Hinge mechanism, folding device and foldable electronic equipment

Abstract

The utility model provides a hinge mechanism, a folding device and foldable electronic equipment. The hinge mechanism comprises a first rotating shaft assembly and a second rotating shaft assembly which are arranged on the two sides of a middle beam. Each rotating shaft assembly in the first rotating shaft assembly and the second rotating shaft assembly comprises a main swing arm connected with the middle beam in a sliding mode and a limiting structure arranged between the other end of the auxiliary swing arm and the fixing support. When the foldable electronic equipment falls in the folded state, the limiting structure can limit the fixed support to slide or excessively slide in the direction away from the middle beam relative to the auxiliary swing arm, and the risk that due to the inertia force effect, an arc-shaped sliding strip on the main swing arm on the pulled side falls off from an arc-shaped sliding groove of the middle beam is avoided. The reliability of the hinge mechanism is effectively enhanced, and the falling reliability of the foldable electronic equipment is further improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of electronic equipment, and in particular to a hinge mechanism, a folding device and a foldable electronic device. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, the technology of electronic devices has been updated faster and faster. Foldable electronic devices are becoming more and more popular among users because they can achieve a larger display area and have good portability. With the development and popularization of foldable electronic devices, the drop reliability of foldable electronic devices has also attracted more and more attention.

[0003] As an important component of a foldable electronic device, the hinge mechanism includes a middle beam and components such as a main swing arm, a secondary swing arm and a fixed bracket arranged on both sides of the middle beam. In the prior art, an arc-shaped slide bar is arranged at one end of the main swing arm, and a corresponding arc-shaped slide groove is arranged on the middle beam. The main swing arm and the middle beam are rotationally connected by mutual sliding between the arc-shaped slide bar and the arc-shaped slide groove (or it can be understood that the rotation connection is achieved by using a virtual axis structure); the other end of the main swing arm is rotationally connected to the fixed bracket through the main connecting shaft. One end of the secondary swing arm is rotationally connected to the middle beam, and the other end is slidably connected to the fixed bracket. In addition, the foldable electronic device also includes a first shell and a second shell arranged on both sides of the hinge mechanism, and the first shell and the second shell are fixedly connected to the corresponding fixed brackets on both sides of the middle beam. When the foldable electronic device is in a folded state, the fixed bracket can slide relative to the other end of the secondary swing arm in a direction close to or away from the middle beam.

[0004] When a foldable electronic device falls in a folded state, one of the first and second shells (for example, the first shell) comes into contact with the ground and stops moving, and the other shell (for example, the second shell) continues to move downward due to inertia, thereby generating a pulling force on the hinge mechanism on the opposite side of the contact area. Among them, the contact area during the fall is usually a corner point or a side line of the first shell, and when the contact area is a contact point, the second shell generates the greatest pulling force on the hinge mechanism due to inertia. Specifically, the second shell generates a pulling force on the fixed bracket fixedly connected thereto, and transmits the pulling force to the main swing arm through the main connecting shaft, pulling the main swing arm to move along the thickness direction of the middle beam, so that the arc-shaped slide bar of the main swing arm is easy to fall off from the arc-shaped slide groove of the middle beam, thereby affecting the reliability of the hinge mechanism, and then affecting the reliability of the foldable electronic device when it falls.

[0005] It can be seen that when the foldable electronic device in the prior art falls in the folded state, due to the effect of inertia, the arc-shaped slide bar on the main swing arm on the side subjected to tension is easy to fall off from the arc-shaped slide groove of the middle beam, which reduces the reliability of the hinge mechanism and further reduces the falling reliability of the foldable electronic device. Utility Model Content

[0006] The embodiments of the present application provide a hinge mechanism, a folding device and a foldable electronic device, which solve the problem in the prior art that when the foldable electronic device falls in a folded state, due to the action of the inertial force, the arc-shaped slide bar on the main swing arm on the tension side is easily caused to fall off from the arc-shaped slide groove of the middle beam, thereby reducing the reliability of the hinge mechanism and further reducing the falling reliability of the foldable electronic device.

[0007] The embodiment of the present application provides a hinge mechanism, including a middle beam, a first rotating shaft assembly and a second rotating shaft assembly, wherein the first rotating shaft assembly and the second rotating shaft assembly are respectively arranged on both sides of the middle beam and are rotatably connected to the middle beam. Each rotating shaft assembly in the first rotating shaft assembly and the second rotating shaft assembly includes a fixed bracket, a main swing arm, a secondary swing arm and a limiting structure.

[0008] One end of the main swing arm is slidably connected to the middle beam so that the main swing arm can rotate relative to the middle beam around the first axis, and the other end of the main swing arm is connected to the fixed bracket. One end of the auxiliary swing arm is rotatably connected to the middle beam through the auxiliary connecting shaft, and the other end is slidably connected to the fixed bracket.

[0009] The limiting structure is arranged between the other end of the auxiliary swing arm and the fixed bracket, and is configured so that: when the hinge mechanism is in a folded state and the fixed bracket is subjected to a force in a direction away from the center beam, the limiting structure limits the displacement of the fixed bracket sliding in a direction away from the center beam relative to the auxiliary swing arm or in a direction away from the center beam.

[0010] When the foldable electronic device falls in the folded state, the hinge mechanism in the present application uses a limiting structure arranged between the fixed bracket and the other end of the auxiliary swing arm to limit the fixed bracket from sliding relative to the auxiliary swing arm in the direction away from the middle beam, or the displacement of the fixed bracket in the direction away from the middle beam (or it can be understood that the fixed bracket slides for a certain displacement relative to the other end of the auxiliary swing arm and is restricted from further sliding by the limiting structure), so that under the action of inertial force, the movement of the main swing arm on the side subjected to tension in the direction away from the middle beam is restricted, thereby preventing the arc-shaped slide bar on the main swing arm from falling off the arc-shaped slide groove of the middle beam, thereby enhancing the reliability of the hinge mechanism and the drop reliability of the foldable electronic device.

[0011] Therefore, the hinge mechanism provided in the embodiment of the present application can limit the sliding or excessive sliding of the fixed bracket relative to the auxiliary swing arm in the direction away from the middle beam when the foldable electronic device falls in the folded state, thereby solving the problem in the prior art that when the foldable electronic device falls in the folded state, due to the action of the inertia force, the arc-shaped slide bar on the main swing arm on the side subjected to tension is easily caused to fall off from the arc-shaped slide groove of the middle beam, thereby reducing the reliability of the hinge mechanism and further reducing the falling reliability of the foldable electronic device.

[0012] In some embodiments, the limiting structure includes a limiting portion and a limited portion, the limiting portion is arranged at the other end of the auxiliary swing arm, and the limited portion is arranged on the fixed bracket.

[0013] When the hinge mechanism is in a folded state and the fixed bracket is subjected to a force in a direction away from the center beam, the limiting portion abuts against the limited portion, which can limit the fixed bracket from sliding relative to the auxiliary swing arm in a direction away from the center beam. Alternatively, the fixed bracket slides relative to the auxiliary swing arm in a direction away from the center beam to a position where the limiting portion abuts against the limited portion, so as to limit the displacement of the fixed bracket relative to the auxiliary swing arm.

[0014] With such a design, the limiting structure limits the sliding or excessive sliding of the fixed bracket relative to the auxiliary swing arm in the direction away from the middle beam by means of the mutual abutment between the limiting part and the limited part, thereby preventing the arc-shaped slide bar on the main swing arm from falling off from the arc-shaped slide groove of the middle beam when the foldable electronic device falls, thereby enhancing the reliability of the hinge mechanism and further enhancing the falling reliability of the foldable electronic device.

[0015] In some embodiments, a structural hole is opened at the other end of the auxiliary swing arm, and part of the wall surface of the structural hole serves as a limiting part of the limiting structure. The limited part is configured as: a limited member connected to the fixing bracket and fixed relative to the fixing bracket, and the limited member is inserted into the structural hole of the auxiliary swing arm.

[0016] When the hinge mechanism switches between the unfolded state and the folded state, the other end of the auxiliary swing arm slides relative to the fixed bracket in a direction close to or away from the center beam, and the limiting member slides in the structural hole.

[0017] With such a design, the limiting structure limits the fixed bracket from sliding or over-sliding relative to the auxiliary swing arm in a direction away from the center beam by abutting against a part of the wall surface of the structural hole and the limited member inserted in the structural hole. In addition, when the hinge mechanism switches between the unfolded state and the folded state, the limited member slides in the structural hole. This is conducive to improving the operational stability of the hinge mechanism when it rotates, and the limiting structure has a simple structure and is easy to assemble, which is conducive to reducing production costs.

[0018] In some embodiments, the fixing bracket is provided with a connecting hole, and the limited member is fixedly connected to the connecting hole. The limited member passes through the structural hole of the auxiliary swing arm. This has a simple structure and low processing cost.

[0019] In some embodiments, the limited member is configured as a columnar structure or a block structure, which is simple in structure and helps to reduce production costs.

[0020] In some embodiments, the structural hole is configured as a strip hole, wherein the limited member is slidably connected to the strip hole along the extension direction of the strip hole, and the wall surface of the strip hole at one end away from the middle beam along the extension direction thereof serves as the limiting portion of the limiting structure.

[0021] With the above solution, the wall surface of the strip-shaped structural hole away from one end of the center beam is the limiting part of the limiting structure, and the limited member slides in the strip-shaped hole. The sliding stability of the auxiliary swing arm and the fixed bracket is improved, and the structure of the structural hole is simple and the manufacturing cost is low.

[0022] In some embodiments, the other end of the auxiliary swing arm is configured as a slide rail structure at both sides along the width direction thereof, and the other end of the auxiliary swing arm is slidably connected to the fixed bracket through the slide rail structure, the area where the slide rail structure is located in the other end of the auxiliary swing arm is the slide rail area, and the other area of ​​the other end of the auxiliary swing arm except the slide rail area is the non-slide rail area. Among them, the strip hole is located in the non-slide rail area or the slide rail area of ​​the auxiliary swing arm. Through such a design, the other end of the auxiliary swing arm is slidably connected to the fixed bracket through the slide rail structure in the slide rail area, which is conducive to improving the sliding stability of the auxiliary swing arm and the fixed bracket.

[0023] In some embodiments, the strip hole is located on one side of the auxiliary swing arm along the width direction thereof, and a notch is formed on the side edge of the side of the auxiliary swing arm. With such a design, the strip hole is located on one side of the auxiliary swing arm, and a notch is provided on the side edge of the side, which facilitates the processing of the auxiliary swing arm.

[0024] In some embodiments, when the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the limited member abuts against a wall surface of the strip hole at one end close to the middle beam along its extension direction.

[0025] With such a design, when the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the limited member cannot continue to slide in the direction close to the center beam, thereby effectively improving the stability of the hinge mechanism in the unfolded state.

[0026] In some embodiments, the other end of the main swing arm is rotatably connected to the fixed bracket via a main connecting shaft. With such a design, the main swing arm and the fixed bracket are rotatably connected via a real axis structure. When the fixed bracket is subjected to a pulling force away from the center beam, the fixed bracket is not easy to fall off from the main swing arm, thereby enhancing the reliability of the hinge mechanism and further enhancing the drop reliability of the foldable electronic device.

[0027] The embodiment of the present application also provides a folding device, comprising a first shell, a second shell and a hinge mechanism provided in any of the above embodiments. The first shell and the second shell are rotatably connected by the hinge mechanism, wherein the first shell is fixedly connected to the fixed bracket of the first rotating shaft assembly, and the second shell is fixedly connected to the fixed bracket of the second rotating shaft assembly.

[0028] The hinge mechanism provided by any of the above embodiments is used in the folding device of the present application, which can limit the sliding or excessive sliding of the fixed bracket relative to the auxiliary swing arm away from the center beam when the foldable electronic device falls in the folded state, thereby effectively improving the falling reliability of the foldable electronic device.

[0029] The embodiment of the present application also provides a foldable electronic device, comprising a display screen and a folding device provided in any of the above embodiments, wherein the display screen is laid on one side of the folding device. When the foldable electronic device is in a folded state, the folding device surrounds the outer side of the display screen.

[0030] The folding device provided by any of the above embodiments is used in the foldable electronic device of the present application to solve the problem in the prior art that when the foldable electronic device falls in the folded state, due to the action of the inertial force, the arc-shaped slide bar on the main swing arm on the side under tension is easy to fall off from the arc-shaped slide groove of the middle beam, which reduces the reliability of the hinge mechanism and further reduces the falling reliability of the foldable electronic device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of a hinge mechanism of some solutions in which a fixed bracket is connected to a center beam through a main swing arm and a secondary swing arm;

[0032] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of the sliding connection between the auxiliary swing arm and the fixed bracket in the hinge mechanism of some solutions;

[0033] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of a foldable electronic device in some embodiments falling in a folded state;

[0034] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the connection relationship of a fixed bracket connected to a center beam through a main swing arm and a secondary swing arm in a hinge mechanism of some solutions;

[0035] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the change in positional relationship between the main swing arm and the middle beam when the foldable electronic device falls in the folded state according to some solutions;

[0036] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the foldable electronic device in the unfolded state according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the foldable electronic device in the folded state according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0038] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the foldable electronic device in the unfolded state according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] Figure 9a This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the hinge mechanism of the embodiment of the present application when it is in an unfolded state;

[0040] Figure 9b It is a structural schematic diagram of the hinge mechanism of the embodiment of the present application in the unfolded state, wherein the upper base and the decorative door panel are not shown in the figure;

[0041] Fig.10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the hinge mechanism of the embodiment of the present application in a folded state, wherein the upper base and the decorative door panel are not shown in the figure;

[0042] Fig.11 It is a schematic diagram of a partially exploded structure of the hinge mechanism of an embodiment of the present application;

[0043] Fig.12 for Fig.10 Schematic cross-sectional view along the AA direction;

[0044] Fig.13 for Fig.10 Schematic cross-sectional view in the middle BB direction;

[0045] Fig.14 It is a schematic diagram of the local structure of the hinge mechanism of the embodiment of the present application in the folded state, wherein the figure only illustrates the shaft assembly on one side of the middle beam;

[0046] Fig.15a This is a schematic diagram of the structure in which the auxiliary swing arm and the fixed bracket are slidably connected in the hinge mechanism of the embodiment of the present application;

[0047] Fig.15b This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the sliding connection between the auxiliary swing arm and the fixed bracket in the hinge mechanism of the embodiment of the present application;

[0048] Fig.16a A schematic diagram of a positional relationship between a limiting portion and a limited portion when the hinge mechanism of an embodiment of the present application is in a folded state;

[0049] Fig.16b This is a schematic diagram of another positional relationship between the limiting portion and the limited portion when the hinge mechanism of the embodiment of the present application is in the folded state;

[0050] Fig.16c It is a schematic diagram of another positional relationship between the limiting portion and the limited portion when the hinge mechanism of the embodiment of the present application is in the folded state;

[0051] Fig.17a This is another structural schematic diagram of the sliding connection between the auxiliary swing arm and the fixed bracket in the hinge mechanism of the embodiment of the present application;

[0052] Fig.17b This is another schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the sliding connection between the auxiliary swing arm and the fixed bracket in the hinge mechanism of the embodiment of the present application.

[0053] Description of reference numerals:

[0054] Some solutions:

[0055] 1', foldable electronic device; 11', first housing; 12', second housing;

[0056] 30', hinge mechanism; 33', main swing arm; 34', main connecting shaft;

[0057] 4', middle beam; 41', upper base; 42', lower base;

[0058] 5', auxiliary swing arm;

[0059] 6', fixed bracket;

[0060] Z', thickness direction of the middle beam.

[0061] This application:

[0062] 1. Foldable electronic device; 10. Folding device; 11. First housing; 12. Second housing;

[0063] 2. Display screen; 21. Bending area; 22. Non-bending area;

[0064] 3. Hinge mechanism; 31. First rotating shaft assembly; 32. Second rotating shaft assembly; 33. Main swing arm; 34. Main connecting shaft; 35. Secondary connecting shaft;

[0065] 4. Middle beam; 41. Upper base; 42. Lower base; 43. Axle cover;

[0066] 5. Auxiliary swing arm; 51. First part; 52. Second part; 53. Structural hole; 54. Strip hole; 55. Slide rail; 56. Slide rail area; 57. Non-slide rail area;

[0067] 6. Fixed bracket; 61. Connecting hole; 63. Groove; 64. Slide groove;

[0068] 7. Limiting structure; 71. Limiting portion; 73. Limited portion; 74. Limited member;

[0069] X, the width direction of the middle beam; Y, the length direction of the middle beam; Z, the thickness direction of the middle beam. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0070] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of the present application, and those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present application from the contents disclosed in this specification. Although the description of the present application will be introduced in conjunction with some embodiments, this does not mean that the features of this application are limited to the implementation. On the contrary, the purpose of introducing the application in conjunction with the implementation is to cover other options or modifications that may be extended based on the claims of the present application. In order to provide a deep understanding of the present application, the following description will include many specific details. The present application can also be implemented without using these details. In addition, in order to avoid confusion or blurring the focus of the present application, some specific details will be omitted in the description. It should be noted that the embodiments in the present application and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other without conflict.

[0071] It should be noted that in this specification, similar reference numerals and letters denote similar items in the following drawings, and therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further defined and explained in the subsequent drawings.

[0072] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present application. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0073] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it can be the internal communication of two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0074] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that "electrical connection" in the present application can be understood as physical contact and electrical conduction between components; it can also be understood as a form in which different components in a circuit structure are connected through physical lines such as printed circuit board (PCB) copper foil or wires that can transmit electrical signals.

[0075] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that the mutual perpendicularity in the present application is not absolute perpendicularity, and the approximate perpendicularity caused by processing errors and assembly errors (for example, the angle between the two structural features is 89.9°) is also within the scope of the mutual perpendicularity in the present application. The mutual parallelism in the present application is also not absolute parallelism, and the approximate parallelism caused by processing errors and assembly errors (for example, the angle between the two structural features is 0.1°) is also within the scope of the mutual parallelism in the present application. The present application does not make specific limitations on this.

[0076] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the implementation methods of the present application will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0077] See also Figures 1 to 5 , Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of a hinge mechanism of some solutions in which a fixed bracket is connected to a center beam through a main swing arm and a secondary swing arm; Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of the sliding connection between the auxiliary swing arm and the fixed bracket in the hinge mechanism of some solutions;

[0078] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of a foldable electronic device in some embodiments falling in a folded state; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the connection relationship of a fixed bracket connected to a center beam through a main swing arm and a secondary swing arm in a hinge mechanism of some solutions; Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the change in the position relationship between the main swing arm and the center beam when the foldable electronic device of some schemes falls in the folded state.

[0079] As electronic devices are updated faster and faster, foldable electronic devices are becoming more and more popular among users because they can achieve a larger display area and have good portability. With the development and popularization of foldable electronic devices, the drop reliability of foldable electronic devices has also attracted more and more attention.

[0080] As an important component of a foldable electronic device, the hinge mechanism includes a middle beam and components such as a main swing arm, a secondary swing arm and a fixed bracket arranged on both sides of the middle beam. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, one end of the main swing arm 33' is provided with an arc-shaped slide bar, the upper base 41' and the lower base 42' of the middle beam 4' are fixedly connected and form a corresponding arc-shaped slide groove, and the main swing arm 33' and the middle beam 4' are rotationally connected by mutual sliding between the arc-shaped slide bar and the arc-shaped slide groove (or it can be understood that the rotational connection is achieved by using a virtual axis structure); the other end of the main swing arm 33' is rotationally connected to the fixed bracket 6' through the main connecting shaft 34'. One end of the auxiliary swing arm 5' is rotationally connected to the middle beam 4' through a secondary connecting shaft (not shown in the figure), and the other end is slidingly connected to the fixed bracket 6'. And, as shown in FIG. Figure 3As shown, the foldable electronic device 1' further includes a first shell 11' and a second shell 12' disposed on both sides of the hinge mechanism 30', and the first shell 11' and the second shell 12' are fixedly connected to the corresponding fixing brackets on both sides of the middle beam. When the foldable electronic device 1' is in the folded state, the fixing bracket can slide relative to the other end of the auxiliary swing arm toward or away from the middle beam.

[0081] like Figure 3 As shown, when the foldable electronic device 1' falls in the folded state, one of the first shell 11' and the second shell 12' (for example, the first shell 11') comes into contact with the ground and stops moving, and the other shell (for example, the second shell 12') continues to move downward due to inertia, thereby generating a pulling force F on the hinge mechanism 30' on the opposite side of the contact area. Among them, the contact area Q1 during the fall is usually a corner point or a side line of the first shell 11', and when the contact area Q1 is the contact point, the second shell 12' generates the greatest pulling force on the hinge mechanism 30' due to inertia. At this time, the area of ​​the hinge mechanism 30' that is subject to the greatest pulling force is the shaft area Q2 on the opposite side of the contact point. Specifically, as Figures 4 to 5 As shown, the second shell generates a pulling force on the fixed bracket 6' fixedly connected thereto, and transmits the pulling force to the main swing arm 33' through the main connecting shaft 34', pulling the main swing arm 33' to move along the thickness direction Z' of the middle beam, so that the arc-shaped slide bar of the main swing arm 33' can easily fall off from the arc-shaped slide groove of the middle beam 4', thereby affecting the reliability of the hinge mechanism, and further affecting the reliability of the foldable electronic device from falling.

[0082] Based on this, the present application provides a hinge mechanism, in which a limiting structure is provided between the secondary swing arm and the fixed bracket of the hinge mechanism, and the limiting structure can limit the sliding or excessive sliding of the fixed bracket relative to the secondary swing arm in the direction away from the middle beam when the foldable electronic device falls in the folded state, so that the movement of the main swing arm on the side subjected to tension in the direction away from the middle beam is limited, and the arc-shaped slide bar on the main swing arm is prevented from falling off from the arc-shaped slide groove of the middle beam. The problem in the prior art that when the foldable electronic device falls in the folded state, the arc-shaped slide bar on the main swing arm on the side subjected to tension is easily caused to fall off from the arc-shaped slide groove of the middle beam due to the action of the inertial force, thereby reducing the reliability of the hinge mechanism, and further reducing the falling reliability of the foldable electronic device.

[0083] The present application also provides a foldable electronic device, which uses the above-mentioned hinge mechanism. It should be noted that the foldable electronic device can be, but is not limited to, foldable electronic products such as mobile phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, wearable devices, etc. The embodiments of the present application do not impose any special restrictions on the specific form of the above-mentioned foldable electronic device. For the convenience of explanation, the following description is based on the example that the foldable electronic device is a mobile phone.

[0084] See also Figures 6 to 8 , Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the foldable electronic device in the unfolded state according to an embodiment of the present application; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the foldable electronic device in the folded state according to an embodiment of the present application; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the foldable electronic device in the unfolded state according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0085] like Figures 6 to 8 As shown, the foldable electronic device 1 includes a display screen 2 and a folding device 10. The display screen 2 is laid on one side of the folding device 10, or it can be understood that the folding device 10 is used to carry the display screen 2, and the folding device 10 can drive the display screen 2 to fold or unfold. The folding device 10 includes a first shell 11, a second shell 12 and a hinge mechanism 3, and the first shell 11 and the second shell 12 are rotatably connected through the hinge mechanism 3 so that the first shell 11 and the second shell 12 are relatively folded or relatively unfolded. The foldable electronic device 1, the folding device 10 and the hinge mechanism 3 have an unfolded state and a folded state respectively. In addition, the first shell 11 is fixedly connected to the fixed bracket 6 of the first rotating shaft assembly 31, and the second shell 12 is fixedly connected to the fixed bracket 6 of the second rotating shaft assembly 32. Among them, when the foldable electronic device 1 is in the folded state, the folding device 10 surrounds the outside of the display screen 2.

[0086] In one embodiment, if Figure 6 and Figure 8 As shown, the display screen 2 is laid on the front of the folding device 10, and covers the first shell 11, the second shell 12 and the hinge mechanism 3 at the same time, wherein the area of ​​the display screen 2 corresponding to the first shell 11 and the second shell 12 is the non-bending area 22, and the area corresponding to the hinge mechanism 3 is the bending area 21. The backs of the two non-bending areas 22 of the display screen 2 are fixedly connected to the first shell 11 and the second shell 12 respectively, and in the process of relative unfolding or relative folding of the display screen 2, the two non-bending areas 22 of the display screen 2 are kept in a flat state in contact with the first shell 11 and the second shell 12. The bending area 21 of the display screen 2 corresponds to the hinge mechanism 3, and when the display screen 2 is unfolded, the hinge mechanism 3 applies a supporting force to the bending area 21 of the display screen 2, on the one hand, ensuring that the bending area 21 of the display screen 2 is in a flat state, and it is not easy to have creases to affect the display effect of the display screen 2; on the other hand, the strength of the bending area 21 of the display screen 2 is improved, so that the bending area 21 of the display screen 2 is not easy to be dented, deformed or damaged when being squeezed, touched and clicked.

[0087] like Figures 6 to 8As shown, when the foldable electronic device 1 is in the unfolded state, the display screen 2 unfolds to form a plane with a larger display area. At this time, the hinge mechanism 3 lifts up to support the bending area 21 of the display screen 2, so that the bending area 21 of the display screen 2 is further flattened, thereby achieving a better display effect. At this time, the opening angle of the foldable electronic device 1 is 180°, that is, the angle between the first shell 11 and the second shell 12 is 180°. It can be understood by those skilled in the art that the opening angle of the foldable electronic device 1 can also be 90°, 120°, 210°, etc., and this application does not limit this, and the angles illustrated in this application are allowed to have a small deviation. For example, when the foldable electronic device 1 is in the unfolded state, its opening angle can be 180°, or it can be about 180°, such as 170°, 175°, 185° or 190°, etc., and the same understanding can be made for other angles in the following text. When the foldable electronic device 1 is in a folded state, the first shell 11 and the second shell 12 are folded relative to each other and fit together, so that the non-bending area 22 of the display screen 2 is overlapped or close to each other and parallel. At this time, the angle between the first shell 11 and the second shell 12 can be approximately regarded as 0°.

[0088] Those skilled in the art can understand that the present application does not limit the specific structure of the foldable electronic device 1. For example, the foldable electronic device 1 can also include various electronic components. The folding device 10 composed of the first housing 11, the second housing 12 and the hinge mechanism 3 provides protection and support for various electronic components and other structures. The following is an exemplary description of the possible structure.

[0089] In one embodiment, the first shell 11 and the second shell 12 may have a storage space inside to accommodate some electronic components (not shown in the figure). The electronic components include but are not limited to circuit boards, batteries, camera modules, microphones, speakers, etc., which are not limited in this application. Exemplarily, a circuit board may be provided in the first shell 11 and the second shell 12, and the electrical connection between the devices in the two shells is achieved through the circuit boards in the two shells; the battery for powering the device may be provided only in the first shell 11 or the second shell 12, or the battery may be provided in both the first shell 11 and the second shell 12; as for other devices such as camera modules, microphones, speakers, etc., they may be concentrated in the first shell 11 or the second shell 12, or some devices may be provided in the first shell 11 and some devices may be provided in the second shell 12.

[0090] The first shell 11 and the second shell 12 can be middle frames, and the foldable electronic device 1 can also include a back cover (not shown in the figure) arranged corresponding to each middle frame. The middle frame is connected between the display screen 2 and the back cover. The side surface of the middle frame facing the display screen 2 forms the above-mentioned support surface. The display screen 2 can be mounted on the side surface of the middle frame. The back cover is connected to the side of the middle frame away from the display screen 2. The middle frame and the back cover together enclose a storage space for installing devices.

[0091] The above systematically explains the structure of the foldable electronic device provided in the embodiment of the present application, the functions of each component, and the functional effects of the foldable electronic device in the unfolded state and the folded state. The following introduces the structural composition of the hinge mechanism and the functions of each component in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0092] See also Figures 9a to 13 As shown, Figure 9a This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the hinge mechanism of the embodiment of the present application when it is in an unfolded state; Figure 9b It is a structural schematic diagram of the hinge mechanism of the embodiment of the present application in the unfolded state, wherein the upper base and the decorative door panel are not shown in the figure; Fig.10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the hinge mechanism of the embodiment of the present application in a folded state, wherein the upper base and the decorative door panel are not shown in the figure; Fig.11 It is a schematic diagram of a partially exploded structure of the hinge mechanism of an embodiment of the present application; Fig.12 for Fig.10 Schematic cross-sectional view along the AA direction; Fig.13 for Fig.10 Schematic cross-sectional view along the BB direction.

[0093] like Figures 9a to 11 As shown, the hinge mechanism 3 includes a center beam 4, a first rotating shaft assembly 31 and a second rotating shaft assembly 32. The first rotating shaft assembly 31 and the second rotating shaft assembly 32 are respectively arranged on both sides of the center beam 4 and are rotatably connected to the center beam 4. Each rotating shaft assembly in the first rotating shaft assembly 31 and the second rotating shaft assembly 32 includes a fixed bracket 6, a main swing arm 33 and an auxiliary swing arm 5.

[0094] One end of the main swing arm 33 (the end close to the center beam 4) is slidably connected to the center beam 4 so that the main swing arm 33 can rotate relative to the center beam 4 around the first axis, and the other end of the main swing arm 33 (the end away from the center beam 4) is connected to the fixed bracket 6.

[0095] Specifically, Fig.12 As shown, the middle beam 4 includes an upper base 41, a lower base 42 and a shaft cover 43 which are stacked. The upper base 41 and the lower base 42 are fixedly connected and form a corresponding arc-shaped slide groove, and a corresponding arc-shaped slide bar is provided at one end of the main swing arm 33. The main swing arm 33 and the middle beam 4 are rotationally connected by mutual sliding between the arc-shaped slide bar and the arc-shaped slide groove (or it can be understood that the rotational connection is realized by adopting a virtual axis structure).

[0096] It should be noted that the other end of the main swing arm 33 is connected to the fixed bracket 6 in any manner, and can be a rotational connection or a sliding connection. Those skilled in the art can design it according to specific needs. Exemplarily, the other end of the main swing arm 33 is rotationally connected to the fixed bracket 6.

[0097] Furthermore, the rotational connection between the other end of the main swing arm 33 and the fixed bracket 6 is not limited. The other end of the main swing arm 33 can be rotationally connected to the fixed bracket 6 through a real axis structure, or can be rotationally connected through the cooperation of an arc-shaped slide bar and an arc-shaped slide groove (or can be understood as a virtual axis structure). Fig.11 and Fig.12 As shown, the other end of the main swing arm 33 is rotatably connected to the fixed bracket 6 via the main connecting shaft 34. The main swing arm 33 and the fixed bracket 6 are rotatably connected via a real shaft structure. When the fixed bracket 6 is subjected to a pulling force in a direction away from the middle beam 4, the fixed bracket 6 is not easy to fall off from the main swing arm 33, thereby enhancing the reliability of the hinge mechanism 3, and further enhancing the drop reliability of the foldable electronic device.

[0098] In another embodiment, an arc-shaped slide bar is provided at the other end of the main swing arm, a corresponding arc-shaped slide groove is provided on the fixed bracket, and the main swing arm and the fixed bracket are rotatably connected by mutual sliding between the arc-shaped slide groove and the arc-shaped slide bar. It should be noted that when the foldable electronic device falls in the folded state, the arc-shaped slide bar of the main swing arm has the risk of slipping out of the arc-shaped slide groove of the fixed bracket (the specific solution is described in detail below).

[0099] like Fig.11 and Fig.13 As shown, one end of the auxiliary swing arm 5 is rotatably connected to the middle beam 4 through the auxiliary connecting shaft 35, and the other end is slidably connected to the fixed bracket 6. Further, the other end of the auxiliary swing arm 5 is configured as a slide rail structure along both sides of its width direction, and the other end of the auxiliary swing arm 5 is slidably connected to the fixed bracket 6 through the slide rail structure. The other end of the auxiliary swing arm 5 is slidably connected to the fixed bracket 6 through the slide rail structure, which is conducive to improving the sliding stability of the auxiliary swing arm 5 and the fixed bracket 6.

[0100] Specifically, Fig.11 As shown, a groove 63 is provided on the surface of the fixed bracket 6 along the thickness direction Z of the middle beam close to the display screen, and sliding grooves 64 are provided on the wall surfaces on both sides of the groove 63 along the length direction Y of the middle beam. The other end of the auxiliary swing arm 5 is provided with sliding rails 55 on both sides of the length direction Y of the middle beam. The sliding rails 55 on both sides of the other end of the auxiliary swing arm 5 cooperate with the sliding grooves 64 on both sides of the groove 63 of the fixed bracket 6 to form a sliding rail structure, so that the other end of the auxiliary swing arm 5 is slidably connected to the fixed bracket 6 through the sliding rail structure.

[0101] It should be noted that the auxiliary swing arm 5 can be an integrated structure (or it can be understood that the auxiliary swing arm 5 includes only one part) or a split structure (or it can be understood that the auxiliary swing arm 5 includes two or more parts), and those skilled in the art can design it according to needs. In one embodiment, the auxiliary swing arm 5 adopts a split structure, including a first part 51 and a second part 52, and the first part 51 and the second part 52 are fixedly connected.

[0102] Furthermore, the first part 51 and the second part 52 are fixedly connected in any manner, for example, they can be connected by clamping, bonding, screwing, etc. In one embodiment, the first part 51 and the second part 52 are fixedly connected by clamping.

[0103] The type of the auxiliary swing arm 5 is not limited, and it can be a damping swing arm or a synchronous swing arm. Moreover, the types of the first part 51 and the second part 52 can be the same or different. Those skilled in the art can make a selection according to design requirements. In one embodiment, the auxiliary swing arm 5 is configured as a damping swing arm.

[0104] It should be noted that the hinge mechanism 3 also includes a damping structure (not shown in the figure) that cooperates with the damping swing arm and provides damping. When the user operates the foldable electronic device to rotate the hinge mechanism 3, each damping swing arm transmits the damping force provided by the damping structure, so that the user can get a force feedback, thereby enhancing the user's experience. In addition, the damping swing arm transmits the damping force provided by the damping structure in any manner. Those skilled in the art can design it according to the specific situation.

[0105] The hinge mechanism 3 may further include a synchronization component (not shown in the figure), which can realize the synchronous rotation of the first shell and the second shell in the folding device, thereby realizing the synchronous rotation of the foldable electronic device. When the hinge mechanism 3 rotates, the main swing arm 33 in the first rotating shaft component 31 and the main swing arm 33 in the second rotating shaft component 32 can synchronously drive the first shell and the second shell to rotate, or one of the two main swing arms 33 can first drive one shell to rotate, and the other main swing arm 33 can then drive the other shell to rotate.

[0106] In one embodiment, the synchronization components rotate synchronously in opposite directions, so that the main swing arms 33 of the hinge mechanism 3 can rotate synchronously, which greatly improves the user experience. The structure of the synchronization component is not limited, and the installation method on the hinge mechanism 3 is not limited.

[0107] The structural composition of the hinge mechanism and the functions of each component are introduced above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The structural composition and effects of the limit structure are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0108] See also Figure 14 to Figure 17b , Fig.14 It is a schematic diagram of the local structure of the hinge mechanism of the embodiment of the present application in the folded state, wherein the figure only illustrates the shaft assembly on one side of the middle beam; Fig.15a This is a schematic diagram of the structure in which the auxiliary swing arm and the fixed bracket are slidably connected in the hinge mechanism of the embodiment of the present application; Fig.15b This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the sliding connection between the auxiliary swing arm and the fixed bracket in the hinge mechanism of the embodiment of the present application; Fig.16a A schematic diagram of a positional relationship between a limiting portion and a limited portion when the hinge mechanism of an embodiment of the present application is in a folded state; Fig.16b This is a schematic diagram of another positional relationship between the limiting portion and the limited portion when the hinge mechanism of the embodiment of the present application is in the folded state; Fig.16c It is a schematic diagram of another positional relationship between the limiting portion and the limited portion when the hinge mechanism of the embodiment of the present application is in the folded state; Fig.17a This is another structural schematic diagram of the sliding connection between the auxiliary swing arm and the fixed bracket in the hinge mechanism of the embodiment of the present application; Fig.17b This is another schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the sliding connection between the auxiliary swing arm and the fixed bracket in the hinge mechanism of the embodiment of the present application.

[0109] like Figure 14 to Figure 15b As shown, the hinge mechanism 3 also includes a limiting structure 7, which is arranged between the other end of the auxiliary swing arm 5 and the fixed bracket 6, and is arranged so that when the hinge mechanism 3 is in a folded state and the fixed bracket 6 is subjected to a force in a direction away from the middle beam 4, the limiting structure 7 limits the displacement of the fixed bracket 6 sliding in a direction away from the middle beam 4 relative to the auxiliary swing arm 5 or in a direction away from the middle beam 4 (or it can be understood that the fixed bracket 6 slides a certain displacement relative to the other end of the auxiliary swing arm 5 and is restricted from further sliding by the limiting structure 7).

[0110] like Fig.11 , Fig.16a and Fig.16b As shown, the hinge mechanism 3 is moved when the foldable electronic device falls in the folded state (for example, Figure 3 The limiting structure 7 provided between the fixed bracket 6 and the other end of the auxiliary swing arm 5 limits the sliding of the fixed bracket 6 relative to the auxiliary swing arm 5 in the direction away from the middle beam 4, or limits the displacement of the fixed bracket 6 in the direction away from the middle beam 4 (or it can be understood that the fixed bracket 6 slides for a certain displacement relative to the other end of the auxiliary swing arm 5 and is restricted from further sliding by the limiting structure 7), so that under the action of the inertial force, the movement of the main swing arm 33 on the side subjected to the tension in the direction away from the middle beam 4 is restricted, thereby preventing the arc-shaped slide bar on the main swing arm 33 from falling off from the arc-shaped slide groove of the middle beam 4, thereby enhancing the reliability of the hinge mechanism 3 and the drop reliability of the foldable electronic device.

[0111] Furthermore, when the main swing arm 33 and the fixed bracket 6 are rotationally connected through the mutual sliding between the arc-shaped slide groove and the arc-shaped slide bar, the limiting structure 7 limits the fixed bracket 6 from sliding in the direction away from the middle beam 4, thereby avoiding the risk of the arc-shaped slide bar of the main swing arm 33 slipping out of the arc-shaped slide groove of the fixed bracket 6, thereby enhancing the reliability of the hinge mechanism 3 and further enhancing the drop reliability of the foldable electronic device.

[0112] Therefore, the hinge mechanism 3 provided in the present application can limit the sliding or excessive sliding of the fixed bracket 6 relative to the auxiliary swing arm 5 in the direction away from the middle beam 4 when the foldable electronic device falls in the folded state, thereby solving the problem in the prior art that when the foldable electronic device falls in the folded state, due to the action of the inertia force, the arc-shaped slide bar on the main swing arm 33 on the tension side is easily caused to fall off from the arc-shaped slide groove of the middle beam 4, thereby reducing the reliability of the hinge mechanism 3 and further reducing the falling reliability of the foldable electronic device.

[0113] It should be noted that the number of the limiting structures 7 provided between the other end of the auxiliary swing arm 5 and the fixed bracket 6 is not limited, and can be one or more. Exemplarily, one limiting structure 7 is provided between the other end of the auxiliary swing arm 5 and the fixed bracket 6.

[0114] like Fig.15b As shown, the limiting structure 7 includes a limiting portion 71 and a limited portion 73 , the limiting portion 71 is arranged at the other end of the auxiliary swing arm 5 , and the limited portion 73 is arranged on the fixed bracket 6 .

[0115] like Fig.11 , Fig.16a and Fig.16b As shown, when the hinge mechanism 3 is in the folded state and the fixed bracket 6 is subjected to a force in the direction away from the middle beam 4, the fixed bracket 6 can be limited to slide relative to the auxiliary swing arm 5 in the direction away from the middle beam 4 by the contact between the limiting portion 71 and the limited portion 73, or the fixed bracket 6 slides relative to the auxiliary swing arm 5 in the direction away from the middle beam 4 to the position where the limiting portion 71 and the limited portion 73 contact, so as to limit the displacement of the fixed bracket 6 sliding relative to the auxiliary swing arm 5. The limiting structure 7 limits the sliding or excessive sliding of the fixed bracket 6 relative to the auxiliary swing arm 5 in the direction away from the middle beam 4 by the contact between the limiting portion 71 and the limited portion 73, thereby preventing the arc-shaped slide bar on the main swing arm 33 from falling off from the arc-shaped slide groove of the middle beam 4 when the foldable electronic device falls, thereby enhancing the reliability of the hinge mechanism 3, and further enhancing the falling reliability of the foldable electronic device.

[0116] Specifically, Fig.15a and Fig.15bAs shown, the other end of the auxiliary swing arm 5 is provided with a structural hole 53, and part of the wall surface of the structural hole 53 serves as a limiting portion 71 of the limiting structure 7. The limited portion 73 is provided as a limited member 74 connected to the fixed bracket 6 and fixed relative to the fixed bracket 6, and the limited member 74 is inserted into the structural hole 53 of the auxiliary swing arm 5. When the hinge mechanism switches between the unfolded state and the folded state, the other end of the auxiliary swing arm 5 slides toward or away from the center beam relative to the fixed bracket 6, and the limited member 74 slides in the structural hole 53. The limiting structure 7 limits the fixed bracket 6 from sliding or over-sliding in the direction away from the center beam relative to the auxiliary swing arm 5 by abutting against part of the wall surface of the structural hole 53 and the limited member 74 inserted into the structural hole 53. Moreover, when the hinge mechanism switches between the unfolded state and the folded state, the limited member 74 slides in the structural hole 53. It is beneficial to improve the running stability of the hinge mechanism when it rotates, and the limiting structure 7 has a simple structure and is easy to assemble, which is beneficial to reduce the production cost.

[0117] It should be noted that the structural hole 53 opened at the other end of the auxiliary swing arm 5 can be a through hole or a blind hole. Exemplarily, the structural hole 53 opened at the other end of the auxiliary swing arm 5 is set as a through hole. In addition, the limited member 74 can pass through the structural hole 53 of the auxiliary swing arm 5 or not. In one example, the limited member 74 passes through the structural hole 53 of the auxiliary swing arm 5. This has a simple structure and low processing cost.

[0118] Further, the fixing bracket 6 is provided with a connection hole 61, and the stopper 74 is fixedly connected in the connection hole 61. Specifically, the connection hole 61 is opened on the upper wall surface of the sliding groove 64 of the fixing bracket 6 along the thickness direction Z of the middle beam.

[0119] The limited member 74 may be fixedly connected to the connection hole 61 on the upper wall of the slide slot 64, or the lower wall of the slide slot 64 of the fixing bracket 6 may also be provided with a mounting hole corresponding to the limited member 74, and the limited member 74 may be fixedly connected to the connection hole 61 on the upper wall of the slide slot 64, and after passing through the structural hole 53 at the other end of the auxiliary swing arm 5, it is fixedly connected to the mounting hole on the lower wall of the slide slot 64 (or it can be understood that the limited member 74 is fixedly connected to the connection hole 61 on the upper wall of the slide slot 64 and the mounting hole on the lower wall of the slide slot 64 at the same time), or the limited member 74 may be fixedly connected to the mounting hole on the lower wall of the slide slot 64. In one embodiment, the limited member 74 is fixedly connected to the connection hole 61 on the upper wall of the slide slot 64 only.

[0120] It should be noted that the fixed connection method of the limited member 74 and the fixed bracket 6 is not limited, and the limited member 74 can be clamped in the connection hole 61 of the fixed bracket 6, or the limited member 74 is threadedly connected to the connection hole 61 of the fixed bracket 6. Those skilled in the art can design it according to specific circumstances. Exemplarily, the limited member 74 is clamped in the connection hole 61 of the fixed bracket 6.

[0121] Furthermore, the structure of the position-limiting member 74 is not limited, and can be set to a columnar structure, a block structure, or a U-shaped frame structure. Fig.15b As shown, the limited member 74 is configured as a block structure, which is simple in structure and is conducive to reducing production costs.

[0122] Further, the cross-sectional shape of the block structure is not limited, for example, it can be a triangle, a rectangle or any polygon. Those skilled in the art can design it according to the actual situation. Exemplarily, the structure of the limited member 74 is set as a block structure with a rectangular cross-sectional shape.

[0123] In another embodiment, Fig.17b As shown, the limited member 74 is set as a columnar structure. Further, the cross-sectional shape of the columnar structure is not limited, for example, it can be a circular or elliptical shape. Those skilled in the art can design it according to actual conditions. Exemplarily, the structure of the limited member 74 is set as a columnar structure with a circular cross-sectional shape.

[0124] It should be noted that the limited member 74 can be set as a solid structure or a hollow structure with a ring-shaped cross-section. Those skilled in the art can design it according to actual needs. Exemplarily, the limited member 74 is set as a solid block structure.

[0125] In one embodiment, if Fig.15b As shown, the structural hole 53 is set as a strip hole 54. Among them, the limited member 74 is slidably connected to the strip hole 54 along the extension direction of the strip hole 54, and the wall surface of the strip hole 54 at one end away from the middle beam along its extension direction serves as the limiting portion 71 of the limiting structure 7. The wall surface of the strip hole-shaped structural hole 53 away from one end of the middle beam is the limiting portion 71 of the limiting structure 7, and the limited member 74 slides in the strip hole 54. The sliding stability of the auxiliary swing arm 5 and the fixed bracket is improved, and the structure of the structural hole 53 is simple and the manufacturing cost is low.

[0126] It should be noted that when the limited member 74 and the strip hole 54 slide against each other, the wall surface of the limited member 74 along the length direction Y of the middle beam and the wall surface of the strip hole 54 along the length direction Y of the middle beam may slide in contact or not. Those skilled in the art may design according to specific circumstances. Fig.16a and Fig.16b As shown, the wall surface of the limited member 74 along the length direction Y of the middle beam and the wall surface of the strip hole 54 along the length direction Y of the middle beam contact each other when sliding against each other, thereby improving the operation stability of the hinge mechanism. Fig.16c As shown, the wall surface of the limited member 74 along the length direction Y of the middle beam and the wall surface of the strip hole 54 along the length direction Y of the middle beam do not contact each other when sliding against each other.

[0127] Furthermore, if Fig.15b As shown, the other end of the auxiliary swing arm 5 includes a slide rail area 56 and a non-slide rail area 57. The area where the slide rail structure is located in the other end of the auxiliary swing arm 5 is the slide rail area 56, and the other area of ​​the other end of the auxiliary swing arm 5 except the slide rail area 56 is the non-slide rail area 57.

[0128] It should be noted that the strip hole 54 can be provided in the non-slide rail area 57 at the other end of the auxiliary swing arm 5, or in the slide rail area 56. Those skilled in the art can design it according to the requirements. Fig.15b As shown, the strip hole 54 is set in the slide rail area 56 at the other end of the auxiliary swing arm 5, the structure of the limited member 74 is set as a columnar structure with a rectangular cross-section, and the strip hole 54 is set as a rectangle corresponding to the structure of the limited member 74. The strip hole 54 is located on one side of the auxiliary swing arm 5 along its width direction, and a notch is formed on the side of the side of the auxiliary swing arm 5. The strip hole 54 is located on one side of the auxiliary swing arm 5, and a notch is set on the side of the side, which is convenient for processing the auxiliary swing arm 5.

[0129] In another embodiment, Fig.17a and Fig.17b As shown, the strip hole 54 is arranged in the non-slide rail area 57 at the other end of the auxiliary swing arm 5. The structure of the limited member 74 is arranged as a columnar structure with a circular cross-section shape, and the two ends of the strip hole 54 extending along the width direction X of the middle beam are arranged as arcs corresponding to the structure of the limited member 74.

[0130] It should be noted that when the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the limited member 74 may abut against the wall surface of the strip hole 54 at one end close to the middle beam along the extending direction thereof, or may not abut against the wall surface of the strip hole 54 at one end close to the middle beam along the extending direction thereof. In one example, when the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the limited member 74 abuts against the wall surface of the strip hole 54 at one end close to the middle beam along the extending direction thereof. The limited member 74 cannot continue to slide in the direction close to the middle beam, which effectively improves the stability of the hinge mechanism when it is in the unfolded state.

[0131] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications to the present application without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. Thus, if these modifications and variations of the present application fall within the scope of the claims of the present application and their equivalents, the present application is also intended to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A hinge mechanism, comprising a middle beam, a first rotating shaft assembly and a second rotating shaft assembly, wherein the first rotating shaft assembly and the second rotating shaft assembly are respectively arranged on both sides of the middle beam and are rotatably connected to the middle beam, characterized in that: Each of the first rotating shaft assembly and the second rotating shaft assembly comprises: Fixed bracket; A main swing arm, one end of which is slidably connected to the middle beam so that the main swing arm can rotate relative to the middle beam around a first axis, and the other end of the main swing arm is connected to the fixed bracket; A secondary swing arm, one end of which is rotatably connected to the middle beam via a secondary connecting shaft, and the other end of which is slidably connected to the fixed bracket; A limiting structure, wherein the limiting structure is arranged between the other end of the auxiliary swing arm and the fixed bracket, and is configured such that: when the hinge mechanism is in a folded state and the fixed bracket is subjected to a force in a direction away from the center beam, the limiting structure limits the displacement of the fixed bracket sliding in a direction away from the center beam relative to the auxiliary swing arm or in a direction away from the center beam.

2. The hinge mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The limiting structure comprises a limiting portion and a limited portion, wherein the limiting portion is arranged at the other end of the auxiliary swing arm, and the limited portion is arranged at the fixing bracket; When the hinge mechanism is in a folded state and the fixed bracket is subjected to a force acting in a direction away from the center beam, the limiting portion abuts against the limited portion to limit the fixed bracket from sliding relative to the auxiliary swing arm in a direction away from the center beam, or the fixed bracket slides relative to the auxiliary swing arm in a direction away from the center beam to a position where the limiting portion abuts against the limited portion, so as to limit the displacement of the fixed bracket sliding relative to the auxiliary swing arm.

3. The hinge mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: The other end of the auxiliary swing arm is provided with a structural hole, and a part of the wall surface of the structural hole serves as the limiting portion of the limiting structure; the limited portion is configured as a limited member connected to the fixing bracket and fixed relative to the fixing bracket, and the limited member is inserted into the structural hole of the auxiliary swing arm; Wherein, when the hinge mechanism switches between the unfolded state and the folded state, the other end of the auxiliary swing arm slides relative to the fixed bracket in a direction close to or away from the center beam, and the limited member slides in the structural hole.

4. The hinge mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that: The fixing bracket is provided with a connecting hole, and the limited member is fixedly connected in the connecting hole; The limited member passes through the structural hole of the auxiliary swing arm.

5. The hinge mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that: The limited member is configured as a columnar structure or a block structure.

6. The hinge mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that: The structural holes are configured as strip-shaped holes; The limited member is slidably connected to the strip hole along the extension direction of the strip hole, and the wall surface of one end of the strip hole away from the center beam along the extension direction thereof serves as the limiting portion of the limiting structure.

7. The hinge mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that: The other end of the auxiliary swing arm is configured as a slide rail structure at both sides along the width direction thereof, and the other end of the auxiliary swing arm is slidably connected to the fixed bracket through the slide rail structure, the area of ​​the other end of the auxiliary swing arm where the slide rail structure is located is a slide rail area, and the other area of ​​the other end of the auxiliary swing arm except the slide rail area is a non-slide rail area; Wherein, the strip-shaped hole is located in the non-slide rail area or the slide rail area of ​​the auxiliary swing arm.

8. The hinge mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that: The strip-shaped hole is located at one side of the auxiliary swing arm along the width direction thereof, and a notch is formed on the side edge of the side of the auxiliary swing arm.

9. The hinge mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that: When the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the limited member abuts against a wall surface of the strip-shaped hole along an extension direction thereof close to one end of the middle beam.

10. The hinge mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The other end of the main swing arm is rotatably connected to the fixed bracket through a main connecting shaft.

11. A folding device, comprising a first shell and a second shell, characterized in that: It also includes a hinge mechanism as described in any one of claims 1-10, and the first shell and the second shell are rotatably connected through the hinge mechanism, wherein the first shell is fixedly connected to the fixed bracket of the first rotating shaft assembly, and the second shell is fixedly connected to the fixed bracket of the second rotating shaft assembly.

12. A foldable electronic device, comprising a display screen, characterized in that: Also includes the folding device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the display screen is laid on one side of the folding device; When the foldable electronic device is in a folded state, the folding device surrounds the outer side of the display screen.

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