Hinge assembly and foldable device

Abstract

The utility model discloses a hinge assembly and foldable equipment, and belongs to the technical field of electronic equipment. The hinge assembly comprises a base, a synchronous rod and a connecting piece, the synchronous rod is hinged to the base and provided with a sliding part, the sliding part is provided with a sliding rail, the connecting piece is provided with a first cavity and a sliding groove, the first cavity is used for containing a lubricant, the sliding groove is used for containing the sliding rail so that the sliding rail can slide relative to the sliding groove, and the sliding groove is provided with a first through hole; the first through hole is communicated with the first cavity. In the unfolding or closing process of the hinge assembly, a lubricating agent can flow to the sliding groove from the first cavity through the first through hole, so that the effects of lubricating and cooling sliding movement of the sliding rail and the sliding groove are achieved, and the situation that the friction force between the sliding rail and the sliding groove is large, and consequently the contact face of the sliding rail and the sliding groove is abraded is avoided; and too high temperature of a contact surface area caused by the fact that heat generated by sliding movement of the sliding rail and the sliding groove cannot be discharged in time can be avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of electronic devices, and particularly relates to a hinge assembly and a foldable device. Background Art

[0002] With the development of flexible display screen (Organic Light-Emitting Diode, OLED) technology, foldable electronic devices have gradually become an important trend in the development of mobile terminals and have become an important field for competition among major terminal manufacturers. Currently, the state switching of foldable electronic devices mainly relies on a hinge, and the folding and unfolding of the hinge drive the folding and unfolding of the electronic device.

[0003] In related technologies, the middle frame connecting member and the synchronizing rod have a cooperating slide rail and chute mechanism. During the folding and unfolding of the hinge, the slide rail and the chute slide relative to each other. The frictional force of the sliding movement between the slide rail and the chute is relatively large, resulting in relatively large wear on the contact surface between the slide rail and the chute. Summary of the Utility Model

[0004] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a hinge assembly and a foldable device, which can solve the above-mentioned technical problems existing in related technologies. The technical solutions are as follows:

[0005] In a first aspect, a hinge assembly is provided. The hinge assembly includes a base, a synchronizing rod, and a connecting member;

[0006] The synchronizing rod is hinged to the base, and the synchronizing rod has a slide rail;

[0007] The connecting member has a first cavity, a chute, and a first through hole. The first cavity is used to accommodate a lubricant. The chute is used to accommodate the slide rail so that the slide rail can slide relative to the chute. The first through hole is located between the first cavity and the chute and is connected to the first cavity and the chute.

[0008] In some possible implementation manners, a cross-section of the chute perpendicular to the sliding direction of the slide rail is rectangular or trapezoidal.

[0009] In some possible implementation manners, one end of the first through hole is located on a first side wall and / or a second side wall of the chute, where the first side wall and the second side wall are side walls adjacent to the notch of the chute.

[0010] In some possible implementation manners, when there are a plurality of the first through holes on the first side wall, the plurality of the first through holes are evenly spaced in the sliding direction of the slide rail, and the cross-sectional areas of the plurality of the first through holes on the first side wall are equal.

[0011] In some possible embodiments, when there are a plurality of the first through holes on the second side wall, the plurality of the first through holes are evenly spaced in the sliding direction of the slide rail, and the cross-sectional areas of the plurality of the first through holes on the second side wall are equal.

[0012] In some possible embodiments, the size of the first cavity gradually decreases in the direction close to the first through hole.

[0013] In some possible embodiments, the synchronizing rod includes a connected sliding portion and a hinged portion. The sliding portion has the slide rail, the hinged portion is hinged to the base, the hinged portion has a second cavity and a second through hole. The second cavity is used to accommodate a lubricant and / or a coolant, and the second through holes are respectively communicated with the second cavity and the outer surface of the hinged portion.

[0014] In some possible embodiments, the end of the hinged portion has a cam, and the second through hole is located in the concave cam area of the cam.

[0015] In some possible embodiments, the lubricant is a semi-solid lubricant.

[0016] In a second aspect, a foldable device is provided, and the foldable device includes the hinge assembly according to any one of the first aspect.

[0017] The beneficial effects brought by the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure at least include:

[0018] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, during the process of unfolding or closing the hinge assembly, the lubricant can flow from the first cavity through the first through hole to the chute, thereby realizing the functions of lubricating and dissipating heat and cooling for the sliding movement of the slide rail and the chute, and avoiding large friction between the slide rail and the chute, resulting in wear of the contact surface between the slide rail and the chute.

[0019] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are only exemplary and explanatory, and cannot limit the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the following drawings are only some embodiments of the present disclosure. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can be obtained according to these drawings.

[0021] Figure 1 is one of the exploded views of a hinge assembly provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 2It is a schematic structural diagram of a connector provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 3 It is one of the partial schematic diagrams of a connector provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 4 It is the second of the partial schematic diagrams of a connector provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 5 It is the second of the exploded schematic diagrams of a hinge assembly provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 6 It is Figure 5 a partial schematic diagram of;

[0027] Figure 7 It is Figure 1 a partial schematic diagram of.

[0028] Reference numerals:

[0029] 1. Base;

[0030] 2. Synchronization rod, 2a. Slide rail, 21. Sliding part, 22. Hinge part, 221. Second cavity, 222. Second through hole, 223. Cam;

[0031] 3. Connector, 31. First cavity, 32. Chute, 32a. First side wall, 32b. Second side wall, 32c. Notch, 33. First through hole. Detailed implementation manners

[0032] To make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present disclosure clearer, the following will further describe the embodiments of the present application in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0033] An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a hinge assembly. Referring to Figure 1 as shown in Figure 1 which is the first of the exploded schematic diagrams of a hinge assembly provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure, the hinge assembly may include a base 1, a synchronization rod 2 and a connector 3.

[0034] The base 1 is used to fix or connect to each element in the hinge assembly. The present disclosure does not specifically limit the types, quantities, and connection relationships of the elements inside the base 1, and the specific elements inside the base 1 can be matched and set according to parameters such as the size of the foldable device and the user's functional requirements for the hinge assembly.

[0035] The synchronous rod 2 is hinged to the base 1, and the synchronous rod 2 has a slide rail 2a. The synchronous rod 2 is used to drive multiple components on both sides of the base 1 to move together, ensuring the coordinated movement of the entire hinge assembly. The synchronous rod 2 can improve the stability and reliability of the hinge assembly. One end of the synchronous rod 2 is hinged to the base 1, enabling the synchronous rod 2 to rotate relative to the base 1; the other end of the synchronous rod 2 is slidably connected to the connecting member 3, thereby realizing the synchronous rotation of the synchronous rod 2 and the connecting member 3.

[0036] The connecting member 3 has a first cavity 31, a chute 32, and a first through hole 33. The first cavity 31 is used to accommodate lubricant, the chute 32 is used to accommodate the slide rail 2a, enabling the slide rail 21 to slide relative to the chute 32. The first through hole 33 is located between the first cavity 31 and the chute 32 and is connected to the first cavity 31 and the chute 32.

[0037] The first cavity 31 can accommodate lubricant, and the first cavity 31 can also accommodate coolant. The present disclosure does not specifically limit the respective numbers of the first cavities 31 that accommodate lubricant and the first cavities 31 that accommodate coolant, and they can be matched and set according to different requirements of users for the parameters of the hinge assembly. For example: if the requirement for the smoothness of the hinge assembly is relatively high, all the first cavities 31 can be used to accommodate lubricant; if the requirement for the working temperature of the hinge assembly is relatively high, all the first cavities 31 can be used to accommodate coolant.

[0038] In the process of unfolding or closing the foldable device in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the lubricant and coolant can flow from the first cavity 31 through Figure 1 the shown first through hole 33 to the chute 32, thereby realizing the lubrication and heat dissipation cooling effects on the sliding movement of the slide rail 21 and the chute 32, avoiding large frictional force between the slide rail 21 and the chute 32, causing wear of the contact surface between the slide rail 21 and the chute 32, and also avoiding the heat generated by the sliding movement of the slide rail 21 and the chute 32 from not being discharged in time, resulting in a relatively high temperature in a local area of the contact surface, and further avoiding bad phenomena such as deformation and fracture of the slide rail 21 and the chute 32, thereby improving the bending life of the foldable device.

[0039] Refer to Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the cross-section of the chute 32 perpendicular to the sliding direction of the slide rail 2a is rectangular or trapezoidal. When the cross-section of the chute 32 is rectangular, the corresponding cross-sectional shape of the slide rail 2a is also rectangular, thereby ensuring that the shapes of the chute 32 and the slide rail 2a are simple, convenient for processing, and have a relatively low manufacturing cost.

[0040] When the cross-section of the sliding groove 32 is trapezoidal, the corresponding cross-sectional shape of the sliding rail 2a is also trapezoidal. The upper base of the sliding rail 2a faces the lower base of the sliding groove 32, and the lower base of the sliding rail 2a faces the upper base of the sliding groove 32. Furthermore, the sliding groove 32 and the sliding rail 2a can be mutually clamped in the direction perpendicular to the sliding direction of the sliding rail 2a, avoiding the phenomenon that the sliding rail 2a and the sliding groove 32 fall off in the direction perpendicular to the sliding direction of the sliding rail 2a, and thus ensuring the normal assembly relationship between the synchronous rod 2 and the connecting member 3.

[0041] Referring to Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, one end of the first through hole 33 is located on the first side wall 32a and / or the second side wall 32b of the sliding groove 32, where the first side wall 32a and the second side wall 32b are the side walls adjacent to the notch 32c of the sliding groove 32.

[0042] On the one hand, a certain gap can be maintained between the side wall of the sliding groove 32 opposite to the notch 32c and the sliding rail 2a to reduce the overall friction between the sliding groove 32 and the sliding rail 2a; on the other hand, the lubricant and coolant flowing out of the first through holes 33 on the first side wall 32a and the second side wall 32b can flow to the side wall of the sliding groove 32 opposite to the notch 32c, so that all contact surfaces between the sliding groove 32 and the sliding rail 2a can be filled with the lubricant and coolant.

[0043] Referring to Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, when there are a plurality of first through holes 33 on the first side wall 32a, the plurality of first through holes 33 are evenly spaced in the sliding direction of the sliding rail 2a, and the cross-sectional areas of the plurality of first through holes 33 on the first side wall 32a are equal.

[0044] In this way, the evenly spaced first through holes 33 can ensure that each area on the first side wall 32a can be filled with the lubricant and coolant; the equal cross-sectional areas of the plurality of first through holes 33 can ensure that the flow rates of the lubricant and coolant in each first through hole 33 are basically the same. Furthermore, a suitable friction coefficient and working temperature can be ensured between the first side wall 32a of the sliding groove 32 and the sliding rail 2a.

[0045] The present disclosure does not specifically limit the accommodation situation of the plurality of first through holes 33 on the first side wall 32a. They can be arranged such that the first through holes 33 for accommodating the lubricant and the first through holes 33 for accommodating the coolant are spaced apart, or the first through holes 33 for accommodating the lubricant and the first through holes 33 for accommodating the coolant are respectively located at both ends of the first side wall 32a.

[0046] Referring to Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, when there are a plurality of first through holes 33 on the second side wall 32b, the plurality of first through holes 33 are evenly spaced in the sliding direction of the sliding rail 21, and the cross-sectional areas of the plurality of first through holes 33 on the second side wall 32b are equal.

[0047] In this way, the first through-holes 33 evenly spaced can ensure that each area on the second sidewall 32b is filled with lubricant and coolant; the equal cross-sectional areas of the multiple first through-holes 33 can ensure that the flow rates of the lubricant and coolant in each first through-hole 33 are substantially the same. Furthermore, an appropriate friction coefficient and working temperature can be ensured between the second sidewall 32b of the chute 32 and the slide rail 2a.

[0048] The present disclosure does not specifically limit the accommodation of the multiple first through-holes 33 on the second sidewall 32b. The first through-holes 33 for accommodating lubricant and the first through-holes 33 for accommodating coolant can be distributed at intervals, or the first through-holes 33 for accommodating lubricant and the first through-holes 33 for accommodating coolant can be respectively located at both ends of the second sidewall 32b.

[0049] Refer to Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the size of the first cavity 31 gradually decreases in the direction close to the first through-hole 33, that is, the first cavity 31 is a funnel-shaped cavity with the first through-hole 33 as the outlet, for example: conical, pyramidal, or prismatic extending in the sliding direction of the slide rail 2a.

[0050] In this way, the first cavity 31 with a gradually decreasing size in the direction close to the first through-hole 33 can ensure that the lubricant and coolant smoothly flow towards the first through-hole 33, avoid the blockage and interference of the inner wall of the first cavity 31 on the flow path of the lubricant and coolant, and further avoid that part of the lubricant and coolant in the first cavity 31 cannot be smoothly discharged outside the first cavity 31.

[0051] Refer to Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the synchronous rod 2 includes a connected sliding portion 21 and a hinged portion. The sliding portion 21 has a slide rail 2a, the hinged portion 22 is hinged to the base 1, the hinged portion 22 has a second cavity 221 and a second through-hole 222. The second cavity 221 is used to accommodate lubricant and / or coolant, that is, part of the second cavity 221 can be used to accommodate lubricant, and another part of the second cavity 221 can be used to accommodate coolant. The second through-holes 222 are respectively connected and communicated with the second cavity 221 and the outer surface of the hinged portion 22.

[0052] The second through-hole 222 can be located between the rotating shaft of the base 1 and the second cavity 221. In this way, the lubricant and refrigerant accommodated in the second cavity 221 can flow towards the hinged area between the base 1 and the synchronous rod 2 through the second through-hole 222, so as to reduce the friction force when the synchronous rod 2 rotates relative to the base 1, and can also timely dissipate the heat generated by the friction between the synchronous rod 2 and the base 1, avoiding too high a working temperature in the hinged area.

[0053] In some embodiments, the end of the hinge portion 22 has a cam 223, and the second through hole 222 is located in the concave region of the cam 223. The cam 223 can be used to engage with other elements of the hinge assembly (such as a cam plate, etc.) and perform cam motion.

[0054] The second through hole 222 is located in the concave region of the cam 223. On the one hand, the lubricant and refrigerant contained in the second cavity 221 can flow through the second through hole 222 to the area where the cam 223 engages with other elements, so as to reduce the friction when the cam 223 performs cam motion, and can also dissipate the heat generated by friction when the cam 223 performs cam motion in time, avoiding the working temperature in the cam motion area from being too high. On the other hand, the overall size of the cam 223 is small, and the cam region of the cam 223 needs to be closely attached to other elements to achieve transmission. If the second through hole 222 is arranged in the cam region of the cam 223, the overall structural strength of the cam region is reduced, which easily leads to adverse phenomena such as deformation, cracks, and fractures in the cam region during operation.

[0055] In some embodiments, the lubricant is a semi-solid lubricant. The semi-solid lubricant, also known as grease, is a lubricating material that is in a semi-fluid state and has a colloidal structure at normal temperature and pressure. The semi-solid lubricant is between solid lubricants and liquid lubricants. The semi-solid lubricant has a relatively high viscosity and adhesiveness, can adhere to the surface of mechanical elements in the hinge assembly for a long time, extend the lubrication period and the service life of the hinge assembly. At the same time, compared with liquid lubricants, the semi-solid lubricant has less fluidity, which can reduce the risk of damage to other elements inside the foldable device caused by the random flow of the lubricant.

[0056] In some embodiments, the coolant is a semi-solid coolant, for example: a high-viscosity coolant. The high-viscosity coolant can present a semi-solid state similar to gel or paste at normal temperature, but can flow when heated or subjected to mechanical action, thereby effectively transferring heat. Compared with liquid coolants, semi-solid coolants may have better stability and controllability, and can maintain a stable cooling effect under more complex working conditions of the foldable device.

[0057] Based on the same concept, the embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a foldable device, which may include a hinge assembly as described in any one of the above embodiments.

[0058] Exemplarily, the foldable device may be a smartphone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a wearable device (such as a smart watch), etc., or may also be a professional shooting device such as a digital camera, a single-lens reflex camera, a mirrorless camera, a gimbal camera, an action camera, a drone, etc. It should be understood that the present disclosure does not specifically limit the specific technologies and specific device forms adopted by the foldable device.

[0059] Taking a mobile phone as an example for illustration, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The overall size of the hinge assembly in the mobile phone is relatively small, so the hinge assembly in the embodiments of the present disclosure is not applicable to the Metal Injection Molding (MIM) technology, and the MIM technology cannot achieve the processing of the first cavity 31 and the second cavity 221.

[0060] Therefore, the hinge assembly in the embodiments of the present disclosure can adopt the Selective Laser Melting (SLM) technology. The SLM technology uses a high-energy laser beam as a heat source to melt the metal powder layer by layer in a specified area and quickly solidify it, and constructs a three-dimensional solid part by layer-by-layer stacking, which can efficiently and accurately complete the processing of the first cavity 31 and the second cavity 221.

[0061] In the description of this specification, the descriptions referring to the terms "certain embodiments", "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "schematic embodiments", "examples", "specific examples", or "some examples" mean that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiments or examples are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. In this specification, the schematic expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described can be combined in a suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0062] It can be understood that "a plurality of" in the present disclosure means two or more, and other quantifiers are similar. "And / or" describes the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. The character " / " generally represents an "or" relationship between the associated objects before and after. The singular forms of "a", "the", and "said" are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0063] Furthermore, it can be understood that the terms "first", "second", etc. are used to describe various information, but this information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish the same type of information from each other, and do not represent a specific order or importance. In fact, the expressions such as "first" and "second" can be used interchangeably completely. For example, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the first information can also be called the second information, and similarly, the second information can also be called the first information.

[0064] It can be further understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "front", "rear", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc. is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings. It is only for the convenience of describing the present embodiment and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation.

[0065] It can be further understood that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, terms such as "install", "connect", "join", "fix", etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral molding; it can be a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a connection that allows mutual communication; it can be a direct connection without other components between the two, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, and it can be the internal communication of two components or the interaction relationship between two components. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present disclosure can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0066] It can be further understood that although the operations are described in a specific order in the drawings in the embodiments of the present disclosure, it should not be understood as requiring the operations to be performed in the specific order shown or in a serial order, or requiring all the operations shown to obtain the desired result. In a specific environment, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous.

[0067] Those skilled in the art will readily conceive of other embodiments of the present disclosure after considering the specification and practicing the solutions disclosed herein. The present disclosure is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the present disclosure that follow the general principles of the present disclosure and include common general knowledge or conventional technical means in the technical field not disclosed in the present disclosure. The specification and embodiments are only regarded as exemplary, and the true scope and spirit of the present disclosure are pointed out by the scope of the claims.

[0068] It should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the exact structures described above and shown in the drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of the present disclosure is only limited by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A hinge assembly, characterized in that: The hinge assembly comprises a base (1), a synchronization rod (2) and a connecting piece (3); The synchronization rod (2) is hinged to the base (1), and the synchronization rod (2) has a slide rail (2a); The connecting member (3) comprises a first cavity (31), a slide groove (32) and a first through hole (33); the first cavity (31) is used to contain a lubricant; the slide groove (32) is used to contain the slide rail (2a) so that the slide rail (2a) can slide relative to the slide groove (32); the first through hole (33) is located between the first cavity (31) and the slide groove (32), and is connected to the first cavity (31) and the slide groove (32).

2. The hinge assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cross section of the slide groove (32) perpendicular to the sliding direction of the slide rail (2a) is rectangular or trapezoidal.

3. The hinge assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: One end of the first through hole (33) is located on the first side wall (32a) and / or the second side wall (32b) of the slide groove (32), wherein the first side wall (32a) and the second side wall (32b) are side walls adjacent to the notch (32c) of the slide groove (32).

4. The hinge assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that: When there are a plurality of first through holes (33) on the first side wall (32a), the plurality of first through holes (33) are evenly spaced apart in the sliding direction of the slide rail (2a), and the cross-sectional areas of the plurality of first through holes (33) on the first side wall (32a) are equal.

5. The hinge assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that: When there are a plurality of the first through holes (33) on the second side wall (32b), the plurality of the first through holes (33) are evenly spaced apart in the sliding direction of the slide rail (2a), and the cross-sectional areas of the plurality of the first through holes (33) on the second side wall (32b) are equal.

6. The hinge assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The size of the first cavity (31) gradually decreases in a direction approaching the first through hole (33).

7. The hinge assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The synchronization rod (2) comprises a sliding portion (21) and an articulated portion (22) connected to each other, the sliding portion (21) having the sliding rail (2a), the articulated portion (22) being articulated with the base (1), the articulated portion (22) having a second cavity (221) and a second through hole (222), the second cavity (221) being used for containing a lubricant and / or a coolant, and the second through hole (222) being respectively connected to the second cavity (221) and the outer surface of the articulated portion (22).

8. The hinge assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that: The end of the hinged portion (22) is provided with a concave cam (223), and the second through hole (222) is located in the concave wheel area of ​​the concave cam (223).

9. The hinge assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lubricant is a semi-solid lubricant.

10. A foldable device, characterized in that: The foldable device comprises the hinge assembly according to any one of claims 1-9.

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