WO2023109726A1

WO2023109726A1 - Hinge assembly and folding device

Info

Publication number: WO2023109726A1
Application number: PCT/CN2022/138275
Authority: WO
Inventors: 张东
Original assignee: 维沃移动通信有限公司
Priority date: 2021-12-17
Filing date: 2022-12-12
Publication date: 2023-06-22
Also published as: CN114215841A; CN114215841B

Abstract

Provided are a hinge assembly and a folding device. The hinge assembly (100) comprises: a first gear (1022) and a second gear (1024); a third gear (1026) and a fourth gear (1028) which are engaged with each other, the third gear (1026) being engaged with the first gear (1022), and the fourth gear (1028) being engaged with the second gear (1024); a locking mechanism (104), comprising a first transmission wheel (1042), a second transmission wheel (1044), and a transmission belt (1046), the first transmission wheel (1042) being arranged coaxially with the first gear (1022) and being connected to the first gear (1022), and the second transmission wheel (1044) being arranged coaxially with the second gear (1024) and being connected to the second gear (1024); and a deformable part (1048), arranged on the transmission belt (1046), the transmission belt (1046) being in transmitting connection with the first transmission wheel (1042) and the second transmission wheel (1044) when the deformable part (1048) is in a locked pose, and the transmitting connection between the transmission belt (1046) and the first transmission wheel (1042) and the second transmission wheel (1044) being broken when the deformable part (1048) is in a relaxed pose.

Description

Hinge Assemblies and Folding Devices

Cross References to Related Applications

This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202111550123.9 filed in China on December 17, 2021, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

technical field

The present application belongs to the technical field of folding equipment, and in particular relates to a hinge assembly and a folding equipment.

Background technique

At present, for foldable devices such as folding mobile phones and folding tablets, in order to meet the smooth folding during design, it will not be able to be fixed when it is in a certain position during the folding process, and it is easy to swing, which affects users when using folding devices. use experience.

Contents of the invention

The purpose of this application is to provide a hinge assembly and a folding device. By providing a locking mechanism and a deformation part, when the deformation part is in a locked position, a reverse torque can be generated for the reverse rotation of the first gear and the second gear. Therefore, the folding of the hinge assembly can be locked at any position.

In order to achieve the above object, the hinge assembly provided by the embodiment of the first aspect of the application includes: a first gear and a second gear; a third gear and a fourth gear meshing with each other, the third gear meshes with the first gear, and the fourth gear The gear meshes with the second gear; the locking mechanism includes a first transmission wheel, a second transmission wheel and a transmission belt, the first transmission wheel is coaxially arranged with the first gear and is connected with the first gear, and the second transmission wheel is connected with the second gear Coaxially arranged and connected with the second gear; the deformation part is arranged on the transmission belt, and when the deformation part is in a locked state, the transmission belt is connected to the first transmission wheel and the second transmission wheel; when the deformation part is in a relaxed state, the transmission belt Disconnect the transmission connection with the first transmission wheel and the second transmission wheel.

According to the embodiment of the hinge assembly provided in the present application, it mainly includes four gears and a locking mechanism that realizes the locking function for the overall operation of the hinge assembly. Specifically, the four gears mainly include the first gear and the second gear located on both sides and the third gear and the fourth gear located in the middle, wherein the first gear and the second gear are mainly used to connect with the external plates or Other structures are fixed to achieve the effect of folding and rotating. In addition, for the third gear and the fourth gear, they mainly play the role of transmission between the first gear and the second gear. It can be understood that the four gears mesh in sequence , when any one of the first gear and the second gear rotates, under the principle of meshing, the adjacent gear, that is, the third gear or the fourth gear will rotate in the opposite direction, while the other will rotate relative to the driving wheel Rotation occurs in the same direction, and finally the other of the first gear and the second gear, as the last link of the entire transmission relationship, rotates in the opposite direction relative to the driving wheel, thereby realizing the unfolding and folding operations.

On this basis, in order to achieve a locking effect on any angle during the unfolding or folding process, this solution also additionally sets up a locking mechanism and a deformation part. Under the joint action of the two, the gear The rotation of the fabric produces a reverse moment, which exerts a reverse force on the rotation, making it unable to continue to fold or continue to unfold. Specifically, the locking mechanism includes a first transmission wheel connected to the first gear, a second transmission wheel connected to the second gear, and a transmission belt sleeved on the first transmission wheel and the second transmission wheel. The two gears are respectively connected to the first gear and the second gear on both sides. The rotation relationship of the two gears is reversed, and the first transmission wheel and the second transmission wheel run in the same direction under the action of the transmission belt, so if When the transmission belt is tensioned, it will generate a reverse torque on the first gear and the second gear, so as to realize the position fixation at any angle, but when the transmission belt is loose, it will not be able to act in the same direction on the first transmission wheel and the second transmission wheel. The transmission effect of motion, so the first gear and the second gear can normally rotate in opposite directions at this time, so as to realize folding.

It needs to be emphasized that there is a deformation part on the transmission belt, which will have different transmission relationships between the two transmission wheels under different postures. Specifically, when the deformation part itself is in a locked posture, it can be considered that the transmission belt as a whole is relatively tense at this time , the first transmission wheel and the second transmission wheel can rotate together through the transmission belt, thereby generating a reverse torque relative to the first gear and the second gear, and when the deformation part itself is in a relaxed posture, the transmission belt as a whole is relatively loose at this time, and cannot produce a reverse torque.

Wherein, the transmission belt remains relatively stationary with the first transmission wheel and the second transmission wheel, so that the transmission belt can be driven to rotate together when rotating. The specific transmission can be realized by tooth meshing or static friction.

The folding device provided by the embodiment of the second aspect of the present application includes: a first folding body and a second folding body; a hinge assembly according to any one of the above embodiments, arranged between the first folding body and the second folding body, the first The first folding body and the second folding body are rotatably connected through the hinge assembly.

According to the embodiment of the folding device provided in this application, it mainly includes three parts: the first folding body, the second folding body and the hinge assembly, wherein the two ends of the hinge assembly are respectively connected to the first folding body and the second folding body, so that The rotational connection between the first folding body and the second folding body is realized under the action of the hinge assembly itself, thereby facilitating the folding or unfolding of the folding device.

In addition, because the folding device includes the hinge assembly of any of the above embodiments, it has the beneficial effects of any of the above embodiments.

Among them, the foldable devices include foldable devices such as foldable mobile phones, foldable tablets, and foldable notebooks.

Additional aspects and advantages of the application will become apparent in the description which follows, or may be learned by practice of the application.

Description of drawings

FIG. 1 shows a schematic structural diagram of a hinge assembly according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 2 shows a schematic diagram of the transmission relationship of the hinge assembly according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 3 shows a schematic structural diagram of a transmission belt according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 4 shows a schematic structural diagram of a phase change material as a deformation part according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 5 shows a schematic structural diagram of a telescopic motor as a deformation part according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 6 shows a schematic structural diagram of a hinge assembly according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 7 shows a schematic structural diagram of a hinge assembly according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 8 shows a schematic structural diagram of a rotating rod according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 9 shows a schematic structural diagram of a hinge assembly according to an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 10 shows a schematic structural diagram of a folding device according to an embodiment of the present application.

Wherein, the corresponding relationship between reference numerals and component names in Fig. 1 to Fig. 10 is:

100: hinge assembly; 1022: first gear; 1024: second gear; 1026: third gear; 1028: fourth gear; 104: locking mechanism; 1042: first transmission wheel; 1044: second transmission wheel; 1046 : transmission belt; 1048: deformation part; 1050: first tooth groove; 1052: second tooth groove; 106: heating element; 108: telescopic motor; 1082: fixed end; 1084: telescopic end; 110: locking element; 112: 114: rotating rod; 116: cushioning member; 118: rotating bracket; 120: rotating shaft; 200: folding device; 202: first folding body; 204: second folding body; 2062: first hinge; 2064 : Second hinge.

Detailed ways

Embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below, and examples of the embodiments are shown in the drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below by referring to the figures are exemplary, are only for explaining the present application, and should not be construed as limiting the present application. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by persons of ordinary skill in the art without making creative efforts belong to the scope of protection of this application.

The features of the terms "first" and "second" in the description and claims of the present application may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of these features. In the description of the present application, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more. In addition, "and/or" in the specification and claims means at least one of the connected objects, and the character "/" generally means that the related objects are an "or" relationship.

In the description of this application, it should be noted that unless otherwise specified and limited, the terms "installation", "connection", and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection or a detachable connection. Connected, or integrally connected; it can be mechanically connected or electrically connected; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediary, and it can be the internal communication of two components. Those of ordinary skill in the art can understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application in specific situations.

The folding device provided in the embodiment of the present application may be a foldable device such as a folding mobile phone, a folding tablet, or a folding notebook.

A hinge assembly 100 and a folding device 200 provided according to an embodiment of the present application are described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10 .

As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, one embodiment of the present application proposes a hinge assembly 100, comprising: a first gear 1022 and a second gear 1024; a third gear 1026 and a fourth gear 1028 meshing with each other; the third gear 1026 meshes with the first gear 1022, and the fourth gear 1028 meshes with the second gear 1024; the locking mechanism 104 includes the first transmission wheel 1042, the second transmission wheel 1044 and the transmission belt 1046, the first transmission wheel 1042 and the first gear 1022 Coaxially arranged and connected with the first gear 1022, the second transmission wheel 1044 is coaxially arranged with the second gear 1024 and connected with the second gear 1024; the deformation part 1048 is arranged on the transmission belt 1046, and the deformation part 1048 is in a locked position Next, the transmission belt 1046 is in transmission connection with the first transmission wheel 1042 and the second transmission wheel 1044 , and the transmission belt 1046 is disconnected from the first transmission wheel 1042 and the second transmission wheel 1044 when the deformation part 1048 is in a relaxed position.

According to the embodiment of the hinge assembly 100 provided in the present application, it mainly includes four gears and a locking mechanism 104 that implements a locking function for the overall operation of the hinge assembly 100 . Specifically, the four gears mainly include a first gear 1022 and a second gear 1024 located on both sides and a third gear 1026 and a fourth gear 1028 located in the middle. Among them, the first gear 1022 and the second gear 1024 are mainly used to fix the boards or other structures that need to be connected with the outside, so as to achieve the effect of folding and rotating. In addition, the third gear 1026 and the fourth gear 1028 mainly serve as the transmission between the first gear 1022 and the second gear 1024 . It can be understood that the four gears mesh sequentially. When any one of the first gear 1022 and the second gear 1024 rotates, under the principle of meshing, an adjacent gear, that is, the third gear 1026 or the fourth gear 1028, will rotate. Rotate in the opposite direction, while the other will rotate in the same direction with respect to the driving wheel, and finally the other of the first gear 1022 and the second gear 1024, as the last ring of the entire transmission relationship, will reverse with respect to the driving wheel. To rotate, and then realize the operation of unfolding and folding.

On this basis, as shown in Figure 3, in order to achieve a locking effect on any angle during the unfolding or folding process, this solution additionally provides a locking mechanism 104 and a deformation part 1048. Under the combined action of the gears, a reverse moment can be generated for the rotation of the gear, thereby exerting a reverse force on the rotation, making it impossible to continue to fold or continue to unfold. Specifically, the locking mechanism 104 includes a first transmission wheel 1042 connected to the first gear 1022 , a second transmission wheel 1044 connected to the second gear 1024 , and sleeved on the first transmission wheel 1042 and the second transmission wheel 1044 The transmission belt 1046. Since the two transmission wheels are respectively connected with the first gear 1022 and the second gear 1024 on both sides, the rotation relationship of the two gears is reversed, and the first transmission wheel 1042 and the second transmission wheel 1044 are in the transmission belt 1046. Under the action, they run in the same direction, so if the transmission belt 1046 is tensioned, a reverse torque will be generated on the first gear 1022 and the second gear 1024, thereby achieving position fixation at any angle. And when transmission belt 1046 is slack, then can't play the transmission effect of moving in the same direction to first transmission wheel 1042 and second transmission wheel 1044, so this moment first gear 1022 and second gear 1024 can normally reverse rotation, so that to achieve folding.

Wherein, the first transmission wheel 1042 and the second transmission wheel 1044 can be gears, sprockets, pulleys, or even light wheels with certain protrusions on the surface. The first transmission wheel 1042 and the second transmission wheel 1044 are tightened, and there is a transmission relationship between them, so that the first gear and the second gear cannot continue to rotate.

It should be emphasized that the transmission belt 1046 is provided with a deformation portion 1048 , which can have different transmission relationships between the first transmission wheel 1042 and the second transmission wheel 1044 under different postures. Specifically, when the deformation part 1048 itself is in the locked position, it can be considered that the transmission belt 1046 as a whole is relatively tense at this time, and the first transmission wheel 1042 and the second transmission wheel 1044 can rotate together through the transmission belt 1046, thereby preventing the first gear 1022 and The tendency of the second gear 1024 to continue to move, while the deformation part 1048 itself is in a relaxed position, the drive belt 1046 as a whole is relatively loose at this time, and cannot generate reverse torque.

Wherein, the transmission belt 1046 remains relatively stationary with the first transmission wheel 1042 and the second transmission wheel 1044, so that the transmission belt 1046 can be driven to rotate together when rotating. The specific transmission can be realized by tooth meshing, or by static friction accomplish.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 , the material of the deformation portion 1048 is a phase change material, and the hinge assembly 100 further includes: a heating element 106 , which is arranged opposite to the deformation portion 1048 , and the heating element 106 is used to change the position of the deformation portion 1048 The temperature of the environment, the deformation part 1048 is in a locked position at a first temperature, and the deformation part 1048 is in a relaxed position at a second temperature; wherein, the first temperature is lower than the second temperature.

In a specific embodiment, the material of the deformable part 1048 is selected as a phase-change material, and the shape of the deformable part 1048 can change with the temperature, so that the deformable part 1048 will be between the locked position and the relaxed position. switch between each other. It can be understood that due to the characteristics of the phase change material itself, an additional heating element 106 is required to change the temperature of the deformation part 1048. The posture of the deformation part 1048 at the first temperature, that is, the locked posture, will make the first transmission The wheel 1042 and the second transmission wheel 1044 are all connected with the transmission belt 1046; and under the action of the heating element 106, when the temperature is increased to the second temperature, the deformation part 1048 can be deformed and converted into a relaxed posture, so that the first The first transmission wheel 1042 cannot rotate in the same direction as the second transmission wheel 1044, nor can it generate reverse torque to the first gear 1022 and the second gear 1024 to limit the first gear 1022 and the second gear 1024 to continue to rotate.

Generally, the first temperature is normal temperature, and the second temperature is higher, which can be set according to actual needs.

Among them, the specific phase change material can be selected as memory alloy.

Further, the deformation part 1048 is arranged opposite to the third gear 1026 and the fourth gear 1028; and/or the stress of the deformation part 1048 on the first transmission wheel and/or the second transmission wheel in the locked position is greater than that of the deformation part 1048 in the locked state. Stress on the first drive wheel and/or the second drive wheel in the relaxed position.

By setting the deformation part 1048 opposite to the third gear 1026 and the fourth gear 1028 in the middle, so that both ends of the deformation part 1048 can be guaranteed to be connected with the first gear 1022 and the second gear 1024 no matter whether it is deformed or not. The middle part is changed so that the overall outer contour size will not change greatly, reducing the possibility of interference with other mechanisms.

In addition, it needs to be defined that when the deformation part 1048 is in the locked position, the stress applied to the two transmission wheels is relatively large, so that the static friction force and the reverse torque can be increased, so as to facilitate the adjustment between the first gear and the second gear. The rotation relationship between them acts as a restraint to achieve the locking effect. And when the deformation part 1048 is in the relaxed position, the stress applied to the two transmission wheels is small, and at this moment, the first gear and the second gear can normally mesh through the transmission of the third gear and the fourth gear, thereby realizing folding .

Further, in the relaxed state, the deformation portion 1048 cannot apply tension to one or both of the first transmission wheel and the second transmission wheel, that is, the tension is zero.

Furthermore, the projected contour line of the heating element 106 on the end surface of the first gear 1022 is straight, and in the direction perpendicular to the axis connecting the first gear 1022 and the second gear 1024, the heating element 106 covers the deformation part 1048 .

By restricting the heating element 106 to be linear and covering the deformation part 1048, the deformation part 1048 can be heated as a whole, and then the shape of the deformation part 1048 as a whole can be changed together, so that it can be in the locked posture and the relaxed posture. Can be switched arbitrarily.

It should be noted that the heating element 106 can be strip-shaped or plate-shaped.

Further, as shown in Figure 5, the deformation part 1048 is a telescopic motor 108, and the transmission belt 1046 is connected to the two ends of the telescopic motor 108 respectively. When the telescopic motor 108 is in an extended state, the deformation part 1048 is in a relaxed posture; When the motor 108 is in the contracted state, the deformation part 1048 is in the locked posture.

In another specific embodiment, the deformation part 1048 is selected as the telescopic motor 108, and by disconnecting the transmission belt 1046 in the middle, it is connected to both ends of the telescopic motor 108 respectively, so that the tension force of the entire transmission belt 1046 can be adjusted when stretching. Adjustment. It can be understood that if the telescopic motor 108 is extended, the transmission belt 1046 is relatively redundant at this time, and the reverse torque of the first gear 1022 and the second gear 1024 cannot be realized. At this time, the first gear 1022 and the second gear 1024 can continue to rotate , and when the telescopic motor 108 contracts, the transmission belt 1046 will be relatively firmly connected to the first gear 1022 and the second gear 1024. At this time, no matter what angle the first gear 1022 and the second gear 1024 move in the opposite direction, it can be A reverse torque is given to limit the first gear 1022 and the second gear 1024 from continuing to rotate and keep the current position.

Further, the telescopic motor 108 specifically includes a fixed end 1082 and a telescopic end 1084, the distance between the telescopic end 1084 and the fixed end 1082 is variable, and the two ends of the transmission belt 1046 are fixedly connected to the fixed end 1082 and the telescopic end 1084 respectively.

The two ends of telescoping motor 108 are respectively fixed end 1082 and telescopic end 1084, and the end face of telescopic end 1084 can stretch relative to the end face of fixed end 1082, that is, telescopic end 1084 can be retracted into fixed end 1082, or can from fixed end 1082 to Stretch out, by connecting the two ends of the transmission belt 1046 with the fixed end 1082 and the telescopic end 1084 respectively, in order to realize the change of the shape of the transmission belt 1046 under the two states of the telescopic motor 108 as a whole in the extended state and the contracted state .

Further, the first transmission wheel 1042 and the second transmission wheel 1044 are provided with teeth, and the transmission belt 1046 is provided with first tooth grooves 1050 respectively meshed with the teeth of the first transmission wheel 1042 and the teeth of the second transmission wheel 1044 and the second gullet 1052 .

For the connection between the first transmission wheel 1042, the second transmission wheel 1044 and the transmission belt 1046, the mode of tooth engagement can be adopted, wherein the first transmission wheel 1042 and the second transmission wheel 1044 are provided with teeth, and the transmission belt 1046 Then the first tooth groove 1050 and the second tooth groove 1052 are provided, so that under the rotation of the first gear 1022, the first transmission wheel 1042 is driven to rotate. At this time, the transmission belt can be realized through the cooperation of the teeth and the first tooth groove 1050. The driving of the second transmission wheel 1044 by 1046 will further generate a reverse torque to limit the first gear 1022 and the second gear 1024 from continuing to rotate and prevent the second gear 1024 from continuing to rotate.

Wherein, the teeth can be evenly arranged on the first transmission wheel 1042 and the second transmission wheel 1044 along the circumferential direction, and can also be further arranged on the first transmission wheel 1042 and the second transmission wheel 1044 . Specifically, it only needs to be flexibly set according to the actual rotation range of the hinge assembly 100 .

Similarly, for the first tooth groove 1050 and the second tooth groove 1052, it only needs to be set according to the actual rotation range, that is, the moving range of the transmission belt 1046, and it is not necessary to set all the upper tooth grooves on the inner side of the transmission belt 1046. .

Further, as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 , it also includes: a locking member 110, the locking member 110 is provided with a plurality of claws on one side facing the third gear 1026 and/or the fourth gear 1028; the driving member 112, The driving member 112 is used to drive the locking member 110 to move towards the third gear 1026 and/or the fourth gear 1028, so that the claws are engaged in the third gear 1026 and/or the fourth gear. 1028 , or the driving member 112 is used to drive the locking member 110 to move away from the direction of the third gear 1026 and/or the fourth gear 1028 , so that the pawl is separated from the third gear 1026 and/or the fourth gear 1028 .

In order to improve the overall locking effect of the hinge assembly 100, on the basis of any of the above-mentioned embodiments, an additional physical structure, that is, a locking member 110 is provided, and the locking member 110 mainly prevents the third gear 1026 and the fourth gear from moving. At least one of gears 1028 continues to rotate, thereby achieving the effect of restricting the opposite rotation of the first gear 1022 and the second gear 1024 . Specifically, a plurality of claws are provided on the locking member 110, and the claws are used to snap into at least one of the third gear 1026 and the fourth gear 1028. On this basis, by setting the driving member 112, the driving member 112 Under the action of the locking element 110, it will drive the locking member 110 to move toward or away from the direction of the third gear 1026. When the third gear 1026 is stuck in, the third gear 1026 cannot rotate, and it cannot continue to transmit the first gear 1022 and the second gear. The torque of the gear 1024, thereby maintaining the rotational position of the first gear 1022 and the second gear 1024, and when moving away from it, the claws will be disengaged. At this time, the first gear 1022, the second gear 1024, and the third gear 1026 The previous transmission relationship with the fourth gear 1028 can be restored, and the rotation can be adjusted normally.

Wherein, the driving member 112 can be a telescopic motor or a combination of a common motor and a connecting rod structure, and it only needs to be able to control the locking member 110 to move toward or away from the third gear 1026 .

Further, it also includes: a rotating rod 114 , one end of the rotating rod 114 is provided with a locking member 110 , the driving member 112 is arranged at the other end of the rotating rod 114 , and the moving direction of the driving member 112 is opposite to that of the locking member 110 .

Between the locking member 110 and the driving member 112, there is also a rotating rod 114, which is limited by the space. By arranging the rotating rod 114, the space utilization rate can be greatly improved, especially formed by the overall outer contour of the hinge assembly 100. space. When moving, the moving direction of the driving member 112 is opposite to that of the locking member 110, that is, the two are located at both ends of the rotating rod 114, and the rotating shaft of the rotating rod 114 is arranged in the middle.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7 , the driving member 112 does not drive the rotating rod to rotate, and the driving member 112 drives the rotating rod to rotate, as shown in FIG. 9 .

Further, it also includes: a buffer piece 116 disposed between the locking piece 110 and the rotating rod 114 .

By setting the buffer member 116, on the one hand, the impact force of the locking member 110 when moving toward the third gear 1026 can be buffered, and on the other hand, the accurate locking of the locking member 110 can be guaranteed. 1026 is not blocked by the locking member 110, the buffer member 116 will release the previously stored potential energy, and push the locking member 110 to continue moving towards the third gear 1026, thereby ensuring that the locking member 110 will be stuck on the third gear 1026. The same holds true for the fourth gear 1028 in the tooth groove.

The folding device 200 provided by the embodiment of the second aspect of the present application, as shown in FIG. 10 , includes: a first folding body 202 and a second folding body 204; a hinge assembly 100, which is arranged on the first folding body 202 and the second folding body 204 , the first folding body 202 and the second folding body 204 are rotationally connected through the hinge assembly 100 .

According to the embodiment of the folding device 200 provided in this application, it mainly includes three parts: the first folding body 202 , the second folding body 204 and the hinge assembly 100 , wherein the two ends of the hinge assembly 100 are respectively connected with the first folding body 202 and the second folding body 202 . The two folding bodies 204 are connected, so as to realize the rotational connection between the first folding body 202 and the second folding body 204 under the action of the hinge assembly 100 itself, thereby facilitating the folding or unfolding of the folding device 200 .

In addition, since the folding device 200 includes the hinge assembly 100 of any of the above embodiments, it has the beneficial effects of any of the above embodiments.

Wherein, the foldable device 200 includes foldable devices such as a foldable mobile phone, a foldable tablet, and a foldable notebook.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6 , it also includes: a first hinge 2062, one end of the first hinge 2062 is connected with the first folding body 202, and the other end is connected with the first gear 1022 of the hinge assembly 100; the second hinge 2064 , one end of the second hinge 2064 is connected with the second folding body 204 , and the other end is connected with the second gear 1024 of the hinge assembly 100 .

By setting the first hinge 2062 and the second hinge 2064, the first folding body 202 and the second folding body 204 can be connected, so as to realize the rotational connection between the brackets of the first folding body 202 and the second folding body 204, Since the first gear 1022 and the second gear 1024 move in opposite directions, the rotation directions of the first folding body 202 and the second folding body 204 must also be opposite, which can greatly reduce the external force exerted by the user. Folding and unfolding of the folding device 200 can be operated with only one hand.

Wherein, the connection between the first hinge 2062 and the first folding body 202 may be a detachable connection, such as screw connection, or a fixed connection, such as welding.

Likewise, the connection between the second hinge 2064 and the second folding body 204 can be a detachable connection, such as screw connection, or a fixed connection, such as welding.

In a specific embodiment, a folding terminal is provided, which mainly includes: a housing A (ie, the first folding body 202), a housing B (ie, the second folding body 204), a hinge, and a hinge locking mechanism 104 ( That is, the hinge assembly 100) is composed of housing A and housing B respectively locked on both sides of the hinge by screws; the hinge locking mechanism 104 is fixed on the bracket in the middle of the hinge.

This hinge is mainly made up of hinge bracket, hinge, gear (namely first gear 1022, second gear 1024, third gear 1026 and fourth gear 1028). Wherein the hinge A (ie the first hinge 2062) is fixed on the shaft on which the gear A (ie the first gear 1022) is locked, and the hinge D (ie the second hinge 2064) is fixed on the gear D (ie the second gear 1024 ) on the shaft, when the hinge A rotates, it will drive the gear A to rotate, and the motion will be transmitted to the gear D through the gear B (that is, the third gear 1026) and the gear C (that is, the fourth gear 1028), and the gear A and the gear D turns in the opposite direction, thereby realizing the opposite rotation of hinge A and hinge B, and finally realizing the opening and closing of the terminal.

In a specific embodiment, it also includes a pulley A (ie the first transmission wheel 1042), a pulley B (ie the second transmission wheel 1044), a memory metal belt (ie the transmission belt 1046) and a heating rail (ie the heating element 106). Among them, hinge A, gear A and pulley A are fixed on the same shaft and rotate at the same time; hinge B, gear D and pulley B are fixed on the same shaft and rotate at the same time. The heating guide rail is fixed on the hinge bracket and connected with a control circuit. When the circuit is closed, the guide rail starts heating, and when the circuit is disconnected, the guide rail stops heating. The memory metal belt coil part is straightened at normal temperature. When the temperature rises to a certain level, the belt coil part will bend, and the memory metal will straighten again when the temperature drops below the phase transition temperature.

For this specific embodiment, according to the principle of external gear transmission, gear A and gear D rotate in opposite directions, and according to the principle of pulley transmission, pulley A and pulley B rotate in the same direction. Since gear A and pulley A are coaxial, gear D and pulley A are coaxial. The pulley B is coaxial. When the gear transmission and the pulley transmission work at the same time, the rotation directions of the shaft where the gear A is located and the shaft where the gear D is located will conflict. For example, when the gear A rotates clockwise, it is reasonable to say that the gear D will rotate counterclockwise at the same time. , and at this time, pulley A rotates clockwise like gear A, which will drive pulley B to rotate clockwise. At this time, gear D and pulley B have the opposite torque generated by the pulley to prevent gear D from rotating counterclockwise. The locking mechanism uses the torque generated by this contradiction to lock the hinge. At room temperature, the belt with the shape memory coil is straightened and assembled to the pulley. At this time, the total length of the belt is much longer than the normal working length of the belt. state, the pulley does not work, and the gears and hinges work normally. There are teeth on both sides of the memory metal belt to cooperate with the pulley, which increases the friction between the belt and the pulley and provides greater locking force.

When it needs to be locked, the heating guide rail starts to be heated by electricity, and the heating is above the phase transition temperature. The temperature rises to restore the shape of the alloy, and the shape restoration belt is tightened. At the same time, the shape restoration force will prevent the coil area from being straightened, ensuring that the pulley Strain and work. When the locking is not needed, the heating rail stops working and the temperature drops. When the temperature drops below the phase transition temperature, the cooling makes the coil position memory metal stretch out. When the temperature drops to normal temperature, the coil expands, the belt is in a relaxed state, and the pulley does not work. (eg: TiNi shape memory alloy). Moreover, when the hinge is locked, if the hinge is suddenly subjected to an external force moment far exceeding the designed locking moment, the tension on the belt will be greater than the recovery force generated by the memory metal coil area at high temperature, and the coil will expand, thus avoiding the belt. Excessive tension damages the belt to protect the locking device. The terminal controls whether the heating guide rail is working or not through APP, gesture buttons, buttons, etc., controls the state of the memory metal belt, and then controls the transmission state of the pulley. When it needs to be locked, the pulley transmission mechanism and the gear transmission mechanism work at the same time.

In another specific embodiment, it also includes pulley A (i.e. first transmission wheel 1042), pulley B (i.e. second transmission wheel 1044), belt (i.e. transmission belt 1046) and telescopic motor 108, telescopic motor 108 It is fixed on the hinge bracket and connected with a control circuit. When the circuit is closed, the motor starts to stretch, and when the circuit is disconnected, the motor stops stretching and is in a self-locking state. The belt is fixed at both ends of the motor, and when the motor stretches, it will drive the belt to relax and tighten.

For this specific embodiment, according to the principle of gear transmission, gear A and gear D rotate in opposite directions, and according to the principle of pulley transmission, pulley A and pulley B rotate in the same direction. Since gear A and pulley A are coaxial, gear D and belt The wheel B is coaxial. When the gear transmission and the pulley transmission work at the same time, the rotation directions of the shaft where the gear A is located and the shaft where the gear D is located will conflict. For example, when the gear A rotates clockwise, it is reasonable to say that the gear D will rotate counterclockwise at the same time. At this time, pulley A rotates clockwise like gear A, which will drive pulley B to rotate clockwise. At this time, gear D and pulley B have the opposite torque generated by the pulley to prevent gear D from rotating counterclockwise. The locking mechanism uses the torque generated by this contradiction to realize the locking of the hinge. When the locking is not required, the motor will be powered off and self-locked after the motor is extended to a fixed distance. At the same time, the belt is in a loose state due to the lengthening. The belt drive does not work, the gear drive works normally; when the hinge needs to be locked, the motor shaft will shrink, the pulley will tighten during the contraction process, and finally the belt will be tightened, the pulley drive works normally, the pulley drive mechanism and the gear The transmission mechanism works at the same time to realize the locking of the shaft rotation. When the locking is not required, the motor shaft is extended, and the tension on the belt will decrease during the elongation process. When the elongation reaches a fixed distance, the pulley drive is completely relaxed. Status doesn't work. The terminal controls the expansion and contraction of the motor through the APP, gesture buttons, buttons, etc., controls the slack and tension state of the belt, and then controls the transmission state of the pulley. When it needs to be locked, the pulley transmission mechanism and the gear transmission mechanism work at the same time. In order to make the structure more reliable, the belt is made of high-strength composite materials with good mechanical properties. At the same time, in order to protect the motor and the belt, the motor will automatically open and protect and elongate after being subjected to a tension exceeding the rated load. The design process Calculate the locking force required by the whole machine due to gravity and a certain external force, and then select a suitable motor.

On the basis of any of the above specific embodiments, a motor (ie, the driving element 112 ) and a flexible double-headed pawl (ie, the locking element 110 ) are additionally provided. Wherein, the motor is fixed on the hinge bracket, and the fixed-distance expansion and contraction of the motor is controlled by the PCB board control circuit. One end of the flexible double-headed pawl is fixed on the telescopic end 1084 of the motor through the hinge, and the expansion and contraction of the motor will drive the double-headed pawl around the fixed axis (i.e. Rotating shaft) rotates; the motor is in a shrinking state when the locking mechanism is not working; one end of the double-headed pawl is fixed on the motor, and there is a hole in the middle of the pawl, as shown in Figure 7, assembled on the hinge by the fixed shaft (ie the rotating shaft 120) On the rotating bracket 118 of the support, the ratchet support can rotate around the fixed axis, and the other end of the double-headed ratchet is a U-shaped double-headed ratchet, and the ratchet has two claw heads; when the two claw heads of the double-headed ratchet When they are stuck on gear B and gear C respectively, the gears are stuck and cannot rotate; a silicone spring damper is installed between the pawl bracket and the claw head. The main function of the damper is to reduce the impact of the claw head on the gear, and at the same time protect the motor from Motor overload.

For this additional feature, when the mobile phone is opened and closed to the desired angle, the motor control switch is turned on through gestures, buttons or APP, and the motor judges that the position of the shaft is at the bottom at this time, and the motor shaft begins to elongate, and at the same time drives The double-headed pawl rotates around the fixed axis, and the double-headed pawl rotates towards the gear. The motor stops working after extending to a fixed distance (this distance ensures that the pawl can be locked into the gear slot). Just hit the top or middle of the gear, at this time the motor shaft will continue to extend the set distance, at this time the pawl is supported by the gear radial force, the silicone spring damper will be compressed, and the motor shaft can also normally extend to the set length without As for the motor overload caused by the double-headed pawl bracket being stuck, at this time, if the gear is not stuck, there will be a slight rotation of the spring damper to restore to ensure that the claw head is stuck in the gear groove, thereby protecting the gear from being damaged by the top of the gear teeth. Otherwise, if the gear does not rotate, it means that the gear has been stuck. In this way, the gears B and C are stuck and cannot rotate, so that the gears A and D cannot rotate, and the hinge cannot rotate. When it is necessary to rotate, turn on the motor control switch through gestures, buttons or APP. The motor judges that the position of the shaft is at the top and the motor shaft starts to shrink. The claw head is separated from the gear, and finally the gap between the claw head and the gear is ensured enough, and the motor stops working at this time.

According to the embodiment of the hinge assembly and the folding device of the present application, by providing the locking mechanism and the deformation part, when the deformation part is in the locking position, a reverse torque can be produced for the reverse rotation of the first gear and the second gear, Therefore, the folding of the hinge assembly can be locked at any position.

In the description of this specification, descriptions of the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "specific embodiments" and the like mean that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in this application In at least one embodiment or example of . In this specification, schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

The above are only preferred embodiments of the present application, and are not intended to limit the present application. For those skilled in the art, there may be various modifications and changes in the present application. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of this application shall be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

A hinge assembly comprising:

first gear and second gear;

a third gear meshing with the first gear and a fourth gear meshing with the second gear, the third gear meshing with the second gear;

The locking mechanism includes a first transmission wheel, a second transmission wheel and a transmission belt, the first transmission wheel is arranged coaxially with the first gear and connected with the first gear, the second transmission wheel is connected to the the second gear is arranged coaxially and connected with the second gear;

The deformation part is arranged on the transmission belt. When the deformation part is in a locked state, the transmission belt is in transmission connection with the first transmission wheel and the second transmission wheel. When the deformation part is in a relaxed state , the transmission belt is disconnected from the first transmission wheel and the second transmission wheel.
The hinge assembly according to claim 1, wherein the material of the deformation part is a phase change material, and the hinge assembly further comprises:

The heating element is arranged opposite to the deformation part, the heating element is used to change the temperature of the environment where the deformation part is located, the deformation part is in the locked position at the first temperature, and the deformation part is at the first temperature being in said relaxed posture at two temperatures;

Wherein, the first temperature is lower than the second temperature.
The hinge assembly according to claim 2, wherein,

The deformation part is disposed opposite to the third gear and the fourth gear; and/or

The stress of the deformation part on the first transmission wheel and/or the second transmission wheel in the locked position is greater than the stress of the deformation part on the first transmission wheel and/or the second transmission wheel in the relaxed position. The stress of the second transmission wheel.
The hinge assembly according to claim 2, wherein the projected contour line of the heating element on the end face of the first gear is straight, and is perpendicular to the axis of the first gear and the second gear. In the direction of the connecting line, the heating element covers the deformation part.
The hinge assembly according to claim 1, wherein the deformation part is a telescopic motor, and the transmission belts are respectively connected to both ends of the telescopic motor, and when the telescopic motor is in an extended state, the deformation The deformation part is in the relaxed position; when the telescopic motor is in the retracted state, the deformation part is in the locked position.
The hinge assembly according to claim 5, wherein the telescopic motor specifically includes a fixed end and a telescopic end, the distance between the telescopic end and the fixed end is variable, and the two ends of the transmission belt are respectively connected to the The fixed end is fixedly connected with the telescopic end.
The hinge assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first transmission wheel and the second transmission wheel are provided with teeth, and the transmission belt is provided with teeth respectively connected to the first transmission wheel. The teeth of the wheel are meshed with the teeth of the second transmission wheel and the first tooth groove and the second tooth groove.
The hinge assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising:

A locking member, the locking member is provided with a plurality of claws on one side facing the third gear and/or the fourth gear;

The driving part is in transmission connection with the locking part, and the driving part is used to drive the locking part to move towards the direction of the third gear and/or the fourth gear, so that the claws snap into The third gear and/or the fourth gear, or the driving member is used to drive the locking member to move away from the direction of the third gear and/or the fourth gear, so that the card A pawl is disengaged from said third gear and/or said fourth gear.
The hinge assembly according to claim 8, further comprising:

A rotating rod, one end of the rotating rod is provided with the locking member, the driving member is arranged at the other end of the rotating rod, and the moving direction of the driving member is opposite to that of the locking member.
A folding device comprising:

a first folding body and a second folding body;

The hinge assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9, which is arranged between the first folding body and the second folding body, and the first folding body and the second folding body pass through the The hinge assembly realizes the rotational connection.