Rotating Shaft Mechanism Width Reduction via Projection Overlap

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing foldable electronic devices face challenges in reducing the width size of the rotating shaft mechanism due to structural limitations, which affects the overall design.

Innovation Solution

A rotating shaft mechanism with a base, first swing arms, and rotating members that allow for overlapping projections in an unfolded state, enabling a compact design by sharing space with the base, and incorporating sliding and rotating connections to reduce width.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the connection portion and base are sequentially disposed along the width direction without overlap, then the structure is simpler to manufacture, but the width size of the rotating shaft mechanism increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidwidth size
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The connection portion is positioned to overlap with the base in the width direction by utilizing the thickness dimension. Specifically, the connection portion is arranged at a location where its projection on the set plane overlaps with the base's projection, allowing components to share the same width-space through vertical stacking rather than horizontal sequencing, thereby reducing the overall width size of the rotating shaft mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Length of stationary object

If the connection portion overlaps with the base in projection, then the width size is reduced, but the structural complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewidth sizeVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The connection portion is nested within the spatial envelope defined by the base by positioning it such that their projections overlap on the set plane. This nesting arrangement allows the connection portion to be accommodated within the width boundaries of the base, effectively reducing the overall width size while integrating the components in a compact configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentEP4650612A1Rotating shaft mechanism, folding apparatus and terminal device
Publication Date: 2025.11.19 HONOR DEVICE CO LTD
  • EP4650612A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4650612A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4650612A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

Embodiments of this application relate to the field of electronic device technologies, and provide a rotating shaft mechanism, a foldable apparatus, and a terminal device. The rotating shaft mechanism includes a base, at least two first swing arms, and at least two rotating members. The first swing arms are respectively disposed on two sides of the base, and the first swing arms are rotatably connected to the base. The rotating members are respectively disposed on the two sides of the base, the rotating member includes a connection portion, and the connection portion is connected to the first swing arm located on a same side of the base. The first swing arms located on the two sides of the base can relatively rotate based on the base, so that the rotating shaft mechanism is switched between an unfolded state and a folded state. When the rotating shaft mechanism is in the unfolded state, an orthographic projection of the connection portion on a set plane at least partially overlaps an orthographic projection of the base on the set plane. The rotating shaft mechanism provided in the embodiments of this application can reduce a width size of the rotating shaft mechanism, thereby facilitating improving structural compactness. The rotating shaft mechanism is applicable to a terminal device requiring a relatively small width size of the rotating shaft mechanism.