Housing assembly and electronic device

• US 10,416,726 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2018
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Corporation Limited
• Original Assignee: Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Corporation Limited
• Inventors: Lin, Yugui
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Anthony Q
• Application Number:
  US15/869,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20180210513A1
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/606 for electronic devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1641 the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components G06F1/1647 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/022 The hinge comprising two parallel pivoting axes

Abstract

A housing assembly is provided. The housing assembly includes a first housing, a second housing and a connecting module. The connecting module is coupled between the first housing and the second housing. The first housing is rotatable with respect to the second housing by the connecting module. The connecting module includes a damping mechanism configured for providing a damping force to the first housing and the second housing during rotating the first housing with respect to the second housing. An electronic device is also provided.

Claims

1. A housing assembly, comprising:

a first housing;

a second housing; and

a connecting module coupled between the first housing and the second housing, the first housing being rotatable with respect to the second housing by the connecting module, the connecting module comprising;

a coupling member, comprising;

a hinge shaft,

a plurality of first hinge elements arranged along the longitudinal direction of the hinge shaft, the first hinge elements configured to be coupled to the first housing, and

a plurality of second hinge elements arranged along the longitudinal direction of the hinge shaft, the second hinge elements configured to be coupled to the second housing, wherein the first hinge elements and the second hinge elements are alternatively arranged along the longitudinal direction of the hinge shaft; and

a damping mechanism configured for providing a damping force to the first housing and the second housing during rotating the first housing with respect to the second housing.

2. The housing assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the damping mechanism comprises a damping member,

the damping member being sleeved on the hinge shaft and located between one of the first hinge elements and one of the second hinge elements adjacent to the one of the first hinge elements and configured for providing the damping force to the first hinge elements and the second hinge elements during rotating the first hinge elements with respect to the second hinge elements.

3. The housing assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the damping member comprises:

a first damping ring sleeved on the hinge shaft and coupled to the one of the first hinge elements; and

a second damping ring in contact with the first damping ring, sleeved on the hinge shaft and coupled to the one of the second hinge elements.

4. The housing assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the one of the first hinge elements defines a first depression facing the one of the second hinge elements, the first damping ring is positioned in the first depression, the second hinge element defines a second depression facing the one of the first hinge elements, and the second damping ring is positioned in the second depression.

5. The housing assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the damping member comprises:

a first elastic ring sleeved on the hinge shaft and located between the first damping ring and the one of the first hinge elements and configured to provide a force toward the second damping ring to the first damping ring; and

a second elastic ring sleeved on the hinge shaft and located between the second damping ring and the one of the second hinge elements and configured to provide a force toward the first damping ring to the second damping ring.

6. The housing assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the damping member comprises:

a clasp ring sleeved on the hinge shaft and configured to prevent the first elastic ring from moving along the hinge shaft.

7. The housing assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the damping member comprises:

another clasp ring sleeved on the hinge shaft and configured to prevent the second elastic ring from moving along the hinge shaft.

8. The housing assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the coupling member comprises:

a first connection part, the first connection part slidably coupled to the first housing;

a third hinge element slidably coupled to the first housing by the first connection part; and

an auxiliary hinge shaft parallel to the hinge shaft and configured to pivotally couple the third hinge element to the first hinge elements.

9. The housing assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the damping mechanism comprises an auxiliary damping member, the auxiliary damping member being sleeved on the auxiliary hinge shaft and located between one of the first hinge elements and the third hinge element adjacent to the one of the first hinge elements and configured for providing a damping force to the one of the first hinge elements and the third hinge element during rotating the one of the first hinge elements with respect to the third hinge element.

10. The housing assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the coupling member comprises:

a second connection part, the second connection part slidably coupled to the second housing;

a fourth hinge element slidably coupled to the second housing by the second connection; and

another auxiliary hinge shaft parallel to the hinge shaft and configured to pivotally couple the fourth hinge element to the second hinge elements.

11. The housing assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the damping mechanism comprises another auxiliary damping member, the another auxiliary damping member being sleeved on the another auxiliary shaft and located between one of the second hinge elements and the fourth hinge element adjacent to the one of the second hinge elements and configured for providing a damping force to the one of the second hinge elements and the fourth hinge element during rotating the one of the second hinge elements with respect to the fourth hinge element.

12. The housing assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the connecting module further comprises a connecting member coupled between the first housing and the second housing, the first hinge elements facing the connecting member and configured to support the connecting member.

13. The housing assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the housing assembly further comprises a positioning member, the positioning member being coupled between the connecting member and the coupling member and configured to prevent a movement of the coupling member along a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the connecting member relative to the connecting member.

14. The housing assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the positioning member comprises a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, the first end is fixed to the connecting member, and the second end is coupled to the first hinge elements.

15. The housing assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the second end of the positioning member defines a positioning groove extending from the second end to the first end, and the coupling member comprises a sliding rod slidably coupled to the positioning groove and received in the positioning groove.

16. The housing assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first end is integrated with the connecting member.

17. The housing assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the positioning member further comprises a wear resistant unit, the wear resistant unit being disposed in the positioning groove and in contact with an inner surface of the positioning member in the positioning groove.

18. The housing assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the positioning member is flexible.

19. An electronic device, comprising:

a first housing;

a second housing; and

a connecting module coupled between the first housing and the second housing, the first housing being rotatable with respect to the second housing, the connecting module comprising;

a coupling member, comprising;

a hinge shaft,

a plurality of first hinge elements arranged along the longitudinal direction of the hinge shaft, the first hinge elements configured to be coupled to the first housing, and

a plurality of second hinge elements arranged along the longitudinal direction of the hinge shaft, the second hinge elements configured to be coupled to the second housing, wherein the first hinge elements and the second hinge elements are alternatively arranged along the longitudinal direction of the hinge shaft; and

a damping mechanism configured for providing a damping force to the first housing and the second housing during rotating the first housing with respect to the second housing; and

a flexible display panel positioned on the first housing and the second housing.

20. An electronic device, comprising:

a first housing;

a second housing, the second housing being rotatable with respect to the second housing;

a coupling member, comprising;

a hinge shaft,

a plurality of first hinge elements arranged along the longitudinal direction of the hinge shaft, the first hinge elements configured to be coupled to the first housing, and

a plurality of second hinge elements arranged along the longitudinal direction of the hinge shaft, the second hinge elements configured to be coupled to the second housing, wherein the first hinge elements and the second hinge elements are alternatively arranged along the longitudinal direction of the hinge shaft; and

a damping mechanism coupled between the first housing and the second housing and configured for providing a damping force to the first housing and the second housing during rotating the first housing with respect to the second housing;

a flexible display panel positioned on the first housing and the second housing; and

an electronic component group positioned in the first housing and the second housing and electrically connected to the flexible display panel.