Electrical connectors – With indicating or identifying provision – Connection indicating provision
Reexamination Certificate
2003-05-05
2004-06-29
Vu, Hien (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With indicating or identifying provision
Connection indicating provision
C439S675000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06755681
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a connector with a signal detection device, and more particular to a connector with a signal detection device which automatically recognizes whether the electricity can be conducted or not corresponding to different powers of different electronic devices and can be applied in a conventional connector.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Presently, a connector
1
(so called a plug) of a general power converter usually has a tuber structure, whose cross-sectional structure is shown in
FIG. 1
, and includes a first conducting portion
11
, an insulating portion
12
and a second conducting portion
13
, wherein the connector
1
further includes a power circuit (not shown) which is electrically connected to the first conducting portion
11
and the second conducting portion
13
for providing power. The insulating portion
12
is located between the first conducting portion
11
and the second conducting portion
13
for providing a function of insulation so as to isolate the two conducting portions (
11
and
13
). A conventional socket
2
, whose cross-sectional structure is also shown in
FIG. 1
, also has a tuber structure corresponding to the connector
1
. The socket
2
includes a central protruding conductor
21
and an external insulating portion
22
which further includes a contacting flexible piece
221
. When the connector
1
is plugged in the socket
2
, the central protruding conductor
21
will contact with the first conducting portion
11
and the contacting flexible piece
221
of the external insulating portion
22
will contact with the second conducting portion
13
. Under this condition, because the central protruding conductor
21
and the first conducting portion
11
are both positive electrode terminals and the contacting flexible piece
221
and the second conducting portion
13
are both negative electrode terminals, as labeled in
FIG. 1
, the connector
1
and the socket
2
can be conducted. Therefore, a power can be outputted to the socket
2
and the electronic device (not shown), where the socket
2
is set thereon, by the power circuit which is connected to the first and the second conducting portions
11
and
13
.
However, the electronic devices in the market always have different power demands. Thus, the electronic devices with different power demands have to employ different power converters which are corresponding to the different power demands. Generally, a power converter having a smaller power will be insufficient for an electronic device which needs a larger power, but a power converter with a larger power oppositely is suitable for an electronic device which needs a smaller power. But, no matter which kind of electronic device and power converter, the socket and the connector employed are both designed in a communal standard and can not be differentiated from the appearance thereof. Thus, when operating, it will be easy to plug a wrong connector with a smaller power into a socket which needs a larger power and then cause the situations as follows:
1. The electronic device will be unceasingly on and off: the smaller power provided by the power converter is exactly sufficient to initiate the electronic device which needs a larger power but is insufficient to maintain a continuous operation of the electronic device, and thus the electronic device will be disconnected. However, because the continuously outputted power from the power converter, the electronic device will be initiated again and further because of the reason described above, the power will be interrupted again. As a result of the continuous initiation and interruption, for the electronic device, the electronic elements inside will always suffer a high-voltage initiating power and will be damaged easily. Furthermore, because the power converter has to provide the power unceasingly, it will be over-heated easily so as to reduce the life thereof.
2. The electronic device will be on and shut down: although the power transformer with the smaller power can initiate the electronic device which needs the larger power, the operating efficiency of the electronic device is still not good because of the insufficient power supply and a highly possibility of disconnection. Furthermore, if the electronic device is disconnected during a process of data transmission without warning, the data might be lost or damaged.
Because of the technical defects described above, the applicant keeps on carving unflaggingly to develop a “connector with signal detection device” through wholehearted experience and research.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a connector with a signal detection device which provides a signal detecting mechanism under the conventional standard.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a connector with a signal detection device which can determine an electrical conduction state of an electronic device through a recognizing portion provided by a corresponding socket of the electronic device.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a connector with a signal detection device which has an automatic recognizing function in response to the different powers of the electronic devices so as to control an electrical conduction of the electronic device.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a connector with a signal detection device for plugging in a corresponding socket of an electronic device, wherein the socket includes a central protruding conductor and an outer insulating portion and the outer insulating portion includes a first contacting flexible piece and a second contacting flexible piece. The connecter includes a first conducting portion for contacting with the central protruding conductor, a second conducting portion for contacting with the first contacting flexible piece of the outer insulating portion, and a third conducting portion for contacting with the second contacting flexible piece, wherein when the connector is plugged in the socket of the electronic device so as to contact the third conducting portion with the second contacting flexible piece, the third conducting portion outputs a detecting signal for being recognized, and the connector stands on the detecting signal to decide whether power is outputted to the electronic device or not.
Preferably, the connector further includes a first insulating portion located between the first conducting portion and the second conducting portion.
Preferably, the connector further includes a second insulating portion located between the second conducting portion and the third conducting portion.
Preferably, the connector further includes a power circuit for connecting to the first conducting portion and the second conducting portion and providing the power.
Preferably, the detecting signal is an output current/voltage.
Preferably, the detecting signal is provided by an impedance which is electrically connected to the power circuit so as to electrically connect to the third conducting portion.
Preferably, the impedance is electrically connected to one of an anode and a cathode of the power circuit.
Preferably, the impedance is one selected from a group consisting of a resistor, an inductor, a capacitor, and a combination thereof.
Preferably, the second contacting flexible piece is a recognizing portion and is further electrically connected to a detecting circuit of the electronic device for determining an electrical conduction state of the electronic device through the detecting signal.
Preferably, the electrical conduction state of the electronic device is determined via a comparison between the output current/voltage and a reference current/voltage of the detecting circuit, and when the output current/voltage is relatively larger than or equal to the reference current voltage, the detecting circuit will be conducted, and when the output current voltage is relatively smaller than the reference current/voltage, the detecting circuit will not be conducted.
Preferably, the detecting circuit is a cl
Delta Electronics , Inc.
Volpe and Koenig P.C.
Vu Hien
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