Hinge assembly and terminal device
A hinge assembly includes two hinge arms, a fixing structure, and a plurality of balls. Each of the two hinge arms includes a gear portion. A shaft hole and at least one groove are defined on the gear portion, and the shaft hole connects to the at least one groove. The fixing structure includes two central shafts, each of the two central shafts passes through the shaft hole respectively. Each ball is accommodated in the at least one groove. The balls are in interference fit with the two central shafts. The balls and the two central shafts generate a damping force while they rotate relative to each other or tend to rotate relative to each other to maintain the position of the two hinge arms. The hinge assembly has a long service life and sufficient space. A terminal device is provided according to the present disclosure.
1 . A hinge assembly comprising:
two hinge arms, each of the two hinge arms comprising a gear portion, the gear portion comprising a tooth structure and a damping structure, a shaft hole and at least one groove defined on the gear portion, and the shaft hole connecting to the at least one groove, the at least one groove defined on a surface of the damping structure facing the shaft hole;
a fixing structure comprising two central shafts and a barrel, the barrel and the two central shafts fixed to each other, each of the two central shafts passing through the shaft hole, the tooth structure and the damping structure correspondingly surrounding one of the two central shafts;
a plurality of balls, each of the plurality of balls accommodated in the at least one groove, wherein the plurality of balls are in interference fit with the two central shafts;
two connecting gears engaged with each other, disposed between the two hinge arms, and each of the two connecting gears is correspondingly engaged with the gear portion;
a hinge cap, wherein two slots are defined at two opposite ends of the hinge cap, respectively, each of the two hinge arms further comprises a connecting portion connected to the gear portion, the connecting portion passes through a respective slot of the two slots, and the hinge cap is fixedly assembled to the barrel; and
a gear lock comprising four through holes, wherein the two central shafts pass through two respective through holes of the four through holes, the two connection gears pass through the two respective through holes, respectively, and the gear lock is fixedly assembled to the barrel.
2 . The hinge assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one groove is further defined on a surface of the tooth structure facing the shaft hole.
3 . The hinge assembly of claim 1 , wherein a line connecting the centers of the two central shafts is defined as a first line segment, a line connecting the centers of the two connecting gears is defined as a second line segment, and the first line segment intersects with the second line segment.
4 . The hinge assembly of claim 1 , wherein a line connecting the centers of the two central shafts is defined as a first line segment, a line connecting the centers of the two connecting gears is defined as a second line segment, and the first line segment is parallel to the second line segment.
5 . A terminal device, comprising:
a first body;
a second body; and
a hinge assembly, the hinge assembly comprising:
two hinge arms, each of the two hinge arms comprising a gear portion, the gear portion comprising a tooth structure and a damping structure, a shaft hole and at least one groove defined on the gear portion, and the shaft hole connecting to the at least one groove, the at least one groove defined on a surface of the damping structure facing the shaft hole;
a fixing structure comprising two central shafts and a barrel, the barrel and the two central shafts fixed to each other, each of the two central shafts passing through the shaft hole, the tooth structure and the damping structure correspondingly surrounding one of the two central shafts;
a plurality of balls, each of the plurality of balls accommodated in the at least one groove, wherein the plurality of balls are in interference fit with the two central shafts;
two connecting gears engaged with each other, disposed between the two hinge arms, and each of the two connecting gears is correspondingly engaged with the gear portion;
a hinge cap, wherein two slots are defined at two opposite ends of the hinge cap, respectively, each of the two hinge arms further comprises a connecting portion connected to the gear portion, the connecting portion passes through a respective slot of the two slots, and the hinge cap is fixedly assembled to the barrel; and
a gear lock comprising four through holes, wherein the two central shafts pass through two respective through holes of the four through holes, the two connection gears pass through the two respective through holes, respectively, and the gear lock is fixedly assembled to the barrel.
6 . The terminal device of claim 5 , wherein the at least one groove is further defined on a surface of the tooth structure facing the shaft hole.
7 . The terminal device of claim 5 , wherein a line connecting the centers of the two central shafts is defined as a first line segment, a line connecting the centers of the two connecting gears is defined as a second line segment, and the first line segment intersects with the second line segment.
8 . The terminal device of claim 5 , wherein a line connecting the centers of the two central shafts is defined as a first line segment, a line connecting the centers of the two connecting gears is defined as a second line segment, and the first line segment is parallel to the second line segment.
9 . The terminal device of claim 5 , wherein further comprising a foldable screen; both the first body and the second body are where the foldable screen is to be located.
10 . The terminal device of claim 5 , wherein further comprising a keyboard and a screen; the first body is where the keyboard is to be located, and the second body is where the screen is to be located.