Electronic device and flexible connection device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9921611-B2
Application number	US-201514929854-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2015
Priority date	Jul 20, 2015
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

An embodiment of the present disclosure provides an electronic device and a flexible connection device. The electronic device comprises a first body; a second body; and a flexible connection device, configured to connect the first body and the second body. The flexible connection device comprises N shafts; and N−1 transmission structures, wherein each of the transmission structures connects two adjacent shafts, to connect the N shafts together in order, wherein N is an integer which is larger than 3 or equals to 3. When an action force is applied onto the first body and/or the second body so that relative positions of the first body and the second body are changed, the N shafts and the N−1 transmission structures are driven sequentially so that the flexible connection device is flexibly bent while keeping the length of the inner arc of the flexible connection device constant.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a first body;
a second body; and
a flexible connection device, configured to connect the first body and the second body, and comprising:
N shafts; and
N−1 transmission structures, wherein each of the transmission structures connects two adjacent shafts, to connect the N shafts together in order, wherein N is an integer which is larger than 3 or equals to 3;
wherein when an action force is applied onto the first body and/or the second body so that relative positions of the first body and the second body are changed, the N shafts and the N−1 transmission structures are driven sequentially so that the flexible connection device is flexibly bent,
wherein the transmission structure is provided with a first through hole and a second through hole;
wherein a first inner diameter of the first through hole is larger than a first outer diameter of the shaft, so that the shaft is rotatable in the first through hole;
wherein a second inner diameter of the second through hole is matched with the first outer diameter, so that the shaft is fixed in the second through hole; and
wherein the second through hole of j−1 th transmission structure and the first through hole of j th transmission structure are provided to surround the i th shaft, and the second through hole of the j th transmission structure and the first through hole of the j+1 th transmission structure are provided to surround the i+1 th shaft, wherein i is an integer between 1 and N−1, and j is an integer between 1 and N−2.

2. An electronic device, comprising:
a first body;
a second body; and
a flexible connection device, configured to connect the first body and the second body, and comprising:
N shafts; and
N−1 transmission structures, wherein each of the transmission structures connects two adjacent shafts, to connect the N shafts together in order, wherein N is an integer which is larger than 3 or equals to 3;
wherein when an action force is applied onto the first body and/or the second body so that relative positions of the first body and the second body are changed, the N shafts and the N−1 transmission structures are driven sequentially so that the flexible connection device is flexibly bent, wherein the transmission structure is provided with a first through hole and a second through hole;
wherein a first inner diameter of the first through hole is larger than a first outer diameter of the shaft, so that the shaft is rotatable in the first through hole;
wherein a second inner diameter of the second through hole is matched with the first outer diameter, so that the shaft is fixed in the second through hole;
wherein the second through hole of j−1 th transmission structure and the first through hole of j th transmission structure are provided to surround the i th shaft, and the second through hole of the j th transmission structure and the first through hole of the j+1 th transmission structure are provided to surround the i+1 th shaft, wherein i is an integer between 1 and N−1, and j is an integer between 1 and N−2, wherein the transmission structure further comprises a first sub-fixing point and a second sub-fixing point, provided on a first surface of the transmission structure;
and wherein the first sub-fixing point and the second sub-fixing point are used to connect and fix the two transmission structures provided to surround the same shaft, so that the shaft rotates with the first sub-fixing point and the second sub-fixing point as a rotating center.

3. The electronic device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein a first side portion of the transmission structure is provided with a first connection portion, and a second side portion of the transmission structure opposite to the first side portion is provided with a second connection portion, and
the two transmission structures provided to surround the adjacent shafts respectively are rotatably connected by means of the first connection portion and the second connection portion.

4. An electronic device, comprising:
a first body;
a second body; and
a flexible connection device, configured to connect the first body and the second body, and comprising:
N shafts; and
N−1 transmission structures, wherein each of the transmission structures connects two adjacent shafts, to connect the N shafts together in order, wherein N is an integer which is larger than 3 or equals to 3;
wherein when an action force is applied onto the first body and/or the second body so that relative positions of the first body and the second body are changed, the N shafts and the N−1 transmission structures are driven sequentially so that the flexible connection device is flexibly bent, wherein the flexible connection device further comprises N/2 holding structures, each of which comprises a first clamping portion and a second clamping portion;
and wherein the first clamping portion of the y th holding structure clamps the i th shaft and the second clamping portion of the y th holding structure clamps the i−1 th shaft, wherein y is an integer between 1 and N/2.

5. The electronic device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the flexible connection device further comprises N/2 holding structures, each of which comprises a first clamping portion and a second clamping portion;
the first clamping portion of the y th holding structure clamps the i th shaft and the second clamping portion of the y th holding structure clamps the i−1 th shaft, wherein y is an integer between 1 and N/2.

6. The electronic device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the flexible connection device further comprises N/2 holding structures, each of which comprises a first clamping portion and a second clamping portion;
the first clamping portion of the y th holding structure clamps the i th shaft and the second clamping portion of the y th holding structure clamps the i−1 th shaft, wherein y is an integer between 1 and N/2.

7. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the flexible connection device further includes:
a first body connection structure, configured to connect the first body and one of the first shaft and the N th shaft; and
a second body connection structure, configured to connect the second body and the other one of the first shaft and the N th shaft.

8. A flexible connection device, comprising:
N shafts; and
N−1 transmission structures, wherein each of the transmission structures connects two adjacent shafts, to connect the N shafts together in order, wherein N is an integer which is larger than 3 or equals to 3;
wherein when an action force is applied onto a first body and/or a second body connected by the flexible connection device so that relative positions of the first body and the second body are changed, the N shafts and the N−1 transmission structures are driven sequentially so that the flexible connection device is flexibly bent,
wherein the transmission structure is provided with a first through hole and a second through hole;
wherein a first inner diameter of the first through hole is larger than a first outer diameter of the shaft, so that the shaft is rotatable in the first through hole;
wherein a second inner diameter of the second through hole is matched with the first outer diameter, so that the shaft is fixed in the second through hole;
wherein the second through hole of j−1 th transmission structure and the first through hole of j th transmission structure are provided to surround the i th shaft, and the second through hole of the j th transmission structure and the first through hole of the j+1 th transmission structure are provided to surround the i+1 th shaft, and wherein i is an integer between 1 and N−1, and j is an integer between 1 and N−2.

Assignees

• Beijing Lenovo Software Ltd
• Lenovo Beijing Ltd

Inventors

• Wang Lijun

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

• G06F1/1681 Primary

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

• E05Y2900/606

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic

• E05Y2999/00

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