Granted Patent B2

US 12,256,508 · App. 17/788,595 · Granted Mar 18, 2025

Inventors: Shouchuan Zhang (Beijing, CN); Shangchieh Chu (Beijing, CN)

Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.

H05K5/0226G06F1/1624G06F1/1641G06F1/1681

Abstract

Claims (90)

1. A pivotable support apparatus for supporting a foldable display panel, comprising:

a sliding groove structure;

a first rotating rod and a second rotating rod slidably and rotatably attached to the sliding groove structure;

a first rotating plate;

a second rotating plate;

a first connecting rod rotatably attached to the first rotating rod, and configured to move slidably relative to the first rotating plate; and

a second connecting rod rotatably attached to the second rotating rod, and configured to move slidably relative to the second rotating plate;

wherein the sliding groove structure comprises a first arc shaped groove and a second arc shaped groove;

the first rotating rod comprises a first arc shaped rod head configured to be movable slidably and rotatably in the first arc shaped groove; and

the second rotating rod comprises a second arc shaped rod head configured to be movable slidably and rotatably in the second arc shaped groove;

wherein the sliding groove structure comprises a first part and a second part fixedly attached to each other to form a first arc shaped groove and a second arc shaped groove;

the first part comprises a first arc shaped concave surface and a second arc shaped concave surface;

the first arc shaped rod head comprises a first arc shaped convex surface at least partially in contact with the first arc shaped concave surface; and

the second arc shaped rod head comprises a second arc shaped convex surface at least partially in contact with the second arc shaped concave surface.

2. The pivotable support apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a cladding board;

wherein the first part is fixedly attached to the cladding board.

3. The pivotable support apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first retaining plate and a second retaining plate;

a first sliding slot between the first retaining plate and the first rotating plate, configured to allow the first connecting rod move slidably therein; and

a second sliding slot between the second retaining plate and the second rotating plate, configured to allow the second connecting rod move slidably therein.

4. The pivotable support apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a first frame and a second frame;

wherein the first connecting rod is fixedly attached to the first frame; and

the second connecting rod is fixedly attached to the second frame;

wherein the first frame and the first connecting rod are configured to move slidably relative to the first rotating plate; and

the second frame and the second connecting rod are configured to move slidably relative to the second rotating plate.

5. The pivotable support apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a first actuating rod and a second actuating rod;

wherein the first rotating plate is fixedly attached to the first actuating rod; and

the second rotating plate is fixedly attached to the second actuating rod.

6. The pivotable support apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a hinge structure comprising a first main shaft and a second main shaft; and

a synchronized gear configured to synchronize rotation of the first main shaft and the second main shaft;

wherein the synchronized gear comprises a first gear and a second gear configured to rotate about the first main shaft and the second main shaft, respectively; and

the first gear and the second gear are configured to be engaged with each other.

7. A display apparatus, comprising a foldable display panel and a pivotable support apparatus of claim 1 .

8. The pivotable support apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first retaining plate is fixedly attached to the first rotating plate; and

the second retaining plate is fixedly attached to the second rotating plate.

9. The pivotable support apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising a first actuating rod, a first crank shaft attached to the first actuating rod, a second actuating rod, and a second crank shaft attached to the second actuating rod;

wherein the first crank shaft comprises a third gear configured to be engaged with the first gear;

the second crank shaft comprises a fourth gear configured to be engaged with the second gear; and

movements of the first actuating rod, the first crank shaft, the second actuating rod, the second crank shaft are synchronized through engagement among the first gear, the second gear, the third gear, and the fourth gear.

10. A pivotable support apparatus for supporting a foldable display panel, comprising:

a sliding groove structure;

a first rotating rod and a second rotating rod slidably and rotatably attached to the sliding groove structure;

a first rotating plate;

a second rotating plate;

a first connecting rod rotatably attached to the first rotating rod, and configured to move slidably relative to the first rotating plate;

a second connecting rod rotatably attached to the second rotating rod, and configured to move slidably relative to the second rotating plate;

a first actuating rod;

a second actuating rod; and

a first crank shaft attached into a first pin hole in the first actuating rod and a second crank shaft attached into a second pin hole in the second actuating rod;

wherein the first rotating plate is fixedly attached to the first actuating rod; and

the second rotating plate is fixedly attached to the second actuating rod;

wherein the first crank shaft and the first actuating rod are configured to rotate together; and

the second crank shaft and the second actuating rod are configured to rotate together.

11. The pivotable support apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising a damping slider configured to be resiliently pressing on the first crank shaft and the second crank shaft, providing damping resistance when the first crank shaft and the first actuating rod rotate relative to the second crank shaft and the second actuating rod.

12. The pivotable support apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first crank shaft comprises a first cam bar, the second crank shaft comprises a second cam bar;

the damping slider comprises a first notch, a second notch, a third notch, and a fourth notch;

in an unfolded state of the pivotable support apparatus, the first cam bar is configured to be engaged with the first notch, and the second cam bar is configured to be engaged with the second notch; and

in a folded state of the pivotable support apparatus, the first cam bar is configured to be engaged with the third notch, and the second cam bar is configured to be engaged with the fourth notch.

13. The pivotable support apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the damping slider further comprises a first groove positioned between the first notch and the third notch, and a second groove positioned between the second notch and the fourth notch; and

during a movement between the folded state and the unfolded state of the pivotable support apparatus, the first cam bar is in contact with and gliding on a surface of the first groove, the second cam bar is in contact with and gliding on a surface of the second groove, thereby damping the movement of the pivotable support apparatus.

14. The pivotable support apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising one or more springs configured to apply a force to the damping slider to maintain the damping slider in contact with the first cam bar and the second cam bar.

15. The pivotable support apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the damping slider further comprises one or more spring shafts extending through the one or more springs, respectively; and

the pivotable support apparatus further comprises a fastener comprising one or more receiving holes configured to receive terminals of the one or more spring shafts, respectively.

16. A pivotable support apparatus for supporting a foldable display panel, comprising:

a sliding groove structure;

a first rotating rod and a second rotating rod slidably and rotatably attached to the sliding groove structure;

a first rotating plate;

a second rotating plate;

a first connecting rod rotatably attached to the first rotating rod, and configured to move slidably relative to the first rotating plate;

a second connecting rod rotatably attached to the second rotating rod, and configured to move slidably relative to the second rotating plate;

a sliding plate fastener;

a first actuating rod;

a second actuating rod;

a first sliding plate slidably attached to the first actuating rod; and

a second sliding plate slidably attached to the second actuating rod;

wherein the first sliding plate and the second sliding plate are fixedly attached to the sliding plate fastener; and

wherein, in a folded state of the pivotable support apparatus, a first included angle between the first sliding plate and the second sliding plate is greater than a second included angle between the first actuating rod and the second actuating rod.

17. The pivotable support apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the first actuating rod comprises a first groove;

the second actuating rod comprises a second groove;

the first sliding plate comprises a first shaft configured to be received in the first groove, allowing the first sliding plate move slidably relative to the first actuating rod; and

the second sliding plate comprises a second shaft configured to be received in the second groove, allowing the second sliding plate move slidably relative to the second actuating rod.

18. The pivotable support apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the sliding plate fastener comprises a first fastening pin hole and a second fastening pin hole;

the first sliding plate comprises a third shaft configured to be engaged with the first fastening pin hole; and

the second sliding plate comprises a fourth shaft configured to be engaged with the second fastening pin hole.

19. The pivotable support apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the first groove comprises a first sub-groove and a second sub-groove connected with each other;

the second groove comprises a third sub-groove and a fourth sub-groove connected with each other;

extension directions of the first sub-groove and the second sub-groove are at an included angle less than 180 degrees and greater than 0 degree;

extension directions of the third sub-groove and the fourth sub-groove are at an included angle less than 180 degrees and greater than 0 degree; and

in a folded state of the pivotable support apparatus, the first shaft is configured to be received in the second sub-groove, the second shaft is configured to be received in the fourth sub-groove.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (24)

Cited By (3)

US 12,487,639 US 12,547,220 US 12,638,889