Rotating shaft mechanism and foldable electronic device

Abstract

Provided are an electronic device (500) and a rotating shaft mechanism (100) therefor. The electronic device comprises a first housing (303), a second housing (305) and a foldable screen (200). The rotating shaft mechanism (100) comprises a base (10) and a rotating assembly (30) that are rotatably connected to each other. The rotating assembly (30) comprises a support (32), a linkage member (34) and a guide member (36). The support (32) and the base (10) are arranged in a spaced manner, and the linkage member (34) is arranged between the base (10) and the support (32). The linkage member (34) comprises a body (341) and a driving portion (343) arranged on the body (341), one end of the body (341) being rotatably connected to the base (10), and the other end of the body being slidably connected to the support (32). The guide member (36) is rotatably connected to the support (32), the guide member (36) is provided with a sliding groove (361), the driving portion (343) is at least partially accommodated in the sliding groove (361), and when the base (10) and the rotating assembly (30) relatively rotate, the driving portion slides in the sliding groove (361) to drive the guide member (36) to rotate relative to the support. The rotating shaft mechanism (100) can protect the foldable screen (200) when the foldable screen (200) is folded, thereby preventing the foldable screen (200) from being damaged due to irregular deformation of folding.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present application relates to the field of electronic devices, andparticularly to rotating shaft mechanisms and foldable electronic devices.BACKGROUND

[0003] In current foldable electronic devices, such as foldable cell phones,miniaturization of the cell phone is achieved by folding a display of the cell phoneto make it easier for the user to carry. Conventional foldable cell phones typicallyinclude a first housing and a second housing pivotably connected to each other, anda flexible display that covers one side of the first housing and second housing. Thefirst housing and second housing can be flipped to a stacked state, where the flexibledisplay is folded. However, since edges of the flexible display are usually fixedlyconnected to the first housing and second housing, when the flexible display is folded,a generally central area thereof will be subjected to a squeezing force from its edgesand the first and second housings, and a support force from internal components ofthe electronic device. As a result, arching deformation occurs, and a direction of thearching deformation is opposite to the folding direction, such that the flexible displayis prone to creasing or even peeling, which may easily lead to failure of the flexibledisplay and reduction in the service life of the flexible display.SUMMARY

[0004] Embodiments of the present application provide a foldable electronic deviceand a rotating shaft mechanism therefor.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a rotatingshaft mechanism for use in a foldable electronic device. The rotating shaftmechanism includes a base and a rotating assembly that are rotatably connected toeach other; the rotating assembly includes a support, a linkage member and a guidemember. The support is spaced apart from the base; the linkage member is arrangedbetween the base and the support. The linkage member includes a body and a drivingportion provided at the body; one end of the body is rotatably connected to the base,the other end is slidably connected to the support. The guide member is rotatablyconnected to the support; the guide member is provided with a sliding groove, andthe driving portion is at least partially accommodated in the sliding groove; when thebase and the rotating assembly are rotated relative to each other, the driving portionslides in the sliding groove to drive the guide member to rotate relative to the support.

[0006] In a second aspect, embodiments of the present application further provide afoldable electronic device including a first housing, a second housing, a foldablescreen, and a rotating shaft mechanism as described above. The first housing isconnected to the support; the second housing is connected to the base. The firsthousing and the second housing may be folded or unfolded through relative rotationbetween the base and the rotating assembly. The foldable screen is connected to thefirst housing and the second housing, and is stacked over the guide member.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] In order to illustrate technical solutions of the present application more clearly,a brief description of the accompanying drawings to be used in the embodiments willbe introduced below. Apparently, the accompanying drawings in the followingdescription only relate to some embodiments of the present application, and otheraccompanying drawings can be obtained from these drawings by those of ordinaryskill in the art without creative effort.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an electronic device provided in thepresent application.

[0009] FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded view of the electronic device provided in thepresent application.

[0010] FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the rotating shaft mechanism andthe housing assembly of the electronic device shown in FIG. 2.

[0011] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of the rotating shaft mechanism shownin FIG. 3.

[0012] FIG. 5 is a schematic exploded view of the base of the rotating shaftmechanism shown in FIG. 4.

[0013] FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of the rotating shaft mechanism shownin FIG. 5 from another viewpoint.

[0014] FIG. 7 is a schematic exploded view of the rotating assembly of the rotatingshaft mechanism shown in FIG. 4.

[0015] FIG. 8 is a schematic exploded view of the rotating shaft mechanism shownin FIG. 7 from another viewpoint.

[0016] FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective cross-sectional view of the rotating shaftmechanism shown in FIG. 3 along a first plane.

[0017] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective cross-sectional view of the rotating shaftmechanism shown in FIG. 3 along a second plane.

[0018] FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective cross-sectional view of the rotating shaftmechanism shown in FIG. 3 along a third plane.

[0019] FIG. 12 is a schematic perspective view of the housing assembly and therotating shaft mechanism of the electronic device shown in FIG. 1.

[0020] FIG. 13 is a partial schematic perspective cross-sectional view of a partialstructure of the electronic device shown in FIG. 1 in a folded state.

[0021] FIG. 14 is a schematic perspective view of the electronic device shown in FIG.1 in another state.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] Technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will beclearly and completely described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings inthe embodiments of this application. Obviously, the described embodiments are onlya part of the embodiments of this application, but not all of them. Based on theembodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by a personof ordinary skill in the art without making creative effort fall within the scope ofprotection of this application.

[0023] A "communication terminal" (or simply "terminal") or an "electronic device",as used in the embodiments of the present application, includes, but is not limited to,a device that is configured to receive / transmit communication signals via a wiredconnection (e.g., via a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a digitalsubscriber line (DSL), a digital cable, a direct cable connection, and / or another dataconnection / network), and / or via a wireless interface (e.g., for a cellular network, awireless local area network (WLAN), a digital television network such as a DVB-Hnetwork, a satellite network, an AM-FM radio transmitter, and / or of anothercommunication terminal). The communication terminal configured to communicatethrough a wireless interface may be called a "wireless communication terminal", a"wireless terminal", and / or a "mobile terminal". Examples of mobile terminals orelectronic devices include, but are not limited to: satellite or cellular telephones;personal communication system (PCS) terminals capable of combining cellular radiotelephony with data processing, fax and data communication; PDA that can includeradio telephones, pagers, Internet / Intranet access, web browsers, notepads, calendars,and / or global positioning system (GPS) receivers; and conventional lap-top and / orhand-held receivers, or other electronic devices that include a radiotelephonetransceiver.

[0024] Current foldable electronic devices, such as cell phones, typically include afirst housing and a second housing pivotably connected to each other, and a flexibledisplay covering one side of the first housing and the second housing. The firsthousing and the second housing can be flipped to a stacked state, where the flexibledisplay is folded. However, since edges of the flexible display are usually fixedlyconnected to the first and second housings, when the flexible display is folded, agenerally central region thereof will be subjected to a squeezing force from its edgesand the first and second housings, and a support force from internal components ofthe electronic device, such as the rotating shaft mechanism. As a result, archingdeformation occurs.

[0025] In view of this, the inventors of the present application have devotedthemselves to studying how to address the arching phenomenon of the flexibledisplay, and to this end, the inventors propose a rotating shaft mechanism in whichmost structure of the rotating shaft mechanism is set at a side portion of the flexibledisplay instead of below the flexible display. By setting the rotating shaft mechanismsubstantially at two ends of the flexible display along the direction of rotation axis,it avoids the situation that the rotating shaft mechanism is located below the flexibledisplay but generates a supporting force or a squeezing force on the flexible displaywhen bending, and can effectively alleviate the arching phenomenon of the flexibledisplay when bending. However, after verification, the inventors further found thatwhen the rotating shaft mechanism is set on the side portion of the flexible display,it will lead to significant thickening of a bezel of the electronic device, which is notconducive to achieving a large screen-to-body ratio.

[0026] Therefore, the inventors made further research to seek an electronic deviceand a rotating shaft mechanism thereof that avoids the arching phenomenon of theflexible display when bending and that has a narrow bezel. The inventor's researchincludes, but is not limited to: studying the effect of different structures of therotating shaft mechanism on the improvement of the above arching phenomenon andthe effect on the bezel, studying the effect of different positions of the rotating shaftmechanism on the improvement of the above arching phenomenon and the effect onthe bezel, etc. After extensive and repeated tests, the inventors propose a rotatingshaft mechanism of the present application and a foldable electronic device applyingsuch a rotating shaft mechanism. The rotating shaft mechanism includes a base anda rotating assembly rotatably connected to each other, and the rotating assemblyincludes a support, a linkage member and a guide member. The support is spacedapart from the base, and the linkage member is arranged between the base and thesupport. The linkage member includes a body and a driving portion provided at thebody. One end of the body is rotatably connected to the base, the other end is slidablyconnected to the support. The guide member is rotatably connected to the support.The guide member is provided with a sliding groove, in which the driving portion isat least partially accommodated. When the base and the rotating assembly are rotatedrelative to each other, the driving portion slides in the sliding groove to drive theguide member to rotate relative to the support. The foldable electronic deviceincludes a first housing, a second housing, a foldable screen, and a rotating shaftmechanism as described above. The first housing is connected to the support, thesecond housing is connected to the base. The first housing and second housing arefolded or unfolded through the relative rotation between the base and rotatingassembly. The foldable screen is connected to the first housing and the secondhousing, and is stacked over the guide member.

[0027] In the electronic device and its rotating shaft mechanism provided in thepresent application, when the foldable screen is provided on the housing assemblyand the rotating shaft mechanism, the first housing and the second housing can berotated through the relative rotation between the base and the rotating shaftmechanism. At this point, the driving portion slides in the sliding groove to drive theguide member to rotate relative to the support, the guide member deflects when itrotates to form a certain "avoidance space". The avoidance space can prevent therotating shaft mechanism from generating a resistance force or a support force on thebackside of the foldable screen, and provides a space to accommodate a bendingstructure generated by the foldable screen during folding, so that the foldable screencan be avoided from a tendency to be deformed away from the rotating shaftmechanism, i.e., the foldable screen can deform concavely toward the rotating shaftmechanism in a natural bending state without external support for the arching. In thisway, the foldable screen can be prevented from bending in a manner that is contraryto its natural bending tendency. Thus, the above-mentioned rotating shaft mechanismcan protect the foldable screen when the foldable screen is folded, avoid damage tothe foldable screen due to an irregular deformation of the foldable screen, andprolong the service life of the foldable screen.

[0028] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will beclearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings in the embodiments of this application.

[0029] Referring to FIG. 1, an embodiment of the present application provides anelectronic device 500. The electronic device 500 may be, but is not limited to, anelectronic device such as a cell phone, a tablet computer, a smart watch, etc. Theelectronic device 500 in this embodiment is illustrated with a cell phone as anexample.

[0030] Referring to both FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the electronic device 500 includes anelectronic assembly 400, a housing assembly 300, a foldable screen 200, and arotating shaft mechanism 100. The electronic assembly 400 and the rotating shaftmechanism 100 are provided within the housing assembly 300, and the foldablescreen 200 is provided on the housing assembly 300 and the rotating shaftmechanism 100. The housing assembly 300 and the foldable screen 200 can befolded or unfolded via the rotating shaft mechanism 100. When the housing assembly300 and the foldable screen 200 are folded, the size of the electronic device 500 isrelatively small, which is easy to store and carry.

[0031] The housing assembly 300 includes a first housing 303 and a second housing305, the first housing 303 and the second housing 305 being connected to two sidesof the rotating shaft mechanism 100 respectively. The second housing 305 can befolded or unfolded relative to the first housing 303. The housing assembly 300 isconfigured to support the foldable screen 200, and at the same time, protect theelectronic assembly 400. The first housing 303 and second housing 305 support twoends of the foldable screen 200, respectively. The rotating shaft mechanism 100 canbe folded or unfolded, and supports a portion of the foldable screen 200 locatedbetween two ends. In an example, the first housing 303 can be a rigid housing, andthe second housing 305 may also be a rigid housing. The first housing 303 and secondhousing 305 can provide solid support for two ends of the flexible display 201.

[0032] The rotating shaft mechanism 100 may deform as the second housing 305 isfolded or unfolded relative to the first housing 303, and restrict the second housing305 from detaching from the first housing 303. The rotating shaft mechanism 100 isalso configured to support the foldable screen 200 to prevent the foldable screen 200from collapsing. The rotating shaft mechanism 100 is connected to the first housing303 and second housing 305 at two opposite sides thereof. The rotating shaftmechanism 100 makes use of its own rotatable characteristics to enable the firsthousing 303 to be flipped relative to the second housing 305, such that the firsthousing 303 is stacked, or is angled, or is unfolded relative to the second housing305.

[0033] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the rotating shaft mechanism 100 includes a base10 and a rotating assembly 30 that are rotatably connected to each other. The rotatingassembly 30 is connected to the housing assembly 300. The first housing 303 andsecond housing 305 of the housing assembly 300 are rotated through the relativerotation between the base 10 and the rotating assembly 30.

[0034] In this embodiment, there are two rotating assemblies 30 (only one is shownin the figures), the two rotating assemblies 30 are provided on two opposite sides ofthe base 10, and two rotating assemblies 30 are connected to the first housing 303and the second housing 305, respectively. In other embodiments, there may be onerotating assembly 30, such that one of the first housing 303 and second housing 305is connected to the base 10, and the other is connected to the rotating assembly 30.Embodiments according to the present specification are illustrated with two rotatingassemblies 30 in an exemplary manner. In this embodiment, two rotating assemblies30 are provided substantially symmetrically about the base 10, so that rotation statesof the housing assembly 300, the foldable screen 200 based on rotation of the rotatingassembly 30 can be substantially symmetrical, and can have a symmetrical structurein the folded state, with a relatively small storage volume.

[0035] Referring to FIG. 4, in this embodiment, the base 10 includes a seat 12 and acover 14 stacked over the seat 12. The seat 12 and cover 14 collectively form astructure that is rotatably connected to the rotating assembly 30, to facilitate theinstallation of the rotating shaft mechanism 100.

[0036] Referring to FIG. 5, in this embodiment, the seat 12 is substantially blockshaped, and is provided with a recess 121 on a side facing the cover 14. The surfaceof the recess 121 is recessed relative to the surface of the remaining portion of theseat 12. Further, the surface of the recess 121 is generally an arcuate surface, whichmay be, for example, a surface of partially cylindrical structure, so as to fit a pivotstructure of the rotating assembly 30.

[0037] Referring to FIG. 6, in this embodiment, the cover 14 is substantially plate shaped, and is provided with a mating surface 141 on a side facing the recess 121.The mating surface 141 is arranged opposite to, and apart from, the surface of therecess 121, to define a pivoting groove 16 together with the recess 121. The pivotinggroove 16 is configured to accommodate a pivot structure of the rotating assembly30, to allow the rotating assembly 30 to rotate relative to the base 10. Further,corresponding to the surface structure of the recess 121, the mating surface 141 issubstantially an arcuate surface, which may be, for example, a surface of partiallycylindrical structure. The mating surface 141 is substantially parallel to the surfaceof the recess 121 such that the pivoting groove 16 is generally a slot having a partiallycylindrical cross-sectional profile. The pivoting groove 16 defines an axis of rotationO, and when the rotating assembly 30 rotates relative to the base 10, the rotatingassembly 30 is substantially centered on the axis of rotation O.

[0038] The rotating assembly 30 includes a support 32, a linkage member 34, and aguide member 36. The support 32 is spaced apart from the base 10, the linkagemember 34 is movably arranged between the support 32 and the base 10, and theguide member 36 is rotatably connected to the support 32 and slidably mates withthe linkage member 34. When the base 10 and rotating assembly 30 are rotatedrelative to each other, the linkage member 34 drives the guide member 36 to rotatebased on the slidable fitting structure, so that the guide member 36 can rotate to acertain tilt angle when the rotating shaft mechanism 100 is folded, so as to provide acertain accommodation space for the bending of the foldable screen 200, thereby preventing the rotating shaft mechanism 100 from pushing the foldable screen 200to make the foldable screen 200 arch. In this embodiment, the support 32 isconnected to the first housing 303, for example, the support 32 can be fixed in thefirst housing 303 by fasteners such as screws, and the support 32 is located betweenthe foldable screen 200 and the first housing 303. Referring to FIG. 7, the support 32is provided with a guiding groove 321, and the guiding groove 321 is configured toaccommodate partial structure of the linkage member 34, so that the linkage member34 is slidably connected to the support 32. In this embodiment, the guiding groove321 is substantially in a structure of straight slot, which runs through one side of thesupport 32 facing the base 10 to form an opening 323, and the linkage member 34 isallowed to pass through the opening 323. The guiding groove 321 extends in adirection substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation O.

[0039] The linkage member 34 includes a body 341 and a driving portion 343provided at the body 341. One end of the body 341 is rotatably connected to the base10, and the other end is slidably connected to the support 32. Further, in thisembodiment, the body 341 includes a rotating portion 3411 and a sliding portion3413, the rotating portion 3411 and the sliding portion 3413 being located at twoopposite ends of the body 341.

[0040] The rotating portion 3411 is rotatably connected to the base 10, for example,the rotating portion 3411 is rotatably connected to the seat 12 of the base 10 via afirst pivot 3412. The structure of the first pivot 3412 is not limited, and may be asubstantially shaft-like structure formed directly onto the rotating portion 3411, ormay be a pivot, a pin, or the like independent from the rotating portion 3411.

[0041] The sliding portion 3413 has, essentially, the shape of a flat plate, and isslidably accommodated in the guiding groove 321 of the support 32. When the basedrives the linkage member 30 to rotate, the sliding portion 3413 can slide withinthe guiding groove 321 to avoid structural interference during rotation, so thatrotation of the rotating shaft mechanism 100 is smoother. Further, in this embodiment,there are two sliding portions 3413, and the two sliding portions 3413 are providedopposite to and apart from each other, and the two sliding portions 3143 arecollectively configured to fix the driving portion 343. In some other embodiments, astructure between the sliding portion 3413 and the guiding groove 321 may bereplaced by other forms of guiding structures, for example, the support 32 may beprovided with a structure such as a guiding groove, a guiding hole. The slidingportion 3413 can slidably fit into the guiding groove, guide hole. Alternatively, theslidable fitting between the sliding portion 3413 and the support 32 can be achievedin the form of a guide rail and a guiding groove.

[0042] Further, the body 341 may further include an avoidance portion 3415, whichis connected between the rotating portion 3411 and sliding portion 3413. In thisembodiment, the avoidance portion 3415 is bent relative to the sliding portion 3413to form, together with the sliding portion 3413, an accommodation space 3416 foraccommodating the guide member 36. When the linkage member 34 drives the guidemember 36 to rotate relative to the support 32, the guide member 36 is tilted relativeto the linkage member 34, and the accommodation space 3416 provides sufficientmotion space for the tilted guide member 36 to avoid structural interference with themovement of the guide member 36 and to make an overall structure of the rotatingshaft mechanism 100 more compact.

[0043] The driving portion 343 is connected to the sliding portion 3413, and thedriving portion 343 is configured to drive movement of the guide member 36. Further,in this embodiment, the driving portion 343 is substantially columnar in shape, andconnected between two sliding portions 3413. In this way, a space formed betweenthe two sliding portions 3413 can slidably fit with the guide member 36, and avoidinterference with the movement of the guide member 36, thereby making the fittingstructure more compact.

[0044] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the guide member 36 is provided on one side ofthe support 32 facing the foldable screen 200. The guide member 36 is provided witha sliding groove 361 for slidably mating with the driving portion 343. Further, thedriving portion 343 is at least partially accommodated in the sliding groove 361.When the base 10 and the rotating assembly 30 are rotated relative to each other, thedriving portion 343 slides in the sliding groove 361 to drive the guide member 36 torotate and tilt relative to the support 32.

[0045] Further, the guide member 36 includes a connecting portion 363 and a guidingportion 365.

[0046] In this embodiment, the connecting portion 363 is substantially plate-shaped,provided on one side of the support 32 facing the foldable screen 200, and is rotatablyconnected to the support 32. The connecting portion 363 can also be used to supportthe foldable screen 200 so as to present the foldable screen 200 from collapsing inthe unfolded state. Furthermore, the rotating and sliding connection among the guidemember 36, the linkage member 34, the support 32 and the base 10 enables therotating shaft mechanism 100 to be set directly on the non-display side (i.e., thebackside) of the foldable screen 200 and to support the foldable screen 200,preventing the rotating shaft mechanism 100 from being set on peripheral edges ofthe foldable screen 200 and occupying a bezel space of the electronic device 500,which is conducive to achieving a larger screen-to-body ratio.

[0047] In some embodiments, one side of the connecting portion 363 away from thesupport 32 may be fixedly connected (e.g., affixed, etc.) to the foldable screen 200,so that when the connecting portion 363 is rotated and tilted, it can drive the foldablescreen 200 to bend in a direction towards the rotating shaft mechanism 100, playinga guidance role for the bending state of the foldable screen 200, so that the foldablescreen 200 bends in a predetermined direction in a folded state, so as to avoidabnormal arching or bending deformation of the foldable screen 200 when it is folded.

[0048] The guiding portion 365 is arranged between the connecting portion 363 andthe support 32. The sliding groove 361 is provided in the guiding portion 365 toallow the guiding portion 365 to slidably mate with the driving portion 343 of thelinkage member 34. Further, the guiding portion 365 is connected to one side of theconnecting portion 363 facing the support 32, and protrudes relative to the surfaceof the connecting portion 363, so that the guiding portion 365 is at least partiallyaccommodated in a space between two sliding portions 3413, and the driving portion343 passes through the sliding groove 361 to allow for a more compact matingstructure between the guide member 36 and the linkage member 34.

[0049] Referring to FIG. 10, in this embodiment, the sliding groove 361 in theguiding portion 365 is generally a slot set at an angle relative to the connectingportion 363. The sliding groove 361 has a first end 3611 adjacent to the base 10, anda second end 3613 that is opposite to the first end 3611 and away from the base 10.The first end 3611 and the second end 3613 collectively define an extension directionof the sliding groove 361, i.e., the extension direction of the sliding groove 361 maybe understood as a direction pointing from the first end 3611 to the second end 3613,or may be understood as a direction pointing from the second end 3613 to the firstend 3611. The extension direction of the sliding groove 361 is substantially the sameas the extension direction of the guiding groove 321, both extending from the support32 toward the base 10. Further, the extension direction of the sliding groove 361 issubstantially set at an angle relative to the connecting portion 363, such that thedriving portion 343, when sliding in the sliding groove 361, can slide between thefirst end 3611 and the second end 3613 to drive the connecting portion 363 to rotateand incline.

[0050] Further, as shown in FIG. 10, a distance between the first end 3611 and theconnecting portion 363 is less than a distance between the second end 3613 and theconnecting portion 363, based on the inclined structure of the sliding groove 361, sothat when the rotating shaft mechanism 100 is folded, the linkage member 34 rotatesrelative to the base 10 and moves in a direction away from the support 32, and thedriving portion 343 slides from the second end 3613 to the first end 3611, therebydriving the guide member 36 to rotate and incline relative to the support 32.

[0051] Referring to FIG. 11, in this embodiment, the rotating assembly 30 mayfurther include a connecting member 38, one end of which is rotatably connected tothe base 10 and the other end of which is rotatably connected to the support 32, tomaintain the relative position between the base 10 and the support 32 substantiallyunchanged and to facilitate improved stability of rotation of the rotating shaftmechanism 100. In this embodiment, the connecting member 38 and the linkagemember 34 are arranged substantially side by side, and the connecting member 38 isrotatably connected to the base 10 via a second pivot 3811. The second pivot 3811 isarranged substantially coaxially with the first pivot 3412, whereby the connectingmember 38 and the linkage member 34 are connected to the base 10 substantiallycoaxially. In this way, rotation of the connecting member 38 does not interfere withrotation of the linkage member 34, such that rotations of multiple members of therotating shaft mechanism 100 can be consistent during rotation, and the members arenot dislocated causing damage to the foldable screen 200. It should be understoodthat in this application, "side by side" should be instructed that the two are setapproximately apart, commonly referred to as "abreast", and are not required to beset apart on the same plane. For example, an edge of the connector 38 can be spacedfrom an edge of the linkage member 34, and when the rotating assembly 30 is rotated,either one of the connecting member 38 and the linkage member 34 can rotate, whilethe relative distance between them may remain fixed.

[0052] Further, in this embodiment, the connecting member 38 and linkage member34 are provided substantially side by side, the guide member 36 is arranged on thesame side of the connecting member 38 and linkage member 34. One side of theconnecting member 38 facing the guide member 36 is provided with an avoidancespace 3813, which is configured to partially accommodate the guide member 36.When the linkage member 34 drives the guide member 36 to rotate relative to thesupport 32, the guide member 36 is tilted relative to the linkage member 38, and theavoidance space 3813 can provide sufficient motion space for the tilted guidemember 36 to avoid structural interference with the movement of the guide member36, and can make the overall structure of the rotating shaft mechanism 100 morecompact.

[0053] Further, in this embodiment, the connecting member 38 may include a firstpivot portion 381, a second pivot portion 383, and a transition portion 385 connectedbetween the first pivot portion 381 and the second pivot portion 383. The first pivotportion 381 is rotatably connected to the base 10, the second pivot portion 383 isrotatably connected to the support 32, and the transition portion 385 has a bentstructure to form the above-described avoidance space 3813. It should be understoodthat the designations "first pivot portion", "second pivot portion" shall not limitspecific structure of the connecting portion 38. For example, the first pivot portion381 and second pivot portion 383 should be understood as parts of the connectingportion 38 with rotary connection, which can also be collectively called "pivotportion". In order to describe the connection relationship between the connectingportion 38 and the base 10 as well as the support 32, the terms "first pivot portion"and "second pivot portion" are used to distinguish the parts having a rotaryconnection.

[0054] Further, the first pivot portion 381 may serve as the above-described secondpivot 3811 for achieving a rotational connection between the connecting portion 38and the base 10. The first pivot portion 381 has an arcuate structure and is slidablyaccommodated in the pivoting groove 16 of the base 10, and when the first pivotportion 381 slides in the pivoting groove 16, the connecting member 38 rotates basedon the axis of rotation O. Specifically, in the illustrated embodiment, the first pivotportion 381 may substantially be partially cylindrical, and may also be considered asbeing rotatably accommodated in the pivoting groove 16. Two surfaces of the firstpivot portion 381 that run from each other are provided opposite to the recess 121and the mating surface 141, respectively. For example, the surface of the first pivotportion 381 can be substantially superimposed on the recess 121 and the matingsurface 141, so as to prevent the first pivot portion 381 from loosening when it rotatesin the pivoting groove 16, thereby providing a smoother rotation of the rotating shaftmechanism 100.

[0055] Further, the connecting member 38 may further include a positioning portion387, which is provided on the first pivot portion 381, and which is used for matingwith a structure of the base 10 to achieve fixing of a relative angle between therotating assembly 30 and the base 10. Accordingly, the base 10 may further includea mating portion 18, which may be provided in the pivoting groove 16 for embeddingfitting with the positioning portion 387 to fix an angle between the rotating assembly30 and the base 10. Specifically, the positioning portion 387 may be a raised structureprotruding from the surface of the first pivot portion 381, and the mating portion 18may be a recessed structure provided in the recess 121 or a recessed structureprovided in the mating surface 141. When the first pivot portion 381 slides in thepivoting groove 16, the positioning portion 387 may selectively embedding fits withthe mating portion 18. When there is no external force, the positioning portion 387may be stably accommodated in the mating portion 18, such that the angle betweenthe rotating assembly 30 and the base 10 can be fixed. Further, there can be a pluralityof positioning portions 387 or / and mating portions 18, and the plurality ofpositioning portions 387 or / and mating portions 18 may be spaced along the directionof rotation of the first pivot portion 3813, i.e., spaced along the direction around theaxis of rotation O, so as to achieve fixing of multiple angles between the rotatingassembly 30 and the base 10. In some other embodiments, the recessed and raisedstructures between the positioning portion 387 and the mating portion 18 can beinterchanged, for example, the positioning portion 387 is recessed and the matingportion 18 is raised, etc., so long as the two can cooperate with each other to achieveangular positioning between the rotating assembly 30 and the base 10, which willnot be repeated in this specification.

[0056] Referring to FIG. 12, FIG. 12 is a structural schematic view of the rotatingshaft mechanism 100, illustrating a general structure of the rotating shaft mechanism100 and housing assembly 300 in a modular drawing way, and serve as no structurallimitation on the electronic device 500 in the embodiments of this application. In thisembodiment, the rotating shaft mechanism 100 further includes a rotating shafthousing 50, which is configured to accommodate the base 10 to provide overallprotection for the rotating shaft mechanism 100, and to form a modular assemblyscheme that facilitates the transportation and well as assembly. Specifically, therotating shaft housing 50 is provided with an accommodation cavity 52. The base 10is provided in the accommodation cavity 52 and can be secured to the rotating shafthousing by fasteners such as screws. Further, the rotating shaft housing 50 may alsoserve as a housing assembly of the electronic device 500, and form a cosmetic surfaceof the electronic device 500 together with the first housing 303 and second housing305, when the first housing 303 and second housing 350 are provided on oppositesides of the rotating shaft housing 50 respectively.

[0057] In this embodiment, one rotating shaft mechanism 100 may include tworotating assemblies 30, the two rotating assemblies 30 including a first rotatingassembly 3001 and a second rotating assembly 3003, which are arranged on twoopposite sides of the base 10 respectively and are substantially symmetricallyarranged about the base 10. The first rotating assembly 3001 is connected to the firsthousing 303, and the second rotating assembly 3003 is connected to the secondhousing 305. Accordingly, the pivoting groove 16 of the base 10 may also beimplemented as two, one of which is used to accommodate a pivot structure of thefirst rotating assembly 3001, and the other is used to accommodate a pivot structureof the second rotating assembly 3003. The first rotating assembly 3001 and thesecond rotating assembly 3003 can rotate relative to the base 10 under an externalforce to be in a folded state close to each other or in an unfolded state away fromeach other, so that the first housing 303 and second housing 305 can be folded orunfolded relative to each other in a relatively smoother way, and have a relativelysmall size when folded. The electronic device 500 may include a plurality of rotatingshaft mechanisms 100. The plurality of rotating shaft mechanisms 100 are arrangedsequentially along the direction of their rotation axis O, and are connected to the firsthousing 303 and the second housing 305 to make rotation of the electronic device500 more balanced and stable.

[0058] In some other embodiments, one rotating shaft mechanism 100 may includeonly one rotating assembly 30, and two rotating shaft mechanisms 100 can beemployed to achieve a rotational connection between the first housing 303 and thesecond housing 305, when assembled to the housing assembly 300 of the electronicdevice 100. For example, one of the rotating shaft mechanisms 100 can have therotating assembly 30 connected to the first housing 303 and the base 10 connectedto the second housing 305, and the other rotating shaft mechanism 100 can have therotating assembly 30 connected to the second housing 305. Of course, there can be aplurality of rotating shaft mechanisms 100, for example, four, six, eight, etc., to makerotation of the electronic device 500 more balanced and stable.

[0059] Referring again to FIG. 2, the electronic assembly 400 includes a firstelectronic module 401, a second electronic module 403, and a flexible circuit board405. The first electronic module 401 is provided in the first housing 303, the secondelectronic module 403 is provided in the second housing 305, and the flexible circuitboard 405 is electrically connected to the first electronic module 401 and secondelectronic module 403. Further, the first electronic module 401 may be a main board,and a central processor, memory, antenna, camera and receiver provided on the mainboard, etc. The second electronic module 403 may consist of a printed circuit boardand a functional module provided on the printed circuit board. The second electronicmodule 403 is different from the first electronic module 401, and the secondelectronic module 403 may be a battery, a connector, a fingerprint module, etc.

[0060] The foldable screen 200 is laid on the first housing 303, the rotating shaftmechanism 100 and the second housing 305 in series. In this embodiment, thefoldable screen 200 includes a flexible display 201. The flexible display 201 is bentor unfolded as the first housing 303 and the second housing 305 are flipped over eachother. The flexible display 201 is electrically connected to the electronic assembly400, to enable the electronic assembly 400 to control operation of the flexible display201.

[0061] In the electronic device and the rotating shaft mechanism thereof provided inthe embodiments of the present application, when the foldable screen is provided onthe housing assembly and the rotating shaft mechanism, the first housing and secondhousing can be rotated through the relative rotation between the base and the rotatingassembly. At this point, the driving portion slides in the sliding groove to drive theguide member to rotate relative to the support, and the guide member deflects whenrotating to form a certain avoidance space. The avoidance space can enable therotating shaft mechanism to avoid generating a resistance force or a support force onthe backside of the foldable screen, and can provide a space to accommodate thebending structure created when the foldable screen is folded (as shown in FIG. 13).In this way, a tendency of the foldable screen to deform away from the rotating shaftmechanism can be avoided, i.e., the foldable screen can deform concavely towardthe rotating shaft mechanism in a natural bending state without external support forthe arching, thereby preventing the foldable screen from deforming in a way that isnot in accordance with its bending tendency. Therefore, the above-mentionedrotating shaft mechanism is able to protect the foldable screen when the foldablescreen is folded, avoid damage to the foldable screen due to irregular deformation ofthe foldable screen, and prolong service life of the foldable screen.

[0062] Further, the connecting portion may also be configured to support the foldablescreen, so as to prevent the foldable screen from collapsing in the unfolded state.Through the rotating and sliding connection relationship among the guide member,the linkage member, the support and the base, the rotating shaft mechanism can bedirectly set on the non-display side (i.e., backside) of the foldable screen and cansupport the foldable screen, to prevent the rotating shaft mechanism from beingarranged on the surrounding edges of the foldable screen and occupying a bezel spaceof the electronic device, which is conducive to achieving a larger screen-to-bodyratio.

[0063] In embodiments of the present application, the electronic device 500 can be amultipurpose phone that implements a small screen display, or a large screen display,or a bent screen display, and present multiple usage functions. For example, whenthe flexible display 201 of the electronic device 500 is in a folded state, the firsthousing 303 can be stacked over the second housing 305, and the electronic device500 can be used as a cell phone, which is convenient for the user to carry and alsooccupies little space. When the flexible display 201 of the electronic device 500 isbent at a certain angle, the first housing 303 is unfolded relative to the second housing305, and is angled relative to each other, the electronic device 500 can be used as alaptop computer. And when the flexible display 201 of the electronic device 500 isunfolded, the first housing 303 is unfolded relative to the second housing 305, andthe two are flush with each other, the electronic device 500 can be used as a tabletcomputer to increase the display area, access to more display content, and improvethe user experience. Of course, the electronic device 500 may also be a multipurposetablet computer, or a multipurpose laptop computer, or other multi-functionalelectronic devices with multiple switching modes.

[0064] Referring to FIG. 14, the flexible display 201 in this embodiment includes afirst display portion 202 affixed to the first housing 303, a second display portion203 affixed to the second housing 305, and a bent display portion 204 connectedbetween the first display portion 202 and the second display portion 203. The firstdisplay portion 202 and the second display portion 203 may be folded or unfoldedrelative to each other, along with the first housing 303 and the second housing 305respectively. The bent display portion 203 is bent or unfolded as the first displayportion 202 is folded or unfolded relative to the second display portion 203. In someembodiments, the first display portion 202, the second display portion 203, and thebent display portion 204 may be of an integral structure so that the flexible display201 is a whole-piece flexible display. Alternatively, in some other embodiments, thebent display portion 204 is a bendable flexible portion, while the first display portion202, the second display portion 203 may be a non-flexible portion, and the firstdisplay portion 202, and the second display 203 are folded or unfolded relative toeach other through the bent display portion 204.

[0065] Further, the foldable screen 200 may further include a flexible lighttransmitting cover (not shown in the figures) that covers the flexible display 201.The flexible light-transmitting cover is affixed to the flexible display 201. Peripheraledges of the flexible light-transmitting cover are fixedly connected to the firsthousing 303 as well as the second housing 305. The flexible light-transmitting cover41 is used to protect the flexible display 201 and to improve the appearance of theelectronic device 500.

[0066] In the description of this specification, description with reference to the terms"one embodiment", "some embodiments", "an example", "specific example", or"some examples", etc., means that the specific features, structures, materials orcharacteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are includedin at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In the presentspecification, schematic representation of the above terms does not have to bedirected to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features,structures, materials or characteristics as described may be combined in a suitablemanner in any one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, withoutcontradicting each other, a person skilled in the art may combine differentembodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features inthe different embodiments or examples.

[0067] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposesonly and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance orimplicitly specifying the number of the technical features indicated. Thus, thefeatures defined with "first", "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at leastone such feature. In description of the present application, the term "plurality" meansat least two, e.g., two, three, etc., unless otherwise expressly and specifically defined.

[0068] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are intended only toillustrate technical solutions of the present application, but not to limit them. Thoughthe present application is described in detail with reference to the precedingembodiments, it is understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that it is stillpossible to modify the technical solutions described in the preceding embodiments,or to replace some of the technical features with equivalent ones. Such modificationsor substitutions do not drive the essence of the corresponding technical solutionsaway from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of thepresent application.

Claims

1. A rotating shaft mechanism for use in a foldable electronic device, comprising a base and a rotating assembly that are rotatably connected to each other, wherein the rotating assembly comprises: a support, spaced apart from the base; a linkage member, arranged between the base and the support; wherein the linkage member comprises a body and a driving portion provided at the body, one end of the body being rotatably connected to the base, the other end of the body being slidably connected to the support; and a guide member, rotatably connected to the support; wherein the guide member is provided with a sliding groove, the driving portion being at least partially accommodated in the sliding groove; when the base and the rotating assembly are rotated relative to each other, the driving portion slides in the sliding groove to drive the guide member to rotate relative to the support.

2. The rotating shaft mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guide member comprises a connecting portion and a guiding portion, wherein the connecting portion is arranged at one side of the support and is rotatably connected to the support, the guiding portion is arranged between the connecting portion and the support, and the sliding groove is provided in the guiding portion.

3. The rotating shaft mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein the guiding portion protrudes relative to a surface of the connecting portion; the sliding groove has a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, a distance between the first end and the connecting portion being less than a distance between the second end and the connecting portion; the driving portion is able to slide between the first end and the second end.

4. The rotating shaft mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein the support is provided with a guiding groove, the body comprises a sliding portion, and the sliding portion is slidably arranged in the guiding groove; the driving portion is provided at the sliding portion.

5. The rotating shaft mechanism as claimed in claim 4, wherein two said sliding portions are provided, and the two sliding portions are arranged opposite to and apart from each other; the guiding portion is arranged between the two sliding portions, the driving portion is connected between the two sliding portions and passes through the sliding groove.

6. The rotating shaft mechanism as claimed in claim 4, wherein the body further comprises a rotating portion and an avoidance portion, wherein the rotating portion is rotatably connected to the base, the avoidance portion is connected between the rotating portion and the sliding portion, and the avoidance portion is bent relative to the sliding portion to form, together with the sliding portion, an accommodation space for accommodating the connecting portion.

7. The rotating shaft mechanism as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a connecting member, one end of the connecting member being rotatably connected to the base, the other end of the connecting member being rotatably connected to the support.

8. The rotating shaft mechanism as claimed in claim 7, wherein the connecting member is provided side by side with the linkage member; the linkage member is rotatably connected to the base via a first pivot, the connecting member is rotatably connected to the base via a second pivot, wherein the first pivot is arranged coaxially with the second pivot.

9. The rotating shaft mechanism as claimed in claim 8, wherein the connecting member is provided side by side with the linkage member; the guide member is arranged on the same side of the connecting member and the linkage member; the connecting member is provided with an avoidance space at a side facing the guide member, the avoidance space being configured to partially accommodate the guide member.

10. A foldable electronic device, comprising: the rotating shaft mechanism according to any one of claims 1-9; a first housing, connected to the support; a second housing, connected to the base; wherein the first housing and the second housing can be folded or unfolded through relative rotation between the base and the rotating assembly; and a foldable screen, connected to the first housing and the second housing, and stacked over the guide member.