Foldable electronic device

Abstract

The invention provides foldable electronic equipment. The electronic equipment comprises a shell, a flexible display screen and a baffle, the shell comprises a first shell, a second shell and a rotating shaft assembly; the first shell and the second shell are respectively connected with the rotating shaft assembly, and the first shell and the second shell can rotate relative to the rotating shaft assembly; the flexible display screen is connected with the first shell and the second shell, the baffles are arranged on the two opposite sides of a bending area of the flexible display screen, a gap is formed between the baffles and the edge of the bending area of the flexible display screen, and the width of the gap is 0.05-0.5 mm. According to the electronic equipment, the baffle structures are arranged on the two opposite sides of the bending area of the flexible display screen, and the gaps are assembled and limited between the baffles and the edges of the bending area of the flexible display screen, so that on one hand, dust prevention of the position of the bending area of the flexible display screen can be achieved; on the other hand, the edge protection effect on the bending area of the flexible display screen is achieved, and the advantages of being simple in structure and good in overall consistency of the front face of the electronic equipment are achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of foldable electronic device structures, and in particular to a foldable electronic device. Background Art

[0002] At present, the structure of foldable mobile phones generally consists of a flexible screen, a hinge and a casing. The flexible screen is divided into a bending area and a non-bending area according to the movement. The bending area corresponds to the hinge area, and the bending area is in motion during the bending process. Due to the large gap in the bending area on the front of the screen during movement, foreign particles can easily enter and cause damage to the screen. Summary of the invention

[0003] An embodiment of the present application provides a foldable electronic device, the electronic device comprising: a housing, a flexible display screen, and a baffle;

[0004] The housing comprises a first housing, a second housing and a shaft assembly; the first housing and the second housing are respectively connected to the shaft assembly, and the first housing and the second housing can rotate relative to the shaft assembly;

[0005] The flexible display screen is connected to the first shell and the second shell respectively, and can be folded or flattened with the relative rotation of the first shell and the second shell. The baffle is arranged on opposite sides of the bending area of ​​the flexible display screen, and a gap is provided between the baffle and the edge of the bending area of ​​the flexible display screen, and the width of the gap is 0.05mm to 0.5mm.

[0006] The foldable electronic device provided in the embodiment of the present application, by setting a baffle structure on opposite sides of the bending area of ​​the flexible display screen, and assembling a gap between the baffle and the edge of the bending area of ​​the flexible display screen, can achieve dust prevention at the bending area of ​​the flexible display screen on the one hand, and play a role in protecting the edge of the bending area of ​​the flexible display screen on the other hand. It has the characteristics of simple structure and good overall consistency of the front of the electronic device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0008] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a foldable electronic device of the present application in an unfolded state;

[0009] Figure 2 yes Figure 1A schematic diagram of the structure of the electronic device in the folded state in the embodiment;

[0010] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a partial structure disassembly of an electronic device in an embodiment;

[0011] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 An enlarged schematic diagram of the local structure of the electronic device at position A in the embodiment;

[0012] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 The schematic cross-sectional view of the structure along line BB;

[0013] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the partial structural disassembly of the baffle and the rotating shaft assembly;

[0014] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structural disassembly of an embodiment of a baffle of the present application;

[0015] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the partial structure of the electronic device of the present application after the flexible display screen is removed;

[0016] Fig. 9 yes Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the structure of a set of dustproof parts of an electronic device;

[0017] Fig.10 yes Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of the structure of the dustproof part from another perspective;

[0018] Fig.11 yes Fig.10 Schematic diagram of the structural disassembly of the dustproof parts;

[0019] Fig.12 It is a schematic cross-sectional view of the local structure of the electronic device of the present application in the non-bending area of ​​the flexible display screen;

[0020] Fig.13 It is a schematic diagram of the structural composition block diagram of an embodiment of the electronic device of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The present application is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and examples. It is particularly noted that the following examples are only used to illustrate the present application, but are not intended to limit the scope of the present application. Similarly, the following examples are only some embodiments of the present application rather than all embodiments, and all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in the field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0022] The terms "first", "second", and "third" in the embodiments of the present application are only used for descriptive purposes, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features. Thus, the features defined as "first", "second", and "third" can expressly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of the present application, the meaning of "multiple" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined. In the embodiments of the present application, all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back...) are only used to explain the relative position relationship, movement, etc. between the components under a certain specific posture (as shown in the accompanying drawings). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication also changes accordingly. The terms "including" and "having" in the embodiments of the present application and any of their variations are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, system, product, or device that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but optionally also includes steps or units that are not listed, or optionally also includes other steps or components inherent to these processes, methods, products, or devices.

[0023] Reference to "embodiments" herein means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in conjunction with the embodiments may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of the phrase in various locations in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It is explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0024] As used herein, "electronic devices" (or simply "terminals") include, but are not limited to, devices configured to receive / send communication signals via a wireline connection (e.g., via a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a digital subscriber line (DSL), a digital cable, a direct cable connection, and / or another data connection / network) and / or via a wireless interface (e.g., for a cellular network, a wireless local area network (WLAN), a digital television network such as a DVB-H network, a satellite network, an AM-FM broadcast transmitter, and / or another communication terminal). Communication terminals configured to communicate via a wireless interface may be referred to as "wireless communication terminals", "wireless terminals" or "mobile terminals". Examples of mobile terminals include, but are not limited to, satellite or cellular phones; personal communication system (PCS) terminals that may combine cellular radiotelephones with data processing, fax, and data communication capabilities; PDAs that may include radiotelephones, pagers, Internet / intranet access, web browsers, organizers, calendars, and / or global positioning system (GPS) receivers; and conventional laptop and / or palmtop receivers or other electronic devices that include radiotelephone transceivers. A mobile phone is an electronic device equipped with a cellular communication module.

[0025] Please also read Figures 1 to 3 , Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a foldable electronic device of the present application in an unfolded state; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the electronic device in the folded state in the embodiment; Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of partial structure disassembly of electronic device in the embodiment; it should be noted that the electronic device in the present application may include electronic devices with foldable flexible display screens such as mobile phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, and wearable devices. The electronic device 10 includes but is not limited to the following structures: a housing 100, a flexible display screen 200, a dustproof member 300, and a baffle 400.

[0026] Specifically, the flexible display screen 200 is connected to the housing 100 and can be folded with the relative rotation of the housing 100 ( Figure 2 mid state) or flattened ( Figure 1 In the embodiment, the dustproof member 300 and the baffle 400 are respectively two (groups), and are respectively arranged on opposite sides of the bending area of ​​the flexible display screen 200, so as to prevent dust and physically protect the opposite sides of the bending area of ​​the flexible display screen 200 from the side positions of the flexible display screen 200. The bending area of ​​the flexible display screen 200 mentioned here refers to the middle area of ​​the flexible display screen 200, which is the area where bending deformation occurs during the folding process.

[0027] Optionally, see Figure 3 The housing 100 in this embodiment includes a first housing 110, a second housing 120 and a shaft assembly 130; the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 are respectively connected to the shaft assembly 130, and the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 can rotate relative to the shaft assembly 130; wherein, the detailed structure of the shaft assembly (which may include a gear set and a rotating shaft, etc.) is within the scope of understanding of those skilled in the art, and will not be repeated here. The flexible display screen 200 is respectively connected to the first housing 110 and the second housing 120, and can be folded or flattened with the relative rotation of the first housing 110 and the second housing 120.

[0028] Optionally, please also refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 , Figure 4 yes Figure 1 An enlarged schematic diagram of the local structure of the electronic device at point A in the embodiment, Figure 5 yes Figure 4A schematic cross-sectional view of the structure along the BB line, wherein at least part of the structure of the dustproof member (the structure except the first sealing portion) is arranged between the flexible display screen 200 and the hinge assembly 130, and is arranged corresponding to the edge of the flexible display screen 200, and the dustproof member 300 is used to achieve dustproofing of the edge of the bending area of ​​the flexible display screen 200 and the gap between the first shell 110 and the second shell 120.

[0029] Optionally, see Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 The baffle 400 is disposed on opposite sides of the bending area of ​​the flexible display screen 200, and a gap 101 is provided between the baffle 400 and the edge of the bending area of ​​the flexible display screen 200. The dustproof member 300 is specifically used to prevent dust from entering the gap 101 between the edge of the bending area of ​​the flexible display screen 200 and the baffle 400. The baffle 400 is used to physically protect the flexible display screen 200 at the edge of the bending area of ​​the flexible display screen 200, so that the entire electronic device meets the drop reliability requirements. Please refer to Figure 6 , Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the partial structural disassembly of the baffle and the shaft assembly, wherein the baffle 400 can be fixedly connected to the end of the protective cover 131 of the shaft assembly 130, and the end of the protective cover 131 can be provided with a mounting groove 1310, and one end of the baffle 400 is fixed in the mounting groove 1310 (specifically, it can be adhesive, welding, etc., which is not specifically limited here).

[0030] Optionally, see Figure 5 , the width of the gap 101 is 0.05mm to 0.5mm. Optionally, in consideration of the difficulty of assembly and the prevention of scratching the edge of the bending area of ​​the flexible display screen 200 (when the folded state falls, the baffle 400 squeezes the flexible display screen 200 and causes the screen to fail), the width of the gap 101 is generally about 0.4mm. However, in order to make the gap 101 smaller, the baffle 400 in the embodiment of the present application can be made into a disassembled structure. Please refer to Figure 7 , Figure 7 4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the baffle of the present application, wherein the baffle 400 in this embodiment may include a connecting portion 410 and a shielding portion 420; the connecting portion 410 is used to connect with the housing 100 (please continue to refer to Figure 6 Specifically, it can be connected to the protective cover 131 of the hinge assembly 130, and the shielding portion 420 is set corresponding to the edge of the bending area of ​​the flexible display screen 200, and a gap 101 is formed between the edge of the bending area of ​​the flexible display screen.

[0031] Optionally, the material of the connecting portion 410 may be metal (MIM (metal injection molded structural parts) / machined metal parts) or hard plastic, such as stainless steel, aluminum alloy, etc. The material of the shielding portion 420 may be rubber or flexible resin, such as silicone, TPU, etc. The connecting portion 410 and the shielding portion 420 may be an integral injection molding structure, and the baffle 400 of this structure may make the gap 101 smaller, specifically 0.05mm to 0.3mm, such as 0.05mm, 0.08mm, 0.1mm, 0.15mm, 0.2mm, 0.28mm, 0.3mm, etc. The requirements for appearance refinement can be met. At the same time, the stress on the flexible display 200 is also smaller when the whole machine falls.

[0032] Optionally, see Figure 5 In order to take into account both the reliable protection of the bezel 400 for the flexible display screen 200 and the aesthetics of the entire electronic device, in the thickness direction of the electronic device in a completely flattened state, the end surface 421 of the shielding portion 420 away from the connecting portion 410 is slightly higher than the surface 201 of the flexible display screen 200 used for display and the edges of the first shell 110 and the second shell 120 (only the edge 111 of the first shell 110 is shown in the figure). Specifically, it can be slightly higher than 0.2mm to 3mm. Those skilled in the art can set it by themselves on the premise of comprehensively considering the reliable protection of the bezel 400 for the flexible display screen 200 and the aesthetics of the entire electronic device, and it is not specifically limited here.

[0033] Please also read Figure 4 , Figure 8 , Fig. 9 , Fig.10 as well as Fig.11 ,in, Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the partial structure of the electronic device of the present application after the flexible display screen is removed. Fig. 9 yes Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the structure of a set of dustproof parts for electronic equipment. Fig.10 yes Fig. 9 The structural diagram of the dustproof part from another perspective. Fig.11 yes Fig.10 Schematic diagram of the structural disassembly of the dustproof part. Optionally, in this embodiment, a group (two) of dustproof parts 300 are set on one side of the flexible display screen of the electronic device, and the two dustproof parts 300 are mirror-symmetrically arranged relative to the rotation center line of the hinge assembly 130 (that is, the folding center line of the electronic device).

[0034] Optionally, each dustproof member 300 includes a main body 310 and a sealing portion 320, wherein the sealing portion 320 is arranged along one side edge of the main body 310 and extends beyond the edge of the main body 310, and the sealing portion 320 may be connected to the main body 310 via a connecting sheet 330. The main body 310 is connected to the shaft assembly 130, and specifically may be bonded and fixed to the shaft assembly 130 via a connecting adhesive layer 340. The sealing portion 320 blocks the gap 101.

[0035] Please continue reading Figure 5 Optionally, the sealing portion 320 in the embodiment of the present application may include a first sealing portion 321 extending outwardly along the edge of the main body 310 and a sealing portion 322 extending in the thickness direction of the main body (ie, the thickness direction of the electronic device, Figure 5 The second sealing portion 322 extends in the direction of the double arrow Z in the middle, the first sealing portion 321 abuts against the shielding portion 420 of the baffle 400, and the second sealing portion 322 abuts against the bottom surface of the flexible display screen 200, thereby blocking the two paths for dust and other debris to enter from the gap 101 (zero gap sealing can be achieved), thereby reliably preventing dust and dirt from entering the interior of the electronic device.

[0036] Optionally, the material of the main body 310 of the dustproof part 300 is a bendable resin film or a metal sheet, such as a polymer film of PI or PET or a stainless steel sheet. The sheet thickness of the main body 310 is in the range of 0.05 to 0.2 mm. The material of the sealing part 320 and the connecting piece 330 is rubber or a flexible resin, such as silicone, TPU, etc. The main body 310, the sealing part 320, and the connecting piece 330 can be an integral injection molding structure.

[0037] Optionally, see Figure 6 , Fig.10 as well as Fig.11 In this embodiment, a positioning column 350 is provided on the side of the main body 310 of the dustproof member 300 away from the sealing portion and the connecting piece 330. The positioning column 350 is used to position and cooperate with the positioning hole 1320 on the rotating connecting plate 132 of the rotating shaft assembly 130. The main body 310 can be bonded to the rotating connecting plate 132 through a connecting adhesive layer 340, and then rotates with the rotating connecting plate 132.

[0038] In order to achieve better dust protection at the non-bending area of ​​the flexible display 200, please refer to Fig.12 , Fig.12 It is a schematic cross-sectional view of the local structure of the electronic device of the present application in the non-bending area of ​​the flexible display screen. In this embodiment, the edge of the non-bending area of ​​the flexible display screen 200 is bonded to the edges of the first shell 110 and the second shell 120 through the adhesive layer 2001, wherein the adhesive layer 2001 can be arranged along the circumferential edge of the non-bending area of ​​the flexible display screen 200, thereby achieving all-round sealing.

[0039] The electronic device in the embodiment of the present application can achieve dust prevention at the gap position between the edge of the bending area of ​​the flexible display screen and the shell by arranging a dustproof part structure between the flexible display screen and the hinge assembly, and has the characteristics of simple structure and good dust prevention effect; by arranging a baffle structure on the opposite sides of the bending area of ​​the flexible display screen, and assembling and limiting the baffle to have a gap between the edge of the bending area of ​​the flexible display screen, on the one hand, dust prevention can be achieved at the bending area of ​​the flexible display screen, and on the other hand, it can play a role in protecting the edge of the bending area of ​​the flexible display screen, and has the characteristics of simple structure and good overall consistency of the front of the electronic device.

[0040] See also Fig.13 , Fig.13 It is a schematic diagram of the structural composition block diagram of an embodiment of an electronic device of the present application. The electronic device can be a foldable mobile phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a wearable device, etc. The diagram of this embodiment takes a foldable mobile phone as an example. The structure of the electronic device 10 may include an RF circuit 910, a memory 920, an input unit 930, a display unit 940 (which may be the flexible display screen 200 in the above embodiment), a sensor 950, an audio circuit 960, a wifi module 970, a processor 980, and a power supply 990. Among them, the RF circuit 910, the memory 920, the input unit 930, the display unit 940, the sensor 950, the audio circuit 960, and the wifi module 970 are respectively connected to the processor 980; the power supply 990 is used to provide power to the entire electronic device 10.

[0041] Specifically, the RF circuit 910 is used to receive and send signals; the memory 920 is used to store data instruction information; the input unit 930 is used to input information, which may specifically include a touch panel 931 and other input devices 932 such as operation buttons; the display unit 940 may include a display panel 941, etc.; the sensor 950 includes an infrared sensor, a laser sensor, etc., for detecting user approach signals, distance signals, etc.; the speaker 961 and the microphone (or microphone) 962 are connected to the processor 980 through the audio circuit 960 for receiving and sending sound signals; the wifi module 970 is used to receive and transmit wifi signals, and the processor 980 is used to process data information of the electronic device. For the specific structural features of the electronic device, please refer to the relevant description of the above embodiment, which will not be described in detail here.

[0042] The above descriptions are only some embodiments of the present application, and do not limit the protection scope of the present application. Any equivalent device or equivalent process transformation made using the contents of the present application specification and drawings, or directly or indirectly used in other related technical fields, are also included in the patent protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A foldable electronic device, characterized in that: The electronic device comprises: a housing, a flexible display screen and a baffle; The housing comprises a first housing, a second housing and a shaft assembly; the first housing and the second housing are respectively connected to the shaft assembly, and the first housing and the second housing can rotate relative to the shaft assembly; The flexible display screen is connected to the first shell and the second shell respectively, and can be folded or flattened with the relative rotation of the first shell and the second shell. The baffle is arranged on opposite sides of the bending area of ​​the flexible display screen, and a gap is provided between the baffle and the edge of the bending area of ​​the flexible display screen, and the width of the gap is 0.05mm to 0.5mm.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The width of the gap is 0.05 mm to 0.3 mm.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The baffle includes a connecting portion and a shielding portion, the connecting portion is used to be connected to the shell, the shielding portion is arranged corresponding to the edge of the bending area of ​​the flexible display screen, and forms the gap between the shielding portion and the edge of the bending area of ​​the flexible display screen.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The connecting part is made of metal or hard plastic.

5. The electronic device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The shielding part is made of rubber or flexible resin.

6. The electronic device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The connecting portion and the shielding portion are an integral injection-molded structure.

7. The electronic device according to claim 3, characterized in that: In the thickness direction of the electronic device in a completely flattened state, the end surface of the shielding portion away from one end of the connecting portion is higher than the surface of the flexible display screen on the display side and the edges of the first shell and the second shell.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The electronic device also includes a dustproof part, at least part of which is arranged between the flexible display screen and the hinge assembly and corresponds to the edge of the flexible display screen. The dustproof part is used to prevent dust from forming a gap between the edge of the bending area of ​​the flexible display screen and the baffle.

9. The electronic device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The dustproof part includes a main body and a sealing part. The sealing part is arranged along a side edge of the main body and extends beyond the edge of the main body. The main body is connected to the rotating shaft assembly. The sealing part seals the gap between the edge of the bending area of ​​the flexible display screen and the baffle.

10. The electronic device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The edges of the non-bending area of ​​the flexible display screen are bonded to the edges of the first shell and the second shell.

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