Foldable Display Hinge Structure for Zero-Backlash Gear Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gear tolerances during manufacturing lead to small gaps between gear teeth, causing incomplete meshing and resulting in idle rotation and substantial delays in hinge operations, particularly when switching gear directions, which affects the stability and usability of foldable electronic devices.
Innovation Solution
A hinge structure with a rotating shaft, idle gears, and interconnecting structures that include pressing members to move gears toward each other, allowing them to engage and receive rotational forces in opposite directions, ensuring proper alignment and reducing delays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If gears are manufactured with standard tolerances, then manufacturing cost and ease of manufacture are improved, but gear meshing completeness deteriorates due to gaps between teeth
Solution Approach 1:
An intermediary structure (interconnecting structure) is introduced between the first gear and second gear to compensate for manufacturing gaps. This intermediary component ensures continuous mechanical connection and power transmission even when standard tolerance gears have gaps between teeth, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and meshing reliability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If multiple interworking gears are used to sustain continuous rotation, then the ability to maintain rotation is improved, but idle rotation and delay increase due to accumulated gaps
Solution Approach 1:
The interconnecting structure converts the harmful effect of gap accumulation into a beneficial pre-loaded mechanical connection. By designing the structure to receive rotational forces in opposite directions, it eliminates idle rotation and ensures immediate power transmission, turning the potential delay into a responsive connection.
3Power
If gears are designed to mesh completely with no clearance, then power transmission efficiency is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The gear system is segmented into multiple components (first gear, second gear, and interconnecting structure) that work together. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured with standard tolerances while the combination achieves complete meshing and efficient power transmission, resolving the contradiction between power efficiency and manufacturing precision.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a first housing, a second housing, a hinge structure configured to connect the first housing and the second housing, and a foldable display module. The hinge structure includes a rotating shaft, a first idle gear, a second idle gear, a first gear, a second gear, a first pressing member configured to move the first gear toward the second gear, and a first interconnecting structure formed between the first gear and the second gear to enable the first gear to engage with the second gear, the first interconnecting structure being formed between the first gear and the second gear such that, as first pressing member moves the first gear toward the second gear, the first gear and the second gear receive with rotational forces in opposite directions.