US 12,216,500 B2
Foldable mechanism and mobile terminal
Yaolei Zhang, Shenzhen (CN); Zhengping Tan, Shenzhen (CN); Yilin Lu, Shenzhen (CN); Bin Yan, Shenzhen (CN); Yuan Wang, Shenzhen (CN); Haifei Li, Shenzhen (CN); and Guotong Zhou, Shenzhen (CN)
Assigned to HONOR DEVICE CO., LTD., Shenzhen (CN)
Appl. No. 17/790,717
Filed by HONOR DEVICE CO., LTD., Shenzhen (CN)
PCT Filed Jan. 29, 2022, PCT No. PCT/CN2022/075036
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 1, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/193864, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 22, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 202110286914.9 (CN), filed on Mar. 17, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0201740 A1, Jun. 20, 2024
Int. Cl. G06F 1/16 (2006.01); H04M 1/02 (2006.01)
CPC G06F 1/1652 (2013.01) [G06F 1/1616 (2013.01); G06F 1/1681 (2013.01); H04M 1/0206 (2013.01); H04M 1/022 (2013.01); H04M 1/0268 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A foldable mechanism, comprising a base assembly, two support assemblies, and two driving assemblies, wherein
the base assembly comprises a bottom seat, two stop ribs, and two hinge seats, and the two hinge seats are respectively fixed to two sides of the bottom seat;
the two support assemblies are respectively located at two sides of a central axis of the bottom seat, each of the two support assemblies comprises an outer plate member and an inner plate member resulting in two inner plate members that are located between two outer plate members, the two outer plate member and the two inner plate member are pivotally connected to the corresponding hinge seat respectively, and pivotal axes of the two outer plate members and the two inner plate members are parallel to the central axis of the bottom seat;
the two driving assemblies are respectively located at the two sides of the central axis of the bottom seat, and the driving assembly is connected to and between the bottom seat and the inner plate member corresponding to the driving assembly; and
in a case that the foldable mechanism is in a folded state, the driving assemblies respectively drive the corresponding inner plate member to flip toward the bottom seat and come into contact with a respective one of the two stop ribs, to form a concave space for accommodating a bending part of a flexible screen at an angle between the two inner plate members.
 
13. A foldable mechanism, comprising a base assembly, two support assemblies, and two driving assemblies, wherein
the base assembly comprises a bottom seat and two hinge seats, and the two hinge seats are respectively fixed to two sides of the bottom seat;
the two support assemblies are respectively located at two sides of a central axis of the bottom seat, each of the two support assemblies comprises an outer plate member and an inner plate member resulting in two inner plate members that are located between two outer plate members, the two outer plate member and the two inner plate member are pivotally connected to the corresponding hinge seat respectively, and pivotal axes of the two outer plate members and the two inner plate members are parallel to the central axis of the bottom seat;
the two driving assemblies are respectively located at the two sides of the central axis of the bottom seat, and the driving assembly is connected to and between the bottom seat and the inner plate member corresponding to the driving assembly; and
in a case that the foldable mechanism is in a folded state, the driving assemblies respectively drive the corresponding inner plate member to flip toward the bottom seat, to form a concave space for accommodating a bending part of a flexible screen at an angle between the two inner plate members,
wherein the inner plate member comprises an inner support plate and a hinge lug, a spacing is located between the inner support plate and the bottom seat, the hinge lug is connected to a side edge of the inner support plate close to the outer plate member, and the hinge lug is pivotally connected to the hinge seat, and
wherein the inner plate member further comprises a tray, the tray is connected to a side edge of the inner support plate close to the central axis of the bottom seat, and two trays are opposite to each other and form an accommodation space, and
wherein the foldable mechanism further comprises a middle plate member and a middle elastic member, the middle plate member is located in the accommodation space, one plate surface of the middle plate member is in contact with the two trays, and another opposite plate surface of the middle plate member is configured to come into contact with the bending part of the flexible screen, and the middle elastic member is connected to and between the middle plate member and the bottom seat.
 
18. A foldable mechanism, comprising a base assembly, two support assemblies, and two driving assemblies, wherein
the base assembly comprises a bottom seat and two hinge seats, and the two hinge seats are respectively fixed to two sides of the bottom seat;
the two support assemblies are respectively located at two sides of a central axis of the bottom seat, each of the two support assemblies comprises an outer plate member and an inner plate member resulting in two inner plate members that are located between two outer plate members, the two outer plate member and the two inner plate member are pivotally connected to the corresponding hinge seat respectively, and pivotal axes of the two outer plate members and the two inner plate members are parallel to the central axis of the bottom seat;
the two driving assemblies are respectively located at the two sides of the central axis of the bottom seat, and the driving assembly is connected to and between the bottom seat and the inner plate member corresponding to the driving assembly; and
in a case that the foldable mechanism is in a folded state, the driving assemblies respectively drive the corresponding inner plate member to flip toward the bottom seat, to form a concave space for accommodating a bending part of a flexible screen at an angle between the two inner plate members,
wherein the outer plate member of each the two support assemblies comprises an outer support plate and a support arm, wherein the support arm is located between the outer support plate and the bottom seat, and a middle portion of the support arm is pivotally connected to the hinge seat between the inner plate member and the bottom seat, a first end of the support arm is connected to the outer support plate, and a second end of the support arm is in contact with a plate surface of the inner plate member facing toward the bottom seat,
wherein the outer support plate comprises an outer support plate body and a socket, and the socket is connected to a plate surface of the outer support plate body close to the bottom seat, and the support arm is inserted into the socket, and
wherein the support arm comprises a first arm body, a hinge cylinder, and a second arm body that are sequentially connected, the first arm body is inserted into the socket, the second arm body is in contact with a plate surface of the inner plate member close to the bottom seat, and the hinge cylinder is located between the outer support plate body and the inner plate member, and is pivotally connected to the hinge seat.