Power strip system

A power strip system includes a master control socket, at least one subsidiary socket of which the power on/off status is decided by a current of the master control socket, a current detecting unit connected with the master control socket for detecting the current of the master control socket and sending a corresponding current signal, a control module receiving and analyzing the current signal sent by the current detecting unit and then generating a corresponding control signal, a voltage regulating module providing a regulated voltage for the control module to be used as a power supply of the control module, and a switch module including a switch device and a switching unit controlling the switch device to turn on/off the subsidiary socket according to the control signal of the control module.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a power strip system, and more particularly to a power strip system capable of reducing power consumption.

2. The Related Art

At present, a conventional power strip is provided with a plurality of sockets for various plugs of external electric appliances being inserted therein to get power, wherein some electric appliances, such as computers, have many peripheral appliances used at the same time by utilizing the power strip. If the plugs of the appliances are always inserted in the corresponding sockets of the power strip with power switches of the appliances not yet turned off, then a circuit will always be formed to continually consume power. In addition, the appliances having their plugs inserted in the power strip may shorten their life due to long-term use. So the users often need to pull out all the plugs of the appliances or turn off all the power switches of the appliances. It is inconvenient to use. Therefore, a power strip capable of saving power and easy to use is required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a power strip system which includes a master control socket, at least one subsidiary socket of which the power on/off status is decided by a current of the master control socket, a current detecting unit connected with the master control socket for detecting the current of the master control socket and sending a corresponding current signal, a control module receiving and analyzing the current signal sent by the current detecting unit and then generating a corresponding control signal, a voltage regulating module providing a regulated voltage for the control module to be used as a power supply of the control module, and a switch module including a switch device and a switching unit controlling the switch device to turn on/off the subsidiary socket according to the control signal of the control module.

As described above, the subsidiary socket of the power strip system is designed to be automatically switched on-off the power by means of the control module controlling the switch module according to the current of the master control socket. So a peripheral appliance plugged in the subsidiary socket can be automatically turned on/off only by means of turning on-off a master electric appliance plugged in the master control socket so that is convenient to use and also can save power.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference toFIG. 1, a power strip system according to a first embodiment of the prevent invention includes a master control socket10, a plurality of subsidiary sockets20, an independent socket30, a power plug90, a current detecting unit70, a control module50, a voltage regulating module60and a switch module100. The master control socket10and the independent socket30are respectively a general power socket in our daily life and parallel-connected with each other to the power plug90.

The switch module100includes a switch device1003, a first switching unit101and a second switching unit102. The switch device1003is connected between the master control socket10and the subsidiary sockets20, wherein the subsidiary sockets20are parallel-connected with one another and are controlled to get power or not by the switch device1003according to a current of the master control socket10. The switch device1003includes a first switch10031and a second switch10032. The first switch10031has a first constant contact S1connected with a live wire L of the master control socket10, a first inconstant contact S3and a second inconstant contact S4connected with a live wire L of each of the subsidiary sockets20. The second switch10032has a second constant contact S2connected with a neutral wire N of the master control socket10, a third inconstant contact S5and a fourth inconstant contact S6connected with a neutral wire N of each of the subsidiary sockets20.

The first switching unit101and the second switching unit102can control the switch device1003to turn on/off the power of the subsidiary sockets20by means of controlling the first constant contact S1alternatively connected to the second or first inconstant contact S4/S3and simultaneously the second constant contact S2alternatively connected to the fourth or third inconstant contact S6/S5. The first switching unit101includes a first electromagnetic valve10011and a first AC-switching circuit10021which further includes a first bridge rectifier BD1and a first silicon-controlled rectifier SCR1. The first bridge rectifier BD1has4pins designated as Pin1˜Pin4. One terminal of the first electromagnetic valve10011is connected with the first inconstant contact S3, and the other terminal thereof is connected to the Pin4of the first bridge rectifier BD1. The Pin3is connected with the third inconstant contact S5. The Pin1of the first bridge rectifier BD1on one hand is connected with an anode A of the first silicon-controlled rectifier SCR1, and on the other hand is connected to the voltage regulating module60through a first diode D1. The Pin2of the first bridge rectifier BD1and a cathode K of the first silicon-controlled rectifier SCR1are connected with each other and further connected to ground of the voltage regulating module60. A gate G of the first silicon-controlled rectifier SCR1is connected to the control module50. The second switching unit102has a similar circuit to the first switching unit101, and includes a second electromagnetic valve10012and a second AC-switching circuit10022which further includes a second bridge rectifier BD2and a second silicon-controlled rectifier SCR2. The difference between the second switching unit102and the first switching unit101is that one terminal of the second electromagnetic valve10012is connected with the second inconstant contact S4and the Pin3of the second bridge rectifier BD2is connected with the fourth inconstant contact S6.

Referring toFIG. 1andFIG. 2, the current detecting unit70is connected with the neutral wire N or the live wire L of the master control socket10for detecting the current of the master control socket10and generating a corresponding current signal. The control module50includes a signal input unit51, a snubber circuit52and a control circuit53. The signal input unit51is connected with the current detecting unit70for receiving the current signal, and then transforms the current signal into a voltage signal by means of a first resistor R1. The snubber circuit52is parallel-connected with the first resistor R1and includes a second resistor R2, a second diode D2and a third diode D3. The second diode D2and the third diode D3are reversely parallel-connected with each other and then are series-connected with the second resistor R2. One terminal of the first resistor R1is connected with the second resistor R2, and the other terminal thereof is connected with the cathode of the second diode D2and the anode of the third diode D3and further connected with a reference voltage Vr2of about 5.8V˜6.1V generated by the voltage regulating module60.

The control circuit53includes two parallel branches designated as a switch-on control unit531and a switch-off control unit532. The switch-on control unit531includes a first comparator U1A and a second comparator U1B. A non-inverting input V+ of the first comparator U1A is connected to the anode of the third diode D3(namely the reference voltage Vr2) through a first capacitor C1, and an inverting input V− thereof is connected with the cathode of the third diode D3. The non-inverting input V+ of the first comparator U1A is further connected to a regulated voltage Vr1(about 11.3V) through a third resistor R3, wherein the regulated voltage Vr1is generated by the voltage regulating module60and used as a power supply of the control module50. A voltage output Vout of the first comparator U1A is connected to an inverting input V− of the second comparator U1B through a fourth diode D4. A non-inverting input V+ of the second comparator U1B is on one hand connected to a voltage output Vout thereof through a sixth resistor R6, and on the other hand connected to the reference voltage Vr2through a seventh resistor R7. The voltage output Vout of the first comparator U1A, the inverting input V− of the second comparator U1B and the voltage output Vout of the second comparator U1B on one hand are further connected to the regulated voltage Vr1through a fourth resistor R4, a third capacitor C3and an eighth resistor R8respectively, and on the other hand are further connected to ground through a second capacitor C2, a fifth resistor R5and a ninth resistor R9respectively. The voltage output Vout of the second comparator U1B is further connected with the gate G of the first silicon-controlled rectifier SCR1.

The switch-off control unit532includes a third comparator U2A and a fourth comparator U2B. A non-inverting input V+ of the third comparator U2A is on one hand connected to the non-inverting input V+ of the first comparator U1A through a tenth resistor R10, and on the other hand connected to the anode of the third diode D3(namely the reference voltage Vr2) through an eleventh resistor R11. A fourth capacitor C4is further parallel-connected with the eleventh resistor R11. An inverting input V− of the third comparator U2A is connected with the cathode of the third diode D3. A voltage output Vout of the third comparator U2A is connected to a non-inverting input V+ of the fourth comparator U2B through a fifteenth resistor R15. The non-inverting input V+ of the fourth comparator U2B is further connected to a voltage output Vout thereof through a thirteenth resistor R13, and an inverting input V− thereof is connected with the reference voltage Vr2. The voltage output Vout of the third comparator U2A and the voltage output Vout of the fourth comparator U2B on one hand are further connected to the regulated voltage Vr1through a twelfth resistor R12and a fourteenth resistor R14respectively, and on the other hand are further connected to ground through a fifth capacitor C5and a sixteenth resistor R16respectively, wherein the fifth capacitor C5is an electrolytic capacitor. The voltage output Vout of the fourth comparator U2B is further connected with a gate G of the second silicon-controlled rectifier SCR2.

In use, when a master electric appliance (not shown) is plugged in the master control socket10for working, the master control socket10has a gradually increased current therein. The control module50receives the current signal detected by the current detecting unit70, and then transforms the current signal into a corresponding voltage by means of the first resistor R1, and then further compares the voltage with a potential of the non-inverting input V+ of the first comparator U1A. If the voltage is higher than the potential of the non-inverting input V+ of the first comparator U1A, then the voltage output Vout of the second comparator U1B will output a high potential to drive the first silicon-controlled rectifier SCR1that drives the first electromagnetic valve10011and the first bridge rectifier BD1to respectively control the first switch10031and the second switch10032to make the first and second constant contacts S1, S2connect to the second inconstant contact S4and the fourth inconstant contact S6respectively so that the subsidiary sockets20get power to drive peripheral appliances (not shown) plugged therein to work. Then, the first switching unit101loses power so that both the first electromagnetic valve10011and the first bridge rectifier BD1no longer consume the power. When the voltage on the first resistor R1goes down to be lower than the potential of the non-inverting input V+ of the first comparator U1A, the voltage output Vout of the second comparator U1B outputs a low potential to disconnect the first silicon-controlled rectifier SCR1.

When the master electric appliance is turned off, the current in the master control socket10is gradually decreased. The control module50receives the current signal detected by the current detecting unit70, and then transforms the current signal into a corresponding voltage by means of the first resistor R1, and further compares the voltage with a potential of the non-inverting input V+ of the third comparator U2A. If the voltage is lower than the potential of the non-inverting input V+ of the third comparator U2A, then the voltage output Vout of the fourth comparator U2B will output a high potential to drive the second silicon-controlled rectifier SCR2that drives the second electromagnetic valve10012and the second bridge rectifier BD2to respectively control the first switch10031and the second switch10032to make the first and second constant contacts S1, S2connect to the first inconstant contact S3and the third inconstant contact S5respectively so as to switch off the power of the subsidiary sockets20to make the peripheral appliances automatically turn off. Then, the second switching unit102loses power so that both the second electromagnetic valve10012and the second bridge rectifier BD2no longer consume the power. When the voltage on the first resistor R1rises up to be higher than the potential of the non-inverting input V+ of the third comparator U2A, the voltage output Vout of the fourth comparator U2B outputs a low potential to make the second silicon-controlled rectifier SCR2disconnect.

Referring toFIG. 3, a power strip system according to a second embodiment of the prevent invention is shown and has a similar circuit with the power strip system of the first embodiment. The difference is that the switch module100only includes the second switching unit102and the switch device1003, and the switch device1003is connected between the master control socket10and the power plug90, wherein the subsidiary sockets20each are parallel-connected with the master control socket10. Therefore, the power strip system of the second embodiment can achieve only one semi-automatic control function of switching off the power of the subsidiary sockets20.

As described above, the subsidiary sockets of the power strip system are designed to be automatically switched on/off the power by means of the control module50controlling the switch module100according to the current of the master control socket10. So the peripheral appliances can be automatically turned on/off only by means of turning on/off the master electric appliance so that it will be convenient to use and also save the power. Furthermore, the electromagnetic valves10011,10012need power just at the starting moment thereof to further save the power.