Hinge mechanisms and electronic devices

Abstract

This application discloses a hinge mechanism and an electronic device, relating to the field of electronic devices. The hinge mechanism includes a base, a first swing arm assembly, a second swing arm assembly, a first support plate, and a second support plate. Both the first and second swing arm assemblies are rotatably connected to the base, and their rotation axes are parallel to each other. The first support plate is mounted on the side of the base where the first swing arm assembly is located, and the second support plate is mounted on the side of the base where the second swing arm assembly is located. When the hinge mechanism is in a folded state, the first swing arm assembly and the first support plate are in a limiting engagement to restrict the first swing arm assembly from moving relative to the first support plate along the thickness direction of the base.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of electronic equipment technology, specifically relating to a hinge mechanism and an electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] With technological advancements, user demand for foldable electronic devices that combine large display areas with high portability is gradually increasing. However, if an electronic device using a current hinge mechanism is dropped while folded, and the hinge cover is in contact with the ground, the hinge cover will retract upon impact, squeezing and deforming the flexible screen. This can easily damage the flexible screen and disrupt the fit between internal components, affecting the lifespan of the electronic device. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this application is to provide a hinge mechanism and an electronic device to solve the problem that when a foldable electronic device is dropped, if the side where the hinge cover is located is impacted, the flexible screen will be squeezed and the assembly relationship between the hinge mechanism and the internal components of the electronic device will be damaged.

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a hinge mechanism, which includes a base, a first swing arm assembly, a second swing arm assembly, a first support plate, and a second support plate. The first swing arm assembly and the second swing arm assembly are both rotatably connected to the base. The rotation axes of the first swing arm assembly and the second swing arm assembly are parallel to each other. The first support plate is installed on the side of the base where the first swing arm assembly is located, and the second support plate is installed on the side of the base where the second swing arm assembly is located.

[0005] When the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the first swing arm assembly and the first support plate are in a limiting engagement to restrict the first swing arm assembly from moving relative to the first support plate along the thickness direction of the base.

[0006] Secondly, this application discloses an electronic device comprising a first base, a second base, a display screen, and the aforementioned hinge mechanism, wherein the first base and the second base are both connected to the hinge mechanism, and the display screen is supported on the first base and the second base.

[0007] This application discloses a hinge mechanism in which a first swing arm assembly and a second swing arm assembly are rotatably connected to a base, and the rotation axes of the first and second swing arm assemblies are parallel to each other, enabling the hinge mechanism to perform normal folding and unfolding actions. Simultaneously, a first support plate and a second support plate are respectively provided on one side of the base where the first and second swing arm assemblies are located, to provide support for the portion of the electronic device's display screen corresponding to the hinge mechanism. Typically, the hinge cover in the hinge mechanism is located on the side of the base opposite to its display side, to provide protection and shielding for the components within the hinge mechanism.

[0008] Furthermore, when the aforementioned hinge mechanism is in a folded state, the first swing arm assembly can engage with the first support plate to limit its movement relative to the first support plate along the thickness direction of the base. Therefore, even if the side of the hinge cover is impacted when the electronic device using the hinge mechanism of this application is in a folded state and falls, the limiting action between the first swing arm assembly and the first support plate prevents the first swing arm assembly from continuously moving relative to the first support plate along the thickness direction of the base. This prevents the base connected to the first swing arm assembly from collapsing inwards, thus preventing damage to the flexible screen in the electronic device using the aforementioned hinge mechanism and disrupting the fit between components within the hinge mechanism, thereby extending the service life of both the hinge mechanism and the electronic device. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the electronic device disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0010] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the electronic device disclosed in an embodiment of this application at another location;

[0011] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the hinge mechanism disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0012] Figure 4 This is an enlarged view of a portion of the structure in the first bracket of the hinge mechanism disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0013] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the hinge mechanism disclosed in the embodiments of this application in the unfolded state;

[0014] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 Enlarged view of the middle section structure;

[0015] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the hinge mechanism disclosed in this application in an intermediate state between the unfolded state and the folded state.

[0016] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 Enlarged view of the middle section structure;

[0017] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the hinge mechanism disclosed in the embodiments of this application in a folded state;

[0018] Figure 10 yes Figure 9 Enlarged view of the middle part of the structure.

[0019] The attached diagram is described as follows:

[0020] 110-First support, 111-Slide groove, 111a-Arc segment, 120-Second support

[0021] 210-First swing arm assembly, 211-Rotary connection part, 212-Sliding fit part, 213-First limiting part, 213a-Limiting boss, 220-Second swing arm assembly,

[0022] 310 - First support plate, 311 - Limiting part, 311a - Clearance angle, 312 - Support part, 313 - Connecting part, 320 - Second support plate, 330 - Support flange, 331 - Guide angle

[0023] 400-Hinge Cover

[0024] 510 - First seat, 520 - Second seat

[0025] 600 - Display screen. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0027] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and not to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such use of data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this application can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and the number of objects is not limited; for example, a first object can be one or more. Furthermore, in the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0028] like Figure 3-10 As shown, and in combination Figure 1 and Figure 2 This application discloses a hinge mechanism that can be applied to foldable electronic devices, specifically to inward-folding electronic devices. That is, in an electronic device in a folded state, the display screen 600 is located on the inside and surrounded by the casing of the electronic device. The display screen 600 of this electronic device is not easily damaged, thereby improving the service life of the electronic device.

[0029] like Figure 1 As shown, the hinge mechanism includes a base, a first swing arm assembly 210, a second swing arm assembly 220, a first support plate 310, and a second support plate 320. Of course, the hinge mechanism may also include a first bracket 110, a second bracket 120, and a hinge cover 400, as well as a first connecting arm for connecting the first bracket 110 to the base and a second connecting arm for connecting the second bracket 120 to the base, etc. For the sake of brevity, these will not be described in detail here.

[0030] The base is the fundamental component of the hinge mechanism, serving as the mounting base for other components and enabling interconnection to form a unified whole. The base can be made of rigid materials such as metal or plastic, and may have slots or holes for connecting to or mounting other components. In practical applications, the specific shape and structure of the base can be determined based on the actual situation; this article does not impose any limitations on this.

[0031] The first bracket 110 and the second bracket 120 are hinge mechanisms used to connect to the base of an electronic device when applied to the device. The base is a component in the electronic device used to support the display screen 600, and specifically may include a first base 510 and a second base 520. By connecting the first bracket 110 to the first base 510 and the second bracket 120 to the second base 520, the first bracket 110 and the second bracket 120 can be driven to rotate relative to each other when the first base 510 and the second base 520 rotate relative to each other.

[0032] The first swing arm assembly 210 and the second swing arm assembly 220 have the same function. Both can provide synchronous rotation so that the first bracket 110 and the second bracket 120 can rotate synchronously relative to the base. When this hinge mechanism is applied to electronic devices, the first base 510 and the second base 520, which are respectively connected to the first bracket 110 and the second bracket 120, can also rotate synchronously relative to the base. This drives the corresponding display screen 600 or a part of the display screen 600 to rotate relative to the base at equal angles, improving the user experience of the electronic device and extending the service life of the display screen 600.

[0033] Both the first support plate 310 and the second support plate 320 provide support for the portion of the display screen 600 of the electronic device corresponding to the hinge mechanism. Furthermore, both can be made of rigid materials to ensure good support performance.

[0034] The hinge cover 400 is used to provide shielding and protection for the components in the hinge mechanism. The specific shape of the hinge cover 400 can be determined according to the actual shape of the corresponding component in the hinge mechanism. The hinge cover 400 can be installed on the base, or it can be installed on the first base 510 and the second base 520 of the electronic device. This article does not limit this.

[0035] To integrate the aforementioned components in the hinge mechanism into a single unit, forming the hinge mechanism, the first bracket 110 and the second bracket 120 are rotatably connected to opposite sides of the base, respectively, so that the hinge mechanism has the ability to unfold and fold. Specifically, the first bracket 110 and the second bracket 120 can be rotatably connected to the base via the aforementioned first connecting arm and second connecting arm, respectively.

[0036] Both the first swing arm assembly 210 and the second swing arm assembly 220 are rotatably connected to the base, and they move synchronously. Specifically, both the first swing arm assembly 210 and the second swing arm assembly 220 can be mounted on the base via a pivot, and the outer periphery of the end of each assembly connected to the base can be provided with gear teeth. Through the meshing of the gear teeth, they can achieve synchronous rotation. Of course, gear sets or the like can also be used as bridging components between the first swing arm assembly 210 and the second swing arm assembly 220, thereby ensuring that the first swing arm assembly 210 and the second swing arm assembly 220 have the ability to rotate synchronously, while also making the size of the first swing arm assembly 210 and the second swing arm assembly 220 relatively small, improving the compactness of the components in the hinge mechanism.

[0037] Meanwhile, by making the rotation axes of the first swing arm assembly 210 and the second swing arm assembly 220 parallel to the rotation axis of the first bracket 110, the first swing arm assembly 210 and the second swing arm assembly 220 respectively have the ability to form a cooperative relationship with the first bracket 110 and the second bracket 120, so that the first swing arm assembly 210 and the first bracket 110 can drive each other to rotate relative to the base, and the second swing arm assembly 220 and the second bracket 120 can drive each other to rotate relative to the base.

[0038] In detail, the first swing arm assembly 210 is slidably engaged with the first bracket 110, and the second swing arm assembly 220 is slidably engaged with the second bracket 120. This allows the other to rotate relative to the base when one of the first swing arm assembly 210 or the first bracket 110 rotates relative to the base. Specifically, during the assembly of the first bracket 110 and the second bracket 120, to make the hinge mechanism more compact, the rotation axes of the first bracket 110 and the second bracket 120 are usually not located on the base, but outside the base. This means that the rotation axes of the first bracket 110 and the first swing arm assembly 210 are not on the same straight line. As a result, when both the first bracket 110 and the first swing arm assembly 210 rotate relative to the base, relative displacement will occur between them. Therefore, by making them slidably engaged, they can have the ability to move relative to each other, so as to allow them to drive each other without interfering with their rotation relative to the base. Similarly, the second swing arm assembly 220 and the second bracket 120 are also like this, but for the sake of brevity, they will not be repeated here.

[0039] The first support plate 310 is mounted on the first bracket 110. Specifically, the first support plate 310 can be fixedly mounted on the first bracket 110, so that the rotation angle of the first support plate 310 relative to the base is the same as the rotation angle of the first bracket 110 relative to the base. Correspondingly, the second support plate 320 can also be fixedly mounted on the second bracket 120, and the second support plate 320 can rotate with the second bracket 120 relative to the base. Thus, during the process of the hinge mechanism switching from the unfolded state to the folded state, the first support plate 310 and the second support plate 320 can be opened to provide a space for the flexible screen, so that the flexible screen can be located in the space between the first support plate 310 and the second support plate 320.

[0040] The hinge cover 400 is located on the side of the base away from the display side, or more specifically, on the side of the base away from the display screen 600, to provide shielding and protection for components in the hinge mechanism, including the base, the first swing arm assembly 210, and the second swing arm assembly 220. The hinge cover 400 can be connected to the base via pins or other connecting parts to ensure stable installation and reliable protection. Of course, during the installation of the hinge cover 400, appropriate clearance needs to be allowed for the movement of components such as the first swing arm assembly 210.

[0041] As described above, the first bracket 110 and the first swing arm assembly 210 are slidably engaged. Furthermore, to prevent the hinge cover from compressing the first swing arm assembly 210 and other components inwardly when the electronic device employing the hinge mechanism disclosed in this application falls, such as... Figure 1As shown, in the hinge mechanism disclosed in this application embodiment, when in a folded state, the first swing arm assembly 210 and the first support plate 310 are in a limiting cooperation to restrict the movement of the first swing arm assembly 210 relative to the first support plate 310 (or the first bracket 110) along the thickness direction of the base in the hinge mechanism in the folded state.

[0042] As described above, the first support plate 310 can be fixedly mounted on the first bracket 110. Furthermore, a portion of the first support plate 310 can extend into the structure within the first bracket 110 to form a sliding engagement with the first swing arm assembly 210. Specifically, the first bracket 110 may be provided with a groove 111, and the first swing arm assembly 210 is slidably mounted in the aforementioned groove 111. During the transition of the hinge mechanism from an unfolded state to a folded state, the size of the portion of the first swing arm assembly 210 located in the groove 111 gradually increases.

[0043] Based on this, a portion of the first support plate 310 can also extend into the aforementioned slide groove 111. The dimensions and other parameters of the portion of the first support plate 310 extending into the slide groove 111 can be designed according to the sliding stroke of the first swing arm assembly 210. This ensures that the first support plate 310 can provide a limiting effect for the first swing arm assembly 210 without hindering its normal operation. When the hinge cover 400 in the hinge mechanism is collided, the first swing arm assembly 210 is restricted from continuing to increase the size of the portion extending into the slide groove 111. In other words, the first swing arm assembly 210 is restricted from retracting relative to the entire hinge mechanism.

[0044] Of course, given different assembly relationships of components in the hinge mechanism, there are various ways to form the limiting relationship between the first swing arm assembly 210 and the first support plate 310. For the sake of brevity, these will not be described in detail here. It should be noted that the thickness direction of the base is specifically... Figure 1 In other words, when the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the direction perpendicular to the support surface of the hinge mechanism is the thickness direction of the base; or, when the electronic device is in the unfolded state, the thickness direction of the display screen 600 is also the thickness direction of the base.

[0045] This application discloses a hinge mechanism in which a first swing arm assembly 210 and a second swing arm assembly 220 are rotatably connected to a base, and the rotation axes of the first swing arm assembly 210 and the second swing arm assembly 220 are parallel to each other, enabling the hinge mechanism to perform normal folding and unfolding actions. Simultaneously, a first support plate 310 and a second support plate 320 are respectively provided on one side of the base where the first swing arm assembly 210 and the second swing arm assembly 220 are located, to provide support for the part of the display screen 600 of the electronic device corresponding to the hinge mechanism. Typically, the hinge cover 400 in the hinge mechanism is located on the side of the base opposite to its display side, to provide protection and shielding for the components in the hinge mechanism.

[0046] Furthermore, when the hinge mechanism is in a folded state, the first swing arm assembly 210 can engage with the first support plate 310 to limit the movement of the first swing arm assembly 210 relative to the first support plate 310 along the thickness direction of the base in the folded hinge mechanism. Thus, even if the side where the hinge cover 400 is located is impacted when the electronic device using the hinge mechanism of this application is in a folded state and is dropped, the first swing arm assembly 210 cannot continue to move relative to the first support plate 310 along the thickness direction of the base due to the limiting effect between the first swing arm assembly 210 and the first support plate 310. This prevents the base connected to the first swing arm assembly 210 from collapsing inward, thus preventing the flexible screen in the electronic device using the hinge mechanism from being squeezed and damaged. It also prevents the cooperation relationship of the components in the hinge mechanism from being disrupted, thereby improving the service life of the hinge mechanism and the electronic device.

[0047] As described above, the first support plate 310 can be fixedly mounted on the first bracket 110. In order to further reduce the gap between the first bracket 110 and the second bracket 120 in the hinge mechanism in the folded state, and to reduce the degree of compression of the middle part of the display screen 600, optionally, in this embodiment, the side of the first support plate 310 away from the base is rotatably connected to the side of the first bracket 110, and the side of the second support plate 320 away from the base is rotatably connected to the second bracket 120. When the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the support surfaces of the first support plate 310 and the second support plate 320 are coplanar. When the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the first support plate 310 and the second support plate 320 have a flared structure with the flared openings facing the base. Thus, when the electronic device using the hinge mechanism disclosed in this embodiment is in the folded state, the middle part of the display screen 600 can be bent to form a structure similar to a "water droplet". This can significantly reduce the degree of bending of the display screen 600, thereby improving the service life of the display screen 600.

[0048] Specifically, in order to ensure that the first support plate 310 and the second support plate 320 can rotate toward the first bracket 110 and the second bracket 120 respectively, so that when the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the first support plate 310 and the second support plate 320 can form an flared structure toward the base, in the design of the first bracket 110 and the second bracket 120, the first bracket 110 and the second bracket 120 can each have a clearance space on the side toward the first support plate 310 and the second support plate 320, to ensure that the first support plate 310 can rotate toward the first bracket 110, and to ensure that the second support plate 320 can rotate toward the second bracket 120.

[0049] The source of the driving force for the rotation of the first support plate 310 and the second support plate 320 relative to the first bracket 110 and the second bracket 120, respectively, can include the display screen 600. Specifically, during the hinge mechanism's transition to the folded state, the display screen 600, due to its own flexibility, can drive the first support plate 310 and the second support plate 320 to rotate relative to the first bracket 110 and the second bracket 120, respectively, thus providing a larger accommodating space for the display screen 600. During the hinge mechanism's transition to the unfolded state, the first connecting arm and the second connecting arm can provide driving and supporting functions for the first support plate 310 and the second support plate 320, respectively, allowing them to rotate from their flared shape to a state where the supporting surfaces are coplanar. Under the supporting action of the first connecting arm and the second connecting arm, both the first support plate 310 and the second support plate 320 can provide stable support for the display screen 600.

[0050] Based on the hinge mechanism disclosed in the above embodiments, since the first support plate 310 and the first bracket 110 have the ability to rotate relative to each other, the first support plate 310 cannot form a limiting engagement relationship with the first swing arm assembly 210 by partially extending into the slide groove 111 of the first bracket 110. Therefore, a limiting structure can be set on the side of the first support plate 310 away from its display screen 600 support surface, and corresponding engaging protrusions can be set at the corresponding positions of the first swing arm assembly 210 so that the first support plate 310 can still provide a limiting function for the first swing arm assembly 210, preventing the first swing arm assembly 210 from moving relative to the first bracket 110 along the thickness direction of the base in the hinge mechanism in the folded state.

[0051] Optionally, the first swing arm assembly 210 includes a rotatable connecting portion 211, a sliding engagement portion 212, and a first limiting portion 213. The rotatable connecting portion 211 is rotatably connected to the base, thereby enabling the entire first swing arm assembly 210 to rotate relative to the base. Correspondingly, the portion of the first swing arm assembly 210 used for synchronous connection with the second swing arm assembly 220 is also the rotatable connecting portion 211. The sliding engagement portion 212 and the first limiting portion 213 are both connected to the side of the rotatable connecting portion 211 away from the base, and the sliding engagement portion 212 and the first limiting portion 213 are distributed and interconnected along the direction of the rotation axis of the first swing arm assembly 210.

[0052] That is, in this embodiment, the structure of the first swing arm assembly 210 away from the base is divided into a sliding engagement part 212 and a first limiting part 213 according to different functions. The sliding engagement part 212 is slidably engaged with the first bracket 110, while the first limiting part 213 can be limited to engage with the first support plate 310 when the hinge mechanism is in a folded state. By adopting the technical solution disclosed in this embodiment, the structural design difficulty of the first swing arm assembly 210 can be reduced, and the overall structure of the first swing arm assembly 210 can be simplified to a certain extent, thereby improving the space utilization efficiency inside the hinge mechanism.

[0053] In addition, when adopting the above-mentioned technical solutions disclosed in the embodiments of this application, the structure of the first support plate 310 also needs to be adapted to the structure of the first swing arm assembly 210 to ensure that the first support plate 310 will not hinder the sliding fit relationship between the sliding fit part 212 and the first bracket 110, and to ensure that the first support plate 310 can form a corresponding limiting fit relationship with the first limiting part 213.

[0054] To reduce the design difficulty of the hinge mechanism, more specifically, a limiting boss 213a can be provided only on the first limiting part 213, and the limiting boss 213a can be directly engaged with the side of the first support plate 310 near the base. This makes the design difficulty of the first support plate 310 relatively lower, so as to restrict the movement of the first swing arm assembly 210 relative to the first bracket 110 along the thickness direction of the base by using the limiting boss 213a to limit the movement of the first swing arm assembly 210 relative to the first bracket 110 by using the limiting boss 213a to limit the movement of the first swing arm assembly 210 relative to the first bracket 110 along the thickness direction of the base.

[0055] Specifically, since the first support plate 310 directly supports the display screen 600, in the hinge mechanism, the first swing arm assembly 210 is located on the side of the first support plate 310 away from its display side in the thickness direction of the first support plate 310. Simultaneously, when the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the limiting boss 213a is positioned away from the base along the thickness direction of the base, and the first support plate 310 is located on the side of the limiting boss 213a away from the base. That is, the limiting boss 213a is positioned towards the direction of the first support plate 310, thereby enabling the limiting boss 213a to engage with the first support plate 310 to limit the movement of the first swing arm assembly 210 relative to the first bracket 110 along the thickness direction of the base in the folded hinge mechanism.

[0056] Specifically, the limiting boss 213a can extend to the display screen support side of the first swing arm assembly 210, that is, the side of the first swing arm assembly 210 facing the display screen 600, thereby ensuring that the first support plate 310 located on the display screen support side of the first swing arm assembly 210 can form a cooperative relationship with the limiting boss 213a.

[0057] More specifically, the side of the first support plate 310 near the base can be flat, so that the limiting boss 213a forms a corresponding mating structure based on the aforementioned side of the first support plate 310. This allows the side of the first support plate 310 near the base to be supported on the limiting surface of the limiting boss 213a facing the first support plate 310 (or away from the base), so that the first support plate 310 and the first swing arm assembly 210 form a mating relationship. Moreover, the limiting directions of the two have at least a component along the thickness direction of the base. This prevents the base from moving relative to the first bracket 110 towards the first support plate 310 under the limiting action of the first swing arm assembly 210, thereby preventing the base from shrinking inward. This also prevents the hinge cover 400 installed on the base from shrinking inward even when subjected to a collision.

[0058] As described above, the first support plate 310 provides support for the display screen 600. However, in the design of the hinge mechanism, to avoid obstructing the base, the first support plate 310 and the second support plate 320 typically have a relatively large gap in the unfolded hinge mechanism. Therefore, to maximize the supporting capacity of the first support plate 310, optionally, as... Figure 1 As shown, the first support plate 310 has a support flange 330 on the side near the base. The support surface of the support flange 330 is coplanar with the support surface of the first support plate 310, so that the support flange 330 can provide support for the display screen 600 together with the first support plate 310, thereby increasing the support area of ​​the display screen 600.

[0059] With the support flange 330 provided, in order to prevent interference between the support flange 330 and the base during the rotation of the first support plate 310 relative to the first bracket 110, such as Figure 1 As shown, the side of the support flange 330 facing away from its support surface is recessed relative to the side of the first support plate 310 facing away from its support surface. Specifically, both the first support plate 310 and the support flange 330 have two opposing sides, designated as a first side and a second side. The first side of the first support plate 310 and the support flange 330 are their respective display screen support surfaces (denoted as the front), and the second side is their back surface, both facing the first swing arm assembly 210. In this embodiment, by recessing the second side of the support flange 330 relative to the second side of the first support plate 310, a limiting platform can be formed. Alternatively, the distance between the first and second sides of the support flange 330 is less than the distance between the first and second sides at the end of the first support plate 310 near the base; or, the thickness of the support flange 330 is less than the thickness of the end of the first support plate 310 near the base.

[0060] With the thinner support flange 330 connected to the side of the first support plate 310 near the base, the support flange 330 can form a limiting countersunk with the first support plate 310. This limiting countersunk allows the first support plate 310 to still maintain a limiting engagement with the limiting boss 213a of the first swing arm assembly 210. Essentially, the portion used for limiting engagement with the limiting boss 213a is still the side of the first support plate 310 near the base.

[0061] When the first support plate 310 is provided with a support flange 330, in order to prevent the limiting boss 213a of the first swing arm assembly 210 from directly limiting each other with the support flange 330, such as Figure 1 As shown, at the end of the support flange 330 away from the first support plate 310, a guide angle 331 is provided on the side of the support flange 330 away from its support surface. That is, a guide angle 331 is provided on the side of the support flange 330 facing the first swing arm assembly 210. Under the action of the guide angle 331, the support flange 330 can avoid the limiting boss 213a, thereby preventing the support flange 330 from forming a limiting engagement relationship with the limiting boss 213a, which would affect the normal unfolding and folding action of the hinge mechanism.

[0062] Of course, in designing the first support plate 310 and the first swing arm assembly 210, it is also necessary to ensure that there is a preset distance between the side of the first support plate 310 near the base and the limiting boss 213a. Specifically, when the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the preset distance between the side of the first support plate 310 near the base and the limiting boss 213a is necessary to prevent the supporting protrusion 330 from obstructing the normal movement of the first support plate 310 when it rotates relative to the first swing arm assembly 210 during the hinge mechanism's transition to the unfolded state. More specifically, the aforementioned preset distance can be determined according to the specific structure of the hinge mechanism, and should be as small as possible without affecting the normal rotation of the hinge mechanism.

[0063] Based on the above, in order to further prevent the limiting boss 213a from hindering the rotation of the first support plate 310 relative to the first swing arm assembly 210, and to make the distance between the first support plate 310 and the limiting boss 213a in the hinge mechanism in the folded state smaller, optionally, an avoidance angle 311a is provided on the side of the first support plate 310 near the base, on the side facing away from the support surface of the first support plate 310. Under the action of the avoidance angle 311a, the degree of obstruction of the first support plate 310 by the limiting boss 213a can be further reduced, and the size of the preset distance between the first support plate 310 and the limiting boss 213a can be further reduced.

[0064] As described above, the first swing arm assembly 210 and the first bracket 110 are in a sliding engagement. Optionally, the first swing arm assembly 210 and the first bracket 110 are in a sliding engagement relationship along a certain straight line. In another embodiment of this application, the first swing arm assembly 210 and the first bracket 110 can have a slight rotational engagement relationship while in a sliding engagement.

[0065] As described above, the first swing arm assembly 210 includes a sliding engagement portion 212 that slidably engages with the first bracket 110. More specifically, the first bracket 110 is provided with a groove 111, and the sliding engagement portion 212 is slidably installed within the groove 111. In this embodiment, the sliding engagement portion 212 is an arc-shaped structural member, and the sliding engagement portion 212 protrudes in a direction away from the support surface of the first support plate 310.

[0066] Based on the above-described sliding fit part 212, in order to ensure that the sliding fit part 212 can still slide normally within the slide groove 111, such as Figure 4 As shown, the slide groove 111 includes multiple arc segments 111a, and the multiple arc segments 111a are connected in sequence. Of course, the arc and bending direction of each of the multiple arc segments 111a can be determined based on the specific parameters of the sliding mating part 212, and are not limited here.

[0067] Based on the sliding engagement part 212 and the sliding groove 111 of the above structure, the gap between the sliding engagement part 212 and the sliding groove 111 can change during the switching between the unfolded and folded states of the hinge mechanism. Specifically, as Figures 5-10 As shown, when the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the minimum gaps between the opposite sides of the sliding engagement part 212 and the opposite side walls of the slide groove 111 are the first gap and the second gap, respectively; when the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the minimum gaps between the opposite sides of the sliding engagement part 212 and the opposite side walls of the slide groove 111 are the third gap and the fourth gap, respectively, wherein the third gap is smaller than the first gap and the second gap, and the fourth gap is smaller than the first gap and the second gap.

[0068] More specifically, when the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the gap between one of the opposite sides of the sliding fit part 212 and the side wall of the opposite slide groove 111 is the first gap, and the gap between the other of the opposite sides of the sliding fit part 212 and the other side wall of the opposite slide groove 111 is the second gap.

[0069] In this embodiment, by adopting the above-described structure for the sliding engagement part 212 and the slide groove 111, when the hinge mechanism is in a folded state, if the hinge cover 400 is subjected to a collision and causes the base and the first swing arm assembly 210 to collapse inward, the gap between the sliding engagement part 212 and the side wall of the slide groove 111 is smaller when the hinge mechanism is in a folded state. Furthermore, the sliding engagement part 212 protrudes inward toward the support surface of the first support plate 310, so that after the first swing arm assembly 210 generates a very small displacement, the sliding engagement part 212 will be stuck by the corresponding non-linear part in the slide groove 111. Moreover, due to the influence of the above-described arc-shaped sliding engagement part 212, the more the first swing arm assembly 210 retracts inward, the greater the degree of being stuck, thereby further preventing the first swing arm assembly 210 from collapsing inward.

[0070] Therefore, even if a preset interval is set between the first support plate 310 and the limiting boss 213a on the side of the first support plate 310 near the base in order to ensure that the first support plate 310 can rotate relative to the first swing arm assembly 210, the first swing arm assembly 210 will not move inward relative to the first bracket 110.

[0071] As described above, the first support plate 310 can form a limiting engagement with the first swing arm assembly 210. Optionally, the first support plate 310 is made of a hard material such as plastic. To prevent the first support plate 310 from becoming brittle due to the impact force when the hinge mechanism is subjected to an impact, and the force is transmitted from the first swing arm assembly 210 to the first support plate 310, in another embodiment of this application, the first support plate 310 includes a limiting part 311, which is a metal structural component, and the first support plate 310 is limited to a limiting boss 213a through the limiting part 311. In this case, the limiting part 311, which has relatively high strength and rigidity, will not be damaged when subjected to an impact, thereby improving the service life of the first support plate 310.

[0072] More specifically, the entire first support plate 310 can be made of metal, thereby ensuring relatively good overall structural strength and support stability. In another embodiment of this application, the first support plate 310 further includes a support portion 312, which is a non-metallic rigid structural component, and the support portion 312 and the limiting portion 311 can be fixedly connected by a connecting portion 313 such as a riveting member. In this case, using the non-metallic support portion 312 as the part of the first support plate 310 that does not directly limit the engagement with the first swing arm assembly 210 can significantly reduce the weight of the first support plate 310, making the hinge mechanism lighter. Of course, in the process of selecting the forming material of the support portion 312, it is also necessary to ensure that the material has a certain degree of hardness to provide good support for the display screen 600. More specifically, the support portion 312 can be formed of materials such as plastic. In a specific embodiment of this application, the support portion 312 is formed of carbon fiber.

[0073] As described above, a limiting fit relationship can be formed between the first swing arm assembly 210 and the first support plate 310. In another embodiment of this application, the limiting fit relationship and corresponding structure between the first swing arm assembly 210 and the first support plate 310 can also be referenced to ensure that the second swing arm assembly 220 and the second support plate 320 can also form a similar limiting fit relationship by forming similar structures. This further prevents the hinge cover 400 from collapsing inward relative to the first bracket 110 and the second bracket 120 when the hinge cover 400 in the hinge mechanism is impacted in the folded state. In addition, in order to reduce the design and manufacturing difficulty of the first support plate 310, the second support plate 320, the first swing arm assembly 210 and the second swing arm assembly 220, the structures of the second swing arm assembly 220 and the first swing arm assembly 210 can be symmetrically arranged, and the structures of the second support plate 320 and the second support plate 320 can be symmetrically arranged.

[0074] Based on the aforementioned hinge mechanism, this application also discloses an electronic device, comprising a first base 510, a second base 520, a display screen 600, and any of the aforementioned hinge mechanisms. The hinge mechanism includes a first bracket 110 and a second bracket 120, with the first bracket 110 mounted on the first base 510 and the second bracket 120 mounted on the second base 520. This allows the first base 510 and the second base 520 to respectively drive the first bracket 110 and the second bracket 120 to rotate relative to the base, thereby enabling both the first base 510 and the second base 520 to form a corresponding assembly relationship with the hinge mechanism. The display screen 600 can specifically be a flexible screen, and can be supported on the first base 510 and the second base 520, ensuring that the display screen 600 has a good display effect.

[0075] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A hinge mechanism, characterized by The hinge mechanism comprises a base, a first swing arm assembly, a second swing arm assembly, a first support plate and a second support plate, the first swing arm assembly and the second swing arm assembly are rotationally connected to the base, the rotation axes of the first swing arm assembly and the second swing arm assembly are parallel to each other, the first support plate is installed on the side of the base where the first swing arm assembly is located, and the second support plate is installed on the side of the base where the second swing arm assembly is located. The first swing arm assembly comprises a rotation connecting part and a first limiting part, the rotation connecting part is rotationally connected with the base, and the first limiting part is connected to the side of the rotation connecting part away from the base, and the first limiting part is provided with a limiting boss. In the case that the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the limiting boss of the first swing arm assembly is used for limiting cooperation with the side edge of the first support plate close to the base, so as to limit the movement of the first swing arm assembly along the thickness direction of the base relative to the first support plate.

2. The hinge mechanism of claim 1, wherein, The hinge mechanism comprises a first support and a second support, the side of the first support plate away from the base is rotationally connected with the first support, and the side of the second support plate away from the base is rotationally connected with the second support. The first swing arm assembly comprises a sliding cooperation part, the sliding cooperation part is connected to the side of the rotation connecting part away from the base, and the sliding cooperation part and the first limiting part are distributed along the direction of the rotation axis of the first swing arm assembly and connected with each other, and the sliding cooperation part is in sliding cooperation with the first support.

3. The hinge mechanism of claim 2, wherein, The side of the first support plate close to the base is provided with a support protrusion, the support surface of the support protrusion is coplanar with the support surface of the first support plate, and the side surface of the support protrusion away from the support surface thereof is recessed relative to the side surface of the first support plate away from the support surface thereof, so as to form a limiting sunken part, and the limiting sunken part is used for limiting cooperation with the limiting boss.

4. The hinge mechanism of claim 3, wherein, In the end of the support protrusion away from the first support plate, the side of the support protrusion away from the support surface thereof is provided with a guide corner. The side of the first support plate close to the base is provided with a recess corner away from the support surface of the first support plate.

5. The hinge mechanism of claim 2, wherein, The first support is provided with a sliding groove, the sliding cooperation part is slidingly installed in the sliding groove, the sliding cooperation part is an arc-shaped structural member, and the sliding cooperation part is protrudingly arranged away from the support surface of the first support plate. The sliding groove comprises a plurality of sequentially connected arc-shaped segments, in the case that the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the corresponding gaps between the opposite side surfaces of the sliding cooperation part and the opposite side walls of the sliding groove are respectively a first gap and a second gap, in the case that the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the corresponding gaps between the opposite side surfaces of the sliding cooperation part and the opposite side walls of the sliding groove are respectively a third gap and a fourth gap, the third gap is smaller than the first gap and the second gap, and the fourth gap is smaller than the first gap and the second gap.

6. The hinge mechanism of claim 1, wherein, The first support plate comprises a limiting part, the limiting part is a metal structural member, and the limiting part is in limiting cooperation with the first swing arm assembly.

7. The hinge mechanism of claim 6, wherein, The first support plate further comprises a support part which is a non-metallic hard structural member and is fixedly connected with the limiting part.

8. The hinge mechanism of claim 1, wherein, The second swing arm assembly is symmetrically arranged with the first swing arm assembly, and the second support plate is symmetrically arranged with the first support plate.

9. An electronic device, comprising: The display screen is supported on the first seat body and the second seat body.

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