CN116696929A

CN116696929A - Damping mechanism, folding hinge and electronic equipment

Info

Publication number: CN116696929A
Application number: CN202211708833.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 许可; 吴崚; 杨德森; 霍国亮; 杨岩江; 许慧杰; 汪利洋
Original assignee: Honor Device Co Ltd
Current assignee: Honor Device Co Ltd
Priority date: 2022-12-29
Filing date: 2022-12-29
Publication date: 2023-09-05
Anticipated expiration: 2042-12-29
Also published as: CN116696929B

Abstract

The application provides a damping mechanism, a folding hinge and electronic equipment, wherein the damping mechanism comprises a middle beam, a folding hinge and a folding hinge, wherein the middle beam extends along a first direction; the two damping units comprise a door plate and a sliding part, wherein the sliding part is rotationally connected with the middle beam and is in sliding connection with the door plate; the two damping units can be relatively unfolded or folded around the middle beam in a second direction, and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction; the sliding part includes two sliding arms configured to slide from a first position to a second position or from the second position to the first position with respect to the door panel during the relative expansion or folding of the two damping units around the center sill in the second direction, and to form a damping force with the door panel during the sliding of the sliding arms with respect to the door panel. The damping mechanism has the advantages of simple structure, fewer parts, easy disassembly and assembly, low difficulty and small occupied space, and is favorable for further lightening and thinning the folding equipment.

Description

Damping mechanism, folding hinge and electronic equipment

Technical Field

The present application relates to the field of foldable electronic technologies, and in particular, to a damping mechanism, a folding hinge, and an electronic device.

Background

With the maturing of flexible folding screen technology, flexible folding terminal products have become a big trend, and folding terminal products (such as folding mobile phones, folding flat boards, folding computers and other electronic devices) need to meet higher reliability, better operation experience and appearance, and can be accepted by consumers. The reliability and operational experience of the folding chain as a core feature of the folding end product is largely dependent on the performance of the damping mechanism.

The damping mechanism is a key mechanism for providing opening and closing hand feeling for users in the inner and outer folding equipment. The existing damping mechanisms are mainly divided into two types, namely external damping and in-shaft damping. The externally hung damping is arranged in the sliding block, a plurality of groups of springs are adopted to prop against the ball-head-like structure to move in the sliding groove, and different damping forces are realized through the change of the compression amount of the springs. The damping scheme in the shaft adopts a structure that a plurality of groups of springs are propped against the concave-convex wheel, and different spring compression amounts are realized through rotation of the rotating shaft, so that the aim of changing damping force is fulfilled. However, the existing damping structure has more parts, is complex to disassemble and assemble, has certain difficulty, has high cost and large maintenance difficulty, and is not easy to further lighten and thin.

Disclosure of Invention

In order to solve the technical problems, the application provides a damping mechanism, a folding hinge and electronic equipment. The damping mechanism is simple in structure, few in parts, easy to detach and assemble, low in difficulty, small in occupied space and beneficial to further lightening and thinning of folding equipment.

In a first aspect, the present application provides a damping mechanism comprising:

a center sill extending in a first direction;

the first damping unit comprises a first door plate and a first sliding part, and the first sliding part is rotationally connected with the middle beam and is in sliding connection with the first door plate;

the second damping unit comprises a second door plate and a second sliding part, and the second sliding part is rotationally connected with the middle beam and is in sliding connection with the second door plate;

the first damping unit and the second damping unit can be relatively unfolded or folded around the middle beam in a second direction, and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction;

the first sliding portion and the second sliding portion each include two sliding arms configured to slide from a first position to a second position or from the second position to the first position with respect to the first door panel or the second door panel during relative expansion or folding of the first damping unit and the second damping unit around the center sill in a second direction, and both the sliding arms have a movement tendency away from each other during sliding of the sliding arms with respect to the first door panel or the second door panel, thereby forming a damping force with the first door panel and the second door panel.

According to the first aspect, the damping mechanism is simple in structure, few in parts, easy to detach and assemble, low in difficulty and small in occupied space, and is beneficial to further lightening and thinning of folding equipment. And moreover, the damping force between the sliding arm and the door plate can provide damping sense for a user, so that the user experience of using the folding equipment is improved.

According to a first aspect, or any implementation manner of the first aspect, a recess is provided in each of the first door panel and the second door panel, and the sliding arm is configured to be capable of sliding along a side wall of the recess. Thus, the sliding connection and relative sliding between the sliding arm and the door plate can be conveniently realized by arranging the concave part.

According to the first aspect, or any implementation manner of the first aspect, a clamping groove is formed in the concave portion, a buckle is formed in the sliding arm, and the buckle is clamped in the clamping groove when the first damping unit and the second damping unit are relatively unfolded. Like this, when first damping unit with when the relative expansion of second damping unit, the buckle block of sliding arm can provide the damping force through this block in the draw-in groove of depressed part and thereby realize the end position function, and prevent first damping unit with the second damping unit is folding relatively to improve the damping experience that the user used folding equipment.

According to a first aspect, or any implementation manner of the first aspect, the clamping groove is disposed on a side of the recess portion, which is close to the center sill, and the buckle is disposed on a side of the sliding arm, which is far away from the center sill. When the first damping unit and the second damping unit are unfolded relatively, the clamping buckle of the sliding arm is clamped in the clamping groove of the concave part, damping force can be provided through the clamping, the stopping function is achieved, the first damping unit and the second damping unit are prevented from being folded relatively, and therefore damping experience of a user using folding equipment is improved.

According to a first aspect, or any implementation manner of the first aspect, the recess is substantially trapezoidal, and a dimension of the recess in the first direction gradually decreases in a direction approaching the center sill. In this way, in the process that the first damping unit and the second damping unit are relatively unfolded or folded around the middle beam in the second direction, the damping force between the sliding arm and the door plate can be changed gradually, so that the damping experience of a user using the folding equipment is improved.

According to the first aspect, or any implementation manner of the first aspect, the first sliding portion and the second sliding portion each further include a sliding tongue, the sliding tongue is rotationally connected with the center sill, one end of each sliding arm is rotationally connected with the sliding tongue, and the other end of each sliding arm is slidingly connected with the first door panel or the second door panel. Therefore, the sliding arm and the sliding tongue can relatively rotate through the rotating pair in the damping mechanism, the parts are convenient to process, manufacture, install and detach, and the processing cost is reduced.

According to a first aspect, or any implementation manner of the first aspect, the first sliding portion and the second sliding portion each further include an elastic member, two ends of the elastic member are respectively connected to one of the sliding arms, and the elastic member is configured to provide elastic forces for moving the two sliding arms away from each other in the first direction during relative expansion or folding of the first damping unit and the second damping unit around the center sill in the second direction. The elastic force provided by the elastic piece can provide damping sense for a user in the process that the first damping unit and the second damping unit are relatively unfolded or folded around the middle beam in the second direction, so that damping experience of the user using folding equipment is improved. Moreover, as the elastic deformation of the elastic piece is utilized to generate thrust, the geometric dimension of the elastic piece can be designed to meet the requirements of various damping forces, and the applicability is strong.

According to a first aspect, or any implementation manner of the first aspect, the elastic member is configured to bend in a direction approaching the center sill during relative expansion or folding of the first damping unit and the second damping unit around the center sill in a second direction. The arrangement makes the connection between the elastic piece and the sliding arm firmer, and is not easy to separate from the sliding arm in the process of relatively unfolding or folding the first damping unit and the second damping unit around the center sill in the second direction.

According to a first aspect, or any implementation manner of the first aspect, the elastic member is configured to have a predetermined compression amount when the first damping unit and the second damping unit are in a relatively folded state. By the arrangement, the first damping unit and the second damping unit can provide damping experience for a user in the process of relatively unfolding or folding the middle beam in the second direction.

According to the first aspect, or any implementation manner of the first aspect, the elastic member is in a sheet shape. The device is simple in structure and easy to install and detach.

According to the first aspect, or any implementation manner of the first aspect, the first sliding portion and the second sliding portion each further include a base body, the base body is rotationally connected with the middle beam, and the two sliding arms are disposed on a side, away from the middle beam, of the base body. The damping mechanism is simple in structure and easy to install and detach.

According to a first aspect, or any implementation manner of the first aspect, the sliding arms are made of an elastic material, and the two sliding arms are configured to have elastic forces that move away from each other in the first direction. By the arrangement, the first damping unit and the second damping unit can provide damping experience for a user in the process of relatively unfolding or folding the middle beam in the second direction.

According to the first aspect, or any implementation manner of the first aspect, the base body is integrally formed with the sliding arm. The damping mechanism is simple in structure and easy to install and detach.

According to a first aspect, or any implementation manner of the first aspect, the first sliding portion and the second sliding portion each further include a first elastic beam configured to provide elastic forces to the two sliding arms that keep the two sliding arms away from each other in the first direction. Such an arrangement may provide a sufficient damping force for the user, thereby increasing the damping experience of the user using the folding device.

According to a first aspect, or any implementation manner of the first aspect, the first sliding portion and the second sliding portion each further comprise a second elastic beam configured to provide the two sliding arms with an elastic force that moves the two sliding arms away from each other in the first direction. Such an arrangement may provide a sufficient damping force for the user, thereby increasing the damping experience of the user using the folding device.

According to a first aspect, or any implementation manner of the first aspect, the first elastic beam and the second elastic beam are each configured to bend in a direction approaching the center sill or in a direction away from the center sill during relative expansion or folding of the first damping unit and the second damping unit around the center sill in a second direction. Such an arrangement may provide a sufficient damping force for the user, thereby increasing the damping experience of the user using the folding device.

According to a first aspect, or any implementation manner of the first aspect, the first elastic beam and the second elastic beam are each configured to have a predetermined compression amount when the first damping unit and the second damping unit are in a relatively folded state. By the arrangement, the first damping unit and the second damping unit can provide damping experience for a user in the process of relatively unfolding or folding the middle beam in the second direction.

According to a first aspect, or any implementation manner of the first aspect, the first elastic beam and the second elastic beam are arranged offset to each other in the second direction. By this arrangement, the first and second spring beams can be prevented from interfering with each other.

According to a first aspect, or any implementation manner of the first aspect, the first elastic beam and the second elastic beam are integrally formed with the base body and the sliding arm. The damping mechanism is simple in structure and easy to install and detach.

In a second aspect, there is provided a folding hinge comprising a shaft assembly and at least one damping mechanism as described in the first aspect, the shaft assembly comprising a first support portion, a second support portion and a rotating portion located between the first support portion and the second support portion, each of the damping mechanisms being connected to the first support portion, the second support portion and the rotating portion.

According to the folding hinge of the second aspect, due to the damping mechanism of the first aspect, the folding hinge has the similar advantages of simple structure, easy assembly and disassembly, reduced space occupation and contribution to further lightening and thinning of equipment.

According to a second aspect, or any implementation manner of the second aspect, the first door plate of the damping mechanism is fixedly connected with the first supporting portion, the second door plate of the damping mechanism is fixedly connected with the second supporting portion, and the middle beam of the damping mechanism is fixedly connected with the rotating portion. The arrangement ensures that the folding hinge has simple structure and is easy to install and detach

According to a second aspect, or any implementation manner of the second aspect, the first door panel forms a part of the first supporting portion, the second door panel forms a part of the second supporting portion, and the center sill forms a part of the rotating portion. The folding hinge is simple in structure and easy to install and detach.

According to a second aspect, or any implementation manner of the second aspect, the rotating part includes a third supporting part, a fourth supporting part, and a rotating shaft located between the third supporting part and the fourth supporting part, the first supporting part is rotationally connected with the third supporting part, the second supporting part is rotationally connected with the fourth supporting part, and the sliding part is rotationally connected with the rotating shaft. This arrangement allows the folding hinge to better enable folding and support of the flexible screen.

In a third aspect, the present application provides an electronic device comprising: the folding hinge comprises a first shell, a second shell, a folding hinge, a flexible display screen and a folding chain, wherein the folding hinge is positioned between the first shell and the second shell, the flexible display screen is positioned on the first shell, the second shell and the folding hinge, a first supporting part of the folding chain is fixedly connected with the first shell, and a second supporting part of the folding chain is fixedly connected with the second shell.

According to the third aspect, due to the damping mechanism of the first aspect and the folding hinge of the second aspect, the electronic device is simple in structure and easy to install and disassemble, so that the complexity and maintenance difficulty of the device are reduced, and further lightening and thinning of the device are facilitated.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an electronic device in a flattened state according to an embodiment of the present application:

fig. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of the electronic device shown in fig. 1 in an intermediate state:

fig. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of the electronic device shown in fig. 1 in a closed state:

fig. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of another electronic self-service device in an intermediate state according to an embodiment of the present application:

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a folding hinge in a flattened state according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the damping mechanism shown in FIG. 5 in a flattened state;

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the damping mechanism shown in FIG. 5 in a closed state;

FIG. 8 is a schematic view of the damping mechanism of FIG. 5 in a flattened state in a snap-in position;

FIG. 9 is a schematic view of the snap-in position of the damping mechanism of FIG. 5 in an intermediate state;

FIG. 10 is a schematic view of the snap-in position of the damping mechanism of FIG. 5 in a closed state;

FIG. 11 is a graph of the damping force change during a change from an expanded state to a closed state of the damping mechanism of FIG. 5;

FIG. 12 is a schematic view of another folding hinge according to an embodiment of the present application in a flattened state;

FIG. 13 is a schematic view of the damping unit of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a schematic view of the relative positions of the damping unit and the support portion of the folding hinge of FIG. 12 in a closed state;

FIG. 15 is a schematic view of another damping unit according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 16 is a schematic view of another damping unit according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 17 is a schematic view of another damping unit according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 18 is a schematic structural view of another damping unit according to an embodiment of the present application.

Detailed Description

The following description of the embodiments of the present application will be made clearly and fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which it is evident that the embodiments described are some, but not all embodiments of the application. All other embodiments, which can be made by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the application without making any inventive effort, are intended to be within the scope of the application.

The term "and/or" is herein merely an association relationship describing an associated object, meaning that there may be three relationships, e.g., a and/or B, may represent: a exists alone, A and B exist together, and B exists alone.

The terms first and second and the like in the description and in the claims of embodiments of the application, are used for distinguishing between different objects and not necessarily for describing a particular sequential order of objects. For example, the first target object and the second target object, etc., are used to distinguish between different target objects, and are not used to describe a particular order of target objects.

In embodiments of the application, words such as "exemplary" or "such as" are used to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. Any embodiment or design described herein as "exemplary" or "e.g." in an embodiment should not be taken as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or designs. Rather, the use of words such as "exemplary" or "such as" is intended to present related concepts in a concrete fashion.

In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise indicated, the meaning of "a plurality" means two or more. For example, the plurality of processing units refers to two or more processing units; the plurality of systems means two or more systems.

The damping mechanism is a key component of the foldable electronic equipment, and can be used for opening and closing the foldable electronic equipment. When the foldable electronic device is in an open state and no external force acts, the foldable electronic device can keep the open state: also, when the foldable electronic device is in the closed state and no external force acts, the foldable electronic device can maintain the closed state. The existing damping structure has more parts, is complex to disassemble and assemble, has certain difficulty, has high cost and large maintenance difficulty, and is not easy to further lighten and thin

Based on the above description, the embodiment of the application provides a damping mechanism and a folding hinge, which can be applied to a foldable mobile phone. The damping mechanism and the folding hinge can also be applied to terminal equipment with folding functions such as foldable tablet computers, foldable game machines, foldable personal digital assistants (personal digital assistant, PDAs) and the like. The embodiment of the application is not limited to the specific form of the terminal equipment.

As shown in fig. 1 to 3, the electronic device 100 includes a housing 10, a folding hinge 20, and a flexible display screen 30. The folding hinge 20 is capable of deforming to allow the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 to be folded or unfolded with respect to each other. As shown in fig. 1, the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 can be relatively unfolded to a flattened state, so that the electronic device 100 is in the flattened state. By way of example, when first housing 11 and second housing 12 are in a flattened state, both may be substantially 180 ° (also allowing for a few deviations, such as 165 °, 177 °, or 185 °). As shown in fig. 2, the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 can be relatively rotated (unfolded or folded) to an intermediate state, so that the electronic apparatus 100 is in the intermediate state. As shown in fig. 3, the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 can be relatively folded to a closed state, so that the electronic device 100 is in the closed state. For example, when the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 are in the closed state, they can be completely folded to be parallel to each other (a small deviation is allowed). The intermediate state shown in fig. 2 may be any state between the flattened state and the closed state. Thus, the electronic device 100 can be switched between the flattened state and the closed state by deformation of the folding hinge 20.

In some embodiments, a flexible display screen 30 is used to display the image. By way of example, the flexible display 30 may be an organic light emitting diode (organic light emitting diode, OLED) display, an active matrix organic light emitting diode or active matrix organic light emitting diode (active matrix organic light emitting diode, AMOLED) display, a mini light emitting diode (mini organic light emitting diode) display, a micro light emitting diode (micro organic light-emitting diode) display, a micro organic light emitting diode (micro organiclight-emittingdiode) display, a quantum dot light emitting diode (quantum dot light emittingdiodes, QLED) display.

The flexible display 30 includes a first non-bent portion 31, a bent portion 32, and a second non-bent portion 33 arranged in this order. The flexible display screen 30 is fixed to the housing 10. For example, the flexible display screen 30 may be adhered to the housing 10 by a glue line. The first non-bending portion 31 of the flexible display screen 30 is fixed to the first housing 11, the second non-bending portion 33 is fixed to the second housing 12, and the bending portion 32 deforms during the relative folding or relative unfolding of the first housing 11 and the second housing 12. As shown in fig. 1, when the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 are in the flattened state, the flexible display screen 30 is in the flattened state: as shown in fig. 2, when the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 are in the intermediate state, the flexible display screen 30 is in the intermediate state between the flattened state and the closed state: as shown in fig. 3, when the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 are in the closed state, the flexible display screen 30 is in the closed state. When the electronic device 100 is in the closed state, the flexible display screen 30 is located on the outer side of the housing 10, and the flexible display screen 30 may be substantially U-shaped.

In this embodiment, the flexible display screen 30 can be unfolded or folded along with the folding hinge 20. When the electronic device 100 is in the flattened state, the flexible display screen 30 is in the flattened state, and can display the electronic device 100 in a full screen manner, so that the electronic device 100 has a larger display area, and the viewing experience of a user is improved. When the electronic device 100 is in the closed state, the electronic device 100 has a small planar size (has a small width size), and is convenient for a user to carry and store.

As shown in fig. 4, the electronic device 100 includes a housing 10, a folding hinge 20, and a flexible screen 30. The flexible screen 30 is fixed to one side surface of the housing 10. The electronic device 100 can be folded along the center thereof, and when the foldable mobile phone is in a folded state, that is, the folding angle of the foldable mobile phone is 0, the size of the foldable mobile phone can be reduced; when the foldable cellular phone is in a flattened state, that is, the folding angle of the foldable cellular phone is 180 °, the flexible screen 30 is in a state of a maximum display area, and a user can operate on the flexible screen 30. It should be noted that the folding angle refers to an included angle between the left and right parts of the foldable mobile phone. The difference from the electronic device shown in fig. 1 to 3 is that the flexible display screen 30 is located inside the housing 10 when the electronic device 100 is in the closed state in fig. 4.

For the sake of clarity in describing the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application, as shown in fig. 4, three directions may be defined, which are the length direction (X direction, also referred to as the first direction) of the foldable mobile phone, the width direction (Y direction, also referred to as the second direction) of the foldable mobile phone, and the thickness direction (Z direction, also referred to as the third direction) of the foldable mobile phone.

Further, in the embodiments of the present application, "upper", "lower", "left" and "right" refer to the foldable handset in a flattened state, when the user holds the foldable handset with both hands and the flexible screen 30 facing the user, an orientation determined with reference to the user's hand.

It should be understood that, in this embodiment, the electronic device 100 can be rotated left and right, and the folding and unfolding of the electronic device 100 affects the width of the electronic device 100, by taking the case that the rotation center of the electronic device 100 is parallel to the length direction of the electronic device 100 as an example. In other embodiments, the rotation center of the electronic device 100 may be parallel to the width direction of the electronic device 100, and the electronic device 100 can rotate up and down, so that the folding and unfolding of the electronic device 100 affects the length dimension of the electronic device 100.

Fig. 5 is a schematic structural view of a folding hinge according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 5, the folding hinge 20 in an embodiment of the present application includes a rotation shaft assembly including first and second support parts 21 and 22, a rotation part 23 between the first and second support parts 21 and 22, and a damping mechanism 40. In one embodiment of the present application, the damping mechanism 40 is fixedly connected to the first support portion 21 and the second support portion 22, respectively, and is rotatably connected to the rotating portion 23. When the damping mechanism 40 rotates relative to the rotating portion 23, the first supporting portion 21 and the second supporting portion 22 can be driven to rotate relative to the rotating portion 23, so as to realize unfolding or folding of the electronic device 100.

In the embodiment of the present application, the folding hinge 20 includes three damping mechanisms 40, and the three damping mechanisms 40 are disposed at both ends and at the middle position of the rotation shaft, respectively, along the axial direction of the rotation shaft of the rotation portion 23 (i.e., the length direction or the X direction of the electronic device 100). It should be understood that the number of the damping mechanisms 40 is not limited to three, and may be one or two, four or more, or the like, and may be specifically set according to the size of the flexible display screen 30 and the required damping force.

Referring again to fig. 1-3, a folding hinge 20 is positioned between the first housing 11 and the second housing 12, the folding hinge 20 enabling the first housing 11 to be flipped relative to the second housing 12, either closer to or farther from the second housing 12. The flexible display screen 30 is assembled on the surfaces of the first housing 11, the second housing 12 and the folding chain 20, and generates a tilting motion with the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 according to the rotation of the folding chain 20.

It should be understood that, in the electronic apparatus 100, the first supporting portion 21 is fixedly connected to the first housing 11, and the second supporting portion 22 is fixedly connected to the second housing 12. When the first housing 11 is turned over, the first housing 11 drives the first supporting portion 21 to move, the first supporting portion 21 moves around the rotating portion 23, and similarly, when the second housing 12 is turned over, the second housing 12 drives the second supporting portion 22 to move, and the second supporting portion 22 moves around the rotating portion 23, so that the relative rotation between the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 is realized. Similarly, the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 may be simultaneously flipped in opposite directions upon rotation to effect separation or closure of the first housing 11 and the second housing 12.

It should also be appreciated that although in the embodiment of the present application, the folding hinge 20 is connected to the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 through the first supporting portion 21 and the second supporting portion 22, in other embodiments of the present application, the damping mechanism in the folding hinge 20 may be directly connected to the first housing 11 and the second housing 12, and the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 may be moved around the rotating portion 23 by flipping the first housing 11 and the second housing 12, that is, the damping mechanism 40 may be directly moved around the rotating portion 23 by flipping the first housing 11 and the second housing 12.

When the electronic device 100 is used, the damping mechanism 40 provides a damping force that can prevent the folding hinge 20 from being folded when the electronic device 100 is in a flattened state, i.e., the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 are in a flattened state, thereby keeping the relative positions of the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 unchanged. When the electronic device 100 is in the closed state, i.e., the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 are in the closed state, the damping mechanism 40 provides a damping force that can maintain the folded state of the folding hinge, thereby maintaining the relative positions of the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 unchanged.

The structure and principle of the damping mechanism according to an embodiment of the present application will be described with reference to fig. 6 to 11.

As shown in fig. 6 to 10, the damping mechanism 40 provided by the embodiment of the present application includes a center sill 41 and first and second damping units rotatably connected to the center sill. The first and second damping units may be rotated with respect to the center sill 41 to be moved away from or toward each other, thereby relatively expanding or folding the first and second damping units. The relative unfolding or folding of the first and second damping units may enable the relative folding or relative unfolding of the first and second housings 11, 12. That is, the relative folding or unfolding of the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 will bring about the relative unfolding or folding of the first damping unit and the second damping unit.

As shown in fig. 6 and 7, the first damping unit includes a left tongue 42, a left door panel 44, and two sliding pawls 46, two revolute pairs 47, and one elastic member 48. The second damping unit includes a right tongue 43, a right door panel 45, two pawls 46 and two revolute pairs 47 and an elastic member 48. The second damping unit and the first damping unit are substantially identical in structure, except that the left and right tongues 42, 43 are different in shape. In the present embodiment, left tongue 42 is generally "" shaped and right tongue 43 is generally "T" shaped. When the left tongue 42 and the right tongue 43 are mounted on the center sill 41, the arm portions on both sides of the left tongue 42 and the arm portion in the middle of the right tongue 43 are fitted to each other, i.e., the arm portion in the middle of the right tongue 43 is located between the arm portions on both sides of the left tongue 42. In the embodiment of the present application, the left sliding tongue 42 and the right sliding tongue 43 are rotatably connected with the middle beam 41 and can rotate relative to the middle beam 41, so that the left sliding tongue 42 and the right sliding tongue 43 can be relatively unfolded or folded, and further the first damping unit and the second damping unit can be relatively unfolded or folded. Illustratively, spindle holes (not shown) in the X direction may be provided in the left and right tongues 42, 43, and spindles matching the spindle holes in the left and right tongues 42, 43, respectively, may be provided in the center sill 41. When the left and right tongues 42, 43 are mounted on the center sill 41, the rotation shafts on the center sill 41 are mounted in the rotation shaft holes on the left and right tongues 42, 43. Illustratively, the rotation axes in the X direction may be provided in the left tongue 42 and the right tongue 43, and rotation axis holes matching the rotation axes in the left tongue 42 and the right tongue 43 may be provided in the center sill 41, respectively. After the left and right tongues 42, 43 are mounted on the center sill 41, the rotary shafts of the left and right tongues 42, 43 are mounted in the corresponding rotary shaft holes of the center sill 41, respectively. It should be appreciated that left and right tabs 42, 43 and center sill 41 may be rotatably coupled in a variety of suitable ways and are not limited to those described in connection with the embodiments of the present application.

As shown in fig. 6 and 7, the first damping unit has the structure: the left door panel 44 is remote from the center sill 41 relative to the left tongue 42, and the left door panel 44 and the left tongue 42 are connected to each other by two pawls 46. The slider 46 is pivotally connected at one end to the left tongue 42 and is slidably connected at the other end to the left door panel 44. I.e., the other end can slide relative to the left door panel 44. Specifically, a rotation pair 47 is formed between the slider 46 and the left tongue 42, i.e., the slider 46 can be rotated relative to the tongue 42 by the rotation pair 47. More specifically, the slider 46 can be rotated about the axis of the Z direction with respect to the tongue 42 by a rotation pair 47. The left door panel 44 is provided with a recessed portion 441, and the recessed portion 441 has a substantially trapezoidal shape. The dimension of the concave portion 441 in the X direction on the side close to the center sill 41 is smaller than the dimension in the X direction on the side far from the center sill 41 (the longitudinal direction of the electronic device 100 or the extending direction of the center sill 41). In other words, the size of the recessed portion 441 in the X direction gradually decreases in the direction approaching the center sill 41. The two side walls 442 and 443 of the recess 441 serve as sliding rails for the sliding pawls 46, and the sliding pawls 46 can slide along the side walls 442 or 443 of the recess 441 during rotation of the left door panel 44 and the left tongue 42 relative to the center sill 41. Friction as the slider 46 slides along the side wall 442 or 443 of the recess 441 may provide a damping experience for the user, i.e. the friction forms a damping force when the user folds or unfolds the device.

As shown in fig. 6 and 7, the side walls 442 and 443 of the recess 441 are provided with a catch 444, and the slider 46 is provided with a catch 461. The catching groove 444 is provided at a side of the recess 441 near the center sill 41. The catch 461 is provided on the side of the slider 46 remote from the center sill 41 or the left tongue 42. When the damping mechanism 40 is in the deployed state (i.e., the first damping unit and the second damping unit are relatively deployed), the catch 461 on the slider 46 snaps into the catch 444 on the side walls 442 and 443 of the recess 441. When the damping mechanism 40 is in the folded/closed state (i.e., the first damping unit and the second damping unit are folded relative to each other), the catch 461 on the slider 46 is located on the side walls 442 and 443 of the recess 441 that are away from the center sill 41. The sliding process of the slide pawls 46 on the side walls 442 and 443 of the recessed portion 441 can be seen in fig. 8 to 10, which illustrate the change in position of the slide pawls 46 on the side walls of the recessed portion 441 during the movement of the damping mechanism 40 from the deployed state to the folded state.

As shown in fig. 6 to 10, the elastic members 48 are respectively connected to the two pawls 46. Specifically, the slider 46 is provided with mounting portions 462, and both ends of the elastic member 48 are connected to the two mounting portions 462 of the two sliders 46, respectively. The mounting portion 462 is provided on a side of the slider 46 opposite to the side on which the catch 461 is provided. Namely, the catch 461 and the mounting portion 462 are provided on opposite sides of the slider 46, respectively. A groove may be provided on the mounting portion 462, and an end of the elastic member 48 may be fixed in the groove. The specific fixing manner may be a manner of clamping, bonding, etc., and the present application is not particularly limited.

As shown in fig. 6 to 10, when the damping mechanism 40 is in the folded state, the elastic member 48 may be in an uncompressed state or have a certain pre-compression amount, so as to ensure that the left sliding tongue 42 and the right sliding tongue 43 stably cooperate with the middle beam 41, and keep the damping mechanism 40, the folding hinge 20 and the electronic device 100 in the folded state (i.e., the closed state). When the damping mechanism 40 is in the unfolded state, the elastic member 48 is compressed, and provides elastic force (or extrusion force) in the X direction for the two sliding pawls 46, so that the buckle 461 is clamped into the clamping groove 444 on the side wall of the concave portion 441, limiting is achieved, and the electronic device 100 or the flexible display screen 30 is ensured to be in the flattened state. When the user changes the electronic device 100 or the flexible display 30 from the flattened state to the neutral state or the closed state, a force against the damping force between the catch 461 and the catch 444 needs to be applied.

As shown in fig. 8 to 9, in the process of the damping mechanism 40 from the folded state to the unfolded state, the pawls 46 slide on the side walls of the recessed portion 441, and the distance between the two pawls 46 decreases by the rotation of the revolute pair 47 with respect to the left or right slider 42 or 43, the elastic member 48 is gradually compressed, and thus the force provided by the elastic member 48 gradually increases, and the damping force provided by the damping mechanism 40 to the electronic apparatus 100 gradually increases. Fig. 11 shows a graph of variation of damping force during a change of the damping mechanism from an unfolded state to a folded state. Wherein the rotation angle indicates the angle of the door panel (left door panel 44 or right door panel 45) with respect to the center sill 41. A rotation angle of 0 degrees indicates that the damping mechanism 40 is in the unfolded state, and a rotation angle of 90 degrees indicates that the damping mechanism 40 is in the folded state. As shown in fig. 11, the damping force generated by the damping mechanism 40 gradually increases during the process of the damping mechanism 40 from the folded state to the unfolded state. When the damping force reaches the peak F1 (when the catch 461 of the slider 46 is located near the catch 444 of the recess 441), the catch 461 of the slider 46 is caught in the catch 444 of the recess 441, and the holding force will be F2. The magnitudes of the damping force peak F1 and the holding force F2 can be adjusted by adjusting the amount of deformation of the elastic member 48 during the damping mechanism 40 from the folded state to the unfolded state. In other words, the damping force peak value F1 and the holding force F2 may be determined according to the user experience, and the damping force peak value F1 and the holding force F2 may be further sized to design the geometry of the elastic member 48, thereby ensuring that the damping mechanism 40 may achieve a good user experience.

Illustratively, the elastic member 48 is in a sheet-like structure in the embodiment of the present application, which may be made of a metal material or an organic material having elasticity, such as rubber, etc., and is not particularly limited in the present application. And the elastic member 48 is not limited to a sheet shape, but may be other shapes such as a spring shape or the like.

Illustratively, in the embodiment of the present application, the elastic member 48 is bent in a direction approaching the center sill 41, and the elastic member 48 is gradually compressed and the degree of bending is gradually increased in the process of the damping mechanism 40 from the folded state to the unfolded state.

It should be appreciated that while in the present embodiment the resilient member 48 is curved in a direction toward the center sill 41, in other embodiments of the present application the resilient member 48 may be curved in a direction away from the center sill 41, as well as the resilient member 48 being progressively compressed and progressively more curved during the transition of the damping mechanism 40 from the collapsed state to the extended state.

Referring to fig. 5 again, in the embodiment of the present application, the door panel (the left door panel 44 or the right door panel 45) of the damping mechanism 40 is fixedly connected with the first supporting portion 21 and the second supporting portion 22 of the folding hinge 20. Specifically, the left door panel 44 is fixedly connected to the first supporting portion 21, and the right door panel 45 is fixedly connected to the second supporting portion 22. The slide tongue (left slide tongue 42 or right slide tongue 43) of the damper mechanism 40 is rotatably connected to the rotating portion 23.

It should be understood that although in the embodiment of the present application, each damping mechanism 40 is provided with a respective door panel (left door panel 44 and right door panel 45), in other embodiments, the first support portion 21 and the second support portion 22 may be used as the left door panel and the right door panel of each damping mechanism 40, and, taking the embodiment shown in fig. 5 as an example, a recess 441 may be provided on the first support portion 21 and the second support portion 22 at a position corresponding to each damping mechanism 40, and the sliding pawls 46 of the damping mechanism 40 may slide and engage in the recess 441 on the first support portion 21 and the second support portion 22. In other words, the respective damper mechanisms 40 may share the same left door panel and the same right door panel, instead of configuring the left door panel 44 and the right door panel 45 individually. Further, the rotation axis of the folding hinge 20 may be used as the center sill 41 of each damping mechanism 40, that is, each damping mechanism shares one center sill 41, instead of configuring one center sill 41 each alone.

The structure and principle of a damping mechanism according to another embodiment of the present application will be described with reference to fig. 12 to 17.

As shown in fig. 12, the folding hinge 20 in an embodiment of the present application includes a rotation shaft assembly including first and second support parts 21 and 22, a rotation part 23 between the first and second support parts 21 and 22, and a damping mechanism 40. In one embodiment of the present application, the rotating part 23 includes a rotation shaft 230, a third supporting part 231, and a fourth supporting part 232. The rotation shaft 230 is located between the third supporting portion 231 and the fourth supporting portion 232, and is fixedly connected to the third supporting portion 231 and the fourth supporting portion 232. The first support portion 21 is rotatably connected to the third support portion 321, and the second support portion 22 is rotatably connected to the fourth support portion 232. That is, the first supporting portion 21 can rotate with respect to the third supporting portion 321. The second support 22 can rotate relative to the fourth support 232. In one embodiment of the present application, damping mechanism 40 includes two damping units 50. One end of the damping unit 50 is rotatably connected to the rotation shaft 230, and the other end is slidably connected to the support portion 21 or the second support portion 22. When the first supporting portion 21 and the second supporting portion 22 rotate relative to the rotating portion 23, the damping mechanism 40 can be driven to rotate relative to the rotating portion 23, so that the electronic device 100 can be unfolded or folded.

In the embodiment of the present application, the folding hinge 20 includes a damping mechanism 40, and the damping mechanism 40 is disposed at a middle position of the rotation shaft 230 along an axial direction of the rotation shaft 230 of the rotation part 23 (i.e., a length direction or an X direction of the electronic device 100). It should be understood that the number of the damping mechanisms 40 is not limited to one, and may be two, three, or more, or the like, and may be specifically set according to the size of the flexible display screen 30 and the required damping force.

As shown in fig. 12 to 14, the damping mechanism 40 provided by the embodiment of the present application includes two damping units 50. The damping unit 50 includes a base body 51, two elastic arms 52 and 53 provided on a side of the base body 51 remote from the rotating portion 23, and a catch 54 provided on a side of each elastic arm remote from the base body 51. The base 51 is substantially in the shape of "" and is rotatably coupled to the shaft 230 of the rotating portion 23. The elastic arms 52 and 53 are slidably connected to the first support portion 21 or the second support portion 22, and are slidable with respect to the first support portion 21 or the second support portion 22. The resilient arms 52 and 53 are made of a resilient material which can flex relative to the base to provide a resilient force. Illustratively, the damping unit 50 may be integrally formed.

In the embodiment of the present application, the recess 24 is provided in the first support portion 21 or the second support portion 22, and the recess 24 has a substantially trapezoidal shape. The dimension of the concave portion 24 in the X direction (the longitudinal direction of the electronic device 100 or the extending direction of the center sill 41) on the side closer to the rotating portion 23 is smaller than the dimension in the X direction on the side farther from the rotating portion 23. In other words, the size of the concave portion 24 in the X direction gradually decreases in the direction approaching the rotating portion 23. The two side walls 241 and 242 of the recess 24 serve as slide rails for the elastic arms 52 and 53, respectively, and the elastic arms 52 and 53 can slide along the side walls 241 or 242 of the recess 24 during the rotation of the first support portion 21 or the second support portion 22 relative to the rotation portion 23.

As shown in fig. 12 to 14, the side walls 241 and 242 of the recess 24 are provided with the catching grooves 243, and the elastic arms 52 and 53 are provided with the catching hooks 54. The clamping groove 243 is provided on the side of the recess 24 near the rotating portion 23. The catch 54 is provided on the side of the resilient arms 52 and 53 remote from the rotating portion 23. As shown in fig. 12, when the damping mechanism 40 is in the deployed state (i.e., the two damping units 50 are deployed relatively, or the first support portion 21 and the second support portion 22 are deployed relatively), the snaps 54 on the elastic arms 52 and 53 snap into the detents 243 on the side walls 241 and 242 of the recess 24. The catches 54 on the resilient arms 52 and 53 are located on the side of the side walls 241 and 242 of the recess 24 remote from the rotating portion 23 when the damping mechanism 40 is in the folded/closed state (i.e. the two damping units 50 are folded against each other, or the first and second support portions 21 and 22 are folded against each other).

In the embodiment of the present application, the elastic arms 52 and 53 have a certain elasticity, which can provide an elastic force to move the elastic arms 52 and 53 outwardly with respect to the recess 24 or to move the elastic arms 52 and 53 away from each other in the X direction or the axial direction of the rotation shaft 230. In other words, taking the orientation shown in fig. 12 as an example, the elastic arm 52 has a tendency to move leftward, and the elastic arm 53 has a tendency to move rightward. I.e., the resilient arms 52 and 53 have a pressing force against the side walls of the recess 24. During the transition of the damping mechanism 40 or the folding hinge 20 from the folded state to the unfolded state, the elastic arms 52 and 53 slide with respect to the concave portion 24 in the side wall toward the rotating portion 23, and during this process, the elastic arms 52 and 53 come close to each other, and the pressing force exerted on the side wall of the concave portion 24 thereof gradually increases. During the sliding process of the elastic arms 52 and 53, the elastic arms 52 and 53 and the side walls of the recess 24 form sliding damping due to the action of the pressing force, and the sliding damping can provide a certain damping feeling when the user folds or unfolds the electronic device 100, thereby improving the user experience. The change in the pressing force or the change in the sliding damping during the transition of the damping mechanism 40 or the folding hinge 20 from the folded state to the unfolded state is similar to the change in the damping force shown in fig. 12. When the damping mechanism 40 or the folding hinge 20 is in the unfolded state, the buckles 54 on the elastic arms 52 and 53 are clamped into the clamping grooves 243 on the side walls 241 and 242 of the concave portion 24, and the clamping of the buckles 54 and the clamping grooves 243 can also provide a certain damping effect, so that the functions of limiting and preventing reverse folding (namely, preventing the unfolded state from being changed into the folded state) are achieved. When the user folds the electronic apparatus 100, the pressing force of the elastic arms 52 and 53 and the damping force formed by the engagement of the buckle 54 with the card slot 243 need to be overcome.

Similar to the damping mechanism and folding hinge shown in fig. 6 to 12, in the damping mechanism and folding hinge shown in fig. 12 to 14, the elastic arms 52 and 53 can also be sized according to the user experience and a suitable material can be selected to provide a good damping force for the user experience.

As shown in fig. 15, another embodiment of the present application provides a damping unit 50 including a base 51 and two elastic arms 52 and 53 disposed on a side of the base 51 away from the rotating portion 23, and a buckle 54 disposed on a side of each elastic arm away from the base 51. The base 51 is substantially in the shape of "" and is rotatably coupled to the shaft 230 of the rotating portion 23. The elastic arms 52 and 53 are slidably connected to the first support portion 21 or the second support portion 22, and are slidable with respect to the first support portion 21 or the second support portion 22. Illustratively, the damping unit 50 may be integrally formed.

The damping unit 50 shown in fig. 15 is different from the damping unit 50 shown in fig. 12 to 14 in that the damping unit 50 further includes an elastic beam 55. The spring beam 55 has a deformation that provides a spring force that moves the spring arms 52 and 53 away from each other. In other words, the pressing force of the elastic arms 52 and 53 against the side walls of the recess 24 can be increased by providing the elastic beam 55, thereby increasing the sliding damping to satisfy the damping experience required by the user.

Illustratively, in an embodiment of the present application, the spring beams 55 are curved in a direction away from the base 51. During the transition of the damping mechanism 40 or the folding hinge 20 from the folded state to the unfolded state, the elastic beam 55 is gradually compressed, the degree of bending increases, the pressing force of the elastic arms 52 and 53 against the side walls of the recess 24 increases, and the sliding damping increases accordingly.

It should be understood that the damping unit 50 shown in fig. 15 may be applied to an embodiment in which the damping unit 50 shown in fig. 12 to 14 cannot provide a sufficient damping force, in which case the damping force is increased by adding the elastic beam 55.

As shown in fig. 16, another embodiment of the present application provides a damping unit 50 including a base 51 and two elastic arms 52 and 53 disposed on a side of the base 51 away from the rotating portion 23, and a buckle 54 disposed on a side of each elastic arm away from the base 51. The base 51 is substantially in the shape of "" and is rotatably coupled to the shaft 230 of the rotating portion 23. The elastic arms 52 and 53 are slidably connected to the first support portion 21 or the second support portion 22, and are slidable with respect to the first support portion 21 or the second support portion 22. Illustratively, the damping unit 50 may be integrally formed.

The damping unit 50 shown in fig. 15 is different from the damping unit 50 shown in fig. 12 to 14 in that the damping unit 50 further includes an elastic beam 55 and an elastic beam 56. The elastic beams 55 and 56 have a certain deformation, which can provide an elastic force to move the elastic arms 52 and 53 away from each other. In other words, by providing the elastic beams 55 and 56, the pressing force of the elastic arms 52 and 53 against the side walls of the recess 24 can be increased, thereby increasing the sliding damping to satisfy the damping experience required by the user.

Illustratively, in the embodiment of the present application, the elastic beams 55 and 56 are curved in a direction away from the base 51. During the transition of the damping mechanism 40 or the folding hinge 20 from the folded state to the unfolded state, the elastic beams 55 and 56 are gradually compressed, the degree of bending increases, the pressing force of the elastic arms 52 and 53 against the side walls of the recess 24 increases, and the sliding damping increases accordingly.

It should be understood that the damping unit 50 shown in fig. 16 may be applied to an embodiment in which the damping unit 50 shown in fig. 15 cannot provide a sufficient damping force, in which case the damping force is increased by adding the elastic beams 55 and 56.

As shown in fig. 17, another embodiment of the present application provides a damping unit 50 including a base 51 and two elastic arms 52 and 53 disposed on a side of the base 51 away from the rotating portion 23, and a buckle 54 disposed on a side of each elastic arm away from the base 51. The base 51 is substantially in the shape of "" and is rotatably coupled to the shaft 230 of the rotating portion 23. The elastic arms 52 and 53 are slidably connected to the first support portion 21 or the second support portion 22, and are slidable with respect to the first support portion 21 or the second support portion 22. Illustratively, the damping unit 50 may be integrally formed.

The damping unit 50 shown in fig. 17 is different from the damping unit 50 shown in fig. 12 to 14 in that the damping unit 50 further includes an elastic beam 55. The spring beam 55 has a deformation that provides a spring force that moves the spring arms 52 and 53 away from each other. In other words, the pressing force of the elastic arms 52 and 53 against the side walls of the recess 24 can be increased by providing the elastic beam 55, thereby increasing the sliding damping to satisfy the damping experience required by the user.

Illustratively, in an embodiment of the present application, the spring beam 55 is curved in a direction approaching the base 51. During the transition of the damping mechanism 40 or the folding hinge 20 from the folded state to the unfolded state, the elastic beam 55 is gradually compressed, the degree of bending increases, the pressing force of the elastic arms 52 and 53 against the side walls of the recess 24 increases, and the sliding damping increases accordingly.

It should be understood that the damping unit 50 shown in fig. 17 may be applied to an embodiment in which the damping unit 50 shown in fig. 12 to 14 cannot provide a sufficient damping force, in which case the damping force is increased by adding the elastic beam 55.

As shown in fig. 18, another embodiment of the present application provides a damping unit 50 including a base 51 and two elastic arms 52 and 53 disposed on a side of the base 51 away from the rotating portion 23, and a buckle 54 disposed on a side of each elastic arm away from the base 51. The base 51 is substantially in the shape of "" and is rotatably coupled to the shaft 230 of the rotating portion 23. The elastic arms 52 and 53 are slidably connected to the first support portion 21 or the second support portion 22, and are slidable with respect to the first support portion 21 or the second support portion 22. Illustratively, the damping unit 50 may be integrally formed.

The damping unit 50 shown in fig. 17 is different from the damping unit 50 shown in fig. 12 to 14 in that the damping unit 50 further includes an elastic beam 55 and an elastic beam 56. The elastic beams 55 and 56 have a certain deformation, which can provide an elastic force to move the elastic arms 52 and 53 away from each other. In other words, by providing the elastic beams 55 and 56, the pressing force of the elastic arms 52 and 53 against the side walls of the recess 24 can be increased, thereby increasing the sliding damping to satisfy the damping experience required by the user.

Illustratively, in the embodiment of the present application, the elastic beams 55 and 56 are curved in a direction approaching the base 51. During the transition of the damping mechanism 40 or the folding hinge 20 from the folded state to the unfolded state, the elastic beams 55 and 56 are gradually compressed, the degree of bending increases, the pressing force of the elastic arms 52 and 53 against the side walls of the recess 24 increases, and the sliding damping increases accordingly.

It should be understood that the damping unit 50 shown in fig. 18 may be applied to an embodiment in which the damping unit 50 shown in fig. 15 and 17 cannot provide a sufficient damping force, in which case the damping force is increased by adding the elastic beams 55 and 56.

It should be appreciated that although in the above embodiments of the present application, the concave portions are each provided in a trapezoidal shape, in other embodiments of the present application, the concave portions may be provided in other shapes, such as rectangular or square shapes.

It should also be appreciated that the damping mechanism 40 and the folding hinge 20 provided in the embodiments of the present application may be applied to either the out-folded electronic device shown in fig. 1-3, or the in-folded electronic device shown in fig. 4, or the up-and-down folded electronic device or other types of folding devices shown in other embodiments.

The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical solution of the present application, and not for limiting the same; although the application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that: the technical scheme described in the foregoing embodiments can be modified or some technical features thereof can be replaced by equivalents; such modifications and substitutions do not depart from the spirit of the application.

Claims

1. A damping mechanism, comprising:

a center sill extending in a first direction;

2. The damping mechanism of claim 1, wherein a recess is provided in each of the first door panel and the second door panel, the sliding arm being configured to be slidable along a sidewall of the recess.

3. The damping mechanism according to claim 2, wherein a catch is provided on the recess, a catch is provided on the slide arm, and the catch is caught in the catch when the first damping unit and the second damping unit are relatively flattened.

4. A damping mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the catch is provided on a side of the recess adjacent the centre sill and the catch is provided on a side of the slider arm remote from the centre sill.

5. The damping mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the recess is generally trapezoidal in shape and the recess gradually decreases in size in the first direction in a direction approaching the center sill.

6. The damping mechanism according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein the first and second sliding portions each further comprise a sliding tongue rotatably connected to the center sill, one end of each sliding arm being rotatably connected to the sliding tongue and the other end being slidably connected to the first door panel or the second door panel.

7. The damping mechanism according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein each of the first and second sliding portions further comprises an elastic member having both ends connected to one of the sliding arms, respectively, the elastic member being configured to provide elastic force to the two sliding arms in the first direction to move the two sliding arms away from each other during relative expansion or folding of the first and second damping units around the center sill in the second direction.

8. The damping mechanism according to claim 7, wherein the elastic member is configured to bend toward a direction approaching the center sill during relative expansion or folding of the first damping unit and the second damping unit in a second direction about the center sill.

9. The damping mechanism of claim 7, wherein the resilient member is configured to have a predetermined amount of compression when the first damping unit and the second damping unit are in a relatively folded state.

10. The damping mechanism of claim 7, wherein the resilient member is sheet-like.

11. The damping mechanism according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein each of the first and second sliding portions further comprises a base body rotatably connected to the center sill, the two sliding arms being disposed on a side of the base body remote from the center sill.

12. The damping mechanism according to claim 11, wherein the slide arms are made of an elastic material, both of the slide arms being configured to have elastic forces that move away from each other in the first direction.

13. The damping mechanism of claim 11, wherein the base is integrally formed with the slide arm.

14. The damping mechanism of claim 11, wherein the first and second slide portions each further comprise a first resilient beam configured to provide resilient forces to the two slide arms that urge the two slide arms away from each other in the first direction.

15. The damping mechanism of claim 14, wherein the first and second slide portions each further comprise a second spring beam configured to provide the two slide arms with a spring force that moves the two slide arms away from each other in the first direction.

16. The damping mechanism according to claim 15, wherein the first and second elastic beams are each configured to bend in a direction toward or away from the center sill during relative expansion or folding of the first and second damping units about the center sill in a second direction.

17. The damping mechanism of claim 15, wherein the first and second spring beams are each configured to have a predetermined amount of compression when the first and second damping units are in a relatively folded state.

18. The damping mechanism of claim 15, wherein the first and second spring beams are offset from each other in the second direction.

19. The damping mechanism of claim 15, wherein the first and second spring beams are integrally formed with the base and the sliding arm.

20. A folding hinge comprising a shaft assembly and at least one damping mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 19, the shaft assembly comprising a first support portion, a second support portion and a rotating portion between the first support portion and the second support portion, each damping mechanism being connected to the first support portion, the second support portion and the rotating portion.

21. The folding hinge of claim 20, wherein a first door panel of the damping mechanism is fixedly connected to the first support portion, a second door panel of the damping mechanism is fixedly connected to the second support portion, and a center sill of the damping mechanism is fixedly connected to the rotating portion.

22. The folding hinge of claim 20, wherein a first door panel of the damping mechanism forms a portion of the first support portion, a second door panel of the damping mechanism forms a portion of the second support portion, and a center sill of the damping mechanism forms a portion of the swivel portion.

23. The folding hinge according to claim 20, wherein the rotating portion includes a third supporting portion, a fourth supporting portion, and a rotating shaft between the third supporting portion and the fourth supporting portion, the first supporting portion is rotatably connected to the third supporting portion, the second supporting portion is rotatably connected to the fourth supporting portion, and the sliding portion of the damping mechanism is rotatably connected to the rotating shaft.

24. An electronic device, comprising a first housing, a second housing, a folding hinge according to any one of claims 20-23 between the first housing and the second housing, and a flexible display screen on the first housing, the second housing, and the folding hinge, wherein a first support portion of the folding hinge is fixedly connected to the first housing, and a second support portion is fixedly connected to the second housing.