Patent Publication Number: US-11038311-B2

Title: Multi-functional charger

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure relates to the field of charging technology, and in particular, it relates to a multi-functional charger. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Charger is widely used in modern society. It can save power for providing reliable direct current to electric devices. The charger generally includes a charging plug, a housing, and a printed circuit board. However, the conventional charger may have following problems. First, a power plug is electrically connected to the printed circuit board through wires. It is easy to be open circuited or short circuited, and is inconvenient to be assembled. Second, the charger only has one type of plug, and it may not able to fit other types of plugs. It is inconvenient to use, and has bad user experience. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a multi-functional charger. 
     In order to solve the above technical problem, one embodiment of the invention provides the following technical solution: 
     One embodiment of the invention provides a multi-functional charger. The multi-functional charger includes an upper housing, a lower housing, a receiving cavity, a PCB, a two-phase mother plug, and a child plug. The receiving cavity is defined between the upper housing and the lower housing. An opening is defined in a side of the upper housing and the lower housing. The PCB is located in the receiving cavity. The two-phase mother plug includes a two-phase pin, a plug housing, and a first conducting member. The plug housing is located on the opening. A receiving slot with a cutout is defined in an outer side of the plug housing. A latching block is located on a middle portion of the receiving slot. The latching block is integrally formed with a closed end of the receiving slot and divides the receiving slot into a first receiving slot and a second receiving slot. The two-phase pin is located in the first receiving slot and the second receiving slot respectively. One side of the first conducting member is installed in an inner side of the plug housing, and the other side of the first conducting member is located in the receiving cavity and electrically coupled to the PCB. The child plug includes a plug base, a group of plug pins inserting in the plug base, a second conducting member which is located in the plug base and electrically coupled to the group of plug pins, and a latching component installed in a lower portion of the plug base. The latching component includes a latching member. The latching member is substantially U-shaped. One side of the second conducting member extends into the latching member. The two-phase mother plug is coupled to the child plug in the latching member through the two-phase pin. 
     As a preferred technical solution of the embodiment of the invention, the child plug is a two-phase child plug or a three-phase child plug. 
     As a preferred technical solution of the embodiment of the invention, a latching slot is defined in a top surface of the latching block, the latching component comprises an engaging block, the engaging block is formed in a middle portion of the latching member, the child plug is mounted to the two-phase mother plug through engagement of the engaging block and the latching slot. 
     As a preferred technical solution of the embodiment of the invention, a mounting component is installed on the two-phase pin, and the mounting component comprises two mounting blocks located on two opposite sides and a connecting pole connecting to the two mounting blocks. 
     As a preferred technical solution of the embodiment of the invention, the plug housing comprises an upper plug housing and a lower plug housing, the first receiving slot, the second receiving slot and the latching block are located on the upper plug housing, a restricting slot is defined in a bottom of the latching block, two installation openings are defined in the first receiving slot and the second receiving slot respectively, the two installation openings are located on two opposite sides of the restricting slot, the two-phase pin is engaged with the two installation openings within the first receiving slot and the second receiving slot, the connecting pole of the two-phase pin is engaged with restricting slot. 
     As a preferred technical solution of the embodiment of the invention, a positioning hole is defined in the upper plug housing, a positioning pin is located on the lower plug housing, one end of the first conducting member is mounted to the positioning pin, the upper plug housing is engaged with the lower plug housing through engagement of the positioning hole and the positioning pin, and the first conducting member is electrically coupled to the two-phase pin. 
     As a preferred technical solution of the embodiment of the invention, a plurality of locating blocks is located on a bottom inner portion of the lower housing, and the PCB is mounted on the plurality of locating blocks. 
     As a preferred technical solution of the embodiment of the invention, a securing block is located on an edge of the upper housing, a groove is defined in an edge of the lower housing, and the upper housing is engaged with the lower housing through engagement of the securing block and the groove. 
     As a preferred technical solution of the embodiment of the invention, a protrusion is located on an edge of the plug housing, a securing slot is defined in an edge of the opening of the receiving cavity, and the plug housing is engaged in the opening of the receiving cavity through engagement of the protrusion and the securing slot. 
     As a preferred technical solution of the embodiment of the invention, a plurality of receiving openings is defined in the lower housing, a plurality of USB charging sockets is located on the PCB, each USB charging socket is inserted into each receiving opening correspondingly, and an insert end of each USB charging socket is flush with an outer surface of each receiving opening. 
     In the embodiment above, the multi-functional charger can use the conducting member to couple to the PCB, the circuit may be more stability and more safety. It is easy to be assembled, and a various type of child plugs can be coupled to the mother plug. It is also easy to use with good user experience. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The drawings are used for providing further understanding of the present invention, constitute a part of the description and are used for explaining the present invention together with the embodiment of the present invention, but do not constitute a limitation to the present invention. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1 a    is a first perspective view of a multi-functional charger developed in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention; 
         FIG. 1 b    is a second perspective view of the mutli-functional charger disclosed within  FIG. 1   a;    
         FIG. 1 c    is a perspective view similar to that of  FIG. 1 b    showing, however, the connector members of the two-phase disposed at their deployed positions; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view of another embodiment of a multi-functional charger. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts have been exaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the present disclosure. 
     Several definitions that apply throughout this disclosure will now be presented. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , in one embodiment, a multi-functional charger, includes an upper housing  100 , a lower housing  200 , a receiving cavity  150  defined between the upper housing  100  and the lower housing  200 , a two-phase mother plug  300 , a plurality of child plugs  400 , and a printed circuit board (PCB)  500 . An opening  160  is defined in a side of the upper housing  100  and the lower housing  200 . 
     The two-phase mother plug  300  includes a two-phase pin  310 , a plug housing  315 , and a first conducting member  320 . The plug housing  315  is located on the opening  160 . A receiving slot  316  with a cutout  317  defined in an outer side of the plug housing  315 . A latching block  318  is located on a middle portion of the receiving slot  316 . The latching block  318  is integrally formed with a closed end of the receiving slot  316  and divides the receiving slot  316  into a first receiving slot and a second receiving slot. The two-phase pin  310  is located in the first receiving slot and the second receiving slot respectively. The first conducting member  320  is installed in an inner side of the plug housing  315 . One side of the first conducting member  320  is coupled to the two-phase pin  310  in the plug housing  315 . The other side of the first conducting member  320  is located in the receiving cavity  150  and is electrically coupled to the PCB  500 . 
     Each child plug  400  includes a plug base  410 , a group of plug pins  420  inserting in the plug base  410 , a second conducting member  425  which is located in the plug base  410  and is electrically coupled to the group of plug pins  420 , and a latching component  430  installed in a lower portion of the plug base  410 . The latching component  430  includes a latching member  431 . The latching member  431  is substantially U-shaped. One side of the second conducting member  425  extends into the latching member  431 . The two-phase mother plug  300  is coupled to the child plug  400  in the latching member through engagement of the two-phase pin  310  and the latching member  431 . When the first conducting member is electrically coupled to the PCB, the circuit may be more stability and more safety. It is easy to be assembled, and a various type of child plugs can be coupled to the mother plug. It is also easy to use with good user experience. 
     In the present embodiment, the child plug  400  is a two-phase child plug or a three-phase child plug. 
     In the present embodiment, a latching slot is defined in a top surface of the latching block  318 . The latching component  430  includes an engaging block  432 . The engaging block  432  is formed in a middle portion of the latching member  431 . The child plug  400  is mounted to the two-phase mother plug  300  through engagement of the engaging block  432  and the latching slot. Stability of the engagement of the two-phase mother plug  300  and the child plug  400  is enhanced. 
     In the present embodiment, a mounting component is installed on the two-phase pin  310 . The mounting component includes two mounting blocks  311  located on two opposite sides and a connecting pole  312  connecting to the two mounting blocks  311 . The plug housing  315  includes an upper plug housing  330  and a lower plug housing  340 . The first receiving slot, the second receiving slot and the latching block  318  are located on the upper plug housing  330 . A restricting slot is defined in a bottom of the latching block  318 . Two installation openings are defined in the first receiving slot and the second receiving slot respectively. The two installation openings are located on two opposite sides of the restricting slot. The two-phase pin is engaged with the two installation openings within the first receiving slot and the second receiving slot. The connecting pole  312  of the two-phase pin  310  is engaged with restricting slot. A positioning hole is defined in the upper plug housing  330 . A positioning pin is located on the lower plug housing. One end of the first conducting member  320  is mounted to the positioning pin. The upper plug housing  330  is engaged with the lower plug housing  340  through engagement of the positioning hole and the positioning pin. The first conducting member  320  is electrically coupled to the two-phase pin  310 . It has simple structure and is easy to be assembled. 
     In one embodiment, a plurality of locating blocks is located on a bottom inner portion of the lower housing. The PCB is mounted on the plurality of locating blocks. A securing block  110  is located on an edge of the upper housing  100 . A groove  210  is defined in an edge of the lower housing  200 . The upper housing  100  is engaged with the lower housing  200  through engagement of the securing block  110  and the groove  210 . It has simple structure and is easy to be assembled. 
     In one embodiment, a protrusion is located on an edge of the plug housing. A securing slot is defined in an edge of the opening of the receiving cavity. The plug housing is engaged in the opening of the receiving cavity through engagement of the protrusion and the securing slot. 
     In one embodiment, a plurality of receiving openings  220  is defined in the lower housing  200 . A plurality of USB charging sockets  510  is located on the PCB  500 . Each USB charging socket  510  is inserted into each receiving opening  220  correspondingly. An insert end of each USB charging socket  510  is flush with an outer surface of each receiving opening  220 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , other types of child plugs  600  can be used to couple to the two-phase mother plug  300 . 
     The multi-functional charger can use conducting member to couple to the PCB, the circuit may be more stability and more safety. It is easy to be assembled, and a various type of child plugs can be coupled to the mother plug. It is also easy to use with good user experience. 
     The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Many details are often found in the art such as the other features of a system for generating picture thumbnail. Therefore, many such details are neither shown nor described. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in the detail, especially in matters of shape, size and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the present disclosure up to, and including the full extent established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the claims. It will therefore be appreciated that the embodiments described above may be modified within the scope of the claims.