Patent Publication Number: US-9431182-B2

Title: Double contact point switch and a magnetic connector having the double contact point switch

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present device relates to a double contact point switch and a magnetic connector having the same, and more particularly, to a double contact point switch of which a pin part has two contact points, and a magnetic connector having the same. 
     BACKGROUND 
     When a power supplying apparatus (an apparatus supplying power to an electronic apparatus, such as an adaptor) is connected to an electronic apparatus, it may be connected to the electronic apparatus by a magnetic connector. 
     As an example of the magnetic connector for supplying power, there is a magnetic connector (hereinafter, referred to as a ‘magnetic connector according to the related art’) disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,311,526 B2 (registered on Dec. 25, 2007). 
       FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of a magnetic connector according to the related art. 
     The magnetic connector is coupled by magnetic attractive force between magnets  130  and  170  mounted therein. Here, contact pins  120  of the magnetic connector may contact contact terminals  160  of an opposite side to transfer power or a signal. In addition, elastic parts such as springs  122  are installed below the contact pins  120  in order to allow the contact pins  120  to certainly contact the contact terminals at the time of coupling the magnetic connector. 
     When the power is supplied through the magnetic connector, a spark is generated at the moment at which a power terminal (a contact terminal supplying the power) of the power supplying apparatus contacts a power terminal of the electronic apparatus, thereby making it possible to damage the apparatus. Therefore, it is preferable that the power supplying apparatus starts to supply the power after a contact between the power supplying apparatus and the electronic apparatus is made. To this end, a means capable of confirming the contact with the electronic apparatus is required in the power supplying apparatus. In the power supplying apparatus according to the related art, a separate signal terminal S is installed in addition to two power supplying terminals V+ and V−, and it is confirmed through the signal terminal whether or not the contact with the electronic apparatus was made. Here, as a method of conforming whether or not the contact with the electronic apparatus was made, a method of confirming whether or not the contact with the electronic apparatus was made by performing data communication through the signal terminal S, a method of deciding that the contact with the electronic apparatus was made when a current or a voltage is measured through the signal terminal S, or the like, has been used. 
     However, when the separate signal terminal S is installed in addition to the power supplying terminals V+ and V−, a structure of the magnetic connector becomes complicated, and the magnetic connector may not be easily miniaturized. 
     SUMMARY 
     An object of the present device is to confirm whether or not a contact of a magnetic connector was made without installing a separate signal terminal in the magnetic connector. 
     In one general aspect, a double contact point switch includes: a pin part; an additional terminal part; and an elastic part applying elastic force to the pin part, wherein the pin part includes a front contact point and a rear contact point, the pin part moves rearward when external force is applied to the front contact point of the pin part and again moves forward when the external force of the front contact point disappears, by the elastic part, and the rear contact point contacts the additional terminal part when the pin part moves rearward. 
     The additional terminal part may have an elastic means allowing the additional terminal part to move rearward when external force is applied thereto. 
     The double contact point switch may further include a body part enclosing the pin part. 
     The body part and the pin part may be electrically connected to each other. 
     In another general aspect, a magnetic connector having a double contact point switch includes: a magnet; and the double contact point switch, wherein the double contact point switch includes a pin part, an additional terminal part, and an elastic part applying elastic force to the pin part, the pin part including a front contact point and a rear contact point, the pin part moving rearward when external force is applied to the front contact point of the pin part and again moving forward when the external force of the front contact point disappears, by the elastic part, and the rear contact point contacting the additional terminal part when the pin part moves rearward. 
     The additional terminal part may have an elastic means allowing the additional terminal part to move rearward when external force is applied thereto. 
     The double contact point switch may further include a body part enclosing the pin part. 
     The body part and the pin part may be electrically connected to each other. 
     The magnetic connector having a double contact point switch may further include a circuit allowing the supply of power to the pin part when the rear contact point and the additional terminal part contact each other to thereby be electrically connected to each other. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of a magnetic connector according to the related art. 
         FIG. 2  is cross-sectional views of a double contact point switch according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present device. 
         FIG. 3  is cross-sectional views of a double contact point switch according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present device. 
         FIG. 4  is a conceptual diagram of a magnetic connector having a double contact point switch according to the present device. 
         FIG. 5  is illustrative views of contact terminals of the magnetic connector. 
         FIG. 6  is perspective views of the magnetic connector and a counter magnetic connector. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the magnetic connector. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF MAIN ELEMENTS 
     
         
           10 : pin part 
           11 : front contact point 
           12 : rear contact point 
           13 : catching jaw 
           14 : spring 
           16 : wing part 
           20 : body part 
           21 : body protrusion part 
           25 : fixing part 
           30 : additional terminal part 
           31 : connecting part of additional terminal part 
           40 : counter contact terminal 
           50 : magnetic connector 
           51 ,  52 : contact terminal 
           53 : magnet 
           70 : counter magnetic connector 
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, a double contact point switch and a magnetic connector having the same according to the present device will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     Although a double contact point switch according to the present device may be implemented in several schemes, it may be implemented as in the following two exemplary embodiments. 
     First Exemplary Embodiment 
       FIG. 2  is cross-sectional views of a double contact point switch according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present device. 
       FIG. 2  shows (a) a form before a counter contact terminal presses the double contact point switch; and (b) a form after the counter contact terminal presses the double contact point switch. 
     A pin part  10  is provided with a front contact point  11  and a rear contact point  12 . The pin part  10  is formed in a body part  20 , and is provided with a catching jaw  13  that prevents the pin part  10  from being separated from the body part  20 . The pin part  10  has a spring  14  formed at a rear thereof, and elastic force of the spring  14  serves to push the pin part  10  forward. 
     The pin part  10  has an additional terminal part formed at the rear thereof, wherein the additional terminal part  30  is coupled to a connecting part  31  thereof. 
     The counter contact terminal  40  is a contact terminal formed in a magnetic connector of an opposite side. 
     When the magnetic connector is coupled, the counter contact terminal  40  applies pressing force to the front contact point  11  of the pin part  10  while contacting the front contact point  11 . In this case, the pin part  10  moves rearward, and the rear contact point  12  contacts the additional terminal part  30 . Since the connecting part  31  of the additional terminal part  30  has elastic force, when external force is applied to the additional terminal part  30 , the additional terminal part  30  moves rearward, and when the external force disappears, the additional terminal part  30  again moves forward. 
     Since the pin part  10  is made of a material having conductivity, when the pin part  10  contacts the additional terminal part  30  and the counter contact terminal  40  as shown in (b) of  FIG. 2 , the pin part  10  is electrically connected to the additional terminal part  30  and the counter contact terminal  40 . 
     Here, an electric wire may be soldered directly to the pin part  10  in order to electrically connect the pin part  10  and the electric wire to each other. Alternatively, the spring  14  and the body part  20  are made of materials having conductivity, a body protrusion part  21  is formed on the body part  20 , and the electric wire is connected to the body protrusion part  21 , thereby making it possible to electrically connect the pin part  10  and the electric wire to each other. That is, the pin part  10  and the body part  20  are electrically connected to each other, thereby making it possible to easily electrically connect the electric wire and the pin part  10  to each other. 
     Second Exemplary Embodiment 
       FIG. 3  is cross-sectional views of a double contact point switch according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present device. 
       FIG. 3  shows (a) a form before a counter contact terminal presses the double contact point switch; and (b) a form after the counter contact terminal presses the double contact point switch. 
     A pin part  10  is provided with a front contact point  11  and a rear contact point  12 . The pin part  10  has two wing parts  16  lengthily formed at sides thereof, wherein the two wing parts  16  are inserted into and fixed to fixing parts  25 . Since the wing part  16  is made of a material having elasticity, when external force is applied from the front to the pin part  10 , the pin part  10  moves rearward, and when the force applied from the front disappears, the pin part  10  returns to its original position. 
     The pin part  10  has an additional terminal part  30  formed at the rear thereof, wherein the additional terminal part  30  is coupled to a connecting part  31  thereof. 
     The counter contact terminal  40  is a contact terminal formed in a magnetic connector of an opposite side. 
     When the magnetic connector is coupled, the counter contact terminal  40  applies pressing force to the front contact point  11  of the pin part  10  while contacting the front contact point  11  of the pin part  10 . In this case, the pin part  10  moves rearward, and the rear contact point  12  contacts the additional terminal part  30 . Since the connecting part  31  of the additional terminal part  30  has elastic force, when external force is applied to the additional terminal part  30 , the additional terminal part  30  moves rearward, and when the external force disappears, the additional terminal part  30  again moves forward. 
     Since the pin part  10  is made of a material having conductivity, when the pin part  10  contacts the additional terminal part  30  and the counter contact terminal  40  as shown in (b) of  FIG. 3 , the pin part  10  is electrically connected to the additional terminal part  30  and the counter contact terminal  40 . 
     Although the connecting part  31  of the additional terminal part is formed of a metal having elasticity to allow the additional terminal parts  30  of first and second exemplary embodiments to have elasticity, other means may also be used in order to allow the additional terminal part  30  to have the elasticity. For example, a coil spring may be attached to a rear surface of the additional terminal part  30  to allow the additional terminal part  30  to have the elasticity. In addition to the above-mentioned means, various means may be used. 
     In addition, although the spring  14  of a first exemplary embodiment and the wing part  16  of a second exemplary embodiment are installed in order to allow the pin part  10  to have elasticity and serve as an elastic part (a part applying the elasticity to the pin part), an elastic part by other methods may also be installed. 
     The meaning that the pin part  10  and the additional terminal part  30  have elastic force is that when external force is applied from the front, the pin part  10  and the additional terminal part  30  move rearward in proportion to the external force, and when the external force disappears, the pin part  10  and the additional terminal part  30  again move forward. 
     The reason why the pin part  10  and the additional terminal part  30  have the elastic force is in order to allow the pin part  10  to certainly contact the counter contact terminal  40  and the additional terminal part  30  when the magnetic connector is connected. 
       FIG. 4  is a conceptual diagram of a magnetic connector having a double contact point switch according to the present device. 
     The magnetic connector  50  has a magnet  53  formed on a surface thereof, and magnetic attractive force acts between the magnet  53  and a magnet of a counter magnetic connector  70  to couple the two magnetic connectors to each other. A position of the magnet of the magnetic connector may be variously changed depending on a demand in a design. 
     The magnetic connector  50  of a power supplying apparatus has a power supplying cut-off circuit provided therein. 
     The power supplying cut-off circuit cuts off outputs to Vo+ and Vo− when inputs P and S are not electrically connected to each other, but allows the outputs to Vo+ and Vo− when the inputs P and S are electrically connected to each other. Here, it is preferable that the power supplying cut-off circuit allows the outputs to Vo+ and Vo− when a predetermined time elapses after the inputs P and S are not electrically connected to each other. Since the power supplying cut-off circuit is the well-known technology, a detailed description therefor will be omitted. 
     In the magnetic connector of  FIG. 4 , when a counter contact terminal of the counter magnetic connector  70  presses the pin part  10  of the double contact point switch to electrically connect the inputs P and S to each other, the outputs to the Vo+ and Vo− are allowed. Here, the outputs to the Vo+ and Vo supply power to an electronic apparatus through contact terminal  51  or  52  of the magnetic connector. 
     Although the double contact point switch is installed in the contact terminal  51  in an exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 4 , the double contact point switch may be installed in the contact terminal  52  or the double contact point switches may be installed in both of the contact terminals  51  and  52 . In the case in which the double contact point switches are installed in both of the contact terminals  51  and  52 , outputs from the two double contact point switches may pass through an AND circuit or an OR circuit and be then sent as inputs of the power supplying cut-off circuit. 
     In addition, in the case in which a transformer of the power supplying apparatus is always operated, electric power may be wasted. Therefore, the transformer may be operated only in the case in which the magnetic connector of the power supplying apparatus and a magnetic connector of the electronic apparatus are connected to each other using the double contact point switch. 
     Although the number of power supplying terminals of the magnetic connector is two (that is, positive (+) and negative (−) terminals) in  FIG. 4 , a larger number of power supplying terminals may be installed to allow power to be supplied even in the case in which the magnetic connector  50  is rotated by 180 degrees. 
       FIG. 5  is illustrative views of contact terminals of the magnetic connector. 
     Four contact terminals are formed in (a) of  FIG. 5 , and three contact terminals are formed in (b) of  FIG. 5 . 
     Since the contact terminals are formed symmetrically to each other in (a) and (b) of  FIG. 5 , even though the magnetic connector  50  is rotated by 180 degrees in a state in which the counter magnetic connector  70  leaves as it is and is then connected to the counter magnetic connector  70 , power may be supplied through the power supplying terminals. 
       FIG. 6  is perspective views of the magnetic connector and a counter magnetic connector. In more detail, (a) and (b) of  FIG. 6  are perspective views of the magnetic connector  50  having the contact terminals of (a) of  FIG. 5  and the counter magnetic connector  70 . (a) and (b) of  FIG. 6  are perspective views viewed in opposite directions. 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the magnetic connector. In more detail,  FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the magnetic connector  50  of  FIG. 6 . Although the double contact point switches are installed in two contact terminals positioned at an outer side among the four contact terminals in  FIG. 7 , the double contact point switches may be installed in two contact terminals positioned at the center or be installed in all of the four contact terminals. 
     In  FIG. 7 , each of the double contact point switches includes the pin part  10 , the spring  14 , the body part  20 , and the additional terminal part  30 . 
     With the double contact point switch and the magnetic connector having the same according to the present device, it is possible to confirm whether or not a contact of a magnetic connector was made without installing a separate signal terminal in the magnetic connector.