Foldable Screen Rotation Mechanism for Reduced Terminal Thickness

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional foldable screen terminals face challenges in reducing thickness due to components avoiding the screen's folded portion, leading to increased bulk and difficulty in achieving lightweight and slim designs.

Innovation Solution

A rotation mechanism with a forcing structure, such as a tower spring, is used to apply tensile forces to a lifting member, allowing it to descend or ascend, thereby supporting the screen's middle portion while minimizing the mechanism's thickness, and incorporating a guide post and guide sleeve for stability and alignment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If components avoid the screen's folded portion, then the screen reliability is improved, but the terminal thickness increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescreen reliabilityVSAvoidterminal thickness
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The lifting member is designed to move in the thickness direction (Z-axis) to adjust the position of the screen's middle portion. By utilizing the thickness dimension for vertical displacement, the screen can avoid the folded portion without increasing the overall terminal thickness, as the avoidance is achieved through vertical positioning rather than lateral expansion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The lifting member is designed to be movable between a first position (when the screen is unfolded) and a second position (when the screen is folded). This dynamic adjustment allows the screen's middle portion to automatically avoid the folded portion only when necessary, while maintaining a thin profile during normal unfolded operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Length of stationary object

If the rotation mechanism thickness is reduced, then the terminal thinning is improved, but the structural complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverotation mechanism thicknessVSAvoidmechanism structural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The forcing structure integrates multiple functions into a single component: it applies tensile force to the lifting member, guides its movement, and provides structural support. By merging these functions into one integrated component rather than using separate mechanisms, the overall thickness is reduced while the structural complexity is managed through functional integration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The forcing structure serves multiple purposes simultaneously: it acts as a spring element to apply tensile force, as a guide to constrain lifting member movement, and as part of the overall structural framework. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated components, thereby reducing thickness without proportionally increasing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 solution effectively reduces the rotation mechanism's thickness, enhancing the foldable screen terminal's lightweight and slim design by utilizing an elastic structure that maintains stability and alignment during folding and unfolding.

Implementation Method 1

the elastic member applies an elastic tensile force directed to the shaft cover to the lifting member

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the elastic member is a tower spring

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTower spring: Spring

Implementation Method 3

incorporating a guide post and guide sleeve for stability and alignment

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical guidance:

Implementation Method 4

the first and second supporting members move toward the lifting member to apply a support force to the lifting member, and the support force can overcome the tensile force of the forcing structure

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical force: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentEP4199487B1Rotating mechanism, support device, and folding screen terminal
Publication Date: 2025.08.13 HONOR DEVICE CO LTD
  • EP4199487B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4199487B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4199487B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

This application provides a rotation mechanism, a supporting apparatus, and a foldable screen terminal, and relates to the field of electronic device technologies, so as to balance a lifting stroke of the lifting member and a thickness of the foldable screen terminal in an unfolded state. The rotation mechanism includes a lifting member, a shaft cover, a first swing arm, a second swing arm, a forcing structure, and a first supporting member. The lifting member includes a lamination surface. The shaft cover is located on a side that is of the lifting member and that is away from the lamination surface. The first swing arm and the second swing arm are respectively located on two opposite sides of the lifting member, and the first swing arm and the second swing arm can swing between an unfolded position and a folded position relative to the shaft cover. The forcing structure is located between the lifting member and the shaft cover, one end of the forcing structure is connected to the lifting member, and the other end thereof is connected to the shaft cover. The first supporting member is relatively fastened to the first swing arm or the second swing arm. The first supporting member cooperates with the forcing structure, to drive the lifting member to ascend or descend. The rotation mechanism provided in this embodiment of this application is configured to support a bent part of a foldable screen.