EP3252884B1 - Compact travelling plug - Google Patents

Description

field of invention

The present invention relates to a travel plug adapter, which is also referred to herein as a travel plug for short. With the help of such an adapter, power plugs of a specific (domestic) standard can be plugged into the sockets available at the travel location. To do this, the travel plug adapter requires a plug socket of the first standard and a mains plug of another standard. The present case is more specifically about travel plug adapters, which enable plugging into sockets of at least one first and one second standard. For this purpose, mains plugs of a first and a second standard can be used alternatively with the travel plug adapter.

Background of the Invention

Travel plug adapters or travel plugs of this type are being used more and more in times of increasing global travel and business activity. Therefore, there is a need for compact, highly portable travel plug adapters that accommodate multiple standard outlets.

The Chinese patent application CN 101872911A discloses a travel plug having a generally circular body. Mains plugs are housed inside the housing, which can be selected and pushed out of the housing. At least three different mains plug types can be used in this way. The desired mains plug is selected by twisting the upper part of the housing in relation to the lower part of the housing. The upper part of the housing has a single outwardly projecting actuating slide. This operating slide can be brought into engagement with various mains plug elements. He does this by twisting into one position placed above the mains plug, which is to be pushed out of the housing at the bottom.

This travel plug adapter may be convenient for many purposes. However, the mechanical twisting of the upper part of the housing relative to the lower part of the housing requires precise housing manufacture in order to enable a low-resistance rotary movement and also to ensure that the actuating slide can be reliably brought into engagement with a mains plug element in different housing positions. Incidentally, the round shape itself is a limitation. In many cases, for example, a cuboid travel plug adapter is felt to be easier to transport.

The German patent DE 10 2011 014 920 B4 discloses another travel plug adapter referred to as a universal plug adapter. In this travel plug adapter, a plurality of sets of plug pins are provided in an outer housing. Each pin set is connected to a control panel that allows it to be moved from the outside. The controls are guided through sliding slots in the housing. The controls are additionally guided through a locking plate provided within the outer housing. This blocking plate has a connecting link through the recesses of which the operating parts can move. The backdrop provides an upper and a lower end position. The locking plate is spring-loaded so that a control panel can be held firmly in the upper or lower end position. The control panel and thus the corresponding plug pin set can be released from the end positions and moved up or down by actuating a selector lever that is additionally provided on the outside next to the control panels. By pressing this selector lever, the locking plate is moved against the spring force. This allows the pins to be moved from their upper or lower end position using the controls.

In this solution, the external controls are used both to move the pin sets from a first end position, a ready position, into a second end position, a use position, and to lock the pin sets in these positions. The disadvantage of this is that while the sets of plug pins are being moved by the operating parts, the selector lever must also be operated. This stands in the way of convenient one-handed operation. Furthermore, the controls do not run freely in the sliding slots because the spring-biased locking plate constantly presses against the controls during movement. The length of the sliding slots determines the distance that a pin set is pushed into its use position.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved travel adapter that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art. The travel adapter should be inexpensive and reliable to produce, easy to transport and operate, and offer a high level of electrical safety. In particular, it should take up little space, at least during transport.

The travel plug adapter according to the invention has a housing which can have different shapes. For example, a cuboid shape is usually convenient for transportation. However, the mechanics of the travel plug adapter are designed in such a way that the shape of the housing can be chosen freely. It is advantageous if the housing has at least one flat side, but the mechanism can also be adapted to curved housing surfaces. The housing can be designed in one piece or in several pieces. It has proven to be expedient to design the housing in two parts, namely with a lower housing part and an upper housing part. Both can be detachably connected to one another, for example by mechanical means, expediently by a screw connection.

The housing should have at least one plug receptacle. This is expediently provided on the top of the housing. Depending on the type of mains plug to be plugged in (hereinafter referred to as “plug”), the plug receptacle can have different shapes. If, for example, a Schuko plug is to be accommodated, the plug receptacle will have an essentially cylindrical recess and, in addition, contact sockets for accommodating the contact pins of the Schuko plug. Other connector types do not require a recess or pit. It may be appropriate to provide a flat housing top, in which several contact sockets are provided. As a rule, at least two contact sockets should be provided, which form a contact socket pair for receiving a plug of a standard. It can be useful to provide several pairs of contact sockets in order to be able to accommodate several plugs of different standards. If the plugs also have earth conductors and the plug receptacle is to offer the possibility of grounding, then it is usually necessary to also provide a third contact socket or a third contact for each plug to be accommodated.

The travel plug adapter should also have at least one plug of a first standard. It often also has other plugs, such as and a second plug of a second standard. (Such plugs are also sometimes referred to as pin sets.) For example, the plug of the first standard may be an EU plug and the plug of the second standard may be a UK plug. The plugs can be two-pole, ie ungrounded, or three-pole, so that a ground pole can be provided.

It is expedient and usually also necessary if the first plug and the optional second plug are used alternatively.

The travel plug adapter can also include three or more plugs. Travel plug adapters with three or four plugs have proven to be very proven useful. At least one of the plugs, but usually all plugs, can be moved from a ready position, in which the plug is essentially in the housing, to a use position. In the use position, the plug is usable entirely or at least partially outside the housing. It is often possible for the plug to be moved completely back into the housing when it is returned to the ready position. It is expedient if the plug can be moved back into the housing at least far enough so that it does not get in the way of other plugs.

The travel plug adapter according to the present invention thus has a housing with inner walls, outer walls and a bottom surface. As a rule, the housing has a single wall, so that the inner wall is to be understood in the sense of the inner wall surface and the outer wall in the sense of the outer wall surface. As a rule, the floor has breakthroughs. The openings serve to enable plugs to be transferred from the ready position to the use position through the floor area.

The at least first plug that the travel plug adapter includes should have at least one first contact pin. Plugs usually have at least two contact pins. Plugs often also have three contact pins, with the third contact pin being used for grounding.

A contact surface should be provided in the housing. This bearing surface can be provided on an element located in the housing, it could also be provided as part of an element of the housing which is intended in part or essentially to provide the bearing surface. Projections, for example a projection on an inner wall of the housing, can be an appropriate contact surface.

According to the invention, the plug has at least one actuating element or is connected to one. The actuating element may take a variety of convenient forms, for example it may be an actuating button or an actuating lever.

In the context of the present invention, the actuation element should at least temporarily come into contact with the contact surface during the transfer of the plug from the ready position to the use position. In this case, pressure is exerted on the actuating element by the contact surface. The temporary contact of the actuating element with the contact surface is sufficient for this, but it is also possible for the actuating element to come into contact with the contact surface during the entire transfer of the plug from the ready position to the use position. It is also contemplated that the actuator engages an abutment (such as where the abutment is provided by a groove).

The plug is usually transferred from the ready position to the use position by means of a linear movement. The plug is moved over a first distance. The first distance corresponds to the distance over which a possibly provided carrying element, which carries the contact pins, is moved, e.g. a carrying arm or a carrying body. During this movement, force is then exerted on the actuating element simultaneously with the force which serves to move the plug, by pressing the actuating element against the contact surface.

The actuating element should be connected to a translation unit in such a way that the translation unit moves the at least one contact pin of the first plug over a second distance, which is greater than the first distance.

For example, the first distance can be 40 to 90% or 60 to 80% of the second distance.

The ability to move at least one contact pin of a plug over a longer distance than the plug itself is moved can be advantageous in a travel plug adapter in various contexts. If, for example, the travel plug adapter includes plugs of different standards, it may be necessary for plugs of a certain standard to be pushed further out of the housing than plugs of another standard.

This applies, for example, to a Euro plug compared to a US plug. The US plug includes two prongs. However, the Euro plug has a plug body from which two pins protrude (to put it liberally) about the same distance as the pins of the US plug. The pins of the Euro plug are about the same length as the pins of the US plug. Therefore, the euro plug must be pushed out of the housing by a distance that corresponds approximately to the height of the plug body of the euro plug. This can be achieved by sliding an actuating slide associated with the Euro plug a further distance than, for example, the actuating slide associated with the US plug. However, this solution is not always satisfactory. It is felt to be aesthetically more pleasing and also easier to use if all the actuating slides can be moved by exactly or at least approximately the same distance. This also allows for a more compact design of the housing.

In order to achieve this, suitable means have been developed within the scope of the present invention. Part of the solution according to the invention is a translation unit. The translation unit comprises mechanical means that allow a (shorter) movement of the plug to cause a longer movement of at least one of its contact pins

For this purpose, the transmission unit can comprise a transmission or be a transmission. Such a transmission can consist of at least two gear wheels. For example, two gears could be provided. A first gear could be brought into contact with the bearing surface on the housing. Appropriately there would be provided teeth with which the gear can engage. The first gear could itself mesh with a second gear (of different effective diameter) acting on the contact pin to be moved. For this purpose, teeth could again be provided on the contact pin, which mesh with the second gearwheel. Friction wheels could also be used instead of gear wheels. For example, a friction wheel could run along an inner wall of the housing.

It is also expedient if the translation unit is an angled lever or includes such an angled lever. The provision of an angle lever allows a particularly simple transmission unit, the essential part of which is the angle lever. The first leg of the angle lever can serve as an actuating element. A second leg of the angle lever can act on the contact pin or pins which are to be moved by the second distance. The second leg of the angle lever could also act on the plug body, for example a Euro plug.

It is particularly useful if the first connector carries the angle lever. For this purpose, the first plug can include an axis which carries the bell crank and about which the bell crank can rotate. If the connector includes a support arm, this can carry at least one angled lever. If the connector includes a connector body, this can carry at least one bell crank. It can also be useful if a plug has two angle levers, for example opposite. Accordingly, a plug can then also have two axes.

As explained, it is of particular interest with the Euro plug if it can be moved over a longer second distance. Therefore, the first plug can advantageously be designed as a Euro plug. A Euro plug in particular may comprise a plug body carrying two bell cranks, e.g.

It is also expedient if the first plug is designed as a UK plug. Again, it is particularly useful if the grounding contact of the UK plug moves the second distance.

A travel plug is also useful in which both a first plug, for example a Euro plug and a second plug, for example a UK plug, each have an actuating element which is connected to a transmission unit in the manner described.

It is expedient if the contact surface is provided on the inner wall of the housing. For example, the contact surface can be formed by a surface on a projection. However, it is also expedient if part of the bottom surface of the housing serves as a bearing surface.

The first plug can be connected to an actuating slide for transferring it from the ready position to the use position. The second plug can optionally also be connected to an actuating slide for transferring it from the ready position to the use position. Thus, the travel plug adapter often has at least one first actuating slide and one second actuating slide. The actuating slides can expediently be designed in the manner of buttons, so that they can be easily moved with one finger can. Sliding slots can be provided in the housing for the actuating slides. Sliding slots can also be connected to one another, resulting in a guide slot for the actuating slide. It is generally expedient to provide one sliding slot for each actuating slide and to arrange these sliding slots parallel to one another.

A selection slide can be provided on the travel plug adapter, which slide can be brought into at least a first position and a second position. Alternatively, in its first position, this selection slide releases the first plug or, in its second position, releases the second plug for transfer into the use position.

In this way, the selection slider offers practical added value for the travel plug adapter. It is not uncommon for a travel plug adapter to be carried to the same destination country several times. It is also conceivable that in a destination country the required plug is returned from the use position to the ready position while it is not required. It is therefore advantageous if the corresponding plug type can be set on the selection slide. It is easily possible to label the selection slider in such a way that the destination country can be easily read and adjusted there. After the selection slide is then transferred to the appropriate position, only the corresponding plug can be transferred to the use position. This usually means that only one actuating slide can be moved.

Since the travel plug adapter should always be compact, the actuating slides are usually close together. It can therefore easily happen that, for example, a finger is not placed exactly on the actuating slide and an adjacent actuating slide could accidentally be displaced as well. If a selection slide is provided, only one plug and thus (usually) also one actuating slide can be actuated, which is why it moves inadvertently does not touch the actuating slide (or at least it does not move the associated plug). This makes the operation of the travel plug adapter more fault-tolerant.

The plugs can, for example, be brought into the use position with the help of the actuating slide. It is important for the safe use of the travel plug adapter that the plugs also remain in the usage position, for example when they are inserted into a socket against pressure. The most protruding element in particular must be able to absorb this pressure, i.e. usually at least one contact pin that is moved by the transmission unit.

In order to ensure that plugs remain in the use position and to lock them there, a locking or latching element can be provided within the scope of the present invention. This locking element can lock at least one plug of the travel plug adapter, but the locking element can also lock several or all of the plugs in the use position.

The optional latching element is expediently designed as a component separate from the selection slide. The design as a separate component has manufacturing advantages. The selection slide is a component that does not have to impart large forces or withstand large forces. However, by its very nature, the latching element must reliably exert enough force to securely hold a plug of any standard in the usage position.

For similar considerations, it is expedient if the latching element is also a component that is separate from the actuating slides. The latching element is then to be understood as a separate component if it has at least one component which is not also part of the selection slide or an actuating slide. As a rule, it is expedient if all components of the locking element are separate from the components of the selection slide and also the components of the actuating slide.

It is expedient if the latching element that may be provided is connected to a release button that is provided on the outside of the housing and can be actuated in a release direction. Such a release button allows the intuitive and safe release of the latching element when a plug is to be transferred back from the use position to the ready position. This construction seems safer and more reliable than those in which certain movements of the actuating slide or the selection slide or even the plug itself lead to the release of the plug. So that the release button is not pressed accidentally, it can also be provided with warnings or be designed in a warning color, for example red. The release button can be part of the housing, for example if a part of the housing can be pressed in by means of a suitable design. As a rule, it is expedient to provide a recess in the housing and to provide the release button as a part independent of the housing in this recess. The release button can expediently be arranged opposite the selection slide and/or the actuating slides.

It is expedient if the latching element is spring-biased against the release direction. The resilient prestressing of the latching element allows the reliable automatic latching of plugs into a detent as soon as the plugs are in the usage position. It is mechanically advantageous if the springs act exactly in the opposite direction to the release direction.

An expedient design of a locking element is one in which the locking element has at least one locking bar and this locking bar has a sliding surface and a locking projection. An element that is connected to a moving plug can slide along the sliding surface.

This element can then snap into place on the latching projection, so that the plug connected to the element is locked.

A travel plug adapter is expedient in which at least one plug has a sliding lug or is mechanically firmly connected to one and the sliding lug runs on the sliding surface and can assume a locking position on the latching projection.

A travel plug adapter is also expedient in which the latching means has a large number of latching ribs, for example two, three or four latching ribs. The number of locking webs can be as large as the number of plugs. It can also be expedient and sufficient if the number of locking webs is less than the number of plugs.

Especially in the latter case, it is expedient if at least two plugs are each connected to a sliding lug and both sliding lugs run on the same locking web of the locking element. Since both slide lugs run on the same latching web, both slide lugs run on the same sliding surface and on the same latching projection on which both slide lugs can assume a locking position. Since in the case of the travel plug adapter two plugs are not to be transferred into the use position at the same time, the sliding lugs alternatively assume this locking position on the locking projection. However, since two sliding lugs, for example two sliding lugs of adjacent plugs, share a suitably dimensioned locking web, the number of locking webs can be reduced and the travel plug adapter can be made even more compact.

A selector slide may be provided in any suitable form within the scope of the present invention. It will usually mechanically allow movement of only one connector and prevent movement of the other connectors. Conveniently, the optional selection slide can act on the actuating slide that with the respective plugs are connected. It can also be useful if the selection slide acts on another element connected to the plugs.

The selector slider may include a selector slider body. This can be placed inside the housing of the travel plug adapter. It is expedient then to provide a recess in the housing, which allows the selection slide to be operated. For example, an actuating button, which is also referred to below as a selection slide button, can be accessible through the recess. It is also conceivable that the selection slide body is placed on the outside of the housing and acts on the actuating slide on the outside of the housing or acts on the actuating slide on the inside by means of a passage.

At least one connector or all of the connectors can be connected to an engaging element which interacts with the optional selection slide in such a way that the transfer of the connector to the use position is prevented. The engagement element can expediently be designed as a cam or generally as a projection. The movement of the engaging element can be prevented by a locking element of the selection slider, for example a locking bar, a locking cam or the like. It is expedient to arrange the locking cams in a row so that the cams form a comb-like locking bar. Depending on the position of the selection element, it should also be possible that the movement of an engaging element is not prevented, but rather its passage is allowed. To this end, the blocking element can advantageously have recesses allowing the passage of the engaging element. For example, a series of projections and recesses can be provided on the selection slide.

It is expedient if the housing of the travel plug adapter has sliding slots. The operating slide can in these slide slots run. A sliding slot for the selection slide can also be provided in addition. Sliding slots allow movement of a slider while guiding it. They therefore represent an advantageous and inexpensive mechanical solution. Since, as a rule, several actuating slides are provided on the travel plug adapter, it is particularly advantageous if these can be guided in sliding slots in a simple manner.

As explained, it is advantageous if the position of the optional selection element can no longer be changed as soon as a plug has been transferred to the use position. A locking element can be provided for this purpose. The locking element is expediently provided on the selection slide or connected to it. Locking element and selection slide can represent a single component or at least a connected overall component.

A locking element is expedient which has a first functional element for interacting with the first connector and a second functional element for interacting with the second connector. In order to enable simple and inexpensive manufacture of the locking element, it is expedient if the first functional element and the second functional element are structurally identical. The first functional element and the second functional element can each be made available from identical components or component sections of the same type.

It is particularly expedient if the locking element has fingers which can engage in receptacles which are firmly connected to the housing. The functional elements can expediently be designed in the form of fingers. The locking element can also have projections or cams instead of fingers. The recordings can be designed, for example, as projections or recesses in a locking link. The recordings could also be designed as recesses or holes in the housing or in a component connected to the housing.

It is expedient if the locking element comprises a spring element. It is even possible if the locking element is formed entirely from a spring element, for example by a leaf spring. The fingers of the locking element can be resiliently biased using such a spring. The direction of the spring force is in the receptacles on the housing. The springs are prevented from protruding into the corresponding receptacles as long as all plugs are in the ready position.

It is expedient if a finger of the locking element is pressed into a recess in the direction of the spring force as soon as a plug is transferred into the use position.

It is useful if the spring element of the locking element resiliently preloads its fingers in the direction of the receptacles for the fingers which are connected to the housing. The fingers can then conveniently be prevented from reaching into the corresponding receptacles by means of elements which are permanently connected to the plugs, as long as the plugs are in the ready position. It is expedient, for example, if parts of the actuating slide take over this task. For example, the actuating slide can be connected to sliding surfaces that slide along the fingers when the actuating slide is moved into the use position, but release them in the use position, so that the finger assigned to the actuating slide dips into a receptacle assigned to the finger.

Fig. 1

zeigt eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Ausführungsbeispiels eines erfindungsgemäßen Reisesteckeradapters,

Fig. 2

zeigt aus gleicher Perspektive eine Darstellung des Ausführungsbeispiels des Reisesteckeradapters, bei dem der Euro-Stecker in die Nutzstellung überführt wurde,

Fig. 3

zeigt das Ausführungsbeispiel, bei dem der Euro-Stecker in die Nutzstellung überführt wurde, aus einer anderen Perspektive,

Fig. 4

zeigt eine Untersicht des Ausführungsbeispiels,

Fig. 5

zeigt in perspektivischer Ansicht ausgewählte zusammenwirkende Bauteile,

Fig. 6

zeigt eine Seitenansicht der Bauteile aus Fig. 5,

Fig. 7

zeigt eine Seitenansicht ausgewählter zusammenwirkender Bauteile,

Fig. 8

zeigt in gleicher Seitenansicht die Bauteile aus Fig. 7 in anderer Funktionsstellung,

Fig. 9

zeigt eine Seitenansicht ausgewählter zusammenwirkender Bauteile,

Fig. 10

zeigt in gleicher Seitenansicht die Bauteile aus Fig. 9 in anderer Funktionsstellung,

Fig. 11

zeigt eine Aufsicht auf in Fig. 9 und Fig. 10 dargestellten Bauteile,

Fig. 12

zeigt eine Seitenansicht ausgewählter zusammenwirkender Bauteile,

Fig. 13

zeigt eine Seitenansicht ausgewählter zusammenwirkender Bauteile,

Fig. 14

zeigt in einer perspektivischen Ansicht zwei zusammenwirkende Bauteile,

Fig. 15

zeigt in einer perspektivischen Ansicht zwei andere zusammenwirkende Bauteile,

Fig. 16

zeigt in einer Seitenansicht die Bauteile aus Fig. 15.

Further features, but also advantages of the invention, result from the drawings listed below and the associated description. In the figures and in the associated descriptions, features of the invention are described in combination. However, these features can also be used in other combinations subject invention are included. Each disclosed feature is therefore also to be regarded as being disclosed in technically meaningful combinations with other features. Some of the illustrations are slightly simplified and schematic.

1

shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a travel plug adapter according to the invention,

2

shows a representation of the exemplary embodiment of the travel plug adapter from the same perspective, in which the euro plug has been transferred to the usage position,

3

shows the embodiment in which the euro plug was transferred to the usage position from a different perspective,

4

shows a bottom view of the embodiment,

figure 5

shows selected interacting components in a perspective view,

6

shows a side view of the components figure 5 ,

7

shows a side view of selected interacting components,

8

shows the components in the same side view 7 in another functional position,

9

shows a side view of selected interacting components,

10

shows the components in the same side view 9 in another functional position,

11

shows a supervision on in 9 and 10 components shown,

12

shows a side view of selected interacting components,

13

shows a side view of selected interacting components,

14

shows a perspective view of two interacting components,

15

shows in a perspective view two other interacting components,

16

shows the components in a side view 15 .

1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a travel plug adapter according to the invention, which is ready for use but is not yet in the use position. Rather, all plugs are in the ready position, ie in the housing.

Only the most important elements of the travel plug adapter 10 are initially described below. The travel plug adapter has a housing which consists of an upper housing part 12 and a lower housing part 14 . The plug receptacle 16 is located on the upper side of the travel plug adapter and thus in the area of the upper housing part 12 . It has a large number of contact sockets 18 . A selection slide button 20 is provided on the front of the travel plug adapter 10 . Various actuating slides can be selected and released via the selection slide button 20 . Below the selection slide button 20, a first operation slide 22, a second operation slide 24, a third operation slide 26 and a fourth operation slide 28 are provided.

2 shows the same travel plug adapter in the same perspective view. With this travel plug adapter, however, a plug was transferred to the use position. Accordingly, the Selector knob 20 in position at the left end of its travel. In this position, the left actuating slide, ie the first actuating slide 22, is released. The actuating slide 22 has been transferred from the upper to the lower position. As a result, the Euro plug 30 protrudes downwards. This Euro plug has the plug body 32 and two contact pins, a first contact pin 34A and a second contact pin 34B. In this way, the travel plug adapter 10 can be plugged into a Euro standard socket. Contact socket pairs are then available on the upper side of the travel plug adapter, which allow the plugging in of plugs that do not comply with the Euro standard. These are the UK socket pair 18A, the OUT socket pair 18B, the US socket pair 18C and the UK ground pin socket 18D.

3 shows the same connector from a different perspective. The plug is in the same position as in 2 , ie the Euro plug is transferred to the use position. It can be seen on the underside of the housing that further contact pins 36, that is to say contact pins of a different standard, are provided. A fuse slot 38 is also provided on the underside. This slot is closed on the outside with the visible cover, the slot of which can be twisted with a coin, for example, in order to remove the cover and replace a fuse.

Furthermore, the release button 40 is provided on the side of the housing that has not been visible up to now. This release button is received by a housing recess. More precisely, a recess is provided both in the housing upper part 12 and in the housing lower part 14, which jointly surround the release button 40. Pressing the release button allows a plug that has been pushed downwards, such as the Euro plug 30 in this case, to be returned to the housing. However, while the release button is not actuated, the plug cannot be pushed into the housing, so that it cannot happen unintentionally when the plug is inserted into a socket.

4 shows the bottom view of the same travel plug adapter. Here other details can be seen more precisely and are therefore discussed in connection with this figure. The view from below shows that the actuating slides 22 to 28 and also the selection slide button 20 do not protrude much beyond the lateral housing surface. The mechanics of the present invention allow for a compact yet easy to use arrangement in which the actuating slides are closely spaced. The selector slide button 20 is slightly higher than the actuating slides and therefore slightly overhangs them.

The contact pins 34 for the Euro plug are guided in a plug body 32 . The contact pins for plugs of other standards are led out from the underside of the housing without an additional plug body being provided. At least two contact pins are provided here for sockets of different national standards, i.e. one pair of contact pins each. The contact pin pair 36A is intended for Great Britain, UK contact pins are also mentioned below. The pair of pins 36B is intended for Australia, the following also refers to the pair of pins OUT. The contact pin pair 36C is intended for the USA; the US contact pin pair is also referred to below. In addition, a ground contact 36D is provided. This ground contact is for the UK and is therefore also known as the UK ground contact. It is possible that a ground is routed through this contact. However, such a contact is usually provided even if no earth conductor is routed over it. This contact then serves as an opening pin for a UK socket. The opening pin causes the remaining two contacts to be inserted.

It can be seen that the release button 40 is provided directly opposite the actuating slides and the selection slide button. It is quite useful in the context of the present invention, the Provide selector slide button and all operating slides on one side of the housing. It is also generally convenient to provide the release button 40 opposite it for safe and intuitive handling.

figure 5 shows a perspective view of selected interacting parts of the embodiment of a travel plug adapter. The lower housing part 14 is shown. Below the housing is the plug body 32, which belongs to the Euro plug. According to the position of the connector body 32, the first actuating slide 22 is shown in a lower position. The housing has sliding slots 42 at the front. Four sliding slots 42 arranged next to one another can be seen, each of which can accommodate an actuating slide. For the sake of clarity, however, only the first actuating slide 22 has been shown. The selection slider body 44 can be seen above the sliding slots. Opposite the selection slide body 44, the recess 46 for the release button can be seen.

The selector slide body is shown in the position in which it is used in the complete travel plug adapter. However, it is shown without the parts that hold it in this position. This simplified representation is also used for clarity. It is convenient to locate the selector slide body 44 above the operating slides, i. H. opposite the bottom of the housing, from which contact pins can be moved out and transferred to the usage position.

6 essentially shows the in figure 5 elements shown from a side perspective. Again, the housing base 14 and the selector slide body 44 are shown. The selector slide body 44 is again shown in the position in which it is held by other components (not shown). Also shown is the second actuating slide 24 adjacent to the first actuating slide 22.

While the first actuating slide 22 was shown in a lower position, ie the position corresponding to the use position of the plug, the second actuating slide 24 is shown in an upper position, ie the position corresponding to the ready position.

In this view it can be seen that the selection slide body 44 has a locking cam 48 on its rear side, which faces the inside of the travel plug adapter. It can also be seen that the first actuating slide is connected to a guide arm 50 . This guide arm 50 can be additionally supported by components that are not shown and then ensures that the position and movement of the actuating slide 22 is not determined solely by the sliding slot 42 . As a rule, however, guiding the actuating slide alone in sliding slots is sufficient. At the upper end of the guide arm 50, an engaging cam 52 is formed.

The engagement cam 52 is engageable with the lock cam 48 to prevent the second operating slide 24 from moving downward. In another position of the selection slide 44, however, the engagement cam 52 is not in engagement with the locking cam 48.

7 shows selected interacting components in a side view. Shown is the plug body 32 of the Euro plug. The first actuating slide 22 is connected to this plug body. The guide arm 50, the function of which has already been discussed, can also be seen.

In this representation, an angle lever 54 connected to the connector body 32 can also be seen. The angle lever has a first leg 56, which serves as an actuating element within the meaning of the present invention. The second leg 58 is connected to the first leg. This essentially assumes a right angle to the first leg 56 .

The axis 60 is provided near the inflection point at which the two legs meet. In the context of the present invention, an off-set axis is generally a convenient design. At this point, the angle lever 54 has a passage that accommodates the axle 60 . The axle 60 is provided as a short piece of round tube. The axle 60 is supported on a bearing member 62A of the connector body 32 . This bearing element 62A essentially has two opposite openings (mirrored to the plane of the drawing) and encloses the angle lever 54.

It can also be seen that two bearing elements are provided on the plug body 32, namely the bearing elements 62A and 62B. Although in 7 only one angle lever 54 is shown, it is possible and often expedient if a second angle lever is also provided opposite.

When the plug body is in its ready position in the housing, the bell crank assumes a position in which the second leg 58 is in an approximately horizontal position. The first leg 56 is then in an approximately vertical position.

8 shows the in 7 components shown. In 8 However, the angle lever is shown in a different position, namely in the position that it occupies when the plug body 32 is pushed forward into the use position. In this position, the second leg 58 points downwards. The end of the second leg can thus exert pressure on the contact pins or on another contact surface of the connector body. This pressure causes the connector body 32 and/or the contact pins to move all the way down and into a use position protruding from the housing. The first leg 56 assumes an almost horizontal position. The end of the first leg 56 (designed as a rounded end) can be brought into this position by pressure from below.

The pressure on the first leg 56 can be exerted by a bearing surface provided on the housing. When the connector body 32 is moved by moving the actuating slide 22, the contact surface presses against the end of the first leg 56. This brings this leg into the position shown, in which the second leg protrudes downwards and, as a rule, out of the housing.

9 shows the interaction of the angle lever 54 with the housing in a side view. The housing is represented by the lower housing part 14. The angle lever 54 is shown together with the axle 60. This axle 60 is carried by a plug, for example by the Euro plug 32 shown in the previous illustrations. However, neither the plug nor a bearing element 62, which is usually provided, are shown in order to make the illustration simpler and clearer.

The first leg 56 has the contact lug 68 at its end. This can come into contact with a contact surface 70 provided on the housing, for example. It could also engage a projection or groove or the like.

The guide lugs 72 and their function can also be seen in this representation. The guide lugs 72 can ensure that the first leg 56 does not hit the contact surface 70 at a vertical angle, so that a rotational movement is safely initiated.

In 9 the element of the housing which has the contact surface 70 is designed in such a way that the contact nose 68 rests laterally on the contact surface 70, while a recess accommodates the rounded end of the first leg. This recess serves as a guide groove, which runs approximately in the plane of the drawing. However, such an additional leadership is not absolutely necessary, so that the contact surface with a simple Projection can be formed. The provision of a plant nose is also a useful option within the scope of the present invention, but is not required.

10 shows them off 9 known components. Analogous to 8 here, however, the angle lever 54 is shown in its end position. In this end position, the contact lug 68 lies flat on the contact surface 70 .

The bell crank is thus shown in the position it assumes when the plug body 32 carrying it is pushed out of the housing 14. Accordingly, the second leg 58 projects beyond the lower housing part 14 at least at its end and with the end pin 64 .

The first leg 56 is pressed against the contact surface 70. The contact surface 70 provided somewhat above the bottom of the housing therefore brings about the transfer of the angle lever into the position shown.

When a plug is actuated, the relative movement of the angle lever and the contact surface 70 always causes the first leg 56 to come into contact with the contact surface 70 and moves about its axis 60 as the relative movement continues. It is thereby transferred to the end position shown, in which the end of the second leg 58, if necessary with the aid of the optionally provided end pin 64, presses the associated plug and/or its contact pins down into the use position. The end of the second leg 58 does not generally have to have an end pin 64, but it is expedient to round it around an axis perpendicular to the viewing direction, since the angle of the second leg relative to its pressure point on the associated plug (plug body and/or contact pin) can change during the transition from the ready position to the use position.

11 shows selected interacting components in plan view. The view goes to the bottom surface of the lower housing part 14. Openings for the contact pins of different standards and the opening 38 for the fuse slide-in unit can be seen. Since only selected components are shown for the sake of clarity, only the plug body 32 of the Euro plug and the associated first actuating slide 22 are shown. It is easy to see how the angle lever 54 is carried by the axis 60. This in turn is held by the bearing element 62 which is firmly connected to the plug body 32 . The first leg 56 nestles against the inner wall of the housing. The second leg 58 presses against the plug body 32. In order that the pressure is exerted over a slightly wider area, the second leg 58 carries the end pin 64 at its end.

12 shows interacting components in a cross-sectional view. The cross-sectional view largely corresponds to the view in FIG 7 , but has been less simplified here and a full cross-section of one embodiment of a travel plug according to the invention is shown. Once again, the first actuating slide 22 and the associated guide arm 50 can be seen. When the selection slide button 20 is in the appropriate position, the actuating slide 22 allows the plug body 32 to be pushed downwards out of the housing 14 . First of all, the connector body 32 is pushed out of the housing 14 downwards. With this movement, the two bell cranks 54A and 54B move downward together with the connector body 32. This movement is followed by the guide lugs 72 of the angle lever. The guide lugs run in the guide rail 74. The guide rail surrounds the guide lugs 72 on both sides (ie above and below the cross-sectional plane). The guide lugs 72 can initially run freely in the guide groove 76 provided in the cross-sectional plane.

As they move further downwards, the guide lugs 72 each meet a projection 78. The guide lugs follow this projection pressed inside. Accordingly, the second legs 58A and 58B are pushed down. This first downward movement acts on the carrier body 80. The carrier body carries the contact pins 34A and 34B provided on the Euro plug. Accordingly, the contact pins move through vias 66A and 66B.

The impact of the guide lugs 72 on the projections 78 also causes the first legs or actuating elements 56 to project outwardly into the guide groove 76 .

During the further, "second" movement of the plug and in particular of the carrier body 80 downwards, the first legs come into contact with the contact surfaces 70. As shown in the previous figures, this causes the two second legs to be pressed down completely. These then press the carrier body all the way down (in other embodiments, the second legs could also act directly on the respective contact pins to be pushed out).

The illustration also shows that the relatively short displacement path of the first actuating slide 52 is sufficient to push both the connector body 32 and the contact pins 34 completely out of the housing.

13 FIG. 1 shows another cross section through an embodiment of a travel plug adapter according to the invention. In this cross-section, the ground contact 36D of the UK plug is visible. According to the relevant standard, the earth contact must protrude further than the two conductor contacts of the UK plug. The conductor contacts can expediently be guided on the carrier body 80. The carrier body 80 is connected to the second actuating slide 24 . The second actuating slide 24 is also connected to a guide arm which allows it to be released or locked via the selection element (not shown).

The actuating slide 24 can therefore lead the carrier body 80 inside the housing 14 downwards. When the carrier body 80 is in the abutment position against the abutment surface 81 in the housing, the conductor contacts are displaced into their use position, but the UK ground contact 36D must be pushed further out of the housing 14. An angle lever 54 is again provided for this purpose.

The angle lever 54 in turn has a first leg 56, which also serves as an actuating element. Opposite it has a second leg 58 . The bell crank is carried by the axle 60 which is connected to the carrier body 80 here. In general, it is expedient if the carrier body carries the axle of the angle lever.

The UK ground pin 36D has a socket 82 into which the second leg of the bell crank 54 engages. This allows for a good mechanical connection between bell crank 54 and ground pin 36D. The socket 82 is designed so open that the second leg 58 has the necessary play, ie it can engage in the socket 82 from different angles.

When the carrier plate 80 moves downwards, the inclined surface 84 comes into contact with the housing, more precisely, the inclined surface 84 runs along the sliding surface 85 . The bevel results in a large angle of movement of the bell crank 54. The provision of a bevel on the actuator of the bell crank is generally a concept of the present invention.

14 shows a perspective view of two other interacting components of an embodiment of the travel plug adapter. Again, the components are shown in their "natural" position, that is, the position they would occupy in the complete travel plug adapter. These are shown Lower housing part 14 and the locking element 86. The lower housing part has, in a known manner, four sliding slots 42 arranged parallel to one another. The locking element 86 has the already known release button 40 . It also has a chassis 88 . The chassis 88 is equipped with fastening clips, not designated in any more detail, which allow the locking element 86 to be fastened to other elements of the travel plug adapter. The latching element 86 also has three latching webs, the first latching web 90A, the second latching web 90B and the third latching web 90C.

15 shows how the locking bars work. In this figure, the locking element 86 is shown without the lower housing part 14, but together with the plug body 32 for the Euro plug. The latching element 86 also interacts with other plug bodies and contact pins, but the effect is only to be explained here using the example of the Euro plug and therefore the corresponding plug body 32 . The connector body is fixedly connected to the first actuating slide 22 which in turn has a guide arm 50 . The plug body 32 is also connected to a sliding lug 92 . The sliding lug can slide along the first locking bar 90A and can assume a locking position at the lower end of the first locking bar 90A.

16 shows them off 15 well-known elements, but this time in a side view, from which the exact function can be seen even better. In this view it can be seen that the first latching web 90A (like the other latching webs) has a sliding surface 94 and a latching projection 96 . The sliding nose 92 of the connector body 32 can slide along the sliding surface 94 . In order to enable sliding, the latching element 86 is movable laterally, ie in the release direction predetermined by the orientation of the release button 40 (a direction from right to left in this view). The latching element 86 is spring-biased in such a way that the sliding lug 92 is pressed against the sliding surface 94 . When the plug body 32 reaches its use position, the sliding lug 92 reaches the Detent projection 96. Since the detent element 66 is resiliently prestressed (such that it is thereby pushed to the right in this illustration), the sliding lug 92 moves under the detent projection 96 and is thus arrested. This locking is mechanically very favorable, since the latching web 90A is loaded along its main direction of extent, and thus essentially only has to absorb compression forces. However, the locking can be reliably released by pressing the release button 40, and the plug body can be moved back along the sliding surface 94 into its ready position.

In the manner described in general terms and more concretely in the drawings, a travel adapter can be produced which is very easy to use, but in which operating errors are hardly to be expected. Interestingly, the travel adapter can still be manufactured inexpensively in this way and can also be manufactured inexpensively and reliably, even if greater error tolerances have to be allowed for in mass production.

Reference List

10

Travel plug/travel plug adapter

12

housing top

14

housing base

16

connector receptacle

18

contact socket

18A

UK socket pair

18B

OUT jack pair

18C

US socket pair

18D

Socket for UK earth pin

20

Slider control knob

22

first operating slide

24

second operating slide

26

third operating slide

28

fourth operating slide

30

euro plug

32

connector body

34

contact pin

36

contact pins

36A

UK contact pins

36B

OUT pins

36C

US contact pins

36D

UK earth contact

38

fuse slot

40

release button

42

sliding slot

44

Selector Slider Body/Selector Slider

46

Recess for release button

48

locking cam

50

guide arm

52

engagement element/engagement cam

54

bell crank

56

Actuator / first leg

58

second leg

60

axis

62

bearing element

64

end pivot

66

Contact Power Feedthrough

68

plant nose

70

contact surface

72

leading nose

74

guide rail

76

guide groove

78

head Start

80

carrier body

81

Stop surface for carrier body

82

socket (in contact pin)

84

bevel

85

sliding surface

86

locking element

88

chassis

90

rest bar

92

sliding nose

94

sliding surface

96

locking projection

Claims (15)

1. Travel plug adapter (10) having a housing with inner walls, outer walls, and a bottom surface and furthermore having a plug receptacle (16), and at least a first plug (32) of a first standard that has at least a first contact pin (34), wherein the first plug, by being displaced along a first distance, may be moved out of a standby position, in which the plug is essentially disposed within the housing, into a usage position, in which the plug is usably disposed outside of the housing, characterized in that a contact surface is provided in the housing and the plug is connected to at least one actuation element (56) that, when the plug is moved from the standby position into the usage position, at least temporarily, comes into contact with the contact surface (70) and that is connected to a transmission unit such that by the transmission unit the at least one contact pin is moved along a second distance that is greater than the first distance.
2. Travel plug adapter (10) according to claim 1, in which the transmission unit comprises a gear mechanism.
3. Travel plug adapter (10) according to claim 1, in which the transmission unit is an angle lever (54).
4. Travel plug adapter (10) according to claim 1, in which the first plug bears the angle lever (54).
5. Travel plug adapter (10) according to the preceding claim, in which the first plug comprises an axis (60) about which the angle lever (54) may rotate.
6. Travel plug adapter (10) according to any of the preceding claims, in which the first plug is embodied as a Euro plug (30).
7. Travel plug adapter (10) according to the preceding claim, in which the Euro plug (30) comprises a plug body (32) that bears two angle levers (54).
8. Travel plug adapter (10) according to any of claims 1 through 5, in which the first plug is embodied as a UK plug.
9. Travel plug adapter (10) according to the preceding claim, in which the UK ground terminal (36D) moves by the second distance.
10. Travel plug adapter (10) according to any of the preceding claims, in which the contact surface (7) is provided on an inner wall of the housing.
11. Travel plug adapter (10) according any of the preceding claims, in which furthermore a locking element (86) is provided that locks at least the first plug in the usage position.
12. Travel plug adapter (10) according to the preceding claim, in which the locking element (86) is connected to a release button (40) provided on the outside of the housing.
13. Travel plug adapter (10) according to either of claims 11 or 12, in which the locking element (86) has at least one locking leg (90), wherein the locking leg (90) has a slide surface (94) and locking projection (96).
14. Travel plug adapter (10) according to the preceding claim, in which at least one plug has a sliding projection (92) that runs on the slide surface (94) and can assume a locking position on the locking projection (96).
15. Travel plug adapter (10) according to any of the preceding claims, in which at least the first plug is connected to an actuation slider (22, 24, 26, 28) and the housing has slide slots (42) for receiving the actuation slider (22, 24, 26, 28).

Images