WO2023207816A1

WO2023207816A1 - Foldable support plate, flexible screen module, and foldable electronic device

Info

Publication number: WO2023207816A1
Application number: PCT/CN2023/089968
Authority: WO
Inventors: 王海洋; 王维; 赵欢; 杨秀南; 陈倩滢
Original assignee: 华为技术有限公司
Priority date: 2022-04-28
Filing date: 2023-04-23
Publication date: 2023-11-02
Also published as: CN114822255A

Abstract

Provided are a foldable support plate (130), a flexible screen module (110), and a foldable electronic device. A second support plate (1302) may be provided on a first support plate (1301) of the foldable support plate (130), and the second support plate (1302) may be located at a foldable portion (13013) of the first support plate (1301). On the basis of the first support plate (1301), the second support plate (1302) can provide support, cushioning, and other functions to the flexible display screen (110), such that the bending, support, cushioning, and other functions of the foldable support portion (13013) of the foldable support plate (130) can be adjusted. Because a fixed area between the first support plate (1301) and the second support plate (1302) is relatively small, the stacking fault force between the first support plate (1301) and the second support plate (1302) is relatively small, thereby enabling the foldable support plate (130) to achieve good bending performance.

Description

Foldable support panels, flexible screen modules and foldable electronic devices

This application requests the priority of the Chinese patent application submitted to the China Patent Office on April 28, 2022, with application number 202210456526.5 and the application name "Foldable Support Plate, Flexible Screen Module and Foldable Electronic Device", and its entire contents incorporated herein by reference.

Technical field

Embodiments of the present application relate to the field of electronic devices, and more specifically, to a foldable support plate, a flexible screen module and a foldable electronic device.

Background technique

Users have increasingly demanded electronic devices that are large in size and easy to carry. Therefore, electronic devices with foldable flexible displays (ie, foldable electronic devices) have received widespread attention. Among them, the flexible display screen can be unfolded when in use to provide a larger display area; the flexible display screen can be folded and closed when not in use to reduce the space occupied by the foldable electronic device.

Foldable electronic devices can be transformed from an unfolded state to a folded state by folding outwards. In this case, since the folding area of the flexible display screen is exposed on the surface of the foldable electronic device, the folding area of the flexible display screen is usually relatively fragile and easily damaged by bumps and other collisions. How to improve the impact resistance of foldable electronic devices is a problem that needs to be solved.

Contents of the invention

Embodiments of the present application provide a foldable support plate, a flexible screen module, and a foldable electronic device, with the purpose of improving the impact resistance of the foldable support plate, the flexible screen module, and the foldable electronic device.

In a first aspect, a foldable support plate is provided. The foldable support plate is applied to a foldable electronic device. The foldable electronic device includes a flexible display screen. The foldable support plate includes:

A first support plate, the first support plate is used to carry the flexible display screen. The first support plate includes a first part, a second part and a foldable part. The foldable part is connected between the first part and the flexible display screen. between said second parts;

A second support plate is provided on the foldable portion and is located on a side of the first support plate away from the flexible display screen, at least part of the first part and at least part of the second support plate. Two parts are not covered by the second support plate.

The second support plate can provide support, buffering and other properties for the flexible display screen on the basis of the first support plate, so that the bending, support, buffering and other properties of the foldable support portion of the foldable support plate can be adjusted. Since the foldable support plate is locally thickened, the fixing area between the first support plate and the second support plate is relatively small, and the stacking fault force between the first support plate and the second support plate is relatively small, so the foldable The support plate has relatively good bending properties.

In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the second support plate includes a first support layer and a second support layer, and the first support layer and the second support layer satisfy the following: one or more:

The material of the first support layer and the material of the second support layer are different;

The thickness of the first support layer and the thickness of the second support layer are different.

The support layer with relatively greater stiffness among the first support layer and the second support layer can be used to provide support force, and the support layer with relatively less stiffness among the first support layer and the second support layer can be used to provide relatively better bending force. foldability.

By adjusting the thickness of the first support layer and the second support layer, the bending properties and impact resistance of the first support layer and the second support layer can be adjusted.

In the case where the first support layer is located on the outside and the second support layer is located on the inside, when the foldable electronic device is in a folded state, the first support layer may have a tendency to be stretched and the second support layer may have a tendency to be compressed. . Since the thickness of the first support layer is relatively large, the first support layer will not be significantly thinned locally due to stretching; because the thickness of the second support layer is relatively small, the first support layer will not be significantly thinned locally due to compression. Thickening. Therefore, after the foldable electronic device is repeatedly bent, the overall flatness of the second support plate can be relatively good.

With reference to the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the stiffness of the first support layer is less than the stiffness of the second support layer, and the first support layer is located close to the second support plate. On one side of the first support plate, the second support layer is located on a side of the second support plate away from the first support plate.

When the shock wave from the flexible display screen is transmitted to the hinge mechanism and rebounds to the second support layer, due to the relatively large stiffness of the second support layer, the overall deformation of the second support layer is relatively small under the action of the shock wave, and The second support layer is less prone to local stress concentration. That is, the shock wave spreads out relatively easily on the second support layer. The pressure exerted by the second support layer on the first support layer is relatively small. The stiffness of the first support layer is relatively small, and the shock wave is dispersed by the second support layer. Therefore, the entire first support layer can be used to absorb shock waves, which is beneficial to reducing unbuffered shock waves.

With reference to the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the foldable support plate further includes a third support plate, the third support plate is provided on the first part and is located on the first support plate. On the side away from the flexible display screen, the third support plate includes a first support plate receiving groove, and the first support plate receiving groove is located on the side of the third support plate close to the flexible display screen. , the opening of the first support plate receiving groove is located on the side of the third support plate close to the foldable part, and the second support plate is fixed in the first support plate receiving groove.

When the foldable support panel is folded, the deformations of the first support panel and the second support panel cannot be fully coordinated, so there may be a stacking force between the first support panel and the second support panel. By firmly connecting the second support plate and the third support plate, it is helpful to constrain the position of the second support plate in the foldable electronic device and reduce the possibility of the second support plate slipping relative to the first support plate.

In some embodiments, the fourth support plate may be provided with a fourth support plate receiving groove. The fourth support plate receiving groove may be located on a side of the fourth support plate facing the flexible display screen. The opening of the fourth support plate receiving groove may be disposed toward the foldable portion of the first support plate. The second support plate can also be accommodated in the fourth support plate receiving groove.

Both the first part and the second part of the first support plate may be regarded as not undergoing folding deformation. Fixedly connecting the two ends of the second support plate to the part of the foldable electronic device that does not undergo folding deformation is beneficial to at least partially offsetting the symmetrical deformation force experienced by the second support plate, and is also beneficial to further reducing the relative stress between the second support plate and the foldable electronic device. The possibility of slipping on the first support plate.

With reference to the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the foldable portion is provided with a first support plate groove body, and the second support plate covers the first support plate groove body.

In some embodiments, the first support plate groove body may be a through groove or a blind groove.

In some embodiments, the first supporting plate groove body can be processed by chemical etching or mechanical cutting, for example.

In some embodiments, the port shape of the first support plate groove body may be a track shape, a bone shape, a dumbbell shape, etc. The first support plate tank body provided in the embodiment of the present application may also have other shapes.

Providing the first support plate groove body in the foldable part of the first support plate is helpful to reduce the external force required to bend the foldable support part.

With reference to the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the second support plate is filled in the first support plate slot.

The first support plate groove body can constrain the second support plate and reduce the possibility of the second support plate slipping relative to the first support plate under the action of stacking fault force.

With reference to the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the second support plate includes a second support plate slot.

Providing a second support plate groove body on the second support plate is beneficial to improving the bending property of the second support plate.

With reference to the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the second support plate groove body is a blind groove, and the opening of the second support plate groove body is located away from the second support plate. One side of the support plate.

The opening of the second support plate groove body is arranged away from the flexible display screen, which is beneficial to reducing the impact of the deformation of the opening of the second support plate groove body on the flexible display screen.

With reference to the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the foldable part is provided with a first support plate slot, and the second support plate slot is located at the projection area of the first support plate. outside the first support plate tank body.

In the part of the first support plate with better bendability, the second support plate can provide supporting force for the flexible display screen; in the part of the second support plate with better bendability, the first support plate can be a flexible display screen. Provide support. Therefore, it is advantageous to make the performance of the second support plate and the performance of the second support plate complementary.

In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the material of the second support plate includes one or more of the following: polyethylene terephthalate PET, polyimide PI, Stainless steel, titanium alloy sheet, copper alloy, aluminum alloy, carbon fiber, aramid fiber, glass fiber, thermoplastic polyurethane rubber TPU.

In some embodiments, the stiffness of the metal material may be greater than the stiffness of the fiber material, the stiffness of the fiber material may be greater than the hard polymer material, and the stiffness of the fiber material may be greater than the elastic buffer material.

The second support plate has a relatively large stiffness, which is beneficial to providing support for the flexible display screen and reducing the possibility that the flexible display screen will be sunk toward the foldable support plate under impact. The stiffness of the second support plate is relatively small, which is beneficial to the shock wave from the flexible display screen and reduces the possibility of the shock wave reversely impacting the flexible display screen.

In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the processing process of the second support plate includes one or more of the following: pasting, spraying, coating, and 3D printing.

The second support plate can be manufactured separately from the first support plate, and the first support plate and the second support plate can be assembled into one body through colloid. Providing the second support plate in a pasting manner is beneficial to improving the processing efficiency of the foldable support plate.

Providing the second support plate through additive manufacturing is conducive to reducing the total thickness of the foldable support plate and providing sufficient turning space for the hinge mechanism. The hinge mechanism has a relatively large turning space, so the user can bend the foldable support plate with relatively small bending force. The foldable support plate can be made of materials with relatively high stiffness to provide sufficient support for the flexible display.

With reference to the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the flexible display screen is an outward-foldable display screen.

A second aspect provides a flexible screen module, including a flexible display screen and a foldable support plate as described in any possible implementation of the first aspect.

A third aspect provides a foldable electronic device, which is characterized by including a flexible display screen and a foldable support plate as described in any possible implementation of the first aspect.

With reference to the third aspect, in some implementations of the third aspect, the foldable electronic device further includes a hinge mechanism, and the second support plate is fixedly connected to the hinge mechanism.

The flexible display screen can be fixedly connected to the hinge mechanism through the second support plate. Therefore, after multiple foldings, the possibility of the flexible display screen arching and breaking away from the hinge mechanism is relatively small.

With reference to the third aspect, in some implementations of the third aspect, the foldable electronic device further includes a first side frame surrounding the outer periphery of the flexible display screen, and the first side frame The frame is fixedly connected to the hinge mechanism, and the first side frame includes a second support plate receiving slot, and the second support plate receiving slot is located on a side of the first side frame close to the flexible display screen, so The opening of the second support plate receiving slot is located on a side of the first side frame close to the hinge mechanism, and the second support plate is fixed in the second support plate receiving slot.

When the foldable support panel is folded, the deformations of the first support panel and the second support panel cannot be fully coordinated, so there may be a stacking force between the first support panel and the second support panel. By firmly connecting the second support plate to the first side frame, it is helpful to constrain the position of the second support plate in the foldable electronic device and reduce the possibility of the second support plate slipping relative to the first support plate.

In some embodiments, the second side frame may include a third support plate receiving slot, and the third support plate receiving slot may be located on a side of the second side frame close to the flexible display screen and located on a side of the second side frame close to the hinge mechanism. side. The second support plate can be accommodated in the third support plate accommodating groove, and is fixedly connected with the groove wall of the third support plate accommodating groove through colloid.

Since both the first side frame and the second side frame can be regarded as not undergoing folding deformation. Fixedly connecting the two ends of the second support plate to the part of the foldable electronic device that does not undergo folding deformation is advantageous so that the symmetrical deformation force on the second support plate can be at least partially offset.

Description of the drawings

Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a foldable electronic device provided by an embodiment of the present application.

Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a foldable electronic device folded outward.

Figure 3 is an exploded view of a foldable electronic device provided by an embodiment of the present application.

Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a foldable support plate provided by an embodiment of the present application.

Figure 5 is a schematic structural diagram of a flexible screen module provided by an embodiment of the present application.

Figure 6 is a partial structural diagram of a foldable electronic device provided by an embodiment of the present application.

Figure 7 is a schematic structural diagram of three foldable electronic devices provided by embodiments of the present application.

Figure 8 is a schematic structural diagram of three second support plates provided by embodiments of the present application.

Figure 9 is a schematic structural diagram of three foldable electronic devices provided by embodiments of the present application.

Figure 10 is a schematic structural diagram of another foldable support plate provided by an embodiment of the present application.

Figure 11 is a schematic structural diagram of another foldable support plate provided by an embodiment of the present application.

Figure 12 is a schematic structural diagram of two flexible screen modules provided by embodiments of the present application.

Figure 13 is a schematic structural diagram of yet another foldable support plate provided by an embodiment of the present application.

Figure 14 is a schematic structural diagram of four flexible screen modules provided by embodiments of the present application.

Detailed ways

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a foldable electronic device 100 provided by an embodiment of the present application. The foldable electronic device 100 may be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a watch, an e-reader, a notebook computer, a wearable device, or other electronic device with a folding function. The embodiment shown in Figure 1 takes a foldable mobile phone as an example for explanation.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the foldable electronic device 100 may include a flexible display 110 , a first side frame 121 , a first cover 122 , a second side frame 123 , a second cover 124 , and a hinge mechanism 125 . In some embodiments, the first side frame 121 , the first cover 122 , the second side frame 123 , and the second cover 124 may form a housing of the flexible display screen 110 . In other embodiments, at least one of the first cover 122 and the second cover 124 may be a display screen.

The flexible display screen 110 can be schematically represented by a pattern filled with electrical arrays in FIG. 1 . The flexible display 110 can be highly flexible and bendable, and can provide users with new interaction methods based on the bendable properties. The display panel of the flexible display 110 may be, for example, a liquid crystal flexible display (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), an active matrix organic light emitting diode or an active matrix organic light emitting diode. Any one of active-matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED), flexible light-emitting diode (FLED), quantum dot light emitting diode (QLED), etc., embodiments of the present application There is no restriction on this.

The flexible display screen 110 may include a first display part 111 corresponding to the first cover 122 , a second display part 112 corresponding to the second cover 124 , and a foldable display part 113 corresponding to the hinge mechanism 125 . The foldable display part 113 may be connected between the first display part 111 and the second display part 112.

The first side frame 121 may surround the outer periphery of the first cover 122 and the outer periphery of the first display part 111 . The first display part 111 can be disposed parallel to the first cover 122 and spaced apart, and the first display part 111 and the first cover 122 can be located on both sides of the first side frame 121 . The space between the first display part 111 and the first cover 122 can be used to install components of the foldable electronic device 100, such as antennas, circuit board components, etc.

The second side frame 123 may surround the outer periphery of the second cover 124 and the outer periphery of the second display part 112 . The second display part 112 can be disposed parallel to the second cover 124 and spaced apart, and the second display part 112 and the second cover 124 can be located on both sides of the second side frame 123 . The space between the second display part 112 and the second cover 124 can be used to install components of the foldable electronic device 100, such as antennas, circuit board components, etc.

In an embodiment provided by this application, the cover and the side frame may be two parts of the casing of the foldable electronic device 100. The cover and the side frame may be connected, and the connection may not be in a form such as a snap connection. , sticky, welding, riveting, clearance fit and other assembly methods. The connection between the cover and the side frame is usually difficult to separate. In another embodiment provided by this application, the cover body and the side frame may be two different components. By assembling the cover body and the side frames together, a casing of the foldable electronic device 100 can be formed.

The hinge mechanism 125 may be connected between the first cover 122 and the second cover 124 . The foldable display part 113 of the flexible display screen 110 may be fixed on the hinge mechanism 125 . Under the action of the hinge mechanism 125, the first cover 122 and the second cover 124 can move closer to or move away from each other. Correspondingly, the first display part 111 of the flexible display screen 110 and the second display part 112 of the flexible display screen 110 can be close to or far away from each other, so that the flexible display screen 110 can be folded or expand.

In one example, the hinge mechanism 125 may include a main shaft component, a first hinge component, and a second hinge component. The first hinge component can be fixed to the first cover 122, the second hinge component can be fixed to the second cover 124, and the first hinge component and the second hinge component can rotate relative to the main shaft component. Through the mutual movement of the first hinge component and the second hinge component, the first cover body 122 and the second cover body 124 can be driven to move relative to each other, thereby realizing the opening and closing function of the foldable electronic device 100 .

The foldable electronic device 100 shown in FIG. 1 is currently in an unfolded state. In the unfolded state, the angle between the first cover 122 and the second cover 124 may be approximately 180°. The flexible display screen 110 may be in an unfolded state as shown in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 2 shows a possible folded state of the foldable electronic device 100 . Among them, FIG. 2 shows the outward folded state of the foldable electronic device 100 . The outward folding state shown in FIG. 2 may be, for example, a left and right outward folding state or an up and down outward folding state. A possible folding state of the foldable electronic device 100 is described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 .

In this application, the fact that the foldable electronic device 100 is in a folded state may mean that the foldable electronic device 100 is currently bent, and the bending degree of the foldable electronic device 100 reaches the maximum. At this time, the first cover 122 and the second cover 124 can be parallel to each other, spaced apart from each other, and facing each other, and the separation distance between the first cover 122 and the second cover 124 is minimum; similarly, the first display portion 111 and the second display part 112 may be parallel to each other, spaced apart from each other, and facing each other, and the distance between the first display part 111 and the second display part 112 is minimum. At this time, the first display part 111 and the second display part 112 may be regarded as being located on different planes.

1 and 2 , when the foldable electronic device 100 is in the outward folding state, the first cover 122 and the second cover 124 can be close to each other, and the first display part 111 and the second display part 112 can be close to each other. . The first display part 111 , the second display part 112 and the foldable display part 123 may form a housing area for accommodating the first cover 122 , the second cover 124 and the hinge mechanism 125 . That is to say, the first cover 122 , the second cover 124 , and the hinge mechanism 125 can be accommodated in the space between the first display part 111 and the second display part 112 .

FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the foldable electronic device 100 shown in FIG. 1 . As shown in FIG. 3 , the foldable electronic device 100 may include a foldable support panel 130 . The foldable support plate 130 may be, for example, a metal thin material, such as stainless steel thin material, titanium alloy thin material, copper alloy thin material or aluminum alloy thin material. The foldable support plate 130 can be received in the space between the housing of the foldable electronic device 100 and the flexible display screen 110 . The foldable support plate 130 may have a certain strength and rigidity, and the foldable support plate 130 may have relatively excellent bending performance. The foldable support plate 130 can provide supporting force for the flexible display screen 110 , which is beneficial to ensuring the overall flatness of the flexible display screen 110 , thereby ensuring the anti-extrusion performance of the foldable electronic device 100 . If the support force is insufficient, the flexible display screen 110 may delaminate.

In a possible scenario, the foldable support plate 130 can be pasted on the flexible display screen 110 to form the flexible screen module 200 of the foldable electronic device 100 . In another possible scenario, the foldable support plate can be pasted on the hinge mechanism 125, thereby forming a foldable module of a foldable electronic device.

The foldable support plate 130 may include a first support part 131 , a second support part 132 , and a foldable support part 133 . The first support part 131 can be correspondingly attached to the first display part 111 of the flexible display screen 110 , and the first support part 131 may be located between the first display part 111 and the first cover 122 . The second support part 132 can be correspondingly attached to the second display part 112 of the flexible display screen 110 , and the second support part 132 may be located between the second display part 112 and the second cover 124 . The foldable support part 133 may correspond to the foldable display part 113 attached to the flexible display screen 110 , and the foldable support part 133 may be located between the foldable display part 113 and the hinge mechanism 125 .

When the flexible display screen 110 is operating normally, the electronic devices (such as light-emitting diodes, semiconductors, etc.) in the flexible display screen 110 will accumulate charges. If the charge accumulates too much on the flexible display screen 110, the normal use of the flexible display screen 110 may be affected. In some embodiments, the foldable support plate 130 can be electrically connected to the flexible display screen 110 , so that the foldable support plate 130 can be used to transfer excess charges on the flexible display screen 110 , thereby improving the performance of the foldable electronic device 100 . Radio frequency performance (such as reducing radiated spurious emission (RSE) of the foldable electronic device 100). In one example, the foldable support plate 130 and the flexible display screen 110 may be pasted together through a conductive adhesive layer (such as conductive foam, conductive double-sided mesh adhesive, etc.).

The foldable support plate 130 provided by the embodiment of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 . Observing the foldable support plate 130 along the X direction shown by the dotted line in FIG. 3 , a schematic structural diagram of the foldable support plate 130 as shown in FIG. 4 can be obtained.

The foldable support panel 130 may include a first support panel 1301 . The first support plate 1301 can be used to be attached to the flexible display screen 110 to provide relatively reliable support for the flexible display screen 110 . In a possible case, the material of the first support plate 1301 may be metal, such as stainless steel, titanium alloy, copper alloy or aluminum alloy.

The first support plate 1301 may include a first part 13011, a second part 13012, and a foldable part 13013. The first part 13011 may be located on the first support part 131 of the foldable support plate 130 and correspondingly adhered to the first display part 111 of the flexible display screen 110 . The second part 13012 may be located on the second support part 132 of the foldable support plate 130 and correspondingly adhered to the second display part 112 of the flexible display screen 110 . The foldable part 13013 may be located on the foldable support part 133 of the foldable support plate 130 and correspondingly adhered to the foldable display part 113 of the flexible display screen 110 .

Foldable support panel 130 may also include a second support panel 1302 . The second support plate 1302 may be disposed on the foldable portion 13013 of the first support plate 1301. The second support plate 1302 may be located on a side of the first support plate 1301 away from the flexible display screen 110 . The projected area of the second support plate 1302 on the first support plate 1301 at least partially coincides with the foldable portion 13013 of the first support plate 1301 . The second support plate 1302 may cover part or all of the foldable portion 13013. The thickness of the second support plate 1302 may be greater than, equal to, or less than the thickness of the first support plate 1301 .

In some embodiments, the projected area of the second support plate 1302 on the first support plate 1301 may be located within the foldable portion 13013. That is to say, the projection area of the second support plate 1302 on the first support plate 1301 may not coincide with the first part 13011 and the second part 13012 of the first support plate 1301 . That is, the second support plate 1302 does not cover the first part 13011 and the second part 13012. In other embodiments, the projection area of the second support plate 1302 on the first support plate 1301 may also only partially coincide with the first part 13011 and/or the second part 13012 of the first support plate 1301 . That is, only part of the first part 13011 and only part of the second part 13012 are covered by the second support plate 1302 .

When the foldable support plate 130 is impacted, the second support plate 1302 can be beneficial to absorb the shock wave on the basis of the first support plate 1301, and can also be beneficial to providing support for the relatively fragile foldable display portion 113 of the flexible display 110. .

In one possible case, the second support plate 1302 can absorb the shock wave through elastic deformation after being impacted, which is beneficial to reducing the amount of plastic deformation of the second support plate 1302 . On the one hand, the second support plate 1302 can continue to provide reliable support for the flexible display screen 110 after being impacted; on the other hand, since the deformation of the second support plate 1302 can elastically recover, the first support plate 1301 can The deformation amount caused by the traction of the support plate 1302 can be restored, which is beneficial to maintaining the foldable support plate 130 to provide reliable support for the flexible display screen 110 .

In some embodiments shown in FIG. 4 , the foldable support plate 130 may further include a third support plate 1303 and a fourth Support plate 1304. The third support plate 1303 and the fourth support plate 1304 may be located on both sides of the second support plate 1302 respectively.

3 and 4 , the third support plate 1303 can be attached to the first part 13011 of the first support plate 1301 and be located on the side of the first part 13011 away from the flexible display screen 110 . The first part 13011 and the third support plate 1303 may correspond to the first support part 131 of the foldable support plate 130 and correspond to the first display part 111 of the flexible display screen 110 .

3 and 4 , the fourth support plate 1304 can be attached to the second part 13012 of the first support plate 1301 and be located on the side of the second part 13012 away from the flexible display screen 110 . The second part 13012 and the fourth support plate 1304 may correspond to the second support part 132 of the foldable support plate 130 and correspond to the second display part 112 of the flexible display screen 110 .

3 and 4 , the foldable portion 13013 may correspond to the foldable support portion 133 of the foldable support plate 130 . The foldable portion 13013 may provide support for the foldable display portion 113 of the flexible display 110 .

The third support plate 1303 may include a thin material, and the material of the thin material may be stainless steel, titanium alloy, copper alloy, aluminum alloy, etc. In some embodiments, the third support plate 1303 may also include a plating layer wrapped around the periphery of the thin material. The material of the plating layer may include, for example, nickel, gold, silver or vanadium. Plating can protect thin materials. In one possible case, the thickness of the third support plate 1303 may be greater than the thickness of the second support plate 1302 . The fourth support plate 1304 may have a similar structure to the third support plate 1303 .

When the projection area of the second support plate 1302 on the first support plate 1301 may only partially coincide with the first part 13011 of the first support plate 1301, a first support plate receiving groove may be provided on the third support plate 1303. The first support plate receiving groove may be located on a side of the third support plate 1303 facing the flexible display screen 110 . The opening of the first support plate receiving groove may be disposed toward the foldable portion 13013 of the first support plate 1301 . The second support plate 1302 may be received in the first support plate receiving groove.

When the projection area of the second support plate 1302 on the first support plate 1301 may only partially overlap with the second part 13012 of the first support plate 1301, a fourth support plate receiving slot may be provided on the fourth support plate 1304. . The fourth support plate receiving groove may be located on a side of the fourth support plate 1304 facing the flexible display screen 110 . The opening of the fourth support plate receiving groove may be disposed toward the foldable portion 13013 of the first support plate 1301 . The second support plate 1302 can also be accommodated in the fourth support plate receiving groove.

When the foldable support plate 130 is folded, the deformations of the first support plate 1301 and the second support plate 1302 cannot be fully coordinated, so there may be a stacking force between the first support plate 1301 and the second support plate 1302 . By fixedly connecting the second support plate 1302 to the third support plate 1303 and/or the fourth support plate 1304, it is helpful to constrain the second support plate 1302 in the position of the foldable electronic device 100 and reduce the relative position of the second support plate 1302 to the foldable electronic device 100. Possibility of support plate 1301 slipping.

Both the first part 13011 and the second part 13012 of the first support plate 1301 can be regarded as not undergoing folding deformation. Fixedly connecting the two ends of the second support plate 1302 to the portion of the foldable electronic device 100 that does not undergo folding deformation is beneficial to at least partially offsetting the symmetrical deformation force experienced by the second support plate 1302 , and is also beneficial to further reducing the second support plate 1302 . Possibility of the support plate 1302 slipping relative to the first support plate 1301 .

Figure 5 shows a schematic structural diagram of a flexible screen module 200 provided by this application. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 , the flexible screen module 200 may include the foldable support plate 130 shown in FIG. 4 and the flexible display screen 110 shown in FIG. 3 . In another embodiment, the foldable support plate 130 and the hinge mechanism 125 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 may belong to the foldable module of the foldable electronic device 100 , and the flexible display 110 may belong to the flexible screen module 200 .

The arrangement scheme of the foldable support plate 130 provided by the embodiment of the present application in the foldable electronic device 100 will be described below through FIG. 6 . FIG. 6 shows a partial schematic diagram of a foldable electronic device 100 provided by this application.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 , the foldable electronic device 100 may be in a folded state. The flexible display screen 110 may be located on the outside of the foldable electronic device 100 , and the foldable support plate 130 may be located on the inside of the flexible display screen 110 . The foldable support panel 130 may include a first support panel 1301 and a second support panel 1302 . The flexible display screen 110 and the first support plate 1301 can be pasted together through the glue 140 . The second support plate 1302 may be located on a side of the first support plate 1301 away from the flexible display screen 110 and facing the hinge mechanism 125 . By the second support plate 1302 being fixedly connected to the hinge mechanism 125, the foldable support plate 130 and the hinge mechanism 125 can be fixedly connected.

The hinge mechanism 125 may include a hinge main shaft 1251, a first support rod 1252, and a first hinge connecting rod 1253. The first support rod 1252 can cooperate with the hinge main axis 1251, so that the first support rod 1252 can rotate around the hinge main axis 1251. The first hinge connecting rod 1253 may be located on a side of the first support rod 1252 away from the hinge main axis 1251 . The first hinge connecting rod 1253 can cooperate with the first support rod 1252, so that the first hinge connecting rod 1253 can rotate around the hinge main axis 1251. The first hinge connecting rod 1253 may be fixedly connected to the first side frame 121 . The first hinge connecting rod 1253 may be located on the same plane as the first side frame 121 .

It is assumed that when the foldable electronic device 100 is in a folded state, there is a target plane that is perpendicularly disposed relative to the first cover 122 shown in FIG. 1 and passes through the hinge main axis 1251 . There is a certain distance between the rotation center of the first support rod 1252 and the target plane. During the process of the foldable electronic device 100 transitioning from the folded state to the unfolded state, the first support rod 1252 can rotate about the hinge main axis 1251, so that the first support rod 1252 can rotate to the target plane. In one possible case, the rotation angle of the first support rod 1252 around the hinge main axis 1251 may be α, 0°<α<90°. Therefore, when the foldable electronic device 100 is in the unfolded state, the first support rod 1252 can be located on the same plane as the hinge main axis 1251 .

When the foldable electronic device 100 is in the folded state, the first hinge connecting rod 1253 can be positioned vertically relative to the aforementioned assumed target plane, and therefore the first side frame 121 can be positioned vertically relative to the target plane. When the foldable electronic device 100 is transformed from the folded state to the unfolded state, the first support rod 1252 rotates around the hinge main axis 1251, which can drive the first hinge connecting rod 1253 to approach and move to the target plane; the first hinge connecting rod 1253 can Rotate around the first support rod 1252 so that the angle between the first hinge connecting rod 1253 and the target plane can gradually decrease. In one possible case, the rotation angle of the first hinge connecting rod 1253 around the first support rod 1252 may be 90°-α. Therefore, when the foldable electronic device 100 is in the unfolded state, the first side frame 121 , the first hinge connecting rod 1253 and the first support plate 1301 may be located on the same plane as the hinge main axis 1251 .

The hinge mechanism 125 can also include a second support rod 1254 and a second hinge connecting rod 1255 . The second support rod 1254 and the first support rod 1252 may be disposed symmetrically with respect to the hinge main axis 1251 . The second hinge connecting rod 1255 and the first hinge connecting rod 1253 may be arranged symmetrically with respect to the hinge main axis 1251 . The second support rod 1254 can cooperate with the hinge main axis 1251, so that the second support rod 1254 can rotate around the hinge main axis 1251. The second hinge connecting rod 1255 may be located on a side of the second support rod 1254 away from the hinge main axis 1251 . The second hinge connecting rod 1255 can cooperate with the second support rod 1254 so that the second hinge connecting rod 1255 can rotate about the hinge main axis 1251 . The second hinge connecting rod 1255 can be fixedly connected with the second side frame 123 . The second hinge connecting rod 1255 may be located on the same plane as the second side frame 123 . During the process of the foldable electronic device 100 from the folded state to the unfolded state, the cooperation principle of the hinge mechanism 125, the second support rod 1254 and the second hinge connecting rod 1255 can be referred to the hinge mechanism 125, the first support rod 1252 and the first The matching principle of hinge connecting rod 1253.

FIG. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of three foldable electronic devices 100 provided by embodiments of the present application.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 , the first support plate 1301 of the foldable support plate 130 can be connected with the first side frame 121 Fixedly connected to the second side frame 123 . The area of the first support plate 1301 that is fixedly connected to the first side frame 121 and the second side frame 123 may be located outside the second support plate 1302 . The second support plate 1302 may be located between the first side frame 121 and the second side frame 123 .

In this application, specific methods of fixed connection include but are not limited to one or more of the following: bonding, welding, threaded fastening, snapping, and riveting.

In some embodiments, there may be a gap between the second support plate 1302 and the first side frame 121 to facilitate assembly positioning between the foldable support plate 130 , the first side frame 121 and the second side frame 123 .

In one embodiment, colloid may be filled between the second support plate 1302 and the first side frame 121 . When the foldable electronic device 100 is folded, the second support plate 1302 may bend. The deformation amount of the side of the second support plate 1302 close to the first support plate 1301 is different from the deformation amount of the side of the second support plate 1302 away from the first support plate 1301 . Therefore, the second support plate 1302 may have a tendency to peel off from the first support plate 1301 . If the edge of the second support plate 1302 is peeled off from the first support plate 1301, the edge of the second support plate 1302 cannot follow the bending deformation of the first support plate 1301, so the edge of the second support plate 1302 may act on the first support The flexible display screen 110 may be squeezed by the local protrusions of the first support plate 1301 and be damaged. By filling colloid between the second support plate 1302 and the first side frame 121, it is beneficial to make the edge of the second support plate 1302 move with the first side frame 121, which is beneficial to reducing the friction between the first support plate 1301 and the flexible display screen 110. There is a possibility of local deformation due to the edge of the second support plate 1302 .

In some embodiments, the first support plate 1301 and the first side frame 121 can be bonded together through glue 141 . The glue 141 can fill part or all of the space between the first support plate 1301 and the first side frame 121 . That is to say, the first support plate 1301 and the first side frame 121 may be partially bonded or globally bonded. Similarly, the first support plate 1301 and the second side frame 123 may be locally bonded or globally bonded. In other embodiments, the first support plate 1301 may be fixedly connected to the first side frame 121 through other methods.

In a possible scenario, as shown in (a) or (b) of FIG. 7 , the flexible screen module 200 can be obtained by assembling the foldable support plate 130 and the flexible display screen 110 . The hinge mechanism 125 may be assembled in a casing of the foldable electronic device 100 , where the casing includes a first side frame 121 and a second side frame 123 . In some embodiments, the housing may further include the first cover 122 and/or the second cover 124 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 . The hinge mechanism 125 can be fixed between the first side frame 121 and the second side frame 123. The first hinge connecting rod 1253 of the hinge mechanism 125 can be fixedly connected with the first side frame 121. The second hinge connecting rod 1255 of the hinge mechanism 125 It can be fixedly connected with the second side frame 123 . Afterwards, the foldable support plate 130 of the flexible screen module 200 can be assembled with the housing and the hinge mechanism 125 . The first support plate 1301 of the foldable support plate 130 may be fixedly connected to the first side frame 121 and the second side frame 123 . The second support plate 1302 of the foldable support plate 130 may be fixedly connected to the hinge mechanism 125 . In one possible case, the second support plate 1302 of the foldable support plate 130 may be fixedly connected to the hinge main shaft 1251 of the hinge mechanism 125, the first hinge connecting rod 1253 and the second hinge connecting rod 1255.

In one embodiment, the second support plate 1302 and the first support plate 1301 may be fixedly connected using a global adhesive method. This is beneficial to improving the connection strength between the first support plate 1301 and the second support plate 1302.

In another possible scenario, as shown in (c) of FIG. 7 , a foldable module can be obtained by assembling the foldable support plate 130 , the hinge mechanism 125 and the housing. The housing includes a first side frame 121 and a second side frame 123 . The hinge mechanism 125 can be fixed between the first side frame 121 and the second side frame 123. The first hinge connecting rod 1253 of the hinge mechanism 125 can be fixedly connected with the first side frame 121. The second hinge connecting rod 1255 of the hinge mechanism 125 Can be used with The two side frames 123 are fixedly connected. The first support plate 1301 of the foldable support plate 130 may be fixedly connected to the first side frame 121 and the second side frame 123 . The second support plate 1302 of the foldable support plate 130 may be fixedly connected to the hinge mechanism 125 . In one possible case, the second support plate 1302 of the foldable support plate 130 may be fixedly connected to the hinge main shaft 1251 of the hinge mechanism 125, the first hinge connecting rod 1253 and the second hinge connecting rod 1255. Afterwards, the flexible display screen 110 can be assembled on the foldable support plate 130 of the foldable module.

During the folding process of the foldable electronic device 100, the deformation amounts of the second support plate 1302 and the first support plate 1301 are different, and a tendency of stacking may occur between the second support plate 1302 and the second support plate 1302. The second support plate 1302 is fixedly connected to the hinge mechanism 125, so the second support plate 1302 can be constrained by the hinge mechanism 125, which is beneficial to reducing the amount of stacking fault between the second support plate 1302 and the second support plate 1302.

The second support plate 1302 and the first support plate 1301 may be fixedly connected by local adhesion. This is beneficial to reducing the stacking fault force between the first support plate 1301 and the second support plate 1302 . If the stacking fault force between the first support plate 1301 and the second support plate 1302 is too large, the bending performance of the foldable support plate 130 will be relatively poor.

The flexible display screen 110 can be fixedly connected to the hinge mechanism 125 through the second support plate 1302. Therefore, after multiple foldings, the possibility of the flexible display screen 110 arching and breaking away from the hinge mechanism 125 is relatively small.

In (a) and (c) of FIG. 7 , the second support plate 1302 may be fixed to the first support plate 1301 through glue 142 . A colloid 142 is provided between the first support plate 1301 and the second support plate 1302 . The second support plate 1302 can be manufactured separately from the first support plate 1301, and the first support plate 1301 and the second support plate 1302 can be assembled into one body through the glue 142. Disposing the second support plate 1302 in a pasting manner is beneficial to improving the processing efficiency of the foldable support plate 130 .

In (b) of FIG. 7 , the second support plate 1302 may be directly fixed to the first support plate 1301 . That is, there may be no colloid 142 shown in (a) of FIG. 7 between the first support plate 1301 and the second support plate 1302. In some embodiments, the second support plate 1302 can be directly fixed to the first support plate 1301 through additive manufacturing methods such as spraying, coating, or 3D printing.

Providing the second support plate 1302 through additive manufacturing is beneficial to reducing the total thickness of the foldable support plate 130 and providing sufficient turning space for the hinge mechanism 125 . The hinge mechanism 125 has a relatively large turning space, so the user can bend the foldable support plate 130 while exerting a relatively small bending force. The foldable support plate 130 can be made of material with relatively high rigidity to provide sufficient support for the flexible display screen 110 .

In some embodiments provided in this application, the second support plate 1302 may include one or more of the following: hard polymer materials, metal materials, fiber materials, and elastic buffer materials.

Hard polymer materials may include, but are not limited to: polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polyimide (PI), etc.

Metal materials may include but are not limited to: stainless steel, titanium alloy sheets, copper alloys or aluminum alloys, etc.

Fiber materials may include but are not limited to: carbon fiber, aramid fiber or glass fiber, etc.

Elastic buffer materials may include but are not limited to: rubber or silicone. In one embodiment, the rubber may include thermoplastic polyurethane rubber (also known as thermoplastic polyurethanes, TPU).

In one possible case, the metal material or fiber material of the second support plate 1302 can be pasted on the first support plate 1301 through the glue 142 shown in FIG. 7 .

In another possible situation, the elastic buffer material or hard polymer material of the second support plate 1302 can be pasted on the first support plate 1301 through the colloid 142 shown in FIG. 7 .

In another possible situation, the elastic buffer material or hard polymer material of the second support plate 1302 can be The additive manufacturing methods such as over-spraying, coating or 3D printing are fixed on the first support plate 1301 .

FIG. 8 shows a schematic structural diagram of a second support plate 1302 provided by an embodiment of the present application.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8(a) , the second support plate 1302 may be a single-layer structure. That is, the second support plate 1302 may only include the first support layer 13021. By adjusting the performance of the second support plate 1302 itself, the supporting and buffering effects of the second support plate 1302 on the foldable display portion 113 of the flexible display screen 110 can be adjusted.

In one possible case, the stiffness of the second support plate 1302 may be smaller than the stiffness of the first support plate 1301 . When the flexible display screen 110 is impacted, the shock wave from the flexible display screen 110 can be transmitted to the foldable support plate 130 . The first support plate 1301 has relatively high stiffness and can provide support for the flexible display screen 110 . However, the first support plate 1301 has relatively poor shock wave absorption performance. The stiffness of the second support plate 1302 is relatively small, which is beneficial to the shock wave from the flexible display screen 110 and reduces the possibility of the shock wave impacting the flexible display screen 110 in reverse. In some embodiments, the second support plate 1302 may be made of elastic buffer material.

In another possible situation, the stiffness of the second support plate 1302 may be greater than the stiffness of the first support plate 1301 . When the flexible display screen 110 is impacted, the shock wave from the flexible display screen 110 can be transmitted to the foldable support plate 130 . The stiffness of the first support plate 1301 is relatively small, which is beneficial to improving the shock wave absorption of the flexible display screen 110 and reducing the possibility of reverse impact of the shock wave on the flexible display screen 110. Moreover, the bending property of the first support plate 1301 itself is relatively small. excellent. However, the first support plate 1301 may have a tendency to deform easily. The second support plate 1302 has a relatively large stiffness, which is beneficial to providing support force for the flexible display screen 110 and reducing the possibility of the flexible display screen 110 being sunk toward the foldable support plate 130 under impact. In some embodiments, the second support plate 1302 may be made of hard polymer material, metal material or fiber material.

Since the hinge mechanism 125 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is a movable component, gaps may exist between multiple components of the hinge mechanism 125 . In some embodiments, there may be a gap between the hinge main shaft 1251 of the hinge mechanism 125 and the first support rod 1252. In other embodiments, there may be a gap between the first support rod 1252 and the first hinge connecting rod 1253 of the hinge mechanism 125 . The flexible display screen 110 has the potential to collapse toward the gap of the hinge mechanism 125 .

In one possible situation, if the size of the gap of the hinge mechanism 125 is relatively large, then the possibility of the flexible display screen 110 collapsing toward the gap of the hinge mechanism 125 is relatively high. If the rigidity of the second support plate 1302 is relatively high, the second support plate 1302 can provide supporting force for the flexible display screen 110 on the basis of the first support plate 1301 , which is beneficial to reducing the gap collapse of the flexible display screen 110 toward the hinge mechanism 125 possibility. In some embodiments, the second support plate 1302 may be made of metal.

In another possible situation, the size of the gap of the hinge mechanism 125 is relatively moderate, so the possibility of the flexible display screen 110 collapsing toward the gap of the hinge mechanism 125 can be reduced. The second support plate 1302 can be made of material with relatively moderate stiffness and relatively low density to reduce the weight of the foldable electronic device 100 . If the second support plate 1302 is made of an insulating material, the second support plate 1302 may cause relatively little radio frequency interference to the devices within the foldable electronic device 100 . In some embodiments, the second support plate 1302 may be made of fiber material.

In a possible situation, the size of the gap of the hinge mechanism 125 is relatively small, so the possibility of the flexible display screen 110 collapsing toward the gap of the hinge mechanism 125 is relatively small. If the rigidity of the second support plate 1302 is relatively low, the amount of elastic deformation of the second support plate 1302 can be relatively large, and the second support plate 1302 can provide flatness support for the flexible display screen 110 and the first support plate 1301 . In some embodiments, the second support plate 1302 may be made of hard polymer. Material.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8(b) , the second support plate 1302 may have a double-layer structure. The second support plate 1302 may include a first support layer 13021 and a second support layer 13022. In one possible case, the first support layer 13021 may be located on a side of the second support plate 1302 close to the flexible display screen 110 , and the second support layer 13022 may be located on a side of the second support plate 1302 away from the flexible display screen 110 . side. By adjusting the properties of the first support layer 13021 and the second support layer 13022, the supporting, buffering, bending and other effects of the second support plate 1302 on the foldable display portion 113 of the flexible display 110 can be adjusted.

In a possible case, the first support layer 13021 and the second support layer 13022 can be bonded together through colloid. In another possible situation, the first support layer 13021 can be processed on the second support layer 13022 through additive manufacturing, or the second support layer 13022 can be processed on the first support layer 13021 through additive manufacturing.

The first support layer 13021 and the second support layer 13022 can be made of the same or different materials. The thicknesses of the first support layer 13021 and the second support layer 13022 may be the same or different.

In some embodiments, the first support layer 13021 and the second support layer 13022 are made of the same material, and the thickness of the first support layer 13021 is greater than the thickness of the second support layer 13022. Since the first support layer 13021 is located on the outside and the second support layer 13022 is located on the inside, when the foldable electronic device 100 is in the folded state, the first support layer 13021 may have a tendency to be stretched, and the second support layer 13022 may have a tendency to be stretched. Compression trend. Since the thickness of the first support layer 13021 is relatively large, the first support layer 13021 will not be significantly thinned locally due to stretching; because the thickness of the second support layer 13022 is relatively small, the first support layer 13021 will not be significantly thinned due to stretching. Compression and local obvious thickening. Therefore, after the foldable electronic device 100 is repeatedly bent, the overall flatness of the second support plate 1302 can be relatively good.

In other embodiments, the first support layer 13021 and the second support layer 13022 are made of different materials. The stiffness of the first support layer 13021 and the second support layer 13022 may be different. The thicknesses of the first support layer 13021 and the second support layer 13022 may be the same or different. The support layer with relatively greater rigidity among the first support layer 13021 and the second support layer 13022 can be used to provide support force, and the support layer with relatively less rigidity among the first support layer 13021 and the second support layer 13022 can be used to provide relatively Better bendability.

In one embodiment, the stiffness of the first support layer 13021 may be greater than the stiffness of the second support layer 13022. The foldable portion 13013 of the first support plate 1301 and the second support layer 13022 may have relatively high stiffness. The stiffness of the first support layer 13021 may be relatively low. The foldable portion 13013 of the first support plate 1301, the first support layer 13021 and the second support layer 13022 may form a sandwich structure.

When the shock wave from the flexible display screen 110 is transmitted to the foldable part 13013, due to the relatively large stiffness of the foldable part 13013, the overall deformation of the foldable part 13013 is relatively small under the action of the shock wave, and the foldable part 13013 Local stress concentration is less likely to occur. That is, the shock wave spreads out on the foldable portion 13013 relatively easily. The pressure exerted by the foldable portion 13013 on the first support layer 13021 is relatively small. The stiffness of the first support layer 13021 is relatively small, and the shock wave is dispersed by the foldable portion 13013. Therefore, the entire first support layer 13021 can be used to absorb shock waves, which is beneficial to reducing unbuffered shock waves.

When the shock wave from the flexible display screen 110 is transmitted to the hinge mechanism and rebounds toward the flexible display screen 110 , since the stiffness of the second support layer 13022 is relatively large, the overall deformation amount of the second support layer 13022 is relatively large under the action of the shock wave. is small, and the second support layer 13022 is not prone to local stress concentration. That is to say, the shock wave is relatively easy to spread on the second support layer 13022. The pressure exerted by the second support layer 13022 on the first support layer 13021 is relatively small. The stiffness of the first support layer 13021 is relatively small, and the shock wave is dispersed by the second support layer 13022, so the first The entire support layer 13021 can be used to absorb shock waves, which is beneficial to reducing unbuffered shock waves.

Since the pressure exerted by the foldable portion 13013 on the first support layer 13021 is relatively small, and the pressure exerted by the second support layer 13022 on the first support layer 13021 is relatively small, the deformation amount of the first support layer 13021 is relatively small. Small. On the one hand, the impact of the shock wave on the overall flatness of the foldable support plate 130 is relatively small; on the other hand, the first support layer 13021 is relatively easy to restore to its original shape, so that the foldable support plate 130 can continue to provide support for the flexible display screen 110 in the future. Reliable support and cushioning.

Since the stiffness of the foldable part 13013 and the second support layer 13022 may be relatively large, by adjusting the thickness of the foldable part 13013 and the thickness of the second support layer 13022, the effect of the foldable support plate 130 on the flexible display 110 may be adjusted. Supporting effect: Since the stiffness of the first supporting layer 13021 can be relatively small, by adjusting the thickness of the first supporting layer 13021, the buffering effect of the foldable supporting plate 130 on the flexible display screen 110 can be adjusted.

In another embodiment, the stiffness of the first support layer 13021 may be greater than the stiffness of the second support layer 13022. The first support layer 13021 can provide further stiffness support for the flexible display screen 110 based on the foldable portion 13013. When the shock wave from the flexible display screen 110 is transmitted to the first support layer 13021, due to the relatively large stiffness of the foldable portion 13013 and the first support layer 13021, the overall deformation of the first support layer 13021 is relatively large under the action of the shock wave. It is smaller, and the first support layer 13021 is not prone to local stress concentration. That is to say, the shock wave can be dispersed on the foldable portion 13013, and the dispersed shock wave can be further dispersed on the first support layer 13021. The pressure exerted by the first support layer 13021 on the second support layer 13022 is relatively small. The stiffness of the second support layer 13022 is relatively small, and the shock wave is dispersed by the first support layer 13021. Therefore, the entire second support layer 13022 can be used to absorb shock waves, which is beneficial to reducing unbuffered shock waves. The overall deformation amount of the second support layer 13022 is relatively small, which is helpful to reduce the plastic deformation amount of the second support layer 13022 and facilitates the foldable support plate 130 to provide multiple buffering effects for the flexible display screen 110 .

In the embodiment shown in Figure 8(c), the second support plate 1302 may be a multi-layer structure. The second support plate 1302 may include n support layers, namely support layers 13021, ..., and support layers 1302n, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 3. The support layers 13021,..., and the support layer 1302n are stacked in sequence. The support layer 13021 may be the support layer closest to the flexible display screen 110 among the n support layers. The support layer 1302n may be the support layer farthest from the flexible display screen 110 among the n support layers. Any support layer among the n support layers may include one or more of the following: hard polymer materials, metal materials, fiber materials or elastic buffer materials. Since the second support plate 1302 is made of multiple types of materials, the performance of the second support plate 1302 can meet multiple requirements.

In one possible case, two adjacent support layers can be bonded by colloid. In another possible case, the support layer 1302i can be fixed on the support layer 1302i+1 or the support layer 1302i-1, 1<i<n, by additive manufacturing methods such as spraying, coating or 3D printing, where the support layer The support layer 1302i and the support layer 1302i+1 may be two adjacent support layers, and the support layer 1302i and the support layer 1302i-1 may be two adjacent support layers. That is to say, the support layer may be sandwiched between the support layer 1302i+1 and the support layer 1302i-1.

In some embodiments, the n support layers of the second support plate 1302 include support layer 1302i-1, support layer 1302i-1 and support layer 1302i+1, 1<i<n, support layer 1302i and support layer 1302i+1 They may be two adjacent support layers. The support layer 1302i and the support layer 1302i-1 may be two adjacent support layers. The stiffness of the support layer 1302i may be greater than the stiffness of the support layer 1302i+1 and greater than the support layer 1302i-. 1 stiffness. That is to say, a support layer with relatively high stiffness can be sandwiched between two support layers with relatively low stiffness.

In other embodiments, the n support layers of the second support plate 1302 include support layers 1302i-1, support layers 1302i- 1 and support layer 1302i+1, 1<i<n, support layer 1302i and support layer 1302i+1 can be two adjacent support layers, and support layer 1302i and support layer 1302i-1 can be two adjacent supports. layer, the stiffness of the support layer 1302i may be less than the stiffness of the support layer 1302i+1, and less than the stiffness of the support layer 1302i-1. That is to say, a support layer with relatively small stiffness can be sandwiched between two support layers with relatively large stiffness.

FIG. 9 is a schematic structural diagram of three other foldable electronic devices 100 provided by embodiments of the present application.

Similar to the foldable electronic device 100 shown in FIG. 7 , in the foldable electronic device 100 shown in FIG. 9 , the foldable support plate 130 may be fixedly connected to the flexible display 110 , the housing, and the hinge mechanism 125 . The foldable support panel 130 may include a first support panel 1301 and a second support panel 1302 . The second support plate 1302 is disposed on a side of the first support plate 1301 away from the flexible display screen 110 and covers the foldable portion 13013 of the first support plate 1301 . (a) and (b) of FIG. 9 illustrate an embodiment in which the foldable support plate 130 and the flexible display screen 110 are assembled into a flexible screen module 200. (c) of FIG. 9 shows an embodiment in which the foldable support plate 130, the housing, and the hinge mechanism 125 are assembled into a foldable module. In (a) and (c) of FIG. 9 , the second support plate 1302 may be fixed to the first support plate 1301 through glue 142 . In (b) of FIG. 9 , the second support plate 1302 can be directly fixed to the first support plate 1301 through additive manufacturing methods such as spraying, coating, or 3D printing.

Different from the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 , in the embodiment shown in FIG. 9 , the first side frame 121 may include a second support plate receiving groove 1211 , and the second supporting plate receiving groove 1211 may be located on the first side frame 121 . The side close to the flexible display screen 110 is located on the side of the first side frame 121 close to the hinge mechanism 125 . The second support plate 1302 can be accommodated in the second support plate accommodating groove 1211 and is fixedly connected to the groove wall of the second support plate accommodating groove 1211 through the glue 143 . That is to say, in conjunction with FIG. 4 , the second support plate 1302 can also partially cover the first part 13011 of the first support plate 1301 .

With reference to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 , when the third support plate 1303 is provided on the first support plate 1301 , a first support plate receiving groove may be provided on the third support plate 1303 . The first support plate receiving groove may be located on a side of the third support plate 1303 facing the flexible display screen 110 . The opening of the first support plate receiving groove may be disposed toward the foldable portion 13013 of the first support plate 1301 . The second support plate 1302 can also be accommodated in the first support plate receiving groove.

In some embodiments, the second side frame 123 may include a third support plate receiving groove 1231 , and the third supporting plate receiving groove 1231 may be located on a side of the second side frame 123 close to the flexible display screen 110 and on the second side. The side of the frame 123 close to the hinge mechanism 125 . The second support plate 1302 can be accommodated in the third support plate accommodating groove 1231 and is fixedly connected to the groove wall of the third support plate accommodating groove 1231 through the glue 144 . That is to say, in conjunction with FIG. 4 , the second support plate 1302 can also partially cover the second portion 13012 of the first support plate 1301 .

With reference to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 , when the fourth support plate 1304 is provided on the first support plate 1301 , a fourth support plate receiving groove may be provided on the fourth support plate 1304 . The fourth support plate receiving groove may be located on a side of the fourth support plate 1304 facing the flexible display screen 110 . The opening of the fourth support plate receiving groove may be disposed toward the foldable portion 13013 of the first support plate 1301 . The fourth support plate 1304 can also be accommodated in the fourth support plate receiving groove.

When the foldable support plate 130 is folded, the deformations of the first support plate 1301 and the second support plate 1302 cannot be fully coordinated, so there may be a stacking force between the first support plate 1301 and the second support plate 1302 . By firmly connecting the second support plate 1302 to the first side frame 121 and/or the second side frame 123, it is helpful to constrain the second support plate 1302 in the position of the foldable electronic device 100, and reduce the relative position of the second support plate 1302 to the foldable electronic device 100. Possibility of support plate 1301 slipping.

Since both the first side frame 121 and the second side frame 123 can be regarded as not undergoing folding deformation. Place the second support plate The two ends of 1302 are fixedly connected to the parts of the foldable electronic device 100 that do not undergo folding deformation, which is beneficial to at least partially offset the symmetrical deformation force on the second support plate 1302 .

Figures 10 and 11 are schematic structural diagrams of another foldable support plate 130 provided by an embodiment of the present application. Figures 10 and 11 show the front and back sides of the foldable support plate 130, respectively.

Similar to the foldable support panel 130 shown in FIG. 4 , the foldable support panel 130 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 may include a first support panel 1301 and a second support panel 1302 . The first support plate 1301 may include a first part 13011, a second part 13012, and a foldable part 13013. The second support plate 1302 may be disposed on the foldable portion 13013 of the first support plate 1301. The second support plate 1302 may be located on a side of the first support plate 1301 away from the flexible display screen 110 .

Different from the foldable support plate 130 shown in FIG. 4 , the first support plate 1301 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 may include a plurality of first support plate slots 1331 that are not connected to each other. The first support plate groove body 1331 may be a through groove or a blind groove. The first support plate slot 1331 may be provided on the foldable portion 13013 of the first support plate 1301. In the case where the first support plate groove 1331 is a through groove, the first support plate groove 1331 can penetrate the foldable portion 13013 of the first support plate 1301 . When the first support plate groove body 1331 is a blind groove, the opening of the first support plate groove body 1331 may be disposed on a side of the first support plate 1301 away from the flexible display screen 110 . The depth of the first support plate groove 1331 may be smaller than the thickness of the first support plate 1301 .

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 11 , the second support plate 1302 may cover the first support plate groove 1331 of the first support plate 1301 . In one possible case, the plurality of first support plate grooves 1331 of the first support plate 1301 may be located within the projection area of the second support plate 1302 on the first support plate 1301 .

In some embodiments, the first support plate grooves 1331a and the first support plate grooves 1331b on the foldable support plate 130 may be arranged in parallel and spaced apart. In a possible situation, when the foldable support plate 130 is in the unfolded state, part or all of the first support plate slot 1331a may be projected along the width or length direction of the first support plate slot 1331 On the first support plate groove body 1331b, the first support plate groove body 1331a and the first support plate groove body 1331b may be two adjacent first support plate groove bodies 1331. Providing the first support plate slot 1331 in the foldable portion 13013 of the first support plate 1301 is helpful to reduce the external force required to bend the foldable support portion 133 .

In some embodiments, the first support plate groove body 1331 can be processed by chemical etching or mechanical cutting, for example.

In some embodiments, the port shape of the first support plate slot 1331 may be racetrack-shaped, bone-shaped, dumbbell-shaped, etc. The first support plate groove body 1331 provided in the embodiment of the present application can also have other shapes.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 11 , the foldable support panel 130 may also include one or more partial platings 138 . The local plating 138 may include, for example, nickel, gold, silver, vanadium, or the like. The local plating layer 138 can be processed by, for example, electroplating, spraying, or the like. Local plating 138 may serve as pins for foldable support plate 130 . The partial coating 138 may be provided on the first support part 131 and/or the second support part 132 of the foldable support plate 130 . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 11 , the partial plating layer 138 may be provided on the first part 13011 and/or the second part 13012 of the first support plate 1301 .

3 and 11 , the partial plating layer 138 may be disposed facing or close to the casing of the foldable electronic device 100 . That is, the local plating layer 138 may face away from or away from the flexible display screen 110 . According to the above, the local plating layer 138 and the flexible display screen 110 can be electrically connected through the first support plate 1301 .

The side of the partial plating 138 facing away from or away from the foldable support plate 130 may be grounded. In some embodiments, the middle frame of the foldable electronic device 100 may be provided with a ground circuit and an electrical connector (such as a spring piece, etc.), and the electrical connector and the ground circuit may be electrically connected. The local plating 138 and the ground line may be electrically connected through electrical connections. In other cases In an embodiment, the side frame of the foldable electronic device 100 may be provided with an electrical connector (such as a spring piece, etc.), and the side frame may be electrically connected to the hand of a person holding the foldable electronic device 100 . The local plating layer 138 and the side frame can be electrically connected through electrical connectors. Therefore, excess charges on the flexible display screen 110 can be conducted to ground through the local plating layer 138 .

Figure 12 shows a schematic structural diagram of two flexible screen modules 200 provided by embodiments of the present application.

In some embodiments, the second support plate 1302 may be partially or completely filled in the first support plate groove 1331 of the first support plate 1301. The first support plate groove body 1331 can constrain the second support plate 1302 and reduce the possibility of the second support plate 1302 slipping relative to the first support plate 1301 under the action of stacking fault force.

In one embodiment, the first support plate groove body 1331 may be a through groove, and the second support plate 1302 may be partially filled in the first support plate groove body 1331. There may be a gap between the side of the second support plate 1302 closest to the flexible display screen 110 and the flexible display screen 110 . When the foldable support plate 130 is in the unfolded state, the second support plate 1302 may contact the groove wall of the first support plate groove body 1331. When the foldable support plate 130 is in the folded state, the second support plate 1302 and the groove wall of the first support plate groove body 1331 may be partially separated. A gap may be formed between the second support plate 1302 and the first support plate groove body 1331. If the second support plate 1302 comes into contact with the flexible display screen 110, the flexible display screen 110 may be at risk of collapsing toward the gap. After the foldable support plate 130 changes from the folded state to the unfolded state, there is a certain risk that the flexible display screen 110 may be caught in the gap between the second support plate 1302 and the first support plate groove 1331, which may cause the flexible display screen to be damaged. 110 has the possibility of being damaged.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12(a) , the first support plate groove body 1331 can be a through groove, and the second support plate 1302 can be completely filled in the first support plate groove body 1331 . The side of the second support plate 1302 closest to the flexible display screen 110 may be in contact with the flexible display screen 110 . The flexible display screen 110 has the possibility of collapsing toward the first support plate groove body 1331. Therefore, the second support plate 1302 can pass through the first support plate groove body 1331 to provide support force for the flexible display screen 110, which is beneficial to lowering the flexible display screen 110. The possibility of collapse toward the first support plate groove body 1331.

In yet another embodiment, the first support plate groove body 1331 may be a blind groove. On the side of the first support plate 1301 close to the flexible display screen 110 , the area of the first support plate 1301 opposite to the first support plate slot 1331 can contact the flexible display screen 110 to provide support for the flexible display screen 110 force.

In other embodiments, as shown in FIG. 12(b) , the second support plate 1302 may not be filled in the first support plate groove 1331 of the first support plate 1301. This is beneficial to reducing the impact of the second support plate 1302 on the bending performance of the foldable portion 13013 of the first support plate 1301.

Figure 13 is a schematic structural diagram of yet another foldable support plate 130 provided by an embodiment of the present application.

Similar to the foldable support panel 130 shown in FIG. 11 , the foldable support panel 130 shown in FIG. 13 may include a first support panel 1301 and a second support panel 1302 . The first support plate 1301 may include a first part 13011, a second part 13012, and a foldable part 13013. The second support plate 1302 may be disposed on the foldable portion 13013 of the first support plate 1301. The second support plate 1302 may be located on a side of the first support plate 1301 away from the flexible display screen 110 .

Different from the foldable support plate 130 shown in FIG. 11 , the second support plate 1302 shown in FIG. 13 may include a plurality of second support plate grooves 1332 that are not connected to each other. The second support plate groove body 1332 may be a through groove or a blind groove. When the second support plate groove body 1332 is a through groove, the second support plate groove body 1332 can penetrate the second support plate 1302 . In the case where the second support plate groove body 1332 is a blind groove, in one embodiment, the opening of the second support plate groove body 1332 may be disposed on a side of the second support plate 1302 away from the flexible display screen 110 . The opening of the second support plate groove body 1332 is arranged away from the flexible display screen 110 , which is beneficial to reducing the impact of the deformation of the opening of the second support plate groove body 1332 on the flexible display screen 110 . The depth of the second support plate groove body 1332 may be smaller than the thickness of the second support plate 1302 . Second support plate tank body 1332 is conducive to improving the bendability of the second support plate 1302.

Figure 14 shows a schematic structural diagram of four types of flexible screen modules 200 provided by embodiments of the present application.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 14(a) , the first support plate 1301 may not have the first support plate groove 1331 shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 . In one possible case, the thickness of the first support plate 1301 may be relatively thin, and the bendability of the first support plate 1301 at the foldable portion 13013 shown in FIG. 13 is relatively good. The second support plate 1302 may have a relatively large stiffness. By opening the second support plate groove body 1332 on the second support plate 1302, it is beneficial to improve the bending property of the second support plate groove body 1332. The second support plate groove body 1332 may be a blind groove or a through groove.

In other embodiments, as shown in FIG. 14(b) , the first support plate 1301 may have a first support plate groove body 1331 as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 , wherein the first support plate groove body 1331 may be Blind groove or through groove. The second support plate groove body 1332 may be disposed opposite to the first support plate groove body 1331 . The projection area of the second support plate groove body 1332 on the first support plate 1301 may at least partially coincide with the first support plate groove body 1331 . The second support plate groove body 1332 may be a blind groove or a through groove. When the second support plate groove body 1332 is a through groove, the second support plate groove body 1332 and the first support plate groove body 1331 can penetrate each other.

The first support plate 1301 can have relatively good bending properties at the first support plate groove body 1331, and the second support plate 1302 can have relatively good bending properties at the second support plate groove body 1332. The two support plate grooves 1332 are arranged opposite to the first support plate groove 1331. Therefore, the degree of matching between the bendability of the first support plate 1301 and the bendability of the second support plate 1302 is relatively high.

In some embodiments, as shown in (c) of Figure 14 , the first support plate 1301 may have a first support plate groove body 1331 as shown in Figures 11 and 12 , wherein the first support plate groove body 1331 may be Blind groove or through groove. The second support plate groove body 1332 may be staggered from the first support plate groove body 1331 . The projection area of the second support plate groove 1332 on the first support plate 1301 may be located outside the first support plate groove 1331 . The projection area of the second support plate groove body 1332 on the first support plate 1301 may not coincide with, be connected to, or intersect with the first support plate groove body 1331 . The second support plate groove body 1332 may be a blind groove or a through groove.

The first support plate 1301 may have relatively good bending properties at the first support plate groove body 1331, and the second support plate 1302 may have relatively good bending properties at the second support plate groove body 1332. Since the second support plate groove body 1332 is staggered with the first support plate groove body 1331, the second support plate 1302 can provide supporting force for the flexible display screen 110 in the portion of the first support plate 1301 with better bendability; In the portion of the second support plate 1302 with better bendability, the first support plate 1301 can provide supporting force for the flexible display screen 110 . Therefore, it is advantageous to make the performance of the second support plate 1302 and the performance of the second support plate 1302 complementary.

The second support plate 1302 may not be filled, partially filled, or completely filled in the first support plate groove 1331 . In one possible case, as shown in (d) of Figure 14 , the second support plate 1302 can be filled into the first support plate groove 1331 and outside the area opposite to the first support plate groove 1331 A second support plate groove body 1332 is provided. The first support plate groove body 1331 may be a blind groove or a through groove. The second support plate groove body 1332 may be a blind groove. The second support plate groove body 1332 may be staggered from the first support plate groove body 1331 . The projection area of the second support plate groove 1332 on the first support plate 1301 may be located outside the first support plate groove 1331 . The first support plate groove body 1331 can constrain the second support plate 1302 and reduce the possibility of the second support plate 1302 slipping relative to the first support plate 1301 under the action of stacking fault force.

Embodiments of the present application provide a foldable support plate, a flexible display screen, and a foldable electronic device. The first support plate of the foldable support plate may be provided with a second support plate, and the second support plate may be located on the foldable portion of the first support plate. The second support plate can provide support, buffering and other properties for the flexible display screen based on the first support plate, making the foldable display The bending, supporting, buffering and other properties of the foldable support portion of the support plate can be adjusted. Since the foldable support plate is locally thickened, the fixing area between the first support plate and the second support plate is relatively small, and the stacking fault force between the first support plate and the second support plate is relatively small, so the foldable The support plate has relatively good bending properties.

The above are only specific embodiments of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any person familiar with the technical field can easily think of changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present application. should be covered by the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this application should be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

A foldable support plate, characterized in that the foldable support plate is applied to a foldable electronic device, the foldable electronic device includes a flexible display screen, and the foldable support plate includes:

A first support plate, the first support plate is used to carry the flexible display screen. The first support plate includes a first part, a second part and a foldable part. The foldable part is connected between the first part and the flexible display screen. between said second parts;

A second support plate is provided on the foldable portion and is located on a side of the first support plate away from the flexible display screen, at least part of the first part and at least part of the second support plate. Two parts are not covered by the second support plate.
The foldable support panel according to claim 1, wherein the second support panel includes a first support layer and a second support layer, and the first support layer and the second support layer satisfy the following: one or more:

The material of the first support layer and the material of the second support layer are different;

The thickness of the first support layer and the thickness of the second support layer are different.
The foldable support board according to claim 2, wherein the first support layer has a stiffness smaller than the second support layer, and the first support layer is located close to the second support board. On one side of the first support plate, the second support layer is located on a side of the second support plate away from the first support plate.
The foldable support plate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the foldable support plate further includes a third support plate, the third support plate is provided on the first part and is located on On the side of the first support plate away from the flexible display screen, the third support plate includes a first support plate accommodating groove, and the first support plate accommodating groove is located on the side of the third support plate close to the flexible display screen. On one side of the flexible display screen, the opening of the first support plate accommodating slot is located on the side of the third support plate close to the foldable part, and the second support plate is fixed to the first support plate accommodating slot. inside the tank.
The foldable support plate according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the foldable portion is provided with a first support plate groove, and the second support plate covers the first support plate groove. body.
The foldable support board according to claim 5, wherein the second support board is filled in the first support board slot.
The foldable support panel according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the second support panel includes a second support panel slot.
The foldable support plate according to claim 7, wherein the second support plate groove body is a blind groove, and the opening of the second support plate groove body is located away from the second support plate. One side of the support plate.
The foldable support plate according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the foldable part is provided with a first support plate groove body, and the second support plate groove body is in the projection area of the first support plate Located outside the first support plate tank body.
The foldable support plate according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the material of the second support plate includes one or more of the following: polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Polyimide PI, stainless steel, titanium alloy sheet, copper alloy, aluminum alloy, carbon fiber, aramid fiber, glass fiber, thermoplastic polyurethane rubber TPU.
The foldable support plate according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the processing technology of the second support plate includes one or more of the following: pasting, spraying, coating and 3D printing.
The foldable support panel according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the flexible display screen is an outward-foldable display screen.
A flexible screen module, characterized by comprising a flexible display screen and a foldable support plate as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12.
A foldable electronic device, characterized by comprising a flexible display screen and the foldable support plate according to any one of claims 1 to 12.
The foldable electronic device according to claim 14, wherein the foldable electronic device further includes a hinge mechanism, and the second support plate is fixedly connected to the hinge mechanism.
The foldable electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the foldable electronic device further includes a first side frame surrounding the outer periphery of the flexible display screen, and the first side frame The frame is fixedly connected to the hinge mechanism, and the first side frame includes a second support plate receiving slot, and the second support plate receiving slot is located on a side of the first side frame close to the flexible display screen, so The opening of the second support plate receiving slot is located on a side of the first side frame close to the hinge mechanism, and the second support plate is fixed in the second support plate receiving slot.