Support structure, support rotating shaft and foldable electronic device

Abstract

The application relates to the field of electronic equipment, aims to improve the problem that the bending area of a known folding screen is easy to be damaged, and provides a supporting structure, a supporting rotating shaft and a foldable electronic equipment. The supporting structure is used for supporting the bending area of the folding screen of the foldable electronic equipment. The supporting structure comprises a supporting sheet and a buffer body. The supporting sheet is composed of a memory alloy material. The buffer body is made of a flexible material and wraps the outer periphery of the supporting sheet in a cross section perpendicular to the length direction of the supporting sheet. The application has the beneficial effect that the supporting effect on the bending area of the folding screen is good, and the bending area of the folding screen can be reliably protected, and the impact and extrusion resistance of the folding screen is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of electronic devices, and more specifically, to support structures, support hinges, and foldable electronic devices. Background Technology

[0002] Some known foldable devices have relatively weak bending areas in their foldable screens, making these areas prone to damage when the device is dropped or when the screen is squeezed or impacted. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Embodiments of this application provide a support structure, a support hinge, and a foldable electronic device to improve the problem of easy damage to the bending area of ​​a foldable screen.

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a support structure for supporting the bending area of ​​a foldable screen of a foldable electronic device. The support structure includes a support sheet and a buffer body. The support sheet is made of a shape memory alloy material. The buffer body is made of a flexible material and, in a cross-section perpendicular to the length direction of the support sheet, the buffer body covers the outer periphery of the support sheet.

[0005] In this embodiment, the support structure combines a support sheet and a buffer. The flexibility of the buffer helps to buffer the stress acting on the bending area of ​​the folding screen when subjected to external impact, thereby improving the impact resistance of the bending area of ​​the folding screen. The shape memory alloy support sheet can play a role in stress dispersion, improving the compression resistance of the bending area of ​​the folding screen, thus reducing the probability of damage to the folding screen. The shape memory characteristics provided by the support sheet enable the support structure to remain undeformed after long-term compression or repeated small external impacts or compressions, resulting in a long service life.

[0006] In one possible implementation, the buffer body includes a first buffer layer, a second buffer layer, and two side buffer portions, which together form an internal space. A support sheet is disposed within the internal space.

[0007] In this embodiment, the support piece is placed in the internal space enclosed by the buffer body, which can isolate the support piece from direct contact with the folding screen and improve the protection effect of the folding screen.

[0008] In one possible implementation, the support sheet has a first surface and a second surface that are opposite to each other along the thickness direction. A first buffer layer is bonded to the first surface, and / or, a second buffer layer is bonded to the second surface.

[0009] In this embodiment, the support sheet and the buffer body have better overall integrity, which is beneficial for the overall stress distribution of the support structure.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the side buffer portion is separated from the side surface of the support plate.

[0011] In this embodiment, the length of the support piece remains unchanged during bending, and the side of the side buffer portion is not bonded to the support piece, which facilitates the buffer body to be stretched adaptively and avoids warping and deformation of the buffer body during bending, thus affecting the support of the folding screen.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the support sheet has a cut hole extending along the thickness direction, the cut hole being a through hole or a blind hole, and the buffer body fills the cut hole; and / or, one or both sides of the support sheet in the width direction have an inwardly recessed groove, and the buffer body fills the groove.

[0013] In this embodiment, the support plate is provided with holes and grooves, and the buffer body fills the holes and / or grooves. This not only makes the connection between the support plate and the buffer body stronger and ensures better overall stress distribution, but also allows adjustment of the stiffness of certain areas of the support plate. This facilitates the support structure bending to the desired shape (e.g., teardrop shape) as the hinge assembly folds or unfolds, thus supporting the bending area of ​​the folding screen in the desired shape (e.g., teardrop shape). Furthermore, the holes also help to relieve bending stress. The grooves also prevent the support plate and buffer body from being repeatedly compressed during bending, thus reducing their lifespan.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the shape memory alloy material is a NiTi alloy.

[0015] In this embodiment, the NiTi alloy support sheet can play a stress-dispersing role, improve the compression resistance of the bending area of ​​the folding screen, and thus reduce the probability of damage to the folding screen.

[0016] In one possible implementation, the NiTi alloy contains 50%-60% Ni by mass, with the balance being Ti and other elements.

[0017] In this embodiment, the NiTi alloy with this mass ratio has superelasticity, which is beneficial to improving the fatigue resistance of the support structure.

[0018] In one possible implementation, the thickness of the support sheet is 0.005-0.050 mm. The overall thickness of the support structure is 0.01-0.20 mm.

[0019] In this embodiment, the support sheet and support structure are set with appropriate thickness, which is conducive to balancing support and protection capabilities, as well as the thinning design of foldable devices.

[0020] In one possible implementation, the buffer is made of TPU material, or the buffer is made of superelastic plastic material.

[0021] In this embodiment, the buffer body is made of ultra-elastic flexible materials such as TPU, which helps to provide better buffering effect for the foldable screen and ensure the fatigue resistance of the support structure.

[0022] In one possible implementation, the support sheet is bonded to the buffer body; or, the buffer body is formed onto the outer periphery of the support sheet by injection molding.

[0023] In this embodiment, the support sheet and the buffer body have better integration, which is beneficial to the overall stress distribution of the support structure.

[0024] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a supporting hinge for an inward-folding foldable electronic device. The supporting hinge includes a hinge assembly and the aforementioned supporting structure. The hinge assembly includes a central beam and two door panels, which are rotatably connected to both sides of the central beam. The buffer body has two surface areas on its side near the hinge assembly; these two surface areas are spaced apart along the width direction of the supporting hinge, and are respectively bonded to the two door panels.

[0025] The support hinge of the inward-folding foldable electronic device in this embodiment adopts the aforementioned support structure, which can provide better support for the foldable screen.

[0026] In one possible implementation, the two sides of the support piece in the width direction overlap with the two door panels in the thickness direction.

[0027] In this embodiment, the support piece can be supported by two door panels, avoiding the situation where the support structure is only directly supported by the buffer body on the door panel, which would affect the overall deformation of the support structure as the door panel rotates.

[0028] In one possible implementation, the buffer body includes a first buffer layer, a second buffer layer, and two side buffer portions, which enclose an internal space; a support sheet is disposed within the internal space. The support sheet has a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other along its thickness direction; the first buffer layer is bonded to the first surface and / or the second buffer layer is bonded to the second surface; the side buffer portions are separated from the sides of the support sheet. When the pivot assembly is in a folded state, the buffer body is elongated to form gaps between the two sides of the support sheet in the width direction and the side buffer portions on both sides.

[0029] In this embodiment, the side buffer portion is separated from the side surface of the support plate, which can reduce the limitation of the support plate on the bending and widening deformation of the buffer body.

[0030] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a supporting hinge for an outward-folding foldable electronic device. The supporting hinge includes a hinge assembly and the aforementioned supporting structure. The hinge assembly includes a central beam, two inner door panels, and two outer door panels. The two inner door panels are rotatably connected to both sides of the central beam, and the two outer door panels are rotatably connected to the sides of the two inner door panels away from the central beam. The surface of the buffer body near the hinge assembly includes two first surface areas; the two first surface areas are located on both sides of the width direction of the supporting structure, and the two first surface areas are respectively bonded to the two outer door panels.

[0031] The support shaft of the outward-folding foldable electronic device in this embodiment adopts the aforementioned support structure, which can provide better support for the foldable screen.

[0032] In one possible implementation, the side surface of the buffer body near the pivot assembly further includes two second surface areas; the two second surface areas are respectively located between the two first surface areas, and the two second surface areas are respectively bonded to the two inner door panels.

[0033] In this embodiment, the buffer can be reliably combined with the inner door panel, and can bend as the inner door panel rotates to support the folding screen.

[0034] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a foldable electronic device, including a foldable screen and a housing assembly. The foldable screen includes a bending area, a first large surface area, and a second large surface area, which are respectively connected to both sides of the bending area. The housing assembly includes a first housing, a second housing, and the aforementioned support hinge, with the first and second housings respectively connected to both sides of the support hinge and capable of being folded or unfolded relative to each other. The first large surface area is supported by the first housing, and the second large surface area is supported by the second housing. A support structure is provided between the bending area and the hinge assembly.

[0035] The foldable electronic device in this embodiment uses the aforementioned support hinge, which provides better support for its foldable screen. Attached Figure Description

[0036] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings in the embodiments will be briefly described below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0037] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the foldable electronic device provided in the embodiment of this application when it is in the unfolded state;

[0038] Figure 2 for Figure 1The diagram shows the foldable electronic device in a folded state.

[0039] Figure 3 An exploded view of the foldable electronic device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0040] Figure 4 for Figure 1 The diagram shown illustrates the foldable electronic device in a partially unfolded state.

[0041] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the foldable electronic device in this embodiment when it is in the unfolded state;

[0042] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a foldable electronic device in a folded state;

[0043] Figure 7 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the supporting hinge and foldable screen in the design;

[0044] Figure 8 for Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the supporting hinge and foldable screen in the design;

[0045] Figure 9 This is a perspective view of the support structure in this embodiment;

[0046] Figure 10 This is an exploded view of the support structure in this embodiment;

[0047] Figure 11 for Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the supporting structure in the diagram;

[0048] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of another type of support sheet in this embodiment;

[0049] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of another type of support sheet in this embodiment;

[0050] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of another type of support sheet in this embodiment;

[0051] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of another support shaft in the unfolded state according to this embodiment;

[0052] Figure 16 for Figure 15 Exploded view;

[0053] Figure 17 for Figure 15 A schematic diagram showing the supporting pivot in a folded state.

[0054] Key component symbols: 100 - Foldable electronic device; 1 - Housing assembly; 2 - Foldable screen; 2a - First large surface area; 2b - Second large surface area; 2c - Bending area; 1a - First housing; 1b - Second housing; 1c, 1d - Support hinge; 10, 10d - Hinge assembly; 11, 11d - Center beam; 12 - Door panel; 13 - Swing arm assembly; 12d - Inner door panel; 13d - Outer door panel; 20 - Support structure; 21, 21a, 21b, 21c - Support pieces ; 22-Buffer body; 22a-First buffer layer; 22b-Second buffer layer; 22c-Side buffer section; Q1-Internal space; Q2-Gap space; 30-Adhesive layer; 31-First adhesive; 32-Second adhesive; K1-Hole cut; C1-Groove; X-Width direction; Y-Length direction; Z-Thickness direction; P1-First surface; P2-Second surface; P3-Side side; P4-First surface area; P5-Second surface area; P6-Intermediate area; P7-Separation area; f1-Gap. Detailed Implementation

[0055] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments.

[0056] It should be noted that when a component is said to be "fixed to" another component, it can be directly on the other component or there may be an intervening component. When a component is said to be "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intervening component. When a component is said to be "set on" another component, it can be directly set on the other component or there may be an intervening component. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this document are for illustrative purposes only.

[0057] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0058] Some embodiments of this application are described in detail. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.

[0059] Example

[0060] This application provides a foldable electronic device, which includes, but is not limited to, foldable electronic products such as mobile phones, tablet personal computers, laptop computers, laptops, personal digital assistants (PDAs), personal computers, multimedia players, smart screens, e-book readers, in-vehicle devices, or wearable devices. Wearable devices include, but are not limited to, smart bracelets, smartwatches, smart head-mounted displays, and smart glasses.

[0061] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the foldable electronic device 100 provided in the embodiment of this application when it is in the unfolded state; Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the foldable electronic device 100 in its folded state. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, this embodiment uses a foldable mobile phone as an example to illustrate the foldable electronic device 100.

[0062] For the foldable electronic device 100, it can have different usage states in different usage scenarios. Figure 1 The foldable electronic device 100 is shown in its unfolded state. The unfolding angle of the foldable electronic device 100 is, for example, 180°. At this time, the foldable electronic device 100 can realize a large screen display. Figure 2 The diagram shows a foldable electronic device 100 in a folded state. In this state, the foldable electronic device 100 occupies a small area (referring to the area perpendicular to the thickness direction of the foldable electronic device 100), making it easy to carry.

[0063] It should be noted that the angles illustrated in this embodiment are allowed to have slight deviations. For example, Figure 1 The foldable electronic device 100 shown has an unfolding angle of 180°, meaning that the unfolding angle can be 180°, or approximately 180°, such as 170°, 175°, 185°, or 190°. The angles illustrated in the following text can be understood in the same way.

[0064] in addition, Figure 1 and Figure 2 The foldable electronic device 100 shown is an electronic device capable of folding once. The electronic device includes two parts that can rotate relative to each other. When the two parts rotate to be coplanar, the foldable electronic device 100 is in an unfolded state (e.g., Figure 1 As shown), when the two parts are rotated to overlap each other, the foldable electronic device 100 is in a folded state (as shown). Figure 2(As shown). In other embodiments, the foldable electronic device 100 may also be an electronic device capable of folding more than three times (three or more times). In this case, the foldable electronic device 100 may include a plurality of parts that are rotatably connected in sequence. Two adjacent parts may be relatively far apart to be unfolded into an unfolded state, and two adjacent parts may also be relatively close to be folded into a folded state.

[0065] Figure 3 An exploded view of the foldable electronic device 100 provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 3 As shown, the foldable electronic device 100 includes a housing assembly 1 and a foldable screen 2. The foldable screen 2 is supported and connected to one side surface of the housing assembly 1. The side surface of the foldable screen 2 opposite to the housing assembly 1 is used to display information and / or provide an interactive interface for the user.

[0066] In this embodiment, the surface of the housing assembly 1 facing the folding screen 2 is defined as the front side of the housing assembly 1, and the surface of the housing assembly 1 facing away from the folding screen 2 is defined as the back side of the housing assembly 1. For the sake of simplicity, the front and back sides of the various components of the housing assembly 1 described later will also adopt this definition.

[0067] In this embodiment, the foldable screen 2 may be, but is not limited to, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, an active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) display, a mini organic light-emitting diode (MLED) display, a micro organic light-emitting diode (MOLED) display, a micro organic light-emitting diode (MLED) display, or a quantum dot light-emitting diode (QLED) display, etc.

[0068] The foldable screen 2 may include a first large surface area 2a, a second large surface area 2b, and a bending area 2c, with the bending area 2c connecting the first large surface area 2a and the second large surface area 2b. During use, the first large surface area 2a and the second large surface area 2b can remain stacked on the housing assembly 1, while the bending area 2c can be bent and deformed to change the angle between the first large surface area 2a and the second large surface area 2b, allowing the foldable screen 2 to fold or unfold with the movement of the housing assembly 1, thereby enabling the foldable electronic device 100 to switch between a folded state and an unfolded state.

[0069] For example, in the foldable screen 2, at least the bending area 2c is made of a flexible material so that the bending area 2c can be bent. The first large surface area 2a and the second large surface area 2b can be made of flexible materials, or they can be made of rigid materials, or they can be made of partially rigid materials and partially flexible materials. This embodiment does not limit this.

[0070] Driven by the housing component 1, the foldable screen 2 can switch between an unfolded state and a folded state. Combined with... Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, when the foldable screen 2 is in the unfolded state, the first large surface area 2a and the second large surface area 2b are in an unfolded state with their surfaces relatively far apart, while the bending area 2c is in an unbent, flattened state. The first large surface area 2a, the second large surface area 2b, and the bending area 2c all face the same direction and are coplanar. At this time, the angle between the first large surface area 2a and the second large surface area 2b is 180°. The foldable screen 2 can achieve a large-screen display, providing users with richer information and a better user experience.

[0071] Combination Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, when the foldable screen 2 is in the folded state, the first large surface area 2a and the second large surface area 2b are stacked relative to each other, and the bending area 2c is in a bent state. The bending angle of the bending area 2c is, for example, 180°. At this time, the foldable electronic device 100 occupies a small area of ​​the board, making it easy to carry and store.

[0072] It should be noted that the foldable electronic device 100 shown in the figure is an inward-folding foldable electronic device. When it is in the folded state, the first large surface area 2a and the second large surface area 2b of the foldable screen 2 are stacked opposite each other and sandwiched inside by the housing assembly 1. The bending area 2c of the foldable screen 2 is in an inward-folded state (teardrop-shaped bend, U-shaped bend, etc.). At this time, the foldable screen 2 is protected by the housing assembly 1 and is not easily damaged. When the inward-folding foldable electronic device 100 is in the folded state, the foldable screen 2 is not visible. An additional display screen can be added to the back of the housing assembly 1 so that the foldable electronic device 100 can be used in the folded state.

[0073] In some embodiments, the foldable electronic device 100 can be suspended at an angle between the unfolded state and the folded state (see [reference]). Figure 4For example, the hovering angle of the foldable electronic device 100 can be 90°, 120°, 135°, 150°, etc. The housing assembly 1 can be suspended in a partially unfolded state between the folded and unfolded states by the damping force provided by the housing assembly 1, and the foldable screen 2 remains in the partially unfolded state along with the housing assembly 1. At this time, the bending area 2c of the foldable screen 2 is also in a bent state, and the degree of bending of the bending area 2c is less than the degree of bending when in the folded state. The first large surface area 2a and the second large surface area 2b of the foldable screen 2 are relatively tilted, and the included angle between the first large surface area 2a and the second large surface area 2b is, for example, 90°, 120°, 135°, 150°, etc.

[0074] The housing assembly 1 supports and mounts the foldable screen 2, and drives the foldable screen 2 to switch between a folded state and an unfolded state. (See reference...) Figure 3 As shown, the housing assembly 1 includes a first housing 1a, a second housing 1b, and a support shaft 1c. The support shaft 1c connects the first housing 1a and the second housing 1b. The first housing 1a and the second housing 1b are rotatably connected through the support shaft 1c, thereby realizing relative rotation between the first housing 1a and the second housing 1b.

[0075] The first housing 1a supports and connects to the first large surface area 2a of the foldable screen 2, and the second housing 1b supports and connects to the second large surface area 2b of the foldable screen 2. The supporting pivot 1c corresponds to the bending area 2c of the foldable screen 2. When the first housing 1a and the second housing 1b rotate relative to each other via the supporting pivot 1c, the first large surface area 2a and the second large surface area 2b of the foldable screen 2 change their orientation accordingly, and the bending area 2c of the foldable screen 2 bends or flattens as the orientation of the first large surface area 2a and the second large surface area 2b changes.

[0076] For example, the first housing 1a may have a connecting surface facing a first large surface area 2a of the foldable screen 2, and the first large surface area 2a of the foldable screen 2 is attached to the connecting surface of the first housing 1a, for example, the first large surface area 2a of the foldable screen 2 is bonded to the connecting surface of the first housing 1a. Similarly, the second housing 1b may have a connecting surface facing a second large surface area 2b of the foldable screen 2, and the second large surface area 2b of the foldable screen 2 is attached to the connecting surface of the second housing 1b, for example, the second large surface area 2b of the foldable screen 2 is bonded to the connecting surface of the second housing 1b.

[0077] In addition, both the first housing 1a and the second housing 1b can have a receiving space for installing some functional components (not shown in the figure) of the foldable electronic device 100, such as circuit boards, batteries, camera modules, microphones, speakers, etc. For example, circuit boards can be provided in both the first housing 1a and the second housing 1b, and electrical connections between the components in the two housings can be achieved through the circuit boards in the two housings; the battery for powering the components can be provided only in the first housing 1a or the second housing 1b, or the battery can be provided in both the first housing 1a and the second housing 1b; as for other components such as camera modules, microphones, speakers, etc., they can be centrally located in the first housing 1a or the second housing 1b, or some components can be located in the first housing 1a and some components can be located in the second housing 1b.

[0078] Both the first housing 1a and the second housing 1b may include a middle frame (not shown in the figure) and a back cover (not shown in the figure). The middle frame is connected between the foldable screen 2 and the back cover. The connecting surface is formed on the side of the middle frame facing the foldable screen 2. The foldable screen 2 can be attached to this side surface of the middle frame. The back cover is connected to the side of the middle frame away from the foldable screen 2. The middle frame and the back cover together enclose a receiving space for installing functional devices.

[0079] It should be noted that, Figures 1-4 The foldable electronic device 100 shown is a schematic diagram with simplified structural and / or appearance details, and does not represent the actual appearance or structure.

[0080] In some known foldable electronic devices, the bending area of ​​the folding screen is designed for flexibility, resulting in mechanical properties inferior to the first and second largest surfaces of the folding screen. Furthermore, some known support hinges for the folding screen exhibit unevenness at locations such as screws and through-axis flexible circuit boards. These factors contribute to poor support from the support hinges in the bending area of ​​the folding screen, leading to a higher proportion of bending-area-related failures among all failures. For example, failures caused by drops, frontal compression of the folding screen, and impact failures frequently occur in the bending area.

[0081] In view of this, this embodiment provides a supporting hinge 1c, which can provide better support for the bending area 2c of the foldable screen 2 and reduce the probability of failure of the bending area 2c of the foldable screen 2. The following will describe this exemplarily with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0082] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the foldable electronic device 100 in this embodiment when it is in the unfolded state. Figure 6 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the foldable electronic device 100 in a folded state. Figure 7 for Figure 5A schematic diagram of the supporting hinge 1c and the foldable screen 2 in the middle; Figure 8 for Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the supporting hinge 1c and the folding screen 2.

[0083] See Figure 5 and Figure 6 In this embodiment, the supporting pivot 1c includes a pivot assembly 10 and a supporting structure 20. The pivot assembly 10 is connected between the first housing 1a and the second housing 1b to achieve a rotatable connection between the first housing 1a and the second housing 1b.

[0084] The specific structure of the hinge assembly 10 can be selected from known structures as needed. For example, the hinge assembly 10 can adopt a known double-spinning teardrop hinge, which can fold the bending area 2c of the folded screen 2 inward to support it in a teardrop shape (see...). Figure 6 ).

[0085] See Figure 7 and Figure 8 The pivot assembly 10 mainly includes a central beam 11 and two door panels 12, which are rotatably connected to both sides of the central beam 11. For example, the two door panels 12 are connected to both sides of the central beam 11 via a swing arm assembly 13. In this way, the two door panels 12 can rotate relative to the central beam 11 to maintain support for the folding screen 2 in different states (such as unfolded state, folded state, partially unfolded state, etc.) and support the folding screen 2 in the desired shape (such as teardrop shape).

[0086] The support structure 20 is positioned between the hinge assembly 10 and the bending area 2c of the folding screen 2, and the support structure 20 and the folding screen 2 may not be bonded together. The support structure 20 and the two door panels 12 of the hinge assembly 10 are bonded together by adhesive layers 30. The area between the two door panels 12 of the support structure 20 is not bonded to the hinge assembly 10.

[0087] In the folded state, see Figure 8 The support structure 20 bends as the door panel 12 rotates, so as to support the folding screen 2 in a teardrop shape.

[0088] See Figure 9 and Figure 10 In this embodiment, the support structure 20 includes a support sheet 21 and a buffer body 22.

[0089] The support sheet 21 is thin and made of a shape memory alloy. For example, the shape memory alloy used in the support sheet 21 can be a NiTi alloy, in which Ni accounts for 50%-60% by mass, with the balance being Ti and other elements. These other elements can be unavoidable impurities or added trace elements (such as carbon). NiTi alloys possess shape memory properties and exhibit superelasticity at room temperature. The support sheet 21 made of NiTi alloy exhibits large shape memory strain and high recovery stress.

[0090] The buffer 22 is made of a flexible material. The flexible material constituting the buffer 22 can be a super-elastic plastic material, such as TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer) or super-elastic silicone rubber. TPU material has excellent wear resistance, excellent ozone resistance, high hardness, high strength, good elasticity, low temperature resistance, and good oil resistance, chemical resistance, and environmental resistance.

[0091] In a cross-section perpendicular to the length direction Y of the support sheet 21 (parallel to the bending axis of the foldable electronic device 100), the buffer body 22 covers the outer periphery of the support sheet 21. In this embodiment, the buffer body 22 includes a first buffer layer 22a, a second buffer layer 22b, and two side buffer portions 22c, which together form an internal space Q1. The support sheet 21 is disposed within the internal space Q1.

[0092] In this embodiment, the support structure 20, through the combination of the support piece 21 and the buffer body 22, utilizes the flexibility of the buffer body 22 to buffer the stress acting on the bending area 2c of the folding screen 2 under external impact, thereby improving the impact resistance of the bending area 2c of the folding screen 2. The NiTi alloy support piece 21 can disperse stress, improving the compression resistance of the bending area 2c of the folding screen 2, thus reducing the probability of damage to the folding screen 2. At the same time, the support piece 21 and the buffer body 22 are both made of highly elastic materials, and the combined support structure 20 has high fatigue resistance, enabling it to withstand more bends without breaking. The shape memory properties provided by the support piece 21 allow the support structure 20 to remain undeformed after long-term compression or repeated small external impacts or compressions, resulting in a long service life.

[0093] Tests were conducted using a support structure 20 employing this design, which demonstrated the ability to withstand 200,000 or more bends (flattening to full closure) at room temperature (25°C), improving the foldable screen 2's resistance to compression and impact by over 30%. During application, the support structure 20 prevents the support sheet 21 from denting or deforming under pressure up to 20 MPa.

[0094] The table below shows the data for the support structure 20 of this embodiment and several control group protection schemes for a certain foldable screen stacking scheme.

[0095]

[0096] In contrast, some known technologies use a thin steel sheet on one side of the folding area supporting the hinge to improve support for the folding area. In this technology, the thin steel sheet is only attached to one side of the hinge support panel, while the other side remains free and unattached to accommodate relative displacement between the steel sheet and the hinge assembly during folding or unfolding. However, this approach results in relative displacement between the steel sheet and the housing or hinge assembly of the foldable electronic device during bending, causing rattling noises and affecting the user experience.

[0097] In other embodiments, the buffer body 22 may also include only the first buffer layer 22a and the second buffer layer 22b, that is, the buffer body 22 only covers the two sides of the support sheet 21 in the thickness direction Z.

[0098] The support structure 20 in this embodiment can be manufactured through a two-stage molding process. For example, the support sheet 21 can be formed in one step using machining, 3D printing, or other methods, and then the buffer body 22 can be formed on the outer circumference of the support sheet 21 using injection molding or other methods. The support structure 20 manufactured in this way has the buffer body 22 and the support sheet 21 tightly bonded together, and the two can bear the force as a whole.

[0099] The support structure 20 in this embodiment can also be manufactured in other suitable forms. For example, the support sheet 21 and the buffer sheet can be molded separately, and then the buffer sheet can be rolled around the support sheet 21 to form the buffer 22. The buffer 22 and the support sheet 21 can be bonded together with an adhesive material (such as glue).

[0100] In this embodiment, optionally, the thickness of the support piece 21 can be 0.005-0.050 mm, for example, 0.005 mm, 0.010 mm, 0.020 mm, 0.030 mm, 0.040 mm, 0.050 mm, etc. The overall thickness of the support structure 20 is 0.01-0.20 mm, for example, 0.01 mm, 0.05 mm, 0.10 mm, 0.15 mm, 0.02 mm, etc.

[0101] See also Figure 9 and Figure 10 In this embodiment, the support sheet 21 has a first surface P1 and a second surface P2 that are opposite to each other along the thickness direction Z; the first buffer layer 22a is bonded to the first surface P1, and the second buffer layer 22b is bonded to the second surface P2. In this embodiment, both sides of the support sheet 21 are bonded to the buffer body 22, the overall integrity of the support structure 20 is better, and it is beneficial for the support sheet 21 and the buffer body 22 to share the force.

[0102] For inward folding (such as...) Figure 7 and Figure 8 Alternatively, the surface of the support piece 21 closest to the folding screen 2 (the first surface P1 in the figure) can be bonded to the first buffer layer 22a, while the surface of the support piece 21 furthest from the folding screen 2 (the second surface P2 in the figure) can remain unbonded to the second buffer layer 22b, allowing for relative displacement. This facilitates the widening of the second buffer layer 22b during folding as the pivot assembly 10 rotates (meaning the dimension increases along the width direction X), reducing the obstruction of the support piece 21 to the widening of the second buffer layer 22b during folding. The bonding of the first surface P1 to the first buffer layer 22a ensures, to a certain extent, the relative position and integrity of the support piece 21 and the buffer body 22. Furthermore, in the inward folding configuration, the degree of widening of the first buffer layer 22a is relatively small, and its bonding with the support piece 21 has no significant impact on the bending of the support structure 20.

[0103] See Figure 11 In this embodiment, optionally, the side buffer portion 22c is separated from the side surface P3 of the support piece 21, that is, the side buffer portion 22c is not bonded to the side surface P3 of the support piece 21. Thus, during bending, the length of the support piece 21 remains unchanged, and the side surface P3 of the side buffer portion 22c is not bonded to the support piece 21, which facilitates the adaptive widening of the buffer body 22 and avoids warping and deformation of the buffer body 22 during bending, thus preventing it from affecting the support of the folding screen 2. Figure 11 In the process, when the support structure 20 is in a bent state, after the buffer body 22 is stretched, a gap space Q2 appears between the side surface P3 of the support piece 21 and the buffer body 22. After the support structure 20 is flattened, the buffer body 22 returns to its original shape, and the gap space Q2 disappears.

[0104] In this embodiment, optionally, the two sides of the support piece 21 in the width direction X overlap with the two door panels 12 in the thickness direction Z, that is, the two sides of the support piece 21 at least partially overlap the two door panels 12 (see...). Figure 7 and Figure 8 In this way, the support piece 21 can be supported by both door panels 12, avoiding the effect of the support structure 20 being deformed as the door panel 12 rotates because only the buffer body 22 is directly supported on the door panel 12.

[0105] Figures 12-14 The structure of some other support pieces 21 in this embodiment is shown.

[0106] Figure 12In the support structure 20, the support plate 21 has a cutout K1 extending along the thickness direction Z, and the cutout K1 can be a through hole. The buffer body 22 of the support structure 20, in addition to covering the outer periphery of the support plate 21, also fills the cutout K1. The support plate 21 has a recessed groove C1 on its width direction X side, and the buffer body 22, in addition to covering the outer periphery of the support plate 21, also fills the groove C1. The groove C1 can be located on one or both sides of the support plate 21 in the width direction X. For example, when the buffer body 22 is injection molded outside the support plate 21 with the cutout K1 and groove C1, the injection molding material will fill into the cutout K1 and groove C1.

[0107] In other embodiments, the support piece 21 may also have only one of the cut hole K1 and the groove C1, which is not limited here.

[0108] By filling the holes K1 and / or grooves C1 with the buffer body 22, the connection between the support piece 21 and the buffer body 22 is strengthened, ensuring better overall stress distribution. This also allows adjustment of the stiffness of certain areas of the support piece 21, facilitating the bending of the support structure 20 to the desired shape (e.g., teardrop shape) as the pivot assembly 10 folds or unfolds, thus supporting the bending area 2c of the folding screen 2 in the desired shape (e.g., teardrop shape). Furthermore, the holes K1 also help to relieve bending stress. The grooves C1 prevent repeated compression of the support piece 21 and the buffer body 22 during bending, thus reducing their lifespan.

[0109] Figure 13 and Figure 14 In the support piece 21, a hole K1 extending along the thickness direction Z is provided. The hole K1 is a blind hole, meaning that the hole K1 does not penetrate the support piece 21. At this time, the stiffness of the support piece 21 at the hole K1 is weakened, which is conducive to bending deformation.

[0110] Figure 13 In the middle, the cut hole K1 is set on the first surface P1 of the support piece 21. At this time, the thickness of the first buffer layer 22a at this location is increased, which is beneficial to provide better buffer protection for the corresponding position of the folding screen 2 (such as the bending center position).

[0111] Figure 14 In the support piece 21, the first surface P1 and the second surface P2 are respectively provided with holes K1, and the holes K1 on both sides are staggered along the width direction X of the support piece 21.

[0112] Figures 15 to 17 Another support hinge 1c of this embodiment is shown, which is the support hinge 1c of a foldable electronic device 100 (such as an outward-folding mobile phone) in the form of an outward folding hinge. The support hinge 1c includes a hinge assembly 10 and a support structure 20, which is supported between the hinge assembly 10 and the bending area 2c of the foldable screen 2.

[0113] See Figures 15 to 17 The pivot assembly 10 includes a central beam 11, two inner door panels 12d, and two outer door panels 13d. The two inner door panels 12d are rotatably connected to both sides of the central beam 11, and the two outer door panels 13d are rotatably connected to the sides of the two inner door panels 12d away from the central beam 11. The inner door panels 12d and the central beam 11 can be rotatably connected via a solid or virtual axis, and the outer door panels 13d and the inner door panels 12d can also be rotatably connected via a solid or virtual axis. In the unfolded state, the central beam 11, the two inner door panels 12d, and the two outer door panels 13d jointly support the bending area 2c of the flattened folding screen 2; in the folded state, the central beam 11, the two inner door panels 12d, and the two outer door panels 13d define a generally semi-cylindrical surface for supporting the bending area 2c of the folding screen 2 in a semi-circular shape.

[0114] The side surface of the buffer body 22 near the pivot assembly 10 includes two first surface areas P4; the two first surface areas P4 are located on both sides of the width direction X of the support structure 20, and the two first surface areas P4 are respectively bonded to the two outer door panels 13d by a first adhesive 31. Optionally, the side surface of the buffer body 22 near the pivot assembly 10 also includes two second surface areas P5, the two second surface areas P5 are located between the two first surface areas P4, and the two second surface areas P5 are respectively bonded to the two inner door panels 12d by a second adhesive 32. For clarity, Figure 16 The vertical dashed lines in the middle indicate the boundaries between different facets.

[0115] Between the two second surface areas P5 is an intermediate area P6, which corresponds to the central beam 11, and the intermediate area P6 and the central beam 11 are not bonded together. Between the first surface area P4 and the second surface area P5 is a separating area P7, which is located between the first surface area P4 and the second surface area P5. By setting the intermediate area P6 and the separating area P7 to be non-bonded, it is beneficial to allow the buffer body 22 to adapt to deformation when folded outward, and to avoid warping of the buffer body 22 when bent.

[0116] When the support shaft 1c is folded, there are gaps f1 between the middle beam 11 and the inner door panel 12d, and between the inner door panel 12d and the outer door panel 13d. The support piece 21 does not have holes K1 cut in the area corresponding to the gaps f1 to ensure the support rigidity of that area.

[0117] For outward folding (such as...) Figure 15 and Figure 17Alternatively, the surface of the support piece 21 furthest from the folding screen 2 (second surface P2) can be bonded to the second buffer layer 22b, while the surface of the support piece 21 closest to the folding screen 2 (first surface P1) remains unbonded to the first buffer layer 22a, allowing for relative displacement. This facilitates the widening of the first buffer layer 22a during outward folding as the pivot assembly 10 rotates (meaning the dimension increases along the width direction X), reducing the obstruction of the support piece 21 to the widening of the first buffer layer 22a during outward folding. The bonding of the second surface P2 to the second buffer layer 22b ensures, to a certain extent, the relative position and integrity of the support piece 21 and the buffer body 22. Furthermore, in the outward folding configuration, the degree of widening of the second buffer layer 22b is relatively small, and its bonding with the support piece 21 has no significant impact on the bending of the support structure 20.

[0118] Figures 15 to 17 In this embodiment, the support sheet 21 is a sheet that extends continuously along the width direction X. In other embodiments, the support sheet 21 may include two or more sheets spaced apart along the width direction X, which is not limited here.

[0119] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application and are not intended to limit it. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the above preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions to the technical solutions of this application should not depart from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of this application.

Claims

1. A support structure for supporting a hinge assembly and a bending area of ​​a foldable screen in a foldable electronic device, characterized in that, The support structure includes: Support sheet, said support sheet being made of shape memory alloy material; and, The buffer body shown is made of a flexible material, and in a cross-section perpendicular to the length direction of the support sheet, the buffer body covers the outer periphery of the support sheet; The buffer body includes a first buffer layer, a second buffer layer, and two side buffer sections, the first buffer layer, the second buffer layer, and the two side buffer sections forming an internal space; The support piece is disposed in the internal space; The support sheet has a first surface and a second surface that are opposite to each other along the thickness direction; The first buffer layer is bonded to the first surface, and / or the second buffer layer is bonded to the second surface; The buffer body is bonded to the rotating shaft assembly on both sides in the width direction.

2. The support structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The side buffer portion is separated from the side surface of the support plate.

3. The support structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support sheet has cut holes extending along its thickness direction, the cut holes being either through holes or blind holes, and the buffer body fills the cut holes; and / or, The support sheet has recessed grooves on one or both sides in the width direction, and the buffer body fills the grooves.

4. The support structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shape memory alloy material is a NiTi alloy.

5. The support structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: In the NiTi alloy, Ni accounts for 50%-60% of the mass, with the balance being Ti and other elements.

6. The support structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thickness of the support sheet is 0.005-0.050 mm; The overall thickness of the support structure is 0.01-0.20 mm.

7. The support structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The buffer is made of TPU material, or the buffer is made of super-elastic plastic material.

8. The support structure according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that: The support sheet is bonded to the buffer body; or... The buffer body is formed on the outer periphery of the support sheet by injection molding.

9. A supporting hinge for an inward-folding foldable electronic device, characterized in that, The supporting pivot includes: The support structure according to any one of claims 1-8; and, A pivot assembly, comprising a central beam and two door panels, the two door panels being rotatably connected to both sides of the central beam; The buffer body is bonded to the two door panels respectively in the area of ​​the surface of the two door panels near the pivot assembly.

10. The supporting shaft according to claim 9, characterized in that: The two sides of the support piece in the width direction overlap with the two door panels in the thickness direction.

11. The supporting shaft according to claim 9, characterized in that: The buffer body includes a first buffer layer, a second buffer layer, and two side buffer portions, the first buffer layer, the second buffer layer, and the two side buffer portions forming an internal space; the support piece is disposed in the internal space; The support sheet has a first surface and a second surface that are opposite to each other along the thickness direction; the first buffer layer is bonded to the first surface and / or the second buffer layer is bonded to the second surface; the side buffer portion is separated from the side surface of the support sheet; When the pivot assembly is in a folded state, the buffer body is elongated so that gaps are formed between the two sides of the support plate in the width direction and the side buffer portions on both sides.

12. A supporting hinge for an outward-folding foldable electronic device, characterized in that, The supporting pivot includes: The support structure according to any one of claims 1-8; and, A pivot assembly, comprising a center beam, two inner door panels and two outer door panels, wherein the two inner door panels are rotatably connected to both sides of the center beam, and the two outer door panels are rotatably connected to the side of the two inner door panels away from the center beam. The buffer body has two first surface areas on the side surface near the pivot assembly. The two first surface areas are located on both sides of the width direction of the support structure, and the two first surface areas are respectively bonded to the two outer door panels.

13. The supporting shaft according to claim 12, characterized in that: The buffer body also includes two second surface areas on the side surface near the pivot assembly; the two second surface areas are respectively located between the two first surface areas, and the two second surface areas are respectively bonded to the two inner door panels.

14. A foldable electronic device, characterized in that, include: A foldable screen, comprising a bending area, a first large surface area, and a second large surface area, wherein the first large surface area and the second large surface area are respectively connected to both sides of the bending area; as well as, A housing assembly comprising a first housing, a second housing, and a support pivot as described in any one of claims 9-13, wherein the first housing and the second housing are respectively connected to both sides of the support pivot and are foldable or unfoldable relative to each other; The first large surface area is supported by the first shell, and the second large surface area is supported by the second shell; The support structure is positioned between the bending area and the pivot assembly.

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