Hinge mechanisms and electronic devices

Abstract

This application discloses a hinge mechanism and an electronic device, belonging to the field of electronic devices. The hinge mechanism includes a base, a first swing arm, a second swing arm, a housing connector, a first connecting rod, and a mounting shaft. The mounting shaft is mounted on the base. The first ends of the first and second swing arms are rotatably connected to the base via the mounting shaft. The housing connector has a first sliding groove. The second end of the first swing arm slides into the first sliding groove in a first direction, which intersects with the rotation axis of the first swing arm. The second end of the second swing arm is hinged to the first end of the first connecting rod, and the second end of the first connecting rod is hinged to the housing connector. When the hinge mechanism is in a folded state, the second end of the second swing arm supports the housing connector in the thickness direction of the base via the first connecting rod.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of electronic equipment technology, specifically relating to a hinge mechanism and an electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] Foldable screen phones are becoming increasingly popular due to their combination of large display area and high portability. The hinge mechanism is a component in foldable electronic devices that provides the ability to fold and unfold; adjacent housings in the electronic device are rotatably connected by the hinge mechanism.

[0003] In the hinge mechanism of the relevant technology, the sliding arm and the housing are made to slide relative to each other in the width direction of the housing by using the sliding slider and the sliding groove. Therefore, when the electronic device is in the folded state, if the hinge cover of the electronic device is hit or squeezed, the squeezing force will drive the sliding arm to slide relative to the housing along the sliding groove, thereby causing the hinge mechanism to collapse inward, which in turn squeezes the display screen located inside the hinge mechanism, causing damage to the display screen or even the entire electronic device. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a hinge mechanism and an electronic device to solve the problem that in current foldable electronic devices, if one side of the hinge cover is hit or squeezed, the swing arm is easily driven to slide relative to the housing, which causes the hinge mechanism to collapse inward and squeeze the display screen, thereby causing damage to the display screen or even the electronic device.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application disclose a hinge mechanism, which includes a base, a first swing arm, a second swing arm, a housing connector, a first connecting rod, and a mounting shaft, wherein, The mounting shaft is mounted on the base. The first ends of the first swing arm and the second swing arm are rotatably connected to the base through the mounting shaft. The housing connector is provided with a first sliding groove. The second end of the first swing arm slides in cooperation with the first sliding groove in a first direction. The first direction intersects with the rotation axis of the first swing arm. The second end of the second swing arm is hinged to the first end of the first connecting rod, and the second end of the first connecting rod is hinged to the housing connector. When the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the second end of the second swing arm supports each other in the thickness direction of the base through the first connecting rod and the housing connector.

[0006] Secondly, this application discloses an electronic device including a housing, a display screen, and the aforementioned hinge mechanism. The two housings are rotatably connected by the hinge mechanism, and the display screen is mounted on the housing.

[0007] This application discloses a hinge mechanism in which the first end of each of the first and second swing arms is rotatably connected to the base via a mounting shaft, and the second end of the first swing arm is slidably engaged with the first groove of the housing connector in a first direction. Meanwhile, the second end of the second swing arm is movably connected to the housing connector via a first connecting rod, so that when the hinge mechanism switches between an unfolded state and a folded state, the second end of the second swing arm and the housing connector can move relative to each other, and change their relative positions when the hinge mechanism is in different states. Thus, when the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the second end of the second swing arm can use the first connecting rod to avoid the housing connector, preventing the second swing arm from interfering with the relative movement between the housing connector and the base.

[0008] Furthermore, during the transition of the hinge mechanism from the unfolded state to the folded state, the first swing arm causes the housing connector to move away from the base along the first direction. This creates a space between the housing connector and the base for the second swing arm when the hinge mechanism is in the folded state. In this case, the first link allows the second swing arm to be positioned between the base and the housing connector as a whole. The second end of the second swing arm can support the housing connector in the thickness direction of the base via the first link. This prevents the first swing arm from sliding relative to the housing connector and squeezing the display screen when the hinge mechanism and the base in the folded electronic device are subjected to compressive or impact forces. This improves the structural reliability and service life of the display screen and the entire electronic device. Attached Figure Description

[0009] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments and are used to explain this application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the hinge mechanism disclosed in the embodiments of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a portion of the hinge mechanism disclosed in the embodiments of this application in its unfolded state; Figure 3 yes Figure 2 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of the structure in another direction; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a portion of the hinge mechanism disclosed in the embodiments of this application in a folded state; Figure 5 This is an exploded schematic diagram of a portion of the hinge mechanism disclosed in the embodiments of this application; Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the hinge mechanism disclosed in the embodiments of this application in the unfolded state; Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the hinge mechanism disclosed in the embodiments of this application in a folded state; Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the hinge mechanism disclosed in the embodiments of this application in a folded state in another direction; Figure 9 This is another cross-sectional view of the hinge mechanism disclosed in the embodiments of this application in a folded state; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second swing arm in the hinge mechanism disclosed in the embodiments of this application; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the housing connector in the hinge mechanism disclosed in the embodiments of this application; Figure 12 This is an assembly schematic diagram of the hinge mechanism disclosed in the embodiments of this application; Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electronic device disclosed in the embodiments of this application.

[0010] Figure label: 1-Hinge mechanism, 2-House, 3-Display screen, 31-First part, 32-Second part, 33-Third part 100-Base, 110-Seat body, 111-Seat main body, 112-Limiting flange, 120-Clip cover 200 - First swing arm, 210 - Meshing teeth 300 - Second swing arm, 301 - Avoidance fillet, 310 - Swing arm body, 321 - First articulated arm, 322 - Second articulated arm 410 - Housing connector, 411 - First slide groove, 412 - Second slide groove, 421 - Third hinge arm, 422 - Fourth hinge arm, 430 - Arc-shaped connection part 510 - First connecting rod, 521 - First pin, 522 - Second pin, 530 - Second connecting rod 610 - Screen support component, 620 - Arc-shaped track groove, 630 - Mounting axis 700-Third Swing Arm, 810 - Cam, 820 - Elastic element, 830 - Gear shaft, 840 - Snap ring. Detailed Implementation

[0011] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0012] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and not to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such use of data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this application can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and the number of objects is not limited; for example, a first object can be one or more. Furthermore, in the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0013] This application discloses a hinge mechanism 1, which can be applied to an electronic device, specifically a foldable electronic device, that is, the electronic device has a folded state and an unfolded state, and can switch between the folded state and the unfolded state. Figures 1-12 As shown, the hinge mechanism 1 includes a base 100, a first swing arm 200, a second swing arm 300, a housing connector 410, a first connecting rod 510, and a mounting shaft 630. Of course, the hinge mechanism 1 usually also includes a damping mechanism, such as gears to provide synchronization, and other devices such as threaded connectors to provide connection and assembly.

[0014] like Figure 13 As shown, this application also provides an electronic device, which includes a housing 2, a display screen 3, and the aforementioned hinge mechanism 1. Two adjacent housings 2 in the electronic device can be rotatably connected by the hinge mechanism 1, and the display screen 3 can be mounted on the hinge mechanism 1 and the housing 2 to form a foldable electronic device with folding capability. Furthermore, the display screen 3 can be a flexible screen as a whole, or it can include a first part 31, a second part 32, and a third part 33. The third part 33 is connected between the first part 31 and the second part 32, and the first part 31 and the second part 32 are respectively supported on two adjacent housings 2. The first part 31 and the second part 32 can be flexible or rigid structures, and the third part 33 is opposite to the hinge mechanism 1 and is a flexible structure.

[0015] In the hinge mechanism 1 disclosed in the embodiments of this application, the base 100 is the basic structure of the hinge mechanism 1. Other components in the hinge mechanism 1 can be directly or indirectly installed or connected to the base 100 so that the hinge mechanism 1 can form an integral structure and provide a rotational connection for two adjacent housings 2.

[0016] For the hinge mechanism 1 disclosed in the embodiments of this application, the first end of the first swing arm 200 is rotatably connected to the base 100. In order to ensure that the hinge mechanism 1 can provide a rotatable connection between the two housings 2, the base 100 is usually provided with a first swing arm 200 on both opposite sides. The base 100 can also be provided with a third swing arm 700 on both opposite sides, and the first end of each third swing arm 700 is also rotatably connected to the base 100.

[0017] The first swing arm 200 and the third swing arm 700 are both connected between the base 100 and the housing connector 410. The housing connector 410 is the device in the hinge mechanism 1 that is directly connected to the housing 2 of the electronic device, so that the housing 2 can form a stable rotational engagement relationship with the base 100 through the first swing arm 200 and the third swing arm 700.

[0018] Furthermore, in hinge mechanism 1, the first swing arm 200 and the housing connector 410 typically only have a sliding fit, while the third swing arm 700 and the housing connector 410 typically have a rotational fit. Therefore, in the hinge mechanism 1 disclosed in this application embodiment, as... Figure 11 As shown, the housing connector 410 is provided with a first sliding groove 411. During the assembly of the hinge mechanism 1, the second end of the first swing arm 200 slides and engages with the first sliding groove 411 in a first direction. Conversely, the first end of the third swing arm 700 is rotatably connected to the base 100, and the second end of the third swing arm 700 is also rotatably connected to the housing connector 410. Furthermore, the base 100 has a first swing arm 200 and a third swing arm 700 on opposite sides. Correspondingly, the housings 2 on opposite sides of the base 100 are connected to the corresponding first swing arm 200 and third swing arm 700 via the housing connector 410, so that two adjacent housings 2 can form a rotatable engagement relationship through the hinge mechanism.

[0019] The aforementioned first direction intersects the rotation axis of the first swing arm 200. More specifically, the first direction is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the first swing arm 200. For example, when the rotation axis of the first swing arm 200 is the length direction of the housing 2, the aforementioned first direction can specifically be the width direction of the housing 2. It should be noted that since the housing 2 is rotatably engaged with the base 100 through devices such as the first swing arm 200, the specific linear direction of the first direction in the electronic device is affected by the state of the electronic device. For example, when the electronic device is in the unfolded state, the first direction is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the base 100 in the hinge mechanism 1, while when the electronic device is in the folded state, the first direction is parallel to the thickness direction of the base 100 in the hinge mechanism 1. Therefore, in this embodiment, the relative relationship between the first direction and the thickness direction of the base 100 is not described or defined.

[0020] For ease of description, in the hinge mechanism 1 in its unfolded state, the distribution direction of the housing connectors 410 on opposite sides of the base 100 is denoted as the width direction of the base 100. In the hinge mechanism 1 in its unfolded state, the first direction is parallel to the width direction of the base 100. Correspondingly, the rotation axis of the first swing arm 200 is the length direction of the base 100, and correspondingly, the thickness direction of the base 100 is perpendicular to both the aforementioned width and length directions. The thickness direction of the base 100 can be... Figure 7 In the direction Z, the width direction of the base 100 can be Figure 7 The direction X in the middle corresponds to the length direction of the base 100, that is, the rotation axis of the first swing arm 200. Figure 7 in the direction Y.

[0021] As described above, the second end of the first swing arm 200 slides in the first groove 411 in the first direction. In this case, when the foldable electronic device is in the folded state and falls or collides, if the side where the base 100 is located is subjected to force, the force will be transmitted to the first swing arm 200 through the base 100, thereby causing the first swing arm 200 to slide relative to the housing 2, resulting in the hinge mechanism 1 collapsing inward, squeezing the display screen 3, and causing damage to the display screen 3 or even the entire electronic device.

[0022] In response to the above problems, this application proposes the technical solution of the hinge mechanism 1 including the second swing arm 300.

[0023] Among them, such as Figure 7 As shown, in the hinge mechanism 1 disclosed in this application embodiment, the first end of the second swing arm 300 is rotatably connected to the base 100, that is, the first ends of both the first swing arm 200 and the second swing arm 300 are rotatably connected to the base 100. As described above, the hinge mechanism includes a mounting shaft 630, wherein, in this application, the mounting shaft 630 is mounted on the base 100, and the first ends of both the first swing arm 200 and the second swing arm 300 are sleeved on the mounting shaft 630 to be rotatably connected to the base 100, such that the first ends of both the first swing arm 200 and the second swing arm 300 are rotatably connected to the base 100 through the mounting shaft 630. That is, in the above embodiment of this application, the rotation axes of the first swing arm 200 and the second swing arm 300 are collinearly arranged, which can significantly reduce the assembly difficulty of the hinge mechanism 1.

[0024] Furthermore, in this application, if Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 6 and Figure 7As shown, the hinge mechanism 1 includes a first link 510, which enables the second swing arm 300 to form a movable engagement relationship with the housing connector 410 via the first link 510. In this case, on the one hand, the difficulty of controlling the motion trajectory of the second swing arm 300 during the deformation process of the hinge mechanism 1 can be reduced; on the other hand, by adopting a hinged connection, the second end of the second swing arm 300 is connected to the housing connector 410, reducing the degree of freedom of the second swing arm 300, thereby improving the motion stability of the second swing arm 300 during the deformation process of the hinge mechanism 1, and also improving the support effect of the second swing arm 300 when the hinge mechanism 1 is in a folded state.

[0025] In detail, such as Figure 7 As shown in this embodiment, the second end of the second swing arm 300 is hinged to the first end of the first connecting rod 510, and the second end of the first connecting rod 510 is hinged to the housing connector 410. Thus, during the rotation of the housing connector 410 relative to the base 100, the housing connector 410 can drive the second swing arm 300 to rotate relative to the base 100 through the first connecting rod 510. During this process, the second swing arm 300 can also rotate relative to the housing connector 410 through the first connecting rod 510, thereby making the rotation angle of the second swing arm 300 relative to the base 100 different from the rotation angle of the housing connector 410 relative to the base 100. This allows the first connecting rod 510 to avoid the second swing arm 300 and the housing connector 410 when the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, and allows the second swing arm 300 to form a mutually supporting relationship with the housing connector 410 through the first connecting rod 510 when the hinge mechanism is in the folded state.

[0026] Specifically, the second swing arm 300 and the first connecting rod 510, as well as the first connecting rod 510 and the housing connector 410, can be interconnected via a shaft-hole type connection structure. More specifically, the second swing arm 300, the first connecting rod 510, and the housing connector 410 can all be provided with through holes, and the hinge mechanism 1 can also include a first pin 521 and a second pin 522. The first pin 521 passes through the through holes of the second end of the second swing arm 300 and the first end of the first connecting rod 510, so that the second swing arm 300 and the first connecting rod 510 form a hinged engagement relationship. Correspondingly, the second pin 522 passes through the through holes of the second end of the first connecting rod 510 and the housing connector 410, so that the first connecting rod 510 and the housing connector 410 form a hinged relationship.

[0027] Of course, in order to prevent the first pin 521 from separating from the second swing arm 300 and the first connecting rod 510, and in order to prevent the second pin 522 from separating from the first connecting rod 510 and the housing connector 410, after the hinge mechanism 1 disclosed in this application is assembled, the opposite ends of the first pin 521 and the second pin 522 are provided with limiting structures such as pins, so as to ensure that the hinge relationship between the second swing arm 300 and the first connecting rod 510, and between the second swing arm 300 and the housing connector 410 is highly stable.

[0028] In order to ensure that the through hole for the second pin 522 can be properly formed on the housing connector 410, such as Figure 11 As shown, the housing connector 410 may be provided with a hinge arm, which protrudes outside the main structure of the housing connector 410, and the hinge arm may be provided with a through hole to ensure that the housing connector 410 can form a stable hinged engagement relationship with the first connecting rod 510.

[0029] To further improve the stability of the hinge relationship between the second swing arm 300 and the first connecting rod 510, in a specific embodiment of this application, such as Figure 10 As shown, the second swing arm 300 can include a swing arm body 310, a first hinge arm 321, and a second hinge arm 322. One end of the swing arm body 310 is rotatably connected to the base 100. Meanwhile, the first hinge arm 321 and the second hinge arm 322 are both fixedly connected to the other end of the swing arm body 310. The first end of the first connecting rod 510 is sandwiched between the first hinge arm 321 and the second hinge arm 322. The first hinge arm 321 and the second hinge arm 322 are both hinged to the first end of the first connecting rod 510.

[0030] By adopting the above technical solution, the first connecting rod 510 and the second swing arm 300 can form a relatively stable limiting relationship in their rotational axes, thereby further improving the reliability of the fit between the first connecting rod 510 and the second swing arm 300. Furthermore, by adopting the above technical solution, the first pin 521 can be inserted into the through holes of the first hinge arm 321, the first connecting rod 510, and the second hinge arm 322, thereby reducing the assembly difficulty between the first connecting rod 510 and the second swing arm 300.

[0031] Of course, in other embodiments of this application, the first end of the first link 510 may be provided with the first hinge arm 321 and the second hinge arm 322, and the second end of the second swing arm 300 may be clamped in the first hinge arm 321 and the second hinge arm 322 of the first link 510.

[0032] Similarly, in order to improve the stability of the hinge relationship between the first link 510 and the housing connector 410, in this application, at least one of the second end of the first link 510 and the housing connector 410 may be provided with a structure similar to the first hinge arm 321 and the second hinge arm 322 described above.

[0033] In one specific embodiment of this application, such as Figure 11 As shown, the housing connector 410 can be provided with a third hinge arm 421 and a fourth hinge arm 422, which are spaced apart from each other. The second end of the first connecting rod 510 is sandwiched between the third hinge arm 421 and the fourth hinge arm 422. Correspondingly, both the third hinge arm 421 and the fourth hinge arm 422 are provided with through holes, and the second pin 522 can be inserted into the third hinge arm 421, the first connecting rod 510 and the fourth hinge arm 422 together, so that the third hinge arm 421 and the fourth hinge arm 422 are both hinged to the second end of the first connecting rod 510, and the first connecting rod 510 and the housing connector 410 form a more stable hinged engagement relationship.

[0034] In the above embodiments of this application, the second swing arm 300 and the first connecting rod 510 in the hinge mechanism 1 can be formed of lightweight hard materials such as plastic. In order to further improve the reliability of the support effect provided by the second swing arm 300 between the base 100 and the housing connector 410, in another embodiment of this application, the second swing arm 300 and the first connecting rod 510 can be formed of metal materials. That is, the second swing arm 300 and the first connecting rod 510 are both metal structural parts. This can further improve the structural reliability of the second swing arm 300 and the first connecting rod 510, thereby further preventing the base 100 from collapsing inward and squeezing the display screen 3 when subjected to compression or impact force because the second swing arm 300 is unable to provide effective support.

[0035] As described above, in the hinge mechanism 1 disclosed in this application embodiment, the second swing arm 300 can rotate relative to the base 100 along with the housing connector 410. When the hinge mechanism 1 is in a folded state, the second end of the second swing arm 300 can support the housing connector 410 in the thickness direction of the base 100 through the first connecting rod 510. Thus, when the base 100 in the electronic device in the folded state is subjected to collision and squeezing forces, the first connecting rod 510 and the second swing arm 300 can provide a limiting support effect for the base 100, preventing the base 100 from collapsing inward and squeezing the display screen 3 located inside the hinge mechanism 1, thereby causing damage to the display screen 3.

[0036] In this application, the housing connector 410 is connected to the housing 2 of the electronic device, and the display screen 3 is installed on one side of the housing 2. Therefore, the side of the housing 2 where the display screen 3 is located is the screen support side of the housing connector 410. During the process of the hinge mechanism 1 switching from the folded state to the unfolded state, the housing connector 410 will move inward relative to the base 100 due to the sliding engagement of the housing connector 410 with the first swing arm 200. In order to prevent the second swing arm 300 from hindering the relative movement between the housing connector 410 and the base 100, when the hinge mechanism 1 disclosed in this application is in the unfolded state, by extending the second end of the second swing arm 300 into one side of the housing connector 410, the second swing arm 300 can provide clearance space for the movement of the housing connector 410.

[0037] Correspondingly, during the process of hinge mechanism 1 switching from the unfolded state to the folded state, the housing connector 410 will displace outward relative to the base 100. Based on this, sufficient space can be provided between the housing connector 410 and the base 100 for the second swing arm 300. Thus, when the hinge mechanism 1 disclosed in this application is in the folded state, by having the second end of the second swing arm 300 support each other with the housing connector 410 through the first connecting rod 510, the second swing arm 300 can be accommodated as a whole between the base 100 and the housing connector 410, thereby enabling the second swing arm 300 to support the housing connector 410 in the thickness direction of the base 100.

[0038] Based on the above structure, when the hinge mechanism 1 is in the folded state, if the side of the base 100 away from the first swing arm 200 and the second swing arm 300 is subjected to a collision force or a squeezing force, the aforementioned force will be obstructed by the housing connector 410 during the process of being transmitted inward through the base 100 and the second swing arm 300. This can prevent the aforementioned force from being transmitted through the base 100 to the first swing arm 200, causing the first swing arm 200 and the housing connector 410 to slide relative to each other, resulting in the display screen 3 being squeezed and damaged.

[0039] This application discloses a hinge mechanism 1, in which the first ends of the first swing arm 200 and the second swing arm 300 are rotatably connected to the base 100 via a mounting shaft, and the second end of the first swing arm 200 is slidably engaged with the first sliding groove 411 of the housing connector 410 in a first direction. At the same time, the second end of the second swing arm 300 is movably connected to the housing connector 410 via a first connecting rod 510, so that when the hinge mechanism 1 switches between an unfolded state and a folded state, the second end of the second swing arm 300 and the housing connector 410 can move relative to each other, and change their relative positions when the hinge mechanism 1 is in different states. Thus, when the hinge mechanism 1 is in the unfolded state, the second end of the second swing arm 300 can use the first connecting rod 510 to avoid the housing connector 410, preventing the second swing arm 300 from interfering with the relative movement between the housing connector 410 and the base.

[0040] Furthermore, during the transition of the hinge mechanism 1 from the unfolded state to the folded state, the first swing arm 200 causes the housing connector 410 to move away from the base 100 along the first direction. This creates a space between the housing connector 410 and the base 100 for the second swing arm 300 when the hinge mechanism 1 is in the folded state. In this case, the first link 510 allows the second swing arm 300 to be positioned between the base 100 and the housing connector 410 as a whole. The second end of the second swing arm 300 can support the housing connector 410 in the thickness direction of the base 100 through the first link 510. This prevents the base 100 from driving the first swing arm 200 to slide relative to the housing connector 410 and press against the display screen 3 when the hinge mechanism 1 and the base 100 in the folded state are subjected to compressive or impact forces. This improves the structural reliability and service life of the display screen 3 and the entire electronic device.

[0041] As described above, when using the technical solution disclosed in the embodiments of this application, when the hinge mechanism is activated, the rotation angle of the second swing arm 300 relative to the base 100 is different from the rotation angle of the first swing arm 200 (and the housing connector 410). Based on this, in a specific embodiment of this application, the rotation angle of the second swing arm 300 relative to the base 100 can be greater than the rotation angle of the first swing arm 200 relative to the base 100. In this case, the length of the first connecting rod 510 and the position of the through holes on the first connecting rod 510 that form a hinge relationship with the second swing arm 300 and the housing connector 410 can be designed accordingly based on the area through which the second swing arm 300 has rotated. Thus, when the hinge mechanism 1 is in the unfolded state, the second end of the second swing arm 300 can extend into the side of the housing connector 410 away from its own screen support side, ensuring that the second swing arm 300 can avoid the housing connector 410 in the first direction and prevent the housing connector 410 from moving normally towards the position of the base 100 along the first direction.

[0042] Since the side of the housing connector 410 facing away from its own screen display side is the outer side of the entire hinge mechanism (and electronic device), and considering that when the above technical solution is adopted, other objects or external forces are easily applied to the second end of the second swing arm 300 when the electronic device is in a folded state, thereby affecting the stability of the hinge mechanism, therefore, in another embodiment of this application, such as Figure 6 As shown, the rotation angle of the second swing arm 300 relative to the base 100 can be smaller than the rotation angle of the first swing arm 200 relative to the base 100. Therefore, when the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the second end of the second swing arm 300 can extend into the side of the housing connector 410 facing the screen support side of the housing connector 410, so as to avoid the housing connector 410 in the first direction.

[0043] When the above technical solution is adopted, when the hinge mechanism (and electronic device) is in a folded state, the second end of the second swing arm 300 can be located entirely inside the housing connector 410. This allows the housing connector 410 to provide shielding and protection for the second swing arm 300, preventing external objects or forces from driving the second swing arm 300 and affecting the stability of the hinge mechanism. Of course, when adopting the technical solution disclosed in this application, the structure of the inner side of the housing connector 410 (i.e., the side where its screen support side is located) needs to be designed to provide accommodating space for the second swing arm 300 and prevent the second swing arm 300 from squeezing the display screen when the hinge mechanism is in a folded state.

[0044] When the hinge mechanism 1 is in the folded state, in order to further improve the retention effect of the abutment relationship between the second swing arm 300 and the housing connector 410, in a specific embodiment of this application, such as Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, the base 100 can include a base body 111 and a limiting flange 112. The limiting flange 112 is connected to one side of the base body 111. When the hinge mechanism 1 is in the folded state, the first end of the second swing arm 300 is limited and engaged with the limiting flange 112, and the limiting flange 112 is used to restrict the second swing arm 300 from continuing to rotate in the same direction. That is, the limiting flange 112 in this application is used to restrict the second swing arm 300 from continuing to rotate towards the screen support side of the base body 111, wherein the screen support side of the base body 111 is... Figure 8 The side above the main body 111.

[0045] In the above embodiments of this application, the base 100 uses its limiting flange 112 as a stop structure, thereby restricting the second swing arm 300 from continuing to rotate inward after reaching the folded position once the hinge mechanism 1 has been deformed into a folded state. Based on this, when the side of the base 100 away from the housing connector 410 in the folded hinge mechanism 1 is subjected to impact or large compressive force, the second swing arm 300 can still be stably supported on the housing connector 410, thus preventing the second swing arm 300 from continuing to rotate inward, thereby preventing the base 100 from squeezing the display screen 3.

[0046] Specifically, the limiting flange 112 and the base body 111 can be integrally formed to improve the connection reliability between the two, thereby improving the stability of the limiting effect of the limiting flange 112. Of course, in practical applications, the specific dimensions and other parameters of the limiting flange 112 can be flexibly determined according to the specific structure of the first end of the second swing arm 300 and the assembly relationship between the first end of the second swing arm 300 and the base 100, etc., and this article does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0047] As described above, during the transition of the hinge mechanism 1 from the folded state to the unfolded state, there is relative movement between the second swing arm 300 and the housing connector 410. This movement allows the second end of the second swing arm 300 to extend into the side of the housing connector 410 facing its own screen support when the hinge mechanism 1 is in the unfolded state. Therefore, during the transition of the hinge mechanism 1 from the folded state to the unfolded state, the second end of the second swing arm 300 needs to extend beyond one side surface of the housing connector 410 to overlap with it.

[0048] Furthermore, to minimize the risk of jamming during relative movement between the second swing arm 300 and the housing connector 410, in one specific embodiment of this application, a clearance rounded corner 301 is provided on the side of the second end of the second swing arm 300 away from the screen support side of the housing connector 410. In other words, when the hinge mechanism 1 is in the unfolded state, the clearance rounded corner 301 on the surface of the second end of the second swing arm 300 near the housing connector 410 significantly reduces the probability of jamming between the second swing arm 300 and the housing connector 410 during relative movement, thereby improving the reliability of the hinge mechanism 1. Of course, the specific dimensions and other parameters of the clearance rounded corner 301 can be flexibly selected according to the specific structure and dimensions of the housing connector 410 and other components in the hinge mechanism 1, and are not limited herein.

[0049] As described above, in order to enable the housings 2 located on opposite sides of the hinge mechanism 1 to form a rotational engagement relationship through the hinge mechanism 1, the base 100 in the hinge mechanism 1 is provided with the aforementioned first swing arm 200 and third swing arm 700 on opposite sides. Based on this, in order to ensure that the first swing arm 200 on either side of the base 100 can maintain a relatively stable engagement relationship with the base 100 after a fall when the hinge mechanism 1 is in a folded state, in a specific embodiment of this application, the base 100 can be provided with second swing arms 300 on opposite sides. Correspondingly, each second swing arm 300 is movably engaged with the corresponding housing connector 410 through a first connecting rod 510. This results in the base 100 having a first swing arm 200, a second swing arm 300, a third swing arm 700, a first connecting rod 510, and a housing connector 410 on opposite sides.

[0050] The second end of each second swing arm 300 is movably engaged with the corresponding housing connector 410 so that when the hinge mechanism 1 is in the folded state, each second swing arm 300 and the corresponding housing connector 410 support each other in the thickness direction of the base 100, thereby ensuring that when the base 100 is subjected to external pressure, neither side of the base 100 will collapse inward relative to the housing 2 (and the housing connector 410), thereby further improving the overall reliability of the hinge mechanism 1.

[0051] More specifically, the first swing arm 200, the second swing arm 300, the third swing arm 700 and the housing connector 410 on opposite sides of the base 100 are arranged symmetrically. The aforementioned symmetry refers to the fact that the corresponding devices have a relatively symmetrical relationship in terms of structure as a whole, and does not mean that any position of the corresponding device in the hinge mechanism 1 is completely symmetrical.

[0052] Based on the above, in the hinge mechanism 1 disclosed in this application embodiment, the base 100 has limiting flanges 112 on both opposite sides of the base body 111. After any second swing arm 300 rotates to its corresponding position with the housing connector 410, it can form a limiting engagement with the corresponding limiting flange 112 on the base 100 to restrict the second swing arm 300 from continuing to rotate inward, thereby preventing excessive folding of the hinge mechanism. Simultaneously, each second end of the second swing arm 300 has a rounded corner 301 on the side furthest from the screen support side to ensure that each second swing arm 300 is not prone to jamming during relative movement with the corresponding housing connector 410. Furthermore, each second swing arm 300 and the first connecting rod 510 can be made of metal, and each second swing arm 300 can be rotatably mounted on the base 100 with its corresponding first swing arm 200 via the same mounting shaft 630.

[0053] In the hinge mechanism 1 disclosed in the above embodiments of this application, the base 100, the first swing arm 200, the third swing arm 700, and the housing connector 410 can all directly or indirectly provide support for the display screen 3 in the device. Based on this, in order to further improve the support effect of the hinge mechanism 1 on the display screen 3 and prevent the display screen 3 from being pressed down by structurally protruding components such as the first swing arm 200 and the third swing arm 700, in another embodiment of this application, the hinge mechanism 1 includes a screen support member 610. The screen support member 610 is disposed on the side of the housing connector 410 facing the screen support side of the housing connector 410. Of course, in the first direction, the screen support member 610 has a certain size to provide a covering effect for components such as the first swing arm 200 and the third swing arm 700. Simultaneously, the side of the screen support member 610 facing the screen support side can generally be a plane to provide good support for the display screen 3.

[0054] To ensure that the screen support 610 does not hinder the bending and deformation of the display screen 3, in the hinge mechanism 1 disclosed in this application embodiment, such as Figure 5 and Figure 12As shown, one of the screen support member 610 and the housing connector 410 is provided with an arc-shaped track groove 620, and the other of the screen support member 610 and the housing connector 410 is provided with an arc-shaped connecting portion 430. By installing the arc-shaped connecting portion 430 within the arc-shaped track groove 620, the screen support member 610 and the housing connector 410 can form a rotational engagement relationship. Furthermore, during the rotation of the housing connector 410 relative to the base 100, the housing connector 410 drives the screen support member 610 to rotate relative to the housing 2, while simultaneously causing relative movement between the screen support member 610 and the housing connector 410. That is, during the switching between the unfolded state and the folded state of the hinge mechanism 1 disclosed in this application embodiment, the screen support member 610 rotates relative to the housing connector 410, and the rotation angle of the screen support member 610 relative to the base 100 is greater than the rotation angle of the housing connector 410 relative to the base 100.

[0055] Typically, in the hinge mechanism 1, the relative rotation angle between the housing connector 410 and the base 100 is approximately 90°. Therefore, in this embodiment, the rotation angle of the screen support 610 relative to the base 100 is greater than 90°. Furthermore, when the hinge mechanism 1 is in the unfolded state, the surface of the screen support 610 facing the screen support side is generally parallel to the screen support side, providing good support for the display screen 3 of the electronic device. Meanwhile, when the hinge mechanism 1 is in the folded state, the surface of the screen support 610 facing the display screen 3 (or the surface of the screen support 610 away from the housing connector 410) is generally inclined relative to the thickness direction of the base 100. In the width direction of the base 100, the distance between the position of the screen support 610 closer to the base 100 and the center of the base 100 along the thickness direction of the base 100 is larger. The width direction of the base 100 is perpendicular to both the rotation axis of the first swing arm 200 and the thickness direction of the base 100.

[0056] More intuitively, screen support members 610 can be provided on both opposite sides of the base 100, and each screen support member 610 is connected to the corresponding housing connector 410 on the opposite side of the base 100. When the hinge mechanism 1 is in the unfolded state, the screen support members 610 on both opposite sides of the base 100 are generally coplanar facing the surface of the display screen 3 and are parallel to the screen support side. When the hinge mechanism 1 is in the folded state, the screen support members 610 on both opposite sides of the base 100 form a flared structure, and the flared structure faces the side where the base 100 is located. This makes the width of the space formed by the two screen support members 610 larger closer to the base 100 in the width direction of the base 100, thereby providing a larger accommodation space for the bent display screen 3, preventing the display screen 3 from being damaged by the two screen support members 610, and improving the service life of the display screen 3 and electronic devices.

[0057] Specifically, the screen support 610 can be a flat structure. In one specific embodiment of this application, the screen support 610 can be formed using lightweight and rigid materials to reduce the weight of the entire hinge mechanism 1, facilitating the development of lightweight electronic devices. Optionally, as... Figure 5 and Figure 12 As shown, in this application, an arc-shaped track groove 620 can be provided at the edge of the screen support 610 along the rotation axis of the first swing arm 200, and as... Figure 2 As shown, an arc-shaped connecting portion 430 is provided on the edge of the housing connector 410 along the rotation axis of the first swing arm 200, and the arc-shaped connecting portion 430 forms a rotational fit with the arc-shaped track groove 620. Of course, in order to ensure a more reliable fit between the housing connector 410 and the screen support 610, arc-shaped connecting portions 430 and arc-shaped track grooves 620 can be provided on opposite sides of the housing connector 410 and the screen support 610, respectively, and the corresponding arc-shaped connecting portions 430 are rotatably installed in the corresponding arc-shaped track grooves 620, thereby improving the movement stability of the screen support 610.

[0058] The relative rotation angle between the screen support 610 and the housing connector 410 can be flexibly selected according to the actual situation, and this article does not limit it. Furthermore, by designing the specific dimensions and structure of the arc-shaped connecting part 430 and the arc-shaped track groove 620, it is possible to make the housing connector 410 rotate relative to the base 100 while simultaneously causing the screen support 610 to rotate. Thus, when the housing connector 410 rotates to the position relative to the base 100, the rotation process between the screen support 610 and the housing connector 410 is also completed accordingly.

[0059] More specifically, by also providing corresponding drive structures on the first swing arm 200 and the third swing arm 700, and providing corresponding arc-shaped structures on the screen support 610, and by having the drive structures of the first swing arm 200 and the third swing arm 700 respectively cooperate with the arc-shaped structures on the screen support 610, the first swing arm 200 and the third swing arm 700 can provide a driving force for the relative movement of the screen support 610 relative to the housing connector 410 during the deformation process of the hinge mechanism, thereby further improving the movement stability of the screen support.

[0060] More specifically, in the embodiments of this application, the first swing arm 200 and the third swing arm 700 are respectively provided with a first drive shaft and a second drive shaft. Correspondingly, the screen support 610 is also provided with a first track groove and a second track groove, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the first drive shaft extends into the first track groove, and the second drive shaft extends into the second track groove. Based on the motion trajectory of the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft during the deformation process of the hinge mechanism, the specific structure of the first track groove and the second track groove is designed accordingly, so that the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft can provide a relatively stable driving effect for the screen support 610.

[0061] As described above, this application may also include a damping mechanism. Therefore, in a specific embodiment of this application, the damping mechanism may include a cam 810 and an elastic element 820. Accordingly, the end face of the first swing arm 200 facing the cam 810 may be provided with a cam surface so that the first swing arm 200 can form a cam 810 engagement relationship with the cam 810, and the elastic element 820 provides an elastic compression force for the cam 810 and the first swing arm 200 so that the first swing arm 200 has a certain damping feel during the rotation relative to the base 100.

[0062] Of course, in order to enable the damping mechanism to form a more reliable assembly relationship with the base 100 and other components, the elastic element 820 and the cam 810 can both be sleeved on the mounting shaft 630, and the damping mechanism can also include components such as the retaining ring 840. In order to prevent the mounting shaft 630 from moving relative to the positioning frame, one end of the mounting shaft 630 can be provided with an end cap, and after the mounting shaft 630 passes through the first swing arm 200, the cam 810 and the elastic element 820, a retaining ring 840 is provided at the other end of the mounting shaft 630 to provide axial limiting for the mounting shaft 630.

[0063] Additionally, meshing teeth 210 can be provided on the outer surface of the first swing arm 200, and the gear shaft 830 can be used to provide synchronization for the first swing arms 200 located on opposite sides of the base 100, enabling the first swing arms 200 on opposite sides of the base 100 to rotate synchronously relative to the base 100, either facing each other or moving away from each other. The gear shaft 830 is a rotating shaft with gears on its outer circumference. The gear shaft 830 can be mounted on the base 100, and there can be multiple gear shafts 830 to reduce the diameter of each gear shaft 830.

[0064] As described above, a third swing arm 700 can also be provided in the hinge mechanism 1 to make the assembly relationship between the base 100 and the housing connector 410 more stable. In the above embodiment, one end of each third swing arm 700 can be rotatably connected to the base 100, and the other end of the third swing arm 700 can be rotatably connected to the housing connector 410.

[0065] In another embodiment of this application, one end of the third swing arm 700 can be rotatably connected to the base 100, and the other end of the third swing arm 700 can also have relative sliding capability with respect to the housing connector 410. Specifically, in embodiments of this application, such as... Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, a bearing-type connection structure can be used to make the first end of the third swing arm 700 rotate with the base 100. In this case, the rotation axis between the third swing arm 700 and the base 100 can be located outside the base 100, so as to increase the rotation angle range between the third swing arm 700 and the base 100, thereby expanding the screen space of the hinge mechanism 1.

[0066] Meanwhile, the second end of the third swing arm 700 forms a rotatable and movable connection with the housing connector 410. Specifically, the housing connector 410 is provided with a second groove 412, and the extension direction of the second groove 412 has a component parallel to the thickness direction of the housing connector 410. In this case, by mounting the second end of the third swing arm 700 in the second groove 412, the second end of the third swing arm 700 can move relative to the housing connector 410 along the extension direction of the second groove 412. During the movement of the third swing arm 700 relative to the second groove 412, the third swing arm 700 can also rotate relative to the second groove 412, thereby allowing the third swing arm 700 and the housing connector 410 to rotate relative to each other during the switching between the hinge mechanism 1 in the unfolded state and the folded state.

[0067] In the above embodiments, the second groove 412 can extend along the thickness direction of the housing connector 410. In another embodiment of this application, the second groove 412 can also have corresponding components in both the thickness direction and the width direction of the housing connector 410. When the hinge mechanism 1 is in the unfolded state, the width direction of the housing connector 410 is parallel to the width direction of the base 100. Therefore, in this embodiment, the second groove 412 is inclined relative to both the thickness direction and the width direction of the housing connector 410. It should be noted that although the second groove 412 disclosed in this embodiment is inclined relative to both the aforementioned thickness and width directions, in this embodiment, the second groove 412 is still generally a straight groove structure.

[0068] Specifically, when the hinge mechanism 1 is in the unfolded state, the end of the second slide groove 412 away from the screen support side can be relatively closer to the base 100 of the hinge mechanism 1. That is, when the hinge mechanism 1 is in the unfolded state, the distance between the end of the second slide groove 412 away from the screen support side of the hinge mechanism 1 and the base 100 in the width direction of the base 100 is smaller than the distance between the end of the second slide groove 412 closer to the screen support side of the hinge mechanism 1 and the base 100 in the width direction of the base 100.

[0069] To further improve the stability and continuity of the relative motion between the first swing arm 200 and the third swing arm 700 and the housing connector 410, and to ensure that the first swing arm 200 and the third swing arm 700 can reliably and completely execute the preset motion trajectory when rotating with the housing connector 410 relative to the base 100, in a specific embodiment of this application, the hinge mechanism 1 may further include a second link 530, with the first end of the second link 530 rotatably connected to the first swing arm 200 and the second end of the second link 530 rotatably connected to the third swing arm 700. This allows the second link 530 to correlate the motion processes of the first swing arm 200 and the third swing arm 700, thereby improving the thoroughness and reliability of the execution of the motion processes of the first swing arm 200 and the third swing arm 700.

[0070] As described above, the third swing arm 700 can be rotatably connected to the base 100 through a bearing-like structure. To this end, an arc-shaped groove can be provided at a corresponding position on the base 100, and the third swing arm 700 can be embedded in and rotatably connected to the arc-shaped groove so that the third swing arm 700 can be rotatably connected to the base 100.

[0071] In one specific embodiment of this application, to reduce the assembly difficulty between the third swing arm 700 and the base 100, the base 100 can include a seat body 110 and a pressure cover 120, and at least one of the seat body 110 and the pressure cover 120 is provided with a rotating groove. After the third swing arm 700 is assembled with the rotating groove, the pressure cover 120 and the seat body 110 are fixedly connected by screws or other connecting parts. This allows the third swing arm 700 to be limited and positioned between the seat body 110 and the pressure cover 120 in the thickness direction of the base 100, and allows the third swing arm 700 to form a reliable rotating connection with the base 100 through the aforementioned rotating groove. Based on the hinge mechanism 1 disclosed in the embodiments of this application, the seat body 110 can include the aforementioned seat body 111 and a limiting flange 112.

[0072] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element. Furthermore, it should be noted that the scope of the methods and apparatuses in the embodiments of this application is not limited to performing functions in the order shown or discussed, but may also include performing functions substantially simultaneously or in the reverse order, depending on the functions involved. For example, the described methods may be performed in a different order than described, and various steps may be added, omitted, or combined. Additionally, features described with reference to certain examples may be combined in other examples.

[0073] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A hinge mechanism, characterized in that, It includes a base, a first swing arm, a second swing arm, a housing connector, a first connecting rod, and a mounting shaft, wherein, The mounting shaft is mounted on the base. The first ends of the first swing arm and the second swing arm are rotatably connected to the base through the mounting shaft. The housing connector is provided with a first sliding groove. The second end of the first swing arm slides in cooperation with the first sliding groove in a first direction. The first direction intersects with the rotation axis of the first swing arm. The second end of the second swing arm is hinged to the first end of the first connecting rod, and the second end of the first connecting rod is hinged to the housing connector. When the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the second end of the second swing arm supports each other in the thickness direction of the base through the first connecting rod and the housing connector.

2. The hinge mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotation angle of the second swing arm relative to the base is smaller than the rotation angle of the first swing arm relative to the base, and when the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the second end of the second swing arm extends into the side of the housing connector facing the screen support side of the housing connector, so as to avoid the housing connector in the first direction.

3. The hinge mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base includes a base body and a limiting flange. The limiting flange is connected to one side of the base body. When the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the first end of the second swing arm is limited and engaged with the limiting flange. The limiting flange is used to restrict the second swing arm from continuing to rotate towards the screen support side of the base body.

4. The hinge mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second end of the second swing arm has a rounded corner on the side away from the screen support side of the housing connector.

5. The hinge mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the second swing arm and the first connecting rod are metal structural components.

6. The hinge mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second swing arm includes a swing arm body, a first hinge arm, and a second hinge arm. One end of the swing arm body is rotatably connected to the mounting shaft. The first hinge arm and the second hinge arm are both fixedly connected to the other end of the swing arm body. The first end of the first connecting rod is sandwiched between the first hinge arm and the second hinge arm. The first hinge arm and the second hinge arm are both hinged to the first end of the first connecting rod.

7. The hinge mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing connector is provided with a third hinge arm and a fourth hinge arm. The second end of the first connecting rod is sandwiched between the third hinge arm and the fourth hinge arm, and both the third hinge arm and the fourth hinge arm are hinged to the second end of the first connecting rod.

8. The hinge mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base is provided with a first swing arm, a second swing arm and a housing connector on both opposite sides. The second end of each second swing arm is movably engaged with the corresponding housing connector through the first connecting rod, so that when the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, each second swing arm and the corresponding housing connector support each other in the thickness direction.

9. The hinge mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hinge mechanism includes a screen support member, which is disposed on the side of the housing connector where the screen support side is located. One of the screen support member and the housing connector is provided with an arc-shaped track groove, and the other of the screen support member and the housing connector is provided with an arc-shaped connecting part. The arc-shaped connecting part is rotatably installed in the arc-shaped track groove. During the switching of the hinge mechanism between the unfolded state and the folded state, the screen support rotates relative to the housing connector, such that the rotation angle of the screen support relative to the base is greater than the rotation angle of the housing connector relative to the base.

10. An electronic device, characterized in that, The device includes a housing, a display screen, and a hinge mechanism as described in any one of claims 1-9, wherein the two housings are rotatably connected by the hinge mechanism, and the display screen is mounted on the housing.

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