A hollow pin and power adapter

Abstract

The application discloses a hollow pin and a power adapter, and relates to the technical field of power adapters. The hollow pin aims to solve the problems of high material cost and complex processing technology of the solid pin in the prior art. The hollow pin comprises a tubular pin body extending in the axial direction, and a hollow accommodating cavity is formed in the pin body. The pin body is integrally formed with a plug-in part for cooperating with an external socket and a connecting part for establishing electrical connection with an internal circuit board. By designing the pin as a hollow structure, a stamping process can be used instead of the traditional turning process, thereby greatly saving raw materials and reducing manufacturing cost. The application further provides a power adapter comprising the hollow pin. An elastic connecting piece fixed on the circuit board extends into the accommodating cavity of the pin body and elastically abuts against the inner side wall of the connecting part, so that the welding-free and reliable electrical connection is realized, the assembly process is simplified, and the production efficiency and connection reliability are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of power adapter technology, and in particular to a hollow pin and a power adapter. Background Technology

[0002] The plug is an indispensable key component of electrical appliances such as power adapters. Its main function is to cooperate with the socket to establish a power connection for the appliance. Common plugs on the market, especially those of the Indian standard, are usually made from solid metal rods (such as copper rods) through a turning process. While this manufacturing method ensures the structural strength and conductivity of the plugs, it consumes a lot of material, resulting in high material costs per plug, which in turn increases the overall manufacturing cost of the power adapter.

[0003] Meanwhile, when assembling these solid pins into a power adapter, they typically need to be directly fixed to the internal circuit board (PCB) through soldering or riveting to achieve electrical conductivity. This connection method is not only relatively complex in process, but also prone to stress concentration at the solder or riveting points under long-term use or external impact, potentially leading to loosening or breakage, thus affecting the product's stability and lifespan. Therefore, how to reduce the manufacturing cost of the pins and optimize their assembly process while ensuring connection reliability has become a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0004] This application aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this application proposes a hollow pin and power adapter, which can save material costs and simplify the assembly process.

[0005] Firstly, embodiments of this application provide a hollow pin.

[0006] A hollow plug according to an embodiment of this application includes: a plug body, the plug body being a tubular structure extending axially, the plug body having a hollow receiving cavity formed inside; the plug body including: a plug portion for cooperating with an external socket; and a connecting portion integrally formed with the plug portion, the connecting portion being used to establish an electrical connection with an external circuit board.

[0007] The hollow pins according to the embodiments of this application have at least the following beneficial effects: By designing the pin body as a hollow tubular structure, the traditional manufacturing method of machining solid metal bars is changed. This innovative structure can be directly formed from metal sheets through processes such as stamping and edge rolling, reducing the amount of raw materials (such as copper) used and significantly reducing the material cost per pin, bringing huge economic benefits to large-scale production. At the same time, the cavity formed by the pin body provides new design space for subsequent electrical connections. As a functional area, the connection part can flexibly establish electrical connections with external circuit boards in various ways, such as by inserting an independent connector into the cavity and making contact with the inner wall of the pin body. Compared with traditional direct welding or riveting, this method not only simplifies the assembly process but also provides greater design freedom for the layout of the pins and circuit boards.

[0008] According to some embodiments of this application, it also includes: Flexible connectors; One end of the elastic connector is fixed to the circuit board and electrically connected to the circuit board; The other end of the elastic connector is connected to the connecting part.

[0009] According to some embodiments of this application, one end of the elastic connector is fixed to the circuit board and electrically connected to the circuit board; the other end of the elastic connector is connected to the inner sidewall of the connecting portion.

[0010] According to some embodiments of this application, the resilient connector includes: A base, which is fixed to the circuit board and electrically connected to the circuit board; At least two elastic arms, the fixed end of which is connected to the base, and the free end of which abuts against the inner wall of the connecting part.

[0011] According to some embodiments of this application, the free end of the elastic arm is bent toward the inner wall of the connecting portion to form an arc-shaped contact surface protruding toward the inner wall of the connecting portion.

[0012] According to some embodiments of this application, the end of the plug portion away from the connecting portion is provided with an arc-shaped sealing portion.

[0013] According to some embodiments of this application, the edge of the end of the connecting portion away from the insertion portion is radially folded outward to form an outward folded portion.

[0014] According to some embodiments of this application, at least one protruding structure is provided at intervals on the everted portion.

[0015] According to some embodiments of this application, the protruding structure and the outward-facing portion are integrally formed by stamping.

[0016] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a power adapter.

[0017] A power adapter according to an embodiment of this application includes: an adapter housing; a circuit board disposed in the internal cavity of the adapter housing; and a hollow plug as described in any embodiment of the first aspect, wherein the connecting portion passes through the adapter housing and is electrically connected to the circuit board. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The present application will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, wherein: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the insert script body in the embodiment; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the insert body from another perspective in an embodiment; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure when the insert body and the elastic connector are assembled in an embodiment. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure when the elastic connector and the circuit board of the embodiment are assembled. Figure 5 This is an exploded structural diagram of the elastic connector and insert body in an embodiment; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the adapter housing structure for an embodiment; Figure 7 for Figure 6 A magnified view of a portion of point A in the middle.

[0019] Figure label: Insert body 100; insertion part 110; sealing part 111; connecting part 120; outward turning part 121; protruding structure 121a; elastic connector 200; base 210; elastic arm 220; adapter housing 300; bayonet 310; circuit board 400. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0021] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the orientation descriptions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not 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.

[0022] In the description of this application, "several" means one or more, "multiple" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0023] In the description of this application, unless otherwise expressly defined, terms such as "setup," "installation," and "connection" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this application in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0024] In the description of this application, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0025] Firstly, embodiments of this application provide a hollow plug. The hollow plug can be applied to electrical appliances such as power adapters that require an electrical connection to an external socket.

[0026] The embodiment includes a hollow pin with a pin body 100. For example... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the insert body 100 is a tubular structure extending along its central axis. It is made entirely of sheet metal through processes such as stamping and edge rolling, thus naturally forming a hollow accommodating cavity inside. Compared with traditional inserts made by turning solid copper rods, this hollow design saves metal raw materials (such as copper), thereby significantly reducing manufacturing costs.

[0027] The insert body 100 can be functionally divided into two main parts: the insert portion 110 and the connecting portion 120. For example... Figure 2As shown, the plug-in portion 110 is the part of the plug body 100 used for plugging and unplugging with an external power socket. In use, the user holds the appliance and inserts the plug-in portion 110 into the socket's hole to establish initial physical and electrical contact. The connecting portion 120 is located near the base of the plug body 100, and its main function is to establish a stable electrical connection with the circuit board 400 inside the appliance, thereby transferring AC power from the external socket to the circuit board 400. Various methods can be used to achieve this electrical connection; for example, it can be achieved by soldering wires, or more preferably, by inserting a separate flexible connector 200 into the receiving cavity of the plug body 100, abutting against the inner wall of the connecting portion 120, thus achieving solderless and reliable electrical conduction. This flexible connection method simplifies the assembly process and improves production efficiency.

[0028] To achieve a reliable and easy-to-assemble electrical connection between the socket body 100 and the circuit board 400, in some embodiments, the hollow socket also includes a separate resilient connector 200. For example... Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the elastic connector 200 is a pre-manufactured conductive element, typically stamped from a metal material with good conductivity and elasticity, such as phosphor bronze or beryllium copper. During assembly, one end of the elastic connector 200 is fixed to the circuit board 400 inside the adapter, and a stable electrical connection is established with the conductive paths (e.g., solder pads) on the circuit board 400 through soldering or other methods. The other end of the elastic connector 200 is used to mate with the connecting portion 120 of the insert body 100. For example, the other end of the elastic connector 200 extends from the open end of the insert body 100 (i.e., the end where the connecting portion 120 is located) into its internal receiving cavity and contacts the inner wall of the connecting portion 120. Through its own elastic deformation, a portion of the elastic connector 200 can tightly and with a certain preload abut against the inner wall of the connecting portion 120. This connection method using elastic abutment replaces the traditional welding or riveting process, which not only makes the installation process extremely simple and fast, but also ensures that the elastic force can maintain a stable contact between the two over a long period of time.

[0029] Furthermore, in some embodiments, such as Figure 5As shown, the elastic connector 200 includes a base 210 and at least two elastic arms 220. The base 210 is the mounting base of the elastic connector 200. Its structure is relatively stable, facilitating secure fixation to the pre-set pads of the circuit board 400 by means of soldering (such as SMT surface mount soldering or DIP through-hole soldering), thereby ensuring the stability of the electrical and mechanical connection between the elastic connector 200 and the circuit board 400. At least two elastic arms 220 extend from the base 210. The fixed end of each elastic arm 220 is integrally formed with the base 210, while its free end extends towards the insert body 100. When the insert body 100 is assembled with the elastic connector 200, it is the free ends of these elastic arms 220 that extend into the receiving cavity of the insert body 100 and ultimately abut against the inner wall of the connecting part 120. Multiple elastic arms 220 simultaneously abut against the inner wall from different directions, forming multi-point contact, thereby ensuring redundancy in the current transmission path and overall connection stability. To make the abutment more reliable and the contact area more optimized, in some embodiments, the free end of each elastic arm 220 can also undergo special shaping treatment. For example, the free end of each elastic arm 220 is bent outward (i.e., towards the inner wall of the connecting part 120), forming a smooth, raised arc-shaped contact surface. When the elastic arm 220 is inserted into the insert body 100, it is this arc-shaped contact surface that makes line or surface contact with the inner wall of the insert body 100. The smooth arc surface facilitates the smooth sliding of the elastic arm 220 into the insert body 100, reducing assembly difficulty; secondly, after the elastic arm 220 is deformed under pressure, the arc-shaped protrusion structure can concentrate the contact pressure in the apex area, forming a stable and effective contact point.

[0030] Understandably, in order to securely mount the hollow pins onto the housing of an electrical appliance (such as a power adapter) and prevent them from loosening, rotating, or being accidentally pulled out during use, the hollow pins in this embodiment have a specially designed root structure for the pin body 100. In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, at the end of the connecting portion 120 away from the insertion portion 110, its edge is radially folded outward, forming an annular outward-folded portion 121. When the insertion piece 100 passes through the preset mounting hole from the inside of the adapter housing 300, this outward-folded portion 121 acts as a limiting structure, abutting against the mounting hole around the inner wall of the adapter housing 300, thereby effectively preventing the insertion piece 100 from coming off the adapter housing 300 and playing a role in axial limiting.

[0031] Understandably, the outward-facing portion 121 alone is sometimes insufficient to completely secure the pin, especially during insertion and removal, as the pin body 100 may rotate about its own axis. To address this issue, in some embodiments, such as Figure 2As shown, at least one protruding structure 121a is also provided at intervals on the outwardly turned portion 121. This protruding structure 121a can be a small feature that protrudes upward from the plane of the outwardly turned portion 121. Correspondingly, a retaining groove 310 adapted to this protruding structure 121a should be provided around the mounting hole of the appliance housing. During assembly, aligning the protruding structure 121a and inserting it into the retaining groove 310 on the housing achieves circumferential limiting, effectively preventing unwanted rotation of the insert body 100 within the housing. It is understood that the protruding structure 121a can be directly stamped onto the outwardly turned portion 121 while the insert body 100 is being stamped and flanged.

[0032] Understandably, to facilitate smooth insertion of the prongs into the external socket, the hollow prongs in this embodiment optimize the head shape of the prong body 100. At the end of the insertion portion 110 away from the connecting portion 120, an arc-shaped sealing portion 111 is provided. This sealing portion 111 closes the originally open tubular port, forming a smooth, rounded head contour. This design guides the insertion into the socket, reduces insertion resistance, avoids scratches or jamming caused by sharp edges, and improves the user experience.

[0033] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a power adapter.

[0034] The power adapter of the embodiment includes an adapter housing 300 for accommodating internal components, a circuit board 400 disposed in a cavity inside the adapter housing 300, and hollow pins according to any embodiment of the first aspect. For example, Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the adapter housing 300 has pre-drilled mounting holes for the hollow plug. During assembly, the insertion portion 110 of the hollow plug passes through the mounting holes from the inside of the adapter housing 300 and extends to the outside of the housing for connection with an external power outlet. Meanwhile, the connecting portion 120 of the hollow plug remains within the internal cavity of the adapter housing 300. The circuit board 400 is fixed inside the adapter housing 300. To achieve power transmission, the connecting portion 120 of the hollow plug needs to establish a reliable electrical connection with the circuit board 400. The electrical connection between the connecting portion 120 and the circuit board 400 can be a cable or the aforementioned flexible connector 200, etc. By employing the hollow plug of the first aspect embodiment, the power adapter of this embodiment achieves significant cost advantages and lightweight effects, and its internal electrical connection methods are also greatly expanded.

[0035] The embodiments of this application have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the above embodiments. Within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art, various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of this application. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other.

Claims

1. A hollow pin, characterized in that, include: An insert body (100) is a tubular structure extending axially, and the insert body (100) has a hollow accommodating cavity inside; the insert body (100) includes: A plug-in portion (110) for mating with an external socket. And a connecting portion (120) integrally formed with the plug portion (110), the connecting portion (120) being used to establish an electrical connection with an external circuit board (400).

2. The hollow pin according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: Flexible connector (200); One end of the elastic connector (200) is fixed to the circuit board (400) and electrically connected to the circuit board (400); The other end of the elastic connector (200) is connected to the connecting part (120).

3. The hollow pin according to claim 2, characterized in that, One end of the elastic connector (200) is fixed to the circuit board (400) and electrically connected to the circuit board (400); the other end of the elastic connector (200) is connected to the inner wall of the connecting part (120).

4. The hollow pin according to claim 3, characterized in that, The resilient connector (200) includes: A base (210) is fixed to the circuit board (400) and electrically connected to the circuit board (400); At least two elastic arms (220) are provided, with the fixed end of the elastic arm (220) connected to the base (210) and the free end of the elastic arm (220) abutting against the inner wall of the connecting part (120).

5. The hollow pin according to claim 4, characterized in that, The free end of the elastic arm (220) is bent toward the inner wall of the connecting part (120) to form an arc-shaped contact surface that protrudes toward the inner wall of the connecting part (120).

6. The hollow pin according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The plug portion (110) has an arc-shaped sealing portion (111) at one end away from the connecting portion (120).

7. The hollow pin according to claim 1, characterized in that, The edge of the connecting part (120) away from the insertion part (110) is folded outward radially to form an outward folded part (121).

8. The hollow pin according to claim 7, characterized in that, At least one protruding structure (121a) is provided at intervals on the everted portion (121).

9. The hollow pin according to claim 8, characterized in that, The protruding structure (121a) and the outwardly turned part (121) are integrally formed by stamping.

10. A power adapter, characterized in that, include: Adapter housing (300); A circuit board (400) is disposed in the internal cavity of the adapter housing (300); The hollow pin according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the connecting part (120) passes through the adapter housing (300) and is electrically connected to the circuit board (400).

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