Wire restraint mechanism and charging equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of mobile power supplies, in particular to a wire restraint mechanism and charging equipment. The wire restraining mechanism comprises a shell, a locking piece and a winding assembly, and a wire comprises a wire body and a plug. The shell is provided with a containing position, the containing position is used for containing the plug, and when the plug is located at the containing position, the plug and the shell are fixed in the relative position in the lifting direction; the locking piece is arranged on the shell in a sliding manner, has a locking position and an unlocking position and is used for locking the wire body; the winding assembly is used for winding a wire body. When the plug is in the storage state, the wire body and the shell form two stable mechanical connection points through the locking piece, and the plug and the shell form two stable mechanical connection points through the storage position, so that the wire body exposed out of the shell forms a handle capable of bearing external lifting force, and the situation that the wire body is pulled out due to the fact that the winding assembly bears the pulling force is avoided. The plug is in a non-storage state after being moved out from the storage position, the locking of the wire body by the locking piece is released, the plug and the wire body can freely move relative to the shell, and a user can conveniently supply power through the wire rod.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of mobile power technology, specifically to a wire restraint mechanism and a charging device. Background Technology

[0002] With the widespread use of portable electronic devices, power banks have become an indispensable accessory for users when traveling. To improve portability, various designs that integrate charging cables with the power bank itself have emerged on the market.

[0003] The initial integration solution involved directly attaching a short, fixed-length charging cable to the power bank's casing. This cable typically had a charging connector at one end, with a section near the end engaging with a clip or groove on the power bank's casing to form a stable handle or carrying mechanism. Users could then easily lift and carry the power bank using this handle. Figure 1 As shown, patent publication number CN210724233U discloses such a structure. However, the charging cable of this design is relatively short. When users need to charge electronic devices, the excessively short cable length forces the device to be placed close to the power bank, greatly limiting the flexibility and comfort of use.

[0004] To address these issues, designers created power banks equipped with longer charging cables. The longer cables allow users to place their devices further away and more comfortably while charging, significantly improving the user experience. However, this improvement introduced new problems: firstly, the longer, non-fixed charging cable could no longer be used stably as a handle; secondly, when not in use, the long cable could not be effectively organized on the power bank itself, usually ending up tangled or scattered, resulting in a messy and easily tangled appearance when carried.

[0005] To simultaneously achieve both long-range power supply and neat storage, the improved power bank integrates a cable winding device, or coiler, allowing the charging cable to be extended to a certain length like a measuring tape, and automatically retracting into the casing via a spring or other reset mechanism within the coiler after being released. Several related coiler structures have been disclosed in existing patent literature, such as... Figure 2 As shown, Chinese patent publication number CN223487904U discloses this type of structural design.

[0006] By introducing this type of winding and storage mechanism, the power bank combines the charging convenience of a long charging cable with the neatness of automatic storage after use. However, this structural design still has the following problems: In order to achieve smooth pulling and rewinding, the end of the charging cable, that is, the end connected to the device, must remain in a free-moving state, and cannot form a firm, rigid connection with the power bank casing. This means that when the charging cable is in the stored state, its end cannot withstand a large lifting force, and cannot serve as a reliable and durable handle for lifting the entire power bank. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The main technical problem this application addresses is that existing charging cables cannot be used as handles when stored using a winding device.

[0008] According to a first aspect, one embodiment provides a wire restraint mechanism, the wire being used for power supply, including a wire body and a plug connected to one end of the wire body, comprising: The housing has a storage compartment for storing the plug. When the plug is in the storage compartment, its relative position to the housing along the lifting direction is fixed. A locking element is slidable relative to the housing and has a locked position and an unlocked position during the sliding process. In the locked position, the locking element locks the line body, and in the unlocked position, the locking element releases the locking of the line body. And a winding assembly, which is connected to the other end of the wire and is used to wind the wire; The plug has a retracted state and a non-retracted state. In the retracted state, the plug is located in the retracted position and drives the locking member to move to the locking position to lock the wire. At least part of the wire is exposed in the housing. In the non-retracted state, the plug is disengaged from the retracted position and the locking member releases the wire from the locking position.

[0009] In some embodiments, when the plug is in the non-retracted state, at least a portion of the locking member is located within the retracted position.

[0010] In some embodiments, the housing has a stop structure at the storage position, and the plug is fixed to the housing along the lifting direction by the stop structure.

[0011] In some embodiments, the stop structure is a slot that matches the outer periphery of the plug, and the plug is located within the slot when it is in a retracted state.

[0012] In some embodiments, the slot has an opening for inserting or removing the plug, the opening being oriented opposite to the lifting direction.

[0013] In some embodiments, the locking member has a guide ramp at one end that contacts the plug, the guide ramp being oriented directly opposite the opening.

[0014] In some embodiments, the wire restraint mechanism includes a reset member, one end of which is connected to the housing and the other end of which is connected to the locking member. The reset member is used to drive the locking member to the unlocked position when the plug leaves the storage position.

[0015] In some embodiments, the reset element is an elastic element.

[0016] In some embodiments, the wire restraint mechanism includes a reset member, which is fixed in position relative to the housing and has a magnetic attraction or repulsion effect on the locking member, for driving the locking member to move to the unlock position when the plug leaves the storage position.

[0017] In some embodiments, the locking method between the locking member and the line body is one of the following: engagement of the protrusion and the groove, blocking engagement, or locking by friction after compression.

[0018] In some embodiments, the line body is provided with a first stop portion, the outer diameter of the first stop portion being larger than the line body, and the locking member, when in the locked position, blocks the first stop portion along the lifting direction.

[0019] In some embodiments, one side of the first stop portion along the lifting direction can stop the locking member, and the other side of the first stop portion stops the housing in the opposite direction to the lifting direction.

[0020] In some embodiments, the line body is provided with a second stop portion, which stops the housing in a direction opposite to the lifting direction.

[0021] According to a second aspect, one embodiment provides a charging device, comprising: Equipment housing; The battery module is disposed within the housing of the device; The wire restraint mechanism as described in any of the above embodiments is disposed within the device housing, and the wire is electrically connected to the battery module.

[0022] According to the wire restraint mechanism of the above embodiment, the plug has a retracted state and a non-retracted state. When the plug is inserted into the retracted position on the housing, the locking member can be driven to slide to its locking position during the insertion process, thereby locking the wire and preventing it from moving relative to the housing. Simultaneously, the relative position of the plug and the housing in the lifting direction is fixed when the plug is in the retracted position. In the retracted state, the wire, through the locking member, and the plug through the retracted position, respectively form two stable mechanical connection points with the housing. This allows the exposed wire to form a handle capable of withstanding external lifting force, preventing the winding assembly from being pulled out due to tension. After the plug is dislodged from the retracted position, it is in the non-retracted state, releasing the locking member from locking the wire. The plug and wire can move freely relative to the housing, facilitating power supply by the user. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is an existing type of portable power bank; Figure 2 It is another type of existing portable power bank; Figure 3 A perspective view of an embodiment of the wire restraint mechanism of this application; Figure 4 for Figure 3 An exploded view of the wire restraint mechanism, partially obscuring the wire and the winding assembly; Figure 5 for Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the plug of the wire restraint mechanism in its retracted state; Figure 6 for Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the plug of the wire restraint mechanism in an unretracted state; Figure 7 This is a perspective view of the charging device of this application; Figure 8 for Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a charging device with part of the casing hidden; Figure 9 for Figure 7 A diagram showing the plug of a charging device being unplugged. Figure 10 for Figure 7 A diagram showing the charging device with both the plug and cable disconnected.

[0024] Figure label: 100. Housing; 110. Slot; 111. Opening; 120. Limiting structure; 130. Sliding cavity; 200. Wire; 210. Wire body; 211. First stop part; 212. Second stop part; 220. Plug; 300. Locking component; 330. Guide ramp; 400. Winding assembly; 500. Reset component; 600. Charging equipment; 610. Equipment housing; 620. Wire restraint mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The present application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Similar elements in different embodiments are referred to by related similar element reference numerals. In the following embodiments, many details are described to facilitate a better understanding of the present application. However, those skilled in the art will readily recognize that some features may be omitted in different situations, or may be replaced by other elements, materials, or methods. In some cases, certain operations related to the present application are not shown or described in the specification. This is to avoid obscuring the core parts of the present application with excessive description. For those skilled in the art, detailed description of these related operations is not necessary; they can fully understand the related operations based on the description in the specification and general technical knowledge in the art.

[0026] Furthermore, the features, operations, or characteristics described in the specification can be combined in any suitable manner to form various embodiments. At the same time, the steps or actions in the method description can be rearranged or adjusted in a manner obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the various orders in the specification and drawings are only for the clear description of a particular embodiment and do not imply a necessary order, unless otherwise stated that a particular order must be followed.

[0027] The serial numbers assigned to components in this document, such as "first" and "second," are used only to distinguish the described objects and have no sequential or technical meaning. The terms "connection" and "linkage" used in this application, unless otherwise specified, include both direct and indirect connections (linkages).

[0028] like Figures 3-6 As shown, one embodiment provides a wire restraint mechanism, including: a housing 100, a locking member 300, and a winding assembly 400.

[0029] The cable 200 constrained by the cable restraint mechanism is used for power supply. The cable 200 includes a cable body 210 and a plug 220 connected to one end of the cable body 210. For example, the cable 200 can be a power supply cable in a power bank for powering electronic devices, and correspondingly, the plug 220 can be a USB Type-C connector. The cable 200 can also be a power cable in an electronic device for charging or powering the electronic device. In addition, the cable 200 can also serve as a data cable in an electronic device for data transmission. In the embodiments described in this application, the cable 200 serves as a power supply cable in a power bank for powering electronic devices.

[0030] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 As shown, a storage compartment is provided on the side of the housing 100 for storing the plug 220. When stored, the plug 220 is fixed in position relative to the housing 100 along the lifting direction. The lifting direction refers to the direction in which the user applies pulling force when using the portion of the cable 210 exposed above the housing 100 as a handle. The purpose of the storage compartment is to store the plug 220 and simultaneously fix it to the housing 100, forming a connection point between the handle and the housing 100. In other embodiments, the storage compartment can also be located inside the housing 100. The housing 100 can be composed of two parts, which are detachably connected by snap-fit ​​fasteners. The cable 210 passes from the lower side of the housing 100 to the upper side and is connected to the plug 220 on the upper side.

[0031] like Figures 4-6 As shown, the locking member 300 is slidably disposed on the housing 100 and has a locked position and an unlocked position. The locking member 300 can switch between the locked and unlocked positions during its sliding relative to the housing 100. In the locked position, the locking member 300 locks the line 210; in the unlocked position, the locking member 300 releases the lock on the line 210. It should be noted that locking the line 210 means that the line 210 cannot move relative to the housing 100, or at least cannot move in the lifting direction.

[0032] The winding assembly 400 is connected to the other end of the wire 210 and is used to wind the wire 210 to store it. The winding assembly 400 can be disposed inside or outside the housing 100. In this embodiment, the winding assembly 400 is disposed outside the housing 100. The winding assembly 400 can be of two types: one in which the winding assembly 400 can automatically wind back the wire 200 after it is pulled out; and another in which the wire 200 can be held at its current length after it is pulled out. Both types of winding assemblies 400 are applicable to the wire restraint mechanism of this application. Both types of winding assemblies 400 are existing technologies, such as the storage structure for winding charging cables disclosed in Chinese Patent Publication No. CN223487904U.

[0033] like Figures 5-6As shown, the plug 220 has a retracted state and a non-retracted state. When the plug 220 is in the non-retracted state, at least a portion of the locking member 300 is located within the retracted position. When the plug 220 is inserted into the retracted position on the housing 100 and is in the retracted state, the locking member 300 can be driven to its locked position during the insertion process, thereby locking the cable 210 and preventing the cable 210 from moving relative to the housing 100; at the same time, the relative position of the plug 220 and the housing 100 in the lifting direction is fixed when the plug 220 is in the retracted position. In the retracted state, at least a portion of the cable 210 is exposed outside the housing 100. Since both ends of this portion of the cable 210 are fixed to the housing 100, it can be used as a handle. In the non-retracted state, the plug 220 is disengaged from the retracted position, and the locking member 300 releases the locking of the cable 210. Users can charge electronic devices through plug 220 and cable 210, and the cable 210 can be pulled out to a certain length to adapt to different usage scenarios.

[0034] In the cable restraint mechanism of the above embodiment, when the plug 220 is in the retracted state, the cable 210 and the retracted position of the plug 220 form two stable mechanical connection points with the housing 100, respectively. This allows the cable 210 exposed above the housing 100 to form a handle capable of withstanding external pulling force, preventing the cable 210 from being pulled out due to tension on the winding assembly 400. After the plug 220 is dislodged from the retracted position, it is in the non-retracted state, releasing the locking member 300 from locking the cable 210. The plug 220 and the cable 210 can move freely relative to the housing 100, facilitating the user to charge electronic devices using the cable 200 and the plug 220.

[0035] like Figures 3-6 As shown, the locking member 300 is slidable relative to the housing 100 and can switch between a locked position and an unlocked position by sliding. Specifically, the housing 100 is provided with a sliding cavity 130, which is located between the storage position and the cable 210. The locking member 300 is slidably fitted in the sliding cavity 130. One end of the locking member 300 is used to contact and lock the cable 210, and when the locking member 300 is in the unlocked position, its other end is in the storage position so that when the plug 220 is inserted into the storage position, it pushes the locking member 300 to move to the locked position.

[0036] In other embodiments, the locking member 300 may also be rotatably connected to the housing 100 via a pivot, thereby enabling it to swing toward or away from the line 210 to switch between a locked position and an unlocked position. The pivot may be located at the end of the locking member 300 or at the middle of the locking member 300.

[0037] In some embodiments, such as Figures 3-6As shown, the housing 100 has a stop structure in the storage position, and the plug 220 is fixed to the housing 100 in the lifting direction by the stop structure. The stop structure is a slot 110, which matches the outer peripheral shape of the plug 220. When the plug 220 is in the storage state, it is located in the slot 110.

[0038] The slot 110 has an opening 111 for inserting or removing the plug 220, and the opening 111 is oriented in the opposite direction to the lifting direction. This orientation of the opening 111 ensures that when the handle is subjected to pulling force, the direction of force on the plug 220 is opposite to or at a large angle to the orientation of the opening 111 of the slot 110. This makes it less likely for the plug 220 to come out of the slot 110 during the lifting process, thus enhancing the stability of the handle.

[0039] In other embodiments, the blocking structure may also be a hook or a latch provided on the housing 100.

[0040] The locking member 300 may have a guide slope 330 at the end that contacts the plug 220. The guide slope 330 faces the opening 111 of the slot 110. The guide slope 330 is used to guide the plug 220 when it is inserted into the storage position to prevent the plug 220 from getting stuck with the locking member 300.

[0041] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the wire restraint mechanism includes a reset member 500, which can be an elastic member. One end of the reset member 500 is connected to the housing 100, and the other end is connected to the locking member 300. The reset member 500 is used to drive the locking member 300 to move to the unlocked position when the plug 220 leaves the storage position.

[0042] The reset member 500 can specifically be a compression spring, which applies a spring force to the locking member 300 in a direction away from the line 210. In other embodiments, the reset member 500 can also be a tension spring or an elastic cord, which similarly applies a spring force to the locking member 300 in a direction away from the line 210.

[0043] In an embodiment where the locking member 300 is connected to the housing 100 via a pivot and can switch between a locked position and an unlocked position by swinging, the reset member 500 may specifically be a torsion spring.

[0044] In other embodiments, the wire restraint mechanism may omit the reset member 500 and instead adopt a form in which an elastic portion is provided on the locking member 300. Specifically, the locking member 300 includes a locking portion and an elastic portion. The locking portion is used to lock the wire body 210, and the elastic portion is connected between the locking portion and the housing 100 and is used to move the locking portion when the plug 220 is pulled out from the slot 110, so as to release the locking of the wire body 210.

[0045] Specifically, the elastic part can be made of a material capable of elastic deformation. When the plug 220 is inserted into the slot 110, it presses against the locking member 300, causing the elastic part to deform and move the locking part to the locked position. When the plug 220 is pulled out of the slot 110, the deformation of the elastic part returns to normal, and the locking part moves to the unlocked position.

[0046] In other embodiments, the reset member 500 may be made of a magnetic material. The reset member 500 is fixed relative to the housing 100 and located on the side of the locking member 300 away from the cable 210, exerting a magnetic attraction on the locking member 300, and is used to drive the locking member 300 to the unlocked position when the plug 220 is pulled out of the slot 110. Alternatively, the reset member 500 may be located on the side of the locking member 300 closer to the cable 210, exerting a repulsive effect on the locking member 300, and similarly driving the locking member 300 to the unlocked position.

[0047] In the embodiment where the reset member 500 and the locking member 300 are attracted to each other, the reset member 500 can be a magnet fixed on the housing 100, and the locking member 300 can be made of a magnetic material or fixed with a ferromagnetic material.

[0048] In some embodiments, the locking method between the locking member 300 and the line body 210 is one of the following: the engagement of the protrusion and the groove, the blocking engagement, or locking by friction after compression.

[0049] like Figures 3-6 As shown, the locking mechanism between the locking member 300 and the cable body 210 is a stop engagement. Specifically, the cable body 210 is provided with a first stop portion 211, the outer diameter of which is larger than that of the cable body 210. When the locking member 300 is in the first locked position, it stops the cable body 210 along the lifting direction with the first stop portion 211.

[0050] The cable 210 is also provided with a second stop 212, which stops the housing 100 in the opposite direction to the lifting direction. The second stop 212 ensures that the cable 210 maintains a predetermined exposed length during retraction, thereby forming a handle structure. Specifically, when the winding assembly 400 drives the cable 210 to retract into the housing 100, the second stop 212 will stop the cable 210 in the opposite direction to the lifting direction with the limiting structure 120 provided on the housing 100. This stopping action directly prevents the cable 210 from being completely retracted into the housing 100, thereby leaving a portion of the cable 210 exposed in the housing 100 to form a handle.

[0051] In other embodiments, the wire restraint mechanism may omit the second stop 212 and instead use the first stop 211 for bidirectional blocking. Specifically, the upper side of the first stop 211 can block the locking member 300 along the lifting direction to form a handle. The lower side of the first stop 211 can block the housing 100 in the opposite direction of the lifting direction to prevent the wire 210 from being completely retracted by the winding assembly 400.

[0052] The following describes embodiments of the charging device of this application.

[0053] like Figures 7-10 As shown, one embodiment provides a charging device 600, including: a device housing 610, a battery module, and a wire restraint mechanism 620.

[0054] like Figure 8 As shown, the device housing 610 serves as the external structure of the charging device 600, housing and protecting internal components such as the battery module. The battery module (not shown) is located within the device housing 610, serving as the energy storage and power supply unit of the charging device 600. The wire restraint mechanism 620 is also disposed within the device housing 610, and its specific structure and working principle are the same as those described in any of the aforementioned embodiments, and will not be repeated here. The wires restrained by the wire restraint mechanism are electrically connected to the battery module, thereby enabling the battery module's electrical energy to be drawn out to charge external electronic devices.

[0055] like Figure 7 , 9 As shown in Figure 10, the charging device 600 has two states. Figure 7 The image shows the stored state. Figure 9 and Figure 10 The diagram shows the non-retracted state. In the retracted state, the cable restraint mechanism uses slots and locking elements to lock the plug and cable together, creating a handle on the exposed section of the cable outside the device housing 610, allowing the user to easily lift the charging device 600. For example... Figure 9 As shown, when the electronic device needs to be charged, the user can remove the plug from the slot; as Figure 10 As shown, after the plug is removed, the cable is unlocked and can be freely pulled out and extended to connect to the device 600 for power supply. After the device 600 is finished being used, the cable can be automatically retracted by the internal winding component, and the user can put the plug back into the slot, restoring it to a portable storage state.

[0056] The above examples illustrate this application only to aid understanding and are not intended to limit its scope. Those skilled in the art to which this application pertains can make various simple deductions, modifications, or substitutions based on the ideas presented.

Claims

1. A wire restraint mechanism, wherein the wire is used for power supply, comprising a wire body and a plug connected to one end of the wire body, characterized in that, include: The housing has a storage compartment for storing the plug. When the plug is in the storage compartment, its relative position to the housing along the lifting direction is fixed. A locking element is slidable relative to the housing and has a locked position and an unlocked position during the sliding process. In the locked position, the locking element locks the line body, and in the unlocked position, the locking element releases the locking of the line body. And a winding assembly, which is connected to the other end of the wire and is used to wind the wire; The plug has a retracted state and a non-retracted state. In the retracted state, the plug is located in the retracted position and drives the locking member to move to the locking position to lock the wire. At least part of the wire is exposed in the housing. In the non-retracted state, the plug is disengaged from the retracted position and the locking member releases the wire from the locking position.

2. The wire restraint mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the plug is in the non-retracted state, at least part of the locking member is located within the retracted position.

3. The wire restraint mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The housing has a stop structure at the storage position, and the plug is fixed to the housing along the lifting direction by the stop structure.

4. The wire restraint mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The stop structure is a slot, which matches the outer periphery shape of the plug, and the plug is located in the slot when it is in the retracted state.

5. The wire restraint mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that, The slot has an opening for inserting or removing the plug, and the opening is oriented in the opposite direction to the lifting direction.

6. The wire restraint mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that, The locking member has a guide slope at one end that contacts the plug, and the guide slope faces the opening.

7. The wire restraint mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, It includes a reset member, one end of which is connected to the housing and the other end of which is connected to the locking member. The reset member is used to drive the locking member to move to the unlocked position when the plug leaves the storage position.

8. The wire restraint mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that, The reset element is an elastic element.

9. The wire restraint mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, It includes a reset member, which is fixed in position relative to the housing and has a magnetic attraction or repulsion effect on the locking member, and is used to drive the locking member to move to the unlock position when the plug leaves the storage position.

10. The wire restraint mechanism according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The locking mechanism between the locking member and the line body can be one of the following: engagement of the protrusion and the groove, blocking engagement, or locking by friction after compression.

11. The wire restraint mechanism according to claim 10, characterized in that, The line body is provided with a first stop portion, the outer diameter of the first stop portion is larger than the line body, and the locking member blocks the first stop portion along the lifting direction when the locking position is in the locking position.

12. The wire restraint mechanism according to claim 11, characterized in that, One side of the first stop portion along the lifting direction can stop the locking member, and the other side of the first stop portion stops the housing in the opposite direction of the lifting direction.

13. The wire restraint mechanism according to claim 11, characterized in that, The line is provided with a second stop, which stops the housing in the opposite direction to the lifting direction.

14. A charging device, characterized in that, include: Equipment housing; The battery module is disposed within the housing of the device; The wire restraint mechanism according to any one of claims 1-13 is disposed within the device housing, and the wire is electrically connected to the battery module.

Images