Electronic device and screen support assembly therefor

Abstract

The present application relates to an electronic device and its screen support assembly, the screen support assembly including a first support member, a second support member and a plurality of sliding fittings, the first support member is provided with a plurality of slots, the slot walls of the slots are provided with limiting slots extending along a first direction, the second support member includes a spine bar and a plurality of skeletons connected to the spine bar, the plurality of skeletons are movably inserted into the plurality of slots, the plurality of sliding fittings are connected to the plurality of skeletons and slide in conjunction with the limiting slots so that a gap is maintained between the skeleton and at least one slot wall of the slot. The electronic device and its screen support assembly of the present application utilize the sliding fit of the sliding fittings and the limiting slots to reduce the contact between the skeleton of the second support member and the slot wall of the plug-in slot, thereby reducing the contact friction between the first support member and the second support member and improving the smoothness of the relative movement between the two, thereby achieving good support for the screen while improving the smoothness of the telescopic movement of the screen.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of electronic device technology, and in particular to electronic devices and their screen support components. Background Technology

[0002] In today's intelligent information age, users are using mobile devices more and more frequently, and the usage scenarios are becoming increasingly diverse. Currently, most portable smart mobile devices have screen sizes of less than 7 inches. Compared with tablets and laptops, the screen display area is limited, thus restricting the user's operating experience.

[0003] The emergence of flexible screens has effectively solved this problem. By bending or rolling the flexible screen, a large screen can be housed within a small body, making it easy for users to carry. At the same time, the small screen can be used as a normal phone, while when switching to the large screen, users can simultaneously read news and chat on social media, and it can also enhance the user's gaming experience, greatly enriching the user's usage scenarios.

[0004] However, current flexible screen structures still have many problems. For example, when flexible screens are rolled up to adjust the size of the display area, either the flexible screen cannot be well supported, resulting in poor flatness of the displayed image, or the support structure makes the stretching or shrinking process of the flexible screen unsmooth, or even prevents it from unfolding or shrinking properly due to excessive resistance. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides an electronic device and its screen support assembly to solve the technical problem of how to improve the smoothness of the flexible screen's telescopic movement while maintaining good support for the flexible screen.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a screen support component, including:

[0007] The first support member has multiple slots, each of which extends along a first direction and is arranged parallel to each other along a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction. The slot wall has a limiting groove extending along the first direction.

[0008] The second support includes a spine strip and a plurality of skeletons connected to the spine strip. The plurality of skeletons are arranged in a comb-like pattern and are movably inserted into the plurality of slots.

[0009] Multiple sliding fittings are connected to multiple skeletons. The sliding fittings slide with the limiting grooves and are used to limit the skeletons so that a gap is maintained between the skeletons and at least one groove wall of the slot.

[0010] On the other hand, embodiments of this application provide an electronic device including a shell assembly, a flexible screen, and a screen support assembly as described above. The shell assembly includes a first shell and a second shell, which are movable relative to each other along a first direction. The flexible screen is connected to the first shell and the second shell. A portion of the structure of the flexible screen is extended from or retracted into the shell assembly as the first shell and the second shell move relative to each other. The screen support assembly is used to support the portion of the flexible screen that is extended from the shell assembly.

[0011] In this embodiment, the sliding engagement between the sliding fitting and the limiting groove maintains a gap between the skeleton and at least one groove wall of the slot, thereby reducing the contact between the skeleton of the second support member and the groove wall of the insertion slot, reducing the contact friction between the first support member and the second support member, and improving the smoothness of the relative movement between them. Thus, while the first support member and the second support member provide good support for the screen, the first support member and the second support member can adapt to the needs of smooth telescopic movement of the screen. Attached Figure Description

[0012] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0013] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the retracted state of the electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0014] Figure 2 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0015] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the extended state of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0016] Figure 4 A cross-sectional schematic diagram illustrating another state of the electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0017] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the support of a flexible screen by a screen support assembly according to one embodiment.

[0018] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the structure of a screen support assembly of an electronic device according to one embodiment;

[0019] Figure 7 for Figure 6 Another schematic diagram of the screen support component in one state is shown;

[0020] Figure 8 for Figure 7 A partially enlarged schematic diagram of part A of the screen support assembly is shown;

[0021] Figure 9 for Figure 7 A partially enlarged schematic diagram of the structure of part B of the screen support assembly is shown.

[0022] Figure 10 A schematic diagram showing the connection between the second support member and the sliding mating member of a screen support assembly according to one embodiment;

[0023] Figure 11 for Figure 10 A partially enlarged schematic diagram of the C section structure;

[0024] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of a screen support assembly along the second direction according to one embodiment.

[0025] Figure 13 for Figure 12 A partially enlarged schematic diagram of the structure of part D in the diagram;

[0026] Figure 14 for Figure 12 A partially enlarged schematic diagram of another embodiment of the structure of part D in the diagram;

[0027] Figure 15 A cross-sectional view of the second support member in a screen support assembly according to one embodiment;

[0028] Figure 16 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of one state of a screen support assembly according to one embodiment.

[0029] Figure 17 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of another state of the screen support assembly according to one embodiment.

[0030] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0031] 100. Electronic device; 10. Shell assembly; 10a. Receiving cavity; 12. First shell; 14. Second shell; 14a. Rear cover; 20. Flexible screen; 202. Fixing part; 204. Free part; 20a. Display interface; 30. Traction member; 40. Drive mechanism; 50. Screen support assembly; 51. First support member; 51a. First support surface; 51b. Support surface; 51c. Back side; 511. Slot; 512. Limiting groove; 52. Second support member; 52a. Second support surface; 521. Rib; 521a. Positioning pin; 522. Frame; 53. Sliding mating part; 531. Main body; 532. Sliding mating part; 522a. Hole. Detailed Implementation

[0032] To facilitate understanding of this application, a more complete description will be provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiments of this application are shown in the drawings. However, this application can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a thorough and complete understanding of the disclosure of this application.

[0033] As used herein, "electronic device" refers to, but is not limited to, a device capable of receiving and / or transmitting communication signals connected via any one or more of the following connection methods:

[0034] (1) Via wired connection, such as via Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTN), Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), digital cable, or direct cable connection;

[0035] (2) Via wireless interface, such as cellular network, wireless local area network (WLAN), digital television network such as DVB-H network, satellite network, AM-FM broadcast transmitter.

[0036] An electronic device configured to communicate via a wireless interface can be referred to as a "mobile terminal". Examples of mobile terminals include, but are not limited to, the following electronic devices:

[0037] (1) Satellite phone or cellular phone;

[0038] (2) A personal communications system (PCS) terminal that can combine cellular radio telephone with data processing, fax and data communication capabilities;

[0039] (3) Radio telephone, pager, Internet / intranet access, web browser, notepad, calendar, personal digital assistant (PDA) equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver;

[0040] (4) Conventional above-knee and / or palm-sized receivers;

[0041] (5) Conventional knee-mounted and / or handheld wireless telephone transceivers, etc.

[0042] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 The electronic device 100 provided in this application embodiment can be a mobile phone or a tablet computer, and is not limited thereto.

[0043] The electronic device 100 includes a housing assembly 10 and a flexible screen 20. The housing assembly 10 forms a receiving cavity 10a, and the flexible screen 20 is connected to the housing assembly 10. The electronic device 100 may also include a circuit board (not shown) and a battery (not shown), both of which can be disposed within the receiving cavity 10a of the housing assembly 10. The circuit board may integrate the processor, power management module, storage unit, and baseband chip of the electronic device 100. The flexible screen 20 is communicatively connected to the processor, and the battery can power the flexible screen 20 and the electronic components on the circuit board. Of course, the electronic device 100 may also include a camera module (not shown), which is communicatively connected to the circuit board, and the battery can power the camera module. It is understood that the electronic device 100 of the embodiments of this application includes, but is not limited to, terminal devices such as mobile phones and tablet computers, or other portable electronic devices 100. In the embodiments of this application, a mobile phone is used as an example for description.

[0044] Combination Figure 3 and Figure 4 Therefore, the shell assembly 10 includes a first shell 12 and a second shell 14, which are movable relative to each other in a first direction. Specifically, in this embodiment, the second shell 14 and the first shell 12 are slidably connected. In other words, the second shell 14 is slidable relative to the first shell 12. For example, one of the first shell 12 and the second shell 14 may be provided with a slide rail, and the other may slide along the slide rail, so that the first shell 12 and the second shell 14 can extend and retract relative to each other.

[0045] The flexible screen 20 is connected to the first housing 12 and the second housing 14. As the first housing 12 and the second housing 14 move relative to each other, a portion of the structure of the flexible screen 20 extends from or retracts into the housing assembly 10, thereby adjusting the unfolded length of the flexible screen 20.

[0046] Furthermore, the second housing 14 can slide relative to the first housing 12 along a first direction to a folded position and an unfolded position. Combined Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, when the second housing 14 is in the folded position, the electronic device 100 has a relatively small size, making it easy to carry. Combined with Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, when the second housing 14 is in the unfolded position, the electronic device 100 can obtain a relatively large display area, thereby achieving a large-screen display visual experience and improving the user experience of the electronic device 100. Therefore, with this arrangement, the display area of ​​the flexible screen 20 (hereinafter referred to as the display interface 20a) can be adjusted by the relative sliding extension and retraction of the first housing 12 and the second housing 14.

[0047] It should be noted that the flexible screen 20, as a structural component of the electronic device 100 used for display or touch, has a display area. This display area refers to the area corresponding to the flexible screen 20 when it displays the maximum image. In other words, during the relative sliding and extending process of the first housing 12 and the second housing 14, when the second housing 14 is in the extended position (i.e., when the display interface 20a is at its maximum), the display interface 20a is the same as the display area. Because a portion of the display area of ​​the flexible screen 20 is contained internally and not exposed during the relative sliding and extending process of the first housing 12 and the second housing 14, this portion does not display an image. The display interface 20a refers to the portion of the display area exposed outside the first housing 12 and the second housing 14. Subsequently, when the display interface 20a is lit or displays an image, the content displayed on the display interface 20a can be observed from outside the electronic device 100.

[0048] It is understood that in the embodiments described below, the terms "folded position," "expanded position," and similar expressions refer to the relative positions of the second housing 14 and the first housing 12. For the sake of simplicity, expressions such as "the second housing 14 is in the folded position" or "in the folded position" mean that the second housing 14 is in the folded position relative to the first housing 12, and expressions such as "the second housing 14 is in the unfolded position" or "in the unfolded position" mean that the second housing 14 is in the unfolded position relative to the first housing 12.

[0049] Combination Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the flexible screen 20 may include a fixed portion 202 and a free portion 204 disposed opposite to each other. The fixed portion 202 is disposed on the first housing 12 and fixed relative to the position of the first housing 12. When the second housing 14 is in the folded position, the free portion 204 of the flexible screen 20 is accommodated within the housing assembly 10, so that a portion of the structure of the flexible screen 20 is hidden within the housing assembly 10, and the portion of the flexible screen 20 hidden within the housing assembly 10 is not used for display. In other words, movement of the first housing 12 relative to the second housing 14 can cause at least a portion of the free portion 204 to unfold in the second housing 14, or cause the free portion 204 unfolded in the second housing 14 to retract into the housing assembly 10.

[0050] It is understood that in the embodiments of this application, the relatively fixed positions of the two objects mean that the two objects cannot move relative to each other under normal circumstances. The two objects with relatively fixed positions can be physically directly connected, or they can be indirectly connected through an intermediate structure. Taking the fixing part 202 and the first housing 12 as an example, the relatively fixed positions of the fixing part 202 and the first housing 12 can be achieved by the fixing part 202 being in direct contact with the first housing 12, for example, by using threaded fasteners or clamps to achieve direct fixation of the fixing part 202 and the first housing 12. Alternatively, the fixing part 202 can be indirectly fixed to the first housing 12 through structures such as an adhesive layer or an intermediate connecting plate.

[0051] It is understandable that the fixed part 202 and the free part 204 can be distinguished in the following manner, see reference. Figure 2 As shown, when the second housing 14 is in the folded position relative to the first housing 12, the portion of the flexible screen 20 exposed outside the housing assembly 10 is the fixed portion 202 of the flexible screen 20, and the portion of the flexible screen 20 housed inside the housing assembly 10 can be considered the free portion 204. In some embodiments, when the second housing 14 is in the folded position, the fixed portion 202 exposed outside the housing assembly 10 is generally rectangular, and its size can be 4.5 inches to 7 inches, which is comparable to the size of a typical smartphone display screen, so that the electronic device 100 is easy to carry and use.

[0052] In some implementations, combined Figure 4 As shown, the electronic device 100 is equipped with a traction member 30, which is located at the end of the second housing 14 furthest from the first housing 12. During the process of the second housing 14 switching from a folded position to an unfolded position relative to the first housing 12, the traction member 30 can traction the flexible screen 20 to deform, so that the unfolded portion of the flexible screen 20 is flat. When the second housing 14 is in the folded position, the free portion of the flexible screen 20 bypasses the traction member 30, which can limit the bending radius of the flexible screen 20 within a suitable range to avoid damage to the flexible screen 20 due to an excessively small bending radius. Of course, the traction member 30 can also prevent the flexible screen 20 from having an excessively large bending radius, which would result in an excessively thick electronic device 100.

[0053] In some embodiments, the traction member 30 may be a rotating shaft structure with protruding teeth, and the flexible screen 20 is linked with the traction member 30 through engagement or other means. When the second housing 14 slides relative to the first housing 12, the portion of the flexible screen 20 engaged with the traction member 30 is moved by the traction member 30 and is extended from or retracted into the housing assembly 10.

[0054] In other embodiments, the traction member 30 is a round shaft without teeth. During the transition of the second housing 14 from the retracted position to the unfolded position, the traction member 30 expands a portion of the flexible screen 20 attached to it, exposing more of the flexible screen 20 to the outside of the housing assembly 10 and placing it in a flat position. In this embodiment, the traction member 30 is rotatably mounted on the second housing 14. As the flexible screen 20 is gradually unfolded, the traction member 30 rotates with the movement of the flexible screen 20, reducing the resistance experienced by the flexible screen 20 during unfolding and reducing wear at the contact points between the traction member 30 and the flexible screen 20.

[0055] In some embodiments, the traction member 30 may also be fixed to the second housing 14, and the traction member 30 has a smooth surface. During the unfolding of the flexible screen 20 into the second housing 14, the traction member 30 slidably contacts the flexible screen 20 through its smooth surface. In other words, in this embodiment, the traction member 30 may be integrally formed or welded to the second housing 14, and the traction member 30 may be considered as part of the second housing 14, with the free portion 204 of the flexible screen 20 bypassing the end of the second housing 14 away from the first housing 12 and extending into the housing assembly 10.

[0056] During the process of the second housing 14 switching from the folded position to the unfolded position, the flexible screen 20 can be extended from the second housing 14 or retracted into the housing assembly 10 under the action of the traction member 30. It is understood that multiple intermediate positions can be set between the folded position and the unfolded position to achieve the positioning of the second housing 14 relative to the first housing 12 in multiple intermediate positions, and to make the flexible screen 20 have different display areas in different intermediate positions, thereby expanding the application scenarios of the electronic device 100.

[0057] The relative movement of the first housing 12 and the second housing 14 of the electronic device 100 can be achieved manually or electronically.

[0058] For example, when using a manual method, the user only needs to hold the first housing 12 and the second housing 14 and move them away from each other to place the second housing 14 in the unfolded position. Correspondingly, when the second housing 14 is in the unfolded position, if it is necessary to close the electronic device 100, the user only needs to move the first housing 12 and the second housing 14 towards each other.

[0059] Combination Figure 2 and Figure 4As shown, when using an electronic control method, a drive mechanism 40 can be provided inside the housing assembly 10 of the electronic device 100. Specifically, the drive mechanism 40 is provided inside the receiving cavity 10a of the housing assembly 10 and is used to drive the first housing 12 and the second housing 14 to move relative to each other, so that the second housing 14 drives the flexible screen 20 to be extended from or retracted from the housing assembly 10.

[0060] In some embodiments, the first housing 12 and the second housing 14 are connected to the drive mechanism 40 and move relative to each other under the drive of the drive mechanism 40. Specifically, the drive mechanism 40 has a fixed part and a movable part. When the drive mechanism 40 is working, the movable part can move relative to the fixed part. The fixed part is connected to the first housing 12, and the movable part is connected to the second housing 14 and is used to drive the second housing 14 to move relative to the first housing 12.

[0061] The second housing 14 may also include a rear cover 14a, which covers the free portion 204 of the flexible screen 20 when in the unfolded position.

[0062] Furthermore, the back cover 14a can be provided with a light-transmitting area. When in the unfolded position, the portion of the flexible screen 20 housed in the shell assembly 10 can also be used for display, allowing the user to view the information displayed on the flexible screen 20 through the light-transmitting area, thereby expanding the usage scenarios of the electronic device 100. For example, in this embodiment, the electronic device 100 does not need to be equipped with a front-facing camera; a rear-facing camera module can be used to achieve functions such as selfies and video calls. The light-transmitting area can be made of transparent glass or formed by an opening in the back cover 14a. After the second shell 14 slides relative to the first shell 12 to the folded position, at least a portion of the flexible screen 20 housed in the shell assembly 10 is exposed. The exposed flexible screen 20 can be used for display, so that the electronic device 100 has a relatively large display area, thereby improving the user experience.

[0063] Combination Figure 5 As shown, the electronic device 100 includes a screen support assembly 50, which supports the portion of the flexible screen 20 that extends from the housing assembly 10, thereby maintaining good flatness of the display interface 20a of the flexible screen 20 and improving the quality of the displayed image.

[0064] Specifically, in combination Figure 6 and 7 As shown, the screen support assembly 50 includes a first support member 51, a second support member 52, and a sliding mating member 53.

[0065] The first support member 51 has multiple slots 511, all of which extend along the first direction (i.e., the direction of the flexible screen 20's extension and retraction movement with the shell assembly 10) and are arranged parallel to each other along the second direction, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

[0066] The second support member 52 includes a spine 521 and a plurality of skeletons 522 connected to the spine 521. The plurality of skeletons 522 are arranged in a comb-like pattern and are movably inserted into a plurality of slots 511. Since the slots 511 extend along a first direction, the skeletons 522 can move in the slots 511 along the first direction so that when the flexible screen 20 moves with the shell assembly 10 in the first direction, the first support member 51 and the second support member 52 move relative to each other in the first direction to accommodate the need to support the portion of the flexible screen 20 extended from the shell assembly 10.

[0067] The first support member 51 is fixed relative to the first housing 12, and the spine 521 is fixed relative to the second housing 14. Thus, the skeleton 522 on the spine 521 can move together with the second housing 14. Therefore, when the first housing 12 and the second housing 14 move relative to each other in a first direction, the skeleton 522 moves relative to the first support member 51 in the first direction under the influence of the second housing 14. Subsequently, the skeleton 522 moves along the corresponding slot 511 to provide support for the flexible screen 20.

[0068] It should be noted that the flexible screen 20 can be configured in various ways relative to the first support member 51 and the second support member 52. For ease of understanding, the following explanation will focus on the flexible screen 20 having a fixed part 202 and a free part 204.

[0069] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the fixed part 202 is connected to the first support member 51, and the free part 204 surrounds the side of the second support member 52 near the spine 521, and can move relative to the second support member 52 as the first housing 12 and the second housing 14 move relative to each other, so that when the flexible screen 20 extends or retracts with the relative movement of the first housing 12 and the second housing 14, the first support member 51 and the second support member 52 can always support the components of the flexible screen 20 that are extended from the shell assembly 10.

[0070] Since the first support member 51 is fixed relative to the first housing 12, and the spine 521 is fixed relative to the second housing 14, the relative movement of the first housing 12 and the second housing 14 along the first direction allows the first support member 51 and the second support member 52 to move relative to each other along the first direction. Therefore, the free portion 204 can cover the screen support assembly 50 from the other side, instead of surrounding the side of the second support member 52 closest to the spine 521. Specifically, the fixed portion 202 is connected to the second support member 52, and the free portion 204 surrounds the side of the first support member 51 furthest from the spine 521, and can move relative to the first support member 51 as the first housing 12 and the second housing 14 move relative to each other. With this structural arrangement, when the flexible screen 20 extends or retracts with the relative movement of the first housing 12 and the second housing 14, the first support member 51 and the second support member 52 can maintain good support for the components of the flexible screen 20 extended from the housing assembly 10.

[0071] In this embodiment, the sliding mating parts 53 can be multiple, specifically, combined with Figures 7 to 9 As shown, multiple sliding mating parts 53 are connected to multiple skeletons 522. The slot wall of the slot 511 has a limiting groove 512 extending along a first direction. The sliding mating parts 53 slide in contact with the limiting groove 512. When the first support member 51 and the second support member 52 move relative to each other along the first direction, the sliding mating parts 53 slide along the limiting groove 512. In this embodiment, the sliding mating parts 53 are used to limit the skeleton 522, maintaining a gap between the skeleton 522 and at least one wall of the slot 511. Specifically, due to the engagement of the sliding mating parts 53 and the limiting groove 512, a gap is maintained between the skeleton 522 and the wall of the slot 511, thereby reducing the contact surface between the skeleton 522 and the first support member 51. This reduces the contact friction between the first support member 51 and the second support member 52, resulting in low frictional resistance. Consequently, while supporting the flexible screen 20, the first support member 51 and the second support member 52 can move smoothly together.

[0072] Furthermore, the hardness of the skeleton 522 is greater than that of the sliding mating part 53, thus enabling the skeleton 522 to provide good support performance. It should be noted that since the cooperation between the sliding mating part 53 and the limiting groove 512 effectively reduces the contact friction between the skeleton 522 and the first support member 51, the skeleton 522 does not need to consider the surface friction coefficient and can be selected with a material that has better support performance. For example, in some embodiments, the first support member 51 and the second support member 52 can be made of metal.

[0073] It should be noted that the coefficient of friction between the sliding mating part 53 and the limiting groove 512 is less than the coefficient of friction between the skeleton 522 and the slot 511. In this way, by using the cooperation between the sliding mating part 53 and the limiting groove 512 to reduce the contact surface between the skeleton 522 and the first support member 51, the frictional resistance of the screen support assembly 50 can be reduced as a whole, so that the screen support assembly 50 can move flexibly to support the flexible screen 20 while maintaining the smoothness of the flexible screen 20's extension and retraction.

[0074] In some embodiments, the sliding mating part 53 is made of polyoxymethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride or nylon 65, so that the sliding mating part 53 has self-lubricating properties and improves the smoothness of the relative movement of the first support 51 and the second support 52.

[0075] Combination Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, the sliding engagement member 53 includes a main body portion 531 and a sliding engagement portion 532 connected to each other. The main body portion 531 is connected to the frame 522, and the sliding engagement portion 532 protrudes from the side of the frame 522 and slides into the limiting groove 512. In some embodiments, the frame 522 has a hole 522a, such as... Figure 13 As shown, at least a portion of the structure of the main body 531 is embedded in the hole 522a, thereby improving the connection stability between the sliding mating part 53 and the skeleton 522, so that when the skeleton 522 moves in the slot 511 along the first direction, the main body 531 is not easy to fall off the skeleton 522.

[0076] Combination Figure 12 and Figure 13 As shown, along the second direction, there is a gap between the sliding engagement part 532 and the groove wall of the limiting groove 512, and the gap between the sliding engagement part 532 and the groove wall of the limiting groove 512 is smaller than the gap between the skeleton 522 and the groove wall of the slot 511. Therefore, during the movement of the skeleton 522 along the slot 511, in this second direction, the sliding engagement part 532 preferentially contacts the groove wall of the limiting groove 512, so that the skeleton 522 will not contact the groove wall of the slot 511, thereby reducing the contact friction between the skeleton 522 and the groove wall of the slot 511, making the movement of the skeleton 522 in the slot 511 smoother, so as to improve the smoothness of the screen support assembly 50 with the extension and retraction of the shell assembly 10, providing good support for the flexible screen 20 while ensuring the smooth extension and retraction of the flexible screen 20.

[0077] In some embodiments, along a third direction, there is a gap between the sliding engagement portion 532 and the groove wall of the limiting groove 512, and the gap between the sliding engagement portion 532 and the groove wall of the limiting groove 512 is smaller than the gap between the frame 522 and the groove wall of the slot 511, wherein the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction. With this structural arrangement, in this third direction, the sliding engagement portion 532 can preferentially contact the groove wall of the limiting groove 512, so that a gap is maintained between the frame 522 and the groove wall of the slot 511, thereby reducing the contact friction between the frame 522 and the groove wall of the slot 511 and improving the smoothness of the screen support assembly 50's extension and retraction movement with the shell assembly 10.

[0078] Continue reading Figure 13 As shown, the first support member 51 has a first support surface 51a, and the slot 511 passes through the first support surface 51a. The frame 522 has a second support surface 52a, and the second support surface 52a and the first support surface 51a together support the flexible screen 20. During the sliding process of the sliding mating member 53 along the limiting groove 512, the second support surface 52a is flush with the first support surface 51a, thereby providing flat support for the flexible screen 20.

[0079] It should be noted that the skeleton 522 can maintain a gap between itself and the side wall of the slot 511, or it can maintain a gap between itself and the bottom wall of the slot 511. Specifically, as shown... Figure 13 As shown, the groove wall of slot 511 adjacent to the first support surface 51a defines the side wall of slot 511, and there is a gap between the skeleton 522 and the side wall of slot 511. The groove wall of slot 511 facing the first support surface 51a defines the bottom wall of slot 511, and there is a gap between the side of skeleton 522 facing away from the second support surface 52a and the bottom wall of slot 511.

[0080] In other embodiments, the slot 511 may not penetrate the first support surface 51a. Specifically, as shown below... Figure 14As shown, the first support member 51 has a support surface 51b, a back surface 51c, and a side surface (not shown). The support surface 51b supports the flexible screen 20, the back surface 51c is opposite to the support surface 51b, and the side surface is connected between the support surface 51b and the side surface 51c. The slot 511 is located between the support surface 51b and the back surface 51c, and extends through the side surface to form an insertion port. The frame 522 is telescopically inserted into the slot 511 through the insertion port. With this structure, the insertion and engagement of the frame 522 and the slot 511 can still meet the support requirements of the flexible screen 20. Understandably, in this embodiment, the sliding engagement of the frame 522 and the limiting groove 512 can also maintain a gap between the frame 522 and at least one side wall of the slot 511, thereby reducing the contact friction between the frame 522 and the first support member 51 and improving the smoothness of the telescopic movement of the flexible screen 20 supported by the screen support assembly 50.

[0081] Combination Figure 15 As shown, the sliding engagement 53 is located at the end of the skeleton 522 away from the spine strip 521, so that the sliding engagement 53 can play a sliding aid role at the end position of the skeleton 522.

[0082] In some embodiments, a positioning pin 521a is connected to the spine 521 to fix it relative to the second housing 14. In other embodiments, the spine 521 may be snap-fitted to the second housing 14, or the spine 521 may be connected to the second housing 14 by screws. The connection method between the spine 521 and the second housing 14 is not limited here. By connecting the spine 521 to the second housing 14, the spine 521 can move relative to the first support member 51 with the second housing 14, for example, by combining... Figure 16 and Figure 17 As shown, when the second housing 14 moves, the second support member 52 moves relative to the first support member 51 along with the second housing 14.

[0083] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0084] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A screen support component, characterized in that, include: The first support member has multiple slots, each of which extends along a first direction and is arranged parallel to each other along a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction. The slot wall has a limiting groove extending along the first direction. The first support member has a first support surface, and the slots penetrate the first support surface. The second support includes a spine and a plurality of skeletons connected to the spine. The plurality of skeletons are arranged in a comb-like pattern and are movably inserted into the plurality of slots. The skeleton has a second support surface, which, together with the first support surface, is used to support the portion of the screen of the electronic device that is exposed from the shell assembly. Multiple sliding fittings are connected to multiple skeletons. The sliding fittings slide with the limiting grooves and are used to limit the skeletons so that a gap is maintained between the skeletons and at least one groove wall of the slot.

2. The screen support assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hardness of the skeleton is greater than the hardness of the sliding mating part; And / or, the coefficient of friction between the sliding mating member and the limiting groove is less than the coefficient of friction between the skeleton and the slot.

3. The screen support assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The sliding mating parts are made of polyoxymethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, or nylon 65, and the skeleton is made of metal.

4. The screen support assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sliding engagement component includes a main body and a sliding engagement portion connected to each other. The main body is connected to the skeleton, and the sliding engagement portion protrudes from the side of the skeleton and slides into the limiting groove.

5. The screen support assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, Along the second direction, there is a gap between the sliding mating part and the groove wall of the limiting groove, and the gap between the sliding mating part and the groove wall of the limiting groove is smaller than the gap between the skeleton and the groove wall of the slot.

6. The screen support assembly according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, Along the third direction upward, there is a gap between the sliding engagement part and the groove wall of the limiting groove, and the gap between the sliding engagement part and the groove wall of the limiting groove is smaller than the gap between the skeleton and the groove wall of the slot, wherein the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

7. The screen support assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, During the sliding process of the sliding component along the limiting groove, the second support surface is flush with the first support surface.

8. The screen support assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sliding fit is located at the end of the skeleton away from the vertebral strip.

9. The screen support assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The skeleton has holes, and at least a portion of the sliding fit is embedded in the holes.

10. The screen support assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first support member has a support surface, a back surface, and a side surface. The support surface is used to support the flexible screen. The back surface is opposite to the support surface. The side surface is connected between the support surface and the side surface. The slot is located between the support surface and the back surface and extends through the side surface to form an insertion port. The frame is retractably inserted into the slot from the insertion port.

11. An electronic device, characterized in that, The device includes a shell assembly, a flexible screen, and a screen support assembly as described in any one of claims 1-10. The shell assembly includes a first shell and a second shell, the first shell and the second shell being movable relative to each other in a first direction. The flexible screen is connected to the first shell and the second shell. A portion of the structure of the flexible screen is extended from or retracted into the shell assembly as the first shell and the second shell move relative to each other. The screen support assembly is used to support the portion of the flexible screen that is extended from the shell assembly.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11, characterized in that, The first support member is fixed relative to the first housing, the spine is fixed relative to the second housing, the flexible screen has a fixed part and a free part, the fixed part is connected to the first support member, the free part surrounds the side of the second support member near the spine and can move relative to the second support member as the first housing and the second housing move relative to each other.

13. The electronic device according to claim 11, characterized in that, The first support member is fixed relative to the first housing, the spine is fixed relative to the second housing, the flexible screen has a fixed part and a free part, the fixed part is connected to the second support member, the free part surrounds the side of the first support member that is farther away from the spine, and can move relative to the first support member as the first housing and the second housing move relative to each other.

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