JP7202007B2 - Protective device and withdrawal device that closes the part insertion slot - Google Patents

Description

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is a protective device that closes and locks a component such as a connector having an insertion opening, and a withdrawal device that unlocks it, and is particularly suitable for connectors such as USB standard-A receptacles.

PCs and devices with built-in PC functions (main devices) operate with an OS compatible with the USB standard, and the installation of a USB interface has become the de facto standard.
In these main devices, a peripheral device compatible with USB is connected to a USB connector to operate the main device, a storage device, peripheral devices, and the like.

All USB standards are developed by USB-IF (USB Implementers Forum, Inc., a non-profit organization in the United States) and published as specifications. (Non-Patent Document 3, etc.)

By connecting a general-purpose USB compatible device such as a keyboard, mouse, or USB memory to the main unit's USB connector, you can perform important operations for the main unit, such as operating the main unit and loading/unloading stored information.

It is a USB function that can be used easily and conveniently, but if it is operated with such a connector that can greatly affect the operation of the main device, it is likely to cause serious problems in terms of security.
In addition to security measures, there are cases where users do not want to use the connector, such as prohibition of use for purposes other than the intended purpose or prevention of insertion of a foreign object into the connector.

As a conventional prevention method, there is a protective device that covers the insertion opening of the connector of the main device.

There is a protection device that is inserted into a connector of a main device, is retained by the elasticity of the device, and has a shape that does not have knobs or projections on the surface of the device, and has a structure that makes it difficult to remove. (For example, Non-Patent Document 1)

There are protective devices that have the function of locking inside the connector of the main device into which they are plugged, or that are permanently affixed by using hardening or sticking materials. (For example, Non-Patent Document 2)

In order to incorporate an unlocking structure (unlock) into the connector protection device, it may be created by combining a plurality of small and precise parts.
There is a protection device that extends the protection device to the outside of the connector of the main device, provides an unlocking mechanism in the protection device, and makes it removable so that the connector of the main device can be reused. (For example, Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2)

Utility Model Registration No. 3135047 JP 2017-228015

Techno Veins Co., Ltd. "USB A type connector cap [no knob]" USBCAPK-B0 Catalog Internet <URL: https://www.technoveins.co.jp/y/products/portcap/products/pdf/USBCAPK-B0_G0.pdf > 2013.03 issue [online] [searched 2019.08.13] Techno Bains Co., Ltd. "USB-A connector cap (black) without knob" USBALCK-B0 Catalog Internet <URL: https://www.technoveins.co.jp/y/products/portcap/products/pdf/ USBALCK-B0.pdf > 2015.04 issue [online] [searched 2019.08.13] USB Implementers Forum, Inc. "Universal Serial Bus Specification Revision 2.0" (USA) Apr.27.2000 "Figure 6-7. USB Series "A" Receptacle Interface and Mating Drawing" P.95 USB Implementers Forum, Inc. "USB 3.1 Legacy Cable & Connector Compliance Document Revision 1.1" (USA) Apr.03.2018 issued "USB 3.1 Standard-A Receptacle (Page 2 of 2)" Clause 15 Grounding Springs P .28

Especially when the purpose is to disallow the use of the connector, the "cannot be easily removed" structure alone is insufficient as a protection, and a protective device structure capable of "active locking" is required.
In addition, in order to prevent careless removal of the protection device, a higher protection function is required, such as a lock structure that cannot be easily released with a common tool.

In addition, it is convenient for the device to be a protective device that can be unlocked and removed according to the convenience of the installer, such as a change in usage or maintenance work, rather than a protective device that permanently locks the connector.
It is required that even an inexperienced operator can easily and safely operate the attachment/detachment work of the device, and that the attachment and detachment work of the device can be performed in a short time.

Some conventional protectors have a portion protruding from the main device in order to incorporate the lock/unlock mechanism.
If there is a part that protrudes from the main unit when it is installed, there is a danger of injury to the human body in a place where people come and go. There is fear.
Also, forced removal of the protective device from the protruding part may take place.

The structure of a conventional protection device with an unlocking mechanism also had the problem of increasing manufacturing complexity and cost, such as by combining multiple small and precise parts.
Therefore, it is difficult to adopt in places such as data centers where a large amount is required due to the problem of high introduction costs.

In the present invention, the above problems are solved by an apparatus having the following structure.
The protective device 1 has a reliable locking (fixing) mechanism with a stopper 15, and when it is inserted into the connector of the main device, it is locked inside the connector to prevent the connector from being used.
Also, the locked protection device 1 is removed from the connector using an extraction device 2 for unlocking and removal.
Unlocking allows the connector to be reused.
Provide a higher security effect by providing a structure that cannot be easily removed.
In addition, by separating the functions of the protection device and the extraction device, the device can be provided as a compact, highly safe, and inexpensive device.
With these structures, the device can be operated easily, safely, and in a short period of time without the need for proficiency in attachment/detachment work.

By inserting the protection device 1 of the present invention into the existing connector of the main device, the structure of the device itself locks it inside the connector and serves as a lid.
This makes the existing connector unusable and prevents connection and insertion of foreign matter.
When using the protective device 1, there is no need to modify the existing main device or use auxiliary equipment.
In addition, when the protection device 1 is attached to the connector of the main device, it is completely housed inside the housing of the main device, so that there is no problem caused by a projecting portion.

The attachment/detachment method of the present invention is a simple operation method in which the attachment operation is performed by simply inserting the protection device 1, and the removal of the protection device 1 is performed by simply inserting the extraction device 2 and pulling it out.
Anyone can put it on and remove it in a short time.

In the present invention, the locking/unlocking functions are separated into the protection device 1 and the extraction device 2, and only the person holding the extraction device 2 can unlock.
Even if an unauthorized unlocking operation is performed using a general tool such as a thin screwdriver, it is difficult to push in the multiple blocking arms 14 at the same time, and the lock cannot be released.
The structure in which the extraction device is separated has the effect of improving safety against unauthorized operation, and has the advantage of reducing the manufacturing cost of the protective device 1, which is simpler and smaller and requires a large number of pieces. .

Since the electrical contacts of the connector of the main device are covered with the highly insulating resin material of the protective device 1, the main device can be safely inserted and removed even when the main device is energized.

The protective device 1 has a shape that can be manufactured by a plastic resin injection molding machine, and has a structure that does not require post-molding assembly, additional processing, or other combined parts.
The drawing device has a shape that can be mass-produced by mechanical cutting methods using press dies, NC laser cutting methods , and injection molding .

Both the protection device 1 and the extraction device 2 of the present invention have a simple shape and a structure that does not involve other parts, so they have the advantage of being hard to break and strong.
In addition, by providing a combination structure for the shape of the device, it can be removed only when the combination of shapes matches like a key, and the security effect can be enhanced.
It has a shape suitable for manufacturing with a mold, and by using a production method using a mold, uniform quality can be obtained, and cost reduction can be achieved through mass production.

This document is a drawing and description of a protective device in which the invention is applied to a USB-A socket. In using the present invention, the direction in which the device is used does not matter, but for convenience of explanation, the mode of use in FIG. In the drawings, a directional arrow and a letter corresponding to the direction are indicated as follows. F: Front front (front side of main unit), B: Back rear (insertion back side), L: Left left side, R: Right right side, U: Up top, D: Down bottom There are multiple parts with the same configuration In this case, the number following the code is followed by a letter indicating the position and orientation. When simply describing a part, only the number of the part code is described, and when the position and orientation are important, add a single alphanumeric character such as the number L and the number R to the left part name, right part name, etc. write. FIG. 1 shows a device and a device using it. FIG. 1a is an illustration showing a protective device applying the invention to a USB-A socket. From the left, the state in which the protective device 1 is inserted into the USB-A socket 3, the state immediately before the protective device 1 is inserted, and the USB-A socket 3 itself are shown. A partially cut-out plate 5 in front of the USB-A socket 3 represents a part of the front panel or housing (case) of the main device. FIG. 1b shows an example of a USB-A plug 4. FIG. The USB-A plug 4 is used as a tip component such as a USB memory or a USB cable that is connected to the USB socket of the main device. 2 is an orthographic view showing details of each part of the protective device 1. FIG. (Fig. 2) Each figure in Fig. 2 shows Fig. 2a: Front view, Fig. 2b: Rear view, Fig. 2c: Top view, Fig. 2d: Bottom view, Fig. 2e: Left side view, Fig. 2f: Right side view . FIG. 3 is a supplementary diagram showing the structure of the protective device 1. FIG. To illustrate the invention, isometric views are used to show the protection device from three directions. FIG. 3a is a back, left side and top view (isometric view); FIG. Figures 3b and 3c show the protective device of Figure 3a turned upside down to show the locking/unlocking mechanism in detail. Fig. 3b back, top and right side; Fig. 3c front, bottom and left side. It should be noted that the figures after FIG. 3b are drawn with the bottom face up for the sake of explanation. Fig. 3d and subsequent figures are diagrams showing Fig. 3c cut and disassembled into functional blocks in order to explain the internal structure of the protective device 1. Figs. Figure 3d is a left side view of the interior of the protective device 1 to show the cutting position. FIG. 3e is a reference diagram showing the blocking arm 14 and the imaginary frame 12 to which it is fixed, according to the A-B position cut. Fig. 3f is a reference view showing protector front 11 and side walls 13 for stably fixing protector 1 to USB-A socket by AB position cutting. FIG. 3g is an explanatory diagram showing that the front part of the frame 12 is removed from the reference diagram of FIG. 3e in order to clearly show the blocking arm 14, which is particularly important, and the blocking arm 14 is connected to the rear frame 12B. . FIG. 4 shows the protection device 1 and the extraction device 2. FIG. 4a shows a drawing device 2. FIG. Fig. 4b shows, from the left, the protection device 1, the front panel 5 of the main device and the USB-A socket 3. CC' and DD' in FIGS. 4a and 4b show cross-sectional positions in FIG. CC' shows a cross section of the stopper 15, and D-D' shows a cross section of the unlocker 17 and the pull-out coupler 16. FIG. 4c shows the insertion of the extraction device 2 into the protection device 1. FIG. FIG. 4d shows the protection device 1 with the extraction device 2 inserted into the extraction position. FIG. 5 shows the inside of the protection device 1 when it is inserted and pulled out. The operation of locking and unlocking will be described with reference to sectional views divided at positions CC' and D-D' in FIGS. 4a and 4b. FIG. 5a is a reference cross-sectional view of the extraction device 2, the protection device 1, and the USB-A socket 3 cut along the stopper 15 (C-C' in FIG. 4). Figure 5b shows the protective device 1 of Figure 5a inserted into the USB-A socket 3 and locked. FIG. 5c is a cross-sectional reference view of the protector 1 and the USB-A socket 3 taken on the unlocker 17 and the extraction coupler 16 (D-D' in FIG. 4). Figure 5d shows the protection device 1 of Figure 5c inserted into the USB-A socket 3 and the extraction device 2. FIG. 5e is a view of FIG. 5d with the withdrawal device 2 inserted into the withdrawal position. FIG. 5f is a view of the protective device 1 coupled and partially withdrawn by the extractor 2 inserted to the extractable position in FIG. 5e. (Refer to the description of Fig. 7 for the position where it can be pulled out.) FIG. 6 is an orthographic view showing details of each part of the extraction device 2. As shown in FIG. Figure 6a: rear view, Figure 6b: top view, Figure 6c: front view, Figure 6d: side view, Figure 6e: bottom view. The left and right side views are the same. FIG. 7 is a reference diagram showing the structure of the combination of the protection device 1 and the extraction device 2. As shown in FIG. Figures 7a, 7b and 7c show an example of the structure.

First, the protective device 1 will be explained.

Almost all main devices sold in the world use USB as the de facto standard as the device interface. (Figure 1a) (at the time of filing)

The USB-A socket 3 is arranged inside the panel or case 5 that covers the surface of the main device as a connector component.
The USB-A plug 4 can be inserted into the plug insertion port 38 of the USB-A socket 3 through the opening 58 of the main device as a tip part such as a USB memory or a USB cable. (Figure 1b)
The panel and case 5 of the main device are provided with an opening 58 as an insertion port for inserting the USB plug 4 .
When attaching the protection device 1, it is not necessary to open the panel or the case 5 of the main device, and it can be inserted through the panel opening 58 of the main device in the same way as the USB plug 4.

The USB-A socket has leaf springs 31 called grounding springs, which are cut out of the iron plate around the connector. (Non-Patent Document 4 in Fig.)
The USB-A plug has a hole 41 for receiving the tip of the leaf spring 31, and its arrangement and dimensions are defined in the specifications (Non-Patent Document 3). (Figure 1b)

In the present invention, by pressing the stopper 15 against a part (notch groove of the USB-A socket leaf spring 31) that is caught in a hole, groove, notch, etc. inside the connector of the main device, it is possible to pull out to the protection device 1. It blocks movement and sticks inside the connector of the main unit. (Fig.5b)

In conventional devices such as Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, a hook (claw, etc.) extended from the outside of the device is hooked on the notch groove of the USB-A socket leaf spring 31 to prevent it from being pulled out. differ in structure from
In addition, in the conventional device, the hooks that serve as fixing claws must be precisely made of thin, hard metal or the like, but the stopper 15 of the present invention has a shape suitable for resin molding.

The blocking arm 14 is connected to the frame 12B located at the back in a cantilever state, and the elasticity (deflection) of the material provides an effect like a leaf spring.
A stopper 15 having a latch structure and a pull-out coupler 16 on the blocking arm 14 are pushed in when pressure is applied vertically to the latch structure and return when the pressure is removed, similar to the operation of a door latch.

The stopper 15 used in the present invention has a semi-equilateral triangular shape, and is inserted from the inclined surface side when the protective device 1 is inserted . (Fig.3g)
The stopper is pushed inwards (upwards in FIG. 5a) by pushing the inclined surface by insertion.
The opposite side of the inclined surface is vertical, and when the apex of the stopper passes over the metal fittings around the USB socket and reaches the notch groove, it returns from being pushed in, functions as a stopper, and locks onto the connector .

The protective device 1 is entirely made of a resin material.
When creating a mold, as shown in Fig. 3, a shape that sandwiches all the parts that make up the device, such as the frame 12 and blocking arm 14, from both the top and bottom (does not intersect with other parts three-dimensionally) is suitable. It is also compatible with the manufacturing method by injection molding.
Constructing all the necessary structures in one form eliminates the need for additional machining and assembly parts.
The use of a manufacturing method using a mold in all steps can reduce costs through mass production.
*Since it is assumed that the protection device 1 is manufactured as a single unit, the frame 12, etc. described in the description do not exist as parts that can be disassembled individually.

Next, the drawing device 2 will be described.

The extraction device 2 is inserted into the extraction device insertion opening 18 of the protection device 1 locked to the USB-A socket 3. (Fig.4c)
When the tip of the withdrawal device 2 passes through the slope of the unlocker 17 and reaches the top of the slope, the blocking arm 14 is pushed inward. (Fig. 4d) (Fig. 5e)
Since the height at which the tip of the extracting device 2 and the unlocker 17 overlap is higher than the stopper 15 , the stopper 15 slips inside the surrounding metal plate of the USB-A socket 3 .
As a result, the locks on both sides are released at the same time, and the protective device 1 is in an unlocked state.

Furthermore, when the withdrawal device 2 climbs over the withdrawal coupler 16 (withdrawable position), the withdrawal catch 21 of the withdrawal device 2 hooks on the withdrawal coupler 16 of the protection device 1 . (See Figures 4, 5 and 7a)
Since the drawing device 2 is designed so that it can be pulled out when the drawing device 2 is inserted all the way into the drawing device insertion port 18, there is no need to adjust the insertion depth.
When the pull-out device 2 is pulled out while the pull-out catch 21 is connected to the pull-out coupler 16 (inserted to the deepest position), the protective device 1 can be pulled out while being connected to the pull-out device 2.例文帳に追加(Fig.5f)

The drawing device 2 is designed in a shape that can realize all necessary functions by cutting a flat plate.
The drawing device 2 does not require additional processing or parts to be combined, and has a simple structure.
Cost reduction can be achieved by using these manufacturing methods suitable for mass production.
In the present description, it is assumed that a thin plate is cut, but any material can be used as long as it has sufficient strength against the force with which the device is pulled out, and the material is not limited in the present invention.
In addition, the present invention is not limited to the manufacturing method, and there are manufacturing methods by cutting such as press working with a punching die, cutting by NC laser, and manufacturing without cutting such as casting molding and injection molding.

According to the present invention, in a device incorporating a combined function, extraction can be performed only when a protection device 1 and a withdrawal device 2 having matching combined shapes are used.
The construction of the mechanism of the combination is presented by way of example. (Figure 7)
This combination mechanism is not always required, but by using this mechanism, it is necessary to have a matching combination shape in order to unlock, so higher security performance can be achieved.

Only when a device incorporating a combination function is provided with a combined shape that matches the frame back surface 12B and the tip of the extraction device 2, the extraction device 2 can reach the extraction coupler 16 and can be extracted.
When the E line of the withdrawal device 2 exceeds the F line (withdrawable position) of the protection device 1 (combined state), the withdrawal catch 21 catches and connects the withdrawal coupler 16 to enable withdrawal. (Fig.7a)
If the combined shapes that do not match each other are used, the extraction device 2 will be blocked by the combination mechanism A61 or the combination mechanism B62 (disassembled state), and the extraction coupler 16 will not be able to reach the extraction catch 21, and as a result, extraction will not be possible. .
When using the combined/mismatched structure, place the shape of the combination on the right side of the F line.
As for the shape of the combination mechanism A61 or the combination mechanism B62, various shapes can be used as in this example.
Further, by designing the shape of the combination mechanism to be symmetrical about the center line of the drawing device 2, the drawing device 2 can be used on any surface. (Figure 7)
The present invention does not limit the shape or arrangement of the combinatorial/misclassified structure.

The protection device 1 uses a resin material and the whole device is manufactured as a single resin part.
The explanatory diagrams and reference numerals in this document describe the device by function for the purpose of explanation, and are not composed of individual parts, and there are no individual parts.

The present invention is not limited to USB-A sockets, but can be applied to connector components having similar structures.
Moreover, the present invention is not limited to the connector as long as it has the same structure.
The description in this document expresses one manufacturing method for realizing the present invention, and does not limit the present invention to materials, manufacturing methods, or manufacturing as a single resin part.
Also, the present invention does not deny additional processing or combination with other parts to the device for protection or extraction.

Alphabetic letters attached after numerals in code numbers are basically based on the orientation described above.
F: Front front (front side of main unit), B: Back rear (insertion side back), L: Left left side, R: Right right side, U: Up top, D: Down bottom

1 protective device
2 Withdrawal device
3 USB-A socket (USB standard-A receptacle connector)
4 USB-A plug (USB standard-A plug connector)
5 Front panel of the main unit, housing, case, etc.
11 Front of protector
12 frames
12F Frame front
12B Frame back
12L frame left side
12R Frame right side
13 side wall
13L Left side wall
13R right side wall
14 blocking arm
14L left blocking arm
14R right blocking arm
15 stopper
15L left stopper
15R Right stopper
16 Withdrawal coupler
16L left extraction coupler
16R right extraction coupler
17 Unlocka
17L left unlocker
17R Right unlocker
18 Extractor insertion slot
21 Withdrawal catch
21L left withdrawal catch
21R Right pull-out catch
31 USB-A socket Leaf spring (Grounding Springs for grounding)
38 USB-A socket Plug slot
41 USB-A plug Leaf spring receiving hole
58 Panel opening
61 Combined mechanism A [Protective device side]
62 Combining mechanism B [withdrawal device side]

Claims (4)

A protective device (1) that is inserted into a component such as a connector having an insertion opening and locks inside the connector to close the connector insertion opening,
a protective device front face (11) with no protruding parts that fits completely inside the housing of the main device when attached to the connector of the main device;
frames (12F, 12B, 12L, 12R) connected from the rear side of the front surface of the protective device to the inner side of the connector insertion opening;
a plurality of independently operable blocking arms (14R, 14L) coupled in a cantilevered manner from the rear surface (12B) of the frame toward the inside of the protective device;
a plurality of independent stoppers (15R, 15L) provided on the blocking arm and provided at positions corresponding to portions of the connector, such as holes, grooves, notches, etc., that are caught when the connector is attached to the connector of the main device;
When the extraction device (2) is inserted all the way through the extraction device insertion opening (18) provided on the front surface of the protection device on the blocking arm, it engages with the extraction device and can be extracted. a plurality of independent pull-out couplers (16R, 16L) arranged as
A protective device comprising:

The plurality of independent stoppers are
disposed on said plurality of independent blocking arms that provide a leaf spring-like effect due to the elasticity of the material;
Each can be pushed in when pressure is applied in the vertical direction, and can return when the pressure is removed.
By inserting the protective device into the connector, the inclined surface sides of the plurality of independent stoppers are pushed inward by the peripheral metal fittings of the USB socket, and the ends of the stoppers go over the peripheral metal fittings of the USB socket and form a notch. When the connector reaches the groove, it returns from being pushed in, and the stopper engages with a hole, groove, notch, or other portion inside the connector that catches,
blocking the withdrawal movement of the protection device by engagement of the stopper;
The protective device of claim 1, characterized by:

A withdrawal device ( 2) capable of removing a protective device (1) that closes a connector insertion opening,
With withdrawal catches (21R, 21L) at the tip,
It is inserted from the extraction device insertion port of the protection device, passes through the slopes of the unlockers (17R, 17L) provided on the blocking arms (14R, 14L), and when the tip of the extraction device reaches the top of the unlocker slopes, a plurality of independent All the stoppers (15R, 15L) are simultaneously pushed inward from the surrounding metal plate of the connector to release the lock,
The pull-out catches (21R, 21L) are coupled to all of the plurality of independent pull-out couplers (16R, 16L) on the blocking arm when the protection device is fully inserted from the pull-out device insertion opening. , the protection device can also be connected and pulled out when pulled out in the connected state,
A withdrawal device characterized by:

A structure composed of the protection device according to claim 1 and the extraction device according to claim 3,
The withdraw catches (21R, 21L) of said withdrawing device are connected to the withdrawing couplers (16R, 16L) of said withdrawing device only if the shapes provided at the back (12B) of the frame of the protection device and at the tip of the withdrawing device correspond to each other. coupling, whereby the protective device can be pulled out of the connector;
A structure characterized by

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