Foldable Display Shaft-End Protection for Drop Impact Resistance

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Foldable display terminals with flexible displays are prone to damage from falls, especially when in a folded state, affecting user experience.

Innovation Solution

A foldable assembly with rotating shafts, mechanical parts, and protective structures that extend beyond the display's surface to absorb impact before the display, and sliding connections to reduce pulling forces, enhancing anti-collision performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the flexible display is exposed outside in a folded state to improve accessibility, then ease of operation is improved, but the display becomes more vulnerable to damage from falls

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveaccessibilityVSAvoiddamage resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by positioning the protective structure to extend beyond the display surface before any fall occurs. This proactive design ensures that the protective structure is already in place to intercept impact forces, preventing damage to the flexible display while maintaining its exposed position for accessibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The protective structure serves as an intermediary element between the flexible display and external impact forces. It absorbs and distributes collision forces, acting as a mediator that protects the vulnerable display from direct contact with harmful external factors during falls.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Strength

If the protective structure is made higher than the display surface to improve collision resistance, then strength is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollision resistanceVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The protective structure is merged with the existing foldable assembly components rather than being a separate attachment. This integration approach provides enhanced collision resistance while avoiding the need for additional independent structural elements, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The protective structure serves multiple functions: it provides collision resistance, maintains the exposed position of the display, and integrates with the foldable mechanism. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, balancing enhanced strength with controlled structural complexity.

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

Data Source

PatentEP4036683B1Foldable component and foldable display terminal
Publication Date: 2025.12.10 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4036683B1 patent drawingFigure 1~1a
  • EP4036683B1 patent drawingFigure 1b~1c
  • EP4036683B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

Embodiments of this application disclose a foldable assembly and a foldable display terminal. The foldable assembly is configured to bear a flexible display. The foldable assembly includes a rotating shaft; a first mechanical part and a second mechanical part, where the first mechanical part and the second mechanical part are rotatably connected by using the rotating shaft; and a first protective structure, where the first protective structure is connected to an end face that is of the rotating shaft and that extends out of a periphery of the flexible display. Therefore, the first protective structure is disposed, to protect the flexible display, and avoid a case in which the flexible display is damaged due to a fall of the foldable display terminal. A first surface of the flexible display is away from the rotating shaft, and the first protective structure is higher than or flush with the first surface of the flexible display, so that when the foldable display terminal falls, the first protective structure is in contact with a point of collision earlier than the flexible display, to enhance protection of the flexible display, and further improve anti-collision performance of the foldable display terminal.