Hinge components and mobile terminals

Abstract

This invention discloses a hinge assembly and a mobile terminal. The hinge assembly includes a hinge bracket, a swing arm assembly, and two door panels arranged along the width direction of the hinge bracket. The swing arm assembly includes two movable swing arms arranged along the width direction of the hinge bracket, each movable swing arm being rotatably mounted on the hinge bracket. The door panels are used to support the flexible screen of the mobile terminal. Each door panel is supported on the hinge bracket and the movable swing arm on the corresponding side. The two ends of the door panel in the width direction of the hinge bracket are a first end and a second end, respectively. The first end is hinged to the end of the movable swing arm away from the hinge bracket. One of the hinge bracket and the second end has a trajectory limiting groove, and the other has a trajectory limiting post. The trajectory limiting post passes through the trajectory limiting groove. In the flattened state of the mobile terminal, the folding area of ​​the flexible screen of the mobile terminal is supported only by the two door panels. The trajectory limiting groove is an arc-shaped groove extending along the width direction of the hinge bracket and protruding in the direction away from the flexible screen.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of communication equipment, and more particularly to a hinge assembly and a mobile terminal. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, users have increasingly adopted multi-mode usage of electronic products, and multi-mode electronic products have become increasingly popular with consumers, becoming a new development trend and growth point for electronic products. The emergence and development of multi-mode products have greatly brought convenience to users, and the core technology most closely related to usage modes is hinge technology.

[0003] With the continuous development of display technology, foldable display terminals are gradually becoming a development trend for future mobile electronic products. When unfolded, foldable display terminals offer a larger display area, enhancing the viewing experience. When folded, they achieve a smaller size, making them easy for users to carry.

[0004] In related technologies, when a mobile terminal is in a flattened state, the folding area of ​​the flexible screen is usually designed with three door panel structures to support the flexible screen. In this traditional design, in order to ensure that the folding area of ​​the flexible screen is fully folded and has sufficient space when the mobile terminal is folded, a connecting swing arm and a synchronous swing arm are required to move together and limit the movement trajectory of the two door panels on both sides of the hinge bracket. This not only makes the hinge bracket have more components, making assembly more difficult and production costs higher, but also makes the mobile terminal thicker and less convenient to carry after folding. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. Therefore, one object of this invention is to provide a hinge assembly that enables a double-door panel structure design, reduces the number of components in the hinge assembly, improves the assembly efficiency of the hinge assembly, reduces the production cost of the hinge assembly, and allows the overall thickness of the middle frame to be set more uniformly, meeting users' requirements for consistent middle frame thickness.

[0006] The present invention also proposes a mobile terminal having the above-described hinge assembly.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a hinge assembly for a foldable mobile terminal includes: a hinge bracket; a swing arm assembly comprising two movable swing arms arranged along the width direction of the hinge bracket, each movable swing arm being rotatably mounted on the hinge bracket and used to connect to the mid-frame of the mobile terminal; and two door panels arranged along the width direction of the hinge bracket, the door panels being used to support the flexible screen of the mobile terminal, each door panel being supported on the hinge bracket and the movable swing arm on the corresponding side, the two ends of the door panels in the width direction of the hinge bracket being a first end and a second end, the first end being hinged to the end of the movable swing arm away from the hinge bracket, one of the hinge bracket and the second end having a trajectory limiting groove, and the other having a trajectory limiting post, the trajectory limiting post being disposed in the trajectory limiting groove, wherein, in the flattened state of the mobile terminal, the folding area of ​​the flexible screen of the mobile terminal is supported only by the two door panels; wherein, the trajectory limiting groove is an arc-shaped groove extending along the width direction of the hinge bracket and protruding in the direction away from the flexible screen.

[0008] According to the hinge assembly of the present invention, by providing mutually cooperating arc-shaped trajectory limiting grooves and trajectory limiting posts between the door panel and the hinge bracket, both sliding and hinged engagement between the door panel and the hinge bracket can be achieved simultaneously. This allows the door panel to extend further into the hinge bracket, the two door panels to be positioned closer together, and the two door panels to cover the entire hinge bracket, thereby realizing a double-door panel structure design. This reduces the number of components in the hinge assembly, improves the assembly efficiency of the hinge assembly, and lowers the production cost of the hinge assembly. Moreover, this eliminates the need for a synchronous sliding structure between the door panel and the middle frame, allowing for a wider hinge bracket, thinner sidewalls of the middle frame, and a more uniform overall thickness of the middle frame, thus meeting the user's requirement for consistent middle frame thickness.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the hinge bracket includes a bracket body and two track brackets. The bracket body has a mounting groove facing the opening of the flexible screen. The two track brackets are both disposed in the mounting groove and are respectively located at both ends of the mounting groove in the width direction of the hinge bracket. The track limiting post is connected to the track bracket.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the track support includes two track limiting plates spaced apart along the length direction of the hinge support, and each track limiting plate is provided with a mounting hole. The track limiting post passes through the corresponding mounting hole at both ends of the hinge support along the length direction. The second end has a track mating plate, and the track limiting groove is formed on the track mating plate. The track mating plate passes through the gap between the two track limiting plates. The mounting hole extends along the length direction of the hinge support.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present invention, one of the first end and the movable swing arm has a hinge groove, and the other is provided with a hinge mating plate. The hinge groove is an arc-shaped groove extending along the width direction of the hinge bracket, and the hinge mating plate is an arc-shaped plate adapted to the hinge groove. The hinge mating plate passes through the hinge groove and is slidable along the extension direction of the hinge groove.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, one of the first end and the movable swing arm has a hinge hole, and the other is provided with a hinge pin, which is rotatably inserted in the hinge hole; wherein the hinge hole extends along the length direction of the hinge bracket.

[0013] According to some optional embodiments of the present invention, the hinge bracket has a movable groove, which is an arcuate groove extending in the width direction of the hinge bracket and protruding in the direction away from the flexible screen; the movable swing arm has a swing arm portion and a hinge portion, the swing arm portion passing through the movable groove and slidable along the extension direction of the movable groove, the hinge portion being connected to one end of the swing arm portion in the width direction of the hinge bracket away from the hinge bracket, and the hinge portion being hinged to the first end.

[0014] In some optional embodiments of the present invention, the swing arm is an arc-shaped plate, and the central axis of the swing arm coincides with the central axis of the movable groove.

[0015] In some optional embodiments of the present invention, the two swing arms in the swing arm assembly are spaced apart in the length direction of the hinge bracket, and the movable groove has a stop opening at one end away from the corresponding hinge portion. The movable swing arm passes through the corresponding stop opening and stops against the side surface of the door panel opposite to the flexible screen.

[0016] In some optional embodiments of the present invention, the swing arm assembly further includes a synchronization device, which includes a rack and a transmission gear set; the rack is disposed on the side edge of each of the arc-shaped plate-like swing arm portions, and the transmission gear set is disposed in the mounting groove on the hinge bracket and is angularly disposed with respect to the width direction of the hinge bracket; the two movable swing arms rotate synchronously by meshing with the corresponding rack and the transmission gear set; the transmission gear set includes a plurality of gears, each gear being sequentially connected in parallel, and the rotation axis of each gear being perpendicular to the length direction of the hinge bracket.

[0017] A mobile terminal according to a second aspect of the present invention includes: a hinge assembly according to the first aspect of the present invention; two mid-frames respectively connected to two movable swing arms in the swing arm assembly; and a flexible screen supported on the two mid-frames and the two door panels.

[0018] According to the mobile terminal of the present invention, the assembly efficiency of the hinge assembly can be improved, the production cost of the hinge assembly can be reduced, and the production cost of the mobile terminal can be increased, so that the overall thickness of the middle frame can be set more uniformly, thus meeting the user's requirement for consistency of the middle frame thickness.

[0019] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0021] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a portion of the structure of a mobile terminal according to some embodiments of the present invention, wherein the mobile terminal is in a folded state;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a portion of the structure of a hinge assembly according to some embodiments of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a perspective view of another part of the structure of a hinge assembly according to yet another embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A side view of the hinge component in the image;

[0025] Figure 5 This is a perspective view of a portion of the structure of a mobile terminal according to some embodiments of the present invention, wherein the mobile terminal is in an intermediate state;

[0026] Figure 6This is a perspective view of a portion of the structure of a mobile terminal according to some embodiments of the present invention, wherein the mobile terminal is in an intermediate state;

[0027] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 Sectional view along line AA;

[0028] Figure 8 This is a perspective view of a partial structure of a hinge assembly according to some embodiments of the present invention, wherein the mobile terminal is in an intermediate state;

[0029] Figure 9 This is a perspective view of a portion of the structure of a mobile terminal according to some embodiments of the present invention, wherein the mobile terminal is in an unfolded state;

[0030] Figure 10 This is a perspective view of a portion of the structure of a mobile terminal according to some embodiments of the present invention, wherein the mobile terminal is in an unfolded state;

[0031] Figure 11 yes Figure 6 Sectional view along line BB.

[0032] Figure label:

[0033] 100. Mobile terminals;

[0034] 10. Hinge assembly;

[0035] 1. Hinge bracket; 11. Bracket body; 111. Mounting slot; 12. Track bracket; 121. Track limiting plate; 13. Track limiting post; 14. Movable slot; 141. Stop opening;

[0036] 2. Swing arm assembly; 21. Movable swing arm; 211. Swing arm section; 212. Hinge section; 2121. Hinge mating plate; 22. Synchronization device; 221. Rack; 222. Transmission gear set;

[0037] 3. Door panel; 31. First end; 32. Second end; 33. Track mating plate; 331. Track limiting groove; 34. Hinge groove;

[0038] 40. Mid-frame;

[0039] 50. Flexible screen. Detailed Implementation

[0040] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0041] Please refer to the attached diagram below. Figures 1-11 A hinge assembly 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is described.

[0042] According to a first aspect embodiment of the present invention, a hinge assembly 10 is used in a foldable mobile terminal 100, for example, referring to... Figure 1 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 The mobile terminal 100 may include a flexible screen 50 and two mid-frames 40. A hinge assembly 10 is connected between the two mid-frames 40 so that the two mid-frames 40 can be folded and unfolded. The flexible screen 50 is supported on the two mid-frames 40 and the hinge assembly 10.

[0043] This disclosure does not impose any particular limitation on the specific form of the mobile terminal 100, and smart terminals such as foldable phones and foldable tablets are all applicable. The folding method of the mobile terminal 100 is also not particularly limited; for example, it can fold left and right along the central axis of the device's longitudinal direction, or it can support folding up and down along the central axis of the device's lateral direction. Only adaptive adjustments to the dimensions and other features of the hinge components are required.

[0044] The hinge assembly 10 includes a hinge bracket 1, a swing arm assembly 2, and two door panels 3. The swing arm assembly 2 includes two movable swing arms 21, which are arranged along the width direction of the hinge bracket 1. Each movable swing arm 21 is rotatably mounted on the hinge bracket 1, and each movable swing arm 21 is used to connect to the middle frame 40 of the mobile terminal 100.

[0045] Two door panels 3 are arranged along the width direction of the hinge bracket 1. Each door panel 3 is used to support the flexible screen 50 of the mobile terminal 100. Each door panel 3 is supported on the hinge bracket 1 and the corresponding movable swing arm 21. The two ends of the door panel 3 in the width direction of the hinge bracket 1 are a first end 31 and a second end 32, respectively. The first end 31 is hinged to the end of the movable swing arm 21 away from the hinge bracket 1. One of the hinge bracket 1 and the second end 32 has a trajectory limiting groove 331, and the other of the hinge bracket 1 and the second end 32 has a trajectory limiting post 13, which passes through the trajectory limiting groove 331. For example, in one specific embodiment, the hinge bracket 1 has a trajectory limiting post 13, and the second end 32 has a trajectory limiting groove 331; or in another specific embodiment, the hinge bracket 1 has a trajectory limiting groove 331, and the second end 32 has a trajectory limiting post 13.

[0046] The mobile terminal 100 can switch between unfolded, intermediate, and folded states under force, as shown in the reference. Figures 1-4When the mobile terminal 100 is in a folded state, the hinge assembly 10 is fully closed, meaning the two movable arms 21 move towards each other to their maximum limit positions; refer to Figures 9-11 When the mobile terminal 100 is in the unfolded state, the hinge assembly 10 is fully open, that is, the two movable arms 21 move back to back to their maximum limit positions; refer to Figures 5-7 The intermediate state of the mobile terminal 100 refers to the state between the unfolded state and the folded state, at which point neither of the two movable arms 21 has moved to its maximum limit position in any direction.

[0047] When the mobile terminal 100 is in its flattened state, the folding area s of the flexible screen 50 is supported only by the two door panels 3; wherein, the trajectory limiting groove 331 is an arc-shaped groove extending along the width direction of the hinge bracket 1, and the trajectory limiting groove 331 protrudes in the direction away from the flexible screen 50. It should be explained that the folding area s is the area of ​​the flexible screen 50 that deforms when the mobile terminal 100 is folded and unfolded, referring to... Figure 1 The flexible screen 50, sandwiched between two movable swing arms 21 and roughly teardrop-shaped, is the folded area s, which is in a folded state at this time; refer to Figures 9-11 The part of the flexible screen 50 located within the dashed frame is the folding area s, which is in a flattened state at this time.

[0048] When the mobile terminal 100 is folded, that is, when the two middle frames 40 are folded towards each other, the two middle frames 40 can drive the corresponding movable swing arms 21 to rotate. The movable swing arms 21 can drive the corresponding door panels 3 to move, so that the two door panels 3 move towards each other to fold the flexible screen 50, thus completing the folding of the mobile terminal 100.

[0049] When the movable swing arm 21 drives the first end 31 to rotate synchronously, since the movable swing arm 21 is hinged to the first end 31 of the door panel 3, the second end 32 can rotate synchronously under the drive of the first end 31. However, there is an arc-shaped trajectory limiting groove 331 and a trajectory limiting post 13 that cooperate with each other between the door panel 3 and the hinge bracket 1. The arc-shaped trajectory limiting groove 331 and the trajectory limiting post 13 will limit the movement of the second end 32, restricting the second end 32 from moving along the central arc of the trajectory limiting groove 331. That is, the rotation center of the second end 32 will change along the central arc of the trajectory limiting groove 331. In other words, the movement of the second end 32 is a combination of rotational movement and arc sliding. That is to say, the door panel 3 and the hinge bracket 1 are in a sliding engagement while the hinge engagement is occurring.

[0050] Compared to the design scheme of "setting three door panel structures on the hinge bracket to support the flexible screen" in related technologies, the design scheme of this related technology usually uses three door panel structures to support the flexible screen in the folding area when the mobile terminal is in the flat state. In order to ensure that the folding area of ​​the flexible screen is fully covered and has sufficient screen space when the mobile terminal is folded, the traditional design requires the use of connecting swing arms and synchronous swing arms to limit the movement trajectory of the two door panels on both sides of the hinge bracket. That is, the two ends of the connecting swing arms are respectively hinged to the middle frame and the hinge bracket, and the synchronous swing arms are hinged to the hinge bracket through virtual arms. A connecting slider is set on the middle frame, and a linear groove and linear slider structure is set between the synchronous swing arms and the connecting slider for sliding limit. This not only makes the hinge bracket have more components, but also makes the assembly more difficult and the production cost higher. It also makes the mobile terminal thicker and less convenient to carry when folded. In this embodiment, by setting an arc-shaped trajectory limiting groove 331 and a trajectory limiting post 13 that cooperate with each other between the door panel 3 and the hinge bracket 1, the rotation center and the sliding structure can be synchronously integrated at the position of the hinge bracket 1. This results in a smaller overall movement trajectory of the door panel 3, allowing the door panel 3 to achieve movement trajectory control under the rotational movement of the movable swing arm 21. This eliminates the need for the hinge assembly 10 to set a linear groove and linear slider structure between the door panel 3 and the middle frame 40 to control the movement trajectory of the door panel 3. It also removes the size limitation in the width direction of the hinge bracket 1 due to the movement requirements of the linear groove and linear slider structure in related technologies. This allows the width of the hinge bracket 1 to be set wider, the side wall of the middle frame 40 to be set thinner, and the overall thickness of the middle frame 40 to be set more uniformly, meeting the user's requirements for the consistency of the thickness of the middle frame 40, the user's requirements for a high visual experience, and the requirements for lightweight portability.

[0051] Furthermore, by setting mutually cooperating arc-shaped trajectory limiting grooves 331 and trajectory limiting posts 13 between the door panel 3 and the hinge bracket 1, the door panel 3 and the hinge bracket 1 have a sliding fit. This allows the door panel 3 to extend more into the hinge bracket 1, enabling the two door panels 3 to be set closer together and to cover the entire hinge bracket 1. This achieves the design of a double-door panel structure, reduces the number of components in the hinge assembly 10, improves the assembly efficiency of the hinge assembly 10, and reduces the production cost of the hinge assembly 10. Meanwhile, the trajectory limiting groove 331 is set as an arc-shaped groove extending along the width direction of the hinge bracket 1, and the trajectory limiting groove 331 is set to protrude in the direction away from the flexible screen 50. When the second end 32 rotates during the folding of the mobile terminal, the end of the second end 32 will move downward under the limitation of the trajectory limiting groove 331 and the trajectory limiting post 13, so that the point where the flexible screen 50 is squeezed and bent by the door panel 3 is relatively far away from the end of the second end 32, so that the distance between the two bending points of the flexible screen 50 is large, so that the bending angle of the flexible screen 50 is not too large, so that the flexible screen 50 can be folded reliably, extending the service life of the flexible screen 50 and improving the reliability of the mobile terminal 100.

[0052] According to the hinge assembly 10 of the present invention, by providing mutually cooperating arc-shaped trajectory limiting grooves 331 and trajectory limiting posts 13 between the door panel 3 and the hinge bracket 1, both sliding and hinged engagement between the door panel 3 and the hinge bracket 1 can be achieved simultaneously. This allows the door panel 3 to extend further into the hinge bracket 1, the two door panels 3 to be positioned closer together, and the two door panels 3 to cover the entire hinge bracket 1, thereby realizing a double-door panel 3 structure design, reducing the number of components in the hinge assembly 10, improving the assembly efficiency of the hinge assembly 10, and reducing the production cost of the hinge assembly 10. Moreover, this eliminates the need for a synchronous sliding structure between the door panel 3 and the middle frame 40, allowing the hinge bracket 1 to be wider, the sidewalls of the middle frame 40 to be thinner, and the overall thickness of the middle frame 40 to be more uniform, thus meeting the user's requirement for consistency in the thickness of the middle frame 40.

[0053] Reference Figure 2 , Figure 4 , Figure 8 and Figure 11According to some embodiments of the present invention, the hinge bracket 1 includes a bracket body 11 and two track brackets 12. The bracket body 11 has a mounting groove 111 opening toward the flexible screen 50. The two track brackets 12 are both disposed in the mounting groove 111, and the two track brackets 12 are respectively located at both ends of the mounting groove 111 in the width direction of the hinge bracket 1. The track limiting post 13 is connected to the track bracket 12. Taking a foldable mobile phone terminal as an example, when the second end 32 rotates, this allows the downward movement of the end of the second end 32 to be longer, so that the point where the flexible screen 50 is squeezed and bent by the door panel 3 is further away from the end of the second end 32. This results in a larger distance between the two bending points of the flexible screen 50, preventing the bending angle of the flexible screen 50 from being too large. That is, when the foldable mobile phone terminal is folded, the second ends 32 of the door panels 3 on both sides move away from each other, forming a larger screen-accommodating space, allowing the flexible screen 50 to be folded reliably, extending the service life of the flexible screen 50, and improving the reliability of the mobile terminal 100.

[0054] Furthermore, when the mobile terminal 100 is folded, this allows the surface of the second end 32 supporting the flexible screen 50 to be closer to the edge of the bracket body 11, resulting in a larger gap between the two door panels 3. This provides a larger folding space for the flexible screen 50, making the folded flexible screen 50 roughly teardrop-shaped. This effectively reduces the risk of the flexible screen 50 being damaged by bending at a large angle, allowing the flexible screen 50 to be folded reliably, extending the service life of the flexible screen 50, and improving the reliability of the mobile terminal 100.

[0055] Reference Figure 2 According to some embodiments of the present invention, the track support 12 includes two track limiting plates 121 spaced apart along the length direction of the hinge support 1, and each track limiting plate 121 is provided with a mounting hole. The track limiting post 13 is inserted into the corresponding mounting hole at both ends in the length direction of the hinge support 1. This can reliably position the track limiting post 13 relative to the support body 11.

[0056] The second end 32 has a track mating plate 33, and a track limiting groove 331 is formed on the track mating plate 33. The track mating plate 33 passes through the gap between the two track limiting plates 121. The mounting hole extends along the length of the hinge bracket 1. This allows the two track limiting plates 121 to limit the track mating plate 33 in the length of the hinge bracket 1, making the track mating plate 33 reliably positioned relative to the bracket body 11 in the length of the hinge bracket 1. This also makes the door panel 3 reliably positioned relative to the bracket body 11 in the length of the hinge bracket 1, reducing the amount of displacement of the door panel 3 relative to the bracket body 11 in the length of the hinge bracket 1 when rotating, reducing the swaying amplitude of the door panel 3, making the overall movement of the door panel 3 more stable, and improving the reliability of the hinge bracket 1.

[0057] Reference Figures 2-4 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 11 In some embodiments of the present invention, one of the first end 31 and the movable swing arm 21 has a hinge groove 34, and the other has a hinge mating plate 2121. The hinge groove 34 is an arc-shaped groove extending along the width direction of the hinge bracket 1, and the hinge mating plate 2121 is an arc-shaped plate adapted to the hinge groove 34. The hinge mating plate 2121 passes through the hinge groove 34 and is slidable along the extension direction of the hinge groove 34. For example, in one specific embodiment, the first end 31 has a hinge groove 34, and the movable swing arm 21 has a hinge mating plate 2121; or in other specific embodiments, the first end 31 has a hinge mating plate 2121, and the movable swing arm 21 has a hinge groove 34. Specifically, multiple hinge mating plates 2121 can be provided, and the multiple hinge mating plates 2121 are concentrically arranged; multiple hinge grooves 34 can also be provided, and the multiple hinge grooves 34 are concentrically arranged.

[0058] When the movable swing arm 21 pushes the first end 31 to move, the rotation center of the first end 31 is located at the center of the arc plate. When the first end 31 rotates relative to the movable swing arm 21, the rotation center of the first end 31 is located outside the movable swing arm 21. When the first end 31 rotates relative to the movable swing arm 21, the rotation center of the first end 31 is located outside the door panel 3, thus realizing a virtual arm hinge between the movable swing arm 21 and the door panel 3, so that the size of the movable swing arm 21 and the door panel 3 can be set to be relatively small.

[0059] Furthermore, by setting the movable swing arm 21 and the door panel 3 as a virtual arm hinge, the movable swing arm 21 can be made shorter in the width direction of the hinge bracket 1, thus reducing the space required for the middle frame 40 to avoid the movable swing arm 21. This also allows for a smaller space for the door panel 3 in the width direction of the hinge bracket 1, enabling the middle frame 40 to have a larger installation space. This facilitates the spatial arrangement of components in the mobile terminal 100 by R&D personnel, allows for a larger battery compartment in the middle frame 40, and allows for a larger battery pack in the mobile terminal 100, thereby increasing the battery capacity of the mobile terminal 100.

[0060] In some alternative embodiments of the present invention, one of the first end 31 and the movable swing arm 21 has a hinge hole, and the other has a hinge pin, which is rotatably inserted into the hinge hole; wherein the hinge hole extends along the length direction of the hinge bracket 1. For example, in one specific embodiment, the first end 31 has a hinge hole and the movable swing arm 21 has a hinge pin; or in other specific embodiments, the first end 31 has a hinge pin and the movable swing arm 21 has a hinge hole. This allows for a hinged connection between the first end 31 and the movable swing arm 21, resulting in a simpler overall structure, easier manufacturing, and reduced production costs for the hinge bracket 1.

[0061] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 4 According to some optional embodiments of the present invention, the hinge bracket 1 has a movable groove 14, which is an arc-shaped groove extending in the width direction of the hinge bracket 1, and the movable groove 14 protrudes in the direction away from the flexible screen 50; the movable swing arm 21 has a swing arm portion 211 and a hinge portion 212, the swing arm portion 211 passes through the movable groove 14 and is slidable along the extension direction of the movable groove 14, and the hinge portion 212 is connected to one end of the swing arm portion 211 away from the hinge bracket 1 in the width direction of the hinge bracket 1, and the hinge portion 212 is hinged to the first end 31.

[0062] When the movable swing arm 21 rotates relative to the hinge bracket 1, the hinge bracket 1 can limit the movable swing arm 21 through the mutual cooperation between the movable groove 14 and the hinge part 212, so that the movable swing arm 21 moves along the central arc of the movable groove 14, so that the rotation center of the movable swing arm 21 is located at the center of the movable groove 14, and the rotation center of the movable swing arm 21 relative to the hinge bracket 1 can be fixed outside the hinge bracket 1, realizing the virtual arm hinge between the movable swing arm 21 and the hinge bracket 1. The virtual arm hinge design is more suitable for a limited movement space, and it is also conducive to the R&D personnel to design the movement trajectory of the movable swing arm 21, making full use of the limited space in the hinge bracket 1, so that the overall structure of the hinge assembly 10 is set more compactly.

[0063] Reference Figures 2-4 , Figure 7 and Figure 11 In some optional embodiments of the present invention, the swing arm 211 is an arc-shaped plate, and the central axis of the swing arm 211 coincides with the central axis of the movable groove 14. This allows for a longer length of interaction between the swing arm 211 and the inner wall of the movable groove 14, enabling the movable groove 14 to reliably limit the swing arm 211 through its inner wall, allowing the movable swing arm 21 to reliably move along the central arc of the movable groove 14, thus making the overall movement of the movable swing arm 21 more reliable and stable.

[0064] Reference Figure 11In some optional embodiments of the present invention, the two swing arm portions 211 in the swing arm assembly 2 are spaced apart in the length direction of the hinge bracket 1, and the movable groove 14 has a stop opening 141 at one end away from the corresponding hinge portion 212. The movable swing arm 21 passes through the corresponding stop opening 141 and stops against the side surface of the door panel 3 away from the flexible screen 50. That is, after the mobile terminal 100 is flattened, the door panel 3 on the other side can stop the movable swing arm 21 from continuing to rotate by resisting it. In other words, after the mobile terminal 100 is flattened, the door panel 3 is supported on the hinge part 212 of the corresponding movable swing arm 21 and the swing arm part 211 of the movable swing arm 21 on the other side. This can realize the self-locking design of the mobile terminal 100 while supporting the end of the door panel 3 away from the hinge part 212, reducing the risk of the door panel 3 collapsing. This allows the door panel 3 to reliably support the flexible screen 50. The structure is simple and the design is ingenious. It can reduce the risk of the flexible screen 50 being over-expanded and damaged due to the mobile terminal 100 continuing to rotate after being flattened, and improve the reliability of the mobile terminal 100.

[0065] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 8 In some optional embodiments of the present invention, the swing arm assembly 2 further includes a synchronization device 22, which includes a rack 221 and a transmission gear set 222; the rack 221 is disposed on the side edge of each arc-shaped swing arm portion 211, for example, the rack 221 can be integrally formed with the swing arm portion 211.

[0066] The transmission gear set 222 is located in the mounting groove 111 on the hinge bracket 1, and the transmission gear set 222 is set at an angle to the width direction of the hinge bracket 1. The two movable swing arms 21 rotate synchronously by meshing with the transmission gear set 222 through the corresponding rack 221; that is, the two swing arm parts 211 are spaced apart along the length direction of the hinge bracket 1, and the transmission gear set 222 is located between the two swing arm parts 211.

[0067] The transmission gear set 222 includes multiple gears, each gear being connected in parallel and meshing sequentially. The rotation axis of each gear is perpendicular to the length direction of the hinge bracket 1. It should be understood that the transmission gear set 222 being set at an angle to the width direction of the hinge bracket 1 means that the line connecting the centers of two adjacent gears is set at an angle to the width direction of the hinge bracket 1, that is, two adjacent gears are staggered in both the width and length directions of the hinge bracket 1.

[0068] By setting a meshing rack 221 and a transmission gear set 222 between the two swing arms 211, synchronous movement between the two movable swing arms 21 can be achieved, ensuring reliable synchronous movement. By setting the transmission gear set 222 at an angle to the width direction of the hinge bracket 1, that is, by offsetting adjacent gears in both the width and length directions of the hinge bracket 1, the space between the two adjacent swing arms 211 can be fully utilized, reducing the size occupied by the transmission gear set 222 in the length direction of the hinge bracket 1. This facilitates the spatial layout of the movable swing arms 21 and the door panel 3, resulting in a more compact overall structure of the hinge assembly 10.

[0069] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 According to a second aspect embodiment of the present invention, a mobile terminal 100 includes: a hinge assembly 10, a middle frame 40, and a flexible screen 50 according to the first aspect embodiment of the present invention. There are two middle frames 40, and each middle frame 40 is connected to two movable swing arms 21 in the swing arm assembly 2. The flexible screen 50 is supported on the two middle frames 40 and two door panels 3. For example, the mobile terminal 100 can be a foldable mobile phone, a foldable flat-panel computer, or a foldable display screen.

[0070] According to the mobile terminal 100 of the present invention, the assembly efficiency of the hinge assembly 10 can be improved, the production cost of the hinge assembly 10 can be reduced, and the production cost of the mobile terminal 100 can be increased, so that the overall thickness of the middle frame 40 can be set more uniformly, thus meeting the user's requirement for consistency of the thickness of the middle frame 40.

[0071] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, 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 limitation, 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 said element.

[0072] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0073] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0074] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A hinge assembly for a foldable mobile terminal, characterized in that, include: Hinge bracket; A swing arm assembly, the swing arm assembly including two movable swing arms arranged along the width direction of the hinge bracket, each of the movable swing arms being rotatably mounted on the hinge bracket and used to connect to the middle frame of the mobile terminal; Two door panels are arranged along the width direction of the hinge bracket. The door panels are used to support the flexible screen of the mobile terminal. Each door panel is supported on the hinge bracket and the movable swing arm on the corresponding side. The two ends of the door panel in the width direction of the hinge bracket are a first end and a second end, respectively. The first end is hinged to the end of the movable swing arm away from the hinge bracket. One of the hinge bracket and the second end has a trajectory limiting groove, and the other has a trajectory limiting post. The trajectory limiting post passes through the trajectory limiting groove. When the mobile terminal is flattened, the folding area of ​​the flexible screen of the mobile terminal is supported only by the two door panels. The trajectory limiting groove is an arc-shaped groove extending along the width direction of the hinge bracket and protruding in the direction away from the flexible screen. The hinge bracket has a movable groove, which is an arc-shaped groove extending in the width direction of the hinge bracket and protruding in the direction away from the flexible screen. The movable swing arm has a swing arm portion and a hinge portion. The swing arm portion passes through the movable groove and is slidable along the extension direction of the movable groove. The hinge portion is connected to one end of the swing arm portion that is away from the hinge bracket in the width direction of the hinge bracket. The hinge portion is hinged to the first end. The swing arm is an arc-shaped plate, and the central axis of the swing arm coincides with the central axis of the movable groove. The two swing arm portions in the swing arm assembly are spaced apart along the length of the hinge bracket. The movable slot has a stop opening at one end away from the corresponding hinge portion. The movable swing arm passes through the corresponding stop opening and abuts against the side surface of the door panel opposite to the flexible screen. After the mobile terminal is flattened, the door panel is supported on the hinge portion of the corresponding movable swing arm and the swing arm portion of the movable swing arm on the other side.

2. The hinge assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hinge bracket includes a bracket body and two track brackets. The bracket body has a mounting groove facing the opening of the flexible screen. The two track brackets are both disposed in the mounting groove and are respectively located at both ends of the mounting groove in the width direction of the hinge bracket. The track limiting post is connected to the track bracket.

3. The hinge assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The track support includes two track limiting plates spaced apart along the length of the hinge support, and each track limiting plate is provided with a mounting hole. The track limiting post passes through the corresponding mounting hole at both ends of the hinge support along the length of the hinge support. The second end has a track mating plate, the track limiting groove is formed on the track mating plate, and the track mating plate passes through the gap between the two track limiting plates; The mounting hole extends along the length of the hinge bracket.

4. The hinge assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first end and one of the movable swing arms have a hinge groove, and the other has a hinge mating plate. The hinge groove is an arc-shaped groove extending along the width direction of the hinge bracket, and the hinge mating plate is an arc-shaped plate adapted to the hinge groove. The hinge mating plate passes through the hinge groove and can slide along the extension direction of the hinge groove.

5. The hinge assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first end and one of the movable swing arms have a hinge hole, and the other is provided with a hinge pin, which is rotatably inserted in the hinge hole; wherein, the hinge hole extends along the length direction of the hinge bracket.

6. The hinge assembly according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The swing arm assembly also includes a synchronization device, which includes a rack and a transmission gear set; The rack is disposed on the side edge of each of the arc-shaped swing arms. The transmission gear set is disposed in the mounting groove on the hinge bracket and is set at an angle to the width direction of the hinge bracket. The two movable swing arms rotate synchronously by meshing with the corresponding rack and the transmission gear set. The transmission gear set includes multiple gears, each of which is connected in parallel and meshing, and the rotation axis of each gear is perpendicular to the length direction of the hinge bracket.

7. A mobile terminal, characterized in that, include: The hinge assembly according to any one of claims 1-6; Two middle frames are respectively connected to the two movable swing arms in the swing arm assembly; The flexible screen is supported on the two mid-frames and the two door panels.

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