WO2022042585A1

WO2022042585A1 - Foldable structure and electronic device

Info

Publication number: WO2022042585A1
Application number: PCT/CN2021/114481
Authority: WO
Inventors: 单威; 钱鹏; 钱云贵
Original assignee: 华为技术有限公司
Priority date: 2020-08-31
Filing date: 2021-08-25
Publication date: 2022-03-03
Also published as: CN114125094A

Abstract

The present application provides a foldable structure and an electronic device. The foldable structure comprises a first folding portion, a second folding portion, a rotating shaft, and a cable assembly. At least one of the first folding portion and the second folding portion is rotatably connected to the rotating shaft. The cable assembly comprises a cable, a first fixing structure, a second fixing structure, and a third fixing structure. The cable is fixed to the first folding portion by means of the first fixing structure, to the second folding portion by means of the second fixing structure, and to the rotating shaft by means of the third fixing structure, and drives the part of the cable located between the first fixing structure and the second fixing structure to bend or stretch in the process that the first folding portion and the second folding portion rotate about the rotating shaft. By fixedly connecting the cable to the first folding portion, the second folding portion and the rotating shaft respectively, the foldable structure can reduce the degree of freedom of the cable among the first folding portion, the second folding portion and the rotating shaft, so as to reduce the movement of the cable among the first folding portion, the second folding portion and the rotating shaft, thereby reducing the abrasion between the cable and other components and prolonging the service life of the cable.

Description

A foldable structure and electronic device

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the priority of the Chinese patent application with the application number 202010900292.X and the application title "A foldable structure and electronic device" filed with the China Patent Office on August 31, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference in in this application.

technical field

The present application relates to the technical field of communication devices, and in particular, to a foldable structure and an electronic device.

Background technique

With the upgrading of electronic products, the display screens of various electronic devices, such as mobile phones and tablet computers, have become larger and larger. This is because larger display screens can provide users with richer information and improve human-computer communication. efficiency, and can bring a better user experience. However, with the increase of the screen, the external dimension of the base of the electronic device will also increase accordingly; the increase of the size of the base of the electronic device will bring about the problem of inconvenience in carrying and storage, which restricts the expansion of the display screen.

At present, foldable technology has found a good compromise between the development of miniaturization of electronic device substrates and the development of large-screen display screens. For example, a foldable mobile phone is about the same size as a conventional mobile phone after being folded, so it can be easily carried. When the screen is unfolded, a screen with a larger display area can be obtained.

While improving user experience, foldable electronic devices must also have good communication signals in different usage scenarios. The change of folding form poses a great challenge to traditional cable design. For example, during the folding movement, the cable is likely to be scratched with other devices, which may easily cause the cable to be worn.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present application provide a foldable structure and an electronic device, so as to fix a cable of the foldable electronic device, thereby reducing the wear of the cable.

In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a foldable structure, the foldable structure includes a first folding part, a second folding part, a rotating shaft and a cable assembly. Wherein: the first folding part and the second folding part are arranged on both sides of the rotating shaft. The cable assembly includes a cable, and a first fixing structure, a second fixing structure, and a third fixing structure. The cable can be, but is not limited to, a video cable or a digital cable. The first fixed structure is fixedly connected to the first part of the cable, the second fixed structure is fixedly connected to the second part of the cable, and the third fixed structure is fixedly connected to the second part of the cable. The third part is fixed connection. The first fixed structure is installed on the first folding part, the second fixed structure is installed on the second folding part, and the third fixed structure is installed on the rotating shaft. During the rotation of the first folding part and the second folding part around the rotating shaft, the wire can be driven The portion of the cable between the first fixed structure and the second fixed structure is bent or stretched.

By adopting the foldable structure of the present application, by arranging the first fixing structure, the second fixing structure and the third fixing structure on the cable assembly, the cables are fixedly connected to the first folding part, the second folding part and the rotating shaft respectively, It can effectively reduce the degree of freedom of the part of the cable between the first folded part, the rotating shaft and the second folded part, so that the movement of the part of the cable between the three can be reduced, and the connection between the cable and other components can be reduced. The wear and tear that occurs between the cables prolongs the service life of the cables.

In a possible implementation of the present application, in order to enable the first fixing structure to be fixed to the first folding part, a first installation groove may be opened on the first folding part, so as to install the first fixing structure on the first installation The groove is used to realize the fixing of the first fixing structure and the first folding part. In addition, the first fixing structure can also be made of a material that can be plastically deformed, and the first fixing structure and the first installation groove can be interference-fitted to realize the clamping and fixing of the first fixing structure and the first installation groove, thereby The connection reliability between the first fixing structure and the first installation groove is improved.

When specifically setting the first fixing structure, the first fixing structure may include a first fixing body and a first positioning structure. Wherein, the first positioning structure is arranged on one end of the first fixing body along the extending direction of the cable, and the first positioning structure is fixedly connected with the first fixing body. The first fixing body wraps the first part of the cable, and the area of the first positioning structure perpendicular to the cross section of the cable is greater than the area of the first fixing body perpendicular to the cross section of the cable.

At this time, the first installation groove can include a first positioning groove, and when the first fixing structure is installed in the first installation groove, the first positioning structure can be clamped to the first positioning groove. In addition, the first positioning groove can also be a bar-shaped groove, and the extending direction of the bar-shaped groove intersects with the extending direction of the rotating shaft, so that by adjusting the angle between the extending direction of the bar-shaped groove and the extending direction of the rotating shaft, to adjust the bending shape of the part of the cable located between the first installation slot and the third installation slot, so as to adjust the redundant length that satisfies the stretching and bending of the cable.

In a possible implementation of the present application, in order to enable the second fixing structure to be fixed to the second folding part, a second installation groove may be opened on the second folding part, so as to install the second fixing structure on the second installation The groove is used to realize the fixing of the second fixing structure and the second folding part. In addition, the second fixing structure can also be made of a plastically deformable material, and the second fixing structure and the second installation groove can be interference-fitted to realize the clamping and fixing of the second fixing structure and the second installation groove, thereby The connection reliability between the second fixing structure and the second installation groove is improved.

When the second fixing structure is specifically provided, the second fixing structure may include a second fixing body and a second positioning structure. Wherein, the second positioning structure is arranged on one end of the second fixing body along the extending direction of the cable, and the second positioning structure is fixedly connected with the second fixing body. The second fixing body wraps the second part of the cable, and the area of the second positioning structure perpendicular to the cross section of the cable is greater than the area of the second fixing body perpendicular to the cross section of the cable.

At this time, the second installation groove can include a second positioning groove, and when the second fixing structure is installed in the second installation groove, the second positioning structure can be clamped to the second positioning groove. In addition, the second positioning groove can also be a bar-shaped groove, and the extending direction of the bar-shaped groove intersects with the extending direction of the rotating shaft, so that by adjusting the angle between the extending direction of the bar-shaped groove and the extending direction of the rotating shaft, to adjust the bending shape of the part of the cable located between the second installation slot and the third installation slot, so as to adjust the redundant length that satisfies the stretching and bending of the cable.

In a possible implementation of the present application, in order to enable the third fixing structure to be fixed to the third folding part, a third installation groove may be opened on the third folding part, so as to install the third fixing structure on the third installation The groove is used to realize the fixing of the third fixing structure and the third folding part. In addition, the third fixing structure can also be made of a plastically deformable material, and the third fixing structure and the third installation groove can be interference-fitted to realize the clamping and fixing of the third fixing structure and the third installation groove, thereby The connection reliability between the third fixing structure and the third installation groove is improved.

When the third fixing structure is specifically provided, the third fixing structure may include a third fixing body and a third positioning structure. Wherein, the third positioning structure is arranged in the middle part of the third positioning body, and the third positioning structure is fixedly connected with the third positioning body. The third fixing body wraps the third part of the cable, and the area of the third positioning structure perpendicular to the cross section of the cable is greater than the area of the third fixing body perpendicular to the cross section of the cable.

The third installation groove includes a third positioning groove, and the third positioning structure is engaged with the third positioning groove. In this way, the positioning of the third fixing structure on the rotating shaft can be achieved. In this implementation manner, the bending form of the cable may also be adjusted by adjusting the slotting form of the third installation groove, for example, setting the third installation groove as an arc-shaped groove.

In addition, a thinning design can also be performed at one or more places of the third fixing body to form a window. Since there is less material for forming the third fixing body disposed at the opening, it can effectively reduce the resistance to the third fixing body caused by the structural features of the third fixing body when the cable is bent, so as to reduce the risk of cable breakage, thereby reducing the risk of cable breakage. Conducive to prolong the service life of the cable.

In a possible implementation manner of the present application, through the angle between the extension direction of the first positioning groove of the first installation groove and the extension direction of the rotating shaft, the difference between the second positioning groove of the second installation groove and the extension direction of the rotating shaft The included angle between the two, and the shape of the third installation slot are adjusted, so that when the foldable structure is in the unfolded state, the part of the cable between the first fixed structure and the second fixed structure is bent into an M shape, a W shape or a S shape etc.

In a possible implementation of the present application, the foldable structure may further include a first electronic component and a second electronic component. Wherein, the first electronic component may be located on the first folding portion, the second electronic component may be located on the second folding portion, and the first electronic component and the second electronic component may be connected by a cable signal.

Additionally, the first electronic component may include, but is not limited to, at least one of a processor and a radio frequency device. The second electronic component may include, but is not limited to, at least one of a radio frequency device and an antenna device. By arranging the first electronic component on the first folding part of the foldable structure, arranging the second electronic component on the second folding part, and connecting the first electronic component and the second electronic component through a cable, the first electronic component can be realized. Signal transmission between a folded part and a second folded part.

In a second aspect, the present application further provides an electronic device, the electronic device may include a rear case, a display screen, and the foldable structure of the first aspect. Among them, the foldable structure is located between the display screen and the rear case.

In addition, in order to avoid squeezing the display screen when the cable assembly fixed on the foldable structure is bent, so as to affect its display function, the display screen and the cable assembly can be located in the first folding part and the second folding part of the foldable structure. both sides of the part.

With the electronic device of the embodiment of the present application, since the cable assembly is fixedly connected to the first folding part, the rotating shaft and the second folding part of the foldable structure, when the electronic device is in the unfolded state, the cable of the cable assembly can bend The redundant part is hidden between the first folding part, the rotating shaft and the second folding part of the foldable structure. When the electronic device is in the folded state, the cable is stretched, so that the redundant length of the cable can be controlled by calculating the length of the cable that can meet the requirements of folding and unfolding of the electronic device, so as to avoid the cable being bent and touching. Touch other surrounding parts to protect the cable during the reciprocating motion of bending and stretching of the cable, reduce the risk of cable damage caused by friction, and improve the stability of the cable's signal transmission.

In a possible implementation of the present application, the rear case includes a first case and a second case that are foldably connected, the first case can be fixedly connected to the first folded portion of the foldable structure, and the second case can be connected to The second folded portion of the foldable structure is fixedly connected. In some other embodiments, the first shell can also be fixedly connected with the second folding part of the foldable structure, and the second shell can be fixedly connected with the first folding part of the foldable structure. In this application, the first shell is not The corresponding relationship between the body and the second casing and the first folding part and the second folding part is specifically defined, so as to improve the flexibility of their installation.

In addition to the above structure, the electronic device may also be provided with a first circuit board and a second circuit board. The first circuit board and the second circuit board may be disposed between the foldable structure and the rear case, but are not limited to, and the cables of the cable assembly are signally connected to the first circuit board and the second circuit board for realizing electronic The signal transmission function of the device. Exemplarily, the end of the cable in the cable assembly located on the first folded part of the foldable structure can be connected to the first circuit board, and the end of the cable located on the second folded part can be connected to the second circuit board. The circuit boards are connected to realize signal transmission between the first folded part and the second folded part of the foldable structure.

Description of drawings

1 is a schematic structural diagram of a foldable structure in an unfolded state provided by an embodiment of the application;

FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a cable assembly provided by an embodiment of the application;

3 is a schematic structural diagram of a first fixing structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a second fixing structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

5 is a schematic structural diagram of a third fixing structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

6 is a schematic structural diagram of a foldable structure in an unfolded state provided by another embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of the assembly of the first fixing structure and the first installation groove according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of the assembly of the second fixing structure and the second installation groove according to an embodiment of the present application;

9 is a schematic structural diagram of the assembly of a third fixing structure and a third installation groove according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 10a is a schematic diagram of a bending shape of a cable according to an embodiment of the application;

FIG. 10b is a schematic diagram of a bending shape of a cable according to another embodiment of the present application;

11 is a schematic structural diagram of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the application in an unfolded state;

FIG. 12 is a schematic structural diagram of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present application in a folded state.

Reference number:

1-first folding part; 11-first installation groove; 111-first positioning groove; 2-second folding part; 21-second installation groove; 211-second positioning groove; 3-rotating shaft; 31-third installation slot; 311-third positioning slot; 4-cable assembly; 41-cable; 42-first fixing structure; 421-first fixing body; 422-first positioning structure; 43-second fixing structure; 431 - second fixing body; 432- second positioning structure; 44- third fixing structure; 441- third fixing body; 4411- window opening; 4412-rib; 442- third positioning structure; The first shell; 52 - the second shell; 6 - the display screen.

detailed description

In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

It should be noted that in this specification, like numerals and letters refer to like items in the following figures, so that once an item is defined in one figure, it need not be used in subsequent figures. for further definitions and explanations.

In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer", etc. The indicated orientation or positional relationship is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, which is only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the indicated device or element must have a specific orientation or a specific orientation. construction and operation, and therefore should not be construed as limitations on this application. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed to indicate or imply relative importance.

In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected" and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it may be a fixed connection or a detachable connection Connection, or integral connection; can be mechanical connection, can also be electrical connection; can be directly connected, can also be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, can be internal communication between two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood in specific situations.

The foldable structure provided by the embodiment of the present application is foldable and can be applied to a foldable electronic device. In order to facilitate the understanding of the foldable structure provided by the embodiment of the present application, an application scenario of the foldable structure provided by the embodiment of the present application is first described below. The foldable structure can be applied to, but not limited to, portable electronic devices including functions such as personal digital assistants and/or music players, such as mobile phones, PDAs (personal digital assistants), notebook computers, tablet computers, wireless communication Functional wearable devices (such as smart watches, smart glasses, smart bracelets) or in-vehicle devices, etc.

The foldable electronic device has the advantages of being small in size in the folded state and easy to carry; and in the unfolded state, it can bring a better visual experience to the user, which has become a major trend in the development of electronic devices in the future. In order to enable the electronic device to be folded, it usually includes two folding bodies. Due to the limited internal space of electronic devices such as mobile phones, a large number of electronic components need to be distributed in the two folding bodies, and the electronic components are distributed in the two folding bodies. A signal connection is required between the two foldable bodies. In some embodiments, the electronic components between the two foldable main bodies are connected by a cable for signal connection, so as to realize functions such as normal communication and display of the electronic device.

As the foldable electronic device is folded and unfolded, the relative positional relationship between the two folded main bodies of the electronic device is constantly changing, and the cable is usually made of materials with no elasticity or less elasticity, especially When the cable transmits radio frequency signals, the coaxial cable transmitting the radio frequency signal has relatively high requirements for electromagnetic shielding performance and impedance. If the coaxial cable is worn, it will affect the shielding function of the coaxial cable; The coaxial cable is squeezed and deformed, which will affect the impedance of the coaxial cable. In order to prevent the cable from being broken or worn, the cable usually has a large redundant length. In one embodiment, the part of the cable is accommodated in a rotating shaft between the two folding bodies. However, during the movement of folding and unfolding of the foldable electronic device, the cable is more likely to be pinched by the rotating shaft, and there is a greater risk of being pinched off. In addition, the cables are also prone to rubbing against other components in the rotating shaft, which easily causes the cables to be worn. Pinch-off or abrasion of the cable may cause abnormal communication of the foldable electronic device, thereby affecting the normal use of the foldable electronic device.

The foldable structure of the embodiment of the present application aims to solve the above problems, so as to realize the fixation of the cable and reduce the wear and tear of the cable.

The foldable structure of the embodiment of the present application is, for example, a middle frame of a foldable mobile phone. The middle frame has two frames that can be rotated around a rotating shaft. After the cable passes through the rotating shaft, its two ends can be respectively connected with the two frames of the middle frame. body fixed. During the process of folding and unfolding the foldable mobile phone, the parts of the cable located at the two frames and the rotating shaft will be stretched or bent accordingly. In addition to the middle frame of foldable mobile phones, for example, between the temples and the frame of smart glasses, or between the display screen and keyboard of a laptop, there is a communication connection between the two foldable bodies through cables. It involves the problem of accommodating redundant lengths of cables in the process of folding and unfolding the two folding bodies.

In addition, the cable for connecting the two folded bodies may be, for example, a radio-frequency (RF) cable. RF cables can be used for the transmission of electromagnetic wave signals. Generally, both ends of the RF cable are respectively connected to a circuit board, wherein one circuit board (the first circuit board) may be a radio frequency antenna circuit board, which is used for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic wave signals (radio frequency signals). In some implementations, the first electronic components on the first circuit board may include radio frequency devices such as radio frequency front-end devices, antenna devices such as antenna switches, multiple antennas or multiple groups of antennas (multiple groups of antennas include more than two antennas) At least one of, each antenna or groups of antennas may be used to cover a single or multiple communication frequency bands. The plurality of antennas may be one or more of multi-frequency antennas, array antennas or on-chip antennas. An RF front-end device such as one or more of a power amplifier, duplexer, filter, or switch.

Another circuit board (second circuit board) connected with the RF cable can be coupled with the first circuit board through a coaxial connector and a coaxial cable to realize various functions associated with transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals . In some implementations, the second electronic component on the second circuit board may include at least one of a processor (which may include baseband and radio frequency circuits), a memory, a SIM card interface, and a radio frequency front-end device and other radio frequency devices. For example, when an electronic device transmits a signal, the baseband synthesizes the data (digital signal) to be transmitted into the baseband signal to be transmitted, the baseband signal is converted into a transmission signal (radio frequency signal) by a radio frequency circuit, and the transmission signal is amplified by a power amplifier. The output amplified output signal is transmitted to the switch and transmitted through the antenna circuit on the first circuit board. The path through which the transmit signal is sent by the processor to the switch is the transmit link (or called transmit path). When the electronic device needs to receive a signal, the antenna circuit sends the received signal (radio frequency signal) to the switch, the switch sends the radio frequency signal to the radio frequency circuit, the radio frequency circuit processes the radio frequency signal into a baseband signal, and the radio frequency circuit converts the processed baseband signal After being converted into data, it is sent to the corresponding application processor. The path that the RF signal is sent from the switch to the processor is the receive link (or called the receive path).

In the electronic device, in addition to the RF cable, there are also other cables for transmitting electrical signals or digital signals, etc. The arrangement on the two folded bodies is similar to the RF cable, so it is implemented in the following application in this application. In the example, the cables are not classified and are collectively referred to as cables. In order to facilitate the understanding of the foldable structure provided by the embodiments of the present application, the structure is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, referring to FIG. 1 , the foldable structure provided by the embodiment of the present application includes a first folding part 1 , a second folding part 2 , a rotating shaft 3 and a cable assembly 4 . In the specific embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , an electronic device Taking a mobile phone as an example, the foldable structure is a middle frame, and the first folding part 1 and the second folding part 2 are respectively two frame bodies that can rotate relatively. Wherein, the first folding part 1 and the second folding part 2 are respectively disposed on two sides of the rotating shaft 3 and can rotate around the rotating shaft 3 respectively. Both ends of the cable assembly 4 can extend to the first folded part 1 and the second folded part 2 respectively, which can enable signal transmission between the first folded part 1 and the second folded part 2 . In addition, the cable assembly 4 is fixedly connected with the first folding part 1 , the second folding part 2 and the rotating shaft 3 , thereby reducing the degree of freedom of the cable assembly and reducing the cable, the first folding part 1 , the second folding part 2 and the rotating shaft The friction between 3 reduces the risk of the cable being damaged.

Referring to FIG. 2 , FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a cable assembly 4 according to an embodiment of the application. When the cable assembly 4 is specifically arranged, the cable assembly 4 may include a cable 41 , a first fixing structure 42 , a second fixing structure 43 and a third fixing structure 44 . Wherein, in the embodiment of the present application, each cable 41 may include one or more wires, and the cable assembly 4 may include one or more cables 41 , for example, the cable assembly 4 includes Two cables 41, the two cables 41 can be both RF cables (eg coaxial cables), of course, can also be other possible types of cables, which can be based on the radio frequency of the electronic device including the foldable structure Set the transmission requirements of signals or digital signals.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 2 , the first fixing structure 42 and the second fixing structure 43 are disposed on both sides of the third fixing structure 44 . Referring to FIG. 3 together, FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of the first fixing structure 42 according to an embodiment of the present application. Wherein, the first fixing structure 42 can be made of a plastic material such as plastic, and is fixed to the cable 41 by a process such as injection molding or hot pressing. Since plastic materials such as plastic can undergo a certain plastic deformation, it can reduce the stress on the portion where the first fixing structure 42 is disposed corresponding to the cable 41 during the bending process. In addition, the first fixing structure 42 is formed on the cable 41 by injection molding or hot pressing, which can effectively improve the reliability of the connection between the first fixing structure 42 and the cable 41 . In addition, the plastic acts as an insulator, which can avoid interference to the signal transmission of the cable 41 .

Referring to FIG. 3 , the first fixing structure 42 includes a first fixing body 421 and a first positioning structure 422 . The first fixing body 421 is used to wrap the first part of the cable 41 to realize the first fixing structure 42 and the cable 41 . reliable connection. The first positioning structure 422 is fixedly connected with the first fixing body 421 , and the first positioning structure 422 may be disposed at one end of the first fixing body 421 along the extending direction of the cable 41 . In a specific embodiment, the area of the first positioning structure 422 perpendicular to the cross-section of the cable 41 may be greater than the area of the first fixing body 421 perpendicular to the cross-section of the cable 41, and the cross-section of the first positioning structure 422 The shape may be, but not limited to, regular shapes such as rectangles and ovals, and may also be irregular shapes. In some embodiments of the present application, the first positioning structure 422 and the first fixing body 421 may be integrally formed, or may be formed separately, and then fixed together by a process such as hot pressing.

When specifically disposing the second fixing structure 43 , please refer to FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 together. FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of the second fixing structure 43 according to an embodiment of the present application. Wherein, the second fixing structure 43 can be made of a plastic material such as plastic, and is fixed to the cable 41 by a process such as injection molding or hot pressing. The second fixing structure 43 includes a second fixing body 431 and a second positioning structure 432 . The second fixing body 431 is used to wrap the second part of the cable 41 to realize reliable connection between the second fixing structure 43 and the cable 41 . . The second positioning structure 432 is fixedly connected with the second fixing body 431 , and the second positioning structure 432 may be disposed at one end of the second fixing body 431 along the extending direction of the cable 41 . In addition, the area of the second positioning structure 432 perpendicular to the cross-section of the cable 41 can be made larger than the area of the second fixing body 431 perpendicular to the cross-section of the cable 41. The cross-sectional shape of the second positioning structure 432 can be, but not limited to, Regular shapes such as rectangles and ovals can also be irregular shapes. In some embodiments of the present application, the second positioning structure 432 and the second fixing body 431 may be integrally formed, or may be formed separately, and then fixed together through a process such as hot pressing.

Referring to FIG. 2 , FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 , in some embodiments of the present application, when the first fixing structure 42 and the second fixing structure 43 are arranged on the cable 41 , the first fixing body 421 and the second fixing body 421 can be fixed The main body 431 is disposed between the first positioning structure 422 and the second positioning structure 432, so that the first fixing body 421 and the second fixing body 431 can protect the cable 41 while reducing the amount of damage to the cable. 41 Resistance when bending. In other embodiments of the present application, the first fixing structure 42 and the second fixing structure 43 may also be symmetrically arranged with respect to the third fixing body 441, so as to make the structure of the cable assembly 4 more compact. In addition, the distance between the first fixing structure 42 and the third fixing structure 44 and the distance between the second fixing structure 43 and the third fixing structure 44 may be the same or different, and the distance may be adjusted according to specific application scenarios design.

Referring to FIG. 5 , FIG. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of a third fixing structure 44 according to an embodiment of the present application. When specifically disposing the third fixing structure 44 , the third fixing structure 44 can also be made of a plastic material such as plastic, and is fixed to the cable 41 through a process such as injection molding or hot pressing. The third fixing structure 44 includes a third fixing body 441 and a third positioning structure 442 . The third fixing body 441 is used to wrap the third part of the cable 41 to realize the reliable connection between the third fixing structure 44 and the cable 41 . .

The third positioning structure 442 is fixedly connected with the third fixing body 441 , and the third positioning structure 442 can be arranged at any position of the third fixing body 441 along the extending direction of the cable 41 . For example, when the third fixing body 441 When the length along the extending direction of the cable 41 is long, it can be provided in the middle part of the third fixing body 441 . In addition, the area of the third positioning structure 442 perpendicular to the cross-section of the cable 41 can be made larger than the area of the third fixing body 441 perpendicular to the cross-section of the cable 41, and the cross-sectional shape of the third positioning structure 442 can be, but not limited to, Regular shapes such as rectangles and ovals can also be irregular shapes. In some embodiments of the present application, the third positioning structure 442 and the third fixing body 441 may be integrally formed, or may be formed separately, and then fixed together by a process such as hot pressing.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 5 , a part of the third fixing body 441 is thinned to form a window 4411 . Since there is less material for forming the third fixing body 441 disposed at the opening 4411, it can effectively reduce the resistance caused by the structural features of the third fixing body 441 when the cable 41 is bent, so as to reduce the breakage of the cable 41. risk, thereby helping to prolong the service life of the cable 41.

In addition, referring to FIG. 5 , one or more openings 4411 may be formed on the third fixing body 441 , and one opening 4411 may be formed at each location, or a plurality of openings 4411 may be formed. Exemplarily, a window 4411 is formed at each location, and the window 4411 is a circular window 4411 formed around the cable 41 , so that the cable 41 can be bent more flexibly. When a plurality of windows 4411 are formed at each location, the plurality of windows 4411 may be arranged at intervals around the circumference of the cable 41 .

When the windows 4411 need to be arranged in multiple places of the third fixing body 441 , the third positioning structure 442 can be arranged at the middle position of the third fixing body 441 , so that the third fixing structure 442 can be located on both sides of the third fixing structure 442 Windows 4411 are respectively formed on the main body 441 , so as to further reduce the resistance to the cables 41 . It can be understood that the structural forms of the openings 4411 in different places can be the same or different.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 5 , when opening windows are respectively formed on the third fixing bodies 441 located on both sides of the third positioning structure 442 , for each side of the third positioning structure 442 , the openings 4411 can be arranged on the third fixing body The middle area of 441. In this way, the bending resistance of the cable 41 can be increased, thereby preventing the bending radius from being small, so as to prolong the bending life of the cable 41 . In addition, the third fixing body 441 on each side of the third positioning structure 442 can also be connected by a rib 4412, the rib 4412 can be integrally formed with the third fixing body 441, and the rib 4412 can be used to fix the third fixing body 4412. The opening 4411 of the structure 44 plays a protective role to avoid friction between the opening 4411 and other structures in direct contact.

In order to fix the cable assembly 4 of the embodiment of the present application with the first folding part 1 , the second folding part 2 and the rotating shaft 3 of the middle frame. Referring to FIG. 6 , FIG. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of a middle frame in an expanded state according to an embodiment of the present application. A first installation groove 11 is formed on the first folding part 1 , a second installation groove 21 is formed on the second folding part 2 , and a third installation groove 31 is formed on the rotating shaft 3 .

Continuing to refer to FIG. 6 , when the cable assembly 4 is assembled with the first folding part 1 , the second folding part 2 and the rotating shaft 3 , the first fixing structure 42 of the cable assembly 4 can be installed in the first installation groove 11 , because The first fixing structure 42 is made of a plastic material, which can be deformed to a certain extent when pressure is applied to it, so the interference fit between the first fixing structure 42 and the first installation groove 11 can be achieved. snap-on fixation. Similarly, the second fixing structure 43 and the second installation groove 21 can be interference fit to realize the snap-fit between the two, and the interference fit between the third fixing structure 44 and the third installation groove 31 can be achieved. The snap connection between the two is fixed.

By installing the first fixing structure 42 in the first installation groove 11, the second fixing structure 43 in the second installation groove 21, and the third fixing structure 44 in the third installation groove 31, the cable assembly can be easily realized 4. The positioning on the first folding part 1, the rotating shaft 3 and the second folding part 2 can simplify the assembly process. In addition, the shaking of the cable 41 between the first folding part 1 , the rotating shaft 3 and the second folding part 2 can also be effectively reduced, thereby reducing friction between the cable 41 and other structures.

In this embodiment of the present application, continue to refer to FIG. 6 . When the middle frame is in the unfolded state (the angle between the first folding part 1 and the second folding part 2 is 180°), due to the distance between the first installation groove 11 and the third installation groove 31 at this time, and the second The distance between the installation groove 21 and the third installation groove 31 is the minimum value during the unfolding process of the middle frame, then it is located between the first installation groove 11 and the third installation groove 31, and between the second installation groove 21 and the middle frame. The cables 41 between the third installation grooves 31 may be bent. Set in the unfolded state of the middle frame, the sum of the distances from the first installation groove 11 to the third installation groove 31 and the distance from the second installation groove 21 to the third installation groove 31 is L1, which is used to connect the first installation groove 11 and the minimum length of the cable 41 of the second installation slot 21 .

While the middle frame is in the folded state, the cables 41 located between the first installation groove 11 and the third installation groove 31 and between the second installation groove 21 and the third installation groove 31 will be stretched. Set in the folded state of the middle frame, the sum of the distances from the first installation groove 11 to the third installation groove 31 and the distance from the second installation groove 21 to the third installation groove 31 is L2, which is used to connect the first installation groove 11 and the maximum length of the cable in the second installation slot 21 . It can be understood that L2 is greater than L1, that is to say, the length of the cable 41 located between the first installation slot 11 and the second installation slot 21 is at least greater than L1, and when the electronic device is in an open state, at least A cable 41 having a length of ( L2 - L1 ) is bent between the first folded part 1 , the rotating shaft 3 and the second folded part 2 as redundancy.

With the middle frame of the embodiment of the present application, when the middle frame is in the unfolded state, the redundant part of the cable 41 can be hidden between the first folding part 1 , the rotating shaft 3 and the second folding part 2 by bending. In addition, the redundant length of the cable 41 can be controlled by calculation, so as to prevent the cable 41 from touching other surrounding components after being bent, so as to play a role in the reciprocating movement of the cable 41 during the bending and stretching of the cable 41 The protection function reduces the risk of damage to the cable 41 caused by friction, and improves the stability of the signal transmission of the cable 41 .

In the embodiment of the present application, through the installation of the first fixing structure 42 and the first installation groove 11 , the installation of the second fixing structure 43 and the second installation groove 21 , and the installation of the third fixing structure 44 and the third installation groove 31 , so as to realize the fixation of the cable assembly 4 and the middle frame. It can be understood that, in the embodiment of the present application, the arrangement of the first installation groove 11 , the second installation groove 21 and the third installation groove 31 will affect the line between the first installation groove 11 and the second installation groove 21 . The redundant length of the cable 41, as well as its bending form, has an effect.

Referring to FIG. 7 , when the first installation groove 11 is specifically provided, the first installation groove 11 includes a first positioning groove 111 , and the first positioning structure 422 of the first fixing structure 42 can be clamped in the first positioning groove 111 to realize Positioning of the first fixing structure 42 on the first folding part 1 .

In addition, referring to FIG. 7 , the first positioning groove 111 can be a strip-shaped groove, and the extending direction of the strip-shaped groove can intersect with the extending direction of the rotating shaft 3 (not shown in FIG. 7 , refer to FIG. 6 ). As shown in FIG. 7 , the extending direction of the strip groove and the frame edge of the first folding portion 1 parallel to the extending direction of the rotating shaft 3 may form a predetermined included angle 12 , and the included angle 12 may be an acute angle , right angle or obtuse angle. It can be understood that, by adjusting the included angle 12, the bending shape and bending size of the cable 41 located between the first installation groove 11 and the third installation groove 31 (not shown in FIG. 7, refer to FIG. 6) can be adjusted. make adjustments.

Referring to FIG. 8 , when the second installation groove 21 is specifically provided, the second installation groove 21 includes a second positioning groove 211 , and the second positioning structure 432 of the second fixing structure 43 can be clamped to the second positioning groove 211 to realize Positioning of the second fixing structure 43 on the second folding part 2 .

In addition, referring to FIG. 8 , the second positioning groove 211 can be a strip-shaped groove, and the extending direction of the strip-shaped groove can intersect with the extending direction of the rotating shaft 3 (not shown in FIG. 8 , refer to FIG. 6 ). As shown in FIG. 8 , the extending direction of the strip-shaped groove and the frame edge of the second folding portion 2 parallel to the extending direction of the rotating shaft 3 may form a predetermined included angle 22 , and the included angle 22 may be an acute angle , right angle or obtuse angle. It can be understood that, by adjusting the included angle 22, the bending shape and bending dimension of the cable 41 located between the second installation groove 21 and the third installation groove 31 (not shown in FIG. 8, refer to FIG. 6) can be adjusted. make adjustments.

Referring to FIG. 9 , FIG. 9 shows a schematic diagram of the arrangement of the third installation groove 31 according to an embodiment of the present application. The third installation groove 31 includes a third positioning groove 311 , and the third positioning structure 442 of the third fixing structure 44 can be clamped in the third positioning groove 311 to realize the positioning of the third fixing structure 44 on the rotating shaft 3 .

In addition, referring to FIG. 9, in a possible embodiment of the present application, the third installation slot 31 may be set as an arc-shaped slot, and the arc and opening direction of the arc-shaped slot are suitable for the positions located on the first folding part 1, the rotating shaft 3 and the first The bending direction of the cable 41 between the two folded parts 2 has a great influence. In this embodiment, a window 4411 may be provided in a part of the third fixing body 441 of the third fixing structure 44 , so that when the third fixing structure 44 is fixed to the third installation groove 31 , the opening of the third fixing structure 44 The opening 4411 can be bent to facilitate its installation and fixation with the third installation groove 31 . Exemplarily, as shown in FIG. 9 , the third fixing structure 44 can be bent to form a U shape after the window 4411 is provided on the third fixing body 441 of the third fixing structure 44 .

Referring to FIGS. 7 to 9 , it can be seen from the introduction of the specific arrangement of the first installation groove 11 , the second installation groove 21 and the third installation groove 31 in the above embodiment that in the embodiment of the present application, the angle 12 The adjustment of the angle of the included angle 22 and the adjustment of the design form of the third installation groove 31 can realize the adjustment of the bending radius of the cable 41, thereby reducing the bending stress on the cable 41, which can effectively to extend the service life of the cable 41.

Referring to FIG. 10a, FIG. 10a is a partial enlarged view of the middle frame of FIG. 6 at A, which shows the first installation groove 11, the second installation groove 21, and the third installation groove 31 according to an embodiment of the present application. The setting method, and the bending shape of the cable 41 located between the first folding part 1 , the rotating shaft 3 and the second folding part 2 . It can be seen from FIG. 10a that the middle frame is in the unfolded state, and the third installation groove 31 is arranged in an arc shape at this time. The cable 41 located between the first installation groove 11 of the first folding part 1 , the third installation groove 31 of the rotating shaft 3 and the second installation groove of the second folding part 2 is bent into an M shape, which can save the use of the rotating shaft 3 in the space for accommodating the cable 41 .

In addition to the bending form of the cable 41 shown in FIG. 10a , referring to FIG. 10b , in another embodiment of the present application, the arrangement of the first installation groove 11 , the second installation groove 21 and the third installation groove 31 can also be performed. way, and the angle of the included angle 12 in FIG. 7 and the included angle 22 in FIG. 8 are adjusted so that the first installation groove 11 of the first folding part 1 , the third installation groove 31 of the rotating shaft 3 and the second The cables 41 between the second installation grooves 21 of the folded part 2 are bent into an S shape. It can be understood that the above-mentioned arrangement of the first installation groove 11 , the second installation groove 21 and the third installation groove 31 , as well as the bending form of the cable 41 are only some exemplary descriptions given in this application. In some embodiments, on the basis of the above-mentioned embodiments, a series of modifications can be made according to specific application scenarios. For example, the first installation groove 11, the second installation groove 21 and the third installation groove 31 shown in Both are rotated by 180°, so that the cable 41 is bent into a W shape, etc., which are all within the protection scope of the present application.

In the middle frame of the embodiment of the present application, when the cable assembly 4 is assembled with the first folding part 1 , the rotating shaft 3 and the second folding part 2 , the first installation groove 11 on the first folding part 1 , the first installation groove 11 on the first folding part 1 , the second folding part 2 The second installation groove 21 on the two-folded portion 2 and the third installation groove 31 on the rotating shaft 3 are adjusted to adjust the bending shape of the cable 41 located between the first installation groove 11 and the second installation groove 21 , in order to reduce the stress on the cable 41, so as to reduce the risk of the cable 41 breaking during the reciprocating movement of the cable 41 in bending and stretching, thereby prolonging the service life of the cable 41 and improving the durability of the cable 41. Stability of signal transmission.

An embodiment of the present application further provides an electronic device. Referring to FIG. 11 , FIG. 11 exemplarily shows a schematic structural diagram of an electronic device provided by an embodiment of the present application in an unfolded state. The electronic device may include a rear case 5, a display screen 6, and the foldable structure of any of the above-mentioned embodiments. The foldable structure is located between the display screen 6 and the rear case 5, and the rear case 5 includes a first shell 51 and a second shell 52 that are foldably connected, and the first shell 51 can be folded with the first shell of the foldable structure. The part 1 is fixedly connected, and the second shell 52 can be fixedly connected with the second folding part 2 of the foldable structure. In some embodiments, the first casing 51 can also be fixedly connected to the second folding part 2 of the foldable structure, and the second casing 52 can be fixedly connected to the first folding part 1 of the foldable structure. The corresponding relationship between the first casing 51 and the second casing 52 and the first folding part 1 and the second folding part 2 is not specifically limited, so as to improve the flexibility of their installation. In addition, in order to prevent the display screen 6 from being squeezed when the cable assembly 4 fixed on the middle frame is bent, so as to affect its display function, in some embodiments of the present application, the display screen 6 and the cable assembly 4 can be located in the middle Both sides of the first folded part 1 and the second folded part 2 of the frame.

It can be understood that, in order to realize the signal transmission function of the electronic device, a first circuit board and a second circuit board may also be provided in the electronic device, and the first circuit board may be, for example, a printed circuit board (printed circuit board, PCB). (not shown in the figure), the second circuit board can also be a PCB, for example. The first circuit board may be located on the first folded part 1 , and the second circuit board may be located on the second folded part 2 . In addition, the first circuit board and the second circuit board can be, but not limited to, disposed between the foldable structure and the rear case 5, and the cables of the cable assembly 4 are signal-connected to the first circuit board and the second circuit board. Exemplarily, the end of the cable in the cable assembly 4 located on the first folded part 1 of the foldable structure is connected to the first circuit board, and the second folded part 2 of the cable located in the foldable structure is connected to the second circuit board. The circuit boards are connected to realize signal transmission between the first folding part 1 and the second folding part 2 of the foldable structure.

Referring to FIG. 12 , FIG. 12 exemplarily shows a schematic structural diagram of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present application in a folded state. When the electronic device is in a folded state, the foldable structure of the electronic device, the rear case 5 and the display screen 6 can all be folded.

In an embodiment of the present application, when the electronic device is in a folded state, as shown in FIG. 12 , the rear case 5 of the electronic device is located outside the entire electronic device to protect the display screen 6 . In some other embodiments of the present application, when the electronic device is in a folded state, the display screen 6 can also be located outside the electronic device, so as to meet the user's requirement for small-screen display. In addition, in addition to the two-fold folding method of the electronic device, a three-fold or more than three-fold folding method of the electronic device can also be realized by increasing the number of folding parts. The device performs specific settings, which will not be repeated here. In other embodiments, the rear case 5 may be provided with a display area.

Using the electronic device of the embodiment of the present application, since the cable assembly 4 is fixedly connected to the first folding part 1 , the rotating shaft 3 and the second folding part 2 of the middle frame, referring to FIG. 11 , when the electronic device is in the unfolded state, the cable The cable 41 of the assembly 4 (refer to FIG. 10 b ) can hide the redundant part between the first folding part 1 , the rotating shaft 3 and the second folding part 2 of the middle frame by bending. 12 , when the electronic device is in a folded state, the cable 41 is stretched, so that the redundant length of the cable 41 can be controlled by calculating the length of the cable 41 that can meet the requirements of folding and unfolding the electronic device, In this way, the cable 41 is prevented from touching other surrounding components after being bent, so as to protect the cable 41 during the reciprocating motion of the cable 41 bending and stretching, and reduce the risk of damage to the cable 41 caused by friction. The stability of the signal transmission of the cable 41 is improved.

The above are only specific embodiments of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited to this. should be covered within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

A foldable structure, comprising: a first folding part, a second folding part, a rotating shaft and a cable assembly, wherein:

the first folding part and the second folding part are arranged on both sides of the rotating shaft;

The cable assembly includes a cable, a first fixing structure, a second fixing structure and a third fixing structure, the first fixing structure is fixedly connected to the first part of the cable, and the second fixing structure is connected to the first part of the cable. the second part of the cable is fixedly connected, and the third fixing structure is fixedly connected to the third part of the cable;

The first fixing structure is installed on the first folding part, the second fixing structure is installed on the second folding part, and the third fixing structure is installed on the rotating shaft; the first folding At least one of the foldable part and the second folded part rotates around the rotating shaft to drive the part of the cable between the first fixing structure and the second fixing structure to bend or stretch.
The foldable structure of claim 1, wherein the first fixing structure comprises a first fixing body and a first positioning structure, and the first positioning structure is disposed along the edge of the first fixing body. one end of the cable in the extending direction, and the first positioning structure is fixedly connected with the first fixing body; the first fixing body wraps the first part of the cable; the first positioning The area of the structure perpendicular to the cross-section of the cable is greater than the area of the first fixing body perpendicular to the cross-section of the cable.
The foldable structure according to claim 2, wherein the first folding portion defines a first installation groove, the first fixing structure is installed in the first installation groove, and the first fixing structure It is snapped with the first installation slot.
The foldable structure according to claim 3, wherein the first installation slot comprises a first positioning slot, the first positioning slot is a bar-shaped slot, and the extension direction of the bar-shaped slot is the same as that of the rotating shaft The extending directions of the locating elements intersect; the first positioning structure is clamped in the first positioning groove.
The foldable structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the second fixing structure comprises a second fixing body and a second positioning structure, and the second positioning structure is disposed on the second fixing structure One end of the main body along the extension direction of the cable, and the second positioning structure is fixedly connected with the second fixing body; the second fixing body wraps the second part of the cable ; The area of the second positioning structure perpendicular to the cross-section of the cable is greater than the area of the second fixing body perpendicular to the cross-section of the cable.
6. The foldable structure of claim 5, wherein the second folding portion is provided with a second installation groove, the second fixing structure is installed in the second installation groove, and the second fixing structure It is snapped with the second installation slot.
The foldable structure according to claim 6, wherein the second installation slot comprises a second positioning slot, the second positioning slot is a strip-shaped slot, and the extension direction of the strip-shaped slot is related to the rotation axis. The extending directions of the two intersect; the second positioning structure is clamped in the second positioning groove.
The foldable structure according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the third fixing structure comprises a third fixing body and a third positioning structure, and the third positioning structure is disposed at the third positioning structure In the middle part of the main body, the third positioning structure is fixedly connected with the third fixing body; the third fixing body wraps the third part of the cable; the third positioning structure is perpendicular to the wire The area of the cross-section of the cable is larger than the area of the cross-section of the third fixing body perpendicular to the cable.
The foldable structure according to claim 8, wherein one or more places of the third fixing body are provided with windows.
The foldable structure according to claim 8 or 9, wherein a third installation groove is formed on the rotating shaft, the third fixing structure is installed in the third installation groove, and the third fixing structure is connected to the third installation groove. The third installation slot is clamped.
The foldable structure of claim 10, wherein the third installation groove comprises a third positioning groove, and the third positioning structure is clamped to the third positioning groove.
The foldable structure according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein when the foldable structure is in an unfolded state, the cable is located between the first fixed structure and the second fixed structure The part is bent into an M shape, a W shape or an S shape.
The foldable structure according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the foldable structure further comprises a first electronic component and a second electronic component, and the first electronic component is located in the first folding portion The second electronic component is located on the second folded part, and the first electronic component and the second electronic component are signal-connected through the cable.
14. The foldable structure of claim 13, wherein the first electronic component includes at least one of a processor and a radio frequency device, and the second electronic component includes at least one of a radio frequency device and an antenna device.
The foldable structure according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the cable is a radio frequency cable or a digital cable.
An electronic device, comprising: a rear case, a display screen, and the foldable structure according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein: the foldable structure is located between the rear case and the display between the screens, and the display screen and the cable assembly of the foldable structure are located on both sides of the first folding part and the second folding part of the foldable structure.
The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the electronic device further comprises a first circuit board and a second circuit board, the first circuit board is located on the first folded portion, and the second circuit board A board is located on the second folded portion, and the first circuit board and the second circuit board are signal-connected through the cable.
The electronic device according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the rear casing comprises a first casing and a second casing, the first casing and the second casing are rotatably connected, and the first casing is rotatably connected to the second casing. A casing is fixedly connected to the first folding portion, and the second casing is fixedly connected to the second folding portion; or, the first casing is fixedly connected to the second folding portion, and the first casing is fixedly connected to the second folding portion. The second shell is fixedly connected with the first folding part.
The electronic device according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the electronic device is a terminal, and the foldable structure is a middle frame.