Foldable Hinge Structure With Housing Reinforcement Against Impact
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Foldable electronic devices face issues with damage to internal structures due to unintended impacts during use, compromising portability and functionality.
Innovation Solution
A foldable electronic device with a hinge structure featuring reinforcing structures on the housings and a hinge housing, which includes a fixed bracket, rotation members, and arm members to stabilize the device and prevent damage from external forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the display size is enlarged to provide a wider screen, then the screen display capability is improved, but the overall device size increases and portability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into two separate housings (first housing and second housing) that can be folded relative to each other via a hinge structure. This segmentation allows the display to span across both housings, effectively doubling the screen area while maintaining a compact form factor when folded.
Solution Approach 2:
When folded, the second housing is positioned adjacent to and partially overlaps with the first housing, creating a nested configuration. This nesting allows the enlarged display to be compacted into a smaller overall package, improving portability while maintaining the large screen area when unfolded.
2Length of moving object
If the foldable electronic device is made compact for portability, then portability is improved, but the device becomes vulnerable to impact damage to internal structures
Solution Approach 1:
Reinforcing structures are pre-installed on the first and second housings at locations that will experience impact forces during folding and unfolding operations. These reinforcing structures are positioned before any impact occurs, providing preemptive protection to the hinge structure and internal components.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcing structures act as cushioning elements that absorb and distribute impact forces before they reach the vulnerable hinge structure and internal components. By placing these reinforcing elements in advance at critical locations, the device is protected against impact damage without adding significant weight or bulk.
3Strength
If reinforcing structures are added to the housings to prevent impact damage, then structural strength is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly reinforcing the entire housings, the reinforcing structures are strategically placed only at specific locations where impact forces are most likely to occur during folding and unfolding. This localized approach provides necessary strength while minimizing the addition of complex structural elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcing structures are integrated with the existing hinge structure and housing design, combining multiple functions into unified components. This merging approach strengthens the device against impact while avoiding the need for separate, additional complex structural elements.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are a foldable electronic device and a hinge structure included therein. The foldable electronic device includes a display, a first housing, a second housing, at least one hinge structure, and a hinge housing. The at least one hinge structure includes a fixed bracket, a first rotation member and a second rotation member fastened to one side of the fixed bracket, a first arm member and a second arm member fastened to an opposite side of the fixed bracket, at least one first housing reinforcing structure formed between a region of the first housing on which the hinge housing is seated and a region of the first housing on which one end of the hinge structure is seated, and at least one second housing reinforcing structure formed between a region of the second housing on which the hinge housing is seated and a region of the second housing on which an opposite end of the hinge structure is seated.