Folding device and electronic equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a folding device and electronic equipment. The folding device comprises a base, a rotating part, a connecting mechanism and a friction mechanism. One end of the rotating piece is rotationally connected with the base, the rotating piece is provided with an abutting portion, the connecting mechanism is rotationally or slidably connected with the other end of the rotating piece, and the friction mechanism is arranged on the connecting mechanism. When the folding device is in the unfolded state, the friction mechanism is closer to the base than the abutting part. In the folding process of the folding device, the rotating piece rotates relative to the base, and the connecting mechanism and the friction mechanism move in the direction away from the base. When the folding device is in a folded state, the friction mechanism abuts against the abutting part. By matching the friction mechanism on the connecting mechanism with the abutting part on the rotating part, the self-locking function in the folded state can be achieved, compared with the prior art, a magnet can be omitted, the stacking space of the whole machine can be increased, the reliability problem caused by foreign matter adsorption by the magnet is reduced, the reliability is improved, and the competitive power of the whole machine is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application belongs to the technical field of folding devices, and in particular relates to folding devices and electronic devices. Background Art

[0002] Competition in the mobile terminal industry is increasingly trending towards larger, thinner screens. However, these larger screens often make the device bulky and inconvenient to carry. Foldable electronic devices, which can change their size by folding, offer a solution to this problem and are now popular with users. Currently, magnets are typically installed on the housing of electronic devices to achieve self-locking when folded together. However, these magnets occupy stacking space and affect the layout of other components, hindering the trend towards miniaturization. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, a first aspect of the present application provides a folding device, comprising:

[0004] base;

[0005] a rotating member, one end of which is rotatably connected to the base, and the rotating member is provided with an abutting portion;

[0006] a connecting mechanism, the connecting mechanism being rotatably or slidably connected to the other end of the rotating member; and

[0007] A friction mechanism is provided on the connecting mechanism. When the folding device is in the unfolded state, the friction mechanism is closer to the base than the abutment portion. During the folding process of the folding device, the rotating member rotates relative to the base, and the connecting mechanism and the friction mechanism move in a direction away from the base. When the folding device is in the folded state, the friction mechanism abuts against the abutment portion.

[0008] The folding device provided in the first aspect of the present application can realize the unfolding and folding of the folding device through the cooperation of the base, the rotating member, and the connecting mechanism. In addition, during the folding process of the folding device, the connecting mechanism can not only rotate relative to the base along with the rotating member, but also slide in a direction away from the base, that is, the connecting mechanism slides outward to facilitate the movement of other components. The present application can also provide an abutment portion on the rotating member and a friction mechanism on the connecting mechanism, and when the folding device is in the unfolded state, the friction mechanism is closer to the base than the abutment portion, that is, the friction mechanism is arranged inwardly and the abutment portion is arranged outwardly, so that in the unfolded state, the friction mechanism and the abutment portion are spaced apart and do not contact each other.

[0009] Thus, when the folding device is folded, the connecting mechanism slides outward, causing the friction mechanism to slide outward as well. Since the rotating member and the abutting portion thereon only rotate relative to the base and do not move relative to the base, the friction mechanism gradually approaches the abutting portion. When the folding device is in the folded state, the friction mechanism abuts the abutting portion. The mutual abutment between the friction mechanism and the abutting portion generates friction between the friction mechanism and the abutting portion, thereby providing a torque, realizing a self-locking function. When the entire device is unfolded, a certain amount of force is required to open it, thereby improving the stability in the folded state.

[0010] In summary, the present invention achieves a self-locking function in the folded state by cooperating with the friction mechanism on the connecting mechanism and the abutment portion on the rotating member. Therefore, compared to the related art, the magnet can be omitted, which helps to increase the stacking space of the entire device, reduce the reliability issues caused by foreign matter attracted by the magnet, improve reliability, and enhance the competitiveness of the entire device.

[0011] A second aspect of the present application provides an electronic device, which includes a flexible screen and a folding device as provided in the first aspect of the present application, wherein the flexible screen is provided on the folding device.

[0012] The electronic device provided in the second aspect of the present application can omit the magnets in the related art by adopting the folding device provided in the first aspect of the present application, and utilizes the friction mechanism on the connecting mechanism to cooperate with the abutment portion on the rotating part to achieve a self-locking function in the folded state, which is beneficial to increasing the stacking space of the entire machine, reducing reliability problems caused by foreign matter adsorbed by the magnet, improving reliability, and enhancing the competitiveness of the entire machine. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the embodiments of the present application will be described below.

[0014] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the folding device in an embodiment of the present application when it is in an unfolded state.

[0015] Figure 2 for Figure 1 An exploded view of the folding device is shown.

[0016] Figure 3 for Figure 1 The folding device shown is a schematic cross-sectional view along the AA direction.

[0017] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A partially enlarged cross-sectional schematic diagram of the folding device is shown.

[0018] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the folding device in one embodiment of the present application when the left and right sides are folded 45 degrees.

[0019] Figure 6 for Figure 5 The cross-sectional schematic diagram of the folding device along the BB direction is shown.

[0020] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A partially enlarged cross-sectional schematic diagram of the folding device is shown.

[0021] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the folding device in one embodiment of the present application when it is in a folded state.

[0022] Figure 9 for Figure 8 The folding device shown is a schematic cross-sectional view along the CC direction.

[0023] Figure 10 for Figure 9 A partially enlarged cross-sectional schematic diagram of the folding device is shown.

[0024] Figure 11 for Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the rotating part and friction mechanism in the folding device shown.

[0025] Figure 12 for Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the rotating part and friction mechanism in the folding device shown.

[0026] Figure 13 for Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the rotating part and friction mechanism in the folding device shown.

[0027] Figure 14 This is an exploded view of the friction mechanism in one embodiment of the present application.

[0028] Figure 15 Another embodiment of this application Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the rotating part and friction mechanism in the folding device shown.

[0029] Figure 16 Another embodiment of this application Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the rotating part and friction mechanism in the folding device shown.

[0030] Figure 17 Another embodiment of this application Figure 10 Schematic diagram of the rotating part and friction mechanism in the folding device shown.

[0031] Figure 18 Schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the friction member in one embodiment of the present application.

[0032] Figure 19 for Figure 13The diagram shows a partially enlarged cross-section of the rotating part and the friction mechanism.

[0033] Figure 20 This is a schematic diagram of the rotating member and the friction mechanism when the folding device is in a folded state in another embodiment of the present application.

[0034] Figure 21 for Figure 20 Exploded view of the rotating parts and friction mechanism shown.

[0035] Figure 22 This is an exploded view of a portion of the housing and the friction mechanism in one embodiment of the present application.

[0036] Figure 23 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the folding device in another embodiment of the present application when it is in the unfolded state.

[0037] Figure 24 for Figure 23 An exploded view of the folding device is shown.

[0038] Figure 25 for Figure 23 An exploded view of a track mechanism in a folding device is shown.

[0039] Figure 26 for Figure 23 A front view of the folding device is shown.

[0040] Figure 27 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the folding device in another embodiment of the present application when it is in a folded state.

[0041] Figure 28 for Figure 27 A front view of the folding device is shown.

[0042] Figure 29 Schematic diagram of the coordination of the base, the first rotating member, the second rotating member and the connecting member in one embodiment of the present application.

[0043] Figure 30 Schematic diagram of an exploded view of the base, the second rotating member, and the connecting member in one embodiment of the present application.

[0044] Figure 31 Schematic diagram of the exploded view of the second rotating member and part of the supporting member in one embodiment of the present application.

[0045] Figure 32 Schematic cross-sectional view of the base, the second rotating member, and the supporting member when the folding device is in the unfolded state in one embodiment of the present application.

[0046] Figure 33Schematic cross-sectional view of the base, the second rotating member, and the supporting member when the folding device is in a folded state in one embodiment of the present application.

[0047] Figure 34 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of an electronic device in an unfolded state according to one embodiment of the present application.

[0048] Figure 35 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of an electronic device in a folded state according to one embodiment of the present application.

[0049] Description of labels:

[0050] Folding device 1, screen space 1a, track mechanism 1b, electronic device 3, base 10, bottom surface 100, first rotation axis C1, second rotation axis C2, friction mechanism 20, friction member 21, second abutting surface 210, guide surface 211, snap groove 212, slider 213, elastic member 22, sleeve portion 23, first rotating member 30, rotating member 40', second rotating member 40, abutting portion 41, first abutting surface 410, snap protrusion 411, sliding block 42, rolling axis 43 , connecting mechanism-50', connecting part-50, back side-500, sliding groove-52, supporting part-60, supporting part-61, supporting surface-610, rolling part-62, rolling groove-620, first limiting end-621, second limiting end-622, first connecting part-623, second connecting part-624, supporting part-70, decorative part-71, shell-90, first part-91, receiving groove-910, sliding groove-9100, avoidance groove-911, second part-92, flexible screen-93, bending area-930, non-bending area-931. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] The following are preferred implementations of the present application. It should be noted that ordinary technicians in this technical field can make several improvements and modifications without departing from the principles of the present application. These improvements and modifications are also considered to be within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0052] With the market's demand for larger display areas for mobile phones, tablets, and other terminal products, competition in the mobile terminal industry is increasingly trending towards large and ultra-thin screens. However, large screens make the entire device too large and inconvenient to carry. The smartphone industry is ushering in an experience revolution brought about by form factor innovation. The display form of mobile phone products has evolved from the original rigid screen to flexible screens, from small screens to large screens, and from static mechanisms to dynamic mechanisms. Recently, major mobile phone manufacturers have been developing foldable screens, striving to expand the form and display boundaries of mobile phone products, making them capable of combining the functions of mobile phones, tablets, and even computers. As an electronic device with a new display form factor, foldable display terminals can be unfolded or closed due to their folding function. They have a larger display area when unfolded and a smaller overall size when folded, thus solving the above problems. They are now very popular among users.

[0053] Foldable screen smartphones are experiencing rapid growth, with manufacturers constantly striving for breakthroughs in overall device size. Existing designs for inward-folding devices require a self-locking function when folded to prevent unsuccessful unfolding. Currently, magnets are typically placed on the left and right housings, using magnetic attraction to hold them together when folded. This requires a certain amount of force to open the device, which is primarily composed of the magnetic attraction plus the torque of the folding mechanism, minus the screen's rebound force. Multiple pairs of magnets can be used, with a symmetrical design ensuring uniform magnetic attraction. However, the use of multiple magnets consumes stacking space and affects the layout of other components, hindering overall device miniaturization. For example, magnets can overlap with the camera, restricting camera placement. Magnets can also limit the placement and distance of speakers and motors. Furthermore, magnets are prone to attracting magnetic materials such as iron filings, which can compress the flexible screen when folded, causing failure and damage, reducing reliability.

[0054] In order to solve the above technical problems, this application provides a folding device. Please refer to Figures 1-11 The folding device 1 provided in this embodiment includes a base 10, a rotating member 40', a connecting mechanism 50', and a friction mechanism 20. One end of the rotating member 40' is rotatably connected to the base 10, and the rotating member 40' is provided with an abutment portion 41. The connecting mechanism 50' is rotatably or slidably connected to the other end of the rotating member 40', and the friction mechanism 20 is provided on the connecting mechanism 50'. When the folding device 1 is in the unfolded state, the friction mechanism 20 is closer to the base 10 than the abutment portion 41. During the folding process of the folding device 1, the rotating member 40' rotates relative to the base 10, and the connecting mechanism 50' and the friction mechanism 20 move in a direction away from the base 10. When the folding device 1 is in the folded state, the friction mechanism 20 abuts against the abutment portion 41.

[0055] The folding device 1, also known as a hinge or a rotating shaft, is primarily used in electronic products such as mobile phones, tablets, and computers. It can also be used in other non-electronic products that require a torque shaft, such as various mechanical structures like doors and windows. The folding device 1 provided in this embodiment primarily comprises a base 10, a rotating member 40', a connecting mechanism 50', and a friction mechanism 20. This means that this embodiment can solve the aforementioned technical problems using only the base 10, rotating member 40', connecting mechanism 50', and friction mechanism 20. However, in other embodiments, the folding device 1 may also include other components, such as a support member 60, a decorative member 71, a torque mechanism, a synchronization mechanism, and the like, to achieve different purposes. The synchronization mechanism ensures the synchronization of the left and right components during folding and unfolding, achieving symmetry between the movement of the two sides and the flexible screen 93, ensuring a seamless fit between the two flexible screens 93 when folded and a flat surface when unfolded. The torque mechanism is used to provide a damping effect during the movement of the folding device 1, ensuring a comfortable feel during product unfolding and folding. Furthermore, sufficient torque can enable the product to hover during movement, giving the product more playability and usage scenarios. Next, this embodiment will sequentially introduce the base 10 , the rotating member 40 ′, the connecting mechanism 50 ′, and the friction mechanism 20 in detail.

[0056] The base 10 is the foundational component of the folding device 1, primarily serving as a base for mounting and securing other components. Specifically, the various components of the folding device 1 can be mounted on the base 10. When the folding device 1 is in motion, the base 10 itself remains stationary, while the other components of the folding device 1 perform various movements. This embodiment does not impose any restrictions on the shape, structure, material, or other parameters of the base 10; as long as it provides a foundation for mounting the other components, any parameters are acceptable.

[0057] Optionally, the base 10 has a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side surface that is bent and connected between the top surface and the bottom surface. When the folding device 1 is subsequently applied to an electronic device, the top surface is close to the flexible screen of the electronic device, the bottom surface is away from the flexible screen, and the bottom surface can also be matched with a decorative part, and the decorative part is used to cover the base 10. In other words, the upper surface of the base 10 is the top surface, and the lower surface is the bottom surface. Further optionally, the top surface and the bottom surface are both flat, which is convenient for subsequent matching with other components. The side surface is a convex curved surface, which not only improves the appearance of the base 10, but also facilitates matching with decorative parts.

[0058] The rotating member 40' primarily rotates in the folding device 1, enabling the folding device 1 to fold and unfold. The rotation of the rotating member 40' drives and limits the movement of other components, allowing them to move along a predetermined trajectory. One end of the rotating member 40' is rotatably connected to the base 10 so that the rotating member 40' can rotate relative to the base 10. The other end of the rotating member 40' can subsequently be connected to other components, such as the connecting mechanism 50'. Furthermore, the rotating member 40' can also participate in functions such as torque and synchronization, meaning that the rotating member 40' can simultaneously perform multiple functions. This embodiment does not limit parameters such as the shape, structure, and material of the rotating member 40', as long as it can be rotatably connected to the base 10.

[0059] The rotation of the rotating member 40' enables the folding device 1 to have a variety of different states, such as an unfolded state and a folded state, wherein the unfolded state can be understood as the state when the rotating member 40' is completely flattened. At this time, the other end of the rotating member 40' is set corresponding to the side of the base 10, which can make the upper surface of the subsequent support member horizontally set, thereby making the flexible screen fully unfolded. The folded state can be understood as the state when the rotating member 40' is completely folded. At this time, the other end of the rotating member 40' is set corresponding to the top surface of the base 10, which can make the opposite ends of the subsequent flexible screen close to each other, and the flexible screen reaches a completely folded state. And the process of the rotating member 40' from the unfolded state to the folded state can be understood as the folding process of the folding device 1, and the process of the rotating member 40' from the folded state to the unfolded state can be understood as the unfolding process of the folding device 1.

[0060] In addition, an abutment portion 41 may be provided on the rotating member 40', and the abutment portion 41 is used to cooperate with the subsequent friction mechanism 20. This embodiment does not limit the parameters such as the shape, structure, material, and position of the abutment portion 41, as long as it can cooperate with the friction mechanism 20 to provide torque. Optionally, the abutment portion 41 is protruding from the side of the rotating member 40' away from the flexible screen, which is beneficial to optimize the space inside the folding device 1. Optionally, the rotating member 40' and the abutment portion 41 can be an integral structure or a split structure. This embodiment is only schematically described as the rotating member 40' and the abutment portion 41 being an integral structure. Optionally, the number of abutment portions 41 can be one, two, or more than two. This embodiment is only schematically described as having two abutment portions 41 on the rotating member 40'.

[0061] The connecting mechanism 50' mainly serves to connect the various components in the folding device 1. The connecting mechanism 50' may include only one component, such as the connecting member 50, or the connecting mechanism 50' may include multiple components, such as the connecting member 50 and the housing 90. This embodiment is not limited to this. This embodiment is only schematically described as the connecting mechanism 50' including both the connecting member 50 and the housing 90. The connecting mechanism 50' is connected to the other end of the rotating member 40' and cooperates with the rotating member 40' to form a lower pair, such as a sliding pair or a rotating pair. Therefore, the connecting mechanism 50' can be rotatably connected to the other end of the rotating member 40', or the connecting mechanism 50' can be slidably connected to the other end of the rotating member 40'. When there are multiple types of rotating members 40', one type of rotating member 40' can be rotatably connected to the connecting mechanism 50', and another type of rotating member 40' can be slidably connected to the connecting mechanism 50'.

[0062] Since the connecting mechanism 50' is connected to the rotating member 40', when the rotating member 40' rotates relative to the base 10, the connecting mechanism 50' also rotates relative to the base 10. At the same time, the connecting mechanism 50' can also move relative to the base 10 under the control of the rotating member 40'. For example, the connecting mechanism 50' is slidably connected to the rotating member 40'. When the connecting mechanism 50' rotates relative to the base 10, the connecting mechanism 50' can also move relative to the base 10. Specifically, during the folding process of the folding device 1, the connecting mechanism 50' moves in a direction away from the base 10, that is, the connecting mechanism 50' moves outward to facilitate the formation of the required screen space for accommodating the flexible screen. Conversely, during the unfolding process of the folding device 1, the connecting mechanism 50' moves in a direction close to the base 10, that is, the connecting mechanism 50' moves outward to reduce the width of the entire machine in the unfolded state. Therefore, the moving direction of the connecting mechanism 50' can also be understood as the width direction of the folding device 1.

[0063] In the related art, magnets are added to make the magnets on the left and right sides of the folding device 1 attract each other when it is in the folded state, thereby achieving self-locking. However, this will occupy the stacking space of the entire device and bring about reliability issues in the magnets attracting foreign objects. Therefore, in this embodiment, a friction mechanism 20 can be set on the connecting mechanism 50'. As the name suggests, the friction mechanism 20 can be a mechanism that contacts other components to generate friction. The friction mechanism 20 can include one component or multiple components, and this embodiment is not limited here. The friction mechanism 20 can be fixed to the connecting mechanism 50', or the friction mechanism 20 can slide relative to the connecting mechanism 50'. This embodiment is only schematically illustrated by the friction mechanism 20 sliding relative to the connecting mechanism 50'.

[0064] like Figure 4As shown, when the folding device 1 is in the unfolded state, the friction mechanism 20 is closer to the base 10 than the abutment portion 41, that is, the friction mechanism 20 is arranged inwardly and the abutment portion 41 is arranged outwardly, so that in the unfolded state, the friction mechanism 20 and the abutment portion 41 are spaced apart and do not contact each other, and the two will not interact with each other. Figure 7 As shown, during the folding process of the folding device 1, when the connecting mechanism 50' slides outward, the friction mechanism 20 also slides outward. Since the rotating member 40' and the abutting portion 41 thereon only rotate relative to the base 10 and do not move relative to the base 10, the friction mechanism 20 slides in the direction close to the abutting portion 41, so that the friction mechanism 20 gradually approaches the abutting portion 41. Figure 10-11 As shown, when the folding device 1 is in the folded state, the friction mechanism 20 moves in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the connecting mechanism 50' (as shown in FIG. Figure 4 、 Figure 7 、 Figure 10-11 (as shown in Figure D) abuts against the abutment portion 41. In other words, the friction mechanism 20 and the abutment portion 41 abut against each other in the longitudinal direction of the folding device 1. This abutment between the friction mechanism 20 and the abutment portion 41 exerts a certain pressure on the abutment portion 41, thereby generating friction between the friction mechanism 20 and the rotating member 40'. The direction of the frictional force is along the direction of movement of the connecting mechanism 50', and the frictional force then becomes a torsional force. Therefore, this frictional force hinders the reverse rotation of the rotating member 40', thus hindering the unfolding of the folding device 1. A certain amount of force is required to open the folding device 1, thus achieving a self-locking function and improving stability in the folded state.

[0065] In summary, this embodiment utilizes the characteristic of the connecting mechanism 50' moving away from the base 10 during folding. Through frictional engagement between the friction mechanism 20 on the connecting mechanism 50' and the abutment portion 41 on the rotating member 40', a self-locking function is achieved in the folded state. Compared to related art, magnets can be omitted, which helps increase overall stacking space, reduces reliability issues caused by magnets attracting foreign matter, improves reliability, and enhances the overall competitiveness of the device.

[0066] Alternatively, a rotating member 40', a connecting mechanism 50', and a friction mechanism 20 may constitute a single assembly, and the folding device 1 may include two assemblies, which are disposed on opposite sides of the base 10. In this way, both the left and right sides can achieve self-locking by utilizing the friction mechanism 20 and the abutment portion 41, so that the left and right sides of the folding device 1 will not unfold arbitrarily, but require a certain amount of force to open.

[0067] Alternatively, the two components and the base 10 may form a semi-axle structure, and the folding device 1 may include one or more semi-axle structures. When the folding device 1 includes multiple semi-axle structures, the multiple semi-axle structures are spaced apart along the length of the folding device 1. In other words, the folding device 1 also includes multiple friction mechanisms 20, and each rotating member 40' is provided with a corresponding abutment portion 41, which can add torque to further enhance the self-locking effect.

[0068] In this embodiment, the connecting mechanism 50' includes a shell 90 and a connecting member 50 fixed to the shell 90. The other end of the rotating member 40' is rotatably or slidingly connected to the connecting member 50. The shell 90 is used to fix the flexible screen. The friction mechanism 20 is arranged on at least one of the connecting member 50 and the shell 90.

[0069] The connecting mechanism 50' may include a connector 50 and a shell 90 at the same time. The connector 50 is mainly used to connect the various components in the folding device 1. For example, the other end of the rotating member 40' mentioned above can be rotatably or slidably connected to the connector 50. The connector 50 can be fixed to the shell 90 by welding, screw connection, bonding, etc. The shell 90 is mainly used to install and carry components. For example, a flexible screen can be carried on the shell 90, and functional modules such as batteries, PCB components, speakers, receivers, buttons, etc. can also be arranged in the shell 90. In some embodiments, the surface of the shell 90 can also serve as the appearance surface, so the surface of the shell 90 can be designed accordingly to give the shell 90 a unique appearance effect. This embodiment does not limit the parameters such as the shape, material, and structure of the shell 90, as long as the installation and protection functions can be achieved. For example, the material of the shell 90 can be all metal, or all plastic, or part metal and part plastic.

[0070] When the connecting member 50 rotates, the housing 90 rotates synchronously, and the rotating member 40' can also drive the connecting member 50 to move relative to the base 10. Therefore, the housing 90 fixed to the connecting member 50 can also move synchronously relative to the base 10. Therefore, the friction mechanism 20 mentioned above in this application can be provided on the connecting member 50, the housing 90, or both the connecting member 50 and the housing 90. This embodiment is only schematically described with the friction mechanism 20 provided on the housing 90. Disposing the friction mechanism 20 on the housing 90 facilitates the installation of the friction mechanism 20 and also facilitates the mutual cooperation between the friction mechanism 20 and the abutment portion 41 on the rotating member 40'.

[0071] Please refer to Figure 11-13In this embodiment, the friction mechanism 20 includes a friction member 21 and an elastic member 22 that abuts against the friction member 21. When the folding device 1 is in the unfolded state, the orthographic projections of the friction member 21 and the abutting portion 41 in the moving direction partially overlap. During the folding process of the folding device 1, when the connecting mechanism 50' moves a preset distance, the friction member 21 and the abutting portion 41 abut against each other in the moving direction. During the subsequent folding process, the friction member 21 slides away from the abutting portion 41 and compresses the elastic member 22, so that the abutting portion 41 and the elastic member 22 are located on opposite sides of the friction member 21. When the folding device 1 is in the folded state, the friction member 21 abuts against the abutting portion 41 perpendicular to the moving direction, and the elastic member 22 is farther away from the abutting portion 41 than the friction member 21 and is in a compressed state.

[0072] The friction member 21 is primarily used to abut against the abutting portion 41 on the rotating member 40', and the elastic member 22 is primarily used to provide elastic force to provide the friction member 21 with a force against the abutting portion 41, thereby generating friction between the friction member 21 and the abutting portion 41. Because the elastic member 22 has two different deformation states, and the connection and positional relationships among the abutting portion 41, the friction member 21, and the elastic member 22 are different for each deformation state, this embodiment is described using the elastic member 22 in a compressed state as an example.

[0073] The elastic member 22 may simply abut against the friction member 21. Alternatively, the elastic member 22 may be fixedly connected to the friction member 21 by gluing, welding, snapping, or other methods, tightly securing the elastic member 22 and the friction member 21 together. Alternatively, the elastic member 22 may be movably connected to the friction member 21 by sleeves, abutments, or other methods, allowing the elastic member 22 and the friction member 21 to be separated, as long as the elastic member 22 and the friction member 21 remain in contact. Furthermore, the abutment portion 41 and the elastic member 22 may be located on opposite sides of the friction member 21, i.e., the abutment portion 41 may be provided on one side of the friction member 21 and the elastic member 22 on the other side, providing a basis for compression of the elastic member 22.

[0074] like Figure 12As shown, when the folding device 1 is in the unfolded state, the orthographic projections of the friction member 21 and the abutment 41 in the direction of movement partially overlap (as indicated by the arrows in the figure). That is, along the direction of movement of the connecting mechanism 50', the friction member 21 and the abutment 41 are neither completely aligned nor completely staggered, but only partially overlap at their edges. This provides a basis for the abutment 41 to subsequently drive the friction member 21 to slide. At this point, the elastic member 22 can be in a balanced state, neither subject to pressure nor tension. The folding process of the folding device 1 can be divided into two stages: the first stage is when the friction member 21 is not in contact with the abutment 41, and the second stage is when the friction member 21 is in contact with the abutment 41. In the first stage, the folding device 1 begins to fold, and the friction member 21 gradually approaches the abutment 41. When the connecting mechanism 50' moves a predetermined distance, the friction member 21 abuts against the abutment 41, and the second stage begins.

[0075] It is worth noting that, since the friction member 21 and the abutting portion 41 partially overlap along the moving direction, the friction member 21 and the abutting portion 41 abut against each other in the moving direction when they first abut. In the subsequent folding process, the friction member 21 continues to move outward, and the abutting portion 41 can drive the friction member 21 to slide in a direction away from the abutting portion 41, that is, the friction member 21 gradually compresses the elastic member 22, so that the friction member 21 and the abutting portion 41 are staggered, so that the friction member 21 can abut against the abutting portion 41 in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction, as shown in FIG. Figure 13 As the elastic member 22 is continuously compressed, the rebound force of the elastic member 22 gradually increases. When the friction member 21 and the abutment portion 41 are completely offset, and as the friction member 21 moves outward, the friction member 21 can abut the abutment portion 41 in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction, and the elastic member 22 is in a compressed state, as shown in FIG. Figure 14 shown.

[0076] Therefore, when the folding device 1 is in the folded state, the abutment portion 41 and the elastic member 22 are located on opposite sides of the friction member 21, and the elastic member 22 is in a compressed state. The compressed elastic member 22 exerts a rebound force on the friction member 21 through one side, allowing the other side of the friction member 21 to abut against the abutment portion 41 and exert a certain pressure on the abutment portion 41, thereby generating friction and forming a torque, so that the entire device can be normally combined and self-locked, requiring a certain amount of force to open. Optionally, the elastic member 22 includes but is not limited to a spring, a spring, or a torsion spring.

[0077] In this embodiment, the friction mechanism 20 includes two friction members 21 and an elastic member 22 abutting between the two friction members 21. The rotating member 40' is provided with two abutting portions 41 spaced apart and perpendicular to the direction of movement. When the folding device 1 is in the folded state, the friction mechanism 20 is located between the two abutting portions 41, with one friction member 21 abutting one abutting portion 41, and the other friction member 21 abutting the other abutting portion 41.

[0078] The number of friction members 21 can be two, with the elastic member 22 abutting between the two friction members 21. The two friction members 21 and the elastic member 22 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the movement of the connecting mechanism 50'. The rotating member 40' can also be provided with two abutting portions 41, which are also spaced apart and perpendicular to the movement of the connecting mechanism 50'. Thus, during the movement of the folding device 1, the two abutting portions 41 respectively abut the two friction members 21 in the movement direction. During the subsequent folding process, the two friction members 21 are brought closer together, gradually compressing the elastic member 22, ultimately positioning the entire friction mechanism 20 between the two abutting portions 41. One friction member 21 can abut one abutting portion 41, and the other friction member 21 can abut the other abutting portion 41. The compressed elastic member 22 can apply a rebound force to one friction member 21 at one end, and a rebound force to the other friction member 21 at the other end. The above solution can also be briefly described as utilizing two abutting portions 41 to press the two friction members 21 to provide friction and torque, and an elastic member 22 to provide rebound force for the two friction members 21 , thereby simplifying the structure of the friction mechanism 20 .

[0079] Please refer to Figure 14 In this embodiment, each friction member 21 has a sleeve portion 23 protruding from a side facing the other friction member 21, and opposite ends of the elastic member 22 are sleeved on the two sleeve portions 23. In other words, one friction member 21 has a sleeve portion 23 protruding from a side facing the other friction member 21, and the other friction member 21 has another sleeve portion 23 protruding from a side facing the first friction member 21. One end of the elastic member 22 is sleeved on one sleeve portion 23 and abuts against one friction member 21, while the other end is sleeved on the other sleeve portion 23 and abuts against the other friction member 21. In this way, the elastic member 22 can be stably disposed between the two friction members 21, and the opposite ends of the elastic member 22 abut against the two friction members 21.

[0080] Please refer to Figure 15-17 In this embodiment, the friction mechanism 20 includes a friction member 21 and an elastic member 22 fixed to the friction member 21. When the folding device 1 is in the unfolded state, the orthographic projections of the friction member 21 and the abutment portion 41 in the moving direction partially overlap. During the folding process of the folding device 1, when the connecting mechanism 50' moves a preset distance, the friction member 21 and the abutment portion 41 abut against each other in the moving direction. During the subsequent folding process, the friction member 21 slides away from the abutment portion 41 and stretches the elastic member 22, so that the abutment portion 41 and the elastic member 22 are located on the same side of the friction member 21. When the folding device 1 is in the folded state, the friction member 21 abuts the abutment portion 41 perpendicular to the moving direction, the elastic member 22 and the abutment portion 41 are located on the same side of the friction member 21, and the elastic member 22 is in a stretched state.

[0081] The friction member 21 is primarily used to abut against the abutting portion 41 on the rotating member 40', and the elastic member 22 is primarily used to provide elastic force to provide the friction member 21 with a force against the abutting portion 41, thereby generating friction between the friction member 21 and the abutting portion 41. Because the elastic member 22 has two different deformation states, and the connection and positional relationships between the abutting portion 41, the friction member 21, and the elastic member 22 are different for each deformation state, this embodiment is described using the elastic member 22 in the stretched state as an example.

[0082] The elastic member 22 can be fixed to the friction member 21. Optionally, the elastic member 22 can be fixed to the friction member 21 by gluing, welding, snapping, etc., so that the elastic member 22 and the friction member 21 are tightly fixed together. In addition, the abutment portion 41 and the elastic member 22 can be provided on the same side of the friction member 21. That is, the abutment portion 41 and the elastic member 22 can be provided on one side of the friction member 21 at the same time, providing a basis for the elastic member 22 to stretch.

[0083] When the folding device 1 is in the unfolded state, the orthographic projections of the friction member 21 and the abutment 41 in the direction of movement partially overlap. That is, along the direction of movement of the connecting mechanism 50', the friction member 21 and the abutment 41 are neither completely aligned nor completely offset, but only partially overlap at their edges. This provides a basis for the abutment 41 to subsequently drive the friction member 21 to slide. At this point, the elastic member 22 is in a balanced state, neither under pressure nor tension. The folding process of the folding device 1 can be divided into two stages: the first stage is when the friction member 21 is not in contact with the abutment 41, and the second stage is when the friction member 21 is in contact with the abutment 41. In the first stage, the folding device 1 begins to fold, and the friction member 21 gradually approaches the abutment 41. When the connecting mechanism 50' moves a preset distance, the friction member 21 abuts against the abutment 41, and the second stage begins.

[0084] It is worth noting that, because the friction member 21 and the abutting portion 41 partially overlap along the direction of movement, the friction member 21 and the abutting portion 41 initially abut against each other in the direction of movement. During the subsequent folding process, the friction member 21 continues to move outward, at which point the abutting portion 41 can drive the friction member 21 to slide further away from the abutting portion 41. Since the elastic member 22 is fixed to the friction member 21, the friction member 21 can gradually stretch the elastic member 22, causing the friction member 21 and the abutting portion 41 to be staggered, thereby allowing the friction member 21 to abut the abutting portion 41 perpendicular to the direction of movement. As the elastic member 22 continues to stretch, the rebound force of the elastic member 22 gradually increases. When the friction member 21 and the abutting portion 41 are completely staggered, and as the friction member 21 moves outward, the friction member 21 can abut the abutting portion 41 perpendicular to the direction of movement, placing the elastic member 22 in a stretched state.

[0085] Therefore, when the folding device 1 is in the folded state, the abutment portion 41 and the elastic member 22 are located on the same side of the friction member 21, and the elastic member 22 is in a stretched state. The stretched elastic member 22 exerts a rebound force on the friction member 21 through one side of the friction member 21, causing the side of the friction member 21 to abut against the abutment portion 41 and exert a certain pressure on the abutment portion 41, thereby generating friction and forming a torsional force, so that the entire device can be normally combined and self-locked, and a certain amount of force is required to open. Optionally, the elastic member 22 includes but is not limited to a spring, a spring, or a torsion spring.

[0086] In this embodiment, the friction mechanism 20 includes two friction members 21 and an elastic member 22 fixed between the two friction members 21. The rotating member 40' is provided with two abutment portions 41 spaced apart and perpendicular to the direction of movement. When the folding device 1 is in the folded state, the two abutment portions 41 are located between the two friction members 21, with one abutment portion 41 abutting one friction member 21 and the other abutment portion 41 abutting the other friction member 21.

[0087] The number of friction members 21 can be two, with the elastic member 22 abutting between the two friction members 21. The two friction members 21 and the elastic member 22 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the movement of the connecting mechanism 50'. The rotating member 40' can also be provided with two abutting portions 41, also spaced apart and perpendicular to the movement of the connecting mechanism 50'. Thus, during the movement of the folding device 1, the two abutting portions 41 respectively abut the two friction members 21 in the movement direction. During the subsequent folding process, the two friction members 21 are moved away from each other, thereby gradually stretching the elastic member 22. Ultimately, the two abutting portions 41 and the elastic member 22 are positioned between the two friction members 21, with one abutting portion 41 abutting one friction member 21 and the other abutting portion 41 abutting the other friction member 21. This solution can also be simplified as utilizing the two abutting portions 41 to pull the two friction members 21 outward, thereby providing friction and torque, while the single elastic member 22 provides a rebound force for the two friction members 21, simplifying the structure of the friction mechanism 20.

[0088] Please refer to Figure 18-19 In this embodiment, the abutting portion 41 has a first abutting surface 410, and the friction member 21 has a second abutting surface 210. The side of the friction member 21 near the abutting portion 41 further includes a guide surface 211 that is bent and connected to the second abutting surface 210. During the folding process of the folding device 1, the abutting portion 41 first abuts the guide surface 211 and drives the friction member 21 to slide in a direction away from the abutting portion 41, so that the first abutting surface 410 abuts the second abutting surface 210.

[0089] When the friction member 21 and the abutting portion 41 abut against each other, the first abutting surface 410 abuts the second abutting surface 210. Optionally, the first abutting surface 410 or the second abutting surface 210 can be roughened to further enhance the friction between the friction member 21 and the abutting portion 41. Furthermore, along the extension direction of the connecting mechanism 50', the friction member 21, on the side closest to the abutting portion 41, has a guide surface 211 bent and connected to the second abutting surface 210. The guide surface 211 primarily serves as a guide. During the folding process of the folding device 1, the friction member 21 gradually approaches the abutting portion 41. When the friction member 21 abuts the abutting portion 41 along the moving direction, the abutting portion 41 may first abut the guide surface 211. As the friction member 21 continues to move outward, it slides away from the abutting portion 41 under the guidance of the guide surface 211, thereby offsetting the friction member 21 and the abutting portion 41, so that the first abutting surface 410 abuts the second abutting surface 210. Therefore, the provision of the guide surface 211 can better control the sliding of the friction member 21 .

[0090] Optionally, the guide surface 211 includes, but is not limited to, a guide slope or a guide arc surface. This embodiment uses the guide arc surface for schematic illustration. Optionally, the friction member 21 may have guide surfaces 211 on opposite sides thereof that are bent and connected to the second abutting surface 210. This allows the friction member 21 to have an axially symmetrical structure, thereby facilitating assembly of the friction member 21 and preventing reverse installation of the friction member 21.

[0091] Please refer to Figure 20-21 In this embodiment, the abutting portion 41 has a first abutting surface 410, and the friction member 21 has a second abutting surface 210. The first abutting surface 410 is provided with one of a snap protrusion 411 and a snap groove 212, while the second abutting surface 210 is provided with the other of the snap protrusion 411 and the snap groove 212. When the folding device 1 is in the folded state, the first abutting surface 410 abuts the second abutting surface 210, and the snap protrusion 411 is located in the snap groove 212.

[0092] In addition to the friction fit, the first abutting surface 410 abuts the second abutting surface 210 when the friction member 21 and the abutting portion 41 abut against each other. In other words, in addition to the friction fit, this embodiment can also provide a snap fit. The first abutting surface 410 can be provided with either a snap protrusion 411 or a snap groove 212, while the second abutting surface 210 can be provided with the other of the snap protrusion 411 and the snap groove 212. When the first abutting surface 410 is provided with the snap protrusion 411, the second abutting surface 210 is provided with the snap groove 212. When the second abutting surface 210 is provided with the snap protrusion 411, the first abutting surface 410 is provided with the snap groove 212. This embodiment is schematically described using only the snap protrusion 411 on the first abutting surface 410 and the snap groove 212 on the second abutting surface 210.

[0093] During the folding process of the folding device 1, the latching protrusion 411 on the first abutting surface 410 can first abut against the second abutting surface 210. When the latching protrusion 411 corresponds to the latching groove 212, the latching protrusion 411 enters the latching groove 212. At this time, the first abutting surface 410 abuts the second abutting surface 210, thereby placing the folding device 1 in the folded state. As the folding device 1 unfolds, the connecting mechanism 50' and the friction mechanism 20 move inward toward the base 10, causing the latching protrusion 411 to abut against the latching groove 212, thereby restricting the unfolding of the folding device 1 and achieving a self-locking function. At this time, a certain external force is required to reposition the latching protrusion 411 outside the latching groove 212 for the folding device 1 to unfold normally.

[0094] Optionally, a guide wall is provided on the side of the snap groove 212 facing away from the bottom wall. The guide wall can reduce the difficulty of positioning the snap protrusion 411 outside the snap groove 212. Further, optionally, along the movement direction of the friction member 21, guide walls can be provided on the sides of two opposing side walls of the snap groove 212 facing away from the bottom wall. This allows the friction member 21 to have an axially symmetrical structure, thereby facilitating assembly of the friction member 21 and preventing the friction member 21 from being installed upside down.

[0095] Please refer to Figure 4 、 Figure 18 and Figure 22 In this embodiment, the housing 90 includes a first portion 91 and a second portion 92. The first portion 91 is fixed to the side of the connecting member 50 facing away from the rotating member 40', and the second portion 92 is located on the side of the connecting member 50 away from the base 10. The friction mechanism 20 is disposed on the first portion 91, and the abutment portion 41 is disposed on the side of the rotating member 40' closer to the first portion 91.

[0096] The first portion 91 of the housing 90 is primarily used to secure the connector 50. Specifically, it can be secured to the side of the connector 50 facing away from the rotating member 40', that is, to the back surface 500 of the connector 50. The second portion 92 of the housing 90 is positioned outward from the connector 50 and primarily supports the flexible screen. The interior of the second portion 92 houses functional modules such as the battery, PCB assembly, speaker, receiver, and buttons. When the friction mechanism 20 is mounted within the housing 90, it can be positioned within the first portion 91 to facilitate engagement with the abutment 41 on the rotating member 40'. Furthermore, since the other end of the rotating member 40' is connected to the connector 50 and the back surface of the connector 50 is secured to the first portion 91, the abutment 41 can be positioned on the side of the rotating member 40' closest to the first portion 91. This allows the abutment 41 to face the friction mechanism 20, further facilitating engagement with the abutment 41 on the rotating member 40' without interfering with the layout of other components.

[0097] In summary, in this embodiment, the friction mechanism 20 is arranged in the first part 91 of the housing 90, which not only facilitates the cooperation with the abutment portion 41 on the rotating member 40', but also does not occupy the internal stacking space of the second part 92, thereby facilitating the placement of components in the second part 92.

[0098] In this embodiment, the first part 91 is provided with a receiving groove 910, the extension direction of the receiving groove 910 is perpendicular to the moving direction, part of the friction mechanism 20 is located in the receiving groove 910, the friction mechanism 20 includes a friction member 21, the friction member 21 is provided with a slider 213 and one of the slide grooves 9100, the groove wall of the receiving groove 910 is provided with a slider 213 and the other of the slide grooves 9100, the slider 213 is located in the slide groove 9100 so that the friction member 21 can slide in the receiving groove 910.

[0099] By providing a receiving groove 910 in the first portion 91 and positioning a portion of the friction mechanism 20 within the receiving groove 910, an increase in the thickness of the entire device can be avoided. The friction member 21 in the friction mechanism 20 is partially positioned within the receiving groove 910, while the remaining portion is positioned outside the receiving groove 910. The abutment portion 41 of the rotating member 40' abuts against the friction member 21 outside the receiving groove 910. This embodiment also allows the extending direction of the receiving groove 910 to be perpendicular to the moving direction of the connecting mechanism 50', that is, the receiving groove 910 extends along the length of the folding device 1, so that the friction member 21 can slide within the receiving groove 910. In other words, the friction member 21 within the receiving groove 910 is primarily configured to slide with the receiving groove 910, while the friction member 21 outside the receiving groove 910 is primarily configured to abut against the abutment portion 41.

[0100] The friction member 21 may be provided with one of a slider 213 and a slide groove 9100, and the wall of the receiving groove 910 may be provided with the other of the slider 213 and the slide groove 9100. For example, when the friction member 21 is provided with the slider 213, the wall of the receiving groove 910 is provided with the slide groove 9100, and when the friction member 21 is provided with the slide groove 9100, the wall of the receiving groove 910 is provided with the slider 213. This embodiment is only schematically described with the slider 213 provided on the friction member 21 and the slide groove 9100 provided on the wall of the receiving groove 910. The slider 213 may be provided in the slide groove 9100, thereby enabling the friction member 21 to slide in the receiving groove 910 and preventing the friction member 21 from falling out of the receiving groove 910.

[0101] Optionally, avoidance grooves 911 are provided on the groove walls at opposite ends of the receiving groove 910 along its extending direction. The avoidance grooves 911 allow the user's fingers or other tools to be inserted to remove the friction member 21 from the receiving groove 910 .

[0102] Please refer to Figure 23-28The folding device 1 provided in this embodiment further includes two first rotating members 30, two second rotating members 40, and two supporting members 60. The two first rotating members 30 are respectively rotatably connected to opposite sides of the base 10, and the two second rotating members 40 are respectively rotatably connected to opposite sides of the base 10. One of the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 located on the same side of the base 10 is rotatably connected to the connecting mechanism 50', and the other is slidably connected to the connecting mechanism 50'. Each supporting member 60 is rotatably connected to a connecting mechanism 50', and is slidably and rotatably connected to the other of the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40. Among them, the rotating member 40' is at least one of the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40.

[0103] The first rotating member 30, the second rotating member 40, and the connecting mechanism 50' in the folding device 1 are collectively referred to as the track mechanism 1b. This track mechanism 1b primarily controls the trajectory of the support member 60, thereby controlling the cross-sectional shape of the flexible screen when folded, ensuring optimal support for the flexible screen while protecting the various layers within the flexible screen. This embodiment will now provide a detailed description of the first rotating member 30, the second rotating member 40, the connecting member 50, and the support member 60.

[0104] The two first rotating members 30 in the folding device 1 primarily achieve the folding function through their rotational ability. The rotation of the two first rotating members 30 drives and constrains the components connected to them, causing these components to move along a predetermined trajectory. The two first rotating members 30 are rotatably connected to the base 10, meaning that the two first rotating members 30 can rotate relative to the base 10. In other words, the ends of the two first rotating members 30 closest to the base 10 are rotatably connected to the base 10. Since the base 10 is stationary, only the two first rotating members 30 rotate. Furthermore, the two first rotating members 30 are located on opposite sides of the base 10. In this embodiment, the "opposite sides" of the base 10 refer to opposite sides along the width of the base 10, which can be understood as the direction in which the two first rotating members 30 are arranged. The term "opposite sides" in this embodiment and the following text shall apply similarly. The two first rotating members 30 located on opposite sides of the base 10 control the left and right sides of the folding device 1, thereby controlling the overall unfolding and folding functions of the folding device 1. This embodiment does not limit parameters such as the shape, structure, and material of the first rotating member 30 , as long as the first rotating member 30 can be rotatably connected to the base 10 .

[0105] Optionally, the two first rotating members 30 are rotatably connected to the side surfaces of the base 10. Further, in one embodiment, the two first rotating members 30 are arranged axially symmetrically with respect to the base 10. In another embodiment, the two first rotating members 30 are arranged asymmetrically with respect to the base 10. Alternatively, the two first rotating members 30 may have a partially overlapping area along the length of the folding device 1. This embodiment is merely schematically illustrated with the two first rotating members 30 being arranged axially symmetrically with respect to the base 10.

[0106] The second rotating member 40 functions similarly to the first rotating member 30. In the folding device 1, the folding function is primarily achieved through its rotational ability. The rotation of the two second rotating members 40 drives and constrains the components connected to them, causing them to move along a predetermined trajectory. The two second rotating members 40 are rotatably connected to the base 10, meaning they can rotate relative to the base 10. In other words, the ends of the two second rotating members 40 closest to the base 10 are rotatably connected to the base 10. Since the base 10 is stationary, only the two second rotating members 40 rotate. Furthermore, the two second rotating members 40 are located on opposite sides of the base 10. In this embodiment, the "opposite sides" of the base 10 refer to opposite sides along the width of the base 10. The width can be understood as the direction in which the two second rotating members 40 are arranged. This applies to the same concept in this embodiment and the following text. The two second rotating members 40, located on opposite sides of the base 10, control the left and right sides of the folding device 1, thereby controlling the overall unfolding and folding functions of the folding device 1. This embodiment does not limit parameters such as the shape, structure, and material of the second rotating member 40 , as long as the second rotating member 40 can be rotatably connected to the base 10 .

[0107] Optionally, the two second rotating members 40 and the two first rotating members 30 are spaced apart along the length direction of the base 10. This not only simplifies the structure of the folding device 1 and makes the folding device 1 more compact, but also enables the second rotating members 40 and the first rotating members 30 to be better rotatably connected to the base 10.

[0108] Optionally, the two second rotating members 40 are rotatably connected to the side surfaces of the base 10. Optionally, in one embodiment, the two second rotating members 40 are arranged axially symmetrically with respect to the base 10. In another embodiment, the two second rotating members 40 are arranged asymmetrically with respect to the base 10. Alternatively, it can be understood that the two second rotating members 40 have a partially overlapping area along the length direction of the folding device 1. This embodiment is merely schematically illustrated with the two second rotating members 40 being arranged axially symmetrically with respect to the base 10.

[0109] The connecting mechanism 50' includes a connecting member 50 and a housing 90, wherein the connecting member 50 is the component that actually connects to the above-mentioned components. In this embodiment and the following, the connecting member 50 is used instead of the connecting mechanism 50' for schematic description. The connecting member 50 mainly serves to connect the various components in the folding device 1. One of the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 located on the same side of the base 10 is rotatably connected to one connecting member 50, and the other is slidably connected to one connecting member 50. In one embodiment, the first rotating member 30 can be rotatably connected to the connecting member 50, and the second rotating member 40 can be slidably connected to the connecting member 50. In another embodiment, the second rotating member 40 can be rotatably connected to the connecting member 50, and the first rotating member 30 can be slidably connected to the connecting member 50. In this embodiment, only the first rotating member 30 is rotatably connected to one connecting member 50, and the second rotating member 40 is slidably connected to one connecting member 50 for schematic description. The connection relationship between the first rotating member 30 , the second rotating member 40 , and the connecting member 50 on the other side of the base 10 is the same as that on one side of the base 10 .

[0110] The first rotating member 30 is rotatably connected to a connecting member 50, that is, the end of the first rotating member 30 away from the base 10 is rotatably connected to the connecting member 50. In other words, the first rotating member 30 can rotate relative to the connecting member 50. The second rotating member 40 is slidably connected to a connecting member 50, that is, the end of the second rotating member 40 away from the base 10 is slidably connected to the connecting member 50. It can also be understood that the second rotating member 40 can slide relative to the connecting member 50. In addition, the connecting member 50 is subsequently used to connect to the shell 90 so that the connecting member 50 and the shell 90 are fixed together. When the shell 90 rotates, the connecting member 50 can be driven to rotate together. This embodiment does not limit the parameters such as the shape, structure, and material of the connecting member 50. As long as the connecting member 50 can be rotatably connected to one rotating member 40' and slidably connected to another rotating member 40', it is sufficient.

[0111] The support member 60 is mainly used to support the flexible screen and assist in the formation of the flexible screen when the folding device 1 is subsequently applied to an electronic device, thereby controlling the folding shape of the flexible screen. Therefore, the support member 60 can also be referred to as a support plate or an inclined plate. Similarly, the carrier 70 can also be referred to as a middle plate. The folding device 1 can include two inclined plates and one middle plate, in which case the folding device 1 can be referred to as a three-plate structure. Alternatively, the folding device 1 can include two inclined plates and two middle plates, in which case the folding device 1 can be referred to as a four-plate structure. Optionally, the flexible screen can be bonded to the support member 60 by means of adhesive or the like, so that the shape of the flexible screen is more natural during bending, the stress is reduced after bending, and damage to the flexible screen is reduced. Each support member 60 is disposed on a connecting member 50. Specifically, the support member 60 is rotatably connected to the connecting member 50, that is, the support member 60 can rotate relative to the connecting member 50, and the support member 60 is slidably and rotatably connected to the other of the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40. In other words, the support member 60 can rotate relative to the other of the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40, and can also slide relative to the other of the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40. This embodiment is only schematically described as the support member 60 being slidably and rotatably connected to the second rotating member 40.

[0112] The folding device 1 may also include decorative elements 71, which are disposed on the bottom and sides of the base 10 to protect and cover the base 10 and other components, preventing the user from viewing the interior of the folding device 1. Furthermore, the decorative elements 71 cooperate with the housings 90 on the left and right sides of the base 10 to form the exterior appearance of the electronic device.

[0113] The folding device 1 provided in this embodiment can regard the first rotating member 30, the second rotating member 40, the connecting member 50, and the supporting member 60 on one side of the base 10 as a left module, and the first rotating member 30, the second rotating member 40, the connecting member 50, and the supporting member 60 on the other side of the base 10 as a right module. The left module and the right module can be symmetrically designed or asymmetrically designed.

[0114] The folding device 1 provided in this embodiment can form a track mechanism 1b with the base 10, two first rotating members 30, two second rotating members 40, and two connecting members 50, wherein the track mechanism 1b ensures that the screen space 1a in the folded state is U-shaped or teardrop-shaped, ensuring better support for the flexible screen while not damaging the stacking of the flexible screen. In one embodiment, the folding device 1 includes a track mechanism 1b, which is arranged on one side of the support member 60. In another embodiment, the folding device 1 includes two track mechanisms 1b, the two track mechanisms 1b are arranged on one side of the support member 60, and the two track mechanisms 1b are arranged along the length extension direction of the support member 60. At this time, one support member 60 rotates to connect the two connecting members 50, and at the same time slides and rotates to connect the two second rotating members 40. In other embodiments, the folding device 1 includes three or more track mechanisms 1b, the three or more track mechanisms 1b are arranged on one side of the support member 60, and the three or more track mechanisms 1b are arranged along the length extension direction of the support member 60. At this time, one support member 60 is rotatably connected to three or more connecting members 50, and simultaneously slides and rotates to connect to three or more second rotating members 40. This embodiment is only schematically described as the folding device 1 including three track mechanisms 1b and two support members 60. Of course, solutions with two track mechanisms 1b and one track mechanism 1b are also within the scope of protection of this application.

[0115] The aforementioned rotation can be understood as the circular motion of the two components around the axis of rotation, with only angular changes, not displacement. Sliding can be understood as the parallel motion of the two components, with only displacement changes, not angular changes. The fact that the two components can both slide and rotate means that both displacement and angular changes occur. This sliding and rotational behavior can also be referred to as rolling. Therefore, the connection between the support member 60 and the second rotating member 40 can also be referred to as the support member 60 rollingly connected to the second rotating member 40.

[0116] Based on the above connection relationship, it can be known that the folding device 1 provided in this embodiment is composed of 6 kinematic pairs on one side. Specifically, the first rotating member 30 cooperates with the base 10 to form a rotating pair, the first rotating member 30 cooperates with the connecting member 50 to form a rotating pair, the second rotating member 40 cooperates with the base 10 to form a rotating pair, the second rotating member 40 cooperates with the connecting member 50 to form a sliding pair, the support member 60 cooperates with the second rotating member 40 to form a rolling pair, and the support member 60 cooperates with the connecting member 50 to form a rotating pair. In summary, the total degree of freedom of the various components on one side is 3*4 (a total of 4 components on one side, such as 1 first rotating member 30, 1 second rotating member 40, 1 connecting member 50, and 1 support member 60) - 2*5 (a total of 5 low pairs on one side, such as 1 sliding pair and 4 rotating pairs) - 1*1 (a total of 1 high pair on one side, such as 1 rolling pair) = 1.

[0117] Therefore, when the folding device 1 moves, the motion trajectory and motion path of each component are unique. Specifically, when the folding device 1 is folded, the connecting member 50 rotates relative to the base 10, the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 also rotate relative to the base 10, the second rotating member 40 slides relative to the connecting member 50, the second rotating member 40 slides and rotates relative to the support member 60, and the support member 60 rotates relative to the connecting member 50, ultimately causing the two support members 60 to fold toward each other. When the folding device 1 is unfolded, the connecting member 50 rotates relative to the base 10, the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 also rotate relative to the base 10, the second rotating member 40 slides relative to the connecting member 50, the second rotating member 40 slides and rotates relative to the support member 60, and the support member 60 rotates relative to the connecting member 50, ultimately causing the two support members 60 to unfold toward each other.

[0118] The aforementioned motion process of the folding device 1 has multiple active and passive logical relationships. This application only uses one specific motion process as an example to illustrate. When the folding device 1 is folding, that is, when the folding device 1 moves from the unfolded state to the folded state, in other words, when the two connecting members 50 rotate relative to the base 10 and approach each other, because the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 both rotate and connect to the base 10, the connecting member 50 can drive the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 to rotate relative to the base 10. Furthermore, during the rotation of the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40, the second rotating member 40 can also slide relative to the connecting member 50, that is, the connecting member 50 can slide along the second rotating member 40, thereby changing the distance between the connecting member 50 and the base 10. When the connecting member 50 slides, because the support member 60 is disposed on the connecting member 50, the connecting member 50 can drive the support member 60 to slide along with it. When the support member 60 slides, the second rotating member 40 can also slide and rotate relative to the support member 60, thereby driving the support member 60 to rotate relative to the connecting member 50. Of course, in other embodiments, the support member 60 may not rotate relative to the connecting member 50 during the sliding and rotating process of the second rotating member 40, that is, the support member 60 and the connecting member 50 remain stationary, and finally the two support members 60 can be folded together.

[0119] Similarly, when the folding device 1 is unfolded, that is, when the folding device 1 moves from a folded state to an unfolded state, as the two connecting members 50 rotate in opposite directions relative to the base 10 and away from each other, because both the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 rotate and connect to the base 10, the connecting member 50 can drive the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 to rotate relative to the base 10. Furthermore, during the rotation of the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40, the second rotating member 40 can also slide relative to the connecting member 50, that is, the connecting member 50 can slide along the second rotating member 40, thereby changing the distance between the connecting member 50 and the base 10. When the connecting member 50 slides, because the support member 60 is disposed on the connecting member 50, the connecting member 50 can drive the support member 60 to slide along with it. When the support member 60 slides, the second rotating member 40 can also slide and rotate relative to the support member 60, thereby driving the support member 60 to rotate relative to the connecting member 50. Of course, in other embodiments, the support member 60 may not rotate relative to the connecting member 50 during the sliding and rotating process of the second rotating member 40, that is, the support member 60 and the connecting member 50 remain stationary, and finally the two support members 60 can be unfolded relative to each other.

[0120] In other embodiments, the active and passive relationships of the above-mentioned components can be reversed. For example, the support member 60 can rotate relative to the base 10, thereby driving the first rotating member 30, the second rotating member 40, and the connecting member 50 to rotate relative to the base 10. Such motion processes and principles should also fall within the scope of protection of this application.

[0121] like Figure 26 As shown, when the two support members 60 are parallel to each other and are located on opposite sides of the base 10, the two support members 60 are in a state of being fully unfolded. In other words, the folding device 1 is in the above-mentioned unfolded state. Figure 28 As shown, when both support members 60 are located on one side of the base 10 and both support members 60 are located on the top surface of the base 10, the two support members 60 are in a state of being completely folded with each other. In other words, the folding device 1 is in a folded state. When the two support members 60 are folded with each other, that is, the process of the folding device 1 from the unfolded state to the folded state can also be understood as the process from the unfolded state to the folded state. Figures 26 to 28 When the two support members 60 are unfolded, that is, the process from the folding device 1 to the unfolded state, it can also be understood as the process from the folding state to the unfolded state. Figures 28 to 26 process.

[0122] When the folding device 1 is in a folded state, the two support members 60 and the base 10 together enclose a screen space 1a for accommodating the flexible screen. The folding device 1 provided in this embodiment can make the cross-sectional shape of the screen space 1a U-shaped or teardrop-shaped. When the cross-sectional shape of the screen space 1a is U-shaped, the distance between the two support members 60 at the end away from the base 10 is equal to the distance between the two support members 60 at the end close to the base 10. At this time, the structure of the folding device 1 is simple and the reliability of the whole machine is high. When the cross-sectional shape of the screen space 1a is teardrop-shaped, the distance between the two support members 60 at the end away from the base 10 is less than the distance between the two support members 60 at the end close to the base 10. At this time, after folding, the whole folding device 1 is thinner and flat. This embodiment is only schematically illustrated with the cross-sectional shape of the screen space 1a being teardrop-shaped.

[0123] In addition, the rotating member 40' includes at least one of the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40. That is, the first rotating member 30 can be the rotating member 40' mentioned above, thereby cooperating with the friction mechanism 20, or the second rotating member 40 can be the rotating member 40' mentioned above, thereby cooperating with the friction mechanism 20, or both the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 can be the rotating member 40' mentioned above, thereby cooperating with the friction mechanism 20. In other words, the rotating member 40' mentioned above is a component of the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40, but is artificially named differently. This embodiment only uses the rotating member 40' as the second rotating member 40 for schematic illustration. In other embodiments, the rotating member 40' can also cooperate with the first rotating member 30.

[0124] The following application will introduce the matching components separately in detail. Since most components are two in number and are symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of the base 10, this embodiment only uses the following example. Figure 24 and Figure 25 The components on the right side of the base 10 in the folding device 1 are schematically illustrated, and the same understanding can be applied to the components on the left side of the base 10 .

[0125] Please refer to Figure 29 In this embodiment, the first rotation axis C1 between the first rotating member 30 and the base 10 and the second rotation axis C2 between the second rotating member 40 and the base 10 are parallel to each other. The first rotation axis C1 is farther away from the bottom surface 100 of the base 10 than the second rotation axis C2. In other words, the first rotation axis C1 is higher than the second rotation axis C2. When the folding device 1 is in the unfolded state, the first rotation axis C1 is farther away from the connecting member 50 than the second rotation axis C2. In other words, the first rotation axis C1 is further to the left than the second rotation axis C2. Therefore, in Figure 29In the figure, the first rotation axis C1 is located in the upper left, and the second rotation axis C2 is located in the lower right. The first rotating member 30 rotates relative to the connecting member 50, which determines the position of the connecting member 50 during movement. The second rotating member 40 rotates and slides relative to the connecting member 50, which determines the angle of the connecting member 50 during movement. The position and angle of the connecting member 50 are determined by the interaction between the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40.

[0126] When the folding device 1 is folded, the rotation of the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 causes the connecting member 50 to slide relative to the second rotating member 40, thereby sliding the connecting member 50 away from the base 10. Similarly, when the folding device 1 is unfolded, the connecting member 50 can slide toward the base 10. This further controls the distance between the connecting member 50 and the base 10, thereby further controlling the movement of the support member 60, causing the support member 60 to move along a predetermined trajectory. When the folding device 1 is in the unfolded state, the support member 60 is flattened, and when the folding device 1 is in the folded state, a teardrop-shaped screen space 1a is formed. In this way, no matter whether the folding device 1 is folded or unfolded, when the connecting member 50 rotates relative to the base 10, it drives the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 to rotate relative to the base 10, so that the connecting member 50 slides relative to the second rotating member 40, resulting in a change in the distance between the connecting member 50 and the base 10, and then drives the support member 60 rotatably connected to the connecting member 50 to slide relative to the second rotating member 40, changing the distance between the support member 60 and the base 10, thereby realizing the subsequent movement process.

[0127] In summary, this embodiment does not require the addition of new components. It only requires designing the positions of the first rotation axis C1 and the second rotation axis C2 to achieve the sliding of the connecting member 50 relative to the second rotating member 40, providing a basis for subsequent control of the motion trajectory of the support member 60.

[0128] In this embodiment, the first rotating member 30 and the base 10 are connected via a first circular arc rail and a first circular arc groove. The first circular arc rail is provided on one of the first rotating member 30 and the base 10, while the first circular arc groove is provided on the other. For example, when the first circular arc rail is provided on the first rotating member 30, the first circular arc groove is provided on the base 10; when the first circular arc groove is provided on the first rotating member 30, the first circular arc rail is provided on the base 10. This embodiment is only schematically described with the first circular arc rail provided on the first rotating member 30 and the first circular arc groove provided on the base 10. Specifically, a circular arc-shaped block is provided on the side of the first rotating member 30 near the base 10. This block is the first circular arc rail. The base 10 is provided with a protrusion, within which is a circular arc groove, which is the first circular arc groove. The first circular arc track is provided in the first circular arc groove, and the axis of the first circular arc groove is collinear with the axis of the first circular arc track, so that the first rotating member 30 can rotate relative to the base 10. In other words, the first rotating member 30 and the base 10 can be rotatably connected together via the arc-shaped slide rail and the arc-shaped slide groove 9100.

[0129] The size and curvature of the first circular arc groove and the first circular arc track can be designed based on the position of the rotation axis between the first rotating member 30 and the base 10. This design of the first circular arc groove and the first circular arc track allows the rotation axis to be located inside or outside the base 10. Adjusting the size and curvature of the first circular arc groove and the first circular arc track facilitates the design of the rotation axis position, thereby achieving the aforementioned positional relationship between the first rotation axis C1 and the second rotation axis C2. Of course, in other embodiments, the first circular arc groove can also be provided on the first rotating member 30, and the first circular arc track can be provided on the base 10.

[0130] In summary, this embodiment, through the rotational connection scheme of the first circular arc groove and the first circular arc rail, can better adjust the position of the rotation axis, achieving the purpose of parallelism between the rotation axes, thereby ensuring that the first rotation axis C1 and the second rotation axis C2 meet the aforementioned positional relationship. In addition, the coordination of the first circular arc groove and the first circular arc rail allows the distance between the end of the first rotating member 30 facing away from the base 10 and the base 10 to be changed when the first rotating member 30 rotates relative to the base 10, thereby adjusting the distance between the first rotating member 30 and the base 10, and further achieving the purpose of controlling the sliding of the support member 60 relative to the base 10.

[0131] In this embodiment, the second rotating member 40 and the base 10 are connected via a first rotating shaft and a first rotating hole. The first rotating shaft is provided on one of the second rotating member 40 and the base 10, and the first rotating hole is provided on the other of the second rotating member 40 and the base 10. Because the second rotating member 40 is rotatably connected to the base 10, this embodiment allows the second rotating member 40 and the base 10 to be connected via the first rotating shaft and the first rotating hole. The first rotating shaft is provided on one of the second rotating member 40 and the base 10, and the first rotating hole is provided on the other of the second rotating member 40 and the base 10. For example, when the first rotating shaft is provided on the second rotating member 40, the first rotating hole is provided on the base 10. When the first rotating hole is provided on the second rotating member 40, the first rotating shaft is provided on the base 10. This embodiment is merely schematically described with the first rotating shaft provided on the base 10 and the first rotating hole provided on the second rotating member 40. Optionally, the first rotating shaft includes, but is not limited to, a pin.

[0132] As can be seen from the above, since the first arc groove and the first arc track can be used to mate between the first rotating member 30 and the base 10, the position of the rotation axis between the first rotating member 30 and the base 10 can be changed by designing the curvature and size of the first arc groove and the first arc track. In this case, the position of the rotation axis between the second rotating member 40 and the base 10 does not need to be changed, and only the first rotation axis and the first rotation hole can be used. This simplifies the structure of the folding device 1 and reduces its size.

[0133] In this embodiment, the first rotating member 30 and the connecting member 50 are connected via a second rotating shaft and a second rotating hole. The second rotating shaft is provided on one of the first rotating member 30 and the connecting member 50, and the second rotating hole is provided on the other of the first rotating member 30 and the connecting member 50. Because the first rotating member 30 is rotatably connected to the connecting member 50, this embodiment allows the first rotating member 30 and the connecting member 50 to be connected via the second rotating shaft and the second rotating hole. The second rotating shaft is provided on one of the first rotating member 30 and the connecting member 50, and the second rotating hole is provided on the other of the first rotating member 30 and the connecting member 50. For example, when the second rotating shaft is provided on the first rotating member 30, the second rotating hole is provided on the connecting member 50; when the second rotating hole is provided on the first rotating member 30, the second rotating shaft is provided on the connecting member 50. This embodiment is merely illustrated by assuming that the second rotating shaft is provided on the connecting member 50 and the second rotating hole is provided on the first rotating member 30. Optionally, the second rotating shaft includes, but is not limited to, a pin.

[0134] From the above, it can be seen that when the connecting member 50 rotates relative to the base 10, driving the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 to rotate relative to the base 10, the connecting member 50 will also slide relative to the second rotating member 40. This changes the distance between the connecting member 50 and the base 10, and similarly changes the distance between the connecting member 50 and the first rotating member 30. However, since the first rotating member 30 is rotationally connected to the base 10, the first rotating member 30 cannot move. To avoid interference during movement, the first rotating member 30 can be rotationally connected to the connecting member 50. When the connecting member 50 slides relative to the second rotating member 40, the first rotating member 30 also rotates relative to the connecting member 50, thereby compensating for the sliding distance of the connecting member 50 and ensuring the smooth movement of the folding device 1. In addition, the use of a second rotating shaft and a second rotating hole can reduce the thickness of the connecting member 50, thereby reducing the thickness of the folding device 1 as a whole, achieving the purpose of miniaturization of the folding device 1.

[0135] Please refer to Figure 25 and Figure 30 In this embodiment, the second rotating member 40 and the connecting member 50 are connected via a sliding block 42 and a sliding groove 52. The sliding block 42 is provided on one of the second rotating member 40 and the connecting member 50, and the sliding groove 52 is provided on the other of the second rotating member 40 and the connecting member 50. The connecting member 50 has a back surface 500 facing away from the flexible screen. The distance between the end of the sliding block 42 closer to the base 10 and the back surface 500 is smaller than the distance between the end of the sliding block 42 farther from the base 10 and the back surface 500.

[0136] The relative sliding of the second rotating member 40 and the connecting member 50 is achieved by utilizing the sliding block 42 and the sliding groove 52. In this embodiment, the sliding block 42 is not arranged horizontally but rather at an angle. Specifically, the farther the sliding block 42 is from the base 10, the greater the distance between the sliding block 42 and the back surface 500. Because the sliding block 42 is inclined, the sliding groove 52 is also inclined in correspondence with the sliding block 42. Specifically, the distance between the end of the sliding groove 52 closer to the base 10 and the back surface 500 is smaller than the distance between the end of the sliding groove 52 farther from the base 10 and the back surface 500. When the folding device 1 moves from the unfolded state to the folded state, the connecting member 50 slides relative to the second rotating member 40 in a direction away from the base 10. The design of the sliding block 42 and the sliding groove 52 not only further enables the support member 60 to move along a predetermined trajectory, but also forms a teardrop-shaped screen space 1a when the folding device 1 is in the folded state. As the two connectors 50 slide away from the base 10, they move closer to each other. This reduces the distance between the two connectors 50 when the folding device 1 is folded, thereby reducing the overall thickness of the folding device 1 in the folded state. Furthermore, the opposite ends of the flexible screen can be brought into contact with each other, eliminating the gap between the ends of the flexible screen in the folded state, thereby improving the safety and appearance of the flexible screen.

[0137] Please refer to Figure 31-33 In this embodiment, the support member 60 includes a support portion 61 and a rolling portion 62. The support portion 61 has a support surface for supporting the flexible screen. The rolling portion 62 is located on the side of the support portion 61 facing away from the support surface. The second rotating member 40 and the rolling portion 62 are connected via a rolling shaft 43 and a rolling groove 620. The rolling shaft 43 is located on one of the second rotating member 40 and the rolling portion 62, while the rolling groove 620 is located on the other of the second rotating member 40 and the rolling portion 62. The rolling groove 620 has a first limiting end 621 and a second limiting end 622 that are oppositely disposed. The first limiting end 621 is further away from the base 10 than the second limiting end 622, and the first limiting end 621 is further away from the support surface than the second limiting end 622. When the folding device 1 is in the unfolded state, the rolling shaft 43 is located at the first limiting end 621. When the folding device 1 is in the folded state, the rolling shaft 43 is located at the second limiting end 622.

[0138] The first limit end 621 and the second limit end 622 are the two opposite ends in the rolling groove 620, in other words, the extreme positions where the rolling shaft 43 can slide when unfolding and folding. The first limit end 621 is farther away from the base 10 than the second limit end 622, and the first limit end 621 is farther away from the support surface than the second limit end 622. In other words, the first limit end 621 is further to the right and lower than the second limit end 622, that is, the first limit end 621 is located in the lower right position of the rolling groove 620, and the second limit end 622 is located in the upper left position of the rolling groove 620. During the movement of the folding device 1, when the folding device 1 is in the unfolded state, the rolling shaft 43 is positioned at the first limit end 621 to control the rolling position of the rolling shaft 43 when unfolded, and to prevent the support member 60 from folding back and damaging the subsequent flexible screen. When the folding device 1 is in the folded state, the rolling shaft 43 is positioned at the second limit end 622 to control the rolling position of the rolling shaft 43 when folded, and to prevent the support member 60 from folding back and damaging the subsequent flexible screen.

[0139] The rolling groove 620 also includes a first connecting portion 623 connecting the first limiting end 621 and the second limiting end 622. The first connecting portion 623 protrudes away from the support surface. This not only controls the position of the rolling axis 43 within the rolling groove 620 throughout its movement, but also controls the positional relationship between the rotation axis between the support member 60 and the connecting member 50 and the rolling axis 43, thereby enabling the support member 60 to rotate relative to the connecting member 50 in the folded state and enclose a teardrop-shaped screen space 1a. Furthermore, the curved rolling groove 620 facilitates smoother rolling of the rolling axis 43, improving the fluidity and stability of the movement of the folding device 1. Of course, in other embodiments, the first connecting portion 623 may also be linear or have other shapes, as long as the positions of the first limiting end 621 and the second limiting end 622 satisfy the aforementioned positional relationship.

[0140] The rolling groove 620 also includes a second connecting portion 624 connecting the first connecting portion 623 and the first limiting end 621. The second connecting portion 624 extends parallel to the support surface. When the folding device 1 moves from the unfolded state to the folded state, the rolling shaft 43 does not move directly from the first limiting end 621 to the second connecting portion 624. Instead, it first moves to the second connecting portion 624 and then to the first connecting portion 623. This allows the folding device 1 to utilize the horizontal second connecting portion 624 to support the rolling shaft 43 when in the unfolded state. This second connecting portion 624 provides a buffer, preventing the rolling shaft 43 from moving from the first limiting end 621 into the curved first connecting portion 623, thereby improving the stability of the folding device 1. Furthermore, the horizontal second connecting portion 624 reduces the gap between the rolling shaft 43 and the rolling groove 620, preventing the existence of a gap.

[0141] In this embodiment, the support member 60 and the connector 50 are connected via a third circular arc rail and a third circular arc groove. The third circular arc rail is provided on one of the support member 60 and the connector 50, and the third circular arc groove is provided on the other of the support member 60 and the connector 50. Because the support member 60 is rotatably connected to the connector 50, this embodiment allows the support member 60 and the connector 50 to be connected via the third circular arc rail and the third circular arc groove. The third circular arc rail is provided on one of the support member 60 and the connector 50, and the third circular arc groove is provided on the other of the support member 60 and the connector 50. For example, when the third circular arc rail is provided on the support member 60, the third circular arc groove is provided on the connector 50. When the third circular arc groove is provided on the support member 60, the third circular arc rail is provided on the connector 50. This embodiment is only schematically described with the third circular arc groove provided on the support member 60 and the third circular arc rail provided on the connector 50.

[0142] Specifically, the support member 60 includes a support portion 61 and a rotating portion, wherein the support portion 61 is used to support the flexible screen when the folding device 1 is applied to an electronic device. Therefore, the support portion 61 has a support surface for supporting the flexible screen, that is, the upper surface of the support portion 61 is the support surface. The rotating portion is provided on the side of the support portion 61 away from the support surface, that is, the rotating portion is farther away from the flexible screen than the support portion 61. A circular arc-shaped groove is provided on the side of the rotating portion close to the connecting member 50, and the groove is the third circular arc groove. A circular arc-shaped block is provided on the side of the connecting member 50 close to the rotating portion, and the block is the third circular arc rail. The third circular arc rail can be provided in the third circular arc groove, and the axis of the third circular arc groove is collinear with the axis of the third circular arc rail, so that the rotating portion of the support member 60 can rotate relative to the connecting member 50. As for the size and curvature of the third circular arc groove and the third circular arc rail, they can be designed according to the position of the rotation axis between the support member 60 and the connecting member 50.

[0143] Furthermore, as can be seen from the above, in this embodiment, the support member 60 can be rotated relative to the connecting member 50 by changing the position of the rotation axis and the rolling axis between the support member 60 and the connecting member 50. Therefore, the design of the circular arc groove and the circular arc track allows the rotation axis to be positioned inside or outside the connecting member 50. By adjusting the size and curvature of the third circular arc groove and the third circular arc track, the position and shape of the rolling axis 43 and the rolling groove 620 can be better designed, thereby allowing the support member 60 to rotate relative to the connecting member 50. Of course, in other embodiments, the third circular arc track can also be provided on the support member 60, and the third circular arc groove can also be provided on the connecting member 50.

[0144] Optionally, in one embodiment, the connector 50 may have a third arc track, one third arc track disposed on one side of the connector 50, and the support member 60 may correspondingly have a rotating portion and a third arc groove. In another embodiment, the connector 50 may have two third arc tracks, two third arc tracks disposed on opposite sides of the connector 50, and the support member 60 may correspondingly have two rotating portions and third arc grooves spaced apart. Each third arc track is disposed within a third arc groove, thereby improving the stability of the support member 60's rotation relative to the connector 50. This embodiment is merely schematically illustrated as the connector 50 having two third arc tracks and the support member 60 having two third arc grooves.

[0145] In this embodiment, the connector 50 and the support member 60 are connected by a constraining shaft and a constraining hole. The constraining shaft is provided on one of the connector 50 and the support member 60, and the constraining hole is provided on the other of the connector 50 and the support member 60. When the constraining shaft is provided on the connector 50, the constraining hole is provided on the support member 60. When the constraining hole is provided on the connector 50, the constraining shaft is provided on the support member 60. This embodiment is only schematically described with the constraining shaft provided on the connector 50 and the constraining hole provided on the support member 60. Specifically, a cylindrical column is provided at the end of the connector 50, which serves as the constraining shaft. The support member 60 includes a support portion 61 and a constraining portion fixed to the support portion 61 and facing away from the support surface. The constraining portion is provided with a groove on the side facing the constraining shaft, which serves as the constraining groove. The constraining shaft can be inserted into the constraining groove to achieve constrained cooperation between the connector 50 and the support member 60. Of course, in other embodiments, the constraining shaft can also be provided on the support member 60, and the constraining hole can also be provided on the connector 50.

[0146] The cooperation between the constraint axis and the constraint hole prevents the folding device 1 from experiencing deviation during movement, which could cause the support member 60 to rotate excessively relative to the first rotating member 30, thereby causing warping and subsequently affecting the crease of the flexible screen. In other words, this embodiment limits the movement trajectory of the inclined plate by adding a virtual constraint between the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40, but the constraint axis and constraint hole do not affect the overall degree of freedom of the folding device 1.

[0147] In summary, the folding device 1 provided in this embodiment can ultimately control the motion trajectory of the support member 60 through the mutual cooperation of the first rotating member 30, the second rotating member 40, and the connecting member 50, thereby obtaining the screen space 1a of the shape required by the user.

[0148] Please refer to Figure 34-35The electronic device 3 provided in this embodiment includes a flexible screen 93 and a folding device 1 as provided in the above embodiment of the present application, and the flexible screen 93 is provided on the folding device 1. The electronic device 3 provided in this embodiment includes but is not limited to mobile terminals such as mobile phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, PDAs, portable media players (PMPs), navigation devices, wearable devices, smart bracelets, pedometers, and other mobile terminals, as well as fixed terminals such as digital TVs and desktop computers. This embodiment only takes the electronic device 3 as an example of a folding mobile phone for schematic description.

[0149] The electronic device 3 includes a flexible screen 93 and a folding device 1. The flexible screen 93 is a component with a certain degree of flexibility. Compared with rigid components, the flexible screen 93 can be bent to a certain extent. For example, the flexible screen 93 includes but is not limited to various flexible components with corresponding functions such as flexible display screens, flexible touch screens, and flexible touch display screens, or is a flexible component fixedly bonded with a flexible support plate, such as a flexible display screen and a flexible touch screen bonded with a flexible steel plate. The flexible screen 93 is arranged on the same side of the folding device 1 and the shells 90 on the left and right sides thereof, and can be bent or flattened along with the shell 90 assembly. Specifically, the flexible screen 93 has a bending area 930 and non-bending areas 931 arranged on opposite sides of the bending area 930. The flexible screen 93 in the bending area 930 is arranged corresponding to the support member 60 of the folding device 1, and the flexible screen 93 in the non-bending area 931 corresponds to the shells 90 fixed on the left and right sides of the folding device 1. Since the flexible screen 93 in the bending region 930 is correspondingly located on the support member 60 of the folding device 1, the shape of the folding device 1 changes during movement, thereby causing the flexible screen 93 in the bending region 930 to bend as well, thereby bending or flattening with the movement of the electronic device 3. Since the non-bending region 931 is fixed to the left and right housings 90, the left and right housings 90 only rotate relative to each other and do not themselves change shape. Therefore, even if the left and right housings 90 rotate, the flexible screen 93 on the left and right housings 90 does not bend.

[0150] The electronic device 3 provided in this embodiment can omit the magnet in the related art by adopting the folding device 1 provided in the above-mentioned embodiment of the present application. The friction mechanism 20 on the connecting mechanism 50' cooperates with the abutment portion 41 on the rotating member 40' to achieve a self-locking function in the folded state, which is beneficial to increasing the stacking space of the entire machine, reducing reliability problems caused by foreign matter adsorbed by the magnet, improving reliability, and enhancing the competitiveness of the entire machine.

[0151] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise" and the like to indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on this application.

[0152] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of this application, "plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined. In addition, the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions.

[0153] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, terms such as "mounted," "connected," "connect," and "fixed" should be understood broadly. For example, they may refer to connection, detachable connection, or integration. They may refer to mechanical connection or electrical connection. They may refer to direct connection or indirect connection through an intermediary. They may refer to internal communication between two components or interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0154] The above details the contents provided in the embodiments of the present application, and illustrates and describes the principles and embodiments of the present application. These explanations are only intended to help understand the method and core concept of the present application. However, the contents of this specification should not be construed as limiting the present application. Those skilled in the art may make various changes and modifications to the present application without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. Such modifications and variations of the present application fall within the scope of the claims of the present application and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A folding device, characterized in that: include: base; a rotating member, one end of which is rotatably connected to the base, and the rotating member is provided with an abutting portion; a connecting mechanism, the connecting mechanism being rotatably or slidably connected to the other end of the rotating member; as well as A friction mechanism is provided on the connecting mechanism. When the folding device is in the unfolded state, the friction mechanism is closer to the base than the abutment portion. During the folding process of the folding device, the rotating member rotates relative to the base, and the connecting mechanism and the friction mechanism move in a direction away from the base. When the folding device is in the folded state, the friction mechanism abuts against the abutment portion.

2. The folding device according to claim 1, wherein: The friction mechanism includes a friction member and an elastic member that abuts against the friction member. When the folding device is in the folded state, the friction member abuts against the abutment portion perpendicular to the moving direction of the connecting mechanism. The elastic member is farther away from the abutment portion than the friction member and is in a compressed state.

3. The folding device according to claim 2, characterized in that: When the folding device is in the unfolded state, the friction member and the orthographic projection of the abutment portion in the moving direction overlap; during the folding process of the folding device, when the connecting mechanism moves a preset distance, the friction member and the abutment portion abut against each other along the moving direction, and in the subsequent folding process, the friction member slides in a direction away from the abutment portion and compresses the elastic member, so that the abutment portion and the elastic member are located on opposite sides of the friction member.

4. The folding device according to claim 2, wherein: The friction mechanism includes two friction parts and the elastic part abutting between the two friction parts, and the rotating part is provided with two abutting parts spaced apart perpendicular to the moving direction; when the folding device is in the folding state, the friction mechanism is located between the two abutting parts, and one friction part abuts one abutting part, and the other friction part abuts the other abutting part.

5. The folding device according to claim 4, characterized in that: A sleeve portion is protruded from one side of each friction member facing the other friction member, and opposite ends of the elastic member are sleeved on the two sleeve portions.

6. The folding device according to claim 1, wherein: The friction mechanism includes a friction member and an elastic member fixed to the friction member. When the folding device is in the folded state, the friction member abuts the abutment portion perpendicular to the moving direction of the connecting mechanism. The elastic member and the abutment portion are located on the same side of the friction member and the elastic member is in a stretched state.

7. The folding device according to claim 6, wherein: When the folding device is in the unfolded state, the friction member and the orthographic projection of the abutment portion in the moving direction overlap; during the folding process of the folding device, when the connecting mechanism moves a preset distance, the friction member and the abutment portion abut against each other along the moving direction, and in the subsequent folding process, the friction member slides in a direction away from the abutment portion and stretches the elastic member so that the abutment portion and the elastic member are located on the same side of the friction member.

8. The folding device according to claim 6, wherein: The friction mechanism includes two friction parts and the elastic part fixed between the two friction parts, and the rotating part is provided with two abutment parts arranged at intervals perpendicular to the moving direction; when the folding device is in the folding state, the two abutment parts are located between the two friction parts, and one abutment part abuts one friction part, and the other abutment part abuts the other friction part.

9. The folding device according to any one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that: The abutting portion has a first abutting surface, the friction member has a second abutting surface, and the side of the friction member close to the abutting portion also has a guide surface bent and connected to the second abutting surface; during the folding process of the folding device, the abutting portion first abuts the guide surface and drives the friction member to slide in a direction away from the abutting portion, so that the first abutting surface abuts the second abutting surface.

10. The folding device according to any one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that: The abutting portion has a first abutting surface, and the friction member has a second abutting surface. The first abutting surface is provided with one of a snap protrusion and a snap groove, and the second abutting surface is provided with the other of a snap protrusion and a snap groove. When the folding device is in the folded state, the first abutting surface abuts against the second abutting surface and the snap protrusion is located in the snap groove.

11. The folding device according to claim 1, wherein: The connecting mechanism includes a shell and a connecting member fixed to the shell, the other end of the rotating member is rotatably or slidingly connected to the connecting member, the shell is used to fix the flexible screen, and the friction mechanism is arranged on at least one of the connecting member and the shell.

12. The folding device according to claim 11, wherein: The shell includes a first part and a second part, the first part is fixed to the side of the connecting member facing away from the rotating member, and the second part is located on the side of the connecting member away from the base; the friction mechanism is arranged on the first part, and the abutment portion is arranged on the side of the rotating member close to the first part.

13. The folding device according to claim 12, wherein: The first part is provided with a receiving groove, the extension direction of the receiving groove is perpendicular to the moving direction of the connecting mechanism, part of the friction mechanism is located in the receiving groove, the friction mechanism includes a friction member, the friction member is provided with one of a slider and a slide groove, the groove wall of the receiving groove is provided with the other of the slider and the slide groove, the slider is located in the slide groove so that the friction member can slide in the receiving groove.

14. The folding device according to claim 1, wherein: The folding device further comprises: Two first rotating members are rotatably connected to opposite sides of the base respectively; two second rotating members, rotatably connected to opposite sides of the base; One of the first rotating member and the second rotating member located on the same side of the base is rotatably connected to the connecting mechanism, and the other is slidably connected to the connecting mechanism; and Two supporting members, each of the supporting members being rotatably connected to one of the connecting mechanisms and being slidably and rotatably connected to the other of the first rotating member and the second rotating member; Wherein, the rotating member is at least one of the first rotating member and the second rotating member.

15. An electronic device, characterized in that: The electronic device includes a flexible screen and a folding device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, and the flexible screen is arranged on the folding device.

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