JP2018114997A - Case and connector for charging - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a case which allows charging work to be performed after storage in the case, and a connector for charging.SOLUTION: A case 10 includes a terminal 2 for charging and stores a chargeable product 1. The case includes: a recessed part 113 in which the product is stored; and an insertion passage part 115 communicated with the recessed part and for guiding a predetermined connector for charging to the terminal for charging of the product. A product pressing part is formed which resists a force of the connector for charging being inserted in the terminal for charging of the product and supports the product so as not to move.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a case that includes a charging terminal and stores a rechargeable product, and a charging connector.

  Some products such as rechargeable electronic devices are housed in a case by a manufacturer, and are displayed in a state of being housed in the case at a store or the like. The manufacturer usually charges the product before housing the case, and after the user purchases and unpacks it, it is usually ready for use.

  An example is known in which an opening through which an AC cable is passed is provided in a lower case in which a product is displayed or a demo operation is performed while being accommodated in a case (Patent Document 1).

JP 2016-47733 A

  However, when charging before housing the case, it is necessary to pick up each individual product and connect it to the charging device, which may not be efficient. In particular, in the case of a small product, the work of picking up one by one and connecting it to the charging device becomes a burden.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a case and a charging connector that can be charged after being accommodated in the case.

  The present invention that solves the problems of the above-described conventional example is a case that includes a charging terminal and stores a rechargeable product, a recess that stores the product, communicated with the recess, An insertion path for guiding the charging connector to the charging terminal, and a product pressing portion that supports the product against the force that the charging connector is inserted into the charging terminal of the product and prevents the product from moving. Formed.

  As a result, the charging connector is guided to the charging terminal of the product housed in the case through the insertion path, and the charging connector can be press-fitted so that the product can be charged while being housed in the case. Become.

  Moreover, you may further provide the control part which controls the movement of the said product to the opening side of the said recessed part. According to this, the movement of the product when the charging connector is press-fitted is restricted, and the charging connector can be press-fitted smoothly.

  Furthermore, the cross-sectional shape of the insertion path in a plane having a normal to the moving direction of the charging connector may be asymmetric. According to this, the insertion direction of the charging connector is defined, and the charging connector is prevented from being press-fitted in an unintended direction with respect to the charging terminal.

  One embodiment of the present invention is a charging connector, wherein the charging connector main body having a cross-section with respect to the moving direction is asymmetrical, and the charging connector main body is electrically connected to a product to be charged. And a conductive wire that electrically connects between the connector portion and the power source.

  When such a charging connector is used, the insertion direction of the charging connector is defined, and the charging connector is prevented from being press-fitted in an unintended direction with respect to the charging terminal.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to charge the product even after the product is accommodated in the case.

It is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the case which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is the top view and side view showing an example of the case concerning an embodiment of the invention. It is the top view and front view showing an example of the connector for charge which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing showing the example of the insertion path formed in the case which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing showing the example of the lid | cover formed in the case which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. A case 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a case for storing a product 1 having a charging terminal, and includes a lower case 11 and an upper case 12 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. It is configured. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the case 10, and FIG. 2 shows a plan view and a side view of the state in which the lower case 11 is inserted into the upper case 12 and the case 10 is assembled.

  In the following description, the shape, size, size ratio, arrangement, and the like of each part of the product 1, the case 10, the charging connector 20, and the like are examples, and examples of the present embodiment are illustrated. It is not limited to the shape, size, ratio, and arrangement, and should be appropriately changed according to the shape of the product 1 to be accommodated.

  In the example of the present embodiment, the lower case 11 and the upper case 12 are both formed using a light-transmitting material such as a blister pack (a transparent case formed by vacuum or pressure forming), a PET box, or a transparent plastic. May be.

  The lower case 11 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape in the example of FIGS. 1 and 2, and corresponds to the flat bottom surface portion 111, the side surface portion 112 erected from the periphery of the bottom surface portion 111, and the outer shape of the product 1. And an upper surface portion 114 formed with a recess 113 for accommodating the product 1. The upper surface portion 114 communicates from the recess 113 to the side surface portion 112, and has an opening on the recess 113 side at a position corresponding to the charging terminal 2 of the product 1 described later when the product 1 is accommodated. 115 is formed. In the example of FIGS. 1 and 2, the insertion path 115 is formed in a straight line.

  Further, the upper case 12 includes a top plate portion 121 and a side surface portion 122 erected downward from the periphery of the top plate portion 121. In the example of the present embodiment, the lower case 11 is inserted into the upper case 12 with the inner peripheral side of the side surface portion 122 of the upper case 12 in contact with the outer surface side of the side surface portion 112. Here, the position of the side surface portion 122 of the upper case 12 corresponding to the opening on the side surface portion 112 side of the insertion passage 115 provided in the lower case 11 (the side surface portion 112 when the lower case 11 is inserted into the upper case 12). The opening 123 for inserting the charging connector 20, which will be described later, into the insertion passage 115 is formed in the portion where the opening on the side is located).

  Further, in the example of the present embodiment, the position of the recess 113 of the lower case 11 corresponding to the insertion path 115 with the storage position of the product 1 in between (the opposite side of the product 1, hereinafter referred to as a pressure receiving surface). When the charging connector 20 described later is inserted through the insertion passage 115 and inserted into the charging terminal 2 of the product 1, the product 1 is moved by the force transmitted from the charging connector 20 to the product 1. In this state, a product retainer 113A that supports at least the product 1 and restricts the product from moving in the insertion direction of the charging connector 20 is formed. This product presser 113A may be, for example, the inner wall itself of the recess 113 on the pressure receiving surface side, or a convex body projecting from the pressure receiving surface side inner wall of the recess 113 toward the product 1 accommodated in the recess 113. May be.

  3A and 3B, the charging connector 20 includes a head portion 21, an extension portion 22, and a charger side connection portion 23 such as a USB connector. Have. Further, a connector portion 25 connected to the charging terminal 2 of the product 1 protrudes from the tip portion of the head portion 21. The connector portion 25 is provided with a power supply terminal (electrical terminal for supplying power to the product 1 for charging), and the charging connector 20 includes a power supply terminal of the connector portion 25 and a charge. A conductive wire 26 that electrically connects a power supply terminal provided in the container side connection portion 23 is accommodated in the extension portion 22. In FIG. 3A, the outer shape of the conductive wire 26 is indicated by a broken line, but the conductive wire 26 may actually be invisible from the outside.

  In the present embodiment, a cross section of the insertion path 115 of the lower case 11 with respect to the moving direction of the charging connector 20 (a cross section in which the normal direction of the fractured surface is the moving direction of the charging connector 20, A in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the shape of (−A cross section) is set to a shape that matches the cross-sectional shape of the head portion 21 of the charging connector 20 with respect to the moving direction of the charging connector 20. The opening shape of the opening 123 of the upper case 12 is also set to a shape that matches the cross-sectional shape with respect to the charging connector 20 moving direction.

  Further, in an example of the present embodiment, a cross section (hereinafter referred to as a cross section along the moving direction) when the charging connector 20 is broken along a plane whose normal is the moving direction may be asymmetric. For example, in order to form the opening 123 of the insertion passage 115 on the side surface of the upper case 12, when the side surface is cut and raised in a U-shape so as to be openable and closable, the lid-formed side and the cut-out side Thus, the shape becomes asymmetric in the cross section along the moving direction of the charging connector 20.

  By using the case 10 configured as in the present embodiment and the charging connector 20, the charging operation of the product 1 after housing the case can be performed as follows. In the following example, the product 1 is assumed to be a relatively small product with a built-in secondary battery. The product 1 includes a charging terminal 2, and power is supplied from the charging terminal 2, thereby It is assumed that the secondary battery can be charged. The secondary battery may have a relatively small chargeable capacity.

  The product 1 is stored in the recess 113 of the lower case 11, and the lower case 11 is inserted into the upper case 12. Thereafter, the upper case 12 and the lower case 11 are adhered with a tape or the like and fixed so as not to move with each other. In this way, the product 1 is stored in the case 10.

  When charging, the operator inserts the charging connector 20 into the insertion passage 115 of the lower case 11 from the opening 123 of the upper case 12 of the case 10. The operator pushes the charging connector 20 into the insertion passage 115 and press-fits the connector portion 25 provided on the head portion 21 of the charging connector 20 into the charging terminal 2 of the product 1.

  At this time, the product 1 is pressed from the insertion path 115 side, but the product press 113A of the recess 113 restricts the product 1 from moving in the direction opposite to the insertion path 115.

  Then, the worker connects the charger to the charger side connection portion 23 of the charging connector 20, supplies power to the charging terminal 2 of the product 1 through the conductive wire 26 and the connector portion 25, and the product 1. Charge the battery.

[Upward movement restriction]
In addition, at the opening side outer periphery of the recess 113 of the lower case 11, at least one product presser 116 protruding toward the recess may be provided as illustrated in FIG. When the operator pushes the charging connector 20 into the insertion passage 115 by the product presser 116 and presses the connector portion 25 provided on the head portion 21 of the charging connector 20 into the charging terminal 2 of the product 1. The product 1 is restricted from moving upward (opening side) because the product 1 rises along the inner wall of the recess 113. The product retainer 116 may have elasticity so that the product 1 can be stored in the recess 113.

[Charging connector head shape]
In an example of the present embodiment, the head portion 21 of the charging connector 20 may be formed wider than the extension portion 22, and the charging connector 20 as a whole may have a T shape. In this example, a charging circuit portion is formed on the wide head portion 21, and a charging current is supplied to the connector portion 25 protruding from the head portion 21 by the control of the charging circuit portion. .

  Further, the head portion 21 of the charging connector 20 has a cross section (a surface viewed from the connector portion 25 side in FIG. 3A) with respect to the moving direction of the charging connector 20 as illustrated in FIG. The shape may be asymmetric with respect to at least one axial direction in the plane (the X axis in FIG. 3B). In the example of FIG. 3B, an example in which the cross section with respect to the moving direction of the charging connector 20 has a trapezoidal shape is shown. However, the shape of the cross section with respect to the moving direction of the charging connector 20 is not limited to the example here. For example, according to the shape of the insertion port of the charging terminal 2 (the outer shape of the connector portion 25), It is good also as a shape similar to the shape (outer shape of the connector part 25) of an insertion port.

  In this case, a cross section of the insertion passage 115 of the lower case 11 with respect to the moving direction of the charging connector 20 (a cross section in which the normal direction of the fractured surface is the moving direction of the charging connector 20, AA in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the cross-section) is similar to the head portion 21 of the charging connector 20 so as to match the cross-sectional shape of the head portion 21 of the charging connector 20 with respect to the moving direction of the charging connector 20. A trapezoidal shape with a size through which 21 can pass is formed. In addition, the opening shape of the opening 123 of the upper case 12 is also matched to the cross-sectional shape with respect to the moving direction of the charging connector 20, is similar to the head portion 21 of the charging connector 20, and has a size that allows the head portion 21 to pass therethrough. Make a shape.

[Protection of openings]
Further, a lid 123b may be provided in the opening 123 of the upper case 12 as illustrated in FIG. In order to form the opening 123 on the side surface of the upper case 12, the lid 123 b may be formed by cutting the side surface into a U-shape and opening and closing it. The lid 123b may be a separate member that engages with the opening 123. Further, the lid 123b may be an adhesive sheet that can be attached or peeled off so as to close the opening 123.

[Effect of the embodiment]
According to the present embodiment, by pushing the charging connector 20 connected to the charger into the insertion passage 115 from the opening 123 of the case 10, the connector portion 25 provided on the head portion 21 of the charging connector 20 is Guided by the insertion passage 115, it becomes possible to press-fit into the charging terminal 2 of the product 1 stored in the case 10, so that the product 1 can be charged even when the product 1 is accommodated in the case 10. It becomes.

[Product software update]
In the present embodiment, the product 1 is a computer control device, and includes a control device CD such as a microcomputer and a storage device MD, and the control device CD is the product 1 according to a program (firmware or the like) stored in the storage device MD. You may perform the operation | movement which controls each part of these.

  Further, the charger-side connecting portion 23 of the charging connector 20 may be connected to a terminal capable of supplying power, such as a USB terminal of a personal computer (PC).

  As described above, when the product 1 is a computer control device and the charging connector 20 is connected to the personal computer PC, the charging connector 20 transmits data between the personal computer PC and the product 1 to be charged. May be transmitted and received.

  As an example, when the connector portion 25 of the charging connector 20 is connected to the product 1 to be charged, the personal computer PC to which the charging connector 20 of the present embodiment is connected is stored in the storage device MD of the product 1. Update processing of the program stored in the program may be executed.

  It is assumed that the personal computer PC according to this example stores in advance a software main body to be stored in the storage device MD of the product 1 and version information of the software. The software main body and the version information are appropriately updated by a user operation or a predetermined update process.

  When the connector portion 25 of the charging connector 20 connected to the personal computer PC is connected to the product 1 to be charged, the personal computer PC starts charging the product 1 and then performs a predetermined timing (immediately after the start of charging). Alternatively, after a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of charging, or when the charge amount of the product 1 can be detected, the charge amount may exceed the predetermined charge amount). Version information of software to be stored in the storage device MD is sent to the product 1.

  When the control device CD of the product 1 in this example receives the information including the version information from the personal computer PC via the charging connector 20, the software stored in the storage device MD of the product 1 at that time is received. The version information is compared with the received version information.

  When the control device CD determines that the version indicated by the version information received from the personal computer PC via the charging connector 20 is newer than the version indicated by the software version information stored in the storage device MD of the product 1. Then, an upgrade start instruction is sent to the personal computer PC via the charging connector 20.

  This control device CD has a newer version indicated by the version information received from the personal computer PC via the charging connector 20 than the version indicated by the software version information stored in the storage device MD of the product 1. If not (old or the same), the process is terminated without sending a version upgrade start instruction.

  When the personal computer PC receives a version upgrade start instruction from the product 1 via the charging connector 20, the personal computer PC sends a software main body to be stored in the storage device MD of the product 1 to the product 1.

  The control device CD of the product 1 stores the software body received from the personal computer PC via the charging connector 20 in the storage device MD. The control device CD of the product 1 is the original software main body stored in the storage device MD until the entire software main body is received from the personal computer PC via the charging connector 20. It is good also as not deleting. Further, when the entire software body is received from the personal computer PC via the charging connector 20, the control device CD of the product 1 deletes the original software body stored in the storage device MD until then. To do. Thereby, the upgrade process of the software main body stored in the storage device MD can be performed while the product 1 is stored in the case 10.

  In the description here, the version upgrade operation is performed by sending the version information of the software that the personal computer PC should store in the storage device MD of the product 1 to the product 1 via the charging connector 20. However, the present embodiment is not limited to this.

  For example, the control device CD of the product 1 has a predetermined timing after the charging connector 20 is connected and starts charging (immediately after the start of charging, after a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of charging, If the charge amount of 1 can be detected, it may be the time when the charge amount exceeds a predetermined charge amount, etc.), and the version information of the software stored in the storage device MD of the product 1 is 20 to the personal computer PC.

  When the personal computer PC in this example receives information including version information from the product 1 via the charging connector 20, the version of software to be stored in the storage device MD of the product 1 stored in the personal computer PC. The information is compared with the software version information received from the product 1.

  The personal computer PC receives the version information stored in the personal computer PC from the version indicated by the software version information stored in the storage device MD of the product 1 received from the product 1 via the charging connector 20. Is determined to be new, the software main body to be stored in the storage device MD of the product 1 is sent to the product 1 via the charging connector 20.

  Note that the personal computer PC stores the personal computer PC from the version indicated by the software version information stored in the storage device MD of the product 1 received from the product 1 via the charging connector 20. When the version indicated by the version information is not new (old or the same), the process related to version upgrade is terminated without sending out the software main body (charging may be continued).

  The control device CD of the product 1 stores the software body received from the personal computer PC via the charging connector 20 in the storage device MD. The control device CD of the product 1 is the original software main body stored in the storage device MD until the entire software main body is received from the personal computer PC via the charging connector 20. It is good also as not deleting. Further, when the entire software body is received from the personal computer PC via the charging connector 20, the control device CD of the product 1 deletes the original software body stored in the storage device MD until then. To do. Also in this case, the upgrade process of the software main body stored in the storage device MD can be performed while the product 1 is stored in the case 10.

1 Product, 2 Charging terminal, 10 Case, 11 Lower case, 12 Upper case, 20 Charging connector, 21 Head part, 22 Extension part, 23 Charger side connection part, 25 Connector part, 26 Conductive wire, 111 Bottom Part, 112 side part, 113A product pressing, 113 recessed part, 114 upper surface part, 115 insertion path, 116 product pressing, 121 top plate part, 122 side part, 123 opening, 123b lid.

Claims (4)

A case equipped with a charging terminal and storing a rechargeable product,
A recess for storing the product;
An insertion path that communicates with the recess and guides the charging connector to the charging terminal of the product;
Have
A case in which a product pressing portion is formed which supports the product from moving without resisting the force that the charging connector is inserted into the charging terminal of the product. The case of claim 1,
A case further comprising a restricting portion for restricting movement of the product toward the opening side of the recess. The case according to claim 1 or 2,
A case in which a cross-sectional shape of the insertion path in a plane whose normal is the moving direction of the charging connector is asymmetric. A charging connector main body having an asymmetric cross section with respect to the moving direction;
A connector portion that is provided on the leading end side of the charging connector body and is electrically connected to a product to be charged;
A charging connector comprising the connector portion and a conductive wire that electrically connects a power source.

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