Foldable Mechanism Inner Plate Nesting for Screen Volume Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing foldable mechanisms for mobile phones are not conducive to miniaturized designs due to their structural limitations, which hinder the reduction of the device's size when folded.
Innovation Solution
A foldable mechanism comprising a base assembly with two hinge seats, two support assemblies with pivotally connected outer and inner plate members, and driving assemblies that allow the inner plate members to flip towards the bottom seat, forming a concave space to accommodate the bending part of a flexible screen, thereby reducing the external volume of the screen.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the traditional foldable mechanism with middle door plate and outer door plates is used, then the screen can be folded, but the external volume of the device cannot be effectively reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The support assembly is segmented into outer plate member and inner plate member, with the inner plate member further divided into first inner plate member and second inner plate member. This segmentation allows each component to perform specific functions during folding, enabling the screen to be accommodated within the mechanism structure rather than protruding outward, thus reducing external volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The foldable mechanism implements nesting by placing the first inner plate member inside the outer plate member, and the second inner plate member inside the first inner plate member. During folding, the screen is nested within the folded structure of the plate members, allowing the bending part of the screen to be contained within the overall device footprint rather than increasing external dimensions.
2Volume of moving object
If the inner plate members remain stationary during folding, then the structure is simple, but the screen bending part cannot be accommodated compactly
Solution Approach 1:
The inner plate members are designed to dynamically change their orientation during the folding process. The first inner plate member rotates relative to the outer plate member, and the second inner plate member rotates relative to the first inner plate member. This dynamic movement allows the structure to adapt to the screen's bending radius, creating space to accommodate the bending part while maintaining operational simplicity through natural rotational motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge seats act as intermediaries between the outer plate member and the inner plate members, enabling controlled rotation and movement. The hinge seats facilitate the dynamic adjustment of inner plate members during folding, allowing compact accommodation of the screen bending part while maintaining ease of operation through smooth rotational motion.
Data Source
AI summary
A foldable mechanism comprises a base assembly, two support assemblies, and two driving assemblies. The base assembly includes a bottom seat and two hinge seats respectively fixed to two sides of the bottom seat. The support assembly includes an outer plate member and an inner plate member located between the two outer plate members, the outer plate member and the inner plate member are pivotally connected to the corresponding hinge seat respectively, and pivotal axes of the outer plate members and the inner plate members are parallel to a central axis L of the bottom seat; the driving assembly is connected to and between the bottom seat and the inner plate member corresponding to the driving assembly; and when the foldable mechanism is in a folded state, the driving assemblies respectively drive the corresponding inner plate members to flip toward the bottom seat. Related mobile terminal is also described.