Foldable Display Hinge Mechanism With Track-Slot Guided Connectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current foldable electronic devices face challenges in achieving a compact hinge mechanism design while ensuring structural reliability of flexible displays, as existing hinge mechanisms are often bulky and heavy, leading to weakened stability and reduced device lifespan.
Innovation Solution
A hinge mechanism with a simplified structure, featuring a main shaft and rotating modules with connectors that slide in track slots, ensuring stability and reliability by maintaining a constant outer tangent length and avoiding uncontrolled movement, thus reducing the size and weight of the hinge mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a complex movement assembly is used to avoid squeezing or pulling the flexible display, then the structural reliability of the flexible display is improved, but the size of the hinge mechanism becomes too large
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge mechanism is divided into multiple independent rotating assemblies (first rotating assembly with first swing arm, first support arm, first connector; second rotating assembly with second swing arm, second support arm, second connector), each responsible for specific movement functions. This segmentation allows the complex movement function to be achieved through coordinated simple components rather than a single bulky assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The connectors are designed to move along track slots that constrain their movement paths in specific directions. The first connector moves along the first track slot and the second connector moves along the second track slot, creating controlled two-dimensional movement paths that achieve the required folding motion while maintaining compact dimensions.
2Volume of moving object
If the hinge mechanism is made compact, then the device size is reduced, but the stability and reliability of the hinge mechanism are weakened
Solution Approach 1:
The connectors serve as intermediary elements between the swing arms and support arms, transmitting forces and motions while being constrained by track slots. This intermediary mechanism allows compact design while maintaining stability, as the track slots provide guidance and support without requiring large component dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanism uses rotational motion parameters (rotation of swing arms and support arms around main shaft) and translational motion parameters (movement of connectors along track slots) to achieve compact folding. By changing from linear extension to rotational-translational combined motion, the mechanism achieves compact size while maintaining reliability through controlled motion paths.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a bulky hinge mechanism is used, then structural stability is improved, but the device weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge mechanism is segmented into lightweight individual components (swing arms, support arms, connectors) that can be optimized separately for minimal weight while maintaining collective structural stability through their coordinated arrangement around the main shaft.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanism uses thin-walled but structurally efficient arm components and connectors that provide necessary structural stability without excessive weight. The track slots provide structural support while occupying minimal space, achieving high strength-to-weight ratio.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The proposed hinge mechanism achieves a compact, lightweight, and reliable design that prevents squeezing or pulling on flexible displays, enhancing structural reliability and extending the device's lifespan by maintaining stability throughout the folding and unfolding process.
Implementation Method 1
the first connector is capable of moving along the first track slot, for limitation on a movement track of the first connector
Implementation Method 2
the second connector is capable of moving along the second track slot, for limitation on a movement track of the second connector
Implementation Method 3
the first swing arm is rotatably connected to the main shaft
Implementation Method 4
the second swing arm is rotatably connected to the main shaft
Data Source
AI summary
A hinge mechanism includes a main shaft and a rotating module. The rotating module includes a first rotating assembly, a second rotating assembly, a first housing mounting bracket, and a second housing mounting bracket. The first rotating assembly includes a first swing arm, a first support arm, and a first connector. The first connector is separately rotatably connected to the first swing arm and the first support plate, and the first connector is capable of moving along a first track slot of the main shaft, for limitation on a movement track of the first connector. The second rotating assembly includes a second swing arm, a second support arm, and a second connector. The second connector is separately rotatably connected to the second swing arm and the second support arm, and the second connector is capable of moving along a second track slot of the main shaft.