Edge protection assembly and foldable equipment

Abstract

The invention provides an edge protection assembly and foldable equipment. The edge protection assembly comprises a fixing piece, a supporting piece and a flexible insert. The elastic sheet is embedded in the flexible body to integrally form the flexible insert, the flexible body is easy to bend and deform, and the elastic sheet plays a reinforcing role. The fixing piece is fixed to the rotating shaft assembly, the supporting piece is fixed to the fixing piece, and the middle of the flexible insert in the length direction is connected to the supporting piece. The middle of the flexible insert is fixed, the two ends of the flexible insert move freely, and the flexible insert can keep covering the edge of the display face part of the flexible screen to achieve edge protection of the bending area. Under long-time repeated bending, static bending or a high-temperature and high-humidity environment, the flexible insert is small in deformation, is not prone to creases, arches and separation, can recover to a flat natural state in a flattened state, and is high in reliability. The flexible insert is favorable for forming a uniform bending form when the flexible screen is bent, the extrusion force between the flexible insert and the flexible screen in the folding process is reduced, and crack damage caused by extrusion of the flexible screen is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present application relate to the technical field of electronic devices, and in particular, to an edge protection component and a foldable device. Background Art

[0002] In the related art, when the foldable device is in the unfolded state, the flexible screen can provide a large display area, and when it is in the closed state, the overall structure of the device is compact and portable. An edge protection component can be provided at the edge position of the bending area of the flexible screen to realize the shielding protection of the edge of the bending area of the flexible screen. The edge protection component in the related art is prone to plastic deformation after long-term bending, and it is difficult to return to the natural form when in the unfolded state, and problems such as creases and arching are likely to occur. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Embodiments of the present application provide an edge protection component and a foldable device, which solve the problems that the edge protection component in the related art is prone to creases and arching after long-term bending.

[0004] Embodiments of the present application adopt the following technical solutions:

[0005] In a first aspect, the edge protection component provided by the embodiments of the present application is applied to a foldable device having a rotating shaft assembly and a flexible screen. The edge protection component includes: a fixing member, a supporting member, and a flexible insert. The fixing member is used to be fixed on the rotating shaft assembly. In the axial direction of the rotating shaft assembly, the projection of the fixing member covers a part of the side surface of the flexible screen. The supporting member is fixed on the fixing member. In the thickness direction of the flexible screen, the projection of the flexible insert covers the edge of the bending area of the display surface of the flexible screen. The middle part of the flexible insert in the length direction is connected to the supporting member. The flexible insert includes an elastic sheet and a flexible body, and the elastic sheet is embedded in the flexible body, and the elastic sheet and the flexible body are an integrally formed structure.

[0006] Wherein, when the foldable device is in the unfolded state, the arrangement direction of the first main body and the second main body is defined as the X direction, the width direction of the foldable device or the axial direction of the rotating shaft assembly is defined as the Y direction, and the thickness direction of the foldable device is defined as the Z direction. When the foldable device is in the unfolded state, the thickness direction of the flexible screen is also the Z direction, and the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction are perpendicular to each other in pairs.

[0007] The side surface of the flexible screen is the outer peripheral surface connecting the display surface and the back surface. The length direction (X direction) of the flexible insert is perpendicular to the axial direction (Y direction) of the rotating shaft assembly. The middle part of the flexible insert in the length direction (X direction) may not be the absolute middle position in the length direction, but the middle area in the length direction of the flexible insert.

[0008] The edge protection component provided by the embodiment of the present application is obtained by integrally molding an elastic sheet embedded in a flexible body. The flexible body is easily bent and deformed, and the elastic sheet plays a reinforcing role. The fixing member is fixed on the rotating shaft assembly, the supporting member is fixed on the fixing member, and the middle part of the flexible insert in the length direction is connected to the supporting member. During the switching process between the flattened state and the closed state of the foldable device, the middle part of the flexible insert is fixed and the two ends move freely. The flexible insert can keep covering the edge of the bending area of the flexible screen, realizing the protection of the bending area edge, reducing the entry of external foreign matters such as dust and water into the inside of the flexible screen, and also making the edge position of the bending area of the flexible screen more beautiful. Under long-term repeated bending, static bending or high-temperature and high-humidity environments, the flexible insert has less deformation, is not prone to creases, arching, or detachment, and can be restored to a flat natural form when in the flattened state, providing a good user experience, high reliability, and a long folding life. The flexible insert is beneficial to forming a uniform bending form when the flexible screen is bent, reducing the mutual extrusion force between the flexible insert and the flexible screen during the folding process, and reducing the occurrence of cracks and damage to the flexible screen caused by extrusion.

[0009] In an optional implementation manner, the material of the fixing member can be metal or plastic. The material of the supporting member can be metal or plastic. This facilitates the reliable connection of the fixing member to the rotating shaft assembly and the reliable connection of the supporting member to the fixing member. The metal material can be stainless steel, cast iron, aluminum alloy, or magnesium alloy, etc.

[0010] In an optional implementation manner, the fixing member and the supporting member can be manufactured by metal injection molding, with high dimensional accuracy and good structural strength, and can provide a good protection effect for the edge of the flexible screen. Alternatively, the fixing member and the supporting member can also be manufactured by processes such as die casting.

[0011] In an optional implementation manner, the supporting member and the fixing member can be generally plate-shaped, and the thickness direction of the fixing member and the thickness direction of the supporting member are the axial direction (Y direction) of the rotating shaft assembly.

[0012] In an optional implementation manner, the fixing member can include a plug-in part and an assembly part. The plug-in part and the assembly part are connected. The plug-in part is used to be inserted into the rotating shaft assembly, and the assembly part is used to be connected to the supporting member.

[0013] In an optional implementation manner, the length of the plug-in part in the X direction is less than the length of the assembly part in the X direction. The plug-in part and the assembly part are generally T-shaped, which is convenient for the plug-in part to be inserted into the rotating shaft assembly, and both ends of the assembly part abut against the surface of the rotating shaft assembly to realize the limitation of the fixing member.

[0014] In an optional implementation manner, the side of the fixing member facing the flexible insert has a mounting groove, and the supporting member is embedded in the mounting groove. This makes the space occupied by the supporting member and the fixing member along the axial direction (Y direction) of the rotating shaft assembly smaller.

[0015] In an alternative implementation, the fixing member and the supporting member can be connected by means of colloid bonding, snap connection, welding or fasteners (such as screws).

[0016] In an alternative implementation, both the supporting member and the fixing member are generally plate-shaped. The supporting member is embedded in the installation groove of the fixing member, and the snap of the supporting member is snapped into the card slot of the fixing member, so as to reliably fix the supporting member on the fixing member.

[0017] In an alternative implementation, the snap and the card slot are set to be adapted in shape so that the snap is stably snapped onto the card slot. For example, the cross-section of the snap is cylindrical, and the cross-section of the card slot is cylindrical; or, the snap extends in an L shape, and the cross-section of the card slot is rectangular.

[0018] In an alternative implementation, both the supporting member and the fixing member are generally plate-shaped, and the supporting member and the fixing member are welded to each other to reliably fix the supporting member on the fixing member.

[0019] In an alternative implementation, both the supporting member and the fixing member are generally plate-shaped, and the fastener passes through the supporting member and is threadedly connected to the fixing member to reliably fix the supporting member on the fixing member.

[0020] In an alternative implementation, the flexible insert can be generally set as a strip-shaped structure. The elastic sheet and the flexible body in the flexible insert can both extend along the edge of the bending area of the flexible screen, so that the elastic sheet and the flexible body are tightly connected. The flexible insert can be a straight, locally bent or arc-shaped strip-shaped structure.

[0021] In an alternative implementation, the elastic sheet has a first surface and a second surface facing each other. The first surface is arranged facing the edge of the bending area of the display surface of the flexible screen, and the flexible body is arranged on the second surface. The flexible insert with a smaller thickness can be obtained by using an integral molding process. For example, the thickness of the flexible insert is about 0.1 mm, which is beneficial to reducing the thickness of the whole foldable device. The flexible body part serves as an appearance surface, and the top of the flexible body can be seen from the outside while the elastic sheet cannot be seen, making the flexible insert more beautiful.

[0022] In an alternative implementation, the elastic sheet can be a plastic thin sheet or a metal thin sheet, and the material of the flexible body can be soft glue. The elastic sheet and the flexible body are an insert injection molding structure. Taking the elastic sheet as an insert, the flexible body wrapping the elastic sheet is obtained by injection molding. The elastic sheet and the flexible body complement each other, and the connection between the two is stable, forming an integrated flexible insert with a small overall thickness dimension, small weight and high reliability.

[0023] In an alternative implementation, the elastic sheet can be a plastic thin sheet, such as a polyethylene terephthalate thin sheet, a polyimide thin sheet, etc. The elastic sheet can also be a metal thin sheet, such as a steel sheet.

[0024] In an alternative implementation, the material of the flexible body can be a soft rubber that is resistant to high temperatures and high humidity, such as silica gel, thermoplastic elastomer, thermoplastic polyurethane rubber, polyvinyl chloride soft rubber, rubber (such as silicone rubber, natural rubber, cis-1,4-polybutadiene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, ethylene-propylene rubber, etc.).

[0025] In an alternative implementation, one side of the flexible body facing the display surface of the flexible screen has a first groove, and the elastic sheet is embedded in the first groove, so that the flexible body serves as an appearance part, and the flexible body covers one surface of the elastic sheet, increasing the connection area between the flexible body and the elastic sheet, and making the connection between the flexible body and the elastic sheet reliable.

[0026] In an alternative implementation, the fixing member has a protruding first positioning portion, and the supporting member has a protruding second positioning portion. The first positioning portion and the second positioning portion clamp the middle part of the flexible insert.

[0027] The middle part of the flexible insert is clamped by the first positioning portion of the fixing member and the second positioning portion of the supporting member. The fixing member is fixed on the rotating shaft assembly, and the supporting member is fixed on the fixing member, realizing the rigid fixation (Z-direction fixation) of the middle part of the flexible insert and the soft and free movement of both ends. In this embodiment, the total thickness of the flexible insert clamped by the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion is smaller, which is beneficial to reducing the overall thickness of the foldable device corresponding to the middle position of the flexible insert.

[0028] In an alternative implementation, on the basis that the middle part of the flexible insert is clamped by the first positioning portion of the fixing member and the second positioning portion of the supporting member, a third positioning portion is provided between the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion. The middle part of the flexible insert in the length direction has a positioning hole, and the third positioning portion passes through the positioning hole. The third positioning portion passes through the middle positioning hole of the flexible insert, so that the middle part of the flexible insert is reliably fixed on the supporting member.

[0029] In an alternative implementation, the third positioning portion is provided on the side of the second positioning portion facing the first positioning portion, and the end of the third positioning portion away from the second positioning portion is connected or in contact with the first positioning portion. This is convenient for the molding and assembly of the fixing member with the first positioning portion, the supporting member with the second positioning portion and the third positioning portion.

[0030] In an alternative implementation, the fixing member with the first positioning portion and the supporting member with the second positioning portion and the third positioning portion are all metal parts. The third positioning portion on the second positioning portion of the supporting member passes through the middle positioning hole of the flexible insert, and the end of the third positioning portion is welded to the first positioning portion of the fixing member, so that the supporting member is reliably fixed on the fixing member, and the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion jointly clamp the flexible insert, so that the middle part of the flexible insert is reliably fixed on the supporting member.

[0031] In an alternative implementation, the third positioning portion may be disposed on a side of the first positioning portion facing the second positioning portion, and one end of the third positioning portion away from the first positioning portion is connected or in contact with the second positioning portion.

[0032] In an alternative implementation, the flexible body includes a strip portion and a connecting portion. The strip portion is connected to the elastic sheet. The strip portion has a first side facing the fixing member, and the connecting portion is connected to the middle of the first side of the strip portion; the support member is embedded in the connecting portion, and the support member, the elastic sheet, and the flexible body are an integrally formed structure.

[0033] The support member is embedded in the connecting portion to support the middle part of the flexible insert. The fixing member is fixed on the rotating shaft assembly, the support member is fixed on the fixing member, and the flexible insert is overall soft, realizing flexible fixing of the middle part of the flexible insert and soft and free movement of both ends. The thickness of the flexible insert in this embodiment is very small, which is beneficial to reducing the overall thickness of the foldable device corresponding to the middle position of the flexible insert.

[0034] In an alternative implementation, the fixing member is generally plate-shaped, and the connecting portion can be plate-shaped, so that the thickness direction of the connecting portion is the same as that of the fixing member, both are arranged along the Y direction, making the structure occupy less space in the Y direction and the structure is compact.

[0035] In an alternative implementation, the support member includes a support portion and an assembly portion connected to the support portion. The support portion is embedded in the connecting portion, and the assembly portion is connected to the fixing member. Taking the support member as an insert, the connecting portion is injection-molded so that the support member is embedded in the connecting portion, and the two are tightly connected. The assembly portion of the support member is the part used to connect to the fixing member.

[0036] In an alternative implementation, connection methods such as snap connection, colloid bonding, welding, fasteners (such as screws) can be used between the assembly portion and the fixing member.

[0037] In an alternative implementation, the assembly portion can be snaps provided at opposite ends of the support portion, and the two snaps can be snapped into two slots of the fixing member to fix the support member on the fixing member.

[0038] In an alternative implementation, the assembly portion is embedded in the installation groove of the fixing member, and the assembly portion and the bottom surface of the installation groove of the fixing member are bonded by colloid.

[0039] In an alternative implementation, the connecting portion is located between the fixing member and the support portion. The side of the fixing member facing the support member has a receiving groove, and the connecting portion is embedded in the receiving groove. This makes the connecting portion occupy less space, and the edge protection component has a smaller axial dimension on the rotating shaft assembly, facilitating more space on the rotating shaft assembly to assemble other devices.

[0040] In an optional implementation, the support portion has a first matching hole, the connection portion has a first matching column, the first matching column is embedded in the first matching hole, and the wall surface of the first matching hole is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the first matching column, so that the connection portion and the support portion are tightly connected.

[0041] In an optional implementation, the support portion has a bending section that bends and extends toward the strip portion, and the bending section is embedded in the connection area between the connecting portion and the strip portion. The bending section can provide better support for the middle portion of the flexible insert in the length direction.

[0042] In an optional implementation, the support portion may not be provided with a bending section, and the vertically extending support portion can also support the middle portion of the flexible insert in the length direction.

[0043] In an optional implementation, both ends of the side of the flexible insert facing the fixing member have limiting portions, and the limiting portions extend along the thickness direction (Z direction) of the flexible screen.

[0044] In the axial direction (Y direction) of the rotating shaft assembly, a third gap is formed between the first frame and the side of the flexible screen, and a fourth gap is formed between the second frame and the side of the flexible screen; the limiting portion at one end of the flexible insert is located in the third gap, and the limiting portion at the other end of the flexible insert is located in the fourth gap. The two ends of the flexible insert are allowed to move freely with the first body and the second body, and the flexible insert is kept at the edge of the flexible screen and is not easy to fall out of the edge of the flexible screen, thereby realizing reliable shielding protection for the edge of the flexible screen and reducing the possibility of the flexible insert falling out under the action of external force.

[0045] In an optional implementation, the limiting portion may be configured in a sheet shape to facilitate assembly in the gap between the first frame (second frame) and the flexible screen.

[0046] In an optional implementation, the limiting portion includes a flexible portion and a reinforcing portion, the flexible portion and the flexible body are connected, the reinforcing portion is embedded in the flexible portion, and the limiting portion, the elastic sheet and the flexible body are an integrally formed structure. The flexible portion and the reinforcing portion complement each other, and the connection between the two is stable.

[0047] In an optional implementation, the flexible portion has a second groove, and the reinforcing portion is embedded in the second groove. The flexible portion covers the reinforcing portion, increasing the connection area between the flexible portion and the reinforcing portion, so that the connection between the flexible portion and the reinforcing portion is reliable.

[0048] In an optional implementation, the reinforcing portion has a second matching hole, the flexible portion has a second matching column, the second matching column is embedded in the second matching hole, and the wall surface of the second matching hole is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the second matching column, so that the flexible portion and the reinforcing portion are tightly connected.

[0049] In an alternative implementation, the limiting portion is a flexible portion. The flexible portion is connected to the flexible body, and the limiting portion, the elastic sheet, and the flexible body are integrally formed structures. They are easy to form, and the connections between the flexible portion and the flexible body, and between the flexible body and the elastic sheet are reliable.

[0050] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a foldable device, including: a rotating shaft assembly, a first main body, a second main body, a flexible screen, and the above-mentioned edge protection assembly. The rotating shaft assembly is located between the first main body and the second main body, and the first main body and the second main body are connected by the rotating shaft assembly. The flexible screen has an opposite display surface and a back surface, and the back surface of the flexible screen is fixed to the first main body and the second main body. An edge protection assembly can be provided on the rotating shaft assembly to shield and protect the edges of the bending area of the flexible screen, reduce the entry of external foreign matters such as dust and water into the interior of the flexible screen, and also make the edge position of the bending area of the flexible screen look beautiful. The fixing member is fixed on the rotating shaft assembly, and the supporting member is fixed on one side of the fixing member facing the flexible screen. It occupies less space.

[0051] In an alternative implementation, a first frame is provided on the first main body, and a second frame is provided on the second main body. In the thickness direction (Z direction) of the flexible screen, a first gap is formed between the first frame and the display surface of the flexible screen, and a second gap is formed between the second frame and the display surface of the flexible screen. One end of the flexible insert is located in the first gap, and the other end of the flexible insert is located in the second gap. The limiting of both ends of the flexible insert is realized. One end of the flexible insert can move freely relative to the first frame and the flexible screen, and the other end of the flexible insert can move freely relative to the second frame and the flexible screen, reducing the flexible insert from slipping out of the predetermined position.

[0052] In an alternative implementation, the first frame has a first shielding portion near the rotating shaft assembly, and the second frame has a second shielding portion near the rotating shaft assembly; in the axial direction (Y direction) of the rotating shaft assembly, the projected part of the first shielding portion covers the fixing member, and the projected part of the second shielding portion covers the fixing member. The protection of the fixing member can be realized, the entry of external foreign matters such as particles into the gap between the fixing member and the rotating shaft assembly is reduced, the reliability is improved, and the appearance of the end of the rotating shaft assembly can also be improved.

[0053] In an alternative implementation, one end of the first main body and one end of the second main body can rotate relative to the rotating shaft assembly, and the end of the first main body far from the rotating shaft assembly and the end of the second main body far from the rotating shaft assembly can move closer to or away from each other. The flexible screen can be bent or unfolded following the position changes of the first main body and the second main body, enabling the foldable device to switch between a flat state, an intermediate state, and a closed state.

[0054] In an alternative implementation, the flexible screen has a first fixed area, a bending area, and a second fixed area connected in sequence. The first fixed area is fixed on the first main body, the second fixed area is fixed on the second main body, and the bending area is correspondingly arranged with the rotating shaft assembly.

[0055] In an alternative implementation, the rotating shaft assembly may include a rotating shaft body, a rotating shaft housing, a first plate body, and a second plate body. The rotating shaft body and the rotating shaft housing both extend along the Y direction. The rotating shaft body is disposed close to the flexible screen, and the rotating shaft housing is disposed on the side of the rotating shaft body away from the flexible screen. The first plate body and the second plate body are respectively connected to both sides of the rotating shaft body along the X direction and can rotate relative to the rotating shaft body. The first plate body and the second plate body can be fixedly connected to the first main body and the second main body in a one-to-one correspondence by means of fasteners or the like, so that the first main body and the second main body can rotate relative to the rotating shaft body.

[0056] In an alternative implementation, both the first main body and the second main body may include a middle shell and a rear shell. The middle shell may be referred to as a middle frame. The rear shell is disposed on the side of the middle shell away from the flexible screen. The middle shell and the rear shell may be an assembled structure. The middle shell and the rear shell may also be an integrally formed structure.

[0057] In an alternative implementation, a first frame is provided on the first main body, and the first frame is disposed at the edge of the flexible screen corresponding to the first main body. A second frame is provided on the second main body, and the second frame is disposed at the edge of the flexible screen corresponding to the second main body. The first frame can shield and protect the edge of the first fixed area of the flexible screen, and the second frame can shield and protect the edge of the second fixed area of the flexible screen, reducing damage to the edge of the flexible screen and improving the appearance effect.

[0058] In an alternative implementation, the first main body and the first frame may be an assembled structure. The first main body and the first frame may also be an integrally formed structure. The second main body and the second frame may be an assembled structure. The second main body and the second frame may also be an integrally formed structure.

[0059] In an alternative implementation, an edge protection component may be respectively provided at both ends of the rotating shaft assembly to shield and protect the edges of the bending areas of the flexible screen corresponding to both ends of the rotating shaft assembly. Description of the Drawings

[0060] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the cooperation between the edge protection component and the flexible screen in the foldable device provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0061] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of the foldable device provided by the embodiment of the present application in the flattened state;

[0062] Figure 3 For Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of the foldable device in the closed state;

[0063] Figure 4 For Figure 2 Exploded perspective view of the foldable device;

[0064] Figure 5 Structure schematic diagram of the foldable device after removing the first frame: Figure 2

[0065] Figure 6 Structure schematic diagram of the display screen, edge protection component and rotating shaft component in the foldable device of: Figure 2

[0066] Figure 7 Assembly schematic diagram of the display screen, edge protection component and rotating shaft component of: Figure 6

[0067] Figure 8 Three-dimensional assembly drawing of the edge protection component provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0068] Figure 9 Another three-dimensional assembly drawing of the edge protection component of: Figure 8

[0069] Figure 10 Three-dimensional exploded view of the edge protection component of: Figure 8

[0070] Figure 11 Partial cross-sectional view of the foldable device of: Figure 2 along line A-A;

[0071] Figure 12 Partial cross-sectional view of the foldable device of: Figure 2 along line B-B;

[0072] Figure 13 Another three-dimensional assembly drawing of the edge protection component of: Figure 8

[0073] Figure 14 Three-dimensional exploded view of the edge protection component of: Figure 13

[0074] Figure 15 Three-dimensional cross-sectional view of the edge protection component of: Figure 8 along line C-C;

[0075] Figure 16 Three-dimensional assembly drawing of the edge protection component provided by another embodiment of the present application;

[0076] Figure 17 Another three-dimensional assembly drawing of the edge protection component of: Figure 16

[0077] Figure 18 Three-dimensional exploded view of the edge protection component of: Figure 16

[0078] Figure 19 ​​​​​​​​​For Figure 18 Further three-dimensional exploded view of the edge protection component;

[0079] Figure 20 For Figure 16 Three-dimensional sectional view of the edge protection component along line D-D;

[0080] Figure 21 Schematic structural diagram of the foldable device provided by another embodiment of the present application in the flattened state;

[0081] Figure 22 For Figure 21 Schematic diagram of the cooperation between the display screen and the edge protection component in the foldable device;

[0082] Figure 23 For Figure 21 Partial sectional view of the foldable device along line E-E.

[0083] Explanation of reference numerals:

[0084] 1 - Shielding member; 1a - Soft rubber; 1b - Steel sheet; 2 - Flexible screen;

[0085] 1000 - Foldable device;

[0086] 100 - Edge protection component;

[0087] 110 - Fixing member; 111 - Insertion part; 112 - Assembly part; 113 - Installation groove; 114 - First positioning part; 115 - Accommodation groove; 116 - Card slot;

[0088] 120 - Support member; 121 - Second positioning part; 122 - Third positioning part; 123 - Support part; 1231 - First mating hole; 1232 - Bent section; 124 - Assembly part; 125 - Buckle;

[0089] 130 - Flexible insert; 130a - Middle part; 130b - End; 131 - Elastic sheet; 131a - First surface; 131b - Second surface; 132 - Flexible body; 1321 - First groove; 132a - Strip part; 1322 - First side; 1322a - Middle part; 132b - Connection part; 1323 - First mating post; 133 - Positioning hole; 134 - Limiting part; 134a - Flexible part; 1341 - Second groove; 1342 - Second mating post; 134b - Reinforcing part; 1343 - Second mating hole;

[0090] 200 - Rotating shaft assembly; 200a - End part; 210 - Rotating shaft body; 220 - Rotating shaft shell; 230 - First plate body; 240 - Second plate body;

[0091] 300 - Flexible screen; 300a - Display surface; 300b - Back surface; 300c - Side surface; 301 - First fixing area; 302 - Bending area; 303 - Second fixing area;

[0092] 400 - First main body; 410 - Middle shell; 420 - Rear shell; 500 - Second main body;

[0093] 600 - First frame; 601 - Opening; 602 - First shielding part; 611 - First gap; 612 - Second gap; 613 - Third gap; 700 - Second frame; 701 - Opening; 702 - Second shielding part. Detailed implementation manners

[0094] In order to make the technical problems, technical solutions and beneficial effects to be solved by the present application clearer, the present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application and are not used to limit the present application. Although the description of the present application will be introduced in conjunction with some embodiments, this does not mean that the features of this application are limited to this implementation. On the contrary, the purpose of introducing in conjunction with the implementation is to cover other alternatives or modifications that may be extended based on the claims of the present application. In order to provide a deep understanding of the present application, many specific details will be included in the following description. The present application may also be implemented without using these details. In addition, in order to avoid confusing or obscuring the key points of the present application, some specific details will be omitted in the description. It should be noted that, without conflict, the embodiments in the present application and the features in the embodiments may be combined with each other.

[0095] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or indirectly on the other element. When an element is referred to as "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or indirectly connected to the other element.

[0096] It should be understood that in the description of the embodiments of the present application, it should be noted that unless otherwise clearly defined and limited, the terms "installation" and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, "connection" can be a detachable connection or a non-detachable connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. The orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc. is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation to the present application.

[0097] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features. In the description of the present application, "a plurality" means two or more unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0098] In the embodiments of the present application, "and / or" is merely a relationship describing associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, A and / or B may represent: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this text generally represents an "or" relationship between the associated objects before and after.

[0099] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" etc. described in this specification mean that in one or more embodiments of the present application, specific features, structures, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment are included. Thus, statements such as "in one embodiment", "in some embodiments", "in other some embodiments", "in still other embodiments" etc. that appear in different places in this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment, but mean "one or more but not all embodiments", unless otherwise specifically emphasized in another way. The terms "comprising", "including", "having" and their variants all mean "including but not limited to", unless otherwise specifically emphasized in another way.

[0100] Refer to Figure 1 , the embodiments of the present application provide an edge protection component that can be applied to a foldable device. The edge protection component has a shielding member 1, and the shielding member 1 can shield and protect the edge of the bending area of the flexible screen 2. The shielding member 1 can adopt an integrally injection-molded structure with a soft rubber 1a wrapping a steel sheet 1b, and there is soft rubber 1a on both the upper and lower sides of the steel sheet 1b.

[0101] Refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3 , for the convenience of describing the position and direction of the foldable device 1000 and the edge protection component 100 in the embodiments of the present application, when the foldable device 1000 is in a flattened state, the arrangement direction of the first main body 400 and the second main body 500 is defined as the X direction, the width direction of the foldable device 1000 or the axial direction of the rotating shaft assembly 200 is defined as the Y direction, the thickness direction of the foldable device 1000 is defined as the Z direction, and the thickness direction of the flexible screen 300 in the flattened state is also the Z direction. The X direction, Y direction, and Z direction are perpendicular to each other pairwise.

[0102] Refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3, embodiments of the present application provide a foldable device 1000, which can be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a notebook computer, an e-book reader, a netbook, a personal digital assistant, a smart wearable device (such as a smart watch), etc.

[0103] Combined with Figure 4 , embodiments of the present application provide a foldable device 1000, including: a rotating shaft assembly 200, a first main body 400, a second main body 500, a flexible screen 300 and an edge protection assembly 100. The rotating shaft assembly 200 is located between the first main body 400 and the second main body 500, and the first main body 400 and the second main body 500 are connected by the rotating shaft assembly 200. The flexible screen 300 has opposite display surfaces 300a and back surfaces 300b, and the back surface 300b of the flexible screen 300 is fixed on the first main body 400 and the second main body 500. One end of the first main body 400 and one end of the second main body 500 can rotate relative to the rotating shaft assembly 200, and the end of the first main body 400 away from the rotating shaft assembly 200 and the end of the second main body 500 away from the rotating shaft assembly 200 can move closer to or away from each other. The flexible screen 300 can be bent or unfolded following the position changes of the first main body 400 and the second main body 500, so that the foldable device 1000 can switch between a flattened state, an intermediate state and a closed state.

[0104] Refer to Figure 2 , when the foldable device 1000 is in the flattened state, the first main body 400 and the second main body 500 are unfolded on both sides of the rotating shaft assembly 200, and the angle between the first main body 400 and the second main body 500 is approximately 180°, and the flexible screen 300 is unfolded and supported on the first main body 400, the rotating shaft assembly 200 and the second main body 500.

[0105] Refer to Figure 3 , when the foldable device 1000 is in the closed state, the first main body 400 and the second main body 500 are closed to form a stacked structure, and the flexible screen 300 is bent following the first main body 400 and the second main body 500. The intermediate state of the foldable device 1000 is the state between the flattened state and the closed state.

[0106] The foldable device 1000 can be configured as an internal folding structure. When the rotating shaft assembly 200 is in the closed state, a screen accommodating space is formed between the first main body 400, the rotating shaft assembly 200 and the second main body 500, and the flexible screen 300 is partially bent and located in the screen accommodating space. The bending form of the flexible screen 300 is affected by the rotating shaft assembly 200. When the rotating shaft assembly 200 is in the closed state, the cross-section of the bent flexible screen 300 can be in the shape of a water droplet-shaped surface or a U-shaped surface.

[0107] The flexible screen 300 is used to display images and information. The flexible screen 300 can be an organic light-emitting diode display screen, an active matrix organic light-emitting diode display screen, a mini light-emitting diode display screen, a micro light-emitting diode display screen, a micro organic light-emitting diode display screen, a quantum dot light-emitting diode display screen, and so on. A touch layer can be arranged inside the flexible screen 300 to realize the touch function.

[0108] Refer to Figure 2 、 Figure 4 The flexible screen 300 has a first fixed area 301, a bending area 302, and a second fixed area 303 that are sequentially connected. The first fixed area 301 is fixed on the first main body 400, the second fixed area 303 is fixed on the second main body 500, and the bending area 302 and the rotating shaft assembly 200 are correspondingly arranged. The first fixed area 301 and the first main body 400, and the second fixed area 303 and the second main body 500 can be connected by colloid bonding or other means.

[0109] When setting the rotating shaft assembly 200, refer to Figure 4 The rotating shaft assembly 200 can include a rotating shaft body 210, a rotating shaft shell 220, a first plate body 230, and a second plate body 240. The rotating shaft body 210 and the rotating shaft shell 220 both extend along the Y direction. The rotating shaft body 210 is arranged close to the flexible screen 300, and the rotating shaft shell 220 is arranged on the side of the rotating shaft body 210 away from the flexible screen 300. The first plate body 230 and the second plate body 240 are respectively connected to both sides of the rotating shaft body 210 along the X direction and can rotate relative to the rotating shaft body 210. The first plate body 230 and the second plate body 240 can be fixedly connected to the first main body 400 and the second main body 500 respectively through fasteners and other means, so that the first main body 400 and the second main body 500 can rotate relative to the rotating shaft body 210.

[0110] When setting the first main body 400 and the second main body 500, refer to Figure 2 Both the first main body 400 and the second main body 500 can include a middle shell 410 and a rear shell 420. The middle shell 410 can be called a middle frame. The rear shell 420 is arranged on the side of the middle shell 410 away from the flexible screen 300. The middle shell 410 and the rear shell 420 can be an assembled structure. For example, the middle shell 410 is fixed on the middle shell 410 by bonding, buckling, etc. The middle shell 410 and the rear shell 420 can also be an integrally formed structure. Devices such as a circuit board, a battery, a receiver, a speaker, a camera, and an antenna can be installed on the first main body 400 and the second main body 500. The circuit board can be provided with devices such as a processor and a storage unit.

[0111] In order to protect the edge of the flexible screen 300 from being blocked, in some embodiments, refer to Figure 2 、 Figure 4 、 Figure 5, a first frame 600 is provided on the first main body 400, and the first frame 600 is disposed at the edge of the flexible screen 300 corresponding to the first main body 400. A second frame 700 is provided on the second main body 500, and the second frame 700 is disposed at the edge of the flexible screen 300 corresponding to the second main body 500. The first frame 600 can shield and protect the edge of the first fixing area 301 of the flexible screen 300, and the second frame 700 can shield and protect the edge of the second fixing area 303 of the flexible screen 300, reducing damage to the edge of the flexible screen 300 and improving the appearance effect.

[0112] The first main body 400 and the first frame 600 can be an assembled structure. For example, the first frame 600 is fixed to the first main body 400 by bonding, snap-fitting or other means. The first main body 400 and the first frame 600 can also be an integrally formed structure. The second main body 500 and the second frame 700 can be an assembled structure. For example, the second frame 700 is fixed to the second main body 500 by bonding, snap-fitting or other means. The second main body 500 and the second frame 700 can also be an integrally formed structure.

[0113] When setting the shapes of the first main body 400 and the second main body 500, and the shapes of the first frame 600 and the second frame 700, they can be set according to the shape of the flexible screen 300. Exemplarily, refer to Figure 4 , the flexible screen 300 in the flattened state is generally in a rounded rectangle shape, and the outer shapes of the first main body 400 and the second main body 500 are generally in a plate-like cuboid shape. Both the first frame 600 and the second frame 700 extend substantially in a right-angled U shape, and the cross-sectional shape of the first frame 600 and the second frame 700 in the direction perpendicular to their extension direction can be substantially in an L shape or other shapes. The openings 601 of the first frame 600 and the openings 701 of the second frame 700 are arranged to face each other. The first frame 600 and the second frame 700 are respectively arranged corresponding to different edges of the flexible screen 300 to achieve shielding and protection of the corresponding edge positions of the flexible screen 300. In addition, the first main body 400 and the second main body 500, the first frame 600 and the second frame 700 can be set to other shapes according to the flexible screen 300.

[0114] Refer to Figure 2 , Figures 5 to 7 , there is a bending situation at the edge of the bending area 302 of the flexible screen 300. Between the first frame 600 and the second frame 700, that is, on the rotating shaft assembly 200, an edge protection assembly 100 can be provided to shield and protect the edge of the bending area 302 of the flexible screen 300, reducing the entry of external foreign matters such as dust and water into the interior of the flexible screen 300, and also making the edge position of the bending area 302 of the flexible screen 300 more beautiful. An edge protection assembly 100 can be respectively provided at both ends 200a of the rotating shaft assembly 200 to shield and protect the edges of the bending area 302 of the flexible screen 300 corresponding to both ends 200a of the rotating shaft assembly 200.

[0115] Referring to Figures 8 to 11 The edge protection component 100 provided by the embodiment of the present application is applied to the foldable device 1000 having a rotating shaft component 200 and a flexible screen 300. The edge protection component 100 includes: a fixing member 110, a supporting member 120, and a flexible insert 130. The fixing member 110 is used to be fixed on the rotating shaft component 200. In the axial direction (Y direction) of the rotating shaft component 200, the projection of the fixing member 110 covers a part of the side surface 300c of the flexible screen 300. The supporting member 120 is fixed on the fixing member 110. In the thickness direction (Z direction) of the flexible screen 300, the projection of the flexible insert 130 covers the edge of the bending area 302 of the display surface 300a of the flexible screen 300. The middle part 130a of the flexible insert 130 in the length direction (X direction) is connected to the supporting member 120. The flexible insert 130 includes an elastic sheet 131 and a flexible body 132. The elastic sheet 131 is embedded in the flexible body 132, and the elastic sheet 131 and the flexible body 132 are an integrally formed structure. The length direction of the flexible insert 130 refers to the X direction, and the length direction (X direction) of the flexible insert 130 is perpendicular to the axial direction (Y direction) of the rotating shaft component 200.

[0116] Among them, referring to Figure 4 、 Figure 6 、 Figure 11 The side surface 300c of the flexible screen 300 is the outer peripheral surface connecting the display surface 300a and the back surface 300b.

[0117] The display surface 300a of the flexible screen 300 is the light-emitting side of the flexible screen 300. The display surface 300a may include a display area and a non-display area located at the edge of the display area. In the thickness direction (Z direction) of the flexible screen 300, the flexible insert 130 can block a part of the edge of the non-display area without affecting the light-emitting display effect of the display area of the flexible screen 300.

[0118] The middle part 130a of the flexible insert 130 in the length direction (X direction) may not be the absolute middle position in the length direction, but the middle area in the length direction of the flexible insert 130. Any position except the two ends 130b in the length direction of the flexible insert 130 can be understood as the middle part 130a in the length direction.

[0119] The edge protection component 100 provided by the embodiment of the present application has an elastic sheet 131 embedded in a flexible body 132 to integrally form a flexible insert 130. The flexible body 132 is easily bent and deformed, and the elastic sheet 131 plays a strengthening role. The fixing member 110 is fixed on the rotating shaft assembly 200, the supporting member 120 is fixed on the fixing member 110, and the middle part 130a in the length direction (X direction) of the flexible insert 130 is connected to the supporting member 120. During the switching process of the foldable device 1000 between the flattened state and the closed state, the middle part 130a of the flexible insert 130 is fixed and the two ends 130b move freely. The flexible insert 130 can keep covering the edge of the bending area 302 of the display surface 300a of the flexible screen 300, realizing the edge protection of the bending area 302, reducing the entry of external foreign matters such as dust and water into the flexible screen 300, and also making the edge position of the bending area 302 of the flexible screen 300 beautiful. Under the conditions of long-term repeated bending, static bending, or high-temperature and high-humidity environment, the flexible insert 130 has small deformation, is not prone to creases, arching, or detachment, and can be restored to a flat natural form in the flattened state, with good user experience, high reliability, and long folding life. The flexible insert 130 is beneficial to form a uniform bending form when the flexible screen 300 is bent, reducing the mutual extrusion force between the flexible insert 130 and the flexible screen 300 during the folding process, and reducing the crack damage of the flexible screen 300 caused by extrusion. Even when the bending radius of the flexible screen 300 reaches 1.5 mm, the flexible screen 300 is not easily damaged by the extrusion of the flexible insert 130 and does not generate cracks.

[0120] When the edge protection component 100 is applied to the foldable device 1000, refer to Figure 2 、 Figure 11 , Figure 2 which is a schematic structural diagram of the foldable device in the flattened state, Figure 11 is Figure 2 a partial cross-sectional view of the foldable device along line A-A. The fixing member 110 is fixed on the rotating shaft assembly 200, and the supporting member 120 is fixed on one side of the fixing member 110 facing the side surface 300c of the flexible screen 300. This assembly method occupies less space. The top of the fixing member 110 serves as the appearance surface, and the top of the fixing member 110 can be seen from the outside while the supporting member 120 cannot be seen, making the edge protection component 100 more beautiful. The edge protection component 100 is arranged near the end 200a of the rotating shaft assembly 200. The fixing member 110 and the rotating shaft assembly 200 can be fixed by means of colloid bonding, snap connection, fasteners (such as screws), etc.

[0121] In the case where the first main body 400 is provided with the first frame 600 and the second main body 500 is provided with the second frame 700, refer to Figure 2 、 Figure 12 , Figure 12 is Figure 2Partial cross-sectional view of the foldable device along line B-B. In the thickness direction (Z direction) of the flexible screen 300, a first gap 611 is formed between the first frame 600 and the display surface 300a of the flexible screen 300, and a second gap 612 is formed between the second frame 700 and the display surface 300a of the flexible screen 300. One end 130b of the flexible insert 130 is located in the first gap 611, and the other end 130b of the flexible insert 130 is located in the second gap 612.

[0122] One end 130b of the flexible insert 130 is disposed between the first frame 600 and the flexible screen 300, and the other end 130b is disposed between the second frame 700 and the flexible screen 300 to limit both ends of the flexible insert 130. One end 130b of the flexible insert 130 can move freely relative to the first frame 600 and the flexible screen 300, and the other end 130b of the flexible insert 130 can move freely relative to the second frame 700 and the flexible screen 300, reducing the risk of the flexible insert 130 slipping out of its predetermined position.

[0123] To protect the fixing member 110, in some embodiments, refer to Figure 2 、 Figure 4 、 Figure 5 At the position where the first frame 600 is close to the rotating shaft assembly 200, there is a first shielding portion 602, and at the position where the second frame 700 is close to the rotating shaft assembly 200, there is a second shielding portion 702; in the axial direction (Y direction) of the rotating shaft assembly 200, the projected portion of the first shielding portion 602 covers the fixing member 110, and the projected portion of the second shielding portion 702 covers the fixing member 110. Figure 5 It shows that after the first frame 600 is disassembled from the foldable device, the fixing member 110 is not blocked by the first shielding portion 602, the second frame 700 is installed on the second main body 500, and a part of the surface of the fixing member 110 is blocked by the second shielding portion 702 of the second frame 700.

[0124] In the axial direction (Y direction) of the rotating shaft assembly 200, the first shielding portion 602 of the first frame 600 and the second shielding portion 702 of the second frame 700 can cover a part of the surface of the side of the fixing member 110 away from the flexible screen 300. It can protect the fixing member 110, reduce the entry of external foreign objects such as particles into the gap between the fixing member 110 and the rotating shaft assembly 200, improve the reliability, and also improve the appearance of the end portion 200a of the rotating shaft assembly 200. The first shielding portion 602 and the second shielding portion 702 can be strip-shaped. When the foldable device 1000 is in a flattened state, the ends of the first shielding portion 602 and the ends of the second shielding portion 702 are disposed opposite to each other.

[0125] When setting the materials of the fixing member 110 and the support member 120, refer to Figures 8 to 10, the material of the fixing member 110 can be metal or plastic. The material of the supporting member 120 can be metal or plastic. The fixing member 110 and the supporting member 120 are made of hard materials such as metal and plastic, which facilitates the reliable connection of the fixing member 110 to the rotating shaft assembly 200 and the reliable connection of the supporting member 120 to the fixing member 110.

[0126] When the fixing member 110 and the supporting member 120 are made of metal materials, they have high strength and can achieve a good anti-collision effect. The metal materials can be stainless steel, cast iron, aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy, etc.

[0127] Exemplarily, the fixing member 110 and the supporting member 120 can be manufactured by metal injection molding process, with high dimensional accuracy and good structural strength, and can provide a good protection effect for the edge of the flexible screen 300. Or, the fixing member 110 and the supporting member 120 can also be manufactured by die-casting and other processes.

[0128] When setting the shapes of the fixing member 110 and the supporting member 120, refer to Figure 10 , which can be set as needed according to the appearance and volume of the flexible screen 300 and the appearance and volume of the rotating shaft assembly 200. Exemplarily, the supporting member 120 and the fixing member 110 can be generally plate-shaped, and the thickness directions of the fixing member 110 and the supporting member 120 are the axial direction (Y direction) of the rotating shaft assembly 200. Or, the supporting member 120 and the fixing member 110 can also be block-shaped or other shapes.

[0129] Exemplarily, refer to Figures 8 to 11 , the fixing member 110 can include a plugging portion 111 and an assembling portion 112, the plugging portion 111 and the assembling portion 112 are connected, combined with Figure 6 , Figure 7 , the plugging portion 111 is used to be plugged into the rotating shaft assembly 200, and the assembling portion 112 is used to connect with the supporting member 120. The length of the plugging portion 111 in the X direction is less than the length of the assembling portion 112 in the X direction, and the plugging portion 111 and the assembling portion 112 are generally T-shaped, which facilitates the plugging of the plugging portion 111 into the rotating shaft assembly 200, and both ends of the assembling portion 112 abut against the surface of the rotating shaft assembly 200 to realize the limitation of the fixing member 110.

[0130] In order to make the supporting member 120 and the fixing member 110 occupy less space, in some embodiments, refer to Figure 8 , Figure 10 , Figure 11, on one side of the fixing member 110 facing the flexible insert 130, there is an installation groove 113, and the support member 120 is embedded in the installation groove 113. Embedding the support member 120 in the installation groove 113 of the fixing member 110 makes the space occupied by the support member 120 and the fixing member 110 along the axial direction (Y direction) of the rotating shaft assembly 200 smaller, facilitating the assembly of the fixing member 110 onto the rotating shaft assembly 200 and leaving more space on the rotating shaft assembly 200 for arranging other devices.

[0131] Exemplarily, the elastic sheet 131 and the flexible body 132 in the flexible insert 130 are an integrally formed structure. When connecting the fixing member 110 and the support member 120, the support member 120 is assembled on the fixing member 110, that is, the support member 120 and the fixing member 110 are combined together, and the fixing member 110 is assembled on the rotating shaft assembly 200. The assembly method between the fixing member 110 and the support member 120 can adopt colloidal bonding, snap connection, welding or connection by fasteners (such as screws). The specific assembly method is selected according to needs.

[0132] Exemplarily, the support member 120 is embedded in the installation groove 113 of the fixing member 110, and the support member 120 and the bottom surface of the installation groove 113 of the fixing member 110 are bonded by colloid to realize reliable fixation of the support member 120 on the fixing member 110.

[0133] Exemplarily, both the support member 120 and the fixing member 110 are generally plate-shaped. The support member 120 is embedded in the installation groove 113 of the fixing member 110, and the buckle 125 of the support member 120 is snapped onto the card slot 116 of the fixing member 110 to realize reliable fixation of the support member 120 on the fixing member 110. The card slot 116 can penetrate or not penetrate the fixing member 110. The buckle 125 and the card slot 116 are set to be in a compatible shape so that the buckle 125 is stably snapped onto the card slot 116. For example, the cross-section of the buckle 125 is cylindrical, and the cross-section of the card slot 116 is cylindrical; or, the buckle 125 extends in an L shape, and the cross-section of the card slot 116 is rectangular. Multiple groups of buckles 125 and card slots 116 can be set to realize reliable connection between the support member 120 and the fixing member 110.

[0134] Exemplarily, both the support member 120 and the fixing member 110 are generally plate-shaped, and the support member 120 and the fixing member 110 are welded to realize reliable fixation of the support member 120 on the fixing member 110.

[0135] Exemplarily, both the support member 120 and the fixing member 110 are generally plate-shaped, and a fastener passes through the support member 120 and is threadedly connected to the fixing member 110 to realize reliable fixation of the support member 120 on the fixing member 110.

[0136] When setting the shape of the flexible insert 130, it can be set as needed according to the appearance and volume of the flexible screen 300. Exemplarily, refer toFigures 8 to 10 The flexible insert 130 can be generally arranged in a strip-shaped structure. Both the elastic sheet 131 and the flexible body 132 in the flexible insert 130 can extend along the edge of the bending area 302 of the flexible screen 300, so that the elastic sheet 131 and the flexible body 132 are tightly connected, realizing the shielding and protection of the edge of the bending area 302 of a part of the side surface 300c and the display surface 300a of the flexible screen 300. The flexible insert 130 can be a straight, locally bent or arc-shaped strip structure. In addition, the elastic sheet 131 and the flexible body 132 can also be set in other shapes.

[0137] When setting the relative positions of the elastic sheet 131 and the flexible body 132, refer to Figure 10 , Figure 11 , Figure 13 , Figure 14 , the elastic sheet 131 has a first surface 131a and a second surface 131b facing away from each other, the first surface 131a is arranged facing the edge of the bending area 302 of the display surface 300a of the flexible screen 300, and the flexible body 132 is arranged on the second surface 131b.

[0138] In this embodiment, in the thickness direction (Z direction) of the flexible screen 300, the flexible body 132 covers the elastic sheet 131, and the elastic sheet 131 covers the edge of the bending area 302 of the display surface 300a of the flexible screen 300. An integrally formed process can obtain a flexible insert 130 with a smaller thickness. For example, the thickness of the flexible insert 130 is about 0.1 mm, which is beneficial to reducing the thickness of the whole foldable device 1000. Part of the flexible body 132 serves as an appearance surface, and the top of the flexible body 132 can be seen from the outside while the elastic sheet 131 cannot be seen, making the flexible insert 130 more beautiful.

[0139] When manufacturing the elastic sheet 131 and the flexible body 132, refer to Figures 8 to 10 , the elastic sheet 131 can be a plastic thin sheet or a metal thin sheet, the material of the flexible body 132 can be soft glue, and the elastic sheet 131 and the flexible body 132 are an insert injection molding structure.

[0140] The elastic sheet 131 and the flexible body 132 adopt an insert injection molding structure. Insert injection molding is to pre-fix the insert at a predetermined position in the mold, then inject plastic to form, and after opening the mold, the insert is wrapped in the product by the cooled and solidified plastic. The flexible body 132 is easy to be injection molded, and the elastic sheet 131 has a certain rigidity and strength. Taking the elastic sheet 131 as an insert, the flexible body 132 wrapping the elastic sheet 131 is obtained by injection molding. The elastic sheet 131 and the flexible body 132 are combined and complement each other, and the connection between the two is stable, forming an integrated flexible insert 130 with a small overall thickness dimension and weight, high reliability, capable of realizing long-term repeated bending and use in high-temperature and high-humidity environments, and not easily having creases, arching, or detachment.

[0141] The elastic sheet 131 can be a plastic sheet, such as a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sheet, a polyimide (PI) sheet, and so on. The elastic sheet 131 can also be a metal sheet, such as a steel sheet.

[0142] The material of the flexible body 132 can be a soft rubber that is resistant to high temperature and high humidity, such as silica gel, thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), thermoplastic urethane (TPU), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) soft rubber, rubber (such as silicone rubber, natural rubber, cis-butadiene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, ethylene-propylene rubber, etc.).

[0143] Exemplarily, referring to Figure 13 , Figure 14 , on one side of the flexible body 132 facing the display surface 300a of the flexible screen 300, there is a first groove 1321, and the elastic sheet 131 is embedded in the first groove 1321, so that the flexible body 132 serves as an appearance part, and the flexible body 132 covers one surface of the elastic sheet 131, increasing the connection area between the flexible body 132 and the elastic sheet 131, and making the connection between the flexible body 132 and the elastic sheet 131 reliable. An edge protection component 100 is provided in an embodiment of the present application. Referring to Figure 8 , Figure 10 , Figure 11 , the fixing member 110 has a protruding first positioning portion 114, the support member 120 has a protruding second positioning portion 121, and the first positioning portion 114 and the second positioning portion 121 clamp the middle portion 130a of the flexible insert 130.

[0144] The edge protection component 100 of this embodiment can be understood as an assembly scheme of three parts: the fixing member 110 with the first positioning portion 114, the support member 120 with the second positioning portion 121, and the flexible insert 130. The first positioning portion 114 of the fixing member 110 and the second positioning portion 121 of the support member 120 can both extend in the Y direction. By using the first positioning portion 114 of the fixing member 110 and the second positioning portion 121 of the support member 120 to clamp the middle portion 130a of the flexible insert 130, the fixing member 110 is fixed on the rotating shaft assembly 200, and the support member 120 is assembled and fixed on the fixing member 110, so as to realize the rigid fixation (Z-direction fixation) of the middle portion 130a of the flexible insert 130 and the soft and free movement of both ends 130b.

[0145] During the switching process of the foldable device 1000 between the flattened state and the closed state, referring to Figure 2 , Figure 8, the middle part 130a of the flexible insert 130 is held on the support 120, and the two ends 130b of the flexible insert 130 move freely following the first main body 400 and the second main body 500. The flexible insert 130 can be bent around the middle part 130a of the flexible insert 130. Figure 8 It is shown that the two ends 130b of the flexible insert 130 can move along the arrow direction. When the included angle between the first main body 400 and the second main body 500 is different, the flexible insert 130 can cover the edge of the bending area 302 of the display surface 300a of the flexible screen 300, and shield and protect the edge of the bending area 302 of the flexible screen 300.

[0146] Such as Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the shielding member 1 adopts an integrally injection-molded structure in which the soft glue 1a wraps the steel sheet 1b. There is soft glue 1a on both the upper and lower sides of the steel sheet 1b. The total thickness D0 of the shielding member 1 is the sum of the thickness D2 of two layers of soft glue 1a and the thickness D1 of one layer of steel sheet 1b. The thickness D2 of one layer of soft glue 1a made by the related process is much larger than the thickness D1 of one layer of steel sheet 1b (or plastic sheet), making the overall thickness D0 of the shielding member 1 shown in Figure 1 relatively large.

[0147] Such as Figures 8 to 11 In the illustrated embodiment, the first positioning portion 114 and the second positioning portion 121 are sheet-like bodies made of metal or plastic, and the two clamp the flexible insert 130 along the thickness direction (Z direction) of the flexible insert 130. Such as Figures 8 to 11 In the illustrated embodiment, the thickness D11 of the first positioning portion 114 or the second positioning portion 121 can be equivalent to the thickness D1 of one layer of steel sheet in the shielding member shown in Figure 1 such as Figures 8 to 11 In the illustrated embodiment, the thickness D12 of the flexible insert 130 (the integrally formed structure of the flexible body 132 and the elastic sheet 131) can be equivalent to the thickness D2 of one layer of soft glue in the shielding member shown in Figure 1 such as Figure 1 Compared with the shielding member 1 shown in Figures 8 to 11 such as

[0148] In some embodiments, in order to reliably fix the middle part 130a of the flexible insert 130 on the support 120, refer to Figure 8 , Figure 10 , Figure 11 , Figure 15On the basis that the first positioning portion 114 of the fixing member 110 and the second positioning portion 121 of the supporting member 120 clamp the middle portion 130a of the flexible insert 130, a third positioning portion 122 is provided between the first positioning portion 114 and the second positioning portion 121, and the flexible insert 130 has a positioning hole 133 in the middle portion 130a in the length direction, and the third positioning portion 122 is penetrated through the positioning hole 133.

[0149] The third positioning portion 122 between the first positioning portion 114 and the second positioning portion 121 is penetrated through the positioning hole 133 of the middle portion 130a of the flexible insert 130, so that the middle portion 130a of the flexible insert 130 is reliably fixed on the support member 120. When the flexible insert 130 is repeatedly bent for a long time, statically bent, or in a high temperature and high humidity environment, the flexible insert 130 is not prone to creases, arching, or falling out, and has high reliability. The positioning hole 133 can penetrate the flexible insert 130 or not penetrate the flexible insert 130.

[0150] Exemplarily, the positioning holes 133 of the flexible insert 130 may be holes respectively provided at corresponding positions of the elastic sheet 131 and the flexible body 132 .

[0151] Exemplarily, the third positioning portion 122 may be in a columnar, block-like or other shapes, and the third positioning portion 122 may pass through the positioning hole 133 of the flexible insert 130 .

[0152] In order to facilitate the support member 120 and the fixing member 110 to clamp the flexible insert 130, in some embodiments, refer to Figure 8 , Figure 10 , Figure 11 , Figure 15 The third positioning portion 122 is disposed on a side of the second positioning portion 121 facing the first positioning portion 114 , and one end of the third positioning portion 122 away from the second positioning portion 121 is connected to or in contact with the first positioning portion 114 .

[0153] The third positioning portion 122 is disposed on the side of the second positioning portion 121 facing the first positioning portion 114, so that the third positioning portion 122 and the first positioning portion 114 are connected or in contact with each other, so as to facilitate the molding and assembly of the fixing member 110 having the first positioning portion 114 and the supporting member 120 having the second positioning portion 121 and the third positioning portion 122. The flexible insert 130 is clamped by the first positioning portion 114 and the second positioning portion 121, and the third positioning portion 122 between the first positioning portion 114 and the second positioning portion 121 passes through the positioning hole 133 of the middle portion 130a of the flexible insert 130, so that the middle portion 130a of the flexible insert 130 is reliably fixed on the supporting member 120.

[0154] Exemplarily, the fixing member 110 having the first positioning portion 114 and the supporting member 120 having the second positioning portion 121 and the third positioning portion 122 are both metal members. The third positioning portion 122 on the second positioning portion 121 of the supporting member 120 passes through the positioning hole 133 of the middle portion 130a of the flexible insert 130, and the end of the third positioning portion 122 is welded to the first positioning portion 114 of the fixing member 110, so that the supporting member 120 is reliably fixed on the fixing member 110. The first positioning portion 114 and the second positioning portion 121 jointly clamp the flexible insert 130, so that the middle portion 130a of the flexible insert 130 is reliably fixed on the supporting member 120.

[0155] In some other embodiments, the third positioning portion 122 may be disposed on the side of the first positioning portion 114 facing the second positioning portion 121, and the end of the third positioning portion 122 away from the first positioning portion 114 is connected or in contact with the second positioning portion 121. The flexible insert 130 is clamped by the first positioning portion 114 and the second positioning portion 121, and the third positioning portion 122 between the first positioning portion 114 and the second positioning portion 121 passes through the positioning hole 133 of the middle portion 130a of the flexible insert 130, so that the middle portion 130a of the flexible insert 130 is reliably fixed on the supporting member 120.

[0156] Another edge protection assembly 100 is provided in an embodiment of the present application. Refer to Figures 16 to 20 , the flexible body 132 includes a strip portion 132a and a connecting portion 132b. The strip portion 132a is connected to the elastic sheet 131. The strip portion 132a has a first side 1322 facing the fixing member 110. The connecting portion 132b is connected to the middle portion 1322a of the first side 1322 of the strip portion 132a. The supporting member 120 is embedded in the connecting portion 132b. The supporting member 120, the elastic sheet 131 and the flexible body 132 are an integrally formed structure.

[0157] Wherein, the first side 1322 may extend in the X direction. The middle portion 1322a of the first side 1322 may not be the absolute middle position in the length direction, but the middle region in the length direction of the first side 1322. The middle portion 1322a of the first side 1322 corresponds to the middle portion 130a of the flexible insert 130 in the length direction (X direction) in the Y direction.

[0158] The edge protection component 100 of this embodiment can be understood as an assembly solution of a fixing member 110 and an integrally formed structure, a total of two parts. Among them, the integrally formed structure includes a support member 120, an elastic sheet 131, and a flexible body 132. With the integrally formed structure of the support member 120, the elastic sheet 131, and the flexible body 132, the middle part 1322a of the first side 1322 of the strip-shaped part 132a in the flexible body 132 is connected to the connecting part 132b. The support member 120 is embedded in the connecting part 132b, playing a supporting role for the middle part 130a of the flexible insert 130. The fixing member 110 is fixed on the rotating shaft assembly 200, the support member 120 is assembled and fixed on the fixing member 110, and the flexible insert 130 is overall soft, realizing flexible fixing of the middle part 130a of the flexible insert 130 and soft and free movement of both ends 130b. Through the support member 120, the middle part 1322a of the first side 1322 of the flexible insert 130 is supported and fixed. During the switching process of the foldable device 1000 between the flattened state and the closed state, the area of the middle part 130a of the flexible insert 130 except the first side 1322 can be deformed, that is, the middle part 130a of the flexible insert 130 is flexibly fixed.

[0159] During the switching process of the foldable device 1000 between the flattened state and the closed state, combined with Figures 21 to 23 , the middle part 130a of the flexible insert 130 remains on the support member 120, both ends 130b of the flexible insert 130 follow the first main body 400 and the second main body 500 to move freely, and the strip-shaped part 132a of the flexible body 132 and the elastic sheet 131 can be bent around the connecting part 132b. Figure 17 It is shown in [the figure] that both ends 130b of the flexible insert 130 can move along the arrow direction. When the first main body 400 and the second main body 500 are at different included angles, the flexible insert 130 can cover the edge of the bending area 302 of the display surface 300a of the flexible screen 300, shielding and protecting the edge of the bending area 302 of the flexible screen 300.

[0160] Such as Figures 16 to 20 In the shown embodiment, the fixing member 110 has no protruding first positioning portion 114, that is, there is no first positioning portion 114 on the side of the flexible insert 130 away from the flexible screen 300, which can improve the aesthetics of the foldable device 1000. The support member 120 has no protruding second positioning portion 121, and the safety distance between the flexible insert 130 and the flexible screen 300 can be made smaller. Compared with the shielding member having two layers of soft glue and one layer of steel sheet in the embodiment shown in Figure 1 , in the embodiment shown in Figures 16 to 20 , there is only the thickness D20 of the flexible insert 130, which can be equivalent to the thickness D2 of one layer of soft glue in the embodiment shown in Figure 1 , as shown in Figures 16 to 20In the illustrated embodiment, the thickness D20 of the flexible insert 130 is very small, which is beneficial to reducing the overall thickness of the foldable device 1000 at the position of the middle part 130a of the flexible insert 130.

[0161] When setting the shape of the connecting portion 132b, it can be set according to the shape of the fixing member 110. Exemplarily, refer to Figure 19 , the fixing member 110 is generally plate-shaped, and the connecting portion 132b can be plate-shaped, so that the thickness direction of the connecting portion 132b is the same as that of the fixing member 110, both along the Y direction, making the structure occupy less space in the Y direction and the structure is compact. In addition, the connecting portion 132b can also be other shapes.

[0162] In order to facilitate the assembly between the support member 120, the connecting portion 132b and the fixing member 110, in some embodiments, refer to Figures 16 to 19 , the support member 120 includes a support portion 123 and an assembly portion 124 connected to the support portion 123. The support portion 123 is embedded in the connecting portion 132b, and the assembly portion 124 is connected to the fixing member 110. The assembly portion 124 in the support member 120 is assembled on the fixing member 110, so that the support member 120 and the fixing member 110 are combined together, and the fixing member 110 is assembled on the rotating shaft assembly 200.

[0163] Taking the support member 120 as an insert, the connecting portion 132b is injection-molded, so that the support member 120 is embedded in the connecting portion 132b, and the two are tightly connected. The assembly portion 124 of the support member 120 is the part used to connect with the fixing member 110. The connection between the assembly portion 124 and the fixing member 110 can adopt connection methods such as snap-fitting, colloid bonding, welding, fasteners (such as screws), etc.

[0164] Exemplarily, refer to Figures 17 to 19 , the assembly portion 124 can be snaps 125 provided at opposite ends of the support portion 123. The two snaps 125 can be snapped into the two slots 116 of the fixing member 110 to fix the support member 120 on the fixing member 110. The snaps 125 and the slots 116 are set to be adapted in shape, so that the snaps 125 are stably snapped onto the slots 116. For example, the snap 125 extends in an L shape, and the cross-section of the slot 116 is rectangular. The snap 125 and the fixing member 110 can also be welded to improve the connection reliability between the support member 120 and the fixing member 110.

[0165] Exemplarily, the assembly portion 124 is embedded in the installation groove 113 of the fixing member 110, and the bottom surface of the assembly portion 124 and the installation groove 113 of the fixing member 110 are bonded by colloid.

[0166] In order to make the connecting portion 132b occupy less space, in some embodiments, refer to Figure 19 , Figure 20 , Figure 23, the connecting portion 132b is located between the fixing member 110 and the supporting portion 123. The side of the fixing member 110 facing the supporting member 120 has a receiving groove 115, and the connecting portion 132b is embedded in the receiving groove 115.

[0167] By disposing the connecting portion 132b in the receiving groove 115 of the fixing member 110, along the axial direction (Y direction) of the rotating shaft assembly 200, the fixing member 110, the connecting portion 132b, and the supporting portion 123 of the supporting member 120 are arranged in sequence, so that the connecting portion 132b occupies less space, and the edge protection assembly 100 has a smaller axial dimension on the rotating shaft assembly 200, which is convenient for assembling other devices with more space on the rotating shaft assembly 200. When the fixing member 110 has the mounting groove 113, the mounting groove 113 can be provided on the bottom surface of the receiving groove 115, and the receiving groove 115 and the mounting groove 113 are communicated with each other.

[0168] In order to reliably connect the supporting portion 123 and the connecting portion 132b, in some embodiments, refer to Figure 18 , Figure 19 , the supporting portion 123 has a first mating hole 1231, the connecting portion 132b has a first mating post 1323, the first mating post 1323 is embedded at the first mating hole 1231, and the wall surface of the first mating hole 1231 is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the first mating post 1323.

[0169] As an insert, during the injection molding process of the connecting portion 132b, part of the injection molding material is filled in the first mating hole 1231 of the supporting portion 123. After the injection molding material in the first mating hole 1231 cools and solidifies, a first mating post 1323 is formed, and the wall surface of the first mating hole 1231 is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the first mating post 1323, increasing the connection area between the connecting portion 132b and the supporting portion 123, and making the connection between the connecting portion 132b and the supporting portion 123 tight.

[0170] In order to enhance the supporting effect of the supporting member 120 on the middle portion 130a in the length direction of the flexible insert 130, in some embodiments, refer to Figure 19 , Figure 20 , Figure 23 , the supporting portion 123 has a bent section 1232 that bends and extends toward the strip portion 132a, and the bent section 1232 is embedded in the connection area between the connecting portion 132b and the strip portion 132a.

[0171] Part of the support portion 123 is set as the bent section 1232. Taking the support member 120 as an insert, during the injection molding of the strip portion 132a and the connecting portion 132b, it is convenient for the injection molding material to flow around the bent section 1232 and fully fill the area around the bent section 1232. After the injection molding material cools and solidifies, a connection area between the connecting portion 132b and the strip portion 132a is formed, and the bent section 1232 can provide good support for the middle portion 130a in the length direction of the flexible insert 130. The bent section 1232 does not extend to the strip portion 132a, so that the area of the middle portion 130a of the flexible insert 130 other than the first side 1322 can be deformed.

[0172] In some other embodiments, the support portion 123 may not be provided with the bent section 1232, and the vertically extending support portion 123 can also support the middle portion 130a in the length direction of the flexible insert 130.

[0173] In order to prevent the flexible insert 130 from easily coming out of the edge of the flexible screen 300, in some embodiments, referring to Figure 8 , Figure 12 , Figure 16 , both ends of the side of the flexible insert 130 facing the fixing member 110 are provided with limiting portions 134, and the limiting portions 134 extend along the thickness direction (Z direction) of the flexible screen 300. Both ends of the side of the flexible insert 130 facing the fixing member 110 refer to both ends of the side of the flexible insert 130 facing the fixing member 110 and extending along the X direction.

[0174] In the axial direction (Y direction) of the rotating shaft assembly 200, a third gap 613 is formed between the first frame 600 and the side surface 300c of the flexible screen 300, and a fourth gap (not shown in the figure) is formed between the second frame 700 and the side surface 300c of the flexible screen 300; the limiting portion 134 at one end 130b of the flexible insert 130 is located in the third gap 613, and the limiting portion 134 at the other end 130b of the flexible insert 130 is located in the fourth gap. This method is applicable to the above-mentioned various implementation methods of the edge protection assembly 100.

[0175] During the switching process of the foldable device 1000 between the flattened state and the closed state, the middle portion 130a of the flexible insert 130 remains on the support member 120, and the limiting portion 134 of the flexible insert 130 is arranged in the gap between the first frame 600 (the second frame 700) and the side surface 300c of the flexible screen 300, so that both ends 130b of the flexible insert 130 move freely following the first main body 400 and the second main body 500. The flexible insert 130 is held at the edge of the flexible screen 300 and is not easily taken out of the edge of the flexible screen 300, realizing reliable shielding protection for the edge of the flexible screen 300 and reducing the risk of the flexible insert 130 coming out under external force. The limiting portion 134 can be set as a sheet shape, which is convenient for assembly in the gap between the first frame 600 (the second frame 700) and the flexible screen 300.

[0176] There are various optional implementation methods for setting the limiting part 134. Two implementation methods are exemplarily given below.

[0177] The first implementation method of the limiting part 134 is: Refer to Figure 10 , Figure 14 , Figure 18 , Figure 19 , the limiting part 134 includes a flexible part 134a and a reinforcing part 134b. The flexible part 134a is connected to the flexible body 132, and the reinforcing part 134b is embedded in the flexible part 134a. The limiting part 134, the elastic sheet 131, and the flexible body 132 are an integrally formed structure.

[0178] The flexible part 134a is easy to be injection-molded. The reinforcing part 134b has a certain rigidity and strength. By using the integrally formed method to make the structure with the limiting part 134, the elastic sheet 131, and the flexible body 132, the flexible part 134a and the reinforcing part 134b are combined and complement each other, and their connection is stable. The connection between the flexible part 134a and the reinforcing part 134b, between the flexible part 134a and the flexible body 132, and between the flexible body 132 and the elastic sheet 131 is reliable.

[0179] The reinforcing part 134b can be made of metal or plastic, and the flexible part 134a can use the same material as the flexible body 132. When using the insert injection molding integrally formed structure, the reinforcing part 134b and the elastic sheet 131 are used as inserts, and the flexible part 134a and the flexible body 132 are injection-molded to form the flexible insert 130 with the limiting part 134. The flexible part 134a can be generally in a sheet shape, and the reinforcing part 134b can be generally in a sheet shape, so that the thickness of the limiting part 134 obtained by insert injection molding is smaller.

[0180] Exemplarily, refer to Figure 14 , Figure 19 , the flexible part 134a has a second groove 1341, and the reinforcing part 134b is embedded in the second groove 1341. The flexible part 134a wraps the reinforcing part 134b, increasing the connection area between the flexible part 134a and the reinforcing part 134b, so that the connection between the flexible part 134a and the reinforcing part 134b is reliable. The second groove 1341 can be arranged on one side of the flexible part 134a facing the side 300c of the flexible screen 300.

[0181] Exemplarily, refer to Figure 10 , Figure 14 , Figure 18 , Figure 19, the reinforcing part 134b has a second fitting hole 1343, the flexible part 134a has a second fitting post 1342, the second fitting post 1342 is embedded at the second fitting hole 1343, and the wall surface of the second fitting hole 1343 is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the second fitting post 1342. The reinforcing part 134b is used as an insert. During the injection molding process of the flexible part 134a, part of the injection molding material is filled in the second fitting hole 1343 of the reinforcing part 134b. After the injection molding material in the second fitting hole 1343 is cooled and solidified, the second fitting post 1342 is formed. The wall surface of the second fitting hole 1343 is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the second fitting post 1342, increasing the connection area between the flexible part 134a and the reinforcing part 134b, and making the connection between the flexible part 134a and the reinforcing part 134b tight.

[0182] The second implementation manner of the limiting part 134 is that the limiting part 134 is the flexible part 134a, the flexible part 134a is connected to the flexible body 132, and the limiting part 134, the elastic sheet 131 and the flexible body 132 are of an integrally formed structure. By using the integral molding method to make the structure with the limiting part 134, the elastic sheet 131 and the flexible body 132, it is easy to be molded, and the connection between the flexible part 134a and the flexible body 132, and between the flexible body 132 and the elastic sheet 131 is reliable.

[0183] In some other embodiments, the limiting parts 134 may not be provided at both ends of the flexible insert 130. The two ends 130b of the flexible insert 130 are respectively arranged in the first gap 61 formed between the first frame 600 and the display surface 300a of the flexible screen 300, and the second gap 612 formed between the second frame 700 and the display surface 300a of the flexible screen 300, so as to realize the limitation of the flexible insert 130.

[0184] When confirming the edge protection component 100 and the foldable device 1000 of the embodiments of the present application, disassembly analysis can be performed. When the object to be confirmed is the edge protection component 100, it is confirmed that the middle part 130a in the length direction of the flexible insert 130 in the edge protection component 100 is connected to the support member 120. The flexible insert 130 includes an elastic sheet 131 and a flexible body 132, and the elastic sheet 131 is embedded on the flexible body 132. When the object to be confirmed is the device, it is confirmed that the device has a foldable flexible screen 300, and the edge protection component 100 is provided at the edge of the bending area 302 of the display surface 300a of the flexible screen 300.

[0185] Finally, it should be noted that the above are only the specific embodiments of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present application 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. An edge protection component, characterized in that, Applied to a foldable device having a rotating shaft assembly and a flexible screen, the edge protection assembly includes: a fixing member, a supporting member, and a flexible insert; The fixing member is used to be fixed on the rotating shaft assembly; in the axial direction of the rotating shaft assembly, the projection of the fixing member covers a part of the side surface of the flexible screen; The supporting member is fixed on the fixing member; In the thickness direction of the flexible screen, the projection of the flexible insert covers the edge of the bending area of the display surface of the flexible screen; the middle part of the flexible insert in the length direction is connected to the supporting member; the flexible insert includes an elastic sheet and a flexible body, the elastic sheet is embedded on the flexible body, and the elastic sheet and the flexible body are an integrally formed structure.

2. The edge protection component according to claim 1, wherein The elastic sheet has a first surface and a second surface facing away from each other, the first surface is arranged facing the edge of the bending area of the display surface of the flexible screen, and the flexible body is arranged on the second surface.

3. The edge protection component according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The elastic sheet is a plastic thin sheet or a metal thin sheet, the material of the flexible body is soft rubber, and the elastic sheet and the flexible body are an insert injection molding structure; And / or, the side of the flexible body facing the display surface of the flexible screen has a first groove, and the elastic sheet is embedded in the first groove.

4. The edge protection component according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The fixing member has a protruding first positioning portion, the supporting member has a protruding second positioning portion, and the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion clamp the middle part of the flexible insert.

5. The edge protection component according to claim 4, wherein A third positioning portion is arranged between the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion, the middle part of the flexible insert in the length direction has a positioning hole, and the third positioning portion passes through the positioning hole.

6. The edge protection component according to claim 5, characterized in that, The third positioning portion is arranged on the side of the second positioning portion facing the first positioning portion, and the end of the third positioning portion away from the second positioning portion is connected to or in contact with the first positioning portion.

7. The edge protection component according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The flexible body includes a strip portion and a connecting portion, the strip portion is connected to the elastic sheet, the strip portion has a first side facing the fixing member, and the connecting portion is connected to the middle of the first side of the strip portion; the supporting member is embedded on the connecting portion, and the supporting member, the elastic sheet, and the flexible body are an integrally formed structure.

8. The edge protection component according to claim 7, characterized in that, The supporting member includes a supporting portion and an assembling portion connected to the supporting portion, the supporting portion is embedded on the connecting portion, and the assembling portion is connected to the fixing member.

9. The edge protection component according to claim 8, wherein, The connecting portion is located between the fixing member and the supporting portion, the side of the fixing member facing the supporting member has a receiving groove, and the connecting portion is embedded in the receiving groove; And / or, the supporting portion has a first fitting hole, the connecting portion has a first fitting post, the first fitting post is embedded at the first fitting hole, and the wall surface of the first fitting hole is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the first fitting post; And / or, the supporting portion has a bending section that bends and extends towards the strip portion, and the bending section is embedded in the connection area between the connecting portion and the strip portion.

10. The edge protection component according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, Both ends of the side surface of the flexible insert facing the fixing member have limiting portions, and the limiting portions extend along the thickness direction of the flexible screen.

11. The edge protection component according to claim 10, wherein The limiting part includes a flexible part and a reinforcing part. The flexible part is connected to the flexible body. The reinforcing part is embedded in the flexible part. The limiting part, the elastic sheet and the flexible body are of an integrally formed structure.

12. The edge protection component according to claim 11, characterized in that, The flexible part has a second groove, and the reinforcing part is embedded in the second groove; And / or, the reinforcing part has a second mating hole, and the flexible part has a second mating post. The second mating post is embedded at the second mating hole, and the wall surface of the second mating hole is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the second mating post.

13. The edge protection component according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that, One side of the fixing member facing the flexible insert has a mounting groove, and the support member is embedded in the mounting groove; And / or, the fixing member and the support member are adhesively bonded with glue, snap-connected, welded or connected by fasteners; And / or, the material of the fixing member is metal or plastic; And / or, the material of the support member is metal or plastic.

14. A foldable device, characterized in that, Comprising: A rotating shaft assembly, a first main body, a second main body, a flexible screen and an edge protection assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 13; The rotating shaft assembly is located between the first main body and the second main body, and the first main body and the second main body are connected by the rotating shaft assembly; The flexible screen has a display surface and a back surface facing away from each other. The back surface of the flexible screen is fixed to the first main body and the second main body; The fixing member is fixed on the rotating shaft assembly, and the support member is fixed on the side of the fixing member facing the flexible screen.

15. The foldable device according to claim 14, wherein, A first frame is provided on the first main body, and the first frame is provided at the edge of the flexible screen corresponding to the first main body; a second frame is provided on the second main body, and the second frame is provided at the edge of the flexible screen corresponding to the second main body; The edge protection assembly is located between the first frame and the second frame.

16. The foldable device according to claim 15, wherein In the thickness direction of the flexible screen, a first gap is formed between the first frame and the display surface of the flexible screen, and a second gap is formed between the second frame and the display surface of the flexible screen; one end of the flexible insert is located in the first gap, and the other end of the flexible insert is located in the second gap.

17. The foldable device according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that, Both ends of the side of the flexible insert facing the fixing member have limiting parts. In the axial direction of the rotating shaft assembly, a third gap is formed between the first frame and the side surface of the flexible screen, and a fourth gap is formed between the second frame and the side surface of the flexible screen; the limiting part at one end of the flexible insert is located in the third gap, and the limiting part at the other end of the flexible insert is located in the fourth gap.

18. The foldable device according to any one of claims 15 to 17, characterized in that, The first frame has a first shielding part near the rotating shaft assembly, and the second frame has a second shielding part near the rotating shaft assembly; in the axial direction of the rotating shaft assembly, the projection of the first shielding part partially covers the fixing member, and the projection of the second shielding part partially covers the fixing member.

Images