Abstract:
A protection structure of an IEEE1394 connector is disclosed. The protection structure for use in the IEEE1394 connector comprises a locking structure mounted on a first IEEE1394 connector. The locking structure is capable of hooking an opening formed on a second IEEE1394 connector that cooperates with the first IEEE1394 connector for enhancing the connection stability between the first and second connectors. In addition, a lock is mounted on the locking structure to provide the anti-theft IEEE1394 connector.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to an IEEE1394 connector having a protection structure for providing the function of protection to prevent theft, and this protection structure is suitable for various wires, connectors, conversion connectors, conversion wires, connectors of related apparatus, or the likes.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     After the adoption of the USB interface the IEEE1394 interface is gradually applied to the transmission in recent years. Because of equipping with the same Plug and Play function as the USB connector and the high transmission speed (about 400 Mbps), the IEEE1394 interface is widely applied to the transmission of the consumer electronic product such as entertainment product and computer peripheral, which requires high transmission speed.  
         [0003]     In the practical application, the IEEE1394 interface is mainly applied to the location and the high speed equipment, for example, DVC, digital TV, high-resolution digital camera, games console, etc., which require transmitting image files at high speed so as to enhance efficiency.  
         [0004]     Although the connected male and female connectors are capable of providing superior transmission effect, the transmission effect is affected if they are separated by careless pulling. In response to this, a hooking structure for use in an IEEE1394 connector is disclosed. The IEEE1394 connector comprises: a housing; a shaft fixed on the housing; an elastic plate having a second hook at a first end of the elastic plate; a force-reception part formed at a second end of the elastic plate; an elastic arm extended from the middle portion of the elastic plate to lean against the housing; and a circular pivotal connection part mounted on the center of the elastic plate. By using the circular pivotal connection part to receive the shaft, the elastic plate can be rotably connected to the shaft.  
         [0005]     Although this connector can avoid the separation caused by careless pulling, another corresponding connector, which mounts on the electronic device for connection with the connector, still needs to be changed into the same kind of connector. If this corresponding connector does not provide the corresponding hooks, it is incapable of achieving the purpose of connection.  
         [0006]     In view of the description mentioned above, the present inventor makes a diligent study to disclose and fabricate a protection structure for use in an IEEE1394 connector without changing the connector structure of the general electronic device, wherein the protection structure of the IEEE1394 connector is capable of enhancing the connection stability and preventing the theft.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     It is a main object of the present invention to provide a protection structure for use in an IEEE1394 connector to enhance the connection stability effectively and protect the male and female connectors from being separated by careless pulling.  
         [0008]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a protection structure for use in an IEEE1394 connector to protect the male and female connectors from being stolen by unauthorized person.  
         [0009]     In order to achieve the aforementioned object, a locking structure is mounted on a first IEEE 1304 connector for hooking an opening formed on a second IEEE1394 connector that cooperates with the first IEEE1394 connector for enhancing the connection stability between the first and second connectors. In addition, a lock is mounted on the locking structure for preventing the IEEE1394 connectors from being stolen.  
         [0010]     The aforementioned aspects and advantages of the present invention will be readily clarified in the description of the preferred embodiments and the enclosed drawings of the present invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is an elevational view showing a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view showing the action for connecting the male connector and the female connector in accordance with first preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a schematic view showing that the male and female connectors are connected in accordance with first preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is an elevational view showing a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is an elevational view showing a third preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  is an elevational view showing a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 7  is an elevational view showing a fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 8  is a partial perspective view showing the female connector of  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0019]     The present invention is related to an IEEE1394 connector on which a locking structure is mounted, wherein the IEEE1394 connector is a male plug or a female socket. For the purpose of explanation, a male plug with six pins is illustrated in this preferred embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the male connector  10  comprises an outer frame  11  at the front end and a plastic housing  17  at the back end. An opening is formed on the outer frame  11 , and a terminal is mounted on the upper and lower lateral surfaces of the opening. Besides, two trenches  12  are formed on the top surface or the bottom surface of the outer frame  11 . A hole is formed on a surface of the plastic housing  17  corresponding to the surface of the outer frame  11  on which the trenches  12  are formed for insertion of a button  13 . A sheet  14  is coupled to the bottom of the button  13  in a position and a shape corresponding to that of the trenches  12 . A hooking part  15  is mounted at both front ends of the sheet  14 , wherein each of the hooking parts  15  is designed to be a single hook or a double hook. A pair of pivots is mounted on both sides of the sheet  14 , and a pair of limit springs  16  is penetrated by the pivots. Therefore, the sheet  14  is held up by the limit springs  16  so as to lean against the bottom edge of the plastic housing  17 . If the button  13  is pressed, the hooking parts  15  are sunken into the trenches  12 , correspondingly.  
         [0020]     Referring to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , for the purpose of inserting the male connector  10  into the female connector  30 , the female connector  30  is provided with an outer frame  31 , wherein two inwardly pressable elastic sheets are mounted on the upper and lower sides of the outer frame  31 , respectively. Two openings  32  are formed on both sides of each elastic sheet. Besides, a terminal  33  is mounted on the center of the outer frame  31 . When the male connector  10  couples with the female connector  30 , the outer frame  11  of the male connector  10  covers the terminal  33  of the female connector  30 , and the outer frame  31  of the female connector  30  covers the outer frame  11  of the male connector  10 . By contacting the terminals of the male and female connectors with one another, the purpose of signal transmission is achieved.  
         [0021]     Moreover, if the connectors  10 ,  30  are connected with one another, the hooking parts  15  mounted at the front ends of the sheet  14  of the male connector  10  are inserted into the openings  32  of the outer frame  31  of the female connector  30 . Because of the steady locking between the hooking parts  15  and the openings  32 , the connectors  10 ,  30  are prevented from being separated if they are pulled or tugged by external force. Nevertheless, the hooking parts  15  are separable from the openings  32  to separate the connectors  10 ,  30  by pressing down the button  13 .  
         [0022]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the male connector  10  further comprises a push button  18  mounted near the button  13 . A pillar  19  is mounted on the bottom of the push button  18 , and they are shiftable together. The pillar  19  is mounted lower than or equal to the bottom of the button  13  in height. By pushing the push button  18 , the pillar  19  is shifted away from or toward the bottom of the button  13  so as to decide whether the button  13  can be pressed down. Consequently, the connector with the built-in lock is completed for providing the function of simply locking.  
         [0023]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a protrudent block  131  is mounted on the body of the button  13 . The body of the button  13  is inserted into a through hole of a plate  20 , and a notch  201 , which is in a shape equal to that of the protrudent block  131 , is formed on the plate  20  adjacent to the through hole. Besides, the periphery of the plate  20  is divided into ten equalized sections on which ten numbers (0 to 9) are marked, respectively. Besides, the notch  201  is formed on one of these ten sections. It is assumed that the button  13  can be pressed down when the number three is obtained by rotating the plate  20  so as to enable the notch  201  to face the protrudent block  131 . If the male connector  10  is inserted into the female connector  30 , the hooking parts  15  at the front ends of the sheet  14  are designed to lock the corresponding openings  32  of the female connector  30 . Next, the section number three is turned away from its former position by rotating the plate  20  randomly. As a result, the notch  201  is also turned away from the protrudent block  131  to prevent the button  13  from being pressed down. Accordingly, the present invention can prevent the theft when the user leaves the seat.  
         [0024]     The button  13  can be controlled by various ways to be pressable or unpressable. For example, as shown in  FIG. 6 , a mechanical structure using a lock  21  and a key  22  can be used. Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 7 , an electronic structure can be used, wherein a reed switch (not shown), which is moved together with a pillar, is mounted inside a male connector  41 , which is connected to a connection wire  4 . Besides, the reed switch is controlled by a remote control  6 . After the remote control  6  is switched on, the pillar is moved backward by the reed switch to allow the button  13  to be pressed down. Furthermore, it is obvious that the locking structure of the present invention can be mounted on the female connector  42 . Referring further to  FIG. 8 , a terminal  43 , an insulating frame  44 , and a plastic outer frame are mounted on the female connector  42 . A through hole is formed on the plastic outer frame for mounting a button  46 . A sheet  47  is connected to the bottom of the button  46 . A downwardly extended hooking part  48  is mounted at a front end of the sheet  47 . A pair of fixing shafts is outwardly protrudent from both middle laterals of the sheet  47 , wherein a pair of limit springs  16  is penetrated by the fixing shafts. Besides, a trench is formed on the insulating frame  44  in a position corresponding to the sheet  47 . As a result, when the button  46  is pressed down, the hooking parts  48  mounted at the front ends of the sheet  47  can be raised upwardly. A pillar, which is controlled by a reed switch  49 , is mounted near the bottom of the button  46 , wherein the reed switch  49  is further controlled by a fingerprint identifier  50 .  
         [0025]     As a result, the locking structures can be respectively mounted on the male connector  41  and the female connector  42 , which are respectively connected to both ends of the connection wire  4 . Consequently, the unauthorized person cannot separate the connected products, for example, the portable disk and the computer, which are connected to one another through the connection wire  4 .  
         [0026]     On the basis of the aforementioned description, it is apparent that the protection structure for use in the IEEE1394 connector can achieve the expected purposes for enhancing connection stability so as to avoid disconnection caused by pulling and prevent it from being stolen. The present invention satisfies all requirements for a patent and is submitted for a patent.  
         [0027]     While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiment of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments, which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.