Hinge assembly and electronic device

Abstract

The application discloses a hinge assembly and an electronic device, wherein the hinge assembly comprises a base, a swing arm and a damping assembly, the swing arm and the base are rotationally connected, the damping assembly is arranged between the base and the swing arm, and the damping assembly comprises a cam piece and a deformation assembly. Wherein, the two ends of the cam piece are respectively in abutment with the deformation assembly and the swing arm, the deformation assembly has a first axial dimension when the ambient temperature is a first temperature, the deformation assembly has a second axial dimension when the ambient temperature is a second temperature, the first temperature is lower than the second temperature, and the first axial dimension is greater than the second axial dimension.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] As user demand increases, foldable phones are gradually being promoted and used.

[0003] When unfolding a foldable phone, the user needs to apply a certain amount of force to open it. As the ambient temperature changes, the damping of the hinge also changes, which causes inconvenience to the user and results in a poor opening and closing experience. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application aims to provide a hinge assembly and electronic device that at least solves the problem that the force required to open a foldable phone changes when the ambient temperature changes.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application is implemented as follows:

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a hinge assembly, comprising:

[0007] The base and the swing arm are rotatably connected;

[0008] A damping assembly is disposed between the base and the swing arm. The damping assembly includes a cam component and a deformation component.

[0009] The cam component has two ends that abut against the deformation component and the rocker arm, respectively. When the ambient temperature is a first temperature, the deformation component has a first circumferential dimension. When the ambient temperature is a second temperature, the deformation component has a second axial dimension. The first temperature is lower than the second temperature, and the first axial dimension is greater than the second axial dimension.

[0010] In a second aspect, embodiments of this application provide an electronic device including a hinge assembly as described in the first aspect.

[0011] In the embodiments of this application, at the second temperature, the deformation component has a second axial dimension, and the deformation component can expand and contract with temperature changes. When the temperature drops to the first temperature, the deformation component further deforms, at which time the deformation component has a first axial dimension, and the first axial dimension is greater than the second axial dimension, thereby increasing the force applied by the deformation component to the cam component. That is, the deformation component generates additional torque. In this case, when the hinge component is rotated, a greater force needs to be applied.

[0012] It should be noted that the first axial dimension and the second axial dimension refer to the distance between the two ends of the deformation component along the axial direction of the swing arm.

[0013] At low temperatures, the deformation of the deformation component allows it to provide greater torque to the cam component. The torque on the screen and the cam component both increase with decreasing temperature. This ensures the electronic device can close normally at low temperatures without requiring significant force from the user. This structural design provides additional torque to the deformation component at low temperatures, ensuring a smooth opening and closing experience for the electronic device in both normal and low-temperature environments. This improves user convenience and enhances the user experience. Furthermore, the above implementation method is simple in structure and highly feasible.

[0014] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this application will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application;

[0017] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of a portion of the structure of an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application;

[0018] Figure 3 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application;

[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the sub-deformation part according to an embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing multiple sub-deformable parts stacked along the axial direction of the first guide portion according to an embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the deformation component and the cam component cooperating according to an embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 7 This is a structural schematic diagram of the deformable component and the second guide portion according to an embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing the change in torque of the screen and elastic component with ambient temperature according to an embodiment of this application.

[0024] Figure label:

[0025] 100 Base, 200 Swing arm, 300 Damping assembly, 310 Cam component, 311 First cam section, 312 Second cam section, 320 Deformation assembly, 321 Sub-deformation section, 322 First deformation layer, 323 Second deformation layer, 324 First guide section, 325 Elastic component, 326 Deformation component, 327 Second guide section, 600 Screen. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The embodiments of this application will now be described in detail. Examples of these embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0027] The terms "first" and "second" in the specification and claims of this application may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" means two or more. Furthermore, "and / or" in the specification and claims 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] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0029] The following is combined Figures 1-8 This application describes a hinge assembly and an electronic device according to embodiments thereof.

[0030] Combination Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, a hinge assembly according to some embodiments of this application includes: a base 100, a swing arm 200, and a damping assembly 300. The swing arm 200 and the base 100 are rotatably connected, and the damping assembly 300 is disposed between the base 100 and the swing arm 200. The damping assembly 300 includes a cam member 310 and a deformation assembly 320. The two ends of the cam member 310 abut against the deformation assembly 320 and the swing arm 200, respectively. When the ambient temperature is a first temperature, the deformation assembly 320 has a first axial dimension; when the ambient temperature is a second temperature, the deformation assembly 320 has a second axial dimension. When the first temperature is lower than the second temperature, the first axial dimension is greater than the second axial dimension.

[0031] For foldable electronic devices, the hinge assembly is connected to the main body of the electronic device. When the electronic device is switched from a folded state to an unfolded state, the hinge assembly and the screen 600 of the electronic device rotate together. The deformation assembly 320 is used to push the cam 310, so that the deformation assembly 320 applies a certain force to the cam 310. Thus, the cam 310 needs to overcome the force applied by the deformation assembly 320 to rotate. In this case, the problem of the electronic device unfolding on its own without the action of external force can be avoided.

[0032] The torque curve of the screen 600 varies under different ambient temperatures. As the ambient temperature decreases, some folding materials in the screen 600 (such as Opticallt Clear Adhesive, i.e., OCA optical adhesive) harden, making them difficult to bend and causing the torque of the screen 600 to increase. The torque provided by the hinge in the related technology is the same at room temperature and low temperature, which results in a poor opening and closing experience for the whole device.

[0033] like Figure 8 As shown, the torque of the hinge assembly should be greater than the torque of the screen (600), otherwise the device will automatically spring open after being closed and will not be able to close properly. The torque of the hinge assembly should not exceed the screen's torque by too much, otherwise the user will need to exert a great deal of force to open the electronic device.

[0034] In related technologies, the screen's torque increases as the ambient temperature decreases, while the hinge component's torque remains constant. This leads to two problems: First, electronic devices designed for normal temperature operation that can open and close normally may fail to close in low-temperature environments because the screen's torque exceeds the hinge's torque. Second, electronic devices designed for low-temperature operation that can open and close normally require greater force to unfold in normal temperature environments due to the decreased screen torque. Therefore, in these technologies, satisfying one aspect of the opening and closing experience comes at the expense of the other, resulting in an inability to achieve a truly satisfactory opening and closing experience for both aspects.

[0035] The core contradiction leading to the above problem is that the torque provided by the hinge is fixed under different ambient temperatures and cannot match the torque of the screen 600 with the temperature. Currently, the torque of the hinge is mainly provided by the inter-cam force brought about by spring compression. Therefore, it is necessary to set the torque provided by the cam component 310 to change with the temperature in order to solve the above problem.

[0036] At the second temperature, the deformation component 320 has a second axial dimension, and the deformation component 320 can expand and contract with temperature changes. When the temperature drops to the first temperature, the deformation component 320 further deforms, at which point the deformation component 320 has a first axial dimension, and the first axial dimension is greater than the second axial dimension, thereby increasing the force applied by the deformation component 320 to the cam 310. That is, the deformation component 320 generates additional torque. In this case, a greater force needs to be applied when rotating the hinge assembly.

[0037] It should be noted that the first axial dimension and the second axial dimension refer to the distance between the two ends of the deformation component 320 along the axial direction of the swing arm 200.

[0038] At low temperatures, the deformation of the deformation component 320 allows it to provide greater torque to the cam component 310. The torque of the screen 600 increases with decreasing temperature, as does the torque of the cam component 310. In low-temperature environments, the electronic device can close normally without requiring significant force from the user to open it. This structural design enables the deformation component 320 to provide additional torque at low temperatures, ensuring a smooth opening and closing experience for the electronic device in both normal and low-temperature environments. This provides convenience for users, enhances the user experience, and the implementation method is simple and highly feasible.

[0039] Combination Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, optionally, the deformation assembly 320 includes a plurality of sub-deformation portions 321 connected sequentially along the axial direction of the swing arm 200. At a first temperature, along the axial direction of the swing arm 200, the sub-deformation portions 321 have a first sub-dimension, and the sum of the plurality of first sub-dimensions is a first axial dimension. At a second temperature, along the axial direction of the swing arm 200, the sub-deformation portions 321 have a second sub-dimension, and the sum of the plurality of second sub-dimensions is a second axial dimension.

[0040] Each sub-deformation part 321 can deform when the ambient temperature decreases. By increasing the number of sub-deformation parts 321, the deformation of the entire deformation assembly 320 at low temperatures can be increased, thereby further increasing the torque applied to the cam 310.

[0041] Within a fixed space, by increasing the number of sub-deformation parts 321, the degree of mutual compression between the sub-deformation parts 321 is increased, and the interaction force is also increased, ultimately generating additional pressure on the cam member 310 in the axial direction, thereby increasing the force on the cam member 310 and generating additional torque on the cam member 310.

[0042] Along the axial direction of the swing arm 200, the sum of the dimensions of the multiple sub-deformation parts 321 is the axial dimension of the deformation assembly 320.

[0043] Combination Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, optionally, the sub-deformation portion 321 includes: a first deformation layer 322 and a second deformation layer 323, wherein the second deformation layer 323 is located within the first deformation layer 322, and the coefficient of thermal expansion of the second deformation layer 323 is greater than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the second deformation layer 323.

[0044] The sub-deformation section 321 has a double-layer structure, with the second deformation layer 323 located within the first deformation layer 322; that is, the second deformation layer 323 is the inner layer, and the first deformation layer 322 is the outer layer. The inner layer is made of a material with a higher coefficient of thermal expansion, while the outer layer is made of a material with a lower coefficient of thermal expansion. Under the same temperature change, the inner layer will produce a greater amount of deformation than the outer layer. When the temperature decreases, the inner layer will produce a greater amount of contraction. Therefore, the entire structure will contract inward in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the swing arm 200, and correspondingly, it will expand outward laterally in the axial direction of the swing arm 200.

[0045] By expanding the sub-deformation part 321 outward along the axial direction, the deformation of the deformation assembly 320 in the axial direction can be increased, the force applied by the deformation assembly 320 to the cam member 310 can be increased, and the torque of the cam member 310 can be increased.

[0046] Combination Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, optionally, the first deformation layer 322 and the second deformation layer 323 are annular, with the inner walls of the first deformation layer 322 and the second deformation layer 323 adhering to each other. The deformation assembly 320 further includes a first guide portion 324, located between the base 100 and the cam member 310, extending axially along the rocker arm 200, with the first deformation layer 322 and the second deformation layer 323 sleeved on the first guide portion 324.

[0047] The sub-deformation part 321 has a ring structure and is sleeved on the first guide part 324. The first guide part 324 guides the sub-deformation part 321 and extends along the axial direction of the swing arm 200, so that the first guide part 324 can stably extend and retract along the axial direction of the swing arm 200.

[0048] In some embodiments, the deformation component may optionally include a disc spring.

[0049] In this embodiment, the disc spring is a multi-layer composite disc spring mechanism, which is composed of stacked single disc springs. Multiple multi-layer composite disc spring mechanisms made of two materials with different coefficients of thermal expansion replace the springs in related technologies. Each disc spring can undergo lateral deformation and is preloaded in its initial state. Due to the preload, there is an interaction force between each pair of disc springs, which ultimately manifests as an axial force on the cam component 310, achieving the same function as a spring.

[0050] like Figure 6 As shown, in some embodiments, optionally, the deformation assembly 320 includes an elastic element 325 and a deformation element 326. The elastic element 325 abuts against the cam element 310 and is used to provide a pushing force to the cam element 310. The deformation element 326 is connected to the cam element 310, and the extension and retraction direction of the deformation element 326 is the same as that of the elastic element 325. At a first temperature, the deformation element 326 has a first axial dimension, and at a second temperature, the deformation element 326 has a second axial dimension.

[0051] The elastic element 325 and the deformation element 326 provide preload to the cam element 310 in parallel. At room temperature, the elastic element 325 mainly provides preload to the cam element 310. The elastic element 325 can be a spring. At low temperature, the elastic element 325 and the deformation element 326 jointly provide preload to the cam element 310, thereby providing a stable preload to the cam element 310.

[0052] like Figure 6 As shown, in some embodiments, optionally, the number of elastic elements 325 is at least two, with a portion of the elastic elements 325 located on one side of the deformable element 326 and another portion of the elastic elements 325 located on the other side of the deformable element 326.

[0053] Taking two elastic elements 325 as an example, one elastic element 325 is located on one side of the deformable element 326, and the other elastic element 325 is located on the other side of the deformable element 326. By setting elastic elements 325 on both sides of the deformable element 326, the cam element 310 is subjected to force balance, thereby ensuring that the rocker arm 200 can rotate stably. The deformable element 326 is located between the elastic elements 325, making it less likely for the deformable element 326 to deviate during the pushing process of the cam element 310, further ensuring the force balance of the cam element 310.

[0054] Combination Figure 6 and Figure 7As shown, in some embodiments, the hinge assembly may optionally include a second guide portion 327, which is connected to the base 100 and / or the cam member 310, the second guide portion 327 extending along the axial direction of the rocker arm 200, and the deformable member 326 sleeved on the second guide portion 327.

[0055] The deformable part 326 has a hollow cavity structure. By setting an inner cavity in the deformable part 326, the amount of material used in the deformable part 326 can be reduced, and the deformable part 326 is also more likely to deform.

[0056] By inserting the second guide portion 327 into the inner cavity, the deformable part 326 can be installed and fixed. The above installation method is simple and facilitates the assembly of the deformable part 326.

[0057] In one possible application, both the base 100 and the cam 310 are provided with a second guide portion 327.

[0058] The second guide part 327 guides the deformable part 326, enabling the deformable part 326 to deform stably along the axial direction, thereby improving the pushing stability of the deformable part 326 on the cam part 310.

[0059] In one possible application, the deformable part 326 is made of a material with a high coefficient of thermal expansion.

[0060] like Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, optionally, the cam member 310 includes: a first cam portion 311 and a second cam portion 312. The first cam portion 311 is connected to the base and has a plurality of recesses circumferentially. The second cam portion 312 is connected to the rocker arm and has a plurality of protrusions circumferentially. The protrusions are inserted into the recesses. When the second cam portion 312 pushes the first cam portion 311, it compresses the deformation assembly 320 to make the protrusions slide out of the recesses.

[0061] The protrusion is hindered by the inner wall of the recess, which restricts the rotation of the protrusion. The cam needs to push the first cam 311 and compress the deformation component 320 so that the cam slides out of the current recess and into the next recess. By increasing the deformation of the deformation component 320, the force required for the cam to slide out of the recess is increased, thereby increasing the damping force.

[0062] In the embodiments of this application, an electronic device is provided, including the hinge component as in any of the above embodiments, and can achieve the same technical effect, which will not be repeated here.

[0063] Electronic devices include any of the following: mobile phones, tablets, and e-readers.

[0064] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0065] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of this application, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A hinge assembly, characterized in that, include: A base and a swing arm, wherein the swing arm and the base are rotatably connected; A damping assembly is disposed between the base and the swing arm, and the damping assembly includes a cam component and a deformation component; Wherein, the two ends of the cam component abut against the deformation component and the swing arm respectively. When the ambient temperature is a first temperature, the deformation component has a first axial dimension. When the ambient temperature is a second temperature, the deformation component has a second axial dimension. The first temperature is lower than the second temperature, and the first axial dimension is greater than the second axial dimension. The first axial dimension and the second axial dimension refer to the distance between the two ends of the deformation component along the axial direction of the swing arm; The deformation assembly includes: multiple sub-deformation parts, which are connected sequentially along the axial direction of the swing arm; At the first temperature, along the axial direction of the swing arm, the sub-deformation part has a first sub-dimension, and the sum of a plurality of the first sub-dimensions is the first axial dimension.

2. The hinge assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, At the second temperature, along the axial direction of the swing arm, the sub-deformation part has a second sub-dimension, and the sum of a plurality of second sub-dimensions is the second axial dimension.

3. The hinge assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The sub-deformation part includes: First deformation layer; The second deformation layer is located within the first deformation layer, and the coefficient of thermal expansion of the second deformation layer is greater than that of the first deformation layer.

4. The hinge assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first deformation layer and the second deformation layer are annular, and the inner wall of the first deformation layer is attached to the inner wall of the second deformation layer; The deformation component further includes: A first guide portion is located between the base and the cam member, the first guide portion extends along the axial direction of the swing arm, and the first deformation layer and the second deformation layer are sleeved on the first guide portion.

5. The hinge assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The deformation component includes a disc spring.

6. The hinge assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The deformation component includes: An elastic element abuts against the cam element, and the elastic element is used to provide a pushing force to the cam element; A deformable element is connected to the cam element. The extension and retraction direction of the deformable element is the same as that of the elastic element. At the first temperature, the deformable element has the first axial dimension, and at the second temperature, the deformable element has the second axial dimension.

7. The hinge assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that, The number of elastic elements is at least two, with one part of the elastic elements located on one side of the deformable element and the other part of the elastic elements located on the other side of the deformable element.

8. The hinge assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that, The hinge assembly also includes: The second guide portion is connected to the base and / or the cam member, and extends along the axial direction of the swing arm. The deformable member is sleeved on the second guide portion.

9. The hinge assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The cam component includes: The first cam portion is connected to the base, and the first cam portion is provided with a plurality of recesses in the circumferential direction; The second cam portion is connected to the rocker arm. The second cam portion has a plurality of protrusions in its circumference. The protrusions are inserted into the recess. When the second cam portion pushes the first cam portion, it squeezes the deformation component so that the protrusions slide out of the recess.

10. An electronic device, characterized in that, Includes the hinge assembly as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

Images