Abstract:
The present invention provides a combinative power device. In one aspect, the combinative power device of the present invention includes an AC-to-DC module including a first joint portion; and a DC-to-DC module having a second joint portion and coupled to the AC-to-DC module by the second joint portion with the first joint portion electrically, wherein the DC-to-DC module acts as a removable module which can be removable from the AC-to-DC module to enable the AC-to-DC module to cooperate with different types of the DC-to-DC module.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to power devices, and more particularly to combinative power devices. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Consumer electronic products, such as notebooks, personal digital assistants (PDA), mobile phones, MP3 players, and so on, are trending toward smaller sizes continuously, which thereby promotes higher demand for easily-portable electric power connectors, for example, a power supply, a battery charger, or a transformer. Therefore, the electric power connectors of consumer electronic products need to be made with smaller sizes and less weight, and more convenient for shipment. Furthermore, they must be durable in order to sustain long-term carrying and frequent usage. 
         [0003]    For the presently common battery chargers or transformers, most of different types of batteries or devices must be charged or powered by utilizing different kinds of battery chargers or transformers. If the user carries different types of mobile devices at the same time, the batteries or the transformers thereof usually differ. Therefore, the user has to carry various kinds of battery chargers or transformers to maintain the power of each type of mobile devices in normal ranges, which is inconvenient to the user and will increase the weight of items needed to be taken along by the user. 
         [0004]    Moreover, when a light emitting diode power supply is disposed in a light emitting diode lamp holder, for the lamp holders with different numbers of light emitting diode modules, the light emitting diode power supply must have corresponding numbers of contact points to power each light emitting diode module. Therefore, when the number of the light emitting diode modules changes, the manufacturing process for the light emitting diode power supply must be modified. 
         [0005]    Furthermore, any of the battery charger, the transformer or the light emitting diode power supply has an AC-to-DC portion and a portion to further process the direct current and output the processed direct current. The AC-to-DC portion usually needs to be performed with safety inspection. Therefore, when a new type of battery charger, transformer or light emitting diode power supply is developed, the entire of the new type of battery charger, transformer or light emitting diode power supply must be implemented with safety inspection, thereby delaying the time-to-market. 
         [0006]    Accordingly, there is still a need for a solution to solve the aforementioned problems. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    To solve the aforementioned various problems, the present invention provides a combinative power device. 
         [0008]    The present invention provides a combinative power device, including an AC-to-DC module including a first joint portion; and a DC-to-DC module having a second joint portion and coupled to the AC-to-DC module by the second joint portion with the first joint portion electrically, wherein the DC-to-DC module acts as a removable module which can be removable from the AC-to-DC module to enable the AC-to-DC module to cooperate with different types of the DC-to-DC module. 
         [0009]    In one aspect, the present invention provides a combinative power device, including an AC-to-DC module including at least one projected portion and a cavity formed on the side wall of one end of the AC-to-DC module, wherein a flange is disposed on the outer edge of the at least one projected portion; and a DC-to-DC module including at least one concave portion and a flexible slice formed on the side wall of one end of the DC-to-DC module, wherein a flange is disposed on the outer edge of the at least one concave portion and a projected piece is disposed on the flexible slice to be locked by the cavity, the at least one concave portion receiving the at least one projected portion, the flange of the at least one concave portion locking the flange of the at least one projected portion. 
         [0010]    In another aspect, the present invention provides a combinative power device, including an AC-to-DC module including a first hole and a second hole formed thereon, the first hole including a first partial hole and a second partial hole, the second hole including a first partial hole and a second partial hole, widths or diameters of the first partial hole of the first hole and the first partial hole of the second hole being larger than widths or diameters of the second partial hole of the first hole and the second partial hole of the second hole respectively, the first partial hole of the first hole connecting one end of the second partial hole of the first hole, the second partial hole of the second hole connecting one side of the first partial hole of the second hole; and a DC-to-DC module including a main body, a first pin and a second pin, wherein the first pin and the second pin are disposed on the main body, widths or diameters of first portions of the first pin and the second pin which are close to the main body being smaller than widths or diameters of second portions of the first pin and the second pin which are far from the main body respectively, the second portion of the first pin which is far from the main body being inserted into the first partial hole of the first hole, the first portion of the first pin which is close to the main body being slid into the second partial hole of the first hole, the second portion of the second pin which is far from the main body being inserted into the first partial hole of the second hole, the first portion of the second pin which is close to the main body being slid into the second partial hole of the second hole. 
         [0011]    One advantage of the present invention is that the DC-to-DC module or the AC-to-DC module of the combinative power device of the present invention can be flexibly replaced with DC-to-DC modules or AC-to-DC modules of other specifications. 
         [0012]    Another advantage of the present invention is that the combinative power device of the present invention can enhance the robustness of the entire structure in the horizontal direction or the vertical direction. 
         [0013]    Still another advantage of the present invention is that the combinative power device of the present invention can shorten the time-to-market for the power device. 
         [0014]    Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the present invention can decrease the weight of the transformers or the battery chargers needed to be taken along by the user. 
         [0015]    These and other advantages will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments taken together with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    The present invention may be understood by some preferred embodiments and detailed descriptions in the specification and the attached drawings below. The identical reference numbers in the drawings refer to the same components in the present invention. However, it should be appreciated that all the preferred embodiments of the invention are provided only for illustrating but not for limiting the scope of the Claims and wherein: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  illustrates a diagram of a combinative power device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  illustrates a combining diagram of a combinative power device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  illustrates an exploded view of an AC-to-DC module of a combinative power device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  illustrates an exploded view of a DC-to-DC module of a combinative power device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  illustrates a partial view of an AC-to-DC module of a combinative power device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  illustrates a partial view of a DC-to-DC module of a combinative power device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate a partial perspective view of a combinative power device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  illustrates a partial sectional view of a combinative power device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 10  illustrates a diagram of a combinative power device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 11  illustrates a diagram of a combinative power device in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIGS. 12 and 13  illustrate a diagram of a combinative power device in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 14  illustrates a combining diagram of a combinative power device in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 15  illustrates a exploded view of an AC-to-DC module of a combinative power device in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0030]      FIG. 16  illustrates a diagram of an upper case of an AC-to-DC module of a combinative power device in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0031]    The invention will now be described with the preferred embodiments and aspects and these descriptions interpret structure and procedures of the invention only for illustrating but not for limiting the Claims of the invention. Therefore, except the preferred embodiments in the specification, the present invention may also be widely used in other embodiments. 
         [0032]    The present invention provides a combinative power device, which includes an AC-to-DC module and a DC-to-DC module. The AC-to-DC module and the DC-to-DC module may be combined through chutes or through the locking mechanism between holes and pins. The combinative power device of the present invention may be applied to light emitting diode power supplies, battery chargers or transformers with changeable converters. In one embodiment, the battery chargers may include but be not limited to lithium battery chargers, AA battery chargers, AAA battery chargers, etc. 
         [0033]    In one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the combinative power device  10  may include an AC-to-DC module  101  and a DC-to-DC module  102 , the inner AC-to-DC circuits of which is well-known and therefore is omitted. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the exemplary combinative power device shown in the present embodiment is employed for the light emitting diode power supply, for illustrating the present invention but not for limiting the present invention. Therefore, the combinative power device shown in  FIG. 1  may also be applied to the battery charger (as shown in  FIG. 10 ) or the transformer with the changeable converter. In the present embodiment, the AC-to-DC module  101  and the DC-to-DC module  102  may be combined through chutes. As shown in  FIG. 2 , one end of the AC-to-DC module  101  may be slid into the grooves in the DC-to-DC module  102  to combine both. 
         [0034]      FIGS. 3 and 5  illustrate the structure of the AC-to-DC module  101 . The AC-to-DC module  101  may include a first joint portion. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the AC-to-DC module  101  may include an upper case  1011 , a lower case  1012  and a circuit board  1013  to dispose circuits and electronic elements (not shown) thereon. The circuit board  1013  is disposed on the lower case  1012  while the upper case  1011  is disposed on the circuit board  1013 . Conductive slices  1019  are disposed at one end of the circuit board  1013 . In one embodiment, the material of the conductive slices  1019  may be metal or alloy. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the first joint portion is disposed on the side wall of one end of the upper case  1011  and may include projected portions  1014 . Flanges  1015  are disposed on the outer edges of the projected portions  1014 . The centers of the projected portions  1014  are disposed with openings for the conductive slices (which will be described hereinafter) of the DC-to-DC module  102  to partially pass therethrough and electrically couple with the conductive slices  1019  of the AC-to-DC module  101 . The openings are adjacent to the conductive slices  1019 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , a cavity  1016  is disposed on the side wall of the upper case  1011  and between the projected portions  1014  to lock a projected piece (which will be described hereinafter) of the DC-to-DC module  102 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , projected portions  1017  are disposed on the side wall of one end of the lower case  1012 . Flanges  1018  are disposed on the outer edges of the projected portions  1017 . A cavity  1020  is disposed on the side wall of the lower case  1012  and between the projected portions  1017 . The sizes and the contours of the projected portions  1017 , the flanges  1018  and the cavity  1020  correspond to those of the projected portions  1014 , the flanges  1015  and the cavity  1016  respectively so as to form continuous structures. The first joint portion is utilized to joint a removable module. 
         [0035]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the removable module may include a DC-to-DC module  102 , which may include an upper case  1021 , a lower case  1022  and a circuit board  1023  to dispose circuits and electronic elements (not shown) thereon. The DC-to-DC module  102  may include a second joint portion. The circuit board  1023  is disposed on the lower case  1022  while the upper case  1021  is disposed on the circuit board  1023 . Conductive slices  1030  are disposed at one end of the circuit board  1023 . In one embodiment, the material of the conductive slices  1030  may be metal or alloy. As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 6 , the second joint portion is disposed on the side wall of one end of the upper case  1021  to joint the first joint portion. The second joint portion is disposed with concave portions  1024  to receive the projected portions  1014  of the AC-to-DC module  101 . Flanges  1025  are disposed on the outer edges of the concave portions  1024  to lock the flanges  1015  of the AC-to-DC module  101 . The centers of the concave portions  1024  are disposed with openings for the conductive slices  1030  to partially pass therethrough and electrically couple with the conductive slices  1019  of the AC-to-DC module  101 . The openings are adjacent to the conductive slices  1030 . 
         [0036]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , a cavity  1031  is disposed on the side wall of the upper case  1021  and between the concave portions  1024 , and a flexible slice  1026  is disposed in the cavity  1031 . A projected piece  1027  is disposed on the flexible slice  1026  to be locked by the cavity  1016  of the AC-to-DC module  101 , such that the robustness of the entire structure in the vertical direction may be enhanced through the locking mechanism between the cavity  1016  and the projected piece  1027 . The flexible slice  1026  is flexible, such that the projected piece  1027  will be detached from the cavity  1016 , and the projected portions  1014  and the flanges  1015  of the AC-to-DC module  101  will be able to be slid out of the concave portions  1024  of the DC-to-DC module  102  when the flexible slice  1026  is shifted towards the inner of the cavity  1031 . Therefore, the DC-to-DC module  102  will be able to be detached from the AC-to-DC module  101 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , concave portions  1028  are disposed on the side wall of one end of the lower case  1022  to receive the projected portions  1017  of the AC-to-DC module  101 . Flanges  1029  are disposed on the outer edges of the concave portions  1028  to lock the flanges  1018  of the AC-to-DC module  101 . The sizes and the contours of the concave portions  1028  and the flanges  1029  correspond to those of the concave portions  1024  and the flanges  1025  respectively so as to form continuous structures. 
         [0037]    As shown in  FIG. 7 , after the AC-to-DC module  101  is combined with the DC-to-DC module  102 , the conductive slice  1019  and the conductive slice  1030  may contact each other, so as to form electrical coupling. As shown in  FIG. 8 , after the AC-to-DC module  101  is combined with the DC-to-DC module  102 , the flanges  1018  and the flanges  1029  may lock each other, so as to improve the robustness of the entire structure in the horizontal direction. In the same way, the flanges  1015  and the flanges  1025  may also lock each other (not shown). As shown in  FIG. 9 , after the AC-to-DC module  101  is combined with the DC-to-DC module  102 , the cavity  1016  may lock the projected piece  1027 , such that the robustness of the entire structure in the vertical direction will be further enhanced. 
         [0038]      FIG. 11  illustrates a diagram of a combinative power device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 11 , the exemplary combinative power device shown in the present invention may be utilized for the transformers with changeable converters, for illustrating the present invention but not for limiting the present invention. Therefore, the combinative power device shown in  FIG. 11  may also be applied to the battery chargers or the light emitting diode power supply. As shown in  FIG. 11 , in another embodiment of the present invention, the combinative power device  20  may include an AC-to-DC module  201  and a DC-to-DC module  202 . A plug in the AC-to-DC module  201  may be rotatable, such that the plug may be rotated out of or into the case. As shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 , the DC-to-DC module  202  may include a pin  2022  and a pin  2023  while the AC-to-DC module  201  may include a hole  2017  and a hole  2018 . As shown in  FIGS. 13 and 14 , the pin  2022  and the pin  2023  may be inserted into the hole  2018  and the hole  2017  respectively, and the DC-to-DC module  202  may be moved a predetermined distance towards the hole  2017  and rotated counter clockwise, so as to render the pin  2022  and the pin  2023  to be locked by the hole  2018  and the hole  2017  respectively and combine the AC-to-DC module  201  and the DC-to-DC module  202 . 
         [0039]    As shown in  FIG. 12 , the DC-to-DC module  202  may include a main body  2021 , the pin  2022  and the pin  2023 . The pin  2022  and the pin  2023  are disposed on the main body  2021 . In one embodiment, the pin  2022  and the pin  2023  may be disposed asymmetrically. Both the pin  2023  and the pin  2022  have two different diameters or widths. The diameter or the width of one end of the pin  2023  and the pin  2022  which is far from the main body is larger than that of another end of the pin  2023  and the pin  2022  which is close to the main body. In one embodiment, both ends of the pin  2023  may be cylindrical. In another embodiment, the end of the pin  2023  which is close to the main body may be cylindrical while the end of the pin  2023  which is far from the main body may be geometric pillar shaped. The geometric pillar may include but be not limited to cylinder and rectangular prism, for example square prism. In one embodiment, the end of the pin  2022  which is close to the main body may be cylindrical. In one embodiment, the end of the pin  2022  which is far from the main body may be chamfered-edge cylinder shaped. 
         [0040]    As shown in  FIG. 15 , the AC-to-DC module  201  may include an upper case  2011 , conductive slices  2012 , a fixing member  2013 , a fixing rack  2014 , a rotatable rack  2015  and a lower case  2016 . As shown in  FIG. 15 , the rotatable rack  2015  is disposed on the lower case  2016  while the fixing member  2013  and the fixing rack  2014  are disposed on the rotatable rack  2015 . The conductive slices  2012  are disposed on the fixing member  2013  while the upper case  2011  is disposed on the conductive slices  2012 . 
         [0041]    With reference to  FIG. 15 , the upper case  2011  may include a hole  2017  and a hole  2018 . In one embodiment, the hole  2017  may include a first partial hole, for example a geometric hole, which may include but be not limited to a circular hole and a rectangular hole such as a square hole, and a second partial hole, for example a long curved hole, so as to be inserted by the pin  2023  of the DC-to-DC module  202 . The first partial hole connects with one end of the second partial hole. The width or the diameter of the first partial hole is larger than that of the second partial hole. The widths or the diameters of the first partial hole and the second partial hole substantially match those of the end of the pin  2023  which is far from the main body and the end of the pin  2023  which is close to the main body respectively, such that after the end of the pin  2023  which is far from the main body is inserted into the first partial hole for example the geometric hole, if the end of the pin  2023  which is close to the main body passes through the geometric hole, the end of the pin  2023  which is close to the main body can enter the second partial hole such as the long curved hole and the DC-to-DC module  202  can be rotated counter clockwise around the pin  2022  to render the end of the pin  2023  which is close to the main body to be slid into the long curved hole and perform locking mechanism. 
         [0042]    In one embodiment, the hole  2018  may include a first partial hole, for example a chamfered-edge circular hole, and a second partial hole, such as a semicircular hole. In one embodiment, the second partial hole connects with one side of the first partial hole. For example, the chamfered-edge portion of the semicircular hole connects with the chamfered-edge portion of the chamfered-edge circular hole. The width or the diameter of the first partial hole is larger than that of the second partial hole. The shapes and the sizes of the first partial hole and the second partial hole substantially match the section shapes and the sizes thereof of the end of the pin  2022  which is far from the main body and the end of the pin  2022  which is close to the main body respectively, such that after the end of the pin  2022  which is far from the main body is inserted into the first partial hole for example the chamfered-edge circular hole, if the end of the pin  2022  which is close to the main body passes through the chamfered-edge circular hole, the end of the pin  2022  which is close to the main body can be slid into the second partial hole such as the semicircular hole to perform the rotation of the DC-to-DC module  202 . While the end of the pin  2023  which is close to the main body initially enters the long curved hole, the end of the pin  2022  which is close to the main body will be slid into the semicircular hole. 
         [0043]    With reference to  FIGS. 15 and 16 , the upper case  2011  further includes a baffle  2019  and a baffle  2020  formed on the lower surface thereof. The baffle  2019  surrounds the hole  2017  while the baffle  2020  surrounds the hole  2018 . As shown in  FIG. 15 , the rotatable rack  2015  is inserted into two through holes in the lower case  2016 , such that the rotatable rack  2015  may be sandwiched in between the lower case  2016  and the fixing member  2013  and the fixing rack  2014  to perform the rotation. The conductive slices  2012  contact the shorter ends of the prongs of the rotatable rack  2015  which pass through the fixing member  2013  at one end and contact the pin  2022  or the pin  2023  which passes through the hole  2018  or the hole  2017  at the other end, so as to form electrical coupling between the prongs of the rotatable rack  2015  and the pin  2022  or the pin  2023 . In one embodiment, the material of the conductive slices  2012  may be metal or alloy. 
         [0044]    As aforementioned, the present invention employs the chutes or the locking mechanism between the holes and the pins to combine the AC-to-DC module and the DC-to-DC module, so as to provide the combinative power device. The aforementioned combinative power device may be applied to the light emitting diode power supplies, the transformers with changeable converters or the battery chargers. Therefore, the DC-to-DC module or the AC-to-DC module may be replaced with the DC-to-DC module or the AC-to-DC module of other specifications. For instance, if the combinative power device is a battery charger, the DC-to-DC module with battery charging cavity can be replaced with a DC-to-DC module having different types of battery charging cavities for different types of batteries. For example, a DC-to-DC module with AA battery charging cavity can be replaced with a DC-to-DC module with AAA battery or lithium battery charging cavity. The AC-to-DC module can also be replaced with an AC-to-DC module having plugs of different specifications. If the combinative power device is a light emitting diode power supply, the DC-to-DC module can be replaced with a DC-to-DC module for different numbers of light emitting diodes. If the combinative power device is a transformer with a changeable converter, the AC-to-DC module can be replaced with an AC-to-DC module having converters of different specifications. 
         [0045]    Moreover, once the safety inspection of the AC-to-DC module is completed, the AC-to-DC module can cooperate with different kinds of DC-to-DC modules to facilitate its scalability and convenience for sales because the DC-to-DC module of the combinative power device of the present invention is replaceable and only the AC-to-DC module needs to be performed with safety inspection. Therefore, the combinative power device of the present invention can shorten the time-to-market for the power device. Furthermore, since the DC-to-DC module or the AC-to-DC module of the combinative power device of the present invention can be replaced with DC-to-DC modules or AC-to-DC modules of other specifications, the user is not required to carry different battery chargers or transformers for different mobile devices and only needs to carry necessary modules to replace, thereby the weight of the transformers or the battery chargers needed to be taken along by the user can be decreased. 
         [0046]    The foregoing description is a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be appreciated that this embodiment is described for purposes of illustration only, not for limiting, and that numerous alterations and modifications may be practiced by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is intended that all such modifications and alterations are included insofar as they come within the scope of the invention as claimed or the equivalents thereof.