Foldable hinge and electronic device including supporting component with arc shape

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12532425-B2
Application number	US-202418626021-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2024
Priority date	Nov 9, 2021
Publication date	Jan 20, 2026
Grant date	Jan 20, 2026

Abstract

A foldable hinge includes a base and two folding assemblies. The two folding assemblies are located on two sides of the base, are both connected to the base, and are capable of being opened or closed relative to each other. Each of the two folding assemblies includes a first swing arm, a second swing arm, a synchronous gear, and a support component. The first swing arm is pivotally connected to the base. The second swing arm is pivotally connected to the base. The synchronous gear is located in the base, and the first swing arm and the second swing arm are connected through transmission by using the synchronous gear. The support component is pivotally connected to the first swing arm, is linked to the second swing arm, and is capable of rotating relative to the first swing arm under an action of the second swing arm.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A foldable hinge, comprising a base and two folding assemblies, wherein the two folding assemblies are located on two sides of the base, are both connected to the base, and are capable of being opened or closed relative to each other;
each of the two folding assemblies comprises a first swing arm, a second swing arm, a synchronous gear, and a support component; the first swing arm is pivotally connected to the base; the second swing arm is pivotally connected to the base, and a pivotal connection axis (m2) between the second swing arm and the base is parallel to a pivotal connection axis (m1) between the first swing arm and the base; the synchronous gear is located in the base, and the first swing arm and the second swing arm are connected through transmission by the synchronous gear; and the support component is pivotally connected to the first swing arm, is linked to the second swing arm, and is capable of rotating relative to the first swing arm under an action of the second swing arm; wherein the support component comprises a plate body and an arc-shaped arm, the arc-shaped arm is located on a side of the plate body proximal to the first swing arm, and is located on a side of the first swing arm, an end of the arc-shaped arm is connected to the plate body, and an other end extends in a direction away from the base; and a side wall of the first swing arm proximal to the arc-shaped arm has an arc-shaped groove, and the arc-shaped arm is located in the arc-shaped groove, and is capable of sliding along the arc-shaped groove; wherein the support component further comprises a driving portion, the driving portion and the arc-shaped arm are located on a same side of the plate body, the driving portion is located on a side of the second swing arm, the driving portion has a driving groove, and the driving groove is located on a side of the driving portion proximal to the second swing arm; and a side wall of the second swing arm has a driving protrusion, and the driving protrusion is located on a side of the second swing arm proximal to the driving portion, and is partially located in the driving groove.

2 . The foldable hinge according to claim 1 , wherein a transmission ratio of the synchronous gear to the first swing arm is less than a transmission ratio of the synchronous gear to the second swing arm.

3 . The foldable hinge according to claim 1 , wherein the first swing arm and the second swing arm are spaced apart in a direction parallel to an axis of the synchronous gear;
the first swing arm comprises a first main body portion and a first gear portion, and the first gear portion is located on a side of the first main body portion proximal to the second swing arm; the second swing arm comprises a second main body portion and a second gear portion, and the second gear portion is located on a side of the second main body portion proximal to the first swing arm; and the synchronous gear is located between the first main body portion and the second main body portion, and is engaged with the first gear portion and the second gear portion.

4 . The foldable hinge according to claim 3 , wherein orthographic projections of the first gear portion and the second gear portion on a plane perpendicular to the axis of the synchronous gear at least partially overlap.

5 . The foldable hinge according to claim 1 , wherein a spacing between axes (m 4 ) of the synchronous gears of the two folding assemblies is less than a spacing between pivotal connection axes (m 1 ) between each of the first swing arms of the two folding assemblies and the base, and less than a spacing between pivotal connection axes (m 2 ) between each of the second swing arms of the two folding assemblies and the base.

6 . The foldable hinge according to claim 1 , wherein the synchronous gears of the two folding assemblies are engaged.

7 . The foldable hinge according to claim 3 , wherein the first swing arm further comprises a first end face cam, the first end face cam is located on a side of the first main body portion distal from the first gear portion, and the first end face cam is coaxially arranged with the first gear portion; and
the foldable hinge further comprises a damping mechanism, the damping mechanism is located in the base and is located on the side of the first main body portion distal from the first gear portion, and the damping mechanism fits an end face of the first end face camdistal from the first main body portion.

8 . The foldable hinge according to claim 7 , wherein the damping mechanism comprises a second end face cam and an elastic component, the second end face cam is located on an end of the first end face cam distal from the first main body portion, and is coaxially arranged with the first end face cam, and the elastic component is located on an end of the second end face cam distal from the first end face cam, and is configured to provide an elastic force, to enable the second end face cam to touch the first end face cam.

9 . An electronic device, comprising a foldable hinge, a first housing, a second housing, and a flexible screen;
wherein the foldable hinge comprises a base and two folding assemblies, wherein the two folding assemblies are located on two sides of the base, are both connected to the base, and are capable of being opened or closed relative to each other; each of the two folding assemblies comprises a first swing arm, a second swing arm, a synchronous gear, and a support component; the first swing arm is pivotally connected to the base; the second swing arm is pivotally connected to the base, and a pivotal connection axis (m2) between the second swing arm and the base is parallel to a pivotal connection axis (m1) between the first swing arm and the base; the synchronous gear is located in the base, and the first swing arm and the second swing arm are connected through transmission by the synchronous gear; and the support component is pivotally connected to the first swing arm, is linked to the second swing arm, and is capable of rotating relative to the first swing arm under an action of the second swing arm, and wherein the support component comprises a plate body and an arc-shaped arm, the arc-shaped arm is located on a side of the plate body proximal to the first swing arm, and is located on a side of the first swing arm, an end of the arc-shaped arm is connected to the plate body, and another end extends in a direction away from the base; and a side wall of the first swing arm proximal to the arc-shaped arm has an arc-shaped groove, and the arc-shaped arm is located in the arc-shaped groove, and is capable of sliding along the arc-shaped groove; wherein the support component further comprises a driving portion, the driving portion and the arc-shaped arm are located on a same side of the plate body, the driving portion is located on a side of the second swing arm, the driving portion has a driving groove, and the driving groove is located on a side of the driving portion proximal to the second swing arm; and a side wall of the second swing arm has a driving protrusion, and the driving protrusion is located on a side of the second swing arm proximal to the driving portion, and is partially located in the driving groove; wherein the first housing is connected to the first swing arm of one of the two folding assemblies in the foldable hinge, the second housing is connected to the first swing arm of another one of the two folding assemblies in the foldable hinge, and the flexible screen is located on a same side of the foldable hinge, the first housing, and the second housing, and is connected to the first housing and the second housing.

10 . The electronic device

Assignees

• Huawei Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Zhan Qiang
• Zhong Ding
• Hua Leilei

Classifications

• E05Y2999/00

  Subject-matter not otherwise provided for in this subclass · CPC title

• E05D3/122

  Gear hinges · CPC title

• H05K5/0226 Primary

  Hinges · CPC title

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title

• G06F1/1616

  with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position · CPC title