Foldable Support Assembly Groove Design for Noise Reduction

Solution Overview

Problem

Folding and unfolding of foldable mobile phones often generate abnormal noise due to stress differences between the wave peak and wave valley of the support member during bending.

Innovation Solution

A support assembly with a support member featuring a groove on its free end face, which separates the end face into multiple parts, allowing for easier deformation and reducing stress differences, is used. The support assembly also includes a bonding structure on both side surfaces for improved bonding with the flexible display and folding assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the support member is made as a single continuous piece, then the structural strength is improved, but the stress difference between wave peak and wave valley increases causing abnormal noise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidabnormal noise

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The support member is segmented by introducing grooves that divide the continuous structure into multiple regions. These grooves allow different parts of the support member to deform independently during folding, reducing stress concentration and the abnormal noise generated by stress differences between wave peaks and valleys, while maintaining overall structural integrity through the bonding structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The grooves are strategically positioned at specific locations where stress concentration occurs during folding. By modifying the local structure at these critical points while keeping the rest of the support member continuous, the design reduces stress differences locally without compromising the overall structural strength of the entire support member.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Object-generated harmful factors

If grooves are added to the support member to reduce stress difference, then abnormal noise is reduced, but the structural strength may be weakened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveabnormal noiseVSAvoidstructural strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-generated harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The support member is segmented by introducing grooves that divide the continuous structure into multiple regions. These grooves allow different parts of the support member to deform independently during folding, reducing stress concentration and the abnormal noise generated by stress differences between wave peaks and valleys, while maintaining overall structural integrity through the bonding structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The grooves are strategically positioned at specific locations where stress concentration occurs during folding. By modifying the local structure at these critical points while keeping the rest of the support member continuous, the design reduces stress differences locally without compromising the overall structural strength of the entire support member.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Object-generated harmful factors

If the support member deforms more easily to reduce stress difference, then abnormal noise is reduced, but the support capability may be weakened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveabnormal noiseVSAvoidsupport capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-generated harmful factorsVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The support member is segmented by introducing grooves that divide the continuous structure into multiple regions. These grooves allow different parts of the support member to deform independently during folding, reducing stress concentration and the abnormal noise generated by stress differences between wave peaks and valleys, while maintaining overall structural integrity through the bonding structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The grooves are strategically positioned at specific locations where stress concentration occurs during folding. By modifying the local structure at these critical points while keeping the rest of the support member continuous, the design reduces stress differences locally without compromising the overall structural strength of the entire support member.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4202890B1Support assembly and terminal device

Publication Date: 2025.04.23 HONOR DEVICE CO LTD

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AI summary

This application provides a support assembly and a terminal device, applied to the field of terminal technologies. The support assembly includes: a support member, where the support member has a first side surface and a second side surface that are opposite to each other, and a first end face connected between the first side surface and the second side surface, the first side surface has at least a first bendable area, the first bendable area is connected to the first end face, and a groove is disposed on the first end face; and a bonding structure, where at least a part of the bonding structure is located on the first side surface and the second side surface. In this application, abnormal noise generated by a foldable terminal device in folding and unfolding processes can be reduced.