Foldable electronic device and shaft cover assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025168262-A1
Application number	US-202318839372-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 11, 2023
Priority date	Jul 22, 2022
Publication date	May 22, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments of this application provide a foldable electronic device and a shaft cover assembly. A first middle frame part and a second middle frame part in the foldable electronic device are rotatably connected to each other by using a rotating shaft assembly. The foldable electronic device further includes a flexible circuit board and at least one shaft cover assembly. The shaft cover assembly is rotatably connected to the rotating shaft assembly. The flexible circuit board is fixedly connected to the shaft cover assembly. In a process in which the first middle frame part and the second middle frame part are folded or unfolded relative to each other, the shaft cover assembly moves back and forth relative to the rotating shaft assembly in a thickness direction of the foldable electronic device.

First claim

1 . A foldable electronic device, comprising at least the following:
a first middle frame part, a second middle frame part, and a rotating shaft assembly, wherein the first middle frame part and the second middle frame part are rotatably connected to each other by using the rotating shaft assembly; the foldable electronic device further comprises a flexible circuit board and at least one shaft cover assembly, and the shaft cover assembly is rotatably connected to the rotating shaft assembly; and the flexible circuit board is fixedly connected to the shaft cover assembly, and in a process in which the first middle frame part and the second middle frame part are folded or unfolded relative to each other, the shaft cover assembly moves back and forth relative to the rotating shaft assembly in a thickness direction of the foldable electronic device.

2 . The foldable electronic device according to claim 1 , further comprising a first circuit board and a second circuit board, wherein
the first circuit board is located on the first middle frame part, the second circuit board is located on the second middle frame part, one end of the flexible circuit board is connected to the first circuit board, and the other end of the flexible circuit board is connected to the second circuit board after passing through the rotating shaft assembly.

3 . The foldable electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the rotating shaft assembly comprises a rotating shaft, a first swing arm, and a second swing arm; and
the first swing arm and the second swing arm are separately rotatably connected to the rotating shaft, the first swing arm is fixedly connected to the first middle frame part, and the second swing arm is fixedly connected to the second middle frame part.

4 . The foldable electronic device according to claim 3 , wherein each shaft cover assembly comprises a shaft cover, a first fastener, and two linkage members;
two sliding grooves are disposed on the shaft cover, and one end of each linkage member is located in the sliding groove and is slidably connected to the sliding groove; two rotating cavities are disposed on the first fastener, and the other end of each linkage member is located in the rotating cavity and is rotatably connected to the rotating cavity; and the flexible circuit board is fixedly connected to the shaft cover, the first fastener is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft, one of the two linkage members is fixedly connected to the first swing arm, and the other of the two linkage members is fixedly connected to the second swing arm.

5 . The foldable electronic device according to claim 4 , wherein the shaft cover comprises a shaft cover body and a second fastener fixedly connected to the shaft cover body; and
the flexible circuit board is fixedly connected to the shaft cover body, and the sliding groove is located on the second fastener.

6 . The foldable electronic device according to claim 5 , wherein the flexible circuit board is fixedly connected to a side that is of the shaft cover body and that faces away from the rotating shaft assembly.

7 . The foldable electronic device according to claim 4 , wherein the linkage member comprises a rotating part and a sliding part connected to the rotating part;
the rotating part is located in the rotating cavity and is rotatably connected to the rotating cavity; and the sliding part is located in the sliding groove and is slidably connected to the sliding groove.

8 . The foldable electronic device according to claim 4 , wherein the sliding groove is a D-shaped groove.

9 . The foldable electronic device according to claim 4 , wherein a central axis of the rotating part in an axial direction of the linkage member does not coincide with a central axis of the sliding part in the axial direction of the linkage member.

10 . The foldable electronic device according to claim 9 , wherein a size of the rotating part in a radial direction of the linkage member is less than a size of the sliding part in the radial direction of the linkage member.

11 . The foldable electronic device according to claim 4 , wherein in a process in which the first swing arm and the second swing arm are folded relative to each other, the shaft cover assembly moves towards the rotating shaft in the thickness direction of the foldable electronic device; and
in a process in which the first swing arm and the second swing arm are unfolded relative to each other, the shaft cover assembly moves away from the rotating shaft in the thickness direction of the foldable electronic device.

12 . The foldable electronic device according to claim 11 , wherein when the first swing arm and the second swing arm are unfolded to a same plane relative to each other, a distance between the shaft cover assembly and the rotating shaft is a first preset distance;
when the first swing arm and the second swing arm are folded to a same plane relative to each other, the distance between the shaft cover assembly and the rotating shaft is a second preset distance; and a difference between the first preset distance and the second preset distance is 1 mm-1.7 mm.

13 . A shaft cover assembly, wherein comprises;
a shaft cover, a first fastener, and two linkage members; two sliding grooves are disposed on the shaft cover, and one end of each linkage member is located in the sliding groove and is slidably connected to the sliding groove; two rotating cavities are disposed on the first fastener, and the other end of each linkage member is located in the rotating cavity and is rotatably connected to the rotating cavity; and the flexible circuit board is fixedly connected to the shaft cover, the first fastener is fixedly connected to a rotating shaft of the rotating shaft assembly, one of the two linkage members is fixedly connected to a first swing arm of the rotating shaft assembly, and the other of the two linkage members is fixedly connected to a second swing arm of the rotating shaft assembly; the shaft cover comprises a shaft cover body and a second fastener fixedly connected to the shaft cover body; the flexible circuit board of a foldable electronic device is fixedly connected to the shaft cover body, and the sliding groove is located on the second fastener; and the flexible circuit board is fixedly connected to a side that is of the shaft cover body of the foldable electronic device and that faces away from the rotating shaft assembly; and the linkage member comprises a rotating part and a sliding part connected to the rotating part; the rotating part is located in the rotating cavity and is rotatably connected to the rotating cavity; the sliding part is located in the sliding groove and is slidably connected to the sliding groove.

14 .- 16 . (canceled)

17 . The foldable electronic device according to claim 2 , wherein the rotating shaft assembly comprises a rotating shaft, a first swing arm, and a second swing arm; and
the first swing arm and the second swing arm are separately rotatably connected to the rotating shaft, the first swing arm is fixedly connected to the first middle frame part, and the second swing arm is fixedly connected to the second middle frame part.

18 . The foldable electronic device according to claim 17 , wherein each shaft cover assembly comprises a shaft cover, a first fastener, and two linkage members;
two sliding grooves are disposed on the shaft cover, and one end of each linkage member is located in the sliding groove and is slidably connected to the sliding groove; two rotating cavities are disposed on the first fastener, and the other end of ea

Assignees

• Honor Device Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wang Wenhao
• Zhang Yihe
• Yang Xiujuan
• Han Ye

Classifications

• 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

• G06F1/1652

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

• G06F1/1683

  for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling · CPC title

• H05K1/189

  characterised by the use of flexible or folded printed circuits · 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