	US 12,487,643 B2
	Folding apparatus and electronic device
Zhengyi Xu, Shanghai (CN); Chunjun Ma, Shanghai (CN); Linhui Niu, Shanghai (CN); Ting Liu, Shanghai (CN); Yunyong Li, Shanghai (CN); Gangchao Wang, Shanghai (CN); and Chenghao Guan, Shanghai (CN)
Assigned to HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD., Shenzhen (CN); and SHANGHAI HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD., Shanghai (CN)
Appl. No. 18/044,392
Filed by Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Shenzhen (CN)
PCT Filed Aug. 10, 2021, PCT No. PCT/CN2021/111914 § 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 8, 2023, PCT Pub. No. WO2022/052721, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 17, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 202010959362.9 (CN), filed on Sep. 14, 2020; and application No. 202011495418.6 (CN), filed on Dec. 17, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0069604 A1, Feb. 29, 2024
Int. Cl. G06F 1/16 (2006.01)

CPC G06F 1/1681 (2013.01) [G06F 1/1652 (2013.01)]

15 Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a flexible display, a first housing, a second housing, a first elastic component, and a shaft,

wherein the flexible display comprises a first non-bending part, a bending part, and a second non-bending part that are sequentially arranged,

the first housing and the second housing are respectively located on two sides of the shaft,

the first housing is fixedly connected to the first non-bending part, and the second housing is fixedly connected to the second non-bending part,

the first elastic component is located between the shaft and the first housing, the first elastic component is rotatably connected to the shaft, and the first elastic component is fixedly connected to the first housing,

a first mechanical part of the first elastic component abuts against a second mechanical part of the shaft,

the first elastic component comprises a first fixed bracket,

a compression amount of the first elastic component in a first direction generates a first elastic force, and at least a part of the first elastic force is transferred to the bending part through the first housing and the first non-bending part, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to a first length extension direction of the shaft, and the first direction is parallel to the first housing,

when the electronic device is in a flattened state, a first portion of the first mechanical part abuts against a third portion of the second mechanical part, and a first force generated by a first compression amount of the first elastic component in the first direction is transferred to the first fixed bracket,

the first housing and the first elastic component rotate relative to the shaft, the second housing rotates relative to the shaft, and the electronic device changes from the flattened state to a folded state,

when the electronic device is in the folded state, a second portion of the first mechanical part abuts against a fourth portion of the second mechanical part, and a second force generated by a second compression amount of the first elastic component in the first direction is transferred to the first fixed bracket,

wherein the second compression amount is less than the first compression amount such that the second force is less than the first force and recovery from a crease of the flexible display is accelerated when the electronic device changes from the folded state to the flattened state,

wherein the first portion of the first mechanical part is different from the second portion of the first mechanical part, or the third portion of the second mechanical part is different from the fourth portion of the second mechanical part,

wherein at least a part of the first fixed bracket is fixedly connected to the first housing,

wherein the first elastic component further comprises a first elastic part and a first bracket, the first elastic part and the first bracket are disposed on the first fixed bracket, at least a part of the first elastic part is disposed between the first bracket and the first fixed bracket, and the first bracket abuts against the second mechanical part, and the first elastic part abuts against the first housing through the first fixed bracket,

wherein the first fixed bracket is provided with a first mounting groove,

wherein the first elastic component further comprises the first bracket, and the first bracket is provided with a flange, and

wherein the first bracket is slidably connected to the first mounting groove through the flange.