Patent Abstract:
A power supply consists of a main body including a base and a cover. The base defines a cavity and a through hole communicating the cavity with the exterior. The cover covers the cavity. The circuit board is received in the base. The connector includes a connector body, a conductive pad, and a conductive fastener. The connector body is disposed within the cavity. The conductive pad is fixed to the connector body, connected to the circuit board, and defines a threaded hole. The conductive fastener is received in the threaded hole. The cable goes through and is connected to the conductive fastener.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a power supply. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Power supplies often include an insulated housing, a circuit board, and a cable. The circuit board is received in the housing and connected to power mains for converting local power to a suitable/applicable supply for a specific load. The power cable is received in the housing and is fixedly connected, for example, soldered to the circuit board. As such, if the circuit board or the cable is damaged or when load parameters change, it is necessary to disconnect the cable from the circuit board, even if soldered, and connect a (new) cable to a (new) circuit board. This is an inconvenience. 
     Therefore, it is desirable to provide a power supply, which can overcome the above-mentioned limitations. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present disclosure should be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present power supply. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric, schematic view of a power supply, according to one embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the power supply of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is another exploded view of the power supply of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments of the present power supply will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , a power supply  10 , according to an embodiment, includes a main body  100 , a circuit board  200 , a connector  300 , a cable fixing element  400 , and a cable  500 . The main body  100  is typically made of insulated material such as plastic and configured for housing the circuit board  200  and the connector  300 . 
     In detail, the main body  100  includes a base  102  and a cover  104 . The base  102  is generally cubic and includes an upper surface  102   a  and a front surface  102   b . The base  102  defines a generally cubic cavity  106  in the upper surface  102   a  thereof, two first threaded blind holes  110  in a bottom surface  108  of the cavity  106 , two second threaded blind holes  112  in the upper surface  102   a  at two opposite sides of the cavity  106 , and a through hole  114  in the front surface  102   b  and communicating with the cavity  106 . The cover  104  is substantially rectangular and larger than the opening of the cavity  106  so as to cover and seal the cavity  106 . The cover  104  defines two first threaded holes  116  corresponding to the second threaded blind holes  112 . The cover  104  is fixed to the base  102  by two fasteners (not labeled) passing through the first threaded holes  116  and into the second threaded blind holes  112 . 
     It is noteworthy that the configuration of the main body  100  is not limited to this embodiment. In other embodiments, the cover  104  can be fixed to the base  102  via other means, such as structural engagement or adhesive. As such, the first threaded holes  116  and the second threaded blind holes  112  can be omitted. The cavity  106  and the through hole  114  can be defined in other surfaces of the base  102 , provided that the through hole  114  communicates the cavity  106  with the outside of the base  102 . In addition, the base  102 , the cover  104 , and the cavity  106  can be other geometrical shapes. 
     The circuit board  200  is received the cavity  106  or other section of the base  102 , in this embodiment, at the rear of the cavity  106 . 
     The connector  300  includes a connector body  302 , three conductive pads  304 , and three conductive fasteners  306 . The connector body  302  is generally a cubic insulated block with two ears  302   c  extending from opposite ends. Each ear  302   c  defines a second threaded hole  302   a  corresponding to the first threaded blind holes  110 . The connector body  302  is fixed to the base  102  by two fasteners (not labeled) passing through the second threaded holes  302   a  and into the first threaded blind holes  110 . The connector body  302  defines three laterally arranged slots  302   b  in a top surface (not labeled) thereof. The conductive pads  304  are shaped corresponding to the slots  302   b  respectively, and are accordingly received therein and electrically connected to the circuit board  200 . Each conductive pad  302   b  defines a connecting threaded hole  304   a.    
     In other alternative embodiments, the connector body  302  can be fixed to the base  102  structurally, by adhesive, or other means. As such, the ears, the second threaded holes  302   a , and the first threaded blind holes  100  can be omitted. One, two, or more than three slots  302   b , conductive pads  304 , and conductive fasteners  306  can be utilized depending on requirements. Connector body  302  and slots  302   b  can be realigned or repositioned as needed in other embodiments, and conductive pads  304  can be fixed to the connector body  302  via alternative means as well. 
     The cable fixing element  400  includes a hollow barrel  402 , a retaining ring  404 , a threaded retainer  406 , and a compressing threaded retainer  408 . The hollow barrel  402  has a first end  402   a  and a second end  402   b , and diametrically defines two slots  402   c  at the first end  402   a  along the axial direction thereof. The outer diameter of the hollow barrel  402  is substantially equal to the diameter of the through hole  114 . The inner diameter of the hollow barrel  402  is larger than the diameter of the cable  500 . The retaining ring  404  is fixed to the hollow barrel  42 , generally at the middle thereof. The distance between the retaining ring  404  and the second end  402   b  is longer than the through hole  114 . The compressing threaded retainer  408  has a tapered configuration and tapers from a large end  408   a  to a small end  408   b . The inner diameter of the compressing threaded retainer  408  at the large end  408   a  is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the hollow barrel  402  and tapers towards the small end  408   b . 
     In assembly, the cable  500  sequentially passes through the compressing threaded retainer  408  from the small end  408   b  to the large end  408   b , the hollow barrel  402  from the first end  402   a  to the second end  402   b , the though hole  114 , and the threaded retainer  406 . As such, the cable  500  is received in the base  102 . 
     The second end  402   b  of the hollow barrel  402  is received in the through hole  114  until the retaining ring  404  abuts the front surface  102   b . The threaded retainer  406  passes through the second end  402   b  of the hollow barrel  402  until abutting the base  102 . As such, the hollow barrel  402  is fixed to the base via the retaining ring  404  and the threaded retainer  406 . 
     The cable  500  is received in the hollow barrel  402 . Conductive cores of wires (not shown) of the cable  500  winds on the conductive fasteners  306  respectively. The conductive fasteners  306  are received in the connecting threaded holes  304   a  respectively. As such, the cable  500  is connected to the connector  300  and thus to the circuit board  200 . 
     The compressing threaded retainer  408  passes through the first end  402   a  of the hollow barrel  402 . Since the first end  402   a  of the hollow barrel  402  is slotted and the inner diameter of the compressing threaded retainer  408  tapers towards the small end  408 , the first end  402   a  of the hollow barrel  402  deforms and the inner diameter thereof gradually decreases from force of the compressing threaded retainer  408 . As such, the cable  500  is fixed by the cable fixing element  400  and attached to the base  102 . 
     When replacement of the circuit board  200  or the cable  500  is needed, the conductive fasteners  306  are withdrawn from the connecting threaded holes  304   a  and the cores of the wires of the cable  500  unwound from the conductive fasteners  306  for replacement. 
     It should be noted that the slots  402   c  are not limited to two in number, but can be one or more than two. The hollow barrel  402  can be fixed to the base  102  via other means such as structural engagement or adhesive, in which case the retaining ring  404  and the threaded retainer  406  can be omitted. Also, provided that the cable  500  can be fittingly inserted through the through hole  114 , the cable fixing element  400  can be omitted. 
     It will be understood that the above particular embodiments and methods are shown and described by way of illustration only. The principles and the features of the present disclosure may be employed in various and numerous embodiment thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure as claimed. The above-described embodiments illustrate the scope of the disclosure but do not restrict the scope of the disclosure.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7