Main shaft and manufacturing method thereof, rotating shaft mechanism and electronic equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a main shaft and a manufacturing method thereof, a rotating shaft mechanism and electronic equipment, and relates to the technical field of electronic products. The main shaft comprises an upper shaft plate and a lower shaft plate which are connected with each other. The upper shaft plate comprises a plurality of upper supports and a plurality of supporting parts, the upper supports are arranged at intervals in the length direction of the upper shaft plate, and the supporting parts are connected between the adjacent upper supports. The lower shaft plate comprises a main plate body and a plurality of lower supports, and the lower supports are arranged at intervals in the length direction of the main plate body and correspond to the upper supports in a one-to-one mode. The plurality of upper supports and the plurality of supporting parts are integrally formed, and the plurality of lower supports and the main plate body are integrally formed or integrally connected, so that the main shaft is simple in structure and good in integrity, the structural strength and reliability of the main shaft can be improved, and lightening and thinning of the main shaft are facilitated. And moreover, the assembly precision of the main shaft is high, the motion precision of the rotating shaft mechanism can be improved, and the folding screen arching problem is solved. In addition, the flatness of the main shaft is high, and the light and shadow effect of the folding screen can be improved.

Description

Spindle and its manufacturing method, rotating mechanism, electronic equipment

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202410502762.5, filed on April 24, 2024, entitled "Spindle and Method of Manufacturing Thereof, Rotating Shaft Mechanism, Electronic Equipment", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of electronic product technology, and in particular to a spindle and its manufacturing method, a rotating shaft mechanism, and an electronic device. Background Technology

[0003] Foldable screens, with their bendable nature, allow electronic devices to switch between unfolded and folded states. These devices offer larger display areas and are easy to carry, making them increasingly popular with consumers.

[0004] As a core component of electronic devices, the hinge mechanism enables relative rotation between the two main parts of the device, allowing the foldable screen to unfold or fold. The main shaft, serving as the primary support structure of the hinge mechanism, determines its overall basic strength. Furthermore, the center of motion for the moving components (such as the main swing arm, secondary swing arm, and damping swing arm) during unfolding and folding rests on the main shaft. Therefore, the machining and assembly of the main shaft determines the motion accuracy of the hinge mechanism, impacting the user experience.

[0005] However, the existing spindle mechanism has a complex structure, low strength, and is difficult to assemble, which affects the reliability of the spindle and limits the further thinning of the spindle. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides a spindle and its manufacturing method, a rotating shaft mechanism, and an electronic device. The spindle has a simple structure, high strength, and is easy to assemble, which can improve the reliability of the spindle and facilitate the thinning of the spindle.

[0007] The first aspect of this application provides a spindle, comprising:

[0008] The upper shaft plate includes multiple upper brackets and multiple support parts, which are an integral structural component; wherein, each upper bracket is spaced apart along the length direction of the upper shaft plate, and each support part is connected between adjacent upper brackets;

[0009] The lower shaft plate is connected to the upper shaft plate. The lower shaft plate includes a main body and multiple lower brackets, which are integral structural components with the main body. The lower brackets are spaced apart along the length of the main body, and each lower bracket corresponds to each upper bracket.

[0010] The spindle provided in this application includes an upper spindle plate and a lower spindle plate connected to each other. The upper spindle plate includes multiple upper brackets and multiple support parts, with each upper bracket spaced apart along the length of the upper spindle plate and each support part connected between adjacent upper brackets. The lower spindle plate includes a main body and multiple lower brackets, with each lower bracket spaced apart along the length of the main body and corresponding to each upper bracket, and each lower bracket connected to the main body. By integrally molding the multiple upper brackets and the multiple support parts, an integrated upper spindle plate is formed, and by integrally molding or connecting the multiple lower brackets and the main body, an integrated lower spindle plate is formed. The integrated upper spindle plate and the integrated lower spindle plate constitute the spindle. In this way, the spindle has a simple structure and good integrity, which can improve the structural strength of the spindle, enhance the reliability of the hinge mechanism, and facilitate the thinning of the spindle. Furthermore, the spindle is easy to assemble, has high assembly precision, and high positioning precision for each moving part, which can improve the motion precision of the hinge mechanism and alleviate the arching problem of the folding screen. In addition, the high flatness of the spindle can improve the light and shadow effect of the folding screen.

[0011] In one possible implementation, one of the lower bracket and the motherboard body is provided with a connecting groove, and the other is provided with a connecting protrusion. The connecting protrusion extends into the connecting groove and is integrally connected to the connecting groove.

[0012] First, one of the lower bracket and the main board body is formed, and a connecting groove is formed on the first-formed one. Then, using the first-formed lower bracket and the main board body as the base structure, the other lower bracket and the main board body are formed on top of the first-formed one. The material of the second-formed one enters the connecting groove to form a connecting protrusion, thereby integrally forming the lower bracket and the main board body into a lower shaft plate. The interaction between the connecting protrusion and the connecting groove increases the contact area between the lower bracket and the main board body, and also increases the shear force between them, thereby enhancing the integrity and reliability of the lower shaft plate.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the connecting groove is provided on the lower bracket. The connecting groove includes a first groove segment and a second groove segment. The second groove segment is located on the side of the first groove segment away from the main board body, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the second groove segment is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the first groove segment.

[0014] A connecting protrusion is provided on the motherboard body. The connecting protrusion includes a connecting part and a limiting part. The limiting part is connected to the end of the connecting part away from the motherboard body. The connecting part is integrally connected to the first groove segment, and the limiting part is integrally connected to the second groove segment.

[0015] By forming a stepped groove including a first groove segment and a second groove segment on the lower bracket, the cross-sectional area of ​​the first groove segment farther from the motherboard body is made larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the first groove segment closer to the motherboard body. Correspondingly, when the motherboard body is integrally formed on the lower bracket, the connecting protrusion formed on the motherboard body can include a connecting portion and a limiting portion. The cross-sectional area of ​​the limiting portion connected to the end of the connecting portion farther from the motherboard body can be larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting portion. In this way, the stepped surface in the connecting groove and the limiting portion of the connecting protrusion exert a counteracting effect, which can enhance the connection strength between the lower bracket and the motherboard body, and improve the integrity and reliability of the lower shaft plate.

[0016] In one possible implementation, the upper shaft plate has first pin holes at both ends along its length, and the lower shaft plate has second pin holes at both ends along its length. The first pin holes and the second pin holes are connected to each other, and a positioning pin passes through the first pin holes and the second pin holes.

[0017] By creating first pin holes at both ends of the upper spindle plate along its length, and second pin holes corresponding to the first pin holes at both ends of the lower spindle plate along its length, and using locating pins passing through the first pin holes of the upper spindle plate and the second pin holes of the lower spindle plate, the upper and lower spindle plates are fundamentally positioned and connected, thus improving the positioning accuracy of the spindle. Furthermore, the first pin holes of the upper spindle plate, the second pin holes of the lower spindle plate, and the locating pins occupy a relatively small space, which is beneficial for reducing the thickness of the spindle, achieving a thinner and lighter spindle, and improving the reliability of the spindle.

[0018] In one possible implementation, the upper shaft plate is provided with a mounting groove, which is close to both ends of the upper shaft plate along its length and corresponds to the first pin hole, which is connected to the groove wall of the mounting groove.

[0019] By creating a mounting groove in the upper shaft plate, which connects to the first pin hole, the mounting groove forms the mounting base for the locating pin. The locating pin extends into the mounting groove and aligns with the first pin hole, allowing it to pass smoothly through the first pin hole in the upper shaft plate and the second pin hole in the lower shaft plate, thus establishing a basic connection between the upper and lower shaft plates.

[0020] In one possible implementation, a fastener is provided in the mounting groove, and the fastener abuts against the end of the locating pin and the groove wall of the mounting groove.

[0021] By setting a fastener in the mounting groove, the fastener abuts against the end of the locating pin and the groove wall of the mounting groove. The fastener blocks the locating pin, which can prevent the locating pin from loosening and ensure a reliable connection between the ends of the upper and lower shaft plates.

[0022] In one possible implementation, the first pin hole extends along the length direction of the upper shaft plate, and the second pin hole extends along the length direction of the lower shaft plate.

[0023] By extending the first pin hole of the upper shaft plate and the second pin hole of the lower shaft plate along the length of the spindle, the setting of the first and second pin holes is facilitated, and the upper and lower shaft plates are easily connected. Furthermore, the spindle is less likely to generate forces in directions other than its length, thus improving the spindle's stability and reliability.

[0024] In one possible implementation, the upper shaft plate is provided with two first pin holes at each end, and the two first pin holes are respectively close to the two sides of the upper shaft plate in the width direction.

[0025] The lower shaft plate has two second pin holes at each end, and the two second pin holes are respectively close to the two sides of the lower shaft plate in the width direction.

[0026] In one possible implementation, the two first pin holes at each end of the upper shaft plate are symmetrically arranged along the center line of the upper shaft plate.

[0027] The two second pin holes at each end of the lower shaft plate are symmetrically arranged along the center line of the lower shaft plate.

[0028] By symmetrically arranging the two first pin holes at each end of the upper shaft plate along its centerline, and the two second pin holes at each end of the lower shaft plate along its centerline, and symmetrically arranging the two locating pins at each end of the spindle along its centerline, the spindle achieves good structural symmetry at both ends and balanced force distribution.

[0029] In one possible implementation, clearance grooves are provided at both ends of the main shaft along its length, and the clearance grooves are located on the side where the folding screen is located.

[0030] By setting clearance grooves at both ends along the length of the main shaft, with these grooves facing the foldable screen, the gap between the foldable screen and the bottom of the clearance groove forms a protective space. This prevents the foldable screen from colliding hard with the main shaft in risky scenarios such as impacts or drops. This prevents the foldable screen from shattering under external force, protecting its integrity and improving the collision reliability of the electronic device.

[0031] In one possible implementation, the width of the clearance groove gradually increases along the length of the spindle, from the center of the spindle to the end of the spindle.

[0032] From the center of the main shaft to its end, the width of the clearance groove gradually increases to prevent it from affecting the upper support near the end of the main shaft, thus ensuring the structural strength of the upper support. Furthermore, the closer to the end of the main shaft, the wider the clearance groove and the more space it provides, ensuring it can accommodate the deformable parts of the folding screen and guaranteeing its protective function.

[0033] In one possible implementation, the clearance groove is located between the two first pin holes along the width direction of the spindle.

[0034] By positioning the clearance groove between the two first pin holes at each end of the upper shaft plate, the clearance groove does not affect the plate thickness of the upper shaft plate at the first pin holes, thus ensuring that the upper shaft plate has sufficient thickness at the first pin holes to guarantee the structural strength and reliability of the upper shaft plate.

[0035] In one possible implementation, one of the upper and lower shaft plates is provided with a positioning post, and the other is provided with a positioning hole, with the positioning post inserted into the positioning hole.

[0036] By setting a positioning post on one of the upper and lower shaft plates and a positioning hole on the other, the positioning post is inserted into the positioning hole to achieve the matching positioning of the upper and lower shaft plates.

[0037] In one possible implementation, the positioning pins are disposed near the two ends of the upper shaft plate and the lower shaft plate along their length, and the positioning holes are disposed near the two ends of the other shaft plate along its length.

[0038] By placing the positioning structures close to both ends of the spindle along its length, the upper and lower spindle plates are positioned and fitted together at both ends of the spindle. This reduces the number of positioning structures on the spindle, facilitating the positioning and assembly of the upper and lower spindle plates. Furthermore, the larger distance between the two positioning structures on the spindle improves the spindle's positioning accuracy.

[0039] In one possible implementation, the positioning post is located on the center line of one of the upper and lower shaft plates, and the positioning hole is located on the center line of the other of the upper and lower shaft plates.

[0040] By placing the positioning structure on the centerline of the spindle's width direction, only one set of cooperating positioning structures is needed at each end of the spindle's length direction, simplifying spindle assembly. Furthermore, the equidistant distance between the positioning structure and the two ends of the spindle's width direction improves the spindle's positioning accuracy and makes the spindle more stable and reliable.

[0041] In one possible implementation, the upper support and the lower support are tightly fitted together.

[0042] By ensuring that the upper support of the upper shaft plate and the lower support of the lower shaft plate fit together tightly, external forces can be transmitted between the upper and lower supports, thereby improving the spindle's resistance to external forces, preventing spindle deformation, improving the accuracy of the rotating shaft mechanism's movement, and extending the service life of the rotating shaft mechanism.

[0043] In one possible implementation, the spindle is provided with at least one reinforcing part that protrudes from one of the upper and lower spindle plates onto the side surface facing the other.

[0044] By providing at least one reinforcing part in the spindle, with the reinforcing part protruding on the surface of one of the upper and lower spindle plates facing the other, the structural strength of the spindle can be enhanced, the lever arm length of the spindle when subjected to external force can be reduced, the spindle can be prevented from deforming, and the stress stability of the spindle can be enhanced.

[0045] In one possible implementation, the upper support is provided with a reinforcing part, which is located between opposite openings along the width direction of the upper shaft plate, and the reinforcing part protrudes towards the lower support.

[0046] The lower support is provided with a reinforcing groove, which corresponds to the reinforcing part, and the reinforcing part extends into the reinforcing groove.

[0047] By providing reinforcing sections between the openings of the upper support of the upper spindle plate, and providing reinforcing grooves on the lower support of the lower spindle plate at corresponding locations, the reinforcing sections of the upper spindle plate extend into the reinforcing grooves of the lower spindle plate. The combined action of the upper and lower spindle plates enhances the overall structural strength of the spindle, improving its stability and reliability.

[0048] A second aspect of this application provides a method for manufacturing a spindle, used to manufacture a spindle as described above, the method comprising:

[0049] Multiple upper brackets and multiple support parts are integrally molded to form the upper shaft plate;

[0050] The main body and multiple lower brackets are integrally molded to form the lower shaft plate;

[0051] Connect the upper and lower shaft plates to form the main shaft.

[0052] The spindle manufacturing method provided in this application involves integrally molding multiple upper brackets and supporting parts to form an integrated upper spindle plate, and integrally molding or connecting multiple lower brackets and the main body to form an integrated lower spindle plate. The integrated upper spindle plate and the integrated lower spindle plate constitute the spindle. This results in a simple and well-integrated spindle structure, improving its structural strength and the reliability of the hinge mechanism, and facilitating a thinner and lighter spindle. Furthermore, the spindle is easy to assemble, has high assembly precision, and high positioning accuracy for each moving part, improving the motion accuracy of the hinge mechanism and mitigating the arching problem of foldable screens. Additionally, the high flatness of the spindle enhances the light and shadow effects of the foldable screen.

[0053] In one possible implementation, forming an upper or lower shaft plate includes:

[0054] The upper or lower shaft plate is integrally formed using an amorphous metal forming process.

[0055] Alternatively, metal powder injection molding process can be used to integrally mold the upper or lower shaft plate;

[0056] Alternatively, 3D printing technology can be used to mold the upper or lower shaft plate in one piece.

[0057] In one possible implementation, forming the lower shaft plate includes:

[0058] A motherboard body is formed, and a connection groove is formed on the motherboard body;

[0059] Each lower bracket is integrally molded onto the main board body to form a connecting protrusion on each lower bracket, and the connecting protrusion is integrally connected into the connecting groove.

[0060] In one possible implementation, forming the lower shaft plate includes:

[0061] Each lower support is formed, and a connecting groove is formed on the lower support;

[0062] The motherboard body is integrally molded onto each lower bracket to form a connecting protrusion on the motherboard body, and the connecting protrusion is integrally connected to the connecting groove.

[0063] In one possible implementation, forming the lower shaft plate includes:

[0064] Forming the motherboard body;

[0065] Form each lower support;

[0066] The main board is welded to each lower bracket to form the lower shaft plate.

[0067] A third aspect of this application provides a rotating shaft mechanism, comprising:

[0068] The spindle as described above;

[0069] Connecting brackets are movably connected to both sides of the spindle in the width direction;

[0070] The motion component is movably connected between the spindle and the connecting bracket.

[0071] The hinge mechanism provided in this application includes a main shaft, connecting brackets movably connected to both sides of the main shaft, and a motion component movably connected between the main shaft and the connecting brackets. The main shaft is formed by integrally molding multiple upper brackets and supporting parts to form an integrated upper shaft plate, and by integrally molding or connecting multiple lower brackets and the main body to form an integrated lower shaft plate. The integrated upper shaft plate and the integrated lower shaft plate constitute the main shaft. This results in a simple and integral structure for the main shaft, improving its structural strength and reliability, and facilitating a thinner and lighter main shaft. Furthermore, the main shaft is easy to assemble, has high assembly precision, and high positioning accuracy for each moving part, improving the motion accuracy of the hinge mechanism and mitigating the arching problem of foldable screens. Additionally, the high flatness of the main shaft enhances the light and shadow effects of the foldable screen.

[0072] A fourth aspect of this application provides an electronic device, including a first housing, a second housing, a folding screen, and a hinge mechanism as described above;

[0073] The first housing and the second housing are respectively connected to both sides of the pivot mechanism. The folding screen is attached to the first housing and the second housing, and the folding screen is supported by the pivot mechanism.

[0074] The electronic device provided in this application includes a first housing, a second housing, a hinge mechanism connecting the first and second housings, and a foldable screen mounted on the first and second housings. The hinge mechanism includes a main shaft, connecting brackets movably connected to both sides of the main shaft, and a motion component movably connected between the main shaft and the connecting brackets. The main shaft is formed by integrally molding multiple upper brackets and supporting parts to form an integrated upper shaft plate, and by integrally molding or connecting multiple lower brackets and the main body to form an integrated lower shaft plate. The integrated upper shaft plate and the integrated lower shaft plate constitute the main shaft. This results in a simple and integral structure for the main shaft, improving its structural strength and reliability, and facilitating its thinness and lightness. Furthermore, the main shaft is easy to assemble, has high assembly precision, and high positioning accuracy for each moving part, improving the motion accuracy of the hinge mechanism and mitigating the bulging problem of the foldable screen. Additionally, the high flatness of the main shaft enhances the light and shadow effects of the foldable screen. Attached Figure Description

[0075] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the electronic device provided in the embodiment of this application when it is in the unfolded state;

[0076] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the electronic device in Figure 1 when it is in a folded state;

[0077] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the electronic device in Figure 1 when it is in a semi-deployed state;

[0078] Figure 4 is an exploded view of the electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0079] Figure 5 is an exploded structural diagram of the rotating shaft mechanism provided in the embodiment of this application;

[0080] Figure 6 is an exploded view of the main axis provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0081] Figure 7 is an exploded structural diagram of the main axis provided in an embodiment of this application from another perspective;

[0082] Figure 8 is a structural schematic diagram of the upper shaft plate provided in an embodiment of this application from one perspective;

[0083] Figure 9 is a structural schematic diagram of the upper shaft plate provided in an embodiment of this application from another perspective;

[0084] Figure 10 is a structural schematic diagram of the lower shaft plate provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0085] Figure 11 is an exploded structural diagram of the lower shaft plate provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0086] Figure 12 is a partial structural diagram of a lower shaft plate provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0087] Figure 13 is an exploded view of the lower shaft plate in Figure 12;

[0088] Figure 14 is a sectional view of the lower shaft plate in Figure 12;

[0089] Figure 15 is a partial structural diagram of another lower shaft plate provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0090] Figure 16 is an exploded view of the lower shaft plate in Figure 15;

[0091] Figure 17 is a sectional view of the lower shaft plate in Figure 15;

[0092] Figure 18 is a half-sectional view of the spindle provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0093] Figure 19 is a magnified view of the structure at point A in Figure 9;

[0094] Figure 20 is a magnified view of the local structure at point B in Figure 10;

[0095] Figure 21 is a partial structural diagram of the end of the upper shaft plate provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0096] Figure 22 is a partial structural diagram of the end of the lower shaft plate provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0097] Figure 23 is a partial cross-sectional view of the spindle end provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0098] Figure 24 is another sectional view of the spindle end provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0099] Figure 25 is a flowchart of the steps of the spindle manufacturing method provided in the embodiment of this application.

[0100] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1-Display screen; 1a-Folding screen; 1b-Straight screen; 11-First non-bending part; 12-Bendable part; 13-Second non-bending part; 2-Housing assembly; 10-First housing; 20-Second housing; 201-Middle frame; 202-Rear cover; 30-Rotating mechanism; 100-Main shaft; 200-Motion component; 300-Damping synchronization structure; 110-Upper shaft plate; 120-Lower shaft plate; 130-Positioning pin; 140-Locking component; 210-Main swing arm; 220-Secondary swing arm; 230-Rotating shaft; 310-Damping component; 320-Synchronization component; 111-Upper bracket; 112-Support part; 113-Positioning hole; 114-First pin hole; 115-Mounting groove; 116-Fixing component; 117-Avoidance groove; 121-Lower bracket; 122-Main board body; 123-Reinforcing part; 124-Stop part; 125-Positioning post; 126-Second pin hole; 1111-Opening; 1112-Reinforcing part; 1201-Connecting groove; 1202-Connecting protrusion; 1211-Reinforcing groove; 12011-First groove segment; 12012-Second groove segment; 12021-Connecting part; 12022-Limiting part. Detailed Implementation

[0101] The terminology used in the implementation section of this application is for the purpose of explaining specific embodiments of this application only, and is not intended to limit this application.

[0102] This application provides an electronic device, which can be a foldable electronic device. Furthermore, the electronic device can be a consumer electronics product. Exemplary examples include, but are not limited to, foldable electronic products such as foldable mobile phones, laptop computers, notebook computers, netbooks, personal digital assistants (PDAs), personal computers, multimedia players, e-book readers, in-vehicle devices, virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, or wearable devices. Wearable devices include, but are not limited to, smart bracelets, smartwatches, smart head-mounted displays, and smart glasses.

[0103] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the electronic device provided in the embodiment of this application when it is in an unfolded state. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the electronic device in Figure 1 when it is in a folded state. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the electronic device in Figure 1 when it is in a semi-unfolded state.

[0104] Referring to Figures 1 to 3, this embodiment uses a foldable mobile phone as an example for explanation.

[0105] For electronic devices, different usage states can exist in different usage scenarios. Figure 1 shows an electronic device in its unfolded state, with an unfolding angle α of, for example, 180°, in which the electronic device can achieve a large-screen display. Figure 2 shows an electronic device in its folded state, in which the electronic device is smaller and easier to carry. Figure 3 shows an electronic device in its semi-unfolded state, in which the electronic device hovers at an angle between the unfolded and folded states. For example, the hovering angle β of the electronic device can be 120°, 130°, 140°, or 150°, etc.

[0106] It should be noted that the angles illustrated in this embodiment are allowed to have slight deviations. For example, the unfolding angle α of the electronic device shown in Figure 1 is 180°, which means that the unfolding angle α can be 180°, or it can be approximately 180°, such as 170°, 175°, 185°, or 190°, etc. The angles illustrated in the following text can be understood in the same way.

[0107] Furthermore, the electronic devices shown in Figures 1 to 3 are capable of folding once. The electronic device comprises two parts that can rotate relative to each other. When the two parts rotate to be coplanar, the electronic device is in an unfolded state (as shown in Figure 1); when the two parts rotate to overlap each other, the electronic device is in a folded state (as shown in Figure 2); when the two parts rotate to a certain angle between the unfolded state and the folded state, the electronic device is in a semi-unfolded state (as shown in Figure 3).

[0108] In other embodiments, the electronic device may also be an electronic device capable of folding more than twice. In this case, the electronic device may include multiple parts that are rotatably connected in sequence. Two adjacent parts may be relatively far apart to be unfolded into an unfolded state, and two adjacent parts may also be relatively close to be folded into a folded state.

[0109] Figure 4 is an exploded structural diagram of the electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application. Referring to Figure 4, the electronic device includes a display screen 1 and a housing assembly 2. One side surface of the display screen 1 is used to display image information, and this side surface of the display screen 1 is generally defined as its front surface, while the other side surface opposite to its front surface is its back surface. The housing assembly 2 surrounds the periphery and back surface of the display screen 1, and is used to support and fix the display screen 1 and provide protection. The front surface of the display screen 1 is exposed outside the housing assembly 2 so that the user can view the content displayed on the display screen 1 or perform input operations on the electronic device.

[0110] The display screen 1 of the electronic device may include a foldable screen 1a. The foldable screen 1a may include a first non-bending portion 11, a bendable portion 12, and a second non-bending portion 13 arranged sequentially along a first direction. In other words, in the first direction, the bendable portion 12 is located between the first non-bending portion 11 and the second non-bending portion 13. The folding method of the electronic device may be a horizontal fold as shown in Figures 1 to 3, in which case the first direction may be the X direction as shown in Figure 4. Of course, the folding method of the electronic device may also be a vertical fold; this embodiment does not limit this.

[0111] For example, the foldable screen 1a can be made of a flexible material so that the bendable portion 12 can be bent. The foldable screen 1a can be an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display.

[0112] The housing assembly 2 is used to support and fix the folding screen 1a, and to drive the folding screen 1a to switch between a folded state and an unfolded state. Referring to FIG4, the housing assembly 2 includes a first housing 10, a second housing 20, and a pivot mechanism 30. The pivot mechanism 30 is connected between the first housing 10 and the second housing 20, and the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 are rotatably connected through the pivot mechanism 30, thereby realizing relative rotation between the first housing 10 and the second housing 20.

[0113] The first housing 10 supports and fixes the first non-bending portion 11 of the folding screen 1a, and the second housing 20 supports and fixes the second non-bending portion 13 of the folding screen 1a. In other words, the first non-bending portion 11 of the folding screen 1a is fixedly connected to the first housing 10, and the second non-bending portion 13 of the folding screen 1a is fixedly connected to the second housing 20. The bendable portion 12 of the folding screen 1a is provided corresponding to the pivot mechanism 30.

[0114] During use, the first non-bending portion 11 and the second non-bending portion 13 of the folding screen 1a remain in a flat state, while the bendable portion 12 of the folding screen 1a can be bent. When the pivot mechanism 30 drives the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 to rotate relative to each other, the first non-bending portion 11 and the second non-bending portion 13 of the folding screen 1a change their orientation accordingly, and the bendable portion 12 of the folding screen 1a bends or flattens as the orientation of the first non-bending portion 11 and the second non-bending portion 13 changes.

[0115] The first housing 10 and the second housing 20 can rotate in a direction away from each other until they are coplanar. In this case, housing assembly 2 is in an unfolded state, and the folding screen 1a is also unfolded along with housing assembly 2 (as shown in Figure 1). Alternatively, the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 can rotate in a direction closer to each other until they are stacked relative to each other. In this case, housing assembly 2 is in a folded state, and the folding screen 1a is folded along with housing assembly 2 (as shown in Figure 2). It should be noted that this embodiment uses an inward-folding electronic device as an example. When the electronic device is in a folded state, the first non-bending portion 11 and the second non-bending portion 13 of the folding screen 1a are relatively close together, and housing assembly 2 surrounds the folding screen 1a, with the folding screen 1a located between the first housing 10 and the second housing 20. Thus, when the inward-folding electronic device is in a folded state, housing assembly 2 can provide protection for the folding screen 1a to prevent it from being scratched by hard objects.

[0116] If an inward-folding electronic device needs to display a screen when folded, a flat panel screen 1b can be added to the back of the housing. When folded, the electronic device relies on this flat panel screen 1b for display (see Figure 2 or Figure 3). In other words, an inward-folding electronic device can include a folding screen 1a and a flat panel screen 1b. The folding screen 1a can be attached to the front of the housing assembly 2. As the housing assembly 2 moves, the folding screen 1a can switch between an unfolded and folded state. When the electronic device is folded, the folding screen 1a is not visible. The flat panel screen 1b can be attached to the back of the housing assembly 2. The flat panel screen 1b displays information when the electronic device is folded.

[0117] In other examples, the electronic device can also be an outward-folding electronic device. When the electronic device is in the folded state, the first non-bending portion 11 and the second non-bending portion 13 of the folding screen 1a are opposite to each other, and the housing assembly 2 is located between the first non-bending portion 11 and the second non-bending portion 13. In other words, when the outward-folding electronic device is in the folded state, the folding screen 1a surrounds the first housing 10 and the second housing 20, and the folding screen 1a is visible to the user, allowing the display function to be realized. Therefore, it is not necessary to add an additional flat screen 1b to the back of the housing to realize the display function of the electronic device in the folded state.

[0118] In some embodiments, the electronic device, especially an inward-folding electronic device, can be suspended at an angle between the unfolded and folded states. For example, the suspension angle of the electronic device can be 120°, 130°, 140°, or 150°. The housing assembly 2 can be suspended in a semi-unfolded state between the folded and unfolded states by the damping force provided by the housing assembly 2, and the folding screen 1a remains in the semi-unfolded state along with the housing assembly 2. At this time, the bendable portion 12 of the folding screen 1a is also in a bent state, and the degree of bending of the bendable portion 12 is less than the degree of bending when in the folded state. The first non-bending portion 11 and the second non-bending portion 13 of the folding screen 1a are relatively inclined, and the included angle between the first non-bending portion 11 and the second non-bending portion 13 is, for example, 120°, 130°, 140°, or 150°.

[0119] Referring again to Figure 4, in the housing assembly 2 of the foldable electronic device, both the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 may include a mid-frame 201, and the first non-bending portion 11 and the second non-bending portion 13 of the foldable screen 1a may be supported on the front of the corresponding mid-frame 201. Specifically, for outward-folding electronic devices or inward-folding electronic devices without an additional flat screen 1b, both the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 of the electronic device 1 may also include a back cover 202, which is connected to the side of the mid-frame 201 facing away from the foldable screen 1a. For inward-folding electronic devices with an additional flat screen 1b, one of the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 may not include the back cover 202, but instead, the flat screen 1b may be mounted on the back of the mid-frame 201.

[0120] In the first housing 10 and the second housing 20, the middle frame 201 and the rear cover 202 (or the flat screen 1b) together form a receiving cavity, which is used to install some functional components of the electronic device (not shown in the figure). For example, the receiving cavity is used to install circuit boards, batteries, camera modules, microphones, speakers and other devices.

[0121] The rotating shaft mechanism 30 of the present application embodiment will be described in detail below.

[0122] Figure 5 is an exploded structural diagram of the rotating shaft mechanism provided in an embodiment of this application. Referring to Figure 5, the rotating shaft mechanism 30 includes a main shaft 100 and connecting frames (not shown in the figure). The main shaft 100 is the main support structure of the rotating shaft mechanism 30. The connecting frames are movably connected to both sides of the main shaft 100, and the connecting frames on both sides of the main shaft 100 are respectively connected to the first housing 10 and the second housing 20. The main shaft 100 can extend along the side of the opposite side of the first housing 10 and the second housing 20. The main shaft 100 is equivalent to the rotation axis of the housing assembly 2, and the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 rotate around the main shaft 100. The connecting frames on both sides of the main shaft 100 move synchronously relative to the main shaft 100 to drive the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 to move synchronously relative to each other, thereby realizing the switching between the unfolded state and the folded state of the housing assembly 2.

[0123] The rotating mechanism 30 also includes functional components connected between the main shaft 100 and the connecting frame. These functional components may include a motion component 200, a damping synchronization structure 300, etc., and are movably connected between the main shaft 100 and the connecting frame. The motion component 200 is used to realize the rotation and translation of the connecting frame relative to the main shaft 100, so that the rotating mechanism 30 drives the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 to move relative to each other, realizing the switching of the housing assembly 2 between the unfolded and folded states. The damping synchronization structure 300 is used to provide damping force to ensure the stability of the housing assembly 2 in the unfolded, folded, and state transition processes, improving the operating feel of the electronic device. Furthermore, the damping synchronization structure 300 is also used to make the connecting frames on both sides of the main shaft 100 move synchronously relative to the main shaft 100, so that the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 rotate and translate synchronously, ensuring the stability and reliability of the movement of the housing assembly 2.

[0124] When the connecting frames on both sides of the main spindle 100 are unfolded, they are coplanar with the main spindle 100. At this time, the rotating shaft mechanism 30 is in the unfolded state, and the electronic device is also in the unfolded state. When the connecting frames on both sides of the main spindle 100 are close to each other and folded to one side of the main spindle 100 (in the thickness direction), the connecting frames are nearly perpendicular to the main spindle 100 and are arranged opposite each other. At this time, the rotating shaft mechanism 30 is in the folded state, and the electronic device is also in the folded state.

[0125] The following explanation uses the application of the rotating shaft mechanism 30 in an inward-folding electronic device as an example.

[0126] For the connecting frames on both sides of the spindle 100, in some embodiments, the connecting frame on each side of the spindle 100 can be an integral, elongated connecting frame, with both ends extending to both ends of the spindle 100. The connecting frame connecting the spindle 100 and the first housing 10 (or the second housing 20) is an integral structure. This results in good integrity of the connecting frame, ease of assembly, high connection strength between the rotating shaft mechanism 30 and the housing assembly 2, and good reliability. In other embodiments, the connecting frame on each side of the spindle 100 can be a multi-segment structure, or in other words, each connecting frame on each side of the spindle 100 can include multiple connecting frames, each spaced apart along the length of the spindle 100, corresponding to the areas where the aforementioned functional components are located, and gaps may exist between adjacent connecting frames. This application does not impose any limitations on this.

[0127] Alternatively, for a single connecting frame, as an example, the connecting frame can be a one-piece structure, with slots, holes, and other structures provided within it, allowing some of the aforementioned functional components to be inserted into the connecting frame. As another example, the connecting frame can also include a connecting block and a door panel, with the door panel connected to the side of the connecting block facing the folding screen 1a. The connecting block can be relatively thick, used to mount the aforementioned functional components. The door panel can be relatively thin, primarily used to support the folding screen 1a. In this case, the slots, holes, and other structures provided on the connecting block can be exposed on the side of the connecting block facing the door panel, facilitating the assembly of the aforementioned functional components with the connecting block.

[0128] Referring again to Figure 5, the motion assembly 200 connecting the main shaft 100 and the connecting frame may include a main swing arm 210 and a secondary swing arm 220. For example, the main swing arm 210 may be connected to both ends of the main shaft 100 along its length to limit the motion trajectory of both ends of the rotating shaft mechanism 30, ensuring the accuracy of the motion trajectory of the rotating shaft mechanism 30. The secondary swing arm 220 may be located between the two main swing arms 210, and multiple secondary swing arms 220 may be spaced apart along the length of the main shaft 100. Based on the main swing arm 210, the cooperation of the secondary swing arms 220 can improve the motion accuracy of the rotating shaft mechanism 30, ensuring the smoothness and reliability of the rotation of the rotating shaft mechanism 30.

[0129] The main swing arm 210 and the auxiliary swing arm 220 can be arc-shaped at their ends facing the main shaft 100, and the slots on the main shaft 100 corresponding to the main swing arm 210 and the auxiliary swing arm 220 can be arc-shaped. This allows the main swing arm 210 and the auxiliary swing arm 220 to rotate around the main shaft 100 and slide relative to it. The main swing arm 210 and the auxiliary swing arm 220 can also drive the connecting frame to rotate and translate relative to the main shaft 100, enabling the rotating shaft mechanism 30 to switch between an unfolded state and a folded state. As for the connection between the main swing arm 210 and the auxiliary swing arm 220 and the connecting frame, for example, both the main swing arm 210 and the auxiliary swing arm 220 can be connected to the connecting frame via a rotating shaft 230; in other words, both the main swing arm 210 and the auxiliary swing arm 220 are rotatably connected to the connecting frame. Of course, both the main swing arm 210 and the auxiliary swing arm 220 can be slidably connected to the connecting frame, or both the main swing arm 210 and the auxiliary swing arm 220 can be rotatably or slidably connected to the connecting frame, or one of the main swing arm 210 and the auxiliary swing arm 220 can be rotatably connected to the connecting frame and the other can be slidably connected to the connecting frame.

[0130] Referring again to Figure 5, in this embodiment, the damping component 310 and the synchronization component 320 are integrated together to form the aforementioned damping synchronization structure 300. As the connecting frames on both sides of the main shaft 100 move relative to the main shaft 100, the damping component 310 and the synchronization component 320 in the damping synchronization structure 300 work together to provide damping force to the rotating shaft mechanism 30 while simultaneously achieving synchronous movement of the connecting frames on both sides of the main shaft 100 relative to the main shaft 100. This configuration results in a high degree of integration and a small footprint for the damping synchronization structure 300, allowing for more space to be reserved in the rotating shaft mechanism 30 for the installation of other components. Alternatively, more damping synchronization structures 300 can be installed in the rotating shaft mechanism 300 to enhance its effectiveness and improve the stability and reliability of the rotating shaft mechanism 300.

[0131] Of course, in other embodiments, the damping component 310 and the synchronization component 320 can be provided separately, and the damping component 310 and the synchronization component 320 can be arranged at intervals without connection between them. In this case, the damping component 310 is only used to provide damping force, and the synchronization component 320 is only used to realize the synchronous movement of the connecting frames on both sides of the main shaft 100 relative to the main shaft 100. This embodiment does not limit this.

[0132] Taking an inward-folding electronic device as an example, in related technologies, the spindle typically includes a shaft cover, a bracket, and a support plate, with both the bracket and the support plate connected to the shaft cover. Multiple brackets can be used, each with slots and holes through which the aforementioned moving parts are mounted. The support plate fills the space between the brackets. The brackets can be fixed to the shaft cover using either adhesive dispensing or screw fastening, while the support plate is primarily fixed to the shaft cover using adhesive dispensing.

[0133] However, as electronic devices become thinner and lighter, the thickness of the shaft cover, bracket, and support plate continues to decrease, leading to a decline in the strength of the main shaft and affecting its reliability. Furthermore, the large number of components in the main shaft makes assembly complex and costly. The low positioning accuracy of the moving parts also affects the motion accuracy of the hinge mechanism, causing the folding screen to bulge at the hinge area.

[0134] Among the various methods, using adhesive dispensing to connect the bracket and the hinge cover results in a weak connection, posing a risk of cracking the main shaft if the electronic device is dropped. Furthermore, the adhesive thickness is difficult to control, potentially causing the bracket to float and affecting the flatness of the main shaft, which in turn impacts the lighting effects of the foldable screen supported by it. Additionally, the adhesive dispensing method suffers from a high failure rate during repair and disassembly. Using screws to connect the bracket and the hinge cover also presents challenges due to the increasingly thinner and lighter main shaft; insufficient screw tightening depth and binding strength make the main shaft prone to cracking from drops. Moreover, the screws located at both ends of the hinge must avoid the corner recesses of the foldable screen, resulting in extremely limited binding space and restricting further thinning of the main shaft.

[0135] In view of this, the embodiments of this application improve the main shaft of the hinge mechanism. The main shaft includes an upper shaft plate and a lower shaft plate connected to each other. The upper shaft plate includes multiple upper brackets and multiple support parts. Each upper bracket is spaced apart along the length direction of the upper shaft plate, and each support part is connected between adjacent upper brackets. The lower shaft plate includes a main body and multiple lower brackets. Each lower bracket is spaced apart along the length direction of the main body and corresponds one-to-one with each upper bracket. Each lower bracket is connected to the main body. By integrally molding the multiple upper brackets and the multiple support parts, an integrated upper shaft plate is formed. By integrally molding or connecting the multiple lower brackets and the main body, an integrated lower shaft plate is formed. The integrated upper shaft plate and the integrated lower shaft plate constitute the main shaft. In this way, the main shaft has a simple structure and good integrity, which can improve the structural strength of the main shaft, enhance the reliability of the hinge mechanism, and facilitate the thinning of the main shaft. Furthermore, the main shaft is easy to assemble, has high assembly precision, and high positioning precision for each moving part, which can improve the motion precision of the hinge mechanism and alleviate the arching problem of foldable screens. In addition, the high flatness of the main axis can improve the light and shadow effects of the foldable screen.

[0136] The spindle 100 in the rotating mechanism 30 of this application embodiment will be described in detail below.

[0137] Figure 6 is an exploded view of the main axis provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 7 is an exploded view of the main axis provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0138] Referring to Figures 6 and 7, in this embodiment, the main shaft 100 includes an upper shaft plate 110 and a lower shaft plate 120. The upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120 are arranged vertically along the thickness direction of the main shaft 100 and are connected to each other to form the main shaft 100. Taking the application of the pivot mechanism 30 in an inward-folding electronic device as an example, the side surface of the upper shaft plate 110 facing away from the lower shaft plate 120 faces the folding screen 1a, and the folding screen 1a can be supported on this side surface of the upper shaft plate 110. The side surface of the lower shaft plate 120 facing away from the upper shaft plate 110 can be exposed to the outside of the electronic device, and this side surface of the lower shaft plate 120 can constitute part of the exterior surface of the electronic device.

[0139] Both the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120 extend along the length of the main shaft 100 to both ends of the main shaft 100, and both the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120 are integral structural components. The upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120 together form structures such as grooves and holes. For example, the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120 together form structures such as arc-shaped grooves and pin holes. These structures are used to accommodate at least part of the aforementioned functional components such as the motion component 200 and the damping synchronization structure 300, serving as the mounting base for these functional components.

[0140] Figure 8 is a structural schematic diagram of the upper shaft plate provided in an embodiment of this application from one perspective. Figure 9 is a structural schematic diagram of the upper shaft plate provided in an embodiment of this application from another perspective. Referring to Figures 8 and 9, the upper shaft plate 110 may include a plurality of upper brackets 111 and a plurality of support portions 112. The plurality of upper brackets 111 may be spaced apart along the length direction of the upper shaft plate 110, and each support portion 112 may be connected between adjacent upper brackets 111. For example, when the distance between two adjacent upper brackets 111 is short, only one support portion 112 may be provided between two adjacent upper brackets 111; when the distance between two adjacent upper brackets 111 is long, a longer support portion 112 or two or more shorter support portions 112 may be provided between two adjacent upper brackets 111.

[0141] The plurality of upper supports 111 correspond to the areas of the main spindle 100 where the aforementioned motion components 200, synchronization structures, damping structures, and other functional components need to be installed. In other words, these functional components are installed in the areas where the upper supports 111 are located. The plurality of support portions 112 are used to fill the gaps between adjacent upper supports 111, so that the upper supports 111 are connected together to form a whole through the plurality of support portions 112, so that the upper shaft plate 110 is formed into an integral, elongated structure with a length equivalent to that of the main spindle 100.

[0142] By integrally molding the multiple upper brackets 111 and the multiple support parts 112, an integrated upper shaft plate 110 is formed, making the upper shaft plate 110 a long, strip-shaped integrated structural component. This simplifies the structure of the upper shaft plate 110, improves its overall integrity, and enhances its structural strength. Based on setting each upper bracket 111 as the mounting base for functional components, the support parts 112 between the upper brackets 111 improve the flatness of the upper shaft plate 110, increase the contact area between the upper shaft plate 110 and the folding screen 1a, and enhance the light and shadow effects of the folding screen 1a.

[0143] Figure 10 is a structural schematic diagram of the lower shaft plate provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 11 is an exploded structural diagram of the lower shaft plate provided in an embodiment of this application. Referring to Figures 10 and 11, the lower shaft plate 120 may include a main body 122 and a plurality of lower brackets 121. The main body 122 may extend along the length direction of the main shaft 100 to both ends of the main shaft 100. Each lower bracket 121 may be spaced apart along the length direction of the main body 122, and each lower bracket 121 is connected to the main body 122. Taking an inward-folding electronic device as an example, the main body 122 may serve as the shaft cover of the main shaft 100, and the lower brackets 121 are located on the side surface of the main body 122 facing the upper shaft plate 110. The side surface of the main body 122 away from the upper shaft plate 110 may serve as the outer surface of the main shaft 100. The plurality of lower brackets 121 correspond to the areas in the main shaft 100 where the aforementioned functional components need to be installed. In other words, these functional components are installed in the areas where the lower brackets 121 are located.

[0144] Each lower bracket 121 on the lower shaft plate 120 can correspond one-to-one with each upper bracket 111 on the upper shaft plate 110. For example, the positions of each lower bracket 121 and each upper bracket 111 are completely overlapped, and the shapes of each lower bracket 121 and the corresponding upper bracket 111 are completely symmetrical. Each upper bracket 111 and each lower bracket 121 together form the aforementioned slot, hole, and other structures to install the aforementioned functional components between each upper bracket 111 and each lower bracket 121.

[0145] By integrally molding or connecting the multiple lower brackets 121 to the main body 122, an integrated lower spindle plate 120 is formed, making the lower spindle plate 120 a long, integrated structural component. This simplifies the structure of the lower spindle plate 120, improves its overall integrity, and enhances its structural strength and reliability. By avoiding the need for adhesive or screw fastening between the lower brackets 121 and the main body 122, assembly steps for the lower spindle plate 120 are eliminated, helping to reduce the assembly cost of the spindle 100.

[0146] By assembling the integrated upper shaft plate 110 and the integrated lower shaft plate 120 into the main shaft 100 (see Figure 5), the structure of the main shaft 100 is simplified, and the overall integrity of the main shaft 100 is improved. Within the same dimensions, the strength of the main shaft 100 can be greatly enhanced, which is beneficial for further reducing the thickness of the main shaft 100 and achieving a thinner and lighter design. Furthermore, the main shaft 100 is easy to assemble and has high assembly precision. The positioning of each functional component is determined by the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120, which run through both ends of the main shaft 100's length direction. This improves the motion trajectory accuracy of the hinge mechanism 30 and can alleviate the arching problem of the folding screen 1a.

[0147] For example, the upper shaft plate 110 can be integrally molded using amorphous metal forming technology, metal powder injection molding technology (MIM), 3D printing, or other molding processes. Similarly, the lower shaft plate 120 can also be integrally molded using amorphous metal forming technology, metal powder injection molding technology, 3D printing, or other molding processes. In this case, both the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120 can be made entirely of metal materials, for example, they can be made entirely of alloy materials such as titanium alloy or aluminum alloy.

[0148] Among these processes, amorphous metal forming utilizes a cooling rate much faster than conventional solidification, allowing the molten metal or alloy to rapidly transform from liquid to solid. Metal powder injection molding involves uniformly mixing solid powder with an organic binder, granulating the mixture, and then injecting it into a mold cavity under heated and plasticized conditions to solidify. The binder is then removed from the preform using chemical or thermal decomposition methods, and finally, sintering is used to densify the final product. 3D printing involves cutting a digital model into thin sheets, then printing these sheets layer by layer to create a complete solid object.

[0149] Regarding the forming method of the lower shaft plate 120, in some embodiments, one of the lower support 121 and the main body 122 can be formed first. Then, using the first formed lower support 121 and the main body 122 as the base structure, the other of the lower support 121 and the main body 122 is integrally formed on the first formed lower support 121 to form the lower shaft plate 120. In this way, the lower support 121 and the main body 122 are still integrally formed, and the lower shaft plate 120 is still an integrally formed part.

[0150] When manufacturing a one-piece lower shaft plate 120 by first molding one of the lower bracket 121 and the main board body 122, and then molding the other onto the former, the lower bracket 121 and the main board body 122 can be made of different materials. For example, both the lower bracket 121 and the main board body 122 can be made of metal, and the metal materials of the lower bracket 121 and the main board body 122 can be different. In this case, because the materials of the lower bracket 121 and the main board body 122 are different, there is a clear interface between the lower bracket 121 and the main board body 122.

[0151] Figure 12 is a partial structural diagram of a lower shaft plate provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 13 is an exploded structural diagram of the lower shaft plate in Figure 12. Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of the lower shaft plate in Figure 12. Figure 15 is a partial structural diagram of another lower shaft plate provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 16 is an exploded structural diagram of the lower shaft plate in Figure 15. Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view of the lower shaft plate in Figure 15.

[0152] Referring to Figures 12 to 14 or Figures 15 to 17, in order to make the connection between the lower bracket 121 and the motherboard body 122 more reliable and better integrated, one of the lower bracket 121 and the motherboard body 122 is provided with a connecting groove 1201, and the other is provided with a connecting protrusion 1202. The connecting protrusion 1202 extends into the connecting groove 1201 and is integrally connected to the connecting groove 1201, so as to realize the integral connection between the lower bracket 121 and the motherboard body 122.

[0153] With this configuration, the lower bracket 121 and the main board body 122 have contact surfaces not only in the planar direction of the lower shaft plate 120 but also in the thickness direction of the lower shaft plate 120, increasing the contact area between them and enhancing the reliability of their integrated connection. Through the mutual cooperation of the connecting protrusion 1202 and the connecting groove 1201, the shearing force of the lower bracket 121 and the main board body 122 in the thickness direction of the lower shaft plate 120 can be increased, making the connection between the lower bracket 121 and the main board body 122 more secure and preventing problems such as cracking or separation of the lower shaft plate 120.

[0154] Referring to Figures 12 to 14, in one embodiment, when molding the lower shaft plate 120, the main body 122 can be molded first. Then, using the main body 122 as the base structure, each lower bracket 121 is molded on the main body 122, and each lower bracket 121 and the main body 122 are integrally molded into the lower shaft plate 120. At this time, the first-molded main body 122 can be provided with a connecting groove 1201. When each lower bracket 121 is integrally molded on the main body 122, the material of the lower bracket 121 enters into the connecting groove 1201 on the main body 122 to form a glue-pulling structure on the lower bracket 121. This glue-pulling structure is the connecting protrusion 1202 protruding on the surface of the lower bracket 121.

[0155] Referring to Figures 15 to 17, in another embodiment, when molding the lower shaft plate 120, each lower bracket 121 can be molded first. Then, using each lower bracket 121 as a base structure, the main body 122 is molded onto each lower bracket 121, and the main body 122 and each lower bracket 121 are integrally molded into the lower shaft plate 120. At this time, each lower bracket 121 that is molded first can be provided with a connecting groove 1201. When the main body 122 is integrally molded onto each lower bracket 121, the material of the main body 122 enters into the connecting groove 1201 of each lower bracket 121 to form a glue-pulling structure on the main body 122. This glue-pulling structure is the connecting protrusion 1202 protruding on the surface of the main body 122.

[0156] Regarding forming the connecting groove 1201 on the lower bracket 121 and the main board body 122 first, this can be achieved by designing the mold for forming the lower bracket 121 or the main board body 122 so that the lower bracket 121 or the main board body 122 has the connecting groove 1201 after forming. Alternatively, the lower bracket 121 or the main board body 122 without the connecting groove 1201 can be formed first using amorphous metal forming process or metal powder injection molding process, and then the connecting groove 1201 can be machined on the lower bracket 121 or the main board body 122 using CNC (computer numerical control) machining process.

[0157] Referring to Figures 16 or 17, when the connecting groove 1201 is formed on each lower bracket 121 and the connecting protrusion 1202 is formed on the main board body 122, since the lower bracket 121 is not exposed on the surface of the electronic device, the connecting groove 1201 formed on the lower bracket 121 can be a through groove. That is, the connecting groove 1201 formed on the lower bracket 121 can penetrate through both sides of the lower bracket 121 in the thickness direction. In this way, the contact area between the lower bracket 121 and the main board body 122 in the thickness direction of the lower shaft plate 120 can be increased, thereby increasing the shear force between the lower bracket 121 and the main board body 122. Furthermore, this enhances the integrity of the lower shaft plate 120 and improves its reliability.

[0158] At this time, since the lower bracket 121 has a large thickness, the connecting groove 1201 that runs through the thickness direction of the lower bracket 121 has sufficient depth, and the connecting groove 1201 can be set as a stepped groove. For example, the connecting groove 1201 on the lower bracket 121 may include a first groove segment 12011 and a second groove segment 12012. The first groove segment 12011 and the second groove segment 12012 are arranged sequentially along the thickness direction of the lower bracket 121. The second groove segment 12012 is located on the side of the first groove segment 12011 away from the main board body 122, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the second groove segment 12012 can be larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the first groove segment 12011.

[0159] Correspondingly, after the motherboard body 122 is integrally formed on the lower bracket 121, the connecting protrusion 1202 formed on the motherboard body 122 may include a connecting portion 12021 and a limiting portion 12022. One end of the connecting portion 12021 is connected to the side surface of the motherboard body 122 facing the lower bracket 121, and the limiting portion 12022 is connected to the end of the connecting portion 12021 away from the motherboard body 122. The cross-sectional area of ​​the limiting portion 12022 may be larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting portion 12021. The connecting portion 12021 of the connecting protrusion 1202 is integrally connected to the first groove segment 12011 of the connecting groove 1201, and the limiting portion 12022 of the connecting protrusion 1202 is integrally connected to the second groove segment 12012 of the connecting groove 1201.

[0160] With this configuration, the stepped surface between the first groove segment 12011 and the second groove segment 12012 of the connecting groove 1201 in the lower bracket 121 limits the limiting portion 12022 of the connecting protrusion 1202 on the main board body 122. The connecting groove 1201 of the lower bracket 121 and the connecting protrusion 1202 of the main board body 122 resist each other, and the shearing force between them is stronger, which can enhance the connection strength between the lower bracket 121 and the main board body 122, and improve the integrity and reliability of the lower shaft plate 120.

[0161] Of course, when the motherboard body 122 has sufficient thickness to accommodate stepped grooves, a connecting groove 1201 with a first groove segment 12011 and a second groove segment 12012 can also be formed on the motherboard body 122. Correspondingly, a connecting protrusion 1202 with a connecting portion 12021 and a limiting portion 12022 can be formed on the lower bracket 121. In the connecting groove 1201 on the motherboard body 122, the second groove segment 12012 is located on the side of the first groove segment 12011 facing away from the lower bracket 121, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the second groove segment 12012 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the first groove segment 12011. In the connecting protrusion 1202 on the lower bracket 121, one end of the connecting portion 12021 is connected to the surface of the lower bracket 121 facing the motherboard body 122, and the limiting portion 12022 is connected to the end of the connecting portion 12021 away from the lower bracket 121. Further details are omitted here.

[0162] In other embodiments, each lower bracket 121 and the main board body 122 can be formed separately, and then welded together by a welding process, such as laser welding or brazing, to form an integrally connected lower shaft plate 120. Since there is no connection gap between the main board body 122 and the lower bracket 121, and there is no interface between the adhesive layer or other materials, the lower shaft plate 120 is equivalent to an integral structural component.

[0163] Figure 18 is a half-sectional view of the spindle provided in an embodiment of this application. Referring to Figure 18, the figure shows a half-sectional view of the spindle 100 along its width direction. As can be seen from the figure, in the spindle 100 of the rotating shaft mechanism 30, except for the parts with slots, holes, and other structures, and the parts through which the (through-shaft) flexible circuit board needs to pass, the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120 are tightly fitted in other parts of the high-stress area. The high-stress area here can refer to the area where the aforementioned motion component 200, damping synchronization structure 300, and other functional components are located. In other words, the upper support 111 of the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower support 121 of the lower shaft plate 120 are tightly fitted. Of course, based on this, the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120 can also be tightly fitted in other areas.

[0164] This configuration allows the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120 to transfer external forces to each other, especially in the high-stress area of ​​the main shaft 100, ensuring the structural strength and reliability of the main shaft 100. During the rotation of the shaft mechanism, the main shaft 100 can better resist external forces, preventing deformation and extending the service life of the shaft mechanism 30, thus improving the accuracy of its movement.

[0165] In addition, to enhance the structural strength of the spindle 100, in some embodiments, the spindle 100 may also be provided with at least one reinforcing part 123. The reinforcing part 123 may be connected to one of the upper spindle plate 110 and the lower spindle plate 120, and the reinforcing part 123 may protrude from the surface of the upper spindle plate 110 or the lower spindle plate 120 facing the other (see FIG6 or FIG7). For example, the reinforcing part 123 may be connected to the side surface of the lower spindle plate 120 facing the upper spindle plate 110, and the reinforcing part 123 protrudes towards the upper spindle plate 110. Alternatively, the reinforcing part 123 may be connected to the side surface of the upper spindle plate 110 facing the lower spindle plate 120, and the reinforcing part 123 protrudes towards the lower spindle plate 120.

[0166] By providing at least one reinforcing part 123 in the main spindle 100, the structural strength of the main spindle 100 can be increased, and the reliability of the main spindle 100 can be improved. Furthermore, with the location of the reinforcing part 123 as a reference, lever arms for transmitting external forces are formed on both sides of the reinforcing part 123, which can reduce the length of the lever arms for transmitting external forces in the main spindle 100. This can prevent deformation such as bulging, denting, and twisting of the main spindle 100, enhance the stress stability of the main spindle 100, and improve the motion accuracy of the rotating shaft mechanism 30.

[0167] For example, a reinforcing part 123 can be provided in the middle region along the length of the main shaft 100. Alternatively, multiple reinforcing parts 123 can be provided at intervals along the length of the main shaft 100. For instance, the reinforcing parts 123 can be provided corresponding to the aforementioned damping synchronization structure 300, with one reinforcing part 123 provided at each location of the damping synchronization structure 300. In this case, the reinforcing part 123 can be located in the middle region of the damping synchronization structure 300, and the reinforcing part 123 can limit the position of the damping synchronization structure 300, ensuring the installation accuracy of the damping synchronization structure 300, and also preventing the components in the damping synchronization structure 300 from twisting or deforming.

[0168] The reinforcing part 123 can be integrally formed on the upper shaft plate 110 or the lower shaft plate 120, or the reinforcing part 123 can be connected to the upper shaft plate 110 or the lower shaft plate 120 by means of welding, bonding, or fastening. For example, the reinforcing part 123 can be fastened to the lower shaft plate 120 by screws.

[0169] Figure 19 is a partially enlarged structural view of point A in Figure 9. Figure 20 is a partially enlarged structural view of point B in Figure 10. Referring to Figures 19 and 20, to improve the overall structural strength of the spindle 100, in some embodiments, the upper shaft plate 110 may also be provided with a reinforcing part 1112, which can specifically be provided on the upper support 111 of the upper shaft plate 110. Specifically, along the width direction of the upper shaft plate 110, the reinforcing part 1112 can be located between the openings 1111 opposite each other on the upper support 111, and the reinforcing part 1112 protrudes towards the lower support 121. Correspondingly, the lower shaft plate 120 may also be provided with a reinforcing groove 1211, which can specifically be provided on the lower support 121 of the lower shaft plate 120. The reinforcing groove 1211 of the lower support 121 corresponds to the reinforcing part 1112 of the upper support 111, and the reinforcing groove 1211 can be located in the middle region of the width direction of the lower support 121. The reinforcing part 1112 of the upper shaft plate 110 extends into the reinforcing groove 1211 of the lower shaft plate 120.

[0170] It should be noted that the openings 1111 on the upper bracket 111 mentioned here can be slots on both sides of the upper bracket 111. These slots are used to install functional components on both sides of the spindle 100. For example, these slots are used to install the main swing arm 210 or the auxiliary swing arm 220 on both sides of the spindle 100. By opening the opposing openings 1111 on the upper bracket 111, it is convenient to install the functional components on both sides of the spindle 100 into the slots of the spindle 100, and to provide sufficient room for movement for the functional components.

[0171] By providing reinforcing portions 1112 between the openings 1111 opposite each other on the upper shaft plate 110, the thickness of the upper shaft plate 110 at this location is increased, enhancing the structural strength of the upper shaft plate 110 at this location and compensating for the strength loss caused by the openings 1111. This further enhances the overall structural strength of the upper shaft plate 110, ensuring its stability and reliability. Furthermore, by making the reinforcing portions 1112 protrude from the surface of the upper shaft plate 110 facing the lower shaft plate 120, the reinforcing portions 1112 do not affect the flatness of the surface of the upper shaft plate 110 facing the folding screen 1a, ensuring that the main shaft 100 supports the folding screen 1a stably.

[0172] The lower shaft plate 120 has sufficient overall thickness, and there are no openings on the lower support 121. Therefore, setting the reinforcing groove 1211 on the lower support 121 has little impact on the structural strength of the lower support 121, and its impact on the overall structural strength of the lower shaft plate 120 is negligible.

[0173] Therefore, by providing a reinforcing part 1112 protruding toward the lower shaft plate 120 on the upper shaft plate 110, and providing a reinforcing groove 1211 on the lower shaft plate 120 at a position corresponding to the reinforcing part 1112, the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120 work together to enhance the overall structural strength of the spindle 100 and improve the stability and reliability of the spindle 100.

[0174] Figure 21 is a partial structural diagram of the end of the upper shaft plate provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 22 is a partial structural diagram of the end of the lower shaft plate provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 23 is a partial sectional view of the end of the spindle provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0175] Referring to Figures 21 to 23, regarding the positioning and engagement of the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120, in this embodiment, the lower shaft plate 120 may have stop portions 124 at both ends along its length, with the stop portions 124 protruding from the side surface of the lower shaft plate 120 facing the upper shaft plate 110. The length of the upper shaft plate 110 may be slightly shorter than the length of the lower shaft plate 120, and the length of the upper shaft plate 110 matches the distance between the stop portions 124 at both ends of the lower shaft plate 120. When the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120 are assembled, the upper shaft plate 110 is inserted into the space between the stop portions 124 at both ends of the lower shaft plate 120. For example, the two ends of the upper shaft plate 110 abut against the sidewalls of the stop portions 124 at both ends of the lower shaft plate 120 to provide basic positioning for the upper shaft plate 110.

[0176] Furthermore, referring to Figures 21 and 22, to ensure the assembly accuracy of the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120, the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120 can also be provided with mutually cooperating positioning structures. The positioning structure can include mutually cooperating positioning posts 125 and positioning holes 113. One of the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120 is provided with a positioning post 125, and the other is provided with a positioning hole 113, with the positioning hole 113 corresponding one-to-one with the positioning post 125. Referring to Figure 23, when the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120 are connected, the positioning post 125 is inserted into the positioning hole 113 to achieve the cooperating positioning between the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120.

[0177] Taking the application of the rotating shaft mechanism 30 to an inward-folding electronic device as an example, the side surface of the lower shaft plate 120 facing away from the upper shaft plate 110 is exposed to the outside of the electronic device. To avoid affecting the appearance of the electronic device, the positioning hole 113 can be made on the upper shaft plate 110, and the positioning post 125 can be set on the lower shaft plate 120. In this way, when assembling the spindle 100, the lower shaft plate 120 can be used as the positioning base, and it is also convenient to position the upper shaft plate 110 on the lower shaft plate 120.

[0178] Of course, when the rotating shaft mechanism 30 is used in an outward-folding electronic device, the positioning hole 113 can also be set on the lower shaft plate 120, and the positioning post 125 can be set on the upper shaft plate 110. This embodiment does not limit this. The following description will use the example of the positioning hole 113 being set on the upper shaft plate 110 and the positioning post 125 being set on the lower shaft plate 120.

[0179] Compared to the method where each upper bracket 111 is positioned by docking with the lower shaft plate 120, directly positioning the integrated upper shaft plate 110 and the integrated lower shaft plate 120 together is simple and has high positioning accuracy. This can improve the motion accuracy of the aforementioned functional components, improve the arching problem of the folding screen 1a, and enhance the performance of electronic devices.

[0180] Since both the lower shaft plate 120 and the upper shaft plate 110 extend to both ends of the main shaft 100 along its length, they can be positioned and fitted together at both ends of the main shaft 100. In other words, the positioning structures are located close to both ends of the main shaft 100 along its length (see Figure 6 or Figure 7). This reduces the number of positioning structures on the main shaft 100 and the number of parts requiring positioning between the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120, facilitating their positioning. Furthermore, by positioning both ends of the main shaft 100, the distance between the two positioning structures on the main shaft 100 is relatively large, which improves the positioning accuracy of the main shaft 100. In addition, the positioning structures at both ends of the main shaft 100 can be symmetrical, which is beneficial for the force balance of the main shaft 100.

[0181] For example, as shown in Figures 21 and 22, positioning holes 113 can be provided at both ends of the upper shaft plate 110 along its length, and positioning posts 125 can be provided at both ends of the lower shaft plate 120 along its length. Referring to Figure 23, when the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120 are connected, the positioning posts 125 at both ends of the lower shaft plate 120 are inserted into the positioning holes 113 at both ends of the upper shaft plate 110. The positioning holes 113 of the upper shaft plate 110 restrict the displacement of the positioning posts 125 of the lower shaft plate 120, thereby achieving the positioning of the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120.

[0182] The positioning hole 113 can be set on the center line of the upper shaft plate 110, and correspondingly, the positioning post 125 can be set on the center line of the lower shaft plate 120. For the positioning structures located at both ends of the spindle 100 along its length, the center line of the upper shaft plate 110 can refer to its center line in the width direction; similarly, the center line of the lower shaft plate 120 can refer to its center line in the width direction. With this configuration, only one set of cooperating positioning structures needs to be set at each end of the spindle 100 along its length, making the assembly of the spindle 100 more convenient. Furthermore, since the positioning structure is located on the center line of the spindle 100 along its width direction, the distance between the positioning structure and the two ends of the spindle 100 in the width direction is approximately equal, which helps improve the positioning accuracy of the spindle 100, making the spindle 100 more stable and reliable.

[0183] Figure 24 is another sectional view of the spindle end provided in the embodiment of this application. Referring to Figures 21 and 24, regarding the connection between the upper spindle plate 110 and the lower spindle plate 120, since both the upper spindle plate 110 and the lower spindle plate 120 are integral structural parts, the two ends of the upper spindle plate 110 and the two ends of the lower spindle plate 120 can be connected to perform basic positioning and connection between the two.

[0184] Specifically, first pin holes 114 can be opened at both ends of the upper shaft plate 110 along its length, and second pin holes 126 can be opened at both ends of the lower shaft plate 120 along its length. The second pin holes 126 correspond to and are connected to the first pin holes 114. Furthermore, by setting a positioning pin 130, the positioning pin 130 passes through the first pin holes 114 of the upper shaft plate 110 and the second pin holes 126 of the lower shaft plate 120, so as to connect the two ends of the upper shaft plate 110 and the two ends of the lower shaft plate 120 together, thereby realizing the basic connection between the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120.

[0185] The second pin hole 126 can be located in the stop portion 124 at the end of the lower shaft plate 120. Along the thickness direction of the main shaft 100, the second pin hole 126 and the first pin hole 114 are located in the same plane, so that the positioning pin 130 can pass through the first pin hole 114 of the upper shaft plate 110 and the second pin hole 126 of the lower shaft plate 120 in sequence. Through the mutual restraint between the first pin hole 114 of the upper shaft plate 110, the second pin hole 126 of the lower shaft plate 120 and the positioning pin 130, the relative position of the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120 can be defined, thereby achieving the positioning of the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120.

[0186] In this embodiment, the positioning holes 113 on the upper shaft plate 110 and the positioning pins 125 on the lower shaft plate 120 cooperate to position the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120 in the planar direction of the main shaft 100, aligning the first pin hole 114 of the upper shaft plate 110 and the second pin hole 126 of the lower shaft plate 120. Furthermore, the cooperation of the first pin hole 114 of the upper shaft plate 110, the second pin hole 126 of the lower shaft plate 120, and the positioning pins 130 allows for positioning of the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120 in the thickness direction of the main shaft 100, further aligning the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120 in the planar direction of the main shaft 100. This allows for dual positioning of the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120 in different directions, improving the positioning accuracy of the main shaft 100, enhancing the motion trajectory accuracy of the rotating shaft mechanism 30, and improving the performance of the electronic device.

[0187] Furthermore, the diameters of the first pin hole 114 in the upper shaft plate 110 and the second pin hole 126 in the lower shaft plate 120 can both be relatively small. This results in a smaller perforation volume in both the upper shaft plate 110 (first pin hole 114) and the lower shaft plate 120 (second pin hole 126). While ensuring the reliability of the upper shaft plate 110 and lower shaft plate 120, their thickness can be reduced, which is beneficial for making the spindle 100 thinner and lighter. Additionally, the diameter of the locating pin 130, which matches the first pin hole 114 in the upper shaft plate 110 and the second pin hole 126 in the lower shaft plate 120, can be relatively small. The smaller space occupied by the locating pin 130 is beneficial for the structural design at both ends of the spindle 100, further improving the reliability of the spindle 100.

[0188] Referring to Figures 21 and 24, when the stop portions 124 at both ends of the lower shaft plate 120 are only used to restrict the movement of the upper shaft plate 110 in the longitudinal direction of the main shaft 100, for example, when the stop portions 124 at both ends of the lower shaft plate 120 only abut against the end faces at both ends of the upper shaft plate 110, the first pin hole 114 of the upper shaft plate 110 and the second pin hole 126 of the lower shaft plate 120 generally extend along the longitudinal direction of the main shaft 100. At this time, the first pin hole 114 of the upper shaft plate 110 can extend along the longitudinal direction of the upper shaft plate 110, and the second pin hole 126 of the lower shaft plate 120 can extend along the longitudinal direction of the lower shaft plate 120, with the first pin hole 114 and the second pin hole 126 extending along the longitudinal direction of the main shaft 100. When assembling the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120, the locating pin 130 can move along the length direction of the main shaft 100 and be inserted into the first pin hole 114 of the upper shaft plate 110 and the second pin hole 126 of the lower shaft plate 120.

[0189] By extending the first pin hole 114 of the upper shaft plate 110 and the second pin hole 126 of the lower shaft plate 120 along the length direction of the main shaft 100, the locating pin 130 inserted into the first pin hole 114 and the second pin hole 126 extends along the length direction of the main shaft 100. In this way, when the main shaft 100 is subjected to external force, it is not easy to generate forces in other directions (other than the length direction of the main shaft 100), which helps to improve the stability and reliability of the main shaft 100.

[0190] Referring again to Figures 21 and 24, in practical applications, the second pin hole 126 in the lower shaft plate 120 can be a blind hole. The blind hole in the lower shaft plate 120 can extend from the stop portion 124 towards one side surface of the upper shaft plate 110 and down to the end face of the lower shaft plate 120. This prevents the second pin hole 126 from being exposed on the outer surface of the lower shaft plate 120, thus improving the appearance of the spindle 100. In this case, a locating pin 130 needs to be installed from the side where the first pin hole 114 of the upper shaft plate 110 is located, down to the side where the second pin hole 126 of the lower shaft plate 120 is located. In other words, when assembling the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120, the locating pin 130 passes sequentially through the first pin hole 114 of the upper shaft plate 110 and the second pin hole 126 of the lower shaft plate 120.

[0191] To facilitate the installation of the locating pin 130, the upper shaft plate 110 can be provided with a mounting groove 115, which serves as the mounting base for the locating pin 130. Corresponding to the first pin hole 114 of the upper shaft plate 110, the mounting groove 115 can be located near both ends of the upper shaft plate 110 along its length, and the mounting groove 115 communicates with the first pin hole 114, or in other words, the first pin hole 114 communicates with the wall of the mounting groove 115. For example, taking the first pin hole 114 extending along the length of the upper shaft plate 110, the mounting groove 115 can be located on the side of the first pin hole 114 away from the second pin hole 126 of the lower shaft plate 120. Furthermore, the mounting groove 115 communicates with the surface of the upper shaft plate 110 facing away from the lower shaft plate 120.

[0192] When installing the locating pin 130, first insert the locating pin 130 into the mounting groove 115 of the upper shaft plate 110 and align the locating pin 130 with the first pin hole 114. Then, pass the locating pin 130 sequentially through the first pin hole 114 of the upper shaft plate 110 and the second pin hole 126 of the lower shaft plate 120 to connect the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120 together, thus establishing a basic connection between the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120.

[0193] Referring to Figures 21 or 24, in order to fix the locating pin 130 within the spindle 100 and prevent the ends of the upper shaft plate 110 and lower shaft plate 120 from detaching due to loosening of the locating pin 130, in this embodiment, a fixing member 116 can also be provided within the mounting groove 115. The fixing member 116 abuts against the end of the locating pin 130 and the groove wall of the mounting groove 115. The fixing member 116's resisting action on the locating pin 130 prevents the locating pin 130 from dislodging, ensuring a reliable connection between the ends of the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120. For example, the fixing member 116 can be a flexible component such as silicone or rubber, giving it a certain elastic compression property, ensuring that the fixing member 116 can be smoothly installed between the end of the locating pin 130 and the inner wall of the mounting groove 115, and that the locating pin 130 is securely fixed by the elastic force of the fixing member 116.

[0194] In other embodiments, the positioning pin 130 can also be directly connected and fixed in the mounting groove 115. For example, the positioning pin 130 can be connected to the bottom or side wall of the mounting groove 115 by welding, bonding or other means, so as to directly fix the positioning pin 130 to the groove wall of the mounting groove 115, thereby fixing the positioning pin 130 and preventing the positioning pin 130 from loosening.

[0195] Referring again to Figures 21 and 24, in one embodiment, each end of the upper shaft plate 110 may be provided with two first pin holes 114, which are respectively located near both sides of the upper shaft plate 110 in the width direction. Correspondingly, each end of the lower shaft plate 120 may be provided with two second pin holes 126, which are respectively located near both sides of the lower shaft plate 120 in the width direction. By inserting positioning pins 130 into the first pin holes 114 and second pin holes 126 on both sides of the width direction of each end of the spindle 100, the two sides of the width direction of each end of the spindle 100 are connected and positioned, thereby improving the connection strength between the ends of the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120, and thus enhancing the integrity and reliability of the spindle 100. Furthermore, by setting the first pin hole 114 and the second pin hole 126 close to both sides of the spindle 100 in the width direction, more space can be reserved at both ends of the spindle 100 in the length direction to meet the design requirements at both ends of the spindle 100 and improve the performance of the rotating shaft mechanism 30.

[0196] The two first pin holes 114 at each end of the upper shaft plate 110 along its length can be symmetrically arranged along the centerline of the upper shaft plate 110 along its width. Correspondingly, the two second pin holes 126 at each end of the lower shaft plate 120 along its length can be symmetrically arranged along the centerline of the lower shaft plate 120 along its width. At this time, the two locating pins 130 at each end of the spindle 100 along its length are symmetrically arranged along the centerline of the spindle 100 along its width. This results in good structural symmetry at both ends of the spindle 100, balanced force distribution on the spindle 100, and improved stability and reliability.

[0197] Referring again to Figures 21 and 24, since the two positioning pins 130 at each end of the main shaft 100 are respectively located close to both sides of the main shaft 100 in the width direction, the ends of the main shaft 100 have a large space. Therefore, based on this, this embodiment can also provide clearance grooves 117 at both ends of the main shaft 100 in the length direction. The clearance grooves 117 can be located on the side of the main shaft 100 facing the folding screen 1a. Taking an inward-folding electronic device as an example, the clearance grooves 117 can be set on the upper shaft plate 110, and the clearance grooves 117 are recessed on the side where the lower shaft plate 120 is located.

[0198] By providing clearance grooves 117 at both ends of the main shaft 100 along its length, with the clearance grooves 117 located on the side where the folding screen 1a is situated, the folding screen 1a normally rests on the surface of the main shaft 100, with a gap between the folding screen 1a and the bottom of the clearance groove 117, forming a protective space. When the electronic device is subjected to risks such as collisions or drops, the folding screen 1a has a certain deformation space at the location of the clearance groove 117, preventing a hard collision between the folding screen 1a and the main shaft 100, thus preventing the folding screen 1a from shattering under external force. By accommodating the deformed parts of the folding screen 1a through the clearance grooves 117, the integrity of the folding screen 1a can be protected, improving the collision reliability of the electronic device.

[0199] The clearance grooves 117 at both ends of the main shaft 100 can be arc-shaped grooves, with their longitudinal cross-sections forming an arc shape along the thickness direction of the main shaft 100. In other words, the depth of the clearance grooves 117 gradually increases from both sides of the width direction of the main shaft 100 to the center line of the width direction of the main shaft 100. This design, with its gradually changing depth, avoids stress concentration areas and helps improve the reliability of the main shaft 100. Furthermore, the clearance grooves 117 have sufficient depth in the middle region of the width direction of the main shaft 100 to accommodate the deformation of the folding screen 1a, ensuring that the clearance grooves 117 can provide effective protection.

[0200] In some embodiments, the width of the clearance groove 117 can gradually increase from the center of the main shaft 100 to its end along the length of the main shaft 100. On one hand, the width of the clearance groove 117 at the end furthest from the main shaft 100 is smaller, thus having less impact on the structural design of the upper support 111 near the end of the main shaft 100. This avoids affecting the slots, holes, and other structures in the upper support 111, ensuring the structural strength of the upper support 111 and meeting its design requirements. On the other hand, the closer to the end of the main shaft 100, the larger the width of the clearance groove 117, resulting in more accommodating space. This ensures that the clearance groove 117 is sufficient to accommodate the deformed parts of the folding screen 1a, guaranteeing its protective function.

[0201] For example, along the width direction of the spindle 100, the clearance groove 117 can be located between the two first pin holes 114 at the end of the upper shaft plate 110. That is, at its widest point, such as the end of the clearance groove 117 near the end of the spindle 100, the two sides of the clearance groove 117 are located between the two first pin holes 114. In this way, the clearance groove 117 does not affect the plate thickness of the upper shaft plate 110 at the first pin holes 114, ensuring that the upper shaft plate 110 has sufficient thickness at the first pin holes 114 to avoid affecting the structural strength and reliability of the upper shaft plate 110.

[0202] Based on this, multiple locking elements 140 (e.g., screws, rivets) can be spaced apart along the length of the spindle 100 (see Figure 6 or Figure 7) to lock the upper spindle plate 110 and the lower spindle plate 120 together, ensuring a secure connection between them. Specifically, at least the upper support 111 of the upper spindle plate 110 and the lower support 121 of the lower spindle plate 120 can be locked; in other words, each upper support 111 and each lower support 121 is equipped with a locking element 140. This ensures a tight fit between the upper support 111 and the lower support 121, guaranteeing the structural strength of the spindle 100 in high-stress areas and preventing deformation of the spindle 100 due to external forces.

[0203] When the locking member 140 connecting the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120 is a screw, the upper shaft plate 110 can have a threaded hole extending through its thickness direction, and the lower shaft plate 120 can have a threaded blind hole connecting to its front side (the side surface of the lower shaft plate 120 facing the upper shaft plate 110). This ensures that the spindle 100 has sufficient thread depth, guarantees the locking strength of the screw on the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120, and prevents the spindle 100 from cracking under risk scenarios such as collisions and drops.

[0204] This application embodiment also provides a method for manufacturing a spindle 100, which is used to manufacture the spindle 100 in the rotating shaft mechanism 30 of this embodiment.

[0205] Figure 25 is a flowchart illustrating the steps of the spindle fabrication method provided in this embodiment. Referring to Figure 25, the fabrication method provided in this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0206] S100: Multiple upper brackets and multiple support parts are integrally molded to form an upper shaft plate.

[0207] The upper shaft plate 110 can be integrally formed using the aforementioned amorphous metal forming process, metal powder injection molding process, 3D printing process, and other forming processes. The upper shaft plate 110 can be made entirely of metal materials, such as titanium alloy, aluminum alloy, or other alloy materials.

[0208] The integrally formed upper shaft plate 110 includes multiple upper brackets 111 and multiple support parts 112. The multiple upper brackets 111 can be spaced apart along the length direction of the upper shaft plate 110, and each support part 112 can be connected between adjacent upper brackets 111.

[0209] S200: The main body and multiple lower brackets are integrally molded to form the lower shaft plate.

[0210] In some embodiments, the aforementioned amorphous metal forming process, metal powder injection molding process, 3D printing process, and other forming processes can be used to integrally form the upper shaft plate 110. The integrally formed lower shaft plate 120 may include a main body 122 and multiple lower supports 121. The main body 122 may extend along the length direction of the main shaft 100 to both ends of the main shaft 100, and the lower supports 121 may be spaced apart along the length direction of the main body 122, with each lower support 121 connected to the main body 122. The lower shaft plate 120 may be made entirely of the same metal material, for example, the lower shaft plate 120 may be made of titanium alloy, aluminum alloy, or other alloy materials.

[0211] In other embodiments, one of the lower bracket 121 and the main board body 122 can be formed first. Then, using the first-formed lower bracket 121 and main board body 122 as the base structure, the other of the lower bracket 121 and main board body 122 is integrally formed onto the first-formed one to form the lower shaft plate 120. The lower bracket 121 and the main board body 122 can be made of different materials. For example, both the lower bracket 121 and the main board body 122 can be made of metal, and the metal materials of the lower bracket 121 and the main board body 122 can be different.

[0212] One of the lower bracket 121 and the main board body 122 is formed first. When the other of the lower bracket 121 and the main board body 122 is formed on the first-formed one, a connecting groove 1201 can be formed on the first-formed one of the lower bracket 121 and the main board body 122. During the forming process of the second-formed one of the lower bracket 121 and the main board body 122, its material enters into the connecting groove 1201, and a connecting protrusion 1202 can be formed on the second-formed one. The connecting protrusion 1202 of the second-formed one is integrally connected to the connecting groove 1201 of the first-formed one, so as to realize the integral connection of the lower bracket 121 and the main board body 122.

[0213] In one embodiment, a motherboard body 122 can be formed first, and a connecting groove 1201 can be formed on the motherboard body 122. Then, each lower bracket 121 is formed on the motherboard body 122, and the material of the lower bracket 121 enters into the connecting groove 1201 on the motherboard body 122 to form a glue-pulling structure on the lower bracket 121. This glue-pulling structure is the connecting protrusion 1202 protruding on the surface of the lower bracket 121. In another embodiment, each lower bracket 121 can be formed first, and a connecting groove 1201 can be formed on each lower bracket 121. Then, the motherboard body 122 is formed on each lower bracket 121, and the material of the motherboard body 122 enters into the connecting groove 1201 of each lower bracket 121 to form a glue-pulling structure on the motherboard body 122. This glue-pulling structure is the connecting protrusion 1202 protruding on the surface of the motherboard body 122.

[0214] One approach is to design the mold so that the connecting groove 1201 is formed after the lower bracket 121 and the main board body 122 are formed first. Alternatively, the connecting groove 1201 may not be formed after the lower bracket 121 and the main board body 122 are formed first. The connecting groove 1201 can be machined on the lower bracket 121 or the main board body 122 using CNC machining technology.

[0215] In other embodiments, each lower bracket 121 and the main body 122 can be individually formed using the aforementioned amorphous metal forming process, metal powder injection molding process, 3D printing process, or other forming processes. Then, each lower bracket 121 and the main body 122 can be welded together using a welding process, such as laser welding or brazing, to form an integrally connected lower shaft plate 120.

[0216] S300, connect the upper shaft plate and the lower shaft plate to form the main shaft.

[0217] After the integrated upper spindle plate 110 and the integrated lower spindle plate 120 are manufactured, the upper spindle plate 110 and the lower spindle plate 120 are then connected together to assemble the upper spindle plate 110 and the lower spindle plate 120 into the spindle 100.

[0218] For example, when connecting the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120, the lower shaft plate 120 can be used as a reference, and the positioning pins 125 at both ends of the lower shaft plate 120 in the length direction pass through the positioning holes 113 at both ends of the upper shaft plate 110 in the length direction. Then, the positioning pins 130 are sequentially inserted into the first pin hole 114 at the end of the upper shaft plate 110 and the second pin hole 126 at the end of the lower shaft plate 120. Finally, the locking member 140 (e.g., a screw) is locked into the threaded hole of the upper shaft plate 110 and the threaded blind hole of the lower shaft plate 120 to fasten the upper shaft plate 110 and the lower shaft plate 120 together.

[0219] In the description of the embodiments of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the foregoing terms in the embodiments of this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0220] The terms "first," "second," "third," "fourth," etc. (if present) in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence.

Claims

1. A spindle, characterized in that, include: The upper shaft plate includes multiple upper brackets and multiple support parts, wherein the multiple upper brackets and multiple support parts are an integral structural component; wherein, each of the upper brackets is spaced apart along the length direction of the upper shaft plate, and each of the support parts is connected between adjacent upper brackets; A lower shaft plate is connected to the upper shaft plate; the lower shaft plate includes a main body and multiple lower brackets, the multiple lower brackets and the main body are an integral structural component; wherein, each of the lower brackets is spaced apart along the length direction of the main body, and each of the lower brackets corresponds one-to-one with each of the upper brackets.

2. The spindle according to claim 1, characterized in that, One of the lower bracket and the motherboard body is provided with a connecting groove, and the other is provided with a connecting protrusion. The connecting protrusion extends into the connecting groove and is integrally connected to the connecting groove.

3. The spindle according to claim 2, characterized in that, The connecting groove is provided on the lower bracket. The connecting groove includes a first groove segment and a second groove segment. The second groove segment is located on the side of the first groove segment away from the motherboard body, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the second groove segment is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the first groove segment. The connecting protrusion is provided on the motherboard body. The connecting protrusion includes a connecting portion and a limiting portion. The limiting portion is connected to the end of the connecting portion away from the motherboard body. The connecting portion is integrally connected to the first groove segment, and the limiting portion is integrally connected to the second groove segment.

4. The spindle according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The upper shaft plate has a first pin hole at both ends along its length, and the lower shaft plate has a second pin hole at both ends along its length. The first pin hole and the second pin hole are connected to each other, and a positioning pin passes through the first pin hole and the second pin hole.

5. The spindle according to claim 4, characterized in that, The upper shaft plate is provided with a mounting groove, which is close to both ends of the upper shaft plate along its length and corresponds to the first pin hole. The first pin hole is connected to the groove wall of the mounting groove.

6. The spindle according to claim 5, characterized in that, A fixing member is provided in the mounting groove, and the fixing member abuts between the end of the positioning pin and the groove wall of the mounting groove.

7. The spindle according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first pin hole extends along the length direction of the upper shaft plate, and the second pin hole extends along the length direction of the lower shaft plate.

8. The spindle according to claim 4, characterized in that, The upper shaft plate is provided with two first pin holes at each end, and the two first pin holes are respectively close to the two sides of the upper shaft plate in the width direction. The lower shaft plate is provided with two second pin holes at each end, and the two second pin holes are respectively close to both sides of the lower shaft plate in the width direction.

9. The spindle according to claim 8, characterized in that, The two first pin holes at each end of the upper shaft plate are symmetrically arranged along the center line of the upper shaft plate; The two second pin holes at each end of the lower shaft plate are symmetrically arranged along the center line of the lower shaft plate.

10. The spindle according to claim 9, characterized in that, The main shaft has clearance grooves at both ends along its length, and the clearance grooves are located on the side where the folding screen is located.

11. The spindle according to claim 10, characterized in that, Along the length of the main shaft, from the center of the main shaft to the end of the main shaft, the width of the clearance groove gradually increases.

12. The spindle according to claim 10, characterized in that, Along the width direction of the main shaft, the clearance groove is located between the two second pin holes.

13. The spindle according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, One of the upper shaft plate and the lower shaft plate is provided with a positioning post, and the other is provided with a positioning hole, wherein the positioning post is inserted into the positioning hole.

14. The spindle according to claim 13, characterized in that, The positioning pins are positioned near the two ends of one of the upper shaft plate and the lower shaft plate along their length, and the positioning holes are positioned near the two ends of the other of the upper shaft plate and the lower shaft plate along their length.

15. The spindle according to claim 14, characterized in that, The positioning post is located on the center line of one of the upper shaft plate and the lower shaft plate, and the positioning hole is located on the center line of the other of the upper shaft plate and the lower shaft plate.

16. The spindle according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The upper support and the lower support are tightly fitted together.

17. The spindle according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The spindle is provided with at least one reinforcing part, which protrudes from the surface of at least one of the upper shaft plate and the lower shaft plate toward the other.

18. The spindle according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The upper support is provided with a reinforcing part. Along the width direction of the upper shaft plate, the reinforcing part is located between the oppositely arranged openings, and the reinforcing part protrudes towards the lower support. The lower support is provided with a reinforcing groove, which corresponds to the reinforcing part, and the reinforcing part extends into the reinforcing groove.

19. A method for manufacturing a spindle, used to manufacture the spindle according to any one of claims 1-18, characterized in that, The manufacturing method includes: Multiple upper brackets and multiple support parts are integrally molded to form the upper shaft plate; The main body and multiple lower brackets are integrally molded to form the lower shaft plate; The upper shaft plate and the lower shaft plate are connected to form a main shaft.

20. The method for manufacturing a spindle according to claim 19, characterized in that, Forming the upper shaft plate or the lower shaft plate includes: The upper shaft plate or the lower shaft plate is integrally formed using an amorphous metal forming process. Alternatively, the upper shaft plate or the lower shaft plate can be integrally molded using a metal powder injection molding process. Alternatively, the upper or lower shaft plate can be integrally formed using 3D printing technology.

21. The method for manufacturing a spindle according to claim 19, characterized in that, The lower shaft plate is formed by: The motherboard body is formed, and a connection groove is formed on the motherboard body; Each of the lower brackets is integrally formed on the motherboard body to form a connecting protrusion on each of the lower brackets, and the connecting protrusion is integrally connected to the connecting groove.

22. The method for manufacturing a spindle according to claim 19, characterized in that, The lower shaft plate is formed by: Each of the lower supports is formed, and a connecting groove is formed on the lower support; The motherboard body is integrally formed on each of the lower brackets to form a connecting protrusion on the motherboard body, and the connecting protrusion is integrally connected to the connecting groove.

23. The method for manufacturing a spindle according to claim 19, characterized in that, The lower shaft plate is formed by: Form the motherboard body; Form each of the aforementioned lower supports; The main board body is welded to each of the lower brackets to form the lower shaft plate.

24. A rotating shaft mechanism, characterized in that, include: The spindle according to any one of claims 1-18; A connecting bracket is movably connected to both sides of the main shaft in the width direction; A motion component is movably connected between the spindle and the connecting frame.

25. An electronic device, characterized in that, It includes a first housing, a second housing, a folding screen, and the pivot mechanism as described in claim 24; The first housing and the second housing are respectively connected to both sides of the pivot mechanism, the folding screen is attached to the first housing and the second housing, and the folding screen is supported by the pivot mechanism.

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