Rotating shaft mechanism and foldable electronic equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a rotating shaft mechanism and foldable electronic equipment, relates to the technical field of electronic products, and can reduce the distance between the position of an electric connecting piece in a penetrating gap and a folding screen, thereby reducing the redundancy of the electric connecting piece when the folding screen is in an unfolded state, and further reducing the shadow and instability risk of an inner screen. The rotating shaft mechanism comprises a base, a shaft cover and a lifting door plate, the shaft cover is fixed to the back side of the base, the base comprises a base shaft penetrating section, the shaft cover comprises a shaft cover shaft penetrating section, a penetrating gap is formed between the base shaft penetrating section and the shaft cover shaft penetrating section and used for allowing an electric connecting piece to penetrate through, and at least the base shaft penetrating section of the base is provided with an avoiding structure; the lifting door plate can ascend and descend between a first position and a second position, the lifting door plate is closer to the shaft cover at the second position than at the first position, when the lifting door plate is at the first position, the lifting door plate is located on the front side of the shaft penetrating section of the base, and when the lifting door plate is at the second position, at least one part of the lifting door plate is contained in the avoiding structure.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] Foldable electronic devices can be miniaturized by folding the electronic device in half to make it easier for users to carry. The foldable electronic device includes a first shell, a second shell, and a hinge mechanism. The first shell and the second shell are rotatably connected to the two sides of the hinge structure, and both the first shell and the second shell are provided with electronic components. Due to the needs of communication, power supply, etc., a large number of electrical signals need to be exchanged. The electronic components in the first shell and the electronic components in the second shell are electrically connected through electrical connectors (such as flexible circuit boards), and the electrical connectors usually need to pass through the hinge mechanism so that the two ends of the electrical connector are respectively located in the first shell and the second shell.

[0003] The door panel assembly is a key component of the hinge mechanism, supporting the folding screen in its unfolded state. To increase the space within the hinge mechanism to accommodate the folded screen while reducing the overall thickness of the device, the door panel assembly typically includes a movable lift-type door panel. When the folding screen is unfolded, the lift-type door panel rises to support it. When folded, it descends to make room for the curved portion of the screen.

[0004] Based on this, the hinge mechanism needs to reserve space for the lifting door panel. When the electrical connector passes through the hinge mechanism, in order to avoid the lifting door panel, the flexible electrical connector in the related art is located farther away from the folding screen in the hinge mechanism, which increases the length of the electrical connector. In addition, with the trend of continuous thinning of the entire machine, when the folding screen is in the unfolded state, the redundancy of the electrical connector increases, which in turn causes the electrical connector to increase the force on the door panel assembly, which can easily cause light and shadow on the inner screen and mold imprint. At the same time, the bending shape of the electrical connector is also unstable and prone to instability, resulting in abnormal noise and shaking. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present application provides a hinge mechanism and a foldable electronic device, which can reduce the distance between the position of the electrical connector in the penetration gap and the folding screen, thereby reducing the redundancy of the electrical connector when the folding screen is in the unfolded state, and further reducing the light and shadow of the inner screen and the risk of instability.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the embodiments of the present application adopt the following technical solutions:

[0007] In a first aspect, a rotating shaft mechanism is provided, which includes: a base, an axis cover fixed on the back side of the base, and a lifting door plate, the base including a base axis-penetrating section, the axis cover including a axis-penetrating section, a threading gap is formed between the base axis-penetrating section and the axis cover axis-penetrating section, the threading gap is used to thread an electrical connector, and at least the base axis-penetrating section of the base is provided with an avoidance structure; the lifting door plate can be raised and lowered between a first position and a second position, the lifting door plate is closer to the axis cover in the second position than the lifting door plate in the first position, and when the lifting door plate is in the first position, the lifting door plate is located in front of the base axis-penetrating section, and when the lifting door plate is in the second position, at least a portion of the lifting door plate is accommodated in the avoidance structure.

[0008] In this way, when the lifting door panel is in the second position (close to the shaft cover), at least a portion of the lifting door panel is accommodated within the avoidance structure. This can reduce the distance between the base shaft section and the folding screen while ensuring the normal lifting of the lifting door panel, thereby reducing the distance between the position of the electrical connector within the penetration gap and the folding screen. As a result, the overall length of the electrical connector can be reduced, thereby reducing the redundancy of the electrical connector when the folding screen is in the unfolded state, and reducing the pushing force of the electrical connector on the first and second rotating door panels when the electrical connector is in the bent state, thereby reducing the risk of the first and second rotating door panels being lifted.

[0009] In addition, when the folding screen is in the unfolded state, the electrical connector extends in a direction away from the folding screen after passing through the gap, which makes the wire outlet better and reduces the risk of instability of the electrical connector in the bent state. Moreover, the first bent state of the electrical connector after passing through the gap will not abut the end of the first rotating door panel and the second rotating door panel close to the lifting door panel, and the positions where the first rotating door panel and the second rotating door panel abut the electrical connector are both located at the end away from the lifting door panel. Since the positions where the first rotating door panel and the second rotating door panel abut the electrical connector are both located at the end away from the lifting door panel, and the ends of the first rotating door panel and the second rotating door panel away from the lifting door panel are generally connected to a mechanism for limiting their movement, the mechanism has a limiting effect on the first rotating door panel and the second rotating door panel, so the electrical connector abutting the ends of the first rotating door panel and the second rotating door panel away from the lifting door panel will not cause the first rotating door panel and the second rotating door panel to be lifted up, thereby causing the risk of light and shadow or mold imprint on the inner screen.

[0010] Moreover, under the premise that the other original dimensions remain unchanged, the closer the position of the electrical connector in the through-hole is to the folding screen, the flatter the curvature of the wall of the base through-hole section facing the through-hole, and the curvature of the wall of the shaft cover through-hole section facing the through-hole can be. Then, when the folding screen is in the folded state, the curvature of the arc section of the electrical connector opposite to the through-hole is flatter. It can be understood that when the folding screen is in the unfolded state, the base through-hole section and the shaft cover through-hole section can limit the outlet shape of the electrical connector. The flatter the curvature of the base through-hole section and the shaft cover through-hole section, the flatter the outlet shape of the electrical connector after passing through the through-hole, the farther the part where the electrical connector abuts the first rotating door panel and the second rotating door panel is from the lifting door panel, and the more stable the outlet shape of the electrical connector is, and there will be no instability and abnormal noise and shaking problems.

[0011] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, the avoidance structure is a through-hole extending through the base in the front-to-back direction. This not only facilitates fabrication but also provides a larger clearance space in the lifting direction of the door panel. In some embodiments, in the second position, the door panel can not only be accommodated within the through-hole, but at least a portion of the door panel can also pass through the through-hole into the through-gap, thereby increasing the clearance space.

[0012] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, the through hole extends along a reference direction and penetrates both end surfaces of the base along the reference direction, where the reference direction is parallel to the rotation axis of the rotating shaft mechanism. In other words, the through hole penetrates the base in the longitudinal direction. This simplifies the overall structure of the base and facilitates processing.

[0013] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, the base further includes a base body section connected to the base shaft section, and only the base shaft section is provided with a through hole. This not only satisfies the need to avoid lifting door panels, but also enhances the overall structural strength of the base.

[0014] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, the front wall of the base shaft-through section protrudes forward from the front wall of the base body section. This allows at least a portion of the clearance space defined by the through hole in the base shaft-through section to be located forward of the front wall of the base body section. When the lift door panel is in the second position, the portion of the lift door panel that faces the base shaft-through section can be accommodated within the through hole, and the portion of the lift door panel that faces the base body section will not interfere with the front wall of the base body section. For example, the height difference h between the front wall of the base body section and the front wall of the base shaft-through section can be greater than or equal to the thickness d of the lift door panel. This allows the portion of the lift door panel that faces the base shaft-through section to be fully accommodated within the through hole, resulting in a larger clearance space.

[0015] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, the back surface of the base body segment protrudes rearwardly from the back surface of the base shaft segment to form a forwardly recessed groove on the back side of the base shaft segment, with at least a portion of the penetration gap located within the groove. This ensures the thickness of the base body segment, thereby ensuring its structural strength. Furthermore, a forwardly recessed groove can be formed on the back side of the base shaft segment, with at least a portion of the penetration gap located within the groove. At least a portion of the electrical connector can be accommodated within the groove, thereby ensuring that the spacing between the electrical connector and the folding screen is not affected by the thickness of the base body segment.

[0016] In a possible implementation of the first aspect, the base shaft-through section includes a central wall panel, a first side wall panel, and a second side wall panel. The first side wall panel and the second side wall panel are respectively connected to either side of the central wall panel and extend toward the front side of the central wall panel in a direction away from the central wall panel. In the lifting direction of the lift door panel, the lift door panel and the central wall panel are directly opposite each other, and the through hole passes through the central wall panel but does not pass through the first side wall panel and the second side wall panel. In this way, on the one hand, the base shaft-through section can be connected to the base body section via the first side wall panel and the second side wall panel, thereby ensuring the overall structural strength of the base. On the other hand, the first side wall panel and the second side wall panel can also be used to limit the wire exit shape of the electrical connector after passing through the penetration gap, thereby improving the wire exit shape of the electrical connector and making the wire exit shape more stable.

[0017] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, the shaft cover further includes a shaft cover body section connected to the shaft cover through-shaft section. The shaft cover body section is opposite the base body section, and the front wall of the shaft cover through-shaft section protrudes toward the base relative to the front wall of the shaft cover body section. This prevents the electrical connector from moving within the through-shaft gap due to an excessively large through-shaft gap. Furthermore, when the electrical connector is connected to the shaft cover through-shaft section, no additional lifting member is required between the electrical connector and the shaft cover through-shaft section to ensure that the electrical connector is fixed within the through-shaft gap close to the folding screen.

[0018] In a possible implementation of the first aspect, the outer contour of the cross section of the shaft cover through-shaft section perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the rotating shaft mechanism and facing the through-shaft gap includes: a first line segment and a second line segment, wherein in the lifting direction of the lifting door panel, the first line segment is directly opposite to the lifting door panel, and the second line segment is connected to one end of the first line segment and extends toward the front side of the shaft cover through-shaft section in a direction away from the first line segment, wherein the angle M1 between the line connecting the center of the first line segment and the end point of the second line segment away from the first line segment and the straight line on which the first line segment is located is less than or equal to 10 degrees. For example, the angle M1 can be 10 degrees, 9.774 degrees, 9 degrees, 8 degrees, 7 degrees, 6 degrees, 5 degrees, 4 degrees, 3 degrees, 2 degrees or 1 degree, etc. This can avoid interference between the shaft cover through-shaft section and the electrical connector, which may affect the wire output shape of the electrical connector after passing through the through-shaft gap.

[0019] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, in the lifting direction of the door panel, a distance H1 between the first line segment and the endpoint of the second line segment distal to the first line segment ranges from 0.3 mm to 0.6 mm. For example, distance H1 can be 0.3 mm, 0.35 mm, 0.40 mm, 0.45 mm, 0.50 mm, 0.551 mm, or 0.60 mm. This further prevents interference between the shaft cover and the electrical connector, which could affect the shape of the electrical connector after it passes through the clearance.

[0020] In a possible implementation of the first aspect, an outer contour of a cross section of the base shaft-through section perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rotating shaft mechanism and directed toward the through-gap includes: a third line segment and a fourth line segment, wherein the third line segment is directly opposite the lifting door panel in the lifting direction of the lifting door panel, and the fourth line segment is connected to one end of the third line segment and extends toward the front side of the base shaft-through section in a direction away from the third line segment, wherein an angle M2 between a line connecting two endpoints of the fourth line segment and the third line segment is less than or equal to 30 degrees. Exemplarily, the angle M2 may be 30 degrees, 28 degrees, 28.197 degrees, 26 degrees, 24 degrees, 22 degrees, or 20 degrees, etc.

[0021] This can make the outer contour of the base shaft section toward the electrical connector flatter, and can limit the wire outlet shape of the electrical connector after passing through the penetration gap, so that the wire outlet shape of the electrical connector is better, and the electrical connector extends in the direction away from the folding screen after passing through the penetration gap, thereby avoiding the electrical connector abutting the end of the first rotating door panel and the second rotating door panel close to the lifting door panel.

[0022] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, in the lifting direction of the door panel, a distance H2 between the third line segment and the endpoint of the fourth line segment distal to the third line segment ranges from 0.4 mm to 0.8 mm. For example, distance H2 can be 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.55 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.7 mm, or 0.8 mm. This can better ensure the flatness of the outer contour of the base shaft section facing the penetration gap, thereby improving the shape of the electrical connector after passing through the penetration gap.

[0023] In a possible implementation of the first aspect, the avoidance structure is a avoidance groove recessed from the front wall of the base toward the shaft cover. By forming the avoidance structure into a groove structure, the lifting door panel can be avoided while ensuring the overall structural strength of the base.

[0024] In the second aspect, a rotating shaft mechanism is also provided, which includes: a base, an axis cover fixed on the back side of the base, and a lifting door plate, the axis cover including an axis cover through-axis section, the lifting door plate is located on the front side of the base, the lifting door plate can be lifted and lowered between a first position and a second position, the lifting door plate is closer to the axis cover in the second position than the lifting door plate is in the first position, wherein a penetration gap is formed between the lifting door plate and the axis cover through-axis section, the penetration gap is used to penetrate electrical connectors, and in the lifting direction of the lifting door plate, the penetration gap is not opposite to the base.

[0025] In this way, the distance between the position of the electrical connector within the penetration gap and the folding screen can be reduced. As a result, the overall length of the electrical connector can be reduced, thereby reducing the redundancy of the electrical connector when the folding screen is in the unfolded state, and reducing the force exerted by the electrical connector on the first and second rotating door panels when the electrical connector is in the bent state, thereby reducing the risk of the first and second rotating door panels being lifted up. In addition, the position where the first and second rotating door panels abut the electrical connector is located at the end away from the lifting door panel, thereby further reducing the risk of the first and second rotating door panels being lifted up by the electrical connector, causing light and shadows or mold marks on the inner screen. In addition, the outlet shape of the electrical connector is stable, and will not become unstable and cause abnormal noise and shaking.

[0026] In one possible implementation of the second aspect, the base includes a first base segment and a second base segment, the first base segment and the second base segment being spaced apart along a reference direction. In the lifting direction of the door panel, a gap is provided that is aligned with the gap between the first and second base segments. The reference direction is parallel to the rotation axis of the hinge mechanism. This ensures the overall length of the base while avoiding electrical connectors, thereby ensuring that connections between components within the hinge mechanism are not affected.

[0027] In a possible implementation of the second aspect, the penetration gap is located at one end of the base along the reference direction, so as to avoid the electrical connector while making the overall structure of the base simple and easy to process.

[0028] In one possible implementation of the second aspect, the shaft cover further comprises a shaft cover body section, the shaft cover body section being connected to the shaft cover through-shaft section, and the front wall surface of the shaft cover through-shaft section protruding toward the base relative to the front wall surface of the shaft cover body section. This prevents the electrical connector from moving within the through-shaft gap due to an excessively large through-shaft gap. Furthermore, when the electrical connector is connected to the shaft cover through-shaft section, no additional lifting member is required between the electrical connector and the shaft cover through-shaft section to ensure that the electrical connector is fixed within the through-shaft gap close to the folding screen.

[0029] In the third aspect, a foldable electronic device is also provided, which includes: a first structural member, a second structural member, a hinge mechanism and an electrical connector, the first structural member includes a first shell and a first electronic component arranged in the first shell; the second structural member includes a second shell and a second electronic component arranged in the second shell; the hinge mechanism is a hinge mechanism as described in any technical solution of the first and second aspects above, and the hinge mechanism is connected between the first shell and the second shell; at least a portion of the electrical connector is passed through the passing gap, and the electrical connector has a first end and a second end, the first end is located in the first shell to be electrically connected to the first electronic component, and the second end is located in the second shell to be electrically connected to the second electronic component.

[0030] Since the foldable electronic device provided in the third aspect of the present application includes the hinge mechanism of any one of the technical solutions of the first aspect and the second aspect above, the two can solve the same problem and achieve the same effect.

[0031] In a possible implementation of the third aspect, the electrical connector includes a first connecting part, a second connecting part, and a third connecting part located between the first connecting part and the second connecting part, the third connecting part is located in the penetration gap and is connected to the shaft cover, the first connecting part is located between the first end and the third connecting part, and the first connecting part is connected to the first shell, the second connecting part is located between the second end and the third connecting part, and the second connecting part is connected to the second shell.

[0032] By connecting the first connection portion to the first middle frame, the electrical connector is fixed relative to the first housing at the first connection portion. By connecting the second connection portion to the second middle frame, the electrical connector is fixed relative to the second housing at the second connection portion. By connecting the third connection portion to the shaft cover, the electrical connector is fixed relative to the shaft cover at the third connection portion. This achieves three-point positional fixation of the electrical connector. When the foldable screen switches between the unfolded and folded states, the electrical connector will not experience a large range of positional fluctuations. Furthermore, when the foldable screen is in the unfolded state, the electrical connector's bending shape is relatively stable.

[0033] Furthermore, it is understood that the first end and the first connecting portion of the electrical connector are both located within the first housing, and both are fixed relative to the first housing. Thus, when the folding screen switches between the unfolded and folded states, the portion of the electrical connector from the first connecting portion to the first end is fixed relative to the first housing, its length and shape remain unchanged, and its position within the first housing remains unchanged. This makes the connection between the first end and the first electronic component more stable and reliable. Similarly, the connection between the second end and the second electronic component is also more stable and reliable.

[0034] In a possible implementation of the third aspect, the foldable electronic device also includes a folding screen, the folding screen includes a first display area, a second display area and a third display area, the third display area is connected between the first display area and the second display area, the first shell carries the first display area, the second shell carries the second display area, and the hinge mechanism carries the third display area. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a foldable electronic device in an unfolded state provided by some embodiments of the present application;

[0036] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a foldable electronic device in a folded state as shown in FIG;

[0037] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the foldable electronic device shown in FIG when it is in a state between the unfolded state and the folded state, wherein the electrical connector is not shown;

[0038] Figure 4 for Figure 3 An exploded view of the foldable electronic device shown with the folding screen removed, wherein the electrical connectors are not shown;

[0039] Figure 5 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the foldable electronic device shown is in a folded state, wherein part of the structure of the hinge mechanism is hidden to reveal its internal structure;

[0040] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A partial structural diagram of a foldable electronic device shown in , wherein the foldable screen is in a folded state;

[0041] Figure 7 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a partial structure of a foldable electronic device shown in , wherein the foldable screen is in an unfolded state;

[0042] Figure 8 A top view of the foldable electronic device provided in some embodiments of the present application, after the first back cover and the second back cover are hidden, looking towards the foldable screen from the side where the first back cover and the second back cover are located, wherein the foldable electronic device is in an unfolded state;

[0043] Figure 9 for Figure 8 A cross-sectional view of the foldable electronic device shown in FIG. 1 along line AA;

[0044] Figure 10 for Figure 8A schematic diagram of a partial structure of a foldable electronic device when the foldable screen is in a folded state is shown in FIG;

[0045] Figure 11 for Figure 10 A cross-sectional view of the foldable electronic device shown in is cut along the XZ plane;

[0046] Figure 12 for Figure 8 A partial cross-sectional view of the foldable electronic device shown in is cut along the XZ plane at the instability front;

[0047] Figure 13 for Figure 8 A partial cross-sectional view of the foldable electronic device shown in is cut along the XZ plane after instability;

[0048] Figure 14 A schematic diagram of a partial structure of a foldable electronic device provided in some embodiments of the present application when the foldable screen is in an unfolded state;

[0049] Figure 15 for Figure 14 A cross-sectional view of the foldable electronic device shown in is cut along the XZ plane;

[0050] Figure 16 for Figure 14 A schematic structural diagram of a foldable electronic device shown in FIG when the foldable screen is in a folded state;

[0051] Figure 17 for Figure 16 A cross-sectional view of the foldable electronic device shown in is cut along the XZ plane;

[0052] Figure 18 for Figure 15 A partial enlarged view of the foldable electronic device shown in;

[0053] Figure 19 for Figure 14 Schematic diagram of the structure of the cooperation between the shaft cover, base, lifting door plate and electrical connector of the foldable electronic device shown in FIG, wherein the shaft cover, base and lifting door plate are shown as their overall structure;

[0054] Figure 20 for Figure 19 An exploded view of a foldable electronic device shown in ;

[0055] Figure 21 A schematic diagram of the structure of the coupling between the shaft cover, base, lifting door plate and electrical connector of the foldable electronic device provided in some embodiments of the present application, wherein the lifting door plate is in a first position;

[0056] Figure 22 for Figure 21A schematic structural diagram of the cooperation between the base and the lifting door plate of the foldable electronic device shown in , wherein the lifting door plate is in the second position;

[0057] Figure 23 for Figure 21 A schematic structural diagram of a base of a foldable electronic device shown in ;

[0058] Figure 24 for Figure 21 An exploded view of a foldable electronic device shown in ;

[0059] Figure 25 for Figure 21 A schematic structural diagram of the cooperation between the electrical connector and the base of the foldable electronic device shown in FIG;

[0060] Figure 26 A schematic diagram of the structure of the cooperation between the shaft cover, base, lifting door plate and electrical connector of the foldable electronic device provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0061] Figure 27 A schematic structural diagram of the coordination between the shaft cover, base, lifting door panel and electrical connector of a foldable electronic device provided in some embodiments of the present application.

[0062] Reference numerals:

[0063] Foldable electronic device 100;

[0064] The shaft mechanism 10 is provided with a gap 10a;

[0065] Base 101; base shaft section 1011; third line segment 1011a; fourth line segment 1011b; groove 10111; base body section 1012; first base body section 10121; second base body section 10122; first base section 101a; second base section 101b; avoidance structure 101aa; center wall panel 1011aa; first side wall panel 1011bb; second side wall panel 1011cc;

[0066] Shaft cover 102; shaft cover through-shaft section 1021; first line segment 1021a; second line segment 1021b; shaft cover body section 1022; first shaft cover body section 10221; second shaft cover body section 10222;

[0067] Door panel assembly 103; first rotating door panel 1031; first supporting surface 10311;

[0068] Second rotating door panel 1032; second supporting surface 10321;

[0069] Lifting door panel 1033; third supporting surface 10331;

[0070] First structural member 20; first housing 201; first middle frame 2011; first back cover 2012;

[0071] First circuit board 202; first battery 203;

[0072] Second structural member 30; second housing 301; second middle frame 3011; second back cover 3012;

[0073] Second circuit board 302; second battery 303;

[0074] Electrical connector 40; first connecting portion 401; first reinforcing member 4011; second connecting portion 402; second reinforcing member 4021; third connecting portion 403; third reinforcing member 4031; first end portion 4001; second end portion 4002;

[0075] Folding screen 50; first display area 501; second display area 502; third display area 503; arc segment 5031; first transition segment 5032; second transition segment 5033. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0076] In the embodiments of this application, the terms "exemplarily" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or explanations. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplarily" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application should not be interpreted as being preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or designs. Rather, the use of words such as "exemplarily" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a concrete manner.

[0077] In the embodiments of the present application, the terms "first," "second," "third," "fourth," "fifth," and "sixth" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature specified as "first," "second," "third," "fourth," "fifth," and "sixth" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features.

[0078] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "and / or" refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. The term "and / or" describes an association relationship between associated objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this application generally indicates that the associated objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0079] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected" and "connected" 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.

[0080] The directional terms mentioned in the embodiments of the present application, such as "inside", "outside", etc., are only references to the directions in the drawings. Therefore, the directional terms used are for better and clearer explanation and understanding of the embodiments of the present application, 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 cannot be understood as a limitation on the embodiments of the present application.

[0081] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the terms "comprises", "comprising" or any other variants thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or device comprising a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also includes other elements not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, method, article or device. In the absence of further restrictions, an element limited by the statement "comprising a ..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article or device comprising the element. In the absence of further restrictions, an element limited by the statement "comprising a ..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article or device comprising the element.

[0082] An embodiment of the present application provides a foldable electronic device 100, which is a type of electronic device having a foldable screen 50 and capable of changing the unfolded or folded form of the foldable screen 50 and the foldable electronic device 100 itself. Under different usage requirements, the foldable electronic device 100 can be unfolded to an unfolded state, folded to a folded state, or in an intermediate state between the unfolded state and the folded state. That is, the foldable electronic device 100 has at least two states, namely, an unfolded state and a folded state. In some cases, a third state may be further included, namely, an intermediate state between the unfolded state and the folded state. It can be understood that the intermediate state does not have only a unique state, and may be any one or more states in which the foldable electronic device 100 is between the unfolded state and the folded state.

[0083] Specifically, the foldable electronic device 100 includes but is not limited to electronic devices such as mobile phones, tablet personal computers, laptop computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), personal computers, notebooks, vehicle-mounted devices, and wearable devices (such as watches).

[0084] See also Figure 1 , Figure 1 The following is a schematic diagram of the structure of the foldable electronic device 100 provided in some embodiments of the present application when it is in the unfolded state. This embodiment and the embodiments below are exemplified by taking the foldable electronic device 100 as a foldable mobile phone. The foldable electronic device 100 is approximately in the shape of a rectangular flat plate in the unfolded state. In order to facilitate the description of the embodiments below, an XYZ coordinate system is established for the foldable electronic device 100 in the unfolded state, and the length direction of the foldable electronic device 100 is defined as the X-axis direction, the width direction of the foldable electronic device 100 is defined as the Y-axis direction, and the thickness direction of the foldable electronic device 100 is defined as the Z-axis direction. It can be understood that the coordinate system setting of the foldable electronic device 100 can be flexibly set according to actual needs and is not specifically limited here. In some other embodiments, the shape of the foldable electronic device 100 can also be a square flat plate, a circular flat plate, an elliptical flat plate, etc.

[0085] The foldable electronic device 100 includes a foldable screen 50 , a first structural component 20 , a second structural component 30 and a hinge mechanism 10 .

[0086] The foldable screen 50 is used to display images, videos, and other information. The foldable screen 50 can be an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screen, a micro organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screen, a quantum dot light-emitting diode (QLED) screen, a liquid crystal display (LCD), and the like.

[0087] The folding screen 50 has a display area for displaying image information. The display area of the folding screen 50 is exposed to facilitate presenting images, videos and other information to the user. The folding screen 50 includes a first display area 501, a second display area 502 and a third display area 503. The third display area 503 is connected between the first display area 501 and the second display area 502. Figure 1In the illustrated foldable electronic device 100, the foldable screen 50 is in the unfolded state, with the first display area 501, the third display area 503, and the second display area 502 arranged sequentially along the X-axis. Thus, the foldable electronic device 100 folds in the horizontal direction. In other embodiments, when the foldable screen 50 is in the unfolded state, the first display area 501, the third display area 503, and the second display area 502 may also be arranged sequentially along the Y-axis. Thus, the foldable electronic device 100 folds in the vertical direction. When the foldable screen 50 is in the unfolded state, a large-screen display can be achieved, providing users with richer information and a better user experience.

[0088] At least the third display area 503 of the folding screen 50 is a flexible screen structure. In this way, the third display area 503 can be bent and deformed when subjected to external force, so that the folding screen 50 can bend and deformed. Figure 1 The first display area 501 and the second display area 502 of the folding screen 50 can be a flexible screen structure, a hard screen structure, or a partially flexible screen structure and a partially hard screen structure, which is not specifically limited here.

[0089] See also Figure 2 , Figure 2 for Figure 1 , a structural diagram of the foldable electronic device 100 when it is in a folded state is shown in the figure, and the foldable screen 50 in the foldable electronic device 100 is also in a folded state. Specifically, when the foldable screen 50 is in the folded state, the first display area 501 and the second display area 502 of the foldable screen 50 are approximately parallel and opposite to each other. It should be noted that when the angle between the first display area 501 and the second display area 502 is within 30°, it can be considered that the first display area 501 and the second display area 502 are approximately parallel. The first display area 501 and the second display area 502 are opposite to each other means that the display surface of the first display area 501 and the display surface of the second display area 502 face each other.

[0090] When the folding screen 50 is in the folded state, please continue to refer to Figure 2The third display area 503 is folded into a teardrop shape. In this shape, the third display area 503 includes an arc segment 5031, a first transition segment 5032, and a second transition segment 5033. The first transition segment 5032 connects between the arc segment 5031 and the first display area 501. The second transition segment 5033 connects between the arc segment 5031 and the second display area 502. The distance between the end of the first transition segment 5032 connecting to the first display area 501 and the end of the second transition segment 5033 connecting to the second display area 502 is a first distance d1. The distance between the end of the first transition segment 5032 connecting to the arc segment 5031 and the end of the second transition segment 5033 connecting to the arc segment 5031 is a second distance d2, which is greater than the first distance d1. It is understood that when the foldable electronic device 100 is in the folded state, the third display area 503 of the foldable screen 50 can also be folded into other shapes according to actual needs, and this application does not limit this.

[0091] Please continue reading Figure 1 and Figure 2 The first structural member 20 includes a first shell 201 (also called a main shell), the second structural member 30 includes a second shell 301 (also called a sub-shell), and the hinge mechanism 10 is connected between the first shell 201 and the second shell 301. The first shell 201, the second shell 301 and the hinge mechanism 10 constitute a support structure, which is used to support the folding screen 50. Specifically, the first shell 201 carries the first display area 501, the second shell 301 carries the second display area 502, and the hinge mechanism 10 carries the third display area 503. The hinge mechanism 10 is used to realize the rotation between the second shell 301 and the first shell 201 to support the folding screen 50 between the unfolded state and the folded state.

[0092] When the foldable electronic device 100 is in the folded state, please continue to refer to Figure 2 The supporting structure is protected outside the folding screen 50, and the folding screen 50 is invisible to the user, which can prevent the folding screen 50 from being scratched by hard objects. The foldable electronic device 100 is an inward-folding folding screen device, and the size of the foldable electronic device 100 is reduced, which is convenient to carry.

[0093] In the above embodiment, optionally, see Figure 3 and Figure 4 ,in Figure 3 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the foldable electronic device 100 in a state between the unfolded state and the folded state, wherein the electrical connector 40 is not shown; Figure 4 for Figure 3The exploded view of the foldable electronic device 100 shown in FIG. 1 is shown after removing the folding screen 50, wherein the electrical connector 40 is not shown. The first housing 201 may include a first middle frame 2011 and a first back cover 2012 connected together. The first display area 501 of the folding screen 50 is carried on the first middle frame 2011. The first back cover 2012 is located on the side of the first middle frame 2011 away from the first display area 501, and the first back cover 2012 can be replaced with a display screen (such as an LCD display screen). A first accommodating cavity is formed between the first middle frame 2011 and the first back cover 2012. The first accommodating cavity is used to accommodate electronic components such as the first circuit board 202, the camera module (not shown), and the first battery 203. On this basis, the first housing 201 can be connected to the hinge mechanism 10 with the help of the first middle frame 2011, or it can be connected to the hinge mechanism 10 with the help of the first back cover 2012. The following embodiments are described as an example of the first housing 201 being connected to the hinge mechanism 10 with the help of the first middle frame 2011.

[0094] In addition, the first structural member 20 of the embodiment of the present application further includes a first electronic component, which is disposed within the first housing 201. The first electronic component can be any of the electronic components housed within the first housing cavity, such as the first circuit board 202, the camera module, and the first battery 203. In the following embodiments of the present application, the first electronic component is exemplified as the first circuit board 202.

[0095] Likewise, please continue to see Figure 3 and Figure 4 , the second shell 301 may also include a second middle frame 3011 and a second back cover 3012 connected together, the second display area 502 of the folding screen 50 is carried on the second middle frame 3011, and the second back cover 3012 is located on the side of the second middle frame 3011 away from the second display area 502, and the second back cover 3012 may also be replaced with a display screen (such as an LCD display screen). A second accommodating cavity is formed between the second middle frame 3011 and the second back cover 3012, and the second accommodating cavity is used to accommodate electronic components such as the second circuit board 302, the speaker module, the array, and the second battery 303. On this basis, the second shell 301 can be connected to the hinge mechanism 10 with the help of the second middle frame 3011, and can also be connected to the hinge mechanism 10 with the help of the second back cover 3012. The following embodiments are explained by taking the second shell 301 as an example of connecting the hinge mechanism 10 with the help of the second middle frame 3011.

[0096] In addition, the second structural member 30 of the present embodiment further includes a second electronic component, which is disposed within the second housing 301. This second electronic component can be any of a second circuit board 302, a speaker module, a speaker array, a second battery 303, or other electronic components housed within the cavity of the second housing 301. In the following embodiments of the present application, the second electronic component is exemplified by the second circuit board 302.

[0097] It should be noted that the first circuit board 202, the first battery 203, the second circuit board 302 and the second battery 303 are all located inside the foldable electronic device 100. Figure 3 The outlines are shown in dashed lines.

[0098] See also Figure 5 , Figure 5 for Figure 1 The foldable electronic device 100 is shown in a schematic diagram of its structure when it is in a folded state, wherein part of the structure of the hinge mechanism 10 is hidden to reveal its internal structure. The hinge mechanism 10 includes a base 101, a hinge cover 102 and a door panel assembly 103.

[0099] The base 101 provides a positional reference within the hinge mechanism 10. The first middle frame 2011 and the second middle frame 3011 are rotatably connected to the base 101. The first middle frame 2011 and the second middle frame 3011 can rotate relative to the base 101 to allow the foldable electronic device 100 to move between the unfolded state and the folded state. In some embodiments, the hinge mechanism 10 may further include a first swing arm (not shown) and a second swing arm (not shown). The first middle frame 2011 may be rotatably connected to the base 101 via the first swing arm. Specifically, the first middle frame 2011 may be in transmission connection with the first swing arm, which is rotatably connected to the base 101.

[0100] Among them, the "transmission connection" described in this embodiment and the following embodiments means that among the two connected components, the movement of one component can be transmitted to the other component, and the connection method between the two components can be a fixed connection, or it can include but is not limited to at least one of the connection methods such as rotating connection, sliding connection, gear meshing transmission connection, sprocket transmission connection, and cam mechanism transmission connection.

[0101] Similarly, the second middle frame 3011 can be rotatably connected to the base 101 by means of a second swing arm. Specifically, the second middle frame 3011 is transmission-connected to the second swing arm, and the second swing arm is rotatably connected to the base 101.

[0102] The first middle frame 2011 and the second middle frame 3011 can rotate relative to the base 101 via the first swing arm and the second swing arm, respectively, to allow the foldable electronic device 100 to move between an unfolded state and a folded state. When the foldable electronic device 100 is in the unfolded state, the first swing arm, the first middle frame 2011, the second swing arm, and the second middle frame 3011 are all in the unfolded position; when the foldable electronic device 100 is in the folded state, the first swing arm, the first middle frame 2011, the second swing arm, and the second middle frame 3011 are all in the folded position.

[0103] The shaft cover 102 is fixed to the back side of the base 101. It should be noted that the back side of the base 101 refers to the side of the base 101 facing away from the folding screen 50. The "back side" used in the following embodiments to describe other components within the hinge mechanism 10 refers to the side of the described component facing away from the folding screen 50, and will not be repeated in the following embodiments. Based on this, the "front side" used in the following embodiments to describe various components within the hinge mechanism 10 refers to the side of the described component facing the folding screen 50.

[0104] The shaft cover 102 serves as the appearance part (i.e., the part visible from the outside) of the hinge mechanism 10, and is used to cover the base 101 in the hinge mechanism 10 and the moving parts connected to the base 101 (not shown in the figure) to ensure the appearance of the folding screen 50 device and prevent the relative movement between the moving parts in the hinge mechanism 10 and the base 101 from being interfered with by the outside world.

[0105] Typically, the shaft cover 102 is fixedly connected to the base 101. This connection method is stable and simple to implement, and the relative positions of the shaft cover 102 and the base 101 are fixed. During the folding process of the foldable electronic device 100, the shaft cover 102 always covers the back of the base 101 and the moving parts connected to the base 101, thereby effectively preventing the relative movement between the moving parts in the hinge mechanism 10 and the base 101 from being disturbed by external factors.

[0106] According to the above description, the shaft cover 102 is an appearance part of the hinge mechanism 10. In order to ensure the appearance of the foldable electronic device 100 during the movement between the unfolded state and the folded state, in some embodiments, refer to Figure 5The first middle frame 2011 and the second middle frame 3011 both have an overlapping portion C, which can also be provided on the first back cover 2012 and the second back cover 3012. There is a certain overlap between the overlapping portion C and the shaft cover 102. When the foldable electronic device 100 moves from the unfolded state to the folded state, the overlap gradually decreases; when the foldable electronic device 100 moves from the folded state to the unfolded state, the overlap gradually increases. During the movement of the foldable electronic device 100 between the unfolded state and the folded state, the minimum overlap is the overlap when the foldable electronic device 100 is in the folded state. The minimum overlap should be greater than or equal to 0 millimeters (mm) to avoid forming a step difference between the overlapping portion C and the shaft cover 102, thereby preventing the internal moving parts of the hinge mechanism 10 from being exposed.

[0107] The base 101 can have a variety of shapes and can be a single integral structure or assembled from multiple parts. The shaft cover 102 can be semicircular, arc-shaped, U-shaped, or other shapes. The materials of the base 101 and the shaft cover 102 include, but are not limited to, metal and plastic.

[0108] See also Figure 6 and Figure 7 , Figure 6 for Figure 5 A partial structural diagram of a foldable electronic device 100 is shown in FIG, wherein the foldable screen 50 is in a folded state; Figure 7 for Figure 5 A partial structural diagram of a foldable electronic device 100 is shown in FIG, wherein the folding screen 50 is in an unfolded state.

[0109] The door panel assembly 103 may include a lifting door panel 1033 , a first rotating door panel 1031 , and a second rotating door panel 1032 .

[0110] The first rotating door panel 1031 , the second rotating door panel 1032 and the lifting door panel 1033 are all disposed on the front side of the base 101 , and the first rotating door panel 1031 and the second rotating door panel 1032 are disposed on opposite sides of the lifting door panel 1033 .

[0111] The first rotating door panel 1031 and the second rotating door panel 1032 can both rotate relative to the base 101 to allow the folding screen 50 to switch between the unfolded state and the folded state. Furthermore, when the hinge mechanism 10 switches between the unfolded state and the folded state, the first rotating door panel 1031 and the second rotating door panel 1032 rotate in opposite directions. Specifically, the first rotating door panel 1031 and the second rotating door panel 1032 rotating in opposite directions can include the following two states:

[0112] The first state: folding screen 50 Figure 6 The folded state shown switches to Figure 7During the unfolded state shown, the first rotating door panel 1031 and the second rotating door panel 1032 rotate away from each other;

[0113] The second state: Folding screen 50 by Figure 7 The expanded state shown switches to Figure 6 During the folding state shown, the first rotating door panel 1031 and the second rotating door panel 1032 rotate relative to each other.

[0114] During the rotation of the first rotating door panel 1031 and the second rotating door panel 1032, the lifting door panel 1033 can be in the first position (eg Figure 7 The position of the lifting door plate 1033 shown in the solid line) and the second position (as shown in the solid line Figure 7 The lifting door plate 1033 is moved up and down between the first and second rotating door plates 1031 and 1032 (shown by the dotted line), and the lifting door plate 1033 is closer to the shaft cover 102 in the second position than in the first position. In other words, during the rotation of the first and second rotating door plates 1031 and 1032, the lifting door plate 1033 can move toward or away from the shaft cover 102.

[0115] The first rotating door panel 1031 has a first supporting surface 10311, the second rotating door panel 1032 has a second supporting surface 10321, and the lifting door panel 1033 has a third supporting surface 10331. Figure 7 In the unfolded state shown in , the lifting door panel 1033 is in the first position shown by the solid line, and the first supporting surface 10311, the second supporting surface 10321, and the third supporting surface 10331 are coplanar to support the third display area 503 of the foldable screen 50 in the unfolded state. Specifically, the first supporting surface 10311 is used to support the first transition section 5032, the second supporting surface 10321 is used to support the second transition section 5033, and the third supporting surface 10331 is used to support the arc section 5031.

[0116] When the folding screen 50 is Figure 7 The expanded state shown switches to Figure 6 In the folded state shown, the first rotating door panel 1031 and the second rotating door panel 1032 rotate relative to each other. Specifically, the ends of the first rotating door panel 1031 and the second rotating door panel 1032 away from the lifting door panel 1033 are close to each other, and the ends of the first rotating door panel 1031 and the second rotating door panel 1032 close to the lifting door panel 1033 are away from each other, so that the first support surface 10311 and the second support surface 10321 are opposite to each other. Figure 7 The expanded state shown is rotated to Figure 6 The angles of rotation in the folded state shown are and rotation angle and Thus, a nearly triangular accommodation space is formed between the first rotating door panel 1031, the second rotating door panel 1032 and the lifting door panel 1033, and the bent form of the third display area 503 of the folding screen 50 is accommodated in the accommodation space, and the third display area 503 of the folding screen 50 is folded into a teardrop shape. In some other embodiments, the rotation angle and The angle may also be less than or equal to 90 degrees, so as to fold the third display area 503 into other shapes, which is not specifically limited in this application.

[0117] In addition, during the relative rotation of the first rotating door panel 1031 and the second rotating door panel 1032, the lifting door panel 1033 is Figure 7 The first position shown by the solid line moves to Figure 7 At the second position, indicated by the dashed line, the lift door plate 1033 moves closer to the shaft cover 102. This movement of the lift door plate 1033 toward the shaft cover 102 creates more space for the third display area 503 of the foldable screen 50. This allows the space within the hinge mechanism 10 to accommodate the folded foldable screen 50 while reducing the overall thickness of the device. This increases the radius of curvature at the bend of the foldable screen 50 and reduces the risk of damage to the foldable screen 50 due to compression.

[0118] On the contrary, when the folding screen 50 is Figure 6 The folded state shown switches to Figure 7 In the unfolded state shown, the first rotating door panel 1031 and the second rotating door panel 1032 rotate away from each other to unfold the third display area 503 of the folding screen 50. Figure 7 The second position shown by the dotted line moves to Figure 7 At the first position shown by the solid line, the lifting door plate 1033 moves in a direction away from the shaft cover 102 so that the first support surface 10311, the second support surface 10321 and the third support surface 10331 are coplanar to jointly support the third display area 503 of the folding screen 50.

[0119] It should be noted that the lifting door panel 1033 can be along Figure 7 The lifting movement is performed in the direction indicated by the arrow F to switch between the first position and the second position. The direction indicated by the arrow F is parallel to the Z axis.

[0120] Based on the above description of the structure of the hinge mechanism 10 of the present application, as well as the description of the motion relationship between the various components of the hinge mechanism 10, it can be seen that in the hinge mechanism 10 provided in the present application, not only can the lifting door panel 1033 be lifted and lowered relative to the base 101, but the first and second rotating door panels 1031, 1032, as well as the first and second swing arms can also rotate relative to the base 101. The present application does not specifically limit the possible ways in which the lifting door panel 1033, the first and second rotating door panels 1031, 1032, and the first and second swing arms can move relative to the base 101, and these can be arbitrarily selected as needed. For example:

[0121] In some examples, one end of the first swing arm is rotatably connected to the base 101, the other end of the first swing arm is fixedly connected to the first middle frame 2011, one end of the first rotating door plate 1031 is rotatably connected to the first swing arm, and the other end of the first rotating door plate 1031 is slidably connected to the base 101; one end of the second swing arm is rotatably connected to the base 101, the other end of the second swing arm is fixedly connected to the second middle frame 3011, one end of the second rotating door plate 1032 is rotatably connected to the second swing arm, and the other end of the second rotating door plate 1032 is slidably connected to the base 101. The base 101, the first swing arm, and the first rotating door plate 1031 constitute a crank-sliding mechanism. When an external force acts on the first swing arm to cause it to rotate relative to the base 101, due to the rotational coordination between the first rotating door plate 1031 and the first swing arm, and the sliding coordination between the first rotating door plate 1031 and the base 101, the rotation of the first swing arm also drives the first rotating door plate 1031 to move relative to the base 101. Similarly, the base 101, the second swing arm, and the second rotating door plate 1032 also form a crank-sliding mechanism. When an external force acts on the second swing arm to cause it to rotate relative to the base 101, due to the rotational coordination between the second rotating door plate 1032 and the second swing arm, and the sliding coordination between the second rotating door plate 1032 and the base 101, the rotation of the second swing arm also drives the second rotating door plate 1032 to move relative to the base 101.

[0122] When the first rotating door panel 1031 and the second rotating door panel 1032 rotate relative to the base 101, the lifting door panel 1033 is lifted and lowered relative to the base 101. Based on this, the rotating shaft mechanism 10 may include a driving structure for driving the lifting door panel 1033 to move up and down. When the first rotating door panel 1031 and the second rotating door panel 1032 rotate toward each other, the driving structure drives the lifting door panel 1033 to move toward the second position close to the shaft cover 102; when the first rotating door panel 1031 and the second rotating door panel 1032 rotate away from each other, the driving structure drives the lifting door panel 1033 to move toward the first position away from the shaft cover 102.

[0123] In some embodiments of the present application, the driving structure may include a first driving structure for driving the lifting door plate 1033 to move from a first position toward a second position (i.e., moving toward a direction close to the shaft cover 102), and a second driving structure for driving the lifting door plate 1033 to move from the second position toward the first position (i.e., moving toward a direction away from the shaft cover 102).

[0124] The first driving structure may be a retractable pulling member. For example, the first driving structure may be a spring.

[0125] The second drive structure may be an electric drive structure (eg, a linear motor); or the second drive structure may be a hydraulic drive structure (eg, a hydraulic cylinder); or the second drive structure may be a pneumatic drive structure (eg, an air cylinder).

[0126] In the embodiment described above, the movement of the lifting door panel 1033 from the second position toward the first position (i.e., toward the direction away from the shaft cover 102) is driven by the provision of a second driving structure. This would increase the structural complexity of the hinge mechanism 10. To simplify the structure of the hinge mechanism 10 and facilitate implementation, in other embodiments, one or more of the moving first swing arm, second swing arm, first rotating door panel 1031, and second rotating door panel 1032 are utilized to generate a force on the lifting door panel 1033 to cause the lifting door panel 1033 to move from the second position toward the first position (i.e., toward the direction away from the shaft cover 102). The specific structure is not further described here.

[0127] See also Figure 8 , Figure 8 After the foldable electronic device 100 provided in some embodiments of the present application hides the first back cover 2012 and the second back cover 3012, a top view of the foldable screen 50 is viewed from the side where the first back cover 2012 and the second back cover 3012 are located, wherein the foldable electronic device 100 is in an unfolded state. The foldable electronic device 100 also includes an electrical connector 40, which is used to connect the first electronic component (for example, the first circuit board 202) in the first shell 201 and the second electronic component (for example, the second circuit board 302) in the second shell 301 to realize the interaction of electrical signals between the first structural member 20 and the second structural member 30 to meet communication, power supply and other requirements.

[0128] Specifically, the electrical connector 40 has a first end 4001 and a second end 4002. In order to achieve electrical connection between the first electronic component and the second electronic component, the electrical connector 40 usually needs to pass through the hinge mechanism 10 so that the first end 4001 of the electrical connector 40 can be located in the first shell 201 to be electrically connected to the first electronic component, and the second end 4002 of the electrical connector 40 can be located in the second shell 301 to be electrically connected to the second electronic component.

[0129] Understandably, since the hinge mechanism 10 needs to switch between an unfolded state and a folded state, the electrical connector 40 will bend and deform when the hinge mechanism 10 operates. To ensure the service life and reliability of the electrical connector 40, the electrical connector 40 is typically a flexible component. For example, the electrical connector 40 may be a flexible printed circuit (FPC) or a structure formed by braiding flexible material and wires.

[0130] It should be noted that the “through-axis” described in the following embodiments of this application refers to the electrical connector 40 passing through the rotating shaft mechanism 10 so that both ends of the electrical connector 40 are located in the first shell 201 and the second shell 301 respectively.

[0131] When the electrical connector 40 is inserted into the shaft, it generally passes through the gap between the base 101 and the shaft cover 102. Figure 9 , Figure 9 for Figure 8 In the cross-sectional view of the foldable electronic device 100 along line AA shown in the figure, the base 101 includes a base through-axis section 1011, and the shaft cover 102 includes a shaft cover through-axis section 1021. The base through-axis section 1011 and the shaft cover through-axis section 1021 are arranged opposite to each other along the direction of the Z axis. A through-axis gap 10a is formed between the base through-axis section 1011 and the shaft cover through-axis section 1021, and the through-axis gap 10a is used to pass the electrical connector 40. That is, when the electrical connector 40 is threaded through the shaft, the first end 4001 of the electrical connector 40 can be passed through the threading gap 10a so that the first end 4001 passes from the side of the rotating shaft mechanism 10 close to the second shell 301 to the side of the rotating shaft mechanism 10 close to the first shell 201, and the second end 4002 does not need to pass through the threading gap 10a but is located on the side of the rotating shaft mechanism 10 close to the second shell 301, so that the first end 4001 and the second end 4002 of the electrical connector 40 can be respectively located on both sides of the rotating shaft mechanism 10, and further, the two ends of the electrical connector 40 can be respectively extended into the first shell 201 and the second shell 301 to be electrically connected to the first electronic component and the second electronic component respectively. It can be understood that after the electrical connector 40 is threaded through the shaft, at least a portion of the electrical connector 40 is threaded into the threading gap 10a.

[0132] According to the description in the above embodiment, and in conjunction with Figure 10 and Figure 11 , Figure 10 for Figure 8 FIG is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of the foldable electronic device 100 when the folding screen 50 is in a folded state, wherein Figure 10 Only the partial structure of the foldable electronic device 100 in the area where the base through-shaft section 1011 is located is shown; Figure 11 for Figure 10 The foldable electronic device 100 shown in the figure is a cross-sectional view taken along the XZ plane. In order to ensure the normal lifting and lowering of the lifting door plate 1033, a movable space needs to be reserved for the lifting door plate 1033 in the rotating shaft mechanism 10. In order to avoid the lifting door plate 1033, the base 101 generally needs to be set at a position far away from the folding screen 50. The electrical connector 40 needs to pass through the back side of the base 101. Therefore, the position where the electrical connector 40 is inserted into the rotating shaft mechanism 10 must not only avoid the lifting door plate 1033, but also avoid the base 101. Therefore, the position where the electrical connector 40 is inserted into the rotating shaft mechanism 10 is far away from the folding screen 50, resulting in a longer overall length of the electrical connector 40.

[0133] Based on this, and in addition, with the trend of continuous thinning of the entire device, when the folding screen 50 is in the unfolded state, the redundancy of the electrical connector 40 increases. Figure 12 , Figure 12 for Figure 8 In the partial cross-sectional view of the foldable electronic device 100 taken along the XZ plane at the instability front edge shown in FIG, the redundancy of the electrical connector 40 is accommodated between the first rotating door plate 1031 and the first middle frame 2011, and between the second rotating door plate 1032 and the second middle frame 3011. When the electrical connector 40 is in a bent state, it exerts abutting force on the first rotating door plate 1031 and the first middle frame 2011, as well as on the second rotating door plate 1032 and the second middle frame 3011. It can be understood that the greater the redundancy of the electrical connector 40, the greater the abutting force of the electrical connector 40 on the first rotating door plate 1031 and the second rotating door plate 1032 when the electrical connector 40 is in a bent state.

[0134] For further information, please refer to Figure 12 Combined with Figure 13 , Figure 13 for Figure 8 As shown in the partial cross-sectional view of the foldable electronic device 100 cut along the XZ plane after instability, since the position of the electrical connector 40 in the penetration gap 10a is far away from the folding screen 50, the electrical connector 40 continues to extend toward the folding screen 50 after passing through the penetration gap 10a, so that the first bending form of the electrical connector 40 after passing through the penetration gap 10a directly abuts against the end of the first rotating door plate 1031 and the second rotating door plate 1032 close to the lifting door plate 1033 (as shown in FIG. Figure 13In the embodiment of the present invention, the first rotating door panel 1031 and the second rotating door panel 1032 are positioned near the lifting door panel 1033 under the pressure of the electrical connector 40, thereby causing the folding screen 50 to arch, thereby causing light and shadow and mold imprint on the inner screen. In addition, when the folding screen 50 is in the unfolded state, the pressure of the electrical connector 40 on the first rotating door panel 1031 and the second rotating door panel 1032 increases, and the position of the electrical connector 40 passing through the rotating shaft mechanism 10 is far away from the folding screen 50, resulting in the first bending form of the electrical connector 40 after passing through the penetration gap 10a being relatively unstable. The bending form of the electrical connector 40 will suddenly change and become unstable, thereby generating abnormal noise and shaking.

[0135] In order to solve the above technical problems, in some embodiments of the present application, please refer to Figure 14-17 , Figure 14 A schematic diagram of a partial structure of a foldable electronic device 100 provided in some embodiments of the present application when the folding screen 50 is in an unfolded state; Figure 15 for Figure 14 A cross-sectional view of the foldable electronic device 100 cut along the XZ plane shown in FIG. Figure 16 for Figure 14 A structural diagram of the foldable electronic device 100 shown in FIG. 1 when the folding screen 50 is in a folded state; Figure 17 for Figure 16 In the cross-sectional view of the foldable electronic device 100 cut along the XZ plane, at least the base through-axis section 1011 of the base 101 is provided with an avoidance structure 101aa. That is, the avoidance structure 101aa may be provided only in the base through-axis section 1011 of the base 101, or may be provided at other locations of the base 101 except the base through-axis section 1011. Figure 14-17 FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a partial structure of the foldable electronic device 100 in the area where the base through-axis section 1011 is located.

[0136] When the lifting door plate 1033 is at the first position (away from the shaft cover 102), refer to Figure 14-15 As shown in FIG, the lifting door plate 1033 is located at the front side of the base through-shaft section 1011; when the lifting door plate 1033 is located at the second position (close to the position of the shaft cover 102), refer to FIG. Figure 16-17As shown in FIG, at least a portion of the lifting door panel 1033 is accommodated within the avoidance structure 101aa. That is, at least the base shaft-penetrating section 1011 is provided with the avoidance structure 101aa for avoiding the lifting door panel 1033. When the lifting door panel 1033 is in the second position, by accommodating at least a portion of the lifting door panel 1033 within the avoidance structure 101aa, interference between the lifting door panel 1033 and the base shaft-penetrating section 1011 can be avoided, ensuring normal lifting of the lifting door panel 1033. This can reduce the distance between the base shaft-penetrating section 1011 and the folding screen 50, and further reduce the distance between the position of the electrical connector 40 within the penetration gap 10a and the folding screen 50.

[0137] It can be understood that the overall length of the electrical connector 40 is determined based on the folding screen 50 being in the folded state. Figure 17 and Figure 11 By comparison, it can be seen that when the folding screen 50 is in the folded state, the closer the position of the electrical connector 40 in the penetration gap 10a is to the folding screen 50, the shorter the overall length of the electrical connector 40 is.

[0138] Further, Figure 15 and Figure 12 By comparison, it can be seen that the shorter the overall length of the electrical connector 40 is, the smaller the redundancy of the electrical connector 40 is when the folding screen 50 is in the unfolded state. Therefore, when the electrical connector 40 is in the bent state, the pushing force on the first rotating door panel 1031 and the second rotating door panel 1032 is reduced, thereby reducing the risk of the first rotating door panel 1031 and the second rotating door panel 1032 being lifted up.

[0139] Furthermore, the comparison Figure 15 and Figure 12 It can also be known that the closer the position of the electrical connector 40 in the penetration gap 10a is to the folding screen 50, when the folding screen 50 is in the unfolded state, the electrical connector 40 extends in the direction away from the folding screen 50 after passing through the penetration gap 10a, the better the wire outlet method is, and the risk of instability of the electrical connector 40 in the bent state is reduced. In addition, the first bent state of the electrical connector 40 after passing through the penetration gap 10a will not abut the end of the first rotating door panel 1031 and the second rotating door panel 1032 close to the lifting door panel 1033. The positions where the first rotating door panel 1031 and the second rotating door panel 1032 abut the electrical connector 40 are both located at the end away from the lifting door panel 1033 (such as Figure 15The position indicated by the arrow K2 in the middle of the figure is shown). Since the positions where the first and second rotating door panels 1031, 1032 abut against the electrical connector 40 are both located at the ends away from the lifting door panel 1033, and the ends of the first and second rotating door panels 1031, 1032 away from the lifting door panel 1033 are generally connected to a mechanism for restricting their movement, and this mechanism has a limiting effect on the first and second rotating door panels 1031, 1032, the abutment of the electrical connector 40 against the ends of the first and second rotating door panels 1031, 1032 away from the lifting door panel 1033 will not cause the first and second rotating door panels 1031, 1032 to be lifted up, thereby causing the risk of light shadows or mold marks on the inner screen.

[0140] In addition, compared Figure 17 and Figure 11 It can be seen that, under the premise that the original other dimensions remain unchanged, the closer the position of the electrical connector 40 in the penetration gap 10a is to the folding screen 50, the curvature of the wall of the base through-shaft section 1011 facing the penetration gap 10a, and the curvature of the wall of the shaft cover through-shaft section 1021 facing the penetration gap 10a can be flatter. Then, when the folding screen 50 is in the folded state, the curvature of the arc section of the electrical connector 40 opposite to the penetration gap 10a is flatter. Figure 15 and Figure 12 It can be understood that when the folding screen 50 is in the unfolded state, the base shaft section 1011 and the shaft cover shaft section 1021 can limit the outlet shape of the electrical connector 40. The flatter the curvature of the base shaft section 1011 and the shaft cover shaft section 1021, the flatter the outlet shape of the electrical connector 40 after passing through the gap 10a (compare Figure 15 Arrows P2 and Figure 12 As shown in the arrow P1), the farther the part where the electrical connector 40 abuts the first rotating door panel 1031 and the second rotating door panel 1032 is from the lifting door panel 1033, and the more stable the wire output shape of the electrical connector 40 is, the less likely it will become unstable and cause abnormal noise and shaking.

[0141] As can be seen from the above, in the hinge mechanism 10 of the embodiment of the present application, by providing at least the base shaft-penetrating section 1011 of the base 101 with an avoidance structure 101aa, when the lifting door plate 1033 is in the second position (close to the shaft cover 102), at least a portion of the lifting door plate 1033 is accommodated within the avoidance structure 101aa. This reduces the distance between the base shaft-penetrating section 1011 and the folding screen 50 while ensuring normal lifting of the lifting door plate 1033. Furthermore, the distance between the position of the electrical connector 40 within the penetration gap 10a and the folding screen 50 can be reduced. As a result, the overall length of the electrical connector 40 can be reduced, thereby reducing the redundancy of the electrical connector 40 when the folding screen 50 is in the unfolded state. When the electrical connector 40 is in the bent state, the force exerted on the first and second rotating door plates 1031, 1032 is reduced, thereby reducing the risk of the first and second rotating door plates 1031, 1032 being lifted. Furthermore, the first and second rotating door panels 1031, 1032 abut the electrical connector 40 at ends away from the lifting door panel 1033, further reducing the risk of the first and second rotating door panels 1031, 1032 being lifted by the electrical connector 40 and causing shadows or stenciling on the inner screen. Furthermore, the electrical connector 40 provides a stable outlet, preventing instability and the generation of unusual noises and vibrations.

[0142] In some embodiments of this application, please refer back to Figure 9 The electrical connector 40 includes a first connecting portion 401, a second connecting portion 402, and a third connecting portion 403. The third connecting portion 403 is located between the first connecting portion 401 and the second connecting portion 402. The third connecting portion 403 is located in the through-gap 10a and is connected to the shaft cover 102. The first connecting portion 401 is located between the first end 4001 and the third connecting portion 403, and the first connecting portion 401 is located in the first housing 201 and is connected to the first middle frame 2011. The second connecting portion 402 is located between the second end 4002 and the third connecting portion 403, and the second connecting portion 402 is located in the second housing 301 and is connected to the second middle frame 3011.

[0143] By connecting the first connection portion 401 to the first middle frame 2011, the electrical connector 40 is fixed at the first connection portion 401 relative to the first housing 201. By connecting the second connection portion 402 to the second middle frame 3011, the electrical connector 40 is fixed at the second connection portion 402 relative to the second housing 301. By connecting the third connection portion 403 to the shaft cover 102, the electrical connector 40 is fixed at the third connection portion 403 relative to the shaft cover 102. This achieves three-point positional fixation of the electrical connector 40. When the folding screen 50 switches between the unfolded and folded states, the electrical connector 40 does not experience a large range of positional fluctuations. Furthermore, when the folding screen 50 is in the unfolded state, the bending shape of the electrical connector 40 is relatively stable.

[0144] In addition, it can be understood that the first end 4001 and the first connecting portion 401 of the electrical connector 40 are both located within the first housing 201, and both the first end 4001 and the first connecting portion 401 are fixed relative to the first housing 201. In this way, when the folding screen 50 switches between the unfolded state and the folded state, the portion of the electrical connector 40 from the first connecting portion 401 to the first end 4001 is fixed relative to the first housing 201, and its own length and shape do not change, and its position within the first housing 201 does not change. In this way, the connection between the first end 4001 and the first electronic component is more stable and reliable. Similarly, the connection between the second end 4002 and the second electronic component is also more stable and reliable.

[0145] In some other examples, the first connection portion 401 may also be connected to the first back cover 2012. This application does not impose any specific limitation, as long as the first connection portion 401 is connected to the first housing 201 so that the first connection portion 401 and the first housing 201 are relatively fixed.

[0146] Similarly, in some other examples, the second connection portion 402 may also be connected to the second back cover 3012. It is sufficient to ensure that the second connection portion 402 is connected to the second housing 301 so that the second connection portion 402 and the second housing 301 are relatively fixed.

[0147] In some other examples, the third connection portion 403 may also be connected to the base 101 , as long as the third connection portion 403 is fixed in the penetration gap 10 a .

[0148] In some other embodiments, the electrical connector 40 may include only one or two of the first connecting portion 401 , the second connecting portion 402 , and the third connecting portion 403 .

[0149] Further, see Figure 17The first connecting portion 401 is connected to the first reinforcing piece 4011, and the first reinforcing piece 4011 is connected to the first middle frame 2011. In other words, the first connecting portion 401 is indirectly connected to the first middle frame 2011 via the first reinforcing piece 4011. It is understood that the electrical connector 40 is a flexible component. By connecting the first reinforcing piece 4011 to the first connecting portion 401, the strength and hardness of the first connecting portion 401 can be enhanced, facilitating the connection between the first connecting portion 401 and the first middle frame 2011.

[0150] The material of the first reinforcing member 4011 can be arbitrarily selected as needed. For example, the first reinforcing member 4011 can be a metal member, and for example, the first reinforcing member 4011 can be a steel sheet, etc. This ensures that the first reinforcing member 4011 has high structural strength and hardness, and a good reinforcing effect. Of course, the first reinforcing member 4011 can also be a non-metallic member, and for example, the first reinforcing member 4011 can be a plastic member, which is lightweight and low-cost.

[0151] Furthermore, the connection method between the first reinforcing member 4011 and the first connecting portion 401, and between the first reinforcing member 4011 and the first middle frame 2011, can be arbitrarily selected as needed. For example, the first reinforcing member 4011 and the first connecting portion 401, and the first reinforcing member 4011 and the first middle frame 2011, can both be connected by gluing. For example, the first reinforcing member 4011 and the first connecting portion 401 can be bonded together using conductive adhesive, while the first reinforcing member 4011 and the first middle frame 2011 can be connected using adhesive or dispensing. This connection method is simple, easy to operate, and highly reliable.

[0152] Please continue reading Figure 17 The second connecting portion 402 is connected to the second reinforcing piece 4021, which is connected to the second middle frame 3011. The third connecting portion 403 is connected to the third reinforcing piece 4031, which is connected to the shaft cover 102. In this way, the second connecting portion 402 is indirectly connected to the second middle frame 3011 via the second reinforcing piece 4021, and the third connecting portion 403 is connected to the shaft cover 102 via the third reinforcing piece 4031.

[0153] By setting the second reinforcement piece 4021, the strength and hardness of the second connection part 402 can be enhanced, which facilitates the connection between the second connection part 402 and the second middle frame 3011; by setting the third reinforcement piece 4031, the strength and hardness of the third connection part 403 can be enhanced, which facilitates the connection between the third connection part 403 and the shaft cover 102.

[0154] The material of the second reinforcing member 4021, the connection method between the second reinforcing member 4021 and the second connecting part 402 and the second middle frame 3011, as well as the material of the third reinforcing member 4031, the connection method between the third reinforcing member 4031 and the third connecting part 403 and the shaft cover 102 can all refer to the material of the first reinforcing member 4011 and the connection method between the first reinforcing member 4011 and the first connecting part 401 and the first middle frame 2011 mentioned above, and will not be repeated here.

[0155] In some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 18 , Figure 18 for Figure 15 In the partially enlarged view of the foldable electronic device 100 shown in FIG, the outer contour of the cross-section of the shaft cover through-shaft segment 1021 perpendicular to the rotation axis of the hinge mechanism 10, facing the through-shaft gap 10a, includes a first line segment 1021a and a second line segment 1021b. In the lifting direction of the lift door 1033, the first line segment 1021a is directly opposite the lift door 1033. The first line segment 1021a can be parallel to the plane of the display surface of the unfolded foldable screen 50. The second line segment 1021b is connected to one end of the first line segment 1021a and extends away from the first line segment 1021a toward the front of the shaft cover through-shaft segment 1021. The angle M1 between the line connecting the center of the first line segment 1021a and the endpoint of the second line segment 1021b away from the first line segment 1021a and the line on which the first line segment 1021a lies is less than or equal to 10 degrees. Illustratively, the angle M1 may be 10 degrees, 9.774 degrees, 9 degrees, 8 degrees, 7 degrees, 6 degrees, 5 degrees, 4 degrees, 3 degrees, 2 degrees, or 1 degree, etc.

[0156] The electrical connector 40 can be connected to the first line segment 1021a. By aligning the first line segment 1021a with the plane of the display surface of the unfolded foldable screen 50, not only is production and processing facilitated, but also the connection between the third connecting portion 403 and the shaft cover 102 is facilitated. This allows for a better fit between the third connecting portion 403 and the shaft cover 102, resulting in a more reliable connection. Furthermore, by ensuring that the angle M1 is less than or equal to 10 degrees, interference between the shaft cover passing through the shaft segment 1021 and the electrical connector 40 can be avoided, thereby preventing the electrical connector 40 from interfering with the wire exiting the gap 10a.

[0157] For further information, please refer to Figure 18In the lifting direction of the lifting door plate 1033, the distance H1 between the endpoints of the first line segment 1021a and the second line segment 1021b away from the first line segment 1021a ranges from 0.3mm to 0.6mm. In other words, the range of the distance H1 is greater than or equal to 0.3mm and less than or equal to 0.6mm. Exemplarily, the distance H1 can be 0.3mm, 0.35mm, 0.40mm, 0.45mm, 0.50mm, 0.551mm or 0.60mm. In this way, interference between the shaft cover through the shaft segment 1021 and the electrical connector 40 can be further avoided, which may affect the wire outlet shape of the electrical connector 40 after passing through the penetration gap 10a.

[0158] The second line segment 1021b may be formed as an arc, a straight line, or a multi-segment line.

[0159] For further information, please refer to Figure 18 The outer contour of the cross section of the base shaft-through section 1011 perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rotating shaft mechanism 10, facing the through-gap 10a, includes a third line segment 1011a and a fourth line segment 1011b. In the lifting direction of the lifting door panel 1033, the third line segment 1011a is directly opposite the lifting door panel 1033 and is parallel to the first line segment 1021a. The fourth line segment 1011b is connected to one end of the third line segment 1011a and extends toward the front of the base shaft-through section 1011 in a direction away from the third line segment 1011a. The angle M2 between the line connecting the two endpoints of the fourth line segment 1011b and the third line segment 1011a is less than or equal to 30 degrees. For example, the angle M2 can be 30 degrees, 28 degrees, 28.197 degrees, 26 degrees, 24 degrees, 22 degrees, or 20 degrees.

[0160] By making the third line segment 1011a parallel to the first line segment 1021a, the accommodation space of the threading gap 10a is made more uniform, making threading easier. By making the range of the angle M2 less than or equal to 30 degrees, the outer contour of the base threading shaft segment 1011 facing the electrical connector 40 is made flatter, which can limit the wire exit shape of the electrical connector 40 after passing through the threading gap 10a, making the wire exit shape of the electrical connector 40 better, so that the electrical connector 40 extends in a direction away from the folding screen 50 after passing through the threading gap 10a, thereby preventing the electrical connector 40 from abutting the end of the first rotating door panel 1031 and the second rotating door panel 1032 near the lifting door panel 1033.

[0161] For further information, please refer to Figure 18In the lifting direction of the lifting door plate 1033, the distance H2 between the third line segment 1011a and the endpoint of the fourth line segment 1011b away from the third line segment 1011a ranges from 0.4 mm to 0.8 mm. That is, the distance H2 is greater than or equal to 0.4 mm and less than or equal to 0.8 mm. Exemplarily, the distance H2 can be 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.55 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.7 mm or 0.8 mm. In this way, the flatness of the outer contour of the base through-shaft segment 1011 facing the through-gap 10a can be better ensured, thereby making the outlet shape of the electrical connector 40 better after passing through the through-gap 10a.

[0162] The third line segment 1011a may be formed as an arc, a straight line, or a multi-segment line.

[0163] In some embodiments of this application, please continue to refer to Figure 17 The avoidance structure 101aa is a through hole that penetrates the base 101 in the front-to-back direction. This is not only convenient for processing, but also allows the avoidance structure 101aa to have a larger space to avoid in the lifting direction of the lifting door plate 1033. Figure 16-17 , the lifting door plate 1033 can be accommodated in the through hole; in some other embodiments, in the second position, the lifting door plate 1033 can not only be accommodated in the through hole, but at least a portion of the lifting door plate 1033 can also pass through the through hole to the through gap 10a, thereby making the avoidance space larger.

[0164] See also Figure 19-20 , Figure 19 for Figure 14 Schematic diagram of the structure of the foldable electronic device 100, wherein the shaft cover 102, the base 101, the lifting door plate 1033 and the electrical connector 40 are matched, wherein the shaft cover 102, the base 101 and the lifting door plate 1033 are shown as their overall structure; Figure 20 for Figure 19 In the exploded view of the foldable electronic device 100 shown in FIG, the base 101 includes the above-mentioned base through-shaft section 1011, and also includes a base body section 1012. The base body section 1012 is connected to the base through-shaft section 1011. Specifically, the base body section 1012 includes a first base body section 10121 and a second base body section 10122. The first base body section 10121, the base through-shaft section 1011, and the second base body section 10122 are sequentially connected along a reference direction. The reference direction is a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the rotating shaft mechanism 10, that is, Figure 19-20The direction of the Y axis shown in . The base shaft-penetrating section 1011 is used for passing the shaft, and the base body section 1012 can be used to connect other components in the rotating shaft mechanism 10. For example, the base body section 1012 can be used to connect the first swing arm and the second swing arm. By connecting the base shaft-penetrating section 1011 between the first base body section 10121 and the second base body section 10122, the overall structural strength of the base 101 can be improved. In some other examples, the base shaft-penetrating section 1011 can also be provided on the base body section 1012 along the reference direction (i.e. Figure 19-20 One end of the Y-axis shown in the figure).

[0165] In some embodiments, the base 101 can be used as a structural unit. That is, the base 101 can be an integrally formed part, and the base shaft section 1011 and the base body section 1012 are integrally formed. The integrally formed base 101 has a higher structural strength and high processing efficiency. In other embodiments, the base 101 can be assembled from multiple parts. For example, the base shaft section 1011 and the base body section 1012 are separately processed and formed, and then the base shaft section 1011 and the base body section 1012 are connected together. This helps to simplify the mold structure of the base 101, reduce the difficulty of forming the base 101, and further reduce the difficulty of processing and manufacturing the base 101.

[0166] Correspondingly, please refer to Figure 19-20 The shaft cover 102 includes the shaft cover through-shaft section 1021 and the shaft cover body section 1022. The shaft cover body section 1022 is connected to the shaft cover through-shaft section 1021. The shaft cover body section 1022 includes a first shaft cover body section 10221 and a second shaft cover body section 10222. The reference direction (i.e. Figure 19-20 The first shaft cover body section 10221 is opposite to the first base body section 10121, and the second shaft cover body section 10222 is opposite to the second base body section 10122. In some other examples, the shaft cover through-shaft section 1021 can also be provided on the shaft cover body section 1022 along the reference direction (i.e. Figure 19-20 One end of the Y-axis shown in the figure).

[0167] In some embodiments, the shaft cover 102 can be used as a structural unit. That is, the shaft cover 102 can be an integrally formed part, and the shaft cover through-shaft section 1021 and the shaft cover body section 1022 are formed by integral processing. The integrally formed shaft cover 102 has a higher structural strength and high processing efficiency. In other embodiments, the shaft cover 102 can be assembled from multiple parts. For example, the shaft cover through-shaft section 1021 and the shaft cover body section 1022 are formed by separate processing, and then the shaft cover through-shaft section 1021 and the shaft cover body section 1022 are connected together. This helps to simplify the mold structure of the shaft cover 102, reduce the molding difficulty of the shaft cover 102, and further reduce the processing and manufacturing difficulty of the shaft cover 102.

[0168] In some embodiments of this application, please continue to refer to Figure 19-20 The through hole extends along the reference direction and passes through the two end faces of the base 101 along the reference direction, wherein the reference direction is a direction parallel to the axis of the rotating shaft mechanism 10, that is, Figure 19-20 In other words, the through hole runs through the length of the base 101. The avoidance structure 101aa is provided on both the base shaft section 1011 and the base body section 1012. This makes the overall structure of the base 101 simple and easy to manufacture.

[0169] In other embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 21 , Figure 21 This diagram illustrates the structure of the foldable electronic device 100, including the shaft cover 102, base 101, lift door 1033, and electrical connector 40, in some embodiments of the present application. The lift door 1033 is in a first position, and only the base shaft-through section 1011 has a through hole. In other words, in this embodiment, only the base shaft-through section 1011 is provided with the avoidance structure 101aa, while the base body section 1012 is not. This not only satisfies the avoidance requirement for the lift door 1033, but also enhances the overall structural strength of the base 101.

[0170] Further, see Figure 22-23 , Figure 22 for Figure 21 Schematic diagram of the structure of the cooperation between the base 101 and the lifting door plate 1033 of the foldable electronic device 100 shown in FIG, wherein the lifting door plate 1033 is in the second position; Figure 23 for Figure 21 In the structural diagram of the base 101 of the foldable electronic device 100 shown in FIG, the front wall surface of the base through-axis section 1011 protrudes forward from the front wall surface of the base body section 1012.

[0171] In this way, at least a portion of the avoidance space defined by the through hole provided in the base shaft-through section 1011 is located on the front side of the front wall surface of the base body section 1012. When the lifting door plate 1033 is in the second position, the portion of the lifting door plate 1033 opposite to the base shaft-through section 1011 can be accommodated in the through hole, and the portion of the lifting door plate 1033 opposite to the base body section 1012 will not interfere with the front wall surface of the base body section 1012.

[0172] The height difference h between the front wall of the base body section 1012 and the front wall of the base shaft section 1011 can be set based on the thickness required for the lift door plate 1033 to be accommodated within the through-hole. For example, the height difference h between the front wall of the base body section 1012 and the front wall of the base shaft section 1011 can be greater than or equal to the thickness d of the lift door plate 1033. In this way, the entire portion of the lift door plate 1033 facing the base shaft section 1011 can be accommodated within the through-hole, providing more space for avoidance.

[0173] For further information, please refer to Figure 22-23 The base shaft section 1011 includes a central wall panel 1011aa, a first side wall panel 1011bb and a second side wall panel 1011cc. The first side wall panel 1011bb and the second side wall panel 1011cc are respectively connected to both sides of the central wall panel 1011aa, and extend toward the front side of the central wall panel 1011aa in a direction away from the central wall panel 1011aa. In the lifting direction of the lifting door panel 1033, the lifting door panel 1033 is opposite to the central wall panel 1011aa, and the through hole passes through the central wall panel 1011aa but does not pass through the first side wall panel 1011bb and the second side wall panel 1011cc.

[0174] In this way, on the one hand, the base shaft section 1011 can be connected to the base body section 1012 through the first side wall plate 1011bb and the second side wall plate 1011cc, thereby ensuring the overall structural strength of the base 101; on the other hand, the first side wall plate 1011bb and the second side wall plate 1011cc can also be used to limit the wire outlet shape of the electrical connector 40 after passing through the penetration gap 10a, so that the wire outlet shape of the electrical connector 40 is better and the wire outlet shape is more stable.

[0175] Further, see Figure 24-25 , Figure 24 for Figure 21 An exploded view of the foldable electronic device 100 shown in FIG. Figure 25 for Figure 21Schematic diagram of the structure of the cooperation between the electrical connector 40 and the base 101 of the foldable electronic device 100 shown in the figure, the back side of the base body section 1012 protrudes backward from the back side of the base through-axis section 1011 to form a forward-concave groove 10111 on the back side of the base through-axis section 1011, and at least a portion of the through-gaps 10a are located in the groove 10111.

[0176] By making the back side of the base body section 1012 protrude backward from the back side of the base through-axis section 1011, on the one hand, the thickness of the base body section 1012 can be guaranteed to ensure the structural strength of the base body section 1012, and on the other hand, a forward-concave groove 10111 can be formed on the back side of the base through-axis section 1011, and at least a portion of the through-axis gap 10a is located in the groove 10111. At least a portion of the electrical connector 40 can be accommodated in the groove 10111, so that the distance between the electrical connector 40 and the folding screen 50 will not be affected by the thickness of the base body section 1012.

[0177] Furthermore, the front wall surface of the shaft cover through-shaft section 1021 protrudes toward the base 101 compared to the front wall surface of the shaft cover body section 1022. This can prevent the through-shaft gap 10a from being too large, causing the electrical connector 40 to move within the through-shaft gap 10a. In addition, when the third connection portion 403 of the electrical connector 40 described in the above embodiment is connected to the shaft cover through-shaft section 1021, there is no need to provide an additional lifting member between the third connection portion 403 and the shaft cover through-shaft section 1021 to ensure that the position of the third connection portion 403 fixed within the through-shaft gap 10a is closer to the folding screen 50. Of course, the present application is not limited to this. In some other embodiments, a lifting member can also be provided on the front side wall of the shaft cover through-shaft section 1021. The lifting member is located within the through-shaft gap 10a, and the third connection portion 403 of the electrical connector 40 is connected to the lifting member, thereby ensuring that the position of the third connection portion 403 fixed within the through-shaft gap 10a is closer to the folding screen 50.

[0178] In other embodiments of the present application, the relief structure 101aa is a relief groove (not shown) recessed from the front wall of the base 101 toward the shaft cover 102. When the lift door plate 1033 is in the second displacement position, at least a portion of the lift door plate 1033 is accommodated within the relief groove. By forming the relief structure 101aa as a groove, the lift door plate 1033 can be avoided while maintaining the overall structural strength of the base 101.

[0179] In some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figure 26 , Figure 26This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of the foldable electronic device 100 provided in some embodiments of the present application, wherein the hinge mechanism 10 comprises a base 101, a hinge cover 102 fixed to the back side of the base 101, and a lift door 1033. The hinge cover 102 comprises a hinge through-shaft section 1021. The lift door 1033 is located on the front side of the base 101 and is movable between a first position and a second position. In the second position, the lift door 1033 is closer to the hinge cover 102 than in the first position. A through-shaft gap 10a is formed between the lift door 1033 and the hinge through-shaft section 1021. The through-shaft gap 10a is used to pass the electrical connector 40. In the direction of raising and lowering the lift door 1033, the through-shaft gap 10a is not opposite the base 101.

[0180] That is, in this embodiment, in the lifting direction of the lifting door plate 1033 (such as Figure 26 In the direction of the Z-axis shown in FIG, the base 101 is not provided in the area directly opposite the electrical connector 40. In other words, the base 101 is offset from the electrical connector 40. Thus, a gap 10a for inserting the electrical connector 40 is formed between the lift door plate 1033 and the shaft cover inserting section 1021. Therefore, when the electrical connector 40 is inserted into the shaft, it only needs to avoid the lift door plate 1033, not the base 101. This also reduces the distance between the electrical connector 40 and the folding screen 50.

[0181] As a result, the overall length of the electrical connector 40 can be reduced, thereby reducing the redundancy of the electrical connector 40 when the folding screen 50 is in the unfolded state. When the electrical connector 40 is in the bent state, the force exerted on the first and second rotating door panels 1031, 1032 is reduced, thereby reducing the risk of the first and second rotating door panels 1031, 1032 being lifted. In addition, the first and second rotating door panels 1031, 1032 abut the electrical connector 40 at the end away from the lifting door panel 1033, further reducing the risk of the first and second rotating door panels 1031, 1032 being lifted by the electrical connector 40, causing light shadows or mold marks on the inner screen. Furthermore, the electrical connector 40 has a stable wire outlet configuration, preventing instability and the generation of abnormal noise and shaking.

[0182] For some optional examples, see Figure 26 The base 101 includes a first base section 101a and a second base section 101b. The first base section 101a and the second base section 101b are spaced apart along a reference direction. In the lifting direction of the lifting door plate 1033, the gap 10a is provided at a position corresponding to the gap between the first base section 101a and the second base section 101b. The reference direction is a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the rotating shaft mechanism 10 (e.g., Figure 26 In this way, the overall length of the base 101 can be guaranteed while avoiding the electrical connector 40, thereby ensuring that the connections between the components in the hinge mechanism 10 are not affected.

[0183] For some alternative examples, see Figure 27 , Figure 27 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the coordination between the shaft cover 102, base 101, lift door plate 1033, and electrical connector 40 of a foldable electronic device 100 according to some embodiments of the present application. The gap 10a is located at one end of the base 101 along the reference direction. This allows for the electrical connector 40 to be avoided while simplifying the overall structure of the base 101 and facilitating fabrication.

[0184] In the description of this specification, specific features, structures, materials or characteristics may be combined in an appropriate manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0185] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. A rotating shaft mechanism, characterized in that: include: A base and a shaft cover fixed to the back side of the base, the base including a base shaft-penetrating section, the shaft cover including a shaft-penetrating section, a penetration gap being formed between the base shaft-penetrating section and the shaft cover shaft-penetrating section, the penetration gap being used for passing an electrical connector, and at least the base shaft-penetrating section of the base being provided with an avoidance structure; A lifting door plate, the lifting door plate can be raised and lowered between a first position and a second position, the lifting door plate being closer to the shaft cover in the second position than in the first position, the lifting door plate being located in front of the base shaft section when the lifting door plate is in the first position, and at least a portion of the lifting door plate being accommodated in the avoidance structure when the lifting door plate is in the second position.

2. The rotating shaft mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The avoidance structure is a through hole that penetrates the base in the front-to-back direction.

3. The rotating shaft mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: The through hole extends along a reference direction and passes through two end surfaces of the base along the reference direction, wherein the reference direction is a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the rotation shaft mechanism.

4. The rotating shaft mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: The base further includes a base body section connected to the base through-shaft section, and only the base through-shaft section is provided with the through hole.

5. The rotating shaft mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that: The front wall surface of the base shaft-through section protrudes forward from the front wall surface of the base body section.

6. The rotating shaft mechanism according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that: The back surface of the base body section protrudes backward from the back surface of the base shaft-penetrating section to form a forward-concave groove on the back side of the base shaft-penetrating section, and at least a portion of the penetration gap is located in the groove.

7. The rotating shaft mechanism according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that: The base shaft-through section includes a central wall panel, a first side wall panel and a second side wall panel, wherein the first side wall panel and the second side wall panel are respectively connected to both sides of the central wall panel and extend toward the front side of the central wall panel in a direction away from the central wall panel. In the lifting direction of the lifting door panel, the lifting door panel is opposite to the central wall panel, and the through hole passes through the central wall panel but does not pass through the first side wall panel and the second side wall panel.

8. The rotating shaft mechanism according to any one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that: The shaft cover also includes a shaft cover body section connected to the shaft cover through-shaft section, the shaft cover body section is opposite to the base body section, and the front wall surface of the shaft cover through-shaft section protrudes toward the base compared to the front wall surface of the shaft cover body section.

9. The rotating shaft mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The outer contour of the cross section of the shaft cover through-shaft section perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rotating shaft mechanism and facing the through-shaft gap includes: a first line segment and a second line segment. In the lifting direction of the lifting door panel, the first line segment is directly opposite to the lifting door panel, and the second line segment is connected to one end of the first line segment and extends toward the front side of the shaft cover through-shaft section in a direction away from the first line segment. The angle M1 between a line connecting the center of the first line segment and an endpoint of the second line segment away from the first line segment and the straight line where the first line segment is located is less than or equal to 10 degrees.

10. The rotating shaft mechanism according to claim 9, characterized in that: In the lifting direction of the lifting door panel, a distance H1 between the first line segment and an end point of the second line segment away from the first line segment ranges from 0.3 mm to 0.6 mm.

11. The rotating shaft mechanism according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that: The outer contour of the cross section of the base shaft-penetrating section perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rotating shaft mechanism and facing the penetration gap includes: a third line segment and a fourth line segment. In the lifting direction of the lifting door panel, the third line segment is directly opposite to the lifting door panel. The fourth line segment is connected to one end of the third line segment and extends toward the front side of the base shaft-penetrating section in a direction away from the third line segment. The included angle M2 between the line connecting the two endpoints of the fourth line segment and the third line segment is less than or equal to 30 degrees.

12. The rotating shaft mechanism according to claim 11, characterized in that: In the lifting direction of the lifting door panel, a distance H2 between the third line segment and an end point of the fourth line segment away from the third line segment ranges from 0.4 mm to 0.8 mm.

13. The rotating shaft mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The avoidance structure is a avoidance groove that is recessed from the front wall surface of the base toward the shaft cover.

14. A rotating shaft mechanism, characterized in that: include: A base and a shaft cover fixed on the back side of the base, wherein the shaft cover includes a shaft cover through-shaft section; a lifting door plate, the lifting door plate being located at the front side of the base, the lifting door plate being movable between a first position and a second position, the lifting door plate being closer to the shaft cover in the second position than in the first position; A penetration gap is formed between the lifting door plate and the shaft cover through-shaft section, and the penetration gap is used for penetrating an electrical connector. In addition, in the lifting direction of the lifting door plate, the penetration gap is not opposite to the base.

15. The rotating shaft mechanism according to claim 14, characterized in that: The base includes a first base segment and a second base segment, and the first base segment and the second base segment are spaced apart along a reference direction. In the lifting direction of the lifting door panel, the penetration gap is opposite to the spacing position between the first base segment and the second base segment, wherein the reference direction is a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the rotating shaft mechanism.

16. The rotating shaft mechanism according to claim 14, characterized in that: The penetration gap is located at one end of the base along the reference direction.

17. The rotating shaft mechanism according to any one of claims 14 to 16, characterized in that: The shaft cover further comprises a shaft cover body section, wherein the shaft cover body section is connected to the shaft cover through-shaft section, and a front wall surface of the shaft cover through-shaft section protrudes toward the base compared to the front wall surface of the shaft cover body section.

18. A foldable electronic device, characterized in that: include: a first structural member, the first structural member comprising a first housing and a first electronic component disposed in the first housing; a second structural member, the second structural member comprising a second housing and a second electronic component disposed in the second housing; a rotating shaft mechanism, wherein the rotating shaft mechanism is the rotating shaft mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 17, and the rotating shaft mechanism is connected between the first shell and the second shell; An electrical connector, at least a portion of which is passed through the passing gap, and the electrical connector has a first end and a second end, the first end is located in the first shell to be electrically connected to the first electronic component, and the second end is located in the second shell to be electrically connected to the second electronic component.

19. The foldable electronic device according to claim 18, wherein: The electrical connector includes a first connecting portion, a second connecting portion, and a third connecting portion located between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion, wherein the third connecting portion is located in the penetration gap and connected to the shaft cover. The first connection portion is located between the first end and the third connection portion, and is connected to the first shell. The second connection portion is located between the second end and the third connection portion, and is connected to the second shell.

20. The foldable electronic device according to claim 18 or 19, characterized in that: It also includes a folding screen, which includes a first display area, a second display area and a third display area. The third display area is connected between the first display area and the second display area. The first shell carries the first display area, the second shell carries the second display area, and the hinge mechanism carries the third display area.

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