Key protection structure and foldable electronic device

Abstract

The present application discloses a key protection structure and a foldable electronic device, the key protection structure comprises an appearance part with a first opening, a limiter and a protection part. The limiter comprises a first retaining wall and an arc-shaped side wall, the first retaining wall and the arc-shaped side wall are fixed in the first opening opposite to each other; the arc-shaped side wall comprises a first opening facing the first retaining wall, and the arc-shaped side wall is provided with a first end face on both sides of the first opening; the protection part is arranged on the side of the first retaining wall away from the first opening, and is attached to the appearance part; a first folding edge is also arranged at one end of the protection part close to the first retaining wall; the first folding edge is bent between the first retaining wall and the first end face, and is respectively abutted against the first retaining wall and the first end face. The limiter is arranged in this way, so that the protection part is clamped in the first opening through the first folding edge, avoiding the contact between the protection part and the key, and the limiter can also abut against both sides of the first folding edge respectively to fix the protection part, avoiding the problem of the protection part being loose or the protection part being stuck on the key.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of terminal technology, and in particular to a key protection structure and a foldable electronic device. Background Art

[0002] As flexible screen technology matures, the number of foldable electronic devices using flexible screens is increasing. Foldable electronic devices can switch modes according to different usage scenarios. For example, a foldable screen mobile phone can be as small as a traditional smartphone after folding, which is convenient to carry, but can have the display size of an ordinary tablet computer after unfolding. These features make foldable electronic devices using flexible screens one of the most popular electronic products.

[0003] A foldable electronic device generally includes a first shell and a second shell that can rotate relative to each other, and a flexible screen covers the first shell and the second shell. The folding and unfolding functions are realized by rotating the first shell and the second shell. In addition, in some foldable electronic devices, the first shell is also provided with a locking member, and the second shell is provided with a locking tongue that is retracted and controlled by a button. When the device is folded, the locking tongue can be engaged with the locking member to lock the first shell and the second shell, so that the device remains in a folded state.

[0004] In order to facilitate user operation, the buttons usually protrude from the surface of the second shell, which may cause accidental touches in the event of a fall, causing the device to accidentally unfold. If a protective structure is provided around the buttons, the opening structure around the buttons will be damaged, causing the buttons to become loose or stuck during long-term use. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present application provides a key protection structure and a foldable electronic device to solve the problem that a protective member arranged on the foldable electronic device is easy to get loose or the protective member gets stuck on the key.

[0006] In the first aspect, the present application provides a key protection structure, including: an appearance part, on which a first opening is provided; a limiting part, which includes a first retaining wall and an arc-shaped side wall; the first retaining wall is fixed in the first opening opposite to the arc-shaped side wall; the arc-shaped side wall includes a first opening facing the first retaining wall, and the arc-shaped side wall includes a first end face opposite to the first retaining wall on both sides of the first opening; a protective part, which is arranged on a side of the first retaining wall away from the first opening and is attached to the appearance part; a first folded edge is also provided at one end of the protective part close to the first retaining wall; the first folded edge is bent between the first retaining wall and the first end face, and respectively abuts against the first retaining wall and the first end face, so that the first folded edge and the arc-shaped side wall enclose a key hole for accommodating a key.

[0007] The key protection structure provided in the embodiment of the present application uses a limiting member arranged in the first opening so that the protective member is clamped in the first opening through the first folded edge, thereby avoiding contact between the protective member and the key, and the limiting member can respectively abut against both sides of the first folded edge to fix the protective member, thereby avoiding problems such as the protective member loosening and the protective member getting stuck in the key.

[0008] In some implementations, the position-limiting member further includes a connecting frame, which is disposed between the first end face and the first retaining wall to connect the first retaining wall with the arc-shaped side wall and form an annular structure with the first retaining wall and the arc-shaped side wall; the first folded edge includes an abutting portion, which is disposed opposite to the first end face, with both ends of the abutting portion abutting against the first opening respectively, and one side of the abutting portion abutting against the connecting frame. The first retaining wall and the arc-shaped side wall can be connected by the connecting frame, so that the position-limiting member forms an annular structure disposed in the first opening, and the abutting portion in the first folded edge can improve the fixing effect of the protective member by abutting against the first opening and the connecting frame.

[0009] In some implementations, the first folded edge further includes a boss portion, the abutting portion and the boss portion are sequentially arranged along the height direction of the first folded edge, the width of the boss portion is smaller than the width of the abutting portion, so that step surfaces are formed at both ends of the abutting portion, and the abutting portion abuts against the connecting frame through the step surfaces; the length of the first retaining wall is smaller than the distance between the first end surfaces on both sides of the arc-shaped side wall; the limiting member further includes a second retaining wall, the second retaining wall is arranged on a side of the first retaining wall away from the appearance member, and the second retaining wall is arranged opposite to the boss portion. In this way, the abutting portion can abut against the connecting frame through the step surface, and the position of the boss portion is limited by the second retaining wall, thereby achieving a fixing effect on the protective member.

[0010] In some implementations, the position-limiting member further includes: a mounting ring, which is arranged on the outer circumference of the annular structure formed by the first retaining wall, the connecting frame and the arc-shaped side wall, and which extends in a direction away from the center of the first opening, and which fits with the inner surface of the appearance member. In this way, the first retaining wall, the connecting frame and the arc-shaped side wall can be arranged in the first opening by fitting with the inner surface of the appearance member through the mounting ring extending in a direction away from the center of the first opening, thereby fitting the position-limiting member with the appearance member, reducing the displacement of the position-limiting member, and preventing the protective member from falling off or the protective member from jamming the key.

[0011] In some implementations, the key protection structure further includes: a first adhesive layer, the first adhesive layer is disposed between the mounting ring and the inner surface of the appearance member, so as to dispose the first retaining wall and the arc-shaped side wall in the first opening. In this way, the position limiting member and the appearance member can be more closely fitted, thereby improving the stability of the position limiting of the protection member.

[0012] In some implementations, the appearance member is further provided with a second opening, which is provided at one end of the first opening provided with the first retaining wall; the protective member is partially provided in the second opening to engage the protective member with the appearance member. In this way, a position can be provided for the installation of the protective member, which facilitates the engagement of the protective member with the appearance member and improves the installation stability of the protective member.

[0013] In some implementations, the protective member further includes: a first mounting ear and a second mounting ear, the first mounting ear and the second mounting ear are respectively arranged on both sides of the protective member; the first mounting ear and the second mounting ear are located on both sides of the second opening, and the first mounting ear and the second mounting ear are respectively fitted with the inner surface of the appearance member on both sides of the second opening to clamp the protective member and the appearance member. In this way, the protective member and the appearance member can be clamped together by the first mounting ear and the second mounting ear, thereby improving the connection strength between the protective member and the appearance member and preventing the protective member from loosening.

[0014] In some implementations, the key protection structure further includes: a second adhesive layer, which is disposed on the first mounting ear and the second mounting ear, respectively, so as to attach the first mounting ear and the second mounting ear to the appearance part, respectively. This can further improve the fixing strength of the protection part, so that the protection part can be stably disposed on the appearance part.

[0015] In some implementations, the key protection structure further includes a third adhesive layer, which is disposed between the appearance member and the protection member to attach the protection member to the appearance member; the appearance member is further provided with an adhesive groove, which is disposed at the attachment position of the appearance member and the protection member to accommodate the third adhesive layer. In this way, the connection strength between the protection member and the appearance member can be improved during the attachment process of the protection member and the appearance member, thereby avoiding the problem of the protection member falling off.

[0016] In some implementations, the key protection structure further includes: a key, which is arranged in a space enclosed by the arc-shaped side wall. In this way, the position of the key is fixed, and the distance between the protection member and the key is prevented from being too large. At the same time, the structural setting prevents the protection member from being loosened or stuck on the key.

[0017] In the second aspect, the present application also provides a foldable electronic device, comprising a first shell, a second shell, a hinge, a flexible screen, a button, and a button protection structure as described above; the first shell and the second shell are respectively arranged on both sides of the hinge; the flexible screen covers the same side of the first shell, the hinge and the second shell; the first shell and the second shell are configured to be rotatable around the hinge so that the flexible screen can be folded or unfolded; a side end cover is provided at one end of the second shell away from the first shell; the button protection structure is arranged on the side end cover; the button is arranged in a button hole formed by the button protection structure, and the button is configured to be pressed when the flexible screen is in a folded state, so that the flexible screen changes from a folded state to an unfolded state.

[0018] In this way, the buttons on the foldable electronic device can be protected by the button protection structure to avoid accidental button touching when it falls. At the same time, the structural setting of the protective part can improve the installation stability of the protective part to avoid the protective part from loosening or getting stuck on the buttons. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present application, the drawings required for use in the embodiments are briefly introduced below. Obviously, for ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0020] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device in a flattened state provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0021] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device in a folding process provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0022] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device in a folded state provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of a side end cover in an embodiment of the present application;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a structural schematic diagram of a key protection structure in an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a top view of a key protection structure in an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] Figure 7 for Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the structure of the AA section;

[0027] Figure 8 This is a structural explosion diagram of a key protection structure in an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Fig. 9 for Figure 6 Structural diagram of the middle BB section;

[0029] Fig.10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a position-limiting member in an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Fig.11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a protective member in an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Fig.12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a limiter and a protective member in an embodiment of the present application;

[0032] Fig.13 It is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of an appearance part in an embodiment of the present application;

[0033] Fig.14 This is a bottom view schematic diagram of a key protection structure in an embodiment of the present application;

[0034] Fig.15 This is a structural schematic diagram of an electronic device provided with a key protection structure in an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] Fig.16 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of a key protection structure provided in an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0036] Fig.17 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of a finger pressing a key in an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] Fig.18 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of an electronic device after falling in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present application, other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work all belong to the protection scope of the present application.

[0039] In the following, the terms "first", "second", etc. are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first", "second", etc. may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more.

[0040] In addition, in the present application, directional terms such as "upper" and "lower" are defined relative to the orientation of the components in the drawings. It should be understood that these directional terms are relative concepts. They are used for relative description and clarification, and they can change accordingly according to the changes in the orientation of the components in the drawings.

[0041] The foldable electronic device described in the embodiments of the present application includes but is not limited to foldable fixed terminals or mobile terminals such as mobile phones, foldable screen mobile phones, laptops, foldable stands, foldable PADs, laptops, personal digital assistants or wearable devices.

[0042] It should be understood that foldable electronic devices include inner foldable electronic devices and outer foldable electronic devices. The inner foldable electronic device is an electronic device whose flexible screen is located inside the device when the device is in a folded state, and the outer foldable electronic device is an electronic device whose flexible screen covers the outside of the device when the device is in a folded state.

[0043] The following description will be made by taking an outward folding mobile phone as an example of a foldable electronic device.

[0044] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device in a flattened state provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device in a folding process provided by an embodiment of the present application; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device in a folded state provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0045] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the electronic device 100 includes a first housing 110 and a second housing 120, and the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 are rotatably connected. The first housing 110 and the second housing 120 may be middle frames. One end of the first housing 110 is rotatably connected to one end of the second housing 120. Specifically, the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 may be rotatably connected through a hinge assembly, a shaft assembly 130 or a flexible board.

[0046] The first housing 110 and the second housing 120 can be rotated toward each other, that is, folded relative to each other, so that the electronic device 100 is in a folded state. Figure 3 Alternatively, the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 may also move in opposite directions, that is, unfold relatively, so that the electronic device 100 is in an unfolded state, as shown in FIG. Figure 1 as shown in .

[0047] Continue to see Figure 1 and Figure 2 The second housing 120 is provided with a folding locking mechanism, which includes a retractable locking tongue 1211, that is, the locking tongue 1211 can extend out of the second housing 120, and can also be retracted into the second housing 120. In order to cooperate with the locking tongue 1211 to lock the folded state, a locking member 111 is provided on the first housing 110, and the locking tongue 1211 can be partially placed in the locking member 111 to achieve locking in the folded state.

[0048] When the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 move toward each other until the electronic device 100 is in a folded state, the locking tongue 1211 can extend out of the second housing 120 and be placed in the locking member 111 of the first housing 110. The relative movement between the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 is limited by the locking tongue 1211 and the locking member 111, so that the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 are locked, so that the electronic device 100 can be kept in a folded state for a long time, and the occurrence of the electronic device 100 being unfolded due to a slight touch or misoperation is reduced, which helps to improve the user experience.

[0049] In order to control the folding state of the electronic device 100 , a button 1212 is further provided on the second shell 120 . By pressing the button 1212 , the locking tongue 1211 can be retracted into the second shell 120 , thereby releasing the folding state of the first shell 110 and the second shell 120 .

[0050] The end of the second housing 120 away from the first housing 110 may further include a side cover 122, and the folding locking mechanism may be disposed in the side cover 122. At the same time, in order to facilitate the user to control the extension and retraction of the lock tongue 1211 through the button 1212, an opening is provided on the side cover 122, so that the button 1212 and the lock tongue 1211 can be extended to the outside of the second housing 120.

[0051] Specifically, the side cover 122 has a first side surface 1221 and a second side surface 1222 . The second side surface 1222 is adjacent to the first side surface 1221 , and is disposed opposite to an end surface of one end of the first housing 110 when the electronic device 100 is in a folded state.

[0052] In order to set the button 1212 and the lock tongue 1211, the first side surface 1221 and the second side surface 1222 are both provided with openings, and the button 1212 is set on the first side surface 1221 through the opening of the first side surface 1221. One end of the lock tongue 1211 is located in the side end cover 122, and the other end can be retracted in the side end cover 122, and can also extend to the outside of the second housing 120 through the opening of the second side surface 1222.

[0053] Figure 4 1 is a cross-sectional structural diagram of a side end cover in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 4 As shown, a button bracket 1213 and a button guide column 1214 are provided in the side end cover 122 , the button bracket 1213 is connected to the button 1212 , the button guide column 1214 is located at one end of the lock tongue 1211 , and a return spring 1215 is also provided in the direction of the button guide column 1214 away from the lock tongue 1211 .

[0054] When the button 1212 is pressed, the button 1212 will drive the button bracket 1213, thereby pushing the button guide column 1214 to move in the direction away from the lock tongue 1211. The displaced button guide column 1214 can drive the lock tongue 1211 to move to retract into the side end cover 122, and can compress the return spring 1215.

[0055] In the process of releasing the button 1212 to reset it, after the button 1212 loses the pressing force, the elastic force of the reset spring 1215 will be released, thereby pushing the button guide column 1214 back to its original position, and then through the displacement of the button guide column 1214, the button bracket 1213, the button 1212 and the lock tongue 1211 are driven to move, so that the button 1212 is reset and the lock tongue 1211 extends out of the side end cover 122.

[0056] It should be understood that in order to facilitate the user to perform the pressing operation, the button 1212 needs to be arranged protruding from the first side surface 1221 of the side end cover 122. However, the button 1212 arranged protruding from the first side surface 1221 may cause the button 1212 to be easily touched by mistake when the electronic device 100 in the folded state is stored or dropped, thereby causing the lock tongue 1211 to shrink into the side end cover 122, causing the electronic device 100 to switch from the folded state to the unfolded state, which may easily cause damage to the screen.

[0057] To solve the above problems, the embodiments of the present application provide a key protection structure 200 and a foldable electronic device, which can not only provide accidental touch protection for the keys, but also reduce the gap between the protection structure and the keys to improve the aesthetics of the device, and avoid the occurrence of situations such as the protection structure falling off and the keys getting stuck, thereby improving the structural operation stability of the electronic device.

[0058] Figure 5 This is a structural schematic diagram of a key protection structure in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a top view of a key protection structure in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 7 for Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the structure of the AA section; Figure 8 This is a structural explosion diagram of a key protection structure in an embodiment of the present application.

[0059] like Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, an embodiment of the present application provides a key protection structure 200 , which may include an appearance component 210 , a limiting component 220 and a protection component 230 .

[0060] The appearance member 210 may be provided with a first opening 211. Figure 1Taking the electronic device 100 shown in the figure as an example, the appearance member 210 may be the side end cover 122 in the electronic device 100. It should be noted that the shapes of the first opening 211 in different devices may be different, such as Figures 5 to 8 The shape structure of the first opening 211 is only an example, and the shape structure of the first opening 211 is not limited in the present application.

[0061] like Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the limiting member 220 may include a first retaining wall 221 and a curved side wall 222. The first retaining wall 221 and the curved side wall 222 are fixed in the first opening 211 relative to each other, and the curved side wall 222 includes a first opening 2221 facing the first retaining wall 221. Therefore, the curved side wall 222 is provided with a first end surface 2222 opposite to the first retaining wall 221 on both sides of the first opening 2221.

[0062] It should be understood that the shape of the curved side wall 222 can be an arch, an arc, or other shapes. The specific shape of the curved side wall 222 is related to the shape of the first opening 211 on the appearance part 210. The arch-shaped curved side wall 222 shown in the figure is only a feasible implementation method in the embodiment of the present application. The specific shape of the curved side wall 222 is not limited in this application.

[0063] Exemplarily, the first opening 211 may include a first end and a second end relative to each other. When the first retaining wall 221 and the curved side wall 222 are arranged in the first opening 211, one end of the first retaining wall 221 is used as the first end of the first opening 211, and one end of the curved side wall 222 is used as the second end of the first opening 211.

[0064] The protection member 230 is disposed on a side of the first retaining wall 221 away from the first opening 211, and is attached to the appearance member 210. In order to fix the protection member 230 to the appearance member 210, a first folded edge 231 is further disposed at one end of the protection member 230 close to the first retaining wall 221. The first folded edge 231 is bent between the first retaining wall 221 and the first end face 2222, and abuts against the first retaining wall 221 and the first end face 2222, respectively.

[0065] It should be understood that if the first opening 211 includes a first end and a second end opposite to each other, the protection member 230 is disposed at the first end of the first opening 211 and extends in a direction away from the second end of the first opening 211 .

[0066] It should be noted that there are two first end surfaces 2222. The two first end surfaces 2222 are respectively located on both sides of the first opening 2221, and the two first end surfaces 2222 are located in the same plane, so that when abutting against the first folded edge 231, the displacement space of the first folded edge 231 is reduced, thereby improving the fixing ability of the arc-shaped side wall 222 and the first retaining wall 221 to the protective member 230.

[0067] The key protection structure 200 in the embodiment of the present application is mainly used to protect the keys. Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 As shown, a button hole 270 formed by the first folded edge 231 and the arc-shaped side wall 222 is provided in the button protection structure 200 , and the button hole 270 is used to accommodate a button 400 disposed on the device.

[0068] Since the first end surface 2222 of the first opening 2221 in the curved side wall 222 is used to abut against the first folded edge 231, in order to prevent the protective member 230 from directly contacting the key 400 and thus jamming the key 400, the outer wall of the key 400 will not contact the inner wall of the curved side wall 222, thereby creating a certain gap between the key 400 and the first folded edge 231.

[0069] At the same time, since the button 400 will be pressed during the use of the device, in order to reduce the friction between the button 400 and the arc-shaped side wall 222, a certain gap is also provided between the outer peripheral side of the button 400 and the inner wall of the arc-shaped side wall 222. The gap between the button 400 and the inner wall of the arc-shaped side wall 222 can be the same as the gap between the button 400 and the first folded edge 231.

[0070] Therefore, in some embodiments, the button 400 can be set in the button hole 270 formed by the first folded edge 231 and the arc-shaped side wall 222, and a gap is provided between the inner wall of the button hole 270 and the outer wall of the button 400, so that the button 400 can be pressed to avoid friction between components.

[0071] In this way, the position of the key 400 is fixed, and the distance between the protective member 230 and the key 400 is prevented from being too large. At the same time, the structural setting can prevent the protective member 230 from being loosened or stuck on the key 400.

[0072] Fig. 9 for Figure 6 Structural diagram of the middle BB section; Fig.10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a limiter in an embodiment of the present application.

[0073] In some embodiments of the present application, the first retaining wall 221 and the arc-shaped side wall 222 are arranged in the first opening 211 and fit with the inner wall of the first opening 211. Fig. 9 and Fig.10 As shown, the limiting member 220 further includes a connecting frame 223, which is disposed between the first end surface 2222 and the first retaining wall 221, thereby connecting the first retaining wall 221 and the arcuate side wall 222, so that the first retaining wall 221, the arcuate side wall 222 and the connecting frame 223 form an annular structure.

[0074] It should be understood that since there are two first end surfaces 2222 of the arc-shaped side wall 222, there can also be two connecting frames 223 disposed between the first retaining wall 221 and the first end surface 2222. The two first end surfaces 2222 can be respectively connected to the two ends of the first retaining wall 221 through two connecting frames 223.

[0075] Furthermore, since the annular structure formed by the first retaining wall 221, the arcuate side wall 222 and the connecting frame 223 is disposed in the first opening 211 of the appearance member 210, and the first retaining wall 221 and the arcuate side wall 222 are respectively fitted with the inner wall of the first opening 211, the shape of the annular structure can be the same as that of the first opening 211.

[0076] In some embodiments, the length of the first retaining wall 221 may be smaller than the distance between the first end surfaces 2222 on both sides of the arc-shaped side wall 222, wherein the length of the first retaining wall 221 is the dimension information of the first retaining wall 221 in its extending direction. Since the first retaining wall 221 and the arc-shaped side wall 222 are both disposed in the first opening 211, the length of the first retaining wall 221 may be smaller than the distance between the two ends of the first opening 2221.

[0077] Fig.11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a protective member in an embodiment of the present application; Fig.12 Schematic diagram of the structure of a limiter and a protective member in the embodiment of the present application. Fig.10 , Fig.11 and Fig.12 As shown, the first folded edge 231 may further include an abutting portion 2311, which is disposed between the first retaining wall 221 and the first end surface 2222. The abutting portion 2311 is disposed opposite to the first end surface 2222, and both ends of the abutting portion 2311 abut against the first opening 211 respectively, so that the abutting portion 2311 is fixed to a certain extent by the inner wall of the first opening 211.

[0078] In some embodiments, the connection frame 223 may include an abutting surface extending toward the center of the first opening 211. The connection frame 223 abuts against the first folded edge 231 through the abutting surface to fix the protection member 230 to a certain extent.

[0079] Specifically, when a connecting frame 223 is provided between the first retaining wall 221 and the arc-shaped side wall 222, the abutting portion 2311 abuts against the connecting frame 223 through one side surface. At this time, the connecting frame 223 can provide certain support and position limiting for the abutting portion 2311, reduce the range of movement of the abutting portion 2311, and thus improve the fixing effect of the limiting member 220 on the protective member 230.

[0080] In some embodiments of the present application, the first folded edge 231 further includes a boss portion 2312, and the abutting portion 2311 and the boss portion 2312 are sequentially arranged along the height direction of the first folded edge 231. With the appearance member 210 being located above the key protection structure 200 as a reference, the abutting portion 2311 and the boss portion 2312 in the first folded edge 231 are sequentially arranged from top to bottom. Specifically, the boss portion 2312 can be arranged below the abutting portion 2311.

[0081] Furthermore, the width of the boss portion 2312 may be smaller than the width of the abutment portion 2311, so that step surfaces 2313 are formed at both ends of the abutment portion 2311 close to one side of the boss portion 2312, and the abutment portion 2311 contacts the abutment surfaces extending from the connecting frame 223 through the step surfaces 2313 at both ends, thereby achieving the effect of abutment between the abutment portion 2311 and the connecting frame 223.

[0082] When the limiting member 220 is fixed to the protection member 230, the first folded edge 231 is arranged between the first retaining wall 221 and the first end surface 2222. The abutting portion 2311 in the first folded edge 231 abuts against the connecting frame 223 through the step surface 2313, and the boss portion 2312 is arranged opposite to the second retaining wall 224, so that the protection member 230 is limited and fixed by the first retaining wall 221, the arc-shaped side wall 222, and the connecting frame 223.

[0083] It should be noted that the abutment portion 2311 and the boss portion 2312 in the first folded edge 231 can be an integrally formed structure, thereby improving the fixing effect of the protective member 230 and the limiting member 220 and preventing the protective member 230 from loosening or falling off.

[0084] like Figure 7 and Fig.12 As shown, the limiting member 220 may further include a second retaining wall 224 , which is disposed on a side of the first retaining wall 221 away from the appearance member 210 , that is, the second retaining wall 224 is disposed in a height direction of the first retaining wall 221 .

[0085] Taking the appearance member 210 as a reference, the second retaining wall 224 is located below the first retaining wall 221, and the second retaining wall 224 is disposed opposite to one side of the boss portion 2312. Specifically, the second retaining wall 224 can be disposed opposite to the side of the boss portion 2312 located below, thereby limiting the boss portion 2312, thereby improving the fixing effect of the protection member 230 by limiting and fixing the first folded edge 231.

[0086] like Fig.10 and Fig.12 As shown, a circle of protrusions is provided on the outer circumference of the annular structure formed by the first retaining wall 221, the arc-shaped side wall 222 and the connecting frame 223. The annular structure is fitted with the appearance member 210 through the protrusions on the outer circumference. Specifically, the protrusion is a mounting ring 225 in the stopper 220, which is arranged on the outer circumference of the annular structure formed by the first retaining wall 221, the arc-shaped side wall 222 and the connecting frame 223, and the mounting ring 225 extends in a direction away from the center of the first opening 211, thereby forming a protrusion structure.

[0087] In some embodiments, in order to enable the inner wall of the mounting ring 225 to fit closely with the outer circumference of the annular structure, the mounting ring 225 may be a sheet structure with a through hole, and the shape and size of the through hole on the mounting ring 225 are the same as those of the first opening 211, so that the mounting ring 225 can be sleeved on the outer circumference of the annular structure.

[0088] Furthermore, in order to improve the fixing effect between the limit member 220 and the appearance member 210, the mounting ring 225 and the annular structure formed by the first retaining wall 221, the arc-shaped side wall 222 and the connecting frame 223 are integrally formed, thereby improving the connection strength of the structure between the limit member 220, and when the mounting ring 225 is fitted with the inner surface of the appearance member 210, the connection between the mounting ring 225 and the annular structure is prevented from loosening, thereby improving the connection strength between the limit member 220 and the appearance member 210 and reducing the displacement of the limit member 220.

[0089] In some embodiments of this application, Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the key protection structure 200 further includes a first adhesive layer 240, which is disposed between the mounting ring 225 and the inner surface of the appearance member 210, so that the annular structure formed by the first retaining wall 221, the arc-shaped side wall 222 and the connecting frame 223 is disposed in the first opening 211, thereby improving the connection strength between the position-limiting member 220 and the appearance member 210. At the same time, the first adhesive layer 240 is used for bonding, which can reduce the stress on each component when the position-limiting member 220 and the appearance member 210 are installed by means of interference fit, etc., improve the stability of the position-limiting of the protection member 230, and at the same time improve the service life of each component and reduce component damage.

[0090] The first adhesive layer 240 may be double-sided tape, glue or other adhesive materials that are sticky and can be used in electronic devices. In some embodiments of the present application, in order to maintain the beauty of the bonding and prevent the adhesive material in the first adhesive layer 240 from diffusing to the surrounding after the mounting ring 225 and the appearance part 210 are attached, the first adhesive layer 240 may be a solid adhesive material, such as double-sided tape. The present application does not limit the specific composition of the first adhesive layer 240.

[0091] Fig.13 It is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of an appearance member in an embodiment of the present application. It should be noted that the specific structure of the appearance member 210 can be the structure of the side end cover 122 in the aforementioned embodiment, and the appearance member 210 shown in the embodiment of the present application is only a partial area of ​​the appearance member 210 provided with the first opening 211, the limit member 220 and the protective member 230.

[0092] like Figure 8 and Fig.13 As shown, the appearance member 210 may further be provided with a second opening 212, and the second opening 212 is arranged at one end of the first opening 211 provided with the first retaining wall 221. In some embodiments of the present application, the second opening 212 is arranged on the appearance member 210 in a direction from the first end to the second end of the first opening 211, that is, the first end of the first opening 211 is located between the second opening 212 and the second end of the first opening 211.

[0093] The purpose of providing the second opening 212 is to improve the connection strength between the protection member 230 and the appearance member 210. Specifically, the protection member 230 can be partially disposed in the second opening 212, so that the protection member 230 is clamped with the appearance member 210. In this way, a position can be provided for the installation of the protection member 230, which is convenient for clamping the protection member 230 with the appearance member 210, and the installation stability of the protection member 230 is improved.

[0094] like Fig.11 and Fig.13 As shown, the protective member 230 is provided with a protective member body 232, one end of the protective member body 232 is provided with a first folded edge 231, and the other end of the protective member body 232 is engaged with the second opening 212, so that the protective member 230 is installed as a whole with the appearance member 210. When installing the protective member 230, the protective member 230 can be moved in a direction close to the first opening 211, so that the end portion of the protective member body 232 without the first folded edge 231 is set in the second opening 212, and then the protective member 230 is rotated to allow the first folded edge 231 to enter the first opening 211.

[0095] In some embodiments of the present application, in order to further improve the connection strength of the protective member 230, as shown in FIG. Fig.11As shown, the protective member 230 further includes a first mounting ear 233a and a second mounting ear 233b. The first mounting ear 233a and the second mounting ear 233b are respectively arranged on both sides of the protective member 230. Specifically, the first mounting ear 233a and the second mounting ear 233b can be arranged at an end of the protective member body 232 where the first folded edge 231 is not arranged. Exemplarily, the protective member body 232 is partially arranged in the second opening 212 through the first mounting ear 233a and the second mounting ear 233b.

[0096] Fig.14 Schematic diagram of a bottom view of a key protection structure in an embodiment of the present application. Fig.14 As shown, after the appearance member 210 and the protection member 230 are installed, the first mounting ear 233a and the second mounting ear 233b are respectively located on both sides of the second opening 212, and the first mounting ear 233a and the second mounting ear 233b are respectively fitted with the inner surface of the appearance member 210 on both sides of the second opening 212, so as to clamp the protection member 230 and the appearance member 210. In this way, the protection member 230 and the appearance member 210 can be clamped together by the first mounting ear 233a and the second mounting ear 233b, thereby improving the connection strength between the protection member 230 and the appearance member 210, and preventing the protection member 230 from loosening or the protection member 230 from jamming the key 400.

[0097] Furthermore, the protective member 230 may be further fixed by providing an adhesive layer between the appearance member 210 and the first mounting ear 233a and the second mounting ear 233b. Figure 8 and Fig.14 As shown, the key protection structure 200 further includes a second adhesive layer 250, which is respectively arranged on the first mounting ear 233a and the second mounting ear 233b, so that when the protection member 230 is installed with the appearance member 210, the first mounting ear 233a and the second mounting ear 233b are bonded to the inner surface of the appearance member 210, so that the first mounting ear 233a and the second mounting ear 233b are respectively attached to the appearance member 210. In this way, the fixing strength of the protection member 230 can be further improved, so that the protection member 230 can be stably arranged on the appearance member 210.

[0098] It should be understood that since the clamping position between the appearance part 210 and the protective part 230 is an arc-shaped area, in order to fit with the appearance part 210, the first mounting ear 233a and the second mounting ear 233b are both sheet structures with the same arc as the appearance part 210, so that one end of the protective part 230 is fitted with the appearance part 210 through the first mounting ear 233a and the second mounting ear 233b, reducing the movement of the protective part 230 and avoiding the protective part 230 from loosening, falling off, etc.

[0099] In order to fit the arc-shaped first mounting ear 233a and the second mounting ear 233b to the appearance part 210, the second adhesive layer 250 needs to be respectively arranged on the side of the first mounting ear 233a and the second mounting ear 233b close to the appearance part 210, and the thickness of the second adhesive layer 250 on the two mounting ears is the same. Further, in order to reduce the flow of the adhesive material, the second adhesive layer 250 can be a solid adhesive material, such as a double-sided adhesive, etc. The thickness and shape of the solid adhesive material are easier to control, so that the protection member 230 and the appearance part 210 are more stably fitted.

[0100] In some embodiments of this application, Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the key protection structure 200 may further include a third adhesive layer 260. Specifically, the third adhesive layer 260 is disposed between the appearance member 210 and the protection member 230 to attach the protection member 230 to the appearance member 210. In this way, during the attachment process of the protection member 230 to the appearance member 210, the connection strength between the protection member 230 and the appearance member 210 can be improved, thereby preventing the protection member 230 from falling off.

[0101] The third adhesive layer 260 may be double-sided tape or glue, or other adhesive materials used in electronic devices. The present application does not limit the specific composition of the third adhesive layer 260 .

[0102] If the third adhesive layer 260 is a solid adhesive material, it can be directly disposed between the appearance member 210 and the protective member 230. If the third adhesive layer 260 is a fluid adhesive material, an adhesive groove 213 can be disposed on the appearance member 210 to accommodate the third adhesive layer 260, so that the appearance member 210 is bonded to the protective member 230 through the third adhesive layer 260.

[0103] Specifically, the bonding groove 213 can be set at the bonding position of the appearance member 210 and the protective member 230 to accommodate the third bonding layer 260. This can reduce the loss of the fluid third bonding layer 260 during the bonding process of the appearance member 210 and the protective member 230, and prevent the bonding material from leaking into the electronic device.

[0104] The key protection structure 200 provided in the embodiment of the present application, through the limiting member 220 set in the first opening 211, makes the first folded edge 231 of the protective member 230 abut against the first retaining wall 221 and the first end face 2222 in the limiting member 220 respectively, thereby avoiding the contact between the protective member 230 and the key 400, and fixes the protective member 230 by abutting against the two sides of the first folded edge 231 respectively, thereby improving the fixing effect of the protective member 230.

[0105] Fig.15 It is a structural schematic diagram of an electronic device provided with a key protection structure in an embodiment of the present application.

[0106] Based on the key protection structure 200 provided in the embodiment of the present application, Fig.15 As shown, the present application also provides a foldable electronic device 300, including a first shell 310, a second shell 320, a hinge 330, a flexible screen, a button 400, and any button protection structure 200 as in the aforementioned embodiments.

[0107] The first shell 310 and the second shell 320 are disposed on both sides of the rotating shaft 330 , so that the first shell 310 and the second shell 320 can realize relative and reverse movements through the rotating shaft 330 .

[0108] The flexible screen covers the same side of the first shell 310, the hinge 330 and the second shell 320, so that when the first shell 310 and the second shell 320 rotate around the hinge 330, the flexible screen is folded or unfolded, thereby realizing the folding and unfolding of the foldable electronic device 300.

[0109] Specifically, the first housing 310 and the second housing 320 can rotate toward each other, that is, fold relatively, so that the foldable electronic device 300 is in a folded state. Alternatively, the first housing 310 and the second housing 320 can also move away from each other, that is, unfold relatively, so that the electronic device 300 is in an unfolded state.

[0110] The second housing 320 is provided with a side cover 322 at one end away from the first housing 310. Specifically, the side cover 322 is provided on the side of the second housing 320 opposite to the flexible screen. The key protection structure 200 is provided on the side cover 322 to provide protection for the keys on the side cover 322.

[0111] The button 400 can be set in the button hole 270 formed by the button protection structure 200. The button 400 can be pressed when the flexible screen is in a folded state, so that the flexible screen changes from a folded state to an unfolded state, thereby switching the folding state of the foldable electronic device 300.

[0112] In some embodiments, in order to lock the folded state when the first housing 310 and the second housing 320 are in the folded state, a folding locking mechanism and a button 400 are provided on the second housing 320. The folding locking mechanism is arranged in the side end cover 322, the folding locking mechanism is connected to the button 400, and the button 400 partially protrudes from the side end cover 322, so that the folding locking mechanism can be controlled according to the button 400.

[0113] Specifically, the folding locking mechanism is used to lock the state of the foldable electronic device 300 into the folded state after the first housing 310 and the second housing 320 are rotated toward each other, and the button 400 is used to release the folded state of the foldable electronic device 300 by pressing.

[0114] Exemplarily, the folding locking mechanism includes a locking tongue 3211 , and a locking hole 311 is provided on the first shell 310 , and the folding state of the first shell 310 and the second shell 320 is locked by the cooperation between the locking tongue 3211 and the locking hole 311 .

[0115] The button 400 may be partially protruded from the side cover 322. In the embodiment of the present application, since the appearance member 210 in the button protection structure 200 is the side cover 322 in the foldable electronic device 300, the button 400 is disposed in the opening on the appearance member 210, and part of the button 400 is protruded from the appearance member 210, so as to facilitate pressing.

[0116] In order to protect the key 400, the key protection structure 200 can be set on the side end cover 322, that is, the key protection structure 200 can be set at one end of the second shell 320 away from the first shell 310, the side without the flexible screen.

[0117] Fig.16 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of a key protection structure provided in an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present application; Fig.17 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of a finger pressing a key in an embodiment of the present application; Fig.18 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of an electronic device after falling in an embodiment of the present application.

[0118] like Fig.15 and Fig.16 As shown, when the key protection structure 200 is set in the foldable electronic device 300, the appearance member 210 can be used as the side end cover 322 of the electronic device 100. Specifically, when the key protection structure 200 is set, the first opening 211 and the second opening 212 can be opened on the appearance member 210, so as to facilitate the setting of the limiter 220 and the protective member 230, and the key 400 is set in the space formed by the arc-shaped side wall 222 in the limiter 220. At this time, the limiter 220 and the protective member 230 are connected by the structural setting in the above-mentioned embodiment, so that the protective member 230 will not be easily loosened or fall off, affecting the application of the key 400. There is a certain gap between the key 400 and the arc-shaped side wall 222 and the protective member 230. At the same time, on the basis of the protective member 230 being fixed, the gap is as small as possible, thereby improving the aesthetics of the overall structure of the foldable electronic device 300.

[0119] like Fig.16 , Fig.17 and Fig.18As shown, a button bracket 3213 and a button guide column 3214 are provided in the side end cover 322 , the button bracket 3213 is connected to the button 400 , the button guide column 3214 is located at one end of the lock tongue 3211 , and a return spring 3215 is also provided in the direction of the button guide column 3214 away from the lock tongue 3211 .

[0120] When the button 400 is pressed, the button 400 will drive the button bracket 3213, thereby pushing the button guide column 3214 to move in a direction away from the lock tongue 3211. The displaced button guide column 3214 can drive the lock tongue 3211 to move to retract into the side end cover 322, and can compress the return spring 3215.

[0121] In the process of releasing the button 400 to reset it, after the button 400 loses the pressing force, the elastic force of the reset spring 3215 will be released, thereby pushing the button guide column 3214 back to its original position, and then through the displacement of the button guide column 3214, the button bracket 3213, the button 400 and the lock tongue 3211 are driven to move, so that the button 400 is reset and the lock tongue 3211 extends out of the side end cover 322.

[0122] Therefore, in normal use of the foldable electronic device 300, the button 400 can be pressed by a finger. Because the finger has an arc and a certain deformation ability, such as Fig.17 As shown, the button 400 can be fully pressed by pressing with a finger, so that the lock tongue 3211 is fully extended into the second shell 320 to release the folded locking state of the first shell 310 and the second shell 320, so that the foldable electronic device 300 is switched from the folded state to the unfolded state.

[0123] like Fig.18 As shown, when the foldable electronic device 300 provided with the key protection structure 200 falls or contacts other objects, if the key 400 contacts the ground or other planes, the ground will push the key 400 to the inside of the side cover 322 under the influence of the gravity of the foldable electronic device 300 itself. At this time, the protective member 230 arranged at one end of the key 400 can provide support for the foldable electronic device 300 through the side of the protruding outer surface of the appearance member 210, so that the key 400 will not be completely pressed. At this time, the locking tongue 3211 is still partially outside the second shell 320 and is located in the locking hole 311 in the first shell 310 to maintain the folded state of the first shell 310 and the second shell 320, thereby preventing the foldable electronic device 300 from switching from the folded state to the unfolded state.

[0124] In this way, the key 400 on the foldable electronic device 300 can be protected by the key protection structure 200 to reduce the occurrence of accidental touching of the key 400 when it falls. At the same time, the structural setting of the protective member 230 can improve the installation stability of the protective member 230 to avoid the protective member 230 from loosening or getting stuck on the key 400.

[0125] It should be noted that those skilled in the art will readily come up with other embodiments of the present application after considering the specification and practicing the application disclosed herein. The present application is intended to cover any variations, uses or adaptations of the present application, which follow the general principles of the present application and include common knowledge or customary technical means in the art that are not disclosed in the present application. The specification and examples are intended to be exemplary only, and the true scope of the present application is indicated by the following claims.

[0126] It should be understood that the present application is not limited to the precise structures that have been described above and shown in the drawings, and that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope thereof. The scope of the present application is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A key protection structure, characterized in that: include: An appearance member (210), wherein the appearance member (210) is provided with a first opening (211); A limiting member (220), the limiting member (220) comprising a first retaining wall (221) and an arc-shaped side wall (222); the first retaining wall (221) and the arc-shaped side wall (222) are fixed in the first opening (211) opposite to each other; the arc-shaped side wall (222) comprises a first opening (2221) facing the first retaining wall (221), and the arc-shaped side wall (222) comprises first end surfaces (2222) opposite to the first retaining wall (221) on both sides of the first opening (2221); a protective member (230), the protective member (230) being arranged on a side of the first retaining wall (221) away from the first opening (211), and being attached to the appearance member (210), the protective member (230) being arranged so as to protrude from the outer surface of the appearance member (210); a first folded edge (231) being arranged at one end of the protective member (230) close to the first retaining wall (221); the first folded edge (231) being bent between the first retaining wall (221) and the first end surface (2222), and being respectively in contact with the first retaining wall (221) and the first end surface (2222), so that the first folded edge (231) and the arc-shaped side wall (222) enclose a key hole (270) for accommodating a key, a gap being arranged between the key, the arc-shaped side wall (222) and the protective member (230), and a portion of the key being arranged so as to protrude from the outer surface of the appearance member (210); A third adhesive layer (260) is disposed between the appearance member (210) and the protective member (230) so as to adhere the protective member (230) to the appearance member (210).

2. The key protection structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The limiting member (220) further comprises a connecting frame (223), wherein the connecting frame (223) is arranged between the first end surface (2222) and the first retaining wall (221) so as to connect the first retaining wall (221) and the arc-shaped side wall (222), and to form an annular structure with the first retaining wall (221) and the arc-shaped side wall (222); The first folded edge (231) comprises an abutment portion (2311), the abutment portion (2311) being arranged opposite to the first end surface (2222), the two ends of the abutment portion (2311) respectively abutting against the first opening (211), and one side of the abutment portion (2311) abutting against the connecting frame (223).

3. The key protection structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first folded edge (231) further comprises a boss portion (2312), the abutting portion (2311) and the boss portion (2312) are sequentially arranged along the height direction of the first folded edge (231), the width of the boss portion (2312) is smaller than the width of the abutting portion (2311), so as to form step surfaces (2313) at both ends of the abutting portion (2311), and the abutting portion (2311) abuts against the connecting frame (223) respectively through the step surfaces (2313); The length of the first retaining wall (221) is smaller than the distance between the first end surfaces (2222) on both sides of the arc-shaped side wall (222); The limiting member (220) further comprises a second retaining wall (224), wherein the second retaining wall (224) is arranged on a side of the first retaining wall (221) away from the appearance member (210), and the second retaining wall (224) is arranged opposite to the boss portion (2312).

4. The key protection structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The limiting member (220) further includes: A mounting ring (225), wherein the mounting ring (225) is arranged on the outer peripheral side of the annular structure formed by the first retaining wall (221), the connecting frame (223) and the arc-shaped side wall (222), and the mounting ring (225) extends in a direction away from the center of the first opening (211), and the mounting ring (225) is in contact with the inner surface of the appearance part (210).

5. The key protection structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: Also includes: A first adhesive layer (240) is disposed between the mounting ring (225) and the inner surface of the appearance member (210) to dispose the first retaining wall (221) and the arc-shaped side wall (222) in the first opening (211).

6. The key protection structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The appearance member (210) is further provided with a second opening (212), and the second opening (212) is arranged at one end of the first opening (211) where the first retaining wall (221) is provided; The protective member (230) is partially disposed in the second opening (212) so as to clamp the protective member (230) and the appearance member (210).

7. The key protection structure according to claim 6, characterized in that: The protective member (230) further comprises: A first mounting ear (233a) and a second mounting ear (233b), wherein the first mounting ear (233a) and the second mounting ear (233b) are respectively arranged on both sides of the protective member (230); the first mounting ear (233a) and the second mounting ear (233b) are located on both sides of the second opening (212), and the first mounting ear (233a) and the second mounting ear (233b) are respectively fitted with the inner surface of the appearance member (210) on both sides of the second opening (212) so as to clamp the protective member (230) with the appearance member (210).

8. The key protection structure according to claim 7, characterized in that: The key protection structure also includes: A second adhesive layer (250), wherein the second adhesive layer (250) is respectively disposed on the first mounting ear (233a) and the second mounting ear (233b) so as to respectively attach the first mounting ear (233a) and the second mounting ear (233b) to the appearance component (210).

9. The key protection structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The appearance member (210) is also provided with an adhesive groove (213), and the adhesive groove (213) is arranged at a bonding position of the appearance member (210) and the protective member (230) to accommodate the third adhesive layer (260).

10. A foldable electronic device, characterized in that: include: A first shell (310), a second shell (320), a rotating shaft (330), a flexible screen, a button (400), and a button protection structure (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 9; The first shell (310) and the second shell (320) are respectively arranged on two sides of the rotating shaft (330); The flexible screen covers the same side of the first shell (310), the rotating shaft (330) and the second shell (320); the first shell (310) and the second shell (320) are configured to be rotatable around the rotating shaft (330) so that the flexible screen can be folded or unfolded; An end of the second shell (320) away from the first shell (310) is provided with a side end cover; The key protection structure (200) is arranged on the side end cover; The button (400) is arranged in a button hole (270) formed by the button protection structure (200), and the button (400) is configured to be pressed when the flexible screen is in a folded state, so that the flexible screen changes from the folded state to the unfolded state.

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