Hinge mechanism and electronic device

Abstract

The application discloses a hinge mechanism and an electronic device, and belongs to the field of electronic devices. In the hinge mechanism, a base is provided with a first swing arm and a second swing arm on opposite sides in a first direction. A first rotating shaft and a second rotating shaft are arranged in parallel. The first swing arm is rotationally connected to the base through the first rotating shaft. The first swing arm and the first rotating shaft are movably connected in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. The second swing arm is rotationally connected to the base through the second rotating shaft. The second swing arm and the second rotating shaft are movably connected in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. A supporting plate is movably connected to the base in a second direction. The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction and is perpendicular to the axial direction. The base is provided with a first sliding groove and a second sliding groove. The supporting plate is provided with a third sliding groove and a fourth sliding groove. The first sliding groove and the second sliding groove extend along the circumferential direction of the first rotating shaft. The third sliding groove and the fourth sliding groove extend along the first direction. The first sliding groove and the third sliding groove are matched with the first swing arm. The second sliding groove and the fourth sliding groove are matched with the second swing arm.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The application belongs to the technical field of electronic equipment, and particularly relates to a hinge mechanism and electronic equipment. BACKGROUND

[0002] Due to the large display area and strong portability, foldable-screen mobile phones are increasingly popular with users. The hinge mechanism is a device used to provide folding and unfolding capabilities in the foldable-screen mobile phone, and two housings adjacent to each other in the electronic equipment are rotationally connected through the hinge mechanism.

[0003] In a conventional hinge mechanism, in order to ensure that the two housings can be synchronously rotated relative to the base, so that the folding and unfolding states of the electronic equipment are better, a synchronous mechanism is usually required to be provided, the synchronous mechanism includes two groups of synchronous swing arms connected with the two housings respectively, and the two groups of synchronous swing arms are in a transmission connection relationship through meshing teeth and a gear, which leads to a relatively complex structure of the entire hinge mechanism, a large number of parts, and a large installation space occupied by the synchronous mechanism in the hinge mechanism. SUMMARY

[0004] The purpose of the embodiments of the present application is to provide a hinge mechanism and electronic equipment, so as to solve the problem that the current hinge mechanism is relatively complex in structure, has a large number of parts, and occupies a large installation space in the hinge mechanism for the purpose of synchronization by using a synchronous mechanism.

[0005] In a first aspect, the embodiments of the present application disclose a hinge mechanism, comprising a base, a support plate, a first rotating shaft, a second rotating shaft, a first swing arm and a second swing arm, wherein,

[0006] The base is provided with the first swing arm and the second swing arm on two opposite sides in a first direction, the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft are arranged in parallel, the first swing arm is rotationally connected with the base through the first rotating shaft, and the first swing arm and the first rotating shaft are movably matched in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the first rotating shaft, the second swing arm is rotationally connected with the base through the second rotating shaft, and the second swing arm and the second rotating shaft are movably matched in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the second rotating shaft, the support plate is movably connected with the base in a second direction, the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, and both are perpendicular to the axial direction of the first rotating shaft;

[0007] The base is provided with a first sliding groove and a second sliding groove, the support plate is provided with a third sliding groove and a fourth sliding groove, the first sliding groove and the second sliding groove both extend along the circumferential direction of the first rotating shaft, the third sliding groove and the fourth sliding groove both extend along the first direction, the first sliding groove and the third sliding groove both cooperate with the first swing arm, and the second sliding groove and the fourth sliding groove both cooperate with the second swing arm;

[0008] During the rotation of the first swing arm relative to the base, the first swing arm drives the support plate to move along the second direction relative to the base through the third sliding groove, and the support plate drives the second swing arm to rotate relative to the base through the fourth sliding groove, the rotation directions of the first swing arm and the second swing arm are opposite.

[0009] In a second aspect, the embodiments of the present application disclose an electronic device, comprising a plurality of housings and a display screen, adjacent housings are rotationally connected through the hinge mechanism, and the display screen is installed on the housing.

[0010] The embodiments of the present application disclose a hinge mechanism, the base is provided with a first swing arm and a second swing arm on two opposite sides along a first direction, the first swing arm is rotationally connected with the base through a first rotation shaft, the second swing arm is rotationally connected with the base through a second rotation shaft, and the first rotation shaft and the second rotation shaft are arranged in parallel; meanwhile, the first swing arm and the first rotation shaft are movably matched in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the first rotation shaft, and the second swing arm and the second rotation shaft are also movably matched in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the first rotation shaft, so as to ensure that the first swing arm can be matched with a first sliding groove extending around the axial direction of the first rotation shaft arranged on the base, and ensure that the second swing arm can be matched with a second sliding groove extending around the axial direction of the first rotation shaft arranged on the base.

[0011] Meanwhile, the support plate and the base are movably matched along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and the axial direction of the first rotation shaft, and the support plate is provided with a third sliding groove and a fourth sliding groove extending along the first direction, wherein the first swing arm is further matched with the third sliding groove, and the second swing arm is further matched with the fourth sliding groove, so that in the process of the rotation of the first swing arm relative to the base, the first swing arm can move along the first sliding groove relative to the base, at the same time, the first swing arm also moves along the third sliding groove relative to the support plate, so as to drive the support plate to move along the second direction relative to the base, under the condition that the support plate moves along the second direction relative to the base, the fourth sliding groove of the support plate can move relative to the second swing arm, in this case, the support plate can drive the second swing arm to rotate relative to the base through the fourth sliding groove, and the rotation direction of the second swing arm is opposite to that of the first swing arm, so that the second swing arm and the first swing arm can synchronously rotate relative to the base towards or away from each other.

[0012] Therefore, based on the above-mentioned hinge mechanism disclosed by the embodiments of the present application, the first swing arm and the second swing arm rotationally matched with the base can be used to achieve the purpose of mutual synchronization between the two, so that the hinge mechanism disclosed by the embodiments of the present application does not need to additionally set a traditional synchronization structure including a gear structure, and also does not need to separately set other swing arms for providing a synchronization function, thereby simplifying the overall structural complexity of the hinge mechanism, and expanding the installation space of the hinge mechanism to a certain extent. Attached Figure Description

[0013] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments and are used to explain this application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings:

[0014] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the base in the hinge mechanism disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0015] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly between the swing arm and the pivot in the hinge mechanism disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0016] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the hinge mechanism disclosed in the embodiments of this application in a folded state;

[0017] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the hinge mechanism disclosed in the embodiments of this application in the unfolded state;

[0018] Figure 5 This is another structural schematic diagram of the hinge mechanism disclosed in the embodiments of this application in a folded state;

[0019] Figure 6 This is another structural schematic diagram of the hinge mechanism disclosed in the embodiments of this application in the unfolded state;

[0020] Figure 7 This is an exploded view of the hinge mechanism disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0021] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electronic device disclosed in the embodiments of this application.

[0022] Figure label:

[0023] 1-Hinge mechanism, 2-House, 3-Display screen, 31-First screen, 32-Second screen, 33-Third screen

[0024] 100-Base, 110-Seat body, 120-First mating part, 121-First sliding groove, 122-Second sliding groove, 131-First limiting shaft, 132-Second limiting shaft, 140-Guide post, 150-Embedding part, 151-First bushing, 152-Second bushing, 153-Bridging part, 154-Shaft hole

[0025] 200-Support plate, 210-Support part, 220-Second mating part, 221-Third slide groove, 222-Fourth slide groove, 223-Guide groove,

[0026] 301-First rotating shaft, 302-Second rotating shaft, 310-Shaft body, 311-Through groove, 312-Mounting opening, 320-Cam sleeve, 330-Limiting structure

[0027] 401-First swing arm, 402-Second swing arm, 410-Connecting part, 420-Assembly part, 421-First insert arm, 422-Second insert arm, 430-Limiting slider

[0028] 501 - First housing connector, 502 - Second housing connector, 511 - First limiting groove, 512 - Second limiting groove, 520 - Pin,

[0029] 610 - Cam, 620 - Connecting rod, 630 - Elastic element

[0030] 700 - Cover. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0032] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and not to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such use of data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this application can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and the number of objects is not limited; for example, a first object can be one or more. Furthermore, in the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0033] This application discloses a hinge mechanism that can be applied to electronic devices to enable the devices to be used as foldable electronic devices. Typically, an electronic device may include a housing and a hinge mechanism. There may be multiple housings, and adjacent housings can be rotatably connected by the hinge mechanism, allowing the electronic device to switch between an unfolded state and a folded state. More specifically, the hinge mechanism disclosed in this application can be applied to inward-folding electronic devices. That is, when the electronic device is in the folded state, the display screen is located inside the space formed by the hinge mechanism and the multiple housings, thus utilizing the hinge mechanism and housing to provide good protection for the display screen.

[0034] like Figure 1 As shown, the hinge mechanism disclosed in this application includes a base 100, a support plate 200, a first rotating shaft 301, a second rotating shaft 302, a first swing arm 401, and a second swing arm 402. Of course, the hinge mechanism may also include structures such as a cover 700. The cover 700 can be disposed on the outside of the base 100 and other structures to provide a covering effect, ensuring that the internal structure is not exposed when the hinge mechanism is in a folded state.

[0035] Among them, such as Figures 1-7 As shown, the base 100 is the fundamental component of the hinge mechanism. Other components in the hinge mechanism, such as the support plate 200, can be directly or indirectly mounted on the base 100, thereby forming the hinge mechanism as a single integrated mechanism. The base 100 can be made of materials with relatively high structural strength, such as plastic or metal, and this paper does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0036] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first pivot 301 provides a rotational connection between the first swing arm 401 and the base 100, and the second pivot 302 provides a rotational connection between the second swing arm 402 and the base 100. The first swing arm 401 connects the base 100 and the first housing connector 501 of the electronic device, enabling one housing of the electronic device to be assembled with the hinge mechanism. The second swing arm 402 connects the base 100 and the second housing connector 502 of the electronic device, enabling the other housing of the electronic device to be assembled with the hinge mechanism. This allows adjacent housings in the electronic device to rotate relative to each other via the hinge mechanism, switching between an unfolded state and a folded state. Based on this, in this embodiment, the structure and dimensions of the first pivot 301 and the second pivot 302, the first swing arm 401 and the second swing arm 402, and the first housing connector 501 and the second housing connector 502 can be different.

[0037] To reduce the processing difficulty of components in the hinge mechanism and improve the consistency and stability of the hinge mechanism's movements, in a specific embodiment of this application, the first rotating shaft 301 and the second rotating shaft 302 have the same structure and dimensions, the first swing arm 401 and the second swing arm 402 have the same structure and dimensions, and the first housing connector 501 and the second housing connector 502 have the same structure and dimensions. Therefore, in this embodiment, the rotating shaft may include the first rotating shaft 301 and the second rotating shaft 302, the swing arm may include the first swing arm 401 and the second swing arm 402, and the housing connector may include the first housing connector 501 and the second housing connector 502.

[0038] In the hinge mechanism disclosed in this application embodiment, the base 100 is provided with a first swing arm 401 and a second swing arm 402 on opposite sides along a first direction, so as to ensure that when the hinge mechanism is applied to an electronic device, the housings located on opposite sides of the base 100 in the electronic device can be connected to the base 100 through the first swing arm 401 and the second swing arm, respectively. Thus, during the relative rotation of adjacent housings, the first swing arm 401 and the second swing arm 402 can be driven to rotate relative to the base 100 together. It should be noted that the above description of the relative positions of the first swing arm 401 and the second swing arm 402 with the base 100 is based on the hinge mechanism being in the unfolded state. When the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the first swing arm 401 and the second swing arm 402 are basically located on the same side of the base 100, which will not be described in detail here.

[0039] Meanwhile, in the hinge mechanism disclosed in this application embodiment, both the first rotating shaft 301 and the second rotating shaft 302 are interconnected with the base. Specifically, at least two shaft holes 154 can be provided on the base 100, so that the first rotating shaft 301 and the second rotating shaft 302 can form a reliable rotational connection with the base 100 by inserting into the corresponding shaft holes 154. Of course, the axes of the first rotating shaft 301 and the second rotating shaft 302 are parallel to each other. Based on this, the first swing arm 401 is rotatably connected to the base 100 through the first rotating shaft, and the second swing arm 402 is rotatably connected to the base 100 through the second rotating shaft 302. In one specific embodiment of this application, the number of first pivot 301 and second pivot 302 can both be one. To improve the connection stability of the hinge mechanism, the number of first swing arms 401 and second swing arms 402 can both be multiple. In this case, multiple first swing arms 401 located on the same side of the base 100 can be rotatably connected to the base 100 through the same first pivot 301. Correspondingly, multiple second swing arms 402 located on the other side of the base 100 can be rotatably connected to the base 100 through the same second pivot. Of course, in other embodiments of this application, multiple first swing arms 401 and multiple second swing arms 402 can also be provided with first pivot 301 and second pivot 302 in a one-to-one correspondence, which is not limited herein.

[0040] Furthermore, the aforementioned first direction can specifically be the width direction of the base 100, while the second direction mentioned below can be the thickness direction of the base 100. Both are perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotating shaft. More intuitively, the axial direction of the rotating shaft, the first direction, and the second direction can be respectively... Figure 1 The directions X, Y, and Z are given.

[0041] The support plate 200 provides support for the display screen of the electronic device. It is disposed on one side of the base 100. More specifically, the support plate 200 and the base 100 are distributed along the thickness direction of the base 100, i.e., the aforementioned second direction. It should be noted that, considering that the support plate 200 may include multiple parts, the entire support plate 200 may not be entirely located on the same side of the base 100. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is considered that the part of the support plate 200 that mainly supports the display screen is distributed along the second direction with the base 100. At the same time, the support plate 200 and the base 100 are movably connected in the second direction, that is, the distance between them in the second direction can change. The specific factor guiding the change of the two in the second direction is the state of the hinge mechanism. More intuitively, during the switching between the hinge mechanism in the unfolded state and the folded state, the support plate 200 and the base 100 can move relative to each other in the second direction.

[0042] Furthermore, the base 100 is provided with a first sliding groove 121 and a second sliding groove 122, and the support plate 200 is provided with a third sliding groove 221 and a fourth sliding groove 222. During the assembly of the hinge mechanism, the first sliding groove 121 and the third sliding groove 221 both cooperate with the first swing arm 401, and the second sliding groove 122 and the fourth sliding groove 222 both cooperate with the second swing arm 402. In the hinge mechanism disclosed in this application embodiment, one of the first swing arm 401 and the second swing arm 402 can drive the support plate to move relative to the base in a second direction during the rotation of the first swing arm 401 and the second swing arm 402. At the same time, the support plate can also drive the other of the first swing arm 401 and the second swing arm 402 to rotate relative to the base, and the rotation directions of the first swing arm 401 and the second swing arm 402 are opposite, thereby achieving the purpose of the first swing arm 401 and the second swing arm 402 being able to rotate synchronously relative to the base.

[0043] To achieve the aforementioned technical objectives, in this embodiment, the first slide groove 121 and the second slide groove 122 both extend along the axial direction surrounding the first rotating shaft 301, and the third slide groove 221 and the fourth slide groove 222 both extend along a first direction. Thus, the relative movement between the support plate 200 and the base 100 is controlled by utilizing the orientation of the first slide groove 121 and the second slide groove 122. Simultaneously, to ensure that the first swing arm 401 and the second swing arm 402 can respectively engage with the first slide groove 121 and the second slide groove 122 of the aforementioned structure, in this embodiment, the first swing arm 401 can also move in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the first rotating shaft 301, and the second swing arm 402 can also move in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the second rotating shaft 302. Furthermore, during the assembly of the hinge mechanism, the first slide groove 121 and the third slide groove 221 both cooperate with the first swing arm 401, and correspondingly, the second slide groove 122 and the fourth slide groove 222 both cooperate with the second swing arm 402, thereby enabling the first swing arm 401 to simultaneously form a cooperative relationship with the base and the support plate, and enabling the second swing arm 402 to simultaneously form a cooperative relationship with the base and the support plate.

[0044] As described above, both the first swing arm 401 and the second swing arm 402 are rotatably connected to the base 100. The first swing arm 401 can also be movably engaged with the first rotating shaft 301, and the second swing arm 402 can also be movably engaged with the second rotating shaft 302. Since the structure and dimensions of the first swing arm 401 and the second swing arm 402 can be the same, and the structure and dimensions of the first rotating shaft 301 and the second rotating shaft 302 can also be the same, in order to more concisely describe the specific structure and engagement relationship of the above-mentioned components, the following text will take the first swing arm 401 and the second swing arm 402 as being the same, and the first rotating shaft 301 and the second rotating shaft 302 as being the same, and will use the structure and engagement relationship of the first swing arm 401 and the first rotating shaft 301 as examples for introduction.

[0045] In detail, in the embodiments of this application, the first rotating shaft may be provided with a through groove 311, that is, the first rotating shaft 301 is provided with a groove structure that passes through the first rotating shaft 301; at the same time, the first swing arm may include a connecting part 410 and an assembly part 420 that are fixed to each other. As mentioned above, the first housing in the electronic device can be rotatably connected to the base 100 through the first swing arm. Specifically, in the embodiments of this application, the part of the first swing arm 401 used to directly connect with the first housing of the electronic device is the connecting part 410 of the first swing arm 401. The two can be fixedly connected by screws or other connecting parts, or they can be fixedly connected by bonding or snap-fitting.

[0046] As for the assembly part 420 in the first swing arm 401, it is movably inserted into the through groove 311 of the first rotating shaft 301 along the through groove 311 through direction. Thus, as the first swing arm 401 rotates with the first housing relative to the base 100, the first swing arm 401 can drive the first rotating shaft 301 to rotate relative to the base 100, so that the first swing arm 401 and the base 100 form a reliable rotational connection relationship. The through direction of the through groove 311 is perpendicular to the axial direction of the first rotating shaft 301. Meanwhile, the assembly part 420 of the first swing arm 401 may also be provided with a limiting slider 430, and the limiting slider 430 is provided to protrude from the surface of the assembly part 420 to ensure that the limiting slider 430 can extend into the first slide groove 121 and the third slide groove 221 along the axial direction of the first rotating shaft 301, so that the limiting slider 430 can form a corresponding cooperation relationship with the first slide groove 121 and the third slide groove 221, thereby enabling the first swing arm 401 to cooperate with the base and the support plate at the same time.

[0047] Correspondingly, the limiting slider 430 of the first swing arm 401 can slide within the first slide groove 121 along the extension direction of the first slide groove 121, and the limiting slider 430 can also slide within the third slide groove 221 along the extension direction of the third slide groove 221. Of course, since the sliding process of the limiting slider 430 of the first swing arm 401 is in cooperation with both the first slide groove 121 and the third slide groove 221, when the structures of the first slide groove 121 and the third slide groove 221 are different, the structures (i.e., the base 100 and the support plate 200) where the first slide groove 121 and the third slide groove 221 are located can generate relative movement, thereby causing the base 100 and the support plate 200 to move relative to each other in the second direction during the switching process between the hinge mechanism in the unfolded state and the folded state.

[0048] Specifically, by designing the specific orientation parameters of the first slide groove 121, the distance between the support plate 200 and the base 100 in the second direction in the hinge mechanism in the unfolded state is greater than the distance between them in the second direction in the hinge mechanism in the folded state. In other words, during the process of the hinge mechanism switching from the unfolded state to the folded state, the support plate 200 moves along the second direction towards the base 100, and during the process of the hinge mechanism switching from the folded state to the unfolded state, the support plate 200 moves along the second direction away from the base 100.

[0049] Based on the above structure of the hinge mechanism, since both the first swing arm 401 and the second swing arm 402 cooperate with the base and the support plate, when one of the first swing arm 401 and the second swing arm 402 rotates relative to the base, the other of the first swing arm 401 and the second swing arm 402 can also passively rotate relative to the base. Taking the first swing arm 401 as an example, during the rotation of the first swing arm 401 relative to the base, the first swing arm 401 moves relative to the base along the first sliding groove 121 of the base. Simultaneously, the first swing arm 401 also moves relative to the support plate along the third sliding groove 221 of the support plate. This allows the first swing arm 401 to drive the support plate to move via the third sliding groove 221. The specific movement of the support plate is relative to the base along the second direction. During the movement of the support plate relative to the base along the second direction, the fourth sliding groove 222 of the support plate also moves relative to the base. Driven by the fourth sliding groove 222 of the support plate, the support plate can drive the second swing arm 402 to rotate relative to the base. That is, the support plate can drive the second swing arm 402 to rotate relative to the base via the fourth sliding groove 222. Of course, the rotation directions of the first swing arm 401 and the second swing arm 402 are opposite.

[0050] This application discloses a hinge mechanism, in which a first swing arm 401 and a second swing arm 402 are respectively provided on opposite sides of a base along a first direction. The first swing arm 401 is rotatably connected to the base via a first rotating shaft 301, and the second swing arm 402 is rotatably connected to the base via a second rotating shaft 302. The first rotating shaft 301 and the second rotating shaft 302 are arranged in parallel. At the same time, the first swing arm 401 and the first rotating shaft 301 are also movablely engaged in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the first rotating shaft 301, and the second swing arm 402 and the second rotating shaft 302 are also movablely engaged in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the first rotating shaft 301. This ensures that the first swing arm 401 can engage with a first sliding groove 121 extending axially around the first rotating shaft 301 provided on the base, and ensures that the second swing arm 402 can engage with a second sliding groove 122 extending axially around the first rotating shaft 301 provided on the base.

[0051] Furthermore, the support plate and the base are movably engaged in a second direction that is perpendicular to both the first direction and the axial direction of the first rotating shaft 301. The support plate is provided with a third sliding groove 221 and a fourth sliding groove 222 extending along the first direction. The first swing arm 401 engages with the third sliding groove 221, and the second swing arm 402 engages with the fourth sliding groove 222. Thus, during the rotation of the first swing arm 401 relative to the base, the first swing arm 401 can move relative to the base along the first sliding groove 121. Simultaneously, the first swing arm 401 also moves along the third sliding groove 222. 1. The support plate moves relative to the base in a second direction. When the support plate moves relative to the base in the second direction, the fourth groove 222 of the support plate can move relative to the second swing arm 402. In this case, the support plate can drive the second swing arm 402 to rotate relative to the base through its fourth groove 222, and make the rotation direction of the second swing arm 402 opposite to the rotation direction of the first swing arm 401, so that the second swing arm 402 and the first swing arm 401 can rotate synchronously relative to the base towards or away from each other.

[0052] Therefore, based on the hinge mechanism disclosed in the embodiments of this application, the first swing arm 401 and the second swing arm 402, which are rotatably engaged with the base, can achieve the purpose of synchronizing the two together. Thus, the hinge mechanism disclosed in the embodiments of this application does not need to set up a traditional synchronization structure including gears, nor does it need to set up other swing arms separately to provide synchronization. This simplifies the overall structural complexity of the hinge mechanism and expands the installation space in the hinge mechanism to a certain extent.

[0053] In addition, in this embodiment of the application, by designing parameters such as the specific direction of the first slide groove 121 and the second slide groove 122, the support plate 200 can move along the second direction toward the base 100 during the process of the hinge mechanism switching from the unfolded state to the folded state, thereby making the storage space of the display screen sandwiched between the adjacent first and second housings in the inward folding electronic device relatively larger, and preventing the display screen from being damaged during the folding process.

[0054] To further prevent damage to the display screen of electronic devices using the hinge mechanism disclosed in the above embodiments during folding, in another embodiment of this application, the hinge mechanism further includes a first housing connector 501 and a second housing connector. Both the first housing connector 501 and the second housing connector are similar to the support plate 200, providing support for the display screen of the electronic device. Furthermore, when the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the rotation angles of the first housing connector and the second housing connector 502 are both greater than the rotation angles of the first swing arm 401 (and the second swing arm 402), thereby enabling the first housing connector and the second housing connector 502 to form a flared structure. This provides a relatively larger accommodating space for the parts of the display screen that mainly undergo folding deformation, resulting in a teardrop-shaped structure when the display screen is folded. This further prevents the display screen from being damaged by compression during folding.

[0055] More specifically, a first limiting shaft 131 and a second limiting shaft 132 can be provided on the base 100, with the first limiting shaft 131 and the second limiting shaft 132 respectively located on opposite sides of the support plate 200. Furthermore, by providing a first limiting groove 511 on the first housing connector and a second limiting groove 512 on the second housing connector 502, the first limiting shaft 131 is slidably disposed in the first limiting groove 511, and the second limiting shaft 132 is slidably disposed in the second limiting groove 512. This allows the first limiting shaft 131 and the second limiting shaft 132 to be utilized. 2. The rotation trajectories of the first housing connector 501 and the second housing connector 502 relative to the base are respectively restricted. Simultaneously, the first housing connector 501 is rotatably connected to the connecting portion 410 in the first swing arm, and the second housing connector 502 is rotatably connected to the second swing arm 402. This ensures that the rotation angle of the first housing connector 501 relative to the base 100 is greater than the rotation angle of the first swing arm 401 relative to the base 100, and that the rotation angle of the second housing connector 502 relative to the base is greater than the rotation angle of the second swing arm 402 relative to the base. Furthermore, regarding the connection method between the connecting portion of the first housing connector 501 and the connecting portion of the first swing arm 401, specifically, a pin 520 can be used to form a rotatable connection between the connecting portion 410 in the first swing arm and the first housing connector 501.

[0056] When the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the surfaces of the first housing connector 501 and the second housing connector 502, which are respectively located on opposite sides of the base 100, are flush with the surface of the support plate 200. During the process of the hinge mechanism switching from the unfolded state to the folded state, as the first swing arm 401 and the second swing arm 402 rotate relative to the base 100, the first swing arm 401 can drive the first housing connector 501 to rotate relative to the base 100, and the second swing arm 402 can drive the second housing connector 502 to rotate relative to the base. Under the limiting action of the first limiting shaft 131 and the second limiting shaft 132, when the hinge mechanism switches to the folded state, the first housing connector 501 and the second housing connector 502 located on opposite sides of the support plate 200 can have an flared structure to provide a relatively larger accommodating space for the display screen of the electronic device.

[0057] As described above, the support plate 200 and the base 100 have the ability to move relative to each other in the second direction. In this embodiment, in order to improve the stability of their movement in the second direction, optionally, one of the base 100 and the support plate 200 is provided with a guide post 140 and the other is provided with a guide groove 223. The guide post 140 and the guide groove 223 slide in cooperation in the second direction. Thus, under the action of the mutually cooperating guide post 140 and guide groove 223, the stability and accuracy of the relative movement of the support plate 200 and the base 100 in the second direction can be improved, and the occurrence of situations such as the support plate 200 tilting relative to the second direction can be prevented.

[0058] In one specific embodiment of this application, the guide post 140 can be disposed on the base 100, and the guide groove 223 can be disposed on the support plate 200, thereby reducing the overall weight of the support plate 200, thus reducing the difficulty of driving the support plate 200 and improving the operational stability of the hinge mechanism. Of course, in order to prevent the presence of the guide post 140 from hindering the normal folding of the display screen, the guide post 140 can be made as close as possible to the edge of the base 100 along the axial direction of the pivot.

[0059] In one specific embodiment of this application, the base 100 may include a base body 110 and a first mating part 120. The first mating part 120 is fixedly connected to the base body 110 and is connected to the end of the base body 110 along the axial direction of the first rotating shaft 301. In this case, the guide post 140 may be disposed on the surface of the first mating part 120, thereby minimizing the obstruction of the folding process of the display screen by the guide post 140.

[0060] Based on the above technical content, the support plate 200 can include a support portion 210 and a second mating portion 220, and the second mating portion 220 can also be fixedly connected to the end of the support portion 210 along the aforementioned axial direction. Correspondingly, the guide groove 223 can be disposed on the second mating portion 220. In addition, as mentioned above, the base 100 is provided with a first sliding groove 121 and a second sliding groove 122, and the support plate 200 is provided with a third sliding groove 221 and a fourth sliding groove 222. Therefore, in this embodiment of the application, the first sliding groove 121 and the second sliding groove 122 can both be disposed on the first mating portion 120, and the third sliding groove 221 and the fourth sliding groove 222 can both be disposed on the second mating portion 220. As described above, the first swing arm 401 may include a limiting slider, and the first swing arm 401 can simultaneously cooperate with the base and the support plate using the limiting slider. Considering that the limiting slider 430 of the first swing arm 401 needs to cooperate with the first slide groove 121 and the third slide groove 221 at the same time, for this purpose, at least one of the first slide groove 121 and the third slide groove 221 can be made to pass through the corresponding structure along the axial direction of the first rotating shaft 301.

[0061] For example, the first groove 121 can be made to pass through the first mating part 120 along the axial direction of the first rotating shaft 301. In this case, along the aforementioned axial direction, the first mating part 120 can be located between the second mating part 220 and the support part 210, and the limiting slider 430 can pass through the first groove 121 and extend into the third groove 221, so as to achieve the purpose of the limiting slider 430 of the first swing arm 401 mating with both the first groove 121 and the third groove 221.

[0062] In another embodiment of this application, to make the movement of the support plate 200 relative to the base 100 in the second direction more stable and to prevent factors other than electronic devices from hindering the movement of the support plate 200, the second mating part 220 can be disposed on the side of the first mating part 120 facing the seat 110, or in other words, along the axial direction of the first rotating shaft 301, so that the support plate 200 is located entirely inside the base 100, thereby using the first mating part 120 to shield the movement of the second mating part 220 and prevent the movement of the second mating part 220 from being interfered with by external factors. In this case, the limiting slider 430 of the first swing arm 401 can pass through the third slide groove 221 along the axial direction of the rotating shaft and extend into the first slide groove 121.

[0063] As described above, the structure and dimensions of the second swing arm 402 can correspond to the same structure and dimensions as the first swing arm 401. Therefore, the second swing arm 402 can also include the aforementioned connecting portion and mounting portion, and the mounting portion of the second swing arm 402 can also be provided with a corresponding limiting slider. During the assembly of the second swing arm 402, the base, and the support plate, a portion of the second swing arm 402, specifically the limiting slider of the second swing arm 402, can pass through the fourth slide groove 222 and extend into the second slide groove 122, thereby further improving the operational stability between the support plate and the base. Similarly, the mounting portion of the second swing arm 402 can also be correspondingly and movably mounted in the through groove of the second rotating shaft 302; for the sake of brevity, this will not be described again here.

[0064] As described above, the mounting portion 420 of the first swing arm 401 can be movably inserted into the through groove 311 of the first rotating shaft 301 along the through direction of the through groove 311. Therefore, the through groove 311 of the first rotating shaft 301 can be relatively large in the axial direction of the first rotating shaft 301, and the mounting portion 420 of the first swing arm 401 can be installed in the through groove 311 of the first rotating shaft 301 along the through direction of the through groove 311.

[0065] In another embodiment of this application, taking the first rotating shaft 301 and the first swing arm 401 as examples, the through groove 311 of the first rotating shaft 301 can be provided with an installation opening 312, so that the assembly part 420 of the first swing arm 401 can be installed in the through groove 311 from the installation opening 312 along the axial direction of the first rotating shaft 301. This facilitates the assembly work between the first swing arm 401 and the first rotating shaft 301, and also appropriately reduces the size of the through groove 311 in the axial direction of the first rotating shaft 301, thereby improving the overall structural strength of the first rotating shaft 301. More specifically, the mounting opening 312 of the through slot 311 can be located at one end of the first rotating shaft 301 closer to the end of the entire hinge mechanism. That is, the mounting opening 312 is located on the outer end face of the first rotating shaft 301. In this case, along the axial direction of the first rotating shaft 301, the structure on the base 100 can also be used to provide a limiting effect for the first swing arm 401, ensuring a more stable assembly relationship between the first swing arm 401, the base 100 and the first rotating shaft 301.

[0066] To further improve the stability of the fit between the base 100, the first rotating shaft 301, and the first swing arm 401, in a specific embodiment of this application, the base 100 may include a seat body 110 and an insert portion 150. The insert portion 150 includes a first bushing 151, a second bushing 152, and a bridging portion 153. The first bushing 151 and the second bushing 152 are spaced apart axially from the first rotating shaft 301 and are fixedly connected by the bridging portion 153. At the same time, both the first bushing 151 and the second bushing 152 are provided with shaft holes 154. The first rotating shaft 301 passes through the shaft holes 154 and forms a rotatable connection with both the first bushing 151 and the second bushing 152.

[0067] Furthermore, the assembly part 420 of the first swing arm 401 may include a first insert arm 421 and a second insert arm 422. The first insert arm 421 and the second insert arm 422 are spaced apart along the axial direction of the first rotating shaft 301. During the assembly of the hinge mechanism, along the axial direction of the first rotating shaft 301, the first bushing 151, the first insert arm 421, the second bushing 152 and the second insert arm 422 are arranged sequentially. Thus, the first bushing 151 and the second bushing 152 can provide a certain limiting effect on the first insert arm 421 in the axial direction, thereby improving the fit between the first swing arm 401 and the base 100. At the same time, under the action of the bridging part 153, the fit between the first rotating shaft 301 and the first swing arm 401 is also relatively more stable. In this embodiment, the limiting slider 430 can be located on the side of the second insert arm 422 away from the first insert arm 421. For the first insert arm 421, the limiting slider 430 may not be provided there. Of course, in order to reduce the processing difficulty of the device, the limiting slider 430 can also be provided on the side of the first insert arm 421 away from the second insert arm 422.

[0068] To further improve the stability of the assembly relationship between the first rotating shaft 301 and the base 100, in a specific embodiment of this application, the first rotating shaft 301 and the base 100 can be relatively fixed in the axial direction of the first rotating shaft 301. For example, a boss can be provided in the middle of the first rotating shaft 301, and one end of the first rotating shaft 301 can be used to form a limiting fit with the base 100 using a pin or similar structure. In this case, if the through groove 311 is provided with the aforementioned mounting opening 312, the mounting opening 312 can be closed using the aforementioned pin, thereby improving the assembly relationship between the first rotating shaft 301 and the base 100, and also improving the assembly stability between the first rotating shaft 301 and the first swing arm 401. Similarly, as described above, the structure of the second rotating shaft 302 can be set with reference to the first rotating shaft 301. Therefore, the second rotating shaft 302 and the base can also be relatively fixed in the axial direction of the first rotating shaft 301.

[0069] Based on the above embodiments, further in this application embodiment, both the first rotating shaft 301 and the second rotating shaft 302 may include a shaft body 310 and a cam sleeve 320. The cam sleeve 320 is fixed outside the corresponding shaft body 310, and the hinge mechanism may also include a cam 610 and an elastic element 630. The cam 610 is movably sleeved outside the shaft body 310 of both the first rotating shaft 301 and the second rotating shaft 302. As the name suggests, both the cam sleeve 320 and the cam 610 have a cam structure. When the two cooperate with each other, they can move relative to each other along the rotation axis during relative rotation. Furthermore, each cam 610 is slidably engaged with its corresponding shaft 310 along the axial direction of the shaft 310, and the two are also in a circumferential upper limit engagement with each other along the shaft 310. Thus, as the first rotating shaft 301 rotates relative to the base 100 under the action of the first rocker arm 401, the cam sleeve 320 of the first rotating shaft 301 can drive the corresponding cam 610, causing the cam 610 to move relative to the corresponding cam sleeve 320 along the axial direction of the shaft 310 of the first rotating shaft 301. Similarly, the engagement relationship between the second rotating shaft 302 and its corresponding cam is also the same.

[0070] Meanwhile, an elastic element 630 is abutting against the end face of each cam 610 away from the corresponding cam sleeve 320. When the cam 610 moves away from the cam sleeve 320 under its influence, the corresponding elastic element 630 provides an elastic abutting force to the cam 610, thus creating a damping effect during the driving process of the cam sleeve 320. This improves the feel of the hinge mechanism when switching between the unfolded and folded states. Furthermore, by designing the parameters of the cam sleeve 320 and the cam 610 structure, the hinge mechanism can automatically fold after reaching a critical angle and automatically unfold after reaching a critical angle, enhancing its ease of use. Specifically, a pin or other limiting structure 330 can be provided at the end of each shaft 310 away from the corresponding cam sleeve 320 to provide an abutting effect for the corresponding elastic element 630.

[0071] As described above, the cam 610 sleeved outside the shaft 310 is fixed relative to the shaft 310 in the circumferential direction. To achieve this, the cross-sectional shape of the portion of the shaft 310 outside the cam sleeve 320 can be non-circular. For example, the inner surface of each cam 610 and the corresponding outer surface of the shaft 310 can be square. This ensures that the two mating parts can move relative to each other in the axial direction and are fixed relative to each other in the circumferential direction of the shaft.

[0072] In another embodiment of this application, the outer surface of the portion of the shaft 310 of the first rotating shaft 301 and the second rotating shaft 302 outside the cam sleeve 320 and the inner surface of the corresponding cam 610 can both be circular. At the same time, the cams 610 respectively sleeved on the first rotating shaft 301 and the second rotating shaft 302 are fixedly connected by a connecting rod 620. In this case, the relative rotation between the cam 610 and the corresponding shaft can be restricted, without hindering their relative movement in the axial direction.

[0073] Based on the hinge mechanism 1 disclosed in any of the above embodiments, such as Figure 8 As shown, this application also discloses an electronic device, which includes a housing 2, a display screen 3, and any of the aforementioned hinge mechanisms 1. The number of housings 2 can be multiple, and adjacent housings 2 can be rotatably connected by the hinge mechanisms 1, thereby enabling the electronic device to switch between a folded state and an unfolded state. Furthermore, during the assembly of the display screen, the display screen 3 can be mounted on multiple housings 2, with the central area of ​​the display screen positioned opposite the hinge mechanisms 1, ensuring that the display screen can deform during unfolding and folding movements to switch between the folded and unfolded states.

[0074] More specifically, such as Figure 5 As shown, the display screen may include a first screen body 31, a second screen body 32, and a third screen body 33. The first screen body 31 and the second screen body 32 are interconnected through the third screen body 33. The first screen body 31 is opposite to one housing 2, the second screen body 32 is opposite to another housing 2, and the third screen body 33 is opposite to the hinge mechanism 1. The third screen body 33 has the ability to deform. Of course, the first screen body 31 and the second screen body 32 may also have the ability to deform, but this is not limited in this article.

[0075] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element. Furthermore, it should be noted that the scope of the methods and apparatuses in the embodiments of this application is not limited to performing functions in the order shown or discussed, but may also include performing functions substantially simultaneously or in the reverse order, depending on the functions involved. For example, the described methods may be performed in a different order than described, and various steps may be added, omitted, or combined. Additionally, features described with reference to certain examples may be combined in other examples.

[0076] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A hinge mechanism, characterized in that, It includes a base (100), a support plate (200), a first rotating shaft (301), a second rotating shaft (302), a first swing arm (401), and a second swing arm (402), wherein, The base (100) is provided with a first swing arm and a second swing arm on opposite sides along a first direction. The first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft are arranged in parallel. The first swing arm is rotatably connected to the base through the first rotating shaft, and the first swing arm and the first rotating shaft are movablely engaged in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the first rotating shaft. The second swing arm is rotatably connected to the base (100) through the second rotating shaft, and the second swing arm and the second rotating shaft are movablely engaged in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the second rotating shaft. The support plate (200) is movably connected to the base (100) in a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction and also perpendicular to the axial direction of the first rotating shaft. The base (100) is provided with a first sliding groove (121) and a second sliding groove (122), and the support plate (200) is provided with a third sliding groove (221) and a fourth sliding groove (222). The first sliding groove (121) and the second sliding groove both extend circumferentially along the first rotating shaft. The first sliding groove (121) and the second sliding groove are both arc-shaped grooves. The third sliding groove (221) and the fourth sliding groove both extend along the first direction. The third sliding groove (221) and the fourth sliding groove are both long straight grooves. The first sliding groove and the third sliding groove both cooperate with the first swing arm, and the second sliding groove and the fourth sliding groove both cooperate with the second swing arm. During the rotation of the first swing arm relative to the base, the first swing arm drives the support plate to move relative to the base in the second direction through the third slide groove, and the support plate drives the second swing arm to rotate relative to the base through the fourth slide groove. The rotation directions of the first swing arm and the second swing arm are opposite.

2. The hinge mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base (100) is provided with a first limiting shaft (131) and a second limiting shaft (132). The support plate (200) is also provided with a first housing connector (501) and a second housing connector (502) on opposite sides. The first housing connector (501) is provided with a first limiting groove (511), and the second housing connector (502) is provided with a second limiting groove (512). The first limiting shaft is slidably disposed in the first limiting groove, and the second limiting shaft is slidably disposed in the second limiting groove (512). The first housing connector is rotatably connected to the first swing arm, and the second housing connector is rotatably connected to the second swing arm.

3. The hinge mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, One of the base (100) and the support plate (200) is provided with a guide post (140) and the other is provided with a guide groove (223). The guide post (140) and the guide groove (223) slide in the second direction.

4. The hinge mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base (100) includes a fixedly connected seat body (110) and a first mating part (120). The support plate (200) includes a fixedly connected support part (210) and a second mating part (220). The first slide groove (121) and the second slide groove are both disposed in the first mating part (120). The third slide groove (221) and the fourth slide groove are both disposed in the second mating part (220). The support part (210) is stacked along the second direction on one side of the seat body (110). The second mating part (220) is disposed on the side of the first mating part (120) facing the seat body (110). A portion of the first swing arm passes through the third slide groove (221) along the axial direction and extends into the first slide groove (121). A portion of the second swing arm passes through the fourth slide groove and extends into the second slide groove.

5. The hinge mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first rotating shaft is provided with a through groove (311), which is provided through the first rotating shaft in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction, and the first swing arm is movably installed in the through groove (311); The first rotating shaft is also provided with an installation opening (312) communicating with the through groove. Along the axial direction of the first rotating shaft, the first swing arm is installed in the through groove (311) from the installation opening (312).

6. The hinge mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base (100) includes a seat body (110) and an insert (150). The insert (150) includes a first bushing (151), a second bushing (152), and a bridging part (153). The first bushing (151) and the second bushing (152) are spaced apart axially on the first rotating shaft and are fixedly connected by the bridging part (153). Both the first bushing (151) and the second bushing (152) are provided with shaft holes (154). The first rotating shaft passes through a plurality of shaft holes (154) in the insert. The first swing arm includes a first insert arm (421) and a second insert arm (422), the first insert arm (421) and the second insert arm (422) are spaced apart along the axial direction, and along the axial direction, the first bushing (151), the first insert arm (421), the second bushing (152) and the second insert arm (422) are arranged sequentially.

7. The hinge mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the first and second rotating shafts are fixed relative to the base (100) in the axial direction.

8. The hinge mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that, Both the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft include a shaft body (310) and a cam sleeve (320), wherein the cam sleeve (320) is fixed outside the corresponding shaft body (310); The hinge mechanism further includes a cam (610) and an elastic element (630). The cam (610) is movably sleeved outside the shaft body (310) of the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft, and each cam (610) is in circumferential upper limit engagement with the corresponding shaft body (310). The elastic element (630) is abutted on the end face of each cam (610) away from the corresponding cam sleeve (320).

9. The hinge mechanism according to claim 8, characterized in that, The cams (610) respectively fitted on the first and second rotating shafts are fixedly connected by a connecting rod (620).

10. An electronic device, characterized in that, The device includes a housing (2), a display screen (3), and a hinge mechanism (1) as described in any one of claims 1-9. The housing is multiple in number, and adjacent housings are rotatably connected by the hinge mechanism. The display screen is mounted on the housing.

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