Patent Publication Number: US-8535072-B2

Title: Connector

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a connector. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Peripheral computer devices with connectors, such as universal serial bus (USB) disks or USB transmission lines, are easily lost after being disengaged from the USB interfaces of the computers. However, if the peripheral devices are still connected to the USB interfaces after being used, it can waste power. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, all the views are schematic, and like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a connector. 
         FIG. 2  is an assembled, isometric view of the connector of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is similar to  FIG. 2 , but shows a using state. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an exemplary embodiment of a connector  10  includes a main body  12 , an electrical interface  14  extending out from a front end of the main body  12 , and a fixing member  16  rotatably mounted to the main body  12  above the interface  14 . A cable  20  electrically connected to the interface  14  extends from a rear end of the main body  12  opposite to the interface  14 . In the embodiment, the interface  14  is a universal serial bus interface. 
     A block  120  is formed on the top surface of the main body  12  adjacent to the interface  14 . Two columnar rods  122  extend out from opposite ends of the block  120 . A deformable protrusion  124  having a semicircular cross-section protrudes from each of a front side and a rear side of a circumference of each rod  122 . A positioning slot  128  having a C-shaped cross-section is defined in the top surface of the main body  12  below each of the rods  122 . An antiskid portion  126  is formed on each of opposite side surfaces of the main body  12 , for conveniently operating the connector  10 . 
     The fixing member  16  includes a connection portion  160 , a dummy interface  162  extending out from a rear side of the connection portion  160  and having a configuration similar to the interface  14 , and two legs  164  extending out from opposite ends of a front side of the connection portion  160  opposite to the dummy interface  162 . A handing portion  163  is formed on each of opposite end surfaces of the dummy interface  162 . The thickness of the dummy interface  162  is less than the interface  14 . The front side surface of each leg  164  opposite to the simulate interface  162  is arc-shaped. A round pivot hole  166  is defined in an inner surface of each leg  164  facing the other leg  164 . Two positioning slots  168  similar to the positioning slots  128  are defined in the inner surface of each leg  164 , communicating with the corresponding pivot hole  166 . A deformable protrusion  170  similar to the protrusions  124  protrudes from each of a top and a bottom of each leg  164 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , in assembly, the legs  164  are deformed away from each other. The rods  122  are rotatably engaged in the corresponding pivot holes  166 , and the protrusions  124  are abutted against the corresponding inner surfaces bounding the pivot holes.  166 . The fixing member  16  is pivoted backward about the rods  122 , until the fixing member  16  contacts the top surface of the main body  12 . The protrusions  170  positioning at the bottoms of the legs  164  are engaged in the corresponding positioning slots  128 . The protrusions  124  are restored and engaged in the corresponding positioning slots  168 . 
     When the connector  10  is used to communicate with a computer (not shown), the interface  14  is inserted into an interface of the computer. 
     When the connector  10  is not needed, the interface  14  is disengaged from the interface of the computer. The fixing member  16  is pivoted forward for  180  degrees about the rods  122 , until the protrusions  170  positioning at the tops of the legs  164  are engaged in the corresponding positioning slots  128 . Each protrusion  124  is engaged in the other one of the positioning slots  168 . The dummy interface  162  are extended out of the interface  14  to be inserted into the interface of the computer, and the handing portions  163  are abutted against opposite sidewalls bounding the interface of the computer, to fix the dummy interface  162  in the interface of the computer. 
     In other embodiments, the positioning slots  168  and the protrusions  124  may be omitted. 
     It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the description or sacrificing all of their material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being exemplary embodiments.