IP Library Granted Patent US 11,526,227
Granted Patent B2
US 11,526,227 · App. 17/285,075 · Granted Dec 13, 2022

Foldable terminal apparatus, terminal control method, terminal apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium

Inventors: Zhongkui Qu (Shenzhen, CN); Wenjun Han (Shenzhen, CN); Xiangjun Liu (Shenzhen, CN)
Assignee: ZTE CORPORATION
G06F3/0416G06F3/14H04M1/0214H04M1/0268G06F2203/04102
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,526,227
App. No.
17/285,075
Granted
Dec 13, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A foldable terminal apparatus, a terminal control method, a terminal apparatus, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium are provided. The foldable terminal apparatus comprises a terminal body and a bendable touch screen. The bendable touch screen in a bending direction has a fixed end connected to the terminal body and a free end, and the bendable touch screen is switched between a first state and a second state. In the first state, the bendable touch screen surrounds the terminal body on an outer side of the terminal body, and in the second state, the fixed end of the bendable touch screen is located on the terminal body and the free end is located outside the terminal body, such that the bendable touch screen is expanded.

Claims (14)

1. A foldable terminal apparatus, comprising a terminal body and a bendable touch screen, the bendable touch screen in a bending direction having a fixed end connected to the terminal body and a free end, and the bendable touch screen being switched between a first state and a second state, wherein in the first state, the bendable touch screen surrounds the terminal body on an outer side of the terminal body, and in the second state, the fixed end of the bendable touch screen is located on the terminal body and the free end is located outside the terminal body, such that the bendable touch screen is expanded;

further comprising a supporting frame, wherein in the first state, the supporting frame is accommodated between the outer side of the terminal body and the bendable touch screen, and in the second state, the supporting frame expands into a plane and is located at a bottom of the bendable touch screen to support the bendable touch screen expanded into a plane, wherein the supporting frame is a telescopic supporting frame having one end fixedly connected to the terminal body;

further comprising at least two second inductive electromagnets arranged on a side of the telescopic supporting frame adjacent to the bendable touch screen, and first inductive electromagnets corresponding to the second inductive electromagnets, arranged at corresponding positions on the bottom of the bendable touch screen; wherein, in the second state, the first inductive electromagnets and the second inductive electromagnets are magnetically attracted together.

2. The foldable terminal apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a glass panel located on the outer side of the terminal body, wherein the glass panel is fixedly arranged on the terminal body and has a spacing from the terminal body greater than or equal to a thickness of the bendable touch screen.

3. The foldable terminal apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the glass panel has a shape matching a side profile of the terminal body.

4. The foldable terminal apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising third inductive electromagnets corresponding to the first inductive electromagnets, arranged on an outer surface of the terminal body; wherein, in the first state, the first inductive electromagnets and the third inductive electromagnets are magnetically attracted together.

5. The foldable terminal apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the telescopic supporting frame comprises at least two connecting sections having radial dimensions decreasing or increasing progressively in a direction away from the terminal body in the second state; and every two adjacent connecting sections has matched inner and outer diameter dimensions.

6. The foldable terminal apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising an inner and outer sliding gear set arranged between every two adjacent connecting sections of the telescopic supporting frame.

7. The foldable terminal apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the supporting frame is a foldable supporting frame comprising at least two folding portions and a connecting portion connecting two adjacent folding portions, the folding portions are arranged at the bottom of the bendable touch screen and fixedly connected to the bendable touch screen, and the connecting portion is in a rotatable connection to the two adjacent folding portions.

8. The foldable terminal apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the rotatable connection is a hinge connection.

9. The foldable terminal apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the connecting portion comprises at least two electromagnets which are connected by a hinge, and the electromagnets have adjacent surfaces of different polarities after energized; and in the second state, the electromagnets are energized and attracted together to keep the folding portions of the foldable supporting frame expanded into a plane.

10. The foldable terminal apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the connecting portion comprises at least one electromagnet and at least one ferromagnetic object which are connected by a hinge; and in the second state, the electromagnet is energized and attracted together with the ferromagnetic object to keep the folding portions of the foldable supporting frame expanded into a plane.

11. The foldable terminal apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising transmission gear sets respectively arranged at the bottom of the foldable supporting frame and at a position on the terminal body corresponding to the bottom of the foldable support frame in the first state.

12. The foldable terminal apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the terminal body is shaped as a cuboid or a cylinder.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2022
From: QU, ZHONGKUI; HAN, WENJUN; LIU, XIANGJUN
To: ZTE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 060720/0541 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 201811204286.X · Oct 16, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210349567A1 · Nov 11, 2021