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 movably 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 is rotationally connected with the base frame assembly and is in sliding connection with the connecting piece. The first connecting rod assembly and the second connecting rod assembly are used for driving 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. The second connecting rod assembly at least can be matched with the floating plate in a limiting mode when the hinge mechanism is in a folded state so as to limit movement of the connecting piece relative to the second connecting rod assembly. The hinge mechanism can limit the movement of the connecting piece when the hinge mechanism is impacted in the folding state, and then the reliability 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 connecting piece limiting structure of the traditional hinge mechanism has defects, which causes the hinge mechanism to move and damage the screen when the hinge mechanism in the folded state is impacted, and is not conducive to improving the reliability of the foldable electronic device. SUMMARY

[0004] The present disclosure provides a hinge mechanism and a foldable electronic device. The hinge mechanism can effectively limit the movement of the connecting piece when the folded state is impacted, thereby facilitating the improvement of the reliability 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 movably connected with the connecting piece. The first connecting rod assembly is rotationally connected with the base frame assembly, and the first connecting rod assembly is rotationally connected with the connecting piece. The second connecting rod assembly is rotationally connected with the base frame assembly and is slidingly connected with the connecting piece. The first connecting rod assembly and the second connecting rod assembly 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. Wherein, the second connecting rod assembly is capable of limiting cooperation with the floating plate at least when the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, so as to limit the movement of the connecting piece relative to the second connecting rod assembly.

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

[0008] When the hinge mechanism is in use, the first connecting rod assembly and the second connecting rod assembly are rotated along the base frame assembly, the first connecting rod assembly drives the connecting piece to rotate, the connecting piece and the second connecting rod assembly slide, the connecting piece drives the floating plate to flip relative to the base frame assembly, and the hinge mechanism has a folded state and an unfolded state. The second connecting rod assembly can at least limit the floating plate in the folded state of the hinge mechanism, so as to limit the movement of the connecting piece relative to the second connecting rod assembly, thereby avoiding damage to the flexible display screen caused by the movement of the floating plate. The hinge mechanism can at least limit the movement of the connecting piece when the hinge mechanism is impacted in the folded state, thereby improving the reliability of the foldable electronic device.

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

[0010] In one of the embodiments, when the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the floating plate and part of the base frame assembly form a support structure. When the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the floating plate is arranged at an angle with the base frame assembly to form an accommodation space.

[0011] And / or, the second connecting rod assembly includes a movable piece, part of the movable piece is rotationally connected with the base frame assembly, and another part of the movable piece is slidingly connected with the connecting piece. The movable piece can limit the movement of the connecting piece relative to the movable piece in the folded state.

[0012] In one of the embodiments, the movable piece includes a first connecting body slidingly connected with the connecting piece.

[0013] The first connecting body and at least one of the floating plate are provided with a first protrusion. When the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the first protrusion abuts against the other one to support the floating plate.

[0014] And / or, the first connecting body and at least one of the floating plate are provided with a first protrusion, and the first connecting body and at least one of the floating plate are provided with a limiting recess. When the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the first protrusion and the limiting recess limit each other to limit the movement of the connecting piece relative to the first connecting body.

[0015] In one of the embodiments, the first protrusion includes a first protrusion fixedly arranged on the first connecting body. When the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the first protrusion abuts against the floating plate to support the floating plate.

[0016] And / or, the floating plate includes a support surface and a matching surface arranged opposite to the support surface along the thickness direction of the floating plate, and the first protrusion includes a second protrusion fixedly arranged on the matching surface. When the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the second protrusion abuts against the first connecting body to support the floating plate, so that the support surface and the base frame assembly form a support structure. And / or, when the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the first connecting body is provided with a limiting recess, and the limiting recess and the second protrusion limit each other to limit the movement of the connecting piece relative to the first connecting body.

[0017] In one of the embodiments, the first protrusion includes a first protruding part fixed to the first connecting body, and the first protrusion includes a second protruding part fixed to the mating surface. When the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the first protruding part and the second protruding part abut each other to support the floating plate.

[0018] In one of the embodiments, the first connecting body is provided with a limiting recess. When the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, at least part of the second protruding part is embedded in the limiting recess.

[0019] In one of the embodiments, the limiting recess is provided with a limiting surface. When the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the second protruding part abuts against the limiting surface to limit the movement of the connecting member relative to the first connecting body.

[0020] In one of the embodiments, the connecting member is provided with a relief recess corresponding to the limiting recess. When the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the relief recess and the limiting recess cooperate to form a stop recess, and the second protruding part is in stop cooperation with the stop recess.

[0021] In one of the embodiments, the second protruding part includes a first abutting surface and a second abutting surface arranged along the width direction of the floating plate. When the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the first abutting surface abuts against the limiting surface to limit the movement of the floating plate relative to the connecting member, and the second abutting surface abuts against the side wall of the relief recess to limit the movement of the floating plate relative to the connecting member.

[0022] In one of the embodiments, at least one of the first abutting surface and the limiting surface is provided with a guide surface, and the second protruding part enters and exits the stop recess through the guide surface.

[0023] And / or, the relief recess is provided with a stop inclined surface which is in close contact with the second abutting surface, and when the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the stop inclined surface is inclined downwardly towards the mating surface in the direction towards the base frame assembly.

[0024] In one of the embodiments, the stop recess is in the shape of a clamping hole, and when the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the second protruding part is clamped in the clamping hole.

[0025] In one of the embodiments, the connecting member includes a first connecting part. The floating plate includes a second connecting part rotationally connected to the first connecting part, and the second connecting part is arranged along the width direction of the floating plate and spaced apart from the first protrusion.

[0026] In one of the embodiments, the first protrusion and the other one abut each other to limit the rotation range of the first connecting part relative to the second connecting part.

[0027] In one of the embodiments, the connecting member is provided with a relief inclined surface, and the floating plate includes a first side and a second side arranged along the width direction of the floating plate, and the second connecting part is arranged close to the second side.

[0028] When the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, and the first side of the floating plate is spaced apart from the avoiding slope, the floating plate and the base frame form a support structure. When the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the floating plate is arranged against the avoiding slope.

[0029] In one of the embodiments, the second linkage assembly further comprises a transmission unit, the movable member is movably connected with the floating plate through the transmission unit, so as to limit the movement of the connecting member relative to the second linkage assembly.

[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 housing assembly, and the hinge mechanism in any of the above embodiments. The housing assembly comprises a housing body fixedly connected with the connecting member. At least part of the flexible display screen is covered on the housing body and the hinge mechanism.

[0031] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure can include 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 is covered on the hinge mechanism and the housing body. The hinge mechanism can be connected with the housing body through the connecting member, so as to drive the housing body to rotate relative to the base assembly through the first linkage assembly and the second linkage assembly, thereby realizing the unfolding and folding of the flexible display screen. The movable member can at least be limited in the folding state by cooperating with the floating plate, so as to limit the movement of the connecting member relative to the second linkage assembly. When the hinge mechanism is impacted in the folding state, the movement of the connecting member can be effectively limited, and the flexible display screen can be effectively protected, thereby facilitating to improve the reliability of the foldable electronic device.

[0033] It should be understood that the above 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 are included as part of this disclosure, serve to provide further understanding of the present disclosure, and the illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure and their descriptions serve to explain the present disclosure, and do not constitute improper limitations on the present disclosure.

[0035] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the drawings needed in the embodiment description will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description can only be some embodiments of the present disclosure, and other drawings can also be obtained by those skilled in the art without any creative effort.

[0036] Figure 1 It is an structural schematic diagram of the foldable electronic device shown in one of the embodiments.

[0037] Figure 2 It is an structural schematic diagram of the foldable electronic device shown in one of the embodiments.Figure 1 Structural diagram of the hinge mechanism (hinge mechanism in the unfolded state) shown.

[0038] Figure 3 For Figure 2 Structural exploded diagram of the hinge mechanism shown.

[0039] Figure 4 For Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the hinge mechanism shown.

[0040] Figure 5 For Figure 3 Structural diagram of the movable part shown.

[0041] Figure 6 For Figure 3 Structural diagram of the float shown.

[0042] Figure 7 For Figure 3 Structural diagram of the connecting piece shown.

[0043] Figure 8 For Figure 2 Half-section diagram of A-A shown.

[0044] Figure 9 For Figure 8 Half-section diagram of the hinge mechanism in the folded state shown.

[0045] Figure 10 For the hinge mechanism in the unfolded state in some embodiments, a partial structural diagram is shown.

[0046] Figure 11 For the schematic diagram of the hinge mechanism shown in an embodiment.

[0047] Figure 12 For the hardware structural diagram of the foldable electronic device shown in an embodiment.

[0048] Explanation of reference signs:

[0049] 10, foldable electronic device; 11, processing component; 12, memory; 13, power supply component; 14, multimedia component; 15, audio component; 16, input / output interface; 17, sensor component; 18, communication component; 10a, flexible display screen; 10b, hinge mechanism; 101, containing space; 103, support structure; 104, first protrusion; 10c, housing component; 102, housing body; 100, base component; 200, bearing component; 210, connecting piece; 211, avoiding recess; 2111, stop inclined surface; 212, first connecting part; 213, avoiding inclined surface; 220, floating plate; 221, support surface; 222, matching surface; 223, second protrusion; 2231, first abutting surface; 2232, second abutting surface; 224, second connecting part; 201, first side; 202, second side; 300, first connecting rod component; 310, first connecting rod; 320, second connecting rod; 330, transmission piece; 400, second connecting rod component; 410, movable piece; 411, first connecting body; 4111, first protrusion; 4112, limiting recess; 4001, limiting surface; 4113, sliding rail; 412, second connecting body; 500, first rotating shaft; 600, damping component; 700, synchronization component. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] In order to make the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the present disclosure clearer, the present disclosure will be further described in detail below with reference to 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.

[0051] 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 the specific embodiments and is not intended to limit the present disclosure.

[0052] Electronic devices such as mobile phones and tablets have become essential technology products in people's life, learning and entertainment process, bringing many conveniences and pleasures to people's life. With the development of the diversification of electronic device functions, there are many 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.

[0053] With the increasingly mature application of flexible display screens, the flexible display screens are increasingly widely applied to electronic devices. The foldable electronic devices using the flexible display screens can be folded to facilitate carrying. The flexible display screens have larger display areas after being unfolded, and thus are increasingly favored by consumers. In the foldable electronic devices with similar display sizes and performance, the foldable electronic devices are more portable, and the holding feeling is better, and thus the foldable electronic devices can more attract consumers to purchase.

[0054] In the related art, the foldable electronic devices usually use a hinge mechanism to realize unfolding or folding of the flexible display screen. The defects of the limiting structure of the connecting piece of the conventional hinge mechanism cause the hinge mechanism to be easily damaged when the hinge mechanism in the folded state is impacted, which is not conducive to improving the reliability of the foldable electronic devices. For example, the floating plate is movably connected with the connecting piece, and the connecting piece is slidingly connected with the second link assembly, so that the second link assembly cannot stop the connecting piece when the whole machine falls, and the connecting piece slides along the sliding pair direction relative to the second link assembly, thereby causing the screen space to be extruded to cause the screen to fail. There is no effective solution in the industry.

[0055] Based on this, the hinge mechanism is provided. The hinge mechanism has a compact structure and can adapt to the demand for thinning of the foldable electronic devices.

[0056] In order to better understand the hinge mechanism of the present disclosure, the foldable electronic device to which the hinge mechanism is applied is described.

[0057] As shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the 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. 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 housing body 102 to rotate. 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.

[0058] As shown in Figure 2As shown, the hinge mechanism 10b includes a base frame assembly 100, a carrier assembly 200, a first link assembly 300, and a second link assembly 400. The carrier assembly 200 includes a connecting piece 210 and a floating plate 220 movably connected with the connecting piece 210. The first link assembly 300 is rotatably connected with the base frame assembly 100 and rotatably connected with the connecting piece 210. The second link assembly 400 is rotatably connected with the base frame assembly 100 and slidably connected with the connecting piece 210. The first link assembly 300 and the second link assembly 400 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. The second link assembly 400 is at least capable of limiting position cooperation with the floating plate 220 when the hinge mechanism 10b is in the unfolded state and / or the folded state, so as to limit the movement of the connecting piece 210 relative to the second link assembly 400.

[0059] When the hinge mechanism 10b is used, the first link assembly 300 and the second link assembly 400 are rotated along the base frame assembly 100, the connecting piece 210 is driven to rotate by the first link assembly 300, so that the connecting piece 210 slides with the second link assembly 400, and the connecting piece 210 drives the floating plate 220 to overturn relative to the base frame assembly 100, so that the hinge mechanism 10b has a folded state and an unfolded state. The second link assembly 400 is at least capable of limiting position cooperation with the floating plate 220 when the hinge mechanism 10b is in the unfolded state and / or the folded state, so as to limit the movement of the connecting piece 210 relative to the second link assembly 400, thereby avoiding damage to the flexible display screen caused by the movement of the floating plate. The hinge mechanism is at least capable of limiting the movement of the connecting piece when the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, thereby improving the reliability of the foldable electronic device.

[0060] It should be noted that the "limiting position cooperation" between the floating plate 220 and the second link assembly 400 includes clamping limiting, abutting limiting, or plug-in limiting, etc.

[0061] It can be understood that the foldable electronic device can be usually locked in the unfolded state by the hinge mechanism to facilitate the user to unfold and use. At this time, the rotation damping between the second link assembly and the base frame assembly is large, and the second link assembly will not easily rotate. Relative to the floating plate, the second link assembly is a reliable limiting piece capable of limiting the movement thereof. In some embodiments, the second link assembly 400 is capable of limiting position cooperation with the floating plate 220 in the unfolded state, and is capable of limiting the floating plate 220 from being tilted away from the base frame assembly 100. In this way, the hinge mechanism 10b can not only avoid the tilting of the floating plate 220, but also reliably support the flexible display screen 10a by the floating plate 220.

[0062] In addition, the foldable electronic device usually utilizes a flexible transmission member to realize the communication connection of the electronic devices on both sides of the base assembly. The hinge mechanism of the present disclosure can avoid the floating plate from being lifted by the flexible transmission member, but instead can limit the bending direction of the flexible transmission line (such as a flexible printed circuit board) by using the floating plate, thereby reducing interference.

[0063] It can be understood that the foldable electronic device can usually be locked in a folded state by the hinge mechanism to facilitate user carrying. At this time, the rotation damping between the second connecting rod assembly and the base assembly is large, and the second connecting rod assembly will not easily rotate. Relative to the floating plate, the second connecting rod assembly is a reliable limiting member and can limit the movement of the floating plate. In some embodiments, the second connecting rod assembly 400 can be in limiting cooperation with the floating plate 220 in the folded state, and can limit the movement of the floating plate 220 away from the connecting member 210. In this way, when the foldable electronic device 10 is accidentally dropped in the folded state, since part of the flexible display screen 10a is bent in the accommodation space 101, and the floating plate 220 is limited by the second connecting rod assembly 400, the floating plate 220 can cooperate with part of the base assembly 100 and the connecting rod member to limit and buffer the deformation of the flexible display screen 10a, thereby avoiding the deformation of the flexible display screen 10a from being too large to damage the flexible display screen 10a, and further improving the reliability of the foldable electronic device 10.

[0064] In some embodiments, the foldable electronic device 10 can perform hovering motion by the hinge mechanism 10b to realize rapid turning and rapid stopping. At this time, the rotation damping between the second connecting rod assembly 400 and the base assembly 100 is large, and the second connecting rod assembly 400 will not easily rotate. Relative to the floating plate 220, the second connecting rod assembly 400 is a reliable limiting member and can limit the movement of the floating plate 220.

[0065] In some embodiments, the second connecting rod assembly 400 can be in limiting cooperation with the floating plate 220 during the rotation of the hinge mechanism 10b to limit the movement of the connecting member 210 relative to the second connecting rod assembly 400. At this time, the second connecting rod assembly 400 cooperates with the connecting member 210, so that the floating plate 220 can realize hovering motion and rapid turning and rapid stopping.

[0066] The rotation resistance of the hinge mechanism 10b when the foldable electronic device 10 is in the locked state is greater than the rotation resistance of the hinge mechanism 10b when the foldable electronic device 10 is in the hovering state.

[0067] In order to better understand the technical solutions of the present disclosure, the following Figure 2 , Figure 5 and Figure 8As shown, 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 the Y-axis direction, and the thickness direction of the floating plate 220 and the thickness direction of the base assembly 100 are also the Z-axis direction.

[0068] It can be understood that the thickness direction of the foldable electronic device 10 in the unfolded state is also the Z-axis direction. When the foldable electronic device 10 is in the unfolded state, the floating plate 220 is prevented from being buckled, and it can also be understood that part of the floating plate 220 is prevented from being buckled in the Z-axis direction to lift the flexible display screen 10a.

[0069] As shown in Figure 2 and Figures 8 to 9 In some embodiments, when the hinge mechanism 10b is in the unfolded state, and at least part of the floating plate 220 forms a support structure 103 with the base assembly 100. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the folded state, the floating plate 220 is arranged at an angle with the base assembly 100 to form a avoiding space. In this way, when the flexible display screen 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 forms a support structure 103 with the base assembly 100. Further, the support structure 103 and the shell body 102 can be used to more comprehensively support the flexible display screen 10a, improve the display quality, and facilitate the user to operate the flexible display screen 10a. When the flexible display screen 10a is folded, the hinge mechanism 10b is switched from the unfolded state to the folded state. In this process, the first link assembly 300 and the second link assembly 400 rotate along the base assembly 100, the first link assembly 300 drives the connecting piece 210 to rotate, so that the connecting piece 210 slides with the second link assembly 400, so that the connecting piece 210 drives the floating plate 220 to move away from the base assembly 100, so as to provide space to facilitate the flexible display screen 10a to be folded.

[0070] As shown in Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 In some embodiments, the second link assembly 400 includes a movable piece 410, part of the movable piece 410 is rotationally connected with the base assembly 100, and another part of the movable piece 410 is slidingly connected with the connecting piece 210. The movable piece 410 can be limited in cooperation with the floating plate 220 in the folded state to limit the movement of the connecting piece 210 relative to the movable piece 410. In this way, since the floating plate 220 is movably arranged on the connecting piece 210, and the movable piece 410 moves with damping, a larger damping needs to be overcome to move. At this time, by limiting the floating plate 220 through the movable piece 410 slidingly connected with the connecting piece 210, the movement of the connecting piece 210 relative to the movable piece 410 can be limited. Also makes the structure of the hinge mechanism 10b compact.

[0071] In combination with the foregoing embodiments, the movable piece 410 can be locked when the hinge mechanism 10b is in the folded state or the unfolded state, and can serve as a reliable limiting piece to limit the movement of the floating plate 220. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the hovering state, the movable piece 410 can also hover, realizing the function of turning and stopping immediately, and can serve as a reliable limiting piece to limit the movement of the floating plate 220.

[0072] As shown in Figure 5 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 , in some embodiments, the movable piece 410 includes a first connecting body 411 that is slidingly connected with the connecting piece 210. In this way, the first connecting body 411 can be matched with the floating plate to limit the movement of the connecting piece 210 relative to the second linkage assembly, so that the structure of the hinge mechanism 10b is more compact.

[0073] As shown in Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 , in some embodiments, the first connecting body 411 and at least one of the floating plate 220 are provided with a first protrusion 104. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the unfolded state, the first protrusion 104 abuts against the other one to support the floating plate 220. In this way, the first protrusion 104 provided on the first connecting body 411 and / or the floating plate 220 abuts against the other one to support the floating plate 220 when the hinge mechanism 10b is in the unfolded state. Since the first connecting body 411 is slidingly connected with the connecting piece 210, during the switching process of the hinge mechanism 10b from the unfolded state to the folded state, the first connecting body 411 slides relative to the connecting piece 210 to realize the separation or abutment of the first protrusion 104, without affecting the movement of the hinge mechanism 10b.

[0074] For example, the first connecting body is provided with a first protrusion, and the first protrusion abuts against the floating plate to support the floating plate when the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state.

[0075] For example, the floating plate is provided with a first protrusion, and the first protrusion abuts against the first connecting body to support the floating plate when the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state.

[0076] For example, the floating plate is provided with a first protrusion, and the first connecting body is also provided with a first protrusion, and the first protrusion on the floating plate abuts against the first connecting body, and the first protrusion on the first connecting body abuts against the floating plate to support the floating plate when the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state.

[0077] As shown in Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 8 and Figure 9As shown, in some embodiments, the first connecting body 411 and at least one of the floating plate 220 are provided with a first protrusion 104, and the first connecting body 411 and at least one of the floating plate 220 are provided with a limiting recess 4112. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the folded state, the first protrusion 104 and the limiting recess 4112 limit the floating plate 220 from being tilted away from the connecting piece 210. In this way, the first protrusion 104 provided on the first connecting body 411 and / or the floating plate 220 and the limiting recess 4112 provided on the first connecting body 411 and / or the floating plate 220 limit the movement of the connecting piece 210 relative to the first connecting body 411. Since the first connecting body 411 is in sliding connection with the connecting piece 210, when the hinge mechanism 10b is switched from the unfolded state to the folded state, the first connecting body 411 slides relative to the connecting piece 210 to separate the first protrusion 104 from the limiting recess 4112, without affecting the movement of the hinge mechanism 10b.

[0078] For example, the first connecting body is provided with a first protrusion, and the floating plate is provided with a limiting recess. When the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the first protrusion and the limiting recess limit the movement of the connecting piece relative to the first connecting body.

[0079] For example, the floating plate is provided with a first protrusion, and the first connecting body is provided with a limiting recess. When the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the first protrusion and the limiting recess limit the movement of the connecting piece relative to the first connecting body.

[0080] For example, the first connecting body is provided with a first protrusion and a limiting recess spaced apart from the first protrusion, and the floating plate is also provided with a first protrusion and a limiting recess spaced apart from the first protrusion. When the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the first protrusion on the first connecting body and the limiting recess on the floating plate, and the first protrusion on the floating plate and the limiting recess on the first connecting body limit the movement of the connecting piece relative to the first connecting body.

[0081] Based on the foregoing analysis, it can be seen that, for example, Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 8 and Figure 9As shown, in some embodiments, the first connecting body 411 and at least one of the floating plates 220 are provided with a first protrusion 104, and the first connecting body 411 and at least one of the floating plates 220 are provided with a limiting recess 4112. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the unfolded state, the first protrusion 4111 abuts against the floating plate 220 to support the floating plate 220. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the folded state, the first protrusion 104 is limitedly matched with the limiting recess 4112 to limit the movement of the connecting member 210 relative to the first connecting body 411. Since the first connecting body 411 slides relative to the connecting member 210 to realize the separation or abutment of the first protrusion 104 and the limiting recess 4112 and the separation or abutment of the first protrusion 104, the movement of the hinge mechanism 10b is not affected. Therefore, the first protrusion 104 on the first connecting body 411 can abut against the floating plate 220 and / or the first protrusion 104 on the floating plate 220 can abut against the first connecting body 411 to support the floating plate 220 when the hinge mechanism 10b is in the unfolded state. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the folded state, the first protrusion 104 is limitedly matched with the limiting recess 4112 to limit the movement of the connecting member 210 relative to the first connecting body 411.

[0082] In some embodiments, the first protrusion 104 includes a first protrusion 4111 fixed to the first connecting body 411. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the unfolded state, the first protrusion 4111 abuts against the floating plate 220 to support the floating plate 220. In this way, the first protrusion 4111 provided on the first connecting body 411 abuts against the floating plate 220 to support the floating plate 220 when the hinge mechanism 10b is in the unfolded state. Since the first connecting body 411 is in sliding connection with the connecting member 210, during the switching of the hinge mechanism 10b from the unfolded state to the folded state, the first connecting body 411 slides relative to the connecting member 210 to realize the separation or abutment of the first protrusion 4111 and the floating plate 220, and the movement of the hinge mechanism 10b is not affected.

[0083] Optionally, in some embodiments, the floating plate 220 comprises a supporting surface 221 and a cooperating surface 222 opposite to the supporting surface 221 along the thickness direction of the floating plate 220, and the first protrusion 104 comprises a second protrusion 223 fixed to the cooperating surface 222. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the unfolded state, the second protrusion 223 abuts against the first connecting body 411 to support the floating plate 220, so that the supporting surface 221 cooperates with the base frame assembly 100 to form the supporting structure 103. In this way, by arranging the second protrusion 223 on the cooperating surface 222, the supporting effect of the floating plate 220 is not affected. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the unfolded state, the second protrusion 223 abuts against the first connecting body 411 to support the floating plate 220, so that the supporting surface 221 cooperates with the base frame assembly 100 to form the supporting structure 103. Since the first connecting body 411 is in sliding connection with the connecting piece 210, during the switching process of the hinge mechanism 10b from the unfolded state to the folded state, the first connecting body 411 slides relative to the connecting piece 210 to realize the separation or abutment of the second protrusion 223 and the first connecting body 411, without affecting the movement of the hinge mechanism 10b.

[0084] As shown in Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 , in some embodiments, the floating plate 220 comprises a supporting surface 221 and a cooperating surface 222 opposite to the supporting surface 221 along the thickness direction of the floating plate 220, and the first protrusion 104 comprises a second protrusion 223 fixed to the cooperating surface 222, and the first connecting body 411 is provided with a limiting recess 4112. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the folded state, the limiting recess 4112 is in limiting cooperation with the second protrusion 223 to limit the movement of the connecting piece 210 relative to the first connecting body 411. In this way, by arranging the second protrusion 223 on the cooperating surface 222, the supporting effect of the floating plate 220 is not affected. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the folded state, the limiting recess 4112 is in limiting cooperation with the second protrusion 223 to limit the movement of the connecting piece 210 relative to the first connecting body 411. Since the first connecting body 411 is in sliding connection with the connecting piece 210, during the switching process of the hinge mechanism 10b from the unfolded state to the folded state, the first connecting body 411 slides relative to the connecting piece 210 to realize the separation or abutment of the second protrusion 223 and the limiting recess 4112, without affecting the movement of the hinge mechanism 10b.

[0085] As shown in Figure 8 , Figure 9 , Figure 5 and Figure 6As shown in FIG. 1, in some embodiments, the floating plate 220 comprises a supporting surface 221 and a cooperating surface 222 opposite to the supporting surface 221 along the thickness direction of the floating plate 220, the first protrusion 104 comprises a second protrusion 223 fixed to the cooperating surface 222, and the first connecting body 411 is provided with a limiting recess 4112. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the unfolded state, the second protrusion 223 abuts against the first connecting body 411 to support the floating plate 220, so that the supporting surface 221 cooperates with the base frame assembly 100 to form the supporting structure 103. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the folded state, the limiting recess 4112 is in limiting cooperation with the second protrusion 223 to limit the movement of the connecting member 210 relative to the first connecting body 411. In this way, by arranging the second protrusion 223 on the cooperating surface 222, the supporting effect of the floating plate 220 is not affected. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the unfolded state, the second protrusion 223 abuts against the first connecting body 411 to support the floating plate 220, so that the supporting surface 221 cooperates with the base frame assembly 100 to form the supporting structure 103. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the folded state, the limiting recess 4112 is in limiting cooperation with the second protrusion 223 to limit the movement of the connecting member 210 relative to the first connecting body 411.

[0086] Since the first connecting body 411 is in sliding connection with the connecting member 210, during the switching process of the hinge mechanism 10b from the unfolded state to the folded state, the first connecting body 411 slides relative to the connecting member 210 to realize that the second protrusion 223 abuts against the first connecting body 411 or is in limiting cooperation with the limiting recess 4112, without affecting the movement of the hinge mechanism 10b.

[0087] In combination with any of the foregoing embodiments of the second protrusion 223, as shown in FIG. 1, Figure 8 and Figure 9 in some embodiments, the first protrusion 104 comprises a first protrusion 4111 fixed to the first connecting body 411, and the first protrusion 104 further comprises a second protrusion 223 fixed to the cooperating surface 222. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the unfolded state, the first protrusion 4111 abuts against the second protrusion 223 to support the floating plate 220. In this way, in combination with the foregoing analysis, by using the first protrusion 4111 and the second protrusion 223 to abut against each other to support the floating plate 220, the height of the two protrusions 4111 is appropriate, which can reduce the motion interference. After the first protrusion 4111 and the second protrusion 223 are separated, the floating plate 220 and the connecting member 210 can be more closely attached to form a larger accommodating space 101.

[0088] Further, as shown in FIG. 1, Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 8 and Figure 9As shown in FIG. 11, in some embodiments, the first connecting body 411 is provided with a limiting recess 4112. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the folded state, at least part of the second protrusion 223 is embedded in the limiting recess 4112. In this way, by providing the second protrusion 223 on the fitting surface 222, the supporting effect of the floating plate 220 is not affected. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the unfolded state, the second protrusion 223 is misaligned with the limiting recess 4112, and the first connecting body 411 abuts to support the floating plate 220, so that the supporting surface 221 cooperates with the base assembly 100 to form the supporting structure 103. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the folded state, the limiting recess 4112 cooperates with the second protrusion 223 to limit the movement of the connecting piece 210 relative to the first connecting body 411. This can reduce motion interference and make the structure of the hinge mechanism 10b more compact.

[0089] Optionally, as shown in FIG. 12, Figures 5 to 9 、 Figures 5 to 9 、 Figure 7 and Figure 9 , in some embodiments, the limiting recess 4112 is provided with a limiting surface 4001. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the folded state, the second protrusion 223 abuts against the limiting surface 4001 to limit the movement of the connecting piece 210 relative to the first connecting body 411. Since the movable piece 410 rotates with damping,

[0090] As shown in FIG. 13, Figures 6 to 9 , in some embodiments, the connecting piece 210 is provided with an avoiding recess 211 corresponding to the limiting recess 4112. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the folded state, the avoiding recess 211 cooperates with the limiting recess 4112 to form a stop recess, and the second protrusion 223 cooperates with the stop recess. In this way, when the hinge mechanism 10b is in the folded state, the avoiding recess 211 cooperates with the limiting recess 4112 to form a stop recess, and the second protrusion 223 cooperates with the stop recess to effectively limit the movement range of the floating plate 220. When the connecting piece 210 and the movable piece 410 move, the stop recess is opened, and the floating plate 220 can rotate relative to the connecting piece 210 to form the supporting structure 103.

[0091] As shown in FIG. 14, Figures 6 to 9As shown, in some embodiments, the second protrusion 223 includes a first abutment surface 2231 and a second abutment surface 2232 spaced apart along the width direction of the float 220. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the folded state, the first abutment surface 2231 abuts against the limiting surface 4001 and the second abutment surface 2232 abuts against the sidewall of the clearance recess 211 to limit the movement of the float 220 relative to the connector 210. Thus, when the hinge mechanism 10b is in the folded state, and there is no relative movement between the connector 210 and the movable member 410, the first abutment surface 2231 abuts against the limiting surface 4001 and the second abutment surface 2232 abuts against the sidewall of the clearance recess 211, reliably locking the float 220 in a set position and preventing movement. When the connector 210 and the movable part 410 move, the second abutting surface 2232 separates from the avoidance recess 211, and the first abutting surface 2231 moves along the limiting surface 4001 and moves out of the stop recess, thereby unlocking the float 220.

[0092] In some embodiments, at least one of the first abutment surface 2231 and the limiting surface 4001 is provided with an inlet surface (not labeled), through which the second protrusion 223 enters and exits the stop recess. In this way, by providing an inlet surface, the entry and separation of the second protrusion 223 and the stop recess are smoother, reducing abnormal noises during the movement of the hinge mechanism 10b and improving the user experience of the foldable electronic device 10.

[0093] Imported surfaces include imported curved surfaces or imported inclined surfaces.

[0094] like Figure 8 as well as Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the recess 211 is provided with a stop slope 2111 that fits against the second abutment surface 2232. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the folded state, the stop slope 2111 slopes downward toward the mating surface 222 along the direction toward the base frame assembly 100. Thus, when there is no relative movement between the connector 210 and the movable member 410, the stop slope 2111 can effectively compress the second protrusion 223, making the float 220 and the connector 210 fit tightly together, achieving self-locking and limiting. When the connector 210 moves, the connector 210 can drive the float 220 to move, realizing the separation of the stop slope 2111 and the second abutment surface 2232.

[0095] In some embodiments, the stop recess is in the form of a locking hole, and when the hinge mechanism 10b is in the folded state, the second protrusion 223 is engaged in the locking hole. This is easy to implement and convenient to assemble.

[0096] Optionally, the limiting recess 4112 is in the shape of a through groove. This allows a portion of the second protrusion 223 to pass through the limiting recess 4112 and engage with the clearance recess 211 for limiting.

[0097] With reference to any of the preceding embodiments of the first protrusion 104, as shown in Figure 5 In some embodiments, the connecting member 210 comprises a first connecting portion 212. The floating plate 220 comprises a second connecting portion 224 rotationally connected with the first connecting portion 212, and the second connecting portion 224 is spaced apart from the first protrusion 104 along the width direction of the floating plate 220. Wherein, the first protrusion 104 abuts against the other to limit the rotation range of the first connecting portion 212 relative to the second connecting portion 224. In this way, the floating plate 220 is rotationally connected with the first connecting portion 212 through the second connecting portion 224, so that the floating plate 220 can swing relative to the connecting member 210. And through the limiting cooperation of the first protrusion 104 and the limiting recess 4112, the swing range of the floating plate 220 can be further limited, so that the floating plate 220 swings along the set trajectory, improving the controllability of the movement of the floating plate 220. At the same time, the first protrusion 104 abuts against the floating plate 220 or the first connecting body 411, which can reliably support the floating plate 220 to form the support structure 103.

[0098] It should be noted that the specific implementation mode of the rotationally connected first connecting portion 212 and the second connecting portion 224 can be various, including hinged, shafted, cooperation of arc-shaped guide rail and arc-shaped guide groove, etc.

[0099] With reference to Figure 8 In some embodiments, the connecting member 210 is provided with an avoiding slope 213, and the floating plate 220 comprises a first side 201 and a second side 202 spaced apart along the width direction of the floating plate 220, and the second connecting portion 224 is arranged close to the second side 202. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the unfolded state, and the first side 201 of the floating plate 220 is spaced apart from the avoiding slope 213, the floating plate 220 forms the support structure 103 with the base frame. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the folded state, the floating plate 220 is arranged close to the avoiding slope 213. In this way, the avoiding slope 213 enables the floating plate 220 to move relative to the connecting member 210 to form a larger accommodation space 101 in the folded state. When the hinge mechanism 10b is in the unfolded state, the first side 201 can be away from the avoiding slope 213 so that the floating plate 220 can be used to form the support structure 103.

[0100] It can be understood that, by using the technical solutions of the present disclosure, when the foldable electronic device 10 is in the folded state, even if it is impacted by falling or the like, the movable member 410 will not move relatively due to being limited by the damping assembly or the like, and the movable member 410 limits the movement of the floating plate 220, so that the accommodation space will not be deformed. The floating plate 220 cannot move, which in turn limits the movement of the connecting member 210, so that the connecting member 210 will not move the shell body relative to the base frame assembly 100, thereby reliably protecting the flexible display screen and improving the drop resistance and reliability of the foldable electronic device 10.

[0101] It should be noted that in combination with any of the above embodiments of the flexible display 10a, the fitting surface 222 is arranged below the supporting surface 221, and the second protrusion 223 is arranged below the supporting surface 221. Figure 10

[0102] In combination with any of the above embodiments of the movable member 410, as shown in Figure 4 In some embodiments, the first connecting body 411 is provided with a sliding rail 4113 in sliding connection with the moving member.

[0103] In combination with any of the above embodiments of the movable member 410, as shown in Figure 11 and Figure 11 In some embodiments, the movable member 410 further comprises a second connecting body 412 in rotational connection with the base frame assembly 100.

[0104] Optionally, as shown in Figure 3 In some embodiments, when the hinge mechanism 10b is in the folded state, the first protrusion 4111 is in limiting cooperation with the connecting member 210 to limit the movement range of the first connecting body 411 relative to the connecting member 210.

[0105] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 4 Alternatively, as shown in Figure 8 The first connecting rod assembly 300 comprises a first connecting rod 310. One end of the first connecting rod 310 is in rotational connection with the base frame assembly 100, and the other end of the first connecting rod 310 is in rotational connection with the connecting member 210. The movable member 410 assembly further comprises a movable member 410 in rotational connection with the base frame assembly 100 and in sliding connection with the connecting member 210. In this way, the movable member 410 can drive the connecting member 210 to slide in a set direction of the movable member 410 during rotation relative to the base frame assembly 100, and limit the swinging direction of the connecting member 210 through the first connecting rod 310, and drive the second supporting member to switch between the supporting state and the folded state.

[0106] It should be noted that the other end of the first connecting rod 310 is in rotational connection with the connecting member 210, which includes direct connection or indirect connection through other connecting rods.

[0107] Optionally, as shown in Figure 9 In this way, in combination with the above-mentioned embodiments of the two sets of bearing plates, a two-stage connecting rod mechanism is formed through the cooperation of the first connecting rod 310 and the movable member 410, which can form a water droplet-shaped accommodation space 101 in the folded state of the hinge mechanism 10b, and can meet the bending space required by the flexible display 10a, thereby improving the service life of the flexible display 10a.

[0108] In other embodiments, as​Figure 3 , Figures 5 to 9 , Figure 11 as well as Figure 11 As shown, the first linkage assembly 300 also includes a second linkage 320. The other end of the first linkage 310 is rotatably connected to one end of the second linkage 320, and the other end of the second linkage 320 is rotatably connected to the connector 210. The first linkage assembly 300 also includes a transmission member 330, one end of which is rotatably connected to the movable member 410, and the other end of which is rotatably connected to both the other end of the first linkage 310 and one end of the second linkage 320. Thus, during rotation relative to the base frame assembly 100, the movable member 410 can drive the connector 210 to slide along a predetermined direction of the movable member 410, and the first linkage 310 and the second linkage 320 can limit the swing direction of the connector 210, thereby switching the second support member between a supported state and a folded state.

[0109] The transmission component 330, the first link 310, the movable component 410, and the second link 320 cooperate to form a three-stage linkage mechanism. By restricting the swing of the connector 210 through the first link 310 and the second link 320, the connector 210 and the second support component can move further away from the first support component. This makes the teardrop-shaped receiving space 101 formed by the hinge mechanism 10b in the folded state more elongated, providing more precise bending space for the flexible display screen 10a to bend, and better fitting the flexible display screen 10a, thus protecting the flexible display screen 10a in the folded state.

[0110] Combination Figure 12 As shown, the transmission component 330, the first connecting rod 310 and the second connecting rod 320 are connected by the first rotating shaft 500, which further improves the structural compactness of the hinge mechanism 10b.

[0111] In other embodiments, the first linkage assembly further includes at least one link disposed between the first link and the second link to form a four-stage linkage mechanism, a five-stage linkage mechanism, and so on.

[0112] On the longitudinal projection plane of the base frame assembly, when the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the width of the accommodating space gradually increases from the base frame assembly to the other end of the first link, and gradually decreases from one end of the second link to the other end. This gradual increase in the accommodating space reduces stress concentration. The gradual decrease in the width of the accommodating space from one end of the second link to the other end allows the flexible display screen to gradually conform away from the base frame assembly. This facilitates the thinning and lightening of foldable electronic devices, allows for smooth bending of the flexible display screen, and improves its bending lifespan.

[0113] It should be noted that the movable member can be directly limited with the floating plate (as shown in ​ In other embodiments, the second linkage assembly further comprises a transmission unit (not shown), and the movable member is movably connected with the floating plate through the transmission unit to limit the movement of the connecting member relative to the second linkage assembly. In this way, the movable member can also indirectly limit the movement of the connecting member relative to the second linkage assembly through the transmission unit, so that the position of the movable member and the floating plate can be more flexible, and it is also convenient to design the transmission unit according to the required limitation of the floating plate.

[0114] As shown in ​ In some embodiments, the hinge mechanism 10b further comprises a damping assembly 600, which is in damping rotation with the first linkage assembly 300 and / or the second linkage assembly 400. In this way, by providing the damping assembly 600, the linkage component can be connected to the base frame assembly 100 in a damping rotation, so that the foldable electronic device 10 cannot easily rotate, and it is easy to support or limit the flexible display screen 10a, and convenient to use. It is also convenient to limit the movement of the floating plate 220 by using the first linkage assembly 300, and to improve the movement accuracy of the hinge mechanism 10b.

[0115] It should be noted that the damping assembly can be provided on any one of the rotating members of the first linkage assembly and the second linkage assembly, as long as it can meet the above requirements.

[0116] It should be noted that the "damping assembly" can also have other implementations, for example, using a friction plate to increase the rotation friction of the linkage assembly; or using an elastic member to increase the rotation resistance of the linkage assembly; or using a magnetic attraction member to increase the rotation resistance of the linkage assembly, etc.

[0117] It should be noted that "hovering" can be understood as that when the rotating member is not driven by a driving force, it can be kept at a certain position, and a certain rotation force is applied to the rotating member to make the rotating member rotate, and when the rotation force is removed or reduced, the rotating member can not rotate and be fixed at a certain position. The first linkage assembly and / or the second linkage assembly are provided in a hovering manner with the base frame assembly.

[0118] It should be noted that "hovering" can be understood as that when the rotating member is not driven by a driving force, it can be kept at a certain position, and a certain rotation force is applied to the rotating member to make the rotating member rotate, and when the rotation force is removed or reduced, the rotating member can not rotate and be fixed at a certain position. The first linkage assembly and / or the second linkage assembly are provided in a hovering manner with the base frame assembly.

[0119] It can be understood that the damping assembly includes a locking state and a hovering state. When the damping assembly is in the locking state, the first linkage assembly can be locked in the unfolded state and / or the folded state, facilitating the use of the first linkage assembly to limit the floating plate. When the damping assembly is in the hovering state, the first linkage assembly can be locked in the hovering state during switching between the unfolded state and the folded state, and the first linkage assembly can also be used to limit the rotation of the floating plate. The rotation resistance of the hinge mechanism when the damping assembly is in the locking state is greater than the rotation resistance of the hinge mechanism when the damping assembly is in the hovering state.

[0120] As shown in ​ In some embodiments, the first linkage assembly 300, the second linkage assembly 400, and the bearing assembly 200 correspond to a first group, and at least two groups of the first group are arranged on both sides of the base frame assembly 100. The hinge mechanism 10b further includes a synchronization assembly 700. The linkage components arranged on both sides of the base frame assembly 100 are synchronously connected by the synchronization assembly 700. In this way, the synchronization assembly 700 is used to realize the synchronous rotation of the hinge mechanisms 10b on both sides of the base frame assembly 100, so as to realize the folding and unfolding of the flexible display screen 10a.

[0121] The implementation mode of the synchronization assembly can be various, including but not limited to the gear transmission group described above, and other implementation modes of synchronous rotation, such as a belt wheel mechanism, a chain wheel mechanism, and the like.

[0122] In combination with any of the above embodiments, in some embodiments, the hinge mechanism can hover at any angle in the range of 0°-180°. In this way, the hinge mechanism 1 can hover in the range of 45°-135°, which is defined as the hovering state. The hinge mechanism 1 can realize immediate stop when rotating in the hovering state, facilitating the user to use the foldable electronic device 10 at multiple angles and improving the use experience of the foldable electronic device.

[0123] In combination with any of the above embodiments of the movable piece 410, the hovering rotation range of the movable piece 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°, and the like.

[0124] In some embodiments, the movable piece 410 can hover and rotate, so that the hinge mechanism 10b can hover at any angle in the range of 0°-180°. At this time, the movable piece 410 can also be referred to as a synchronization rod.

[0125] Optionally, in some embodiments, the base frame assembly includes a base frame body and a decorative shell (not shown) fixedly connected with the base frame body, and the length direction of the decorative shell is arranged in the same direction as the length direction of the floating plate. In this way, the decorative shell can not only protect the hinge mechanism, but also cooperate with the shell body to improve the appearance aesthetics of the foldable electronic device 10.

[0126] Optionally, in some embodiments, the base assembly further includes a support plate disposed on the base body. The support plate is configured to form a support structure or a receiving space in cooperation with the floating plate. In addition, the support plate cooperates with the decorative shell to better protect the first linkage assembly and the second linkage assembly.

[0127] It should be noted that the "arranged at an angle" includes, but is not limited to, acute angle, right angle and obtuse angle, but does not include straight angle.

[0128] The foldable electronic device 10 of the present disclosure can include a ranging device, a scanning device, a photographing 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.

[0129] Referring to ​ In some embodiments, the foldable electronic device 10 further includes at least one or more of the following components: a processing component 11, a memory 12, a power component 13, a multimedia component 14, an audio component 15, an input / output interface 16, a sensor component 17, and a communication component 18.

[0130] The processing component generally controls the overall operation of the foldable electronic device, such as operations associated with display, phone calls, data communications, camera operations, and recording operations. The processing component includes one or more processors, for example, to execute instructions stored in the memory to complete all or part of the steps of the methods described above. In addition, the processing component includes 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.

[0131] The memory is configured to store various types of data to support the operation of the foldable electronic device. Examples of such data include instructions for any application or method operating on the foldable electronic device, contact data, phonebook data, messages, pictures, videos, and the like. The memory can be implemented by any type of volatile or non-volatile storage devices 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.

[0132] The control mainboard includes the processing component and the memory.

[0133] 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.

[0134] The multimedia component includes the display module of the present disclosure, which facilitates human-computer interaction. 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 touches, swipes, and gestures on the touch panel. The touch sensors can not only sense the boundaries of touch or swipe actions, but also detect the duration and pressure associated with the touch or swipe 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 shooting mode or a video mode. Each front-facing camera and rear-facing camera can be a fixed optical lens system or have focal length and optical zoom capabilities.

[0135] The audio component is configured to output and / or input audio signals. For example, the audio component includes a microphone (MIC) configured to receive external audio signals 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 signals 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.

[0136] 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, etc. These buttons can include, but are not limited to, a home button, a volume button, a start button, and a lock button.

[0137] The sensor component includes one or more sensors to provide various aspects of state evaluation for the foldable electronic device. For example, the sensor component 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 component 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 component includes at least a proximity sensor configured to detect the presence of a nearby object without any physical contact. The sensor component 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 component also includes at least an acceleration sensor, a gyroscope sensor, a magnetic sensor, a pressure sensor, or a temperature sensor.

[0138] The communication component 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 component receives a broadcast signal or broadcast related information from an external broadcast management system via a broadcast channel. In an example embodiment, the communication component further 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.

[0139] In the description of the present disclosure, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "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 do not indicate or imply that the device or element 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.

[0140] 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, for example, two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited.

[0141] In the present disclosure, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "mounting", "connection", "connecting", "fixing" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, can be fixed connection, can also be detachable connection, or integral; can be mechanical connection, can also be electrical connection; can be directly connected, can also be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium; can be the internal communication of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise explicitly limited. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present disclosure can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0142] In the present disclosure, unless specifically defined otherwise and limited, a first feature "on" or "under" a second feature can be directly in contact with the second feature, or indirectly in contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Moreover, a first feature "over", "above" and "on top of" a second feature can be directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is horizontally higher than the second feature. A first feature "under", "below" and "underneath" a second feature can be directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is horizontally lower than the second feature.

[0143] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed", "set", "secured" or "attached" to another element, it can be directly on the other element or there can be an intervening element. When an element is referred to as being "connected" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or intervening elements can be present. Further, where an element is referred to as being "fixedly connected" to another element, it can be fixedly connected directly to the other element or indirectly, such as by an intervening element, which can be fixedly connected to both. It will be appreciated that the terms and expressions used herein include the common meanings of the terms and expressions.

[0144] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any manner. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features described above are described, however, it is to be understood that any combination of the technical features is within the scope of the disclosure.

[0145] 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 understood 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, a number of modifications and improvements can be made, which are within the protection scope of the present disclosure.

[0146] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any manner. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features described above are described, however, it is to be understood that any combination of the technical features is within the scope of the disclosure.

[0147] 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 understood 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, a number of modifications and improvements can be made, which are within the protection scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A hinge mechanism, characterized by The hinge mechanism comprises: a base frame assembly; a bearing assembly comprising a connecting member and a floating plate movably connected to the connecting member; a first linkage assembly movably connected to the base frame assembly and movably connected to the connecting member; and a second linkage assembly movably connected to the base frame assembly and slidably connected to the connecting member; the first linkage assembly and the second linkage assembly cooperate to drive the connecting member to overturn relative to the base frame assembly, so that the hinge mechanism has a folded state and an unfolded state; wherein the second linkage assembly is limitedly matched with the floating plate in the folded state to limit the movement of the connecting member relative to the second linkage assembly. When the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the floating plate and part of the base frame assembly form a support structure; when the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the floating plate and the base frame assembly are arranged at an angle to form a containing space.

2. The hinge mechanism of claim 1, wherein, The second linkage assembly comprises a movable member, part of the movable member is rotatably connected to the base frame assembly, and another part of the movable member is slidably connected to the connecting member; the movable member is limitedly matched with the floating plate in the folded state to limit the sliding movement of the connecting member relative to the movable member. The movable member comprises a first connecting body slidably connected to the connecting member; 3. The hinge mechanism of claim 2, wherein, At least one of the first connecting body and the floating plate is provided with a first protrusion; when the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the first protrusion abuts against the other one to support the floating plate; At least one of the first connecting body and the floating plate is provided with a first protrusion, and at least one of the first connecting body and the floating plate is provided with a limiting recess; when the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the first protrusion is limitedly matched with the limiting recess to limit the sliding movement of the connecting member relative to the first connecting body. The first protrusion comprises a first protrusion fixedly arranged on the first connecting body; when the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the first protrusion abuts against the floating plate to support the floating plate; 4. The hinge mechanism of claim 3, wherein, The floating plate comprises a support surface and a matching surface arranged opposite to the support surface along the thickness direction of the floating plate; the first protrusion comprises a second protrusion fixedly arranged on the matching surface; when the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the second protrusion abuts against the first connecting body to support the floating plate, so that the support surface is matched with the base frame assembly to form a support structure; and / or when the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the first connecting body is provided with the limiting recess, and the limiting recess is limitedly matched with the second protrusion to limit the sliding movement of the connecting member relative to the first connecting body. The first protrusion comprises a first protrusion fixedly arranged on the first connecting body, and the first protrusion comprises a second protrusion fixedly arranged on the matching surface; when the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the first protrusion abuts against the second protrusion to support the floating plate.

5. The hinge mechanism of claim 4, wherein, ​ 6. The hinge mechanism of claim 5, wherein, The first connector body is provided with the limiting recess; at least part of the second protrusion is embedded in the limiting recess when the hinge mechanism is in the folded state.

7. The hinge mechanism of claim 6, wherein, The limiting recess is provided with a limiting surface; the second protrusion abuts against the limiting surface to limit the sliding of the connecting piece relative to the first connector body when the hinge mechanism is in the folded state.

8. The hinge mechanism of claim 7, wherein, The connecting piece is provided with an avoiding recess corresponding to the limiting recess; the avoiding recess and the limiting recess form a stop recess when the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, and the second protrusion is in stop cooperation with the stop recess.

9. The hinge mechanism of claim 8, wherein, The second protrusion includes a first abutting surface and a second abutting surface arranged along the width direction of the floating plate; the first abutting surface and the limiting surface abut to limit the sliding of the connecting piece relative to the first connector body when the hinge mechanism is in the folded state; and the second abutting surface abuts against the side wall of the avoiding recess to limit the sliding of the connecting piece relative to the first connector body.

10. The hinge mechanism of claim 9, wherein, At least one of the first abutting surface and the limiting surface is provided with a guide surface, and the second protrusion enters and exits the stop recess through the guide surface. The avoiding recess is provided with a stop inclined surface corresponding to the second abutting surface; the stop inclined surface is inclined downward toward the direction of the matching surface along the direction toward the base frame assembly when the hinge mechanism is in the folded state.

11. The hinge mechanism of claim 8, wherein, The stop recess is in the form of a clamping hole, and the second protrusion is clamped in the clamping hole when the hinge mechanism is in the folded state.

12. The hinge mechanism according to any one of claims 2 to 11, characterized in that The connecting piece includes a first connecting portion; the floating plate includes a second connecting portion rotationally connected with the first connecting portion, and the second connecting portion and the first protrusion are arranged along the width direction of the floating plate. The first protrusion abuts against the other to limit the rotation range of the first connecting portion relative to the second connecting portion.

13. The hinge mechanism of claim 12, wherein, The connecting piece is provided with an avoiding inclined surface; the floating plate includes a first side and a second side arranged along the width direction of the floating plate, and the second connecting portion is arranged close to the second side. The first side of the floating plate is arranged away from the avoiding inclined surface when the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, so that the floating plate and the base frame form a support structure; and the floating plate is arranged close to the avoiding inclined surface when the hinge mechanism is in the folded state.

14. The hinge mechanism according to any one of claims 2 to 13, characterized in that The second linkage assembly further includes a transmission unit, and the movable piece is movably connected with the floating plate through the transmission unit to limit the sliding of the connecting piece relative to the movable piece.

15. A foldable electronic device, characterized by The hinge mechanism includes a housing assembly, a flexible display screen, and any one of the hinge mechanisms according to claims 1 to 14, the housing assembly includes a housing body fixedly connected with the connecting piece; and at least part of the flexible display screen covers the housing body and the hinge mechanism.

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