Door panel, hinge assembly, screen assembly, and electronic device

Abstract

This application relates to the field of foldable electronic device technology, and discloses a door panel, a hinge assembly, a screen assembly, and an electronic device. An embodiment of this application provides a door panel with an integrated structure, comprising a first part, a second part, and a third part sequentially arranged along its width direction; wherein the bending capacity of the second part is greater than that of the first part and greater than that of the third part. The integrated door panel provided in this application embodiment can form a plane when unfolded, allowing the flexible screen of the electronic device to be completely attached to this plane, thereby improving the support for the flexible screen.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of foldable electronic device technology, and in particular to a door panel, hinge assembly, screen assembly and electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] As consumer demands increase, foldable electronic devices are gaining more and more attention and popularity. The hinge assembly is a key functional component of foldable electronic devices. The hinge assembly typically includes a door panel, which primarily supports and assists in the folding of the flexible screen of the foldable electronic device.

[0003] However, current door panels have a three-section structure, consisting of a left door panel, a middle door panel, and a right door panel. There are typically gaps between the left and middle door panels, and between the middle and right door panels. This means that if a heat source (such as a high-power device in an electronic device) is located in an area covered by one door panel (e.g., the left door panel), the other door panel (e.g., the right door panel) cannot quickly conduct heat. Furthermore, the left, middle, and right door panels cannot form a flat surface when unfolded. This results in the flexible screen not fitting completely against the door panel, leading to weaker support and making the flexible screen more prone to creases. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned issues, embodiments of this application provide a door panel, a hinge assembly, a screen assembly, and an electronic device.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a door panel, which is an integral structure. The door panel includes a first part, a second part, and a third part arranged sequentially along its width direction; wherein the bending capacity of the second part is greater than that of the first part and greater than that of the third part.

[0006] The integrated door panel provided in this application embodiment can form a flat surface when unfolded, allowing the flexible screen of the electronic device to be completely attached to this surface, thereby improving the support for the flexible screen. Furthermore, since the integrated door panel has no steps or holes, its overall structure allows for rapid heat conduction from heat sources in the electronic device.

[0007] In some possible implementations of the first aspect mentioned above, the thermal conductivity of both the first and third parts is greater than that of the second part.

[0008] It is understandable that the first and third parts of the door panel are usually located in electronic devices where high-power electronic components need to be installed. Therefore, the thermal conductivity of the first and third parts can be set to be relatively large to facilitate the rapid heat dissipation of high-power electronic components.

[0009] In some possible implementations of the first aspect above, the door panel includes one or more layers of material, the one or more layers of material including a first material layer; the elastic modulus of the first material layer in the second part is greater than the elastic modulus of the first material layer in the first part, and is also greater than the elastic modulus of the first material layer in the third part.

[0010] Thus, the second part of the door panel, due to its high modulus, can withstand bending forces. When used to support the bending parts of the flexible screen, it can bend together with the bending parts, providing support for the bending parts and effectively improving the bending resistance of the flexible screen's bending parts.

[0011] In some possible implementations of the first aspect described above, the thermal conductivity of the first material layer in the first part and the thermal conductivity of the first material layer in the third part are respectively greater than the thermal conductivity of the first material layer in the second part.

[0012] It is understandable that thermal conductivity is a parameter that measures the ability to conduct heat; the higher the thermal conductivity, the stronger the ability to conduct heat.

[0013] In some possible implementations of the first aspect above, the first material layer in the second part includes a plurality of first material regions and a plurality of second material regions, the first material regions and the second material regions are alternately arranged along the length direction of the door panel, and the material of the first material region is the first material, the material of the second material region is the second material, and the elastic modulus of the first material is greater than that of the second material.

[0014] It's understandable that the higher modulus of the first material improves the bending resistance of the second part. The higher thermal conductivity of the second material ensures good thermal conductivity in the second part.

[0015] In some possible implementations of the first aspect above, the material of the first material layer in the first part, and / or the material of the first material layer in the third part, is the second material.

[0016] It is understandable that when the materials of the first material layer in the first part and the first material layer in the third part are both the second material, and the material of the second material region of the first material layer in the second part is the second material, cross-axis heat dissipation can be achieved.

[0017] In some possible implementations of the first aspect described above, the material of the first material layer in the second part includes at least one of the following: stainless steel, alloy steel, aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy, and titanium alloy.

[0018] In some possible implementations of the first aspect above, the material of the first material layer in the first part, or the material of the first material layer in the third part, includes at least one of the following: pure copper, pure silver, copper-based composite material, and silver-based composite material.

[0019] In some possible implementations of the first aspect described above, the first material layer in the first part includes a third material region and a fourth material region connected along the width direction, the fourth material region being located between the third material region and the second part; the first material layer in the second part includes a fifth material region and a sixth material region stacked along the thickness direction of the door panel; and the material of the third material region is the third material, the materials of the fourth material region and the sixth material region are both the fourth material, the material of the fifth material region is the fifth material, and the thermal conductivity of the third material and the thermal conductivity of the fourth material are respectively greater than the thermal conductivity of the fifth material.

[0020] In some possible implementations of the first aspect described above, the size of the third material region is larger than the size of the fourth material region along the width direction, and the thermal conductivity of the third material is greater than that of the fourth material and also greater than that of the fifth material.

[0021] In some possible implementations of the first aspect described above, the door panel further includes a second material layer, wherein the first material layer and the second material layer are stacked along the thickness direction of the door panel, and the thermal conductivity of the second material layer is greater than that of the first material layer in the second part.

[0022] It is understandable that the second material layer of the door panel can be set closer to the electronic components inside the electronic device, so that the high thermal conductivity of the second material layer can be used to dissipate the heat generated by the electronic components.

[0023] In some possible implementations of the first aspect described above, the ratio between the thickness of the first material layer and the thickness of the second material layer is 10 to 20.

[0024] In some possible implementations of the first aspect above, the material of the second material layer includes at least one of the following: pure copper, pure silver, copper-based composite material, and silver-based composite material.

[0025] In some possible implementations of the first aspect mentioned above, the dimension of the door panel along its thickness direction is 0.02 mm to 0.2 mm.

[0026] In some possible implementations of the first aspect described above, the door panel is located on a first surface at one end in its thickness direction, and the first surface is a plane.

[0027] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a pivot assembly, including a pivot mechanism and a door panel as described in the first aspect. The pivot mechanism includes a first part and a second part that are rotatable relative to each other. The first part of the pivot mechanism is rotatably connected to the first part of the door panel, and the second part of the pivot mechanism is connected to the third part of the door panel.

[0028] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide an electronic device, including a housing, a flexible screen, and a pivot assembly as described in the second aspect above. The housing includes a first housing and a second housing, which are respectively connected to a first part and a second part of the pivot mechanism, enabling the electronic device to switch between an unfolded state and a folded state. The flexible screen is disposed on the housing, and a door panel is disposed between the flexible screen and the housing to support the flexible screen.

[0029] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a screen assembly, including a display screen and a display screen support plate, wherein the display screen support plate is stacked on the back of the display screen; wherein the display screen support plate is an integral structure, and the display screen support plate includes a first part, a second part and a third part arranged sequentially along its width direction; wherein the thermal conductivity of the first part and the third part is greater than that of the second part, and the bending capacity of the second part is greater than that of the first part and greater than that of the third part.

[0030] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide an electronic device, including a housing and a screen assembly as described in the fourth aspect above, with a display screen covering the housing and a display screen support plate disposed between the display screen and the housing.

[0031] The beneficial effects of the second to fifth aspects mentioned above can be referred to the beneficial effects of the first aspect, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Figure 1A According to some embodiments of this application, a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a foldable phone 1 in an unfolded state is shown;

[0033] Figure 1B According to some embodiments of this application, a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a foldable phone 1 in a folded state is shown;

[0034] Figure 1C According to some embodiments of this application, a side view of a foldable phone 1 in an unfolded state is shown;

[0035] Figure 1D According to some embodiments of this application, a side view of a foldable phone 1 in a folded state is shown;

[0036] Figure 2A According to some embodiments of this application, a side view of another foldable phone 1 in its unfolded state is shown;

[0037] Figure 2B According to some embodiments of this application, a side view of another foldable phone 1 in a folded state is shown;

[0038] Figure 3A A perspective view of a first type of door panel 310 is shown according to some embodiments of this application;

[0039] Figure 3B According to some embodiments of this application, a top view of a first type of door panel 310 is shown;

[0040] Figure 4A A perspective view of a second type of door panel 310 is shown according to some embodiments of this application;

[0041] Figure 4B According to some embodiments of this application, a top view of a second type of door panel 310 is shown;

[0042] Figure 4C According to some embodiments of this application, a method along Figure 4B A schematic diagram of the cross-section along the AA direction shown in the figure;

[0043] Figure 5A According to some embodiments of this application, a perspective view of a third type of door panel 310 is shown;

[0044] Figure 5B According to some embodiments of this application, a top view of a third type of door panel 310 is shown;

[0045] Figure 6A According to some embodiments of this application, a perspective view of a fourth type of door panel 310 is shown;

[0046] Figure 6B According to some embodiments of this application, a top view of a fourth type of door panel 310 is shown;

[0047] Figure 7 According to some embodiments of this application, a side view of a flat-screen electronic device 2 is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0048] The illustrative embodiments of this application include, but are not limited to, a door panel, a hinge assembly, a screen assembly, and an electronic device.

[0049] It is understood that the door panel of this application embodiment can be used as a hinge assembly in a foldable electronic device to support the flexible screen when the foldable electronic device is unfolded / folded.

[0050] It should be noted that the types of foldable electronic devices include, but are not limited to, foldable mobile phones, tablet computers, e-book readers, laptop computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), personal computers, notebooks, in-vehicle devices, wearable devices, etc., and this application does not limit them. Furthermore, foldable electronic devices can have a two-fold structure, a three-fold structure, or other multi-fold structures. For ease of explanation, the following example uses a two-fold foldable mobile phone as an example.

[0051] Figure 1A and Figure 1B An exemplary structure of the foldable phone 1 in an embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 1A This is a schematic diagram of the foldable phone 1 in its unfolded state. Figure 1B This is a schematic diagram of the foldable phone 1 in its folded state.

[0052] It should be noted that in the figures of this application, the X-axis can represent the length of the foldable phone 1 or the length of the door panel; the Y-axis can represent the width of the foldable phone 1 or the width of the door panel; and the Z-axis can represent the thickness of the foldable phone 1 or the thickness of the door panel. The X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis can be perpendicular to each other.

[0053] Furthermore, in the embodiments of this application, such as Figure 1A As shown, the dimension of the folding phone 1 / door panel in the length direction (e.g., the X-axis direction) can be greater than its dimension in the width direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction). In other embodiments, the dimension of the folding phone 1 / door panel in the length direction can also be less than or equal to its dimension in the width direction. This application does not limit the relationship between the dimensions of the folding phone 1 / door panel in the length direction and its dimensions in the width direction.

[0054] like Figure 1A and Figure 1B As shown, the foldable phone 1 includes a first housing 10, a second housing 20, a hinge assembly 30, and a flexible screen 40 (not shown). The hinge assembly 30 is located between the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 and is connected to the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 respectively. The flexible screen 40 covers the first housing 10, the second housing 20, and the hinge assembly 30.

[0055] like Figure 1A As shown, when the foldable phone 1 is in the unfolded state, the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 are located on both sides of the hinge assembly 30 along the Y-axis, and correspondingly, the flexible screen 40 is in the unfolded state. Figure 1BAs shown, when the foldable phone 1 is in a folded state, the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 are stacked relative to each other along the Z-axis direction, and correspondingly, the flexible screen 40 is in a folded state.

[0056] It is understood that the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 can rotate relative to each other around the X-axis via the pivot assembly 30, causing the flexible screen 40 to unfold or bend, and causing the foldable phone 1 to... Figure 1A The expansion state shown is Figure 1B Switching between the folded states shown.

[0057] It should be noted that the folded state of the foldable phone 1 provided in this application embodiment is not limited to... Figure 1B The inward folding method shown is the way in which the flexible screen 40 is located between the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 after folding. It can also be folded in a way in which the flexible screen 40 is exposed after folding (i.e., outward folding method).

[0058] Continue reading Figure 1A The pivot assembly 30 may include a door panel 310, which is disposed between the first housing 10 / second housing 20 and the flexible screen 40, and is mainly used to support and assist the unfolding and folding of the flexible screen 40. It should be noted that... Figure 1A Since the flexible screen 40 is installed on the door panel 310, the door panel 310 is indicated by a dashed line.

[0059] In some embodiments, the door panel 310 has a three-section structure. For example, the door panel 310 includes a first side door panel 311, a second side door panel 312, and a middle door panel 313, with the middle door panel 313 located between the first side door panel 311 and the second side door panel 312. The first side door panel 311 can be connected to the first housing 10 to support the flexible screen 40 covering the first housing 10. The second side door panel 312 can be connected to the second housing 20 to support the flexible screen 40 covering the second housing 20. The middle door panel 313 is used to support the bent portion of the flexible screen 40 when the folding phone 1 is unfolded / folded, reducing the crease depth of the bent portion of the flexible screen 40.

[0060] For ease of understanding, Figure 1C A side view of the foldable phone 1 in its unfolded state is shown in some embodiments. Figure 1D A side view of the foldable phone 1 in a folded state is shown in some embodiments.

[0061] like Figure 1C and Figure 1DAs shown, the pivot assembly 30 also includes a pivot mechanism 320, which includes a first part 321 and a second part 322 (hereinafter referred to as the first rotating part 321 and the second rotating part 322) capable of relative rotation, and a base 323. The base 323 extends along the X-axis, and the first rotating part 321 and the second rotating part 322 are rotatably connected through the base 323. Furthermore, the first rotating part 321 is connected to the first side door panel 311 (e.g., rotatable connection, sliding connection), and the second rotating part 322 is connected to the second side door panel 312 (e.g., rotatable connection, sliding connection).

[0062] It is understood that the first rotating part 321 is connected to the first housing 10, and the second rotating part 322 is connected to the second housing 20. Thus, the first side panel 311 is connected to the first housing 10 via the first rotating part 321, and the second side panel 312 is connected to the second housing 20 via the second rotating part 322. In this way, when the first rotating part 321 and the second rotating part 322 rotate relative to each other around the base 323, they can drive the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 to rotate relative to each other, causing the foldable phone 1 to unfold / fold. Simultaneously, they drive the first side panel 311 and the second side panel 312 to rotate relative to each other, thus supporting the flexible screen 40 during the unfolding / folding process of the foldable phone 1.

[0063] However, as Figure 1C and Figure 1D As shown, in the three-section door panel 310, there are holes between the first side door panel 311 and the middle door panel 313, and between the second side door panel 312 and the middle door panel 313. Furthermore, when the folding phone 1 is in the unfolded state, there is a step difference between the middle door panel 313, the first side door panel 311, and the second side door panel 312, preventing them from forming a single plane. For example… Figure 1C As shown, along the Z-axis, there is a gap between the first side door panel 311 / second side door panel 312 and the flexible screen 40, which prevents the flexible screen 40 from being fully attached to the door panel 310.

[0064] It is understandable that the presence of holes and segment differences results in insufficient support for the flexible screen 40 provided by the three-section door panel 310, thus affecting the reliability of the flexible screen 40. For example, when the foldable phone 1 is dropped while folded, the three-section door panel 310 cannot provide rigid support for the flexible screen 40, making the flexible screen 40 prone to damage. Furthermore, after repeated folding and unfolding of the foldable phone 1, creases are easily formed on the flexible screen 40.

[0065] Furthermore, in the three-section door panel structure, the first side door panel 311, the second side door panel 312, and the middle door panel 313 are relatively separate, making it impossible to utilize the overall door panel structure for rapid heat conduction to localized heat sources (such as high-power electronic components in the foldable phone 1). For example, Figure 1C As shown, if a heat source (such as a power chip) is installed inside the first housing 10, the heat generated by the power chip can only be dissipated outward through the first side panel 311 and cannot be transferred to the middle panel 313 and the second side panel 313, which will cause local overheating of the foldable phone 1 and affect the user experience.

[0066] Based on this, embodiments of this application provide a door panel with an integrated structure. This door panel, when unfolded, forms a flat surface, allowing the flexible screen 40 to be completely attached to this surface without any holes, thus enhancing the support for the flexible screen 40. Furthermore, the integrated door panel can utilize its overall structure to rapidly conduct heat from localized heat sources.

[0067] For example, Figure 2A The illustration shows a side view of a folding phone 1 in its unfolded state, which includes a door panel 310 with an integrated structure, according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 2B This is a side view of a folding phone 1 in a folded state, which includes a door panel 310 with an integrated structure in an embodiment of this application.

[0068] like Figure 2A and Figure 2B As shown, the door panel 310 includes a first portion 310-1, a second portion 310-2, and a third portion 310-3 arranged sequentially along its width direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction). The first portion 310-1 can be used to support the flexible screen 40 covering the first housing 10. The third portion 310-3 can be used to support the flexible screen 40 covering the second housing 20. The second portion 310-2 can be used to support the bent portion of the flexible screen 40.

[0069] It is understood that the first part 310-1, the second part 310-2, and the third part 310-3 are tightly connected and there are no holes. The connection method between each part and the pivot mechanism 320 is the same as the connection method between the first side door panel 311, the second side door panel 312, and the middle door panel 313 and the pivot mechanism 320 in the three-section door panel 310.

[0070] The integrated door panel 310 provided in this embodiment has no holes or segments, and can form a plane (parallel to the XY plane) when unfolded. This allows the flexible screen 40 to be completely attached to this plane, increasing the support for the flexible screen 40 and making it less prone to creases. Furthermore, due to the absence of holes, heat generated by the heat source within the first housing 10 can be transferred via the first part 310-1 to the second part 310-2 and the third part 310-3, thereby utilizing the overall door panel structure to quickly conduct heat to localized heat sources. Compared to a three-section door panel that can only dissipate heat through the first side door panel 311, the integrated door panel 310 has a larger heat dissipation area, enabling rapid heat dissipation, preventing localized overheating, and resulting in a more even overall temperature feel for the foldable phone 1, thus improving the user experience.

[0071] Furthermore, since the second part 310-2 is used to support the bending portion of the flexible screen 40, the second part 310-2 can have a certain bending capacity. In comparison, the bending capacity of the second part 310-2 can be greater than that of the first part 310-1 and the third part 310-3.

[0072] In the embodiments of this application, the bending capacity of each part can be reflected by the elastic modulus and yield strength of each part. The elastic modulus describes the stiffness of a material and is a measure of an object's resistance to elastic deformation. The yield strength mainly describes the strength of a material and is a measure of its resistance to plastic deformation. It should be noted that in other embodiments of this application, the bending capacity of each part can also be reflected by other parameters characterizing the material's resistance to deformation / hardness / stiffness / strength, and this application does not limit this to such methods.

[0073] The following describes a specific embodiment of the integrated door panel 310 provided in this application, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0074] Figure 3A and Figure 3B A perspective view and a top view of the door panel 310 with an integrated structure in the first embodiment of this application are shown respectively.

[0075] like Figure 3A and Figure 3B As shown, in some embodiments, the door panel 310 may include a single layer of material. For example, the door panel 310 may only include a material layer 310a (an example of the first material layer in this application), which includes three material regions connected sequentially along the Y-axis direction. These three material regions respectively form a first portion 310-1, a second portion 310-2, and a third portion 310-3. For ease of description, the first portion 310-1, the second portion 310-2, and the third portion 310-3 will be used to represent the three material regions in the following description.

[0076] It should be noted that, in the embodiments of this application, the material region refers to a region composed of the same material (a single material or a composite material). There are no composite interfaces between different materials within a single material region, but composite interfaces may exist between different material regions.

[0077] In some embodiments, the elastic modulus of the second part 310-2 is greater than 180 gigapascals (GPa), and the yield strength is greater than 800 megapascals (MPa). Thus, the second part 310-2 has high strength and a high modulus, enabling it to withstand bending forces. When used to support the bent portion of the flexible screen 40, it can bend along with the bent portion, providing support and effectively improving the bending resistance of the bent portion of the flexible screen 40.

[0078] For example, the material of Part 2 310-2 includes at least one of the following: stainless steel, alloy steel, aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy, and titanium alloy. It is understood that the aforementioned materials not only have high strength and modulus of elasticity, but also good fatigue resistance, which can improve the service life of the door panel 310.

[0079] In some embodiments, the thermal conductivity of the first portion 310-1 and / or the third portion 310-3 is greater than or equal to 300 watts per meter Kelvin (W / mk). It is understood that the first portion 310-1 or the third portion 310-3 has a high thermal conductivity to ensure good thermal conductivity performance.

[0080] Thus, when used in the aforementioned folding phone 1, heat sources within the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 can be dissipated. Furthermore, the first part 310-1 and the third part 310-3 are seamlessly connected via the second part 310-2. Consequently, the heat generated by the heat source within the first housing 10 can not only be dissipated to the outside through the first part 310-1, but also transferred to the third part 310-3 via the second part 310-2. Similarly, the heat generated by the heat source within the second housing 20 can not only be dissipated to the outside through the third part 310-3, but also transferred to the first part 310-1 via the second part 310-2. This utilizes the overall structure of the door panel 310 for heat dissipation, preventing excessively high local temperatures and achieving uniform temperature distribution on both sides of the first housing 10 and the second housing 20, thereby significantly improving heat dissipation efficiency.

[0081] For example, the material of Part 1 310-1 includes at least one of the following: pure copper, pure silver, copper-based composite material, and silver-based composite material. The material of Part 3 310-3 includes at least one of the following: pure copper, pure silver, copper-based composite material, and silver-based composite material.

[0082] When the first part 310-1 and / or the third part 310-3 are made of pure copper, the thermal conductivity can reach 400 W / mK. When the first part 310-1 and / or the third part 310-3 are made of particle / fiber doped copper-based composite material, the thermal conductivity can reach 500 W / mK.

[0083] It should be noted that the materials in Part 1 310-1 and Part 3 310-3 may be the same or different, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0084] It is understandable that since the second part 310-2 is generally not equipped with high-power electronic components in the foldable phone 1, it does not need to have high thermal conductivity. Therefore, in some embodiments, the thermal conductivity of the second part 310-2 may be less than that of the first part 310-1 and less than that of the third part 310-3. That is, the thermal conductivity of the second part 310-2 may be less than that of the first part 310-1 and the third part 310-3.

[0085] In some embodiments, the dimension z1 of the door panel 310 along the Z-axis is 0.02 mm to 0.2 mm. For example, z1 can be 0.1 mm. When used in the hinge assembly 30 of the folding phone 1, the door panel 310 does not increase the dimension of the folding phone 1 along the Z-axis, thus meeting the requirements of the ultra-thin design of the folding phone 1.

[0086] Furthermore, this application does not limit the dimensions y1 along the Y-axis, x1 along the X-axis, or the size relationship between x1 and y1 of the door panel 310. Here, we only use x1 being greater than y1 as an example. The specific design can be carried out according to the actual application scenario.

[0087] In some embodiments, along the Y-axis, the dimension y1 of the door panel 310 is equal to the sum of the dimensions y11 of the first part 310-1, y12 of the second part 310-2, and y13 of the third part 310-3. That is, the first part 310-1, the second part 310-2, and the third part 310-3 are connected sequentially without gaps.

[0088] In some embodiments, the dimensions y11 of the first part 310-1 and y13 of the third part 310-3 may be larger than the dimension y12 of the second part 310-2.

[0089] In some embodiments, the door panel 310 includes a first surface 3101 and a second surface 3102 at both ends along the Z-axis direction. Figure 3BThis can be a top view of the first surface 3101. The first surface 3101 and the second surface 3102 can be planes parallel to the X-axis and Y-axis directions, respectively. That is, on the XY plane, the door panel 310 can be considered as a left-center-right structure along the Y-axis. Therefore, as mentioned earlier, the door panel 310 can form a plane when unfolded, allowing the flexible screen 40 to be fully attached to this plane (e.g., the first surface 3101), increasing the support for the flexible screen 40 and making it less prone to creases.

[0090] The manufacturing method of door panel 310 in this embodiment is described below.

[0091] In some embodiments, the one-piece door panel 310 can be manufactured by a rolling process. Specifically, at a certain temperature, the surfaces to be composited between the first part 310-1 and the second part 310-2, and between the second part 310-2 and the third part 310-3, are plastically deformed using the rolling force of a rolling mill, and then bonded under pressure to obtain the door panel 310 of this embodiment. Depending on the rolling temperature, it can be divided into hot rolling and cold rolling. When the door panel 310 is formed by hot rolling, the rolling capacity of the rolling mill and the high-temperature plastic deformation capacity of the material can be fully utilized to obtain a composite interface with high bonding strength. When the door panel 310 is formed by cold rolling, phase transformations, microstructure changes, and the formation of brittle intermetallic compounds that are detrimental to bonding in the metallic material can be avoided, thus improving the stability of the door panel 310.

[0092] In other embodiments, the one-piece door panel 310 can also be prepared by explosive rolling composite method. Specifically, the surface of the materials to be composited is cleaned; the cleaned materials are explosively welded together; the prepared materials are annealed at a certain temperature; using the rolling force of the rolling mill, the resulting materials are sequentially hot rolled, annealed, cold rolled, annealed, and finished. This method can fully utilize the rolling capacity of the rolling mill and the high-temperature plastic deformation capacity of the material to obtain a composite interface with high bonding strength, thereby improving the stability of the door panel 310.

[0093] Diffusion composite method. The door panel materials to be composited undergo surface treatment; then, different materials are pressed together using a mold and diffused welded in a vacuum furnace; utilizing the rolling force of a rolling mill, the resulting material is sequentially hot-rolled, annealed, cold-rolled, annealed, and finished. This method fully utilizes the rolling capacity of the rolling mill and the high-temperature plastic deformation capacity of the material to obtain a composite interface with high bonding strength. This improves the stability of door panel 310.

[0094] Powder metallurgy. Metal powders for different door panel materials are prepared; the powders are molded into blanks; the blanks are sintered; using the rolling force of a rolling mill, the resulting material is sequentially hot-rolled, annealed, cold-rolled, annealed again, and finished to obtain a door panel material of the desired thickness.

[0095] Figure 4A and Figure 4B A perspective view and a top view of the integrated door panel 310 in the second embodiment of this application are shown respectively. It should be noted that the door panel 310 in the second embodiment differs from the door panel 310 in the first embodiment in that the material layer 310a in the first embodiment is formed by three material regions connected sequentially, and the second part 310-2 is formed by a single material region, while the material layer 310a in the second embodiment is formed by multiple material regions to form the second part 310-2.

[0096] like Figure 4A and Figure 4B As shown, the door panel 310 includes only a material layer 310a. The material layer 310a is used to form the material area of ​​the first part 310-1 and the material area used to form the third part 310-3, as described in the first embodiment above, and will not be repeated here.

[0097] Furthermore, material layer 310a also includes multiple material regions 310-21 (examples of the first material region in this application) and multiple material regions 310-22 (examples of the second material region in this application), which are used to form the second part 310-2. It should be noted that... Figure 4A and Figure 4B The example uses four material zones 310-21 and three material zones 310-22.

[0098] Material regions 310-21 and 310-22 are alternately arranged along the X-axis, with material region 310-21 being a first material and material region 310-22 being a second material. The elastic modulus of the first material is greater than that of the second material. The thermal conductivity of the second material is greater than that of the first material.

[0099] It is understandable that the higher modulus of the first material enhances the bending resistance of the second part 310-2. When used to support the bending portion of the flexible screen 40, it can bend along with the bending portion, providing support and effectively improving the bending resistance of the flexible screen 40. The higher thermal conductivity of the second material ensures good thermal conductivity. Thus, when applied in the foldable phone 1, cross-axial heat dissipation can be achieved.

[0100] For example, the first material includes at least one of the following: stainless steel, alloy steel, aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy, and titanium alloy. The second material includes at least one of the following: pure copper, pure silver, copper-based composite material, and silver-based composite material.

[0101] In some embodiments, the material used to form the material region of the first portion 310-1 in the material layer 310a is a second material, and / or, the material used to form the material region of the third portion 310-3 is a second material. For example, when both the material used to form the material region of the first portion 310-1 and the material used to form the material region of the third portion 310-3 in the material layer 310a are second materials, the material region 310-22 used to form the second portion 310-2 can connect the first portion 310-1 and the third portion 310-3. Thus, when applied in a foldable phone 1, the heat absorbed by the first portion 310-1 can be quickly transferred to the third portion 310-3 via the material region 310-22, achieving efficient transaxial heat dissipation.

[0102] Therefore, compared to the first embodiment, the intermediate material region of material layer 310a used to form the second part 310-2 is made of a material with a high elastic modulus but a low thermal conductivity, which will affect the heat transfer rate between the first part 310-1 and the third part 310-3. In the second embodiment, the heat transfer efficiency between the first part 310-1 and the third part 310-3 is improved by using material region 310-22 with a relatively high thermal conductivity, which can further improve the heat dissipation effect.

[0103] like Figure 4B As shown, this application does not limit the dimensions x21 along the X-axis and y21 along the Y-axis of material region 310-21, nor the size relationship between x21 and y21; the specific design can be tailored to the actual application scenario. Furthermore, the dimension y21 along the Y-axis of material region 310-21 can be the same as the dimension y22 along the Y-axis of material region 310-22.

[0104] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4A As shown, the dimension z1 of the door panel 310 in the Z-axis direction is the same everywhere along the Y-axis or X-axis direction. For example, the dimension z22 of the material area 310-22 can be the same as the dimension z21 of the material area 310-21. That is, the thickness of the door panel 310 is relatively uniform. For example, z1 / z21 / z22 can be 0.02 mm to 0.2 mm.

[0105] Figure 4C Other embodiments are shown along Figure 4B The diagram shows a cross-section along the AA direction.

[0106] like Figure 4CAs shown, in some embodiments, the dimension z22 of material region 310-22 along the Z-axis direction can be smaller than the dimension z21 of material region 310-21. Since the elastic modulus of material region 310-22 is smaller than that of material region 310-21, the thickness of material region 310-22 can be reduced to make material region 310-22 more resistant to bending, thereby improving the overall bending capacity of the second part 310-2.

[0107] In addition, the door panel 310 in the second embodiment can also be manufactured by a rolling process. For example, at a certain temperature, the material regions 310-21 and 310-22 are alternately combined using the rolling force of a rolling mill to form the second part 310-2. Then, the first part 310-1 and the second part 310-2, and the second part 310-2 and the third part 310-3 are combined respectively to obtain the door panel 310 of this embodiment.

[0108] Figure 5A and Figure 5B A perspective view and a top view of the integrated door panel 310 in the third embodiment of this application are shown respectively. Figure 5B The top views of material layers 310a and 310b in the door panel 310 are shown respectively.

[0109] like Figure 5A and Figure 5B As shown, in some embodiments, the door panel 310 may include multiple layers of material. For example, the door panel 310 includes material layer 310a and material layer 310b (an example of the second material layer in this application), which are stacked along the Z-axis direction. Material layer 310a has a first surface 3101 at one end along the Z-axis direction facing away from material layer 310b, and material layer 310b has a second surface 3102 at one end along the Z-axis direction facing away from material layer 310a.

[0110] It should be noted that the material layer 310a can be referred to the relevant description of the first or second embodiment above, and will not be repeated here. Figure 5A and Figure 5B The material layer 310a in the first embodiment is used as an example.

[0111] like Figure 5A As shown, each part of the door panel 310 is formed by corresponding areas (material areas) of material layer 310a and material layer 310b.

[0112] In some embodiments, the projected area of ​​material layer 310a in the XY plane is the same as and coincides with the projected area of ​​material layer 310b in the XY plane. That is, along the X-axis or Y-axis direction, the size of material layer 310a is the same as the size of material layer 310b. For example, Figure 5B As shown, along the Y-axis, the dimension y1a(y11+y12+y13) of material layer 310a is the same as the dimension y1b of material layer 310b.

[0113] Alternatively, in other embodiments, y12 < y1b < y1a, and the projection of material layer 310b in the XY plane covers the projection of material layer 310a in the XY plane in the second part 310-2.

[0114] It is understood that the thermal conductivity of material layer 310b is greater than that of material layer 310a in the second part 310-2. For example, the thermal conductivity of material layer 310b is greater than that of material layer 310a in the second part 310-2. Exemplarily, the material of material layer 310b includes at least one of the following: pure copper, pure silver, copper-based composite material, and silver-based composite material.

[0115] Thus, combined Figure 2A or Figure 2B When the door panel 310 is used to support the flexible screen 40 in the foldable phone 1, the first surface 3101 of the material layer 310a is positioned closer to the flexible screen 40, and the second surface 3102 of the material layer 310b is positioned further away from the flexible screen 40. This allows the material layer 310b to be closer to the electronic components inside the first housing 10 / second housing 20, utilizing the high thermal conductivity of the material layer 310b to dissipate the heat generated by the electronic components.

[0116] In some embodiments, the material of material layer 310b is the same as the material of material layer 310a in the first part 310-1 and the material of material layer 310a in the third part 310-3. Thus, material layer 310b can connect the first part 310-1 and the third part 310-3. When applied in a foldable phone 1, the heat absorbed by the first part 310-1 can be quickly transferred to the third part 310-3 via material layer 310b in the second part 310-2, achieving efficient transaxial heat dissipation.

[0117] Compared to the first embodiment, the material layer 310a in the second part 310-2 uses a material with a high elastic modulus but a low thermal conductivity, which will affect the heat transfer rate between the first part 310-1 and the third part 310-3. In the third embodiment, the heat transfer efficiency between the first part 310-1 and the third part 310-3 is improved by using a material layer 310b with a relatively high thermal conductivity, which can further improve the heat dissipation effect.

[0118] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5AAs shown, along the Z-axis, the dimension z1a of material layer 310a is larger than the dimension z1b of material layer 310b. For example, the ratio (z1a / z1b) between dimensions z1a and z1b is 10 to 20.

[0119] In some embodiments, the dimension z1 of the door panel 310 along the Z-axis is 0.02 mm to 0.2 mm. Where z1 = z1a + z1b. For example, the dimension z1a of material layer 310a is 0.01 mm to 0.199 mm. The dimension z1b of material layer 310b is 0.001 mm to 0.01 mm.

[0120] The manufacturing method of the door panel 310 in this embodiment is described below. In some embodiments, material layer 310a is first manufactured, and then material layer 310a and material layer 310b are combined by a rolling process to obtain the door panel 310 of this embodiment. The manufacturing process of material layer 310a can be referred to the relevant description of the first embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

[0121] Figure 6A and Figure 6B A perspective view and a top view of the integrated door panel 310 in the fourth embodiment of this application are shown respectively.

[0122] like Figure 6A and Figure 6B As shown, in some embodiments, the door panel 310 may include a single layer of material. For example, the door panel 310 may include only a material layer 310c (another example of the first material layer of this application), which includes material regions P1, P2, P3, P4, P5 and P6.

[0123] Material area P1 (an example of the third material area in this application) and material area P2 (an example of the fourth material area in this application) are connected along the Y-axis to form the first part 310-1 of door panel 310. Material area P3 (an example of the fifth material area in this application) and material area P4 (an example of the sixth material area in this application) are stacked along the Z-axis to form the second part 310-2 of door panel 310. Material area P5 and material area P6 are connected along the Y-axis to form the third part 310-3 of door panel 310.

[0124] In some embodiments, the material of material region P1 is a third material, and the material of material region P2 is a fourth material, that is, the materials of material region P1 and material region P2 are different. For example, the third material / fourth material includes at least one of the following: pure copper, pure silver, copper-based composite material, and silver-based composite material.

[0125] That is, material regions P1 and P2 are made of materials with high thermal conductivity to ensure that the first part 310-1 has good thermal conductivity.

[0126] In some embodiments, the material of material region P3 is a fifth material, and the material of material region P4 is a fourth material; that is, the materials of material region P3 and material region P4 are different. For example, the fifth material includes at least one of the following: stainless steel, alloy steel, aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy, and titanium alloy.

[0127] In other words, material region P3 is made of a material with high strength and high modulus to withstand bending forces. When used to support the bending portion of the flexible screen 40, it can bend together with the bending portion, providing support for the bending part and effectively improving the bending resistance of the flexible screen 40. For example, the elastic modulus of material region P3 is greater than 180 GPa and the yield strength is greater than 800 MPa.

[0128] It is understandable that the material of material region P4 can be the same as the material of material region P2. In this way, the first part 310-1 and the second part 310-2 are connected, which helps to improve heat transfer efficiency.

[0129] Therefore, in some embodiments, the thermal conductivity of the third material and the fourth material is greater than that of the fifth material. For example, the third material used in material region P1 can be a particle / fiber doped copper-based composite material with a thermal conductivity ≥500W / mk, the fourth material used in material regions P2 and P4 can be a copper alloy, and the fifth material used in material region P3 can be stainless steel.

[0130] In some embodiments, the material of material region P5 is a fourth material, and the material of material region P6 is a third material. That is, the materials of material region P5 and material region P6 are different.

[0131] Thus, the first part 310-1 or the third part 310-3 has a high thermal conductivity to ensure good thermal conductivity. When used in the aforementioned foldable phone 1, the overall structure of the door panel 310 is used for heat dissipation, avoiding excessive local temperature, achieving uniform temperature on both sides of the first shell 10 and the second shell 20, and greatly improving heat dissipation efficiency.

[0132] Furthermore, it can be understood that the materials of material region P1 and material region P6 can be the same, and the materials of material region P2 and material region P5 can be the same. In other words, the first part 310-1 and the third part 310-2 are symmetrical with respect to the second part 310-2.

[0133] Since the materials in material regions P4, P2, and P5 are the same, i.e., they all use the fourth material, the first part 310-1 and the third part 310-3 can be connected through material region P4. Thus, when applied in the foldable phone 1, the heat absorbed by the first part 310-1 can be quickly transferred to the third part 310-3 through material region P4, achieving efficient cross-axis heat dissipation.

[0134] Therefore, compared to the first embodiment, the intermediate material region of material layer 310a used to form the second part 310-2 is made of a material with a high elastic modulus but a low thermal conductivity, which will affect the heat transfer rate between the first part 310-1 and the third part 310-3. In the fourth embodiment, the heat transfer efficiency between the first part 310-1 and the third part 310-3 can be improved by using material region P4 with a relatively high thermal conductivity, which can further improve the heat dissipation effect.

[0135] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6A As shown, the dimension z1 of door panel 310 in the Z-axis direction is the same everywhere along the Y-axis or X-axis direction. That is, the thickness of door panel 310 is relatively uniform. Specifically, along the Z-axis direction, the thicknesses of material regions P1, P2, P5, and P6 are all the same, and the sum of the thicknesses of material region P3 and P4 equals the thickness of material region P1. For example, z1 can be 0.02 mm to 0.2 mm.

[0136] like Figure 6B As shown, this application does not limit the dimensions and size relationships of each material region along the Y-axis direction; the specific design can be made according to the actual application scenario.

[0137] In some embodiments, along the Y-axis, the size yp3 of material region P3 is equal to the size yp4 of material region P4. The size yp3 of material region P3 can be larger than the size yp2 of material region P2 and smaller than the size yp1 of material region P1.

[0138] In some embodiments, along the Y-axis, the size yp1 of material region P1 is larger than the size yp2 of material region P2, and the thermal conductivity of the third material is greater than that of the fourth material. Thus, while achieving transaxial heat dissipation, the first portion 310-1 can rapidly dissipate heat through a high thermal conductivity region with a larger area. Similarly, along the Y-axis, the size yp6 of material region P6 can be larger than the size yp5 of material region P5.

[0139] In some embodiments, the door panel 310 of this embodiment can be obtained by a rolling process, which will not be described in detail here.

[0140] In summary, the integrated door panel structure of the various embodiments of this application can rapidly conduct heat to local heat sources while ensuring mechanical reliability. Specifically, the overall thermal conductivity of the door panel is ≥300w / mk, which can improve heat dissipation capacity by 4-6 mA / ℃ in electronic devices, and it can withstand ≥200,000 bending cycles.

[0141] Furthermore, the door panel in this application embodiment can also be regarded as a display screen support plate, which supports the display screen in a flat-screen electronic device (i.e., a non-foldable electronic device).

[0142] Therefore, embodiments of this application also provide a screen assembly and a flat-screen electronic device including the screen assembly. Please refer to... Figure 7 , Figure 7 A side view of a flat-screen electronic device 2 is shown.

[0143] It should be noted that, Figure 7 The Z-axis direction represents the thickness direction of the flat-screen electronic device, while the Y-axis direction can represent the length or width direction. The front and back are the two opposite surfaces of the flat-screen electronic device 2 arranged along the Z-axis direction. The front is the surface facing the user when the user holds the flat-screen electronic device, and the back is the surface facing away from the user when the user holds the flat-screen electronic device.

[0144] like Figure 7 As shown, the flat-screen electronic device 2 includes a housing 100 and a screen assembly 200.

[0145] The screen assembly 200 includes a display screen 210 and a display screen support plate 220. The display screen 210 is mounted on the housing 100, and the display screen support plate layer 220 is stacked on the back of the display screen 210. The display screen support plate 220 is located between the display screen 210 and the housing 100.

[0146] It should be noted that the description of the door panel 310 in the various embodiments of this application applies to the display support plate 220. Therefore, the specific structure of the display support plate 220 will not be described again.

[0147] Furthermore, it should be noted that in the embodiments of this application, the range may be expressed as starting from a specific value and / or ending at another specific value, but the specific value is not and does not need to be exact, but may be approximate and / or larger or smaller as needed, reflecting other factors known to those skilled in the art such as tolerance and measurement error.

[0148] The terminology used in the embodiments of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application. As used in the specification and appended claims of this application, the singular expressions “a,” “an,” “the,” “the,” “the,” and “this” are intended to also include expressions such as “one or more,” unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that in the embodiments of this application, “one or more” means one, two, or more.

[0149] In this article, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can represent three situations: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone.

[0150] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" as described in this specification mean that one or more embodiments of this application include a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment. Therefore, the phrases "in one embodiment," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," "in still other embodiments," etc., appearing in different parts of this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but rather mean "one or more, but not all, embodiments," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. The terms "comprising," "including," "having," and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to," unless otherwise specifically emphasized.

[0151] In the embodiments of this application, the terms "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is an example, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or design that is described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design. Specifically, the use of the terms "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

Claims

1. A door panel, characterized in that, The door panel is a one-piece structure, and the door panel includes a first part, a second part and a third part arranged sequentially along its width direction; The bending capacity of the second part is greater than that of the first part and also greater than that of the third part.

2. The door panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thermal conductivity of both the first part and the third part is greater than that of the second part.

3. The door panel according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The door panel comprises one or more layers of material, and the one or more layers of material include a first material layer; The elastic modulus of the first material layer in the second part is greater than that of the first material layer in the first part, and is also greater than that of the first material layer in the third part.

4. The door panel according to claim 3, characterized in that, The thermal conductivity of the first material layer in the first part and the thermal conductivity of the first material layer in the third part are both greater than the thermal conductivity of the first material layer in the second part.

5. The door panel according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first material layer in the second part includes a plurality of first material areas and a plurality of second material areas, which are alternately arranged along the length of the door panel. The material in the first material region is a first material, and the material in the second material region is a second material. The elastic modulus of the first material is greater than that of the second material.

6. The door panel according to claim 5, characterized in that, The material of the first material layer in the first part, and / or the material of the first material layer in the third part, is the second material.

7. The door panel according to any one of claims 3-6, characterized in that, The material of the first material layer in the second part includes at least one of the following: stainless steel, alloy steel, aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy, and titanium alloy.

8. The door panel according to any one of claims 3-7, characterized in that, The material of the first material layer in the first part, or the material of the first material layer in the third part, includes at least one of the following: pure copper, pure silver, copper-based composite material, and silver-based composite material.

9. The door panel according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first material layer in the first portion includes a third material region and a fourth material region connected along the width direction, the fourth material region being located between the third material region and the second portion. The first material layer in the second part includes a fifth material region and a sixth material region stacked along the thickness direction of the door panel. Furthermore, the material of the third material region is a third material, the materials of the fourth material region and the sixth material region are both fourth materials, the material of the fifth material region is a fifth material, and the thermal conductivity of the third material and the thermal conductivity of the fourth material are respectively greater than the thermal conductivity of the fifth material.

10. The door panel according to claim 9, characterized in that, Along the width direction, the size of the third material region is larger than the size of the fourth material region, and the thermal conductivity of the third material is greater than the thermal conductivity of the fourth material and greater than the thermal conductivity of the fifth material.

11. The door panel according to any one of claims 3-10, characterized in that, The door panel further includes a second material layer, wherein the first material layer and the second material layer are stacked along the thickness direction of the door panel. Furthermore, the thermal conductivity of the second material layer is greater than that of the first material layer in the second part.

12. The door panel according to claim 11, characterized in that, The ratio between the thickness of the first material layer and the thickness of the second material layer is 10 to 20.

13. The door panel according to claim 11, characterized in that, The material of the second material layer includes at least one of the following: pure copper, pure silver, copper-based composite material, and silver-based composite material.

14. The door panel according to any one of claims 1-13, characterized in that, The door panel has a thickness of 0.02 mm to 0.2 mm.

15. The door panel according to any one of claims 1-14, characterized in that, The door panel has a first surface at one end in its thickness direction, and the first surface is a plane.

16. A pivot assembly comprising a pivot mechanism and a door panel according to any one of claims 1-15, the pivot mechanism comprising a first portion and a second portion rotatable relative to each other, the first portion of the pivot mechanism being rotatably connected to a first portion of the door panel, and the second portion of the pivot mechanism being connected to a third portion of the door panel.

17. An electronic device, characterized in that, The device includes a housing, a flexible screen, and a hinge assembly as described in claim 16, wherein the housing includes a first housing and a second housing, the first housing and the second housing being respectively connected to a first part and a second part of the hinge mechanism, thereby enabling the electronic device to switch between an unfolded state and a folded state; The flexible screen is mounted on the housing, and the door panel is located between the flexible screen and the housing to support the flexible screen.

18. A screen assembly, characterized in that, It includes a display screen and a display screen support plate, wherein the display screen support plate is stacked on the back of the display screen; wherein, The display screen support plate is an integral structure, and the display screen support plate includes a first part, a second part and a third part arranged sequentially along its width direction; The thermal conductivity of the first part and the third part is greater than that of the second part, and the bending capacity of the second part is greater than that of the first part and greater than that of the third part.

19. An electronic device, characterized in that, The device includes a housing and the screen assembly of claim 18, wherein the display screen is disposed on the housing and the display screen support plate is disposed between the display screen and the housing.

Images