Input / output connector and electronic device including the same

Abstract

An electronic device and an input / output connector are disclosed. The device may include an input / output connector, which may include: a housing including an opening; a cover covering at least a portion of the opening, connected to the housing through a hinge and forming an appearance of the electronic device together with the housing; an elastic body connected to the housing and the cover; and an insertion hole formed by the housing and the cover, into which a cable terminal may be inserted to connect with an external device, wherein the size of the insertion hole may be changed according to the rotation of the cover.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to electronic devices, and more particularly to an electronic device including an input / output connector. Background Art

[0002] An electronic device may include an input / output connector for connecting to an external device. Depending on the design specifications, an electronic device may include one or more input / output connectors. Depending on the external device to be connected, the input / output connector may have various types and shapes (e.g., symmetrical or asymmetrical). Summary of the invention

[0003] Technical issues

[0004] In the presence of various input / output connectors and various cable terminals, the input / output connector may be damaged when a particular cable terminal is inserted in the wrong direction or otherwise misaligned to the corresponding input / output connector.

[0005] Solution to the problem

[0006] Aspects of the present disclosure are to solve at least the above problems and / or disadvantages and provide at least the advantages described below. Therefore, one aspect of the present disclosure provides an input / output connector having a structure for preventing a cable terminal from being inserted in a wrong direction.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an input / output connector is provided. The input / output connector may include: a housing including an opening; a cover covering at least a portion of the opening, connected to the housing by a hinge and forming an appearance of an electronic device together with the housing; an elastic body connected to the housing and the cover; and an insertion hole formed by the housing and the cover, into which a cable terminal may be inserted to connect with an external device, wherein the size of the insertion hole may be changed according to the rotation of the cover.

[0008] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an electronic device is provided. The electronic device may include: a housing, the housing including an opening; a connecting cable, the connecting cable being accommodated in an internal space of the housing, being extendable from the housing and retractable into the housing, and being used to connect with an external electronic device; and an input / output connector, the input / output connector being disposed in the opening of the housing. Wherein, the input / output connector includes: a cover, the cover covering at least a portion of the opening of the housing, being hinged to the housing and forming the appearance of the electronic device together with the housing; an elastomer, the elastomer being connected to the housing and the cover; and an insertion hole, the insertion hole being formed by the housing and the cover, and a cable terminal being insertable into the insertion hole to connect with an external device, wherein the size of the insertion hole is changeable according to the rotation of the cover.

[0009] Beneficial Effects of the Invention

[0010] According to the present disclosure, the input / output connector is provided with a structure capable of preventing the cable terminal from being inserted into the input / output connector by mistake (eg, reverse insertion). Therefore, the input / output connector can be prevented from being damaged. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of certain embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0012] Figure 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment according to various embodiments.

[0013] Figure 2 is a diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 3 is a view of an input / output connector in an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] Figure 4 is a view of an input / output connector with a cover removed according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the input / output connector in a first state according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 6 is an enlarged view of the input / output connector in the second state according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 7 and Figure 8 is a view of an electronic device with its housing partially removed according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] Fig. 9 is along Figure 2 A view of the electronic device taken along line AA.

[0020] Fig.10 and Fig.11 is a view illustrating a process of inserting a cable terminal into an input / output connector according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] Fig.12 1 is a view showing a state in which the cable terminal according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is inserted into the input / output connector with the cover removed.

[0022] Fig.13 and Fig.14 is a view showing a process of preventing an attempt to erroneously insert a cable terminal into an input / output connector according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0023] Fig.15 2 is a view showing prevention of an attempt to erroneously insert a cable terminal into an input / output connector from which a cover is removed according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] Below, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the present disclosure, embodiments are described in the accompanying drawings and related detailed descriptions are set forth, but this is not intended to limit the embodiments of the present disclosure. For the sake of clarity and brevity, descriptions of well-known functions and structures are omitted.

[0025] Figure 1 1 is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device 101 in a network environment 100 according to various embodiments. Figure 1, the electronic device 101 in the network environment 100 may communicate with the electronic device 102 via the first network 198 (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network), or communicate with the electronic device 104 or the server 108 via the second network 199 (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may communicate with the electronic device 104 via the server 108. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may include a processor 120, a memory 130, an input device 150, a sound output device 155, a display device 160, an audio module 170, a sensor module 176, an interface 177, a haptic module 179, a camera module 180, a power management module 188, a battery 189, a communication module 190, a user identification module (SIM) 196, or an antenna module 197. In some embodiments, at least one of the components (e.g., the display device 160 or the camera module 180) may be omitted from the electronic device 101, or one or more other components may be added to the electronic device 101. In some embodiments, some of the components may be implemented as a single integrated circuit.For example, the sensor module 176 (eg, a fingerprint sensor, an iris sensor, or an illumination sensor) may be implemented to be embedded in the display device 160 (eg, a display).

[0026] The processor 120 may run, for example, software (e.g., program 140) to control at least one other component (e.g., hardware component or software component) of the electronic device 101 connected to the processor 120, and may perform various data processing or calculations. According to one embodiment, as at least part of the data processing or calculation, the processor 120 may load a command or data received from another component (e.g., sensor module 176 or communication module 190) into the volatile memory 132, process the command or data stored in the volatile memory 132, and store the resultant data in the non-volatile memory 134. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 may include a main processor 121 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU) or an application processor (AP)) and an auxiliary processor 123 (e.g., a graphics processing unit (GPU), an image signal processor (ISP), a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor (CP)) that is independent of or combined with the main processor 121 in operation. Additionally or alternatively, the auxiliary processor 123 may be adapted to consume less power than the main processor 121, or adapted to be specifically used for a specified function. The auxiliary processor 123 may be implemented separately from the main processor 121 , or as part of the main processor 121 .

[0027] When the main processor 121 is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, the auxiliary processor 123 may control at least some of the functions or states related to at least one component (e.g., display device 160, sensor module 176, or communication module 190) among the components of the electronic device 101 (not the main processor 121), or when the main processor 121 is in an active state (e.g., running an application), the auxiliary processor 123 may control at least some of the functions or states related to at least one component (e.g., display device 160, sensor module 176, or communication module 190) among the components of the electronic device 101 together with the main processor 121. According to an embodiment, the auxiliary processor 123 (e.g., an image signal processor or a communication processor) may be implemented as part of another component (e.g., camera module 180 or communication module 190) that is functionally related to the auxiliary processor 123.

[0028] The memory 130 may store various data used by at least one component of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the processor 120 or the sensor module 176). The various data may include, for example, software (e.g., the program 140) and input data or output data for commands related thereto. The memory 130 may include a volatile memory 132 or a nonvolatile memory 134.

[0029] The program 140 may be stored as software in the memory 130 , and may include, for example, an operating system (OS) 142 , middleware 144 , or applications 146 .

[0030] The input device 150 may receive commands or data from outside the electronic device 101 (e.g., a user) to be used by other components of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the processor 120). The input device 150 may include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, a keyboard, or a digital pen (e.g., a stylus).

[0031] The sound output device 155 can output a sound signal to the outside of the electronic device 101. The sound output device 155 may include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker can be used for general purposes such as playing multimedia or playing records, and the receiver can be used for incoming calls. Depending on the embodiment, the receiver can be implemented as a separate part from the speaker, or as a part of the speaker.

[0032] The display device 160 may visually provide information to the outside of the electronic device 101 (e.g., a user). The display device 160 may include, for example, a display, a holographic device, or a projector, and a control circuit for controlling a corresponding one of the display, the holographic device, and the projector. According to an embodiment, the display device 160 may include a touch circuit adapted to detect a touch or a sensor circuit (e.g., a pressure sensor) adapted to measure the strength of a force caused by a touch.

[0033] The audio module 170 may convert sound into an electrical signal, or vice versa. According to an embodiment, the audio module 170 may obtain sound via the input device 150, or output sound via the sound output device 155 or an earphone of an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device 102) directly (e.g., wired) or wirelessly connected to the electronic device 101.

[0034] The sensor module 176 may detect an operating state (e.g., power or temperature) of the electronic device 101 or an environmental state (e.g., a state of a user) outside the electronic device 101, and then generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected state. According to an embodiment, the sensor module 176 may include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illumination sensor.

[0035] The interface 177 may support one or more specific protocols to be used to connect the electronic device 101 directly (e.g., wired) or wirelessly to an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102). According to an embodiment, the interface 177 may include, for example, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a secure digital (SD) card interface, or an audio interface.

[0036] The connection end 178 may include a connector, wherein the electronic device 101 can be physically connected to an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102) via the connector. According to an embodiment, the connection end 178 may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector).

[0037] The haptic module 179 may convert the electrical signal into mechanical stimulation (eg, vibration or motion) or electrical stimulation that can be recognized by the user via his sense of touch or kinesthetic sense. According to an embodiment, the haptic module 179 may include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulator.

[0038] The camera module 180 may capture still images or moving images. According to an embodiment, the camera module 180 may include one or more lenses, an image sensor, an image signal processor, or a flash.

[0039] The power management module 188 may manage power supply to the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, the power management module 188 may be implemented as, for example, at least a part of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

[0040] The battery 189 may power at least one component of the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, the battery 189 may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

[0041] The communication module 190 may support establishing a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between the electronic device 101 and an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device 102, electronic device 104, or server 108), and perform communication via the established communication channel. The communication module 190 may include one or more communication processors capable of operating independently from the processor 120 (e.g., an application processor (AP)) and supporting direct (e.g., wired) communication or wireless communication. According to an embodiment, the communication module 190 may include a wireless communication module 192 (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module 194 (e.g., a local area network (LAN) communication module or a power line communication (PLC) module). A corresponding one of these communication modules can communicate with an external electronic device via a first network 198 (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) Direct, or Infrared Data Association (IrDA)) or a second network 199 (e.g., a long-range communication network such as a cellular network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., a LAN or a wide area network (WAN))). These various types of communication modules can be implemented as a single component (e.g., a single chip), or these various types of communication modules can be implemented as multiple components separated from each other (e.g., multiple chips). The wireless communication module 192 can identify and authenticate the electronic device 101 in a communication network (such as the first network 198 or the second network 199) using user information (e.g., an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI)) stored in the user identification module 196.

[0042] The antenna module 197 may transmit or receive a signal or power to or from the outside of the electronic device 101 (e.g., an external electronic device). According to an embodiment, the antenna module 197 may include an antenna including a radiating element formed of a conductive material or a conductive pattern formed in or on a substrate (e.g., a PCB). According to an embodiment, the antenna module 197 may include a plurality of antennas. In this case, at least one antenna suitable for a communication scheme used in a communication network (such as the first network 198 or the second network 199) may be selected from the plurality of antennas by, for example, the communication module 190 (e.g., the wireless communication module 192). A signal or power may then be transmitted or received between the communication module 190 and the external electronic device via the selected at least one antenna. According to an embodiment, another component (e.g., a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) other than the radiating element may be additionally formed as a part of the antenna module 197.

[0043] At least some of the above components may be connected to each other via an inter-peripheral communication scheme (e.g., a bus, a general purpose input output (GPIO), a serial peripheral interface (SPI), or a mobile industry processor interface (MIPI)) and communicatively transmit signals (e.g., commands or data) therebetween.

[0044] According to an embodiment, a command or data may be sent or received between the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device 104 via the server 108 connected to the second network 199. Each of the electronic device 102 and the electronic device 104 may be a device of the same type as the electronic device 101, or a device of a different type from the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, all or some operations to be executed in the electronic device 101 may be executed in one or more of the external electronic device 102, the external electronic device 104, or the server 108. For example, if the electronic device 101 should automatically execute a function or service or should execute a function or service in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device 101 may request the one or more external electronic devices to execute at least part of the function or service instead of executing the function or service, or the electronic device 101 may request the one or more external electronic devices to execute at least part of the function or service in addition to executing the function or service. The one or more external electronic devices that receive the request may execute the requested at least part of the function or service, or execute another function or another service related to the request, and transmit the result of the execution to the electronic device 101. The electronic device 101 may provide the result as at least a partial reply to the request with or without further processing the result. To this end, for example, cloud computing technology, distributed computing technology, or client-server computing technology may be used.

[0045] The electronic device according to various embodiments may be one of various types of electronic devices. The electronic device may include, for example, a portable communication device (e.g., a smart phone), a computer device, a portable multimedia device, a portable medical device, a camera, a wearable device, or a household appliance. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device is not limited to those electronic devices described above.

[0046] It should be understood that the various embodiments of the present disclosure and the terms used therein are not intended to limit the technical features set forth herein to specific embodiments, but include various changes, equivalent forms or alternative forms for corresponding embodiments. For the description of the accompanying drawings, similar reference numerals may be used to refer to similar or related elements. It will be understood that the nouns in the singular form corresponding to the term may include one or more things unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, each of the phrases such as "A or B", "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B", "A, B or C", "at least one of A, B and C" and "at least one of A, B or C" may include any one or all possible combinations of the items listed together with the corresponding one of the multiple phrases. As used herein, terms such as "1st" and "2nd" or "first" and "second" may be used to simply distinguish the corresponding component from another component, and do not limit the component in other aspects (e.g., importance or order). It will be understood that if an element (e.g., a first element) is referred to as being “combined with another element (e.g., the second element)”, “combined to another element (e.g., the second element)”, “connected with another element (e.g., the second element)”, or “connected to another element (e.g., the second element)” when the terms “operably” or “communicatively” are used or when the terms “operably” or “communicatively” are not used, it means that the element may be directly (e.g., wired) connected to the other element, wirelessly connected to the other element, or connected to the other element via a third element.

[0047] As used herein, the term "module" may include units implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with other terms (e.g., "logic," "logic block," "portion," or "circuit"). A module may be a single integrated component adapted to perform one or more functions or a minimum unit or portion of the single integrated component. For example, according to an embodiment, a module may be implemented in the form of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0048] The various embodiments described herein may be implemented as software (e.g., program 140) including one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., internal memory 136 or external memory 138) that can be read by a machine (e.g., electronic device 101). For example, under the control of a processor, a processor (e.g., processor 120) of the machine (e.g., electronic device 101) may call at least one of the one or more instructions stored in the storage medium and execute the at least one instruction with or without the use of one or more other components. This enables the machine to operate to perform at least one function according to the at least one instruction called. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code that can be run by an interpreter. A machine-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Among them, the term "non-transitory" only means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not include a signal (e.g., an electromagnetic wave), but the term does not distinguish between data being semi-permanently stored in a storage medium and data being temporarily stored in a storage medium.

[0049] According to an embodiment, the method according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may be included and provided in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded between a seller and a buyer as a product. The computer program product may be released in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., a compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM)), or may be downloaded via an application store (e.g., Play Store TM ) The computer program product may be published (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) online, or the computer program product may be distributed (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) directly between two user devices (e.g., smart phones). If published online, at least part of the computer program product may be temporarily generated, or at least part of the computer program product may be at least temporarily stored in a machine-readable storage medium (such as a memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a forwarding server).

[0050] According to various embodiments, each component (e.g., module or program) in the above-mentioned components may include a single entity or multiple entities. According to various embodiments, one or more components in the above-mentioned components may be omitted, or one or more other components may be added. Alternatively or additionally, multiple components (e.g., module or program) may be integrated into a single component. In this case, according to various embodiments, the integrated component may still perform the one or more functions of each component in the multiple components in the same or similar manner as a corresponding component in the multiple components before integration. According to various embodiments, the operations performed by a module, program or another component may be performed sequentially, in parallel, repeatedly or in a heuristic manner, or one or more operations in the operations may be run or omitted in different orders, or one or more other operations may be added.

[0051] Figure 2 is a view of an electronic device 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 is a front view of an input / output connector 200 ′ of an electronic device 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0052] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the electronic device 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a housing 210, an input / output connector 200' and / or a connection cable 240. In one embodiment, the housing 210 may form the overall appearance of the electronic device 200, have an internal space and accommodate various electronic components. For example, a processor (e.g., Figure 1 Processor 120 in the Figure 1 130 in the memory) or a communication module (e.g., Figure 1 The communication module 190 in FIG.

[0053] In one embodiment, the connection cable 240 is used to physically connect the electronic device 200 to an external electronic device (not shown), and may be used to exchange data and / or receive power with the external electronic device.

[0054] In one embodiment, the input / output connector 200' (eg, Figure 1 The connection end 178 in the figure may represent a connection through which the electronic device 200 can be physically connected to an external device (e.g., Figure 1The input / output connector 200' may be a connector for an electronic device 102 in the embodiment of the present disclosure. The insertion hole 230 may be formed so that the cable terminal 300 is inserted for physical connection. For example, the input / output connector 200' may include an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector). However, in one embodiment, a connector for LAN communication may be utilized as the input / output connector 200' according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0055] Figure 4 is a cover thereof according to an embodiment of the present disclosure (for example, Figure 2 220) is removed from the input / output connector 200'.

[0056] In one embodiment, an opening 211 may be formed in the housing 210. In one embodiment, the opening 211 may be formed to expose at least a portion of the input / output connector 200'. The opening 211 may be formed larger than the insertion hole 230 of the input / output connector 200', and the insertion hole 230 may be formed by the opening 211 partially covered by the cover 220.

[0057] In one embodiment, the input / output connector 200 ′ may include a cover 220 , a hinge shaft 221 , an elastic body 223 , a rib 231 , and / or an insertion hole 230 .

[0058] In one embodiment, the cover 220 may be formed to at least partially cover the opening 211 of the housing 210. The cover 220 may partially cover the opening 211 of the housing 210, and may form an outer shape of the electronic device 200 together with the housing 210. The cover 220 may form a continuous surface together with the housing 210 to provide a smooth appearance.

[0059] In one embodiment, the cover 220 is hinged to the housing 210 to rotate within a preset range. The hinge shaft 221 may be coupled to the housing 210 to provide a rotation center of the cover 220. The hinge shaft 221 may be formed in the shape of a rod, or may be formed in the shape of a protrusion protruding in opposite directions from the same axis.

[0060] In one embodiment, the elastic body 223 can provide elastic force so that the cover 220 can rotate and return to a specific position. For example, the elastic body 223 can provide elastic force so that the cover 220 can return to a position where a continuous surface is formed with the housing 210, such as Figure 5 shown.

[0061] In one embodiment, the elastic body 223 may be at least one of a leaf spring, a coil spring, a torsion spring, or a wire spring, and may have various configurations capable of providing elastic force to return the cover to a specific position.

[0062] In one embodiment, the insertion hole 230 is a portion where the cable terminal 300 is inserted to connect with an external device, and may be formed by the housing 210 and the cover 220. The size of the insertion hole 230 may be changed according to the rotation of the cover 220. The insertion hole 230 may include a first area 233 having a first height H1 and a second area 235 having a second height H2 (in Figure 6 middle).

[0063] In one embodiment, the rib 231 may be formed to protrude in a direction transverse to the insertion hole 230. A plurality of ribs 231 may be formed. Figure 4 As shown, the ribs 231 may be formed to protrude on the same axis while facing each other. In one embodiment, the ribs 231 may serve as a standard for distinguishing the first region 233 from the second region 235 and may prevent erroneous insertion (eg, reverse insertion) of the cable terminal 300.

[0064] Figure 5 The input / output connector 200 ′ (in Figure 2 Middle) Enlarged view in the first state. Figure 6 is an enlarged view of the input / output connector 200 ′ in the second state according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0065] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 5 , the cover 220 may partially cover the opening 211 of the housing 210 and may form the appearance of the electronic device 200 together with the housing 210. The cover 220 may form a continuous surface together with the housing 210 to provide a smooth appearance (for example, the cover may be completely or substantially flush with the housing). This may be referred to as a first state. In an embodiment, the elastic body 223 (in Figure 4 In the first state, a portion of the insertion hole 230 may be exposed, but the size of the exposed portion of the insertion hole 230 may be smaller than the cable body 301 (in the first state). Fig.10 The cross-sectional area of Figure 4 The first area 233 in the figure).

[0066] In one embodiment, Figure 6 20. The state in which the size of the insertion hole 230 is enlarged by the rotation of the cover 220 is shown. Figure 4 When the insertion hole 230 is rotated, the insertion hole 230 can be enlarged so that the cable terminal 300 (in Fig.10 This configuration may be referred to as the second state. The transition from the first state to the second state may be caused by a force applied by a user when inserting the cable terminal 300.

[0067] In one embodiment, the insertion hole 230 may include a first region 233 and a second region 235. The first region 233 and the second region 235 of the insertion hole 230 may be divided by a virtual line 237 extending from the rib 231. The first region 233 may be located on one side of the virtual line 237 (e.g., Figure 6 ), and the second region 235 may be located on the other side of the dotted line 237 (e.g., Figure 6 The first region 233 may be formed to have a first height H1 and may correspond to a cross-sectional area of ​​the cable body 301 (in Fig.10 The second region 235 may be formed to have a second height H2 and may correspond to the cable clamp 303 (in Fig.10 More specifically, the first region 233 may be formed to have a first length, and the second region 235 may be formed to have a second length including the thickness of the rib 231.

[0068] Figure 7 and Figure 8 is a view of the electronic device 200 when the housing 210 is partially removed according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0069] In one embodiment, the cover 220 may be Figure 7 is arranged in a first state, and the cover 220 can be Figure 8 is arranged to be in the second state.

[0070] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 7 The elastic body 223 may be formed to at least partially surround the hinge shaft 221 and may be connected to the housing 210 and the cover 220. The elastic body 223 may apply elastic force to the cover 220 to maintain the cover 220 in the first state to provide a smooth appearance together with the housing 210.

[0071] Reference Figure 8 , the cover 220 can be rotated to a certain range to protrude from the surface of the housing 210. In one embodiment, the input / output connector 200' may include a stopper 225 to limit the rotation range of the cover 220. The stopper 225 may be formed on the housing 210 or the cover 220. The stopper 225 may allow the cover 220 to rotate, so that the insertion hole 230 is expanded to a degree sufficient to allow the cable terminal 300 to be inserted, but further rotation may be prevented. The rotation range of the cover 220 is limited according to the size of the cable terminal 300. This can prevent the cable terminal 300 from being inserted in the wrong direction, or prevent the insertion of a cable terminal of a wrong or incompatible type.

[0072] Fig. 9 is along Figure 2A view of the input / output connector 200' taken along line AA. Fig.10 and Fig.11 The cable is shown inserted forward. Fig. 9 200' is a view of the process in the input / output connector.

[0073] In one embodiment, referring to Fig. 9 , the input / output connector 200' may include a cover 220, a hinge shaft 221, an elastic body 223, a rib 231, and / or an insertion hole 230. In one embodiment, the cover 220 may be connected to the housing 210 via a rotatable hinge so as to be rotatable around the hinge shaft 221 within a preset range. In one embodiment, the elastic body 223 may be formed around at least a portion of the hinge shaft 221 and may be connected to the housing 210 and the cover 220. The elastic body 223 may apply an elastic force to the cover 220 so that the cover 220 is maintained in a first state, in which the cover 220 is positioned to form a smooth surface that is continuous (e.g., flush) with the surface of the housing 210.

[0074] In one embodiment, referring to Fig.10 , the cable may be a LAN cable (e.g., RJ45), and the input / output connector 200' may be a connector for inserting a LAN cable. The cable terminal 300 may include a cable body 301 for forming an electrical connection, and a cable clamp 303 for holding the cable terminal 300 connected to the input / output connector 200'. The height of the cable body 301 may correspond to a first height H1 of the first area 233, and the height of the cable clamp 303 may correspond to a second height H2 of the second area 235. In one embodiment, the rib 231 may divide the insertion hole into a first area 233 having a first height H1 and a second area 235 having a second height H2.

[0075] Fig.11 The state where the cover 220 is rotated to the second state and the cable terminal 300 is inserted in the forward direction is shown. Here, the insertion of the cable terminal 300 in the forward direction can mean a state where the cable terminal 300 is inserted into the insertion hole 230, so that the cable body 301 corresponds to the first area 233, and the cable clamp 303 corresponds to the second area 235.

[0076] In one embodiment, since the ribs 231 divide the insertion hole 230 so that the first area 233 has the first height H1, the cable body 301 can be inserted into the first area 233. In the case where the cable clamp 303 has the second height H2, since the second area 235 is formed to have the second height H2 including the thickness of the ribs 231, the cable clamp 303 may interfere with the ribs 231 during insertion. However, in one embodiment, since the ribs 231 are formed to face each other but not connected, the cable clamp 303 can be inserted into the second area 235 without interfering with the ribs 231.

[0077] Fig.12 2 is a view showing a state in which the cable terminal 300 is inserted into the input / output connector 200' with the cover removed in the forward direction according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, since the ribs 231 divide the insertion hole 230 so that the first area 233 has the first height H1, the cable body 301 can be inserted into the first area 233. In one embodiment, since the ribs 231 are formed to face each other but not connected, the cable clamp 303 can be inserted into the second area 235 without interfering with the ribs 231.

[0078] Fig.13 and Fig.14 2 is a view showing an example of preventing the cable terminal 300 from being erroneously inserted (eg, reversely inserted) into the input / output connector 200 ′ according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0079] In the description, the incorrect insertion or reverse insertion of the cable terminal 300 may mean a state in which the cable terminal 300 is inserted into the insertion hole 230 such that the cable clamp 303 corresponds to the first area 233 of the insertion hole 230 and the cable body 301 corresponds to the second area 235 .

[0080] Reference Fig.13 and Fig.14 When the cable terminal 300 is attempted to be inserted in the opposite direction, the cable body 301 cannot pass through the space between the ribs 231 due to the shape characteristics of the cable body 301. Therefore, due to the interference between the ribs 231 and the cable body 301, the insertion of the cable terminal 300 may be blocked.

[0081] Fig.15 2 is a view illustrating that the cable terminal 300 is prevented from being erroneously inserted into the input / output connector 200 ′ from which the cover 220 is removed according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0082] When an attempt is made to insert the cable terminal 300 in the opposite direction, the cable body 301 cannot pass through the space defined between the ribs 231 due to the shape characteristics of the cable body 301 (even though the overall height (H1+H2) of the insertion hole 230 and the height of the cable terminal 300 may correspond), resulting in the attempt to insert the cable terminal 300 in the opposite direction being blocked. Therefore, it is possible to prevent damage to the input / output connector 200' (e.g., damage to the insertion hole 230 or damage to the connector pins) due to the incorrect insertion of the cable terminal 300.

[0083] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an input / output connector (eg, Figure 2 The input / output connector 200' in the embodiment may include: a housing (eg, Figure 2 210 in the housing, which forms an electronic device (e.g., Figure 2 The appearance of the electronic device 200 in FIG. 1 and includes an opening formed in a specific portion (eg, Figure 4 opening 211 in the cover (eg, Figure 5 The cover 220 in the embodiment is formed to cover at least a portion of the opening, is hinged to the housing and forms the appearance of the electronic device together with the housing; an elastic body (e.g., Figure 7 The elastic body 223 in the housing is connected to the housing and the cover; and the insertion hole (e.g., Fig.10 The insertion hole 230 in the housing and the cover is formed by the housing and the cover, and is used for connecting a cable terminal (e.g., Fig.10 The cable terminal 300 in the cover will be inserted into the insertion hole, and the size of the insertion hole can be changed according to the rotation of the cover.

[0084] Input / output connectors (e.g. Figure 2 The input / output connector 200' in the embodiment may also include a hinge axis (eg, Fig.10 221 in the hinge axis 221), which provides a cover (e.g., Figure 5 The center of rotation of the cover 220 in the embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 The elastic body 223 in the cover may be formed to surround at least a portion of the hinge axis and may apply an elastic force to the cover.

[0085] Cover (e.g. Figure 5 The cover 220 in the embodiment may include: a first state (eg, Figure 5 ), in which state the cover and the housing (for example, Figure 5 The housing 210 in the electronic device) together forms a smooth appearance of the electronic device; and a second state (eg, Figure 6 ), in which state the cover is rotated so that the cable terminals (e.g. Fig.10 The cable terminal 300 in the embodiment is inserted into the insertion hole (eg, Figure 6The elastic body (e.g., Figure 7 The elastic body 223) can apply elastic force to maintain the first state.

[0086] For determining that the cover has changed from a first state (eg, Figure 5 ) to a second state (e.g., Figure 6 ) of the rotation range (e.g., Figure 8 The stopper 225 in the cover may be formed on the cover (eg, Figure 5 or Figure 6 220) or a housing (e.g., Figure 5 or Figure 6 On the housing 210).

[0087] The input / output connector may also include ribs (e.g., Fig.10 231 in the housing), when viewed toward the insertion hole, the rib is transverse to the housing (e.g., Fig.10 The insertion hole (eg Fig.10 The device protrudes in the direction of the insertion hole 230 in the housing.

[0088] The input / output connector may include a Fig.10 Multiple ribs aligned in the direction of the insertion hole 230).

[0089] When in the second state (for example, Figure 6 ) toward the insertion hole (e.g., Figure 6 When viewed from the insertion hole 230 in FIG. 1 , the insertion hole may include: a first area (eg, Figure 6 The first region 233 in the rib (eg, Fig.11 The dotted line extending in the direction of the rib 231 protrudes (for example, Figure 6 237) and has a first height (e.g., Figure 6 a first height H1 in the region; and a second region (eg, Figure 6 , which is located on the other side of the dashed line and has a second height (e.g., Figure 6 The second height H2 in the figure).

[0090] Insert hole (e.g. Figure 6 The first area (eg, Figure 6 The first area 233 in the example may be larger than the second area (e.g., Figure 6 The second area 235 in the embodiment.

[0091] The first region (e.g. Figure 6 The first region 233 in the embodiment may correspond to a cable terminal (eg, Fig.10The cross-sectional area of ​​the cable terminal 300 in the second region (eg, Figure 6 The second region 235 in the embodiment may correspond to a region for holding a cable (e.g., Figure 2 The fixture (eg, Fig.10 The cross-sectional area of ​​the cable clamp 303).

[0092] When the cover is in a first state (eg, Figure 5 ), insert the hole (for example, Figure 5 The insertion hole 230 in the first area may become smaller than or equal to the first area (eg, Figure 6 The size of the first area 233).

[0093] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device (eg, Figure 2 The electronic device 200 in the embodiment may include: a housing (eg, Figure 2 The housing 210 in the electronic device forms the appearance of the electronic device, has an internal space and includes an opening formed in a specific portion (e.g., Figure 4 opening 211 in the middle); connecting cable (e.g., Figure 2 A connecting cable 240 in the housing is received in the internal space of the housing to be pulled in or out and used to connect to an external electronic device; and an input / output connector (e.g., Figure 2 The input / output connector 200' is disposed in the opening of the housing. The input / output connector may include: a cover (eg, Figure 5 The cover 220 in the case is formed to cover at least a portion of the opening of the case, is hinged to the case and forms the appearance of the electronic device together with the case; an elastic body (e.g., an elastic body 223) connected to the case and the cover; and an insertion hole (e.g., Fig.10 The insertion hole 230 in the housing and the cover is formed by the housing and the cover, and is used for connecting a cable terminal (e.g., Fig.10 The cable terminal 300 in the cover is to be inserted into the insertion hole, and the size of the insertion hole can be changed according to the rotation of the cover.

[0094] Input / output connectors (e.g. Figure 2 The input / output connector 200' in the embodiment may also include a hinge axis (eg, Fig.10 221 in the hinge axis 221), which provides a cover (e.g., Fig.10 The center of rotation of the cover 220 in the embodiment of the present invention. Fig.10 The elastic body 223 in the cover may be formed to surround at least a portion of the hinge axis and may apply an elastic force to the cover.

[0095] Cover (e.g. Figure 5 or Figure 6The cover 220 in the embodiment may include: a first state (eg, Figure 5 ), in which state the cover and the housing (for example, Figure 5 or Figure 6 The housing 210 in the electronic device) together forms a smooth appearance of the electronic device; and a second state (eg, Figure 6 ), in which state the cover is rotated so that the cable terminals (e.g. Fig.10 The cable terminal 300 in the embodiment is inserted into the insertion hole (eg, Figure 6 The elastic body (e.g., Figure 7 The elastic body 223) can apply elastic force to maintain the first state.

[0096] For determining that the cover has changed from a first state (eg, Figure 5 ) to a second state (e.g., Figure 6 ) of the rotation range (e.g., Figure 8 The stopper 225 in the cover may be formed on the cover (eg, Figure 8 220) or a housing (e.g., Figure 8 On the housing 210).

[0097] The input / output connector may also include ribs (e.g., Fig.10 231 in the housing), when viewed toward the insertion hole, the rib is transverse to the housing (e.g., Fig.10 The insertion hole (eg Fig.10 The device protrudes in the direction of the insertion hole 230 in the housing.

[0098] The input / output connector may include a portion of the connector that is lateral to the insertion hole (eg, Fig.10 A plurality of ribs (eg, Fig.10 rib 231).

[0099] When in the second state (for example, Figure 6 ) toward the insertion hole (e.g., Figure 6 When viewed from the insertion hole 230 in FIG. 1 , the insertion hole may include: a first area (eg, Figure 6 The first region 233 in the rib (eg, Fig.11 The dotted line extending in the direction of the rib 231 protrudes (for example, Figure 6 237) and has a first height (e.g., Figure 6 a first height H1 in the region; and a second region (eg, Figure 6 , which is located on the other side of the dashed line and has a second height (e.g., Figure 6 The second height H2 in the figure).

[0100] Insert hole (e.g. Figure 6 The first area (eg, Figure 6 The first area 233 in the example may be larger than the second area (e.g., Figure 6 The second area 235 in the embodiment.

[0101] The first region (e.g. Figure 6 The first region 233 in the embodiment may correspond to a cable terminal (eg, Fig.10 The cross-sectional area of ​​the cable terminal 300 in the second region (eg, Figure 6 The second region 235 in the embodiment may correspond to a region for holding a cable (e.g., Figure 2 The fixture (eg, Fig.10 The cross-sectional area of ​​the cable clamp 303).

[0102] When the cover (e.g. Figure 5 The cover 220 in the embodiment is in a first state (eg, Figure 5 ), insert the hole (for example, Figure 5 The insertion hole 230 in the first area may be smaller than or equal to the first area (eg, Figure 6 The size of the first area 233).

[0103] While the present disclosure has been particularly shown and described with reference to embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made without departing from the scope of the subject matter defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising: case; a connecting cable, the connecting cable being accommodated in the inner space of the housing, being extendable from the housing and retractable into the housing, and being used for connecting with an external electronic device; a connector coupled to the housing; a cover rotatably connected to the housing via a hinge shaft and forming an appearance of the electronic device together with the housing; an insertion hole providing a space for accommodating a cable terminal inserted into the insertion hole, wherein the insertion hole is formed by a portion of the housing and the cover, and when the cable terminal is inserted into the insertion hole, the cover rotates; an elastic body connected to the housing and the cover, wherein the elastic body surrounds a portion of the hinge shaft and provides an elastic force that enables the cover to return to a return position when the cable terminal is separated from the insertion hole; and a rib located on the housing and formed to protrude in a direction transverse to the insertion hole when viewed from a position facing the insertion hole, wherein the cover is flush with the housing when set in a first state to form a smooth appearance of the electronic device, and wherein the cover is rotated when set in a second state to enable the cable terminal to be inserted into the insertion hole, wherein, when viewed toward the insertion hole in the second state, the insertion hole includes a first area and a second area, wherein the first area is located on a side of a dotted line extending in a protruding direction of the rib, away from the cover, and the first area corresponds to a cross-sectional area of ​​a cable body of the cable terminal, and wherein the second area is located on the other side of the dotted line, close to the cover, and the second area corresponds to a cross-sectional area of ​​a cable clamp of the cable terminal, and Wherein, when an attempt is made to erroneously insert the cable terminal into the insertion hole, the rib interferes with the cable body to prevent erroneous insertion of the cable terminal.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, in, The elastic body is a leaf spring positioned to span the hinge axis.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein: When the cover is set in the first state, the elastic body applies the elastic force to maintain the first state.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, further comprising: A stopper at least partially defines a rotation range of the cover when the cover is switched from the first state to the second state, and the stopper is formed on the cover or the housing.

5. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein: The rib includes a plurality of ribs aligned with respect to a direction transverse to the insertion hole.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein: The first area of ​​the insertion hole is larger than the second area.

7. The electronic device according to claim 6, in, The connector is a connector for inserting into an RJ45 terminal.

8. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein: When the cover is set in the first state, a size of the insertion hole is smaller than or equal to a size of the first area.

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