Patent Publication Number: US-8979549-B2

Title: Rotating plug

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a rotating plug, and more particularly to the rotating plug connected to a power supply of an electric appliance and having a conductive terminal with bending and rotating functions. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In general, a conventional plug is mainly used for connecting various different power supplies of electric appliances. Since the types of electric appliances become increasingly more, and the use of plugs also becomes more frequently, and manufacturers try to improve the plug structure continuously to provide better functions and effects of the plugs. In present existing plugs, some come with bending and rotating functions, so that users can connect and use the plugs more conveniently by bending and rotating the plug as needed. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  for the structure of a conventional rotating plug, the rotating plug comprises an inner frame  10 , a main body  11 , two conductive terminals  12  and a power cable  13 , wherein two conductive terminals  12  are protruded from a front end of the inner frame  10 , and a power cable  13  is connected to the rear of the main body  11 , and the inner frame  10  is passed and installed to the center of the main body  11 , so that the two conductive terminals  12  is connected to the power cable  13  in the main body  11 , and the inner frame  10  and the main body  11  are axially connected and combined to form the conventional rotating plug. 
     However, the aforementioned conventional plug has a small gap  14  formed at the joint position of the inner frame  10  and the main body  11 , such that the conductive terminal  12  is exposed. If the plug is bent and rotated, then the conductive terminal  12  will be exposed from the small gap  14  more obviously, thus causing a serious problem on the safety of use. 
     In view of the aforementioned shortcoming of the conventional product, the inventor of the present invention based on years of experience in the related industry to conduct extensive researches and experiments, and finally designed and developed a novel practical rotating plug to overcome the shortcoming of the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a rotating plug with conductive terminals completely covered and hidden inside an inner frame and a main body. When the plug is bent and rotated, the conductive terminals will not be exposed, so as to enhance the safety and practical use. 
     To achieve the aforementioned objective, the present invention provides a rotating plug, comprising: an inner frame, two conductive terminals, two inner frame brackets, two connecting plates, two inner frame casings, a power cable and a plug body, wherein the two conductive terminals are pivotally, axially, and respectively coupled to the two connecting plates by a rivet and a gasket, so that the conductive terminals are passed from both internal sides of the inner frame and protruded out from the inner frame, and then the connecting plate is bent and rotated by 90 degrees to latch the inner frame bracket into an arc latch slot at the rear of the inner frame, and the connecting plate is bent and rotated upwardly by 90 degrees to resume its original horizontal status, and inner frame casings are used for connecting, laching and fixing the top and bottom of the two connecting plates respectively, and then a power cable is soldered to a rear end of each connecting plate, and an insulative external protective layer is coated onto the exterior of the inner frame casing by plastic injection molding to form the plug body, and the aforementioned components are assembled into the overall structure of the rotating plug. 
     In summation, the present invention has the following effects: The connecting ends at the rear section of the two conductive terminals of the present invention are passed, installed and hidden inside the inner frame, and the connecting plate is accommodated and fixed into the inner frame casing, so that when the present invention is in use, the plug can be bent and rotated to an angle, and the conductive terminals and connecting plates will not be exposed, so as to improve the safety of the product. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional product; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of a conventional product; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of a conventional product being bent and rotated by 90 degrees; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the present invention being bent and rotated by 90 degrees; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 7 ,  8  and  9  are schematic views of latching the inner frame casings  7  with one another in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic perspective view of the present invention connected to a power cable  8 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The technical characteristics, contents, advantages and effects of the present invention will be apparent with the detailed description of a preferred embodiment accompanied with related drawings as follows. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 4 to 6  for a rotating plug of the present invention, the rotating plug comprises an inner frame  2 , two conductive terminals  3 , two inner frame brackets  24 , two connecting plates  4 ,  5 , two inner frame casings  7 , a power cable  8  and a plug body  9 . 
     In  FIG. 6 , the inner frame  2  is made of an insulating material and has a circular hole  21  transversally penetrating through the center of the inner frame  2 , a slender rectangular slot hole  22  formed at a front edge of both sides of the inner frame, and an arc latch slot  23  concavely formed on each of both sides of a rear edge of the inner frame. 
     In  FIG. 6 , the two conductive terminals  3  are made of a metal material of good conductivity and has a circular hole  31  formed at the center of a rear end of each conductive terminal. 
     In  FIG. 6 , the two inner frame brackets  24  are made of an insulating material and each inner frame bracket  24  is an arch latching bracket. 
     In  FIG. 6 , the two connecting plates  4 ,  5  are made of a metal material of good conductivity, and has a contact plate  41  disposed at a front end of the connecting plate  4 , a circular hole  42  formed at the center of the contact plate  41 , and a slot seat  43  having an opening facing upward and disposed at a rear end of the connecting plate e  4 . 
     The connecting plate  5  and the connecting plate  4  are installed symmetrically with respect to each other. 
     In  FIG. 6 , the two inner frame casings  7  are made of an insulating material, and the inner frame casing  7  has a fixing slot  71 ,  72  concavely formed on both internal sides of each inner frame casing  7 , a small circular column  73  protruded from a front end of a side of each inner frame casing  7 , a small circular hole  74  concavely formed at a front end of the other side of the inner frame casing  7 , a latch hook  75  protruded from the rear of the inner frame casing  7 , and a rectangular latch slot  76  formed on a side of the latch hook  75 . 
     In  FIGS. 6 to 10 , a gasket  61  is passed and installed to the connecting plate  4  by a rivet  6 , and then the rivet  6  is passed and installed into the circular hole  42  of the connecting plate  4  and the circular hole  31  at the rear end of the conductive terminal  3  and riveted, axially connected and fixed, so that the conductive terminal  3  can be passed and installed into the slot hole  22  at the front edge of the inner frame  2 , and then the connecting plate  4  is bent and rotated downwardly by 90 degrees to accommodate and fix the inner frame bracket  24  into the arc latch slot  23  formed on both sides at the rear edge of the inner frame  2 , and then the connecting plate  4  is bent and rotated upwardly by 90 degrees to resume its original position, and the tops and bottoms of the two inner frame casings  7  are connected respectively, and the small circular column  73  is protruded from a front end on a side of the two inner frame casings  7  and plugged into a small circular hole  74  of the corresponding other inner frame casing  7 . In addition, the latch hook  75  protruded from the rear of the inner frame casing  7  is inserted and latched into the latch slot  76  of the corresponding other inner frame casing  7 . In the meantime, the two connecting plates  4 ,  5  are covered completely between the fixing slots  71 ,  72  concavely formed on both internal sides of the inner frame casing  7 . In addition, the power cable  8  is soldered to the slot seat  43  at a rear end of the connecting plate  4 , and the connecting plate  5  and the connecting plate  4  are installed and arranged symmetrically to one another. 
     In  FIGS. 4 and 10 , the plug body  9  has an insulating protective layer coated onto the exterior of the inner frame casing  7  and the power cable  8  by injection molding, and the plug body  9  is assembled into the whole rotating plug. 
     In the overall structure of the present invention with the aforementioned components, the connecting ends at the rear sections of two conductive terminals are passed and hidden inside the inner frame. In  FIG. 8 , the plug is bent and rotated upwardly or downwardly, and the conductive terminal and the connecting plate are completely covered without being exposed during the use of the present invention, so that the invention can improve the safety and the practical use of the product. 
     While the invention is described in some detail hereinbelow with reference to certain illustrated embodiments, it is to be understood that there is no intent to limit it to those embodiments. On the contrary, the aim is to cover all modifications, alternatives and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     In summation of the above description, the present invention herein enhances the performance than the conventional structure and further complies with the patent application requirements and is submitted to the Patent and Trademark Office for review and granting of the commensurate patent rights.