Folding Mechanism With Display Space for Flexible Display Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional foldable electronic devices with inward folding flexible displays are prone to damage due to excessive squeezing by the housing apparatus, leading to poor reliability and a short service life.
Innovation Solution
A folding mechanism with a middle housing, first and second fixing brackets, first and second swing arms, and first and second support plates that form a display accommodating space through automatic avoidance, reducing the squeezing force and ensuring stable folding actions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the housing apparatus folds the flexible display inward, then the device achieves a compact folded state, but the flexible display is subjected to excessive squeezing force that may cause damage
Solution Approach 1:
The housing apparatus is divided into a first housing and a second housing that can rotate relative to each other around a folding mechanism. This segmentation allows the housing to fold compactly while the folding mechanism absorbs the mechanical stress, preventing excessive squeezing force from being transmitted to the flexible display.
Solution Approach 2:
The folding mechanism acts as an intermediary between the first housing and the second housing. It includes a rotating component that enables controlled rotation while absorbing mechanical stress, thereby mediating the interaction between the housings and protecting the flexible display from damage during folding and unfolding operations.
2Device complexity
If a conventional folding mechanism is used, then the device structure is simple, but the flexible display reliability is poor due to excessive squeezing
Solution Approach 1:
The folding mechanism serves as a mediator that includes a rotating component designed to absorb mechanical stress. This intermediary structure protects the flexible display from excessive squeezing forces while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure that does not significantly increase complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The folding mechanism is designed with stress-absorbing capabilities that provide beforehand cushioning during the folding process. The rotating component and associated structures are pre-configured to absorb and distribute mechanical stresses before they can be transmitted to the flexible display, thereby protecting it from damage.
3Speed
If the housing apparatus applies strong folding force, then the folding action is fast, but the flexible display may be damaged due to excessive squeezing
Solution Approach 1:
The folding mechanism acts as an intermediary that enables fast folding through its rotating component while simultaneously absorbing the mechanical stress generated during rapid folding. This mediator allows high-speed operation without transmitting excessive squeezing forces to the flexible display.
Solution Approach 2:
The folding mechanism incorporates stress-absorbing structures that provide beforehand cushioning during rapid folding operations. These structures are designed to absorb and distribute the high forces generated during fast folding, protecting the flexible display from damage even when folding speed is increased.
Data Source
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AI summary
This application discloses a folding mechanism and an electronic device. The folding mechanism is applied to a housing apparatus of an electronic device, and is configured to connect two housings of the housing apparatus. The folding mechanism can form display accommodating space through automatic avoidance in a folding process, and a flexible display is accommodated in the display accommodating space, so that a folding action performed by the housing apparatus on the flexible display is stable, and a squeezing force is small. This helps reduce a risk that the flexible display is damaged due to excessive squeezing of the folding mechanism, and makes the flexible display more reliable.