CN116980508B - Locking mechanism and foldable electronic device - Google Patents

Abstract

The application provides a locking mechanism and foldable electronic equipment, the foldable electronic equipment comprises a locking mechanism, a first shell and a second shell which are rotationally connected, wherein the first shell comprises a mounting groove, and the second shell is provided with a locking groove; the locking mechanism is arranged in the mounting groove; the first shell and the second shell are folded relatively, and the mounting groove and the locking groove are opposite and communicated; the pressing surface of the key of the locking mechanism is exposed out of the mounting groove, the lock tongue of the locking member of the locking mechanism stretches out of the first shell and is positioned in the locking groove, the locking mechanism is in a locking state, and the pretension force of the key and the elastic member of the locking mechanism provides locking force for the locking member; the key is pressed into the mounting groove, the locking mechanism is in an unlocking state, the lock tongue exits the locking groove, and the first shell and the second shell are opened relatively.

Description

Locking mechanism and foldable electronic device

Technical Field

The present application relates to the technical field of electronic products, and in particular to a locking mechanism and a foldable electronic device.

Background technique

With the development of science and technology, various foldable electronic devices have become indispensable products in daily life and production, such as foldable mobile phones, pop-up watches, etc.

Taking a foldable phone as an example, a foldable phone generally includes two shells, which are rotatably connected. When the foldable phone is in a folded state, the two shells need to be relatively fixed. At this time, a locking mechanism needs to be set to lock the two shells to prevent the two shells from opening relative to each other. When the foldable phone needs to switch from a folded state to an unfolded state, the locking mechanism releases the lock on the two shells so that the two shells can be relatively opened. However, during the switching process of locking and unlocking the existing locking mechanism, greater friction will be generated, which will affect the subsequent service life.

Summary of the invention

The present application provides a locking mechanism and a foldable electronic device, which can reliably lock the foldable electronic device with less friction.

The present application provides a locking mechanism, including a button, a locking member, a first connecting rod and a second connecting rod, a first sliding portion and a second sliding portion,

The locking member includes a locking tongue and a connecting plate connected to one end of the locking tongue, one end of the first connecting rod is rotatably connected to the first sliding part, the other end of the first connecting rod is connected to the connecting plate, one end of the second connecting rod is rotatably connected to the second sliding part, the other end of the second connecting rod is connected to the connecting plate, the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are located on opposite sides of the connecting plate, the first sliding part and the second sliding part are arranged opposite to each other, and the first connecting rod, the second connecting rod and the connecting plate are all located between the first sliding part and the second sliding part, the elastic member is connected between the first sliding part and the second sliding part, the first sliding part and the second sliding part can move relatively, the locking member can move relative to the elastic member, and the button can move relative to the connecting plate;

The locking mechanism is in a locked state, the button is in contact with the first sliding part and the second sliding part, and is spaced apart from the connecting plate, and the elastic member is in a natural state; the locking tongue is at a first distance from the elastic member, and the first sliding part is at a second distance from the second sliding part;

The locking mechanism is in an unlocked state, the button is close to the connecting plate, the first sliding portion and the second sliding portion have a fourth distance, the elastic member is stretched, and the locking tongue and the elastic member have a third distance; the first distance is smaller than the third distance, and the second distance is smaller than the fourth distance; wherein the moving direction of the locking member, the moving direction of the button, and the moving directions of the first sliding portion and the second sliding portion are perpendicular to each other.

By arranging a first connecting rod and a second connecting rod between the button and the locking member, and realizing the transmission of the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod through the elastic member, the force of the button on the locking member is realized, so that the locking member locks the first shell and the second shell or releases the lock; under the action of the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod and the elastic member, the button and the locking member will not directly contact each other, so the button can control the locking member, avoiding the direct action between the button and the locking member to generate mutual friction and affect the sensitivity of use of the button and the locking member. It can be understood that the friction force of the entire locking mechanism is converted by the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod, the friction force of the entire locking mechanism is reduced, the operation smoothness is improved and the service life of the locking mechanism is increased.

In one embodiment, the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are inclined away from the locking tongue, the locking mechanism is in a locked state, and the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are both set at a first angle with the moving direction of the locking member; the locking mechanism is in an unlocked state, and the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are both set at a second angle with the moving direction of the locking member, and the first angle is smaller than the second angle. When the locking mechanism is in a locked state, the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are both set at a first angle with the moving direction of the locking member, so that when the key pushes the first sliding part and the second sliding part to move, the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod can generate a pulling force perpendicular to the elastic deformation direction of the elastic member to pull the locking member to move.

In one embodiment, the button moves toward the connecting plate under external force, the first sliding portion and the second sliding portion move in opposite directions to the fourth distance, and the locking tongue moves toward the elastic member to the third distance.

When the external force is removed, the elastic restoring force of the elastic member pulls the first sliding part and the second sliding part closer to each other and returns to the second distance, and the lock tongue moves away from the elastic member to the first distance. The locking mechanism of this embodiment is simple to operate, and the locking state can be restored by removing the external force. Among them, the first sliding part and the second sliding part move in opposite directions to the fourth distance, which means that the distance between the first sliding part and the second sliding part is maintained at the fourth distance. The lock tongue moves toward the elastic member to the third distance, which means that the lock tongue and the elastic member are maintained at the third distance.

In one embodiment, the button includes a pressing surface and a back surface arranged opposite to the pressing surface, the back surface is provided with two pressing blocks arranged at intervals, each of the pressing blocks is provided with a first inclined surface, and the first inclined surfaces of the two pressing blocks are arranged opposite to each other.

The first sliding part includes a second inclined surface, and the second sliding part includes a third inclined surface. In the moving direction of the first sliding part and the second sliding part, the second inclined surface and the third inclined surface are arranged opposite to each other, and the second inclined surface and the third inclined surface abut against one of the first inclined surfaces respectively. The key and the first sliding part and the second sliding part of this embodiment adopt the method of displacement produced by the inclined surfaces to realize movement, and the structure is relatively simple, and it is easy to achieve matching accuracy. In addition, the key adopts two independent pressing blocks to set the first inclined surface, and the space between the two pressing blocks can provide the displacement distance of the key, and can also avoid abutment with the connecting plate.

In one embodiment, the locking tongue includes a connecting end and a locking end disposed opposite to the connecting end, and the locking end has an arc surface. When the locking end is relatively slidably contacted by the second shell, the arc surface and the second shell move relatively smoothly, reducing friction loss.

In one embodiment, the connecting plate is connected to the connecting end and extends away from the connecting end along the extending direction of the locking tongue; the first distance or the third distance is formed between the connecting end and the elastic member;

The connecting plate includes a body and a plug-in section provided at one end of the body, the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are connected to the body, and the sum of the connection thicknesses of the first connecting rod, the second connecting rod and the body is less than or equal to the thickness of the plug-in section. In this embodiment, the connecting plate is configured to have a body and a plug-in section with inconsistent thicknesses, so that the overall thickness of the connecting plate does not increase after being assembled with the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod, and the thickness of the plug-in section can ensure the strength of the connecting plate and the plug-in strength when mated with the first housing.

In one embodiment, the first sliding part includes a first fixed body, the second sliding part includes a second fixed body, perpendicular to the sliding direction of the first sliding part, the second inclined surface is arranged opposite to the first fixed body, and the third inclined surface is arranged opposite to the second fixed body;

The elastic member includes a first connection end and a second connection end, the first connection end and the second connection end are two ends of the length direction of the elastic member, the first connection end is connected to the first fixed body, and the second connection end is connected to the second fixed body. The elastic member of this embodiment is detachably connected to the first fixed body and the second fixed body, which facilitates the assembly, maintenance and adjustment of the locking mechanism.

In one embodiment, the first sliding part includes a first body, the first body is provided with a first mounting side surface and two first mounting surfaces arranged opposite to each other, the first mounting side surface connects the two first mounting surfaces; the second inclined surface is formed at the connection between the first mounting side surface and one of the first mounting surfaces; the other first mounting surface is provided with a recess, the recess passes through the first mounting side surface, and the first fixing body is located in the recess;

The second sliding part includes a second body, the second body is provided with a second mounting side surface and two second mounting surfaces arranged in opposite directions, the second mounting side surface connects the two second mounting surfaces; the third inclined surface is formed at the connection between the second mounting side surface and one of the second mounting surfaces; the other second mounting surface is provided with a recess, the recess passes through the second mounting side surface, and the second fixed body is located in the recess. In this embodiment, the first fixed body is arranged in the recess of the first sliding part, which can avoid the additional increase in the size of the first sliding part, and the second fixed body is arranged in the recess of the second sliding part, which can avoid the additional increase in the size of the second sliding part. Under the condition of connecting with the elastic member, it can avoid the additional occupation of the space of the electronic device using the locking mechanism, which can be understood as saving the space of the electronic device while keeping the number of locking mechanism elements unchanged.

In one embodiment, the first sliding part is further provided with a first hinge seat, the first hinge seat is provided with an axial hole, the axial direction of the axial hole is the same as the moving direction of the button; the first connecting rod is provided with a first shaft, the first connecting rod is mounted on the first hinge seat, the first shaft is inserted into the axial hole of the first hinge seat and is rotatably connected with the axial hole of the first hinge seat;

The second sliding part is also provided with a first hinge seat, the second hinge seat is provided with an axial hole, the axial direction of the axial hole is the same as the moving direction of the button; the second connecting rod is provided with a second shaft, the second connecting rod is mounted on the second hinge seat, the second shaft is inserted into the axial hole of the second hinge seat and is rotatably connected with the axial hole of the second hinge seat. In this embodiment, each hinge seat is a groove recessed in the first sliding part, the ends of the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are inserted into the groove and connected by the shaft, the structure is simple, and the hinge seat is used to connect the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod, and the connection stability can be guaranteed under the premise of realizing the rotation connection.

The present application provides a foldable electronic device, comprising: a first shell, a second shell and the locking mechanism, wherein the first shell and the second shell are rotatably connected, the first shell comprises a mounting groove, and the second shell is provided with a locking groove; the locking mechanism is arranged in the mounting groove;

The first shell and the second shell are folded relative to each other, the installation slot and the locking slot are relative to each other and connected; the pressing surface of the button is exposed from the installation slot, the locking tongue of the locking member extends out of the first shell and is located in the locking slot, the locking mechanism is in a locked state, and the pre-tensioning force of the button and the elastic member provides a locking force for the locking member;

By pressing the button into the installation slot, the locking mechanism is in an unlocked state, the locking tongue withdraws from the locking slot, and the first shell and the second shell are relatively opened.

In the foldable electronic device of the present application, during the locking and unlocking process of the first shell and the second shell, the button transmits force to the locking member through the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod, and does not directly contact the first shell and/or the second shell with friction, which can reduce the friction between the locking mechanism and the first shell and the second shell. Moreover, under the action of the first connecting rod, the second connecting rod and the elastic member, the button and the locking member can be manipulated by the button without direct contact, avoiding the direct action of the button and the locking member to produce mutual friction and affect the sensitivity of the button and the locking member. It can be understood that the friction of the entire locking mechanism is converted by the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod, and the friction of the entire locking mechanism is reduced, which improves the service life of the foldable electronic device.

In one embodiment, the first shell includes a first side surface, the first side surface is an inwardly concave arc surface, the second shell includes a third side surface, the third side surface is an outwardly convex arc surface, the end surface of the locking end of the lock tongue is an outwardly convex arc surface, and the locking groove is concavely arranged on the third side surface.

The locking end slides into the locking groove along the third side surface, the first shell and the second shell are folded, and the third side surface is relatively fitted with the first side surface. In this embodiment, the first side surface, the third side surface and the end surface of the locking end of the lock tongue are all arc-shaped surfaces. During the folding process of the first shell and the second shell, the third side surface is relatively in contact with and slides on the first side surface, which can improve the sliding smoothness and reduce the friction loss of the two surfaces. When the lock tongue is pushed back by the third side surface and extends to lock with the locking groove, the third side surface and the end surface of the locking end slide smoothly, which can reduce the friction loss of the two surfaces.

In one embodiment, the mounting groove comprises a first groove side wall and a second groove side wall, the first groove side wall and the second groove side wall are arranged opposite to each other along the width direction of the mounting groove; the first side wall is recessed with a receiving groove, the second groove side wall is arranged opposite to the first side surface, the second groove side wall is recessed with a sliding through groove, and the sliding through groove passes through the first side surface, the receiving groove and the sliding through groove are arranged opposite to each other along the moving direction of the locking member and are both connected to the mounting groove;

The plug-in section of the connecting plate is located in the receiving groove, the locking tongue is received in the sliding through groove, the locking member moves between the receiving groove and the sliding through groove, and the locking tongue can extend out of the first side surface. The mounting groove for accommodating the locking mechanism of this embodiment has a simple structure and does not occupy too much space of the shell. Moreover, the mounting groove is provided in the first part of the first shell, and the internal space of the first part is smaller than the internal space of the second part. The volume of the components arranged therein will be selected to be smaller, so that the installation position can be flexibly arranged, space is provided for the mounting groove, and the space of the first shell can be saved as much as possible.

In one embodiment, the mounting groove includes two opposite end walls, and the two end walls are connected to the first groove side wall and the second groove side wall; the connection between the two end walls and the first groove side wall and the second groove side wall is provided with a protrusion, and the two protrusions near each end wall position protrude into the mounting groove along the width direction of the mounting groove;

The first connecting rod and the second connecting rod, the first sliding part and the second sliding part, and the elastic member are all located between the first groove side wall and the second groove side wall; the first sliding part is spaced apart from one of the end walls and is located between the two protrusions near the end wall; the second sliding part is spaced apart from the other end wall and is located between the two protrusions near the end wall. The protrusions of this embodiment can guide the first sliding part and the second sliding part in sliding, prevent the first sliding part and the second sliding part from deviating during the sliding process, and ensure the accuracy of the locking mechanism.

In one embodiment, the button includes a pressing surface, a back surface arranged opposite to the pressing surface, and a peripheral side surface connecting the pressing surface and the back surface, wherein the peripheral side surface is provided with a boss.

The first shell includes a first part, the first part includes a mounting seat and a shell, the mounting groove is recessed in the mounting seat, the shell is provided with a through groove, the groove wall of the through groove is provided with a step, the key is installed in the mounting groove, the shell covers the mounting seat, the through groove is opposite to and connected with the mounting groove, the pressing surface is exposed from the through groove, the back surface faces the mounting groove, and the boss and the step are abutted against each other in the direction of movement of the key. The key and the through groove matched with the key in this embodiment have a simple structure.

In one embodiment, the housing includes a second part, the first part is connected to one side of the second part, the thickness of the first part is greater than that of the second part, and the first part is flush with a side of the second part facing away from the mounting slot;

The first part includes a first surface, the mounting groove is provided on the first surface, the second part includes a second surface, the first side surface connects the first surface and the second surface, and is provided at an angle with the first surface and the second surface; the second shell is rotatably connected to the second part, and can be stacked on the second part. The display screen of the foldable electronic device of this embodiment is an external display, that is, when the first shell and the second shell are folded, the display screen is located outside the main body, and the second shell is stacked on the second part of the first shell, which can ensure the integrity of its appearance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the background technology, the drawings required for use in the embodiments of the present application or the background technology will be described below.

FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a foldable electronic device in a first state provided by an embodiment of the present application.

FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a foldable electronic device in a second state provided by an embodiment of the present application.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a partially exploded structure of the foldable electronic device shown in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a second housing of the foldable electronic device shown in FIG. 3 .

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the first housing shown in FIG. 3 .

FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the first housing shown in FIG. 5 .

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of a portion of the first housing and a portion of the locking mechanism shown in FIG. 3 .

FIG. 8 is a partial structural schematic diagram of the locking mechanism shown in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of the locking mechanism shown in FIG. 8 from another angle.

FIG. 10 is a partial structural exploded schematic diagram of the locking mechanism shown in FIG. 8 .

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a partial structural decomposition of the locking mechanism shown in FIG. 10 .

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of the foldable electronic device shown in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view at an angle of the foldable electronic device shown in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the foldable electronic device shown in FIG. 1 at another angle.

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of the changing state of the locking mechanism of the foldable electronic device shown in FIG. 1 .

Detailed ways

The embodiments of the present application are described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application.

Please refer to Figures 1, 2 and 3. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a foldable electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present application in a first state, and Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a foldable electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present application in a second state. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a partially exploded structure of the foldable electronic device shown in Figure 1; specifically, it is an exploded schematic diagram of the main body and the display screen, and is in a fully unfolded state.

The foldable electronic device 1000 shown in FIG1 is in a folded state, and the foldable electronic device 1000 shown in FIG2 is in a semi-open state. The unfolding angle of the foldable electronic device 1000 shown in FIG3 is 180 degrees. The foldable electronic device 1000 includes but is not limited to a cell phone, a notebook computer, a tablet personal computer, a personal digital assistant, or a mobile device, etc. In the embodiment of the present application, the foldable electronic device 1000 is taken as an example of a mobile phone for explanation.

It should be noted that the angles illustrated in the embodiments of the present application are allowed to have a slight deviation. For example, the unfolding angle of the mobile phone shown in FIG. 2 is 180 degrees, which means that it can be 180 degrees or approximately 180 degrees, such as 170 degrees, 175 degrees, 185 degrees and 190 degrees. The angles illustrated in the following text can be understood in the same way.

For ease of description, the width direction of the foldable electronic device 1000 is defined as the X-axis direction, the length direction of the foldable electronic device 1000 is defined as the Y-axis direction, and the thickness direction of the foldable electronic device 1000 is defined as the Z-axis direction. The X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction are perpendicular to each other.

It should be noted that the directional terms such as "top", "bottom", "left", "right", "front" and "back" used in the embodiment of the present application to describe the foldable electronic device 1000 are mainly explained based on the display orientation of the mobile phone in Figure 2, with the positive direction of the Z axis being "top" and "up", the negative direction of the Z axis being "bottom" and "back", the positive direction of the X axis being "right", the negative direction of the X axis being "left", the positive direction of the Y axis being "back", and the negative direction of the Y axis being "front". It does not constitute a limitation on the orientation of the foldable electronic device 1000 in actual application scenarios.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 , the foldable electronic device 1000 of this embodiment is an outward folding mobile phone, which includes a main body 500 and a display screen 600, and the display screen 600 is mounted on the main body 500. The display screen 600 includes a display surface and a mounting surface, and the display surface and the mounting surface are arranged opposite to each other. The display surface is used to display text, images, videos, etc. The display screen 600 includes a first display part 610, a second display part 620, and a third display part 630. The third display part 630 is located between the first display part 610 and the second display part 620, and the third display part 630 is flexible so as to bend along the X-axis direction. In this embodiment, the display screen 600 adopts a flexible display screen 600. The first display part 610 and the second display part 620 can actually be bent when they are not fixed.

In this embodiment, the main body 500 includes a first shell 200, a second shell 300, a rotating mechanism 400 and a locking mechanism 100. The rotating mechanism 400 is installed between the first shell 200 and the second shell 300, and the rotating mechanism 400 is connected to the first shell 200 and the second shell 300 respectively to realize the rotation connection between the first shell 200 and the second shell 300. The first shell 200 and the second shell 300 can rotate relative to each other through the rotating mechanism 400, so that the main body 500 can switch between the folded state and the unfolded state.

The side of the first shell 200 and the second shell 300 facing away from the display screen 600 is the inner surface of the mobile phone, and the side bearing the display screen 600 is the outer side. Specifically, the display screen 600 is mounted on the main body 500, and the mounting surface is fixedly connected to the main body 500. Specifically, the first shell 200 carries the first display part 610, and the second shell 300 carries the second display part 620. In other words, the first display part 610 is mounted on the first shell 200, and the second display part 620 is mounted on the second shell 300. Among them, the rotating mechanism 400 is arranged opposite to the third display part 630 to realize the bending of the display screen 600.

Please refer to FIG2 , the first housing 200 and the second housing 300 rotate relative to each other through the rotating mechanism 400. When the mobile phone is in the unfolded state, as shown in FIG3 , the display screen 600 has a large display area, realizing the large-screen display and operation functions of the mobile phone, and improving the user experience. Please refer to FIG1 , when the mobile phone is in the folded state, the display screen 600 is located at the outermost side and is in a visible state, and the overall size of the mobile phone is reduced, which is easy to carry.

The first shell 200, the second shell 300 and the rotating mechanism 400 are arranged in sequence along the X-axis direction, and the sum of the sizes between the three is the size of the main body 500 in the X-axis direction (including assembly tolerance and assembly gaps between the three). The sizes of the main body 500 and the display screen 600 in the X-axis direction are the same as the sizes of the mobile phone in the X-axis direction, and the same here includes the allowable tolerance range. The first shell 200, the second shell 300 and the rotating mechanism 400 have the same size in the Y-axis direction, and the same size can allow assembly or production tolerances. The size of the first shell 200 and the second shell 300 in the Y-axis direction is the size of the main body 500 in the Y-axis direction, and the size of the main body 500 in the Y-axis direction is the same as the size of the display screen 600 and the mobile phone in the Y-axis direction. Of course, the same here can also allow a small amount of deviation (assembly and production tolerances).

In the X-axis direction, the width of the first shell 200 is greater than the width of the second shell 300. When the mobile phone is in a folded state, a portion of the first shell 200 and the second shell 300 are stacked along the Z-axis direction, and another portion of the first shell 200 is not folded with the second shell 300. The thickness of the portion of the first shell 200 that is not stacked with the second shell 300 is greater than the thickness of the portion of the first shell 200 that is stacked with the second shell 300. The thickness of the portion of the first shell 200 that is not stacked with the second shell 300 is the sum of the thicknesses of the stacked portions of the first shell 200 and the second shell 300.

In this embodiment, the rotating mechanism 400 is a hinge, and the rotating mechanism 400 is connected between the first shell 200 and the second shell 300, which is equivalent to the rotating structure between the first shell 200 and the second shell 300, so as to realize the relative rotation and relative folding of the first shell 200 and the second shell 300. Specifically, the rotating mechanism 400 includes two connected hinges, and the two hinges are arranged in sequence along the Y-axis direction, one of which is connected to the first shell 200, and the other is connected to the second shell 300; or, the rotating mechanism 400 includes a hinge, and in the Y-axis direction, the hinge extends from one side of the mobile phone to the other side. In other embodiments, the rotating mechanism 400 is two connected and relatively rotatable shafts, one of which is rotatably connected to the first shell 200, and the other is rotatably connected to the second shell 300, so as to realize the relative rotation of the first shell 200 and the second shell 300. In other embodiments, the rotating mechanism 400 can also be a rotating structure of other structures, as long as the relative rotation and relative folding of the first shell 200 and the second shell 300 can be realized, and the display screen 600 will not be damaged.

The locking mechanism 100 is mounted on the first shell 200, and when the main body 500 is in a folded state, that is, when the first shell 200 and the second shell 300 are stacked along the Z-axis direction, the locking mechanism 100 locks the first shell 200 and the second shell 300 to prevent the first shell 200 and the second shell 300 from being relatively unfolded. When the main body 500 needs to be switched to an unfolded state, the locking mechanism 100 can release the lock on the first shell 200 and the second shell 300, and the first shell 200 and the second shell 300 are relatively unfolded. The first shell 200 and the second shell 300 are unfolded flat by an external force, and can be kept in a flattened state by the damping force on the rotating shaft structure. In some embodiments, the opening of the first shell 200 and the second shell 300 can be additionally provided with a spring-opening structure, or a spring-opening structure is provided in the rotating shaft mechanism.

In this embodiment, the first housing 200 includes a first portion 220 and a second portion 240, which are distributed along the X-axis direction and are fixedly connected, and the first portion 220 and the second portion 240 have a first outer side facing the display screen 600, and the first outer side is a plane (tolerance is allowed), and the thickness of the first portion 220 along the Z-axis direction is greater than the thickness of the second portion 240 along the Z-axis direction. It can be understood that the first portion 220 protrudes from the second portion 240.

Please refer to Figures 5 and 6. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the first shell shown in Figure 3. Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram of the first shell shown in Figure 5. The first part 220 of the first shell 200 includes a mounting seat 230 and a shell 250, and the shell 250 and the mounting seat 230 are stacked and fixed along the Z-axis direction. The mounting seat 230 is used to accommodate the electronic components of the mobile phone. The mounting seat 230 includes a first side surface 231 and a first surface 232, a second surface (not marked in the figure) arranged opposite to the first surface 232, and two first end surfaces 234 opposite to each other along the Y-axis direction; the first side surface 231 is connected to the first surface 232, and the first surface 232 is opposite to the outer side surface of the main body 500. The first side surface 231 of this embodiment is a concave arc surface.

The second portion 240 of the first shell 200 includes a second side surface (not marked) located in the positive direction of the X-axis, two second end surfaces 242 opposite to each other along the Y-axis, a third surface 243 opposite to each other along the Z-axis, and a fourth surface (not marked).

In this embodiment, the first part 220 and the second part 240 are integrally formed into the first housing 200 along the X-axis direction, and the second part 240 is located on one side of the first side surface 231 of the first part 220; the second side surface and the first side surface 231 face the same side and are away from each other. In the Y-axis direction, the length dimension of the first part 220 and the length dimension of the second part 240 are both the same as the length dimension of the first housing 200. In the Z-axis direction, the height dimension of the first part 220 is greater than the height dimension of the second part 240. In one embodiment, the height dimension of the first part 220 is approximately twice the height dimension of the second part 240.

In this embodiment, the second end surface 242 of the second part 240 of the first shell 200 and the first end surface 234 of the first part 220 are connected along the Z-axis direction, and the second end surface 242 and the first end surface 234 are located in the same plane. The first surface 232 is connected to the first side surface 231, and there is an angle of nearly 90 degrees between the first side surface 231 and the first surface 232. The first side surface 231 connects the first surface 232 and the third surface 243, and the first surface 232 and the third surface 243 are arranged in a step shape, that is, there is a height difference between the first surface 232 and the third surface 243. The second surface and the fourth surface are connected along the X-axis direction, and the second surface and the fourth surface are located in the same plane and are part of the outer side surface of the main body 500.

As shown in FIG4 , FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second housing of the foldable electronic device shown in FIG3 . In this embodiment, the second housing 300 includes a third side surface 3001 and a fourth side surface (not marked in the figure) opposite to each other along the X-axis direction, two third end surfaces 3003 opposite to each other along the Y-axis direction, and a fifth surface 3005 and a sixth surface 3006 opposite to each other along the Z-axis direction. The third side surface 3001 is an outwardly convex arc surface. The rotating mechanism 400 is located between the first side surface 241 and the fourth side surface.

The second housing 300 is provided with a locking groove 300A, which is recessed in the third side surface 3001, that is, the notch of the locking groove 300A is located on the arc surface. The arc surface is used to cooperate with the locking mechanism 100, guide the locking mechanism 100, and facilitate the locking mechanism 100 to engage with the locking groove 300A. The first housing 200 and the second housing 300 are closed, and the third side surface 3001 is relatively fitted with the first side surface 231, that is, the cooperation of the convex arc surface and the concave arc surface improves the closing tightness and appearance of the first housing 200 and the second housing 300.

The thickness of the second shell 300 is the same as the thickness of the first portion 220 of the first shell 200 , the length of the second shell 300 is the same as the length of the first shell 200 , and the width of the second shell 300 is the same as the width of the first portion 220 of the first shell 200 .

When the first shell 200 and the second shell 300 are relatively unfolded, the second surface, the fourth surface, and the sixth surface are approximately located in the same plane, the third surface and the fifth surface 3005 are approximately located in the same plane, and the first surface 232 is higher than the third surface 243. The third end surface 3003, the second end surface 242, and the first end surface 234 located on the same side of the main body 500 are coplanar. When the first shell 200 and the second shell 300 are relatively folded, the third surface 243 faces the fifth surface 3005, and the third side surface 3001 faces the first side surface 231. In other words, in the Z-axis direction, the sum of the thickness of the second shell 300 and the thickness of the second portion 240 of the first shell 200 is equal to the thickness of the second portion 240 of the first shell 200; or, the sum of the thickness of the second shell 300, the thickness of the second portion 240 of the first shell 200, and the thickness of the display screen 600 is equal to the thickness of the second portion 240 of the first shell 200.

Please refer to FIG. 6 . The mounting seat 230 is provided with a mounting groove 260, which is recessed in the first surface 232. A receiving groove 270 is provided on one side wall of the mounting groove 260, and a sliding groove 280 is provided on the other side wall. The sliding groove 280 penetrates the side wall of the mounting groove 260 and the first side surface 231; the sliding groove 280 and the receiving groove 270 are spaced apart and opposite to each other. The mounting groove 260 is used to accommodate the locking mechanism 100, the sliding groove 280 is used to allow some components of the locking mechanism 100 to extend, and the receiving groove 270 is used to allow another part of the locking mechanism 100 to have a movable space. The notch of the mounting groove 260 located on the first surface 232 is used to install the locking mechanism 100 in the mounting groove 260.

Specifically, the mounting groove 260 is a substantially rectangular groove, which is formed by the first surface 232 being recessed into the first housing 200, and a notch is formed on the first surface 232. The mounting groove 260 includes two opposite end walls 261, a first groove side wall 262, and a second groove side wall 263. The two end walls 261 are connected to the first groove side wall 262 and the second groove side wall 263. Along the width direction of the mounting groove 260, the first groove side wall 262 and the second groove side wall 263 are arranged opposite to each other, and along the width direction of the mounting groove 260, the second groove side wall 263 and the first side surface 231 are arranged in opposite directions. The mounting groove 260 of this embodiment is a substantially rectangular groove, which is further provided with a groove bottom wall 265. The two end walls 261, the first groove side wall 262, and the second groove side wall are all connected to the groove bottom wall 265. A receiving groove 270 is recessed on the first groove side wall 262, and the receiving groove 270 is recessed into the first groove side wall 262 along the width direction of the mounting groove 260. Along the width direction of the mounting groove 260, the sliding groove 280 penetrates the second groove side wall 263 and the first side surface 231, that is, the sliding groove 280 penetrates a portion of the mounting seat 230 between the mounting groove 260 and the first side surface 231, and forms a notch on the first side surface 231; in the width direction of the mounting groove 260, the sliding groove 280 and the receiving groove 270 are arranged opposite to each other. The cross sections of the sliding groove 280 and the receiving groove 270 of this embodiment are both rectangular.

In this embodiment, the position where the first groove side wall 262 is connected to the two end walls 261 and the position where the second groove side wall 263 is connected to the two end walls 261 are both provided with protrusions 266, and along the width direction of the installation groove 260, the protrusions 266 protrude into the installation groove 260, and the distance between the two opposite protrusions 266 is smaller than the distance between the first groove side wall 262 and the second groove side wall 263. It can be understood that the distance between the two protrusions 266 at the position close to the same end wall 261 is smaller than the distance between the first groove side wall 262 and the second groove side wall 263.

Please refer to FIG. 5 and FIG. 7 , which is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of part of the first housing and part of the locking mechanism shown in FIG. 3 . In this embodiment, the housing 250 is a strip-shaped plate, which can completely cover the first surface 232 of the first part 220 . The housing 250 includes an outer surface 2501 and an inner surface 2502 arranged in opposite directions, two opposite covering end surfaces 2503 and two side surfaces (not marked in the figure); the two side surfaces connect the outer surface 2501 and the inner surface 2502 and the two covering end surfaces 2503, and the two side surfaces are arc-shaped surfaces, which are squarely bent from the outer surface 2501 to the inner surface 2502. The housing 250 is also provided with a through slot 250A, and the through slot 250A passes through the outer surface 2501 and the inner surface 2502. A step 2504 is convexly provided in the through slot 250A, and the step 2504 is convexly provided in the through slot 250A around the groove peripheral wall of the through slot 250A toward the through slot 250A, and the step is provided at the notch position of the through slot 250A located on the outer surface 2501. The housing 250 covers the mounting seat 230, the first surface 232 is opposite to and connected to the inner surface 2502, the two covering end surfaces 2503 are coplanar with the first end surface 234 and the second end surface respectively, and one side surface is connected to the first side surface 231. The through groove 250A is opposite to and connected to the mounting groove 260, and is used to accommodate and limit the locking mechanism 100 in the first housing 200.

Please refer to Figures 2 and 7, as well as Figures 8 and 9. Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of the locking mechanism shown in Figure 1, ie, no buttons are shown. Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of the locking mechanism shown in Figure 8 from another angle.

The locking mechanism 100 includes a button 10, a locking member 30 and a connecting rod assembly 50. The connecting rod assembly 50 includes an elastic member 40, and the connecting rod assembly 50 is connected to the locking member 30. It can be understood that the button 10 is used to push the connecting rod assembly 50 to move and deform by an external force, thereby causing the locking member 30 to move. The elastic member 40 is used to provide a locking force for the locking member 30.

As shown in FIG7 , in this embodiment, the button 10 is a roughly rectangular block, which includes a pressing surface 11, a back surface 12 and a peripheral side surface 13. The pressing surface 11 and the back surface 12 are arranged in back-to-back relation, and the peripheral side surface 13 connects the pressing surface 11 and the back surface 12. Two pressing blocks 14 are convexly provided on the back surface 12, and the two pressing blocks 14 are located at opposite ends of the back surface 12 along the length direction of the button 10. Each pressing block 14 includes a first inclined surface 141. The first inclined surfaces 141 of the two pressing blocks 14 in this embodiment are arranged in back-to-back relation. A boss 15 is convexly provided on the peripheral side surface 13. In this embodiment, the boss 15 is an annular protrusion extending along the peripheral side surface 13. In other embodiments, the boss 15 is a plurality of blocks protruding along the peripheral side surface 13.

In this embodiment, the locking member 30 is a roughly T-shaped plate body, which includes a connecting plate 31 and a locking tongue 32. The locking tongue 32 includes a locking end 321 and a connecting end 322. The connecting end 322 and the locking end 321 are arranged in opposite directions. In this embodiment, the locking end 321 has an arc surface 3211. The third side surface 3001 of the second housing 300 pushes the locking end 321 of the arc surface 3211 to improve the smoothness of the locking tongue 32 inserted into the locking groove 300A. The connecting plate 31 includes a body 310 and an insertion section 311 provided at one end of the body. The end of the body 310 of the connecting plate 31 facing away from the insertion section 311 is connected to the connecting end 322, and the connecting plate 31 extends away from the locking tongue 32. A mounting hole is provided on the body 310 for connecting with the connecting rod assembly. The thickness of the plug-in section 311 of this embodiment is greater than the thickness of the main body of the connecting plate 31. After the connecting rod assembly and the connecting plate 31 are fixed, the total thickness of the connecting assembly and the connecting plate 31 will not increase, which can save space in the thickness direction of the installation groove 260, and the thickness of the plug-in section 31 can make the connecting plate 31 have sufficient strength.

Fig. 10 is a partial structural exploded schematic diagram of the locking mechanism shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 11 is a partial structural exploded schematic diagram of the locking mechanism shown in Fig. 10. The elastic member 40 is a coil spring, which includes a first connecting end 41 and a second connecting end 42, and the first connecting end 41 and the second connecting end 42 are two ends of the elastic member 40 in the length (extension) direction.

The connecting rod assembly 50 includes a first sliding portion 51, a second sliding portion 53, two first connecting rods 54 and two second connecting rods 55. The two first connecting rods 54 are connected between the first sliding portion 51 and the connecting plate 31 of the locking member 30, and the two first connecting rods 54 are arranged in parallel; the two second connecting rods 55 are connected between the second sliding portion 53 and the connecting plate 31 of the locking member 30, and the two second connecting rods 55 are arranged in parallel; the locking member 30 is located between the first connecting rod 54 and the second connecting rod 55.

The first connecting rod 54 and the second connecting rod 55 are both long strip rods. Along the length direction of the first connecting rod 54, the first connecting rod 54 is connected to the first shaft 541 at both opposite ends, and the axial direction of the first shaft 541 is perpendicular to the length direction of the first connecting rod 54. In this embodiment, the first shaft 541 used to connect the first connecting rod 54 to one end of the first sliding portion 51 passes through the opposite sides of the first connecting rod 54 and has two first shaft ends, and the first connecting rod 54 is fixedly connected to the first connecting rod 54 through the first shaft 541. The first shaft 541 used to connect the first connecting rod 54 to the connecting plate 31 is fixed to one side of the first connecting rod 54. Along the length direction of the second connecting rod 55, the second connecting rod 55 is provided with a second shaft 551 at both opposite ends, and the axial direction of the second shaft 551 is perpendicular to the length direction of the second connecting rod 55. In this embodiment, the second shaft 551 used to connect the second connecting rod 55 to one end of the second sliding portion 53 passes through the opposite sides of the second connecting rod 55 and has two second shaft ends; the second connecting rod 55 is fixedly connected to the second connecting rod 55 through the second shaft 551. It should be noted that the first shaft 541 and the second shaft 551 can be removed and then installed when the first connecting rod 54 and the second connecting rod 55 are connected to the first sliding part 51 and the second sliding part 53 .

Referring to FIG. 11 , the first sliding portion 51 includes a first body 511, a first fixed body 512, and a second inclined surface 513. Along the Z-axis direction, the first fixed body 512 and the second inclined surface 513 are arranged in opposite directions. Specifically, the first fixed body 512 and the second inclined surface 513 are arranged on both sides of the first body 511 in opposite directions. The first body 511 is also provided with two first hinge seats 514, and the first hinge seats 514 are provided with shaft holes; the axial direction of the shaft holes of the first hinge seats 514 extends along the Z direction (the moving direction of the button 10). Along the X-axis direction, the first fixed body 512 and the second inclined surface 513 are located between the two first hinge seats 514. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the X-direction is the length direction of the first sliding portion 51, the Z-axis direction is the thickness direction of the first sliding portion 51; and the Y-axis is the sliding direction of the first sliding portion 51.

Specifically, the first body 511 is a roughly rectangular block, which includes a first mounting side surface 5111, two first mounting surfaces 5112 and two mounting end surfaces (not marked in the figure). The first mounting side surface 5111 connects the two first mounting surfaces 5112, the first mounting side surface 5111 is located in the Y-axis direction, and the two first mounting surfaces 5112 are arranged in opposite directions in the Z-axis direction. The two mounting end surfaces connect the first mounting side surface 5111 and the two first mounting surfaces 5112, and the two mounting end surfaces are arranged in opposite directions in the X-axis direction.

A second inclined surface 513 is formed at the connection between the first mounting side surface 5111 and the first mounting surface 5112. The second inclined surface 513 is located in the middle of the first mounting side surface 5111 and the first mounting surface 5112, and the second inclined surface 513 is inclined from the first mounting surface 5112 to the first mounting side surface 5111. It can be understood that the bottom surface of the concave portion formed after the connection between the first mounting side surface 5111 and the first mounting surface 5112 is recessed into the first body 511 is the second inclined surface; the second inclined surface 513 is used to cooperate with the first inclined surface 141. The edge of the middle position of the other first mounting surface 5112 is recessed toward the first body 511 to form a recess 5113, which penetrates the first mounting side surface 5111. The bottom surface of the recess 5113 is convexly provided with a first fixed body 512, and the protruding direction of the first fixed body 512 is set at an angle with the first mounting surface 5112; the first fixed body 512 of this embodiment is a cylinder, and it is convexly provided on the bottom surface of the recess 5113 along the Z-axis direction. The first fixed body 512 is used to be hung with the first connecting end 41 of the elastic member 40 (detachable connection), and the recess 5113 penetrates the first mounting side surface 5111 to facilitate the passage of the elastic member 40. The second inclined surface 513 and the first fixed body 512 in this embodiment are both formed after the first body 511 is concave in the Z-axis direction (the thickness direction of the first sliding part), which reduces the overall thickness of the first sliding part 51 in the Z-axis direction, thereby reducing the first sliding part 51 occupying the internal space of the first housing 200. In other embodiments, the first fixing body 512 may also be in other shapes such as a hook.

The two first hinge seats 514 are formed by the first mounting side surface 5111 being recessed into the first body 511. The first hinge seat 514 of this embodiment is a groove with multiple notches, and notches are provided on the first mounting side surface 5111 and the mounting end surface. Each first hinge seat 514 has two opposite groove walls in the thickness direction of the first body 511, and each groove wall is provided with an axis hole 5341. Among them, the notch of the first mounting side surface 5111 is used for inserting the first connecting rod 54, and the notch located at the mounting end surface can provide the first connecting rod 54 with a larger swing space.

The second sliding part 53 has the same structure as the first sliding part 51, and includes a second body 531, a second fixing body 532, a third inclined surface 533, and a second hinge seat 534 provided with an axis hole 5341. The second body 531 includes a second mounting side surface 5311, two second mounting surfaces 5312, and two mounting end surfaces. The specific structure and matching relationship can refer to the specific description of the first sliding part 51, and the second sliding part 53 will not be described in detail.

One end of the two first connecting rods 54 is fixedly connected to the same side of the connecting plate 31 of the locking member 30 through the first shaft 541, and the other end of the two first connecting rods 54 is respectively inserted into the two first hinge seats 514 through the notches of the mounting end surface of the first body 511, and the two first connecting rods 54 are connected between the locking member 30 and the first sliding portion 51 through the two shaft ends of the first shaft 541 and the shaft hole 5341 of the first hinge seat 514, and the two first connecting rods 54 are connected to the locking member 30 and the first sliding portion 51, and the two first connecting rods 54 are arranged in parallel. One end of the two second connecting rods 55 is fixedly connected to the same side of the connecting plate 31 of the locking member 30 through the second shaft 551, and the other end of the two second connecting rods 55 is inserted into the second hinge seat 534 through the notches of the mounting end surface of the second body 531, and the two shaft ends of the second shaft 551 are connected to the shaft hole 5341 of the second hinge seat 534 through the two shaft ends of the second shaft 551 and the two second connecting rods 55 are connected to the locking member 30 and the second sliding portion 53, and the two second connecting rods 55 are arranged in parallel. The center line of the locking member 30 in the moving direction (X-axis direction) of the locking member 30 is the symmetry line of the two first connecting rods 54 and the two second connecting rods 55, that is, the two first connecting rods 54 and the two second connecting rods 55 are symmetrically arranged. The first connecting end 41 of the elastic member 40 is hooked (connected) on the first fixed body 512, and the second connecting end 42 is hooked (connected) on the second fixed body 532. The two first connecting rods 54 and the two second connecting rods 55 and the connecting plate 31 are located between the first sliding part 51 and the second sliding part 53. In the Z-axis direction, the thickness of the first connecting rod 54 and the second connecting rod 55 after being connected to the body 310 of the connecting plate 31 is less than or equal to the thickness of the connecting section 311; in this way, after the locking mechanism 100 is installed in the first housing, the thickness space of the first housing can be saved.

As shown in Figures 8, 12 and 13, Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the partial structure of the foldable electronic device shown in Figure 1. Figure 13 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an angle of the foldable electronic device shown in Figure 1. The locking mechanism 100 is in a locked state, that is, after the locking mechanism 100 is installed in the first housing 200, the second housing 300 will be locked to the first housing 200. The button 10 abuts against the first sliding portion 51 and the second sliding portion 53, and is spaced and opposite to the connecting plate 31; the elastic member 40 is in a natural state. It should be noted that the natural state of the elastic member 40 means that the elastic member 40 is not compressed and is at the critical point of being stretched, and no elastic expansion force is generated. The button 10 abuts against the first sliding portion 51 and the second sliding portion 53 without generating external force, and the elastic member 40 can remain unchanged. The lock tongue 32 has a first distance (in the X-axis direction) from the elastic member 40, and the first sliding portion 51 and the second sliding portion 53 have a second distance (in the Y-axis direction). At this time, the two first connecting rods 54 and the two second connecting rods 55 are inclined relative to the moving direction (X-axis direction) of the locking member 30, and the two first connecting rods 54 and the two second connecting rods 55 are inclined away from (backwards from) the locking tongue 32; the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod both form a first angle with the moving direction of the locking member.

The locking mechanism is in an unlocked state. In the Z-axis direction, the button 10 is subjected to pressure. The button 10 approaches the connecting plate 31 and pushes the first sliding part 51 and the second sliding part 53 away from each other (the two first inclined surfaces 141 cooperate with the second inclined surface 513 and the third inclined surface 533). The first sliding part 51 and the second sliding part 53 have a fourth distance. The elastic member 40 is stretched. Along the X-axis, the lock tongue 32 moves toward the elastic member 40 and has a third distance with the elastic member 40. The first distance is smaller than the third distance, and the second distance is smaller than the fourth distance. At this time, the first connecting rod 54 and the second connecting rod 55 are both set at a second angle with the moving direction of the locking member 30, and the first angle is smaller than the second angle. It should be noted that the above-mentioned distances refer to the linear distances between the two, such as the distance between the lock tongue 32 and the elastic member 40, which refers to the linear distance from the connecting surface of the lock tongue 32 to the outer surface of the elastic member 40.

Specifically, when the first sliding part 51 and the second sliding part 53 slide away from each other, the first connecting rod 54 and the second connecting rod 55 are pulled, one end of the first connecting rod 54 rotates relative to the first sliding part 51, and one end of the second connecting rod 55 rotates relative to the second sliding part 53, and the first connecting rod 54 and the second connecting rod 55 simultaneously generate a pulling force on the connecting plate 31, so that the entire locking member 30 is displaced, and the specific direction is the negative direction of the X axis. Among them, the moving direction of the locking member 30 (positive and negative directions of the X axis), the moving direction of the button 10 (positive and negative directions of the Z axis), and the moving direction of the first sliding part 51 and the second sliding part 53 (positive and negative directions of the Y axis) are perpendicular to each other.

In one embodiment, different from the above-mentioned embodiment, the first connecting rod 54 and the second connecting rod 55 can be one, the first hinge seat 514 is one and is arranged in the middle of the first body 511, and the second hinge seat 534 is one and is arranged in the middle of the second body 531; the first connecting rod 54 is connected to the first hinge seat 514 of the first sliding part 51, and the second connecting rod 55 is connected to the second hinge seat 534 of the second sliding part 53.

The following is a detailed description of a specific embodiment of the locking mechanism 100 when applied to a foldable mobile phone.

Please refer to Figures 12, 13 and 14 together. Figure 14 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the foldable electronic device shown in Figure 1 at another angle. The first sliding part 51 and the second sliding part 53 connected with the first connecting rod 54, the second connecting rod 55 and the elastic member 40 are installed in the mounting groove 260. The first sliding part 51 and the second sliding part 53 are respectively located at the two end walls 261 of the mounting groove 260, and both have a certain distance from the end walls 261, which is enough for the first sliding part 51 and the second sliding part 53 to move. The first sliding part 51 and the second sliding part 53 can slide along the groove bottom wall 265 of the mounting groove 260, and the specific sliding direction is to slide along the length direction of the mounting groove 260. Specifically, the first sliding part 51 is located between the two protrusions 266 at one end wall 261, and the second sliding part 53 is located between the two protrusions 266 at the other end wall 261. The protrusions 266 play a guiding role when the first sliding part 51 and the second sliding part 53 slide, thereby improving the accuracy of the first sliding part 51 and the second sliding part 53.

The first fixing body 512 and the second fixing body 532 connected with the elastic member 40 face the groove bottom wall 265 of the installation groove 260. The second inclined surface 513 of the first sliding portion 51 and the third inclined surface 533 of the second sliding portion 53 face the notch of the installation groove 260, that is, they face away from the groove bottom wall 265 of the installation groove 260. The first body 511 is provided with a mounting surface of the first fixing body 512 facing the bottom wall of the installation groove 260; the second body 531 is provided with a mounting surface of the second fixing body 532 facing the bottom wall of the installation groove 260.

It can be understood that the connecting plate 31 of the locking member 30 is located between the first connecting rod 54 and the second connecting rod 55, and the first connecting rod 54 and the second connecting rod 55 are both fixedly connected to the connecting plate 31. The two first connecting rods 54 are arranged at an angle to the first mounting side surface 5111 and the connecting plate 31. Specifically, the two first connecting rods 54 and the two second connecting rods 55 are inclined toward the locking tongue 32 side.

The locking member 30 is inserted through the notch of the sliding groove 280 of the first side surface 231, the connecting plate 31 is located in the installation groove 260, the plug-in section is located in the receiving groove 270, and the connecting plate 31 is fixedly connected to one end of the first connecting rod 54 and to a large end of the second connecting rod 55. Specifically, part of the installation hole of the body 310 of the connecting plate 31 is sleeved on the first axis of the first connecting rod 54, and the first connecting rod 54 is located between the connecting plate 31 and the first sliding portion 51; the other part of the installation hole of the body 310 of the connecting plate 31 is sleeved on the second axis of the second connecting rod 55, and the second connecting rod 55 is located between the connecting plate 31 and the second sliding portion 53. The plug-in section 311 of the connecting plate 31 of the locking member 30 is partially located in the receiving groove 270, the locking tongue 32 passes through the sliding groove 280, and the locking end 321 is exposed from the notch of the sliding groove 280 located on the first side surface 231. The locking member 30 slides in the receiving groove 270 and the sliding groove 280 along the width direction of the installation groove 260; the moving direction of the button 10 is perpendicular to the moving direction of the locking member 30. The depth of the receiving groove 270 is greater than the length of the plug-in section 311, which is used to reserve moving space for the locking member 30; and the connecting plate 31 of the locking member 30 is partially located in the receiving groove 270, and the locking tongue 32 is partially located in the sliding groove 280, which can prevent the locking member 30 from tilting, ensure the sliding stability of the locking member 30 and the plug-in accuracy of the locking tongue 32 and the locking groove 300A. In other embodiments, after the locking tongue 32 extends out of the first side surface 231, the plug-in section 311 is located at the notch position of the receiving groove 270.

The key 10 is installed in the installation groove 260, and the first inclined surfaces 141 of the two pressing blocks 14 of the key are respectively opposite to and abut against the second inclined surface 513 and the third inclined surface 533; the housing 250 covers the installation groove 260, and the key 10 partially passes through the through groove 250A, and the pressing surface 11 is exposed on the outer surface 2501; the boss 15 is clamped with the step 2504 of the through groove 250A, thereby limiting the key 10 in the installation space formed by the installation groove 260 and the through groove 250A, that is, the entire locking mechanism 100 is limited in the installation space formed by the installation groove 260 and the through groove 250A. The key can move into the installation groove 260 along the Z-axis direction.

The locking mechanism 100 is in an initial state, which can also be called a locking state, and the elastic member 40 is in a natural elastic state, and the elastic member 40 is used to provide a locking force. Under the premise that the key 10 is in contact with the first sliding portion 51 and the second sliding portion 53 but the first sliding portion 51 and the second sliding portion 53 do not move, the elastic member 40 can remain unchanged, that is, under the cooperation of the key 10 and the elastic member 40, the locking member 30 can be kept in a certain position to prevent the locking member 30 from shaking and displacing in the first housing 200.

Please refer to FIG. 15 , which is a schematic diagram of the changing state of the locking mechanism of the foldable electronic device shown in FIG. 1 . The dotted line portion in FIG. 15 refers to the position of each component after displacement. The content of this figure is only for the convenience of understanding the movement principle of the locking mechanism. The size and shape in the figure are only for illustration. Along the Z-axis direction, the pressing surface 11 of the button is pressed, and the first inclined surface 141 of the pressing block 14 of the button pushes against the second inclined surface 513 of the first sliding part 51 and the third inclined surface 533 of the second sliding part 53, so that the first sliding part 51 and the second sliding part 53 slide in opposite directions along the bottom wall 265 of the mounting groove 260. The moving direction of the second sliding part 53 is the s1 direction in FIG. 15 , and the moving direction of the first sliding part 51 is the s2 direction in FIG. 15 , that is, the first sliding part 51 and the second sliding part 53 move along the Y-axis direction. At the same time, the elastic member 40 is stretched in the s1 direction and the s2 direction, and moves along the mounting groove. 260 length direction (Y-axis direction), one end of the first link 54 is pulled by the first sliding part 51, and one end of the second link 55 is pulled by the second sliding part 53. The first shaft 541 of the first link 54 rotates relative to the first sliding part 51, and the second shaft 551 of the second link 55 rotates relative to the second sliding part 53. The first link 54 and the second link 55 subjected to the pulling force pull the connecting plate 31 along the width direction (X-axis direction) of the installation groove 260, that is, slide from the sliding groove 280 to the receiving groove 270, and then pull the lock tongue 32 from the notch back into the sliding groove 280, and the plug section 311 is inserted into the receiving groove 270. At this time, the locking mechanism 100 is in a changed state, which can also be called an unlocked state, and the inclination angle of the first link 54 and the second link 55 relative to the locking member 30 is reduced; the elastic member has an elastic force that provides the locking member 30 to reset.

When the external force on the key is removed, the elastic restoring force of the elastic member 40 pulls the first sliding portion 51 and the second sliding portion 53 to slide toward each other along the bottom wall of the installation groove 260, and the second inclined surface 513 of the first sliding portion 51 and the third inclined surface 533 of the second sliding portion 53 push the first inclined surface 141 of the pressing block 14 of the key, so that the key moves away from the installation groove 260 toward the through groove 250A to restore to its original position. The first connecting rod 54 and the second connecting rod 55 push the connecting plate 31 to slide along the width direction (X-axis direction) of the installation groove 260, driving the lock tongue 32 to extend out of the notch of the sliding through groove 280 again, that is, the locking mechanism 100 returns to the initial state.

In this embodiment, when the first shell 200 and the second shell 300 are folded relative to each other, the third surface 243 faces the fifth surface 3005, and the third side surface 3001 slides along the width direction of the first side surface 231, and the third side surface 3001 pushes the locking end of the lock tongue 32, so that the lock tongue 32 retreats back to the sliding groove (the locking mechanism 100 is in a changed state), until the third side surface 3001 is opposite to the first side surface 231, and the locking groove 300A of the second shell 300 is opposite to and connected with the notch of the sliding groove 280 of the first shell 200. Since the third side surface 3001 and the first side surface 231 are arc-shaped surfaces, the third side surface 3001 pushes the lock tongue 32 more smoothly, reducing friction. Of course, there may be a certain safety gap between the third side surface 3001 and the first side surface 231, the locking mechanism 100 returns to the initial state, the locking tongue 32 of the locking member 30 extends into the locking groove 300A of the second shell 300 to limit the second shell 300 to the first shell 200, so that the second shell 300 is fixed relative to the first shell 200, and the first shell 200 and the second shell 300 remain in a folded state to prevent the first shell 200 and the second shell 300 from being accidentally opened. In other words, the locking mechanism 100 is in the initial state, and the first shell and the second shell 300 are in a locked state. The display screen 600 is located outside the main body 500 and can be used.

In this embodiment, when the locking mechanism 100 is in the initial state, the force provided by the pre-compression force of the elastic member 40 causes the locking member 30 to be inserted into the locking groove 300A of the second housing 300 and to remain in contact with the groove wall surface of the locking groove 300A. At this time, the first connecting rod 54 and the second connecting rod are in a state of being inclined toward the locking tongue 32 of the locking member 30, and the ends connected to the locking member 30 are close to each other.

When the locking state of the locking mechanism 100 needs to be released, that is, when the first housing 200 and the second housing 300 need to be unlocked, so that the second housing 300 can be opened relative to the first housing 200. The pressing surface 11 of the key is pressed into the first housing 200 (along the Z-axis direction), so that the first sliding portion 51 and the second sliding portion 53 slide in opposite directions along the bottom wall of the mounting groove 260, and the elastic member 40 is stretched. Along the length direction of the mounting groove 260 (Y-axis direction), one end of the first connecting rod 54 is pulled by the first sliding portion 51, and one end of the second connecting rod 55 is pulled by the second sliding portion 53. The first connecting rod 54 and the second connecting rod 55 subjected to the tension pull the connecting plate 31 along the width direction of the mounting groove 260 (X-axis direction), that is, slide from the sliding groove 280 to the accommodating groove 270, and then pull the locking tongue 32 from the notch back into the sliding groove 280, the locking tongue 32 is unlocked from the locking groove, the second housing 300 is unlocked from the first housing 200, and the second housing 300 can be opened. When the second shell 300 and the first shell 200 are fully opened, the display screen 600 is fully unfolded and has a large screen function.

In this embodiment, a first connecting rod 54 and a second connecting rod 55 are provided between the button 10 and the locking member 30, and the transmission of the first connecting rod 54 and the second connecting rod 55 is realized through an elastic member, so that the force exerted by the button 10 on the locking member 30 is realized, so that the locking member 30 locks the first shell 200 and the second shell 300 or releases the lock; under the action of the first connecting rod 54 and the second connecting rod 55 and the elastic member 40, the button 10 and the locking member 30 will not directly contact each other, so that the button 10 can control the locking member 30, avoiding the direct action between the button 10 and the locking member 30 to generate mutual friction and affect the use sensitivity of the button 10 and the locking member 30. It can be understood that the friction force of the entire locking mechanism 100 is converted by the first connecting rod 54 and the second connecting rod 55, the friction force of the entire locking mechanism 100 is reduced, the operation smoothness is improved, and the service life of the locking mechanism is increased. In the foldable electronic device of the present application, during the locking and unlocking process of the first shell and the second shell, the button 10 transmits force to the locking member 30 through the first connecting rod 54 and the second connecting rod 55, and does not have direct friction contact with the first shell 200 and/or the second shell 300, which can reduce the friction between the locking mechanism 100 and the first shell 200 and the second shell 300, thereby ensuring the matching performance of the locking mechanism 100 with the first shell 200 and the second shell 300.

The above are only some embodiments and implementation methods of the present application, and the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily thought of by any person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present application should be included in the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims (15)

1. A locking mechanism, characterized in that it comprises a button, a locking member, an elastic member, a first connecting rod and a second connecting rod, a first sliding portion and a second sliding portion, The locking member includes a locking tongue and a connecting plate connected to one end of the locking tongue, one end of the first connecting rod is rotatably connected to the first sliding part, the other end of the first connecting rod is connected to the connecting plate, one end of the second connecting rod is rotatably connected to the second sliding part, the other end of the second connecting rod is connected to the connecting plate, the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are located on opposite sides of the connecting plate, the first sliding part and the second sliding part are arranged opposite to each other, and the first connecting rod, the second connecting rod and the connecting plate are all located between the first sliding part and the second sliding part, the elastic member is connected between the first sliding part and the second sliding part, the first sliding part and the second sliding part can move relatively, the locking member can move relative to the elastic member, and the button can move relative to the connecting plate; The locking mechanism is in a locked state, the button is in contact with the first sliding part and the second sliding part, and is spaced apart from the connecting plate, and the elastic member is in a natural state; the locking tongue is at a first distance from the elastic member, and the first sliding part is at a second distance from the second sliding part; The locking mechanism is in an unlocked state, the button is close to the connecting plate, the first sliding portion and the second sliding portion have a fourth distance, the elastic member is stretched, and the locking tongue and the elastic member have a third distance; the first distance is smaller than the third distance, and the second distance is smaller than the fourth distance; wherein the moving direction of the locking member, the moving direction of the button, and the moving directions of the first sliding portion and the second sliding portion are perpendicular to each other. 2. The locking mechanism according to claim 1 is characterized in that the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are inclined away from the locking tongue, and when the locking mechanism is in a locked state, the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are both set at a first angle with the moving direction of the locking member; when the locking mechanism is in an unlocked state, the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are both set at a second angle with the moving direction of the locking member, and the first angle is smaller than the second angle. 3. The locking mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that the button moves toward the connecting plate under external force, the first sliding part and the second sliding part move in opposite directions to the fourth distance, and the locking tongue moves toward the elastic member to the third distance. When the external force is removed, the elastic restoring force of the elastic member pulls the first sliding portion and the second sliding portion closer to each other and restores them to the second distance, and the locking tongue moves away from the elastic member to the first distance. 4. The locking mechanism according to claim 2 is characterized in that the button comprises a pressing surface and a back surface arranged opposite to the pressing surface, the back surface is provided with two pressing blocks arranged at intervals, each of the pressing blocks is provided with a first inclined surface, and the first inclined surfaces of the two pressing blocks are arranged opposite to each other, The first sliding part includes a second inclined surface, and the second sliding part includes a third inclined surface. In the moving direction of the first sliding part and the second sliding part, the second inclined surface and the third inclined surface are arranged opposite to each other, and the second inclined surface and the third inclined surface are respectively in contact with one of the first inclined surfaces. 5 . The locking mechanism according to claim 4 , wherein the locking tongue comprises a connecting end and a locking end disposed opposite to the connecting end, and the locking end has an arc-shaped surface. 6. The locking mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that the connecting plate is connected to the connecting end and extends away from the connecting end along the extending direction of the locking tongue; the first distance or the third distance is formed between the connecting end and the elastic member; The connecting plate includes a body and an inserting section arranged at one end of the body, the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are connected to the body, and the sum of the connecting thicknesses of the first connecting rod, the second connecting rod and the body is less than or equal to the thickness of the inserting section. 7. The locking mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that the first sliding portion comprises a first fixed body, the second sliding portion comprises a second fixed body, perpendicular to the sliding direction of the first sliding portion, the second inclined surface is arranged opposite to the first fixed body, and the third inclined surface is arranged opposite to the second fixed body; The elastic member includes a first connecting end and a second connecting end, the first connecting end and the second connecting end are two ends of the elastic member in a length direction, the first connecting end is connected to the first fixing body, and the second connecting end is connected to the second fixing body. 8. The locking mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that the first sliding portion comprises a first body, the first body is provided with a first mounting side surface and two first mounting surfaces arranged opposite to each other, the first mounting side surface connects the two first mounting surfaces; the second inclined surface is formed at the connection between the first mounting side surface and one of the first mounting surfaces; the other first mounting surface is provided with a recessed portion, the recessed portion passes through the first mounting side surface, and the first fixing body is located in the recessed portion; The second sliding portion includes a second body, the second body is provided with a second mounting side surface and two second mounting surfaces arranged back to back, the second mounting side surface connects the two second mounting surfaces; the third inclined surface is formed at the connection between the second mounting side surface and one of the second mounting surfaces; the other second mounting surface is provided with a recess, the recess passes through the second mounting side surface, and the second fixed body is located in the recess. 9. The locking mechanism according to claim 8 is characterized in that the first sliding portion is further provided with a first hinge seat, the first hinge seat is provided with an axial hole, the axial direction of the axial hole is the same as the moving direction of the button; the first connecting rod is provided with a first shaft, the first connecting rod is mounted on the first hinge seat, the first shaft is inserted into the axial hole of the first hinge seat and is rotatably connected with the axial hole of the first hinge seat; The second sliding part is also provided with a second hinge seat, the second hinge seat is provided with an axial hole, the axial direction of the axial hole is the same as the moving direction of the button; the second connecting rod is provided with a second axis, the second connecting rod is installed on the second hinge seat, the second axis is inserted into the axial hole of the second hinge seat and is rotatably connected with the axial hole of the second hinge seat. 10. A foldable electronic device, characterized in that it comprises: a first shell, a second shell and a locking mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the first shell and the second shell are rotatably connected, the first shell comprises a mounting groove, and the second shell is provided with a locking groove; the locking mechanism is arranged in the mounting groove; The first shell and the second shell are folded relative to each other, the installation slot and the locking slot are relative to each other and connected; the button is limited to the first shell, and the pressing surface of the button is exposed from the installation slot, the locking tongue of the locking member extends out of the first shell and is located in the locking slot, and the locking mechanism is in a locked state; By pressing the button into the installation slot, the locking mechanism is in an unlocked state, the locking tongue withdraws from the locking slot, and the first shell and the second shell are relatively opened. 11. The foldable electronic device according to claim 10, characterized in that the first shell includes a first side surface, the first side surface is an inwardly concave arc surface, the second shell includes a third side surface, the third side surface is an outwardly convex arc surface, the end surface of the locking end of the locking tongue is an outwardly convex arc surface, and the locking groove is recessed in the third side surface. The locking end slides into the locking groove along the third side surface, the first shell and the second shell are folded, and the third side surface is relatively fitted with the first side surface. 12. The foldable electronic device according to claim 11, characterized in that the mounting groove comprises a first groove side wall and a second groove side wall, the first groove side wall and the second groove side wall are arranged opposite to each other along the width direction of the mounting groove; the first groove side wall is recessed with a receiving groove, the surface of the second groove side wall is arranged opposite to the first side surface, the second groove side wall is recessed with a sliding groove, and the sliding groove passes through the first side surface, the receiving groove and the sliding groove are arranged opposite to each other along the moving direction of the locking member and are both connected to the mounting groove; The plug-in section of the connecting plate is located in the receiving groove, the locking tongue is received in the sliding through groove, the locking member moves between the receiving groove and the sliding through groove, and the locking tongue can extend out of the first side surface. 13. The foldable electronic device according to claim 12, characterized in that the mounting groove comprises two opposite end walls, both of which are connected to the first groove side wall and the second groove side wall; protrusions are provided at the connection between the two end walls and the first groove side wall and the second groove side wall, and two protrusions near each end wall protrude into the mounting groove along the width direction of the mounting groove; The first connecting rod and the second connecting rod, the first sliding part and the second sliding part and the elastic member are all located between the first groove side wall and the second groove side wall; the first sliding part is spaced apart from one of the end walls and is located between the two protrusions close to the end wall; the second sliding part is spaced apart from the other end wall and is located between the two protrusions close to the end wall. 14. The foldable electronic device according to claim 12, wherein the button comprises the pressing surface, a back surface arranged opposite to the pressing surface, and a peripheral side surface connecting the pressing surface and the back surface, wherein the peripheral side surface is provided with a boss. The first shell includes a first part, which includes a mounting seat and a shell. The mounting groove is recessed in the mounting seat, the shell is provided with a through groove, and the groove wall of the through groove is provided with a step. The button is installed in the mounting groove, and the shell covers the mounting seat. The through groove is opposite to and connected with the mounting groove, the pressing surface is exposed from the through groove, the back surface faces the mounting groove, and the boss and the step are abutted in the direction of movement of the button. 15. The foldable electronic device according to claim 14, wherein the housing comprises a second part, the first part is connected to one side of the second part, the thickness of the first part is greater than that of the second part, and the first part is flush with a side of the second part facing away from the mounting groove, The first part includes a first surface, the mounting groove is arranged on the first surface, the second part includes a second surface, the first side surface connects the first surface and the second surface, and the first side surface is arranged at an angle to the first surface and the second surface; the second shell is rotatably connected to the second part and can be stacked on the second part.