CN113534890B - Folding mechanism and terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

The application discloses a folding mechanism and a terminal, wherein the folding mechanism comprises: first folding plate, second folding plate, first backup pad, second backup pad and shielding subassembly, first backup pad is connected in first folding plate, and the second backup pad is connected in the second folding plate, and shielding subassembly extends along the limit of the length direction of first backup pad and second backup pad at least and sets up, and first folding plate and second folding plate drive are connected in shielding subassembly. According to the application, when the first folding plate and the second folding plate are folded, the shielding assembly can be driven to move so as to shield the gap between the first supporting plate and the second supporting plate, so that the appearance of the terminal after being folded is beautified, foreign matters can be reduced and enter an internal cavity constructed between the first supporting plate and the second supporting plate, the probability of scratching or puncturing the flexible display screen by the foreign matters is reduced, the flexible display screen is protected, the product quality is improved, and the service life of the product is prolonged.

Description

Folding mechanism and terminal

Technical Field

The present application relates to the technical field of electronic products, and in particular to a folding mechanism and a terminal.

Background technique

Foldable terminals have the advantages of small size when folded and large screen size when unfolded. They are the development trend of future terminal products. Now major mobile phone manufacturers around the world have already made patent arrangements and have related foldable terminal products on the market. Foldable terminals will definitely become a major selling point of future terminal products.

Foldable terminals are divided into inward-folding terminals and outward-folding terminals. The so-called inward-folding terminal means that the screen of the terminal is hidden between the upper and lower support plates after it is folded.

The internal folding terminal is mainly divided into a water drop-shaped folding structure and a baseball-shaped folding structure in terms of architecture. The water drop-shaped folding structure means that the upper and lower support plates are distributed in parallel in the horizontal direction after closing, and the screen is in a water drop-shaped area in the bending area of the support plate; the baseball-shaped folding structure means that the upper and lower support plates are distributed at an angle in the horizontal direction after closing, and the screen is in a baseball-shaped area in the bending area of the support plate.

The upper and lower support plates of the existing baseball-shaped folding structure are connected by a folding component, and fold and rotate around the folding component. When in the closed state, there is an angle between the upper and lower support plates, and there is a gap in the thickness direction. Foreign matter can easily enter the internal cavity constructed between the upper and lower support plates, forming a sandwich structure with the screen, which can easily cause scratches and punctures on the screen, affecting product quality.

Summary of the invention

The purpose of the present application is to provide a folding mechanism and a terminal, which can shield the internal cavity formed after the folding mechanism is folded, protect the flexible display screen of the terminal, and extend the service life of the product.

The above-mentioned and other objects are achieved by the features of the independent claims. Further implementations are reflected in the dependent claims, the description and the drawings.

In a first aspect, a folding mechanism is provided, including a folding mechanism for a terminal, comprising:

a first folding plate and a second folding plate;

A first supporting plate and a second supporting plate, wherein the first supporting plate is connected to the first folding plate, and the second supporting plate is connected to the second folding plate;

A shielding assembly is provided extending at least along the lengthwise sides of the first support plate and the second support plate;

The first folding plate and the second folding plate are drivingly connected to the shielding assembly;

When the first folding plate and the second folding plate are folded together, the shielding assembly can be driven to move to shield the gap between the first supporting plate and the second supporting plate.

In the above scheme, when the first folding plate and the second folding plate are closed, there will be a gap between the two, which affects the appearance, and the existence of the gap can easily cause large particles of foreign matter to enter between the first folding plate and the second folding plate, scratching or puncturing the flexible display screen, causing property loss to the user. In this scheme, a shielding component can be set to shield the gap between the first support plate and the second support plate, which can reduce the entry of foreign matter into the internal cavity constructed between the first support plate and the second support plate, and reduce the probability of foreign matter scratching or puncturing the flexible display screen, thereby protecting the flexible display screen, improving product quality, and extending product service life.

In one possible implementation, the folding mechanism includes a drive assembly;

The first folding plate and the second folding plate are driven and connected to the shielding assembly through the driving assembly;

When the first folding plate and the second folding plate are closed, the driving assembly can be driven to move, so that the driving assembly drives the shielding assembly to rise to shield the gap between the first supporting plate and the second supporting plate;

When the first folding plate and the second folding plate are unfolded, they can drive the driving assembly to move, so that the driving assembly drives the shielding assembly to descend.

In the above scheme, the driving component converts the flipping movement of the first folding plate and the second folding plate into the lifting movement of the shielding component, so that when the first folding plate and the second folding plate are closed, the shielding component rises to shield the gap between the two, and when the first folding plate and the second folding plate are unfolded, the shielding component descends and resets, without affecting the appearance of the terminal when unfolded.

In one possible design, the shielding assembly has a first track groove;

The first track groove is extended along the length direction of the terminal;

The driving assembly is slidably connected to the first track groove;

When the first folding plate and the second folding plate are closed, the driving assembly can slide along the first track groove to drive the shielding assembly to rise;

When the first folding plate and the second folding plate are unfolded, the driving assembly can slide and reset along the first track groove to drive the shielding assembly to descend.

In the above scheme, the shielding component is provided with a first track groove, and during the process of the first folding plate and the second folding plate being unfolded or folded, the driving component can be driven to slide back and forth along the first track groove, thereby driving the shielding component to move up and down.

In a possible design, the first track groove includes a first end and a second end arranged along the length direction of the terminal, and along the thickness direction of the terminal, the first end is located above the second end;

When the driving component slides from the first end into the second end, it can drive the shielding component to rise;

When the driving component slides from the second end into the first end, it can drive the shielding component to descend.

In the above scheme, the first end and the second end of the first trajectory groove are located at different height positions. During the sliding process of the driving component, the shielding component can be driven to move up and down according to the motion trajectory corresponding to the first trajectory groove. When the driving component slides to the first end, the shielding component drops to the lowest position, and when the driving component slides to the second end, the shielding component rises to the highest position.

In a possible design, the first track groove includes an arc-shaped transition section connecting the first end and the second end.

The arc-shaped transition section smoothly transitions from the first end to the second end, so that the drive component can slide smoothly along the first track groove without encountering large resistance, thereby reducing the load of the drive component during sliding and extending the life of each component.

In a possible design, the first support plate and the second support plate are both connected to a connecting seat;

The connection seat has a second track groove, and the second track groove extends along the thickness direction of the terminal;

The shielding assembly has a connecting strip, and the connecting strip is slidably connected to the second track groove;

When the first folding plate and the second folding plate are folded, the connecting strip can slide outward from the second track groove;

When the first folding plate and the second folding plate are unfolded, the connecting strip can slide into the second track groove.

In the above scheme, the middle position of the shielding assembly is connected to the two folding plates through a driving assembly, and connecting strips are arranged near the four corners of the shielding assembly, which are slidably connected to the second track grooves on the connecting seats of the two support plates through the connecting strips. In this way, when the driving assembly drives the middle part of the shielding assembly to rise and fall, the connecting strips at the four corners of the shielding assembly slide along the second track grooves, so that the shielding assembly rises and falls as a whole.

In a possible implementation manner, the second track groove is an arc-shaped groove protruding toward one side of the first folding plate or the second folding plate;

The connecting strip is arc-shaped, and the curvature matches that of the second track groove.

In the above scheme, the second track groove is an arc groove with a corresponding center, which may not be on the terminal. During the lifting and lowering of the shielding assembly, the connecting strip slides along the arc groove, and the shielding assembly as a whole rotates with the center as the rotation center.

In a possible implementation, both the first support plate and the second support plate are provided with a through slot, and the through slot extends along the thickness direction of the terminal;

The connecting seat comprises a connecting plate and a plug-in plate; the plug-in plate is provided with the second track groove;

The connecting plate is connected to the corresponding first supporting plate or the second supporting plate;

The plug board is inserted into the through slot.

In the above scheme, a through groove is set on the first support plate and the second support plate, so that the connecting seat is inserted into the through groove, the second track groove is located in the through groove, and the connecting strip can be directly inserted into the second track groove. The second track groove is opened on the connecting seat, which simplifies the structure of the two support plates and is conducive to mass production. The assembly structure of the connecting seat and the first support plate and the second support plate is simple, which improves the assembly efficiency.

In a possible implementation manner, a mounting groove is provided on a side of the first support plate and a side of the second support plate facing away from the shielding assembly;

The through groove is provided on the bottom wall of the installation groove;

The connecting plate is embedded and installed in the installation groove;

The connecting plate is provided with a connecting hole, and the fastener passes through the connecting hole and is connected to the bottom wall of the mounting groove.

In the above solution, the connecting plate is embedded in the installation groove, and the surface of the connecting plate and the surfaces of the two supporting plates are smoothly connected.

In a possible implementation manner, both the first folding plate and the second folding plate are provided with guide grooves;

The guide groove is extended along the length direction of the terminal;

The driving assembly is slidably connected to the guide groove;

When the first folding plate and the second folding plate are folded or unfolded, the

The guide groove limits the driving assembly to slide along the extending direction of the guide groove.

In the above scheme, the setting of the guide groove can limit the sliding track of the driving component and ensure the stable transmission of power. The arc-shaped transition section includes a first transition section and a second transition section in sequence from the first end to the second end, wherein the first transition section coincides with the projection of the guide groove along the width direction of the terminal, and the second transition section bends from the end of the first transition section to the bottom of the width direction of the terminal, and the first end and the second end have a height difference, so that the driving component can lift the middle position of the shielding component to a corresponding height.

In one possible design, the drive assembly includes a drive pin;

The driving pin is slidably connected to the first track groove, and the driving pin is slidably connected to the guide groove.

During the closing process of the first support plate and the second support plate, when the driving pin slides in the first transition section, the two folding plates and the shielding assembly rotate synchronously. When the driving pin slides into the second transition section, the folding plates and the shielding assembly separate from each other in the terminal thickness direction. The driving pin pushes the shielding assembly to rise, thereby shielding the gap between the first support plate and the second support plate. During the rising process of the shielding assembly, under the limiting action of the second track groove and the connecting strip, the shielding assembly as a whole rotates with the center of the circle as the rotation center.

In one possible design, the drive assembly includes a drive member;

The folding mechanism also includes a bracket;

The driving member is provided with a rotating connection portion at one end and the driving pin at the other end;

The rotating connection portion can be rotatably connected to the bracket.

In this embodiment, one end of the driving member is rotatably connected to the bracket, and the other end is slidably connected to the folding plate through a driving pin. When the first folding plate and the second folding plate are closed or unfolded, the driving pin can be driven to slide along the guide groove, so that the rotating connection part rotates along the bracket.

In a possible implementation manner, the shielding assembly is disposed circumferentially along the first support plate and the second support plate.

It should be noted that the shielding assembly is circumferentially arranged along the first support plate and the second support plate, which can be understood as the shielding assembly extending along a peripheral edge of the first support plate and the second support plate. When the first support plate and the second support plate are closed, except for one side connected to the folding plate, the other three sides of the first support plate and the second support plate are shielded by the shielding assembly, thereby achieving all-round shielding of the gap between the first support plate and the second support plate, and further reducing the probability of foreign matter entering between the first support plate and the second support plate.

In a possible implementation, the shielding assembly includes a first shielding member and a second shielding member;

The first shielding member is arranged along the circumference of the first supporting plate; the second shielding member is arranged along the circumference of the second supporting plate;

The driving assembly includes two driving members;

The first folding plate and the second folding plate are connected to the first shielding member and the second shielding member respectively through the two driving members;

In this embodiment, when the first folding plate and the second folding plate are closed, the two driving members can be driven to move respectively, so as to drive the first shielding member and the second shielding member to rise and shield the gap between the first supporting plate and the second supporting plate.

The first shielding member and the second shielding member can be raised to fit each other, thereby shielding the gap between the first supporting plate and the second supporting plate.

In a possible implementation, the bracket is equipped with a synchronous transmission assembly;

The two driving members are transmission connected via the synchronous transmission assembly;

The synchronous transmission assembly limits the two driving members to rotate synchronously, so that the first shielding member and the second shielding member are lifted and lowered synchronously.

In the above scheme, by setting a synchronous transmission assembly, when the first folding plate and the second folding plate are folded or unfolded, the two driving members rotate synchronously with the two folding plates, thereby driving the first shielding member and the second shielding member to rise and fall synchronously to complete the shielding action.

In a possible design, the bracket has a mounting groove;

The synchronous transmission assembly includes a synchronous gear set arranged in the assembly groove;

The rotating connection portion of the driving member is provided with meshing teeth;

The rotating connection parts of the two driving members are both arranged in the assembly groove and are respectively meshed with the two gears at both ends of the synchronous gear set;

Wherein, the synchronous gear set has an even number of gears.

In the above solution, the rotating connection portion of the driving member meshes with the gear at the end of the synchronous gear set, so that the two driving members move synchronously in opposite directions, driving the first shielding member and the second shielding member to rise and fall synchronously.

In a possible embodiment, the bracket has a rotation slot;

The first folding plate and the second folding plate are both provided with connecting grooves;

The folding mechanism includes a rotating connecting member;

The rotating connecting member has a rotating body, and the rotating body can be rotatably connected to the rotating groove;

One end of the rotating connecting member away from the rotating body is embedded and installed in the connecting groove.

In a possible implementation, an arc-shaped track bar is provided in the rotating groove;

The rotating body is provided with an arc-shaped track groove;

The arc-shaped track groove is slidably connected to the arc-shaped track bar.

In this embodiment, a bending force is applied to the support plate, and the support plate, the folding plate and the rotating connector rotate together along the motion track formed by the arc track bar and the arc track groove. The folding plate can also drive the driving pin to move, and the driving pin drives the rotating connection part and the synchronous gear set to rotate synchronously. The folding plate and the support plate have a certain trajectory during the movement. When they are closed to the terminal position, the two folding plates have an angle α, and the angle α is an acute angle. The existence of the angle α makes the terminal have a baseball-shaped gap after folding. The shielding component of the present application can shield the gap after being raised, which not only beautifies the appearance of the terminal after folding, but also protects the flexible display screen, and significantly improves the product quality.

In a second aspect, the present application also provides a terminal, including a flexible display screen and the above-mentioned folding mechanism, wherein the flexible display screen is connected to the first support plate and the second support plate.

The technical solution provided by this application can achieve the following beneficial effects:

The folding mechanism and terminal provided in the present application include a first folding plate, a second folding plate, a first support plate, a second support plate and a shielding assembly. When the first folding plate and the second folding plate are closed, the shielding assembly can be driven to move to shield the gap between the first support plate and the second support plate, thereby reducing the entry of foreign matter into the internal cavity constructed between the first support plate and the second support plate, and reducing the probability of foreign matter scratching or puncturing the flexible display screen, thereby protecting the flexible display screen, improving product quality, and extending product service life.

It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary only and are not restrictive of the present application.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a state of a terminal when it is unfolded in the prior art;

FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a state of a terminal when it is closed in the prior art;

FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a terminal provided in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG4 is an exploded view of a terminal provided in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the coordination structure of the shielding assembly and the driving assembly of the folding mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG6 is a state diagram of the structure of FIG5 in the closing process;

FIG7 is a diagram showing a state in which the structure of FIG5 is completely closed;

FIG8 is a partial structural cross-sectional view of a terminal provided by an embodiment of the present application when in an unfolded state;

FIG9 is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the support plate and the connecting seat of the folding mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG10 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the folding mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG11 is an enlarged view of portion F in FIG10 ;

FIG12 is a diagram showing the coordination structure of a driving component and a folding component of a terminal provided in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG13 is a state diagram of the folding assembly in FIG12 when it is completely folded;

FIG14 is an exploded view of a folding assembly and a bracket provided in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG15 is a schematic diagram of the G portion in FIG14;

FIG16 is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the folding assembly and the bracket provided in an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the bracket, the driving assembly, and the rotating connector provided in an embodiment of the present application.

Reference numerals:

100-terminal;

10- folding mechanism;

1- Folding component;

11- first folding plate;

12- second folding plate;

13-guide groove;

14-connecting groove;

2-Support assembly;

21- first support plate;

22- second support plate;

23-connecting seat;

231-connecting plate;

231a-connection hole;

232-plug board;

232a - second track groove;

24-through groove;

25-Mounting slot;

3- Shielding components;

31- first shielding member;

32- second shielding member;

33-first track groove;

331-first end;

332-second end;

333-arc transition section;

333a-first transition section;

333b-second transition section;

34-connecting strip;

4-Drive assembly;

41- driving member;

411-driving pin;

412-rotation connection portion;

5- Bracket;

51-assembly slot;

52-rotating tank;

521-arc track bar;

6-Synchronous transmission assembly;

7- Rotate the connecting piece;

71-rotating body;

71a-arc track groove;

8-Decorative cover;

9-pin;

20-Flexible display screen;

a-included angle;

b-gap;

c-adhesive;

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present application.

Detailed ways

The terms used in the embodiments of the present application are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments, and are not intended to limit the present application. The singular forms "a", "said" and "the" used in the embodiments of the present application and the appended claims are also intended to include plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates other meanings.

It should be noted that the directional words such as "upper", "lower", "left", and "right" described in the embodiments of the present application are described at the angles shown in the accompanying drawings and should not be understood as limiting the embodiments of the present application. In addition, in the context, it should also be understood that when it is mentioned that an element is connected to another element "upper" or "lower", it can not only be directly connected to another element "upper" or "lower", but also indirectly connected to another element "upper" or "lower" through an intermediate element.

The present application is further described in detail below through specific embodiments and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Foldable terminals have the advantages of small size when folded and large screen size when unfolded. They are the development trend of future terminal products. Now major mobile phone manufacturers around the world have already made patent arrangements and have related foldable terminal products on the market.

Referring to the terminal 100 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , the terminal 100 includes a support assembly 2, a folding assembly 1, and a flexible display screen 20. The support assembly 2 includes a first support plate 21 and a second support plate 22, which are connected by the folding assembly 1, and the flexible display screen 20 is connected to the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22. The two support plates and the flexible display screen 20 can be bent and flipped with the folding assembly 1 as the center. When the terminal 100 is folded and closed, there is an angle α (α is an acute angle) between the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22, and there is a gap b in the thickness direction. The existence of the gap b has the following defects:

1. The existence of gap b causes the two support members to appear to be unable to close together visually, affecting the product appearance experience.

2. The existence of the gap b makes it very easy for large foreign matter to enter the internal cavity of the two support members, forming a sandwich structure with the flexible display screen 20. When the terminal 100 is squeezed and vibrated, it is very easy to cause scratches and punctures on the screen, affecting product quality.

In view of this, the embodiments of the present application provide a folding mechanism and a terminal, which can solve the above technical problems.

An embodiment of the present application provides a terminal 100, which can be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a notebook, etc. See FIG. 3 for an appearance structure diagram of the terminal 100 of the embodiment of the present application, and see FIG. 4 for an exploded view of the terminal 100 of the embodiment of the present application. The terminal 100 includes a folding mechanism 10 and a flexible display screen 20, and the folding mechanism 10 includes a folding component 1, a supporting component 2 and a shielding component 3. The folding component 1 has a first supporting plate 21 and a second supporting plate 22, and the flexible display screen is connected to the folding component 1 and the supporting component 2, and the specific connection method can be connected by an adhesive c. Among them, when the terminal 100 is closed, the first supporting plate 21 and the second supporting plate 22 are formed with a gap, and the shielding component 3 can shield the gap between the first supporting plate 21 and the second supporting plate 22, which not only beautifies the appearance of the terminal 100 after folding, but also reduces the entry of foreign matter into the internal cavity constructed between the first supporting plate 21 and the second supporting plate 22, and reduces the probability of foreign matter scratching or puncturing the flexible display screen 20, thereby protecting the flexible display screen 20, improving product quality, and extending product life.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5, an embodiment of the present application provides a folding mechanism 10, which is applied to a terminal. The folding mechanism 10 includes: a folding component 1, a supporting component 2 and a shielding component 3, wherein the folding component 1 includes a first folding plate 11 and a second folding plate 12, the supporting component 2 includes a first supporting plate 21 and a second supporting plate 22, the first supporting plate 21 is connected to the first folding plate 11, and the second supporting plate 22 is connected to the second folding plate 12, the shielding component 3 is extended at least along the edges in the length direction of the first supporting plate 21 and the second supporting plate 22, the first folding plate 11 and the second folding plate 12 are driven to be connected to the shielding component 3, and when the first folding plate 11 and the second folding plate 12 are closed, the shielding component 3 can be driven to move to shield the gap between the first supporting plate 21 and the second supporting plate 22.

4, the X-axis direction is the length direction, the Y-axis direction is the width direction, and the Z-axis direction is the thickness direction. The first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22 include edges in the length direction and edges in the width direction, wherein the edges in the length direction should be understood as the two edges on both sides of the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22 parallel to the X-axis direction, and the edges in the width direction should be understood as the two edges on both sides of the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22 parallel to the Y-axis direction.

In this embodiment, the shielding component 3 can be located on the surface of the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22, and at least extend along the edge of the length direction of the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22. For example, a recessed groove can be set at the edge of the length direction of the edges on both sides of the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22. When the first folding plate 11 and the second folding plate 12 are unfolded, the shielding component 3 can be at least partially embedded in the recessed groove without affecting the appearance of the terminal in the unfolded state. When the first folding plate 11 and the second folding plate 12 are folded, the shielding component 3 can be raised from the recessed groove to shield the gap between the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22.

In the embodiment of the present application, considering that when the first folding plate 11 and the second folding plate 12 are closed, there will be a gap between the two, which affects the appearance, and the existence of the gap can easily cause large particles of foreign matter to enter between the first folding plate 11 and the second folding plate 12, thereby scratching or puncturing the flexible display screen 20, causing property loss to the user, a shielding component 3 is provided on the folding mechanism 10. The shielding component 3 can shield the gap between the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22, which not only beautifies the appearance of the terminal 100 after folding, but also reduces the entry of foreign matter into the internal cavity constructed between the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22, thereby reducing the probability of foreign matter scratching or puncturing the flexible display screen 20, thereby protecting the flexible display screen 20, improving product quality, and extending product service life.

Referring to Figures 4 to 7, in a possible implementation scheme, the folding mechanism includes a driving assembly 4, and the first folding plate 11 and the second folding plate 12 are connected to the shielding assembly 3 by the driving assembly 4. When the first folding plate 11 and the second folding plate 12 are closed, the driving assembly 4 can be driven to move, so that the driving assembly 4 drives the shielding assembly 3 to rise to shield the gap between the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22. When the first folding plate 11 and the second folding plate 12 are unfolded, the driving assembly 4 can be driven to move, so that the driving assembly 4 drives the shielding assembly 3 to descend.

In this embodiment, the driving component 4 converts the flipping movement of the first folding plate 11 and the second folding plate 12 into the lifting movement of the shielding component 3, so that when the first folding plate 11 and the second folding plate 12 are closed, the shielding component 3 automatically rises to shield the gap therebetween, and the shielding component 3 drops and resets when the first folding plate 11 and the second folding plate 12 are unfolded, without affecting the appearance of the terminal 100 when unfolded.

As shown in FIG. 4 to FIG. 7 , in a possible embodiment, the shielding assembly 3 has a first track groove 33, and the first track groove 33 is extended along the length direction of the terminal 100, wherein the term “length direction” can refer to the X-axis direction in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 . The driving assembly 4 is slidably connected to the first track groove 33, and when the first folding plate 11 and the second folding plate 12 are closed, the driving assembly 4 can slide along the first track groove 33 to drive the shielding assembly 3 to rise, and when the first folding plate 11 and the second folding plate 12 are unfolded, the driving assembly 4 can slide and reset along the first track groove 33 to drive the shielding assembly 3 to fall.

In this embodiment, the shielding component 3 is provided with a first track groove 33, and during the process of the first folding plate 11 and the second folding plate 12 being unfolded and folded, the driving component 4 can be driven to slide back and forth along the first track groove 33, thereby driving the shielding component 3 to move up and down.

As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 , in a possible implementation, the first track groove 33 includes a first end 331 and a second end 332 arranged along the length direction of the terminal 100 (see the X-axis direction of FIG. 5 ), and along the thickness direction of the terminal 100, the first end 331 is located above the second end 332, and when the driving component 4 slides from the first end 331 into the second end 332, it can drive the shielding component to rise, and when the driving component 4 slides from the second end 332 into the first end 331, it can drive the shielding component to fall. It should be noted that the term "thickness direction" mentioned above refers to the Z-axis direction in FIG. 4 or FIG. 5 .

In this embodiment, the first end 331 and the second end 332 of the first trajectory groove 33 are located at different heights. During the sliding of the driving component 4, the shielding component 3 can be driven to move up and down along the motion trajectory corresponding to the first trajectory groove 33. When the driving component 4 slides to the first end 331, the shielding component 3 drops to the lowest position, and when the driving component 4 slides to the second end 332, the shielding component 3 rises to the highest position.

Specifically, the first track groove 33 includes an arcuate transition section 333 connecting the first end 331 and the second end 332, wherein the arcuate transition section 333 smoothly transitions from the first end 331 to the second end 332, so that the drive component 4 can slide smoothly along the first track groove 33 without encountering large resistance, thereby reducing the load of the drive component 4 during sliding and extending the service life of each component.

Referring to Figures 8 and 9, in a possible implementation scheme, the first support plate 21 and the second support plate are connected with a connecting seat 23, the connecting seat 23 has a second track groove 232a, the second track groove 232a extends along the thickness direction of the terminal 100, the shielding component 3 has a connecting strip 34, the connecting strip 34 is slidably connected to the second track groove 232a, when the first folding plate 11 and the second folding plate 12 are closed, the connecting strip 34 can slide outward from the second track groove 232a, and when the first folding plate 11 and the second folding plate 12 are unfolded, the connecting strip 34 can slide into the second track groove 232a.

In this embodiment, the middle portion of the shielding component 3 is connected to the two folding plates via the driving component 4, and connecting strips 34 are provided near the four corners of the shielding component 3, which are slidably connected to the second track grooves 232a on the two support plate connecting seats 23 through the connecting strips 34. In this way, when the driving component 4 drives the middle portion of the shielding component 3 to rise and fall, the connecting strips 34 at the four corners of the shielding component 3 can slide along the second track grooves 232a, so that the shielding component 3 can be lifted and lowered as a whole.

Specifically, the second track groove 232a is an arc-shaped groove protruding toward one side of the first folding plate 11 or the second folding plate 12, and the connecting bar 34 is arc-shaped, and the curvature matches the second track groove 232a.

In this embodiment, the second track groove 232a is an arc groove with a corresponding center, which may not be on the terminal 100. During the lifting and lowering of the shielding component 3, the connecting strip 34 slides along the second track groove 232a, and the shielding component 3 as a whole rotates with the center as the rotation center.

As shown in Figures 8 and 9, in a possible implementation scheme, the first support plate 21 and the second support plate are both provided with a through groove 24, and the through groove 24 extends along the thickness direction of the terminal 100 (see the Z-axis direction of Figure 8), and the connecting seat 23 includes a connecting plate 231 and a plug-in plate 232, and the plug-in plate 232 is provided with a second track groove 232a, and the connecting plate 231 is connected to the corresponding first support plate 21 or the second support plate 22, and the plug-in plate 232 is inserted into the through groove 24.

In this embodiment, a through groove 24 is provided on the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22, so that the connecting seat 23 is inserted into the through groove 24, the second track groove 232a is located in the through groove 24, and the connecting strip 34 can be directly inserted into the second track groove 232a. The second track groove 232a is provided on the connecting seat 23, which simplifies the structure of the two support plates and is conducive to mass production. In addition, the assembly structure of the connecting seat 23 and the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22 is simple, thereby improving the assembly efficiency.

Specifically, the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22 are both provided with an installation groove 25 on the side facing away from the shielding assembly 3, the bottom wall of the installation groove 25 is provided with a through groove 24, the connecting plate 231 is embedded and installed in the installation groove 25, and the connecting plate 231 is provided with a connecting hole 231a, and the fastener passes through the connecting hole 231a to be connected to the bottom wall of the installation groove 25.

In this embodiment, the connection plate 231 is embedded in the installation groove 25, and the surface of the connection plate 231 and the surfaces of the two support plates are smoothly connected.

Refer to Figure 10 which is a structural schematic diagram of the folding component 1 of the embodiment of the present application, Figure 11 is a partial enlarged view of Figure 10, Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the unfolding of the folding component 1, and Figure 13 is a state diagram of the folding component 1 when it is closed. In a possible implementation scheme, the first folding plate 11 and the second folding plate 12 are both provided with a guide groove 13, and the guide groove 13 extends along the length direction of the terminal 100. The driving component 4 is slidably connected to the guide groove 13. When the first folding plate 11 and the second folding plate 12 are closed or unfolded, the guide groove 13 limits the driving component 4 to slide along the extension direction of the guide groove 13.

In this embodiment, the setting of the guide groove 13 can limit the sliding track of the driving component 4 and ensure the stable transmission of power. As shown in FIG6 , the arc-shaped transition section 333 includes a first transition section 333a and a second transition section 333b in sequence from the first end 331 to the second end 332, wherein the first transition section 333a coincides with the projection of the guide groove 13 along the width direction of the terminal 100, and the second transition section 333b is bent from the end of the first transition section 333a to the bottom of the width direction of the terminal 100, and the first end 331 and the second end 332 have a height difference, so that the driving component 4 can lift the middle position of the shielding component 3 to a corresponding height.

5 to 13 , in a possible implementation, the driving assembly 4 includes a driving pin 411 , the driving pin 411 is slidably connected to the first track groove 33 , and the driving pin 411 is slidably connected to the guide groove 13 .

During the closing process of the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22, when the driving pin 411 slides in the first transition section 333a, the two folding plates and the shielding assembly 3 rotate synchronously. When the driving pin 411 slides into the second transition section 333b, the folding plates and the shielding assembly 3 are separated from each other in the thickness direction of the terminal 100. The driving pin 411 pushes the shielding assembly 3 to rise, thereby shielding the gap between the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22. During the rising process of the shielding assembly 3, under the limiting action of the second track groove 232a and the connecting strip 34, the shielding assembly 3 as a whole rotates with the center of the circle recorded above as the rotation center.

Referring to Figures 12 and 14, in a possible implementation, the driving assembly 4 includes a driving member 41, and the folding mechanism 10 also includes a bracket 5. A rotating connection portion 412 is provided at one end of the driving member 41, and a driving pin 411 is provided at the other end. The rotating connection portion 412 can be rotatably connected to the bracket 5.

In this embodiment, one end of the driving member 41 can be rotatably connected to the bracket 5, and the other end can be slidably connected to the folding plate through a driving pin 411. When the first folding plate 11 and the second folding plate 12 are closed or unfolded, the driving pin 411 can be driven to slide along the guide groove 13, so that the rotating connection part 412 rotates along the bracket 5. In addition, the folding mechanism 10 can also include a decorative cover 8, which is covered and installed on the outside of the bracket 5.

In a possible implementation, the shielding assembly 3 is disposed along the circumference of the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22 .

It should be noted that the circumferential arrangement of the shielding assembly 3 along the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22 can be understood as: the shielding assembly is extended along a peripheral edge of the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22, and the shielding assembly 3 includes a shielding segment extending along the edge of the edge in the length direction of the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22 and a shielding segment extending along the edge of the edge in the width direction of the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22.

For example: a recessed groove can be set on one edge of the first support plate 2121 and the second support plate 2222, and the shielding component 3 is at least partially embedded in the recessed groove without affecting the appearance of the terminal in the unfolded state. When the first folding plate 11 and the second folding plate 12 are closed, the shielding component 33 can be raised from the recessed groove to shield the gap between the first support plate 2121 and the second support plate 2222.

When the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22 are closed, except for one side connected to the folding plate, the other three sides of the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22 are shielded by the shielding component 3, thereby achieving all-round shielding of the gap between the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22, and further reducing the probability of foreign matter entering between the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22.

Referring to Figures 3 to 5, in a possible implementation scheme, the shielding assembly 3 includes a first shielding member 31 and a second shielding member 32, the first shielding member 31 is arranged along the circumference of the first support plate 21; the second shielding member 32 is arranged along the circumference of the second support plate 22, and the driving assembly 4 includes two driving members 41, and the first folding plate 11 and the second folding plate 12 are respectively connected to the first shielding member 31 and the second shielding member 32 through the two driving members 41.

It should be noted that the first shielding member 31 is arranged along the circumference of the first support plate 21, which can be understood as the first shielding member 31 extending along the edges of the other three sides of the first support plate 21 except the side connected to the folding assembly 1. The second shielding member 32 is arranged along the circumference of the second support plate 22, which can be understood as the second shielding member 32 extending along the edges of the other three sides of the second support plate 22 except the side connected to the folding assembly 1.

In this embodiment, when the first folding plate 11 and the second folding plate 12 are closed, the two driving members 41 can be driven to move respectively, so as to drive the first shielding member 31 and the second shielding member 32 to rise, and shield the gap between the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22. If the shielding component 3 is an integral part, at least the bending part needs to be set as a flexible structure, so that when the terminal is closed, it will be subject to the resistance applied by the shielding component 3, which is not conducive to the complete closing of the terminal. In view of this, in the embodiment of the present application, the shielding component 3 is set as two shielding members, and the two shielding members are respectively connected to the two parts of the folding mechanism that can rotate relative to each other, which does not affect the folding and closing of the folding mechanism, and when the shielding mechanism is closed, the two shielding members fit together to shield the gap between the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22.

The first shielding member 31 and the second shielding member 32 can be raised to fit each other, thereby shielding the gap between the first support plate 21 and the second support plate 22 .

See Figure 14 for an exploded view of the folding assembly, see Figure 15 for a partial enlarged view of Figure 14, see Figure 16 for a matching structure diagram of the folding assembly and the bracket, and see Figure 17 for an assembly structure diagram of the bracket part. In a possible implementation, the bracket 5 is equipped with a synchronous transmission assembly 6, and the two driving members 41 are connected by the synchronous transmission assembly 6. The synchronous transmission assembly 6 limits the synchronous rotation of the two driving members 41, so that the first shielding member and the second shielding member are lifted and lowered synchronously.

In this embodiment, by setting a synchronous transmission component 6, when the first folding plate 11 and the second folding plate 12 are closed or unfolded, the two driving members 41 rotate synchronously with the two folding plates, thereby driving the first shielding member 31 and the second shielding member 32 to rise and fall synchronously to complete the shielding action.

Specifically, the bracket 5 may have an assembly groove 51, the synchronous transmission assembly 6 includes a synchronous gear set arranged in the assembly groove 51, the rotating connection portion 412 of the driving member 41 is provided with meshing teeth, the rotating connection portions 412 of the two driving members 41 are both arranged in the assembly groove 51, and are respectively meshed with two gears at both ends of the synchronous gear set, wherein the synchronous gear set has an even number of gears. The rotating connection portion 412 and each gear of the synchronous gear set are both provided with a through groove, and the folding mechanism 10 also includes a plurality of pins 9, each pin 9 passes through each through groove and is connected to the assembly groove 51.

In this embodiment, the rotating connection portion 412 of the driving member 41 meshes with the gear at the end of the synchronous gear set, so that the two driving members 41 move synchronously in opposite directions, driving the first shielding member and the second shielding member to rise and fall synchronously.

Referring to Figures 14 to 17, in a possible implementation scheme, the bracket 5 has a rotation groove 52, the first folding plate 11 and the second folding plate 12 are both provided with a connecting groove 14, the folding mechanism 10 includes a rotating connecting member 7, the rotating connecting member 7 has a rotating body 71, the rotating body 71 can be rotatably connected to the rotation groove 52, and the end of the rotating connecting member 7 away from the rotating body 71 is embedded and installed in the connecting groove 14.

Specifically, an arc-shaped track bar 521 is provided in the rotating groove 52 , and an arc-shaped track groove 71 a is provided in the rotating body 71 . The arc-shaped track groove 71 a is slidably connected to the arc-shaped track bar 521 .

In this embodiment, when the folding mechanism 10 is closed, a bending force is applied to the support plate, and the support plate, the folding plate and the rotating connector 7 rotate together along the motion track formed by the arc track bar 521 and the arc track groove 71a. The folding plate can also drive the driving pin 411 to move, and the driving pin 411 drives the rotating connection part 412 and the synchronous gear set to rotate synchronously. The folding plate and the support plate have a certain trajectory during the movement. When they are closed to the terminal position, the two folding plates have an angle α, and the angle α is an acute angle. The existence of the angle α makes the terminal 100 have a baseball-shaped gap after being folded. The shielding component 3 of the present application can shield the gap after being raised, which not only beautifies the appearance of the terminal 100 after being folded, but also protects the flexible display screen 20, and significantly improves the product quality.

Note: A portion of this patent application document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner reserves all rights reserved except for the production of copies of the material in the patent file or patent record in the Patent Office.

Claims (17)

1. A folding mechanism for a terminal, comprising:

a first folding plate (11) and a second folding plate (12);

a first support plate (21) and a second support plate (22), the first support plate (21) being connected to the first folding plate (11), the second support plate (22) being connected to the second folding plate (12);

A shielding member (3) extending at least along the longitudinal edges of the first support plate (21) and the second support plate (22);

-a drive assembly (4), said first folding plate (11) and said second folding plate (12) being drivingly connected to said screening assembly (3) by said drive assembly (4);

when the first folding plate (11) and the second folding plate (12) are folded, the driving assembly (4) can be driven to move, so that the driving assembly (4) drives the shielding assembly (3) to lift so as to shield a gap between the first supporting plate (21) and the second supporting plate (22);

when the first folding plate (11) and the second folding plate (12) are unfolded, the driving assembly (4) can be driven to move, so that the driving assembly (4) drives the shielding assembly (3) to fall.

2. A folding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the shutter assembly (3) has a first track groove (33);

The first track groove (33) is arranged along the length direction of the terminal in an extending way;

The drive assembly (4) is slidably connected to the first track groove (33);

When the first folding plate (11) and the second folding plate (12) are folded, the driving assembly (4) can slide along the first track groove (33) so as to drive the shielding assembly (3) to lift;

when the first folding plate (11) and the second folding plate (12) are unfolded, the driving assembly (4) can slide and reset along the first track groove (33) so as to drive the shielding assembly (3) to fall.

3. The folding mechanism of claim 2, wherein the first track groove (33) includes a first end (331) and a second end (332) disposed along a length of the terminal end, and wherein the first end (331) is located above the second end (332) along a thickness of the terminal end;

-said drive assembly (4) is capable of driving said shutter assembly (3) up when slid from said first end (331) into said second end (332);

The driving assembly (4) can drive the shielding assembly (3) to drop when the second end (332) slides into the first end (331).

4. A folding mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that the first trajectory slot (33) comprises an arcuate transition (333) connecting the first end (331) and the second end (332).

5. Folding mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that the first support plate (21) and the second support plate (22) are both connected with a connection seat (23);

the connection base (23) has a second track groove (232 a), the second track groove (232 a) extending in the thickness direction of the terminal;

-the shutter assembly (3) has a connecting bar (34), the connecting bar (34) being slidably connected to the second track groove (232 a);

When the first folding plate (11) and the second folding plate (12) are folded, the connecting strip (34) can slide outwards from the second track groove (232 a);

The connecting strip (34) can slide into the second track groove (232 a) when the first folding plate (11) and the second folding plate (12) are unfolded.

6. The folding mechanism as recited in claim 5, wherein the second trajectory slot (232 a) is an arc-shaped slot protruding to one side of the first folding plate (11) or the second folding plate (12);

The connecting strip (34) is arc-shaped, and the curvature of the connecting strip is matched with that of the second track groove (232 a).

7. Folding mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that the first support plate (21) and the second support plate (22) are each provided with a through slot (24), the through slots (24) extending in the thickness direction of the terminal end;

The connecting seat (23) comprises a connecting plate (231) and a plugboard (232); the plug board (232) is provided with the second track groove (232 a);

the connection plates (231) are connected to the respective first support plate (21) or second support plate (22);

The plug board (232) is inserted into the through groove (24).

8. The folding mechanism according to any one of claims 2-7, characterized in that both the first folding plate (11) and the second folding plate (12) are provided with guide grooves (13);

the guide groove (13) is arranged in an extending manner along the length direction of the terminal;

The driving assembly (4) is slidably connected to the guide groove (13);

The guide groove (13) limits the driving assembly (4) to slide along the extending direction of the guide groove (13) when the first folding plate (11) and the second folding plate (12) are folded or unfolded.

9. The folding mechanism according to claim 8, characterized in that the drive assembly (4) comprises a drive pin (411);

The driving pin (411) is slidably connected to the first track groove (33), and the driving pin (411) is slidably connected to the guide groove (13).

10. Folding mechanism according to claim 9, characterized in that the drive assembly (4) comprises a drive (41);

The folding mechanism also comprises a bracket (5);

One end of the driving piece (41) is provided with a rotary connecting part (412), and the other end is provided with the driving pin (411);

The rotary connecting part (412) is rotatably connected to the bracket (5);

When the first folding plate (11) and the second folding plate (12) are folded or unfolded, the driving pin (411) can be driven to slide along the guide groove (13), so that the rotating connecting part (412) rotates along the bracket (5).

11. A folding mechanism according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that the shutter assembly (3) is arranged in the circumferential direction of the first support plate (21) and the second support plate (22).

12. A folding mechanism according to claim 11, characterized in that the shutter assembly (3) comprises a first shutter (31) and a second shutter (32);

The first shutter (31) is provided along the circumferential direction of the first support plate (21); the second shutter (32) is provided along the circumferential direction of the second support plate (22);

the driving assembly (4) comprises two driving pieces (41);

the first folding plate (11) and the second folding plate (12) are connected to the first shutter (31) and the second shutter (32) by two driving members (41), respectively;

when the first folding plate (11) and the second folding plate (12) are folded, the two driving parts (41) can be respectively driven to move so as to drive the first shielding part (31) and the second shielding part (32) to lift, and a gap between the first supporting plate (21) and the second supporting plate (22) is shielded.

13. A folding mechanism according to claim 12, characterized in that it comprises a support (5);

the bracket (5) is provided with a synchronous transmission assembly (6);

the two driving parts (41) are in transmission connection through the synchronous transmission assembly (6);

the synchronous transmission assembly (6) limits the two driving parts (41) to synchronously rotate so as to synchronously lift the first shielding part (31) and the second shielding part (32).

14. Folding mechanism according to claim 13, characterized in that the bracket (5) has a fitting groove (51);

the synchronous transmission assembly (6) comprises a synchronous gear set arranged in the assembly groove (51);

the rotary connecting part (412) of the driving piece (41) is provided with meshing teeth;

the rotary connecting parts (412) of the two driving parts (41) are arranged in the assembly groove (51) and are respectively meshed with two gears at two ends of the synchronous gear set;

wherein the synchromesh gear set has an even number of gears.

15. Folding mechanism according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the bracket (5) has a rotation slot (52);

The first folding plate (11) and the second folding plate (12) are provided with connecting grooves (14);

The folding mechanism comprises a rotary connecting piece (7);

The rotary connecting piece (7) is provided with a rotary body (71), and the rotary body (71) is rotatably connected with the rotary groove (52);

one end of the rotary connecting piece (7) far away from the rotary body (71) is embedded and installed in the connecting groove (14).

16. The folding mechanism of claim 15, wherein an arcuate track bar (521) is disposed within the rotating slot (52);

The rotating body (71) is provided with an arc track groove (71 a);

The arcuate track groove (71 a) is slidably connected to the arcuate track bar (521).

17. A terminal comprising a flexible display (20) and a folding mechanism according to any of claims 1-16, said flexible display (20) being connected to said first support plate (21) and said second support plate (22).