Foldable Housing Structure for Flexible Circuit Bend Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Foldable electronic devices experience fracture failures in the flexible circuit board due to large local stresses during folding and unfolding, reducing their service life.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates arc-shaped surfaces on the housings to guide the bending part of the flexible circuit board into a preset shape, controlling the bending radius and alleviating local stress, using compressing members to facilitate this process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the flexible circuit board is allowed to bend freely during folding and unfolding, then the device can achieve compact folding and easy storage, but the bending part experiences large local stress leading to fracture failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces arc-shaped guiding surfaces on the housing that constrain the bending part of the flexible circuit board to follow a predetermined curved path during folding and unfolding. This controlled curvature prevents sharp bends and reduces local stress concentration, thereby extending the service life while maintaining folding functionality
2Ease of operation
If the bending part of the flexible circuit board is given sufficient redundant length to meet bending needs, then the device can achieve smooth folding motion, but the bending part becomes more susceptible to fracture due to increased stress cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-defines the bending trajectory through arc-shaped guiding surfaces, so that the bending part follows a predetermined safe path during folding and unfolding. This preliminary constraint on the bending path prevents unpredictable stress distributions and reduces the risk of fracture while ensuring smooth motion
Data Source
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AI summary
A foldable electronic device (100) includes a rotation shaft (1), a housing assembly (2) and a flexible circuit board (3). The housing assembly (2) includes a first housing (21) and a second housing (22), and the first housing (21) and the second housing (22) are rotatably connected to both sides of the rotation shaft (1), respectively. The first housing (21) has a first arc-shaped surface (212), and in a process of switching from a folded state to a flattened state, the first arc-shaped surface (212) abuts against the bending part (32), to guide the bending part (32) to bend into a preset shape; and/or the second housing (22) has a second arc-shaped surface (222), and in a process of switching from a folded state to a flattened state, the second arc-shaped surface abuts against the bending part, to guide the bending part to bend into a preset shape.