JP5190107B2 - Airtight electrical socket - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrical socket that is waterproof and / or airtight. In particular, the present invention relates to an electrical socket that is waterproof and / or airtight for portable electronic devices.

  Electrical socket and plug systems are common in portable electronic devices that need to be electrically charged. However, the socket opening is generally plugged, but is susceptible to dirt, moisture and other adverse effects that can interfere with the operation of the plug-socket system. Therefore, it is important to protect the socket and plug system from the above disadvantages by forming a seal to protect the socket-plug system.

  U.S. Patent No. 5,053,077 to Cairns presents an air bag used to protect electronic equipment when submerged. This Patent Document 1 is cited herein as a reference. In Patent Document 1, a seal portion is provided in a socket-plug system to protect the system from high-pressure salt water. These prior art seals are annular and have a resilient structure that protects against symmetrical salt water pressure. In other words, a symmetric pressure means a pressure that is uniform on the surface to which the pressure is applied. When the seal part is exposed to asymmetric pressure, the seal part is compressed more strongly at the place where the pressure is maximum, but the seal part is looser where the pressure is weak. Has the distinct disadvantage of This effect has been tried with a rubber annular structure, and when the annular structure is pressed from two side surfaces, the annular structure is compressed from the side surface against which the annular structure is pressed, so that the elliptical structure swells from the non-pressed side surface. Tend to take shape. In other words, asymmetric pressure means pressure that is not uniform at some point on the surface to which pressure is applied.

US Pat. No. 4,948,377

  The present invention under consideration is directed to a system and method for efficiently sealing a socket-plug system even in asymmetric pressure situations.

  A further object of the present invention is a waterproof and / or airtight seal for a socket and plug system, irrespective of the direction in which either the seal or the electronic device is subjected to asymmetric or symmetric pressure, It is to provide a seal that continues to seal the plug-socket system.

  In one aspect of the present invention, the sealing element is arcuate and configured to seal only a portion of the periphery of the socket-plug interface. When this arcuate element is subjected to a force caused by asymmetric pressure, the element mechanically relays the force only to a predetermined portion of the periphery of the socket-plug interface configured to seal. To do. The element does not relay any further mechanical force. In this way, the mechanical influence of the further asymmetric pressure increases the pressure of the sealing part at the periphery of the special sealing element of the sealing element, thereby only tightening the sealing part. In this way, secondary mechanical reactions that can relieve pressure on some parts of any annular structure are avoided.

  In another form of the present invention, the seal portion of the present invention is realized by a spherical housing, and the electronic device is configured to be inserted into the spherical housing. The housing has an opening for the socket, and this opening is sealed by the seal portion of the present invention. The electrical socket of the electronic device is just aligned with the socket opening in the housing, and the plug is inserted through the opening and the seal to charge the electronic device. When the housing is pressed by a finger that causes asymmetric pressure, the seal is directed toward a portion of the periphery of the socket-plug interface using a special element that is compressible and changes the direction of the pressure. Maintain by changing the direction of the asymmetrical pressure.

  Some or all of the advantages of the present invention are obtained by an electrical socket having the sealing part or a housing for an electronic device having the sealing part, wherein at least one sealing part or at least one sealing element is made of plastic. Or it is manufactured by molding and / or injection molding of silicone.

The electrical socket in the present invention is an electronic device for a plug housing having a socket, and further includes a seal portion,
The sealing part is composed of at least two sealing elements and is configured to seal the socket opening;
The plug is an electronic device configured to penetrate the seal through the opening;
-When pressure is applied to the electronic device, the at least one sealing element is configured to compress radially against the longitudinal plug shaft and thereby tighten the sealing part of the socket;
The at least one element occupies an arcuate part of the socket opening, i.e. a predetermined part, which is smaller than the entire periphery;
Realized in electronic equipment.

  The housing according to the present invention is configured to accommodate an electronic device including an opening for an electric plug and a seal for the opening, and the socket of the electronic device and the seal of the housing are the above-described electric socket. It is comprised so that it may form.

  The method for manufacturing a socket in the above-described invention is characterized in that all or part of the socket and / or the seal portion is manufactured by molding and / or injection molding.

  The method of tightening the contact surfaces of the plug and socket is described in the paragraph above.

The method of tightening the contact surfaces of the plug and socket in the present invention includes the following steps:
-Pressing the electronic device or the housing of the electronic device;
-At least one sealing element is subjected to pressure or a force caused by a part of the pressure;
-Mechanically directing the force further caused by the sealing element by the pressure or part of the pressure;
-The force-induced force-redirected force is directed to a part of the socket periphery; and
-Part of the socket periphery is pressed more strongly in contact with the plug face by further force caused by pressure and changed direction;
Is provided.

  In addition to and with reference to the advantages obtained above, the best mode of the present invention is an electrical socket in a portable electronic device such as a mobile phone or a computer mouse for protecting an asymmetric pressure condition. It is considered to use a plurality of sealing elements provided in different sections at the periphery of the contact surface of the plug system.

  In the following, the invention will be described in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments according to the attached drawings.

It is a figure which shows embodiment of the seal part of the socket in this invention as a diagram of mechanical force. It is a figure which shows embodiment of the seal part of the socket in this invention as a diagram of mechanical force. It is a figure which shows embodiment (20) which improved further the seal part of the socket in this invention. FIG. 10 shows a flow diagram of an embodiment (30) of the method of sealing and sealing elements configured to achieve the present invention. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an improved embodiment (40) showing a seal part of a socket used in a housing for an electronic device according to the present invention. It is a figure which shows embodiment of the seal part of the socket integrated in the electronic device in this invention as a block diagram (50). FIG. 6 shows an embodiment (60) of a method for manufacturing a spherical housing 500 with a seal and an opening of the present invention.

  Some embodiments are described in the independent claims.

  FIG. 1 shows an electrical socket opening 100. Both the opening and the socket cavity behind the opening are in an electronic device that houses the plug primarily using the socket. The electronic device may be any of a mobile phone, a watch, a clock, a camera, a music player, an electric shaver, or any portable electronic device in the present invention. In some forms, the electronic device is a spherical mouse described in Applicant's European Patent Application No. 050287777, which is incorporated herein by reference. In another embodiment of the present invention, the electronic device may be a wired or wireless control device such as a remote control.

  The opening is covered or aligned by a sealing part consisting of two sealing elements 200 and 210. In FIG. 1, the opening is in an “open” state, ie, the plug has been inserted or the seal has been pulled away from the opening to expose the socket opening 100. In FIG. 1B, the sealing elements 200 and 210 cover the socket opening 100 from the periphery, ie, this is the closed state of the socket seal.

  The plug is configured to penetrate the seal portion by pushing the sealing elements 200 and 210 from the closed position in FIG. 1B to the open position in FIG. After penetrating the seal portions 200 and 210, the plug is configured to continue to penetrate to the socket cavity through the opening 100 to supply power to the electronic device.

  When pressure is applied to the electronic device, at least one of the sealing elements 200 and 210 is configured to compress in the radial direction with respect to the plug shaft in the longitudinal direction, thereby tightening the seal portion of the socket. In FIG. 1, the force vector 400 constitutes the pressure in the direction of the arrow shown, and presses the arcuate sealing element 200. In this form, the shape of the sealing element is arcuate, but in other forms the sealing element may have any compressible shape in the present invention. At least one of the elements 200 and / or 210 is on a portion of the arcuate portion of the socket opening 100 or less than the entire periphery of the socket opening. The at least one sealing element 200 and / or 210 is mainly formed of an elastic material such as rubber, silicone and / or plastic. Here, as the sealing element 200 is pressed by the force 400, the sealing element is further bent open in the direction of the arrows 440, 430 by virtue of its elasticity. As a result of applying the pressure 400, the compressive force acts both downward and inside 500, 510 as indicated by arrows 410, 420 to squeeze the socket opening, tighten the seal and enhance the sealing effect. . The tension in the sealing elements 200 and 210 is determined such that the opening 100 is closed by the sealing part when the opening is stationary, as shown in FIG. 1B.

  At least one of the sealing elements 200, 210 is arcuate in some forms. Similarly, other shapes are possible in the present invention. However, in the current position and shape of the sealing element, the outer periphery of the arcuate elements 200 and 210 contacts the periphery of the socket opening 100, and the inner periphery of the arcuate elements 200 and 210 is the socket opening. It faces outward from the periphery of the part 100. When the external force tries to increase the arcuate inner periphery of the sealing elements 200, 210, the outer periphery of the sealing elements 200, 210 starts from the side of the contact surface 300, 310 of the sealing element 100. Further pressure is applied to the periphery and / or the plug. Similarly, the outer periphery of the sealing element further extends from the middle of the contact surfaces 300, 310 to the periphery of the socket opening 100 and / or the plug when an external force attempts to reduce the arcuate inner periphery. Apply pressure. In this way, the pressure change is limited to the peripheral region of each sealing element 200, 210 and does not affect the entire peripheral portion of the opening 100. The mechanism for distributing the shape and pressure of the other sealing elements is likewise based on this application.

  In some forms, the seals 200, 210 are configured to be waterproof and / or airtight when the plug is inserted through the seal. Further, in some forms, the seals 200, 210 are configured to be waterproof and / or airtight when there is no plug in the socket.

  The socket may conform to the US, Europe, UK, Australia, Japan or any other standard for electrical sockets and / or plugs. Similarly, one or more configurations of types 10, 11 may be configured to form an integral socket that fits two or more plugs. It is clear that any electrical plug configured to fit into a socket in the present invention is based on the present invention.

  FIG. 2 shows the socket opening 100 protected by four sealing elements 200, 210, 220 and 230. All of these sealing elements function in the same manner as the sealing elements 200 and 210 described in FIG. 1, but the area occupying the periphery of the opening 100 is small. In the present embodiment, each sealing element is configured to occupy an area of 90 degrees. However, it is possible that any number of sealing elements 200, 210, 220 and 230 can be used to realize the seal. Similarly, it is possible and based on the present invention that the sealing elements 200, 210, 220, 230 can occupy peripheral regions of different sizes, such as regions of 180, 60, 60 and 60 degrees. In this embodiment, the shape of the sealing element is arcuate, but in other embodiments, the sealing element may be realized in any compressible shape in the present invention.

  FIG. 3 illustrates a method for tightening the plug and socket contacts during use of the electronic device, as previously described in FIGS. 1, 1B and 2. In step 31, the electronic device is pressed, for example, by a finger forming an asymmetric pressure, by a fluid forming a uniform symmetric water pressure, or both. In step 32, at least one sealing element is subjected to a force caused by the pressure or a portion of the predetermined pressure. In step 33, the sealing element mechanically directs the force further caused by the pressure or part of the pressure. For this reason, in addition to performing the role as a seal part, the seal element functions as a relay point for mechanical pressure and force. In step 34, the force changed in direction and caused by pressure is directed to a portion of the periphery of the socket. A part of the peripheral portion may be an arbitrary place between 0 and 360 degrees. Similarly, the peripheral portion need not be circular, and the peripheral portion of the socket may similarly be a square, a triangle or any shape. In step 35, a part of the periphery of the socket is pressed more strongly against the surface of the plug by a force that has changed direction and was previously caused by the pressure on the sealing element.

  FIG. 4 shows a housing 600 configured to accommodate an electronic device 500 comprising an opening 100 for an electrical plug 700 and seals 200, 210, 220, 230 for the opening. The electronic apparatus is a wireless communication device 500 having an antenna 530 in this embodiment. Device 500 may have a screen and keyboard 520, and in some embodiments the device may be removed from the housing. The housing is mainly made of an elastic material such as rubber, silicone and / or plastic.

  The socket 110 of the electronic device 500 and the housing seals 200, 210, 220, 230 that protect the socket opening 100 form a covered electrical socket as described in connection with the previous figure. It is configured. When pressure is applied to the housing 600, the at least one sealing element 200, 210, 220, 230 compresses radially with respect to the axis of the longitudinal plug 700, so that the sealing part 200, 210, 220 and 230 are configured to be tightened as described above. The sealing elements 200, 210, 220, 230 are regions in the periphery of the opening 100 and change the direction of the mechanical force toward the region to which the sealing element corresponds as described in connection with the previous figure. However, by keeping the force in the corresponding region, it reacts to both symmetric and asymmetric pressure.

  In some embodiments, the housing 600 is spherical. In other embodiments, the electronic device 500 may be a wireless computer mouse, which is covered by a housing 600 and is a solution as described in Applicant's European Patent Application No. 050287777.0. It becomes law. In other embodiments, the electronic device 500 may be, for example, a wristwatch, watch, camera, music player, electric shaver, or any portable electronic device in accordance with the present invention. Similarly, in other embodiments of the present invention, the electronics may be any wired or wireless control device, such as remote control.

  Although plug 700 is primarily cylindrical, any shape of plug 700 and socket 110 may be implemented with sealing elements 200, 210, 220 and 230 in accordance with the present invention. Seal elements 200, 210, 220 and 230 and housing 600 primarily provide a seal that is waterproof and / or airtight to electronic device 500 in some embodiments.

  FIG. 5 shows a reference numeral 50 of an embodiment of an electronic device 500 having a socket 110, a socket opening 100, and a sealing portion composed of the sealing elements 200, 210, 220 and 230 described above. In this embodiment, the electronic device 500 is a mobile wireless communication device such as a mobile phone. In other embodiments, the electronic device 500 may be, for example, a wristwatch, watch, camera, music player, electric shaver, or any portable electronic device in accordance with the present invention. However, the sealing elements 200, 210, 220 and 230 include, but are not limited to, sockets and plugs on the wall, and any wireless portable device or seal that is waterproof and / or airtight to the socket or plug. It may be used to realize.

  In most embodiments, all or a portion of the socket 110, plug 700 and / or seals 200, 210, 220, 230 are molded and / or injection molded from known materials such as rubber, silicone and / or plastic. It is manufactured by

  In FIG. 6, the housing 500 and the sealing elements 200, 210, 220, 230 are shown in step 71. In step 72, the housing 500 is compressed and the notch 100 is formed in the seals 200, 210, 220 and 230. The notch 100 forms an opening 100 when the housing 500 returns to its original shape. In step 73, using the arcuate elements 200, 210, 220, 230, the opening 100 is compressed to a closed state and / or closer to the state of step 72 in some embodiments.

  The present invention has been described above with reference to the above embodiments, and several commercial and industrial advantages have been demonstrated. In accordance with the method and configuration of the present invention, the socket opening is waterproof and / or not only when pressed by a finger, for example, both when the socket 110 does not have the plug 700 and when there is a plug in the socket 110. It can be sealed in an airtight state.

  The present invention has been described above with reference to the above embodiments. However, it is clear that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments and includes all possible embodiments within the spirit and spirit of the present invention and the scope of the following claims.

See US Pat. No. 4,948,377, “Submersible electrical connector” by James L. Cairns.
European Patent Application No. 050287777.0

100 electrical socket opening, socket opening, opening, 110 electrical socket, socket, 200, 210, 220, 230 sealing element, element, 300, 310 contact surface, 500 electronic device, wireless communication device, device, 600 housing, 700 Electric plug, plug

Claims (19)

An electrical socket (110) is realized in the electronic device (500) for accommodating the plug (700) using the socket (110), and the socket (110) is sealed (200, 210, 220 and 230). )
The sealing part is composed of at least two separate and distinct sealing elements (200, 210, 220 and 230) and is configured to seal the socket opening (100);
The plug is configured to pass through the seal (200, 210, 220 and 230) through the opening (100);
The electrical socket, wherein the at least one sealing element (200, 210, 220 and 230) is configured to have an arcuate shape opening in a direction away from the socket opening (100);
-When pressure is applied to the electronic device (500), at least one of the sealing elements (200, 210, 220 and 230) is compressed radially with respect to the longitudinal axis of the plug, whereby the socket Is configured to tighten the seal portion of
The at least one sealing element (200, 210, 220 and 230) is an arch that is smaller than the entire periphery of the socket opening (100), ie occupies part of the periphery; And electrical socket. The outer periphery of the arcuate sealing element (200, 210, 220, and 230) matches the periphery of the socket opening (100), and the inner periphery of the arcuate sealing element is the socket opening. The electrical socket according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical socket is directed outward from a peripheral portion of the socket. When the external force tries to increase the arcuate inner peripheral part, the outer peripheral part starts from the side of the contact surface (300, 310) and the peripheral part of the socket opening (100) and / or the plug. 3. The electrical socket of claim 2 , wherein the electrical socket is configured to further apply pressure to (700). When the external force tries to reduce the arcuate inner peripheral part, the outer peripheral part is connected to the peripheral part of the socket opening (100) and / or the plug from the middle part of the contact surface (300, 310). 3. The electrical socket of claim 2 , wherein the electrical socket is configured to further apply pressure to (700).   2. Electrical socket according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one sealing element (200, 210, 220 and 230) is made of an elastic material.   2. Electrical socket according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one sealing element (200, 210, 220 and 230) is made of rubber, silicone and / or plastic.   The socket (110) according to claim 1, characterized in that it conforms to the US, Europe, UK, Australia, Japan or any other standard for electrical sockets (110) and / or plugs (700). Electrical socket.   The seal part (200, 210, 220 and 230) is configured to be waterproof and / or airtight when the plug (700) is inserted through the seal part. The electrical socket according to 1.   The seal (200, 210, 220 and 230) is configured to be waterproof and / or airtight when the plug (700) is not in the socket (110). The electrical socket according to 1.   The electrical socket of claim 1, wherein the electronic device (500) is a spherical mouse and / or any other wireless control device.   An electrical plug configured to mate with the electrical socket according to claim 1. An electrical socket system comprising the electrical socket of claim 1,
The electrical socket system, wherein the two or more sockets (100) are configured to form an integral socket that houses the two or more plugs (700). 12. An electrical plug system comprising a plurality of sockets (100) configured to form an integral socket that houses the plurality of plugs (700) of claim 11 . A housing (600) configured to receive an electronic device (500) comprising an opening (100) for an electrical plug (700), and seals (200, 210, 220 and 230 for the opening) In an electrical socket comprising:
The electrical socket according to claim 1, wherein the socket (110) of the electronic device (500) and the seal portion of the housing are configured to form the electrical socket according to claim 1. The electrical socket of claim 14 , wherein the housing (600) has a spherical shape. When pressure is applied to the housing (600), at least one sealing element (200, 210, 220 and 230) compresses radially against the longitudinal axis of the plug (700), thereby the socket. The electrical socket according to claim 14 , wherein the electrical socket is configured to clamp the seal portion (200, 210, 220, and 230) of (110). The method of manufacturing an electrical socket according to claim 1,
All or part of the socket (110), the plug (700) and / or the seal (200, 210, 220 and 230) are manufactured by molding and / or injection molding. . A method of tightening a contact surface between a plug and a socket according to claim 1,
-Applying pressure to the electronic device or the housing of the electronic device (31);
- at least one of the seal elements, the step (32) which Ru is subjected to a force caused by a portion of the pressure or pressure,
- at least one of the seal elements, the step (33) of Ru mechanically directing a further caused force by some pressure or pressure,
-A force (34) caused by pressure to change direction on a part of the periphery of the socket;
-The portion of the periphery of the socket is more strongly pressed against the surface of the plug by an additional force induced by pressure and changed direction;
A method comprising the steps of: A method of manufacturing an electrical socket according to claim 14, comprising:
  All or part of the socket (110), the plug (700) and / or the seal (200, 210, 220 and 230) are manufactured by molding and / or injection molding. .

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