Hinge assembly and electronic device

Abstract

The present application discloses a hinge assembly and an electronic device, comprising a base, a support plate, a swing arm and an elastic member. The support plate is rotatably connected to the base, and the support plate is provided with a slide groove. One end of the swing arm is rotatably connected to the base, and the other end is slidably arranged in the slide groove, and the swing arm can also slide relative to the support plate in the slide groove when rotating. The elastic member is formed by bending a strip-shaped substrate in a circuitous manner, and the elastic member is arranged along the bottom wall of the slide groove and the two ends are respectively connected to the swing arm and the support plate, so that the swing arm can compress or release the elastic member when sliding relative to the support plate. The hinge assembly provided by the present application has a small space occupied by the elastic member in the thickness direction, and the guide shaft can be omitted to reduce the cost of parts. The hinge assembly finally formed has the advantages of small thickness and low cost, and can be applied to thin and small-sized electronic devices.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of hinge assemblies, and more particularly, to a hinge assembly for a foldable electronic device and an electronic device. Background Art

[0002] Foldable electronic devices have hinge components. In order to increase the damping feel of an external folding mobile phone when it is folded, the hinge component usually needs to be equipped with a damping mechanism. At present, the damping mechanism of the hinge component mostly uses standard cylindrical springs and is used in conjunction with a guide shaft. Since the cylindrical spring and the guide shaft have a large footprint in the thickness direction, the thickness of the final hinge component is also large, making it unable to meet the development requirements of increasingly thin and light electronic devices.

[0003] Therefore, how to reduce the thickness of the elastic member, thereby reducing the size of the damping mechanism in the thickness direction, so that the hinge assembly can meet the requirements of the increasingly thin and light electronic devices, has become one of the problems to be solved in the industry. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the present application is to provide a hinge assembly, in which an elastic member formed by bending a strip substrate in a circuitous manner is connected between a support plate and a swing arm, and a damping feel is generated by squeezing the elastic member when the swing arm slides relative to the support plate. Compared with a cylindrical spring, the elastic member in the present application has a smaller footprint in the thickness direction and does not need to be used with a guide shaft, so that the final hinge assembly has the advantages of small thickness and low cost.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present application provides a hinge assembly, including a base, a support plate, a swing arm, and an elastic member.

[0006] The support plate is rotatably connected to the base, and the support plate is provided with a sliding groove.

[0007] One end of the swing arm is rotatably connected to the base, and the other end is slidably arranged in the slide groove. The swing arm can rotate between a flattened position and a folded position, and when rotating, the swing arm can also slide relative to the support plate in the slide groove.

[0008] The elastic member is formed by bending a strip substrate in a circuitous manner. The elastic member is arranged along the bottom wall of the slide slot and its two ends are respectively connected to the swing arm and the support plate, so that the swing arm can compress or release the elastic member when sliding relative to the support plate.

[0009] The hinge assembly provided by the present application is provided with an elastic member formed by bending a strip-shaped substrate in a circuitous manner between the support plate and the swing arm. When the swing arm slides relative to the support plate, the elastic restoring force generated by the elastic member when deformed will act on the swing arm and the support plate, so that the swing arm and the support plate are hindered and difficult to rotate. This effect forms a damping feel when the user folds the hinge assembly. Compared with the cylindrical spring in the related art, the elastic member in the present application is formed by bending a strip-shaped substrate in a circuitous manner, and the elastic member is arranged along the bottom wall of the groove of the slide groove, so that the elastic member has a smaller footprint in the thickness direction after installation. At the same time, it does not need to be used with a guide shaft like the cylindrical spring in the related art, so the guide shaft can be omitted and the cost of parts can be reduced. The hinge assembly finally formed has the advantages of small thickness and low cost, and can be applied to thin and small-sized electronic devices.

[0010] In a possible design, the swing arm is a plate-like structure with a gap between it and the bottom wall of the groove, and at least a portion of the elastic member is disposed in the gap.

[0011] The swing arm is a solid plate structure with higher structural strength, which can ensure the service life of the hinge assembly. The gap is used to constrain the deformation direction of the elastic part so that the elastic part can be deformed within the gap as much as possible, which can prevent the middle part of the elastic part from bulging when deforming and squeezing or scraping other parts. Deformation within the gap can make full use of the restoring force of the elastic part.

[0012] In a possible design, the elastic member includes a bendable and deformable bending section and a connecting section for connecting the swing arm and the support plate, and the surfaces of the bend section and the connecting section facing the swing arm are flush.

[0013] The bending section or the connecting section is prevented from affecting the sliding action of the swing arm, thereby ensuring the folding feel of the hinge assembly.

[0014] In a possible design, the bent section is bent into an L-shaped structure, a U-shaped structure, an S-shaped structure or a W-shaped structure.

[0015] In a possible design, the curved section is formed by connecting a plurality of arc-shaped structures end to end, and the arching directions of two adjacent arc-shaped structures are opposite.

[0016] The elastic member composed of a plurality of arc-shaped structures can provide a greater folding resistance for the hinge assembly within a limited layout size, thereby making the damping feel stronger for the user.

[0017] In a possible design, the elastic member is configured such that, in a non-compressed state, the radius of curvature of each of the arc-shaped structures is the same.

[0018] The same radius of curvature of each arc structure can make the arc structures have the same deformation ability, and the curved sections can deform relatively evenly, thereby ensuring the damping feel of the hinge assembly.

[0019] In a possible design, the cross-sectional shape of the curved section is circular, elliptical or rectangular.

[0020] When the cross-sectional shape of the curved section is an ellipse, the elastic member may be arranged in a manner that the minor axis of the ellipse points to the swing arm and the bottom wall of the groove, so as to save the dimension in the thickness direction.

[0021] When the cross-sectional shape of the curved section is a rectangle, the elastic member may be arranged in a manner that the short side of the rectangle points to the swing arm and the bottom wall of the groove, so as to save the dimension in the thickness direction.

[0022] In a possible design, there are multiple elastic members, the multiple elastic members are arranged side by side, and two adjacent elastic members are fixedly connected.

[0023] The combination of multiple elastic members can conveniently change the folding resistance of the hinge assembly, thereby adjusting the damping feel. Since the multiple elastic members are arranged side by side, they will not occupy the size of the hinge assembly in the thickness direction, and can achieve the dual effects of high damping and lightness.

[0024] In a possible design, a first fixing member is provided on the swing arm protruding toward the bottom wall of the groove, and a second fixing member is provided on the bottom wall of the groove protruding toward the swing arm, and the connecting section with an annular structure is sleeved on the first fixing member and the second fixing member.

[0025] The connecting section of the ring-shaped structure is directly sleeved on the first fixing member and the second fixing member, so that the elastic member can be conveniently and quickly installed between the swing arm and the support plate, and the structure is simple and easy to implement.

[0026] In a possible design, the first fixing member and the second fixing member are configured such that when the swing arm rotates from the flattened position to the folded position, the distance between the first fixing member and the second fixing member gradually decreases and then gradually increases.

[0027] It can ensure that the hinge assembly will not rotate due to external shaking when it is in the flattened state or the folded state, thus avoiding a loose feeling and improving the user's feel. Since the elastic part can also assist the rotation of the swing arm and the support plate, it can enrich the user experience of the hinge assembly and allow users to experience a unique folding feel.

[0028] In a possible design, when the swing arm is in the flattened position, the distance between the first fixing member and the second fixing member is a first distance, and when the swing arm is in the folded position, the distance between the first fixing member and the second fixing member is a second distance, and the first distance is greater than the second distance.

[0029] By slightly rotating the support plate and the swing arm, the elastic member can transition from the second stable state to the unstable state, and then can quickly assist the swing arm and the support plate to rotate to the flattened position, so that the hinge assembly is flattened.

[0030] In a possible design, the second fixing member includes an integrally formed plug-in portion and a clamping portion, the plug-in portion is connected to the mounting hole opened on the bottom wall of the groove, and the clamping portion is a round pancake-shaped structure, which can press the connecting section and the part of the bent section adjacent to the connecting section to the opening of the mounting hole.

[0031] The clamping portion presses the connecting section and part of the bent section adjacent to the connecting section at the opening of the mounting hole, thereby preventing the connecting section and the adjacent bent section from tilting. When the swing arm slides to the other side of the slide groove, it will not be blocked and will not affect the rotation of the swing arm.

[0032] In a possible design, the second fixing member is a pin or a screw.

[0033] In a possible design, the thickness of the connecting section and the partial bending section pressed by the pressing portion is smaller than the thickness of other parts of the bending section.

[0034] The connecting section and part of the bending section where the pressing part is pressed are thinned to ensure that the pressing part will not rub against the swing arm after installation; the bending sections in other parts maintain normal thickness so that the damping feel transmitted to the hinge assembly by the elastic part remains unchanged.

[0035] In a possible design, a third fixing member is provided on the swing arm protruding toward the bottom wall of the groove, a fourth fixing member is provided on the bottom wall of the groove protruding toward the swing arm, the first fixing member and the third fixing member, the second fixing member and the fourth fixing member are symmetrically arranged about the center line of the swing arm, and the elastic member is connected between the third fixing member and the fourth fixing member.

[0036] It can prevent long-term excessive friction of the unilateral sliding connection structure of the swing arm and the slide groove, thereby avoiding friction loss between the swing arm and the support plate, thereby ensuring the working stability of the hinge assembly and increasing the service life of the hinge assembly; since two symmetrical elastic parts are set up, the folding resistance is increased, making the damping feel of the hinge assembly stronger.

[0037] In a possible design, the swing arm includes a main swing arm, the base is provided with a folding synchronization component for driving the support plate to rotate synchronously, the folding synchronization component includes two mutually meshing synchronization gears, and the main swing arm is fixedly connected to the synchronization gears.

[0038] In a possible design, the swing arm includes a secondary swing arm having an arc-shaped sliding portion, the base is provided with an arc-shaped sliding groove, and the secondary swing arm is slidably connected to the arc-shaped sliding groove through the arc-shaped sliding portion.

[0039] In a possible design, the thickness of the elastic member is 1 / 2-4 / 5 of the length of the gap in the thickness direction of the elastic member.

[0040] It can ensure that the elastic effect of the elastic part can be exerted, ensure the damping feel of the hinge assembly, and at the same time will not interfere with the sliding of the swing arm in the slide groove, thereby avoiding affecting the rotation movement of the swing arm.

[0041] In a possible design, the multiple elastic members have the same structure.

[0042] This makes it easy to fix multiple elastic parts. At the same time, since the overall shape and cross-sectional shape of the curved section are the same, the overall trend of the curved section of each elastic part during compression deformation is the same, and no tearing force will be generated between the two, thereby ensuring the connection strength between each other.

[0043] In a possible design, the connecting section is fixedly connected to the first fixing member and the second fixing member respectively.

[0044] The connection section is restricted from rotating relative to the first fixing member and the second fixing member, so that the connection section can exert a damping effect similar to that of a torsion spring, thereby further improving the damping feel of the hinge assembly.

[0045] In a possible design, the connecting section is in a closed ring-shaped structure or a semi-closed ring-shaped structure.

[0046] In a second aspect, the present application further provides an electronic device, comprising a first shell, a second shell and the above-mentioned hinge assembly, wherein the hinge assembly is connected between the first shell and the second shell.

[0047] The electronic device provided by the present application adopts the above-mentioned hinge assembly, and its elastic member is formed by bending a strip substrate in a circuitous manner, and the elastic member is arranged along the bottom wall of the slide slot, so that the elastic member occupies a smaller space in the thickness direction after installation, and does not need to be used with a guide shaft like a cylindrical spring in the related art, so the guide shaft can be omitted and the cost of parts can be reduced. The hinge assembly finally formed has the advantages of small thickness and low cost, which can meet the development requirements of electronic equipment that are becoming increasingly thin and light. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an outward folding mobile phone provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0049] Figure 2 is an assembly diagram of a hinge assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0050] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A partial exploded view of the hinge assembly;

[0051] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A partial enlarged view of the hinge assembly;

[0052] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 A schematic diagram of another perspective of the hinge assembly;

[0053] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of an example of a swing arm provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0054] Figure 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of an example of a hinge assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0055] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of multiple examples of elastic members provided in the embodiments of the present application;

[0056] Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of another example of an elastic member provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0057] Fig.10 yes Fig. 9 Sectional view of AA in the middle;

[0058] Fig.11 is a schematic diagram of another example of an elastic member provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0059] Fig.12 is a partial cross-sectional view of another example of a hinge assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0060] Fig.13 is a schematic diagram of the compression deformation process of the elastic member provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0061] Fig.14 is a partial schematic diagram of a hinge assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application in a flattened state;

[0062] Fig.15 yes Fig.14 A schematic diagram of the elastic member of the hinge assembly in a flattened state;

[0063] Fig.16 yes Fig.14 A partial schematic diagram of the hinge assembly during the folding process;

[0064] Fig.17 yes Fig.16 Schematic diagram of the elastic member of the hinge assembly during the folding process;

[0065] Fig.18 yes Fig.14 A partial schematic diagram of the hinge assembly in a folded state;

[0066] Fig.19 yes Fig.18 A schematic diagram of the elastic member when the hinge assembly is in a folded state;

[0067] Fig. 20 is a partial cross-sectional view of another example of a hinge assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0068] Fig.21 is a schematic diagram of a second fixing member provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0069] Fig. 22 is a partial cross-sectional view of another example of a hinge assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0070] Fig.23 is a schematic diagram of a swing arm, an elastic member and a support plate provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0071] Fig.24 is a schematic diagram of a main swing arm provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0072] Fig.25 yes Figure 7 Enlarged view of point B in the middle.

[0073] Reference numerals:

[0074] 10. Base; 11. Arc chute;

[0075] 20, support plate; 21, slide groove; 211, groove bottom wall; 212, mounting hole; 213, guide groove; 22, second fixing member; 221, plug-in portion; 222, pressing portion; 23, fourth fixing member;

[0076] 30. swing arm; 31. first fixing member; 32. third fixing member; 33. main swing arm; 331. synchronous gear; 34. auxiliary swing arm; 341. arc-shaped sliding part; 35. slider; 36. center line;

[0077] 40. elastic member; 41. bending section; 411. arc structure; 42. connecting section;

[0078] 50. Gap;

[0079] 100. Hinge assembly; 200. First shell; 300. Second shell. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0080] The following is an exemplary introduction to the relevant contents that may be involved in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments.

[0081] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or mutual communication; it can be a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0082] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "side", "inside", "outside", "top", "bottom", etc. indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the installation, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0083] It should also be noted that, in the embodiments of the present application, the same figure mark is used to represent the same component or the same part. For the same parts in the embodiments of the present application, the figure may only mark one of the parts or parts as an example. It should be understood that the figure mark also applies to other identical parts or parts.

[0084] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the term "and / or" is merely a description of the association relationship between associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone.

[0085] Curved screen electronic products refer to electronic products with a certain curvature on the edge of the screen. Take a curved screen mobile phone as an example. When viewed from the front of the phone, the side frames of the curved screen mobile phone will be smaller. If the curvature of the screen edge is large enough, the side frames can even disappear completely. Compared with flat screen mobile phones, curved screen mobile phones have better visual effects and are therefore very popular among consumers.

[0086] As the name implies, a flexible screen is a soft screen. Its manufacturing principle is to replace the screen substrate from the original rigid material (such as glass) with a flexible material (such as plastic). Flexible screens have the property of being bendable and have been widely used in electronic devices such as foldable mobile phones. The display screens of such electronic devices can increase the size of the screen without increasing the volume, while also having a high screen-to-body ratio and clarity. For example, a foldable mobile phone can be only the size of a traditional mobile phone after folding, making it easy to carry, and can have the display size of a tablet computer after flattening. These features make foldable electronic devices very popular with consumers.

[0087] The current foldable phones mainly include inward-folding phones and outward-folding phones. Among them, since the folding of the flexible screen of the outward-folding phone is smaller than the inward-folding, the damage to the flexible screen is relatively weak. After the phone is flattened, there is almost no crease at the folding point, making the entire screen appear very smooth, which greatly improves the texture of the phone and also increases the service life of the phone screen.

[0088] The following technical solution is demonstrated by taking the electronic device as an external folding mobile phone as an example. Of course, in other embodiments, the electronic device may also include but is not limited to an internal folding mobile phone, a tablet computer, a handheld game console, an electronic reader, a wearable device, etc.

[0089] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of an outward folding mobile phone provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0090] like Figure 1 As shown, taking the electronic device as an outward folding mobile phone as an example, the outward folding mobile phone includes a first shell 200, a second shell 300, a screen and a hinge assembly 100, the hinge assembly 100 is connected between the first shell 200 and the second shell 300, and the screen is arranged above the first shell 200, the hinge assembly 100 and the second shell 300.

[0091] The first shell 200 and the second shell 300 are used to support the screen and protect the components inside the mobile phone. The parts of the screen at both ends are respectively bonded and fixed to the first shell 200 and the second shell 300 by adhesive. The first shell 200 can be a hard shell, and the second shell 300 can also be a hard shell, so that the first shell 200 and the second shell 300 can firmly support the two ends of the screen.

[0092] The hinge assembly 100 can be deformed as the second housing 300 is folded or unfolded relative to the first housing 200 , and can restrict the second housing 300 from being separated from the first housing 200 .

[0093] Specifically, the hinge assembly 100 includes a base 10 and support plates 20 located on both sides of the base 10. The support plates 20 can rotate relative to the base 10. The two support plates 20 are respectively connected to the first shell 200 and the second shell 300. The hinge assembly 100 uses its own rotatable characteristics to allow the first shell 200 to be flipped relative to the second shell 300, so that the first shell 200 is folded relative to the second shell 300, or flattened, or in a state between folding and flattening.

[0094] The first shell 200 and the second shell 300 can be folded or flattened relative to each other, so that the external folding mobile phone provided in the embodiment of the present application has multiple modes and can meet the user's usage needs in different scenarios.

[0095] The first shell 200 and the second shell 300 can be relatively flattened, forming an angle of 180 degrees between the two, so that the external folding mobile phone provided in the embodiment of the present application can achieve a large-screen display, can provide users with richer information, and bring users a better user experience.

[0096] The first shell 200 and the second shell 300 can be folded together until they are close to each other, and the two can fit together, so that the external folding mobile phone is switched to a closed mode. At this time, the external folding mobile phone has a smaller volume, so that it is convenient for users to store and carry it; or, half of the screen is used to display information and provide user operation at the same time.

[0097] It can be understood that when the user holds the outward folding phone, the position of the earpiece module of the outward folding phone can be defined as the top of the outward folding phone, the position of the microphone module of the outward folding phone can be defined as the bottom of the outward folding phone, and the two sides of the outward folding phone held by the user's left and right hands can be defined as the left and right sides of the outward folding phone.

[0098] In some embodiments of the present application, the first shell 200 and the second shell 300 are arranged up and down, so that the external folding mobile phone can be folded in half up and down.

[0099] In some other embodiments of the present application, the first shell 200 and the second shell 300 are arranged left and right, so that the external folding mobile phone can be folded in half left and right.

[0100] Optionally, the screen may be a flexible screen that is foldable as a whole, or the screen may be a combination of a foldable flexible screen in the middle area and rigid screens at both ends, which is not limited in this application.

[0101] Optionally, the screen can be an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, an active-matrix organic light-emitting diode or an active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) display, a mini organic light-emitting diode (miniorganic light-emitting diode) display, a micro organic light-emitting diode (micro organic light-emitting diode) display, a quantum dot light emitting diode (quantum dot light emitting diodes, QLED) display, etc.

[0102] Optionally, the external folding mobile phone may also include: a processor, a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a charging management module, a power management module, a battery, a microphone, a motor, a speaker, a mobile communication module, an antenna, a wireless communication module, an audio module, a headphone interface, a sensor module, a button, a camera, and a subscriber identification module (SIM) card interface, etc.

[0103] In order to increase the damping feel of the external folding mobile phone when being folded, a damping mechanism is usually required to be added to the hinge assembly 100. In the industry, there are two main types of damping mechanisms, one is an external damping mechanism arranged on the support plate 20 or the swing arm 30, and the other is an in-axis damping mechanism arranged on the base 10.

[0104] Whether it is an outer damping mechanism or an inner damping mechanism, their working principles are roughly similar, and they both squeeze the elastic member to produce a damping effect as the hinge folds. The current damping mechanism mostly uses standard cylindrical springs and is used in conjunction with guide shafts. Since the cylindrical springs and guide shafts have a large footprint in the thickness direction, the thickness of the hinge assembly 100 is also large, which cannot meet the development requirements of increasingly thin and light electronic devices.

[0105] Therefore, how to reduce the thickness of the elastic member 40, thereby reducing the size of the damping mechanism in the thickness direction, so that the hinge assembly 100 meets the development requirements of increasingly thin and light electronic devices, has become one of the problems to be solved in the industry.

[0106] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present application provides a hinge assembly 100, in which an elastic member formed by bending a strip substrate in a circuitous manner is connected between a support plate and a swing arm, and a damping feel is generated by squeezing the elastic member when the swing arm slides relative to the support plate. Compared with a cylindrical spring, the elastic member in the present application has a smaller footprint in the thickness direction and does not need to be used with a guide shaft, so that the finally formed hinge assembly 100 has the advantages of small thickness and low cost.

[0107] The hinge assembly 100 provided in the present application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0108] Figure 2 It is an assembly diagram of the hinge assembly 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A partial exploded view of the hinge assembly 100 in FIG. Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A partially enlarged view of the hinge assembly 100. Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Schematic diagram of another perspective of the hinge assembly 100.

[0109] like Figure 2-Figure 5 As shown, a hinge assembly 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application includes a base 10 , a support plate 20 , a swing arm 30 and an elastic member 40 .

[0110] The base 10 is used to provide a mounting foundation for the support plate 20 and the swing arm 30 .

[0111] The support plate 20 is rotatably connected to the base 10, and the support plate 20 is provided with a slide groove 21. The support plate 20 is used to connect with the first shell 200 and the second shell 300 of the external folding mobile phone. Optionally, the slide groove 21 can be extended in the width direction a of the support plate 20.

[0112] One end of the swing arm 30 is rotatably connected to the base 10, and the other end of the swing arm 30 is slidably disposed in the slide groove 21. The swing arm 30 can rotate between a flattened position and a folded position, and when rotating, the swing arm 30 can also slide in the slide groove 21 relative to the support plate 20.

[0113] Among them, since the rotation axis of the support plate 20 relative to the base 10 is not coaxial with the rotation axis of the swing arm 30 relative to the base 10, when the user folds the mobile phone shell, the first shell 200 and the second shell 300 respectively drive their respective support plates 20 to rotate, and the support plate 20 drives the swing arm 30 to slide in the slide groove 21 and also rotate relative to the base 10 through the groove wall of the slide groove 21. The flattened position refers to the position of the swing arm 30 when the hinge assembly 100 is in the flattened state; the folded position refers to the position of the swing arm 30 when the hinge assembly 100 is in the folded state.

[0114] The elastic member 40 is formed by bending a strip substrate in a circuitous manner. The elastic member 40 is arranged along the bottom wall 211 of the slide groove 21 and its two ends are respectively connected to the swing arm 30 and the support plate 20 so that the elastic member 40 can be compressed or released when the swing arm 30 slides relative to the support plate 20.

[0115] The base material of the elastic member 40 may be a metal material or a non-metal material having elasticity.

[0116] Optionally, when the base material of the elastic member 40 is a metal material such as iron, steel, copper alloy, nickel alloy, etc., it can be integrally formed by a metal mold casting process; or, a strip base material of iron, steel, copper alloy, nickel alloy, etc. can be formed once by winding.

[0117] Optionally, when the base material of the elastic part 40 is a non-metallic material such as resin, rubber, elastomer, etc., it can be integrally formed by an injection molding process, or integrally formed by 3D printing technology; or, the base material of the resin, rubber, elastomer, etc. can be formed into the elastic part 40 by a laser etching process.

[0118] The hinge assembly 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application has an elastic member 40 formed by bending a strip-shaped substrate in a circuitous manner between the support plate 20 and the swing arm 30. When the swing arm 30 slides relative to the support plate 20, the elastic restoring force generated by the elastic member 40 when deformed will act on the swing arm 30 and the support plate 20, so that the swing arm 30 and the support plate 20 are hindered and difficult to rotate. This effect forms a damping feel when the user folds the hinge assembly. Compared with the cylindrical spring in the related art, the elastic member 40 in the embodiment of the present application is formed by bending a strip-shaped substrate in a circuitous manner, and the elastic member 40 is arranged along the bottom wall 211 of the slide groove 21, so that the elastic member 40 has a smaller footprint in the thickness direction after installation, and at the same time, it does not need to be used with a guide shaft like the cylindrical spring in the related art, so the guide shaft can be omitted and the cost of parts can be reduced. The hinge assembly 100 finally formed has the advantages of small thickness and low cost, and can be applied to thin and small-sized electronic devices.

[0119] The hinge assembly 100 has two support plates 20, which are respectively connected to the first shell 200 and the second shell 300, and each support plate 20 has at least one swing arm 30. Optionally, the two swing arms 30 can be arranged on the base 10 opposite to each other; or, the two swing arms 30 can be arranged on the base 10 staggered to each other.

[0120] Specifically, Figure 2-Figure 3As shown, the two swing arms 30 are arranged opposite to each other on the slide slot 21 bracket, which can reduce the occupation range of the swing arms 30 in the length direction of the base 10. This makes it possible to make room for other functional parts of the hinge assembly 100 without changing the length of the base 10, thereby making the structural design of the hinge assembly 100 more flexible and diverse, thereby facilitating the optimization of the structural design.

[0121] Optionally, the swing arm 30 is slidably disposed in the slide groove 21 , which can be implemented through a sliding connection structure formed by a slider 35 and a guide groove 213 .

[0122] Specifically, Figure 4-Figure 5 As shown, the side wall of the swing arm 30 has a slider 35, and the side wall of the slide groove 21 is provided with a guide groove 213 for the slider 35 to slide; the slider 35 and the guide groove 213 can also be interchangeably arranged on the base, that is, the side wall of the swing arm 30 is provided with the guide groove 213, and the side wall of the slide groove 21 is provided with the slider 35.

[0123] Optionally, the surface of the slider 35 and the wall of the guide groove 213 are coated with self-lubricating material, which can reduce the friction resistance when the slider 35 and the guide groove 213 slide relative to each other, so that the slider 35 slides smoothly in the guide groove 213, avoiding undesirable conditions such as jamming and shaking of the swing arm 30.

[0124] Optionally, the self-lubricating material may be engineering plastics, such as polytetrafluoroethylene, polyacetal, polyoxymethylene, polycarbonate, polyamide, etc.; an electroplated alloy layer may also be used.

[0125] Optionally, the swing arm 30 may be a hollow frame structure. Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of an example of a swing arm 30 provided in an embodiment of the present application, such as Figure 6 As shown, the portion of the swing arm 30 used to connect the elastic member 40 has a hollow structure, which can reduce the weight of the swing arm 30, help save the material cost of the swing arm 30, and facilitate the design of a lightweight hinge assembly 100.

[0126] Optionally, when the swing arm 30 is a hollow frame structure, the elastic member 40 may be deformed in the direction of the hollow structure when being compressed.

[0127] Figure 7 It is a partial cross-sectional view of an example of a hinge assembly 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0128] For example Figure 4-Figure 5 As shown, and Figure 7 As shown, in one embodiment provided in the present application, the swing arm 30 is a solid plate-like structure, with a gap 50 between it and the groove bottom wall 211 , and at least a portion of the elastic member 40 is disposed in the gap 50 .

[0129] In addition to the aforementioned hollow frame structure of the swing arm 30, the swing arm 30 in this embodiment is a solid plate structure, which has higher structural strength than the hollow frame structure, and can ensure the service life of the hinge assembly 100; there is a gap 50 between the swing arm 30 and the groove bottom wall 211, and at least part of the elastic member 40 is arranged in the gap 50. The gap 50 can be used to constrain the deformation direction of the elastic member 40, so that the elastic member 40 can be deformed in the gap 50 as much as possible. Such a design has two functions: one is to prevent the middle part of the elastic member 40 from bulging when it is deformed and squeezing or scraping other components, thereby avoiding the elastic member 40 from causing adverse effects on other components when it is deformed; the second is that deformation in the gap 50 can make full use of the restoring force of the elastic member 40. Imagine if the elastic member 40 is not constrained by the gap 50, it may be deformed in the form of a bulge in the middle. The restoring force of this deformation is very weak, so that the hinge assembly 100 cannot respond to the damping feel force of the elastic member 40.

[0130] Among them, when the swing arm 30 is in the flattened position, only the partial overlapping area between the swing arm 30 and the groove bottom wall 211 has a gap 50. As the swing arm 30 rotates toward the folded position, the swing arm 30 also slides toward the slide groove 21, so that the overlapping area between the swing arm 30 and the groove bottom wall 211 becomes larger and larger, and the range of the gap 50 is also larger, thereby completely constraining the elastic member 40 within the gap 50.

[0131] For example Figure 7 As shown, in an embodiment provided in the present application, the elastic member 40 includes a bendable and deformable bending section 41 and a connecting section 42 for connecting the swing arm 30 and the support plate 20, and the surfaces of the bending section 41 and the connecting section 42 facing the swing arm 30 are flush.

[0132] The elastic member 40 in this embodiment has a connecting section 42 for easy installation and connection with the swing arm 30 and the support plate 20. When the elastic member 40 is compressed, it is mainly deformed by the bending section 41 to store elastic potential energy. The surfaces of the bending section 41 and the connecting section 42 facing the swing arm 30 are flush, so as to avoid the bending section 41 or the connecting section 42 affecting the sliding movement of the swing arm 30. For details, please refer to Figure 7 As shown, the surfaces of the bending section 41 and the connecting section 42 facing the swing arm 30 are flush, avoiding the appearance of a protruding structure, thereby preventing the swing arm 30 from being blocked by the bending section 41 or the connecting section 42 when sliding to the right, thereby ensuring the folding feel of the hinge assembly 100.

[0133] Figure 8 Schematic diagrams of multiple examples of elastic members 40 provided in the embodiments of the present application. Figure 8 (a) is a schematic diagram of the bending section 41 of the elastic member 40 in an L-shaped structure; Figure 8(b) is a schematic diagram of a U-shaped structure of the bending section 41 of the elastic member 40; Figure 8 (c) is a schematic diagram of the bending section 41 of the elastic member 40 in an S-shaped structure; Figure 8 (d) is a schematic diagram showing that the bending section 41 of the elastic member 40 is in a W-shaped structure.

[0134] like Figure 8 As shown in (a), in one embodiment provided in the present application, the bending section 41 is bent into an L-shaped structure.

[0135] like Figure 8 As shown in (b), in one embodiment provided in the present application, the bending section 41 is bent into a U-shaped structure.

[0136] like Figure 8 As shown in (c), in one embodiment provided in the present application, the bending section 41 is bent into an S-shaped structure.

[0137] like Figure 8 As shown in (d), in one embodiment provided in the present application, the bending section 41 is bent into a W-shaped structure.

[0138] Fig. 9 Schematic diagram of another example of the elastic member 40 provided in the embodiment of the present application.

[0139] like Fig. 9 As shown, in one embodiment provided in the present application, the curved section 41 is formed by connecting a plurality of arc structures 411 end to end, and the arching directions of two adjacent arc structures 411 are opposite.

[0140] The more deformable positions there are on the curved section 41 of the elastic member 40, the harder and more difficult it is to compress the elastic member 40, so that the hinge assembly 100 exhibits a greater folding resistance, and the damping feel felt by the user is stronger. In this embodiment, each arc structure 411 is a deformable position point, and the elastic member 40 composed of multiple arc structures 411 can provide a greater folding resistance for the hinge assembly 100 within a limited layout size, so that the damping feel felt by the user is stronger.

[0141] Optionally, the number of the arc structures 411 may be three to ten.

[0142] For example Fig. 9 As shown, in an embodiment provided in the present application, the elastic member 40 is configured such that, in a non-compressed state, the curvature radius r of each arc-shaped structure 411 is the same.

[0143] In this embodiment, the radius of curvature r of each arc structure 411 is the same, so that the arc structures 411 have the same deformation ability, so that when the elastic member 40 is compressed, the curved section 41 can deform relatively evenly, ensuring the folding resistance of the hinge assembly 100. It is avoided that the radius of curvature r of a certain arc structure 411 is too large, so that the arc structure 411 is more likely to bend and deform, thereby making the elastic member 40 feel soft. In this case, the folding resistance of the hinge assembly 100 is small, and the damping feel felt by the user is weak.

[0144] Fig.10 yes Fig. 9 The cross-sectional view of AA in FIG. Fig.10 (a) is a schematic diagram showing that the base surface of the curved section 41 is circular; Fig.10 (b) is a schematic diagram showing that the base surface of the curved section 41 is elliptical; Fig.10 (c) is a schematic diagram showing that the base surface of the curved section 41 is in a rectangular shape.

[0145] Fig.10 As shown in (a), in one embodiment provided in the present application, the cross-sectional shape of the curved section 41 is circular.

[0146] Fig.10 As shown in (b), in one embodiment provided in the present application, the cross-sectional shape of the curved section 41 is an ellipse.

[0147] Optionally, when the cross-sectional shape of the curved section 41 is an ellipse, the elastic member 40 may be arranged with the major axis of the ellipse pointing to the swing arm 30 and the groove bottom wall 211; or, the elastic member 40 may be arranged with the minor axis of the ellipse pointing to the swing arm 30 and the groove bottom wall 211. Under the condition of the same cross-sectional area, this method saves the dimension in the thickness direction.

[0148] Fig.10 As shown in (c) in the figure, in one embodiment provided in the present application, the cross-sectional shape of the curved section 41 is a rectangle.

[0149] Optionally, when the cross-sectional shape of the bending section 41 is a rectangle, the elastic member 40 may be arranged in a manner that the long side of the rectangle points to the swing arm 30 and the groove bottom wall 211; or, the elastic member 40 may be arranged in a manner that the short side of the rectangle points to the swing arm 30 and the groove bottom wall 211. Under the condition of the same cross-sectional area, this method saves the dimension in the thickness direction.

[0150] Fig.11 Schematic diagram of another example of the elastic member 40 provided in the embodiment of the present application. Fig.12 It is a partial cross-sectional view of another example of the hinge assembly 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0151] like Figure 11-Figure 12 As shown, in an embodiment provided in the present application, there are multiple elastic members 40 , and the multiple elastic members 40 are arranged side by side and two adjacent elastic members 40 are fixedly connected.

[0152] In this embodiment, the folding resistance of the hinge assembly 100 can be easily changed by combining multiple elastic members 40, thereby adjusting the damping feel. Since the multiple elastic members 40 are arranged side by side, they will not occupy the dimension of the hinge assembly 100 in the thickness direction, and can achieve the dual effects of high damping and lightness.

[0153] In an embodiment provided in the present application, the structures of the multiple elastic members 40 are the same.

[0154] The structures of the multiple elastic members 40 in this embodiment are the same, which can be understood as the overall shape and cross-sectional shape of the curved sections 41 of the elastic members 40 being the same. This facilitates the fixing of the multiple elastic members 40, and because the overall shape and cross-sectional shape of the curved sections 41 are the same, the overall trend of the curved sections 41 of each elastic member 40 during compression deformation is the same, and no tearing force will be generated between the two, thereby ensuring the connection strength between them.

[0155] Of course, in other embodiments, the structures of the multiple elastic members 40 may also be different.

[0156] For example Figure 7 As shown, in an embodiment provided in the present application, a first fixing member 31 is provided on the swing arm 30 protruding toward the groove bottom wall 211, and a second fixing member 22 is provided on the groove bottom wall 211 protruding toward the swing arm 30, and a connecting section 42 with a ring-shaped structure is sleeved on the first fixing member 31 and the second fixing member 22.

[0157] In this embodiment, the connection structure between the connecting section 42 and the first fixing member 31 and the second fixing member 22 is specifically defined. The connecting section 42 with a ring-shaped structure is directly mounted on the first fixing member 31 and the second fixing member 22. The elastic member 40 can be conveniently and quickly installed between the swing arm 30 and the support plate 20. The structure is simple and easy to implement.

[0158] Optionally, the overall shape of the first fixing member 31 and the second fixing member 22 may be a cylinder, an elliptical cylinder, a polygonal column or a cuboid.

[0159] Optionally, the ring profile of the connecting segment 42 may be circular, elliptical, polygonal, rectangular, etc.

[0160] Optionally, there is a slight gap between the first fixing member 31 and the groove bottom wall 211 , and between the second fixing member 22 and the swing arm 30 , so as to avoid friction that affects the sliding of the swing arm 30 .

[0161] For example Fig.12 As shown, if there are multiple elastic members 40 and the multiple elastic members 40 are arranged side by side, it is only necessary to fix the innermost connecting section 42 to the first fixing member 31 and the second fixing member 22 .

[0162] Optionally, the annular connecting section 42 and the first fixing member 31 and the second fixing member 22 may rotate relative to each other, and in this case, the compression deformation of the bending section 41 is not affected.

[0163] Optionally, in some embodiments provided in the present application, the connecting section 42 is in a closed ring-shaped structure or a semi-closed ring-shaped structure.

[0164] In an embodiment provided in the present application, the connecting section 42 is fixedly connected to the first fixing member 31 and the second fixing member 22 respectively, so as to limit the connecting section 42 from rotating relative to the first fixing member 31 and the second fixing member 22 respectively.

[0165] Optionally, the connecting section 42 and the first fixing member 31 and the second fixing member 22 may be fixedly connected by bonding, welding, fastener locking, or the like.

[0166] In this embodiment, after the connecting section 42 of the ring-shaped structure is sleeved on the first fixing member 31 and the second fixing member 22, the connecting section 42 is fixedly connected to the first fixing member 31 and the second fixing member 22, thereby limiting the relative rotation of the connecting section 42 and the first fixing member 31 and the second fixing member 22, so that the connecting section 42 can exert a damping effect similar to that of a torsion spring, thereby further improving the damping feel of the hinge assembly 100.

[0167] Fig.13 Schematic diagram of the compression deformation process of the elastic member 40 provided in the embodiment of the present application. Fig.13 (a) is a schematic diagram of the uncompressed elastic member 40; Fig.13 (b) is a schematic diagram of the compression elastic member 40.

[0168] In order to facilitate understanding of the advantages of the above embodiments, Fig.13 , and introduce in detail Fig.13 The compression deformation process of the elastic member 40. Fig.13 The elastic member 40 and the first fixing member 31 and the second fixing member 22 are not fixed. Fig.13 As shown in (a) in FIG. 1 , initially, the swing arm 30 is located above the slide slot 21. When the swing arm 30 slides toward the inside of the slide slot 21, as shown in FIG. Fig.13As shown in (b), the distance between the first fixing member 31 and the second fixing member 22 becomes smaller, thereby compressing the elastic member 40. During the compression process, the bending section 41 drives the connecting section 42, so that the connecting section 42 rotates on the first fixing member 31 and the second fixing member 22 respectively, and the compression deformation of the elastic member 40 is only reflected on the bending section 41. If the connecting section 42 is fixed to the first fixing member 31 and the second fixing member 22, the connecting section 42 cannot rotate under the drive of the bending section 41, thereby making the connecting section 42 have a tendency to resist rotation, forming a damping effect similar to a torsion spring, which is ultimately reflected in the damping feel of the hinge assembly 100, thereby further improving the damping feel of the hinge assembly 100.

[0169] In some embodiments provided in the present application, the first fixing member 31 and the second fixing member 22 are configured such that when the swing arm 30 rotates from the flattened position to the folded position, the distance between the first fixing member 31 and the second fixing member 22 gradually decreases and then gradually increases.

[0170] In this embodiment, the first fixing member 31 and the second fixing member 22 are designed in the above-mentioned layout form, so that the elastic member 40 can be a bistable elastic member 40, so that the hinge assembly 100 will not rotate due to external shaking when it is in the flat state and the folded state, thereby avoiding a loose feeling. Please refer to the following for how to understand this advantage.

[0171] The specific movement process of the hinge assembly 100 in this embodiment is as follows.

[0172] Fig.14 It is a partial schematic diagram of the hinge assembly 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application in a flattened state. Fig.15 yes Fig.14 Schematic diagram of the elastic member 40 when the hinge assembly 100 is in a flattened state.

[0173] like Figure 14-15 As shown, when the hinge assembly 100 in this embodiment is in the flattened state, the support plate 20 and the swing arm 30 are both in the flattened position. At this time, the distance between the center of the first fixing member 31 and the center of the second fixing member 22 is d1, and the elastic member 40 can be in a state of not being compressed and deformed. Therefore, the elastic member 40 is naturally opened and provides support force for the support plate 20 and the swing arm 30, ensuring that the hinge assembly 100 will not rotate due to external shaking when in the flattened state, avoiding a loose feeling. The state of the elastic member 40 at this time is called the first stable state.

[0174] Fig.16 yes Fig.14 A partial schematic diagram of the hinge assembly 100 during the folding process. Fig.17 yes Fig.16 Schematic diagram of the elastic member 40 of the hinge assembly 100 during the folding process.

[0175] when Figure 14-15 When the hinge assembly 100 is folded, the two support plates 20 rotate relative to each other, and the swing arm 30 slides from the end of the slide groove 21 close to the base 10 to the middle position of the slide groove 21. At this time, the distance between the first fixing member 31 and the second fixing member 22 gradually decreases, so the elastic member 40 is compressed and deformed, and the restoring force generated hinders the sliding of the swing arm 30, and then hinders the rotation of the support plate 20, so as to form a damping effect of the hinge assembly 100. When the swing arm 30 slides to the position as shown in FIG. Figure 16-Figure 17 In the state, the center of the first fixing member 31 and the center of the second fixing member 22 are in the same straight line, the distance between the first fixing member 31 and the second fixing member 22 is the smallest, the distance is d2, and d1>d2. At this time, the elastic member 40 is in the maximum compression state, which is very unstable.

[0176] Fig.18 yes Fig.14 A partial schematic diagram of the hinge assembly 100 in a folded state. Fig.19 yes Fig.18 Schematic diagram of the elastic member 40 when the hinge assembly 100 is in the folded state.

[0177] when Figure 16-Figure 17 When the hinge assembly 100 in the hinge assembly 100 continues to be folded, the elastic member 40 will release the restoring force, and the assisting swing arm 30 will slide from the middle position of the slide slot 21 to the end of the slide slot 21 away from the base 10, and then the assisting swing arm 30 and the support plate 20 will rotate to the folded position, that is, Figure 18-19 As shown, the hinge assembly 100 in this embodiment is in a folded state, at which time the distance between the center of the first fixing member 31 and the center of the second fixing member 22 is d3, and d3>d2. At the same time, the elastic member 40 opens under the reset force and provides support force for the support plate 20 and the swing arm 30, ensuring that the hinge assembly 100 will not rotate due to external shaking when in the folded state, avoiding a loose feeling. At this time, the elastic member 40 is in a second stable state.

[0178] It can be seen that in this example, the first fixing member 31 and the second fixing member 22 are designed in the above-mentioned layout form, which can ensure that the hinge assembly 100 will not rotate due to external shaking when it is flattened or folded, and can avoid the feeling of looseness, thereby improving the user's use feel. At the same time, because the elastic member 40 can also assist the swing arm 30 and the support plate 20 to rotate, it can enrich the use experience of the hinge assembly 100 and make the user feel a unique folding feel.

[0179] The specific movement process described in the above embodiment only illustrates the transition of the elastic member 40 from the first stable state to the second stable state, and the rotation of the assisting swing arm 30 and the support plate 20 to the folded position when the hinge assembly 100 is changed from the flat state to the folded state. Of course, when the hinge assembly 100 is changed from the folded state to the flat state, the elastic member 40 can also be changed from the second stable state to the first stable state, and the assisting swing arm 30 and the support plate 20 can be rotated to the flat position.

[0180] In some embodiments provided in the present application, when the swing arm 30 is in the flattened position, the distance between the first fixing member 31 and the second fixing member 22 is a first distance d1, and when the swing arm 30 is in the folded position, the distance between the first fixing member 31 and the second fixing member 22 is a second distance d3, and the first distance d1 is greater than the second distance d3.

[0181] In this embodiment, when the hinge assembly 100 is in the folded state and the swing arm 30 is in the folded position, the elastic member 40 can be made to transition from the second stable state to the unstable state by slightly rotating the support plate 20 and the swing arm 30, and then the swing arm 30 and the support plate 20 can be quickly assisted to rotate to the flattened position, so that the hinge assembly 100 is flattened. Therefore, the amount of rotation required for the hinge assembly 100 from folding to flattening is small, and when used in an electronic device, it is easy for the user to open it and use it in the flattened state.

[0182] Fig. 20 It is a partial cross-sectional view of another example of the hinge assembly 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0183] Under normal circumstances, the connecting section 42 and the curved section 41 of the elastic member 40 are arranged close to the groove bottom wall 211. However, when there is an error in the fixed connection between the connecting section 42 and the second fixing member 22, the connecting section 42 is likely to lift up the adjacent curved section 41. Or, after long-term use, the connection between the connecting section 42 and the second fixing member 22 may crack due to fatigue, thereby causing the fixed connection between the connecting section 42 and the second fixing member 22 to be unstable. In particular, when the elastic member 40 is compressed, the connecting section 42 is likely to lift up and lift up the adjacent curved section 41, that is, Fig. 20 As shown at G in FIG. When this problem occurs, the raised curved section 41 and the connecting section 42 will prevent the swing arm 30 from sliding toward the slide slot 21, thereby affecting the rotation of the swing arm 30, causing the hinge assembly 100 to malfunction.

[0184] Fig.21 Schematic diagram of the second fixing member 22 provided in the embodiment of the present application. Fig. 22 It is a partial cross-sectional view of another example of the hinge assembly 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0185] In order to avoid the above-mentioned technical problems that may occur and reduce the failure rate of the hinge assembly 100, as Figure 21-22 As shown, in some embodiments provided in the present application, the second fixing member 22 includes an integrally formed plug-in portion 221 and a clamping portion 222, the plug-in portion 221 is connected to the mounting hole 212 opened on the groove bottom wall 211, and the clamping portion 222 is a round cake-shaped structure, which can press the connecting section 42 and the partial bending section 41 adjacent to the connecting section 42 at the opening of the mounting hole 212.

[0186] like Fig. 22 As shown at G' in the figure, the clamping portion 222 presses the connecting section 42 and the part of the curved section 41 adjacent to the connecting section 42 at the opening of the mounting hole 212, thereby preventing the connecting section 42 and the adjacent curved section 41 from tilting up. When the swing arm 30 slides to the other side of the slide groove 21, it will not be blocked and will not affect the rotation of the swing arm 30.

[0187] Optionally, in some embodiments provided in the present application, the second fixing member 22 is a pin or a screw, and correspondingly, the mounting hole 212 is a pin hole or a screw hole.

[0188] In some embodiments provided in the present application, the thickness of the connecting section 42 and a portion of the bending section 41 compressed by the compression portion 222 is smaller than the thickness of other parts of the bending section 41 .

[0189] In this embodiment, the connecting section 42 pressed by the pressing part 222 and the part of the curved section 41 adjacent to the connecting section 42 are thinned to ensure that the pressing part 222 after installation will not rub against the swing arm 30. The curved sections 41 at other parts maintain normal thickness, so that the damping feel transmitted by the elastic member 40 to the hinge assembly 100 remains unchanged.

[0190] Fig.23 It is a schematic diagram of the swing arm 30, the elastic member 40 and the support plate 20 provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0191] like Fig.23 As shown, in some embodiments provided in the present application, a third fixing member 32 is provided on the swing arm 30 protruding toward the groove bottom wall 211, and a fourth fixing member 23 is provided on the groove bottom wall 211 protruding toward the swing arm 30. The first fixing member 31 and the third fixing member 32, the second fixing member 22 and the fourth fixing member 23 are symmetrically arranged about the center line 36 of the swing arm 30, and an elastic member 40 is connected between the third fixing member 32 and the fourth fixing member 23.

[0192] In this embodiment, each swing arm 30 is symmetrically provided with a first fixing member 31 and a third fixing member 32, and each groove bottom wall 211 is symmetrically provided with a second fixing member 22 and a fourth fixing member 23, so that two symmetrical elastic members 40 can be provided between the swing arm 30 and the groove bottom wall 211, so that the restoring forces of the elastic members 40 applied to the swing arm 30 in the length direction b of the support plate 20 can offset each other, thereby preventing the single-sided sliding connection structure of the swing arm 30 and the slide groove 21 from excessive friction for a long time, thereby avoiding friction loss between the swing arm 30 and the support plate 20, thereby ensuring the working stability of the hinge assembly 100 and improving the service life of the hinge assembly 100. At the same time, due to the provision of two symmetrical elastic members 40, the folding resistance is increased, so that the damping feel of the hinge assembly 100 is stronger.

[0193] Optionally, in other embodiments, more than two elastic members 40 but an even number may be connected between the first fixing member 31 and the second fixing member 22 , and between the third fixing member 32 and the fourth fixing member 23 in a symmetrical arrangement.

[0194] Fig.24 It is a schematic diagram of the main swing arm 33 provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0195] like Fig.24 As shown, in some embodiments provided in the present application, the swing arm 30 includes a main swing arm 33, and the base 10 is provided with a folding synchronization component for driving the support plate 20 to rotate synchronously, and the folding synchronization component includes two mutually meshing synchronization gears 331, and the main swing arm 33 is fixedly connected to the synchronization gear 331.

[0196] The main swing arm 33 in this embodiment is connected to the folding synchronization assembly and is used to drive the two support plates 20 to rotate synchronously. The main swing arm 33 is rotatably connected to the base 10 and is slidably disposed in the slide groove 21. The main swing arm 33 can rotate between the flattened position and the folded position, and the swing arm 30 can also slide relative to the support plate 20 in the slide groove 21 during rotation.

[0197] The folding synchronization assembly in this embodiment can be connected by two mutually meshing synchronization gears 331, the main swing arm 33 is fixedly connected to the synchronization gear 331, and the synchronization gear 331 is rotationally connected to the base 10. When the folding synchronization assembly in this embodiment is working, when one of the support plates 20 and the corresponding main swing arm 33 rotates relative to the base 10, the corresponding synchronization gear 331 will be driven to rotate, and the synchronization gear 331 will transmit the torque to the other synchronization gear 331, thereby driving the other main swing arm 33 and the support plate 20 to rotate synchronously and in the opposite direction, thereby realizing the synchronous rotation of the two support plates 20 relative to the base 10, and realizing the synchronous rotation of the first shell 200 and the second shell 300.

[0198] Optionally, in other embodiments, the folding synchronization assembly may further include two idler wheels and two synchronization gears 331 that are meshed in sequence, the two idler wheels are located between the two synchronization gears 331 , and the main swing arm 33 is fixedly connected to the synchronization gear 331 .

[0199] When the folding synchronization assembly in the above embodiment is working, when one of the support plates 20 and the corresponding main swing arm 33 rotates relative to the base 10, the corresponding synchronization gear 331 will be driven to rotate, and the synchronization gear 331 will transfer the torque to the other synchronization gear 331 through two idle gears in sequence, thereby driving the other main swing arm 33 and the support plate 20 to rotate synchronously and in the opposite direction, thereby realizing the synchronous rotation of the two support plates 20 relative to the base 10, and realizing the synchronous rotation of the first shell 200 and the second shell 300.

[0200] Another example Figure 4 and Figure 7 As shown, in some embodiments provided in the present application, the swing arm 30 includes a secondary swing arm 34 having an arc-shaped sliding portion 341 , the base 10 is provided with an arc-shaped sliding groove 11 , and the secondary swing arm 34 is slidably connected to the arc-shaped sliding groove 11 through the arc-shaped sliding portion 341 .

[0201] The auxiliary swing arm 34 in this embodiment is used to increase the connection strength between the base 10 and the support plate 20 , and is also used to increase the stability of the support plate 20 when it rotates relative to the base 10 .

[0202] Fig.25 yes Figure 7 Enlarged view of point B in the middle.

[0203] like Fig.25 As shown, in some embodiments provided in the present application, the thickness L1 of the elastic member 40 is 1 / 2-4 / 5 of the length L2 of the gap 50 in the thickness direction of the elastic member 40 .

[0204] The thickness L1 of the elastic member 40 should be as small as possible compared to the length L2 of the gap 50, so as to avoid the elastic member 40 interfering with the sliding of the swing arm 30 in the slide groove 21, but the thickness L1 of the elastic member 40 should not be too small to affect the reset force of the elastic member 40. Therefore, the thickness L1 of the elastic member 40 is not too large or too small. In this embodiment, the ratio of the thickness L1 of the elastic member 40 and the length L2 of the gap 50 is limited. When L1 is 1 / 2-4 / 5 of L2, it can ensure that the elastic effect of the elastic member 40 can be exerted, ensuring the damping feel of the hinge assembly 100, and at the same time, it will not interfere with the sliding of the swing arm 30 in the slide groove 21, thereby avoiding affecting the rotation of the swing arm 30.

[0205] Finally, it should be noted that the above is only a specific implementation of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present application should be included in the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A hinge assembly, It is characterized in that include: Base (10); A support plate (20) is rotatably connected to the base (10), and the support plate (20) is provided with a slide groove (21); a swing arm (30), one end of which is rotatably connected to the base (10), and the other end of which is slidably disposed in the slide groove (21); the swing arm (30) is capable of rotating between a flattened position and a folded position, and when rotating, the swing arm (30) is also capable of sliding relative to the support plate (20) in the slide groove (21); The elastic member (40) is formed by bending a strip-shaped substrate in a circuitous manner. The elastic member (40) is arranged along the bottom wall (211) of the slide groove (21) and its two ends are respectively connected to the swing arm (30) and the support plate (20), so that the swing arm (30) can compress or release the elastic member (40) when sliding relative to the support plate (20).

2. The hinge assembly according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The swing arm (30) is a plate-shaped structure, and has a gap (50) between it and the groove bottom wall (211), and at least a portion of the elastic member (40) is disposed in the gap (50).

3. The hinge assembly according to claim 1 or 2, It is characterized in that The elastic member (40) comprises a bendable and deformable bending section (41) and a connecting section (42) for connecting the swing arm (30) and the support plate (20), and surfaces of the bend section (41) and the connecting section (42) facing the swing arm (30) are flush.

4. The hinge assembly according to claim 3, It is characterized in that The bent section (41) is bent into an L-shaped structure, a U-shaped structure, an S-shaped structure or a W-shaped structure.

5. The hinge assembly according to claim 3, It is characterized in that The curved section (41) is formed by connecting a plurality of arc-shaped structures (411) end to end, and the arching directions of two adjacent arc-shaped structures (411) are opposite.

6. The hinge assembly according to claim 5, It is characterized in that The elastic member (40) is configured such that, in a non-compressed state, the radius of curvature (r) of each of the arc-shaped structures (411) is the same.

7. The hinge assembly according to any one of claims 4 to 6, It is characterized in that The cross-sectional shape of the curved section (41) is circular, elliptical or rectangular.

8. The hinge assembly according to any one of claims 1-2 and 4-6, It is characterized in that The number of the elastic members (40) is plural, the plurality of elastic members (40) are arranged side by side, and two adjacent elastic members (40) are fixedly connected.

9. The hinge assembly according to any one of claims 4 to 6, It is characterized in that The swing arm (30) is provided with a first fixing member (31) protruding in the direction of the groove bottom wall (211), and the groove bottom wall (211) is provided with a second fixing member (22) protruding in the direction of the swing arm (30), and the connecting section (42) in an annular structure is sleeved on the first fixing member (31) and the second fixing member (22).

10. The hinge assembly according to claim 9, It is characterized in that The first fixing member (31) and the second fixing member (22) are configured such that when the swing arm (30) rotates from the flattened position to the folded position, the distance between the first fixing member (31) and the second fixing member (22) gradually decreases and then gradually increases.

11. The hinge assembly according to claim 10, It is characterized in that When the swing arm (30) is in the flattened position, the distance between the first fixing member (31) and the second fixing member (22) is a first distance (d1); when the swing arm (30) is in the folded position, the distance between the first fixing member (31) and the second fixing member (22) is a second distance (d3); the first distance (d1) is greater than the second distance (d3).

12. The hinge assembly according to claim 9, It is characterized in that The second fixing member (22) comprises an integrally formed plug-in portion (221) and a pressing portion (222); the plug-in portion (221) is connected to a mounting hole (212) provided on the groove bottom wall (211); the pressing portion (222) is a round pancake-shaped structure, and can press and fix the connecting section (42) and a portion of the bent section (41) adjacent to the connecting section (42) at the opening of the mounting hole (212).

13. The hinge assembly according to claim 12, It is characterized in that The second fixing member (22) is a pin or a screw.

14. The hinge assembly according to claim 12 or 13, It is characterized in that The thickness of the connecting section (42) and part of the bending section (41) pressed by the pressing portion (222) is smaller than the thickness of other parts of the bending section (41).

15. The hinge assembly according to claim 9, It is characterized in that The swing arm (30) is provided with a third fixing member (32) protruding in the direction of the groove bottom wall (211), and the groove bottom wall (211) is provided with a fourth fixing member (23) protruding in the direction of the swing arm (30); the first fixing member (31) and the third fixing member (32), the second fixing member (22) and the fourth fixing member (23) are symmetrically arranged with respect to a center line (36) of the swing arm (30); and the elastic member (40) is connected between the third fixing member (32) and the fourth fixing member (23).

16. The hinge assembly according to any one of claims 1-2, 4-6, 10-13, and 15, It is characterized in that The swing arm (30) comprises a main swing arm (33), the base (10) is provided with a folding synchronization component for driving the support plate (20) to rotate synchronously, the folding synchronization component comprises two mutually meshing synchronization gears (331), and the main swing arm (33) is fixedly connected to the synchronization gear (331).

17. The hinge assembly according to any one of claims 1-2, 4-6, 10-13, and 15, It is characterized in that The swing arm (30) comprises a secondary swing arm (34) having an arc-shaped sliding portion (341), the base (10) is provided with an arc-shaped sliding groove (11), and the secondary swing arm (34) is slidably connected to the arc-shaped sliding groove (11) via the arc-shaped sliding portion (341).

18. The hinge assembly according to claim 2, It is characterized in that The thickness (L1) of the elastic member (40) is 1 / 2 to 4 / 5 of the length (L2) of the gap (50) in the thickness direction of the elastic member (40).

19. The hinge assembly according to claim 8, It is characterized in that The multiple elastic members (40) have the same structure.

20. The hinge assembly according to claim 9, It is characterized in that The connecting section (42) is fixedly connected to the first fixing member (31) and the second fixing member (22) respectively.

21. The hinge assembly according to claim 20, It is characterized in that The connecting section (42) is in a closed ring-shaped structure or a semi-closed ring-shaped structure.

22. An electronic device, It is characterized in that It comprises a first shell (200), a second shell (300) and a hinge assembly (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 21, wherein the hinge assembly (100) is connected between the first shell (200) and the second shell (300).

Images