Foldable electronic device and hinge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2026019480-A1
Application number	US-202318995576-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 27, 2023
Priority date	Dec 19, 2022
Publication date	Jan 15, 2026
Grant date	—

Abstract

A hinge includes a main shaft, a first foldable assembly, and a second foldable assembly. The first foldable assembly includes a first rotating member, a first body, and a first connecting rod, where the first rotating member is rotatably connected to the main shaft, and is slidably connected to the first body. The second foldable assembly includes a second rotating member, a second body, and a second connecting rod, where the second rotating member is rotatably connected to the main shaft, and is slidably connected to the second body, one end of the first connecting rod is rotatably connected to the first body, the other end of the first connecting rod is rotatably connected to the second rotating member, one end of the second connecting rod is rotatably connected to the second body, and the other end of the second connecting rod is rotatably connected to the first rotating member.

First claim

1 . A foldable electronic device, comprising a first housing, a second housing, a flexible display, and a hinge, wherein
the hinge comprises a main shaft, a first foldable assembly, and a second foldable assembly, wherein the first foldable assembly and the second foldable assembly are disposed on two sides of the main shaft; the first foldable assembly comprises a first rotating member, a first body, and a first connecting rod; a first end of the first rotating member is rotatably connected to the main shaft, and a second end of the first rotating member is slidably connected to the first body; the second foldable assembly comprises a second rotating member, a second body, and a second connecting rod; a first end of the second rotating member is rotatably connected to the main shaft, and a second end of the second rotating member is slidably connected to the second body; a first end of the first connecting rod is rotatably connected to the first body, and a second end of the first connecting rod is rotatably connected to the first end of the second rotating member; a first end of the second connecting rod is rotatably connected to the second body, and a second end of the second connecting rod is rotatably connected to the first end of the first rotating member; the first housing is fastened to the first body, and the second housing is fastened to the second body; and a first part of the flexible display is fastened to the first housing, and a second part of the flexible display is fastened to the second housing, wherein the first body has a first support surface for supporting the flexible display, the second body has a second support surface for supporting the flexible display, the first housing has a first mounting surface, the second housing has a second mounting surface, and a side that is of the flexible display and that is opposite to a display surface is fastened to the first mounting surface and the second mounting surface; and when the hinge is in an unfolded state, the first mounting surface, the second mounting surface, the first support surface, and the second support surface are located on a same plane, adjacent edges of the first mounting surface and the first support surface are spliced with each other, and adjacent edges of the second mounting surface and the second support surface are spliced with each other.

2 . The foldable electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the main shaft has a third support surface for supporting the flexible display, and when the hinge is in the unfolded state, the first mounting surface, the first support surface, the third support surface, the second support surface, and the second mounting surface are sequentially spliced to form a support surface for supporting the flexible display.

3 . The foldable electronic device according to claim 2 , wherein the flexible display is fastened on the third support surface, or the flexible display is lapped on the third support surface.

4 . The foldable electronic device according to claim 2 , wherein the third support surface is a flat surface or a curved surface.

5 . The foldable electronic device according to claim 2 , wherein a side that is of the third support surface and that is adjacent to the first support surface is a first curved surface, a side that is of the third support surface and that is adjacent to the second support surface is a second curved surface, and a flat surface is disposed between the first curved surface and the second curved surface.

6 . The foldable electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the first rotating member and the first connecting rod are both located on a side that is of the first body and that is opposite to the first support surface, and the second rotating member and the second connecting rod are both located on a side that is of the second body and that is opposite to the second support surface.

7 . The foldable electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the second end of the first connecting rod has a first pin hole, the first end of the second rotating member has a second pin hole, and the first connecting rod is rotatably connected to the second rotating member via a pin shaft that penetrates the first pin hole and the second pin hole; and
the second end of the second connecting rod has a third pin hole, the first end of the first rotating member has a fourth pin hole, and the second connecting rod is rotatably connected to the first rotating member via a pin shaft that penetrates the third pin hole and the fourth pin hole.

8 . The foldable electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein when the first foldable assembly and the second foldable assembly rotate toward each other, the first mounting surface and the second mounting surface tend to be away from each other; and
the second body approaches the main shaft, and the first body approaches the main shaft.

9 . The foldable electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein when the first foldable assembly and the second foldable assembly rotate away from each other,
the second body moves away from the main shaft, and the first body moves away from the main shaft.

10 . The foldable electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the main shaft comprises a first shaft body and a second shaft body, wherein
the first shaft body and the second shaft body enclose first arc-shaped space and second arc-shaped space; the first end of the first rotating member has a first arc-shaped arm, the first arc-shaped arm is located in the first arc-shaped space, and the first end of the first rotating member is rotatably connected to the main shaft through the first arc-shaped arm and the first arc-shaped space; and the first end of the second rotating member has a second arc-shaped arm, the second arc-shaped arm is located in the second arc-shaped space, and the first end of the second rotating member is rotatably connected to the main shaft through the second arc-shaped arm and the second arc-shaped space.

11 . The foldable electronic device according to claim 10 , wherein
in processes of folding and unfolding the foldable electronic device, the first arc-shaped arm rotates along the first arc-shaped space, and the second arc-shaped arm rotates along the second arc-shaped space.

12 . The foldable electronic device according to claim 10 , wherein in process of folding the foldable electronic device, the first arc-shaped arm rotates out of the first arc-shaped space, and the second arc-shaped arm rotates out of the second arc-shaped space; and
in process of unfolding the foldable electronic device, the first arc-shaped arm rotates into the first arc-shaped space, and the second arc-shaped arm rotates into the second arc-shaped space.

13 . The foldable electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the first body has a first sliding groove, the first rotating member has a first sliding end, the first sliding end is disposed in the first sliding groove, and the first rotating member is slidably connected to the first body through the first sliding groove and the first sliding end; and
the second body has a second sliding groove, the second rotating member has a second sliding end, the second sliding end is disposed in the second sliding groove, and the second rotating member is slidably connected to the second body through the second sliding groove and the second sliding end.

14 . The foldable electronic device according to claim 13 , wherein in process of folding the foldable electronic device, the first sliding end slides into the first sliding groove, and the second sliding end slides into the second sliding groove; an

Assignees

• Huawei Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Liao Changliang
• Xu Zhengyi
• Wang Gangchao

Classifications

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title

• H04M1/0214 Primary

  Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position (combined with translation movement H04M1/0235) · CPC title

• G06F1/1641

  the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components (G06F1/1647 takes precedence) · 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

• G06F1/1681

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