Patent Publication Number: US-2015071590-A1

Title: Rotatable connector and assembly methods

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of Provisional U.S. patent application No. 61/877,214, filed Sep. 12, 2013, the contents of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to connectors for providing an electrical power connection or electrical or optical signal connections. In particular, it relates to a rotatable connector and assembly methods therefore. 
     BACKGROUND 
     An electrical connector is used to attach an electronic device, such as an appliance or other powered device, to its power source. Conventional electrical connectors have electrically conductive terminals connected to a power cable and fixed together in a housing. When in use, the electrical connector is engaged with an inlet for the electronic device, which is mounted on or within the device so as to supply electrical power to the device. The conventional electrical connector has a working angle of engagement with the inlet. 
     Users often encounter difficulties when using conventional electrical connectors, in particular when access to a device inlet is constrained due to limited space availability or the inlet is blocked by surrounding items, such as other power cables. In such situations, in order to connect to the inlet, the power cable may have to be routed around the blockage or, if not long enough, the power cable may be forced to bend to accommodate the constrained or blocked access space. This may result in the connector being loosely fitted or becoming loose or disengaged from the inlet over time, thereby causing poor electrical connections or even power supply failure. 
     Likewise, signal connectors, such as data connectors, optical connectors and other forms of connectors used in a wide variety of industries, such as telecommunications, computing, consumer electronics, etc., have difficulties similar to those of electrical power connectors, where there is insufficient room for the cabling connected to the connector to project straight out from the connector. 
     It is therefore desirable to provide an improved connector that enables users to select a suitable and convenient angle of engagement with an inlet, depending on the conditions of the surrounding items and space available. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure aims at overcoming the weaknesses of conventional connectors and providing a rotatable connector with a plurality of working positions. 
     A rotatable connector according to embodiments of the present disclosure includes a fixing part and a rotating part. The fixing part comprises a housing portion in which a set of electrical/optical terminals may be mounted for supplying electrical power or electrical/optical signals, an upper inner cover with recesses for receiving a first resilient member and a first gear, and a lower inner cover with recesses for receiving a second resilient member and a second gear. The rotating part comprises an upper outer cover with the first gear, a lower outer cover with the second gear, the first resilient member, and the second resilient member. The rotating part is rotatable relative to the fixing part and fixable to the fixing part at a predetermined position. 
     A method for assembling a rotatable connector of the present disclosure comprises the steps of assembling a first resilient member onto an upper inner cover, assembling a second resilient member onto an lower inner cover, assembling a upper outer cover with a first gear into the upper inner cover, and assembling a lower outer cover with a second gear into the lower inner cover. 
     A rotatable connector of the present disclosure has a plurality of working positions, which enables users to select a suitable and convenient angle of engagement with an inlet. Routing or force bending of the power/electrical/optical cable due to space constraint may be avoided. Access to an inlet is more convenient, and power/signal supply reliability is improved. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view showing a rotatable electrical connector of the present disclosure, when the fixing part and the rotating part keep in a straight line; 
         FIG. 1B  is a perspective view showing a rotatable electrical connector of the present disclosure, when the rotating part swivels to the right 45° relative to the fixing part; 
         FIG. 1C  is a perspective view showing a rotatable electrical connector of the present disclosure, when the rotating part swivels to the right 90° relative to the fixing part; 
         FIG. 1D  is a perspective view showing a rotatable electrical connector of the present disclosure, when the rotating part swivels to the left 45° relative to the fixing part; 
         FIG. 1E  is a perspective view showing a rotatable electrical connector of the present disclosure, when the rotating part swivels to the left 90° relative to the fixing part; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view showing the rotatable electrical connector of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIGS. 3A and 3B  are perspective views showing structures of upper and lower inner covers; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing a structure of an outer cover; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing a structure of a metal spring; 
         FIG. 6A  is a top view showing the rotatable electrical connector of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 6B  is a partial cross-sectional view of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 7A  is a partial perspective view showing an internal structure of the rotating part of a rotatable electrical connector of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 7B  is a partial perspective view showing an internal structure of the rotating part of a rotatable electrical connector of  FIG. 1B ; 
         FIG. 7C  is a partial perspective view showing an internal structure of the rotating part of a rotatable electrical connector of  FIG. 1C ; 
         FIGS. 8A and 8B  are perspective views showing the process of assembling two metal springs onto the inner covers of a rotatable electrical connector; and 
         FIGS. 9A and 9B  are perspective views showing the process of assembling the outer covers into the inner covers of a rotatable electrical connector. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS 
     While embodiments of an electrical power connector, for convenience and simplicity, are illustrated in the drawings and described herein, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to electrical power connectors and could equally apply to any type of signal/data connector. As shown in  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B,  1 C,  1 D, and  1 E, a rotatable electrical connector  100  according to the present disclosure includes a fixing or fixed part  120  and a rotating part  140 . Optionally, a resilient locking member  110  may be formed on the fixing part  120 . The locking member  110  is configured to lock the electrical connector  100  relative to an inlet, and permit selective unlocking of the connector  100  from the inlet and thereby allow withdrawal of the connector  100  from the inlet. A power cable  160  is connected to the fixing part  120 , through the rotating part  140 , so as to supply power to the connector  100  during use. The rotating part  140  is coupled to the fixing part  120 . The rotating part  140  is rotatable relative to the fixing part  120  and is fixable to the fixing part  120  at a plurality of predetermined positions, such as at 0°, right 45°, right 90°, left 45°, and left 90° positions. In other embodiments, the rotating part  140  can swivel to any other suitable angles relative to the fixing part  120  and be fixed at any other suitable positions, depending on the shape and/or number of teeth in the gears further described below. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the rotatable electrical connector  100  may comprise an inner housing  222 , a set of electrical terminals  224 , an outer mold  226 , an outer housing  228 , an upper inner cover  230   a,  a lower inner cover  230   b,  an upper outer cover  242   a  with a gear  244   a,  a lower outer cover  242   b  with a gear  244   b,  and a pair of metal springs  246   a  and  246   b.  A housing portion may consist of the inner housing  222  and the outer housing  228 . The inner housing  222  may be provided with a set of electrical terminals  224  in electrical connection with the power cable  160 , which supplies power to the connector  100  during use. In the event the connector  100  is utilized for some application other than just electrical power, the terminals  224  could be any other form of terminating device for a conduit, such as a power line, a data line, optical line, or any combination thereof. The outer mold  226  may be formed over the inner housing  222  using a conventional over molding process. The outer housing  228  may be coupled to the inner housing  222  and may be configured to hold the set of electrical terminals  224 . In an embodiment, the resilient locking member  110  of  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B,  1 C,  1 D and  1 E may be integrally formed with the outer housing  228 . A rectangular-shaped opening  231  may be formed at one end (end portion  332   a  of  FIG. 3A ) of upper inner cover  230   a  so as to receive the button portion of the locking member  110 . The upper and lower inner covers  230   a  and  230   b  may be configured to cover the outer mold  226  and may be coupled to the outer housing  228 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3A and 3B , the upper inner cover  230   a  may comprise the end portion  332   a  and another end portion  333   a;  the lower inner cover  230   b  may comprise one end portion  332   b  and another end portion  333   b.  Rectangular-shaped recesses  334   a  and  334   b  may be formed in the end portion  333   a  and  333   b,  respectively. The recesses  334   a  and  334   b  may be other shapes, such as a square. Each rectangular-shaped recess may comprise a bottom portion  335   a  or  335   b  and walls  336   a  or  336   b  surrounding the bottom portions  335   a  and  335   b.  Substantially circular recesses  337   a  and  337   b  may further be formed in the bottom portions  335   a  and  335   b  of the rectangular-shaped recesses  334   a  and  334   b,  respectively. Columns  338   a  and  338   b  may be formed substantially at the centers of the circular recesses  337   a  and  337   b,  respectively. Two pairs of pillars  339   a  and  339   b  may be provided at the rectangular-shaped recess bottom portions  335   a  and  335   b,  respectively. Each pair of pillars may be outside of, but adjacent to, the circular recesses  337   a  or  337   b.  The center between each pair of pillars  339   a  and  339   b  may be generally aligned with the center of each corresponding circular recess  337   a  and  337   b,  respectively. The columns  338   a  and  338   b  and the pair of pillars  339   a  and  339   b  may be formed of any appropriate shape and size and need not be cylindrical as shown herein. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , and more particularly in  FIG. 4 , the gears  244   a/   244   b  may be formed on the inward surface at one end of the upper/lower outer covers  242   a/   242   b.  Preferably, the gears  244   a/   244   b  and the upper/lower outer covers  242   a/   242   b  may be formed of one piece of insulating material, such as plastic. Optionally, the gears  244   a/   244   b  and the upper/lower outer covers  242   a/   242   b  may be separately formed and then fixed together by any suitable means, such as welding and gluing. In one embodiment, illustrated in  FIG. 4 , eight teeth  402  and notches  401  are provided in the gears  244   a/   244   b.  It should be appreciated that any number of teeth  402  and notches  401 , other than eight, may be formed as alternatives, for example 12 or other numbers, with different number of teeth/notches effecting the angles possible between the fixing part  120  and the rotating part  140 . The gears  244   a/   244   b  may be assembled into the circular recesses  337   a/   337   b  of the upper inner cover  230   a  and lower inner cover  230   b,  respectively. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , and more particularly in  FIG. 5 , the metal springs  246   a  and  246   b  may each include a pair of legs  548   a/   548   b  that each include a tip  547   a/   547   b,  forming an opposing pair of tips. The pair of tips  547   a/   547   b  may be engaged with corresponding notches  401  between teeth  402  of the gears  244   a,  as shown in  FIG. 4 , during use so as to keep the fixing part  120  and the rotating part  140  of  FIG. 1A  at a certain desired angle. Gears  244   b  may include similar notches  401  and teeth  402  as gears  244   a.  A pair of circular holes  549   a/   549   b  may be formed in a flat element positioned at one end of the metal springs  246   a/   246   b.  The pair of circular holes  549   a/   549   b  may be fitted onto the pair of pillars  339   a/   339   b,  shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , so as to assemble the metal springs  246   a/   246   b  on the upper inner cover  230   a  or the lower inner cover  230   b,  respectively. The metal springs  246   a/   246   b  may be made of any suitable material, such as SUS304, and need not be made of metal, even though it may be called a metal spring herein, if another suitable material would provide the same amount of resistive elasticity. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B,  6 B,  7 A,  7 C,  8 A and  8 B the metal springs  246   a  and  246   b  may be installed into the rectangular-shaped recesses  334   a  and  334   b  (shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B ) of the inner covers  230   a  and  230   b  by fitting each pair of circular holes  549   a  and  549   b  onto each corresponding pair of pillars  339   a  and  339   b,  respectively. The gears  244   a  and  244   b  on the outer covers  242   a  and  242   b  may then be installed into the circular recesses  337   a  and  337   b  of the inner covers  230   a  and  230   b,  respectively, so as to hold the metal springs  246   a  and  246   b  in place. The metal springs  246   a  and  246   b  may act against the gears  244   a  and  244   b,  respectively, with the pair of tips  547   a  and  547   b  being engaged with certain gear notches  401 . By virtue of this arrangement, the rotating part  140  may be prevented from free rotation, but may be rotated by overcoming the spring force exerted by the metal springs  246   a  and  246   b,  typically through an action of a user. In the embodiment with eight notches  401  being provided in each of the gears  244   a  and  244   b,  the rotating part  140  may be fixed at 0°, right 45°, right 90°, left 45°, and left 90° positions relative to the fixing part  120 . It should be appreciated that notches  401  other than eight may be formed as alternatives, such as 12 or other numbers, and with fixing angles 0°, right 30°, right 60°, right 90°, left 30°, left 60°, left 90°, or other corresponding fixing positions. 
     By way of example without limitation, as shown in  FIG. 7B , when a user turns the outer covers to the right (relative to the fixing part  120 ) by hand, the metal springs may be opened by the external force acting against the teeth  402  until the outer covers are turned to the right 45° position, where the pair of tips of the metal springs may be engaged with the gear notches  401  again. As a result, the rotating part  140  may be locked at the right 45° position relative to the fixing part  120 . As shown in  FIG. 7C , when the user continues to turn the outer covers to the right, the metal springs may be opened by the external force again acting upon the teeth  402  until the outer covers are turned to the right 90° position where the pair of tips of the metal springs may be engaged with the gear notches  401  again. As a result, the rotating part  140  may be locked at the right 90° position relative to the fixing part  120 . In a similar way, the rotating part  140  may swivel to the left 45° relative to the fixing part  120  and be locked there. Likewise, the rotating part  140  may continue to swivel to the left 90° relative to the fixing part  120  and be locked there. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 8A and 8B  and  FIGS. 9A and 9B , a method for assembling the rotatable connector  100  may comprise the steps of assembling the metal springs and assembling the outer covers onto the inner covers. The two metal springs  246   a  and  246   b  may be assembled on the upper and lower inner covers  230   a  and  230   b  by fitting each pair of circular holes  549   a  and  549   b  onto each corresponding pair of pillars  339   a  and  339   b  (not shown in  FIGS. 8A and 8B  and  9 A and  9 B), respectively. After the two metal springs  246   a  and  246   b  are in place, they may be fixed on the inner covers  230   a  and  230   b  by the presence of the outer covers  242   a  and  242   b  or by ultrasonic welding or any other suitable means. The outer covers  242   a  and  242   b  may then be assembled onto the inner covers  230   a  and  230   b  by fitting the gears  244   a  and  244   b  into the circular recesses  337   a  and  337   b,  respectively. After the outer covers  242   a  and  242   b  are in place, they may be fixed onto the inner covers  230   a  and  230   b  by ultrasonic welding, adhesives, or any other suitable means. 
     In an embodiment described herein, a power/signal connector, comprises: a fixing part for connection to an inlet comprising: a housing portion having a set of terminals mounted in the housing portion for terminating conduits; an upper inner cover with recesses formed therein for receiving a first resilient member and a first gear; a lower inner cover with recesses formed therein for receiving a second resilient member and a second gear; and a rotating part being rotatable relative to the fixing part at three or more predetermined positions, the rotating part including: an upper outer cover having the first gear; a lower outer cover having the second gear; the first resilient member; and the second resilient member. 
     In the embodiment, the fixing part further includes a resilient locking member for locking the fixing part relative to the inlet. In the embodiment, a first recess among the recesses formed in each of the inner covers includes a substantially rectangular-shaped recess and a substantially circular recess. In the embodiment, each of the inner covers further comprises a pair of pillars for positioning each of the resilient members within the recesses. In the embodiment, each of the resilient members has a pair of circular holes formed therein for mating with the pair of pillars. In the embodiment, each of the gears includes a plurality of teeth with notches formed between a pair of teeth, at least one notch and a corresponding pair of teeth being configured to engage with a corresponding one of the resilient members so as to resiliently hold the fixing part at one of the three or more predetermined positions. 
     In the embodiment, each of the resilient members includes a pair of opposing tips for engaging with a pair of opposing notches and corresponding pairs of opposing teeth. In the embodiment, a position among the three or more predetermined positions is a straight line along a length of the fixing part and a length of the rotating part. In the embodiment, a position among the three or more predetermined positions is a 45 degree angle between a length of the fixing part and right of a length of the rotating part. In the embodiment, a position among the three or more predetermined positions is a 45 degree angle between a length of the fixing part and left of a length of the rotating part. In the embodiment, a position among the three or more predetermined positions is a 90 degree angle between a length of the fixing part and right of a length of the rotating part. In the embodiment, a position among the three or more predetermined positions is a 90 degree angle between a length of the fixing part and left of a length of the rotating part. 
     In an embodiment described herein, a method for assembling a rotatable power/signal connector, comprises: assembling a first resilient member on an upper inner cover by fitting the first resilient member into a first recess formed within the upper inner cover; assembling a second resilient member on a lower inner cover by fitting the second resilient member into a first recess formed within the lower inner cover; assembling an upper outer cover over the upper inner cover by fitting a first gear into a second recess formed within the upper inner cover; and assembling a lower outer cover over the lower inner cover by fitting a second gear into a second recess provided within the lower inner cover. 
     In the embodiment, the second recess of the upper inner cover is formed within an area of the first recess of the upper inner cover and wherein the second recess of the lower inner cover is formed within an area of the first recess of the lower inner cover. In the embodiment, the first gear is integrally formed within the upper outer cover and wherein the second gear is integrally formed within the lower outer cover. 
     In the embodiment, the method further comprises: fixing the first resilient member within the upper inner cover by ultrasonic welding; and fixing the second resilient member within the lower inner cover by ultrasonic welding. In the embodiment, the method further comprises: fixing the upper outer cover to the lower outer cover by ultrasonic welding. In the embodiment, the method further comprises: fixing the upper outer cover to the lower outer cover by an adhesive. 
     Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been illustrated in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed and is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications, alternatives, and substitutions without departing from the spirit of the disclosure as set forth and recited by the following claims.