Housing for an AC adapter in an electric instrument

A main housing and a sub-housing are provided. In the main housing an electric instrument is mounted, and in the sub-housing an AC adapter is mounted. The sub-housing is detachably engaged with the main housing.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention relates to a housing for an AC adapter in an electric
 instrument such as a printer.
 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 AC adapters for supplying a direct current to an electric instrument are
 known.
 Further, it is known to provide an electric instrument including a small
 size instrument without an AC adapter therein, wherein the AC adapter is
 separately positioned where the AC adapter is concealed.
 FIG. 5 shows a conventional printer and a conventional AC adapter, based on
 the above described desire.
 An AC adapter 9 has an AC cord 12 having an input plug 12b to be connected
 to an AC socket and an end plug 12a connected to a socket 9a of the AC
 adapter 9.
 A DC cord 10 is connected to an output terminal (not shown) of the AC
 adapter 9. An output plug 10a of the DC cord 10 is connected to a socket
 11 of a printer. The AC adapter 9 converts an AC to a DC, for example, 100
 volts AC to 25 volts DC.
 In the conventional printer, the exposed AC adapter 9 deteriorates the
 appearance of the printer when there is no place for concealing the AC
 adapter. In addition, the adapter occupies a space to decrease the area
 for the printer.
 Therefore, there is a need in the art for an AC adapter that can be mounted
 in the printer even if the size of the printer becomes somewhat large.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 Accordingly an object of the present invention is to provide a housing for
 mounting an AC adapter in an electric instrument, thereby the adapter does
 not deteriorate the electric instrument and reduce the space for the
 instrument.
 According to the present invention, there is provided a housing for an AC
 adapter in an electric instrument comprising, a main housing in which an
 electric instrument is mounted, a sub-housing in which an AC adapter is
 mounted, the sub-housing being detachably engaged with the main housing.
 The sub-housing is attached to an underside of the electric instrument.
 The AC adapter is removably mounted in the sub-housing.
 These and other objects and features of the present invention will become
 more apparent from the following detailed description with reference to
 the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
 In the drawings, the same parts as the conventional device of FIG. 5 are
 identified by the same reference numerals as FIG. 5. Referring to FIG. 1
 showing a perspective view of a printer, the printer comprises a main
 housing 1a, cover 2 and a bottom sub-housing 8 in which the AC adapter 9
 (FIG. 3) is mounted. There is provided a cover lock release button 4, and
 a paper discharge opening 3 on the front panel of the printer.
 Referring to FIGS. 2 through 4, in the housing 1a, a rolled paper housing
 space 5 is provided and a platen 6 is vertically slidably mounted. A
 platen push lever 13 is rotatably mounted by a shaft 14 and urged to the
 platen 6 by a spring 15 so as to press the platen to a print head 7
 mounted in the cover 2.
 The sub-housing 8 is snugly and detachably fitted to the underside of the
 main housing by a fitting means 8a. The plug 12a is connected to a socket
 9a in recess 8b of the sub-housing 8.
 In the sub-housing 8, the DC cord 10 is mounted. The DC cord 10 is drawn
 from the sub-housing passing through a C-shaped opening 8c. The plug 10a
 is connected to the socket 11 of the printer. The DC cord 10 can be
 removed from the C-shaped opening 8c.
 When the printer is used in a small size condition without sub-housing 8,
 the sub-housing 8 is removed from the main housing 1a. The AC adapter 9
 and the DC cord 10 are removed from the sub-housing 8 and the plug 12b is
 connected to an AC socket. The DC cord 10 is pulled and the plug 10a is
 connected to the socket 11 of the printer.
 The AC adapter may be used without removing from the sub-housing 8.
 In accordance with the present invention, since the AC adapter is
 concealed, the appearance of the electric instrument is not deteriorated.
 In addition, the instrument can be used by removing the AC adapter.
 While the invention has been described in conjunction with preferred
 specific embodiment thereof, it will be understood that this description
 is intended to illustrate and not limit the scope of the invention, which
 is defined by the following claims.