Foldable device and an electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021303033-A1
Application number	US-202117211233-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 24, 2021
Priority date	Jul 15, 2019
Publication date	Sep 30, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A foldable device is provided. The foldable device includes a bendable mechanism and a shielding mechanism. The bendable mechanism includes a middle hinge assembly and a connecting hinge disposed on one side of the middle hinge assembly. The shielding mechanism slides relative to the bendable mechanism and at least partially covers the bendable mechanism when bending or unfolding the bendable mechanism. The shielding mechanism is arranged on an inner side of the bendable mechanism and can be bent or unfolded with the bendable mechanism, such that dust and other impurities are prevented from entering the foldable device. An electronic device is further provided. The electronic device includes the foldable device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A foldable device, comprising a bendable mechanism and a shielding mechanism, wherein
the bendable mechanism comprises a middle hinge assembly and a connecting hinge disposed on one side of the middle hinge assembly; and the shielding mechanism slides relative to the bendable mechanism and at least partially covers the bendable mechanism when bending or unfolding the bendable mechanism.

2 . The foldable device of claim 1 , wherein
the shielding mechanism rotates about a rotation axis relative to the middle hinge assembly when bending the bendable mechanism; the shielding mechanism comprises a covering member covering a rear surface of the bendable mechanism; and the covering member is hinged to the middle hinge assembly along the rotation axis at one side of the covering member away from the connecting hinge.

3 . The foldable device of claim 1 , wherein the shielding mechanism comprises a first covering portion covering one side of the bendable mechanism and a second covering portion disposed on at least one end of the first covering portion, the second covering portion covering at least one end of the bendable mechanism.

4 . The foldable device of claim 3 , wherein
the bendable mechanism comprises an end plate disposed at the at least one end of the middle hinge assembly, the second covering portion is disposed between the end plate and the connecting hinge; and the second covering portion partially overlaps the end plate as well as the connecting hinge.

5 . The foldable device of claim 4 , wherein when bending the foldable device, an overlapping region between the second covering portion and the end plate has a decreased area, an overlapping region between the second covering portion and the connecting hinge has an increased area.

6 . The foldable device according to claim 4 , wherein:
when the foldable device is in a bent state, an overlapping region between the second covering portion and the end plate has an area greater than an overlapping region between the second covering portion and the connecting hinge.

7 . The foldable device of claim 4 , wherein
when the foldable device is in an unfolded state, an overlapping region between the second covering portion and the end plate has an area less than an overlapping region between the second covering portion and the connecting hinge.

8 . The foldable device of claim 2 , wherein
the shielding mechanism further comprises a connecting rod connected between the middle hinge assembly and the covering member; and the connecting rod has one end rotatably connected to the middle hinge assembly and the other end rotatably connected to the covering member.

9 . The foldable device of claim 8 , wherein
the shielding mechanism further comprises a fixing member connected to the middle hinge assembly; and the one end of the connecting rod is rotatably connected to the fixing member, and the connecting rod is rotatably connected to the middle hinge assembly via the fixing member.

10 . The folding device of claim 9 , wherein
the middle hinge assembly defines a fixing groove, the fixing member is accommodated in the fixing groove; the fixing member defines a through hole; and the connecting rod is provided with a rotating shaft at the one end of the connecting rod, the rotating shaft is rotatably inserted into the through hole of the fixing member.

11 . The foldable device of claim 8 , wherein
the covering member is provided with a connecting sleeve at one side of the covering member away from the connecting hinge; and the connecting rod is provided with another rotating shaft at the other end of the connecting rod, and the other rotating shaft is rotatably inserted into the connecting sleeve.

12 . The foldable device of claim 8 , wherein
the shielding mechanism further comprises a fixing piece; and one side of the fixing piece away from the connecting rod is fixedly connected with the covering member, and the other side of the fixing piece facing the connecting rod is rotatably connected with the other end of the connecting rod.

13 . The foldable device of claim 8 , wherein
the covering member is connected with the connecting hinge via matching between a guide groove and a sliding piece, wherein the guide groove extends along a direction perpendicular to a bending axis of the bendable mechanism; and when bending or unfolding the bendable mechanism, the sliding piece slides in the guide groove to drive the covering member to rotate with the connecting hinge relative to the middle hinge assembly.

14 . The foldable device of claim 13 , wherein the guide groove is defined on one of the covering member or the connecting hinge, and the sliding piece is disposed on the other one of the connecting hinge or the connecting hinge.

15 . The foldable device of claim 1 , further comprising an elastic member that elastically abuts the shielding mechanism, and the elastic member applies an elastic force parallel to a sliding direction of the shielding mechanism relative to the bendable mechanism.

16 . The foldable device of claim 15 , wherein
the bendable mechanism comprises a connecting member, wherein the connecting member is connected between the middle hinge assembly and the connecting hinge and slides relative to the bendable mechanism when bending or unfolding the bendable mechanism; and the elastic member is elastically connected between the connecting member and the shielding mechanism.

17 . The foldable device of claim 16 , wherein
the connecting hinge is slidable relative to the middle hinge assembly; and when bending the foldable device, a sliding distance of the shielding mechanism relative to the connecting member is less than a sliding distance of the shielding mechanism relative to the connecting hinge.

18 . The foldable device of claim 8 , wherein
the bendable mechanism comprises a connecting member, wherein the connecting member is connected between the middle hinge assembly and the connecting hinge and is slidable relative to the bendable mechanism when bending or unfolding the bendable mechanism; the covering member is connected to the connecting member via a strip groove and a guide portion; the strip groove extends in a direction perpendicular to a bending axis of the bendable mechanism; when bending or unfolding the bendable mechanism, the guide portion slides in the strip groove to drive the covering member to rotate with the connecting hinge relative to the middle hinge assembly.

19 . The foldable device of claim 18 , wherein
the strip groove is defined on the connecting member, the guide portion is a sliding rod provided on the covering member, and one end of the sliding rod away from the covering member is accommodated in the strip groove; or the strip groove is defined on the covering member, the guide portion is a sliding rod provided on the connecting member, and one end of the sliding rod away from the connecting member is slidably accommodated in the strip groove.

20 . An electronic device, comprising a flexible member, a housing, and a foldable device, wherein
the foldable device comprises a bendable mechanism and a shielding mechanism, wherein
the bendable mechanism comprises a middle hinge assembly and a connecting hinge disposed on one side of the middle hinge assembly; and
the shielding mechanism slides relative to the bendable mechanism and at least partially covers the bendable mechanism when bending or unfolding the bendable mechanism;
the

Assignees

• Shenzhen Royole Technologies Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hong Zhuping
• Su Shuai
• Liu Wenjun

Classifications

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title

• G06F1/1681 Primary

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

• G06F1/1652 Primary

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

• G09F9/301

  flexible foldable or roll-able electronic displays, e.g. thin LCD, OLED · CPC title

• H04M1/0216

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