ELECTRONIC DEVICE

An electronic device includes: a display screen including an array substrate, the array substrate including a substrate body and a bent part connected with a first side surface of the substrate body, and the bent part being bent towards a non-display side of the display screen; a first support plate including a support body, a transition part and a step part, the transition part connecting the support body with the step part, the support body being connected with the substrate body, and the bent part being partially arranged between the step part and the substrate body; and a stepped battery arranged on a side surface of the first support plate facing away from the display screen.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based on and claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202310194100.1 filed on Feb. 24, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

As more features are added to terminals and electronic devices, more processing power is used to provide those features. With the addition of new features, the power consumption of internal modules increases, which will inevitably increase the requirements for the battery capacity, in order to meet the long endurance time of the device. Increased battery capacity typically involves increasing the size of the battery, which may negatively impact the usability of the terminal or electronic device.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates to a field of terminals, and more particularly to an electronic device.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an electronic device. The electronic device includes a display screen, a first support plate, and a stepped battery. The display screen includes an array substrate, the array substrate includes a substrate body and a bent part connected with a first side surface of the substrate body, and the bent part is bent towards a non-display side of the display screen. The first support plate includes a support body, a transition part and a step part, the transition part connects the support body with the step part, and the support body and the step part are spaced apart by a preset height in a thickness direction of the electronic device. The support body is connected with the substrate body, one side surface of the step part, one side surface of the transition part and a part of the substrate body define a first accommodating cavity, the bent part is partially arranged in the first accommodating cavity, and the other opposite side surface of the step part, the other opposite side surface of the transition part and the support body define a second accommodating cavity. The stepped battery is arranged on a side surface of the first support plate facing away from the display screen, and the stepped battery is partially arranged in the second accommodating cavity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Here, exemplary embodiments will be described in detail, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. When the following description refers to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings indicate the same or similar elements. The implementations described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all the implementations consistent with the present disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of devices and methods consistent with some aspects of the present disclosure as detailed in the appended claims.

The terms used in the present disclosure are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. The singular forms “a”, “said” and “the” used in the present disclosure and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates other meaning. It should also be understood that the term “and/or” as used herein refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more associated listed items.

It should be understood that terms such as “first”, “second” and “third” are used herein for the purpose of describing various information, but such information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish the same type of information from each other. For example, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the first information may also be called the second information, and similarly, the second information may also be called the first information. Depending on the context, the word “if” as used herein may be interpreted as “while” or “when” or “in response to determining”.

In order to occupy a favorable market, major manufacturers are considering upgrading the configuration of mainstream flagship models, so it is necessary to configure more and larger components inside the device, which loses the thickness advantage of the device. In particular, for the current mainstream foldable models, due to the large screen, the power consumption is significantly increased, so that, in order to improve the endurance capacity of the foldable device, it is necessary to configure a relatively thick and heavy battery in the device.

However, as shown inFIGS.1and2, in a conventional foldable device100, a battery103is arranged above a support plate104, and a flexible printed circuit (FPC)102and a Chip on PI (COP) IC101of a screen are arranged under a local portion of the support plate104. The battery103adopts a regular rectangular battery, which has a poor space utilization, and cannot optimize the battery capacity to a greater extent to improve the endurance capacity of the device.

To this end, as shown inFIG.3, the present disclosure provides an electronic device200, and the electronic device200may include a display screen1, a first support plate2and a stepped battery3. The display screen1may include an array substrate11and a display layer12, and the display layer12is arranged on a surface of the array substrate11. The array substrate11may include a substrate element and a thin film transistor layer, and the substrate element may be a flexible substrate element. The array substrate11includes a substrate body111and a bent part112connected with a first side surface of the substrate body111. The substrate body111may be connected to the display layer12, and the display layer12is supported and protected by the substrate body111. The bent part112is located at an outer side relative to the substrate body111, so that the bent part112may bend towards a non-display side of the display screen1and wrap an edge of the first side surface of the substrate body111.

The first support plate2may include a support body21, a transition part22and a step part23. One end of the transition part22is connected with the support body21and the other end of the transition part22is connected with the step part23. The support body21and the step part23are spaced apart from each other by a preset distance in a thickness direction of the electronic device200, and the preset distance is equal to a height of the transition part22in the thickness direction of the electronic device200. The support body21may be connected to a side surface (i.e., a second side surface connected with and perpendicular to the first side surface) of the substrate body111facing away from the display layer12. As shown inFIG.3, the first support plate2may be bonded and fixed with the substrate body111through a first adhesive13, so as to further improve the strength of the display screen1through the support body21. A side surface of the transition part22, a side surface of the step part23and a part of the substrate body111may define a first accommodating cavity4, and the bent part112may extend into the first accommodating cavity4after being bent and wrapping the edge (for example, an upper edge inFIG.3) of the first side surface of the substrate body111, so that a portion of the bent part112may be located in the first accommodating cavity4. Further, since the transition part22extends along the thickness direction of the electronic device200, the support body21and the step part23have a height difference therebetween, so that another opposite side surface of the transition part22, another opposite side surface of the step part23and the support body21may cooperate to define a second accommodating cavity5, and the stepped battery3may be arranged on a side surface of the first support plate2facing away from the display screen1, and partially arranged in the second accommodating cavity5.

Based on this, since the stepped battery3may be partially arranged in the second accommodating cavity5, it is beneficial to increasing the volume of the stepped battery3, improving the capacity of the stepped battery3, and prolonging the endurance time of the electronic device200, compared with the solution of flattening the support plate in the related art. In the present disclosure, an example in which no frames are arranged on both sides of the second accommodating cavity5is taken. In fact, in other embodiments, the second accommodating cavity5may also have a shape of a groove, and this is not limited in the present disclosure.

It should be noted that, as shown inFIG.3, a height difference between a portion of the bent part112parallel to the substrate body111after being bent and the substrate body111is determined by a bending radius of the bent part112, and in order to fix the bent part112, the portion of the bent part112parallel to the substrate body111may be bonded to the second side surface (which is connected with and perpendicular to the first side surface) of the substrate body111facing away from a display side of the display screen1by a second adhesive14. When the bending radius is large and it is difficult for a thickness of the second adhesive14to meet a gap between the substrate body111and the bent part112, a spacer may be arranged, and a size of the spacer may be designed as required.

As shown inFIG.4, the edge of the first side surface of the substrate body111is arranged in a first direction, e.g. in a vertical direction inFIG.4. The electronic device200may further include a flexible circuit board6, which may be bonded to the second side surface of the substrate body111facing away from the display side through a third adhesive15. Specifically, the flexible circuit board6may include a main circuit region61and a first lead-out region62, the main circuit region61is arranged in the first direction, and is connected with and in conduction with the bent part112, the first lead-out region62is connected with and in conduction with the main circuit region61, and the first lead-out region62may be bent relative to the main circuit region61due to the limited space in the first direction. The first lead-out region62may be provided with a wiring portion to be connected with and in conduction with other electronic components, so as to output signals of the display screen1. Of course, related components, such as a capacitor, an inductor, a current circuit and a driving chip, may also be arranged on the first lead-out region62. The first direction is an extension direction of the edge of the first side surface, that is, the vertical direction inFIG.4. The first lead-out region62may be bent perpendicularly relative to the main circuit region61as shown inFIG.4, or may be bent to form an acute angle or an obtuse angle, which may be designed as required, and is mot limited by the present disclosure.

In another embodiment, as shown inFIG.5, the edge of the first side surface of the substrate body111is arranged in a first direction, that is, in a vertical direction inFIG.5. The flexible circuit board6may include a main circuit region61, a first lead-out region62and a second lead-out region63. Like the previous embodiment, the main circuit region61is arranged in the first direction, and is connected with and in conduction with the bent part112. The first lead-out region62is connected with and in conduction with one end of the main circuit region61, and the second lead-out region63is connected with and in conduction with the other end of the main circuit region61. Of course, if the space in the first direction is limited, at least one of the first lead-out region62and the second lead-out region63may be bent relative to the main circuit region61. Specifically, it may be bent to form an acute angle, an obtuse angle or a right angle. The first lead-out region62and the second lead-out region63each may be provided with a wiring portion to output signals of the display screen1. Compared with the embodiment shown inFIG.4, in the embodiment shown inFIG.5, a signal of the main circuit region61may be divided into two paths, which is equivalent to that a width of the main circuit region61required for wiring inFIG.4is divided into two paths. Therefore, a width of the main circuit region61inFIG.5can be reduced, thus contributing to an arrangement position of the transition part22, and further increasing the volume of the second accommodating cavity5, which is beneficial to improving the capacity of the stepped battery3.

In some other embodiments, as shown inFIG.6, the flexible circuit board6may include a main circuit region61, a first lead-out region62and a widening region64. Similar to the embodiment ofFIG.4, the main circuit region61is arranged in the first direction, and is connected with and in conduction with the bent part112, and the first lead-out region62is connected with and in conduction with the main circuit region61. If the space in the first direction is limited, the first lead-out region62may be bent relative to the main circuit region61. Specifically, it may be bent to form an acute angle, an obtuse angle or a right angle. The first lead-out region62may be provided with a wiring portion for connection and conduction with other electronic components, so as to output signals of the display layer12. Of course, related components, such as a capacitor, an inductor, a current circuit and a driving chip, may also be arranged on the first lead-out region62. It may be understood that when the wiring of the main circuit region61needs to be bent and arranged to the first lead-out region62, the wiring bottleneck is likely to occur at the corner due to the stacking of wires, so the widening region64is located at a corner area formed by the first lead-out region62and the main circuit region61, to increase the region available for wiring. In the embodiment shown inFIG.6, an example in which the widening region64has a triangle shape is taken for explanations. In fact, the widening region64may also have a rectangle shape or other irregular shapes, such as an arc widening region, which may be designed as required, and this is not limited by the present disclosure.

In the above embodiments ofFIGS.4-6, a shape of a side surface of the flexible circuit board6facing away from the first side surface varies, and thus a shape of the transition part22in each embodiment may be adapted. For example, the shape of the transition part22of the first support plate2shown inFIG.7matches with the shape of the side surface of the flexible circuit board6facing away from the first side surface shown inFIG.6, and the stepped battery3may also be subsequently designed to have an irregular shape in an adaptive manner, so as to make full use of everywhere in the second accommodating cavity5, thus improving the capacity of the stepped battery3. In the above embodiments, as shown inFIG.8, the main circuit region61includes a depression611, which may be formed by depressing the side surface of the main circuit region61facing away from the first side surface (or, the bent part112) towards another opposite side surface of the main circuit region61(i.e. facing the first side surface or the bent part112). Through this depression611, the space can be made for the transition part22, which is beneficial to the subsequent volume expansion of the second accommodating cavity5and the subsequent capacity expansion of the stepped battery3. In the embodiment shown inFIG.8, an example in which the main circuit region61includes a single depression611is taken for explanations. In other embodiments, the main circuit region61may also include a plurality of depressions611, and the transition part22may also be designed in the adaptive manner, which will not be described in detail here.

The flexible circuit board6mentioned in the above embodiments may be a single-layer flexible circuit board or a multi-layer flexible circuit board, and the number of wiring layers in each portion of the flexible circuit board6is the same. By adopting the flexible circuit board6with the same number of wiring layers, the processing difficulty of the flexible circuit board6can be reduced and the process cost can be decreased.

As shown inFIG.9, the step part23may further include a second avoidance part25in communication with the first accommodating cavity4, the electronic device200may further include a chip assembly7, the chip assembly7may be arranged on the surface of the bent part112facing away from the substrate body111, and the related signals of the display screen1may be output through the chip assembly7. Moreover, in order to protect the chip assembly7, the chip assembly7may be at least partially located in the second avoidance part25, which can reduce an impact on the chip assembly7when an external force is exerted. Of course, if there is another structural member between the first support plate2and the chip assembly7, such as an insulating cover, a corresponding through groove may be formed in the structural member.

The chip assembly7may include a single chip, or as shown inFIG.10, the chip assembly7may include a first chip71and a second chip72, both of which are arranged in the region of the bent part112parallel to the substrate body111, and are in conduction with the bent part112, respectively. Through the first chip71and the second chip72, the related signals of the thin film transistor layer of the display screen1can be collected and further output through the flexible circuit board6. Compared with a single chip in the related art, arranging two chips can reduce the requirements on the processing resources of the chips. In combination with the embodiment ofFIG.9, at least one of the first chip71and the second chip72may be arranged in the second avoidance part25of the first support plate2.

As also shown inFIG.10, the first chip71and the second chip72may be symmetrically arranged with respect to a center line of the bent part112, and an extension direction of the center line is perpendicular to the first side surface (specifically, the edge of the first side surface), which is vertically arranged inFIG.10, so that the center line of the bent part112is horizontally arranged inFIG.10. By symmetrically arranging the first chip71and the second chip72, it is convenient for the signals output by the thin film transistor layer to be shunted by the two chips, and the electrical connection between the two chips and the bent part112can also be simplified. In the embodiment shown inFIG.10, an example in which the flexible circuit board6does not have the widening region at the corner area of the main circuit region61and the first lead-out region62is taken for explanations. In fact, as shown inFIG.11, the flexible circuit board6may also have the widening region64at the corner area of the main circuit region61and the first lead-out region62, and also the chip assembly7may include the first chip71and the second chip72.

Based on the above embodiments, the electronic device200may be a device with the screen on a single side, or as shown inFIG.12, the electronic device200may be a foldable device. The electronic device200may also include a second support plate9and a rotating shaft10, the second support plate9is connected to the second side surface of the substrate body111facing away from the display layer12, the second support plate9is also connected to one side of the rotating shaft10, and the first support plate2is connected to the other side of the rotating shaft10. Subsequently, the second support plate9and the first support plate2can move close to each other or away from each other through the rotation of the rotating shaft302, so that the electronic device200can be switched between a folded state and an unfolded state.

In the above embodiments, the bent part112is bent to wrap the edge of the first side surface of the substrate body111adjacent to the first support plate2, and the second support plate9is arranged in a flat shape. In fact, in other embodiments, the related circuits of the array substrate11may also be led out from a side where the second support plate9is, and similarly, a bent part may also be provided. The subsequent battery arrangement and the subsequent related circuit board arrangement on the side corresponding to the second support plate9may refer to the previous embodiments, and will not be described in detail here.

Other embodiments of the present disclosure will easily occur to those skilled in the art after considering the specification and practicing the disclosure disclosed herein. The present disclosure is intended to cover any variations, uses or adaptations of the present disclosure, which follow the general principle of the present disclosure and include the common sense or common technical means in the related art that are not disclosed in the present disclosure. The specification and embodiments are to be regarded as illustrative only, while the true scope and spirit of the present disclosure are indicated by the following claims.