Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Plural-contact coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-06
2003-10-28
Vu, Hien (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Plural-contact coupling part
C439S131000, C439S956000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06638113
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pin configuration adapter for an AC-adapter, and particularly relates to a pin configuration adapter having a different pin type from that of the AC-adapter and which is, in use, attached to the AC-adapter.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a power transformer (AC-adapter) is widely used for supplying power to portable electronic devices and/or for recharging batteries of such electronic devices. The power transformer includes a housing, a plug protruding from the housing, a conversion circuit provided inside the housing and an output cord extending from the housing. In order to plug the power adapter to the power socket, the pins are inserted into the power socket. In the converting circuit, an alternating current supplied from the power socket is converted to a direct current of a predetermined voltage. The obtained direct current is output from the output cord which may be connected to an electronic device.
Recently, many people bring such devices abroad on their private or business trips. However, there is no global standard configuration for a power socket, and therefore there are various configuration of the power socket for various countries.
Accordingly, an AC-adapter having a parallel-blade pin configuration conforming to a standard adopted in countries such as Japan, Taiwan and the US, cannot be used in those countries where power sockets are configured to match a pin configuration different from the parallel-blade type. Therefore, the traveller wishing to travel in such a country had to purchase and bring AC-adapters conforming to pin configurations adopted in the country or countries he wishes to travel in.
However, it is troublesome to prepare AC-adapters of different pin configurations conforming to the domestic standard and to foreign standards. Also, since each of the AC-adapters has a conversion circuit therein, it is comparatively expensive to prepare different types of AC-adaptors. Therefore, it is an economic burden to a user of a portable electronic device to prepare expensive AC-adapters for each standard with different pin configuration.
In order to overcome the above-mentioned problem, it is known to provide pin configuration adapters having a pin configuration different from that of the plug provided on the housing, which may be attached to the AC-adapter. However, the pin configuration adapter of the related art is attached the AC-adapter by simply inserting the pins of the AC-adapter to the pin configuration adapter and therefore an attachment force to the AC-adapter is weak. Therefore, there is a problem that the pin configuration adapter may fall off from the AC-adapter upon insertion to the power socket.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a pin configuration adapter for an AC-adaptor which can solve the above problems.
It is another and more specific object of the present invention to provide a pin configuration adapter for an AC-adaptor which can be securely plugged to the AC-adaptor having a plug body having a first pin configuration and an AC-adapter housing having a conversion circuit for converting an electric power supplied via the plug body, the plug body being rotatable between a first position in which the plug body is accommodated in a recess formed in the AC-adapter housing and a second position in which the plug body is in an upright position with respect to the AC-adapter housing.
In order to achieve the above objects, a pin configuration adapter includes:
a plug part having a second pin configuration different from said first pin configuration;
a receptacle part whereto said plug body in said second position can be inserted;
a pin configuration adapter housing having an internal connection mechanism for electrically connecting said plug body and said plug part; and
an engaging part provided on said pin configuration adapter housing and engages with said recess of said AC-adapter housing.
With the pin configuration adapter described above, when the pin configuration adapter is attached to the AC-adapter, the pin provided on the plug body are inserted into the pin configuration adapter housing and the recess of the pin configuration. Also, the engaging part provided on the pin configuration adapter housing engages with the recess of the AC-adapter housing. In this attached state, the pins of the plug body and the pins of the plug part are connected by a connection mechanism. Thus, the AC-adapter can be attached to a power socket having a configuration matching the pin configuration of the plug part.
With such a structure, the pin configuration adapter is attached to the AC-adapter by two forces: an engagement force between the plug body and the pin configuration adapter housing (in detail, the connection mechanism) and an engagement force between the engaging part and the recess. Thus, since the pin configuration adapter is attached to the AC-adapter by two engagement forces, the pin configuration adapter can be securely attached to the AC-adapter.
Also, the engaging part engages with the recess formed on the AC-adapter which is a portion where the plug body is accommodated and where a space is formed when the plug body moves to the second position (when the AC-adapter is in use). The pin configuration adapter is attached to the AC-adapter when the plug body is in the second position, and therefore the engagement part engages with the space formed after the plug body has been moved.
That is to say, since the engaging part matches with the recess provided in the AC-adapter, even in a state where the engaging part is engaged with the recess of the AC-adapter, the size of the AC-adapter is kept considerably compact. Also, even when the pin configuration adapter
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is attached to the AC-adapter, the portableness of the AC-adapter is maintained.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4973827 (1990-11-01), Nozaki
patent: 5613863 (1997-03-01), Klaus et al.
patent: 5702259 (1997-12-01), Lee
patent: 5973948 (1999-10-01), Hahn et al.
patent: 6261109 (2001-07-01), Liu et al.
patent: 1224717 (1999-08-01), None
Hamai Hidetoshi
Kajiwara Terutomo
Kinkawa Takenori
Ladas & Parry
Mitsumi Electric Co. Ltd.
Vu Hien
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