Foldable Display Hinge Structure With Helical Torque Balancing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Foldable electronic devices with flexible displays face issues with maintaining a desired folded state due to increased restoring force as the display size increases, leading to defects in folding and unfolding motions.
Innovation Solution
A hinge structure comprising a fixed structure with arc-shaped guide rails, rotary structures with helical grooves, and a sliding structure that provides torque to counteract the restoring force of the display, allowing stable folding and unfolding without increasing the device's thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If the size of the flexible display is increased, then the screen area is improved, but the restoring force increases causing defects in folding and unfolding motions
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge structure generates a counteracting force through its mechanical design to balance the restoring force of the flexible display. The guide rails and rotary structures create a counterbalancing mechanism that offsets the display's tendency to return to its original shape, enabling stable folding and unfolding motions despite the increased restoring force from larger display sizes.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a hinge structure is added to provide torque to counteract restoring force, then the stability of folded state is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge structure is divided into multiple functional components including guide rails, rotary structures, and sliding mechanisms. Each segment performs a specific function in generating the necessary torque, allowing the complex task of counteracting restoring force to be distributed across manageable parts while maintaining overall stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide rails are designed with arc shapes and the rotary structures incorporate helical grooves, utilizing curved geometries to efficiently convert rotational motion into the required torque. This curved design allows for smooth folding and unfolding motions while generating the necessary counterbalancing force.
3Force
If the hinge structure components are enlarged to provide sufficient torque, then the torque capability is improved, but the thickness of the electronic device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge structure utilizes three-dimensional spatial arrangements with arc-shaped guide rails and helical grooves that extend in multiple directions. This multi-dimensional design allows the generation of sufficient torque through efficient mechanical leverage rather than simply increasing component size in one direction, thereby maintaining thinner device profile.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge components are arranged in a nested configuration where the rotary structure with helical groove accommodates the guide protrusion, and the entire assembly fits within the guide rails. This nested arrangement maximizes the mechanical advantage and torque generation within a compact thickness.
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 hinge structure effectively cancels out the restoring force of the display, enabling stable maintenance of the folded state desired by the user without thickness increase, ensuring smooth folding and unfolding motions.
Implementation Method 1
a first helical groove extending around and along the first axis of rotation and that rotates about the first axis of rotation, a second rotary structure that includes a second guide portion accommodated in the second guide rail and a second helical groove extending around and along the second axis of rotation and that rotates about the second axis of rotation, and a sliding structure that includes a first guide protrusion accommodated in the first helical groove and a second guide protrusion accommodated in the second helical groove and that slides in the axial direction relative to the fixed structure as the first rotary structure and the second rotary structure rotate
Data Source
AI summary
A hinge structure is provided. The hinge structure includes a fixed structure including a first guide rail and a second guide rail, a center of an arc of the first guide rail is a first axis of rotation parallel to an axial direction and a center of an arc of the second guide rail is a second axis of rotation parallel to the axial direction, a first rotary structure including a first guide portion accommodated in the first guide rail and a first helical groove extending around and along the first axis of rotation, a second rotary structure including a second guide portion accommodated in the second guide rail and a second helical groove extending around and along the second axis of rotation, and a sliding structure including a first guide protrusion accommodated in the first helical groove and a second guide protrusion accommodated in the second helical groove.