Foldable assembly and foldable display terminal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12412488-B2
Application number	US-202217727692-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 22, 2022
Priority date	Oct 22, 2019
Publication date	Sep 9, 2025
Grant date	Sep 9, 2025

Abstract

A foldable assembly which is configured to bear a flexible display. The foldable assembly includes a rotating shaft; a first mechanical part and a second mechanical part, where the first mechanical part and the second mechanical part are rotatably connected by using the rotating shaft; and a first protective structure, where the first protective structure is connected to an end face that is of the rotating shaft and that extends out of a periphery of the flexible display. A first surface of the flexible display is away from the rotating shaft, and the first protective structure is higher than or flush with the first surface of the flexible display, so that when the foldable display terminal falls, the first protective structure is in contact with a point of collision earlier than the flexible display.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A foldable assembly configured to bear and includes a flexible display, comprises:
a rotating shaft and a plurality of support bars disposed axially around the rotating shaft;
a first mechanical part and a second mechanical part, wherein the first mechanical part and the second mechanical part are rotatably connected to the rotating shaft; and
a single first protective structure extends from each end of the rotating shaft forming an “L” shape with the rotating shaft which extends beyond each end of the flexible display and having a width that matches the rotating shaft, whereby the first protective structure is configured to provide additional protection when the flexible display is dropped.

2. The foldable assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a material of the first protective structure is stainless steel, die steel, or an amorphous alloy.

3. The foldable assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first protective structure and the rotating shaft are integrally formed.

4. The foldable assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a second protective structure and a third protective structure, wherein
the second protective structure is connected to an end face that is of the first mechanical part and that extends out of the periphery of the flexible display, and the second protective structure is higher than or flush with the first surface of the flexible display; and
the third protective structure is connected to an end face that is of the second mechanical part and that extends out of the periphery of the flexible display, and the third protective structure is higher than or flush with the first surface of the flexible display.

5. The foldable assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the second protective structure and the first mechanical part are integrally formed, and the third protective structure and the second mechanical part are integrally formed.

6. The foldable assembly according to claim 4 , wherein a material of each of the second protective structure and the third protective structure is an aluminum alloy.

7. The foldable assembly according to claim 1 , further including a bent region support comprises a flexible connection layer and a plurality of spaced rigid support bars disposed along an axis direction of the rotating shaft; the rigid support bar is connected to the flexible connection layer; and the flexible connection layer is connected to a bent region of the flexible display by using an adhesive layer.

8. The foldable assembly according to claim 7 , wherein an elastic component is disposed between an end face of the bent region support and the first protective structure.

9. The foldable assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
a first protrusion is disposed on the first mechanical part, a first groove matching the first protrusion is disposed on the rotating shaft, and the first protrusion is located in the first groove; and
a second protrusion is disposed on the second mechanical part, a second groove matching the second protrusion is disposed on the rotating shaft, and the second protrusion is located in the second groove.

10. The foldable assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a third mechanical part, wherein the first mechanical part is provided with a first sliding groove, a first end of the third mechanical part is connected to the rotating shaft, and a second end of the third mechanical part is disposed in the first sliding groove; and
a fourth mechanical part, wherein the second mechanical part is provided with a second sliding groove, a first end of the fourth mechanical part is connected to the rotating shaft, and a second end of the fourth mechanical part is disposed in the second sliding groove.

11. The foldable display terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the first protective structure and the rotating shaft are integrally formed.

12. A foldable display terminal, comprising a flexible display and a foldable assembly, wherein
a first non-bent area of the flexible display is connected to a first mechanical part in the foldable assembly;
a second non-bent area of the flexible display is connected to a second mechanical part in the foldable assembly;
a bent area of the flexible display is connected to a bent region support in the foldable assembly;
the bent area is located between the first non-bent area and the second non-bent area;
wherein the foldable assembly is configured to bear a flexible display, and the foldable assembly comprises:
a rotating shaft and a plurality of support bars disposed axially around the rotating shaft;
a first mechanical part and a second mechanical part, wherein the first mechanical part and the second mechanical part are rotatably connected by using the rotating shaft; and
a single first protective structure extends from each end of the rotating shaft forming an “L” shape with the rotating shaft which extends beyond each end of the flexible display and having a width that matches the rotating shaft, whereby the first protective structure is configured to provide additional protection when the flexible display is dropped.

13. The foldable display terminal according to claim 12 , wherein a material of the first protective structure is stainless steel, die steel, or an amorphous alloy.

14. The foldable display terminal according to claim 12 , further comprising a second protective structure and a third protective structure, wherein
the second protective structure is connected to an end face that is of the first mechanical part and that extends out of the periphery of the flexible display, and the second protective structure is higher than or flush with the first surface of the flexible display; and
the third protective structure is connected to an end face that is of the second mechanical part and that extends out of the periphery of the flexible display, and the third protective structure is higher than or flush with the first surface of the flexible display.

15. The foldable display terminal according to claim 14 , wherein the second protective structure and the first mechanical part are integrally formed, and the third protective structure and the second mechanical part are integrally formed.

16. The foldable display terminal according to claim 14 , wherein a material of each of the second protective structure and the third protective structure is an aluminum alloy.

17. The foldable display terminal according to claim 12 , further including a bent region support comprises a flexible connection layer and a plurality of spaced rigid support bars disposed along an axis direction of the rotating shaft; the rigid support bar is connected to the flexible connection layer; and the flexible connection layer is connected to a bent region of the flexible display by using an adhesive layer.

18. The foldable display terminal according to claim 17 , wherein an elastic component is disposed between an end face of the bent region support and the first protective structure.

19. The foldable display terminal according to claim 12 , wherein
a first protrusion is disposed on the first mechanical part, a first groove matching the first protrusion is disposed on the rotating shaft, and the first protrusion is located in the first groove; and
a second protrusion is disposed on the second mechanical part, a second groove matching the second protrusion is disposed on the rotating shaft, and the second protrusion is located in the second groove.

20. The foldable display terminal according to claim 12 , further com

Assignees

• Huawei Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Zhong Ding
• Liu Yong
• Fan Wen
• Xiao Zhenlin
• Lv Zhengxiong
• Peng Lexiong

Classifications

• H10K59/12

  Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays · CPC title

• H10K50/84

  Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations · CPC title

• H10K2102/311

  Flexible OLED · CPC title

• H10K77/111

  Flexible substrates · CPC title

• H05K5/0217

  Mechanical details of casings (covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03) · CPC title