TWI826289B - Foldable electronic device and cable management module thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A foldable electronic device includes a first housing, a second housing, a cable management module and a flexible circuit board. The cable management module is disposed in the first housing. The cable management module includes a support base, a sliding member and an elastic member. The sliding member is slidably disposed on the support base. The elastic member abuts against the support base and the sliding member. The flexible circuit board surrounds the sliding member. A first end of the flexible circuit board is fixed in the first housing and a second end of the flexible circuit board is fixed in the second housing. When the second housing rotates with respect to the first housing to be opened, the second end of the flexible circuit board is pulled to drive the sliding member to slide in a first direction. When the second housing rotates with respect to the first housing to be closed, the elastic member drives the sliding member to slide in a second direction to return the flexible circuit board.

Description

Foldable electronic devices and cable management modules

The present invention relates to a foldable electronic device and a cable management module thereof, and in particular to a cable management module for providing stable support for a flexible circuit board and a foldable electronic device equipped with the cable management module.

With the advancement and development of science and technology, various foldable electronic devices, such as notebook computers, mobile phones, etc., have been widely used in everyone's daily life. Generally speaking, a foldable electronic device is composed of an upper cover and a base. The upper cover is pivotally connected to the base so that the upper cover can be opened or closed relative to the base. The upper cover is usually equipped with electronic components such as monitors and cameras, and the electronic components are connected to the motherboard in the base through flexible circuit boards for signal transmission. However, when the upper cover is opened or closed relative to the base, the expansion and contraction of the flexible circuit board cannot be controlled, causing the flexible circuit board to rub against other components and produce abnormal sounds.

The present invention provides a cable management module for providing stable support for a flexible circuit board and a foldable electronic device equipped with the cable management module to solve the above problems.

According to an embodiment, the foldable electronic device of the present invention includes a first base, a second base, a cable management module and a flexible circuit board. The second base body is pivotally connected to the first base body. The cable management module is arranged in the first base body. The cable management module includes a bearing base, a sliding member and an elastic member. The sliding member is slidably disposed on the bearing seat. The elastic component is in contact with the bearing seat and the sliding component. A flexible circuit board surrounds the slider. A first end of the flexible circuit board is fixed in the first base, and a second end of the flexible circuit board is fixed in the second base, wherein the first end is opposite to the second end. When the second base rotates relative to the first base and opens, the second end of the flexible circuit board is pulled to drive the sliding member to slide in a first direction. When the second base body rotates relative to the first base body and is closed, the elastic member drives the sliding member to slide in a second direction to reset the flexible circuit board. The first direction is opposite to the second direction.

According to another embodiment, the cable management module of the present invention is used to provide a stable support for a flexible circuit board. The cable management module includes a bearing base, a sliding member and an elastic member. The sliding member is slidably disposed on the bearing seat. A flexible circuit board surrounds the slider. The elastic component is in contact with the bearing seat and the sliding component. The flexible circuit board is pulled to drive the sliding member to slide in a first direction. The elastic member drives the sliding member to slide in a second direction to reset the flexible circuit board. The first direction is opposite to the second direction.

To sum up, the present invention enables the flexible circuit board to surround the sliding member of the cable management module. When the second base body rotates relative to the first base body and is opened, the flexible circuit board will be pulled to drive the sliding member to slide. When the second base rotates relative to the first base and is closed, the elastic member drives the sliding member to slide to reset the flexible circuit board. In this way, the cable management module of the present invention can provide a stable support for the flexible circuit board, so that the flexible circuit board will not move around when the foldable electronic device is opened and closed, and will not easily rub against other components to produce abnormal noise.

The advantages and spirit of the present invention can be further understood through the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings.

Please refer to Figures 1 to 5. Figure 1 is a perspective view of a foldable electronic device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view of a cable management module 14 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 The figure is a partial exploded view of the cable management module 14 in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the sliding member 142 of the flexible circuit board 16 surrounding the cable management module 14 in Figure 2. Figure 5 is a view of the 4th figure. A three-dimensional view of the flexible circuit board 16 being pulled to drive the sliding member 142 to slide.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 , the foldable electronic device 1 includes a first base 10 , a second base 12 , a cable management module 14 and a flexible circuit board 16 . The second base body 12 is pivotally connected to the first base body 10 so that the second base body 12 can be opened or closed relative to the first base body 10 . In this embodiment, the foldable electronic device 1 can be a notebook computer, but is not limited thereto. When the foldable electronic device 1 is a notebook computer, the first base 10 can be the base of the notebook computer, and the second base 12 can be the upper cover of the notebook computer. Generally speaking, the foldable electronic device 1 will also be equipped with necessary software and hardware components for operation, such as a processor, a display, a circuit board, a memory, a power supply, an application, a communication module, etc., depending on the actual application. Depends.

The cable management module 14 is disposed in the first base 10 to provide a stable support for the flexible circuit board 16 . The cable management module 14 includes a bearing base 140, a sliding member 142 and an elastic member 144. The sliding member 142 is slidably disposed on the bearing base 140 . In this embodiment, the bearing base 140 has a sliding groove 1400 on each side, and the sliding part 142 has a sliding part 1420 on each side of the sliding part 142. The sliding part 1420 is slidably disposed in the sliding groove 1400, so that the sliding part 142 can slide relative to the bearing base 140 in a first direction D1 and a second direction D2, where the first direction D1 and the second direction D2 are opposite. In addition, a limiting member 146 can be provided at the opening of the slide groove 1400 to limit the sliding portion 1420 of the sliding member 142 in the slide groove 1400 .

In this embodiment, the elastic member 144 can be a spring and is disposed in the slide groove 1400 . The two ends of the elastic member 144 are in contact with the bearing base 140 and the sliding member 142 respectively. In addition, the bearing base 140 may have a supporting portion 1402 , wherein the supporting portion 1402 is located between the two slide grooves 1400 and is opposite to the sliding member 142 . The cable management module 14 may further include a wear-resistant part 148 , wherein the wear-resistant part 148 is disposed on the supporting part 1402 . In this embodiment, the wear-resistant part 148 may be Teflon or other soft materials, depending on the actual application.

It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the bearing base 140 of the cable management module 14 is provided with two sets of sliding members 142 and corresponding components, but it is not limited to this. The present invention can provide the sliding members 142 and their corresponding components according to the number of the flexible circuit boards 16 .

As shown in FIG. 4 , the flexible circuit board 16 surrounds the sliding member 142 of the cable management module 14 and the supporting portion 1402 of the bearing base 140 , and is in contact with the wear-resistant member 148 . The cable management module 14 and the flexible circuit board 16 in Figure 4 are provided in the foldable electronic device 1 in Figure 1 , in which a first end 160 of the flexible circuit board 16 is fixed in the first base 10. And a second end 162 of the flexible circuit board 16 is fixed in the second base 12 , wherein the first end 160 is opposite to the second end 162 . In practical applications, the first end 160 of the flexible circuit board 16 can be fixed on the motherboard or other circuit boards in the first base 10 , and the second end 162 of the flexible circuit board 16 can be fixed on the second base 12 Displays, cameras and other electronic components for signal transmission. In addition, the flexible circuit board 16 may be a flexible printed circuit (FPC).

When the second base 12 in Figure 1 is rotated relative to the first base 10 and opened, the second end 162 of the flexible circuit board 16 will be pulled to drive the sliding member 142 of the cable management module 14 toward the first direction. D1 slides, as shown in Figure 5. At this time, the elastic member 144 is compressed by the sliding member 142 . When the second base 12 in Figure 1 is rotated and closed relative to the first base 10, the elastic member 144 will drive the sliding member 142 of the cable management module 14 to slide in the second direction D2, so that the flexible circuit board 16 Reset, as shown in Figure 4. In this way, the cable management module 14 can provide a stable support for the flexible circuit board 16, so that the flexible circuit board 16 will not move around when the foldable electronic device 1 is opened and closed, and will not easily rub against other components to cause abnormal noise. .

Please refer to Figure 6, which is a perspective view of a cable management module 14' according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The main difference between the cable management module 14' and the above-mentioned cable management module 14 is that the elastic member 144' of the cable management module 14' is an elastic arm extending from the sliding member 142. In this embodiment, the elastic member 144' may be an elastic arm integrally formed with the sliding member 142. The cable management module 14 shown in Figures 4 and 5 can be replaced with the cable management module 14' shown in Figure 6. When the second base 12 in Figure 1 is rotated relative to the first base 10 and opened, the second end 162 of the flexible circuit board 16 will be pulled to drive the sliding member 142 of the cable management module 14' toward the first Slide in direction D1, as shown on the left side of Figure 6. At this time, the elastic member 144' is compressed by the sliding member 142. When the second base body 12 in Figure 1 is rotated and closed relative to the first base body 10, the elastic member 144' will drive the sliding member 142 of the cable management module 14' to slide in the second direction D2, so that the flexible circuit Board 16 is reset as shown on the right side of Figure 6. In this way, the cable management module 14' can provide a stable support for the flexible circuit board 16, so that the flexible circuit board 16 will not move around when the foldable electronic device 1 is opened and closed, and will not easily rub against other components and cause abnormalities. sound. The present invention can replace the above-mentioned elastic member 144 with an elastic member 144' to reduce manufacturing costs.

To sum up, the present invention enables the flexible circuit board to surround the sliding member of the cable management module. When the second base body rotates relative to the first base body and is opened, the flexible circuit board will be pulled to drive the sliding member to slide. When the second base rotates relative to the first base and is closed, the elastic member drives the sliding member to slide to reset the flexible circuit board. In this way, the cable management module of the present invention can provide a stable support for the flexible circuit board, so that the flexible circuit board will not move around when the foldable electronic device is opened and closed, and will not easily rub against other components to produce abnormal noise. The above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention, and all equivalent changes and modifications made in accordance with the patentable scope of the present invention shall fall within the scope of the present invention.

1: Foldable electronic device 10:The first body 12:The second body 14,14': Cable management module 16:Flexible circuit board 140: Bearing seat 142:Sliding parts 144,144': Elastic part 146:Limiting piece 148: Wear-resistant parts 160: first end 162:Second end 1400:Chute 1402: Reliance Department 1420:Sliding part D1: first direction D2: second direction

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a foldable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view of a cable management module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a partial exploded view of the cable management module in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the sliding member of the flexible circuit board surrounding the cable management module in Figure 2. Figure 5 is a perspective view of the flexible circuit board in Figure 4 being pulled to drive the sliding member to slide. Figure 6 is a perspective view of a cable management module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

14: Cable management module

140: Bearing seat

142:Sliding parts

144: Elastic parts

146:Limiting piece

148: Wear-resistant parts

1400:Chute

1402: Reliance Department

Claims (8)

A foldable electronic device includes: a first base; a second base pivotally connected to the first base; and a cable management module disposed in the first base, the cable management module including A bearing base, a sliding member and an elastic member. The sliding member is slidably disposed on the bearing base. The elastic member is in contact with the bearing base and the sliding member. The elastic member is extended from the sliding member. A spring arm; and a flexible circuit board surrounding the slider, a first end of the flexible circuit board is fixed in the first base, and a second end of the flexible circuit board is fixed in the second base wherein, the first end is opposite to the second end; wherein, when the second base rotates relative to the first base and is opened, the second end of the flexible circuit board is pulled to drive the sliding member toward a first Slide in one direction; when the second base body rotates relative to the first base body and is closed, the elastic member drives the sliding member to slide in a second direction to reset the flexible circuit board; the first direction and the second In the opposite direction. The foldable electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrying base has a slide groove, the sliding member has a sliding part, and the sliding part is slidably disposed in the slide groove. The foldable electronic device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the elastic member is disposed in the slide groove. The foldable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the carrying base has a supporting part, the cable management module further includes a wear-resistant part, the wear-resistant part is arranged on the supporting part, and the flexible circuit board Surrounding the supporting part and abutting against the wear-resistant part. A cable management module used to provide a stable support for a flexible circuit board. The cable management module includes: a bearing base; a sliding member slidably disposed on the bearing base, the flexible circuit board surrounding the sliding member; and an elastic member abutting the bearing base and the sliding member, the elastic member sliding from the An elastic arm extends from the component; wherein, the flexible circuit board is pulled to drive the sliding member to slide in a first direction; the elastic member drives the sliding member to slide in a second direction to reset the flexible circuit board; One direction is opposite to the second direction. The cable management module of claim 5, wherein the bearing base has a slide groove, the sliding member has a sliding part, and the sliding part is slidably disposed in the slide groove. The cable management module of claim 6, wherein the elastic member is disposed in the chute. The cable management module according to claim 5, wherein the bearing base has a supporting part, the cable management module further includes a wear-resistant part, the wear-resistant part is arranged on the supporting part, and the flexible circuit board Surrounding the supporting part and abutting against the wear-resistant part.

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