Rotating shaft base, rotating shaft mechanism and electronic equipment

Abstract

The utility model discloses a rotating shaft base, a rotating shaft mechanism and electronic equipment. The rotating shaft base comprises a supporting plate and a support assembly. The support assembly is located on one side of the supporting plate and comprises a flexible printed circuit (FPC) protection part and two connecting parts, the two connecting parts are located on the two opposite sides of the FPC protection part in the axis direction of the rotating shaft mechanism, and the FPC protection part and the two connecting parts are of an integrated structure. According to the rotating shaft base and the support assembly provided by the embodiment of the invention, the FPC protection parts and the two connecting parts on the two sides of the FPC are integrated, separation when the FPC protection parts and the two connecting parts are subjected to impact force is avoided, the strength of the support assembly is improved, and then the strength of the rotating shaft mechanism can be improved. Meanwhile, the support assembly is of an integrated structure and can serve as a whole to be assembled with the supporting plate, so that the assembling technology is simplified.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] With the development of terminal technology, the display screen size of electronic devices such as mobile phones is getting larger and larger. In order to take into account the user's portability needs while increasing the display screen size, folding screen devices are gradually entering the user's usage scenarios. The folding screen device includes a hinge mechanism inside, which allows the folding screen device to be folded and unfolded through the hinge mechanism.

[0003] However, when existing folding screen devices are subjected to a large impact force, for example, when the device falls, the components in the hinge mechanism may detach from each other or deform, resulting in a reduction in the strength of the hinge mechanism. Utility Model Content

[0004] The present application provides a hinge base, a hinge mechanism and an electronic device to solve the problem that the strength of the hinge mechanism is reduced when the electronic device is subjected to a large impact force.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present application provides a hinge base, comprising: a support plate and a bracket assembly. The bracket assembly is located on one side of the support plate, and the bracket assembly comprises a flexible circuit board (FPC) protection portion and two connecting portions, the two connecting portions are located on opposite sides of the FPC protection portion along the axis direction of the hinge mechanism, and the FPC protection portion and the two connecting portions are an integrated structure.

[0006] The rotating shaft base provided in the embodiment of the present application is integrally formed with the bracket assembly to integrate the FPC protection part and the two connecting parts on both sides of the FPC to prevent separation when subjected to impact force, thereby improving the strength of the bracket assembly, and further improving the strength of the rotating shaft mechanism. At the same time, the bracket assembly is an integrated structure and can be assembled with the support plate as a whole to simplify the assembly process.

[0007] In some implementations, the FPC protection portion includes a first groove; the first groove is located on the surface of the FPC protection portion facing the support plate; the first groove and the support plate form a first cavity, and the first cavity is used to accommodate the flexible circuit board. In this way, the FPC protection portion of the bracket assembly and the support plate form the first cavity, which can facilitate the installation of the through-shaft FPC and avoid the deformation of the FPC restricted by the rotating shaft base.

[0008] In some implementations, the FPC protection portion includes two limiting posts; the two limiting posts are located on opposite sides of the first groove along the axial direction and face the support plate; the first groove, the two limiting posts and the support plate form a first cavity. In this way, the two limiting posts act as buckles and are located on opposite sides of the FPC to limit the displacement of the FPC in the axial direction, thereby preventing the FPC from sliding significantly in the first cavity and thereby preventing the FPC from being scratched.

[0009] In some implementations, the support plate includes a second groove; the second groove is located on the surface of the support plate facing the bracket assembly; the second groove is opposite to the first groove, the second groove is used to accommodate two limiting columns, and the second groove, the first groove and the two limiting columns form a first cavity. In this way, the first depth of the first groove and the second depth of the second groove can be reduced while the volume of the first cavity remains unchanged, thereby reducing the z-direction thickness of the support plate and the z-direction thickness of the bracket assembly, so that the z-direction thickness of the rotating shaft base is reduced.

[0010] In some implementations, the shaft base further includes a lubricating layer; the lubricating layer is disposed on the inner surface of the first groove, the opposite surfaces of the two limit pins, and the inner surface of the second groove. In this way, the lubricating layer can play a lubricating role to protect the FPC and prevent the shaft base from scratching the FPC.

[0011] In some implementations, the connection portion includes two positioning holes, which are located on opposite sides of the FPC protection portion along the axial direction; the support plate includes two positioning posts, which are located on the surface of the support plate facing the bracket assembly and on opposite sides of the second groove along the axial direction; the two positioning posts correspond to the two positioning holes one by one, and the positioning posts are embedded in their corresponding positioning holes. In this way, the support plate and the bracket assembly can be accurately positioned by utilizing the cooperation and positioning effect of the positioning posts and the positioning holes, thereby improving the assembly accuracy.

[0012] In some implementations, the shaft base further includes: a shaft cover; the shaft cover is located on a side of the bracket assembly away from the support plate, and the shaft cover is connected to the bracket assembly and the support plate by screws. In this way, the shaft cover can be used to protect the bracket assembly and the support plate.

[0013] In some implementations, the FPC protection portion includes a third groove; the third groove is located on the surface of the FPC protection portion facing the shaft cover; the third groove and the shaft cover form a second cavity, and the second cavity is used to absorb the deformation of the shaft cover when it is subjected to an impact force. In this way, the second cavity formed by the third groove and the shaft cover can absorb the deformation of the shaft cover when it is subjected to an impact force, and can also buffer the impact force.

[0014] In some implementations, the second cavity includes a buffer material layer, and the buffer material layer is used to absorb the deformation of the shaft cover when it is subjected to an impact force. In this way, the buffering of the falling impact can be achieved.

[0015] In the second aspect, the present application provides a pivot mechanism, comprising: the pivot base provided in the first aspect; a swing arm assembly, which is arranged on both sides of the pivot base along the axial direction; a first door panel and a second door panel, which are arranged on both sides of the pivot base along the axial direction, and the first door panel and the second door panel are connected to the pivot base through corresponding swing arm assemblies and are configured to rotate around the pivot base.

[0016] In a third aspect, the present application provides an electronic device, comprising: a display screen, a first body, a second body and a hinge mechanism provided in the second aspect; the first body and the second body are located on opposite sides of the axis direction of the hinge mechanism, and the first body and the second body are respectively connected to the hinge mechanism; the display screen covers the first body, the second body and the hinge mechanism, and the first body and the second body rotate with the bending or unfolding of the hinge mechanism to drive the display screen to bend or unfold. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present application, the drawings required for use in the embodiments are briefly introduced below. Obviously, for ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0018] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0019] Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a rotating shaft assembly 40;

[0020] Figure 3 It is a structural diagram of a base;

[0021] Figure 4 The invention is a schematic diagram of a cross-sectional structure of a base;

[0022] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the rotating shaft base 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0023] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a partial exploded structure of a rotating shaft base 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0024] Figure 7 is a schematic structural diagram of a rotating shaft base 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] Figure 8 This is a first structural schematic diagram of a bracket assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] Fig. 9 is a second structural schematic diagram of the bracket assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] Fig.10 is a schematic structural diagram of a support plate 101 provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Fig.11 It is a structural schematic diagram of the rotating shaft mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0029] Illustration: 10-first body, 20-second body, 30-display screen, 40-rotating shaft assembly, 41-base, 411-fixed support plate, 4111-first protrusion, 4112-through hole, 4113-gap, 412-bracket, 413-FPC cover, 414-base cover, 4140-second protrusion, 415-adhesive, 416-screw, 42-left door panel, 43-right door panel, 44-left connecting block, 45-right connecting block, 46-main swing arm, 47-door panel swing arm, 48-damping swing arm, 100-rotating shaft base Seat, 101-support plate, 101a-first cavity, 1011-second groove, 1012-positioning column, 1013-first through hole, 102-bracket assembly, 1021-FPC protection part, 1022-connecting part, 1023-first groove, 1024-limiting column, 1025-positioning hole, 1026-third groove, 1027-second through hole, 103-shaft cover, 1031-second cavity, 1032-fixing column, 104-lubricating layer, 105-buffer material layer, 106-lower screw, 107-upper screw. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present application, other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work all belong to the protection scope of the present application.

[0031] In the following, the terms "first", "second", etc. are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first", "second", etc. may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more.

[0032] In addition, in the present application, directional terms such as "upper" and "lower" are defined relative to the orientation of the components in the drawings. It should be understood that these directional terms are relative concepts. They are used for relative description and clarification, and they can change accordingly according to the changes in the orientation of the components in the drawings.

[0033] The electronic device described in the embodiments of the present application includes but is not limited to a mobile phone, a folding screen mobile phone, a notebook computer, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant or a wearable device, etc. The following description is made by taking the electronic device as a folding screen mobile phone.

[0034] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0035] like Figure 1 As shown, the electronic device may include a first body 10, a second body 20, a display screen 30 and a hinge assembly 40, wherein: Figure 1 The dotted line in the figure schematically shows the area of ​​the hinge assembly 40. The first body 10 and the second body 20 are arranged on both sides of the axis direction of the hinge assembly 40. The first body 10 and the second body 20 are respectively connected to the hinge assembly 40, and the hinge assembly 40 can be rotated to reduce the angle between the first body 10 and the second body 20 until the electronic device is in a folded state (not shown in the figure); or increase the angle between the first body 10 and the second body 20 until the electronic device is in an unfolded state. The electronic device can also be unfolded or folded to an intermediate state, and the intermediate state can be any state between the unfolded state and the folded state.

[0036] The display screen 30 covers the first body 10, the second body 20 and the hinge assembly 40, and is connected to the first body 10 and the second body 20 respectively. The rotation of the first body 10 and the second body 20 can drive the display screen 30 to bend or unfold. Exemplarily, the display screen 30 can be a bendable flexible screen, and the display screen 30 has a bending area, so that the display screen 30 can be bent in the bending area as the hinge assembly 40 rotates.

[0037] The display screen 30 moves with the electronic device, and the state of the electronic device is the same as the state of the hinge assembly 40. When the electronic device is in the unfolded state, the hinge assembly 40 is also in the unfolded state. In the unfolded state, the first body 10 and the second body 20 are parallelly distributed on both sides of the hinge assembly 40, and the display screen 30 is laid flat on the hinge assembly 40 in the unfolded state. The display screen 30 is displayed in full screen, so that the electronic device has a larger display area to improve the user's viewing experience and operation experience. When the electronic device is in the folded state, the hinge assembly 40 is also in the folded state. In the folded state, the first body 10 and the second body 20 are relatively distributed on both sides of the hinge assembly 40, and the hinge assembly 40 presses the display screen 30 into a water drop shape. When the electronic device is in the folded state, the plane size of the electronic device is small, which is convenient for users to carry and store. When the electronic device is in the intermediate state, the hinge assembly 40 is also in the intermediate state.

[0038] Depending on the rotation direction of the first body 10 and the second body 20, the flexible screen may be hidden inside the body when the electronic device is in a folded state, or it may be wrapped around the outside of the body. Among them, when the first body 10 and the second body 20 are folded toward the front of the flexible screen, the flexible screen is hidden inside the body when the electronic device is in a folded state, and this electronic device can be called an inner folding screen electronic device, such as an inner folding screen mobile phone; when the first body 10 and the second body 20 are folded toward the back of the flexible screen, the flexible screen is wrapped around the outside of the body when the electronic device is in a folded state, and this electronic device can be called an outer folding screen electronic device, such as an outer folding screen mobile phone.

[0039] It should be noted that electronic components such as circuit boards, camera modules, speaker modules and batteries may be disposed in the first body 10 and the second body 20 , which are not listed one by one here.

[0040] To facilitate the explanation of the positions of various components in an electronic device, the embodiment of the present application exemplarily establishes a three-dimensional coordinate system based on the electronic device, wherein the x-axis direction is the width direction of the electronic device, the y-axis direction is the length direction of the electronic device, and the z-axis direction is the thickness direction of the electronic device.

[0041] For electronic devices such as foldable screen mobile phones, the electronic devices are usually arranged with flexible printed circuits (Flexible Printed Circuit, FPC) (not shown in the figure), which have excellent characteristics such as light weight, thin thickness, and free bending and folding.

[0042] The two ends of the FPC are respectively connected to the first body 10 and the second body 20, and cross the hinge assembly 40 along the x-axis direction. The first body 10 and the second body 20 are used to electrically connect the components located in the first body 10 and the components located in the second body 20, so as to facilitate the power supply and signal transmission of the various components inside the electronic device. Specifically, the second body 20 can be electrically connected to the circuit board located in the first body 10, and can also be electrically connected to the circuit board located in the second body 20. The circuit board of the first body 10 and the circuit board of the second body 20 are not shown in the figure. In some other embodiments, the FPC can also be electrically connected to other structures located in the first body 10 and / or the second body 20, which are not listed here one by one.

[0043] Understandably, the relative movement between the first body 10 and the second body 20 requires the FPC to connect the structures (e.g., circuit boards) respectively fixed to the first body 10 and the second body 20. When the electronic device is in a folded state or an unfolded state, the state of the FPC is different. For example, the FPC is flattened when the electronic device is in a folded state, and is squeezed to form wrinkles when the electronic device is in an unfolded state, and is gathered in the inner cavity of the whole device. In addition, the FPC will deform and move as the first body 10 and the second body 20 are folded and unfolded relative to each other.

[0044] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of a rotating shaft assembly 40 .

[0045] like Figure 2 As shown, the shaft assembly 40 includes a base 41, a left door panel 42, a right door panel 43, a left connecting block 44, a right connecting block 45, two sets of main swing arms 46, two sets of door panel swing arms 47 and two sets of damping swing arms 48. It should be noted that Figure 2 Only part of the structure of the rotating shaft assembly 40 is shown, and other structures of the rotating shaft assembly 40 are not shown. A group of main swing arms 46 includes two main swing arms 46, a group of door panel swing arms 47 includes two door panel swing arms 47, and a group of damping swing arms 48 includes two damping swing arms 48.

[0046] The length direction of the base 41 is the axis direction Z0 of the rotating shaft assembly 40, and the axis direction Z0 is parallel to the y-axis direction. The left door panel 42 and the right door panel 43 are located on opposite sides of the base 41 along the axis direction Z0, and the left connecting block 44 and the right connecting block 45 are located on opposite sides of the base 41 along the axis direction Z0. The left door panel 42 is connected to the left connecting block 44, and the right door panel 43 is connected to the right connecting block 45. The left connecting block 44 is movably connected to one side of the base 41 through a group of main swing arms 46, a group of door panel swing arms 47 and a group of damping swing arms 48, and the right connecting block 45 is movably connected to the other side of the base 41 through another group of main swing arms 46, another group of door panel swing arms 47 and another group of damping swing arms 48. Among them, the movable connection can be a rotating connection or a sliding connection.

[0047] The main swing arm 46, the door panel swing arm 47 and the damping swing arm 48 constitute the rotating mechanism of the rotating shaft assembly 40. The same side of the base 41 along the axis direction Z0 includes two sets of rotating mechanisms, and there is a spacing distance L0 between the two sets of rotating mechanisms. The area of ​​the base 41 corresponding to the spacing distance L0 is used for the FPC to pass through, so as to avoid the setting of the through-axis FPC affecting the rotation of the rotating shaft assembly 40.

[0048] Combination Figure 1 and Figure 2 The display screen 30 is covered on the left door panel 42 and the right door panel 43 (hereinafter collectively referred to as the door panels), and the door panels are used to support the display screen 30. The door panels can be fixedly connected to the display screen 30, and the door panels can move with the folding and unfolding of the rotating shaft assembly 40, and can push the display screen 30 to fold or unfold, so as to support the display screen 30 in the unfolded state, and press the display screen 30 into a water drop shape in the folded state. Figure 2 The structure of the rotating shaft assembly 40 is shown in a folded state.

[0049] Figure 3 It is a structural diagram of a base; Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of a base. Figure 3 The partial exploded structure of the base is shown. Figure 4 A partial cross-sectional structure of the base along the axial direction Z0 is shown.

[0050] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the base 41 includes a fixed support plate 411, a bracket 412, an FPC cover plate 413 and a base cover 414. The fixed support plate 411 and the base cover 414 are buckled together to enclose a cavity, and the bracket 412 and the FPC cover plate 413 are both located in the cavity. The fixed support plate 411, the bracket 412 and the base cover 414 can be fixed by a plurality of screws 416.

[0051] Combination Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, in the unfolded state, the fixed support plate 411 is coplanar with the left door plate 42 and the right door plate 43 to jointly support the display screen 30. In the folded state, the fixed support plate 411 remains stationary, and the left door plate 42 and the right door plate 43 rotate relative to the fixed support plate 411.

[0052] There are two brackets 412, which are located on opposite sides of the FPC cover 413 along the axis direction Z0. The brackets 412 are fixed between the base cover 414 and the fixed support plate 411, and are used for sliding connection with the main swing arm 46, the door panel swing arm 47 and the damping swing arm 48.

[0053] like Figure 4 As shown, the surface of the fixed support plate 411 facing the bracket 412 includes a first protrusion 4111, and the surface of the bracket 412 facing the fixed support plate 411 includes a groove (not shown in the figure), and the first protrusion 4111 corresponds to the groove one by one. When the fixed support plate 411 and the bracket 412 are assembled and fixed, the first protrusion 4111 is embedded in the corresponding groove to form a first positioning structure.

[0054] Since there is no connection between the two brackets 412, in order to ensure the positioning accuracy of the fixed support plate 411 and the two brackets 412 during assembly, the first positioning structure includes at least four first positioning structures. Figure 4 The structure shown in the area A1-A4 in FIG. Among them, one side bracket 412 corresponds to two first positioning structures, and the other side bracket 412 corresponds to two first positioning structures.

[0055] Similarly, in order to ensure the positioning accuracy of the base cover 414, the bracket 412 and the fixed support plate 411, the surface of the base cover 414 facing the fixed support plate 411 includes a second protrusion 4140, and the fixed support plate 411 and the bracket 412 form a through hole 4112, which passes through the bracket 412 and is recessed toward the fixed support plate 411, and the second protrusion 4140 corresponds to the through hole 4112 one by one. When the base cover 414 and the fixed support plate 411 are assembled and fixed, the second protrusion 4140 is embedded in the through hole 4112 corresponding to it to form a second positioning structure. Exemplarily, the second positioning structure includes two, and the two second positioning structures are located on opposite sides of the FPC cover 413 and correspond to the two brackets 412 one by one.

[0056] Combination Figure 3 and Figure 4 The FPC cover 413 is attached to the base cover 414 through the adhesive 415, and there is a gap 4113 between the FPC cover 413 and the fixed support plate 411 to facilitate the FPC to pass through, so as to realize the cross-axis setting of the FPC. The FPC can be deformed in the gap 4113 during the folding or unfolding of the electronic device.

[0057] In order to prevent the FPC cover 413 from scratching the FPC, the FPC cover 413 is made of plastic material. In order to improve the reliability of the shaft assembly 40, the bracket 412 is made of metal material. In this way, the bracket 412 made of two materials and the FPC cover 413 are disconnected and have no connection relationship.

[0058] When the electronic device falls, the FPC cover 413 is easily debonded due to the impact force and separated from the base cover 414, resulting in weak regional strength on both sides of the FPC. The detached FPC cover 413 will not only scratch the FPC, but may also be displaced toward the fixed support plate 411, and impact the display screen 30 located above the fixed support plate 411. In addition, the bracket 412 is separately arranged from the FPC cover 413, and the bracket 412 and the FPC cover 413 need to be installed separately, resulting in a long assembly process; the number of positioning structures formed by the fixed support plate 411, the bracket 412 and the base cover 414 is too large, which will cause the structure of the fixed support plate 411, the bracket 412 and the base cover 414 to be complicated, further resulting in a complicated assembly process.

[0059] It can be seen that the existing hinge assembly has the problem of weak strength in the areas on both sides of the FPC and a complicated assembly process.

[0060] In order to solve the above technical problems, an embodiment of the present application provides a rotating shaft base 100 and a rotating shaft mechanism.

[0061] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the shaft base 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0062] like Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the hinge base 100 may include: a support plate 101 and a bracket assembly 102 .

[0063] The support plate 101 is a plate-shaped structure and is made of metal material. The length direction of the support plate 101 is parallel to the axis direction Z0 of the rotating shaft mechanism. The support plate 101 is used to support the display screen 30 .

[0064] The support assembly 102 is located on a side of the support plate 101 facing away from the display screen 30 , and the support assembly 102 is fixedly connected to the support plate 101 .

[0065] Exemplarily, the bracket assembly 102 and the support plate 101 may be connected by a plurality of lower screws 106 . Suitably, the bracket assembly 102 and the support plate 101 include corresponding through holes (not shown in the figure) for the lower screws 106 to pass through and be locked.

[0066] Figure 6 1 is a schematic diagram of a partial exploded structure of the rotating shaft base 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 6 Show Figure 5 local structure.

[0067] like Figure 6 As shown, in some embodiments, the bracket assembly 102 may include an FPC protection portion 1021 and two connecting portions 1022. The FPC protection portion 1021 is used to protect the FPC arranged through the shaft to avoid scratching the FPC; the connecting portion 1022 is used to be flexibly connected to the rotating mechanism in the rotating shaft mechanism, for example, the connecting portion 1022 is used to be flexibly connected to the main swing arm and the auxiliary swing arm.

[0068] The two connecting parts 1022 are located on opposite sides of the FPC protection part 1021 along the axis direction Z0, and the FPC protection part 1021 is located between the two connecting parts 1022, so that the FPC can pass through between the two connecting parts 1022. In this way, the FPC is separated from the rotating mechanism of the rotating shaft mechanism, which can ensure the through-shaft setting of the FPC without affecting the rotating function of the rotating shaft mechanism.

[0069] The FPC protection part 1021 and the two connecting parts 1022 are an integrated structure. The bracket assembly 102 is made of metal as a whole and is integrally formed by using Metal Powder Injection Molding Technology (MIM). In this way, the FPC protection part 1021 and the two adjacent connecting parts 1022 are an integrated structure, which can improve the strength of the bracket assembly 102 and prevent separation when subjected to impact force, thereby improving the strength of the shaft mechanism.

[0070] The rotating shaft base 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application and the bracket assembly 102 are integrally formed by MIM to integrate the FPC protection part 1021 and the two connecting parts 1022 on both sides of the FPC to avoid separation when subjected to impact force, thereby improving the strength of the bracket assembly 102, and further improving the strength of the rotating shaft mechanism and reliability. At the same time, the bracket assembly 102 is an integral structure and can be assembled with the support plate 101 as a whole to simplify the assembly process.

[0071] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the rotating shaft base 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0072] like Figure 7 As shown, in some embodiments, a first cavity 101 a is included between the support plate 101 and the bracket assembly 102 , and the first cavity 101 a is used to accommodate a flexible circuit board.

[0073] The first cavity 101 a passes through two opposite sides of the rotating shaft base 100 along the axial direction Z0 , and the center line of the first cavity 101 a is perpendicular to the axial direction Z0 of the rotating shaft assembly 40 and parallel to the x-axis.

[0074] The FPC passes through the first cavity 101a and is combined with Figure 1 One end of the FPC extends to one side of the rotating shaft mechanism along the axis direction Z0, for example, to the first body 10; the other end of the FPC extends to the other side of the rotating shaft mechanism along the axis direction Z0, for example, to the second body 20. The two ends of the FPC are located on opposite sides of the rotating shaft base 100 along the axis direction Z0 of the rotating shaft mechanism, so that the FPC is arranged across the rotating shaft along the x-axis direction.

[0075] The volume of the first cavity 101a is positively correlated with the cross-sectional size of the FPC, so as to facilitate the arrangement of the through-shaft FPC and prevent the hinge base 100 from restricting the deformation of the FPC during the change of the electronic device between the folded state and the unfolded state.

[0076] Figure 8 This is the first structural schematic diagram of the bracket assembly provided in the embodiment of the present application.

[0077] Combination Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown, in some embodiments, the FPC protection part 1021 includes a first groove 1023. The first groove 1023 is located on the surface of the FPC protection part 1021 facing the support plate 101; the first groove 1023 is formed by the upper surface of the FPC protection part 1021 being recessed into the FPC protection part 1021 along the first direction to a first depth, and the first depth is positively correlated with the thickness of the FPC. Among them, the upper surface of the FPC protection part 1021 refers to the surface of the FPC protection part 1021 facing the support plate 101, the first direction is perpendicular to the axial direction, and the first direction is the z-axis direction.

[0078] The upper surface of the FPC protection part 1021 abuts against the lower surface of the support plate 101 , and the first groove 1023 and the support plate 101 form a first cavity 101 a , wherein the lower surface of the support plate 101 refers to the surface of the support plate 101 facing the bracket assembly 102 .

[0079] In this way, a first groove 1023 is formed in the FPC protection part 1021 of the bracket assembly 102, and the first cavity 101a formed by the first groove 1023 and the support plate 101 is used to accommodate the FPC, so as to facilitate the arrangement of the through-axis FPC. In addition, the volume of the first cavity 101a is larger than the cross-sectional volume of the portion of the FPC that passes through the rotating shaft base 100, so as to avoid the rotating shaft base 100 restricting the deformation of the FPC.

[0080] Fig. 9 This is a second structural schematic diagram of the bracket assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0081] Combination Figure 7 and Fig. 9 As shown, in some embodiments, the shaft base 100 may further include a lubricating layer 104, which is disposed on the inner surface of the first cavity 101a. The lubricating layer 104 may be made of Teflon material, and the lubricating layer 104 is used for lubrication. Teflon is also known as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

[0082] The lubricating layer 104 can be formed on the inner surface of the first groove 1023 and the area of ​​the lower surface of the support plate 101 corresponding to the first groove 1023 by spraying or attaching.

[0083] In this way, since the support plate 101 and the bracket assembly 102 are both made of metal, and the inner surface of the first groove 1023 and the lower surface of the support plate 101 are in contact with the FPC, the support plate 101 and the bracket assembly 102 are prone to damage the FPC. Therefore, Teflon is provided on the inner surface of the first groove 1023 and the lower surface of the support plate 101 to play a lubricating role, so as to protect the FPC and prevent the rotating shaft base 100 from scratching the FPC.

[0084] Recombination Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, in some embodiments, the FPC protection portion 1021 may include two limiting posts 1024. The two limiting posts 1024 are located on the upper surface of the FPC protection portion 1021 and on opposite sides of the first groove 1023 along the axial direction, and the two limiting posts 1024 extend toward the support plate 101.

[0085] In one implementation, the two limiting posts 1024 may be located at the edge of the first groove 1023, so that the inner surface of the limiting post 1024 is coplanar with the side surface of the first groove 1023. The inner surface of the limiting post 1024 refers to the surface facing the other limiting post 1024 along the axis direction Z0, and the side surface of the first groove 1023 refers to the surface of the inner surface of the first groove 1023 parallel to the z-axis direction.

[0086] In another implementation, the two limiting columns 1024 can be located outside the edge of the first groove 1023, so that the inner surface of the limiting column 1024 is not coplanar with the side surface of the first groove 1023, and the limiting column 1024 and the side surface of the adjacent first groove 1023 have a gap along the y-axis direction, and the limiting column 1024 and the first groove 1023 form a stepped structure.

[0087] The two limiting posts 1024 are used as buckles and are located on opposite sides of the FPC to limit the displacement of the FPC in the axial direction Z0 to prevent the FPC from sliding significantly in the first cavity 101a, thereby preventing the FPC from being scratched.

[0088] The ends of the two limiting posts 1024 abut against the lower surface of the support plate 101, and the first groove 1023, the two limiting posts 1024 and the support plate 101 form a first cavity 101a. The two limiting posts 1024 can increase the interval between the bottom surface of the first groove 1023 and the support plate 101 along the z direction. In this way, the volume of the first cavity 101a can be increased to facilitate the setting of the through-shaft FPC, and the deformation of the FPC restricted by the rotating shaft base 100 can be avoided.

[0089] In some embodiments, the lubricating layer 104 may be disposed on the opposite surfaces of the two limiting pillars 1024, the inner surface of the first groove 1023, and the area of ​​the lower surface of the support plate 101 corresponding to the first groove 1023. The disposition may be by spraying or attaching.

[0090] In this way, the inner surface of the first groove 1023, the lower surface of the support plate 101, and the opposite surfaces of the two limit posts 1024 will all contact the FPC, causing the support plate 101 and the bracket assembly 102 to easily damage the FPC. To this end, Teflon is provided on the inner surface of the first groove 1023, the lower surface of the support plate 101, and the opposite surfaces of the two limit posts 1024 to play a lubricating role, so as to protect the FPC and prevent the rotating shaft base 100 from scratching the FPC.

[0091] Fig.10 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the support plate 101 provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0092] Combination Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Fig.10 As shown, in some embodiments, the support plate 101 may include a second groove 1011. The second groove 1011 is located on the lower surface of the support plate 101 facing the bracket assembly 102, and the second groove 1011 is formed by the lower surface of the support plate 101 being recessed into the support plate 101 by a second depth along the z-axis.

[0093] The second groove 1011 and the first groove 1023 are arranged opposite to each other, and the second groove 1011 and the first groove 1023 surround a first cavity 101a, and the first cavity 101a surrounded by the second groove 1011 and the first groove 1023 is used to accommodate the FPC, so as to facilitate the arrangement of the through-shaft FPC.

[0094] The width H of the second groove 1011 along the axial direction Z0 is 1011 The width H of the first groove 1023 along the axis direction Z0 may be 1023 The embodiment of the present application does not limit the width relationship between the first groove 1023 and the second groove 1011 , as long as the first cavity 101a surrounded by the two can accommodate the FPC and does not limit the deformation of the FPC.

[0095] The sum of the second depth of the second groove 1011 and the first depth of the first groove 1023 determines the z-direction dimension of the first cavity 101a, and the sum of the second depth and the first depth is positively correlated with the thickness of the FPC. The second groove 1011 and the first groove 1023 are used to enclose the first cavity 101a, so that the hinge base 100 can have enough space for accommodating the FPC.

[0096] In this way, under the condition that the volume of the first cavity 101a remains unchanged, a part of the first cavity 101a is formed on the support plate 101, and another part of the first cavity 101a is formed on the bracket assembly 102, so that the first depth and the second depth can be reduced, and then the z-direction thickness of the support plate 101 and the z-direction thickness of the bracket assembly 102 can be reduced, so that the z-direction thickness of the hinge base 100 is reduced. The z-direction thickness of the hinge base 100 is reduced, and the z-direction thickness of the hinge assembly 40 can be reduced, so that the z-direction space occupied by the electronic device can be reduced, so as to facilitate the development of thin and light electronic devices.

[0097] In some embodiments, the width H of the second groove 1011 along the axis direction Z0 is 1011 The distance between the two limiting posts 1024 is greater than the maximum distance between the two limiting posts 1024. The two opposite side surfaces of the second groove 1011 along the axis direction Z0 fit with the outer surfaces of the corresponding limiting posts 1024, so that the second groove 1011 can accommodate the two limiting posts 1024. The outer surface of the limiting post 1024 refers to the surface away from the other limiting post 1024 along the axis direction Z0, and the distance between the outer surfaces of the two limiting posts 1024 forms the maximum distance between the two limiting posts 1024.

[0098] The ends of the two limiting posts 1024 abut against the inner surface of the second groove 1011, so that the first cavity 101a is surrounded by the two limiting posts 1024, the second groove 1011 and the first groove 1023. In this way, the volume of the first cavity 101a surrounded by the first groove 1023 and the second groove 1011 can be increased by using the two limiting posts 1024, so as to facilitate the setting of the through-shaft FPC and avoid the deformation of the rotating shaft base 100 that limits the FPC. At the same time, the limiting posts 1024 are embedded in the second groove 1011, and the z-direction thickness of the rotating shaft base 100 will not be increased.

[0099] In some embodiments, the lubricating layer 104 may be disposed on the opposite surfaces of the two limiting pillars 1024, the inner surface of the first groove 1023, and the inner surface of the second groove 1011. The disposition may be by spraying or attaching.

[0100] In this way, the inner surface of the first groove 1023, the inner surface of the second groove 1011, and the opposite surfaces of the two limiting pillars 1024 will all contact the FPC, causing the support plate 101 and the bracket assembly 102 to easily damage the FPC. To this end, Teflon is provided on the inner surface of the first groove 1023, the inner surface of the second groove 1011, and the opposite surfaces of the two limiting pillars 1024 to play a lubricating role, so as to protect the FPC and prevent the rotating shaft base 100 from scratching the FPC.

[0101] See again Figure 8As shown, in some embodiments, the connection portion 1022 of the bracket assembly 102 may include two positioning holes 1025, and the two positioning holes 1025 are located on opposite sides of the FPC protection portion 1021 along the axis direction Z0, and one connection portion 1022 corresponds to one positioning hole 1025. Exemplarily, the center line of the positioning hole 1025 is parallel to the z-axis direction; the positioning hole 1025 may be a through hole or a blind hole, which is not specifically limited in this application.

[0102] See again Fig.10 As shown, the support plate 101 may include two positioning posts 1012 . The two positioning posts 1012 are located on a surface of the support plate 101 facing the bracket assembly 102 and are located on opposite sides of the second groove 1011 along the axial direction Z0 .

[0103] Combination Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Fig.10 As shown in the figure, when the support plate 101 and the bracket assembly 102 are assembled, the two positioning posts 1012 correspond to the two positioning holes 1025 one by one, and the positioning posts 1012 are embedded in their corresponding positioning holes 1025. In this way, the positioning holes 1025 and the positioning posts 1012 are used to achieve positioning, so as to improve the assembly accuracy; at the same time, the number of positioning holes 1025 is the minimum number that can achieve positioning, such as two, which can reduce the number of positioning structures of the rotating shaft base 100 (the positioning structure includes the corresponding positioning posts 1012 and positioning holes 1025), and on the basis of the integral molding of the bracket assembly 102, the structure can be simplified, thereby realizing space saving.

[0104] Recombination Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown in the figure, in some embodiments, the rotating shaft base 100 may further include: a shaft cover 103. The shaft cover 103 may be regarded as an appearance part of the rotating shaft assembly 40, and is used to protect the bracket assembly 102 and the support plate 101.

[0105] The shaft cover 103 is located on a side of the bracket assembly 102 away from the support plate 101, and the shaft cover 103 is connected to the bracket assembly 102 and the support plate 101 through upper screws 107. Exemplarily, the number of the upper screws 107 is multiple.

[0106] Exemplarily, for assembly, the support plate 101 is provided with first through holes 1013 on opposite sides of the second groove 1011, the two connecting parts 1022 of the bracket assembly 102 are provided with second through holes 1027 on opposite sides of the first groove 1023, and the inner surface of the shaft cover 103 is provided with a plurality of fixing columns 1032, and the plurality of fixing columns 1032 are located on opposite sides of the first groove 1023. The first through hole 1013, the second through hole 1027 and the fixing column 1032 correspond to each other one by one, and the upper screw 107 passes through the first through hole 1013 and the second through hole 1027 in sequence and is locked into the fixing column 1032, so as to realize the connection between the shaft cover 103, the support plate 101 and the bracket assembly 102, and improve reliability.

[0107] In this way, there is no need to use adhesive bonding between the bracket assembly 102 and the shaft cover 103. By eliminating the adhesive bonding, not only the assembly process can be simplified, but also the z-axis thickness of the shaft base 100 can be reduced.

[0108] Combine again Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, in some embodiments, the FPC protection part 1021 includes a third groove 1026. The third groove 1026 is located on the surface of the FPC protection part 1021 facing the shaft cover 103, and the third groove 1026 is formed by the lower surface of the FPC protection part 1021 being recessed to a third depth in the FPC protection part 1021 along the z-axis, and the third groove 1026 and the first groove 1023 are located on two opposite surfaces of the FPC protection part 1021.

[0109] The third groove 1026 and the shaft cover 103 form a second cavity 1031 . The second cavity 1031 is used to absorb the deformation of the shaft cover 103 when it is subjected to an impact force, and can also buffer the impact force.

[0110] In this way, the second cavity 1031 is provided between the bracket assembly 102 and the shaft cover 103, so that the shaft cover 103 can be separated from the area corresponding to the FPC of the bracket assembly 102. When the electronic device falls, the second cavity 1031 can be used to absorb the deformation of the shaft cover 103 caused by the impact of the fall, so as to protect the FPC and the display screen 30.

[0111] In some embodiments, the second cavity 1031 may include a buffer material layer 105 , and the buffer material layer 105 is used to absorb the deformation of the shaft cover 103 when it is subjected to impact force.

[0112] Filling the second cavity 1031 with the buffer material can not only absorb the deformation of the shaft cover 103 caused by the impact force when the electronic device falls, but also buffer the impact of the fall.

[0113] The hinge base 100 and the bracket assembly 102 provided in the embodiment of the present application are integrally formed by MIM, which can improve the strength of the hinge in the FPC area, reduce the deformation of the hinge when falling, and improve the protection of the display screen 30; it can also simplify the assembly process and reduce the difficulty of assembly. At the same time, compared with the existing solution, the hinge base 100 eliminates multiple components, which can reduce the z-direction size of the hinge base 100, thereby reducing the z-direction size of the hinge mechanism.

[0114] Fig.11 It is a structural schematic diagram of the rotating shaft mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0115] like Fig.11 As shown, in some embodiments, the embodiments of the present application also provide a pivot mechanism, including: a swing arm assembly, a first door panel 200, a second door panel 300, a first connecting block 400, a second connecting block 500, and a pivot base 100 provided in any of the aforementioned embodiments.

[0116] The length direction of the rotating shaft base 100 is the axial direction Z0 of the rotating shaft mechanism, and the axial direction Z0 is parallel to the y-axis direction.

[0117] The first door panel 200 and the second door panel 300 are disposed on both sides of the rotating shaft base 100 along the axis direction Z0; the first connecting block 400 and the second connecting block 500 are disposed on both sides of the rotating shaft base 100 along the axis direction Z0. The first door panel 200 is connected to the first connecting block 400, and the second door panel 300 is connected to the second connecting block 500.

[0118] The swing arm assembly includes two sets of swing arms 600, two sets of auxiliary swing arms 700 and two sets of chute swing arms 800. The swing arms 600 can be used as main swing arms, the auxiliary swing arms 700 can be used as door panel swing arms, and the chute swing arms 800 can be used as damping swing arms. One set of swing arms 600 includes two swing arms 600, one set of auxiliary swing arms 700 includes two auxiliary swing arms 700, and one set of chute swing arms 800 includes two chute swing arms 800.

[0119] The first connection block 400 is connected to one side of the rotating shaft base 100 through a set of swing arms 600, a set of auxiliary swing arms 700 and a set of chute swing arms 800, and is configured to rotate around the rotating shaft base 100 to drive the first door panel 200 to rotate; the second connection block 500 is connected to the other side of the rotating shaft base 100 through another set of swing arms 600, another set of auxiliary swing arms 700 and another set of chute swing arms 800, and is configured to rotate around the rotating shaft base 100 to drive the second door panel 300 to rotate. Exemplarily, the swing arm 600 and the connection block (including the first connection block 400 and the second connection block 500) can be connected by a pin to achieve relative rotation between the swing arm 600 and the connection block. The auxiliary swing arm 700 and the chute swing arm 800 can be connected to the connection block by a chute structure, which is not limited here.

[0120] The support assembly 102 of the rotating shaft base 100 may include a plurality of slides or rotating shafts (not shown in the figure) corresponding to the swing arm 600, the auxiliary swing arm 700 and the slide swing arm 800, and the plurality of slides or rotating shafts are located at both ends of the support assembly 102 along the axial direction. On the side of the first connecting block 400, one end of the swing arm 600 is slidably connected to its corresponding slide, and the other end is connected to the first connecting block 400 through a pin; one end of the auxiliary swing arm 700 and the slide swing arm 800 is connected to its corresponding rotating shaft, and the other end is connected to the first connecting block 400 through a corresponding slide structure. On the side of the second connecting block 500, one end of the swing arm 600 is slidably connected to its corresponding slide, and the other end is connected to the second connecting block 500 through a pin; one end of the auxiliary swing arm 700 and the slide swing arm 800 is connected to its corresponding rotating shaft, and the other end is connected to the second connecting block 500 through a corresponding slide structure.

[0121] When the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the support plate 101 is coplanar with the first door plate 200 and the second door plate 300 to jointly support the display screen 30. The shaft cover 103 is located on the side of the support plate 101 away from the display screen 30. When the hinge mechanism is in the folded state, the support plate 101 remains stationary, and the first door plate 200 and the second door plate 300 rotate relative to the support plate 101.

[0122] It should be noted that other structural characteristics of the rotating shaft mechanism can refer to the structural characteristics of the rotating shaft assembly in the aforementioned embodiment, which will not be described in detail here.

[0123] The rotating shaft mechanism provided in the embodiment of the present application adopts the rotating shaft base 100 provided in the above embodiment. The rotating shaft base 100 has high strength. When the FPC is passed through the shaft, it will not separate when subjected to impact force and cause damage to the FPC. In addition, the assembly process of the rotating shaft base 100 is simple and the z-direction dimension is small. In this way, not only the strength of the rotating shaft mechanism can be improved, but also the z-direction dimension of the rotating shaft mechanism can be reduced, simplifying the assembly process of the rotating shaft mechanism.

[0124] See again Figure 1 As shown, an embodiment of the present application further provides an electronic device, comprising: a display screen 30, a first body 10, a second body 20 and the hinge mechanism provided in the aforementioned embodiment; the first body 10 and the second body 20 are located on opposite sides of the axial direction of the hinge mechanism, and the first body 10 and the second body 20 are respectively connected to the hinge mechanism; the display screen 30 covers the first body 10, the second body 20 and the hinge mechanism, and the first body 10 and the second body 20 rotate with the bending or unfolding of the hinge mechanism to drive the display screen 30 to bend or unfold.

[0125] It should be noted that other structural characteristics of the electronic device may refer to the structural characteristics of the electronic device in the aforementioned embodiment, which will not be described in detail here.

[0126] It should be noted that those skilled in the art will readily come up with other embodiments of the present application after considering the specification and practicing the application disclosed herein. The present application is intended to cover any variations, uses or adaptations of the present application, which follow the general principles of the present application and include common knowledge or customary technical means in the art that are not disclosed in the present application. The specification and examples are intended to be exemplary only, and the true scope of the present application is indicated by the following claims.

[0127] It should be understood that the present application is not limited to the precise structures that have been described above and shown in the drawings, and that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope thereof. The scope of the present application is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A rotating shaft base, characterized in that: include: Support plate (101); A bracket assembly (102), the bracket assembly (102) being located on one side of the support plate (101), the bracket assembly (102) comprising a flexible circuit board (FPC) protection portion (1021) and two connecting portions (1022), the two connecting portions (1022) being located on opposite sides of the FPC protection portion (1021) along the axial direction of the rotating shaft mechanism, and the FPC protection portion (1021) and the two connecting portions (1022) being an integrated structure.

2. The rotating shaft base according to claim 1, characterized in that: The FPC protection portion (1021) comprises a first groove (1023); The first groove (1023) is located on a surface of the FPC protection portion (1021) facing the support plate (101); The first groove (1023) and the support plate (101) form a first cavity, and the first cavity is used to accommodate the flexible circuit board.

3. The rotating shaft base according to claim 2, characterized in that: The FPC protection portion (1021) comprises two limiting posts (1024); The two limiting columns (1024) are located on opposite sides of the first groove (1023) along the axial direction and face the support plate (101); The first groove (1023), the two limiting columns (1024) and the support plate (101) form the first cavity.

4. The rotating shaft base according to claim 3, characterized in that: The support plate (101) comprises a second groove (1011); The second groove (1011) is located on a surface of the support plate (101) facing the bracket assembly (102); The second groove (1011) is opposite to the first groove (1023), the second groove (1011) is used to accommodate the two limiting columns (1024), and the second groove (1011), the first groove (1023) and the two limiting columns (1024) form the first cavity.

5. The rotating shaft base according to claim 4, characterized in that: Also comprising a lubricating layer (104); The lubricating layer (104) is arranged on the inner surface of the first groove (1023), the opposite surfaces of the two limiting pillars (1024), and the inner surface of the second groove (1011).

6. The rotating shaft base according to claim 4, characterized in that: The connecting portion (1022) comprises two positioning holes (1025), and the two positioning holes (1025) are located on opposite sides of the FPC protection portion (1021) along the axial direction; The support plate (101) comprises two positioning columns (1012), the two positioning columns (1012) being located on a surface of the support plate (101) facing the bracket assembly (102) and being located on opposite sides of the second groove (1011) along the axial direction; The two positioning posts (1012) correspond to the two positioning holes (1025) one by one, and the positioning posts (1012) are embedded in the corresponding positioning holes (1025).

7. The rotating shaft base according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: a shaft cover (103); The shaft cover (103) is located on a side of the bracket assembly (102) that is away from the support plate (101), and the shaft cover (103) is connected to the bracket assembly (102) and the support plate (101) via screws.

8. The rotating shaft base according to claim 7, characterized in that: The FPC protection portion (1021) comprises a third groove (1026); The third groove (1026) is located on the surface of the FPC protection portion (1021) facing the shaft cover (103); The third groove (1026) and the shaft cover (103) form a second cavity (1031), and the second cavity (1031) is used to absorb the deformation of the shaft cover (103) when it is subjected to impact force.

9. The rotating shaft base according to claim 8, characterized in that: The second cavity (1031) comprises a buffer material layer (105), and the buffer material layer (105) is used to absorb deformation of the shaft cover (103) when it is subjected to impact force.

10. A rotating shaft mechanism, characterized in that: include: The rotating shaft base according to any one of claims 1 to 9; Swing arm assemblies are arranged on both sides of the rotating shaft base along the axis direction; The first door panel and the second door panel are arranged on both sides of the rotating shaft base along the axial direction. The first door panel and the second door panel are connected to the rotating shaft base through the corresponding swing arm assemblies and are configured to rotate around the rotating shaft base.

11. An electronic device, characterized in that: include: A display screen, a first body, a second body and a hinge mechanism as claimed in claim 10; The first body and the second body are located on opposite sides of the axis direction of the rotating shaft mechanism, and the first body and the second body are respectively connected to the rotating shaft mechanism; The display screen covers the first body, the second body and the hinge mechanism, and the first body and the second body rotate as the hinge mechanism is bent or unfolded to drive the display screen to bend or unfold.

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