GB2484754A

GB2484754A - Rotatable electric connector

Info

Publication number: GB2484754A
Application number: GB1100110.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alon Almouli
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-10-21
Filing date: 2011-01-06
Publication date: 2012-04-25
Also published as: GB201017782D0; GB2484716A; ES2498837T3; IL215885A0; IL215885A; EP2445063B1; EP2445063A2; GB201100110D0; EP2445063A3

Abstract

A rotatable electric connector and method of enabling rotation of a plug within a housing of an electric connector, wherein the connector comprises: a plug with least two pins 115A-115C, each pin 115A-115C connected to a round, flat conductive track 140A-140C (e.g. copper ring); and a housing 130 with at least one socket 120, each socket 120 with at least two slots 121A-121C, each slot 121A-121C corresponding to one of the pins 115A-115C and connected to a wired contact 123A-123C. The conductive tracks 140A-140C are concentric and coaxially held within the housing at different specified heights by support protrusions, and rotate with the plug. Each conductive track 140A-140C has a different diameter and is positioned at a specified height with respect to a housing basis 132. Each wired contact 123A-123C has a contact connection to, and is pressed against a flat face of, the corresponding track 140A-140C and is moveable along the conductive track 140A-140C upon rotation of the plug to maintain continuous electrical contact during associated rotation of the tracks 140A-140C. The housing 130 and plug are rotatable to any user specified angle with respect to one another.

Description

A ROTATABLE ELECTRIC CONNECTOR

BACKGROUND

1. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of electricity, and more particularly, to an electric connector.

2. DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART [0002] Electric connectors are commonly used as an interface between one plug (connectable to a wall socket) and several sockets, such as to allow connecting several appliances to the electricity net through a single socket.

[0003] Common electric connectors are rigid and require certain free space around the wall socket in order to connect the electric connector properly.

BRIEF SUMMARY

[0004] Embodiments of the present invention provide an electric connector comprising a plug having at least two pins; and a housing having at least one socket at a housing basis, each socket having at least two slots, each slot conesponding to one of the pins and connected to a wired contact within the housing, the electric connector is characterized in that: the plug is coaxially rotatable in respect to the housing, each pin is connected to a round flat conductive track that is parallel to the housing basis and supported within the housing by protrusions of a support, such that each track is positioned at a specified height in respect to the housing basis within the housing with their flat faces being parallel to the housing basis, the round flat tracks are concentric and have an increasing diameter from the lowest to the highest track in respect to the housing basis, each wired contact comprises a contact connection to the corresponding track that is pressed against the flat face of the corresponding track, and is moveable along the round flat track upon the rotation of the plug in respect to the housing, the contact connection is arranged to maintain electric contact during the rotation of the tracks, and wherein the electric connector allows rotating the housing in respect to the plug at any user specified angle while maintaining connector functionality.

[0005] These, additional, and/or other aspects and/or advantages of the present invention are: set forth in the detailed description which follows; possibly inferable from the detailed description; and/or learnable by practice of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The present invention will be more readily understood from the detailed description of embodiments thereof made in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: Figures 1A and lB are schematic perspective illustrations of an electric connector, according to some embodiments of the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic exploded view illustrating an electric connector, according to some embodiments of the invention; Figure 3 is a schematic transparent perspective illustration of the inner workings of an electric connector, according to some embodiments of the invention; Figures 4A-4C are schematic illustrations of an electric connector, according to some embodiments of the invention, Figure 4A is a view upon the plug, Figure 4B is a cross section as indicated in Figure 4A, and Figure 4C is a detail of the cross section; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a part of the mechanism in an electric connector, according to some embodiments of the invention; and Figure 6 is a high level schematic flowchart of a method, according to some embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0007] Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is applicable to other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

[0008] Figures 1-5 are schematic illustrations of an electric connector 100, according to some embodiments of the invention.

[0009] Electric connector 100 (Figures 1A, 1B) comprises a plug 110 having at least two pins liSA (e.g. earth), 11SB (e.g. live), uSC (e.g. neutral), and a housing 130 having at least one socket 120 at a housing basis 132. Housing 130 may comprise one socket 120, two or three sockets 120 or more. Each socket 120 has at least two slots 121A (e.g. earth), 121B (e.g. live), 121C (e.g. neutral). Each slot 121 (121A, 121B, 121C) corresponds to one of pins 115 (121A to liSA, 121B to 11SB and uSC to 121C) and connected to a wired contact 123 within housing 130, 132.

[0010] Each pin 115 (Figures 2, 3, 5) is connected to a round flat conductive track 140 that is parallel to a housing basis 132 and supported within housing 130 by protrusions in a support 112 such that each track 140 (140A, 140B, 140C) is positioned at a specified height 141 (141A, 141B, 141C) in respect to housing basis 132 within housing 130.

Support 112 may be integrated into a plug support, into housing 130, or in an independent part as illustrated in Figure 2) such as to support tracks 140 during their rotation. Tracks 140 may be annular. Track 140B having the smallest diameter may be circular.

[0011] Connection to slots 121 (121A, 121B, 121C, Figure 2) is achieved via contacts 127 (127A, 127B, 127C respectively), connected to wired contacts 123 (123A, 123B, 123C respectively), which are in turn connected via contact connections 145 (145A, 145B, 145C respectively, Figures 2 and 5) to conductive tracks 140. The protrusions in support 112 are arranged to stabilize plug 110 and conductive tracks 140 within housing and during their rotation. Pins 115 may be accommodated in openings between the protrusions in support 112, when designed as a plug support.

[0012] Conductive tracks 140 (Figures 3, 5) are concentric and have an increasing diameter 142 (142A, 142B, 142C) from the lowest (140A) to the highest (140C) track in respect to housing basis 132. In the design illustrated in Figure 3, track 140A with the largest diameter 142A is closest to plus 110, track 140C has an intermediate diameter 142C, and track 140B, having the smallest diameter 142B is the farthest from plug 110.

[0013] The association bctween tracks 140 and the function of each track 140 and pin may be selected at will. The illustrated association of A-earth, B-live, C-neutral is arbitrary and may be replaced by any configuration, with the appropriate structural changes. Advantageously, the widest track 140A may be ground, intermediate track 140C may be neutral, and smallest upper track 140B may be live, thereby having the ground and neutral adjacent, and the live with the smallest movements.

[0014] Plug 110 with pins 115 and conductive tracks 140 is coaxially rotatable in respect to housing 130. Support 112 (e.g. as a plug support 129 of plug 110) is arranged to support conductive tracks 140 while they rotate within a mechanical socket 128 of housing 130. Mechanical socket 128 may comprise an indentation in plug support 129 that is supported against housing 130.

[0015] Each wired contact 123 comprises contact connection 145 (145A, 145B, 145C) to corresponding track 140 that maintain electric contact during the rotation of tracks 140 (Figure 5). Contact connections 145 may be mounted in housing 130 such as to apply a pressure on the respective tracks 140, to yield continuous electrical contact therewith. For example, the ends of contact connections 145 may be bent or preloaded to push against tracks 140.

[0016] Conductive tracks 140 may be made of copper, and may he flat, or have a convex profile towards the respective contact connection 145 and arranged to ensure continuous contact.

[0017] Conductive tracks 140 may be connected to pins 115 by contacts 137 (137A, 137B, 137C, Figures 4C, 5) extending from each track 140 to corresponding pin 115 (e.g. inwards when track 140 encircle pins 115).

[0018] Figure 6 is a high level schematic flowchart of a method 150, according to some embodiments of the invention. Method 150 enables a rotation of a plug within a housing of an electric connector. Method 150 comprises the following stages: connecting each pin of the plug with a conductive track positioned within the housing and concentric with the plug (stage 155), connecting the plug with the conductive tracks to the housing such as to allow their rotation within the housing (stage 160), connecting each socket slot of the electric connector to a contact connection (stage 165), and movably connecting each contact connection to the corresponding conductive track such as to maintain electric contact during the rotation of the tracks (stage 170).

[0019] Electric connector 100 allows rotating housing 130 in respect to plug 110 at any user specified angle while maintaining the connector functionality.

[0020] Embodiments of electric connector 100 may be designed to comply with any standard, as the exact ordering of pins 115 and slots 121 does not interfere with the transmission of current between tracks 140 and connections 145.

[0021] Electric connector 100 is designed to provide maximal usage safety. For example, tracks 140 as well as contact connections 145 are supported and fixated by the housing protrusions or plug support 112, and the continuous contact between tracks 140 and contact connections 145 is ensured by stabilizing contact connections 145 within tracks 140.

[0022] To summarize, electric connector 100 connects one plug 110 with several sockets in housing 130, arrange to allow rotating plug 110 relative to housing 130, while keeping connector 100 functional. Plug pins 115 are connected to conducting tracks 140 that are allowed to rotate with plug 110 within housing 130. Conducting tracks 140 are positioned within housing 130 coaxially at different heights 141 and have different diameters 142, such that lowest track 140B (most remote from plug 110) has the smallest diameter 142B, and diameter 142 decreases monotonously towards plug 110. Contacts 123 behind slots 121 of sockets 120 contact tracks 140 via contact connections 145 that are positioned such as to maintain continuous contact with the corresponding tracks 140.

110023] Tracks 140 and contact connections 145 are supported and secured by protrusions within housing 130, e.g. as support 112. Association of tracks 140 with pins 115 and the association of contact connections 145 with wired contacts 123 may be selected and appropriately constructed within housing 130 at will.

[0024] Tracks 140 may be flat, and contact connections 145 contact tracks 140 on their flat sides. Furthermore, the contact is not necessarily facilitated by support 112. Finally, tracks 140 may have a decreasing diameter from the plug inwards.

[0025] Tn the above description, an embodiment is an example or implementation of the invention. The various appearances of "one embodiment", "an embodiment" or "some embodiments" do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiments.

[0026] Although various features of the invention may be described in the context of a single embodiment, the features may also be provided separately or in any suitable combination. Conversely, although the invention may be described herein in the context of separate embodiments for clarity, the invention may also he implemented in a single embodiment.

[0027] Furthermore, it is to be understood that the invention can be carried out or practiced in various ways and that the invention can be implemented in embodiments other than the ones outlined in the description above.

[0028] The invention is not limited to those diagrams or to the corresponding descriptions. For example, flow need not move through each illustrated box or state, or in exactly the same order as illustrated and described.

[0029] Meanings of technical and scientific terms used herein are to be commonly understood as by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention belongs, unless otherwise defined.

[0030] While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, hut rather as exemplifications of some of the preferred embodiments. Other possible variations, modifications, and applications are also within the scope of the invention.

Accordingly, the scope of the invention should not be limited by what has thus far been described, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. a

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is: 1. An electric connector comprising a plug having at least two pins; and a housing having at least one socket at a housing basis, each socket having at least two slots, each slot corresponding to one of the pins and connected to a wired contact within the housing, the electric connector is characterized in that: the plug is coaxially rotatable in respect to the housing, each pin is connected to a round flat conductive track that is parallel to the housing basis and supported within the housing by protrusions of a support, such that each track is positioned at a specified height in respect to the housing basis within the housing with their flat faces being parallel to the housing basis, the round flat tracks are concentric and have an increasing diameter from the lowest to the highest track in respect to the housing basis, each wired contact comprises a contact connection to the corresponding track that is pressed against the flat face of the corresponding track, and is moveable along the round flat track upon the rotation of the plug in respect to the housing, the contact connection is arranged to maintain electric contact during the rotation of the tracks, and wherein the electric connector allows rotating the housing in respect to the plug at any user specified angle while maintaining connector functionality.
2. The electric connector of claim 1, wherein an inner track is circular and an intermediate and an outer annular track are annular.
3. The electric connector of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises at least two sockets.
4. The electric connector of claim 1, wherein the round flat conductive tracks are made of copper.
5. The electric connector of claim 1, wherein the contact connections are mounted in the housing such as to apply a pressure on the flat face of the respective tracks, to yield continuous electrical contact therewith.
6. The electric connector of claim 1, wherein: the support is integrated as a plug support, the plug support is arranged to stabilize the plug and the round flat conductive tracks within the housing and during their rotation.
7. The electric connector of claim 1, wherein a live pin of the plug is connected to an innermost conductive track.
8. A method of enabling a rotation of a plug within a housing of an electric connector, comprising: connecting each pin of the plug with a conductive track positioned within the housing and concentric with the plug, connecting the plug and with the conductive tracks to the housing such as to allow their rotation within the housing, connecting each socket slot of the electric connector to a contact connection, and movably connecting each contact connection to the corresponding annular conductive track such as to maintain electric contact during the rotation of the tracks.
9. The method claim 8, wherein a live pin of the plug is connected to an innermost conductive track.