Patent Description:
This application relates to the technical field of electronic devices, and in particular, to an electronic device.

As flexible screen technologies are gradually developing, foldable electronic devices emerge, and are increasingly more widely applied to the life field of people. Currently, a foldable electronic device usually cannot be normally folded and unfolded after falling off. Therefore, how to reduce influence of falling on normal operation of the foldable electronic device is one of technical issues of concern to a person skilled in the art. An exemplary flexible screen is described in <CIT>. Another exemplary folding display terminal is described in <CIT>.

Embodiments of this application provide an electronic device. Therefore, a probability that a shaft cover is deformed due to falling off is low.

According to a first aspect, an embodiment of this application provides an electronic device, including a rotating shaft mechanism, two main body parts, and a flexible screen, where the rotating shaft mechanism includes a base and a shaft cover, both the two main body parts are rotatably connected to the base, so that the two main body parts are folded or unfolded relative to each other, and in a direction parallel to a rotating shaft direction, a distance between the base and the main body part is not greater than a distance between the shaft cover and the main body part. An entire end part of the base may pass through the shaft cover or pass through an upper end of the shaft cover, so that an outer end part of the base is exposed outside the shaft cover or is flush with an outer wall of the shaft cover. Certainly, a part of the end part of the base may alternatively pass through the shaft cover or pass through the upper end of the shaft cover. The foldable electronic device in this application uses a design in which the base protrudes in a Y direction or is flush with the shaft cover, thereby improving structural rigidity. The base can effectively bear all or a part of impact force, thereby effectively ameliorating a problem that the shaft cover is deformed and the flexible screen is impacted, and improving shatter resistance of the entire electronic device.

Based on the first aspect, this embodiment of this application further provides a first implementation of the first aspect.

The base includes a main body and a protruding part extending outward from a partial area of an end part of the main body, and at least a part of the protruding part extends to a location between the shaft cover and the main body part, or an outer end of the protruding part is flush with an outer wall of the shaft cover. In this embodiment, only a part of the end part of the base extends outside the shaft cover.

Based on the first implementation of the first aspect, this embodiment of this application further provides a second implementation of the first aspect.

The protruding part passes through the shaft cover and extends to a location between the shaft cover and the main body part. In this implementation, the shaft cover correspondingly has avoidance space for the protruding part to pass through. In this manner, mounting is flexible, and the base and the shaft cover may be as close as possible to each other, thereby reducing a height of the rotating shaft mechanism in a Z direction.

Based on the first implementation of the first aspect, this embodiment of this application further provides a third implementation of the first aspect.

A protrusion amount range in which the protruding part protrudes from the outer wall of the shaft cover is <NUM>-<NUM>. This value range can meet requirements of most foldable electronic devices.

Based on the first to the third implementations of the first aspect, this embodiment of this application further provides a fourth implementation of the first aspect.

There are one or more protruding parts. In this way, design flexibility can be greatly improved.

Based on the first aspect to the fourth implementation of the first aspect, this embodiment of this application further provides a fifth implementation of the first aspect.

A range of the distance between the base and the main body part is <NUM>-<NUM>.

Based on the first aspect to the fifth implementation of the first aspect, this embodiment of this application further provides a sixth implementation of the first aspect.

A range of the distance between the shaft cover and the main body part is <NUM>-<NUM>.

Based on the first to the sixth implementations of the first aspect, this embodiment of this application further provides a seventh implementation of the first aspect.

The rotating shaft mechanism further includes a guide component mounted on the shaft cover, configured to guide a bending part of the flexible screen to be folded and deformed, and in the direction parallel to the rotating shaft direction, a range of a gap between the base and the guide component is <NUM> to <NUM>.

Based on the first aspect and the first to the seventh implementations of the first aspect, this embodiment of this application further provides an eighth implementation of the first aspect.

The base further has a baffle wall structure, configured to limit a movement displacement amount of the shaft cover toward one side of the flexible screen, and in a folded state and in the direction parallel to the rotating shaft direction, a range of a gap between the baffle wall structure and the shaft cover is <NUM> to <NUM>.

Based on the eighth implementation of the first aspect, this embodiment of this application further provides a ninth implementation of the first aspect.

In a first direction, a range of a gap between the protruding part and the shaft cover is <NUM> to <NUM>, and the first direction is a direction that is perpendicular to a rotating shaft and that points to the flexible screen; or/and
in the folded state and in a first direction, a range of a gap between the baffle wall structure and the shaft cover is <NUM> to <NUM>, and the first direction is a direction that is perpendicular to a rotating shaft and that points to the flexible screen. In this way, mounting of the base is facilitated, and interference between the base and the shaft cover is avoided. In addition, when the shaft cover has a deformation trend due to falling off, the base can also suppress deformation of the shaft cover in the first direction.

Based on the first aspect and the first to the eighth implementations of the first aspect, this embodiment of this application further provides a tenth implementation of the first aspect.

The main body part includes a middle frame, and in the direction parallel to the rotating shaft direction, a distance between the base and the middle frame is not greater than a distance between the shaft cover and the middle frame.

Based on the tenth implementation, this embodiment of this application further provides an eleventh implementation of the first aspect.

An edge that is of the main body part and that is close to the end part of the base has a vertical wall, both the base and the shaft cover are located on an inner side of the vertical wall, and a distance between the base and the vertical wall is not greater than a distance between the shaft cover and the vertical wall.

Based on the tenth implementation, this embodiment of this application further provides a twelfth implementation of the first aspect.

The baffle wall structure is a vertical plane or an inclined plane, and an abutment plane that fits the baffle wall structure is disposed on the shaft cover. In this way, even if the shaft cover bears a part of impact force, a deformation amount is reduced due to support of the baffle wall structure of the base.

For the phenomenon that a shaft cover is damaged due to falling off in the background, a large amount of experimental research is conducted in this application. A research finding is as follows: As shown in <FIG>, most foldable electronic devices usually fall off to the ground in a posture shown in <FIG>, and when a foldable electronic device falls off, a gap between a middle frame and a shaft cover is compressed when middle frames of two main body parts of the foldable electronic device are excessively deformed due to impact and cannot be restored, and consequently, the foldable electronic device cannot be folded or unfolded or folding and unfolding resistance is increased. In addition, the middle frame squeezes the shaft cover. In this case, the shaft cover is deformed in a foldable shaft direction. When a deformation amount is excessively large, a material yield of the shaft cover is irreversibly damaged. Consequently, reliability of the shaft cover and a structural part connected to the shaft cover is at risk.

Based on the foregoing research finding, this application further explores and proposes a technical solution that can effectively resolve the foregoing technical problem.

It should be noted that technical solutions and technical effects are described by using a foldable electronic device as an example in this specification. A person skilled in the art should understand that improvement to structures of a shaft cover and a base in this specification is not limited to being applied to the foldable electronic device, and may be further applied to another electronic device.

It should be noted that in this specification, one side that is of a shaft cover <NUM> and that faces a flexible screen is defined as an inner side, and correspondingly, the other side that faces a main body part is defined as an outer side.

The foldable electronic device provided in the embodiments of this application may be a mobile terminal, for example, a mobile phone, a wearable device, a vehicle-mounted device, an augmented reality (augmented reality, AR)/virtual reality (virtual reality, VR) device, a notebook computer, an ultra-mobile personal computer (ultra-mobile personal computer, UMPC), a netbook, or a personal digital assistant (personal digital assistant, PDA), or may be a professional photography device, for example, a digital camera, a single-lens reflex camera/mirrorless camera, an action camera, a pan-tilt-zoom camera, or an unmanned aerial vehicle. A specific type of the foldable electronic device is not limited in the embodiments of this application. For ease of understanding, a mobile phone is used as an example of the foldable electronic device below for description.

Refer to <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>. <FIG> is a schematic diagram of an overall structure of a foldable electronic device in an unfolded state according to an embodiment of this application. <FIG> is a schematic diagram showing that some components of the foldable electronic device shown in <FIG> are in a disassembled state. <FIG> is a schematic exploded view of a rotating shaft mechanism and a main body part according to an embodiment of this application. <FIG> is a schematic diagram of assembly of a main body part and a rotating shaft mechanism in <FIG>. <FIG> is a schematic enlarged view of a location P1 in <FIG>.

In this embodiment, the foldable electronic device includes a rotating shaft mechanism <NUM>, two main body parts <NUM>, and a flexible screen <NUM>. The two main body parts <NUM> of the foldable electronic device are connected by using the rotating shaft mechanism <NUM>, and the two main body parts <NUM> are rotated relative to each other by using the rotating shaft mechanism <NUM>, to fold and unfold the foldable electronic device. Structures of the two main body parts <NUM> may be the same, or may not be entirely the same. Specific structures of the two main body parts <NUM> may be determined based on a specific product, and are not specifically limited in this specification. The main body part <NUM> mainly provides a mounting basis and a protection function for the rotating shaft mechanism <NUM> and the flexible screen <NUM>.

The flexible screen <NUM> includes a display module and a transparent cover plate. The display module can display an image, a video, and the like. The display module may include structural layers such as a touch control screen, a light-emitting layer, a backplane layer, and a substrate layer. A specific structure of the display module may be selected based on different products. The display module may use a liquid crystal display (liquid crystal display, LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (organic light-emitting diode, OLED), an active-matrix organic light emitting diode or an active-matrix organic light emitting diode (active-matrix organic light emitting diode, AMOLED), a flexible light-emitting diode (flex light-emitting diode, FLED), a Miniled, a MicroLed, a Micro-oLed, a quantum dot light emitting diode (quantum dot light emitting diodes, QLED), or the like. The transparent cover plate covers an outer side of the display module to protect the display module. The transparent cover plate may be a glass cover plate. Certainly, the transparent cover plate may alternatively be another transparent material that can provide a protection function.

Refer to <FIG>. In this application, the rotating shaft mechanism includes a shaft cover <NUM>, a base <NUM> (also referred to as a "rotating shaft base"), a first swing arm <NUM>, a second swing arm <NUM>, and a connecting block <NUM>. One end of the first swing arm <NUM> and one end of the second swing arm <NUM> may be rotatably connected to the base <NUM> or the shaft cover <NUM>, and the other end of the first swing arm <NUM> and the other end of the second swing arm <NUM> are connected to the connecting block <NUM>. A specific implementation in which the first swing arm <NUM> and the second swing arm <NUM> are rotatably connected to the base <NUM> is provided in this specification. The main body part <NUM> is connected to and positioned on the connecting block <NUM>. In this way, when the first swing arm <NUM> and the second swing arm <NUM> rotate relative to the base, the first swing arm <NUM> and the second swing arm <NUM> can drive the main body part <NUM> connected to the connecting block <NUM> to rotate, thereby folding and unfolding the two main body parts <NUM>.

A location of a rotation center of a rotation constraint between the rotating shaft base and one of the foregoing swing arms remains unchanged, to provide a location reference. The rotation constraint may be directly disposed for the rotating shaft base and the swing arms, or the rotation constraint may be disposed for the rotating shaft base and the swing arms by using another intermediate component. The shaft cover <NUM> is an exterior part (that is, an externally visible component) that wraps a rotating shaft movement mechanism in a folded state. The shaft cover <NUM> may alternatively wrap the rotating shaft movement mechanism together with the middle frame.

The shaft cover <NUM> is usually located on an outer side of the base <NUM>, and one of functions of the shaft cover <NUM> is that the shaft cover <NUM> is an exterior part (that is, an externally visible component) that wraps the rotating shaft mechanism in the folded state of the electronic device. The shaft cover <NUM> may alternatively wrap the rotating shaft movement mechanism together with the middle frame. For example, the shaft cover <NUM> may wrap the base <NUM> and another component mounted on the base, to improve aesthetics of an appearance of the foldable electronic device. Sliding movement between the shaft cover <NUM> and the base <NUM> may be allowed in a Z direction, or the shaft cover <NUM> and the base <NUM> may be rigidly connected by using a locking screw, through welding, or in another manner. It should be noted that, in this application, a direction of a rotating shaft is defined as a Y direction, a direction that is perpendicular to a Y axis and that points to the flexible screen <NUM> is defined as a Z direction, and a direction perpendicular to a plane determined based on the Y direction and the Z direction is defined as an X direction. For each direction, refer to <FIG> for understanding.

A solution of this application provides a new design solution in which the shaft cover fits the base. Further refer to <FIG>, and <FIG>. The base <NUM> of the foldable electronic device in this application protrudes from or is flush with the shaft cover <NUM>. To be specific, in the Y direction, a gap A between the base <NUM> and the middle frame <NUM> is not greater than a gap B between the shaft cover <NUM> and the middle frame <NUM>. In other words, in this application, a distance A between the base <NUM> and the main body part <NUM> is not greater than a distance B between the shaft cover <NUM> and the main body part <NUM>, that is, the distance A is less than or equal to the distance B. In this application, <FIG> to <FIG> show specific embodiments in which the distance A is less than the distance B.

The foldable electronic device in this application uses a design in which the base <NUM> protrudes in the Y direction or is flush with the shaft cover <NUM>, thereby improving structural rigidity. The base <NUM> can effectively bear all or a part of impact force, thereby effectively ameliorating a problem that the shaft cover <NUM> is deformed and the flexible screen <NUM> is impacted, and improving shatter resistance of the entire electronic device.

In an example, a range of the distance A is approximately <NUM>-<NUM>, a range of the distance B is approximately <NUM>-<NUM>, and a protrusion amount C of the base <NUM> protruding from an outer wall of the shaft cover is approximately <NUM>-<NUM>.

As shown in <FIG> to <FIG>, when the base <NUM> protrudes from the shaft cover <NUM> (that is, C><NUM>), with reference to <FIG>, after the foldable electronic device falls off in the folded state, the middle frame <NUM> of the main body part <NUM> first squeezes the base <NUM> after being impacted, and the shaft cover <NUM> is not squeezed or bears reduced squeezing force. In other words, the base <NUM> first in contact with the middle frame <NUM> consumes all falling impact force or consumes a large part of the falling impact force. In this way, the shaft cover <NUM> can also be entirely free from contact with the middle frame <NUM> to avoid the falling impact force, or even if the shaft cover <NUM> is in contact with the middle frame <NUM>, the shaft cover <NUM> bears weak impact force. Therefore, the problem that the shaft cover <NUM> is deformed and the flexible screen <NUM> is impacted is effectively ameliorated. In addition, it should be noted that after the middle frame <NUM> is impacted in the Y direction, the base <NUM> bears positive pressure. An anti-pressure capability of a material is stronger than an anti-bending capability, and therefore, the base <NUM> is capable of bearing all or a part of impact force, thereby reducing a deformation amount.

When the base <NUM> is flush with the shaft cover <NUM> (that is, C=<NUM>), that is, when an end part of the base <NUM> is flush with the outer wall of the shaft cover <NUM>, after the foldable electronic device falls off in the folded state, the middle frame <NUM> simultaneously squeezes to the base <NUM> and the shaft cover <NUM> after being impacted. In other words, the falling impact force is born by both the base <NUM> and the shaft cover <NUM> in this case, and the base <NUM> can effectively share a part of the impact force. Compared with the conventional technology in which the shaft cover <NUM> bears the falling impact force alone, in this example of this application, the shaft cover <NUM> bears only a part of the impact force. Therefore, the problem that the shaft cover <NUM> is deformed and the flexible screen is impacted can also be effectively ameliorated.

Refer to <FIG> for understanding. In a specific example, edges of the middle frame <NUM> of the main body part <NUM> that are close to two end parts of the base <NUM> each have a vertical wall, both the base <NUM> and the shaft cover <NUM> are located on an inner side of the vertical wall, and a distance between the base <NUM> and the vertical wall is not greater than a distance between the shaft cover <NUM> and the vertical wall. As shown in <FIG>, in the two middle frames <NUM>, in addition to two adjacent side edges that are parallel to a rotating shaft direction, other three side edges of each of the two middle frames <NUM> each have a vertical wall: a first vertical wall <NUM> extending in a direction parallel to the rotating shaft direction, and two second vertical walls <NUM> that are located on two ends of the first vertical wall <NUM> and that extend in a direction perpendicular to the rotating shaft direction. <FIG> shows only one second vertical wall <NUM>. With reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, it is not difficult for a person skilled in the art to understand that the middle frame <NUM> also has one second vertical wall <NUM> on another side of the first vertical wall <NUM>. In this way, space enclosed by all first vertical walls <NUM> and all second vertical walls <NUM> of the two middle frames <NUM> can be used to mount other components of the electronic device, and the vertical walls can also protect the components.

In the foregoing example, the second vertical wall <NUM> is closer to an end part that is of the base <NUM> and that is on this side than to the shaft cover <NUM>, or is equidistant from the base <NUM> and the shaft cover <NUM>.

In a specific example, the middle frame <NUM> may include a border close to a screen, and the border may be located on an outer side of an end part of the shaft cover <NUM>. A distance between the base <NUM> and the middle frame <NUM> is a distance between the base <NUM> and the border. Similarly, a distance between the shaft cover <NUM> and the border is a distance between the shaft cover <NUM> and the middle frame <NUM>. In other words, the border part forms the second vertical wall <NUM>.

Certainly, the middle frame <NUM> may alternatively be a borderless structure.

To further improve deformation of the shaft cover <NUM>, this application further proposes structural design solutions shown in <FIG> and <FIG>. To be specific, a baffle wall structure <NUM> is disposed on the base <NUM>, and the baffle wall structure <NUM> may be an inclined plane, as shown in <FIG>. Certainly, the baffle wall structure <NUM> may alternatively be a vertical plane, so that the shaft cover <NUM> is supported in the Y direction. Correspondingly, an abutment plane <NUM> that fits the baffle wall structure may be disposed on the shaft cover <NUM>, and the abutment plane <NUM> may be an inclined plane or a vertical plane. In other words, "fitting" herein means that the abutment plane <NUM> has approximately a same shape as the baffle wall structure <NUM>. To be specific, when the baffle wall structure is a vertical plane, the abutment plane <NUM> of the shaft cover is also a vertical plane, and the two vertical planes are disposed opposite to each other; and when the baffle wall structure <NUM> is an inclined plane that has an included angle with the Y direction, the abutment plane <NUM> is also an inclined plane, and the baffle wall structure <NUM> is approximately parallel to the abutment plane <NUM>, so that in each of the Y direction and the Z direction, there is a predetermined spacing between the baffle wall structure <NUM> and the abutment plane <NUM>. It should be noted that the vertical plane herein is a plane parallel to the Z direction, as shown in <FIG>. In this way, even if the shaft cover <NUM> bears a part of the impact force, the deformation amount is reduced due to support of the baffle wall structure of the base <NUM>. The baffle wall structure <NUM> includes but is not limited to the vertical baffle wall shown in <FIG> or the inclined plane baffle wall shown in <FIG>. Any structure that can provide a supporting function in the Y direction falls within the protection scope of this application. In the folded state and in the Y direction, a gap E between the baffle wall structure of the shaft cover <NUM> and the base <NUM> is <NUM>-<NUM>. In addition, in the folded state and in the Z direction, there may also be a gap between the baffle wall structure and the shaft cover <NUM>, and a range of the gap is <NUM>-<NUM>.

In addition, in the Z direction, there may also be a gap between the protruding part of the base <NUM> and the shaft cover <NUM>, and a range of the gap is approximately <NUM>-<NUM>.

In a specific example, a guide component <NUM> is further mounted on the shaft cover <NUM> of the rotating shaft mechanism, and is configured to guide a bending part of the flexible screen <NUM> to be folded and deformed. The guide component may be a T-shaped block. Certainly, the guide component may alternatively be in another structural form. Refer to <FIG>, and <FIG>. The guide component <NUM> is usually mounted on the shaft cover <NUM>. A mounting hole <NUM> may be disposed on the shaft cover <NUM>, and a partial structure of the guide component <NUM> is mounted in the mounting hole <NUM>. To further reduce an amplitude of swinging that is of a structural part of the guide component <NUM> and that is caused by falling off, and reduce a risk that the structural part of the guide component <NUM> impacts the flexible screen, this application further proposes a structural design solution shown in <FIG>. A gap that is in the Y direction and that is between the base <NUM> and the guide component connected to the shaft cover is extremely small, and a distance F between the base <NUM> and the guide component is approximately <NUM>-<NUM>. An advantage of the gap is that the amplitude of swinging that is of the guide component <NUM> and that is caused after the mobile phone falls off and impacts the ground is greatly reduced due to support and interception of the base <NUM>, thereby reducing the risk that the structural part of the guide component <NUM> impacts the flexible screen <NUM>.

It should be noted that, although only a size range is provided above, and other specific values within the size range are not listed one by one, a person skilled in the art should understand that the size range in this application refers to all values within the range including boundary values. For example, a range of a protrusion amount of the protruding part protruding from the outer wall of the shaft cover is <NUM>-<NUM>, and it should be understood that the protrusion amount of the protruding part protruding from the outer wall of the shaft cover may be any value between <NUM>-<NUM> (including boundary values <NUM> and <NUM>). The same is true for another value range.

To adapt to disposition of the guide component, the protruding part <NUM> on the base <NUM> may be separately located on two sides of a foldable shaft of the flexible screen <NUM>, to avoid mounting space of the guide component. To be specific, the base includes a main body <NUM>, two protruding parts <NUM> extend outward from a partial end part of the main body <NUM>, and there is a predetermined distance between the two protruding parts <NUM>.

Claim 1:
An electronic device, comprising a rotating shaft mechanism (<NUM>), two main body parts (<NUM>), and a flexible screen (<NUM>), wherein the rotating shaft mechanism (<NUM>) comprises a base (<NUM>) and a shaft cover (<NUM>), both the two main body parts (<NUM>) are rotatably connected to the base (<NUM>), so that the two main body parts (<NUM>) are folded or unfolded relative to each other, and in a direction parallel to a rotating shaft direction, a distance between the base (<NUM>) and the main body part is not greater than a distance between the shaft cover (<NUM>) and the main body part,
wherein the base (<NUM>) comprises a main body (<NUM>) and a protruding part (<NUM>) extending outward from a partial area of an end part of the main body (<NUM>), and at least a part of the protruding part (<NUM>) extends to a location between the shaft cover (<NUM>) and the main body part, or an outer end of the protruding part (<NUM>) is flush with an outer wall of the shaft cover (<NUM>).