GB2484145A

GB2484145A - Universal electric adapter

Info

Publication number: GB2484145A
Application number: GB1016560.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hsi-Fan Chang; Sheng-Rong Gao
Original assignee: GEN JACK TECHNOLOGY Ltd; General Jack Technology Ltd
Current assignee: GEN JACK TECHNOLOGY Ltd; General Jack Technology Ltd
Priority date: 2010-10-01
Filing date: 2010-10-01
Publication date: 2012-04-04
Anticipated expiration: 2030-10-01
Also published as: GB2484145B; GB201016560D0

Abstract

A universal electric adapter (e.g. travel adapter) comprises a casing 10, a socket module 20 and at least two plugs 301-304 of different specifications. The casing 10 includes an upper cover 11 and a base 12 which are rotatably coupled to one another with respect to a central axle 101 of the casing 10. The socket module 20 is mounted on the upper cover 11. The plugs 301-304 are mounted in the base 12, disposed around, and parallel to, the central axle 101 and are rotated along with the base 12. Each of the plugs 301-304 has a working position extended out of the casing 10 and a hidden position retracted in the casing 10. The upper cover 11 has an inner wall formed with a positioning slide slot 117 that is parallel to the plugs 301-304. The casing 10 further includes a slide member which is moveable along the positioning slide slot 117. When one of the plugs 301-304 is rotated to a function area of the slide member, the slide member pushes the plug to extend out of the casing 10 to the working position.

Description

UNIVERSAL ELECTRIC ADAPTER

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a universal electric adapter for an electric appliance to connect with a power source.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A universal electric adapter comprises plugs in different specifications and a socket. The universal electric adapter provides convenience for those who often go abroad on business or take a trip, so that they can use an electric appliance, such as note book, cell phone, MP3, MP4 or camera, by the universal electric adapter to connect with a power source.

There are many universal electric adapters having different plugs on the market.

When the user selects a desired plug to be plugged into a socket, the other plugs will be exposed. This is easy to get an electric shock or a short circuit. In order to is solve this problem, there are some patents to teach a universal electric adapter, such as Taiwanese Patent Publication No. TW 541768 and Chinese Patent Publication No. CN5391 87A.

Taiwanese Patent Publication No. TW 541768 discloses a universal electric adapter. The universal electric adapter comprises a safety device and a protection plate which correspond in position to plugs so as to move a control lever and a positioning block left and right to position each plug. Only one plug can be extended out for electric connection. The electric adapter has a protection effect to enhance the safety when in use. However, the inner space of the electric adapter is limited because the products nowadays are light and compact. It is not easy to mount the safety device and the protection plate. Besides, the structure of this electric adapter is complicated. The operation knob may be jammed or malfunctioned.

Chinese Patent Publication No. CN539187A discloses a power source adapter which comprises a casing and at least two plug contacts in the casing. The plug contacts each have two conductive needles. The conductive needles are movable to an effective position out of the casing or to an ineffective position in the casing.

This adapter further comprises a brake member which is movable relative to the casing and the plugs. Through one of the plug contacts, the brake member is fixed at a position outside the ineffective position. At this position, the brake member is disposed on the slide route of the other plug contacts to prevent the other plug contacts being moved from the ineffective position to the effective position. This technique uses the brake member disposed on the slide route to confine displacement of the other plug contacts. Because the brake member is movable, the brake member may be loosened or shaken to be jammed or malfunctioned.

This patent also discloses a safety member to achieve this function. To use these structures for confinement, the plug may be displaced when being operated. It is necessary to cooperate with an operation knob to ensure that the plug won't be displaced. Such a structure is complicated. When operation, the user presses the operation knob with one hand and pulls out the plug with the other hand. The operation is troublesome. After a period of time, the power source adapter may malfunction. Accordingly, the inventor of the present invention has devoted himself based on his many years of practical experiences to develop an improved universal electric adapter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a universal electric adapter which has a simple configuration and can be assembled with ease. The universal electric adapter includes retractable plugs. The plugs can be selectively extended out or hidden in a casing.

In order to achieve the aforesaid object, there is provided a universal electric adapter which comprises a casing, a socket module and at least two plugs which are in different specifications. The casing comprises an upper cover and a base. The base is rotatably coupled to the upper cover with respect to a central axle of the casing. The socket module is mounted on the upper cover. The plugs are mounted in the base and rotated along with the base. The plugs are disposed around the central axle and parallel to the central axle. Each of the plugs has a working position to be extended out of the casing and a hidden position to be retracted in the casing. The upper cover has an inner wall formed with a positioning slide slot which is parallel to the plugs. The casing further comprises a slide member which is movable along the positioning slide slot. When one of the plugs is rotated to a function area of the slide member, the slide member will push the relative plug to extend out of the cashing at the working position.

Compared to the prior art, the features and advantages of the present invention are that the plugs are disposed in the base which is rotatable with respect to the socket module and that the upper cover is provided with the slide member which is adapted to push one of the plugs out. The user turns the base to select a desired plug to be located at the function area of the slide member. The operation is simply and the plugs can be extended out smoothly. It is very convenient to use the present invention. When the selected plug is turned to the function area of the slide member, the conductive contacts of the selected plug are electrically connected with the conductive plates and the other plugs are hidden in the casing and not in a conductive state. Only one plug is exposed for electric conduction, so the present invention is safe when in use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

ts Fig. 1 is a perspective view according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a partially exploded view according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a totally exploded view according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a perspective view according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention when in use; Fig. 5 is a side cross-sectional view according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 6 is an exploded view of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a top cross-sectional view according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 8 is a partially enlarged view of Fig. 7 according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 9 is an exploded view of the plug according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the upper cover according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in Fig. I to Fig. 7, a universal electric adapter according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a casing 10, a socket module 20, and a plurality of plugs 30 of different specifications. In this embodiment, the socket module 20 is a detachable socket module. The plugs 30 include an American type plug 301, a European type plug 302, a UK type plug 303 and an Australian type plug 304.

The casing 10 is a hollow cylinder and comprises an upper cover 11 and a base 12. In this embodiment, the upper cover 11 includes a circular top panel 111, a second side panel 112 extending downward from the periphery of the top panel 111, a second chamber 113 defined by the top panel 111 and the side panel 112 and facing downward. The top panel 111 has a third chamber 114 on an upper surface thereof. The third chamber 114 is adapted to receive the socket module 20. The base 12 includes a circular bottom panel 121, a first side panel 122 extending upward from the periphery of the bottom panel 121, a first chamber 123 defined by the bottom panel 121 and the first side panel 122 and facing upward, and a plurality of guide posts 124 and connection posts 125 which are located in the first chamber 123 and parallel to a central axle 101 of the casing 10. In this embodiment, there are five guide posts 124 and three connection posts 125. The guide posts 124 are adapted to guide and control the slide direction of the plugs 301, 302, 303, 304.

In particular, the base 12 is rotatablely connected to the upper cover 11, with their stepped edges to engage with each other. Upper ends of the three connection posts 125 are connected with a first connection plate 126 by screws. The first connection plate 126 is transversely disposed and perpendicular to the central axle 101. The casing 10 further comprises a second connection plate 115 corresponding to an inner bottom of the second chamber 113. The second connection plate 115 is transversely disposed and perpendicular to the central axle 101. The second connection plate 115 is engaged with the bottom of the first connection plate 126 to confine the longitudinal movement of the base 12 and the upper cover 11. The second side panel 112 has a length greater than that of the first side panel 122. The upper cover 11 and the base 12 have the same outer diameter, providing a beautiful appearance.

The socket module 20 is detachably coupled to the third chamber 114. The detachable connection way is a conventional technique, not the key point of present invention and won't be described hereinafter.

The configurations of the four plugs 301, 302, 303, 304 of this embodiment are substantially similar, as shown in Fig. 9, each including an insulation seat 31 and feet 32 fixed to the insulation seat 31. Referring to Fig. 2, the insulation seats 31 of the plugs 30 are fitted on the relative guide posts 124, respectively. The plugs 30 can longitudinally slide along the relative guide posts 124. The bottom panel 121 of the base 12 has holes for the plugs to extend therefrom. The plugs 30 are disposed is around the central axle 101 and rotated along with the base 12. Each of the plugs has two conductive contacts 33 on an outer side thereof. The conductive contacts 33 are used to be electrically connected with the socket module 20. Each of the plugs 30 further comprises an elastic positioning block 34 on the outer side thereof. The elastic positioning block 34 is located between the two conductive contacts 33. The elastic positioning block 34 has an outer end extended out of the insulation seat 31 and an inner end against a compression spring. The compression spring provides an elastic force for the elastic positioning block 34 to extend outward.

Referring to Fig. 10 and Fig. 7, an inner wall of the second side panel 112 has a positioning groove 116 which is disposed in the direction that the plugs extend out.

The elastic positioning block 34 is received in the positioning groove 16 to position the rotation of the plugs 30.

For the plugs 30 to extend out of the casing 10, as shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, the second side panel 112 of the upper cove 11 has a positioning slide slot 117 which is longitudinally disposed and parallel to the central axle 101. The positioning slide slot 117 penetrates the second side panel 112 and has widened slots 118 which are longitudinally spaced and communicates with the positioning slide slot 117.

Referring to Fig. 3 and Fig. 8, the present invention further comprises a slide member 40 which can freely slide along the positioning slide slot 117. The slide member 40 comprises a push block 41, a control knob 42 and a compression spring 43. The push block 41 is against the inner wall of the second chamber 113 and located inside the positioning slide slot 117. The push block 41 has a pair of hook portions 411 at two lateral sides thereof to be received in two hook grooves 119 formed on the inner wall of the second chamber 113, 50 that the push block 41 can longitudinally slide along the hook grooves 119. During the slide of the push block 41, the push block 41 acts on the top of the insulation seat 31 of the selected plug 30 to push the selected plug 30 downward out of the casing 10. The control knob 42 is transversely connected to the positioning slide slot 117. An inner end of the control knob 42 is against the spring 43 to connect with the push block 41, so that the push block 41 and the push knob 42 can be moved synchronously. An outer end of the control knob 42 is exposed out of the casing 10, so that the user can operate the control knob 42 to bring the push block 41 to longitudinally slide along the positioning slide slot 117. The control knob 42 has a first neck 421 and a second neck 422 corresponding in width to the positioning slide slot 117 and the widened slots 118, respectively. During the longitudinal slide of the control knob 42, the first neck 421 slides along the positioning slide slot 117 and the second neck 422 can be engaged in one of the widened slots 118 for the selected plug 30 to be at a working position or a hidden position.

For the plugs 30 to be retracted in the casing 10, each of the plugs 30 is provided with a returning mechanism. As shown in Fig. 9, the returning mechanism of the present invention uses a returning spring 50. The retuning spring 50 is against the bottom of the insulation seat 31 of the plug 30 to supply a returning force for the plug 30 to be retracted in the casing 10 at the hidden position.

Accordingly, the slide working position of the push block 41 forms a function area to push out the plug 30. Referring to Fig. 3 and Fig. 10, two parallel and spaced conductive plates 60 are provided in the function area to be electrically connected with the two conductive contacts 33 of the plug 30. The conductive plates 60 are received in two receiving grooves 110 formed on the inner wall of the upper cover 11.

Upper ends of the two conductive plates 60 are connected to the socket module 20.

When one of the plugs 30 is rotated to the function area of the push block 41, the two conductive contacts 33 will be contact with the two conductive plates 60 for the plug to be electrically connected with the socket module 20, so that the selected plug is conductive and the other plugs 30 are disengaged from the socket module 20 to be a safety mode. Lower ends of the two conductive plates 60 are disposed in the direction that the plugs 30 extend out. During the selected plug 30 to be extended out, the two conductive contacts 33 of the selected plug 30 can be contact with the two conductive plates 60 all along.

To describe the use way and working principle of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the push block 41 of the slide member 40 is located in the top widened slot 118 at an initial state, as shown in Fig. 1, and the four plugs 301, 302, 303, 304 are retracted in the casing 10 by the returning springs 50 at the hidden position. Thus, the universal electric adapter is compact for carrying and transportation.

When in use, the user turns the base 12 to bring the plugs 301, 302, 303, 304 to turn along with the base 12 for a desired plug to be turned to the function area of the push block 41. The elastic positioning block 34 of the selected plug 30 is moved to the positioning groove 116, sO the selected plug 30 is positioned in the function area is for next operation and the two conductive contacts 33 of the selected plug 30 are contact with the two conductive plates 60 for the selected plug 30 to be electrically connected with the socket module 20. After that, the user pushes the control knob 42 transversely for the first neck 421 of the control knob 42 to disengage from the top widened slot 118 and the second neck 422 to slide downward along the positioning slide slot 117. During the control knob 42 to slide downward, the push block 41 is synchronously moved along with the control knob 42 to act on the selected plug 30 and to move the selected plug 30 downward until the control knob 42 is slid to the bottom widened slot 118. As shown in Fig. 4, the control knob 42 is released for the first neck 421 to engage with the bottom widened slot 118 and the control knob 42 is positioned thereat. The selected plug 30 is extended out of the casing 10 at a working position to connect with a suitable socket.

After use, the control knob 42 is moved upward along the positioning slide slot 117 and the push block 41 is disengaged from the selected plug 30. The selected plug 30 will be retracted in the casing 10 by the returning spring 50.

Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Accordingly, the present invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. A universal electric adapter, comprising a casing, a socket module, and at least two plugs which are in different specifications, the casing comprising an upper cover and a base, the base being rotatably coupled to the upper cover with respect to a central axle of the casing, the socket module being mounted on the upper cover, the plugs being mounted in the base and rotated along with the base, the plugs being disposed around the central axle and parallel to the central axle, each of the plugs having a working position to be extended out of the casing and a hidden position to be retracted in the casing, the upper cover having an inner wall formed with a positioning slide slot which is parallel to the plugs, the casing further comprising a slide member which is movable along the positioning slide slot, wherein, when one of the plugs is rotated to a function area of the slide member, the slide member pushes the relative plug to extend out of the cashing at the working position.
2. The universal electric adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein an outer side of is each of the plugs has two conductive contacts on an outer side thereof, two conductive plates provided close to an inner side of the positioning slide slot, upper ends of the two conductive plates being electrically connected to the socket module, lower ends of the two conductive plates being disposed in the direction that the plugs extend out, when one of the plugs being rotated to the function area of the slide member, the two conductive contacts of the plug being contact with the two conductive plates for the relative plug to be electrically connected with the socket module.
3. The universal electric adapter as claimed in claim 2, wherein the inner wall of the upper cover has a pair of receiving grooves close to two ends of the positioning slide slot, the conductive plates being received in the pair of receiving grooves.
4. The universal electric adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base comprises a plurality of guide posts which are integrally formed with the base and parallel to the plugs, each of the plugs including an insulation seat and feet fixed to the insulation seat, the insulation seats of the plugs being fitted on the relative guide posts, the plugs longitudinally sliding along the relative guide posts, a bottom panel of the base having holes for the plugs to extend therefrom.
5. The universal electric adapter as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of the plugs further comprises an elastic positioning block on an outer side thereof, the inner wall of the upper cover having a positioning groove which is disposed in the direction that the plugs extend out, when one of the plugs being turned to be located under the slide member, the elastic positioning block of the plug being engaged in the positioning groove to position rotation of the plugs.
6. The universal electric adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the casing is a hollow cylinder, the base including a circular bottom panel, a first side panel extending upward from the periphery of the bottom panel and a first chamber defined by the bottom panel and the first side panel and facing upward, the upper cover including a circular top panel, a second side panel extending downward from the periphery of the top panel and a second chamber defined by the top panel and the side panel and facing downward, the base being coupled to the upper cover with the first chamber facing the second chamber, the base comprising a plurality of connection posts which are parallel to the plugs, upper ends of the connection posts is being connected with a first connection plate by screws, the first connection plate being transversely disposed and perpendicular to the central axle, the casing further comprising a second connection plate corresponding to an inner bottom of the second chamber, the second connection plate being transversely disposed and perpendicular to the central axle, the second connection plate being engaged with a bottom of the first connection plate to confine longitudinal movement of the base and the upper cover.
7. The universal electric adapter as claimed in claim 6, wherein the top panel has a third chamber on an upper surface thereof, the socket module being is detachably coupled to the third chamber.
8. The universal electric adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the slide member comprises a push block, a control knob and a compression spring, the push block being located inside the positioning slide slot, the push block having a pair of hook portions at two lateral sides thereof to be received in two hook grooves formed on the inner wall of the upper cover, the push block being longitudinally movable along the hook grooves, the control knob being transversely connected to the positioning slide slot, an inner end of the control knob being against the compression spring to connect with the push block, the push block and the push knob being moved synchronously, an outer end of the control knob being exposed out of the casing, the control knob being operated to bring the push block to longitudinally slide along the positioning slide slot, the positioning slide slot having at least two widened slots which are longitudinally spaced, the control knob having a first neck and a second neck corresponding in width to the positioning slide slot and the widened slots respectively, the first neck sliding along the positioning slide slot, the second neck being engaged in one of the widened slots for the plugs to be at the working position or the hidden position.
9. The universal electric adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plugs is provided with a returning spring for the plugs to be retraced to the hidden position, the returning spring being mounted in the casing and having two ends to be against the base and the relative plug respectively.