Support device and foldable device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12085992-B2
Application number	US-202117781504-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 5, 2021
Priority date	Aug 17, 2020
Publication date	Sep 10, 2024
Grant date	Sep 10, 2024

Abstract

Provided is a support device. The support device is disposed on a back side of a bendable structure, the bendable structure including a bending portion, and a first non-bending portion and a second non-bending portion disposed on two sides of the bending portion, respectively; the support device including: a first support, configured to be connected to the first non-bending portion; a second support, configured to be connected to the second non-bending portion; a rotating shaft support, configured to be rotatably connected to the first support and the second support; and at least one support component, wherein each support component is connected to the rotating shaft support and configured to be connected to the bending portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A support device, wherein the support device is disposed on a back side of a bendable structure, the bendable structure comprising a bending portion, and a first non-bending portion and a second non-bending portion disposed on two sides of the bending portion, respectively; the support device comprising:
a first support, configured to be connected to the first non-bending portion;
a second support, configured to be connected to the second non-bending portion;
a rotating shaft support, configured to be rotatably connected to the first support and the second support; and
at least one support component, wherein each support component is connected to the rotating shaft support and configured to be connected to the bending portion;
wherein the rotating shaft support comprises a strip-shaped support beam and a strip-shaped rotating shaft; wherein the support beam is provided with a rotating shaft hole penetrating through the support beam, wherein an axis of the rotating shaft hole is parallel to an extending direction of the support beam; and the rotating shaft is disposed in the rotating shaft hole and is rotatable in the rotating shaft hole; and
each support component comprises a strip-shaped support bar, a sheet structure connected to a side of the support bar, and a second protruding structure disposed at an end, distal from the support bar, of the sheet structure; the support beam is provided with a third groove, a fourth groove, and a communication groove disposed inside the support beam and configured to communicate the third groove and the fourth groove; wherein the support bar is disposed in the third groove, the second protruding structure is disposed in the fourth groove, and the sheet structure is disposed in the communication groove; and the support bar is further configured to be fixedly connected to the bending portion.

2. The support device according to claim 1 , wherein a length of the third groove along the extending direction of the support beam is greater than a total length of the support bar and the sheet structure along an extending direction of the support bar.

3. The support device according to claim 1 , wherein a bottom surface of the third groove and a bottom surface of the fourth groove are both arc surfaces, and a surface, proximal to the support beam, of the support bar and a surface, proximal to the support beam, of the sheet structure are both the arc surfaces;
wherein the arc surfaces are protruded towards the bendable structure, and a radius of the arc surfaces is greater than a radius of the rotating shaft hole.

4. The support device according to claim 1 , wherein the rotating shaft support further comprises: a strip-shaped support structure connected to the support beam and two plate-shaped connecting structures, the two connecting structures being connected to two ends of the support structure, respectively; wherein
each of the connecting structures is at least provided with a first through hole, and a second through hole and a third through hole disposed on two sides of the first through hole respectively, wherein an axis of the first through hole is co-linear with an axis of the rotating shaft hole, the first through hole is connected to the rotating shaft, the second through hole is connected to the first support, and the third through hole is connected to the second support.

5. The support device according to claim 1 , further comprising: a first bracket and a second bracket; wherein
one end of the first bracket is rotatably connected to the rotating shaft support, and another end of the first bracket is fixedly connected to the first support; and
one end of the second bracket is rotatably connected to the rotating shaft support, and another end of the second bracket is fixedly connected to the second support.

6. A foldable device, comprising: a bendable structure, and at least one support device; wherein
the support device is disposed on and connected to a back side of the bendable structure, the bendable structure comprising a bending portion, and a first non-bending portion and a second non-bending portion disposed on two sides of the bending portion, respectively; the support device comprising:
a first support, configured to be connected to the first non-bending portion;
a second support, configured to be connected to the second non-bending portion;
a rotating shaft support, configured to be rotatably connected to the first support and the second support; and
at least one support component, wherein each support component is connected to the rotating shaft support and configured to be connected to the bending portion;
wherein the rotating shaft support comprises a strip-shaped support beam and a strip-shaped rotating shaft; wherein the support beam is provided with a rotating shaft hole penetrating through the support beam, wherein an axis of the rotating shaft hole is parallel to an extending direction of the support beam; and the rotating shaft is disposed in the rotating shaft hole and is rotatable in the rotating shaft hole; and
each support component comprises a strip-shaped support bar, a sheet structure connected to a side of the support bar, and a second protruding structure disposed at an end, distal from the support bar, of the sheet structure; the support beam is provided with a third groove, a fourth groove, and a communication groove disposed inside the support beam and configured to communicate the third groove and the fourth groove; wherein the support bar is disposed in the third groove, the second protruding structure is disposed in the fourth groove, and the sheet structure is disposed in the communication groove; and the support bar is further configured to be fixedly connected to the bending portion.

7. The foldable device according to claim 6 , wherein the bendable structure is a flexible display panel.

8. The foldable device according to claim 6 , further comprising: a reinforcement plate; wherein
the support device and the bendable structure are connected by the reinforcement plate.

9. The foldable device according to claim 6 , wherein a length of the third groove along the extending direction of the support beam is greater than a total length of the support bar and the sheet structure along an extending direction of the support bar.

10. The foldable device according to claim 6 , wherein a bottom surface of the third groove and a bottom surface of the fourth groove are both arc surfaces, and a surface, proximal to the support beam, of the support bar and a surface, proximal to the support beam, of the sheet structure are both the arc surfaces;
wherein the arc surfaces are protruded towards the bendable structure, and a radius of the arc surfaces is greater than a radius of the rotating shaft hole.

11. The foldable device according to claim 6 , wherein the rotating shaft support further comprises: a strip-shaped support structure connected to the support beam and two plate-shaped connecting structures, the two connecting structures being connected to two ends of the support structure, respectively; wherein
each of the connecting structures is at least provided with a first through hole, and a second through hole and a third through hole disposed on two sides of the first through hole respectively, wherein an axis of the first through hole is co-linear with an axis of the rotating shaft hole, the first through hole is connected to the rotating shaft, the second through hole is connected to the first support, and the third through hole is connected to the second support.

12. The foldable device according to claim 6 , further comprising: a first bracket and a second bracket; wherein

Assignees

• Boe Technology Group Co Ltd

Inventors

• Xu Linlin
• Zhou Yonghong
• Sun Baofeng
• Chu Shangchieh
• Wang Bo
• Wang Yanli
• Liu Wei

Classifications

• H04M1/0216

  Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge · CPC title

• F16C11/04 Primary

  Pivotal connections (hinges for doors, windows or wings E05D) · CPC title

• G09F9/30

  in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements (panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell controlling light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. electro-optical or magneto-optical cell, G02F1/00) · CPC title

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · 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