Folding mechanism and display device

Abstract

The present invention discloses a folding mechanism and a display device, belonging to the technical field of display devices. The folding mechanism and the display device of the present invention use a plurality of support members arranged at intervals on a flexible screen, thereby increasing the force points of the flexible screen and improving the support stability of the flexible screen; two adjacent support members are driven to approach or move away from each other by two gears with cam-shaped structures, so that the flexible screen switches between an unfolded state and a folded state, and a guide component is used to guide the movement of the support member, thereby ensuring the synchronization and smoothness of the movement of the two adjacent support members, which is beneficial to protecting the flexible screen; when the flexible screen is in an unfolded state, the guide component and the two meshing gears jointly provide a supporting force to the support member, ensuring that the support member can stably support the flexible screen, thereby improving the display effect of the flexible screen and reducing the risk of damage to the flexible screen.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of display devices, and in particular to a folding mechanism and a display device. Background Art

[0002] Flexible screens are widely used in folding displays because of their ability to bend and deform. By applying flexible screens, folding displays can achieve conversion between large screens and small screens by unfolding and folding the screen.

[0003] With the development of display technology, foldable display screens are increasingly widely used. A foldable display screen includes a flexible screen and a folding mechanism disposed on the back of the flexible screen. The folding mechanism is used to drive the flexible screen to unfold or fold and to support the flexible screen. In the prior art, the folding mechanism does not provide sufficient support for the flexible screen when the flexible screen is unfolded, resulting in poor display effects of the flexible screen and even easy damage. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a folding mechanism and a display device, which improve the support stability of a flexible screen.

[0005] In order to achieve the above objectives, the following technical solutions are provided:

[0006] On the one hand, a folding mechanism is provided for controlling the flexible screen to unfold or fold, the folding mechanism comprising:

[0007] A plurality of support members, wherein the plurality of support members are spaced apart on the flexible screen along a first direction and are fixedly connected to the flexible screen;

[0008] A folding assembly is provided between any two adjacent support members; the folding assembly comprises two gears meshing with each other, both of which are cam-shaped structures, and the two gears are rotatably provided on two adjacent support members, and the flexible screen can be switched between an unfolded state and a folded state by rotating the gears. In the unfolded state, the flexible screen is in a planar shape; in the folded state, the flexible screen is in an arc shape;

[0009] A guide component is provided between any two adjacent support members; the guide component can guide the two support members connected thereto to move closer to or away from each other, and can also provide supporting force to the support members when the flexible screen is in the unfolded state.

[0010] As an optional solution of the folding mechanism, the guide assembly includes:

[0011] A guide member, wherein two ends of the guide member are respectively slidably connected to two adjacent support members, and the sliding track of the guide member along the support member is arc-shaped;

[0012] Two elastic members, one end of the two elastic members is respectively fixedly connected to two adjacent support members, and the other end of the two elastic members is respectively fixedly connected to two ends of the guide member.

[0013] As an optional solution of the folding mechanism, the guide member has an arc-shaped structure.

[0014] As an optional solution for the folding mechanism, the support member is provided with an arc-shaped sliding groove; sliders are respectively provided at both ends of the guide member, and the sliders are slidably arranged in the sliding groove of the corresponding support member.

[0015] As an optional solution of the folding mechanism, a limiting structure is provided in the slide groove, and the limiting structure can prevent the slider from escaping from the slide groove.

[0016] As an optional solution of the folding mechanism, the folding assembly further includes a driving member, and the driving member is used to drive at least one of the gears to rotate.

[0017] As an alternative to the folding mechanism, the gear of the cam-like structure has a distal end and a proximal end;

[0018] When the flexible screen is in the unfolded state, the distal ends of the two gears of the same folding assembly are meshed;

[0019] When the flexible screen is in the folded state, the proximal ends of the two gears of the same folding component are meshed.

[0020] As an optional solution for the folding mechanism, the cross section of the support member is an isosceles trapezoid, and the lower base of the cross section is connected to the flexible screen; the cross section is a cross section perpendicular to the rotating shaft of the gear.

[0021] On the other hand, a display device is provided, characterized in that it includes a flexible screen and a folding mechanism as described in any one of the above items, and the folding mechanism is used to control the flexible screen to unfold or fold.

[0022] As an optional solution of the display device, the display device further includes two flat screens, and the two flat screens are respectively connected to two ends of the flexible screen along the first direction.

[0023] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0024] The folding mechanism and display device of the present invention utilize multiple support members to be arranged at intervals on the flexible screen, thereby increasing the force points of the flexible screen and improving the support stability of the flexible screen; utilize two cam-shaped gears to drive two adjacent support members to move closer to or away from each other, so that the flexible screen can switch between the unfolded state and the folded state, and utilize a guide component to guide the movement of the support members, thereby ensuring the synchronization and smoothness of the movement of the two adjacent support members, which is beneficial to protecting the flexible screen; when the flexible screen is in the unfolded state, the guide component and the two meshing gears jointly provide supporting force to the support members, ensuring that the support members can stably support the flexible screen, thereby improving the display effect of the flexible screen and reducing the risk of damage to the flexible screen. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the display device when the flexible screen is in an unfolded state in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the display device when the flexible screen is in a folded state in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the flexible screen in an unfolded state according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the structure of the flexible screen in a folded state according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Reference numerals:

[0030] 100, flexible screen; 200, flat screen;

[0031] 10. Folding mechanism; 1. Support member; 11. Slide groove; 2. Folding assembly; 21. Gear; 211. Distal end; 212. Proximal end; 3. Guide assembly; 31. Guide member; 311. Sliding block; 32. Elastic member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Generally, the components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the drawings here can be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0033] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the invention claimed for protection, but merely represents selected embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0034] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters denote similar items in the following drawings, and therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, further definition and explanation thereof is not required in subsequent drawings.

[0035] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inside", "outside", etc. indicate positions or positional relationships based on the positions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, or are the positions or positional relationships in which the inventive product is usually placed when in use. They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. are only used to distinguish the description, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance. In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means two or more.

[0036] In the description of the present invention, it is also necessary to explain that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "disposed" and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0037] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include that the first and second features are in direct contact, or may include that the first and second features are not in direct contact but are in contact through another feature between them. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" and "above" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" and "below" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0038] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which 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 invention, and cannot be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0039] like Figure 1-4 As shown, this embodiment provides a folding mechanism and a display device, the display device includes a flexible screen 100 and a folding mechanism 10, and the folding mechanism 10 is used to control the flexible screen 100 to unfold or fold.

[0040] The folding mechanism 10 includes a plurality of support members 1, a folding assembly 2 and a guide assembly 3. The plurality of support members 1 are arranged at intervals along a first direction on the flexible screen 100 and are fixedly connected to the flexible screen 100. A folding assembly 2 is provided between any two adjacent support members 1. The folding assembly 2 includes two gears 21 meshing with each other. Both gears 21 are cam-shaped structures. The two gears 21 are rotatably provided on two adjacent support members 1 respectively. By rotating the gears 21, the flexible screen 100 can be switched between an unfolded state and a folded state. In the unfolded state, the flexible screen 100 is planar; in the folded state, the flexible screen 100 is arc-shaped. A guide assembly 3 is provided between any two adjacent support members 1. The guide assembly 3 can guide the two support members 1 connected thereto to move closer to or farther away from each other, and can also provide supporting force to the support member 1 when the flexible screen 100 is in the unfolded state.

[0041] The folding mechanism 10 of this embodiment utilizes a plurality of support members 1 to be spaced apart on the flexible screen 100, thereby increasing the stress points of the flexible screen 100 and improving the support stability of the flexible screen 100; utilizes two cam-shaped gears 21 to drive two adjacent support members 1 to move closer to or farther from each other, so that the flexible screen 100 can switch between the unfolded state and the folded state; and utilizes the guide component 3 to guide the movement of the support members 1, thereby ensuring the synchronization and smoothness of the movement of the two adjacent support members 1, which is beneficial to protecting the flexible screen 100; when the flexible screen 100 is in the unfolded state, the guide component 3 and the two meshing gears 21 jointly provide support force to the support member 1, thereby ensuring that the support member 1 can stably support the flexible screen 100, thereby improving the display effect of the flexible screen 100 and reducing the risk of damage to the flexible screen 100.

[0042] In some embodiments, the guide assembly 3 includes a guide member 31 and two elastic members 32, the two ends of the guide member 31 are respectively slidably connected to two adjacent support members 1, and the sliding track of the guide member 31 along the support member 1 is arc-shaped; one end of the two elastic members 32 is respectively fixedly connected to the two adjacent support members 1, and the other ends of the two elastic members 32 are respectively fixedly connected to the two ends of the guide member 31. Exemplarily, the elastic member 32 is a spring.

[0043] It should be noted that when the flexible screen 100 is in the unfolded state, the elastic member 32 is in a stretched state; when the flexible screen 100 switches from the unfolded state to the folded state, the elastic member 32 can be used to pull the guide member 31, so that the two ends of the guide member 31 slide along the corresponding support member 1 toward the inner side of the support member 1, and at the same time drive the two adjacent support members 1 closer to each other, so that the flexible screen 100 bends and gradually switches to the folded state. When the flexible screen 100 is in the folded state, the elastic member 32 is in a compressed state or a balanced state.

[0044] When the flexible screen 100 switches from a folded state to an unfolded state, the two cam-shaped gears 21 drive the two adjacent support members 1 to move away from each other, and at the same time drive the two ends of the guide member 31 to slide along the corresponding support members 1 toward the outside of the support member 1, and the curved flexible screen 100 gradually flattens and then gradually switches to the unfolded state. When the flexible screen 100 is in the unfolded state, the guide member 31 can also play a certain supporting role on the support member 1, thereby improving the supporting stability of the flexible screen 100.

[0045] In some embodiments, the support member 1 is provided with an arc-shaped slide groove 11; sliders 311 are respectively provided at both ends of the guide member 31, and the sliders 311 are slidably arranged in the corresponding slide groove 11 of the support member 1. The sliders 311 cooperate with the slide groove 11 to improve the smoothness of the sliding of the guide member 31. Furthermore, the two elastic members 32 of the guide assembly 3 are respectively connected to the two sliders 311.

[0046] In some embodiments, the guide member 31 has an arc-shaped structure, which matches the sliding trajectory of the guide member 31 along the support member 1, thereby improving the smoothness of the sliding of the guide member 31.

[0047] In some embodiments, a limiting structure is provided in the slide groove 11, and the limiting structure can prevent the slider 311 from escaping from the slide groove 11. In this embodiment, the limiting structure is a limiting block provided at one end of the slide groove 11. When the flexible screen 100 is in the unfolded state, the limiting block abuts against the side of the slider 311 away from the elastic member 32 connected thereto, so as to prevent the slider 311 from continuing to slide along the slide groove 11 toward the outside of the support member 1 connected thereto. In this way, when the flexible screen 100 is in the unfolded state, the limiting structure can be used to limit the slider 311, so as to ensure that the guide member 31 can provide a stable supporting force to the support member 1.

[0048] It should be noted that the cam-shaped gear 21 has a distal end 211 and a proximal end 212; the distal end 211 is the end where the distance between the outer circumference of the gear 21 and the rotating shaft of the gear 21 is the longest, and the proximal end 212 is the end where the distance between the outer circumference of the gear 21 and the rotating shaft of the gear 21 is the shortest.

[0049] In some embodiments, when the flexible screen 100 is in the unfolded state, the distal ends 211 of the two gears 21 of the same folding component 2 are meshed, thereby avoiding excessive pulling or even tearing of the flexible screen 100 when switching between the unfolded state and the folded state.

[0050] In some embodiments, when the flexible screen 100 is in a folded state, the proximal ends 212 of the two gears 21 of the same folding component 2 are meshed, thereby avoiding the problem of creases or even damage due to excessive squeezing when the flexible screen 100 switches between the unfolded state and the folded state.

[0051] In some embodiments, the folding assembly 2 further includes a driving member, which is used to drive at least one gear 21 to rotate. Exemplarily, the driving member is a motor. In this embodiment, each folding assembly 2 includes a driving member, and one of the gears 21 is driven to rotate by one driving member, which can drive another gear 21 to rotate, thereby achieving the purpose of automatically controlling the unfolding and folding of the flexible screen 100, with a simple structure and low cost.

[0052] In other embodiments, it can also be configured as follows: each folding component 2 includes two driving members, and the two driving members respectively drive the two gears 21 to rotate, which can improve the smoothness of the rotation of the gears 21 and is beneficial to protecting the screen.

[0053] In some embodiments, the cross section of the support member 1 is an isosceles trapezoid, and the bottom of the cross section is connected to the flexible screen 100; the cross section is a cross section perpendicular to the rotating shaft of the gear 21. Such a configuration increases the contact area between the support member 1 and the flexible screen 100, which is conducive to further improving the support stability and ensuring the display effect of the flexible screen 100.

[0054] It can be understood that the distance between two adjacent support members 1 gradually increases from the lower bottom to the upper bottom of the cross-section. Furthermore, the gear 21 is arranged at the end of the support member 1 away from the flexible screen 100. In other words, the gear 21 is arranged at the end of the support member 1 close to the upper bottom of the cross-section, so that the gear 21 with a cam-shaped structure has sufficient space for movement.

[0055] In some embodiments, the display device further includes two flat screens 200, and the two flat screens 200 are respectively connected to the two ends of the flexible screen 100 along the first direction. It should be noted that when the flexible screen 100 is in the unfolded state, the flexible screen 100 is flush with the two flat screens 200 to form an integral display screen. In other words, the display area of ​​the display screen at this time is the sum of the areas of the flexible screen 100 and the two flat screens 200; when the flexible screen 100 is in the folded state, only one of the two flat screens 200 can be used as the display screen. In other words, the display area of ​​the display screen at this time is the area of ​​the flat screen 200 used as the display screen. By connecting the two flat screens 200 through the flexible screen 100, the display screen of the display device can be large or small, and the application is flexible.

[0056] Note that the above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention and the technical principles used. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, and that various obvious changes, readjustments and substitutions can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, although the present invention has been described in more detail through the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and may include more other equivalent embodiments without departing from the concept of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is determined by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A folding mechanism, used to control the flexible screen (100) to unfold or fold, characterized in that: The folding mechanism (10) comprises: A plurality of support members (1), wherein the plurality of support members (1) are arranged on the flexible screen (100) at intervals along a first direction and are fixedly connected to the flexible screen (100); A folding assembly (2), wherein the folding assembly (2) is disposed between any two adjacent support members (1); the folding assembly (2) comprises two mutually meshing gears (21), the two gears (21) are both cam-shaped structures, the two gears (21) are rotatably disposed on two adjacent support members (1), and the flexible screen (100) can be switched between an unfolded state and a folded state by rotating the gears (21); in the unfolded state, the flexible screen (100) is in a planar shape; in the folded state, the flexible screen (100) is in an arcuate shape; A guide component (3), wherein the guide component (3) is provided between any two adjacent support members (1); the guide component (3) can guide the two support members (1) connected thereto to move closer to or farther from each other, and can also provide a supporting force for the support members (1) when the flexible screen (100) is in the unfolded state; The guide assembly (3) comprises: A guide member (31), wherein two ends of the guide member (31) are respectively slidably connected to two adjacent support members (1), and the sliding track of the guide member (31) along the support member (1) is arc-shaped; Two elastic members (32), one end of the two elastic members (32) is respectively fixedly connected to two adjacent support members (1), and the other end of the two elastic members (32) is respectively fixedly connected to two ends of the guide member (31).

2. The folding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The guide member (31) is in an arc-shaped structure.

3. The folding mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The support member (1) is provided with an arc-shaped sliding groove (11); two ends of the guide member (31) are respectively provided with sliding blocks (311), and the sliding blocks (311) are slidably arranged in the sliding groove (11) of the corresponding support member (1).

4. The folding mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that: A limiting structure is provided in the slide groove (11), and the limiting structure can prevent the sliding block (311) from falling out of the slide groove (11).

5. The folding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The folding assembly (2) further comprises a driving member, which is used to drive at least one of the gears (21) to rotate.

6. The folding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gear (21) of the cam-shaped structure has a distal end (211) and a proximal end (212); When the flexible screen (100) is in the unfolded state, the distal ends (211) of the two gears (21) of the same folding component (2) are meshed; When the flexible screen (100) is in the folded state, the proximal ends (212) of the two gears (21) of the same folding component (2) are meshed.

7. The folding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cross section of the support member (1) is in the shape of an isosceles trapezoid, and the lower base of the cross section is connected to the flexible screen (100); the cross section is a cross section perpendicular to the rotation axis of the gear (21).

8. A display device, characterized in that It comprises a flexible screen (100) and a folding mechanism (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the folding mechanism (10) is used to control the flexible screen (100) to be unfolded or folded.

9. The display device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The display device further comprises two flat screens (200), wherein the two flat screens (200) are respectively connected to two ends of the flexible screen (100) along the first direction.

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