Hinge device and foldable electronic device

Abstract

The utility model discloses a hinge device and a foldable electronic device. The hinge device includes a first support member and a hinge mechanism. The first support member includes at least two first mounting bodies and a first connecting body arranged between two adjacent first mounting bodies, and the at least two first mounting bodies are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the first support member, and are connected with the first connecting body to form a first supporting surface. The first connecting body is provided with a first reinforcing rib, and the first reinforcing rib is arranged opposite to the first supporting surface along the thickness direction of the first support member. The hinge mechanism includes a base frame assembly fixedly connected to the first mounting body, the hinge mechanism includes at least two, and corresponds to the at least two first mounting bodies one by one, and the hinge mechanism is fixed to the first mounting body through the base frame assembly. The hinge device optimizes the support structure so that at least part of the support structure can be designed to be thinner, which is conducive to realizing the lightness and thinness of the foldable electronic device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of electronic technology, and in particular to a hinge device and a foldable electronic device. Background Art

[0002] Electronic devices such as mobile phones and tablets have become indispensable technology products in people's lives, learning and entertainment. At present, the flexible display screen of foldable electronic devices can be easily carried after being folded in half. When the flexible display screen is unfolded, it has a larger display area, making foldable electronic devices more and more popular among consumers.

[0003] In the related art, foldable electronic devices usually use hinge devices to realize the flexible display screen to unfold or fold. However, due to the limitations of material properties, the parts of the support structure of the hinge device need to be designed with a larger thickness to meet its strength requirements. This is not conducive to achieving the thinness of foldable electronic devices. Utility Model Content

[0004] The present disclosure provides a hinge device and a foldable electronic device. The hinge device optimizes the support structure so that at least part of the support structure can be designed to be thinner, which is conducive to achieving the lightweight and thinness of the foldable electronic device.

[0005] The technical solution is as follows:

[0006] According to a first aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a hinge device, comprising a first support member and a hinge mechanism. The first support member comprises at least two first mounting bodies and a first connecting body arranged between two adjacent first mounting bodies, the at least two first mounting bodies are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the first support member, and are connected with the first connecting body to form a first supporting surface. The first connecting body is provided with a first reinforcing rib, and the first reinforcing rib is arranged opposite to the first supporting surface along the thickness direction of the first support member. The hinge mechanism comprises a base frame assembly fixedly connected to the first mounting body, the hinge mechanism comprises at least two, and corresponds one-to-one to the at least two first mounting bodies, and the hinge mechanism is fixed to the first mounting body through the base frame assembly.

[0007] The technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure includes at least the following beneficial effects:

[0008] When the hinge device is assembled, the hinge mechanism is fixed to the first mounting body through its base frame assembly. At least two hinge mechanisms can be integrated through the first mounting body along the length direction of the first support member. That is, at least two hinge mechanisms are integrated together through the first support member, and two adjacent hinge mechanisms are connected through the first connector to form a first support surface. The first reinforcing rib is arranged opposite to the first support surface and is fixed to the first connector, so that the strength of the first connector is high, and even if the first connector is made thin as a whole, it can reliably connect the two adjacent hinge mechanisms. In this way, at least part of the first support member of the hinge device can be designed to be thinner and occupy less space, which is conducive to realizing the lightweight and thinness of the foldable electronic device.

[0009] The technical solution of the present disclosure is further described below:

[0010] In one embodiment, the first reinforcing rib includes a first rib body, and the length direction of the first rib body is arranged along the length direction of the first supporting member.

[0011] And / or, the first reinforcing rib includes a second rib body, and the length direction of the second rib body is arranged along the width direction of the first support member.

[0012] In one embodiment, the base assembly includes a base body, and one of the base body and the first mounting body is provided with a protrusion, and the other is provided with a recessed portion that is nested and fixedly matched with the protrusion.

[0013] In one embodiment, the hinge device further includes an adhesive layer, and the convex portion and the concave portion are fixed by the adhesive layer.

[0014] And / or, the hinge device further includes a welding layer, and the convex part and the concave part are fixed by the welding layer.

[0015] And / or, the hinge device further includes a nut, the convex portion includes a screw rod protruding from the concave portion, and the screw rod is threadedly fixed to the nut.

[0016] In one embodiment, the convex part is fixed to the first mounting body. The convex part includes a plurality of convex parts, and is fixed to the first mounting body at intervals along the length direction of the first support member. The concave parts correspond to the convex parts one by one.

[0017] And / or, at least one protrusion is fixedly connected to the first reinforcing rib.

[0018] In one embodiment, the recess includes at least one of a through hole and a notch, and is disposed on the base body.

[0019] In one embodiment, there are at least two notches, which are spaced apart at two ends of the base body, and at least one through hole is disposed in the base body.

[0020] In one embodiment, the first mounting body includes a first limiting protrusion and a second limiting protrusion, the first limiting protrusion and the second limiting protrusion are spaced apart along the length direction of the first support member to form a limiting groove, and the base body is limitedly matched with the limiting groove.

[0021] In one embodiment, at least a portion of the first limiting protrusion extends along the width direction of the first support member to form a reinforcing rib structure.

[0022] And / or, at least a portion of the second limiting protrusion extends along the width direction of the first support member to form a reinforcing rib structure.

[0023] In one embodiment, the hinge mechanism further includes a connecting member, a second supporting member and a connecting rod component. The connecting member is rotatably connected to the second supporting member. The connecting rod component includes a first connecting rod assembly and a second connecting rod assembly, wherein the first connecting rod assembly is rotatably connected to the base assembly, and the first connecting rod assembly is rotatably connected to the connecting member; the second connecting rod assembly is rotatably connected to the base assembly, the second connecting rod assembly is slidably connected to the connecting member, and the first connecting rod assembly and the second connecting rod assembly are movably connected; the first supporting member is provided with a first avoidance notch for avoiding the first connecting rod assembly and a second avoidance notch for avoiding the second connecting rod assembly.

[0024] When the hinge device is in a folded state, the second support member cooperates with the first support surface and part of the connecting rod component to form an accommodation space. When the hinge device is in an unfolded state, the second support member cooperates with the first support surface and part of the connecting rod component to form a support structure.

[0025] In one embodiment, the connecting member, the base frame assembly and the connecting rod member correspond to each other as a first group, and the hinge mechanism includes at least two first groups. The second support member includes a second mounting body corresponding to each other in the first group and a second connecting body arranged between two adjacent second mounting bodies. The second mounting body is rotatably connected to the corresponding connecting member. At least two second mounting bodies are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the second support member, and are connected to the second connecting body to form a second supporting surface that can cooperate with the first supporting surface to form a supporting structure. The second connecting body is provided with a second reinforcing rib, and the second reinforcing rib is arranged opposite to the second supporting surface along the thickness direction of the second support member.

[0026] In one embodiment, at least a portion of the second reinforcing rib is disposed along a length direction of the second supporting member.

[0027] According to the second aspect of the embodiments of the present disclosure, a foldable electronic device is also provided, comprising a flexible display, a shell assembly and the hinge device of any of the above embodiments, the shell assembly comprising a shell body, the shell body being fixedly connected to a portion of the hinge mechanism so as to be able to rotate relative to a first support member and a base assembly; at least a portion of the flexible display is covered by the hinge device and the shell body.

[0028] The technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure includes at least the following beneficial effects:

[0029] The foldable electronic device can use the hinge device of any of the above embodiments to support the flexible display screen when it is in the unfolded state using the first support surface. Since the first reinforcing rib is arranged opposite to the first support surface and fixed to the first connector, the strength of the first connector is high, and even if the first connector is made thin as a whole, it can reliably connect two adjacent hinge mechanisms. This is conducive to achieving a lightweight and thin foldable electronic device.

[0030] It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The drawings constituting a part of the present disclosure are used to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure. The illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure and the description thereof are used to explain the present disclosure and do not constitute an improper limitation on the present disclosure.

[0032] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present disclosure. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0033] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of a foldable electronic device shown in one embodiment.

[0034] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structural explosion of the hinge device shown.

[0035] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the partial structure of the first support member is shown.

[0036] Figure 4 for Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of the hinge mechanism shown.

[0037] Figure 5 for Figure 2 The diagram shows a partial structural diagram of the hinge device after assembly.

[0038] Figure 6 for Figure 5 The structural schematic diagram of the hinge device shown is in a folded state.

[0039] Figure 7 for Figure 5A schematic diagram showing the hinge device in an unfolded state.

[0040] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the structure of a hinge mechanism in one embodiment.

[0041] Fig. 9 Schematic diagram of the structure of a hinge mechanism in one embodiment.

[0042] Fig.10 for Fig. 9 Schematic diagram of the hinge mechanism shown.

[0043] Fig.11 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the hardware structure of the foldable electronic device shown.

[0044] Description of reference numerals:

[0045] 10. Foldable electronic device; 11. Processing component; 12. Memory; 13. Power component; 14. Multimedia component; 15. Audio component; 16. Input / output interface; 17. Sensor component; 18. Communication component; 10a. Flexible display screen; 10b. Hinge device; 101. Accommodation space; 102. Support structure; 10c. Shell component; 103. Shell body; 100. First support member; 110. First mounting body; 111. Protrusion; 112. First limiting protrusion; 113. Second limiting protrusion; 114. Limiting groove; 115. First notch; 116. Second notch; 120. First connecting member; 1 21. first reinforcing rib; 1211. first rib body; 1212. second rib body; 130. first supporting surface; 200. hinge mechanism; 210. base frame assembly; 211. base frame body; 2111. recess; 220. connecting member; 230. second supporting member; 231. second mounting body; 232. second connecting body; 2321. second reinforcing rib; 233. second supporting surface; 240. connecting rod component; 241. first connecting rod assembly; 2411. first connecting rod; 2412. third connecting rod; 2413. transmission member; 242. second connecting rod assembly; 2421. second connecting rod; 250. damping assembly; 260. synchronization assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the present disclosure more clear, the present disclosure is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods. It should be understood that the specific implementation methods described here are only used to explain the present disclosure and do not limit the protection scope of the present disclosure.

[0047] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs. The terms used herein in the specification of the present disclosure are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure.

[0048] Electronic devices such as mobile phones and tablet computers have become indispensable technological products in people's lives, learning and entertainment, bringing a lot of convenience and fun to people's lives. With the development of the diversification of electronic device functions, there are many types and brands of electronic devices, which makes it possible for consumers to choose from a lot of electronic devices. Simply improving the functional characteristics of electronic devices cannot meet people's requirements for electronic devices.

[0049] As the application of flexible display screens becomes more and more mature, their application in electronic devices is becoming more and more extensive. Foldable electronic devices using flexible display screens can be folded for easy carrying. When the flexible display screen is unfolded, it has a larger display area, which makes it more and more popular among consumers. Among foldable electronic devices with similar display size and performance, the lighter the foldable electronic device is, the better the grip is, and the more attractive it is to consumers.

[0050] In the related art, foldable electronic devices usually use hinge devices to realize the unfolding or folding of flexible display screens. However, due to the limitations of material properties and cost, the parts of the support structure of the hinge device need to be designed to be thicker to meet the strength requirements, resulting in a relatively large thickness and weight of the hinge device, which is not conducive to the realization of thin and light foldable electronic devices.

[0051] Based on this, the present disclosure provides a hinge device. The hinge device optimizes the support structure so that at least part of the support structure can be designed to be thinner, which is conducive to achieving the lightweight and thinness of the foldable electronic device.

[0052] In order to better understand the hinge device of the present invention, a foldable electronic device using the hinge device is used for illustration.

[0053] like Figures 1 to 5As shown, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, a foldable electronic device 10 is provided, comprising a housing assembly 10c, a flexible display screen 10a and a hinge device 10b. The housing assembly 10c comprises a housing body 103, and the hinge device 10b comprises a first support member 100 and a hinge mechanism 200, and the hinge mechanism 200 comprises a base assembly 210 fixedly connected to the first support member 100. The housing body 103 is partially fixedly connected to the hinge mechanism 200 so as to be able to rotate relative to the first support member 100 and the base assembly 210; at least a portion of the flexible display screen 10a is covered by the hinge device 10b and the housing body 103. In this way, the flexible display screen 10a is folded or unfolded by the housing body 103 moving with the hinge mechanism 200.

[0054] Specific body, such as Figures 3 to 5 As shown, the first support member 100 includes at least two first mounting bodies 110 and a first connecting body disposed between two adjacent first mounting bodies 110, and the at least two first mounting bodies 110 are spaced apart along the length direction of the first support member 100 and connected with the first connecting body to form a first supporting surface 130. The first connecting body is provided with a first reinforcing rib 121, and along the thickness direction of the first support member 100, the first reinforcing rib 121 is disposed opposite to the first supporting surface 130. The hinge mechanism 200 includes at least two, and corresponds to the at least two first mounting bodies 110 one by one, and the hinge mechanism 200 is fixed to the first mounting body 110 through a base assembly 210.

[0055] When the hinge device 10b is assembled, the hinge mechanism 200 is fixed to the first mounting body 110 through its base assembly 210. At least two hinge mechanisms 200 can be integrated through the first mounting body 110 along the length direction of the first support member 100, which can more reliably drive the flexible display screen 10a to fold or open. That is, at least two hinge mechanisms 200 are integrated together through the first support member 100, and the two adjacent hinge mechanisms 200 are connected through the first connector to form the first support surface 130. The first reinforcing rib 121 is arranged opposite to the first support surface 130 and fixed to the first connector, so that the strength of the first connector is high, and even if the first connector is made thin as a whole, it can reliably connect the two adjacent hinge mechanisms 200. In this way, at least part of the first support member 100 of the hinge device 10b can be designed to be thinner, occupy less space, and have less weight, which is conducive to realizing the thinness of the foldable electronic device 10.

[0056] To better understand the technical solution of the present disclosure, Figure 1As shown, the length direction of the first support member 100 is set to the X-axis direction. The width direction of the first support member 100 is the Y-axis direction. The thickness direction of the first support member 100 is the Z-axis direction. The length direction of the base assembly 210 is set to the X-axis direction, the width direction of the base assembly 210 is the Y-axis direction, and the thickness direction of the base assembly 210 is also the Z-axis direction.

[0057] When the foldable electronic device 10 is in the unfolded state, its thickness direction is also in the Z-axis direction.

[0058] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the first reinforcing rib 121 extends along the length direction of the first support member 100. In this way, the strength of the first connector in the length direction can be effectively enhanced, and the durability of the second support member 230 can be improved.

[0059] like Figure 3 As shown, in one example, the first reinforcing rib 121 includes a first rib body 1211, and the length direction of the first rib body 1211 is arranged along the length direction of the first support member 100. In this way, the first rib body 1211 can improve the strength of the first connector in the length direction and enhance the durability of the second support member 230.

[0060] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the first reinforcing rib 121 extends along the width direction of the first support member 100. In this way, the strength of the first connector in the width direction can be effectively enhanced, and the durability of the second support member 230 can be improved.

[0061] like Figure 3 As shown, in one example, the first reinforcing rib 121 includes a second rib body 1212, and the length direction of the second rib body 1212 is arranged along the width direction of the first support member 100. In this way, the second rib body 1212 can improve the strength of the first connector in the width direction and enhance the durability of the second support member 230.

[0062] It should be noted that there may be a variety of ways to fix the base assembly 210 and the first mounting body 110, including but not limited to at least one of adhesive fixation, welding fixation, screw fixation, riveting fixation, etc.

[0063] like Figures 3 to 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the base assembly 210 includes a base body 211, and one of the base body 211 and the first installation body 110 is provided with a protrusion 111, and the other is provided with a recess 2111 that is nested and fixedly matched with the protrusion 111. In this way, the base body 211 and the first installation body 110 can be conveniently installed in a limited position by using the nesting of the protrusion 111 and the recess 2111, thereby improving the assembly accuracy.

[0064] Optionally, in some embodiments, the hinge device 10b further includes an adhesive layer (not shown), and the convex portion 111 and the concave portion 2111 are fixed by the adhesive layer. In this way, the base body 211 and the first installation body 110 can be fixedly connected by an adhesive technology.

[0065] Optionally, in some embodiments, the hinge device 10b further includes a welding layer (not shown), and the protrusion 111 and the recess 2111 are fixed by the welding layer. In this way, the base body 211 and the first installation body 110 can be fixedly connected by bonding technology.

[0066] Optionally, in some embodiments, the hinge device 10b further includes a nut (not shown), the convex portion 111 includes a screw rod protruding from the concave portion 2111, and the screw rod and the nut are screwed and fixed. In this way, the base frame body 211 and the first mounting body 110 can be fixedly connected by screwing technology, which is easy to assemble and also convenient for subsequent disassembly and maintenance.

[0067] Alternatively, if Figures 3 to 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the convex portion 111 is fixed to the first mounting body 110. The convex portion 111 includes a plurality of convex portions 111, and is fixed to the first mounting body 110 at intervals along the length direction of the first support member 100. The concave portions 2111 correspond to the convex portions 111 one by one. In this way, by using the cooperation of the plurality of convex portions 111 and the concave portions 2111, the connection strength between the base body 211 and the first mounting body 110 can be improved.

[0068] In addition, by using multiple protrusions 111 to form reinforcing ribs on the first mounting body 110, the strength of the first mounting body 110 can be improved, which is conducive to further thinning the first support member 100 and facilitating the thinning of the foldable electronic device 10.

[0069] Alternatively, if Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, at least one protrusion 111 is fixedly connected to the first reinforcing rib 121. This is beneficial to improve the connection strength between the first connecting body and the first mounting body 110, so that the strength of the first support member 100 in the length direction is uniform.

[0070] In some embodiments, the recess 2111 includes at least one of a through hole and a notch, and is disposed on the base body 211. In this way, the recess 2111 can be flexibly manufactured, reducing the difficulty of manufacturing the base body 211.

[0071] like Figures 3 to 5As shown, in some embodiments, there are at least two notches, which are spaced apart at both ends of the base body 211, and at least one through hole is provided on the base body 211. In this way, the base body 211 is conveniently fixed on the first mounting body 110 by using the cooperation between the two notches and the protrusion 111, and the uniformity of the connection force of the base body 211 along the length direction of the first support member 100 is improved by using the cooperation between the through hole and the protrusion 111 and the fixed cooperation between the two notches and the protrusion 111, so as to prevent the base body 211 from tilting.

[0072] like Figures 3 to 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the first mounting body 110 includes a first limiting protrusion 112 and a second limiting protrusion 113, and the first limiting protrusion 112 and the second limiting protrusion 113 are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the first support member 100 to form a limiting groove 114, and the base body 211 is limitedly matched with the limiting groove 114. In this way, during the assembly of the base body 211 and the first mounting body 110, it is convenient to place the base body 211 between the first limiting protrusion 112 and the second limiting protrusion 113, and it is convenient to achieve the preliminary fixation of the base body 211 on the first mounting body 110 through the limited matching with the limiting groove 114, which is easy to improve the assembly accuracy and assembly efficiency.

[0073] In addition, after the base frame body 211 is fixed to the first installation body 110 , the limiting groove 114 can be used for limiting the position to improve the connection strength.

[0074] For example, an adhesive layer is provided between the first limiting protrusion 112 and the base body 211. An adhesive layer is provided between the second limiting protrusion 113 and the base body 211, which can increase the bonding area and improve the connection strength between the base body 211 and the first mounting body 110.

[0075] like Figures 3 to 5 As shown, in some embodiments, at least a portion of the first limiting protrusion 112 extends along the width direction of the first support member 100 to form a reinforcing rib structure. In this way, the reinforcing rib structure formed by the first limiting protrusion 112 can improve the strength of the first mounting body 110 in the width direction.

[0076] In one example, the convex portion 111 and the first limiting convex body 112 are integrally formed on the first mounting body 110. In this way, the strength of the first mounting body 110 in the length direction can be enhanced, which is conducive to further thinning the first support member 100 and facilitating the thinning of the foldable electronic device 10.

[0077] like Figures 3 to 5As shown, in some embodiments, at least a portion of the second limiting protrusion 113 extends along the width direction of the first support member 100 to form a reinforcing rib structure. In this way, the reinforcing rib structure formed by the second limiting protrusion 113 can improve the strength of the first mounting body 110 in the width direction, which is conducive to further thinning the first support member 100 and facilitating the thinning of the foldable electronic device 10.

[0078] In one example, the convex portion 111 and the second limiting convex body 113 are integrally formed on the first mounting body 110. In this way, the strength of the first mounting body 110 in the length direction can be enhanced, which is conducive to further thinning the first support member 100 and facilitating the thinning of the foldable electronic device 10.

[0079] like Figures 5 to 7 As shown, in some embodiments, the hinge mechanism 200 further includes a connecting member 220, a second supporting member 230 and a connecting rod component 240. The connecting member 220 is rotatably connected to the second supporting member 230. The connecting rod component 240 includes a first connecting rod assembly 241 and a second connecting rod assembly 242, the first connecting rod assembly 241 is rotatably connected to the base assembly 210, and the first connecting rod assembly 241 is rotatably connected to the connecting member 220; the second connecting rod assembly 242 is rotatably connected to the base assembly 210, the second connecting rod assembly 242 is slidably connected to the connecting member 220, and the first connecting rod assembly 241 and the second connecting rod assembly 242 are movably connected; the first supporting member 100 is provided with a first avoidance notch for avoiding the first connecting rod assembly 241 and a second avoidance notch for avoiding the second connecting rod assembly 242.

[0080] When the hinge device 10b is in the folded state, the second support member 230 cooperates with the first support surface 130 and part of the connecting rod member 240 to form the accommodation space 101. When the hinge device 10b is in the unfolded state, the second support member 230 cooperates with the first support surface 130 and part of the connecting rod member 240 to form the support structure 102.

[0081] When the foldable electronic device 10 is used, when the flexible display screen 10a needs to be unfolded for use, the hinge mechanism 200 is switched to the unfolded state, so that the second support member 230 cooperates with the first support surface 130 and part of the connecting rod member 240 to form the support structure 102. Then, the flexible display screen 10a can be more fully supported by the support structure 102 and the shell body 103, so as to improve the display quality and facilitate the user to operate the flexible display screen 10a. When the flexible display screen 10a is folded, the hinge mechanism 200 switches from the unfolded state to the folded state. In this process, the first connecting rod assembly 241 and the second connecting rod assembly 242 rotate along the base assembly 210, and the first connecting rod assembly 241 drives the connecting member 220 to rotate, so that the connecting member 220 and the second connecting rod assembly 242 slide, so that the connecting member 220 drives the second supporting member 230 to move in the direction away from the base assembly 210, so as to make room for the flexible display screen 10a to bend. In this way, the second support member 230 cooperates with the second support member 230 and the connecting rod member 240 to form the accommodation space 101, so as to better protect the bent portion of the flexible display screen 10a. When the foldable electronic device 10 accidentally falls in the folded state, the flexible display screen 10a is bent in the accommodation space 101 and cooperates with the second support member 230, the first support surface 130 and the connecting rod member 240 to limit and buffer the deformation of the flexible display screen 10a, so as to avoid damage to the flexible display screen 10a due to excessive deformation, thereby facilitating the reliability of the foldable electronic device 10.

[0082] In addition, the setting of the first avoidance gap will not interfere with the movement of the first connecting rod assembly 241, and it is also convenient to use part of the first connecting rod assembly 241 to support or limit the flexible display screen 10a. The setting of the second avoidance gap will not interfere with the movement of the second connecting rod assembly 242, and it is also convenient to use part of the second connecting rod assembly 242 to support or limit the flexible display screen 10a.

[0083] It can be understood that when the foldable electronic device 10 is in the open state, the hinge mechanism 200 is in the unfolded state. When the foldable electronic device 10 is in the folded state, the hinge mechanism 200 is in the folded state.

[0084] like Figures 5 to 7As shown, in some embodiments, the connecting member 220, the base assembly 210 and the connecting rod component 240 correspond to each other as a first group, and the hinge mechanism 200 includes at least two first groups. The second support member 230 includes a first group of second mounting bodies 231 corresponding to each other and a second connecting body 232 arranged between two adjacent second mounting bodies 231. The second mounting body 231 is rotatably connected to the corresponding connecting member 220. At least two second mounting bodies 231 are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the second support member 230, and are connected with the second connecting body 232 to form a second supporting surface 233 that can cooperate with the first supporting surface 130 to form a supporting structure 102. The second connecting body 232 is provided with a second reinforcing rib 2321, and along the thickness direction of the second support member 230, the second reinforcing rib 2321 is arranged opposite to the second supporting surface 233. In this way, the second mounting body 231 is rotatably connected to the corresponding connecting member 220, so that at least two connecting members 220 can be connected to the second supporting member 230 to drive the second supporting member 230 to rotate, so that when the hinge device 10b is in the unfolded state, the second supporting surface 233 and the first supporting surface 130 form a more flat supporting structure 102. When the hinge device 10b is in the folded state, the second supporting surface 233 and the first supporting surface 130 are arranged at an angle to better restrict the flexible display screen 10a.

[0085] The second reinforcing rib 2321 is arranged opposite to the second supporting surface 233 and fixed to the second connecting body 232, so that the second connecting body 232 has high strength, and can reliably connect two adjacent connecting members 220 even if the second connecting body 232 is made thin as a whole. In this way, at least part of the second supporting member 230 of the hinge device 10b can be designed to be thinner, occupy less space, and have less weight, which is conducive to realizing the lightweight and thinness of the foldable electronic device 10.

[0086] Alternatively, if Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, at least part of the second reinforcing rib 2321 is arranged along the length direction of the second support member 230. In this way, the strength of the second connecting body 232 in the length direction can be effectively enhanced, and the durability of the second support member 230 can be improved.

[0087] Based on any of the above embodiments of the connecting member 220, Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the hinge mechanism 200 further includes a damping assembly 250, and the damping assembly 250 cooperates with the first connecting rod assembly 241 and / or the second connecting rod assembly 242 with damping rotation. In this way, by providing the damping assembly 250, the connecting rod component 240 can be connected to the base assembly 210 with damping rotation, so that the foldable electronic device 10 will not rotate easily, and it is easy to support or limit the flexible display screen 10a, which is convenient to use.

[0088] It should be noted that the damping assembly 250 can be disposed on any rotating member of the first connecting rod assembly 241 and the second connecting rod assembly 242 as long as the above requirements are met.

[0089] It should be noted that there are other ways to implement the "damping assembly 250", for example, using a friction plate to increase the rotational friction of the connecting rod assembly; or using an elastic member to increase the rotational resistance of the connecting rod assembly; or using a magnetic member to increase the rotational resistance of the connecting rod assembly, etc.

[0090] It should be noted that the first connecting rod assembly 241 and the second connecting rod assembly 242 may have various matching structures, including but not limited to a two-stage connecting rod mechanism, a three-stage connecting rod mechanism, a four-stage connecting rod mechanism, etc. In this process, one of the connecting rods may be defined as a driving member to drive the movable member to move.

[0091] like Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the connecting rod parts 240, the connecting members 220 and the second supporting members 230 correspond to each other as a second group, and at least two second groups are arranged at intervals on both sides of the base assembly 210. The hinge mechanism 200 also includes a synchronization component 260, and the connecting rod parts 240 correspondingly arranged on both sides of the base assembly 210 are connected to rotate synchronously through the synchronization component 260. In this way, the hinge mechanism 200 on both sides of the base assembly 210 is rotated synchronously by using the synchronization component 260 to realize the folding and unfolding of the flexible display screen 10a.

[0092] The synchronization component 260 can be implemented in many ways, including but not limited to the above-mentioned gear transmission group, and also includes other synchronous rotation implementation methods, such as a pulley mechanism, a sprocket mechanism, etc.

[0093] In some embodiments, Figure 8 Alternatively, Fig. 9 As shown, the first connecting rod assembly 241 includes a first connecting rod 2411. One end of the first connecting rod 2411 is rotatably connected to the base assembly 210, and the other end of the first connecting rod 2411 is rotatably connected to the connecting member 220. The second connecting rod assembly 242 also includes a second connecting rod 2421, which is rotatably connected to the base assembly 210 and slidably connected to the connecting member 220. In this way, the second connecting rod 2421 can drive the connecting member 220 to slide along the set direction of the second connecting rod 2421 during the rotation relative to the base assembly 210, and the swing direction of the connecting member 220 is limited by the first connecting rod 2411, and the second supporting member 230 is driven to switch between the supporting state and the folding state.

[0094] It should be noted that the other end of the first connecting rod 2411 is rotatably connected to the connecting member 220, including direct connection or indirect connection through other connecting rods.

[0095] Alternatively, if Figure 8 As shown, the other end of the first connecting rod 2411 is directly rotatably connected to the connecting member 220. In this way, in combination with the above two sets of embodiments of the bearing plates, the first connecting rod 2411 and the second connecting rod 2421 cooperate to form a two-stage connecting rod mechanism, so that the hinge mechanism 200 can form a water drop-shaped accommodation space 101 in the folded state, which can meet the bending space required for the flexible display screen 10a to bend, thereby improving the service life of the flexible display screen 10a.

[0096] In other embodiments, Fig. 9 as well as Fig.10 As shown, the first connecting rod assembly 241 also includes a third connecting rod 2412. The other end of the first connecting rod 2411 is rotatably connected to one end of the third connecting rod 2412, and the other end of the third connecting rod 2412 is rotatably connected to the connecting member 220. The first connecting rod assembly 241 also includes a transmission member 2413, one end of the transmission member 2413 is rotatably connected to the second connecting rod 2421, and the other end of the transmission member 2413 is rotatably connected to the other end of the first connecting rod 2411 and one end of the third connecting rod 2412. In this way, the second connecting rod 2421 can drive the connecting member 220 to slide and move along the set direction of the second connecting rod 2421 during the rotation relative to the base assembly 210, and the swing direction of the connecting member 220 is limited by the first connecting rod 2411 and the third connecting rod 2412, and the second supporting member 230 is driven to switch between the supporting state and the folding state.

[0097] A three-stage linkage mechanism is formed by cooperation among the transmission member 2413, the first link 2411, the second link 2421 and the third link 2412. In the process of limiting the swing of the connecting member 220 by the first link 2411 and the third link 2412, the connecting member 220 and the second support member 230 can move in a direction further away from the first support member 100, thereby making the teardrop-shaped accommodating space 101 formed by the hinge mechanism 200 in the folded state more slender, and more accurately providing the bending space required for the bending of the flexible display screen 10a, and better fitting the flexible display screen 10a, thereby protecting the flexible display screen 10a in the folded state.

[0098] In other embodiments, the first connecting rod assembly further includes at least one connecting rod disposed between the first connecting rod and the third connecting rod to cooperate to form a four-stage connecting rod mechanism, a five-stage connecting rod mechanism, and the like.

[0099] On the orthographic projection plane in the length direction of the base assembly, when the hinge mechanism is in a folded state, the width of the accommodating space gradually increases from the base assembly to the other end of the first connecting rod, and the width of the accommodating space gradually decreases from one end of the third connecting rod to the other end of the third connecting rod. In this way, the accommodating space is gradually increased to reduce stress concentration. The width of the accommodating space gradually decreases from one end of the third connecting rod to the other end of the third connecting rod, so that the flexible display screen gradually fits away from the base assembly. This is conducive to achieving the thinness of the foldable electronic device, and makes the flexible display screen bend smoothly, thereby improving the bending service life of the flexible display screen.

[0100] In combination with any of the above embodiments, in some embodiments, the hinge mechanism can hover at any angle within the range of 45° to 135°. In this way, the hinge mechanism can hover within the range of 45° to 135°, which is defined as a hovering state. The hinge mechanism can turn and stop immediately in the hovering state, which is convenient for users to use the foldable electronic device at multiple angles and improves the user experience of the foldable electronic device.

[0101] In any of the above-mentioned embodiments of the second connecting rod, the hovering rotation range of the second connecting rod is A, A≥50°. In this way, the rotation range can be flexibly set according to actual needs. For example, A=50°, 60°, 90°, 100°, 110°, 120°, 130°, 150°, etc.

[0102] In some embodiments, the second connecting rod can be suspended and rotated, so that the hinge mechanism can be suspended at any angle within the range of 45° to 135°. In this case, the second connecting rod can also be called a synchronization rod.

[0103] In some embodiments, the housing assembly includes a decorative shell (not shown), the length direction of the decorative shell is arranged in the same direction as the length direction of the first support member, and the decorative shell is fixedly connected to the first support member. In this way, the decorative shell can not only protect the hinge mechanism, but also cooperate with the housing body to enhance the appearance of the foldable electronic device.

[0104] Foldable electronic devices include mobile phones, tablets, car computers, monitors, televisions, etc.

[0105] Reference Fig.11 As shown, in some embodiments, the foldable electronic device 10 also includes at least one or more of the following components: a processing component 11, a memory 12, a power component 13, a multimedia component 14, an audio component 15, an input / output interface 16, a sensor component 17, and a communication component 18.

[0106] The processing component generally controls the overall operation of the foldable electronic device, such as operations associated with display, phone calls, data communications, camera operations, and recording operations. The processing component includes at least one or more processors to execute instructions to complete all or part of the steps of the above method. In addition, the processing component includes at least one or more modules to facilitate the interaction between the processing component and other components. For example, the processing component includes at least a multimedia module to facilitate the interaction between the multimedia component and the processing component.

[0107] The memory is configured to store various types of data to support the operation of the foldable electronic device. Examples of such data include instructions for any application or method operating on the foldable electronic device, contact data, phone book data, messages, pictures, videos, etc. The memory can be implemented by any type of volatile or non-volatile storage device or a combination thereof, such as static random access memory, erasable programmable read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, read-only memory, magnetic memory, flash memory, magnetic disk or optical disk.

[0108] The control motherboard includes a processing component and a memory.

[0109] The power supply assembly provides power to various components of the foldable electronic device. The power supply assembly includes at least a power management system, one or more power supplies, and other components associated with generating, managing, and distributing power for the foldable electronic device.

[0110] The multimedia component includes a display module of the present disclosure, which facilitates human-computer interaction. If the display module includes a touch panel, the display module can be implemented as a touch screen to receive input signals from the user. The touch panel includes one or more touch sensors to sense touch, slide, and gestures on the touch panel. The touch sensor can not only sense the boundaries of the touch or slide action, but also detect the duration and pressure associated with the touch or slide operation. In some embodiments, the multimedia component includes a front camera and / or a rear camera. When the foldable electronic device is in an operating mode, such as a shooting mode or a video mode, the front camera and / or the rear camera can receive external multimedia data. Each front camera and rear camera can be a fixed optical lens system or have focal length and optical zoom capabilities.

[0111] The audio component is configured to output and / or input audio signals. For example, the audio component includes a microphone (MIC), and when the foldable electronic device is in an operating mode, such as a call mode, a recording mode, and a voice recognition mode, the microphone is configured to receive an external audio signal. The received audio signal can be further stored in a memory or sent via a communication component. In some embodiments, the audio component also includes a speaker for outputting an audio signal.

[0112] The input / output interface provides an interface between the processing component and the peripheral interface module, which may be a keyboard, a click wheel, buttons, etc. These buttons may include but are not limited to: a home button, a volume button, a start button, and a lock button.

[0113] The sensor assembly includes one or more sensors for providing various aspects of status assessment for the foldable electronic device. For example, the sensor assembly can detect the open / closed state of the foldable electronic device, the relative positioning of components, such as the display and keypad of the foldable electronic device, and the sensor assembly can also detect the position change of the foldable electronic device or a component of the foldable electronic device, the presence or absence of user contact with the foldable electronic device, the orientation or acceleration / deceleration of the foldable electronic device, and the temperature change of the foldable electronic device. The sensor assembly includes at least a proximity sensor configured to detect the presence of nearby objects without any physical contact. The sensor assembly also includes at least a photosensitive element, such as a CMOS or CCD image sensor, for use in imaging applications. In some embodiments, the sensor assembly also includes at least an acceleration sensor, a gyroscope sensor, a magnetic sensor, a pressure sensor, or a temperature sensor.

[0114] The communication component is configured to facilitate wired or wireless communication between the foldable electronic device and other devices. The foldable electronic device can access a wireless network based on a communication standard, such as Wi-Fi, 2G, 3G, 4G or 6G, etc., or a combination thereof. In an exemplary embodiment, the communication component receives a broadcast signal or broadcast-related information from an external broadcast management system via a broadcast channel. In an exemplary embodiment, the communication component also includes a near field communication (NFC) module to facilitate short-range communication. For example, the NFC module can be implemented based on radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, infrared data association (I rDA) technology, ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, Bluetooth (BT) technology and other technologies.

[0115] In the description of the present disclosure, it needs to be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present disclosure and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present disclosure.

[0116] In addition, the terms "first", "second", etc. are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first", "second", etc. may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of the present disclosure, the meaning of "plurality" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0117] In the present disclosure, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like 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 an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly defined. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present disclosure can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0118] In the present disclosure, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" or "above" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0119] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to", "disposed on", "fixedly arranged on" or "installed on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be a central element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be a central element at the same time. Furthermore, when an element is considered to be "fixedly connected to" another element, the two may be fixed in a detachable connection manner or in a non-detachable connection manner, such as socketing, snap-fitting, integral molding, welding, etc., which can be achieved in traditional technologies and will not be repeated here.

[0120] The technical features of the above embodiments may be combined arbitrarily. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0121] The above embodiments only express several implementation methods of the present disclosure, and the descriptions thereof are relatively specific and detailed, but they cannot be understood as limiting the scope of the utility model patent. It should be pointed out that, for ordinary technicians in this field, several variations and improvements can be made without departing from the utility model concept of the present disclosure, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A hinge device, characterized in that: include: A first support member, comprising at least two first mounting bodies and a first connecting body arranged between two adjacent first mounting bodies, wherein the at least two first mounting bodies are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the first support member and connected with the first connecting body to form a first supporting surface, and the first connecting body is provided with a first reinforcing rib, and along the thickness direction of the first support member, the first reinforcing rib is arranged opposite to the first supporting surface; as well as The hinge mechanism comprises a base frame assembly fixedly connected to the first mounting body, the hinge mechanism comprises at least two and corresponds to the at least two first mounting bodies one by one, and the hinge mechanism is fixed to the first mounting body through the base frame assembly.

2. The hinge device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first reinforcing rib comprises a first rib body, and the length direction of the first rib body is arranged along the length direction of the first supporting member; And / or, the first reinforcing rib includes a second rib body, and the length direction of the second rib body is arranged along the width direction of the first supporting member.

3. The hinge device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The base frame assembly comprises a base frame body, wherein one of the base frame body and the first mounting body is provided with a convex portion, and the other is provided with a concave portion which is nested and fixedly matched with the convex portion.

4. The hinge device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The hinge device further comprises an adhesive layer, and the convex part and the concave part are fixed by the adhesive layer; And / or, the hinge device further comprises a welding layer, and the convex part and the concave part are fixed by the welding layer; And / or, the hinge device further comprises a nut, the convex portion comprises a screw rod provided with the protruding concave portion, and the screw rod is threadedly fixed to the nut.

5. The hinge device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The convex portion is fixedly mounted on the first mounting body; The convex parts include a plurality of convex parts, and are fixed to the first mounting body at intervals along the length direction of the first supporting member, and the concave parts correspond to the convex parts one by one; And / or, at least one protrusion is fixedly connected to the first reinforcing rib.

6. The hinge device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The recess includes at least one of a through hole and a notch, and is arranged on the base frame body.

7. The hinge device according to claim 6, characterized in that: There are at least two notches, which are spaced apart at two ends of the base body, and at least one through hole is disposed on the base body.

8. The hinge device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first mounting body includes a first limiting protrusion and a second limiting protrusion. The first limiting protrusion and the second limiting protrusion are spaced apart along the length direction of the first supporting member to form a limiting groove. The base frame body is limitedly matched with the limiting groove.

9. The hinge device according to claim 8, characterized in that: At least a portion of the first limiting protrusion extends along the width direction of the first support member to form a reinforcing rib structure; And / or, at least a portion of the second limiting protrusion extends along the width direction of the first support member to form a reinforcing rib structure.

10. The hinge device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The hinge mechanism further comprises a connecting member, a second supporting member and a connecting rod member; The connecting member is rotatably connected to the second supporting member; The connecting rod component comprises a first connecting rod assembly and a second connecting rod assembly, wherein the first connecting rod assembly is rotatably connected to the base assembly, and the first connecting rod assembly is rotatably connected to the connecting member; the second connecting rod assembly is rotatably connected to the base assembly, and the second connecting rod assembly is slidably connected to the connecting member, and the first connecting rod assembly and the second connecting rod assembly are movably connected; the first supporting member is provided with a first avoidance notch for avoiding the first connecting rod assembly and a second avoidance notch for avoiding the second connecting rod assembly; Wherein, when the hinge device is in a folded state, the second support member cooperates with the first support surface and a portion of the connecting rod member to form an accommodating space; When the hinge device is in an unfolded state, the second support member cooperates with the first support surface and a portion of the connecting rod component to form a support structure.

11. The hinge device according to claim 10, characterized in that: The connecting member, the base frame assembly and the connecting rod component correspond one-to-one to form a first group, and the hinge device includes at least two first groups; the second support member includes a second mounting body corresponding one-to-one to the first group and a second connecting body arranged between two adjacent second mounting bodies, the second mounting body is rotatably connected to the corresponding connecting member, at least two second mounting bodies are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the second support member, and are connected with the second connecting body to form a second supporting surface that can cooperate with the first supporting surface to form the supporting structure, the second connecting body is provided with a second reinforcing rib, and along the thickness direction of the second support member, the second reinforcing rib is arranged opposite to the second supporting surface.

12. The hinge device according to claim 11, characterized in that: At least a portion of the second reinforcing rib is disposed along a length direction of the second supporting member.

13. A foldable electronic device, characterized in that: A hinge device comprising a flexible display screen, a housing assembly and any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the housing assembly comprises a housing body, the housing body is fixedly connected to a part of the hinge mechanism so as to be rotatable relative to the first support member and the base assembly; At least a portion of the flexible display screen covers the hinge mechanism and the shell body.

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