Hydraulic Hinge Damping for Smooth Foldable Device Rotation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Foldable electronic devices face challenges in providing a smooth rotation and preventing structural impact during form switching due to poor hand feeling and excessive stress, which affects the service life of the device.
Innovation Solution
A damping mechanism is introduced, comprising a chamber, a movable blocking member, and a power assembly that creates a damping fluid cavity with a circulation port, allowing the power assembly to drive the blocking member to change the volume of the cavity, providing damping force and ensuring smooth movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a hinge is provided to enable folding, then the device can switch between folded and unfolded forms, but the rotation is not smooth and excessive stress occurs during form switching
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a damping mechanism that utilizes hydraulic damping fluid to provide damping force during hinge rotation. The damping fluid flows through circulation ports in the movable blocking member, creating resistance that smooths the rotation motion and reduces impact stress on the hinge structure during form switching between folded and unfolded states.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the damping system by adjusting the volume of the damping fluid cavity through the power assembly's movement of the movable blocking member. This dynamic parameter change allows the damping force to be modulated during rotation, providing smooth operation while controlling structural impact.
2Ease of operation
If the damping fluid cavity volume is changed to provide damping force, then smooth rotation is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the damping mechanism with the existing hinge structure by integrating the chamber, movable blocking member, and damping fluid cavity into the hinge assembly. The power assembly that changes the cavity volume is combined with the hinge's rotational mechanism, allowing the damping function to be achieved without adding separate independent systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable blocking member serves multiple functions: it defines the damping fluid circulation port, encloses the damping fluid cavity when positioned against the chamber, and acts as the interface for the power assembly to change cavity volume. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components and simplifies the overall structure.
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 damping mechanism enhances the hand feeling during form switching and prevents structural impact from excessive stress, thereby prolonging the service life of the foldable electronic device.
Implementation Method 1
The circulation area of the damping fluid circulation port is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the damping fluid cavity, so as to limit a flow speed of the damping fluid, to provide the damping force
Data Source
AI summary
A damping mechanism includes a chamber, a movable blocking member and a power assembly. At least part of the movable blocking member is located in the chamber and cooperates with an inner wall face of the chamber to encloses a damping fluid cavity; at least one of the chamber and the movable blocking member defines a damping fluid circulation port in communication with the damping fluid cavity; and the power assembly is abutted against the movable blocking member, and configured to drive the movable blocking member to move relative to the chamber to change volume of the damping fluid cavity.