Patent Publication Number: US-2010124843-A1

Title: Electronic apparatus having connector with function for preventing from disconnecting and fastening and detaching-proof device thereof

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus and a fastening and detaching-proof device thereof, and more particularly to an electronic apparatus having a connector with detaching-proof function and a fastening and detaching-proof device thereof. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Electronic apparatus transmits power and/or signal through the connection of the electronic cord and power source or electric equipments. For example, the electronic apparatus, such as power supply device or uninterruptible power supply (UPS), needs connect to the power cord and the electric equipments, such as computer, server, medical device, internet device, communication apparatus, for transmitting power and/or signal from the electronic apparatus to the electric equipment by the power cords. 
     Generally, the power cord consists of a cable line and a connector. The connector is fastened and connected to one end of the cable line. The connector of the power cord is detachably connected to the corresponding outlet of the electronic apparatus. However, the connector of the power cord connected to the electronic apparatus is easily detached from the corresponding outlet because it is pulled and dragged by accidental or unexpected outside force. It causes that the power and/or signal cannot be transmitted from the electronic apparatus to the electric equipment, and the electric equipment cannot be operated, even damaged. When the electronic apparatus is an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), even though UPS can continue to supply power to the electric equipment once the power supply is abnormal or interrupted, it will still cause the electric equipment cannot be operated or even damaged if the power cord accidentally pulled from the corresponding outlet of the UPS by outside force. For example, if the electric equipment is a computer or server, it will result in the data loses or damages; if the electric equipment is a medical device for maintaining life, it could danger the patient&#39;s life once the medical device cannot be operated or damaged. 
     Therefore, the purpose of the present invention is to develop an electronic apparatus having a connector with detaching-proof function and a fastening and detaching-proof device thereof for preventing from disconnecting to deal with the above situations encountered in the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic apparatus having a connector with detaching-proof function for preventing a connector of a power cord from accidentally or unexpectedly being pulled out to detach from the electronic apparatus. Further, it can be avoided that the power and/or signal cannot be transmitted to cause the electronic apparatus cannot be operated or even damaged. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a fastening and detaching-proof device for preventing a connector of a power cord from accidentally or unexpectedly being pulled out to detach from an electronic apparatus. 
     An additional object of the present invention is to provide an electronic apparatus having a connector with detaching-proof function and a fastening and detaching-proof device thereof for avoiding the power and/or signal cannot be transmitted. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus having a connector with detaching-proof function, used for connecting to a second connector of a power cord. The electronic apparatus includes a body of the electronic apparatus including a housing, a first connector disposed on the housing; and a fastening and detaching-proof device disposed on the housing and adjacently to the first connector. The fastening and detaching-proof device includes a guiding device disposed on the housing, and a movable position device disposed on the housing, and guided to move back and forth between a first position and a second position by the guiding device. When the second connector is connected to the first connector, the movable position device is moved to the first position and fixed at the first position, resulting in the second connector is fastened to the first connector by the movable position device. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fastening and detaching-proof device applied in an electronic apparatus. The electronic apparatus includes a body and a first connector. The body includes a housing and the first connector is disposed in the housing for connecting to a second connector of a power cord. The fastening and detaching-proof device includes a guiding device disposed on the housing, and a movable position device disposed on the housing and guided to move back and forth between a first position and a second position by the guiding device. When the second connector is connected to the first connector, the movable position device is moved to the first position and fixed at the first position, resulting in the second connector is fixed to the first connector by the movable position device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention may best be understood through the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a preferred embodiment of an electronic apparatus having a connector with detaching-proof function according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a partial enlarged structure diagram illustrating the electronic apparatus having a connector with detaching-proof function of  FIG. 1  and a power cord; 
         FIG. 3  is a structure diagram illustrating a guiding device of the fastening and detaching-proof device of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIGS. 4A and 4B  are elevation view and bottom view diagrams illustrating a movable position device of the fastening and detaching-proof device of  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIGS. 5A and 5B  are diagrams illustrating the movable position device of the fastening and detaching-proof device of  FIG. 2  at the first position A and the second position B, respectively. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The present invention will now be described more specifically with reference to the following embodiments. It is to be noted that the following descriptions of preferred embodiments of this invention are presented herein for purpose of illustration and description only; it is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise form disclosed. 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a preferred embodiment of an electronic apparatus having a connector with detaching-proof function according to the present invention. The electronic apparatus having a connector with detaching-proof function can be a power supply device or an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), such as a direct current uninterruptible power supply (DCUPS), but it is not limited to. The electronic apparatus  1  according to the present invention can prevent a power cord  2  from detaching thereto when connecting to the power cord  2 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the electronic apparatus  1  includes a body  10 , a first connector  11  and a fastening and detaching-proof device  12 . The body  10  includes a housing  101  and a power supply circuit (not shown in  FIG. 1 ), wherein the housing  101  includes a first surface  102  and the power supply circuit disposed inside of the housing  101 . The first connector  11  is disposed on the first surface  102  of the housing  101  and connected to the power supply circuit (not shown in  FIG. 1 ). The fastening and detaching-proof device  12  is disposed on the first surface of the housing  101  and adjacent to the first connector  11  for preventing the second connector  21  of the power cord  2  from detaching from the first connector  11  of the electronic apparatus  1  when the second connector  21  is connected to the first connector  11 . In some embodiments, the body  10  further includes a power socket  13 , such as power input socket, and an energy-storage device (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) such as battery. Furthermore, the power socket  13  and the energy-storage device are respectively connected to the power supply circuit. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 2  which is a partial enlarged structure diagram of the electronic apparatus having a connector with detaching-proof function of  FIG. 1  and a power cord. The first connector  11  of the electronic apparatus  1  according to the present invention can be a power socket, but it is not be limited to. The first connector  11  includes a connector body  110 , a socket  111  and a plurality of conductive elements  112 . The connector body  110  is embedded in the first surface  102  of the housing  101  and the plural conductive elements  112  are disposed in the socket  111 . The power cord  2  includes a cable line  20  and the second connector  21 . The second connector  21  is connected and fixed to one end of the cable line  20 . The second connector  21  further includes a clipping portion  22  and a plurality of conductive elements  23 . The clipping portion  22  can be a fillister disposed surround the second connector  21 , but it is not be limited to. Furthermore, the plural conductive elements  23  are disposed at one end of the second connector  21  for conducting and connecting to the plural conductive elements  112  of the first connector  11  of the electronic apparatus  1 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 2 . The fastening and detaching-proof device  12  includes a guiding device  121  and a movable position device  122 . The guiding device  121  includes a first guiding component  124  and a second guiding component  125 . The first and second guiding components  124  and  125  are disposed on the first surface  102  of the housing  101 , at two opposite sides  110   a  and  110   b  of the body  110  of the first connector  11 , and adjacently to the body  110  of the first connector  11 . The movable position device  122  can be a movable positioning board, but not be limited to. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the movable position device  122  is disposed on the first surface  102  of the housing  101 , and can be moved between a first position A and a second position B by the guiding device  121 . When the second connector  21  of the power cord  2  is connected to the first connector  11 , the movable position device  122  can be moved and fixed to the first position A for fastening and positioning the second connector  21  of the power cord  2  to the first connector  11  and avoiding the second connector  21  of the power cord  2  to detach from the first connector  11 . On the other hand, when the second connector  21  of the power cord  2  is desired to detach from the first connector  11 , the movable position device  122  can be moved and fixed to the second position B for pulling the second connector  21  of the power cord  2  out the first connector  11 . 
       FIG. 3  is a structure diagram illustrating a guiding device of the fastening and detaching-proof device of  FIG. 2 .  FIGS. 4A and 4B  are elevation view and bottom view diagrams illustrating a movable position device of the fastening and detaching-proof device of  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  4 A and  4 B, the first and second guiding components  124  and  125  are constructed of substantially L-type extending parts  124   a  and  125   a,  respectively, to form a first and a second guiding slots  124   b  and  125   b,  respectively. Preferably, the extending parts  124   a  and  125   a  are integrally formed with the first surface  102  of the housing  101 . Moreover, the extending parts  124   a  and  125   a  respectively have locking portions  124   c  and  125   c.  The locking portions  124   c  and  125   c  are respectively disposed at one side of the extending parts  124   a  and  125   a,  and opposite side of the first connector  11 . 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 4A and 4B . The movable position device  122  includes a positioning portion  1220 , a first slideway portion  1221 , a second slideway portion  1222  and a holding portion  1223 . The positioning portion  1220  is corresponded to the clipping portion  22  of the second connector  21  of the power cord  2 . Hence, when the second connector  21  is connected to the first connector  11 , the positioning portion  1220  of the movable position device  122  is engaged to the clipping portion  22  of the second connector  21  for fixing the second connector  21  on the first surface  102  of the housing  101  and limiting the second connector  21  to move in the vertical direction to the first surface  102  of the housing  101 . In some embodiments, the positioning portion  1220  of the movable position device  122  is an indentation arc lateral region, but it is not limited to. Furthermore, the clipping portion  22  of the second connector  21  of the power cord  2  is a fillister which cooperated with the positioning portion  1220  for engaging the clipping portion  22  to the positioning portion  1220 . 
     In addition, the first slideway portion  1221  and the second slideway portion  1222  are outward extended from two opposite sides of the movable position device  122 , the first lateral side  1224  and the second lateral side  1225 , respectively. The first and second slideway portions  1221  and  1222  are cooperated with the first and second guiding components  124  and  125 , respectively, for moving the movable position device  122  between the first position A and the second position B. In this embodiment, the first and second slideway portions  1221  and  1222  of the movable position device  122  are disposed in the first guiding slot  124   b  of the first guiding component  124  and the second guiding slot  125   b  of the second guiding component  125  of the guiding device  121 , respectively, but it is not limited to. 
     In this embodiment, the movable position device  122  further includes a buckling device  1227  disposed at the first lateral side  1224  and/or the second lateral side  1225 . The buckling device  1227  can be multi-stage buckling, but it is not limited to, and includes a first buckling region  1227   a  and a second buckling region  1227   b.  The locking portion  124   c  of the first guiding component  124  and/or the locking portion  125   c  of the second guiding component  125  of the guiding device  121  are corresponded to the positions of buckling device  1227 , and can be moved between the first buckling region  1227   a  and the second buckling region  1227   b  for optionally locking with one of two regions to fasten the movable position device  122  at the first position A or the second position B. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 3 . The fastening and detaching-proof device  12  further includes a first spacing device  123  for limiting the moving range of the movable position device  122 . The first spacing device  123  is disposed on the first surface  102  of the housing  101  and between the first and second guiding components  124  and  125  of the guiding device  121 , and is adjacent to the first connector  11 . The first spacing device  123  can be an indentation, but it is not limited to. Preferably, the first spacing device  123  is integrally formed with the first surface  102  of the housing  101 . 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 3 ,  4 A and  4 B. The holding portion  1223  is disposed at the bottom of the movable position device  122  and corresponded to the first spacing device  123  of the first surface  102  of the housing  101 . Hence, when the second connector  21  of the power cord  2  is connected to the first connector of the electronic equipment  1 , the movable position device  122  can be moved to the first position A to engage the positioning portion  1220  with the clipping portion  22  of the power cord  2 , resulting in that the holding portion  1223  of the movable position device  122  is against to the first lateral side  123   a  of the first spacing device  123  for fixing the movable position device  122  at the position A to avoid moving. On the other hand, when the second connector  21  of the power cord  2  is desired to disconnect with the first connector  11  of the electronic equipment  1 , the movable position device  122  can be moved to the second position B for detaching the clipping portion  22  of the power cord  2  from the positioning portion  122 . That is, the holding portion  1223  of the movable position device  122  is against to the second lateral side  123   b  of the first spacing device  123  for limiting the moving of the movable position device  122 . In some embodiments, the holding portion  1223  can be an elastic hook or protruding piece, but it is not limited to. 
     In addition, in some embodiments, the movable position device  122  further includes a second spacing device  1226  disposed at one end of the first slideway portion  1221  and/or the second slideway portion  1222  and extended upward from the end. When the movable position device  122  is moved to the second position B to detach the positioning portion  1220  from the clipping portion  22  of the power cord  2 , the second spacing device  1226  of the movable position device  122  can be against to the lateral side of the first guiding component  124  and/or the second guiding component  125  of the guiding device  121  for limiting the movement of the movable position device  122 . 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 5A and 5B  which are diagrams illustrating the movable position device of the fastening and detaching-proof device of  FIG. 2  at the first position A and the second position B, respectively. As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  4 A,  4 B and  5 A, when the second connector  21  of the power cord  2  is connected to the first connector  11 , the movable position device  122  can be moved to the first position A and the positioning portion  1220  of the movable position device  122  is buckled to the clipping portion  22  of the power cord  2 , for fixing the second connector  21  of the power cord  2  to the first connector  11  and avoiding separation. In addition, the first buckling region  1227   a  of the buckling device  1227  of the movable position device  122  is locked to the locking portions  124   c  and/or  125   c  of the body  10 , for fixing the movable position device  122  at the position A. Moreover, the holding portion  1223  of the movable position device  122  is against to the first lateral side  123   a  of the first spacing device  123 , for avoiding the movable position device  122  moving toward the direction of the second connector  21  of the power cord  2 . 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  4 A,  4 B and  5 B. When the second connector  21  of the power cord  2  is desired to disconnect to the first connector  11 , the movable position device  122  can be moved to the second position B and the clipping portion  22  of the power cord  2  is detached from the positioning portion  1220  of the movable position device  122 , for pulling out the second connector  21  of the power cord  2  from the first connector  11 . In addition, the second buckling region  1227   b  of the buckling device  1227  of the movable position device  122  is locked to the locking portions  124   c  and/or  125   c  of the body  10 , for fixing the movable position device  122  at the second position B. Moreover, the holding portion  1223  of the movable position device  122  can be against to the second lateral side  123   b  of the first spacing device  123  of the body  10 , and/or the second spacing device  1226  of the movable position device  122  can be against to the lateral sides of the first guiding component  124  and/or the second guiding component  125 , for avoiding the movable position device  122  moving toward the direction far away from the second connector  21  of the power cord  2 . 
     To sum up, the electronic apparatus of the connector having a detaching-proof function according to the present invention can prevent a power cord from disconnecting to the electronic apparatus by a fastening and detaching-proof device when the power cord is connected thereto. Hence, the disadvantage that the connector of the power cord can be accidentally or unexpectedly pulled out according to the prior art can be solved. Further, it can be avoided that the power and/or signal cannot be transmitted to cause the electronic apparatus cannot be operated or even damaged. 
     While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.