Terminal device

Abstract

To provide a terminal device capable of suppressing the occurrence of a short circuit caused by inserting a plug or the like of a different standard into a receptacle.SOLUTION: A terminal device according to an embodiment includes a socket, a pin member, and an intermediate member. The socket is provided with an opening into which a plug can be inserted. The pin member is provided inside the socket. The intermediate member extends in the plug insertion direction, has a portion fixed inside the socket, and is disposed spaced apart from the pin member so as to be able to come into contact with the pin member. The intermediate member establishes an electrical connection between the pin member and the plug according to a plug insertion depth to which the plug is inserted into the socket.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a terminal device. [Background technology]

[0002] Electronic devices such as personal computers are often provided with connectors for connecting to external devices. The most widely used serial bus standard for connecting external devices to electronic devices is the Universal Serial Bus (USB), but there are many different types. The shapes of the connection terminals and connectors vary depending on the type of USB standard. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-136221 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In a USB-standard connection terminal, power pins and signal pins are arranged side by side. Furthermore, connection terminals are often arranged in an exposed state on electronic devices without being covered by a cover or the like. For this reason, there is a risk of a short circuit between the plug terminal and the receptacle terminal if a plug of a different standard is inserted into the receptacle, or if a component other than a plug is mistakenly inserted into the receptacle.

[0005] An object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a terminal device that can suppress the occurrence of a short circuit caused by inserting a plug or the like of a different standard into a receptacle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A terminal device according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a socket, a pin member, and an intermediate member. The socket is provided with an opening into which a plug can be inserted. The pin member is provided inside the socket. The intermediate member extends in the plug insertion direction, has a portion fixed inside the socket, and is disposed spaced apart from the pin member so as to be able to come into contact with the pin member. The intermediate member establishes an electrical connection between the pin member and the plug depending on the plug insertion depth to which the plug is inserted into the socket.

[0007] In the terminal device, the pin member has a first contact portion. The intermediate member has a second contact portion provided at one end in the plug insertion direction and a third contact portion provided at the other end in the plug insertion direction. When the plug is inserted into the socket, the intermediate member contacts the plug at the second contact portion and contacts the first contact portion at the third contact portion depending on the plug insertion depth.

[0008] In the terminal device, the third contact portion has a convex shape facing the pin member.

[0009] In the terminal device, the second contact portion has a convex shape facing the plug inserted into the socket.

[0010] In the terminal device, the intermediate member has a fixing portion provided between the second contact portion and the third contact portion. The socket has a base to which the fixing portion is fixed. The intermediate member is an elastic body. The intermediate member is rotatable about the base. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the above aspects of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a short circuit caused by inserting a plug or the like of a different standard into a receptacle. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a portion of a terminal device according to one embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the terminal device of the embodiment with no plug inserted therein. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a side view showing the terminal device in which the plug of the above embodiment is inserted. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a side view showing the terminal device according to the embodiment in which a plug of another standard is inserted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the terminal device 10 will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The configuration of the embodiment described below, and the actions and results (effects) brought about by said configuration are merely examples, and are not limited to the contents described below. Note that in this specification, ordinal numbers are used only to distinguish parts or members, and do not indicate order or priority.

[0014] First, the outline and structure of a terminal device 10 according to this embodiment will be described. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a part of the terminal device 10 of one embodiment. Fig. 2 is a side view showing the terminal device 10 of this embodiment with a plug 11 not inserted. The terminal device 10 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is a receptacle for electrically connecting an external device to an electronic device such as a personal computer.

[0015] The terminal device 10 in this embodiment complies with the USB Type-A 2.0 serial bus standard (hereinafter, the standard). The terminal device 10 is electrically connected to an external device by inserting a plug 11 that complies with the same standard as the terminal device 10. In this embodiment, the plug 11 complies with the USB Type-A 2.0 standard. FIGS. 1 and 2 show a state in which the plug 11 is not inserted into the terminal device 10.

[0016] It should be noted that application examples of the terminal device 10 in the present embodiment are not limited to this, and may be applied to, for example, a receptacle mounted on a video output device such as a television receiver. Also, the standard of the terminal device 10 mounted on an electronic device is not limited to this, and may be applied to, for example, an HDMI (registered trademark) terminal.

[0017] 1 and 2, the terminal device 10 includes a socket 101, four pins 102, and four conductive portions 103. The pins 102 are an example of a pin member. The conductive portions 103 are an example of an intermediate member.

[0018] In the following figures, for convenience, three mutually orthogonal directions are defined. The +X direction and the -X direction are directions in which the plug 11 is inserted into and removed from the terminal device 10, and may also be referred to as the plug insertion direction. The +Y direction and the -Y direction are width directions of the terminal device 10, and may also be referred to as the left-right direction. The +Z direction and the -Z direction are thickness directions of the terminal device 10, and may also be referred to as the up-down direction. Note that the expressions indicating directions such as front-back, left-right, up-down, and so on in this embodiment are names used for convenience, and do not limit the position, posture, and usage mode of the terminal device 10.

[0019] The socket 101 is a housing in the terminal device 10 into which the plug 11 is inserted. The socket 101 is formed in a substantially rectangular box shape. The socket 101 is provided with an opening 1011. The socket 101 has a base 1012.

[0020] The opening 1011 is a hole into which the plug 11 can be inserted. The opening 1011 communicates between the outside and the inside of the socket 101. The opening 1011 is provided on the end face of the socket 101 in the -X direction. The length of the opening 1011 in the Y axis direction is slightly shorter than the length of the socket 101 in the Y axis direction. The length of the opening 1011 in the Z axis direction is slightly shorter than the length of the socket 101 in the Z axis direction.

[0021] The base 1012 is a member fixed inside the socket 101. The base 1012 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped rod shape. The base 1012 is disposed inside the socket 101 near the center of the socket 101 in the Z-axis direction. The base 1012 extends in the Y-axis direction inside the socket 101. The length of the base 1012 in the Y-axis direction is substantially equal to the length of the opening 1011 in the Y-axis direction. The length of the base 1012 in the Z-axis direction is sufficiently shorter than the length of the opening 1011 in the Z-axis direction.

[0022] The four pins 102 are electrodes for transmitting data and power. The four pins 102 are formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped rod shape. The four pins 102 extend in the X-axis direction inside the socket 101. The four pins 102 are disposed in positions farther from the opening 1011 than the base 1012 is in the X-axis direction. The four pins 102 are disposed near the center of the socket 101 in the Z-axis direction.

[0023] Each of the four pins 102 has a first contact portion 1021. The first contact portion 1021 is a portion that comes into contact with a third contact portion 1032 of the conductive portion 103, which will be described later, depending on the plug insertion depth. The first contact portion 1021 is located on an end surface of each pin 102 facing the -Z direction. The first contact portion 1021 is provided near an end portion of the second portion 103b in the +X direction in the X-axis direction.

[0024] The four conductive parts 103 are members for transmitting data and power transmitted through the pins 102 to the plug 11. The four conductive parts 103 extend in the X-axis direction inside the socket 101. A part of each of the four conductive parts 103 is fixed to an end face of the base 1012 in the +Z direction inside the socket 101. Each of the four conductive parts 103 is spaced apart from the four pins 102. Each of the four conductive parts 103 is arranged so as to be able to come into contact with the pins 102. Each of the four conductive parts 103 is rotatable around the base 1012 as a fulcrum. When the plug 11 is inserted into the socket 101, the four conductive parts 103 establish an electrical connection between the pins 102 and the plug 11 depending on the plug insertion depth. The conductive parts 103 are an example of an intermediate member.

[0025] Each conductive portion 103 has a first portion 103a, a second portion 103b, and a fixed portion 103c. The first portion 103a is disposed at a position closer to the opening 1011 than the base 1012. The first portion 103a is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped rod shape.

[0026] The first portion 103a has a second contact portion 1031. The second contact portion 1031 is a portion that comes into contact with the plug 11 when the plug 11 is inserted into the socket 101. The second contact portion 1031 has a convex shape that faces the lower surface 1013. The second contact portion 1031 is located on an end surface of the conductive portion 103 facing the -Z direction. The second contact portion 1031 is provided at an end portion of the first portion 103a in the -X direction in the X-axis direction.

[0027] 2, the first portion 103a is inclined at an angle θ1 with respect to the socket 101 in a direction toward the opening 1011 and toward the bottom surface 1013, which is the inner surface of the socket 101 in the -Z direction. The angle θ1 is an acute angle. The distance between the second contact portion 1031 and the bottom surface 1013 is L1.

[0028] The magnitude of angle θ1 is a value that is uniquely determined according to the size (standard) of plug 11 to be inserted into terminal device 10 and the length of first portion 103a in the plug insertion direction (X-axis direction).

[0029] A distance L1 between second contact portion 1031 and lower surface 1013 is a value that is uniquely determined according to the size (standard) of plug 11 inserted into terminal device 10, and for example, in the case of the USB Type-A standard, L1 is 4.5 mm.

[0030] The second portion 103b is disposed at a position farther from the opening 1011 than the base 1012. The second portion 103b is formed in a rod shape having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The second portion 103b is inclined in the -Z direction toward the pin 102 with respect to the socket 101.

[0031] The second portion 103b has a third contact portion 1032. The third contact portion 1032 is spaced apart from the pin 102. The third contact portion 1032 is a portion that comes into contact with the first contact portion 1021 of the pin 102 depending on the plug insertion depth when the plug 11 is inserted into the socket 101. The third contact portion 1032 has a convex shape toward the pin 102. The third contact portion 1032 is located on an end surface of the conductive portion 103 facing the +Z direction. The third contact portion 1032 is provided at an end portion of the second portion 103b in the +X direction in the X-axis direction. The third contact portion 1032 is disposed at a position aligned with a part of the pin 102 in the X-axis direction.

[0032] 2, the second portion 103b is inclined at an angle θ2 with respect to the socket 101 in a direction toward the pin 102, which is the lower surface 1013 that is the inner surface of the socket 101 in the -Z direction. The angle θ2 is an acute angle. The distance between the third contact portion 1032 and the pin 102 is L2.

[0033] The magnitude of the angle θ2 is equal to, but not limited to, the angle θ1. The distance L2 between the third contact portion 1032 and the pin 102 is a value that is uniquely determined according to the value of the angle θ2 and the length of the second portion 103b, and in this embodiment, is equal to or less than half the distance between the pin 102 and the lower surface 1013.

[0034] The fixed portion 103c is disposed between the first portion 103a and the second portion 103b. The fixed portion 103c connects the first portion 103a and the second portion 103b. The fixed portion 103c is formed in a substantially flat plate shape. The fixed portion 103c is fixed to an end face of the base 1012 in the +Z direction inside the socket 101, for example, by adhesive. The conductive portion 103 extends in the X-axis direction as a whole, and is formed in a rod shape that is convex in the +Z direction at the fixed portion 103c.

[0035] Each conductive portion 103 is an elastic body made of, for example, metal or synthetic resin such as elastomer. Therefore, when the plug 11 is inserted into the socket 101, the first portion 103a and the second portion 103b of each conductive portion 103 rotate in opposite directions about the fixed portion 103c as a fulcrum when they come into contact with the plug 11, and bend in the +Z direction. That is, a pair of ends of each conductive portion 103 in the X-axis direction can rotate and bend in opposite directions about a single fulcrum, and thus each conductive portion 103 can be mounted with two contact portions, and the number of parts of the terminal device 10 can be reduced, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of electronic devices.

[0036] (Steps for inserting a plug into a terminal device) The flow of inserting the plug 11 into the terminal device 10 will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 2 to 4. Figure 3 is a side view showing the terminal device 10 into which the plug 11 of this embodiment is inserted. Figure 4 is a side view showing the terminal device 10 into which the plug 11 of another standard of this embodiment is inserted.

[0037] In the following description, it is assumed that the plug 11 is inserted into the terminal device 10 from the -X direction toward the +X direction. Note that the direction in which the plug 11 is inserted into the terminal device 10 in this embodiment is a direction for convenience and does not limit this embodiment.

[0038] First, a case will be described where terminal device 10 and plug 11 comply with the USB Type-A standard. When plug 11 is inserted into terminal device 10, first, an end of plug 11 in the +X direction comes into contact with second contact portion 1031 of first portion 103a. Then, plug 11 is inserted into socket 101 in the +X direction while coming into contact with second contact portion 1031, and the end of plug 11 in the +X direction comes into contact with second portion 103b.

[0039] Then, the second portion 103b is pushed in the +X direction by the plug 11, bends in the +Z direction, and rotates counterclockwise with the base 1012 as a fulcrum. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the third contact portion 1032 of the second portion 103b comes into contact with the first contact portion 1021 of the pin 102, and the insertion of the plug 11 is completed. At this time, the insertion depth of the plug 11 into the terminal device 10 is L3. Through the above steps, an electrical connection between the terminal device 10 and the plug 11 is established via the conductive portion 103.

[0040] Next, a case where terminal device 10 complies with the USB Type-A standard and plug 11A complies with the USB Type-C standard will be described. A state where plug 11A is not inserted into terminal device 10 is the same as the above-mentioned case where plug 11 complies with the USB Type-A standard, so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0041] When plug 11A is inserted into terminal device 10, first, the end of plug 11A in the +X direction comes into contact with second contact portion 1031 of first portion 103a. Then, plug 11A is inserted into socket 101 in the +X direction while being in contact with second contact portion 1031, and the insertion of plug 11A is completed in the position shown in FIG.

[0042] At this time, the insertion depth L4 of the plug 11A is shallower than the insertion depth L3 of the plug 11. Therefore, the end of the plug 11A in the +X direction does not come into contact with the second portion 103b. Therefore, the second portion 103b is not pushed in the +X direction by the plug 11A and does not bend in the +Z direction, and does not rotate counterclockwise with the base 1012 as a fulcrum. In addition, the third contact portion 1032 of the second portion 103b does not come into contact with the first contact portion 1021 of the pin 102. With this, the insertion of the plug 11A is completed.

[0043] That is, when plug 11A is inserted into terminal device 10, insertion depth L4 of plug 11A is shallower than insertion depth L3 of plug 11, and therefore electrical connection is not established between terminal device 10 and plug 11A via conductive portion 103. Therefore, when plug 11A conforming to the USB Type-C standard is inserted, terminal device 10 can prevent a short circuit between the terminal of plug 11A and conductive portion 103.

[0044] When plug 11A is inserted into terminal device 10, a short circuit between the terminal of plug 11A and conductive portion 103 can be prevented without providing a separate semiconductor circuit for short circuit prevention.

[0045] Although not shown, when a plug 11A conforming to the USB Type-C standard is inserted into a terminal device 10A conforming to the HDMI (registered trademark) Type-A standard, an electrical connection between the terminal device 10A and the plug 11A via the conductive portion 103 is not established, and the terminal device 10A can suppress a short circuit between the terminal of the plug 11A and the conductive portion 103.

[0046] In this way, terminal device 10 and terminal device 10A can suppress the occurrence of a short circuit when a plug or the like having a smaller cross-sectional area and a shallower plug insertion depth than the specifications of terminal device 10 and terminal device 10A is erroneously inserted into socket 101. Terminal device 10 and plug 11 are not limited to the above example, and for example, terminal device 10 may conform to the HDMI (registered trademark) Type-C standard and plug 11 may be a Lightning connector (registered trademark). Furthermore, plug 11 may be a conductive material (such as a metal) other than a plug.

[0047] The terminal device 10 of the above embodiment includes a socket 101, a pin 102, and a conductive portion 103. The socket 101 is provided with an opening 1011 into which the plug 11 can be inserted. The pin 102 is provided inside the socket 101. The conductive portion 103 extends in the plug insertion direction (X-axis direction), a portion of which is fixed inside the socket 101, and is disposed apart from the pin 102 so as to be able to come into contact with the pin 102. The conductive portion 103 establishes an electrical connection between the pin 102 and the plug 11 depending on the plug insertion depth to which the plug 11 is inserted into the socket 101.

[0048] As a result, when a plug or the like of a different standard is inserted into the socket 101 of the terminal device 10, the terminal device 10 is able to prevent an electrical connection between the pin 102 and the plug 11, and thus the terminal device 10 is able to prevent a short circuit from occurring between the terminal of the plug 11 and the conductive portion 103.

[0049] Moreover, in this embodiment, the pin 102 has a first contact portion 1021. The conductive portion 103 has a second contact portion 1031 and a third contact portion 1032. The second contact portion 1031 is provided at one end in the plug insertion direction (X-axis direction). The third contact portion 1032 is provided at the other end in the plug insertion direction (X-axis direction). When the plug 11 is inserted into the socket 101, the conductive portion 103 comes into contact with the plug 11 at the second contact portion 1031, and comes into contact with the first contact portion 1021 at the third contact portion 1032 depending on the plug insertion depth.

[0050] As a result, when plug 11 comes into contact with second contact portion 1031 of conductive portion 103 and second portion 103b is pushed in the +X direction by plug 11 so that third contact portion 1032 comes into contact with first contact portion 1021 of pin 102, electrical connection between plug 11 and pin 102 can be established. Furthermore, when a plug or the like having a length different from the standard of terminal device 10 is inserted into socket 101, third contact portion 1032 does not come into contact with first contact portion 1021 of pin 102, so that terminal device 10 does not establish electrical connection between pin 102 and plug 11.

[0051] In this embodiment, the third contact portion 1032 has a convex shape facing the pin 102 .

[0052] This shortens the distance between the third contact portion 1032 and the pin 102. This shortens the distance that the conductive portion 103 must move to bring the third contact portion 1032 into contact with the pin 102, thereby improving the design freedom of the terminal device 10.

[0053] In this embodiment, the second contact portion 1031 has a convex shape facing the plug 11 inserted into the socket 101.

[0054] This reduces the contact area between the second contact portion 1031 and the plug 11. Therefore, when inserting or removing the plug 11 into or from the socket 101, friction occurring at the contact portion between the plug 11 and the second contact portion 1031 is reduced, and wear of the plug 11 and the conductive portion 103 can be suppressed.

[0055] In this embodiment, the conductive portion 103 has a fixed portion 103c provided between the second contact portion 1031 and the third contact portion 1032. The socket 101 has a base 1012 to which the fixed portion 103c is fixed. The conductive portion 103 is an elastic body. The conductive portion 103 is rotatable with the base 1012 as a fulcrum.

[0056] This allows the conductive portion 103 to be mounted with two contact portions. In other words, the terminal device 10 does not need to be provided with two conductive portions each having one contact portion, and thus the number of components of the terminal device 10 can be reduced. Furthermore, the terminal device 10 can suppress short circuits without providing a separate semiconductor circuit for suppressing short circuits. Furthermore, the terminal device 10 of this embodiment can reduce the manufacturing costs of electronic devices in which the terminal device 10 is mounted.

[0057] (Modification) The outline and structure of the terminal device 10 of the modified example will be described below. The description of the same configuration as that of the first embodiment will be omitted. The terminal device 10 of the modified example complies with the USB Type-A 3.0 standard and has nine pins 102. Of the nine pins, four pins 102 are pins for electrically connecting to a plug that complies with the USB Type-A 2.0 standard, and the other five pins 102 are pins for electrically connecting to a plug that complies with the USB Type-A 3.0 standard. The four pins 102 are disposed between the other five pins 102 and the bottom surface 1013 of the socket 101 in the Z-axis direction.

[0058] The terminal device 10 of the modified example has two bases 1012 and nine conductive portions 103. One of the two bases 1012 is disposed between the other base 1012 and the lower surface 1013.

[0059] The nine conductive portions 103 are disposed at positions corresponding to the nine pins 102 in the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction. The third contact portions 1032 of the nine conductive portions 103 are provided so as to be able to come into contact with the first contact portions 1021 of the nine pins 102.

[0060] One of the two bases 1012 fixes the fixed portions 103c of four of the nine conductive portions 103. The other of the two bases 1012 fixes the fixed portions 103c of the remaining five conductive portions 103.

[0061] In this modified terminal device 10, as in the terminal device 10 of the first embodiment, the occurrence of a short circuit can be suppressed when a plug having a smaller cross-sectional area and a shallower plug insertion depth than the specifications of the terminal device 10 is erroneously inserted into the socket 101.

[0062] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents as described in the claims, as well as the scope and spirit of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 10, 10A terminal unit 11, 11A plug 101 Socket 102 pin 103 Conductive part 1011 Aperture 1012 Base 1021 First contact part 1031 Second contact part 1032 Third contact part θ1 Inclination angle of the first part relative to the socket θ2 Inclination angle of the second part relative to the socket L1 Distance between the second contact and the bottom surface L2 Distance between the third contact and the pin L3, L4 plug insertion depth

Claims

1. a socket having an opening into which a plug can be inserted; A pin member provided inside the socket; an intermediate member extending in a plug insertion direction, a portion of which is fixed inside the socket, and spaced apart from the pin members so as to be able to come into contact with the pin members; Equipped with the intermediate member establishes an electrical connection between the pin member and the plug in accordance with a plug insertion depth to which the plug is inserted into the socket; Terminal device.

2. The pin member has a first contact portion, The intermediate member is a second contact portion provided at one end in the plug insertion direction, and a third contact portion provided at the other end in the plug insertion direction; having When the plug is inserted into the socket, the intermediate member contacts the plug at the second contact portion, the third contact portion comes into contact with the first contact portion depending on the plug insertion depth; The terminal device according to claim 1 .

3. The terminal device according to claim 2 , wherein the third contact portion has a convex shape directed toward the pin member.

4. The terminal device according to claim 3 , wherein the second contact portion has a convex shape facing the plug inserted into the socket.

5. the intermediate member has a fixing portion provided between the second contact portion and the third contact portion, the socket has a base to which the fixing portion is fixed, The intermediate member is an elastic body, The intermediate member is rotatable about the base. The terminal device according to claim 4.

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