Electronic device

Abstract

The application relates to an electronic device, comprising a shell assembly, a flexible display screen and a locking mechanism. The flexible display screen is connected to the shell assembly, the shell assembly is used for switching between an unfolded state and a folded state and driving the flexible display screen in and out of the shell assembly. The locking mechanism comprises a clamping piece and a locking assembly, the clamping piece and the locking assembly are respectively connected to the shell assembly, and in the process of switching the shell assembly from the folded state to the unfolded state, the clamping piece is used for driving the locking assembly to move to realize the clamping of the clamping piece and the locking assembly, so that the shell assembly is kept in the unfolded state. The above-mentioned electronic device, the clamping piece and the locking assembly can keep the electronic device in the unfolded state, so as to absorb the impact force by using the shell assembly in the unfolded state, prevent the shell assembly from being abnormally switched to the folded state due to the impact, and further prevent the related moving parts from being damaged due to the large relative movement, so as to improve the anti-impact performance of the electronic device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of terminal technology, and in particular to an electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] Flexible screens have the characteristic of being able to bend, which makes it possible to equip electronic devices with stretchable flexible screens. When the flexible screen of such electronic devices is in the folded state, the electronic devices have a relatively small overall size; when the flexible screen is in the unfolded state, the electronic devices have a relatively large display area.

[0003] Electronic devices equipped with retractable flexible screens typically use moving parts to move the flexible screen in and out of the housing. When the electronic device is in the unfolded state, it is prone to damage to the moving parts when subjected to impacts, such as accidental drops. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides an electronic device to improve its shock resistance.

[0005] An electronic device, comprising:

[0006] Shell assembly;

[0007] A flexible display screen is connected to the housing assembly, the housing assembly being used to switch between an unfolded state and a retracted state, and to move the flexible display screen in and out of the housing assembly; and

[0008] The locking mechanism includes a locking member and a locking component, which are respectively connected to the shell assembly. During the process of the shell assembly switching from a retracted state to an unfolded state, the locking member is used to drive the locking component to move so as to achieve the locking of the locking member and the locking component, so as to keep the shell assembly in the unfolded state.

[0009] The aforementioned electronic device, with its locking mechanism comprising a locking member and a locking assembly, which are respectively connected to the housing assembly, utilizes the locking member to drive the locking assembly during the transition of the housing assembly from a retracted state to an extended state. This engages the locking member and the locking assembly, keeping the housing assembly in the extended state. When the electronic device equipped with this locking mechanism is subjected to an impact in the extended state, such as an accidental drop, the engaging locking member and locking assembly allow the electronic device to remain in the extended state. This allows the housing assembly in the extended state to absorb the impact force, preventing the housing assembly from transitioning abnormally to a retracted state due to the impact. Consequently, it prevents damage caused by large relative movements of related moving parts, thereby improving the impact resistance of the electronic device.

[0010] In one embodiment, the shell assembly includes a first shell and a second shell slidable relative to the first shell, the flexible display screen is connected to the first shell and passes around the end of the second shell away from the first shell, the locking assembly is connected to the first shell, and the engaging member is connected to the second shell.

[0011] In one embodiment, the locking assembly includes a support member and a movable member, the movable member being movably disposed on the support member, and the engaging member having a slot; during the process of the shell assembly switching from a retracted state to an unfolded state, the engaging member is used to drive the movable member to move relative to the support member to move away from the engaging member in the circumferential direction; the movable member is also used to be driven to move relative to the support member to move closer to the engaging member in the circumferential direction and enter the slot, so that the movable member engages with the engaging member.

[0012] In one embodiment, the locking assembly includes a reset member abutting against the first housing and the support member. During the process of the housing assembly switching from a retracted state to an unfolded state, the engaging member is used to push the support member to move along the second housing away from the first housing to compress the reset member, and to drive the movable member away from the engaging member circumferentially. The reset member is used to push the support member to move along the second housing towards the first housing, so as to drive the movable member towards the engaging member circumferentially and into the slot.

[0013] In one embodiment, the movable element is a ball bearing and is rotatably disposed on the support.

[0014] In one embodiment, the support member has two or more spaced mounting holes along the circumferential direction, and each mounting hole corresponds to the movable member.

[0015] In one embodiment, the support member includes a truncated cone and a connecting portion connected to the truncated cone. The width of the cross-section of the truncated cone gradually decreases from one end of the truncated cone near the connecting portion to the end away from the connecting portion. The movable member is disposed on the truncated cone, and one end of the reset member is disposed on the connecting portion. The first housing is provided with a mounting boss, and the opposite end of the reset member abuts against the mounting boss. When the housing assembly is in the retracted state, the connecting portion and the mounting boss are spaced apart.

[0016] In one embodiment, the cone has a first through hole communicating with the mounting hole, the connecting part has a second through hole communicating with the first through hole, and the reset member passes through the second through hole; during the process of the shell assembly switching from a retracted state to an unfolded state, the engaging member is used to enter the support member from the first through hole and abut against the movable member to push the support member and the movable member to move.

[0017] In one embodiment, the locking mechanism includes a sleeve connected to the mounting boss, the sleeve being fitted onto the support member, and the end of the sleeve away from the mounting boss matching the shape of the frustum; when the housing assembly is in the retracted state, the reset member causes the end of the frustum away from the mounting boss to abut against the sleeve.

[0018] In one embodiment, the locking mechanism includes an unlocking component connected to the first housing, the unlocking component being used to drive the support member to move along the second housing away from the first housing, so that the movable member moves away from the engaging member circumferentially.

[0019] In one embodiment, the unlocking component includes a coil and an electromagnet, the coil being wound around the outer periphery of the support and fixedly connected to the support, and the electromagnet being connected to the first housing; when both the coil and the electromagnet are energized, a magnetic attraction is generated between the coil and the electromagnet.

[0020] In one embodiment, the support member has a circumferentially recessed area at one end near the electromagnet, and the coil is disposed in the recessed area.

[0021] In one embodiment, two or more locking mechanisms are provided at intervals in a direction perpendicular to the sliding of the second housing relative to the first housing. Attached Figure Description

[0022] 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.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an electronic device in a folded state according to an embodiment;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an electronic device in an unfolded state according to an embodiment;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of an electronic device in its unfolded state after some components have been removed, according to one embodiment.

[0026] Figure 4 This is a front view of an electronic device in its unfolded state according to an embodiment, after some components have been removed.

[0027] Figure 5 A partial cross-sectional view of an electronic device in its unfolded state according to an embodiment;

[0028] Figure 6 A partial cross-sectional view of an electronic device in a folded state according to an embodiment;

[0029] Figure 7 An exploded view of a locking mechanism according to one embodiment;

[0030] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing the engagement of the locking mechanism in one embodiment, where the engaging member extends into the locking assembly.

[0031] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram showing the engagement of the locking member and the locking component in one embodiment of the locking mechanism.

[0032] Figure label:

[0033] 100. Electronic device; 10. Housing assembly; 12. First housing

[0034] 121. Mounting boss 14. Second housing 20. Flexible display screen

[0035] 20a, Fixed part; 20b, Free part; 30, Guide component

[0036] 40. Drive mechanism; 50. Locking mechanism; 51. Engaging component

[0037] 51a, Card slot 53, Locking assembly 531, Support component

[0038] 531a, mounting hole; 531b, recessed area; 5311, frustum

[0039] 5311a, first through hole 5313, connecting part 5313a, second through hole

[0040] 533, Moving part; 535, Reset part; 537, Sleeve

[0041] 55. Unlocking component 551, coil 553, electromagnet Detailed Implementation

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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:

[0044] (1) Via wired connection, such as via Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTN), Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), digital cable, or direct cable connection;

[0045] (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.

[0046] 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:

[0047] (1) Satellite phone or cellular phone;

[0048] (2) A personal communications system (PCS) terminal that can combine cellular radio telephone with data processing, fax and data communication capabilities;

[0049] (3) Radio telephone, pager, Internet / intranet access, web browser, notepad, calendar, personal digital assistant (PDA) equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver;

[0050] (4) Conventional above-knee and / or palm-sized receivers;

[0051] (5) Conventional knee-mounted and / or handheld wireless telephone transceivers, etc.

[0052] Please combine Figure 1 , Figure 2The electronic device 100 of this embodiment includes a housing assembly 10 and a flexible display screen 20. The housing assembly 10 has a hollow structure, and the flexible display screen 20 is disposed on the housing assembly 10. The electronic device 100 may also include a circuit board (not shown) and a battery (not shown), both of which may be disposed on 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 display screen 20 is communicatively connected to the circuit board, and the battery can power the flexible display 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 this application embodiment may be, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, or other portable electronic device 100. In this application embodiment, a mobile phone is used as an example for description.

[0053] Combination Figure 3 In this embodiment, the shell assembly 10 includes a first shell 12 and a second shell 14, which are capable of relative movement. Specifically, in this embodiment, the second shell 14 and the first shell 12 are slidably connected. In other words, the second shell 14 can slide 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 end of the second shell 14 away from the first shell 12 and the end of the first shell 12 away from the second shell 14 move closer to each other or away from each other.

[0054] Furthermore, the second housing 14 can slide relative to the first housing 12 to a first position and a second position. Combined Figure 2 When the second housing 14 is in the first position, the housing assembly 10 and the electronic device 100 are in an unfolded state, and the electronic device 100 has a relatively large display area to improve the user experience of the electronic device 100; when the second housing 14 is in the second position, refer to Figure 1 The housing assembly 10 and the electronic device 100 are in a folded state, and the electronic device 100 has a relatively small size, making it easy to carry. It is understood that in the embodiments described below, "first position," "second position," and similar expressions refer to the relative positions of the second housing 14 and the first housing 12. For simplicity, expressions such as "second housing 14 is in the first position" or "in the first position" mean that the second housing 14 is in the first position relative to the first housing 12, that is, the electronic device 100 is in an unfolded state; expressions such as "second housing 14 is in the second position" or "in the second position" mean that the second housing 14 is in the second position relative to the first housing 12, that is, the housing assembly 10 and the electronic device 100 are in a folded state.

[0055] It is understood that, in the embodiments of this application, when the shell assembly 10 is in the unfolded state, the electronic device 100 can also be considered to be in the unfolded state; when the shell assembly 10 is in the retracted state, the electronic device 100 can also be considered to be in the retracted state.

[0056] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the end of the second housing 14 away from the first housing 12 and the end of the first housing 12 away from the second housing 14 move closer to each other, that is, during the process of the electronic device 100 switching from the unfolded state to the retracted state, for the sake of simplicity, it can be considered that the second housing 14 and the first housing 12 move relatively closer, and the direction of movement of the second housing 14 is from the first position to the second position, or from the end of the second housing 14 away from the first housing 12 to the first housing 12; when the end of the second housing 14 away from the first housing 12 and the end of the first housing 12 away from the second housing 14 move away from each other, that is, during the process of the electronic device 100 switching from the retracted state to the unfolded state, for the sake of simplicity, it can be considered that the second housing 14 and the first housing 12 move relatively away from each other, and the direction of movement of the second housing 14 is from the second position to the first position, or from the end of the first housing 12 away from the second housing 14 to the second housing 14.

[0057] In this embodiment, using the first position as a reference, the positions of the end of the second housing 14 furthest from the first housing 12 and the end of the first housing 12 furthest from the second housing 14 can be determined more clearly. Figure 2 For example, when the second housing 14 is in the first position, the leftmost end of the electronic device 100 in the width direction is the end of the second housing 14 that is away from the first housing 12, and the rightmost end of the electronic device 100 in the width direction is the end of the first housing 12 that is away from the second housing 14.

[0058] In this embodiment, when the second housing 14 is in the first position, the overall width of the electronic device 100 is greater than its width in the second position, so that the width dimension of the exposed flexible display screen 20 is variable. In other words, the dimension of the electronic device 100 in the width direction is variable. In other embodiments, when the second housing 14 is in the first position, the overall length of the electronic device 100 is greater than its length in the second position, so that the length dimension of the exposed flexible display screen 20 is variable. In other words, the dimension of the electronic device 100 in the length direction is variable.

[0059] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2The flexible display screen 20 may include a fixed portion 20a and a free portion 20b disposed opposite to each other. The fixed portion 20a is disposed on the first housing 12 and fixed relative to the position of the first housing 12. In the second position, the flexible display screen 20 bypasses the end of the second housing 14 away from the first housing 12, and the free portion 20b of the flexible display screen 20 is accommodated within the housing assembly 10, so that a portion of the flexible display screen 20 is hidden within the housing assembly 10, and the portion of the flexible display screen 20 hidden within the housing assembly 10 is not used for display. In other words, the movement of the first housing 12 relative to the second housing 14 can cause at least a portion of the free portion 20b to unfold in the second housing 14, or cause the free portion 20b unfolded in the second housing 14 to retract into the housing assembly 10. That is, during the switching between the unfolded state and the retracted state, the flexible display screen 20 can be moved in and out of the housing assembly 10.

[0060] It is understood that in the embodiments of this application, the relatively fixed positions of the two objects mean that the two objects cannot generate relative movement under normal circumstances or the relative movement between the two objects is negligible. 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 20a and the first housing 12 as an example, the relatively fixed positions of the fixing part 20a and the first housing 12 can be achieved by the fixing part 20a being in direct contact with the first housing 12, for example, by using threaded fasteners or clamps to directly fix the fixing part 20a and the first housing 12, or by the fixing part 20a being indirectly fixed to the first housing 12 through structures such as an adhesive layer or an intermediate connecting plate.

[0061] It is understood that the fixed portion 20a and the free portion 20b can be distinguished as follows: when the second housing 14 is in the second position relative to the first housing 12, i.e., when the electronic device 100 is in a retracted state, the portion of the flexible display screen 20 exposed outside the housing assembly 10 is the fixed portion 20a of the flexible display screen 20, and the portion of the flexible display screen 20 housed inside the housing assembly 10 can be considered the free portion 20b. In some embodiments, when the second housing 14 is in the second position, i.e., when the electronic device 100 is in a retracted state, the fixed portion 20a exposed outside the housing assembly 10 is generally rectangular in shape, and its size can be 5 to 6 inches, which is equivalent to the size of a typical smartphone display screen, so that the electronic device 100 is easy to carry and use.

[0062] See Figure 3The electronic device 100 may include a guide 30, which is disposed at the end of the second housing 14 away from the first housing 12. During the process of the second housing 14 switching from a second position to a first position relative to the first housing 12, the guide 30 can guide the flexible display screen 20 to deform and unfold within the second housing 14. The guide 30 can limit the bending radius of the flexible display screen 20 within a suitable range to avoid damage to the flexible display screen 20 caused by an excessively small bending radius. Of course, the guide 30 can also prevent the flexible display screen 20 from having an excessively large bending radius, which would result in an excessively large thickness of the electronic device 100.

[0063] In some embodiments, the guide 30 may be a rotating shaft structure with protruding teeth, and the flexible display screen 20 is linked with the guide 30 through engagement or other means. When the second housing 14 slides relative to the first housing 12, the portion of the flexible display screen 20 engaged with the guide 30 moves and unfolds or retracts into the housing assembly 10 via the guide 30.

[0064] It is understood that in other embodiments, the guide 30 may also be a round shaft without teeth. During the process of the second housing 14 switching from the second position to the first position, the guide 30 expands a portion of the flexible display screen 20 that is attached to the guide 30, so that more of the flexible display screen 20 is exposed on the outside of the housing assembly 10 and is in a flat state. In this embodiment, the guide 30 is rotatably disposed on the second housing 14. During the gradual unfolding of the flexible display screen 20, the guide 30 can rotate with the movement of the flexible display screen 20 to reduce the resistance encountered by the flexible display screen 20 during unfolding and to reduce wear at the contact points between the guide 30 and the flexible display screen 20.

[0065] In other embodiments, the guide 30 may also be fixed to the second housing 14, and the guide 30 has a smooth surface. During the unfolding of the flexible display screen 20 into the second housing 14, the guide 30 slidably contacts the flexible display screen 20 through its smooth surface. In other words, in this embodiment, the guide 30 may be integrally formed, assembled, or welded to the second housing 14.

[0066] During the process of the second housing 14 switching from the first position to the second position, the flexible display screen 20 can be retracted by the guide 30, that is, the part of the flexible display screen 20 that is unfolded in the second housing 14 is retracted into the housing assembly 10.

[0067] Further, refer to Figure 4The electronic device 100 may include a drive mechanism 40, which may be disposed within the housing assembly 10. The drive mechanism 40 may be linked with either the first housing 12 or the second housing 14 to drive the second housing 14 to move relative to the first housing 12, thereby causing the flexible display screen 20 to unfold or retract. In some embodiments, the drive mechanism 40 employs a threaded transmission mechanism including a motor, a lead screw, and a nut. In other embodiments, the drive mechanism 40 may also employ a transmission mechanism such as a gear and rack.

[0068] It is understood that, in this embodiment, the first position and the second position can be considered as two extreme positions of the movement of the second housing 14 relative to the first housing 12. In the first position, the display area of ​​the flexible display screen 20 reaches its maximum, and under normal circumstances, the second housing 14 can no longer move away from the first housing 12. In the second position, the display area of ​​the flexible display screen 20 reaches its minimum, and under normal circumstances, the second housing 14 can no longer move closer to the first housing 12. The first and second positions can be achieved by providing a locking structure on the housing assembly 10 or the guide 30.

[0069] It is understandable that multiple intermediate positions can be set between the first and second positions to achieve the positioning of the second housing 14 relative to the first housing 12 at multiple intermediate positions, and to enable the flexible display screen 20 to have different display areas at different intermediate positions, thereby expanding the application scenarios of the electronic device 100. Multiple intermediate positions can also be implemented using other locking structures.

[0070] refer to Figure 4 , Figure 5 In this embodiment, the electronic device 100 includes a locking mechanism 50, which is used to lock the electronic device 100 in a first position, i.e., the unfolded state. This allows the second housing 14 to be locked in the first position after it has moved to the first position, thus maintaining the unfolded state of the housing assembly 10. After the unfolded housing assembly 10 is locked by the locking mechanism 50, the housing assembly 10 can be considered as a whole. When the electronic device 100 is subjected to an impact, such as an accidental drop, the unfolded housing assembly 10 can be used to absorb the impact, preventing the second housing 14 from easily sliding relative to the first housing 12 to a second position and causing abnormal relative movement of the related moving parts of the drive mechanism 40. This protects these moving parts and improves the impact resistance of the electronic device 100.

[0071] Specifically, refer to Figure 6 , Figure 7The locking mechanism 50 includes a locking member 51 and a locking assembly 53. The locking member 51 is connected to the second housing 14, and the locking assembly 53 is disposed on the first housing 12. During the sliding process of the second housing 14 relative to the first housing 12, the second housing 14 drives the locking member 51 to move relative to the first housing 12, so that the locking member 51 and the locking assembly 53 can move closer to each other or further away from each other. During the process of the shell assembly 10 switching from the retracted state to the unfolded state, when the second housing 14 moves relative to the first housing 12 and approaches the first position, the locking member 51 can contact the locking assembly 53 and drive the locking assembly 53 to move, so as to achieve the engagement of the locking member 51 and the locking assembly 53, and keep the shell assembly 10 in the unfolded state.

[0072] In some implementations, such as Figure 4 As shown, two or more locking mechanisms 50 are spaced apart in the direction perpendicular to the sliding direction of the second housing 14 relative to the first housing 12. When the second housing 14 slides relative to the first housing 12 to the first position, the locking effect of the two or more locking mechanisms 50 on the housing assembly 10 can ensure the locking reliability of the housing assembly 10 and prevent the second housing 14 from easily sliding relative to the first housing 12 to the second position, which would cause abnormal relative movement of the relevant moving parts of the drive mechanism 40.

[0073] refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 The locking assembly 53 includes a support member 531 and a movable member 533. The movable member 533 is movably disposed on the support member 531, and the engaging member 51 has a slot 51a. During the transition of the shell assembly 10 from a retracted state to an unfolded state, the engaging member 51 drives the movable member 533 to move relative to the support member 531 to move away from the engaging member 51 circumferentially. The movable member 533 is also driven to move relative to the support member 531 to approach the engaging member 51 circumferentially and enter the slot 51a, so that the movable member 533 engages with the engaging member 51.

[0074] In this embodiment of the application, the support member 531 and the engaging member 51 are generally cylindrical. The length extension direction of the engaging member 51 can be parallel to the sliding direction of the second housing 14 relative to the first housing 12. The slot 51a is arranged around the circumference of the engaging member 51, and the slot 51a can be an arc-shaped slot.

[0075] In one embodiment, the movable member 533 is a ball bearing and is rotatably disposed on the support member 531. The support member 531 may have two or more spaced mounting holes 531a along the circumference, and each mounting hole 531a corresponds to the movable member 533. In one embodiment, the support member 531 has three evenly spaced mounting holes 531a along the circumference. Since the movable member 533 is a ball bearing and is rotatably disposed on the support member 531, during the process of the engaging member 51 moving in and out of the support member 531, the movable member 533 can roll relative to the support member 531 and the engaging member 51, so as to reduce the movement resistance between the movable member 533 and the engaging member 51, and between the movable member 533 and the support member 531, and avoid the movable member 533 and the support member 531 from self-locking, which would make it difficult for the engaging member 51 to extend into or exit the support member 531. Of course, in other embodiments, the movable member 533 can be columnar, and its two ends can be processed into hemispherical shapes so that it can move relative to the support member 531 during the process of the engaging member 51 extending into or out of the support member 531, so as to achieve engagement and unlocking with the engaging member 51.

[0076] During the relative movement of the second housing 14 and the first housing 12 away from each other, that is, during the transition of the housing assembly 10 from a retracted state to an extended state, when the second housing 14 slides relative to the first housing 12 to a position close to the first position, the engaging member 51 presses against the movable member 533 and pushes the movable member 533 away from the engaging member 51 radially, so that the engaging member 51 can gradually extend into the support member 531; when the slot 51a of the engaging member 51 moves to the position of the movable member 533, the movable member 533 can be driven to approach the engaging member 51 radially and enter the slot 51a; when the movable member 533 enters the slot 51a and is confined within the slot 51a, as... Figure 9 As shown, the movable member 533 can restrict the movement of the locking member 51 in the direction of the second housing 14 relative to the first housing 12, thereby locking the second housing 14 in the first position, so that the electronic device 100 remains in the unfolded state.

[0077] It is understandable that in the embodiment where the movable part 533 is a ball, the minimum width of the mounting hole 531a can be smaller than the diameter of the ball, so that after the engaging part 51 is removed from the support part 531, the wall of the mounting hole 531a can support the movable part 533, preventing the ball from falling into the support part 531 after the engaging part 51 is removed from the support part 531.

[0078] Continue to refer to Figure 8In some embodiments, the locking assembly 53 includes a reset member 535, which abuts against the first housing 12 and the support member 531. During the transition of the housing assembly 10 from a retracted state to an extended state, the engaging member 51 pushes the support member 531 along the second housing 14 away from the first housing 12 (i.e., the direction from the second position to the first position) to compress the reset member 535 and drive the movable member 533 away from the engaging member 51 circumferentially. In the compressed state, the reset member 535 pushes the support member 531 along the second housing 14 towards the first housing 12 (i.e., the direction from the first position to the second position) to drive the movable member 533 towards the engaging member 51 circumferentially and into the slot 51a. In some embodiments, the reset member 535 is a spring. In other embodiments, the reset member 535 can be an elastic post or a spring sheet, etc.

[0079] Furthermore, combined with Figure 7 , Figure 9 In this embodiment, the support member 531 includes a frustum 5311 and a connecting portion 5313 connected to the frustum 5311. The width of the cross-section of the frustum 5311 gradually decreases from the end of the frustum 5311 near the connecting portion 5313 to the end away from the connecting portion 5313. The outer contour of the cross-section of the frustum 5311 can be circular, that is, the frustum 5311 can be a truncated cone. The outer contour of the cross-section of the frustum 5311 can also be elliptical, quadrilateral, pentagonal, etc.

[0080] The movable part 533 is located on the frustum 5311, and one end of the resetting part 535 is located on the connecting part 5313. (Connection) Figure 8 The first housing 12 is provided with a mounting boss 121, which can be a part of the first housing 12. The opposite end of the reset member 535 abuts against the mounting boss 121. When the housing assembly 10 is in the retracted state, the connecting portion 5313 is spaced apart from the mounting boss 121. In other words, when the housing assembly 10 is in the retracted state, there is a gap between the end of the support member 531 near the mounting boss 121 and the mounting boss 121.

[0081] Continue reading Figure 7 , Figure 9In some embodiments, the cone 5311 has a first through hole 5311a communicating with the mounting hole 531a, and the engaging member 51 is used to enter the support member 531 through the first through hole 5311a. The connecting portion 5313 has a second through hole 5313a communicating with the first through hole 5311a, and the resetting member 535 passes through the second through hole 5313a. When the housing assembly 10 is in the retracted state, the movable member 533 can protrude from the wall of the first through hole 5311a. During the process of the shell assembly 10 switching from the retracted state to the unfolded state and the engaging member 51 extending into the first through hole 5311a, the portion of the movable member 533 protruding from the hole wall of the first through hole 5311a can press against the engaging member 51. In turn, the engaging member 51 pushes the movable member 533 away from the engaging member 51 along the circumference of the engaging member 51 within the mounting hole 531a. The force exerted by the movable member 533 on the support member 531 pushes the support member 531 to move towards the position of the mounting boss 121 to compress the reset member 535.

[0082] The locking assembly 53 may further include a sleeve 537 connected to the mounting boss 121. The sleeve 537 is fitted onto the support member 531, and the end of the sleeve 537 away from the mounting boss 121 matches the shape of the frustum 5311. For example, in an embodiment where the frustum 5311 is a truncated cone, the inner contour of the cross-section of the end of the sleeve 537 away from the mounting boss 121 is circular. When the shell assembly 10 is in the retracted state, the support member 531 can be held against the end of the sleeve 537 away from the mounting boss 121 by the elastic force of the reset member 535. At this time, when the support member 531 and the sleeve 537 are cut with the same geometric plane and two cross-sections are obtained, the diameter of the inner contour of the sleeve 537 is slightly larger than the diameter of the outer contour of the frustum 5311 at that geometric plane. That is, when the shell assembly 10 is in the retracted state, the circumferential direction of the frustum 5311 is spaced apart from the sleeve 537.

[0083] During the transition of the shell assembly 10 from a retracted state to an extended state, when the second shell 14 slides relative to the first shell 12 to a position close to the first position, the engaging member 51 extends into the first through hole 5311a of the support member 531. Taking the movable member 533 as a ball bearing as an example, as long as the radial distance between the position of the engaging member 51 in contact with the movable member 533 and the inner wall of the sleeve 537 is less than the diameter of the movable member 533, the engaging member 51 can press against the movable member 533, causing the movable member 533 to tend to move away from the engaging member 51 along its circumference. When the engaging member 51 pushes the support member 531 toward the mounting boss 121 through the movable member 533 to compress the reset member 535, the movable member 533 can move away from the engaging member 51 along its circumference. During this process, the force exerted by the reset member 535 on the support member 531 causes the support member 531 to tend to move away from the mounting boss 121. Of course, during this process, friction may exist between the engaging member 51 and the wall of the first through hole 5311a, which can be used to push the support member 531 towards the mounting boss 121. Understandably, the diameter of the ball should also meet the requirement that when the support member 531 moves towards the mounting boss 121 and abuts against the mounting boss 121, the ball does not interfere with the movement of the engaging member 51, so as to ensure that the engaging member 51 can smoothly extend into the support member 531.

[0084] When the engaging member 51 extends into the sleeve 537 a certain distance, causing the groove 51a of the engaging member 51 to move to the position of the ball, the diameter of the engaging member 51 at the groove 51a decreases. When the contact between the engaging member 51 and the movable member 533 is insufficient to overcome the elastic force of the reset member 535 on the support member 531, the support member 531 can move away from the mounting boss 121 under the action of the reset member 535. During this process, the inner wall of the sleeve 537 can squeeze the movable member 533, causing the movable member 533 to approach the engaging member 51 along the circumference of the engaging member 51 and engage into the groove 51a. The force exerted by the reset member 535 on the support member 531 causes the inner wall of the sleeve 537 and the locking member 51 to press against the movable member 533 in the radial direction of the locking member 51. The locking member 51 is difficult to continue moving towards the mounting boss 121 and is also difficult to disengage from the locking assembly 53. As a result, the second housing 14 can no longer move relative to the first housing 12 under normal circumstances, so as to maintain the unfolded state of the housing assembly 10.

[0085] The aforementioned electronic device 100, with its locking mechanism 50 including a locking member 51 and a locking component 53, is connected to the housing assembly 10. During the transition of the housing assembly 10 from a retracted state to an extended state, the locking member 51 drives the locking component 53 to engage with it, keeping the housing assembly 10 in the extended state. When the electronic device 100 is impacted in the extended state, such as by an accidental drop, the engaging locking member 51 and locking component 53 keep the electronic device 100 in the extended state, allowing the housing assembly 10 to absorb the impact force and preventing it from transitioning abnormally to a retracted state due to the impact. This, in turn, prevents damage caused by large relative movements of the moving parts, thereby improving the impact resistance of the electronic device 100.

[0086] Continue to refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 The locking mechanism 50 may also include an unlocking component 55 connected to the first housing 12. The unlocking component 55 is used to drive the support member 531 to move along the second housing 14 away from the first housing 12 (i.e., the direction from the second position to the first position). The relative movement of the support member 531 and the engaging member 51 can cause the movable member 533 to move away from the engaging member 51 in the circumference of the engaging member 51, thereby causing the movable member 533 to exit the slot 51a, thereby releasing the locking effect between the engaging member 51 and the locking component 53, so that the second housing 14 can move relative to the first housing 12 to the second position again.

[0087] In some embodiments, the unlocking assembly 55 includes a coil 551 and an electromagnet 553. The coil 551 is wound around the outer periphery of the support member 531 and fixedly connected to the support member 531, while the electromagnet 553 is connected to the first housing 12. For example, in this embodiment, a sleeve 537 is riveted to one side of the mounting boss 121, limiting the locking assembly 53 to one side of the mounting boss 121. The coil 551 is sleeved on the connecting portion 5313 and can be disposed close to the mounting boss 121. For example, the connecting portion 5313 and the frustum 5311 of the support member 531 can form a recessed region 531b circumferentially on the end of the support member 531 near the electromagnet 553. The coil 551 is disposed in the recessed region 531b to achieve reliable positioning of the coil 551 on the support member 531 and reduce the radial dimension of the locking assembly 53 at the coil 551. The electromagnet 553 is disposed on the opposite side of the mounting boss 121.

[0088] When both coil 551 and electromagnet 553 are energized, a magnetic attraction is generated between them. For example, in some embodiments, when both coil 551 and electromagnet 553 are energized, the side of coil 551 closest to mounting boss 121 is the S pole, and the side of electromagnet 553 closest to coil 551 is the N pole. This allows a magnetic attraction to be generated between coil 551 and electromagnet 553, driving support member 531 to move toward mounting boss 121 and causing movable member 533 to disengage from slot 51a of engaging member 51.

[0089] Of course, in other embodiments, when both coil 551 and electromagnet 553 are energized, the side of coil 551 closest to mounting boss 121 is the N pole, and the side of electromagnet 553 closest to coil 551 is the S pole. This arrangement can also generate magnetic attraction between coil 551 and electromagnet 553 to drive support member 531 to move toward mounting boss 121 and cause movable member 533 to exit from slot 51a of engaging member 51.

[0090] It is understood that the support member 531 can be relatively fixed in position relative to the first housing 12, that is, during the process of the engaging member 51 pushing the movable member 533 away from the support member 531 along the circumference of the engaging member 51, the support member 531 and the first housing 12 do not generate relative movement. In this embodiment, the reset member 535 is not necessary. For example, the locking mechanism 50 may include an elastic member connected to the movable member 533, which drives the movable member 533 away from the engaging member 51 along the circumference of the engaging member 51 and compresses the elastic member during the process of the engaging member 51 extending into the support member 531; when the slot 51a of the engaging member 51 moves to the position of the movable member 533, the elastic member drives the movable member 533 to approach the engaging member 51 along the circumference of the engaging member 51 and enter the slot 51a, thereby realizing the engagement of the engaging member 51 and the movable member 533.

[0091] 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.

[0092] 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. An electronic device, comprising: The application relates to a locking mechanism for a shell assembly. The shell assembly comprises a first shell and a second shell which can slide relative to the first shell. A flexible display screen is connected to the first shell and bypasses an end of the second shell away from the first shell. The shell assembly is used to switch between an unfolded state and a folded state and drive the flexible display screen in and out of the shell assembly. The locking mechanism comprises a clamping member and a locking assembly which are connected to the shell assembly.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein, During the switching of the shell assembly from the folded state to the unfolded state, the clamping member is used to drive the locking assembly to realize the clamping of the clamping member and the locking assembly so that the shell assembly is kept in the unfolded state.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein, The locking assembly comprises a support member and a movable member which is movably arranged in the support member.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein, The clamping member is provided with a clamping groove.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein, During the switching of the shell assembly from the folded state to the unfolded state, the clamping member is used to drive the movable member to move relative to the support member so as to be away from the clamping member in the circumferential direction of the clamping member.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein, The movable member is also used to be driven to move relative to the support member so as to be close to the clamping member in the circumferential direction of the clamping member and enter the clamping groove, thereby realizing the clamping of the movable member and the clamping member. The locking assembly comprises a reset member which abuts against the first shell and the support member. During the switching of the shell assembly from the folded state to the unfolded state, the clamping member is used to push the support member to move along the second shell away from the first shell so as to compress the reset member and drive the movable member to be away from the clamping member in the circumferential direction of the clamping member. The reset member is used to push the support member to move along the second shell close to the first shell so as to drive the movable member to be close to the clamping member in the circumferential direction of the clamping member and enter the clamping groove. The movable member is a ball and is rollably arranged in the support member. The support member is provided with two or more than two mounting holes which are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction, and each mounting hole is provided with the movable member. The support member comprises a conical frustum and a connecting portion which is connected to the conical frustum. The width of the cross section of the conical frustum gradually decreases from one end close to the connecting portion to one end away from the connecting portion. The movable member is arranged in the conical frustum. One end of the reset member is arranged in the connecting portion. The first shell is provided with a mounting boss. The other end of the reset member abuts against the mounting boss. When the shell assembly is in the folded state, the connecting portion is arranged at intervals with the mounting boss. The conical frustum is provided with a first through hole which communicates with the mounting hole. The connecting portion is provided with a second through hole which communicates with the first through hole. The reset member is arranged in the second through hole. During the switching of the shell assembly from the folded state to the unfolded state, the clamping member is used to enter the support member from the first through hole and abut against the movable member so as to push the support member and the movable member to move.

7. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein, The locking mechanism comprises a sleeve connected to the mounting boss, the sleeve is sleeved on the support, and an end of the sleeve away from the mounting boss is matched with the shape of the conical boss; when the shell assembly is in the collapsed state, the reset member makes the end of the conical boss away from the mounting boss abut against the sleeve.

8. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein, The locking mechanism comprises an unlocking assembly connected to the first shell, the unlocking assembly is used to drive the support to move away from the first shell along the direction of the second shell, so that the movable piece is away from the clamping piece in the circumferential direction of the clamping piece.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein, The unlocking assembly comprises a coil and an electromagnet, the coil is wound around the outer periphery of the support and is fixedly connected with the support, and the electromagnet is connected to the first shell; when the coil and the electromagnet are both powered on, magnetic attraction is generated between the coil and the electromagnet.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein, An end of the support close to the electromagnet is provided with a recessed area in the circumferential direction, and the coil is arranged in the recessed area.

11. The electronic device of any of claims 1-10, wherein, The locking mechanism is spaced apart by two or more in the direction perpendicular to the sliding direction of the second shell relative to the first shell.

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