Crawler flexible screen flattener

Abstract

The application discloses a caterpillar type flexible screen flattener which is applied to a touch display panel device and is related to the full screen and front camera mechanism (basic patent, application number: 2026103503645) submitted by the applicant and is an improvement on the flexible screen flattener in the basic patent. The caterpillar type flexible screen flattener provides flat support for the flexible screen, improves the flattening effect, reduces abrasion, avoids the screen from bearing tensile stress through timing control, and prolongs the service life of the screen. The caterpillar type flexible screen flattener directly replaces the planar flexible screen flattener in the basic patent.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of touch display panel devices, and more specifically, to a flattener for a flexible screen, and a touch display panel device including the flattener. This application is related to the applicant's patent application entitled "Front-facing camera hiding mechanism" (application number: 2026105825304) (hereinafter referred to as the "basic patent"). This patent improves the "flexible screen flattener" in the basic patent. Background Technology

[0002] The basic patent discloses a solution that uses a vertically movable plane (referred to as a "flexible screen flattener" in the basic patent) to open and close the upper part of a flexible screen, flattening the flexible screen and hiding the front-facing camera. This application addresses the technical problems existing in the basic patent by proposing a novel tracked flexible screen flattener. The flexible screen and flexible screen flattener in the basic patent suffer from problems such as sliding friction on the back of the flexible screen and tensile stress generated during start-up and stop of movement. Therefore, a mechanism is needed that can improve the screen flattening effect, reduce wear, and optimize movement timing. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The tracked flexible screen flattener provided by the present invention includes: a track mechanism (7), a track driver (8), a guide wheel (9), a guide wheel support frame (10), and an active or passive drive mechanism (11). The track mechanism (7) has a first side and a second side, the width of which matches the flexible screen (3). The lower end of the first side of the track mechanism (7) is fixed, and the second side of the track mechanism (7) hangs over the guide wheel (9) on the other side. The second side of the track mechanism (7) is connected to the track driver (8). The guide wheel (9) is located inside the track mechanism (7) to support and guide the track mechanism (7). The guide wheel (9) is installed on the upper end of the guide wheel support frame (10), and the active or passive drive mechanism (11) is installed on the lower end of the guide wheel support frame (10) and continuously applies an upward force to the guide wheel support frame (10), so that the guide wheel (9) presses against the track mechanism (7) from the inside, and keeps the first and second sides of the track mechanism (7) in a taut state at all times. The track drive (8) is located at the lower end of the second side of the track mechanism (7). When the track drive (8) is in operation, it can overcome the upward force exerted on the track mechanism (7) by the active or passive drive mechanism (11) and pull the second side of the track mechanism (7) downward. Since the lower end of the first side of the track mechanism (7) is fixed, when the second side of the track mechanism (7) is pulled downward, it will drive the guide wheel (9) and the guide wheel support frame (10) to move downward. When the track drive (8) releases the pulling force, the guide wheel (9), the guide wheel support frame (10) and the second side of the track mechanism (7) will return to their original positions due to the continuous upward force of the active or passive drive mechanism (11).

[0004] Unlike the planar flexible screen flattener in the basic patent, the tracked flexible screen flattener of this invention adopts a track structure. The first side of the track mechanism (7) is in contact with the back of the flexible screen (3) and is relatively stationary, eliminating sliding friction. At the same time, the tracked flexible screen flattener and the flexible screen (3) are moved in steps through timing control to avoid tensile stress. During operation: When moving downward, the track driver (8) first pulls down the second side of the track mechanism (7) to make the guide wheel (9) and the guide wheel support frame (10) sink, and then the flexible screen driver (6) pulls down the flexible screen (3). When moving upward, the flexible screen driver (6) first releases the tension on the flexible screen (3), and the track driver (8) then releases the tension on the second side of the track mechanism (7). The active or passive drive mechanism (11) pushes the guide wheel (9) and the guide wheel support frame (10) to rise, and the first side of the track gradually flattens the flexible screen and pushes it back to its original position.

[0005] The beneficial effects of this invention are: providing a flat and continuous support surface, improving the screen flattening effect; eliminating sliding friction between the back of the screen and the flattener, avoiding back wear; and avoiding instantaneous tensile stress on the screen through time-sequential motion, thus extending the life of the flexible screen. Attached Figure Description

[0006] Figure 1 A 3D diagram of the internal structure. Figure 2 Add 3D drawings to the components. Figure 3 This is a side cross-sectional view of the front-facing camera (4) in a hidden state. Figure 4 A side cross-sectional view of the front-facing camera (4) in its exposed state, as shown below. Figure 3 The main components of the tracked flexible screen flattener shown are the equipment shell (1), transparent cover plate (2), flexible screen (3), front camera (4), flexible screen zipper (5), flexible screen driver (6), track mechanism (7), track driver (8), guide wheel (9), guide wheel support frame (10), active or passive drive mechanism (11), and track zipper (12). Figure 3 When the track drive (8) of the tracked flexible screen flattener releases the tension on the second side of the track mechanism (7), the guide wheel (9), the guide wheel support frame (10), and the second side of the track mechanism (7) will reset due to the continuous upward force of the active or passive drive mechanism (11). The flexible screen (3) and the transparent cover plate (2) are flatly attached, and the front camera (4) is hidden behind the flexible screen (3) and the tracked flexible screen flattener. Figure 4 When the track driver (8) of the tracked flexible screen flattener drives the track mechanism (7) to the lowest point on the second side, the flexible screen driver (6) drives the flexible screen zipper (5) to pull the flexible screen (3) to the lowest point, and the front camera (4) can be fully exposed. Detailed Implementation

[0007] This embodiment provides a tracked flexible screen flattener for use in a mobile phone. The mobile phone also includes the device casing, transparent cover, flexible screen, front-facing camera, flexible screen zipper, and flexible screen driver described in the basic patent. The difference lies in replacing the planar flexible screen flattener in the basic patent with the tracked flexible screen flattener of this embodiment. The technical solution of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and descriptions. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention. Example 1

[0008] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the tracked flexible screen flattener includes: a micro-chain track, at least one or more guide wheels arranged in a row, a guide wheel bracket, a track driver (micro-motor), and a passive drive mechanism (spring mechanism). The lower end of the first side of the track is fixed to the phone's frame via a fixed connection. The lower end of the second side of the track is connected to the track driver. The flexible screen bypasses the top of the tracked flexible screen flattener, with its back surface adhering to the first side of the track, and its drooping end connected to another motor (i.e., the flexible screen driver in the basic patent). The front-facing camera is located behind the flexible screen and the tracked flexible screen flattener. The difference from the basic patent is that in the basic patent, the back of the flexible screen directly contacts the movable planar flexible screen flattener, resulting in sliding friction. In this embodiment, the back of the flexible screen adheres to the first side of the track, and this side is fixed, with no relative sliding between them; simultaneously, time-sequential control of the track driver and the flexible screen driver is added. The motion timing is executed by the phone's main control chip (timing control module): Downward movement (exposing the camera): The track driver pulls down the second side of the micro-chain track, and the guide wheel and guide wheel begin to be compressed and moved downward (at this time, the flexible screen has not yet moved); then the flexible screen driver pulls down the flexible screen, the screen moves downward, and the camera is exposed. During the downward movement and when it moves to the lowest point, the upper part of the flexible screen that is not in contact with the first side of the micro-chain track remains in a relaxed state. Upward movement (hiding the camera): The flexible screen driver releases the tension of the flexible screen (the flexible screen relaxes); the track driver then releases the track tension; the compression spring of the passive drive mechanism pushes the guide wheel upward, and the first side of the track pushes the flexible screen back upward, obscuring the camera. Example 2

[0009] Unlike Example 1, the track mechanism uses a miniature belt structure.

[0010] Relationship with the basic patent: The tracked flexible screen flattener of this invention can directly replace the planar flattener in the basic patent without modifying other components of the mobile terminal (transparent cover, housing, flexible screen driving mechanism, front-facing camera, etc.). The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this invention. Any modifications or equivalent substitutions within the spirit and principles of this invention are included within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. A tracked flexible screen flattener for supporting and flattening flexible screens in touch display panel devices, characterized in that, include: A track mechanism whose width matches the width of a flexible screen, the track mechanism having a first side and a second side; At least one guide wheel is disposed on the inner side of the track mechanism for supporting and guiding the movement of the track mechanism; a fixed connection part is disposed at the lower end of the first side of the track mechanism for fixing the first side to the housing or internal support of the mobile terminal; a drive component is disposed at the lower end of the second side of the track mechanism for driving the track; an active or passive drive mechanism acts on the guide wheel, continuously applying an upward force to the guide wheel to keep the track mechanism taut at all times; wherein, the first side of the track mechanism is used to fit against the back of the flexible screen, and the first side remains stationary relative to the back of the flexible screen during the movement of the flexible screen; when the track driver pulls down the second side, the track mechanism drives the guide wheel to move downward against the continuous upward force of the active or passive drive mechanism. When the track driver releases the downward force on the second side, the continuous upward force of the active or passive drive mechanism pushes the guide wheel to drive the track mechanism upward.

2. The tracked flexible screen flattener according to claim 1, characterized in that, The track mechanism may be a belt structure, a chain structure, or other track structures.

3. The tracked flexible screen flattener according to claim 1, characterized in that, It includes a timing control module for controlling the motion timing between the track drive device and the flexible screen drive mechanism of the mobile terminal.

4. The tracked flexible screen flattener according to claim 3, characterized in that, The motion sequence is as follows: during the process of the flexible screen moving downward to expose the front camera, the track drive device first pulls down the second side, causing the guide wheel to move downward by a first predetermined distance, and then the flexible screen drive mechanism drives the flexible screen to move downward. During the process of the flexible screen moving upward to hide the front camera, the flexible screen driving mechanism first releases the tension on the flexible screen, the track driving device then releases the second side, and then the active or passive driving mechanism pushes the guide wheel upward, driving the track mechanism to gradually flatten the flexible screen and push it back to its original position.

5. The tracked flexible screen flattener according to claims 1 and 4, characterized in that, The active or passive drive mechanism may be one or more combinations of compression springs, tension springs, torsion springs, spring sheets, magnetic repulsion mechanisms, motors, or other drive devices.

6. The flexible screen flattener according to claim 1, characterized in that, The track drive device can be a micro linear motor, a stepper motor, a memory alloy brake, or other drive devices.

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