Shell assembly and foldable electronic equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a shell assembly and foldable electronic equipment, a middle frame of the shell assembly is provided with a containing part, a rotating shaft is provided with a protruding part, the protruding part can be contained in the containing part, and the protruding part and the containing part are matched with each other to limit relative movement of the rotating shaft and the middle frame. The space between the containing part and the protruding part can be further filled with a filling structure, the movement of the protruding part in the containing part can be limited through the filling structure, and therefore the displacement amount between the middle frames and the rotating shaft during relative displacement can be limited to a certain degree, and the separation amount between the two middle frames located on the two sides of the rotating shaft can be reduced. Thus, for the foldable electronic equipment, the probability that the display screen borne on the middle frame is pulled to deform and lose efficacy is smaller, and the structural stability of the display screen of the foldable electronic equipment is higher.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of terminal device hardware, and more particularly, to a housing assembly and a foldable electronic device. Background Art

[0002] An electronic device such as a mobile phone or a tablet computer has hundreds or thousands of parts inside. Different parts are assembled and combined with each other to form a whole. In scenarios such as collision, extrusion, or dropping, relative displacement may occur between different parts inside the electronic device. The parts themselves may also deform. Relative separation may occur between the originally relatively fixed parts due to differences in displacement amounts or deformation amounts, and even the functions of the parts or the device may fail.

[0003] Compared with ordinary electronic devices, a foldable electronic device includes a bendable display screen. Abnormal bending, deformation, etc. of the display screen are likely to cause the failure of the display screen. How to improve the structural stability of the housing assembly that bears the display screen in the foldable electronic device and reduce the probability of the display screen failing due to abnormal deformation is a problem worthy of consideration. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present application provides a housing assembly and a foldable electronic device. A filling structure can be filled between two structures that limit the relative movement of the middle frame and the rotating shaft of the housing assembly. In the case where the middle frame on one side of the housing assembly deforms or displaces, due to the provision of the filling structure between the above two structures, the displacement amount of the relative displacement between the middle frame and the rotating shaft is reduced, the separation amount between the two middle frames on both sides of the rotating shaft is reduced, the probability of the display screen of the foldable electronic device being damaged or failing due to being pulled is smaller, and the structural stability of the display screen is higher.

[0005] In a first aspect, a housing assembly is provided, including: a rotating shaft, a middle frame, and a filling structure. The middle frames are distributed on both sides of the rotating shaft. The rotating shaft includes a protruding portion, and the middle frame includes a receiving portion. At least a part of the protruding portion is received in the receiving portion. The protruding portion and the receiving portion are used to limit the relative movement between the rotating shaft and the middle frame; at least a part of the outer wall of the protruding portion does not abut against the inner wall of the receiving portion; the filling structure is located between the outer wall of the protruding portion and the inner wall of the receiving portion.

[0006] In a possible implementation, the protruding portion and the receiving portion are used to limit the relative movement between the rotating shaft and the middle frame in a first plane, and the first plane is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the middle frame.

[0007] In some scenarios, that at least a part of the outer wall of the protruding portion does not abut against the inner wall of the receiving portion can also be understood as that there is a gap between the outer wall of the protruding portion and the inner wall of the receiving portion. The filling structure is located between the protruding portion and the receiving portion, and can also be understood as that the filling structure is located in the gap between the protruding portion and the receiving portion.

[0008] The filling structure disposed between the protruding portion and the receiving portion can, to a certain extent, limit the relative movement between the protruding portion and the receiving portion, thereby can, to a certain extent, limit the relative movement between the rotating shaft and the middle frame. In scenarios such as dropping, it is beneficial to reduce the separation amount of the two middle frames located on both sides of the rotating shaft, and is beneficial to reduce the probability of displacement and deformation failure of the middle frames on both sides. For an electronic device including this housing assembly, its display screen is carried on the middle frame of the housing assembly. The implementation of this technical solution is beneficial to reduce the probability of the display screen carried on the middle frame being pulled and deformed or failing, and is beneficial to improve the structural stability of the display screen.

[0009] In addition, in scenarios such as dropping, the filling structure can also play a buffering role to a certain extent, which is beneficial to avoid hard contact or collision between the middle frame and the rotating shaft.

[0010] Combined with the first aspect, in some implementation manners of the first aspect, the filling structure abuts against the protruding portion and the receiving portion respectively.

[0011] In a possible implementation manner, the filling structure includes two opposing abutting surfaces. For example, they are called the first abutting surface and the second abutting surface. The first abutting surface abuts against the outer wall of the protruding portion, and the second abutting surface abuts against the inner wall of the receiving portion.

[0012] The filling structure abuts against the protruding portion and the receiving portion respectively. In other words, the gap between the protruding portion and the receiving portion is filled with the filling structure. This technical solution can minimize the relative displacement amount between the protruding portion and the receiving portion, and minimize the relative displacement amount between the middle frame and the rotating shaft, which is beneficial to reduce the separation amount of the middle frames on both sides of the rotating shaft and improve the structural stability of the housing assembly.

[0013] Combined with the first aspect, in some implementation manners of the first aspect, the protruding portion is disposed at the end close to the rotating shaft.

[0014] Generally, when the housing assembly drops, the surrounding frames first touch the ground and are stressed to deform or displace. By disposing the protruding portion at the end close to the rotating shaft, that is, disposing the protruding portion close to the outer frame of the housing assembly. In this way, the filling structure disposed between the protruding portion and the receiving portion can minimize the relative displacement amount between the middle frame and the rotating shaft in the area near the outer frame. The relative displacement amount between the middle frame and the rotating shaft in the central area is even smaller. The implementation of this technical solution is beneficial to make full use of the buffering and limiting effects of the filling structure, reduce the separation amount of the middle frames on both sides of the rotating shaft, and improve the structural stability of the housing assembly.

[0015] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the protruding portion includes an extension arm that extends from the end of the rotating shaft towards the middle frame. The extension arm includes a first connection hole; the accommodating portion includes a counterbore, and a second connection hole is opened at the bottom of the counterbore; the extension arm is accommodated in the counterbore, and the first connection hole communicates with the second connection hole; the housing assembly further includes a fastener that passes through the first connection hole and the second connection hole and is fixedly connected to the middle frame; the filling structure includes a first sub-filling structure that is located between the extension arm and the counterbore.

[0016] In a possible implementation, the fastener can be a screw.

[0017] The combined action of the fastener with the first connection hole and the second connection hole can achieve relative fixation between the middle frame and the rotating shaft in the thickness direction. The gap between the extension arm and the counterbore will, to a certain extent, cause relative displacement between the middle frame and the rotating shaft in the plane of the display screen. By providing the first sub-filling structure between the extension arm and the counterbore, the displacement amount of relative displacement between the middle frame and the rotating shaft in the plane of the display screen is smaller, the separation amount between the middle frames is smaller, and the structural reliability of the housing assembly is higher.

[0018] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, at least a part of the rotating shaft overlaps the middle frame; the protruding portion includes a positioning post that is located on the side where the rotating shaft overlaps the middle frame; the accommodating portion further includes an accommodating hole, and the opening of the accommodating hole faces the positioning post; the positioning post is accommodated in the accommodating hole; the filling structure includes a second sub-filling structure that is located in the accommodating hole and covers the outer periphery of the positioning post.

[0019] In a possible implementation, a sunken platform can be provided on the side of the middle frame close to the rotating shaft, and at least a part of the rotating shaft overlaps the sunken platform.

[0020] The arrangement of the positioning post and the accommodating hole is conducive to reducing the relative displacement amount when the rotating shaft and the middle frame undergo relative displacement to a certain extent, and reducing the separation amount between the two middle frames in scenarios such as dropping.

[0021] The gap between the positioning post and the accommodating hole will, to a certain extent, increase the relative displacement amount between the middle frame and the rotating shaft in the plane of the display screen. By providing the second sub-filling structure between the positioning post and the accommodating hole, the displacement amount of relative displacement between the middle frame and the rotating shaft in the plane of the display screen is smaller, and the separation amount between the middle frames on both sides of the rotating shaft is smaller.

[0022] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the side wall of the extension arm includes a first curved surface, and the side wall of the counterbore includes a second curved surface, and the first curved surface and the second curved surface are arranged opposite to each other.

[0023] In a possible implementation, the surface shape (e.g., curvature) of the first surface is the same as that of the second surface.

[0024] The arrangement of the first surface and the second surface is conducive to dispersing the acting force on the first sub-filling structure to different parts of the first sub-filling structure, which is beneficial to reducing the probability of stress concentration and improving the reliability of the housing assembly structure.

[0025] Combined with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the aperture of the first connection hole is larger than that of the second connection hole.

[0026] In some scenarios, the aperture of the first connection hole being larger than that of the second connection hole can also be understood as the aperture of the first connection hole being larger than the diameter of the fastener that mates with the connection hole.

[0027] The diameter of the first connection hole can be slightly larger than the diameter of the fastener, facilitating the mating and installation of the fastener with the first connection hole and the second connection hole. The implementation of this technical solution is beneficial to simplifying the assembly process of the housing assembly and improving the production efficiency of the housing assembly.

[0028] Combined with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the accommodation hole penetrates through two opposite sides of the middle frame.

[0029] By providing a through hole in the middle frame to accommodate the positioning post on the rotating shaft, during the process of applying glue between the positioning post and the through hole, corresponding operations can be performed from the opposite side of the rotating shaft, which is beneficial to simplifying the processing technology of the housing assembly.

[0030] Combined with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the outer wall of the positioning post includes a third surface, and the side wall of the accommodation hole includes a fourth surface, and the third surface and the fourth surface are arranged oppositely.

[0031] In a possible implementation, the surface shape (e.g., curvature) of the third surface is the same as that of the fourth surface.

[0032] The arrangement of the third surface and the fourth surface is conducive to dispersing the acting force on the second sub-filling structure to different parts of the second sub-filling structure, which is beneficial to reducing the probability of stress concentration and improving the reliability of the housing assembly structure.

[0033] Combined with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the dimension of the positioning post in the first direction is larger than that in the second direction, where the first direction is the axial direction of the rotating shaft and the second direction is different from the first direction.

[0034] In the normal use scenario (different from scenarios such as dropping and collision), it is easier for the rotating shaft and the middle frame to slide and displace along the axial direction of the rotating shaft. Setting the positioning post to have a larger size in the axial direction of the rotating shaft is beneficial to reducing the probability of damage to the positioning post due to collision, extrusion, etc. during normal use.

[0035] Combined with the first aspect, in some implementation manners of the first aspect, the outer wall of the positioning post includes two third curved surfaces, and the two third curved surfaces are distributed on both sides of the positioning post along the first direction.

[0036] Combined with the first aspect, in some implementation manners of the first aspect, the Young's modulus E of the filling structure satisfies: 100 MPa ≤ E ≤ 800 MPa.

[0037] The filling structure abuts against the accommodating part and the protruding part. A relatively high modulus of the filling structure may cause deformation or damage to the accommodating part or the protruding part, while a relatively small modulus of the filling structure may cause the accommodating part and the protruding part to squeeze the filling structure and cause it to deform, thus failing to achieve the function of limiting the relative movement between the protruding part and the accommodating part.

[0038] Combined with the first aspect, in some implementation manners of the first aspect, the filling structure is formed by curing a colloid, and the viscosity η of the colloid at 23°C satisfies: 2000 mPa·S ≤ η ≤ 10000 mPa·S.

[0039] Viscosity can, to a certain extent, reflect the fluidity of the colloid. The viscosity range of the colloid in this technical solution is beneficial to improving the production efficiency of the housing assembly.

[0040] In a second aspect, a foldable electronic device is provided. The foldable electronic device includes a display screen and the housing assembly in the first aspect and any possible implementation manners thereof, and the display screen is carried on the middle frame of the housing assembly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a foldable electronic device provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0042] Figure 2 is Figure 1 a schematic diagram of the AA cross-section of the foldable electronic device in

[0043] Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of multiple functional components of a housing assembly provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0044] Figure 4 is Figure 3 a schematic diagram of the structure after assembling multiple functional components in

[0045] Figure 5 is Figure 4Partial enlarged view after assembly of multiple functional components in

[0046] Figure 6 Schematic cross-sectional views of some positioning posts provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0047] Figure 7 and Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the first structural member of the middle frame provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0048] Figure 9 and Figure 10 Schematic diagram of the second structural member of the rotating shaft provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0049] Figure 11 is Figure 7 in the first structural member and Figure 9 Schematic structural diagram of the assembly result of the second structural member in

[0050] Figure 12 is Figure 11 Schematic cross-sectional view of the BB section of the assembled structure in

[0051] Figure 13 is Figure 7 in the first structural member and Figure 9 Schematic diagram of another perspective of the structure of the assembly result of the second structural member in

[0052] Figure 14 is Figure 13 Schematic cross-sectional view of the CC section of the assembled structure in

[0053] Figure 15 Schematic diagram of a foldable electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present application. Detailed implementation manners

[0054] Next, the technical solutions in the present application will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0055] In the accompanying drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary only for explaining the present application and should not be construed as limiting the present application.

[0056] The terms "first", "second", "third", "fourth", etc. (if any) in the present application are used to distinguish similar objects and do not necessarily have to be used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged under appropriate circumstances.

[0057] In the embodiments of the present application, "and / or" is merely a description of the association relationship between associated objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can represent three situations: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. Additionally, in this text, the character " / " generally indicates that the associated objects before and after are in an "or" relationship. Furthermore, "at least one of A, B, and C" means that there can be (A); (B); (C); (A and B); (A and C); (B and C); or (A, B, and C).

[0058] To make the technical problems solved by the present application, the technical solutions adopted, and the achieved technical effects clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments.

[0059] As shown in Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a foldable electronic device 10 provided by an embodiment of the present application. Figure 2 FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the AA cross-section of the foldable electronic device 10 shown in Figure 1 FIG. 1. Combining Figure 1 FIG. 1 Figure 2 and FIG. 2, the foldable electronic device 10 may include a middle frame 11A, a middle frame 11B, a rotating shaft 12, and a display screen 13. The middle frame 11A and the middle frame 11B are distributed on both sides of the rotating shaft 12 in the height direction of the foldable electronic device 10 (the x-axis direction in the figure). The middle frame 11A and the middle frame 11B are respectively fixedly connected to the rotating shaft 12. The display screen 13 is carried on the middle frame 11A and the middle frame 11B. In some examples, the outer periphery of the display screen 13 is respectively fixedly connected to the middle frame 11A and the middle frame 11B. The rotating shaft 12 may include a rotating structure such as a hinge. Driven by the rotating structure, the middle frame 11A and the middle frame 11B can rotate around the axis of the rotating shaft 12. The display screen 13 is relatively fixed to the middle frame 11A and the middle frame 11B. During the process of the middle frame 11A or the middle frame 11B rotating around the axis of the rotating shaft, a part of the display screen 13 can be driven to rotate around the axis of the rotating shaft 12, realizing the foldable function of the foldable electronic device 10.

[0060] In scenarios where the foldable electronic device 10 drops or is pulled, etc., one of the middle frame 11A and the middle frame 11B of the foldable electronic device 10 is first stressed and deformed. Taking the middle frame 11A being first stressed and deformed as an example, a part of the display screen 13 fixedly connected to the middle frame 11A ( Figure 2 the left region of the display screen 13 in FIG. 1) will also be deformed. As a whole, a part of the region at the end of the display screen 13 far from the middle frame 11A ( Figure 2 the right region of the display screen 13 in FIG. 1) will also be deformed accordingly.

[0061] Since there is a rotating shaft 12 connecting the middle frames 11A and 11B (the middle frames 11A and 11B are not directly connected), when the middle frame 11A is stressed and undergoes displacement or deformation, the middle frames 11A and 11B can be separated from each other. In one possible case, the separation amount between the middle frames 11A and 11B does not match the deformation amount of the display screen 13 in some areas between them ( Figure 2 the area where the display screen 13 is near the upper part of the rotating shaft 12). For example, the separation amount between the middle frames 11A and 11B is greater than the deformation amount of the display screen 13 in this area, which will cause the part of the display screen 13 in this area to be pulled by the two parts located at both ends of the display screen 13 and connected to the middle frames 11A and 11B respectively, resulting in the failure of the display screen in this area and even the failure of the entire display screen 13.

[0062] In order to reduce the probability of the display screen 13 of the foldable electronic device 10 failing in scenarios such as dropping, the present application reduces the separation amount between the middle frames 11A and 11B on both sides of the rotating shaft 12 in scenarios such as dropping, reduces the probability of the middle area of the display screen 13 being pulled, and thus improves the reliability of the structure of the display screen 13 of the foldable electronic device 10.

[0063] Figure 3 The figure shows a schematic diagram of the housing assembly 20 provided by an embodiment of the present application. The housing assembly 20 includes a middle frame 21A, a middle frame 21B, and a rotating shaft 22. Similar to the structure of the aforementioned foldable electronic device 10, the middle frames 21A and 21B are distributed on both sides of the rotating shaft 22 and are respectively fixedly connected to the rotating shaft 22. In some examples, the foldable electronic device may include the aforementioned housing assembly 20 and a display screen. The display screen can be carried on the middle frames 21A and 21B. During the process of the middle frame 21A or the middle frame 21B rotating around the axial direction of the rotating shaft 22, it can drive some areas of the display screen to rotate around the axial direction of the rotating shaft 22, realizing the foldable function of the foldable electronic device.

[0064] As Figure 3 shown, the rotating shaft 22 may include a main body 220 and an extension arm 222. The extension arm 222 may be located on one side of the rotating shaft 22 close to the middle frame 21A or close to the middle frame 21B. The extension arm 222 may extend from the main body 220 towards the direction close to the middle frame 21A or the middle frame 21B. In some examples, the extension arm 222 may be provided near the end of the rotating shaft 22. A first connection hole 30 may be formed on the extension arm 222, and the first connection hole 30 may be used to connect the rotating shaft 22 to the middle frame 21A or to connect the rotating shaft 22 to the middle frame 21B.

[0065] In some examples, the first connection hole 30 may be a through hole provided in the thickness direction of the extension arm 222. Or rather, the first connection hole 30 may communicate with the two opposite surfaces of the extension arm 222 in the thickness direction. Internal threads may be provided on the inner wall of the first connection hole 30 so as to cooperate with fasteners such as screws.

[0066] In some examples, the outer sidewall of the extension arm 222 may include at least one first curved surface. When the outer sidewall of the extension arm 222 contacts and presses against other structural members, the provision of the curved surface can reduce the probability of damage and failure of the extension arm 222 due to stress concentration. Exemplarily, the extension arm 222 may be approximately cylindrical. Or rather, the sidewall of the extension arm 222 is a smooth curved surface except at the position where it is connected to the main body 220.

[0067] A plurality of extension arms 222 may be provided on the rotating shaft 22, and the plurality of extension arms 222 may all be provided near the end of the rotating shaft 22. Exemplarily, as Figure 3 shown, 4 extension arms 222 may be provided on the rotating shaft 22, and the 4 extension arms 222 are distributed at both ends of the rotating shaft 22. Two of the extension arms 222 are close to the middle frame 21A and are used to connect the rotating shaft 22 and the middle frame 21A, and the other two extension arms 222 are close to the middle frame 21B and are used to connect the rotating shaft 22 and the middle frame 21B. In the following embodiments, the description is mainly based on the extension arm 222 being used to connect the middle frame 21A and the rotating shaft 22. The structure of the connection between the middle frame 21B and the rotating shaft 22 is similar and can be referred to for implementation.

[0068] A second connection hole 32 corresponding to the first connection hole 30 may be provided on one side of the middle frame 21A close to the rotating shaft 22. The housing assembly 20 may further include fasteners such as screws. Through the cooperation of the screws with the first connection hole 30 and the second connection hole 32, the relative fixation between the middle frame 21A and the rotating shaft 22 can be achieved.

[0069] In some examples, a sinking and resting platform 40A may be provided on one side of the middle frame 21A close to the rotating shaft 22. The sinking and resting platform 40A may be used to receive a partial area of the rotating shaft 22. Or rather, in the case where the middle frame 21A is connected to the rotating shaft 22, a partial area of the rotating shaft 22 may overlap or sink and rest on the sinking and resting platform 40A. Similarly, a sinking and resting platform 40B may also be provided on one side of the middle frame 21B close to the rotating shaft 22. The sinking and resting platform 40B may be used to receive a partial area of the rotating shaft 22. Or rather, a partial area of the rotating shaft 22 may overlap or sink and rest on the sinking and resting platform 40B.

[0070] The sinking and resting platform 40A may be regarded as a groove structure opened in the thickness direction of the middle frame 21A, and a notch is opened on one side of the groove structure close to the rotating shaft 22. In other words, the thickness of the sinking and resting platform 40A ( Figure 3The dimension in the z-axis direction) can be smaller than the thickness of the non-sunk platform 40A of the middle frame 21A.

[0071] In some examples, the aforementioned second connection hole 32 can be opened on the sunk platform 40A, and the second connection hole 32 can be used to connect the rotating shaft 22 and the middle frame 21A. Exemplarily, the second connection hole 32 can be a blind hole or a non-through hole, and the inner wall of the second connection hole 32 can be provided with internal threads so as to cooperate with fasteners such as screws.

[0072] The position of the second connection hole 32 opened on the sunk platform 40A can correspond to the position of the first connection hole 30 opened on the rotating shaft 22. Or rather, when the rotating shaft 22 is lapped or sunk on the sunk platform 40A, the first connection hole 30 and the second connection hole 32 can communicate with each other. In some examples, the diameter of the second connection hole 32 can be smaller than the diameter of the screw. In this way, when the screw passes through the first connection hole 30 and the second connection hole 32 at the same time, the thread on the screw can be at least embedded into the middle frame 21A, so as to realize the relative fixation of the middle frame 21A and the rotating shaft 22 in the thickness direction of the display screen ( Figure 3 in the z-axis direction of the middle).

[0073] The diameter of the first connection hole 30 can be slightly larger than the diameter of the screw, so as to facilitate the cooperation and installation of the screw with the first connection hole 30 and the second connection hole 32. The diameter of the first connection hole 30 can also be smaller than or equal to the diameter of the screw, so as to make the connection between the screw and the first connection hole 30 and the second connection hole 32 more firm. Or rather, make the connection between the middle frame 21A and the rotating shaft 22 more firm.

[0074] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the connection states of the rotating shaft 22 with the middle frame 21A and the middle frame 21B respectively. Refer to Figure 4 , in some examples, a first side wall 400 can be provided around the outer periphery of the sunk platform 40A. When the rotating shaft 22 is installed on the sunk platform 40A, the first side wall 400 can be opposite to the outer wall of the extension arm 222. There can be a certain gap between the first side wall 400 and the outer wall of the extension arm 222. This gap can be regarded as the assembly gap reserved during the assembly process of the rotating shaft 22 and the middle frame 21A, hereinafter referred to as the first gap 405. Since the aforementioned screw and the first connection hole 30 and the second connection hole 32 jointly act to realize the relative fixation of the middle frame 21A and the rotating shaft 22 in the thickness direction. The existence of the first gap 405 will enable the middle frame 21A and the rotating shaft 22 to generate relative displacement in the plane of the display screen, and the larger the width of the first gap 405, the larger the displacement amount of the relative displacement generated between the middle frame 21A and the rotating shaft 22 in the plane of the display screen.

[0075] In some examples, a first filling structure may be disposed in a first gap 405 between the first sidewall 400 and the sidewall of the epitaxial arm 222. Or rather, the first filling structure may be used to fill the first gap 405 between the first sidewall 400 and the sidewall of the epitaxial arm 222. In this way, during the dropping process of the foldable electronic device including the display screen and the housing assembly 20, due to the presence of the first filling structure in the first gap 405, the displacement amount of the relative displacement between the middle frame 21A and the rotating shaft 22 in the plane of the display screen is smaller, the separation amount between the middle frame 21A and the middle frame 21B is smaller, the probability of the display screen of the foldable electronic device being pulled and failing is smaller, and the structural reliability of the display screen is higher.

[0076] In some examples, the Young's modulus E1 of the first filling structure may satisfy: 100 MPa ≤ E1 ≤ 800 MPa. For example, the Young's modulus E1 of the first filling structure may take values such as 150 MPa, 200 MPa, 300 MPa, 350 MPa, 500 MPa, or 700 MPa.

[0077] A relatively high modulus of the filling structure may cause deformation or damage to the middle frame or the rotating shaft, while a relatively small modulus of the filling structure may cause the middle frame and the rotating shaft to squeeze the filling structure and cause it to deform, thus failing to limit the relative movement between the middle frame and the rotating shaft.

[0078] The first filling structure may be formed by curing a first colloid, and the first colloid may be composed of one or more of the following: epoxy resin or epoxy acrylate, etc.

[0079] In order to improve the production efficiency of the housing assembly 20 and simplify the production process, the viscosity η1 of the foregoing first colloid at 23°C may satisfy: 2000 mPa·S ≤ η1 ≤ 10000 mPa·S. For example, η1 may take values such as 3000 mPa·S, 4000 mPa·S, 5000 mPa·S, 6000 mPa·S, 7000 mPa·S, or 8000 mPa·S.

[0080] In some examples, the first sidewall 400 may include at least one second curved surface. When the first sidewall 400 contacts and squeezes other structural members, the setting of the curved surface can reduce the probability of the first sidewall 400 being damaged and failing due to stress concentration. The second curved surface may be opposite to the first curved surface of the outer sidewall of the epitaxial arm 222, and the foregoing first filling structure may be disposed between the first curved surface and the second curved surface. When the middle frame 21A and the rotating shaft 22 have relative movement, the first filling structure can also play a buffering role to a certain extent, which is beneficial to avoiding hard contact between the middle frame 21A and the rotating shaft 22. The settings of the first curved surface and the second curved surface are beneficial to dispersing the acting force on the first filling structure to different parts of the first filling structure, which is beneficial to reducing the probability of stress concentration and improving the structural reliability of the housing assembly 20.

[0081] In order to improve the connection firmness between the rotating shaft 22 and the middle frame 21A, reduce the relative displacement amount when the rotating shaft 22 and the middle frame 21A undergo relative displacement, and reduce the separation amount between the middle frame 21A and the middle frame 21B in scenarios such as dropping, a positioning post 224 may also be provided on the surface of the main body 220 of the rotating shaft 22 that abuts against the middle frame 21A or the sunken platform 40A. Correspondingly, a receiving hole 410 for receiving the positioning post 224 may be provided on the surface of the middle frame 21A that abuts against the rotating shaft 22. Refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 , the positions and dimensions of the positioning post 224 and the receiving hole 410 are matched so that the positioning post 224 can be received in the receiving hole 410 when the rotating shaft 22 abuts against the middle frame 21A.

[0082] Since in scenarios such as dropping, the outer frame of the housing assembly 20 touches the ground first, or rather, the two ends of the rotating shaft 22 or the outer peripheral regions of the middle frame 21A and the middle frame 21B deform first. In order to reduce the impact of the dropping process on the internal structure of the housing assembly 20, in some examples, the positioning post 224 on the rotating shaft 22 and the receiving hole 410 on the middle frame 21A may be arranged close to the outer frame of the housing assembly 20. Specifically, the positioning post 224 on the rotating shaft 22 may be arranged close to the two ends of the rotating shaft 22, and the position of the receiving hole 410 on the middle frame 21A corresponds to the position of the positioning post 224 on the rotating shaft 22.

[0083] The matching of the size of the aforementioned receiving hole 410 with the size of the positioning post 224 can be understood as that when the positioning post 224 is received in the receiving hole 410, a second gap 415 may exist between the outer wall of the positioning post 224 and the side wall and / or bottom of the receiving hole 410. The second gap 415 can be regarded as an assembly gap reserved between the middle frame 21A and the rotating shaft 22 during the assembly process. Similar to the aforementioned first gap 405, a second filling structure may be provided in the second gap 415, or rather, the second filling structure can be used to fill the second gap 415 between the outer wall of the positioning post 224 and the side wall and / or bottom of the receiving hole 410. In this way, during the dropping process of the foldable electronic device including the display screen and the housing assembly 20, due to the existence of the second filling structure in the second gap 415, the displacement amount of the relative displacement between the positioning post 224 and the receiving hole 410 in the plane of the display screen is smaller, the separation amount between the middle frame 21A and the middle frame 21B is smaller, the probability of the display screen of the housing assembly 20 being pulled and failing is smaller, and the structural reliability of the display screen is higher.

[0084] In some examples, the Young's modulus E2 of the second filling structure may satisfy: 100 MPa ≤ E2 ≤ 800 MPa. For example, the Young's modulus E2 of the second filling structure may be 150 MPa, 200 MPa, 300 MPa, 350 MPa, 500 MPa, 700 MPa, etc.

[0085] The second filling structure may be formed by curing a second colloid. For example, the second colloid may be composed of one or more of the following: epoxy resin, epoxy acrylate, etc.

[0086] To improve the production efficiency of the housing assembly 20 and simplify the production process, the viscosity η2 of the aforementioned first colloid at 23 °C may satisfy: 2000 mPa·S ≤ η2 ≤ 10000 mPa·S. For example, η2 may be 3000 mPa·S, 4000 mPa·S, 5000 mPa·S, 6000 mPa·S, 7000 mPa·S, 8000 mPa·S, etc.

[0087] In some examples, the side wall of the aforementioned positioning post 224 may include at least one third curved surface. When the positioning post 224 contacts and presses against other structural members, the setting of the curved surface can reduce the probability of damage and failure of the positioning post 224 due to stress concentration. Exemplarily, Figure 6 Some possible cross-sectional shapes of the positioning post 224 are provided. The radial cross-section of the positioning post 224 may be circular (Figure 601), rounded rectangular (Figure 602), or a shape with semi-circular arcs at both ends and a rectangle in the middle (Figure 603), etc.

[0088] In normal use scenarios (different from scenarios such as dropping and collision), the rotating shaft 22 and the middle frame 21A are more likely to slide and displace along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 22. To reduce the probability of damage to the positioning post 224 due to collision, extrusion, etc. during normal use, in some examples, the radial cross-section of the positioning post 224 may be a non-centrally symmetric figure, such as the shape shown in Figure 602 or the shape shown in Figure 603, and the long side direction of the cross-section of the positioning post 224 ( Figure 6 the y-axis direction in the figure) may be along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 22. The third curved surface on the side wall of the positioning post 224 may be distributed along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 22. For example, the cross-section of the positioning post 224 may be in the shape shown in Figure 603, and the number of the third curved surfaces is two and is distributed on both sides of the positioning post 224 along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 22.

[0089] In some examples, the inner side wall of the aforementioned receiving hole 410 may include at least one fourth curved surface. When other structural members contact and press against the inner side wall of the receiving hole 410, the setting of the curved surface can reduce the probability of damage to the receiving hole 410 due to stress concentration.

[0090] Exemplarily, the fourth curved surface on the inner sidewall of the accommodation hole 410 can be disposed opposite to the third curved surface on the positioning post 224, and the aforementioned second filling structure can be disposed between the third curved surface and the fourth curved surface. When the middle frame 21A and the rotating shaft 22 move relative to each other, the second filling structure can also play a buffering role to a certain extent, which is conducive to avoiding hard contact between the middle frame 21A and the rotating shaft 22. The settings of the third curved surface and the fourth curved surface are conducive to dispersing the acting force on the second filling structure to different parts of the second filling structure, which is conducive to reducing the probability of stress concentration and improving the reliability of the structure of the housing assembly 20.

[0091] A plurality of positioning posts 224 can be provided on the rotating shaft 22, and the plurality of positioning posts 224 can be respectively used for the relative fixation of the rotating shaft 22 and the middle frame 21A and the relative fixation of the rotating shaft 22 and the middle frame 21B. The connection structure between the middle frame 21B and the rotating shaft 22 is similar to the connection structure between the middle frame 21A and the rotating shaft 22. For specific reference, please refer to the relevant description above, and details will not be repeated here.

[0092] Figure 7 and Figure 8 are schematic views of different perspectives of the first structural member 50 of the middle frame 21A or the middle frame 21B provided in the embodiments of the present application. In some examples, the first structural member 50 can be a component of the middle frame 21A or the middle frame 21B. In some examples, the first structural member 50 can also be the middle frame 21A or the middle frame 21B itself.

[0093] As Figure 7 shown, the first structural member 50 can include a sinking platform 40A. The sinking platform 40A can be regarded as a groove structure formed by machining the first structural member 50 in the thickness direction. A notch is opened on one side of the groove facing the rotating shaft 22, facilitating a partial area of the rotating shaft 22 to sink on the sinking platform 40A. A sinking groove 54 can also be opened on the first structural member 50, and the sinking groove 54 can be used to accommodate the extension arm 222 of the rotating shaft 22. The bottom surface of the sinking groove 54 can be provided with the aforementioned second connection hole 32, and the second connection hole 32 can cooperate with the first connection hole 30 on the extension arm 222 of the rotating shaft 22 to realize the fixed connection between the rotating shaft 22 and the middle frame 21A.

[0094] In some examples, the sinking groove 54 can include a first sidewall 400. The first sidewall 400 can be regarded as a part of the sidewall of the entire sinking platform 40A. The first sidewall 400 can be a smooth curved surface, or rather, the first sidewall 400 can at least include the aforementioned second curved surface.

[0095] At least one accommodation hole 410 can also be opened on the sinking platform 40A of the first structural member 50, and the accommodation hole 410 can be used to accommodate the positioning post 224 on the rotating shaft 22. In some examples, as Figure 8As shown, the receiving hole 410 may not include a bottom, or rather, the receiving hole 410 is a through hole formed in the sinking and resting platform 40A, and the receiving hole 410 may communicate with two opposite surfaces of the sinking and resting platform 40A.

[0096] A through hole is formed in the sinking and resting platform 40A to receive the positioning post 224 on the rotating shaft 22. During the process of dispensing glue between the positioning post 224 and the through hole, corresponding operations can be performed from the other side opposite to the rotating shaft 22, which is beneficial to simplifying the processing technology of the housing assembly 20.

[0097] Figure 9 and Figure 10 are schematic diagrams of different perspectives of the second structural member 52 of the rotating shaft 22 provided in the embodiments of the present application. In some examples, the second structural member 52 may be a component of the rotating shaft 22. In some examples, the second structural member 52 may also be the rotating shaft 22 itself.

[0098] As Figure 9 shown, the second structural member 52 may include a main body 220 and an extension arm 222. The extension arm 222 may be located at one end of the second structural member 52. A first connection hole 30 may be formed in the extension arm 222, and the first connection hole 30 may cooperate with the second connection hole 32 on the first structural member 50 and be used to realize the fixed connection between the first structural member 50 and the second structural member 52.

[0099] In some examples, the outer sidewall of the extension arm 222 may be a curved surface, or rather, the outer sidewall of the extension arm 222 includes at least one first curved surface. When the first structural member 50 and the second structural member 52 are assembled, the first curved surface and the aforementioned second curved surface may be arranged oppositely.

[0100] Referring to Figure 10 , at least one protruding positioning post 224 may be provided on the surface of the main body 220 of the second structural member 52 that abuts against the sinking and resting platform 40A. The positioning post 224 may cooperate with the receiving hole 410 formed in the first structural member 50 to realize the relative fixation between the first structural member 50 and the second structural member 52.

[0101] Figure 11 The figure shows a schematic diagram of the assembly result of the aforementioned first structural member 50 and second structural member 52. Figure 12 The figure shows Figure 11 a schematic diagram of the BB cross-section of the two structural members assembled together in

[0102] Combining Figure 11 and Figure 12, the second structural member 52 can be seated against the seating platform 40A of the first structural member 50, and the extension arm 222 of the second structural member 52 can be partially received in the sinking groove 54. There is a first gap 405 (not visible in the figure) between the side wall of the sinking groove 54 and the outer wall of the extension arm 222. In some examples, the first gap 405 can be filled with a first filling structure 56. The first filling structure 56 can be disposed around the side wall of the extension arm 222 and cover the outer periphery of the side wall of the extension arm 222. A possible situation is that the first filling structure 56 forms a cylindrical structure with a notch, the inner wall of the first filling structure 56 abuts against the side wall of the extension arm 222, and the outer wall of the first filling structure 56 abuts against the side wall of the sinking groove 54.

[0103] The first filling structure 56 can be formed by curing a first colloid. In some examples, the Young's modulus E1 of the first filling structure can satisfy: 100 MPa ≤ E1 ≤ 800 MPa. For example, the Young's modulus E1 of the first filling structure can be 150 MPa, 200 MPa, 300 MPa, 350 MPa, 500 MPa, or 700 MPa, etc. In some examples, the viscosity η1 of the first colloid at 23 °C can satisfy: 2000 mPa·S ≤ η1 ≤ 10000 mPa·S. For example, η1 can be 3000 mPa·S, 4000 mPa·S, 5000 mPa·S, 6000 mPa·S, 7000 mPa·S, or 8000 mPa·S, etc.

[0104] For a detailed description of the first filling structure and the first colloid, reference can be made to the relevant descriptions in the previous text. For the sake of brevity, it will not be elaborated here.

[0105] Figure 13 The figure shows a schematic diagram of the assembly result of the foregoing first structural member 50 and second structural member 52 from another perspective. Figure 14 Shown is Figure 13 a schematic diagram of the CC cross-section of the two structural members in

[0106] Combined with Figure 13 and Figure 14 , the positioning post 224 on the second structural member 52 can be received in the receiving hole 410. A second filling structure 58 can be filled between the outer wall of the positioning post 224 and the inner wall of the receiving hole 410. A possible situation is that the receiving hole 410 penetrates through two opposite sides of the seating platform. The second filling structure 58 can be a groove-shaped structure covering the outer periphery of the positioning post 224. The inner wall of the second filling structure 58 can abut against the outer wall of the positioning post 224, and the outer wall of the second filling structure 58 can abut against the inner wall of the receiving hole 410.

[0107] The second filling structure 58 may be formed by curing a second colloid. In some examples, the Young's modulus E2 of the second filling structure 58 may satisfy: 100 MPa ≤ E2 ≤ 800 MPa. For example, the Young's modulus E2 of the second filling structure 58 may be 150 MPa, 200 MPa, 300 MPa, 350 MPa, 500 MPa, 700 MPa, etc. In some examples, the viscosity η2 of the second colloid at 23 °C may satisfy: 2000 mPa·S ≤ η2 ≤ 10000 mPa·S. For example, η2 may be 3000 mPa·S, 4000 mPa·S, 5000 mPa·S, 6000 mPa·S, 7000 mPa·S, 8000 mPa·S, etc.

[0108] For a detailed description of the second filling structure and the second colloid, reference may be made to the relevant descriptions in the foregoing text. For the sake of brevity, it will not be elaborated here.

[0109] In addition, the embodiments of the present application further provide a foldable electronic device, which may include the housing assembly 20 and the display screen in the foregoing embodiments. The display screen may be carried on the middle frame of the housing assembly 20. The foldable electronic device may further include functional units such as a battery, a camera module, and a circuit board assembly. In some examples, the battery, the camera module, the circuit board assembly, etc. of the foldable electronic device may be relatively fixed to the middle frame of the housing assembly 20.

[0110] The foldable electronic device may be an electronic device that can be folded along the x-axis direction as shown in Figure 1 or an electronic device that can be folded along the y-axis direction as shown in Figure 15 The present application does not limit this.

[0111] The above is only the specific implementation manner of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily think of changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed by the present application, and all should be covered by the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be subject to the protection scope of the claimed rights.

Claims

1. A housing assembly (20), characterized in that, Comprising: A rotating shaft (22), middle frames (21A, 21B), and a filling structure, The middle frames (21A, 21B) are distributed on both sides of the rotating shaft. The rotating shaft (22) includes a protruding portion, and the middle frames (21A, 21B) include receiving portions. At least part of the protruding portion is received in the receiving portion, and the protruding portion and the receiving portion are used to limit the relative movement between the rotating shaft (22) and the middle frames (21A, 21B); At least part of the outer wall of the protruding portion does not abut against the inner wall of the receiving portion; The filling structure is located between the outer wall of the protruding portion and the inner wall of the receiving portion.

2. The housing assembly (20) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The filling structure abuts against the protruding portion and the receiving portion respectively.

3. The housing assembly (20) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The protruding portion is arranged near the end of the rotating shaft (22).

4. The housing assembly (20) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The protruding portion includes an extension arm (222), and the extension arm (222) extends from the end of the rotating shaft (22) towards the middle frames (21A, 21B). The extension arm (222) includes a first connection hole (30); The receiving portion includes a counterbore (54), and a second connection hole (32) is opened at the bottom of the counterbore (54); The extension arm (222) is received in the counterbore (54), and the first connection hole (30) communicates with the second connection hole (32); The housing assembly (20) further includes a fastener, and the fastener passes through the first connection hole (30) and the second connection hole (32) and is fixedly connected to the middle frames (21A, 21B); The filling structure includes a first sub-filling structure (56), and the first sub-filling structure (56) is located between the extension arm (222) and the counterbore (54).

5. The housing assembly (20) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, At least part of the rotating shaft (22) overlaps on the middle frames (21A, 21B); The protruding portion includes a positioning post (224), and the positioning post (224) is located on the surface where the rotating shaft (22) overlaps with the middle frames (21A, 21B); The receiving portion further includes a receiving hole (410), and the opening of the receiving hole (410) faces the positioning post (224); The positioning post (224) is received in the receiving hole (410); The filling structure includes a second sub-filling structure (58), and the second sub-filling structure (58) is located in the receiving hole (410) and covers the outer periphery of the positioning post (224).

6. The housing assembly (20) according to claim 4, wherein, The side wall of the extension arm (222) includes a first curved surface, and the side wall of the counterbore (54) includes a second curved surface, and the first curved surface and the second curved surface are arranged opposite to each other.

7. The housing assembly (20) according to claim 6, characterized in that, The aperture of the first connection hole (30) is larger than the aperture of the second connection hole (32).

8. The housing assembly (20) according to claim 5, characterized in that, The receiving hole (410) penetrates through two opposite surfaces of the middle frames (21A, 21B).

9. The housing assembly (20) according to claim 5 or 8, characterized in that, The outer wall of the positioning post (224) includes a third curved surface, and the side wall of the receiving hole (410) includes a fourth curved surface, and the third curved surface and the fourth curved surface are arranged opposite to each other.

10. The housing assembly (20) according to claim 9, wherein, The dimension of the positioning post (224) in the first direction is greater than the dimension in the second direction, where the first direction is the axial direction of the rotating shaft (22), and the second direction is different from the first direction.

11. The housing assembly (20) according to claim 10, characterized in that, The outer wall of the positioning post (224) includes two third curved surfaces, and the two third curved surfaces are distributed on both sides of the positioning post (224) along the first direction.

12. The housing assembly (20) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that, The Young's modulus E of the filling structure satisfies: 100 MPa ≤ E ≤ 800 MPa.

13. The housing assembly (20) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that, The filling structure is formed by curing a colloid, and the viscosity η of the colloid at 23 °C satisfies: 2000 mPa·S ≤ η ≤ 10000 mPa·S.

14. A foldable electronic device, characterized in that, Comprising: A display screen and the housing assembly (20) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the display screen is carried on the middle frames (21A, 21B) of the housing assembly (20).

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