Hinge structure and foldable electronic device including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11997807-B2
Application number	US-202217741094-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 10, 2022
Priority date	Aug 9, 2021
Publication date	May 28, 2024
Grant date	May 28, 2024

Abstract

The disclosure discloses a foldable electronic device including rotary supports connected to housings, arm parts connected to the rotary supports, and rotary shafts disposed in the arm parts. At least one arm part among the arm parts includes arm cam structures in which fastening holes spaced apart from each other by a predetermined gap are formed. A shape of a cross-section of a rotary shaft inserted into the fastening holes includes flat areas and curved areas when viewed in an axial direction in which the rotary shaft is inserted. The rotary shaft is formed such that a first thickness of a first portion at least partially disposed in one fastening hole among the fastening holes differs from a second thickness of a second portion at least partially disposed in another fastening hole among the fastening holes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A foldable electronic device comprising:
a first housing and a second housing;
a flexible display, at least a portion of which is seated on the first housing and the second housing; and
a hinge structure configured to connect the first housing and the second housing,
wherein the hinge structure includes:
a first rotary support coupled with the first housing;
a second rotary support coupled with the second housing;
a first arm part configured to rotate in response to rotation of the first rotary support, the first arm part including at least a first arm cam and a second arm cam spaced apart from the first arm cam;
a second arm part configured to rotate in response to rotation of the second rotary support, the second arm part including at least a third arm cam and a fourth arm cam spaced apart from the third arm cam;
a first rotary shaft configured to pass through a first fastening hole formed in the first arm cam and a second fastening hole formed in the second arm cam; and
a second rotary shaft configured to pass through a third fastening hole formed in the third arm cam and a fourth fastening hole formed in the fourth arm cam,
wherein shapes of cross-sections of the third fastening hole and the fourth fastening hole viewed in an axial direction in which the second rotary shaft is inserted include flat areas and curved areas, and
wherein the second rotary shaft has a first thickness of a first portion at least partially disposed in the fourth fastening hole differing from a second thickness of a second portion at least partially disposed in the third fastening hole.

2. The foldable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second rotary shaft includes:
a pillar portion at least partially disposed in the third fastening hole and the fourth fastening hole; and
a shaft gear formed at an edge on one side of the pillar portion.

3. The foldable electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the pillar portion includes:
the first portion disposed adjacent to the shaft gear, the first portion being at least partially disposed in the fourth fastening hole based on the second rotary shaft being fastened to the second arm part;
the second portion extending from the first portion and at least partially disposed in the third fastening hole; and
a third portion extending from the second portion and disposed through the third fastening hole.

4. The foldable electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the first thickness of the first portion is greater than the second thickness of the second portion.

5. The foldable electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the second thickness of the second portion is greater than a third thickness of the third portion.

6. The foldable electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the second portion has a length longer than a length from an inlet of the third fastening hole of the third arm cam to an outlet of the fourth fastening hole of the fourth arm cam.

7. The foldable electronic device of claim 3 , further comprising:
a first press-fit protrusion disposed on an inside surface forming the third fastening hole, the first press-fit protrusion being in contact with the second portion of the pillar portion; and
a second press-fit protrusion disposed on an inside surface forming the fourth fastening hole, the second press-fit protrusion being in contact with the first portion of the pillar portion.

8. The foldable electronic device of claim 7 , wherein a first protrusion height of the first press-fit protrusion differs from a second protrusion height of the second press-fit protrusion.

9. The foldable electronic device of claim 7 , wherein at least a part of the first press-fit protrusion and the second press-fit protrusion is disposed between the flat area and the curved area.

10. The foldable electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the first press-fit protrusion has a rail protrusion shape extending from one point on a starting portion of the third fastening hole or an intermediate point of the third fastening hole to a point on an ending portion of the third fastening hole.

11. The foldable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a first area of a cross-section of the third fastening hole differs from a second area of a cross-section of the fourth fastening hole.

12. The foldable electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the first area is smaller than the second area.

13. The foldable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third press-fit protrusion formed in the first fastening hole of the first arm part; and
a fourth press-fit protrusion formed in the second fastening hole of the first arm part.

14. The foldable electronic device of claim 13 , wherein a height of the third press-fit protrusion is greater than a height of the fourth press-fit protrusion.

15. The foldable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein an inside surface of at least one of the first fastening hole or the second fastening hole includes a first sidewall vertically disposed in a direction toward the display based on the foldable electronic device being in a flat state, a second sidewall vertically disposed in the direction toward the display and disposed to face the first sidewall, a third sidewall connecting one end of the first sidewall and one end of the second sidewall and forming a curved surface, and a fourth sidewall connecting an opposite end of the first sidewall and an opposite end of the fourth sidewall and disposed to face the third sidewall.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Daehyeong
• Kim Jaehee
• Kim Jongyoon
• Lee Minsung
• Jeong Uyhyeon
• Han Yonghwa
• Hwang Seunghyun

Classifications

• H05K5/0017

  with operator interface units · CPC title

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title

• H04M1/022

  The hinge comprising two parallel pivoting axes · CPC title

• G06F1/1652

  the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable · CPC title

• G06F1/1681

  Details related solely to hinges (hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683) · CPC title