GB2404292A

GB2404292A - Voltage adaptor with removable voltage setting element

Info

Publication number: GB2404292A
Application number: GB0317316A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Carl Su
Original assignee: Kerio Technologies Inc Taiwan
Current assignee: Kerio Technologies Inc Taiwan
Priority date: 2003-07-23
Filing date: 2003-07-23
Publication date: 2005-01-26
Also published as: DE20313370U1; GB0317316D0

Abstract

A voltage adaptor 1 has a removable element 2 which is used to set the output voltage of the adaptor. The removable element may have projecting terminals 21 which correspond to various holes in the voltage adaptor body. The output voltage may depend on which holes the removable element is inserted into (see figure 11), or different removable elements may be used to achieve different output voltages (see figure 6). The output voltage setting device may be located on a plug or socket connected to the voltage adaptor, rather than the voltage adaptor body (see figures 12, 13).

Description

VOLTAGE ADAPTOR

The present invention relates to a voltage adaptor.

An adaptor is a power supply device used in many el-ecic appliances and electronic equipment. For instance, an adaptor is provided in an audio device, an electric charger, a printer and a notebook computer to convert standard AC power into a DC power output of an appropriate value (e.g., DC SV, DC 9V, DC 12V or DC 16V) for operation of the electric appliance or electronic equipment.

As shown in Fig. l, a conventional adaptor comprises a power supply shell lla, a conducting wire 12a, a DC plug 13a and a common electric plug 14a.

The power supply shell Ha is used to convert an AC power input from the common electric plug 14a into a DC power by using an internal conversion circuit thereof (not shown). The DC plug 13a is used to output the DC power to an electric appliance or electronic equipment. When plugged into a notebook computer, the adaptor can also be used as an electric charger.

However, the DC plug 13a of the adaptor of this kind has only a single voltage output, and cannot provide a different voltage for a different electric appliance or electronic equipment. An adjustable adaptor has thus been developed.

As shown in Fig. 2, in an adjustable adaptor, a knob (or a DIP switch) 15a is added to the power supply shell body Ha to match a conversion circuit (not shown) in the power supply shell body l l a so that a user can turn the knob l Sa to a DC voltage to be output for electric appliances or electronic equipments of

different specifications.

However, there are still some problems with this adaptor. It is necessary to first solder the conversion circuit into the adaptor, resulting in inconvenient IS assembly and a high cost. Moreover, the knob 15a is generally of a three-stage or five-stage design. The flexibility of selection is thus low. Furthermore, S.', erroneous adjustment may easily arise in practice because adjustment is too easy.

As shown in Fig. 3, the adaptor can also be used in a car with the common electric plug 14a replaced by a car power adaptor head 14a. After s being plugged into the car lighter socket, the adaptor can be used in the car. It is also necessary to solder the conversion circuit (not shown) in the car power adaptor head 14a', resulting in trouble in manufacturing and a high cost.

Moreover, the flexibility of selection is greatly limited.

One object of the present invention is to provide a voltage adapting to device, whose voltage output can be set or changed through an external connector. Because the external connector can be easily manufactured and conveniently replaced, it is easy to use and cheap.

The invention provides a voltage adaptor having a conversion circuit and an external connector detachably connected to the conversion circuit, the external connector including means for setting the output voltage of the adaptor.

Preferred features are defined in the dependent claims.

In preferred embodiments the invention provides voltage-adapting devices applicable to both standard electric power and car-provided electric power (e.g. from a cigar-lighter socket). A conversion circuit in a voltage adapting body is so utilized to accomplish several sets of DC outputs. Therefore, it is only necessary to select a different electronic positioning component to obtain a corresponding voltage output for a different electric appliance or electronic equipment.

In preferred embodiments, a conversion circuit is provided in a voltage adapting body. The conversion circuit is electrically connected with an electronic setting component assembled on the voltage adapting body. The voltage adapting body can provide different DC voltage outputs by substituting different electronic setting components.

The above voltage adapting body can be connected to a standard electric plug and a DC plug via a conducting lead.

A positioning base having multiple holes to receive male terminals of the external connector is suitably provided on the voltage adapting body, and is to electrically connected with the conversion circuit. The positioning base can be a female or male one, and can be of any shape or designed with a circuit board to ensure correct electric connection.

In one embodiment a slot electrically connected with the conversion circuit for receiving the external connector is provided on the DC plug.

is A connection component for receiving the external connector can alternatively be provided on the electric lead. A slot electrically connected with the conversion circuit can be provided on the connection component.

Projecting terminals capable of being inserted into complementary socket terminals of a positioning base can be provided on the external connector.

so The external connector preferably includes a shell housing an electronic component connected between two projecting terminals to set the output voltage of the voltage adaptor. The component can be a resistor, a capacitor or an inductor, for example.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below by way of example only with reference to Figures 1 to 14 of the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional adaptor; / Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a conventional adjustable adaptor with a common electric plug attached thereon; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a conventional adjustable adaptor with a car power adaptor head attached thereon; Fig. 4 is a use state diagram of the present invention before assembly; Fig. 5 is an assembly diagram of the present invention; Fig. 6 shows a positioning component of the present invention; Fig. 7 shows another positioning component of the present invention; Fig. 8 shows yet another positioning component of the present invention; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 11 is a use state diagram of a fourth embodiment of the present invention before assembly; Fig. 12 is a use state diagram of a fifth embodiment of the present invention before assembly; Fig. 13 is a diagram showing internal parts of the electronic positioning component in Fig. 12; and Fig. 14 is a use state diagram of a sixth embodiment of the present invention before assembly.

s As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the disclosed voltage adaptor structure comprises a voltage adapting body 1 and an external connector or electronic setting component 2.

The voltage adapting body 1 has a power supply shell 11 therein. A conversion circuit (not shown) is disposed in the power supply shell 11. The to conversion circuit is connected with a common electric plug 14 and a DC plug 13 via a conducting wire 12. The common electric plug 14 provides an AC power input to the conversion circuit, which converts the input AC power into a DC power output sent to the DC plug 13 for providing the working electricity for an electric appliance or electronic equipment. A positioning base having multiple holes 16 is concavely provided on the power supply shell 11. In this embodiment, the positioning base 15 is pentagonal, and has five holes.

Two positioning poles 21 capable of connecting the holes 16 of the positioning base 15 are provided on the electronic positioning component 2.

Because the conversion circuit in the voltage adapting body 1 has been designed so to have several sets of DC output voltages, it is only necessary to select a positioning pole 21 to achieve electric connection with the conversion circuit for generating a corresponding voltage output.

When a user connects the two positioning poles 21 of the electronic setting component 2 to corresponding holes 16 of the voltage adapting body 1, the conversion circuit in the voltage adapting body 1 generates a corresponding voltage output.

As shown in Figs. 6 to 8, if a different electronic setting component 2 has been substituted, the voltage adapting body 1 provides a different voltage output.

This embodiment has electronic positioning components capable of outputting a DC voltage of 16V, 19V or 20V for selective use by an electric appliance or electronic equipment. The space arrangement of the positioning poles 21 has to been designed in advance.

Therefore, the problems of inconvenient assembly, a high cost and so on of the conventional adjustable adaptor can be effectively solved. The use risk to the user can also be reduced. For convenient discrimination, a different voltage value can be directly printed on each external connector (electronic setting component 2) during manufacturing.

As shown in Fig. 9, the standard electric plug can be replaced with a car power adaptor head 14'. After it is plugged into a car lighter socket, the adaptor can be used in the car. A user can thus match a different electronic positioning component 2 with the voltage adapting body 1 to use a notebook computer, a ho video CD player, a PDA or a mobile communication device in the car.

Fig. 10 shows how the positioning base 15 is connected to the electronic positioning component 2. The positioning base 15 is female and the positioning component 2' is male. A slot 17 is provided on the positioning base 15 of the voltage adapting body 1 to be connected with the electronic positioning component 2' having a connector thereon. Because the conversion circuit in the voltage adapting body 1 has been designed to have several sets of DC output voltages, it is only necessary to connect the electronic setting component 2' with the slot 17 of the positioning base 15 to achieve electric connection with the conversion circuit for generating a corresponding voltage output.

As shown in Fig. 11, a positioning base 15' having four sets of holes is concavely disposed on the voltage adapting body 1. The positioning base 15' is rectangular.

to When a user connects the two positioning poles 21' of the electronic setting component 2 with the corresponding holes 16' of the voltage adapting body 1, the conversion circuit in the voltage adapting body 1 generates a corresponding voltage output such as a DC voltage of 1 5V, 16V, 1 9V or 20V.

Further, the positioning base 15 or 15' can be female or male, and can be of any shape or designed with a circuit board to accomplish the appropriate electric connection.

As shown in Fig. 12, a slot 131 electrically connected with the conversion circuit is concavely provided on the DC plug 13 for insertion by an electronic setting component 2. The electronic setting component 2 is an insulating shell go with two conducting projecting terminals 21 therein. A resistance component 22 is connected between the terminals 21. As shown in Fig. 13, the sheet body portions of the two terminals 21 protrude out of the shell 20 to be inserted into the slot 131 of the DC plug 13.

When a user inserts the electronic setting component 2 into the slot 131 of the DC plug 13, the conversion circuit matches the function of the resistance component 22 to obtain a corresponding output. If an electronic setting component 2 having a different resistance is replaced, a different voltage output s is obtained. Therefore, the selection is flexible. It is only necessary to make easy extraction and insertion actions, which is extremely convenient.

As shown in Fig. 14, a connection component 3 can also be provided on the conducting wire 12 of the voltage adapting body 1 near the DC plug 13. A slot 31 electrically connected with the above conversion circuit is concavely to provided on the connection component 3. The user can thus replace an electronic setting component 2 having a different resistance at this position to let the voltage adapting body 1 provide a different output voltage for an electric appliance or electric equipment.

Further, the resistance component 23 can also be replaced with an electronic component capable of matching the function of the conversion circuit to obtain a corresponding output voltage like a capacitor or an inductor.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details thereof. Various substitutions and modifications have been ho suggested in the foregoing description, and other will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, all such substitutions and modifications are intended to be embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A voltage adaptor having a conversion circuit and an external

connector detachably connected to the conversion circuit, the external connector including s means for setting the output voltage of the adaptor.
2. A voltage adaptor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said conversion circuit has an array of three or more terminals for setting said output voltage and said external connector has two terminals which in use can form a mating connection lo with a selected pair of terminals of said array.
3. A voltage adaptor as claimed in claim 2, wherein said external connector is connectable to different pairs of terminals of said array to adjust said output voltage accordingly.
4. A voltage adaptor as claimed in claim 2, wherein said external connector is connectable to only one pair of terminals of said array.

5. A voltage adaptor according to claim 4 comprising two or more such ho external connectors each being connectable to a different pair of terminals of said array to set respective output voltages of the adaptor.
5. A voltage adaptor according to claim 4 comprising two or more such external connectors each being connectable to a different pair of terminals of said array to set respective output voltages of the adaptor.
6. A voltage adaptor as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising a housing enclosing said conversion circuit, said housing having a mating connection with said external connector, and a lead connected to an output of said conversion circuit, said lead terminating in a plug or socket for supplying said output voltage to electronic equipment.
7. A voltage adaptor as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, comprising a housing enclosing said conversion circuit, said housing having a mating connection with said external connector, and a lead connected to an input of said conversion circuit, said lead terminating in a standard plug for connection to a power socket.
8. A voltage adaptor as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, wherein an output of said conversion circuit is connected to a plug or socket for supplying said output voltage to electronic equipment and said plug or socket has a mating connection with said external connector.
9. A voltage adaptor as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, wherein a lead is connected to an output of said conversion circuit, said lead terminating in a plug or socket for supplying said output voltage to electronic equipment, and a further
10. A voltage adaptor as claimed in any preceding claim wherein a positioning base having multiple socket terminals for receiving plug terminals of said external connector is electrically connected to said conversion socket.

s
11. A voltage adaptor structure as claimed in claim 1 0, wherein said positioning base is female or male, and is shaped to constrain the orientation of the external connector and hence its electrical connection to said conversion circuit.

To
12. A voltage adaptor as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said external connector has projecting terminals which are insertable in complementary socket terminals on the exterior of the voltage adaptor.
13. A voltage adaptor according to any preceding claim, wherein said means Is for setting the output voltage of the adaptor comprises an electronic component of said external connector.
14. A voltage adaptor as claimed in claim 13, wherein said electronic component is a resistor, a capacitor, or an inductor.
15. A voltage adaptor substantially as described hereinabove with reference to any of Figures 4, 5 and 9 in conjunction with any of Figures 6, 7 and 8, or Figures 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 or Figure 14 of the accompanying drawings.