Rotating Shaft Linkage for Constant-Length Foldable Screens
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Solution Overview
Problem
In foldable devices with flexible screens, the screen length changes during unfolding or folding, leading to potential damage, as existing connection mechanisms fail to maintain a consistent screen length.
Innovation Solution
A rotating shaft connection mechanism comprising two rotating shafts with opposite spiral grooves, a synchronous driving block, and a connection assembly including a slide rail block and drive sheet, which converts rotation into sliding to maintain screen length by accommodating the bending area during folding and unfolding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional connection mechanism is used to allow screen folding, then the device can be folded, but the screen length changes during folding/unfolding causing potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic components including rotating shafts that can rotate, drive sheets that can slide, and slide rail blocks that can move along rails. These dynamic elements work together to maintain constant screen length while enabling folding through coordinated motion, resolving the contradiction between foldability and screen length consistency
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanism changes the spatial parameters of the connection components during folding. The rotating shafts rotate to change angles, the drive sheets slide to change positions, and the slide rail blocks move to adjust distances. These parameter changes enable the screen to fold while maintaining constant length, addressing both foldability and reliability requirements
2Adaptability or versatility
If the screen is allowed to bend during folding, then folding is enabled, but the bending area requires accommodation space that conflicts with maintaining screen length
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the space conflict by moving components in multiple dimensions. The rotating shafts rotate in one dimension while the drive sheets slide in another dimension, and the slide rail blocks move along rails in a third dimension. This multi-dimensional motion allows the bending area to be accommodated without changing the overall screen length, enabling both folding capability and length consistency
3Reliability
If a synchronous driving mechanism is added to maintain screen length, then screen length consistency is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into integrated components. The rotating shafts serve both as rotation joints and as drivers for the drive sheets through their spiral grooves. The drive sheets simultaneously guide the slide rail blocks and maintain synchronous motion. The slide rail blocks provide both motion guidance and force transmission. This merging of functions achieves screen length consistency while limiting the increase in device complexity
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
Ensures the screen length remains unchanged during folding and unfolding, improving user experience by reducing relative errors and resistance, and enhancing the overall precision and support of the flexible screen.
Implementation Method 1
the rotating shafts are each provided with a spiral groove... the synchronous driving block drives the two rotating shafts to synchronously rotate, drives the drive sheet to slide in the first direction parallel to the axial direction of the rotating shaft
Implementation Method 2
the drive sheet is provided with a slanting groove that can enable the boss of the slide rail block to be inserted... drives, based on the slanting groove on the drive sheet, the slide rail block in fitting connection with the drive sheet to slide in a direction away from or towards the rotating shaft
Data Source
AI summary
A rotating shaft connection mechanism includes two rotating shafts, two connection assemblies corresponding to the two rotating shafts, and one synchronous driving block, where each connection assembly includes a slide rail block and a drive sheet, a boss of the slide rail block is inserted into a slanting groove on the drive sheet, the synchronous driving block is connected to the two rotating shafts, and the synchronous driving block is disposed on two sides of a connecting piece on the drive sheet by using provided connecting pieces, and is inserted into a spiral groove by using a provided positioning protrusion part. In this way, through fitting connection between the two rotating shafts, the one synchronous driving block and the slide rail blocks and drive sheets of the two connection assemblies corresponding to the two rotating shafts, rotation of the rotating shaft is converted into sliding of the slide rail block.