Patent Publication Number: US-8979556-B2

Title: Communication socket and communication device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The instant disclosure relates to a socket and a transmission device; more particular, to a communication socket and a communication device each capable of simultaneous transmission of signal and power. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1 , which shows a conventional communication socket  100   a  that includes an outer casing  1   a  and a communication connector  2   a . The outer casing  1   a  has a tubular shape. The outer casing  1   a  has an inserting opening  12   a  formed on a circular side wall  11   a  thereof. The communication connector  2   a  is installed in the outer casing  1   a  and exposed from the outer casing  1   a  via the inserting opening  12   a,  thereby allowing a communication plug (not shown) to be inserted into the conventional communication socket  100   a.    
     However, the conventional communication socket  100   a  is designed only to transmit signal, and cannot be used to transmit/supply electrical power. When user needs to transmit signal and power at the same time, user must supplement the conventional communication socket  100   a  with a power transmission cable, so as to generate user&#39;s trouble and dangerous because of using power transmission cable. 
     To achieve the abovementioned improvement, the inventors strive via industrial experience and academic research to present the instant disclosure, which can provide additional improvement as mentioned above. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One embodiment of the instant disclosure provides a communication socket and a communication device each capable of simultaneous transmission of signal and power. 
     The communication socket comprises an outer casing having an inserting opening formed on an side wall thereof allowing access to an plug-receiving space defined therein; wherein the outer casing has a power terminal passage formed from the side wall to penetrate the outer casing, and an area of the power terminal passage arranged on the side wall is spaced from the inserting opening; a circuit board arranged in the plug-receiving space of the outer casing; a communication connector arranged in the plug-receiving space of the outer casing, wherein the communication connector is disposed between the side wall of the outer casing and the circuit board, and the communication connector electrically connects to the circuit board; and a power terminal set arranged in the power terminal passage and passed through the circuit board, wherein one end of the power terminal set exposes from the side wall of the outer casing, and another end of the power terminal set passes through the circuit board, and wherein the power terminal set and the circuit board are insulating to each other. 
     The communication device comprises a communication socket, comprising: an outer casing surroundingly defining an plug-receiving space and an inserting opening communicated with the plug-receiving space and formed on an side wall thereof; wherein the outer casing has a power terminal passage formed from the side wall to penetrate the outer casing, and an area of the power terminal passage arranged on the side wall is spaced from the inserting opening; a circuit board arranged in the plug-receiving space of the outer casing; a communication connector arranged in the plug-receiving space of the outer casing, wherein the communication connector is disposed between the side wall of the outer casing and the circuit board, and the communication connector electrically connects to the circuit board; and a power terminal set arranged in the power terminal passage and passed through the circuit board, wherein one end of the power terminal set exposes from the side wall of the outer casing, and another end of the power terminal set passes through the circuit board, and wherein the power terminal set and the circuit board are insulating to each other; and a communication plug for inserting into the communication socket along an insertable direction, the communication plug comprising: a housing has a mating power terminal passage penetratingly formed thereof; a mating communication connector installed on the housing; and a mating power terminal set arranged in the mating power terminal passage, wherein one end of the mating power terminal set exposes from the housing; wherein when the communication plug inserts into the communication socket, the mating communication connector engages with the communication connector via the inserting opening, and the mating power terminal set connects to the power terminal set. 
     Base on the above, the communication socket (or the communication device) further has a power transmission function without increasing the communication socket volume with respect to the related art, so as to be capable of simultaneous transmission of signal and power for preventing the dangerous from the wire entanglement. Moreover, the power terminal set passes through the circuit board with insulating to each other, so that the circuit board is used for positioning the power terminal set and preventing the signal transmission of the communication socket from power interference. 
     In order to further appreciate the characteristics and technical contents of the instant disclosure, references are hereunder made to the detailed descriptions and appended drawings in connection with the instant disclosure. However, the appended drawings are merely shown for exemplary purposes, rather than being used to restrict the scope of the instant disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a conventional communication socket; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing a communication socket of the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is an explosive view showing the communication socket of the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  is an explosive view with another viewing angle of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a planar view showing an outer casing of the communication socket of the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the communication socket of the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view with another viewing angle of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is an electrical connection view of the communication socket of the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 9  is an explosive view showing a communication device of the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view showing the communication device of the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view of the communication device of the instant disclosure; and 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view with another viewing angle of  FIG. 11 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Please refer to  FIG. 2 , which shows an embodiment of the instant disclosure. This embodiment provides a communication socket  100  suitable for installing on manufacturing equipment (not shown) capable of simultaneously transmitting signal and power. The communication socket  100  is preferably a water-proof connector, but the type is not limited thereto. The communication socket  100  has an outer casing  1 , a communication connector  2 , a circuit board  3 (as shown in  FIG. 3 ), a terminal module  4 , and an indicating module  5 . 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 3 through 5 , and with reference occasionally made to  FIGS. 6 through 8  regarding the structural connection relationship of the communication socket&#39;s  100  various elements. The outer casing  1  surroundingly defines a plug-receiving space  11 . The outer casing  1  has a tubular body  12  having a ring-shaped cross-section, a side wall  13  integrally formed on one end of the tubular body  12 , and an inner wall  14  integrally extended from an inner surface of the tubular body  12  and the side wall  13 . Particularly, the tubular body  12 , the side wall  13 , and the inner wall  14  are integrally formed as a one piece structure. The tubular body  12  has a thread  121  formed on an outer surface of a portion thereof adjacent to the side wall  13 . The tubular body  12  has two penetrating holes  122  formed on an outer surface of another portion thereof away from the side wall  13 . The side wall  13  has an inserting opening  131  communicated with the plug-receiving space  11 . The outer casing  1  has a power terminal passage  142  formed from the side wall  13  to penetrate the inner wall  14  of the outer casing  1 , and an area of the power terminal passage  142 , arranged on the side wall  13 , is spaced from the inserting opening  131 . In other words, the area of the power terminal passage  142 , arranged on the side wall  13 , is arranged under the inserting opening  131  as shown in  FIG. 6 . The outer casing  11  has two auxiliary terminal passages  143  respectively formed from two opposite portions of the side wall  13 , arranged on the left side and the right side of the inserting opening  131 , as shown in  FIG. 6 , penetrating the inner wall  14 . 
     Specifically, the inner wall  14  comprises three carrying segments  141 , each having a substantially bow-shaped (circular segment) cross-section. The power terminal passage  142  is penetratingly formed in one of the carrying segments  141 , arranged on the bottom of the inner wall  14  as shown in  FIG. 5 , and the auxiliary terminal passages  143  are respectively penetratingly formed in the other carrying segments  141 . In this embodiment, the power terminal passage  142  and the auxiliary terminal passages  143  each one takes two cylindrical sub channels  1421 ,  1431  for example, and each sub channel  1421  of the power terminal passage  142  and each sub channel  1431  of each auxiliary terminal passage  143  are parallel to each other, but not limited to this embodiment. 
     The communication connector  2  (e.g., RJ 45 socket connector) is arranged in the plug-receiving space  11  of the outer casing  1 . In more detail, the communication connector  2  is substantially arranged in a space defined by the inner wall  14 . The communication connector  2  is exposed from the inserting opening  131 , so that the communication connector  2  is configured to provide inserting of a mating communication connector  202  (as shown in  FIG. 9 ) via the inserting opening  131 . 
     The circuit board  3  is a substantially circular plate, and the contour of the circuit board  3  is approximately identical to the cross-section of the tubular body  12  of the outer casing  1 . The circuit board  3  is arranged in the plug-receiving space  11  of the outer casing  1 , and the plane of the circuit board  3  substantially abuts on a surface of the inner wall  4 , away from the side wall  13 , for clipping the communication connector  2  between the side wall  13  and the circuit board  3 . The communication connector  2  is electrically connected to the circuit board  3  by a welding manner. Moreover, the circuit board  3  has a plurality of the thru holes  31 , and the thru holes  31  are respectively align the sub channels  1421 ,  1431 , so that the sub channels  1421 ,  1431  and the corresponding thru holes  31  are communicated with each other. 
     The terminal module  4  has a power terminal set  41  and two auxiliary terminal sets  42 . In this embodiment, the power terminal set  41  has two power terminals  411 , each auxiliary terminal set  42  has two auxiliary terminals  421 , but in practice, the terminal number of the power terminal set  41  or the auxiliary terminal set  42  is not limited to this embodiment. Incidentally, the auxiliary terminal set  42  can be the signal transmitting type or the power transmitting type. 
     The power terminals  411  of the power terminal set  41  are respectively arranged in the sub channels  1421  of the power terminal passage  142 , and the power terminals  411  respectively pass through the corresponding thru holes  31  of the circuit board  3 . Each power terminal  411  is perpendicular to the plane of the circuit board  3 . Specifically, one end of each power terminal  411  of the power terminal set  41  exposes from the side wall  13  of the outer casing  1 , and another end of each power terminal  411  of the power terminal set  41  passes through the circuit board  3 . Each power terminal  411  of the power terminal set  41  and the circuit board  3  are insulating to each other for preventing the signal transmission of the communication socket  100  from power interference. 
     The auxiliary terminals  421  of each auxiliary terminal set  42  are respectively arranged in the sub channels  1431  of each auxiliary terminal passage  143 , and each auxiliary terminal  421  passes through each corresponding thru hole  31  of the circuit board  3 . Each auxiliary terminal  421  is perpendicular to the plane of the circuit board  3 . Specifically, one end of each auxiliary terminal  421  exposes from the side wall  13  of the outer casing  1 , and another end of each auxiliary terminal  411  passes through the circuit board  3 . Each auxiliary terminal  421  and the circuit board  3  are insulating to each other for preventing the signal transmission of the communication socket  100  from interference. 
     The indicating module  5  has a communication indicating lamp  51  and a power indicating lamp  52 . The communication indicating lamp  51  and the power indicating lamp  52  respectively pass through the penetrating holes  122  of the tubular body  12  for installing the communication indicating lamp  51  and the power indicating lamp  52  on the outer casing  1  and exposing partial of the communication indicating lamp  51  and partial of the power indicating lamp  52 . 
     The communication indicating lamp  51  is electrically connected to the communication connector  2 . Moreover, the communication indicating lamp  51  can be directly connected to the communication connector  2 , or the communication indicating lamp  51  can be connected to the circuit board  3  directly or via a transmission wire for indirectly connecting to the communication connector  2 . The power indicating lamp  52  is electrically connected to the power terminal set  41 . The power indicating lamp  52  can be connected to the power terminal set  41  directly or via a transmission wire. 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 9 through 12 , which show a communication device of the instant disclosure. The communication device includes a communication plug  200  and the communication socket  100 . The communication plug  200  is a corresponding construction for inserting into the communication socket  100  along an insertable direction S. The type of the communication plug  200  is preferable a water-proof connector, but the type is not limited thereto. The following description states the possible structure of the communication plug  200 , but the structure is not limited to this embodiment. 
     The communication plug  200  has a housing  201 , a mating communication connector  202 , a mating power terminal set  203 , two auxiliary terminal sets  204 , and a nut  205 . The housing  201  has a mating power terminal passage  2011  and two mating auxiliary terminal passages  2012 , which are respectively parallelly penetrating formed thereof. The mating power terminal passage  2011  and the mating auxiliary terminal passages  2012  each one takes two cylindrical sub channels for example, and each sub channel of the mating power terminal passage  2011  and each sub channel of each mating auxiliary terminal passage  2012  are parallel to each other, but not limited to this embodiment. The nut  205  is movably installed on an outer surface of the housing  201  along the insertable direction S. 
     The mating communication connector  202  (e.g., RJ 45 plug connector) is installed on the housing  201 , and partial of the mating communication connector  202  is exposed from the housing  201 . The mating power terminal passage  2011  and the mating auxiliary terminal passages  2012  are arranged around the mating communication connector  202 . 
     The mating power terminal set  203  has two terminals, and each mating auxiliary terminal set  204  has two terminals. That is to say, the terminal number of the mating power terminal set  203  is identical to the terminal number of the power terminal set  41 , and the terminal number of each mating auxiliary terminal set  204  is identical to the terminal number of each auxiliary terminal set  42 . But in practice, the terminal number of the mating power terminal set  203  or each mating auxiliary terminal set  204  is not limited to this embodiment. Specifically, the terminals of the mating power terminal set  203  are respectively arranged in the sub channels of the mating power terminal passage  2011 , and one end of each terminal of the mating power terminal set  203  exposes from the housing  201 . The terminals of each mating auxiliary terminal set  204  are respectively arranged in the sub channels of each mating auxiliary terminal passage  2012 , and one end of each terminal of each mating auxiliary terminal set  204  exposes from the housing  201 . 
     Incidentally, the positions of the mating communication connector  202 , the mating power terminal set  203 , and the mating auxiliary terminal sets  204  are respectively corresponding to the positions of the communication connector  2 , the power terminal set  41 , and the mating auxiliary terminal sets  42 . Moreover, in this embodiment, the mating power terminal set  203 , the mating auxiliary terminal sets  204 , the power terminal set  41 , and the auxiliary terminal sets  42  are substantially parallel to the insertable direction S. 
     When the communication plug  200  inserts into the communication socket  100 , the mating communication connector  202  passes through the inserting opening  131  to couple to the communication connector  2 , and the mating power terminal set  203  connects to the power terminal set  41 , thereby achieving simultaneous transmission of signal and power. And then, the nut  205  of the communication plug  200  screws on the thread  121  of the tubular body  12  of the communication socket  100  to firmly combine the communication socket  100  and the communication plug  200 . Moreover, each mating auxiliary terminal set  204  connects to each auxiliary terminal set  42  to transmit power or another kind signal, which different from the signal transmitting between the mating communication connector  202  and the communication connector  2 . 
     When the signal transmission between the communication plug  200  and the communication socket  100  is normal, the communication indicating lamp  51  lights, but when the signal transmission between the communication plug  200  and the communication socket  100  is abnormal (e.g., interruption of the signal transmission), the communication indicating lamp  51  does not light. Thus, the user can get the signal transmission state immediately by the communication indicating lamp  51 . 
     Moreover, when the power transmission between the communication plug  200  and the communication socket  100  is normal, the power indicating lamp  52  lights, but when the power transmission between the communication plug  200  and the communication socket  100  is abnormal (e.g., interruption of the power transmission), the power indicating lamp  52  does not light. Thus, the user can get the power transmission state immediately by the power indicating lamp  52 . 
     Base on the above, the communication socket (or the communication device) further has a power transmission function without increasing the communication socket volume with respect to the related art, so as to be capable of simultaneous transmission of signal and power for preventing the dangerous from the wire entanglement. 
     Moreover, the communication socket has the terminal module by installing on the bow-shaped carrying segments, and the terminal module passes through the circuit board with insulating to each other, so that the circuit board is used for positioning the terminal module and preventing the signal transmission of the communication socket from power interference. 
     Additionally, the structure of the mating power terminal set and the mating auxiliary terminal sets of the communication plug is similar to the structure of the power terminal set and the auxiliary terminal sets of the communication socket, so that the communication plug further has a power transmission function. 
     The descriptions illustrated supra set forth simply the preferred embodiments of the instant disclosure; however, the characteristics of the instant disclosure are by no means restricted thereto. All changes, alternations, or modifications conveniently considered by those skilled in the art are deemed to be encompassed within the scope of the instant disclosure delineated by the following claims.