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EP-4007946-B1 - HINGE MECHANISM AND FOLDABLE DEVICE HAVING SAME

EP4007946B1EP 4007946 B1EP4007946 B1EP 4007946B1EP-4007946-B1

Inventors

  • XU, Kingston
  • IM, YOUNG

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20201208

Claims (9)

  1. A hinge mechanism (330) including at least one hinge module (400), the at least one hinge module comprising: a central hinge shaft (410) defining a central hinge axis (A); a first hinge section (400A) coupled to a first portion of the central shaft; and a second hinge section (400B) coupled to a second portion of the central shaft, wherein the first hinge section and the second hinge section are rotatable relative to each other about the central hinge axis, wherein the first hinge section and the second hinge section each include: a bracket (420) coupled to the central hinge shaft; a first rod (431A, 431B) having a first end thereof coupled to the bracket so as to be rotationally coupled to the central hinge shaft (410) through a gear arrangement, and a second end thereof movably received in a first passage (441A, 441B) defined in a base member (440A, 440B), wherein the first rod is threadably engaged in the first passage, such that the first rod moves in a first longitudinal direction into the first passage in response to rotation of the bracket about the central hinge axis in a first rotational direction in accordance with a change from an unfolded to a folded configuration of the two hinge sections (400A, 400B), and the first rod moves in a second longitudinal direction out of the first passage in response to rotation of the bracket about the central hinge axis in a second rotational direction in accordance with a change from a folded to an unfolded configuration of the two hinge sections (400A, 400B); and a second rod (432A, 432B) having a first end thereof coupled to the bracket and a second end thereof movably received in a second passage (442A, 442B) defined in the base member (440A, 440B), wherein a position of the second rod in the second passage defines an anti-rotation mechanism that restricts rotation of the base member in response to threaded movement of the first rod in the first passage.
  2. The hinge mechanism (330) of claim 1, wherein the first hinge section (400A) and the second hinge section (400B) are symmetrically arranged about the central hinge shaft (410), and wherein movement of the first (431A, 431B) and second rods (432A, 432B) in the first (441A, 441B) and second passages (442A, 442B) of the base member (440A, 440B) of the first hinge section is synchronized through a gear arrangement rotationally coupling the central hinge shaft (410) to the first rods (431A, 431B) with movement of the first and second rods in the first and second passages of the base member of the second hinge section.
  3. The hinge mechanism (330) of claim 1 or 2, wherein in a first configuration of the hinge module (400), the first rod (431A, 431B) is at a first position within the first passage (441A, 441B) defined in the base member (440A, 440B), and the base member of the first hinge section (400A) and the base member of the second hinge section (400B) are spaced apart by a first distance; and in a second configuration of the hinge module, the first rod is at a second position within the first passage defined in the base member, and the base member of the first hinge section and the base member of the second hinge section are spaced apart by a second distance that is greater than the first distance.
  4. The hinge mechanism (330) of claim 1, wherein the first hinge section (440A) and the second hinge section (400B) also include: a first helical gear (450A, 450B) mounted on an end portion of the central hinge shaft (410), concentric with the central hinge shaft, such that the first helical gear rotates about the central hinge axis (A) together with the central hinge shaft; and a second helical gear (460A, 460B) mounted on an end portion of the first rod (431A, 431B), in meshed engagement with the first helical gear.
  5. The hinge mechanism (330) of claim 4, wherein the second helical gear (460A, 460B) rotates about a cross-axis (B1, B2) that is orthogonal to the central hinge axis (A), in response to rotation of the first helical gear (450A, 450B) about the central hinge axis.
  6. The hinge mechanism (330) of claim 5, wherein the first rod (431A, 431B) rotates together with the second helical gear (460A, 460B); and the first rod is threadably engaged in the first passage (441A, 441B) such that rotation of the first rod in a first direction about the cross-axis (B1, B2) draws the first rod further into the first passage, and rotation of the first rod in a second direction about the cross-axis draws the first rod further out of the first passage.
  7. The hinge mechanism (330) of any preceding claim, wherein the hinge mechanism is configured to be received in a computing device (100), at a position corresponding to a bendable section (116) of a foldable display (102), in a space formed between a first housing (340A) and a second housing (340B) of the computing device, with the first hinge section (400A) of each hinge module coupled to the first housing, and the second hinge section (400B) of each hinge module coupled to the second housing.
  8. The hinge mechanism (330) of claim 7 when dependent on claim 3, wherein the first configuration is an unfolded configuration, and the second configuration is a folded configuration, and wherein a distance between the first housing (340A) and the second housing (240B) supported by the hinge module (400) in the first configuration is greater than a distance between the first housing and the second housing in the second configuration.
  9. A foldable device (100), comprising: a housing; a foldable display (102) coupled to the housing; and a hinge mechanism (330) according to any preceding claim, the hinge mechanism installed in the housing, at a portion of the housing corresponding to a bendable section (116) of the foldable display.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/949,182, filed on December 17, 2019. TECHNICAL FIELD This description relates, in general, to hinge mechanisms for foldable devices, and, in particular, to hinge mechanisms supporting foldable display systems. BACKGROUND Modern computing devices often attempt to achieve a balance between portability and functionality. The desire for a device that provides for a rich display of information on a single surface (suggesting a device having a relatively large form factor) may conflict with the desire to have a device that is small enough to be easily carried and easily accessible (suggesting a device having a relatively small form factor). A flexible, or foldable, display device may enhance the capabilities of a computing device, in that, in a folded configuration, the computing device may have a relatively small form factor, and in an unfolded configuration, the device may take advantage of a relatively large display area. Flexible, or foldable, display devices may be fragile and prone to deformation and damage, particularly when a neutral axis of bending is not maintained as the foldable display device is folded and unfolded, thus degrading reliability and product performance. In some situations, mechanisms guiding and supporting the folding and unfolding of such a display device may be relatively complex, and susceptible to failure. These complex mechanisms may produce a somewhat artificial folding and unfolding motion, and may not maintain the folding and unfolding of the display device within the neutral axis, thus introducing stress on the display device, and damaging components of the display device. A hinge mechanism that provides dynamic support, and that guides movement of the foldable display device without causing a shift in the neutral axis of bending, may maintain a desired contour, or curvature, of the display device through the folding and unfolding motions, and may prevent damage to the foldable display device due to excessive compressive and/or tensile forces exerted on components of the display device. CN209199497 U describes a bendable mechanism and a flexible display device. The bendable mechanism includes a rotating shaft assembly, a sliding rail assembly, and a casing. The sliding rail assembly connects the casing with the rotating shaft assembly. The bendable mechanism is operable to be switched between an unfolded status and a folded status. During switching the bendable mechanism from the unfolded status to the folded status, the rotating shaft assembly and the casing move relatively close to each other under the guiding of the sliding rail assembly, and during switching the bendable mechanism from the folded status to the unfolded status, the rotating shaft assembly and the casing move relatively away from each other under the guiding of the sliding rail assembly. WO2019/178815 A1 describes a supporting structure and a flexible display device. The supporting structure comprises a rotating shaft assembly, a supporting plate, and a transmission assembly, and the transmission assembly is movably connected to the rotating shaft assembly and the supporting plate. The supporting structure can be switched between an unfolded state and a folded state. During switching from the unfolded state to the folded state, the transmission assembly is used for converting rotation of the supporting plate into a movement of the rotating shaft assembly and the supporting plate close to each other; during switching from the folded state to the unfolded state, the transmission assembly is used for converting rotation of the supporting plate into a movement of the rotating shaft assembly and the supporting plate away from each other. SUMMARY Aspects of the disclosed subject matter are set out in the accompanying claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGs. 1A-1D illustrate an example computing device including an example foldable display.FIGs. 2A-2D are schematic diagrams illustrating a neutral layer of a foldable device, as the foldable device moves between an unfolded and a folded configuration.FIG. 3A is a perspective view of an example computing device including an example hinge mechanism, in a folded configuration, in accordance with implementations described herein.FIG. 3B is a perspective view of the example computing device including the example hinge mechanism shown in FIG. 3A, in an unfolded configuration, in accordance with implementations described herein.FIG. 4A is a first perspective view, and FIG. 4B is a second perspective view, of an example hinge module of the example hinge mechanism, in an unfolded configuration, in accordance with implementations described herein.FIG. 4C is an exploded perspective view of a bracket, shaft and gear portion of the hinge module shown in FIGs. 4A and 4B, in accordance with implementations described herein.FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the examp