CN111911524B

CN111911524B - Rotating shaft module and electronic device

Info

Publication number: CN111911524B
Application number: CN201910383876.1A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 黄奕达; 凌正南; 李武晟
Original assignee: Acer Inc
Current assignee: Acer Inc
Priority date: 2019-05-09
Filing date: 2019-05-09
Publication date: 2022-03-08
Anticipated expiration: 2039-05-09
Also published as: CN111911524A

Abstract

The invention provides a rotating shaft module which comprises a first rotating shaft, a second rotating shaft and a rack. The first rotating shaft is provided with a first gear, and the second rotating shaft is provided with a second gear. The first gear and the second gear are movably coupled to the rack. The first rotating shaft moves on the rack through the rotation of the first gear, the second rotating shaft moves on the rack through the rotation of the second gear, and the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft move close to or away from each other through the rotation. An electronic device is also disclosed.

Description

Rotating shaft module and electronic device

Technical Field

The invention relates to a rotating shaft module and an electronic device.

Background

With the advance of technology, flexible display technology has grown to maturity and is considered to have strong development potential. Generally, the flexible display technology includes electronic paper, flexible OLED, and the like. Furthermore, in response to the requirement of the portable electronic device for bending, folding, extending, etc., the flexible display technology is applied to the portable electronic device in many ways. Meanwhile, with the application of the flexible material in the field of electronic display, the electronic display device can display in a large area when being stretched and can be folded as required to be convenient to carry.

However, corresponding to the expansion and folding of the device mechanism on the flexible display device, the flexible display panel on the flexible display device may also generate a change in shape and size due to its flexible characteristics, for example, because the flexible display panel may be bent (flattened) to different degrees and may be increased or decreased in length relative to the device mechanism. If the mechanism characteristics of the conventional electronic device are still used, not only the inconvenience of use is caused, but also the display panel may be deviated from the original position to cause wrinkles or even fall off from the mechanism. Therefore, there is a need to improve the mechanism of the conventional flexible display device to meet the technical development trend and market demand.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention provides a rotating shaft module and an electronic device, which are used for matching the opening and closing requirements of a flexible display.

The rotating shaft module comprises a first rotating shaft, a second rotating shaft and a rack. The first rotating shaft is provided with a first gear, and the second rotating shaft is provided with a second gear. The first gear and the second gear are movably coupled to the rack. The first rotating shaft moves on the rack through the rotation of the first gear, the second rotating shaft moves on the rack through the rotation of the second gear, and the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft move close to or away from each other through the rotation.

The electronic device of the invention comprises a flexible display and a rotating shaft module. The flexible display is partially connected with the rotating shaft module and is driven by the rotating shaft module to be converted between a bending state and a flattening state. The rotating shaft module comprises a first rotating shaft, a second rotating shaft and a rack. The first rotating shaft is provided with a first gear, and the second rotating shaft is provided with a second gear. The first gear and the second gear are movably coupled to the rack. The first rotating shaft moves on the rack through the rotation of the first gear, the second rotating shaft moves on the rack through the rotation of the second gear, and the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft move close to or away from each other through the rotation. When the flexible display is in the bending state, the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft are far away from each other, and in the process that the flexible display is converted from the bending state to the flattening state, the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft move close to each other to jointly support the flexible display on a plane.

Based on the above, the electronic device is provided with the corresponding rotating shaft module corresponding to the flexible characteristic of the flexible display, so that the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft of the rotating shaft module can move close to or away from each other in the rotating process, so as to match the deformation trend of the flexible display.

The rotating shaft module is respectively connected with the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft through the first gear and the second gear which synchronously rotate, and the first gear and the second gear are jointly movably coupled with the rack, so that the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft are enabled to have relative displacement in the rotating process. Therefore, when the flexible display is in the bending state, the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft are far away from each other, so that the bending of the flexible display can be accommodated between the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft. In the process of converting the flexible display from the bending state to the flattening state, the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft move close to each other to cope with the size increased after the bending is flattened, so that the flexible display can still be stably supported on a plane by the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft when being in the flattening state.

In order to make the aforementioned and other features and advantages of the invention more comprehensible, embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail below.

Drawings

Fig. 1A is a schematic diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram of the electronic device of FIG. 1A in another state.

Fig. 2A and 2B show exploded views of the hinge module from different perspectives, respectively.

Fig. 3A to 3C are partial side views illustrating the electronic device in different states.

Fig. 4A shows a schematic view of a hinge module according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4B is a schematic view of the hinge module of FIG. 4A in another state.

[ notation ] to show

100: electronic device

110: first body

120: second body

130: flexible display

140. 240: rotating shaft module

141. 241: first rotating shaft

141a, 241 a: first gear

141b, 241 b: first shaft part

141c, 241 c: first torsion member

141d, 142 d: convex part

142. 242: second rotating shaft

142a, 242 a: second gear

142b, 242 b: second shaft part

142c, 242 c: second torsion member

143. 243, and (3) a step of: rack bar

144: connecting rod group

144 a: first rod piece

144 b: second rod piece

144 c: pin joint shaft

145. 244: support frame

145a, 145 b: component part

145 c: first rail

145d, 244 a: second rail

145 e: stop block

146. 147, 245, 246: bracket

146a, 147 a: depressions

A1, a2, A3: segment of

B1, B2, C1, C2: reaming groove

P1, P2: support column

S1: first region

S2: second region

S3: bending zone

X1: first shaft

X2: second shaft

X3: third shaft

Detailed Description

Fig. 1A is a schematic diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram of the electronic device of FIG. 1A in another state. Referring to fig. 1A and fig. 1B, in the present embodiment, an electronic device 100, such as a portable electronic device like a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a notebook computer, etc., includes a first body 110, a second body 120, a hinge module 140 and a flexible display 130, wherein the first body 110 and the second body 120 are pivotally connected together through the hinge module 140, so that the first body 110 and the second body 120 can be rotated and opened and closed relatively to each other through the hinge module 140. Moreover, since the electronic device 100 is further provided with the flexible display 130, as the first body 110 and the second body 120 pivot relatively, the flexible display 130 can also be switched between the bending state (for example, fig. 1A) and the flattening state (for example, fig. 1B), such as opening and closing a book, which is beneficial to improving the portability and applicability of the electronic device 100 and also improving the operation convenience.

As mentioned above, the flexible characteristics of flexible display 130 can change in shape and size due to their different states. In order to make the mechanism stroke of the device mechanism (e.g. the first body 110, the second body 120) match the deformation amount of the flexible display 130, the present embodiment achieves the requirement by providing a rotating shaft mechanism capable of moving relatively.

Fig. 2A and 2B show exploded views of the hinge module from different perspectives, respectively. Referring to fig. 1A, fig. 2A and fig. 2B, in the present embodiment, the rotating shaft module 140 includes a first rotating shaft 141, a second rotating shaft 142, a rack 143, a connecting rod group 144, a bracket 145 and a pair of

brackets

146 and 147, where the bracket 146 is assembled to the first body 110 and is partially connected to the flexible display 130, the first rotating shaft 141 penetrates through the bracket 145 and the connecting rod group 144 and is assembled to the bracket 146, the bracket 147 is assembled to the second body 120 and is partially connected to the flexible display 130, and the second rotating shaft 142 penetrates through the bracket 145 and the connecting rod group 144 and is assembled to the bracket 147.

In detail, the first rotating shaft 141 of the present embodiment includes a first shaft 141b, a first gear 141a and a first torsion element 141c, the first shaft 141b is divided into different sections a1, a2 and A3, the first shaft 141b is inserted through the first torsion element 141c and assembled to the first gear 141a, wherein the section a2 and the first gear 141a are combined and fixed by a D-shaped structure and a D-shaped hole, and the section A3 and the recess 146a of the bracket 146 are also combined and fixed by a similar D-shaped structure and a similar D-shaped hole. When the first body 110 pivots, the first body 110, the bracket 146, the first shaft portion 141b and the first gear 141a rotate synchronously, and the first shaft portion 141b rotates relative to the first torque member 141c to enable the first torque member 141c to provide a required torque.

Similarly, the second shaft 142 of the present embodiment includes a second shaft portion 142b, a second gear 142a and a second torsion member 142c, which exhibit the same configuration and action as the first shaft 141, for example, the second shaft portion 142b and the second gear 142a are also fixed to the recess 147a of the bracket 147 by the section a3, so that the bracket 147 can rotate synchronously with the second shaft portion 142b, and the second shaft portion 142b rotates relative to the second torsion member 142c to obtain the required torsion. It should be noted that the first torsion element 141c and the second torsion element 142c are similar to the rotation shaft structure of the prior art, and are not described herein again.

It should be noted that the first gear 141a and the second gear 142a of the present embodiment are movably coupled to the rack 143, wherein the first rotating shaft 141 moves on the rack 143 by the rotation of the first gear 141a, and the second rotating shaft 142 moves on the rack 143 by the rotation of the second gear 142 a. Since the rotation directions of the first rotating shaft 141 and the second rotating shaft 142 are opposite to each other during the opening and closing process of the electronic device 100, the first rotating shaft 141 and the second rotating shaft 142 can move closer to or away from each other on the rack 143 by rotating.

Referring to fig. 2A and 2B again, the bracket 145 includes the components 145a and 145B (which are combined together by the support posts P1 and P2) that are butted against each other, the first shaft portion 141B and the second shaft portion 142B are movably inserted into the second rail 145d of the components 145a and 145B, and the second rail 145d is substantially formed by the counterbore C1 of the component 145a and the counterbore C2 of the component 145B, and thus limits the movable directions of the first shaft portion 141B and the second shaft portion 142B. As shown in fig. 2A and 2B, the first rotating shaft 141 and the first gear 141a thereof rotate about the first axis X1, the second rotating shaft 142 and the second gear 142A thereof rotate about the second axis X2, and the extending axial direction (the third axis X3) of the rack 143 coincides with the extending axial direction (the third axis X3) of the second track 145d, so that the first rotating shaft 141 and the second rotating shaft 142 move relatively closer to or farther away from each other on the rack 143 along the third axis X3. Herein, the first axis X1 is parallel to the second axis X2, and the third axis X3 is orthogonal to the first axis X1 and the second axis X2. In addition, the first torsion member 141C and the second torsion member 142C of the present embodiment have

protrusions

141d and 142d, respectively, and the

protrusions

141d and 142d are coupled to the expanding slot C1, respectively, so that the first rotating shaft 141 and the second rotating shaft 142 can move along the second track 145 d.

In the present embodiment, the rack 143 and the bracket 145 are of an integral structure, but the present embodiment is not limited thereto.

In addition, the linkage 144 is connected to the first rotating shaft 141 and the second rotating shaft 142 to synchronously move the first rotating shaft 141 and the second rotating shaft 142. In detail, the link assembly 144 includes a first rod 144a, a second rod 144b and a pivot shaft 144c, the first rod 144a is connected to the first shaft 141b of the first rotating shaft 141, the second rod 144b is connected to the second shaft 142b of the second rotating shaft 142, the pivot shaft 144c is pivotally connected to the first rod 144a and the second rod 144b, the pivot shaft 144c is movably coupled to the first rail 145c of the bracket 145, and the stop 145e is used for stopping and limiting the first rod 144a and the second rod 144 b. Referring to fig. 2A and 2B, the first rail 145c is disposed in the reaming slots B1 on the component 145a and the reaming slots B2 on the component 145B according to different viewing angles, and the two opposite ends of the pivot shaft 144c are movably pivoted to the reaming slots B1 and B2, respectively, and the size (length) of the first rod 144a is substantially equal to the size (length) of the second rod 144B, so that the two moving strokes are the same. Accordingly, the linkage 144 connects and synchronizes the first rotating shaft 141 and the second rotating shaft 142 to ensure that the pivoting direction and the moving direction are opposite, but the moving stroke on the rack 143 is consistent. Here, the partial structure of the first track 145c is located on the second track 145d, i.e., on the moving path of the first rotating shaft 141 and the second rotating shaft 142, so as to provide a stopping effect.

Fig. 3A to 3C are partial side views illustrating the electronic device in different states. Referring to fig. 3A to fig. 3C, in the present embodiment, the transition process from fig. 3A to fig. 3C corresponds to transition the electronic device 100 from the closed state (corresponding to fig. 1A) to the expanded state (corresponding to fig. 1B) of about 180 degrees. As shown in fig. 1B, the display surface of the flexible display 130 is divided into a first region S1, a second region S2 and a bending region S3, wherein the first region S1 is connected to the first shaft 141, the second region S2 is connected to the second shaft 142, and the bending region S3 is adjacent to and between the first region S1 and the second region S2. When the flexible display 130 is in the bent state, as shown in fig. 3A, the bending region S3 is located between the first rotating shaft 141 and the second rotating shaft 142, and the first region S1 faces the second region S2.

Then, when the flexible display 130 is transformed from fig. 3A to fig. 3B, which represents that the electronic device 100 is unfolded to an angle, the curvature of the bending region S3 is reduced relative to that of fig. 3A, and thus the first rotating shaft 141 and the second rotating shaft 142 are moved close to each other due to the rotation from the position shown in fig. 3A. Here, with reference to the first track 145C located between the first rotating shaft 141 and the second rotating shaft 142, in the process from fig. 3A to fig. 3C, the first rotating shaft 141 and the second rotating shaft 142 relatively move close to the first track 145C.

Finally, when the flexible display 130 is in the flat state, the first region S1, the second region S2 and the bending region S3 are supported by the first rotating shaft 141, the second rotating shaft 142 and the

brackets

146 and 147 and are located on the same plane, and at this time, the distance between the first rotating shaft 141 and the second rotating shaft 142 reaches the minimum state. That is, if the hinge module 140 is not configured in the above manner but is instead configured in the prior art, that is, when the hinge distance is fixed, the size of the flexible display 130 increased by the transition from the bent state to the flat state cannot be completely released in the unfolding process, and further, when the electronic device 100 is in the 180-degree unfolded state, the flexible display 130 may generate an unexpected bump or even fall off in the bent region S3 instead of the flat state shown in fig. 1B. As a result, the flexible display 130 will buckle, which may damage the structure.

Conversely, when the electronic device 100 is converted from fig. 3C to fig. 3A, it is equivalent to the bending region S3 for accommodating the flexible display 130, and therefore the first rotating shaft 141 and the second rotating shaft 142 are gradually separated during the rotation process. Also with reference to the first rail 145C located between the first rotating shaft 141 and the second rotating shaft 142, in the process from fig. 3C to fig. 3A, the first rotating shaft 141 and the second rotating shaft 142 are relatively far away from the first rail 145C. In this way, a space enough to accommodate the bending region S3 can be formed after the first rotating shaft 141 and the second rotating shaft 142 are relatively far away from each other, that is, in the state shown in fig. 3A, the distance between the first rotating shaft 141 and the second rotating shaft 142 is greater than the size of the bending region S3, so as to prevent the flexible display 130 and the rotating shaft module 140 from interfering in the conversion process. That is, once the hinge module 140 is replaced by the prior art, that is, the distance between the hinge shafts is fixed, the bending region S3 will face a problem of being unable to be accommodated during the closing process of the electronic device 100, and therefore, unexpected protrusion or even falling-off will occur.

Fig. 4A shows a schematic view of a hinge module according to another embodiment of the invention. FIG. 4B is a schematic view of the hinge module of FIG. 4A in another state. Referring to fig. 4A and 4B, in the present embodiment, the hinge module 240 includes a first hinge 241, a second hinge 242, a rack 243, a bracket 244 and

brackets

245 and 246, wherein the rack 243 and the bracket 244 are an integral structure, and the first hinge 241 includes a first gear 241a, a first shaft 241B and a plurality of first torsion elements 241 c. The second rotating shaft 242 includes a second gear 242a, a second shaft portion 242b and a plurality of second torsion members 242c, the first shaft portion 241b penetrates the first torsion member 241c and the bracket 244 and is assembled to the first gear 241a and the bracket 245, the second shaft portion 242b penetrates the second torsion member 242c and the bracket 244 and is assembled to the second gear 242a and the bracket 246, the first gear 241a, the second gear 242a and the rack 243 are matched, and the extending axial direction of the second rail 244a of the bracket 244 is consistent with the extending axial direction of the rack 243, so that the moving effect that the rotating shafts can move closer to or away from each other when rotating as required by the foregoing embodiment can be achieved.

In summary, in the embodiments of the invention, the electronic device is provided with the corresponding hinge module corresponding to the flexible characteristic of the flexible display, so that the first hinge and the second hinge of the hinge module can move closer to or away from each other during the rotation process to match the deformation trend of the flexible display.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the above embodiments, it should be understood that various changes and modifications can be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A hinge module, comprising:

a first rotating shaft having a first gear;

a second rotating shaft having a second gear;

a rack to which the first and second gears are movably coupled, wherein the first shaft is moved on the rack by rotation of the first gear, the second shaft is moved on the rack by rotation of the second gear, and the first and second shafts are moved close to or away from each other by rotation; and

the connecting rod set is connected with the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft to synchronously move the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft, the connecting rod set comprises a first rod piece, a second rod piece and a pin joint shaft, the first rod piece is connected with the first rotating shaft, the second rod piece is connected with the second rotating shaft, the pin joint shaft is in pin joint with the first rod piece and the second rod piece, the rotating shaft module further comprises a support, the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft are respectively arranged on the support in a penetrating mode, the support is provided with a first track, and the pin joint shaft is movably coupled with the first track.

2. The spindle module according to claim 1, wherein the first spindle and the first gear rotate with a first axis, the second spindle and the second gear rotate with a second axis, and the first spindle and the second spindle move toward or away from each other on the rack along a third axis, the first axis is parallel to the second axis, and the third axis is orthogonal to the first axis and the second axis.

3. The hinge module of claim 1, wherein the first track is between the first hinge and the second hinge, the first hinge and the second hinge moving closer to or away from the first track as the first hinge and the second hinge move closer to or away from each other.

4. The spindle module according to claim 1, wherein a moving stroke of the first spindle on the rack and a moving stroke of the second spindle on the rack coincide with each other.

5. A hinge module as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

the bracket is provided with the rack and a second track, and the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft are movably coupled to the second track respectively.

6. The hinge module of claim 5, wherein the first hinge has a first torsion member and the second hinge has a second torsion member, the first and second torsion members each having a protrusion movably coupled to the second track.

7. A hinge module as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a first bracket to which the first shaft is assembled and which is adapted to be connected to a flexible display; and

a second bracket, wherein the second shaft is assembled to the second bracket, and the second bracket is used for connecting to the flexible display, wherein when the flexible display is in a bent state, the first bracket and the second bracket are away from each other so that the bending of the flexible display is accommodated between the first shaft and the second shaft, and when the flexible display is in a flattened state, the first shaft and the second shaft move closer to each other so that the first bracket and the second bracket support the flexible display on a plane.

8. An electronic device, comprising:

a flexible display; and

a rotating shaft module, the flexible display being locally connected to the rotating shaft module to be driven by the rotating shaft module to be converted between a bending state and a flattening state, the rotating shaft module comprising:

a first rotating shaft having a first gear;

a second rotating shaft having a second gear;

a rack, the first and second gears being movably coupled to the rack, wherein the first shaft is rotated by the first gear to move on the rack, the second shaft is rotated by the second gear to move on the rack, and the first and second shafts are rotated to move closer to or away from each other, when the flexible display is in the bent state, the first and second shafts are moved away from each other, and when the flexible display is converted from the bent state to the flattened state, the first and second shafts are moved closer to each other to jointly support the flexible display in a plane; and

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein a display surface of the flexible display is divided into a first region, a second region, and a bending region, the first region is connected to the first shaft, the second region is connected to the second shaft, the bending region is adjacent to and between the first region and the second region, when the flexible display is in the bent state, the bending region is located between the first shaft and the second shaft, the first region faces the second region, and when the flexible display is in the flattened state, the first region, the second region, and the bending region are located on a same plane.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein a distance between the first and second shafts is substantially equal to a dimension of the bending region when the flexible display is in the flattened state, and wherein the distance between the first and second shafts is greater than the dimension of the bending region when the flexible display is in the bent state.

11. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the first shaft and the first gear rotate with a first axis, the second shaft and the second gear rotate with a second axis, and the first shaft and the second shaft move relatively closer to or away from each other on the rack along a third axis, the first axis is parallel to the second axis, and the third axis is orthogonal to the first axis and the second axis.

12. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the first track is between the first hinge and the second hinge, and the first hinge and the second hinge move closer to or away from the first track during the movement of the first hinge and the second hinge toward or away from each other.

13. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein a movement stroke of the first hinge on the rack and a movement stroke of the second hinge on the rack coincide with each other.

14. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the hinge module further comprises:

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the first hinge has a first torsion member, the second hinge has a second torsion member, and the first torsion member and the second torsion member each have a protrusion movably coupled to the second track.

16. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the hinge module further comprises:

a first bracket to which the first shaft is assembled and which is adapted to be connected to the flexible display; and

a second bracket, the second shaft being assembled to the second bracket, the second bracket being configured to be connected to the flexible display, wherein the first bracket and the second bracket are away from each other when the flexible display is in the bent state, and wherein the first bracket and the second bracket support the flexible display on the plane when the flexible display is in the flattened state.