Electrical connectors – With storage means for flaccid conductor
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-26
2002-06-11
Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With storage means for flaccid conductor
C439S172000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06402546
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electrical adapters for mobile phones, portable notebook computers and associated chargers, and more particularly to electrical adapters having both a retractable cable assembly that is used to store corresponding cables in a convenient manner, and an electrical plug assembly for use with various types of electrical outlets.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A wide variety of electrical devices typically draw AC power from a commercial source, usually delivered through a wall receptacle or socket, but require that this AC power be converted into one or more DC voltages for powering these devices. Electrical adapters have been used extensively throughout the world to provide such DC voltages to these electrical devices.
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of an exemplary prior art electrical adapter having a long cable. Typically, when a consumer first purchases electrical adapter
10
from the manufacturer, it arrives with the electrical cable
12
bundled and tied with a wire-twist
16
as shown. Cable
12
is coupled to a plug
14
for connection with the electrical device (not shown). Removing the wire-twist allows the cable to be used in an extended fashion over its entire length. As is seen, cable
12
is a low voltage cable for carrying the DC voltage to the mobile electrical device, which may be a portable personal computer (e.g. notebook), mobile phone, or a corresponding electrical charger that requires operation from an AC power source. Although not shown in
FIG. 1
, electrical adapter
10
includes a converter for converting the AC power to a DC output voltage.
As shown in the perspective view of
FIG. 2
, electrical adapter
10
is further coupled to a high voltage cable
16
, for conventionally carrying the AC power from a conventional AC power outlet, via a receptacle plug
18
shaped to enable for insertion into the AC power socket. Similarly with respect to cable
12
, a user upon purchasing the electrical adapter typically finds cable
16
tied with a wire-twist from the manufacturer. With use however, these cables
12
,
16
become tangled and twisted, thereby making the electrical adapter
10
logistically awkward as a unit to use, as seen in FIG.
2
. This is especially true when the electrical adapter is used for providing power to a portable personal computer having a variety of attachments each requiring a separate cable attached to the port of the computer and to the peripheral devices. The multiple cables generally become tangled and interfere with use of the electrical device. For example, a portable computer powered using the electrical adapter situated at a desk with many other peripheral devices attached thereto in close proximity to a wall-mounted electrical receptacle may have many wires in a tangled state.
Additionally, a problem with the conventional electrical adapter
10
is that the cables
12
,
16
are often wound around the unit by hand and stored loosely as shown in FIG.
2
. This is highly undesirable since it may result in the cables unraveling and the unit becoming bulky, thereby being especially cumbersome when the electrical adapter is put into a briefcase. Excessive wear and tear of the cables may also be experienced as a result. Depending upon the patience of the consumer, the cables may be tied together to prevent unraveling, usually with a wire-twist, rubber band, tie-wrap or string.
Consequently, what is desired is a means for storing the cables of an electrical adapter efficiently and conveniently, including means that would be feasible especially in situations where the adapter is used while or in situations where portability of the electrical device being powered by the adapter is essential. What is needed is a suitably small ergonomic means for retracting the cables, thereby allowing the cables to be selectively stored when not required by the user. It would be ideal if the cables could be stored and retrieved, as a user desires. This would allow a consumer to selectively extend or shorten the cabling of the electrical adapter on an as-needed basis depending upon the circumstances and application.
Retractable cable assemblies are one solution to the problem of selectively extending and shortening the cabling ergonomically. For example, retractable cable assemblies are commonly used for the AC cord on a vacuum cleaner. However, in such applications, there are few size constraints on the retraction mechanism. Additionally, retractable cables are often used for the cable connecting earphones to a personal stereo. These conventional retractable cable assemblies, while providing convenient cable handling, are inadequate for addressing the challenges faced with those electrical devices in the nature of a notebook computer or mobile phone. The challenge that the inventors of the present invention face concern electrical adapters for electrical devices that include cables carrying significantly more current (e.g., 2-5 Amps) than a cable for an earphone and require a heavier gauge wire which is less flexible and therefore difficult to retract. Because size is critical for the electrical adapter of the present invention, the conventional retractable mechanisms for storage of cables of vacuum cleaners and stereo earphones are ill-suited. What is therefore needed is a retractable cable assembly that is part of an electrical adapter that provides a compact manner for storing a low voltage cable, which may require heavy copper in the wire for a given adapter power rating.
The retractable cable assemblies of the prior art often comprises a retractor having a base subassembly supporting a reel. The reel is known by several names, including a spool or wheel.
FIG. 3
shows a partially-exploded perspective view of a retractor
30
of the prior art having a base subassembly
32
rotatably supporting reel
34
thereabout. Reel
34
is operable to rotatably wind and unwind a cable
36
by means of a torsion spring coil
38
that is biased in a predetermined direction. Although not shown, the retractor
30
is commonly controlled to selectively preclude rotation of the reel
34
relative to the subassembly
32
by frictionally engaging and locking the reel. A drawback with such conventional retractors is that they include circular electrical contacts
39
disposed along the center portion of the cable reel
34
. This results in a larger area being required to implement the electrical contact between the cable and circuitry of the electrical adapter. Another problem with this embodiment is that it results in greater friction being exerted on the cables and their electrical contact points. This is highly undesirable since it may result in accelerated wear-and-tear of the connections and components, thereby leading to earlier degradation of the retractor. Such degradation leads to the integrity of the electrical contacts being compromised. Moreover, the structure of the circular contacts
39
in the conventional retractor, such as that shown in
FIG. 3
, substantially increases the cost and complexity of manufacturing. Consequently, what is desired is an improved retractor that provides the benefits of minimizing the size of the electromechanical components, of reducing the friction between the cable and the electrical contacts occurring during rotation of the reel, and of providing a cost-effective manner of fabrication.
Because many electrical devices are sold for use throughout the world, and because a world standard for electrical power requirements is lacking for the operation of these electrical devices, it would be highly desirable to provide an electrical adapter that is not only portable, but is able to accommodate various electrical plug assemblies, which may include a high voltage plug and converter circuitry, used in different parts of the world. Where the electrical devices are notebook computers and mobile phones used with electrical adapters that have electrical plugs inserted into an electrical receptacle, it would be beneficial if the electrical
Cheng Wing Ling
Groves John M.
Stewart Neal G.
Tse Man Keung
Astec International Limited
Coudert Brothers LLP
Hyeon Hae Moon
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