Power supply device

Abstract

The present application discloses a power supply device, which includes a plastic shell, a conversion module and a fireproof and flame-retardant material. The plastic shell includes an inner surface, and a containing space is formed inside the plastic shell. The conversion module is arranged in the containing space, and is used to convert an input source into an output source. The fireproof and flame-retardant material is arranged between the inner surface and the conversion module to form at least one flame-retardant area, and includes a mixture of titanium dioxide and silicon dioxide to provide a fireproof and flame-retardant effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a power supply device, and more particularly to a miniaturized power supply device with fire-retardant and flame-retardant functions. Background Technology

[0002] To meet portability demands, existing power supplies and adapters (hereinafter referred to as power supply devices) face increasingly stringent size requirements, especially adapters for electronic devices (such as mobile phones, laptops, and game consoles), where size is a crucial factor for consumers. While the size of power supply devices has decreased, their output power must still meet the requirements of power supply devices of comparable size, thus forcing an increase in internal power density. This significantly reduces the space available for electronic components. Power supply devices typically contain one to several potential ignition sources (PIS), such as, but not limited to, surge absorbers and power switches. For example, to prevent malfunctions or failures due to surges or spikes, fuses and surge absorbers are inevitably installed at the input of the power supply device to avoid impacting internal components or downstream loads.

[0003] Besides fuses, surge absorbers can burn out when abnormal conditions such as excessively high surges or spikes occur at the input source, exceeding their voltage / current withstand specifications. Before burning out, a large amount of heat and flames are typically generated, potentially causing the entire power supply unit to catch fire. For example, ... Figures 1-2 As shown in the experimental results photograph of the existing miniaturized power supply device 100, after the surge absorber burns out due to abnormal conditions, it can affect external components such as the plastic casing and circuit boards, causing large-area burn-through of the plastic casing of the miniaturized power supply device 100. This could potentially lead to a fire caused by flames burning through the power supply device 100 and spreading to surrounding equipment.

[0004] To avoid the aforementioned situation, designing a power supply device that meets flame retardancy test standards while also being low-cost, lightweight, and not increasing the product's volume is a major research topic that the inventors of this application intend to address. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems, the present invention provides a power supply device to overcome the limitations of the prior art. Therefore, the power supply device of the present invention includes a plastic housing, a conversion module, and a fire-retardant material. The plastic housing includes an inner surface, and an accommodating space is formed inside the plastic housing. The conversion module is disposed in the accommodating space and is used to convert an input source into an output source. The fire-retardant material includes a mixture of titanium dioxide and silicon dioxide. The fire-retardant material is disposed between the inner surface and the conversion module to form at least one flame-retardant area.

[0006] In one embodiment, the conversion module includes at least one potential ignition element, which is located in the conversion module adjacent to a flame-retardant area.

[0007] In one embodiment, the fire-retardant material further includes a film-forming substance and a volatile solvent, which are mixed with the mixture to form a liquid mixture.

[0008] In one embodiment, the ratio of the film-forming substance, the titanium dioxide, the silicon dioxide, and the water is 5:1:1:3.

[0009] In one embodiment, after the liquid mixture is coated with at least one layer in a first direction to form a primer layer, at least one layer is then coated on the primer layer in a second direction.

[0010] In one embodiment, the liquid mixture is an oil-based coating or a water-based coating.

[0011] In one embodiment, the thickness of the dried liquid mixture does not exceed 0.1 mm.

[0012] In one embodiment, the power supply device further includes a substrate, one side of which is coated with a liquid mixture to form a flame-retardant composite.

[0013] In one embodiment, the coating amount of the liquid mixture is 200~250 g / m². 2 And the thickness is between 0.16 and 0.2 mm.

[0014] In one embodiment, the substrate is an insulating sheet or insulating tape.

[0015] In one embodiment, the substrate is a carbon-containing sheet.

[0016] In one embodiment, the liquid mixture further includes a resin-type flame retardant for improving the viscosity of the liquid mixture.

[0017] The main objective and benefit of this invention is that it utilizes a mixture of titanium dioxide and silicon dioxide as a fire-retardant material, which is then incorporated into a power supply device to meet the flammability test specifications in Appendix S.2 of the Chinese standard GB4943.1-2022. Furthermore, the fire-retardant material is low-cost, lightweight, and does not increase the product's volume, thus enhancing the power supply device's fire resistance and industrial competitiveness.

[0018] To gain a deeper understanding of the techniques, means, and effects employed by this invention to achieve its intended purpose, please refer to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. It is believed that the purpose, features, and characteristics of this invention can be understood in a thorough and specific manner from these drawings. However, the accompanying drawings are provided for reference and illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of this invention. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 Photographs of the experimental results for the first experimental example of a miniaturized power supply device that does not have fire-retardant function; Figure 2 Photographs showing the experimental results of a second experimental example of a miniaturized power supply device that does not have fire-retardant or flame-retardant functions; Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the circuit configuration of the miniaturized power supply device with fire-retardant function according to the present invention. Figure 4A The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the configuration of the first embodiment of the fire-retardant material of the present invention. Figure 4B The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the configuration of the second embodiment of the fire-retardant material of the present invention. Figure 4C The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the configuration of the third embodiment of the fire-retardant material of the present invention. Figure 4D The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the configuration of the fourth embodiment of the fire-retardant material of the present invention. Figure 5A This is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of a flame-retardant composite made of the fire-retardant material of the present invention. Figure 5B This is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of a flame-retardant composite made of the fire-retardant material of the present invention. Figure 6A This is a structural diagram of the first embodiment of the miniaturized power supply device with fire-retardant function of the present invention; and Figure 6B This is a structural diagram of the second embodiment of the miniaturized power supply device with fire-retardant function of the present invention.

[0020] [Symbol Explanation] 100… power supply device 1A… circuit board 1…Conversion Module 12… Input terminal 14… Potential fire ignition elements 16…Conversion Circuit 18… Output terminal FUt…Temperature fuse 2…Plastic casing 2A, 2B... ports 20…outer surface 22…Inner surface 3…Fireproof and flame-retardant materials 4…barrier material RF…flame retardant area 3A…Flame-retardant tape 3B…substrate 3C…Flame Retardant Sheets S1…First Page S2…Second side L…power line 200…load Vin… Input Source Vo…output source Detailed Implementation The technical content and detailed description of this invention are explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings: Please see Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the circuit configuration of a miniaturized power supply device with fire-retardant function according to the present invention. The power supply device 100 is coupled to a power line L and a load 200, and includes a conversion module 1 and a plastic housing 2. The conversion module 1 can be configured on a circuit board 1A and includes an input terminal 12, a potential ignition source 14 (PIS), a conversion circuit 16, and an output terminal 18. The input terminal 12 is used to couple to the power line L to receive the input source Vin provided by the power line L. The potential ignition source 14 can be, for example, but not limited to, a surge absorber, a power switch, or other components that are prone to heat generation. Taking a surge absorber as an example, the potential ignition source 14 is coupled to the input terminal 12 to suppress surges in the input source Vin. The conversion circuit 16 is coupled to the potential ignition source 14 and converts the input source Vin into an output source Vo. The conversion circuit 16 can be an isolated (e.g., but not limited to Flyback, Forward) or non-isolated (e.g., but not limited to Buck, Boost) switching conversion circuit, and it includes at least one power switch to convert the input source Vin to the output source Vo by switching the power switch on / off. The output terminal 18 is coupled to the conversion circuit 16 and receives the output source Vo to provide the output source Vo to the load 200.

[0021] The plastic housing 2 includes an outer surface 20 and an inner surface 22, and an accommodating space is formed inside the plastic housing 2. Furthermore, the plastic housing 2 has two ports 2A and 2B, with the input terminal 12 and the output terminal 18 respectively disposed at ports 2A and 2B (for example, but not limited to, the input terminal 12 is disposed at port 2A, and the output terminal 18 is disposed at port 2B). The conversion module 1 may optionally include a thermal fuse FUt, and the thermal fuse FUt is connected in series with a potential ignition element 14. The thermal fuse FUt primarily senses overheating generated during abnormal operation of the conversion module 1 and melts accordingly, thereby breaking the circuit between the input terminal 12 of the conversion module 1 and the potential ignition element 14 to prevent a fire. It is worth mentioning that, in one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 The placement of the temperature fuse FUt is for illustrative purposes only and is not actually intended for use with other fuses. Figure 3 Limited by its position, it can generally be configured near input terminal 12.

[0022] Generally, to prevent the plastic housing 2 of the miniaturized power supply device 100 from burning out due to abnormal conditions, the potential ignition element 14 (e.g., the surge absorber in this case) is to be protected from damage. Figures 1-2 As shown, the plastic casing 2 is burned through from the inside, resulting in a large-area burn-through. Therefore, the power supply device 100 must pass safety testing and comply with safety regulations before leaving the factory. Generally, the thickness of the plastic casing 2 of the power supply device 100 is approximately 1.5 mm or less. Furthermore, under the flame resistance test specification in Appendix S.2 of the Chinese standard GB 4943.1-2022, this combustion test requires direct testing with an open flame. Specifically, the combustion test is conducted by having the tip of an open flame contact one side of the plastic casing 2 for at least 60 seconds, with flammable fabric placed on the other side of the plastic casing 2. During the test, i.e., the time the open flame burns the plastic casing 2, the flammable fabric must not be ignited. However, under this prolonged direct flame contact, the existing plastic casing 2 is usually burned through directly, causing the flammable fabric to ignite, thus failing to meet the flame resistance test specification of S.2.

[0023] Therefore, the currently known methods used in the industry to improve the fire resistance of plastic casings to meet the specifications of the flammability test in Appendix S.2 are: (1) using plastic casings with added glass fibers. However, plastic casings containing glass fibers are brittle and difficult to pass safety tests, such as free fall tests. (2) potting glue inside the product. However, potting glue inside the product will affect heat dissipation and increase the product weight, which is not in line with the trend of lightweight design. (3) increasing the casing thickness to 3mm. However, increasing the casing thickness will make the product larger and heavier, which is contrary to the current trend of thinness and lightness. (4) using metal sheets inside the casing. However, the configuration of metal sheets will not only increase the product weight, but may also affect the insulation distance, further affecting the product volume. (5) using inorganic materials (such as graphite paper) inside the casing. However, using this material will make the product cost too high, which is not conducive to the economic efficiency of the product.

[0024] Therefore, this invention primarily utilizes a special fire-retardant material 3 incorporated into the power supply device 100, enabling it to meet the flame resistance test specifications in Appendix S.2 of the Chinese standard GB 4943.1-2022. Furthermore, the fire-retardant material 3 offers advantages such as low cost, lightweight construction, and no additional increase in product volume, thus enhancing the power supply device 100's fire resistance performance and industrial competitiveness. For more details, please refer to the following reference. Figure 3 The power supply device 100 of the present invention forms at least one flame-retardant region RF between the inner surface 22 of the plastic housing 2 and the conversion module 1. Preferably, the position of the flame-retardant region RF corresponds to the area between the potential ignition element 14 and the plastic housing 2. That is, the flame-retardant region RF generally refers to the area between the location of the potential ignition element 14 and the inner surface 22 of the plastic housing 2. The power supply device 100 of the present invention is provided with fire-retardant material 3 to form the flame-retardant region RF and improve the fire resistance of the plastic housing 2. Therefore, even if one side of the plastic housing 2 is burned with the tip of an open flame for at least 60 seconds, the fire-retardant material 3 on that side can prevent the plastic housing 2 from being directly burned through, so that the flammable fabric on the other side of the plastic housing 2 will not be ignited, thereby enabling the power supply device 100 of the present invention to meet the specifications of the flame resistance test of S.2.

[0025] See also Figures 4A-4D The diagrams shown are schematic representations of the configuration of the fire-retardant material in the first to fourth embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, the power supply device 100 of the present invention can be configured with the fire-retardant material 3 in the flame-retardant area RF in many ways (e.g., ...). Figures 4A-4DAs shown), this enhances the fire resistance of the plastic housing 2. The fire-retardant material 3 comprises a mixture of titanium dioxide and silicon dioxide (SiO2). In one embodiment, the fire-retardant material 3 can be made into a flame-retardant coating or flame-retardant composite (e.g., but not limited to, flame-retardant tape, flame-retardant sheet), and is reasonably disposed between the inner surface 22 and the conversion module 1 according to the properties of the product to form a flame-retardant area RF. For example, but not limited to, when there is no barrier between the inner surface 22 and the conversion module 1, the fire-retardant material 3 in the form of flame-retardant tape or flame-retardant coating can be directly attached to the inner surface 22 of the plastic housing 2 (e.g., as shown). Figure 4A (as shown), or alternatively, a fire-retardant material 3 in the form of a flame-retardant sheet can be placed between the inner surface 22 and the conversion module 1 as a barrier (e.g. Figure 4B As shown), this forms a flame-retardant area RF. Conversely, when there is a barrier material 4 between the inner surface 22 and the conversion module 1 (e.g., but not limited to, a heat sink), it can be provided on the inner surface 22 and / or the barrier material 4 using flame-retardant tape or flame-retardant coating (e.g., flame-retardant tape or flame-retardant coating). Figure 4C (as shown), or fire-retardant material 3 in the form of flame-retardant sheets can be placed in the two gaps between these three (as shown). Figure 4D (As shown). In this way, a flame-retardant zone RF that roughly overlaps with the two areas can be formed, thereby providing a double-barrier structure and improving the flame-retardant effect.

[0026] See also Figures 3-4DIn an embodiment where the fire-retardant material 3 is used to make a flame-retardant coating, the fire-retardant material 3 further includes a film-forming substance and a volatile solvent. The film-forming substance, volatile solvent, and mixture are mixed to form a liquid mixture, which can be applied to the inner surface 22 of the plastic shell 2 as a coating product. The ratio of the film-forming substance, titanium dioxide, silica, and water is 6~4:0.5~2:0.5~2:2~4 (totaling 10). Preferably, the ratio of the film-forming substance, titanium dioxide, silica, and water can be 5:1:1:3 to provide a better expansion rate and increase the fire-retardant effect. Furthermore, a resin-type flame retardant can be selectively added to the liquid mixture to fine-tune the ratio (further explanation will follow). Furthermore, the flame-retardant coating can be an oil-based coating (e.g., but not limited to, oil-based paint), a water-based coating (e.g., but not limited to, water-based paint), putty, clay, etc., with oil-based or water-based coatings being preferred embodiments. When the flame-retardant coating is an oil-based coating, the film-forming substance can be an alkyd resin, polyurethane (PU), epoxy resin, or other resins that can cross-link and harden in the air upon reaction with oxygen. Furthermore, the volatile solvent can be a mineral spirit, xylene, naphtha, or other organic solvents that can dissolve the resin and adjust its viscosity.

[0027] Conversely, when the flame-retardant coating is water-based, the film-forming substance can be an acrylic resin, a polyurethane dispersion, a water-based epoxy emulsion, or other latex or dispersion with water as the dispersion medium. Furthermore, the volatile solvent can be primarily water, with a small amount of film-forming agent (e.g., but not limited to, butyl carbitol) to help the resin particles melt and bond after the water evaporates. On the other hand, in embodiments where the fire-retardant material 3 is a flame-retardant coating product, the density of the fire-retardant material 3 is preferably 1.25 kg / L, the pH value is preferably 7-9, the viscosity (approximately 25 degrees Celsius at room temperature) is preferably 500-1000 csp, and the decomposition temperature is approximately 250 degrees Celsius. When heated, the flame-retardant coating expands (expansion efficiency exceeding 50 times) to form a dense, weakly conductive foam layer, effectively protecting the substrate from fire above 1000 degrees Celsius. It is worth mentioning that, in one embodiment, the liquid mixture may selectively include a resin-based flame retardant to enhance its viscosity, making it easier to adhere to the surface of an object when applied. This allows the viscosity of the liquid mixture to be adaptively adjusted according to the material of the object being coated, providing a better adhesion effect. Therefore, the fire-retardant material 3 of the present invention, as an intumescent flame retardant, expands upon heating to form a carbonized layer, achieving a flame-retardant effect. Furthermore, the additional addition of a resin-based flame retardant makes it easier to adhere to plastic surfaces, giving it good adhesion.

[0028] When the fire-retardant material 3 is a flame-retardant coating, it can be applied to the inner surface 22 of the plastic shell 2 or the area most in need of protection by brushing, spraying, rolling, or troweling. Since the application method of the flame-retardant coating significantly affects its fire-retardant performance, a sparser coating results in poorer fire resistance, and vice versa. Therefore, if the fire-retardant material 3 is applied by brushing, rolling, or troweling, at least two layers must be applied. At least one layer should be applied in the first direction to the inner surface 22 of the plastic shell 2 to form a primer layer, followed by at least one layer applied in the second direction on top of the primer layer. The first and second directions should be staggered, and preferably perpendicular, to ensure no gaps. This ensures that the thickness of the flame-retardant coating after drying does not exceed 0.1 mm. This achieves the effect of ensuring that the configuration of the fire-retardant material does not increase the product volume.

[0029] See also Figure 5A This is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of a flame-retardant composite made of the fire-retardant material of the present invention. See also the attached diagram. Figures 3-4D .exist Figure 5AIn this example, the fire-retardant material 3 is illustrated by manufacturing a flame-retardant tape 3A. Specifically, the flame-retardant tape 3A comprises the fire-retardant material 3 and a substrate 3B, wherein the substrate 3B can be an insulating tape. The insulating tape comprises a first side S1 and a second side S2, wherein the first side S1 can be attached to the inner surface 22 of the plastic housing 2. The second side S2 of the insulating tape is used to coat a liquid mixture, so that the insulating tape and the liquid mixture can form a flame-retardant tape 3A (i.e., a flame-retardant composite). The coating amount of the liquid mixture is 200~250 g / m². 2 A thickness of 0.16~0.2 mm is preferred, as it ensures that bending of the insulating tape will not easily cause cracking of the dried liquid mixture. Therefore, the flame-retardant tape 3A can be cut and applied to, for example, but not limited to, plastic housings 2, insulating sheets, and heat sinks, so that the applied location provides fire-retardant functionality. Specifically, refer to... Figure 6A , 6B This is a structural diagram of the miniaturized power supply device with fire-retardant and flame-retardant functions of the present invention. Figure 6A , 6B In this power supply device 100, the plastic housing 2 includes a barrier material 4 (e.g., but not limited to, a metal shield). The metal shield provides better heat dissipation for the power supply device 100 and also serves as electromagnetic interference shielding to reduce electromagnetic interference. Furthermore, flame-retardant tape 3A can be attached to the barrier material 4, providing fire-retardant properties at the attachment point.

[0030] See also Figure 5B This is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of the fire-retardant composite made of the fire-retardant material of the present invention. See also the attached diagram. Figures 3-5A .exist Figure 5B In this example, the fire-retardant material 3 is illustrated by forming a flame-retardant sheet 3C. Specifically, the flame-retardant sheet 3C includes the fire-retardant material 3 and a substrate 3B, where the substrate 3B can be an insulating sheet. The insulating sheet can also include a first side S1 and a second side S2, and at least one of the first side S1 and the second side S2 is used to coat a liquid mixture, so that the insulating sheet and the liquid mixture can form the flame-retardant sheet 3C (i.e., a flame-retardant composite). That is, the insulating sheet can be coated with a liquid mixture on one side or both sides. When the insulating sheet is coated with a liquid mixture on only one side, the other side of the insulating sheet can selectively be adhesive and can be attached to the inner surface 22 of the plastic housing 2, or it can be non-adhesive and can be disposed on, for example... Figure 4D The gap shown. Conversely, when both sides of the insulating sheet are coated with a liquid mixture, the insulating sheet is preferably disposed as shown in... Figure 4D The gap shown.

[0031] comprehensive Figure 5A ,5B As shown, the substrate can be, for example but not limited to, IS250A insulating sheet (0.24mm), PIA220 tape (0.05mm), or AL50M aluminum foil Mylar (0.05mm), which are preferred embodiments. Furthermore, please refer to... Figure 5B The substrate 3B can also be a carbon-containing sheet, and the carbon-containing sheet can be, for example, but not limited to, paper products (e.g., shingles, toilet paper, kitchen paper towels, etc.). Furthermore, the liquid mixture can be selectively coated on one or both sides of the carbon-containing sheet. Since such products may be damaged due to the external force applied when brushing the liquid mixture, it is preferable to apply the liquid mixture to such products using a spraying method. In summary, the features of the fire-retardant material 3 of Figures 4-5B of the present invention can be integrated into... Figure 3 The power supply device 100 is configured to possess all the aforementioned features. For example, but not limited to, the use of... Figure 5A Flame retardant tape 3A is attached to Figure 4A The fire-retardant material 3 is applied to the substrate 3B in an alternating brushing manner (at least two layers), and so on, without further explanation.

[0032] The above description is merely a detailed explanation and illustration of preferred embodiments of the present invention. The features of the present invention are not limited thereto and are not intended to limit the present invention. The scope of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims. All embodiments that conform to the spirit of the claims of the present invention and similar variations thereof should be included in the scope of the present invention. Any variations or modifications that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the field of the present invention can be covered by the following patent scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A power supply device, characterized in that, include: A plastic housing, including an inner surface, and the interior of the plastic housing forms an accommodating space; A conversion module is disposed in the accommodating space and is used to convert an input source into an output source; and A fire-retardant material comprising a mixture of titanium dioxide and silicon dioxide; The fire-retardant material is disposed between the inner surface and the conversion module to form at least one flame-retardant area.

2. The power supply device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness of the plastic casing is less than or equal to 1.5 mm.

3. The power supply device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The conversion module includes: At least one potential ignition element is located in the conversion module adjacent to the flame-retardant area.

4. The power supply device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The fire-retardant material further includes film-forming substances and volatile solvents, which are mixed with the mixture to form a liquid mixture.

5. The power supply device as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The ratio of the film-forming substance, the titanium dioxide, the silicon dioxide, and water is 6~4:0.5~2:0.5~2:2~4, and the total is 10.

6. The power supply device as described in claim 5, characterized in that, After the liquid mixture is coated with at least one layer in a first direction to form a primer layer, at least one layer is then coated on the primer layer in a second direction, the second direction intersecting the first direction.

7. The power supply device as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The liquid mixture is an oil-based coating or a water-based coating.

8. The power supply device as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The thickness of the dried liquid mixture does not exceed 0.1 mm.

9. The power supply device as described in claim 5, characterized in that, Also includes: A substrate, one side of which is coated with the liquid mixture to form a flame-retardant composite.

10. The power supply device as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that, The coating dosage of this liquid mixture is 200~250 g / m². 2 And the thickness is between 0.16 and 0.2 mm.

11. The power supply device as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that, The substrate is an insulating sheet or an insulating tape.

12. The power supply device as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that, The substrate is a carbon-containing sheet.

13. The power supply device as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that, The liquid mixture further includes a resin-type flame retardant for enhancing the viscosity of the liquid mixture.

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