Residual current protection plugs and household appliances

Abstract

This utility model discloses a leakage current protection plug and a household appliance having the same. The leakage current protection plug includes: a test button movably disposed on a housing; a test terminal movably disposed within the housing and configured to be pushed towards a circuit board by the test button; and a conductive spring disposed between the test terminal and the circuit board. A gap exists between the conductive spring and the test terminal, or between the conductive spring and the circuit board. The leakage current protection plug has a test state where the test button is pressed. In this test state, the conductive spring, the test terminal, and the circuit board are all in contact, thereby establishing electrical conductivity between the test terminal and the circuit board. This utility model provides a buffer between the test terminal and the circuit board, which helps to improve the service life of the leakage current protection plug.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of leakage current protection technology, specifically relating to a leakage current protection plug and a household appliance having the same. Background Technology

[0002] Residual current protection plugs are equipped with residual current protection devices. Residual current, also known as leakage current, indicates a breach in the insulation of the live conductor to ground if it changes. By detecting changes in the residual current and taking appropriate action, it can prevent accidents such as contact failures or fires caused by grounding arcs. Residual current protection plugs have the function of detecting changes in residual current and cutting off the power supply when necessary. They are widely used in electrical appliances, especially high-power household appliances, to protect users' electrical safety.

[0003] Most residual current circuit breakers (RCCBs) have a test button to check the effectiveness of their leakage protection function. If pressing the test button does not automatically cut off the power, the RCCB is faulty and needs to be replaced. Test terminals are located between the test button and the circuit board. When the test button is pressed, the two test leads of the test terminals will connect with the gold fingers or test copper foil on the circuit board, creating a short-circuit current. After the test button is pressed more than approximately 1,000 or 2,000 times, the test terminal leads will repeatedly press directly against the circuit board, potentially causing component breakage or cracking, thus affecting the RCCB's lifespan.

[0004] The information disclosed in the background section is only intended to enhance the understanding of the background of this application, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of this, the present invention provides a leakage current protection plug and a household appliance having the same, which provides a buffer between the test terminal and the circuit board, thereby improving the service life of the leakage current protection plug.

[0006] The first aspect of this utility model provides a leakage current protection plug, which includes:

[0007] The test button is mounted on a housing.

[0008] A test terminal is movably disposed within the housing and configured to be pushed toward a circuit board by the test button;

[0009] A conductive spring is disposed between the test terminal and the circuit board;

[0010] There is a gap between the conductive spring and the test terminal or between the conductive spring and the circuit board. The leakage protection plug has a test state in which the test button is pressed. In the test state, the conductive spring, the test terminal and the circuit board are all in contact to conduct electricity between the test terminal and the circuit board.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the leakage protection plug further includes a mounting block and a reset spring. The mounting block is disposed inside the housing, the test terminal is movably disposed on the mounting block, and the reset spring is disposed between the test terminal and the mounting block.

[0012] In a more preferred embodiment, the mounting block is provided with a limiting groove, and at least a portion of the conductive spring is located in the limiting groove.

[0013] In a further preferred embodiment, the test terminal has a test end that is movably inserted into the limiting groove and is capable of contacting or disengaging from the conductive spring.

[0014] In a further preferred embodiment, the mounting block is provided with two parallel limiting grooves, the test terminal has two test ends, each test end corresponds to a conductive spring, and each limiting groove is provided with a test end and a conductive spring.

[0015] In a more preferred embodiment, the test terminal further has a top plate, and the two test ends bend and extend from both ends of the top plate, the test terminal being generally inverted U-shaped.

[0016] In a further preferred embodiment, the top of the mounting block is provided with a mounting groove, one end of the reset spring is located in the mounting groove, and the other end of the reset spring is in contact with the top plate.

[0017] In a more preferred embodiment, the test end includes a main body and a limiting lug extending outward from the main body.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment, the mounting block and the housing are fixedly connected; a flexible sealing gasket is provided between the top of the mounting block and the housing, the sealing gasket being spaced between the test button and the test terminal and being deformable by the test button.

[0019] A second aspect of this utility model provides a household appliance that includes the aforementioned leakage protection plug.

[0020] This utility model has the following advantages:

[0021] This utility model's leakage current protection plug incorporates a conductive spring between the test terminal and the circuit. In the initial state where the test button is not pressed, the conductive spring naturally extends, and its length is less than the distance between the test terminal and the circuit board, thus creating a gap between the conductive spring and the test terminal or circuit board, preventing any electrical connection between them. When the test button is pressed, the test terminal moves toward the circuit board until the gap disappears, at which point the test terminal and the circuit board become electrically connected. During the movement of the test terminal, the conductive spring provides elastic cushioning, offering buffer protection while simultaneously establishing electrical connection between the test terminal and the circuit board. This reduces the risk of component breakage or cracking, allowing the plug to withstand multiple tests and extending its service life. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this utility model, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a leakage protection plug according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0024] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of a leakage protection plug according to an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0025] Figure 3 This is a top view of a leakage protection plug according to an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0026] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Sectional view along the AA direction.

[0027] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of a test terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 6 This is a structural diagram of an installation block according to an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0029] in:

[0030] 100. Residual current protection plug; 200. Power cable;

[0031] 1. Housing; 11. Sealing gasket; 2. Test button; 3. Test terminal; 31. Test end; 32. Top plate; 33. Limiting lug; 4. Mounting block; 41. Limiting groove; 42. Mounting groove; 5. Reset spring; 6. Conductive spring; 61. Gap; 7. Circuit board; 8. Contact; 9. Tripping device. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that the advantages and features of the present invention can be more easily understood by those skilled in the art. It should be noted that the description of these embodiments is intended to aid in understanding the present invention, but does not constitute a limitation thereof.

[0033] In this document, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “front,” “rear,” etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0034] Figures 1 to 6 The diagrams are drawn to scale. To keep the instructions concise, the proportions of each component are not listed individually. However, the proportions and positions of each component should be considered part of the content of this instruction manual.

[0035] Reference Figures 1 to 6 This embodiment provides a leakage current protection plug 100, which can cut off the power supply circuit when the leakage current exceeds a set value, or manually cut off the power supply circuit as needed. This embodiment also provides a household appliance using this leakage current protection plug 100, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the leakage protection plug 100 is located at the end of the power cable 200 of the household appliance and is used to connect to the power supply. It can cut off the power supply to the household appliance when needed.

[0036] Reference Figure 2 The leakage protection plug 100 includes a housing 1, a test button 2, test terminals 3, a mounting block 4, a reset spring 5, a conductive spring 6, and a circuit board 7. The housing 1 is a plastic component, and the test button 2 is movably disposed in a button hole in the housing 1; preferably, a portion (such as the top) of the housing 1 protrudes from the housing 1 to facilitate pressing the test button 2. Figure 4 As shown, a reset button is also movably provided on the outer casing 1. The outer casing 1 is also provided with multiple pairs of contacts 8, a sensor, a trip unit 8, etc. If the sensor detects that the leakage current exceeds the set value (which can be zero), the trip unit 8 will activate, causing the multiple pairs of contacts 8 to disengage accordingly and cut off the power supply circuit. These components are not the focus of this invention, so they will not be described in detail here.

[0037] Test terminal 3 is movably disposed within housing 1. Test terminal 3 is configured to be pushed towards a circuit board 7 by test button 2; that is, when test button 2 is pressed, test button 2 pushes test terminal 3 towards circuit board 7. Test terminal 3 is made of conductive material. Figure 5As shown, the test terminal 3 has a top plate 32 and two parallel test ends 31. The two test ends 31 extend from both ends of the top plate 32 by bending, and the test terminal 3 is generally in an inverted U-shape. The test ends 31 include a main body and a limiting lug 33 extending outward from the main body.

[0038] Mounting block 4 is located inside housing 1 and is made of plastic. Furthermore, mounting block 4 can be fixed inside housing 1 by screws or the like. Test terminal 3 is movably mounted on mounting block 4, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the mounting block 4 is provided with a limiting groove 41, and the test end 31 of the test terminal 3 is movably inserted into the limiting groove 41. Figure 4 As shown, a limiting groove 41 is provided on each of the left and right sides of the mounting block 4. The two limiting grooves 41 are parallel to each other, and the two test ends 31 are inserted into the upper part of the limiting grooves 41 on both sides. The limiting lugs 33 of the test ends 31 can cooperate with the inner wall of the limiting grooves 41 to limit the test terminals 3 from falling out of the limiting grooves 41.

[0039] A conductive spring 6 is disposed between the test terminal 3 and the circuit board 7. The conductive spring 6 is made of conductive material and can conduct electricity between the test terminal 3 and the circuit board 7. Specifically, the conductive spring 6 is inserted into the limiting groove 41, with at least the upper part of the conductive spring 6 located in the limiting groove 41. In the example shown in the attached figure, there are two conductive springs 6, one in each limiting groove 41, and one below each test end 31 of the test terminal 3. Each limiting groove 41 contains one test end 31 and one conductive spring 6, which are arranged vertically. The conductive spring 6 can contact or disengage from the test end 31 of the test terminal 3, or from the circuit board 7. Thus, when the leakage protection plug 100 is in normal working condition, there is a gap 61 between the conductive spring 6 and the test terminal 3 or between the conductive spring 6 and the circuit board 7 (e.g., ...). Figure 4 As shown, test terminal 3 and circuit board 7 are not connected. The leakage protection plug 100 has a test state. When test button 2 is pressed, test terminal 3 moves toward circuit board 7, and the aforementioned gap 61 disappears. Thus, in the test state, conductive spring 6, test terminal 3, and circuit board 7 are all in contact, so as to connect test terminal 3 and circuit board 7, simulating a leakage environment, thereby testing whether the sensor, tripping component, and contacts are normal, and determining whether the leakage protection function of leakage protection plug 100 is effective.

[0040] A reset spring 5 is positioned between the test terminal 3 and the mounting block 4. After the test is completed, i.e., when the test button 2 is released, the elastic restoring force of the reset spring 5 will drive the test button 2 to reset. The mounting block 4 has a mounting groove 42 on its top. One end of the reset spring 5 is located in the mounting groove 42, and the other end of the reset spring 5 contacts the top plate 32. The reset spring 5 is a compression spring. When the test button 2 is not pressed, the reset spring 5 is in its natural state; when the test button 2 is pressed, the reset spring 5 is compressed and deformed, thus generating an elastic restoring force that pushes the test button 2 upward after it is released.

[0041] Furthermore, a flexible sealing gasket 11 is provided between the top of the mounting block 4 and the outer casing 1. The sealing gasket 11 is spaced between the test button 22 and the test terminal 3 and can be deformed by the test button 22. The sealing gasket 11 can be a silicone gasket to improve waterproof performance. When the test button 2 is pressed, the sealing gasket 11 deforms downward, and the test terminal 3 is pushed downward, moving closer to the circuit board 7.

[0042] The leakage protection plug 100 of this embodiment has a conductive spring 6 between the test terminal 3 and the circuit. In the initial state when the test button 2 is not pressed, the conductive spring 6 naturally extends. The length of the conductive spring 6 is less than the distance between the test terminal 3 and the circuit board 7, thus creating a gap between the conductive spring 6 and the test terminal 3 or the circuit board 7, and there is no mutual conduction between the test terminal 3 and the circuit board 7. When the test button 2 is pressed, the test terminal 3 moves toward the circuit board 7 until the gap disappears, and the test terminal 3 and the circuit board 7 become connected. During the movement of the test terminal 3, the conductive spring 6 provides elastic buffering, providing buffer protection while connecting the test terminal 3 and the circuit board 7, reducing the risk of component crushing or cracking, and enabling it to withstand multiple tests, which helps to extend the service life of the leakage protection plug 100.

[0043] As indicated in this specification and claims, the terms "comprising" and "including" only indicate the inclusion of explicitly identified steps and elements, and these steps and elements do not constitute an exclusive list, and the method or apparatus may also include other steps or elements.

[0044] Those skilled in the art will understand that, unless otherwise stated, the singular forms “a,” “b,” and “the” used herein may also include the plural forms. It will be further understood that “multiple” in this invention refers to two or more, and other quantifiers are similarly understood.

[0045] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0046] The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of this utility model, and are preferred embodiments. Their purpose is to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of this utility model and implement it accordingly, and should not be construed as limiting the protection scope of this utility model. All equivalent transformations or modifications made based on the principles of this utility model should be covered within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A leakage current protection plug, characterized in that, include: The test button is mounted on a housing. A test terminal is movably disposed within the housing and configured to be pushed toward a circuit board by the test button; A conductive spring is disposed between the test terminal and the circuit board; There is a gap between the conductive spring and the test terminal or between the conductive spring and the circuit board. The leakage protection plug has a test state in which the test button is pressed. In the test state, the conductive spring, the test terminal and the circuit board are all in contact to conduct electricity between the test terminal and the circuit board.

2. The leakage protection plug according to claim 1, characterized in that, The leakage protection plug also includes a mounting block and a reset spring. The mounting block is located inside the housing, the test terminal is movably mounted on the mounting block, and the reset spring is located between the test terminal and the mounting block.

3. The leakage protection plug according to claim 2, characterized in that, The mounting block is provided with a limiting groove, and at least a portion of the conductive spring is located in the limiting groove.

4. The leakage protection plug according to claim 3, characterized in that, The test terminal has a test end, which is movably inserted into the limiting groove and can contact or detach from the conductive spring.

5. The leakage protection plug according to claim 4, characterized in that, The mounting block has two parallel limiting grooves, and the test terminal has two test ends, each test end corresponding to a conductive spring. Each limiting groove has one test end and one conductive spring.

6. The leakage protection plug according to claim 5, characterized in that, The test terminal also has a top plate, and the two test ends bend and extend from both ends of the top plate, and the test terminal is generally U-shaped.

7. The leakage protection plug according to claim 6, characterized in that, The top of the mounting block is provided with a mounting groove, one end of the reset spring is located in the mounting groove, and the other end of the reset spring is in contact with the top plate.

8. The leakage protection plug according to claim 4, characterized in that, The test end includes a main body and a limiting lug extending outward from the main body.

9. The leakage protection plug according to claim 2, characterized in that, The mounting block and the outer shell are fixedly connected; a flexible sealing gasket is provided between the top of the mounting block and the outer shell, the sealing gasket being spaced between the test button and the test terminal and being deformable by the test button.

10. A household appliance, characterized in that, Including the leakage protection plug as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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