Abstract:
A foldable electric cord includes a flexible insulated strap, a wire in the flexible strap. The flexible strap includes at least one first fixing member and at least one second fixing member formed thereon. The first fixing member may be fixed to the second fixing member, to fold the flexible strap at least one time. An electrical connecting device including the foldable electric cord is also disclosed.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to electric cords, and particularly, to a foldable electric cord used in an electrical connecting device. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    A conventional electric cord includes an elongated insulated housing, and an elongated metallic thread packaged in the insulated housing. Some electrical connecting devices, such as power cables, or charging cables, use the electric cord to transmit signals or power. Typically, the relatively long electric cord is normally coiled or bounded randomly. Some cautious users may tie the electric wire up with a binding line. However, under such circumstances, the electric cord may become tangled and inconvenient to untangle. Furthermore, the metallic thread in the electric cord may break/snap if the cord is not bundled properly. 
         [0005]    Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and all the views are schematic. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of an electrical connecting device, the electrical connecting device including a foldable electric cord. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a rear view of the electrical connecting device shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view taken alone line III-III of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a front view of the electrical connecting device shown in  FIG. 1  after the foldable electric cord is folded once. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view taken alone line V-V of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a front view of the electrical connecting device shown in  FIG. 1  after the foldable electric cord is folded twice. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a front view of the electrical connecting device shown in  FIG. 1  after the foldable electric cord is folded for the third time. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show an exemplary electrical connecting device  100  includes a main body  10 , a foldable electric cord  20  and a plug  30 . In this exemplary embodiment, the electrical connecting device  100  is a charger for a mobile phone (not shown), and the main body  10  is a transformer. 
         [0015]    The foldable electric cord  20  includes a flexible insulated strap  203  and a wire  201  in the flexible strap  203 . The wire  201  may, e.g., be threaded through the flexible strap  203  or the flexible strap  203  molded around the wire  201 . Two ends of the wire  201  are correspondingly connected to the main body  10  and the plug  30 . 
         [0016]    The flexible strap  203  is a flat strip and is made of polymer materials with improved bending quality and high bending endurance. For instance, the flexible strap  203  can be made of polyimide or polyester film. In the exemplary embodiment, the flexible strap  203  defines a first crease  2031 , a second crease  2032 , and a third crease  2033  parallel to each other. The first crease  2031  is located at a middle portion of the flexible strap  203  perpendicular to an extension direction of the flexible strap  203 . L represents the length of the flexible strap  203 , thus, the distance between the first crease  2031  and either end of the flexible strap  203  is L/2. The second crease  2032  is on the left side of the first crease  2031 , and the distance between the second crease  2032  and the first crease  2031  is L/4. The third crease  2033  is on the right side of the first crease  2031 , and the distance between the third crease  2033  and the first crease  2031  is L/8. The flexible strap  203  has a first surface  2034  and a second surface  2035  (in  FIG. 3 ), and the first surface  2034  and the second surface  2035  are on opposite sides of the flexible strap  203 . The flexible strap  203  may include four first fixing members  204  and four second fixing members  205  disposed on the first surface  2034  adjacent to an upper margin of the flexible strap  203 . The four first fixing members  204  and the four second fixing members  205  are formed on opposite sides of the first crease  2031 . 
         [0017]    In this exemplary embodiment, the first fixing member  204  is an elongated latching protrusion with an extending direction perpendicular to the first crease  2031 . The four first fixing members  204  are spaced apart along an imaginary straight line, and each first fixing member  204  has a length shorter than or equal to L/8. Each second fixing member  205  is an elongated latching groove to elastically receive the first fixing member  204 . The flexible strap  203  further includes two first fixing members  204  and two second fixing members  205  disposed on one side of the first crease  2031  on the second surface  2035  adjacent to the lower margin. The two first fixing members  204  and the two second fixing members  205  are formed on opposite sides of the second crease  2032 . The flexible strap  203  further includes one first fixing members  204  and one second fixing members  205  disposed on the other side of the first crease  2031  on the second surface  2035  in the middle portion. The one first fixing member  204  and the one second fixing member  205  are on opposite sides of the third crease  2033 . 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , to shorten the foldable electric cord  20 , firstly, the flexible strap  203  is folded along the first crease  2031 , and the four first fixing members  204  on the first surface  2034  of the flexible strap  203  are elastically received in the four corresponding second fixing members  205 . The length of the foldable electric cord  20  is shortened to L/2 after the foldable electric cord  20  is folded once. Secondly, the foldable electric cord  20  is folded along the second crease  2032 , and the two first fixing members  204  on the second surface  2035  are elastically received in the two second fixing members  205  correspondingly. The length of the foldable electric cord  20  is shortened to L/4 after the foldable electric cord  20  is folded twice. Thirdly, the foldable electric cord  20  is folded along the third crease  2033 , and the one first fixing member  204  on the second surface  2035  is elastically received in the one corresponding second fixing member  205 . The length of the foldable electric cord  20  decreases to L/8 after the foldable electric cord  20  is folded for the third time. 
         [0019]    One of the advantages of the foldable electric cord  20  is that, after a number of folds, the foldable electric cord  20  is easily carried and/or stored due to the shortened length. Another advantage is that, because the wire  201  buried in the flexible strap  203  is arranged in a manner parallel with each other when folded, the foldable electric cord  20  is not likely to become twisted and tangled when unfolded. It also provides the electrical connecting device  100  with the longer usage for preventing the wire  201  from being broken and short-circuits. 
         [0020]    It is to be understood that, the total foldable count is not limited to three, four or more times are also available, as long as the number of the first and second fixing members  204 ,  205  increases. Furthermore, the number and distribution of first and second fixing members  204 ,  205  can be different from described herein. 
         [0021]    It is to be understood that, the length or shape of the first fixing member  204  can be less than those of the second fixing member  205 . The extension direction of the first and the second fixing member  204 , 205  is not necessarily perpendicular to the first crease  203   1 . For example, it may be parallel to the crease  2031 . The shape of the first and the second fixing member  204 ,  205  is not limited to elongated, for example, they can be circular or triangular. 
         [0022]    It is to be understood that, the first and second fixing members  204 , 205  are not limited to the protrusions and grooves. In another exemplary embodiment, the first fixing member  204  is a first magnetic member, and the second fixing member  205  is a second magnetic member. The first magnetic member and the second magnetic member are attracted to each other when the foldable electric cord  20  is folded. 
         [0023]    It is to be understood that, the foldable electric cord  20  can be used in other devices, such as headset, mouse, speaker, etc. 
         [0024]    It is believed that the present exemplary embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure or sacrificing all of its material advantages.