Hinge mechanism and electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024384751-A1
Application number	US-202418789535-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 30, 2024
Priority date	Jan 30, 2022
Publication date	Nov 21, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

The hinge mechanism includes a base and a main hinge module. The base includes a support surface for supporting a flexible display. The main hinge module includes a first rotating component and a second rotating component disposed on two opposite sides of the base. The first rotating component includes a first support plate, and the first support plate includes a first plate surface for supporting the flexible display. The second rotating component includes a second support plate, and the second support plate includes a second plate surface for supporting the flexible display. When the hinge mechanism is in a folded state, an included angle between the first plate surface and a bearing surface is less than an included angle between the second plate surface and the bearing surface, to form display accommodating space between the first plate surface, the second plate surface, and the bearing surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A hinge mechanism for a foldable electronic device comprising:
the hinge mechanism comprises a base and a main hinge module and is disposed corresponding to a bendable part of a flexible display of the electronic device, wherein the electronic device is unfolded or folded via the hinge mechanism; the base comprising a bearing surface, and the bearing surface is configured to support the flexible display; the main hinge module comprises a first rotating component and a second rotating component, and the first rotating component and the second rotating component are disposed on two opposite sides of the base; the first rotating component comprises a first support plate, the first support plate comprises a first plate surface, and the first plate surface is configured to support the flexible display; the second rotating component comprises a second support plate, the second support plate comprises a second plate surface, and the second plate surface is configured to support the flexible display; and when the hinge mechanism is in a folded state, an included angle between the first plate surface and the bearing surface is less than an included angle between the second plate surface and the bearing surface, to form, between the first plate surface, the second plate surface, and the bearing surface, display accommodating space for accommodating the bendable part of the flexible display.

2 . The hinge mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the first rotating component further comprises a first support arm and a housing mounting bracket, the first support arm is rotatably connected to the base, the first support arm is slidably connected to the housing mounting bracket, and the first support plate is rotatably connected to the housing mounting bracket;
the second support plate is rotatably connected to the base; and when the first rotating component and the second rotating component rotate towards each other, an end, of the first support plate, close to the base moves in a direction away from the base.

3 . The hinge mechanism according to claim 2 , wherein the first rotating component further comprises a swing arm, the swing arm is rotatably connected to the base, and a rotation axis of the first support arm is parallel to but does not overlap a rotation axis of the swing arm.

4 . The hinge mechanism according to claim 3 , wherein the first support plate is slidably connected to at least one of the first support arm or the swing arm.

5 . The hinge mechanism according to claim 4 , wherein when the first support plate is slidably connected to the first support arm, a first guiding part is disposed on the first support plate, and the first guiding part has a first track slot; and a first guiding structure is disposed on the first support arm, and the first guiding structure is inserted into the first track slot and is slidably connected to the first track slot; and
when the first support plate is slidably connected to the swing arm, a first guiding part is disposed on the first support plate, and the first guiding part has a first track slot; and a first guiding structure is disposed on the swing arm, and the first guiding structure is inserted into the first track slot and is slidably connected to the first track slot.

6 . The hinge mechanism according to claim 3 , wherein the swing arm is slidably connected to the housing mounting bracket; and
a first sliding groove extending in a first direction and a second sliding groove extending in a second direction are disposed on the housing mounting bracket, the first support arm can slide in the first sliding groove, the swing arm can slide in the second sliding groove, a projection along the first direction in a first cross section is not parallel to a projection along the second direction in the first cross section, and the first cross section is a reference plane perpendicular to the rotation axis of the first support arm and the rotation axis of the swing arm.

7 . The hinge mechanism according to claim 6 , wherein neither of angles at which the first support arm and the swing arm rotate relative to the base is greater than 90°.

8 . The hinge mechanism according to claim 7 , wherein the second sliding groove is provided with a second sliding rail, the swing arm is provided with a second sliding block, the second sliding block is clamped on the second sliding rail, and the second sliding block can slide along the second sliding rail.

9 . The hinge mechanism according to claim 8 , wherein the second sliding rail is a straight-line sliding rail, and the housing mounting bracket comprises a first surface, the first surface is a side surface, of the housing mounting bracket, facing the flexible display, the straight-line sliding rail has an opening located on the first surface, and when the hinge mechanism is in an unfolded state, the straight-line sliding rail extends from the opening to the base.

10 . The hinge mechanism according to claim 8 , wherein the second sliding rail is an arc-shaped sliding rail, when the hinge mechanism is in an unfolded state, an axis center of the arc-shaped sliding rail is located on a side, of the arc-shaped sliding rail, away from the base.

11 . The hinge mechanism according to claim 3 , wherein the main hinge module further comprises a drive connecting rod, and the drive connecting rod is located between the first support arm and the swing arm; the drive connecting rod comprises a first connection part and a second connection part, the first connection part is rotatably connected to the first support arm through a first connecting rod, and the second connection part is rotatably connected to the swing arm through a second connecting rod; and axes of the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod do not overlap.

12 . The hinge mechanism according to claim 3 , wherein the main hinge module further comprises a drive connecting rod, and the drive connecting rod is located between the first support arm and the swing arm; and the drive connecting rod comprises a first connection part and a second connection part, the first connection part is slidably connected to the swing arm through a first connecting rod, and the second connection part is fastened to the first support arm.

13 . The hinge mechanism according to claim 12 , wherein a guiding slot is disposed at an end part, of the swing arm, facing the first support arm, and the first connecting rod is inserted into the guiding slot and can slide along a slot surface of the guiding slot.

14 . The hinge mechanism according to claim 11 , wherein the second sliding groove is provided with the second sliding rail, the swing arm is provided with the second sliding block, the second sliding block can slide along the second sliding rail, and the second sliding block is in clearance fit with the second sliding rail.

15 . The hinge mechanism according to claim 3 , wherein the swing arm is rotatably connected to the housing mounting bracket.

16 . The hinge mechanism according to claim 15 , wherein the hinge mechanism further comprises an end cover and a rotation member, the end cover has an accommodation part, the base is disposed in the accommodation part, one end of the rotation member presses against a bottom surface, of the end cover, facing the base, and the other end of the rotation member is rotatably connected to the base; and
when the first rotating component and the second rotating component rotate away from each other, the swing arm rotates around the base to drive the end cover to rotate around the base, and a rotation dire

Assignees

• Huawei Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wu Weifeng
• Zhong Ding
• Zhan Qiang
• Hua Leilei
• Xiao Zhenlin
• Zhang Zhibin
• Liao Changliang

Classifications

• H04M1/02

  Constructional features of telephone sets · 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