Protection assembly, hinge assembly and intelligent terminal

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of electronic equipment, in particular to a protection assembly, a hinge assembly and an intelligent terminal. The protection assembly is applied to the hinge mechanism, the hinge mechanism is provided with a first face facing a flexible screen, and the protection assembly is arranged on the first face. The protection assembly comprises a supporting layer, the supporting layer comprises a plurality of first supporting strips which are sequentially arranged in the first direction, and at least two adjacent first supporting strips are connected through a first bonding body; the protection assembly is configured to perform closing and unfolding movement along with the hinge mechanism, and the protection assembly is used for shielding at least part of the first face of the hinge mechanism so that the face, facing the flexible screen, of the hinge mechanism can be smooth and free of holes. According to the protection assembly, the hinge assembly and the intelligent terminal provided by the invention, the technical problem that a bending section of a flexible screen is extremely easy to damage under a pressing condition is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of electronic equipment, and in particular to a protective component, a hinge component and a smart terminal. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of electronic device technology, users have an increasing demand for large-sized and easy-to-carry electronic devices. Flexible screens can move accordingly with the folding and unfolding movements of the hinge mechanism. They have two forms, folded and unfolded, and are becoming more and more popular.

[0003] In some solutions, the bending section of the flexible screen is set at the corresponding position of the hinge mechanism. The flexible screen will be exposed to the outside due to the unfolding of the hinge mechanism and is easily damaged, especially the bending section in the middle area is weak and needs to be protected. In the process of conceiving and implementing this application, it was found that in some smart terminals such as mobile phones, at least the following problems exist: the bending section in the middle of the flexible screen is most susceptible to damage when pressed. The main reason is that the hinge mechanism is difficult to provide comprehensive and effective support, and the bending section of the flexible screen is relatively fragile and is easily damaged when pressed.

[0004] The preceding description is intended to provide general background information and does not necessarily constitute prior art. Utility Model Content

[0005] In response to the above technical problems, the present application provides a protective component, a hinge component and a smart terminal to solve the technical problem that the bending section of the flexible screen is easily damaged when pressed.

[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present application provides a protection component, which is applied to a hinge mechanism, wherein the hinge mechanism has a first surface facing the flexible screen, and the protection component is arranged on the first surface;

[0007] The protection assembly comprises a support layer, wherein the support layer comprises a plurality of first support bars arranged in sequence along a first direction, and at least two adjacent first support bars are connected by a first adhesive;

[0008] The protection component is configured to close and unfold along with the hinge mechanism, and the protection component is used to cover at least a portion of the first surface of the hinge mechanism.

[0009] Optionally, the protection component is used to cover at least a portion of the first surface of the hinge mechanism, so that a surface of the hinge mechanism facing the flexible screen is flat and has no pores.

[0010] The present application provides a protective component, which is used to cover at least a portion of the first surface of the hinge mechanism so that the side of the hinge mechanism facing the flexible screen is flat and has no pores. The protective component can cover the holes and gaps in the hinge mechanism to prevent the supporting effect on the flexible screen from being affected by the presence of holes or gaps on the surface of the hinge mechanism, thereby preventing the flexible screen from being damaged when pressed due to insufficient support, thereby increasing the service life of the flexible screen.

[0011] Optionally, the protection component further includes a first buffer layer, and the first buffer layer is arranged on a side of the support layer facing away from the hinge mechanism.

[0012] Optionally, a second buffer layer is provided on a side of the support layer facing the hinge mechanism.

[0013] Optionally, the support layer further includes at least one second support bar, the second support bar is arranged along the first direction at at least one end of the plurality of first support bars, and the second support bar is connected to adjacent first support bars via a second adhesive.

[0014] Optionally, the protection component includes at least one of the following:

[0015] The first buffer layer and / or the second buffer layer is a colloid;

[0016] The first bonding body is a colloid;

[0017] The second bonding body is colloid.

[0018] Optionally, the protection component includes:

[0019] a full etching area, wherein part of the first support bars are located in the full etching area;

[0020] a half-etched area, and the remaining portion of the first support bar is located in the half-etched area;

[0021] The half-etched areas are arranged at intervals along the first direction at two opposite sides of the full-etched area. The first support bar located in the half-etched area has a hollow hole penetrating the first support bar, and the hollow hole is filled with colloid.

[0022] Optionally, the hinge mechanism includes a main shaft and swing arms arranged on both sides of the main shaft;

[0023] When the hinge mechanism is in an unfolded state, along the second direction, the projection of the full-etched area covers at least a portion of the projection of the main axis, and the projection of the half-etched area covers a portion of the projection of the swing arm.

[0024] Optionally, there is an angle between the second direction and the first direction.

[0025] Optionally, the hinge mechanism has a first positioning structure, and the protection component has a second positioning structure;

[0026] One of the first positioning structure and the second positioning structure is a positioning hole, and the other is a positioning column, and the positioning column extends into the positioning hole.

[0027] The present application also provides a hinge assembly, comprising the hinge mechanism and the above-mentioned protection assembly;

[0028] The hinge mechanism has a first surface facing the flexible screen, and the protection component is arranged on the first surface.

[0029] The present application also provides a smart terminal, comprising a flexible screen and the above-mentioned hinge assembly.

[0030] Optionally, the protection component of the hinge component is connected to the flexible screen via a third adhesive, and the third adhesive is arranged on the second support bar of the protection component.

[0031] The present application provides a protective component, a hinge component and a smart terminal. Taking into account that the hinge mechanism is non-flexible and there are usually holes on the first side of the hinge mechanism, and the bending section of the flexible screen is relatively fragile, pressing the bending section of the flexible screen during use may easily cause damage to the flexible screen. Therefore, the present application provides a protective component to cover the first side of the hinge mechanism. The protective component is flexible and has a certain strength, which blocks the holes on the first side of the hinge mechanism, thereby reducing the problem of damage to the flexible screen caused by pressing the bending section of the flexible screen.

[0032] The present application provides a protective component, a hinge component and a smart terminal. By setting a protective component to cover the first surface of the hinge mechanism, the damage to the flexible screen caused by pressing the bent section of the flexible screen when the flexible screen is flattened is reduced; when the terminal falls, the flexible screen is protected, the damage to the flexible screen caused by the falling of the smart terminal is reduced, and the reliability of the whole terminal is improved.

[0033] The present application provides a protective component, a hinge component and a smart terminal. By opening a hollow hole in part of the first support bar and filling the hollow hole with a colloid, it helps to reduce the bending rebound force of the first support bar, thereby reducing the bending resistance, allowing the hinge mechanism to maintain a smaller torque and provide a comfortable opening and closing feeling.

[0034] In addition to the technical problems solved by the embodiments of the present application described above, the technical features that constitute the technical solutions, and the beneficial effects brought about by the technical features of these technical solutions, other technical problems that can be solved by a protective component, a hinge component, and a smart terminal provided by the embodiments of the present application, other technical features included in the technical solutions, and the beneficial effects brought about by these technical features will be further described in detail in the specific implementation methods. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] The drawings herein are incorporated into the specification and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present application, and are used together with the specification to explain the principles of the present application. In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments are briefly introduced below. Obviously, for ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative labor.

[0036] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a hinge assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the hinge mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0038] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of a support layer of a protection assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of a protection component provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of the hinge mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application in a closed state;

[0041] Figure 6 A cross-sectional view of a smart terminal in a closed state provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a protection component provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0043] Figure 8 Another structural schematic diagram of a protection component provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0044] Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of a partial structure of a protection component provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0045] Fig.10 A schematic diagram of the structure of the smart terminal in an unfolded state provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0046] Fig.11 Another three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the smart terminal provided in the embodiment of the present application in an unfolded state;

[0047] Fig.12 A schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a mobile terminal provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0048] Description of reference numerals:

[0049] 10-hinge mechanism; 11-positioning column; 12-spindle; 13-swing arm;

[0050] 20-protection component; 21-first support bar; 211-hollow hole; 22-second support bar; 23-full etching area; 24-half etching area; 25-positioning hole;

[0051] 30-first housing; 40-second housing;

[0052] 51-first bonding body; 52-second bonding body; 53-third bonding body; 54-fourth bonding body;

[0053] 60-Flexible screen;

[0054] 70-Hover component;

[0055] 500-mobile terminal; 501-radio unit; 502-Wi F i module; 503-audio output unit; 504-A / V input unit; 5041-graphics processor; 5042-microphone; 505-sensor; 506-display unit; 5061-display panel; 507-user input unit; 5071-touch panel; 5072-other input devices; 508-interface unit; 509-memory; 510-processor; 511-power supply.

[0056] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of this application will be further described in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. The above-mentioned drawings have shown clear embodiments of this application, which will be described in more detail later. These drawings and textual descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the concept of this application in any way, but to illustrate the concept of this application to those skilled in the art by referring to specific embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] Exemplary embodiments will be described in detail herein, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. When the following description refers to the drawings, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements unless otherwise indicated. The implementations described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all implementations consistent with the present application. Instead, they are merely examples of devices and methods consistent with some aspects of the present application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0058] It should be noted that, in this article, the terms "include", "comprises" or any other variants thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or device including a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also includes other elements not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, method, article or device. In the absence of further restrictions, an element defined by the sentence "includes a ..." does not exclude the existence of other identical elements in the process, method, article or device including the element. Optionally, components, features, and elements with the same name in different embodiments of the present application may have the same meaning or different meanings, and their specific meanings need to be determined by their explanation in the specific embodiment or further combined with the context in the specific embodiment.

[0059] It should be understood that, although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used to describe various information in this article, these information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish the same type of information from each other. For example, without departing from the scope of this article, the first information may also be referred to as the second information, and similarly, the second information may also be referred to as the first information. Depending on the context, the word "if" as used herein may be interpreted as "at the time of" or "when" or "in response to determination". Furthermore, as used in this article, the singular forms "one", "one" and "the" are intended to also include plural forms, unless there is an opposite indication in the context. It should be further understood that the terms "comprising", "including" indicate that there are the above-mentioned features, steps, operations, elements, components, projects, kinds, and / or groups, but do not exclude the existence, occurrence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, projects, kinds, and / or groups. The terms "or", "and / or", "including at least one of the following" etc. used in this application may be interpreted as inclusive, or mean any one or any combination. For example, “comprising at least one of the following: A, B, C” means “any of the following: A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; A and B and C”, and for another example, “A, B or C” or “A, B and / or C” means “any of the following: A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; A and B and C”. An exception to this definition will only occur when a combination of elements, functions, steps or operations are inherently mutually exclusive in some manner.

[0060] It should be understood that, although the various steps in the flowchart in the embodiment of the present application are displayed in sequence according to the indication of the arrows, these steps are not necessarily performed in sequence according to the order indicated by the arrows. Unless there is a clear explanation in this article, the execution of these steps does not have a strict order restriction, and it can be performed in other orders. Moreover, at least a portion of the steps in the figure may include a plurality of sub-steps or a plurality of stages, and these sub-steps or stages are not necessarily performed at the same time, but can be performed at different times, and their execution order is not necessarily performed in sequence, but can be performed in turn or alternately with other steps or at least a portion of the sub-steps or stages of other steps.

[0061] As used herein, the words "if" and "if" may be interpreted as "at the time of" or "when" or "in response to determining" or "in response to detecting", depending on the context. Similarly, the phrases "if it is determined" or "if (stated condition or event) is detected" may be interpreted as "when it is determined" or "in response to determining" or "when detecting (stated condition or event)" or "in response to detecting (stated condition or event)", depending on the context.

[0062] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application and are not used to limit the present application.

[0063] In the subsequent description, the suffixes such as "module", "component" or "unit" used to represent elements are only used to facilitate the description of the present application, and have no specific meanings. Therefore, "module", "component" or "unit" can be used in a mixed manner.

[0064] The intelligent terminal may be implemented in various forms. For example, the intelligent terminal described in the present application may include intelligent terminals such as mobile phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, PDAs, portable media players (PMPs), navigation devices, wearable devices, smart bracelets, pedometers, etc., as well as fixed terminals such as digital TVs and desktop computers.

[0065] Flexible screen, i.e. flexible display screen, is used to display images. Exemplarily, the flexible screen can be an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display screen, an active matrix organic light emitting diode or an active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) display screen, a mini organic light emitting diode (Mini Organic Light Emitting Diode) display screen, a micro organic light emitting diode (Micro Organic Light Emitting Diode) display screen, a micro organic light emitting diode (Micro Organic Light Emitting Diode) display screen, or a quantum dot light emitting diode (QLED) display screen.

[0066] In existing smart terminals such as mobile phones and tablets, the hinge mechanism has limited protection effect on the flexible screen. When the smart terminal accidentally falls, the hinge mechanism lacks protection for the flexible screen. The hinge mechanism is not a flexible part and cannot absorb the impact force generated when the smart terminal falls. The impact of the hinge mechanism on the flexible screen often causes damage to the flexible screen.

[0067] In view of this, the present application provides a protective component, a hinge component and a smart terminal. By setting up a protective component, the protective component blocks at least a portion of the first surface of the hinge mechanism so that the side of the hinge mechanism facing the flexible screen is flat and has no pores. The protective component can achieve the function of blocking the holes and gaps in the hinge mechanism, thereby preventing the supporting effect on the flexible screen from being affected by the presence of holes or gaps on the surface of the hinge mechanism, thereby preventing the flexible screen from being damaged when pressed due to insufficient support, thereby improving the service life of the flexible screen.

[0068] A protection component, a hinge component and a smart terminal provided by embodiments of the present application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0069] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the present application provides a protection component, which is applied to a hinge mechanism 10 , and the hinge mechanism 10 has a first surface facing the flexible screen 60 , and the protection component 20 is arranged on the first surface.

[0070] refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the protection component 20 includes a support layer, and the support layer includes a plurality of first support bars 21 arranged in sequence along a first direction, and at least two adjacent first support bars 21 are connected by a first adhesive 51 .

[0071] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the protection component 20 is configured to close and unfold as the hinge mechanism 10 moves, and the protection component 20 covers at least a portion of the first surface of the hinge mechanism 10 so that the side of the hinge mechanism 10 facing the flexible screen 60 is flat and has no pores.

[0072] The present application provides a protective component, which is used to cover at least a portion of the first surface of the hinge mechanism 10 through the protective component 20, so that the side of the hinge mechanism 10 facing the flexible screen 60 is flat and has no pores. The protective component 20 can achieve the function of covering the holes and gaps in the hinge mechanism 10, thereby preventing the holes or gaps on the surface of the hinge mechanism from affecting the supporting effect on the flexible screen 60, thereby preventing the flexible screen 60 from being damaged due to insufficient support when pressed, thereby improving the service life of the flexible screen 60.

[0073] refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the hinge mechanism 10 can form a teardrop-shaped cavity in a closed state, and the cavity is used to accommodate the bent section of the flexible screen 60. The protective component 20 moves with the hinge mechanism 10. The protective component 20 is between the flexible screen 60 and the hinge mechanism 10, and covers the holes and gaps in the first surface of the hinge mechanism 10, thereby maintaining the effect of effectively supporting the flexible screen 60.

[0074] In a possible implementation, every two adjacent first support bars 21 are connected via a first adhesive 51 .

[0075] Since the protection component 20 includes a support layer, the support layer includes a plurality of first support bars 21 arranged in sequence along a first direction, and at least two adjacent first support bars 21 are connected by a first adhesive 51, a flexible connection is achieved between two adjacent first support bars 21 of the protection component 20, and the angle between two adjacent first support bars 21 can be changed, so that the protection component 20 can close and expand with the hinge mechanism 10.

[0076] The protection component 20 moves with the hinge mechanism 10 to close and unfold. Figure 1 As shown, when the hinge mechanism is in the unfolded state, the protection component 20 is roughly flat and fits the first surface of the hinge mechanism 10, which can effectively support the flexible screen 60, solving the problem that the flexible screen 60 lacks support and is easily damaged due to the holes and gaps inside the hinge mechanism 10. Figure 6As shown, when the hinge mechanism is in a folded state, the protective component 20 is roughly bent into a water drop structure similar to the flexible screen 60, surrounded by the bending area of ​​the flexible screen 60, and plays a role in supporting and protecting the flexible screen 60.

[0077] First direction reference Figure 1 The direction indicated by the arrow X in FIG. 1 is the width direction of the first support bar 21. The number of the first support bars 21 can be flexibly selected according to the use requirements and is not specifically limited here.

[0078] In a possible implementation, the protection component 20 further includes: a first buffer layer, which is disposed on a side of the support layer that is away from the hinge mechanism 10. The length of the first buffer layer is greater than or equal to the length of the support layer, the width of the first buffer layer is greater than or equal to the width of the support layer, and the first buffer layer wraps the upper surface of the support layer to achieve all-round isolation of the contact between the support layer and the flexible screen 60, effectively preventing a rigid collision between the support layer and the flexible screen 60, and helping to protect the flexible screen 60.

[0079] In a possible implementation, the protection component 20 further includes: a second buffer layer, which is disposed on a side of the support layer facing the hinge mechanism 10. The length of the second buffer layer is greater than or equal to the length of the support layer, and the width of the second buffer layer is greater than or equal to the width of the support layer. The second buffer layer wraps the lower surface of the support layer to achieve all-round isolation of the contact between the support layer and the hinge mechanism 10, effectively preventing a rigid collision between the support layer and the hinge mechanism 10, and helping to prevent problems such as abnormal noise.

[0080] The support layer makes the protection component 20 have a certain rigidity, so it can effectively support the flexible screen 60. The first buffer layer protects the flexible screen 60 and can reduce the friction between the flexible screen 60 and the protection component 20 when the flexible screen 60 is in motion. When the smart terminal falls, it can also prevent the flexible screen 60 and the protection component 20 from rigidly colliding and causing damage to the flexible screen 60. The second buffer layer can reduce the rigid friction between the protection component 20 and the hinge mechanism 10, prevent abnormal noise, and improve the use effect.

[0081] refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the first support bar 21 may be in the shape of a flat bar or in the shape of an elongated wire, which helps to reduce the thickness of the protection component 20 and reduce the gap between two adjacent first support bars 21 .

[0082] In a possible implementation, the length of the first support bar 21 may be equal to the length of the hinge mechanism 10 , or the length of the first support bar 21 may be less than the length of the hinge mechanism 10 .

[0083] In one possible implementation, reference Figure 4 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the support layer further includes at least one second support bar 22 , which is arranged along the first direction at at least one end of the plurality of first support bars 21 , and the second support bar 22 is connected to the adjacent first support bar 21 via a second adhesive 52 .

[0084] In a possible implementation, there are two second support bars 22 , and the two second support bars 22 are respectively connected to opposite ends of a plurality of first support bars 21 along the first direction, that is, along the first direction, the plurality of first support bars 21 are located between the two second support bars 22 .

[0085] In this example, the second support bar 22 is in a rectangular bar shape, and the width of the second support bar 22 is greater than the width of the first support bar 21, which facilitates the production of the hinge mechanism and reduces the difficulty of production.

[0086] In one possible implementation, the first buffer layer is a colloid, and the thickness of the first buffer layer can be 0.01 mm or 0.015 mm. It is formed by a coating process to protect the flexible screen 60 from damage during the bending process and not cause the thickness of the protection component 20 to be too large.

[0087] In a possible implementation, the second buffer layer is a colloid having a certain viscosity.

[0088] In a possible implementation, the first adhesive 51 is a colloid having a certain viscosity.

[0089] In a possible implementation, the second adhesive 52 is a colloid having a certain viscosity.

[0090] In a possible implementation, the first buffer layer, the first adhesive 51, the second adhesive 52 and the second buffer layer are all made of the same colloid material, and can be formed by integral coating. The colloid has a certain viscosity and elasticity, which is convenient for realizing the bending of the protective component 20. The colloid can be, for example, a colloid with low rebound force and not easy to cause bending force, such as UV (Ultraviolet Rays) glue. After coating, the colloid is cured and left to stand, so as to wrap the support layer, connect the two adjacent first support bars 21, and connect the second support bar 22 with the first support bar 21.

[0091] In one possible implementation, reference Figure 8 and Fig. 9As shown, the first support bar 21 and / or the second support bar 22 are formed by etching a metal sheet. Etching refers to photochemical etching, during which the material contacts a chemical solution to achieve a dissolving and corroding effect. Etching can reduce the difficulty of processing and improve the efficiency of processing.

[0092] Optionally, the protective component 20 has a full etching area 23 and a half etching area 24, part of the first support bar 21 is located in the full etching area 23, and the remaining part of the first support bar 21 is located in the half etching area 24, the half etching areas 24 are arranged at intervals on opposite sides of the full etching area 23 along the first direction, and the first support bar 21 located in the half etching area 24 has a hollow hole 211 that penetrates the first support bar 21, and the hollow hole 211 is filled with colloid.

[0093] Optionally, after the etching process, the first support bars 21 located in the full etching area 23 are not connected to each other and are independent of each other, and the first support bars 21 located in the half etching area 24 are a whole, not completely separated, and have multiple hollow holes 211 formed inside.

[0094] Optionally, the hollow hole 211 is provided in consideration of the large bending rebound force that may occur after the first support bar 21 is bent. The present application provides the hollow hole 211 in the first support bar 21 and fills the hollow hole 211 with colloid, which helps to reduce the bending rebound force of the first support bar 21 when it is bent, thereby reducing the bending resistance and allowing the hinge mechanism to maintain a smaller torque for a comfortable opening and closing feel.

[0095] In a possible implementation, the hollow hole 211 is a through hole, and the hollow hole 211 can be through the upper and lower surfaces of the first support bar 21 along the second direction, which can reduce the weight of the first support bar 21 itself. By filling the hollow hole 211 with colloid, the hollow hole 211 is blocked, thereby improving the support effect of the flexible screen 60 of the hinge mechanism. Of course, the hollow hole 211 can also be a blind hole. The second direction is the thickness direction of the first support bar 21, refer to Figure 7 The arrow Z indicates the direction.

[0096] In one possible implementation, reference Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, the hinge mechanism 10 includes a main shaft 12 and swing arms 13 arranged on both sides of the main shaft 12. The two swing arms 13 are arranged on both sides of the main shaft 12 along a first direction; the two swing arms 13 on both sides of the main shaft 12 are arranged to swing relative to each other. The swing arm 13 can be pivotally connected to the main shaft 12 through a pin to achieve the swing of the swing arm 13 relative to the main shaft 12.

[0097] Optionally, due to the presence of some holes and gaps inside the main shaft 12 itself, the connection position between the main shaft 12 and the swing arm 13, and the inside of the swing arm 13 itself, a local area on the back of the flexible screen 60 is suspended in the air and lacks physical support. When the user presses the flexible screen 60, the flexible screen 60 is easily sunken into some holes and gaps in the hinge mechanism itself, causing damage to the flexible screen 60 and affecting the service life of the flexible screen 60. Therefore, the present application provides a protective component 20 to block some holes and gaps on the side of the hinge mechanism facing the flexible screen 60, thereby protecting the flexible screen 60 from damage due to lack of support.

[0098] Optionally, when the hinge mechanism 10 is in the unfolded state, along the second direction, the projection of the full etched area 23 covers at least part of the projection of the main axis 12, and the projection of the half etched area 24 covers part of the projection of the swing arm 13, and the second direction and the first direction have an angle, for example, 90°.

[0099] In one possible implementation, reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the first support bar 21 and / or the second support bar 22 are made of stainless steel, and of course, metal materials such as aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy, titanium alloy, etc. can also be used. They are not pure metals, have lower rebound force, and have less impact on the torque of the hinge mechanism 10.

[0100] In other possible implementations, the first support bar 21 and the second support bar 22 may also be made of non-metallic materials.

[0101] In one possible implementation, reference Figure 2 and Figure 7 As shown, the hinge mechanism 10 has a first positioning structure, and the protection component 20 has a second positioning structure; one of the first positioning structure and the second positioning structure is a positioning hole 25 , and the other is a positioning column 11 , and the positioning column 11 extends into the positioning hole 25 .

[0102] In order to improve the relative stability of the position of the protection component 20 relative to the hinge mechanism 10, there can be two first positioning structures, and the two first positioning structures can be arranged along the diagonal direction of the hinge mechanism 10, or can be arranged along other directions. Of course, there can also be 3, 4 or more first positioning structures. The number of the second positioning structures is consistent with the number of the first positioning structures, and the position of the second positioning structure corresponds to the position of the first positioning structure.

[0103] In one possible implementation, the first positioning structure may be a positioning column 11 arranged on the first surface of the hinge mechanism 10, and the second positioning structure may be a positioning hole 25 opened in the second support bar 22. By inserting the positioning column 11 into the positioning hole 25, the position of the protection component 20 relative to the hinge mechanism 10 is relatively stable.

[0104] In another possible implementation, the first positioning structure may be a positioning hole provided on the first surface of the hinge mechanism 10, and the second positioning structure may be a positioning column provided on the side of the second support bar 22 facing the hinge mechanism 10. By inserting the positioning column into the positioning hole, the position of the protective component 20 relative to the hinge mechanism 10 is relatively stable.

[0105] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the present application also provides a hinge assembly, including a hinge mechanism and the above-mentioned protective assembly, the hinge mechanism 10 has a first surface facing the flexible screen 60, and the protective assembly 20 is arranged on the first surface.

[0106] In one possible implementation, the protection component 20 can be connected to the first surface of the hinge mechanism 10 by fasteners such as screws, or the protection component 20 can be bonded to the first surface of the hinge mechanism 10 by a fourth adhesive 54. Of course, the protection component 20 can also be connected to the first surface of the hinge mechanism 10 by welding.

[0107] Optionally, the fourth adhesive 54 is, for example, a colloid or a double-sided tape. The fourth adhesive 54 can be distributed along the length direction of the second support bar 22. The fourth adhesive 54 is connected between the second buffer layer corresponding to the second support bar 22 and the hinge mechanism 10 to achieve the connection between the protective component 20 and the hinge mechanism 10.

[0108] Optionally, the protective component 20 realizes the function of shielding the holes and gaps in the hinge mechanism 10, thereby preventing the supporting effect on the flexible screen 60 from being affected by the presence of holes or gaps on the first side of the hinge mechanism facing the flexible screen 60, thereby preventing the flexible screen 60 from being damaged when pressed due to insufficient support, thereby increasing the service life of the flexible screen 60.

[0109] refer to Fig.10 and Fig.11 As shown, the present application also provides a smart terminal, including a flexible screen 60 and the above-mentioned hinge assembly.

[0110] refer to Figure 1 and Fig.11As shown, the protection component 20 of the hinge assembly is connected to the flexible screen 60 through the third adhesive 53. The third adhesive 53 achieves a stable connection effect between the protection component 20 and the flexible screen 60, so that the relative positions of the protection component 20, the flexible screen 60 and the hinge mechanism 10 remain stable.

[0111] In one possible implementation, the third adhesive 53 may be, for example, a double-sided tape or glue, which helps to enhance the bonding force between the protective component 20 and the flexible screen 60 and improve the stability of the connection.

[0112] In one possible implementation, the third adhesive 53 is disposed in the first buffer layer corresponding to the second support bar 22, and the third adhesive 53 may extend along the length direction of the first support bar 21, thereby increasing the bonding area of ​​the third adhesive 53 and helping to improve the strength of the bonding force.

[0113] refer to Fig.10 and Fig.11 As shown, the smart terminal provided by the present application further includes a first housing 30 and a second housing 40, which are respectively connected to the two swing arms 13 of the hinge mechanism 10, and the first housing 30 and the second housing 40 are used to support the non-bending section of the flexible screen 60. Of course, the smart terminal further includes a circuit board and a battery, which can be arranged in the cavity between the first housing 30 and the flexible screen 60, or in the cavity between the second housing 40 and the flexible screen 60.

[0114] In a possible implementation, the smart terminal provided by the present application further includes a suspension component 70, which is disposed on the main shaft 12 and connected to the swing arm 13. The suspension component 70 is used to achieve suspension at the swing angle of the swing arm 13, so that the smart terminal can be stably maintained at some specific folding angles and stably maintained in the unfolded state. The structure of the suspension component 70 is not specifically limited here, and an existing structure can be adopted.

[0115] The present application provides a protective component, a hinge component and a smart terminal, in which the protective component 20 is arranged between the flexible screen 60 and the hinge mechanism 10, and the protective component 20 supports the bending section of the flexible screen 60. When the hinge mechanism 10 falls, the protective component 20 can protect the flexible screen 60, disperse the torque applied to the flexible screen 60 when it falls, and improve the anti-drop performance of the smart terminal.

[0116] The present application provides a protective component, a hinge component and a smart terminal. Taking into account that the hinge mechanism 10 is non-flexible and there are usually holes on the first surface of the hinge mechanism 10, and the bending section of the flexible screen 60 is relatively fragile, when the bending section of the flexible screen 60 is pressed during use, it is easy to cause damage to the flexible screen 60. Therefore, the present application sets a protective component 20 to cover the first surface of the hinge mechanism 10. The protective component 20 is flexible and has a certain strength, which blocks the holes on the first surface of the hinge mechanism 10, thereby reducing the problem of damage to the flexible screen 60 caused by pressing the bending section of the flexible screen 60.

[0117] The present application provides a protective component, a hinge component and a smart terminal. A protective component 20 is arranged to cover the first surface of the hinge mechanism 10. When the flexible screen 60 is flattened, the damage to the flexible screen 60 caused by pressing the bent section of the flexible screen 60 is reduced. When the flexible screen 60 falls, the flexible screen 60 is protected, the damage to the flexible screen 60 caused by the falling of the smart terminal is reduced, and the reliability of the whole machine is improved.

[0118] The present application provides a protective component, a hinge component and a smart terminal, which are low-cost and easy to implement, and can provide stable and effective protection for the relatively fragile bending section of the flexible screen 60, thereby improving the user experience.

[0119] The following description will be made by taking a mobile terminal as an example, and those skilled in the art will understand that, in addition to components specifically used for mobile purposes, the construction according to the embodiments of the present application can also be applied to fixed-type terminals.

[0120] Please refer to Fig.12 As shown, it is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a mobile terminal for implementing various embodiments of the present application. The mobile terminal 500 may include: an RF (Radio Frequency) unit 501, a Wi-Fi module 502, an audio output unit 503, an A / V (audio / video) input unit 504, a sensor 505, a display unit 506, a user input unit 507, an interface unit 508, a memory 509, a processor 510, and a power supply 511. Those skilled in the art can understand that Fig.12 The structure of the mobile terminal shown in the figure does not constitute a limitation on the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal may include more or fewer components than shown in the figure, or combine certain components, or arrange the components differently.

[0121] Combine the following Fig.12 The following is a detailed introduction to the various components of the mobile terminal:

[0122] The radio frequency unit 501 can be used to receive and send signals during information transmission or communication. Optionally, after receiving the downlink information of the base station, it is sent to the processor 510 for processing; in addition, the uplink data is sent to the base station. Generally, the radio frequency unit 501 includes but is not limited to an antenna, at least one amplifier, a transceiver, a coupler, a low noise amplifier, a duplexer, etc. In addition, the radio frequency unit 501 can also communicate with the network and other devices through wireless communication. The above-mentioned wireless communication may use any communication standard or protocol, including but not limited to GSM (Global System of Mobile Communications), GPRS (Generic Packet Radio Service), CDMA2000 (Code Division Multiple Access 2000), WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access), TD-SCDMA (Time Division-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access), FDD-LTE (Frequency Division Duplexing-Long Term Evolution), TDD-LTE (Time Division Duplexing-Long Term Evolution), and the like. ion, time-division duplex long-term evolution) and 5G, etc.

[0123] WiFi is a short-range wireless transmission technology. Mobile terminals can help users send and receive emails, browse web pages, and access streaming media through WiFi module 502. It provides users with wireless broadband Internet access. Fig.12 A WiFi module 502 is shown, but it is understandable that it is not an essential component of the mobile terminal and can be omitted as needed without changing the essence of the application.

[0124] The audio output unit 503 can convert the audio data received by the RF unit 501 or the WiFi module 502 or stored in the memory 509 into an audio signal and output it as sound when the mobile terminal 500 is in a call signal reception mode, a talk mode, a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, a broadcast reception mode, etc. Moreover, the audio output unit 503 can also provide audio output related to a specific function performed by the mobile terminal 500 (for example, a call signal reception sound, a message reception sound, etc.). The audio output unit 503 may include a speaker, a buzzer, etc.

[0125] The A / V input unit 504 is used to receive audio or video signals. The A / V input unit 504 may include a graphics processor (GPU) 5041 and a microphone 5042, and the graphics processor 5041 processes the image data of a static picture or video obtained by an image capture device (such as a camera) in a video capture mode or an image capture mode. The processed image frame can be displayed on the display unit 506. The image frame processed by the graphics processor 5041 can be stored in the memory 509 (or other storage medium) or sent via the radio frequency unit 501 or the WiFi module 502. The microphone 5042 can receive sound (audio data) via the microphone 5042 in the operating modes such as the telephone call mode, the recording mode, the voice recognition mode, etc., and can process such sound into audio data. The processed audio (voice) data can be converted into a format output that can be sent to the mobile communication base station via the radio frequency unit 501 in the case of the telephone call mode. The microphone 5042 may implement various types of noise cancellation (or suppression) algorithms to cancel (or suppress) noise or interference generated in the process of receiving and transmitting audio signals.

[0126] The mobile terminal 500 also includes at least one sensor 505, such as a light sensor, a motion sensor, and other sensors. Optionally, the light sensor includes an ambient light sensor and a proximity sensor. Optionally, the ambient light sensor can adjust the brightness of the display panel 5061 according to the brightness of the ambient light, and the proximity sensor can turn off the display panel 5061 and / or the backlight when the mobile terminal 500 is moved to the ear. As a type of motion sensor, the accelerometer sensor can detect the magnitude of acceleration in all directions (generally three axes), and can detect the magnitude and direction of gravity when stationary. It can be used for applications that identify the posture of the mobile phone (such as horizontal and vertical screen switching, related games, magnetometer posture calibration), vibration recognition related functions (such as pedometer, tapping), etc.; as for other sensors that can also be configured on the mobile phone, such as fingerprint sensors, pressure sensors, iris sensors, molecular sensors, gyroscopes, barometers, hygrometers, thermometers, infrared sensors, etc., they will not be repeated here.

[0127] The display unit 506 is used to display information input by the user or information provided to the user. The display unit 506 may include a display panel 5061, which may be configured in the form of a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), or the like.

[0128] The user input unit 507 can be used to receive input digital or character information, and to generate key signal input related to the user settings and function control of the mobile terminal. Optionally, the user input unit 507 may include a touch panel 5071 and other input devices 5072. The touch panel 5071, also known as a touch screen, can collect the user's touch operation on or near it (such as the user's operation on the touch panel 5071 or near the touch panel 5071 using any suitable object or accessory such as a finger, stylus, etc.), and drive the corresponding connection device according to a pre-set program. The touch panel 5071 may include two parts: a touch detection device and a touch controller. Optionally, the touch detection device detects the user's touch orientation, detects the signal brought by the touch operation, and transmits the signal to the touch controller; the touch controller receives the touch information from the touch detection device, converts it into the touch point coordinates, and then sends it to the processor 510, and can receive and execute the command sent by the processor 510. In addition, the touch panel 5071 can be implemented in various types such as resistive, capacitive, infrared, and surface acoustic waves. In addition to the touch panel 5071, the user input unit 507 may also include other input devices 5072. Optionally, the other input devices 5072 may include, but are not limited to, one or more of a physical keyboard, a function key (such as a volume control key, a switch key, etc.), a trackball, a mouse, a joystick, etc., which are not specifically limited here.

[0129] Optionally, the touch panel 5071 may cover the display panel 5061. When the touch panel 5071 detects a touch operation on or near it, it transmits the information to the processor 510 to determine the type of the touch event. Then, the processor 510 provides a corresponding visual output on the display panel 5061 according to the type of the touch event. Fig.12 In the figure, the touch panel 5071 and the display panel 5061 are used as two independent components to realize the input and output functions of the mobile terminal. However, in some embodiments, the touch panel 5071 and the display panel 5061 can be integrated to realize the input and output functions of the mobile terminal, which is not limited here.

[0130] The interface unit 508 serves as an interface through which at least one external device can be connected to the mobile terminal 500. For example, the external device may include a wired or wireless headset port, an external power supply (or battery charger) port, a wired or wireless data port, a memory card port, a port for connecting a device with an identification module, an audio input / output (I / O) port, a video I / O port, a headphone port, etc. The interface unit 508 may be used to receive input (e.g., data information, power, etc.) from an external device and transmit the received input to one or at least one element within the mobile terminal 500 or may be used to transmit data between the mobile terminal 500 and an external device.

[0131] The memory 509 can be used to store software programs and various data. The memory 509 can mainly include a program storage area and a data storage area. Optionally, the program storage area can store an operating system, an application required for at least one function (such as a sound playback function, an image playback function, etc.), etc.; the data storage area can store data created according to the use of the mobile phone (such as audio data, a phone book, etc.), etc. In addition, the memory 509 can include a high-speed random access memory, and can also include a non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk storage device, a flash memory device, or other volatile solid-state storage devices.

[0132] The processor 510 is the control center of the mobile terminal. It uses various interfaces and lines to connect various parts of the entire mobile terminal. It executes various functions of the mobile terminal and processes data by running or executing software programs and / or modules stored in the memory 509, and calling data stored in the memory 509, so as to monitor the mobile terminal as a whole. The processor 510 may include one or at least one processing unit; preferably, the processor 510 may integrate an application processor and a modem processor. Optionally, the application processor mainly processes the operating system, user interface, and application programs, and the modem processor mainly processes wireless communications. It is understandable that the above-mentioned modem processor may not be integrated into the processor 510.

[0133] The mobile terminal 500 may also include a power supply 511 (such as a battery) for supplying power to various components. Preferably, the power supply 511 may be logically connected to the processor 510 via a power management system, thereby implementing functions such as charging, discharging, and power consumption management through the power management system.

[0134] although Fig.12 Not shown, the mobile terminal 500 may also include a Bluetooth module, etc., which will not be described in detail here.

[0135] The various technical features of the technical solution of the present application can be arbitrarily combined. In order to make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the various 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 the present application.

[0136] The above are only preferred embodiments of the present application, and are not intended to limit the patent scope of the present application. Any equivalent structure or equivalent process transformation made using the contents of the present application specification and drawings, or directly or indirectly applied in other related technical fields, are also included in the patent protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A protection component, characterized in that: Applied to a hinge mechanism (10), the hinge mechanism (10) having a first surface facing the flexible screen (60), the protection component (20) being arranged on the first surface; The protection component (20) comprises a support layer, the support layer comprises a plurality of first support bars (21) arranged in sequence along a first direction, and at least two adjacent first support bars (21) are connected via a first adhesive (51); The protection component (20) is configured to move along with the hinge mechanism (10) when it is closed and unfolded, and the protection component (20) is used to cover at least a portion of the first surface of the hinge mechanism (10).

2. The protection assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The protection component (20) further comprises: a first buffer layer, the first buffer layer being arranged on a side of the support layer facing away from the hinge mechanism (10); and / or, A second buffer layer, wherein the second buffer layer is arranged on a side of the support layer facing the hinge mechanism (10).

3. The protection assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that: The support layer further comprises at least one second support bar (22), wherein the second support bar (22) is arranged along the first direction at at least one end of the plurality of first support bars (21), and the second support bar (22) is connected to an adjacent first support bar (21) via a second adhesive (52).

4. The protection assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that: Include at least one of the following: The first buffer layer and / or the second buffer layer is a colloid; The first bonding body (51) is a colloid; The second adhesive (52) is a colloid.

5. The protection assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The protection component (20) comprises: A fully etched area (23), wherein part of the first support strip (21) is located in the fully etched area (23); a half-etched area (24), the remaining portion of the first support bar (21) being located in the half-etched area (24); The half-etched areas (24) are arranged at intervals on opposite sides of the full-etched area (23) along the first direction, and the first support bar (21) located in the half-etched area (24) has a hollow hole (211) penetrating the first support bar (21), and the hollow hole (211) is filled with colloid.

6. The protection assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that: The hinge mechanism (10) comprises a main shaft (12) and swing arms (13) arranged on both sides of the main shaft (12); When the hinge mechanism (10) is in an unfolded state, along a second direction, the projection of the full-etched area (23) covers at least a portion of the projection of the main axis (12), and the projection of the half-etched area (24) covers a portion of the projection of the swing arm (13), and the second direction has an angle with the first direction.

7. The protection assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The hinge mechanism (10) has a first positioning structure, and the protection component (20) has a second positioning structure; One of the first positioning structure and the second positioning structure is a positioning hole (25), and the other is a positioning column (11), and the positioning column (11) extends into the positioning hole (25).

8. A hinge assembly, characterized in that: A hinge mechanism (10) and a protection assembly (20) according to any one of claims 1 to 7; The hinge mechanism (10) has a first surface facing the flexible screen (60), and the protection component (20) is arranged on the first surface.

9. An intelligent terminal, characterized in that: It comprises a flexible screen (60) and the hinge assembly according to claim 8.

10. The intelligent terminal according to claim 9, characterized in that: The protection component (20) of the hinge component is connected to the flexible screen (60) via a third adhesive (53), and the third adhesive (53) is arranged on the second support bar (22) of the protection component (20).

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