JP5993958B2 - Plug converter - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a plug converter for connecting an electric device to a power outlet having a different standard specification. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a general-purpose plug conversion device that can be connected to various power outlets.

  An electric device to which power is supplied from a commercial power source is used by connecting a power plug to a power outlet. Standards for commercial power supply differ depending on the country and region, and not only the voltage and frequency but also the shape and form of the power outlet and power plug are different. Therefore, in order to use electrical equipment in different countries and regions, a plug conversion device has been developed that converts a power plug into a shape and arrangement conforming to a power outlet standard.

The world power outlet standards are roughly classified into two types: a standard in which the plug terminal of the power plug is a flat plate (hereinafter referred to as a flat plate type standard) and a standard in which the plug terminal is a round bar (hereinafter referred to as a round bar type standard).
Plug terminals of both standards differ greatly not only in shape but also in dimensions. Therefore, a commercially available plug conversion device cannot support both flat plate type and round bar type power outlets with one plug conversion device, and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each of the flat type and round bar type Plug conversion devices have been provided separately.

  A flat plug conversion device 80 shown in FIG. 1 has a receiving hole 83 for connecting a power plug 89 of an electric device on one side of a main body case 81, and a female connection terminal 84 is arranged inside the receiving hole 83. A pair of flat plug terminals 82 are arranged on the other side, and the female connection terminals 84 and the flat plug terminals 82 are electrically connected inside the main body case 81. For example, the flat plug converter 80 is inserted into a receiving hole 83 with a power plug 89 having a round bar plug terminal 88 and connected to the female connection terminal 84 to convert it into a flat plug terminal 82.

  2 is provided with a receiving hole 93 for connecting a power plug 99 of an electric device on one side of a main body case 91, and a female connection terminal inside the receiving hole 93. 94 and a pair of round bar type plug terminals 92 are arranged on the other side, and the female connection terminal 94 and the round bar type plug terminal 92 are electrically connected inside the main body case 91. This round bar type plug conversion device 90 is inserted into a receiving hole 93 and connected to a female type connection terminal 94 and converted into a round bar type plug terminal 92, for example, with a flat plug terminal 98.

The main types of flat-type power outlet standards are the standard called A type popular in Japan, the United States, Canada, and China (Central and Northern), and Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, etc.) and China (Central and Northern). It is a standard called O type that is frequently used in
The A type plug terminal arrangement is a parallel arrangement, and the O type is a C-shaped arrangement, but the terminal intervals are both about 13 millimeters and the same. Accordingly, in the flat plug conversion device 80 shown in FIG. 1, generally, the flat plug terminal 82 can be rotated with respect to the main body case 81 so that one product can support both standards.

Typical examples of the round bar type standard are those called C type and S type which are widely used in European countries, Russia and the former European territory, and BF type which is widely used in the British and former British territories.
The terminal spacing of the C type and S type is the same at 19 millimeters, but there are the 4 millimeter standard and the 4.8 millimeter standard regarding the terminal diameter. However, 4 mm standard plug terminals are also used as they are for 4.8 mm standard power outlets.
In the power outlet, the contact terminals of the metal plate are arranged at a narrow interval, and the inserted power plug is pressed, fixed and electrically connected by the elasticity of the contact terminals. Here, the contact terminal interval is narrower than the plug terminal dimension, and plug terminals having dimensions different from the standard can be used.

On the other hand, the BF type plug terminal is a round bar type with a diameter of 4 mm, but the terminal insertion port of the power outlet is a rectangle with a short side of 4 mm and a long side of 6.4 mm. That is, a plug terminal matching the short side dimension of the power outlet insertion port is used.
The terminal interval of the BF type is about 24 millimeters, which is wider than the C type and S type. Therefore, in the round bar type plug conversion device 90 shown in FIG. 2, generally, the maximum width of the terminal interval between the pair of round bar type plug terminals 92 is the BF type terminal interval, and the terminals of the pair of round bar type plug terminals 92 are used. The interval can be adjusted by operating the operation button 95.

  In addition, in the flat type plug conversion device 80 and the female type connection terminals 84 and 94 of the round type plug conversion device 90 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, both the round type plug terminal 88 and the flat type plug terminal 98 are fixed. Although electrical connection is possible, the connection state is as shown schematically in FIGS. 3A and 3B. The rod-type plug terminal 88 and the plate-type plug terminal 98 are connected to the female connection terminals 84 and 94. Partial contact with Therefore, in order to obtain a general-purpose plug conversion device, it is necessary to consider a structure based on partial contact of plug terminals.

As described above, the dimensions of the world's main power outlets and power plug standards are eventually gathered into two types: A type flat plate type and C type (S type) round bar type. Therefore, even in the present situation, if two types of commercially available plug conversion devices of the flat plate type and the round bar type are used properly, they can be connected to the world's main power outlets.
However, in practice, it is troublesome to replace and use the plug converter according to the power outlet. In addition, the current plug conversion device includes a terminal interval adjustment mechanism and a terminal rotation mechanism, and through these mechanisms, the plug terminal and the connection terminal of the female plug are electrically connected inside the plug conversion device. Since the connection is made, there is a problem that the structure becomes complicated and cannot be manufactured at a low cost, and there is a possibility that a contact failure may occur due to a movable part such as an interval adjusting mechanism or a terminal rotating mechanism.

The present inventor has developed a plug conversion device having the structure shown in FIG. 4 for the purpose of solving the above problems. (See Patent Document 1)
The plug conversion device 70 includes a female plug 71 for connecting a power plug 10 of an electric device, and a plurality of sets that are electrically connected to the female plug 71 via lead wires 73 and inserted into different types of power outlets. And an insertion plug 72. Each insertion plug 72 is connected to a branch line 73 </ b> A of a lead wire 73 with a plurality of plug terminals 75 that can be inserted into insertion ports of power outlets having different shapes. Each set of insertion plugs 72 is connected to a connection terminal 74 of a female plug 71 via a lead wire 73. In the plug conversion device 70, the power plug 10 is inserted into the female plug 71, and a suitable insertion plug 72 is inserted into the insertion port of the power outlet, thereby connecting the electrical device to the power outlet.

JP 2007-59104 A

  In the plug conversion device of Patent Document 1, each insertion plug 72 is connected to the female plug 71 independently of each other via the lead wire 73, so that the interval and direction of the insertion outlet of the power outlet differ depending on the country or region. Can be inserted into the insertion slot without being affected. That is, the plug conversion device 70 in FIG. 4 selects a plug terminal 75 having a shape suitable for a power outlet to be used from a plurality of types of insertion plugs 72, and individually inserts the plug terminal 75 into the insertion slot of the power outlet. Thus, it can be connected to various power outlets.

  4 can be connected to, for example, a Japanese power outlet. However, the plug converter of FIG. 4 has a plate-like plug terminal and a cylindrical plug terminal connected to a female plug with a lead wire for insertion into a power outlet in various countries. When the plug terminal is connected to the power outlet, a high voltage is applied to other plug terminals that are not connected to the power outlet. When a high voltage is applied to the exposed plug terminal, an electric shock is brought into contact with this. For this reason, other plug terminals that are not inserted into the power outlet need to be insulated and have a drawback that this operation is troublesome. In addition, if a user accidentally exposes a plug terminal that is used without being insulated, there is a disadvantage that all users cannot always use it safely because electric shock is caused.

The present invention has been developed for the purpose of solving such drawbacks. An important object of the present invention is to provide a general-purpose plug converter that can be connected to power outlets in many countries and regions around the world, is easy to handle, and is safe and inexpensive while having a very simple structure. is there.
Another important object of the present invention is to provide a plug conversion device that can reliably prevent electric shock and can be used safely by anyone.

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention

In order to achieve the above-described object, the plug conversion device of the present invention has the following configuration.
The plug conversion device includes a female plug 1 having a pair of connection terminals 4 inserted into a power plug 10 of an electric device and connected to the power plug 10, and each of the connection terminals 4 of the female plug 1. It has a pair of insertion plugs 2 that are electrically connected via two flexible lead wires 3 that can be separated. The insertion plug 2 includes a plug terminal 5 that is inserted into a power outlet having a shape different from that of the power outlet into which the power plug 10 is inserted, and an insulating portion 6 that insulates the rear end surface of the plug terminal 5. The plug terminal 5 has a first contact portion 5x inscribed in the connection terminal 21 of the flat power outlet 20 on the first side surface 5X facing each other in a state of being inserted into the flat power outlet 20, and a round bar. In the state inserted in the type | mold power supply outlet 30, it has the 2nd contact part 5y inscribed in the connecting terminal 31 of this round bar type | mold power supply outlet 30 in the 2nd side surface 5Y which mutually opposes. The plug conversion device inserts a power plug 10 of an electrical device into the female plug 1 and inserts the plug terminal 5 of the insertion plug 2 into a power outlet having a shape different from that of the power outlet into which the power plug 10 is inserted. Connect the power plug 10 of the device to a different type of power outlet.

  In this specification, the flat type power outlet is a type of power outlet in which a plug having a flat plug terminal is inserted and connected, and is referred to as the above-described A type and O type. It means a standard power outlet, and a round bar type power outlet is a type of power outlet in which a plug having a round bar shape is inserted and connected. It shall mean the power outlet of the standard called B type and BF type.

  The above plug conversion device has a structure that allows the plug terminal of the plug to be inserted into and connected to both a flat-type power outlet and a round-type power outlet. A general-purpose plug conversion device that can be connected to an outlet can be realized, and as a result, the trouble of selecting the plug conversion device in accordance with the power outlet is eliminated. In addition, since the plug conversion device of the present invention can have an insertion plug having a very simple structure, industrial mass production is facilitated and an inexpensive general-purpose plug conversion device can be provided.

  Furthermore, the above plug conversion device also realizes a feature that anyone can safely use by preventing electric shock. This feature is that the above plug conversion device does not connect a plurality of insertion plugs with different shapes to be inserted into the power outlets of each country to the female plug with lead wires, but leads a pair of insertion plugs to the female plug. This is because the pair of insertion plugs can be inserted into power outlets in other countries having different shapes by connecting with wires.

  Further, the above plug conversion device has a pair of insertion plugs, that is, a set of insertion plugs connected to the female plug via the lead wires, so that it has an extremely simple structure without losing its components. Features that can be used conveniently for a long time are also realized.

The plug conversion device according to the present invention uses a flat power outlet 20 as a power outlet used in any of Japan, the United States, China, Taiwan, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. , Can be a power outlet used in the UK, Italy, Switzerland, Russia.
The above plug converters can be commonly connected to different types of power outlets used in major countries and regions of the world.

The plug conversion device of the present invention cuts opposite side surfaces of a metal cylinder having an outer diameter that can be inserted into and connected to a round bar type power outlet 30 as a plug terminal 5 of the insertion plug 2 and is formed by a cut portion. and the forming a first contact portion 5x is planar, it can be processed into possible contours connected by inserting the plate-type power outlet 20.

  This plug conversion device uses both a flat type power outlet and a round bar type power outlet by a simple means of cutting a metal bar having the same shape and dimensions as a round bar type plug terminal and cutting both sides. The plug terminal that can be connected to the cable That is, a plug terminal that can be connected to both a flat type power outlet and a round bar type power outlet can be easily manufactured using a metal material having a standard size of a plug terminal that can be used in common throughout the world.

  Further, the plug terminal having this structure is inserted into a round bar type power outlet and realizes a characteristic that can be electrically connected in a preferable contact state. This is because the curved surface along the cylinder of the plug terminal is electrically connected to the connection terminal of the round bar type power outlet in a surface contact state. In particular, the connection terminal of the round bar type power outlet has a structure in which the elastically deforming metal plate is elastically pressed against the surface of the round bar type plug. However, the plug terminal can be electrically connected to the connection terminal. For this reason, the plug terminal with the first contact part cut off on both sides of the cylinder is inserted into a round bar type power outlet in multiple countries or regions that insert round bar type plugs with different outer diameters. The terminal can be electrically connected to the connection terminal.

In the plug conversion device of the present invention, the length of the diagonal line of a flat metal plate having an external shape that can be inserted and connected to a flat power outlet 20 as a plug terminal 5 of the insertion plug 2 is connected to a round bar power outlet 30. The four ridge lines including the apex as the diameter of the circle 13 inscribed in the terminal 31 can be used as the second contact portion 5y .

  This plug converter uses a metal plate having the same shape and dimensions as a flat plug terminal as a starting material, and uses a simple means of cutting the opposite side of the short side to a flat power outlet and a round bar type. There is a feature that a plug terminal that can be connected to both power outlets can be obtained. That is, a plug terminal that can be connected to both a flat type power outlet and a round bar type power outlet can be easily manufactured using a metal material having a standard size of a plug terminal that can be used in common throughout the world.

In the plug conversion device of the present invention, as a plug terminal 5 of the insertion plug 2, a metal rod 15 having an outer shape that can be inserted and connected to a flat power outlet 20 is bent in the same plane located in a vertical plane , The left and right sides of the metal rod 15 positioned above and below are defined as first contact portions 5x, and the upper surface of the metal rod 15 which is U-curved and positioned on the upper side and the lower surface of the metal rod 15 positioned on the lower side are contacted with each other. Part 5y can be used. However, in this specification, the vertical plane direction is specified in FIG.

  In this plug conversion device, the side surface on the wide side of the U-curved metal rod can be connected to the connection terminal of the flat-type power outlet as the first contact portion, and the side surface on the narrow side of the U-curved metal rod is connected to the second side. It can be connected to the connection terminal of a round bar type power outlet as a contact part. For this reason, this plug conversion device can easily produce a plug terminal that can be connected to both a flat type power outlet and a round bar type power outlet by a very simple process of bending a metal rod having a predetermined outer shape.

In the plug conversion device of the present invention, the knob portion 7 and the flange portion 8 can be provided on the insulating portion 6 of the insertion plug 2.
In this plug conversion device, by providing a knob portion on the insulating portion of the insertion plug, the insertion plug can be easily inserted into and removed from the power outlet, and the operability is improved. In addition, by forming the flange part integrally with the insulation part, a positioning stopper that inserts the plug terminal to the predetermined position of the power outlet is realized, thereby enabling the plug terminal to be easily and easily positioned accurately. Can be inserted. Further, by providing the flange portion in the insulating portion, it is possible to prevent accidents in which a hand contacts the plug terminal by mistake, and safety can be further improved.

It is a perspective view which shows an example of the conventional general purpose type plug converter. It is a perspective view which shows another example of the conventional general purpose type plug converter. It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of the connection state of the female connection terminal and plug terminal of the plug converter shown in FIG.1 and FIG.2. It is a perspective view which shows the plug conversion apparatus which this inventor developed previously. 1 is a perspective view of a plug conversion device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of an insertion plug of the plug conversion device shown in FIG. 5. It is sectional drawing which shows the state which inserted the plug terminal of the insertion plug shown in FIG. 6 in the flat type power outlet. It is sectional drawing which shows the state which inserted the plug terminal of the insertion plug shown in FIG. 6 in the round bar type | mold power outlet. It is a cross-sectional view of the plug terminal of the insertion plug shown in FIG. 6, and is a diagram showing a comparison with the outer shape of a generally used flat plug terminal and round bar type plug terminal. It is a cross-sectional view of the plug terminal according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and shows a comparison with the external shape of a generally used flat plate type plug terminal and round bar type plug terminal. It is a cross-sectional view of a plug terminal according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram showing a comparison with the outer shape of a generally used flat plate type plug terminal and round bar type plug terminal. It is a cross-sectional view of a plug terminal according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram showing a comparison with the outer shape of a generally used flat plate type plug terminal and round bar type plug terminal. It is an expansion perspective view which shows the insertion plug which concerns on the 5th Example of this invention. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the plug terminal of the insertion plug shown in FIG. 13, showing a comparison with the external shapes of generally used flat plate type plug terminals and round bar type plug terminals.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiments described below exemplify a plug conversion device for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and the present invention does not specify the plug conversion device as follows. Further, in this specification, in order to facilitate understanding of the scope of claims, numbers corresponding to the members shown in the examples are indicated in the “claims” and “means for solving problems” sections. It is added to the members. However, the members shown in the claims are not limited to the members in the embodiments.

(Plug converter 100)
FIG. 5 shows the overall configuration of the plug conversion device of the present invention. The plug conversion apparatus 100 shown in this figure inserts a plug terminal 11 of a power plug 10 connected to an electrical device (not shown), and a pair of connection terminals 4 connected to the plug terminal 11 of the power plug 10. And a pair of insertion plugs 2 electrically connected to each connection terminal 4 of the female plug 1 via two flexible lead wires 3 that can be separated from each other. I have. That is, the plug conversion device 100 is configured by connecting a pair of insertion plugs 2 and 2 and a single female plug 1 with flexible lead wires 3 and 3.

(Insert plug 2)
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the insertion plug 2 includes a plug terminal 5 that can be inserted into a power outlet having a different shape, and an insulating portion 6 that insulates the rear end surface of the plug terminal 5.

(Plug terminal 5)
As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the plug terminal 5 is inserted into both the flat power outlet 20 and the round bar power outlet 30 so as to be connected thereto. It is designed to match the shape and dimensions of the insertion port 32 of the power outlet 30. As shown in FIG. 7, the plug terminal 5 of the insertion plug 2 shown in FIG. 6 is inserted into the insertion port 22 of the flat type power outlet 20 and is inscribed in the connection terminal 21 of the flat type power outlet 20. Are connected to the first side surface 5X opposite to each other and, as shown in FIG. 8, in the state of being inserted into the insertion port 32 of the round bar type power outlet 30, the connection terminal of the round bar type power outlet 30 A second contact portion 5y that is inscribed in 31 is provided on the second side surface 5Y that faces each other.

  The plug conversion device of the present invention is characterized in that the plug terminal 5 of the insertion plug 2 has a unique shape. Therefore, the standardization of the shape and dimensions of the plug terminal 5 shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the plug terminal 5 shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, and is a cross-sectional view showing a first embodiment relating to the standardization of the shape and dimensions of the plug terminal 5. In this figure, a rectangle 12 indicates the outer shape of a generally used flat plug terminal, and a circle 13 indicates the outer shape of a generally used round bar type plug terminal. Are drawn so that their centers coincide. Further, in this figure, a hatched portion that is a common portion of the rectangle 12 and the circle 13 indicates a cross-sectional shape of the plug terminal 5.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the plug terminal 5 according to the first embodiment has a columnar body (FIG. 9) whose bottom is a figure surrounded by four points A1, A2, A3, A4 (indicated by hatching in FIG. 9). Is not shown). When plug terminal 5 is inserted into flat power outlet 20, as shown in FIG. 7, first side surface including side A1A2 and first side surface including side A3A4, which are side surfaces facing each other. 5X is used as the first contact portion 5x, 5x, and is inscribed in the connection terminal 21 of the flat power outlet 20. In addition, when the plug terminal 5 is inserted into the round bar type power outlet 30, as shown in FIG. 8, the plug terminal 5 includes a second side surface 5Y including an arc A2A3 and an arc A4A1, which are side surfaces facing each other. The second side surface 5Y is inscribed in the connection terminal 31 of the round bar type power outlet 30 as the second contact portions 5y and 5y. That is, the plug terminal 5 can be connected to the contact terminal 21 of the flat-type power outlet 20 at the first contact portion 5x which is the flat first side surface 5X, and the second terminal 5Y which is the curved second side surface 5Y. The contact portion 5y is a general-purpose plug terminal that can be connected to the contact terminal 31 of the round bar type power outlet 30.

  The plug terminal 5 described above has an outer shape that can be inserted into the flat type power outlet 20 by cutting off both opposing sides of a metal cylinder having an outer diameter that can be inserted into the round bar type power outlet 30 and connected. Can be processed. The plug terminal 5 can be manufactured by processing a metal cylinder having the same shape and size as the round bar type plug terminal that can be inserted into the round bar type power outlet 30 and connected thereto. The metal cylinder can be cut off on both side surfaces facing each other to form the first contact portion 5x connected to the connection terminal 31 of the flat power outlet 30. In the plug terminal 5 shown in the figure, both opposite side surfaces of a cylinder are cut out almost evenly, and planar first contact portions 5x are formed in parallel to each other. In the plug terminal 5 having this structure, the second contact portion 5y which is a curved surface along a cylinder is electrically connected to the connection terminal 31 of the round bar power outlet 30 in a surface contact state. In the inserted state, electrical connection can be made in a preferable contact state. Furthermore, since the first contact portion 5x cut in a planar shape is electrically connected to the connection terminal 21 of the flat type power outlet 20 in a surface contact state, a preferable contact even in a state of being inserted into the flat type power outlet 20. Electrical connection is possible in the state. However, the first contact portion may be a slightly uneven surface or a curved surface.

  The plug terminal 5 is formed by cutting out both sides of a cylinder having the same shape as a round bar type plug terminal inserted into a round bar type power outlet used in any of Germany, France, England, Italy, Switzerland, Russia, for example. It is processed into a plate that can be inserted into a flat-type power outlet used in any of Japan, the United States, China, Taiwan, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

  Further, the plug terminal is inserted into the round bar type power outlet 30 by cutting off the opposite short side surface of a flat metal plate having an outer shape that can be inserted into the flat type power outlet 20 and connected. It can also be machined into possible contours. The plug terminal 5 can be manufactured by processing a metal plate having the same shape and dimensions as a flat plug terminal that can be inserted into the flat power outlet 20 and connected thereto. This metal plate can cut out the opposite side surfaces on the short side to form the second contact portion 5y connected to the connection terminal 31 of the round bar type power outlet 30. The plug terminal can be cut into a circular arc shape on the second side surface, or cut into a flat shape, or cut into a shape composed of a flat surface and a curved surface to form the second contact portion.

  Here, in FIG. 9, as an example of the flat plug terminal, an outer shape of a flat plug terminal which is a right prism having a rectangular short side of 1.5 mm and a long side of 6 mm is shown. As an example of the plug terminal, an outer shape of a round bar type plug terminal which is a right circular cylinder having a diameter of 4 mm is shown. Therefore, in FIG. 9, the plug terminal 5 has a distance of 1.5 mm between the first side surface 5X including the side A1A2 and the first side surface 5X including the side A3A4, which are the side surfaces facing each other, and the side surfaces facing each other. The second side surface 5Y including the arc A2A3 and the second side surface 5Y including the arc A4A1 can be formed into a columnar shape having a curvature radius of 2 mm. However, the present invention does not specify the outer shape of the plug terminal as described above. In the present invention, the cross-sectional shape of the plug terminal is such that the distance between the first side surfaces facing each other is 1.4 mm to 1.6 mm, and the radius of curvature of the arc along the second side surfaces facing each other is 1.9 mm to 2. It can also be 5 mm.

  FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing the plug terminal 5 according to the second embodiment. The plug terminal 5 is formed in a shape that forms a right-angled pillar (not shown in FIG. 10) having a rectangular bottom surrounded by four points A1, A2, A3, and A4. The plug terminal 5 includes a first contact surface 5x and a first side surface 5X including the side A3A4, which are side surfaces facing each other, and the first side surface 5X including the side A3A4 as first contact portions 5x and 5x. Inscribed in the connection terminal. The plug terminal 5 has four ridgelines that are both side edges of the second side surface 5Y including the side A2A3 and the second side surface 5Y including the side A4A1, that is, points A1 and A2 that are four vertices of the rectangle. , A3 and A4 are inscribed in the connection terminals of the round bar power outlet as the second contact portions 5y. The plug terminal 5 can be inscribed in the connection terminal of the round bar type power outlet by designing the rectangular diagonal line in the cross-sectional shape to be the diameter of the inscribed circle. Further, although not shown, the plug terminal having a rectangular cross-sectional shape can improve the contact state by chamfering the corner portion to increase the contact area with the connection terminal of the round bar type power outlet.

  FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing the plug terminal 5 according to the third embodiment. This plug terminal 5 is formed in a shape that is a columnar body (not shown in FIG. 11) having an octagonal bottom surrounded by eight points A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, and A8. Yes. The plug terminal 5 includes a first side surface 5X including a side A1A2 and a first side surface 5X including a side A5A6, which are opposite side surfaces, as first contact portions 5x and 5x. Inscribed in the connection terminal. The plug terminal 5 is four ridgelines that are both side edges of the second side surface 5Y including the side A3A4 and the second side surface 5Y including the side A7A8, that is, an apex of an octagon inscribed in the circle 13. Four ridge lines each including the points A3, A4, A7, and A8 are inscribed in the connection terminals of the round bar type power outlet as the second contact portions 5y. This plug terminal is inscribed in the connecting terminal of the round bar type power outlet by designing the length of the octagonal diagonal lines A3A7 and A4A8 in the cross-sectional shape to be the diameter of the inscribed circle. Furthermore, this plug terminal can also improve a contact state with the connection terminal of a round bar type | mold power outlet by chamfering a corner part.

  In the above embodiment, it was exemplified that the general-purpose plug terminal can be realized by optimizing the shape and size of the plug terminal. However, all of the plug terminals standardized so that the shape and size are within a specific range are all general-purpose types. It can be The normalization condition can be described with reference to FIG. 9 showing the cross-sectional shape, and is the shape and size included in the figure A1A2A3A4 shown by hatching, and the side A1A2 that is two sides of the rectangle 12 in any posture And the side A3A4 and a contact with each of the arcs A2A3 and A4A1 facing each other of the circle 13. As can be easily understood, there are an infinite number of shapes and dimensions that satisfy the above-mentioned standardization conditions.

  For example, FIG. 12 shows a plug terminal having an elliptical cross section as a fourth embodiment. This plug terminal 5 has an elliptical minor axis having a cross-sectional shape equal to the short side of the rectangle 12 and an elliptical major axis equal to the diameter of the circle 13. Inscribed in both circles 13. The plug terminal is inscribed in the connection terminal of the flat-type power outlet with the outer peripheral portions located at both ends of the short diameter as the first contact portions 5x on the first side surface 5X opposed on both sides of the elliptical short diameter. In addition, the plug terminal 5 is connected to the connection terminal of the round bar type power outlet with the outer peripheral portions located at both ends of the long diameter as the second contact portions 5y on the second side surface 5Y opposed on both sides of the elliptical long diameter. Touch.

  Although the above embodiment has shown an example in which the entire shape of the plug terminal 5 is formed into a columnar shape, the plug terminal has a single metal rod 15 arranged in the same plane as shown in FIGS. It can be bent and molded. The plug terminal 5 shown in FIG. 13 has a circular cross-sectional shape and U-shapes a metal rod 15 that is an outer shape that can be inserted and connected to a flat-type power outlet, and the U-curved portion is inserted into the power outlet. The rear end portion is connected to the insulating portion 6 as an attitude. As shown in FIG. 14, the plug terminal 5 also has the outer diameter of the metal rod 15 equal to the short diameter of the rectangle 12, and the upper end and lower metal rod of the metal rod 15 located on the upper side in FIG. By bending the metal rod 15 so that the distance between the lower ends of the circles 15 is equal to the diameter of the circle, the rectangle 12 and the circle 13 are inscribed in any insertion posture. The plug terminal 5 is inscribed in the connection terminal of the flat-type power outlet with the outer peripheral portion of the metal rod 15 in contact with the rectangle 12 as the first contact portion 5x on the first side surface 5X facing the long side of the rectangle 12. Further, as shown in FIG. 14, the plug terminal 5 includes a second side surface 5Y which is the upper end side of the metal rod 15 positioned on the upper side and a second side surface which is the lower end side of the metal rod 15 positioned on the lower side. On the side surface 5Y, the outer peripheral portion of the metal rod 15 in contact with the circle 13 is inscribed in the connection terminal of the round bar type power outlet as the second contact portion 5y.

  The plug terminal 5 shown in the figure has a U-shaped metal rod 15 having a circular cross-sectional shape, but a metal rod having a cross-sectional shape of an ellipse, an oval, or a polygon can also be used. Furthermore, although the plug terminal 5 shown in the drawing is composed of one U-curved metal rod 15, the plug terminal may be composed of a plurality of U-curved metal rods. As described above, the plug terminal formed of the metal rod can elastically deform the linear portions located on both sides of the U-curved portion by using the metal rod as a metal having elasticity. This plug terminal can be connected in a state of being pressed against the connection terminal of the round bar type power outlet by a metal rod that is elastically deformed. For this reason, a contact state with the connection terminal of a round bar type power outlet can be improved.

  As described above, plug terminals having various shapes and sizes that satisfy the standardization conditions can be selected. However, the difference in shape and size does not particularly affect the characteristics such as the operability of the plug terminal and the stability of the electrical connection with the power outlet. Therefore, it is reasonable to find the most effective index regarding the selection of the shape and dimensions in terms of ease of manufacture and economy.

(Insulation part 6)
In the insertion plug 2, the lead wire 3 is electrically connected to the rear end portion of the plug terminal 5 by soldering or the like, and the front edge portion 6 is provided by covering the surface of the connection portion with an insulating material. The insulating portion 6 is a portion held by hand when the plug terminal 5 is inserted into and removed from the insertion port of the power outlet, and covers and insulates the rear end portion of the plug terminal 5. The insulating portion 6 is made of an insulating material such as plastic, and can be manufactured, for example, by connecting the plug terminal 5 and the lead wire 3 and then inserting the connecting portion and the rear end portion of the plug terminal 5.

(Flange part 8, knob part 7)
The insulating part 6 shown in the figure is integrally provided with a flange part 8 and a knob part 7. The flange portion 8 effectively prevents a finger from touching the plug terminal 5 and also functions as a positioning stopper that inserts the plug terminal 5 into the insertion port of the power outlet to a predetermined position. Moreover, the plug terminal 5 provided with the knob part 7 can be conveniently inserted and removed from the insertion port of the power outlet by picking this part by hand. Furthermore, the knob part 7 can also be formed into a shape that can be easily picked by hand.

(Female plug 1)
The female plug 1 includes a pair of receiving holes 9 for inserting the plug terminals 11 of the power plug 10 to be inserted. Each of the receiving holes 9 is arranged in a shape and interval where the plug terminal 11 can be inserted. In the female plug 1 shown in the figure, the shape of the receiving hole 9 is such that both a Japanese parallel flat blade type plug terminal 11 and a foreign round pin type plug terminal can be inserted. The female plug 1 having the receiving hole 9 of this shape is a power plug 10 having a Japanese parallel flat blade type plug terminal 11 or a power plug (not shown) having a foreign round pin type plug terminal. There is a feature that can be connected by inserting. However, the female plug may have a structure in which only parallel flat blade type plug terminals can be inserted, or a structure in which only plug terminals of other shapes can be inserted.

  The female plug 1 includes a pair of connection terminals 4 inside each receiving hole 9. The connection terminal 4 is a metal plate that is elastically deformed, and is connected to the lead wire 3 inside the female plug 1. The connection terminal 4 made of a metal plate that is elastically deformed is elastically pressed by the plug terminal 11 inserted into the receiving hole 9 and electrically connected thereto. The female plug 1 electrically connects the pair of plug terminals 11 of the power plug 10 inserted into the receiving hole 9 to the connection terminal 4.

  In the plug conversion device of the present invention, the function of the female plug can be freely selected, and a general-purpose female plug generally used in a commercially available plug conversion device can also be used. In this way, by using a general-purpose female plug, electrical devices manufactured in many countries and regions of the world can be easily connected to power outlets installed in a wide range of other countries and regions of the world. Can be connected and used.

(Lead wire 3)
The lead wire 3 is flexible enough to be deformed. One end of the lead wire 3 is connected to the connection terminal 4 of the female plug 1 and the other end is connected to the insertion metal plate 2A of the insertion plug 2. The lead wire 3 is electrically connected to the connection terminal 4 and the plug terminal 5 by soldering or the like. The length of the lead wire 3 is, for example, longer than 5 cm and shorter than 30 cm, more preferably longer than 5 cm and shorter than 15 cm. If the lead wire 3 is too long, it will be inconvenient to carry, and if it is too short, it will be difficult to insert / remove the insertion plug 2 into / from a power outlet.

  In the above plug conversion device, the connection between the plug terminal 5 and the lead wire 3 in the insertion plug 2 and the connection between the connection terminal 4 and the lead wire 3 in the female plug 1 are respectively connected to the molded body. Molding can be easily realized by applying means such as insert molding which is generally applied as industrial production technology. The plug conversion device with this structure has the advantage that it can be industrially produced at low cost because the electrical wiring is simplified and the structure is extremely simple compared to the conventional plug conversion device that has complicated wiring inside the molded body. There is.

  In the plug conversion device having the above structure, the power plug 10 of the electric device is inserted into the female plug 1, and the plug terminal 5 of the insertion plug 2 is inserted and connected to the insertion port of the power outlet in each country. In the above plug conversion device, the pair of insertion plugs 2 are connected to the connection terminal 4 of the female plug 1 by two separated lead wires 3, so that the shape and interval of the insertion opening of the power outlet in each country The plug terminal 5 of the pair of insertion plugs 2 can be inserted into the insertion port of the power outlet without being influenced by the direction and can be connected to the power outlet connection terminal.

  The plug conversion device of the present invention is used for an application in which a power plug connected to an electrical device manufactured based on a standard is connected to a power outlet based on another standard. For this reason, the power plug of the electric device can be conveniently used by connecting it to a power outlet in a plurality of countries or regions having different standards.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Plug conversion apparatus 1 ... Female plug 2 ... Insertion plug 3 ... Lead wire 4 ... Connection terminal 5 ... Plug terminal 5X ... 1st side surface
5Y ... Second side
5x ... first contact part
5y ... 2nd contact part 6 ... Insulating part 7 ... Knob part 8 ... Flange part 9 ... Receiving hole 10 ... Power plug 11 ... Plug blade 12 ... Rectangular 13 ... Circle 15 ... Metal rod 20 ... Flat type power outlet 21 ... Connection Terminal 22 ... Insertion port 30 ... Round bar type power outlet 31 ... Connection terminal 32 ... Insertion port 70 ... Plug conversion device 71 ... Female plug 72 ... Insertion plug 73 ... Lead wire 73A ... Branch line 74 ... Connection terminal 75 ... Plug terminal DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 80 ... Flat type plug converter 81 ... Main body case 82 ... Flat type plug terminal 83 ... Receiving hole 84 ... Female type connection terminal 88 ... Round bar type plug terminal 89 ... Power plug 90 ... Round bar type plug converter 91 ... Main body case 92 ... Round bar type plug terminal 93 ... Receiving hole 94 ... Female type connection terminal 95 ... Operation button 98 ... Plate type plug terminal 99 ... Power plug

Claims (7)

A female plug (1) having a pair of connection terminals (4) connected to the power plug (10), into which the power plug (10) of the electric device is inserted,
Each connection terminal (4) of the female plug (1) is provided with a pair of insertion plugs (2) which are electrically connected via two flexible lead wires (3) which can be separated from each other. ,
The insertion plug (2) includes a plug terminal (5) to be inserted into a power outlet having a shape different from that of the power outlet into which the power plug (10) is inserted, and a rear end surface of the plug terminal (5). It consists of an insulating part (6) that is insulated,
When the plug terminal (5) is inserted into the flat power outlet (20), the first contact portion (5x) inscribed in the connection terminal (21) of the flat power outlet (20) faces each other. A second contact portion (5y) inscribed in the connection terminal (31) of this round bar type power outlet (30) while being inserted into the round bar type power outlet (30) while having on the first side surface (5X) ) On the second side (5Y) facing each other,
The female plug (1) is inserted into a power plug (10) of an electrical device, and the plug terminal (5) of the insertion plug (2) has a shape different from the power outlet into which the power plug (10) is inserted. A plug conversion device that is inserted into a power outlet and connected to a power outlet of a type different from the power outlet into which the power plug (10) is inserted . The plug conversion device according to claim 1,
The flat-type power outlet (20) is a power outlet used in any of Japan, USA, China, Taiwan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand,
The plug conversion device characterized in that the round bar type power outlet (30) is a power outlet used in any of Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Switzerland, and Russia. The plug conversion device according to claim 1 or 2,
The plug terminal (5) is a planar first formed by cut portions provided on opposite side surfaces of a metal cylinder having an outer diameter that can be inserted into a round bar type power outlet (30) and connected thereto. A plug conversion device having one contact portion (5x). The plug conversion device according to claim 1 or 2,
The plug terminal (5) is connected to the connecting terminal (31) of the round bar power outlet (30) with a diagonal length of a flat metal plate having an external shape that can be inserted into the flat power outlet (20). The plug conversion device characterized in that four ridge lines including the apex that is the diameter of the inscribed circle (13) serve as the second contact portion (5y). The plug conversion device according to claim 1 or 2,
The plug pin (5), said flat plate type electrical outlet (20) connectable by inserting a contour of the metal rod (15) is U songs in the same plane located in a vertical plane, positioned vertically The left and right sides of the metal rod (15) are used as the first contact portion (5x), and the upper surface of the metal rod (15) positioned above and the lower side of the metal rod (15) is bent. The plug conversion device characterized in that the lower surface serves as the second contact portion (5y) . The plug conversion device according to claim 1 or 2,
In the first side surface (5X) where the plug terminal (5) has an elliptical cross-sectional shape and is opposed to both sides of the minor axis of the ellipse, the outer peripheral portions located at both ends of the minor axis are the first contact portions (5x ) In contact with the connection terminal of the flat-type power outlet, and on the second side surface (5Y) facing on both sides of the elliptical major axis, the outer peripheral part located at both ends of the major axis is the second contact part (5y) A plug conversion device characterized by being inscribed in a connection terminal of a round bar type power outlet. The plug conversion device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A plug conversion device characterized in that a knob portion (7) and a flange portion (8) are provided in the insulating portion (6) of the insertion plug (2).

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