Rotating shaft assembly, grounding component, and electronic device

Abstract

A rotating shaft assembly (10), a grounding component (3), and an electronic device (100). The rotating shaft assembly comprises a rotating shaft (1) and a grounding component; and the grounding component is provided between the rotating shaft and a rotating shaft back cover (50) in an electronic device, and is electrically connected to both the rotating shaft back cover and the rotating shaft separately to form a grounding circuit. The grounding component comprises a voltage limiting element (31); and when the voltage in the grounding circuit is greater than or equal to a first threshold of the voltage limiting element, the voltage limiting element connects the grounding circuit. When the voltage in the grounding circuit is less than the first threshold of the voltage limiting element, the voltage limiting element disconnects the grounding circuit. The rotating shaft assembly is simple in structure, easy to prepare, and low in costs, and can simultaneously meet ESD grounding requirements of the rotating shaft back cover and daily use requirements of a user, thereby increasing the service life of a metal appearance component in the electronic device and the use safety of the electronic device.

Description

Shaft assembly, grounding components and electronic equipment

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411548495.1, filed on October 31, 2024, entitled "Shaft Assembly, Grounding Component and Electronic Device", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of terminal technology, specifically to a rotating shaft assembly, a grounding component, and an electronic device. Background Technology

[0003] With the development of the electronic equipment industry, foldable electronic devices have become a focus of attention, and the demand for them is increasing. To improve the overall appearance and structural strength of electronic devices, more and more exterior components are being made of metal. These metal exterior components are in direct contact with the external environment and are prone to static electricity during use. To prevent damage from instantaneous static shocks, these metal exterior components are typically grounded to meet the requirements of electrostatic discharge (ESD), allowing static electricity to return to the ground through the grounding path.

[0004] In related technologies, foldable electronic devices typically have a metal hinge cover on the hinge to prevent it from being exposed during folding. The metal hinge cover also serves a decorative purpose and increases the overall structural strength. As an external component, the metal hinge cover is in direct contact with the external environment and needs to be grounded to meet electrostatic discharge (ESD) requirements. However, in other everyday use scenarios, the human body may come into contact with the metal hinge cover and other metal exterior components (such as the metal frame). When the body is covered in sweat or other electrolyte liquids, the metal hinge cover, being electrically connected to the hinge and grounded, can easily form a current loop with other grounded metal exterior components. This can cause the lower-potential metal exterior component to lose electrons and corrode.

[0005] Application content

[0006] In view of this, this application provides a hinge assembly, a grounding component, and an electronic device to solve the problem that the metal hinge back cover in the prior art cannot simultaneously meet the ESD grounding requirements and the user's daily usage needs.

[0007] A first aspect of this application provides a rotating shaft assembly, including a rotating shaft and a grounding component. The grounding component is disposed between the rotating shaft and a rotating shaft back cover in an electronic device, and is electrically connected to both the rotating shaft back cover and the rotating shaft to form a grounding circuit. The grounding component includes a voltage limiting element. When the voltage in the grounding circuit is greater than or equal to a first threshold value of the voltage limiting element, the voltage limiting element conducts the grounding circuit; when the voltage in the grounding circuit is less than the first threshold value of the voltage limiting element, the voltage limiting element disconnects the grounding circuit.

[0008] In this application, the hinge back cover can directly contact the external environment and is prone to static electricity during use, which has a relatively high voltage. When the hinge back cover comes into contact with a high-voltage static electricity, that is, when the voltage in the grounding circuit is greater than or equal to the first threshold of the voltage limiting element, the voltage limiting element can conduct the grounding circuit, allowing the static electricity to be connected to the ground of the entire device along the current conduction path for static discharge. This satisfies the ESD grounding requirements of the hinge back cover, avoids static instantaneous impact damage to electronic equipment, and improves the safety of electronic equipment.

[0009] In addition, during daily use, when electrolyte liquids such as sweat come into contact with the back cover and other metal exterior components such as the first and / or second housings, the potential difference between the first and / or second housings and the hinge back cover is small, and the voltage is low. That is, the voltage in the grounding circuit is less than the first threshold of the voltage limiting element. At this time, the voltage limiting element can disconnect the grounding circuit, so that the current cannot be connected to the ground of the whole machine along the current conduction path. This avoids the formation of a current loop between the first and / or second housings and the hinge back cover, which would cause an electrochemical reaction. This can prevent the low-potential metal exterior components in the first and / or second housings and the hinge back cover from being oxidized and corroded, thereby improving the service life of the metal exterior components in electronic devices and meeting the daily use needs of users.

[0010] Therefore, the hinge assembly provided in this application embodiment has a simple structure, is easy to manufacture, has a low cost, and can simultaneously meet the ESD grounding requirements of the hinge back cover and the daily use requirements of users, thereby improving the service life of the external metal appearance parts of electronic devices and the safety of electronic devices.

[0011] In one possible design, the voltage limiting element is a transient voltage suppression diode or a varistor.

[0012] When the voltage limiting element is a transient voltage suppressor diode or a varistor, it can maintain a high resistance state when the voltage in the grounding circuit is low, thereby cutting off the grounding circuit to meet the user's daily needs. Furthermore, it can switch from a high resistance state to a low resistance state when the voltage in the grounding circuit is high, thus promptly connecting the grounding circuit and meeting the ESD grounding requirements of the hinge back cover. Moreover, when the voltage limiting element is a transient voltage suppressor diode or a varistor, it has advantages such as small size, low cost, fast pulse response, and strong withstand current, making it less prone to damage under high electrostatic discharge (ESD) voltage impacts. This extends the lifespan of the voltage limiting element, ensures the ESD grounding effect of the hinge back cover, and further improves the safety of electronic equipment.

[0013] In one possible design, the grounding component further includes a circuit board disposed on and electrically connected to the rotating shaft. The voltage limiting element is disposed on the side of the circuit board opposite to the rotating shaft, with one end of the voltage limiting element electrically connected to the circuit board and the other end electrically connected to the back cover of the rotating shaft.

[0014] The circuit board design facilitates the electrical connection between the voltage limiting element and the rotating shaft, improving the stability and reliability of the electrical connection. It also has a simple structure, reducing the complexity of the grounding component, making it easier to manufacture the grounding component and connect it to the rotating shaft.

[0015] In one possible design, the grounding component further includes a first electrical connector disposed on the side of the circuit board away from the rotating shaft. One end of the first electrical connector is electrically connected to the voltage limiting element through the circuit board, and the other end is electrically connected to the back cover of the rotating shaft.

[0016] The first electrical connector ensures that there is no contact between the pressure limiting element and the shaft back cover, while facilitating the electrical connection between the pressure limiting element and the shaft back cover. It also has a simple structure, which allows the grounding component to be integrated into a whole component. This facilitates the separate preparation of the grounding component and the assembly connection between the grounding component and the shaft and shaft back cover, thereby improving the preparation efficiency of the shaft assembly and saving costs.

[0017] In one possible design, the end of the first electrical connector away from the circuit board is connected to the shaft back cover, and the end of the first electrical connector away from the circuit board is capable of elastic deformation.

[0018] When the end of the first electrical connector furthest from the circuit board is subjected to external force, this end adapts to compressive deformation towards the circuit board, absorbing positional tolerances and ensuring the connection between the shaft back cover and the shaft. This expands the applicability of the first connector. Furthermore, the end of the first electrical connector furthest from the circuit board maintains constant contact with the shaft back cover under elastic force, improving the connection stability between them. When the external force on this end disappears, it recovers its shape away from the circuit board under elastic force, resulting in a long service life. This allows for easy reinstallation of the shaft back cover after disassembly, facilitating shaft assembly maintenance and extending the overall lifespan of the shaft assembly.

[0019] In one possible design, the first electrical connector is one of the following: a metal spring, conductive foam, or a conductive elastomer.

[0020] When the first electrical connector is one of a metal spring, conductive foam, or conductive elastomer, the structure is simple, easy to manufacture, and has high hardness, elasticity, and good electrical and thermal conductivity, making it less prone to damage and extending the service life of the first electrical connector.

[0021] In one possible design, there is a gap between the pressure limiting element and the shaft back cover.

[0022] This structure can prevent interference between the pressure limiting element and the shaft back cover during the assembly of the shaft assembly, thus ensuring the reliability of the pressure limiting element and extending its service life.

[0023] In one possible design, the shaft assembly further includes a second electrical connector disposed between the grounding component and the shaft, and electrically connected to both the shaft and the grounding component.

[0024] The second electrical connector facilitates the electrical connection between the grounding component and the shaft, and its simple structure makes it easy to connect the grounding component to the shaft, further reducing the structural complexity of the shaft assembly.

[0025] In one possible design, the second electrical connector is one of conductive adhesive, conductive glue, conductive foam, or conductive silver paste.

[0026] When the second electrical connector is one of conductive adhesive, conductive glue, conductive foam, or conductive silver paste, it can give the second connector high conductivity and adhesion. This allows the grounding component to achieve electrical connection with the shaft while fixing the grounding component on the shaft, preventing displacement of the grounding component relative to the shaft, ensuring a stable connection between the shaft, the grounding component, and the shaft back cover, improving the structural stability of the shaft assembly, and facilitating the assembly of the shaft assembly.

[0027] In one possible design, a limiting groove is provided on the rotating shaft, and at least a portion of the grounding component is disposed within the limiting groove.

[0028] This structure further restricts the displacement of the grounding component on the shaft and prevents interference between the grounding component and other components, thereby improving the structural stability of the shaft assembly. Additionally, this structure reduces the overall thickness of the shaft assembly, facilitating its miniaturization.

[0029] In one possible design, the material of the pivot back cover is one of copper-titanium alloy, high-strength steel, carbon steel, or stainless steel.

[0030] When the material of the hinge back cover is one of copper-titanium alloy, high-strength steel, carbon steel, or stainless steel, the hinge back cover can have high strength and wear resistance, thus enabling the hinge back cover to serve both decorative and structural strength enhancement functions.

[0031] A second aspect of this application provides a grounding component applied to the shaft assembly described in any of the above embodiments. The grounding component is disposed between the shaft in the shaft assembly and the shaft back cover in the electronic device, and is electrically connected to both the shaft back cover and the shaft to form a grounding circuit. The grounding component includes a voltage limiting element. When the voltage in the grounding circuit is greater than or equal to a first threshold value of the voltage limiting element, the voltage limiting element connects the grounding circuit; when the voltage in the grounding circuit is less than the first threshold value of the voltage limiting element, the voltage limiting element disconnects the grounding circuit. Since the grounding component has similar technical effects to the aforementioned shaft assembly, further details are omitted here.

[0032] A third aspect of this application provides an electronic device comprising a first housing, a second housing, a pivot back cover, and a pivot assembly as described in any of the above embodiments. The first housing and the second housing are disposed on opposite sides of the pivot assembly and rotatably connected to the pivot shaft of the pivot assembly. The pivot back cover is connected to the pivot shaft and is electrically connected to the pivot shaft through a grounding component 3 in the pivot assembly to form a grounding circuit. Since the pivot assembly has the aforementioned technical effects, the electronic device including the pivot assembly should also possess corresponding technical effects, which will not be elaborated further here.

[0033] In one possible design, the first and second housings include a metal mid-frame or a metal backplate to improve the overall appearance and structural strength of the electronic device.

[0034] In one possible design, the hinge back cover is made of a first metal material, and the first housing and the second housing are made of a second metal material. The first metal material is different from the second metal material to meet the design requirements of different metal exterior parts in electronic devices and improve the design freedom of electronic devices.

[0035] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are merely exemplary and do not limit this application. Attached Figure Description

[0036] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0037] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a rotating shaft assembly of an electronic device in a specific embodiment of the related art.

[0038] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device in a specific embodiment of the related art;

[0039] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device in a folded state according to an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device in the unfolded state according to an embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 5 is a partially exploded view of the rotating shaft assembly and rotating shaft back cover provided in an embodiment of this application in a specific embodiment;

[0042] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view along the AA direction in Figure 5;

[0043] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the grounding component provided in an embodiment of this application in a specific embodiment;

[0044] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the grounding component provided in the embodiment of this application under compressed conditions;

[0045] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the grounding component provided in the embodiment of this application in an uncompressed state;

[0046] Figure 10 is a partial structural schematic diagram of the rotating shaft assembly provided in an embodiment of this application in a specific embodiment;

[0047] Figure 11 is a partial structural diagram of the pivot assembly and pivot back cover provided in an embodiment of this application in another specific embodiment.

[0048] Reference numerals: 1'-Spindle; 2'-Spindle back cover; 3'-Contact surface; 4'-Screw; 5'-Metal frame; 6'-Human body; 100-Electronic device; 10-Spindle assembly; 1-Spindle; 11-Limiting groove; 2-Connecting component; 3-Grounding component; 31-Voltage limiting element; 32-Circuit board; 33-First electrical connector; 4-Second electrical connector; 5-Gap; 20-First housing; 30-Second housing; 40-Screen; 50-Spindle back cover; 501-Recess.

[0049] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0050] To better understand the technical solution of this application, the embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0051] In the description of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance; unless otherwise specified or explained, the term "multiple" refers to two or more; the terms "connected," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connected" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, an integral connection, or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0052] The terminology used in the embodiments of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in the embodiments of this application and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0053] It should be understood that the term "and / or" used in this article is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this article generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0054] With the development of the electronic equipment industry, foldable electronic devices have become a focus of attention, and the demand for them is increasing. To improve the overall appearance and structural strength of electronic devices, more and more exterior components are being made of metal. These metal exterior components are in direct contact with the external environment and are prone to static electricity during use. To prevent damage from instantaneous static shocks, these metal exterior components are typically grounded to meet the requirements of electrostatic discharge (ESD), allowing static electricity to return to the ground through the grounding path.

[0055] Please refer to Figure 1, which is a schematic diagram of the structure of a rotating shaft assembly of an electronic device in a specific embodiment of the related art.

[0056] As shown in Figure 1, in related technologies, the hinge assembly of a foldable electronic device typically includes a hinge 1' and a metal hinge back cover 2'. The hinge back cover 2' is connected to the hinge 1' to prevent the hinge 1' from being exposed during folding. Simultaneously, the hinge back cover 2' serves both decorative and structural strength-enhancing purposes. Since the hinge back cover 2' is an external component that directly contacts the external environment, to meet electrostatic discharge (ESD) requirements, laser engraving is typically applied to the contact surface 3' between the hinge 1' and the hinge back cover 2', and it is secured with screws 4' to electrically connect the hinge 1' and the hinge back cover 2'. This allows the hinge back cover 2' to be connected to the ground of the electronic device via the hinge 1', achieving ESD grounding and preventing electrostatic discharge from damaging the electronic components inside the device.

[0057] In related technologies, foldable electronic devices also include other metal exterior components such as metal frames or metal back plates. Similarly, to meet ESD grounding requirements, these metal exterior components must also be connected to the ground of the entire device. Please refer to Figure 2, which is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device in a specific embodiment of the related technology. Taking the metal frame 5' as an example, as shown in Figure 2, the metal frame 5' is connected to the hinge 1', thereby achieving ESD grounding.

[0058] However, during use, as shown in Figure 2, the human body 6' easily comes into contact with both the metal frame 5' and the hinge back cover 2' simultaneously. If the human body 6' is covered with electrolyte liquids such as sweat, since both the metal frame 5' and the hinge back cover 2' are electrically connected to the ground of the entire device, the hinge back cover 2', the hinge 1', and the metal frame 5' can easily form a current loop as shown by the dotted line in Figure 2 through the electrolytes such as sweat. Furthermore, the metal frame 5' and the back cover 2' are usually made of different metal materials; therefore, a potential difference will be generated between the metal frame 5', making electrochemical reactions likely. During this electrochemical reaction, the lower-potential metal exterior component acts as the negative electrode, easily losing electrons and undergoing an oxidation reaction, thus becoming easily corroded, affecting the appearance of the electronic device. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the metal hinge back cover 2' and the hinge 1 are not conductive to prevent corrosion of the metal exterior component.

[0059] Therefore, in related technologies, the metal shaft back cover 2' is difficult to simultaneously meet the ESD grounding requirements and the user's daily usage needs.

[0060] To address the aforementioned technical problems, embodiments of this application provide a grounding component, a hinge assembly, and an electronic device. The electronic device includes, for example, a mobile phone, tablet computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), laptop computer, in-vehicle computer, foldable display device, foldable display screen, wearable device, and other electronic devices. Embodiments of this application do not impose special limitations on the specific form of the aforementioned electronic device. For ease of explanation, the following description uses a mobile phone as an example, and specific embodiments of the electronic device of this application will be used to describe it.

[0061] Please refer to Figures 3 and 4. Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of an electronic device provided in the present application in a folded state, and Figure 4 is a structural schematic diagram of an electronic device provided in the present application in an unfolded state.

[0062] As shown in Figure 3, the electronic device 100 includes a hinge assembly 10, a first housing 20, and a second housing 30. The first housing 20 and the second housing 30 are disposed on opposite sides of the hinge assembly 10 and are rotatably connected to the hinge shaft of the hinge assembly 10. Exemplarily, the first housing 20 and the second housing 30 can be a metal frame or a metal backplate to improve the overall appearance and structural strength of the electronic device 100. Specifically, the first housing 20 and the second housing 30 are made of a second metal material. The second metal material can be one or more of aluminum alloy, titanium alloy, or stainless steel; however, it can also be made of other metal materials, and there is no limitation on this.

[0063] The first housing 20 and the second housing 30 can be used to install components such as batteries, circuit boards, cameras, headphones, earpieces, and buttons of electronic devices.

[0064] As shown in Figure 4, the first housing 20, the second housing 30, and the pivot assembly 10 together form a support surface for fixing and supporting the screen 40 of the electronic device. The screen 40 is used to display images, videos, etc. The specific type of screen 40 in this application is not limited. For example, the screen 40 can be an active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) display. As a self-emissive display, AMOLED does not require a backlight module (BLM). Therefore, when the substrate in the AMOLED display is made of a flexible resin material, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the AMOLED display can have bendable characteristics. For example, screen 40 can also be an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, a mini organic light-emitting diode (MLED) display, a micro organic light-emitting diode (MOLED) display, a quantum dot light-emitting diode (QLED) display, etc.

[0065] During use, the electronic device 100 includes a folded state as shown in Figure 3 and an unfolded state as shown in Figure 4. When the first housing 20 and the second housing 30 are close to each other relative to the hinge assembly 10, the screen 40 can be folded, placing the electronic device 100 in the folded state as shown in Figure 3. This reduces the overall size of the electronic device 100, making it easier to carry. When the first housing 20 and the second housing 30 are far apart from each other relative to the hinge assembly 10, the screen 40 can be unfolded, providing the electronic device 100 with a larger display area for user operation and viewing.

[0066] Please refer to Figure 5, which is a partially exploded view of the hinge assembly and hinge back cover provided in a specific embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 5, the electronic device also includes a hinge back cover 50, which is connected to the outside of the hinge assembly 10 to protect the hinge assembly 10 and prevent it from being exposed during folding. Specifically, the hinge back cover 50 is fixedly connected to the hinge 1 of the hinge assembly 10 to prevent the hinge back cover 50 from falling off and to improve the structural stability of the electronic device 100.

[0067] The material of the hinge back cover 50 is a first metal material. Specifically, the first metal material can be one of copper-titanium alloy, high-strength steel, carbon steel, or stainless steel, so that the hinge back cover 50 has high strength and wear resistance, thereby enabling the hinge back cover 50 to play a decorative role and increase the structural strength of the whole machine.

[0068] In addition, the first metal material of the hinge back cover 50 is a different metal material from the second metal material of the first housing 20 and the second housing 30, so as to meet the design requirements of different metal appearance parts in electronic devices and improve the design freedom of electronic devices.

[0069] Those skilled in the art will understand that the structures illustrated in the embodiments of this application do not constitute a specific limitation on the electronic device. In other possible embodiments of this application, the electronic device may include more components than illustrated, or combine some components, or split some components, or have different component arrangements.

[0070] As shown in Figure 5, the rotating shaft assembly 10 consists of a rotating shaft 1, a grounding component 3, a second electrical connector 4, and other components. The rotating shaft 1 can drive the first housing 20 and the second housing 30 to rotate, allowing the electronic device 100 to switch between a folded state and an unfolded state for user convenience.

[0071] Please also refer to Figure 6, which is a cross-sectional view along the AA direction in Figure 5.

[0072] The grounding component 3 is disposed between the rotating shaft 1 and the rotating shaft back cover 50, and is electrically connected to the rotating shaft back cover 50 and the rotating shaft 1 respectively to form a grounding circuit. The grounding component 3 can be used as a whole in different electronic devices.

[0073] The second electrical connector 4 is disposed between the rotating shaft 1 and the grounding component 3, and is used to realize the electrical connection between the grounding component 3 and the rotating shaft 1.

[0074] Specifically, the second electrical connector 4 is disposed between the circuit board 32 and the rotating shaft 1 to enable electrical connection between the circuit board 32 and the rotating shaft 1.

[0075] For example, the second electrical connector 4 can be one of conductive adhesive, conductive glue, conductive foam, or conductive silver paste, so that the second connector 4 has high conductivity and adhesion, thereby enabling the grounding component 3 to achieve electrical connection with the rotating shaft 1 while fixing the grounding component 3 on the rotating shaft 1, preventing the grounding component 3 from being displaced relative to the rotating shaft 1, ensuring a stable connection between the rotating shaft 1, the grounding component 2, and the rotating shaft back cover 3, improving the structural stability of the rotating shaft assembly 10, and facilitating the assembly of the rotating shaft assembly 10.

[0076] Of course, the grounding component 3 can also be electrically connected to the rotating shaft 1 in other ways, and there are no restrictions here.

[0077] As shown in Figure 6, the grounding component 3 includes a voltage limiting element 31. When the voltage in the grounding circuit is greater than or equal to the first threshold value of the voltage limiting element 31, the voltage limiting element 31 connects the grounding circuit. When the voltage in the grounding circuit is less than the first threshold value of the voltage limiting element 31, the voltage limiting element 31 disconnects the grounding circuit.

[0078] The hinge back cover 50 is in direct contact with the external environment and is prone to static electricity during use, which can have a high voltage. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6, when the hinge back cover 50 comes into contact with a high-voltage static electricity, i.e., the voltage in the grounding circuit is greater than or equal to the first threshold of the voltage limiting element 31, the voltage limiting element 31 can conduct the grounding circuit, allowing the static electricity to be connected to the ground of the entire device along the current conduction path shown by the dotted line in Figure 6 for static discharge. This satisfies the ESD grounding requirements of the hinge back cover 50, avoids static instantaneous impact damage to electronic equipment, and improves the safety of electronic equipment use.

[0079] In addition, during daily use, when electrolyte liquids such as sweat come into contact with the hinge back cover 50 and other metal exterior components such as the first housing 20 and / or the second housing 30 in Figure 4, the potential difference between the first housing 20 and / or the second housing 30 and the hinge back cover 50 is small, and the voltage is low. That is, the voltage in the grounding circuit is less than the first threshold of the voltage limiting element 31. At this time, the voltage limiting element 31 can disconnect the grounding circuit, so that the current cannot be connected to the ground of the whole machine along the current conduction path shown by the dotted line in Figure 6. This avoids the formation of a current loop between the first housing 20 and / or the second housing 30 and the hinge back cover 50, which would cause an electrochemical reaction. This can prevent the first housing 20 and / or the second housing 30 and other metal exterior components, as well as the low-potential metal exterior components in the hinge back cover 50, from being oxidized and corroded, thereby improving the service life of the metal exterior components in electronic devices and meeting the daily use needs of users.

[0080] Therefore, the hinge assembly 10 provided in this application embodiment has a simple structure, is easy to manufacture, has a low cost, and can simultaneously meet the ESD grounding requirements of the hinge back cover 50 and the daily use requirements of users, thereby improving the service life of the external metal appearance parts of electronic devices and the safety of electronic devices.

[0081] The voltage in the grounding circuit can be obtained by detecting the voltage applied across the voltage limiting element 31, or it can be detected by other means, which are not limited here.

[0082] In addition, the first threshold of the voltage limiting element 31 can be 10V, 20V, 30V, 40V, 50V, etc., and can be set according to actual needs. No restrictions are imposed here.

[0083] In one specific embodiment, as shown in FIG6, the voltage limiting element 31 can be a transient voltage suppressor (TVS) or a varistor.

[0084] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6, when the voltage limiting element 31 is a transient voltage suppression diode or a varistor, the voltage limiting element 31 can be in a high-resistance state when the voltage in the grounding circuit is low, thereby cutting off the grounding circuit to meet the user's daily usage needs. Furthermore, when the voltage in the grounding circuit is high, it can switch from a high-resistance state to a low-resistance state, thereby promptly connecting the grounding circuit and meeting the ESD grounding requirements of the shaft back cover 50. Moreover, when the voltage limiting element 31 is a transient voltage suppression diode or a varistor, it has advantages such as small size, low cost, fast pulse response, and strong resistance to surge current. This makes the voltage limiting element 31 less susceptible to damage under high electrostatic discharge (ESD) voltage impacts, improving its service life, ensuring the ESD grounding effect of the shaft back cover 50, and further enhancing the safety of electronic equipment.

[0085] Of course, the voltage limiting element 31 can also be other electronic devices with voltage limiting function. The voltage limiting element 31 can be selected and set according to the actual needs of the grounding circuit to be protected, and there are no restrictions here.

[0086] In one specific embodiment, as shown in FIG6, the grounding component 3 further includes a circuit board 32, which is disposed on the rotating shaft 1 and electrically connected to the rotating shaft 1. A pressure limiting element 31 is disposed on the side of the circuit board 32 away from the rotating shaft 1. One end of the pressure limiting element 31 is electrically connected to the circuit board 32, and the other end is electrically connected to the rotating shaft back cover 50.

[0087] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG6, the circuit board 32 facilitates the electrical connection between the voltage limiting element 31 and the rotating shaft 1, improves the stability and reliability of the electrical connection between the voltage limiting element 31 and the rotating shaft 1, and has a simple structure, reducing the structural complexity of the grounding component 3, facilitating the preparation of the grounding component 3, and also facilitating the connection between the grounding component 3 and the rotating shaft 1.

[0088] Among them, the circuit board 32 can be a printed circuit board (PCB) or a flexible printed circuit (FPC), etc., and can be set according to actual needs. There are no restrictions here.

[0089] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, there is a gap 5 between the pressure limiting element 31 and the shaft back cover 50, which can prevent the pressure limiting element 31 from interfering with the shaft back cover 50 and being damaged during the assembly of the shaft assembly 10, thus ensuring the reliability of the pressure limiting element 31 and improving its service life.

[0090] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, the grounding component 3 also includes a first electrical connector 33. The first electrical connector 33 is disposed on the side of the circuit board 32 away from the rotating shaft 1. One end of the first electrical connector 33 is electrically connected to the voltage limiting element 31 through the circuit board 32, and the other end is electrically connected to the rotating shaft back cover 50.

[0091] Please refer to Figure 7, which is a schematic diagram of the structure of the grounding component provided in an embodiment of this application in a specific embodiment.

[0092] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG6, the first electrical connector 33 can ensure that there is no contact between the pressure limiting element 31 and the shaft back cover 50, while facilitating the electrical connection between the pressure limiting element 31 and the shaft back cover 50. It also has a simple structure, which allows the grounding component 3 to be integrated into an integral component as shown in FIG7. This facilitates the separate preparation of the grounding component 3 and its application in different electronic devices. It also facilitates the assembly and connection of the grounding component 3 with the shaft 1 and the shaft back cover 50, thereby improving the preparation efficiency of the shaft assembly 10 and saving costs.

[0093] The circuit board 32 may be provided with a connection circuit so that the voltage limiting element 31 can be connected in series with the first electrical connector 33 through the connection circuit, so that the current in the grounding circuit can be conducted along the current conduction path shown by the dotted line in Figure 6, thereby enabling the voltage limiting element 31 to control the conduction or cutoff of the circuit.

[0094] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, a recessed portion 501 can be provided at the position corresponding to the electrical connection between the shaft back cover 50 and the first electrical connector 33. This restricts the displacement of the first electrical connector 33 on the shaft back cover 50, ensuring the connection stability between the first electrical connector 33 and the shaft back cover 50. It also further increases the installation space between the shaft back cover 50 and the shaft 1, facilitating the installation of the grounding component 3 and contributing to the miniaturization design of electronic devices. The surface of the recessed portion 501 can be laser-engraved to ensure the stability of the electrical connection between the first electrical connector 33 and the shaft back cover 50.

[0095] In one specific embodiment, as shown in FIG6, the end of the first electrical connector 33 away from the circuit board 32 is connected to the shaft back cover 50, and the end of the first electrical connector 33 away from the circuit board 32 can generate elastic deformation.

[0096] Please refer to Figures 8 and 9. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the grounding component provided in the embodiment of this application in a compressed state, and Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the grounding component provided in the embodiment of this application in an uncompressed state.

[0097] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, when the end of the first electrical connector 33 away from the circuit board 32 is subjected to external force, the end of the first electrical connector 33 away from the circuit board 32 can undergo adaptive compressive deformation towards the side of the circuit board 32, absorbing positional tolerances, thereby ensuring that the shaft back cover 50 can be connected to the shaft 1, improving the applicability of the first connector 33. Furthermore, the end of the first electrical connector 33 away from the circuit board 32 can maintain contact with the shaft back cover 50 under the action of elasticity, thereby improving the connection stability between the first connector 33 and the shaft back cover 50. As shown in Figure 9, when the external force on the end of the first electrical connector 33 away from the circuit board 32 disappears, the end of the first electrical connector 33 away from the circuit board 32 can recover its deformation in the direction away from the circuit board 32 under the action of elasticity, resulting in a long service life. This allows the shaft back cover 50 to be reinstalled after disassembly, facilitating the maintenance of the shaft assembly 10 and improving the service life of the shaft assembly 10.

[0098] In one specific embodiment, as shown in Figures 7-9, the first electrical connector 33 is a metal spring, which has a simple structure, is easy to manufacture, and has high hardness, elasticity, and good electrical and thermal conductivity, making it less prone to damage and extending its service life. The metal spring can be made of stainless steel or copper alloy, giving it good corrosion resistance and wear resistance. Of course, other materials can also be used; the specific choice depends on actual needs and is not limited here.

[0099] In other specific embodiments, the first electrical connector 33 may also be other elastic electrical connectors such as conductive foam or conductive elastomer, in order to further reduce the manufacturing cost and increase the design freedom of the grounding component 3. The specific design can be set according to actual needs and is not limited here.

[0100] Please refer to Figure 10, which is a partial structural schematic diagram of the rotating shaft assembly provided in an embodiment of this application in a specific embodiment.

[0101] In one specific embodiment, as shown in FIG10, a limiting groove 11 may be provided on the rotating shaft 1, and at least a portion of the grounding component 3 is disposed within the limiting groove 11, thereby further limiting the displacement of the grounding component 3 on the rotating shaft 1 and preventing interference between the grounding component 3 and other components, thereby further improving the structural stability of the rotating shaft assembly 10. In addition, this structure can reduce the overall thickness of the rotating shaft assembly 10, which is beneficial to the miniaturization design of the rotating shaft assembly 10.

[0102] As shown in Figure 10, the shape and size of the limiting groove 11 can be matched with the shape and size of the grounding component 3 to further reduce the space occupied by the grounding component 3 on the rotating shaft 1 and improve the integration of the rotating shaft assembly 1.

[0103] Please refer to Figure 11, which is a partial structural schematic diagram of the pivot assembly and pivot back cover provided in this application embodiment in another specific embodiment.

[0104] In one specific embodiment, as shown in FIG11, the rotating shaft assembly 10 further includes a connecting component 2. The rotating shaft back cover 50 is connected to the rotating shaft 1 through the connecting component 2, so that the rotating shaft back cover 50 can press the end of the first electrical connector 33 away from the circuit board 32 toward the side of the circuit board 32, thereby ensuring a stable contact connection between the rotating shaft back cover 50 and the first electrical connector 33.

[0105] For example, the connecting component 2 can be a screw, which has a simple structure, is easy to assemble, and can further improve the connection stability between the rotating shaft 1 and the rotating shaft back cover 50.

[0106] Of course, the connecting component 2 can also be other fixed connecting parts. The rotating shaft 1 and the rotating shaft back cover 50 can also be fixedly connected by snap-fit ​​or other means. The specific settings can be set according to actual needs, and no restrictions are imposed here.

[0107] The same or similar parts between the various embodiments in this specification can be referred to mutually. In particular, the device embodiments and terminal embodiments are basically similar to the method embodiments, so the description is relatively simple, and the relevant parts can be referred to the description in the method embodiments.

[0108] The above descriptions are merely specific implementations of the embodiments of this application, but the protection scope of the embodiments of this application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the embodiments of this application should be covered within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of the embodiments of this application should be determined by the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A rotating shaft assembly, characterized in that, include: Shaft (1); Grounding component (3) is disposed between the rotating shaft (1) and the rotating shaft back cover (50) in the electronic device, and is electrically connected to the rotating shaft back cover (50) and the rotating shaft (1) respectively to form a grounding circuit; The grounding component (3) includes a voltage limiting element (31). When the voltage in the grounding circuit is greater than or equal to a first threshold of the voltage limiting element (31), the voltage limiting element (31) turns on the grounding circuit. When the voltage in the grounding circuit is less than the first threshold of the voltage limiting element (31), the voltage limiting element (31) disconnects the grounding circuit.

2. The rotating shaft assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The voltage limiting element (31) is a transient voltage suppression diode or a varistor.

3. The rotating shaft assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The grounding component (3) also includes a circuit board (32), which is disposed on the rotating shaft (1) and electrically connected to the rotating shaft (1); The pressure limiting element (31) is provided on the side of the circuit board (32) away from the rotating shaft (1). One end of the pressure limiting element (31) is electrically connected to the circuit board (32), and the other end is electrically connected to the rotating shaft back cover (50).

4. The rotating shaft assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The grounding component (3) further includes a first electrical connector (33), which is disposed on the side of the circuit board (32) away from the rotating shaft (1); One end of the first electrical connector (33) is electrically connected to the pressure limiting element (31) through the circuit board (32), and the other end is electrically connected to the rotating shaft back cover (50).

5. The rotating shaft assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, The end of the first electrical connector (33) away from the circuit board (32) is connected to the shaft back cover (50); The end of the first electrical connector (33) away from the circuit board (32) is capable of elastic deformation.

6. The rotating shaft assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first electrical connector (33) is one of a metal spring, conductive foam, or conductive elastomer.

7. The rotating shaft assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, There is a gap (5) between the pressure limiting element (31) and the shaft back cover (50).

8. The rotating shaft assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The rotating shaft assembly (10) further includes a second electrical connector (4), which is disposed between the grounding component (3) and the rotating shaft (1) and is electrically connected to the rotating shaft (1) and the grounding component (3) respectively.

9. The rotating shaft assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that, The second electrical connector (4) is one of conductive adhesive, conductive glue, conductive foam, or conductive silver paste.

10. The rotating shaft assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, A limiting groove (11) is provided on the rotating shaft (1), and at least a portion of the grounding component (3) is disposed in the limiting groove (11).

11. The rotating shaft assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, The material of the rotating shaft back cover (50) is one of copper-titanium alloy, high-strength steel, carbon steel, or stainless steel.

12. A grounding component, characterized in that, The grounding component (3) is disposed between the shaft (1) in the shaft assembly (10) as described in any one of claims 1 to 11 and the shaft back cover (50) in the electronic device, and is electrically connected to the shaft back cover (50) and the shaft (1) respectively to form a grounding circuit; The grounding component (3) includes a voltage limiting element (31). When the voltage in the grounding circuit is greater than or equal to a first threshold of the voltage limiting element (31), the voltage limiting element (31) turns on the grounding circuit. When the voltage in the grounding circuit is less than the first threshold of the voltage limiting element (31), the voltage limiting element (31) disconnects the grounding circuit.

13. An electronic device, characterized in that, The electronic device includes a first housing (20), a second housing (30), a pivot back cover (50), and a pivot assembly (10) as described in any one of claims 1 to 11; The first housing (20) and the second housing (30) are disposed on opposite sides of the rotating shaft assembly (10) and are rotatably connected to the rotating shaft (1) of the rotating shaft assembly (10); The shaft back cover (50) is connected to the shaft (1) and is electrically connected to the shaft (1) through the grounding component (3) in the shaft assembly (10) to form a grounding circuit.

14. The electronic device according to claim 13, characterized in that, The first housing (20) and the second housing (30) include a metal frame or a metal back plate.

15. The electronic device according to claim 13, characterized in that, The pivot back cover (50) is made of a first metal material, and the first housing (20) and the second housing (30) are made of a second metal material. The first metal material is different from the second metal material.

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