Foldable Screen Camera Recess Layout for Thinner Folding Phones

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing foldable electronic devices suffer from excessive thickness in the folded state due to the interference of front-facing cameras with the display screens, leading to poor user experience.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of recessed portions and grooves in the display screens and casings to accommodate front-facing cameras without increasing the overall thickness, allowing for a compact design by avoiding interference with the screens.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the front-facing camera is mounted on the first casing, then the camera can be positioned to capture images, but the camera interferes with the primary screen and secondary screen, causing excessive thickness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecamera functionalityVSAvoiddevice thickness
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The front-facing camera is nested within recessed portions formed in both the primary screen and secondary screen. The camera body is positioned within the overlapping recessed areas, allowing the camera to be housed within the screen structure itself rather than adding external thickness to the device casing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The solution transitions from a single-dimension thickness problem to a multi-dimensional spatial arrangement by creating recessed portions that extend in multiple directions. The camera is positioned in the thickness direction while the recessed portions provide lateral clearance, effectively utilizing three-dimensional space to resolve the interference issue without increasing overall device thickness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of manufacture

If the thickness of the first casing is increased to accommodate the front-facing camera, then the camera can be mounted without interfering with the screens, but the overall device thickness becomes excessively large

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecamera mountingVSAvoiddevice thickness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of uniformly increasing the thickness of the entire first casing, the invention applies localized recessed portions only in the specific areas where the camera needs to be mounted. This local modification provides the necessary mounting space for the camera while maintaining the original thin profile of the casing in all other areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The first casing is segmented into multiple functional zones: the recessed portions that accommodate the camera, the areas where the primary and secondary screens are mounted, and the remaining structural areas. This segmentation allows each zone to be optimized independently, with the camera zone having increased local thickness only where necessary.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4525417B1Folding electronic device
Publication Date: 2026.03.25 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4525417B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4525417B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4525417B1 patent drawingFigure 5~7

AI summary

This application relates to a foldable electronic device, including a housing, where the housing includes a plurality of casings; a folding component, where adjacent casings are connected by using the folding component, so that the foldable electronic device is in a folded state or an unfolded state; a screen, where the screen includes a primary screen and a secondary screen that are disposed opposite to each other in a thickness direction of the foldable electronic device; and a front-facing camera. The casings include a first casing. At least a part of the front-facing camera is mounted on the first casing. The secondary screen is fastened to the first casing. A first recessed portion is provided on the primary screen fastened to the first casing. A second recessed portion is provided on the secondary screen. Two ends of the front-facing camera are respectively located in the first recessed portion and the second recessed portion in the thickness direction of the foldable electronic device. The first recessed portion and the second recessed portion can avoid the front-facing camera, so that the front-facing camera is prevented from interfering with the primary screen and the secondary screen without a need to increase a thickness of the first casing, and the first casing of the electronic device can be small. This reduces a thickness of the electronic device in the folded state.