U.S. patent application number 10/141747 was filed with the patent office on 2003-11-13 for compact electrical charger.
Invention is credited to Tsai, Erh-Chien.
Application Number | 20030211774 10/141747 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29399740 |
Filed Date | 2003-11-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030211774 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tsai, Erh-Chien |
November 13, 2003 |
COMPACT ELECTRICAL CHARGER
Abstract
An electrical charger includes a casing defining a receiving
space. A current converting unit includes a circuit board disposed
in the receiving space, and formed with two electrical contacts.
First and second conductive connecting members are secured in the
receiving space, and have board-connecting ends in sliding contact
with the electrical contacts. A power plug unit includes two
conductive pivot members rotatably and respectively mounted on
bifurcated ends of the first and second conductive connecting
members. Each pivot member has a grooved cylindrical portion
rotatably and detachably retained in a retaining groove of the
respective bifurcated end so as to permit rotation of the pivot
member in the casing, and a bifurcated portion projecting from the
cylindrical portion and defining a gap. Two plug blades extend into
the gaps, and are pivoted to the bifurcated portions of the pivot
members.
Inventors: |
Tsai, Erh-Chien; (Chia-Yi
Hsien, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BRINKS HOFER GILSON & LIONE
P.O. BOX 10395
CHICAGO
IL
60611
US
|
Family ID: |
29399740 |
Appl. No.: |
10/141747 |
Filed: |
May 9, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/501 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R 35/04 20130101;
H02G 11/02 20130101; H01R 13/72 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
439/501 |
International
Class: |
H01R 013/72 |
Claims
I claim:
1. An electrical charger comprising: a casing defining a receiving
space; a connector adapted to be electrically connected to an
electronic device; a hollow rotary member mounted rotatably in said
receiving space in said casing and rotatable about a first axis,
said rotary member having a wire-winding wall surrounding said
first axis, and confining a circuit chamber; a current converting
unit including a circuit board that is mounted in said circuit
chamber for co-rotation with said rotary member about said first
axis, and that has a bottom face formed with a pair of spaced apart
electrical contacts; a conductive wire wound around said
wire-winding wall of said rotary member, and having a connecting
end electrically connected to said circuit board, and a
connector-coupling end connected to said connector; first and
second conductive connecting members secured in said receiving
space, each of said first and second conductive connecting members
having a board-connecting end in sliding contact with a respective
one of said electrical contacts, and a bifurcated end opposite to
said board-connecting end disposed outwardly of said circuit
chamber, and defining a retaining groove; and a power plug unit
including a pair of pivot pins, a pair of conductive pivot members
rotatably and respectively mounted on said bifurcated ends of said
first and second conductive connecting members, each of said
conductive pivot members having a grooved cylindrical portion that
extends in a transverse direction relative to the respective one of
said first and second conductive connecting members and that is
rotatably and detachably retained in said retaining groove of a
respective one of said bifurcated ends so as to permit rotation of
said conductive pivot members in said casing about a second axis
which is parallel to said first axis, and a bifurcated portion
projecting from said grooved cylindrical portion and defining a
blade-receiving gap, and a pair of plug blades extending into said
gaps of said cylindrical portions of said conductive pivot members
and pivoted to said bifurcated portions of said conductive pivot
members via said pivot pins, respectively, so as to permit rotation
of said plug blades about said pivot pins relative to said
conductive pivot members between a position of use, in which each
of said plug blades is aligned with a respective one of said
conductive pivot members along a straight line and extends
outwardly of said casing from the respective one of said conductive
pivot members, and an idle position, in which, each of said plug
blades is angled away from the respective one of said conductive
pivot members and is embedded in said casing.
2. The electrical charger as defined in claim 1, wherein said
casing has a front wall formed with a front opening in spatial
communication with said receiving space, said rotary member having
a front wall extending from said wire-winding wall, confining a
front side of said circuit chamber, and exposing from said casing
via said front opening, said electrical charger further comprising
a turning handle mounted on said front wall of said rotary member
and extending outwardly of said casing through said front opening
for turning the rotary member.
3. The electrical charger as defined in claim 2, further comprising
a pin fixed to said front wall of said rotary member within said
circuit chamber, said front wall of said rotary member being formed
with a handle-retention slot confined by a slot-confining wall
portion and in spatial communication with said circuit chamber and
said front opening, said handle extending through said slot and
pivoted to said pin so as to permit rotation of said handle about
said pin between a folded position, in which, said handle is
embedded in said handle-retention slot, and an unfolded position,
in which, said handle projects outwardly of said handle-retention
slot through said front opening.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an electrical charger, more
particularly to a compact electrical charger that facilitates
storage and carrying.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional electrical charger is
shown to include a casing 11 defining a cell-holding cavity 111
therein, a transformer 12 with a pair of plug blades 121 for
insertion into socket holes of a power source, and a conductive
wire 13 interposed between and electrically connected to the casing
11 and the transformer 12.
[0005] The aforesaid conventional electrical charger is
disadvantageous in that it is inconvenient to store and carry
along.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The main object of this invention is to provide a compact
electrical charger which is capable of avoiding the aforesaid
drawbacks of the conventional electrical charger.
[0007] Accordingly, an electrical charger of the present invention
includes a casing, a connector, a hollow rotary member, a current
converting unit, a conductive wire, first and second conductive
connecting members, and a power plug unit. The casing defines a
receiving space. The connector is adapted to be electrically
connected to an electronic device. The rotary member is mounted
rotatably in the receiving space of the casing, is rotatable about
a first axis. The rotary member has a wire-winding wall surrounding
the first axis and confines a circuit chamber therein. The current
converting unit includes a circuit board that is mounted in the
circuit chamber for co-rotation with the rotary member about the
first axis, and that has a bottom face formed with a pair of spaced
apart electrical contacts. The conductive wire is wound around the
wire-winding wall of the rotary member, and has a connecting end
electrically connected to the circuit board, and a
connector-coupling end connected to the connector. The first and
second conductive connecting members are secured in the receiving
space in the casing. Each of the first and second conductive
connecting members has a board-connecting end in sliding contact
with a respective one of the electrical contacts, and a bifurcated
end that is opposite to the board-connecting end, that is disposed
outwardly of the circuit chamber, and that defines a retaining
groove. The power plug unit includes a pair of pivot pins, a pair
of conductive pivot members, and a pair of plug blades. The
conductive pivot members are rotatably and respectively mounted on
the bifurcated ends of the first and second conductive connecting
members. Each of the conductive pivot members has a grooved
cylindrical portion that extends in a transverse direction relative
to a respective one of the first and second conductive connecting
members, and that is rotatably and detachably retained in the
retaining groove of a respective one of the bifurcated ends so as
to permit rotation of the conductive pivot members in the casing
about a second axis which is parallel to the first axis, and a
bifurcated portion projecting from the grooved cylindrical portion
and defining a blade-receiving gap. The plug blades extend into the
gaps of the cylindrical portions of the conductive pivot members,
and are pivoted to the bifurcated portions of the conductive pivot
members via the pivot pins, respectively, so as to permit rotation
of the plug blades about the pivot pins relative to the conductive
pivot members between a position of use, in which each of the plug
blades is aligned with a respective one of the conductive pivot
members along a straight line, and extends outwardly of the casing
from the respective one of the conductive pivot members, and an
idle position, in which, each of the plug blades is angled away
from the respective one of the conductive pivot members, and is
embedded in the casing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] These and other features and advantages of this invention
will become apparent in the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiment of this invention, with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional electrical
charger;
[0010] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a preferred
embodiment of an electrical charger according to the present
invention;
[0011] FIG. 3 is an enlarged and exploded view of a current
converting unit and a power plug unit of the preferred
embodiment;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, sectional rear view of the
preferred embodiment, illustrating the interrelationship between
two conductive connecting members and a circuit board;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a partly sectional side view of the preferred
embodiment in a position of use;
[0014] FIG. 6 is a partly sectional view of the preferred
embodiment in an idle position; and
[0015] FIG. 7 is a front view of the preferred embodiment,
illustrating how a handle is kept in a handle-retention slot when
not in use.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0016] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 5, the preferred embodiment of an
electrical charger according to the present invention is shown to
include a casing 2, a connector 62, a hollow rotary member 4, a
current converting unit 5, a connective wire 6, first and second
conductive connecting members 52, 53, and a power plug unit.
[0017] As illustrated, the casing 2 includes front and rear halves
2A, 2B, and a peripheral wall 23 that extends between and that
cooperates with the front and rear halves 2A, 2B to define a
receiving space 24 and a connector-receiving space 27
thereamong.
[0018] The connector 62 is received in and is withdrawable from the
connector-receiving space 27, and is adapted to be electrically
connected to an electronic device, such as a cellular phone for
charging a battery unit mounted within the cellular phone.
[0019] The rotary member 4 is mounted rotatably in the receiving
space 24 of the casing 2, and is rotatable about a first axis. The
rotary member 4 has a wire-winding wall 44 surrounding the first
axis, and confines a circuit chamber 42.
[0020] The current converting unit 5 includes a circuit board 51
that is mounted in the circuit chamber 42 for co-rotation with the
rotary member 4 about the first axis, and that has a bottom face
511 formed with a pair of spaced apart electrical contacts 513,
514. A plurality of electronic components 512 are formed on the
circuit board 51 and are in electrical connection with the contacts
513, 514. The electronic components 512 are capable of converting
AC current into DC current. Since the feature of the present
invention does not reside in the components 512, a detailed
description thereof is omitted herein for the sake of brevity.
[0021] The conductive wire 6 is wound around the wire-winding wall
44 of the rotary member 4, and has a connecting end 61 electrically
connected to the circuit board 51, and a connector-coupling end 63
connected to the connector 62.
[0022] The first and second conductive connecting members 52, 53
are secured in the receiving space 24 of the casing 2. Each of the
first and second conductive connecting members 52, 53 has a
board-connecting end 521, 531 in sliding contact with a respective
one of the electrical contacts 513, 514 on the circuit board 51,
and a bifurcated end 523, 533 that is opposite to the
board-connecting end 521, 531, that is disposed outwardly of the
circuit chamber 42, and that defines a retaining groove 524,
534.
[0023] The power plug unit includes a pair of pivot pins 543, 553,
a pair of conductive pivot members 54', 55', and a pair of plug
blades 54, 55. The conductive pivot members 54', 55' are rotatably
and respectively mounted on the bifurcated ends 523, 533 of the
first and second conductive connecting members 52, 53. Each of the
conductive pivot members 54', 55' has a grooved cylindrical portion
541, 551 that extends in a transverse direction relative to the
respective one of the first and second conductive connecting
members 52, 53 and that is rotatably and detachably retained in the
retaining groove 524, 534 of a respective one of the bifurcated
ends 523, 533 so as to permit rotation of the conductive pivot
members 54', 55' in the casing 2 about a second axis which is
parallel to the first axis, and a bifurcated portion 540, 550 that
projects from the grooved cylindrical portion 541, 551 and that
defines a blade-receiving gap 540", 550". The plug blades 54, 55
extend respectively into the gaps 540", 550", and are pivoted to
the bifurcated portions 540, 550 of the conductive pivot members
54', 55' via the pivot pins 543, 553, respectively, so as to permit
rotation of the plug blades 54, 55 about the pivot pins 543, 553
relative to the conductive pivot members 54', 55' between a
position of use, in which each of the plug blades 54, 55 is aligned
with a respective one of the conductive pivot members 54', 55'
along a straight line, and extends outwardly of the casing 2 from
the respective one of the conductive pivot members 54', 55', as
best shown in FIG. 5, and an idle position, in which, each of the
plug blades 54, 55 is angled away from the respective one of the
conductive pivot members 54', 55', and is embedded in the casing 2,
as best shown in FIG. 6.
[0024] In this embodiment, the front half 2A of the casing has a
front wall 21 formed a front opening 211 in spatial communication
with the receiving space 24. The rotary member 4 has a front wall
41 extending from a front end of the wire-winding wall 44 to
confine a front side of the circuit chamber 42 such that the front
wall 41 is exposed from the casing 2 via the front opening 211. The
front wall 21 of the front half 2A is further formed with a clock
chamber 212 offset from the front opening 211 for receiving a clock
3 therein. The electrical charger of the present invention further
includes a turning handle 43 that is mounted on the front wall 41
of the rotary member 4, and that extends outwardly of the casing 2
through the front opening 211 for turning the rotary member 4.
[0025] Preferably, a pin 49 is mounted on the front wall 41 of the
rotary member 4 within the circuit chamber 42. The front wall 41 of
the rotary member 4 is formed with a handle-retention slot 411 that
is confined by a slot-confining wall portion 413 (see FIG. 6) and
that is in spatial communication with the circuit chamber 42 and
the front opening 211. The handle 43 extends through the slot 411
and is pivoted to the pin 49 so as to permit rotation of the handle
43 about the pin 49 between a folded position, in which, the handle
43 is embedded in the handle-retention slot 411 (see FIG. 7), and
an unfolded position, in which, the handle 43 projects outwardly of
the handle-retention slot 411 through the front opening 211 of the
front wall 21, as best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The front wall 41 of
the rotary member 4 is further formed with a bulb-mounting hole 412
to receive a light bulb 56 which is electrically connected to the
circuit board 51. When the electrical charger of the present
invention is in use, the light bulb 56 will be on.
[0026] The rear half 2B of the casing 2 includes a rear wall 22
formed with a pair of through holes 224 to permit extension of the
conductive pivot members 54', 55' therethrough. The rear wall 22 of
the rear half 2B is indented to form a pair of blade-retention
slots 28 extending from and in spatial communication with the
through holes 224, respectively, so as to receive the plug blades
54, 55 when the latter are disposed at the idle position. Each of
the plug blades 54, 55 is further provided with a nail-groove 544,
554. The nail-grooves 544, 554 of the plug blades 54, 55 are
exposed and accessible from the blade-retention slots 28 when the
plug blades 54, 55 are disposed at the idle position, thereby
facilitating pulling of the plug blades 54, 55 from the
blade-retention slots 28. A partition 26 is disposed in a lower
portion of the casing 2, confines a rear side of the clock chamber
212, and limits the extent of movement of the plug blades 54, 55
into the blade-retention slots 28.
[0027] The connector 62 can be stored inside the
connector-receiving space 27 by virtue of winding of the conductive
wire 6 around the wire-winding wall 44 of the rotary member 4 so as
to facilitate storage of the electrical charger of the present
invention.
[0028] With this invention thus explained, it is apparent that
numerous modifications and variations can be made without departing
from the scope and spirit of this invention. It is therefore
intended that this invention be limited only as indicated by the
appended claims.
* * * * *