Foldable Hinge Damping Structure for Wide-Angle Hovering
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current foldable mobile phones can only hover at certain angles and experience wear-out issues with hinge components, leading to diminished damping feedback and user experience.
Innovation Solution
A connection structure with a damping mechanism that allows for hovering at a wide range of angles by generating damping forces to hinder rotation and maintain position, featuring multiple damping mechanisms arranged along a connecting seam to provide uniform force distribution and prolong service life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single damping mechanism is used in the hinge, then the structure is simple, but the damping force decreases rapidly with wear and the service life is short
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge is divided into multiple damping mechanisms (first, second, and third damping mechanisms) arranged in parallel. Each damping mechanism includes a damping component with damping elements that provide friction-based damping forces. This segmentation allows the total damping force to be distributed across multiple components, so that when individual components wear, the overall damping performance degrades more gradually, extending service life while maintaining acceptable damping levels.
2Reliability
If multiple damping mechanisms are used in the hinge, then the service life is extended and damping force consistency is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge is divided into multiple damping mechanisms (first, second, and third damping mechanisms) arranged in parallel. Each damping mechanism includes a damping component with damping elements that provide friction-based damping forces. This segmentation allows the total damping force to be distributed across multiple components, so that when individual components wear, the overall damping performance degrades more gradually, extending service life while maintaining acceptable damping levels.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple damping mechanisms are combined within the single hinge structure, with all damping components working together to provide the total damping force. The damping mechanisms are integrated into the hinge assembly, sharing common structural elements and mounting points, which reduces the overall space required and minimizes the increase in complexity despite having multiple damping components.
3Device complexity
If current hinge components are used, then the structure is simple, but the hinge can only hover at certain angles and cannot maintain arbitrary angles
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge employs multiple damping mechanisms with different damping forces, allowing the system to maintain equilibrium at various angles by balancing the damping forces against gravitational and external forces. The damping forces can be adjusted or selected to enable hovering at specific angles, providing adaptability across a wide range of positions rather than being limited to fixed angles.
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
Enables arbitrary angle hovering and improved user experience through consistent damping feedback, while extending the service life of the connection structure by smoothly reducing damping forces over time.
Implementation Method 1
When the second connecting member rotates from a first position to a second position relative to the first connecting member under an action of an external force, the damping mechanism generates a damping force that hinders the rotation of the second connecting member
Data Source
AI summary
A connection structure and a foldable terminal device are provided. The connection structure includes a first connecting member, a second connecting member, and a damping mechanism connected to the first connecting member and the second connecting member. The damping mechanism is configured to achieve hovering of the first connecting member and the second connecting member, so that arbitrary angle hovering in a wide range of angles can be realized. In addition, a certain sense of damping can be fed back to users through the damping mechanism, so that the user experience is improved.