Hinge structure of folding electronic equipment

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of folding electronic equipment, in particular to a hinge structure of folding electronic equipment, which comprises a body and a screen supporting piece, the screen supporting piece is arranged on the body in a swinging and rotating mode through a swinging and rotating structure and used for installing and supporting a flexible screen. The body comprises a main base and an auxiliary base; the length of the main base is the same as that of the whole hinge structure; the plurality of auxiliary bases are arranged at intervals in the length direction of the main base; in the thickness direction, the swing structure is arranged between the main base and the auxiliary base. According to the hinge structure, the length and the number of the auxiliary bases are determined according to the number and the length of the swinging structures, the whole main base does not need to be covered, the interval is reserved between every two adjacent auxiliary bases, the weight of the whole body is reduced, and a larger installation space is provided for arrangement of other components in the hinge structure and electronic equipment components.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of foldable electronic device technology, and in particular to a hinge structure for a foldable electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] Foldable electronic devices, such as foldable phones and tablets, use hinge structures to fold and unfold the screen. The hinge structure not only needs to support the weight of the screen but also needs to maintain its flatness and stability during folding and unfolding. The applicant's previously submitted hinge structure has areas for improvement. Specifically, the hinge structure's main body includes an auxiliary base and a main base; the auxiliary base is composed of two parallel rods. This results in a complex structure, high manufacturing costs, and a large overall footprint. Utility Model Content

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a hinge structure for a foldable electronic device to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art.

[0004] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this utility model provides a hinge structure for a foldable electronic device, comprising: a body and a screen support component;

[0005] The screen support is rotatably mounted on the main body via a swivel structure, and is used to install and support the flexible screen;

[0006] The main body includes a main base and auxiliary bases; the length of the main base is the same as that of the entire hinge structure; several auxiliary bases are arranged at intervals along the length of the main base; and a swing structure is provided between the main base and the auxiliary bases in the thickness direction.

[0007] In this application, the length and number of auxiliary bases are determined according to the number and length of the swing structure. They do not need to cover the entire main base. There is a gap between adjacent auxiliary bases, which reduces the weight of the entire body and provides more installation space for the layout of other components and electronic devices in the hinge structure.

[0008] Furthermore, the screen support includes a left screen support and a right screen support arranged symmetrically on the left and right sides;

[0009] The auxiliary base includes a left half and a right half integrally formed. The left half and the right half are respectively provided with a left swing structure and a right swing structure between them and the main base, for connecting to the left screen support and the right screen support respectively.

[0010] Furthermore, the auxiliary base is fixedly connected to the main base by fasteners such as screws or snap-fit ​​structures.

[0011] Furthermore, the screen support includes a second plate (door panel) located away from the folded part; the second plate is rotatably mounted on the main body via a four-bar linkage; the four-bar linkage includes a first link and a second link; one end of the first link and the second link are respectively pivotally connected to the main body via their respective pivoting structures, and the other end of the first link and the second link are respectively pivotally connected to the second plate.

[0012] Furthermore, the first link member includes: an arc-shaped swing portion and a connecting portion integrally formed with the swing portion;

[0013] An arc-shaped guide groove is provided between the auxiliary base and the main base. One end of the swinging part is slidably inserted into the arc-shaped guide groove to form the swinging structure, thereby realizing the pivot connection between the first connecting rod and the main body. The other end of the swinging part is pivotally connected to the second plate through the connecting part.

[0014] Furthermore, the auxiliary base is provided with an arc-shaped first limiting working surface on one side of the main base; the main base is provided with a first half-shaft rod, and the first half-shaft rod is provided with a first arc-shaped working surface on one side of the auxiliary base; the first arc-shaped working surface and the first limiting working surface are arranged parallel to each other to form the arc-shaped guide groove.

[0015] Furthermore, the auxiliary base is provided with a protruding structure extending toward the main base, and the first limiting working surface includes a partially extended working surface provided on the protruding structure to increase the effective working arc length of the first limiting working surface.

[0016] In this application, on the projection surface of the virtual swing center line of the first link, the protruding structure includes an extension that extends into the arc-shaped guide groove, and the first limiting working surface in the arc-shaped guide groove continues to extend in the extension to form the aforementioned partial extension working surface; the partial extension working surface only covers a portion of the length of the arc-shaped guide groove in the direction of the virtual swing center line of the first link.

[0017] Preferably, in the direction of the virtual swing centerline of the first connecting rod, the two ends of the arc-shaped guide groove are respectively provided with the protruding structure; each of the protruding structures is provided with the locally extended working surface on one side of the arc-shaped guide groove. Alternatively, the protruding structure can also be provided in the middle of the arc-shaped guide groove.

[0018] This application extends the first limiting working surface to the protruding structure, thereby increasing the curvature of the outer side of the arc-shaped guide groove in the circumferential direction. This improves the coverage of the swinging part of the first connecting rod by the swinging structure, and increases the effective swinging angle of the first connecting rod without increasing the thickness of the overall hinge structure. Alternatively, at the end of the two swinging strokes, the swinging part is less likely to detach from the arc-shaped guide groove, thus improving the stability of the entire swinging structure.

[0019] Furthermore, the first link includes two swinging parts spaced apart along its virtual swinging center line; the two swinging parts are integrally fixedly connected by an intermediate connecting part.

[0020] Furthermore, the screen support also includes a first plate (small door panel) located near the folded portion of the flexible screen; the first plate is fixedly mounted on the first connecting rod and rotates together with the first connecting rod; when the flexible screen is fully folded, the first plate is in an inclined position to create a deformation avoidance space for the folded portion of the flexible screen.

[0021] In this application, the two ends of the first and second connecting rods are pivotally connected to the main body and the second plate, respectively, thereby forming a four-bar linkage. This application has a simple structure, using the four-bar linkage to enable the unfolding and folding of the screen support and the flexible screen above it. During the folding process, an inverted trumpet-shaped deformation avoidance space is formed in the folded portion, causing the flexible screen to form a teardrop shape within this space, preventing the folded portion from being completely folded and damaged.

[0022] Furthermore, the main base or the first plate is provided with grooves or through holes, and the protruding structure extends into the grooves or through holes.

[0023] Furthermore, the second link includes: an arc-shaped rotating part, and a connecting arm integrally formed with the rotating part;

[0024] An arc-shaped limiting structure is provided between the auxiliary base and the main base. One end of the rotating part is slidably inserted into the arc-shaped limiting structure to form the swing structure, thereby realizing the pivot connection between the second connecting rod and the main body. The other end of the rotating part is pivotally connected to the second plate through a connecting arm.

[0025] Furthermore, a synchronization component is provided between the left screen support and the right screen support to enable the left screen support and the right screen support to rotate synchronously in opposite directions.

[0026] The synchronization component includes a synchronization transmission element;

[0027] The synchronous transmission component can only be reciprocated along the virtual pivot center line of the second link on the main body and is disposed on the main body;

[0028] The rotating part includes a left rotating part disposed on the second connecting rod on the left side and a right rotating part disposed on the second connecting rod on the right side;

[0029] A helical transmission pair is provided between the rotating part and the synchronous transmission member to realize the conversion and transmission between the swing motion of the second plate and the rotating part and the linear motion of the synchronous transmission member.

[0030] The left helical transmission pair between the left rotating part and the synchronous transmission member has the opposite helical direction to the right helical transmission pair between the right rotating part and the synchronous transmission member, which is used to realize the synchronous rotation of the left plate and the right plate towards each other or synchronously in opposite directions.

[0031] Furthermore, the helical transmission pair includes a helical groove provided on the rotating part or the synchronous transmission member, and a slider structure provided on the synchronous transmission member or the rotating part. The slider structure can be slidably inserted into the helical groove to realize the transmission between the rotating part and the synchronous transmission member.

[0032] When the rotating part of the first or second link on one side rotates, the synchronous transmission member is forced to move along the axial direction of the virtual rotation axis of the rotating part through the helical transmission pair on that side. Then, through the helical transmission pair on the other side, the rotating part on the other side rotates synchronously in opposite directions, realizing the synchronous swing of the rotating parts on both sides and the entire first and second links; that is, the left and right rotating parts on both sides swing synchronously in opposite directions or in opposite directions through the middle synchronous transmission member, realizing the synchronous opening and closing action.

[0033] Furthermore, the left helical drive pair and the right helical drive pair are arranged symmetrically on the left and right sides.

[0034] Furthermore, the synchronous transmission component includes a main body; in the thickness direction, the main base, the rotating part, the main body of the synchronous transmission component, and the auxiliary base are arranged sequentially; the main body includes two arm spans arranged symmetrically on the left and right; the helical transmission pair is arranged between the arm spans and the rotating part.

[0035] Furthermore, a second half-shaft rod is provided on the main base, and the second half-shaft rod has an arc working surface on one side of the rotating part. The arc working surface is adapted to the inner arc surface of the rotating part and is used to limit the rotation of the rotating part.

[0036] Furthermore, the bottom of the arm span of the main body is provided with an upper arc surface; the upper arc surface is adapted to the outer arc surface of the rotating part, and the upper arc surface and the arc working surface of the half shaft part enclose an arc-shaped limiting cavity to form the arc-shaped limiting structure, which is used to limit the rotation of the rotating part.

[0037] Furthermore, the second half-shaft rod includes a left half-shaft rod and a right half-shaft rod arranged symmetrically on the left and right sides; the left half-shaft rod and the right half-shaft rod are respectively adapted to the left rotating part and the right rotating part.

[0038] Preferably, in the direction of the swing center line, one or more sets of the synchronization components are included.

[0039] Furthermore, it also includes a connecting seat; the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are respectively pivotally connected to the connecting seat; the second plate is fixedly connected to the connecting seat.

[0040] Furthermore, the left and right halves of the auxiliary base are respectively provided with mounting slots for accommodating the two arm extensions of the synchronous transmission member.

[0041] More preferably, the bottom surface of the assembly groove abuts against the back of the arm extension, serving as a limiting element.

[0042] Furthermore, in the horizontally unfolded state of the flexible screen, the first screen mounting surface on the first plate is flush with the second screen mounting surface on the second plate.

[0043] Furthermore, in the projection plane perpendicular to the virtual swing center line of the first plate, the horizontal direction is set as the X-axis and the vertical direction as the Y-axis. When the flexible screen is horizontally unfolded, the second screen mounting surface on the second plate is horizontally unfolded along the positive direction of the X-axis. When the flexible screen is completely folded, the second screen mounting surface of the second plate is vertically set along the positive direction of the Y-axis. The virtual intersection of the horizontally set second screen mounting surface and the vertically set second screen mounting surface is the origin of the coordinate system. The virtual swing center of the first plate, that is, the virtual pivot center of the first link on the body, is set in the positive and negative quadrants (i.e., the fourth quadrant) region.

[0044] When the virtual pivot center of the first plate, i.e. the virtual pivot center of the first link on the main body, is set in the fourth quadrant of the above coordinate system, the pivot structure of the first plate and the first link with the main body can be set below the second screen mounting surface on the horizontal X-axis, i.e. the second screen mounting surface on the second plate. At the same time, it provides a basis for the first screen mounting surface on the first plate and the second screen mounting surface on the second plate to be flush, and provides a basis for the first plate to tilt when the flexible screen is fully folded.

[0045] Furthermore, the virtual pivot center of the second link on the body is located in the positive and negative quadrants (i.e., the fourth quadrant).

[0046] Similarly, the second connecting member is positioned in the fourth quadrant to prevent its pivot structure on the main body from protruding above the mounting surfaces of the first and second screens.

[0047] Furthermore, the second link is bent as a whole to prevent the entire second link from protruding (or not exceeding) the first screen mounting surface on the first plate during the entire process from the horizontal unfolding of the flexible screen to its complete folding.

[0048] That is, the second link needs to be designed to avoid any protrusion from the first screen mounting surface at any swing position. This is to prevent the second link from protruding from the first screen mounting surface at any position and touching or damaging the flexible screen.

[0049] Furthermore, in the fully folded state of the flexible screen, the two second screen mounting surfaces on the second plates on the left and right sides are arranged in parallel intervals (the flexible screens on the two second screen mounting surfaces can contact each other), and the gap between the two first screen mounting surfaces on the first plates on the left and right sides is arranged in a funnel shape (or wedge shape) with a smaller top and a larger bottom.

[0050] Furthermore, when the flexible screen is fully folded, the included angle between the two first screen mounting surfaces on the first plate on the left and right sides is 1-80°.

[0051] Typically, the width of the first plate is relatively small, such as 1-10mm, and it only needs to meet the requirement that the folded part of the flexible screen is not damaged or deformed. The width of the second plate is wider, which meets the support needs of other parts of the flexible screen except for the folded part.

[0052] Furthermore, the synchronous transmission component includes a long tail, which is rod-shaped and relatively fixedly disposed at the tail (or one end) of the body; the body and the long tail are arranged along the direction of the swing center line.

[0053] A temporary locking structure is provided between the long tail and the main body to temporarily limit the left plate and the right plate, as well as the left rotating part and the right rotating part, to one or more set opening and closing angles.

[0054] Furthermore, the temporary locking structure includes: a limiting protrusion provided on the long tail or the body, and a locking groove provided on the body or the long tail to engage with the limiting protrusion.

[0055] Furthermore, it also includes a locking plate and an actuation spring;

[0056] The card slot plate can be slidably mounted on the main body;

[0057] The card slot plate is provided with the limiting protrusion or the card slot;

[0058] The actuation spring is disposed between the locking plate and the body, tending to force the locking plate to abut against the long tail, thereby maintaining the locking state of the limiting protrusion and the slot (i.e., the limiting protrusion is locked in the slot, so that the hinge structure is temporarily held at a set opening and closing angle).

[0059] Preferably, the temporary card slot structure is arranged symmetrically on the left and right sides.

[0060] Preferably, the limiting protrusions or the slots are symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of the long tail portion;

[0061] The two sets of positioning plates and actuating springs are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the long tail. Under the action of the actuating springs, the two positioning plates on the left and right sides tend to move towards the middle, thereby clamping the long tail and maintaining the positioning state of the limiting protrusion and the slot.

[0062] Furthermore, the limiting protrusion and the slot are provided with smooth transition structures such as chamfers, rounded edges or arc-shaped bevels at both ends in the direction of the swing center line, which are used to guide the limiting protrusion into the slot.

[0063] Furthermore, it also includes a reset spring, which is disposed between the synchronous transmission member and the body, and tends to force the synchronous transmission member to move and reset along the direction of the swing center line.

[0064] The setting of the return spring can tend to force the slider structure in the helical transmission pair to abut against the fixed side of the helical groove, thereby reducing or eliminating the positioning error caused by the gap between the slider structure and the helical groove.

[0065] Furthermore, in the direction of the swing center line, the length of the slot is greater than the width of the limiting protrusion, the slot is provided with a movable allowance, and the limiting protrusion can move along the slot within the movable allowance range.

[0066] Preferably, the opening and closing angles of the left and right rotating parts corresponding to the size of the movable margin are 1-10°.

[0067] Furthermore, the long tail portion is disposed within the middle interval between the left half and the right half; the left half and the right half are provided with grooves for accommodating the card plate, and the grooves are provided with insertion holes for inserting the actuation spring.

[0068] Furthermore, it also includes a limiting structure disposed on the body to limit the synchronous transmission member to reciprocating only along the virtual pivot center line of the second link on the body.

[0069] Furthermore, the limiting structure includes a limiting groove or limiting track provided on the main body or the synchronous transmission member along the swing center line, and a limiting block provided on the synchronous transmission member or the main body that slides into the limiting groove, or a slot that slides into the limiting track.

[0070] The body described in this application can be a single component or a component, providing an installation basis for the installation or interconnection of components such as the first plate, the second plate, and the synchronization component.

[0071] Preferably, guide posts are provided on both sides of the card slot plate, and guide holes that cooperate with the guide posts are provided in the grooves of the left and right halves.

[0072] Alternatively, the slider structure in the helical transmission pair abuts against the bottom surface of the helical groove, thereby also abutting against the rotating part in the thickness direction, cooperating with the arc working surface on the upper main base half shaft part to clamp the rotating part in the middle, thereby playing a role in limiting the rotation of the rotating part.

[0073] By adopting the above technical solution, this utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0074] The hinge structure of the foldable electronic device provided in this application is ingeniously designed and easy to implement. The length and number of auxiliary bases are determined according to the number and length of the swing structure. It does not need to cover the entire main base. There is a gap between adjacent auxiliary bases, which reduces the weight of the entire body and provides more installation space for the layout of other components and electronic device components in the hinge structure. Attached Figure Description

[0075] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of this utility model or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0076] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of the hinge structure in the embodiment;

[0077] Figure 2 for Figure 1 An exploded view after removing the second plate;

[0078] Figure 3 This is a breakdown diagram of the main body;

[0079] Figure 4 This is a front view of the hinge structure after the second plate has been removed in Example 1;

[0080] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Sectional view of AA;

[0081] Figure 6 for Figure 4 A partial stereoscopic view from the back;

[0082] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first connecting rod in Example 1;

[0083] Figure 8 A three-dimensional view of the auxiliary base;

[0084] Figure 9 A three-dimensional view of the main base;

[0085] Figure 10 for Figure 8 Enlarged view of a section at point B in the middle;

[0086] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the connecting seat and the first and second connecting rods in Embodiment 1;

[0087] Figure 12 This is a front view of the synchronization component in Example 2;

[0088] Figure 13 This is a perspective view of the synchronization component in Example 2;

[0089] Figure 14 for Figure 13 Exploded view;

[0090] Figure 15 for Figure 13 The front view of the synchronization component shown;

[0091] Figure 16 A three-dimensional view of the synchronous transmission components;

[0092] Figure 17 This is a three-dimensional view of the second connecting rod.

[0093] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram of the working principle of the four-bar linkage in Example 2;

[0094] Figure 19 for Figure 18 Enlarged view of a section at point C;

[0095] Figure 20This is a partial perspective view of the hinge structure after it has been fully folded in Example 2;

[0096] Figure 21 This is a front view of the hinge structure after it has been fully folded in Example 2.

[0097] Figure label:

[0098] 10-Main body; 11-Main base; 12-Half shaft; 15-Auxiliary base; 15a-Left half; 15b-Right half; 15c-Mounting groove; 15d-Slot; 16-First limiting working surface; 17-Protruding structure; 17a-Extension; 19-Rear cover; 20-Second plate; 20a-Left plate; 20b-Right plate; 21-Connecting seat; 25-First plate; 26-First screen mounting surface; 27-Second screen mounting surface; 30- First link; 31-Swinging part; 35-Connecting part; 40-Second link; 41-Rotating part; 41a-Left rotating part; 41b-Right rotating part; 42-Helical groove; 45-Connecting arm; 50-Synchronous transmission component; 51-Slider structure; 52-Main body; 53-Tortoise; 54-Arm extension part; 55-Long tail part; 55a-Limiting protrusion; 56-Lower protrusion; 60-Positioning plate; 61-Positioning groove; 70-Actuating spring; 71-Reset spring. Detailed Implementation

[0099] The technical solution of this utility model will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this utility model. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0100] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0101] The present invention will be further explained below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0102] Example 1

[0103] like Figure 1-12As shown, this embodiment discloses a hinge structure for a foldable electronic device, including: a body 10 and a screen support; the screen support is rotatably mounted on the body 10 via a swing structure, and is used to install and support a flexible screen.

[0104] like Figure 3 As shown, the main body 10 includes a main base 11 and an auxiliary base 15; the length of the main base 11 is basically the same as the entire hinge structure; 2-3 auxiliary bases 15 are arranged at intervals along the length of the main base 11; in the thickness direction, a swing structure is formed between the main base 11 and the auxiliary bases 15 for connecting with the screen support.

[0105] In this application, the length and number of auxiliary bases 15 are determined according to the number and length of the swing structure. They do not need to cover the entire main base 11. There is a gap between adjacent auxiliary bases 15, which reduces the weight of the entire body 10 and provides more installation space for the layout of other components and electronic devices in the hinge structure. The body is provided with a back cover 19 on the auxiliary base 15.

[0106] Furthermore, the screen support includes a left screen support and a right screen support arranged symmetrically on the left and right sides; correspondingly, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 8 As shown, the auxiliary base 15 includes a left half 15a and a right half 15b integrally formed. The left half 15a and the right half 15b are provided with a left-swinging structure and a right-swinging structure respectively between themselves and the main base 11, for connecting to the left screen support and the right screen support respectively. In this application, the auxiliary base 15 is fixedly connected to the main base 11 by fasteners such as screws. The left half 15a and the right half 15b are integrally formed into the auxiliary base 15, which facilitates the reduction of fasteners or clamping structures used for fixing, resulting in a simpler overall structure, significantly reduced internal space occupation, and lower manufacturing costs.

[0107] like Figure 2 , 11 As shown in Figure 12, in this embodiment, the screen support includes a second plate 20 (door panel) disposed away from the folded part; the second plate 20 is rotatably mounted on the main body 10 via a four-bar linkage; the four-bar linkage includes a first link 30 and a second link 40; one end of the first link 30 and the second link 40 are respectively pivotally connected to the main body 10 via their respective pivoting structures, and the other end of the first link 30 and the second link 40 are respectively pivotally connected to the second plate 20.

[0108] See Figure 5 and 7 As shown, the first link 30 includes: an arc-shaped swing portion 31, and a connecting portion 35 integrally formed with the swing portion 31; see also Figure 5As shown, the first link 30 includes two swing parts 31 arranged at intervals along its virtual swing center line; the two swing parts 31 are integrally fixedly connected by an intermediate connecting part 35.

[0109] An arc-shaped guide groove is provided between the auxiliary base 15 and the main base 11. One end of the swinging part 31 is slidably inserted into the arc-shaped guide groove to form a swinging structure, thereby realizing the pivot connection between the first connecting rod 30 and the body 10. The other end of the swinging part 31 is pivotally connected to the second plate 20 through the connecting part 35.

[0110] See Figure 5 and 8 As shown, specifically, in this embodiment, the auxiliary base 15 is provided with an arc-shaped first limiting working surface 16 on one side of the main base 11; the main base 11 is provided with a first half-shaft rod portion 12, and the first half-shaft rod portion 12 is provided with a first arc-shaped working surface on one side of the auxiliary base 15; the first arc-shaped working surface and the first limiting working surface 16 are arranged in parallel and spaced apart to form an arc-shaped guide groove.

[0111] The auxiliary base 15 is provided with a protruding structure 17 extending toward the main base 11. The first limiting working surface 16 includes a partially extended working surface provided on the protruding structure 17, which is used to increase the effective working arc length of the first limiting working surface 16. The main base 11 is provided with a groove or through hole, and the protruding structure 17 extends into the groove or through hole.

[0112] In this application, on the projection surface of the virtual swing center line including the first link 30, the protruding structure 17 includes an extension 17a extending into the arc-shaped guide groove, and the first limiting working surface 16 in the arc-shaped guide groove continues to extend in the extension 17a to form the aforementioned partial extension working surface; the partial extension working surface only covers a portion of the length of the arc-shaped guide groove in the direction of the virtual swing center line of the first link 30.

[0113] Preferably, in the direction of the virtual swing centerline of the first connecting rod 30, protrusions 17 are respectively provided at both ends of the arc-shaped guide groove; each protrusion 17 has a partially extended working surface on one side of the arc-shaped guide groove. Alternatively, the protrusions 17 can also be provided in the middle of the arc-shaped guide groove.

[0114] This application extends the first limiting working surface 16 to the protruding structure 17, thereby increasing the curvature of the outer side of the arc-shaped guide groove in the circumferential direction. This improves the coverage of the swinging structure on the swinging part 31 of the first connecting rod 30, and increases the effective swinging angle of the first connecting rod without increasing the thickness of the overall hinge structure. Alternatively, at the end of the two swinging strokes, the swinging part 31 is less likely to detach from the arc-shaped guide groove, thus improving the stability of the entire swinging structure.

[0115] The hinge structure of the foldable electronic device provided in this application is ingeniously designed and easy to implement. The length and number of auxiliary bases 15 are determined according to the number and length of the swing structure. It does not need to cover the entire main base 11. There is a gap between adjacent auxiliary bases 15, which reduces the weight of the entire body 10 and provides more installation space for the layout of other components and electronic device components in the hinge structure.

[0116] Example 2

[0117] This embodiment is basically the same as embodiment 1, except that:

[0118] See Figure 1 as well as Figure 13-21 As shown, the hinge structure disclosed in this embodiment includes a body 10, a screen support, and a four-bar linkage. The screen support includes a first plate 25 (small door panel) located near the folded portion of the flexible screen, and a second plate 20 (large door panel) located away from the folded portion. The second plate 20 is rotatably mounted on the body 10 via the four-bar linkage. The four-bar linkage includes a first link 30 and a second link 40. The first plate 25 is fixedly mounted on the first link 30 and swings together with the first link 30. When the flexible screen is fully folded, the first plate 25 tilts to create a deformation avoidance space for the folded portion of the flexible screen. An inverted trumpet-shaped deformation avoidance space is formed in the folded portion, causing the flexible screen to be teardrop-shaped within this space, preventing the folded portion from being completely folded and damaged.

[0119] Specifically, the two ends of the first link 30 and the second link 40 are pivotally connected to the body 10 and the second plate 20, respectively. The second plate 20 is mounted on the body 10 via a four-bar linkage, and its process of flipping from a horizontal to a vertical state is a composite motion of circumferential movement, rotation, and translation around the body 10.

[0120] Preferably, when the flexible screen is horizontally unfolded, the first screen mounting surface 26 on the first plate 25 and the second screen mounting surface 27 on the second plate 20 are flush. More preferably, as the flexible screen unfolds and is fully folded, the second plate 20 is initially positioned horizontally at 0 degrees and eventually flipped to a vertical position at 90 degrees.

[0121] In the projection plane perpendicular to the virtual pivot center line of the first plate 25, let the horizontal direction be the X-axis and the vertical direction be the Y-axis. In the horizontally unfolded state of the flexible screen, the second screen mounting surface 27 on the second plate 20 is horizontally unfolded along the positive direction of the X-axis. In the fully folded state of the flexible screen, the second screen mounting surface 27 of the second plate 20 is vertically positioned along the positive direction of the Y-axis. The virtual intersection of the horizontally and vertically positioned second screen mounting surfaces 27 is the origin O of the coordinate system. The first virtual pivot center A1 of the first plate 25, i.e., the virtual pivot center of the first connecting rod 30 on the body 10, is located within the positive and negative quadrants (i.e., the fourth quadrant). The position of the first virtual pivot center A1 also determines the tilt angle of the first plate 25 after the flexible screen is folded. With the length of the first connecting rod 30 remaining constant, the larger the absolute coordinate value of the first virtual pivot center A1 on the X-axis, the larger the angle between the first plate 25 and the vertical plane.

[0122] When the first virtual pivot center A1 of the first plate 25, i.e. the virtual pivot center of the first connecting rod 30 on the body 10, is set in the fourth quadrant of the above coordinate system, the pivot structure of the first plate 25 and the first connecting rod 30 with the body 10 can be set below the second screen mounting surface 27 on the horizontal X coordinate axis, i.e., the second screen mounting surface 27 on the second plate 20. At the same time, it provides a basis for the first screen mounting surface 26 on the first plate 25 and the second screen mounting surface 27 on the second plate 20 to be flush, and provides a basis for the first plate 25 to tilt when the flexible screen is fully folded.

[0123] Furthermore, the second virtual pivot center A2 of the second link 40 on the body 10 is located in the positive and negative quadrants (i.e., the fourth quadrant). Similarly, the second virtual pivot center A2 of the second link 40 is located in the fourth quadrant to prevent its pivot structure on the body 10 from being higher than the first screen mounting surface 26 and the second screen mounting surface 27.

[0124] Furthermore, the second link 40 is bent as a whole to prevent the entire second link 40 from protruding (or not higher than) the first screen mounting surface 26 on the first plate 25 during the entire process from the horizontal unfolding of the flexible screen to its complete folding (i.e., at any swing angle and position).

[0125] That is, the second link 40 needs to be designed to avoid any protrusion from the first screen mounting surface 26 at any swing position. This is to prevent the second link 40 from protruding from the first screen mounting surface 26 at any position and touching or damaging the flexible screen.

[0126] Furthermore, the screen support includes a left screen support and a right screen support arranged symmetrically on the left and right sides; the left screen support and the right screen support are respectively rotatably mounted on the body 10 through two sets of the four-bar linkage mechanism;

[0127] When the flexible screen is fully folded, the two second screen mounting surfaces 27 on the second plate 20 on the left and right sides are arranged in parallel and spaced apart (the flexible screens on the two second screen mounting surfaces 27 can contact each other), and the gap between the two first screen mounting surfaces 26 on the first plate 25 on the left and right sides is arranged in a funnel shape (or wedge shape) with a smaller top and a larger bottom.

[0128] Preferably, when the flexible screen is fully folded, the included angle between the two first screen mounting surfaces 26 on the first plate 25 on the left and right sides is 1-80°, and more preferably 2-30°.

[0129] The hinge structure disclosed in this application is ingeniously designed, easy to implement, and the size of the accommodating space can be adjusted according to design needs. Specifically, by adjusting the position of the first pivot center, the tilt angle of the first plate 25 in the folded state can be adjusted, thereby meeting the different needs of foldable electronic products.

[0130] Typically, the width of the first plate 25 is relatively small, such as 1-10mm, and it only needs to meet the requirement that the folded part of the flexible screen is not damaged or deformed. The width of the second plate 20 is relatively large, which meets the support needs of other parts of the flexible screen except for the folded part.

[0131] It should be noted that the first link 30 and the second link 40 are defined according to mechanical principles, but their actual physical shapes vary.

[0132] See Figure 1 and Figure 18-21 As shown, the second plate 20 includes a left plate 20a and a right plate 20b arranged symmetrically on the left and right sides; that is, the second plate on the left screen support is the left plate 20a; and the second plate on the right screen support is the right plate 20b.

[0133] See Figure 5 As shown, a synchronization component is provided between the left plate 20a and the right plate 20b to enable the left plate 20a and the right plate 20b to rotate synchronously in opposite directions; the left plate 20a and the right plate 20b are respectively rotatably connected to the main body 10 through two sets of left and right arranged first connecting rods 30 or second connecting rods 40.

[0134] See Figure 17As shown, the second connecting rod 40 has an arc-shaped rotating part 41 at one end that is rotatably connected to the body 10; the rotating part 41 is integrally formed with the connecting arm 45; one end of the connecting arm 45 is fixedly connected to the rotating part 41, and the other end is hinged to the second plate 20.

[0135] The synchronization component includes a synchronization transmission member 50; the synchronization transmission member 50 is disposed on the body 10 and can only reciprocate along the virtual swing center line of the first plate 25.

[0136] The rotating part 41 includes a left rotating part 41a disposed on the left second connecting rod 40 and a right rotating part 41b disposed on the right second connecting rod 40. A helical transmission pair is disposed between the rotating part 41 and the synchronous transmission member 50 to realize the conversion and transmission between the swing motion of the second plate 20 and the rotating part 41 and the linear motion of the synchronous transmission member 50. The left helical transmission pair between the left rotating part 41a and the synchronous transmission member 50 has the opposite helical direction to the right helical transmission pair between the right rotating part 41b and the synchronous transmission member 50, so as to realize the synchronous swing of the left plate 20a and the right plate 20b in opposite directions (such as realizing the synchronous swing of the left plate 20a and the right plate 20b in counterclockwise and clockwise directions respectively, and the synchronous swing during the opening and closing process).

[0137] See Figure 16 and 17 As shown, in this embodiment, the helical transmission pair includes a helical groove 42 provided on the rotating part 41 or the synchronous transmission member 50, and a helical slider structure 51 provided on the synchronous transmission member 50 or the rotating part 41. The slider structure 51 can be slidably inserted into the helical groove 42 to realize the transmission between the rotating part 41 and the synchronous transmission member 50.

[0138] When the rotating part 41 of the second link 40 on one side rotates, the synchronous transmission member 50 is forced to move in the axial direction of the virtual rotation axis of the rotating part 41 through the helical transmission pair on that side. Then, the rotating part 41 on the other side is made to rotate synchronously in opposite directions through the helical transmission pair on the other side, so as to realize the synchronous swing of the rotating parts 41 on both sides and the entire second link 40. That is, the left rotating part 41a and the right rotating part 41b on both sides (as well as the first link 30 and the second link 40 on both sides) realize synchronous reverse or opposite swing through the synchronous transmission member 50 in the middle, so as to realize synchronous opening and closing action.

[0139] See Figure 16 As shown, the synchronous transmission component 50 includes a main body 52; the main body 52 includes a middle torso 53 and two arm spans 54 on both sides; a helical transmission pair is provided between the arm spans 54 and the rotating part 41.

[0140] More preferably, the synchronous transmission component 50 includes a long tail 55, which is rod-shaped and relatively fixedly disposed at the tail (or one end) of the body 53; the body 53 and the long tail 55 are arranged along the swing center line.

[0141] A temporary locking structure is provided between the long tail 55 and the main body 10 to temporarily limit the left plate 20a and the right plate 20b, as well as the left rotating part 41a and the right rotating part 41b, to one or more set opening and closing angles.

[0142] Furthermore, the temporary locking structure includes: a limiting protrusion 55a provided on the long tail 55 or the body 10, and a locking groove 61 provided on the body 10 or the long tail 55 that engages with the limiting protrusion 55a.

[0143] More preferably, see Figure 13-15 As shown, the main body 10 is also provided with a locking plate 60 and an actuating spring 70; the locking plate 60 is slidably mounted on the main body 10; the locking plate 60 is provided with a locking groove 61.

[0144] The spring 70 is positioned between the locking plate 60 and the body 10, tending to force the locking plate 60 to abut against the long tail 55, thereby maintaining the locking state of the limiting protrusion 55a and the slot 61. The limiting protrusion 55a is engaged in the slot 61, so that the hinge structure is temporarily maintained at a set opening and closing angle.

[0145] Preferably, see Figure 15 As shown, symmetrical limiting protrusions 55a or slots 61 are provided on the left and right sides of the long tail 55; two sets of locking plates 60 and actuating springs 70 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the long tail 55; the two locking plates 60 on the left and right sides tend to move towards the center under the action of the actuating springs 70, thereby clamping the long tail 55 and maintaining the locking state of the limiting protrusions 55a and the slots 61. Furthermore, the limiting protrusions 55a and the slots 61 are provided with smooth transition structures such as chamfers, rounded edges or arc-shaped bevels at both ends in the direction of the swing center line, which are used to guide the limiting protrusions 55a into the slots 61.

[0146] Due to the smooth transition structure, the limiting protrusion 55a and the slot 61 are generally trapezoidal in shape. When the electronic device unfolds to near commonly used opening and closing angles such as 120 degrees, 180 degrees, or 360 degrees, the transition structure, under the elasticity of the spring actuation spring 70 or the limiting protrusion 55a itself, can guide the limiting protrusion 55a into the slot 61, allowing the hinge structure to continue to slowly swing to the set opening and closing angles of 120 degrees, 180 degrees, or 360 degrees. When external force is used to overcome the elastic force of the spring actuation spring 70 or the material, the temporary locking structure can be released, allowing the electronic device to continue opening and closing.

[0147] See Figure 8 As shown, preferably, the auxiliary base 15 is provided with a mounting groove 15c for accommodating and installing the card plate 60, and the side wall of the mounting groove is provided with a slot 15d for installing the actuation spring 70.

[0148] More preferably, this embodiment also includes a reset spring 71, which is disposed between the synchronous transmission member 50 and the body 10, and tends to force the synchronous transmission member 50 to move and reset along the swing center line.

[0149] The reset spring 71 can tend to force the slider structure 51 in the helical transmission pair to abut against the fixed side of the helical groove 42, thereby reducing or eliminating the positioning error caused by the gap between the slider structure 51 and the helical groove 42.

[0150] In this embodiment, the body 10 includes an auxiliary base 15 and a main base 11. In the thickness direction, the main base 11, the rotating part 41, the main body 52 of the synchronous transmission member 50, and the auxiliary base 15 are arranged sequentially. More preferably, it includes a connecting seat 21, with the first connecting rod 30 and the second connecting rod 40 respectively pivotally connected to the connecting seat 21; the second plate 20 is fixedly mounted on the connecting seat 21. Specifically, the other ends of the swinging part 31 and the rotating part 41 are pivotally connected to the connecting seat 21 via a connecting part 35 and a connecting arm 45, respectively. Preferably, the body 10 also includes a rear cover 19 for covering the back of the hinge structure.

[0151] The hinge structure disclosed in this application is ingeniously designed, easy to implement, and the size of the accommodating space can be adjusted according to design needs. Specifically, by adjusting the position of the first pivot center A1, the tilt angle of the first plate 25 in the folded state can be adjusted, thereby meeting the different needs of foldable electronic products.

[0152] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this utility model, and are not intended to limit it. Although the utility model has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model.

Claims

1. A hinge structure for a foldable electronic device, characterized in that, include: Body and screen support components; The screen support is rotatably mounted on the main body via a swivel structure, and is used to install and support the flexible screen; The main body includes a main base and auxiliary bases; the length of the main base is the same as that of the entire hinge structure; several auxiliary bases are arranged at intervals along the length of the main base; and a swing structure is provided between the main base and the auxiliary bases in the thickness direction.

2. The hinge structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The screen support includes a left screen support and a right screen support arranged symmetrically on the left and right sides; The auxiliary base includes a left half and a right half integrally formed; the left half and the right half are respectively provided with a left swing structure and a right swing structure between them and the main base, for connecting to the left screen support and the right screen support respectively.

3. The hinge structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The auxiliary base is fixedly connected to the main base by fasteners or snap-fit ​​structures.

4. The hinge structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The screen support includes a second plate disposed away from the folded part; the second plate is rotatably mounted on the main body via a four-bar linkage; the four-bar linkage includes a first link and a second link; one end of the first link and the second link are respectively pivotally connected to the main body via their respective pivoting structures, and the other end of the first link and the second link are respectively pivotally connected to the second plate.

5. The hinge structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first link includes: an arc-shaped swing portion and a connecting portion integrally formed with the swing portion; An arc-shaped guide groove is provided between the auxiliary base and the main base. One end of the swinging part is slidably inserted into the arc-shaped guide groove to form the swinging structure, thereby realizing the pivot connection between the first connecting rod and the main body. The other end of the swinging part is pivotally connected to the second plate through the connecting part.

6. The hinge structure according to claim 5, characterized in that, The auxiliary base has an arc-shaped first limiting working surface on one side of the main base; the main base has a first half-shaft rod, and the first half-shaft rod has a first arc-shaped working surface on one side of the auxiliary base; the first arc-shaped working surface and the first limiting working surface are arranged parallel to each other to form the arc-shaped guide groove.

7. The hinge structure according to claim 6, characterized in that, The auxiliary base is provided with a protruding structure extending toward the main base, and the first limiting working surface includes a partially extended working surface provided on the protruding structure to increase the effective working arc length of the first limiting working surface.

8. The hinge structure according to claim 7, characterized in that, In the direction of the virtual swing centerline of the first connecting rod, the two ends of the arc-shaped guide groove are respectively provided with the protrusion structure; each of the protrusion structures is provided with the locally extended working surface on one side of the arc-shaped guide groove; or, the protrusion structure is provided in the middle of the arc-shaped guide groove.

9. The hinge structure according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first link includes two swing parts spaced apart along its virtual swing center line; the two swing parts are integrally fixedly connected by an intermediate connecting part.

10. The hinge structure according to claim 7, characterized in that, The screen support also includes a first plate disposed near the folded portion of the flexible screen; the first plate is fixedly disposed on the first connecting rod and rotates together with the first connecting rod; when the flexible screen is fully folded, the first plate is in an inclined position so as to create a deformation avoidance space for the folded portion of the flexible screen.

11. The hinge structure according to claim 10, characterized in that, The main base or the first plate is provided with a groove or a through hole, and the protruding structure extends into the groove or through hole.

12. The hinge structure according to claim 11, characterized in that, The second link includes: an arc-shaped rotating part and a connecting arm integrally formed with the rotating part; An arc-shaped limiting structure is provided between the auxiliary base and the main base. One end of the rotating part is slidably inserted into the arc-shaped limiting structure to form the swing structure, thereby realizing the pivot connection between the second connecting rod and the main body. The other end of the rotating part is pivotally connected to the second plate through a connecting arm.

13. The hinge structure according to claim 12, characterized in that, A synchronization component is provided between the left screen support and the right screen support to enable the left screen support and the right screen support to rotate synchronously in opposite directions. The synchronization component includes a synchronization transmission element; The synchronous transmission component can only be reciprocated along the virtual pivot center line of the second link on the main body and is disposed on the main body; The rotating part includes a left rotating part disposed on the second connecting rod on the left side and a right rotating part disposed on the second connecting rod on the right side; A helical transmission pair is provided between the rotating part and the synchronous transmission member to realize the conversion and transmission between the swing motion of the second plate and the rotating part and the linear motion of the synchronous transmission member. The left helical transmission pair between the left rotating part and the synchronous transmission member has the opposite helical direction to the right helical transmission pair between the right rotating part and the synchronous transmission member, which is used to realize the synchronous rotation of the left plate and the right plate towards each other or synchronously in opposite directions.

14. The hinge structure according to claim 13, characterized in that, The helical transmission pair includes a helical groove provided on the rotating part or the synchronous transmission member, and a slider structure provided on the synchronous transmission member or the rotating part. The slider structure can be slidably inserted into the helical groove to realize the transmission between the rotating part and the synchronous transmission member.

15. The hinge structure according to claim 13, characterized in that, The synchronous transmission component includes a main body; in the thickness direction, the main base, the rotating part, the main body of the synchronous transmission component, and the auxiliary base are arranged sequentially; the main body includes two arm spans arranged symmetrically on the left and right; the helical transmission pair is arranged between the arm spans and the rotating part.

16. The hinge structure according to claim 12, characterized in that, The main base is provided with a second half-shaft rod, and the second half-shaft rod is provided with an arc working surface on one side of the rotating part. The arc working surface is adapted to the inner arc surface of the rotating part and is used to limit the rotation of the rotating part.

17. The hinge structure according to claim 15, characterized in that, The bottom of the arm span of the main body is provided with an upper arc surface; the upper arc surface is adapted to the outer arc surface of the rotating part, and the upper arc surface and the arc working surface of the half shaft part enclose an arc-shaped limiting cavity to form the arc-shaped limiting structure, which is used to limit the rotation of the rotating part.

18. The hinge structure according to claim 15, characterized in that, The left and right halves of the auxiliary base are respectively provided with mounting slots for accommodating the two arm extensions of the synchronous transmission component.

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