Patent Publication Number: US-7713073-B2

Title: Power adapter

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a power adapter, especially to a power adapter with a connecting wire which can be pulled out of the power adapter and retracted in the power adapter. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   Portable electronic products (for example, portable drives and mobile phones) generally use batteries to supply power needed for work. Once the batteries have run down, the electronic products need to be connected with power adapters for energy supplement. 
   A conventional power adapter generally has a housing which forms a power input portion for connecting to the mains supply, a vehicle power supply, etc. and a USB port in one side wall. The electronic product described above usually is provided with a transmission line. One end of the transmission line is mounted a USB plug on for engaging with the USB port of the housing, the other end is connected with the electronic product, whereby power may be transmitted to the electronic device through the power adapter and the transmission line. 
   However, conventional power adapters must be used with transmission lines for electronic devices. When forgetting to carry the transmission lines, users cannot use the power adapters. So users must carry the transmission lines besides the power adapters, which adds to the users&#39; burden. Further, the transmission lines are difficult to collect and carry. 
   Hence, the inventors of the present invention believe that the shortcomings described above are able to be improved and finally suggest the present invention which is of a reasonable design and is an effective improvement based on deep research and thought. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A main object of the present invention is to provide a power adapter which has a retractable connecting wire, wherein the connecting wire may be pulled out of the power adapter for use or retracted in the power adapter for collection via a reel device mounted in the power adapter. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a power adapter which can be connected to different electronic devices via a retractable connecting wire and a preset output portion for supplying power for more than one electronic devices simultaneously. 
   To achieve the above-mentioned objects, a power adapter in accordance with the present invention is provided. The power adapter includes a housing, a power input portion and a connecting wire. The housing has a reel device mounted therein, and a wire outlet and more than one output portions formed in one side wall. The power input portion is mounted on the housing. A first end of the connecting wire is extended into the housing through the wire outlet and connected with the reel device thereby the connecting wire can be retracted via the reel device, and a second end thereof is connected with an electrical connector which extends out of the wire outlet. 
   The efficacy of the present invention is as follows: as long as users pull the connecting wire out of the power adapter to connect it with an electronic device needed to be charged, the power adapter of the present invention can be connected to the electronic device and transmit energy to the electronic device without a transmission line; further, when the power adapter is in an unused state, the connecting wire can be automatically retracted in the power adapter; so users needn&#39;t carry the transmission line for the electronic device in addition and the power adapter is more convenient for operating and carrying. 
   To further understand features and technical contents of the present invention, please refer to the following detailed description and drawings related the present invention. However, the drawings are only to be used as references and explanations, not to limit the present invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the present invention, from another angle; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the present invention, from another angle; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective schematic view of the second embodiment of the present invention connected with an electrical connector. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective schematic view of the third embodiment of the present invention, when a connecting wire is pulled out; 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the third embodiment of the present invention, from another angle; and 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Please refer to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  illustrating a first embodiment of a power adapter according to the present invention. The power adapter includes a housing  10 , a power input portion, a connecting wire  30  and an electrical connector  40 . 
   The housing  10  is generally shaped like a rectangle. The housing  10  has a wire outlet  11  (as shown in  FIG. 2 ) in one side wall and an output portion  12  in another side wall, which is a USB port in the embodiment. An open retaining groove  14  is formed in a bottom surface  13  of the housing  10 . A reel device  15  is mounted in a proper position inside the housing  10  for automatically retracting the connecting wire  30 . In this embodiment, the reel device  15  is a reel. The connecting wire  30  may be retracted in the housing  10  via the reel device  15  when in an unused state. The reel device  15  described above may be readily achieved by those skilled in the art and won&#39;t be limited by the present invention, so detailed descriptions of the reel device are omitted inhere. 
   The power input portion in this embodiment is a power plug  20  with two blades  21 , which is pivotally mounted on the housing  10 . The power plug  20  may engage with a mains supply socket via the two blades  21 , so that energy from the mains supply may be transmitted to an electronic device needed to be charged through the connecting wire  30 . When in an unused state, the power plug  20  may be turned and received in the retained groove  14 . 
   The connecting wire  30  may be configured to have a conductor (not shown) and an insulating layer (not shown) surrounding the conductor, but not limited in this structure. The connecting wire  30  may be a cable, an arranging wire and so on. In the embodiment, the connecting wire  30  is a flat ribbon cable. 
   A first end of the connecting wire  30  is extended into the housing  10  through the wire outlet  11  and connected with the reel device  15 . Further, the connecting wire  30  may be retracted via the reel device  15 . The reel device  15  is electrically connected with some components inside the housing  10 , such as a circuit board (not shown), so that the connecting wire  30  may be electrically connected with the housing  10 . Besides, the connecting wire  30  is movably extended through the wire outlet  11 , so the connecting wire  30  may be pulled out of the housing  10  or received in the housing  10 . 
   In the embodiment, the electrical connector  40  is a Mini-USB connector, but not limited in this, the electrical connector  40  also may be a USB connector, a power connector, a FireWire connector and so on, and may be a male connector or a female connector. The electrical connector  40  is connected with a second end of the connecting wire  30  and extended out of the wire outlet  11 . A plurality of terminals (not shown), which are made of conductive material, are disposed in the electrical connector  40  and electrically connected with the conductor (not shown) in the connecting wire  30 , so that the electrical connector may be electrically connected with the connecting wire  30 . 
   Please refer to  FIGS. 3-5 , a second embodiment of the present invention is shown. The difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment is as follows: 
   The connecting wire  30  has an exchangeable connector  31  mounted on the second end thereof, which has a first connecting portion (in this embodiment, the first connecting portion is insertion holes  311 ). The connecting wire  30  may be connected with a different electrical connector  40  via the exchangeable connector  31 . 
   In the embodiment, the electrical connector  40  is a power connector, but not limited in this, the electrical connector  40  also may be a Mini-USB connector, a USB connector, a FireWire connector and so on. A second connecting portion (in this embodiment, the second connecting portion is terminals  41 ) is mounted on one end of the electrical connector  40 , corresponding to the first connecting portion. The first connecting portion (that is, the insertion holes  311 ) and the second connecting portion (that is, the terminals  41 ) may engage with each other so that the exchangeable connector  31  and the electrical connector  40  are electrically connected. 
   The housing  10  has a receiving groove  16  extending through one side wall thereof, corresponding to the exchangeable connector  31 . The wire outlet  11  is located in the receiving groove  16  (as shown in  FIG. 5 ). When the connecting wire  30  is retracted in the housing  10 , the exchangeable connector  31  may be received in the receiving groove  16  and won&#39;t protrude out of the housing, thereby users may easily carry and collect the power adapter. 
   Please refer to  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 , a third embodiment of the present invention is shown. The difference between the third embodiment and the first embodiment is as follows: 
   The power adapter of the third embodiment includes a housing  10 , a power input portion, two connecting wires  30 ,  30 ′ and two electrical connector  40 ,  40 ′. 
   The housing  10  has two wire outlets  11 ,  11 ′ (as shown in  FIG. 7 ) and three output portions  12 ,  12 ′,  12 ″ in one side wall, wherein the two wire outlets  11 ,  11 ′ are aligned in a vertical direction. In the third embodiment, the output portion  12  is a cigarette lighter plug, the output portion  12 ′ is an AC output socket and the output portion  12 ″ is a USB port. The output portions  12 ,  12 ′,  12 ″ are respectively connected with proper electronic devices to provide required power. 
   Two reel devices  15 ,  15 ′ are mounted in proper positions inside the housing  10  for automatically retracting the two connecting wires  30 ,  30 ′. In the third embodiment, both of the two reel devices  15 ,  15 ′ are reels. The two connecting wires  30 ,  30 ′ may be retracted in the housing  10  via the two reel devices  15 ,  15 ′ when in an unused state. The two reel devices  15 ,  15 ′ described above may be readily achieved by those skilled in the art and won&#39;t be limited by the present invention, so detailed descriptions of the two reel devices are omitted inhere. 
   The power input portion in the third embodiment is a power cord  20 ′ with a joint on a first end. In the embodiment, the joint is a cigarette lighter plug  21 ′ for engaging with a preset cigarette lighter socket in a vehicle, so that the power adapter may be connected to a vehicle power supply. 
   A second end of the power cord  20 ′ may be fixed on one side wall of the housing  10  and electrically connected with the housing  10 . Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 8 , the housing  10  has a first power connector  17  mounted on one side wall thereof and the power cord  20 ′ has a second power connector  22 ′ mounted on the second end thereof, which may engage with the first power connector  17  so that the power cord  20 ′ may be separated from housing  10  and placed independently. 
   Each of the two connecting wires  30 ,  30 ′ may be configured to have a conductor (not shown) and an insulating layer (not shown) surrounding the conductor, but not limited in this structure. The connecting wires  30 ,  30 ′ may be cables, arranging wires and so on. In the embodiment, the connecting wires  30 ,  30 ′ are flat ribbon cables. 
   First ends of the two connecting wires  30 ,  30 ′ are respectively extended into the housing  10  through the two wire outlets  11 ,  11 ′ and connected with the two reel devices  15 ,  15 ′. The two connecting wires  30 ,  30 ′ may be retracted in the two reel devices  15 ,  15 ′. The two reel devices  15 ,  15 ′ are electrically connected with some components inside the housing  10 , such as a circuit board (not shown), so that the two connecting wires  30 ,  30 ′ may be electrically connected with the housing  10 . Further, the two connecting wires  30 ,  30 ′ are movably extended through the two wire outlets  11 ,  11 ′, respectively, so the two connecting wires  30 ,  30 ′ may be pulled out of the housing  10  or received in the housing  10 . 
   The electrical connectors  40 ,  40 ′ are respectively connected with second ends of the connecting wires  30 ,  30 ′. In the embodiment, the electrical connector  40  is a FireWire connector which may be connected to an electronic device such as an iPod and so on for power transmission. The electrical connector  40 ′ is a Mini-USB connector. The two electrical connectors  40 ,  40 ′ also may be USB connectors or other connectors which aren&#39;t limited in male connectors or female connectors. 
   The two electrical connectors  40 ,  40 ′ are extended out of the two wire outlets  11 ,  11 ′. The two electrical connectors  40 ,  40 ′ have a plurality of terminals (not shown) disposed therein, which are made of conductive material. The terminals are respectively electrically connected with the conductors (not shown) in the two connecting wires  30 ,  30 ′, so that the two electrical connectors  40 ,  40 ′ may be electrically connected with the two connecting wires  30 ,  30 ′. 
   Please refer to  FIG. 9 , a fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown. The difference between the fourth embodiment and the third embodiment is as follows: 
   The power input portion of the fourth embodiment is another kind of power cord  20 ″. A joint on one end of the power cord  20 ″ is a power plug  21 ″ for engaging with a mains supply socket, thereby the power adapter may be connected to an AC power supply. A second power connector  22 ″ is mounted on the other end of the power cord  22 ″ to engage with the first power connector  17 . Furthermore, a transformer  23 ″ is disposed on a middle portion of the power cord  20 ″ to convert alternating current into direct current. Accordingly, the housing  10  may engage with the power cord  20 ″ to form an indoor power adapter. 
   Consequently, the power adapter according to the present invention is advantageous that: 
   1. The power adapter of the present invention has the reel device mounted in the housing so that the connecting wire can be retracted via the reel device. As long as users pull the connecting wire out of the power adapter to connect it with an electronic device, the power adapter can transmit energy to the electronic device. So the present invention can transmit energy from a power supply without a transmission line for the electronic device, thereby users needn&#39;t carry the transmission line in addition, which lightens users&#39; burden and avoids the problems caused by carrying and collecting the transmission lines. 
   2. When the power adapter of the present invention is in an unused state, the connecting wire can be automatically retracted in the housing for convenient operation. 
   3. Since users needn&#39;t carry the transmission line for the electronic device, users&#39; burden can be lightened and the problems caused by carrying and collecting the transmission lines can be avoided. 
   4. The power adapter of the present invention can be connected to more than one electronic devices via the connecting wire and the output portions for supplying power for the electronic devices simultaneously, so the power adapter has preferable applicability. 
   5. The power adapter of the present invention can be connected to a vehicle power supply or an indoor power supply by replacing different power cords for supplying power for electronic devices, so the power adapter has preferable applicability. 
   What are disclosed above are only the specification and the drawings of the preferred embodiments of the present invention and it is therefore not intended that the present invention be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various equivalent changes may be made depending on the specification and the drawings of the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention.