Folding device, shell assembly and electronic equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a folding device, a shell assembly and electronic equipment, the folding device comprises a first structural part and a second structural part, the first structural part is provided with a sliding groove, and the width of the sliding groove close to the bottom wall of the sliding groove is smaller than that of the sliding groove away from the bottom wall of the sliding groove. The second structural part is provided with a sliding block, and the sliding block is arranged in the sliding groove and can slide in the sliding groove. Due to the fact that when the sliding block slides in the sliding groove, stress on the root portion of the sliding groove is a large high stress area, the wall thickness of the root portion of the sliding groove is increased, reinforcement of the root portion is achieved, when the folding device falls off, falling deformation of the first structural part and the second structural part can be prevented, the whole machine moves smoothly, unfolding and folding are well achieved, and the folding effect is good. The reliability of the folding device is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of folding device technology, specifically relating to folding devices, housing assemblies, and electronic devices. Background Technology

[0002] The mobile terminal industry is increasingly focused on large screens and ultra-thin designs. However, large screens result in bulky devices that are inconvenient to carry. Foldable electronic devices, due to their folding mechanism, can change the size of the device, thus solving this problem and are now widely popular among users. Electronic devices rely on folding mechanisms to achieve their folding function. Currently, while maintaining a certain thickness, these mechanisms have poor drop resistance and are prone to deformation from drops. Summary of the Invention

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

[0004] The first structural component has a groove, wherein the width of the groove near the bottom wall is smaller than the width of the groove away from the bottom wall;

[0005] The second structural component includes a slider, which is disposed within the groove and is capable of sliding within the groove.

[0006] The folding device provided in the first aspect of this application achieves relative movement between the first and second structural components by creating a groove on a first structural component and a slider on a second structural component, with the slider sliding within the groove. Furthermore, the bottom of the groove has a bottom wall. This application modifies the opening width of the groove, making the width from the bottom wall at the root to the opening at the top no longer uniform. Instead, the width of the groove near the bottom wall (i.e., the width at the root) decreases, making the width at the root smaller than the width at the top, creating a "wider outside, narrower inside" structure. Correspondingly, the wall thickness at the root of the groove increases, becoming greater than the wall thickness at the top.

[0007] Because the root of the slide groove experiences significant stress when the slider slides within it, it becomes a high-stress area. Therefore, by thickening the wall at the root of the slide groove, the deformation of the first and second structural components can be prevented when the folding device is dropped. This ensures smooth movement of the entire device, facilitating successful unfolding and folding, and improving the reliability of the folding device. In other words, while maintaining the reliability of the folding device, the increased wall thickness at the root of the slide groove allows for a reduction in the dimensions of the slide groove and slider, i.e., a reduction in the dimensions of the first and second structural components. This, in turn, reduces the overall size of the folding device, achieving miniaturization and enhancing the overall design performance.

[0008] A second aspect of this application provides a housing assembly including a first housing, a second housing, and a folding device as provided in the first aspect of this application, the folding device being connected between the first housing and the second housing.

[0009] The housing assembly provided in the second aspect of this application can improve the reliability of the housing assembly by adopting the folding device provided in the first aspect of this application, or achieve miniaturization of the housing assembly while maintaining the reliability of the housing assembly, thereby increasing the size of the first housing and the second housing.

[0010] A third aspect of this application provides an electronic device comprising a flexible screen and a housing assembly as provided in the second aspect of this application, wherein the flexible screen is disposed on the same side of the first housing, the second housing, and the folding device.

[0011] The electronic device provided in the third aspect of this application can improve the reliability of the electronic device by adopting the housing assembly provided in the second aspect of this application, or can achieve miniaturization of the electronic device while maintaining its reliability. Attached Figure Description

[0012] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments of this application will be described below.

[0013] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the first and second structural members when the folding device is in the unfolded state according to one embodiment of this application.

[0014] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The exploded view of the first and second structural components is shown.

[0015] Figure 3 for Figure 1 The diagram shows cross-sectional views of the first and second structural members along the AA direction.

[0016] Figure 4 for Figure 3 The enlarged view of the first and second structural components shown.

[0017] Figure 5 for Figure 4 The diagram shows an exploded view of the first and second structural components.

[0018] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the first and second structural members when the folding device is in a folded state according to one embodiment of this application.

[0019] Figure 7This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the first structural member in one embodiment of this application.

[0020] Figure 8 This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the first structural member in another embodiment of this application.

[0021] Figure 9 This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the first structural member in another embodiment of this application.

[0022] Figure 10 This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of a folding device including lubricating oil in one embodiment of this application.

[0023] Figure 11 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the first structural member and the second structural member in another embodiment of this application.

[0024] Figure 12 for Figure 11 The diagram shows the exploded cross-sections of the first and second structural components.

[0025] Figure 13 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the folding device in the unfolded state according to one embodiment of this application.

[0026] Figure 14 for Figure 13 An exploded view of the folding device shown.

[0027] Figure 15 for Figure 13 The front view of the folding device shown.

[0028] Figure 16 for Figure 14 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the trajectory mechanism in the folding device shown.

[0029] Figure 17 for Figure 16 The exploded view of the trajectory mechanism shown.

[0030] Figure 18 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the folding device in a folded state according to one embodiment of this application.

[0031] Figure 19 for Figure 18 The front view of the folding device shown.

[0032] Figure 20 This is a partial assembly diagram of the base, the first rotating member, the second rotating member, and the connecting member in one embodiment of this application.

[0033] Figure 21 This is an exploded view of the base, the first rotating member, and the connecting member in one embodiment of this application.

[0034] Figure 22 This is an exploded view of the base, the second rotating member, and the connecting member in one embodiment of this application.

[0035] Figure 23 This is an exploded view of the first rotating member and the second rotating member in one embodiment of this application.

[0036] Figure 24 This is an exploded view of the second rotating member and part of the supporting member in one embodiment of this application.

[0037] Figure 25 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the base, the second rotating member, and the support member when the folding device is in the unfolded state according to one embodiment of this application.

[0038] Figure 26 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the base, the second rotating member, and the support member when the folding device is in a folded state according to one embodiment of this application.

[0039] Figure 27 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the housing assembly in the unfolded state according to one embodiment of this application.

[0040] Figure 28 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the housing assembly in a folded state according to one embodiment of this application.

[0041] Figure 29 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the electronic device in the unfolded state according to one embodiment of this application.

[0042] Figure 30 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the electronic device in a folded state according to one embodiment of this application.

[0043] Label Explanation:

[0044] Folding device-1, screen housing space-1a, track mechanism-1b, housing assembly-2, electronic device-3, base-10, bottom surface-100, top surface-101, first rotation axis-C1, second rotation axis-C2, linkage component-20, second rotation shaft-21, third rotation shaft-22, first rotating component-30, first sliding block-31, second rotation hole-32, second structural component-40', second rotating component-40, slider-41, first sub-slider-411, second sub-slider-412, second sliding block-42, rolling shaft-43, third rotation hole-44, first structural component-50', connector-50, back surface-50 0, Slide groove - 51, Oil storage space - 510, Bottom wall - 511, Side wall - 512, First part - 512a, Second part - 512b, Third part - 512c, Fourth part - 512d, Lubricating oil - 513, Receiving groove - 52, First sliding groove - 53, Second sliding groove - 54, Support member - 60, Support part - 61, Support surface - 610, Rolling part - 62, Rolling groove - 620, First limiting end - 621, Second limiting end - 622, Connecting part - 623, Middle plate - 70, Decorative part - 80, First housing - 91, Second housing - 92, Flexible screen - 93, Bending area - 930, Non-bending area - 931. Detailed Implementation

[0045] The following are preferred embodiments of this application. It should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principles of this application, and these improvements and modifications are also considered to be within the scope of protection of this application.

[0046] With increasing market demand for larger display areas in mobile phones, tablets, and other terminal products, competition in the mobile terminal industry is increasingly focused on large and ultra-thin screens. However, large screens result in bulky devices that are inconvenient to carry. The smartphone industry is undergoing a revolution in user experience driven by form factor innovation. Mobile phone displays have evolved from rigid screens to flexible screens, from small screens to large screens and full-screen displays, and from static to dynamic mechanisms. Recently, major mobile phone manufacturers have been developing foldable screens and sliding screens, striving to expand the form factor and display boundaries of mobile phones, enabling them to function as phones, tablets, and even computers. As a new form of electronic device, foldable display terminals, due to their folding function (allowing them to unfold or close), offer a larger display area when unfolded and a smaller overall size when folded, thus solving the aforementioned problems and gaining popularity among users.

[0047] Foldable display terminals rely on an internal folding mechanism to achieve their folding function. This mechanism typically contains multiple structural components connected in various ways to enable the unfolding and folding of the device. For example, a folding mechanism usually includes a rotating component and a connecting component. The rotating component is slidably connected to the connecting component, which has a groove, while the rotating component has a slider. Within the existing structural space, the mating position between the connecting component and the rotating component is usually where the folding mechanism has the greatest thickness. In other words, when the slider is positioned within the groove, the thickness of the groove's sidewalls and the slider itself determines the thickness of this sliding mating position. Specifically, the sidewalls of the groove are 0.4 mm thick, and the slider is also 0.4 mm thick; therefore, the total wall thickness at this sliding point is at least 1.2 mm.

[0048] However, a thickness of 0.4mm is already considered a risky thickness for the overall reliability of the machine; that is, 0.4mm is the minimum thickness. Under relatively harsh drop conditions, rotating parts and connecting parts are prone to deformation, leading to sluggish movement, jamming, or even inability to fold the machine.

[0049] In view of this, in order to solve the above problems, this application provides a folding device, which please refer to. Figures 1-6 , Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the first and second structural members when the folding device is in the unfolded state according to one embodiment of this application. Figure 2 for Figure 1 The exploded view of the first and second structural components is shown. Figure 3 for Figure 1 The diagram shows cross-sectional views of the first and second structural members along the AA direction. Figure 4 for Figure 3 The enlarged view of the first and second structural components shown. Figure 5 for Figure 4 The diagram shows an exploded view of the first and second structural components. Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the first and second structural members when the folding device is in a folded state according to one embodiment of this application. The folding device 1 provided in this embodiment includes a first structural member 50' and a second structural member 40'. The first structural member 50' has a groove 51, and the width of the groove 51 near the bottom wall 511 is smaller than the width of the groove 51 away from the bottom wall 511. The second structural member 40' is provided with a slider 41, which is disposed in the groove 51 and can slide within the groove 51.

[0050] The folding device 1, also known as a pivot or hinge, is mainly used in electronic products such as mobile phones, tablets, and computers. It can also be used in other non-electronic products requiring a torque pivot, such as doors, windows, and other mechanical structures. The folding device 1 provided in this embodiment mainly includes a first structural member 50' and a second structural member 40'. This means that this embodiment can solve the aforementioned technical problems using only the first structural member 50' and the second structural member 40'. However, in other embodiments, the folding device 1 may also include other components, such as a base, connectors, rotating parts, supports, synchronization mechanisms, and torque mechanisms, to achieve different purposes. The synchronization mechanism ensures the synchronization of the left and right shell movements during folding and unfolding, achieving symmetry in the movement of both sides and the flexible screen, ensuring a tight fit between the two flexible screens during folding and a flat surface when unfolded. The torque mechanism provides damping during the movement of the folding device 1, ensuring a good feel during product unfolding and folding. Furthermore, sufficient torque allows the product to hover during movement, giving it more playability and wider application scenarios.

[0051] The first structural component 50' and the second structural component 40' are alternative names for two structural components in the folding device 1. That is, the first structural component 50' and the second structural component 40' do not specifically refer to any particular structural component in the folding device 1. The first structural component 50' can be a base, a rotating component, a connecting component, a supporting component, etc., and the second structural component 40' can also be a base, a rotating component, a connecting component, a supporting component, etc. A groove 51 may be provided on the first structural component 50', and a slider 41 may be protruded on the second structural component 40'. The slider 41 is disposed within the groove 51 and can slide relative to the first structural component 50' within the groove 51, thereby realizing the relative movement of the first structural component 50' and the second structural component 40', ultimately achieving the folding and unfolding of the folding device 1. This embodiment does not limit the shape, structure, material, or other parameters of the first structural component 50' and the second structural component 40', as long as the first structural component 50' has a groove 51 and the second structural component 40' has a slider 41.

[0052] It is worth noting that the sliding of slider 41 within the groove 51 does not necessarily mean that the first structural member 50' and the second structural member 40' are slidably connected to each other. When the first structural member 50' and the second structural member 40' achieve relative rotation using an arc-shaped rail and an arc-shaped groove, the arc-shaped rail can also slide within the arc-shaped groove, but in this case, the first structural member 50' is rotatably connected to the second structural member 40'. Similarly, when the first structural member 50' and the second structural member 40' achieve relative rotation using a rolling shaft and a rolling groove, the rolling shaft can also slide within the rolling groove, but in this case, the first structural member 50' is tactilely connected to the second structural member 40'. Therefore, the first structural member 50' and the second structural member 40' can be rotatably connected, slidably connected, or tactilely connected to each other. This embodiment and the following description only use the first structural member 50' as the connecting member and the second structural member 40' as the second rotating member for illustrative purposes. In other embodiments, the first structural member 50' and the second structural member 40' can also be other components.

[0053] The slide 51 is typically formed by a bottom wall 511 and a side wall 512. The root region of the slide 51 refers to the area within the slide 51 closest to the bottom wall 511, while the top region refers to the area within the slide 51 furthest from the bottom wall 511 and closest to the top opening. When the slider 41 is positioned within the slide 51, it abuts against the side wall 512. At this point, the slider 41 and the slide 51 generate an interaction force. Under actual impact stress, simulation analysis shows that the actual force-bearing location of the slider 41 and the slide 51 is the root region of the slide 51, i.e., the side wall 512 closest to the bottom wall 511. The force at non-root locations is relatively lighter, with the lightest force occurring at the top region of the slide 51, i.e., the side wall 512 furthest from the bottom wall 511.

[0054] In related technologies, the width of the chute 51 is constant from the bottom wall 511 to the top opening, meaning the chute 51 is equal in width both inside and out, and its cross-sectional shape is rectangular. This results in a large impact force on the slider 41 and the chute 51 during a drop, with the root region of the chute 51 experiencing the greatest stress and prone to deformation, thus reducing the reliability of the folding device 1. This embodiment changes the opening width of the chute 51, so that the width of the chute 51 is no longer constant from the bottom wall 511 at the root to the top opening. Instead, the width of the chute 51 near the bottom wall 511 (i.e., the root width) is reduced, making the root width smaller than the top width, thus creating a "wider outside, narrower inside" structure for the chute 51. At this time, while keeping the overall dimensions of the sliding fit unchanged, it is equivalent to thickening the wall thickness of the root sidewall 512 of the slide groove 51. Correspondingly, the wall thickness of the root of the slide groove 51 will increase, and the wall thickness of the root will be greater than the wall thickness of the top.

[0055] Because the root of the slide groove 51 experiences significant stress when the slider 41 slides within it, it becomes a high-stress area. Therefore, by thickening the wall of the root of the slide groove 51, reinforcement is achieved. This prevents the first structural component 50' and the second structural component 40' from deforming when the folding device 1 falls, ensuring smooth movement of the entire device and facilitating proper unfolding and folding, thus improving the reliability of the folding device 1. This can also be understood as follows: while maintaining the reliability of the folding device 1, the increased wall thickness at the root of the slide groove 51 allows for a reduction in the dimensions of the slide groove 51 and the slider 41, i.e., a reduction in the dimensions of the first structural component 50' and the second structural component 40'. This reduces the overall size of the folding device 1, achieving miniaturization and enhancing the overall design performance. In other words, when the reliability of the folding device 1 meets the requirements, the increased wall thickness of the slide groove 51 resulting from this solution can be converted into miniaturization of the folding device 1. In this case, the first structural component 50' and the second structural component 40' can be made of high-strength materials.

[0056] Under the premise that the width of the groove 51 is changed to be wider at the outside and narrower at the inside, the width of the slider 41 can still be of equal width in one embodiment, that is, the width of the slider 41 remains unchanged as in related technologies. In other embodiments, since the slider 41 located in the root region of the groove 51 is a low-stress area with less force, this embodiment can make the width of the slider 41 away from the second structural member 40' smaller than the width of the slider 41 close to the second structural member 40'. In other words, the slider 41 is no longer of equal width. The width of the slider 41 corresponding to the root region of the groove 51 (i.e., where the slider 41 is away from the second structural member 40') is reduced, and is smaller than the width of the slider 41 corresponding to the top region of the groove 51 (i.e., where the slider 41 is close to the second structural member 40'), forming a "narrower at the top and wider at the bottom" structure. At the same time, the cross-sectional shape of the slider 41 located in the groove 51 matches the cross-sectional shape of the groove 51, which makes the slider 41 fit the groove 51 more closely and improves the sliding effect of the slider 41 in the groove 51.

[0057] In summary, by thinning the head of the slider 41, the root region of the groove 51 can be correspondingly reinforced. In other words, the low-stress area of ​​the slider 41 is transformed into the risk root wall thickness of the corresponding groove 51, and the root of the groove 51 is thickened, thereby effectively improving reliability.

[0058] Please refer to this again. Figure 3 In this embodiment, the first structural member 50' has a receiving groove 52, and the groove walls on both sides of the receiving groove 52 have sliding grooves 51. Part of the second structural member 40' is disposed in the receiving groove 52, and the two sides of the second structural member 40' are provided with sliders 41. The two sliding grooves 51 and the two sliders 41 cooperate with each other to limit the misalignment of the second structural member 40' in the sliding direction perpendicular to the second structural member 40'.

[0059] A receiving groove 52 can be formed on the first structural member 50' to receive the second structural member 40', thereby reducing the overall size of the folding device 1. The receiving groove 52 has the aforementioned sliding groove 51 on both sides of the groove wall. The second structural member 40' located in the receiving groove 52 has the aforementioned slider 41 on both sides. The relative movement between the first structural member 50' and the second structural member 40' is achieved by inserting the sliders 41 on both sides into the sliding grooves 51 on both sides and sliding the sliders 41 in the sliding grooves 51.

[0060] In addition, since the sliding grooves 51 on both the left and right sides form a "wide on the outside and narrow on the inside" structure, the sliding grooves 51 on both sides cooperate with the sliders 41 on both sides. When the second structural member 40' needs to shift to one side, the slider 41 on the other side abuts against the side wall 512 of the sliding groove 51, preventing it from shifting. Ultimately, the first structural member 50' and the second structural member 40' form a mutual limiting structure perpendicular to the sliding direction, improving the limiting ability of the folding device 1 in this direction, thereby limiting the misalignment of the second structural member 40'.

[0061] Please refer to this as well. Figures 7-9 , Figure 7 This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the first structural member in one embodiment of this application. Figure 8 This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the first structural member in another embodiment of this application. Figure 9 This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the first structural member in another embodiment of this application. In this embodiment, the first structural member 50' has a bottom wall 511 and two side walls 512 bent and connected to opposite sides of the bottom wall 511. The bottom wall 511 and the two side walls 512 form a groove 51, and the two side walls 512 can abut against opposite sides of the slider 41. At least one of the two side walls 512 is inclined relative to the bottom wall 511.

[0062] As can be seen from the above, the groove 51 is formed by the bottom wall 511 and side walls 512 of the first structural member 50'. There are two side walls 512, which are bent and connected to the opposite sides of the bottom wall 511. Each side wall 512 can abut against the opposite sides of the slider 41. When the width of the slider 41 is equal to the width of the corresponding groove 51 position, the opposite sides of the slider 41 abut against the two side walls 512 respectively. When the width of the slider 41 is less than the width of the corresponding groove 51 position, the slider 41 abuts against only one side wall 512, and the other side of the slider 41 does not abut against the side wall 512. In this embodiment, at least one of the two side walls 512 can be inclined relative to the bottom wall 511, thereby forming a groove 51 structure that is "wider on the outside and narrower on the inside". The inclined sidewall 512 allows the width of the slide 51 to gradually increase from the root region to the top region, thereby gradually reducing the width of the slide 51 wall thickness. This, combined with the gradually decreasing force between the slide 51 and the slider 41, controls the reliability of the slide 51 to remain the same at all points, improving the uniformity of reliability.

[0063] It is worth noting that, such as Figure 7 As shown, in this embodiment, only one of the two sidewalls 512 may be inclined relative to the bottom, while the other sidewall 512 is perpendicular to the bottom wall 511. In this case, one sidewall 512 gradually inclines towards the center of the groove 51 from the outside to the inside, while the other sidewall 512 remains perpendicular to the bottom wall 511. In other embodiments, both bottom walls 511 may be inclined relative to the bottom. There are two specific implementations for this, such as... Figure 8 As shown, in one embodiment, one sidewall 512 gradually slopes towards the center of the groove 51 from the outside to the inside, while the other sidewall 512 gradually slopes away from the center of the groove 51 from the outside to the inside. However, the slope angle of one sidewall 512 is greater than that of the other sidewall 512, so that the overall groove 51 structure is still "wider on the outside and narrower on the inside". Figure 9 As shown, in another embodiment, each sidewall 512 is inclined toward the other sidewall 512, and the two sidewalls 512 gradually incline toward the center of the groove 51 from the outside to the inside, so that the groove 51 is generally "wide on the outside and narrow on the inside" and the cross-sectional shape of the groove 51 is trapezoidal.

[0064] In this embodiment, regardless of the shape of the groove 51 in the various embodiments provided above, the sidewall 512 must be inclined. Therefore, in this embodiment, the inclination angle of the sidewall 512 can be adjusted (e.g., Figures 7-9The inclination angle (∠A) is 5°-10°. When the inclination angle of the sidewall 512 is too small, for example, less than 5°, the wall thickness at the root of the groove 51 will be thin, resulting in limited or no improvement in reliability. When the inclination angle of the sidewall 512 is too large, for example, greater than 10°, the wall thickness at the root of the groove 51 will be thick, causing the bottom opening of the groove 51 to close prematurely, resulting in a shallow groove depth and easy separation of the slider 41 from the groove 51. Therefore, when the inclination angle of the sidewall 512 is 5°-10°, the insertion depth of the slider 41 into the groove 51 can be increased while improving reliability, thus preventing the slider 41 from separating from the groove 51.

[0065] Optionally, the inclination angle of the sidewall 512 can be 5°, 6°, 7°, 8°, 9°, or 10°.

[0066] Alternatively, in this embodiment, the width of the bottom of the slide 51 is 0.1mm-0.3mm, the width of the top of the slide 51 is 0.3mm-0.5mm, and the height of the slide 51 is 0.6mm-1.0mm.

[0067] Please refer to this again. Figure 4 In this embodiment, the sidewall 512 includes a first part 512a and a second part 512b. The first part 512a is closer to the bottom wall 511 than the second part 512b, and the first part 512a is bent and connected to the bottom wall 511. The slider 41 abuts against the second part 512b.

[0068] The inclined sidewall 512 can be divided into two parts: a first part 512a and a second part 512b. The first part 512a is closer to the bottom wall 511, and the second part 512b is farther from the bottom wall 511. The first part 512a is bent and connected to the bottom wall 511. In other words, the first part 512a is the area at the root of the sidewall 512, and the second part 512b is the area at the non-root of the sidewall 512. When the slider 41 is inserted into the groove 51, in this embodiment, the slider 41 only abuts against the second part 512b. At this time, the slider 41 does not abut against the first part 512a, and the slider 41 is separated from the bottom wall 511 of the groove 51. The above can also be understood as the slider 41 not being inserted into the bottom wall 511 of the groove 51, but leaving a certain space. This allows for the adaptation of sliders 41 of different sizes, and even if the slider 41 has processing errors, it can still be inserted into the groove 51 and fit well with the groove 51. Optionally, the width of the bottom wall 511 of the chute 51 can be 0.1mm-0.2mm.

[0069] Please refer to Figure 10 , Figure 10This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of a folding device including lubricating oil in one embodiment of this application. In this embodiment, the slider 41, the first part 512a, and the bottom wall 511 form an oil storage space 510. The folding device 1 also includes lubricating oil 513, which is located between the slider 41 and the second part 512b, and within the oil storage space 510.

[0070] This embodiment can also add lubricating oil 513 (the thickened black part in the figure) between the slider 41 and the groove 51, which are the parts that actually cooperate with the first structural member 50' and the second structural member 40', thereby reducing the coefficient of friction between the slider 41 and the side wall 512 of the groove 51, i.e., the second part 512b, and improving the sliding performance. As can be seen from the above, the slider 41 does not abut against the first part 512a and is spaced apart from the bottom wall 511. Therefore, the slider 41, the first part 512a, and the bottom wall 511 can form an oil storage space 510. The lubricating oil 513 can be located not only between the slider 41 and the second part 512b but also in the oil storage space 510, storing some additional lubricating oil 513. When the lubricating oil 513 between the slider 41 and the second part 512b is consumed, it can be replenished in time.

[0071] Please refer to Figures 11-12 , Figure 11 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the first structural member and the second structural member in another embodiment of this application. Figure 12 for Figure 11 The diagram shows an exploded cross-sectional view of the first and second structural members. In this embodiment, the sidewall 512 includes a third part 512c and a fourth part 512d. The third part 512c is closer to the bottom wall 511 than the fourth part 512d, and the third part 512c is bent to connect to the bottom wall 511. The third part 512c is inclined relative to the bottom wall 511, and the fourth part 512d is perpendicular to the bottom wall 511. The slider 41 located in the groove 51 includes a first sub-slider 411 and a second sub-slider 412. The first sub-slider 411 is farther away from the second structural member 40' than the second sub-slider 412. The first sub-slider 411 abuts against the third part 512c, and the second sub-slider 412 abuts against the fourth part 512d. From the direction away from the second structural member 40' to the direction closer to the second structural member 40', the width of the first sub-slider 411 gradually increases, while the width of the second sub-slider 412 remains unchanged.

[0072] The sidewall 512 can be divided into two parts: a third part 512c and a fourth part 512d. The third part 512c is closer to the bottom wall 511, while the fourth part 512d is farther from the bottom wall 511. The third part 512c is bent and connected to the bottom wall 511. In other words, the fourth part 512d is the area at the root of the sidewall 512, and the area at the non-root of the sidewall 512 is also the area at the root. In this embodiment, the sidewall 512 is not inclined in all areas. Instead, the third part 512c, which is closer to the root, is inclined, while the fourth part 512d, which is closer to the top, remains perpendicular to the bottom wall 511. This results in the bottom area of ​​the groove 51 still forming a "wider outside and narrower inside" groove structure, while the top area of ​​the groove 51 forms a "equal width inside and outside" groove structure.

[0073] When the cross-sectional shape of slider 41 matches the cross-sectional shape of groove 51, slider 41 can be divided into two sub-slider 41s: a first sub-slider 411 and a second sub-slider 412. The first sub-slider 411 serves as the top region of slider 41, corresponding to the root region of insertion into groove 51, while the second sub-slider 412 serves as the root region of slider 41, corresponding to the top region of insertion into groove 51. Therefore, from the direction away from the second structural member 40' to the direction closer to the second structural member 40', the first sub-slider 411 forms a slider 41 structure that is "narrower at the top and wider at the bottom," while the second sub-slider 412 forms a slider 41 structure that is "equal in width at the top and bottom."

[0074] Since the top of slider 41, i.e., the first sub-slider 411, experiences less force, its size can be appropriately reduced to make way for thickening the wall at the root of the groove 51. Meanwhile, the root of slider 41, i.e., the second sub-slider 412, experiences greater force, thus allowing for a structure of equal width at both the top and bottom. This avoids reducing the size of slider 41 at its root region, maintaining the reliability of the root of slider 41.

[0075] Please refer to this as well. Figures 13-19 , Figure 13 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the folding device in the unfolded state according to one embodiment of this application. Figure 14 for Figure 13 An exploded view of the folding device shown. Figure 15 for Figure 13 The front view of the folding device shown. Figure 16 for Figure 14 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the trajectory mechanism in the folding device shown. Figure 17 for Figure 16 The exploded view of the trajectory mechanism shown. Figure 18 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the folding device in a folded state according to one embodiment of this application. Figure 19 for Figure 18 The front view of the folding device shown.

[0076] In this embodiment, the folding device 1 further includes a base 10, two first rotating members 30, two second rotating members 40, two connecting members 50, and two supporting members 60. The two first rotating members 30 are rotatably connected to opposite sides of the base 10, and the two second rotating members 40 are rotatably connected to opposite sides of the base 10. The first rotating members 30 and second rotating members 40 located on the same side of the base 10 are slidably connected to the connecting members 50. Each supporting member 60 is rotatably connected to one connecting member 50 and is slidably and rotatably connected to the second rotating member 40.

[0077] The folding device 1 satisfies at least one of the following combinations: First structural member 50' is one of base 10 and first rotating member 30, and second structural member 40' is the other of base 10 and first rotating member 30; First structural member 50' is one of base 10 and second rotating member 40, and second structural member 40' is the other of base 10 and second rotating member 40; First structural member 50' is one of connecting member 50 and first rotating member 30, and second structural member 40' is the other of connecting member 50 and first rotating member 30; First structural member 50' is one of connecting member 50 and second rotating member 40, and second structural member 40' is the other of connecting member 50 and second rotating member 40; First structural member 50' is one of connecting member 50 and support member 60, and second structural member 40' is the other of connecting member 50 and support member 60. The first structural member 50' is one of the support member 60 and the first rotating member 30, and the second structural member 40' is the other of the support member 60 and the first rotating member 30.

[0078] The base 10 is the fundamental component of the folding device 1, mainly used to provide a foundation for mounting and fixing other components. That is, many components of the folding device 1 can be mounted on the base 10. When the folding device 1 moves, the base 10 itself remains stationary; it is mainly the other components of the folding device 1 that undergo various movements. This embodiment does not limit the shape, structure, material, or other parameters of the base 10, as long as it can provide a foundation for mounting other components.

[0079] Optionally, the base 10 has a top surface 101, a bottom surface 100, and a side surface that is bent to connect the top surface 101 and the bottom surface 100. When the folding device 1 is subsequently applied to an electronic device, the top surface 101 can be close to the flexible screen of the electronic device, and the bottom surface 100 can be far away from the flexible screen. The bottom surface 100 can also cooperate with the decorative element 80 to cover the base 10. In other words, the upper surface of the base 10 is the top surface 101, and the lower surface is the bottom surface 100.

[0080] Alternatively, both the top surface 101 and the bottom surface 100 are flat, facilitating subsequent integration with other components. The sides are convex curved surfaces, which not only enhance the appearance of the base 10 but also facilitate integration with the decorative piece 80, resulting in a smooth curved appearance when folded.

[0081] In the folding device 1, the two first rotating members 30 primarily achieve the folding function through their rotational capability. The rotation of the two first rotating members 30 drives and limits 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 they 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 fixed, only the two first rotating members 30 rotate. Furthermore, the two first rotating members 30 are respectively located on opposite sides of the base 10. In this embodiment, "opposite sides of the base 10" refers to opposite sides along the width direction of the base 10, which can be understood as the arrangement direction of the two first rotating members 30. The same understanding applies to "opposite sides" in this embodiment and the following text. The two first rotating members 30, respectively located on opposite sides of the base 10, control the unfolding and folding of 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 the shape, structure, material, or other parameters of the first rotating member 30, as long as the first rotating member 30 can be rotatably connected to the base 10.

[0082] Optionally, the two first rotating members 30 are rotatably connected to the side of the base 10. Further optionally, in one embodiment, the two first rotating members 30 are arranged axially symmetrically about the base 10. In another embodiment, the two first rotating members 30 are arranged non-axially symmetrically about the base 10; this can also be understood as the two first rotating members 30 having a partially overlapping area in the length direction of the folding device 1. This embodiment is only illustrated with the example of the two first rotating members 30 being arranged axially symmetrically about the base 10.

[0083] The second rotating member 40 has the same function as the first rotating member 30. In the folding device 1, it mainly achieves the folding function through its rotational capability. The rotation of the two second rotating members 40 drives and limits the components connected to them, causing these components 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 fixed, only the two second rotating members 40 rotate. Furthermore, the two second rotating members 40 are respectively located on opposite sides of the base 10. In this embodiment, "opposite sides of the base 10" refers to opposite sides along the width direction of the base 10. The width direction can be understood as the arrangement direction of the two second rotating members 40. The "opposite sides" in this embodiment and the following text can be understood in the same way. The two second rotating members 40, respectively located on opposite sides of the base 10, can control the unfolding and folding of 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 the shape, structure, material or other parameters of the second rotating member 40, as long as the second rotating member 40 can be rotatably connected to the base 10.

[0084] Optionally, the two second rotating members 40 and the two first rotating members 30 are spaced apart along the length 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 allows the second rotating members 40 and the first rotating members 30 to be better rotated and connected to the base 10.

[0085] Optionally, the two second rotating members 40 are rotatably connected to the side of the base 10. Optionally, in one embodiment, the two second rotating members 40 are arranged axially symmetrically about the base 10, and in another embodiment, the two second rotating members 40 are arranged non-axially symmetrically about the base 10. It can also be understood that the two second rotating members 40 have a partially overlapping area in the length direction of the folding device 1. This embodiment is only illustrated with the example of the two second rotating members 40 being arranged axially symmetrically about the base 10.

[0086] In the folding device 1, the connector 50 mainly serves to connect the various components. The first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40, located on the same side of the base 10, are slidably connected to the connector 50. That is, the ends of the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 away from the base 10 are rotatably connected to the connector 50. The connector 50 can slide relative to either the first rotating member 30 or the second rotating member 40. Furthermore, the connector 50 is subsequently used to fix the connecting housing, thus securing the connector 50 to the housing. When the housing rotates, it can cause the connector 50 to rotate as well. This embodiment does not limit the shape, structure, material, or other parameters of the connector 50, as long as the connector 50 can achieve a slidable connection between the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40.

[0087] The support member 60 is mainly used to support the flexible screen and assist in the forming of the flexible screen when the folding device 1 is subsequently applied to electronic devices, thereby controlling the folding shape of the flexible screen. Therefore, the support member 60 can also be called a support plate or a ramp. Optionally, the folding device 1 may also include a middle plate 70. The folding device 1 may include two ramps and one middle plate 70. In this case, the folding device 1 can be called a three-plate structure. Alternatively, the folding device 1 may include two ramps and two middle plates 70. In this case, the folding device 1 can be called a four-plate structure. Optionally, the flexible screen can be bonded to the support member 60 by means of adhesive, so that the shape of the flexible screen is more natural during bending, the stress after bending is small, and the damage to the flexible screen is reduced. Each support member 60 is disposed on a connector 50. Specifically, the support member 60 is rotatably connected to the connector 50, that is, the support member 60 can rotate relative to the connector 50. The support member 60 also slides and rotates relative to the second rotating member 40. In other words, the support member 60 can both rotate relative to the second rotating member 40 and slide relative to the second rotating member 40. This embodiment does not limit the shape, structure, material, or other parameters of the support member 60, as long as it is rotatably connected to the connector 50 and slidably and rotatably connected to the second rotating member 40.

[0088] The aforementioned rotation can be understood as two components moving in a circle around a rotation axis, with only changes in angle and no changes in displacement. Sliding can be understood as two components moving in parallel, with only changes in displacement and no changes in angle. However, the ability of two components to both slide and rotate implies that they experience both changes in displacement and angle; this combination of sliding and rotation can also be termed rolling. Therefore, the connection between the support member 60 and the second rotating member 40 can also be described as the support member 60 rollingly connecting to the second rotating member 40.

[0089] The folding device 1 may also include a decorative element 80, which is disposed on the bottom surface 100 and sides of the base 10 to protect and cover other components such as the base 10, preventing the user from observing the interior of the folding device 1. Furthermore, the decorative element 80 can subsequently cooperate with the housings on the left and right sides of the base 10 to form the exterior of the electronic device.

[0090] 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 the 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 the right module. The left module and the right module can be symmetrical or asymmetrical.

[0091] The folding device 1 provided in this embodiment can form a trajectory mechanism 1b by comprising a base 10, two first rotating members 30, two second rotating members 40, and two connecting members 50. The trajectory mechanism 1b ensures that the folded screen-accommodating space 1a is U-shaped or teardrop-shaped, ensuring better support of the flexible screen without damaging its layers. In one embodiment, the folding device 1 includes one trajectory mechanism 1b, which is located on one side of the support member 60. In another embodiment, the folding device 1 includes two trajectory mechanisms 1b, both located on one side of the support member 60 and arranged along the length extension direction of the support member 60. In this case, one support member 60 is rotatably connected to two connecting members 50, and simultaneously slidably and rotatably connected to two first rotating members 30. In other embodiments, the folding device 1 includes three or more trajectory mechanisms 1b, all located on one side of the support member 60 and 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 rotatably connects to three or more first rotating members 30. This embodiment is only illustrated by the folding device 1 including three track mechanisms 1b and two support members 60. Of course, the scheme with two track mechanisms 1b and the scheme with one track mechanism 1b should also fall within the protection scope of this application.

[0092] Based on the above connection relationships, it can be seen that the folding device 1 provided in this embodiment consists 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 sliding 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 all the components on one side is 3*4 (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 (5 lower pairs on one side, such as 2 sliding pairs and 3 rotating pairs) - 1*1 (1 higher pair on one side, such as 1 rolling pair) = 1.

[0093] Therefore, when the folding device 1 moves, the movement trajectory and path of each component are unique. Specifically, when the folding device 1 folds, 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 connecting member 50 slides relative to the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40, the support member 60 also slides and rotates relative to the second rotating member 40, and the support member 60 also rotates relative to the connecting member 50, ultimately causing the two support members 60 to fold together. When the folding device 1 unfolds, 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 connecting member 50 slides relative to the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40, the support member 60 also slides and rotates relative to the second rotating member 40, and the support member 60 also rotates relative to the connecting member 50, ultimately causing the two support members 60 to unfold together.

[0094] The movement process of the aforementioned folding device 1 has multiple active and passive logical relationships. This application only illustrates one specific movement process. When the folding device 1 folds, that is, during the process of the folding device 1 changing from the unfolded state to the folded state, in other words, when the two connecting members 50 rotate relative to the base 10 and move closer to each other, since both the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 are rotatably connected to the base 10, the connecting member 50 can drive the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 to also rotate relative to the base 10. Furthermore, during the rotation of the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40, the connecting member 50 can also slide relative to the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40, thereby changing the distance between the connecting member 50 and the base 10. When the connecting member 50 slides, since the support member 60 is disposed on the connecting member 50, the connecting member 50 can drive the support member 60 to slide together. When the support member 60 slides, the second rotating member 40 can also slide and rotate relative to the support member 60, thereby causing the support member 60 to rotate relative to the connecting member 50, and finally the two support members 60 can be folded together. 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.

[0095] Similarly, when the folding device 1 unfolds, that is, during the process of the folding device 1 moving from the folded state to the unfolded state, when the two connecting members 50 rotate in opposite directions relative to the base 10 and move away from each other, since both the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 are rotatably connected to the base 10, the connecting member 50 can drive the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 to also rotate relative to the base 10. Furthermore, during the rotation of the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40, the connecting member 50 can also slide relative to the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40, thereby changing the distance between the connecting member 50 and the base 10. When the connecting member 50 slides, since the support member 60 is disposed on the connecting member 50, the connecting member 50 can drive the support member 60 to slide together. 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, ultimately allowing the two support members 60 to unfold relative to each other. Of course, in other embodiments, the second rotating member 40 may not rotate relative to the connecting member 50 during the sliding and rotating process, that is, the supporting member 60 and the connecting member 50 remain stationary.

[0096] 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 protection scope of this application.

[0097] like Figure 15As shown, when the two support members 60 are parallel to each other and located on opposite sides of the base 10, the two support members 60 are in a fully unfolded state; in other words, the folding device 1 is in the unfolded state mentioned above. Figure 19 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 101 of the base 10, the two support members 60 are in a completely folded state; in other words, the folding device 1 is in a folded state. The process of the two support members 60 folding together, i.e., the process of the folding device 1 changing from an unfolded state to a folded state, can also be understood as... Figures 15 to 19 The process. When the two support members 60 unfold relative to each other, that is, when the folding device 1 moves from the folded state to the unfolded state, it can also be understood as the process from... Figures 19 to 15 The process.

[0098] When the folding device 1 is in the folded state, the two support members 60 and the base 10 together form a screen-accommodating space 1a for accommodating the flexible screen. The folding device 1 provided in this embodiment can have a U-shaped or teardrop-shaped cross-section for the screen-accommodating space 1a. When the cross-section of the screen-accommodating space 1a is U-shaped, the distance between the two support members 60 at the end furthest from the base 10 is equal to the distance between the two support members 60 at the end closest to the base 10. In this case, the mechanism of the folding device 1 is simple, and the overall reliability is high. When the cross-section of the screen-accommodating space 1a is teardrop-shaped, the distance between the two support members 60 at the end furthest from the base 10 is less than the distance between the two support members 60 at the end closest to the base 10. In this case, the folding device 1 is thinner and flatter after folding. This embodiment only illustrates the case where the cross-section of the screen-accommodating space 1a is teardrop-shaped.

[0099] As can be seen from the above, whether the two components are connected by sliding, rotating, or rolling connections, they can all be regarded as the first structural member 50' and the second structural member 40' mentioned above. Therefore, this embodiment has a variety of possible combinations, which will now be illustrated with examples. In the first embodiment, the first structural member 50' is one of the base 10 and the first rotating member 30, and the second structural member 40' is the other of the base 10 and the first rotating member 30. When the first structural member 50' is the base 10, the second structural member 40' is the first rotating member 30; when the first structural member 50' is the first rotating member 30, the second structural member 40' is the base 10. The base 10 is rotatably connected to the first rotating member 30 by the sliding of the slider 41 in the groove 51.

[0100] In the second embodiment, the first structural member 50' is one of the base 10 and the second rotating member 40, and the second structural member 40' is the other of the base 10 and the second rotating member 40. When the first structural member 50' is the base 10, the second structural member 40' is the second rotating member 40, and when the first structural member 50' is the second rotating member 40, the second structural member 40' is the base 10. The base 10 is rotatably connected to the second rotating member 40 by sliding the slider 41 in the slide groove 51.

[0101] In the third embodiment, the first structural member 50' is one of the connecting member 50 and the first rotating member 30, and the second structural member 40' is the other of the connecting member 50 and the first rotating member 30. When the first structural member 50' is the connecting member 50, the second structural member 40' is the first rotating member 30. When the first structural member 50' is the first rotating member 30, the second structural member 40' is the connecting member 50. The connecting member 50 is slidably connected to the first rotating member 30 by the sliding of the slider 41 in the slide groove 51.

[0102] In the fourth embodiment, the first structural member 50' is one of the connecting member 50 and the second rotating member 40, and the second structural member 40' is the other of the connecting member 50 and the second rotating member 40. When the first structural member 50' is the connecting member 50, the second structural member 40' is the second rotating member 40. When the first structural member 50' is the second rotating member 40, the second structural member 40' is the connecting member 50. The connecting member 50 is slidably connected to the second rotating member 40 by the sliding of the slider 41 in the slide groove 51.

[0103] In the fifth embodiment, the first structural member 50' is one of the connector 50 and the support member 60, and the second structural member 40' is the other of the connector 50 and the support member 60. When the first structural member 50' is the connector 50, the second structural member 40' is the support member 60. When the first structural member 50' is the support member 60, the second structural member 40' is the connector 50. The connector 50 is rotated to connect with the support member 60 by sliding the slider 41 in the groove 51.

[0104] In the sixth embodiment, the first structural member 50' is one of the support member 60 and the first rotating member 30, and the second structural member 40' is the other of the support member 60 and the first rotating member 30. When the first structural member 50' is the support member 60, the second structural member 40' is the first rotating member 30, and when the first structural member 50' is the first rotating member 30, the second structural member 40' is the support member 60. The support member 60 is rolled to the first rotating member 30 by sliding the slider 41 in the groove 51.

[0105] In summary, the first structural component 50' and the second structural component 40' can be alternative names for the two interconnected parts, simply given different names by human intervention. It is worth noting that the folding device 1 provided in this embodiment may conform to any one of the six embodiments described above, or it may conform to a combination of any two of the six embodiments, or a combination of any three of the six embodiments, or a combination of any four of the six embodiments, or a combination of any five of the six embodiments, or all six embodiments simultaneously. This application uses only the first structural component 50' as the connecting component 50 and the second structural component 40' as the second rotating component 40 for illustrative purposes.

[0106] The following sections will describe the cooperating components in detail. Since most components are in pairs and symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of the base 10, this embodiment will only use examples such as... Figure 14 and Figure 17 The component located on the right side of the base 10 in the folding device 1 shown is illustrated schematically, and the component on the left side of the base 10 can be understood in the same way.

[0107] Please refer to Figure 20 , Figure 20 This is a partial alignment diagram of the base, first rotating member, second rotating member, and connecting member according to one embodiment of this application. 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 further 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 further away from the connecting member 50 than the second rotation axis C2; in other words, the first rotation axis C1 is to the left of the second rotation axis C2. Therefore, in Figure 20 In the diagram, 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 component 30 moves relative to the connecting component 50 by rotation, which determines the position of the connecting component 50 during the movement. The second rotating component 40 moves relative to the connecting component 50 by a combination of rotation and sliding, which determines the angle of the connecting component 50 during the movement. The position and angle of the connecting component 50 are determined by the interaction between the first rotating component 30 and the second rotating component 40.

[0108] When the folding device 1 is folded, the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 rotate, allowing the connecting member 50 to slide away from the base 10 while simultaneously sliding relative to the second rotating member 40. Similarly, when the folding device 1 is unfolded, the connecting member 50 can slide closer to the base 10, thus further controlling the distance between the connecting member 50 and the base 10, and consequently further controlling the movement of the support member 60, causing the support member 60 to move along a preset trajectory. When the folding device 1 is in the unfolded state, the support member 60 is flattened; when the folding device 1 is in the folded state, it forms a teardrop-shaped screen space 1a. Regardless of whether the folding device 1 is folded or unfolded, when the connecting member 50 rotates relative to the base 10, it causes the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 to also rotate relative to the base 10, so that the connecting member 50 slides relative to the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40, thereby changing the distance between the connecting member 50 and the base 10. This, in turn, causes the support member 60, which is rotatably connected to the connecting member 50, to also slide relative to the second rotating member 40, changing the distance between the support member 60 and the base 10, thus realizing the subsequent movement process.

[0109] 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, thus providing a basis for subsequent control of the movement trajectory of the support member 60.

[0110] In this embodiment, the first rotating member 30 and the base 10 are connected by a first arc-shaped rail and a first arc-shaped groove. The first arc-shaped rail and the first arc-shaped groove are both located on either the first rotating member 30 or the base 10. For example, when the first arc-shaped rail is located on the first rotating member 30, the first arc-shaped groove is located on the base 10; conversely, when the first arc-shaped groove is located on the first rotating member 30, the first arc-shaped rail is located on the base 10. This embodiment is only illustrated with the first arc-shaped rail located on the first rotating member 30 and the first arc-shaped groove located on the base 10. Specifically, the first rotating member 30 has an arc-shaped block on the side closest to the base 10, which is the first arc-shaped rail. The base 10 has a protrusion with an arc-shaped groove inside, which is the first arc groove. A first arc rail is located in the first arc groove, and the axis of the first arc groove is collinear with the axis of the first arc rail, allowing the first rotating member 30 to rotate relative to the base 10. In other words, the first rotating member 30 and the base 10 are rotatably connected together via an arc-shaped slide rail and an arc-shaped slide groove 51.

[0111] The dimensions and curvature of the first arc groove and the first arc rail can be designed based on the position of the rotation axis between the first rotating member 30 and the base 10. By using the design of the first arc groove and the first arc rail, the position of the rotation axis can be either inside or outside the base 10. Adjusting the dimensions and curvature of the first arc groove and the first arc rail facilitates the design of the rotation axis's 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 arc groove can also be provided on the first rotating member 30, and the first arc rail can be provided on the base 10.

[0112] In summary, this embodiment, by employing a rotational connection scheme between the first arc groove and the first arc rail, can better adjust the position of the rotation axis, achieving parallelism between the rotation axes, thereby ensuring the aforementioned positional relationship between the first rotation axis C1 and the second rotation axis C2. Furthermore, the fit between the first arc groove and the first arc rail allows the distance from the end of the first rotating member 30 away from the base 10 to the base 10 to be changed when the first rotating member 30 rotates relative to the base 10, thus adjusting the distance between the first rotating member 30 and the base 10, and ultimately achieving the purpose of controlling the sliding of the support member 60 relative to the base 10.

[0113] It is worth noting that when the base 10 is the first structural component 50' and the first rotating component 30 is the second structural component 40', the first arc groove in the base 10 is the aforementioned sliding groove 51, and the first arc rail in the first rotating component 30 is the aforementioned slider 41. The equal-thickness first arc rail that mates with the base 10 and the first rotating component 30 is optimized into a beveled fit. While maintaining the same force-bearing position at the root of the first rotating component 30, a portion of the sliding rail area of ​​the first arc rail is optimized, and the root of the first arc groove in the base 10 is thickened, thereby improving reliability.

[0114] In this embodiment, the second rotating member 40 and the base 10 are connected by a first rotating shaft and a first rotating hole. The first rotating shaft is located on one of the second rotating member 40 and the base 10, and the first rotating hole is located on the other. Since 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 by a first rotating shaft and a first rotating hole, with the first rotating shaft located on one of the second rotating member 40 and the first rotating hole on the other. For example, when the first rotating shaft is located on the second rotating member 40, the first rotating hole is located on the base 10; conversely, when the first rotating hole is located on the second rotating member 40, the first rotating shaft is located on the base 10. This embodiment is only illustrated with the first rotating shaft located on the base 10 and the first rotating hole located on the second rotating member 40. Optionally, the first rotating shaft may include, but is not limited to, a pin.

[0115] As can be seen from the above, since the first rotating member 30 and the base 10 can be connected through the first arc groove and the first arc rail, 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 rail. In this case, there is no need to change the position of the rotation axis between the second rotating member 40 and the base 10; only the first rotating shaft and the first rotating hole need to be connected, thereby simplifying the structure of the folding device 1 and reducing its size.

[0116] As can be seen from the above, both the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 are slidably connected to the connecting member 50. This embodiment allows the sliding directions of the first rotating member 30, the second rotating member 40, and the connecting member 50 to be non-parallel, thereby restricting the sliding of the connecting member 50 relative to the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 in a static state, thus improving stability. During rotation, the non-parallel sliding directions are further utilized to allow the connecting member 50 to slide relative to the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40. This can be achieved by controlling the sliding directions of the first rotating member 30 and the connecting member 50 to be different from the sliding directions of the second rotating member 40 and the connecting member 50.

[0117] Please refer to this as well. Figure 17 and Figure 21 , Figure 21This is an exploded view of the base, first rotating member, and connecting member according to one embodiment of this application. In this embodiment, the first rotating member 30 and the connecting member 50 are connected by a first sliding block 31 and a first sliding groove 53. The first sliding block 31 is disposed on one of the first rotating member 30 and the connecting member 50, and the first sliding groove 53 is disposed on the other. This embodiment is only illustrated with the first sliding block 31 disposed on the first rotating member 30 and the first sliding groove 53 disposed on 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 first sliding block 31 near the base 10 and the back surface 500 is smaller than the distance between the end of the first sliding block 31 away from the base 10 and the back surface 500. In other words, the first sliding block 31 is inclined upwards. Specifically, the farther the first sliding block 31 is from the base 10, the greater the distance between the first sliding block 31 and the back surface 500 of the connecting member 50. Since the first sliding block 31 is inclined, the first sliding groove 53 is also inclined in the same way. Specifically, the distance between the end of the first sliding groove 53 near the base 10 and the back surface 500 is smaller than the distance between the end of the first sliding groove 53 away 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 first rotating member 30 in a direction away from the base 10. By designing the shape of the first sliding block 31 and the first sliding groove 53, the support member 60 can be further moved according to a preset trajectory, thereby forming a teardrop-shaped screen-accommodating space 1a when the folding device 1 is in the folded state. When the two connecting members 50 slide in a direction away from the base 10, the two connecting members 50 also move closer to each other, thereby reducing the distance between the two connecting members 50 when the folding device 1 is in the folded state and reducing the overall thickness of the folding device 1 in the folded state. In addition, the opposite ends of the flexible screen can abut against each other, eliminating the gap between the two ends of the flexible screen in the folded state, improving the safety performance of the flexible screen, and improving the appearance.

[0118] It is worth noting that when the connector 50 is the first structural member 50' and the first rotating member 30 is the second structural member 40', the first sliding groove 53 in the connector 50 is the aforementioned sliding groove 51, and the first sliding block 31 in the first rotating member 30 is the aforementioned slider 41.

[0119] Please refer to this as well. Figure 17 and Figure 22 , Figure 22This is an exploded view of the base, second rotating member, and connecting member according to one embodiment of this application. In this embodiment, the second rotating member 40 and the connecting member 50 are connected by a second sliding block 42 and a second sliding groove 54. The second sliding block 42 is disposed on one of the second rotating member 40 and the connecting member 50, and the second sliding groove 54 is disposed on the other. This embodiment is only illustrated with the second sliding block 42 disposed on the second rotating member 40 and the second sliding groove 54 disposed on the connecting member 50. The relative sliding of the second rotating member 40 and the connecting member 50 can be achieved by utilizing the second sliding block 42 and the second sliding groove 54. The connecting member 50 has a back surface 500 facing away from the flexible screen. The distance between the end of the second sliding block 42 near the base 10 and the back surface 500 is smaller than the distance between the end of the second sliding block 42 away from the base 10 and the back surface 500.

[0120] In this embodiment, the second sliding block 42 is also inclined upwards. Specifically, the further the second sliding block 42 is from the base 10, the greater the distance between the second sliding block 42 and the back surface 500. Since the second sliding block 42 is inclined, the second sliding groove 54 is also inclined in relation to the second sliding block 42. Specifically, the distance between the end of the second sliding groove 54 near the base 10 and the back surface 500 is smaller than the distance between the end of the second sliding groove 54 away 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. By designing the shapes of the second sliding block 42 and the second sliding groove 54, the support member 60 can be further made to move along a preset trajectory, thereby forming a teardrop-shaped screen space 1a when the folding device 1 is in the folded state. When the two connectors 50 slide away from the base 10, they also move closer to each other, thereby reducing the distance between the two connectors 50 when the folding device 1 is in the folded state, and reducing the overall thickness of the folding device 1 in the folded state. In addition, it can also make the opposite ends of the flexible screen abut against each other, eliminating the gap between the ends of the flexible screen in the folded state, improving the safety performance of the flexible screen, and improving the appearance.

[0121] In this embodiment, the upward tilt angle of the first sliding block 31 is greater than the upward tilt angle of the second sliding block 42, thereby achieving non-parallelism in the two sliding directions. Of course, in other embodiments, the first sliding block 31 can be tilted downward and the second sliding block 42 can be set horizontally or tilted upward, etc.

[0122] It is worth noting that when the connector 50 is the first structural member 50' and the second rotating member 40 is the second structural member 40', the second sliding groove 54 in the connector 50 is the aforementioned sliding groove 51, and the second sliding block 42 in the second rotating member 40 is the aforementioned slider 41.

[0123] Please refer to this as well. Figure 17 and Figure 23 , Figure 23 This is an exploded view of the first rotating member and the second rotating member in one embodiment of this application. In this embodiment, the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40, located on the same side of the base 10, are rotatably connected to each other. As can be seen from the above, the first rotating member 30, the second rotating member 40, and the connecting member 50 are all slidably connected, and the sliding direction is inclined upward. Therefore, the first rotating member 30, the second rotating member 40, and the connecting member 50 have poor constraints in the thickness direction of the folding device 1. In this embodiment, a virtual constraint can be added between the first rotating member 30 and the second rotating member 40 to limit the movement trajectory of the connecting member 50 in the thickness direction, but this rotatable connection will not affect the total degree of freedom of the folding device 1.

[0124] Optionally, the folding device 1 may further include a linkage 20. One end of the linkage 20 is connected to the first rotating member 30 through a second rotating shaft 21 and a second rotating hole 32. The other end of the linkage 20 is connected to the second rotating member 40 through a third rotating shaft 22 and a third rotating hole 44. This embodiment is only illustrated by having a second rotating shaft 21 at one end of the linkage 20 and a third rotating shaft 22 at the other end, a second rotating hole 32 at the first rotating member 30, and a third rotating hole 44 at the second rotating member 40.

[0125] Please refer to this as well. Figures 24-26 , Figure 24 This is an exploded view of the second rotating member and part of the supporting member in one embodiment of this application. Figure 25 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the base, the second rotating member, and the support member when the folding device is in the unfolded state according to one embodiment of this application. Figure 26This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the base, second rotating member, and support member when the folding device is in the folded state according to one embodiment of this application. 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 610 for supporting the flexible screen. The rolling portion 62 is disposed on the side of the support portion 61 away from the support surface 610. The second rotating member 40 and the rolling portion 62 are connected by a rolling shaft 43 and a rolling groove 620. The rolling shaft 43 is disposed on one of the second rotating member 40 and the rolling portion 62, and the rolling groove 620 is disposed on the other of the second rotating member 40 and the rolling portion 62. This embodiment is only illustrated with the rolling shaft 43 disposed on the second rotating member 40 and the rolling groove 620 disposed on the support member 60. The rolling groove 620 has a first limiting end 621 and a second limiting end 622 that are arranged opposite to each other. The first limiting end 621 is farther away from the base 10 than the second limiting end 622, and the first limiting end 621 is farther away from the support surface 610 than the second limiting end 622. When the folding device 1 is in the unfolded state, the rolling shaft 43 is positioned at the first limiting end 621, and when the folding device 1 is in the folded state, the rolling shaft 43 is positioned at the second limiting end 622.

[0126] The first limiting end 621 and the second limiting end 622 are opposite ends of the rolling groove 620, in other words, they are the limit positions at which the rolling shaft 43 can slide when unfolded and folded. The first limiting end 621 is farther away from the base 10 than the second limiting end 622, and the first limiting end 621 is farther away from the support surface 610 than the second limiting end 622. In other words, the first limiting end 621 is more to the right and lower than the second limiting end 622, that is, the first limiting end 621 is located in the lower right position, and the second limiting end 622 is located in the upper left position. 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 limiting 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 during folding and to prevent the support member 60 from folding backward and damaging the subsequent flexible screen. It can also be understood that when the folding device 1 is in the unfolded state, the rolling shaft 43 is located at the lower right, and when the folding device 1 is in the folded state, the rolling shaft 43 is located at the upper left.

[0127] The rolling groove 620 also has a connecting portion 623 that connects the first limiting end 621 and the second limiting end 622. The connecting portion 623 protrudes away from the support surface 610. This not only controls the position of the rolling shaft 43 within the rolling groove 620 throughout the movement, but also controls the positional relationship between the rotation axis between the support member 60 and the connecting member 50 and the rolling shaft 43. Furthermore, in the folded state, the support member 60 rotates relative to the connecting member 50, forming a teardrop-shaped accommodating space 1a. The arc-shaped rolling groove 620 also makes the rolling of the rolling shaft 43 smoother, improving the fluidity and stability of the folding device 1. Of course, in other embodiments, the shape of the connecting portion 623 can also be straight or other shapes, as long as the positions of the first limiting end 621 and the second limiting end 622 satisfy the above-mentioned positional relationship.

[0128] It is worth noting that when the support member 60 is the first structural member 50' and the second rotating member 40 is the second structural member 40', the rolling groove 620 in the support member 60 is the aforementioned sliding groove 51, and the rolling shaft 43 in the second rotating member 40 is the aforementioned slider 41.

[0129] In this embodiment, the support member 60 and the connecting member 50 are connected by a second arc-shaped rail and a second arc-shaped groove. The second arc-shaped rail is located on one of the support member 60 and the connecting member 50, and the second arc-shaped groove is located on the other. This embodiment is only illustrated with the second arc-shaped rail on the support member 60 and the second arc-shaped groove on the connecting member 50. Since the support member 60 is rotatably connected to the connecting member 50, this embodiment allows the support member 60 and the connecting member 50 to be connected by a second arc-shaped rail and a second arc-shaped groove, with the second arc-shaped rail located on one of the support member 60 and the connecting member 50, and the second arc-shaped groove located on the other. For example, when the second arc track is provided on the support member 60, the second arc groove is provided on the connector 50; when the second arc groove is provided on the support member 60, the second arc track is provided on the connector 50. This embodiment is only illustrated with the second arc groove being provided on the support member 60 and the second arc track being provided on the connector 50.

[0130] Specifically, the support member 60 includes a support portion 61 and a rotating portion. The support portion 61 supports the flexible screen when the folding device 1 is applied to an electronic device. Therefore, the support portion 61 has a support surface 610 for supporting the flexible screen, that is, the upper surface of the support portion 61 is the support surface 610. The rotating portion is located on the side of the support portion 61 away from the support surface 610, that is, the rotating portion is farther away from the flexible screen relative to the support portion 61. The rotating portion has an arc-shaped groove on the side near the connector 50, which is the second arc groove. The connector 50 has an arc-shaped block on the side near the rotating portion, which is the second arc rail. The second arc rail can be located in the second arc groove, and the axis of the second arc groove is collinear with the axis of the second arc rail, so that the rotating portion of the support member 60 can rotate relative to the connector 50. The dimensions and curvature of the second arc groove and the second arc rail can be designed according to the position of the rotation axis between the support member 60 and the connector 50.

[0131] Furthermore, as can be seen from the above, this embodiment allows the support member 60 to rotate relative to the connector 50 by changing the position of the rotation axis between the support member 60 and the connector 50 and the rolling shaft 43. Therefore, the design of the arc groove and arc rail allows the rotation axis to be positioned inside or outside the connector 50. By adjusting the size and curvature of the second arc groove and the second arc rail, the position and shape of the rolling shaft 43 and the rolling groove 620 can be better designed, thereby allowing the support member 60 to rotate relative to the connector 50. Of course, in other embodiments, the second arc rail can also be provided on the support member 60, and the second arc groove can also be provided on the connector 50.

[0132] Optionally, in one embodiment, the connector 50 may have one second arcuate groove, which is located on one side of the connector 50. Correspondingly, the support member 60 has a rotating part and a second arcuate rail. In another embodiment, the connector 50 may have two second arcuate grooves, which are located on opposite sides of the connector 50. Correspondingly, the support member 60 has two rotating parts and second arcuate rails spaced apart. Each second arcuate rail is located within a second arcuate groove, thereby improving the stability of the support member 60's rotation relative to the connector 50. This embodiment is only illustrated with the connector 50 having two second arcuate grooves and the support member 60 having two second arcuate rails.

[0133] It is worth noting that when the connector 50 is a structural component and the support 60 is a second structural component 40', the second arc groove in the connector 50 is the aforementioned sliding groove 51, and the second arc rail in the support 60 is the aforementioned sliding block.

[0134] In this embodiment, the first rotating member 30 and the support member 60 are connected by a constraint shaft and a constraint hole. The constraint shaft is located on one of the first rotating member 30 and the support member 60, and the constraint hole is located on the other. When the constraint shaft is located on the first rotating member 30, the constraint hole is located on the support member 60; conversely, when the constraint hole is located on the first rotating member 30, the constraint shaft is located on the support member 60. This embodiment is only illustrated with the constraint shaft located on the first rotating member 30 and the constraint hole located on the support member 60. Specifically, the end of the first rotating member 30 has a cylindrical protrusion, which serves as the constraint shaft. The support member 60 includes a support portion 61 and a constraint portion fixed to the support portion 61 away from the support surface 610. A groove is provided on the side of the constraint portion facing the constraint shaft; this groove is the constraint groove, and the constraint shaft can be inserted into the constraint groove, thereby achieving a constraint fit between the first rotating member 30 and the support member 60. Of course, in other embodiments, the constraint shaft can also be provided on the support member 60, and the constraint hole can also be provided on the first rotating member 30.

[0135] The constraint axis and constraint hole cooperate to prevent movement deviation of the folding device 1 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 support member 60, but the constraint axis and constraint hole do not affect the total degree of freedom of the folding device 1.

[0136] In summary, the folding device 1 provided in this embodiment can ultimately control the movement trajectory of the support member 60 through the cooperation of the first rotating member 30, the second rotating member 40, and the connecting member 50, so as to obtain the screen space 1a of the shape required by the user.

[0137] Please refer to this as well. Figures 27-28 , Figure 27 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the housing assembly in the unfolded state according to one embodiment of this application. Figure 28 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the housing assembly in a folded state according to one embodiment of this application. The housing assembly 2 provided in this embodiment includes a first housing 91, a second housing 92, and a folding device 1 as provided in the above embodiments of this application. The folding device 1 is connected between the first housing 91 and the second housing 92.

[0138] The housing assembly 2 is a modular component, meaning it comprises at least two components. In this embodiment, the housing assembly 2 mainly includes two housings and the folding device 1 provided in the above-described embodiments of this application. The first housing 91 and the second housing 92 are mainly used for mounting and supporting components. For example, a flexible screen can be mounted on the first housing 91 and the second housing 92, and functional modules such as batteries, PCB assemblies, speakers, earpieces, and buttons can be disposed within the first housing 91 and the second housing 92. Therefore, the first housing 91 and the second housing 92 mainly serve the functions of mounting and protection. In some embodiments, the surfaces of the first housing 91 and the second housing 92 can also serve as appearance surfaces. Therefore, the surfaces of the first housing 91 and the second housing 92 can be designed accordingly to give them a unique external appearance. This embodiment does not limit the shape, material, structure, or other parameters of the first housing 91 and the second housing 92, as long as the functions of mounting and protection are achieved. For example, the material of the first housing 91 and the second housing 92 can be entirely metal, entirely plastic, or partially metal and partially plastic.

[0139] One connector 50 of the folding device 1 is connected to the first housing 91, and the other connector 50 is connected to the second housing 92. This allows the first housing 91 and the second housing 92 to rotate, causing the two connectors 50 to rotate relative to the base 10, thus enabling subsequent movement. For example, when the first housing 91 and the second housing 92 rotate, they can cause the two connectors 50 on both sides of the base 10 to rotate relative to the base 10. The rotation of the connectors 50 can then drive subsequent components such as the first rotating component 30, the second rotating component 40, and the support component 60 to move according to the aforementioned movement method. Optionally, the housing and the connectors 50 can be fixed together by screws, clips, or adhesive.

[0140] The housing assembly 2 provided in this embodiment, by employing the folding device 1 provided in the above-described embodiments of this application, can improve the reliability of the housing assembly 2, or, while maintaining the reliability of the housing assembly 2, achieve miniaturization of the housing assembly 2 by increasing the size of the first housing 91 and the second housing 92. It can also be understood that, while keeping the overall size of the housing assembly 2 unchanged, miniaturization of the folding device 1 can increase the size of the first housing 91 and the second housing 92, thereby providing more internal space for installing various components.

[0141] Please refer to this as well. Figures 29-30 , Figure 29 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the electronic device in the unfolded state according to one embodiment of this application. Figure 30This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of an electronic device in a folded state according to one embodiment of this application. The electronic device 3 provided in this embodiment includes a flexible screen 93 and a housing assembly 2 as provided in the above embodiments of this application. The flexible screen 93 is disposed on the same side of the first housing 91, the second housing 92, and the folding device 1.

[0142] The electronic device 3 provided in this embodiment includes, but is not limited to, mobile terminals such as mobile phones, tablets, laptops, handheld computers, personal computers (PCs), personal digital assistants (PDAs), portable media players (PMPs), navigation devices, wearable devices, smart bracelets, and pedometers, as well as fixed terminals such as digital TVs and desktop computers. This embodiment only uses a foldable mobile phone as an example for illustrative purposes.

[0143] Electronic device 3 includes a flexible screen 93 and a housing assembly 2. The flexible screen 93 is a component with a certain degree of flexibility, and compared to 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, flexible displays, flexible touch screens, flexible touch displays, and other flexible components with corresponding functions, or flexible components that are fixedly attached to a flexible support plate, such as flexible displays and flexible touch screens attached to flexible steel plates. The flexible screen 93 is located on the same side of the first housing 91 and the second housing 92 in the housing assembly 2, and can be bent or flattened with the housing assembly 2. Specifically, the flexible screen 93 has a bending area 930 and non-bending areas 931 located on opposite sides of the bending area 930. The flexible screen 93 in the bending area 930 is provided with the support member 60 of the folding device 1, and the flexible screen 93 in the non-bending area 931 is fixed to the first housing 91 and the second housing 92 of the housing assembly 2 by double-sided adhesive. The flexible screen 93 in the bending zone 930 is correspondingly mounted on the support member 60 of the folding device 1. When the folding device 1 moves, the first housing 91, the second housing 92, and the two support members 60 of the folding device 1 together drive the flexible screen 93 to fold in a teardrop shape. The non-bending zone 931 is fixed on the first housing 91 and the second housing 92. The first housing 91 and the second housing 92 only rotate relative to each other and do not change shape themselves. Therefore, even if the first housing 91 and the second housing 92 rotate, the flexible screen 93 on the first housing 91 and the second housing 92 will not bend.

[0144] The electronic device 3 provided in this embodiment, by adopting the housing assembly 2 provided in the above-described embodiments of this application, can improve the reliability of the electronic device 3, or achieve miniaturization of the electronic device 3 while maintaining its reliability. It can also be understood that, while keeping the overall size of the electronic device 3 unchanged, miniaturization of the folding device 1 can increase the size of the first housing 91 and the second housing 92, thereby providing more internal space to accommodate various components.

[0145] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They 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, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0146] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise expressly specified. Moreover, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0147] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part. They can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection. They can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0148] The foregoing has provided a detailed description of the embodiments of this application, elucidating and explaining the principles and implementation methods of this application. These descriptions are merely for the purpose of aiding understanding the method and core ideas of this application. However, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this application. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this application without departing from its spirit and scope. These modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this application and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A folding device, characterized in that, The folding device includes: The first structural component has a groove, wherein the width of the groove near the bottom wall is smaller than the width of the groove away from the bottom wall; The second structural component includes a slider, which is disposed within the groove and is capable of sliding within the groove.

2. The folding device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The first structural member has a bottom wall and two side walls bent and connected to opposite sides of the bottom wall. The bottom wall and the two side walls form the groove. The two side walls can abut against opposite sides of the slider. At least one of the two side walls is inclined relative to the bottom wall.

3. The folding device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Each of the sidewalls is inclined toward the direction of the other sidewall.

4. The folding device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that, The inclination angle of the sidewall is 5°-10°.

5. The folding device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The sidewall includes a first part and a second part, the first part being closer to the bottom wall than the second part, and the first part being bent and connected to the bottom wall, with the slider abutting against the second part.

6. The folding device as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that, The slider, the first part, and the bottom wall form an oil storage space. The folding device also includes lubricating oil, which is located between the slider and the second part, and within the oil storage space.

7. The folding device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that, The width of the slider away from the second structural member is smaller than the width of the slider close to the second structural member, and the cross-sectional shape of the slider located in the groove matches the cross-sectional shape of the groove.

8. The folding device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that, The sidewall includes a third part and a fourth part, the third part being closer to the bottom wall than the fourth part, and the third part being bent and connected to the bottom wall; the third part is inclined relative to the bottom wall, and the fourth part is perpendicular to the bottom wall; The slider located in the groove includes a first sub-slider and a second sub-slider. The first sub-slider is farther away from the second structural member than the second sub-slider. The first sub-slider abuts against the third part, and the second sub-slider abuts against the fourth part. From the direction away from the second structural member to the direction closer to the second structural member, the width of the first sub-slider gradually increases, while the width of the second sub-slider remains unchanged.

9. The folding device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The first structural member has a receiving groove, and the groove walls on both sides of the receiving groove have the sliding groove. A portion of the second structural member is disposed in the receiving groove, and the sliding block is provided on both sides of the second structural member. The two sliding grooves and the two sliding blocks cooperate with each other to limit the misalignment of the second structural member in the sliding direction perpendicular to the second structural member.

10. The folding device according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The folding device further includes: Base; Two first rotating components are rotatably connected to opposite sides of the base, respectively; Two second rotating components are rotatably connected to opposite sides of the base, respectively; Two connecting members, the first rotating member and the second rotating member located on the same side of the base are slidably connected to the connecting members; Two support members, each of which is rotatably connected to one of the connecting members and slidably and rotatably connected to the second rotating member; The folding device satisfies at least one of the following combinations: The first structural component is one of the base and the first rotating component, and the second structural component is the other of the base and the first rotating component; The first structural component is one of the base and the second rotating component, and the second structural component is the other of the base and the second rotating component; The first structural component is one of the connecting component and the first rotating component, and the second structural component is the other of the connecting component and the first rotating component; The first structural component is one of the connecting component and the second rotating component, and the second structural component is the other of the connecting component and the second rotating component; The first structural component is one of the connecting component and the supporting component, and the second structural component is the other of the connecting component and the supporting component; The first structural component is one of the support component and the first rotating component, and the second structural component is the other of the support component and the first rotating component.

11. The folding device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that, The first rotating member and the second rotating member, located on the same side of the base, are rotatably connected to each other.

12. A housing assembly, characterized in that, The housing assembly includes a first housing, a second housing, and a folding device as described in any one of claims 1-11, the folding device being connected between the first housing and the second housing.

13. An electronic device, characterized in that, The electronic device includes a flexible screen and a housing assembly as described in claim 12, wherein the flexible screen is disposed on the same side of the first housing, the second housing, and the folding device.

Images