Abstract:
A pin configuration adapter is disclosed which can be attached to an AC-adapter having a plug body having a first pin configuration and an AC-adapter housing having a power conversion circuit. The plug body is rotatable between a first position where it is accommodated in a recess formed in the AC-adapter housing and a second position where it is in an upright position with respect to the AC-adapter housing. The pin configuration adapter includes a plug part having a second pin configuration different from the first pin configuration; a receptacle part whereto the plug body in the second position can be inserted; a pin configuration adapter housing having an internal connection mechanism for electrically connecting the plug body and the plug part; and an engaging part provided on the pin configuration adapter housing and engages with the recess of the AC-adapter housing.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a pin configuration adapter for an AC-adapter, and particularly relates to a pin configuration adapter having a different pin type from that of the AC-adapter and which is, in use, attached to the AC-adapter.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Generally, a power transformer (AC-adapter) is widely used for supplying power to portable electronic devices and/or for recharging batteries of such electronic devices. The power transformer includes a housing, a plug protruding from the housing, a conversion circuit provided inside the housing and an output cord extending from the housing. In order to plug the power adapter to the power socket, the pins are inserted into the power socket. In the converting circuit, an alternating current supplied from the power socket is converted to a direct current of a predetermined voltage. The obtained direct current is output from the output cord which may be connected to an electronic device.  
           [0005]    Recently, many people bring such devices abroad on their private or business trips. However, there is no global standard configuration for a power socket, and therefore there are various configuration of the power socket for various countries.  
           [0006]    Accordingly, an AC-adapter having a parallel-blade pin configuration conforming to a standard adopted in countries such as Japan, Taiwan and the U.S., cannot be used in those countries where power sockets are configured to match a pin configuration different from the parallel-blade type. Therefore, the traveller wishing to travel in such a country had to purchase and bring AC-adapters conforming to pin configurations adopted in the country or countries he wishes to travel in.  
           [0007]    However, it is troublesome to prepare AC-adapters of different pin configurations conforming to the domestic standard and to foreign standards. Also, since each of the AC-adapters has a conversion circuit therein, it is comparatively expensive to prepare different types of AC-adaptors. Therefore, it is an economic burden to a user of a portable electronic device to prepare expensive AC-adapters for each standard with different pin configuration.  
           [0008]    In order to overcome the above-mentioned problem, it is known to provide pin configuration adapters having a pin configuration different from that of the plug provided on the housing, which may be attached to the AC-adapter. However, the pin configuration adapter of the related art is attached the AC-adapter by simply inserting the pins of the AC-adapter to the pin configuration adapter and therefore an attachment force to the AC-adapter is weak. Therefore, there is a problem that the pin configuration adapter may fall off from the AC-adapter upon insertion to the power socket.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a pin configuration adapter for an AC-adaptor which can solve the above problems.  
           [0010]    It is another and more specific object of the present invention to provide a pin configuration adapter for an AC-adaptor which can be securely plugged to the AC-adaptor having a plug body having a first pin configuration and an AC-adapter housing having a conversion circuit for converting an electric power supplied via the plug body, the plug body being rotatable between a first position in which the plug body is accommodated in a recess formed in the AC-adapter housing and a second position in which the plug body is in an upright position with respect to the AC-adapter housing.  
           [0011]    In order to achieve the above objects, a pin configuration adapter includes:  
           [0012]    a plug part having a second pin configuration different from said first pin configuration;  
           [0013]    a receptacle part whereto said plug body in said second position can be inserted;  
           [0014]    a pin configuration adapter housing having an internal connection mechanism for electrically connecting said plug body and said plug part; and  
           [0015]    an engaging part provided on said pin configuration adapter housing and engages with said recess of said AC-adapter housing.  
           [0016]    With the pin configuration adapter described above, when the pin configuration adapter is attached to the AC-adapter, the pin provided on the plug body are inserted into the pin configuration adapter housing and the recess of the pin configuration. Also, the engaging part provided on the pin configuration adapter housing engages with the recess of the AC-adapter housing. In this attached state, the pins of the plug body and the pins of the plug part are connected by a connection mechanism. Thus, the AC-adapter can be attached to a power socket having a configuration matching the pin configuration of the plug part.  
           [0017]    With such a structure, the pin configuration adapter is attached to the AC-adapter by two forces: an engagement force between the plug body and the pin configuration adapter housing (in detail, the connection mechanism) and an engagement force between the engaging part and the recess. Thus, since the pin configuration adapter is attached to the AC-adapter by two engagement forces, the pin configuration adapter can be securely attached to the AC-adapter.  
           [0018]    Also, the engaging part engages with the recess formed on the AC-adapter which is a portion where the plug body is accommodated and where a space is formed when the plug body moves to the second position (when the AC-adapter is in use). The pin configuration adapter is attached to the AC-adapter when the plug body is in the second position, and therefore the engagement part engages with the space formed after the plug body has been moved.  
           [0019]    That is to say, since the engaging part matches with the recess provided in the AC-adapter, even in a state where the engaging part is engaged with the recess of the AC-adapter, the size of the AC-adapter is kept considerably compact. Also, even when the pin configuration adapter  20 is attached to the AC-adapter, the portableness of the AC-adapter is maintained. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1 is a perspective diagram showing how a pin configuration adapter of an embodiment of the present invention is attached to an AC-adapter.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIGS. 2A to  2 C are a plan view, a side view and a bottom view, respectively, of the AC-adapter to which the pin configuration adapter of the embodiment of the present invention is attached, showing a state where a parallel-blade pins are in the accommodated position.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 3A and 3B are a plan view and a side view, respectively, of the AC-adapter to which the pin configuration adapter of the embodiment of the present invention is attached, showing a state where a parallel-blade pins are in the extruded position.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIGS. 4A to  4 D are a plan view, a front view, a bottom view and a side view, respectively, of a pin configuration adapter of the first embodiment of the embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 5 is a partial sectional diagram showing an internal structure of the pin configuration adapter of the embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 6 is a front view showing a state where the pin configuration adapter of the present invention is attached to the AC-adapter.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a state where the pin configuration adapter of the present invention is attached to the AC-adapter.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 8 is a side view showing a state where the pin configuration adapter of the present invention is attached to the AC-adapter.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIGS. 9A and 9B are perspective diagrams showing a lock mechanism provided inside the pin configuration adapter.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIGS. 10A and 10B are perspective diagrams showing pin configuration adapters of the variants of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0030]    In the following, principles and embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
         [0031]    FIGS.  1  to  9  are diagrams showing a pin configuration adapter for an AC-adapter (hereinafter referred to as a pin configuration adapter)  20  of a first embodiment the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing how the pin configuration adapter  20  is attached to an AC-adaptor  10 . FIGS. 2A to  3 B show a configuration of the AC-adapter  10 . FIGS. 4A to  5  show a configuration of the pin configuration adapter  20 . FIGS.  6  to  8  show a state where the pin configuration adapter  20  is attached to the AC-adapter  10 . FIGS. 9A and 9B are diagrams showing a lock mechanism  33  provided in the pin configuration adapter  20 .  
         [0032]    As shown in FIG. 1, in use, the pin configuration adapter  20  is attached to the AC-adapter  10 . Before describing the pin configuration adapter  20  in detail, an explanation will be made of the AC-adapter  10 , such as an AC-adapter known from Japanese laid-open patent application No. 11-224717.  
         [0033]    As shown in FIGS.  1  to  3 B, the AC-adapter  10  generally includes an AC-adapter housing  11 , a rotatable plug body  12  and a cord  17 . The adaptor housing  11  is a housing made of resin and includes a first housing half-body  11   a  and a second housing half-body  11   b.  The housing half-bodies  11   a  and  11   b  are fixed together to form the AC-adapter housing  11 .  
         [0034]    Inside the AC-adapter housing  11 , there is provided a power transformer circuit (not shown) for converting an alternating current supplied from the rotatable plug body  12  to a direct current of a predetermined voltage. Also, a recess  15  is formed at a predetermined position of the AC-adapter housing  11 . The rotatable plug body  12  described below is provided in this recess  15 .  
         [0035]    Further, the AC-adapter housing  11  is provided with a pair of positioning grooves  16 A and  16 B extending in a vertical direction in FIG. 1 (in the figure, in the Z 1 - and Z 2 -directions shown by an arrow). Although not shown in the figure, a lock hole is provided on a wall of the recess  15 . The lock hole receives and engages with the lock mechanism  33  described later.  
         [0036]    The rotatable plug body  12  includes a base part  13  and parallel-blade pins  14 . The base part  13  is made of insulating resin and can be rotated about a rotational axis in the X 1 -X 2  direction through an angle of approximately 90°. The parallel-blade pins  14  are formed in an integrated manner with the base part  13 , for example, by insert molding. Accordingly, when the rotatable plug body  12  rotates about the rotational axis, the parallel blade pins  14  also rotate about the rotational axis in an integrated manner.  
         [0037]    In detail, the rotatable plug body  12  rotates through an angle of approximately 90° between a first position shown in FIGS. 2A to  2 C, in which the parallel-blade pins  14  are accommodated in the recess  15 , and a second position shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, in which the parallel-blade pins  14  are substantially perpendicular to the upper surface  10   a  of the AC-adapter housing  11 . Also, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, when the rotatable plug body  12  takes the second position, the parallel-blade pins  14  are not accommodated in the recess  15 . Therefore, in FIG. 3A, a space appears in the left half of the recess  15 , which is not occupied by the base part  13 .  
         [0038]    Further, the AC-adapter  10  of the present embodiment is configured as follows to achieve an improved security. When the rotational plug body  12  takes the first position, the parallel-blade pins  14  and the power supply converting circuit are disconnected. When the rotational plug body  12  takes the second position, that is to say only when using the AC-adapter  10 , the parallel-blade pins  14  and the power supply conversion circuit are connected.  
         [0039]    Now, the configuration of the pin configuration adapter  20  will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 4A to  4 D and  5 .  
         [0040]    The pin configuration adapter  20  generally includes a pin configuration adapter housing  21 , an engaging part  22 , round pin pins  25 , and a lock mechanism  33 . The pin configuration adapter housing  21  and the engaging part  22  are made by resin molding and in the present embodiment, formed in an integrated manner by molding.  
         [0041]    As shown in FIGS. 4B and 4D, the pin configuration adapter housing  21  is provided with a pair of round pin pins  25  protruding upwards from the upper surface  23 . The round pin pins  25  conforms the European (EU) standard for plugs. Also, a skirt part  29  is provided at the bottom of the pin configuration adapter housing  21 , such that an increased contact area is provided with the upper surface  10   a  of the AC-adapter housing  11  when the pin configuration adapter  20  is attached to the AC-adapter  10 . Accordingly, the wobbliness of the pin configuration adapter  20  against the AC-adapter housing  11  is reduced.  
         [0042]    Also, as shown in FIG. 4C, pin insertion holes  30  are formed on a lower surface  24  of the pin configuration adapter housing  21 . In order to plug the pin configuration adapter  20  to the AC-adapter  10 , the parallel-blade pins  14  of the AC-adapter  10  are inserted to the pin insertion holes  30 .  
         [0043]    Now, the internal structure of the pin configuration adapter housing  21  will be described with reference to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a partial cutaway diagram of the pin configuration adapter housing  21 . As shown in FIG. 5, the round pin pins  25  are fixed on the pin configuration adapter housing  21  for example by insert molding. The round pin pins  25  are configured such that connection parts  25 A are provided at ends of the round pin pins  25  in the pin configuration adapter housing  21 .  
         [0044]    Contacts  31  are provided inside the pin configuration adapter housing  21  at positions opposing the pin insertion holes  30  formed on the lower surface  24 . When the parallel-blade pins  14  of the AC-adapter  10  are inserted, the contacts  31  engage with and are electrically connected to the parallel-blade pins  14 . Connection parts  31 A are provided at upper ends of the contacts  31 .  
         [0045]    Then, the contact parts  25 A formed on the round pin pins  25  and the contact parts  31 A formed on the contacts  31  are electrically connected by connection wires  32 . Thus, an electrical connection is established between the round pins  25  and the contacts  31 . Thus, when the pin configuration adapter  20  is attached to the AC adapter  10  and the parallel-blade pins  14  engage with the contacts  31  via the pin insertion holes  30 , the parallel-blade pins  14  becomes electrically connected with the round pin pins  25  via the connection wires  32 .  
         [0046]    The engaging part  22  extends downwardly from the lower surface of the pin configuration adapter housing  21 . The engaging part  22  has a rectangular shape which is configured to match with the recess  15  formed in the AC-adapter  10 . In detail, the engaging part  22  is configured to engage in the recess  15 , when inserted to the space formed in the recess  15  which appears when the rotational plug body  12  is in the second position.  
         [0047]    Also, the engaging part  22  is provided with positioning ribs  26 A,  26 B and the lock mechanism  33 . As shown in FIG. 1, the positioning ribs  26 A and  26 B extend in the vertical direction (in the Z 1 - and Z 2 -directions shown by an arrow). The positioning ribs  26 A and  26 B are provided at positions corresponding to the position of the positioning grooves  16 A and  16 B, respectively, formed on the AC-adapter  10 .  
         [0048]    Therefore, when attaching the pin configuration adapter  20  to the AC-adapter  10 , the positioning ribs  26 A and  26 B are positioned with the positioning grooves  16 A and  16 B such that the pin configuration adapter  20  and the AC-adapter  10  are positioned with each other. In this state, the parallel-blade pins  14  of the AC-adapter  10  and the pin insertion holes  30  formed on the lower surface  24  of the pin configuration adapter housing  21  are also accurately positioned with each other.  
         [0049]    As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the lock mechanism  33  includes a lock release button  28 , a lock lever  34  and a coil spring  38 . The lock release button  28  can be depressed in the direction shown by an arrow B. Also, the lock release button  28  is provided with a forked lever part  36 . The inner surfaces of the forked lever part  36  are formed as tapered surfaces  37 . The tapered surfaces  37  are formed such that the separation distance between opposing tapered surfaces  37  increases towards the direction shown by an arrow B.  
         [0050]    The lock lever  34  is provided with a pivoting part  35  at its top and the pivoting part  35  is pivotably supported at the engaging part  22 . Accordingly, the lock lever  34  is pivotable in the A 1 - and A 2 -directions shown by an arrow. Also, a lock pawl  27  is provided at the lower end of the lock lever  34 , such that it can be protruded outside from an opening  39  (see FIGS. 1 and 4B) formed on the engaging part  22 .  
         [0051]    Further, the coil spring  38  is provided on a back side (opposite side of the side provided with the lock pawl  27 ) of the lock lever  34 . The coil spring  38  pivots and biases the lock lever  34  in the A 1 -direction shown by an arrow. Therefore, when the lock release button  28  is not in a depressed state, the lock pawl  27  formed on the lock lever  34  protrudes from the engaging part  22  (a state shown in FIG. 9A).  
         [0052]    The above-mentioned lock release button  28  is provided on the side part of the lock lever  34 . In detail, the side part of the lock lever  34  is provided so as to oppose the pair of tapered surfaces  37  formed on the forked lever part  36 . Therefore, when the lock release button  28  is depressed in the direction shown by an arrow B, the tapered surfaces  37  engages with the lock lever  34  and the lock lever  34  will be displaced in the A 2 -direction shown by an arrow (a state shown in FIG. 9B). In accordance with the movement of the lock lever  34 , the lock pawl  27  is also displaced in the Al-direction shown by an arrow. Thus, the lock pawl  27  becomes substantially flush with the surface of the engaging part  22 .  
         [0053]    Now, an operation of attaching the above-described pin configuration adapter  20  to the AC-adapter  10  will be described.  
         [0054]    In order to attach the pin configuration adapter  20  to the AC-adapter  10 , as shown in FIG. 1, the positioning ribs  26 A and  26 B provided on the pin configuration adapter  20  are positioned with the positioning grooves  26 A and  26 B such that the positioning ribs  26 A and  26 B engage with the positioning grooves  16 A and  16 B. Accordingly, the pin configuration adapter  20  and the AC-adapter  10  can be properly positioned against each other. Also, in this state, the parallel-blade pins  14  of the AC-adapter  10  and the pin insertion holes  30  formed on the lower surface  24  of the pin configuration adapter housing  21  are accurately positioned.  
         [0055]    Therefore, as the positioning ribs  26 A and  26 B are inserted into the positioning grooves  16 A and  16 B, the engaging part  22  is inserted into the recess  15  and the parallel-blade pins  14  is be inserted in the pin insertion holes  30 . Thus, an attachment process of the pin configuration adapter to the AC-adapter can be implemented easily.  
         [0056]    Also, when the engaging part  22  is inserted into the recess  15 , the lock pawl  27  of the lock mechanism  33  comes in contact with the inner surface of the recess  15 . Therefore, the lock pawl  27  is retracted in the A 2 -direction against the elastic force of the coil spring  38 . Then, when the lock pawl  27  comes to a position opposing a lock hole (not shown in the figure) formed in the recessed part  15 , the lock pawl  27  again comes to a state where it is protruded from the engaging part  22 . That is to say, the lock pawl  27  comes to a state where it is engaged with the AC-adapter housing  11 .  
         [0057]    Accordingly, the pin configuration adapter  20  is locked to the AC-adapter  10  by means of the lock mechanism  33  and the pin configuration adapter  20  is prevented from being detached from the AC-adapter  10 . Thus, the pin configuration adapter  20  comes to a state where it is attached to the AC-adapter  10 . FIGS.  6  to  8  are diagrams showing states where the pin configuration adapter  20  is attached to the AC-adapter  10 .  
         [0058]    In such a state where the pin configuration adapter  20  is attached to the AC-adapter  10 , the parallel-blade pins (first plug)  14  are inserted to the pin configuration adapter housing  21  of the pin configuration adapter  20  via the pin insertion holes  30 . Thus, the parallel-blade pins  14  engages and thus is electrically connected with the contacts  31 , and can be electrically connected to the round pin pins (second plug)  25  via the connection wires  32 . Therefore, when the pin configuration adapter  20  is attached, the AC-adapter  10  can be used in those countries adopting the round pin pins  25  as a standard.  
         [0059]    Also, when the pin configuration adapter  20  is attached to the AC-adapter  10 , the parallel-blade pins  14  engage with the contacts  31  and the engaging part  22  engages with the recess  15 . Therefore, the pin configuration adapter  20  is attached to the AC-adapter  10  by two forces: an engagement force between the parallel-blade pins  14  and the contacts  31  and an engagement force between the engaging part  22  and the recess  15 . Thus, since the pin configuration adapter  20  is attached to the AC-adapter  10  by two engagement forces, the pin configuration adapter  20  can be securely attached to the AC-adapter  10  and thus does not easily detach from the AC-adapter  10 .  
         [0060]    Further, in the present embodiment, the lock mechanism  3  is provided as described above such that the lock pawl  27  engages with the lock hole of the recess  15  in a state where the pin configuration adapter  20  is attached to the AC-adapter  10 . Therefore, when the engagement part  22  engages with the recess  15 , the engaging part  22  and the recess  15  (AC-adapter housing  11 ) can be more securely fastened. Thus, the pin configuration adapter  20  can be prevented from being detached from the AC-adapter  10 .  
         [0061]    Further, as has been described above, the engaging part  22  engages with the recess  15  formed on the AC-adapter  10 . The recess  15  is essentially a portion where the parallel-blade pins  14  are accommodated and therefore it is initially formed in the AC-adapter  10 . The present embodiment uses the fact that a space is made in the recess  15  when the parallel-blade pins  14  moves to the second position (when the AC-adapter  10  is in use). The engaging part  22  is configured such that it can be inserted in the space in the recess  15 .  
         [0062]    Therefore, even in a state where the engaging part  22  is engaged with the recess  15  of the AC-adapter  10 , the size of the AC-adapter  10  is kept considerably compact. Also, even when the pin configuration adapter  20  is attached to the AC-adapter  10 , the portableness of the AC-adapter  10  is maintained.  
         [0063]    On the other hand, the pin configuration adapter  20  can be detached from the AC-adapter  10  by releasing the lock pawl  27  and the lock hole by depressing the lock release button  28 , and pulling the pin configuration adapter  20  off from the AC-adapter  10 .  
         [0064]    It is to be noted that the above embodiment has been described using the round pin pins  25  as an example of the pins provided on the pin configuration adapter  20 . However, as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, the pin configuration adapter  20  may be altered to configurations conforming the standards for-various countries by providing pins of various types on the pin configuration adapter housing  21 . FIG. 10A is a variant of a pin configuration adapter  40  in which non-parallel blade pins  42  are provided. FIG. 10B is a variant of a pin configuration adapter  41  in which 3-terminal pins are provided.  
         [0065]    Further, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.  
         [0066]    The present application is based on Japanese priority application No. 2000-391427 filed on Dec. 22, 2000, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.