Patent Abstract:
The present invention relates to a plug with connecting device, includes a top housing, one end thereof is extended with a connecting device for being connected to a power adapter; a retaining seat; an electrode sheet base having a pivotal shaft; two copper contact rings; two electrode sheets; one bottom plastic housing engaged with the top housing; when the two electrode sheets are longitudinally rotated, the two electrode sheets are able to be pivotally moved at the outside of the bottom plastic housing and then positioned, an electrical conducting status is formed between the electrode sheets and the connecting device so as to transfer power to a power adapter.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a connecting device, more particularly to a plug with connecting device, one end thereof is connected to an AC power source through electrode sheets and the other end thereof is coupled with a power adapter through the connecting device so as to supply converted DC power to an electronic device. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    A conventional plug often only has two electrode sheets for being connected to a socket so AC power is gained through the socket. There is also a kind of plug whose electrode sheets are foldable, the electrode sheets are folded into the plug main body when not in use to prevent oxidation and danger caused by users&#39; misuse, such as children. 
         [0005]    As for the above mentioned plugs, before shipped out of factory, the plug has often been connected with a cable. And another end of the cable has a matching socket relative to the plug, for being connected to an electronic device, e.g. a computer, so AC power is able to be converted into DC power through a power supply device installed in the electronic device. 
         [0006]    For a portable electronic device, e.g. a notebook computer or a digital camera, because of space limitation, a power adapter is often used to convert AC power to DC power for supplying to the portable electronic device. Thus the described combination of plug and socket is not able to be connected to the power adapter and additional cost is occurred due to purchase the power adapter. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    One object of the present invention is to provide a plug with connecting device, one end thereof is connected to an AC power source through electrode sheets and the other end thereof is coupled with a power adapter through the connecting device, so converted DC power is obtained and is supplied to an electronic device. 
         [0008]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a plug with connecting device, electrode sheets thereof are able to be folded in a bottom plastic housing of the plug and an electrical connection to AC power source is terminated. 
         [0009]    For achieving the described objects, one solution provided by the present invention is to provide a plug with connecting device, includes: a top housing having a hollow main body, a connecting device is extended from one end of the hollow main body for being connected to a power adapter, and the connecting device has two ring-shaped slots; a retaining seat received in the hollow main body and has a first retaining slot; two copper contact rings, one end of each of the copper contact rings is in a gradually expanding shape and respectively installed in the ring-shaped slots of the connecting device, the other end thereof is extended with a contact sheet; an electrode sheet base having a pivotal shaft and one lateral side of the pivotal shaft is received in the first retaining slot and two ends of the pivotal shaft are respectively provided with a switch seat, the switch seat further has a seat hole, a positioning slot and a protruding block; two electrode sheets, respectively received in the seat holes, one end of each of the electrode sheets has a wire hole; a bottom plastic housing, engaged with the top housing, and has a bottom housing surface, the bottom housing surface has four sheet wings, a housing slot is defined by every two sheet wings and the bottom end of the housing slot is hollow, an end section thereof has a plane hole to allow the electrode sheets expose outside, a second retaining slot is provided between the two housing slots for fastening the other lateral side of the pivotal shaft; so when the two electrode sheets are longitudinally rotated, the two electrode sheets are able to be pivotally moved between the housing slots and positioned in the retaining seat; the other ends of the electrode sheets are in contact with the contact sheets, so an electrical conducting status is formed between the two ring-shaped slots and the two electrode sheets. 
         [0010]    For achieving the described objects, another solution provided by the present invention is to provide a plug with connecting device, includes: a top housing having a hollow main body, a connecting device is extended from one end of the hollow main body for being connected to a power adapter, and the connecting device has two ring-shaped slots; a retaining seat received in the hollow main body and has a first retaining slot and a column slot; two copper contact rings, one end of each of the copper contact rings is in a gradually expanding shape and respectively installed in the ring-shaped slots of the connecting device, the other end thereof is extended with a contact sheet; an electrode column base having a pivotal shaft and one lateral side of the pivotal shaft is received in the first retaining slot and two ends of the pivotal shaft are respectively provided with a switch seat, the switch seat further has a seat hole; two electrode columns, respectively received in the seat holes, one end of each of the electrode columns has a sealing cover and the other end is provided with a contact section after passing through the hole seat and exposing outside the switch seat; and a bottom plastic housing, engaged with the top housing, and has a bottom housing surface, the bottom housing surface has four sheet wings, a housing slot is defined by every two sheet wings and the bottom end of the housing slot is hollow, an end section thereof has a plane hole to allow the electrode columns expose outside, a second retaining slot is provided between the two housing slots for fastening the other lateral side of the pivotal shaft; so when the two electrode columns are longitudinally rotated, the two electrode columns are able to be pivotally moved between the housing slots and positioned in the column slot; the electrode columns are in contact with the copper contact rings, so an electrical conducting status is formed between the two ring-shaped slots and the two electrode columns. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1   a  is an exploded view of the plug with connecting device of one preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 1   b  is another exploded view of the plug with connecting device of one preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2   a  is a schematic view of one preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrating after the plug with connecting device is assembled the electrode sheets thereof extending outside the bottom plastic housing; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2   b  is a schematic view of one preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrating after the plug with connecting device is assembled the electrode sheets thereof folding into the bottom plastic housing; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3   a  is a schematic cross sectional view of the assembled plug with connecting device of one preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3   b  is another schematic cross sectional view of the assembled plug with connecting device of one preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4   a  is an exploded view of the plug with connecting device of another preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4   b  is another exploded view of the plug with connecting device of another preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5   a  is a schematic view of another preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrating after the plug with connecting device is assembled the electrode columns thereof extending outside the bottom plastic housing; 
           [0020]      FIG. 5   b  is a schematic view of another preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrating after the plug with connecting device is assembled the electrode columns thereof folding into the bottom plastic housing; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6   a  is a schematic cross sectional view of the assembled plug with connecting device of another preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6   b  is another schematic cross sectional view of the assembled plug with connecting device of another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 1   a  to  FIG. 3   b , wherein  FIG. 1   a  is an exploded view of the plug with connecting device of one preferred embodiment of the present invention;  FIG. 1   b  is another exploded view of the plug with connecting device of one preferred embodiment of the present invention;  FIG. 2   a  is a schematic view of one preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrating after the plug with connecting device is assembled the electrode sheets thereof extending outside the bottom plastic housing;  FIG. 2   b  is a schematic view of one preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrating after the plug with connecting device is assembled the electrode sheets thereof folding into the bottom plastic housing;  FIG. 3   a  is a schematic cross sectional view of the assembled plug with connecting device of one preferred embodiment of the present invention;  FIG. 3   b  is another schematic cross sectional view of the assembled plug with connecting device of one preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0024]    As shown in figures, the plug with connecting device provided by the present invention, able to be used in a portable electronic device, e.g. a notebook computer, includes: a top housing  10 , a retaining seat  20 , two copper contact rings  30 ,  40 , an electrode sheet base  50 , two electrode sheets  60 ,  70 , and a bottom plastic housing  80 . 
         [0025]    The top housing  10  has a hollow main body  11  and a connecting device  12  is extended from one end of the hollow main body  11  for being connected to a power adapter (not shown), and the connecting device  12  has two ring-shaped slots  121 ,  122 , the connecting device  12  is, e.g. but not limited to, a socket with a shape like the numeral  8 . 
         [0026]    The retaining seat  20  is received in the hollow main body  11  and has a first retaining slot  21  with a semicircle shape; a bottom end of the retaining seat  20  is further provided with a retaining hole  22  and a top end thereof is provided with a buckling hook  23 . 
         [0027]    One end of each of the copper contact rings  30 ,  40  is in a gradually-expanding shape and is respectively received in the ring-shaped slots  121 ,  122  of the connecting device  12  and the other end thereof is respectively extended with a contact sheet  31 ,  41 , and one end section of each of the contact sheet  31 ,  41  respectively has a sheet slot  32 ,  42 . 
         [0028]    The electrode sheet base  50  has a pivotal shaft  51  with a, e.g. but not limited to, round shape, one lateral side of the pivotal shaft  51  is received in the first retaining slot  21 , and two ends of the pivotal shaft  51  respectively has a switch seat  52 , the switch seat  52  further has a seat hole  521 , a positioning slot  522  and a protruding block  523 , wherein the seat holes  521  are served to respectively receive the electrode sheets  60 ,  70 , the shape of the protruding block  523  is, e.g. but not limited to, an arc shape for being fastened on the retaining sheet  20 . 
         [0029]    The two electrode sheets  60 ,  70  are respectively received in the corresponding seat hole  521 , one end of each of the electrode sheets  60 ,  70  has a sheet trench  61 ,  71 , the other end thereof has a wire hole  62 ,  72 ; the sheet trenches  61 ,  71  are respectively received in the sheet slots  32 ,  42  for being in contact with the ring-shaped slots  121 ,  122 . 
         [0030]    The bottom plastic housing  80  is able to be engaged with the top housing  10 , and has a bottom housing surface  81 , the bottom housing surface  81  has four sheet wings  82 , and a housing slot  83  is defined by every sheet wings  82 , the bottom end of the housing slot  83  is hollow and an end section of the housing slot  83  has a plane hole  84  with a width larger than the width of the housing slot  83  to receive the switch seat  52  and to allow the electrode sheets  60 ,  70  expose outside, a second retaining slot  85  is provided between the two housing slots  83 , the shape thereof is, e.g. but not limited to, in a semicircle shape for fastening the other lateral side of the pivotal shaft  51 . The top housing  10  and the bottom plastic housing  80  are made of insulation materials, e.g. but not limited to plastic. The bottom plastic housing  80  further has a buckling slot  86  for being buckled with the buckling hook  23  so as to fasten the retaining seat  20 . 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIG. 2   a  and  FIG. 3   a , when assembled, the two copper contact rings  30 ,  40  are respectively installed in the two ring-shaped slots  121 ,  122 , so the contact sheets  31 ,  41  expose outside the hollow main body  11 ; the pivotal shaft  51  of the electrode sheet base  50  is received in the first retaining slot  21  for positioning and fastening; then the two electrode sheets  60 ,  70  are respectively installed in the corresponding seat hole  521 ; the other lateral side of the pivotal shaft  51  of the electrode sheet base  50  is received in the second retaining slot  85  and the buckling hook  23  is buckled with the buckling slot  86  for positioning and fastening, so the two electrode sheets  60 ,  70  partially expose outside the housing slots  83 ; then the top housing  10  is engaged with the bottom plastic housing  80 , so the sheet trenches  61 ,  71  are respectively received in the sheet slots  32 ,  42  for being in contact with the ring-shaped slots  121 ,  122  and the two electrode sheets  60 ,  70  are outwardly pushed so the protruding block  523  is fastened on the retaining seat  20  for positioning; the plug with connecting device provided by the present invention is therefore obtained. After the assembly of the plug with connecting device provided by the present invention is assembled, the connecting device  12  is connected to a power adapter (not shown), an AC power source is therefore transferred to the power adapter through the copper contact rings  30 ,  40 . 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIG. 2   b  and  FIG. 3   b , when folded, the two electrode sheets  60 ,  70  are inwardly pushed into the bottom plastic housing  80  alongside the housing slot  83  and the plane hole  84 , and the sheet trenches  61 ,  71  are released from the sheet slots  32 ,  42  and the two electrode sheets  60 ,  70  are aligned with the housing slots  83  to achieve a convenient storage purpose, thus the two electrode sheets  60 ,  70  are not in contact with the ring-shaped slots  121 ,  122  and a power supply terminating status is achieved. 
         [0033]    Referring to  FIG. 4   a  to  FIG. 6   b , wherein  FIG. 4   a  is an exploded view of the plug with connecting device of another preferred embodiment of the present invention;  FIG. 4   b  is another exploded view of the plug with connecting device of another preferred embodiment of the present invention;  FIG. 5   a  is a schematic view of another preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrating after the plug with connecting device is assembled the electrode columns thereof extending outside the bottom plastic housing;  FIG. 5   b  is a schematic view of another preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrating after the plug with connecting device is assembled the electrode columns thereof folding into the bottom plastic housing;  FIG. 6   a  is a schematic cross sectional view of the assembled plug with connecting device of another preferred embodiment of the present invention;  FIG. 6   b  is another schematic cross sectional view of the assembled plug with connecting device of another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0034]    As shown in figures, the plug with connecting device of another preferred embodiment of the present invention, includes: a top housing  210 , a retaining seat  220 , two copper contact rings  230 ,  240 , an electrode column base  250 , two electrode columns  260 ,  270  and a bottom plastic housing  280 . 
         [0035]    The top housing  210  has a hollow main body  211  and a connecting device  212  is extended from one end of the hollow main body  211  for being connected to a power adapter (not shown), and the connecting device  212  has two ring-shaped slots  2121 ,  2122 , the connecting device  212  is, e.g. but not limited to, a socket with a shape like the numeral  8 . 
         [0036]    The retaining seat  220  is received in the hollow main body  211  and has a first retaining slot  221  and a column slot  222 , wherein the first retaining slot  221  is in a semicircle shape and the column slot  222  is disposed at two ends of the first retaining slot  221 , the quantity of the column slot is e.g. two but not serve as a limitation; a bottom end of the retaining seat  220  is further provided with a retaining hole  223  and a top end thereof is provided with a tongue sheet  224 . 
         [0037]    One end of each of the copper contact rings  230 ,  240  is in a gradually-expanding shape and is respectively received in the ring-shaped slots  2121 ,  2122  of the connecting device  212  and the other end thereof is respectively extended with a contact sheet  231 ,  241 , and the contact sheet  231 ,  241  respectively has a sheet slot  232 ,  242  provided at the end section of the contact sheet  231 ,  241 . 
         [0038]    The electrode column base  250  has a pivotal shaft  251 , the shape thereof is, e.g. but not limited to, in a round shape, one lateral side of the pivotal shaft  251  is received in the first retaining slot  221 , and two ends of the pivotal shaft  251  respectively has a switch seat  252 , the switch seat  252  is received in the first retaining slot  221  for being fastened on the retaining seat  220  and the switch seat  252  further has a seat hole  253 . 
         [0039]    The two electrode columns  260 ,  270  are respectively received in the corresponding seat hole  253 , one end of each of the electrode columns  260 ,  270  has a sealing cover  261 ,  271 , the other end thereof is respectively provided with a contact section  262 ,  272 , after passing through the seat hole  253  and exposing outside the switch seat  252 ; at least one sheet trench  263 ,  274  are provided on the contact sections  262 ,  272  for being received in the sheet slots  232 ,  242 ; in this embodiment, the contact section  262 ,  272  are respectively provided with two sheet trenches  263 ,  274  for illustration and not serving as a limitation. 
         [0040]    The bottom plastic housing  280  is able to be engaged with the top housing  210 , and has a bottom housing surface  281 , the bottom housing surface  281  has two housing slots  283 , the bottom end of the housing slot  283  is hollow and an end section of the housing slot  283  has a plane hole  284  with a width larger than the width of the housing slot  283  to receive the switch seat  252  and to allow the electrode columns  260 ,  270  expose outside, a second retaining slot  285  is provided between the two housing slots  283 , the shape thereof is, e.g. but not limited to, in a semicircle shape for fastening the other lateral side of the pivotal shaft  251 . The top housing  210  and the bottom plastic housing  280  are made of insulation materials, e.g. but not limited to plastic. The bottom plastic housing  280  further has a slot  286  for being buckled with the tongue sheet  224  so as to fasten the retaining seat  220 . 
         [0041]    As shown in  FIG. 5   a  and  FIG. 6   a , when assembled, the two copper contact rings  230 ,  240  are respectively installed in the two ring-shaped slots  2121 ,  2122 , so the contact sheets  231 ,  241  expose outside the hollow main body  211 ; the two electrode columns  260 ,  270  are respectively provided in the corresponding seat hole  253  and exposed outside the switch seat  252  then provided with the contact section  262 ,  272 ; the pivotal shaft  251  of the electrode column base  250  is received in the first retaining slot  221  for positioning and fastening; then the other end of the pivotal shaft  251  of the electrode column base  250  is received in the second retaining slot  285  and the tongue sheet  224  is received in the slot  286  for positioning and fastening, so the two electrode columns  260 ,  270  partially expose outside the housing slots  283 ; then the top housing  210  is engaged with the bottom plastic housing  280 , and the two electrode columns  260 ,  270  are outwardly pushed so the contact sheets  231 ,  241  are respectively positioned in the sheet trenches  263 ,  274  and are in contact with the contact sections  262 ,  272 , then the switch seat  252  is fastened in the column slot  222 ; the plug with connecting device provided by the present invention is therefore obtained. After the assembly of the plug with connecting device provided by the present invention is assembled, the connecting device  212  is connected to a power adapter (not shown), an AC power source is therefore transferred to the power adapter through the copper contact rings  230 ,  240 . 
         [0042]    As shown in  FIG. 5   b  and  FIG. 6   b , when folded, the two electrode columns  260 ,  270  are inwardly pushed into the bottom plastic housing  280  alongside the housing slot  283  and the plane hole  284 , and the contact sections  262 ,  272  are released from the contact sheets  231 ,  241 , and the two electrode columns  260 ,  270  are aligned with the housing slots  283  to achieve a convenient storage purpose, thus the two electrode columns  260 ,  270  are not in contact with the ring-shaped slots  2121 ,  2122  and a power supply terminating status is achieved. 
         [0043]    Accordingly, the plug with connecting device provided by the present invention has a grounding sheet to provide a grounding function; and according to actual needs an AC plug is able to be changed for being adopted in various AC power systems. 
         [0044]    It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7