Hinge mechanism and foldable electronic equipment

Abstract

The invention discloses a hinge mechanism and foldable electronic equipment. The hinge mechanism comprises a base frame assembly, a bearing assembly, a first connecting rod assembly and a second connecting rod assembly. The bearing assembly comprises a connecting piece and a floating plate rotationally connected with the connecting piece. The first connecting rod assembly is rotationally connected with the base frame assembly and the connecting piece. The second connecting rod assembly comprises a movable piece rotationally connected with the base frame assembly, and the movable piece is slidably connected with the connecting piece. Wherein the first connecting rod assembly and the second connecting rod assembly are matched to drive the connecting piece to turn over relative to the base frame assembly, so that the hinge mechanism has a folded state and an unfolded state. When the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the floating plate is in limiting fit with at least one of the base frame assembly and the movable part so as to limit the floating plate to tilt in the direction away from the base frame assembly. According to the hinge mechanism, the floating plate can be prevented from tilting, and the user experience of the foldable electronic equipment can be improved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of electronics, and in particular, to a hinge mechanism and a foldable electronic device. BACKGROUND

[0002] Electronic devices such as mobile phones and tablets have become indispensable technological products in people's life, learning and entertainment processes. At present, the flexible display screen of the foldable electronic device can be conveniently carried after being folded. And the flexible display screen has a larger display area after being unfolded, so that the foldable electronic device is more and more favored by consumers.

[0003] In the related art, the foldable electronic device usually utilizes a hinge mechanism to realize the unfolding or folding of the flexible display screen. However, the floating plate of the conventional hinge mechanism is easy to be warped, which affects the display effect of the flexible display screen, and this is not conducive to improving the user experience of the foldable electronic device. SUMMARY

[0004] The present disclosure provides a hinge mechanism and a foldable electronic device. The hinge mechanism can not only avoid the warping of the floating plate, but also reliably support the flexible display screen by the floating plate, which is conducive to improving the user experience of the foldable electronic device.

[0005] The technical scheme is as follows:

[0006] According to a first aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, a hinge mechanism is provided, comprising a base frame assembly, a bearing assembly, a first connecting rod assembly and a second connecting rod assembly. The bearing assembly comprises a connecting piece and a floating plate rotationally connected with the connecting piece. The first connecting rod assembly is rotationally connected with the base frame assembly and rotationally connected with the connecting piece. The second connecting rod assembly comprises a movable piece rotationally connected with the base frame assembly, and the movable piece is slidingly connected with the connecting piece. The first connecting rod assembly and the second connecting rod assembly cooperate to drive the connecting piece to flip relative to the base frame assembly, so that the hinge mechanism has a folded state and an unfolded state. When the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, at least part of the floating plate and part of the base frame assembly form a support structure. And the floating plate is limitingly matched with at least one of the base frame assembly and the movable piece to limit the warping of the floating plate away from the base frame assembly.

[0007] The technical scheme provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure can include the following beneficial effects:

[0008] The hinge mechanism uses the first connecting rod assembly and the movable piece to rotate along the base frame assembly, drives the connecting piece to rotate through the first connecting rod assembly, and makes the connecting piece slide with the movable piece, so that the connecting piece drives the floating plate to flip relative to the base frame assembly, so that the hinge mechanism has a folded state and an unfolded state. When the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, at least part of the floating plate and part of the base frame assembly form a support structure. And the floating plate is limited to cooperate with at least one of the base frame assembly and the movable piece to limit the floating plate from tilting away from the base frame assembly. In turn, it can avoid over-expansion of the hinge mechanism and damage to related parts, or separation of related parts to fail, or even damage the flexible display screen. In this way, the hinge mechanism can not only avoid tilting of the floating plate, but also reliably support the flexible display screen with the floating plate.

[0009] The technical solutions of the present disclosure are further described below:

[0010] In one of the embodiments, the floating plate includes a clamping groove, and the movable piece includes a limiting body. When the connecting piece is in the unfolded state, the limiting body is inserted into the clamping groove to limit the floating plate from tilting away from the base frame assembly.

[0011] In one of the embodiments, the floating plate includes a first support surface for forming the support structure. The clamping groove is arranged below the first support surface, so that the clamping groove can be in limiting cooperation with the limiting body when the connecting piece is in the unfolded state.

[0012] In one of the embodiments, at least one of the side wall of the clamping groove and the limiting body is provided with a first guide portion, and part of the movable piece is guided into the clamping groove through the first guide portion.

[0013] In one of the embodiments, the floating plate includes a clamping hook arranged below the first support surface, and part of the clamping hook is arranged in a spaced manner with the first support surface to form the clamping groove.

[0014] In one of the embodiments, the movable piece includes a first connecting body in sliding connection with the connecting piece, a second connecting body in rotary connection with the base frame assembly, and a transition body fixed between the first connecting body and the second connecting body. The limiting body is arranged to protrude from the transition body along the length direction of the floating plate.

[0015] In one of the embodiments, the clamping groove includes at least two, and the adjacent two clamping grooves are arranged in a spaced manner along the length direction of the floating plate to form an avoiding groove for avoiding the movable piece. The limiting body is in one-to-one correspondence with the clamping groove and is arranged in a spaced manner on both sides of the transition body.

[0016] In one of the embodiments, the floating plate is provided with a plug-in body, and when the connecting piece is in the unfolded state, the plug-in body is in limiting cooperation with the base frame assembly to limit the floating plate from tilting away from the base frame assembly.

[0017] In one of the embodiments, the floating plate comprises a first supporting surface for forming the supporting structure, the base frame assembly comprises a second supporting surface for forming the supporting structure, and the insertion body is arranged below the first supporting surface. When the connecting member is in the unfolded state, the insertion body is inserted below the second supporting surface to limit the floating plate from being tilted away from the base frame assembly.

[0018] In one of the embodiments, the floating plate comprises a first connecting portion, and the connecting member is provided with a second connecting portion rotationally connected with the first connecting portion.

[0019] In one of the embodiments, one of the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion is provided with an arc-shaped guide portion, and the other is provided with a first matching portion matched with the arc-shaped guide portion.

[0020] In one of the embodiments, the arc-shaped guide portion is arranged on the connecting member, and the first matching portion is arranged on the floating plate.

[0021] In one of the embodiments, the arc-shaped guide portion is provided with a first arc-shaped body and a first guide wall arranged in a spaced manner with the first arc-shaped body to form a first arc-shaped guide slot. The first matching portion is provided with a second arc-shaped body and a second guide wall arranged in a spaced manner with the second arc-shaped body to form a second arc-shaped guide slot. The first arc-shaped body is inserted into the second arc-shaped guide slot, and the second arc-shaped body is inserted into the second arc-shaped guide slot.

[0022] In one of the embodiments, the floating plate comprises a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion arranged in a spaced manner along the width direction of the floating plate. The bearing assembly further comprises a limiting rod, one end of the limiting rod is rotationally connected with one of the connecting member and the first mounting portion of the floating plate, and the other end of the limiting rod is movably connected with the other of the connecting member and the first mounting portion of the floating plate. The floating plate comprises a second connecting portion arranged on the second mounting portion. When the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the limiting rod is in abutment with the connecting member and the floating plate to limit the floating plate from being tilted away from the base frame assembly.

[0023] In one of the embodiments, the floating plate is provided with an insertion body. When the connecting member is in the unfolded state, the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are matched to form a first limiting area, the insertion body is matched with the base frame assembly to form a second limiting area, and the limiting rod is in abutment with the connecting member and the floating plate to form a third limiting area. Along the width direction of the floating plate, the first limiting area and the second limiting area are arranged in a spaced manner, and along the length direction of the floating plate, the first limiting area and the second limiting area are respectively arranged in a spaced manner with the third limiting area.

[0024] In one of the embodiments, the floating plate comprises a first supporting surface for forming the supporting structure. When the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the included angle between the limiting rod and the first supporting surface is greater than 30°.

[0025] In one of the embodiments, one of the connecting piece and the floating plate is rotatably connected with one end of the limiting rod, and the other of the connecting piece and the floating plate is provided with a limiting slot, and the other end of the limiting rod is inserted into the limiting slot and movably matched with the limiting slot. When the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the limiting rod abuts against the end of the limiting slot, so that the limiting rod is in abutting engagement with the connecting piece and the floating plate.

[0026] In one of the embodiments, the limiting slot is arranged on the connecting piece, and the floating plate is rotatably connected with one end of the limiting rod.

[0027] In one of the embodiments, one end of the limiting rod is provided with a first mounting through hole, and the floating plate is provided with a matching hole corresponding to the first mounting through hole. The bearing assembly further comprises a connecting shaft, which is sleeved and matched with the first mounting through hole and the matching hole, so that the floating plate is rotatably connected with one end of the limiting rod.

[0028] And / or, the other end of the limiting rod is provided with a shaft body movably matched with the limiting slot.

[0029] And / or, the connecting piece is provided with two first mounting bodies arranged at intervals to form an avoiding slot avoiding the other end of the limiting rod, and the limiting slot is arranged on at least one of the first mounting bodies and communicates with the avoiding slot.

[0030] According to the second aspect of the embodiments of the present disclosure, a foldable electronic device is further provided, which comprises a flexible display screen, a shell assembly and the hinge mechanism in any of the above embodiments. The shell assembly comprises a shell body fixedly connected with the connecting piece. At least part of the flexible display screen covers the shell body and the hinge mechanism.

[0031] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure can have the following beneficial effects:

[0032] The foldable electronic device applies the hinge mechanism in any of the above embodiments, and at least part of the flexible display screen covers the hinge mechanism and the shell body. The hinge mechanism can be connected with the shell body through the connecting piece, so as to drive the shell body to rotate relative to the base frame assembly through the first linkage assembly and the second linkage assembly, thereby realizing unfolding and folding of the flexible display screen. When the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, at least part of the floating plate forms a supporting structure with part of the base frame assembly. The floating plate is in limiting engagement with at least one of the base frame assembly and the movable piece, so as to limit the floating plate from being tilted away from the base frame assembly. In this way, the hinge mechanism can not only avoid tilting of the floating plate, but also reliably support the flexible display screen by the floating plate.

[0033] It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are only exemplary and explanatory, and cannot limit the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0034] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this disclosure, are used to provide a further understanding of this disclosure. The illustrative embodiments of this disclosure and their descriptions are used to explain this disclosure and do not constitute an undue limitation of this disclosure.

[0035] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a foldable electronic device shown in one embodiment.

[0037] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the hinge mechanism.

[0038] Figure 3 for Figure 1 The diagram shown is an exploded view of the hinge mechanism.

[0039] Figure 4 for Figure 2 The diagram shows a partially enlarged view of the float and moving parts.

[0040] Figure 5 for Figure 4 The diagram shows the interaction between the float and the moving parts when the hinge mechanism is in the deployed state.

[0041] Figure 6 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the hinge mechanism shown in one embodiment.

[0042] Figure 7 for Figure 6 The diagram shows the interaction between the float and the moving parts.

[0043] Figure 8 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the carrier component shown in one embodiment.

[0044] Figure 9 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the hinge mechanism shown in one embodiment.

[0045] Figure 10 for Figure 9 The diagram shows the structure of the limiting rod.

[0046] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the hinge mechanism in one embodiment.

[0047] Figure 12A structural schematic diagram of a hinge mechanism in an embodiment.

[0048] Figure 13 A structural schematic diagram of a hinge mechanism in an embodiment. Figure 12 A schematic diagram of the principle of a hinge mechanism.

[0049] Figure 14 A structural schematic diagram of a foldable electronic device in an embodiment. Figure 1 A structural schematic diagram of the principle of a hinge mechanism.

[0050] Explanation of reference signs:

[0051] 10, foldable electronic device; 11, processing assembly; 12, memory; 13, power supply assembly; 14, multimedia assembly; 15, audio assembly; 16, input / output interface; 17, sensor assembly; 18, communication assembly; 10a, flexible display screen; 10b, hinge mechanism; 101, containing space; 103, support structure; 10c, housing assembly; 102, housing body; 100, base assembly; 110, second support surface; 200, bearing assembly; 210, connecting piece; 211, first connecting part; 2111, first arc-shaped body; 2112, first arc-shaped guide slot; 2113, first guide wall; 212, limiting slot; 213, first mounting body; 214, avoiding slot; 220, floating plate; 221, clamping slot; 222, first support surface; 223, clamping hook; 225, plug-in body; 226, second connecting part; 2261, second arc-shaped body; 2262, second arc-shaped guide slot; 2263, second guide wall; 201, first mounting part; 202, second mounting part; 227, third connecting part; 2271, matching hole; 230, limiting rod; 231, first mounting through hole; 232, shaft body; 240, connecting shaft; 241, first body; 300, first connecting rod assembly; 310, first connecting rod; 320, second connecting rod; 330, transmission piece; 400, second connecting rod assembly; 410, movable piece; 411, limiting body; 4111, first guide-in part; 412, first connecting body; 413, second connecting body; 414, transition body; 500, damping assembly; 600, synchronization assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present disclosure clearer, the present disclosure will be further described in detail below in combination with the drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present disclosure and do not limit the protection scope of the present disclosure.

[0053] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. The terminology used in the description of the present disclosure herein is only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and is not intended to limit the present disclosure.

[0054] Electronic devices such as mobile phones and tablets have become essential technology products in people's life, study and entertainment process, bringing much convenience and joy to people's life. With the development of the diversification of electronic device functions, there are various types and brands of electronic devices, which makes consumers have many choices for electronic devices, and only improving the functional characteristics of electronic devices cannot meet people's requirements for electronic devices.

[0055] With the increasingly mature application of flexible display screens, the application of flexible display screens on electronic devices is more and more extensive. The foldable electronic device using the flexible display screen can be folded for convenient carrying. After the flexible display screen is unfolded, it has a larger display area, and thus is more and more favored by consumers. Among the foldable electronic devices with similar display size and performance, the more portable the foldable electronic device is, the better the holding feeling is, and thus the foldable electronic device can attract more consumers to purchase.

[0056] In the related art, the foldable electronic device usually uses a hinge mechanism to realize the unfolding or folding of the flexible display screen. However, the floating plate of the traditional hinge mechanism is easy to be lifted up, which affects the display effect of the flexible display screen, which is not conducive to improving the user experience of the foldable electronic device. For example, the electronic devices on both sides of the hinge mechanism are usually electrically connected through flexible transmission lines, and the flexible transmission lines are deformed with the movement of the foldable electronic device. When the foldable electronic device is unfolded, the flexible transmission lines are easy to be pushed against the floating plate, which causes the floating plate to lift up the flexible display screen, affects the display effect of the flexible display screen, and is not conducive to improving the user experience of the foldable electronic device. Even the flexible display screen can be damaged.

[0057] Based on this, the present disclosure provides a hinge mechanism. The hinge mechanism can not only avoid the lifting of the floating plate, but also reliably support the flexible display screen by using the floating plate, which is conducive to improving the user experience of the foldable electronic device.

[0058] In order to better understand the hinge mechanism of the present disclosure, the foldable electronic device applying the hinge mechanism is described

[0059] As shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a foldable electronic device 10 is provided, which includes a flexible display screen 10a, a housing assembly 10c and a hinge mechanism 10b, and the housing assembly 10c includes a housing body 102. At least part of the flexible display screen 10a covers the hinge mechanism 10b and the housing body 102. The housing body 102 is fixedly connected with part of the hinge mechanism 10b to drive the rotation of the housing body 102. In this way, the folding or unfolding of the flexible display screen 10a is realized through the movement of the housing body 102 with the hinge mechanism 10b.

[0060] Specifically, as shown in Figures 2 to 5 The hinge mechanism 10b includes a base frame assembly 100, a carrier assembly 200, a first linkage assembly 300, and a second linkage assembly 400. The carrier assembly 200 includes a connecting piece 210 and a floating plate 220 rotationally connected with the connecting piece 210. The first linkage assembly 300 is rotationally connected with the base frame assembly 100, and the first linkage assembly 300 is rotationally connected with the connecting piece 210. The second linkage assembly 400 includes a movable piece 410 rotationally connected with the base frame assembly 100, and the movable piece 410 is slidingly connected with the connecting piece 210. The first linkage assembly 300 and the second linkage assembly 400 cooperate to drive the connecting piece 210 to overturn relative to the base frame assembly 100, so that the hinge mechanism 10b has a folded state and an unfolded state. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the unfolded state, at least part of the floating plate 220 and part of the base frame assembly 100 form a support structure 103. The floating plate 220 is limitedly matched with at least one of the base frame assembly 100 and the movable piece 410 to limit the floating plate 220 from tilting away from the base frame assembly 100.

[0061] When the flexible display 10a needs to be unfolded for use, the hinge mechanism 10b is switched to the unfolded state, so that at least part of the floating plate 220 and part of the base frame assembly 100 form the support structure 103. Then the support structure 103 and the shell body 102 can be used to more comprehensively support the flexible display 10a, improve the display quality, and facilitate the user to operate the flexible display 10a. When the flexible display 10a is folded, the hinge mechanism 10b is switched from the unfolded state to the folded state. In this process, the first linkage assembly 300 and the movable piece 410 rotate along the base frame assembly 100, the connecting piece 210 is driven to rotate by the first linkage assembly 300, so that the connecting piece 210 slides with the movable piece 410, the connecting piece 210 drives the floating plate 220 to move away from the base frame assembly 100, so as to provide space for the flexible display 10a to be bent. In this way, the floating plate 220, the base frame assembly 100, and part of the linkage assembly cooperate to form the accommodation space 101, so as to better protect the bent part of the flexible display 10a. When the foldable electronic device 10 falls accidentally in the folded state, part of the flexible display 10a is bent in the accommodation space 101 and is limitedly matched with the floating plate 220, the base frame assembly 100, and part of the linkage assembly, so as to limit and buffer the deformation of the flexible display 10a by the floating plate 220, the base frame assembly 100, and part of the linkage assembly, to avoid damage to the flexible display 10a due to excessive deformation, and to improve the reliability of the foldable electronic device 10.

[0062] When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the unfolded state, at least part of the floating plate 220 forms a support structure 103 with part of the base assembly 100. The floating plate 220 is in position cooperation with at least one of the base assembly 100 and the movable piece 410 to limit the floating plate 220 from being tilted away from the base assembly 100. In this way, the hinge mechanism 10b can not only prevent the floating plate 220 from being tilted, but also reliably support the flexible display 10a by the floating plate 220.

[0063] In addition, the foldable electronic device 10 usually uses a flexible transmission member to realize the communication connection of the electronic devices on both sides of the base assembly 100. The hinge mechanism 10b of the present disclosure can not only prevent the floating plate 220 from being tilted, but also not be lifted by the flexible transmission member, but instead use the floating plate 220 to limit the bending direction of the flexible transmission line (such as a flexible printed circuit board), thereby reducing interference.

[0064] In order to better understand the technical solutions of the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 2 to 4 The length direction of the floating plate 220 and the length direction of the base assembly 100 are set as the X-axis direction, the width direction of the floating plate 220 and the width direction of the base assembly 100 are set as the Y-axis direction, and the thickness direction of the floating plate 220 and the thickness direction of the base assembly 100 are also set as the Z-axis direction.

[0065] It can be understood that the thickness direction of the foldable electronic device 10 is also the Z-axis direction when the foldable electronic device 10 is in the unfolded state. When the foldable electronic device 10 is in the unfolded state, preventing the floating plate 220 from being tilted can also be understood as preventing part of the floating plate 220 from being tilted in the Z-axis direction to lift the flexible display 10a.

[0066] It should be noted that the "position cooperation" of the floating plate 220 with at least one of the base assembly 100 and the movable piece 410 includes clamping, abutting, or inserting, etc.

[0067] As shown in Figure 4 and Figure 5 In some embodiments, the floating plate 220 includes a clamping groove 221, and the movable piece 410 includes a limiting body 411. When the connecting piece 210 is in the unfolded state, the limiting body 411 is inserted into the clamping groove 221 to limit the floating plate 220 from being tilted away from the base assembly 100. In this way, during the process of switching the hinge mechanism 10b from the folded state to the unfolded state, the floating plate 220 moves with the connecting piece 210, so that the limiting body 411 is inserted into the clamping groove 221. When the connecting piece 210 is in the unfolded state, the limiting body 411 is inserted into the clamping groove 221, so that the movable piece 410 is used to limit the floating plate 220 from being tilted away from the base assembly 100.

[0068] As shown in Figure 4 and Figure 5 In some embodiments, the floating plate 220 includes a first supporting surface 222 for forming the supporting structure 103. The clamping groove 221 is arranged below the first supporting surface 222, so that the clamping groove 221 can be in limiting cooperation with the limiting body 411 when the connecting member 210 is in the unfolded state. In this way, arranging the clamping groove 221 below the first supporting surface 222 can reduce interference and facilitate the movement of the floating plate 220 along with the connecting member 210, and the clamping groove 221 can be sleeved with the limiting body 411.

[0069] As shown in Figure 4 and Figure 5 In some embodiments, at least one of the side wall of the clamping groove 221 and the limiting body 411 is provided with a first guide-in portion 4111, and part of the movable member 410 is guided into the clamping groove 221 through the first guide-in portion 4111. In this way, the first guide-in portion 4111 facilitates the guiding of the limiting body 411 into and out of the clamping groove 221, so that the cooperation between the floating plate 220 and the limiting body 411 is more smooth.

[0070] The specific implementation mode of the first guide-in portion 4111 can be various, including but not limited to a rounded corner structure or an inverted taper angle structure.

[0071] Optionally, as shown in Figure 4 and Figure 5 In some embodiments, the floating plate 220 includes a clamping hook 223 arranged below the first supporting surface 222, and part of the clamping hook 223 is arranged apart from the first supporting surface 222 to form the clamping groove 221. In this way, the clamping hook 223 protrudes from the first supporting surface 222, so that part of the clamping hook 223 is arranged apart from the first supporting surface 222 to form the clamping groove 221, and the structure of the floating plate 220 is more compact.

[0072] In some embodiments, the movable member 410 includes a first connecting body 412 slidably connected with the connecting member 210, a second connecting body 413 rotatably connected with the base frame assembly 100, and a transition body 414 fixedly arranged between the first connecting body 412 and the second connecting body 413. The limiting body 411 protrudes from the transition body 414 along the length direction of the floating plate 220. In this way, the arrangement of the limiting body 411 does not interfere with the rotatable connection between the second connecting body 413 and the base frame assembly 100, and the slidable connection between the first connecting body 412 and the connecting member 210.

[0073] As shown in Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, in some embodiments, the card slots 221 include at least two, and the two adjacent card slots 221 are arranged along the length direction of the floating plate 220 to form an avoiding slot 214 for avoiding the movable member 410. The limiting bodies 411 correspond to the card slots 221 one by one, and are arranged on both sides of the transition body 414. In this way, by cooperating the at least two card slots 221 with the limiting bodies 411, a plurality of limiting points can be formed in the length direction of the floating plate 220, so as to reliably prevent the floating plate 220 from being warped. In addition, by avoiding the movable member 410 through the avoiding slot 214, the cooperation between the movable member 410 and the floating plate 220 and the connecting member 210 is more compact, which is beneficial to realize the miniaturization of the hinge mechanism 10b.

[0074] In addition, in some embodiments, the foldable electronic device further includes a flexible transmission member, and the flexible transmission member passes through the hinge mechanism through the avoiding slot. In this way, the avoiding slot is used to easily avoid accommodating the flexible transmission member, and the limiting cooperation between the card slots and the limiting bodies is used to form a limiting area on both sides of the avoiding slot, which can effectively limit the flexible transmission member from lifting the floating plate.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 1, Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown in some other embodiments, the floating plate 220 is provided with a plug-in body 225, and when the connecting member 210 is in the unfolded state, the plug-in body 225 is limited to cooperate with the base assembly 100 to limit the floating plate 220 from being warped away from the base assembly 100. In this way, during the process of switching the hinge mechanism 10b from the folded state to the unfolded state, the floating plate 220 moves with the connecting member 210, so that the plug-in body 225 is limited to cooperate with the base assembly 100. When the connecting member 210 is in the unfolded state, the plug-in body 225 is limited to cooperate with the base assembly 100, so as to limit the floating plate 220 from being warped away from the base assembly 100 by using the base assembly 100.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 1, Figure 7 In some embodiments, the floating plate 220 includes a first support surface 222 for forming the support structure 103, the base assembly 100 includes a second support surface 110 for forming the support structure 103, and the plug-in body 225 is arranged below the first support surface 222. When the connecting member 210 is in the unfolded state, the plug-in body 225 is inserted below the second support surface 110 to limit the floating plate 220 from being warped away from the base assembly 100. In this way, the card slots 221 are arranged below the first support surface 222, which can reduce interference and facilitate the movement of the floating plate 220 with the connecting member 210, the insertion of the plug-in body 225 below the second support surface 110, and the limiting cooperation with the base assembly 100.

[0077] In combination with any of the above embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1, Figure 8 and Figure 9As shown, in some embodiments, the float 220 includes a first connecting portion 211, and the connector 210 is provided with a second connecting portion 226 that is rotatably connected to the first connecting portion 211.

[0078] Furthermore, in some embodiments, one of the first connecting portion 211 and the second connecting portion 226 is provided with an arc-shaped guide portion, and the other is provided with a first mating portion that guides and engages with the arc-shaped guide portion. Thus, by utilizing the arc-shaped guide portion and the first mating portion, the contact area between the two can be increased, thereby improving the connection strength. Moreover, assembly is convenient, reducing the number of assembly parts.

[0079] Optionally, in some embodiments, the arc-shaped guide portion is disposed on the connector 210, and the first mating portion is disposed on the float 220.

[0080] It should be noted that there are many ways to implement the arc-shaped guide part and the first mating part, such as the mating of the arc-shaped body and the arc-shaped groove, the mating of the arc-shaped slide rail and the arc-shaped slider, and the nesting of arc-shaped structures, etc.

[0081] like Figure 8 As shown, in some embodiments, the arc-shaped guide portion includes a first arc-shaped body 2111 and a first guide wall 2113 spaced apart from the first arc-shaped body 2111 to form a first arc-shaped guide groove 2112. The first mating portion includes a second arc-shaped body 2261 and a second guide wall 2263 spaced apart from the second arc-shaped body 2261 to form a second arc-shaped guide groove 2262. The first arc-shaped body 2111 is inserted into the second arc-shaped guide groove 2262, and the second arc-shaped body 2261 is also inserted into the second arc-shaped guide groove 2262. Thus, by inserting the first arc-shaped body 2111 into the second arc-shaped guide groove 2262, and the second arc-shaped body 2261 into the second arc-shaped guide groove 2262, the arc-shaped guide portion and the first mating portion are nested and fitted, which can further increase the contact area between the two and improve the connection strength, so as to better restrict the rotation of the float 220 along the set trajectory and prevent it from tilting.

[0082] In any of the above embodiments, such as Figure 9As shown, in some embodiments, the floating plate 220 comprises a first mounting portion 201 and a second mounting portion 202 which are spaced apart along the width direction of the floating plate 220. The bearing assembly 200 further comprises a limiting rod 230, one end of which is rotatably connected to one of the connecting member 210 and the first mounting portion 201 of the floating plate 220, and the other end of which is movably connected to the other one of the connecting member 210 and the first mounting portion 201 of the floating plate 220. The floating plate 220 comprises a second connecting portion 226 which is arranged at the second mounting portion 202. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the unfolded state, the limiting rod 230 is in abutment with the connecting member 210 and the floating plate 220 to limit the floating plate 220 from being tilted away from the base frame assembly 100. In this way, the first mounting portion 201 of the floating plate 220 is movably connected to the connecting member 210 via the limiting rod 230, and the second mounting portion 202 is rotatably connected to the connecting member 210 via the first connecting portion 211 and the second connecting portion 226 to limit the movement range of the floating plate 220 relative to the connecting member 210. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the unfolded state, the limiting rod 230 is in abutment with the connecting member 210 and the floating plate 220 to limit the floating plate 220 from being tilted away from the base frame assembly 100, thereby avoiding over-tilting of the hinge mechanism 10b which may cause damage to the parts or failure of the related parts due to disconnection, or even damage to the flexible display screen 10a. In addition, the floating plate 220 can be used to limit the bending direction of the flexible transmission line (e.g. flexible circuit board), thereby reducing interference.

[0083] It should be noted that the "first mounting portion 201" and "second mounting portion 202" should be understood in a broad sense, and can be spaced apart along the length direction of the floating plate 220, i.e. along the Y-axis direction as shown, or along the width direction of the floating plate, i.e. along the X-axis direction as shown. Figure 9 It should be noted that the "first mounting portion 201" and "second mounting portion 202" should be understood in a broad sense, and can be spaced apart along the length direction of the floating plate 220, i.e. along the Y-axis direction as shown, or along the width direction of the floating plate, i.e. along the X-axis direction as shown.

[0084] In combination with the foregoing embodiments, in some embodiments, the floating plate 220 is provided with a plug body 225, when the connecting member 210 is in the unfolded state, the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion cooperate to form a first limiting area, the plug body 225 is in limiting abutment with the base frame assembly 100 to form a second limiting area, and the limiting rod 230 is in abutment with the connecting member 210 and the floating plate 220 to form a third limiting area. Along the width direction of the floating plate 220, the first limiting area and the second limiting area are spaced apart, and along the length direction of the floating plate 220, the first limiting area and the second limiting area are respectively spaced apart from the third limiting area. In this way, when the hinge mechanism 10b is in the unfolded state, the first limiting area, the second limiting area and the third limiting area cooperate to form a stable triangular limiting structure, which can not only prevent the floating plate 220 from being tilted, but also reliably support the flexible display screen 10a by the floating plate 220.

[0085] In some embodiments, the angle between the limiting rod 230 and the first support surface 222 is greater than 30° to form a stop structure. In this way, by limiting the angle between the limiting rod 230 and the first support surface 222, the lower pulling force acting on the floating plate 220 is formed between the limiting rod 230, the floating plate 220 and the connecting piece 210, thereby being able to pull down the floating plate 220 to limit the floating plate 220 from continuing to rotate in the unfolding direction of the hinge mechanism 10b, and the floating plate 220 can be effectively prevented from being warped.

[0086] Optionally, the angle between the limiting rod 230 and the first support surface 222 is equal to 35°, 40°, 45°, 50°, 55°, 60°, 65°, 70°, 75°, etc.

[0087] It should be noted that the specific implementation mode of the stop cooperation between the limiting rod 230 and the connecting piece 210 and the floating plate 220 can be various, including but not limited to the stop cooperation between the limiting rod 230 and the limiting convex part, the stop cooperation between the limiting rod 230 and the limiting groove 212, etc.

[0088] As shown in Figure 9 and Figure 10 In some embodiments, one of the connecting piece 210 and the floating plate 220 is rotationally connected with one end of the limiting rod 230, and the other of the connecting piece 210 and the floating plate 220 is provided with the limiting groove 212, the other end of the limiting rod 230 is inserted into the limiting groove 212 and movably cooperates with the limiting groove 212. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the unfolded state, the end of the limiting rod 230 abuts against the limiting groove 212 to stop the cooperation between the limiting rod 230 and the connecting piece 210 and the floating plate 220. In this way, when the hinge mechanism 10b is in the movement state, the limiting rod 230 moves in the limiting groove 212, which does not affect the relative movement between the connecting piece 210 and the floating plate 220. When the hinge mechanism 10b moves to the unfolded state, the end of the limiting rod 230 abuts against the limiting groove 212 to stop the cooperation between the limiting rod 230 and the connecting piece 210 and the floating plate 220. In this way, the hinge mechanism 10b can be prevented from being unfolded too much to cause damage to the parts or separation of the related parts, and the floating plate 220 can be prevented from being warped to damage the flexible display screen 10a.

[0089] As shown in Figure 9 and Figure 10 In some embodiments, the other end of the limiting rod 230 is provided with the shaft body 232 movably cooperating with the limiting groove 212. In this way, the assembly process can be reduced, and the assembly efficiency of the bearing assembly 200 can be improved.

[0090] In some embodiments, the limiting groove 212 is arranged on the connecting piece 210, and the floating plate 220 is rotationally connected with one end of the limiting rod 230.

[0091] Optionally, as shown in Figure 9As shown, in some embodiments, the connecting piece 210 is provided with two first mounting bodies 213 which are spaced apart to form an avoiding slot 214 which avoids the other end of the limiting rod 230. The limiting slot 212 is arranged on at least one first mounting body 213 and communicates with the avoiding slot 214. In this way, the limiting slot 212 is arranged on the connecting piece 210, so as to make full use of the thickness space of the connecting piece 210, so that the floating plate 220 can be as thin as possible. The arrangement of the avoiding slot 214 does not interfere with the movement of the limiting rod 230, and facilitates the assembly between the limiting rod 230, the connecting shaft 240 and the connecting piece 210.

[0092] Specifically, in the process of mounting the limiting rod 230 and the connecting piece 210, the other end of the limiting rod 230 is arranged in the avoiding slot 214, the connecting shaft 240 is inserted into the limiting slot 212 and enters the avoiding slot 214 to be connected with the other end of the limiting rod 230, so as to complete the assembly, which is beneficial to improve the assembly efficiency of the hinge mechanism 10b.

[0093] It should be noted that the rotating connection mode of one end of the limiting rod 230 and the floating plate 220 can be various, including but not limited to shaft connection, hinge connection and the like. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, in some embodiments, one end of the limiting rod 230 is provided with a first mounting through hole 231, and the floating plate 220 is provided with a matching hole 2271 corresponding to the first mounting through hole 231. The bearing assembly 200 further includes a connecting shaft 240, and the connecting shaft 240 is sleeved and matched with the first mounting through hole 231 and the matching hole 2271, respectively, so as to rotatably connect the floating plate 220 and one end of the limiting rod 230. In this way, it is easy to rotatably connect the floating plate 220 and one end of the limiting rod 230 by sleeving and matching the connecting shaft 240 with the first mounting through hole 231 and the matching hole 2271, respectively, which is convenient for assembly.

[0094] In some embodiments, the diameter of the connecting shaft 240 is greater than or equal to the diameter of the first mounting through hole 231 and the diameter of the matching hole 2271. In this way, the connecting shaft 240 and the first mounting through hole 231 adopt zero fit or interference fit, which improves the stop fit precision of the limiting rod 230 and the connecting piece 210 and the floating plate 220.

[0095] Further, in some embodiments, the outside of the limiting rod 230 is provided with an elastic layer to elastically extrude the first mounting through hole 231 and / or the matching hole 2271. In this way, the connecting shaft 240 is extruded into the first mounting through hole 231 and / or the matching hole 2271, which improves the rotation damping of the limiting rod 230 and is beneficial to improve the hovering effect of the hinge mechanism 10b.

[0096] As shown in Figure 9As shown, in some embodiments, the floating plate 220 is provided with a third connecting part 227 in a rib shape, the third connecting part 227 extends along the length direction of the first supporting part, and the third connecting part 227 is provided with a matching hole 2271. In this way, the strength of the floating plate 220 can be improved.

[0097] On the basis of any of the above embodiments of the connecting part 210, as Figure 9 or Figure 11 As shown, in some embodiments, the hinge mechanism 10b further comprises a damping assembly 500, which is in damping rotation cooperation with the first connecting rod assembly 300 and / or the movable part 410. In this way, by providing the damping assembly 500, the connecting rod part can be connected to the base frame assembly 100 in damping rotation, so that the foldable electronic device 10 cannot easily rotate, and the flexible display screen 10a is easy to support or limit, and the use is convenient.

[0098] It should be noted that the damping assembly 500 can be provided on any one of the rotating members of the first connecting rod assembly 300 and the movable part 410, which can meet the above requirements.

[0099] It should be noted that the implementation of the "damping assembly 500" can also have other ways, for example, using a friction plate to increase the rotation friction of the connecting rod assembly; or using an elastic member to increase the rotation resistance of the connecting rod assembly; or using a magnetic attraction member to increase the rotation resistance of the connecting rod assembly, etc.

[0100] It should be noted that the cooperation structure of the first connecting rod assembly 300 and the movable part 410 can have many kinds, including but not limited to two-stage connecting rod mechanism, three-stage connecting rod mechanism, four-stage connecting rod mechanism, etc. In this process, one of the connecting rods can be defined as a driving member, and the movable part 410 is driven to move.

[0101] As shown in some embodiments, Figure 11 The first connecting rod assembly 300, the second connecting rod assembly 400, and the bearing assembly 200 correspond to the second group, and at least two groups of the second group are arranged on both sides of the base frame assembly 100. The hinge mechanism 10b further comprises a synchronous assembly 600, and the connecting rod parts corresponding to the two sides of the base frame assembly 100 are connected in synchronous rotation through the synchronous assembly 600. In this way, the synchronous assembly 600 is used to realize the synchronous rotation of the hinge mechanism 10b on both sides of the base frame assembly 100, so as to realize the folding and unfolding of the flexible display screen 10a.

[0102] The implementation of the synchronous assembly 600 can have many kinds, including but not limited to the above-mentioned gear transmission group, and other synchronous rotation implementation ways, such as belt wheel mechanism, chain wheel mechanism, etc.

[0103] As shown in some embodiments, Figure 11 or, asFigure 12 As shown, the first linkage assembly 300 comprises a first linkage 310. One end of the first linkage 310 is rotatably connected with the base assembly 100, and the other end of the first linkage 310 is rotatably connected with the connecting member 210. In this way, the movable member 410 can drive the connecting member 210 to slide in the set direction of the movable member 410 during the rotation relative to the base assembly 100, and limit the swing direction of the connecting member 210 through the first linkage 310, and drive the floating plate 220 to switch between the supporting state and the folding state.

[0104] It should be noted that the rotatable connection of the other end of the first linkage 310 with the connecting member 210 includes direct connection or indirect connection through other linkages.

[0105] Alternatively, as shown in Figure 11 the other end of the first linkage 310 is directly rotatably connected with the connecting member 210. In combination with the foregoing two groups of bearing plates, the first linkage 310 and the movable member 410 form a two-stage linkage mechanism, which can form a water droplet-shaped accommodating space 101 in the folding state of the hinge mechanism 10b, and can meet the bending space required by the flexible display screen 10a, thereby improving the service life of the flexible display screen 10a. At this time, the first linkage 310 is a rotating member.

[0106] In other embodiments, as shown in Figure 12 and Figure 13 the first linkage assembly 300 further comprises a second linkage 320. The other end of the first linkage 310 is rotatably connected with one end of the second linkage 320, and the other end of the second linkage 320 is rotatably connected with the connecting member 210. The first linkage assembly 300 further comprises a transmission member 330, one end of the transmission member 330 is rotatably connected with the movable member 410, and the other end of the transmission member 330 is rotatably connected with the other end of the first linkage 310 and one end of the second linkage 320, respectively. In this way, the movable member 410 can drive the connecting member 210 to slide in the set direction of the movable member 410 during the rotation relative to the base assembly 100, and limit the swing direction of the connecting member 210 through the first linkage 310 and the second linkage 320, and drive the floating plate 220 to switch between the supporting state and the folding state.

[0107] The third-stage linkage mechanism is formed by the transmission member 330, the first linkage member 310, the movable member 410, and the second linkage member 320. In the process of limiting the swing of the connecting member 210 by the first linkage member 310 and the second linkage member 320, the connecting member 210 and the floating plate 220 can move in a direction farther away from the first floating plate 220, so that the water-drop-shaped accommodation space 101 formed by the hinge mechanism 10b in the folded state is more elongated, the bending space required for bending the flexible display screen 10a can be more accurately provided, and the flexible display screen 10a is better fitted, thereby protecting the flexible display screen 10a in the folded state. At this time, the second linkage member 320 is a rotating member.

[0108] In other embodiments, the first linkage assembly 300 further includes at least one linkage member arranged between the first linkage member 310 and the second linkage member 320 to form a fourth-stage linkage mechanism, a fifth-stage linkage mechanism, or the like.

[0109] In the length direction of the base assembly 100, when the hinge mechanism 10b is in the folded state, the width of the accommodation space 101 gradually increases from the base assembly 100 to the other end of the first linkage member 310, and gradually decreases from one end of the second linkage member 320 to the other end of the second linkage member 320. In this way, the accommodation space 101 first gradually increases to reduce stress concentration. The width of the accommodation space 101 gradually decreases from one end of the second linkage member 320 to the other end of the second linkage member 320, so that the flexible display screen 10a gradually fits away from the base assembly 100. That is, it is beneficial to realize the thinning of the foldable electronic device 10, and also makes the flexible display screen 10a bend smoothly, thereby improving the bending service life of the flexible display screen 10a.

[0110] In combination with any of the above embodiments, in some embodiments, the hinge mechanism 10b can hover at any angle in the range of 45°-135°. In this way, the hinge mechanism 10b can hover in the range of 45°-135°, which is defined as the hovering state. The hinge mechanism 10b can stop immediately after turning in the hovering state, which is convenient for users to use the foldable electronic device 10 at multiple angles and improves the use experience of the foldable electronic device 10.

[0111] In combination with any of the above embodiments of the movable member 410, the hovering rotation range of the movable member 410 is A, and A≥50°. In this way, the rotation range can be flexibly set according to actual needs. For example, A=50°, 60°, 90°, 100°, 110°, 120°, 130°, 150°, or the like.

[0112] In some embodiments, the movable member 410 can hover and rotate, so that the hinge mechanism 10b can hover at any angle in the range of 45°-135°. At this time, the movable member 410 can also be referred to as a synchronous rod.

[0113] Optionally, in some embodiments, the base assembly 100 comprises a base body and a decorative shell (not shown) fixedly connected with the base body, and the length direction of the decorative shell is arranged in the same direction as the length direction of the floating plate 220. In this way, the decorative shell can not only protect the hinge mechanism 10b, but also cooperate with the shell body 102 to improve the appearance of the foldable electronic device 10.

[0114] Optionally, in some embodiments, the base assembly 100 further comprises a support plate arranged on the base body. The support plate is used to form the support structure 103 or the accommodation space 101 in cooperation with the floating plate 220. In addition, the support plate cooperates with the decorative shell to better protect the first linkage assembly 300 and the second linkage assembly 400, etc.

[0115] The foldable electronic device 10 of the present disclosure can include a ranging device, a scanning device, a shooting device, a handheld device, a vehicle-mounted device, a wearable device, a monitoring device, a cellular phone, a smartphone, a personal digital assistant computer, a tablet computer, a notebook computer, a laptop computer, a video camera, a video recorder, a camera, a vehicle-mounted computer, and the like, which have a display function.

[0116] Referring to Figure 14 In some embodiments, the foldable electronic device 10 further comprises at least one or more of the following components: a processing component 11, a memory 12, a power supply component 13, a multimedia component 14, an audio component 15, an input / output interface 16, a sensor component 17, and a communication component 18.

[0117] The processing component generally controls the overall operation of the foldable electronic device, such as operations associated with display, telephone calls, data communications, camera operations, and recording operations. The processing component includes one or more processors to execute instructions to complete all or part of the steps of the above-mentioned methods. In addition, the processing component includes at least one or more modules to facilitate interaction between the processing component and other components. For example, the processing component includes at least a multimedia module to facilitate interaction between the multimedia component and the processing component.

[0118] The memory is configured to store various types of data to support the operation of the foldable electronic device. Examples of these data include instructions for any application or method operating on the foldable electronic device, contact data, phonebook data, messages, pictures, videos, etc. The memory can be implemented by any type of volatile or non-volatile storage device or a combination thereof, such as static random access memory, erasable programmable read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, read-only memory, magnetic storage, flash memory, magnetic disk, or optical disk.

[0119] The control mainboard includes the processing component and the memory.

[0120] The power component provides power to various components of the foldable electronic device. The power component includes at least a power management system, one or more power sources, and other components associated with generating, managing, and distributing power to the foldable electronic device.

[0121] The multimedia component includes a display module of the present disclosure, which facilitates human interaction with the foldable electronic device. If the display module includes a touch panel, the display module can be implemented as a touch screen to receive input signals from a user. The touch panel includes one or more touch sensors to sense touch, swiping, and gestures on the touch panel. The touch sensors can not only sense the boundary of a touch or swiping action, but also detect the duration and pressure associated with the touch or swiping operation. In some embodiments, the multimedia component includes a front-facing camera and / or a rear-facing camera. The front-facing camera and / or the rear-facing camera can receive external multimedia data when the foldable electronic device is in an operating mode, such as a photographing mode or a video mode. Each of the front-facing camera and the rear-facing camera can be a fixed optical lens system or have a focal length and optical zoom capability.

[0122] The audio component is configured to output and / or input audio signals. For example, the audio component includes a microphone (MIC) configured to receive an external audio signal when the foldable electronic device is in an operating mode, such as a call mode, a recording mode, and a voice recognition mode. The received audio signal can be further stored in the memory or transmitted via the communication component. In some embodiments, the audio component also includes a speaker for outputting audio signals.

[0123] The input / output interface provides an interface between the processing component and peripheral interface modules, which can be a keyboard, a click wheel, a button, and the like. These buttons can include, but are not limited to, a home button, a volume button, a start button, and a lock button.

[0124] The sensor assembly includes one or more sensors to provide various aspects of state evaluation for the foldable electronic device. For example, the sensor assembly can detect the open / closed state of the foldable electronic device, the relative positioning of components, such as the display and keypad of the foldable electronic device, the sensor assembly can also detect changes in position of the foldable electronic device or a component of the foldable electronic device, the presence or absence of user contact with the foldable electronic device, the orientation or acceleration / deceleration of the foldable electronic device, and temperature changes of the foldable electronic device. The sensor assembly includes at least a proximity sensor configured to detect the presence of a nearby object without any physical contact. The sensor assembly also includes at least a photosensitive element, such as a CMOS or CCD image sensor, for use in imaging applications. In some embodiments, the sensor assembly also includes at least an acceleration sensor, a gyroscope sensor, a magnetic sensor, a pressure sensor, or a temperature sensor.

[0125] The communication assembly is configured to facilitate wired or wireless communication between the foldable electronic device and other devices. The foldable electronic device can access a wireless network based on a communication standard, such as Wi-Fi, 2G, 3G, 4G, or 6G, etc., or a combination thereof. In an example embodiment, the communication assembly receives a broadcast signal or broadcast-related information from an external broadcast management system via a broadcast channel. In an example embodiment, the communication assembly also includes a near field communication (NFC) module to facilitate short-range communication. For example, the NFC module can be implemented based on radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, infrared data association (IrDA) technology, ultra wideband (UWB) technology, Bluetooth (BT) technology, and other technologies.

[0126] In the description of the present disclosure, 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", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the purpose of facilitating the description of the present disclosure and simplifying the description, and therefore cannot be understood as indicating or implying that the devices or elements referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present disclosure.

[0127] In addition, the terms "first", "second", and the like are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, the features defined with "first", "second", and the like can explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of the present disclosure, the meaning of "a plurality of" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0128] In the present disclosure, unless specifically defined otherwise, the terms "mounting", "connected", "connecting", "fixed", and "fixedly" mean to be connected, fixed, or both, either directly or indirectly through intervening elements such that the elements so connected, fixed, or both, can form, together with the intervening elements, an integrated whole. It is to be understood that the application can be implemented in other ways that are not explicitly disclosed herein, and that such other ways are encompassed within the scope of the present application.

[0129] In the present disclosure, unless specifically defined otherwise, the terms "on", "under", "above", and "below" mean that the first element can be directly on or under the second element, or indirectly on or under the second element through intervening elements. In addition, the terms "on", "above", and "over" mean that the first element can be directly above or obliquely above the second element, or only means that the first element is horizontally higher than the second element. The terms "under", "below", and "underneath" mean that the first element can be directly below or obliquely below the second element, or only means that the first element is horizontally lower than the second element.

[0130] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed", "attached", "connected" or "mounted" to another element, it can be directly on, or directly connected to, the other element, or intervening elements can also be present. When an element is referred to as being "connected", "attached", "fixed" or "mounted" to another element, it can be directly connected, or indirectly connected through intervening elements, to the other element. Further, when an element is referred to as being "fixedly connected" or "fixedly mounted" to another element, it can be fixedly connected or fixedly mounted to the other element, or it can be removably connected or removably mounted to the other element, such as a detachable connection, an integrally formed, a sleeving, a clamping, a welding, or the like, which can be realized in the conventional technology and will not be described here.

[0131] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any manner. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described, but it should be considered that any combination of the technical features is within the scope of the present disclosure as long as the combination does not result in a contradiction.

[0132] The above embodiments only express several implementation manners of the present disclosure, and the description is relatively specific and detailed, but it should not be considered as a limitation on the scope of the patent. It should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, without departing from the inventive concept of the present disclosure, some modifications and improvements can be made, which are all within the protection scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A hinge mechanism, characterized by The hinge mechanism comprises: a base assembly; a bearing assembly comprising a connecting member and a floating plate rotatably connected with the connecting member; a first linkage assembly rotatably connected with the base assembly and the connecting member; and a second linkage assembly comprising a movable member rotatably connected with the base assembly and slidably connected with the connecting member; wherein the first linkage assembly and the second linkage assembly cooperate to drive the connecting member to overturn relative to the base assembly, so that the hinge mechanism has a folded state and an unfolded state; when the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, at least part of the floating plate and part of the base assembly form a support structure; and the floating plate is limitedly fitted with at least one of the base assembly and the movable member to limit the floating plate from tilting away from the base assembly. The floating plate comprises a clamping groove, and the movable member comprises a limiting body; when the connecting member is in the unfolded state, the limiting body is inserted into the clamping groove to limit the floating plate from tilting away from the base assembly.

2. The hinge mechanism of claim 1, wherein, The floating plate comprises a first support surface for forming the support structure, and the clamping groove is arranged below the first support surface, so that the clamping groove can be in overlapping limited fit with the limiting body when the connecting member is in the unfolded state.

3. The hinge mechanism of claim 2, wherein, At least one of a side wall of the clamping groove and the limiting body is provided with a first guide portion, and part of the movable member is guided into the clamping groove through the first guide portion.

4. The hinge mechanism of claim 3, wherein, The floating plate comprises a clamping hook arranged below the first support surface, and part of the clamping hook is arranged in a spaced manner from the first support surface to form the clamping groove.

5. The hinge mechanism of claim 3, wherein, The movable member comprises a first connecting body slidably connected with the connecting member, a second connecting body rotatably connected with the base assembly, and a transition body fixedly arranged between the first connecting body and the second connecting body, and the limiting body is arranged to protrude from the transition body along the length direction of the floating plate.

6. The hinge mechanism of claim 2, wherein, The clamping groove comprises at least two clamping grooves, and adjacent two clamping grooves are arranged in a spaced manner along the length direction of the floating plate to form an avoiding groove for avoiding the movable member; the limiting body is in one-to-one correspondence with the clamping groove and is arranged in a spaced manner on both sides of the transition body.

7. The hinge mechanism of claim 6, wherein, The floating plate is provided with a plug-in body, and when the connecting member is in the unfolded state, the plug-in body is limitedly fitted with the base assembly to limit the floating plate from tilting away from the base assembly.

8. The hinge mechanism of claim 1, wherein, The floating plate comprises a first support surface for forming the support structure, the base assembly comprises a second support surface for forming the support structure, and the plug-in body is arranged below the first support surface; when the connecting member is in the unfolded state, the plug-in body is inserted below the second support surface to limit the floating plate from tilting away from the base assembly.

9. The hinge mechanism of claim 8, wherein, The floating plate comprises a first connecting portion, and the connecting member is provided with a second connecting portion rotatably connected with the first connecting portion.

10. The hinge mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that One of the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion is provided with an arc-shaped guide portion, and the other is provided with a first fitting portion in guide fit with the arc-shaped guide portion.

11. The hinge mechanism of claim 10, wherein, ​ 12. The hinge mechanism of claim 11, wherein, The arc-shaped guiding portion is arranged on the connecting piece, and the first matching portion is arranged on the floating plate. The arc-shaped guiding portion is provided with a first arc-shaped body and a first guiding wall arranged in a spaced manner to form a first arc-shaped guiding groove; the first matching portion is provided with a second arc-shaped body and a second guiding wall arranged in a spaced manner to form a second arc-shaped guiding groove; the first arc-shaped body is inserted into the second arc-shaped guiding groove, and the second arc-shaped body is inserted into the second arc-shaped guiding groove.

13. The hinge mechanism of claim 10, wherein, The floating plate comprises a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion arranged in a spaced manner along the width direction of the floating plate; the bearing assembly further comprises a limiting rod, one end of the limiting rod is rotatably connected with one of the connecting piece and the first mounting portion of the floating plate, and the other end of the limiting rod is movably connected with the other one of the connecting piece and the first mounting portion of the floating plate; the floating plate comprises a second connecting portion arranged on the second mounting portion; When the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the limiting rod is in abutment with the connecting piece and the floating plate to limit the floating plate from being tilted away from the base frame assembly.

14. The hinge mechanism of claim 13, wherein, The floating plate is provided with a plug-in body, when the connecting piece is in the unfolded state, the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are matched to form a first limiting area, the plug-in body is in limiting abutment with the base frame assembly to form a second limiting area, and the limiting rod is in abutment with the connecting piece and the floating plate to form a third limiting area; along the width direction of the floating plate, the first limiting area and the second limiting area are arranged in a spaced manner, and along the length direction of the floating plate, the first limiting area and the second limiting area are respectively arranged in a spaced manner with the third limiting area.

15. The hinge mechanism of claim 13, wherein, The floating plate comprises a first supporting surface for forming the supporting structure; when the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the included angle between the limiting rod and the first supporting surface is greater than 30°.

16. The hinge mechanism of claim 13, wherein, One of the connecting piece and the floating plate is rotatably connected with one end of the limiting rod, the other one of the connecting piece and the floating plate is provided with a limiting groove, the other end of the limiting rod is inserted into the limiting groove and movably matched with the limiting groove; When the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the limiting rod is in abutment with the end of the limiting groove to make the limiting rod in abutment with the connecting piece and the floating plate.

17. The hinge mechanism of claim 16, wherein, The limiting groove is arranged on the connecting piece, and one end of the limiting rod is rotatably connected with the floating plate.

18. The hinge mechanism of claim 17, wherein, One end of the limiting rod is provided with a first mounting through hole, and the floating plate is provided with a matching hole corresponding to the first mounting through hole; the bearing assembly further comprises a connecting shaft, the connecting shaft is sleeved with the first mounting through hole and the matching hole to rotatably connect the floating plate with one end of the limiting rod; The other end of the limiting rod is provided with a shaft body movably matched with the limiting groove; The connecting piece is provided with two first mounting bodies arranged in a spaced manner to form an avoiding groove for avoiding the other end of the limiting rod, and the limiting groove is arranged on at least one of the first mounting bodies and communicates with the avoiding groove.

19. A foldable electronic device, characterized by A portable electronic device comprising a housing assembly, a flexible display, and a hinge mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 18, the housing assembly comprising a housing body fixedly connected to the connecting member, at least a portion of the flexible display covering the housing body and the hinge mechanism.

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