Folding device and intelligent terminal

Abstract

The utility model provides a folding device and an intelligent terminal, the folding device comprises a hinge main body and a protection assembly, the hinge main body comprises a middle shaft, a first rotating assembly and a second rotating assembly, and the first rotating assembly and the second rotating assembly are rotationally connected to the middle shaft and rotate on the two opposite sides of the middle shaft; the protection assembly is arranged on the hinge body so as to be supported between the hinge body and the flexible screen, the protection assembly is configured to be flexibly bent along with folding of the folding device and flattened along with unfolding of the folding device, and the protection assembly is provided with a protection structure. The protection structure is used for relieving the impact force of the hinge body on the flexible screen and protecting the flexible screen. The problem that the folding device easily impacts the flexible screen to cause failure of the flexible screen when the intelligent terminal is subjected to a drop test is solved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of electronic devices, in particular to a folding device and a smart terminal. BACKGROUND

[0002] The foldable electronic device with a large screen can be unfolded to provide a larger display area when in use, and can be folded into a smaller size when not in use, facilitating carrying.

[0003] In the process of conceiving and implementing the present application, the inventors found that at least the following problems exist: In some schemes, usually including two housings, a folding device and a flexible screen, the folding device is connected between the two housings, the opposite side portions of the flexible screen are fixed on the corresponding housings, the middle portion of the flexible screen is arranged at the corresponding position of the folding device, the flexible screen is folded inside the two housings, and the middle portion of the flexible screen is bent into a water drop shape. However, the middle portion of the flexible screen cannot be well supported, especially when the smart terminal is subjected to drop test, the folding device is likely to impact the flexible screen, causing the problem of failure of the flexible screen.

[0004] Therefore, how to improve the support effect of the flexible screen is a problem to be solved at present.

[0005] The foregoing narrative is to provide general background information and does not necessarily constitute the prior art. Content of the utility model

[0006] In view of the above technical problems, the present application provides a folding device and a smart terminal, which solves the problem that the folding device is likely to impact the flexible screen when the smart terminal is subjected to drop test, causing the failure of the flexible screen.

[0007] To solve the above technical problems, the present application provides a folding device, comprising:

[0008] A hinge body, the hinge body comprising a middle shaft, a first rotating component and a second rotating component, the first rotating component and the second rotating component are both rotationally connected to the middle shaft and rotate on opposite sides of the middle shaft;

[0009] A protection component, the protection component is arranged on the hinge body to support between the hinge body and the flexible screen, the protection component is configured to flexibly bend with the folding of the folding device, and to flatten with the unfolding of the folding device;

[0010] The protection component is provided with a protection structure, which is used to alleviate the impact force of the hinge body on the flexible screen and protect the flexible screen.

[0011] The folding device is provided with a protection assembly, which is supported between the hinge body and the flexible screen, can shield some holes in the folding device, prevent the back of the flexible screen from sinking at a pressed local position due to lack of support, effectively support and protect the flexible screen, and enhance the protection of the flexible screen due to the protection structure of the protection assembly. When falling test is performed, the protection structure can relieve the impact force of the hinge body on the flexible screen, and reduce the problem of failure and damage of the flexible screen.

[0012] Optionally, the protection assembly comprises a first protection assembly, and the first protection assembly comprises:

[0013] a first protection sheet connected to the first rotating assembly, the first protection sheet comprising a first curved section extending above the middle shaft;

[0014] a second protection sheet connected to the second rotating assembly, the second protection sheet comprising a second curved section extending above the middle shaft;

[0015] When the folding device is in a folded state, the first curved section and the second curved section are stacked with each other; when the folding device is in an unfolded state, the first curved section and the second curved section are both flattened and form a spacing space between the first curved section and the second curved section, and the first curved section and the second curved section are both provided with the protection structure.

[0016] Optionally, the middle shaft comprises a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion, the first rotating assembly comprises a first connecting portion rotatably arranged on the first mounting portion, and the second rotating assembly comprises a second connecting portion rotatably arranged on the second mounting portion.

[0017] When the folding device is in a folded state, the position of the protection structure arranged on the first curved section corresponds to the position of the first connecting portion, and the position of the protection structure arranged on the second curved section corresponds to the position of the second connecting portion.

[0018] Optionally, the protection structure comprises a first thickened area arranged on the first curved section and a second thickened area arranged on the second curved section.

[0019] Optionally, the thickness h1 of the first thickened area and the thickness h2 of the first curved section satisfy: h1≥h2.

[0020] Optionally, the thickness h3 of the second thickened area and the thickness h4 of the second curved section satisfy: h3≥h4.

[0021] Optionally, the protection structure comprises a first cutting edge, which is arranged at an edge of the first curved segment close to the interval space.

[0022] Optionally, the protection structure further comprises a second cutting edge, which is arranged at an edge of the second curved segment close to the interval space.

[0023] Optionally, the first cutting edge comprises a first slanted segment, a second slanted segment and a third slanted segment connected in sequence, the slope of the second slanted segment is smaller than the slope of the first slanted segment, and the slope of the second slanted segment is smaller than the slope of the third slanted segment.

[0024] Optionally, the second cutting edge comprises a fourth slanted segment, a fifth slanted segment and a sixth slanted segment connected in sequence, the slope of the fifth slanted segment is smaller than the slope of the fourth slanted segment, and the slope of the fifth slanted segment is smaller than the slope of the sixth slanted segment.

[0025] Optionally, when the folding device is in the unfolded state, the width of the first curved segment at the position of the second slanted segment is consistent with the width of the second curved segment at the position of the fifth slanted segment.

[0026] Optionally, the first cutting edge is a first wavy edge, and the first wavy edge has a first wave crest extending to the second connecting part.

[0027] Optionally, the second cutting edge is a second wavy edge, and the second wavy edge has a second wave crest extending to the first connecting part, the first wave crest corresponds to a wave trough of the second wavy edge, and the second wave crest corresponds to a wave trough of the first wavy edge.

[0028] Optionally, the first protection sheet further comprises a first fixed part above the first rotating component, and the first fixed part is connected to the first curved segment.

[0029] Optionally, the second protection sheet further comprises a second fixed part above the second rotating component, and the second fixed part is connected to the second curved segment.

[0030] Optionally, the protection component is a second protection component, and the second protection component comprises a third protection sheet, the third protection sheet comprises a plurality of support strips arranged in sequence and at intervals along the arrangement direction of the first rotating component and the second rotating component, and each two adjacent support strips are connected by a connecting strip.

[0031] The protection structure comprises a buffer layer wrapped around the surfaces of the plurality of support strips and the plurality of connecting strips.

[0032] The application further provides an intelligent terminal comprising a flexible screen and the folding device described above.

[0033] The application provides a folding device and a smart terminal. The protection structure comprises a first thickened area arranged at the first bending section and a second thickened area arranged at the second bending section. When the smart terminal falls, the first thickened area can resist the impact force of the first connecting part, reducing the problems of protruding deformation, indentation and the like of the first protection sheet. The second thickened area can resist the impact force of the second connecting part, reducing the problems of protruding deformation, indentation and the like of the second protection sheet. Thus, the first protection sheet and the second protection sheet can provide stable support to the flexible screen, and the problems of causing the flexible screen to fail can be prevented.

[0034] The application provides a folding device and a smart terminal. The protection structure comprises a first cutting edge and a second cutting edge. The shapes of the first cutting edge and the second cutting edge are optimized, so that the width of the first bending section at the position of the second oblique section is consistent with the width of the second bending section at the position of the fifth oblique section. Thus, the strength of the first bending section and the second bending section is close to consistent, the resistance is close to consistent, the problems of mutual influence of the first bending section and the second bending section to cause the edge to deform are avoided, and the structural stability of the entire folding device is improved.

[0035] The application provides a folding device and a smart terminal. The first cutting edge is a first wavy edge, and the second cutting edge is a second wavy edge. The strength of the first bending section and the second bending section at the position of the wave crest can be effectively avoided, the problems of deformation due to inconsistent strength when resisting are avoided, the structural strength of the first wavy edge and the second wavy edge is improved, and thus the support effect on the flexible screen is improved.

[0036] The application provides a folding device and a smart terminal. The protection structure comprises a buffer layer wrapped around the surfaces of the plurality of support strips and the plurality of connecting strips. The buffer layer has a certain flexible buffering effect, so as to buffer the impact of the hinge main body on the flexible screen. When the smart terminal falls, the flexible screen is protected from damage.

[0037] In addition to the technical problems solved by the embodiments of the application described above, the technical features constituting the technical solutions and the beneficial effects brought by the technical features, other technical problems solved by the folding device and the smart terminal provided by the embodiments of the application, other technical features included in the technical solutions and the beneficial effects brought by the technical features will be further described in detail in the specific embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0038] The drawings incorporated into the specification and forming a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the application. In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings needed to be used in the following embodiment description will be briefly introduced. Obviously, those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings according to these drawings without any creative effort.

[0039] Figure 1 A structure schematic diagram of a hinge body of a folding device provided by the embodiments of the present application;

[0040] Figure 2 A structure schematic diagram of a protection assembly and a hinge body of a folding device provided by the embodiments of the present application;

[0041] Figure 3 A sectional view of the folding device provided by the embodiments of the present application at a first connecting part position;

[0042] Figure 4 A partial three-dimensional structure schematic diagram of the folding device provided by the embodiments of the present application in a folded state;

[0043] Figure 5 A top view of the protection assembly of the folding device provided by the embodiments of the present application in an unfolded state;

[0044] Figure 6 A top view of another protection assembly of the folding device provided by the embodiments of the present application in an unfolded state;

[0045] Figure 7 A partial structure diagram of another protection assembly of the folding device provided by the embodiments of the present application in an unfolded state;

[0046] Figure 8 A top view of another protection assembly of the folding device provided by the embodiments of the present application in an unfolded state;

[0047] Figure 9 A hardware structure schematic diagram of a mobile terminal provided by the embodiments of the present application.

[0048] Explanation of reference signs:

[0049] 10 - central shaft; 11 - first mounting part; 12 - second mounting part;

[0050] 20 - first rotating assembly; 21 - first linkage arm; 22 - first connecting part; 23 - first swing arm;

[0051] 30 - second rotating assembly; 31 - second linkage arm; 32 - second connecting part; 33 - second swing arm;

[0052] 40 - protection assembly; 41 - first protection sheet; 411 - first curved section; 412 - first fixed portion; 42 - second protection sheet; 421 - second curved section; 422 - second fixed portion; 43 - third protection sheet; 431 - support bar; 432 - connecting bar;

[0053] 51 - first thickened region; 52 - second thickened region; 53 - first cutting edge; 531 - first oblique section; 532 - second oblique section; 533 - third oblique section; 534 - first wave crest; 54 - second cutting edge; 541 - fourth oblique section; 542 - fifth oblique section; 543 - sixth oblique section; 544 - second wave crest;

[0054] 60 - spacing space;

[0055] 700 - mobile terminal; 701 - radio frequency unit; 702 - WiFi module; 703 - audio output unit; 704 - A / V input unit; 7041 - graphic processor; 7042 - microphone; 705 - sensor; 706 - display unit; 7061 - display panel; 707 - user input unit; 7071 - touch panel; 7072 - other input device; 708 - interface unit; 709 - memory; 710 - processor; 711 - power supply; 720 - first body; 730 - second body.

[0056] The implementation, functional features and advantages of the present application will be further described with reference to the embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The above-described drawings have shown the explicit embodiments of the present application, and will be described in more detail hereinafter. These drawings and written descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the present application concept by any means, but to illustrate the present application concept to those skilled in the art by referring to specific embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] The exemplary embodiments will be described in detail herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description is related to the drawings, in which the same numbers refer to the same or similar elements throughout the several drawings. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all the implementations consistent with the present application. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of the present application, as detailed in the appended claims.

[0058] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element. Optionally, components, features, and elements with the same names in different embodiments of this application may have the same meaning or different meanings, the specific meaning of which needs to be determined by its interpretation in that specific embodiment or further in conjunction with the context of that specific embodiment.

[0059] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc., may be used herein to describe various information, such information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish information of the same type from one another. For example, without departing from the scope of this document, first information may also be referred to as second information, and similarly, second information may also be referred to as first information. Depending on the context, the word "if," as used herein, may be interpreted as "when," "when," or "in response to determination." Furthermore, as used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to also include the plural forms, unless the context indicates otherwise. It should be further understood that the terms "comprising," "including," indicate the presence of the foregoing features, steps, operations, elements, components, items, kinds, and / or groups, but do not exclude the presence, occurrence, or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, items, kinds, and / or groups. The terms "or," "and / or," "including at least one of the following," etc., as used in this application, may be interpreted as inclusive, or mean any one or any combination thereof. For example, "including at least one of the following: A, B, C" means "any one of the following: A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; A and B and C." Similarly, "A, B, or C" or "A, B, and / or C" means "any one of the following: A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; A and B and C." Exceptions to this definition only occur when the combination of elements, functions, steps, or operations is inherently mutually exclusive in some way.

[0060] It should be understood that, although each step in the flowcharts in the embodiments of the present application is shown in sequence according to the direction of the arrow, these steps are not necessarily executed in sequence according to the direction of the arrow. Unless explicitly stated herein, the execution of these steps is not strictly limited in sequence, and they can be executed in other sequences. Moreover, at least part of the steps in the figure can include multiple sub-steps or multiple stages, which are not necessarily executed at the same time, but can be executed at different times, and the execution sequence is not necessarily sequential, but can be alternately executed with at least part of other steps or sub-steps or stages of other steps.

[0061] Depending on context, the word "if" as used herein can be interpreted as meaning "when" or "while" or "in response to determining" or "in response to detecting". Similarly, depending on context, the phrase "if it is determined" or "if (a stated condition or event) is detected" can be interpreted as meaning "when it is determined" or "in response to determining" or "when (a stated condition or event) is detected" or "in response to detecting (a stated condition or event)".

[0062] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein merely serve to explain the application and do not limit the application.

[0063] In the following description, the suffixes such as "module", "part", or "unit" used for an element are merely used to facilitate explanation of the application, and have no specific meaning by themselves. Thus, "module", "part", or "unit" can be mixedly used.

[0064] In the folding state of the intelligent terminal, the middle part of the flexible screen is bent in a water drop shape. In the reliability test process, the middle part of the flexible screen is subjected to an upward supporting force of the folding device, and is also subjected to an inward extrusion force of the folding device at a local position with a relatively narrow width, which is easy to cause failure and damage of the flexible screen, and affects the service life.

[0065] Therefore, the folding device provided by the present application is provided with a protection assembly 40 with a protection structure, which enhances the protection of the flexible screen. In the drop test, the protection structure can alleviate the impact force and reduce the problem of failure and damage of the flexible screen.

[0066] Hereinafter, a folding device and an intelligent terminal provided by the embodiments of the present application are described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0067] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the application provides a folding device, comprising: a hinge body and a protection assembly 40, the hinge body comprising a central shaft 10, a first rotating assembly 20, and a second rotating assembly 30, the first rotating assembly 20 and the second rotating assembly 30 are both rotationally connected to the central shaft 10 and rotate on opposite sides of the central shaft 10.

[0068] Optionally, the protection assembly 40 is arranged on the hinge body to support between the hinge body and the flexible screen, the protection assembly 40 is configured to flexibly bend along with the folding of the folding device and flatten along with the unfolding of the folding device, the protection assembly 40 is provided with a protection structure for relieving impact force and protecting the flexible screen when the folding device falls.

[0069] The application provides a folding device, by arranging the protection assembly 40 to support between the hinge body and the flexible screen, the protection assembly 40 can shield some holes inside the folding device, prevent the back of the flexible screen from sinking at the pressed local position due to lack of support, effectively support and protect the flexible screen, and since the protection assembly 40 is provided with a protection structure, the protection effect on the flexible screen is enhanced, the protection structure can relieve impact force during the drop test, reducing the problem of failure and damage of the flexible screen.

[0070] First embodiment

[0071] In a possible implementation manner, referring to Figure 2 、 Figure 5 and Figure 6 , the protection assembly 40 is a first protection assembly, the first protection assembly comprises: a first protection sheet 41 and a second protection sheet 42, the first protection sheet 41 is connected to the first rotating assembly 20, the first protection sheet 41 comprises a first curved section 411 extending above the central shaft 10; the second protection sheet 42 is connected to the second rotating assembly 30, the second protection sheet 42 comprises a second curved section 421 extending above the central shaft 10.

[0072] When the folding device is in a folded state, the first curved section 411 and the second curved section 421 are stacked on each other; when the folding device is in an unfolded state, the first curved section 411 and the second curved section 421 are both flattened and form a spacing space 60 between the first curved section 411 and the second curved section 421, and the first curved section 411 and the second curved section 421 are both provided with a protection structure.

[0073] In a possible implementation manner, the first protection sheet 41 and the second protection sheet 42 can be made of metal sheets, such as stainless steel sheets, which have a certain strength and can support the flexible screen, and have good flexibility and can deform along with the folding and unfolding movement of the folding device.

[0074] In a possible implementation, as shown in Figure 2 、 Figure 3 and Figure 5 , the first bending section 411 and the second bending section 421 are used to bend when the folding device is folded, so as to adapt to the folding angle of the folding device. When the folding device is in an unfolded state, the first bending section 411 and the second bending section 421 are both flattened to support the flattened flexible screen, so that the first protective sheet 41 and the second protective sheet 42 can flexibly adapt to different use states.

[0075] Optionally, when the folding device is in a folded state, the first bending section 411 and the second bending section 421 are stacked with each other, which is beneficial to solve the redundancy of the width of the protection assembly 40 caused by folding of the folding device, and provide a better support effect for the flexible screen.

[0076] Optionally, when the folding device is in an unfolded state, the first bending section 411 and the second bending section 421 are both flattened to provide a flat support surface to support the flexible screen, and form a spacing space 60 between the first bending section 411 and the second bending section 421. The existence of the spacing space 60 is helpful to improve the stability of the support for the flexible screen.

[0077] In a possible implementation, as shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4 , the middle shaft 10 includes a first mounting portion 11 and a second mounting portion 12, the first rotating assembly 20 includes a first connecting portion 22 rotatably arranged on the first mounting portion 11, and the second rotating assembly 30 includes a second connecting portion 32 rotatably arranged on the second mounting portion 12, so that the first rotating assembly 20 and the second rotating assembly 30 are both rotatably connected to the middle shaft 10 and rotate on opposite sides of the middle shaft 10.

[0078] In a possible implementation, the first mounting portion 11 and the second mounting portion 12 can be mounting shafts, the first connecting portion 22 is a structure that can rotate along the outer circumferential surface of the first mounting portion 11, and the second connecting portion 32 is a structure that can rotate along the outer circumferential surface of the second mounting portion 12.

[0079] In a possible implementation, the first mounting portion 11 is an arc-shaped groove located in the middle shaft 10, and the first connecting portion 22 can be in a circular arc shape and is adapted to the shape of the first mounting portion 11. The second mounting portion 12 is an arc-shaped groove located in the middle shaft 10, and the second connecting portion 32 can be in a circular arc shape and is adapted to the shape of the second mounting portion 12.

[0080] In a possible implementation, when the folding device is in the folded state: the position of the protection structure arranged on the first curved section 411 corresponds to the position of the first connecting portion 22, and the position of the protection structure arranged on the second curved section 421 corresponds to the position of the second connecting portion 32. That is, the position of the protection structure arranged on the first curved section 411 is located above the first connecting portion 22, and the position of the protection structure arranged on the second curved section 421 is located above the second connecting portion 32.

[0081] Optionally, when the folding device is in the folded state, a receiving cavity is formed among the central shaft 10, the first rotating assembly 20, and the second rotating assembly 30, and the middle portion of the flexible screen is located in the receiving cavity. Part of the structure of the first connecting portion 22 protrudes into the receiving cavity, and part of the structure of the second connecting portion 32 protrudes into the receiving cavity. Therefore, when the smart terminal falls, the structure protruding into the receiving cavity will have a significant extrusion effect on the flexible screen, affecting the service life of the flexible screen. In the present application, the position of the protection structure arranged on the first curved section 411 corresponds to the position of the first connecting portion 22, and the position of the protection structure arranged on the second curved section 421 corresponds to the position of the second connecting portion 32. The protection structure can effectively disperse and resist the extrusion force of the first connecting portion 22 and the second connecting portion 32 on the flexible screen, thereby protecting the flexible screen.

[0082] In a possible implementation, the number of the first connecting portions 22 can be two, three, or four, and each first connecting portion 22 is provided with a protection structure at the position thereof.

[0083] In a possible implementation, the number of the second connecting portions 32 can be two, three, or four, and each second connecting portion 32 is provided with a protection structure at the position thereof.

[0084] In a possible implementation, as shown in Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 6 , the protection structure includes a first thickened area 51 arranged on the first curved section 411 and a second thickened area 52 arranged on the second curved section 421; the thickness h1 of the first thickened area 51 satisfies h1≥h2 with respect to the thickness h2 of the first curved section 411; and the thickness h3 of the second thickened area 52 satisfies h3≥h4 with respect to the thickness h4 of the second curved section 421.

[0085] Optionally, the strength of the first thickened area 51 can be significantly improved with respect to other areas of the first curved section 411. When the smart terminal falls, the first thickened area 51 can resist the impact force of the first connecting portion 22, reduce the problems such as local area protrusion deformation and indentation of the first protection sheet 41, thereby ensuring to provide stable support effect on the flexible screen and helping to prevent the problem of causing the flexible screen to fail.

[0086] Similarly, the strength of the second thickened area 52 can be significantly improved relative to other areas of the second curved section 421. When the intelligent terminal falls, the second thickened area 52 can resist the impact force of the second connecting portion 32, reduce the problems of local area of the second protective sheet such as protruding deformation, indentation, etc., thereby ensuring to provide stable support effect to the flexible screen and helping to prevent the problem of causing the flexible screen to fail.

[0087] In a possible implementation manner, the thickness h1 of the first thickened area 51 can be, for example, 0.05 mm, and the thickness h2 of other areas of the first curved section 411 can be, for example, 0.03 mm.

[0088] In a possible implementation manner, the thickness h3 of the second thickened area 52 can be, for example, 0.05 mm, and the thickness h4 of other areas of the second curved section 421 can be, for example, 0.03 mm.

[0089] In a possible implementation manner, the protective structure can be formed by etching processing. The etching processing is used to corrode other areas of the first curved section 411 except the first thickened area 51, so that the thickness of the first thickened area 51 is relatively thick. And the etching processing is used to corrode other areas of the second curved section 421 except the second thickened area 52, so that the thickness of the second thickened area 52 is relatively thick.

[0090] In a possible implementation manner, the first thickened area 51 includes but is not limited to a rectangular area, a circular area, or an elliptical area, etc. The position of the first thickened area 51 corresponds to the position of the first connecting portion 22, that is, the first thickened area 51 covers the first connecting portion 22, effectively blocking the impact force of the first connecting portion 22 to the flexible screen.

[0091] In a possible implementation manner, the second thickened area 52 includes but is not limited to a rectangular area, a circular area, or an elliptical area, etc. The position of the second thickened area 52 corresponds to the position of the second connecting portion 32. That is, the second thickened area 52 covers the second connecting portion 32, effectively blocking the impact force of the second connecting portion 32 to the flexible screen.

[0092] In another possible implementation manner, referring to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 5 , the protective structure includes: a first cutting edge 53 and a second cutting edge 54. The first cutting edge 53 is arranged at an edge of the first curved section 411 close to the spacing space 60. The second cutting edge 54 is arranged at an edge of the second curved section 421 close to the spacing space 60.

[0093] In this embodiment, by optimizing the shape of the first cutting edge 53 and the second cutting edge 54, when the intelligent terminal falls, the problem of deformation of the first bending section 411 and the second bending section 421 caused by the impact of the first connecting part 22 and the second connecting part 32 can be reduced, thereby improving the supporting effect on the flexible screen and protecting the flexible screen.

[0094] In a possible implementation, the first cutting edge 53 includes a first oblique section 531, a second oblique section 532 and a third oblique section 533 connected in sequence, the slope of the second oblique section 532 is smaller than the slope of the first oblique section 531, and the slope of the second oblique section 532 is smaller than the slope of the third oblique section 533; this means that the second oblique section 532 is relatively more gentle or closer to parallel to the horizontal axis. By adjusting the slope of each section, the stress concentration and distribution of the first cutting edge 53 at different positions can be effectively controlled, thereby improving the strength of the first cutting edge 53 and the performance and durability of the edge of the first protective sheet 41 against deformation.

[0095] Optionally, the second cutting edge 54 includes a fourth oblique section 541, a fifth oblique section 542 and a sixth oblique section 543 connected in sequence, the slope of the fifth oblique section 542 is smaller than the slope of the fourth oblique section 541, and the slope of the fifth oblique section 542 is smaller than the slope of the sixth oblique section 543; this means that the fifth oblique section 542 is relatively more gentle or closer to parallel to the horizontal axis, which helps to provide more stable mechanical properties at the position of the fifth oblique section 542, so that the stress is optimally distributed at different positions of the second cutting edge 54, thereby improving the performance and durability of the overall structure.

[0096] Optionally, the slope is an index for measuring the inclination of a line, and the change of the slope can affect the mechanical properties of the structure, such as stress distribution and strength.

[0097] Optionally, when the folding device is in the unfolded state: the width of the first bending section 411 at the position of the second oblique section 532 is consistent with the width of the second bending section 421 at the position of the fifth oblique section 542. Such a structure makes the strength of the first bending section 411 and the second bending section 421 consistent along the width direction of the protective assembly 40 at the positions of the second oblique section 532 and the fifth oblique section 542, so that the resisting force is close to being consistent, i.e., close to the state of mechanical balance, thereby avoiding the problem of deformation of the edges caused by the mutual influence of the first bending section 411 and the second bending section 421, and improving the structural stability of the entire folding device.

[0098] In a possible implementation, the inclination directions of the first oblique section 531 and the third oblique section 533 are parallel to each other.

[0099] In one possible implementation, the inclination directions of the fourth oblique segment 541 and the sixth oblique segment 543 are parallel to each other.

[0100] In one possible implementation method, refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, the first protective plate 41 also includes a first fixing part 412 located above the first rotating assembly 20, and the first fixing part 412 is connected to the first bending section 411; the second protective plate 42 also includes a second fixing part 422 located above the second rotating assembly 30, and the second fixing part 422 is connected to the second bending section 421.

[0101] In one possible implementation, the first fixing part 412 and the first bending section 411 can be an integrally connected structure, which ensures the structural strength of the first protective piece 41 and improves the uniformity of deformation of the first protective piece 41 when the folding device is folded.

[0102] In one possible implementation, the second fixing part 422 and the second bending section 421 can be an integrally connected structure, which ensures the structural strength of the second protective piece 42 and improves the uniformity of deformation of the second protective piece 42 when the folding device is folded.

[0103] In one possible implementation, the first rotating assembly 20 further includes a first linkage arm 21, with a first connecting portion 22 connected to the end of the first linkage arm 21 that is away from the central axis 10.

[0104] In one possible implementation, the second rotating assembly 30 further includes a second linkage arm 31, with a second connecting portion 32 connected to the end of the second linkage arm 31 that is away from the central axis 10.

[0105] Among other possible implementation methods, refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 7 As shown, the first cut edge 53 is a first wavy edge, and the first wavy edge has a first peak 534 extending to the second connecting portion 32; the second cut edge 54 is a second wavy edge, and the second wavy edge has a second peak 544 extending to the first connecting portion 22. The first peak 534 corresponds to the trough of the second wavy edge, and the second peak 544 corresponds to the trough of the first wavy edge.

[0106] This structure utilizes the shapes of the first and second wavy edges to enhance the edge strength of the first protective sheet 41 and the second protective sheet 42. When the folding device is unfolded, the first wave crest 534 corresponds to the trough of the second wavy edge, and the second wave crest 544 corresponds to the trough of the first wavy edge. In other words, the first wave crest 534 and the trough of the second wavy edge interlock, located on opposite sides of the spacing space 60. This interlocking structure allows for better complementarity and cooperation, contributing to better mechanical performance during folding and unfolding to support the flexible screen.

[0107] Optionally, since the first wave edge has a first wave crest 534 extending to the second connection portion 32, such that along the width direction of the protective component 40, i.e. Figure 2 and Figure 7 The X-axis indicates the direction, and the width of the first wave edge at the first wave crest 534 is maximized, so that there is no corresponding second curved segment 421 on the opposite side of the interval space 60. Therefore, the first curved segment 411 and the second curved segment 421 can be effectively prevented from having a strength confrontation at the wave crest position, and the problem of deformation due to inconsistent strength during the confrontation is avoided. This improves the structural strength of the first wave edge and the second wave edge, thereby improving the support effect on the flexible screen.

[0108] Optionally, since the second wave edge has a second wave crest 544 extending to the first connecting portion 22, the width of the second wave edge at the second wave crest 544 is maximized along the width direction of the protective component 40, so that there is no corresponding first bending segment 411 on the opposite side of the spacing space 60. Therefore, the first bending segment 411 and the second bending segment 421 can be effectively prevented from having a strength confrontation at the wave crest position, avoiding the problem of deformation due to inconsistent strength during confrontation, improving the structural strength of the first wave edge and the second wave edge, thereby improving the support effect on the flexible screen.

[0109] Optionally, the first and second wavy edges adopt a wavy design, which can effectively disperse stress and reduce the concentrated stress on the material during folding and unfolding, thereby reducing the problem of damage.

[0110] In one possible implementation method, refer to Figure 3 As shown, the first rotating assembly 20 further includes a first swing arm 23, which is slidably connected to the first linkage arm 21. The second rotating assembly 30 further includes a second swing arm 33, which is slidably connected to the second linkage arm 31. The first swing arm 23 and the second swing arm 33 move relative to each other, thereby driving the first rotating assembly 20 and the second rotating assembly 30 to rotate relative to each other.

[0111] In a possible implementation, in order to make the first rotating assembly 20 and the second rotating assembly 30 rotate synchronously, the hinge body further comprises a synchronous assembly, which can be two transmission gears that are intermeshed, and are both rotationally arranged on the central shaft 10 and located between the first connecting portion 22 and the second connecting portion 32. The first connecting portion 22 and the second connecting portion 32 both have gear portions, the gear portion of the first connecting portion 22 is intermeshed with one of the two transmission gears, and the gear portion of the second connecting portion 32 is intermeshed with the other of the two transmission gears, so as to achieve synchronous rotation of the first rotating assembly 20 and the second rotating assembly 30.

[0112] Optionally, the first fixing portion 412 is fixedly connected to a side of the first swing arm 23 that faces the flexible screen, and the second fixing portion 422 is fixedly connected to a side of the second swing arm 33 that faces the flexible screen.

[0113] In a possible implementation, the first fixing portion 412 can be fixed to the side of the first swing arm 23 that faces the flexible screen by means of pasting, plugging, buckling connection or the like, so as to achieve stable fixation of the first protective sheet 41.

[0114] In a possible implementation, the second fixing portion 422 can be fixed to the side of the second swing arm 33 that faces the flexible screen by means of pasting, plugging, buckling connection or the like, so as to achieve stable fixation of the second protective sheet 42.

[0115] Second Embodiment

[0116] In this embodiment, referring to Figure 1 and Figure 8 , the protection assembly 40 is a second protection assembly, which comprises a third protective sheet 43, the third protective sheet 43 comprises a plurality of support strips 431 that are sequentially and spacedly arranged along the arrangement direction of the first rotating assembly 20 and the second rotating assembly 30, and each two adjacent support strips 431 are connected by a connecting strip 432; and the protection structure comprises a buffer layer that wraps the surfaces of the plurality of support strips 431 and the plurality of connecting strips 432. When the folding device falls, the buffer layer is used to mitigate the impact force of the hinge body, so as to protect the flexible screen. Optionally, the arrangement direction of the first rotating assembly 20 and the second rotating assembly 30 refers to the direction indicated by the X axis in Figure 8 .

[0117] In a possible implementation, the support strip 431 can be a strip-shaped metal sheet, and the support strip 431 provides a rigid support function.

[0118] In a possible implementation, the connecting strips 432 can be strips of glue, which connect the plurality of supporting strips 431 into an integral structure, ensuring good mechanical integrity and flexibility.

[0119] In a possible implementation, the buffer layer can be a glue layer, which has a certain flexible buffering effect, thereby playing a role in alleviating the impact of the hinge body on the flexible screen, and protecting the flexible screen from damage when the intelligent terminal falls.

[0120] Optionally, since the third protective sheet 43 includes a plurality of supporting strips 431 arranged in sequence along the arrangement direction of the first rotating assembly 20 and the second rotating assembly 30, and each two adjacent supporting strips 431 are connected by a connecting strip 432, the flexible deformation performance of the third protective sheet 43 can be improved through the connecting strip 432, so that the third protective sheet 43 can be bent and flattened along the folding and unfolding movement of the folding device, and the supporting effect on the flexible screen is improved.

[0121] The present application also provides an intelligent terminal including a flexible screen and the folding device described above.

[0122] In a possible implementation, the intelligent terminal further includes two housings, the folding device described above is connected between the two housings, the middle part of the flexible screen corresponds to the folding device described above, the protective assembly 40 is located between the middle part of the flexible screen and the hinge body, and the two housings support the two sides of the flexible screen opposite to the folding direction.

[0123] The present application also provides an intelligent terminal, which can significantly improve the durability and reliability while maintaining portability and large-screen experience, and provide users with a better use experience

[0124] The intelligent terminal can be implemented in various forms. For example, the intelligent terminal described in the present application can include mobile terminals such as mobile phones, tablet computers, notebook computers, palmtop computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), portable media players (PMPs), navigation devices, wearable devices, smart bands, pedometers, and the like, and fixed terminals such as digital TVs, desktop computers, and the like.

[0125] The flexible screen, i.e., a 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 (AMOLED) display screen, a Mini Organic Light-Emitting Diode display screen, a Micro Organic Light-Emitting Diode display screen, a Micro Organic Light-Emitting Diode display screen, or a Quantum Dot Light Emitting Diodes (QLED) display screen.

[0126] In the following description, a mobile terminal will be exemplified, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the configuration according to the embodiments of the present application can also be applied to a terminal of a fixed type, except for elements specially used for mobile purposes.

[0127] Referring to Figure 9 , which is a schematic diagram of a hardware structure of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present application, the mobile terminal 700 can include an RF (Radio Frequency) unit 701, a WiFi module 702, an audio output unit 703, an A / V (audio / video) input unit 704, a sensor 705, a display unit 706, a user input unit 707, an interface unit 708, a memory 709, a processor 710, and a power supply 711, etc. Those skilled in the art will understand that the mobile terminal structure shown in Figure 9 the drawing does not constitute a limitation on the mobile terminal, and the mobile terminal can include more or less components than those shown in the drawing, or combine certain components, or arrange the components in different arrangements.

[0128] In the following description, a mobile terminal will be exemplified, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the configuration according to the embodiments of the present application can also be applied to a terminal of a fixed type, except for elements specially used for mobile purposes. Figure 9 The components of the mobile terminal will be described in detail as follows:

[0129] The radio frequency unit 701 can be used for receiving and transmitting signals in the process of transmitting or receiving information or a call. After receiving the downlink information of the base station, the radio frequency unit 701 can optionally process the information by the processor 710. In addition, the radio frequency unit 701 can transmit the uplink data to the base station. Generally, the radio frequency unit 701 includes, but is not limited to, an antenna, at least one amplifier, a transceiver, a coupler, a low-noise amplifier, a duplexer, and the like. In addition, the radio frequency unit 701 can also communicate with the network and other devices through wireless communication. The above wireless communication can use any communication standard or protocol, including but not limited to GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication), GPRS (General 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), 5G, and 6G, etc.

[0130] WiFi belongs to a short-range wireless transmission technology. The WiFi module 702 can help the user to send and receive e-mails, browse web pages, and access streaming media, etc. It provides the user with wireless broadband Internet access. Although Figure 9 The WiFi module 702 is shown, but it can be understood that it does not belong to the necessary components of the mobile terminal, and can be omitted according to the needs without changing the essence of the application.

[0131] The audio output unit 703 can convert audio data, which is received by the radio frequency unit 701 or the WiFi module 702 or stored in the memory 709, into an audio signal and output the audio signal as sound when the mobile terminal 700 is in a call signal receiving mode, a call mode, a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, a broadcast reception mode, and the like. Moreover, the audio output unit 703 can provide audio output related to a particular function performed by the mobile terminal 700 (e.g., a call signal reception sound, a message reception sound, etc.). The audio output unit 703 can include a speaker, a buzzer, and the like.

[0132] The A / V input unit 704 is configured to receive audio or video signals. The A / V input unit 704 can include a graphics processor (GPU) 7041 and a microphone 7042. The graphics processor 7041 processes image data of a still picture or a video obtained by an image capture device (e.g., a camera) in a video capture mode or an image capture mode. Processed image frames can be displayed on the display unit 706. Processed image frames can be stored in the memory 709 (or other storage medium) or transmitted via the radio frequency unit 701 or the WiFi module 702. The microphone 7042 can receive sound (audio data) via the microphone 7042 in a telephone call mode, a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, or the like, and can process such sound into audio data. Processed audio (voice) data can be converted into a format transmittable to a mobile communication base station via the radio frequency unit 701 in the case of the telephone call mode. The microphone 7042 can 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.

[0133] The mobile terminal 700 also includes at least one sensor 705, such as a light sensor, a motion sensor, and other sensors. Optionally, the light sensor includes an ambient light sensor and a proximity sensor, and the ambient light sensor can adjust the brightness of the display panel 7061 according to the brightness of ambient light, and the proximity sensor can turn off the display panel 7061 and / or the backlight when the mobile terminal 700 is moved to the ear. As one of the motion sensors, the accelerometer sensor can detect the magnitude and direction of acceleration in each direction (generally three axes), and can detect the magnitude and direction of gravity when at rest, and can be used for applications that recognize the posture of the mobile terminal (such as switching between landscape and portrait screens, related games, magnetometer posture calibration), vibration recognition related functions (such as pedometers, taps), and the like. As for the other sensors that can be configured in the mobile terminal, such as a fingerprint sensor, a pressure sensor, an iris sensor, a molecular sensor, a gyroscope, a barometer, a hygrometer, a thermometer, an infrared sensor, and the like, will not be described here.

[0134] The display unit 706 is configured to display information input by a user or information provided to the user. The display unit 706 can include a display panel 7061, which can be configured in the form of a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), or the like. Optionally, the display unit 706 can include a flexible display screen.

[0135] The user input unit 707 can be used to receive input numerals or character information, and to generate key signal inputs related to user settings of the mobile terminal and control of functions. Optionally, the user input unit 707 can include a touch panel 7071 and other input devices 7072. The touch panel 7071, also called a touch screen, can collect touch operations of a user on or proximity thereto (such as operations of the user using a finger, a stylus, or any suitable object or accessory on or in proximity to the touch panel 7071), and can drive corresponding connection devices according to a pre-set program. The touch panel 7071 can include two parts, a touch detecting device and a touch controller. The touch detecting device detects the touch position of the user and detects signals resulting from touch operations, and transmits the signals to the touch controller; the touch controller receives touch information from the touch detecting device, and converts it into touch coordinates, and transmits the touch coordinates to the processor 710, and can receive commands from the processor 710 and execute them. In addition, the touch panel 7071 can be implemented in various types such as a resistive type, a capacitive type, an infrared type, and a surface acoustic wave type. In addition to the touch panel 7071, the user input unit 707 can include other input devices 7072. Optionally, the other input devices 7072 can include one or more of, but are not limited to, a physical keyboard, a function key (such as a volume control key, an on / off key, etc.), a trackball, a mouse, a joystick, etc., without limitation.

[0136] Optionally, the touch panel 7071 can cover the display panel 7061, and when the touch panel 7071 detects a touch operation on or in proximity thereto, it transmits the touch operation to the processor 710 to determine the type of the touch event, and then the processor 710 provides corresponding visual output on the display panel 7061 according to the type of the touch event. Although in the above description, the touch panel 7071 and the display panel 7061 are implemented as two independent components to realize the input and output functions of the mobile terminal, in some embodiments, the touch panel 7071 and the display panel 7061 can be integrated to realize the input and output functions of the mobile terminal, without limitation. Figure 9

[0137] The interface unit 708 serves as an interface through which at least one external device can be connected to the mobile terminal 700. For example, the external device can include a wired or wireless headset port, an external power (or battery charger) port, a wired or wireless data port, a memory card port, a port for connecting a device having an identification module, an audio input / output (I / O) port, a video I / O port, an earphone port, or the like. The interface unit 708 can be used to receive input (e.g., data information, power, or the like) from an external device and to transmit the received input to one or at least one element within the mobile terminal 700, or can be used to transmit data between the mobile terminal 700 and the external device. ​

[0138] The memory 709 is used to store software programs and various data. The memory 709 can mainly include a program storage area and a data storage area, and the program storage area can store an operating system, application programs required by at least one function (such as a sound playing function, an image playing function, etc.), and the like; and the data storage area can store data created according to the use of the mobile phone (such as audio data, a phone book, etc.), and the like. In addition, the memory 709 can include a high-speed random access memory, and can also include a nonvolatile memory such as at least one magnetic disk storage device, a flash memory device, or other volatile solid-state memory device.

[0139] The processor 710 is a control center of the mobile terminal, connects all parts of the mobile terminal through various interfaces and lines, executes various functions of the mobile terminal and processes data by running or executing software programs and / or modules stored in the memory 709 and calling data stored in the memory 709, and thus monitors the mobile terminal as a whole. The processor 710 can include one or at least one processing unit; preferably, the processor 710 can integrate an application processor and a modem processor, and the application processor can mainly process an operating system, a user interface, and application programs, and the like, and the modem processor can mainly process wireless communication. It can be understood that the above-mentioned modem processor can also not be integrated into the processor 710.

[0140] The mobile terminal 700 can further include a power supply 711 (such as a battery) for supplying power to various components, and preferably, the power supply 711 can be logically connected to the processor 710 through a power management system, so as to realize functions such as management of charging, discharging, and power consumption management through the power management system.

[0141] Although Figure 9 The mobile terminal 700 can further include a Bluetooth module and the like, which are not shown here.

[0142] The units / modules in the terminal according to the embodiments of the present application can be combined, divided, and deleted according to actual needs.

[0143] In the present application, for the same or similar term concept, technical solution and / or application scenario description, generally only the first occurrence is described in detail, and for the sake of brevity, the repeated description is generally not repeated, and for the understanding of the technical solutions and the like of the present application, the same or similar term concept, technical solution and / or application scenario description which is not described in detail can refer to the related description of the previous.

[0144] In the present application, the description of each embodiment has its own emphasis, and the part not described or recorded in detail in a certain embodiment can refer to the related description of other embodiments.

[0145] Any technical features of the technical solutions of the present application can be combined. In order to make the description simple, all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-mentioned embodiments are not described, however, as long as the combinations of the technical features do not contradict, it should be considered that they are within the scope of the present application.

[0146] The above is only the preferred embodiment of the present application, and does not limit the patent scope of the present application, and any equivalent structure or equivalent process transformation using the content of the present application specification and drawings, or direct or indirect application in other related technical fields, are also included in the patent protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A folding device, characterized in that, The hinge body comprises a middle shaft (10), a first rotating component (20) and a second rotating component (30), the first rotating component (20) and the second rotating component (30) are rotatably connected to the middle shaft (10) and rotate on opposite sides of the middle shaft (10); A protection component (40) is arranged on the hinge body to support between the hinge body and a flexible screen, the protection component (40) is configured to flexibly bend along with folding of the folding device and to flatten along with unfolding of the folding device; the protection component (40) is provided with a protection structure for relieving impact force of the hinge body on the flexible screen and protecting the flexible screen. The protection component (40) comprises a first protection component, which comprises:

2. The folding device of claim 1, wherein A first protection sheet (41) connected to the first rotating component (20), the first protection sheet (41) comprises a first bending section (411) extending above the middle shaft (10); A second protection sheet (42) connected to the second rotating component (30), the second protection sheet (42) comprises a second bending section (421) extending above the middle shaft (10); When the folding device is in a folded state, the first bending section (411) and the second bending section (421) are stacked on each other; When the folding device is in an unfolded state, the first bending section (411) and the second bending section (421) are both flattened and form a spacing space (60) between the first bending section (411) and the second bending section (421), and the first bending section (411) and the second bending section (421) are both provided with the protection structure. The middle shaft (10) comprises a first mounting portion (11) and a second mounting portion (12), the first rotating component (20) comprises a first connecting portion (22) rotatably arranged on the first mounting portion (11), and the second rotating component (30) comprises a second connecting portion (32) rotatably arranged on the second mounting portion (12); 3. The folding device of claim 2, wherein When the folding device is in a folded state, the position of the protection structure arranged on the first bending section (411) corresponds to the position of the first connecting portion (22), and the position of the protection structure arranged on the second bending section (421) corresponds to the position of the second connecting portion (32). The protection structure comprises a first thickening area (51) arranged on the first bending section (411) and a second thickening area (52) arranged on the second bending section (421); 4. The folding device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that The thickness h1 of the first thickening area (51) and the thickness h2 of the first bending section (411) satisfy: h1≥h2; or, The thickness h3 of the second thickening area (52) and the thickness h4 of the second bending section (421) satisfy: h3≥h4. The protection structure comprises:

5. The folding device of claim 3, wherein ​ A first cutting edge (53) is arranged at an edge of the first curved section (411) close to the interval space (60); or A second cutting edge (54) is arranged at an edge of the second curved section (421) close to the interval space (60).

6. The folding device of claim 5, wherein The first cutting edge (53) comprises a first oblique section (531), a second oblique section (532) and a third oblique section (533) connected in sequence, the slope of the second oblique section (532) is smaller than the slope of the first oblique section (531), and the slope of the second oblique section (532) is smaller than the slope of the third oblique section (533); or The second cutting edge (54) comprises a fourth oblique section (541), a fifth oblique section (542) and a sixth oblique section (543) connected in sequence, the slope of the fifth oblique section (542) is smaller than the slope of the fourth oblique section (541), and the slope of the fifth oblique section (542) is smaller than the slope of the sixth oblique section (543). When the folding device is in the unfolded state, the width of the first curved section (411) at the position of the second oblique section (532) is consistent with the width of the second curved section (421) at the position of the fifth oblique section (542).

7. The folding device of claim 5, wherein The first cutting edge (53) is a first wavy edge, the first wavy edge has a first wave crest (534) extending to the second connecting portion (32); The second cutting edge (54) is a second wavy edge, the second wavy edge has a second wave crest (544) extending to the first connecting portion (22), the first wave crest (534) corresponds to a trough of the second wavy edge, and the second wave crest (544) corresponds to a trough of the first wavy edge.

8. The folding device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that The first protective sheet (41) further comprises a first fixed portion (412) located above the first rotating component (20), and the first fixed portion (412) is connected with the first curved section (411); or The second protective sheet (42) further comprises a second fixed portion (422) located above the second rotating component (30), and the second fixed portion (422) is connected with the second curved section (421).

9. The folding device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The protective component (40) is a second protective component, the second protective component comprises a third protective sheet (43), the third protective sheet (43) comprises a plurality of support strips (431) arranged in sequence and at intervals along the arrangement direction of the first rotating component (20) and the second rotating component (30), and each two adjacent support strips (431) are connected through a connecting strip (432). The protective structure comprises a buffer layer wrapped on the surfaces of the plurality of support strips (431) and the plurality of connecting strips (432).

10. A smart terminal, characterized by The folding device of any one of claims 1 to 9 is included in a flexible screen.

Images