Housing for an AC adapter in an electric instrument

Abstract: A main housing (1a) and a sub-housing (8) are provided. In the main housing an electric instrument is mounted, and in the sub-housing (8) an AC adapter (9) is mounted. The sub-housing is detachably engaged with the main housing.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a housing for an AC adapter in an electric instrument such as a printer. The AC adapter is provided for supplying a direct current to the electric instrument. There is user of the electric instrument who wants to use a small size instrument without the AC adapter, and to place the AC adapter at a position 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 1. 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. JP-A-10028152 discloses a portable telephone set comprising two distinct bodies that may be either attached to or detached from one another and in the latter connected with a connecting cable (9). One body (7) contains the communication apparatus and the second body (8) houses the battery as well as the AC adapter and is provided with an extensible retractable AC plug (10). JP-A-07104895 disclosed an electronic equipment having a battery unit (6) and an AC adapter (7) that may alternatively be accommodated in a power source housing (5) of the equipment. The battery unit (6) or the AC adapter (7) may be inserted in an ancillary connection attachment (8) provided with a power supply cord (10) terminating with a plug (9) to be coupled to an input socket (4) of DC power supply present in the electronic equipment. JP-A-05175669 discloses a mounting device of electronic apparatus wherein an AC adapter 12 is inserted into an AC adapter holding piece (lOb), the main body (9) of the apparatus may be hooked and fixed on the holding piece (10a) side-by-side to the AC adapter to which may be electrically connected through a desirably short cord (15). US-A-5575807 discloses a power supply mountable on one side of the casing the medical device to be powered. JP-A-07264855 discloses a power supply provided with a detachable plug section for plugging into an AC socket. Therefore, there is a user who is satisfied that if the AC adapter 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 combination according to claim 1. 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. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a printer to which the present invention is applied; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the printer wherein a cover of the printer is opened; Fig. 3 is a sectional side view of the printer; Figs. 4 is a perspective view of the printer wherein a housing for a power source adapter is detached from the printer; and Fig. 5a is a perspective view of a conventional printer and a conventional power source adapter. 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.

Claims: A combination of an electric instrument, a housing (1a), an electric socket (11) mounted in the housing (1a), a sub-housing (8), an AC adapter (9), a DC cord (10) with a terminating plug (10a), the electric instrument is to be supplied with a direct current by the AC adapter (9) connectable to the AC socket, the instument being mounted in the main housing (1a), characterized in that the sub-housing (8) is detachably attached to the underside of the main housing (1a); the AC adapter (9) and the DC cord (10) are removably housed into the detachable sub-housing (8); the DC cord (10) for connecting the plug (10a) to the socket (11) of the main housing (1a) being pullable out of an opening (8c) of the sub-housing (8) for the length needed when the instrument is used with the sub-housing (8) detached from the main housing (1a) and placed at a distance therefrom. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said AC adapter (9) is provided with a socket (9a) accessible in a recess (8b) of said sub-housing (8), for connecting the AC adapter through a power cord to an AC socket.

Inventors: SATO HITOSHI, SATO, HITOSHI
Applicants: JAPAN CBM CORP, JAPAN CBM CORPORATION
Application year: 2000
Main classification: B41J29
IPC codes: B41J29, H05K7