fiber unidirectional cloth, impregnate both sides with epoxy resin to obtain a 0.05mm thick single-layer prepreg, and then stack it according to the stacking angle of 0° / 90° / 0° to form an epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg with a thickness of 0.15mm.

[0106] (2) Prepare a PI film with a width of 25mm and a thickness of 0.15mm;

[0107] (3) Arrange the epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg, PI film, and epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg side by side, with the PI film and epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg staggered by 2mm-5mm.

[0108] (4) Heat the hot press to 200℃, with a mold gap of 0.15mm, and press at 200℃ for 20min to obtain an epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber-PI film-epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board with a thickness of 0.15mm.

[0109] (5) Trim the edges of the composite board obtained in step (4) and cut it into the required external dimensions.

[0110] The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment achieves a weight reduction of more than 75% compared to a flexible screen support structure of the same size made entirely of stainless steel. Furthermore, the flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment underwent 200,000 bending tests without cracking and maintained good flatness after the tests. Because the bending area of ​​the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is made of pure PI material without fibers, it has better bendability than soft rubber fiber composite materials, but lacks a fiber network, resulting in slightly weaker support strength.

[0111] Example 4

[0112] The flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is a phenolic resin continuous glass fiber-TPU continuous glass fiber-phenolic resin continuous glass fiber composite board. Taking a certain model of foldable mobile phone as an example, the design scheme of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows: the external dimensions of the flexible screen support structure are 161mm*146mm, the thickness is 0.2mm, the width of the flexible bendable area (i.e., the width of the bendable connector) is 20mm, and the width of the two side support members is 63mm. The three boards—phenolic resin continuous glass fiber composite board, TPU continuous glass fiber, and phenolic resin continuous glass fiber composite board—are arranged side by side and combined together to form the flexible screen support structure.

[0113] The fabrication process of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows:

[0114] (1) Select a glass fiber unidirectional cloth with a thickness of 0.02 mm, impregnate both sides with phenolic resin to obtain a single layer of prepreg with a thickness of 0.025 mm, and then stack it according to the stacking angle of 0° / 90° / 0° / 90° / 90° / 0° / 90° / 0° to form a phenolic resin glass fiber laminated prepreg with a thickness of 0.2 mm.

[0115] (2) A 45° woven glass fiber cloth with a thickness of 0.15 mm and a width of 30 mm is impregnated with TPU to form a 0.2 mm thick TPU continuous glass fiber composite board.

[0116] (3) Arrange the three boards, namely phenolic resin continuous glass fiber laminated prepreg, polyurethane continuous glass fiber composite board and phenolic resin continuous glass fiber laminated prepreg, side by side, with the polyurethane continuous glass fiber composite board intersecting with the phenolic resin continuous glass fiber laminated prepreg on both sides; heat the hot press to 150°C, with a mold gap of 0.2mm, and press at 150°C for 30min to obtain a phenolic resin continuous glass fiber-TPU continuous glass fiber-phenolic resin continuous glass fiber composite board with a thickness of 0.2mm.

[0117] (4) Trim the edges of the composite board obtained in step (3) and cut it into the required external dimensions.

[0118] The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment has a weight reduction of more than 75% compared to a flexible screen support structure of the same size made entirely of stainless steel. Furthermore, the flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment underwent 200,000 bending tests without cracking, and maintained good flatness after the tests.

[0119] Example 5

[0120] The flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is an epoxy resin continuous glass fiber-silicone rubber continuous glass fiber-epoxy resin continuous glass fiber composite board. Taking a certain model of foldable mobile phone as an example, the design scheme of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows: the external dimensions of the flexible screen support structure are 161mm*146mm, the thickness is 0.2mm, the width of the flexible bendable area (i.e., the width of the bendable connector) is 20mm, and the width of the two side support members is 63mm. The three boards—epoxy resin continuous glass fiber composite board, silicone rubber continuous glass fiber, and epoxy resin continuous glass fiber composite board—are arranged side by side and combined together to form the flexible screen support structure.

[0121] The fabrication process of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows:

[0122] (1) Select a 0.02mm thick glass fiber unidirectional cloth, impregnate both sides with epoxy resin to obtain a 0.025mm thick single-layer prepreg, and then stack it according to the stacking angle of 0° / 90° / 0° / 90° / 90° / 0° / 90° / 0° to form an epoxy resin glass fiber laminated prepreg with a thickness of 0.2mm.

[0123] (2) A 45° woven glass fiber cloth with a thickness of 0.15 mm and a width of 30 mm is impregnated with silicone rubber to form a silicone rubber continuous glass fiber composite board with a thickness of 0.2 mm.

[0124] (3) Arrange the three boards, namely epoxy resin continuous glass fiber laminated prepreg, silicone rubber continuous glass fiber composite board and epoxy resin continuous glass fiber laminated prepreg, side by side, with the silicone rubber continuous glass fiber composite board intersecting with the epoxy resin continuous glass fiber laminated prepreg on both sides; heat the hot press to 150°C, with a mold gap of 0.2mm, and press at 150°C for 30min to obtain an epoxy resin continuous glass fiber-silicone rubber continuous glass fiber-epoxy resin continuous glass fiber composite board with a thickness of 0.2mm.

[0125] (4) Trim the edges of the composite board obtained in step (3) and cut it into the required external dimensions.

[0126] The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment has a weight reduction of more than 75% compared to a flexible screen support structure of the same size made entirely of stainless steel. Furthermore, the flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment underwent 200,000 bending tests without cracking, and maintained good flatness after the tests.

[0127] Example 6

[0128] The flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is a phenolic resin continuous glass fiber-silicone rubber continuous glass fiber-phenolic resin continuous glass fiber composite board. Taking a certain model of foldable mobile phone as an example, the design scheme of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows: the external dimensions of the flexible screen support structure are 161mm*146mm, the thickness is 0.2mm, the width of the flexible bendable area (i.e., the width of the bendable connector) is 20mm, and the width of the two side support members is 63mm. The three boards—phenolic resin continuous glass fiber composite board, silicone rubber continuous glass fiber, and phenolic resin continuous glass fiber composite board—are arranged side by side and combined together to form the flexible screen support structure.

[0129] The fabrication process of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows:

[0130] (1) Select a glass fiber unidirectional cloth with a thickness of 0.02 mm, impregnate both sides with phenolic resin to obtain a single layer of prepreg with a thickness of 0.025 mm, and then stack it according to the overlapping angle of 0° / -45° / +45° / 0° / 0° / +45° / -45° / 0° to form a phenolic resin glass fiber laminated prepreg with a thickness of 0.2 mm.

[0131] (2) A 45° woven glass fiber cloth with a thickness of 0.15 mm and a width of 30 mm is impregnated with silicone rubber to form a 0.2 mm thick TPU continuous glass fiber composite board.

[0132] (3) Arrange the three boards, namely phenolic resin continuous glass fiber laminated prepreg, silicone rubber continuous glass fiber composite board and phenolic resin continuous glass fiber laminated prepreg, side by side, with the silicone rubber continuous glass fiber composite board intersecting with the phenolic resin continuous glass fiber laminated prepreg on both sides; heat the hot press to 150°C, with a mold gap of 0.2mm, and press at 150°C for 30min to obtain a phenolic resin continuous glass fiber-silicone rubber continuous glass fiber-phenolic resin continuous glass fiber composite board with a thickness of 0.2mm.

[0133] (4) Trim the edges of the composite board obtained in step (3) and cut it into the required external dimensions.

[0134] The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment has a weight reduction of more than 75% compared to a flexible screen support structure of the same size made entirely of stainless steel. Furthermore, the flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment underwent 200,000 bending tests without cracking, and maintained good flatness after the tests.

[0135] Example 7

[0136] The flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is an epoxy resin continuous aramid fiber-polyurethane (TPU) continuous aramid fiber-epoxy resin continuous aramid fiber composite board. Taking a certain model of foldable mobile phone as an example, the design scheme of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows: The external dimensions of the flexible screen support structure are 161mm*146mm, the thickness is 0.15mm, the width of the flexible bendable area (i.e., the width of the bendable connector) is 20mm, and the width of the two side support members is 63mm. The three boards—epoxy resin continuous aramid fiber composite board, polyurethane continuous aramid fiber composite board, and epoxy resin continuous aramid fiber composite board—are arranged side by side and combined together to form the flexible screen support structure.

[0137] The fabrication process of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows:

[0138] (1) Select 0.02mm thick aramid fiber unidirectional fabric, impregnate both sides with epoxy resin to obtain a 0.025mm thick single-layer prepreg, and then stack them according to the stacking angle of 0° / +45° / -45° / -45° / +45° / 0° to form an epoxy resin aramid fiber laminated prepreg with a thickness of 0.15mm.

[0139] (2) A 45° woven aramid fiber cloth with a thickness of 0.1 mm and a width of 30 mm is used to impregnate TPU to form a 0.15 mm thick TPU continuous aramid fiber composite board.

[0140] (3) Arrange the three boards, namely epoxy resin continuous aramid fiber laminated prepreg, polyurethane continuous aramid fiber composite board and epoxy resin continuous aramid fiber laminated prepreg, side by side, with the polyurethane continuous aramid fiber composite board cross-connected with the epoxy resin continuous aramid fiber laminated prepreg parts on both sides; heat the hot press to 150℃, with a mold gap of 0.15mm, and press at 150℃ for 30min to obtain an epoxy resin continuous aramid fiber-polyurethane (TPU) continuous aramid fiber-epoxy resin continuous aramid fiber composite board with a thickness of 0.15mm.

[0141] (4) Trim the edges of the composite board obtained in step (3) and cut it into the required external dimensions.

[0142] The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment has a weight reduction of more than 75% compared to a flexible screen support structure of the same size made entirely of stainless steel. Furthermore, the flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment underwent 200,000 bending tests without cracking, and maintained good flatness after the tests.

[0143] Example 8

[0144] The flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is an epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber-stainless steel-epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board. Taking a certain model of foldable mobile phone as an example, the design scheme of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows: the external dimensions of the flexible screen support structure are 161mm*146mm, the thickness is 0.15mm, the width of the flexible bendable area (i.e., the width of the bendable connector) is 20mm, and the width of the two side support members is 63mm. The epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board, the stainless steel sheet, and the epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board are arranged side by side and combined together. The stainless steel sheets are embedded in the epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board structure on both sides to form the flexible screen support structure.

[0145] The fabrication process of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows:

[0146] (1) Select a 0.02mm thick carbon fiber unidirectional fabric, impregnate both sides with epoxy resin to obtain a 0.025mm thick single-layer prepreg, and then stack the single-layer prepreg at an overlap angle of 0° / 90° / 0° / 0° / 90° / 0° to form an epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg with a thickness of 0.15mm.

[0147] (2) Prepare a porous stainless steel sheet with a width of 30mm and a thickness of 0.15mm. The porous area in the middle (as a flexible and bendable area) is 20mm. The left and right sides are lowered to form a stepped structure with a thickness of 0.05mm and a width of 5mm as the fitting part (holes can be drilled in the fitting part).

[0148] (3) Arrange the epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg, porous stainless steel sheet, and epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg in a row, with a 5mm wide bonding area between the porous stainless steel sheet and the epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg on both sides; heat the hot press to 150℃, with a mold gap of 0.15mm, and press at 150℃ for 30min to obtain an epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber-stainless steel-epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board with a thickness of 0.15mm.

[0149] (4) Trim the edges of the composite board obtained in step (3) and cut it into the required external dimensions.

[0150] The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment has a weight reduction of more than 62% compared to a flexible screen support structure of the same size made entirely of stainless steel. Furthermore, the flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment underwent 200,000 bending tests without cracking, and maintained good flatness after the tests.

[0151] Example 9

[0152] The flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is an epoxy resin continuous glass fiber-titanium alloy-epoxy resin continuous glass fiber composite board. Taking a certain model of foldable mobile phone as an example, the design scheme of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows: the external dimensions of the flexible screen support structure are 161mm*146mm, the thickness is 0.15mm, the width of the flexible bendable area (i.e., the width of the bendable connector) is 20mm, and the width of the two side support members is 63mm. The epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board, the titanium alloy sheet, and the epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board are arranged side by side and combined together. The titanium alloy sheet is embedded in the epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board structure on both sides to form the flexible screen support structure.

[0153] The fabrication process of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows:

[0154] (1) Select a 0.02mm thick carbon fiber unidirectional fabric, impregnate both sides with epoxy resin to obtain a 0.025mm thick single-layer prepreg, and then stack the single-layer prepreg at an overlap angle of 0° / 90° / 0° / 0° / 90° / 0° to form an epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg with a thickness of 0.15mm.

[0155] (2) Prepare a porous titanium alloy sheet with a width of 30mm and a thickness of 0.15mm. The porous area in the middle (as a flexible and bendable area) is 20mm. The left and right sides are flattened to form a stepped structure with a thickness of 0.05mm and a width of 5mm as the fitting part (holes can be drilled in the fitting part).

[0156] (3) Arrange the epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg, porous titanium alloy sheet, and epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg in a row, with a 5mm wide bonding area between the porous titanium alloy sheet and the epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg on both sides; heat the hot press to 150℃, with a mold gap of 0.15mm, and press at 150℃ for 30min to obtain an epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber-titanium alloy-epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board with a thickness of 0.15mm.

[0157] (4) Trim the edges of the composite board obtained in step (3) and cut it into the required external dimensions.

[0158] The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment reduces weight by more than 70% compared to a flexible screen support structure of the same size made entirely of stainless steel. Furthermore, the flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment underwent 200,000 bending tests without cracking, and maintained good flatness after the tests.

[0159] The flexible screen support structure of this application embodiment uses a composite material of organic materials and fibers as the main material, which greatly reduces the weight compared to the existing flexible screen support structures made of all-metal materials such as stainless steel, and can provide good rigid support for the flexible screen. At the same time, the bending area can be made of metal, organic flexible materials, or soft fiber composite materials, thereby ensuring bending reliability while further reducing the overall weight of the support structure. This is beneficial for reducing the weight of foldable terminal products, improving product competitiveness, and enhancing user experience. In addition, the flexible screen support structure of this application embodiment has low manufacturing cost.

Claims

1. A composite structure, characterized in that, The device includes a first support member and a second support member arranged side by side, and a bendable connector disposed between and connected to the first and second support members. The first and second support members are made of rigid rubber fiber composite material, which includes multiple fiber layers stacked at different angles and a rigid rubber material cured on the fiber layers. Each fiber layer in the rigid rubber fiber composite material is a unidirectional fiber cloth, and the rigid rubber material includes one or more of epoxy resin, phenolic resin, amino resin, unsaturated resin, silicone ether resin, polyolefin, polyamide, polyoxymethylene, polycarbonate, polyphenylene ether, and polysulfone. The bendable connector is made of soft rubber fiber composite material, which includes at least one fiber layer and a soft rubber material cured on the fiber layer. The fiber layer in the soft rubber fiber composite material is a woven fiber cloth, and the soft rubber material includes one or more of fluororubber, silicone rubber, and thermoplastic elastomer.

2. The composite structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The fiber layer includes one or more of the following: glass fiber, carbon fiber, aramid fiber, alumina fiber, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber, and poly(p-phenylenebenzodioxazole) fiber.

3. The composite structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The fiber content in the hard rubber fiber composite material is 10%-80% by mass.

4. The composite structure according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, In the hard rubber fiber composite material, multiple layers of the fiber layer and the hard rubber material form a composite laminate in which fibers and hard rubber are alternately stacked; or multiple layers of the fiber layer are stacked to form a fiber composite, and the hard rubber material is cured on the fiber composite.

5. The composite structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The fiber content in the soft rubber fiber composite material is 10% to 80% by mass.

6. The composite structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The soft rubber fiber composite material includes multiple layers of the fiber layer, which together with the soft rubber material form a composite laminate in which fibers and soft rubber are alternately stacked; or multiple layers of the fiber layer are stacked to form a fiber composite, and the soft rubber material is cured on the fiber composite.

7. The composite structure according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The thickness of the composite structure is 0.1mm-2mm.

8. The composite structure according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The first support member, the flexible connector, and the second support member are joined together by means of hot pressing, adhesive bonding, welding, or fitting.

9. A terminal, characterized in that, The terminal includes the composite structure described in any one of claims 1-8.

10. A flexible screen assembly, characterized in that, The flexible screen assembly includes a flexible screen and a flexible screen support structure, wherein the flexible screen support structure is made of the composite structure described in any one of claims 1-8.

11. A foldable terminal, characterized in that, The foldable terminal includes the flexible screen assembly as described in claim 10.

12. The foldable terminal as described in claim 11, characterized in that, The flexible screen includes a bending area and non-bending areas located on both sides of the bending area. The flexible screen support structure is disposed on the outer surface of the flexible screen. The first support member and the second support member correspond to the non-bending areas on both sides of the flexible screen, and the bendable connector corresponds to the bending area of ​​the flexible screen.

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